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Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. The development of omics technologies has provided new perspectives for the diagnosis and treatment of UC. Genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics have unveiled the molecular mechanisms and biological characteristics of UC, which are conducive to the discovery of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Single-cell omics and spatial transcriptomics have further deepened the understanding of cellular heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment. These technologies show great potential in molecular typing, non-invasive diagnosis, early screening, and personalized treatment of UC. This article, in response to the national key strategy, will delve into how omics technologies can drive new developments in the diagnosis and treatment of UC, as well as the application and translation prospects of these technologies in UC.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to compare the accuracies of cognitive fusion-guided targeted biopsy (TB), systematic biopsy (SB), and combined TB+SB for the detection of prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) in males with lesions detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We conducted a retrospective analysis of individuals who underwent prostate biopsy at Peking University People's Hospital (Beijing, China), with an emphasis on patients with both transrectal TB and SB. The main objective was to determine the precisions of SB, TB, and TB+SB for diagnosing PCa and csPCa. We also evaluated the detection rates of TB, SB, TB+ipsilateral-SB (ipsi-SB), TB+contralateral-SB (contra-SB), and TB+SB for PCa and csPCa in patients with unilateral MRI lesions. We compared the diagnostic yields of the various biopsy schemes using the McNemar's test. A total of 180 patients were enrolled. The rates of PCa detection using TB, SB, and TB+SB were 52.8%, 62.2%, and 66.7%, respectively, and the corresponding rates for csPCa were 46.1%, 56.7%, and 58.3%, respectively. Among patients with unilateral MRI lesions, the PCa detection rates for TB, SB, TB+ipsi-SB, TB+contra-SB, and TB+SB were 53.3%, 64.8%, 65.6%, 61.5%, and 68.0%, respectively. TB+ipsi-SB detected 96.4% of PCa and 95.9% of csPCa cases. These findings suggest that the combination of TB+SB has better diagnostic accuracy compared with SB or TB alone. For patients with unilateral MRI lesions, the combination of TB+ipsi-SB may be suitable in clinical settings., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: ©The Author(s)(2024).)

This paper analyzed the clinical data, diagnosis and treatment of 4 asymptomatic patients with ureteral calculi without hydrops in our hospital from October 2018 to January 2019, and comprehensively discussed the previous literature. The 4 patients in this group had no obvious clinical symptoms, no positive stones were found in the B-ultrasound of the urinary system, and no hydroureter and hydroureter of the affected side was found. Urinary CT scan confirmed ureteral stones. They were all located in the lower ureter, and the stones obstructed the lumen. The stones were round and smooth, and there was no obvious hyperplasia and edema in the surrounding mucosa. The lithotripsy was completed in the first-stage operation, and the DJ catheter was left behind for one month after the operation. Based on the clinical diagnosis and treatment process of the 4 cases of asymptomatic calculi in this group and the analysis of previous studies, these patients were mostly detected by imaging examinations or other systematic imaging examinations during the regular review of urinary calculi. Ureteral stones with obstruction did not necessarily have stone-related symptoms. The onset of renal colic involved an increase in intraluminal pressure, related stimulation of nerve endings, smooth muscle spasms caused by stretching of the ureteral wall, and systemic changes in cytokines and related hormones. Cascade reactions, etc., were associated with the movement of stones down. Ureteral stones without hydrops were mostly located in the lower ureter, which had a certain buffering effect on obstructive pressure. Asymptomatic ureteral calculi could also induce irreversible damage to renal function, and the proportion of damage increased with the diameter of the stone. Patients with a history of urinary calculi, especially those with asymptomatic stones for the first time, should be paid attention to during clinical follow-up. At present, there are few research reports on asymptomatic and non-accumulating ureteral calculi. We analyze the clinical diagnosis and treatment process and characteristics of this group of patients combined with previous literature to provide a reference for the diagnosis and treatment of such patients.

Objective: To establish a mutation prediction model for efficacy assessment, the genomic sequencing data of renal cancer patients from the MSKCC (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) pan-cancer immunotherapy cohort was used., Methods: The genomic sequencing data of 121 clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in the MSKCC pan-cancer immunotherapy cohort were obtained from cBioPortal database (http://www.cbioportal.org/) and they were analyzed by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis to identify mutated genes associated with ICI treatment efficacy, and we constructed a comprehensive prediction model for drug efficacy of ICI based on mutated genes using nomogram. Survival analysis and time-dependent receiver operator characteristic curves were performed to assess the prognostic value of the model. Transcriptome and genomic sequencing data of 538 renal cell carcinoma patients were obtained from the TCGA database (https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov/). Gene set enrichment analysis was used to identify the potential functions of the mutated genes enrolled in the nomogram., Results: We used multivariate Cox regression analysis and identified mutations in PBRM1 and ARID1A were associated with treatment outcomes in the patients with renal cancer in the MSKCC pan-cancer immunotherapy cohort. Based on this, we established an efficacy prediction model including age, gender, treatment type, tumor mutational burden (TMB), PBRM1 and ARID1A mutation status ( HR =4.33, 95% CI : 1.42-13.23, P =0.01, 1-year survival AUC =0.700, 2-year survival AUC =0.825, 3-year survival AUC =0.776). The validation ( HR =2.72, 95% CI : 1.12-6.64, P =0.027, 1-year survival AUC =0.694, 2-year survival AUC =0.709, 3-year survival AUC =0.609) and combination ( HR =2.20, 95% CI : 1.14-4.26, P =0.019, 1-year survival AUC =0.613, 2-year survival AUC =0.687, 3-year survival AUC =0.526) sets confirmed these results. Gene set enrichment analysis indicated that PBRM1 was involved in positive regulation of epithelial cell differentiation, regulation of the T cell differentiation and regulation of humoral immune response. In addition, ARID1A was involved in regulation of the T cell activation, positive regulation of T cell mediated cyto-toxicity and positive regulation of immune effector process., Conclusion: PBRM1 and ARID1A mutations can be used as potential biomarkers for the evaluation of renal cancer immunotherapy efficacy. The efficacy prediction model established based on the mutation status of the above two genes can be used to screen renal cancer patients who are more suitable for ICI immunotherapy.

Objective: To determine the optimal cystoscopic frequency for intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer., Methods: Patients with intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor in Peking University People's Hospital from January 2001 to October 2019, were retrospectively analyzed. Their clinical, pathological and follow-up data were collected. In postoperative 2-year period, the patients were underwent cystoscopy every 3 to 6 months. Depending on recurrence and progression of the patients, we hypothesized three strategies of surveillance intensity in the first 2 years after surgery: model 1: 3-month intervals, model 2: 6-month intervals, and model 3: 12-month intervals. The differences in the numbers and time of delayed detection of recurrence and progression were compared among the three models., Results: A total of 185 patients were enrolled, including 144 males (77.8%) and 41 females (22.2%). The median age was 68 (59-76) years. There were 118 cases (63.8%) with single tumor and 67 cases (36.2%) with multiple tumor. Of the patients 179 (96.8%) had stage Ta and 6 (3.2%) had stage T1. There were 108 cases (58.4%) with high-grade disease and 77 cases (41.6%) with low-grade disease. During the follow-up period of the first 2 years, 52 patients (28.1%) had recurrence, 133 cases (71.9%) had no recurrence, 11 cases (5.9%) had progression and 174 cases (94.1%) had no progression. Compared with model 1, 29 (55.8%) delayed detection of recurrence in model 2 vs . 41 (78.8%) delayed detection of recurrence in model 3, and the difference was statistically significant ( P =0.012). The median delayed time of detecting recurrence was 1.00 months in model 1, 1.99 months in model 2 and 4.19 months in model 3, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between mode 1 and model 3 ( P =0.001), and between model 2 and model 3 ( P =0.013). Compared with model 1, 5 (45.4%) delayed detection of progression in model 2 vs . 8 (72.7%) delayed detection of progression in model 3, and the difference was not statistically significant. The median delayed time of detecting progression was 1.00 month in model 1, 2.00 months in model 2 and 3.00 months in model 3, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference among them., Conclusion: Although providing slightly slower detection of tumor recurrence and progression, compared with 3-month intervals of cystoscopy, 6-month intervals do not result in serious adverse outcomes and reduce cost and pain of the patients, which is feasible in intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer has high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Its incidence is high in western countries and has shown an increasing trend in China. While radical cystectomy combined with pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is the standard treatment for bladder cancer,the optimal range of PLND remains controversial. In addition,the prognostic value of lymph node factors is also unclear. This article reviews research advances in PLND.

Objectives: To establish virtual ureteroscopy (VU) through computed tomography urography (CTU) data from patients with upper urinary tract (UUT) stones indicated for flexible ureteroscopy (fURS) and to validate its effectiveness., Methods: Patient-specific VU generation was accomplished through incorporating CTU data into specialized software (Crusher) developed on the open access Visualization Tools Kit (VTK). These were then presented to fURS experts and novice urologists for evaluation and comparison using modified Likert-type questionnaire of 10-point rating scales (1 = not at all useful/not at all realistic/poor, 10 = very useful/very realistic/ excellent)., Results: Face and content validation of VU from 5 fURS experts in 3 different centers: overall usefulness 7.4 ± 0.5, graphics 7.4 ± 0.5, intrarenal anatomy 8.4 ± 0.5, stone details 7.8 ± 0.4, usefulness in surgical planning and training 7.6 ± 0.9. Significant increase of detection in the number of calyces and stones was found from using CTU only to CTU-VU combined in the novice group ( P = .000). Before VU observation, novices found much fewer calyces and stones than experts ( P = .004 and .000, respectively). However, this gap disappeared after VU observation ( P = .327 and .292, respectively). VU feedback from the novices was superb., Conclusions: Establishing patient-specific VU through CTU data from renal stone patients is feasible. The present VU can significantly improve novice urologists' comprehension of intrarenal anatomy and stone information before fURS procedures. Face and content validity is also proved. This novel modality may serve as an important tool for fURS surgical planning, navigation, and training.

Background: There has been no a specific scale to measure quality of life (QOL) for prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) to date. This study aimed to develop and initially validate the scale to evaluate QOL for prostate cancer patients receiving ADT., Methods: The scale was developed following international recommendations. Moreover, the items were all generated through literature review and referenced questionnaires. After being reviewed by expert panelists, the revised scale was formed and then completed by a convenience sample of 200 prostate cancer patients from our hospital. Explore factor analysis (EFA) was applied to test the construct validity, then split-half reliability, Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability were applied to assess the reliability and stability of the scale., Results: The revised scale contained 22 items and a total of 200 participants had completed the scale. One hundred participants were randomly selected from the total 200 participants to perform EFA with varimax rotation on the revised scale, and "hot flashes" item was deleted for low factor loading. We selected only 3 items from each factor, then, the final scale was formed with 18-items. We selected another 100 participants to perform the EFA again on the final scale. It was demonstrated that the structure with 6 factors explained 72.5% of total variance and factor loading value was above 0.40 in all items of the factors. Moreover, the split-half reliability coefficient, Cronbach's alpha, and test-retest reliability coefficient were calculated to be 0.74, 0.63, and 0.89, respectively, exhibiting good reliability on the whole., Conclusions: The scale was identified to be a valid and reliable instrument to measure QOL for prostate cancer patients receiving ADT. Moreover, further research is needed to overcome the potential drawbacks.

Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B is a type 1 transmembrane protein that has been recently found to play a role in cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and invasion. Due to its potential responsibility in cancer aggressiveness, the main objective of this work was to investigate its expression in bladder cancer and the biological functions in bladder cancer cells. Using immunohistochemistry, western blot, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed the expression of glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B in bladder cancer tissues and bladder cancer cell lines. The effects of glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B on proliferation, migration, and invasion were tested after knocking down the glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B in bladder cancer cells with small interfering RNAs by CCK-8, Transwell, and Matrigel assays. Our results showed that glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B protein was highly expressed in the bladder cancer tissues and cell lines. Downregulating glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B could suppress the proliferation, migration, and invasion in bladder cancer cells. Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B expression was related to the poor differentiation and recurrence by immunohistochemistry analysis. The survival analysis also showed that glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B was related to the patient prognosis. In conclusion, Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B protein was highly expressed in the bladder cancer, which was related to the poor prognosis in bladder cancer patients. Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion in bladder cancer cells.

Objective: To investigate the change of biological characteristics after stable knockdown of CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 3 (CMTM3) expression in PC3 by lentivirus shRNA and to reveal new therapeutic targets., Methods: The research includes two groups: sh393 is the experimental group in which CMTM3 is knocked down in PC3 cell line; shN is the control group in which CMTM3 is negatively knocked down. The expression of CMTM3 was detected by Western blot. The migration ability of PC3 after stable knockdown was detected by Transwell and Wound healing assay. The invasion ability of PC3 was detected by Matrigel assay. RESULTS were obtained from at least three individual experiments., Results: The expression of CMTM3 in sh393 group is significant lower than shN group (0.004 0±0.000 4 vs. 0.490 0±0.055 7, P<0.001) detected by Western blot. It also had statistical significance in Matrigel assays (248.6±4.5 vs. 113.0± 3.3), Transwell (203.6±1.9 vs. 103.0±1.2) and Wound healing assays (95.0±2.9 vs. 33.0±1.5) that knockdown of CMTM3 promoted migration, and invasion of PC3 cells in vitro (P<0.001)., Conclusion: Negative correlation exists between the stable knockdown of CMTM3 and change of biological characteristics in PC3 cells, and knocking down CMTM3 affects migration, and invasion ability in PC3 cells.

Objective: To investigate the expression of MEK/ERK signaling pathways in renal cell carcinoma with bone metastasis, and to analyze the differences of expressions of VEGFR-2, MEK, ERK on the primary and metastasis tissue and its mechanism., Methods: The tissue samples were obtained from 7 renal cell carcinoma patients kindly provided by Department of Urology, Peking University People's Hospital from January 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010. The expression of MEK/ERK signaling pathways was detected in the 7 renal cell carcinoma patients` primary and matched metastatic tissues with ICH, The antibody concentrations were 1:200, 1:25, and 1:250, respectively. The mutation of the twentieth exon of the PDGFRA gene, the second exon of the K-ras gene, the fifteenth exon of the Braf gene and the second exon of the MEK1 gene were detected with PCR., Results: The expression intensities of VEGFR-2, MEK, and ERK were measured by H-score [intensity (1, 2, 3, or 4) multiplied by the distribution (%)]. VEGFR-2, MEK, and ERK expressions were divided into 3 groups according to the positive distribution of the tumor cells: 1, 0-5%; 2, 6%-50%; and 3, >50%, To assess intratumor heterogeneity, three distinct microscopic fields (×200) from each specimen were used to evaluate the expressions, Subsequently, the scores were averaged to obtain a single concatenated score for each tissue. VEGFR-2, MEK, and ERK expressions were assessed by 2 independent pathologists who were blinded to the clinicopathological data. The data were expressed as the mean value of the triplicate experiments. The expressions of MEK, and ERK were higher in the metastatic tissues than in the matched RCC tissues (6.10±4.10 vs. 1.33±0.51, P=0.015; 9.10±2.24 vs. 4.43± 2.84, P=0.021) while the expression of VEGFR-2 was not different between the primary and metastatic tissues (P=0.901). No mutation was detected on the twentieth exon of the PDGFRA gene, the second exon of the K-ras gene, the fifteenth exon of the Braf gene and the second exon of the MEK1 gene., Conclusion: MEK/ERK signaling pathways may play an important role in the metastasis and the resistance of sunitinib in RCC patients with bone metastasis.

CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing member/chemokine-like factor super family member (CKLFSF/CMTM) is a novel tumor suppressor gene. CMTM3 is broadly expressed in normal human tissues and evolutionary conserved,especially in testis,spleen,and some cells of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However,its expression is undetectable or down-regulated in most carcinoma cell lines and tissues. Restoration of CMTM3 may inhibit the proliferation,migration,and invasion of carcinoma cells. Although the exact mechanism of its anti-tumor activity remains unclear,CKLFSF3/CMTM3 is closely connected with immune system and associated with sex during tumorigenesis. The study advances of CKLFSF3/CMTM3 are elaborated in this review as CMTM3 may be a new target in the gene therapies for tumors,especially genitourinary tumors,while further studies on CMTM3 and its anti-tumor mechanisms are warranted.

Objective: To investigate the expression patterns of CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 5 (CMTM5), a novel tumor suppressor, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in prostate cancer (PCa) tissues and cells and to analyze the relationship between CMTM5 and EGFR in PCa., Methods: The expression patterns of CMTM5 and EGFR in PCa tissues and cells were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively., Results: CMTM5 was highly expressed in 75% (27/36) of benigh prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues but 35.9% (23/64) of PCa tissues (P<0.001). There was a significant difference of CMTM5 expression between the two groups of PCa tissues with different Gleason scores (P=0.003), though its expression was not related to the age, clinical stage, and metastatic situation (P>0.05). EGFR was highly expressed in 57.8% (37/64) of PCa tissues, it had statistical significance between EGFR and CMTM5 expressions in PCa tissues. Furthermore, 23 cases (35.9%) had low CMTM5 expression and high EGFR expression. Western blot showed that CMTM5 was undetectable in PCa cells, in which the EGFR expression was upregulated., Conclusion: The loss of CMTM5 may participate in the progression of PCa resulting from deregulated EGFR.

Objective: To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of renal pelvic tumor combined with renal urinary calculi and hydronephrosis., Methods: Five patients with renal pelvic tumor who underwent relief of the upper urinary obstruction were reviewed., Results: One of the cases lost the opportunity of surgical therapy when pelvic tumor was detected at the advanced stage, and the other 4 cases had received surgery and were followed up., Conclusion: As pelvic tumor progresses rapidly after the renal blood flow is improved, and renal urinary calculi with hydronephrosis relieved; the patients with renal pelvic tumor need early diagnosis, aggressive treatment and close follow-up.

Objective: To investigate the role of glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma protein B (GPNMB) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC)., Methods: The method of immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot were utilized to examine the expression of GPNMB in RCC and the normal adjacent tissues matched., Results: The expression of GPNMB was lower in RCC than in the matched normal adjacent tissues (P=0.022)., Conclusion: The abnormal expression of GPNMB may play an important role in the development of RCC and the detection of GPNMB may be useful for the early diagnosis of tumor and its development.

Objective: To investigate the effects of free fatty acids on cell proliferation and integrin-linked kinase (ILK) expression in human renal carcinoma 786-O cell line., Methods: The 786-O cells were exposed to normal medium and different concentrations of oleic acid (OA) carried by de-fatty bovine serum albumin (d-BSA). The MTT assay and the flow cytometry assay were performed respectively for cell proliferation and apoptosis after the treatment with OA for 48 h. The expressions of ILK, Akt and p-Akt were detected by Western blot., Results: The MTT assay showed that the cell viabilities of 0.05 mmol/L, 0.1 mmol/L and 0.2 mmol/L OA groups were increased gradually, as compared with the blank control (absorbance: 0.657 ± 0.056, 0.682 ± 0.028, 0.718 ± 0.042 vs. 0.495 ± 0.034; all P<0.001). The effects of OA on cells apoptosis were not significant (apoptotic rates: 2.42% ± 0.25% vs. 2.33% ± 0.87% vs. 2.25%± 0.51%, P=0.082). After being treated with OA, the expressions of ILK and p-Akt were increased in 786-O cells., Conclusion: The results suggested that free fatty acids could promote the development of renal cell carcinoma via up-regulating ILK/Akt pathway, which may reveal the relations between metabolic disturbance and renal carcinoma to a certain extent.

By the temporary slide method of leaf epidermis, an observation was made on the morphological characteristics of the leaf epidermis of six erosion-resistant plant species in different soil erosion environments (gully, inter-gully, and inter-gully artificial Robinia pseudoacacia forest land) in hilly-gully area of Loess Plateau. Compared with those in the gully, the stomata aperture, stomata density, stomata index, stomata apparatus length/width plasticity, stomata apparatus area plasticity, epidermal hair density, and epidermal cell density of the leaf upper and lower epidermis of the plants in the inter-gully were 93.8% and 90.4%, 66.8% and 76.6%, 17.9% and 9.8%, 36.4% and 47.1%, 42.3% and 43.9%, 199.4% and 98.2%, and 46.5% and 50.1% higher, respectively; while in the inter-gully artificial R. pseudoacacia forest land, the same morphological indices of the leaf upper and lower epidermis of the plants were 66.7% and 106.7%, 20.5% and 45.8%, 11.9% and 11.9%, 37.9% and 41.3%, 19.8% and 21.2%, 113.1% and 52.2%, and 10.8% and 28.1% higher than those in the gully, respectively. The epidermal hair length and epidermal cell area of the leaf upper and lower epidermis of the plants in the inter-gully were 58.8% and 29.7%, and 40.3% and 37.0% lower than those in the gully, and the same morphological indices of the leaf upper and lower epidermis of the plants in the intergully artificial R. pseudoacacia forest land were respectively 25.0% and 23.6%, and 22.2% and 19.2% lower than those in the gully, respectively. The results suggested that the erosion-resistant plants in the study area were able to adapt to various soil erosion environments by increasing their leaf stomata aperture, stomata density, stomata index, stomata apparatus length/width plasticity, stomata apparatus area plasticity, epidermal hair density, and epidermal cell density, and by reducing their epidermal hair length and epidermal cell area.

Objective: To investigate the role of pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) in the pathogenesis of acute lung injury (ALI) due to infection., Methods: Porcine pulmonary blood vessels were flushed by modified Morton method, and PIMs were isolated and cultured. The adhered PIMs were collected with adhesion method and incubated in RPMI 1640 medium. They were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/L). The activity of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and contents of IL 6 and IL 8 in the culture supernatant were measured by method of thymocyte proliferation and enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA)., Results: The released contents of IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-8 from PIMs were increased significantly compared with those before LPS challenge , and they peaked at 2 hours [IL-1β activity: (10 400 ± 2 389) scintillant count/min], 4 hours [IL-6 content: (0.80 ± 0.36) μg/L], and 6 hours [IL-8 content: (4.94 ± 1.19) μg/L ] after LPS challenge , and the differences were significant compared with hose before LPS challenge [IL-1β activity: (213 ± 85) scintillant count/min, IL-6 content: (0.27 ± 0.12) μg/L, IL-8 content: (1.84 ± 0.53) μg/L, all P <0.01]., Conclusion: Among the cytokines released from PIMs after LPS challenge , the increase in IL-1β occurred earlier in comparison with that of IL-6 and IL-8, suggesting that the former might play an important role at the early stage of ALI; on the other hand, though the increase in IL-6 and IL-8 contents occurred later than that of IL- 1β but it lasted for a longer duration, suggesting that they might be associated with the advancement of ALI. The Results also suggested that interaction of these cytokines played a more important role in the pathogenesis of ALI.

Objective: To investigate the roles of pulmonary intravascular macrophages (PIMs) in the pathogenesis of infective acute lung injury (ALI)., Methods: Porcine pulmonary blood vessels were flushed by modified Morton's method, PIMs were isolated with adhesion method and incubated in RPMI 1640 medium. They were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/L). The contents of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the culture supernatants were respectively measured by enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay (EILSA)., Results: The release of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-8 by PIMs was increased significantly as compared with the levels before stimulation by LPS, peaking at 1, 4, and 6 hours after LPS stimulation, respectively. The differences were significant (all P<0.01)., Conclusion: Among the cytokines released by PIMs after LPS challenge, the increase in TNF-alpha content occurs earlier in comparison with that of IL-6 and IL-8, suggesting that the former may play an important role at the early stage of ALI. On the other hand, the increase in IL-6 and IL-8 contents is later than that of TNF-alpha and lasts for a longer time, suggesting that they may be associated with the development of ALI. The results also suggest that interaction of these cytokines is more important in the pathogenesis of ALI.