Increased Expressions of Integrin Subunit β1, β2 and β3 in Patients with Acute Infection

Jam3 promotes migration and suppresses apoptosis of renal carcinoma cell lines

As a common type of renal cancer, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has a high annual mortality rate. The incidence of RCC has been increasing in China and worldwide. A large number cases of RCC are diagnosed at late stages, often with local and/or systematic metastasis. Surgical resection of RCC is only suitable for a small number of patients with early stage tumors, and thus, novel therapeutic methods are required. Junctional adhesion molecule 3 (Jam3) is a member of the junctional adhesion molecule family, which has been linked to epithelial and cancer cell proliferation. The present study investigated whether the Jam3 gene affected RCC growth via proliferation and apoptosis. The expression and biological function of Jam3 in renal carcinoma cells was investigated. The mRNA and protein levels of Jam3 were examined by reverse transcription‑polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses. The role of Jam3 in the migration and apoptosis of renal carcinoma cells was determined using small interfering RNA, wound‑healing assays, flow cytometry, and cell migration assays. In the cell migration assays, E‑cadherin, N‑cadherin, integrin β1, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‑2 proteins were detected by western blot analysis. It was shown that the expression of Jam3 was significantly elevated in human renal carcinoma cells compared with that in renal tubular epithelial cells. The knockdown of Jam3 inhibited renal carcinoma cell migration and promoted renal carcinoma cell apoptosis. It also increased the protein levels of E‑cadherin and reduced the protein levels of N‑cadherin, integrin β1 and MMP‑2. The inhibition of Jam3 promoted migration and suppressed apoptosis of renal carcinoma cells via regulation of the expression of E‑cadherin, N‑cadherin, integrin β1 and MMP‑2. Therefore, Jam3 was suggested as a novel target gene for the diagnosis and treatment of RCC.

Anatomic and clinical risk factors for pulmonary embolism in patients with deep venous thrombosis of the lower extremity

Purpose

Iliac vein compression is a known culprit of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In contrast, the compression may prevent the pulmonary embolism (PE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the anatomic and clinical risk factors of PE in patients with lower extremity DVT.

Methods

PE was evaluated using chest computed tomography in patients with lower extremity DVT. The patients were classified into group I (DVT without PE) and group II (DVT with PE) and analyzed to clarify the anatomic and clinical risk factors associated with PE in patients with DVT. As the anatomic factor, the shortest length between the common iliac artery (CIA) and spinal body (SB) was measured. Statistical analyses utilized the multivariable logistic regression model, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.

Results

We examined 114 patients (age; 62.7 ± 16.9 years, 41.7% men) with DVT with/without PE. The prevalence of concurrent DVT with PE was 52.6%. Blood tests showed no difference between the 2 groups. Of all the assessed patients' characteristics, only infection was significantly and independently associated with PE (P = 0.04). The shortest length between CIA and SB was 6.7 ± 3.5 mm in group I and 11.3 ± 3.7 mm in group II (P < 0.001). ROC curve analysis showed that 7.6 mm was the cut-off value for the anatomic risk of PE.

Conclusion

Infection was significantly associated with concurrent DVT and PE. The shortest length between CIA and SB (<7.6 mm) may prevent PE in patients with DVT.