STEAP3 promotes cancer cell proliferation by facilitating nuclear trafficking of EGFR to enhance RAC1-ERK-STAT3 signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma.

STEAP3 (Six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate 3, TSAP6, dudulin-2) has been reported to be involved in tumor progression in human malignancies. Nevertheless, how it participates in the progression of human cancers, especially HCC, is still unknown. In the present study, we found that STEAP3 was aberrantly overexpressed in the nuclei of HCC cells. In a large cohort of clinical HCC tissues, high expression level of nuclear STEAP3 was positively associated with tumor differentiation and poor prognosis (p < 0.001), and it was an independent prognostic factor for HCC patients. In HCC cell lines, nuclear expression of STEAP3 significantly promoted HCC cells proliferation by promoting stemness phenotype and cell cycle progression via RAC1-ERK-STAT3 and RAC1-JNK-STAT6 signaling axes. Through upregulating the expression and nuclear trafficking of EGFR, STEAP3 participated in regulating EGFR-mediated STAT3 transactivity in a manner of positive feedback. In summary, our findings support that nuclear expression of STEAP3 plays a critical oncogenic role in the progression of HCC via modulation on EGFR and intracellular signaling, and it could be a candidate for prognostic marker and therapeutic target in HCC.

Downregulation of MACC1 inhibits invasion, migration and proliferation, attenuates cisplatin resistance and induces apoptosis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression and function of metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and its relationship with the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) (CD147). Levels of MACC1 and EMMPRIN expression were analyzed in 65 paraffin­embedded tissue specimens of TSCC and in the adjacent non-cancerous tissues using immunohistochemistry (IHC). MACC1 expression was highly associated with lymphatic metastasis and EMMPRIN expression. Overexpression of MACC1 was significantly correlated with poor overall patient survival. A small interfering RNA (siRNA) was delivered into TSCCA cells to downregulate MACC1 expression. The CCK-8 assay showed that TSCCA cell proliferation was markedly reduced and that cisplatin resistance was attenuated. The suppression of MACC1 promoted the apoptosis of the TSCCA cell line. A Transwell experiment demonstrated that the migration and invasion abilities of the TSCCA cells were extremely downregulated. An ELISA experiment and western blotting revealed that the secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator system (uPA) in the supernatant of the culture medium and uPA expression were significantly reduced. Experiments revealed that the secretion of metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) in the supernatant of the culture medium and MMP2 expression were not affected. MACC1 may serve as a novel biomarker and therapeutic target for TSCC.

Expression of beclin 1 in non-small cell lung cancer: an immunohistochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking causes a variety of adverse human health effects, including lung cancer. The molecular events associated with smoke-induced carcinogenesis are thought to be related in part to autophagy. Beclin 1 is an important autophagy-related protein involved in cell death and cell survival. AIM: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the beclin 1 protein and its association with cigarette smoke and the mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY: Our study included 108 cases of non-small cell lung cancer who were admitted in our hospital. The beclin 1 protein was detected by immunohistochemistry and EGFR mutation by direct sequencing. RESULTS: Beclin 1 expression could be detected in 15 (13.9%) of 108 specimens. These studies investigated that beclin 1 expression was associated with heavy smoking, the gender and the histological type of NSCLC (P = 0.023, 0.035 and 0.039). No association of beclin 1 with EGFR mutation was found (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results from these experiments indicate that heavy smoking may induce the beclin 1 protein in NSCLC.

CD44v3 and VEGF-C expression and its relationship with lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the expression of CD44v3 and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) and their relationship with lymph node metastasis in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the uterine cervix. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Expression of CD44v3 and VEGF-C was analyzed in 109 cases of cervical SCC by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship was analyzed between expression and the patient age, histological differentiation, formation of tumor emboli in lymphoid vessels, lymph node metastasis, FIGO staging, and TNM classification. RESULTS: Expression rates for both CD44v3 and VEGF-C were 43.1% in cervical SCC. The cells with positive immunohistochemical staining of CD44v3 were distributed mainly around the keratin pearls in well differentiated carcinomas, but distributed diffusely in the moderately and poorly differentiated lesions. VEGF-C was found stained positively in most of the tumor cells. There were differences in expression between normal epithelium and atypical hyperplasia as well as carcinoma. Both CD44v3 and VEGF-C were found to be associated positively with lymph node metastasis and TNM classification (both p=0.000). Neither CD44v3 nor VEGF-C was found to be associated with patient age, histological differentiation, formation of tumor emboli in lymphoid vessels and FIGO staging. CD44v3 was found to be associated with VEGF-C positively (p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal expression of CD44v3 and VEGF-C is associated closely with the lymph node metastasis in cervical SCC, and these agents may cooperate in carcinogenesis and development of metastatic lesions.

Concomitant lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin's lymphoma and Warthin's tumor.

Lymphomas associated with Warthin's tumor (WT) are extremely rare. Here, we report the simultaneous occurrence of lymphocyte-rich classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (LRCHL) and WT in a 78-year-old patient whose symptoms included an enlargement of the left parotid gland. Upon parotidectomy, the tissue specimen showed a WT with extensive replacement of the lymphoid stroma by small lymphocytes and some scattered Reed-Sternberg cells; however, the oncocytic epithelium was preserved. Further investigation revealed mediastinal and abdominal lymphadenopathy, consistent with stage IVB disease. To our knowledge, this is the first case report of LRCHL associated with WT. The lymphoid stroma in WT is part of the systemic lymphoid tissue and thus may be involved in the dissemination of the lymphoma. This case serves as a reminder that a careful evaluation of the histomorphological and immunohistological features of the lymphoid tissue is required for a WT biopsy.

Significance of glutathione peroxidase 1 and caudal-related homeodomain transcription factor in human gastric adenocarcinoma.

Aim. To investigate the expressions of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) and caudal-related homeodomain transcription factor (CDX2) in GAC and their correlation with clinicopathological features and tumor cell proliferation. Methods. The expressions of GPX1, CDX2, and Ki67 were immunohistochemically evaluated in 172 GAC specimens. The association of GPX1 and CDX2 with patient's clinicopathological features and Ki67 positive rate was analyzed statistically. Results. In 172 cases of GAC, the expression of GPX1 was weaker than that in adjacent normal mucosa, and the expression of CDX2 was higher than that in adjacent normal mucosa. High expression GPX1 strong-expression was associated with differentiation, Lauren type, WHO type and extensive lymph node metastasis of GAC. High expression of CDX2 was associated with differentiation, Lauren type, WHO type, extensive lymph node metastasis, and TNM of GAC. Survival curves showed that expressions of GPX1 and CDX2 were factors of good outcome (P = .03 and .02, resp.). According to multivariate analysis, only lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and CDX2 expression were independently associated with survival. In addition, a strong association of GPX1 expression was noted with Ki67 and CDX2. Conclusions. The expression of GPX1 and CDX2 may play a role in the carcinogenesis, differentiation, and progression of GAC, and CDX2 may be an independent prognostic factor.