14-3-3theta 蛋白在人骨肉瘤中的表达和临床意义

目的：研究14-3-3theta蛋白在人骨肉瘤中的表达和临床意义。方法：在62 例人骨肉瘤和正常骨组织样本中,通过免疫组化 的方法检测14-3-3theta 蛋白的表达情况,并分析其表达与骨肉瘤临床病理学特征间的关系。结果：在62 例骨肉瘤和正常骨组织 中,14-3-3theta 蛋白表达的阳性率分别为80.6%和17.7%。统计学分析表明,14-3-3theta 蛋白的表达与骨肉瘤肿瘤大小（P=0.016）、 高组织学类型（P=0.001）、高Enneking分级（P=0.047）具有显著相关性,而与骨肉瘤患者的年龄（P=0.901）、性别（P=0.691）、肿瘤部 位（P=0.802）、碱性磷酸酶（P=0.884）、血清白蛋白（P=0.822）、血沉（P=0.836）等均无关。Spearman 相关性分析检测发现,14-3-3theta 蛋白高表达与肿瘤大小（r = -0.34, P = 0.034）、高组织学分级（r = -0.27, P = 0.031）、高Enneking 分级（r = -0.05, P = 0.025）呈正相 关,而与骨肉瘤患者的年龄、性别、肿瘤部位、碱性磷酸酶和血沉等均无相关性（P > 0.05）。结论：在骨肉瘤组织中,14-3-3theta 作为 癌基因表达增加,与骨肉瘤的疾病进展密切相关,14-3-3theta 可以作为骨肉瘤疾病监测的一种分子指标。     

HOXD10和P53蛋白在肝细胞癌组织中表达及其临床病理学意义

目的:探讨同源异型盒基因HOXD10和P53蛋白在原发性肝细胞癌hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC组织中的表达及其临床病理学意义。方法:采用免疫组化法检测62例HCC及癌旁肝组织、20例肝脏良性病变组织中HOXD10、P53蛋白的表达,并分析HCC组织中HOXD10、P53蛋白的表达与HCC患者临床病理特征的关系。结果:低分化HCC组织中HOXD10蛋白的表达显著低于中、高分化HCC、癌旁及良性病变肝组织(P0.05)。而低分化HCC组织中P53的表达显著高于中高分化HCC组织(P0.05)。HCC组织中HOXD10蛋白的表达与脉管内癌栓呈负相关(r=-0.299,P=0.026),而HCC组织中HIXD10、P53蛋白表达与患者的性别、年龄、肿瘤大小、多结节、周边肝硬化均无显著相关性(P0.05)。结论:HOXD10的低表达和P53的高表达与低分化HCC密切相关,可能作为HCC治疗和预后预测的参考指标。     

MiR-18b-5p对人滋养细胞系HTR-8细胞迁移功能的影响

目的:通过研究子痫前期胎盘组织中低表达的miR-18b-5p(微小RNA18b-5p)对人滋养细胞系HTR-8迁移能力的影响,进一步探讨miR-18b-5p在子痫前期发病过程中的作用。方法:将化学合成的miR-18b-5p inhibitor、miR-18b-5p inhibitor NC,采用瞬时转染的方法将miR-18b-5p inhibitor转入人滋养细胞系HTR-8中设为实验组;miR-18b-5p inhibitor NC转入HTR-8细胞中设为阴性对照组;空白转染组为空白对照组。应用Realtime RT-PCR技术检测各组miR-18b-5p在mRNA水平的表达,同时采用微孔滤膜培养小室及双室联合培养系统(Transwell实验)检测实验组与对照组细胞迁移能力的变化。结果:Realtime RT-PCR结果显示:转染miR-18b-5p inhibitor后miR-18b-5p的表达量分别与阴性对照组和空白对照组相比明显降低,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。Transwell实验结果显示miR-18b-5p inhibitor组与两对照组相比细胞的迁移能力明显降低,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:在HTR-8细胞中降调节miR-18b-5p可以显著的降低细胞的迁移能力,推测病理性低表达的miR-18b-5p有可能通过降低滋养细胞的迁移能力,使妊娠早期细胞滋养细胞从固体绒毛顶端迁出减少,导致覆盖合体滋养细胞进而形成具有增殖能力的细胞簇减少,最终造成滋养层浅表植入,从而引起子痫前期的发生。     

Involvement of the insulin-like growth factor binding proteins in the cancer cell response to DNA damage

The complex mechanisms that cells have evolved to meet the challenge of constant exposure to DNA-damaging stimuli, also serve to protect cancer cells from the cytotoxic effects of chemo- and radiotherapy. IGFBPs appear to be involved, directly or indirectly, in some of these protective mechanisms. Activation of p53 is an early response to genotoxic stress, and all six human IGFBP genes have predicted p53 response elements in their promoter and/or intronic regions, at least some of which are functional. IGFBP3 has been extensively characterized as a p53-inducible gene, but in some cases it is suppressed by mutant p53 forms. DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), induced by radiotherapy and some chemotherapies, potentially lead to apoptotic cell death, senescence, or repair and recovery. DSB damage can be repaired by homologous recombination or non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), depending on the cell cycle stage, availability of key repair proteins, and other factors. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been implicated in the NHEJ pathway, and EGFR inhibition may inhibit repair, promoting apoptosis and thus improving sensitivity to chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Both IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-6 interact with components of the NHEJ pathway, and IGFBP-3 can facilitate this process through direct interaction with both EGFR and the catalytic subunit of DNA-PK. Cell fate after DNA damage may in part be regulated by the balance between the sphingolipids ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate, and IGFBPs can influence the production of both lipids. A better understanding of the involvement of IGFBPs in the DNA damage response in cancer cells may lead to improved methods of sensitizing cancers to DNA-damaging therapies.     

Synchronous primary mammary osteosarcoma and invasive breast cancer. A case report – Pathohistological and immunohistochemical analysis

Primary osteogenic sarcoma of the breast is a rare neoplasm, diagnosed mainly by pathohistological and immunohistochemical analysis.We hereby present a case of primary osteogenic sarcoma in the right breast of a 62-year-old woman with synchronous appearance of an invasive ductal carcinoma. Clinical findings are manifested with two separate painless formations 2.5 cm/2 cm and 1.5 cm/1 cm in size, located on the border of the upper and lower lateral quadrant of the right breast. No axillary lymphadenopathy was diagnosed. The pathohistological and immunohistochemistry findings of both tumors revealed a synchronous manifestation of two distinct neoplasms – epithelial and non-epithelial. Multimodality treatment consisted of Patey''s radical mastectomy; 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy; postoperative 50 Gy radiotherapy to the chest wall followed by additional 3 cycles of chemotherapy and anti-estrogen hormonotherapy.Due to the rarity of osteogenic mammary sarcoma, even more so in a combination with epithelial breast tumors, its clinical features are unclear and optimal treatment remains controversial. Considering the poor prognosis of the combination of both malignomas, we discuss a number of diagnostic and therapeutic issues.     

Modulation of Sonic hedgehog signaling and WW domain containing oxidoreductase WOX1 expression enhances radiosensitivity of human glioblastoma cells

WW domain containing oxidoreductase, designated WWOX, FOR or WOX1, is a known pro-apoptotic factor when ectopically expressed in various types of cancer cells, including glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The activation of sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, especially paracrine Shh secretion in response to radiation, is associated with impairing the effective irradiation of cancer cells. Here, we examined the role of Shh signaling and WOX1 overexpression in the radiosensitivity of human GBM cells. Our results showed that ionizing irradiation (IR) increased the cytoplasmic Shh and nuclear Gli-1 content in GBM U373MG and U87MG cells. GBM cells with exogenous Shh treatment exhibited similar results. Pretreatment with Shh peptides protected U373MG and U87MG cells against IR in a dose-dependent manner. Cyclopamine, a Hedgehog/Smoothened (SMO) inhibitor, reversed the protective effect of Shh in U87MG cells. Cyclopamine increased Shh plus IR-induced H2AX, a marker of DNA double-strand breaks, in these cells. To verify the role of Shh signaling in the radiosensitivity of GBM cells, we tested the effect of the Gli family zinc finger 1 (Gli-1) inhibitor zerumbone and found that it could sensitize GBM cells to IR. We next examined the role of WOX1 in radiosensitivity. Overexpression of WOX1 enhanced the radiosensitivity of U87MG (possessing wild type p53 or WTp53) but not U373MG (harboring mutant p53 or MTp53) cells. Pretreatment with Shh peptides protected both WOX1-overexpressed U373MG and U87MG cells against IR and increased the cytoplasmic Shh and nuclear Gli-1 content. Zerumbone enhanced the radiosensitivity of WOX1-overexpressed U373MG and U87MG cells. In conclusion, overexpression of WOX1 preferentially sensitized human GBM cells possessing wild type p53 to radiation therapy. Blocking of Shh signaling may enhance radiosensitivity independently of the expression of p53 and WOX1. The crosstalk between Shh signaling and WOX1 expression in human glioblastoma warrants further investigation.     

A spatiotemporal characterization of the effect of p53 phosphorylation on its interaction with MDM2

The interaction of p53 and MDM2 is modulated by the phosphorylation of p53. This mechanism is key to activating p53, yet its molecular determinants are not fully understood. To study the spatiotemporal characteristics of this molecular process we carried out Brownian dynamics simulations of the interactions of the MDM2 protein with a p53 peptide in its wild type state and when phosphorylated at Thr18 (pThr18) and Ser20 (pSer20). We found that p53 phosphorylation results in concerted changes in the topology of the interaction landscape in the diffusively bound encounter complex domain. These changes hinder phosphorylated p53 peptides from binding to MDM2 well before reaching the binding site. The underlying mechanism appears to involve shift of the peptide away from the vicinity of the MDM2 protein, peptide reorientation, and reduction in peptide residence time relative to wild-type p53 peptide. pThr18 and pSr20 p53 peptides experience reduction in residence times by factors of 13.6 and 37.5 respectively relative to the wild-type p53 peptide, indicating a greater role for Ser20 phosphorylation in abrogating p53 MDM2 interactions. These detailed insights into the effect of phosphorylation on molecular interactions are not available from conventional experimental and theoretical approaches and open up new avenues that incorporate molecular interaction dynamics, for stabilizing p53 against MDM2, which is a major focus of anticancer drug lead development.     

Micro(mi) RNA-34a targets protein phosphatase (PP)1γ to regulate DNA damage tolerance

The DNA damage response (DDR) triggers widespread changes in gene expression, mediated partly by alterations in micro(mi) RNA levels, whose nature and significance remain uncertain. Here, we report that miR-34a, which is upregulated during the DDR, modulates the expression of protein phosphatase 1γ (PP1γ) to regulate cellular tolerance to DNA damage. Multiple bio-informatic algorithms predict that miR-34a targets the PP1CCC gene encoding PP1γ protein. Ionising radiation (IR) decreases cellular expression of PP1γ in a dose-dependent manner. An miR-34a-mimic reduces cellular PP1γ protein. Conversely, an miR-34a inhibitor antagonizes IR-induced decreases in PP1γ protein expression. A wild-type (but not mutant) miR-34a seed match sequence from the 3′ untranslated region (UTR) of PP1CCC when transplanted to a luciferase reporter gene makes it responsive to an miR-34a-mimic. Thus, miR-34a upregulation during the DDR targets the 3′ UTR of PP1CCC to decrease PP1γ protein expression. PP1γ is known to antagonize DDR signaling via the ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) kinase. Interestingly, we find that cells exposed to DNA damage become more sensitive – in an miR-34a-dependent manner – to a second challenge with damage. Increased sensitivity to the second challenge is marked by enhanced phosphorylation of ATM and p53, increased γH2AX formation, and increased cell death. Increased sensitivity can be partly recapitulated by a miR-34a-mimic, or antagonized by an miR-34a-inhibitor. Thus, our findings suggest a model in which damage-induced miR-34a induction reduces PP1γ expression and enhances ATM signaling to decrease tolerance to repeated genotoxic challenges. This mechanism has implications for tumor suppression and the response of cancers to therapeutic radiation.     

The marine n-3 PUFA DHA evokes cytoprotection against oxidative stress and protein misfolding by inducing autophagy and NFE2L2 in human retinal pigment epithelial cells

Accumulation and aggregation of misfolded proteins is a hallmark of several diseases collectively known as proteinopathies. Autophagy has a cytoprotective role in diseases associated with protein aggregates. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common neurodegenerative eye disease that evokes blindness in elderly. AMD is characterized by degeneration of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and leads to loss of photoreceptor cells and central vision. The initial phase associates with accumulation of intracellular lipofuscin and extracellular deposits called drusen. Epidemiological studies have suggested an inverse correlation between dietary intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, including AMD. However, the disease-preventive mechanism(s) mobilized by n-3 PUFAs is not completely understood. In human retinal pigment epithelial cells we find that physiologically relevant doses of the n-3 PUFA docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) induce a transient increase in cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels that activates the oxidative stress response regulator NFE2L2/NRF2 (nuclear factor, erythroid derived 2, like 2). Simultaneously, there is a transient increase in intracellular protein aggregates containing SQSTM1/p62 (sequestosome 1) and an increase in autophagy. Pretreatment with DHA rescues the cells from cell cycle arrest induced by misfolded proteins or oxidative stress. Cells with a downregulated oxidative stress response, or autophagy, respond with reduced cell growth and survival after DHA supplementation. These results suggest that DHA both induces endogenous antioxidants and mobilizes selective autophagy of misfolded proteins. Both mechanisms could be relevant to reduce the risk of developing aggregate-associate diseases such as AMD.