Clinical and prognostic significance of preoperative serum CA153, CEA and TPS levels in patients with primary breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical and prognostic values of preoperative serum CA153, CEA and TPS levels in patients with primary breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 386 hospitalized patients with stage I ∼ IV breast cancer from Nov 1998 to Feb 2009 were followed up, and their clinicopathological data were analyzed retrospectively to determine the factors affecting their prognosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>First, preoperative serum CA153 expression level was significantly associated with the age of onset and tumor size (P < 0.05), the expression of serum CEA was correlated with tumor size (P < 0.05), and the expression of serum tissue polypeptide specific antigen (TPS) was correlated with tumor size and lymph node metastases (P < 0.05). Second, the overall survival was significantly shorter among patients with elevated serum CA153, CEA or TPS, respectively (P < 0.05 for overall). Finally, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that estrogen receptor status (ER) and elevated preoperative values of CA 153 are independent prognostic factors for overall survival (P < 0.05), and CA 153 is a risk factor but estrogen receptor status is a protective factor for overall survival.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Higher preoperative expression of serum CA153, CEA or TPS is closely correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival. The prognosis is poorer in primary breast cancer patients with higher CA15-3 expression level, and pre-treatment CA153 expression level can be used as an independent prognostic parameter in patients with primarily breast cancer.</p>

RNA interference against interleukin-5 attenuates airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in an asthma model / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Interleukin-5 (IL-5) accompanies the development of airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness through the activation of eosinophils. Therefore, interference of IL-5 expression in lung tissue seems to be an accepted approach in asthma therapy. In this study, we designed a small interfering RNA (siRNA) to inhibit the expression of IL-5. The siRNAs against IL-5 were constructed in a lentivirus expressing system, and 1.5x10(6) IFU (inclusion-forming unit) lentiviruses were administered intratracheally to ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized murine asthmatic models. Our results show that lentivirus-delivered siRNA against IL-5 efficiently inhibited the IL-5 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression and significantly attenuated the inflammation in lung tissue. Significant decrease of eosinophils and inflammatory cells were found in peripheral blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and lung tissue. In addition, significant inhibition of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) was found in the mice treated with siRNA against IL-5. These observations demonstrate that siRNA delivered by means of the lentivirus system is possibly an efficacious therapeutic approach for asthma.

Clinical research of AFP variant with microcentrifugalcolumn method and crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis autoradiography method / 中华实验和临床病毒学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the clinical value of microcentrifugalcolumn method with crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis autoradiography method for the measurement of alpha-fetoprotein variant (AFP-L3) in differentiation of benign and malignant liver.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Serum AFP-L3 variants in 102 primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients and 41 chronic and cirrhosis patients were separated by microcentrifugalcolumn method and crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis autoradiography method and the clinical value of both method were compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In 102 primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients, the sensitivity of AFP-L3 was 79.4% and 91.2% respectively, in 41 chronic and cirrhosis patients. The specificity of AFP-L3 was 70.7% and 29.3% respectively. The diagnostic accuracy was 76.9% and 73.4% respectively. The area in the ROC curve was 0.791 and 0.758 respectively. In the 4 primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients with lower AFP-L3, the AFP-L3 was positive by useing microcentrifugalcolumn method, but none of AFP-L3 were found by useing crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis autoradiography method.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The micro centrifugalcolumn method is more simple and rapid, it may be more useful in differentiation of benign and malignant liver than traditional crossed affinity immunoelectrophoresis autoradiography method.</p>

A fusion protein containing murine vascular endothelial growth factor and tissue factor induces thrombogenesis and suppression of tumor growth in a colon carcinoma model / 浙江大学学报（英文版）（B辑：生物医学和生物技术）

Induction of tumor vasculature occlusion by targeting a thrombogen to newly formed blood vessels in tumor tissues represents an intriguing approach to the eradication of primary solid tumors. In the current study, we construct and express a fusion protein containing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tissue factor (TF) to explore whether this fusion protein has the capability of inhibiting tumor growth in a colon carcinoma model. The murine cDNA of VEGF A and TF were amplified by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and then cloned into prokaryotic expression plasmid pQE30 with a linker. The expression product recombinant VEGF-TF (rVEGF-TF) was purified and proved to have comparable enzyme activity to a commercial TF and the capability of specific binding to tumor vessels. Significant decrease of tumor growth was found in the mice administered with rVEGF-TF on Day 6 after initiated rVEGF-TF treatment (P<0.05), and the tumor masses in 2 of 10 mice were almost disappeared on Day 14 after the first treatment. In addition, valid thrombogenesis and tumor necrosis were observed in the tumor tissues injected with rVEGF-TF. Our results demonstrate that occlusion of tumor vasculature with rVEGF-TF is potentially an effective approach for cancer therapy.

Active immunotherapy of allergic asthma with a recombinant human interleukin-5 protein as vaccine in a murine model / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Eosinophils are highly related to allergic asthma inflammation. Interleukin (IL)-5 is the major chemokine of eosinophils, inhibition of the activity of IL-5 thus seems to be a potential approach to asthma therapy. The current study was performed to determine whether a recombinant human IL-5 protein as a xenogeneic vaccine has the capability of inducing anti-asthma activities.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Recombinant human IL-5 was used as a protein vaccine. Mouse asthma model was established to observe the anti-asthma activities. Lung histology was observed; eosinophils in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage were stained and counted. Airway hyperresponsiveness was determined by whole body plethysmograph. Antibody characters and cytokines were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Vaccination with recombinant human IL-5 protein as vaccine significantly reduced airway inflammation and airway hyperresponsiveness, and shifted the cytokine production from Th2 (IL-4) to Th1 (INF-gamma) in mice allergic-asthma model. Immunization with recombinant human IL-5 protein vaccine bypassed the immunological tolerance and induced production of polyclonal antibodies that were cross-reactive with murine IL-5.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Active immunization with xenogeneic homologous IL-5 may be a possible therapeutic approach to the treatment of asthma and potentially of other eosinophilic disorders.</p>