With the improvement of high-throughput genomic technology such as microarray and next-generation sequencing over the last ten to twenty year, we have come to know that the portion of the genome responsible for protein coding constitutes just approximately 1.5%. The remaining 98.5% of the genome not responsible for protein coding have been regarded as 'junk DNA'. More recently, however, 'Encyclopedia of DNA elements project' revealed that most of the junk DNA were transcribed to RNA regardless of being translated into proteins. In addition, many reports support that a lot of these non-coding RNAs play a role in gene regulation. In fact, there are various functioning short non-coding RNAs including rRNA, tRNA, small interfering RNA, and micro RNA. Mechanisms of these RNAs are relatively well-known. Until recently, however, little is known about long non-coding RNAs which consist of 200 nucleotides or more. In this article, we will review the representative long non-coding RNAs which have been reported to be related to gastrointestinal cancers and to play a certain role in its pathogenesis.
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*genetics/*metabolism/pathology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics/metabolism/pathology ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics/*metabolism

With the improvement of high-throughput genomic technology such as microarray and next-generation sequencing over the last ten to twenty year, we have come to know that the portion of the genome responsible for protein coding constitutes just approximately 1.5%. The remaining 98.5% of the genome not responsible for protein coding have been regarded as 'junk DNA'. More recently, however, 'Encyclopedia of DNA elements project' revealed that most of the junk DNA were transcribed to RNA regardless of being translated into proteins. In addition, many reports support that a lot of these non-coding RNAs play a role in gene regulation. In fact, there are various functioning short non-coding RNAs including rRNA, tRNA, small interfering RNA, and micro RNA. Mechanisms of these RNAs are relatively well-known. Until recently, however, little is known about long non-coding RNAs which consist of 200 nucleotides or more. In this article, we will review the representative long non-coding RNAs which have been reported to be related to gastrointestinal cancers and to play a certain role in its pathogenesis.
Gastrointestinal Neoplasms/*genetics/*metabolism/pathology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics/metabolism/pathology ; RNA, Long Noncoding/genetics/*metabolism

Actins ; immunology ; metabolism ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; metabolism ; Child ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fibroma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Leiomyoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Pyloric Antrum ; pathology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

Chromogranin A ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neuroendocrine Tumors ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; classification ; metabolism ; pathology ; Pathology ; standards ; Synaptophysin ; metabolism ; World Health Organization

Actins ; metabolism ; Angiomyolipoma ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Renal Cell ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Epithelioid Cells ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; pathology ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; pathology ; Humans ; Kidney Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lung Neoplasms ; pathology ; Lymphangioleiomyomatosis ; pathology ; Male ; Melanoma ; pathology ; Melanoma-Specific Antigens ; metabolism ; Pancreatic Neoplasms ; pathology ; Perivascular Epithelioid Cell Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Sarcoma, Clear Cell ; pathology ; Skin Neoplasms ; pathology ; Uterine Neoplasms ; pathology

Adult ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; metabolism ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; pathology ; Humans ; MART-1 Antigen ; Male ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Osteoclasts ; pathology ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Sarcoma, Clear Cell ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Soft Tissue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery

Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Gastrectomy ; methods ; Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Lipoma ; pathology ; Liposarcoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Male ; S100 Proteins ; metabolism ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Vimentin ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo investigate the proportion between tumors which maintain their telomeres by a mechanism of alternative lengthening of telomeres(ALT) and telomerase-dependent tumors in gastrointestinal malignant tumors, the expression difference of hRad21 between the two groups and the clinicopathological characteristics of ALT tumors were also explored.

METHODSOne hundred and four cases of gastrointestinal malignant tumors were divided into 2 groups: ALT group and telomerase group by detecting telomerase activity using TRAP method. Expression difference of hRad21 was investigated between the two groups. All the patients were followed up and clinicopathological data of these patients were analyzed.

RESULTSOf 104 cases, there were 12 cases in ALT group and 94 cases in telomerase group. Expression of hRad21 in ALT group was higher than that in telomerase group. Tumors in ALT group had a thinner invasion depth (lower T stage) as compared to telomerase group (P=0.021). Other indexes, such as age, gender, tumor size, tumor grade, location of tumor, CEA and CA199, were not significantly different between the two groups. Results of follow-up showed that the survival rate of ALT group was 100% while that of telomerase group was 56% at 30 months postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONSThere are tumors which maintain their telomeres by ALT in gastrointestinal malignant tumors, accounting for 10%-12% of the total tumors. As compared to telomerase group, ALT group presents higher expression of hRad21, thinner tumor invasion depth, and higher survival rate.

Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Nuclear Proteins ; metabolism ; Phosphoproteins ; metabolism ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Telomere ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo study the morphologic and immunohistochemical features of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) and to explore the reference parameters for malignancy.

METHODSSeventy six (76) cases of primary GISTs were distinguished from a group of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors by use of a panel of antibodies such as CD117, CD34 by immunohistochemical EnVision method, their biologic behaviors were analyzed by including their follow-up data.

RESULTSAll patients were adults, age range 32 to 81 years (mean 54 year), male 39 cases and female 37 cases; the tumors were situated in stomach (36 cases), in small intestine (23 cases), colon (2 cases) and rectum (15 cases). The most common symptoms were abdomen mass, vague pain and GI bleeding. Forty eight (48) cases were mainly located within the muscularis propria, 25 cases outside the serosa, and 3 cases below the mucosa. Grossly, they were of soft consistency often with hemorrhage, cystification or necrosis. Microscopically, the tumors were composed of spindle cells (46 cases) or epithelioid cells (9 cases) and of both cells (21 cases), arranged in interlacing fasicles, diffusing sheets, pallisading, whirling, alveolar and giant pseudo-rosette shapes. Tumor cells often had abundant cytoplasm with light to moderate eosinophilic or slight basophilic in staining, the nuclei generally showed spindle, blunted ends, round or signet in shape with nucleoli. Immunohistochemically, CD117 and CD34 showed diffuse strong expression, the positive rates were 98.7% and 68.4% respectively, alpha-SMA, MSA, S-100, PGP9.5 showed focal expression, the positive rates were 25.0%, 19.7%, 23.7% and 17.1% respectively, vimentin were all positive and desmin, GFAP, NF were all negative. Nine cases were benign, 19 cases borderline and 48 cases malignant. Follow-up of 20 cases with benign and borderline tumors found patients alive without tumor. In the malignant group of 34 cases, 10 cases were alive without tumor, 10 cases developed recurrence or metastasis, and 14 cases died of tumor. Coagulative necrosis, mitotic activity over 10/50HPF, high cellularity and obvious pleomorphism were all in the malignant group. In this group, tumor necrosis, adhesion in operation, tumor, over 5 cm in diameter, mitotic activity over 5/50HPF had significant differences among three groups and the 3 years survival rate had a significant difference in tumors with or without coagulative necrosis and also in tumors with or without mitotic activity over 5/50HPF.

CONCLUSIONSGISTs predominantly occurred in middle aged or old patients, the tumors had varied cell types and different arrangements, the immunohistochemical characters were positive for CD117 and CD34, negative for desmin, occasional positive for alpha-SMA, MSA, S-100 and PGP9.5, which were helpful to differentiate GIST from leiomyomas and Schwannomas. Coagulative necrosis, mitotic activity over 10/50HPF, high cellularity with obvious pleomorphism were also helpful parameters for diagnosis of malignancy aside from metastasis and invasion. Adhesion, over 5 cm in diameter and mitotic activity over 5/50HPF but less than 10/50HPF might be the potential malignant parameters.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Colonic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Intestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Statistics as Topic ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Aged ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Facial Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery ; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; metabolism ; Keratin-20 ; metabolism ; Keratin-7 ; metabolism ; Male ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Skin Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; surgery