Mechanisms of Apoptin-induced cell death.

Apoptin, a 13.6-kD protein encoded by chicken anemia virus, is paid more and more attention, since it selectively induces apoptosis in tumor cells while abolishes cytotoxic effect in normal cells. In addition, Apoptin shows different localization in tumor cells and normal cells: it predominantly accumulates in nucleus of tumor cells, whereas in normal cells, it is detected mainly in cytoplasm. There are various mechanisms implicated in the program of Apoptin-mediated cell death. Up to now, the interpretations have been recognized including that the particular domains control nucleocytoplasmic shuttling of Apoptin, phosphorylation on specific residue and varies relevant signaling contribute to Apoptin's activity, and the partners interacted with Apoptin regulate activity or subcellular localization of Apoptin. In this review, we make a comprehensive survey of the existing evidence about mechanisms of Apoptin's action, which might provide scientific basis to make progress in novel targeted tumor therapy.

[Expression and clinical significance of Nrf2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma].

AIM: To study the expression and clinical significance of Nrf2 (Nuclear factor E2 p45-related factor 2) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The expression of Nrf2 in 32 cases of EC tissues, 30 cases of adjacent tissues, 21 positive Lymph node tissues and 24 negative Lymph node tissues was assessed by SP immunohistochemical method. RESULTS: The main location of Nrf2 was nuclear, and the positive rates of Nrf2 in the cancer tissues was 78.13%, while that in the adjacent tissues group was 13.33%, and showed 66.67% and 20.83% in the positive Lymph node tissues and negative Lymph node tissues respectively, there was a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). The Nrf2 positive rate was closely correlated with the lymph node metastasis (P<0.05), but showed no statistical associated with age, sex, TNM stage, degree of tumor differentiation and the location of tumor. CONCLUSION: The Nrf2 has high expression in ESCC tissues, and the positive rate is closely correlated with the lymph node metastasis, The Nrf2 may play an important role in ESCC oncogenesis and drug resistence.