[Effects of shading on photosynthetic physiology and energy metabolism of Asarum forbesii].

Light is the main source for plants to obtain energy.Asarum forbesii is a typical shade medicinal plant, which generally grows in the shady and wet place under the bushes or beside the ditches.It can grow and develop without too much light intensity.This experiment explores the effects of shading on the growth, physiological characteristics and energy metabolism of A.forbesii, which can provide reference and guidance for its artificial planting.In this experiment, A.forbesii was planted under 80%, 60%, 40%, 20% and no shade.During the vigorous growth period, the photosynthetic physiological characteristics such as fluorescence parameters, photosynthetic parameters, photosynthetic pigment content and ultrastructure, as well as the content of mitochondrial electron transport chain(ETC) synthase and nutrients were measured.The results showed that the photosynthetic pigment content, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and net photosynthesis rate(P_n) decreased with the decrease of shading.Under 20%-40% shading treatment, the plants had damaged ultrastructure, expanded and disintegrated chloroplast, disordered stroma lamella and grana lamella, and increased osmiophi-lic granules and starch granules.The activities of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase(NADH), succinate dehydrogenase(SDH), cytochrome C oxidoreductase(CCO) and adenosine triphosphate(ATP) synthasewere positively related to light intensity.With the reduction of shading, the content of total sugar and protein in nutrients increased first and then decreased, and the content was the highest under 60% shade.In conclusion, under 60%-80% shading treatment, the chloroplast and mitochondria had more complete structure, faster energy metabolism, higher light energy-conversion efficiency, better absorption and utilization of light energy and more nutrient synthesis, which was more suitable for the growth and development of A.forbesii.

Association of Impaired Fasting Blood Glucose With Triple Coronary Artery Stenosis and Myocardial Infarction Among Patients With Coronary Artery Stenosis.

Background: The association between impaired fasting glucose level (IFG) and coronary heart disease (CAD) remain controversial. In the present study, we sought to ascertain a relationship of IFG with the number of diseased coronary artery and occurrence of myocardial infarction, among CAD cases. Methods: We studied 1,451 consecutive no-diabetic patients who underwent coronary angiography at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College in Southern China. Demographic, biochemical, clinical and angiographic data were collected. Results: The prevalence of IFG was higher in patients with angiographically confirmed CAD than in subjects without angiographic evidence of CAD (33.4 versus 28.2%, p = 0.034). Compared with CAD cases without IFG, CAD cases with IFG had a higher odds ratio (OR) of having triple-vessel disease as opposed to having single- or double-vessel disease [OR = 1.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-2.07]. Furthermore, the occurrence of MI was higher in CAD cases with IFG than in CAD cases without IFG (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.27-2.36). Conclusions: There is an association between IFG and a predisposition to severe CAD indicated by triple vessel disease or myocardial infarction.

Aberrant expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, TWIST and E-cadherin is associated with aggressive tumor phenotypes in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Intratumoral hypoxia promotes angiogenesis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, a pivotal event in tumor metastasis. TWIST is a master regulator of multiple developmental processes and has recently been shown to be the key factor responsible for cancer metastasis via the inhibition of E-cadherin expression, a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This study aimed to determine the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, TWIST and E-cadherin in patients with endometrioid endometrial carcinoma and to examine their clinical significance in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma progression. METHODS: Using immunohistochemical and tissue microarray approaches, we evaluated the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, TWIST and E-cadherin in normal endometrial (n = 35), atypical hyperplasia (n = 28) and endometrioid endometrial carcinoma samples (n = 124). Furthermore, we statistically analyzed the association between these markers, as well as their correlation with clinicopathologic variables. RESULTS: The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and TWIST were markedly increased, whereas E-cadherin was decreased, as lesions progressed from normal endometrium to atypical hyperplasia to carcinoma (P < 0.01). Among various clinical parameters, the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and TWIST was strikingly elevated with aggressive tumor characteristics, including higher pathologic grade, deep myometrial invasion and lymph node involvement (P < 0.05). More importantly, overexpression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α positively correlated with enhanced TWIST expression in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma samples (r = 0.249, P < 0.01); however, statistical analysis showed a negative relationship between TWIST upregulation and E-cadherin downregulation (r = -0.183, P = 0.042). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrated for the first time that the hypoxia-inducible factor 1α/TWIST/E-cadherin pathway may play a critical role in invasion and metastasis of endometrioid endometrial carcinoma. The combined evaluation of these markers may be useful in predicting aggressive phenotypes and thus prognosis in patients with endometrioid endometrial carcinoma.

Expression of PTTG1 and PTEN in endometrial carcinoma: correlation with tumorigenesis and progression.

Human pituitary tumor-transforming gene 1 (PTTG1) is a newly identified proto-oncogene, and its overexpression occurs in a wide variety of human cancers. The tumor suppressor gene phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) is frequently mutated or deleted in numerous tumors, especially in endometrial carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the aberrant expression of PTTG1 and PTEN is associated with tumorigenesis and progression of endometrial carcinoma. Tissue microarray and immunohistochemical staining were undertaken in 124 endometrial carcinoma, 28 atypical hyperplasia and 35 normal endometrium samples. Then, the correlation of PTTG1 and PTEN expression with the clinicopathological features and with the levels of estrogen and progesterone receptor was analyzed. The presence of PTTG1 and PTEN protein was significantly increased and decreased, respectively, as lesions progressed from normal endometrium to atypical hyperplasia to carcinoma. PTTG1 protein showed a significantly positive correlation with TNM stage, but not with other characteristics. In addition, PTEN protein did not correlate with any parameters except for histological grade, to which it was found to be inversely related. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant relationship between an increase in PTTG1 and a decrease in PTEN. These results indicate that high expression of PTTG1 and low expression of PTEN may be involved in pathogenesis and development of endometrial carcinoma. The findings also provide evidence that combined evaluation of the two markers may be useful in predicting tumor behavior and thus prognosis.

Long-term survival in a rare case of malignant esophageal schwannoma cured by surgical excision.

A full account is presented of a 44-year-old woman with an extremely rare case of a malignant esophageal schwannoma that had been misdiagnosed as a leiomyoma 3 years earlier. After surgical enucleation, the patient has survived for 6 years without any adjunctive treatment.

[Relationship between the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha and chemotherapy response in gastric carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha expression with chemotherapy response in gastric cancer and its clinical outcome. METHODS: Leucovorin (CF) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in combination with oxaliplatin (L-OHP) were used in 52 patients with gastric carcinoma (GC) at advanced stage. CF 200 mg/m(2) was intravenous drop for 2 h at day 1 and day 14. 5-FU 1500 mg/m(2) was continuously intravenous drop for 46 h at day 1 and day 14. L-OHP 85 mg/m(2) was intravenous drop for 2 h at day 1 and day 14. Four-week was one cycle. All the patients received 4 cycles of chemotherapy at least. Chemotherapy response and clinical outcome were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine the protein expressions of HIF-1alpha, P-gp and MRP4 by tissue microarray in GC. Twenty-seven normal gastric tissue samples were used as control group. RESULTS: The positive expression rates of HIF-lalpha, P-gp and MRP4 in tumor samples were 53.9%, 51.9% and 57.7% respectively, which were significantly higher than those in normal gastric tissues (0, 18.5% and 14.8% respectively) (P<0.05). In cases with positive expression of HIF-lalpha, the response rate was 14.3%; whereas in cases with negative expression of HIF-1alpha, the response rate was 50.0%. There was significant difference between two groups (P<0.05). In patients of HIF-1alpha positive expression,the median progression-free survival time was 4.7 months,the median survival time was 8.8 months, and 1-year, 2-year survival rates were 37.5% and 21.5% respectively. In patients of HIF-1alpha negative expression, the median progression-free survival time was 8.4 months, the median survival time was l2.6 months, and 1-year, 2-year survival rates were 51.2% and 33.5% respectively. There were significant differences between two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: HIF-1alpha expression may be a useful indicator to predict the chemotherapy response and clinical outcome in gastric carcinoma.

N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1 as a downregulated target gene of PTEN in the controlling of tumourigenesis in endometrioid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Mutation/deletion of PTEN has been known to be involved in the development of many cancers including endometrial carcinoma. NDRG1 (N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1) is reported to be associated with tumourigenesis. PTEN expression has been shown to be correlated with NDRG1 in both prostate and breast cancer. In this study, we explored the possibility that PTEN alteration may cause carcinogenesis of endometrioid carcinoma by regulating the expression of the NDRG1 gene. METHODS: Tissue blocks of 103 patients with pathologically confirmed endometrioid carcinoma were included. All the carcinoma tissues were accompanied with varied degree of necrosis. Using two-step method and avidin-biotin peroxidase complex immunohistochemistry method, the correlation of the two genes expression in ischaemic area and the relationship of NDRG1 expression between ischaemic and non-ischaemic area in endometrioid carcinomas was evaluated. RESULTS: PTEN alteration and NDRG1 expressions were significantly increased in the ischaemic area of endometrioid carcinoma compared with their expressions in the normal endometrium respectively (P<0.001, P<0.001). A positive correlation was found between PTEN alteration and NDRG1 expression in the ischaemic area of endometrioid carcinoma. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: We suggest that NDRG1 may be an important candidate gene in facilitating endometrium carcinogenesis in the adaptation of hypoxia for survival. Alteration of PTEN may upregulate NDRG1 expression, which plays an important role in the process leading to endometrial carcinogenesis.

Correlation between NDRG1 and PTEN expression in endometrial carcinoma.

N-myc Downstream-Regulated Gene 1 (NDRG1) is known as a differentiation-related gene that plays important roles in cell differentiation, organ formation, and embryonic development. NDRG1 has recently been shown to be associated with carcinogenesis and tumor progression in a wide variety of tumors. Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome (PTEN), a phosphatase and tensin homolog located on chromosome 10, is shown to be a tumor suppressor and is often mutated or deleted in various tumor cells, particularly in endometrial carcinoma. Using an immunohistochemical approach, we investigated the expression of NDRG1 and PTEN in normal endometrium, atypical hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma. All tumor tissues harvested in this study were derived from endometrioid carcinoma Type I, that were estrogen-related. Our results demonstrate that the expression of NDRG1 was up-regulated in 5/40 (12.5%), 18/34 (52.94%), and 86/103 (83.5%) normal endometrium, atypical hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma cases, respectively (P < 0.01), while in 6/40 (15%), 20/34 (58.82%), and 89/103 (86.41%) normal endometrium, atypical hyperplasia, and endometrial carcinoma cases, respectively. PTEN expression was significantly decreased (P < 0.01). Statistical analyzes demonstrated a positive correlation between NDRG1 up-regulation and PTEN down-regulation (P < 0.01). The expression of NDRG1 had no correlation with the differentiation degree of the tumor cells, lymph-node metastasis, and/or abdominal cavity implantation (P > 0.05). Our results indicated that development of endometrial carcinoma is associated with an overexpression of NDRG1 and the loss of PTEN expression. Identification of changes in the NDRG1 and PTEN expression may be a significant diagnostic tool for the early detection of endometrial carcinoma.

[Expression and significance of Notch1 and PTEN in gastric cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Notch homolog 1 (Notch1) belongs to the Notch family of transmembrane receptors and plays an important role in cell differentiation. Notch1 plays a profound role in carcinogenesis and can be both oncogenic and tumor suppressive. However, the correlation of Notch1 expression to clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer is unclear. This study was to investigate the expression and significance of Notch1 and PTEN in gastric cancer. METHODS: The expression of Notch1 and PTEN in a tissue microarray containing 168 spots of gastric cancer tissue and 27 spots of normal gastric tissue was detected by SP immunohistochemistry. The correlation of Notch1 expression to PTEN expression, and their correlations to the clinicophathologic features of gastric cancer were analyzed. RESULTS: The positive rate of Notch1 was significantly higher in gastric cancer than in normal gastric tissue (61.9% vs. 25.9%, P<0.05), and closely related to tumor size (P<0.01), differentiation grade (P<0.01), depth of invasion (P<0.01) and vessel invasion (P<0.05). The positive rate of PTEN was significantly lower in gastric cancer than in normal gastric tissue (47.0% vs. 92.6%, P<0.01), and related to tumor size (P<0.01), differentiation grade (P<0.05), depth of invasion (P<0.01), vessel invasion (P<0.05), lymph node metastasis (P<0.05) and distant metastasis (P<0.05). The expression of Notch1 was negatively correlated to that of PTEN (r=-0.170, P<0.05). The 3-year survival rate was significantly higher in Notch1-negative patients than in Notch1-positive patients (78.0% vs. 34.0%, P<0.01), and was significantly higher in PTEN-positive patients than in PTEN-negative patients (62.0% vs.38.0%, P<0.01). COX regression analysis showed that Notch1 expression was an independent prognostic factor of gastric cancer. CONCLUSIONS: The dys-regulation of PTEN and Notch1 expression may correlate to the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Notch1 may be a novel prognostic marker of gastric cancer.

Diagnosis and differentiation of rejection after liver transplantation: report of 5 cases.

BACKGROUND: The most common complications after liver transplantation are acute and chronic rejection. Although special changes can be found clinically and pathologically in both of them, sometimes other complications such as preservation injury, recurrent disease (HBV) and hepatic artery thrombosis should be differentiated from them. METHODS: Five patients with various complications after liver transplantation were synthetically analyzed according to their clinical information, laboratory tests and liver biopsy findings so as to find out the clinical rules and the histological features. RESULTS: Special changes and diagnostic standards were found clinically and pathologically in both acute and chronic rejection. Other complications such as fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis and hepatic artery thrombosis also had their own pathological features. Evaluation of donor liver should be done before liver transplantation. CONCLUSION: It is very important to understand and master the diagnostic standards of rejection and the major points for its differentiation.