Nucleotide excision repair pathway gene polymorphisms are associated with risk and prognosis of colorectal cancer.

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are universally present in nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway genes, which could make impacts on colorectal carcinogenesis and prognosis.

Aim: To explore the association of all tagSNPs in NER pathway genes with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and prognosis in a northern Chinese population by a two-stage case-control design composed of a discovery and validation stage.

Methods: Genotyping for NER SNPs was performed using kompetitive allele specific PCR.

Modified stepwise mini-incision microdissection testicular sperm extraction: a useful technique for patients with a history of orchidopexy affected by non-obstructive azoospermia.

Non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA), which is defined as the absence of spermatozoa in the ejaculate secondary to impaired spermatogenesis within the testis, may be caused by a variety of etiologies, including varicocele-induced testicular damage, cryptorchidism, prior testicular torsion, post-pubertal mumps orchitis, gonadotoxic effects from medications, genetic abnormalities, chemotherapy/radiation, and other unknown causes currently classified as idiopathic (Cocuzza et al., 2013). The microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) technique involves a meticulous microsurgical exploration of the testicular parenchyma to identify and selectively extract larger seminiferous tubules that carry a higher probability of complete spermatogenesis (Schlegel, 1999).

Mucosa-Associated Microbiota in Gastric Cancer Tissues Compared With Non-cancer Tissues.

The link between microbiota and gastric cancer (GC) has attracted widespread attention. However, the phylogenetic profiles of niche-specific microbiota in the tumor microenvironment is still unclear. Here, mucosa-associated microorganisms from 62 pairs of matched GC tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Serum levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and toll-like receptor 4 in acute aortic dissection: a case-control study.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) play important roles in aortic pathophysiology. However, there is lacking research on serum TLR4 levels in acute aortic dissection (AAD) patients, and the performance of serum MMP9 and TLR4 for the diagnosis of AAD is still unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the serum levels of MMP9 and TLR4 in AAD patients, identify their associations with circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) and D-dimer, which are well-known classical biomarkers of AAD, and further explore the potential diagnostic role of MMP9 and TLR4 in AAD.

Association of IL10 gene promoter polymorphisms with risks of gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis.

Objective: To investigate the association between polymorphisms of the interleukin 10 ( IL10) gene and risk of gastric cancer (GC) and atrophic gastritis (AG).

Methods: This study enrolled patients with GC, patients with AG and healthy control subjects. Demographic data were collected and the IL10 gene -1082A/G, -819C/T and -592A/C polymorphisms were genotyped.

Serum Toll-like receptor 4: A novel and promising biomarker for identification of aortic aneurysmal diseases.

Background: Immune inflammation appears to play a role in aortic aneurysm (AA) pathology. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been proved to involve in immune inflammatory diseases. However, the relationship between serum TLR4 and AA is still unclear.

Epistatic SNP interaction of ERCC6 with ERCC8 and their joint protein expression contribute to gastric cancer/atrophic gastritis risk.

Excision repair cross-complementing group 6 and 8 (ERCC6 and ERCC8) are two indispensable genes for the initiation of transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair pathway. This study aimed to evaluate the interactions between single nucleotide polymorphisms of ERCC6 (rs1917799) and ERCC8 (rs158572 and rs158916) in gastric cancer and its precancerous diseases. Besides, protein level analysis were performed to compare ERCC6 and ERCC8 expression in different stages of gastric diseases, and to correlate SNPs jointly with gene expression.

The interaction effects of pri-let-7a-1 rs10739971 with PGC and ERCC6 gene polymorphisms in gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction effects of pri-let-7a-1 rs10739971 with pepsinogen C (PGC) and excision repair cross complementing group 6 (ERCC6) gene polymorphisms and its association with the risks of gastric cancer and atrophic gastritis. We hoped to identify miRNA polymorphism or a combination of several polymorphisms that could serve as biomarkers for predicting the risk of gastric cancer and its precancerous diseases.

Methods: Sequenom MassARRAY platform method was used to detect polymorphisms of pri-let-7a-1 rs10739971 G → A, PGC rs4711690 C → G, PGC rs6458238 G → A, PGC rs9471643 G → C, and ERCC6 rs1917799 in 471 gastric cancer patients, 645 atrophic gastritis patients and 717 controls.

Expression of the E-cadherin/β-catenin/tcf-4 pathway in gastric diseases with relation to Helicobacter pylori infection: clinical and pathological implications.

Objective: To determine the expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, and transcription factor 4 (TCF4) proteins in gastric diseases with relation to Helicobacter pylori infection.

Methods: A total of 309 patients including 60 with superficial gastritis (SG), 57 with atrophic gastritis (AG) and 192 with gastric cancer (GC), were enrolled. The expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin, TCF4 proteins in the gastric mucosa was detected by immunohistochemistry and H.

The relationship between H. pylori virulence genotypes and gastric diseases.

There have been no reports on the relationship between virulence genes and gastric diseases based on the same bacterial colonization density. Our results indicated that Helicobacter pylori virulence genes were more relevant than colonization density as a pathogenic mechanism of gastric diseases, which helps elucidate the pathogenic mechanisms of bacteria and aids in the development of improved strategies for the treatment of gastric disease.

Interaction between GSTP1 Val allele and H. pylori infection, smoking and alcohol consumption and risk of gastric cancer among the Chinese population.

Glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) is a critical enzyme in the phase II detoxification pathway. One of the common functional polymorphisms of GSTP1 is A→G at nucleotide 313, which results in an amino acid substitution (Ile105Val) at the substrate binding site and reduced catalytic activity. We evaluated the interaction between GSTP1 Val allele and Helicobacter pylori infection, smoking and alcohol consumption, increasing the risk of gastric cancer among the Chinese population.

Changes in biological and virulent characteristics of Helicobacter pylori exposed to high salt.

The effect of high salt environments on biological characteristics of Helicobacter pylori is still unclear. In the present study, we therefore investigated biological characteristics of the bacterium exposed to high salt concentrations. H.

Subtractive hybridization analysis of gastric diseases-associated Helicobacter pylori identifies peptidyl-prolyl isomerase as a potential marker for gastric cancer.

Helicobacter pylori, a microaerophilic Gram-negative bacterium, is known to cause chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Genes that are present in certain isolates may determine strain-specific traits such as disease association and drug resistance. In order to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of gastric diseases, identify molecular markers of the diseases associated with H.

Serum pepsinogen II: a neglected but useful biomarker to differentiate between diseased and normal stomachs.

Background And Aim: Serum pepsinogen II (sPGII) is underutilized and considered an inconspicuous biomarker in clinical practice. We refocused on this neglected but novel biomarker and conducted the present study, aiming to elucidate the normal level of sPGII in healthy Chinese patients and to investigate the clinical utility of sPGII for gastric disease screening.

Methods: In 2008-2009, a total of 2022 participants from northern China were selected and enrolled in the study.

Helicobacter pylori induces malignant transformation of gastric epithelial cells in vitro.

Epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with increased risk for the development of gastric cancer. Animal studies have also shown that H. pylori infection leads to gastric carcinogenesis, especially intestinal phenotypes.

Risk of gastric cancer is associated with the MUC1 568 A/G polymorphism.

Identifying the genetic variants that alter MUC1 protein expression may further our understanding of the risk for development of gastric cancer (GC). We used PCR-SSPs to identify the genotype of MUC1 A/G polymorphism at its 568 site of exon 2 and immunohistochemistry to detect MUC1 protein expression in GC patients and non-cancer subjects and analyzed the association between this polymorphism and MUC1 protein expression. We found that the frequency of AA genotype was significantly high in the GC patients and the risk for GC in AA genotype carriers increased 1.

[Correlation of pepsinogen C (PGC) gene insertion/deletion polymorphism to PGC protein expression in gastric mucosa and serum].

Background And Objective: Human pepsinogen C (PGC) is an aspartic protease synthesized in gastric mucosa. PGC gene insertion/deletion polymorphism, which is located between exon 7 and 8, has been found to associate with gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility. This study was to investigate the relationship between PGC polymorphism with protein expression of PGC in gastric mucosa and serum.

[Detection of Helicobacter pylori genotypes from human gastric mucosa and its association with gastric diseases].

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of detecting Helicobacter pylori (Hp) directly from gastric mucosa and the relationship of HP genotypes to gastric diseases.

Methods: Specimens of gastric mucosa were collected by biopsy from 217 patients, 90 with superficial gastritis (GS), 70 with atrophic gastritis (GA), 28 with gastroesophageal erosions and ulcers (GEU), and 29 with gastric cancer (GC), to undergo pathological examination, culture of Hp, and DNA isolation from the gastric mucosa respectively. Routine phenol/chloroform method was used to isolate the DNA in the cultured Hp.

[The relationship between the polymorphism of MUC1 and susceptibility to gastric cancer in Liaoning region].

Analyzed the relationship between 568 site A/G polymorphism in mucin 1(MUC1) gene in a population from Liaoning Province and susceptibility to gastric cancer. Sequence specific primers-polymerase chain reaction(PCR-SSPs) were performed to analyze the genotype of the A/G polymorphism in its 568 site of exon 2 for 138 gastric cancer cases and 131 normal ones tested, and ELISA was performed to test IgG antibody of H. pylori.

[The conditions of Helicobacter pylori colonization in different gastric diseases].

Objective: To investigate the condition of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) colonization in different gastric diseases and the application of immunostaining technique in Hp density measurement.

Methods: Biopsy specimens of gastric mucosa were obtained from 174 patients with different gastric diseases confirmed by pathological examination, 99 males and 75 females, aged 53.37 (19-87), 135 from Zhuanghe, a high risk area of gastric cancer, and 39 from Shenyang, a low risk area.

Follow-up study on a high risk population of gastric cancer in north China by serum pepsinogen assay.

Objective: To explore the features and clinical significance of serum pepsinogen (PG) assay in a follow-up study on a high-risk gastric cancer (GC) population.

Methods: A total of 444 participants from a high-risk area of GC in north China were enrolled in this follow-up study from April 1997 to December 1999. Serum PG was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the percentage changes in PG were calculated with 'PG( follow-up)/PG (first test)' thrice from the beginning to the end of these 30 months.

Serum pepsinogen levels and their influencing factors: a population-based study in 6990 Chinese from North China.

Aim: To explore the essential characteristics of serum pepsinogen (PG) levels in Chinese people, by analyzing the population-based data on the serum levels of PG I and II and the PG I/II ratio, and their influencing factors in Chinese from North China.

Methods: A total of 6990 subjects, who underwent a gastric cancer screening in North China from 1997 to 2002, were collected in this study. Serum pepsinogen levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Factors affecting the serum gastrin 17 level: an evidence-based analysis of 3906 serum samples among Chinese.

Objective: To investigate the influence of gender, age, site of lesion, disease type and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on the human serum gastrin-17 level and to study the diagnostic value of serum gastrin-17 in gastric precancerous lesions and gastric cancer.

Methods: Serum gastrin-17 and serum H.