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Background: B7-H3, a member of the B7 family of the Ig superfamily of proteins, has been detected in the epididymis, which is a storage organ related to sperm maturation. However, the characteristics of its expression in different regions of the epididymis remain unknown. Our aim was to investigate the expression of B7-H3 in the caput, corpus, and cauda of the epididymis.Methods: We extracted epididymis specimens from adult male C57BL/6 mice. The expression of B7-H3 was then measured with immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and western blotting.Results: B7-H3 protein was predominantly detected on the membrane and in the cytoplasm of the principal cells in the epididymis. Moreover, the level of B7-H3 in the corpus of the mouse epididymis was significantly higher than that in the caput (p < 0.05) or the cauda of the epididymis (P < 0.05). However, there was no remarkable difference in the level of B7-H3 between the caput and the cauda (p > 0.05).Conclusions: The caput, corpus, and cauda of the mouse epididymis all expressed B7-H3 protein. However, the levels of B7-H3 were different in the three regions of the epididymis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Controversy exists regarding the extent of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) in radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer. Impact of the extent of PLND may be determined by the disease risk. The aim of our study was to find the association between the extent of PLND on biochemical progression and disease risk. Methods: The study included 360 consecutive patients treated with RP for clinically localized prostate cancer at our department between 2000 and 2003. Patients were randomized to receive extended PLND (n = 180) and standard PLND (n = 180) at RP. Clinical and pathological data were prospectively collected. The patients did not receive any neoadjuvant or adjuvant therapy. The relation of disease risk and the extent of PLND to biochemical progression-free survival (BPFS) were examined. Results: There were no significant differences in age, prostate-specific antigen, and other preoperative features in patients who underwent standard and extended PLND. Mean patient age was 68 y old and median follow-up was 74 mo. BPFS for the standard PLND group and the extended PLND group was 90.1% and 91.3% in low risk disease (log rank P = 0.807), 73.1% and 85.7% in intermediate risk disease (log rank P = 0.042), and 51.1% and 71.4% in high risk disease (log rank P = 0.036), respectively. In multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, extended PLND was an independent prognostic factor of biochemical progression-free survival when adjusting for other clinical and pathologic features. Conclusions: In intermediate and high risk patients, extended PLND positively affects BPFS. In low risk patients, extended PLND may be omitted to reduce operation time and complications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: We found seminal B7-H3 was associated with human sperm concentration. However, the mechanism is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of B7-H3 in mouse testis and determine the effects of B7-H3 on the proliferation of mouse spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and the underlying mechanisms., Methods: B7-H3 expression in the testis of mice at different ages (3 weeks, 8 weeks, 4 months and 9 months) was detected by western blot and immunohistochemistry. CCK-8 were used to measure mouse SSCs proliferation after incubation with different concentrations of B7-H3 for 1-72 h in vitro . Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle of mouse SSCs after incubation with different concentrations of B7-H3 for 48 and 72 h. The signaling pathways involved were assessed by western blot., Results: Four-month-old mice had the highest expression of B7-H3 in the testis, while 3-week-old mice had the lowest expression of B7-H3. B7-H3 was predominantly detected on the membrane and in the cytoplasm of Sertoli cells. Furthermore, B7-H3 promoted mouse SSCs proliferation and increased the percentage of cells in S+G2/M phase in a time- and dose-dependent manner in vitro . These effects were inhibited by LY294002, indicating the involvement of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase signaling pathway., Conclusions: The expression of B7-H3 in mouse testis, especially Sertoli cells, was associated with mouse age. In vitro , B7-H3 promoted the proliferation and accelerated the cell cycle of mouse SSCs via the PI3K pathway, indicating a critical role of B7-H3 expressed by Sertoli cells in mouse spermatogenesis., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The authors declare that they have no relevant conflict of interest.