Objective To investigate the expressions of CXCR4 and β-catenin in pancreatic cancer, explore the relationship between them, and explore the possible biomarkers about invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Methods Forty-eight samples of pancreatic cancer and 20 samples of normal pancreas tissues were selected. The expressions of CXCR4 and β-catenin were examined by the immunohistological technique. Spearman, Chi-square， and rank test were used to analyze the relation between the protein expressions and clinical characteristics. Survival analysis was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier product limit method and Log-rank test. Variables were evaluated by Cox proportional hazards analysis. The size of test was 0.05. Results The positive expression rates of CXCR4 and β-catenin in pancreatic cancer tissues were 85.4% (41/48) and 75.0% (36/48), respectively. Co-expression rate of CXCR4 and β-catenin was 70.8% (34/48). There were significant differences between various CXCR4 staining and lymph node metastasis and TNM stage (P=0.012, 0.005, respectively). β-catenin positive expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.047). However, abnormal β-catenin positive expression could not determine the clinical survival. Kaplan-Meier estimated curves suggested that clinical prognosis was poor for patients with CXCR4 expression. Multivariate analysis showed that CXCR4, late TNM stage, and lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors for pancreatic cancer. Conclusions Both CXCR4 and β-catenin abnormally express in pancreatic cancer. CXCR4 may be an important marker for pancreatic cancer progression.
ObjectiveTo summarize the latest research progress and related mechanisms of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of breast cancer, so as to seek the best treatment strategy for patients with breast cancer metastasis and drug resistance. MethodThe literatures about CAFs research in breast cancer in recent years were searched and summarized. ResultsCAFs was the main stromal cell in tumor microenvironment (TME). By changing TME, the biological characteristics of CAFs could be changed and the growth and invasion of breast cancer cells could be induced. CAFs in breast cancer promotes the invasion and metastasis of breast cancer cells by interacting with inflammatory factors and promoting the formation of pre-transplantation ecosystems, and CAFs also mediates chemotherapy resistance to breast cancer, target resistance, endocrine resistance, and radiation resistance through the secretion of various cellular factors. ConclusionsAt present, some progress has been made in the research of CAFs in breast cancer, but there is still a certain gap to clinical application CAFs has a variety of functional phenotypes, so it is necessary to identify and characterize specific CAFs subtypes when studying new anti-CAFs therapeutic strategies. It has been proved that CAFs has great potential as a specific target for breast cancer treatment, but CAFs still lacks specific biomarkers. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of the biological characteristics and heterogeneity of CAFs can provide a reliable theoretical basis for developing drugs targeting CAFs.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical characteristics and survival rate of the patients with extraocular retinoblastoma (RB). MethodsThis is a retrospective case analysis. From November 2003 to May 2015, 38 eyes of 31 patients with RB in the extra-ocular stage from 213 RB patients were enrolled in this study. There were 18 males and 13 females. Bilateral lesions were observed in 7 patients and unilateral lesions were observed in 24 patients.19 patients were diagnosed at less than 2 years old, 10 patients at 2 to 5 years old, and 2 patients at age over 5 years old. First visit time was less than 1 month in 12 patients, from 1 to 3 months in 15 patients, over 3 months to 6 months in 4 patients. Medical history and family history were record at the first visit. All patients underwent orbital CT, MRI, double color Doppler imaging and wide angle digital retinal imaging system. CT and (or) MRI examination detected tumor extraocular invasion. Histopathological examination showed that there were tumor cells invasion of the scleral, optic nerve root and optic nerve. Chemotherapy was done after surgery. In the extra-ocular stage, 3 to 6 rounds of intensive chemotherapy combined with orbital radiotherapy were done. The average follow-up period was (25.5±4.5) months after treatment. The cumulative survival rate was observed after 6 months, 1 and 5 years after treatment, and the relationship between the initial age, time, sex, single eye, tumor and survival time of the patients was analyzed. ResultsThe extraocular RB accounted 14.55% of all RB patients in this study. There is no family history of RB, no special history. There were 15 patients with leukocoria and yellow-white reflection in the pupil; 5 patients with lacrimation, swelling, photophobia and exophthalmos; 11 patients with strabismus. The cumulative survival rate at 6 months, 1, 5 years after treatment was (78.0±9.0)%, (62.0±11.0)%, (57.0±11.0)% respectively. The average survival time was (53.9±7.8) months; the cumulative survival rate was (59.3±11.3)%. When the age of first visit was less than 1 month, 1-3 months, 3-6 months, the median survival time was 78, 15 and 18 months respectively, the cumulative survival rate was 100.0%, (40.0±21.9)% and (25.0±21.7)%, respectively. The survival time of the newly diagnosed patients at 1 month was more than at 1 to 6 months, and the difference was statistically significant (t=9.20, P < 0.05). Conclusions14.55% of all RB patients was extraocular RB in this study. One of the most common clinical manifestations is leukocoria at the first visit. The cumulative survival rate of extraocular RB is lower, while the survival rate of patients with the age of first visit time was less than 1 month is higher.
Objective To investigate the influence of CO2-insufflation pressure on invasion potential of the colon cancer cells. Methods With an in vitro artificial pneumoperitoneum model, SW1116 human colon cancer cells were exposed to CO2-insufflation of 5 different pressure groups: 6, 9, 12, 15 mm Hg and control group, respectively for 1 h. The invasion capacities of SW1116 cells exposed to CO2-insufflation of 5 different pressure groups were detected by cell adhesion/invasion assay in vitro. Results Immediately following exposure to 15 mm Hg CO2 insufflation, the invasion of SW1116 cells decreased significantly compared to the cells before exposure. At the 0 h time point, the cells exposed to 15 mm Hg were significantly less invasive than those exposed to the other insufflation pressure (P＜0.05), and the cells exposed to 6 mm Hg were more invasive than cells exposed to the other insufflation pressure (P＜0.05). And 72 h after exposed to CO2-insufflation, the differences between the pressure groups were not significant. Conclusion CO2-insufflation induced a temporary change in the invasion capacity of cancer cells in vitro, higher pressure of CO2-insufflation inhibits the invasion potential.
【Abstract】Objective To understand the features of lymphatic vessel, and to summarize the foundation and mechanism of the promotion and inhibition of tumor lymphangiogenesis recorded on the current studies of animal experiments and clinical researches. Methods The related literatures of the structural features of lymphatic vessel, lymphatic endothelial molecular markers, the origin of lymphatic tumors, the molecular mechanisms and regulatory factors were reviewed, and the relationship between tumor lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis, the treatment targeting at the formation of the anti-tumor lymphatic vessel and its existing problems were also analyzed. Results Hyperplasia of lymphatic vessels occurred during the process of tumor formation and progression. The structural features of the lymphatic vessels in the tumor were conducive to tumor lymphatic metastasis. In recent years, methods of anti-lymphangiogenesis and inhibition of tumor lymphatic metastasis had achieved considerable success in animal experiments. However, there were still a lot of problems need to be solved. Conclusion Tumor lymphangiogenesis has a significantly positive correlation between tumor lymphatic metastasis and patients’ prognosis, which may indicate that treatment against the formation of tumor lymphatic vessel maybe effective.
Objective To establish a new model of orthotopic-transplatation tumor of human malignant choroidal melanoma. Methods pEGFP-N1, the eukaryotic expressive plasmid of green fluorescent protein (GFP), was transfered into human malignant choroidal melanoma cell line (OCM-1) by liposome lipofectanine, then the cell clones with stable GFP expression were screened out by means of neomycin, fluorescence microscope, and flow cytometer. Two μl cell suspension of OCM-1 cells with GFP expression with the density of 4.5×107-5.5×107 cells/ml was injected into the subretinal space of right eyes of 40 nude mice (40 eyes) under binocular operating microscope with left eyes as the control ones. The growth of the transplanted malignant choroidal melanoma was observed in vivo using the fluorescence stereomicroscope. The mice were killed at different time after the operation to observe the metastasis of the tumor to optic nerve, brain and other organs including lung, liver, kidney and spleen. Moreover, pathological detection and immunohistochemical staining of GFP was carried out. Results At the postoperative 10th-12th days, the growths of the transplanted malignant choroidal melanoma with dilated and distorted blood vessels and neovascularization were observed; at the postope rative 20th-22nd days, the melanoma occupied the whole cavity of vitreous body; and at the postoperative 24th-26th days, the transplanted tumor grew out of the eye. Metastases of the carcinoma to olfactory bulb, kidney, lung and liver were seen at the failure phase soon after the extra-ocular phase. The histopathological characteristics of the transplanted tumor were similar to those of human, and the results of immunohistochemical staining showed positive expression of GFP in the tumor cells. Conclusion The orthotopic model of malignant choroidal melanoma set up via injection of human malignant choroidal melanoma cells labeled by GFP into the subretinal space of nude mice may provide a new approach to investigate the natural courses of growth and metastasis of malignant choroidal melanoma. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2004，20：245-248)