Pseudogene CSPG4P12 inhibits colorectal cancer progression by attenuating epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers. Pseudogenes have been identified as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes in the development of various cancers. However, the function of pseudogene CSPG4P12 in colorectal cancer remains unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential role of CSPG4P12 in colorectal cancer and explore the possible underlying mechanism. The difference of CSPG4P12 expression between colorectal cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues was analyzed using the online Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2 (GEPIA2) database. Cell viability and colony formation assays were conducted to evaluate cell viability. Transwell and wound healing assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion capacities. Western blot was used to measure the expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related proteins. Colorectal cancer tissues had lower CSPG4P12 expression than adjacent normal tissues. The overexpression of CSPG4P12 inhibited cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in colorectal cancer cells. Overexpressed CSPG4P12 promoted the expression of E-cadherin, whereas it inhibited the expression of vimentin, N-cadherin, and MMP9. These findings suggested that CSPG4P12 inhibits colorectal cancer development and may serve as a new potential target for colorectal cancer.

Pathogenesis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis and Modulating Effect of Chinese Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis （IPF）， as a progressive lung disease， has a poor prognosis and no reliable and effective therapies. IPF is mainly treated by organ transplantation and administration of chemical drugs， which are ineffective and induce side effects， failing to meet the clinical needs. Therefore， developing safer and more effective drugs has become an urgent task， which necessitates clear understanding of the pathogenesis of IPF. The available studies about the pathogenesis of IPF mainly focus on macrophage polarization， epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT）， oxidative stress， and autophagy， while few studies systematically explain the principles and links of the pathogeneses. According to the traditional Chinese medicine theory， Qi deficiency and blood stasis and Qi-Yang deficiency are the key pathogeneses of IPF. Therefore， the Chinese medicines or compound prescriptions with the effects of replenishing Qi and activating blood， warming Yang and tonifying Qi， and eliminating stasis and resolving phlegm are often used to treat IPF. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that such medicines play a positive role in inhibiting macrophage polarization， restoring redox balance， inhibiting EMT， and regulating cell autophagy. However， few studies report how Chinese medicines regulate the pathways in the treatment of IPF. By reviewing the latest articles in this field， we elaborate on the pathogenesis of IPF and provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanism of the active ingredients or compound prescriptions of Chinese medicines in regulating IPF. Combining the pathogenesis of IPF with the modulating effects of Chinese medicines， we focus on exploring systemic treatment options for IPF， with a view to providing new ideas for the in-depth study of IPF and the research and development of related drugs.

Magnolol and 5-fluorouracil synergy inhibition of metastasis of cervical cancer cells by targeting PI3K/AKT/mTOR and EMT pathways / 中草药·英文版

OBJECTIVE@#This study is designed to investigate the mode of action of the synergistic effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and magnolol against cervical cancer.@*METHODS@#Network pharmacological approach was applied to predict the molecular mechanism of 5-FU combined with magnolol against cervical cancer. CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, immunofluorescence staining, adhesion assay, wound healing mobility assay, cell migration and invasion assay and Western blot analysis were conducted to validate the results of in silico study.@*RESULTS@#Phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway was identified as the key pathway in silico study. The experimental results showed that 5-FU combined with magnolol strongly inhibited cervical cancer cell proliferation, induced the morphological change of HeLa cells by down-regulating the expression of α-actinin, tensin-2 and vinculin. Moreover, magnolol enhanced inhibitory effect of 5-FU on the cell adhesion, migration and invasion. The phosphorylation of AKT and PI3K and the expression of mTOR were strongly inhibited by the combination of 5-FU and magnolol. Moreover, the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin was upregulated and the expression of Snail, Slug and vimentin was down-regulated by the 5-FU together with magnolol.@*CONCLUSION@#Taken together, this study suggests that 5-FU combined with magnolol exerts a synergistic anti-cervical cancer effect by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) signaling pathways.

Effect of Qianyang Yuyin Granules on Mesenchymal Transdifferentiation of Renal Tubular Epithelial Cells Induced by TGF-β1 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveBy observing the effect of Qianyang Yuyin granules on the phenotype of renal tubule epithelial cells， the intervention of Qianyang Yuyin granule on renal interstitial fibrosis was investigated. MethodThe renal tubular epithelial cells （HK-2） were treated with different concentrations of transforming growth factor （TGF）-β1 （5， 10， 15， 20， 25 μg·L-1） for 24 hours， and cell morphology and growth state were observed with an inverted phase contrast microscope. The 20 μg·L-1 was selected as the most appropriate concentration of TGF-β1 according to Western blot results for subsequent experiments. HK-2 cells were divided into six groups： blank group， TGF-β1 group （concentration of 20 μg·L-1）， low， medium， and high dose Qianyang Yuyin granule groups （concentration of 0.5， 1， 2 g·L-1）， and valsartan group （1 × 10-5 mol·L-1）. The cell activity was measured by cell proliferation and cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）. The cell migration ability was detected by scratch test. The Transwell method was used to detect the invasiveness of cells. Western blot was used to detect levels of fibronectin （FN）， E-cadherin， α-smooth muscle activator （α-SMA）， Vimentin， collagen type Ⅰ（Col Ⅰ）， collagen type Ⅳ（Col Ⅳ）， and other related proteins. ResultTGF-β1 stimulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition （EMT） in renal tubular epithelial cells was time- and concentration-dependent. Compared with the blank group， higher concentration in the TGF-β1 group indicates longer intervention time and more obvious long spindle change of cells， and the migration and invasion ability of the cells was significantly enhanced. The protein expression level of FN， α-SMA， Vimentin， Col Ⅰ， and Col Ⅳ increased significantly （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression level of E-cadherin protein decreased （P<0.05）. Compared with the TGF-β1 group， Qianyang Yuyin granule groups could maintain normal cell morphology， and the migration and invasion ability of the cells was inhibited. The protein expression level of FN， α-SMA， Vimentin， Col Ⅰ， and Col Ⅳ decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of E-cadherin protein was significantly restored （P<0.05）. ConclusionQianyang Yuyin granule can reverse TGF-β1-induced interstitial transformation of renal tubular epithelial cells by reducing the phenotypic expression of mesenchymal cells and increasing the phenotypic expression of epithelial cells.

Hsa_circ_0013561 promotes progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by activating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Abstract Objective Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC) is a malignancy of epithelium of epithelium of the nasopharynx, with the highest incidence of otolaryngeal malignancies. A growing number of studies confirm that Circular RNA (circRNA) plays an important role in tumor development, including Hsa_circ_0013561. This study aims to elucidate the process and mechanism of NPC regulation hsa_circ_0013561. Methods In this study, circRNA expression nodes and subcellular localization in NPC tissues were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The expression of hsa_circ_0013561 in NPC cells was further clarified by RT-qPCR. At the same time, the lentivirus vector interfered by hsa_circ_0013561 was constructed and transfected. The cell proliferation was detected by CCK-8 method, EdU assay and plate cloning assay. The cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry, and the cell migration ability was detected by wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Western blotting examined the expression of apoptosis, Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)-associated proteins, and Janus Kinase/Signal Transductor and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway-related proteins. Results The results showed that the expression of hsa_circ_0013561 in NPC samples was significantly upregulated and hsa_circ_0013561 localized in the cytoplasm. After down-regulating hsa_circ_0013561 expression, it significantly inhibited the proliferation and metastasis ability of NPC, inhibited EMT progression, and promoted apoptosis. Further studies showed that interference hsa_circ_0013561 significantly inhibited JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation and induced the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Conclusion In summary, we found that hsa_circ_0013561 is a pro-tumor circRNA in NPC, which can reduce the activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway by knocking down hsa_circ_0013561, thereby slowing down the malignant progression of NPC. Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 Levels of Evidence Level 4.

Immunohistochemical appraisal of epithelial mesenchymal transition type III in gall bladder cancer

Background: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the heart of invasion. EMT associated with cancer progression and metastasis is known as type III EMT. Beta-catenin, E-cadherin, and MMP9 markers of EMT are routinely employed for diagnostic purposes. Aims: We employed these markers to study EMT by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in gall bladder cancer (GBC) with respect to depth of tumor invasion, clinical outcome, and disease-free survival. Settings and Design: This was a prospective case-control study. Material and Methods: Seventy gall bladders were included (50 GBC and 20 CC). After detailed histology, immunoexpression was studied in terms of percentage and strength of expression. Statistics Analysis Used: Expression was compared between CC and GBC by Student t test and analysis of variance. Kaplan–Meier was used for survival analysis, and the extent of agreement (“Kappa”) was calculated. Results and Conclusions: The age of incidence of GBC was 49.40 (+11.6) years with female predominance (F:M = 4:1). In 88% (44/50) of GBC, the fundus was involved. Moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma was most frequent [54%; 27/50]. Significant downregulation of E-cadherin (P = 0.022) and beta-catenin (P < 0.001) and upregulation in MMP9 (P < 0.001) were seen in GBC with respect to CC with significant association among them. MMP9 expression was significantly associated with higher tumor stage but with chemotherapeutic response. Our results display that epithelial-mesenchymal transition type III plays a role in GBC invasion. MMP9 overexpression and loss of membranous beta-catenin may be considered a marker for poor clinical outcomes and advanced disease.

Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma combination inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer HT-29 cells by regulating EMT / 中国中药杂志

This study aims to investigate the effect of Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma(AC) combination on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer HT-29 cells based on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT). HT-29 cells were respectively treated with 0, 3, 6 and 12 g·kg~(-1) AC-containing serum for 48 h. The survival and growth of cells were measured by thiazole blue(MTT) colorimetry, and the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cells were detected by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU) test and Transwell assay. Cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. The BALB/c nude mouse model of subcutaneous colon cancer xenograft was established, and then model mice were classified into blank control group, 6 g·kg~(-1) AC group, and 12 g·kg~(-1) AC group. The tumor weight and volume of mice were recorded, and the histopathological morphology of the tumor was observed based on hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The expression of apoptosis-associated proteins B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein(Bax), cysteine-aspartic acid protease-3(caspase-3), and cleaved caspase-3, and EMT-associated proteins E-cadherin, MMP9, MMP2 and vimentin in HT-29 cells and mouse tumor tissues after the treatment of AC was determined by Western blot. The results showed that cell survival rate and the number of cells at proliferation stage decreased compared with those in the blank control group. The number of migrating and invading cells reduced and the number of apoptotic cells increased in the administration groups compared with those in the blank control group. As for the in vivo experiment, compared with the blank control group, the administration groups had small tumors with low mass and shrinkage of cells and karyopycnosis in the tumor tissue, indicating that the AC combination may improve EMT. In addition, the expression of Bcl2 and E-cadherin increased and the expression of Bax, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, MMP9, MMP2, and vimentin decreased in HT-29 cells and tumor tissues in each administration group. In summary, the AC combination can significantly inhibit the proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT of HT-29 cells in vivo and in vitro and promote the apoptosis of colon cancer cells.

Epimedium regulates stem cell-like character of breast cancer via miR-148a / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe the effect of epimedium on the proliferation and stem cell-like character expression of breast cancer cells, and investigate the relationship between the inhibition of stem cell-like character and miR-148a by epimedium, and its molecular mechanism. Methods After treatment with different concentrations of epimedium, cell viability and population dependence were detected by MTT assay and colony formation assay; the breast cancer stem cell-derived mammosphere formation was examined by Mammosphere assay; the expression levels of CD44,ALDH-1, Oct4,BMIl and EpCAM were detected by qPCR; the protein expression levels of EpCAM, SOX4, ZO-1, E-cadherin and vimentin were detected by Western blot; the protein localization of EpCAM was observed by im-munofluorescence assay; the effect of epimedium on migration was detected by wound healing assay. The miR-148a mimic was transfected into MDA-MB-231 cells, and the effects of epimedium on stem-like character expression of transfected MDA-MB-231 cells were observed. Results Epimedium significantly inhibited the proliferation and population dependence of MDA-MB-231 cells (P < 0.05 ), and reduced the breast cancer stem cell-derived mammosphere formation; compared with control group, epimedium significantly decreased mRNA levels of CD44, ALDH-1, Oct4, BMI1 and EpCAM (P <0.05) ,decreased protein contents of EpCAM, SOX4 and Vimentin (P < 0.05 ), up-regulated the protein expression of ZO-1 and e-cadherin ( P <0.05) ,and decreased the migration ability of MDA-MB-231 cells (P < 0.05). Epimedium up-regulated the expression of miR-148a in MDA-MB-231 cells (P <0.01). YYH + miR-148a mimic group significantly inhibited stem-like character expression and EMT process of breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells compared with control group (P <0.05). Conclusions Epimedium can inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells, which may be related to the up-regulation of miR-148a, decrease of stem-like character expression of breast cancer cells,and inhibition of EMT.

Effect of Taohong Siwu Decoction on apoptosis and EMT of pulmonary fibrosis model rats by JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effect of Taohong Siwu Decoction on apoptosis and EMT of pulmonary fibrosis model rats by JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, methylprednisolone group, Taohong Siwu Decoction low-concentration, high-concentration group respectively, with eight cases in each group. The intratracheal injection of bleomycin was applied to induce IPF rat models. HE and Masson staining were performed to observe the pathological changes of lung tissues in each group. ELISA was used to detect the contents of TNF-α, MMP-7 and TGFβ-l in serum of rats. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were applied to detect the protein expression of JAK2, pJAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, E-cadherin, α-SMA in lung tissues. RT-PCR was applied to detect the expression of JAK2, STAT3, Bcl2 and Bax genes in lung tissues. Results Compared with control group, the degree of alveolar inflammation and fibrosis degree, the contents of TNF-α, MMP-7 and TGFβ-1 in serum, the levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, α-SMA protein expression, JAK2, STAT3, Bax gene expression were up-regulated, and the levels of Bcl-2 gene and E-cadherin protein expression were down-regulated in lung tissues. Compared with model group, the degree of alveolar inflammation and fibrosis, the contents of TNF-α, MMP-7 and TGFβ-1 in serum, the levels of JAK2, p-JAK2, STAT3, p-STAT3, α-SMA protein expression, JAK2, STAT3 and Bax gene expression were reduced, while the levels of Bcl-2 gene and E-cadherin protein expression were elevated in Taohong Siwu Decoction high-concentration group. Conclusions Taohong Siwu Decoction may regulate JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, down-regulate Bax, α-SMA and up-regulate Bcl-2, E-cadherin expression to induce apoptosis and EMT in rat model of pulmonary fibrosis, thus playing an anti-pulmonary fibrosis role.

Effects of miR-619-5p on proliferation, migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells / 中国药理学通报

Aim To investigate the involvement and mechanism of miR-619-5p in the proliferation, migration and invasion of human breast cancer cells. Methods The expression of miR-619-5p in breast cancer and normal breast tissue and cells was detected using bioinformatic analysis or qRT-PCR. After transfection with miR-619-5p mimics or inhibitors, the expression of miR-619-5p and EMT-related molecule mRNA was determined by qRT-PCR. Cell proliferation was detected using CCK-8 assay; cell migration and invasion capacity was estimated by the wound healing assay and Transwell assay. The protein levels of EMT-related molecules were analyzed by Western blot. The target genes of miR-619-5p were analyzed by bioinformatic a-nalysis, and a preliminary analysis of the potential target gene CREB1 was carried out. Results miR-619-5p was low expressed in breast cancer tissues and breast cancer cells. Compared with the control group, over-expression of miR-619-5p resulted in up-regula-tion of miR-619-5p expression levels and EMT epithelial markers, down-regulation of pro-EMT molecules and mesenchymal markers, impairment of cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and down-regulation of CREB1 expression. The results of the low miR-619-5p expression group were opposite to the above results. Conclusions In breast cancer tissue and cells, miR-619-5p expression is lower. miR-619-5p inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of breast cancer cells, and its possible mechanism of the effects may be targeting CREB1.

Effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction on β-catenin and EMT in kidney tissue of UUO rats / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the effect of Liuwei Dihuang decoction ( LWDHD) on the expression of β-catenin, E-cadherin,α-SMA, the pathological changes of renal tissue, and the changes of an epithelial-mesen-chymal transformation ( EMT) in renal tissue of rats with unilateral ureteral obstruction ( UUO ) . Methods Forty-eight SPF grade SD rats were randomly divided into sham group ( Sham), model group ( UUO), Liuwei Dihuang decoction low, medium, and high groups ( LWDHD 3. 375, 6. 75, 13. 5 g · kg

Targeting microRNA-125b inhibited the metastasis of Alisertib resistance cells through mediating p53 pathway / 中华肿瘤杂志

Objective: To clarify the mechanisms involvement in Alisertib-resistant colorectal cells and explore a potential target to overcome Alisertib-resistance. Methods: Drug-resistant colon cancer cell line (named as HCT-8-7T cells) was established and transplanted into immunodeficient mice. The metastasis in vivo were observed. Proliferation and migration of HCT-8-7T cells and their parental cells were assessed by colony formation and Transwell assay, respectively. Glycolytic capacity and glutamine metabolism of cells were analyzed by metabolism assays. The protein and mRNA levels of critical factors which are involved in mediating glycolysis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were examined by western blot and reverse transcription-quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR), respectively. Results: In comparison with the mice transplanted with HCT-8 cells, which were survival with limited metastatic tumor cells in organs, aggressive metastases were observed in liver, lung, kidney and ovary of HCT-8-7T transplanted mice (P<0.05). The levels of ATP [(0.10±0.01) mmol/L], glycolysis [(81.77±8.21) mpH/min] and the capacity of glycolysis [(55.50±3.48) mpH/min] in HCT-8-7T cells were higher than those of HCT-8 cells [(0.04±0.01) mmol/L, (27.77±2.55) mpH/min and(14.00±1.19) mpH/min, respectively, P<0.05]. Meanwhile, the levels of p53 protein and mRNA in HCT-8-7T cells were potently decreased as compared to that in HCT-8 cells (P<0.05). However, the level of miRNA-125b (2.21±0.12) in HCT-8-7T cells was significantly elevated as compared to that in HCT-8 cells (1.00±0.00, P<0.001). In HCT-8-7T cells, forced-expression of p53 reduced the colon number (162.00±24.00) and the migration [(18.53±5.67)%] as compared with those in cells transfected with control vector [274.70±40.50 and (100.00±29.06)%, P<0.05, respectively]. Similarly, miR-125b mimic decreased the glycolysis [(25.28±9.51) mpH/min] in HCT-8-7T cells as compared with that [(54.38±12.70)mpH/min, P=0.003] in HCT-8-7T cells transfected with control. Meanwhile, in comparison with control transfected HCT-8-7T cells, miR-125b mimic also significantly led to an increase in the levels of p53 and β-catenin, in parallel with a decrease in the levels of PFK1 and HK1 in HCT-8-7T cells (P<0.05). Conclusions: Silencing of p53 by miR-125b could be one of the mechanisms that contributes to Alisertib resistance. Targeting miR-125b could be a strategy to overcome Alisertib resistance.

Berberine Promotes Mouse Breast Cancer Metastasis to Lung via Inducing Epithelial–mesenchymal Transition / 肿瘤防治研究

Objective To study the effect and mechanism of berberine (BBR) on the lung metastasis of mouse breast cancer via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods CCK-8 and Transwell migration assays were utilized to investigate the proliferation and migration properties of breast cancer 4T1 cells after BBR treatment.Mouse 4T1-Luc cells were injected into mice under the fourth mammary fat pad, and the mice were then randomly divided into the control and BBR groups.The mice in the BBR group received daily intraperitoneal injections of BBR working solution and those in the control group were continuously intraperitoneally injected with the same volume of the solvent used to dissolve BBR powder.Tumor metastasis in the lungs of living mice was detected by using an in vivo imaging system.After 42 days of administration, lung metastasis was measured via microscopy and HE staining.Western blot analysis was used to examine the effects of BBR on the expression of EMT-related proteins (Vimentin and Snail) as well as the activation of the Akt and ERK signaling pathways. Results BBR significantly promoted 4T1 cell migration (P < 0.05).In vivo experiments showed that the number of lung metastases in the BBR group had significantly increased compared with that in control group (P < 0.05) as observed under microcopy and histological staining.Compared with the control group, BBR upregulated the expression levels of Vimentin and Snail as well as the phosphorylated levels of p-Akt and p-ERK (P < 0.05). Conclusion BBR may promote EMT and lung metastasis of breast cancer 4T1 cells by activating the expression of proteins in the p-Akt and p-ERK pathways.

Chinese Herbal Medicine Feiyanning Prescription Regulates EMT to Reverse Cisplatin Resistance in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Feiyanning prescription （FYN） on cisplatin （DDP） resistance in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） and explore the underlying mechanism. MethodCell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to detect the proliferation of A549 and A549/DDP （DDP-resistant） cells treated by DDP （0， 2.0， 4.0， 6.0， 8.0， 10.0 mg⋅L-1） and the proliferation of A549/DDP cells treated by FYN （0， 100， 200， 300， 400， 500， 600 mg⋅L-1）. Based on immunofluorescence staining and Western blot （WB）， the expression of epithelial mesenchymal transition （EMT）-related proteins in A549 and A549/DDP groups was observed. A549/DDP cells were classified into control group， FYN group （200 mg⋅L-1）， DDP group （6.0 mg⋅L-1）， and combination group ［FYN （200 mg⋅L-1） + DDP （6.0 mg⋅L-1）］ and respectively treated with corresponding drugs. Then， invasion ability of each group was examined by transwell assay， and the expression of EMT-related proteins in each group by WB. Moreover， real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） and immunofluorescence staining were separately applied to detect the mRNA and protein expression of drug resistance-related factors in each group， respectively. ResultCompared with A549 group， A549/DDP group showed high resistance to DDP （P<0.01）， low expression of E-cadherin， and high protein expression of Vimentin， N-cadherin， and Snail （P<0.05， P<0.01）. As compared with the control group， FYN inhibited the proliferation of A549/DDP cells in a concentration-dependent manner （P<0.01）， and the FYN group， DDP group， and combination group demonstrated low invasion ability （P<0.01）. In addition， the invasion ability in the combination group was particularly lower than that in the DDP group （P<0.01）. The expression of E-cadherin protein was higher and the protein expression of N-cadherin， Vimentin， and Snail was lower in the in FYN group than in the control group （P<0.01）. The protein expression of E-cadherin， N-cadherin， and Vimentin was lower and the expression of Snail was higher in the DDP group than in the control group （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The protein expression of E-cadherin， N-cadherin， Vimentin， and Snail in the combination group decreased as compared with that in the control group （P<0.01）. Compared with the DDP alone， the combination raised the expression of E-cadherin and lowered the protein expression of N-cadherin， Vimentin， and Snail （P<0.01）. The protein and mRNA expression of lung resistance-related protein （LRP） and multidrug resistance 1 （MDR1） was lower and the protein and mRNA expression of topoisomerase Ⅱα （TOPO Ⅱα） was higher in the FYN group than in the control group （P<0.01）. The protein and mRNA expression of LRP， MDR1， and TOPO Ⅱα was higher in the DDP group than in the control group （P<0.01）. The expression of LRP protein and mRNA showed no significant variation， but the protein and mRNA expression of MDR1 and TOPO Ⅱα increased in the combination group compared with those in the control group （P<0.01）. Compared with the DDP group， FYN group and combination group showed low protein and mRNA expression of LRP and MDR1 and high protein and mRNA expression of TOPO Ⅱα （P<0.01）. Compared with FYN， the combination elevated the protein and mRNA expression of LRP， MDR1， and TOPO Ⅱα （P<0.01）. ConclusionFYN prescription can reverse the DDP resistance of NSCLC by modulating EMT.

Ethyl Acetate Extract of Helicteres hirsuta Suppresses MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cell Mobility

Objective: To investigate the anticancer activity of Helicteres hirsuta (H. hirsute) extract against a breast cancer cell line- MCF7. Methods: H. hirsute was extracted in absolute methanol. Further, the crude extract was further partitioned in n-hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate. The total phenolic and flavonoid content were determined by using spectroscopic methods with gallic acid and quercetin standard compounds, respectively. Anticancer activities of H. hirsuta extract was elucidated by MTT, wound headling, and transwell invasion assays. Results: Total phenolic compounds in H. hirsute extracts reached 22.07 � 2.54, 58.57 5.54 and 235.56 � 7.54 mg GAE/g in each n hexan, chloroform, ethyl acetate fractions, respectively. Whereas the ethyl acetate fraction showed the greatest phenolic contents with 235.56 � 7.54 mg GAE/g. Moreover, the flavonoid contents of H. hirsute extracts reached 5.76 � 0.94, 9.25 � 1.84 and 19.37 � 2.57 mg quercetin equivalent/g in each n hexan, chloroform, ethyl acetate fractions, respectively, in which, the ethyl acetate fraction also showed the highest amounts of flavonoid contents. Further, the ethyl acetate of H. hirsute significantly decreased the viability of breast cancer MCF7 cells after 48 h treatment with IC50 value of 95 � 2.54 compared to control. In addition, the ethyl acetate extract of H. hirsute suppressed the invasion and migration of MCF7 cell lines in a dose-dependent manner at non-toxic concentrations. Conclusions: The ethyl acetate of H. hirsute suppressed the growth and motility of breast cancer MCF7 cells.

Estudo da imunoexpressão de proteínas envolvidas na transição epitélio-mesênquima em tumores de glândula salivar / Study of the immunoexpression of proteins involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in salivary gland tumors

Os tumores de glândula salivar (TGS) apresentam notável complexidade clínica e biológica, razão para a qual muitos estudos investigam os eventos envolvidos na sua progressão. Uma das dinâmicas envolvidas na invasão tumoral de diversos tipos de carcinomas é a transição epitélio-mesênquima (TEM). Neste processo, as células epiteliais sofrem transição para um estado mesenquimal móvel, favorecendo a invasão e metástase. Sendo assim, esta pesquisa analisou a expressão imuno-histoquímica de E-caderina, Twist1, Snail1, α-SMA, metaloproteinases de matriz 9 (MMP-9) e Vimentina (VM) em 90 casos de TGS, correlacionando-os entre si e com parâmetros clinicopatológicos. Foram selecionados 20 casos de Adenoma pleomórfico (AP), 20 casos de Carcinoma mucoepidermoide (CME), 20 casos de Carcinoma adenoide cístico (CAC), 10 casos de Adenocarcinoma polimorfo (ACP), 10 casos de Carcinoma epitelial-mioepitelial (CEME) e 10 casos de Carcinoma ex-adenoma pleomórfico (CexAP). A análise de E-caderina, Twist1, Snail1 foi realizada em parênquima tumoral sendo observado o percentual de células positivas (PP), com escores variando de 0 a 4, e a intensidade de expressão (IE), cujos escores variaram de 0 a 3. A avaliação de MMP-9 foi realizada em parênquima e estroma tumoral, também avaliando-se a PP e a IE, ambos baseados em escores que variaram de 0 a 3. A marcação para α-SMA e VM foi analisada em região de estroma tumoral. Células positivas para α-SMA foram contabilizadas em 10 campos, obtendo-se, então a média. A VM foi avaliada de forma qualitativa, utilizando-se 4 escores de acordo com a IE e se a marcação é difusa ou focal. Os dados obtidos foram analisados no software Statistical Package for Social Science, GraphPad Prism e STATA. O nível de significância de 5% foi adotado para os testes estatísticos. Foi verificada menor imunomarcação de E-caderina nos APs em relação às neoplasias malignas de glândula salivar (NMGS). Observou-se baixa imunoexpressão de Twist1 e Snail1 em APs. Em relação a expressão nuclear do Twist1, constatou-se maior expressão nas neoplasias malignas quando comparadas aos APs. Ainda, Twist1 em núcleo foi correlacionado à expressão citoplasmática de E-caderina nas NMGS. No que concerne aos parâmetros clinicopatológicos, esta proteína se relacionou estatisticamente com maiores chances de óbito. Foi evidenciada baixa imunoexpressão de Snail1 entre as NMGS. No entanto, na análise dos CACs, foi verificada maior expressão nuclear na variante sólida em relação às demais. A expressão de MMP-9 em parênquima demonstrou correlação positiva com Twist1 citoplasmático e Snail1nuclear nas NMGS. A MMP-9 também apresentou correlação positiva na comparação da sua imunoexpressão em região de parênquima e de estroma. A VM se apresentou como um biomarcador a ser considerado na avaliação clínica dos pacientes, já que esta apresentou relação significativa com tamanho do tumor (T3-T4) e maior frequência de óbito. Ademais, a alta expressão desta proteína se apresentou como um fator preditivo independente para piores taxas de sobrevida global (SG). A avaliação dos demais fatores clinicopatológicos apresentou estágios clínicos avançados como indicador de valor prognóstico independente para menores taxas de SG, enquanto que para a sobrevida livre da doença, estes foram a localização em glândula salivar menor e presença de metástase à distância. Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que o processo de TEM pode estar relacionado ao estágio de diferenciação celular em APs e à progressão tumoral nas NMGS. Ressalta-se, também, maior participação de Twist1 e MMP-9 no cenário da TEM em tumores malignos de glândula salivar, além da possibilidade de utilização da VM como indicador de valor prognóstico (AU).

Salivary gland tumors (SGTs) present remarkable clinical and biological complexity; therefore, many studies investigate the events involved in their progression. One of the dynamics involved in the tumor invasion of different types of carcinomas is the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In this process, epithelial cells undergo a transition to a mobile mesenchymal state, favoring invasion and metastasis. Therefore, this research analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin, Twist1, Snail1, α-SMA, vimentin (VM) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in 90 SGTs cases; correlations among the biomarkers, as well as between the biomarkers and clinicopathological parameters were made. We selected 20 cases of pleomorphic adenoma (PA), 20 cases of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC), 20 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC), 10 cases of polymorphous adenocarcinoma (PAC), 10 cases of epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma (EMC) and 10 cases of carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma (CXPA). E-cadherin, Twist1, and Snail1 were analyzed in tumor parenchyma, observing the percentage of positive cells (PP) using scores ranging from 0 to 4, and the expression intensity (EI), whose scores were ranged from 0 to 3. The evaluation of MMP-9 was performed in tumor parenchyma and stroma, also evaluating PP and IE, both based on scores that ranged from 0 to 3. The labeling for α-SMA and VM was analyzed in stromal cells. Positive cells for α-SMA were counted in 10 fields and the mean was calculated. VM was evaluated qualitatively, using 4 scores according to EI and whether the labeling was diffuse or focal. Obtained data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science, GraphPad Prism, and STATA software. The significance level of 5% was adopted for the statistical tests. Patients were mostly female, with a mean age of 49.8 years; the major salivary glands were the most affected anatomical site, mainly the parotid gland. A lower E-cadherin immunostaining was verified in PAs in comparison to malignant neoplasms of salivary glands (MNSGs). Low immunoexpression of Twist1 and Snail1 was observed in PAs. Regarding the nuclear expression of Twist1, it was found greater expression in malignant neoplasms than in PAs. Furthermore, Twist1 in the nucleus was correlated with cytoplasmic expression of E-cadherin in MNSGs. Regarding clinicopathological parameters, this protein was statistically related to higher chances of death. Low immunoexpression of Snail1 was evidenced among the MNSGs. However, in the analysis of CACs, greater nuclear expression was observed in the solid variant compared to the others. Expression of MMP-9 in parenchyma showed a positive correlation with cytoplasmic Twist1 and Snail1nuclear in MNSGs. MMP-9 also showed a positive correlation when comparing its immunoexpression in the parenchyma and the stroma. VM was presented as a biomarker to be considered in the clinical evaluation of patients since it showed a significant correlation between greater tumor size and a higher frequency of death. Furthermore, the high expression of this protein appeared as an independent predictive factor for worse overall survival (OS) rates. The evaluation of the rest of the clinicopathological factors showed advanced clinical stages as an indicator of independent prognostic value for lower rates of OS. For disease-free survival, these indicators were the location in the minor salivary gland and the presence of distant metastasis. Our results suggest that the EMT may be related to myoepithelial differentiation in PAs and tumor progression in MNSGs. Also, Twist1 and MMP-9 appear to play a greater role in the scenario of EMT in MNSGs; finally, VM might be used as a prognostic value indicator (AU).

Fibronectin FNDC10 promotes malignant biological behaviors of breast cancer cells by enhancing STAT3 activation / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Objective: To investigate the effects of fibronectin Ⅲ domain containing protein 10 (FNDC10) on the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells, and to primarily explore the mechanism. Methods: TCGA database was used to analyze the expression of FNDC10 in breast cancer tissues. The mRNA level of FNDC10 in normal immortalized breast cells (MCF-10A) and breast cancer cells (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, BT549, MDA-MB-468, HCC1806, HCC1937) was detected by qPCR. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with FNDC10 siRNA or NC-siRNA for functional experiments. CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of FNDC10 on the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Colony forming assay was used to detect the colony forming ability of breast cancer cells. Transwell assay was used to detect the effect of FNDC10 on migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. WB was used to detect the changes of metastasis-related molecules and cell signaling pathways at protein level. Results:The expression of FNDC10 in breast cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (P<0.01), and the expression level of FNDC10 in breast cancer MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells was higher than that in normal breast cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05). Knocking down FNDC10 expression inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The mechanism study showed that knockdown of FNDC10 expression inhibited STAT3 activation in breast cancer cells (P<0.01 or P<0.05) and enhanced the expression of EMT maker E-cadherin (P<0.05), leading to the suppression of EMT progression. Conclusion: FNDC10 promotes proliferation and EMT of breast cancer cells through activating STAT3 signaling pathway, thereby promoting the malignant progression of breast cancer.

The Role of Deubiquitinases in Tumor Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition / 中国生物化学与分子生物学报

Tumor invasion and metastasis are the main reasons for the tumor deterioration and the cause of poor prognosis of patients. In recent years a vast amount of research has been reported that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells plays a critical role in tumor metastasis. Moreover, EMT is also closely related to tumor stemness, tumor drug resistance and other tumor malignant behaviors. Therefore, effective suppression of EMT has been investigated as potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of tumor. One of the main functions of the deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) is to maintain the dynamic balance of intracellular protein levels via removing conjugated ubiquitin from target proteins, which in turn avoids degradation of target proteins through the ubiquitin protease pathway. DUBs are a class of proteins responsible for regulating protein ubiquitination modification, which abnormal expression or alterations of enzyme activity often results in the initiation of many diseases, including a variety of cancers. Numerous studies have found that some DUBs are unbalanced in the process of tumor invasion and metastasis, and play important roles in the process of tumor metastasis. EMT refers to the dynamic cellular process of transforming epithelial cells to mesenchymal cells, which involves changes in the expression levels of various molecular markers, such as EMT-related transcription factors (Snial1, Slug, ZEB1 etc.), and cell surface proteins (E-cadherin, N-cadherin etc.). Generally, these associated proteins are unstable and easily degraded, meanwhile the occurrence of the EMT process involves the regulation of protein stability. DUBs, as a class of enzymes that maintain protein stability, play important roles in regulating the stability of EMT-related proteins. The occurrence of EMT is also inseparable from the abnormal activation of many signaling pathways in cells such as TGF-β and Wnt pathways. DUBs mediate the activation of these pathways to indirectly regulate the occurrence and development of EMT. DUBs can directly or indirectly affect the progress of EMT by regulating EMT-related molecules or signaling pathways. Therefore, targeting DUBs to inhibit tumor invasion and metastasis will provide new methods and programs for tumor treatment. This review mainly discusses the important roles of DUBs in the EMT process to elucidate that DUBs play critical roles in regulating EMT-related molecules and signal pathways, and may serve as potential therapeutic targets for cancers.

Molecular mechanism and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis / 中国临床药理学与治疗学

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic progressive interstitial lung disease. The pathogenesis of PF is not yet clear. The two anti fibrosis drugs approved for IPF treatment, nidanib and pirfenidone, have been proved to reduce the decline of pulmonary function of pF, but both have side effects. So far, there is no obvious and effective treatment to prevent the progress of pF. Therefore, this review focuses on the different cells, molecular mechanisms involved in PF and the current treatment progress of PF, so as to provide theoretical support for a better understanding of these cells, molecular mechanisms and drug development and application in PF.

Apigenin inhibits liver fibrosis through PDK1/AKT signaling pathway in mice / 中国药理学通报

Aim To evaluate the therapeutic effect of apigenin on liver fibrosis in mice anrl the pharmacologi¬cal mechanism.Methods Carbon tetrachloride ( CC14) -induced liver fibrosis mouse model was estab¬lished.The mice were divided into six groups of con¬trol, model, silibinin(55 mg • kg 1 • d 1 ) , apigenin in high dosage (60 mg • kg 1 • d 1 ) , apigenin in mid¬dle dosage( 30 mg • kg 1 • d 1 ) and apigenin in low dosage( 15 mg • kg 1 • d 1 ).The general life status, body weight and liver coefficient of the mice in every group were recorded.HE staining, Masson staining, immunohistochemistry and Western blot were used to e- valuate the effect of apigenin on the pathological chan¬ges, the markers related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition and signaling pathways of liver tissues.Re¬sults In CCI4-induced liver fibrosis mice, middle and high-dosage of apigenin could improve the general life status, increase body weight, decrease liver coeffi¬ cient, and significantly improve liver lesions.Middle and high-dosage of apigenin significantly increased the expression of the epithelial marker protein E-cadherin and significantly decreased the expression of the mes¬enchymal marker protein Vimentin in liver tissues of mice with the disease.The further results showed that middle and high-dosage apigenin could significantly in¬hibit the expression of phosphorvlated PDK1 and phos- phorvlated AKT protein in liver tissues of model mice.Conclusions Apigenin can inhibit EMT by inhibiting PDK1/AKT signaling pathway, which plays an anti-fi- brosis role.The apigenin has the potential to be further developed as a drug to protect the liver and treat liver fibrosis.