ABSTRACT
Bcl-xL is a pro-survival member of the Bcl-2 family that plays indispensable roles in regulating cell survival and apoptosis. It is overexpressed in many malignant tumors including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, it is still unclear if Bcl-xL can be used as an independent molecular marker for predicting the prognosis of CRC patients. In this study, reverse transcription-PCR assay was performed to detect the expression of Bcl-xL mRNA in CRC and corresponding non-tumor colon tissues. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the immunolocalization of Bcl-xL protein in sixty-eight primary CRC tissue samples. The association between Bcl-xL protein expression and clinicopathological factors of CRC patients was analyzed and the survival was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and proportional hazards model. The averaged level of Bcl-xL mRNA expression in CRC tissues (0.85±0.13) was significantly higher than that in non-tumor colon tissues (0.08±0.02). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the Bcl-xL protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. The level of Bcl-xL protein expression was closely correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.002), lymph node metastasis (P=0.010), venous permeation (P=0.004), and Duke's classification (P=0.021). Furthermore, patients with high Bcl-xL expression showed poorer overall survival than those with low Bcl-xL expression (P=0.016). Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that the status of Bcl-xL protein expression might be an independent prognostic marker for CRC patients (P=0.032). Taken together, immunohistochemical assessment of status of Bcl-xL protein may offer a valuable approach for predicting survival after curative surgery for colorectal cancer.
Subject(s)
Colorectal Neoplasms , bcl-X Protein/biosynthesis , Biomarkers, Tumor , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/mortality , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Humans , Immunohistochemistry , Lymphatic Metastasis , Male , Middle Aged , Predictive Value of Tests , Prognosis , Survival Analysis , bcl-X Protein/geneticsABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association between perineural invasion(PNI) and clinicopathological factors and the effect of PNI on overall survival in patients with gastric carcinoma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 178 patients with gastric carcinoma from January 2004 to May 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Paraffin sections of surgical specimens from all the patients who underwent gastric resection were stained with laminin. PNI-positive was defined as infiltration of carcinoma cells into the perineurium or neural fascicles. The association of PNI with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of gastric carcinoma was studied.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>PNI was positive in 78 of 178 patients(43.8%). The proportions of T stage, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage were significantly higher in PNI-positive group than those in PNI-negative group(all P<0.01). The PNI positive rate was correlated with the depth of gastric mural invasion and clinical stage. The overall survival in PNI-positive group was significantly lower than that in PNI-negative group by univariate analysis(P<0.01). The mean survival of PNI-positive patients(28.6 months) was significantly shorter than that of PNI-negative patients (44.3 months, P<0.01), which was also influenced by pN stage, pT stage, and clinical stage(P<0.01). By multivariable Cox proportional hazards model of overall survival, the positivity of PNI appeared to be an independent prognostic factor (hazards ratio=2.257, 95% CI:1.268-4.019, P=0.006).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PNI is associated with the degree of malignancy in gastric cancer. PNI can be a candidate of new prognostic factor.</p>
Subject(s)
Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Carcinoma , Pathology , Neoplasm Invasiveness , Neoplasm Staging , Peripheral Nerves , Pathology , Prognosis , Retrospective Studies , Stomach , Pathology , Stomach Neoplasms , PathologyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To testify the effect of the stem cells derived from the widely distributed fat tissue on repairing full-thickness hyaline cartilage defects.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) were derived from adipose tissue and cultured in vitro. Twenty-seven New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three groups randomly. The cultured ADSCs mixed with calcium alginate gel were used to fill the full-thickness hyaline cartilage defects created at the patellafemoral joint, and the defects repaired with gel or without treatment served as control groups. After 4, 8 and 12 weeks, the reconstructed tissue was evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Histological analysis and qualitative scoring were also performed to detect the outcome.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Full thickness hyaline cartilage defects were repaired completely with ADSCs-derived tissue. The result was better in ADSCs group than the control ones. The microstructure of reconstructed tissue with ADSCs was similar to that of hyaline cartilage and contained more cells and regular matrix fibers, being better than other groups. Plenty of collagen fibers around cells could be seen under transmission electron microscopy. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference in comparison with other groups at each time point (t equal to 4.360, P less than 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>These results indicate that stem cells derived from mature adipose without induction possess the ability to repair cartilage defects.</p>
