Effect of interstitial chemotherapy with ricin temperature-responsive gel for anti-breast cancer and immune regulation in rats / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of ricin temperature response gel on breast cancer and its regulatory effect on immune function in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ricin was purified by chromatography and identified by immunoblotting. The rat subcutaneously transplanted breast cancer model was established. Forty model rats with a tumor diameter of about 3.0 cm were subjected to the study. They were randomized into four groups equally: the model group and three treated groups (blank gel, ricin, ricin-gel) were administered with blank gel, ricin, and ricin temperature response gel via percutaneous intratumor injection, respectively. The tumor was isolated 10 days later for the estimation of tumor inhibition rate (TIR) by weighing, pathologic examination, and detection of tumor apoptosis-associated genes bcl-2 and bax with semiquantitative RT-PCR. Also, peripheral blood was obtained to test T-lymphocyte subsets, the killing function of lymphocytes, and the contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2). The outcomes were compared between groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The TIR in the ricin-gel group was 61.8%, with the pathologic examination showing extensive tumor tissue necrosis. Compared with the model group, after ricin temperature response gel treatment, bcl-2 expression was down-regulated, bax expression was up-regulated, CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in peripheral blood were increased, the killing function of lymphocytes was enhanced, and the contents of TNF-α and IL-2 were elevated (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Intratumor injection of ricin temperature-responsive gel showed significant antitumor effect on breast cancer and could enhance the immune function in the tumor-bearing rat.</p>

Tissue transglutaminase protein expression in human brain tumors / 中华病理学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate expression of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) protein and its role in carcinogenesis of brain tumors.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>tTG protein was detected by immunohistochemical method in 62 astrocytomas, 18 oligodendrogliomas, 30 benign meningiomas, 30 pituitary adenomas and 10 normal brain tissues.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) In brain tumors, tTG protein expression was heterogeneous locating in tumor and endothelial cells. (2) Immunoreactivity of tTG protein was significantly different between different grades of astrocytomas. (3) Expression intensity of tTG protein in glioma was higher than that in benign brain tumors. (4) Strong expression of tTG protein in tumor cell was obtained around the necrosis foci and apoptotic cells in astrocytomas.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>tTG protein expression contributed to tumor malignant progression in malignant brain tumors.</p>