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The cell origin of primary pulmonary mucinous epithelial tumors includes goblet cells, tracheobronchial mucous glands, the mucous cell metaplasia of ciliated and Clara cells, etc.There are benign, low-grade malignant potential and malignant tumors in this category. The benign tumors encompass mucous gland adenoma and mucinous cystadenoma. Ciliated muconodular papillary tumors are thought to be of low grade malignant potential or uncertain malignant potential neoplasm, while colloid adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma are malignant tumors. Most of primary pulmonary mucinous epithelial tumors are rare even extremely rare lesions. Similar morphological changes exist in the different tumors. Differential diagnosis for these entities may be challenging in pathological diagnosis on biopsies, even surgical sections. The clinicopathologic characteristics should be carefully analyzed to ensure accurate pathologic diagnosis for primary pulmonary mucinous epithelial tumors.
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Background and purpose:δ-catenin is a member of the p120 catenin subfamily, which can directly bind to E-cadherin on the cell membrane, forming E-cadherin/catenin complex. δ-catenin can also affect the cytoskeleton assembly by regulating the activity of Cdc42 (Small GTPase). Therefore, this study detected the expression of δ-catenin and Cdc42 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and investigated the relationship between them.Methods:The expressions of δ-catenin and Cdc42 in 122 cases of NSCLC were detected by immunohistochem-istry. This study also used Western blot and real-time lfuorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTFQ-PCR) to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of δ-catenin and Cdc42 in lung cancer tissues. After up-regulating or down-regulating δ-catenin in lung cancer cell line, the activity of Cdc42 and invasion ability of lung cancer cells were detect-ed by G-LISA and Transwell.Results:The mRNA and protein expression of δ-catenin and Cdc42 in lung cancer tissues was signiifcantly higher than that in normal lung tissues. In 122 NSCLC cases, the δ-catenin positive expression rate was 65.57% (80/122), and the Cdc42 overexpression rate was 68.03% (83/122). There was a good correlation betweenδ-catenin positive expression and Cdc42 overexpression (P<0.001). The co-expression of δ-catenin and Cdc42 was related to the high clinical stage, poor differentiation, adenocarcinoma and lymph node metastasis of lung cancer (P<0.05), and was signiifcantly associated with poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer. In the lung cancer cell line, the expression and the activity of Cdc42 were changed by regulating the δ-catenin expression, which affected invasion ability of the lung cancer cells.Conclusion:The δ-catenin expression was significantly correlated with the Cdc42 expression. The co-expression of δ-catenin and Cdc42 in lung cancer was correlated with the poor prognosis of lung cancer.
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Objective To investigate the mRNA and protein expression of E3 ubiquitin ligase Iduna in non-small-cell lung cancer tissue and para-neoplastic lung tissue,and the correlation of the Iduna expression with clinicopathological factors and prognosis.Methods The expression levels of the Iduna mRNA and protein in non-small-cell lung cancer tissue and para-neoplastic lung tissue were determined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),Western-Blot and immunohistochemistry respectively,and the correlation of the Iduna expression with clinicopathological factors and prognosis was analyzed.Results RT-PCR and Western-Blot showed the expression levels of the Iduna mRNA and protein in non-small-cell lung cancer tissue (0.468 ± 0.086 and 2.554 ± 0.544) were significantly higher than those in para-neoplastic lung tissue (0.203 ± 0.070 and 1.570 ± 0.316),there were statistical differences (P ＜ 0.05).Immunohistochemistry results showed that Iduna was negative expression in the alveolar epithelium cells,negative or weak positive expression in normal bronchial and positive expression in different degrees in the non-small-cell lung cancer tissue.Iduna high expression rate was negative correlation with tumor differentiation (P =0.002),Iduna high expression rate was positive correlation with large tumor size (P =0.044),TNM staging (P=0.015) and lymph node metastasis (P=0.009).Iduna high expression of I stage non-small-cell lung cancer patients was correlated with poor post-operative survival (P =0.016).Conclusions High expression of Iduna may be related to the process of invasion and metastasis of nonsmall-cell lung cancer.It is possible that Iduna serve as potential markers for predicting prognosis in nonsmall-cell lung cancer.
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PURPOSE: Fanconi anemia complementation group F (FANCF) is a key factor to maintaining the function of Fanconi anaemia/BRCA (FA/BRCA) pathway, a DNA-damage response pathway. However, the functional role of FANCF in breast cancer has not been elucidated. In the present study, we evaluated the chemosensitization effect of FANCF in breast cancer cells. METHODS: We performed specific knockdown of the endogenous FANCF in breast cancer cells by transfecting the cells with an FANCF short hairpin RNA (shRNA) vector. Cell viability was measured with a Cell Counting Kit-8, and DNA damage was assessed with the alkaline comet assay. The apoptosis, cell cycle, and drug accumulation were measured by flow cytometric analysis. Protein expression levels were determined by Western blot analysis, using specific antibodies. RESULTS: The analyses of two breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435S) demonstrated that the FANCF shRNA could effectively block the FA/BRCA pathway through the inhibition of Fanconi anemia complementation group D2 ubiquitination. Moreover, FANCF silencing potentiated the sensitivity of cells to mitomycin C (MMC), where combined FANCF shRNA/MMC treatment inhibited cell proliferation, induced S-phase arrest, apoptosis, and DNA fragmentation, and reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential, compared with MMC treatment alone. CONCLUSION: Taken together, this study demonstrates that the inhibition of FANCF by its shRNA leads to a synergistic enhancement of MMC cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells. These results suggest that the inhibition of the FA/BRCA pathway is a useful adjunct to cytotoxic chemotherapy for the treatment of breast cancer.
Subject(s)
Apoptosis , Blotting, Western , Breast , Breast Neoplasms , Cell Count , Cell Cycle , Cell Line , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Cell Survival , Comet Assay , Complement System Proteins , DNA Damage , DNA Fragmentation , Fanconi Anemia , Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group F Protein , Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial , Mitomycin , RNA, Small Interfering , Ubiquitin , UbiquitinationABSTRACT
<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>It has been known that the expressions of β-catenin and T cell factor 4 (TCF-4) were associated with clinicopathological parameters in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between expressions of β-catenin and TCF-4 in NSCLC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of β-catenin was detected with immunohistochemistry in 100 lung cancer samples; the relationship between abnormal located and preserved β-catenin with TCF-4 was investigated by immunofluorescence, co-immunoprecipitation and hybridization in situ.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of protein and mRNA were both significantly higher in NSCLC than in corresponding normal lung tissues. Aberrant cytoplasmic and/or nuclear expression of β-catenin were 78.74% (100/127) while aberrant nuclear expression was 37.01% (47/127). Aberrant nuclear β-catenin was significantly associated with differentiation (P=0.0008) and lymphatic metastasis (P=0.017). Positive TCF-4 expression (86.67%, 52/60) was normally seen in nucleus and cytoplasm of cancer cells. The intensity of TCF-4 expression was significantly higher in moderately and poorly differentiated lung cancers than that in well differentiated ones. In total 17 cases of β-catenin (+) and TCF-4 (+) patients, 13 cases were detected with the β-catenin/TCF-4 complex, 61.54% in nucleus and 38.46% in cytoplasm.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The abnormal mRNA and protein expressions of β-catenin are associated with malignant phenotype in NSCLC. TCF-4 expression is associated with poor differentiation in lung cancers. The β-catenin/TCF-4 complex exists widely in NSCLC.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The gene expressions of the two primary cell types with different morphological phenotypes,namely,cuboidal cells and polygonal cells in so-called pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma(PSH) were still unclear now.Disclosing the different gene expression of the two cell types will provide the basis for the study of histogenesis of PSH tissue and be helpful for differential diagnosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Polygonal and cuboidal cells were obtained from PSH tissue using a laser capture microdissection(LCM) technique.Total RNA was extracted and mRNA levels of cytokeratin(CK),epithelial membrane antigen(EMA),vimentin(VT),surfactant protein B(SP-B),thyroid transcription factor-1(TTF-1),synaptophysin(Syn),and chromogranin A(Ch-A) were analyzed by RT-PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The CK,EMA and SP-B genes were clearly expressed in cuboidal cells,while the VT and Syn genes were clearly expressed and the EMA gene was weakly expressed in polygonal cells.TTF-1 was expressed in both cell types,while neither cell type expressed ChA.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The differences in morphological phenotype might result from differences in the state of differentiation,cuboidal cells may differentiate into type II pneumocytes,while polygonal cells in stroma possess the multipotency differentiation.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Conventional cytology is valuable in diagnosing the cancer cells in pleural fluid of patients with lung cancer. However, the diagnostic value of detecting pleura micrometastasis is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate clinical significance of CK19 mRNA expression in pleural fluid of patients with lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect CK19 mRNA in pleural fluid from 86 patients with lung cancer and 40 patients with benign lung diseases, and the results were compared with the results of conventional cytologic diagnosis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rates of CK19 mRNA in pleural fluid were 93.0%(80/86) from patients with lung cancer and 20.0% (8/40) from patients with benign lung diseases, which showed an obvious difference between two groups (Chi-square=65.69, P < 0.01). The positive rates of CK19 mRNA in pleural fluid of patients with lung cancer had no correlation with histopathology types (P > 0.05). The sensitivity and accuracy of CK19 mRNA were obviously higher than those of diagnosis of conventional cytology in pleural fluid of patients with lung cancer (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>CK19 mRNA can be taken for a molecular marker to detect pleura micrometastasis, it may be helpful to diagnose the cancer cells in pleural fluid of patients with lung cancer and evaluate the clinical staging more correctly.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Metastasis is the main cause of the death of lung cancer patients. Much attention has been pain to the research of lung cancer metastasis. Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) is one member of metastasis associated protein family. Its overexpression is correlated with metastasis of esophageal carcinoma and breast cancer, but the generality of its expression in cancer and the significance for judging biological behaviors of tumor and evaluating prognosis of patients is to be investigated. The aim of the study is to study the relationship between MTA1 expression and clinicopathological factor regarding metastasis and prognosis of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of MTA1 was detected in 101 parafin-embedded specimens by immunohistochemistry method, as well as in 35 freshly-taken NSCLC tissues by Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were 56 cases (55.4%) of NSCLC with yellow or even brown particles in nucleus of tumor cell among 101 cases, and MTA1 protein showed negative expression in epithelia of bronchi or alveoli in neighboring noncancerous tissue. Western blot analysis showed the level of MTA1 in NSCLC tissues was remarkably higher than that in normal tissues (t=3.953, P=0.000). Expression of MTA1 was remarkably higher in tumor with metastasis than that in tumor without metastasis (t=4.057, P=0.000). Expression of MTA1 significantly correlated with differentiation (Chi-square=10.131, P=0.006), lymphatic metastasis (Chi-square=8.535, P=0.003) and p-TNM stage (Chi-square=17.419, P=0.000). The survival time of pa-tients with negative MTA1 expression was (44.866±12.946) months, which was significantly higher than that of patients with positive MTA1 expression [(23.714±7.498) months] (Chi-square=10.006, P=0.002). In multivariate analysis, only lymphatic metastasis and TNM stage could be considered as independent prognostic factors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MTA1 might play an important role in the development and metastasis of NSCLC. Patients with MTA1 expression have a greater chance of metastasis and a poorer prognosis. However, MTA1 expression is not an independent prognosis factor.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Serine threonine kinase 15 (STK15) is a kind of mitotic kinase. The overexpression of STK15 is significantly associated with carcinogenesis in many tumors, however, its expression and significance in human lung cancer are still unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of STK15 in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung and to analyze the correlation between STK15 expression and clinicopathological factors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The pattern of STK15 protein expression was detected in 44 squamous cell carcinomas, 36 adenocarcinomas and 20 paracancerous lung tissue samples by immunohistochemistry method using anti-STK15 antibody. The relative quantity of STK15 protein expression was detected by Western blot, and STK15 mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR in 40 fresh lung cancer samples and corresponding paracancerous lung tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Positive expression rate of STK15 protein was 68.75% (55/80) in lung cancer tissues and 0% in paracancerous controls (P < 0.001). STK15 expression was significantly related to differentiation grade of lung cancer (P=0.011), but not to histological classification, TNM stages or lymphatic metastasis (P > 0.05). The relative expression levels of STK15 protein (P < 0.001 ) and STK15 mRNA (P < 0.001) in lung cancer tissues were both significantly higher than those of corresponding paracancerous lung tissues.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of STK15 protein and STK15 mRNA is significantly higher in lung cancer tissues than that in paracancerous lung tissues. The expression of STK15 correlates with differentiation of lung cancer.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>So-called pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (PSH) is a rare kind of pulmonary tumor. Its histological origin and nature, which have become research hot spots for many years, are still uncertain. The aim of this study is to investigate the immunophenotype of cuboidal cells and polygonal cells through observing the expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin and p120ctn in cuboidal cells and polygonal cells of PSH.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of E-cadherin, β-catenin and p120 ctn was detected in 25 cases of PSH samples and 8 cases of pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor samples by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemistry results showed that the surface cuboidal cells of PSH were strongly positive on membrane for E-cadherin, β-catenin and p120 ctn , with cytoplasmic positive expression of β-catenin. However,the polygonal cells were negative for E-cadherin, cytoplasmic positive for β-catenin and predominantly cytoplasmic positive and weakly membranous positive for p120ctn . In polygonal cells, all the three adhesion molecules showed heterogenicity staining. The cytoplasm and membrane of inner covering cells in the hemorrhagic pattern were positively stained for E-cadherin, β-catenin and p120ctn . The expression of the three adhesion molecules in hyperplastic type II alveolar cells of pulmonary inflammatory pseudotumor was similar to cuboidal cells of PSH.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It is concluded that cuboidal cells of PSH may be the hyperplastic type II alveolar cells, whereas polygonal cells are true tumor cells lacking the E-cadherin/catenin complex which is expressed in well differentiated epithelial cells. The inner covering cells in the hemorrhagic pattern of PSH are perhaps epithelial cells as cuboidal cells rather than vascular endothelial cells.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>So-called pulmonary sclerosing hemangioma (PSH) is an uncommon tumor of the lung and its histogenesis and origin are uncertain to date. A general consensus appears to have been reached that PSH is a benign neoplasm, but a few PSHs are found to invade and metastasize. The expression of p53 protein and mutation of p53 gene are significant parameters which can reflect biological behavior of tumor cells. The aim of this study is to investigate the p53 protein expression and p53 gene mutation in PSH, and explore their significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of p53 protein and mutation of p53 gene were examined in polygonal cells and cuboidal cells of PSH by immunohistochemical method, laser capture microdissection (LCM), single-stranded conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of p53 protein was 21.1% (4/19) and the mutation rate of p53 gene was 26.3% (5/19) by SSCP and 42.1% (8/19) by DNA sequencing respectively. In 4 cases of immunopositive PSH tissues, 2 were missense mutations, and 1 was both missense and frameshift mutation. Out of 15 cases of immunonegative PSH tissues, 4 were frameshift mutations and 1 was missense mutation. Of 8 PSH tissues with p53 gene mutation, 5 were identified in only polygonal cells, and 2 in only cuboidal cells and 1 in both polygonal and cuboidal cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expression of p53 protein may not be indicative of p53 gene mutation in PSH. The alteration of p53 gene and the expression of p53 protein are identified in both polygonal and cuboidal cells. The high mutation rate of p53 gene may indicate that PSH has potentially malignant biological behavior.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>There are lots of mucus, blood, inflammatory cells and necrotic material in the pick-and-smear slides, resulting in a low detection rate. Liquid-based cytologic test (LCT) has been applied for cervical cytology diagnosis successfully and widely, however it is few reported yet for sputum cytology diagnosis at present. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical value of LCT in sputum examination of patients with lung cancer, and to find a novel method of early diagnosis of lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The cytologic findings and the diagnostic rate for lung cancer were compared between LCT and conventional pick-and-smear method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There were smaller area of smear membrane, clearer background, more distinctly cytologic picture and stereoscopic fell by LCT comparing with pick-and-smear method. The diagnostic rate for small cell lung cancer by LCT was significantly higher than that by pick-and-smear method (P < 0.05). After combined detection of the two methods, the diagnostic rate for lung cancer was obviously improved (85.1%), which was remarkably higher than that by pick-and-smear method alone (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It is operated easily for LCT to be well controlled in making smear and dyeing. LCT may be a novel technique worthy of wide use. Combination of LCT with pick-and-smear method appears to be of great value in clinical application.</p>
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Objective To study the histopathological features, diagnosis criteria, the relationship of surgery pattern and prognosis of phyllode tumor of breast. Methods To analyze the histopathological features and clinical outcome of different surgery patterns in 203 patients with phyllode tumor of breast by Chi square test, Cluster, Focater, Logistic and Cox multivariate regression according to the request of SPSS 10. 0. Results 203 patients with phyllode tumor of breast were divided into three groups, i.e. benign 133 cases, borderline 42 cases and malignant 28 cases. Local recurrences in three groups were 28, 19 and 18, respectively. The patients died from tumor were 0, 2 and 16, and circulatory metastases were 0, 1 and 10, respectively. Five-year survival were 100 %,92. 0% and 33. 3% in the three groups of 131 patients by a 5 years' follow-up survey. Conclusions Tumor necrosis has important value in the diagnosis of phyllode tumor. Nature of tumor margin, cellular pleomorphism, frequency of mitoses and tumor necrosis were statistically appropriate composition in histological diagnosis of phyllode tumor. Wide local excision is preferred for the benign and borderline phyllode tumor, while simple mastectomy is indicated for recurred borderline and malignant, but tylectomy should be abolished in the treatment of phyllode tumor. Correlation of histotypes of phyllode tumor with local recurrence and tumor death was statistically significant at a level of P＜0. 001; correlation of infiltrative growth of the tumor with local recurrence was statistically significant at a level of P＜0. 001. Tumor necrosis and mitotic activity were independent prognostic factors.
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Drug-resistance of tumor is the main reason of the failure of che-motherapy. Much attention has been paid to the expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and its mechanism of drug-resistance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Results of this research will contribute to reversing drug-resistance and improving curative effect. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationships between the expression of MRP and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in patients with NSCLC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of MRP was detected in 62 cases of paraffin-embedded NSCLC samples by streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase complex immunohistochemistry method, as well as in 30 fresh cases of NSCLC samples and corresponding normal lung tissues by immunohistochemistry and Western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MRP expression of NSCLC tissues was significantly higher than that of normal lung tissues. The survival time of patients with negative MRP expression was (69.81±17.41) months, and that of patients with positive MPR expression was (25.38±4.46) months (P=0.0156). This statistically significant relationship between the survival time and prognosis was also showed in squamous cell carcinoma patients (P=0.015), but not in adenocarcinoma. Multivariate COX model analysis suggested that the survival time was significantly related to lymphatic metastasis (P=0.038) and expression of MRP (P=0.035).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MRP expression in NSCLC is significantly higher than that in the normal lung tissues. The mean survival time of patients with negative MRP expression is remarkably longer than that of patients with positive MRP expression. MRP expression may be an independent prognostic factor.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Connexin (Cx), a transmembranous protein, makes up of gap junction, which induces the communication of cells and plays an important role in proliferation and differentiation of cells. The directly or indirectly reduced expression of connexin protein may induce a malignant tendency of cells. E-cadherin is a transmembranous glycoprotein and induces the adhesion of epitheliums and extracellular matrix. The reduced expression or dysfunction of E-cadherin will impair the ability of adhesion and make cells easy to be isolated. The aim of this study is to examine the expressions of Connexin 43 (Cx43) and E-cadherin in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and to analyze their correlation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of Cx43 and E-cadherin proteins were detected in 85 primary NSCLC samples by immunohistochemistry S-P method, and their correlation was then analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expressions of Cx43 and E-cadherin were remarkably decreased in NSCLC tissues. Cx43 and E-cadherin expressions were related to cell differentiation, pTNM stage and lymphatic metastasis of NSCLC. The expression of Cx43 significantly correlated with the expression of E-cadherin.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The expressions of Cx43 and E-cadherin significantly decrease in NSCLC and they correlate with each other. It might be common affairs in carcinogenesis and development of NSCLC.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Immunocytochemistry is valuabale in differentiating malignant fluids from benign ones. However, the diagnostic value of a single tumor marker is limited. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical value of capture of cancer cells in pleural fluids of patients with lung cancer by cytochip.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A new pattern cytochip was developed to immunize hybridization of cells in pleural fluids of patients with 42 lung cancers and with 20 lung benign lesions. Ten antibodies were fixed on the cytochip, they were epithelial specific antigen (ESA), CD44V6, ND-1, T cell (CD3), CD45RO, B cell (CD20), CD79a, Hodgkin's cell (CD15), CD30 and macrophage (CD68).</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The point of positive hybridization showed round distribution with clear border, and the shape of cell displayed well. The positive numbers of ESA, CD44V6, ND-1 were 35, 30, 38 respectively in pleural fluids of 42 patients with luog cancers; lymphocytes and neutrophils were found on the 1 ESA and 1 ND-1 respectively, and only lymphocytes were found on the 3 CD44V6 in 20 ones with lung benign lesions; the other 7 antibodies did not capture cancer cells except for lymphocytes, neutrophils and macrophages from two pleural fluids.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The cytochip could be an important practical foreground in clinic for diagnosing cancer cells in pleural fluids of patients with lung cancer.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a Ser/Thr protein kinase. Many studies have showed that ILK was closely related to occurrence, proliferation, invasion and metastasis in many malignant tumors, and it appeared to be an upstream cross point of tumor-associated factors. The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between the expression of ILK and some clinical pathological factors in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and analyze whether there is relativity between ILK and E-cadherin.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemical S-P method was adopted to detect the expression of ILK and E-cadherin proteins in 76 NSCLC cases with the neighboring noncancerous tissue, and the expressions of them in 30 fresh NSCLC samples were determined with Western Blot assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunohistochemically, the overexpression of ILK protein in NSCLC was 53/76 (69.7%), including 33/44 (75.0%) squamous cell carcinoma and 20/32 (62.5%) adenocarcinoma, but its expression was not related to the histological type (P= 0.247 ). Expression of ILK was related to differentiation (rs=-0.296, P=0.009), lymph node metastasis (rs=0.311, P=0.006) and clinical stage (rs=0.350, P=0.002). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival estimates showed a significant correlation between ILK expression and patient survival in Log-rank test (P=0.006). Overexpression of ILK in NSCLC was associated with unfavorable prognosis. An inverse correlation between the levels of ILK and E-cadherin was found (rs=-0.514, P < 0.001). Western Blot result showed that the level of ILK in the tumor tissues was noticeably higher than that in the normal tissues (t=-6.811, P=0.0002), and an inverse correlation between the levels of ILK and E-cadherin was proved (P=0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>In NSCLC, ILK can interact with some tumor-associated factors, through which it appears to be involved in several oncogenesis-related events ,including promotion of cell survival ,as well as cell migration and invasion.ILK keeps significant inverse correlation to E-cadherin,andit would be one of the pathways for ILK to affect differentia-tion,clinical stage ,lymph node metastasis and prognosis of patients .ILK expression can be a useful predictorof poor prognosis in NSCLC,and the detections of ILK and E-cadherin will help us better to predict prognosisof patients .</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Cell adhesion and tumor metastasis can be regulated by p120ctn . The aim of this work is to investigate the correlation of expression of p120ctn , RhoA and Cdc42, as well as their influence on clinical pathologic factors in non-small cell lung cancer, and to provide evidences for exploring the biological functions of p120ctn in tumors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of p120ctn , RhoA and Cdc42 was detected in 124 cases of non-small cell lung cancer by immunohistochemistry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The p120ctn mainly expressed on the cell membrane of normal bronchial epithelium. Abnormal expression of p120ctn , including decreased membranous expression and increased cytoplasmic expression, was found in 99 of 124 lung cancer specimens (79.8%). The abnormal expression rate of p120ctn evidently related to cell differentiation, TNM stages and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), but not to histological classification. The RhoA and Cdc42 expressed normally in bronchial epithelium, but apparently overexpressed in tumor tissues (62.9%, 78/124; 56.5%, 70/124). The overexpression rate of RhoA and Cdc42 had no significant relationship with clinical pathological characteristics. There were considerable consistency and correlation between abnormal p120ctn expression and overexpression of RhoA and Cdc42 in non-small cell lung cancer (Kappa=0.523, P < 0.001; Kappa=0.493, P < 0.001).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The abnormal expression of p120ctn may play an important role in the up-regulation of RhoA and Cdc42 expression.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the relationship between human heparanase expression and biological factors regarding invasion, metastasis and prognosis of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of heparanase was assessed in 122 paraffin-embedded specimens and 38 freshly-taken tissues by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot. The relationship between heparanase expression and the clinicopathological factors was analyzed by Chi square test, multivariate analysis and Kaplan-Meier method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the immunoreactive cells, staining was mainly located in cytoplasma and membrane. Human heparanase was highly expressed in lung cancer tissues (78.7%, 96/122) while negative in epithelia of normal lung tissues. The level of heparanase was remarkably higher in NSCLC than that in normal tissues ( P = 0.043 ). Expression of heparanase significantly correlated with TNM stage ( P =0.025), lymphatic metastasis ( P =0.002) and vascular invasion ( P =0.000 3). The patients with positive heparanase expression had a significantly shorter survival than those with negative heparanase expression ( P =0.000 6). In multivariate analysis, only p-TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis and vascular invasion could be considered as prognostic factors.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Heparanase might play an important role in the development, invasion and metastasis of NSCLC. It is indicated that patients with positive heparanase expression would have a greater chance of metastasis and a poorer prognosis. However, heparanase expression is not an independent prognostic factor.</p>
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<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To study the abnormal expression of β-catenin and its mRNA in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its relation to histological classification and cell differentiation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-five cases of NSCLC (18 squamous cell carcinomas and 17 adenocarcinomas ) and eight adjacent para-cancerous tissues were obtained from September 2002 to March 2003 and diagnosed pathologically. Immunofluorescence and confocal microscope were used to investigate the distribution of β-catenin. By using the staining of normal cell membrane as a positive control, the staining of tumor cell membrane was divided into two categories, fifty percent or more of tumor cell membranes stained positive and less than fifty percent of tumor cell membranes stained positive. If the image contained one or more cells stained in nuclei or/and cytoplasmic, the image was scored positive. The mRNA expression of β-catenin was detected by one-step RT-PCR. The integrated density values of PCR productions were analyzed semiquantitatively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Immunofluorescence showed that the membranous expression of β-catenin reduced in the thirty-seven percent of NSCLC (13/35). Furthermore, the membranous expression was significantly more heterogeneous in tumors than that in normal tissues. There was no significant difference among the β-catenin expression, histological classification and cell differentiation of the cancer. β-catenin accumulated in the one-hundred percent of the cytoplasm and the fifty-one percent of the nuclei. The mRNA expression of β-catenin in squamous cell carcinoma (0.280±0.136) and adenocarcinoma ( 0.260 ±0.086) was remarkably higher than that in the para-cancerous tissues (0.120±0.069, P < 0.01).There was no significant difference of β-catenin mRNA expression in histological classification and cell differentiation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Abnormal subcellular distribution and deletion of mRNA expression of β-catenin may play an important role in the oncogenesis and progression of NSCLC.</p>