Does local vaginal estrogen after tension-free transobturator vaginal tape reduce overactive bladder symptoms in postmenopausal women? A prospective randomized, controlled study

Objective:We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of topical estrogen after transvaginal tension-free vaginal tape-obturator(TVT-O)in the treatment of de novo overactive bladder symptoms that appear after surgery.Methods:This is a prospective randomized controlled study performed in the Urology and Gynecology Departments,Kasr Al Ainy Hospital,Cairo University,Cairo,Egypt.Two hundred and ten postmenopausal females presenting during the period between January 2017 and November 2020 with stress urinary incontinence were included in the study.Patients were divided into two groups,105 patients in Group A(treatment group)and 105 patients in Group B(control group).Patients in Group A underwent transvaginal TVT-O followed by local vaginal estrogen treatment for 6 months,while patients in Group B underwent transvaginal TVT-O only.The study included any postmenopausal female with urodynamic stress urinary incontinence.All patients had to fulfill a 3-day bladder diary,overactive bladder symptoms score,urine analysis,urodynamic study,and post-voiding residual urine measurement by abdominal ultrasound preoperatively and at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups.Results:At 6-month follow-up,daytime frequency was reduced to 8%in Group A(increased to 21%in Group B)with a statistically significant difference between both groups(p=0.009).At 6-month follow-up,nocturia was 8%in Group A(11%in Group B)with no statistically significant difference between both groups(p=0.469).There was a statistically significant difference between both groups as regards to urinary urgency at 6-month follow-up(p=0.024).There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative wound healing events as regards to cure,hyperemia,gapping,and wound infection 1 week after intervention between both groups(p=0.008).No local or systemic side-effects were reported from local estrogen use.Conclusion:Local vaginal estrogen treatment given to postmenopausal patients after midurethral sling procedures can reduce the symptoms of daytime frequency and urinary urgency.Long-term follow-up is needed.

Intricate roles of estrogen and estrogen receptors in digestive system cancers:a systematic review

Gender disparities are evident across different types of digestive system cancers,which are typically characterized by a lower incidence and mortality rate in females compared to males.This finding suggests a potential protective role of female steroid hormones,particularly estrogen,in the development of these cancers.Estrogen is a well-known sex hormone that not only regulates the reproductive system but also exerts diverse effects on non-reproductive organs mediated through interactions with estrogen receptors(ERs),including the classic(ERαand ERβ)and non-traditional ERs[G protein-coupled estrogen receptor(GPER)].Recent advances have contributed to our comprehension of the mechanisms underlying ERs in digestive system cancers.In this comprehensive review we summarize the current understanding of the intricate roles played by estrogen and ERs in the major types of digestive system cancers,including hepatocellular,pancreatic,esophageal,gastric,and colorectal carcinoma.Furthermore,we discuss the potential molecular mechanisms underlying ERα,ERβ,and GPER effects,and propose perspectives on innovative therapies and preventive measures targeting the pathways regulated by estrogen and ERs.The roles of estrogen and ERs in digestive system cancers are complicated and depend on the cell type and tissue involved.Additionally,deciphering the intricate roles of estrogen,ERs,and the associated signaling pathways may guide the discovery of novel and tailored therapeutic and preventive strategies for digestive system cancers,eventually improving the care and clinical outcomes for the substantial number of individuals worldwide affected by these malignancies.

Estrogen restores disordered lipid metabolism in visceral fat of prediabetic mice

BACKGROUND Visceral obesity is increasingly prevalent among adolescents and young adults and is commonly recognized as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.Estrogen[17β-estradiol(E2)]is known to offer protection against obesity via diverse me-chanisms,while its specific effects on visceral adipose tissue(VAT)remain to be fully elucidated.AIM To investigate the impact of E2 on the gene expression profile within VAT of a mouse model of prediabetes.METHODS Metabolic parameters were collected,encompassing body weight,weights of visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues(VAT and SAT),random blood glucose levels,glucose tolerance,insulin tolerance,and overall body composition.The gene expression profiles of VAT were quantified utilizing the Whole Mouse Genome Oligo Microarray and subsequently analyzed through Agilent Feature Extraction software.Functional and pathway analyses were conducted employing Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses,respectively.RESULTS Feeding a high-fat diet(HFD)moderately increased the weights of both VAT and SAT,but this increase was mitigated by the protective effect of endogenous E2.Conversely,ovariectomy(OVX)led to a significant increase in VAT weight and the VAT/SAT weight ratio,and this increase was also reversed with E2 treatment.Notably,OVX diminished the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism compared to HFD feeding alone,signaling a widespread reduction in lipid metabolic activity,which was completely counteracted by E2 adminis-tration.This study provides a comprehensive insight into E2's local and direct protective effects against visceral adiposity in VAT at the gene level.CONCLUSION In conclusion,the present study demonstrated that the HFD-induced over-nutritional challenge disrupted the gene expression profile of visceral fat,leading to a universally decreased lipid metabolic status in E2 deficient mice.E2 treatment effectively reversed this condition,shedding light on the mechanistic role and therapeutic potential of E2 in combating visceral obesity.

Comprehensive Analysis of Estrogen Receptor 1 Dysregulation in Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Implications for Prognosis and Therapeutic Targeting - A Secondary Publication

The study investigates the expression pattern and regulatory mechanisms of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) through comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. Utilizing UALCAN and GEPIA2 databases, significant down-regulation of ESR1 expression is observed in LIHC samples compared to normal controls, indicating its potential role in tumor progression. Further analysis reveals consistent down-regulation across different clinical variables including patient age, gender, race, and various stages of LIHC, affirming the regulatory role of ESR1 in tumor development and progression. Additionally, promoter methylation analysis demonstrates hypermethylation of ESR1 in LIHC samples, negatively correlating with its expression. This association persists across different clinical parameters, emphasizing the inverse relationship between ESR1 methylation and expression levels. Survival analysis indicates that up- regulation of ESR1 is associated with better overall survival, suggesting its potential as a prognostic biomarker in LIHC. Furthermore, genetic mutation analysis using cBioPortal reveals a spectrum of alterations in ESR1, including amplification, missense mutation, deep deletion, splice mutation, and truncating mutation, highlighting the genetic complexity of ESR1 in LIHC. These findings collectively contribute to a deeper understanding of ESR1 dysregulation in LIHC and its clinical implications as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker.

Changes of Estrogen in Serum and Estrogen Receptor β in the Relevant Brain Regions Following Mating Behavior of the Male Mandarin Vole Microtus mandarinus

In order to investigate the estrogen and estrogen receptor β changes after mating behavior of male mandarin vole （Microtus mandarinus）, the radioimmunoassay （RIA） and immunohistochemistry methods were used to investigate changes of the serum estrogen （E） concentrations, estrogen immunoreactive neurons （E-IRs） and estrogen receptor β immunoreactive neurons （ERβ-IRs） in the relevant brain regions following mating behavior. Fifteen sexually matured male voles were randomly divided into three groups and treated differently： （1） control group： voles were exposed to clean hard-wood shavings （n=5）, （2） exposure group： voles were exposed to the soiled bedding for more than 24h on which estrous females had been placed （n=5）, and （3） mating group： voles were placed with an estrous female for more than 24h （n=5）. The results showed circulating serum E concentrations were significantly higher in the mating group than in the exposure group and the control group, and there were no significant difference between the exposure group and the control group. E-IRs and ERβ-IRs were detected in the following brain regions related to mating behavior： the arcuate nucleus （ARC）, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis （BST）, lateral septal nucleus （LS）, medial amygdaloid nucleus （ME）, medial preoptic area （MPO） and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus （VMH）. The results showed that there were significantly more E-IRs in the six brain regions in the mating group than in the control group and the exposure group, and there were no significant difference between the exposure group and the control group except for LS. There was no significant difference in ERβ-IRs in the six brain regions among the three groups, and there were some lighter -stained ERβ-IRs in these brain regions. The results suggested that estrogen affect mating activity of male mandarin voles, but ERβ might not play an important role in mating behavior of male mandarin voles. Instead, it might be through other receptors.

鱼类性别可塑性的分子机制

鱼类性别具有高度的可塑性,具体表现为天然性逆转、原发性逆转和次发性逆转。近年来,一系列研究都证明鱼类性别可塑性与雌激素密切相关。一旦阻断性腺雌激素的合成,无论是未分化还是已分化卵巢都将性逆转为精巢。鱼类的性别决定通路基因缺失诱导的性逆转也与雌激素相关。重要的是,发现生殖细胞的可塑性依赖于foxl3和dmrt1的同时存在,缺失其中一个都不能通过改变雌激素水平从而诱导性逆转。因此,foxl3和dmrt1是生殖细胞响应雌激素的关键基因。另外,表观遗传调控基因kdm6bb通过选择性剪接介导温度诱导的性逆转。这些研究增进了我们对鱼类性别可塑性分子机制的认识。

绝经后女性体质量指数与内侧单髁置换后疗效的关系

背景:单髁置换后随访中,部分患者出现膝关节疼痛活动受限,其中绝经后肥胖女性最为多见;体质量指数作为衡量身体肥胖程度的重要指标,是否与单髁置换后疗效有关,肥胖是否会影响术后膝关节功能,值得进一步研究。目的:评价绝经后肥胖女性患者行内侧单髁置换后的临床疗效,明确体质量指数对单髁置换后患者生活质量的影响。方法:纳入新疆医科大学第四临床医学院2017年1月至2019年1月因内侧膝关节疼痛并初次行内侧单髁置换的女性绝经患者;根据标准共纳入270例,按照术前体质量指数分为4组:正常组42例(体质量指数18.5-22.9 kg/m^(2)),超重组58例(体质量指数23.0-24.9 kg/m2),肥胖组122例(体质量指数25.0-29.9 kg/m^(2)),重度肥胖组48例(体质量指数≥30 kg/m^(2))。分别比较各组术前、术后及末次随访美国特种外科医院膝关节评分、安大略省西部和麦克马斯特大学骨关节炎指数评分、膝关节活动度、目测类比评分及髋膝踝角;随访并记录患者术后假体使用时间、失效或翻修原因,计算并比较各组假体的有效使用率,采用生存曲线对假体有效使用率进行统计学分析。结果与结论:(1)各组患者间术后随访时间、膝关节活动度、目测类比评分、髋膝踝角比较差异无显著性意义(P>0.05);(2)术后末次随访各组间美国特种外科医院膝关节评分、安大略省西部和麦克马斯特大学骨关节炎指数评分均较术前显著改善(P<0.05),且各组间比较差异有显著性意义(P<0.05),对于美国特种外科医院膝关节评分重度肥胖组改善效果最差;(3)各组术后即刻与末次随访髋膝踝角对比发现,除正常组外(P>0.05),其余各组2个时间点之间差异均有显著性意义(P<0.05);(4)正常、超重、肥胖及重度肥胖组假体有效使用率依次为100%,95%,94%和94%,组间比较差异无显著性意义(χ^(2)=2.532,P=0.469);(5)提示绝经后肥胖女性患者体质量指数值对内侧单髁假体有效使用率无显著影响;肥胖是影响患者术后膝关节功能评分及假体有效使用率的重要因素,单髁置换前后应适当控制体质量,同时女性体质量指数≥30 kg/m^(2)不是单髁置换的最佳适应证,建议行单髁置换的女性患者应将体质量指数控制在30 kg/m^(2)以下。

卵形鲳鲹促性腺激素β亚基的克隆鉴定及其受雌二醇的调控

促性腺激素(GtH,gonadotropin hormone)是垂体合成和分泌的一类重要糖蛋白激素,包括促卵泡生成素(Fsh,follicle stimulating hormone)和促黄体生成素(Lh,luteinizing hormone),在促进性腺发育和成熟过程中发挥重要作用。本研究成功克隆了卵形鲳鲹(Trachinotus ovatus)fshβ和lhβ基因的开放阅读框(ORF,open reading frame)序列,fshβORF长度为363 bp,lhβORF长度为447 bp。通过荧光定量PCR技术(qPCR,quantitative realtime PCR)检测,发现fshβ和lhβ基因在卵形鲳鲹的下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴(HPG,hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis)显著表达,在垂体中的表达水平最高,其次是下丘脑和性腺。此外,通过体外实验评估17β-雌二醇(E2,17β-estradiol)对卵形鲳鲹垂体组织中fshβ和lhβ基因表达的影响。结果显示,10μmol/L E2处理6 h后,GtHβ亚基基因的表达被极显著抑制。最后,使用雌激素受体(ER,estrogen receptor)拮抗剂体外孵育卵形鲳鲹垂体组织,发现广谱性拮抗剂Fulvestrant、ERβ拮抗剂Cyclofenil和ERα拮抗剂MPP(MPP dihydrochloride)均能够消除E2对GtHβ亚基基因表达的抑制作用。综上所述,研究结果表明E2对卵形鲳鲹GtH的分泌具有负反馈调节作用,为卵形鲳鲹生殖调控机制提供了有价值的见解。

Effect of Estrogen and Antiestrogen on Chemotherapeutic Sensitivity of Endometrial Carcinoma Cell Line

Objective: To study the effect of estrogen and tamoxifen on chemotherapeutic sensitivity in ER(+) endometrial carcinoma cells.Methods: DNA fragmentation as the criteria for apoptotic cell death was used to evaluate the value of estrogen, tamoxifen and adriamycin in ER(+) endometrial carcinoma cells. DNA fragmentation was measured with the cell death ELISA.Results: Adriamycin and tamoxifen could induce apoptosis in ER(+) endometrial carcinoma cell. The cell apoptosis level was decreased with the increasing of 17-β-estradiol concentration (P<0.001) and was inversely proportional to 17-β-estradiol concentration (IgM) (P<0.01). The cell apoptosis level was increased with the increasing of tamoxifen concentration (P<0.01) and was also directly proportional to tamoxifen concentration (IgM). Furthermore, the cell apoptosis level was increased significantly after treated with both tamoxifen and adriamycin.Conclusion: Estrogen may block apoptosis induced by adriamycin in ER(+) endometrial carcinoma cell. Tamoxifen can increase the sensitivity of endometrial carcinoma cell to adriamycin. Tamoxifen combined with chemotherapeutic drug may be of significant therapeutic benefit in ER(+) endometrial carcinoma. Key words endometrial carcinoma - estrogen - tamoxifen - adriamycin - cell apoptosis

Association of CA Repeat Polymorphism in Estrogen Receptor β Gene with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis in Chinese

Postmenopausal osteoporosis （PMO） is considered a polygenic disease. The estrogen receptor β （ESR2） gene is a candidate mediating the genetic influence on bone mass and the risk of osteoporosis. The aim of this study is to investigate the association of a cytosine-adenine （CA） repeat polymorphism in the fifth intron of the ESR2 gene with PMO in Chinese Han population. The CA repeat polymorphism was genotyped in a case-control study, involving 78 femoral neck PMO patients vs. 122 controls and 108 lumbar spine （L2-4） PMO patients vs. 92 controls. The （CA）n〈22 and （CA）n≥22 alleles were designated short （S） and long （L）, respectively. ESR2 genotype was categorically defined as SS （2 S alleles）, SL （having the mixed S and L alleles）, and LL （2 L alleles）. At both the femoral neck and the L2-4 region, LL genotype and L allele frequencies of the PMO group were significantly higher than those of the control group （P〈0.01）. The subjects with the SL, the LL, and the combined SL and LL genotype had a significant increased risk of PMO when compared with those with the SS genotype （P〈0.05）. After adjustments for age, years since menopause, menopausal age, and body mass index, logistic regression analysis showed that the subjects with the combined SL and LL genotype had increased risk of PMO when compared with those with the SS genotype both at the femoral neck （adjusted OR 4.923, 95% CI 1.986-12.203 , P=0.001） and the L2-4 （adjusted OR 2.267, 95% CI 1.121-4.598, P=0.023）. This extensive association study has identified the ESR2 CA repeat polymorphism to be independently associated with PMO at the femoral neck and the L2-4 in Chinese Han population. The data also suggested that the presence of the L allele may dominantly increase the risk of PMO at the two regions.

The sexually dimorphic expression of glutamate transporters and their implication in pain after spinal cord injury

In addition to the loss of motor function,~60% of patients develop pain after spinal cord injury.The cellular-molecular mechanisms are not well understood,but the data suggests that plasticity within the rostral,epicenter,and caudal penumbra of the injury site initiates a cellularmolecular interplay that acts as a rewiring mechanism leading to central neuropathic pain.Sprouting can lead to the formation of new connections triggering abnormal sensory transmission.The excitatory glutamate transporters are responsible for the reuptake of extracellular glutamate which makes them a critical target to prevent neuronal hyperexcitability and excitotoxicity.Our previous studies showed a sexually dimorphic therapeutic window for spinal cord injury after treatment with the selective estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen.In this study,we investigated the anti-allodynic effects of tamoxifen in male and female rats with spinal cord injury.We hypothesized that tamoxifen exerts anti-allodynic effects by increasing the expression of glutamate transporters,leading to reduced hyperexcitability of the secondary neuron or by decreasing aberrant sprouting.Male and female rats received a moderate contusion to the thoracic spinal cord followed by subcutaneous slow-release treatment of tamoxifen or matrix pellets as a control(placebo).We used von Frey monofilaments and the“up-down method”to evaluate mechanical allodynia.Tamoxifen treatment decreased allodynia only in female rats with spinal cord injury revealing a sexdependent effect.The expression profile of glutamatergic transporters(excitatory amino acid transporter 1/glutamate aspartate transporter and excitatory amino acid transporter 2/glutamate transporter-1)revealed a sexual dimorphism in the rostral,epicenter,and caudal areas of the spinal cord with a pattern of expression primarily on astrocytes.Female rodents showed a significantly higher level of excitatory amino acid transporter-1 expression while male rodents showed increased excitatory amino acid transporter-2 expression compared with female rodents.Analyses of peptidergic(calcitonin gene-related peptide-α)and non-peptidergic(isolectin B4)fibers outgrowth in the dorsal horn after spinal cord injury showed an increased calcitonin gene-related peptide-α/isolectin B4 ratio in comparison with sham,suggesting increased receptive fields in the dorsal horn.Although the behavioral assay shows decreased allodynia in tamoxifen-treated female rats,this was not associated with overexpression of glutamate transporters or alterations in the dorsal horn laminae fibers at 28 days post-injury.Our findings provide new evidence of the sexually dimorphic expression of glutamate transporters in the spinal cord.The dimorphic expression revealed in this study provides a therapeutic opportunity for treating chronic pain,an area with a critical need for treatment.

长链非编码RNA通过p38MAPK信号通路直接或间接影响骨质疏松症

背景:近年来大量的研究发现长链非编码RNA参与骨质疏松症的发生和发展。p38MAPK信号通路参与骨髓间充质干细胞、成骨细胞以及破骨细胞的分化等过程而参与骨质疏松症的发展,而长链非编码RNA可通过影响p38MAPK信号通路,直接或间接参与骨质疏松症的发生及发展过程。目的:综述长链非编码RNA通过p38MAPK信号通路,直接或间接影响骨质疏松症的进展,为长链非编码RNA在骨质疏松症中预防和治疗提供一个新思路。方法:检索PubMed、中国知网和万方数据库的相关文献,以“长链非编码RNA,骨质疏松,间充质干细胞,成骨细胞,破骨细胞,p38信号通路”为中文检索词,以“long non-coding RNA,osteoporosis,mesenchymal stem cells,osteoblasts,osteoclast,p38 signaling pathway”为英文检索词,排除陈旧、重复以及可信度低的观点,将检索到的文献进行归纳、总结和分析,选取76篇具有代表性的文章。结果与结论:(1)长链非编码RNA通过多种途径参与骨质疏松症的防治,包括促进骨髓间充质干细胞的成骨分化、促进成骨细胞分化和成骨细胞分泌活性、抑制破骨细胞增殖和对骨的吸收作用,以及调节成骨相关细胞通路的激活或抑制,激活p38MAPK信号通路延缓骨质疏松症进展,抑制该信号通路抑制破骨细胞的吸收作用,从而影响骨质疏松的发生和发展。(2)相应长链非编码RNA的过表达或低表达会通过p38MAPK信号通路来影响成骨细胞和破骨细胞的增殖或分化,调节骨重塑过程,进而影响骨质疏松症的发生和发展。大量的基础研究结果显示,长链非编码RNA和p38MAPK信号通路或许可以成为骨质疏松症治疗中的潜在应用和临床转化价值;且相应的长链非编码RNA过表达或低表达慢病毒、转染质粒,相应的p38MAPK信号通路抑制剂等在体外细胞实验及动物模型中都被证实有靶向调控作用。(3)因此,通过靶向调控长链非编码RNA和p38MAPK信号通路来调节骨髓间充质干细胞的分化和功能,或通过长链非编码RNA和p38MAPK信号通路来抑制破骨细胞的增殖分化,或许能提供一种创新的治疗策略,可以延缓骨质疏松症的进展。

人脐带间充质干细胞联合褪黑素治疗化疗致早发性卵巢功能不全的作用及机制

背景:目前研究证明,人脐带间充质干细胞和褪黑素均可改善卵巢功能,但人脐带间充质干细胞联合褪黑素对化疗所致早发性卵巢功能不全的保护作用及机制尚未有研究报道。目的:探讨人脐带间充质干细胞联合褪黑素对化疗所致早发性卵巢功能不全的保护作用及机制。方法:将动情周期正常的40只Wistar大鼠随机分为对照组、模型组、人脐带间充质干细胞组、褪黑素组和人脐带间充质干细胞+褪黑素组,每组8只。除对照组外,其他组腹腔注射顺铂溶液构建早发性卵巢功能不全大鼠模型,人脐带间充质干细胞组和人脐带间充质干细胞+褪黑素组于造模后第1,6,11天分别尾静脉注射1×10^(6)个人脐带间充质干细胞,褪黑素组和人脐带间充质干细胞+褪黑素组每日腹腔注射10 mg/kg褪黑素,治疗期间监测大鼠体质量和动情周期变化。治疗14 d后,ELISA法检测血清雌二醇、卵泡刺激素、促黄体生成素、抗缪勒管激素水平,计算卵巢指数,苏木精-伊红染色观察卵巢组织学形态,透射电镜观察卵巢颗粒细胞超微结构,Western blot检测PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路蛋白和LC3、P62等自噬蛋白在卵巢组织中的表达。结果与结论:(1)与对照组相比,模型组大鼠体质量逐渐减轻、动情周期紊乱,卵巢指数显著下降(P<0.01);雌二醇、抗缪勒管激素水平降低(P<0.01),卵泡刺激素、促黄体生成素水平升高(P<0.01);卵巢组织学形态和卵巢颗粒细胞超微结构严重破坏;p-PI3K/PI3K、p-AKT/AKT、p-mTOR/mTOR和P62蛋白表达显著降低(P<0.01),LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ蛋白表达显著升高(P<0.001)。(2)与模型组相比,各治疗组大鼠体质量逐渐恢复,部分大鼠动情周期恢复正常,卵巢指数显著升高(P<0.01);雌二醇、抗缪勒管激素水平升高(P<0.05),卵泡刺激素、促黄体生成素水平降低(P<0.05);卵巢组织学形态和卵巢颗粒细胞超微结构显著改善;p-PI3K/PI3K、p-AKT/AKT、p-mTOR/mTOR和P62蛋白表达显著升高(P<0.001),LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ蛋白表达显著降低(P<0.01)。其中人脐带间充质干细胞+褪黑素组上述指标改善更为显著。结果表明,人脐带间充质干细胞联合褪黑素可能通过上调PI3K/AKT/mTOR信号通路,抑制卵巢颗粒细胞自噬来治疗早发性卵巢功能不全。

Prognostic implications of estrogen receptor 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor A expression in primary gallbladder carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the prognostic significance of estrogen receptor 1(ER1) and vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGF-A) expression in primary gallbladder carcinoma(GBC) to identify new prognostic markers for this malignancy.METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry, we investigated ER1 and VEGF-A expression in 78 GBC and 78 cholelithiasis(CS) tissues. The results were correlated with clinicopathological features. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between ER1 and VEGF-A expression and patients' prognosis. Further Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was also performed. RESULTS: ER1 and VEGF-A expression was significantly higher in GBC compared with CS(47/78 vs 28/78, P < 0.05; 51/78 vs 33/78, P < 0.05). ER1 expression was correlated with gender(P < 0.05) and VEGF-A expression was correlated with tumor differentiation in GBC patients(P < 0.05). In univariate analysis, age and tumor node metastasis(TNM) stage were factors associated with GBC prognosis(P < 0.05). Although there was no statistical difference between the expression of ER1 or VEGF-A and overall survival, the high expression of ER1 combined with VEGF-A predicted a poor prognosis for GBC patients(16.30 ± 1.87 vs 24.97 ± 2.09, log-rank P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, combined expression of ER1 and VEGF-A and TNM stage were independent prognostic factors for GBC patients(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Combined expression of ER1 and VEGF-A is a potential prognostic marker for GBC patients. Clinical detection of ER1 and VEGF-A in surgically resected GBC tissues would provide animportant reference for decision-making of postoperative treatment programs.

Estrogen receptors in gastric cancer:Advances and perspectives

Worldwide, gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies with high mortality. Various aspects of thedevelopment and progression of gastric cancer continue to be extensively investigated in order to further our understanding and provide more effective means for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the disease. Estrogen receptors(ERs) are steroid hormone receptors that regulate cellular activities in many physiological and pathological processes in different tissues. There are two distinct forms of ERs, namely ERα and ERβ, with several alternative-splicing isoforms for each. They show distinct tissue distribution patterns and exert different biological functions. Dysregulation of ERs has been found to be associated closely with many diseases, including cancer. A number of studies have been conducted to investigate the role of ERs in gastric cancer, the possible mechanisms underlying these roles, and the clinical relevance of deregulated ERs in gastric cancer patients. To date, inconsistent associations of different ERs with gastric cancer have been reported. These inconsistencies may be caused by variations in in vitro cell models and clinical samples, including assay conditions and protocols with regard to different forms of ERs. Given the potential of the deregulated ERs as diagnostic/prognostic markers or therapeutic targets for gastric cancer, it will be important to identify/confirm the association of each ER isoform with gastric cancer, to determine the specific roles and interactions that these individual ER isoforms play under specific conditions in the development and/or progression of gastric cancer, and to elucidate precisely these mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the achievements from early ER studies in gastric cancer to the most up-to-date discoveries, with an effort to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of ERs roles in gastric cancer and its possible mechanisms. Furthermore, we propose directions for future investigations.

Estrogens in males: what have we learned in the last 10 years?

This review focuses on the role of estrogen in men, mainly in male reproduction. The continuing increase in data obtained, and recent discoveries in this area will enable a better understanding of male physiology; these, in turn, will have important clinical implications.

Estrogenic activities of two synthetic pyrethroids and their metabolites

Synthetic pyrethroids （SPs） are among the most common pesticides in current use, and so far, several SPs have been assessed for their potential estrogenicities by various methods. Previous studies have shown that the estrogenicities partly come from their metabolites. Although considerable information is available with respect to the metabolism and environmental degradation of SPs, little is known about the estrogenicities of the metabolites. In this study, permethrin （PM） and β-cypermethrin （CP）, as well as their metabolites （3-phenoxybenzoic alcohol （PBCOH）, 3-phenoxybenzaldehyde （PBCHO） and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid （PBCOOH） were evaluated for their estrogenic activities in the MCF-7 human breast carcinoma cell line. In the MCF-7 cell proliferation assay, PM and CP exhibited significant estrogenic activities at 10-7 mol/L, comparable to 17β-estradiol （E2） of 10-9 tool/L, with the relative proliferative effect ratios of 55.4% and 56.3%, respectively. The real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR） results confirmed the estrogenicities of PM and CP with significant alteration of pS2 and ERα mRNA levels observed at 10-6 mol/L. For the three major metabolites, PBCOH and PBCOOH exhibited estrogenic activities in all assays, while no significant estrogenic responses was observed for PBCHO compared to the vehicle control. In particular, PBCOH had even slightly stronger estrogenic activity than its parent compounds, indicating that metabolism may be one of the reasons for the estrogenicities of the SPs. Given the widespread use of SPs, the toxicological effects of parent compounds and their metabolites should be taken into consideration in the risk assessment of SPs.

Proliferation and phenotypic changes of stromal cells in response to varying estrogen/androgen levels in castrated rats

It is known that human benign prostatic hyperplasia might arise from an estrogen/androgen （E/T） imbalance. We studied the response of castrated rat prostate to different ratios of circulating E/T. The castrated male Wistar rats were randomly injected with E/T at different ratios for 4 weeks. The prostates of E/T （1：100） group showed a distinct prostatic hyperplasia response by prostatic index, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and quantitative immunohistochemical analysis of a-smooth muscle actin （SMA）. In this group, cells positive for Vimentin, non-muscle myosin heavy chain （NMMHC） and proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） increased in the stroma and epithelium. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain （SMMHC） and NMMHC increased. So E/T at a ratio of 1：100 can induce a stromal hyperplastic response in the prostate of castrated rats. The main change observed was an increase of smooth muscle cells, whereas some epithelial changes were also seen in the rat prostates.

Estrogen, estrogen receptors, and hepatocellular carcinoma: Are we there yet?

A protective role of the sex steroid hormone estrogenin hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) was suggested a few decades ago according to clinical data showing higher HCC morbidity and mortality among males. Several recent studies further confirmed the anti-cancer effects of estrogen in the liver. However, it remains to be identified how to exploit estrogen signalling within clinical settings for HCC treatment. There are several unresolved issues related to the estrogen pathway in liver cells. The main problems include the absence of a clear understanding of which estrogen receptor(ER) isoform is predominantly expressed in normal and malignant liver cells, the ER isoform expression difference between males and females, and which ER isoform should be targeted when designing HCC therapy. Some of those questions were recently addressed by Iyer and coauthors. The current editorial review critically analyses the study by Iyer et al(WJG, 2017) that investigated the expression of ER subtypes in liver samples collected from patients with a healthy liver, hepatitis C virus cirrhosis, and HCC. ER presence was evaluated in association with gender, intracellular localization, inflammation marker NF-kB, and proliferation-related effector cyclin D1. The study limitations and advantages are discussed in light of recent advances in the HCC and estrogen signalling areas.

Interleukin-1 and estrogen protect against disseminating dentoalveolar infections

Dentoalveolar bacterial infections cause localized tissue and bone destruction, but usually remain well-localized within teeth in immunocompetent hosts. However, in certain cases these infections may invade head and neck tissues, resulting in orofacial abscesses, cellulitis and sepsis, with resultant high morbidity and even mortality. In the present studies, we developed a novel model of spreading dentoalveolar infections in mice by treatment with neutralizing antibodies against both interleukin-la （IL-1a） and IL-1β. Surprisingly male but not female mice given anti-lL-1 antibodies developed orofacial abscesses, weight loss, splenomegaly and sepsis. Female mice developed abscesses and sepsis comparable to males following ovariectomy （OVX）, which was reversed by estrogen supplementation. Anti-lL-1 blockade inhibited IL-12, interferon y （IFNy） and IL-6 but not IL-IO expression in infrabony lesions, suggestive of a local anti-inflammatory response. There was greater infiltration of neutrophils and other inflammatory ceils into lesions in anti-lL-l-treated animals; however, blood leukocytes had reduced bacterial phagocytic and killing activity ex vivo. Estrogen directly stimulated IL-1 production by macrophages, suggesting that the resistance of females to disseminating dentoalveolar infections may be due to their heightened pro-inflammatory responses following bacterial challenge, leading to enhanced localization of these infections.