Effects of polychlorinated biphenyl on the expressions of c-fos, c-Myc and beta-catenin in the rat testis / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) on the phenotype of the testis tissue and the testis tissue and the expression c-fos, c-Myc and beta-catenin in the rat testis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-five Wistar male rats were divided into a control and three perimental groups, the former fed normally, and the latter with PCB at 0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg respectively for 90 days. Then the effects of PCB on the phenotype of the testis tissue and the expressions of c-fos, c-Myc and p-catenin were determined by histopathology and immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Histopathological examinations revealed testis edema, damage of the mesenchymal phenotype, morphological changes of the contorted seminiferous tubules, absence of stromal cells, spermiocytes and prespermatids, and decreased number of sperm. The expressions of c-fos and c-Myc were significantly higher in the 1 and 10 mg/kg PCB groups than in the control and 0.1 mg/kg PCB groups (P < 0.01). The expression of beta-catenin was downregulated in the 0.1 mg/kg PCB group, with significant differences from the other groups (P < 0.01), but it was higher in the 1 mg/kg PCB than in the control and 10 mg/kg PCB groups (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PCB causes changes in the phenotype of the testis tissue, and the abnormal expressions of c-fos, c-Myc and beta-catenin are closely related to the PCB-induced testis injury.</p>

Maturation regulation of dendritic cells pulsed with hepatocellular carcinoma cell soluble antigens / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To research the maturation regulation of dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell soluble antigens.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>BCG HSP 70 was purified by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and its biological activity was determined with ELISA. Phenotypes of DCs pulsed with antigens or with both antigens and BCG HSP 70 were analysed with flow cytometry. MTT assay was used to estimate the proliferation of self lymphocytes and the mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) of BCG HSP 70 primed DCs.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The characteristics of DCs had changed after loaded with soluble antigens of HCC. There were about 10% DCs which had lost their specific markers. The expression levels of CD54, CD83, CD86 molecules and the stimulatory ability in allogeneic MLR decreased. However, after being activated by BCG HSP 70, the DCs pulsed with antigens could keep their special markers and the expression levels of CD54, CD83, CD86 molecules increased too. The stimulatory abilities in allogeneic MLR and proliferation of self lymphocytes also improved.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>This study shows that BCG HSP 70 can induce DCs pulsed with antigens maturation and improve their antigen-presenting ability, which may be a useful maturation inducer for dendritic cells.</p>