[Effect of iron overload on the level of carbohydrate antigen 199 in type 2 diabetes mellitus].

Objective: To investigate the effect of iron overload on tumor marker CA199 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: Between January 2017 and June 2018, three hundred and twenty-three hospitalized patients with T2DM in Department of Endocrinology, Tianjin Fourth Central Hospital were selected as diabetes group and another 100 healthy persons as control group. All the participants with major diseases and factors affecting serum ferritin and CA199 level were excluded. Serum ferritin and CA199 levels were measured by chemiluminescence assay. Patients with a ferritin level above the normal range were defined as iron overload group. According to serum ferritin level, 178 patients were divided into iron overload group and 145 into normal ferritin group in the diabetes group. The levels of CA199 were compared between iron overload group and normal ferritin group, and the correlation was analyzed. Results: The levels of serum ferritin [407.1 (346.7) µg/L vs 266.6 (201.1) µg/L in males, 184.7 (133.0) µg/L vs 77.4 (64.0) µg/L in females,both P<0.001] and CA199 [18.2 (19.3) µg/L vs 9.3 (9.7) µg/L, P<0.001] in diabetes group were significantly higher than those in control group. Serum CA199 levels in iron overload group were significantly higher than those in normal ferritin group (20.7 µg/L vs 15.0 µg/L, P<0.001; above intermediate value percent:53.9% vs 35.8%,P=0.001). CA199 was positively correlated with glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r=0.280, P<0.001) and iron overload (r=0.210, P<0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that iron overload (ß'=0.203, P=0.002) and HbA1c (ß(')'=0.202, P=0.001) had a significant effect on CA199 level. Conclusion: In T2DM patients, iron overload is an important factor affecting serum CA199 level.

[HOOF genotyping characteristics of Brucella melitensis strains isolated in Ulanqab of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region].

Objective: To investigate the HOOF genotyping characteristics of 83 Brucella (B.) melitensis strains isolated in Ulanqab of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from 2012 to 2015. Methods: A total of 83 B. melitensis strains were detected by convention identification and AMOS-PCR, then HOOF protocol with eight VNTR locus were used for the genotyping of the strains, and the allelic diversity of each VNTR locus and the discriminatory power of VNTR typing of HOOF were assessed by Hunter-Gaston Discriminatory index. BioNumerics 5.0 was used for phylogenetic analysis and constructing dendrogram. Results: All of the isolates were identified as B. melitensis strains by two identification methods. The complete eight VNTR locus had higher polymophism and diversity index was 0.998; and diversity index of six locus (1, 2 and 4-7) were ≥0.678, discriminatory power of HOOF was mainly from this six higher diversity index locus. The 83 B. melitensis strains were classified into eight clusters and 76 genotypes, 6 shared genotypes included 13 isolates, indicating that these brucellosis cases had epidemiological link, the other 70 strains had distinct genotypes, indicating that these cases had no epidemiological link. Conclusions: The epidemic of human brucellosis in Ulanqab was characterized by local and sporadic outbreaks. Cross infection was related with the transfer of the sources of infection.

Relative contributions of testosterone deficiency and metabolism syndrome at the risk of reduced quality of life: A cross-sectional study among Chinese mid-aged and elderly men.

Testosterone deficiency and metabolism syndrome (MetS) are universal among ageing males, and they have been suggested responsible for poorer quality of life (QoL). We aimed to evaluate the relative contributions of reproductive hormones and components of MetS at the risk of reduced QoL among Chinese mid-aged and elderly men. A cross-sectional study recruited 2,364 males aged 40-79 years, and 2,165 was included for analysis eventually. The Chinese version of ageing male symptoms scale, 36-item Short Form and Beck Depression Inventory were applied to assess QoL. Bivariate correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to assess the relative contributions of reproductive hormones and components of MetS at the risk of reduced QoL. Testosterone deficiency and MetS contributed to poorer QoL, of which higher fasting blood glucose made the primary contribution, lower total testosterone mainly contributed to poorer physical functioning.

The rs5934505 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is associated with low testosterone and late-onset hypogonadism, but the rs10822184 SNP is associated with overweight and obesity in a Chinese Han population: a case-control study.

Low testosterone is associated with late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) and obesity. Recently, studies have shown that four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs12150660, rs727428, rs5934505, and rs10822184, are associated with testosterone levels in populations of European descent. Therefore, we investigated whether the SNP loci are related to low testosterone, LOH, or obesity in a Chinese Han population. Ruling out co-morbidities, DNA was prepared from 409 men (aged 40-65 years) with low serum testosterone (defined as total testosterone <11.6 nmol/L) and 1 : 1 normal controls (matched age, body mass index (BMI), and the same living area) who were selected from 6898 males. According to the same standards, 310 men with LOH and 1 : 1 normal controls were selected from 6898 males. Excluding the cases with an unreliable sequencing result, genetic analyses were performed. The minor allele frequencies of the SNP loci rs12150660, rs727428, rs5934505, and rs10822184 were 0.1%, 44.6%, 18.7%, and 38.9%, respectively. rs5934505 was associated with the serum total testosterone and calculated free testosterone (CFT) levels (p = 0.045 and p = 0.021). rs5934505 (C>T) was associated with an increased risk of low total testosterone, low CFT, and LOH and adjusted for other factors, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.01 (1.34-3.01), 2.14 (1.42-3.20), and 1.64 (1.04-2.58). rs10822184 was significantly correlated with weight and BMI (p = 0.035 and p = 0.027). rs10822184 (T>C) was associated with an increased risk of overweight and obesity. We adjusted for other factors, with odds ratios (ORs) of 1.94 (1.36-2.78) and 1.56 (1.00-2.43). In summary, our study provided convincing evidence that rs5934505 (C>T) was associated with the risk of low testosterone and LOH in Chinese populations. We were the first to find that rs10822184 (T>C) was significantly correlated with the risk of overweight and obesity in Chinese populations. However, further large and functional studies are warranted to confirm our findings.

A rare Y chromosome constitutional rearrangement: a partial AZFb deletion and duplication within chromosome Yp in an infertile man with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

We report a case of an infertile man with severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia with a partial azoospermia factor b (AZFb) deletion and duplication region within chromosome Yp11.2. The hormonal profile was normal for serum concentrations of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, testosterone and oestradiol. The patient, who showed a 46,XY karyotype, had an approximate 2.4 Mb inherited duplication region in Yp11.2 and a de novo partial AZFb deletion, which spanned 5.25 Mb including eight protein coding genes and four non-coding transcripts, but did not remove the RBMY gene family. Both proximal and distal breakpoints of the deletion were outside any palindromic region or inverted repeat sequence and intra-chromosomal non-allelic homologous recombination could not have been the deletion mechanism. The partial AZFb deletion in our case diminished sperm production, but did not completely extinguish spermatogenesis. Considering severe oligozoospermia, spermatozoa in the patient's ejaculate were used for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, resulting in two twin pregnancies.

Procyanidin induces apoptosis and necrosis of prostate cancer cell line PC-3 in a mitochondrion-dependent manner.

Our objective was to study the effects of procyanidin on the cell death of human hormone-resistant prostate carcinoma cell line PC-3 and its mechanism. PC-3 cells were treated with procyanidin of different concentrations. The cell apoptosis rates were detected by annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide double staining followed by flow cytometry (FCM) analysis. Mitochondrial membrane potential (Deltapsim) was analyzed by FCM with rhodamine 123 staining. After 24 hours of treatment with 300 microg/mL procyanidin, the apoptosis rate of PC-3 cells was 44.86%, and Deltapsim was significantly decreased by 87.30%. With the extending of procyanidin treatment, the apoptosis rate decreased whereas the necrosis rate increased. Procyanidin could induce apoptosis and necrosis in PC-3 cells, which might be related to down-regulation of Deltapsim.

A comparison of modulation of proliferation of thymocyte by testosterone, dehydroisoandrosterone and androstenedione in vitro.

Although the relationship between androgens and the immune system has been well established, the immunomodulatory function of different kinds of androgens on the cellular immunity remains to be defined. In the present study, the in vitro influences of testosterone, dehydroisoandrosterone and androstenedione on the Con A induced proliferation of thymocyte were determined. The results showed that both dehydroisoandrosterone and testosterone suppressed the Con A induced proliferation of thymocyte, while dehydroisoandrosterone was less potent than testosterone. In contrast, relatively high doses of androstenedione augmented the proliferative activities of thymocytes. Taken together, these data implied that small structural changes of androgens result in markedly different biological effects. These findings suggest that the balance between these steroids may be a significant determinant in maintaining immune homeostasis.

Ureaplasma urealyticum infection and apoptosis of spermatogenic cells.

AIM: To study the relationship between Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) infection and apoptosis of human spermatogenic cells. METHODS: Spermatogenic cells were observed under light microscope with Wright-Giemsa staining and by means of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP)-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) technique. RESULTS: Apoptotic rate of UU-infected males (15.5% +/- 6.8%) was significantly higher than that of controls (5.2% +/- 2.3%). CONCLUSION: Apoptosis of spermatogenic cells can be caused by UU infection, which provides further evidence for UU-induced male infertility.