Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Protein Expression in the Cerebral Cortex after Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Hypoxia, or ischemia, is a common cause of neurological deficits in the elderly. This study elucidated the mechanisms underlying ischemia-induced brain injury that results in neurological sequelae. METHODS: Cerebral ischemia was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by transient ligation of the left carotid artery followed by 60 min of hypoxia. A two-dimensional differential proteome analysis was performed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry to compare changes in protein expression on the lesioned side of the cortex relative to that on the contralateral side at 0, 6, and 24 h after ischemia. RESULTS: The expressions of the following five proteins were up-regulated in the ipsilateral cortex at 24 h after ischemia-reperfusion injury compared to the contralateral (i.e., control) side: aconitase 2, neurotensin-related peptide, hypothetical protein XP-212759, 60-kDa heat-shock protein, and aldolase A. The expression of one protein, dynamin-1, was up-regulated only at the 6-h time point. The level of 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein precursor on the lesioned side of the cerebral cortex was found to be high initially, but then down-regulated by 24 h after the induction of ischemia-reperfusion injury. The expressions of several metabolic enzymes and translational factors were also perturbed soon after brain ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the neurodegenerative events that occur following cerebral ischemia.

Relation between angiogenesis, fibrinolysis and invasion/metastasis in breast cancer / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relation between angiogensis, fibrinolysis and invasion/metastasis in breast cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and microvascular density (MVD) was immunohistochemically studied in 110 patients with primary breast cancer.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>High uPA expression was found in 59 patients (53.6%), and weak expression in 51 patients (46.4%). Strong MVD expression was found in 53 patients (48.2%), and weak expression in 57 patients (51.8%). The correlation between uPA expression and tumor size, lymph node status, TNM stage was statistically significant. Expression of MVD was also significantly associated with tumor size and TNM stage. Neither age related to GDDP, menopausal status nor PR ER status was significantly with uPA and MVD expression. Patients with strong expression of uPA and/or MVD had a significantly shorter relapse-free survival than those with weak expression of uPA and/or MVD. Especially, patients with strong expression of both uPA and MVD were likely to develop recurrence and metastasis. Multivariate analysis showed that uPA and MVD were two independent prognostic factors affecting the relapse-free survival.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Angiogensis and fibrinolysis were closely associated with invasion and metastasis of breast cancer. uPA and MVD may be two strong and independent biologic markers in predicting postoperative relapse and metastasis of breast cancer.</p>