Clinical efficacy and safety evaluation of pemetrexed combined with radiotherapy in treatment of patients with lung adenocarcinoma brain metastasis.

Clinical efficacy and adverse reactions of pemetrexed combined with stereotactic gamma-ray radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with lung adenocarcinoma brain metastasis in The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province were evaluated. A total of 67 patients with lung adenocarcinoma brain metastasis in experimental group were treated with simple pemetrexed chemotherapy, and then with radiotherapy, followed by pemetrexed chemotherapy. Their treatment results were compared with those of 53 patients treated with simple gamma knife in control group. The results were analyzed by comparing the clinical efficacy, side reactions, serum level changes, and survival between the two groups. Among 67 patients in the experimental group, there were 16 cases of complete response (CR), 39 cases of partial response (PR), 7 cases of stable disease (SD) and 5 cases of progressive disease (PD), with an effective rate of 82.09% (55/67) and a tumor local control rate of 92.54% (62/67). Among 53 patients in the control group, there were 13 cases of CR, 20 cases of PR, 9 cases of SD and 11 cases of PD, with an effective rate of 62.26% (33/53) and a tumor local control rate of 79.25% (42/53). There were statistically significant differences in the effective rate and local control rate between the two groups (P<0.05). The 6-, 12- and 24-month survival rates in experimental group were higher than those in control group (P<0.05). The main adverse reactions after pemetrexed combined with radiotherapy were lower than those after simple radiotherapy (P<0.05). The expression levels of the tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and cytokeratin fragment antigen 21-1 (CYFRA21-1) in the two groups of patients after treatment were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, the expression levels of serum CEA and CYFRA21-1 in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Pemetrexed combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma brain metastasis is more effective than simple radiotherapy, with lighter adverse reactions, worthy of clinical application and promotion.

Positive effect of RORγt on the prognosis of thyroid papillary carcinoma patients combined with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the positive effect of Th17 cells on the prognosis of patients with PTC and HT. METHODS: The expression of nuclear specific marker RORγt of Th17 cells in fresh and paraffin thyroid tissues and serum specimens were analyzed. Flow cytometry was used to detect the formation rates of Th17 cells (CD3+CD8-IL-17A+/CD3+CD8-%) at different time points after co-culture of thyroid papillary carcinoma cell line (TPC-1 and K1) and umbilical cord blood initial T lymphocytes. The protein expression of RORγt in T lymphocytes after co-culture was detected. Preoperative serum levels of Th17 (IL-17) cytokines were measured. RESULTS: The positive expression of RORγt in the tumor microenvironment of PTC patients with or without HT could inhibit the lymph node metastasis of the tumor. PTC cancer cells could induce initial T lymphocyte to differentiate into Th17 cells, and the K1 cell line with lymph node metastasis induced a higher proportion of RORγt protein than that in TPC-1 cell line without lymph node metastasis. In PTC patients with HT, serum IL-17 concentration was negatively correlated with lymph node metastasis in the central group. CONCLUSIONS: RORγt may play an anti-tumor role in reducing thyroid cell damage by reducing the thyroid autoimmune antibodies TPOAb and TGAb in the PTC population in Yunnan plateau region.

Acetabular configuration and its impact on cup coverage of a subtype of Crowe type 4 DDH with bi-pseudoacetabulum.

The purpose of this study was to explore the acetabular configuration of a special subtype of Crowe type 4 DDH and its impact on cup coverage, which was identified with a particular bi-pseudoacetabulum and an inter-pseudoacetabulum spine structure. The altered bone stock and anatomic structures were believed to be a result of lesser trochanter impingement on the pelvis as observed in all hips of this series, which was supported by the radiographic and intraoperative findings. Acetabular characteristics were depicted by means of radiographic assessment and direct observation during surgery. Preoperatively, the horizontal distance to the hip centre was 80.5 mm on average and 52.9 mm for femoral head height with a significant difference compared to the general series of DDH cases. Anterosuperior bony coverage was found to be more adequate with a thicker anterior wall. The postoperative hip centre was restored to the true acetabulum to within 23.4 mm vertically and 25.2 mm horizontally, and sufficient cup containment was achieved when the acetabular inclination angle was below 45°. A larger diameter cup (range 46-50 mm) was employed. No structural bone graft was required, and the medial protrusion technique was infrequently required. This subtype of DDH facilitated cup coverage during THA.

Down-regulation of programmed cell death 5 by insulin-like growth factor 1 in osteoarthritis chondrocytes.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 and programmed cell death 5 (PDCD5) in osteoarthritis chondrocytes, and to explore the potential correlation between them in the apoptosis process of osteoarthritis chondrocytes. METHODS: Patients with knee osteoarthritis were placed into four categories according to radiological staging. The mRNA and protein levels of IGF-1 and PDCD5 in osteoarthritis chondrocytes were respectively detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and western blotting. In addition, IGF-1 and PDCD5 protein expression in chondrocytes were also measured by immunohistochemistry. Apoptotic cells were measured by TUNEL staining. RESULTS: Both the mRNA and protein levels of IGF-1 were down-regulated, while the levels of PDCD5 were up-regulated, and the mRNA and protein levels of IGF-1 were negatively correlated with those of PDCD5, respectively. The apoptotic cell was significantly increased in osteoarthritis chondrocytes compared with control. Importantly, the apoptosis rate was positively correlated with PDCD5 protein expression and negatively correlated with IGF-1 protein expression CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that IGF-1 may down-regulate the expression of PDCD5 and thus inhibit the apoptosis of osteoarthritis chondrocytes.

Increased P-glycoprotein expression in mitochondria is related to acquired multidrug resistance in human hepatoma cells depleted of mitochondrial DNA.

Mitochondrial DNA-depleted ρ0 cells are resistant to apoptosis, but the mechanism remains unclear. A human hepatoma cell line (SK-Hep1) depleted of mtDNA (ρ0SK-Hep1) was induced by ethidium bromide treatment. The ρ0SK-Hep1 cells were resistant to both doxorubicin- and cisplatin-induced apoptosis, while cybrids (SK-Hep1Cyb) prepared by fusing ρ0SK-Hep1 cells with platelets showed restored susceptibility to both drugs. We observed P-glycoprotein and MRP1 were both overexpressed in ρ0 cells, and more P-glycoproteins were localized in the mitochondria and were functionally active. ρ0 cells showed resistance to chemotherapeutic drug-induced apoptosis. The increased expression and localization of P-glycoproteins in the mitochondria of ρ0 cells may facilitate the exclusion of chemotherapeutic drugs from the mitochondria to the cytosol.

RNAi-mediated knockdown of cyclooxygenase2 inhibits the growth, invasion and migration of SaOS2 human osteosarcoma cells: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Cyclooxygenase2 (COX-2), one isoform of cyclooxygenase proinflammatory enzymes, is responsible for tumor development, invasion and metastasis. Due to its role and frequent overexpression in a variety of human malignancies, including osteosarcoma, COX-2 has received considerable attention. However, the function of COX-2 in the pathogenesis of cancer is not well understood. We examined the role of COX-2 in osteosarcoma. METHODS: We employed lentivirus mediated-RNA interference technology to knockdown endogenous gene COX-2 expression in human osteosarcoma cells (SaOS2) and analyzed the phenotypical changes. The effect of COX-2 treatment on the proliferation, cell cycle, invasion and migration of the SaOS2 cells were assessed using the MTT, flow cytometry, invasion and migration assays, respectively. COX-2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) mRNA and protein expression were detected by RT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: Our results indicate that a decrease of COX-2 expression in human osteosarcoma cells significantly inhibited the growth, decreased the invasion and migration ability of SaOS2 cells. In addition, it also reduced VEGF, EGF and bFGF mRNA and protein expression. CONCLUSIONS: The COX-2 signaling pathway may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of human osteosarcoma.