OBJECTIVETo evaluate the mRNA and protein expressions of peroxiredoxin II (PrxII) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their significance.

METHODSHCC was induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in 6 tree shrews (Tupaia belangeri chinensis). The expression levels of PrxII mRNA and protein were detected by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot on HCC tissues and on their surrounding liver tissues (para-HCC). Biopsied liver tissues were taken before the HCC induction (pre-HCC) from the same animals and from a group of blank controlled animals that served as controls. Liver biopsy specimens from 18 cases of human HCC and from 17 healthy human volunteers were studied using the same methods.

RESULTSThe mRNA and protein expressions of PrxII in tree shrew HCC tissues were significantly higher than those in para-HCC and pre-HCC tissues, and also higher than those in the liver tissues from the control animals (all P < 0.05). The expression levels of PrxII mRNA and protein in human HCC tissues were also significantly higher than those in their para-HCC tissues and in the human normal liver tissues (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPrxII might play an important role in hepatocarcinogenesis and might be used as a molecular target for HCC prevention and treatment.

Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peroxiredoxins ; genetics ; Tupaiidae

Animals ; Arthritis, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; Cadherins ; metabolism ; physiology ; Cell Movement ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; pathology ; Humans ; Macrophages ; cytology ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Synovial Membrane ; cytology ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the relationship between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and neoplastic progression in hamster with tongue cancer.

METHODSForty-eight specimens of hamster tongue cancer were divided into control group (n=6) and experimental group (n=42). The pathological grade of the specimens was assessed (including 3 stages, namely atypical hyperplasia, carcinoma in situ and early invasive carcinoma). The sections of the tongue were stained with Masson and aldehyde-fuchsin (AF) staining for microscopic observation of the elastic fiber and collagen fiber changes.

RESULTSWithin the connective tissue cores (CTC) of the papillae in the control group was a framework of numerous and fine Gomrori's aldehyde fuchsin-positive elastic fibers. But in the stages of dysplasia and carcinoma in situ, these elastic fibers decreased and further diminished in the CTC in early invasive carcinoma. In dysplasia and carcinoma in situ stages, most of the elastic fibers collapsed with scattered elastic fibers, and the elastic fibers decreased significantly in early invasive carcinoma. The control group showed a significantly greater number of elastic fibers in the experimental group. The collagen fiber was obviously increased and irregularly arranged in dysplasia and carcinoma in situ stage; in early invasive carcinoma, the collagen fibers became thicker with deposition in the lamina propria.

CONCLUSIONAn excessive deposition of collagen fiber and reduction of the elastic fibers is an important factor contributing to the development of tongue carcinoma in hamsters.

Animals ; Carcinoma ; pathology ; Collagen ; metabolism ; Connective Tissue ; pathology ; Cricetinae ; Elastic Tissue ; pathology ; Extracellular Matrix ; pathology ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; Tongue Neoplasms ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To observe the micromorphological changes of ultrastructure, apoptosis-related proteins expression and tumor cell apoptosis after ablation with the high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and to explore the mechanisms responsible for the thermal and non-thermal effect.
 METHODS: Forty rabbits with hepatic VX2 tumors were randomly divided into a thermal group (n=20) and a non-thermal group (n=20), and were subjected to HIFU ablation with thermal or non-thermal condition, respectively. Five animals in each group were sacrificed on the 1st, 3rd, 7th or 14th day after the ablation. The changes of ultrastructure, apoptosis-related proteins expression and tumor cell apoptosis were detected.
 RESULTS: The results of transmission electron microscope (TEM) revealed more severe injury on tissue and cells in the non-thermal group than that in the thermal group. The changes of apoptosis-related proteins expression and tumor cell apoptosis in transient zone were significantly different in comparison with that in the ablated area or peripheral area between the two groups. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was at low level on the 1st and 3rd day and elevated gradually on the 7th and 14th day, with no significant difference (all P>0.05). The expression of caspase-3 reached peak on the 3rd day and decreased on the 7th and 14th day. It was significantly higher in the non-thermal group than that in the thermal group on the 3rd and 7th day (all P<0.05). The expression of NF-κB was elevated from the 3rd day and reached peak on the 7th day while decreased on the 14th day. There was no significant difference at every time point between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). The apoptosis index in the non-thermal group and the thermal group on the 3rd and 7th day were (28.60±1.14)% vs (21.80±1.92)% and (21.00±1.58)% vs (14.80±1.48)%, respectively. It was higher in the non-thermal group than that in the thermal group (both P<0.01).
 CONCLUSION Both the thermal and the non-thermal effect of HIFU can induce apoptosis in transient zone, but the latter have a stronger effect.
Animals ; Apoptosis ; Caspase 3 ; metabolism ; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation ; Liver Neoplasms ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Rabbits ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

The mechanical properties of tumor cells adhering to extracellular matrix (ECM) are closely related with their invasion and metastesis. In this study we investigated the adhesive mechanical properties between hepatocellular carcinoma cells(HCC) and the collagen I coated surfaces from the viewpoint of cell cycle by coupling cellular biology and cellular mechanics, using micropipette aspiration and cell synchronization technique. The results showed that the synchronous G1 and S phase HCC cells were achieved by use of thymine-2-desoryriboside, colchicines sequential blockage method and double thymine-2-desoryriboside blockage method, and that the synchronous rates of G1 and S phase HCC amounted to 74.09% and 90.39% respectively. Within the ranges of dosing and timing in this study, the adhesion of HCC cells to collagen I displayed dose dependent and time dependent patterns. S phase cells had small force of adhesion to collagen I as compared with G1 phase and controlled cells(P<0.001), which suggested that G1 phase HCC may play an important role in the step of invading interstitial connective tissue in the metastasis pathway of HCC through blood circulation. These are of significance to unveiling the mechanism of HCC metastasis.
Animals ; Cell Adhesion ; Cell Cycle ; Collagen Type I ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Rats ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

OBJECTIVETo investigate the kinetic expression and alteration of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) and its gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development.

METHODSA hepatoma model was established with N-(2-fluorenyl) acetamide (2-FAA) using male SD rats. Morphological changes and dynamic alterations of NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB mRNA of the rat livers at different stages of HCC development were observed by pathological examinations. The liver specimens from HCC patients were collected by self-control method. The expression of NF-kappaB was quantitatively analyzed by ELISA.

RESULTSHepatocytes showed vacuole-like denaturation, atypical hyperplasia, and transformation into highly differentiated cancerous hepatocytes with increasing tendencies of liver NF-kappaB and NF-kappaB mRNA expressions. The NF-kappaB positive material was granule-like and stained brown, with dot-nest-like staining localized in the nuclei and cytoplasm of HCC cells, but only in the cytoplasm of the cells of park cancer tissues. Its expression in HCC cells was stronger than that in their surrounding tissues (chi2 = 13.1, P less than 0.01). No positive relationship was found between NF-kappaB expression and histological grades, the number of tumors, or size of the tumors.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of NF-kappaB and its gene are associated with the development of HCC. To inhibit the expression may be useful to HCC therapy.

Adult ; Aged ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) that is easily introduced to humans via consumption of grilled or smoked meat. BaP causes harmful oxidative effects on cell development, growth and survival through an increase in membrane lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage and mutagenesis. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic effects of BaP on oxidative stress in hepatic tumors. In this study, we established a hepatic tumor model by injecting rat hepatoma N1-S1 cells into healthy rats. Changes in the abundance of heat shock proteins (HSPs), antioxidant enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were then investigated by western blot analysis. In addition, we examined changes in oxidative stress levels. Injection of N1-S1 cells or concomitant injection of BaP and N1-S1 cells resulted in the formation of hepatic tumors at the injection site. Evaluation of rat plasma reveals that hepatic tumors induced by BaP and N1-S1 cells expresses higher levels of Hsp27, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) when compared to those induced by N1-S1 cells only. The collective results of this study suggest that BaP exerts synergistic effects on the expression of HSP, cytokines and antioxidant enzymes in hepatic tumors induced by rat hepatoma N1-S1 cells.
Animals ; Antioxidants/*metabolism ; Benzo(a)pyrene/*pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism/pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor/*drug effects ; Cytokines/*metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins/*metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*enzymology/*metabolism/pathology ; Male ; Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism/pathology ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The density of intestinal endocrine cells, in Balb/c mice with colon 26 (CT-26) carcinoma cells, were examined immunohistochemically at 28 days after implantation. After CT-26 cell administration there was a significant decrease in most of the intestinal endocrine cells (p < 0.01) compared with the control group. The significant quantitative changes in the intestinal endocrine cell density might contribute to the development of the gastrointestinal symptoms commonly encountered in cancer patients.
Animals ; Enteroendocrine Cells/metabolism/*pathology ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract/pathology ; Glucagon/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Neoplasm Transplantation ; Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism/*pathology ; Pancreatic Polypeptide/metabolism ; Serotonin/metabolism ; Sincalide/metabolism ; Somatostatin/metabolism

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Enoyl-CoA Hydratase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Mice ; Plasmids ; Recombinant Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection

OBJECTIVETo assess the therapeutic effect of percutaneous intratumoral injection with lipiodol emulsion of chemotherapie agents (CALE) on implanted VX2 tumor in rabbits.

METHODSTwelve New Zealand rabbits with implanted VX2 tumor (24 models) were divided into lipiodol group, chemotherapeutic agent group and CALE group with intratumoral injections of the corresponding agents. The pathological changes of all the lesions were observed and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were evaluated 7 days after the operation.

RESULTSCompared with the lipiodol group and chemotherapie agent group, intratumoral injection of CALE resulted in the highest tumor necrosis rate and greatest tumor necrosis (P<0.01). The labeling indices of PCNA and VEGF expressions in CALE group were markedly lower than those in the other two groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONPercutaneous intratumoral injection of CALE is an effective ablation approach for treatment of malignant solid tumors.

Animals ; Emulsions ; Injections, Intralesional ; Iodized Oil ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Neoplasms, Experimental ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen ; metabolism ; Rabbits ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism