ACT001 inhibits pituitary tumor growth by inducing autophagic cell death via MEK4/MAPK pathway.

ACT001, derived from traditional herbal medicine, is a novel compound with effective anticancer activity in clinical trials. However, little is known regarding its role in pituitary adenomas. Here, we demonstrated that ACT001 suppressed cell proliferation and induced cell death of pituitary tumor cells in vitro and in vivo.

Plasma long non-coding RNA BACE1 as a novel biomarker for diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.

Backgrounds: Long non-coding RNA (LncRNA) have been reported to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, but whether it can serve as a biomarker for Alzheimer disease (AD) is not yet known.

Methods: The present study selected four specific LncRNA (17A, 51A, BACE1 and BC200) as possible AD biomarker. RT-qPCR was performed to validate the LncRNA.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Invasive Giant Prolactinomas after a Mean Ten-Year Followup.

. The aim of this study is to observe clinical outcomes after more than ten years of followup in a group of patients with invasive giant prolactinomas (IGPs) treated with dopamine agonists (DAs). .

Dopamine agonist resistance-related endocan promotes angiogenesis and cells viability of prolactinomas.

Dopamine agonists (DAs) are the first-line treatment of prolactinomas. They function through the dopamine 2 receptor (D2R) in the tumor cells. Endocan, also called endothelial cell-specific molecule-1 (ESM1), has been described as a marker of neoangiogenesis.

Antiproliferative and apoptosis-inducing activity of schisandrin B against human glioma cells.

Background: Malignant glioma is the most devastating and aggressive tumour in the brain and is characterised by high morbidity, high mortality and extremely poor prognosis. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of schisandrin B (Sch B) on glioma cells both in vitro and in vivo and to explore the possible anticancer mechanism underlying Sch B-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Methods: The anti-proliferative ability of Sch B on glioma cells were assessed by MTT and clony formation assays.

MicroRNA expression profile of bromocriptine-resistant prolactinomas.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) have been implicated in the resistance of tumors to chemotherapy. However, little is known about miRNA expression in bromocriptine-resistant prolactinomas. In this study, 23 prolactinoma samples were classified as bromocriptine-sensitive or -resistant according to the clinical definition of bromocriptine resistance, and their miRNA expression profiles were determined using Solexa sequencing.

[Inhibitory effect of adenovirus-mediated D2S gene plus bromocriptine therapy on primary cultures of human non-functioning pituitary adenoma cells].

Objective: To explore the inhibitory effect of non-functioning pituitary adenoma (NFPA) cells after a combined treatment of adenovirus mediated D2S gene and bromocriptine in vitro.

Methods: Adenovirus containing dopamine 2 receptor short isoform (D2S) gene was used to infect NFPA cells. The transfection of D2S gene into NFPA cells was confirmed by immunofluorescence.

Natural history of postoperative nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Previous studies attempting to define the natural history of postoperative nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (pNFPAs) were somewhat limited by selection bias and/or small numbers and/or lack of consistency among the study findings. The aim of this study was to scrutinize the literature in order to analyze the natural history of pNFPAs.

Methods: Electronic database including MEDLINE, PubMed and Cochrane CENTRAL were searched.

[Differential expression analysis of prolactinoma-related microRNAs].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the prolactinoma-related microRNAs (miRNA) and the development, growth and hormone secretion of prolactinoma.

Methods: The technique of Solexa sequencing was employed to analyze the differential expressions of prolactinoma and normal anterior pituitary gland samples. And the stem-loop real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was utilized for confirmation.

[Natural history study of postoperative residual non-functioning pituitary adenomas].

Objective: To observe the postoperative residual non-functioning pituitary adenomas (PR-NFPAs) without postoperative radiotherapy and to analyze the natural history of PR-NFPAs' growth in order to provide a basis for selecting appropriate strategies of clinical treatment.

Methods: We evaluated the natural history of 20 patients with PR-NFPAs who did not receive postoperative radiotherapy and drug therapy. Through MRI images, the residual tumor volumes of those patients were serially measured.

Expression of D2RmRNA isoforms and ERmRNA isoforms in prolactinomas: correlation with the response to bromocriptine and with tumor biological behavior.

Invasive prolactinomas are more likely to be resistant to drug therapy but the mechanism of this is still unknown. The objective of this study was to analyze the different expression of ERmRNA and D2RmRNA isoforms in prolactinomas responsive and resistant to dopamine agonist (DA), and to discuss the correlation of such gene expression with tumor biological behavior. A prospective study of 20 consecutive patients who harbored prolactinomas was designed.

Correlation of alternative splicing of the D2 dopamine receptor mRNA and estrogen receptor mRNA in the prolactinomas and gonadotrope tumors.

Objective: Estradiol (E2) acts to modulate the ratio of two dopamine D2 receptor isoforms (D2L/D2S) by the nuclear estrogen receptor (ER) and to reduce dopamine's inhibitory action on PRL secretion. Here we demonstrate the correlation between the expression of ER mRNA and D2R mRNA isoforms in pituitary neoplasms cells.

Methods: Twenty-four human pituitary adenomas (14 prolactinomas and 10 gonadotrope tumors) were examined for the expression of both ER mRNA and D2R mRNA by means of semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis.

Familial and genetic researches on three Chinese families with von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Objective: Hemangioblastoma of the central nervous system (CNS) occur as sporadic tumors or as a part of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, an autosomal dominant hereditary tumor syndrome caused by germline mutation of the VHL tumor suppressor gene. This study shows the clinical characteristics of three large Chinese families with VHL disease and evaluates the consequence of the genetic test for the diagnosis of VHL disease and clinical screening of the family members.

Methods: DNA is extracted from peripheral blood in 43 members from three large families with VHL disease and amplified by PCR to three exons of the VHL gene.

A study of fractured cranial flap refixation.

Objective: To study the techniques of fractured cranial flap refixation (suture, wire and titanium clamps).

Methods: Twenty-four cadaver craniotomy flaps, sawn as fractured flap models, were divided into three groups, and every eight fractured flaps were reattached with sutures, wires and titanium clamps, respectively. Bone flap refixation was timed and measured for offset.

Five years follow-up of invasive prolactinomas with special reference to the control of cavernous sinus invasion.

Background: Few data are presently available on the effective control of cavernous sinus (CS) invasion of invasive prolactinomas. The aim of this retrospective study, through a mean period of 5 years follow up, is to observe the tumor shrinkage of CS invasive prolactinomas, as well as PRL normalization with bromocriptine therapy.

Methods: 68 patients met the criteria of invasive prolactinomas (Grade III or IV in the classification scheme of Knosp and colleagues; serum PRL level greater than 200 ng/ml).

Differential centrifugation in culture and differentiation of rat neural stem cells.

(1) The study of neural stem cells (NSC) has attracted much attention in recent years because of their therapeutic potential. However, the problem in culture and differentiation of NSC was how to obtain single cell suspension that preserves the function of NSC, and remove the debris caused by mechanical dissociation. In the present study, we try to find a simple and effective way to address the problem, i.

Biomechanical evaluation of cranial flap fixation techniques: comparative experimental study of suture, stainless steel wire, and rivetlike titanium clamp.

Objective: To study the techniques of cranial flap fixation (suture, stainless steel wire, and rivetlike titanium clamp) on biomechanics.

Methods: Twenty-four cadaver craniotomy flaps were reattached with either suture, stainless steel wire, or rivetlike titanium clamp. Cranial flap fixation was timed and measured for the offset between cranial flap with craniotomy skull for every fixation technique.

Bromocriptine treatment of invasive giant prolactinomas involving the cavernous sinus: results of a long-term follow up.

Object: The aim of this study was to observe long-term clinical outcomes in a group of patients treated with bromocriptine for invasive giant prolactinomas involving the cavernous sinus.

Methods: Data from 20 patients with invasive giant prolactinomas at the authors' institutions between July 1997 and June 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. The criteria to qualify for study participation included: (1) tumor diameter greater than 4 cm, invading the cavernous sinus to an extent corresponding to Grade III or IV in the classification scheme of Knosp and colleagues; (2) serum prolactin (PRL) level greater than 200 ng/ml; and (3) clinical signs of hyperprolactinemia and mass effect.

[Detection of transfusion transmitted virus infection of healthy blood donors in Hangzhou region and nucleotide sequence analysis of partial positive samples].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) infection in healthy blood donors in Hangzhou area and the mutation of TTV genomic fragment. METHODS DNA in serum samples of 203 healthy donors was extracted by phenol-chloroform method to detect TTV by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction and nucleotide sequences of partial amplification products were determined after T-A cloning. RESULTS TTV infection rate in 203 cases of blood donors in Hangzhou area was 15.