The expression of KAI1/CD82 and MRP-1/CD9 in transitional cell carcinoma of bladder (TCCB) and its clinical significance were investigated. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect KAI1/CD82 and MRP-1/CD9 protein expression in 52 TCCB specimens. Correlation between the expression of KAI1/CD82 and MRP-1/CD9 to clinicopathologic factors was statistically analyzed. The results showed that the positive rate of KAI1/CD82 and MRP-1/CD9 in TCCB was 50% and 61.5%, respectively. The MRP-1/CD9 and KAI1/CD82 expression was significantly associated with grade of TCCB (P<0.05), but no correlation was found between MRP-1/CD9 or KAI1/CD82 expression and clinical stage of TCCB (P>0.05). The expression level of MRP-1/CD9 and KAI1/CD82 in recurrent TCCB samples was lower than that in non-recurrent samples (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the correlation between the KAI1/CD82 expression and MRP-1/CD9 expression was statistically significant (r=0.316, P<0.05). It was concluded that KAI1/CD82 and MRP-1/CD9 expression may be important prognostic indicators and potentially useful for assessing the biological behavior of TCCB.

To investigate the safety, feasibility and effectiveness of transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the ablation of canine prostate, 20 dogs were divided randomly into 5 groups. Sixteen canine prostates were treated with the third-generation transrectal HIFU device (Sonablate-500^™). Transrectal ultrasound images of the prostate and prostatic urethra were observed preoperatively and postoperatively. Serial study was performed 30 min, 30 days, 60 days and 180 days after the therapy. The rectum, periprostatic tissues, and prostate were excised en bloc and the tissues were fixed for gross and histological analysis. Our results showed that the average maximal diameter of prostatic urethra was 0.59±0.11 cm before the operation and 2.57±0.98 cm 60 days after the operation. The volume of prostate was 6.5±3.12 cm³ before the treatment while the volume was 4.13±0.23 cm³ 60 days after the treatment and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Histologically, there was a clear demarcation between the necrotic area of the treated tissues and the unaffected surrounding tissues. All the necrotic tissues in the targeted zone broke off and the prostatic urethra became cavitary 60 days later. The more frequent complications were urinary retention and frequency and hematuria. No rectal injury occurred during the treatment. It is concluded that the third-generation transrectal HIFU is capable of destroying prostatic tissue, substantially increasing the width of the prostatic urethra without causing injury to the adjacent tissues. The risk of postoperative complications associated with HIFU was low. HIFU may become a safe, effective and minimally invasive alternative for the treatment of prostatic diseases.

The model of vaginal candidiasis in Kunming mice was constructed in order to search for the optima construction conditions and provide an economic animal model of Candida albicans (C. albicans) vaginitis. Estrogen benzoate (E₂) was given to mice at different concentrations ranging from 0.0 to 0.05 mg/mouse (4 levels) beginning 72 h prior to vaginal inoculation, then mice were inoculated intravaginally with various concentrations of stationary-phase C. albicans blastoconidia (ATCC90028) (5 levels) in 20 μL of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) in each E₂ level. General state, scores of genital pathology, the hyphae and vaginal fungal burden (CFU) in vaginal lavage fluid, the hydrops rate of uterus and vaginal tissues for pathological section in mice were observed and obtained at day 2, 4, 7, 14 and 21 after inoculation. The results showed the infection rate in mice was related to the dosage of E₂ and concentration of C. albicans blastoconidia. Additionally there was better cross-effect between the two treated factors. The infection rate was about 80% on the day 4, and could reach 100% on the day 7 until the end of experiment after inoculated intravaginally in groups of E2I3, E₂ 0.025 mg/mouse injected hypodermically and inoculated intravaginally with 5 × 10⁴C. albicans blastoconidia, and large amount of hyphae and blastoconidia could be observe in superficial layer tissue and canal of vaginal by PAS. From the results in our experiment it was concluded that E2I3 was the optima construction condition in kunming mice.

To investigate the effects of down-regulation of prostate androgen regulated (PAR) expression on proliferation of PC3 cells by using RNA interference (RNAi), suppression of PAR expression was achieved by transfection of PC3 cells with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression vectors against PAR, designated as psiRNA-PAR1, psiRNA-PAR2 and psiRNA-PAR3. The inhibitory effects were confirmed by RT-PCR. The growth features of PC3 transfectants were analyzed by cell counts, colon formation in soft agar and flow cytometry. The expression of PAR was suppressed by the three shRNA expression vectors. psiRNA-PAR1 was shown to inhibit the PAR expression most efficiently, with the inhibitory rate reaching a peak at (81.18±1.68)% 48 h after the transfection. PC3 transfectants exhibited a decreased proliferation in cell culture and a low efficiency of colon formation in soft agar. Flow cytometry revealed a G₂/M arrest and induced apoptosis. Down-regulated PAR expression inhibited the growth of PC3 cells by inducing G₂/M arrest and activating apoptotic pathway. As a potential proto-oncogene that triggers and/or has persistent malignant proliferation, PAR may serves as a very target for the gene therapy.

In order to provide us new clues to induce some endogenous protective molecular mechanisms, the changes in gene expression profile induced by ischemia-reperfusion in pulmonary tissues of rats were investigated and the dynamic mechanism of pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury was elucidated. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: 5 ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) groups (I/R 0-h, I/R 1-h, I/R 3-h, I/R 6-h, I/R 24-h) and control group (n=5 in each). An in situ ischemia-reperfusion lung injury rat model was established by occluded hilus of lung. The RatRef-12 Expression Beadchip (22 226 gene probes per array) was used to analyze the pattern of gene expression in all groups. The results showed that 648, 340, 711, 1279 and 641 genes were differentially expressed in I/R 0-, 1-, 3-, 6-and 24-h groups respectively. The differentially expressed genes were classified as following 7 functional categories: cytokine, adhesion molecule, growth factor and apoptosis-related factor, oxidation and antioxidation molecule, metabolic enzyme, ion channel and aquaporin, signal transduction molecule. It was suggested that gene chip technology was an effective and quick method for screening differentially expressed genes. Many differentially expressed genes with different functions interacted each other to result in pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury.

To explore the effects of Tanshinone II A on the proliferation, apoptosis and gene expression of p53 and bcl-2 in human gastric carcinoma MKN-45 cells. Cell count and MTT assay were used to study the proliferation-inhibiting effect of Tanshinone II A on MKN-45 cells. The effect of Tanshinone II A on the cell cycle and apoptosis of MKN-45 cells were examined by propidium iodide (PI) staining and flow cytometry. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to further verify the expression of p53 and bcl-2 gene after exposure to Tanshinone A in MKN-45 cells. The results showed that Tanshinone A significantly inhibited the growth and proliferation of MKN-45 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner (P<0.05). Tanshinone A arrested MKN-45 cells in G₂/M phase which led to an obvious accumulation of G₂/M phase cells while decreased number of G₀/G₁ phase cells. This resulted in apoptosis of MKN-45 cells and the apoptosis rate was as high as 43.91% after treatment with 2.0 μg/mL Tanshinone II A for 96 h. It was also found that Tanshinone II A up-regulated expression of p53 gene and down-regulated expression of bcl-2 gene. The cytostatic and antiproliferative effect of Tanshinone II A makes it a promising anticancer agent for the treatment of gastric carcinoma.