Patient-reported outcome (PRO)-based symptom assessment in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving first-line combination immunotherapy: a protocol for a multicenter, prospective, observational study.

BACKGROUND: Immunotherapy is currently applied in the first-line treatment regimens for numerous advanced cancers, especially advanced lung cancer. Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) resulting from immunotherapy can vary in severity and cause a substantial symptom burden to patients. However, there are limited data on symptom burden in patients with advanced lung cancer following immunotherapy. To address this deficit, this study aims to provide insight into the symptom burden and severity through patient-reported outcome measurements and conduct an analysis of temporal trends and clinical consequences of symptom burden in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving combination immunotherapy. METHODS: We will prospectively recruit 168 eligible patients from 14 hospitals in China. Eligible patients will be aged ≥ 18 years, pathologically diagnosed with locally advanced or stage IV primary lung cancer without surgical indications, and agreed to receive immunotherapy in combination with other therapies. The primary outcome of this study is the symptom burden of patients during the immunotherapy course. Longitudinal symptom data will be collected using the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory-Lung Cancer module (MDASI-LC) and the symptomatic irAEs scale at baseline (once before treatment) and weekly after treatment, until 1 month after the last treatment cycle has been completed. The trajectory of symptom burden following combination immunotherapy will be depicted, and by linking it to clinical outcomes (the secondary outcome and exploratory outcome of this study), the consequence of symptom burden in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving combination immunotherapy will be examined further. DISCUSSION: This study intends to establish longitudinal symptom trajectories in patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy, and explore its association with clinical outcomes. These findings may serve as an important reference for clinicians in the symptomatic management of patients with lung cancer receiving immunotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2200061540. Registered on June 28, 2022.

Current Status in Rechallenge of Immunotherapy.

The treatment of malignant tumors has entered the era of immunotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have brought significant benefits to patients. However, some patients are required to discontinue treatment with ICIs owing to factors such as disease progression and intolerable side effects. Faced with limited subsequent treatment options and complex medical needs, we searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and the NIH clinical trials database and found that ICI rechallenge could be a relevant clinical strategy. The factors that could affect the rechallenge efficacy include the patients' characteristics, therapeutic strategy selection, and the timing of treatment. Multiple factors are used to identify target population, of which clinical features and PD-L1 expression are more potential. Both single ICI rechallenge and combination therapy may have survival benefits. Patients who have tolerated initial immunotherapy well could undergo ICI rechallenge, while patients who have experienced grade 3 or higher immune-related adverse events should be carefully assessed prior to rechallenge. Interventions and the interval between two courses of ICI will clearly have an impact on the efficacy of subsequent treatment. Preliminary data evaluation supports further investigation on ICI rechallenge to identify the factors that could contribute to its efficacy.

Contribution of skeletal muscle to cancer immunotherapy: A focus on muscle function, inflammation, and microbiota.

Sarcopenia, characterized by degenerative and systemic loss of skeletal muscle mass and function, is a multifactorial syndrome commonly observed in individuals with cancer. Additionally, it represents a poor nutritional status and indicates possible presence of cancer cachexia. Recently, with the extensive application of cancer immunotherapy, the effects of sarcopenia/cachexia on cancer immunotherapy, have gained attention. The aim of this review was to summarize the influence of low muscle mass (sarcopenia/cachexia) on the response and immune-related adverse events to immunotherapy from the latest literature. It was revealed that low muscle mass (sarcopenia/cachexia) has detrimental effects on cancer immunotherapy in most cases, although there were results that were not consistent with this finding. This review also discussed potential causes of the paradox, such as different measure methods, research types, muscle indicators, time point, and cancer type. Mechanically, chronic inflammation, immune cells, and microbiota may be critically involved in regulating the efficacy of immunotherapy under the condition of low muscle mass (sarcopenia/cachexia). Thus, nutritional interventions will likely be promising ways for individuals with cancer to increase the efficacy of immunotherapy in the future, for low muscle mass (sarcopenia/cachexia) is an important prognostic factor for cancer immunotherapy.

Overexpression of MPC1 inhibits the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stem cell-like properties of gastric cancer cells.

Invasion and metastasis are major malignant characteristics of human gastric cancer (GC), but the molecular mechanisms underlying the invasion and metastasis of GC cells remain elusive. MPC1, a key factor that controls pyruvate transportation through the inner mitochondrial membrane, was reported to be downregulated and correlated with poor prognosis in several cancers. However, the effects of MPC1 on human GC have not been illustrated. In this study, we investigated the potential role of MPC1 in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stem cell-like properties of human GC cells and evaluated its prognostic significance for patients with GC. We found that MPC1 protein and mRNA levels were significantly decreased in GC tissues and cell lines. Low MPC1 expression was associated with tumor T stage, N stage, and advanced tumor node metastasis stage. Decreased MPC1 expression was an independent prognostic marker and correlated with poor overall survival of patients with GC. Furthermore, overexpression of MPC1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and stem cell-like properties of GC cells. These findings suggest that MPC1 may be a novel prognostic marker and a potential therapeutic target in human GC.

Investigation of the anti-cancer effect of quercetin on HepG2 cells in vivo.

Quercetin, a natural polyphenolic flavonoid compound, can inhibit the growth of several malignant cancers. However, the mechanism still remains unclear. Our previous findings have suggested that quercetin can significantly inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation and induce cell apoptosis in vitro. It can also affect cell cycle distribution and significantly decrease cyclin D1 expression. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer effect of quercetin on HepG2 tumor-bearing nude mice and its effect on cyclin D1 expression in the tumor tissue. First, the nude murine tumor model was established by subcutaneous inoculation of HepG2 cells, then quercetin was administered intraperitoneally, and the mice injected with saline solution were used as controls. The daily behavior of the tumor-bearing mice was observed and differences in tumor growth and survival rate were monitored. The expression of cyclin D1 in isolated tumor sections was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. We found that HepG2 tumor became palpable in the mice one-week post-inoculation. Tumors in the control group grew rapidly and the daily behavior of the mice changed significantly, including listlessness, poor feeding and ataxia. The mice in quercetin-treated group showed delayed tumor growth, no significant changes in daily behavior, and the survival rate was significantly improved. Finally, we observed increased tumor necrosis and a lighter cyclin D1 staining with reduced staining areas. Our findings thus suggest that quercetin can significantly inhibit HepG2 cell proliferation, and this effect may be achieved through the regulation of cyclin D1 expression.

Comparison of entecavir and lamivudine in preventing HBV reactivation in lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy: a meta-analysis.

Background Multiple studies have compared the efficacy of entecavir with lamivudine in preventing hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation among HBV-carrying lymphoma patients with chemotherapy treatment. However, the results were slightly varied. Aim of the review to combine the findings of independent studies assessing the clinical efficacy of the two drugs using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods PubMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Chongqing VIP and WanFang Data were retrieved. Two independent reviewers evaluated the study eligibility and extracted eight studies, with 770 patients in total. The meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.3 and STATA software. Results HBV-carrying lymphoma patients receiving lamivudine during chemotherapy had a statistically significantly higher odds of HBV reactivation compared to those receiving entecavir (OR 5.0, 95 % CI 2.85-8.78, P < 0.001). The odds of hepatitis, HBV-Reactivation caused hepatitis and chemotherapy disruption was statistically significantly elevated in the patient group receiving lamivudine compared to the entecavir group (OR 4.12, 95 % CI 1.70-9.98, P = 0.002; OR 11.44, 95 % CI 2.70-48.52, P < 0.001; OR 6.71, 95 % CI 2.34-19.26, P < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the HBV reactivation rate in Ann Arbor stages I - II patient group was statistically significantly lower than the one in Ann Arbor stages III-IV group, with an overall pooled value of 0.37 (95 % CI 0.17-0.82, P = 0.01). Conclusion The metaanalysis result suggested that among HBV-carrying lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy, entecavir is more effective than lamivudine in preventing HBV reactivation.

Quercetin reduces cyclin D1 activity and induces G1 phase arrest in HepG2 cells.

Quercetin is able to inhibit proliferation of malignant tumor cells; however, the exact mechanism involved in this biological process remains unclear. The current study utilized a quantitative proteomic analysis to explore the antitumor mechanisms of quercetin. The leucine of HepG2 cells treated with quercetin was labeled as d3 by stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC). The isotope peaks of control HepG2 cells were compared with the d3-labeled HepG2 cells by mass spectrometry (MS) to identify significantly altered proteins. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses were subsequently employed to verify the results of the MS analysis. A flow cytometry assay was designed to observe the influence of various quercetin treatment concentrations on the cell cycle distribution of HepG2 cells. The results indicated that quercetin is able to substantially inhibit proliferation of HepG2 cells and induce an obvious morphological alteration of cells. According to the MS results, the 70 credibly-changed proteins that were identified may play important roles in multiple cellular processes, including protein synthesis, signaling, cytoskeletal processes and metabolism. Among these functional proteins, the expression of cyclin D1 (CCND1) was found to be significantly decreased. RT-PCR and western blot analyses verified the SILAC-MS results of decreased CCND1 expression. In summary, flow cytometry revealed that quercetin is able to induce G1 phase arrest in HepG2 cells. Based on the aforementioned observations, it is suggested that quercetin exerts antitumor activity in HepG2 cells through multiple pathways, including interfering with CCND1 gene expression to disrupt the cell cycle and proliferation of HepG2 cells. In the future, we aim to explore this effect in vivo.

Efficacy and tolerance of pegaspargase, gemcitabine and oxaliplatin with sandwiched radiotherapy in the treatment of newly-diagnosed extranodal nature killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma.

Extranodal nature killer (NK)/T cell lymphoma (ENKL), nasal type, is a highly aggressive and heterogeneous disease. Here we report a retrospective study of 38 newly-diagnosed ENKL patients treated with pegaspargase, gemcitabine, oxaliplatin (P-Gemox) and sandwiched radiotherapy in our department during 2012-2016. A median of 4 (range, 2-6) (total=141) cycles of P-Gemox were administered. Interim restaging after at least 2 cycles showed complete remission (CR) rate of 23.68%, partial remission (PR) rate of 63.16%, giving an overall response rate (ORR) of 86.84%. On treatment completion, the ORR became 92.1% (CR=86.84%, PR=5.26%). Only one patient experienced disease progression during therapy. Multivariate analysis showed gender was a significant independent factor impacting on CR. Hematologic toxicity was common yet nonhematologic toxicity was mild, both of them can be well controlled by supportive treatments and only one treatment-related death was observed. At a median follow-up of 15.5 months, 4 patients (10.53%) experienced disease progression and died of disease. 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate and 1-year overall survival (OS) rate for the whole cohort were 86.7% and 86.6%. The P-Gemox regimen with sandwiched radiotherapy may be a promising option in the treatment of newly-diagnosed ENKL due to its high efficacy yet low toxicity.

A novel zinc finger protein Zfp637 behaves as a repressive regulator in myogenic cellular differentiation.

Zinc finger proteins have been implicated as transcription factors in the differentiation and development of cells and tissues in higher organisms. The classical C2H2 zinc finger motif is one main type of motif of zinc finger proteins. Our previous studies have shown that Zfp637, which comprises six consecutively typical and one atypical C2H2 zinc finger motifs, is highly expressed in undifferentiated or poorly differentiated cell lines, but is moderately or slightly expressed in normal tissues. We have also demonstrated that Zfp637 can promote cell proliferation. However, its role in the regulation of cell differentiation remains unknown. We report here that endogenous Zfp637 as well as mTERT is expressed in proliferating C2C12 myoblasts and that their expression is downregulated during myogenic differentiation. Constitutive expression of Zfp637 in C2C12 myoblasts increased mTERT expression and telomerase activity, and promoted the progression of the cell cycle and cell proliferation. By contrast, endogenous repression of Zfp637 expression by RNA interference downregulated the mTERT gene and the activity of telomerase, and markedly reduced cell proliferation. Overexpression of Zfp637 also inhibited the expression of myogenic differentiation-specific genes such as MyoD and myogenin, and prevented C2C12 myoblast differentiation. Our results suggest that Zfp637 inhibits muscle differentiation through a defect in the cell cycle exit by potentially regulating mTERT expression in C2C12 myoblasts. This may provide a new research line for studying muscle differentiation.

Antitumor effect of lung cancer vaccine with umbilical blood dendritic cells in reconstituted SCID mice.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are important cells in initiating an immune response. A generation of functional DCs has potential clinical use in treating cancer. However, the source of DCs and patient immunodeficiency with cancer have been hindrances in clinical therapy. We generated DCs from human umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UBMCs) with recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, recombinant human interleukin-4, and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The mature DC-A549 lung cancer vaccine (AgL-DC) was prepared through loading A549 lysate, treating with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and positive selecting with CD83 magnetic beads. AgL-DC can secrete interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-1. Further in vitro analysis showed that AgL-DC notably induced human UBMC lymphocyte proliferation (p < 0.01) by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-z-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, increased the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity of UBMC lymphocytes against A549 cells (p < 0.05, at effector cells:target cells ratios of 50:1 and 100:1) by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) cytotoxic assay, and improved production of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-beta (p < 0.01, p < 0.05) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Subsequently, the reconstitute immunity model in severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCID) mice has been established using human UBMC transplantation, and similar trends to results of UBMC in vitro experiments have been shown in lymphocyte proliferation, CTL activity, and IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-beta secretion levels in these models. AgL-DC also significantly (p < 0.01) increased the antitumor effect in vivo. The tumor infiltrating immunocytes were positively expressed human CD83 and CD3 molecules, and they were negatively expressed in tumor tissue treated with control. These results have demonstrated that umbilical cord DCs are a useful source of vaccine cells for augmenting CTL-mediated cytotoxicity and have potential usefulness in cellular therapy for human cancer in a new vaccination strategy.

[Construction of eukaryotic expression plasmid pEGFP-ATP1B1 and its effect on gastric adenocarcinoma cell SGC-7901].

OBJECTIVE: To establish the eukaryotic expression plasmid containing the code gene of Na+, K+-ATPase beta1-subunit (ATP1B1) and the basis of ATP1B1 applied to antitumor gene therapy. METHODS: The ATP1B1 cDNA was amplified from leukocyte gene library and then cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-C3. The recombinant plasmid, named as pEGFP-ATP1B1, was determined with restriction enzyme and sequencing analyses. Next pEGFP-ATP1B1 was transferred into gastric adenocarcinoma SGC-7901 cells by lipofectamine, then ATP1B1 mRNA expression in transfected cells was detected by real-time PCR, and also ATPase was detected after cell transfection, as well as the proliferation of such cells was measured by MTT. RESULTS: The analysis confirmed that the recombinant pEGFP-ATP1B1 contained the ATP1B1 cDNA. After cell transfection, the expression of ATP1B1 mRNA(129.2%) and the activity of ATPase [(2.95+/-0.210)%] were higher, and the growth of the SGC-7901 cells transfected with ATP1B1 was inhibited obviously when compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: The recombinant pEGFP-ATP1B1 is constructed successfully, and this recombinant eukaryotic expression vector could be used in additional studies on the biological effect of ATP1B1 and its use in anti-tumor gene therapy.

Partial biological characterization of cancer stem-like cell line (WJ(2)) of human glioblastoma multiforme.

To provide suitable models for human GBM cancer stem cells in vitro and in vivo, and investigate their biological characteristics, a new human GBM cancer stem-like cell line, WJ2, was established in this experiment through serial passages from adherent monolayer culture to nonadherent tumor sphere culture in turns; Its partial biological characteristics were studied through cell proliferation and tumor sphere assay; cell cycle distribution, side population, and CD133 phenotype were analyzed with FCM. The expressions of CD133, Nestin, and GFAP of cancer stem-like cells and xenograft tumor cells were detected with RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Biological characterization, side population, CD133 phenotype and CD133 Nestin, BCRP-1, Wnt-1 gene expression revealed the stemness of this cancer stem-like cell line. Tumorigenicity heterotransplanted in nude mice; histopathological characteristics of xenograft tumor, and expressions of CD133, Nestin, and GFAP of xenograft tumor cells indicated that xenograft tumors recapitulated the phenotype and biological characterization of human primary GBM. All findings of this experimental study suggested that WJ(2) cancer stem-like cell line could accurately mimic human GBM cancer stem cell in vitro and in vivo; it would be useful in the cellular and molecular studies as well as in testing novel therapies of CSC-based anti-cancer therapies for human GBM.

Cytotoxicity of fig fruit latex against human cancer cells.

Fig fruit latex (FFL) contains significant amounts of polyphenolic compounds and can serve as a source of antioxidants after human consumption. The purpose of this study is to confirm anticancer activity of FFL against human cancer cells and to further elucidate its mechanism of activity. Human glioblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and normal liver cells were used for in vitro tests of FFL effects. Those tests included cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, Brdu incorporation, acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EB) staining for apoptotic cells, cell cycle distribution through flow cytometry (FCM), and ADP-ribosyltransferase (NAD+; poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase)-like 1 (ADPERL1) mRNA expression through RT-PCR in response to FFL treatment. After FFL treatment, the proliferation, colony formation, and Brdu labeling indices of cancer cells decreased (P<0.05), while the AO/EB stained apoptotic cells increased (P<0.05). By FCM analysis, an increase of G(0)/G(1) phase cell population and decrease of S and G(2)/M phase cells were observed (P<0.01), while both ADPRTL1 mRNA expression and apoptotic indices increased (P<0.01). The findings in these studies suggested that FFL exhibited potent cytotoxicity in some human cancer cells with little effect in normal cells at certain concentration. The mechanism for such effects might be associated with the inhibition of DNA synthesis, induction of apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest of cancer cells.

[Interaction between member LIGHT of TNF superfamily and SOCS3, which respond to induce the differentiation and maturation of dendritic cell].

OBJECTIVE: To detect the relation between the member LIGHT of TNF superfamily and the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), and to investigate the effect of SOCS3 on dendritic cell (DC) maturation induced by LIGHT. METHODS: Bone marrow-derived DC (BMDC) was generated from mouse bone marrow monocyte by culturing with rmGM-CSF, rmIL-4 in vitro. SOCS3 mRNA in BMDC was analyzed by RT-PCR, and the protein of SOCS3 was measured by Western blot. After blocking the SOCS3 expression with the specific anti-sense oligonucleotide, we applied the flow cytometry to measure the expression of CD86 and CD40 on DC for making clear whether the silence of SOCS3 would regulate the LIGHT-stimulated DC maturation. RESULTS: With the effect of LIGHT, the level of SOCS3 mRNA and protein in BMDC sharply increased. The specific antisense oligonucleotide could effectively block SOCS3 mRNA expressing in BMDC with the ratio of 49% and block SOCS3 protein expression with the ratio of 45%. Compared with SOCS3-unblocked DC, the SOCS3-blocked BMDC with stimulation of LIGHT showed higher CD40 and CD86 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: LIGHT enhances the expression of SOCS3 during stimulating BMDC maturation. As more sensitive to LIGHT, the SOCS3-blocked BMDC is driven to more mature. SOCS3 presents a negative regulation mechanism in BMDC maturation induced

Establishment of a new human glioblastoma multiforme cell line (WJ1) and its partial characterization.

(1) A new human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cell line, WJ1, was established from the tissue derived from a 29-year-old patient diagnosed with a grade IV GBM. (2) The WJ1 cell line has been subcultured for more than 80 passages in standard culture media without feeder layer or collagen coatings. (3) GBM cells grow in vitro with distinct morphological appearance. Ultrastructural examination revealed large irregular nuclei and pseudo-inclusion bodies in nuclei. The cytoplasm contained numerous immature organelles and a few glia filaments. Growth kinetic studies demonstrated an approximate population doubling time of 60 h and a colony forming efficiency of 4.04%. The karyotype of the cells was hyperdiploid, with a large subpopulation of polyploid cells. Drug sensitivities of DDP, VP-16, tanshinone IIA of this cell line were assayed. They showed a dose- and time-dependent growth inhibition effect on the cells. (4) Orthotopic transplantation of GBM cells into athymic nude mice induced the formation of solid tumor masses about 6 weeks. The cells obtained from mouse tumor masses when cultivated in vitro had the same morphology and ultrastructure as those of the initial cultures. (5) This cell line may provide a useful model in vitro and in vivo in the cellular and molecular studies as well as in testing novel therapies for human glioblastoma multiforme.

[Growth inhibition and multidrug resistance-reversing effect of tanshinone I A on human breast cancer cell with estrogen receptor negative].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the growth inhibition and multidrug resistance (MDR) reversing effect of tanshinone I A on human breast cancer cells with estrogen receptor (ER) negative, and to elucidate its mechanism of activity. METHODS: Human ER negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity and colony formation inhibition. Brdu incorporation and cell cycle distribution were also checked through flow cytometry (FCM). With RT-PCR, the expressions of ADP-ribosyltransferase CNAD+; poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase)-like 1 (ADPRTL1), cytochrome P450 subfamily I (CYP1A1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) mRNA were detected for testing the response to tanshinone 1 A treatment. RESULTS: After tanshinone I A treatment, the proliferation, colony formation and Brdu labeling indices of cancer cells decreased (P<0. 05). By FCM analysis, the increase of subG, and G0/G1 phase cell populations and decrease of S and G2/M phase cells were observed (P

Growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis and differentiation of tanshinone IIA in human glioma cells.

Tanshinone IIA is a derivative of phenanthrene-quinone isolated from Danshen, a widely used Chinese herbal medicine. It has antioxidant properties, cytotoxic activities against multiple human cancer cells, inducing apoptosis and differentiation of some human cancer cells. The purpose of this study is to confirm its anticancer activity on human glioma cells, and to elucidate mechanism of its activity. Human glioma cells were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity, colony formation inhibition, BrdU incorporation after treatment with tanshinone IIA. Its effect of apoptosis induction was detected through EB/AO staining, cell cycle analysis and the expressions of ADPRTL1 and CYP1A1 genes, the differentiation induction effect was investigated through morphology, mRNA and protein expressions of GFAP and nestin genes by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Tanshinone IIA demonstrated a dose- and time-dependent inhibitory effect on cell growth, IC(50) was 100 ng/ml, and it significantly inhibited colony formation and BrdU incorporation of human glioma cells. After treatment with 25-100 ng/ml of tanshinone IIA, the apoptotic cells increased significantly (P < 0.01), the cells in G(0)/G(1) phase increased (P < 0.01), and decreased in S phase, ADPRTL1 and CYP1A1 mRNA expression increased 1-2 folds. The cells treated with 100 ng/ml tanshinone IIA demonstrated astrocytes or neuron-like morphology, GFAP mRNA and protein expressions increased, nestin mRNA and protein expressions decreased significantly. The findings in this study suggested that tanshinone IIA exhibited strong effects on growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis and differentiation in human glioma cells. It might serve as a novel promising differentiation-inducing and/or therapeutic agent for human gliomas, and need to be investigated further.