Relationship between mRNA expression and promoter methylation status of p73 gene in peripheral blood among children with Wilms' tumor / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the mRNA expression and promoter methylation status of p73 gene in the peripheral blood of children with Wilms' tumor (WT), and their relationship.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five children with WT were selected as the case group, and 15 sex- and age- matched children (without malignancies) who visited the hospital for physical examination or other reasons were selected as the control group. Peripheral blood was collected from both groups. Real-time quantitative PCR and methylation-specific PCR were used to determine the mRNA expression level and promoter methylation status of p73 gene. Their relationship with clinicopathological features and the effect of promoter methylation on mRNA expression of p73 gene were analyzed in the case group.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The relative quantity (RQ) of p73 mRNA in the case group was significantly higher than in the control group (3.2 ± 0.9 vs 1.6 ± 1.1; P<0.01). The positive rate of p73 gene promoter methylation in the case group was significantly lower than in the control group (20% vs 73%; P<0.01). In the case group, the RQ of p73 mRNA was significantly higher in children with methylated p73 gene promoter than in those with unmethylated p73 gene promoter (P<0.01). In children with methylated p73 gene promoter, the RQ of p73 mRNA was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group (P<0.01). In children with unmethylated p73 gene promoter, there was no significant difference in RQ of p73 mRNA between the case and control groups (P=0.810).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Aberrant promoter methylation of p73 gene in peripheral blood is one of the gene expression regulations in children with WT, and it is related to the onset and development of WT. The p73 gene may play a role as oncogene in WT patients with p73 gene promoter methylation and mRNA overexpression is associated with promoter methylation status of p73 gene.</p>

Surgical management of intrahepatic vessels in children with stage III/IV hepatoblastoma / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Hepatoblastoma (HB) is a rare childhood tumor. We investigated the effect of intraoperative management of the intrahepatic major vessels in children with HB.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Between April 2005 and August 2012, surgical resection was performed on 50 children with hepatoblastoma. These children were divided into a vessel-ligation group (n = 20) and a vessel-repair group (n = 30). In the vessel-ligation group, the intrahepatic major vessels were ligated and removed together with the tumor and the affected liver lobe/liver parenchyma. In the vessel-repair group, the affected intrahepatic major vessels were dissected and preserved as much as possible and the normal liver lobe/liver parenchyma and blood supply from these vessels were also preserved. The outcomes were analyzed by postoperative follow-up.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the vessel-ligation group, two patients gave up surgery, six patients underwent palliative resection, and 12 patients underwent en bloc resection; four patients died of liver failure and eight patients fully recovered and were discharged. In the vessel-repair group, all 30 patients underwent en bloc resection and were discharged after satisfactory healing. After a follow-up time of 5 - 36 months (median: 20 months), two patient in the vessel-ligation group survived and 22 patients in the vessel-repair group survived.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Patients with HB can be successfully treated by tumor resection with vascular repair. This method prevents postoperative liver failure, ensures patient safety during the perioperative period, and allows for early chemotherapy.</p>

Serologic characteristics and population distribution of subtypes B2 and AB2 of ABO blood group / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was aimed to investigate the serologic characteristics, genetic background and population distribution of B2 and AB2 subtype in Chinese ABO blood group. The classic blood group serological technology was used to detect ABO blood group of the propositus and their family members, the anti-B1 serum prepared by yourself was used to investigate the distribution of B1/B2 and AB1/AB2 subtype of the blood donor. The results indicated that the antigen of propositus was AB2 subtype and that of his child was B2 subtype. The anti-B1 antibody was detected in blood serum of propositus; the antigen of 3 from 2318 blood donors with B blood group were found to be B2 subtype, the antigen of 2 from 826 blood donors with AB blood group were found to be AB2 subtype. The investigation on propositus and the 3 B2 blood donor families showed that B2 antigen displays genetic characteristics of blood group. It is concluded that B2/AB2 subtype is from family inheritance, while B2 subtype is amounted to 0.129% in B blood group, and AB2 subtype is amounted to 0.224% in AB blood group.