Objective: The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2) seems to be influenced by the endocrine environment. Numerous reports demonstrate the diverse expression of Bcl-2 family members under sex steroid regulation. With...Objective: The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2) seems to be influenced by the endocrine environment. Numerous reports demonstrate the diverse expression of Bcl-2 family members under sex steroid regulation. With the exception of estrogen-related tumors, androgen-related tumors have shown their characteristics in Bcl-2 expression. In this study, the status of Bcl-2 expression in male hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients was examined to verify the high incidence of HCC in males.Methods: Tumor tissue microarray was used to examine Bcl-2 expression levels in 374 HCC cases including 306 males and 68 females. Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to investigate the predictive value of Bcl-2 in HCC patients.Results: Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that male patients with higher Bcl-2 levels had significantly longer median survival time and recurrence time than those with lower levels. However, no significant differences in outcomes were found between different Bcl-2 levels in female patients. When the male patients were stratified into several age points, the level of Bcl-2expression showed poorer predictive efficiency in the 45–49 and 55–60 age groups in andropause-age patients compared with other age groups. Bcl-2 was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival(P < 0.0001) and recurrence time(P =0.0001) in male patients. After excluding male patients in the 45–60 age group, the predictive efficiency was enhanced(n = 147,OS, P = 0.0002, TTR, P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Bcl-2 expression is an independent predictor of survival and recurrence in male HCC. Bcl-2 levels may also be regulated by androgens or androgen receptors in male HCC patients. Bcl-2 levels change and exhibit poor predictive efficiency when androgen levels vary dramatically(andropause age).展开更多
The effects of equine chorionic gonadotropin （eCG） on follicular development and ovulation in cyclic guinea pigs were investigated by histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Three groups of guinea pigs （n=12...The effects of equine chorionic gonadotropin （eCG） on follicular development and ovulation in cyclic guinea pigs were investigated by histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Three groups of guinea pigs （n=12） were administrated subcutaneously with saline, 20 or 50 IU of eCG, respectively, on cyclic Day 12 （Day 1=vaginal openings）. Ovaries were collected at 4 and 8 d after administration （6 animals per group each time）. The eCG administration induced significant and distinct morphological changes in the ovaries, as it promoted the luteinization of granulosa cells, but not follicular development. In addition, proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein （STAR） were immunolocalized specifically in luteinized follicles. Our experiments together indicate that eCG administration can induce follicular luteinization but not superovulation in guinea pigs. The eCG in cyclic guinea pigs functions similar to that of luteinizing hormone （LH）, but not follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）.展开更多
文摘Objective: The expression of B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2) seems to be influenced by the endocrine environment. Numerous reports demonstrate the diverse expression of Bcl-2 family members under sex steroid regulation. With the exception of estrogen-related tumors, androgen-related tumors have shown their characteristics in Bcl-2 expression. In this study, the status of Bcl-2 expression in male hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients was examined to verify the high incidence of HCC in males.Methods: Tumor tissue microarray was used to examine Bcl-2 expression levels in 374 HCC cases including 306 males and 68 females. Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox proportional hazards model were applied to investigate the predictive value of Bcl-2 in HCC patients.Results: Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that male patients with higher Bcl-2 levels had significantly longer median survival time and recurrence time than those with lower levels. However, no significant differences in outcomes were found between different Bcl-2 levels in female patients. When the male patients were stratified into several age points, the level of Bcl-2expression showed poorer predictive efficiency in the 45–49 and 55–60 age groups in andropause-age patients compared with other age groups. Bcl-2 was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival(P < 0.0001) and recurrence time(P =0.0001) in male patients. After excluding male patients in the 45–60 age group, the predictive efficiency was enhanced(n = 147,OS, P = 0.0002, TTR, P < 0.0001).Conclusions: Bcl-2 expression is an independent predictor of survival and recurrence in male HCC. Bcl-2 levels may also be regulated by androgens or androgen receptors in male HCC patients. Bcl-2 levels change and exhibit poor predictive efficiency when androgen levels vary dramatically(andropause age).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31172206)
文摘The effects of equine chorionic gonadotropin （eCG） on follicular development and ovulation in cyclic guinea pigs were investigated by histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Three groups of guinea pigs （n=12） were administrated subcutaneously with saline, 20 or 50 IU of eCG, respectively, on cyclic Day 12 （Day 1=vaginal openings）. Ovaries were collected at 4 and 8 d after administration （6 animals per group each time）. The eCG administration induced significant and distinct morphological changes in the ovaries, as it promoted the luteinization of granulosa cells, but not follicular development. In addition, proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA） and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein （STAR） were immunolocalized specifically in luteinized follicles. Our experiments together indicate that eCG administration can induce follicular luteinization but not superovulation in guinea pigs. The eCG in cyclic guinea pigs functions similar to that of luteinizing hormone （LH）, but not follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH）.
