Safety evaluation of early drain removal following pancreaticoduodenectomy: A single-center retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The effects of early drain removal (EDR) on postoperative complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains to be investigated. This single-center retrospective cohort study was designed to explore the safety of EDR after PD. Methods: A total of 112 patients undergoing PD with drain fluid amylase (DFA) on postoperative day (POD) 1 and 3 <= 5000 were divided into EDR and late drain removal (LDR). Propensity Score Matching (PSM) was used. We compared postoperative outcomes between two groups and explore the risk factors of total complications using univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses. Results: No statistical differences were found in primary outcomes, including Grade B/C postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (Original cohort: 5.71% vs. 3.90%; P = 1.000; PSM cohort: 3.33% vs. 6.67%; P = 1.000), and total complications (Original cohort: 17.14% vs. 32.47%; P = 0.093; PSM cohort: 13.33% vs. 33.33%; P = 0.067). The EDR was associated with shorter in-hospital stay (Original cohort: 11 days vs. 15 days; P < 0.0001; PSM cohort: 11 days vs. 15 days; P < 0.0001). Conclusions: EDR on POD 3 is safe for patients undergoing PD with low risk of POPF.

Validation and modification of the AJCC 8th TNM staging system for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in a Chinese cohort: A nationwide pancreas data center analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in a Chinese cohort of radically resected patients and to develop a refined staging system for PDAC. METHODS: Data were collected from the China Pancreas Data Center (CPDC) for patients with resected PDAC in 2016 and 2017, and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate analyses based on Cox regression were performed to identify prognostic factors. The recursive partitioning analysis (RPA), Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test were performed on the training dataset to generate a proposed modification for the 8th TNM staging system utilizing the preoperative carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9 level. Validation was performed for both staging systems in the validation cohort. RESULTS: A total of 1,676 PDAC patients were retrieved, and the median CSS was significantly different between the 8th TNM groupings, with no significant difference in survival between stage IB and IIA. The analysis of T and N stages demonstrated a better prognostic value in the N category. Multivariate analysis showed that the preoperative serum CA19-9 level was the strongest prognostic indicator among all the independent risk factors. All patients with CA19-9 >500 U/mL had similar survival, and we proposed a new staging system by combining IB and IIA and stratifying all patients with high CA19-9 into stage III. The modified staging system had a better performance for predicting CSS than the 8th AJCC staging scheme. CONCLUSIONS: The 8th AJCC staging system for PDAC is suitable for a Chinese cohort of resected patients, and the N category has a better prognostic value than the T category. Our modified staging system has superior accuracy in predicting survival than the 8th AJCC TNM staging system.

Predicting early recurrence for resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a multicenter retrospective study in China.

A precise classification of early recurrence (ER) after radical surgery of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not been standardized. We aim to develop an optimal cut-off based on scientific evidence to distinguish early and late recurrence (LR) for PDAC after radical surgery and develop a predictive model for ER of PDAC. The best threshold for recurrence-free survival (RFS) was assessed with a minimum P-value method, and patients were categorized into ER and LR groups. We used a logistic regression model to assess potential risk factors for ER and develop a predictive model for ER risk. The best threshold between high-risk and intermediate-high-risk groups was identified by using the receiver operating characteristic curve. Among 3,279 patients included, 1,234 (37.6%) experienced ER. The RFS of 9 months is the optimal threshold to distinguish ER and LR. Univariable and multivariable analysis identified four preoperative risk factors for ER, including larger tumor maximal diameter on computed tomography (CT), enlarged lymph nodes on CT, carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125 > 35 U/ml, and CA19-9 > 235 U/ml. The concordance index (C-index) for the predictive model in the training cohort and the validation cohort was 0.651 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.624-0.678), and 0.636 (95% CI: 0.593-0.679), respectively, showing promising predictive ability. The high-risk group had a score above 203, and the corresponding risk of ER for this group was 56.7%. An RFS of 9 months is the best threshold to distinguish ER and LR. The model can accurately predict the risk of ER in PDAC after radical resection, and risk grouping can predict the patients who could benefit from upfront surgery.

Multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of recurrent follicular dendritic cell sarcoma in abdomen: A case report.

RATIONALE: Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare malignant tumor derived from follicular dendritic cells, and is often associated with Castleman disease. Here we present a rare case of paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) with FDCS which required multidisciplinary approach for the diagnosis and treatment. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 28-year-old Chinese female had FDCS recurrence, and primary clinical manifestation was PNP. DIAGNOSES: PNP with FDCS. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received gamma globulin infusion, took anlotinib, and underwent plasma exchange therapy. OUTCOMES: The skin lesions recovered and there was no evidence of tumor recurrence. LESSONS: The diagnosis and management of PNP with FDCS require close cooperation among surgeons, dermatologists, hematologists, otolaryngologists, oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, and respiratory doctors. The interesting clinical manifestations of this patient provide a multifaceted approach to the investigation of the interactions among FDCS, Castleman disease, and PNP.

Opposing Oncogenic Functions of p38 Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Alpha and Beta in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The p38 family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) includes four isoforms: p38α, -ß, -γ and -δ. The aim of this study was to elucidate possible functions of p38α and p38ß in human pancreatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Isoform expression was determined in seven human pancreatic cancer cell lines. After shRNA based selective knockdown of p38α and p38ß, in vitro growth and migration as well as in vivo tumorigenicity were assessed. RESULTS: All pancreatic cancer cells expressed p38 isoforms. Knockdown of p38α and p38ß inhibited in vitro growth. Migration was markedly reduced in p38α shRNA expressing clones, but not altered by p38ß knockdown. While in vivo inhibition of p38ß decreased tumor formation and growth, the knockdown of p38α significantly enhanced tumorigenicity. CONCLUSION: p38 MAPKs may exert isoform specific functions in pancreatic cancer. Selective targeting may contribute to individualized treatment of pancreatic cancer in the future.

LncRNA H19-Derived miR-675-3p Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Stemness in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells by targeting the STAT3 Pathway.

Objective: The functional role and mechanism of the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 in regulating human pancreatic cancer (PC) cell stemness and invasion have not been completely elucidated. This study aimed to evaluate the role of H19 in regulating the stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and chemosensitivity of PC cells. Methods: The sphere-forming ability was assessed using serum-free floating-culture systems. Chemosensitivity was evaluated via CCK-8 and flow cytometry assays in vitro. Migration and invasion were evaluated by transwell assays. The expression of stemness and EMT markers was detected by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR and western blot analyses. Xenograft initiation, growth and sensitivity were examined; Ki-67 nuclear staining intensity was evaluated by immunohistochemistry; and in situ apoptosis was evaluated by a TUNEL assay. Results: H19 played an important role in maintaining PC cell stemness. Upregulated H19 expression in CAPAN-1 cells promoted tumor cell migration, invasion, EMT and chemoresistance. In contrast, downregulated H19 expression in PANC-1 cells yielded the opposite results. These effects were mediated by positively modulating the STAT3 pathway. Furthermore, SOCS5, an endogenous inhibitor of the STAT3 pathway, was a direct target of miR-675-3p, which was positively regulated by H19 in PC cells. Conclusions: The H19/miR-675-3p signaling axis plays a critical role in maintaining the EMT process and stemness of PC cells by directly targeting SOCS5 to activate the STAT3 pathway. These data provide new insights into the oncogenic function of H19 in human PC and reveal potential targets for the development of optimal treatment approaches for this disease.

Deficiency of canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signalling in hepatic dendritic cells triggers autoimmune hepatitis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic inflammatory liver disease manifested with the aberrant activation of hepatic dendritic cells (HDCs) and the subsequent breakdown of immune homeostasis. As an important player, HDC maintains immunological balance between tolerance to self-antigens versus destruction against pathogens in liver. However, the intracellular signalling networks that program HDC remain unclear. We have now found the role of canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signalling in HDCs. METHODS: Liver sections from AIH patients and healthy subjects were stained for the markers of Wnt/ß-catenin signalling. Concanavalin A (ConA) and HDC/Hepa1-6 vaccine-induced AIH mouse models were examined for liver injury, inflammation and immune cell functions by serum biochemistry, histology, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and flow cytometry analysis. Wnt/ß-catenin signalling expression was measured using immunoblot and qRT-PCR. RESULTS: Canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signalling in HDC is deficient in AIH patients and a mouse model, which coincides with the immunogenic function of HDCs. Furthermore, Wnt ligand engagement reactivates Wnt/ß-catenin signalling and recovers the immunoregulatory phenotype of HDCs, in turn alleviating the severity of AIH. Likewise, pharmacologic activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signalling attenuates AIH progression. CONCLUSIONS: We report here that the constitutively active canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signalling confers HDCs tolerogenicity under steady-state conditions. Deficiency of this pathway gives rise to T cell-mediated immune response and incidence of AIH. It may act as a new pathogenesis and treatment target for AIH.

Long non-coding RNA MEG3 functions as a tumour suppressor and has prognostic predictive value in human pancreatic cancer.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MEG3 has been demonstrated to be a tumour suppressor in many malignancies. However, the functional role of MEG3 in pancreatic cancer (PC) is unclear. In this study, the expression pattern of MEG3 was evaluated in 25 samples of microdissected PC tissues and 8 PC cell lines and was compared to the expression in adjacent non­cancerous tissues and a human pancreatic normal epithelial cell line. Loss of MEG3 expression was observed in both the cancerous tissues and cancer cell lines. Although the absence of expression of MEG3 was not statistically correlated to either histological grade or TNM stage in the 25 cases, the prognosis was significantly worse. MEG3 knockdown enhanced cell proliferation, promoted cell migration and invasion, induced epithelial­mesenchymal transition (EMT), increased the sphere­forming ability and cancer stem cell (CSC) properties, and decreased the chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in vitro. In contrast, forced expression of MEG3 resulted in a reverse effect. In conclusion, MEG3 functions as a tumour suppressor in human PC. The underlying cause of the poor prognosis induced by low levels of MEG3 expression in PC patients might involve EMT induction, enhanced CSC phenotypes and reduced chemoresistance, all of which might be associated with Snail activation.

Long noncoding RNA H19 derived miR-675 regulates cell proliferation by down-regulating E2F-1 in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) H19 has been proven to be overexpressed in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). H19-induced PDAC cell proliferation is cell cycle-dependent by modulating E2F-1. However, the mechanism of how H19 regulates E2F-1 remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the expression of miR-675 in PDAC tumours and cells, the biological function of miR-675 in PDAC cell proliferation and the possible relationship among H19, miR-675 and E2F-1. As a transcript of the first exon of H19, the level of miR-675 was negatively correlated with H19 expression in microdissected PDAC tissues (r=-0.0646, P=0.001). The serum miR-675 expression was significantly down-regulated in patients with PDAC compared to those in healthy individuals. Moreover, an evaluation of five PDAC cases showed that there was a remarkable increase of serum miR-675 levels after resection of the primary tumours. Ectopic overexpression of miR-675 in AsPC-1 and PANC-1 cells decreased cell viability, the colony-forming ability and the percentage of cells in S phase; contrarily, miR-675 knockdown resulted in enhanced cell proliferation. Furthermore, the suppressed cell proliferation caused by H19 knockdown could be rescued by inhibiting miR-675 expression. Additionally, intratumoural injection of either miR-675 agomir or antagomir could significantly affect tumour growth in vivo. Both the bioinformatic prediction and luciferase activity assay confirmed that E2F-1 was a direct target of miR-675. And the decrease of E2F-1 protein expression caused by siH19 could be partially reversed by miR-675 knockdown. We concluded that there might be a H19/miR-675/E2F-1 regulatory loop in cell cycle modulation. Serum miR-675 might serve as a potential biomarker for not only early diagnosis but also outcome prediction in PDAC.

Demethylzeylasteral (ZST93) inhibits cell growth and enhances cell chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in human pancreatic cancer cells via apoptotic and autophagic pathways.

The overall 5-year survival rate of patients with human pancreatic cancer remains less than 8% because of its aggressive growth, early metastasis and resistance to conventional chemoradiotherapy. It is essential to develop innovative and effective therapeutic agents to improve its prognosis. Demethylzeylasteral (ZST93) is a novel triterpenoid monomer extracted from the xylem of Tripterygium roots. Our study aimed to assess the effects of ZST93 on cell proliferation and its role in the chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in human pancreatic cancer cells. The effects of ZST93 on cancer cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and autophagy were evaluated in various human pancreatic cancer cell lines, and the antitumor effects of ZST93 alone and in combination with gemcitabine were identified in a xenograft mouse model. The results showed that ZST93 could inhibit the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and arrest cell cycle at G0/G1 phase by regulating the expression of Cyclin D1 and Cyclin A2. Moreover, ZST93 killed pancreatic cancer cells through two different mechanisms: inducing autophagic cell death at low concentrations and apoptotic cell death at high concentrations. Furthermore, ZST93 could enhance the chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine both in vitro and in vivo through modulation of the cross talk between autophagy and apoptosis. ZST93 is a potential therapeutic agent for developing novel therapeutic strategies in human pancreatic cancer.

Effect of molecular weight on the ability of guar gum to enhance "weak gel" rheology of microdispersed oxidised cellulose (MDOC).

MDOC comprises small, essentially insoluble, particles which associate to form "weak gel" networks at concentrations above ∼4wt%. Association is promoted by guar gum, causing an increase in G' at low levels of addition and a decrease at higher concentrations, due to excessive aggregation of the MDOC particles. For guar gum samples with molecular weights ranging from ∼60 to ∼1800kDa, we found that the concentration required to give maximum G' for 5wt% dispersions of MDOC increased systematically from ∼0.005wt% for the lowest molecular weight to ∼0.3wt% for the highest. We propose that guar gum drives self-association of MDOC to reduce enthalpically-unfavourable (segregative) interactions between the two materials, and that large coils are less effective than smaller ones because a higher proportion of chain sequences are buried in the interior of the coil, where they cannot make segmental contacts with the MDOC particles.

The long noncoding RNA H19 promotes cell proliferation via E2F-1 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

H19 is a long noncoding RNA differentially expressed in many tumors and participates in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to investigate the expression and function of H19 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Pure malignant cells were isolated from frozen sections of 25 PDAC cases by laser captured microdessection, and H19 expression level was detected by qRT-PCR. Knockdown and overexpression were employed to manipulate H19 levels in pancreatic cancer cells, then cell viability, proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle, and the growth of xenografts were evaluated. E2F-1 levels in PDAC tissues were detected by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. We found that H19 was overexpressed in PDAC tissues and correlated to histological grade of PDAC. Knockdown of H19 in T3M4 and PANC-1 cells with high H19 endogenous level suppressed cell viability, proliferation and tumor growth, while H19 overexpression in COLO357 and CAPAN-1 with low H19 endogenous level enhanced cell viability, proliferation and tumor growth. Knockdown of H19 led to G0/G1 arrest, accompanied by decreased levels of E2F-1 and its downstream targets. E2F-1 was overexpressed in PDAC tissues with possible correlation with H19 expression level. In conclusion, H19 is overexpressed and plays oncogenic role in PDAC through promoting cancer cell proliferation via the upregulation of E2F-1.

Comparison of Uncinate Process Cancer and Non-Uncinate Process Pancreatic Head Cancer.

The special anatomical position accounts for unusual clinicopathological features of uncinate process cancer. This study aimed to compare clinicopathological features of patients with uncinate process cancer to patients with non-uncinate process pancreatic head cancer. Total 160 patients with pancreatic head cancer were enrolled and classified into two groups: uncinate process cancer and non-uncinate process pancreatic head cancer. We found that the ratio of vascular invasion was significantly higher in patients with uncinate process cancer than in patients with non-uncinate process pancreatic head cancer. In addition, the rate of R1 resection was significantly higher in patients with uncinate process cancer. Furthermore, the median disease-free survival (11 months vs. 15 months, p=0.043) and overall survival (15 months vs. 19 months, p=0.036) after R0 resection were lower for uncinate process cancer. Locoregional recurrence was more frequent (p=0.017) and earlier (12 months vs. 36 months; p=0.002) in patients with uncinate process cancer than in patients with non-uncinate process pancreatic head cancer. In conclusion, uncinate process cancer is more likely to invade blood vessel and has worse prognosis due to the earlier and more frequent locoregional recurrence.

[Risk factors of postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy and its predictive score].

OBJECTIVE: To develop and test a scoring system to predict the risks of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD). METHODS: Clinic data and postoperative complications of the 445 consecutive patients who underwent a PD procedure between January 2008 and April 2015 in Peking University First Hospital were retrospectively collected and analyzed.The patients were randomly selected to modelling and validation sets at a ratio of 3∶1, respectively.The patient data were subjected to univariate and multivariate analysis in the modelling set of patients.A score predictive of POPF was designed and tested in the validation set. RESULTS: POPF occurred in 88 of 334 patients(26.4%) in the modelling set.The multivariate analysis showed that body mass index (BMI, P<0.01) and pancreatic duct width(P=0.001) are associated with POPF independently.A risk score to predict POPF was constructed based on these factors and successfully tested.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.829(95% CI: 0.777-0.881) on the modelling set and 0.885(95% CI: 0.825-0.945) on the validation set, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: BMI and pancreatic duct width were associated with POPF after PD. The preoperative assessment of a patient's risk for POPF is feasible.The present risk score is a valid tool to predict POPF in patients undergoing PD, to make the selection on anastomosis types, and to take precautions against POPF.

Intestinal Infarction Caused by Thrombophlebitis of the Portomesenteric Veins as a Complication of Acute Gangrenous Appendicitis After Appendectomy: A Case Report.

The clinical symptoms of pylephlebitis caused by acute appendicitis are varied and atypical, which leads to delayed diagnosis and poor outcomes. Here, we report a case of intestinal necrosis caused by thrombophlebitis of the portomesenteric veins as a complication of acute appendicitis after appendectomy. The patient had acute abdominal pain with tenderness and melena on the 3rd day after appendectomy for the treatment of gangrenous appendicitis. He was diagnosed with intestinal infarction caused by thrombophlebitis of the portomesenteric veins based on enhanced CT and diagnostic abdominal paracentesis. The patient was treated by bowel excision anastomosis and thrombectomy. After postoperative antibiotic and anticoagulation treatments, the patient recovered well and was discharged 22 days after the 2nd operation. A follow-up CT scan showed no recurrence of portomesenteric veins thrombosis 3 months later. Thrombophlebitis of the portomesenteric veins is a rare but fatal complication of acute appendicitis. For all the cases with acute abdominal pain, the possibility of thrombophlebitis should be considered as a differential diagnosis. Once pylephlebitis is suspected, enhanced CT scan is helpful for early diagnosis, and sufficient control of inflammation as well as anticoagulant therapy should be performed.

Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor promotes the growth and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) plays important roles in the progression of pancreatic cancer. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of IGF1R knockdown on the proliferation, apoptosis and chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells, and explore the possible mechanisms. METHODS: Pancreatic cancer cells expressing IGF1R shRNA were established, and the cell proliferation, colony formation, and chemosensitivity to gemcitabine were examined in vitro. The activation of AKT and NF-κB was detected by Western blot analysis and luciferase assay, respectively. Xenograft mice models were established to evaluate the in vivo anti-tumor effects of IGF1R knockdown. RESULTS: IGF1R knockdown notably inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and colony formation, induced apoptosis, and inhibited xenograft tumor growth. Moreover, IGF1R knockdown significantly enhanced chemosensitivity to gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells, and this was correlated with the inhibition of PI3K/AKT and NF-κB pathways. CONCLUSIONS: IGF1R knockdown suppresses tumor growth and enhances chemosensitivity in pancreatic cancer via the inhibition of PI3K/AKT and NF-κB pathways, and is a promising approach to overcome the chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer.

Hedgehog signaling pathway regulates human pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and metastasis.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and devastating malignancies. The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway has been reported to play an important role in pancreatic cancer development and progression. The aim of this study was to examine the activation of the Hh pathway in human pancreatic cancer tissue samples and pancreatic cancer cell lines, and the molecular mechanisms involved in the Hh pathway mediated effects on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion. The expression levels of Hh molecules in human pancreatic cancer tissue samples and pancreatic cancer cell lines were evaluated using RT-PCR. The role of the Hh pathway in cell proliferation and invasion was evaluated using flow cytometry, MTT, colony formation assays and transwell invasion assays, and the expression of cancer stem cell markers and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were evaluated using flow cytometry and RT-PCR. Tumorigenicity assays were used to further investigate the role of the Hh pathway in vivo. Hh molecules were highly expressed in human pancreatic cancer tissue samples and pancreatic cancer cell lines. Inhibition of the Hh pathway notably decreased cell proliferation and induced apoptosis through inhibition of the PI3K/AKT pathway and cancer stem cells. Furthermore, inhibition of the Hh signaling pathway significantly inhibited EMT by suppressing the activation of transcription factors Snail and Slug, which are correlated with significantly reduced pancreatic cancer cell invasion, suggesting that the Hh signaling pathway is involved in early metastasis. These results indicate that activation of the Hh pathway is a common event. Inhibition of the Hh pathway may be a potential molecular target of new therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer.

Combined effects of EGFR and Hedgehog signaling pathway inhibition on the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells.

In the present study, we established a new experimental model to investigate the effects of EGFR targeting by RNAi, and the synergistic actions between the hedgehog (Hh) and EGFR signaling pathways on the proliferation and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Three human pancreatic cancer cell lines expressing EGFR shRNA were established, and gene expression inhibition was assessed in these lines using RT-PCR and western blot analysis. The effects of EGFR RNAi and Hh inhibition on cell proliferation and apoptosis were explored in vitro and in vivo. We observed that EGFR RNAi notably inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation, induced apoptosis and markedly decreased xenograft tumor growth. Furthermore, EGFR RNAi significantly enhanced cyclopamine sensitivity both in vitro and in vivo, and a synergistic decrease of both AKT and ERK phosphorylation was observed. The present study demonstrates that combined inhibition of both EGFR and Hh signaling pathways could establish a more promising antitumor approach than inhibiting each singly, and that there is a possible synergistic effect for Hh and EGFR signaling pathways on ERK and AKT phosphorylation.

Suppression of the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been detected in pancreatic cancer; however, the mechanisms of EGFR in inducing pancreatic cancer development have not been adequately elucidated. The objective of this study was to determine the role of EGFR in mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic cancer cells. METHODS: Pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 was transfected with small interfering RNA of EGFR by use of a lentiviral expression vector to establish an EGFR-knockdown cell line (si-PANC-1). PANC-1 cells transfected with lentiviral vector expressing negative control sequence were used as negative control (NC-PANC-1). Scratch assay and transwell study were used to analyze cell migration and invasion. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of EMT markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin and transcription factors snail, slug, twist1, and sip1 in PANC-1, NC-PANC-1, and si-PANC-1 cells. Immunofluorescent staining with these antibodies and confocal microscopy were used to observe their cellular location and morphologic changes. RESULTS: After RNA interference of EGFR, the migration and invasion ability of si-PANC-1 cells decreased significantly. The expression of epithelial phenotype marker E-cadherin increased and the expression of mesenchymal phenotype markers N-cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin decreased, indicating reversion of EMT. We also observed intracellular translocation of E-cadherin. Expression of transcription factors snail and slug in si-PANC-1 cells decreased significantly. CONCLUSION: Suppression of EGFR expression can significantly inhibit EMT of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. The mechanism may be related with the down-regulation of the expression of transcription factors snail and slug.

[Surgical complications after pancreatoduodenectomy: risk factors and treatments].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact factors and treatment of post pancreatoduodenectomy complications. METHODS: The clinical data of 412 cases between January 1995 and April 2010 underwent pancreatoduodenectomy were analyzed retrospectively. There were 232 male, 180 female. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression model were used to identify the risk factors related to occurrence of postoperative complications. RESULTS: The overall postoperative morbidity rate was 37.1% (153/412), and mortality rate was 4.6% (19/412). Total uncinate process resection, type of pancreatic-enteric anastomosis, duct diameter and pancreatic texture had effects on postoperative pancreatic fistula statistically. Total uncinate process resection, the amount of intra-operative blood loss ≥ 600 ml and pancreatic fistula were identified as significant risk factors for post pancreatoduodenectomy hemorrhage by means of univariate analysis. Delayed gastric empting occurrence in the patients with pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy was higher than those with standard pancreaticoduodenectomy significantly. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that duct diameter and pancreatic texture were the independent risk factors of pancreatic fistula. Total uncinate process resection, the amount of intra-operative blood loss ≥ 600 ml and pancreatic fistula were independent risk factors of bleeding. There were no statistically significant differences between the radical group and the standard group when postoperative complication rates were analyzed (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pancreaticojejunal anastomoses by means of duct-to-mucosa is fit for the patients with dilated pancreatic duct and end-to-end invaginated pancreaticojejunostomy is fit for the patients with undilated pancreatic duct. The prevention of postoperative bleeding depends on total uncinate process resection and meticulous hemostatic technique during operation. The pancreatic fistula is one of the most important factors which can result in postoperative bleeding. Pancreaticoduodenectomy combines with SMV/PV resection and extended lymphadenectomy do not significantly increase the morbidity rates.