ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the relationship between expression of mammal target of rapamycin (mTOR) and phosphorylation of mTOR (p-mTOR) protein in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in gastrointestinal stromal tumors and relatiuonships with clinical factors. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the associated proteins mTOR, p-mTOR, and phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor genes PTEN, P27, VEGF, and EGFR in 40 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, with division into a very low and low risk group as well as a moderate and high risk group. RESULTS: The positive rate of mTOR and p-mTOR was significantly increased in the moderate and high risk group compared with the very low and low risk group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). When grouped according to size, the positive mTOR expression rate exhibited a statistical difference (P<0.05), which was significantly increased in the group of tumors larger than 5 cm. The difference in the positive mTOR and p-mTOR expression rate exhibit no statistical significance among the PTEN, P27, VEGF, and EGFR expression subgroups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The different expressions of mTOR and p-mTOR in the signal transduction pathway of gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the different degree-of-risk groups suggested that the mTOR and p-mTOR of the signal transduction pathway serve an important function in the occurrence and development of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/metabolism , TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27/metabolism , ErbB Receptors/metabolism , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors/pathology , Humans , Immunoenzyme Techniques , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , PTEN Phosphohydrolase/metabolism , Phosphorylation , Prognosis , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to establish a cerebral schistosomiasis model in rabbits, to provide a valuable tool for morphological analysis, clinical manifestation observation, as well as investigations into immunological reactions and pathogenesis of focal inflammatory reaction in neuroschistosomiasis (NS). METHODS: Sixty New Zealand rabbits were randomly assigned into operation, sham-operation and normal groups. Rabbits in the operation group received direct injection of dead schistosome eggs into the brain, while their counterparts in the sham-operation group received saline injection. Rabbits in the normal group received no treatment. Base on the clinical manifestations, rabbits were sacrificed on days 3, 5, 7, 10, 20, and 30 post injection, and brain samples were sectioned and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Sections were observed under the microscope. RESULTS: The rabbits in the operation group exhibited various neurological symptoms, including anorexy, partial and general seizures, and paralysis. The morphological analysis showed several schistosome eggs in the nervous tissue on day 3 post operation, with very mild inflammation. On days 7-10 post operation, several schistosome eggs were localized in proximity to red blood cells with many neutrophilic granulocytes and eosinophilic granulocytes around them. The schistosome eggs developed into the productive granuloma stage on days 14-20 post operation. On day 30, the schistosome eggs were found to be in the healing-by-fibrosis stage, and the granuloma area was replaced by fibrillary glia through astrocytosis. The sham-operation group and the normal group showed negative results. CONCLUSION: This method might be used to establish the cerebral schistosomiasis experimental model. Several factors need to be considered in establishing this model, such as the antigenic property of eggs, the time of scarification, and the clinical manifestations.
