Prevalence of ophthalmic disease in blue‐eyed horses

A perception exists amongst referring veterinarians and the lay public that blue‐eyed horses have increased frequency of ocular disease. The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the prevalence of ocular disease in horses with blue or heterochromic eyes relative to those with brown eyes. The medical records of horses presenting to either the Comparative Ophthalmology services or Equine Medicine/Surgery services at 2 institutions were reviewed. Signalment, ocular and nonocular diagnoses were recorded. Ocular disease was divided into 4 categories: adnexa, cornea, intraocular/orbit and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Owners were contacted by telephone to confirm iris colour. Chi‐square analysis was used to compare group proportions. A total of 164 eyes of horses with ocular disease and 212 eyes of horses without ocular disease were included. Blue eyes were equally common in the ocular disease and nonocular disease groups (P = 0.265). There was no significant difference in the proportion of blue‐ and brown‐eyed horses when comparing the adnexal and corneal (P = 0.548), corneal and intraocular/orbit (P = 0.379) and adnexal and intraocular/orbit (P = 0.843) categories. A significant difference was detected in the proportion of blue‐eyed horses between the adnexal (P = 0.000), corneal (P = 0.033), intraocular/orbital (P = 0.000) and SCC categories, with a higher proportion of blue‐eyed horses in the SCC than in the other 3 groups. Horses with blue or heterochromic irides are more likely to develop ocular SCC than horses with brown irides, but are not more likely to have adnexal, corneal or intraocular/orbital disease or to be presented for evaluation of ophthalmic disease. Veterinarians should consider the results of this study when answering questions from the lay public regarding the predisposition of blue‐eyed horses to ocular disease.     

放疗后复发鼻咽癌微卫星不稳定和杂合性缺失改变的研究

目的比较放疗后复发鼻咽癌（NPC）与初诊NPC中染色体微卫星不稳定（MSI）和杂合性缺失（LOH）发生情况。方法选择1p、3p、3q、4q、9q、11q、13q、14q的12个微卫星多态性位点,显微切割分离22例初诊和18例放疗后复发NPC组织和正常组织,提取DNA,经PCR扩增及聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和硝酸银染色,进行MSI及LOH分析研究。结果（1）8个位点发生了LOH：复发癌与初诊癌相比,LOH发生率在D1S2697位点为28.6%比20.0%,在D13S133位点为30.0%比20.0%,在D9S1682位点为7.7%比9.1%;D5S433和D14S65位点只在复发癌中发生LOH,分别为33.3%和6.7%;D13S263、D4S350、D14S258位点只在初诊癌发生LOH,分别为20.0%、33.3%、16.6%。（2）11个位点发生了MSI：4个位点在复发癌和初诊癌中都发生MSI,4个位点只在复发癌中发生MSI,3个位点只在初诊癌中发生MSI。结论 D1S2697、D13S133、D5S433位点可能含有与放疗后复发NPC相关的肿瘤抑制基因,放疗后复发NPC中MSI发生率呈增高趋势,提示部分放疗后复发NPC与原发癌可能属不同细胞克隆起源。     

The expression of calretinin and cytokeratins in canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma and oral squamous cell carcinoma

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and canine acanthomatous ameloblastoma (CAA) represent two epithelium‐derived neoplasms that affect the oral cavity of dogs. The expression of cytokeratins (CKs) and calretinin has been previously established in the canine tooth bud and odontogenic tumours. The aim of this study was to characterize the CK and calretinin expression profile of OSCC in comparison to CAA and canine tooth bud tissues. Samples from 15 OSCC and 15 CAA cases, as well as 6 tooth buds and 2 normal gingival tissues were examined. OSCC CK expression was consistent with the CK expression profile of CAA and canine tooth bud tissue. Calretinin was positively expressed in 10 of 15 OSCC cases, with 5 cases demonstrating high staining intensity. Only 2 of 15 CAA cases demonstrated mild‐moderate staining intensity. The statistically significant difference in staining pattern and intensity of calretinin in OSCC and CAA can help distinguish between these two tumour types.     

Downregulation of DEK induces cell apoptosis via inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway in gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells

AIM: To investigate the effect of DEK downregulation on the apoptosis of gastric carcinoma SGC-7901 cells, and to explore its associations with NF-κB signaling pathway and apoptosis related proteins. METHODS: SGC-7901 cells with different treatments were divided into 3 groups including untreated group, control siRNA group and DEK siRNA group. The expression of DEK at mRNA and protein levels in the SGC-7901 cells was detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. The cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. Furthermore, the activities of caspase-3 and caspase-9 in the SGC-7901 cells were investigated by Caspase-Glo^®-3/9 kit. Finally, the expression of key regulatory protein p65 of NF-κB signaling pathway and apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2 and Bax in the SGC-7901 cells was investigated by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with untreated group and control siRNA group, the expression of DEK at mRNA and protein levels was significantly downregulated in DEK siRNA group (P<0.05). In addition, the ratios of early phase apoptosis and total apoptosis in DEK siRNA group were markedly higher than those in untreated group and control siRNA group (P<0.05). Most notably, the decrease in p65 and Bcl-2 proteins, increase in Bax protein and the increases of caspase-3 and caspase-9 activities were observed in DEK siRNA group. CONCLUSION: Downregulation of DEK mediates cell apoptosis of gastric carcinoma may be tightly associated with NF-κB signaling pathway.     

Reduced expression of SIRT2 in serous ovarian carcinoma promotes cell proliferation,migration and invasion

AIM: To compare the expression of SIRT2 in ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cell line and serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) cell lines, and to investigate the effects of SIRT2 on the cell proliferation, migration and invasion. METHODS: The expression levels of SIRT2 in the OSE cell line and the SOC cell lines were determined by Western blot. The SIRT2 siRNAs and overexpression construct were designed and verified. Transient transfection of SIRT2 siRNAs or overexpression construct was performed, and the effect of SIRT2 on the cell proliferation, migration and invasion was evaluated. RESULTS: SIRT2 levels in the 5 strains of SOC cell lines were significantly lower than that in the OSE cell line. SIRT2 knockdown in HOSEpiC cells significantly enhanced the ability of cell colony formation and accelerated the cell growth rate. On the contrary, overexpression of SIRT2 in HO8910 cells dramatically repressed the number of cell colonies and cell activity. SIRT2 significantly changed the ability of ovarian cell migration. Knockdown of SIRT2 facilitated the cell invasion. CONCLUSION: The expression of SIRT2 in the SOC cells is significantly down-regulated. In the OSE cells, SIRT2 acts as a tumor suppressor and mediates the inhibition of cell proliferation, migration and invasion.     

Effect of gold nanoparticles on reversing adriamycin resistance of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2/ADM cells

AIM: To investigate whether gold nanoparticles (GNPs) reverses adriamycin (ADM), resistance of human hepatocellular carcinoma drug-resistant cell line HepG2/ADM and to explore the potential mechanism. METHODS: The sensitivities of HepG2 cells and HepG2/ADM cells to ADM were tested by MTT assay before and after GNPs pretreatment. The apoptotic rate was examined by flow cytometry. The concentration of ADM in HepG2/ADM or HepG2 cells was determined by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer. The content of glutathione (GSH) in HepG2/ADM or HepG2 cells by DTNB method. RESULTS: The half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of ADM for HepG2/ADM cells were(29.46±1.73) mg/L and (15.18±0.85) mg/L before and after GNPs pretreatment,respectively. The IC₅₀ of ADM for HepG2 cells was (9.16±2.03) mg/L before pretreatment. The apoptotic rate in GNPs+ADM group was higher than that in ADM group (P<0.05). The concentration of ADM in HepG2/ADM group was lower than that in HepG2 group (P<0.01). After GNPs pretreatment, the concentration of ADM in HepG2/ADM cells was higher than that before pretreatment. The content of GSH in HepG2/ADM group was higher than that in HepG2 group (P<0.01). After GNPs pretreatment, the content of GSH in the HepG2/ADM cells was lower than that before pretreatment. CONCLUSION: Gold nanoparticles can reverse ADM resistance of human hepatocellular carcinoma drug-resistant cell line HepG2/ADM, reduce the content of GSH and increase the concentration of ADM in HepG2/ADM cells.