AKR1C3 and ß-catenin expression in non-small cell lung cancer and relationship with radiation resistance.

PURPOSE: To search the AKR1C3 and ß-catenin expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to explore the correlation between AKR1C3 and ß-catenin and radiation resistance. METHODS: Paraffin specimens from 61 patients with NSCLC were evaluated. These patients could not receive operation but received radical radiotherapy. The patients were divided into effective group and ineffective group with reference to RECIST evaluation criteria. The sites and intensity of AKR1C3 and ß-catenin protein expression were detected by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between AKR1C3 and ß-catenin and radiation resistance was analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. The correlation between AKR1C3 and ß-catenin was analyzed by Spearman's correlation test. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the AKR1C3 overall expression in the effective group and the ineffective group after radiotherapy. RESULTS: The nuclear expression in the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.033). The ß-catenin protein was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm and the nucleus of tissues with NSCLC. The ß-catenin nuclear expression was different between the two groups, with statistical significance (p=0.008). AKR1C3 nuclear expression was positively correlated with ß-catenin nuclear expression (rs=0.382, p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS: High AKR1C3 nuclear expression in NSCLC is related to radiation resistance. The higher the AKR1C3 nucleus expression, the worse short-term curative effects after radiotherapy. High ß-catenin nuclear expression is related to radiation resistance, and the higher the ß-catenin nuclear expression, the worse the short-term curative effects after radiotherapy. The nuclear aggregation of AKR1C3 during radiation resistance of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may have some synergistic relationship with nuclear aggregation of ß-catenin.

Functional Carbazole-Fullerene Complexes: A New Perspective of Carbazoles Acting as Nano-Octopus to Capture Globular Fullerenes.

Fullerene host-guest constructs have attracted increasing attention owing to their molecular-level hybrid arrangements. However, the usage of simple carbazolic derivatives to bind with fullerenes is rare. In this research, three novel carbazolic derivatives, containing a tunable bridging linker and carbazole units for the capturing of fullerenes, are rationally designed. Unlike the general concave-convex interactions, fullerenes could interact with the planar carbazole subunits to form 2-dimensional hexagonal/quadrilateral cocrystals with alternating stacking patterns of 1 : 1 or 1 : 2 stoichiometry, as well as the controllable fullerene packing modes. At the meanwhile, good electron-transporting performances and significant photovoltaic effects were realized when a continuous C60⋅⋅⋅ C60 interaction channel existed. The results indicate that the introduction of such carbazolic system into fullerene receptor would provide new insights into novel fullerene host-guest architectures for versatile applications.

Effect of Hydroxyapatite Formation on Titanium Surface with Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Loading through Electrochemical Deposition on MG-63 Cells.

Calcium phosphate ceramics used in dentistry and orthopedics are some of the most valuable biomaterials, owing to their excellent osteoconduction, osteoinduction, and osseointegration. Osteoconduction and osteoinduction are critical targets for bone regeneration, and osseointegration is essential for any dental implantations. In this study, a hydroxyapatite (HAp) hybrid coating layer with the sequential release of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) was deposited onto an etched titanium substrate by electrochemical deposition. The resulting release of BMP-2 from Ti⁻HAp was assessed by immersing samples in a simulated buffer fluid solution. Through coculture, human osteosarcoma cell proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity were assessed. The characteristics and effect on cell proliferation of the hybrid coatings were investigated for their functionality through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and cell proliferation assays. Findings revealed that -0.8 V vs. Ag/AgCl (3 M KCl) exhibited the optimal HAp properties and a successfully coated HAp layer. XRD confirmed the crystallinity of the deposited HAp on the titanium surface. Ti-0.8 V Ti⁻HAp co-coating BMP sample exhibited the highest cell proliferation efficiency and was more favorable for cell growth. A successful biocompatible hybrid coating with optimized redox voltage enhanced the osseointegration process. The findings suggest that this technique could have promising clinical applications to enhance the healing times and success rates of dental implantation.