[Synergism of c-myc and p16 in oral squamous cell carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: The study on the protein expression of c-myc and p16 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been reported, and a few researches involved in their gene amplification and mRNA expression in OSCC, however, the synergism of c-myc and p16 in OSCC in multiple levels is still unclear. This study aims to probe the synergism of c-myc and p16 in OSCC in gene amplification, mRNA expression, and protein expression levels. METHODS: The gene amplification, expression of mRNA, and protein of c-myc and p16 in 30 cases of OSCC were determined by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical techniques. RESULTS: The amplification rate of c-myc was 63.3%, but no amplification of p16 was found in OSCC. The mRNA expression rates of c-myc and p16 were 83.3% and 93.3%, and their protein expression rates were 60.0% and 86.7%, respectively. The correlation analysis showed that there was significant correlativity between p16 and c-myc both in mRNA expression (r=0.676 5, P=4.055 6E-05) and in protein expression (r=0.564 2, P=0.001 2). CONCLUSION: The gene amplification and overexpression of c-myc plays an important role in the tumorigenesis and development of OSCC. There is certain internal relationship between p16 and c-myc expression in OSCC.

Study of apoptosis in human liver cancers.

AIM: To investigate the action of apoptosis in occurrence of liver carcinomas in vivo and the biological effect of Solanum lyratum Thumb on BEL-7404 cell line inducing apoptosis in vivo. METHODS: The apoptosis in the liver carcinoma was detected with terminal deoxynucl neotidyl transferase mediated dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL); the cancer cells cultured in DMED medium were treated with extract of Solanum lyratum Thumb and observed under microscope, and their DNA was assayed by gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: In vivo apoptotic cells in the cancer adjacent tissues inceased; in vivo treatment of liver cancers with extract of Solanum lyratum Thumb could induce the cells to manifest a typical apoptotic morphology. Their DNA was fractured and a characteristic ladder pattern could be found using electrophoresis. CONCLUSION: In vivo the apoptosis of carcinomas was lower; maybe the cells divided quickly and then the cancers occurred. In the cancer adjacent tissues,the apoptosis pricked up, and in vivo Solanum lyratum Thumb could induce the apoptosis of BEL-7404 cells.

[Experimental study on Rhizoma sparganii and Radices zedoariae treating hepatic fibrosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae on hepatic fibrosis. METHOD: The rat immunohepatic fibrosis model was made by intraperitoneal injection of porcine serum and treated with rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae. The ALT, GGT, TP, ALb, A/G, IVC, LN, HA and the pathological change of the liver were observed. RESULT: Rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae could increase TP, ALb, A/G, decrease ALT, GGT, IVC, LN, HA and improve the pathological change. CONCLUSION: Rhizoma sparganii and radices zedoariae can protect hepatic cells, alleviate degeneration and necrosis, recover structure and function, and reduce the proliferation of fibrous tissue.