Quercetin inhibits invasion and angiogenesis of esophageal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal carcinoma has poor prognosis and novel therapies for esophageal carcinoma are urgently needed. Quercetin is a natural flavonoid compound that can be found in many foods. In this study, we investigated the effects of quercetin on invasion and angiogenesis of esophageal cancer cells. METHODS: Human esophageal cancer cell line Eca109 was treated with 5 µg/mL or 10 µg/mL of quercetin. Colony formation assay was performed. Cell migration and invasion were evaluated by wound healing and transwell assays, respectively. Human umbilical vein/vascular endothelium cells (CLR-1730) were treated with Eca109 conditioned medium, and the effects of quercetin on CLR-1730 were evaluated by wound healing and tube formation assays. Protein levels of VEGF-A, MMP9, and MMP2 were determined by Western blotting. RESULTS: The ability of colony forming in Eca109 was reduced with the administration of 10 µg/mL quercetin, but there was no difference between the 5 µg/mL quercetin group and control. The migration distance and the number of invasive cells were significantly reduced in the 10 µg/mL quercetin group. At the lower level of quercetin at 5 µg/mL, only the invasion of cells was significantly inhibited. In endothelial cells treated with Eca109 conditioned medium, cell migration and tube forming ability were suppressed. The decreased protein levels of VEGF-A, MMP9, and MMP2 were observed at the 10 µg/mL quercetin group. CONCLUSION: Quercetin suppressed the invasion and angiogenesis of esophageal cancer cells, and the effects were associated with the decreased expression of VEGF-A, MMP2, and MMP9.

Successful Treatment of Pseudomembranous Colitis with Fecal Microbiota Transplantation - A Case Study on A Patient Rescued by Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation After Cardiac Arrest.

BACKGROUND Pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) is an opportunistic, nosocomial infection caused by Clostridium difficile. CASE REPORT Here we described a patient who developed PMC during her recovery from cardiac arrest. A 16-year-old female high school student experienced sudden cardiac arrest. Spontaneous circulation was not returned by standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation. After her admission to the emergency unit, her cardiac function and neurologic function were finally resumed by extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR); however, after 14 days, her recovery was complicated with excessive diarrhea and shock. Colonoscopy confirmed the diagnosis of PMC. Metronidazole and vancomycin were immediately administered; however, the treatment did not result in any improvement. Fecal microbiota transplantation was then performed, and after 4 transplantations, her diarrhea was significantly ameliorated. After hospital stay for 135 days, the patient was finally discharged with grade II brain function. She later recovered self-care ability in follow-up. CONCLUSIONS The patient suffered from a long-term gastrointestinal ischemia-hypoxia resulting from cardiac arrest. The use of broad-spectrum antibiotics in the later treatment led to refractory PMC, which was successfully managed by multiple fecal microbiota transplantation.

Esophageal granular cell tumor: Clinical, endoscopic and histological features of 19 cases.

Esophageal granular cell tumors (GCTs) are rare and often misdiagnosed. To demonstrate their clinicopathological features, the present study reports 19 cases and reviews the literature. There were 11 female and eight male esophageal GCT patients with a median age of 42.0 years. All the tumors were solitary. The majority of patient indications for endoscopy (89.5%) were non-specific and endoscopic therapy was performed in 17 cases with a relapse in one case after a 12-month follow-up. The endoscopic appearance of esophageal GCT was variable and the majority of tumors (80.0%) were located in the middle and lower esophageal segments. The size of the tumors ranged from 0.4 to 2 cm in diameter and the surface was white-gray, pink or yellow. Nine patients underwent an endoscopic ultrasound exam, eight of which demonstrated hypoechoic echostructures with a smooth margin and intracavity growth features. One case was derived from the muscularis propria layer with an irregular margin and intra- and extra-cavity growth features. The histological features could mimic other tumors and immunohistochemical stains are usually positive for S-100, periodic acid-Schiff, neuron-specific enolase and nestin. Three cases indicated pleomorphism and Ki-67 was locally positive. Esophageal GCTs are rare and endoscopic ultrasound features are variable. Immunohistochemical staining may aid in the diagnosis.

Antitumor bioactivity of adenovirus-mediated p27mt in colorectal cancer cell line SW480.

AIM: To explore the antitumor bioactivity of adenovirus-mediated mutant type p27(kip1) gene in a colorectal cancer cell line SW480. METHODS: We constructed recombinant adenovirus vector expressing a mutant type p27(kip1) gene (ad-p27mt), with mutation of Thr-187/Pro-188 (ACGCCC) to Met-187/Ile-188 (ATGATC), and transduced into SW480 cells. Then we detected expression of p27, Bcl-2 and Bax protein in the transductants by Western blotting, cell cycle of transductants by a digital flow cytometric system, migrating potential with Boyden Chamber and SW480 tumor cell growth inhibition in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: We found that a recombinant adenovirus vector of expressing ad-p27mt, with mutation of Thr-187/Pro-188 (ACGCCC) to Met-187/Ile-188 (ATGATC) has potent inhibition of SW480 tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, ad-p27mt induced cell apoptosis via regulating bax and bcl-2 expressions, and G(1)/S arrest in SW480 cells and inhibited cell migration. CONCLUSION: ad-p27mt has a strong anti-tumor bioactivity and has the potential to develop into new therapeutic agents for colorectal cancer.