BRD4在喉鳞状细胞癌病灶转移过程中的作用及机制研究

目的:探讨溴样结构域蛋白4 (Bromoid Domain Protein 4,BRD4)在喉鳞状细胞癌病灶转移过程中的作用及其机制。方法:收集本院2016年4月-2018年4月收治的87例喉鳞状细胞癌患者手术标本。qRT-PCR、Western blot和免疫组化染色检测患者肿瘤组织(Tumor Tissue)、癌旁组织(Adjacent Tissue)和正常组织(Normal Tissue)中BRD4表达;BRD4拮抗剂GSK525762A(500nmo L/L)处理喉鳞状细胞癌Hep2细胞,24、48和72 h后CCK-8检测细胞增殖;Trans-well细胞迁移实验和侵袭实验分别检测GSK525762A给药前后Hep2细胞迁移和侵袭能力;qRT-PCR和Western blot检测GSK525762A给药前后Hep2细胞BRD4、E-Cadherin、N-Cadherin和Twist蛋白表达。结果:喉鳞状细胞癌肿瘤组织中BRD4表达高于癌旁组织和正常卵巢组织(P0.05);GSK525762A给药处理后Hep2细胞增殖能力、迁移和侵袭能力及BRD4和上皮间质转化相关蛋白N-Cadherin和Twist表达均明显低于阴性对照组(P0.05),而E-Cadherin表达的表达明显升高(P0.05)。结论:BRD4可能通过抑制E-Cadherin的表达,增加N-Cadherin和Twist的表达,进而激活上皮间质转化,促进喉鳞状细胞癌转移。     

Twist expression associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer

This study aimed to investigate the expression of Twist in gastric cancer tissues and its correlation between Twist and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). By means of RT-PCR and Western blot, the mRNA and protein expressions of Twist, E-cadherin, and Vimentin in 61 gastric cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were detected. The positive rates of Twist, E-cadherin, and Vimentin mRNA expression in gastric cancer tissues were 73.9. 40.6, and 60.9 %, respectively; compared to the expression of these genes in adjacent normal tissues (2.9, 75.4, and 27.5 %), the differences were significant (p < 0.05). The E-cadherin protein expression level in gastric cancer tissues was significantly lower than that in the adjacent normal tissues (p < 0.05). After the transfection of Twist siRNA into the MKN45 cells, the protein expression of Twist was significantly reduced (p < 0.05), the protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly increased, and the number of cells that passed through the Transwell chamber was significantly lower than that in the non-transfected control group as well as the transfected control group (p < 0.05). Twist may be associated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer and the tumorigenesis, invasion, and metastasis of gastric cancer.     

Claudin-7 downregulation induces metastasis and invasion in colorectal cancer via the promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition

The dysregulation of the tight junctions (TJs) protein claudin-7 is closely related to the development and metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of claudin-7 and characterize the relationship between claudin-7 expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CRC. In this study, the expression of claudin-7, E-cadherin, vimentin and snail-1 was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a set of 80 CRC specimens comprising 20 specimens each of well-differentiated, moderately differentiated, poorly differentiated and liver metastases tissues. The correlation between claudin-7 and EMT-related proteins in the stably transfected claudin-7 knockdown HCT116?cell line was analyzed by IHC, immunofluorescence (IF), Western blotting (WB) and nude mouse xenograft models. The results revealed that the expression of claudin-7 was downregulated as CRC tissue differentiation grade decreased, and that low claudin-7 expression corresponded to the downregulation of E-cadherin (r?=?0.725, p?<?0.001) and upregulation of vimentin (r?=??0.376, p?=?0.001) and snail-1 (r?=??0.599, p?<?0.001). Additionally, in the claudin-7 knockdown HCT116?cell line, the staining intensity and expression of E-cadherin was decreased, while the immunoreactivity and expression of vimentin and snail-1 was increased. Futhermore, the result of tumor formation experiment was consistent with CRC tissues. In conclusion, the expression of claudin-7 in CRC is downregulated as differentiation grade decreases. Claudin-7 downregulation may promote the invasion and metastasis of CRC by regulating EMT. Our results provide new perspectives for a potential therapeutic target for CRC.     

RANKL Promotes Migration and Invasion of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells via NF-κB-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

Background

Metastasis accounts for the most deaths in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) is associated with cancer metastasis, while its role in HCC remains largely unknown.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine the expression of RANK in HCC tissue (n = 398). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to examine the expression of RANK, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail, Slug, Twist and MMPs in HCC cells. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used to evaluate cell migration and invasion ability.

Results

We found that expression of RANK, the receptor of RANKL, was significantly higher in HCC tumor tissues than in peritumor liver tissues (p<0.001). Constitutive expression of RANK was detected in HCC cell lines, which can be up-regulated when HCC cells were stimulated with RANKL. Notably, in vitro experiments showed that activation of RANKL-RANK axis significantly promoted migration and invasion ability of HCC cells. In addition, RANKL stimulation increased the expression levels of N-cadherin, Snail, and Twist, while decreased the expression of E-cadherin, with concomitant activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. Moreover, administration of the NF-κB inhibitor attenuated RANKL-induced migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of HCC cells.

Conclusions

RANKL could potentiate migration and invasion ability of RANK-positive HCC cells through NF-κB pathway-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition, which means that RANKL-RANK axis could be a potential target for HCC therapy.     

下咽鳞状细胞癌组织claudin-1和MMP-9的表达及与临床病理特征及预后的关系研究

摘要 目的：研究下咽鳞状细胞癌组织紧密连接蛋白1（claudin-1）和基质金属蛋白酶-9（MMP-9）的表达及与临床病理特征及预后的关系。方法：选取2015年1月-2017年3月我院收集的75例下咽鳞状细胞癌组织标本进行研究,同期选取60例癌旁正常黏膜组织标本作为对照。采用免疫组织化学法检测claudin-1、MMP-9在下咽鳞状细胞癌组织与癌旁正常黏膜组织中的表达差异,分析claudin-1、MMP-9阳性表达与临床病理特征关系;Spearman相关性分析癌组织claudin-1与MMP-9的相关性。对患者进行5年随访,分析claudin-1、MMP-9表达与预后的关系。结果：下咽鳞状细胞癌组织claudin-1、MMP-9阳性表达率高于癌旁正常黏膜组织（P＜0.05）。claudin-1、MMP-9阳性表达与下咽鳞状细胞癌患者组织分化程度、淋巴结转移有关（P＜0.05）。经Spearman相关性分析显示,下咽鳞状细胞癌组织中claudin-1阳性表达与MMP-9阳性表达呈正相关（rs= 0.463,P＜0.05）。术后随访5年,2例失访,73例患者获得随访。Kaplan-Meier生存曲线显示,claudin-1阳性表达患者的5年生存率为35.71%,低于阴性表达患者的66.67%（P＜0.05）,MMP-9阳性表达患者的5年生存率为34.85%,低于阴性表达患者的57.14%（P＜0.05）。结论：下咽鳞状细胞癌组织中claudin-1、MMP-9阳性表达升高,其表达与组织分化程度、淋巴结转移和预后不良有关,两者呈正相关,可能发挥协同作用促进肿瘤发生发展。     

鼻咽癌ALDH1~+细胞具有上皮细胞-间质转化的性质

目的:探讨鼻咽癌ALDH1+细胞是否具有上皮细胞-间质转化的性质。方法:利用ALDEFLUOR试剂分选鼻咽癌ALDH1+细胞和ALDH1-细胞,Transwell及Boyden小室实验分析ALDH1+细胞和ALDH1-细胞的侵袭、迁移能力;实时定量PCR及Western blot检测E-cadherin、Vimentin、Snail及Twist基因在ALDH1+细胞和ALDH1-细胞mRNA和蛋白表达水平。结果:与ALDH1-细胞相比,ALDH1+细胞侵袭及迁移能力明显高于ALDH1-细胞;而且ALDH1+细胞中E-cadherin的mRNA和蛋白水平明显低于ALDH1-细胞,相反,ALDH1+细胞中Vimentin、Snail及Twist的mRNA和蛋白水平明显高于ALDH1-细胞。结论:鼻咽癌ALDH1+细胞可能具有上皮-间质转化的性质,这将为阐明肿瘤细胞在侵袭、转移中的机制提供理论基础。     

紧密连接蛋白claudin-4 在肾透明细胞癌中的表达及预后意义

目的:探讨claudin-4在肾透明细胞癌中的表达及与临床病理特征及预后的相关性。方法:应用免疫组织化学技术检测50例肾透明细胞癌组织及10例正常肾组织标本中claudin-4的表达情况,并分析与临床病理参数的相关性;随机选取其中4例肾透明细胞癌患者癌组织及4例正常肾新鲜组织,Western blot检测claudin-4的表达情况,并与免疫组化检测结果进行相关性分析;结合随访结果分析claudin-4的表达水平与患者无疾病生存期的关系。结果:Claudin-4在肾透明细胞癌组织中的表达显著高于肾正常组织(P<0.05),表达水平与肿瘤的直径、TNM分期、临床分期及淋巴结转移相关;Western blot结果也表明claudin-4在肾透明细胞癌组织中的表达显著高于肾正常组织(P<0.01),与免疫组化结果呈显著正相关(r2=0.748,P<0.01);Kaplan-Meier分析显示claudin-4高表达组患者的患者无疾病生存期为20.7个月,显著低于低表达组的30.8个月。COX多因素比例风险模型分析显示,claudin-4的表达不是肾透明细胞癌的独立预后因素(RR值=1.686,95%CI 0.174~16.311,P=0.652)。结论:claudin-4蛋白表达上调可能促进肾透明细胞癌的发生和发展,有可能作为肾透明细胞癌潜在的治疗靶点及影响不良预后的指标。     

Long noncoding RNA LINC00961 inhibited cell proliferation and invasion through regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) is the most frequent style of oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, the molecular mechanisms and function of LINC00961 in the TSCC progression remain unknown. In this study, we proved that LINC00961 expression was downregulated in TSCC cells (Tca8113, SCC1, SCC-4, and SCC-15) compared with normal tissue. In addition, we showed that LINC00961 expression was downregulated in TSCC samples compared with matched normal tissues. Moreover, ectopic expression of LINC00961 decreased TSCC cell growth and invasion and suppressed epithelial-mesenchymal transition in TSCC cell. Furthermore, we indicated that overexpression of LINC00961 decreased β-catenin expression. Knockdown of LINC00961 promoted cell proliferation and invasion partly via promoting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. These results suggested that LINC00961 was downregulated in TSCC tissues and acted as a tumor suppressor gene in the development of TSCC.