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Aims/Background The combination of lenvatinib and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor has demonstrated significant efficacy in treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Our study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of triple therapy that includes hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, lenvatinib and PD-1 inhibitor for treating unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Patients with a primary diagnosis of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma between June 2020 and August 2023 were included in this study. Initially, 53 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were enrolled. Then, 13 patients were excluded based on the inclusion criteria, resulting in 40 patients included for analysis. Among them, 31 patients received triple therapy, including 16 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer C stage, 12 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-B, and 3 Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer-A hepatocellular carcinoma patients. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate, while the secondary endpoints included the conversion resection rate, pathological complete response rate, pathological partial response rate, and treatment-related adverse events. Results The objective response rate was 80.65% at a median follow-up of 24.5 months (range: 12.6-55.8 months). Of the 14 patients (45.2%) who underwent conversion therapy and were eligible for surgery, 7 patients underwent liver resection and the remaining 7 patients underwent liver transplantation. The median interval between the start of triple therapy and surgery was 117 days, ranging from 25 to 215 days. The pathological complete response was observed in six patients (19.4%) and the pathological partial response rate in eight patients (25.8%). All adverse events occurred in 77.4% of the patients. Conclusion In patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, the combination of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy, lenvatinib, and PD-1 inhibitor exhibits favourable efficacy and well tolerability, achieving a desirable pathological complete response rate while maintaining manageable drug toxicity.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular , Infusões Intra-Arteriais , Neoplasias Hepáticas , Compostos de Fenilureia , Quinolinas , Humanos , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/patologia , Compostos de Fenilureia/uso terapêutico , Compostos de Fenilureia/administração & dosagem , Quinolinas/uso terapêutico , Quinolinas/administração & dosagem , Masculino , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Adulto , Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico/uso terapêutico , Inibidores de Checkpoint Imunológico/administração & dosagem , Resultado do Tratamento , Artéria HepáticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Lymph node metastasis is a significant risk factor for patients with cholangiocarcinoma, but the mechanisms underlying cholangiocarcinoma colonization in the lymph node microenvironment remain unclear. We aimed to determine whether metabolic reprogramming fueled the adaptation and remodeling of cholangiocarcinoma cells to the lymph node microenvironment. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Here, we applied single-cell RNA sequencing of primary tumor lesions and paired lymph node metastases from patients with cholangiocarcinoma and revealed significantly reduced intertumor heterogeneity and syntropic lipid metabolic reprogramming of cholangiocarcinoma after metastasis to lymph nodes, which was verified by pan-cancer single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, highlighting the essential role of lipid metabolism in tumor colonization in lymph nodes. Metabolomics and in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 screening identified PPARγ as a crucial regulator in fueling cholangiocarcinoma colonization in lymph nodes through the oleic acid-PPARγ-fatty acid-binding protein 4 positive feedback loop by upregulating fatty acid uptake and oxidation. Patient-derived organoids and animal models have demonstrated that blocking this loop impairs cholangiocarcinoma proliferation and colonization in the lymph node microenvironment and is superior to systemic inhibition of fatty acid oxidation. PPARγ-regulated fatty acid metabolic reprogramming in cholangiocarcinoma also contributes to the immune-suppressive niche in lymph node metastases by producing kynurenine and was found to be associated with tumor relapse, immune-suppressive lymph node microenvironment, and poor immune checkpoint blockade response. CONCLUSIONS: Our results reveal the role of the oleic acid-PPARγ-fatty acid-binding protein 4 loop in fueling cholangiocarcinoma colonization in lymph nodes and demonstrate that PPARγ-regulated lipid metabolic reprogramming is a promising therapeutic target for relieving cholangiocarcinoma lymph node metastasis burden and reducing further progression.
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Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares , Colangiocarcinoma , Proteínas de Ligação a Ácido Graxo , Metástase Linfática , Ácido Oleico , PPAR gama , Microambiente Tumoral , Colangiocarcinoma/patologia , Colangiocarcinoma/metabolismo , PPAR gama/metabolismo , Humanos , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/patologia , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/metabolismo , Animais , Proteínas de Ligação a Ácido Graxo/metabolismo , Camundongos , Linfonodos/patologia , Metabolismo dos LipídeosRESUMO
Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma is a refractory malignancy with an unfavorable prognosis and a high probability of recurrence. Systemic chemotherapy is critical for palliative treatment, but effective therapeutic strategies for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma after first-line chemotherapy failure are scarce. Here, we introduced a sustained benefit following sintilimab combined with lenvatinib plus S-1 in a patient with recurrent perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. A 52-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital due to yellow skin and sclera, and further radiological examination revealed perihilar cholangiocarcinoma. The patient underwent surgery and histopathological results confirmed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma with metastatic lymph nodes. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and S-1 was given. One year after surgery, the patient experienced hepatic recurrence. Then, she received radiofrequency ablation combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Unfortunately, radiological assessment revealed progressive disease with multiple liver metastases after treatment. Subsequently, she received sintilimab combined with lenvatinib plus S-1 and the lesions were completely regressed following 14 cycles of combination therapy. The patient recovered well without disease recurrence at the last follow-up. Sintilimab combined with lenvatinib plus S-1 may be an alternative therapeutic option for chemotherapy-refractory perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, and further evaluation in a larger number of patients is needed.
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Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares , Colangiocarcinoma , Tumor de Klatskin , Feminino , Humanos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Tumor de Klatskin/tratamento farmacológico , Tumor de Klatskin/patologia , Tumor de Klatskin/cirurgia , Gencitabina , Protocolos de Quimioterapia Combinada Antineoplásica/uso terapêutico , Colangiocarcinoma/tratamento farmacológico , Colangiocarcinoma/patologia , Resposta Patológica Completa , Ductos Biliares Intra-Hepáticos/patologia , Ductos Biliares Intra-Hepáticos/cirurgia , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/cirurgia , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/patologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease, severely reducing the cognitive level and life quality of patients. Byu dMar 25 (BM25) has been proved to have a therapeutic effect on AD. However, the pharmacological mechanism is still unclear. Therefore, this study aims to reveal the potential mechanism of BM25 affecting AD from the perspective of network pharmacology and experimental validation. METHODS: The potential active ingredients of BM25 were obtained from the TCMSP database and literature. Possible targets were predicted using SwissTargetPrediction tools. AD-related genes were identified by using GeneCards, OMIM, DisGeNET, and Drugbank databases. The candidate genes were obtained by extraction of the intersection network. Additionally, the "drug-target-disease" network was constructed by Cytoscape 3.7.2 for visualization. The PPI network was constructed by the STRING database, and the core network modules were filtered by Cytoscape 3.7.2. Enrichment analysis of GO and KEGG was carried out in the Metascape platform. Ledock software was used to dock the critical components with the core target. Furthermore, protein levels were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In this study, 112 active components, 1112 disease candidate genes, 3084 GO functions, and 277 KEGG pathways were obtained. Molecular docking showed that the effective components of BM25 in treating AD were ß-asarone and hydroxysafflor yellow A. The most important targets were APP, PIK3R1, and PIK3CA. Enrichment analysis indicated that the Golgi genetic regulation, peroxidase activity regulation, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase complex IA, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor complexes, cancer pathways, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions played vital roles against AD. The rat experiment verified that BM25 affected PI3K-Akt pathway activation in AD. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the mechanism of BM25 in treating AD with network pharmacology, which provides a foundation for further study on the molecular mechanism of AD treatment.
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BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess whether postoperative adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy could lead to better clinical outcomes for high-risk patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA). METHODS: In the cohort study, we retrospectively reviewed patients who received surgical resection for pCCA with curative intent from January 2018 to December 2021 at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital. The patients at high risk for relapse were further analyzed. Among them, 20 patients received adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy, 28 patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, and 33 patients received surgery alone. The oncological outcomes and drug-associated adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: The 2-year overall survival (OS) rates in patients treated with adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy, adjuvant chemotherapy, and surgery alone were 80.0%, 49.4% and 22.6%, respectively. Univariable and multivariable Cox analyses showed that the treatment regimen and TNM stage were associated with adverse OS. Adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy led to an increase in OS compared with adjuvant chemotherapy [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.253; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.072-9.870; P = 0.037] or surgery alone (HR = 7.560; 95% CI 2.508-22.785; P < 0.001). The median recurrence-free survival was 22.0 months for the adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy group, 17.0 months for the adjuvant chemotherapy group, and 13.2 months for the surgery alone group (P = 0.177); these differences were not significant. The chemoimmunotherapy group was associated with more frequent hematological side effects than the chemotherapy group, but the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Postoperative adjuvant chemoimmunotherapy for resected pCCA patients showed improved OS compared with adjuvant chemotherapy or surgery alone, and further prospectively randomized controlled trials are necessary to validate these results.
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Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares , Colangiocarcinoma , Tumor de Klatskin , Humanos , Adjuvantes Imunológicos , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/cirurgia , Quimioterapia Adjuvante/métodos , Estudos de Coortes , Tumor de Klatskin/cirurgia , Recidiva Local de Neoplasia , Estudos RetrospectivosRESUMO
PURPOSE: Molecular targeted therapy is an important approach for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus-related HCC (HBV-HCC) accounts for approximately 50% of all HCC cases. Bortezomib, a proteasome inhibitor (PI), is used extensively for the treatment of hematologic malignancies, but its application in HCC, particularly in HBV-HCC, has not been fully explored. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: The effects of bortezomib on HCC tissues were evaluated by TUNEL assays. The growth inhibitory activity was measured using cell viability assays, and apoptosis was measured using flow cytometry. The levels of HBx, P-Raf/Raf, and P-Erk/Erk expression were measured by Western blot analysis. The ability of the MEK inhibitor PD98059 to enhance the cell killing activity of bortezomib was evaluated using ex vivo and in vivo methods. RESULTS: The potency of bortezomib varied among HCC samples and cell lines, and HBV/HBx expression was associated with resistance to bortezomib. Bortezomib increased the levels of P-Raf and P-Erk in HBV/HBx-positive cells but not in HBV/HBx-negative HCC cells or in breast cancer or glioblastoma multiform cells. HBx was also upregulated after exposure to bortezomib, which was associated with the inhibition of proteasome activity. P-Erk upregulation mediated by bortezomib was effectively suppressed by the addition of the MEK inhibitor PD98059. Moreover, bortezomib and PD98059 synergistically inhibited HCC cell proliferation, as measured using both ex vivo and in vivo models. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies demonstrate for the first time that HBx causes resistance to bortezomib in HCC, and this resistance can be antagonized by a MEK signaling inhibitor, providing a novel therapeutic approach.
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Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/virologia , Resistencia a Medicamentos Antineoplásicos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/virologia , Transativadores/genética , Animais , Apoptose/efeitos dos fármacos , Bortezomib/farmacologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/tratamento farmacológico , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Flavonoides/farmacologia , Humanos , Neoplasias Hepáticas/tratamento farmacológico , Neoplasias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Camundongos , Proteínas Quinases Ativadas por Mitógeno/metabolismo , Inibidores de Proteassoma/farmacologia , Transdução de Sinais/efeitos dos fármacos , Transativadores/metabolismo , Ubiquitinas/metabolismo , Proteínas Virais Reguladoras e Acessórias , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de XenoenxertoRESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: A local nanotherapy (LNT) combining the therapeutic efficacy of trans-arterial embolization, nanoparticles, and p53 gene therapy has been previously presented. The study presented here aimed to further improve the incomplete tumor eradication and limited survival enhancement and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the LNT. METHODS: In a tumor-targeting manner, recombinant expressing plasmids harboring wild-type p53 and Rb were either co-transferred or transferred separately to rabbit hepatic VX2 tumors in a poly-L-lysine-modified hydroxyapatite nanoparticle nanoplex and Lipiodol® (Guerbet, Villepinte, France) emulsion via the hepatic artery. Subsequent co-expression of p53 and Rb proteins within the treated tumors was investigated by Western blotting and in situ analysis by laser-scanning confocal microscopy. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by the tumor growth velocity, apoptosis and necrosis rates, their sensitivity to Adriamycin® (ADM), mitomycin C, and fluorouracil, the microvessel density of tumor tissue, and the survival time of animals. Eventually, real-time polymerase chain reaction and enhanced chemiluminescence Western blotting were used to investigate the expressive changes of important genes related to the therapy. RESULTS: The administration procedure proved safe for the rabbits' liver function, the p53 plus Rb LNT showed significantly better antitumoral effect and lower expression of malignant genes than the p53 or Rb LNT, although no significant difference was observed in animal survival when the p53 plus Rb LNT was compared with the p53 LNT. CONCLUSION: Rb works synergistically with p53 in combined therapy mediated by a poly-L-lysine-modified hydroxyapatite nanoparticle nanoplex to augment the antitumoral effect through the downregulated expression of important genes related to apoptosis, necrosis, growth, differentiation and multidrug resistance of tumor cells. LNT with p53 and Rb is potentially an effective antitumor therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular/genética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , DNA/genética , Terapia Genética/métodos , Nanocápsulas/química , Proteína do Retinoblastoma/uso terapêutico , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/uso terapêutico , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , DNA/administração & dosagem , Feminino , Masculino , Nanocápsulas/administração & dosagem , Coelhos , Proteína do Retinoblastoma/genética , Transfecção/métodos , Resultado do Tratamento , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/genéticaRESUMO
A hepatic artery aneurysm is an unusual but life-threatening hepatobiliary complication occurring in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and early diagnosis and treatment of this complication are essential. A 31-year-old man with SLE presented with recurring epigastric pain and jaundice for 2 months; he was diagnosed with choledocholithiasis and underwent surgery. Hemobilia was found intraoperatively, and two hepatic artery aneurysms were identified in the left lateral lobe during postoperative arteriography. Major hemobilia occurred 6 days after the operation, and the patient was immediately treated with selective embolization of the hepatic artery. However, the major hemobilia recurred 2 days later, and he was treated with a left lateral lobectomy and ligation of the proximal hepatic artery. The patient recovered uneventfully and is in good condition. A histological analysis revealed small- and medium-sized arteritis as well as hepatic artery aneurysm. Systemic lupus erythematosus complicated by a hepatic artery aneurysm should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients showing symptoms of abdominal pain, jaundice, or gastrointestinal bleeding.
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Aneurisma/diagnóstico , Aneurisma/terapia , Hemobilia/cirurgia , Hepatectomia/métodos , Artéria Hepática , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/complicações , Adulto , Biópsia por Agulha , Colangiopancreatografia Retrógrada Endoscópica/métodos , Embolização Terapêutica/efeitos adversos , Embolização Terapêutica/métodos , Seguimentos , Hemobilia/etiologia , Humanos , Imuno-Histoquímica , Hepatopatias/diagnóstico , Hepatopatias/cirurgia , Lúpus Eritematoso Sistêmico/diagnóstico , Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Masculino , Medição de Risco , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
UNLABELLED: In an earlier study, we found that hepatitis C virus core protein, HCV-C, participated in the malignant transformation of HCV-C transfected normal human biliary epithelial (hBE) cells by activating telomerase. Here we further investigated the signaling of the malignant transformation. METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting and immunoprecipitation were used to analyze the expression of HCV-C, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and NF-kappaB inhibitor alpha (IkappaBalpha) genes and the phosphorylation level of IkappaBalpha protein. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) and NF-kappaB-linked luciferase reporter assays were carried out to measure NF-kappaB activity. RESULTS: The expression of HCV-C and hTERT was detected only in HCV-C-transfected hBE (hBE-HCV-C) cells but not in vector-transfected or parental hBE cells. More NF-kappaB protein accumulated in nuclear extracts of hBE-HCV-C cells rather than in those of control cells, though total NF-kappaB protein level showed no difference among these cells. DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and the NF-kappaB-linked luciferase activity were much higher in HCV-C-transfected hBE cells than those in vector- or non-transfected hBE cells. In addition, the IkappaBalpha phosphorylation level, but not the IkappaBalpha mRNA or protein levels, was increased after HCV-C transfection. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis C virus core protein activates NF-kappaB pathway in hBE cells by increasing the phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha. The pathway may be responsible for HCV-C-induced malignant transformation of hBE cells.
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Sistema Biliar/metabolismo , Transformação Celular Neoplásica/metabolismo , Transformação Celular Viral , Células Epiteliais/metabolismo , NF-kappa B/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Proteínas do Core Viral/metabolismo , Sítios de Ligação , Western Blotting , Linhagem Celular , Transformação Celular Neoplásica/genética , Transformação Celular Viral/genética , DNA/metabolismo , Ensaio de Desvio de Mobilidade Eletroforética , Genes Reporter , Humanos , Proteínas I-kappa B/metabolismo , Imunoprecipitação , Inibidor de NF-kappaB alfa , Fosforilação , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Telomerase/metabolismo , Fatores de Tempo , Transcrição Gênica , Transfecção , Proteínas do Core Viral/genéticaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the inhibitory effect of nanoparticle-mediated endostatin gene therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts combined with local hyperthermia utilizing heat-inducible promoter. METHODS: Heat-inducible HSP70B promoter and fusion gene of Endo/EGFP were cloned into pcDNA3.1 (+) plasmid, thus obtaining recombinant plasmid of pcDNA3.1 (+)/HSP70-Endo/EGFP using restriction endonucleases BglII/HindIII and EcoRI/SalI. The nanoparticles polylactide-grafted dextran copolymer (DEX-g-PLA) encapsulating the recombinant plasmid DNA were prepared by the method of emulsification and evaporation of organic solvent, and the surface shape of nanoparticles was observed by transmission electron microscope. Human hepatocellular cells of the lines HepG2 and ECV304 were cultured and transfected with the recombinant plasmid utilizing the nanoparticles. Following thermal induction at 37 degrees C, 39 degrees C, 41 degrees C, 43 degrees C, and 45 degrees C for 30 min, the expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was detected by fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry. The concentration of endostatin protein in the supernatant was tested by ELISA, and the growth inhibition on the HepG2 and ECV304 cells was tested by MTT method. Balb/c nude mice were inoculated with HeG2 cells and then randomly divided into 2 groups to undergo intra-tumor injection of nanoparticles (heated or not heated), Lipofectamine 2000. Mice were used as controls without intra-tumor injection. Four weeks the mice were killed to observe the tumor inhibition rate. RESULTS: The nanoparticles encapsulating recombinant plasmid were of round or elliptical shape 90 approximately 120 nm in diameter. The efficiency of gene transfection mediated by nanoparticles was about 30.65%. The expression of Endo/EGFP gene in the HepG2 cells was up-regulated along with the increase of temperature, peaked at 43 degrees C (with the EGFP expression level 3.3 times as that at 37 degrees C). The concentration of endostatin protein in the supernatant of the 43 degrees C group was (177 +/- 28) microg/L, significantly higher than that of the 37 degrees C group [(41 +/- 10) microg/L]. MTT results indicated that endostatin inhibited the growth of ECV304 cells with a inhibition rate of 96.3% at the time point of 72 h in the 43 degrees C group, however, it did not show influence on HepG2 cells no matter what was the temperature The tumor inhibition rate in the mice of endostatin with thermal induction group was 58.5%, significantly higher than that of the 37 degrees C group (34.9%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low temperature thermal induction enhances the expression and secretion of endostatin in hepatocellular cells transfected by nanoparticles, and inhibits the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts.
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Carcinoma Hepatocelular/terapia , Endostatinas/genética , Terapia Genética , Neoplasias Hepáticas Experimentais/terapia , Nanopartículas/uso terapêutico , Animais , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Técnicas de Transferência de Genes , Vetores Genéticos , Temperatura Alta , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Nus , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas , TransfecçãoRESUMO
Hypermethylation of the promoter region is an important mean for the transcriptional repression of a number of cancer-associated genes, and over-expression and/or increased activity of DNA methyltransferase are considered to be the main cause of promoter hypermethylation. In order to further explore the epigenetic mechanism of tumor suppressor gene RASSF1A inactivation, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR), a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, was used to treat the human biliary tract carcinoma cell line QBC-939 at the concentration of 5 micromol/L for 24 h in this study. After the chemical intervention with 5-Aza-CdR, the methylation status in the promoter region of RASSF1A gene was detected by methylation specific PCR (MS-PCR), and the expression alteration of RASSF1A mRNA and protein were observed by RT-PCR and Western Blot respectively. Following the treatment with 5-Aza-CdR, methylation status in the promoter region of RASSF1A gene was reversed from methylation to unmethylation. A 280 bp DNA band which represented RASS1FA expression at transcriptional level and a 40 kDa (1 kDa=0.9921 ku) protein band which represented RASSF1A expression at protein level were detected by RT-PCR and Western Blot respectively in the experimental group cells and there were no corresponding bands in the control group cells. The experimental results suggest that 5-Aza-CdR can induce demethylation in the promoter region of RASSF1A. It can also reverse epigenetic transcriptional silencing caused by DNA methylation and induce the re-expression of RASSF1A in QBC-939. This study also suggest that the mechanism of RASSF1A inactivation is very closely related to the methylation of the promoter region, which may provide a new epigenetic understanding for tumor related gene inactivation and the pathogenesis of biliary tract carcinoma.
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Azacitidina/análogos & derivados , Metilação de DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/genética , Azacitidina/farmacologia , Neoplasias do Sistema Biliar/genética , Neoplasias do Sistema Biliar/metabolismo , Neoplasias do Sistema Biliar/patologia , Western Blotting , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Decitabina , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , RNA Mensageiro/biossíntese , RNA Mensageiro/genética , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/metabolismoRESUMO
High level expression of hepatitis C virus core protein (HCV-C) was detected in hilar cholangiocarcinoma tissues in our previous studies. This protein played an important role in the process of cancer cell inversion and proliferation, by some direct and indirect effects on certain genes. Based on this observation, we investigated the effect of HCV-C on human normal biliary epithelial (hBE) cell transformation and tumor development. Plasmid pHCV-C encoding the gene of HCV core protein was constructed and transfected into hBE cells. The expression and the biological effect of HCV-C in HCV-C gene-modified hBE cells were determined in vitro and in vivo. The clone formation rates of hBE cells transfected with pHCV-C, pcdna3.1 and mock-transfected cells were 36, 2.5 and 1.5%, respectively. Tumor developed in 7 of 7 nude mice after incubated with pHCV-C transfected hBE cells, while no tumor appeared in mice injected with pcdna3.1- and mock-transfected hBE cells. To investigate the possible mechanism of malignant transformation, we further studied the telomerase activity and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression in pHCV-C transfected hBE cells. The elevated expression of hTERT was confirmed by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry (ICC) and Western blot analysis, which in turn elevated the telomerase activity, confirmed by TRAP-ELISA. These results indicated that HCV-C protein could participate in malignant transformation of human normal biliary epithelial cells and induce cholangiocarcinoma tumorigenesis, and the activation of telomerase was one of the possible mechanisms.
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Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/patologia , Sistema Biliar/patologia , Transformação Celular Viral/fisiologia , Hepacivirus/fisiologia , Proteínas do Core Viral/fisiologia , Animais , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/enzimologia , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/genética , Processos de Crescimento Celular/fisiologia , Transformação Celular Viral/genética , Células Endoteliais/patologia , Ativação Enzimática , Células Epiteliais/patologia , Hepacivirus/genética , Humanos , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Camundongos Nus , Plasmídeos/genética , Telomerase/biossíntese , Telomerase/metabolismo , Transfecção , Regulação para Cima , Proteínas do Core Viral/genéticaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To clone human mucin 1 (MUC1) gene promoter and apply to drive human sodium/iodide symporter (hNIS) gene targeting expression in pancreatic carcinoma cells. METHODS: Human Mucin1 (MUC1) promoter was cloned from the 5' flanking region of the MUC1 gene by two-step nest PCR from human pancreatic carcinoma cells of the line CAPAN-I, II and then linked to pDC316 plasmid (pDC316-MUC1). Subsequently, a recombinant plasmid containing MUC1 and hNIS was constructed (pDC316-MUC1/hNIS). The recombinant plasmid pDC316-MUC1/hNIS, pD316-mCMV/NIS plasmid, and pDC316-mCMV/hNIS plasmid were transfected into the CAPAN-II cells, human pancreatic carcinoma cells of the line PANC-1, and human cervical carcinoma cells of the line HeLa respectively as experimental group, positive control group, and negative control group. 48 h after the transfection RT-PCR and immunofluorescence were used to confirm the expression of hNIS mRNA and hNIS protein. Then the cells were cultured in solution with 125I. The 125I uptake in the cells was measured by gamma-counting. RESULTS: The sequence data of regulatory element in MUC1 promoter genes was corresponded to those of reference report. The hNIS protein expression level was high in the MUC1 positive cells, as CAPAN-II cells and PANC-1 cells, but very low in the MUC1 negative cells, such as the HeLa cells. Two days after the transfection, the CAPAN-II cells and PANC-1 cells showed a high level of 125I uptake after transfection with pDC316-MUC1/hNIS, and the CAPAN-II cells, PANC-1 cells, and HeLa cells showed a high level of 125I uptake after transfection with pDC316-MCMV/hNIS. A7-12-fold increase in 125I uptake was observed in the pDC316-MUC1/hNIS transfected cells compared with the pDC316-MUC1 transfected cells. CONCLUSION: MUC1 promoter cloned from CAPAN-2 cells can be used to drive NIS genes expression in MUC1 positive pancreatic carcinoma cells. Therefore, this strategy can be used as a novel and potent gene-targeting therapy in the MUC1 positive pancreatic carcinoma in vivo.
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Mucina-1/genética , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Simportadores/genética , Sequência de Bases , Transporte Biológico , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Células HeLa , Humanos , Radioisótopos do Iodo/farmacocinética , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Mucina-1/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/genética , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/patologia , Plasmídeos/genética , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase Via Transcriptase Reversa , Simportadores/metabolismo , TransfecçãoRESUMO
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Biodegradable colloidal nano-micelles is a novel targeting drug delivery and controlled release system, which could prolong the biological half-life and lighten the toxicity of chemotherapeutant, meanwhile, present fine biocompatibility. This study was to prepare the biodegradable 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles, and investigate their killing effect on hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles were prepared by 'self-assembly'. Its morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The encapsulating efficiency of 5-FU was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. The in vivo releasing of 5-FU from nano-micelles was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The inhibitory effect of 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA on HepG2 cells in vitro was measured by MTT assay. RESULTS: 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles were round or elliptical; the diameter was about 50 nm. The encapsulating efficiency was about 9.3%. The concentration of 5-FU released from 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles was sustained for longer time than that of the naked drug. The in vitro inhibition rate of cell growth was similar in 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA group and naked 5-FU group (58.8% vs. 58.0%, P>0.05); the in vivo inhibition rate of tumor growth was significantly higher in 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA group than in naked 5-FU group (73.1% vs. 57.5%, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles can effectively inhibit the growth of HepG2 cells.
Assuntos
Antimetabólitos Antineoplásicos/farmacologia , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/patologia , Proliferação de Células/efeitos dos fármacos , Fluoruracila/administração & dosagem , Fluoruracila/farmacologia , Animais , Antimetabólitos Antineoplásicos/administração & dosagem , Antimetabólitos Antineoplásicos/farmacocinética , Carcinoma Hepatocelular/metabolismo , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Dextranos , Feminino , Fluoruracila/farmacocinética , Lactatos , Masculino , Camundongos , Micelas , Nanopartículas , Transplante de Neoplasias , Polietilenoglicóis , Distribuição Aleatória , Carga Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of carotid intima-media thickness (IMTc) and serum matrix metalloproteinases-9 (MMP-9) levels in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic patients, and to analyze the relationship between MMP-9 and IMTc; at the same time, to assess the effect of rosiglitazone on IMTc and MMP-9 levels. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected in our study, and 25 healthy adults served as normal controls. Diabetic patients were divided into 2 groups: Group A (31 subjects) were treated with rosiglitazone (4 mg/d), and Group B (27 subjects) were treated with metformin alone (500 approximately 1,500 mg/d). They all received the treatment for 3 months. The IMTc was measured by high resolution ultrasonography, and the serum MMP-9 was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the relationship between IMTc and MMP-9. RESULTS: The mean level of serum IMTc and MMP-9 in Type 2 diabetic patients was significantly higher than that in healthy adults (P < 0.05). After treatment with rosiglitazone and metformin, IMTc and serum MMP-9 levels decreased significantly (P < 0.05). There was no obvious change in IMTc and serum MMP-9 levels in group B before and after the treatment (P = 0. 071, P = 0.065). Using multiple linear stepwise regression analysis, the significant correlation between IMTc and HbA1C, BMI, WHR, HDL-C, MMP-9 were discovered. CONCLUSION: IMTc and MMP-9 levels increase in newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetic patients, suggesting that there is closely relationship between serume MMP-9 levels and early diabetic macrovascular disease. IMTc and MMP-9 can be reduced significantly in the newly diagnosed diabetic patients after being treated with rosiglitazone, which may be one of the protective mechanisms of vascular vessels.
Assuntos
Artérias Carótidas/patologia , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/tratamento farmacológico , Metaloproteinase 9 da Matriz/sangue , Tiazolidinedionas/uso terapêutico , Adulto , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/sangue , Diabetes Mellitus Tipo 2/patologia , Feminino , Humanos , Hipoglicemiantes/uso terapêutico , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Rosiglitazona , Túnica Íntima/patologia , Túnica Média/patologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dendritic cells (DCs) transfected with survivin gene, and to observe the effective and specific anti-tumor immunological effect induced by modified DC in vitro. METHODS: Survivin gene was transfected to DCs with liposomes. Survivin expression could be detected both in DCs cells and in cell culture with method of Western blot. Cytokines as well as cellular surface molecule such as IL-12, TNF-alpha, CD1 alpha, CD83, MHCII, CD80 and CD86 were detected. The competence of inducing human specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTLs) was also detected with MTT. RESULTS: Survivin expression could be detected both in DCs which were transfected with survivin cDNA and in cell culture superior. The IL-12 and TNF-alpha level was (265.2 +/- 32.7), (437.1 +/- 83.5) pg/ml, and much higher in transgened DC cells than blank DC cells (P < 0.05). CD1 alpha, CD83, MHCII, CD80 and CD86 was high expressed in survivin-DC cells, however, it was low expressed in blank DC cells. The lyse rate to gastric cancer cell, colon cancer cell and bile duct cancer cell was 65%, 77%, and 85% respectively, and these were much higher than those of blank DC cells. CONCLUSIONS: DCs transfected with survivin gene could induce specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and strikingly raised DC cell's antigen present function, and have specific CTL killing activity.
Assuntos
Células Dendríticas/imunologia , Neoplasias Gastrointestinais/terapia , Imunoterapia Ativa , Proteínas Associadas aos Microtúbulos/genética , Proteínas de Neoplasias/genética , Antígenos CD/metabolismo , Humanos , Técnicas In Vitro , Proteínas Inibidoras de Apoptose , Interleucina-12/metabolismo , Survivina , Transfecção , Fator de Necrose Tumoral alfa/metabolismoRESUMO
AIM: To evaluate the genetic and epigenetic inactivation mechanism of the RASSF1A tumor suppressor gene at 3p21.3 in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. METHODS: RT-PCR was used to investigate the transcriptional expressing and re-expression of RASSF1A. RASSF1A mutation was analyzed with SSCP and selective sequencing. PCR was performed to detect the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the region of chromosome 3p21.3. Genomic DNA were modificated bisulfite and the frequency of methylation of CpG islands in RASSF1A promoter were evaluated by methylation specific PCR (MS-PCR). RESULTS: In all 48 samples and one cell lines of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, the RASSF1A mutation is rare (6.12%, 3/49), 33 samples (68.75%) and QBC-939 cell lines (chi2 = 14.270, P = 0.001 > 0.01) showed RASSF1A express inactivation with LOH at microsatellite loci D3S4604. Among these 33 samples and QBC-939, 28 of 33 (84.85%) tumor samples and 1 cell lines were methylated for majority of 16 CpGs, the average frequency is 73.42%. CONCLUSION: The data we present suggest that RASSF1A which we have been searching for at 3p21.3 may be one of the key tumor suppressor gene and play an important role in the pathogenesis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, and the promoter methylation and allelic loss are the major mechanism for inactivation of RASSF1A.
Assuntos
Adenocarcinoma/genética , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/genética , Ductos Biliares Extra-Hepáticos/patologia , Colangiocarcinoma/genética , Cromossomos Humanos Par 3 , Proteínas Supressoras de Tumor/genética , Adenocarcinoma/patologia , Neoplasias dos Ductos Biliares/patologia , Carcinoma Adenoescamoso/genética , Carcinoma Adenoescamoso/patologia , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/genética , Carcinoma de Células Escamosas/patologia , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Colangiocarcinoma/patologia , Ilhas de CpG/fisiologia , Metilação de DNA , Regulação Neoplásica da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Perda de Heterozigosidade , Estadiamento de Neoplasias , Mutação Puntual , Polimorfismo Conformacional de Fita Simples , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/fisiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Since the resection rate is low for bile duct cancer and the drugs used for chemotherapy are less effective, we studied the inhibitory effects of 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine (ZdCyd) on bile duct cancer cell line QBC939 in vivo and in vitro and its possibility in clinical treatment. METHODS: The survival and apoptosis rates of QBC939 after treatment with different dose of ZdCyd were detected by methyl thiazoy tetrazolium (MTT) and flow cytometry. The cooperative effect of ZdCyd with other chemotherapeutic drugs was also studied with MTT. The cancer cells were transplanted into nude mice, which were pre-treated with ZdCyd after tumor occurrence. RESULTS: ZdCyd decreased the cell survival rate, blocked the cell cycle at G1 phase, and increased the apoptosis rate. These effects were dose and time-dependent. ZdCyd also increased the anti-tumor effects of other chemotherapeutic drugs when used in combination. The tumor occurrence rate was lower in the ZdCyd pre-treated cells than in the untreated cells in nude mice, and ZdCyd was found to inhibit tumor growth. CONCLUSION: ZdCyd can inhibit the growth of QBC939 in vivo and in vitro through induction of cell apoptosis and has the cooperative effect on bile duct cancer cell when it is used with other chemotherapeutic drugs.