Comparison of patient‐derived high and low phosphatidylserine‐exposing colorectal carcinoma cells in their interaction with anti‐cancer peptides

Current cancer treatment is frequently compromised by severe adverse effects on healthy cells and tissues as well as by the increasing burden of (multi‐)drug resistances. Some representatives of small, amphipathic peptides known as host defense peptides possess the potential to overcome these limitations and to evolve as future anti‐cancer therapeutics. Peptide NK‐2, derived from porcine NK‐lysin, was originally discovered due to its broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activities. Today, also potent anti‐cancer activity is proven and accompanied by low toxicity towards normal human cells. The molecular basis underlying this target selectivity remains rather elusive. Nevertheless, it is presumptive that preferential peptide interactions with surface factors non‐abundant on healthy human cells play a key role. Here, we investigated the cytotoxicity of peptide NK‐2 and structurally improved anti‐cancer variants thereof against two patient‐derived colorectal cancer cell lines, exposing high and low levels of phosphatidylserine on their cell surfaces, respectively. Concluding from a range of in vitro tests involving cellular as well as lipid vesicle‐based methods, it is proposed that the magnitude of the accessible membrane surface charge is not a primarily decisive factor for selective peptide interactions. Instead, it is suggested that the level of membrane surface‐exposed phosphatidylserine is of crucial importance for the activity of peptide NK‐2 and enhanced variants thereof in terms of their cancer cell selectivity, the overall efficacy, as well as the underlying mode of action and kinetics. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A One Year Audit of Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology For the Pre-Operative Diagnosis of Breast Disease

In 1988, 985 patients presenting with breast disease, most with a palpable abnormality, were investigated by the triple approach (clinical examination, imaging and fine needle aspiration cytology [FNAC]). Using FNAC, 28% of patients were diagnosed as having carcinoma, 45% benign disease, 4% had suspicious cytology and 3% equivocal cytology. The remaining 20% had inadequate aspirates. Two false positive diagnoses of carcinoma were made (a false positive rate of 0.7%); one was a case of high grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the other a papillary lesion with epithelial atypia. The false negative rate was 6.4%. Of these 49 patients, six had carcinoma-in-situ and 19 had low grade tumours. The absolute and complete sensitivities for the diagnosis of carcinoma in this series were 84.7% and 91.9% respectively and the absolute and complete specificities 99.7% and 98.3%, respectively. These figures compare favourably with those from other centres and confirm the efficacy of FNAC as part of the triple approach to the diagnosis of breast disease. The use of FNAC has resulted in a reduction in the number of Trucut and frozen section biopsies performed. Eighty three per cent of the patients with benign disease diagnosed by the triple approach have avoided excision biopsy, none of whom have subsequently been found to have carcinoma. Eighty patients with advanced breast carcinoma were spared operative intervention.     

Unidirectional potentiation of binding between two anti-FBP MAbs: Evaluation of involved mechanisms

The monoclonal antibody MOv19 directed to a folate binding protein shows temperature-dependent potentiation of binding of the noncompeting monoclonal antibody MOv18 to the relevant antigen, but the mechanism involved in this phinomenon had remained unclear. Use of chimeric versions of both monoclonal antibodies and the F(ab′)₂ and fan fragments of MOv19 revealed an increment in MOv18 binding in all combinations irrespective of the orgin of the Fc portin of the monoclonal antibody. The potentiating effect of bivalent MOv19 fragments on ¹²⁵l-MOv18 binding was similar to that of the entire monoclonal antibody and occurred at saturating concentrations of both reagents at which monovalent binding prevails. Similarly, the monovalent fragment also induced a significant increase in MOv18 bunding. Howener, the potentiation sccurred only at very high concentrations of antibody fragment. Homologous inhibition was drastically reduced using MOv19 Fab fragment, suggesting a low binding stability of the monovalent reagent. Immunoblotting analysis and binding in the presence of exogenous purified folate binding protein indicated a cross-linking between soluble and cell surface molecules mediated by the bivalent monoclonal antibodies. The extentof the increase in MOv18 binging at O°C with high amounts of exogenous folate binding protein was lower than that obtained at 37⁰C in the absence of added molecule. Release of ¹²⁵l-MOv18 from the cell surface was significantly higher in the absence of MOv19 than in its presence. Affinity constant values of ¹²⁵l-MOv18 binding evaluated in the presence of MOv19 or control monoclonal antibody MINT5 were comparable, whereas the number of binding sites per cell detected by ¹²⁵l-MOv18 was significantly higher in the presence of MOv19 than MINT5. Together, the data suggest that monoclonal antibody MOv19 induces a conformational change of the molecule it binds that increases the number of antigenic sites anvailable for MOv18 binding and, in turn, the binding stability of the latter, MOv19 bivalency also contributes to the MOv18 binding increment by cross-linking released and cell surface–anchored folate binding protein molecules. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

鼻咽癌细胞系与永生化的鼻咽上皮细胞系蛋白质表达差异分析

鼻咽癌对我国南部居民的健康造成严重的威胁.为了研究鼻咽癌的发病机理，本研究采用了蛋白质组学技术分析和比较了鼻咽癌细胞系（HNE1和CNE1）与永生化的鼻咽上皮细胞系的蛋白质表达谱.采用双向凝胶电泳分离提取的全细胞蛋白质，通过PDQuest软件分析找出在肿瘤中表达变化的蛋白质点，用基质辅助激光解析电离飞行时间串联质谱(MALDI- TOF/TOF-MS)进行鉴定.共得到了15个在肿瘤细胞系中表达上调和18个在肿瘤细胞系中表达下调的蛋白质，并对其中一些蛋白质的表达进行免疫印迹的验证.这些表达差异的蛋白质与细胞的增殖和调亡、癌症的转移，细胞骨架，信号传导等有关.本研究鉴定了一批可能作为鼻咽癌治疗的药物靶标的蛋白质，并对研究鼻咽癌发病机理提供了相关的线索.     

ILK在肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌的表达及其与临床病理特征和预后的关系

目的 探讨ILK在肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌组织中的表达情况，及其与病理分型、肿瘤分化、分期、淋巴结转移及预后的关系。方法采用S-P免疫组织化学方法和Western Blot法，检测肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌组织及相应癌旁肺组织中整合连接激酶（integrin-linkedkinase，ILK）的表达情况，并结合临床和病理资料进行分析。结果免疫组化结果显示：ILK在53／76（70％）的肺癌组织中阳性表达。其中鳞状细胞癌阳性率75％（33／44），腺癌阳性率62．5％（20／32），其表达与肺鳞状细胞癌的分化呈负相关（P〈0．01），与临床分期（P〈0．01）、淋巴结转移（P〈0．01）呈正相关；与肺腺癌的临床分期（P〈0．01）和淋巴结转移（P〈0．01）正相关，与分化程度无相关性（P〉0．05）。同时，其表达与患者的生存时间呈负相关（P〈0．01），与年龄、性别、肿瘤大小和组织类型等因素无关。Western Blot法进一步证实ILK在肺癌组织中的表达显著高于癌旁正常肺组织（P〈0．01），其表达与肺癌的分化（P〈0．01）显著负相关。结论肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌中，ILK与肺癌的侵袭和转移有关。ILK可作为判断肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌预后的参考指标。     

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 induced hepatocellular carcinoma cell differentiation

To investigate the effect of over-expression of tissue factor pathway inhibitor-2 (TFPI-2) on the differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells (Hep3B and HepG2). The TFPI-2 recombinant adenovirus (pAd-TFPI-2) was constructed using the pAdeasy-1 vector system. Transfected by pAd-TFPI-2, the cell proliferation of HCC cells was evaluated by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry was used to detect cell apoptosis and CD133 expression. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of markers of hepatocellular cancer stem cells (CSC) and hepatocytes. The over-expression of TFPI-2 significantly suppressed cell proliferation, induced apoptosis, and dramatically decreased the percentage of CD133 cells, which was considered as CSC in HCC. Real-time PCR and Western blot showed that the expression of markers of CSC in Hep3B cells and HepG2 cells infected with pAd-TFPI-2 was markedly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05), while the expression of markers of hepatocytes was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Hence, TFPI-2 could induce the differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells into hepatocytes, and is expected to serve as a novel way for the treatment of HCC.     

ShRNA knock‐down of CXCR7 inhibits tumour invasion and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

To investigate the effects of lentiviral vector‐mediated shRNA suppressing CXCR7 on tumour invasion and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). HCCLM3 cell lines were cultured and assigned into the CXCR7‐shRNA, negative control (NC) and blank groups. The qRT‐PCR and Western blotting were applied to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of CXCR7, CXCR4 and MMP‐2 in HCCLM3 cells. Cell proliferation and invasion were evaluated by MTT and Transwell assays. A Buffalo rat model of HCC was established. Fifty model rats were divided into the CXCR7‐shRNA + TACE, CXCR7‐shRNA, TACE, NC and control groups. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expressions of CXCR7, MMP‐2, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and intratumoral CD31‐positive vessel count in tumour tissues of mice. Compared with the blank and NC groups, the mRNA and protein expressions of CXCR7 and MMP‐2 were decreased in the CXCR7‐shRNA group. The cell proliferation and invasion rates of the CXCR7‐shRNA group were lower than the blank and NC groups. At the 4th week after TACE, tumour weight of the CXCR7‐shRNA + TACE group increased continuously. The CXCR7‐shRNA + TACE group showed longer survival time and smaller tumour sizes than other groups. Compared with other groups, the CXCR7‐shRNA + TACE and CXCR7‐shRNA groups had less number of lung metastatic nodules and lower expressions of CXCR7, MMP‐2, VEGF and CD31‐positive vessel count. CXCR7‐shRNA inhibits tumour invasion and metastasis to improve the efficacy of TACE in HCC by reducing the expressions of CXCR7, MMP‐2 and VEGF.