Inhibitory effect of E2F-1-silencing lentivirus vector on chemoresistance of subcutaneous human gastric cancer in nude mice / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of E2F-1-silencing lentivirus vector on the growth and chemoresistance of subcutaneous human gastric cancer in nude mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-six nude mice were inoculated subcutaneously with chemoresistant SGC-7901/DDP cells to establish subcutaneous tumor models of gastric carcinoma. The mice were randomly divided into E2F-1/RNAi-LV group, LV-scrRNAi group and PBS group (n = 12). E2F-1/RNAi-LV, LV-scrRNAi or PBS (0.1 ml per time) was injected into the mice, respectively, every two days. The nude mice received an intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin (25 mg/kg) every two days. The tumor volume was measured and histopathological changes of the tumors were observed by HE staining. The expressions of E2F-1, c-Myc, survivin, MDR1 and MRP were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot. Apoptosis in tumor xenografts was determined by in situ TUNEL labeling technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mean tumor growth rate of the E2F-1/RNAi-LV group was significantly slower than that of the LV-scrRNAi and control groups (P < 0.05). The tumor volume of the E2F-1/RNAi-LV group was (745.13 ± 154.42)mm(3), significantly lower than that of the LV-scrRNAi and PBS groups (P < 0.05). Compared with that in the LV-scrRNAi and PBS groups, the expressions of mRNA and protein of E2F-1, c-Myc, survivin, MDR1 and MRP were significantly decreased in the E2F-1/RNAi-LV group (P < 0.05). The apoptotic rate in the E2F-1/RNAi-LV treatment group was (27.5 ± 9.7)%, significantly higher than (7.0 ± 1.1)% in the LV-scrRNAi group and (7.3 ± 1.2)% in the PBS group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Intra-tumoral injection of E2F-1/RNAi-LV shows significantly inhibitory effect on the tumor growth and chemoresistance of subcutaneous human gastric cancer in nude mice.</p>

Effects of propofol on expression of hippocampal survivin and Caspase-3 in newborn rats / 中华儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Intravenous anesthetics, such as propofol, are widely used in general anesthesia. Neurodegeneration and neurocognitive impairment after exposure to propofol in neonatal rats have raised concerns regarding the safety of pediatric anesthesia. We examined the effects of neonatal propofol exposure on brain cell viability, as well as expression of hippocampal survivin and Caspase-3 mRNA and protein.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>One hundred male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 7 d that were weighed 10-15 g were randomly divided into 4 groups (n = 25 each group). Group A: the rats were injected with no drugs. Group B: the rats were intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg propofol. Group C: the rats were first intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg propofol and another 50 mg/kg propofol was used when the dynamic response of rats appeared again. Group D: the rats were first intraperitoneally injected with 50 mg/kg propofol and another 50 mg/kg propofol was used three times once the dynamic response of rats appeared. To study the effects of propofol exposure on respiratory and metabolic function, arterial blood was aspirated from the left ventricle of neonatal rats 2 h after discontinuation of propofol. pH, PaO(2), PaCO(2), HCO(3)(-), BE and SaO(2) were detected by blood gas analyzer. Moreover, to examine the effects of propofol exposure on short-term cellular viability, the ultrastructure of neurons was observed by transmission electron microscope and Fluoro-Jade B (FJB) staining was performed to examine neuronal degeneration in hippocampal CA1 region of neonatal rats. Survivin and Caspase-3 mRNA and protein expression in hippocampus were detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting 2 h after discontinuation of propofol.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The time of anesthesia maintaince in newborn rats was the longest in Group D and the time of anesthesia maintaince in Group C was longer than that in Group B. Two hours after discontinuation of propofol, pH, PaO(2), PaCO(2), HCO(3)(-), BE and SaO(2) of arterial blood in rats were not significantly different among groups A, B, C and D (P > 0.05). The structure of hippocampal neurons was normal in Group A and Group B while 100 mg/kg propofol resulted in nuclear blebbing and 200 mg/kg propofol led to nuclear fragmentation, chromatin condensation and apoptotic bodies. Cellular degeneration, as measured by Fluoro-Jade B staining, significantly increased in hippocampal CA1 region in the anesthesia groups compared with littermates in the no anesthesia group. FJB-positive stained degenerative neurons in groups B, C and D were (2.5 ± 1.3), (7.1 ± 2.3) and (9.4 ± 2.6), which were different from that in Group A (0.6 ± 0.3) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the number of FJB-positive neurons was the highest in Group D, that in Group C was more than that in Group B. At the same time point, apoptosis was measured by expression of Caspase-3 and Survivin mRNA and protein in hippocampus of rats. Caspase-3 mRNA in groups A, B and C was (0.78 ± 0.12), (0.84 ± 0.17) and (0.89 ± 0.19), while Caspase-3 protein in groups A, B and C was (0.22 ± 0.05), (0.26 ± 0.07) and (0.21 ± 0.06). Survivin mRNA in groups A, B and C was (0.56 ± 0.12), (0.58 ± 0.15) and (0.53 ± 0.16), while Survivin protein in these 3 groups was (0.24 ± 0.07), (0.21 ± 0.05) and (0.23 ± 0.06). Compared with that in Group A, Caspase-3 and Survivin mRNA and protein were not significantly different among Group B and Group C (P > 0.05). However, Caspase-3 mRNA and protein in Group D were (1.21 ± 0.14) and (0.42 ± 0.12), which were higher than that in the other 3 groups (P < 0.05). Survivin mRNA and protein in Group D were lower than that in the other 3 groups (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>A high dose of propofol exposure may destroy the structure of neurons, induce neurodegeneration, increase Caspase-3 activity and inhibit survivin expression in hippocampus of newborn rats in vivo.</p>

Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference targeting E2F-1 inhibits human gastric cancer MGC-803 cell growth in vivo

The E2F-1 transcription factor is post-translationally modified and stabilized in response to various forms of DNA damage to regulate the expression of cell-cycle and pro-apoptotic genes. The sustained overexpression of E2F-1 is a characteristic feature of gastric cancer. In this study, we investigated the role of short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting E2F-1 gene on human gastric cancer MGC-803 cell growth in vivo, and preliminarily revealed the mechanism. Thus, we constructed recombinant pGCSIL-GFP-shRNA-E2F-1 lentiviral vector to knock down E2F-1 expression in human gastric cancer MGC-803 cells in vivo, and studied the effect of E2F-1 shRNA on growth of MGC-803 tumor and evaluated its treatment efficacy. Our data demonstrated that in a mouse model of established gastric cancer, intratumor injection of lentiviral shRNA targeting E2F-1 definitely decreased the endogenous E2F-1 mRNA and protein expression in MGC-803 tumor, and inhibited tumor growth and promoted tumor cells apoptosis. Moreover, we found that E2F-1 shRNA increased the expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), activated caspase-3 and caspase-9, and suppressed nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB expression in tumor tissue as determined by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR and western blotting. In summary, shRNA targeting of E2F-1 can effectively inhibits human gastric cancer MGC-803 cell growth in vivo and may be a potential therapeutic strategy for gastric cancer.

Caudal-related homeobox 2 gene expression and its effects on human gastric carcinoma cell line / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of human caudal-related homeobox 2 (Cdx2) gene expression on human gastric carcinoma cell line MGC-803.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>pCMV-Cdx2-HA eukaryotic expression plasmid was constructed by using DNA recombinant method. The MGC-803 cells were divided into 4 groups: non-transfected, transfected with pCMV-HA, transfected with pCMV-GAPDH-HA, transfected with pCMV-Cdx2-HA. Cdx2 gene and its protein expression was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot techniques respectively. The effects of Cdx2 overexpression on the growth of MGC-803 cells in vitro was assessed by measuring MTT, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy analysis.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In MGC-803 cells transfected with pCMV-Cdx2-HA, cell proliferation was significantly suppressed, the cells was ultrastructurally destroyed, cell cycle progression was blocked in G0/G1 and apoptosis rate was higher (P<0.05) in comparison with non-transfected cells or cells transfected with empty vector.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It indicated that Cdx2 gene can suppress the growth of gastric carcinoma and may save as a novel therapeutic target.</p>