Real-world Efficacy and Safety Comparison of Neoadjuvant Treatment of HER2-positive Breast Cancer with TCbHP Versus AC-THP / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To compare the efficacy, safety, and survivability of TCbHP versus AC-THP in the neoadjuvant therapy of HER2-positive breast cancer in real-world. Methods Clinical data of patients with HER2 positive breast cancer, who have received TCbHP or AC-THP as neoadjuvant therapy and completed surgery in 11 third-class hospitals in various cities of Hebei Province, were retrospectively collected.The total pathological complete remission (tpCR) rate, the incidence of grade 3 or higher adverse reactions and the completion rate of the given approaches were compared. Results A total of 110 cases were collected, including 78 cases in the TCbHP group and 32 cases in the AC-THP group.The tpCR rate of the TCbHP group was higher than that of the AC-THP group, but the difference was not statistically significant (64.10% vs. 56.25%, P=0.441).No significant difference was found in the breast pathologic complete response (bpCR) and axillary pathologic complete response (apCR) rates between the TCbHP group and the AC-THP group (70.51% vs. 56.25%, P=0.150;78.21% vs. 84.38%, P=0.462).Exploratory analysis revealed that the tpCR rate of the TCbHP group was significantly higher than that of the AC-THP group in patients with HR-positive breast cancer (51.11% vs. 22.22%, P=0.036).As for the patients with HR-negative breast cancer, the tpCR rate of the AC-THP group tended to be higher than that of the TCbHP group (100% vs. 81.82%, P=0.088).The incidence of grade 3 or higher adverse reactions in the TCbHP group was slightly higher than that in the AC-THP group (12.82% vs. 9.38%, P=0.753).No deaths occurred in the whole group.Moreover, no significant difference was observed in the completion rate of the given approaches between the TCbHP group and the AC-THP group (92.31% vs. 90.63%, P=0.718). Conclusion In real-world clinical practice, the neoadjuvant therapy of TCbHP and AC-THP are effective, safe, and well tolerated among patients with HER2-positive breast cancer.The tpCR rate between the two approaches was not significantly different.The AC-THP regimen could also be considered as one of the optimal regimens for HER2-positive breast cancer in neoadjuvant therapy.

Health benefits of exercise rehabilitation in older adults with sarcopenia: a systematic review of systematic reviews / 中国康复理论与实践

ObjectiveTo analyze the disease and functioning characteristics of older adults with sarcopenia, the main exercise rehabilitation interventions, and its health benefits. MethodsLiterature related to exercise rehabilitation for older adults with sarcopenia was searched in PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and CNKI, from 2013 to 2023. The quality of included systematic reviews were evaluated. ICD-11 and ICF classification systems, and PICO framework from PRISMA guideline were used to report characteristics of the disease and functioning of the population, the exercise rehabilitation interventions, and its health benefits. ResultsFinally, seven systematic reviews from Netherlands, Spain, China, Brazil and Mexico were included, covering 98 related randomized controlled trials, involving 19 794 participants. These systematic reviews mainly came from the journals in the fields of aging, rehabilitation, nutrition, public health and physical exercise, and were published between 2018 and 2023. Exercise rehabilitation for sarcopenia were categorized into three types: exercise rehabilitation, exercise rehabilitation combined with nutritional supplementation, and exercise rehabilitation combined with nursing care. Interventions primarily included aerobic training, resistance training, gait training, strength training, and balance and flexibility exercises. The intervention frequency was six to 150 minutes, one to five times a week, with intensities ranging from low to high, over a duration of six to 144 weeks. The health benefits for older adults with sarcopenia from exercise rehabilitation were reflected in improvement in physical function and structure, and enhancement in activity and participation. In terms of body function and structure, exercise rehabilitation improved muscle strength, control, coordination, gait, balance, leg extension, leg press, back strength and grip strength, and increased muscle quality. In terms of activity and participation, exercise rehabilitation improved physical activity performance, such as walking speed and time of five-repetition chair stand test. ConclusionExercise rehabilitation for sarcopenia includes exercise rehabilitation, exercise rehabilitation combined with nutritional supplementation, and exercise rehabilitation combined with nursing care. Exercise rehabilitation can improve the physical function and structure, and enhance activity and participation.

Research progress of Posner-Schlossman syndrome / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

Posner-Schlossman syndrome(PSS)is a sporadic and recurrent self-limiting anterior uveitis, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. It was considered to be a prostaglandin-mediated inflammatory response. In recent years, it has been found to be related to viral infection, immune genetics, vascular endothelial dysfunction, and other factors. Clinically, the disease is predominantly unilateral. The patients with PSS suffer from increased intraocular pressure, mild pain in the affected eye, as well as blurred vision, and irisopsia. Seldom damage to the optic nerve and visual field was reported. The commonly treatment of PSS is local medication, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and intraocular pressure lowering drugs; otherwise systemic medication can be employed in severe cases. Surgical treatment can be performed for PSS if uncontrolled intraocular pressure elevation, frequent attacks, and optic nerve damage and visual field defect due to prolonged disease course. Early diagnosis and treatment of PSS can effectively reduce glaucoma-related damages. This review discussed the research progress of PSS from various aspects, aiming to provide references for the etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Esophageal Angiolipoma:Report of One Case and Literature Review / 中国医学科学院学报

Esophageal angiolipoma is a rare disease with unspecific clinical manifestations.This paper reported a case of esophageal angiolipoma confirmed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and summarized the clinical manifestations,endoscopic and pathological features,treatment and prognosis of the patients by reviewing the relevant literature,aiming to provide references for clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease in the future.

Quality value transfer of material benchmark of Guizhi Jia Gegen Decoction / 中国中药杂志

A total of 15 batches of the substance reference of Guizhi Jia Gegen Decoction(GZGGD) were prepared and the characteristic fingerprints of them were established. Furthermore, the similarity of the fingerprints and peak attributes were explored. The extraction rate, and the content and the transfer rate ranges of the index components, puerarin, paeoniflorin, liquiritin, and ammonium glycyrrhizate were determined for the analysis of the quality value transfer. The result demonstrated that the fingerprints of the 15 batches of the samples showed high similarity(>0.99). A total of 15 characteristic peaks were identified from the fingerprints, with 10 for Puerariae Lobatae Radix, 1 for Cinnamomi Ramulus, 2 for Paeoniae Radix Alba, and 2 for Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. The content of puerarin was 11.05-18.35 mg·g~(-1) and the average transfer rate was 21.27%-39.49%. The corresponding figures were 7.95-10.90 mg·g~(-1) and 23.28%-43.23% for paeoniflorin, 3.25-4.95 mg·g~(-1) and 32.31%-61.27% for ammonium glycyrrhizate, and 3.65-5.80 mg·g~(-1) and 14.57%-27.05% for liquiritin. The extraction rate of the 15 batches of samples was in the range of 16.85%-21.78%. In this paper, the quality value transfer of the substance reference of GZGGD was analyzed based on characteristic fingerprint, content of index components, and the extraction rate. This study is expected to lay a basis for the quality control and further development of GZGGD.

Neonatal Exposure to Propofol Interferes with the Proliferation and Differentiation of Hippocampal Neural Stem Cells and the Neurocognitive Function of Rats in Adulthood via the Akt/p27 Signaling Pathway / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#Neonatal exposure to propofol has been reported to cause neurotoxicity and neurocognitive decline in adulthood; however, the underlying mechanism has not been established.@*Methods@#SD rats were exposed to propofol on postnatal day 7 (PND-7). Double-immunofluorescence staining was used to assess neurogenesis in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). The expression of p-Akt and p27 were measured by western blotting. The Morris water maze, novel object recognition test, and object location test were used to evaluate neurocognitive function 2-month-old rats.@*Results@#Phosphorylation of Akt was inhibited, while p27 expression was enhanced after neonatal exposure to propofol. Propofol also inhibited proliferation of neural stem cells (NSCs) and decreased differentiation to neurons and astroglia. Moreover, the neurocognitive function in 2-month-old rats was weakened. Of significance, intra-hippocampal injection of the Akt activator, SC79, attenuated the inhibition of p-AKT and increase of p27 expression. SC79 also rescued the propofol-induced inhibition of NSC proliferation and differentiation. The propofol-induced neurocognition deficit was also partially reversed by SC79.@*Conclusion@#Taken together, these results suggest that neurogenesis is hindered by neonatal propofol exposure. Specifically, neonatal propofol exposure was shown to suppress the proliferation and differentiation of NSCs by inhibiting Akt/p27 signaling pathway.

Early warning and accurate screening for the high-risk population of hepatocellular carcinoma / 临床肝胆病杂志

It is an effective way to improve the early diagnosis rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China by conducting standardized screening among the population with chronic liver diseases, achieving accurate stratification and standardized management of the population at a risk of HCC, and realizing the early warning for HCC through effective technical means. In clinical practice, the risk scoring models for liver cancer including aMAP can be used for preliminary risk screening of the population with chronic liver diseases to identify the population with a moderate or high risk of liver cancer. Novel serum biomarkers can be used to further screen out the population with an extremely high risk of liver cancer, and then imaging technology can be used for early diagnosis. Constant exploration and improvement of the "pyramid" screening and management mode through stratified enrichment may help to achieve the goal of improving early diagnosis rate of HCC and reducing HCC-related mortality.

One stage three-column osteotomy for the treatment of scoliosis with split spinal cord malformation / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the effectiveness and safety of one stage three column osteotomy in treatment of scoliosis with split spinal cord malformation.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 41 patients with scoliosis and split spinal cord malformation underwent one-stage three-column osteotomy from January 2015 to December 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 17 males and 24 females with average age of (25.14±4.51) years old and the average weight of (65.14±9.11) kg. According to the classification of longitudinal spina bifida, 15 cases of Pang typeⅠwere group A and 26 cases of Pang typeⅡwere group B. The general situations of two groups were recorded ; preoperative and postoperative Cobb angle were observed and the correction rate of Cobb angle of coronal plane was calculated ; the coronal and sagittal torso offset distances were compared between two groups and the trunk balance was evaluated ; the complication of two groups was recorded.@*RESULTS@#All 41 patients were followed up for more than 12 months. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and perioperative blood transfusion volume in group A were (610.14±115.02) min, (4 001.12±1 014.33) ml, (3 951.14±1 021.55) ml, respectively, and group B were (520.12±101.14) min, (2 701.57±1 021.45) ml, (2 565.77±880.47) ml, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (0.05). There was no significant difference in postoperative coronary Cobb angle and correction rate between two groups (>0.05). Immediately after surgery and 12 months after surgery, there was no significant difference in the trunk displacement distance of coronal view and sagittal view between two groups (>0.05). Six patients in group A had complications, which was higher than that in group B of 1 case (=4.885, < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#One-stage three-column osteotomy in treatment of scoliosis with split spinal cord malformation has high correction rate and good balance of the trunk. However, for patients with typeⅠsplit spinal cord malformation, they will face longer operation time, more intraoperative bleeding volume, large amount of perioperative blood transfusion and higher risk of complications, and the safety is not as good as that of typeⅡpatients. Therefore, in the actual treatment of scoliosis, especially for those with typeⅠsplit spinal cord malformation, a more reasonable surgical plan should be developed in combination with the actual situations of the patients, so as to improve the safety of the operation.

Methods used for gene manipulation in mammal female germ cells and early embryos / 生理学报

For sexual reproduction, oocytes are mammalian female germ cells that provide the majority of maternal genetic material for early stage embryo production and development. Early stage embryos begin the process of multicellular organism formation through cell differentiation. Studies on mammalian female germ cells (oocytes) not only reveal its unique physiological characteristics, but also help understand the mechanism involved in cell differentiation of other cell types. However, because it is difficult to culture in vitro, our understanding of the function of oocytes and early stage embryos remains very limited. Gene editing or manipulation is one of the most commonly used method, which is also useful in the field of gametes study. In this review, we summarized the principles, advantages and disadvantages of techniques, which include conditional knockout, RNA interference, Morpholino, Trim-Away and antibody-mediated inhibition of protein function, currently used for gene manipulation in oocytes and early stage embryos. We also discuss the issues the investigators need to consider. Finally, we highlight the future directions for gene manipulation or editing in female germ cells and early stage embryos.

Evaluation of application effect of micro-class in orthodontic removable appliance practicum / 中华医学教育探索杂志

Objective To investigate the effect of Micro-class in orthodontic practicum for five-year undergraduate students in stomotology. Methods Experimental comparative method was used on two groups of undergraduate students. A total of 70 students in Grade 2011 were taught with traditional teaching mode as the control group, while 50 students in Grade 2012 were taught with Micro-class lecture as the observation group. The satisfaction questionnaires were distributed to both groups after the course to facilitate the eval-uation of teaching methods, which specifically was done by SPSS 21.0 for t test and Chi-square test. Results The results of survey showed that the satisfaction of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group, which exemplified in the studying interest inspiration, studying efficiency improvement, further development, and overall satisfaction [(4.00±0.73) vs. (3.05±0.77); (4.06±0.65) vs. (3.06±1.01);(4.86±0.35) vs. (2.64±0.80); (4.32±0.47) vs. (2.62±1.08)], (P<0.01). Conclusion Micro-class can improve the teaching quality, and it is meaningful to apply the micro-class in orthodontic practicum.

Design and experimental study of new type of external fixation device for bone fracture / 医疗卫生装备

Objective To design a new type of external fixator for bone fracture and verify its rationality and feasibility. Methods The frame and screw of stainless steel achieved fracture fixation in vitro with a threaded locking structure.At the same time the increasing thickness of body frame, the inclined nail holes and the raised bottoms were designed to greatly enhance the strength and overall stability of body frame.FEM (finite element method),measuring the relative displacement and stress distribution after axial load,was used to verify the rationality of the design.An animal experiment with sheep was used to verify the feasibility of fracture treatment. Results Simulated result of FEM indicated that the biggest relative displacement between the separated bones was 0.04 mm,which was much less than the minimum value 1 mm required for fracture healing.The maximum stresses applied on the frame of the fixator,fixator screw,and bone were 35,26,and 6 MPa, respectively, which was much less than the allowable stress. In the animal experiment, fracture site was fixed firmly after operation and was well cured 3 months later.Conclusion The design of this new device is feasible and it can be used as a new method of fracture treatment.

Effects of ganoderma lucidum A on proliferation and apoptosis of human inflammatory breast cancer cells in vitro / 吉林大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To study the effects of ganoderma lucidum A on the proliferation and apoptosis of human inflammatory breast cancer SUM149 cells in vitro,and to clarify their mechanisms.Methods:The human inflammatory breast cancer SUM149 cells were divided into control group and different concentrations (0.1,0.5,1.0,5.0 and 10.0 μmol · L-1) of ganoderma lucidum A groups;four holes were set up,and the samples were taken at 24,48 and 72 h after culture.MTT assay was used to detect the inhibitory rate of proliferation of SUM149 cells.Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptotic rate and cell cycle of SUM149 cells.The expression levels of Ki67 and Livin proteins in SUM149 cells were detected by immunocytochemical staining.Results:Compared with 0.1 μmol · L-1 ganoderma lucidum A group,the inhibitory rates of proliferation of SUM149 cells in other concentrations of ganoderma lucidum A groups were significantly increased detectde by MTTmethod (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01) in a concentration-and time-dependent manner.The flow cytometry results showed that the apoptotic rates of SUM149 cells in different conventrations of ganoderma lucidum A groups were significantly higher than that in control group (P＜ 0.05 or P＜ 0.01) in a concentration-and time-dependent manner;at the same time,the cell cycle changed significantly.With the increase of ganoderma lucidum A of the concentration of ganoderma lucidum A,the pencentages of cells at G1 phase in different concentrations of ganoderma lucidum A groups were increased (P＜0.05),and the percentages of cells at S phase were decreased compared with control group (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The expression levels of Ki67 and Livin proteins in different concentrations of ganoderma lucidum A groups were decreased compared with control group (P＜0.05).Conclusion:Ganoderma lucidum A can inhibit the proliferation of human inflammatory breast cancer SUM149 cells through induction of apoptosis.

Recent progress of inhibitors targeting HIV-1 NCp7 / 药学学报

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a serious infectious disease infected by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein 7 (HIV-1 NCp7) plays an important role in the progress of virus reverse transcription and integration. Thus, the central role and conservative nature of the NCp7 protein make it an attractive target for development of novel anti-HIV agents. This review summarizes the research progress of HIV-1 NCp7 inhibitors in the past decade.

Research on the Payment Pricing Mechanism of Medicare Drugs / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To provide suggestions for the government decision of payment price of medicare drugs. METHODS:Investigation was conducted for the beginning of payment price policy of medicare drugs,effect of the implementation of policy in other countries and the encountered problems. The payment pricing mechanism was explored based on the combination of new medi-cal reform with theoretical analysis and empirical research. RESULTS:The reform of payment pricing mechanism of medicare drugs will have effect on current drug price,especially for R&D oriented pharmaceutical industries. The policy can decrease drug expendi-ture in medicare expenditure,and it is not sure whether it can decrease total medicare expenditure. CONCLUSIONS:It is suggest-ed to notice the related measures and government should keep balance between drug availability and encouraging R&D innovation.

Prognostic value of PSA kinetics in locally advanced prostate cancer treated by maximal androgen blockade combined with brachytherapy / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the effect of post-treatment PSA kinetics on the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 114 cases of locally advanced PCa treated by maximal androgen blockade (MAB) combined with brachytherapy, and analyzed the association of the changes in PSA kinetics with the prognosis of the patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The median survival time of the patients was 81 (15 - 144) months, with 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 91. 23%, 78.07% and 68.42% , respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the baseline PSA level, PSA nadir, the time of PSA decreasing to nadir, PSA doubling time, and the extent of PSA declining were all predictive factors for the survival time of the PCa patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PSA nadir, the time of PSA decreasing to nadir, and the extent of PSA declining were three independent prognostic factors, which prolonged the long-term survival of the patients by 1.7, 3.2 and 6.8 times, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>For locally advanced PCa treated by MAB combined with brachytherapy, PSA nadir <1 micro g/L, the time to nadir <3 months, and the extent of PSA declining >96% are independent prognostic factors.</p>

Influencing factors of mental health of medical students in China / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study investigated the mental health status of medical students in China, and analyzed the influencing factors in order to provide evidence for mental health education for medical students. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit medical students from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. The questionnaire survey on general information and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) were used for investigation and analysis. The results showed among the 1137 valid questionnaires, 278 (24.45%) participants had SCL-90 score ≥ 160. The top three mental problems of medical students were obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity and depression in terms of the factor score ≥ 2.5 and the number of participants who reflected on the diseases. The third-year medical students had the worst mental health status, and fifth-year medical students had the best mental health status. Students from rural area had more psychological problems than those from urban area; furthermore, students with high professional satisfaction, those who were the single child of the family, non-poor students, and those whose parents had high education level had better mental health status. It was concluded that the mental health of medical students is not optimistic in China. Medical students have some mental health problems of different degrees. Factors that influence the mental health of medical students include academic pressure, professional satisfaction level and family environment.

Influencing factors of mental health of medical students in China / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study investigated the mental health status of medical students in China, and analyzed the influencing factors in order to provide evidence for mental health education for medical students. A stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit medical students from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China. The questionnaire survey on general information and Symptom Checklist 90 (SCL-90) were used for investigation and analysis. The results showed among the 1137 valid questionnaires, 278 (24.45%) participants had SCL-90 score ≥ 160. The top three mental problems of medical students were obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity and depression in terms of the factor score ≥ 2.5 and the number of participants who reflected on the diseases. The third-year medical students had the worst mental health status, and fifth-year medical students had the best mental health status. Students from rural area had more psychological problems than those from urban area; furthermore, students with high professional satisfaction, those who were the single child of the family, non-poor students, and those whose parents had high education level had better mental health status. It was concluded that the mental health of medical students is not optimistic in China. Medical students have some mental health problems of different degrees. Factors that influence the mental health of medical students include academic pressure, professional satisfaction level and family environment.

Histone deacetylase inhibitor MS-275 treatment alters immune molecule content and categories in hepatocarcinoma exosomes / 中华肝脏病杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effects of the histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, on the immune molecule content and categories in hepatocarcinoma exosomes.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Exosomes were isolated from the human hepatocarcinoma cell lines, HepG2 and Hep3b, and purified by a combination technique of ultrafiltration centrifugation and sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation. The expressions of heat shock protein (HSP)70, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-I, HLA-DR, cluster of differentiation (CD) 80 and NY-ESO-1 on exosomes were analyzed with immunoelectron microscopy and Western blotting before and after MS-275 treatment. Intergroup differences were statistically analyzed by the Student's paired t-test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MS-275 treatment of both HepG2 and Hep3b cell types significantly increased the numbers of exosomes, their total protein content, and expression of HSP70, HLA-I and CD80 (per 100 exosomes), as compared to non-treated cells (all, P less than 0.01). MS-275 was also found to induce de novo expression of HLA-DR, but had no significant effect on NY-ESO-1 expression (P more than 0.05). The findings from immunoelectron microscopy confirmed those from Western blotting.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The histone deacetylase inhibitor, MS-275, can significantly alter the immune molecule content and categories in exosomes of hepatocarcinoma cells. The differential expression profile may reflect an anti-cancer immune response and represent molecular targets for novel anti-hepatoma therapeutic or preventative strategies.</p>

Reversal of multidrug resistance in renal cell carcinoma by short hairpin RNA targeting MDR1 gene / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Over-expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), encoded by the MDR1 gene, confers multidrug resistance (MDR) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and is a major reason for unsuccessful chemotherapy. This study aimed to determine the effct of RNA interference (RNAi) on the reversal of MDR in human RCC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We designed and selected one short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting MDR1 gene, which is stably expressed from integrated plasmid and transfected by lentivirus fluid in human RCC A498 cell.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The MDR1-targeted RNAi resulted in decreased MDR1 gene mRNA level (P < 0.001), almost abolished P-gp expression and reversed MDR to different chemotherapy drugs in the RCC A498 cell line.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>MDR could be reversed by RNAi in human RCC A498 cell line, which may be used for clinical application in future.</p>

Sorting and identification of cancer stem cells in human prostate cancer cell lines / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To sort and identify side population (SP) cancer stem cells (CSC) in human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Stem-like cells were isolated from five PCa cell lines Du145, IA8, LNCaP, TSU-Pr and PC-3 using FACS based on CD133+ CD44+ immunophenotype and SP in Hoechst staining. The in vitro growth pattern and tumorigenicity of SP stem cells were verified by soft agar colony-formation trial. LNCaP/SP cells were selected for further identification of stem cell properties using immunostaining, proliferation and invasion assay. Eventually, tumorigenicity and metastasis ability of LNCaP/SP were confirmed by xenograft experiments.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The percentages of CSCs of the CD133 CD44 + immunophenotype were extremely low in the five PCa cell lines. On the contrary, the percentages of the isolated SP cells were significantly higher in Du145 ([0.15 +/- 0.02]%), IA8 ([0.60 +/- 0.07 ]%), LNCaP ([0.8 +/- 0.1]%) and TSU-PrL ([2.0 +/- 0.4]%), but none was detected in PC-3. Besides, IA8/SP, LNCaP/SP and TSU-PrL/SP cells showed a significantly greater colony-forming efficiency than non-side population (NSP) cells (P < 0.05). Compared with LNCaP/NSP cells, LNCaP/SP cells exhibited high expressions of integrin alpha2, Nanog, CD44, OCT4 and ABCG2, remarkably enhanced invasive and proliferative potentials in vitro, and markedly increased tumorigenicity and metastasis (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SP sorting is more suitable than CD133+ CD44+ selection for enriching CSCs from PCa cell lines, and LNCaP/ SP represents a typical CSC population.</p>