The role of the antileukoprotease SLPI in smoking‐induced human papillomavirus‐independent head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

Recently, we showed that increased SLPI levels prevent human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and metastasis in smoking‐induced, non‐HPV‐driven head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, we focus on the role of SLPI in non‐HPV‐driven HNSCC, investigating tumor tissue and non‐neoplastic mucosa from the same patients and from non‐HNSCC patients. Gene and protein expression of SLPI and gene expression of annexin 2 (a SLPI receptor), nicotine receptor (α7AChR) and arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) were analyzed in HNSCC patients (20 smokers; 16 nonsmokers). SLPI‐results were correlated with the patients' HPV status. Non‐neoplastic mucosa of HNSCC patients and normal mucosa from non‐HNSCC individuals (18 smokers; 20 nonsmokers) was analyzed for the same parameters. Tissue of the inferior turbinate (n = 10) was incubated with nicotine for analysis of the same genes. SLPI gene expression in tumor tissue was 109.26 ± 23.08 times higher in smokers versus nonsmokers. Non‐neoplastic mucosa of smokers showed also higher SLPI gene expression (10.49 ± 1.89‐fold non‐HNSCC; 18.02 ± 3.93‐fold HNSCC patients). Annexin 2 gene expression was also increased in smokers. SLPI data were corroborated by immunohistochemistry. A nicotine dependent correlation between SLPI and annexin 2 gene expression (r² = 0.15, p < 0.001) was shown ex vivo. Nicotine and smoking increased α7AChR and AhR gene expression. Five patients, showing no/low SLPI expression, were HPV16‐positive. A significant correlation between smoking and SLPI expression in tumors and to our knowledge for the first time in mucosa of HNSCC and non‐HNSCC patients was established. Together with the finding that all patients with HPV infection showed no/low SLPI expression, these data support our intriguing hypothesis that smoking induced upregulated SLPI prevents HPV infections.     

肺癌患者MPDZ基因异常甲基化的研究

目的:探讨肺癌组织以及相应的外周血浆和痰液中MPDZ基因异常甲基化的情况,以及其在肺癌诊断中的作用。方法:采用甲基化特异性PCR(MSP)方法检测49例肺癌组织、20例癌旁正常组织以及相应的外周血浆和痰液中MPDZ基因甲基化发生情况。结果:49例肺癌组织中MPDZ基因甲基化发生率为67%(33/49),癌旁正常组织中的MPDZ基因甲基化发生率为0(0/20)(P=0.00)。MPDZ基因甲基化检出率与临床分期相关(P=0.039),但与患者的年龄、性别、是否吸烟、肿瘤的分化程度以及肿瘤的病理分类无显著相关(P>0.05)。33例癌组织MPDZ基因发生了甲基化的肺癌患者相应血浆的DNA标本中有25例发生了甲基化,甲基化检出率为76%(25/33);痰液标本中有18例发生了甲基化,甲基化检出率为55%(18/33)。16例癌组织MPDZ基因未甲基化的肺癌患者其对应的血浆和痰液标本未检出该基因甲基化。提示痰液和血浆标本中MPDZ基因甲基化能较好地反映肿瘤组织中该基因的甲基化状况。结论:MPDZ基因在肺癌患者的癌组织中、血浆中及痰液中均有较高比例甲基化检出率,提示MPDZ基因甲基化可能在肺癌的诊断中具有一定的价值。     

Human papillomavirus,smoking status and outcomes in tonsillar squamous cell carcinoma

It is now clear that the two separate entitles of tonsillar cancer, HPV induced and non‐HPV induced (smoking induced), have significantly different presenting stage and outcomes. A significant proportion of patients with human papillomavirus positive tonsillar cancer have had exposure to smoking. We examined the combined effect of human papillomavirus and smoking on the outcomes and determined whether smoking can modify the beneficial effect of human papillomavirus. A total of 403 patients from nine centers were followed up for recurrence or death for a median of 38 months. Determinants of the rate of loco‐regional recurrence, death from tonsillar cancer and overall survival were modeled using Cox regression. Smoking status was a significant predictor of overall survival (p = 0.04). There were nonstatistically significant trends favoring never smokers for loco‐regional recurrence and disease specific survival. In addition, there was no statistically significant interactions between smoking and human papillomavirus (p‐values for the interaction were 0.26 for loco‐regional recurrence, 0.97 for disease specific survival and 0.73 for overall survival). The effect of smoking on loco‐regional recurrence and disease specific survival outcomes was not statistically significant, nor was there significant evidence that the effect of smoking status on these outcomes was modified by HPV status. Irrespective of HPV status, however, smokers did have poorer overall survival than never‐smokers, presumably due to effects of smoking that are unrelated to the primary cancer.     

Annexin 2基因对多发性骨髓瘤细胞侵袭力的影响及相关机制

 目的
了解Annexin 2(AnxA2)基因对骨髓瘤U266、RPMI8226细胞侵袭力的影响及相关机制。方法采用siRNA转染人骨髓瘤U266、RPMI8226细胞,应用Real-time PCR、Western blot鉴定干扰效果。继而应用Transwell板检测细胞侵袭力,应用Real-time PCR检测对侵袭相关基因的影响。结果AnxA2 siRNA转染U266和RPMI8226细胞可明显降低细胞侵袭力(P<0.05),同时降低侵袭相关因子MMP-2、MMP-9、MT1-MMP和TIMP-2的表达(P<0.05)。结论AnxA2基因在骨髓瘤细胞U266和RPMI8226侵袭中起促进作用。     

荧光原位杂交检测乳腺癌HER2（++）扩增状态及其与临床病理的相关性

目的 使用荧光原位杂交（fluorescence in situ hybridization, FISH）检测HER2基因扩增情况,并探讨影响HER2基因扩增的因素及其与临床病理特征的关系。方法 收集新疆医科大学附属肿瘤医院2013年l月至2015年12月间IHC检测HER2（++）的乳腺癌病例325份,均采用IHC和FISH两种方法分别检测所有患者的石蜡标本HER2表达和扩增情况,并分析HER2扩增状态与患者各临床病理特征的关系。结果 全组患者经IHC检测HER2表达均为（++）,FISH检测HER2扩增率为12.9%（42/325）,对12项临床和病理指标进行单因素分析显示：HER2扩增状态与激素状态、肿瘤直径、P53显著相关（P<0.05）,而与ki67表达、组织学分级、肿瘤个数等因素均无关（P>0.05）。结论 雌孕激素表达均阴性、肿瘤直径>2 cm、P53表达阳性是预测FISH检测IHC HER2（++）扩增的独立因素。     

HnRNP A2/B1与P53在肺癌患者痰中的表达

目的探讨HnRNP A2/B1和P53在肺癌患者痰中的表达。方法收集肺癌患者及正常对照者痰标本共38例(肺癌患者28例,良性对照10例),用Saccomanno法处理痰标本,免疫组化方法检测痰中HnRNP A2/B1蛋白及P53蛋白。结果痰标本中HnRNPA2/B1的总体阳性率为57%;HnRNP A2/B1的过表达与患者吸烟、性别、年龄、病理分型和疾病分期均无相关性。痰标本中P53的总体阳性率为53.5%,p53的突变与患者的吸烟、性别、年龄、病理分型和疾病分期均无相关性。结论两种方法阳性率差异无统计学意义,两者的吻合度有统计学意义。     

Frozen tissue preparation for high-resolution multiplex histological analyses of human brain specimens

Annexin A2 (AnxA2) is a highly conserved Ca2⁺-regulated membrane binding protein, which affects cell mobility and tumor progression. Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (AdaCP) are a kind of epithelial tumors of the sellar region with high tendency to recur. Robust biomarkers are required to predict tumor behavior and to establish follow-up individualized treatment approaches. In this study, we firstly compared four surgical AdaCP samples with normal brain by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) proteomic analysis. Potential prognostic biomarkers were further validated in a large cohort of 65 AdaCPs by immunohistochemistry. The effects of AnxA2 on AdaCP cells proliferation and migration were analyzed in vitro with isolated primary AdaCP cells as well as SV40T-immortalized cells. Finally, the gefitinib sensitivity of AdaCPs with differentially expressed AnxA2 and the potential molecular mechanisms were examined by flow cytometric analysis, Real-time PCR and immunoblot assays. Proteomic analysis indicated that AnxA2 was the protein spot with the most elevated expression in AdaCP samples. Immunohistochemistry assays indicated the expression level of AnxA2 was significantly higher in recurrent AdaCPs compared with primary ones. Moreover, AnxA2⁺ AdaCP cells exhibited enhanced proliferation and migration ability compared with AnxA2^? AdaCP cells in vitro. Further, we show that AnxA2⁺ AdaCP cells exhibited elevated expression of EGFR and downstream p-AKT (S308) and p-AKT (S473), and were more sensitive to tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib. Our data suggest that AnxA2 may serve as a promising biomarker for AdaCP progression, recurrence and drug susceptibility. Our data support potential clinical implications for the follow-up treatment of AdaCP patients with high AnxA2 expression.     

肺癌患者吸烟量与痰液细胞p53和Ki—ras基因突变的关系

目的　了解痰液细胞癌基因突变是否与肺癌患者的吸烟量有相关性。方法　将痰液 0 .5毫升加入痰处理液制备细胞沉淀液 ,酚氯仿提取DNA ;应用SSCP PCR银染和RFLP PCR方法对痰液中p5 3、K ras突变情况进行检测。统计肺癌患者的香烟消耗量 ,分析p5 3、K ras突变与吸烟量的关系。结果　在确诊的 110例肺癌中 ,存在p5 3或K ras基因突变者有 76例 ,突变率达 69.1% ,其中 16例为p5 3和K ras基因均有突变。全组中有 71例重度吸烟者吸烟指数 (≥ 40 0支·年 ) ,71例中 5 5例有p5 3或K ras基因突变 ,突变率达 77.5 % ,显著高于非吸烟组 (P <0 .0 0 1) ;p5 3和K ras突变患者的平均吸烟指数分别达到 861和 63 0支·年 ;而未突变的平均吸烟指数为 2 84和 5 5 4支·年 ,二者之间有显著性差异 ( χ2 =3 6.5 6,P =0 .0 0 2 ,双尾检验 )。结论　痰液细胞癌基因突变检测具有简便、实用、可行的特点 ,吸烟的肺癌患者中癌基因突变率显著高于非吸烟的肺癌患者 ,提示吸烟尤其是重度吸烟可能是支气管癌基因突变的主要原因之一 ,值得临床进一步开展深入的研究。     

Prognostic significance of syndecan-1 expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the tonsil

Background

Syndecan-1 (SDC1) is reported to modulate several key processes of tumorigenesis and to show variable expression in many cancers. The cause of these variations in expression is not known to date. In this study, we compared SDC1 status with clinicopathologic parameters to evaluate the prognostic implications of SDC1 status on squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tonsil.

Methods

In 56 cases of tonsillar SCC, we screened SDC1 expression using immunohistochemistry and analyzed the relationships between SDC1 expression and clinicopathological parameters. To identify the cause of the changes in SDC1 expression seen in tumors, we measured the gene dosage of SDC1 in tumor cells using fluorescent in situ hybridization.

Results

SDC1 expression was found in cancer cells in 36 cases (64.3 %) of tonsillar SCC. It was associated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.010) and a positive surgical resection margin (p = 0.014). On the other hand, it was not significantly correlated with sex, age, smoking status, degree of differentiation, T stage, or distant metastasis. We could not find any copy-number variation of SDC1 in the cases showing increased SDC1 immunopositivity. In addition, strong SDC1 expression in the tumor cells predicted a shorter overall survival (p = 0.020, log-rank).

Conclusions

We showed that SDC1 expression is associated with N stage and the status of resection margin involvement in SCC of the tonsil. With respect to survival, there were unfavorable outcomes in cases with SDC1 positivity. More studies are needed to better understand the role of SDC1 in the progression and invasiveness of tonsillar SCC.     

HER2、COX-2在非小细胞肺癌中的表达意义

目的：探讨人表皮生长因子受体2（human epidermal growth factor receptor 2,HER2）和环氧化酶2（cyclooxygenase-2,COX-2）在非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer,NSCLC）中的表达,其各自与临床特征之间的关系及二者在NSCLC中表达的相互关系。方法采用免疫组化链霉菌抗生物素蛋白-过氧化物酶（streptavidin-peroxidase,SP）法检测72例NSCLC中HER2、COX-2的表达情况。结果①72例NSCLC中, HER2、COX-2的阳性表达率分别为55.6%、65.3%;②HER2在NSCLC中的阳性表达与组织学类型、分化程度、肿块大小、淋巴结转移及临床分期相关（P＜0.05）,而与性别、年龄、吸烟、病变部位无关（P＞0.05）;③COX-2的阳性表达与年龄、组织学类型、肿块大小、淋巴结转移及临床分期相关（P＜0.05）,而与性别、吸烟、病变部位及分化程度无关（P＞0.05）;④HER2、COX-2在NSCLC中的阳性表达呈正相关关系。结论 HER2、COX-2可以作为判断NSCLC恶性程度的生物学指标。     

RRM1 and PTEN as prognostic parameters for overall and disease-free survival in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: RRM1 has important functions in the determination of the malignant phenotype. It controls cell proliferation through deoxynucleotide production and metastatic propensity through PTEN induction. It is located in a region of loss of heterozygosity in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is a predictor of poor survival. We hypothesized that RRM1 expression would be a significant predictor of outcome in NSCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective data set of 49 patients and a prospective data set of 77 patients with resectable NSCLC were studied. RNA was extracted from tumor and normal lung tissue, and expression of the genes RRM1, PTEN, and RRM2 was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: RRM1 expression was significantly correlated with PTEN and RRM2 expression in tumor tissue. RRM1 and PTEN expression in tumor tissue was highly predictive of overall (P =.011 and.018, respectively) and disease-free survival (P =.002 and.026, respectively). Patients with high levels of expression lived longer and had disease recurrence later than patients with low levels of RRM1 and PTEN. In a multivariate analysis, high RRM1 expression was predictive of long survival independent of tumor stage, performance status, and weight loss. CONCLUSION: RRM1 is a biologically and clinically important determinant of malignant behavior in NSCLC. Knowing the level of expression of this gene adds significant information to management decisions independent of the currently used outcome predictors of tumor stage, performance status, and weight loss. Future clinical trials should stratify patients based on expression of this gene to avoid unwanted biases.     

The TMPRSS2 gene encoding transmembrane serine protease is overexpressed in a majority of prostate cancer patients: detection of mutated TMPRSS2 form in a case of aggressive disease.

The serine protease TMPRSS2 gene expression was studied by in situ hybridization using benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer tissue samples from 32 patients. Expression of TMPRSS2 gene was higher in cancer cells than that in benign cells in 84% of the specimens containing both benign and malignant tissues. The TMPRSS2 mRNA level was significantly increased in poorly differentiated (p = 0.014, n = 7) and untreated (p = 0.022, n = 13) primary prostate adenocarcinomas compared to benign tissues. In addition, androgen-deprivation therapy significantly decreased the expression of TMPRSS2 in benign prostate tissue (p = 0.07), which is in accordance with the androgen-inducible expression of the gene. The gene copy number of TMPRSS2, analyzed by competitively differential PCR, was duplicated in the malignant cells of about 38% of the prostate cancer patients analyzed. Thus, the increase in the gene copy number is probably not the primary reason for the detected overexpression of the TMPRSS2 gene. Mutations in the TMPRSS2 gene were screened using DNA isolated from paraffin-embedded prostate cancer tissues from 9 patients with aggressive prostate cancer and from 9 patients with nonaggressive disease. Thirteen exons covering the coding region were checked using enzymatic mutation detection and direct sequencing. One patient with aggressive prostate cancer carried a deletion and a stop codon in exon 11, leading to inactivation of the serine protease domain in TMPRSS2.     

Antitumor Efficacy of SLPI Promoter-Controlled Expression of Artificial microRNA Targeting EGFR in a Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line

The purpose of this study was to develop a recombinant adenovirus with secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) promoter-controlled expression for gene therapy of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). An artificial microRNA targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was designed, and used to construct a replication-defective recombinant adenovirus with SLPI promoter-controlled expression. The silencing efficiency of this vector (Ad-SLPI-EGFRamiR) was detected in Hep-2 cells. Western blotting showed that the expression of 170 kD EGFR was significantly reduced in Hep-2 cells 72 h after infection with Ad-SLPI-EGFRamiR. At a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 200 pfu/cell, proliferation of Hep-2 cells was highly inhibited by Ad-SLPI-EGFRamiR (inhibition rate: ~70%). The apoptosis rate of Hep-2 cells at 72 h after infection with Ad-SLPI-EGFRamiR at a MOI 35 pfu/cell was 32.8%. The adenovirus constructed was able to specifically inhibit the growth of SCC cells in vitro.     

Frequencies of HER-2/neu expression and gene amplification in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma

The utilisation of antitumour T cells induced by cancer vaccination with HER-2 peptides or antibodies (Herceptin) against HER-2, as immunotherapy for oesophageal cancer, is a novel and attractive approach. It is important to clarify the frequencies of HER-2 expression and gene amplification in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and to evaluate the relationship between HER-2 status and HLA haplotype, since the candidates for HER-2 peptide-based vaccination are restricted to a certain HLA haplotype. We determined the frequency of HER-2 expression using the HercepTest for immunohistochemistry and HER-2 gene amplification by fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) assay in oesophageal SCC (n=66). HER-2-positive tumours (1+/2+/3+) analysed by a HercepTest were observed in 30.3% of all the patients and HER-2 gene amplification evaluated by FISH was observed in 11.0% of all the patients, in which all HercepTest (3+) tumours were found to have gene amplification and three of six moderately positive (2+) tumours showed gene amplification. Furthermore, HER-2-positive cells were present more diffusely and were larger within each tumour in the patients who were HercepTest 3+ than those who were HercepTest 1+. Moreover, the survival rate in HER-2-positive group was significantly worse than that in HER-2-negative group. Also, the survival rate in the patients with HER-2 gene amplification was significantly worse than that without HER-2 gene amplification. In addition, oesophageal SCC patients with both HLA-A24-positive and HER-2-positive tumours (1+/2+/3+) accounted for 26% of these cases, and both HLA-A2- and HER-2-positive tumours accounted for 18% of them.     

Expression of bcl-2 protein is associated with shorter survival in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between the expression of the 27-kilodalton (kD) bcl-2 protein and survival among nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) patients. METHODS: Paired tissue samples of histologically confirmed tumor and uninvolved lung of 91 randomly selected NSCLC patients were used in this study. The expression of 27-kD bcl-2 proteins in uninvolved lung and tumor tissue specimens was analyzed using Western blot analysis. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The relation between patient survival and expression of the 27-kD bcl-2 protein in uninvolved lung, tumor, and in uninvolved lung and/or tumor tissue specimens was assessed using log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards multiple regression. RESULTS: The 27-kD bcl-2 protein was expressed in 54% of the uninvolved lung tissue specimens, in 53% of the tumor tissue specimens, and in 70% of the uninvolved lung and/or tumor tissue specimens. When NSCLC patient survival was considered with respect to the expression of the 27-kD bcl-2 protein, a statistically significant shorter survival was observed for patients whose tissue samples expressed the 27-kD bcl-2 protein in the uninvolved lung and in the uninvolved lung and/or tumor (log-rank test, P = 0.008 and P = 0.001, respectively). Cox proportional hazards multiple regression models also showed statistically significant associations between shorter survival and positive 27-kD protein expression in the uninvolved lung (hazard ratio of 2.27; P = 0.05) and in the uninvolved lung and/or tumor (hazard ratio of 5.58, P = 0.008) after controlling for tumor size, stage, the type of surgery received, smoking status, age, and cell type. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma with positive expression of the 27-kD protein bcl-2, either in the uninvolved lung or in uninvolved lung and/or tumor, were found to have significantly poorer postresection survival.