title: [Expression of ZEB1 in the prepuce of hypospadias children and its implication].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homebox 1 (ZEB1) in the prepuce of hypospadias children and its relationship to the incidence of hypospadias.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prepuce tissues were collected from 37 children aged 6-15 months undergoing hypospadias repair and 11 age-matched controls receiving circumcision. Based on the position of the urethral meatus, the hypospadias cases were classified as severe (n = 13) and mild-moderate (n = 24). The mRNA and protein expressions of ZEB1 were determined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of the ZEB1 protein was remarkably higher in the severe (100% [13/13]) and mild-moderate hypospadias patients (75.0% [18/24]) than in the controls (9.1% [1/11]), with statistically significant differences between any two groups (P < 0.05). RT-PCR showed the integrated density value (IDV) of the ZEB1 mRNA expression to be (0.67 ± 0.21), (0.81 ± 0.24), and (1.55 ± 0.29) in the control, mild-moderate, and severe hypospadias patients, respectively, significantly higher in the severe hypospadias than in the control and mild-moderate hypospadias groups (P < 0.05), but with no significant difference between the latter two (P = 0.64).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of ZEB1 is significantly increased in hypospadias patients, and its upregulation is positively correlated with the severity of hypospadias, which suggests that the overexpression of ZEB1 may contribute to the development of hypospadias.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.forename: Yong-xiang
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ju-min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lu-dong
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hong-kai
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002944:Circumcision, Male; D052816:Foreskin / Q000378:metabolism*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007021:Hypospadias / Q000145:classification / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D014521:Urethra; D000071799:Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C486307:ZEB1 protein, human; D000071799:Zinc Finger E-box-Binding Homeobox 1