CYP3A isoforms in Ewing's sarcoma tumours: an immunohistochemical study with clinical correlation

Ewing's sarcoma is an aggressive malignancy of bone and soft tissue with high incidence of metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) monooxygenases are a family of enzymes that are involved in the metabolism of exogenous and endogenous compounds, including anti‐cancer drugs, and have been implicated in the aggressive behaviour of various malignancies. Tumour samples and clinical information including age, sex, tumour site, tumour size, clinical stage and survival were collected from 36 adult and paediatric patients with Ewing's sarcoma family tumours. Tissue microarrays slides were processed for immunohistochemical labelling for CYP3A4, CYP3A5 and CYP3A7 using liver sections as positive control. The intensity of staining was scored as negative, low or high expression and was analysed statistically for any association with patients' clinical information. Four cases were later excluded due to inadequate viable tissue. CYP3A4 staining was present in 26 (81%) cases with high expression noted in 13 (40%) of 32 cases. High expression was significantly associated with distant metastases (P < 0.05). CYP3A5 and CYP3A7 were expressed in 5 and 13 cases respectively (15.6%, 40.6%). There was no association between the expression of CYP3A isoforms and age, sex, tumour size, or location (pelvic or extra‐pelvic). None of the biomarkers showed any correlation with overall or disease‐free survival. In conclusion, expression of CYP3A isoforms is noted in Ewing's sarcoma tumours and high CYP3A4 expression may be associated with metastasis. Additional studies are needed to further investigate the role of CYP3A4 in the prognosis of these tumours.     

诃子水提物对肺癌A549细胞中p53表达的影响

目的:探讨诃子水提物对人肺癌A549细胞增殖的影响及p53在此过程中的作用。方法:以不同浓度的诃子水提物干预人肺癌A549细胞为实验组,未经干预的为空白对照组。采用MTT法检测10、1、0.1、0.01μg/ml诃子水提物分别作用24、48、72 h A549细胞后的增殖抑制率;Real-time PCR法检测p53在不同浓度诃子水提物作用前后的相对表达量的变化;免疫细胞荧光法检测p53蛋白的表达。结果:MTT法检测结果显示,增加水提物浓度,抑制率随之上升;PCR法检测显示,实验组较对照组p53的mRNA表达量上调;免疫细胞荧光法检测显示,实验组较对照组p53蛋白表达增多,并与水提物浓度成正比。结论:诃子水提物能诱导A549细胞凋亡,可能与p53基因被激活有关。     

Critical role of p38 MAPK in IL‐4‐induced alternative activation of peritoneal macrophages

Alternative activation of macrophages plays an important role in a range of physiological and pathological processes. This alternative phenotype, also known as M2 macrophages, is induced by type 2 cytokines such as IL‐4. The binding of IL‐4 to its receptor leads to activation of two major signaling pathways: STAT‐6 and PI3K. However, recent studies have described that p38 MAPK might play a role in IL‐4‐dependent signaling in some cells, although its role in macrophages is still controversial. In this study, we investigated whether p38 MAPK plays a role in the polarization of macrophages in mice. Our results reveal that IL‐4 induces phosphorylation of p38 MAPK in thioglycollate‐elicited murine peritoneal macrophages, in addition to STAT‐6 and PI3K activation. Furthermore, p38 MAPK inactivation, by gene silencing or pharmacological inhibition, suppressed IL‐4‐induced typical M2 markers, indicating the involvement of p38 MAPK in the signaling of IL‐4 leading to M2‐macrophage polarization. Moreover, p38 MAPK inhibition blocked phosphorylation of STAT‐6 and Akt, suggesting that p38 MAPK is upstream of these signaling pathways. Finally, we show that in an in vivo model of chitin‐induced M2 polarization, p38 MAPK inhibition also diminished activation of M2 markers. Taken together, our data establish a new role for p38 MAPK during IL‐4‐induced alternative activation of macrophages.     

CD38 and Interleukin 6 Gene Polymorphism in Egyptians with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)

Given the importance of understanding the genetic variations involved in the pathogenesis of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), this pilot study was designed to investigate the impact of CD38 (184C/G; rs6449182) and IL-6 (?174 G/C; rs1800795) gene polymorphism on susceptibility of Egyptians to diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL); major types of NHL. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first one that examines CD38 polymorphism in the NHL. Genotyping polymorphism is performed using restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (RFLP-PCR) for CD38 and Mutagenically separated PCR (MS-PCR) for IL-6 in 100 Egyptian NHL patients with DLBCL subtype and 119 normal controls. The serum level of IL-6 was measured using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). CD38 (184C/G) genotype is significantly increased in NHL patients (p?<?0.01), while the GG genotype is significantly increased in controls (p?<?0.05). Only two genotypes were found (GG and GC) in IL-6 (?174), no CC in our NHL patients and only one case in the controls. Insignificant change in IL-6 (?174 G/C) genotypes was recorded. Significantly increased serum IL-6 (p?<?0.05) was positively correlated (r?=?0.17; p?<?0.05) with the disease. Taken together, our data stressed the importance of CD38 gene polymorphism in developing DLBCL. Our pilot study indicates that CD38 (184) CG genotype might play a role in DLBCL susceptibility in Egyptians. Additional prospective studies on larger population are needed to confirm our findings.     

miR-486-5p通过抑制端粒酶活性促进人骨髓间充质干细胞衰老

目的:研究年龄相关microRNA-486-5p(miR-486-5p)对人骨髓间充质干细胞(h MSCs)衰老的调控作用。方法:通过microRNA芯片和real-time PCR检测供体年龄对h MSCs中miR-486-5p表达的影响;通过转染miR-486-5p模拟物或抑制物,过表达miR-486-5p或抑制其表达;用β-半乳糖苷酶染色检测miR-486-5p对h MSCs衰老的影响;通过siRNA研究沉默信息调节因子1(SIRT1)对h MSCs端粒酶逆转录酶(TERT)、端粒酶活性及衰老的影响。结果:随供体年龄增加,h MSCs中miR-486-5p的表达增加。过表达miR-486-5p可促进h MSCs衰老。相反,抑制miR-486-5p的表达可减少h MSCs的衰老。SIRT1及TERT随供体年龄增加而表达下降,直接抑制SIRT1的表达可减少TERT表达,抑制端粒酶活性,促进细胞衰老。同时抑制miR-486-5p和SIRT1的表达,使miR-486-5p失去对h MSCs端粒酶活性及衰老的调控作用。结论:miR-486-5p通过抑制SIRT1,减少h MSCs端粒酶活性,促进h MSCs衰老。     

槲皮素诱导MCF-7细胞凋亡及其与Fas/FasL通路的相关性研究

目的:了解槲皮素诱导人乳腺癌MCF-7细胞凋亡的作用及其与Fas/Fas L通路的相关性。方法:建立槲皮素诱导的MCF-7细胞凋亡模型。采用透射电镜观察细胞核形态变化,Annexin V-FITC/PI和JC-1荧光标记流式细胞术检测细胞凋亡率、线粒体膜电位(Δψm)及Fas L中和抗体对细胞凋亡的阻断作用。采用免疫荧光法和流式细胞术检测细胞Fas/Fas L的表达。流式细胞术观察p38 MAPK抑制剂SB203580对细胞Fas/Fas L表达的影响。Western blot检测p38 MAPK和p-p38 MAPK蛋白水平的变化。结果:80.0μmol/L槲皮素处理MCF-7细胞48h,透射电镜可见染色质浓缩及边缘化现象;处理24 h、48 h和72 h,Δψm分别下降17.4%、44.3%和68.9%,细胞凋亡率分别为(10.2±3.3)%、(28.9±7.5)%和(39.2±8.9)%。Fas L中和抗体预处理细胞后,24 h、48 h和72 h的细胞凋亡率则分别为(8.2±2.8)%、(19.2±5.3)%和(22.5±6.9)%,细胞凋亡阻断率分别为19.6%、33.6%和42.6%。Fas/Fas L表达率随处理时间增加而升高,SB203580可显著抑制细胞Fas/Fas L的表达率。p38 MAPK的蛋白水平变化不大,而p-p38 MAPK的蛋白水平在48 h和72 h显著增高。结论:槲皮素可上调MCF-7细胞的Fas/Fas L表达,并经膜Fas/Fas L途径诱导MCF-7细胞凋亡,p-p38 MAPK可能是上调Fas/Fas L表达的重要信号分子。     

p21WAF1/Cip1 limits senescence and acinar‐to‐ductal metaplasia formation during pancreatitis

Trans‐differentiation of pancreatic acinar cells into ductal‐like lesions, a process defined as acinar‐to‐ductal metaplasia (ADM), is observed in the course of organ regeneration following pancreatitis. In addition, ADM is found in association with pre‐malignant PanIN lesions and correlates with an increased risk of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Human PDAC samples show down‐regulation of p21^WAF1/Cip1, a key regulator of cell cycle and cell differentiation. Here we investigated whether p21 down‐regulation is implicated in controlling the early events of acinar cell trans‐differentiation and ADM formation. p21‐mediated regulation of ADM formation and regression was analysed in vivo during the course of cerulein‐induced pancreatitis, using wild‐type (WT) and p21‐deficient (p21^?/?) mice. Biochemical and immunohistochemical methods were used to evaluate disease progression over 2 weeks of the disease and during a recovery phase. We found that p21 was strongly up‐regulated in WT acinar cells during pancreatitis, while it was absent in ADM areas, suggesting that p21 down‐regulation is associated with ADM formation. In support of this hypothesis, p21^?/? mice showed a significant increase in number and size of metaplasia. In addition, p21 over‐expression in acinar cells reduced ADM formation in vitro, suggesting that the protein regulates the metaplastic transition in a cell‐autonomous manner. p21^?/? mice displayed increased expression and relocalization of β‐catenin both during pancreatitis and in the subsequent recovery phase. Finally, loss of p21 was accompanied by increased DNA damage and development of senescence. Our findings are consistent with a gate‐keeper role of p21 in acinar cells to limit senescence activation and ADM formation during pancreatic regeneration. Copyright © 2014 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd