自然杀伤细胞抗肝癌的研究新进展

肝癌是最常见的恶性肿瘤之一,预后差,复发率高。免疫治疗已成为继手术、放疗、化疗后的第四种治疗模式,其中自然杀伤细胞可以在细胞、分子及基因水平抑制肿瘤转移及复发,在肝癌的免疫治疗中起关键性作用,在开展新的治疗模式以及提高肝癌患者生活质量方面具有很广阔的应用前景。     

Characterization of SCCA-IgM as a biomarker of liver disease in an Asian cohort of patients

Viral hepatitis infection is a major global issue and a leading cause of liver disease and associated deaths. Over time, patients infected with hepatitis B (HBV) or C virus (HCV) develop cirrhosis and, eventually, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For this reason, they need to be constantly monitored. Current Asian guidelines recommend the determination of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) together with liver ultrasounds every six months to detect HCC nodules. However, both methods have several limitations, and other biomarkers have been studied for monitoring cirrhosis, including SCCA-IgM, an immune-complex formed by Squamous Cell Carcinoma Antigen and IgM. To date, SCCA-IgM has been validated as a novel biomarker for liver diseases only in European populations. The aim of our study was to analyze SCCA-IgM as a biomarker to monitor cirrhosis evolution in an Asian cohort of patients and to compare its performance to that of AFP. We analyzed the concentration of AFP and SCCA-IgM in serum samples obtained from a group of Asian adult patients with cirrhosis or HCC and a control group of patients admitted for gastrointestinal disorders. In untreated patients and similarly to AFP, SCCA-IgM levels were significantly higher in patients with cirrhosis compared to those with HCC. In addition, SCCA-IgM, but not AFP serological levels, were significantly lower in HCC patients who were treated with surgical resection compared to those who received a different therapy.     

阻断Hedgehog信号通路对HepG2.2.15细胞增殖的影响

目的探讨环耙明阻断Hedgehog信号通路对肝癌细胞HepG2.2.15增殖的影响。方法培养肝癌细胞HepG2.2.15,用5μmol/L、15μmol/L、25μmol/L环耙明处理HepG2.2.15细胞24h、48h、72h,采用MTT检测环耙明对细胞活力的影响;EDU法检测细胞DNA合成情况;Real-timePCR法检测细胞Gli1的表达情况。结果用5μmol/L、15μmol/L、25μmol/L浓度的环耙明处理HepG2.2.15细胞24h、48h、72h后,MTT检测结果显示细胞活力降低,较空白组差异明显(P<0.05);EDU法检测结果显示25μmol/L的环耙明作用于细胞不同时间后,HepG2.2.15细胞的DNA合成率下降,与空白组相比差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);Real-time PCR法实验结果显示5μmol/L、15μmol/L、25μmol/L浓度的环耙明处理组与对照组相比,Gli1表达水平明显降低(P<0.05)。结论不同浓度环耙明能抑制HepG2.2.15细胞的增殖,减少HepG2.2.15细胞的DNA合成率;其作用机制可能与HepG2.2.15细胞中Gli1、mRNA的表达水平下降有关。     

BAP1 mutations define a homogeneous subgroup of hepatocellular carcinoma with fibrolamellar-like features and activated PKA

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Mechanisms of Action and Resistance of Somatostatin Analogues for the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Message Not Well Taken

Somatostatin (SST) acts as an inhibitory peptide of various secretory and proliferative processes. Apart from neuroendocrine tumors, where SST analogues have an established role, they have been tested in other tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the view of the fact that chemotherapy is not working. Several positive reports have been published. Approximately 40% of patients respond with improved survival and an impressive quality of life. A usual misunderstanding in trial designs is that, although SST is not a rescue drug, selection of patients is inappropriate, with mostly moribund patients being recruited. SST analogues do not seem to work in 60% of HCCs and this has been linked to the presence of SST receptors (SSTR) in the tumor, while several resistance mechanisms might be involved. Future management should engage more specific SST analogues targeted to a tumor with a known SSTR map. The use of somatostatin analogues as an adjunct therapy in combination with other treatment modalities should also be investigated.     

Long-Term survivor of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma after two hepatic resections

We report here a long-term survivor of ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A 37-year-old Japanese man complained of sudden abdominal pain after taking an alcoholic drink. Ultrasonographic examination showed a large amount of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Emergency laparotomy was performed. A solid mass showing extrahepatic growth was present in the right lobe of the liver. No active bleeding site was detected, but the tumor was covered with old blood coagula. The tumor was covered with the greater omentum to prevent further hemorrhage. Following assessment of the extent of the tumor and of liver function, delayed hepatectomy was performed. Histological examination indicated the tumor to be HCC. Twenty-six months after initial hepatic resection, partial resection of the liver was performed again for recurrent tumor. The patient has survived without recurrence for more than 5 years. The long survival was due, we believe to the liver being non-cirrhotic, the delayed hepatic resection, and the early detection of the recurrent tumor.     

Growth inhibition and apoptosis induction of Sulindac on Human gastric cancer cells

AIM: To evaluate the effects of sulindac in inducing growth inhibition and apoptosis of human gastric cancer cells in comparison with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. METHODS: The human gastric cancer cell lines MKN45 and MKN28 and human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines HepG(2) and SMMC7721 were used for the study. Anti-proliferative effect was measured by MTT assay, and apoptosis was determined by Hoechst-33258 staining, electronography and DNA fragmentation. The protein of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and Bcl-2 were detected by Western dot blotting. RESULTS: Sulindac could initiate growth inhibition and apoptosis of MKN45, MKN28, HepG(2) and SMMC7721 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Growth inhibitory activity and apoptosis were more sensitive in HepG(2) cells than in SMMC7721 cells, MKN45 and MKN28 cells. After 24 hours incubation with sulindac at 2mmol x L(-1) and 4mmol x L(-1), the level of COX-2 and Bcl-2 protein were lowered in MKN45, SMMC7721 and HepG(2) cells but not in MKN28 cells. CONCLUSION: Sulindac could inhibit the growth of gastric cancer cells and HCC cells effectively in vitro by apoptosis induction, which was associated with regression of COX-2 and Bcl-2 expression. The growth inhibition and apoptosis of HCC cells were greater than that of human gastric cancer cells. The different effects of apoptosis in gastric cancer cells may be related to the differentiation of the cells.     

Can non-selective beta-blockers prevent hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis?

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the main liver-related cause of death in patients with compensated cirrhosis. The early phases are asymptomatic and the prognosis is poor, which makes prevention essential. We propose that non-selective beta-blockers decrease the incidence and growth of hepatocellular carcinoma via a reduction of the inflammatory load from the gut to the liver and inhibition of angiogenesis.