Objective To explore the effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) on apoptosis of human gastric carcinoma cell line SNU in vitro. Methods SNU cells were treated with DON at different concentrations (50, 100, 1000, 2000 μg/L) for 12 hours, and then cells were harvested for cell apoptosis by flow cytometric (FCM) DNA analysis and the expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 at protein level with FCM and Western blotting. Results FCM results showed that the apoptosis rates of SNU cells in DON treatment groups were all higher than that in control, especially in DON 1000 μg/L and 2000 μg/L groups (P<0.05). In the concentration range from 50 to 2000 μg/L, a significant concentration-depended response correlation could be found between apoptosis rate and DON concentration (r =0.940, P <0.01). FCM and Western blotting showed Bax and Caspase-3 expression in often SNU cells DON treatment for 12 hours were up-regulated while that of Bcl-2 was down-regulated. Conclusion DON can induce apoptosis of SNU cells in vitro in dose-dependent manner, and possible mechanisms of apoptosis induction effects may be up-regulation of the expression of Bax and down-regulation of that of Bcl-2 and activation of the key enzyme of apoptosis Caspase-3.

AIM: To explore the effects of sterigmatocystin (ST) on IL-2 and IFN-? expression and secretion in murine spleen cells in vitro. METHODS: The secretion and expression of IL-2 and IFN-? in murine spleen cells after ST pretreatment at five different dosages (0.125 mg/L, 0.25 mg/L, 0.5mg/L, 1mg/L, 2mg/L) were studied with ELISA and semi-quantitative RT-PCR method, respectively. RESULTS: Pretreatment of murine spleen cells in vitro with ST at five different dosages affected the IL-2 and IFN-? secretion at protein level and expression at mRNA level of the treated cells. The effects varied dependently to the ST dosage. At relatively lower dosages, ST induced the expression of IL-2 and IFN-? in murine spleen cells, while at relatively higher dosages, inhibitory effects were found, with the most significant inhibitory effects seen in ST 1 mg/L group. CONCLUSION: ST affected the secretion and expression of IL-2 and IFN-? in treated murine spleen cells. At relatively lower dosage, ST induced IL-2 and IFN-? secretion and expression, while at relatively higher dosages, inhibitory effects appeared.

AIM: To explore the effects of sterigmatocystin (ST) on IL-4 expression and secretion of murine spleen cells in vitro. METHODS: The secretion and expression of IL-4 in murine spleen cells were studied with ELISA and semi-quantitative RT-PCR method after ST pretreatment at five different dosages (0.125 mg/L, 0.25 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 1 mg/L, 2 mg/L) for 2 h and 12 h, respectively. RESULTS: Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of IL-4 mRNA in ST 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/L treated groups were higher than that in control group, especially in ST 0.5 mg/L group ( P

_ Objective_ To explore the relationship between the waist circumference ( WC) level and the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease ( NAFLD) in the Kailuan Group population. Methods A total of 7 896 individuals were selected as observed subjects from the Kailuan Group in 2011-2012 health physical examination. A questionnaire survey, blood biochemical, and abdominal ultrasound examination were finished by trained medical staff. According to the WC measurement and its quartile in the health examination, the observed subjects were divided into four groups (first, second, third, and forth quartile groups). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between the WC level and the NAFLD. Results ( 1 ) The detection rate of NAFLD in central obesity groupwashigherthanthatinnon-obesitygroup(67.1% vs27.9%,P<0.01). AlongwithincreasingWClevelinthe 4 quartile groups, the incidences of NAFLD were progressively increased, being 7. 1%, 23. 4%, 33. 4%, and 36. 1%, respectively. In the total population, the detection rates were 18. 8%, 42. 5%, 62. 0%, and 76. 1% in males;5. 4%, 24. 1%, 44. 7% and 62. 9% in females. (2)Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that WC is an independent risk factor after adjusting age, gender, and other risk factors, the OR value being 1. 08. It was also noticed that compared with the first quartile group, the second, third, and forth quartile groups had increased risk of NAFLD after adjusting above factors in different genders, with the OR values being 2. 74, 6. 59, and 11. 15 in males, while 2. 61, 5. 03, and 3. 67 in females, respectively. Conclusion WC was an independent risk factor for NAFLD;the incidence of NAFLD increased with increasing WC level in the Kailuan Group population.

Objective: To investigate the expressions of serum miRNA-126 (miR-126) and miRNA-30c (miR-30c) in patients with pancreatic cancer, and to analyze the relationship with the occurrence of pancreatic cancer as well as the diagnostic value. Methods: A total of 110 patients with pancreatic cancer diagnosed at the 928th Hospital of the Joint Service Support Force of PLA from January 2014 to December 2018 were selected, and 110 healthy people were also selected as the control group. The expression levels of serum miR-126 and miR-30c of 110 patients and the healthy controls were detected by using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and their relationship with clinicopathological features of pancreatic cancer was analyzed. Results: The levels of serum miR-126 and miR-30c in pancreatic cancer group were lower than those in the healthy control group (0.43±0.12 vs. 1.02±0.27, t = 19.394, P < 0.01; 0.52±0.17 vs. 1.04±0.31, t = 15.426, P < 0.01). There was a positive correlation between levels of serum miR-126 and miR-30c in patients with pancreatic cancer (r = 0.399, P < 0.01). Expression levels of serum miR-126 and miR-30c were not correlated with age, gender and body mass index (BMI) of pancreatic cancer patients (all P > 0.05), but related with tumor size, differentiation degree, TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (all P < 0.05). High expression levels of serum miR-126 and miR-30c were protective factors for pancreatic cancer (all P < 0.05), while smoking, drinking and gallstones were risk factors for pancreatic cancer (all P < 0.05). The area under the curve of combined detection of serum miR-126 and miR-30c for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 0.906, the sensitivity was 90.80%, and the specificity was 82.20%. Conclusions The expression levels of serum miR-126 and miR-30c in patients with pancreatic cancer are low. Both of them may be involved in the occurrence and development of pancreatic cancer, and may be used as early diagnostic markers of pancreatic cancer.

Objective:To explore the putative role of CD40 and COX-2 expression in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)and to analyze their possible relationship with angiogenesis in ESCC.Methods:The expression of CD40 and COX-2 was detected in 79 ESCC and 28 normal esophageal epithelial tissue samples with immunohistochemical staining.The microvessel density by CD34 was determined and the clinicopathological significance of CD40 and COX-2 expression in ESCC was analyzed.In addition,the expression of CD40 and COX-2 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line Eca109 and primary cultured normal esophageal epithelial cells in vivo was comparatively studied with immunocytochemical staining andWestern blot.Results:Compared with that in normal epithelial tissues,the expression of CD40 and COX-2 in ESCC was significantly higher(54.43%vs 10.71%:69.62%vs 17.86%:respectively,P<0.05).The positive expression rate of CD40 in ESCC cases with lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that in those without lymph node metastasis(70.37%vs 46.1 5%.P<0.05).No correlation was found between CD40 expression and patient age,sex,tumor location,size and differentiation of tumors.No clinicopathological significanca of COX-2 expression in ESCC was found.There was a positive correlation between CD40 expression and COX-2 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(P<0.05,φ=0.446).The mean MVD value in ESCC was significantly higher than that in normal esophageal tissue(25.02±5.52 vs 12.09±4.55,P<0.05).MVD value in ESCC was closely correlated with lymph node metastasis.The mean MVD value in ESCC cases with positive CD40 and COX-2 expression was higher than that in those with negative CD40 and COX-2expression(26.37±6.02 vs 22.58±5.25.P<0.05).Western blot results showed that CD40 and COX-2 expression in Eca109 was higher than that in cultured normal esophageal epithelial cells (P<0.05).Conclusion:The expression of CD40 is involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.CD40 may play an important role in the angiogenesis of ESCC through promoting COX-2 expression.

Background and objective As the prevalence of tobacco and the aging of the population, the incidence of lung cancer in the elderly rises. However, few elderly patients (older than 70 years old) with lung squamous cell carcinoma were involved into the clinical trials, which offered insuffcient clinical evidence for these patients. Lung squamous cell carcino-ma patients older than 80 years old were included in our study to analyze the clinical characteristics, treatment and prognostic factors, and to explore the optimal treatment choices for these patients.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical fea-tures of 38 elderly patients with lung squamous carcinoma and summarized the treatment under the clear diagnosis and clini-cal staging.Results Elderly patients with squamous cell carcinoma can choose surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy based on diagnosis and clinical staging when their physical condition is permitted.Conclusion Because of the short life expectancy of patients more than 80 years old, fewer of them could receive completed and effective treatment, comparing with patients between 70 and 80 years old.

Objective To investigate the correlations between circulating tumor cells(CTCs)in peripheral blood and clinicopathological characteristics and the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on patients with gastric cancer.Methods A total of 112 patients with gastric cancer admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from March 2015 to February 2016 were selected as the research subjects.All patients were drawn 4 mL of fasting peripheral venous blood on the first day before treatment,and peripheral blood CTCs were detected by using negative enrichment combined with immunofluorescence.Based on the CTC detection results,the patients were divided into the CTC-positive group and the CTC-negative group.Patients in both groups were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy,including intravenous infusion of oxaliplatin 130 mg·m-2 on the first day and oral administration of capecitabine 1 000 mg·m-2,twice a day,on days 1-14;21 days was taken as one course of treatment,and a total of 3 courses of treatment was adopted.The clinicopathological characteristics of patients in the two groups were compared.The consistency of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(RECIST)and evaluation criteria of CTC count was analyzed by the Kappa test.The 3-year cumulative survival rate and 5-year cumulative survival rate of patients were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis,and the 3-year cumulative survival rate and 5-year cumulative survival rate were compared by log-rank test between the CTC-positive group and the CTC-negative group.Results Among the 112 gastric cancer patients,64 patients(57.14％)tested positive for peripheral blood CTCs,and 48 patients(42.86％)tested negative for peripheral blood CTCs.After neoadjuvant chemotherapy,the number of patients with complete remission,partial remission,stable disease and progression of disease was 0,76,21 and 15 patients,respectively;and the effective rate of treatment was 67.86％(76/112).There were statistically significant differences in the depth of tumor invasion and TNM staging between the CTC-positive group and the CTC-negative group(P＜0.05);there was no statistically significant difference in gender,age,pathological type,size,location and differentiated degree of tumor,and vascular tumor embolus in the two groups(P＞0.05).The total effective rate in the CTC-positive group was 59.38％(38/64),and the total effective rate in the CTC-negative group was 79.17％(38/48);the total effective rate in the CTC-positive group was significantly lower than that in the CTC-negative group(x2=4.926,P＜0.05).RECIST and CTC count evaluation criteria were moderately consistent(Kappa=0.546).The 3-year cumulative survival rate and 5-year cumulative survival rate in the CTC-positive group were 75.6％and 26.7％,respectively;and the 3-year cumulative survival rate and 5-year cumulative survival rate in the CTC-negative group were 85.2％and 46.6％,respectively.There was no statistically significant difference in the 3-year cumulative survival rate of patients between the CTC-positive group and the CTC-negative group(P＞0.05).The 5-year cumulative survival rate of patients in the CTC-positive group was significantly lower than that in the CTC-negative group(P＜0.05).Conclusion The detection of CTCs helps assess the degree of tumor invasion and clinical staging of patients with gastric cancer and can evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy,showing certain predictive value for the long-term survival of gastric cancer patients.

Background and objectiveSmall cell lung cancer combined with squamous cell carcinoma are rare. hTe aim of this study was to analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and treatment, and explored the prognostic factors of this disease.MethodsBetween January 2004 and December 2012, 58 patients with cytopathologically conifrmed small cell lung cancers combined with squamous cell carcinoma were retrospectively analyzed.Kaplan-Meier methods were used to calculate the survival rate, andLog-rank test was used to examine differences between arms. hTeCox regression model was used to analyze the independent factors affecting the overall survival (OS).Results hTe OS of the 58 patients was 22.7 months with a range of 0.3 to 124.3 months. In univariate analysis, Karnofsky performance score before treatment, extensive disease, tumor stage were the considered prognostic factors affecting the OS rate (P<0.05).Cox multivariate analysis showed that only the tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage was the independent prognostic factor (P=0.019). hTe majority of the patients received multimodality therapy and chemotherapy was the main treatment. Distant metastasis was the main reasonfor the treatment failure.ConclusionCombined therapy with chemotherapy as the main treatment should be adopted in therapeutic regimen of the patients with small cell lung cancers combined with squamous cell carcinoma. TNM stage was the independent prognos-tic factor inlfuencing the OS.

Background and objective Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a common pathological type of non-small cell lung cancer, and advanced lung SCC is incurable. Chemotherapy combined with anti-angiogenesis agents can pro-long the patients’ survival time. hTe aim of the study was to analyze the effcacy and safety of recombinant human endostatin (Endostar) in treating advanced lung SCC.Methods We retrospectively analyzed the short-term efficacy and toxicity of recombinant human endostatin combined with traditional chemotherapy regimens in treating 15 advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma patients in Department of Medical Oncology retrospectively, Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from November 2011 to May 2015. Treatment-related survival was also analyzed.Results Among the evaluble 14 patients, the best overall response was partial response in 5 patients (35.7%), stable disease in 7 patients (50.0%), and progres-sive disease in 2 patients (14.3%). hTe objective response rate (ORR) was 35.7%, and disease control rate (DCR) was 85.7%. hTe median progression-free survival (PFS) was 9.3 months. hTe main grade 3 toxicity was neutropenia (2/15, 13.3%) and vomitting (1/15, 6.7%).Conclusion Chemotherapy combined with recombinant human endostatin enabled good objective response in advanced SCC patients and had well security.