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Background: The C1019T polymorphism of the connexin-37 (GJA4) gene is a single-nucleotide polymorphisms involved in atherosclerotic plaque rupture and atherosclerosis predisposition. We examined the association between the C1019T polymorphism of the GJA4 gene and the occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with premature coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: Our study recruited 1000 patients with the final diagnosis of premature CAD and classified them into 2 groups: with a history of MI (n = 461) and without it (n = 539). The polymorphism variants were determined via the PCR–RFLP, and then genotyping was conducted through the high-resolution melting method. From a total of 1000 patients, 554 patients, who had been previously followed-up with a median follow-up time of 45.74 months vis-à-vis long-term major adverse cardiac events, were enrolled in this retrospective cohort phase. Results: The frequencies of the wild, heterozygous, and mutant genotypes of the C1019T polymorphism were 54.0%, 40.6%, and 5.4% in the MI group and 49.2%, 43.2%, and 7.6% in the non-MI group (p value = 0.187). After adjustment for the baseline covariates, no difference was found between the MI and non-MI groups apropos the frequency of the heterozygous genotype (p value = 0.625) and the mutant genotype (p value = 0.452). Regarding the level of human connexin-37, the serum level of this marker was not different between the MI and non-MI groups. Conclusion: The C1019T polymorphism of the GJA4 gene may not be useful for predicting the occurrence of MI in patients with premature CAD. The presence of this polymorphism in such patients may also have a low value for predicting long-term CAD complications.

Purpose: To determine the association of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 158A/G polymorphism with clinicopathologic characteristics of the disease and prostate cancer (PCa) risk.Materials and Methods: Two hundred and six subjects, including 95 patients with PCa and 111 subjects with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), were recruited in this study. Genotyping was performed by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism method. Results: Presence of GG genotype significantly increased the risk of PCa more than 2-fold compared to AG genotype (adjusted odds ratio = 2.4; P = .03). The percentages of G alleles of polymorphisms in patients with PCa were more than that in ones with BPH (odds ratio = 1.2; P = .7). Conclusion: The GG genotype of PSA 158A/G polymorphism is a predisposing factor for PCa. But no association was observed between alleles and grade, stage, or age of diagnosis. Similarly, the rs266882 polymorphism was not associated with PSA plasma levels.

Introduction: Survivin, a novel inhibitor of apoptosis, is re-expressed in a vast majority of human cancers and is widely considered as a diagnostic marker of cancers. Survivin protein regulates both cell division and apoptosis. There are at least 5 spliced variants of the gene with different subcellular localization and anti-apoptotic property. We examined the expression pattern of survivin and its 2 spliced variants, survivin-?Ex3 and survivin-2B, and their prognostic values in archival collections of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples of bladder tumors.Materials and Methods: Total RNA from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples (51 samples from 30 patients with bladder cancer and 5-year follow-up) were extracted and analyzed by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction technique. Tissue distribution and subcellular localization of survivin protein in tumor tissues was also examined by immunohistochemistry.Results: The expression of survivin, survivin-?Ex3, and survivin-2B were detected in 66.6%, 47.8%, and 54.7% of the specimens, respectively. The expression of survivin and survivin-?Ex3 were preferentially elevated in tumors with higher grades, whereas survivin-2B expression was lower in high-grade tumors (P = .04). A reverse correlation was observed between survivin-2B expression and high-grade tumors. Immunohistochemistry results also confirmed the nuclear localization of survivin protein within tumoral cells.Conclusion: We were successful in detecting the expression of survivin and its variants in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded bladder samples. Furthermore, our results showed that overexpression of survivin and survivin-?Ex3 in bladder tumors correlates with poor prognosis of bladder cancer. We suggest that survivin and its variants are suitable prognostic markers of bladder tumors.

Introduction: Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic surgery for the management of ureteral calculi. Materials and Methods: We performed 123 laparoscopic calculus removal in 103 men and 31 women. Indications for the procedure were extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy or transureteral lithotomy failure and large calculus. The mean age of the patients was 39.6 ± 13.8 years. The calculi were between 1 and 5.6 cm and located in the upper, middle, and lower ureter in 90 (73.2%), 20 (16.3%), and 13 (10.5%) patients, respectively. Ureteral stent was used in 52 (42.3%) patients. We used 3 ports for camera and instruments. Intraperitoneal approach was used in 104 (84.6%) and extraperitoneal in 19 (15.4%). Results: The mean operative time was 143.2 ± 60.5 minutes. One hundred and nineteen patients (96.7%) became stone free. Minor complications occurred in 14 (11.4%) patients. Conversion to open surgery was required in 1 patient due to migration of the calculus to the peritoneum after removal from the ureter. Intra-abdominal hematoma led to reoperation 1 day after the surgery in 1 patient. Operative time was different significantly between extraperitoneal and intraperitoneal approaches (171.3 ± 91.3 minutes and 137.3 ± 52.2 minutes, respectively; P = .02). Conclusion: Our results confirm the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic removal of ureteral calculi in selected groups of patients, taking the advantage of this minimally invasive procedure such as better cosmetic results and patient’s satisfaction.

International audience; abstract simple

International audience