Analysis of HGF, MACC1, C-met and apoptosis-related genes in cervical carcinoma mice.

To understand the underlying pharmacological basis and the molecular mechanism of Taxol in therapy of cervical carcinoma (CC) disease, we need to explore the effect of Taxol on CC-related genes and pro-apoptosis and anti-apoptosis genes expression. Immunohistochemistry, western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were applied to examine postive expression levels of Bcl-2, Bax and Caspase-3, HGF, MACC1, Caspase-3 and C-met proteins and MACC1 mRNA expression in tumour of CC mice. Results showed that treatment of Taxol could increase the inhibition rate of tumour growth, positive expression levels of Caspase-3, Bax and decrease positive expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax, expression levels of HGF, MACC1 and C-met proteins and MACC1 mRNA in tumour tissue of CC mice. It can be concluded that inhibitory activity of Taxol against tumour growth in CC mice is closely associated with its modulating positive expression of Bcl-2, Bax, Caspase-3, expression of HGF, MACC1, Caspase-3 and C-met proteins and MACC1 mRNA in tumour of CC mice. In conclusion, HGF, MACC1 and C-met genes involve into malignant cervical tumors occurrence, development and prognosis, and might become potential molecular target therapy site of cervical cancer. Taxol intervention may serve as a multi-targeted CC therapeutic capable of inducing selective cancer cell death.

Carotid stiffness and microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Microalbuminuria is associated with higher cardiovascular mortality, especially in diabetics. But the direct association between microalbuminuria and vascular wall properties is still not clear. We investigated quantitative carotid stiffness (QCS) index in relation to microalbuminuria in 260 Chinese diabetic patients. In categorical analyses, patients with elevated urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) had higher QCS than those with normal uACR (P < 0.001). The corresponding values for QCS values were 4.4 and 5.9, respectively. In multiple stepwise regression analyses, QCS was significantly associated with age, uACR, plasma glycosylated hemoglobin A(1C) (HbA(1C)), and current smoking (P < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, carotid stiffness as measured by QCS, a local functional measurement of the arterial wall, is increased in type 2 diabetes with microalbuminuria.

Carotid intima-media thickness and stiffness in relation to type 2 diabetes in Chinese.

We investigated carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and quantitative carotid stiffness (QCS) index in relation to plasma glycosylated hemoglobin A(1C) (HbA(1C)) and duration of diabetes mellitus in 337 Chinese diabetic patients. In categorical analyses, carotid IMT was 710 mum in subjects with a duration of diabetes mellitus < or = 2 years, 760 micorm in subjects with a duration of diabetes mellitus more than two years and with plasma HbA(1C) < 6.5% (P < 0.05), and 790 microm in subjects with a duration of diabetes mellitus more than two years but with plasma HbA(1C) > or = 6.5% (P < 0.01). The corresponding values for QCS values were 4.5, 4.6 and 5.1 (P < 0.05), respectively. In multiple stepwise regression analyses carotid IMT was significantly associated with the duration of diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure and serum concentration of total cholesterol, whereas QCS was significantly associated with age, HbA(1C), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.05). In conclusion, carotid IMT as a structural measure of arterial wall is increased in patients with a longer history of diabetes mellitus, whereas QCS as functional index is mainly influenced by the quality of blood glucose control.