A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease with Thrombospondin Motif 2 May Contribute to Cirrhosis in Humans through the Transforming Growth Factor-beta/SMAD Pathway

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to investigate the correlation between a disintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motif 2 (ADAMTS-2) and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in clinical human cirrhotic tissues. METHODS: The liver tissues of 24 patients (16 cases with cirrhotic portal hypertension as the cirrhosis group and eight cases with healthy livers as the normal group) were collected. Immunohistochemistry and Western blots were performed to evaluate the protein expression levels of ADAMTS-2 and TGF-beta1. Western blots for other key mediators of cirrhotic progression, including SMAD2, SMAD3, TGF-beta receptor II (TGFbetaRII), matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2), and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases 2 (TIMP2), were also performed. RESULTS: Cirrhotic tissues showed higher percentages of collagen. The protein expression levels of ADAMTS-2 and TGF-beta1 were significantly higher in the cirrhotic group as compared to the matched normal group (p<0.05), and there was a positive correlation between these two proteins (r=0.862, p<0.01). The protein expressions of MMP2, TIMP2, and TGFbetaRII, as well as the phosphorylated forms of SMAD2 and SMAD3, were significant higher in the cirrhotic group (p<0.01 or p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that ADAMTS-2 and TGF-beta1 may play important roles in the pathogenesis of human cirrhosis; specifically, TGF-beta1 may induce the expression of ADAMTS-2 through the TGFbeta/SMAD pathway.

Clinical features and experience of diagnosis and treatment of thyroid neoplasm in children / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the clinical features, diagnosis and therapy of thyroid neoplasm in children.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective study was performed on 32 children with thyroid nodular who were underwent operation in Xiangya Hospital between January 2002 and December 2010.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 32 cases, there were 23 girls and 9 boys. Six cases were diagnosed as nodular Goiter adenoma and 26 cases were diagnosed as thyroid papillary carcinoma. B-ultrasonic examination showed a 100% accurate rate for the diagnosis of thyroid carcinoma. Fourteen children (44%) were proven to have concurrent Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Twenty-two (69%) children with thyroid carcinoma were found to have lymph metastasis in the lateral neck. The children younger than 10 years showed a high rate of metastasis than those older one (94% vs 56%, P<0.05). All 32 children received a surgical therapy. Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed on the 6 children with nodular Goiter adenoma. Total thyroidectomy (17 cases) or ipsilateral thyroidectomy (9 cases) was performed according to the stage of thyroid carcinoma. The surgical outcomes were followed up for 3 months to 9 years and no recurrence or death occurred. The development and growth were normal in the children.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Childhood thyroid nodular attacks girls more than boys, and the frequency of malignancy is high. Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a common concurrent disease. The incidence of local lymph metastasis is high in those younger than 10 years. The surgical therapy for thyroid neoplasm may lead satisfactory outcomes in children.</p>