However, whether PTN could provide neurotrophic support to neurons by regulating microglia function is not clear. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of PTN was induced in microglia after oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion. PTN promoted the proliferation of microglia by enhancing the G1 to S phase transition. PTN also stimulated the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and nerve growth factor (NGF)
in microglia, but did not upregulate the expression of proinflammatory factors such as TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and iNOS. Mechanistically, we found that PTN increased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase
GSK1210151A mouse (ERK) 1/2 in microglia in both concentration-dependent and time-dependent manners. In addition, ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 abolished the proliferation and G1 to S phase transition of microglia stimulated by PTN, and inhibited the production of BDNF, CNTF and NGF induced by PTN. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that PTN-ERK1/2 pathway plays important role in regulating microglia growth and secretion of neurotrophic factors. These findings provide new insight into the neuroprotective role of Raf inhibitor PTN and suggest that PTN is a new target for therapeutic intervention of stroke. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose: We describe trends in the use of intensity modulated radiotherapy vs 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for prostate cancer and identified predictors of intensity modulated radiotherapy use.
Materials and Methods: From the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results)-Medicare database we identified 52,290 men with incident nonmetastatic heptaminol prostate cancer from 2000 to 2007 who were treated with radiotherapy. We tracked trends in the use of intensity modulated radiotherapy, 3-dimensional conformal
radiotherapy, brachytherapy and combinations. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were described and compared using chi-square and multivariate logistic regression. Trends at the place of service were also examined.
Results: Intensity modulated radiotherapy use increased from 1% of all radiotherapy in 2000 to 70% in 2007. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy use decreased from 75% to 12%. Most cases were treated with intensity modulated radiotherapy monotherapy. In 2007, 12% of the cohort received intensity modulated radiotherapy plus brachytherapy. In 2005, 81% of all external radiation was given as intensity modulated radiotherapy. Except for geography there were minimal differences in patient demographic and clinical characteristics between those treated with 3-dimensional conformal radiotherapy vs intensity modulated radiotherapy.