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Background PCA3 (prostate cancer antigen 3) gene is one of the most prostate cancer-specific genes at present. Consequently, the prostate-specific expression and the sharp up-regulation of PCA3 mRNA in prostate cancer suggest a unique transcriptional regulation, which possibly can be attributed to promoter polymorphism. In our study, we evaluated whether there is polymorphism in PCA3 promoter region and also assess the association of the polymorphism with prostate cancer.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe designed a specific primer set to screen the promoter of PCA3 gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based cloning and sequencing with the DNA extracted from peripheral blood samples of prostate cancer (PCa) cases (n = 186) and healthy control cases (n = 135). Genotype-specific risks were estimated as odds ratios (ORs) with associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by chi-square test. Possible deviation of the genotype frequencies from controls and PCa cases expected under Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was assessed by the chi-square test. Short tandem repeat polymorphism of TAAA was found in the promoter region of PCA3 gene, five polymorphisms and eight genotypes were identified. The eight genotypes were divided into three groups: ≤10TAAA, 11TAAA, ≥12TAAA. The group 11TAAA and ≥12TAAA were associated with higher relative risk for prostate cancer than group ≤10TAAA (OR = 1.76, 95%CI = 1.07–2.89[for group 11TAAA]; OR = 5.28, 95%CI = 1.76–15.89[for group ≥12TAAA]).Conclusions/SignificanceThe presence of the (TAAA)n short tandem repeat polymorphisms in the PCA3 promoter region may be a risk factor for prostate cancer in the Chinese population.

Aims Our study aimed to investigate changes in the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the COVID‐19 pandemic and postpandemic era and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women diagnosed with GDM during the blockade period. Methods First, we investigated changes in the prevalence of GDM and the population undergoing oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) after the COVID‐19 pandemic. We then collected clinical information from pregnant women diagnosed with GDM to explore the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with GDM during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results After the COVID‐19 pandemic, the proportion of pregnant women in the total number of outpatient OGTT tests decreased yearly. The ratio was 81.30%, 79.71%, and 75.48% from 2019 to 2021, respectively, with the highest proportion of pregnant women in February 2020 (92.03%). The prevalence of GDM was higher in March 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. However, from 2019 to 2021, the prevalence decreased year by year with 21.46%, 19.81%, and 18.48%, respectively. The risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes for pregnant women diagnosed with GDM during the most severe period of the COVID‐19 pandemic did not differ from before the COVID‐19 pandemic. Conclusions After the COVID‐19 pandemic, the prevalence of GDM increased during the most severe period of the epidemic, but the overall prevalence of GDM decreased year by year. In addition, the pandemic did not change the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in pregnant women with GDM.