ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To explore the changes of apoptosis of cells in the lung tissue of rats with silica instillation and to its significance in silicosis, and to clarify the role of caspase-3 in the apoptosis progress. METHODS: Forty-eight rats were randomly divided into saline control groups and silica instillation groups, and the silicosis model was established in rats. Flow cytometry was used for detecting the rate of apoptosis at various stages. Immunohistochemistry for the expression of cleaved caspase-3. RESULTS: The model of rat silicosis was established successfully. The apoptosis rate in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and was increased with time. Caspase-3 was mainly expressed in alveolar epithelium cells, pulmonary macrophages and infiltrated inflammation cells. The expression of caspase-3 in the experimental group was stronger than that in the control group, but its expression intensity was not related to the cell apoptosis (r = 0.215, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The apoptosis of the lung cells plays an important role during rat silicosis genesis. Caspase-3 plays an important role in regulating cell apoptosis during rat silicosis genesis.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis/physiology , Caspases/metabolism , Silicosis/pathology , Animals , Caspase 3 , Lung/enzymology , Lung/pathology , Male , Pulmonary Fibrosis/etiology , Pulmonary Fibrosis/pathology , Random Allocation , Rats , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Silicosis/enzymologyABSTRACT
AIM:To investigate hepatocarcinogenesis by detecting the effect of HCV NS(3) protein on p53 protein expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pericarcinomatous liver tissue (PCLT).METHODS:The expression of HCV NS(3) and p53 protein was detected with immunohistochemical technique (SP method) in specimens of HCC and PCLT from 47 patients with negative HBV.RESULTS:The positive rate of HCV NS(3) protein was lower in HCC (62%) than in PCLT (83%) (P < 0.025). The better differentiaton of cancer cells, the stronger expression of HCV NS(3) protein (P < 0.025). The positive rate of p53 protein in HCC (81%) was higher than in PCLT (47%) (P < 0.025). The worse differentiaton of cancer cells, the stronger expression of p53 protein (P < 0.05). The p53 protein expression was not correlated with the HCV NS(3) protein expression in HCC (P < 0.5), whereas their expression was closely related to PCLT (P < 0.01), and the expression rate of p53 protein in the cases of positive HCV NS(3) protein was higher than that in the cases of negative HCV NS(3) protein.CONCLUSION:HCV NS(3) protein may exert its hepatocarcinogenic effect in early stage on host cells by endogenous pathway which may bring about mutation of p53 gene and transformation of hepatocytes.
