胃肠富集Kruppel样因子表达对食管鳞癌细胞的影响

胃肠富集Kruppel样因子 (GKLF)是一个新近发现的真核锌指蛋白 ,它在胃肠道表达丰富 ,其表达与细胞生长停滞有关联。为了解GKLF下调在食管鳞癌发生发展中的意义 ,观察了GKLF有义与反义表达对食管鳞癌细胞系生长特性的影响。GKLF基因反义转染抑制EC970 6细胞GKLF表达时 ,可促进细胞生长 ,说明GKLF下调可参与细胞过度增殖。GKLF基因有义和反义转染 ,均抑制EC970 6细胞的粘附功能 ,提示GKLF也参与了食管鳞癌的转移机制。以上结果说明 ,食管鳞癌中GKLF表达下调 ,促进细胞过度增殖和粘附性下降 ,提示GKLF表达下调参与了食管鳞癌恶性表型的产生。     

血清应答因子在食管鳞癌细胞侵袭转移中的作用

目的:研究血清应答因子(serum response factor,SRF)在人食管鳞癌细胞体外侵袭转移中的意义。方法:选用EC9706-H、EC9706-L和EC109-H、EC109-L两对高低转移细胞系,采用细胞划痕实验验证食管鳞癌高低转移细胞系体外侵袭转移能力的差异;Western blot检测SRF在两对食管鳞癌高低转移细胞系中的差异表达;在EC9706-H、EC109-H细胞中加入CCG(SRF抑制剂)抑制SRF的表达后,检测其侵袭转移能力的变化。结果:细胞划痕实验验证了两对食管鳞癌高低转移细胞系侵袭转移能力的差异;Western blot结果提示SRF在EC9706-H、EC109-H细胞中的表达水平显著高于EC9706-L、EC109-L细胞;在EC9706-H、EC109-H细胞中加入CCG抑制SRF的表达后,其侵袭转移能力明显减退。结论:SRF在高转移性食管鳞癌细胞系中呈现高表达,在低转移性食管鳞癌细胞系中呈现低表达,抑制高转移性食管鳞癌细胞系中SRF的表达后,其侵袭转移能力下降,提示SRF和食管鳞癌的侵袭转移能力呈正相关。     

TGF-β通过TAGLN2诱导食管鳞癌EC9706细胞侵袭和转移

上皮间质转化（epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT）使上皮细胞极性和细胞间紧密连接消失,并赋予肿瘤细胞侵袭和转移的能力。本研究应用携带TAGLN2特异性沉默序列或无关序列的慢病毒载体感染食管鳞癌细胞系EC9706,建立EC9706 shTAGLN2及阴性对照EC9706 shControl亚细胞系。以5～80 ng/mL不同浓度或40 ng/mL TGF-β刺激EC9706 shTAGLN2和EC9706 shControl细胞,发现与EC9706 shControl 细胞比较,EC9706 shTAGLN2细胞中TAGLN2的表达无明显增加,同时TGF-β诱导的间质标志物如N-cadherin、Vimentin等蛋白质表达无明显升高;上皮标志物如E-cadherin表达无明显降低; TAGLN2的沉默不仅阻断了TGF-β诱导EC9706 shTAGLN2细胞体外迁移和侵袭能力的增加,并抑制TGF-β信号通路下游分子p-Smad2/3的激活。本研究结果提示,TGF-β可能通过TAGLN2促进食管鳞癌的恶性演进,TAGLN2是潜在的食管鳞癌治疗的分子靶点之一。     

C20orf54抑制食管癌细胞增殖并促进其凋亡

目的观察过表达C20orf54对食管癌细胞周期和凋亡的影响,探讨C20orf54基因在食管癌发生、发展中的作用。方法应用免疫组织化学染色方法检测C20orf54蛋白在食管癌组织和癌旁正常组织中的表达;应用MTT法和流式细胞术检测过表达C20orf54对食管癌细胞系EC9706细胞增殖能力、细胞凋亡与细胞周期的影响。结果 C20orf54在食管癌组织中免疫反应性显著低于癌旁正常组织。稳定转染表达C20orf54的EC9706细胞生长明显受抑制,且G0/G1期细胞积聚,周期阻滞,细胞凋亡增多。结论 C20orf54基因可能参与食管癌的生长调控,食管癌的发生与C20orf54基因的表达有关。     

RASSF1A对食管癌细胞增殖影响的研究

目的:观察外源性RASSF1A基因对食管癌细胞的增殖作用并探讨机制.方法:将包含RASSF1A基因的质粒转染食管癌细胞EC9706,建立稳定转染细胞克隆,Western blot检测RASSF1A基因表达,通过细胞生长曲线检测细胞生长活性和增殖能力、流式细胞仪检测对细胞周期的影响、裸鼠移植瘤实验检测转染细胞的体内成瘤特性.结果:稳定表达RASSF1A基因的EC9706细胞中RASSF1A蛋白表达增加;细胞生长速度明显减慢;细胞周期中G1/G0期比例明显增加,S期比例减少;EC9706细胞的裸鼠致瘤能力被抑制.结论:RASSF1A基因能显著抑制食管癌细胞在体内外的生长,其机制可能与该基因诱导凋亡、抑制增殖作用有关.     

血管生成拟态和E-cad在食管鳞状细胞癌中的表达及临床意义

目的 探讨血管生成拟态( vasculogenic mimicry,VM)与E-钙粘蛋白(E-cadherin,E-cad))在食管鳞癌(esophageal squamous cell carcinoma)组织中的表达及意义.方法 收集食管鳞状细胞癌术后标本100例和30例癌旁正常食管黏膜,应用免疫组化法和组织化学法检测食管鳞状细胞癌和正常食管黏膜组织中VM和E-cad的表达情况.结果 在食管鳞状细胞癌组织和正常食管黏膜组织中,VM和E-cad的阳性表达率分别为47.0％、48.0％和0％、70.0％,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);VM及E-cad的表达与食管鳞癌的组织学分级、临床分期及淋巴结转移(P＜0.05);VM与E-cad在食管鳞癌中的表达呈负相关(r=-0.865,P=0.000).多因素分析:PTNM分期、淋巴结转移、VM和E-cad的表达是影响食管鳞癌根治术后患者预后的独立因素(P＜0.05);VM阳性组与阴性组的5年生存率分别为4.3％和64.2％,,差异有统计学意义(P=0.000);E-cad阳性组与阴性组5年生存率分别为60.4％和15.4％,差异有统计学意义(P=0.000).结论 具有VM结构的食管鳞状细胞癌的分化程度低,恶性度高,预后差,VM和E-cad表达的程度与食管鳞状细胞癌的进展和预后密切相关.     

MRP2 蛋白在食管鳞癌中的表达及其与化疗耐药的相关性

目的:探讨MRP2蛋白在食管鳞癌组织中的表达及其与食管癌化疗耐药的关系。方法:收集原发性食管鳞癌手术标本70例,采用免疫组织化学Envision法检测食管鳞癌组织及其癌旁组织中MRP2蛋白的表达情况,并采用MTT法检测食管鳞癌组织对临床常用化疗药物的敏感性,分析其表达与食管癌化疗耐药的关系。结果:70例食管鳞癌组织及其癌旁正常组织中的阳性表达率分别为58.6%及5.0%。MRP2蛋白在食管鳞癌组织中的阳性表达率明显高于癌旁正常食管组织(P<0.01)。食管鳞癌组织对环磷酰胺、5-氟尿嘧啶、吉西他滨、顺铂、卡铂、阿霉素、长春瑞滨、羟喜树碱等化疗药物的敏感性与其相应癌组织中MRP2表达明显相关(P<0.01)。结论:MRP2的表达与食管鳞癌对多种化疗药物耐药有较好的相关性,推测食管鳞癌组织中MRP2的高表达可能对化疗耐药性的发生发展具有促进作用。     

microRNA-21在食管癌细胞增殖、迁移和凋亡中的作用

本研究检测了40例食管癌组织和40例癌旁组织中的miR-21、PTEN、PI3K和AKT表达,并通过转染miR-21抑制剂来敲低人食管癌细胞系EC9706的miR-21表达,考察了miR-21对食管癌细胞生长的影响。研究发现,食管癌组织中PTEN蛋白的阳性染色评分低于癌旁组织(p<0.05),而PI3K和AKT蛋白的阳性染色评分高于癌旁组织(p<0.05)。miR-21在人食管癌组织中被上调(3.56 vs 1.21,p<0.05)。转染miR-21抑制剂导致PTEN蛋白表达升高,而PI3K和AKT蛋白表达降低(p<0.05)。转染miR-21抑制剂抑制了EC9706细胞的增殖和迁移,但促进了细胞凋亡(p<0.05)。miR-21的上调可通过激活PTEN/PI3K/AKT信号通路来促进食道癌细胞的增殖和迁移,并抑制细胞凋亡。     

LncRNA MEG3抑制食管鳞癌组织及KYSE30细胞

本研究通过检测长链非编码RNA(lncRNA)MEG3在食管鳞癌组织及人KYSE30细胞中的表达情况,分析lncRNA MEG3在食管鳞癌发生发展中的作用。我们采集食管鳞癌手术肿瘤组织54例作为观察组,癌旁正常组织54例作为对照组,采用RT-PCR技术检测MEG3表达水平。进行MEG30过表达及抑制实验,检测KYSE30细胞增殖及侵袭活性的变化。研究结果显示观察组食管鳞癌组织中lncRNA MEG3表达低于对照组的正常组织,差异具有统计学意义(p0.05);lncRNA MEG3过表达后KYSE30细胞增殖及侵袭能力减弱,lncRNA MEG3表达抑制后,KYSE30细胞增殖和侵袭能力增强。结果表明,lncRNA MEG3对食管鳞癌的发生发展有抑制作用。     

食管鳞状细胞癌中HDGF、VEGF表达与微血管形成的关系

目的:研究食管鳞状细胞癌中肝癌衍生生长因子(HDGF)、血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)的表达及其与微血管形成的关系。方法:通过免疫组化SABC法检测和比较68例食管鳞癌、20例切缘正常组织中HDGF、VEGF的表达和CD34标记的微血管密度(MVD),分析HDGF和VEGF表达之间的关系及其与食管鳞癌患者临床病理因素和食管癌组织MVD值的关系。结果:食管鳞癌组织中HDGF(63.2%)和VEGF(72.1%)的阳性表达率均明显高于切缘正常粘膜组织(15.0%、20.0%)(P0.05),食管鳞癌组织和切缘正常粘膜组织中的MVD值分别为35.48±5.75和13.50±2.1(P0.05)。食管鳞癌组织HDGF的阳性表达率仅与其临床分期明显相关(P0.05),而VEGF的阳性表达率与其淋巴结转移、临床分期均显著相关(P0.05),二者在食管鳞癌组织中的表达呈显著正相关(P0.05)。食管鳞癌组织中HDGF、VEGF阳性表达组MVD值均明显高于HDGF、VEGF阴性表达组(P0.05)。结论:HDGF可能通过诱导VEGF的产生,从而促进血管生成,参与食管鳞癌的发生、发展及转移。     

MicroRNA-10b Promotes Migration and Invasion through KLF4 in Human Esophageal Cancer Cell Lines

Recently, microRNAs have emerged as regulators of cancer metastasis through acting on multiple signaling pathways involved in metastasis. In this study, we have analyzed the level of miR-10b and cell motility and invasiveness in several human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Our results reveal a significant correlation of miR-10b level with cell motility and invasiveness. Overexpression of miR-10b in KYSE140 cells increased cell motility and invasiveness, whereas inhibition of miR-10b in EC9706 cells reduced cell invasiveness, although it did not alter cell motility. Additionally, we identified KLF4, a known tumor suppressor gene that has been reported to suppress esophageal cancer cell migration and invasion, as a direct target of miR-10b. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-10b in KYSE140 and KYSE450 cells led to a reduction of endogenous KLF4 protein, whereas silencing of miR-10b in EC9706 cells caused up-regulation of KLF4 protein. Coexpression of miR-10b and KLF4 in KYSE140 cells and coexpression of small interfering RNA for KLF4 mRNA and miR-10b-AS in EC9706 cells partially abrogated the effect of miR-10b on cell migration and invasion. Finally, analyses of the miR-10b level in 40 human esophageal cancer samples and their paired normal adjacent tissues revealed an elevated expression of miR-10b in 95% (38 of 40) of cancer tissues, although no significant correlation of the miR-10b level with clinical metastasis status was observed in these samples.     

miR-223 regulates migration and invasion by targeting Artemin in human esophageal carcinoma

Background

Artemin (ARTN) is a neurotrophic factor belonging to the glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor family of ligands. To develop potential therapy targeting ARTN, we studied the roles of miR-223 in the migration and invasion of human esophageal carcinoma.

Methods

ARTN expression levels were detected in esophageal carcinoma cell lines KYSE-150, KYSE-510, EC-9706, TE13, esophageal cancer tissues and paired non-cancerous tissues by Western blot. Artemin siRNA expression vectors were constructed to knockdown of artemin expression mitigated migration and invasiveness in KYSE150 cells. Monolayer wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay were applied to observe cancer cell migration and invasion. The relative levels of expression were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR.

Results

ARTN expression levels were higher in esophageal carcinoma tissue than in the adjacent tissue and was differentially expressed in various esophageal carcinoma cell lines. ARTN mRNA contains a binding site for miR-223 in the 3'UTR. Co-transfection of a mir-223 expression vector with pMIR-ARTN led to the reduced activity of luciferase in a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, suggesting that ARTN is a target gene of miR-223. Overexpression of miR-223 decreased expression of ARTN in KYSE150 cells while silencing miR-223 increased expression of ARTN in EC9706 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-223 in KYSE150 cells decreased cell migration and invasion. Silencing of miR-223 in EC9706 cells increased cell migration and invasiveness.

Conclusions

These results reveal that ARTN, a known tumor metastasis-related gene, is a direct target of miR-223 and that miR-223 may have a tumor suppressor function in esophageal carcinoma and could be used in anticancer therapies.     

The expression and activation of ERK/MAPK pathway in human esophageal cancer cell line EC9706

While there have been more and more studies concerning mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathways, which control many cellular complex programmes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation, cell death and embryogenesis. However, few studies are carried out about expression and activation of classical MAPKs, extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) in human esophageal cancer cell line. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated the expression and activation of ERK1/2 in human esophageal cancer cell line EC9706 and human normal esophageal epithelial cell line Heepic, which is as control. This study showed that ERK1/2 was transiently phosphorylated both in EC9706 and Heepic, the kinetics of which were slightly different. To further study the ERK/MAPK signaling pathway in EC9706 and Heepic cell line, U0126 a kind of specific inhibitor of MEK was used. This study showed that U0126 can block the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in a short time, the complete inhibition concentration for EC9706 and Heepic cell line is 50 and 20 ??M, respectively. Incidentally, to further investigate the different roles of ERK1 and ERK2, vector-based short hairpin interference vectors targeted on ERK1/2 was constructed. Moreover, the effective interference target sequence was screened out in a transient transfection manner. MTT experiment showed that ERK2 is more important than ERK1 in the proliferation of EC9706 cells.     

ATM mRNA在食管癌组织中的表达及其临床意义

目的探讨共济失调性毛细血管扩张症突变基因(Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated,ATM)mRNA在食管鳞状细胞癌组织中的表达及其临床意义。方法应用原位分子杂交方法检测52例食管正常黏膜、45例食管上皮内瘤变组织及63例食管癌组织ATM mRNA的表达。结果食管正常黏膜、食管上皮内瘤变及食管癌组织中ATM mRNA表达率分别为26.9%(14/52)、44.4%(20/45)及63.5%(40/63),食管癌组织中ATM mRNA表达率明显高于正常黏膜及上皮内瘤变(P≤0.05),ATM mRNA表达率与食管癌组织分级呈负相关(r=-0.312,P=0.013);食管正常黏膜和食管上皮内瘤变ATM mRNA表达率无明显差异(P=0.07),食管癌组织中ATM mRNA表达与患者年龄、性别、肿瘤浸润深度、淋巴结转移、临床分期及其它临床病理因素无关(P0.05)。结果 ATM mRNA在食管癌组织中异常表达,有望成为食管癌治疗的新靶点。     

Dickkopf-1 is involved in invasive growth of esophageal cancer cells

Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is an inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. High levels of DKK1 protein were found in a series of cancers. However, the role of DKK1 in the progression of esophageal carcinoma is not fully understood. In the present study, RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of DKK1 in esophageal carcinoma tissues, matched adjacent normal esophageal tissues, and esophageal carcinoma cell lines. Our results showed that the expression of DKK1 was upregulated on both mRNA and protein levels in esophageal carcinoma tissues compared with the adjacent normal esophageal tissues, meanwhile, in four esophageal carcinoma cell lines analyzed, expression of DKK1 was detected with different levels. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluoresence revealed that the distribution of DKK1 was mainly in the cytoplasm in both carcinoma tissues and cell lines. To further explore the biological effects of DKK1 on proliferation, cell cycle and invasion capability, we constructed the eukaryotic expression vector pCMV-Tab-2b-DKK1 which can effectively overexpress DKK1. Subsequently, we observed that exogenous expression of DKK1 in EC9706 cell line resulted in an increased rate of proliferation, and S stage and G2/M stage ratio whereas G0/G1 ratio was decreased. In order to evaluate the invasion capability Boyden chamber was analyzed which implied that overexpression of DKK1 resulted in an increase in the invasion ability in EC9706 cell line. Taken together, the study indicates that DKK1 might be a key regulator in the progression of esophageal carcinoma and a potential therapeutic target in esophageal carcinoma.     

Overexpression of SKP2 promotes the radiation resistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

SKP2 is the substrate recognition subunit of the SCF(SKP2) ubiquitin ligase complex. It is implicated in ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p27(KIP1) and positively regulates the G(1)/S transition. Overexpression of SKP2 has been found in many kinds of tumors. In the present study, we found that SKP2 expression levels increased in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues. Elevated expression of SKP2 correlated significantly with tumor stage and positive lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). Moreover, a significantly negative correlation was found between SKP2 expression and the survival of patients who received radiotherapy (P < 0.05). At the molecular level, induced expression of SKP2 promoted the radioresistance of EC9706 cells. Knockdown of SKP2 expression sensitized cancer cells to radiation, and a wobble mutant of SKP2 that was resistant to SKP2 siRNA was able to rescue this effect. Increased or decreased expression levels of SKP2 had effects on Rad51 expression after irradiation. These results demonstrate for the first time that overexpression of SKP2 was correlated with the increased radioresistance of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Elevated expression of SKP2 promoted the radioresistance of cancer cells, and this effect was mediated at least in part by the Rad51 pathway.