Upregulation of nemo-like kinase is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer

AIM: To investigate the expression and oncogenic role of nemo-like kinase(NLK) in colorectal cancer.METHODS: Expression of NLK protein was assessed by immunohistochemistry in tissue specimens from 56 cases of normal colorectal mucosa, 51 cases of colorectal adenoma, and 712 cases of colorectal cancer. In addition, NLK expression was knocked down using a lentivirus carrying NLK small hairpin RNA in colorectal cancer cells. Cell viability methylthiazoletetrazolium assays, colony formation assays, flow cytometry cell cycle assays, Transwell migration assays, and gene expression assays were performed to explore its role on proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer.RESULTS: Expression of NLK protein progressively increased in tissues from the normal mucosa through adenoma to various stages of colorectal cancer. Overexpression of NLK protein was associated with advanced tumor-lymph node-metastasis stages, poor differentiation, lymph node and distant metastases, and a higher recurrence rate of colorectal cancer(P < 0.05). Multivariate analyses showed that NLK expression was an independent prognostic factor to predict overallsurvival(hazard ratio 2.57, 95% confidence interval: 1.66-3.98; P < 0.001) and disease-free survival(hazard ratio 1.96, 95% confidence interval: 1.40-2.74: P < 0.001) of colorectal cancer patients. Furthermore, knockdown of NLK expression in colorectal cancer cell lines reduced cell viability, colony formation, and migration, and arrested tumor cells at the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. At the gene level, knockdown of NLK expression inhibited matrix metalloproteinase-2 expression in colorectal cancer cells. CONCLUSION: NLK overexpression is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer and knockdown of NLK expression inhibits colorectal cancer progression and metastasis.

Evaluation on Antisperm Antibody in Infertile Women with Chronic Salpingitis

Objective To evaluate the level of antisperm antibody （ASA） in infertile women with chronic salpingtis. Methods Forty-eight infertile women with chronic salpingtis were enrolled into this study. Serum samples were screened by the direct immunobead test for ASA type IgG and IgA according to the WHO laboratory manual. About 50% or more of the motile sperm attaching to one or more immunobeads were regarded as clinical positivity according to the WHO criteria. About 20% 50% motile sperm that had adherent particles were deemed to be sub-positive. Results Of the 48 patients with chronic salpingtis assessed for ASA-IgG, 4 had immunobead bindings ranged from 50% to 60%, and the positive rate was 8.3%. In addition, 5 cases had 20%-40% of immunobead bindings, and the sub-positive rate was 10.4%. For ASA-IgA detecting, 2 cases with ASA-IgG positivity also had ASA-IgA immunobead bindings, and the positive rates were 22%, and 28%, respectively. Conclusion The incidence of ASA could be found in infertile women with chronic salpingtis, which suggests that an increased risk for the production of ASA would exist in the inflammatory status o f fallopian tube.