Primary maxillary sinus carcinosarcoma with multidisciplinary management: a case report with 4 years follow-up and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Primary maxillary sinus carcinosarcoma (CS) is an extremely rare malignant tumor characterized by biphasic histologic components, lack of standardized treatment, high recurrence rate, and poor prognosis. This paper presents a case of primary maxillary sinus CS and its treatment. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old female patient complained of right facial pain and maxillary teeth numbness on March 21, 2018. Computed tomography examination revealed a malignant mass with osteolytic destruction. Preoperative biopsy suggested sarcomatoid carcinoma or CS. A total right maxillectomy under general anesthesia was performed on April 12, 2018. The final staging was T3N0M0 (ACJJ 2019). Postoperative radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed. On May 26, 2018, the patient received the first cycle of doxorubicin plus ifosfamide. Two days before radiotherapy, the patient received an intra-oral prosthesis. From June 20, 2018, to August 22, 2018, the patient received concurrent chemoradiotherapy: radiotherapy (60 Gy in 30 fractions) and the second cycle of doxorubicin. Then, the patient received four cycles of doxorubicin plus ifosfamide. The patient was followed for 39 months with no evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: Using multidisciplinary therapy, clinical-stage T3N0M0 (ACJJ 2019) maxillary sinus CS may achieve a good prognosis.

Performance of Different Imaging Techniques for Detection of Para-Aortic Lymph Node Metastasis from Gynecological Malignancies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECT: The purpose of this review is to assess the diagnostic performance of different imaging techniques for the detection of para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis from gynecological malignancies. METHODS: Six databases, from the earliest available date of indexing through July 22, 2018, were systematically searched. In addition, the reference lists of relevant articles were searched by hand. Study allocation, data extraction, and quality assessment were independently performed by 2 reviewers. The size effect, sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic OR, and 95% CIs were used in the meta-analysis. The area under the curve (AUC) and Q* were calculated to reflect the synthesized diagnostic accuracy. Statistical calculations of this meta-analysis were conducted using STATA version 14.0 software. RESULTS: Across 41 eligible studies (1,615 participants), pooled SEN, SPE, and AUC of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), PET-CT, and lymphangiography analyses were 25%, 93%, 0.7675; 60%, 94%, 0.9050; 83%, 96%, 0.9422; 66%, 97%, 0.9501; 77%, 75%, 0.8332, respectively. Analysis of combined summary receiver operating characteristic curves indicated that PET and PET-CT were superior to other imaging modalities. CONCLUSION: The present meta-analysis demonstrated that PET and PET-CT should be the first choice for detecting PALN metastasis in gynecological malignancies. CT was also suitable for confirmation. MRI was not recommended. Further studies are needed for PALN assessment.

A Hypothesis and Pilot Study of Age-Related Sensory Innervation of the Hard Palate: Sensory Disorder After Nasopalatine Nerve Division.

BACKGROUND The nasopalatine nerve may be injured during extraction of teeth embedded in the anterior hard palate. The neural recovery process and its impact on sensation in the anterior hard palatal region are controversial. In our clinical practice, we noticed a distinct recovery process in children compared with adolescents or adults after surgery. We hypothesized that the sensory innervations of the anterior palate might shift during later childhood and pre-adolescence, which is due to the development of the nasopalatine nerve along with the maxillary growth and permanent teeth eruption. MATERIAL AND METHODS Forty patients (20 females and 20 males, mean age 11.8±2.2) with impacted supernumerary teeth in anterior palatine area were included into our study, and were divided into 3 groups according to their age. A 24-week follow-up was conducted and the sensation in the anterior hard palate region was examined at every check point. All the data were collected and analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS Fourteen children did not complain of any numbness immediately after anesthetization, and other children with sensory disorders had shorter healing periods compared to adolescent/adult patients. CONCLUSIONS The results indicated that the dominant nerve of the anterior hard palate region was dramatically changed from the greater palatine nerve to the nasopalatine nerve, which is important in deciding when to operate and in selection of anesthesia method.

B7-H3 suppresses CD8+ T cell immunologic function through reprogramming glycolytic metabolism.

Malignant neoplasms pose a formidable threat to human well-being. Prior studies have documented the extensive expression of B7 homolog 3 (B7-H3 or CD276) across various tumors, affecting glucose metabolism. Yet, the link between metabolic modulation and immune responses remains largely unexplored. Our study reveals a significant association between B7-H3 expression and advanced tumor stages, lymph node metastasis, and tumor location in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We further elucidate B7-H3's role in mediating glucose competition between cancer cells and CD8+ T cells. Through co-culturing tumor cells with flow cytometry-sorted CD8+ T cells, we measured glucose uptake and lactate secretion in both cell types. Additionally, we assessed interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) release and the immune and exhaustion status of CD8+ T cells. Our findings indicate that B7-H3 enhances glycolysis in OSCC and malignant melanoma, while simultaneously inhibiting CD8+ T cell glycolysis. Silencing B7-H3 led to increased IFN-γ secretion in co-cultures, highlighting its significant role in modulating CD8+ T cell functions within the tumor microenvironment and its impact on tumorigenicity. We also demonstrate that glycolysis inhibition can be mitigated by exogenous glucose supplementation. Mechanistically, our study suggests B7-H3's influence on metabolism might be mediated through the phosphoinositide3-kinase (PI3K)/ protein kinase B (Akt)/ mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. This research unveils how B7-H3 affects immune functions via metabolic reprogramming.

Research progress of biomineralization for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors.

Malignant tumors have long been a prominent subject of research in order to foster innovation and advancement in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. However, the current clinical treatment of malignant tumors faces significant limitations. In light of recent advancements, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially designated malignant tumors as a chronic disease in 2006. Accordingly, maintaining the tumor in a stable state and minimizing its detrimental impact on the body emerges as a potentially advantageous approach to oncological treatment. One emerging strategy that has garnered substantial attention from the academic community is the construction of a biomineralized layer surrounding solid tumors for tumor blockade therapy. This innovative approach is regarded as safe, effective, and long-lasting. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the advancements made in the utilization of biomineralization for the diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors.

Mesenchymal stem cells transduced by stromal cell-derived factor-1α augment ischemic free flaps' survival.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have the potential for differentiating into vascular endothelial cells. Stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) plays an important role in neovascularization of ischemic flaps. The authors evaluated the feasibility of applying MSCs transduced by SDF-1α gene to the treatment of early and partial ischemic free flaps survival. MSCs were isolated from Lewis rats and cultured in vitro. Recombinant adenovirus encoding SDF-1α gene (Ad-SDF-1α) was transduced into the MSCs. Lewis rats that underwent epigastric free flaps based on medial and lateral branches of superficial inferior epigastric vessels and femoral vessels were equally randomized into 4 groups, and injected with Ad-SDF-1α-transduced MSCs, MSCs, Ad-SDF-1α, and normal saline, respectively. Gene transduction, flaps survival, neovascularization, and expression level of SDF-1a protein were detected. The results showed that Ad-SDF-1α-transduced MSCs expressed higher SDF-1α both in vitro and in vivo, yielded more survival area, and resulted in higher neovascularization than any other groups. Interestingly, the necrotic sites of all free flaps were in the proximal end rather than in the distal end. In conclusion, Ad-SDF-1α-transduced MSCs can increase neovascularization of early and partial ischemic free flaps and augment the surviving areas.

Increased expression of PFKFB3 in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its association with lymphangiogenesis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the expression of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3) and its association with lymphangiogenesis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). STUDY DESIGN: The expression of PFKFB3 in OSCC and adjacent normal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 78 patients with OSCC. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed to quantify lymphatic vessel density (LVD), which was labeled using podoplanin (PDPN) proteins of lymphatic endothelial cells, and PDPN mRNA was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Compared with adjacent normal tissues, the expression of PFKFB3 and PDPN protein was significantly higher in OSCC tissues (P < .0001). Moreover, PFKFB3 protein was associated with LVD and lymph node metastasis (P < .05). Compared with the normal tissues, increased mRNA expression of PFKFB3 and PDPN in the OSCC group (P < .05). In addition, the mRNA expression of PDPN was positively correlated with that of PFKFB3 (P < .0001) in the OSCC group. CONCLUSIONS: PFKFB3 and PDPN expression was increased in OSCC. Further, PFKFB3 expression was associated with PDPN expression and LVD, suggesting that PFKFB3 may be considered to mediate lymphangiogenesis and predict lymph node metastasis in OSCC.

Effect of piceatannol against malignant melanoma in vivo and in vitro.

OBJECTIVES: To study the antitumor effect of piceatannol (PIC) on malignant melanoma in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: B16F10 cells were cultured in vitro and treated with gradient concentrations of PIC. Cell viability was detected with methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay; matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk), and p-Syk were detected with Western blot; migration ability was detected with wound healing assay; invasion ability was detected with Transwell assay. Syk expression was suppressed through RNA interference for the detection of the possible mechanism of PIC in melanoma. An in vivo study was established by creating B16F10-bearing mice with intraperitoneal injection of PIC. RESULTS: The cell viability of B16F10 decreased with increasing PIC concentration. The results of the Transwell assay showed that invasion ability decreased with increasing PIC concentration, and healing time was prolonged at increased PIC concentration in the wound healing assay. Western blot results showed that PIC mainly inhibited the phosphorylation of Syk and inhibited the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, and VEGF. RNA interference pointed out that blocking the expression of Syk can reveal the same inhibition effect on B16F10 cells as PIC. In vivo study revealed that different concentrations of PIC cangreatly inhibit melanoma progression. CONCLUSIONS: PIC might block the progression of malignant melanoma by inhibiting spleen tyrosine kinase.

Smad7 attenuates TGF-ß-mediated aging-related hypofunction of submandibular glands.

Submandibular glands have essential functions in taste, mastication, swallowing, and digestion. Submandibular gland hypofunction is prevalent in the elderly, impairing the patients' quality of life. Current clinical treatment strategies have not decelerated or reversed the pathological process of submandibular gland hypofunction. Therefore, novel restoration strategies should be explored. However, studies on the mechanism of aging-related submandibular gland hypofunction remain very limited. The role of the TGF-ß/Smad pathway in fibrosis has been studied in other organs. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the role of TGF-ß/Smad signaling in the aging-related submandibular gland hypofunction. The results showed that Smad7 knockout in mice decreased the salivary flow rate. H&E, Masson trichrome, and immunohistochemistry staining of MCP-1 and α-SMA showed that Smad7 knockout in mice resulted in lymphocytic infiltration, acinar cell atrophy, and interstitial fibrosis. The Western blotting of collagen I and III also confirmed extensive fibrosis. We then found that Smad7 depletion resulted in the TGF-ß-mediated fibrosis via mir-21, mir-29, and np_5318, and NFκB-driven inflammation activation. This study confirmed the inhibitory role of Smad7 in the aging-related submandibular gland hypofunction. Therefore, it provided a promising treatment target for aging-related dysfunction and sialadenitis of submandibular gland.

Anterior skull base reconstruction with galeal-frontalis-pericranial flap based on temporalis myofascial flap.

Such a giant anterior skull base mucocele involving the orbito-ethmoido-maxillo-fronto sinuses is a rare case. This patient complained of a right orbital mass for 18 years, and he was recommended to our hospital for treatment. His history, physical examination, laboratory study results, diagnosis, and treatment are reported in detail. In conclusion, we show that modified transcranial pathway and ingenious assistant incision can get the utmost exposure and can obtain a satisfactory aesthetic result and that anterior skull base reconstruction with the galeal-frontalis-pericranial flap based on the temporalis myofascial flap for the first time can successfully prevent life-threatening complications from happening.

[Application of mixed reality in oromaxillofacial head and neck oncology surgery: a preliminary study].

Mixed reality (MR), characterized by the ability to integrate digital data into human real feeling, is a new technique in medical imaging and surgical navigation. MR has tremendous value in surgery, but its application in oromaxillofacial head and neck oncology surgery is not yet reported. This paper reports the application of MR in oromaxillofacial head and neck oncology surgery. The merits, demerits, and present research situations and prospects of MR are further discussed.

Metastatic tumors to the oral and maxillofacial region: a retrospective study of 19 cases in West China and review of the Chinese and English literature.

PURPOSE: The aim of this article was to obtain an overview of metastatic tumors to the oral and maxillofacial (OMF) region, especially the differences in the constituent ratios of primary cancers between the United States and China. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Clinical findings of 19 cases encountered in West China Hospital of Stomatology were summarized and the English and Chinese literature were reviewed and analyzed. The main clinical features of OMF metastases were summarized, with an emphasis on primary cancers' constituents. RESULTS: The lung, breast, kidney, liver, and prostate were the top 5 common primary sites of cancer. However, there was a significant difference in the primary cancers' constituents between United States and China (P < .001). The breast, kidney, prostate cancers, and melanoma of skin were more frequent primary cancers in United States than in China, whereas that of the lung, thyroid, liver, esophagus, and the stomach were more common in China than in United States. The proportions of the OMF metastatic lesions originating in the lung, kidney, liver, thyroid, and esophagus in all OMF metastatic tumors were higher than the corresponding primary cancers' prevalent proportions. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of developing OMF metastasis is not always consistent with primary cancers' prevalence, which suggests that different cancers have different potentiality to develop OMF metastasis. Cancers of the kidney, liver, lung, thyroid, and esophagus were more likely to spread to the OMF region. In general screening of primary cancer, it would be helpful to take into account the metastatic potentiality of different cancers and primary cancers' prevalence in different countries in the case of occult primary.

Maxillofacial injuries caused by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China.

PURPOSE: To describe the pattern of maxillofacial injuries sustained by survivors of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in the West China Hospital of Stomatology from May 12 to June 23, 2008. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional data were analyzed using hospital-based records of earthquake survivors admitted to the West China Hospital of Stomatology. A self-designed form to record information about variables such as the gender and age of the survivors and type of location of soft and hard tissue injuries was used. RESULTS: The age of earthquake survivors of maxillofacial injuries ranged from 4 to 84 years. Fractures and soft tissue injuries were the most common of all injuries in the maxillofacial region, constituting 40.7% and 38.9%, respectively. Thirteen patients (11.5%) had dental injuries and 9 (8.0%) also had other organ injuries. CONCLUSION: During the Wenchuan earthquake, the incidence of maxillofacial injuries in survivors was relatively low compared with injury in other organs. However, because most injuries were maxillofacial fractures and facial soft tissue damage, special attention was paid to maxillofacial injury when planning and providing emergency treatment. The effective management of earthquake injuries and those caused by other types of disaster requires a multidisciplinary approach, and maxillofacial surgeons should form an integral part of this multidisciplinary team.

The immunoregulatory protein B7-H3 promotes aerobic glycolysis in oral squamous carcinoma via PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway.

OSCC (oral squamous carcinoma) is one of most common malignant cancer. Although previous studies have found abnormal expression of B7-H3 in human OSCC, the exact role and molecular mechanism of B7-H3 in OSCC remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of B7-H3 in glucose metabolic reprogramming of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. We first detected the expression of B7-H3 in OSCC samples. Next, siRNAs and overexpression short-hairpin RNA of B7-H3 were transfected into SCC25 and Cal27 cells, and cell proliferation, migration and invasion were analyzed via CCK8, colony formation and transwell assays. Then glycolysis flux was determined through measuring glucose uptake and lactate production, and mRNA and protein expression levels were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and western blot respectively. The results presented here showed B7-H3 was upregulated in OSCC samples compared with normal tissues, and the expression level was associated with tumor size and nodal metastasis. B7-H3 affects OSCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion. We also found that B7-H3 promoted the Warburg effect, evidenced by increase glucose uptake and lactate production. We further demonstrated that B7-H3 enhanced OSCC glycolysis through the upregulation of HIF-1α and its downstream targets, Glut1 and PFKFB3, which are key factors in glycolysis. Mechanically, we demonstrated that B7-H3 regulates HIF-1α expression through PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Metabolic imaging of human OSCC cancer xenograft in mice confirmed that B7-H3 enhanced tumor glucose uptake, glycolysis promoted genes expression and tumor growth. Taken together, our results have unveiled a mechanism that B7-H3 drives OSCC progression through enhancing of glycolytic metabolic program in OSCC.

Cutaneous metastasis from a parotid myoepithelial carcinoma: a case report and review of the literature.

Myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland is a rare salivary gland tumour, and its distant cutaneous metastasis has not been reported to date. Here, we report a case of myoepithelial carcinoma of the left parotid gland, which had metastasised to the skin of the right thorax after parotidectomy and radiotherapy. Diagnosis of the primary and metastatic tumour was based on the clinical findings and was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. A literature review of the clinical features of the skin metastases of parotid malignancies and their related pathological mechanisms is included in this case study. It was noted that myoepithelial carcinoma of the parotid gland has the potential to develop distant skin metastasis, which may be indicative of widespread dissemination and poor prognosis. Attention should be paid to initial treatment of the primary tumour and to emerging cutaneous masses whose location is distant from the primary tumour during follow up.

Correlation between the expression of thrombospondin-1 and neovascularization in mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have recently demonstrated that thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) has an important function in regulating neovascularization. Whether it inhibits or accelerates neovascularization, however, is still controversial. We found few reports about the correlation between TSP-1 and vascularization in mucoepidermoid carcinoma. In this research, the distribution and expression of TSP-1 in mucoepidermoid carcinoma were investigated. We also analyzed (1) the correlation between the expression of TSP-1 and microvessel density (MVD), as an indicator of neovascularization activity, and (2) the effect of TSP-1 on neovascularization and tumor growth in the subcutaneous xenotransplanted model of mucoepidermoid carcinoma. METHOD: (1) The sites and intensity of expression of TSP-1 and the MVD were analyzed in 45 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma after surgery by the method of streptavidin-peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemistry; and (2) recombinant human thrombospondin-1 (rhTSP-1) was injected twice a week for five consecutive weeks around the tumor in the subcutaneous xenotransplanted tumor model of mucoepidermoid carcinoma in nude mice. Each week, the tumor size was measured, in order to draw the growth curve of the xenotransplanted tumor model of mucoepidermoid carcinoma, and MVD was measured. RESULTS: (1) The positive expression of TSP-1 protein was 57.78% (26/45). Most positive staining for TSP-1 was found in the cytoplasm of the cancer cells, while some staining occurred in the extracellular matrix. The mean MVD in 45 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma was 58.17 +/- 19.77 per 100 visual fields. Tumors with a high expression of TSP-1 showed a low MVD value, and the TSP-1 immunocompetence and microvessel density showed a significant negative correlation (r(s) = -0.947, P < 0.001). (2) The xenotransplanted tumors with the injection doses of 1.25, 0.75 and 0.25 microg/ml respectively were 36.97%, 53.36% and 73.61% of the size of the control group ((451 +/- 92), (651 +/- 113), (898 +/- 86) and (1220 +/- 157) mm(3) respectively, F = 53.167, P < 0.001), and their weights were respectively 35.14%, 51.35% and 70.27% of the control group ((1.3 +/- 0.5), (1.9 +/- 0.5), (2.6 +/- 0.3), and (3.7 +/- 0.7) g respectively, F = 62.669, P < 0.001). Their MVDs were 25.00%, 45.93%, and 72.20% respectively of the control group and concentration dependent (15.43 +/- 3.45, 28.35 +/- 4.24, 44.57 +/- 3.35 and 61.73 +/- 5.43 per 100 visual fields respectively, F = 54.582, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The TSP-1 has a higher expression in mucoepidermoid carcinoma and the expression has a significant negative correlation with neovascularization. The TSP-1 inhibits neovascularization and tumor growth, and it might be a new biological therapy for treatment of patients with mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

[Correlation between the expression of thrombospondin-1 and the angiogenesis in mucoepidermoid carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and the angiogenesis in mucoepidermoid carcinoma. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry were applied to detect the expression of TSP-1 and the value of microvessel density (MVD) in 45 mucoepidermoid carcinoma patients. RESULTS: Positive expressions of TSP-1 protein were detected in 26 of the 45 (57. 78%) cases. Most positive staining for TSP-1 was observed in the cytoplasm of the cancer cells, some of those were in the extracellular matrix. The mean MVD in 45 cases with mucoepidermoid carcinoma was 60. 68 +/- 19.84 vessels per 100 field of vision. Tumors with a high expression of TSP-1 showed a low value of MVD and the correlation between TSP-1 immunocompetence and microvessel density was highly significant (r(s) = -0.942, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The TSP-1 is expressed in most mucoepidermoid carcinoma and were associated with neovascularization. TSP-1 is likely to inhibit the extensive neovascularization and increased TSP-1 expression might inhibit angiogenic phenotype in mucoepidermoid carcinoma.

Piezosurgery vs conventional rotary instrument in the third molar surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: The surgical removal of mandibular third molars is frequently accompanied by significant postsurgical sequelae. Different instruments such as piezosurgery and conventional rotary handpiece have been used to decrease such adverse events. There are controversial results from randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of Piezosurgery in the mandibular third molar extraction, compared with conventional rotary instrument. This study was performed to determine the impact of piezosurgery versus conventional rotary instrument on postoperative reactions after extraction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to combine relevant RCTs results. RESULTS: Five RCTs were eligible for this study, enrolling a total of 402 patients. Compared with conventional rotary instrument, pain score at 6 or 7 days and mouth opening at 1 day after surgery was significantly lower in Piezosurgery group (SMD -0.33, 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.10, P = 0.005), as well as swelling score at 7 days after surgery (SMD -1.95, 95% CI: -3.22 to -0.67, P = 0.003). Furthermore, mouth opening at 1 day after surgery was significantly better in patients treated with Piezosurgery (SMD 0.84, 95% CI: 0.19 to 1.49, P = 0.01). However, more operation time will be required for Piezosurgery (MD 6.23, 95% CI: 3.32 to 9.14, P < 0.0001). With regard to analgesic dosage, pooled results from two RCTs suggested there were no significant differences between Piezosurgery and conventional rotary instrument (SMD -1.45, 95% CI: -4.39 to 1.49, P = 0.33). CONCLUSION: There might be some advantages on third mandibular molar extraction with piezosurgery compared to conventional rotary instrument. More multi-centre trials are required to get more conclusive results.

[Effect of mechanical stimulation on the invasion in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma].

This study was aimed to assess the effects of cyclic biaxial mechanical stimulation on the invasion capacity in vitro and on the expression of MMP-9 in the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) high metastatic cell lines ACC-M, and in the SACC low metastatic cell lines ACC-2. We observed the functions of mechanical stimulation in the invasion of cell in vitro and investigated the mechanism involved in the invasion of SACC. Mechanical stimuli were applied to the cells for periods of 1, 3 and 6 hours daily, lasting 2 days. The mechanical stimuli applied to the cells were 4000 micro strain and 1000 micro strain, at a frequency of three hertz. Unstrained cells were used as control. The expressions of MMP-9 on ACC-M and ACC-2 were studied with laser scanning confocal microscope and image analysis software. In vitro invasion capacity of ACC-2 and ACC-M cells was determined by Transwell. The results showed the expression of MMP-9 on the cell of ACC-M was obvious by higher than that on ACC-2. MMP-9 was closely related with the invasion and metastasis of SACC. The mechanical stimulation changed the expression of MMP-9 and the invasion capacity in different duration of mechanical stimulations. Mechanical stimulation can adjust the invasion capacity and expression of MMP-9. It can promote metastasis of the cancer. Moreover, some protein other than MMP-9 may play an important role in the metastasis of the cancer.

Association between integrin-linked kinase and hyperthermia in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The present study aimed to observe the effect of the biological functions of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) silencing combined with hyperthermia on Tca8113 cells. Lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-targeting ILK was transfected into oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) Tca8113 cells and, combined with hyperthermia, several experimental methods were used to detect their biological behavior in vitro. On the basis of in vitro experiments, Tca8113 cells were transplanted into nude mice models, and ILK-shRNA-lentivirus was injected into the nude mice transplanted tumor and combined with hyperthermia. Tumor morphology and the associated protein expression changes were determined. Subsequent to ILK silencing combined with hyperthermia, the growth, migration and proliferation of Tca8113 cells were significantly inhibited. Flow cytometry revealed that the cells were blocked in the S phase, and western blot analysis demonstrated that ILK, phosphorylated (p)-RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (Akt), p-glycogen synthase kinase-3ß and p-heat shock factor 1 protein expression levels were significantly decreased, while apoptosis-associated protein B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein expression and the efficacy of hypothermia were significantly increased. By ILK silencing combined with hyperthermia, a significant therapeutic effect on transplanted tumors was observed in nude mice. Immunohistochemistry revealed the same results as the in vitro experiments. ILK silencing combined with hyperthermia can inhibit the growth, proliferation and migration of Tca8113 cells, promote Tca8113 cell apoptosis, inhibit the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway and increase hyperthermia sensitivity; the combination therapy exhibits a synergistic sensitizing effect. Therefore, ILK silencing combined with hypothermia may serve as a novel combination therapy strategy against OSCC.