Objective To investigate the expressions of CXCR4 and β-catenin in pancreatic cancer, explore the relationship between them, and explore the possible biomarkers about invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Methods Forty-eight samples of pancreatic cancer and 20 samples of normal pancreas tissues were selected. The expressions of CXCR4 and β-catenin were examined by the immunohistological technique. Spearman, Chi-square， and rank test were used to analyze the relation between the protein expressions and clinical characteristics. Survival analysis was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier product limit method and Log-rank test. Variables were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards analysis. The size of test was 0.05. Results The positive expression rates of CXCR4 and β-catenin in pancreatic cancer tissues were 85.4% (41/48) and 75.0% (36/48), respectively. Co-expression rate of CXCR4 and β-catenin was 70.8% (34/48). There were significant differences between various CXCR4 staining and lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P=0.012, 0.005, respectively). β-catenin positive expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.047). However, abnormal β-catenin positive expression could not determine the clinical survival. Kaplan-Meier estimated curves suggested that clinical prognosis was poor for patients with CXCR4 expression. Multivariate analysis showed that CXCR4, late TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for pancreatic cancer. Conclusions Both CXCR4 and β-catenin abnormally express in pancreatic cancer. CXCR4 may be an important marker for pancreatic cancer progression.
ObjectiveTo summarize the latest research progress and related mechanisms of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of breast cancer, so as to seek the best treatment strategy for patients with breast cancer metastasis and drug resistance. MethodThe literatures about CAFs research in breast cancer in recent years were searched and summarized. ResultsCAFs was the main stromal cell in tumor microenvironment (TME). By changing TME, the biological characteristics of CAFs could be changed and the growth and invasion of breast cancer cells could be induced. CAFs in breast cancer promotes the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells by interacting with inflammatory factors and promoting the formation of pre-transplantation ecosystems, and CAFs also mediates chemotherapy resistance to breast cancer, target resistance, endocrine resistance, and radiation resistance through the secretion of various cellular factors. ConclusionsAt present, some progress has been made in the research of CAFs in breast cancer, but there is still a certain gap to clinical application CAFs has a variety of functional phenotypes, so it is necessary to identify and characterize specific CAFs subtypes when studying new anti-CAFs therapeutic strategies. It has been proved that CAFs has great potential as a specific target for breast cancer treatment, but CAFs still lacks specific biomarkers. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the biological characteristics and heterogeneity of CAFs can provide a reliable theoretical basis for developing drugs targeting CAFs.
Epithelial membrane protein (EMP) 2 is one of the seven proteins in the EMP gene family and is a tissue-specific transmembrane protein. Recent studies have shown that it exhibits different expression patterns in different tumor tissues and exhibits differentiated manifestations in the invasion and metastasis of different tumors, such as promoting or inhibiting them. Based on these characteristics, progress has been made in the field of anti EMP2 therapy, such as the development of monoclonal antibodies, which may bring new avenues for cancer treatment. Based on this, this article reviews the research progress of EMP2 in tumor invasion and metastasis, in order to provide ideas for determining new tumor targets.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical characteristics and survival rate of the patients with extraocular retinoblastoma (RB). MethodsThis is a retrospective case analysis. From November 2003 to May 2015, 38 eyes of 31 patients with RB in the extra-ocular stage from 213 RB patients were enrolled in this study. There were 18 males and 13 females. Bilateral lesions were observed in 7 patients and unilateral lesions were observed in 24 patients.19 patients were diagnosed at less than 2 years old, 10 patients at 2 to 5 years old, and 2 patients at age over 5 years old. First visit time was less than 1 month in 12 patients, from 1 to 3 months in 15 patients, over 3 months to 6 months in 4 patients. Medical history and family history were record at the first visit. All patients underwent orbital CT, MRI, double color Doppler imaging and wide angle digital retinal imaging system. CT and (or) MRI examination detected tumor extraocular invasion. Histopathological examination showed that there were tumor cells invasion of the scleral, optic nerve root and optic nerve. Chemotherapy was done after surgery. In the extra-ocular stage, 3 to 6 rounds of intensive chemotherapy combined with orbital radiotherapy were done. The average follow-up period was (25.5±4.5) months after treatment. The cumulative survival rate was observed after 6 months, 1 and 5 years after treatment, and the relationship between the initial age, time, sex, single eye, tumor and survival time of the patients was analyzed. ResultsThe extraocular RB accounted 14.55% of all RB patients in this study. There is no family history of RB, no special history. There were 15 patients with leukocoria and yellow-white reflection in the pupil; 5 patients with lacrimation, swelling, photophobia and exophthalmos; 11 patients with strabismus. The cumulative survival rate at 6 months, 1, 5 years after treatment was (78.0±9.0)%, (62.0±11.0)%, (57.0±11.0)% respectively. The average survival time was (53.9±7.8) months; the cumulative survival rate was (59.3±11.3)%. When the age of first visit was less than 1 month, 1-3 months, 3-6 months, the median survival time was 78, 15 and 18 months respectively, the cumulative survival rate was 100.0%, (40.0±21.9)% and (25.0±21.7)%, respectively. The survival time of the newly diagnosed patients at 1 month was more than at 1 to 6 months, and the difference was statistically significant (t=9.20, P < 0.05). Conclusions14.55% of all RB patients was extraocular RB in this study. One of the most common clinical manifestations is leukocoria at the first visit. The cumulative survival rate of extraocular RB is lower, while the survival rate of patients with the age of first visit time was less than 1 month is higher.
ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of tumor metastasis associated genes-1 (MTA1) and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and the relationship between them and lymphangiogenesis. MethodA total of 107 patients who received excision for ESCC in the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department of Suining Central Hospital from March 2013 through January 2014 were enrolled. And the paraffinembedded esophageal tissues in 56 healthy persons were collected. The expression of MTA1 and VEGF-C in ESCC was detected using the immunohistochemical method. And D2-40 was used to label the micro-lymphatic endothelial cells of the tumor tissues while the micro-lymphatic vessel density (LVD) was counted. Meanwhile, a statistical analysis was performed for the relationship between MTA1 with VEGF-C and clinical pathological parameters. ResultsThe expression rates of MTA1 protein and VEGF-C protein in ESCC (50.4% and 58.8%, respectively) were higher than those in normal esophageal tissues with a statistical difference (P<0.05). Besides, their high expression rates in stage T3/T4 ESCC and lymph node metastasis group were significantly higher than those in stage T1/T2 ESCC and metastasisfree group, with statistical differences (P<0.05). The high expression rates of MTA1 and VEGF-C protein in ESCC with different TNM stages were compared using Kruskal-Wallis test with statistical differences (P<0.05). Moreover, a positive correlation existed in the expression level between MTA1 protein and VEGF-C protein of ESCC (Spearman coefficient r=0.512, P=0.000). And LVD of the high expression group for MTA1 protein and VEGF-C protein was statistically different from that of the low expression group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe expression of MTA1 is positively correlated with the expression of VEGF-C in ESCC. And they may co-promote lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis in ESCC. Therefore, both can be used as the laboratory indicators to determine the prognosis of ESCC.
Objective To summarize research progress of relationship between chloride intracellular channel protein 1 (CLIC1) and colonic cancer. Method The related literatures in recent years on the relationship between the CLIC1 and the colonic cancer were reviewed and analyzed. Results The CLIC1 could play its physiological function as a chloride ion channel, with a wide tissue distribution and high expression in many tumor tissues. The abnormal expression of CLIC1 could result in many diseases and participate in many processes such as the occurrence, development, metastasis, and treatment of the colonic cancer. Conclusions CLIC1 might be a biomarker for early diagnosis and a target for gene therapy of colonic cancer, key genes regulated its expression, signal transduction pathways involved in occurrence and progression of colonic cancer, and interaction with other related molecules are still unclear, and further study is needed.
Objective To study the relationship between expression of nm23, CD44 in gastric carcinoma and lymph-node metastasis and prognosis. Methods Expression of nm 23, CD44H and CD44V6 in 105 cases of gastric carcinoma were assayed by immunohistochemistry. Among them, 59 cases were followed up. Results The incidences of nm23, CD44H and CD44V6 protein positivity in gastric carcinoma were 44.8%, 54.3% and 48.6% respectively. The positive expression of nm23, CD44V6 protein in human gastric carcinoma tissues was related to the differentiation, depth of invasion, TNM stage and prognosis (Ｐ＜0.05), but expression of CD44H was not correlated with other clinicopathologic indices. The reactivity to these three antibodies were correlate with metastasis of lymph nodes (Ｐ＜0.01 for CD44V6 and Ｐ＜0.05 for nm23, CD44H). Conclusion Expression of the standard form of CD44 (CD44H) might be useful in observing the progression of the disease, wile CD44V6 and nm23 hold promise as a prognostic indicator.