Serum HIF-1alpha and VEGF levels pre- and post-TACE in patients with primary liver cancer / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression levels of serum hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1alpha) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pre- and post-transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with primary liver cancer (PLC), and correlations between prognosis factors and serum HIF-1alpha as well asVEGF levels.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty consecutive patients fulfilling diagnostic criteria for PLC undergoing TACE from March 2008 to May 2009 were enrolled into the study. The serum HIF-1alpha and VEGF levels of PLC patients pre- and 1 day, 1 week, 1 month post-TACE were analyzed using ELISA, and compared with that of 20 healthy volunteers. Patients were divided into complete response (CR) and partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), progressive disease (PD) groups according to the therapeutic efficacy. Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between different clinical variables and serum HIF- 1alpha and VEGF levels before TACE, and correlation between serum HIF-1alpha and VEGF levels was also evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression levels of serum HIF-1alpha and VEGF in PLC patients were 154.94 +/- 83.29 and 264.00 +/- 148.10 pg/mL pre-TACE, and both of them were significantly higher than those in control group (23.84 +/- 8.15 and 69.78 +/- 21.42 pg/mL, all P<0.01). One day after TACE, both serum HIF-1alpha (570.64 +/- 230.87 pg/mL) and VEGF levels (362.07 +/- 102.25 pg/mL) reached the peak values (all P<0.01). One week post-TACE, expression levels of them were decreased (198.62 +/- 92.11 and 283.52 +/- 145.46 pg/mL respectively), but still significantly higher than those before TACE (all P<0.01). The levels of both HIF-1alpha (133.96 +/- 57.02 vs. 255.74 +/- 123.44 pg/mL) and VEGF (150.96 +/- 84.89 vs. 368.95 +/- 161.90 pg/mL) in CR group 1 month post-TACE were significantly lower than those in PR+SD+PD group (all P<0.01). The level of serum HIF-1alpha was positively correlated with serum VEGF level (r=0.42, P<0.001). Both serum HIF-1alpha and VEGF levels were observed to be correlated with portal vein tumor thrombi (P<0.05) and metastasis (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The HIF- 1alpha and VEGF might play an important role in relapse of PLC. They might be considered as predictors of the efficacy ofTACE and metastasis of PLC.</p>

Relationship between genetic polymorphism in microRNAs precursor and genetic predisposition of hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华预防医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between genetic polymorphism in microRNAs (miRNAs) precursor and genetic predisposition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Chinese population.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A case-control study including 963 HCC cases and 829 HBsAg positive controls and 852 HBsAg negative controls was conducted. hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C→G and hsa-mir-196-a2 rs11614913 T→C were selected, where the genotypes were determined by the primer introduced restriction analysis-PCR (PIRA-PCR) assay. Odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were evaluated by logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship between onset risk of HCC and different genotypes.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The genotype frequencies of CC, CG and GG at rs2910164 gene locus were separately 34.5% (319/925), 48.6% (450/925) and 16.9% (156/925) in cases; 36.4% (274/753), 45.0% (339/753) and 18.6% (140/753) in HBsAg positive controls; and 36.1% (303/840), 46.0% (386/840) and 18.0% (151/840) in HBsAg negative controls. The genotype frequencies of TT, CT and CC at rs11614913 were respectively 29.7% (277/934), 48.1% (449/934) and 22.3% (208/934) in cases; 30.3% (238/785), 51.0% (400/785) and 18.7% (147/785) in HBsAg positive controls; and 28.6% (239/837), 49.8% (417/837) and 21.6% (181/837) in HBsAg negative controls. No significant relationships were observed between these two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and onset risk of HCC after adjusting the factors as age, gender, smoking and drinking status in comparison with HBsAg positive controls: hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 (CG + GG vs CC): adjusting OR = 1.10, 95%CI: 0.90 - 1.36; hsa-mir-196-a2 rs11614913 (CC + CT vs TT): adjusting OR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.81 - 1.25; as well as in comparison with HBsAg negative controls: hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 (CG + GG vs CC): adjusting OR = 1.06, 95%CI: 0.87 - 1.29; hsa-mir-196-a2 rs11614913 (CC + CT vs TT): adjusting OR = 0.94, 95%CI: 0.76 - 1.16. As well, no significant relationships were observed between these two SNPs and onset risk of HCC in the subgroups stratified by age, gender, smoking and drinking status.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>hsa-mir-146a rs2910164 C→G and hsa-mir-196-a2 rs11614913 T→C may not play an important role in the HCC predisposition among Chinese populations.</p>

Value of percutanous catheter fragmentation in the management of massive pulmonary embolism / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Acute massive pulmonary embolism (PE) is a clinical emergency requiring rapid and supportive measures. Percutanous mechanical thrombectomy is considered as a treatment option. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of peructaneous mechanical catheter fragmentation in the management of acute massive PE.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From January 2003 to June 2007, 28 patients (20 men, 8 women; mean age 64 years) with acute massive PE initially diagnosed by computed tomography and confirmed by pulmonary angiography were treated with inferior vena caval filter placement and percutaneous catheter fragmentation. Twenty-six patients received thrombolytic agents after embolus fragmentation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Technical success was achieved in all patients. The improvement of clinical status and restoration of blood flow in the main branches of the pulmonary artery were seen in 27 patients. Only one case did not benefit from the percutaneous therapy and died from the failure of the surgery. Oxygen saturation increased from (86.2 +/- 4.5)% to (96.1 +/- 3.2)% (P < 0.001) after the interventional procedure. The post-procedure mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from (34.2 +/- 4.8) mmHg to (25.2 +/- 5.1) mmHg (P < 0.001). During clinical follow-up (range, 1 - 5 years), no patients had recurrence of PE.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Percutaneous catheter fragmentation combined with thrombolysis is an effective and safe therapy in the clinical management of acute massive PE.</p>