Inflammatory Responses in a Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Epithelial Cell Line (BPH-1) Infected with Trichomonas vaginalis

Trichomonas vaginalis causes the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection worldwide. Trichomonads have been detected in prostatic tissues from prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and prostate cancer. Chronic prostatic inflammation is known as a risk factor for prostate enlargement, benign prostatic hyperplasia symptoms, and acute urinary retention. Our aim was to investigate whether T. vaginalis could induce inflammatory responses in cells of a benign prostatic hyperplasia epithelial cell line (BPH-1). When BPH-1 cells were infected with T. vaginalis, the protein and mRNA of inflammatory cytokines, such as CXCL8, CCL2, IL-1β, and IL-6, were increased. The activities of TLR4, ROS, MAPK, JAK2/STAT3, and NF-κB were also increased, whereas inhibitors of ROS, MAPK, PI3K, NF-κB, and anti-TLR4 antibody decreased the production of the 4 cytokines although the extent of inhibition differed. However, a JAK2 inhibitor inhibited only IL-6 production. Culture supernatants of the BPH-1 cells that had been incubated with live T. vaginalis (trichomonad-conditioned medium, TCM) contained the 4 cytokines and induced the migration of human monocytes (THP-1 cells) and mast cells (HMC-1 cells). TCM conditioned by BPH-1 cells pretreated with NF-κB inhibitor showed decreased levels of cytokines and induced less migration. Therefore, it is suggested that these cytokines are involved in migration of inflammatory cells. These results suggest that T. vaginalis infection of BPH patients may cause inflammation, which may induce lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).     

A Novel Murine Model of Arteriovenous Fistula Failure: The Surgical Procedure in Detail

The arteriovenous fistula (AVF) still suffers from a high number of failures caused by insufficient remodeling and intimal hyperplasia from which the exact pathophysiology remains unknown. In order to unravel the pathophysiology a murine model of AVF-failure was developed in which the configuration of the anastomosis resembles the preferred situation in the clinical setting. A model was described in which an AVF is created by connecting the venous end of the branch of the external jugular vein to the side of the common carotid artery using interrupted sutures. At a histological level, we observed progressive stenotic intimal lesions in the venous outflow tract that is also seen in failed human AVFs. Although this procedure can be technically challenging due to the small dimensions of the animal, we were able to achieve a surgical success rate of 97% after sufficient training. The key advantage of a murine model is the availability of transgenic animals. In view of the different proposed mechanisms that are responsible for AVF failure, disabling genes that might play a role in vascular remodeling can help us to unravel the complex pathophysiology of AVF failure.     

经直肠B 超诊断前列腺增生的图像特征及其临床意义

目的:探讨前列腺增生(BPH)经直肠B超检查的图像特征及其对治疗的指导作用。方法:回顾性分析103例经术后病理组织学诊断确诊的BPH患者临床资料,总结其经直肠B超图像特征,并根据B超诊断结果选择适宜治疗方法。结果:经直肠B超检出BHP 98例,2例误诊,3例漏诊,诊断符合率、误诊率、漏诊率分别为95.14%、1.94%、2.91%;B超图像显示BPH病灶呈细小均匀光点,前列腺变圆、增大,内腺以低回声为主,外腺以低回声及中、低混合回声为主;包膜清晰占62.92%;98例确诊为BPH的患者当中,66例行经尿道电切术、16例在B超引导下行无水乙醇注射,16例行开放性手术。结论:直肠B超通过观察回声、内外腺前后径比例、有无包膜、分界情况等准确诊断前列腺增生,同时可通过测量前列腺重量指导临床治疗。     

非那雄胺联合M受体拮抗剂治疗前列腺增生合并膀胱过度活动症的疗效

目的:探讨非那雄胺联合M受体拮抗剂对前列腺增生合并膀胱过度活动症临床疗效的影响。方法:回顾性研究我院前列腺增生合并膀胱过度活动症的患者60例,随机分为实验组和对照组,每组30例。对照组患者给予M受体拮抗剂,实验组患者在对照组的基础上给予非那雄胺。观察并比较治疗前后两组患者国际前列腺症状评分(IPSS)、膀胱过度活动症评分(OABSS)、残余尿量、最大尿流率、尿急次数以及治疗期间不良反应。结果:与对照组相比,实验组患者IPSS及OABSS较低(P0.05);残余尿量较少,最大尿流率较大,尿急次数较少(P0.05);不良反应发生率较低(P0.05)。结论:非那雄胺联合M受体拮抗剂能够降低前列腺增生合并膀胱过度活动症的不良反应发生率,提高临床疗效,值得在临床上推广应用。     

Sex ratio distortion and reduced lifespan of Glossina pallidipes infected with the virus causing salivary gland hyperplasia

A virus infection, associated with enlargement of the salivary glands (ESG) and gonadal pathology in Glossina pallidipes Austen (Diptera: Glossinidae), was studied in field-caught and laboratory-reared flies. The lifespan of both sexes of infected (ESG-) flies was significantly shorter than that of flies with normal salivary glands (NSG). NSG-females, mated to infected males only or to both infected and normal males, produced predominantly male progeny. In general, NSG-parents produced only NSG-progeny, and ESG-females only ESG-progeny. ESG-males were usually sterile, but a few NSG-females inseminated by ESG-males produced NSG-progeny. One NSG-female, mated first to an ESG-male and then to an NSG-male, produced 3 ESG-sons. As will be discussed, this virus may have important effects (reduced insemination rates, fecundity and lifespan, and sex ratio distortion) on laboratory colonies of G. pallidipes as well as on the regulation of its natural populations.

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Résumé C'est à partir de mouches capturées et élevées au laboratoire à Kibwezi au Kenya, qu'a été étudiée l'infection virale, accompagnée d'hyperplasie des glandes salivaires (ESG) et la pathologie des gonades de G. pallidipes Aust. La durée de vie des mouches contaminées (ESG)_des 2 sexes était significativement plus brève que celle des mouches aux glandes salivaires normales (NSG). Des femelles NSG accouplées uniquement à des mâles contaminés ou à des mâles sains et contaminés, ont donné une descendance majoritairement mâle.En général, des parents NSG ont donné uniquement des enfants NSG, et des femelles ESG des enfants ESG. Les mâles ESG étaient généralement stériles, mais quelques femelles NSG inséminées par des mâles ESG ont donné des enfants NSG. Une femelle NSG accouplée en premier avec un mâle ESG et ensuite à un mâle NSG, a donné 3 fils ESG. Bien que les transmissions orales et sexuelles puissent être naturellement des modes de contamination, la transmission verticale de la mère à la descendance semble être le mécanisme le plus significatif du maintien de ce virus. L'apparition d'enfants ESG de parents NSG est dans quelques cas vraisemblablement due à la présence du virus chez quelques mouches NSG sans qu'il y ait apparemment infection, sans symptômes visibles. Le virus ESG peut avoir des effets importants (diminution des taux d'insémination, de la fécondité, de la durée de vie, et modification de la fréquence des sexes) dans les souches de laboratoire et aussi sur la régulation des populations naturelles de ce vecteur des trypanosomiases africaines.

     

Pistil hyperplasia in rice spikelets as affected by heat stress

Summary Sexual organogenesis in spikelets of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv Kinmaze) affected by heat stress was investigated using SEM and stereo-microscopy. Of the 243 spikelets dissected, 55.6% developed pistil hyperplasia, i.e., proliferated female organs or tissues, including multiple stigmata and/or ovaries, outgrowth of swollen parenchymatous tissues from inside the ovule, and differentiation of trichomes from ovary epidermis. Conversely, 7% of the spikelets exhibited stamen hypoplasia, represented by a decrease in the number of stamens, and only 3.7% of the spikelets showed hyperplasia, represented by an increase in the number of stamens. The morphological and structural development of the anther was disturbed, and microsporogenesis was inhibited. The shape of the anther was altered, though not perfectly, into the form of an ovary; the lemma and palea changed in form and ultimately resembled each other in shape and size. All of these changes in structure are more or less similar to those that usually result in rice spikelets subjected to cold and other environmental stresses. It was therefore concluded that rice plants show similar responses in sex differentiation in the spikelet under various environmental stresses.     

Taenia taeniaeformis: Increased cell growth and neutral mucus production in the gastric mucosa of the rat with a larval infection

Gross hyperplasia of the gastric mucosa and excessive mucus production in the stomach occur in rats heavily parasitized with larvae of Taenia taeniaeformis. In this study, a positive correlation between the number of larvae recovered from hepatic cysts and the weight of the stomachs of infected rats was found. By light microscopy, the hyperplasia was restricted to the glandular mucosa. Parietal and chief cells were very rare, and densely PAS-positive mucous cells were the major cell types in the hyperplastic stomach while, in comparison, alcian blue-positive cells were much fewer in number. The isolated gastric mucosa in organ culture had an increased [³H]thymidine incorporation rate in rats infected with T. taeniaeformis. The hexosamine concentration per milligram protein in the hyperplastic stomach mucosa was twice that in the control rat stomach mucosa. By electron microscopy, the apical cytoplasm of the mucous cells was found to be filled with small dark granules. These results indicate that the gastric hyperplasia is caused by stimulation of growth and major differentiation of stem cells to neutral mucus-producing cells.     

Fasciola hepatica: collagen deposition and other histopathology in the rat host's bile duct caused by the parasite and by proline infusion

Bile ducts were examined histochemically to compare the effects of proline infusion with Fasciola hepatica implantation in rats. After 3 weeks of infusion or implantation, both proline and F. hepatica produced increases in the luminal perimeter and collagen content of the bile duct. However, the effect of the parasite was significantly greater than that of proline, and the parasite produced significant increases in the bile duct wall. These results corroborate earlier biochemical and histological studies indicating the important role of proline in the enlargement of the bile duct in fascioliasis.     

Exosomes from mesenchymal stem cells expressing miR‐125b inhibit neointimal hyperplasia via myosin IE

Intercellular communication between mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and their target cells in the perivascular environment is modulated by exosomes derived from MSCs. However, the potential role of exosome‐mediated microRNA transfer in neointimal hyperplasia remains to be investigated. To evaluate the effects of MSC‐derived exosomes (MSC‐Exo) on neointimal hyperplasia, their effects upon vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) growth in vitro and neointimal hyperplasia in vivo were assessed in a model of balloon‐induced vascular injury. Our results showed that MSC‐Exo were internalised by VSMCs and inhibited proliferation and migration in vitro. Further analysis revealed that miR‐125b was enriched in MSC‐Exo, and repressed the expression of myosin 1E (Myo1e) by targeting its 3? untranslated region. Additionally, MSC‐Exo and exosomally transferred miR‐125b repressed Myo1e expression and suppressed VSMC proliferation and migration and neointimal hyperplasia in vivo. In summary, our findings revealed that MSC‐Exo can transfer miR‐125b to VSMCs and inhibit VSMC proliferation and migration in vitro and neointimal hyperplasia in vivo by repressing Myo1e, indicating that miR‐125b may be a therapeutic target in the treatment of vascular diseases.     

Spadefoot‐tadpole polyphenism: Histological analysis of differential muscle growth in carnivores and omnivores

Understanding the evolution of phenotypic plasticities and the connections among the environment, genotype, and phenotype requires detailed understanding of the proximate mechanisms regulating morphological differences between phenotypes. Spea multiplicata tadpoles can develop into two different phenotypes, i.e. carnivores and omnivores, which differ in many morphological and behavioral traits. One of the major differences is enlargement of the jaw and tail musculature in carnivores relative to those of omnivores. We investigated pattern of muscle enlargement by measuring differences in myofiber number and cross‐sectional area between the phenotypes during early and mid‐development. The data show that both hyperplasia and hypertrophy underlie the carnivores' enlargement of both the orbitohyoideus jaw muscle (OH) and the tail muscle (TL). Carnivores had more OH and TL myofibers than did omnivores at all ages, but the rate of myofiber addition differed, by ～9 and 17 myofibers per day respectively. Carnivores also had larger OH and TL myofibers than did omnivores, at many of the ages studied, and the rate of myofiber cross‐sectional area increase (log‐transformed myofiber cross‐sectional area plotted against age in days) was significantly greater for carnivores than for omnivores in the internal, but not the peripheral, regions for both the OH and TL muscle. J. Morphol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.