Glutamate-ammonia ligase (GLUL, also known as glutamine synthetase) is a crucial enzyme that catalyzes ammonium and glutamate into glutamine in the ATP-dependent condensation. Although GLUL plays a critical role in multiple cancers, the expression and function of GLUL in gastric cancer remain unclear. In the present study, we have found that the expression level of GLUL was significantly lower in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and correlated with N stage and TNM stage, and low GLUL expression predicted poor survival for gastric cancer patients. Knockdown of GLUL promoted the growth, migration, invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, and vice versa, which was independent of its enzyme activity. Mechanistically, GLUL competed with β-Catenin to bind to N-Cadherin, increased the stability of N-Cadherin and decreased the stability of β-Catenin by alerting their ubiquitination. Furthermore, there were lower N-Cadherin and higher β-Catenin expression levels in gastric cancer tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. GLUL protein expression was correlated with that of N-Cadherin, and could be the independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer. Our findings reveal that GLUL stabilizes N-Cadherin by antagonizing β-Catenin to inhibit the progress of gastric cancer.

Increasing evidences suggest the important role of calcium homeostasis in hallmarks of cancer, but its function and regulatory network in metastasis remain unclear. A comprehensive investigation of key regulators in cancer metastasis is urgently needed. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) of primary esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and matched metastatic tissues and a series of gain/loss-of-function experiments identified potassium channel tetramerization domain containing 4 (KCTD4) as a driver of cancer metastasis. KCTD4 expression was found upregulated in metastatic ESCC. High KCTD4 expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with ESCC and contributes to cancer metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, KCTD4 binds to CLIC1 and disrupts its dimerization, thus increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ level to enhance NFATc1-dependent fibronectin transcription. KCTD4-induced fibronectin secretion activates fibroblasts in a paracrine manner, which in turn promotes cancer cell invasion via MMP24 signaling as positive feedback. Furthermore, a lead compound K279-0738 significantly suppresses cancer metastasis by targeting the KCTD4‒CLIC1 interaction, providing a potential therapeutic strategy. Taken together, our study not only uncovers KCTD4 as a regulator of calcium homeostasis, but also reveals KCTD4/CLIC1-Ca²⁺-NFATc1-fibronectin signaling as a novel mechanism of cancer metastasis. These findings validate KCTD4 as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for ESCC.

Objective: To understand the awareness of sexual knowledge among primary and secondary school students, as well as their attitudes towards school sex education and to provide a reference for school-based sex education. Methods: A total of 5 531 primary and secondary school students were selected from Beijing, Chongqing, Heilongjiang (Harbin and Jiamusi) and Hubei (Wuhan and Xiaogan) by stratified cluster sampling and were investigated with self-reported questionnaire. Results: Sex-related knowledge scored 62.33±19.35, with a pass rate of 61.9%, and the excellent rate 17.5%. Sexual knowledge of junior high school students scored 64.30±19.07, with the pass rate of 64.7%, and the excellent rate 22.0%. A large proportion of primary students reported unaware of pubertal growth and HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, and a large proportion of junior high students unaware of reproductive physiology. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed region, grade, gender, and suburban areas were related to the level of sexual knowledge(P<0.05). More than 76.0% primary students and 85.9% middle school students agreed on the importance of school sexuality education. 59.7% of primary school students and 73.3% of junior high school students hoped to include school sexuality education in compulsory education courses; 59.8% of primary school students and 68.3% of junior high school students felt that school sexuality education should be equipped with specialized teachers. Conclusion Chinese primary and secondary school students are lack of sexual knowledge. As students have strong wills to get more information on sexual knowledge, schools should provide them with more comprehensive and effective sex education through appropriate courses and activities.

Objective: To understand the needs of primary and secondary school students, parents and teachers for comprehensive sexuality education content, and to explore the applicability of comprehensive sexuality education content in China. Methods: By using the method of stratified cluster sampling, 5 571 primary and middle school students and 4 835 parents from Beijing, Chongqing, Heilongjiang (Harbin and Jiamusi) and Hubei (Wuhan and Xiaogan) were selected for questionnaire survey. Depending on the physical health monitoring points of various provinces and cities, 176 sexuality education related teachers in nine regions were surveyed. The development of the questionnaire was based on the content framework of comprehensive sexuality education proposed in the International Technical Guidelines for Sexuality Education. Results: Students had a higher demand for knowledge on the concepts of "relationship" (53.4% for primary school students, 57.6% for junior high school students) and "health and well-being skills" (71.1% for primary school students, 55.9% for junior high school students). Parents had higher demand for most comprehensive sexuality education content with the exception of lower need for "sex and sexual behavior (74.7% of primary school parents, 80.8% of junior high school parents)" and "sexual and reproductive health (primary parents 74.3%, junior high school parents 75.8%)". Teachers had a high demand for most comprehensive sexuality education content, but primary school teachers had a lower need for "values, rights, culture and sex(65.9%)", "sex and sexuality(60.1%)" and "sexual and reproductive health(66.8%)". The results of correspondence analysis showed that junior middle school teachers had the highest demand for comprehensive education content, followed by primary school parents, junior middle school parents, primary school teachers, junior middle school students and primary school students. Conclusion Teachers and parents have a higher demand for most comprehensive sexuality education content, while lower demand for some relatively sensitive content. Students have a relatively low demand for comprehensive sexuality education content. It is recommended to further improve the content of school sexuality education based on the actual needs of China.

Objective The method for detecting expression of human CDK14 gene with Real-time quantitative PCR was developed.Methods To establish a method for detecting expression of human CDK14 gene with Real-time quantitative PCR by designing and synthesis of the primers of CDK14 target gene andβ-Actin reference gene and extracting total RNA from different lung cancer cell lines.Then the specificity,detection range and repeatability of this method were evaluated.At last,the expression level of CDK14 gene in different cell lines,which were with or without siRNA interference,were carried out by using this method.Results The method for detecting expression of human CDK14 gene with Real-time quantitative PCR,which had good specificity,good repeatability (CV=7.3 ％) and wide detection range (Ct value range of CDK14 and β-Actin amplification curve were 22.47～32.96 and 15.14～ 27.55 respectively,r2 =0.9844),was developed and it was verified by electrophoresis analysis,melting curve,PCR product sequencing.And CDK14 gene expression level,which was detected by this method,increased in HCC827 D5,H1650 and number 1 siRNA segment was effective interference segment.Conclusion The method for detecting expression of human CDK14 gene with Real-time quantitauve PCR was established successfully.

Objective To evaluate the value of urinary normal and modified nucleosides in the diagnosis of primary gallbladder carcinoma.Methods Between March 2011 to September 2012,28 patients with primary carcinoma of the gallbladder (PCG) were included in this study.Spontaneous urine samples were collected and 10 kinds of urinary nucleosides in the sample were determined by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography method.Another 62 patients with benign gallbladder disease and 70 healthy volunteers were enrolled as controls.Routine clinical tumor markers,including serum CA19-9 and CA125 levels of the PCG patients were also evaluated.Results 10 kinds of nucleoside had a good linear correlation (r＞0.99),and the recovery rate was between 87.4％ ～121.5％ range,and the accuracy rate was between 87.7％ ～121.3％,and the RSD of precision was between 1.5％～10.5％ range.In addition to adenosine and cytidine,the mean levels of the rest of the urinary nucleosides in the PCG group were much higher than those of the controls (P＜0.01).Based on principal component analysis,89.3％ of the PCG patients were correctly identified,which was much higher than those detected by CA19-9 (60.7％) and CA125 (67.9％) (P＜0.01).Conclusion Urinary nucleosides may become additional tumor markers which when combined with other clinical methods may help in the screening and early diagnosis of primary gallbladder cancer.

Gastrointestinal cancer is the most prevalent cancer among malignant tumors,with a upward trend in incidence.Since there is absence of specific clinical manifestation as well as low diagnostic rate,patients diagnosed with cancer of digestive tract are mostly in intermediate or advanced stages.Therefore,they lose the best chance of surgery and have a poor prognosis. Metabonomics,a kind of high sensitivity research technology,shows great potential in the exploration of occurrence and development of malignant tumor.The aim of this study was to review the progress of application in gastrointestinal cancer by metabonomics.

Objective To investigate the expressions of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and transcription factor forkhead box P3(FOXP3)in gallbladder adenocarcinoma; and to evaluate the relationship between the expressions of IDO and FOXP3 protein,and clinicopathology and lymph node metastasis of gallbladder carcinoma.Methods The expressions of IDO and FOXP3 in 51 cases of primary gallbladder cancer,90 cases of chronic cholecystitis,and 20 cases of normal gallbladder tissues were studied by immunohistochemical staining. Results The positive expression rates of IDO and FOXP3 in gallbladder carcinoma were 72.5％ (37/51) and 60.8％ (31/51),in normal gallbladder mucosa were 5％ (1/20) and 20.0％ (4/20),in cholecystitis and gallstone were 11.1％ (10/90) and 32.2％ (29/90),respectively.There were significant differences among the three groups in IDO and FOXP3 expressions (P＜0.01).The positive expression rates of IDO and FOXP3 were 7.1％ and 14.3％ for simple hyperplasia,17.7％ and 35.3％ for atypical hyperplasia,40％ and 35％ for gallbladder carcinoma (stages Ⅰ-Ⅲ),and 77.4％ and 64.5％ for gallbladder carcinoma (stages Ⅳ-Ⅴ ).There were significant differences among the four groups in IDO and FOXP3 expressions (P＜0.01).There were significant differences among the Nevin stage groups,lymph node metastasis group and gallbladder stone in IDO and FOXP3 expressions.However,there were no significant differences among the sex groups and the age groups in IDO and FOXP3 expressions (P＞0.05).In gallbladder carcinoma,the expression of IDO had a positive correlation with FOXP3 expression in lymphocyte (γ=0.406,P=0.003).Conclusion In gallbladder cancer,a high-expression of IDO and an expression of FOXP3 in lymphocyte are closely related with immune tolerance of gallbladder carcinoma.The results provide a reference for clinical use of immunotherapy in gallbladder cancer.

Objective To investigate the mechanism on JAK/STAT1 signal pathway in SAHA down-regulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) in gallbladder carcinoma cells.MethodsWe treated gallbladder carcinoma SGC-996 cells with IFN-γ and SAHA.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of IDO,signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) phosphorylation and interferon regulatory factor genes-1 (IRF-1).Confocal microscopy analysis was used to detect STAT1 translocation.Transient transfections and reporter genes assay was used in detecting the activation of γ-activated sites (GAS) and interferon stimulated response elements (ISRE).ResultsIDO expressed in SGC-996 cells in dose- and time-dependent manners when stimulated with IFN-γ.SAHA down-regulated the expression of IDO induced by IFN-γ in a dose-dependent manner.SAHA blocked the expression of IRF-1 induced by IFN-γ.SAHA inhibited the IFN-γ-induced STAT1 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation.SAHA down-regulated IFN-γ-induced activation of GAS and ISRE.ConclusionsSAHA may down-regulate IDO expression through inhibiting the activation of members in JAK/STAT1 signal pathway.This may provide a new immunotherapeutic strategy to break tumor immune tolerance in gallbladder carcinoma.

Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder (PCG)is the common malignant tumor in the biliary system.Because there is no specific clinical manifestation, patients diagnosed with PCG are mostlyin intermediate or advanced stages.Therefore, they lose the chance of radical resection of gallbladder carcinoma and have a poor prognosis.Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are not effective palliative measures.Immunotherapy has become an alternative strategy besides operation, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.Treatment with DCs vaccines, as a new method of immunotherapy, has become more and more important.Here we review treatment with DCs vaccines in primary carcinoma of gallbladder.