Carcinosarcoma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVETo study the expression of glucose-regulated protin 78 (GRP78) and glucose-regulated protin 94 (GRP94) in the liver tissues from children with hepatoblastoma (HB) and to investigate the possible clinicopathological values of GRP78 and GRP94 in HB.

METHODSLiver tissue specimens from 15 children with HB and 10 specimens of normal liver tissues were obtained. EnVison immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of GRP78 and GRP94 in the conventional paraffin-embedded liver sections.

RESULTSThe positive rates of GRP78 expression (53% vs 10%; P<0.05) and GRP94 expression (60% vs 10%; P<0.05) in HB liver tissues were significantly higher than those in the normal liver tissues. The positive rates of GRP78 expression in the cases without lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage I-II were significantly lower than those in the cases with lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage III-IV (P<0.05). GRP94 showed a decreased tendency of positive expression in the cases without lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage I-II when compared with the cases with lymphnode metastasis or in clinical stage III-IV, although there were no statistical differences between them.

CONCLUSIONSGRP78 and GRP94 expression might play important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of pediatric HB.

Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; analysis ; Hepatoblastoma ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Infant ; Liver ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Male ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; analysis ; Neoplasm Staging

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; chemistry ; pathology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear ; analysis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transcription Factors ; analysis ; genetics

OBJECTIVESTo seek a better profiling of proteins of hepatoma cells.

METHODSThe homogenate of hepatoma cells QGY-7703 was fractionated into four parts by differential centrifugation: the nuclei, the pellet by 20,000 x g, the pellet by 100,000 x g and the cytosolic supernatant. The four fractions were submitted to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and their electrophoretic patterns were analyzed.

RESULTSIn comparison with the protein pattern of hepatoma cells not fractionated, the patterns of the four fractions display many more protein spots, and a large number of proteins present in the nuclei and cytosolic supernatant were not shown in the not-fractionated samples.

CONCLUSIONPreparation of subcellular fractions before electrophoretic procedures proves to be very useful; not only can it improve the results of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, but also can lead to research into the subcellular level.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; chemistry ; pathology ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; chemistry ; pathology ; Neoplasm Proteins ; analysis ; Proteome ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of sugar chain structures of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in hepatoma tissue and its relation to the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe binding ratios of ALP from 9 normal liver tissues, 16 hepatoma tissues and 16 noncancerous tissues surrounding hepatoma were analysed by affinity chromatography on various lectin columns including leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (L-PHA), lentil lectin (LCA), Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA), erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (E-PHA) and Sambucus nigra bark agglutinin (SNA).

RESULTSThe binding ratios of ALP on L-PHA (22.94%+/-5.30%), DSA (55.97%+/-13.72%), LCA (38.16%+/-8.87%), E-PHA (11.56%+/-4.81%) and SNA (69.80%+/-13.71%) in HCC tissues were significantly increased (P<0.01) compared with that in normal liver tissues (L-PHA 5.89%+/-2.75%, DSA 36.20%+/-11.58%, LCA 17.90%+/-6.71%, E-PHA 5.38%+/-2.20%, SNA 57.32%+/-11.27%), respectively. t values between the two groups were 8.94, 3.64, 5.94, 3.62 and 2.32, respectively. L-PHA-binding ratio (25.84%+/-4.67%) of ALP in HCC with invasiveness was significantly higher than that (18.10%+/-3.64%) without invasiveness (t=3.71, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe changes of ALP sugar chain structures occur in HCC tissue. b1-6 branching sugar chain structure of ALP is related to the invasiveness of HCC.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; chemistry ; Carbohydrates ; chemistry ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Humans ; Lectins ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

A rhabdoid cholangiocarcinoma is a very rare variant of sarcomatous cholangiocarcinomas. Here, we report a vimentin positive cholangiocarcinoma showing rhabdoid features in the entire tumor, with a very aggressive behavior. A 41-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital due to a huge hepatic mass. The resected liver revealed a 17x15cm sized solid mass with extensive necrosis and an infiltrative border. On microscopic examination, the entire tumor was composed of loosely cohesive round to polygonal cells, with rhabdoid features having abundant eosinophilic glassy cytoplasm and eccentrically located vesicular nuclei. Some tumor cells contained intracytoplasmic mucin vacuoles, but definite areas of glandular differentiation or spindle cell were not found. Immunohistochemical staining showed a diffuse strong positive reaction to pan-cytokeratin and vimentin, and focal positivity for the carcinoembryonic antigen. Other immunohistochemical stainings for cytokeratin 7, cytokeratin 20, S-100 protein, HMB-45, desmin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, c-kit, CD34, alpha-fetoprotein, anti-hepatocyte antigen, chromogranin and synaptophysin were all negative. After two months, the patient developed a local recurrence along the resection margin, and multiple hematogenous metastases to the lung and liver were seen on the follow-up CT scan.
Adult ; Cholangiocarcinoma/chemistry/*pathology ; Female ; Human ; Liver Neoplasms/chemistry/*pathology ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Prognosis ; Rhabdoid Tumor/chemistry/*pathology ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Vimentin/analysis

AIMTo study the anti-tumor bioactive steroid saponins of Paris vietnamensis (Takht.).

METHODSThe constituents were isolated and purified by chromatography and their structures were identified by spectral analysis and physicochemical properties. The cytotoxic bioactivities of the constituents were determined by MTT.

RESULTSEleven compounds were obtained and identified as 3beta, 5alpha,6alpha-trihydroxy-7(8)-en-isospirostanol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->3) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), which was named as parisvietnaside A, 25 (R) diosgenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), 25(R) diosgenin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), 25 (R) diosgenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl (1-->4) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4), 25 (R) diosgenin-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1-->3) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5), 25 (R) diosgenin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (6), 25 (R) pennogenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1-->4)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7), 25 (R) pennogenin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (8), 25 (R) pennogenin-3-O-alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl (1-->4) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (9), 25 (R) pennogenin-3-O-beta-D-glycopyranosyl (1-->3) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (10) and 25 (R) pennogenin-3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->4) [alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside (11). Some constituents had cytotoxic bioactivities.

CONCLUSIONCompound 1 is a new spirostanol saponin, and compounds 2, 3, 6-11 were obtained from Paris vietnamensis (Takht.) for the first time. Compounds 3, 4, 6, 8 had cytotoxic bioactivities against tumor cells HepG2 and SGC-7901.

Adenocarcinoma ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; Liliaceae ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Molecular Conformation ; Molecular Structure ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Rhizome ; chemistry ; Saponins ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology

This study was aimed to develop non-toxic, high transfection efficiency polyethyleneimine(PEI) cationic nanoparticles. The exosyndrome of PEI cationic nanoparticles was measured by zeta sizer, ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy. The condensation ability and the resistance to DNaseI of pEGFP-N1/PEI and pEGFP-N1/PEI modified polyethylene glycol(PEG) were evaluated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The cell toxicity of polyethyleneimine cationic nanoparticles was measured by using MTT test. The orthogonal design was used to optimize the transfection efficiency with the N/P ratio, the grafting ratio and the gene dosage as the factors. The experimental results showed that pEGFP-N1/PEI nanoparticles have lower cell toxicity, better composite ability and better resistance to DNAseI. The highest transfection efficiency of PEI cationic nanoparticles was 91% by using the PEI nanoparticles with the N/P ratio 40:1 and gene dosages 6 microg/well. PEI cationic nanoparticle modified by PEG effectively transferred DNA to hepatoma carcinoma cells and it is a non-toxic, with high transfection efficiency, and a promising non-viral carrier for gene delivery. The transfection efficiency will be improved by optimizing the experiment condition.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; genetics ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Transfer Techniques ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Nanoparticles ; chemistry ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Polyethyleneimine ; chemistry ; Transfection ; methods

The bioactive protein-phycocyanin and all the proteins of Spirulina Platensis were isolated and purified. Photo-reactive proteins were synthesized by coupling the proteins with (N-(4-azidobenzoyloxy)succinimide) and were spread onto the 24-well cell culture polystyrene plate. Then the coated surface was exposed to ultraviolet irradiation for chemical fixation of proteins via the conversion of the phenylazido group to the highly reactive phenyl-nitrene which spontaneously formed covalent bonds with neighboring hydrocarbons. On these proteins-immobilized polystyrene plates, the liver cancer cells 7402 were cultured under the serum-free conditions, and the inhibition activity on proliferation of liver cancer cells was investigated and analyzed.
Animals ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Biocompatible Materials ; pharmacology ; Cell Division ; drug effects ; Cyanobacteria ; chemistry ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; Photochemistry ; Polystyrenes ; chemistry ; Spirulina ; Succinimides ; chemistry ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The proliferation potentials and the level of apoptosis were compared in paired primary colorectal adenocarcinomas and their liver metastases within each individual. From a total of 22 patients 44 specimens of paired primary and metastatic tumors were obtained for analysis. The levels of spontaneous apoptosis (a spontaneous apoptosis index, SAI: % apoptotic nuclei among a total of 1000 nuclei) and of proliferation (KI-67 index: % positively stained cells for KI-67 among a total of 1000 cells) were analyzed between primary and metastatic tumors. Survival rates and its relationship with the clinical parameters were also analyzed. The overall survival rate at 5 years was 16.9% with the median survival time of 45 months. T-stage (p=0.005) and time to liver metastasis (synchronous versus metachronous, p=0.03) showed statistical significance in relation to survival. The mean SAI of primary tumors was 1.35 +/- 0.25, which was not statistically different from the 1.58 +/- 0.18 of metastatic tumors (p=0.33). The mean KI-67 indices in primary and metastatic tumors were 23.9 +/- 3.4 and 16.4 +/- 2.5, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.016). Subset analysis showed significant difference in the KI-67 index in the synchronous group but not in the metachronous group. No significant difference was shown in the relative ratios of apoptosis to proliferation between the primary tumor and the metastasis within each individual. The results in this study may partly explain the indolent behavior of liver metastasis from colorectal cancer and provides a rationale for the active treatment of metastatic tumors as well as of primary disease.
Adenocarcinoma/chemistry/*secondary ; Adult ; Aged ; *Apoptosis ; Cell Division ; Colorectal Neoplasms/chemistry/*pathology ; Female ; Human ; Liver Neoplasms/chemistry/*secondary ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't