Expression and clinical significance of HOXA5, E-cadherin, and ß-catenin in cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: HOXA5 has been identified as a biomarker in pathogenesis of several cancers, such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and breast cancer cells. The role has not been explored in cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). METHODS: Tissues of 120 cases with CSCC and 30 controls with chronic cervicitis were constructed from our archived surgical pathology files and staining with HOXA5. Additional antibodies to E-cadherin and ß-catenin were stained for comparison. For each marker, low expression was defined as staining score 0 to 3 points, whereas high expression referred to 4 points and above. Fifty-four patients in this research with cervical cancer were followed up for prognostic assessment. RESULT: HOXA5 had high expression in chronic cervicitis and low in CSCC (P=0.004). The positivity rates of HOXA5 in patients without muscular layer invasion (MLI) and lymphatic invasion (LI) was higher than that in metastasis (113 vs. 17; 117 vs. 3). Consistently, low expression of HOXA5 was more common in poorly differentiated carcinoma, CSCC subjects without MLI and LI. Expression of E-cadherin and ß-catenin was parallel with the expression of HOXA5. Additionally, patients with higher expression of HOXA5 had much more favorable prognosis than those with lower expression among follow up of the 54 patients. CONCLUSION: In parallel with E-cadherin and ß-catenin, low expression of HOXA5 was more common in CSCC patients with poor differentiation, without MLI and LI, among those which showed poor prognosis.

Prognostic value of phosphorylated Raf kinase inhibitory protein at serine 153 and its predictive effect on the clinical response to radiotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Radiation is an effective treatment against nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). However, radioresistance-induced locoregional recurrence remains as a major cause of treatment failure. Therefore, radiosensitivity indicators prior to treatment should be developed to screen radioresistant patients. Previous studies revealed that RKIP (Raf kinase inhibitor protein) is associated with NPC prognosis and radiosensitivity. However, the relationship of p-Ser153 RKIP (RKIP in a phosphorylated form at residue serine153) expression with the effect of radiation and prognosis of NPC patients is not elucidated. Thus, these clinical implication of the phosphorylated RKIP in NPC has yet to be described. METHODS: The effect of p-Ser153 RKIP on locoregional relapse-free survival (LRRFS) was first analyzed in a retrospective cohort of NPC patients without distant metastasis at initial diagnosis. They received radical intensity-modulated radiotherapy alone. Of 180 patients were enrolled in the ongoing matched pair study. The patients were re-classified into radioresistant group or radiosensitive group on the basis of the specified criteria. Patients in the two groups were matched in terms of radiosensitivity-related factors. p-Ser153 RKIP was examined by immunohistochemical staining on a NPC tissue microarray before radiotherapy. The relationship between the expression of p-Ser153 RKIP and the effect of radiotherapy was also analyzed. RESULTS: In this study, a retrospective cohort with 733 cases who received radical radiotherapy alone was established. Using the cohort, we validated that the p-Ser153 RKIP expression observed through immunohistochemical staining in a pretreatment NPC tissue microarray was an independent prognostic factor of LRRFS and OS; we also confirmed that endemic patients with a positive p-Ser153 RKIP expression benefited from irradiation alone in terms of locoregional relapse-free survival. A total of 180 patients were enrolled in a matched pair study. Both groups were well matched in terms of radiosensitivity-related factors. On the basis of the p-Ser153 RKIP expression, we predicted the following data: 80.0 % sensitivity, 73.3 % specificity, 76.7 % accuracy, 75.0 % positive predictive value, and 78.6 % negative predictive value. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed for the first time that positive p-Ser153 RKIP expression was a favorable prognostic factor. It was also positively correlated with the radiosensitivity of NPC. p-Ser153 RKIP could also be used as a biomolecular marker with good availability and authenticity to preliminarily screen NPC-related clinical radiosensitivity.

[Expression of FOXC1 and its relationship with E-cadherin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significance and relationship between the expression of FOXC1 and clinicopathological features, and to explore its correlation with E-cadherin. METHOD: Immunohistochemical SP method was used to detected the expression of FOXC1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and nasopharyngitis tissues. RESULT: (1) Immunoreaction to FOXC1 was mainly located in nucleus of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. The positive expression rate of FOXC1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues was 85.3% (81/95), which was significantly higher than that in nasopharyngitis tissues (59.4%) (P < 0.05). (2) The expression of FOXC1 was not related to patients' age and gender, clinical stage of cancer and lymph node metastasis (P > 0.05). (3) There was a correlation between the expression of FOXC1 and down-regulated expression of E-cadherin in nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: FOXC1 may play an important role in generation and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, there may be a correlation between the expression of FOXC1 and down-regulated expression of E-cadherin, also FOXC1 may play an important role in the process of EMT in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by regulating E-cadherin.

[Clinicopathological analysis of 23 cases of NK/T-cell lymphoma of nasal type].

OBJECTIVE: To improve the understanding of nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma by analyzing its phenotypic and clinicopathological features. METHOD: Twenty-three cases of nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma diagnosed between 2003 and 2007 in the department of pathology of Guilin Medical College were included in the study. The expression level of TIA-1, CD56, CD3, CD20, CK and EBV markers was determined by immunohistochemistry. The results were correlated with clinicopathological features. RESULT: 69.9% (16/23) of the nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma occurred in the nasal cavity. All the 23 cases displayed necrosis, ulceration and nose bleeding. 39.1% (9/23) showed angiodestructive growth pattern. 21.74% (5/23) were accompanied by squamous cell carcinoma-like epitheliomatous hyperplasia. All the cases were positive for TIA-1 and CD3. 95.7% (22/23) of the cases were positive for CD56, while 21.7% (5/23) were weakly positive for EBV. None of the cases was positive for either CD20 or CK. CONCLUSION: Nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma is characterized by multiple clinicopathological features. Attention is needed to differentiate the tumor from inflammatory lesions and low grade squamous cell carcinoma. Understanding of various morphological and phenotypic features (i.e. expression of TIA-1, CD56 and CD3, and lack of CD20 and CK) is the key for the diagnosis of nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma.

[Effects of angrographolide on plasma glucose level of experiment diabetic rats and its molecular mechanism].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of angrographolide on plasma glucose level of diabetic rats and its molecular mechanism. METHODS: The diabetic model rats were established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (65 mg/kg). Diabetic rats were treated with angrographolide for 2 weeks, then the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were examined and the expressions of Bcl-2 and Box gene of pancreatic cells were detected. RESULTS: Compared with model rats, the plasma glucose levels and the serum MDA contents of the angrographolide-treated rats decreased, serum insulin and activity of SOD increased significatantly (P < 0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 was lower in the model group, while the expression was stronger in the treatment group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Angrographolide can inhibit the apoptosis of islet cells and depress plasma glucose level of diabetic rat model. Its mechanism may be associated with the upregulation of the expression of Bcl-2, the increase of the activity of SOD, the decrease of the production of free radicals and lipid eroxidadion.

[Expression and role of nitric oxide synthase in the testis and epididymis of Macaca fascicularis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and the role of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the testis and epididymis of macaca fascicularis. METHODS: The immunohistochemical ABC method was used to observe the localization of nitric oxide synthase in the testis and epididymis of the macaca fascicularis. RESULTS: (1) nNOS immunoreactivity was found in the spermatogenic cells of seminiferous tubules, the epithelia of epididymal efferent ducts, sperm and the endothelia of blood vessels; (2) iNOS was expressed in the epididymal efferent duct, the sperm inside the duct, and the myoid cells and endothelia of blood vessels; (3) eNOS immunoreactivity was detected in the interstitial cells of the testis, the epididymal efferent duct, the sperm inside the duct, and the myoid cells and endothelia of blood vessels. CONCLUSION: NOS is extensively expressed in the testis and epididymis of the macaca fascicularis and it may play an important role in such processes as spermatogenesis, sperm maturation and testosterone secretion.