OBJECTIVETo investigate the expression of osteopontin mRNA and its correlation with clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer and elucidate its role in tumor invasion and distant metastasis.

METHODSThe expression of OPN mRNA was detected by semi-quantitive RT-PCR. The relationship between the relative content of OPN mRNA and clinicopathologic features of gastric cancer was analyzed.

RESULTSIn 66 cancer tissue samples, a 330 bp band was detected in 50 cases, the positive rate of OPN mRNA expression was 75.8% (50/66). The expression in all 20 cases of normal gastric mucosa was negative. The expression was associated with the depth of tumor invasion, diameter, lymph node metastasis and but had no correlation with differentiation grades. The 66 patients were followed up for 10 approximately 27 months (mean 16 months). The OPN mRNA expression positive group (50 cases) had recurrence in 15 patients and the negative group (16 cases) had only 1 case with recurrence (P = 0.05); 10 patients died in OPN mRNA expression positive group but no patient died in OPN staining negative group (P = 0.05).

CONCLUSIONOPN mRNA is over-expressed in gastric cancer. It reflects the progression of disease and association with poor prognosis of gastric cancer. OPN may play an important role in the process of distant metastasis in gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteopontin ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation of CD80 and CD86 mRNA expression with the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 mRNA (TGF-beta1) and interleukin-10 mRNA (IL-10) in the esophageal cancer. To explore the reason of impaired immunological function of dentritic cell (DC) and the mechanism of cancer cell escaption from body immunity system in the esophageal cancer patient.

METHODSExpression of CD80, CD86, TGF-beta1 and IL-10R mRNA was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in specimens of 62 esophageal carcinoma and 16 normal esophageal mucosal tissues used as normal control.

RESULTSExpression of CD80 and CD86 mRNA in the esophageal cancer tissue was significantly lower than that in the normal esophageal mucosal tissue (CD80: P = 0.038; CD86: P = 0.0002). It was significantly higher in stage I or II than that in stage III or IV (CD80: P = 0.029; CD86: P = 0.045); and also higher in paitents with high or moderate differentiation than that with poor differentiation (CD80: P = 0.046; CD86: P = 0.044). Furthermore, it was found to be reversely correlated with expression of TGF-beta1, IL-10 mRNA by multiple regression analysis (P = 0. 0001) respectively, the more TGF-beta1 and IL-10 mRNA expressed in the tumor tissue, the less CD80 and CD86 mRNA expressed by dendritic cells.

CONCLUSIONThe expression of CD80 and CD86 mRNA in the tissues of esophageal cancer are found to be weak, and reversely correlated with the expression of TGF-beta1 and IL-10 mRNA. High level expression of TGF-beta1 and IL-10 mRNA may be an important influential factor to the weak expression of CD80 and CD86 mRNA, which may be one of the reasons leading to impaired function of dendritic cells and immune escape of cancer cells in the esophageal cancer patient.

Adenocarcinoma ; genetics ; pathology ; Adult ; Aged ; B7-1 Antigen ; genetics ; B7-2 Antigen ; genetics ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; genetics ; pathology ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; genetics ; pathology ; Esophagus ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; metabolism ; pathology ; Neoplasm Staging ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1 ; genetics

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to explore the clinical significance of expression of Fas, CTLA-4 and RhoBTB2 genes in breast carcinoma.

METHODSSemi-quantitative reverse transcriptive polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze the mRNA expression levels of the three genes in tumor tissues from 60 patients with primary breast cancer and normal breast tissues of 30 cases. The relationship between gene expression and clinicopathological factors were analyzed and determined.

RESULTSThe relative expression levels (gray scale ratio between target gene and internal reference gene) of Fas, CTLA-4 and RhoBTB2 genes in breast carcinoma tissues were 0.699 +/- 0.285, 1.045 +/- 0.302 and 0.625 +/- 0.160, respectively. In the normal breast tissues, they were 0.502 +/- 0.178, 0.418 +/- 0.140 and 0.843 +/- 0.218, respectively. There were statistically significant differences of the expression of those three genes between carcinoma tissues and normal breast tissues (P < 0.01). The expression level of Fas in carcinoma tissues was significantly higher in lymph node matastasis positive patients (0.782 +/- 0.313) than that in node-negative patients (0.557 +/- 0.146, P < 0.01). The expression level of CTLA-4 gene in carcinoma tissues was lower in II stage patients (0.978 +/- 0.330) than that in III stage patients (1.134 +/- 0.240, P < 0.05). The expression level of RhoBTB2 gene was lower in invasive ductal carcinoma (0.597 +/- 0.157) than that in invasive lobular carcinoma (0.717 +/- 0.145, P < 0.05). There were no correlations of expression of the three genes at mRNA level and age, ER, PR, HER2 status and survival time. Furthermore, no correlation was seen among the three genes expression (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of all the three genes at mRNA level is involved in genesis and progression of breast cancer. There exist correlations between Fas expression and axillary lymph node matastasis, CTLA-4 expression and disease stage, and RhoBTB2 expression and pathological type of breast cancer.

Adult ; Aged ; Antigens, CD ; genetics ; metabolism ; Breast ; metabolism ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; CTLA-4 Antigen ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Lobular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Female ; GTP-Binding Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Staging ; RNA, Messenger ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; fas Receptor ; genetics ; metabolism

Objective To evaluate the value of modified early warning score (MEWS) for formulating nursing interventions plan in intensive care units (ICU) trauma patients.Methods A total of 114 cases from ICU trauma patients were randomly assigned to observation group and control group with 57 cases in each group.Observation group received sub-level care according to modified early warning score,while the control group received traditional care measures,the differences of complications and hospitalization time in two group were compared.Results The incidence of complications in observation group was lower than that in control group,and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜ 0.05 ).The respiratory-related complication (pulmonary infection,respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome) ratio in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group (P＜0.05).The stay time in ICU in observation group was shorter than that in control group [ (8.19 ±7.40) days vs ( 11.28 ± 8.65 ) days],and the difference was statistically significant ( P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Sub-level trauma care according to the modified early warning score for ICU trauma patients can effectively reduce the respiratory-related complications and the ICU stay time.

BACKGROUNDThe purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of avoiding axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) for patients with only one sentinel lymph node (SLN) metastasis. The characteristics and predictive factors for non-sentinel lymph node (NSLN) metastasis of patients with single positive SLN were also analyzed.

METHODSPatients with no and only one SLN metastasis (0/n and 1/n group, n ≥ 2) were selected from 1228 cases of invasive breast carcinoma, who underwent axillary dissection in Shandong Cancer Hospital between November 1999 and December 2011, to compare the characteristics of NSLN metastasis between them. For the 1/n group, the factors that influenced the NSLN metastasis were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analysis.

RESULTSDifferences of the NSLN metastasis between the 0/n and the 1/n groups were significant (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the axillary lymph node metastasis on level III in 1/n group and 0/n group (P = 0.570). When the total SLN number was ≥ 4 and with one positive case, the NSLN metastasis was not significantly different from that in the 0/n group (P = 0.118). In the 1/n group, clinical tumor size (P = 0.012), over-expression of Her-2 (P = 0.003), tumor grade (P = 0.018) and the total number of SLN (P = 0.047) significantly correlated with non-SLN metastasis. Clinical tumor size (P = 0.015) and the expression of Her-2 (P = 0.01) were independent predictive factors for non-SLN metastasis by the Logistic regression model.

CONCLUSIONUnder certain conditions, breast cancer patients with single SLN metastasis could avoid ALND.

Adult ; Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; complications ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; pathology ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; pathology ; Middle Aged ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Objective: To explore the expression and prognostic significance of miR-223 in patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and to investigate the possible mechanism. Methods: Twenty-one newly diagnosed MCL patients with bone marrow involvement were enrolled in the present study, 20 healthy donors as normal control. The expression level of miR-223 and SOX11 mRNA was determined by RQ-PCR. CCK-8 and flow cytometer assays were used to analyze cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of the constructed miR-223 overexpressing MCL cell line, Granta519 cells. SOX11 protein expression level was determined by Western blot. The target gene of miR-223 was confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay. Results: ①Of the 21 newly diagnosed MCL patients, 15 were male and 6 female, the median age was 58 (37-72) years. The expression level of miR-223 was significantly down regulated in MCL patients compared with that of healthy donors (14.7±10.5 vs 1 244.1±1 935.2, P<0.001). The lower expression of miR-223 was inversely correlated with high-risk mantle international prognostic index (P=0.001), elevated LDH (P=0.001), ECOG score ≥2 (P=0.035). ②Using the median relative expression level of miR-223 as the cutoff value, 21 MCL patients were divided into high-expression group (n=10) and low-expression group (n=11) and found that the high-expression group had a significantly superior OS (median OS: 36 vs 12 months, P=0.021). ③In vitro results showed that compared with the control group, the proliferation of miR-223 overexpressed Granta519 cells was inhibited (the most significant reduction on 96h, P<0.001), manifested by lower proportion of cells in G2/M phase (P<0.001) and increased apoptosis (P<0.001), and the expression level of SOX11 protein in Granta519 cells was significantly lower than that of the control group. ④miR-223 could inhibited the 3' untranslated region of SOX11, and the expression level of miR-223 was significantly negatively correlated with mRNA level of SOX11 in MCL patients (r=-0.81, P<0.001). Conclusions: The expression of miR-223 was repressed in MCL and was associated with poor clinical outcomes, which may be probably attributed to its direct targeting SOX11.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell ; Male ; MicroRNAs ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; RNA, Messenger ; SOXC Transcription Factors

OBJECTIVETo investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of bacterial translocation (BT) in patients with cirrhosis after liver transplantation and analyze the effect of BT on bacterial infection after the surgery.

METHODSMesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), portal vein blood, and peripheral blood were collected during the liver transplantation for microbiological culture from 78 patients with cirrhosis. And meanwhile, all related clinical data were analyzed to investigate the risk factors of BT and its relationship with post-liver transplantation infections.

RESULTSBT was occurred in 8 of 78 cirrhotic patients (10.3%) and positive-rate of MLN culture was 5/8. Gram-negative aerobic bacillus was the main causative bacterium of BT (5/9), followed by Gram-positive aerobic enterococcus (22.2%, 2/9). Total bilirubin level in patients with BT was significantly higher than that in patients without BT.

CONCLUSIONSIt suggests that hyperbilirubinemia is the only risk factor for BT, and BT is associated with an increased infectious rate after liver transplantation.

Adult ; Bacterial Infections ; blood ; etiology ; Bacterial Translocation ; Female ; Humans ; Intestines ; microbiology ; Liver Cirrhosis ; microbiology ; surgery ; Liver Transplantation ; adverse effects ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Peritonitis ; etiology ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; microbiology ; Risk Factors

To investigate the relationship between cytoskeleton and hyposmotic membrane stretch-induced increase in muscarinic current, the role of actin microfilament in hyposmotic membrane stretch-induced increase in muscarinic current was studied with the whole-cell patch clamp technique in guinea-pig gastric myocytes. In this study, the muscarinic current was induced by carbachol (50 micromol/L) or GTPgammaS (0.5 mmol/L). The results showed that hyposmotic superfusate (202 mOsmol/L) increased carbachol-induced current (I(CCh)) by 145+/-27% and increased GTPgammaS-induced current by 183+/-30%; but in the presence of cytochalasin-B (Cyt-B, 20 micromol/L), an actin cytoskeleton disruptor, hyposmotic membrane stretch increased I(CCh) by 70+/-6%. However, hyposmotic membrane stretch induced increase in I(CCh) was potentiated to 545+/-81% by phalloidin (20 micromol/L), an actin microfilament stabilizer. The results demonstrated that hyposmotic membrane stretch increased the muscarinic currents induced by carbachol or GTPgammaS and that the actin microfilament is involved in the process in guinea-pig gastric myocytes.
Actin Cytoskeleton ; physiology ; Animals ; Carbachol ; pharmacology ; Female ; Guinea Pigs ; Male ; Membrane Potentials ; drug effects ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle ; physiology ; Osmotic Pressure ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; Pyloric Antrum ; cytology ; Receptors, Muscarinic ; physiology

In order to investigate the relationship between VEGF and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, -9 in acute myeloid leukemia patients, and evaluate the significance of them in extramedullary leukemic invasion, the expressions of MMP-2 mRNA, MMP-9 mRNA, VEGF mRNA in bone marrow from 86 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as well as human hematopoietic cell lines were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The proteolytic activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the supernatants were measured by zymography. The VEGF protein in serum of all samples was detected by ELISA. All these results were analyzed for determination of the relationship between VEGF and MMP-2, MMP-9. The results showed that there was a positive correlation between expressions of MMP-2 mRNA or MMP-9 mRNA and VEGF mRNA or protein. But no such correlation was demonstrated in the AML (CR) and normal control (NC) groups. A higher expression level of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the VEGF positive group was found, as compared with the negative group (P < 0.05). More extramedullary infiltration occurred in VEGF positive groups than that in VEGF negative groups of AML. The expression of bcl-2 in HL-60 cells was upregulated by VEGF. It is concluded that there are significantly positive correlations between the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 with VEGF mRNA or protein levels in AML patients. VEGF can upregulate the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9 in HL-60 and a part of the primary leukemic cells. VEGF and MMP-2, MMP-9 may participate in the extramedullary leukemic invasion of AML patients.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; HL-60 Cells ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; metabolism ; pathology ; Leukemic Infiltration ; Male ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; biosynthesis ; genetics

BACKGROUNDOsteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphoglycoprotein (SSP) that is overexpressed in a variety of tumors and was regarded as a molecular marker of tumors. In this study, we intended to demonstrate the role of OPN in human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231.

METHODSRecombinant plasmid expressing small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific to OPN mRNA was transfected into MDA-MB-231 cells to generate the stable transfected cell line MDA-MB-343, and the empty plasmid tansfected cells (MDA-MB-neg) or wildtype MDA-MB-231 cells were used as control cells respectively. Expression of OPN, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins was analyzed by Western blotting analysis. The radiosensitivity of cells was determined by detecting cell apoptosis, cell proliferation and cell senescence.

RESULTSHIF-1 and VEGF proteins in MDA-MB-343 cells were significantly downregulated upon the efficient knockdown of OPN expression under either hypoxia or normoxia environment. Moreover, expression of OPN protein was upregualted upon hypoxic culture. Stable OPN-silencing also decreased cell invasion, increased cell apoptosis and cell senescence, as well as reduced clonogenic survival, resulting in increase radiation tolerance.

CONCLUSIONSSuppression of OPN gene expression can enhance radiosensitivity and affect cell apoptosis in breast cancer cells. OPN seems to be an attractive target for the improvement of radiotherapy.

Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; genetics ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Osteopontin ; genetics ; metabolism ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Radiation Tolerance ; genetics ; physiology ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; genetics ; metabolism