Anticarcinogenic effect of Umbelliferone in human prostate carcinoma: An in vitro study.

PURPOSE: To explore the chemoprotective effect of umbelliferone (UF) on prostate cancer cell lines, i.e. primary stage (LnCap) and last stage (PC3) prostate cancer together with the effect on the induction of apoptosis and alteration on cell cycle arrest. METHODS: Various concentrations of UF were evaluated against the different prostate cancer cell lines. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cytokines related factor profiling, proinflammatory cytokines, and inflammatory mediators were studied using Western blot analysis. RESULTS: UF showed significant apoptotic effect. Moreover, treatment with UF did not show apoptosis or cell cycle arrest on the non-cancerous cells including BHP-1, suggesting a selective tumor cell specific effect. UF treatment also enhanced the expression of Bax in PC3 cells, but had no significant effect on the activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Thus, the apoptosis induction was independent of NF-κB activation. CONCLUSION: The results of the present investigation confirmed the chemoprotective effect of UF in early-stage (Ln- Cap) and late-stage (PC3) prostate cancer cells.

IRF-3 gene polymorphisms are associated with the susceptibility to and the survival in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and could also serve as an auxiliary index.

The objective of this article was to investigate the relationship between IRF-3 gene polymorphisms and the susceptibility and prognosis of CLL. Between January 2011 and August 2012, 108 CLL patients and 112 healthy were enrolled in the study. DHPLC and Shesis software were applied in our study. In rs7251, CG genotype may increase the CLL risk. In the rs2304206, the alleles T may increase the CLL risk. The GTC haplotype can decrease the CLL risk in normal people, the GTT haplotype can increase the CLL risk in normal people. After treatment, in the rs7251, the event-free survival (EFS) in patients carrying CC genotype was higher than those carrying CG + GG genotype. In the rs2304206, the EFS in patients carrying CC genotype was higher than those carrying CT + TT genotype. IRF-3 gene polymorphisms were associated with the susceptibility and prognosis of CLL, it can be used as an auxiliary index for clinical detection of CLL.

Exploration of molecular mechanisms of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma development using a microarray.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify key genes, pathways and function modules in the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) with microarray data and interaction network analysis. METHODS: Microarray data sets for 7 DLBCL samples and 7 normal controls was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with Student's t-test. KEGG functional enrichment analysis was performed to uncover their biological functions. Three global networks were established for immune system, signaling molecules and interactions and cancer genes. The DEGs were compared with the networks to observe their distributions and determine important key genes, pathways and modules. RESULTS: A total of 945 DEGs were obtained, 272 up-regulated and 673 down-regulated. KEGG analysis revealed that two groups of pathways were significantly enriched: immune function and signaling molecules and interactions. Following interaction network analysis further confirmed the association of DEGs in immune system, signaling molecules and interactions and cancer genes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study could systemically characterize gene expression changes in DLBCL with microarray technology. A range of key genes, pathways and function modules were revealed. Utility in diagnosis and treatment may be expected with further focused research.

[Detection and identification of seven clinical common pathogenic bacteria by oligonucleotide microarray].

OBJECTIVE: Using 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA genes as the target sequences to develop a system based on oligonucleotide microarray and to detect the seven clinical pathogenic bacteria, commonly seen. METHODS: Double polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was applied to amplify the segments of 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA genes of the target bacteria. An oligonucleotide microarray was constructed to simultaneously detect EHEC O157:H7, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Salmonella sp., Vibrio cholerae, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter jejuni and Shigella sp. Specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of the microarray during detection were checked. And then microarray was used to detect the microbes in stool specimens of 81 patients with diarrhea and vomiting. RESULTS: The double PCR method could simultaneously amplify the target sequences of 16S rDNA and 23S rDNA genes of the seven pathogens. The sensitivity of the developed oligonucleotide microarray could reach 10(3) cfu/ml but no positive results were presented for non-targeted bacteria. The coefficients of differentiation in one lot or among different lots of the microarray slices were 3.89% - 5.81%. The positive detection rate of the stool specimens by oligonucleotide microarray was 39.5% (32/81), with a coincidence of 96.3% (78/81) for the patients and another coincidence of 96.8% (31/32) for bacterial genus or species identification, when comparing to the results by routine bacteriological examinations. CONCLUSION: The established assay in this study based on oligonucleotide microarray to detect the seven pathogenic bacteria has many advantages such as convenient, rapid, accurate, stable and high flux, which is suitable for clinical specimen examination and epidemiological field investigation.

[Detection and identification of human metapneumovirus by real time reverse transcription PCR].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a rapid, sensitive and specific real time reverse transcription PCR for detecting and identifying human metapneumovirus. METHODS: The Hmpv-L gene of human metapneumovirus was chosen as target gene, the primers and TaqMan probe were designed, and the PCR reaction was optimized systematically. The total RNA was extracted from respiratory specimens, and reverse transcription was performed through random primer. The cDNA was detected by using real time PCR. The specificity, sensitivity and reproducibility of real time PCR were estimated. The real time PCR was applied to detect 180 clinical respiratory specimens. RESULTS: The human metapneumovirus can be detected using real time reverse transcription PCR accurately and quickly, and the sensitivity was 1 copy/microl. The coefficient of variation of intra-assay and inter-assay was less than 5%. Among those 180 specimens, 28 (15.56%) were positive for human metapneumovirus, the clinical diagnoses for these 28 patients were pneumonia (15.60%, 17/109) and bronchiolitis (15.49%, 11/71). 21 positive specimens were from patients under 2 years of age, and 6 positive specimens were from patients between 2 and 5 years of age, only 1 positive specimens was from patients over 5 years. CONCLUSION: It is demonstrated that real time reverse transcription PCR is a reliable, accurate and feasible assay for human metapneumovirus, which has become one of the most important pathogens induced acute respiratory infections in pediatric patients.