The cellular ratio of immune tolerance (immunoCRIT) is a definite marker for aggressiveness of solid tumors and may explain tumor dissemination patterns

The adaptive immune system is involved in tumor establishment and aggressiveness. Tumors of the ovaries, an immune-privileged organ, spread via transceolomic routes and rarely to distant organs. This is contrary to tumors of non-immune privileged organs, which often disseminate hematogenously to distant organs. Epigenetics-based immune cell quantification allows direct comparison of the immune status in benign and malignant tissues and in blood. Here, we introduce the “cellular ratio of immune tolerance” (immunoCRIT) as defined by the ratio of regulatory T cells to total T lymphocytes. The immunoCRIT was analyzed on 273 benign tissue samples of colorectal, bronchial, renal and ovarian origin as well as in 808 samples from primary colorectal, bronchial, mammary and ovarian cancers. ImmunoCRIT is strongly increased in all cancerous tissues and gradually augmented strictly dependent on tumor aggressiveness. In peripheral blood of ovarian cancer patients, immunoCRIT incrementally increases from primary diagnosis to disease recurrence, at which distant metastases frequently occur. We postulate that non-pathological immunoCRIT values observed in peripheral blood of immune privileged ovarian tumor patients are sufficient to prevent hematogenous spread at primary diagnosis. Contrarily, non-immune privileged tumors establish high immunoCRIT in an immunological environment equivalent to the bloodstream and thus spread hematogenously to distant organs. In summary, our data suggest that the immunoCRIT is a powerful marker for tumor aggressiveness and disease dissemination.     

Hepatocellular carcinoma in two captive golden‐headed lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysomelas)

Two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in 2 female captive golden‐headed lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) are described. HCC was diagnosed in both, with pulmonary metastasis in one of them. Neoplastic cells were positive for hepatocyte‐specific antigen (HSA) by immunohistochemistry, confirming the diagnosis.     

A Hematogenous Route for Medulloblastoma Leptomeningeal Metastases

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Structural Basis for Auto-Inhibition of the NDR1 Kinase Domain by an Atypically Long Activation Segment

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新城疫病毒抗肿瘤研究进展

新城疫病毒(Newcastle disease virus,NDV)为副黏病毒科,禽腮腺炎病毒属(Avulavirus)的禽副黏病毒Ⅰ型(APMV-Ⅰ),可对250多种禽类造成致死性感染,给世界范围内的家禽养殖造成了巨大损失。目前,研究发现NDV对人肿瘤细胞具有溶瘤作用,能够选择性地在癌细胞中复制。并且一些研究已经进行了人体临床试验,取得了良好的效果。因此,新城疫病毒是肿瘤治疗的潜在治疗剂。文中就NDV结构蛋白与毒力的关系、NDV直接溶瘤作用、NDV为载体的肿瘤基因治疗、NDV抗肿瘤与自噬等进行了综述。     

沉默信息调节因子1在消化系统肿瘤中的作用

沉默信息调节因子1(SIRT1)是Sirtuin 家族中的一员,属于烟酰胺（NAD⁺）依赖的Ⅲ类组蛋白去乙酰化酶,能通过对多种非组蛋白及组蛋白赖氨酸残基进行去乙酰化修饰调节基因表达。近来的研究发现,SIRT1不仅能使肿瘤抑制因子去乙酰化,促进肿瘤发生,还能使肿瘤促进因子去乙酰化,抑制肿瘤发生。SIRT1与肿瘤的生物学特性密切相关,影响肿瘤分期及患者预后。在消化系统肿瘤中,SIRT1具有双面性,既可作为抑癌因子,也可发挥癌因子的作用。近年来,许多研究对SIRT1在肿瘤中的作用靶点及相关信号通路做了深入研究,关于SIRT1在肿瘤中作用机制的新研究不断出现。SIRT1已成为人们攻克肿瘤的一个研究热点。本文通过对SIRT1在肿瘤中的双重作用,尤其是在消化系统肿瘤中的不同作用靶点和参与的信号通路作一综述,希望为临床上治疗消化系统肿瘤提供更有说服力的证据。