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Objective To investigate the value of different immune and inflammatory indices in predicting the survival outcome of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) after curative-intent resection. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the case data of 122 patients with ICC who underwent curative-intent resection in Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University and Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2012 to December 2017 to analyze the correlation of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), prognostic inflammation index (PII), inflammation score (IS), and systemic inflammation score (SIS) with the disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival of ICC patients after surgery, and the value of the above indices in predicting prognosis was evaluated. The chi-square test or the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and the Log-rank test was used for comparison between groups; the Cox regression model was used for univariate and multivariate analyses, and hazard ratio ( HR ) and 95% confidence interval [ CI ] were calculated. Results The univariate survival analysis showed that NLR ( HR =2.212, P =0.004), LMR ( HR =0.403, P =0.012), PII ( HR =3.013, P < 0.001), prognostic nutritional index (PNI) ( HR =0.530, P =0.019), IS ( HR =1.809, P =0.001), SII ( HR =2.107, P =0.002), and SIS ( HR =2.225, P < 0.001) were predictive factors for postoperative DFS of patients with ICC, and NLR ( HR =2.416, P =0.009), LMR ( HR =0.297, P =0.008), PII ( HR =3.288, P < 0.001), PNI ( HR =0.292, P =0.003), IS ( HR =2.048, P =0.002), SII ( HR =1.839, P =0.049), and SIS ( HR =2.335, P < 0.001) were predictive factors for postoperative OS of patients with ICC. The multivariate survival analysis showed that high levels of PII ( HR =2.146, P =0.035) and SIS ( HR =2.511, P < 0.001) were independent influencing factors for postoperative DFS of ICC patients, and high levels of PII ( HR =2.981, P =0.009), PNI ( HR =0.261, P =0.002), and SIS ( HR =2.294, P =0.010) were independent influencing factors for postoperative OS. The patients with a high level of PII tended to have advanced tumor T stage ( χ 2 =8.777, P =0.003) and M stage ( P =0.029), and the patients with high-grade SIS tended to have advanced N stage ( χ 2 =9.985, P =0.030) and M stage ( χ 2 =8.574, P =0.012). Conclusion Among the various inflammation indices, PII and SIS are recommended for preoperative stratification and prediction of the outcome of ICC patients after curative-intent resection.
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Objective@#To detect the possible molecular mechanisms of the formation of vessels that encapsulated tumor clusters (VETC) and identify the relationship between vimentin protein expression in endothelial cells and contrast-enhanced ultrasound characters in VETC (+ ) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).@*Methods@#A total of 64 paraffin embedded HCC tissue samples were collected, all of which the tumor diameters were between 2 cm and 5 cm measured by the preoperative ultrasound. Immunohistochemistry staining for CD34 was used to detect the formation of VETC and the expressions of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and vimentin were also determined. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were treated with 150 ng/ml recombinant human Ang-2 protein (rhAng-2) at various times and the protein expression of vimentin was detected by western blot assay. The contrast-enhanced ultrasound characters were also analyzed in both VETC (+ ) and VETC (-) HCC.@*Results@#Tumor clusters encapsulated by vessels to form cobweb-like networks, which were identified as VETC phenotype, were observed in 27 HCC tissues (42.18%). In VETC (+ ) HCC tissues, Ang-2 was overexpressed in tumor cells and endothelial cells while vimentin was only upregulated in endothelial cells. With the treatment of 150 ng/ml rhAng-2 protein, the expression of vimentin in HUVECs was 0.878±0.102 and 0.918±0.092 at 12 h and 36 h, significantly upregulated when compared to the 0.322±0.061 at 6 h (P<0.01). In contrast-enhanced ultrasound, a crack and tendon-like filling character was observed in VETC (+ ) HCC during the arterial-phase, while the large scale and diffuse-like filling character was observed in VETC (-) HCC. The filling time of unit diameter in VETC (+ ) HCC was (3.95±0.22)s, significantly longer than (2.28±0.27)s of VETC (-) HCC (P<0.01).@*Conclusions@#The overexpressions of Ang-2 and vimentin are positively correlated with the formation of VETC and considered as potential therapeutic targets of VETC (+ ) HCC. The crack and tendon-like filling characters in arterial-phase of contrast-enhanced ultrasound indicates the VETC (+ ) HCC.
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The occurrence of malignant tunors is increasing annually around the world.In every year,8.2 million patients died of malignant tumors in which about 90％ patients died of malignant tumors associated multiple organs metastases.Inhibiting tumor metastasis is the key event to prolong the survival time of patients.With the further research,tumor-vessel associated extravascular tumor metastasis is playing an increasingly important role in the clinical application.This paper summarizes the new developments of tumor-vessel associated extravascular tumor metastasis to provide possible ideas for the therapy of malignant tumors.
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Objective To investigate the mechanisms of hypoxia inducible factor-2 alpha (HIF-2a) regulating human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under hypoxic conditions.Methods The experimental study was adopted.(1) HUVECs in logarithmic growth phase were taken:HUVECs without any disposals as control group,HUVECs with shRNA transfection control as shRNA control group,HUVECs with HIF-2α shRNA transfection as HIF-2α shRNA group and HUVECs with HIF-2α shRNA transfection then added rhAng-2 as HIF-2α ± rh-Ang-2 group.(2) Western blot testing:the expressions of Ang-2 and HIF-2α proteins in HUVECs were cultured under hypoxia conditions at 0,2,4,8,12,16,20 hours,and the levels of which were detected in the control group,shRNA control group and HIF-2α shRNA group.(3) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA):the level of Ang-2 protein in supernatant of HUVECs was detected in the control group,shRNA control group and HIF-2α shRNA group.(4)The amounts of endothelial cell tubes in HUVECs among the 4 groups were detected by tube formation experimental testing.(5) Transwell method was performed to detect the amounts of cells migration in HUVECs and hepatoma cells SMMC-7721 migration intervened by supernatant of HUVECs among the 4 groups.Measurement data with normal distribution were presented as x ± s,repeated measurement data were analyzed by the repeated measures ANOVA,comparison among groups and pairwise comparison were conducted respectively by the one-way ANOVA and Dunnett's test.Results (1) Western blot test:the expression levels of Ang-2 and HIF-2α proteins in HUVECs under hypoxia conditions at 0,2,4,8,12,16,20 hours were 0.110 ±0.011,0.120 ±0.020,0.210 ±0.070,0.410 ±0.100,0.520 ± 0.090,0.790±0.130 1.010 ±0.220 and 0.180 ±0.090,0.410 ±0.070,0.470 ±0.110,0.470 ±0.070,0.580 ± 0.120,0.690 ± 0.140,0.920 ± 0.130,respectively,and which were increased after culturing under hypoxia conditions and had an ascending tendency as the hypoxia time extended,with statistically significant differences (F =403.550,3 265.587,P ＜ 0.05).The expression levels of Ang-2 and HIF-2α proteins in the control group,shRNA control group and HIF-2α shRNA group were 1.030 ±0.180,1.070 ±0.120,0.210 ± 0.070,and 0.940 ± 0.110,0.930 ± 0.190,0.170 ± 0.021,respectively,showing statistically significant differences (F =290.242,26.688,P ＜ 0.05).(2) The results of ELISA:the expression levels of Ang-2 in the control group,shRNA control group and HIF-2α shRNA group were (433.2 ±9.7)ng/L,(438.3 ± 2.6)ng/L,(114.6 ± 4.2) ng/L,with a statistically significant difference (F =2 642.180,P ＜ 0.05).(3) The results of tube formation experiments:the number of endothelial cell tubes in the control group,shRNA control group,HIF-2α shRNA group and HIF-2α ± rh-Ang-2 group were 48.3 ± 2.5,47.4 ± 3.1,19.7 ± 1.5 and 38.3 ± 2.1,respectively,with a statistically significant difference (F =148.196,P ＜ 0.05).(4) The results of Transwell method:① the number of HUVECs migration in the control group,shRNA control group,HIF-2α shRNA group and HIF-2α + rh-Ang-2 group were 140.3-± 3.5,142.7 ± 2.1,42.7 ± 3.1 and 78.1 ± 4.2,respectively,showing a statistically significant differences (F =212.205,P ＜ 0.05).②The results of Transwell method:the number of SMMC-7721 cells migration after intervening using four different supernatant in the control group,shRNA control group,HIF-2α shRNA group and HIF-2α ± rh-Ang-2 group were 106.7 ± 5.5,102.7 ± 6.6,63.0 ± 3.3 and 96.7 ± 2.1,respectively,showing a statistically significant difference (F =55.122,P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion HIF-2a could not only affect HUVECs formation but also promote SMMC-7721 cells migration via regulating Ang-2 expression.
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<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the methylation status of TMS1 gene and its demethylation by arsenic trioxide (As₂O₃) in K562 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>K562 cells were treated with different concentrations of As₂O₃ for 48 hours. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was used to determine the methylation status of TMS1. RT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the levels of TMS1 mRNA and protein. TMS1 associated apoptosis proteins Bcl-2/Bax were also analyzed by Western blot. Apoptosis were evaluated by flow cytometry using Annexin V/propium iodide (PI) double staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TMS1 gene was completely methylated in K562 cells and the levels of TMS1 mRNA and protein were low (0.01±0.01, 0.09±0.02), which could be reversed (mRNA: 0.72±0.04; protein: 1.30±0.06; P<0.01) by 2 μmol/L As2O3 via overt demethylation of TMS1 gene. Apoptosis in experiment group (12.24±1.06) was significantly higher than that in control group (2.05±0.16, P<0.05). In experiment group, the down-expression of antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and up-expression of pro-apoptotic protein Bax led to an obvious decline ratio of Bcl-2/Bax (0.56±0.12), as compared to the control group (1.94±0.14, P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>As₂O₃ could up-regulate TMS1 gene expression by reversing its hypermethylation and induced apoptosis by down-regulation of Bcl-2/Bax ratio in K562 cells.</p>
Subject(s)
Humans , Apoptosis , Arsenicals , Pharmacology , CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins , Cytoskeletal Proteins , Metabolism , DNA Methylation , Down-Regulation , Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic , K562 Cells , Oxides , Pharmacology , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 , Metabolism , bcl-2-Associated X Protein , MetabolismABSTRACT
Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and stroke. Studies have shown that the incidence of SAS increases significantly after stroke.This article reviews the mechanism of atherosclerosis caused by SAS and the characteristics and research progress of sleep apnea after stroke.