Cancer Biomarkers - Volume 19, issue 3

Authors: Yang, Zhenjie | Jin, Qianjun | Hu, Wendi | Dai, Longfei | Xue, Zhengze | Man, Da | Zhou, Lin | Xie, Haiyang | Wu, Jian | Zheng, Shusen

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND : 14-3-3σ protein plays an important role in multiple cellular processes. The role of 14-3-3σ in the progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has not been well understood. OBJECTIVE: We performed this research to explore the relationship between 14-3-3σ level and clinical characteristics and prognosis of ICC patients. Besides, we used ICC cell lines HCCC-9810 and RBE to assess the biological function of 14-3-3σ . METHODS: We examined 14-3-3σ expression in 28 ICC tissues and matched paratumor tissues by quantitative …real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Additionally, ICC tissue array from 100 patients and normal liver tissue array from 24 healthy people were also analyzed by immunohistochemistry. 14-3-3σ was knocked down in ICC cell lines and the functions and mechanisms of 14-3-3σ were assessed. RESULTS: 14-3-3σ is highly expressed in ICC tissues and high expression of 14-3-3σ correlates poor overall survival in ICC patients. Knocking down of 14-3-3σ in ICC cell lines reduced cells migration, invasion and anoikis resistance. Furthermore, 14-3-3σ -silenced ICC cells showed significantly decreased invasion-related protein MMP2 and MMP9 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate prognostic value of 14-3-3σ and its role in metastasis, which is associated with ICC cell lines migration, invasion and anoikis resistance. Show more

Keywords: 14-3-3σ intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, metastasis, anoikis resistance

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-160476

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 313-325, 2017

Authors: Li, Chun-Feng | Zheng, Jian | Xue, Ying-Wei

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The present study aimed to illustrate the clinical value of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) in predicting gastric cancer (GC) recurrence and metastasis. METHODS: From March 2012 to March 2014, 131 GC patients who underwent initial treatment at the Tumor Hospital of Harbin Medical University were enrolled in this study, and 64-slice spiral CT was used for CECT. CECT parameters were recorded, including CT values in the arterial and venous phases, as well as the enhancement patterns in the arterial phase. All GC patients were followed for one year. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used …to evaluate the clinical values of the CECT parameters in predicting GC recurrence and metastasis. RESULTS: Significantly higher CT values in the arterial and venous phases were found in patients with higher tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging, lymph node metastasis (LNM), advanced Borrmann type and postoperative chemotherapy. TNM stage I-II patients showed less significant enhancement and significant heterogeneous enhancement than TNM stage III-IV patients. Compared with patients without recurrence and metastasis, patients with recurrence and metastasis demonstrated higher CT values in the arterial and venous phases, as well as a higher proportion of significant enhancement and significant heterogeneous enhancements. For the CT value in the arterial phase, the area under the ROC curve was 0.858, with 70.3% sensitivity and 95.7% specificity, and in the venous phase, it was 0.801, with 73.0% sensitivity and 83.0% specificity. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that CECT has a high accuracy rate for predicting postoperative GC recurrence and metastasis. Show more

Keywords: Contrast-enhanced computed tomography, gastric cancer, recurrence, metastasis, clinical value

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-160528

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 327-333, 2017

Authors: Liu, C. | He, X. | Wu, X. | Wang, Z. | Zuo, W. | Hu, G.

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the relation between GPx2 (glutathione peroxidase 2) expressions and clinicopathological features as well as prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). METHODS: A total of 89 cases of NPC were investigated to examine the immunohistochemical expression of GPx2. Fourteen pairs of NPC and the control samples were analyzed respectively by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The correlations of GPx2 expressions with the clinicopathologic features and the prognosis of NPC patients were also analyzed. RESULTS: The expression of GPx2 in NPC tissues was elevated immunohistochemically when compared with normal …nasopharyngeal tissues (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of GPx2 in carcinoma tissues was highly elevated compared with the control tissues (P < 0.05). GPx2 protein in carcinoma tissues was also over expressed than in control tissues (P < 0.05). Also GPx2 expression was significantly higher in the late clinical stage (P = 0.02). While there was no significant association between GPx2 expression and patient age, sex, T-stage, N-stage and the metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: GPx2 may play an important role in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Furthermore, GPx2 may serve as a prognostic biomarker for NPC patient. Show more

Keywords: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, GPx2, prognosis

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-160542

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 335-340, 2017

Authors: Estiar, Mehrdad Asghari | Javan, Firouzeh | Zekri, Ali | Mehrazin, Masoud | Mehdipour, Parvin

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Astrocytoma and meningioma are the most common primary brain tumors. MYCN as a member of MYC proto-oncogenes has recently appeared as an attractive therapeutic target. Functions of MYCN are critical for growth of nervous system and neural differentiation. OBJECTIVE: We examined MYCN amplification and protein expression in astrocytoma and meningioma cases. METHODS: In this study, we used real-time PCR, FISH assay and flowcytometry to analyze DNA amplification and protein expression of MYCN. RESULTS: Among 30 samples of brain tumor, 14 cases (46.6%) revealed MYCN amplification. High-protein expression of MYCN …was also observed in 43.3% of patients. There was a significant correlation between MYCN gene amplification and protein expression (r = 0.523; p = 0.003), interestingly five case showed discrepancy between the gene amplification and protein expression. Although MYCN amplification fails to show correlation with poor prognosis (p = 0.305), protein high-expression of MYCN significantly reduce disease-free survival (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our results challenge the concept of the neural specificity of MYCN by demonstrating contribution of MYCN in meningioma. Moreover, this study highlights the importance of research at both level of DNA and protein, to determine the biological functions and medical impacts of MYCN. Show more

Keywords: MYCN, amplification, expression, astrocytoma, meningioma

DOI: 10.3233/CBM-160546

Citation: Cancer Biomarkers, vol. 19, no. 3, pp. 341-351, 2017