Resveratrol induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of human T24 bladder cancer cells in vitro and inhibits tumor growth in vivo.

Resveratrol, a naturally occurring polyphenolic antioxidant compound present in grapes and red wine, has been reported to hold various biochemical responses. In this preliminary study, we evaluate the chemopreventive potential of resveratrol against bladder cancer and its mechanism of action. Treatment of bladder cancer cells with resveratrol resulted in a significant decrease in cell viability. Resveratrol induced apoptosis through the modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins and activation of caspase 9 and caspase 3 followed by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase degradation. Treatment with resveratrol led to G(1) phase cell cycle arrest in T24 cells by activation of p21 and downregulation of cyclin D1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4, and phosphorylated Rb. Resveratrol also inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, whereas the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK was enhanced. In addition, resveratrol treatment decreased the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and fibroblast growth factor-2, which might contribute to the inhibition of tumor growth on the bladder cancer xenograft model. These findings suggest that reveratrol could be an important chemoprevention agent for bladder cancer.

Langerhans' cell density and degree of keratinization in foreskins of Chinese preschool boys and adults.

BACKGROUND: Recent epidemiological studies have proposed that male circumcision reduces the relative risk of acquiring HIV-1. Here, we evaluated the density of Langerhans' cell and degree of keratinization in the foreskins of Chinese preschool boys and adults. METHODS: Sixty preschool boys and 20 healthy men without infectious history following male circumcisions were included. The keratin thickness and Langerhans' cells were quantified by using keratin staining, immunohistochemistry, and image analysis. RESULTS: The extent of keratinization was much greater in the inner foreskin than in the outer foreskin in adults and boys with infectious history. It was likely to be less keratinized in boys' foreskins compared with those of adults. The density of Langerhans' cells was higher in the outer foreskin than in the inner foreskin of adults and healthy boys. Furthermore, an increased density of Langerhans' cells of inner foreskin was also found in boys with infectious history compared with healthy boys. There was much higher Langerhans' cell density in boys' foreskin compared with those of adults. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that Chinese men may have a different feature of keratin in the foreskin, and a higher Langerhans' cells density in boys' foreskin may be due to it being less keratinized.

The use of prostate specific antigen (PSA) density in detecting prostate cancer in Chinese men with PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL.

AIM: To investigate the utility of prostate specific antigen density for detecting prostate cancer in men with serum PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL. METHODS: Between January 2003 and November 2007, 237 men (aged 48-84 years, median 71) with total PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL participated in a protocol for prostate cancer screening. Eligible patients were recommended for transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies after measuring prostate volumes transrectally. The diagnostic value of PSA levels and the free-to-total PSA ratio (f/tPSA), PSA densities (PSAD) were compared using receiver operating characteristic analysis. RESULTS: Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 44 (18.6%) of the 237 men who had biopsies. There were significant differences between the groups in the prostate volumes determined by TRUS, PSAD, PSA levels and f/tPSA, whereas there was no significant difference in patient age. The area under the curve (AUC) of PSA (0.6786) and PSAD (0.717) was similar and significantly greater than that of f/tPSA (AUC 0.329). PSAD was a significantly better indicator of prostate cancer than f/tPSA. The sensitivity and specificity of PSA density at a cutoff of 0.134 ng/mL(2) was 90 and 33.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: PSAD was a better predictor of prostate cancer in Chinese men with PSA levels of 4-10 ng/mL, especially those who have had prior ultrasound-determined measurements of prostate volume. Our data suggest that different PSAD cutoffs may need to be defined for Chinese.

A component of green tea, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate, promotes apoptosis in T24 human bladder cancer cells via modulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway and Bcl-2 family proteins.

Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and ninth most common in women. It has a protracted course of progression and is thus an ideal candidate for chemoprevention strategies and trials. This study was conducted to evaluate the chemopreventive/antiproliferative potential of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG, the major phytochemical in green tea) against bladder cancer and its mechanism of action. Using the T24 human bladder cancer cell line, we found that EGCG treatment caused dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cellular proliferation and cell viability, and induced apoptosis. Mechanistically, EGCG inhibits phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase/Akt activation that, in turn, results in modulation of Bcl-2 family proteins, leading to enhanced apoptosis of T24 cells. These findings suggest that EGCG may be an important chemoprevention agent for the management of bladder cancer.

[Distribution features of Gleason score and its relationship with clinical stages in 346 prostate cancer patients].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the distribution features of Gleason score and evaluate the relationship between Gleason score and clinical stages in patients with prostate cancer. METHODS: Surveys were made of the inpatients with prostate cancer diagnosed by pathology from January 1992 to June 2005 in our hospital. Gleason score and clinical stages were determined on the basis of pathological examination and clinical data of the prostate cancer patients. The patients were divided into three groups (1992-1999, 2000-2002 and 2003-2005). The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the distribution and differences of Gleason score among the three groups. Spearman rank correlation was applied to the evaluation of the relationship between Gleason score and clinical stages. RESULTS: We found a statistically significant shift in the distribution of Gleason score (chi2 = 17.703, P < 0.01), and a slight increase in the mean Gleason score. The proportion of moderately differentiated tumor increased (chi2 = 10.736, P < 0.01). There was little change in the proportion of Gleason score 7, 8, 9 and 10 (chi2 = 4.038, P > 0.05). Gleason score had a significant positive correlation with clinical stages in the 346 cases of prostate cancer (r = 0.452, P < 0.01). Significant difference was observed between Gleason score 2-6 and 7 or 8-10 (chi2 = 8.786, P < 0.01, chi2 = 22.956, P < 0.01), but not between the latter 2 groups (chi2 = 0.787, P > 0.05) in prediction of organ-confined disease. CONCLUSIONS: Gleason score 7 shows the similar value to Gleason score 8-10 in predicting the progression of the disease. Gleason score was significantly correlated with clinical stages, which suggests that Gleason score is also an important indicator for the prognosis of prostate cancer.

[Age and pathological features of 481 prostate cancer patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the age and pathological features of prostate cancer patients in recent years. METHODS: An analysis was made of the age and pathological features of 481 cases of prostate cancer pathologically diagnosed from January 1998 to April 2004, 39 cases in 1998, 69 in 1999, 73 in 2000, 68 in 2001, 72 in 2002, 121 in 2003, and 39 in the first four months of 2004. RESULTS: The patients ranged in age from 40 to 91 years, averaging 72, 95% between 55 and 84, and 84.2% over 65 years. Pathologically, 14 cases were well, 29 moderately, and 83 poorly differentiated according to the three-grade system (WHO, the Mostofi system), with 355 cases ungraded. Forty cases (8.3%) were microcarcinoma (< 1 cm), and 20 cases (4.2%) incidental carcinoma. Of the total number, 473 cases (98.1%) were pathologically diagnosed as adenocarcinoma, 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma, 1 squamous cell carcinoma, 1 signet ring cell carcinoma, 1 adenosquamous cell carcinoma, 1 small cell carcinoma, 1 mucinous adenocarcinoma, 1 adenoid cystic carcinoma, and 1 transitional cell carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Prostate cancer commonly develops in men over 65 years, and adenocarcinoma is the most common histological type. The disease has become a major malignant tumor to endanger elderly males.