Correlation between MMP2 expression in lung cancer tissues and clinical parameters: a retrospective clinical analysis.

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) has been found to be related to malignant tumors; the aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between MMP2 expression in lung cancer tissues and clinical parameters of lung cancer. METHODS: The expression of MMP2 in lung cancer tissues and in adjacent non-malignant tissues was tested by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between the expression of MMP2 and clinical parameters of lung cancer was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curve and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: The expression of MMP2 was higher in lung cancer tissues than that in adjacent non-malignant tissues (p = 0.002). Increased MMP2 was associated with low differentiation (p = 0.022), tumor size (p = 0.032), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.001), advanced stage (p = 0.002). The post-surgical survival time in patients with high MMP2 expression was shorter than that in patients with low MMP2 expression (p = 0.001). High expression of MMP2 (p = 0.006) and advanced stage (p = 0.003) were independent prognostic indicators for survival of lung cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: Increased MMP2 correlates with malignant biological behavior of lung cancer and it could be a potential biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of the disease.

Combined Chemical Modification of Bamboo Material Prepared Using Vinyl Acetate and Methyl Methacrylate: Dimensional Stability, Chemical Structure, and Dynamic Mechanical Properties.

Acetylation and in situ polymerization are two typical chemical modifications that are used to improve the dimensional stability of bamboo. In this work, the combination of chemical modification of vinyl acetate (VA) acetylation and methyl methacrylate (MMA) in situ polymerization of bamboo was employed. Performances of the treated bamboo were evaluated in terms of dimensional stability, wettability, thermal stability, chemical structure, and dynamic mechanical properties. Results show that the performances (dimensional stability, thermal stability, and wettability) of bamboo that was prepared via the combined pretreatment of VA and MMA (VA/MMA-B) were better than those of raw bamboo, VA single-treated bamboo (VA-B), and MMA single-treated bamboo (MMA-B). According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses, VA and MMA were mainly grafted onto the surface of the cell wall or in the bamboo cell lumen. The antiswelling efficiency and contact angle of VA/MMA-B increased to maximum values of 40.71% and 107.1°, respectively. From thermogravimetric analysis (TG/DTG curves), the highest onset decomposition temperature (277 °C) was observed in VA/MMA-B. From DMA analysis, the storage modulus (E') of VA/MMA-B increased sharply from 15,057 Pa (untreated bamboo) to 17,909 Pa (single-treated bamboo), and the glass transition temperature was improved from 180 °C (raw bamboo) to 205 °C (single-treated bamboo).

Thoracic injection of low-dose interleukin-2 as an adjuvant therapy improves the control of the malignant pleural effusions: a systematic review and meta-analysis base on Chinese patients.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an important immunotherapy cytokine for various diseases including cancer. Some studies reported the efficacy and safety on cisplatin combined with IL-2 versus cisplatin alone for treating malignant pleural effusion (MPE) through thoracic injection. METHODS: We searched these studies from medical electronic database. A total of 18 studies that met the inclusion criteria were recruited in this meta-analysis. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined by the fixed effects model of meta-analysis. RESULTS: The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of cisplatin plus IL-2 for controlling MPE was significantly higher than that of cisplatin alone (p < 0.001). In addition, compared with cisplatin alone, the presence of IL-2 improved the quality of life (QOL) of patients with MPE (p < 0.001). Although the use of IL-2 seemed to increase the probability of fever in patients (p = 0.001), it did not lead to extra other side effects (AEs) including myelotoxicity, nausea/vomiting and chest pain (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The low-dose IL-2 improved the ORR, DCR and QOL of patients in the treatment of MPE. Although it may cause fever in patients, it did not increase other AEs.

MicroRNA-138 negatively regulates non-small cell lung cancer cells through the interaction with cyclin D3.

Previous studies demonstrate that microRNA-138 (miR-138) is critical in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) regulation. We further explored the molecular mechanism of miR-138 in NSCLC. Lentivirus was used to upregulate miR-138 in NSCLC cell lines H460 and SPC-A1 cells. Previously known effects of miR-138 upregulation on NSCLC, proliferation, cell cycle division, and cisplatin sensitivity were examined in H460 and SPC-A1 cells. Moreover, previously unknown effect of miR-138 upregulation on NSCLC migration was also examined in H460 and SPC-A1 cells. A new miR-138 downstream target, cyclin D3 (CCND3), was assessed by dual-luciferase reporter assay and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). CCND3 was then ectopically overexpressed in H460 and SPC-A1 cells. The effects of forced overexpression of CCND3 on miR-138-induced NSCLC regulations were further examined by proliferation, cell cycle, cisplatin sensitivity, and migration assays, respectively. Lentivirus-induced miR-138 upregulation inhibited NSCLC proliferation and cell cycle division, in line with previous findings. Moreover, we found that miR-138 upregulation had other anti-tumor effects, such as increasing cisplatin sensitivity and reducing cancer migration, in H460 and SPC-A1 cells. Luciferase assay and qRT-PCR showed that CCND3 was directly targeted by miR-138. Forced overexpression of CCND3 in H460 and SPC-A1 cells reversed the anti-tumor effects of miR-138 upregulation on cancer cell growth, cell cycle, cisplatin sensitivity, and migration. Our study revealed novel anti-cancer effects of miR-138 upregulation in NSCLC, as well as its new molecular target of CCND3.

[Influence of chronic intermittent hypoxia on sympathetic nerve activity in rats and effect of the antioxidant Tempol].

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of sympathetic nerve activity during the development of hypertension resulting from chronic intermittent hypoxia, and whether or not elevated sympathetic nerve activity is related to oxidative stress, and to investigate the preventive effect and possible mechanism of Tempol. METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 6 groups of 8 each, including normoxic control group (NC), intermittent hypoxia group (IH) and 4 treatment groups (IHT1, IHT2, IHN1, IHN2). Among the treatment groups, IHT1, IHT2 groups were treated with 10% Tempol 100 mg × kg(-1)× d(-1) by intraperitoneal injection before exposed to IH and on day 28 after exposed to IH respectively, while IHN1 and IHN2 groups were treated with NS as controls. RESULT: There was no statistic difference in artery systolic blood pressure (SBP) between IH group, IHN1 group [(114 ± 6) mm Hg, 1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa], and IHN2 group [(128 ± 6) mm Hg, P < 0.05] at the end of 6(th) week. SBP in the all IH groups was significantly elevated compared with NC group (P < 0.05) and the baseline SBP (P < 0.05) except of the group IHT1. SBP in the 2 tempol treatment groups was lower than the NS groups [(138 ± 10) mm Hg, both P < 0.05], while SBP of IHT2 group was higher than the IHT1 group (P < 0.01). No significant changes were found in the NC group. There were no statistic difference of NE and E in plasma and MDA in adrenal gland tissues between IH groups, IHN1 group and IHN2 group. The levels in NE and E and MDA in the 2 tempol treatment groups were lower than the NS groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), but those in the IHT2 group were higher than the NC group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01) and IHT1 groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No significant difference were found between IHT1 group and NC group. CONCLUSION: CIH could generate ROS by causing oxidative stress, which results in elevated sympathetic nerve activity. This may be one of the important mechanisms for CIH-induced hypertension. Tempol may be useful for prevention and treatment of OSAS-induced hypertension.

[Hepatic injury in rats exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia and the effect of tempol].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanism of liver injury in rats exposed to chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) and to investigate the effect of tempol (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl or 4-hydroxy-TEMPO). METHODS: A CIH animal model of rats was established to mimic the intermittent hypoxia/re-oxygenation (IH/ROX) of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in humans. Thirty-two healthy male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups: conventional intermittent hypoxia group (CIH group), intermittent hypoxia Tempol treatment group (CIH + T group), intermittent hypoxia normal saline matched group (CIH + NS group), and normoxic control group (NC group), with 8 rats in each group. The frequency of every CIH group was 30 times/h, and the minimum oxygen concentration was 5%. After the experiment, sections of liver were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and the levels of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in rat liver homogenate were measured. RESULTS: Liver histology revealed that the CIH group and the CIH + NS group showed hepatocellular swelling with rarefaction of the cytoplasm, hyperchromatosis and hepatocellular membrane disruption, but the liver histology of the CIH + T group and the NC group was normal. Compared with the NC group, the levels of NF-κB and MDA in the CIH group [(12.4 ± 2.0) ng/g, (101 ± 22) µmol/g] and the CIH + NS group [(12.2 ± 1.9) ng/g, (99 ± 18)µmol/g] were increased (all P < 0.05), but the activities of GSH-PX [(88 ± 17) U/mg, (90 ± 15) U/mg] were decreased (all P < 0.05). Compared with the CIH + NS group and the CIH group, the activity of GSH-PX in the CIH + T group [(181 ± 29) U/mg] was increased (P < 0.05), but the levels of NF-κB [(7.8 ± 1.3) ng/g] and MDA [(59 ± 10) µmol/g] were decreased (all P < 0.05). The levels of GSH-PX and MDA in the CIH + T group were not significantly different compared to the NC group (P were 0.242, 0.177 respectively), but the level of NF-κB in the CIH + T group was higher than that in the NC group (P < 0.05). The levels of NF-κB, GSH-PX, and MDA in the CIH + NS group were not significantly different as compared to those in the CIH group (all P > 0.05). The level of NF-κB was correlated negatively with GSH-PX, but positively with MDA (r = -0.754, 0.689, respectively, all P < 0.01) CONCLUSIONS: CIH could cause rat liver injury through oxidative stress and activating the proinflammatory transcription factors of NF-κB. Tempol could prevent CIH-induced liver injury through scavenging ROS by its anti-oxidative effect.