Inverse correlation between Snail and E-cadherin expression in carcinoma cell lines and invasive ability in vitro / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Malignant transformation of epithelial cell frequently coincides with loss of E-cadherin. Here we study the expression of Snail and E-cadherin and correlate their expression with cell differentiation and in vitro invasion.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression and localization of Snail and E-cadherin were studied by Northern blot and laser confocal microscopy in two normal cell lines (MDCK, NIH 3T3) and six carcinoma cell lines (A431, MCF-7, MDA-MB-453, HepG2, MDA-MB-435s, MDA-MB-231). Boyden chamber assay was done to detect the invasive ability of cells in vitro.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Snail mRNA and protein were detected in fibroblasts NIH 3T3 and poorly differentiated carcinoma cell lines HepG2, MDA-MB-435s and MDA-MB-231. On the contrary, E-cadherin mRNA and protein were detected in normal epithelial cell line MDCK and well differentiated carcinoma cell lines A431 and MDA-MB-453. In MCF-7 cells, Snail and E-cadherin expressions were revealed both at mRNA and protein levels. The cells with higher expression of Snail had stronger ability of invasion than those with lower expression of Snail.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>There is an inverse correlation between Snail and E-cadherin expressions and their expressions are correlated with cell differentiation and tumor invasiveness.</p>

Correlation of expression of RhoA (RhoC and their effector ROCK-1 with malignant phenotype of ovarian cancer cells in vitro / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of RhoA, RhoC and their effector ROCK-1 in four ovarian cancer cell lines in vitro and their correlation with invasiveness.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of RhoA, RhoC and ROCK-1 mRNA and protein in four ovarian cancer cell lines SW626, Skov-3, A2780 and Caov-3 was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot assay. Invasion assay was done in Boyden chamber.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression levels of RhoA, RhoC and ROCK-1 mRNA and protein varied in the four different cell lines examined. The expression level of RhoC, but not RhoA and ROCK-1, was significantly correlated with the invasive capability of these cells in vitro (r = 0.95, P < 0.01). Expression of RhoA at the level of transcription was not correlated with that at the translation level. The expression of RhoA and RhoC did not correlate with that of ROCK-1.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Expression level of RhoC may serve as an independent parameter in evaluating metastasis and become a new target in inhibiting ovarian cancer metastasis.</p>

Decrease of chronic graft-versus-host disease by adding anti-human thymocyte globulin to the conditioning regimen / 中华血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the influence of adding anti-human thymocyte globulin (ATG) into conditioning regimen on graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and life quality of the patients of allo-peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Patients were distributed into study (19 cases) and control (24 cases) groups at random. Median dose of rabbit ATG was added to the conditioning regimen based on the fludara, busufan and cyclophosphamide (FBC) in study group, and no ATG in the control group. Acute and chronic GVHD disease and Karnofsky scores were compared between two groups after allo-PBSCT.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The patients in the study group received a mean of 6.0 (3 - 9) x 10(8)/kg mononucleated cells and 5.5 (4.5 - 7.5) x 10(6)/kg in the control group. The mean CD(34)(+) cells number was 5.5 (3.0 - 6.5) x 10(5)/kg in the study and 5.0 (3.0 - 7.0) x 10(6)/kg in the control group respectively. Eighteen patients in the study group and in the control group were successfully engrafted. The mean time of absolute neutrophil count recovered more than 500/ micro l was 13 days and 12 days respectively. Acute GVHD occurred in 6 patients of the study group, and 15 of the control group. Seven patients suffered from chronic GVHD and 14 got 90 Kanrofsky scores in a mean of 250 days follow-up in the study group, and 19 patients GVHD and 4 patients respectively in a mean of 440 days follow-up in the control group. There was a significant difference for acute and chronic GVHD and life quality between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Addition of anti-thymocyte globulin to the FBC conditioning regimen had no effect on stem cells engraftment but could decrease acute and chronic GVHD and improve patients life quality.</p>