胰腺癌反义寡核苷酸技术治疗的新靶点-survivin

survivin对维持肿瘤细胞恶性增殖具有重要功能,是目前发现IAP家族中唯一与细胞凋亡和周期调控都相关的成员,其机理是与caspase-3、caspase-7结合而阻止细胞凋亡的发生。反义寡核苷酸具有高特异性、靶向性、无毒性等特点。以互补的形式与DNA或RNA的特异靶序列结合,抑制其转录和翻译上特定基因的表达,干扰致病蛋白质的产生,从而使肿瘤基因无法表达。存活素在胰腺癌中的表达具有一定的肿瘤特异性,可能是胰腺癌治疗的一个理想靶目标。下面就着重以survivin作为治疗靶点在肿瘤发生中的作用机制、表达和Survivin ASODN在临床应用中的应用前景作一简要综述。     

Clinicopathological study of metallothionein immunohistochemical expression, in benign, borderline and malignant ovarian epithelial tumors

Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of cystein-rich metal-binding proteins, which are expressed in normal cells during fetal and postnatal life but also in a variety of human neoplasms. MT expression in human tumors has been linked to resistance to anticancer drugs and differentiation and progression in some types of tumors. This study examined the immunohistochemical expression of MTs in benign, borderline and malignant tumors of ovarian surface epithelium and the possible correlations with clinicopathological parameters and survival. A total of 87 cases with diagnosis of ovarian surface epithelial tumors were included. Specifically, 21 cases of benign cystadenomas (11 serous and 10 mucinous), 14 borderline (low malignant potential tumors, 8 mucinous and 6 serous) and 52 cases of ovarian cancer were analysed. Immunohistochemical expression of MT (cut-off level > 10% of tumor cells) was clearly associated with malignancy. A statistically significant correlation was found between the expression of MT in cancer cases and benign tumors (p < 0.0001) and cancer cases and borderline tumors p = 0.003. In cancer cases a difference was observed between grade I and III (p = 0.002). There was no correlation of MT overexpression with survival in the small number of ovarian carcinoma patients where it was analysed. MT constitutes a marker that characterizes aggressiveness and a high malignant potential in ovarian epithelial tumors. In diagnostic problems MT may help distinguish between benign, borderline and malignant tumors.     

MMP-9 and MMP-2 gelatinases and TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 inhibitors in breast cancer: correlations with prognostic factors

The goal of our study was to analyse the prognostic values for some matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in breast cancer. We evaluated the activity and the expression levels of MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in malignant versus benign fresh breast tumor extracts. For this purpose, gelatinzymography, immunoblotting and ELISA were used to analyse the activity and expression of MMPs and TIMPs. We found that MMP-9 expression level and activity are increased in malignant tumors. In addition, MMP-9/TIMP-1 and MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio values obtained by us were significantly different in malignant tumors compared to benign tumors. We suggest that the abnormal MMP-9/TIMP-1 balance plays a role in the configuration of breast invasive carcinoma of no special type and also in tumor growth, while altered MMP-2/TIMP-2 ratio value could be associated with lymph node invasion and used as a prognostic marker in correlation with Nottingham Prognostic Index. Finally, we showed that in malignant tumors high expression of estrogen receptors is associated with enhanced activity of MMP-2 and increased bcl- 2 levels, while high expression of progesterone receptors is correlated with low TIMP-1 protein levels.     

食管癌组织中HIF-1α、Survivin、CyclinD 1蛋白的表达及其意义

目的：探讨缺氧诱导因子-1α（HIF-1α）、生存蛋白（survivin）、细胞周期蛋白D1（cyclinD 1）在食管癌组织中的表达及其临床意义。方法：应用免疫组化技术检测50例食管癌组织和10例手术切除的远端正常食管组织中HIF-1α、Survivin、CyclinD 1蛋白的表达。结果：食管癌组织中HIF-1α、Survivin、CyclinD 1蛋白阳性表达率均与肿瘤浸润深度以及淋巴结转移相关（P〈0.05）,Survivin阳性表达率与肿瘤分级相关（P〈0.05）,HIF-1α与CyclinD 1的表达呈显著正相关（P〈0.05）。结论：检测HIF-1α、Survivin、CyclinD 1的蛋白的表达有助于判断食管癌的恶性程度以及推断其临床预后。     

Selected immunohistochemical markers in stromal neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract.

We studied immunohistochemical reactions to vimentin, desmin and protein S-100 in 43 cases of stromal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. The material studied included: 1 esophageal tumor, 18 gastric tumors, 19 small intestinal tumors and 5 colonic tumors, classified in 13 cases as benign and in 30 cases as malignant neoplasms of various degree of malignancy. Mean age of the patients was 58.9 years. A positive reaction to vimentin was found in 37 cases, a negative reaction concerned an esophageal tumor, two benign tumors (gastric and small intestinal) and three malignant tumors (gastric and two small intestinal). A positive reaction to desmin was detected in an esophageal tumor and in nine gastric tumors. Only one benign small intestinal tumor and three benign colonic tumors showed a positive reaction to desmin. Protein S-100 was found in an esophageal tumor and in 7 out of 18 gastric tumors and in 12 out of 24 intestinal tumors. Coexpression of vimentin and desmin was found in 8 gastric tumors, only in one small intestinal tumor and in three colonic tumors. Three gastric tumors showing both these reactions were all benign. Coexpression of desmin and protein S-100 was found in 7 out of 43 tumors of the alimentary tract. In six cases these tumors were benign. Basing on the results we may say that the presence of these antigens reflects the degree of differentiation of gastrointestinal stromal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract, though it does not allow to choose unequivocally conclusions as to their histogenesis.     

胃癌survivin基因mRNA和蛋白的表达与临床病理关系

目的　研究胃癌组织中survivin基因的mRNA和蛋白表达情况及其与临床病理参数的关系。方法　应用原位杂交方法和免疫组化SP法检测 5 4例胃癌 ,34例胃良性病变 ,2 0例胃正常组织标本中survivin基因mRNA及蛋白的表达。并对其与临床病理因素和二者的关系进行分析。结果　Survivin蛋白表达阳性率在胃癌、良性疾病组织和正常组织分别为 87 0 % (47/ 5 4 )、 2 3 5 % (8/ 34)和 15 % (3/ 2 0 ) ;SurvivinmRNA阳性率为 79 6 % (43/ 5 4 )、 2 3 5 % (8/ 34)和2 0 % (4/ 2 0 )。胃癌组远大于正常胃组织和良性疾病组 ,而正常胃组织与胃良性疾病组之间差异无显著性。SurvivinmRNA与蛋白在胃癌中的表达呈正相关 (rs=0 6 79,P <0 0 5 )。且其阳性率高低与性别、年龄、组织学类型无关 ;而与淋巴结转移、TNM分期、组织学分级有关。结论　SurvivinmRNA与蛋白在胃癌中表达较高 ,且与淋巴结转移、TNM分期、组织学分级有关 ,它可作为评估胃癌生物学行为和判断预后的生物学指标。     

Distribution of prolyl oligopeptidase in human peripheral tissues and in ovarian and colorectal tumors

Prolyl oligopeptidase (PREP) is a serine protease that hydrolyzes peptides shorter than 30-mer, and it has been connected with multiple physiological and pathological conditions. PREP has been mostly studied in the brain, but significant PREP activities have been measured in peripheral tissues. Moreover, increased PREP activities have been found in tumors. In this study, the authors studied the immunohistochemical distribution of PREP protein in human peripheral tissues and in ovarian and colorectal tumors. PREP was found to be widely distributed in human peripheral tissues and specifically in certain cells. The most intense PREP expression was seen in the testis, ovaries, liver, and some parts of the skin. At the cellular level, high PREP levels were seen as a rule in secreting epithelial cells and cells involved in reproduction. Increased PREP expression was seen in most of the tumors studied. PREP expression was higher in malignant than benign tumors, and in ovarian epithelial cancers, there was a trend for increased PREP staining with increased malignancy grade. Results suggest that PREP may be associated with secretory processes as well as in reproduction. A more abundant expression of PREP in malignant than benign tumors suggests that PREP may be associated with expansion and metastasis of tumors.     

Expression of Zonulin,c-kit,and Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein in Human Gliomas

The hallmarks of human malignant gliomas are their marked invasiveness and vascularity. Because angiogenesis and tumor invasion have been associated with extracellular matrix degradation and intercellular tight junctions, the involvement of zonulin in glioma biology is in the focus. We selected for histological examination five cases of glioblastoma WHO IV (nomenclature of the World Health Organization) and one case each from astrocytoma WHO III, meningioma WHO III, and meningioma WHO I as control samples. The meningioma WHO I is regarded as benign, whereas the meningioma WHO III is recognized as the transition form of malignant tumors in humans. The visualization of a newly designed antibody against human zonulin was studied in triple-labeling studies using fluorescence immunocytochemistry and compared with the expression of c-kit and glial fibrillary acidic protein in differently developed human gliomas. We found that increasing the expression of c-kit is accompanied by an increase of zonulin expression. Both are correlated to the degree of malignancy of human brain tumors. The expression of zonulin is correlated to the degradation of the blood-brain barrier as revealed by Griffonia simplicifolia lectin. In differently graded tumors, we found differently graded involvement of blood vessels in the tumor development, explaining patients'' survival.     

Expression of antiapoptotic protein survivin in malignant melanoma

We examined the expression of potential tumor marker survivin by immunohistochemical staining using antisurvivin antibody (DAKO, Clone 12C4) in a panel of 25 malignant melanomas. In each section, we assessed the percentage of positively stained tumor cells, the intensity of staining and its subcellular localization. Survivin was present in 23 out of 25 cases (92%). Nuclear staining was found in 2 of these 23 cases (8.7%) only, while cytoplasmic staining only was seen in 3 of them (13%). The combined nuclear as well as cytoplasmic localization of survivin was demonstrated in 18 out of 23 cases (78.3%). In 2 cases revealing nuclear staining only, the worse histological features were more pronounced than in 3 cases with cytoplasmic staining only. Our results suggest that nuclear positivity of survivin may correlate with the degree of malignancy. In addition, we conclude that overexpression of survivin involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma represents an important diagnostic marker.     

新的凋亡抑制因子Survivin的研究进展

Survivin是近年来发现的一种凋亡抑制因子,属于凋亡抑制蛋白（inhibitor of apoptosis proteins,IAP）家族的新成员;主要通过抑制caspase-3和caspase-7的活性而阻断细胞凋亡过程. Survivin选择性地表达于胚胎发育组织和大多数肿瘤组织,而正常成人终末分化组织中不表达. Survivin参与了细胞周期调控,与肿瘤的发生、发展和预后密切相关,可作为肿瘤治疗的新靶点.     

Nuclear survivin promoted by acetylation is associated with the aggressive phenotype of oral squamous cell carcinoma

Defects in apoptotic pathway contribute to development and progression of oral cancer. Survivin, a member of the inhibitors of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, is increased in many types of cancers. However, it is unclear whether increased survivin is associated with oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC), and what mechanisms may involve in. In this study, we examined survivin expression in OSCC compared with normal oral tissues via immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that, not only total survivin is increased in OSCCs, but also the subcellular location of survivin is changed in OSCCs compared with normal oral tissues. In most of normal oral tissues, survivin staining was either negative, or cytoplasmic positive/nuclear negative; whereas in most of OSCC tissues, survivin staining was nuclear positive. Statistic analysis indicates that nuclear survivin, rather than total or cytoplasmic one, correlates with tumor TNM stage and differentiation grade. Consistently, in vitro analysis showed that survivin is in cytoplasm in normal human oral kinotinocyte (HOK) cells; whereas it is in nucleus in OSCC HN6 cells. Importantly, treatment of HOK cells with HDAC inhibitor Trichostatin A (TSA) induces survivin acetylation and promotes its nuclear localization. Moreover, nuclear survivin in OSCC cells was acetylated at K129 in its C-terminal, suggesting that the acetylation is important for nuclear location of survivin. Our study demonstrates that it is nuclear survivin, rather than total or cytoplasmic one, associates with TNM stage and tumor grade of OSCC. Thus, we propose nuclear survivin as a prognostic marker for the progression of OSCC.     

Clinicopathological significance and prognostic value of DNA methyltransferase 1, 3a, and 3b expressions in sporadic epithelial ovarian cancer

Altered DNA methylation of tumor suppressor gene promoters plays a role in human carcinogenesis and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are responsible for it. This study aimed to determine aberrant expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b in benign and malignant ovarian tumor tissues for their association with clinicopathological significance and prognostic value. A total of 142 ovarian cancers and 44 benign ovarian tumors were recruited for immunohistochemical analysis of their expression. The data showed that expression of DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b was observed in 76 (53.5%), 92 (64.8%) and 79 (55.6%) of 142 cases of ovarian cancer tissues, respectively. Of the serious tumors, DNMT3a protein expression was significantly higher than that in benign tumor samples (P?=?0.001); DNMT3b was marginally significant down regulated in ovarian cancers compared to that of the benign tumors (P?=?0.054); DNMT1 expression has no statistical difference between ovarian cancers and benign tumor tissues (P?=?0.837). Of the mucious tumors, the expression of DNMT3a, DNMT3b, and DNMT1 was not different between malignant and benign tumors. Moreover, DNMT1 expression was associated with DNMT3b expression (P?=?0.020, r?=?0.195). DNMT1 expression was associated with age of the patients, menopause status, and tumor localization, while DNMT3a expression was associated with histological types and serum CA125 levels and DNMT3b expression was associated with lymph node metastasis. In addition, patients with DNMT1 or DNMT3b expression had a trend of better survival than those with negative expression. Co-expression of DNMT1 and DNMT3b was significantly associated with better overall survival (P?=?0.014). The data from this study provided the first evidence for differential expression of DNMTs proteins in ovarian cancer tissues and their associations with clinicopathological and survival data in sporadic ovarian cancer patients.     

Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) as potential molecular targets for therapy of hematological malignancies

Apoptosis, a programmed cell death, plays a key role in the regulation of tissue homeostasis. However, impairment of its regulation may promote formation and progression of malignancy. An important part of the apoptotic machinery are the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, regulating caspase activity, cell division or cell survival pathways through binding to their baculovirus AIP repeat (BIR) domains and/or by their ubiquitin-ligase RING zinc finger (RZF) activity. The following IAPs have been described so far: NAIP (neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein; BIRC1), cIAP1 and cIAP2 (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis 1 and 2; BIRC2 and BIRC3, respectively), XIAP (X-chromosome binding IAP; BIRC4), survivin (BIRC5), BRUCE (Apollon; BIRC6), livin (BIRC7) and Ts-IAP (testis-specific IAP; BIRC8). Several studies suggested a potential contribution of IAPs to oncogenesis and resistance to anti-tumor treatment. Increased IAP expression was found in variety of human cancers, including hematological malignancies, such as leukemias and B-cell lymphomas. A correlation between the progression of those diseases and high levels of survivin or XIAP has been reported. Overexpression of XIAP in acute myeloid leukemia or survivin in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma have been indicated as an unfavorable prognostic factors. Elevated cellular levels of cIAP1, cIAP2, XIAP and survivin correlated with a progressive course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Thus, targeting IAPs with small-molecule inhibitors by their antisense approaches or natural IAP antagonist mimetics, may be an attractive strategy of anti-cancer treatment. Such agents can either directly induce apoptosis of tumor cells or sensitize them to other cytotoxic agents, hence overcoming drug-resistance. This review demonstrates the current knowledge on IAP molecular biology, as well as the mechanisms of action and the development of IAP-targeting agents for treatment of hematological malignancies.     

Correlation between the levels of survivin and survivin promoter-driven gene expression in cancer and non-cancer cells

Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) protein family, is associated with malignant transformation and is over-expressed in most human tumors. Using lipoplex-mediated transfection, we evaluated the activity of the reporter enzyme, luciferase, expressed from plasmids encoding the enzyme under the control of either the cytomegalovirus (CMV) or survivin promoters, in tumor- and non-tumor-derived human and murine cells. We also examined whether there is a correlation between the survivin promoter-driven expression of luciferase and the level of endogenous survivin. Human cancer cells (HeLa, KB, HSC-3, H357, H376, H413), oral keratinocytes, GMSM-K, and chemically immortalized human mammary cells, 184A-1, were transfected with Metafectene at 2 μl/1 μg DNA. Murine squamous cell carcinoma cells, SCCVII, mouse embryonic fibroblasts, NIH-3T3, and murine immortalized mammary cells, NMuMG, were transfected with Metafectene PRO at 2 μl/1 μg DNA. The expression of luciferase was driven by the CMV promoter (pCMV.Luc), the human survivin promoter (pSRVN.Luc-1430), or the murine survivin promoters (pSRVN.Luc-1342 and pSRVN.Luc-194). Luciferase activity was measured, using the Luciferase Assay System and expressed as relative light units (RLU) per ml of cell lysate or per mg of protein. The level of survivin in the lysates of human cells was determined by ELISA and expressed as ng survivin/mg protein. In all cell lines, significantly higher luciferase activity was driven by the CMV promoter than by survivin promoters. The expression of luciferase driven by the CMV and survivin promoters in murine cells was much higher than that in human cells. The cells displayed very different susceptibilities to transfection; nevertheless, high CMV-driven luciferase activity appeared to correlate with high survivin-promoter driven luciferase expression. The survivin concentration in lysates of cancer cells ranged from 5.8 ± 2.3 to 24.3 ± 2.9 ng/mg protein (mean, 13.7 ng/mg). Surprisingly, elevated survivin protein was determined in lysates of non-tumor-derived cells. Survivin levels for GMSM-K and 184A-1 cells, were 16.7 ± 8.7 and 13.5 ± 6.2 ng/mg protein, respectively. The expression of endogenous survivin did not correlate with the level of survivin promoter-driven transgene activity in the same cells. The expression of survivin by non-tumorigenic, transformed cell lines may be necessary for their proliferative activity. The level of survivin promoter-driven gene expression achieved via liposomal vectors in OSCC cells was too low to be useful in cancer-cell specific gene therapy.     

Prediction of ovarian tumor malignancy

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of mortality among gynecological cancers. The aim of the study was to form the decision rules for distinguishing benign from malignant ovary lesions. The research was conducted on 201 women with ovary tumor. Commonly used specific markers for ovarian cancer (biochemical marker Ca 125, ultrasound and vascular markers) were used. The significant difference in the presence of an ultrasound and vascular markers between benign and malignant ovary changes along with the significantly different level of Ca 125 is confirmed. To a specific marker certain score number was appointed and the scoring system was formed. The incidence of benign/malignant ovary changes was observed in the researched group regarding anthropometric parameters (age, marital and menopausal status and number of deliveries). There is also significant difference in the incidence of benign/malignant ovary tumor regarding these parameters. Based on combination of the scoring system and anthropometric parameters the decision rules for distinguishing benign from malignant ovary tumors were formed. The logistic regression method was used. We proved that this method has higher accuracy in prediction of malignancy in women with ovary tumors than using morphological, Doppler or anthropometric parameters separately.