The Trend of CEACAM3 Blood Expression as Number Index of the CTCs in the Colorectal Cancer Perioperative Course.

Pathological stage seems to be the major determinant of postoperative prognosis of solid tumors, but additional prognostic determinants need to be better investigated. The most important tumor marker for colorectal cancer (CRC) is the cell-surface antigen, Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA), and its assessment is considered a valuable index of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). In this paper, CEACAM3 evaluation was applied given its great specificity in the CRC. Whole blood from the basilic vein of 38 CRC patients was collected before and at various time intervals after the curative resection. Also, from 20 of them, we have obtained two additional intraoperative samples. CEACAM3 expression was evaluated in all the samples by RT-PCR. CEACAM3 duct values showed a decreasing trend from preoperative through early and later postoperative to 6th-month samples (p < 0.001). The average values of CEACAM3 were related to the cancer size (T stage) (p = 0.034) and WHO stage (p = 0.035). A significant effect of the baseline value of CEACAM3 dCt on the temporal trend has been observed (p < 0.001). In this study, we have demonstrated the CEACAM3 specificity and a perioperative trend of CTCs which is coherent with the clinical/pathological considerations and with previous experimental findings in different cancer types.

Tissue invasion and metastasis: Molecular, biological and clinical perspectives.

Cancer is a key health issue across the world, causing substantial patient morbidity and mortality. Patient prognosis is tightly linked with metastatic dissemination of the disease to distant sites, with metastatic diseases accounting for a vast percentage of cancer patient mortality. While advances in this area have been made, the process of cancer metastasis and the factors governing cancer spread and establishment at secondary locations is still poorly understood. The current article summarizes recent progress in this area of research, both in the understanding of the underlying biological processes and in the therapeutic strategies for the management of metastasis. This review lists the disruption of E-cadherin and tight junctions, key signaling pathways, including urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene (PI3K/AKT), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), ß-catenin/zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB-1) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß), together with inactivation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) and suppression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) activity as key targets and the use of phytochemicals, or natural products, such as those from Agaricus blazei, Albatrellus confluens, Cordyceps militaris, Ganoderma lucidum, Poria cocos and Silybum marianum, together with diet derived fatty acids gamma linolenic acid (GLA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and inhibitory compounds as useful approaches to target tissue invasion and metastasis as well as other hallmark areas of cancer. Together, these strategies could represent new, inexpensive, low toxicity strategies to aid in the management of cancer metastasis as well as having holistic effects against other cancer hallmarks.

Moraxella catarrhalis-specific Th1 cells in BAL fluids of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients airway mucosa is infiltrated by macrophages and T lymphocytes, potentially reactive to pathogens. We studied the antigen-specificity and the effector functions of in vivo activated T lymphocytes isolated from BAL (Bronchoalveolar lavage) of 5 Moraxella catarrhalis (Mc)-infected and 5 Mc-non-infected COPD patients. Mc-specific T cells were detected only in BAL or peripheral blood of Moraxella catarrhalis-infected patients. The majority of BAL Mc-specific T cells expressed the T helper type 1 (Th1) cytokine profile with high cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic activity. Upon antigen stimulation, all Mc-specific T clones were able to help the immunoglobulin production by autologous B cells and the MMP (Matrix MetalloProteinase)-12 activity by monocytes. Our results suggest a role for Th1-driven response to Moraxella catarrhalis in the genesis of COPD.