Telomerase reverse transcriptase interference synergistically promotes tumor necrosis factor­related apoptosis­inducing ligand­induced oral squamous cell carcinoma apoptosis and suppresses proliferation in vitro and in vivo.

Tumor necrosis factor­related apoptosis­inducing ligand (TRAIL) is known to induce cell apoptosis in many types of cancer cells. However, some malignant cells still exhibit anti­apoptosis features induced by TRAIL; thus the underlying mechanisms that regulate sensitivity and resistance of tumor cells to TRAIL­induced apoptosis remain unclear. Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is overexpressed in most types of human tumors and is mostly inactive in somatic cells. The present study aimed to investigate the endogenous effects and mechanisms of hTERT inhibition and TRAIL overexpression on TRAIL­induced apoptosis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. The effects of adeno­associated virus (AAV)­mediated TRAIL and hTERT gene silencing by RNA interference were investigated on the proliferation and apoptosis of human OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. The present results suggest that knockdown of hTERT expression accelerated TRAIL­resistant OSCC cells to TRAIL­induced apoptosis and impaired OSCC cell proliferation. In addition, this process is accompanied by the upregulation of caspase­3, caspase­8 and caspase­9, and downregulation of B cell lymphoma­2. Additionally, the possible mechanisms underlying the association between TRAIL expression and hTERT silencing were explored. The results demonstrated that TRAIL expression levels were elevated when the hTERT gene was silenced, and notable anti­tumor effects were observed when TRAIL upregulation and hTERT gene silencing were carried out simultaneously. The present findings provide experimental evidence for the combined use of TRAIL and hTERT as a possible gene therapy strategy in oral cancer.

Analysis of CD8+ Treg cells in patients with ovarian cancer: a possible mechanism for immune impairment.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells may participate in mediating a suppressive microenvironment that blunts successful anti-tumor immunotherapy. Recent studies show that CD8(+) Treg cells might impede effective immune responses to established tumors. However, there is limited research regarding CD8(+) Treg cells in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. Here, we investigated CD8(+) Treg cells in OC patients and their in vitro induction. The immunohistochemistry of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes revealed a significant correlation between the intratumoral CD8(+) T cells and the forkhead box p3 (Foxp3)(+) cells in the intraepithelial and stromal areas of advanced OC tissues. We examined the expression of Treg markers in CD8(+) T cells from the peripheral blood and fresh tumor tissues of OC patients using flow cytometry. Our results indicated an increase in the CD8(+) Treg cell subsets of OC patients compared with those in patients with benign ovarian tumors and healthy controls, including an increased expression of CD25, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), and Foxp3 and decreased CD28 expression. To demonstrate whether the tumor microenvironment could convert CD8(+) effector T cells into suppressor cells, we used an in vitro transwell culturing system. Compared with the CD8(+) T cells cultured alone, the CD8(+) Treg cells induced in vitro by coculture with SK-OV-3/A2780 showed increased CTLA-4 and Foxp3 expression and decreased CD28 expression. In addition, the in vitro-induced CD8(+) Treg cells inhibited nai¨ve CD4(+) T-cell proliferation, which was partially mediated through TGF-ß1 and IFN-γ. Our study suggests that CD8(+) Treg cells were increased in OC patients and could be induced in vitro, which may be the way that tumors limit antitumor immunity and evade immune surveillance.

Dodecanol-poly(D,L-lactic acid)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-folate (Dol-PLA-PEG-FA) nanoparticles: evaluation of cell cytotoxicity and selecting capability in vitro.

Folate-conjugated Dol-poly(D,L-lactic acid)-b-poly (ethylene glycol)-folate (Dol-PLA-PEG-FA), was synthesized from dodecanol-poly(D,L-lactic acid), amino-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) and folate. (1)H NMR proved the successful synthesis of Dol-PLA-PEG-FA. Nanoparticles (NPs) were further fabricated from Dol-PLA-PEG-FA by using solvent evaporation-induced interfacial self-assembly method. The size, critical micelle concentration (CMC), cytotoxicity and selecting capability to cancer cells in vitro were examined for Dol-PLA-PEG-FA NPs. The size of NPs showed polymer concentration-dependent phenomenon in the fabrication process, and its polydispersity index (PDI) was very narrow. The CMC was determined as 1.995×10(-4) g/L in aqueous solution, which is much lower than the reported CMC of block copolymer self-assemble micelles. The cytotoxicity evaluation revealed that the obtained NPs2 are non-toxic to either breast cancer cell or normal endothelial cells, and the cell uptake of NPs indicated that the NPs demonstrated much higher selecting capability to breast cancer cells compared to normal fibroblast cells. The possible receptor-mediated endocytosis pathway mechanism was proposed. Based on the above results, it could be concluded that Dol-PLA-PEG-FA polymer and its nanoparticles can be potentially used as a safe drug carrier with strong tumor cells targeting capability for tumor chemotherapy.

A novel CD105 determination system based on an ultrasensitive bioelectrochemical strategy with Pt nanoparticles.

CD105 is a well-known tumor metastasis marker and useful for early monitoring of metastasis and cancer relapse. It is important to generate rapid, reliable and precise analytical information regarding CD105 levels. To establish a simple, selective and sensitive detection method, we prepared an immunosensor with novel bioconjugates based on Pt nanoparticles, thionin acetate and antibodies. The proposed immunosensor displayed a broader linear response to CD105, with a working range of 1.3 to 200.0 ng/mL and a detection limit of 0.9 ng/mL under optimal conditions. Moreover, the studied immunosensor exhibited high sensitivity, fast analysis and adequate stability. The proposed methodology could readily be extended to other clinical- or environment-related biospecies.

Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR)-derived peptide vaccine induced infertility in mice without pathological effect on reproductive organs.

In a previous study it was found that priming with recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (rhFSHR) protein (F140) and boosting with a peptide containing amino acids 32-44 from FSHR showed a specific immune response and fertility inhibition in adult male mice. However, this priming and boosting led to damage of the reproductive organs. Therefore, to eliminate this damage, the peptide prime-boost strategy was explored as a possible means of avoiding the pathological change while maintaining infertility. Immunisation with the peptide prime-boost strategy led to decreased fertility 10 weeks after vaccination, which is consistent with Balb/C mice treated with the protein prime-peptide boost regime. In contrast to the cellular swelling and spotty necrosis in spermatogonia observed in the protein-primed mice, the mice receiving peptide priming did not display pathological damage in seminiferous tubules and interstitial cells. Thus, the prime-boost immune regime with the FSHR-derived peptide potentially provides a much safer candidate for a contraceptive vaccine.

Hydrogen-rich medium protects human skin fibroblasts from high glucose or mannitol induced oxidative damage.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an important factor in the development of skin lesions in diabetes. A new antioxidant, hydrogen, can selectively neutralize hydroxyl radicals (()OH) and peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) in cell-free systems, whereas it seldom reacts with other ROS. Fibroblasts are a key component of skin. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of hydrogen-rich medium on human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) under oxidative stress. Confocal microscopy was used to assay both the intracellular superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) concentration and the mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨ). Cell viability was determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). The concentrations of cellular malonaldehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) were also measured. The results revealed that both mannitol and high glucose could cause oxidative stress in HSFs. Interestingly, the use of a hydrogen-rich medium significantly reduced the level of intracellular O(2)(-), stabilized the ΔΨ and attenuated production of MDA, 8-OHdG and 3-NT which efficiently enhanced the antioxidative defense system and protected the HSFs from subsequent oxidative stress damage. In other words, hydrogen decreased the excessive generation of intracellular O(2)(-) and elevated the cellular antioxidative defense. Based on our results, hydrogen may have applications in the treatment of skin diseases caused by diabetes.

Overexpression of human sperm protein 17 increases migration and decreases the chemosensitivity of human epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Most deaths from ovarian cancer are due to metastases that are resistant to conventional therapies. But the factors that regulate the metastatic process and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer are poorly understood. In the current study, we investigated the aberrant expression of human sperm protein 17 (HSp17) in human epithelial ovarian cancer cells and tried to analyze its influences on the cell behaviors like migration and chemoresistance. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry were used to identify HSp17 in paraffin embedded ovarian malignant tumor specimens and peritoneal metastatic malignant cells. Then we examined the effect of HSp17 overexpression on the proliferation, migration, and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer cells to carboplatin and cisplatin in a human ovarian carcinoma cell line, HO8910. RESULTS: We found that HSp17 was aberrantly expressed in 43% (30/70) of the patients with primary epithelial ovarian carcinomas, and in all of the metastatic cancer cells of ascites from 8 patients. The Sp17 expression was also detected in the metastatic lesions the same as in ovarian lesions. None of the 7 non-epithelial tumors primarily developed in the ovaries was immunopositive for HSp17. Overexpression of HSp17 increased the migration but decreased the chemosensitivity of ovarian carcinoma cells to carboplatin and cisplatin. CONCLUSION: HSp17 is aberrantly expressed in a significant proportion of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Our results strongly suggest that HSp17 plays a role in metastatic disease and resistance of epithelial ovarian carcinoma to chemotherapy.