Ai zheng = Aizheng = Chinese journal of cancer最新文献

Background and objective: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), with a remarkable geographic distribution, is consistently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, and almost all NPC patients have sustained high levels of serum antibodies against EBV. This study was to compare the levels of six anti-EBV antibodies in healthy natives of Zhongshan (a high-incidence area of NPC) with those in provisional migrants from foreign provinces (low-incidence areas of NPC), and to illustrate the relationship between EBV infection and the geographic distribution of NPC.

Methods: The serum levels of EBNA1-IgA, EBNA1-IgG, VCA-p18-IgA, VCA-p18-IgG, Zta-IgA and Zta-IgG in 303 healthy Zhongshan natives and 92 provisional migrants were tested using ELISA, and presented by values of adjusted relative absorbance (ArA). The serum levels and positive rates of the six antibodies were compared between the two groups.

Results: The mean ArA values of both Zta-IgA and VCA-p18-IgA were significantly higher in Zhongshan natives than in provisional migrants (0.84+/-0.03 vs. 0.42+/-0.04, P <0.05; 0.96+/-0.05 vs. 0.40+/-0.05, P<0.05). In addition, the positive rates of Zta-IgA and VCA-p18-IgA in subjects aged of 30-49, or of 50 and above were significantly higher in Zhongshan natives than in provisional migrants (29.27% vs. 3.03% and 48.28% vs. 6.67% for Zta-IgA, P<0.05; 28.46% vs. 9.09% and 43.10% vs. 13.33% for VCA-p18-igA, P<0.05).

Conclusion: Zhongshan natives are likely to have an elevation of serum IgA antibodies against EBV lytic antigens (Zta and VCA-p18), which represents reactivation of EBV latency infection and implies that Zhongshan natives may have higher risk to develop NPC than provisional migrants.

The etiology of breast cancer is still unclear. The well-known risk factors, including reproductive and other factors affecting circulating sex hormones, and genetic susceptibility, explain only about 50% of all breast cancer incidence. More and more studies have shown interest in the possibility that breast cancer may be caused by viral infection. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is one of the candidate viruses, but the association of EBV with breast cancer remains controversial. Here we reviewed the studies on EBV biology and the association of EBV with breast cancer, including EBV detection in breast cancer tissues, serological tests, cytologic experiments and clinical analyses, and described the limitations of current studies and future directions.

Background and objective: Targeted therapies have become a valuable therapeutic option for cancer. Establishment of different animal tumor models has become necessary. This study was to establish xenotransplantation models for patient-derived non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in immune deficient mice.

Methods: Immune deficient mice, BALB/C-nu, NOD/scid and SCID, 16 in each strain, were used. Sixteen tumor specimens were obtained from patients with NSCLC. Each specimen was subcutaneously transplanted into one mouse from each of the three strains. The tumor formation rate, time to tumor engraftment, tumor volume doubling time were recorded and compared among the three strains of mice. Histology of xenograft tumors was examined.

Results: The total tumor formation rate was 75% (12/16). The tumor formation rate was the highest in SCID mice (56.25%). Only four tumors were engrafted in SCID mice, and two in BALB/C-nu mice. The tumor formation rate, time to tumor engraftment, and tumor volume doubling time were not significantly different among the three strains of mice. The incidence of tumor size over 1cm in the upper flanks of the mice (56.25%) was significantly higher than that in the lower flanks (25%) (P=0.037). Haematoxylin Eosin staining revealed a high degree of histological similarity between all xenograft and the parental tumors.

Conclusions: We have established xenotransplantation models for patient-derived NSCLC with a success rate of 75% in BALB/C-nu and SCID mice. The xenograft tumors have the same histological features to those of their parental tumors.

Background and objective: The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling network regulates cell growth, proliferation, survival and apoptosis. This study was to investigate the effect and the underlying mechanism of rapamycin on prostate cancer PC-3 cells.

Methods: PC-3 cells were treated with 1 nmol/L rapamycin. The proliferation of PC-3 was examined by MTT. The cell cycle distribution of PC-3 was measured by FCM. The protein levels of raptor, rictor, Akt, pS6k1-T389, pAkt-s473 in PC-3 were examined by western blot.

Results: Rapamycin increased the proliferation of PC-3 at 24 h, however, it remarkably inhibited cell proliferation after 36 h (P<0.01), which became more obviously at 72 h. Although incubation with rapamycin slightly induced cell arrest at the S phase at 24 h, this gradually increased PC-3 cells at the G1 phase at 36 h and 48 h. Compared with the control group, the protein levels of raptor and pS6k1-T389 were significantly decreased (P<0.01), and those of rictor and Akt remained unchanged after the treatment with rapamycin for 24 h; the protein level of pAkt-s473 was significantly increased at 24 h (P<0.01), but was obviously inhibited at 36 h and almost completely inhibited at 72 h (P<0.01).

Conclusions: Prolonged rapamycin treatment inhibits the proliferation of PC-3 cells. This may be caused by rapamycin-induced cell cycle arrest at the G(1) phase and inhibition of Akt phosphorylation.

Background and objective: Na(+)-K(+)ATPase (Na(+)-K(+) pump) is an important cell energy conversion system which is probably associated with tumor metastasis. Expression of its B1 subunit gene-ATP1B1 is high in well differentiated and low in poorly differentiated tumor cells. This study was to investigate the synergic effect of Na(+)-K(+) ATPaseB1 and adriamycin (ADM) on inhibition of cell proliferation and reversal of drug resistance in MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADM cells.

Methods: Growth of MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADM cells transfected with PEGFP-ATP1B1 and shATP1B1 were measured by MTT. Intracellular fluorescence intensity of ADM was analyzed by inverted fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. ATP enzyme activity was measured by ultramicro-ATP enzyme, and mRNA expression of multi-drug resistance gene MDR1 was detected by RT-PCR and real-time PCR. The expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) was analyzed by western blot.

Results: The sensitivity of MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADM cells transfected with pEGFP-ATP1B1 to ADM was higher in comparing to the negative control ADM-C3 (transfected with vector pEGFP-C3) and the control ADM-RPMI-1640 (cultured with RPMI-1640), and the differences between ADM-ATP1B1 and ADM-RPMI-1640 groups were statistically significant at different concentrations of adriamycin (P<0.05). After the B1 subunit was silenced, the sensitivity of cells to ADM in the ADM-shNC group was higher than that in the shATP and ADM-RPMI-1640 groups. The mean fluorescence intensity of ADM in the ADM-ATP1B1 group was higher than that in the ADM-C3 and ADM-RPMI-1640 groups (P<0.05). ATP enzyme activity was significantly higher in ADM-ATP1B1 group comparing to the ADM-RPMI-1640 group (P<0.05). mRNA expression of MDR1 gene and protein expression of P-gp were not significantly different among the ADM-ATP1B1 group and two control groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Na(+)-K(+) ATPase B1 can synergize with ADM and reverse drug resistance to ADM in the MCF-7/ADM cell line. This may be related to ATP enzyme activity, but not to influencing the expression of MDR1 gene.

Background and objective: Pneumonectomy has been long term used as the standard surgical procedure for central type non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Sleeve lobectomy has been performed in a small number of patients meeting the indications. This study was to compare the 5-year survival rate, operation related complications and mortality of sleeve lobectomy with pneumonectomy for NSCLC, and evaluate sleeve lobectomy in the surgical treatment for NSCLC.

Methods: Ninety-three patients with NSCLC undergoing sleeve lobectomy (group A) and 571 patients with NSCLC undergoing pneumonectomy (group B) from January 1997 to December 2007 in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center were reviewed. The 5-year survival rate, operation related complications and mortality between the two groups were analyzed.

Results: The overall 5-year survival for group A and group B were 42.0% and 31.5%, respectively (P=0.015). In the subgroup analysis, the 5-year survival of N0 (P=0.007) and N1 (P=0.025) patients were significant higher in group A than in group B, while the survival were not significantly different between N2 patients (P=0.073). The 5-year survival rates for bronchial and pulmonary arterial sleeve resection (the subset of group A) and pneumonectomy were not significantly different (P=0.092). There was no significant difference in local recurrences between the groups (P=0.821). The postoperative complication rates were 11.8% in group A and 20.7% in group B (P=0.046). There was no statistically significant difference in mortality between the two groups (P=0.259).

Conclusion: The operative safety and long term efficacy of sleeve lobectomy are superior to pneumonectomy for NSCLC.

Background and objective: P53, P21WAF1 and CDK1 are key factors in the "P53 pathway" of G2/M phase DNA damage checkpoint in cell cycle. This study was to investigate the expression and significance of P53, P21WAF1 and CDK1 proteins in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Methods: The expression of P53, P21WAF1 and CDK1 proteins in 20 specimens of normal ovarian tissues, 20 specimens of benign epithelial ovarian tumor and 76 specimens of epithelial ovarian cancer was detected by immunohistochemistry. Their correlations to the clinicopathologic characteristics of epithelial ovarian cancer and their interrelationships were analyzed.

Results: Significant differences were noted in the positive rates of P53, P21WAF1 and CDK1 proteins between epithelial ovarian cancer and normal ovarian tissues, benign ovarian tumors (P < 0.05). In epithelial ovarian cancer, up-regulation of P53 protein was associated with advanced FIGO stage and poor differentiation; down-regulation of P21WAF1 protein was associated with advanced FIGO stage; CDK1 showed no association with any clinicopathologic factors. P53 and CDK1 expression were negatively correlated to P21WAF1 expression (r = -0.388, P = 0.001; r = -0.282, P = 0.014); P53 expression was positively correlated to CDK1 expression (r = 0.263, P = 0.022).

Conclusions: P53 protein is related to the malignancy of epithelial ovarian cancer, P53 and P21WAF1 protein may be related to the malignant development of epithelial ovarian cancer. CDK1 detection may be helpful in the early diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background and objective: Protein 4.1, a component of cell membrane skeleton, plays a role in maintaining the shape and mechanical stability of erythrocytes. Recent researches showed that protein 4.1 may be associated with the development of tumors. This study was to investigate the expression and significance of membrane skeleton protein 4.1 family members (4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G) in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: The expression of proteins 4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G in 147 specimens of NSCLC was detected by EnVision plus immunohistochemistry. The correlations of 4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G expression to clinicopathologic features of NSCLC were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test and Spearman rank correlation analysis.

Results: The protein levels of 4.1B, 4.1R and 4.1N were significantly lower in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.01). The protein levels of 4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G were significantly lower in lung adenocarcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). The protein levels of 4.1B and 4.1G were significantly lower in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues than in lung adenocarcinoma tissues (P<0.05). Protein 4.1G expression in squamous cell carcinoma was positively correlated to tumor cell differentiation (rs=0.386,P<0.01). In adenocarcinoma, the expression of proteins 4.1B, 4.1N and 4.1G were positively correlated to tumor cell differentiation (rs=0.276, P<0.05; rs=0.248,P<0.05; rs=0.268, P <0.05). The expression of protein 4.1s in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were not related to lymph node metastasis, tumor size, patients'age and sex (P>0.05).

Conclusions: Protein 4.1s are weakly expressed in NSCLC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. The expression of proteins 4.1B, 4.1N and 4.1G are related to tumor cell differentiation.

Background and objective: Open adrenalectomy has been almost replaced by mini-invasive laparoscopic surgery. There are two popular mini-invasive laparoscopic adrenalectomy approaches: retroperitoneal and transperitoneal approaches. This study was to summarize our experience in transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Methods: In total 371 cases undergoing transperitoneal adrenalectomy in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2003 to August 2008 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 127 cases of primary hyperaldosteronism adenoma, 117 cases of Cushing's adenoma, 58 cases of phaeochromo-cytoma, 37 cases of incidentoma and 32 cases of other types. The type of adrenal diseases, operating time, blood loss, complications and prognosis were summarized and the operating method was analyzed.

Results: Three hundred and sixty-five out of 371 patients (98.4%) were successfully operated, five cases (1.4%) were transferred to open surgery, and one patient gave up surgery due to extensive invasion. The operating time was 40-240 min (average, 70 min). The blood loss was 20-1000 ml (average, 80 ml). Two patients suffered from diaphragm injuries, one patient had right renal vein injury and one had colon injury. The mean time of hospital stay was five days.

Conclusion: Transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy is one of the favorable approaches for the treatment of adrenal neoplasm.