Effects of DCA on Cell Cycle Proteins in Colonocytes

PURPOSE: Evidence that indicates bile acid is a promoter of colon cancer exists. Deoxycholic acid (DCA) modifies apoptosis or proliferation by affecting intracellular signaling and gene expression. However, because previous studies have been based on studies on colon cancer cell lines, the effect of DCA on normal colonocytes is unknown. METHODS: Normal colonocytes and Caco-2 and HCT116 cells were treated with 20 micrometer and 250 micrometer of DCA, and the effect of different concentrations of DCA was measured based on the expression of cell-cycle-related proteins by using Western blots. RESULTS: The expressions of CDK2 and cyclin D1 for different concentrations of DCA in normal colonocytes and colon cancer cells were similar, but the expressions of cyclin E and A were significantly different. In HCT116 colon cancer cells, the expression of cyclin E increased regardless of the DCA concentration, but in normal colonocytes and Caco-2 cells, the expression of cyclin E was not changed or decreased. In HCT116 colon cancer cells, the expression of cyclin A was not changed or decreased regardless of the DCA concentration, but in normal colonocytes and Caco-2 cells, the expression of cyclin A was increased at a DCA concentration of 20 micrometer. CONCLUSION: The effect of DCA on stimulating cell proliferation suggests that DNA synthesis is stimulated by an increased expression of cyclin E in colon cancer cells. Our results suggest that a low dose of DCA induces cellular proliferation through increased expression of cyclin A and that a high dose of DCA induces decreased expression of cyclin E and CDK2 in normal colonocytes.

Clinical Analysis of Recurrent Inguinal Hernias

PURPOSE: Recurrent inguinal hernia repairs provide a considerable technical challenge and greater risk of further recurrence. The purpose of this study was to establish a preventive method and management plan for recurrent inguinal hernia. METHODS: The medical records of adult having undergone an inguinal hernia operation at the Dankook university hospital, between June 1994 and December 2004, were analyzed. The patients' characteristics, types of hernia and operation methods were recorded. In the recurrent cases, the numbers and names of previous operation, types of recurrent hernia, and times to reoperation were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 470 inguinal hernia cases, 35 were operated on for a recurrent hernia. With the recurrent hernias, the operation times were longer and the use of general anesthesia was more frequent. Of the recurrent hernia types, direct hernias were the most frequent. More than half the recurrent hernias were operated on 5 years after the primary hernia repairs. The recurrent hernia was treated with or without a mesh in 33 (94.3%) and 2 cases (5.7%), respectively. In the previous operations, mesh had or had not been used in 30 (85.7%) and 5 cases (14.3%), respectively. CONCLUSION: In the recurrent hernia group, the most frequent type of previous repair was an operation without a mesh. A direct hernia was the most frequent type of recurrence. The recurrent hernias were mostly repaired using a mesh.