Enzalutamide combination with Arsenic trioxide suppresses the progression of castration-resistant prostate cancer.

The study aimed to investigate the anti-tumor effects and underlying mechanisms of Enzalutamide (ENZ) and Arsenic trioxide (ATO) co-treatment on castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). The effects on C4-2B cells were initially evaluated by colony formation assay, FACS analysis, and DNA fragmentation detection. Bioinformatics methods including mRNA-sequencing and gene enrichment analysis were used to screen the underlying target genes and pathways related to their actions. Western blot was employed to assess the expression levels of protein-related angiogenesis, apoptosis, DNA repair, and the screened genes. Finally, the effects were further verified in subcutaneous tumor models and tissue sections from the xenografts. It was found that not only could ENZ combination with ATO significantly inhibit cell proliferation and angiogenesis, but also induce cell arrest and apoptosis in C4-2B cells. In addition, interruption of the DNA damage repair-related pathways also occurred as a result of their combined effects. Western blot analysis further suggested that proteins involved in these pathways, especially P-ATR and P-CHEK1 were significantly reduced. In addition, their combination also inhibited the tumor growth of xenografts. Altogether, ENZ combination with ATO synergistically improved the therapeutic effects and suppressed CRPC progression through regulation of the ATR-CHEK1-CDC25C pathway.

Establishment and validation of a nomogram for predicting the surgical difficulty of lateral retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy.

Background: Lateral retroperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LRLA) is widely performed for the resection of adrenal disorders, but when larger and more malignant lesions are involved, the difficulty of LRLA increases. We aimed to develop and evaluate a predictive model for the surgical difficulty of LRLA. Methods: A retrospective, observational, single-center study was performed involving all consecutive cases of unilateral RLA for adrenal disease from 2012.01 to 2021.12. Cases were randomly divided into training and validation cohorts (split ratio =7:3), then the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was applied to reduce data dimension and select predictors. Multivariate logistic regression followed to develop the prediction nomogram for the surgical difficulty of LRLA. Finally, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve plot and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the nomogram's discrimination, calibration, and clinical usefulness, respectively. Results: A total of 621 cases were enrolled with a median age of 53 years and a median tumor diameter of 1.7 cm. After LASSO regression analysis, surgeon's experience, tumor diameter, resection procedure, histological type, patient's sex and body mass index (BMI) were identified to establish the nomogram. The model displayed good discrimination with area under the curve (AUC) in both the training cohort (0.754, 95% CI: 0.701-0.806) and validation cohort (0.742, 95% CI: 0.646-0.838). Additionally, excellent calibration curves were revealed for surgical difficulty evaluation in both the training cohort (P=0.999) and validation cohort (P=0.444). DCA results indicated the prediction model was clinically useful. Conclusions: Our novel and effective predictive model can be used to assess the individual surgical difficulty of LRLA. By stratifying patients at risk of having a difficult LRLA for adrenal disease, the model could contribute to improvements in perioperative strategy and therapy.

MicroRNA­149 inhibits cancer cell malignant phenotype by regulating Akt1 in C4­2 CRPC cell line.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is an androgen­dependent disease. Androgen receptor (AR) has a crucial role in the development and progression of PCa. Recently, several microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) involved in AR regulation have been associated with castration­resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), the terminal stage of PCa. Nevertheless, the precise mechanism remains unclear. The present study aimed to identify a novel miR­149 regulatory network and potential therapeutic target for CRPC. It was found that ectopic expression of miR­149 mimic could inhibit AR expression, repress epithelial­mesenchymal transition, induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in CRPC cell line C4­2, whereas the miR­149 inhibitor exerted the opposite effects. Furthermore, it was also revealed that miR­149 could reduce the functional activity of the PI3K/Akt1 signaling pathway by targeting Akt1 protein, the key regulatory factor of the PI3K/Akt1 signaling pathway. Knockdown of Akt1 by short hairpin RNA increased apoptosis, reduced proliferation, and restrained migration and invasion in CRPC cells, with the effect of AR inhibition. In conclusion, these results revealed that miR­149 acts as a tumor suppressor in CRPC cell line C4­2 and restrains its progression through the AR signaling pathway by targeting Akt1. The miR­149/Akt1/AR regulatory pathway may represent a novel PCa therapeutic target.

Development and validation of a nomogram to predict postoperative cancer-specific survival of patients with nonmetastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To establish a nomogram for the prediction of postoperative cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with nonmetastatic T3a renal cell carcinoma (RCC). METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database were searched for patients with pT3aN0-1M0 RCC between 2010 and 2018. The patients were randomly stratified into the training and verification group (7:3 ratio). Using Cox regression analysis, the predictors for the CSS in the training group were integrated to establish the nomogram for predicting the 3-year and 5-year CSS. Harrell's concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve, decision curve analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to evaluate the nomogram performance. RESULTS: A total of 5,791 pT3aN0-1M0 RCC cases with eligible data were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Age, tumor size, surgery type, Fuhrman grade, histological type, sarcomatoid, N stage, and invasion patterns were identified as the significant predictors for CSS to establish the nomogram. The C-indices of the nomogram were 0.774 (95% CI: 0.753-0.795) and 0.777 (95% CI: 0.745-0.809) for the training and verification group, respectively. The calibration of the nomogram revealed consistency between the predicted and observed survival. The area under the 3-year and 5-year CSS receiver operating characteristic curves were 0.773 and 0.786 in the training group, respectively. Decision curve analysis showed the optimal application of the model in clinical decision-making. According to the cutoff values of prognostic indices, patients with low-risk showed better CSS than those with high-risk in both training and verification groups (both P< 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The current nomogram could effectively predict the CSS of patients with nonmetastatic T3a RCC, and could be used to identify patients who might need a compact interval of follow-up and postoperative adjuvant systemic treatment. The limitations included the retrospective nature, absence of external validation, and several unmeasured variables related to the selection bias of surgery type. The results should be interpreted with caution.

Overexpression of CXCR7 is a Novel Indicator for Enzalutamide Resistance in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate whether the overexpression of chemokine receptor-7 (CXCR7) in prostatic tissues obtained from men with Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) is associated with resistance to enzalutamide (Enza). METHODS: Based on the inclusion criteria of CRPC in EAU guidelines, all eligible patients treated in our hospital from January 2015 to December 2019 were included. Cases underwent radical prostatectomy, docetaxel-based chemotherapy, or new endocrine therapies (including Enza or abiraterone), and cases with severe cardiopulmonary disease or other malignant tumors were excluded. After immunohistochemical staining for CXCR7 expression in prostatic biopsy tissues, all enrolled cases were divided into two groups, namely, the CXCR7-positive group and the CXCR7-negative group. And then, PSA response to Enza treatment was recorded in detail and comparatively analyzed. In addition, the Cox proportional hazard modeling and the Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to determine PSA progression-free survival (PSAP-FS) and clinical or radiographic progression-free survival (CRP-FS) in this cohort. RESULTS: A total of 79 CRPC individuals were enrolled and evaluated in this study. Median follow-up durations were 24 months (range, 12-42) in the CXCR7-positive group (n = 47) and 28.5 months (range, 12-42) in the CXCR7-negative group (n = 32). The patients with lower CXCR7 expression showed much better PSA response to Enza treatment. There was 84.4% of CXCR7- cases showing decreasing PSA response, while there were 71.4% in the CXCR7/1+ group and 31.2% in the CXCR7/2+ group, respectively. All patients in the CXCR7/3+ group showed increasing PSA response to Enza treatment. And the percentage of patients whose PSA decreased over 50% is significantly higher in the CXCR7-negative group than in the CXCR7-positive group (68.8% vs. 8.5%, P < 0.001), and the percentage of patients whose PSA decreased over 90% is also remarkably higher in the CXCR7-negative group (43.8% vs. 0, P < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the oncologic outcomes of CXCR7-negative patients were improved much significantly by Enza treatment in comparison with those of CXCR7-positive patients. Significantly increased median PSAP-FS (21 months vs. 6 months, P < 0.0001) and CRP-FS (27 months vs. 9 months, P < 0.0001) were obtained in the CXCR7-negative group. The further stratified analysis in all CXCR7-positive patients demonstrated that the patients with higher CXCR7 expression showed much worse outcome. The median time of PSAP-FS was 21 months in the CXCR7/1+ group, 9 months in the CXCR7/2+ group, and 6 months in the CXCR7/3+ group, while the median time of CRP-FS was 21 months in the CXCR7/1+ group, 12 months in the CXCR7/2+ group, and 6 months in the CXCR7/3+ group, respectively. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of CXCR7 induced by an AR antagonist in CRPC patients displays much better treatment response to Enza. CXCR7 might be a novel therapeutic target gene for CRPC patients.

Oncological Outcomes of Patients With Different Pathological Features of pT3a Renal Tumor: A Systematic Review and Quantitative Synthesis.

PURPOSE: To identify the differences in oncological outcomes for patients with different pT3a renal tumor invasion patterns and pathological features. METHODS: The protocol of this study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021234475). Relevant studies were identified by searching the PubMed, Cochrane library, Embase, and Web of Science databases. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) was selected as the endpoint. Pooled hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) extracted from multivariate Cox models were evaluated to identify the hazard association. RESULTS: A total of 22 studies, which enrolled 12384 patients were included for quantitative synthesis. Sinus fat invasion (SFI) + perinephric fat invasion (PFI) was associated with inferior CSS compared to SFI only (p = 0.02). Comparable CSS was observed between SFI and PFI (p = 0.57). SFI ± PFI showed inferior CSS compared to PFI only (p = 0.0002). The presence of pelvicalyceal system invasion significantly increased the risk of cancer-specific mortality (p = 0.0005). Renal vein invasion (RVI) indicated poor oncological outcomes in terms of CSS (p = 0.002). The concomitant RVI and fat invasion (FI) significantly increased the risk of deterioration of CSS compared to RVI or FI (p < 0.0001). Multiple invasion patterns translated into a significantly decreased CSS (p < 0.0001). Aggressive tumor behavior, including lymph node involvement (p = 0.006), distant metastases (p < 0.00001), sarcomatoid differentiation (p < 0.0001), necrosis (p < 0.0001), Fuhrman grade III or IV (p < 0.0001), positive margin (p < 0.0001), and tumor size >7cm (p < 0.0001) were the predictors of inferior CSS. The lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.67) was indolent in terms of CSS. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the heterogenicity of pT3a renal tumors. Multiple invasion patterns could translate into a significantly decreased CSS, and SFI should not be merged in the SFI + PFI group. The presence of PSI or RVI could significantly increase the risk of cancer-specific mortality. Lymph node involvement, distant metastases, sarcomatoid differentiation, necrosis, high Fuhrman grade, positive margin, and size >7cm were the predictors of inferior CSS. A precise-risk grade of CSS for different invasion patterns including comprehensive combinations may be useful for the further refinements of the TNM system. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: The current study was registered on PROSPERO, and the registration numbers is CRD42021234475.

Four Novel Prognostic Genes Related to Prostate Cancer Identified Using Co-expression Structure Network Analysis.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies for males, but very little is known about its pathogenesis. This study aimed to identify novel biomarkers associated with PCa prognosis and elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism. First, The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA-sequencing data were utilized to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between tumor and normal samples. The DEGs were then applied to construct a co-expression and mined using structure network analysis. The magenta module that was highly related to the Gleason score (r = 0.46, p = 3e-26) and tumor stage (r = 0.38, p = 2e-17) was screened. Subsequently, all genes of the magenta module underwent function annotation. From the key module, CCNA2, CKAP2L, NCAPG, and NUSAP1 were chosen as the four candidate genes. Finally, internal (TCGA) and external data sets (GSE32571, GSE70770, and GSE141551) were combined to validate and predict the value of real hub genes. The results show that the above genes are up-regulated in PCa samples, and higher expression levels show significant association with higher Gleason scores and tumor T stage. Moreover, receiver operating characteristic curve and survival analysis validate the excellent value of hub genes in PCa progression and prognosis. In addition, the protein levels of these four genes also remain higher in tumor tissues when compared with normal tissues. Gene set enrichment analysis and gene set variation analysis for a single gene reveal the close relation with cell proliferation. Meanwhile, 11 small molecular drugs that have the potential to treat PCa were also screened. In conclusion, our research identified four potential prognostic genes and several candidate molecular drugs for treating PCa.

Adjuvant chemotherapy after radical nephroureterectomy improves the survival outcome of high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients with cardiovascular comorbidity.

This prospective randomized comparative trial study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic outcomes of radical nephroureterectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) used in combination in high risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients with cardiovascular comorbidity. Based on the inclusion criteria of high-risk UTUC in EAU guidelines (updated in 2014), all eligible patients treated in our hospital from January 2014 to March 2018 were included, and cases with late disease, renal dysfunction, severe cardiopulmonary disease or other malignant tumors were excluded. The cases were randomized into two groups based on treatment regimen. Multivariate analyses were performed to analyze the influencing factors of survival outcome in the enrolled patients. The Cox proportional-hazards model and the Kaplan-Meier method were employed to assess progression free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and cancer specific survival (CSS). In addition, the potential adverse effects of chemotherapy were actively monitored. A total of 176 high-risk UTUC individuals with cardiovascular comorbidity were enrolled and evaluated in this study. Median follow-up durations were 30 months (range 6-54) in the RNU (n = 82) group and 36 months (range 6-54) in the RNU + ACT (n = 94) group. Multivariable analysis indicated that peri-operative cardiovascular events risk grade was independent prognostic factor for OS. Tumor size was independent prognostic factor for PFS and CSS. BMI and lymphovacular invasion were significant predictors of PFS. Clinical stage, lymph node involvement, and tumor grade were significant predictors of PFS, OS and CSS in these patients. Especially, chemotherapy was helpful in improving PFS [P < 0.001, HR = 6.327 (5.115-7.793)], OS [P = 0.013, HR = 2.336 (1.956-2.883)] and CSS [P = 0.008, HR = 3.073 (2.533-3.738)]. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that the oncologic outcomes of RNU treated high-risk UTUC patients were improved much significantly by ACT, including PFS [P = 0.0033, HR = 3.78 (3.13-4.55)], OS [P = 0.0397, HR = 1.39 (1.01-1.75)] and CSS [P = 0.0255, HR = 1.26 (1.07-1.45)]. Further analysis of the lymph node positive subgroup showed that the median time of oncologic events was enhanced in RNU + ACT treated individuals in comparison with the RNU group, including PFS (11.4 months vs. 31.9 months, P = 0.0018), OS (26.8 months vs. 36.3 months, P = 0.0255) and CSS (28.2 months vs. 39.3 months, P = 0.0197). In the T3/4 cohort, significantly increased median PFS (13.9 months vs. 36.3 months, P = 0.0217), OS (20.6 months vs. 32.2 months, P = 0.0183) and CSS (21.9 months vs. 38.4 months, P = 0.0226) were obtained in the combination group. Additionally, no severe adverse events (over grade 4) associated with chemotherapy were detected in the RNU + ACT group. In conclusion, ACT after radical surgery has statistically significant therapeutic effects on PFS, OS and CSS in high-risk UTUC patients with cardiovascular comorbidity.

Long-term oncologic outcomes of radiotherapy combined with maximal androgen blockade for localized, high-risk prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: To assess the oncologic outcomes of radiation therapy (RT) combined with maximal androgen blockade (MAB) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics in patients with localized, high-risk prostate carcinoma (PCa). METHODS: Three-hundred twenty individuals with localized PCa who underwent RT + MAB in 2001-2015 were evaluated retrospectively. All patients had received 36 months of MAB therapy and 45 Gy of pelvic irradiation, plus a dose-escalated external beam radiation therapy (DE-EBRT) boost to 76~81 Gy (MAB + EBRT group), or a low-dose-rate prostate permanent brachytherapy (LDR-PPB) boost to 110 Gy with I-125 (MAB + EBRT + PPB group). RESULTS: Follow-up median is 90 months, ranging from 12 to 186 months; 117 (36.6%) and 203 (63.4%) cases underwent MAB + EBRT and MAB + EBRT + PPB, respectively. Multivariate Cox regression showed that the PPB regimen and PSA kinetics were positive indicators of oncologic outcomes. Compared with MAB + EBRT, MAB + EBRT + PPB remarkably improved PSA kinetics more pronouncedly: PSA nadir (1.3 ± 0.7 vs 0.11 ± 0.06 ng/mL); time of PSA decrease to nadir (7.5 ± 1.8 vs 3.2 ± 2.1 months); PSA doubling time (PSADT; 15.6 ± 4.2 vs 22.6 ± 6.1 months); decrease in PSA (84.6 ± 6.2% vs 95.8 ± 3.4%). Additionally, median times of several important oncologic events were prolonged in the MAB + EBRT + PPB group compared with the MAB + EBRT group: overall survival (OS; 12.3 vs 9.1 years, P < 0.001), biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS; 9.8 vs 6.5 years, P < 0.001), skeletal-related event (SRE; 10.4 vs 8.2 years, P < 0.001), and cytotoxic chemotherapy (CCT; 11.6 vs 8.8 years, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: MAB + EBRT + PPB is extremely effective in patients with localized, high-risk PCa, indicating that PPB may play a synergistic role in improving PSA kinetics and independently predicts oncologic outcomes.

[Analysis on SSR information in transcriptome of Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus and its polymorphism].

In order to enrich the library of SSR and provide more powerful tools for molecular marker-assisted breeding in Astragalus membranaceus var. mongholicus, simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci in its transcriptome were searched in 18 040 unigenes (>=1 kb) by using MISA. SSR loci information was analyzed and SSR primers were designed by Primer 3. Furthermore, 110 pairs of primers were randomly selected for the polymorphic analysis on 20 plants collected from different habitats. A total of 5 640 SSRs were found in the transcriptome of A. membranaceus var. mongholicus, distributed in 4 462 unigenes with the distribution frequency of 31.26%. SSR loci occurred every 6 514 bp. Mono-nucleotide repeat was the main type, accounted for as much as 36.72% of all SSRs, followed by tri-nucleotide(32.57%) and di-nucleotide(27.73%) repeat motif. Among all 75 repeat types, A/T(2 026) was the predominant one followed by AG/CT(1 179), AAG/CTT(477). For validating the availability of the SSR primers designed using Primer 3, 110 pairs of primers were randomly selected for PCR amplification. Among them, 97 pairs of primers (88.18%) produced clear and reproductive bands. Using 19 pairs of primers showed polymorphism, 20 plants were divded into two groups by UPGMA. There are numerous SSRs in A. membranaceus var. mongholicus transcriptome with high frequency and various types, this will provide the abundant candidate molecular markers for genetic diversity, molecular identification, and marker-assisted breeding study for this plant.

ß­catenin nuclear translocation induced by HIF­1α overexpression leads to the radioresistance of prostate cancer.

Hypoxia-inducible factor­1α (HIF­1α) is known to play crucial roles in tumor radioresistance; however, the molecular mechanisms responsible for the promotion of tumor radioresistance by HIF­1α remain unclear. ß­catenin is known to be involved in the metastatic potential of prostate cancer (PCa). In this study, to investigate the role of HIF­1α and ß­catenin in the radioresistance of PCa, two PCa cell lines, LNCaP and C4­2B, were grouped as follows: Negative control (no treatment), HIF­1α overexpression group (transfected with HIF­1α overexpression plasmid) and ß­catenin silenced group (transfected with HIF­1α plasmids and ß­catenin-shRNA). Cell proliferation, cell cycle, cell invasion and radiosensitivity were examined under normal or hypoxic conditions. In addition, radiosensitivity was examined in two mouse PCa models (the LNCaP orthotopic BALB/c-nu mice model and the C4­2B subcutaneous SCID mice model). Our results revealed that in both the LNCaP and C4­2B cells, transfection with HIF­1α overexpression plasmid led to an enhanced ß­catenin nuclear translocation, while ß­catenin silencing inhibited ß­catenin nuclear translocation. The enhanced ß­catenin nuclear translocation induced by HIF­1α overexpression resulted in an enhanced cell proliferation and cell invasion, an altered cell cycle distribution, decreased apoptosis, and improved non­homologous end joining (NHEJ) repair under normal and irradiation conditions. Similar results were observed in the animal models. HIF­1α overexpression enhanced ß­catenin nuclear translocation, which led to the activation of the ß­catenin/NHEJ signaling pathway and increased cell proliferation, cell invasion and DNA repair. These results thus suggest that HIF­1α overexpression promotes the radioresistance of PCa cells.

Pure retroperitoneal natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) transvaginal nephrectomy using standard laparoscopic instruments: a safety and feasibility study in a porcine model.

BACKGROUND: Among the different organs used for NOTES (natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery) technique, the transvaginal approach may be the optimal choice because of a simple and secure closure of colpotomy site. Pure and hybrid NOTES transvaginal operations were routinely performed via transperitoneal access. In this study, we investigate the safety and feasibility of pure retroperitoneal natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) transvaginal nephrectomy using conventional laparoscopic techniques in a porcine model. METHODS: Six female pigs, weighing an average of 30 kg, were used in this study. Under general anesthesia, pure retroperitoneal NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy was conducted using standard laparoscopic instruments. Posterolateral colpotomy was performed, and the incision was enlarged laterally using blunt dissection and pneumatic dilation. A single-port device was inserted to construct the operative channel. The retroperitoneal space was created using sharp and blunt dissection under endoscopic guidance up to the level of the kidney. Dissection and removal of the kidney were performed according to standard surgical procedure, and the colpotomy site was closed using interrupted sutures. The survival and complications were observed 1 week postoperatively. RESULTS: Our results showed that two cases failed because of peritoneal rupture. One case was successful, but required the assistance of an extra 5 mm laparoscopic trocar inserted in the flank. Three cases of pure retroperitoneal NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy were completed, and survived 1 week after the operation. In these three cases, no intra- or postoperative complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: All findings confirmed the safety and feasibility of the retroperitoneal pure retroperitoneal NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy using standard laparoscopic instruments, which suggested the possibility of clinical application in human beings in the future.

Hepatocyte growth factor increases the invasive potential of PC-3 human prostate cancer cells via an ERK/MAPK and Zeb-1 signaling pathway.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has been implicated in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in numerous types of cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, there has been no previous evidence that HGF has a role in prostate cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of HGF on EMT and invasive potential, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms, in a human prostate cancer cell line. Therefore, PC-3 cells were treated with various concentrations of HGF for varying durations. EMT-associated proteins, including E-cadherin and vimentin, were examined by western blot analysis. The effects of HGF on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and tumorigenicity were assessed using MTT, wound-healing, Transwell and soft-agar assays. Subsequently, the role of c-Met in the mediation of EMT-like changes was investigated using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, western blot analysis and gene knockdown by small interfering RNA. Finally, western blot analysis was used to quantify the expression of a downstream transcription factor and extracellular signal-related kinase/mitogen activated protein kinase (ERK/MAPK) signaling pathway proteins. The results indicated that treatment with HGF induced EMT-like changes and enhanced the invasive potential of PC-3 cells. There was an increase in the expression of ERK, phosphorylated-ERK and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox-1 (Zeb-1), suggesting that EMT-like changes may be mediated through the ERK/MAPK and Zeb-1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, HGF-mediated EMT-like changes were associated with c-Met activation, and these changes were able to be blocked by c-Met knockdown. The present study demonstrated that HGF-induced EMT increased the invasive potential of PC-3 human prostate cancer cells through activating the ERK/MAPK and Zeb-1 signaling pathway.

Overexpression of c-Met increases the tumor invasion of human prostate LNCaP cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

c-Met is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor that may be activated by hepatocyte growth factor, an inducer of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), to regulate the associated downstream gene expression. This process is critical to cell migration in normal and pathological conditions. In the present study, the function of c-Met in the process of EMT was investigated in prostate cancer. Initially, a c-Met stable expression cell line was constructed using EMT- and c-Met-negative LNCaP prostate cancer cells. Following the identification of c-Met in the transfected cells, the changes in EMT, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway biomarkers were determined by western blot analysis. MTT, soft agar and Transwell assays, and xenograft studies were used to investigate the effects of c-Met on the proliferation, migration and tumorigenicity of LNCaP cells. The results of the present study revealed downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of vimentin in LNCaP-Met cells. The results demonstrated that c-Met enhanced proliferation, migration and tumorigenicity capacity when compared with LNCaP and LNCaP-pcDNA3.1 cells. Furthermore, these EMT-like changes were mediated via the PI3K and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. The present study clearly demonstrates a crucial function for c-Met in EMT development in prostate cancer. c-Met-targeted treatment may be an effective adjuvant therapy for improving survival rates in patients with prostate cancer.

[Prognostic value of PSA kinetics in locally advanced prostate cancer treated by maximal androgen blockade combined with brachytherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of post-treatment PSA kinetics on the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 114 cases of locally advanced PCa treated by maximal androgen blockade (MAB) combined with brachytherapy, and analyzed the association of the changes in PSA kinetics with the prognosis of the patients. RESULTS: The median survival time of the patients was 81 (15 - 144) months, with 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates of 91. 23%, 78.07% and 68.42% , respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the baseline PSA level, PSA nadir, the time of PSA decreasing to nadir, PSA doubling time, and the extent of PSA declining were all predictive factors for the survival time of the PCa patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that PSA nadir, the time of PSA decreasing to nadir, and the extent of PSA declining were three independent prognostic factors, which prolonged the long-term survival of the patients by 1.7, 3.2 and 6.8 times, respectively. CONCLUSION: For locally advanced PCa treated by MAB combined with brachytherapy, PSA nadir <1 micro g/L, the time to nadir <3 months, and the extent of PSA declining >96% are independent prognostic factors.

Cells susceptible to epithelial-mesenchymal transition are enriched in stem-like side population cells from prostate cancer.

Accumulating evidence suggests that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) acts as an important factor for the promotion of tumor progression. Strategies for suppressing EMT remain the subject of ongoing research. In the present study, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) was used to isolate side population (SP) cells from human prostate cancer (PCa) cell lines and xenograft tissues. After identifying their molecular and functional stem-like characteristics, stem-like SP cells from a cell line and from xenograft tissue were transfected with hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). The potential of the prostate stem-like SP cells to undergo EMT was compared with that in their bulk counterparts after HIF-1α introduction. Stem-like SP cells acquired more complete EMT molecular features and exhibited stronger aggressive capability than the homologous bulk population cells both in vitro (proliferation and invasion) and in vivo (tumorigenesis and metastasis formation). We, therefore, concluded that EMT is closely associated with tumor heterogeneity, and that PCa cells susceptible to EMT are enriched in stem-like SP cells. These findings disclose a new approach, targeting the cellular basis of the EMT process that may help to identify effective and accurate methods for suppressing tumor growth and preventing distant dissemination.

Zerumbone induces apoptosis in human renal cell carcinoma via Gli-1/Bcl-2 pathway.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a malignant disease insensitive to conventional treatments such as radiochemotherapy and immunotherapy. Search for new approaches to induce cancer cell apoptosis will improve the management of RCC. Here, we reported that zerumbone, a monosesquiterpine, shows anticancer effects on human RCC cells via induction of apoptosis in vitro. Human renal clear cell carcinoma 786-0 and 769-P cell lines were used as the model system. Exposure of RCC cells to zerumbone resulted in cell viability inhibition, accompanied by DNA fragmentation and increased apoptotic index. Mechanically, treatment of RCC cells with zerumbone activated caspase-3 and caspase-9, and finally led to cleavage of PARR In addition, downregulation of Gli-1 and Bcl-2, which were closely related to the chemoresistance of RCC, was observed in zerumbone-treated RCC cells. Taken together, our study provided the first evidence that zerumbone imparted strong inhibitory and apoptotic effects on human RCC cells. The zerumbone-induced apoptosis might be related to the activation of the caspase cascade and deregulation of the Gli-1/Bcl-2 pathway. Our results suggest that zerumbone merit further investigation as an apoptosis inducer as well as a novel RCC chemotherapeutic agent in the clinical setting.

[Long-term outcomes of prostate cancer patients treated with combined brachytherapy and maximal androgen blockade].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prognostic factors of prostate cancer (PCa) patients and evaluate the effect of brachytherapy on survival time. METHODS: A total of 289 PCa were recruited to collect their clinical and survival data. And their possible prognostic factors were analyzed. A further comparison of 5-year cumulative survival rate was made between the patients treated by maximal androgen blockade (MAB) and those on MAB plus brachytherapy. RESULTS: Their median survival time was 73 (7-144) months. And the 1, 3 and 5-year survival rates were 93.1%, 81.0% and 60.2% respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that prostate volume, basal level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), Gleason score, tumor stage, PSA nadir, time PSA decreasing to nadir and brachytherapy were all predictive factors for survival time. And multivariate analysis further demonstrated that Gleason score, tumor stage and PSA nadir were independent prognostic indicators. And the combination therapy based on brachytherapy could significantly increase the 5-year cumulative survival rate than MAB-based monotherapy. CONCLUSION: Gleason score, tumor stage and PSA nadir may predict the prognosis of PCa patients. And brachytherapy significantly improves patient survival.

[Over-expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in LNCaP cells in vitro and in vivo].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the over-expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1alpha) on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasive potency of LNCaP cells in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: We cultured LNCaP cells stably expressing HIF-1alpha (LNCaP/HIF-1alpha) and LNCaP cells, identified the over-expression of HIF-1alpha, determined the proliferation of the two cell lines by MTT assay and the level of PSA in the supernatant of culture medium, and detected the anchorage independent growth by soft-agar colony formation assay. A subcutaneous tumor model was established in nude mice by injecting LNCaP/HIF-1alpha and LNCaP cells followed by observation of the tumor growth. Tumor specimens were obtained for immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The over-expression of HIF-1alpha was confirmed in the LNCaP/HIF-1alpha cells by immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting. The level of PSA was obviously decreased in LNCaP/HIF-1alpha as compared with that in LNCaP cells. MTT assay identified the increased proliferation of LNCaP/HIF-1alpha cells. The cell colony forming ability of the LNCaP cells was significantly lower than that of the LNCaP/HIF-1alpha cells. The rate of tumorigenesis was increased and its time shortened in the LNCaP/HIF-1alpha group. Immunohistochemistry revealed an up-regulated expression of vimentin and a down-regulated expression of E-cadherin in the tumor specimens. CONCLUSION: The overexpression of HIF-1alpha can up-regulate the expression of vimentin and down-regulate the expression of E-cadherin, which may enhance the invasive potency of LNCaP cells by inducing EMT.

[Over-expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha increases angiogenesis of LNCaP cells in vivo].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1alpha) on angiogenesis in prostate carcinoma in vivo and to investigate its molecular mechanism. METHODS: LNCaP/HIF-1alpha and LNCaP cells were cultured, the level of PSA in the supernatant of the culture medium detected by ELISA assay before and after the transfection, and the cellular cycle measured by flow cytometry. Nude mouse models of subcutaneous tumor were established with LNCaP/HIF-1alpha and LNCaP cells, the tumor growth observed, and tumor specimens collected for immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: Compared with the LNCaP cells, LNCaP/HIF-1alpha cells showed an obviously decreased PSA level (t = 8.243, P < 0.05) and enhanced proliferous activity. The tumorigenesis rate increased and the tumorigenesis time advanced in the LNCaP/HIF-1alpha group of the nude mice. Immunohistochemistry displayed higher expressions of VEGF, iNOS and Ang-2 in the LNCaP/HIF-1alpha than in the LNCaP group. CONCLUSION: The over-expression of HIF-1alpha can up-regulate VEGF and iNOS involved in angiogenesis in vivo and contribute to the invasive potency of LNCaP cells. HIF-1alpha may have no influence on Ang-2 either in vitro or in vivo, while the expression of Ang-2 is regulated by other factors in vivo.