Intra-NAC NMDA evoked prefrontal ACh release in rats receiving TT

Intra-NAC NMDA evoked prefrontal ACh release in rats receiving TTX, on PD7, into the dorsal hippocampus (DH), basolateral amygdala, or NAC. Thus, impulse flow specifically within the VH, during a sensitive period of development, is necessary for the functional organization

of a mesolimbic-cortical circuit known to mediate attentional control processes. Therefore, neonatal inactivation of VH represents an effective animal model for studying the basis of certain cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Neuropsychopharmacology (2011) 36, 2477-2487; doi:10.1038/npp.2011.136; selleck screening library published online 3 August 2011″
“Oxytocin is known to have anti-anxiety and anti-stress effects. Using a fear-potentiated startle paradigm in rats, we previously demonstrated that subcutaneously administered oxytocin suppressed acoustic startle following fear conditioning compared with startle before fear conditioning (termed background anxiety),

but did not have an effect on cue-specific fear-potentiated startle. The findings suggest oxytocin reduces background anxiety, an anxious state not directly related to cue-specific fear, but sustained beyond the immediate threat. The goal of the present study was to compare the effects of centrally and peripherally administered oxytocin on background anxiety and cue-specific fear. Male rats were given oxytocin either subcutaneously (SC) or intracerebroventricularly (ICV) into the lateral ventricles before fear-potentiated startle testing. PF299804 Oxytocin doses of 0.01 and 0.1 mu g/kg SC reduced background anxiety. ICV administration of oxytocin at doses from 0,002 to 20 mu g oxytocin had no effect on background anxiety or cue-specific fear-potentiated startle. The 20 mu g ICV dose of oxytocin did reduce acoustic startle in non-fear conditioned rats. These studies buy I-BET151 indicate that oxytocin is potent and effective in reducing background anxiety when delivered peripherally, but not when delivered into the cerebroventricular system. Oxytocin given systemically may have anti-anxiety properties that are

particularly germane to the hypervigilance and exaggerated startle typically seen in many anxiety and mental health disorder patients. Neuropsychopharmacology (2011) 36, 2488-2497; doi:10.1038/npp.2011.138; published online 27 July 2011″
“Rapid tolerance develops to many of nicotine’s behavioral and autonomic effects, A better understanding of the spatiotemporal patterns in neuronal activity as a consequence of acute nicotine tolerance (tachyphylaxis) may help explain its commonly found inverted ‘U’-shaped biphasic dose-effect relationship on various behaviors. To this end, we employed high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging and relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) as a marker of neuronal activity, to characterize the regional development of acute tolerance as a function of nicotine dose in naive, anesthetized rats. A single intravenous nicotine injection at 0.1 and 0.3, but not 0.

Finally, immunohistochemical analysis of subunit expression revea

Finally, immunohistochemical analysis of subunit expression revealed distinct intracellular localization of the 26S proteasomal subunits at baseline and confirmed upregulation of distinct subunits following NO exposure. In conclusion, NO reversibly inhibits the catalytic activity of the 26S proteasome through S-nitrosylation and differentially regulates proteasomal subunit expression. This

may be one mechanism by which NO exerts its effects on the cell cycle and inhibits cellular proliferation in the vasculature. Published by Elsevier Inc.”
“Increasing evidence points to the importance of the interferon (IFN) response in determining the host range and virulence of African swine fever Selleck Tariquidar virus (ASFV). Infection with attenuated strains of ASFV leads to the upregulation of genes controlled by IFN pathways, including myxovirus resistance (Mx) genes that are potent effectors of the antiviral state. Mx gene products are known to inhibit the replication of many negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, as well as double-stranded RNA viruses, positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, and the reverse-transcribing DNA virus hepatitis B virus. Here, we provide data that extend the known range of viruses inhibited by Mx to include the large double-stranded DNA viruses. Stably transfected Vero cells expressing human MxA protein

did not support ASFV plaque formation, and virus replication in these cells was reduced 100-fold compared with that in control cells. In contrast, ASFV replication in cells Selleck Cyclosporin A expressing MxB protein or a mutant MxA protein was similar to that in control Vero cells. There was a drastic reduction in ASFV late protein synthesis in MxA-expressing

cells, correlating with the results of previous work on the effect of IFN on viral replication. Strikingly, the inhibition of ASFV replication was linked to the recruitment of MxA FK506 solubility dmso protein to perinuclear viral assembly sites, where the protein surrounded the virus factories. Interactions between ASFV and MxA were similar to those seen between MxA and different RNA viruses, suggesting a common inhibitory mechanism.”
“Nitric oxide (NO) is a bioactive gaseous, multifunctional molecule playing a central role and mediating a variety of physiological processes and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses including heavy metals. The present study investigated whether NO applied exogenously as sodium nitroprusside (SNP) has any protective role against arsenic (As) toxicity in Oryza sativa (rice). Treatment with 50 mu M SNP (a NO donor) significantly ameliorated the As-induced (25 or 50 mu M) decrease in root and coleoptile length of rice. Further, As-induced oxidative stress measured in terms of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide ion (O(2)(-center dot)), root oxidizability and H(2)O(2) content was lesser upon supplementation of NO. It indicated a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging activity of NO.

2 COMT activity and proline levels may therefore be altered in 2

2. COMT activity and proline levels may therefore be altered in 22q11DS individuals. Associations of both COMT158 genotype and elevated serum proline levels with abnormal brain function have been reported. Fifty-six 22q11DS children and 75 healthy controls were assessed on physiological measures of brain function,

including prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle, P50 auditory sensory gating and smooth pursuit eye movements (SPEM). COMT158 genotype and plasma proline levels were determined in the 22q11DS children. We hypothesized an interaction between the COMT158 genotype and proline, predicting the strongest negative effect of high proline on brain function to occur in 22q11DS children who are carriers of the COMT met allele. Of the three physiological www.selleckchem.com/products/incb28060.html measures, only SPEM and PPI were abnormal in the

patient sample. With regard to the SPEM performance, there was a significant interaction between the COMT158 genotype and proline level with significantly decreased SPEM performance in children with high plasma proline levels and the low activity COMT met allele. A similar interaction effect was not observed with regard to PPI. These findings are consistent with a model in which elevated proline negatively affects brain function by an increase in dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. 22q11DS patients with low dopamine catabolic capacity are therefore especially vulnerable to this functional disruption.”
“Type 1 diabetes is a common metabolic disorder accompanied Selleck LXH254 by an increased secretion of glucocorticoids and cognitive deficits. Chronic excess of glucocorticoids per se can evoke similar neuropathological signals linked to its major target in the brain, the hippocampus. This deleterious action exerted by excess adrenal stress hormone is mediated by glucocorticoid receptors (GRs). The aim of the present study was to assess whether excessive stimulation of GR is causal to compromised neuronal viability and cognitive performance MM-102 nmr associated with the hippocampal function of the diabetic mice. For this purpose, mice had type 1 diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ) administration (170 mg/kg, i.p.). After 11 days,

these STZ-diabetic mice showed increased glucocorticoid secretion and hippocampal alterations characterized by: (1) increased glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes as a marker reacting to neurodegeneration, (2) increased c-Jun expression marking neuronal activation, (3) reduced Ki-67 immunostaining indicating decreased cell proliferation. At the same time, mild cognitive deficits became obvious in the novel object-placement recognition task. After 6 days of diabetes the GR antagonist mifepristone (RU486) was administered twice daily for 4 days (200 mg/kg, p.o.). Blockade of GR during early type 1 diabetes attenuated the morphological signs of hippocampal aberrations and rescued the diabetic mice from the cognitive deficits.

In AS, sulfasalazine studies showed significant pain reduction, w

In AS, sulfasalazine studies showed significant pain reduction, whereas use of other DMARDs did not. In PsA, 5 of 6 studies reported VAS-pain improvement. From the studies included, we were unable Liproxstatin-1 clinical trial to assess the influence of disease duration on pain outcomes in these rheumatic conditions. DMARDs improve pain in early and established RA. Sulfasalazine may improve pain in AS and PsA. Further study is needed to assess the relationship between disease duration and DMARD efficacy in reducing pain in these conditions.”
“There are several studies on the association of TLR9 polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in different ethnicities; however,

the results are inconsistent. Therefore, we studied the distribution of the TLR9 C > T (rs352140) polymorphism in patients with SLE (n = 254) and controls (n = 521) in a Polish population. We did not observe significant differences in the prevalence of the TLR9 C > T genotype and alleles between patients with SLE and controls. However, we found a contribution of the T/T and T/C genotypes to renal [OR = 2.949 (95 % CI = 1.523-5.711, p = 0.001), (p (corr) = 0.017)] and immunologic disorders [OR = 2.938 (95 % CI 1.500-5.755, p = 0.0012), (p (corr) = 0.0204)] in SLE patients. Moreover, we observed a significant association between the TLR9 T/T and T/C genotypes

and the presence of anti-dsDNA Ab [OR = 3.682 (1.647-8.230, p = 0.001), (p (corr) = 0.017)]. Our studies suggest that the TLR9 C > T Lapatinib order (rs352140) polymorphism might contribute to renal and immunologic disorders and to the presence of anti-dsDNA Ab.”
“The aim was to further characterize the SKG model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its potential for studying intervention treatments, with special focus on bone targeting therapies. Three individual studies were conducted, using a total of 71 SKG mice, comparing arthritis induction with mannan versus zymosan A, female versus male mice, and the effect of dexamethasone intervention treatment initiated at different

time points after arthritis induction. Hind paws were embedded undecalcified in methyl methacrylate, and sections were stained with Masson-Goldner trichrome. Areal Bone Mineral Density (aBMD) of the femora was determined with pDXA. RNA was extracted from the hind paws followed by the many quantification by reverse transcriptase PCR. SKG mice stimulated with mannan presented a higher arthritis score than mice stimulated with zymosan A. Female SKG mice developed a more severe arthritis than male SKG mice. Dexamethasone inhibited arthritis clinically as well as histologically when the treatment was initiated prophylactically or within the first week of arthritis. Femoral aBMD was lower in animals with arthritis than in control animals. The RANKL RNA expression was elevated in arthritic mice, whereas OPG RNA expression was unchanged.

We found that as a consequence of an acidic milieu and/or oxidati

We found that as a consequence of an acidic milieu and/or oxidative stress the copper-binding capacity of serum albumin strongly declined, leading to significant dissociation of copper ions into the ambient solution. At physiologically relevant pH-values Cu2+ ions in combination with physiologically available copper reductants (i.e., ascorbate, glutathione, Fe2+) significantly enhanced nitrite

reduction and subsequent non-enzymatic NO generation under hypoxic but also normoxic conditions. Our data demonstrate for the first time that upon ischemic conditions carrier protein-dissociated copper ions combined with appropriate reductants may serve as Cu1+-driven catalytic sites for nitrite reduction, leading to the formation of biologically relevant NO formation. Thus, in addition to the action of heme proteins, copper-catalyzed non-enzymatic NO formation from nitrite might represent a further Eltanexor chemical structure physiologically relevant vasodilating and NO-dependent protective principle to ischemic stress. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“Using biological markers to objectively measure addiction severity or to identify individuals who might benefit most from pro-cognitive treatment could

potentially revolutionize neuropsychopharmacology. We investigated the use of dopamine selleckchem receptor mRNA levels in circulating blood cells as predictors of cognitive response following dopamine agonist treatment, and as biomarkers of the severity of stimulant drug dependence.

We employed a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design, administering a single dose of the selective dopamine D(2/3) receptor agonist pramipexole (0.5 mg) to increase dopamine transmission in one session and a placebo treatment in another session in 36 volunteers. Half the volunteers had a formal diagnosis of stimulant dependence, while half had no

psychiatric history. Participants performed neurocognitive tests from the CANTAB battery on both occasions, and stimulant-dependent individuals rated drug craving using visual analog scales. Whole-blood ISRIB mouse mRNA levels were measured for three dopamine-related genes: DRD3 and DRD4 (dopamine receptors), and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; a dopamine catabolic enzyme).

Stimulant users performed worse than healthy volunteers on the cognitive tests. The variation in peripheral dopamine D(3) receptor mRNA expression explained over one quarter of the variation in response to pramipexole on the spatial working memory test across all participants. The severity of stimulant dependence was also significantly associated with peripheral COMT mRNA expression in stimulant users.

Peripheral expression of dopamine-related genes may be useful as a biomarker of cognitive response to dopamine agonist drugs and of severity of addiction to dopamine-releasing stimulant drugs.

SB222200 blocked the effects of senktide In striatal slices prep

SB222200 blocked the effects of senktide. In striatal slices prepared from 6-OHDA-lesioned rats repeatedly treated with L-DOPA, senktide no longer increased P-Thr(286)-CaMKII, suggesting a role of NK(3)R on dopamine terminals under normal conditions. SB222200 increased P-Set(217/221)-MEK only in dopamine-depleted slices, indicating an increased NK(3)R tone under Parkinsonism conditions. Altogether, these data demonstrate a differential regulation of NKB and SP by L-DOPA in an animal model of PD and indicate a unique role of NKB selleck in long-term effects of L-DOPA. Behavioural, biochemical and amperometric data indicate that NKB/NK(3)R signalling stimulates

dopamine transmission at the presynaptic site, but inhibits it at the postsynaptic site. The inhibitory influence of NKB/NK(3)R on dopamine transmission dominates in an animal model of PD and provides a feedback inhibition on actions mediated Via L-DOPA. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“We have calibrated five different molecular clocks for circulating poliovirus based

upon the rates of fixation of total substitutions (K-t), synonymous substitutions (K-s), synonymous transitions (A(s)), synonymous transversions (B-s), and nonsynonymous substitutions (K-a) into the P1/capsid region (2,643 nucleotides). Rates were determined over a 10-year period by analysis of PI3K inhibitor sequences of 31 wild poliovirus type 1 isolates representing a well-defined phylogeny derived from a common imported ancestor. Similar rates were obtained by linear regression, the maximum likelihood/single-rate dated-tip method, and Bayesian inference. The very rapid K-t [(1.03 +/- 0.10) x 10(-2) substitutions/site/year] and K-s [(1.00 +/- 0.08) x 10(-2)]

clocks were driven primarily by the A(s) clock [(0.96 +/- 0.09) x 10(-2)], the B-s clock was similar to 10-fold slower [(0.10 +/- 0.03) x 10(-2)], and the more stochastic K-a clock was similar to 30-fold slower [ (0.03 +/- 0.01) x MLN2238 in vitro 10(-2)]. Nonsynonymous substitutions at all P1/capsid sites, including the neutralizing antigenic sites, appeared to be constrained by purifying selection. Simulation of the evolution of third-codon positions suggested that saturation of synonymous transitions would be evident at 10 years and complete at similar to 65 years of independent transmission. Saturation of synonymous transversions was predicted to be minimal at 20 years and incomplete at 100 years. The rapid evolution of the K-t, K-s, and A(s) clocks can be used to estimate the dates of divergence of closely related viruses, whereas the slower B-s and K-a clocks may be used to explore deeper evolutionary relationships within and across poliovirus genotypes.”
“Allosteric modulation of ligand-gated ion channels can play important roles in shaping synaptic transmission.

Owing to their adverse effects on the secretion machinery, stress

Owing to their adverse effects on the secretion machinery, stresses such as ischemia can impair the folding of secreted proteins. Paradoxically, cells rely on secreted proteins to mount a response designed to resist stress-induced damage. This review examines this paradox using proteins SHP099 order secreted from the heart, cardiokines, as examples, and focuses on how the ischemic heart maintains or even increases the release of select cardiokines that regulate important cellular processes in the heart, including excitation-contraction coupling, hypertrophic growth, myocardial remodeling and stem cell function, in ways that moderate ischemic damage and enhance cardiac repair.”
“There is an

increasing body of evidence suggesting that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathophysiology of both schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods: We compared the antioxidant enzyme, serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the lipid peroxidation product, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS)

as assessed in depressed (N=21), manic (N=32) and euthymic (N=31) bipolar patients, and in chronically medicated patients with schizophrenia (N=97), Lazertinib cell line all fulfilling DSM-IV diagnostic criteria, and a group of healthy controls (N=32).

Results: Serum SOD (U/mg protein) activity was significantly increased (p < 0.001) in manic (7.44 +/- 3.88) and depressed (6.12 +/- 4.64) BD patients and SZ (9.48 +/- 4.51) when compared to either controls (1.81 +/- 0.63) or euthymic (2.75 +/- 1.09) BD patients. TBARS (mol/L) levels were significantly higher in the SZ group (4.95

+/- 1.56, p=0.016), bipolar euthymic (6.36 +/- 1.46, p < 0.001), bipolar manic (7.54 +/- 1.74, p < 0.001), and bipolar depressed patients (5.28 +/- 1.54, p=0.028) compared to controls (3.96 +/- 1.51).

Discussion: Our findings show increased SOD activity in SZ, as well as in depressed and manic bipolar patients, but not in euthymic BD subjects. This suggests a dysregulation in oxidative defenses in both disorders. It is likely that such changes reflect state changes in bipolar 17-DMAG (Alvespimycin) HCl disorder. It is possible that this is a compensatory response to the oxidative stress that occurs in the acute phase of bipolar episodes. TBARS results show increases in lipid peroxidation in mania. TBARS levels in SZ and in euthymic as well as depressed individuals with BD were higher than in controls. This suggests persistent increases in SZ, which may reflect ongoing symptomatology or treatment, and a state dependant gradient in BD, with greatest oxidative stress in mania.

These data support oxidative biology as both a key component of the pathophysiology of both BD and SZ, and the use of agents that modulate oxidative biology as a promising avenue for intervention in both disorders. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.”
“A 62-year-old man is evaluated for abdominal pain.

Ratings of psychiatric symptoms and disorder, relationships and f

Ratings of psychiatric symptoms and disorder, relationships and family functioning and adversity were made in adolescence; adult assessments included lifetime

psychiatric history and suicidality, neuroticism and retrospective reports of childhood sexual abuse and harsh parenting.

Results. A wide range of measures of childhood psychopathology, adverse experiences and interpersonal difficulties were associated with adult suicidality; associations were particularly strong for adolescent irritability, worry and depression. In multivariate analyses, substantial proportions of these effects could be explained by their association with adult psychopathology and neuroticism, but additional effects remained for adolescent irritability and worry.

Conclusions. Bleomycin Factors of importance for long-term suicidality risk are evident in

adolescence. These include family and experiential adversities as well as psychopathology. In particular, markers of adolescent worry IACS-10759 cell line and irritability appeared both potent risks and ones with additional effects beyond associations with adult disorder and adult neuroticism.”
“The brain receives and synthesises information about the body from different modalities, coordinates and perspectives, and affords us with a coherent and stable sense of body ownership. We studied this sense in a somatoparaphrenic patient and three control patients, all with unilateral right-hemisphere lesions. We experimentally manipulated the visual perspective (direct- versus mirror-view) and spatial attention (drawn to peripersonal space versus extrapersonal space) in an experiment involving recognising one’s own hand. The somatoparaphrenic patient

denied limb ownership in all direct view trials, but viewing the hand via a mirror significantly increased ownership. The extent of this increase Oxymatrine depended on spatial attention; when attention was drawn to the extrapersonal space (near-the-mirror) the patient showed a near perfect recognition of her arm in the mirror, while when attention was drawn to peripersonal space (near-the-body) the patient recognised her arm in only half the mirror trials. In a supplementary experiment, we used the Rubber Hand Illusion to manipulate the same factors in healthy controls. Ownership of the rubber hand occurred in both direct and mirror view, but shifting attention between peripersonal and extrapersonal space had no effect on rubber-hand ownership. We conclude that the isolation of visual perspectives on the body and the division of attention between two different locations is not sufficient to affect body ownership in healthy individuals and right hemisphere controls.

Using linear regression analysis, TLs (as measured by Southern bl

Using linear regression analysis, TLs (as measured by Southern blot analysis) of skeletal muscle (a postmitotic tissue that largely represents early development TL), fat, leukocytes, and skin were tested for effects of age, sex, and diet in 48 control and 23 calorie restriction rhesus monkeys. After controlling for the individual’s muscle mean TL, IWP-2 cell line differences between leukocytes muscle and skin muscle were significantly associated with age (p = .002; p = .002) and sex (p = .003; p = .042), but not calorie restriction (p = .884; p = .766). Despite an age-dependent shortening of TL in leukocytes

and skin, calorie restriction did not significantly affect TL dynamics in these samples.”
“Seemingly identical cells can differ in their biochemical state, function and fate, and this variability plays an increasingly recognized

role in organism-level outcomes. Cellular heterogeneity arises in part from variation in enzyme activity, which results from interplay between biological noise and multiple cellular processes. As a result, single-cell assays of enzyme activity, particularly those that measure product formation directly, are crucial. Recent innovations have yielded a range of techniques to obtain these data, including image-, flow- and separation-based assays. Research to date has focused on easy-to-measure glycosylases and clinically-relevant kinases. Expansion of these techniques to a wider range and larger Ispinesib concentration number of enzymes will answer contemporary questions in proteomics and glycomics, specifically with respect to biological noise and cellular heterogeneity.”
“Life-span extension in laboratory rodents induced by long-term caloric restriction correlates

with decreased serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels. Reduced activity of the growth hormone/IGF-I signaling system slows aging and increases longevity in mutant mouse models. In the present study, we show that long-term caloric restriction achieved by two different interventions for 4 years, either laparoscopic-adjustable Daporinad chemical structure gastric banding or reducing diet, leads to reduced IGF-I serum levels in formerly obese women relative to normal-weight women eating ad libitum. Moreover, we present evidence that the long-term caloric restriction interventions reduce fasting growth hormone serum levels. The present study indicates that the activity of the growth hormone/IGF-I axis is reduced in long-term calorically restricted formerly obese humans. Furthermore, our findings suggest that the duration and severity of the caloric restriction intervention are important for the outcome on the growth hormone/IGF-I axis in humans.

An abnormal ultrasound finding was seen in 71 cases (18%) but was

An abnormal ultrasound finding was seen in 71 cases (18%) but was not associated with reflux. The clinical decision rule appeared to have poor sensitivity of only 24% to identify grade III-V reflux. We found it impractical to predict vesicoureteral reflux in children with a urinary tract infection.

Conclusions: Results show that it is not possible to predict grade III-V vesicoureteral reflux reliably using the clinical decision rule. The recent guidelines recommending a search for reflux after a urinary tract infection in children cannot be revised using

this decision rule.”
“Febrile seizures occurring Pifithrin-�� supplier during childhood have been shown to interfere with the development of cognitive functions However, an alteration of the developing sensory systems might also result from febrile seizures In

order to test this hypothesis, seizures were induced by hyperthermia in Long Evans rats on postnatal day 10 Extracellular single neuron recordings were carried out from postnatal days 15 to 30 and at adulthood The response of neurons in the primary visual cortex to drifting sinusoidal gratings was recorded in anaesthetized rats As soon as postnatal day 15, the neurons of rats having experienced a hyperthermic seizure showed significantly lower optimal spatial frequencies (SF) Selleckchem GW3965 broader directional and temporal bandwidths, as well as higher contrast thresholds than did neurons recorded in normal rats At adulthood, significantly broader spatial bandwidths and lower optimal temporal frequencies (TF) were obtained from neurons of rats subjected to hyperthermia These results suggest that febrile seizures during infancy could affect the development of spatio-temporal receptive field

properties of neurons in primary visual cortex Such alterations of a sensory system might contribute to the cognitive deficits associated with early onset febrile seizures MK-2206 (C) 2010 IBRO Pub fished by Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved”
“Purpose: Varied XPC genetics are related to bladder cancer susceptibility. We determined whether decreased XPC expression influences bladder cancer malignancy and clinical outcome.

Materials and Methods: Changes in XPC and p53 expression were detected by immunochemistry in 108 bladder cancers, including 29 papillary neoplasms of low malignant potential, and 48 low and 31 high grade lesions, of which 47 were stage Ta-T1 and 61 were stage T2-T3. XPC mRNA and methylation were evaluated in fresh tissue by real-time reverse transcriptase and methylation specific polymerase chain reaction. The clinical value of altered XPC and p53 expression was analyzed in 66 bladder cancers, including 6 papillary neoplasms of low malignant potential, and 41 low and 19 high stage lesions, of which 26 were stage Ta-T1 and 40 were stage T2-T3, by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression.