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ABSTRACT Purpose Horseshoe kidney (HSK) is the most common renal fusion anomaly, occurring in 0.25% of the population (1). It presents technical obstacles to pyeloplasty for ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) despite robotic assistance (2, 3). KangDuo-Surgical-Robot-01 (KD-SR-01), an emerging robotic platform in China, has yielded satisfactory outcomes in pyeloplasty (4, 5). We first describe our modified technique of robotic bilateral pyeloplasty for UPJO in HSK using KD-SR-01 system in the Lithotomy Trendelenburg position. Materials and Methods A 36-year-old man with HSK and bilateral UPJO suffered right flank pain due to renal calculi (Figure-1). Repeated double-J stent insertion and ureteroscopy lithotripsy did not relieve his symptoms. A robot-assisted modified bilateral dismembered V-shaped flap pyeloplasty was performed using KD-SR-01 system in the Lithotomy Trendelenburg position. Results Total operative time was 298 minutes with 50 ml estimated blood loss. There was no conversion to laparoscopic or open surgery. A follow-up of 14 months showed relieving symptoms and stable renal function. Cine magnetic resonance urography and computed tomography urography revealed improved hydronephrosis and good drainage. No intraoperative or postoperative complications occurred. Conclusions It is technically feasible to perform a KD-SR-01-assisted modified bilateral dismembered V-shaped flap pyeloplasty in the Lithotomy Trendelenburg position for HSK. This procedure achieves managing UPJO on both sides without redocking the system and provides a wider operative field. In addition, it may be associated with better ergonomics, better cosmetic outcomes, and less possibility of postoperative bowel adhesion. However, further investigation is still warranted to confirm its safety, efficacy, and advantages over traditional procedures.
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BACKGROUND: Tumor microenvironment (TME) plays a vital role in determining the outcomes of radiotherapy. As an important component of TME, vascular endothelial cells are involved in the perivascular resistance niche (PVRN), which is formed by inflammation or cytokine production induced by ionizing radiation (IR). Protein kinase CK2 is a constitutively active serine/threonine kinase which plays a vital role in cell proliferation and inflammation. In this study, we investigated the potential role of CK2 in PVRN after IR exposure. RESULT: Specific CK2 inhibitors, Quinalizarin and CX-4945, were employed to effectively suppressed the kinase activity of CK2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) without affecting their viability. Results showing that conditioned medium from IR-exposed HUVECs increased cell viability of A549 and H460 cells, and the pretreatment of CK2 inhibitors slowed down such increment. The secretion of IL-8 and IL-6 in HUVECs was induced after exposure with IR, but significantly inhibited by the addition of CK2 inhibitors. Furthermore, IR exposure elevated the nuclear phosphorylated factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 expression in HUVECs, which was a master factor regulating cytokine production. But when pretreated with CK2 inhibitors, such elevation was significantly suppressed. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that protein kinase CK2 is involved in the key process of the IR induced perivascular resistant niche, namely cytokine production, by endothelial cells, which finally led to radioresistance of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Thus, the inhibition of CK2 may be a promising way to improve the outcomes of radiation in nonsmall cell lung cancer cells.
Subject(s)
Humans , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/radiotherapy , Endothelial Cells/radiation effects , Casein Kinase II/antagonists & inhibitors , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy , Endothelium, Vascular/cytology , Blotting, Western , Cytokines/biosynthesis , Anthraquinones/pharmacology , Naphthyridines/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Vascular endothelial growth factor 165 (VEGF165)-mediated autocrine stimulation of tumor cells enhances the progression to a malignant phenotype.VEGF165b competes with VEGF165 and binds to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR),resulting in inhibition of downstream signal transduction pathways.This study was designed to investigate the role of VEGF165b in the migration and invasion of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells.The full-length of VEGF165b was constructed and cloned into an expression plasmid (pVEGF165b),and then transfected into A549 cells.Dimethylthiazolyl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to detect the effect of VEGF165b on proliferation of transfected cells.Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was employed to examine the effect of VEGF165b on the expression of VEGF165 in transfected cells.Wound-healing assays were used to investigate the effect of VEGF165b on migration of transfected cells.Matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) activity assay and in vitro invasion assay were used to determine the role of VEGF165b in invasion of transfected cells.There was no significant change in proliferation of A549 cells after transfection of pVEGF165b,but the expression of VEGF165,migration and invasion in A549 cells were inhibited.Furthermore,exogenous VEGF165b inhibited the activity of MMP9 in the supematant of A549 cells and the subsequent invasion capacity of those cells.We therefore conclude that exogenous VEGF165b can inhibit the expression of VEGF165,as well as the migration and invasion ofA549 cells,but has no effect on the proliferation ofA549 cells.
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is and K-ras mutation. It was concluded that aberrant methylation of the RASSF2A gene with the subsequent loss of RASSF2A expression plays an important role in the pathogenesis of HCC.
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The effects of Oxymatrine (Oxy) on the proliferation and apoptosis of human esophageal carcinoma Eca109 cell line and the mechanism were investigated. The human esophageal carcinoma Eca109 cells were cultured in vitro. The Oxy-induced apoptosis of Eca109 cells was assayed by using flow cytometry. The expressions of p-ERK1/2, Cyclin D1, p21waf/cip1, Bax and Bcl-2 were detected by Western blot. Flow cytometry revealed that Oxy could induce the apoptosis of Eca109 cells. Western blot showed that Oxy of different concentrations suppressed the expressions of p-ERK1/2, cyclin D1 and Bc1-2, but up-regulated the expression of p21waf/cip1 and Bax, and the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was increased It was suggested the Oxy could induce the apoptosis of Eca109-cells, which might be related to the upregulation of p21waf/cip1 and the downregulation of p-ERK1/2 Cyclin D1 and p21waf/cip1. The possible pathway may be related to Bcl-2/Bax.