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To explore the relationship between occupational factors and the incidence of bladder cancer.The present research was based on a hospital-based case-control study. The cases were frequency matched. The non-conditional Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) of each occupation.The OR of business and administration professionals, male electricians and electronic workers were 3.88 and 7.40; the OR of janitors and helpers was 0.21; the OR of handcrafted and printing clerks was 0.71, but there was no significant difference.Business and administration professionals, male electricians and electronic workers tend to have bladder cancer. The occupation of janitors and helpers has a protective effect on bladder cancer while the occupation of printing clerks shows no statistical significance on bladder cancer.

To investigate the mechanisms of erectile dysfunction induced by hyperlipidemia through studying the changes of contractility and relaxation of corpus cavernosum in hypercholesterolemic rabbit in vitro.New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into control and experiment groups. The control group (n = 20) received a regular diet for 8 weeks while the experimental group (n = 20) were fed a 1% cholesterol diet for 8 weeks. The authors conducted isometric tension studies with phenylephrine, endothelium-dependent vasodilators (acetylcholine), endothelium-independent vasodilators (sodium nitroprusside) and rho kinase inhibitor (Fasudil) on isolated strips of corpus cavernosum.The weight and total serum cholesterol significantly improved (P0.01) in experimental group as compared with the non-fed experimental group. The total serum cholesterol significantly improved (P0.01) in experimental group as compared with the control group. The contractility responses to phenylephrine in experiment group in doses (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 micromol) were 4.79% +/- 2.00%, 8.84% +/-2.95%, 12.81% +/- 3.77%, 14.63% +/- 5.38%, 25.01% +/- 6.14% and 34.69% +/- 8.53% respectively. The contractility responses to phenylephrine in control group were 1.00% +/- 0.3%, 2.60% +/- 0.72%, 4.28% +/- 1.27%, 5.91% +/- 2.09%, 6.49% +/- 4.02% and 5.64% +/- 11.87% respectively. The contractility responses to phenylephrine significantly improved (P0.01) in experimental group in these doses as compared with the control group. The relaxation responses to acetylcholine in experimental group in doses (1, 10 and 100 micromol) were 36.28% +/- 4.71%, 48.81% +/- 4.36% and 56.27% +/- 11.93% respectively. The relaxation responses in control group were 48.04% +/- 4.78%, 69.12% +/- 5.27% and 78.23% +/- 5.30% respectively. There was significant reduction (P0.01) in experimental group in these doses as compared with the control group. No difference were found among the two groups in the relaxation response to sodium nitroprusside. The relaxation responses to fasudil in experimental group in doses (0.25, 1.25, 2.5 and 12.5 micromol) were 1.56% +/- 0.43%, 5.03% +/- 1.02%, 8.28% +/- 1.35% and 16.77% +/- 3.57% respectively. The relaxation responses in control group were 4.69% +/- 1.23%, 10.39% +/- 2.05%, 15.08% +/- 3.04% and 25.22% +/- 3.72% respectively. There was significant reduction (P0.01) in experimental group in these doses as compared with the control group.The improvement of cavernous smooth muscle contractility and the impairment of cavernous smooth muscle relaxation in response to endothelium-mediated stimuli are the mechanisms of erectile dysfunction induced by hyperlipidemia.

The oxalate-degradation genes of Oxalobacter formigenes (Ox.F)-frc gene and oxc gene-were cloned and transfected into intestinal stem cell population of the mouse to make the latter obtain oxalate-degradation function.(1) The dicistronic eukaryotic expression vector, which could express oxc gene and frc gene in the same time, pIRES-oxc-frc was constructed. (2) The intestinal stem cell population of the mouse were isolated and cultured, and the function of the cell growth and differentiation was identified. (3) The cells were transfected with pIRES-oxc-frc. After selection by G418, the function of the cell growth and differentiation and the the expression of the objective genes were identified. (4) The concentration of the oxalate in the culture medium which was used to culture the transgenic cells was determined by ion chromatography to explore the oxalate-degradation function of the cells.Ox.F could be isolated and cultured from the feces of Chinese people. Compared with the foreign reports, a certain morphologic variation of the Ox.F existed. But the oxc gene and frc gene showed high homology with the sequence reported in GenBank. The recombinant plasmid containing oxc gene and frc gene could successfully be transfected into the intestinal stem cell population of the mouse. The expression of the objective genes was normal. The concentration of the oxalate in the culture fluid of the transgenic intestinal stem cell population [(2.48 +/- 0.03 g/L)] was lower than those of the normal group [(2.69 +/- 0.01) g/L] and the control group [(2.69 +/- 0.01) g/L, P0.01].The oxc gene and the frc gene could be transfected into the intestinal stem cell population of the mouse, and the cells could be given oxalate-degrading function. The gene of prokaryocyte could be introduced into the eukaryocyte for a successful expression.

To study the expression level of calbindin-D28k, a kind of calcium binding protein, in the kidneys of genetic hypercalciuric stone-forming (GHS) rats and to investigate its role in idiopathic hypercalciuria (IH).Kidneys were taken out from 16 GHS rats and 6 normal control (NC) rats. Western blotting and real time quantitative PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of calbindin-D28k respectively.Western blotting showed that the A value of calbindin-D28k of the GHS rats was 0.49 +/- 0.02, significantly higher than that of the NC rats (0.20 +/- 0.01, P0.05). The 2(-(delta delta CT)) value of mRNA of calbindin-D28k of the GHS rats was 1.21, remarkably higher than that of the NC rats [with the of 2(-(delta delta CT)) value of 1.0]. There was not significant difference in the delta CT value between the two groups (P0.05).The up-regulation of calbindin-D28k in the GHS rats is possibly caused by hyperexpression of VDR and hypercalcinuria, and plays an important role in urine calcium reabsorption; however, it is not the key protein that results in IH.

To study the expression of hyaluronan (HA) and CD44, a transmembrane glucoprotein and cell surface receptor of HA, in impaired renal tubular epithelial cells and relation thereof with the retention of calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals in the renal tubule.Forty-eight SD rats were randomly divided into four equal groups, ethylene glycol (EG) 1-day group, treated with drinking water containing 0.75% EG for 1 day, EG 5-day group, treated with drinking water containing 0.75% EG for 5 days, general drinking water 1-day group, treated with tap water for 1 day, and general water 5-day group, treated with tap water for 5 days. The rats were killed 1 day or 5 days later respectively with their kidneys taken out. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of HA and CD44 in the renal tissues. Polarized light microscopy was used to detect the CaOx crystals in the renal tubules.The expression rates of HA and CD44, and proportion of crystal retention of the tap water 1-day group were 25.0%, 25.0%, and 16.7% respectively, all not significantly different from those of the EG 1-day group (8.3%, 16.7%, and 25.0% respectively, all P0.05). The expression rates of HA and CD44, and proportion of crystal retention of the tap water 5-day group were 33.3%, 25.0%, and 16.7% respectively, all significantly lower than those of the EG 5-day group (83.3%, 75.0%, and 66.7% respectively, all P0.05). Microscopy showed that the CaOx crystals adhered only to the injured tubular epithelial cells expressing HA and CD44 at their luminal membrane.The expression of HA and CD44 by injured tubular cells seems to play a role in the retention of CaOx crystals in the kidney.

To evaluate the effects of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN) of survivin gene on taxol-induced apoptosis in bladder cancer cells.A survivin ASODN eukaryotic vector pcDNA3-SVVas was transfected into human bladder cancer cells of the line BIU87 mediated by liposomal reagent (BIU87 SVVas cells). The mRNA expression of survivin was measured by RT-PCR. Blank plasmid pcDNA3 was transfected as control (BIU87 neo cells). The cell growth curve was drawn using trypan blue dye exclusion assay. MTT assay was used to investigate the sensibility of transfected cells to taxol. The BIU87 SVVas cells, BIU87 neo cells, and BIU87 cells were cultured in the culture fluid with taxol and then DNA gel electrophoresis, Hoechst nuclear staining and fluorescent microscopy, and annexin-propidium iodide (PI) staining were used to examine the cell apoptosis.Compared to BIU87 and BIU87 neo cells, the mRNA expression of survivin in the BIU87-SVVas cells was obviously reduced. The growth of the BIU87-SVVas cells was significantly reduced in comparison with the BIU87 (P0.05). The sensibility of BIU87 SVVas cells to taxol increased significantly shown by cell proliferation and MTT assays. Agarose gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA showed typical DNA ladder only in the BIU87 SVVas cells, but not in other cells. Hoechst nuclear staining and fluorescent microscopy showed that the nuclei of the BIU87 SVVas cells become condense. Annexin-PI test showed that the cell apoptosis rate of the BIU87-SVVas cells treated with taxol was significantly higher than those of the other groups.survivin antisense RNA enhances the taxol-induced apoptosis in the bladder cancer cells. This may lay an experimental foundation for further research of biotherapy in bladder cancer.

To explore the rationality of clinical typing of cystitis glandularis (CG) and the potential of cancerization of different types of CG.Flow cytometry was performed to examine the ploidy of 25 fresh bladder specimens of patients with CG resected during operation, 13 high risk type and 12 low risk type, and 7 specimens of normal mucosa of bladder, by calculating the DNA index (DI). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), mutant p53, p21ras, Rb, and bcl-2 in other 38 preserved specimens of CG resected during operation, 18 high risk type and 20 low risk type, and 5 specimens of normal bladder.The DI was 1.00 +/- 0.03 in the normal bladder group, 1.05 +/- 0.07 in the high risk type CG group, and 1.01 +/- 0.05 in the low risk type CG, without significant differences between any 2 groups (t = -1.639, P = 0.115). The expression of PCNA and expression of p53 were negative in the low risk group, and PCNA was expressed in 5 specimens of high risk type CG (27.8%), and not expressed in the low risk type CG (P = 0.017). p53 was expressed in 4 specimens of high risk type CG (22.2%), and not expressed in the low risk type CG (P = 0.041). There were no significant differences in the expression of p21, Rb, and bcl-2 between the high and low risk groups.High risk type and low risk type of CG are both benign lesions. High risk type CG may be more likely to cancerate. It is reasonable to distinguish different types of CG. p53 gene may play an important role in the canceration of CG.