Immunodeviation towards T cell-mediated immune response in the testes of LPS-induced mouse epididymo-orchitis.

The testicular consequences of acute epididymo-orchitis remain largely unelucidated in long-term damage, which might be a neglected factor for male infertility. In this study, the differential phenotype of testicular immune cell subpopulations in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse epididymo-orchitis were analyzed by flow cytometry on day 1, day 7, and day 28. The number of macrophages, neutrophils, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) steadily decreased in the testes with inoculation.

The Clinical Investigation on Varicocele and Sperm Quality in the Tibet an Plateau of China: A Prospectively Planned Retrospective Cohort Study.

Varicoceles are a common cause of male infertility, affecting up to 35% of men undergoing fertility evaluations. This study aims to investigate the potential influence of altitude and residence time on the occurrence of varicoceles, as well as on sperm quality and sterility in plateau areas. A total of 168 patients with varicocele were enrolled in the study, and the study population was divided into groups based on their direct exposure to different high altitudes due to their living locations.

Microscopic Electric Rotary Grinding of Plaques Combined with Graft Repair in the Management of Peyronie's Disease.

Peyronie's Disease (PD) is clinically characterized by the development of localized fibrous plaques, primarily on the tunica albuginea, especially on the dorsal area of the penis. These plaques are the hallmark feature of this condition, resulting in penile curvature, deformity, and painful erections for affected individuals. Although various nonsurgical treatment options exist, their overall effectiveness is limited.

The emerging roles of histone demethylases in cancers.

Modulation of histone methylation status is regarded as an important mechanism of epigenetic regulation and has substantial clinical potential for the therapy of diseases, including cancer and other disorders. The present study aimed to provide a comprehensive introduction to the enzymology of histone demethylases, as well as their cancerous roles, molecular mechanisms, therapeutic possibilities, and challenges for targeting them, in order to advance drug design for clinical therapy and highlight new insight into the mechanisms of these enzymes in cancer. A series of clinical trials have been performed to explore potential roles of histone demethylases in several cancer types.

Antibody responses following the surge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection among patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: The surge of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant Omicron infections has affected most Chinese residents at the end of 2022, including a number of patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs).

Methods: To investigate the antibody level of the Omicron variant in SARD patients after SARS-CoV-2 Omicron infection, we tested BA.5.

Single-cell profiling reveals Müller glia coordinate retinal intercellular communication during light/dark adaptation via thyroid hormone signaling.

Light adaptation enables the vertebrate visual system to operate over a wide range of ambient illumination. Regulation of phototransduction in photoreceptors is considered a major mechanism underlying light adaptation. However, various types of neurons and glial cells exist in the retina, and whether and how all retinal cells interact to adapt to light/dark conditions at the cellular and molecular levels requires systematic investigation.

An algorithm for cognitive fusion targeted tumor puncture based on 3-D mathematical modelling.

Background: Percutaneous puncture is an important means of tumor diagnosis and treatment. At present, most puncture operations are still based on imaging location and clinical experience, and quantitative and accurate targeted puncture cannot be achieved. How to improve the accuracy of percutaneous tumor puncture, avoid errors to the greatest extent, reduce the occurrence of complications, and improve the overall clinical diagnosis and treatment quality and curative effect, are scientific problems worthy of further study.

Immunotherapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: a meta-analysis of data from 7 phase III studies and 3 phase II studies.

Background: Immunotherapies have emerged as potential treatments for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, it is still unclear to identify the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy in large-scale samples. We performed a meta-analysis of 7 phase III randomized trials and 3 phase II trials comparing immunotherapy to placebo in mCRPC.

Target Protein for Xklp2 Functions as Coactivator of Androgen Receptor and Promotes the Proliferation of Prostate Carcinoma Cells.

The activation of the androgen receptor (AR) pathway is crucial in the progression of human prostate cancer. Results of the present study indicated that the target protein xenopus kinesin-like protein (TPX2) enhanced the transcription activation of AR and promoted the proliferation of LNCaP (ligand-dependent prostate carcinoma) cells. The protein-protein interaction between AR and TPX2 was investigated using coimmunoprecipitation assays.

Selective estrogen receptor modulators contribute to prostate cancer treatment by regulating the tumor immune microenvironment.

Prostate cancer (PC) has previously been established as a cold tumor and develops in an inert immunosuppressive environment. Current research focuses on altering the immune microenvironment of PC from cold to hot; thus, in the present review, the diverse roles of estrogen and estrogen receptor (ER) signaling was examined in the tumor cell and tumor immune microenvironment (TIM). We hypothesized that ERα promotes PC progression and ERβ impedes epithelial-mesenchymal transition in PC cells, while in the TIM, ERβ mediates the immunosuppressive environment, and low levels of ERα is associated with disease development.

Identification of a VHL gene mutation in atypical Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome: genotype-phenotype correlation and gene therapy perspective.

Background: Classical von Hippel Lindau (VHL) disease/syndrome includes CNS hemangioblastoma, renal or pancreatic cysts, pheochromocytoma, renal carcinoma and exodermic cystadenoma. The syndrome is caused by mutation of VHL tumor suppressor gene. The most prevalent mutations are present in VHL syndrome.

The autism risk gene CNTN4 modulates dendritic spine formation.

Contactin 4 (CNTN4) is a crucial synaptic adhesion protein that belongs to the contactin superfamily. Evidence from both human genetics and mouse models suggests that synapse formation and structural deficits strongly correlate with neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism. In addition, several lines of evidence suggest that CNTN4 is associated with the risk of autism.

Erratum: Novel technical modifications of hand-assisted laparoscopic dissection of a large obturator mass: A case report and literature review.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.

Unravelling the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer evolution from genotype to phenotype.

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the Western society. Unfortunately, although the vast majority of patients are initially responsive to androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT), most cases eventually develop from hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The main reason is PC heterogeneity and evolution during therapy.

An Algorithm for Gene Fragment Reconstruction.

Gene sequencing technology has been playing an important role in many aspects, such as life science, disease medicine and health medicine, particularly in the extremely tough process of fighting against 2019-novel coronavirus. Drawing DNA restriction map is a particularly important technology in genetic biology. The simplified partial digestion method (SPDP), a biological method, has been widely used to cut DNA molecules into DNA fragments and obtain the biological information of each fragment.

The role of JMJD6/U2AF65/AR-V7 axis in castration-resistant prostate cancer progression.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) remains prostate cancer research and treatment bottleneck. Abnormal androgen receptor (AR) activation still has a pivotal role in CRPC. Multiple mechanisms involve the process, of which overabundant AR-V7 mRNA splicing production is currently focused and increasingly studied.

Case Report: Co-Existence of BRCA2 and PALB2 Germline Mutations in Familial Prostate Cancer With Solitary Lung Metastasis.

Background: Mutation-caused loss-of-function of factors involved in DNA damage response (DDR) is responsible for the development and progression of ~20% of prostate cancer (PCa). Some mutations can be used in cancer risk assessment and informed treatment decisions.

Methods: Target capture-based deep sequencing of 11 genes was conducted with total DNA purified from the proband's peripheral blood.

Histone demethylase PHF8 drives neuroendocrine prostate cancer progression by epigenetically upregulating FOXA2.

Neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a more aggressive subtype of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Although it is well established that PHF8 can enhance prostate cancer cell proliferation, whether PHF8 is involved in prostate cancer initiation and progression is relatively unclear. By comparing the transgenic adenocarcinoma of the mouse prostate (TRAMP) mice with or without Phf8 knockout, we systemically examined the role of PHF8 in prostate cancer development.

Novel technical modifications of hand-assisted laparoscopic dissection of a large obturator mass: A case report and literature review.

Laparoscopic lateral pelvic tumor dissection (LLPTD) for transobturator tumors may be technically challenging due to the requirement for sufficient operative space. The present study discusses a technique modification with combination of the laparoscopic approach and hand-assisted (HA) open surgery for patients with large obturator masses. LLPTD was performed using the combined approach, defined as HA-LLPTD, with one case treated.

LSD1 Promotes Bladder Cancer Progression by Upregulating LEF1 and Enhancing EMT.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the important underlying molecular mechanisms for most types of cancers including bladder cancer. The precise underlying molecular mechanism in EMT-mediated bladder cancer progression is far from completed. LSD1, a histone lysine-specific demethylase, is known to promote cancer cell proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance.

A Renal Cell Carcinoma with Biallelic Somatic TSC2 Mutation: Clinical Study and Literature Review.

Objective: To elucidate the effect of the biallelic somatic TSC2 mutations, identified in one adolescent patient, in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: Mutation analyses, immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were conducted.

Results: Two novel somatic mutations of TSC2 in unilateral and solitary RCC samples from a 14-year-old female were identified.

The critical role of ASD-related gene CNTNAP3 in regulating synaptic development and social behavior in mice.

Accumulated genetic evidences indicate that the contactin associated protein-like (CNTNAP) family is implicated in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). In this study, we identified genetic mutations in the CNTNAP3 gene from Chinese Han ASD cohorts and Simons Simplex Collections. We found that CNTNAP3 interacted with synaptic adhesion proteins Neuroligin1 and Neuroligin2, as well as scaffolding proteins PSD95 and Gephyrin.