Expressions of 6 microRNAs in prostate cancer / 中华男科学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Experimental evidence shows that microRNAs play an important role in the initiation and progression of human malignancies. The present study aimed to investigate the expressions of 6 microRNAs in prostate cancer (PCa) and their clinical significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>We investigated the expression profiles of 6 microRNAs (let-7g, let-7d, miR-98, miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183) using the method of locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified oligonucleotide in situ hybridization (ISH) and the technology of tissue microarray (TMA) with the formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) specimens from 52 patients with PCa and 38 with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Then we analyzed the correlation among the expressions of the 6 microRNAs in PCa and their correlation with the Gleason score and clinical stages of PCa.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with BPH, the PCa patients showed decreased expressions of miR-98, let-7d and let-7g, and decreased expressions of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183, with statistically significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). The positive rate of the 6 microRNAs was significantly correlated with the Gleason grades of PCa (P < 0.05), but not with the age and serum PSA concentration of the patients (P > 0.05). The expressions of miR-96 and miR-182 were correlated with the clinical stages of the tumor (P < 0.05). There was a positive correlation among the expressions of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183 (P = 0.00, r = 0.41), as well as between the expressions of let-7d and let-7g (P = 0.00, r = 0.46) in the PCa tissues. And the expression of miR-98 was positively correlated with those of let-7d and let-7g (P = 0.00, r = 0.46).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The expression profiles of the microRNAs let-7d, let-7g, miR-98, miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183 reflect the biological behavior of PCa to some extent, and might be important biomarkers for the early detection and prognostic assessment of prostate cancer.</p>

Expression of human Sel-1-like gene and its significance in esophageal cancer / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the expression of SEL1L (human Sel-1-like gene) mRNA and protein and its significance in esophageal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemical staining (S-P method) for SEL1L protein was performed in 90 samples of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 35 samples of normal esophageal mucosa 5 cm away from the tumor, 60 samples of esophageal mucosa adjacent to the tumor and 20 samples of esophageal squamous dysplasia. In situ hybridization for SEL1L mRNA was also carried out in the esophageal carcinoma cases and normal esophageal mucosa distant from and adjacent to the tumor.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive rate of SEL1L mRNA was higher in esophageal carcinoma (80.0%, 72/90), as compared with that in normal esophageal mucosa distant from (14.3%, 5/35) and adjacent to (16.7%, 10/60) the tumor (P < 0.01). The positive rate of SEL1L mRNA in tumors with lymph node metastasis (92.7%, 38/41) was higher than that in tumors without lymph node metastasis (69.4%, 34/49) (P < 0.01). On the other hand, the expression rate of SEL1L protein was higher in esophageal carcinoma (87.8%, 79/90) and esophageal dysplasia (90.0%, 18/20), as compared with that in normal esophageal mucosa distant from (14.3%, 5/35) and adjacent to (13.3%, 8/60) the tumor (P < 0.01). The expression of SEL1L protein in esophageal cancer however did not correlate with age and sex of the patient, tumor location, tumor size, degree of differentiation, depth of tumor invasion, lymph node metastasis and tumor clinical stage (P > 0.05). A positive correlation was found between the expression of SEL1L mRNA and SEL1L protein (r = 0.492, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>L1L protein expression is regulated at the transcriptional level. The high SEL1L protein expression is mainly the result of increased transcription. Overexpression of SEL1L protein is likely an early event during the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. SEL1L protein may serve as an important biomarker in identifying patients with higher risk of developing esophageal cancer.</p>