Zoledronic acid enhances bone-implant osseointegration more than alendronate and strontium ranelate in ovariectomized rats

This study was designed to compare the effects of alendronate (ALN), strontium ranelate (SR), and zoledronic acid (ZOL) on bone-implant osseointegration in ovariectomized rats. Histological examination and biomechanical tests show that ZOL, ALN, and SR enhance bone-implant osseointegration; ALN and SR have similar effects, while ZOL enhances bone-implant osseointegration more than ALN and SR INTRODUCTION: This study aims to compare the effects of ALN, SR, and ZOL on bone-implant osseointegration in ovariectomized rats.

METHODS

Sixty female Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study. Of them, 48 rats were ovariectomized (OVX) and assigned to four groups: OVX (OVX + Veh), ALN (OVX + ALN), SR (OVX + SR), and ZOL (OVX + ZOL). And another 12 rats were sham-operated as a control group (Sham). Four weeks after ovariectomy, HA-coated titanium implants were inserted into the tibias bilaterally in all rats. Then the rats in groups ALN, SR, and ZOL were systemically administrated with alendronate (7 mg/kg/week, orally), strontium ranelate (500 mg/kg/day, orally), or a single injection of zoledronic acid (0.1 mg/kg, iv), respectively. Twelve weeks after implantation, all rats were sacrificed to get the femurs and tibias. Histological examination and biomechanical tests were used to evaluate bone-implant osseointegration in all groups.

RESULTS

ALN, SR, and ZOL significantly increased distal femoral BMD when compared with group OVX; ZOL increased BMD significantly more than ALN and SR (P < 0.05). Significant increase of bone-to-implant contact and peri-implant bone fraction were observed in groups ALN, SR, and ZOL when compared with group OVX (P < 0.05). Groups ALN and SR were inferior to groups ZOL and Sham (P < 0.05) in bone-to-implant contact and peri-implant bone fraction. Similar results were found in biomechanical testing (max pushout force).

CONCLUSIONS

In rats losing bone rapidly after ovariectomy, systemic administration of ZOL, ALN, and SR causes better bone-implant osseointegration when compared to OVX; ALN and SR have similar positive effects on osseointegration, while ZOL, that was given in a dose with more positive BMD effect than that of ALN or SR, causes better osseointegration than either ALN or SR.

The role of DAB2IP in androgen receptor activation during prostate cancer progression

Altered androgen-receptor (AR) expression and/or constitutively active AR are commonly associated with prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Targeting AR remains a focal point for designing new strategy of PCa therapy. Here, we have shown that DAB2IP, a novel tumor suppressor in PCa, can inhibit AR-mediated cell growth and gene activation in PCa cells via distinct mechanisms. DAB2IP inhibits the genomic pathway by preventing AR nuclear translocation or phosphorylation and suppresses the non-genomic pathway via its unique functional domain to inactivate c-Src. Also, DAB2IP is capable of suppressing AR activation in an androgen-independent manner. In addition, DAB2IP can inhibit several AR splice variants showing constitutive activity in PCa cells. In DAB2IP(-/-) mice, the prostate gland exhibits hyperplastic epithelia, in which AR becomes more active. Consistently, DAB2IP expression inversely correlates with AR activation status particularly in recurrent or metastatic PCa patients. Taken together, DAB2IP is a unique intrinsic AR modulator in normal cells, and likely can be further developed into a therapeutic agent for PCa.

Outcome and prognosis for patients younger than thirty with primary lung cancer

AIM

Aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical and pathological features of surgical treatment for primary bronchogenic carcinoma in adolescent patients.

PATIENTS

We retrospectively reviewed the clinico-pathological records documenting surgical outcomes and prognostic factors in 68 lung cancer patients aged less than 30 years old enrolled in our hospital between March 1980 and December 2009.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients were identified (38 male, 30 female) with a mean age of 22±5 years (range 8 to 29 years). Preoperative clinical manifestations were present in 82.4% (56/68) of the patients and 26.5% (16/68) of patients were initially misdiagnosed. Fifty-two patients had undergone radical surgery, 4 palliative surgery, 9 had exploratory thoracotomies, and 3 had thoracoscopic lung biopsies. Eight patients were classified (TNM) stage Ia, 7 stage Ib, 9 stage IIa, 13 stage IIb, 17 stage IIIa, 10 stage IIIb, and 4 stage IV. Postoperative atelectasis was observed in 4.41% (3/68) of the patients, and 1.47% (1/68) died of respiratory failure 5 days after exploratory thoracotomy. The overall 5-year survival rate in very young people was 31%, while those who underwent radical surgery was slightly higher at 36.7%. Five-year survival rates were correlated with the surgical procedures and pTNM stage (P <0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that the TNM stage is the only independent prognostic factor (P=0.000).

CONCLUSION

We conclude that radical surgeries, the predominant comprehensive therapies are the best choice for primary lung cancer patients younger than 30 years of age.

Patterns of co-morbidity with anxiety disorders in Chinese women with recurrent major depression

BACKGROUND

Studies conducted in Europe and the USA have shown that co-morbidity between major depressive disorder (MDD) and anxiety disorders is associated with various MDD-related features, including clinical symptoms, degree of familial aggregation and socio-economic status. However, few studies have investigated whether these patterns of association vary across different co-morbid anxiety disorders. Here, using a large cohort of Chinese women with recurrent MDD, we examine the prevalence and associated clinical features of co-morbid anxiety disorders.

METHOD

A total of 1970 female Chinese MDD patients with or without seven co-morbid anxiety disorders [including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and five phobia subtypes] were ascertained in the CONVERGE study. Generalized linear models were used to model association between co-morbid anxiety disorders and various MDD features.

RESULTS

The lifetime prevalence rate for any type of co-morbid anxiety disorder is 60.2%. Panic and social phobia significantly predict an increased family history of MDD. GAD and animal phobia predict an earlier onset of MDD and a higher number of MDD episodes, respectively. Panic and GAD predict a higher number of DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. GAD and blood-injury phobia are both significantly associated with suicidal attempt with opposite effects. All seven co-morbid anxiety disorders predict higher neuroticism.

CONCLUSIONS

Patterns of co-morbidity between MDD and anxiety are consistent with findings from the US and European studies; the seven co-morbid anxiety disorders are heterogeneous when tested for association with various MDD features.

Effects of monochromatic light on mucosal mechanical and immunological barriers in the small intestine of broilers

Our previous studies demonstrated that green and blue monochromatic lights were effective to stimulate immune response of the spleen in broilers. This study was designed to investigate the effects of monochromatic light on both gut mucosal mechanical and immunological barriers. A total of 120 Arbor Acre male broilers on post-hatching day (P) 0 were exposed to red light, green light (GL), blue light (BL), and white light (WL) for 49 d, respectively. As compared with broilers exposed to WL, the broilers exposed to GL showed that the villus height of small intestine was increased by 19.5% (P = 0.0205) and 38.8% (P = 0.0149), the crypt depth of small intestine was decreased by 15.1% (P = 0.0049) and 10.1% (P = 0.0005), and the ratios of villus height to crypt depth were increased by 39.3% (P < 0.0001) and 52.5% (P < 0.0001) at P7 and P21, respectively. Until P49, an increased villus height (33.6%, P = 0.0076), a decreased crypt depth (15.4%, P = 0.0201), and an increased villus height-to-crypt depth ratio (58.5%, P < 0.0001) were observed in the BL group as compared with the WL group. On the other hand, the numbers of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (27.9%, P < 0.0001 and 37.0%, P < 0.0001), goblet cells (GC, 22.1%, P < 0.0001 and 18.1%, P < 0.0001), and IgA(+) cells (14.8%, P = 0.0543 and 47.9%, P = 0.0377) in the small intestine were significantly increased in the GL group as compared with the WL group at P7 and P21, respectively. The numbers of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (36.2%, P < 0.0001), GC (26.5%, P < 0.0001), and IgA(+) cells (68.0%, P = 0.0177) in the BL group were also higher than those in the WL group at P49. These results suggest that both mucosal mechanical and immunological barriers of the small intestine may be improved by rearing broilers under GL at an early age and under BL at an older age.

Gentamicin affects connexin 26 expression in the cochlear lateral wall

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS

Aminoglycosides may decrease the expression of some proteins participating in ion-exchange in the cochlear lateral wall. Connexin 26 expression in the lateral wall may play a role in acquired hearing loss by maintaining the endocochlear potential and potassium concentration in the endolymph. We examined the effects of gentamicin on the expression of connexin 26 to obtain a better understanding of aminoglycoside ototoxicity.

METHODS

We detected changes in connexin 26 protein and mRNA expression in the cochlear lateral wall using immunohistochemistry staining, western blotting, and real-time PCR in rats after administration of a single dose of gentamicin.

RESULTS

The expression of connexin 26 increased over time in type III fibrocytes after gentamicin administration. Elevated protein levels were detected 3 h after the single injection of gentamicin; while, mRNA levels increased after 24 h.

CONCLUSION

Connexin 26 plays an important role in the acute effects of high-dose gentamicin and is probably involved in the pathogenesis of ototoxic deafness.

Anthracyclines disrupt telomere maintenance by telomerase through inducing PinX1 ubiquitination and degradation

Telomere maintenance is essential for cancer growth. Induction of telomere dysfunction, for example, by inhibition of telomeric proteins or telomerase, has been shown to strongly enhance cancer cells' sensitivity to chemotherapies. However, it is not clear whether modulations of telomere maintenance constitute cancer cellular responses to chemotherapies. Furthermore, the manner in which anti-cancer drugs affect telomere function remains unknown. In this study, we show that anthracyclines, a class of anti-cancer drugs widely used in clinical cancer treatments, have an active role in triggering telomere dysfunction specifically in telomerase-positive cancer cells. Anthracyclines interrupt telomere maintenance by telomerase through the downregulation of PinX1, a protein factor responsible for targeting telomerase onto telomeres, thereby inhibiting telomerase association with telomeres. We further demonstrate that anthracyclines downregulate PinX1 by inducing this protein degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent pathway. Our data not only reveal a novel action for anthracyclines as telomerase functional inhibitors but also provide a clue for the development of novel anti-cancer drugs based on telomerase/telomere targeting, which is actively investigated by many current studies.

Distinguishing benign from malignant parotid gland tumours: low-dose multi-phasic CT protocol with 5-minute delay

Objectives

To explore the percentage enhancement wash-out ratio (PEW) and relative PEW (RPEW) of low-dose multi-phasic computed tomography (CT) in distinguishing benign from malignant parotid gland tumours.

Methods

This study was approved by the ethics committee, and informed patient consent was obtained. 51 patients with parotid tumours proven by histopathology received CT, including 18 with pleomorphic adenomas, 14 with Warthin’s tumours and 19 with malignant tumours. Size and attenuation of parotid tumours were measured. Compared with 5-min attenuation, the 30-s and 90-s PEW (PEW_30, PEW₉₀) and RPEW (RPEW₃₀, RPEW₉₀) were calculated.

Results

There was a significant difference in PEW₃₀, RPEW₃₀, PEW₉₀ and RPEW₉₀ in the parotid neoplasms groups (P < 0.01), and statistical significance existed simultaneously in pleomorphic adenomas vs malignant tumours and Warthin’s tumours vs malignant tumours according to SNK-q test. The optimal diagnosis results of malignancy with 100% specificity (32/32) was obtained by using a combination of the following criteria: −70% > PEW₃₀ < 36%, −30% > PEW₃₀ < 19%, PEW₉₀ > 12%, and the sensitivity (74%) for diagnosis of malignancy was yield.

Conclusions

Wash-out ratio may assist in differentiating the benign from malignant parotid gland tumours. Combining the percentage of enhanced wash-out ratios of CT protocols can yield diagnostic results for malignancy.

Involvement of Cyr61 in growth, migration, and metastasis of prostate cancer cells

Cyr61 has been reported to participate in the development and progression of various cancers; however, its role in prostate cancer (PCa) still remains poorly understood. In this study, we explored the function of Cyr61 in a series of malignant PCa cell lines, including LnCap, Du145, and PC3. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and crystal violet assays demonstrated that Cyr61 was essential for the proliferation of PCa cells. Soft agar assay and xenograft analysis showed that downregulation of Cyr61 suppressed the tumorigenicity of Du145 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Either silencing the cellular Cyr61 by RNA interference or neutralising the endogenous Cyr61 by antibody inhibited the migration of Du145 cells. In contrast, purified protein of Cyr61 promoted the migration of LnCap cells in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggested that Cyr61 was involved in the migration of PCa cells. We also observed the accumulation of mature focal adhesion complexes associated with the impaired migration through Cyr61 downregulation. Also, further studies showed that Cyr61 regulated the level of activated Rac1 as well as its downstream targets, including phosphorylated JNK, E-cadherin, and p27^kip1, which are key molecules involved in cell growth, migration, and invasion. The in vivo mouse tail vein injection experiment revealed that Cyr61 affected the metastatic capacity of Du145 cells, suggesting that Cyr61 was required for prostate tumour metastasis. Altogether, our results demonstrated that Cyr61 played an important role in the tumorigenicity and metastasis of PCa cells, which will benefit the development of therapeutic strategy for PCas.