OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between activity of BRAF and mitogen-activated protein/ extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) / extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signal pathway in papillary thyroid cancer and its mechanism. METHODS: We collected the clinical data and blood samples from 73 cases of papillary thyroid cancer and another 16 cases of benign thyroid gland tumor, and detected the expression of rat sarcoma (RAS), BRAF, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2 in all tumor specimens and benign thyroid tissues with immunohistochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of RAS, BRAF, pMEK1/2, and pERK1/2 protein in papillary thyroid cancer tissues was higher than those in the benign thyroid tissues(P<0.05 or P<0.01). The expression of RAS, BRAF, MEK1/2, and ERK1/2 was associated with the tumor size, the lymph node metastasis, and the clinical stage of papillary thyroid cancer(P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION The expression of RAS, BRAF, pMEK1/2, and pERK1/2 is associated with the pathogenesis, the lymph node metastasis, and the clinical stage of papillary thyroid cancer. The MEK/ERK signaling pathway may be activated by BRAF in papillary thyroid cancer.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; metabolism ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Young Adult ; ras Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of v-raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) interference on SW579 cell lines in thyroid cancer. METHODS: We designed 2 pairs of siRNA interference sequences, transfected them into SW579 cell line with liposome, and detected the interference with RT-PCR method. For successfully interfered cell lines, the changes in cell proliferation, cell cycle, and the expression of related proteins in mitogen-activated protein signal-regulated kinase /extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK/ ERK) signal pathway were detected. RESULTS: After 2 pairs of siRNA transfection, the expressions of BRAF mRNA and protein of SW579 cell lines were significantly inhibited (P<0.01). The proliferation was inhibited, the cell cycle was changed, G1/S phase increased, and MEK/ERK signal pathway was inhibited. CONCLUSION Inhibition of growth and proliferation of SW579 cell lines by BRAF may be functioned by de-activating MEK/ERK signal pathway.
Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Humans ; MAP Kinase Signaling System ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of galectin-3 (gal-3) and Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA) and determine their clinicopathological significance in breast cancers and benign breast lesions. METHODS: Envison immunohistochemistry for staining gal-3 expression, and ABC affinity-cytochemistry to detect SNA expression were used in paraffin-embedded slides from specimens of breast cancers (n=60) and benign lesions (n=30). RESULTS: The positive rates and scoring means of gal-3 and SNA were significantly higher in breast cancer (48.3%, 2.07 +/- 2.25, 2.12 +/- 2.26) than those in benign lesions (26.7%, 1.03 +/- 1.63, 1.07 +/- 1.59, P < 0.05). The scoring means of gal-3 and SNA expression were significantly lower in the positive cases of estrogen receptor (ER) and the negative ones of CA15-3 than those in the negative cases and the positive ones (P < 0.05).The survival analysis of Kaplan-Meier showed the 5-year survival rate and mean survival period were significantly lower in the gal-3 or SNA expression positive cases than those in the negative cases of breast cancer (P<0.01). CONCLUSION The expressive level of gal-3 and SNA lectins might have important effect on the carcinogenesis, progression and biologic behaviors of breast cancer. The positive cases of gal-3 and /or SNA expression might have poor prognosis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Fibrocystic Breast Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Galectin 3 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mucin-1 ; metabolism ; Plant Lectins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Prognosis ; Receptors, Estrogen ; metabolism ; Ribosome Inactivating Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association bewteen BRAF mutations and papillary thyroid cancer. METHODS: BRAF gene mutations in 73 cases of papillary thyroid cancer and 16 cases of thyroid gland benign tumor were detected by PCR and sequencing technology. RESULTS: We found 42 instances of BRAF mutations in 73 cases of thyroid cancer. However, no mutation was found in tissues from benign thyroid tumors. There were significant correlations between BRAF mutation and lymph node metastasis, and between BRAF mutation and the clinical stage of papillary thyroid cancer (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The mutation of BRAF is associated with the pathogenesis, lymph node metastasis, and clinical stage of papillary thyroid cancer.
Adult ; Aged ; Carcinoma, Papillary ; genetics ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Point Mutation ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf ; genetics ; Thyroid Neoplasms ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the differential expression of the sensitive and resistant relative proteins in human breast cancer tissue. METHODS: A drug sensitive group and a drug resistant group for chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer were selected through neoadjuvant. The differential protein expression in 2 groups was detected by proteomics techniques, and parts of differential proteins were identified by Western blot. RESULTS: There were 13 differential proteins in the 2 groups, in which the expression of 3 proteins was up-regulated and 10 down-regulated. Seven proteins were identified by Western blot. The expression of keratin type I cytoskeletal 19 (KIC19), thymidine phosphorylase (TYPH) was upregulated, and the expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), keratin type I cytoskeletal 9 (KIC9), collagen alpha-2(VI) (CO6A2), vimentin (VIME), and actin cytoplasmic 1 (ACTB) was down-regulated in the drug resistant group. There was significant difference between the 2 groups (P<0.01). CONCLUSION The expression of KIC19 and TYPH may be correlated with drug resistance in patients with breast cancer, and HSP27, KIC9, CO6A2, VIME, and ACTB may be correlated with drug sensitivity.
Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; drug therapy ; genetics ; metabolism ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; genetics ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Keratin-19 ; metabolism ; Keratin-9 ; metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy ; Neoplasm Proteins ; metabolism ; Proteome ; metabolism ; Proteomics ; Thymidine Phosphorylase ; metabolism