Complement activation by autoantigen recognition in the growth process of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The pathophysiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remained unclear. Here, we concentrated on the complement activation in the growth of BPH using a rat model. BPH tissues were harvested from rats after rat urogenital sinus implantation.

Perioperative Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Radical or Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: The current study was conducted to clarify the frequency of systemic circulating tumor cells (CTCs) appearing after surgery for renal cell carcinoma and to evaluate the differences in postoperative CTCs between different surgical procedures.

Methods: This prospective, cohort study included 60 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy (RN) (n = 22), laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (PN) (n = 19), open RN (n = 8), or open PN (n = 11). In this study CTCs were measured by the FISHMAN-R system, and CTCs drawn from a peripheral artery were collected just before and immediately after surgery.

The association between local arteriosclerosis of the prostatic arteries and chronic inflammation in human benign prostatic enlargement.

Background: To elucidate the pathogenesis of benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) in humans due to chronic inflammation caused by arteriosclerosis, the relationships between prostate size and the degree of chronic inflammation induced by local arteriosclerosis were investigated.

Methods: The present cohort included 50 subjects who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in a prospective study. The presence or absence of local arteriosclerosis in the prostatic arteries removed during RARP was evaluated by microscopic assessment.

Suppression of SOCS3 enhances TRAIL-induced cell growth inhibition through the upregulation of DR4 expression in renal cell carcinoma cells.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a tumor-selective apoptosis inducer that is expressed in natural killer cells, whose cytotoxicity is activated by interferon (IFN). We investigated the effect of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 3 on the expression of TRAIL receptors (DR4) and on TRAIL sensitivity in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cells.

Methods: Vector expression, RNA interference and IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab were used to investigate the functional role of SOCS3 in DR4 expression.

Overriding TKI resistance of renal cell carcinoma by combination therapy with IL-6 receptor blockade.

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a tumor entity with poor prognosis due to limited therapy options. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) represent the standard of care for RCCs, however a significant proportion of RCC patients develop resistance to this therapy. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is considered to be associated with poor prognosis in RCCs.

Molecular classification of benign prostatic hyperplasia: A gene expression profiling study in a rat model.

Objectives: To characterize the molecular features of benign prostatic hyperplasia by carrying out a gene expression profiling analysis in a rat model.

Methods: Fetal urogenital sinus isolated from 20-day-old male rat embryo was implanted into a pubertal male rat ventral prostate. The implanted urogenital sinus grew time-dependently, and the pathological findings at 3 weeks after implantation showed epithelial hyperplasia as well as stromal hyperplasia.

The effect of EDTA contaminated in sera on laboratory data.

Background: We report two cases in which the data marked by low levels of serum iron (Fe) (negative value), low levels of serum calcium (Ca) and high levels of serum potassium (K) were inconsistent with their clinical states. Re-examination within 1 day showed that all the data were within or close to the reference intervals. These results could suggest contamination of ethylene diamine tetraacetate-dipotassium salt (K(2)EDTA) used in the blood collection tube for peripheral blood cell count in the tube for the serum.