Targeting the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer Stem Cells for a Better Clinical Outcome of Glioma.

Glioma is one of the most common malignant tumors of the central nervous system with a poor prognosis at present due to lack of effective treatment options. Its initiation, migration, and multipotency are affected by cancer stem cell's transition. Previous studies imply that changes in the cancer stem cells can affect the malignant differentiation of the tumor. We found that the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related regulatory pathway is an important target for tumor therapy. In this review, we discuss the transition factor of EMT and 3 specific pathways that affect the EMT of cancer stem cells during tumor development. We conclude that targeting the EMT process of cancer stem cells can be a feasible approach in the treatment of glioma.

Potential anti-HPV and related cancer agents from marine resources: an overview.

Recently, the studies on the prevention and treatment of human papillomavirus (HPV) which is closely related to the cervical cancer and other genital diseases are attracting more and more attention all over the world. Marine-derived polysaccharides and other bioactive compounds have been shown to possess a variety of anti-HPV and related cancer activities. This paper will review the recent progress in research on the potential anti-HPV and related cancer agents from marine resources. In particular, it will provide an update on the anti-HPV actions of heparinoid polysaccharides and bioactive compounds present in marine organisms, as well as the therapeutic vaccines relating to marine organisms. In addition, the possible mechanisms of anti-HPV actions of marine bioactive compounds and their potential for therapeutic application will also be summarized in detail.

[Application of urinary proteomics in early diagnosis of bladder urothelial carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the difference in urinary proteome between patients with bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC) and healthy volunteers and to provide a basis for the early diagnosis of BUC. METHODS: The urine samples from BUC patients and healthy volunteers (controls) were treated by 25% ethanol precipitation and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), and the obtained urinary proteins were subjected to Coomassie brilliant blue staining and analysis by PDQuest 8.0 (2-DE image analysis software); the differentially expressed proteins were sequenced by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and identified using the Swiss-Prot database; the differential expression of these proteins was verified by western blot. RESULTS: High-resolution and high-reproducibility 2-DE images were obtained from the urine samples of BUC patients and controls, with 789 ± 18 and 762 ± 14 protein spots, respectively. Compared with the control group, the BUC grouP had significantly decreased expression of 6 protein spots and significantly increased expression of 11 protein spots. The mass spectrometry revealed five proteins with increased expression in the BUC group, including fibrinogen, lactate dehydrogenase B, apolipoprotein A1, clusterin, and haptoglobin, and the results were confirmed by western blot. CONCLUSION: There is significant difference in urinary proteome between BUC patients and healthy volunteers; the identification of differentially expressed proteins in urine lays the foundation for identifying potential molecular markers in early diagnosis of BUC.

[Effects of Gymnadenia conopse alcohol extract on early protein profiles in lung tissue of rats exposed to silica].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the early expression differences of lung tissue proteins in rats exposed to silica using comparative proteomics method, to explore the effects of Chinese traditional medicine (Gymnadenia conopse alcohol extract, GcAE) on silicosis (50 mg/ml). METHODS: Adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into silica-treated group and GcAE-treated group, four rats a group. The rats were exposed to silica by intratracheal (IT) instillation of 1 ml silica suspension for 24 h. After exposure, the rats in GcAE-treated group were intragastric administration with 0.8 ml GcAE (0.8 ml/100 g a day) and the rats in silica-treated group were intragastric administration with 2 ml sterilized saline a day for 14 days. Then all rats were sacrificed and lung tissues were collected. The total proteins were separated by means of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and the differentially expressed proteins were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Western blotting was used to validate the expression of certain candidate proteins in lung tissues. RESULTS: Obvious pathological changes of lung could be observed in silica-treated group, such as the thicken of interalveolar septum, which was infiltrated with lymphocytes, macrophages and a few neutrophils with the proliferation of fibroblasts and smooth muscle cells. The accumulation of collagen, the destruction of alveolus structure and the more dotted fibrosis or granuloma could also be found. However, the pathological changes of lung in GcAE-treated group were lighter than those of silica-treated group. Thirty three differentially expressed proteins were identified, including cathepsin D precursor, peroxiredoxin-1 (Prx-1) and SEC14-like protein 3. Compared with silica-treated group, cathepsin D precursor and Prx-1 were significantly downregulated in GcAE-treated group, and SEC14-like protein 3 was significantly upregulated (P < 0.01). The results of western blot indicated that the expression level of Prx-1 in GcAE-treated group was 0.26 ± 0.02, which was significantly lower than that (0.35 ± 0.04) in silica-treated group (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: GcAE may inhibit the progress of silicosis in the early period and cathepsin D precursor, SEC14-like protein 3 and Prx-1 may participate in this process.

[Algorithm of inland water retrieval based on spectral matching].

This present paper presents a new inversion method of inland water based on spectral matching. First step of this method is using the known water surface measured hyperspectral and the absorption coefficient of each component, and obtaining backscattering coefficient of suspended matter with bio-optical model. The second step is calculation of the spectral reflectance of water bodies based on bio-optical model, through the cross-combination of inherent optical property of water components (chlorophyll, suspended matter, yellow substance), in order to create a look-up table of Rrs that corresponds to all combinations of water component. The third step is changing the look-up table data into MODIS spectral data using MODIS channel response function. The final study examined the applicability of the look-up table using the Hyperspectral and MODIS bands spectra, based on the minimum distance principle, to find the best matched spectra, thus it has found corresponding concentrations of three components. The average relative error of chlorophyll and suspended matter is 38.6% and 28% respectively. Optical properties of water components interfere with each other because of the complexity of inland water bodies, resulting in difficulty to extract the feature band for statistical model, and while it is hard for bio-optical model inversion method to solve the unstable problem of special inherent optical property with the seasons and regional issues, the method of this paper would have the advantages of bio-optical model, while eliminating instability of special inherent optical property, so it is a good approach to inland water retrieval.

[Screening and identification of differential expression genes related to stress fracture by cDNA microarray assay].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differentially expressed genes between the Stress fracture (SF) cases and controls. METHODS: Total RNA was extracted and purified from peripheral blood sample of 3 SF cases and 3 controls who conducted a 1:1 matched case-control study, then used for Human Genome Array analysis. The hybridization data were analyzed using SAM software. Parts of these genes were analyzed and identified by real-time PCR. RESULTS: Upregulated and downregulated genes were 22 and 1, respectively. Thus the highest ratio and most significant cytokine was tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 10c (TNFRSF10C). The result of real-time PCR shows that TNFRSF10C was over-expressed in 3 cases and low-expressed in 1 case. CONCLUSION: Obvious difference exists in gene expression between SF cases and controls, showing there may be a lot of genes involving in the occurrence and development of SF. Meanwhile, the identification of the specific genes is helpful for biomechanics study, early diagnosis and screening of SF.

Attenuation of silica-induced pulmonary fibroblasts proliferation by taurine and niacin in vitro.

The objective of this study was to investigate potential role of taurine and niacin supplementation, and their combination, in an in vitro model of silica-induced, macrophage-mediated pulmonary fibroblast proliferation. Human monocytic cell line (THP-1 cell) was primed to differentiation into macrophages by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). PMA-primed THP-1 cells were subjected to silicon dioxide exposure. Other PMA-primed THP-1 cells incubated with taurine and niacin concentration gradients, respectively, and then were treated with silicon dioxide for 6 hours. Collected THP-1 supernatants preconditioned with taurine and niacin gradients were added to human pulmonary WI-38 cells to evaluate proliferative activity. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 mRNA in macrophages and protein level in supernatant were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Taurine- and niacin-preconditioned macrophages were more resistant to silica-induced TGF-beta1 up-regulation than macrophages without precondition. Furthermore, medium conditioned with supernatant from silica-exposed macrophages following taurine and niacin pretreatment could facilitate inhibition of pulmonary fibroblast proliferation. Moreover, the above effects could be accentuated by the combination of taurine and niacin. Down-regulation of TGF-beta 1 expression in macrophages by taurine and niacin could attenuate silica-induced pulmonary fibroblasts proliferation in vitro, which may be of therapeutic potential for early stage silicosis.

Chiral salen-aluminum complex as a catalyst for enantioselective alpha-addition of isocyanides to aldehydes: asymmetric synthesis of 2-(1-hydroxyalkyl)-5-aminooxazoles.

In the presence of a catalytic amount of (salen)Al(III)Cl complex (4e), reaction between alpha-isocyanoacetamides (1) and aldehydes (2) afforded the corresponding 5-aminooxazoles (3) in good yields and enantioselectivity.

Screening of serum biomarkers and establishment of a decision tree in silica-exposed populations by surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-fly mass spectrometry.

OBJECTIVE: To screen for serum biomarkers of silicosis and to study their roles using surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time-of-fly mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) techniques. METHODS: The serum protein/peptide profile on the CM10 proteinchip was acquired using SELDI-TOF-MS from workers classified by the Chinese national diagnostic standard for pneumoconiosis. Discriminant analysis was performed to establish a decision tree using protein/peptide peaks. RESULTS: Protein/peptide peaks changed much more in silica-exposed populations than they did in the control. Discriminant analysis using Wilks' lambda method could give high sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing the silica-exposed population from the control; the decision tree could give 100% sensitivity and 95% specificity in distinguishing the silicosis phase among the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Special proteins/peptides may change in silica-exposed workers and these changes may be used to distinguish silica-exposed populations from the control with the proper discriminant analytical method.

[Changes of Clara cell protein and surfactant protein-D in serum of patients with silicosis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore changes of Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant protein-D (SP-D) in the serum of patients with silicosis. METHOD: The concentrations of CC16 and SP-D were measured in the serum by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The subjects consisted of 30 healthy volunteers and 90 silica-exposed workers including silica-exposed group, the silicosis of suspects group (0(+)) and the silicosis phase I group, 30 subjects each groups. RESULTS: The concentrations of CC16 in the serum was significantly decreased in silica-exposed workers compared to controls (P < 0.01); The concentrations of CC16 in the serum were higher in lifelong nonsmokers than the current smokers in control subjects (P < 0.05), but they were no differences between lifelong nonsmokers and current smokers of 90 silica-exposed workers. Compared with control subjects, the levels of SP-D in the serum of silicosis suspects (0(+)) and silicosis phase I groups were significantly elevated (P < 0.01, respectively), which were also higher than silica-exposed group (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively), Discriminant equations set by CC16 and SP-D were used in diagnosis of silicosis, and the rate of accuracy in healthy volunteers, the silica-exposed group and the silicosis phase I group were 86.7%, 86.7% and 76.7%, respectively, The total rate of correct classification hit 84.2%. CONCLUSION: The serum CC16 of long-term silica-exposed workers is decreased, and SP-D is increased gradually.

[Expression of FasL and apoptosis in pulmonary tissue of rats exposed to silica at different time].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of the expression of the FasL receptor and apoptosis in the pathology of silicosis of the rats exposed to silica and their roles. METHODS: Ninety-six wistar rats were randomizedly divided into the control group and the experimental group. The silicotic animal model was established by the direct tracheal instillation of silica into rat lungs surgically. The control rats underwent directly tracheal instillation of saline into lungs surgically. Eight rats from each group were sacrificed at different days. The expression of FasL receptor in the tissue of the model rats was detected by tissuechip microarray and immunohistochemistry and the cell apoptosis induced by silica was determined by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling method. The integral optical density of positive cells were quantitatively analyzed using Image-Pro Plus Version 4.5 for windows. RESULTS: The expression of FasL in the lung tissue of the model rats on the 7th, the 14th, the 21st, and the 28th day was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and peaked at the 14th day after exposure to silica. Apoptotic cells in the lung tissue of the model rats on the 1st, the 3rd, the 7th, the 14th, the 21st, and the 28th day were significantly more than those in the control group, and peaked at the 7th and the 14th day after exposure to silica. CONCLUSION: Silica can lead to apoptosis in lung tissues. FasL is expressed in all kinds of cells in the pulmonary tissues of the rats exposed to silica and leads to apoptosis. From the 7th day to 14th day, inflammatory cells dominate in apoptotic cells.