[Corrigendum] High expression of the secreted protein dickkopf homolog 4: Roles in invasion and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma and its association with Von Hippel-Lindau gene

Subsequently to the publication of the above paper, an interested reader drew to the authors' attention that the β-actin bands data shown to portray the control experiments in the western blots in Fig. 3C and 4F were apparently identical. The authors have re‑examined their data, and realize that the control bands in Fig. 3C had inadvertently been selected incorrectly. The revised version of Fig. 3, containing the correct β-actin bands in Fig. 3C, is shown below. Note that this error did not affect the major conclusions reported in the paper. All the authors agree with the publication of this corrigendum, and thank the Editor of International Journal of Molecular Medicine for allowing them the opportunity to publish this. The authors regret this mistake went unnoticed during the compilation of the figure in question, and apologize to the readership for any confusion that this may have caused. [International Journal of Molecular Medicine 33: 1319‑1326, 2014; DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2014.1673].

[Comparison of the predictive value of Padua and the IMPEDE assessment scores for venous thromboembolism in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: A single institution experience]

Objective: To compare the predictive efficacy of the two thrombosis risk assessment scores (Padua and IMPEDE scores) in venous thromboembolism (VTE) within 6 months in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) in China. Methods: This study reviewed the clinical data of 421 patients with NDMM hospitalized in Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from April 2014 to February 2022. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and Youden index of the two scores were calculated to quantify the thrombus risk assessment of VTE by the Padua and IMPEDE scores. The receiver operating characteristics curves of the two evaluation scores were drawn. Results: The incidence of VTE was 14.73%. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and Youden index of the Padua score were 100%, 0%, 14.7%, and 0% and that of the IMPEDE score was 79%, 44%, 49.2%, and 23%, respectively. The areas under the curve of Padua and IMPEDE risk assessment scores were 0.591 and 0.722, respectively. Conclusion: IMPEDE score is suitable for predicting VTE within 6 months in patients with NDMM.

COVID-19 pandemic and neonatal birth weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Lockdown was implemented in many countries during the pandemic, which led to myriad changes in pregnant women's lives. However, the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on neonatal outcomes remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association between the pandemic and neonatal birth weight.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of the previous literature.

METHODS

We searched the MEDLINE and Embase databases up to May 2022 and extracted 36 eligible studies that compared neonatal birth weight between the pandemic and the prepandemic period. The following outcomes were included: mean birth weight, low birth weight (LBW), very low birth weight (VLBW), macrosomia, small for gestational age (SGA), very small for gestational age (VSGA), and large for gestational age (LGA). Statistical heterogeneity among studies was assessed to determine whether a random effects model or fixed effects model was conducted.

RESULTS

Of the 4514 studies identified, 36 articles were eligible for inclusion. A total of 1,883,936 neonates during the pandemic and 4,667,133 neonates during the prepandemic were reported. We identified a significant increase in mean birth weight (pooled mean difference [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 15.06 [10.36, 19.76], I² = 0.0%, 12 studies) and a reduction in VLBW (pooled OR [95% CI] = 0.86 [0.77, 0.97], I² = 55.4%, 12 studies). No overall effect was identified for other outcomes: LBW, macrosomia, SGA, VSGA, and LGA. There was publication bias for mean birth weight with a borderline significance (Egger's P = 0.050).

CONCLUSION

Pooled results showed the pandemic was significantly associated with an increase in mean birth weight and a reduction in VLBW, but not for other outcomes. This review provided clues about the indirect effects of the pandemic on neonatal birth weight and more healthcare measures needed to improve neonatal long-term health.

CircESRP1 inhibits clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression through the CTCF-mediated positive feedback loop

Circular RNA (circRNA), a closed continuous loop formed by back-splicing, has been confirmed to be implicated in a variety of human diseases including cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of circRNA regulating the progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains largely unclear. In the present study, we identified a novel circular RNA, circESRP1, that derived from the ESRP1 gene locus at 8q22.1 exons. Lower expression of circESRP1 was found in clear cell RCC (ccRCC) tissues and cell lines. Besides, circESRP1 expression level showed inversely correlated with the advanced tumor size, TNM stage and distant metastasis of ccRCC. The expression level of circESRP1 exhibited a positive correlation with CTCF protein but negatively correlated with miR-3942 in 79 ccRCC tissues. In vivo experiments, we found that overexpression of circESRP1 effectively repressed xenograft tumor growth and inhibited c-Myc-mediated EMT progression. CircESRP1 acted as a sponge to competitively bind with miR-3942 as confirmed through RNA pull-down, RIP and dual-luciferase reporter assays. Moreover, CTCF, a downstream target of miR-3942, was validated to specifically promote the circESRP1 transcript expression and regulated by circESRP1/miR-3942 pathway to form a positive feedback loop. We also revealed that the circESRP1/miR-3942/CTCF feedback loop regulated the ccRCC cell functions via c-Myc mediated EMT process. This study provides a novel regulatory model of circRNA via forming a positive-feedback loop that perpetuates the circESRP1/miR-3942/CTCF axis, suggesting that this signaling may serve as a novel target for the treatment of ccRCC.

Characteristics and risk differences of different tumor size on localized prostate cancer: A retrospective cohort study in the SEER database

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the role of tumor size in predicting tumor risk for localized prostate cancer (PCa) patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods

Twenty‐five thousand, one hundred twenty‐seven men with PCa receiving RP from 2010 to 2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Kaplan–Meier plots and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to illustrate overall survival (OS) according to the tumor size. The tumor size was confirmed by postoperative pathology after RP.

Results

Among overall localized PCa, 84.6% were high‐risk PCa, 9.2% were intermediate‐risk PCa, and 6.2% were low‐risk PCa. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that tumor size ≥21 mm was an independent risk predict factor of low‐risk PCa (odds ratio [OR]: 11.940; 95% CI, 9.404–15.161; p < 0.001) and intermediate‐risk PCa (OR: 1.887; 95% CI, 1.586–2.245; p < 0.001). Tumor sizes ≤5 mm significantly correlated with high‐risk PCa (p < 0.001). Tumor size ≤5 mm had the worst OS in overall localized PCa and high‐risk PCa (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In localized PCa, tumor sizes ≥21 mm may help predict low or intermediate‐risk PCa, while tumor sizes ≤5 mm might help predict high‐risk PCa. In clinical practice, we should be on high alert for patients with tumors size ≤5 mm due to its poor prognosis after RP.

Mesenchymal stem cells desensitize castration-resistant prostate cancer to docetaxel chemotherapy via inducing TGF-β1-mediated cell autophagy

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proved to drive castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). In this study, we aim to investigate the contribution of MSCs to the development of docetaxel resistance in CRPC cells and its potential mechanisms.

Methods

The effect of MSCs on CRPC cells resistance to docetaxel was determined using in vivo and in vitro approaches. CCK8 and PI/Annexin V-FITC assay were used to examined the cell viability and apoptosis. The concentration of transforming growth factor-β1 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and small interfering RNA was used for functional analyses.

Results

MSCs significantly reduced the sensitivity of CRPC cells to docetaxel-induced proliferation inhibition and apoptosis promotion in vivo and in vitro. CRPC cells cocultured with MSCs under docetaxel administration have an increased autophagy activation, while autophagy inhibitor could effectively reversed MSCs-induced resistance to docetaxel. Additionally, MSCs-induced CRPC cell autophagy increase under docetaxel administration depends on MSCs secreting TGF-β1 and inhibition of TGF-β1 secretion in MSCs could consequently increase the sensitivity of CRPC cells to docetaxel.

Conclusions

These results suggest that docetaxel administrated CRPC cells may elicit MSCs secreting TGF-β1 increase, which desensitizes CRPC to docetaxel chemotherapy accelerating chemoresistance occurrence via inducing cell autophagy.

Incidental para-ureteral aggressive angiomyxoma: a rare case report and literature review

BACKGROUND

Aggressive angiomyxoma (AA) is a rare tumor that typically occurs in the pelvis and perineum, most commonly in women of reproductive age. However, no para-ureteral AA has been reported according to the literature. Case presentation We herein describe the first case of para-ureteral AA. A 62-year-old male presented to our institute in March 2017 with a para-ureteral mass that was 15 mm in diameter incidentally. No symptom was observed and laboratory analysis was unremarkable. Magnetic resonance and computed tomography imaging showed a non-enhancing mass abutting the left ureter without causing obstruction. Laparoscopic resection of the mass was performed without injury to the ureter. Pathologic and immunohistochemical results were consistent with AA. Till now, no recurrence was noticed.

CONCLUSIONS

We reported a rare case of para-ureteral AA, along with a literature review. Early diagnosis, proper surgical plan and long-term close follow-up is recommended for its high risk of recurrence and malignant potential.

LINC01426 contributes to clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression by modulating CTBP1/miR-423-5p/FOXM1 axis via interacting with IGF2BP1

Increasing evidence suggests that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are pivotal regulators in oncogenesis. However, the role of numerous lncRNAs has never been unmasked in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Presently, we investigated the function of long intergenic nonprotein coding RNA 1426 (LINC01426) in ccRCC, as The Cancer Genome Atlas data indicated that LINC01426 was highly expressed in ccRCC tissues and its overexpression was correlated with disappointing prognosis. First, we verified that LINC01426 was indeed upregulated in ccRCC cell lines and its depletion restrained ccRCC cell proliferation and migration. Besides, we proved that LINC01426 facilitated ccRCC tumorigenesis via forkhead box M1 (FOXM1). Moreover, it was revealed that miR-423-5p was downregulated and directly targeted FOXM1 in ccRCC, and that LINC01426 positively regulated FOXM1 via its inhibition on miR-423-5p. Notably, we also uncovered that miR-423-5p was transcriptionally silenced by CTBP1 and HDAC2. Of importance, LINC01426 was certified to distribute both in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of ccRCC cells, and it increased CTBP1 expression through recruiting insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) in cytoplasm whereas interacted with CTBP1 protein to improve the transcriptional repression on miR-423-5p in nucleus. Jointly, our observations unveiled that LINC01426 aggravates ccRCC progression via IGF2BP1/CTBP1/HDAC2/miR-423-5p/FOXM1 axis, highlighting LINC01426 as a novel promising target for ccRCC treatment.

Perioperative Chemotherapy on Survival in Patients With Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Undergoing Nephroureterectomy: A Population-Based Study

Objectives: To estimate the stage-specific impact of perioperative chemotherapy on survival for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients treated with nephroureterectomy (NU).

Methods: Overall, 7,278 UTUC patients treated with NU from 2004 to 2015 were identified within the SEER database. Kaplan–Meier plots were used to elucidate overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to test the impact of chemotherapy on survival rates, after stratifying according to pathological stage.

Results: Chemotherapy was performed in 17.3% of patients and in 5.7, 11.5, 25.4, and 51.3% of patients with, respectively, pT1, pT2, pT3, and pT4 disease (P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, perioperative chemotherapy was associated with a lower OS in pT2 patients and a lower CSS in pT1 disease (both P < 0.05), while predisposed to a higher OS in pT3 and pT4 patients (both P < 0.01). Moreover, perioperative chemotherapy was prone to a higher OS or CSS in pN+ disease compared to no chemotherapy (both P < 0.01).

Conclusion: Perioperative chemotherapy was more frequently performed in locally advanced UTUC patients. The beneficial effect of chemotherapy on OS was evident in pT3/pT4 and pN+ patients. In addition, a clear CSS benefit was observed in patients who received chemotherapy for pN+ UTUC, while perioperative chemotherapy may reduce CSS for pT1 and OS for pT2 patients following NU.

circPRRC2A promotes angiogenesis and metastasis through epithelial-mesenchymal transition and upregulates TRPM3 in renal cell carcinoma

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as essential regulators in a plethora of cancers. Nonetheless, the mechanistic functions of circRNAs in Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) remain largely unknown.

Methods: In this study, we aimed to identify novel circRNAs that regulate RCC epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and to subsequently determine their regulatory mechanisms and clinical significance.

Results: circPRRC2A was identified by circRNA microarray and validated by qRT-PCR. The role of circPRRC2A in RCC metastasis was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. We found that increased expression of circPRRC2A is positively associated with advanced clinical stage and worse survivorship in RCC patients. Mechanistically, our results indicate that circPRRC2A prevents the degradation of TRPM3, a tissue-specific oncogene, mRNA by sponging miR-514a-5p and miR-6776-5p. Moreover, circPRRC2A promotes tumor EMT and aggressiveness in patients with RCC.

Conclusions: These findings infer the exciting possibility that circPRRC2A may be exploited as a therapeutic and prognostic target for RCC patients.

VHL enhances 9-cis-retinoic acid treatment by down-regulating retinoid X receptor α in renal cell carcinomas

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignant kidney tumors in adults. Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene is deficient in >50% of RCC cases, but the role of VHL as a potential therapeutic target in RCC has not been well established. In the present study, 9-cis-Retinoic acid, which is a potent natural agonist of retinoid X receptors (RXRs), was found to decrease the viability of VHL-proficient RCC cells, but had little effect on VHL-deficient RCC cells. In addition, it was demonstrated that VHL transcriptionally regulated RXRα in a hypoxia-inducible factor-α independent manner. Moreover, a negative correlation was observed between the expressions of VHL and RXRα in RCC tissues. Collectively, these data indicate that VHL-proficient RCC patients may be more sensitive to treatment with 9-cis-retinoic acid, which acts by regulating RXRα expression, compared with VHL-deficient RCC patients. The findings of the present study demonstrate a novel function of VHL and highlight the potential of VHL expression as a therapeutic modality for the optimized treatment of RCC patients.

Effect of lymph node dissection on stage-specific survival in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma treated with nephroureterectomy

Background

We aimed to estimate the stage-specific impact of lymph node dissection (LND) on survival for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients treated with nephroureterectomy (NU).

Methods

Overall, 7278 UTUC patients undergoing NU within the SEER database from 2004 to 2015 were identified. Kaplan-Meier plots illustrated overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) rates according to LND status. Multivariable Cox regression analyses assessed the effect of LND on OS and CSS rates stratified by pathological tumor stage.

Results

LND was performed in 26.9% of patients, and in 18.6, 23.3, 31.2 and 45.9% for pT1, pT2, pT3 and pT4 patients, respectively (P <  0.001). In multivariable Cox regression analyses, LND was associated with a higher OS or CSS in UTUC patients with pT3 and pT4 disease (all P <  0.05), but failed to achieve independent predictor status in patients with pT1 and pT2 disease (all P > 0.05). LND with 1 to 3 regional lymph nodes removed was prone to a higher OS or CSS only in pT4 compared to no LND (both P <  0.01). LND with 4 or more regional lymph nodes removed predisposed to a higher OS or CSS in pT3 or pT4 (all P <  0.05).

Conclusions

The beneficial effect of LND especially LND with 4 or more regional lymph nodes removed on survival was evident in pT3/4 patients. LND can be considered for pT3 and pT4, for pT1/2 remains to be seen, both of which will be verified by further prospective studies.

Impact of peri-prostatic fat measurements using MRI on the prediction of prostate cancer with transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the impact of peri-prostatic fat (PPF) measurements using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging on the prediction of prostate cancer (PCa) with transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective 2-center study on 660 consecutive patients receiving transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy-biopsy from June 2016 to October 2018. Pathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics were collected. PPF measurements including PPF area (PPFA) and PPFA to prostate area (PA) ratio (PPFA/PA) were assessed by preoperative staging magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical variables were correlated with Gleason score by using Spearman (ρ) correlation coefficients. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of PCa. The diagnostic performance was estimated using ROC curves.

RESULTS

The Gleason score was significantly correlated with age (ρ = 0.114, P = 0.035), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (ρ = 0.482, P < 0.001), PIRADS scoring (ρ = 0.403, P < 0.001) and PPFA/PA (ρ = 0.238, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that PPFA/PA, age, digital rectal examination, family history of PCa, PSA, and PIRADS scoring were independently predictive of PCa. The ROC AUC to detect PCa or clinically significant PCa (CS-PCa; Gleason Score 3 + 4 or greater) improved with the addition of PPFA/PA (PCa: 0.93 vs. 0.89; CS-PCa: 0.92 vs. 0.90).

CONCLUSION

PPFA/PA is an independent predictor for PCa along with age, digital rectal examination, family history of PCa, PSA, and PIRADS scoring. PPF measurements especially PPFA/PA may help detect PCa or CS-PCa, thus helping improve PCa risk stratification and screening to avoid unnecessary biopsies.

Discovering biomarkers in bladder cancer by metabolomics

It has become increasingly clear that the development of cancer, a multifactorial disease, cannot be explained by a single molecule or gene mutation. As a new discipline, metabolomics focuses on the body's metabolite changes, and attempts to find differences to explain the development of cancer; it has proven to be effective and credible. Metabolic studies of bladder cancer (BCa) lag behind those of other tumors. This review systematically outlines the specific process of metabolomics and the use of metabolomics in BCa studies in recent years. We have reviewed the in vitro cell line, bladder tumor tissue and biofluid (urine, plasma and serum) studies used in metabolomics analyses of BCa. The advantages and drawbacks of the use of different samples were compared. Based on the available studies, we have further described the aberrant metabolic pathways of BCa and have suggested some metabolites that may be potential biomarkers for BCa detection.

Marital status independently predicts prostate cancer survival in men who underwent radical prostatectomy: An analysis of 95,846 individuals

Marital status is an independent prognostic factor for survival in several types of cancer, but has not been fully studied in prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 95,846 men diagnosed with PCa were treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) between 2004 and 2009 within 18 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results registries. Survival curves were generated using Kaplan-Meier estimates and differences in survival were assessed using the log-rank test. Cox regression models were used to assess the impact of marital status on survival outcomes. The results demonstrated that the 8-year cancer-cause specific survival (CSS) rate of married men was higher than unmarried individuals. Further analyses revealed that divorced/separated men had a higher proportion of high Gleason scores (GS) PCa at diagnosis [hazard ratio (HR), 1.12; P=0.007] and those patients had the worst survival outcomes independent of age, ethnicity, grade, stage and sequence number [HR, 1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.34-1.93]. Interestingly, it was observed that CSS among divorced/separated men decreased as the GS increased (GS≤6: HR, 2.5; GS=7: HR, 1.71; GS≥8: HR, 1.50; all P<0.05). Apart from that, no significant differences in CSS were observed in those who had never been married (HR, 1.20) or were widowed (HR, 1.13) relative to the married group. The results of the present study support the hypothesis that marital status is an independent prognostic factor among men with PCa who underwent RP. It was demonstrated that the mortality rates of divorced or separated men with PCa were significantly greater compared with the other groups. A further understanding of the potential associations among marital status, psychosocial factors and survival outcomes may help in developing novel, more effective methods of treating different groups of patients with PCa.

Proinflammatory switch from Gαs to Gαi signaling by Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor in murine splenic monocyte following burn injury

OBJECTIVE

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)-based therapy via G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) GLP-1R, to attenuate hyperglycemia in critical care has attracted great attention. However, the exaggerated inflammation by GLP-1R agonist, Exendin-4, in a mouse model of burn injury was quite unexpected. Recent studies found that GPCR might elicit proinflammatory effects by switching from Gαs to Gαi signaling in the immune system. Thus, we aimed to investigate the possible Gαs to Gαi switch in GLP-1R signaling in monocyte following burn injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Splenic monocytes from sham and burn mice 24 h following burn injury were treated with consecutive doses of Exendin-4 alone or in combination with an inhibitor of Gαi signaling (pertussis toxin, PTX), or a blocker of protein kinase A (H89). Cell viability was assessed by CCK-8, and the supernatant was collected for cytokine measurement by ELISA. Intracellular cAMP level, phosphorylated PKA activity, and nuclear NF-κB p65 were determined by ELISA, ERK1/2 activation was analyzed by Western blot. The expression of GLP-1R downstream molecules, Gαs, Gαi and G-protein coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) were examined by immunofluorescence staining and Western blot.

RESULTS

Exendin-4 could inhibit the viability of monocyte from sham rather than burn mice. Unexpectedly, it could also reduce TNF-α secretion from sham monocyte while increase it from burn monocyte. The increased secretion of TNF-α by Exendin-4 from burn monocyte could be reversed by pretreatment of PTX or H89. Accordingly, Exendin-4 could stimulates cAMP production dose dependently from sham instead of burn monocyte. However, the blunt cAMP production from burn monocyte was further suppressed by pretreatment of PTX or H89 after 6-h incubation. Nevertheless, phosphorylated PKA activity was significantly increased by low dose of Exendin-4 in sham monocyte, by contrast, it was enhanced by high dose of Exendin-4 in burn monocyte after 1-h incubation. Following Exendin-4 treatment for 2 h ex vivo, total nuclear NF-κB and phosphorylated NF-κB activity, as well as cytoplasmic pERK1/2 expressions were reduced in sham monocyte, however, only pERK1/2 was increased by Exendin-4 in burn monocytes. Moreover, reduced expressions of GLP-1R, GRK-2 and Gαs in contrast with increased expression of Gαi were identified in burn monocyte relative to sham monocyte.

CONCLUSIONS

This study presents an unexpected proinflammatory switch from Gαs to Gαi signaling in burn monocyte, which promotes ERK1/2 and NF-κB activation and the downstream TNF-α secretion. This phenomenon is most probably responsible for proinflammatory response evoked by Gαs agonist Exendin-4 following burn injury.

Expression of GFRα3 correlates with tumor progression and promotes cell metastasis in urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a major health problem in the general population. We aimed to evaluate the function of GFRα3 and unravel its underlying molecular mechanism to develop novel treatment options equivalent to UC.

METHODS

To evaluate the function of GFRα3, a group of 60 pairs of UC patients were recruited in for this study. UC tissues and their adjacent normal control tissues (NCTs) were collected between 2012 and 2015. We used immunohistochemistry to analyze the correlation between GFRα3 expression and clinicopathologic variables and patient survival. The role of regulation of GFRα3 in UC was applied in vitro. In addition, we further investigated the signaling pathway of GFRα3 in UC progression.

RESULTS

The expression level of GFRα3 was remarkably upregulated in 49.3% (19/60) patients and downregulated in 25.0% (15/60) patients. The GFRα3 protein expression was upregulated in UC tissues. GFRα3 promotes UC cell migration and invasion in vitro. GFRα3 also promotes UC cell metastasis in vitro. High level of GFRα3 promotes UC cell migration via upregulation of MMP9 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that increased GFRα3 expression is significantly correlated with poor prognosis of patients with UC. Thus, GFRα3 might be an important marker and a therapeutic target for UC.

Risk factors of perioperative complications in patients undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy: A ten-year experience

Radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) has been one of the most effective treatments for prostate cancer. This study is designed to identify the related predictive risk factors for complications in patients following RRP. Between 2000 and 2012 in Department of Urology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 421 cases undergoing RRP for localized prostate cancer by one surgeon were included in this retrospective analysis. We reviewed various risk factors that were correlated with perioperative complications, including patient characteristics [age, body mass index (BMI), co-morbidities], clinical findings (preoperative PSA level, Gleason score, clinical stage, pathological grade), and surgeon's own clinical practice. Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) was used to explain comorbidities. The total rate of perioperative complications was 23.2% (98/421). There were 45/421 (10.7%), 28/421 (6.6%), 24/421 (5.7%) and 1/421 (0.2%) in grade I, II, III, IV respectively, and 323/421 (76.8%) cases had none of these complications. Statistical analysis of multiple potential risk factors revealed that BMI >30 (P=0.014), Charlson score ≥1 (P<0.001) and surgical experience (P=0.0252) were predictors of perioperative complications. Age, PSA level, Gleason score, TNM stage, operation time, blood loss, and blood transfusion were not correlated with perioperative complications (P>0.05). It was concluded that patients' own factors and surgeons' technical factors are related with an increased risk of development of perioperative complications following radical prostatectomy. Knowing these predictors can both favor risk stratification of patients undergoing RRP and help surgeons make treatment decisions.

Anti-proliferative potential of Glucosamine in renal cancer cells via inducing cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase

Background

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the most common types of cancer in urological system worldwide. Recently, the anticancer role of Glucosamine has been studied in many types of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Glucosamine on RCC.

Methods

The effects of Glucosamine on RCC cell proliferation and apoptosis were investigated by MTT assay and Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis assay, respectively in vitro. Cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry after treatment with Glucosamine. Protein levels of several cell cycle associated markers were examined by Western Blot.

Results

Our data showed that Glucosamine significantly inhibited the proliferation of renal cancer 786-O and Caki-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Besides, Glucosamine treatment resulted in cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase in both cell lines. Meanwhile, the expression of several regulators that contribute to G1/S phased transition, such as Cyclin D1, CDK4 and CDK6, were significantly down-regulated with the up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitors, p21 and p53, after treatment with glucosamine. However, the apoptosis rate of RCC cells was down-regulated when treatment with Glucosamine at 1 mM and 5 mM, while up-regulated at 10 mM.

Conclusions

Our findings indicated that Glucosamine inhibited the proliferation of RCC cells by promoting cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, but not promoting apoptosis. The present results suggested that Glucosamine might be a potential therapeutic agent in RCC treatment in the future.

Retrospective analysis of fosfomycin combinational therapy for sepsis caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of fosfomycin combinational therapy with other antibiotics for the treatment of infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP). This retrospective cohort study examined 104 cases of sepsis caused by CRKP occurring between January 2012 and November 2014 in Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital. Three categories of patient outcome were assessed: Survival/mortality, duration of intensive care unit stays and duration of medical ventilation. Univariate ordinal analyses were adopted to evaluate the correlations between outcome and treatment. A total of 104 patients with physician-diagnosed CRKP were involved in the study. The overall mortality rate was 25.0%. The majority of the infections (84; 80.8%) were hospital acquired. Critical infections received more than one active antibiotic as therapy. Patients treated with fosfomycin combinational therapy were less likely to fail therapy (OR: 4.71, 95% CI: 1.03-21.65, P=0.034) and tended to have a shorter duration of mechanical ventilation. Gender (OR: 4.35, 95% CI: 1.08-3.60, P=0.037), history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR: 9.35, 95% CI: 0.06-0.19, P=0.007) and peripheral catheter use (OR: 3.00, 95% CI: 0.07-0.19, P=0.002) are risk factors for clinical outcome. Therefore, the use of fosfomycin combinational therapy for treatment of infection due to CRKP appears to be associated with improved survival rate.

Expression of CUL1 correlates with tumour-grade and recurrence in urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a major health problem in the general population. We aimed to evaluate the function of Cullin-1 (CUL1) and unravel its underlying molecular mechanism to develop novel treatment options equivalent to UC.

METHODS

To evaluate the function of CUL1, a group of 132 pairs of UC patients were recruited for this study. UC tissues and their adjacent noncancerous tissues (NCTs) were collected between 2008 and 2009. We used immunohistochemistry to analyse the correlation between CUL1 expression and clinicopathologic variables and patient survival.

RESULTS

CUL1 was dramatically overexpressed in high-grade UC tissues compared with low-grade UC tissues. CUL1 up-regulation in recurrence cases in comparison with the non-recurrence cases. CUL1 expression upregulated in human UC tissues versus NCTs. CUL1 protein expression associated with androgen receptor.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrate that increased CUL1 expression is significantly correlated with poor prognosis of patients with UC. CUL1 might be an important marker and a therapeutic target for UC.

Nrdp1-mediated degradation of BRUCE decreases cell viability and induces apoptosis in human 786-O renal cell carcinoma cells

Neuregulin receptor degradation protein-1 (Nrdp1) is involved in a plethora of cellular processes and plays an essential role in the development and progression of human cancers. However, its role in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore the biological significance of Nrdp1 in RCC. Western blot analyses of tissue samples from 24 patients with primary RCC revealed lower Nrdp1 and higher baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis repeat-containing ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (BRUCE) protein levels in RCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. In addition, MTT and apoptosis assays demonstrated that Nrdp1 overexpression resulted in decreased cell viability and enhanced apoptosis in RCC 786-O cells; conversely, Nrdp1 knockdown increased 786-O cell viability and inhibited apoptosis. Further analysis showed that BRUCE downregulation partially attenuated the effects of Nrdp1 knockdown on RCC cell viability and apoptosis. Moreover, an inverse association was obtained between BRUCE and Nrdp1 protein levels. These findings suggest that Nrdp1-mediated degradation of BRUCE decreases cell viability and induces apoptosis in RCC cells, highlighting Nrdp1 as a potential target for RCC treatment.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits migration and invasion of human renal carcinoma cells by downregulating matrix metalloproteinase-2 and matrix metalloproteinase-9

The anticancer properties of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) are documented in the treatment of several types of cancer; however, there is no relevant evidence for its efficacy in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In the present study, the therapeutic effects of EGCG in vitro were investigated, with particular attention to the metastatic behavior of human RCC cells. MTT assays and flow cytometry were performed to detect the effects of EGCG on the proliferation and apoptosis of RCC cells. The migration and invasion abilities of RCC cells following treatment with EGCG were assessed by wound-healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Gelatin zymography and western blot analysis were performed to analyze the effect of EGCG on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 expression levels. The results suggested that EGCG was able to inhibit the proliferation of RCC cells, induce apoptosis and effectively suppressed the migration and invasion of RCC cells. In addition, EGCG treatment resulted in the downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in RCC cells. We hypothesize that the anticancer effect associated with EGCG may involve the downregulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9. The present results suggest the potential of EGCG as a novel therapeutic agent against RCC.

Comparison of two kinds of cutaneous ureterostomy using in radical cystectomy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the merits and 10 year follow-up results of two kinds of cutaneous ureterostomy operation in patients with the radical cystectomy.

METHODS

We retrospective analyzed the information of patients underwent radical cystectomy in the past 10 years, comparing and analyzing the consequence of application value, early and long-term follow-up results using two kinds of cutaneous ureterostomy in patients with radical cystectomy.

RESULTS

Unilateral ureteral cutaneous ureterostomy didn't increase patients' early and long-term complications, and improved the patient's life satisfaction.

CONCLUSION

The unilateral cutaneous ureterostomy didn't increase postoperative complications in patients, while improving the patient's life satisfaction. Unilateral ureteral cutaneous ureterostomy is an important complement to urinary diversion after radical cystectomy and the best choice for cutaneous ureterostomy.

Serum Total Cholinesterase Activity on Admission Is Associated with Disease Severity and Outcome in Patients with Traumatic Brain Injury

BACKGROUND

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of neurological disability. In this retrospective study, serum total cholinesterase (ChE) activities were analyzed in 188 patients for diagnostic as well as predictive values for mortality.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Within 72 hours after injury, serum ChE activities including both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase were measured. Disease severity was evaluated with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, Glasgow Coma Score, length of coma, post-traumatic amnesia and injury feature. Neurocognitive and functional scores were assessed using clinical records. Of 188 patients, 146 (77.7%) survived and 42 (22.3%) died within 90 days. Lower ChE activities were noted in the non-survivors vs. survivors (5.94±2.19 vs. 7.04±2.16 kU/L, p=0.023), in septic vs. non-infected patients (5.93±1.89 vs. 7.31±2.45 kU/L, p=0.0005) and in patients with extremely severe injury vs. mild injury (6.3±1.98 vs. 7.57±2.48 kU/L, p=0.049). The trajectories of serum ChE levels were also different between non-survivors and survivors, septic and non-infected patients, mild and severely injured patients, respectively. Admission ChE activities were closely correlated with blood cell counts, neurocognitive and functional scores both on admission and at discharge. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the area under the curve for ChE was inferior to that for either APACHE II or white blood cell (WBC) count. However, at the optimal cutoff value of 5 kU/L, the sensitivity of ChE for correct prediction of 90-day mortality was 65.5% and the specificity was 86.4%. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that lower ChE activity (<5 kU/L) was more closely correlated with poor survival than higher ChE activity (>5 kU/L) (p=0.04). After adjusting for other variables, ChE was identified as a borderline independent predictor for mortality as analyzed by Binary logistic regression (P=0.078).

CONCLUSIONS

Lowered ChE activity measured on admission appears to be associated with disease severity and outcome for TBI patients.

Parameters of prostate cancer at contrast-enhanced ultrasound: correlation with prostate cancer risk

OBJECTIVE

to investigate the correlation between the parameters of prostate cancer (PCa) at contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) with PCa risk.

METHODS

84 patients (68 ± 8 years; range, 33-79 years) who had undergone CEUS were included. All the images were offline analyzed. Parameters (maximum intensity (IMAX), rise time (RT), time to peak (TTP) and mean transit time (mTT)) were recorded and compared with PSA level, Gleason score, clinical stages and PCa risk.

RESULTS

Age was correlated significantly with PCa risk. RT and mTT of outer gland were associated with PCa risk. No significant correlation was found between PSA and CEUS enhancement parameters. Furthermore, with the exception of IMAX of inner gland and IMAX of outer gland, there were no significant differences of enhancement parameters in Gleason score groups and clinical stages groups.

CONCLUSION

The enhancement parameters of PCa at CEUS may be used to predict PCa risk. And it is helpful for the choice of therapeutic options.

Nrf2 sensitizes prostate cancer cells to radiation via decreasing basal ROS levels

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was reported to lower basal ROS level in prostate cancer (PCa) and to sensitize PCa to radiation. We aimed to seek for the underlying molecular mechanism and to develop novel additive treatments to ADT in this regard. We simulated human androgen milieu in vitro and tested the ROS level in PCa cells undergoing ADT. We also tested the Nrf2 level in PCa cells with or without ADT. Genetic and pharmaceutical upregulation of Nrf2 was applied in vitro and in vivo in transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice with or without castration to investigate whether Nrf2 overexpression supplemented the effect of ADT in PCa. We first discovered that androgen deprivation increased basal ROS level in PCa cells with AR expression. We then found that genetic Nrf2 upregulation lowered basal ROS similar to ADT. Also, SFN sensitized PCa cell to radiation via upregulation of Nrf2. We then found that Nrf2 level in control TRAMP groups was lower than castration or SFN groups. The SFN treated TRAMP mice showed similar level of Nrf2 to castration. Genetic and pharmaceutical upregulation of Nrf2 lowered the ROS in PCa cells and sensitized PCa cells to radiation similar to ADT, implicating possible administration of SFN in place of ADT for PCa patients requiring radiotherapy.

Function of PCA3 in prostate tissue and clinical research progress on developing a PCA3 score

Prostate cancer gene 3 (PCA3, also known as DD3) is a new biomarker that could improve the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis. It is a great biomarker with fairly high specificity and sensitivity. The incidence of prostate cancer is rising steadily in most countries. The commonly used prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test once gave people hope for early diagnosis of prostate cancer. However, the low specificity of the PSA test has resulted in a large number of unnecessary biopsies and overtreatment. During the past decade, many new prostate cancer biomarkers have been found. Among these, PCA3 is the most promising. Due to its great performance in distinguishing prostate cancer from other prostate conditions, PCA3 could likely be applied for early diagnosis of prostate cancer, patient follow-up, prognosis prediction, and targeted therapy. After years of research, we have obtained some knowledge about the sequence of PCA3 gene. We have also determined the relationship between PCA3 and the proliferation of prostate cancer cells and learned some information about how PCA3 affects tumor-related genes and proteins. A PCA3 score has been created, and it has been used in a variety of studies. Some researchers have even applied PCA3 to targeted therapy and obtained a good effect in vitro. This review describes the current state of research, and explores the future prospects for PCA3.

Elevated levels of miR-155 in blood and urine from patients with nephrolithiasis

BACKGROUND

Both circulating and urinary miRNAs may represent a potential noninvasive molecular biomarker capable of predicting chronic kidney disease, and, in the present study, we will investigate the serum and urinary levels of miR-155 in patients with nephrolithiasis.

METHODS

Serum and urinary levels of miR-155 are quantified in 60 patients with nephrolithiasis; the result was compared to 50 healthy volunteers. Estimated glomerular filtration (eGFR) was calculated and, by simple regression analysis, the correlations of miR-155/eGFR and miR-155/CRP (C-reactive protein) levels were analyzed as well.

RESULTS

The median levels of serum and urinary levels of miR-155 are significantly higher in nephrolithiasis patients than in controls. eGFR inversely correlates with urinary level of miR-155; CRP positively correlates with urinary miR-155. Urinary level of miR-155 inversely correlates with urinary expression of interleukin- (IL-) 1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α and positively correlates with urinary expression of regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted (RANTES).

CONCLUSION

Serum and urinary levels of miR-155 were significantly elevated in patients with nephrolithiasis, and the upregulation of miR-155 was correlated with decline of eGFR and elevation of CRP. Our results suggested that miR-155 might play important roles in the pathophysiology of nephrolithiasis via regulating inflammatory cytokines expression. Further study on the molecular pathogenic mechanism and larger scale of clinical trial are required.

MS4A8B promotes cell proliferation in prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer cells must maintain or achieve the further ability of proliferation during the progression. The molecular mechanisms, however, remain poorly understood. We identified a novel oncogene, termed membrane-spanning 4-domains, subfamily A, member 8B (MS4A8B), over-expressed in prostate cancer.

METHODS

We firstly detected MS4A8B mRNA in 13 types of paired human normal and cancer tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In 140 clinically localized prostate cancer samples from radical prostatectomy, immunohistochemical staining was performed to study MS4A8B and PCNA protein level as an index of proliferative activity, TUNEL staining as an index of apoptosis. As MS4A8B RNAi and cDNA transfection technologies were used, the effect of MS4A8B on cellular vitality was determined in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

MS4A8B mRNA was over-expressed specifically in prostate cancer. Positive ratios of MS4A8B protein expression were 1.94%, 5.92%, and 62.8% in benign, HPIN and prostate cancer, respectively. Moreover, MS4A8B was positively associated with Gleason score, the proliferation index. In vitro, MS4A8B knockdown resulted in G1 -S cell cycle arrest and descended vitality, MS4A8B over-expression with accelerated S phase entry, elevated vitality in prostate cancer cells. Moreover, it was also found that expression of MS4A8B led to changes of Cyclin D1 , Cyclin E1 and PCNA. LNCaP cells transfected with sh-MS4A8B lentivirus particles grew more slowly when subcutaneously injected into the flanks of nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that the expression of MS4A8B expression promotes cell proliferation and plays an important role in carcinogenesis and progression of prostate cancer.

Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) predicts the prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma, and anti-Dll4 suppresses tumor growth in vivo

The Delta-like ligand 4 (Dll4) and Notch signaling pathway plays a key role in embryonic vascular development and tumor growth. In this study, we measured the expression of Dll4 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and explored the correlation between Dll4 and ccRCC. We used sh-Dll4 treatment in a nude mouse model to observe the effect that inhibition of the Dll4/Notch pathway had on angiogenesis and vasculogenesis. We found up-regulation of Dll4 to be closely correlated with distant metastasis and worse overall survival. Cox regression analysis showed that Dll4 might be a prognostic marker of ccRCC. Blockade of Dll4/Notch signaling inhibited tumor growth in the mouse model via anti-angiogenesis and anti-vasculogenesis effects. We concluded that Dll4 might be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of ccRCC.

Aspirin use and the risk of prostate cancer: a meta-analysis of 24 epidemiologic studies

PURPOSE

Several epidemiologic studies were performed to clarify the protective effect of regular aspirin use on prostate cancer risk; however, the results remain controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to assess the association between regular aspirin use and risk of prostate cancer.

METHODS

Electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library were searched between January 1966 and April 2013 to identify eligible studies. Pooled relative ratios (RRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were computed to assess the influence of aspirin use on prostate cancer risk. All statistical tests were two-sided.

RESULTS

A total of 24 observational studies including 14 case-control studies and 10 cohort studies were eligible for this meta-analysis. Regular aspirin use was associated with reduction in overall and advanced prostate cancer risk (pooled RR 0.86, 95 % CI 0.81-0.92; pooled RR 0.83, 95 % CI 0.75-0.91, respectively). When we restricted our analyses to studies with long-time regular aspirin use (equal or more than 4 years), reverse association became stronger (pooled RR 0.82, 95 % CI 0.72-0.93; pooled RR 0.70, 95 % CI 0.55-0.90, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that regular, especially long-time regular aspirin use may reduce the risk of overall and advanced prostate cancer. Considering the limitation of included studies, further well-designed large-scaled cohort studies and RCTs are required to draw more definitive conclusions.

High expression of the secreted protein dickkopf homolog 4: roles in invasion and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma and its association with Von Hippel-Lindau gene

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the dickkopf homolog 4 (DKK4)/Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway on tumorigenesis and metastasis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), as well as to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. We examined the expression of DKK4 in 30 cases of ccRCC and matched adjacent normal tissues, and investigated its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. Stable DKK4-transfected cells were established, and DKK4 functional analyses were performed, including a T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) reporter assay, and experiments on cell viability, apoptosis, invasive capability and tumor growth in vivo. Finally, western blot analysis was performed to detect Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) expression in 50 clinical specimens. The expression levels of the DKK4, β-catenin and β-catenin downstream target genes, cyclin D1 and c-myc, were determined in the these specimens, as well as in RCC4(-), T3-14(+) cell lines by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. The same tests were also performed in human embryonic kidney (HEK)293 cells which were transfected with the pCDH-DKK4 plasmid. After 6 weeks the tumor weight significantly increased in the mice transfected with the tumor cells. DKK4 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly upregulated (p<0.001). DKK4 was distinctly overexpressed (68.0%) in all patient tissues. VHL(-) samples accounted for 60.0% of all samples, while DKK4 expression was significantly upregulated in 50% of these samples, indicating a correlation with VHL(-) expression (r=0.403, p<0.05). We also observed reduced expression levels of cyclin D1, c-myc and β-catenin (to a greater extent) in the VHL(-), RCC4(-) and T3-14(+) cells, as well as in the stably transfected HEK293 cells. DKK4 may be an oncogene, and its upregulated expression may be involved in the pathogenesis of ccRCC as a downstream gene of VHL. By activating other pathways apart from the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, DKK4 may play an important role in ccRCC tumorigenesis and metastasis.

External validation of nomograms for predicting cancer-specific mortality in penile cancer patients treated with definitive surgery

Using a population-based cancer registry, Thuret et al. developed 3 nomograms for estimating cancer-specific mortality in men with penile squamous cell carcinoma. In the initial cohort, only 23.0% of the patients were treated with inguinal lymphadenectomy and had pN stage. To generalize the prediction models in clinical practice, we evaluated the performance of the 3 nomograms in a series of penile cancer patients who were treated with definitive surgery. Clinicopathologic information was obtained from 160 M0 penile cancer patients who underwent primary tumor excision and regional lymphadenectomy between 1990 and 2008. The predicted probabilities of cancer-specific mortality were calculated from 3 nomograms that were based on different disease stage definitions and tumor grade. Discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness were assessed to compare model performance. The discrimination ability was similar in nomograms using the TNM classification or American Joint Committee on Cancer staging (Harrell's concordance index = 0.817 and 0.832, respectively), whereas it was inferior for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results staging (Harrell's concordance index = 0.728). Better agreement with the observed cancer-specific mortality was shown for the model consisting of TNM classification and tumor grade, which also achieved favorable clinical net benefit, with a threshold probability in the range of 0 to 42%. The nomogram consisting of TNM classification and tumor grading was shown to have better performance for predicting cancer-specific mortality in penile cancer patients who underwent definitive surgery. Our data support the integration of this model in decision-making and trial design.

Long noncoding RNA expression signatures of bladder cancer revealed by microarray

Dysregulation of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been regarded as a primary feature of several human cancers. However, the genome-wide expression and functional significance of lncRNAs in bladder cancer remains unclear. The aim of this study was to identify aberrantly expressed lncRNAs that may play an important role in contributing to bladder cancer pathogenesis. In this study, we described lncRNAs profiles in four pairs of human bladder cancer and matched normal bladder tissues by microarray. We finally determined 3,324 differentially expressed human lncRNAs and 2,120 differentially expressed mRNAs (≥2-fold change). A total of 110 lncRNAs were significantly differentially expressed between the tumor and the control groups (≥8-fold change). Four lncRNAs (TNXA, CTA-134P22.2, CTC-276P9.1 and KRT19P3) were selected for further confirmation of microarray results using quantitative PCR (qPCR), and a strong correlation was identified between the qPCR results and microarray data. We also observed that numerous lncRNA expression levels were significantly correlated with the expression of tens of protein coding genes by construction of the lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation showed a significant association with p53, bladder cancer, cell cycle and propanoate metabolism pathway gene expression in the bladder cancer group compared with the normal tissue group, indicating that deregulated lncRNAs may act by regulating protein-coding genes in these pathways. We demonstrated the expression profiles of human lncRNAs in bladder cancer by microarray. We identified a collection of aberrantly expressed lncRNAs in bladder cancer compared with matched normal tissue. It is likely that these deregulated lncRNAs play a key or partial role in the development and/or progression of bladder cancer.

Expression and clinical significance of the nin one binding protein and p38 MAPK in prostate carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Prostate carcinoma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. The MAPK Signaling Pathway plays an important role in multiple tumors, including prostate carcinoma. MAPK signaling is mediated by ERK1/2, JNK and p38 MAPK, which are important in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. However, relatively little is known about the regulatory mechanism of p38 MAPK in prostate cancers. NOB1 is among the most novel topic in MAPK studies currently. Recent studies found its vital role in tumor metastasis in glioblastoma proliferation, however, its expression profile and its prognostic value in prostate carcinoma have not been investigated.

METHODS

To determine the relationship between NOB1 and p38 MAPK expressions, a population-based study was conducted for immunohistochemical staining analysis of tumor tissues, in matched malignant and nonmalignant prostatectomy samples from 132 PCa patients. Moreover, Western blot analysis and NOB1 interference studies of prostate cancer cell lines. To evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic between NOB1 and p38 MAPK in prostate cancer (PCa) tissue after radical prostatectomy, the hypothesis that prostate cancers with NOB1 expression have distinct clinical, prognostic and molecular attributes was tested.

RESULTS

Among 132 prostate cancers, NOB1 expression was detected in 117 (88.7%) tumors by immunohistochemistry. NOB1 and p38 MAPK expression had significant positive correlation with carcinogenesis, tumor progression and patient survival. Immunohistochemically, NOB1 expression in prostate cancer was independently associated with p38 MAPK activation (P=0.0002). Furthermore, p38 MAPK expression was completely suppressed by NOB1 interference in the prostate cancer cell lines DU-145 and PC-3.

CONCLUSIONS

NOB1 expression status was closely correlated with important histopathologic characteristics and the recurrence and metastasis of prostate carcinomas. These data support a potential link between NOB1 and p38 MAPK, and suggest that NOB1 may identify a subset of prostate cancer patients with a poor prognosis. This study proved that NOB1 in PCa tissue can be used, in combination with traditional clinicopathological factors, as promising diagnostic and prognostic tools.

Influence of obesity on localized prostate cancer patients treated with radical prostatectomy

This study aimed to investigate the association between different anthropometric measures of obesity and clinicopathological characteristics in Chinese patients with clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 734 patients with clinically localized PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) were included in this study. Clinical and pathological data from each patient were collected. Anthropometric measures of abdominal adiposity were measured from T2-weighted sagittal localisation images from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 413 (56.3%) patients. Patient clinical and pathological characteristics were compared across body mass index (BMI) groups. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to address the influence of the preoperative total testosterone level and anthropometric measures of obesity on pathological outcomes. In the multivariate analysis, BMI was not significantly associated with any pathological outcomes. However, the percentage of visceral adipose tissue (VAT%) was an independent predictor of a pathological Gleason score ≥8 (P<0.001), extracapsular extension (ECE; P=0.002) and seminal vesicle invasion (SVI; P=0.007). More importantly, we found that the preoperative total testosterone level was significantly correlated with the VAT% (Pearson's correlation coefficient: -0.485, P<0.001) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT; Pearson's correlation coefficient: 0.413, P<0.001). In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that abdominal fat distribution, and particularly VAT%, is associated with a risk of advanced PCa. Moreover, our present study confirms a significant inverse correlation between visceral adiposity and testosterone. Further studies are warranted to elucidate the biological mechanisms underlying the relationship between abdominal adiposity and the aggressiveness of PCa.

Basal cell carcinoma of the prostate: clinicopathologic analysis of three cases and a review of the literature

Background

Although conventional adenocarcinoma accounts for the majority of prostatic carcinomas, it is important to recognize rare variants, like basal cell carcinoma (BCC), which has distinctive histopathological and biological features.

Case report

We analyzed three cases of prostatic BCC and all of them complained of acute urinary retention and digital rectal examination disclosed a stony hard prostate. However, all of them presented with low prostate-specific antigen. The diagnosis relied on transrectal ultrasound-guided needle biopsies or transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). The microscopic findings suggested basaloid cells with large pleomorphic nuclei and scant cytoplasm, showing peripheral palisading and forming solid nests, and immunohistochemical markers like 34βE12, p63 and Ki67 staining, were positive. After active treatment, two of the patients are alive with tumor and one died five months after discharge from our hospital.

Comparison of three versions of Partin tables to predict final pathologic stage in a Chinese cohort: a decision curve analysis

PURPOSE

To compare Partin tables (PTs) 1997, 2001, and 2007 for their clinical applicability in a Chinese cohort based upon a decision curve analysis (DCA).

METHODS

Clinical and pathologic data of 264 consecutive Chinese patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were used. These patients underwent open radical prostatectomy between 2005 and 2011. DCA quantified the net benefit of different PT versions relating to specific threshold probabilities of established capsular penetration (ECP), seminal vesicle involvement (SVI), and lymph node involvement (LNI).

RESULTS

Overall, ECP, SVI, and LNI were recorded in 23.1, 10.2, and 6.1%, respectively. When the threshold probability was below the prevalence for LNI and ECP predictions, the DCA favored the 2007 version versus the 1997 version for SVI.

CONCLUSIONS

DCA indicates that for low threshold probability, decision models are useful to discriminate the performance differences of three PT versions, although net benefit differences were not apparent. For high threshold probability, there may not be an important benefit from the use of PTs and the current analysis cannot translate into meaningful net gains differences.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in a caspase-dependent manner in human bladder cancer cell lines

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (PA-MSHA) on inhibiting the proliferation of bladder cancer cell lines and to further define its functional mechanisms. T24 and 5637 cells were treated with PA-MSHA at various concentrations and times. Cell proliferation was analyzed using Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis induced by PA-MSHA were measured by flow cytometry with propidium iodide (PI) and annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) staining. Western blotting was used to evaluate the expression levels of the apoptosis-related molecules and PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway proteins. A time- and concentration-dependent cytotoxic effect of PA-MSHA was observed in the T24 and 5637 cells. Flow cytometry with PI and annexin V-FITC staining showed that the various concentrations of PA-MSHA were all able to induce the apoptosis and G₀-G₁ cell cycle arrest of the bladder cancer cells. Cleaved caspase-8 and -9 and Fas protein expression levels were markedly associated with an increase in the apoptosis of the bladder cancer cells. The cells stimulated with PA-MSHA also exhibited a downregulation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling. PA-MSHA inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in the T24 and 5637 bladder cancer cell lines by modulating caspase family proteins and affecting the cell cycle regulation machinery. The PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway may be important in the direct anticancer cytotoxic effect of PA-MSHA.

Visceral obesity and risk of high grade disease in clinical t1a renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

Accurate assessment of disease characteristics is a prerequisite for treatment decision making regarding small renal masses. In this study we evaluate the association between visceral obesity and Fuhrman grade in patients with cT1a renal cell carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively collected data on 186 patients with surgically treated cT1a renal cell carcinoma. Single slice computerized tomography was used to measure the area of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Visceral obesity was calculated as the proportion of visceral adipose tissue to overall adipose tissue. Other analyzed factors included clinical characteristics (age, gender, body mass index and tumor size) and anatomical features of the tumor defined by the R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score. The association between predictors and high grade disease (Fuhrman grade III or IV) were assessed using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 47 (25.3%) tumors were classified as high grade. The percentage of visceral adipose tissue was higher in male participants but did not correlate with body mass index, age or tumor size. In univariate analyses the percentage of visceral adipose tissue and tumor size were significantly associated with higher Fuhrman grade. Multivariate analysis showed that the percentage of visceral adipose tissue (OR 1.06, p = 0.0018) and tumor size (OR 1.91, p = 0.047) were independent predictors of high grade cancer. Addition of the percentage of visceral adipose tissue to a model including clinical characteristics and anatomical features of the tumor remarkably improved its discriminatory ability (p = 0.0010).

CONCLUSIONS

Increased visceral obesity was found to be strongly associated with higher Fuhrman grade in patients with cT1a renal cell carcinoma. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and discover the underlying biological mechanism.

Prognostic factors in Chinese patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated with docetaxel-based chemotherapy

This study aims to evaluate the potential value of patient characteristics in predicting overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) treated with docetaxel-based thermotherapy. A total of 115 patients with mCRPC undergoing a docetaxel q3w regimen were enrolled in this study. A survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the prognostic value of all covariates for OS. OS was also analysed after stratifying patients according to the results of multivariate analysis. The median OS for the entire cohort was 17.0 months. The multivariate analysis showed that the prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT), baseline haemoglobin (Hb) concentration, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) concentration, cycles of chemotherapy and time to castration resistance were independent prognostic factors of OS. According to the presence of PSADT <46.3 days and baseline ALP ≥ 110 IU l(-1), all patients were divided into three risk groups: low-risk group (no risk factors), intermediate-risk group (one risk factor) and high-risk group (two risk factors). Median OSs for patients in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups were 28.0 months (95% CI: 23.8-32.2), 21.0 months (95% CI: 18.9-23.1) and 11.0 months (95% CI: 7.6-14.4), respectively (P<0.001). In conclusion, PSADT, baseline Hb concentration, ALP concentration, cycles of chemotherapy and time to castration resistance were independent prognostic factors of OS in Chinese patients with mCRPC treated with docetaxel. PSADT combined with the baseline ALP concentration could be a useful risk stratification parameter for evaluating survival outcomes.

ADAM9 decreases in castration resistant prostate cancer and is a prognostic factor for overall survival

BACKGROUND

A disintegrin and metalloprotease 9 (ADAM9) is a membrane-anchored enzyme which is considered to be involved in some diseases including tumor. However, the role of ADAM9 in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is not clear. This study aimed to explore the different expressions on protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) level of ADAM9 between hormonal sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) and CRPC tissue, and find the correlation with prognosis.

METHODS

Clinicopathologic characteristics of 106 HSPC and 76 CRPC cases were collected. The ADAM9 expressions were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. ADAM9 mRNA of 32 additional cases (16 HSPC and 16 CRPC patients) were analyzed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The prediction values of variables for overall survival (OS) of CRPC patients were analyzed using Cox regression.

RESULTS

ADAM9 protein expression was significantly downregulated in CRPC compared with HSPC tissue (31.6% vs. 81.1%, P < 0.001). The relativity transcription level of ADAM9 mRNA was 0.45 for CRPC tissue and 1.0 for HSPC tissue (P = 0.002). In the CRPC group, patients with low ADAM9 protein expression were significantly associated with shorter OS than patients with high expression (38.6 months vs. 57.8 months, hazard rate (HR) = 2.638, P = 0.023).

CONCLUSION

ADAM9 expression was low in CRPC, correlated with poor prognosis and might be involved in the succession from HSPC to CRPC by various functions.