Type-dependent differential expression of neuropeptide Y in chicken hypothalamus (Gallus domesticus)

Neuropeptide Y （NPY） is one of the most important orexigenic agents in central regulation of feeding behavior, body weight and energy homeostasis in domestic chickens. To examine differences in the hypothalamic NPY between layer-type and meat-type of chickens, which are two divergent kinds of the domestic chickens in feeding behavior and body weight, we detected mRNA levels of NPY in hypothalamic infundibular nucleus （IN）, paraventricular nucleus （PVN） and lateral hypothalamic area （LHA） of these two types of chickens using one-step real time RT-PCR. The meat-type chicken had more food daily （about 1.7 folds） and greater body weights （about 1.5 folds） and brain weights than the layer-type chicken at the age of 14 d. In the meat-type of chicken, NPY mRNA levels of the IN and PVN were significantly greater than those of the LHA, and were not significantly different between the lN and PVN. However, in the layer-type of chicken, NPY mRNA levels were significantly greater in the IN than those in the LHA and PVN, and were not significantly different between the PVN and LHA. In all these hypothalamic regions the layer-type of chicken had significantly higher NPY mRNA levels than the meat-type chicken did. These results suggest the expression of NPY in the hypothalamus has a type-dependent pattern in domestic chickens.

Efficacy and clinical/molecular predictors of erlotinib monotherapy for Chinese advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Background A retrospective analysis of clinical data were conducted reviewing patients who were given erlotinib at Peking Union Medical College （PUMC） Hospital from May 2005 to December 2009. Relationships between clinical factors, epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） mRNA expression, EGFR gene mutations, KRAS gene mutations and clinical outcomes were investigated in Chinese patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC）. Methods Patients with stage ⅢB/Ⅳ NSCLC who had not previously participated in erlotinib related clinical trials were enrolled into this study. All patients were given oral erlotinib 150 mg per day. Tumor samples of some patients were accessed with mutant-enriched polymerase chain reaction assay （EGFR, KRAS gene mutations） and multiplex branched DNA assay （EGFR mRNA expression）. Results Seventy-nine patients were enrolled in this study, 23 patients had a partial response （PR）, 36 patients had a stable disease （SD）, 20 patients had a PD, with an objective response rate of 29.1%, and a disease control rate of 74.7%. Females （P=0.023）, non-smokers （P=0.013）, patients with a skin rash （P=0.047）, and with highly differentiated tumors （P=0.037） were significantly correlated with the objective response rate. Patients with a lower ECOG PS （P=0.002）, highly differentiated tumors （P=0.014）, non-smokers （P=0.002）, and patients with a skin rash （P 〈0.001） were significantly correlated with the disease control rate. The median progression-free survival was 35 weeks （95% CI： 13-57 weeks） and 1-year survival was 72.3%. Highly-differentiated tumors （P=0.027） and patients with a skin rash （P 〈0.001） were significantly correlated with PFS. Seventeen patients were tested for EGFR/KRAS gene mutations and EGFR mRNA expression. Progression-free survival （PFS） of patients with EGFR exon 19/21 mutations was 66 weeks, longer than patients with wild type EGFR exon 19/21 （P=0.018）. No significant relationships were found between EGFR mRNA expression, EGFR exon 19/21 mutations, and KRAS mutations and objective response rate or disease control rate. The most common adverse events were skin rash （60.9%） and diarrhea （26.6%）. Conclusions Erlotinib was safe and effective in treating Chinese patients with advanced NSCLC. The PFS of patients who had a skin rash, highly differentiated tumors, or EGFR exon 19/21 mutations was significantly longer.