MUC1-positive circulating tumor cells and MUC1 protein predict chemotherapeutic efficacy in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer.

Chemotherapy plays an important role in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. It is important to monitor chemotherapeutic efficacy, to find a simple and efficient tool to guide treatment, and to predict the efficacy of treatment in a timely and accurate manner. This study aimed to detect mucin-1 (MUC1)-positive circulating tumor cells and MUC1 protein in the peripheral blood of patients with metastatic breast cancer and to investigate their relationship to chemotherapeutic efficacy. MUC1 mRNA was detected in the peripheral blood of 34 patients with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The positive rates of MUC1 mRNA were 88.2% before chemotherapy and 70.6% after chemotherapy, without a significant difference (P=0.564); MUC1 mRNA expression before chemotherapy had no correlation with treatment effectiveness (P=0.281). The response rate of MUC1 mRNA-negative patients after first-cycle chemotherapy was significantly higher (P=0.009) and the progression-free survival (PFS) was clearly longer than those of MUC1 mRNA-positive patients (P=0.095). MUC1 protein in peripheral blood plasma was detected by an ELISA competitive inhibition assay. The patients with decreased MUC1 protein after chemotherapy had a significantly longer PFS than those with elevated MUC1 protein (P=0.044). These results indicate that the outcomes of MUC1 mRNA-negative patients after chemotherapy are better than those of MUC1 mRNA-positive patients. In addition, patients with decreased expression of MUC1 protein have a better PFS.

[Effects of aerobic interval training on myocardial oxidative stress and inflammation in rats with myocardial infarction and its mechanism].

Objective: The present study was to determine the effects of aerobic interval training (AIT) on the expressions of SIRT1, Nox4 and inflammatory factor in the heart of rats with myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: Male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group (C), sedentary MI group (MI) and MI with AIT group (ME) (n=10). The MI model was established by ligation the left anterior descending coronary artery. Rats in C groups were subjected to the same surgery, but only threaded and not ligated. After surgery 1 week, rats in ME groups took adaptability training for 1 week, and then subjected to 4 weeks treadmill exercise training. After training, the hearts were collected for histological observation. The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in heart was assessed by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of sirtuin1 (SIRT1) mRNA was examined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The protein expressions of SIRT1, NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were detected by Western blotting. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by dihydroethidium (DHE) staining. Results: Compared with the C group, the expression level of cardiac Nox4 protein was increased (P＜0.01), the level of MDA, activity of LDH and the level of ROS were increased significantly (P＜0.01), and the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß protein were augmented in the heart of rats with MI (P＜0.01). However, the expressions of SIRT1 mRNA and protein and the activity of SOD were obviously decreased in MI group (P＜0.01). Furthermore, compared with the MI group, AIT increased the expressions of SIRT1 mRNA and protein and the activity of SOD in the heart of ME group (P＜0.01); Meanwhile, the expressions of cardiac Nox4, MDA level, LDH activity and ROS level were diminished in ME group (P＜0.01) as well as the decreased expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß protein (P＜0.01). SIRT1 expression was negatively related to the expressions of NOX4 and ROS. Conclusion: AIT obviously inhibited myocardial oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction, improved cardiac function in rats with MI, and the mechanism was closely related to the activation of SIRT1-Nox4-ROS signaling pathway.

[Effect of Acupuncture on the Expression of Transcription Factor T-bet/GATA-3 in Plasma of Rats with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture on the expression of T-box expressed in T cell (T-bet)/GATA binding factor-3 (GATA-3) in plasma of rats with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and explore the mechanism of acupuncture treatment for CFS. METHODS: Forty-eight healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into blank control group, CFS model group, acupuncture group, and ginsenoside group (12 rats in each group). CFS rat model was established by combining restriction and cold water swimming. Acupuncture was applied to "Baihui"(GV 20), "Guanyuan" (CV 4) and "Zusanli" (ST 36, bilate-ral) acupoints, once a day for two weeks. The ginsenoside group was gavage administrated with ginsenoside, once a day for two weeks. After 14 days, behavioural changes were observed, and the expression levels of T-bet/GATA-3 genes in plasma were detected by RT-PCR. RESULTS: Compared with the blank control group, the time for immobility of forced suspensory test was signi-ficantly longer (P<0.05) and the time for exhaustive swimming was significantly shortened (P<0.05) in the CFS model group. Compared with the model group, the two indexes above-mentioned were reversed (P<0.05) both in the acupuncture group and the ginsenoside group, and the effects in the acupuncture group were more significant than those in the ginsenoside group (P<0.05). Compared with the blank control group, the expression level of T-cell transcription factor T-bet gene in plasma was higher in the CFS model group (P<0.05), companied with lower GATA-3 gene expression (P<0.05). The ratio of T-bet/GATA-3 was higher in the model group than in the blank control group(P<0.05). Compared with the CFS model group, all the indexes above-mentioned were reversed (P<0.05) in the two treatment groups. Acupuncture group showed a better effect on reducing T-bet gene expression than the ginsenoside group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture can decrease the expression level of T-bet gene while increase the expression of GATA-3 gene, which may be associated with its role in treating CFS.

[Biological properties of mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow of patients with multiple myeloma].

The study was purposed to explore the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the pathogenesis of bone disease particularly observed in multiple myeloma (MM), the biological features of marrow derived MSCs from patients with MM have been investigated. Marrow aspirates were harvested from 11 newly diagnosed patients with MM and 5 normal adults and MSCs were isolated and culture-expanded by the cell properties of adherence to plastic flasks, The phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometric technique. The proliferation of MSCs was observed by MTT assay and their differentiation capacities into osteoblasts and adipoblasts were assessed with lineage-specific histochemical staining. The concentrations of IL-6 and SCF in the culture supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). MSC culture supernatants were collected and MTT assay was performed to evaluate their support on the proliferation of an MM cell line SKO007 cells. The results showed that bone marrow-derived MSCs from MM patients were homogeneously positive for CD29, CD73, CD166 and HLA-ABC and negative for hematopoietic cell marker CD45 and endothelial cell marker CD31, the phenotype of which was similar to that of marrow counterparts from normal adults. MTT assay indicated that MSCs from MM patients or normal adults proliferated at similar rates. MSCs from MM patients occupied in vitro osteogenic and adipogenic capacity as those from normal adults. The levels of IL-6 and SCF in culture supernatant were greatly up-regulated in MM patients by ELISA assay. Furthermore, MSC culture supernatants from MM bone marrow displayed enhanced activity to promote the proliferation of SKO007 cells. It is concluded that marrow-derived MSCs from bone marrow of MM patients are normal in their proliferation and differentiation capacities, and myeloma bone disease may not be ascribed to the differentiation of MSCs while the elevated secretion of IL-6 and SCF may provide necessary cues for the survival of malignant myeloma cells.