Downregulation of ACSM3 promotes metastasis and predicts poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Understanding mechanisms of cancer metastasis is crucial for reduction of cancer mortality. Acyl-CoA medium-chain synthetase 3 (ACSM3) is an acyl-CoA synthetase which takes part in the first step of fatty acid metabolism. However, the expression, clinical significance and biological function of ACSM3 remain unknown in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, the expression and prognostic relevance of ACSM3 were investigated by tissue microarray and HCC clinical samples. Migration and invasion assays were carried out for functional analysis in vitro and a xenograft model was used to analyze the effects of ACSM3 on cancer metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, human phospho-kinase array assays were performed to explore molecular mechanisms of ACSM3 in HCC. The results showed ACSM3 was downregulated in HCC tissues. HCC patients with low expression of ACSM3 exhibited poor prognosis. Overexpression of ACSM3 attenuated migration and invasion of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo and downregulated the phosphorylation of WNK1 and AKT. Our findings indicate ACSM3 is a novel prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

Increased Serotonin Signaling Contributes to the Warburg Effect in Pancreatic Tumor Cells Under Metabolic Stress and Promotes Growth of Pancreatic Tumors in Mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Desmoplasia and poor vascularity cause severe metabolic stress in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Serotonin (5-HT) is a neuromodulator with neurotransmitter and neuroendocrine functions that contributes to tumorigenesis. We investigated the role of 5-HT signaling in the growth of pancreatic tumors. METHODS: We measured the levels of proteins that regulate 5-HT synthesis, packaging, and degradation in pancreata from KrasG12D/+/Trp53R172H/+/Pdx1-Cre (KPC) mice, which develop pancreatic tumors, as well as in PDAC cell lines and a tissue microarray containing 81 human PDAC samples. We also analyzed expression levels of proteins involved in 5-HT synthesis and degradation by immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray containing 311 PDAC specimens, and associated expression levels with patient survival times. 5-HT level in 14 matched PDAC tumor and non-tumor tissues were analyzed by ELISA. PDAC cell lines were incubated with 5-HT and cell survival and apoptosis were measured. We analyzed expression of the 5-HT receptor HTR2B in PDAC cells and effects of receptor agonists and antagonists, as well as HTR2B knockdown with small hairpin RNAs. We determined the effects of 5-HT stimulation on gene expression profiles of BxPC-3 cells. Regulation of glycolysis by 5-HT signaling via HTR2B was assessed by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation analyses, as well as by determination of the extracellular acid ratio, glucose consumption, and lactate production. Primary PDACs, with or without exposure to SB204741 (a selective antagonist of HTR2B), were grown as xenograft tumors in mice, and SB204741 was administered to tumor-bearing KPC mice; tumor growth and metabolism were measured by imaging analyses. RESULTS: In immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray of PDAC specimens, increased levels of TPH1 and decreased level of MAOA, which regulate 5-HT synthesis and degradation, correlated with stage and size of PDACs and shorter patient survival time. We found levels of 5-HT to be increased in human PDAC tissues compared with non-tumor pancreatic tissues, and PDAC cell lines compared with non-transformed pancreatic cells. Incubation of PDAC cell lines with 5-HT increased proliferation and prevented apoptosis. Agonists of HTR2B, but not other 5-HT receptors, promoted proliferation and prevented apoptosis of PDAC cells. Knockdown of HTR2B in PDAC cells, or incubation of cells with HTR2B inhibitors, reduced their growth as xenograft tumors in mice. We observed a correlation between 5-HT and glycolytic flux in PDAC cells; levels of metabolic enzymes involved in glycolysis, the phosphate pentose pathway, and hexosamine biosynthesis pathway increased significantly in PDAC cells following 5-HT stimulation. 5-HT stimulation led to formation of the HTR2B-LYN-p85 complex, which increased PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling and the Warburg effect by increasing protein levels of MYC and HIF1A. Administration of SB204741 to KPC mice slowed growth and metabolism of established pancreatic tumors and prolonged survival of the mice. CONCLUSIONS: Human PDACs have increased levels of 5-HT, and PDAC cells increase expression of its receptor, HTR2B. These increases allow for tumor glycolysis under metabolic stress and promote growth of pancreatic tumors and PDAC xenograft tumors in mice.

Joint Antiangiogenic Effect of ATN-161 and Anti-VEGF Antibody in a Rat Model of Early Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

The wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness among elderly Americans and is characterized by abnormal vessel growth, termed choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Integrin α5ß1 is a transmembrane receptor that binds matrix macromolecules and proteinases to stimulate angiogenesis. We recently demonstrated that integrin α5ß1 plays a critical role in the development of choroidal neovascularization. In this study, we determined the role and underlying mechanisms of integrin α5ß1 in angiogenesis in human choroidal endothelial cells and evaluated the antiangiogenic effects of delivering a combination therapy of ATN-161, an integrin α5ß1 inhibitor, and an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody to rats with laser-induced CNV. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a signaling protein that stimulates vasculogenesis and angiogenesis through a pathway that is distinct from the integrin α5ß1 signaling pathway. Our results indicate that fibronectin binds to integrin α5ß1 and synergizes VEGF-induced angiogenesis via two independent signaling pathways, FN/integrin α5ß1/FAK/ERK1/2 and FN/integrin α5ß1/FAK/AKT. Integrin α5 knockdown by shRNA inhibits endothelial cell migration, tube formation, and proliferation, while ATN-161 only partially decreases integrin α5 function. Treatment with ATN-161 combined with anti-VEGF antibody showed joint effects in attenuating angiogenesis. In summary, our results provide the first evidence for the mechanisms by which integrin α5ß1 is involved in ocular pathological neovascularization in vivo, suggesting that dual inhibition of integrin α5ß1 and VEGF may be a promising novel therapeutic strategy for CNV in wet AMD.

Probiotics Clostridium butyricum and Bacillus subtilis ameliorate intestinal tumorigenesis.

AIMS: To investigate the antitumor effects of probiotics Clostridium butyricum and Bacillus subtilis on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. MATERIALS & METHODS: The effects of C. butyricum and B. subtilis on CRC cells were studied. Male C57BL/6 mice with 1,2-dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH)-induced CRC were intervened by these two probiotics and the antitumor effects were examined by comparing the tumor incidence and detecting the inflammatory and immune-related markers. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: C. butyricum and B. subtilis inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells, caused cell cycle arrest and promoted apoptosis. In vivo, these two probiotics inhibited the development of DMH-induced CRC. The molecular mechanism involved reduced inflammation and improved immune homeostasis. This work establishes a basis for the protective role of probiotics B. subtilis and C. butyricum in intestinal tumorigenesis.

Berberine may rescue Fusobacterium nucleatum-induced colorectal tumorigenesis by modulating the tumor microenvironment.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence links colorectal cancer (CRC) with the intestinal microbiota. However, the disturbance of intestinal microbiota and the role of Fusobacterium nucleatum during the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence have not yet been evaluated. METHODS: 454 FLX pyrosequencing was used to evaluate the disturbance of intestinal microbiota during the adenoma-carcinoma sequence pathway of CRC. Intestinal microbiota and mucosa tumor-immune cytokines were detected in mice after introducing 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH), F. nucleatum or Berberine (BBR), using pyrosequencing and Bio-Plex Pro™ cytokine assays, respectively. Protein expressions were detected by western blotting. RESULTS: The levels of opportunistic pathogens, such as Fusobacterium, Streptococcus and Enterococcus spp. gradually increased during the colorectal adenoma-carcinoma sequence in human fecal and mucosal samples. F. nucleatum treatment significantly altered lumen microbial structures, with increased Tenericutes and Verrucomicrobia (opportunistic pathogens) (P < 0.05 = in wild-type C57BL/6 and mice with DMH treatment). BBR intervention reversed the F. nucleatum-mediated increase in opportunistic pathogens, and the secretion of IL-21/22/31, CD40L and the expression of p-STAT3, p-STAT5 and p-ERK1/2 in mice, compared with mice fed with F. nucleatum alone. CONCLUSIONS: F. nucleatum colonization in the intestine may prompt colorectal tumorigenesis. BBR could rescue F. nucleatum-induced colorectal tumorigenesis by modulating the tumor microenvironment and blocking the activation of tumorigenesis-related pathways.

CTHRC1 promotes human colorectal cancer cell proliferation and invasiveness by activating Wnt/PCP signaling.

Collagen triple helix repeats containing 1 (CTHRC1) participates in vascular remodeling, bone formation, and developmental morphogenesis. Recently, CTHRC1 has been found up-regulated in many solid tumors and contributes to tumorigenesis, but its role in the progression of human colorectal cancer (CRC), remains unclear. In this study, CTHRC1 expression in human CRC cell lines was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR and immunoblot analyses. The role of CTHRC1 in CRC cell proliferation and extracellular matrix invasion in vitro was analyzed by gene over-expression and recombinant protein. Reporter luciferase assay was used to reveal key relevant signaling pathways involved in CRC cells. The results show that CTHRC1 is secreted both by colorectal epithelia cells and stromal fibroblasts. Recombinant CTHRC1 promotes CRC cell migration and invasion dose-dependently. CTHRC1 overexpression promotes CRC cell migration, invasion and proliferation in vitro. Wnt/PCP signaling but not Wnt/catenin signaling was activates by CTHRC1 in CRC cells. Together, CTHRC1 promotes CRC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro, which is possibly mediated by activating Wnt/PCP pathway.

Silencing of WISP3 suppresses gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis and inhibits Wnt/ß-catenin signaling.

CCN6/Wnt1-inducible signaling protein-3 (CCN6/WISP3) is a cysteine-rich protein that belongs to the CCN (Cyr61, CTGF, Nov) family of matricellular proteins, which are often dysregulated in cancers. However, the functional role and clinical significance of WISP3 in gastric cancer remain unclear. In this study, we found that silencing of WISP3 suppressed gastric cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Cell adhesion to collagens (collagen I and IV), but not to fibronectin, were significantly inhibited by silencing of WISP3. Furthermore, silencing of WISP3 prevented ß-catenin transferring from cell cytoplasm to nuclear, and suppressed canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and its downstream target genes, cyclin D1 and TCF-4. By immunohistochemical analysis of 379 patients, we found that the expression of WISP3 is closely associated with gastric cancer size and tumor invasion, and indicates a poor prognosis in both test cohort (253 patients) and validation cohort (126 patients). Moreover, the expression of WISP3 was positively correlated with the expression of cyclin D1 and TCF-4 in gastric cancer tissues. Taken together, our data suggests that WISP3 might be a promising prognostic factor and WISP3-Wnt/ß-catenin axis may be a new therapeutic target for the intervention of gastric cancer growth and metastasis.

Elevated autocrine EDIL3 protects hepatocellular carcinoma from anoikis through RGD-mediated integrin activation.

BACKGROUND: A remolded microenvironment in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by abnormally expressed matricellular proteins could promote HCC progression. The cell-matrix interactions mediated by integrins play an important role in tumor microenvironment. Epidermal Growth Factor-like repeats and Discoidin I-Like Domains 3 (EDIL3), an extracellular matrix (ECM) protein with angiogenic and anti-inflammatory effects, is abnormally highly expressed in HCC. Here we aim to analyze its expression in liver and HCC tissues, investigate the underlined mechanisms accounted for HCC progression. METHODS: EDIL3 expression level is examined in normal liver, cirrhotic liver and HCC at both mRNA and protein level. The association between EDIL3 and clinical outcomes is analyzed. The pattern of EDIL3 expression and location is examined using Immunofluorescence and ELISA. Overexpression or knock-down of EDIL3 in a panel of cell lines are subjected to assays related to proliferation, invasion, and anoikis to investigate the mechanisms of this matrix protein in HCC progression. Recombinant EDIL3 treatment is applied to confirm the results. RESULTS: Compared with normal liver and cirrhotic liver, EDIL3 is elevated in HCC. High level of EDIL3 protein is much more commonly in patients with larger tumor or portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) formation, associated with poor prognosis. EDIL3 is abundantly expressed in HCC cells and secreted by cancer cells. In vitro and in vivo studies indicate that EDIL3, probably in an autocrine manner, inhibits anoikis and promotes anchorage-independent growth of HCC cells. Further mechanistic studies suggest integrin ligation by EDIL3 and thus that the sustained activation of the FAK-Src-AKT signal is responsible for the anoikis resistance and anchorage independence. Both the administration of cilengitide, a RGD-containing integrin antagonist, and silencing of integrin αV, an important RGD-binding integrin, results in the blockade of anoikis-resistance induced by EDIL3. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that high levels of autocrine EDIL3 may contribute to a receptive microenvironment for the survival of detached HCC cells and may involve in cancer cell spreading. We also highlight the importance of interaction between EDIL3 and integrin αV and suggest disrupting the ligation of EDIL3 to integrins via RGD-blocking in selected patients may bear potential therapeutic value.

PNMA1 promotes cell growth in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Paraneoplastic Ma1 (PNMA1) is a member of an expanding family of 'brain/testis' proteins involved in an autoimmune disorder defined as paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS). Although it is widely studied in PNS, little is known about the underlying clinical significance and biological function of PNMA1 in tumors. Here, we find that elevated PNMA1 expression is more commonly observed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cell lines, compared with normal pancreatic cell and tissues from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patient. Besides, higher PNMA1 expression is closely correlated with large tumor size. Suppression of endogenous PNMA1 expression decreases cell viability and promotes cell apoptosis. Subsequent studies reveal that the PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK pathway and members of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family may be involved in the pro-survival and anti-apoptotic effect of PNMA1 on PDAC. Taken together, this study provides evidence that PNMA1 is involved in tumor growth of pancreatic carcinoma and PNMA1-related pathways might represent a new treatment strategy.

Monoamine oxidase A suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inhibiting the adrenergic system and its transactivation of EGFR signaling.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), a catecholamine neurotransmitter degrading enzyme, is closely associated with neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, its role in cancer progression remains unknown. METHODS: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue arrays (n=254) were used to investigate the correlation between MAOA expression and clinicopathological findings. In vitro invasion and anoikis assays, and in vivo intrahepatic and lung metastasis models were used to determine the role of MAOA in HCC metastasis. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemical staining and HPLC analysis were performed to uncover the mechanism of MAOA in HCC. RESULTS: We found that MAOA expression was significantly downregulated in 254 clinical HCC samples and was closely correlated with cancer vasoinvasion, metastasis, and poor prognoses. We then demonstrated that MAOA suppressed norepinephrine/epinephrine (NE/E)-induced HCC invasion and anoikis inhibition, and uncovered that the effects of NE/E on HCC behaviors were primarily mediated through alpha 1A (ADRA1A) and beta 2 adrenergic receptors (ADRB2). In addition to the canonical signaling pathway, which is mediated via adrenergic receptors (ADRs), we found that ADR-mediated EGFR transactivation was also involved in NE-induced HCC invasion and anoikis inhibition. Notably, we found that MAOA could synergize with EGFR inhibitors or ADR antagonists to abrogate NE-induced HCC behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the results of our study may provide insights into the application of MAOA as a novel predictor of clinical outcomes and indicate that increasing MAOA expression or enzyme activity may be a new approach that can be used for HCC treatment.

Role of C9orf140 in the promotion of colorectal cancer progression and mechanisms of its upregulation via activation of STAT5, ß-catenin and EZH2.

C9orf140 is a newly identified and characterized gene which is associated with cell proliferation and tumorigenicity. Expression of C9orf140 is upregulated in human gastric cancer and colorectal cancer (CRC); however, little is known about its role in CRC progression. We have investigated the clinical significance, biological effects and mechanisms of C9orf140 signaling. We found that the expression of C9orf140 is dramatically increased in a subset of CRC and correlates significantly with vascular invasion and lymph node metastasis. Our finding showed that knockdown of C9orf140 significantly reduced cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and dramatically increased overall survival and decreased lung metastasis in vivo. Conversely, overexpression of C9orf140 significantly increased lung metastasis and shortened overall survival when compared with control tumors. C9orf140-induced CRC cell invasion may depend on promoting the epithelial-mesenchymal transition progression. STAT5 may directly interact with the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and ß-catenin to enhance C9orf140 gene transactivation. Furthermore, C9orf140 may participate in cell invasion which is induced by STAT5, EZH2 or ß-catenin activation. We describe the role of C9orf140 in CRC progression and find that C9orf140 overexpression may be regulated by STAT5, EZH2 and ß-catenin interaction.

Reduced E-Cadherin expression is a prognostic biomarker of non-small cell lung cancer: a meta-analysis based on 2395 subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies related to the prognostic value of E-Cadherin expression on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were inconsistent. The present study aimed to evaluate the relation between E-Cadherin expression and the prognosis of NSCLC. METHODS: We performed a meta-analysis based on 14 studies including 2395 NSCLC patients. Literature retrieval, data extraction, and meta-analyses were performed according to the Revman 5.0 guidelines. We utilized the fixed-effect model to pool the HR according to the test of heterogeneity in the meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 14 eligible studies including 2395 NSCLC patients were analyzed. In total, 51.2% of the patients were considered as having reduced expression of E-Cadherin according to the authors' cutoff. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) of reduced expression of E-Cadherin for overall survival (OS) was 1.19 (95% CI: 1.01 to 1.40, P=0.04), showing a worse survival when E-Cadherin expression is decreased. CONCLUSION: Patients with reduced expression of E-cadherin have a poorer OS compared with those with normal or high expression of E-cadherin.

High expression of Dickkopf-related protein 1 is related to lymphatic metastasis and indicates poor prognosis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma patients after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Dickkopf-related protein 1 (DKK1) has been reported involved in metastasis and invasion in several tumors. This study sought to investigate the prognostic value of DKK1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and its role in promoting ICC metastasis. METHODS: Tissue microarrays of 138 ICC patient samples were employed to detect DKK1, vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) expression using immunohistochemistry. The prognostic significances were assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. DKK1 expression was measured in an ICC cell line (HCCC-9810) and ICC tissues by immunofluorescence assay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blot. Serum levels of DKK1 from 37 ICC patients were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The role of DKK1 in proliferation, migration, invasion, and gene expression regulation was assessed by DKK1 depletion using small interfering RNA. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses revealed that DKK1 was an unfavorable predictor for overall survival and time to recurrence. The prognostic significance was retained in ICC patients with low recurrence risk (P < .05). DKK1 expression was elevated in an ICC cell line, tumor samples, and patient sera. High levels of DKK1 in ICC tissues correlated with elevated MMP9, VEGF-C, and metastasis of hepatic hilar lymph nodes. DKK1 depletion caused a decrease in cell migration and invasiveness, and down-regulation of MMP9 and VEGF-C expression. CONCLUSIONS: DKK1 is a novel prognostic biomarker for ICC, and it enhances tumor cell invasion and promotes lymph node metastasis of ICC through the induction of MMP9 and VEGF-C. DKK1 may be a potential therapeutic target for ICC.

[LASS2 interacts with V-ATPase and inhibits cell growth of hepatocellular carcinoma].

Homo sapiens longevity assurance homologue 2 (LASS2) is a novel gene isolated from a human liver cDNA library by our laboratory, and it is a human homologue of the yeast longevity assurance gene LAG1 (Saccharomyces cerevisiae longevity assurance gene). According to our previous results, LASS2 could interact with subunit c of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase), and the overexpression of LASS2 could inhibit the cell growth of a human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line, SMMC-7721. In order to understand the role of the interaction between LASS2 and V-ATPase in HCC cell growth, we transiently transfected plasmid pCMV-HA2-LASS2 into HCCLM3, a HCC cell line without the significant expression of endogenous LASS2. The pH-sensitive fluorescence probes, BCECF and BCECF-AM, were used to measure the intracellular and extracellular H(+) concentrations of HCCLM3 cells respectively. The effect of LASS2 gene on apoptosis was evaluated with Annexin-V/FITC and propidium iodide (PI) by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect cytochrome c (Cyt c) in the cytosol and mitochondria, as well as pro-caspase-3 in cytosol. The results showed that the cell growth of LASS2-transfected HCCLM3 cells was significantly inhibited compared with that of the mock control. LASS2 transfection increased intracellular H(+) concentration of HCCLM3 cells, while decreased extracellular H(+) concentration. Moreover, LASS2 transfection significantly enhanced the apoptosis of HCCLM3 cells. In LASS2-transfected cells, the amounts of Cyt c increased in the cytosol, while decreased in the mitochondria. Meanwhile, the expression of pro-caspase-3 in the cytosolic extracts was decreased. These results implicate that LASS2 gene might increase intracellular H(+) of HCC cells via the interaction with V-ATPase, thereby inducing cell apoptosis through mitochondrial pathway.

CD24 is a novel predictor for poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgery.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of CD24 in tumor invasion and prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: CD24 expression was measured in stepwise metastatic HCC cell lines, tumor, peritumoral tissues, and normal liver tissues by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. The role of CD24 in HCC was investigated by CD24 depletion using small interfering RNA. Tumor tissue microarrays of 314 HCC patients who underwent resection between 1997 and 2000 were used to detect expression of CD24, beta-catenin, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Prognostic significance was assessed using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and log-rank tests. RESULTS: CD24 was overexpressed in the highly metastatic HCC cell line and in tumor tissues of patients with recurrent HCC. Depletion of CD24 caused a notable decrease in cell proliferation, migration, and invasiveness in vitro. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that CD24 was a significant predictor for overall survival and relapse-free survival. CD24 expression was correlated with poor prognosis independent of alpha-fetoprotein, tumor-node-metastasis stage, and Edmondson stage. High CD24 expression was significantly associated with cytoplasmic and nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin (P = 0.023), high tumor proliferative status (P = 0.018), and diffused intrahepatic recurrence and distant metastasis (P = 0.026). Adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization after surgery reduced the rate of early recurrence (

Clinical significance and prognostic value of serum Dickkopf-1 concentrations in patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a secreted protein, is known as a negative regulator of the Wnt signaling pathway, which has been implicated in the development of several types of cancers. Clinical significance of serum DKK1 in lung cancer remains to be determined. METHODS: A novel time-resolved immunofluorometric assay was developed. By use of this method, we investigated the serum concentrations of DKK1 in 592 patients with malignancies, 72 patients with benign lung disease, and 120 healthy controls. Serum cytokeratin 19 fragment and neuron-specific enolase values were obtained. RESULTS: Serum DKK1 concentrations were significantly higher in patients with lung cancer than in patients with other malignant tumors or benign lung diseases and healthy controls. Serum concentrations of DKK1 were decreased significantly in groups of patients with gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, and cervical adenocarcinoma compared with healthy controls. Application of both DKK1 and cytokeratin 19 fragment increased sensitivity, correctly identifying 89.6% of the non-small cell lung cancer patients as positive. The use of both DKK1 and neuron-specific enolase increased sensitivity to detect small cell lung cancer to 86.2%. DKK1 concentrations increased with stage, tumor class, and presence of lymph node and distant metastases, regardless of histology and patient age and sex. Patients with a DKK1 concentration of 22.6 microg/L or higher had a statistically significantly diminished survival compared with patients whose DKK1 values were lower. CONCLUSIONS: DKK1 was preferentially expressed in lung cancer. Increasing concentrations of DKK1were significantly associated with tumor progression and decreased survival in patients with lung cancer. .

Simultaneous determination of alpha-fetoprotein immune complexes and alpha-fetoprotein concentration in hepatocellular carcinoma using dual-label time-resolved immunofluorometric assays.

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a commonly used tumor marker in the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and its sensitivity and specificity is insufficient to detect HCC in all patient samples. Recently, the immunocomplexed forms of AFP (AFP-IgM) have been reported to be present in HCC patients. This study was aimed at developing a novel time-resolved immunofluorometric assay (TR-IFMA) for the simultaneous determination of AFP-IgM and AFP concentration in HCC. We constructed a double-label assay by using Sm3+-labeled mAb to human IgM antibody, Eu3+-labeled mAb to AFP, and immobilized another mAb to AFP on the solid phase. The performances of the assay were all found to be satisfactory. The validity of the novel assay was confirmed by the good correlation between the results obtained by TR-IFMA and commercial ELISA or electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. AFP-IgM and AFP were increased above the cutoffs in 65.25 and 45.76% of HCC, respectively. ROC analysis yielded the following area under the curve: AFP-IgM 0.774 (CI 95% 0.736-0.809), AFP 0.771 (CI 95% 0.733-0.860). The combined use of AFP-IgM and AFP increased the sensitivity of detection to 72.88% in patients with HCC. These data suggest that the use of a combination of two markers in clinical practice could increase the accuracy of HCC diagnosis.

cDNA expression array analysis of gene expression in human hepatocarcinoma Hep3B cells induced by BNIPL-1.

Bcl-2/adenovirus E1B 19 kDa interacting protein 2 like-1 (BNIPL-1) is a novel human protein identified in our laboratory, which can interact with Bcl-2 and Cdc42GAP and induce apoptosis via the BNIP-2 and Cdc42GAP homology (BCH) domain. In the present study, we established the Hep3B-Tet-on stable cell line in which expression of BNIPL-1 can be induced by doxycycline. The cell proliferation activity assay showed that the overexpression of BNIPL-1 suppresses Hep3B cell growth in vitro. The differential expression profiles of 588 known genes from BNIPL-1-transfected Hep3B-Tet-on and vector control cells were determined using the Atlas human cDNA expression array. Fifteen genes were differentially expressed between these two cell lines, among which seven genes were up-regulated and eight genes were down-regulated by BINPL-1. Furthermore, the differential expression result was confirmed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. Among these differentially expressed genes, p16INK4, IL-12, TRAIL and the lymphotoxin beta gene involved in growth suppression or cell apoptosis were up-regulated, and PTEN involved in cell proliferation was down-regulated by BNIPL-1. These results suggest that BNIPL-1 might inhibit cell growth though cell cycle arrest and/or apoptotic cell death pathway(s).

Altered gene expression profiles of NIH3T3 cells regulated by human lung cancer associated gene CT120.

CT120, a novel membrane-associated gene implicated in lung carcinogenesis, was previously identified from chromosome 17p13.3 locus, a hot mutation spot involved in human malignancies. In the present study, we further determined that CT120 ectopic expression could promote cell proliferation activity of NIH3T3 cells using MTS assay, and monitored the downstream effects of CT120 in NIH3T3 cells with Atlas mouse cDNA expression arrays. Among 588 known genes, 133 genes were found to be upregulated or downregulated by CT120. Two major signaling pathways involved in cell proliferation, cell survival and anti-apoptosis were overexpressed and activated in response to CT120: One is the Raf/MEK/Erk signal cascades and the other is the PI3K/Akt signal cascades, suggesting that CT120 might contribute, at least in part, to the constitutively activation of Erk and Akt in human lung cancer cells. In addition, some tumor metastasis associated genes cathepsin B, cathepsin D, cathepsin L, MMP-2/TIMP-2 were also upregulated by CT120, upon which CT120 might be involved in tumor invasiveness and metastasis. In addition, CT120 might play an important role in tumor progression through modulating the expression of some candidate "Lung Tumor Progression" genes including B-Raf, Rab-2, BAX, BAG-1, YB-1, and Cdc42.

[A DNA vector-based RNAi technology to inhibit the activity of the telomerase of cell line HCCLM3].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a DNA vector-based RNA interference (RNAi) technology that inhibits the activity of the telomerase of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HCCLM3 in order to suppress the proliferation of the cells. METHODS: Hepatocellular carcinoma cells of the line HCCLM3 were cultured. mRNA interfering double-stranded DNA vector PSG-AS targeting the mRNA of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) and the control vector PSG-CTR were constructed respectively, and then were transfected into the HCCLM3 cells. The expression of hTERT of the transfected cells was determined by Western blotting and the activity of telomerase was determined by telomeric repeat amplification-ELISA (TRAP-ELISA). Flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis of transfected cells and MTS method was used to measure the growth curve of the cells so as to observe the effect of the PSG-AS on the proliferation of HCCLM3 cell. RESULTS: TRAP-ELISA showed that the inhibition rate of PSG-AS on the telomerase activity was 76%. The apoptotic rate of the PSG-AS group was significantly higher than that of the PSG-CTR group (t = 11.48, P < 0.001). Western blotting showed a remarkable inhibition of hTERT protein in the PSG-AS group. CONCLUSION: Capable of suppressing the hTERT expression and the activity of telomerase, RNA interfering technology can be applied to treatment of tumors.