Primary hepatic angiosarcoma and potential treatment options.

Angiosarcomas account for a mere 2-3% of adult soft tissue sarcomas, with an overall poor outcome. Depending on the primary site, angiosarcomas have distinct prognosis. Primary hepatic angiosarcomas (PHAs) are much rare tumors, with worse prognosis compared with other angiosarcomas. PHA is reported to be associated with vinyl chloride, but the majority of patients were still with unknown etiology. As PHA lacks specific symptoms, signs, or images, pathological diagnosis is necessary. The review summarizes 25 articles published from January 2000 to December 2012, including 64 cases of PHA with detailed information. Survival curves are estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method by SPSS 21.0. We find that the median survival time is 5 months; local excision alone or combination with adjuvant therapy is the optimal choice, with median survival time of 17 months. In addition, liver transplant is abandoned for high recurrence rate; emergent transcatheter arterial embolization is thought to be an efficient method for controlling intra-abdominal bleeding; and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and chemotherapy may be helpful in improving survival.

Current adoptive immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer and potential influence of therapy outcome.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is found worldwide with high incidence and poor prognoses. Nowadays, insights in the interaction between tumors and immune system have led to the development of immunotherapy as a fundamentally new concept for the treatment of NSCLC. Adoptive cell transfer represents an important advancement in cancer immunotherapy such as cytokine-induced killer and γδ T-cells. Recent clinical research studies provide evidence for the positive effects of adoptive immunotherapy, which is probably associated with levels of cytokines, cell doses, and immune microenvironment. This review summarizes the current condition of adoptive immunotherapy in NSCLC and the long-standing confusion in this field.

How do tumor stem cells actively escape from host immunosurveillance?

Tumor stem cells (TSCs) are considered as the "seeds" in tumor development, metastasis and recurrence. Despite the various immunosurveillance mechanisms in the host, TSCs may possess the phenotypic and functional properties to evade host immunosurveillance and immune-mediated rejection in immunologically intact individuals. The mechanisms of TSC recognition and their consequent destruction are actively disturbed by various processes, including altered immunogenicity of TSCs, production of TSC-derived regulatory molecules, and interaction of TSCs with tumor-infiltrating immune cells. In addition to these TSC-mediated mechanisms, the diverse mesenchymal cells and cytokines in the tumor microenvironment are contribute to TSC immune escape. Recent mechanistic studies provide a more comprehensive understanding of TSCs in the biology, prevention, and therapy of solid tumors. This review will focus on the latest findings for mechanisms underlying TSCs' escape from the attack of immune system.

Erchen Decoction Ameliorates the Metabolic Abnormalities of High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats.

Objective: Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates chemical energy to protect against obesity. In the present study, we aimed to determine the effects of Erchen decoction on the lipolysis and thermogenesis function of BAT in high-fat diet-fed rats. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, which were fed a control diet (C) or a high-fat diet (HF), and the latter was administered with high and low doses of Erchen decoction by gavage once a day, for 12 weeks. Body weight, the serum lipid profile, serum glucose, and insulin levels of the rats were evaluated. In addition, the phosphorylation and protein and mRNA expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator- (PGC-) 1α, and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1) in BAT were measured by immunoblotting and RT-PCR. Results: Erchen decoction administration decreased body weight gain and ameliorated the abnormal lipid profile and insulin resistance index of the high-fat diet-fed rats. In addition, the expression of p-AMPK and ATGL in the BAT was significantly increased by Erchen decoction. Erchen decoction also increased the protein and mRNA expression of PGC-1α and UCP-1 in BAT. Conclusion: Erchen decoction ameliorates the metabolic abnormalities of high-fat diet-fed rats, at least in part via activation of lipolysis and thermogenesis in BAT.

[Expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase and its correlation with prognosis in breast cancer patients].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) in breast cancer and its correlation with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis. METHODS: The expression of IDO, CD31, CD105 proteins in 40 specimens of breast cancer were assessed by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The overexpression rate of IDO in breast cancer was 67.5% (27/40), and expression of IDO was closely associated with clinical stage and lymph nodes metastasis. The disease-free survival rate in patients with IDO overexpression was not significantly lower than that in patients with negative or low expression of IDO (P > 0.05). Moreover, the expression of IDO was positively correlated with CD105-labeled microvessel density (r = 0.659, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Expression of IDO is associated with clinical stage and lymph nodes metastasis, and microvessel densitty. IDO expression may promote the growth and metastasis of breast cancer, probably via the increased agiogenesis. A larger sample study is needed to verify whether the prognosis of beast cancer is significantly correlated with IDO expression.

The ß3 Adrenergic Receptor Agonist CL316243 Ameliorates the Metabolic Abnormalities of High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats by Activating AMPK/PGC-1α Signaling in Skeletal Muscle.

PURPOSE: Skeletal muscle has a major influence on whole-body metabolic homeostasis. In the present study, we aimed to determine the metabolic effects of the ß3 adrenergic receptor agonist CL316243 (CL) in the skeletal muscle of high-fat diet-fed rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to three groups, which were fed a control diet (C) or a high-fat diet (HF), and half of the latter were administered 1 mg/kg CL by gavage once weekly (HF+CL), for 12 weeks. At the end of this period, the serum lipid profile and glucose tolerance of the rats were evaluated. In addition, the phosphorylation and protein and mRNA expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator (PGC)-1α, and carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT)-1b in skeletal muscle were measured by Western blot analysis and qPCR. The direct effects of CL on the phosphorylation (p-) and expression of AMPK, PGC-1α, and CPT-1b were also evaluated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence in L6 myotubes. RESULTS: CL administration ameliorated the abnormal lipid profile and glucose tolerance of the high-fat diet-fed rats. In addition, the expression of p-AMPK, PGC-1α, and CPT-1b in the soleus muscle was significantly increased by CL. CL (1 µM) also increased the protein expression of p-AMPK, PGC-1α, and CPT-1b in L6 myotubes. However, the effect of CL on PGC-1α protein expression was blocked by the AMPK antagonist compound C, which suggests that CL increases PGC-1α protein expression via AMPK. CONCLUSION: Activation of the ß3 adrenergic receptor in skeletal muscle ameliorates the metabolic abnormalities of high-fat diet-fed rats, at least in part via activation of the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway.

Icariin induces irisin/FNDC5 expression in C2C12 cells via the AMPK pathway.

Backgroud Icariin, a major bioactive pharmaceutical component of the Chinese herbal medicine Epimedii Herba, has demonstrated lipid-lowering and anti-obesity effects. Irisin/ fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) protects against obesity by inducing browning in white adipose tissue. Objectives This study investigated the effects of icariin on irisin/FNDC5 expression in C2C12 myotubes. Method Cultured murine C2C12 myocytes were used to study the effects of icariin on irisin/FNDC5 expressions by Western-blot, qPCR, Elisa and Immunofluorescence. We also investigated FNDC5 expression in icariin-treated intact mice. Results Icariin increased irisin/FNDC5 protein levels. mRNA levels of irisin/FNDC5 were also increased in C2C12 myocytes after treatment with icariin. Icariin increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1alpha (PGC-1α) protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, icariin exposure resulted in phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in a dose-dependent manner. The regulatory effect of icariin on FNDC5 protein expression was blocked by the AMPK antagonist compound C or silencing of AMPK, suggesting that icariin increased FNDC5 protein expression via the AMPK pathway. In vivo, icariin decreased body weight gain in C57BL/6 mice and increased FNDC5, PGC-1α, and p-AMPK expression levels in skeletal muscle. Conclusions Taken together, our results indicated that icariin induces irisin/FNDC5 expression via the AMPK pathway, indicating that icariin may be promising as an anti-obesity drug.

[An analysis of the DNA fingerprinting of intestinal flora in inflammatory bowel disease].

OBJECTIVE: DNA fingerprinting for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients and healthy subjects was carried out to compare the difference of intestinal flora between the two groups. METHODS: DNA fingerprinting for IBD patients and healthy persons was set up with enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC-PCR) technology and the difference of intestinal flora between the two groups compared. RESULTS: DNA fingerprinting of the IBD patients and healthy subjects was identified and a significant difference was noticed between them. There were lots of bands in the DNA fingerprinting of the healthy subjects but few in that of the IBD patients. Strikingly, same distribution of the principal band of DNA fingerprinting was noticed in IBD patients. CONCLUSIONS: The variety of intestinal flora in healthy subjects is more apparent than that in IBD patients. An unique principal band might be the sequence of the presence of specific etiopathogenetic bacterium, or it might be the combined sequence of mixed bacterial flora.

Browning of Abdominal Aorta Perivascular Adipose Tissue Inhibits Adipose Tissue Inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) can regulate vascular homeostasis by secreting various adipokines. This study investigated the effects of PVAT browning on its endocrine function. METHODS: In the first section of our study, male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into cold exposure (8°C) and 24°C acclimation groups. After cold exposure for 7 days, interscapular brown adipose tissue (iBAT), subcutaneous white adipose tissue, thoracic aortic PVAT, and abdominal aortic PVAT (aPVAT) were harvested for histological and brown marker gene expression analysis. In the second part, male rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks. In the 11th week, the rats were treated with or without cold exposure. After 14-day cold exposure, aPVAT was collected for histological, gene, and protein expression analysis. RESULTS: Cold exposure had a browning effect on aPVAT by increasing UCP-1 and PGC-1α expression levels. After HFD feeding for 10 weeks, 14-day cold exposure was still able to induce aPVAT browning. Compared with thermoneutrality acclimation rats, TNF-α, IL-6, and p-p65 expression levels were significantly lower in aPVAT from HFD-fed rats with cold exposure. In contrast, p-AMPK expression levels were increased in aPVAT from HFD-fed rats with cold exposure. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that browning of aPVAT in HFD-fed rats lowered the pro-inflammatory adipokine expression levels and activated AMPK.