Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) expression is an independent prognostic factor in renal cell carcinoma

Background  

The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) gene exerts oncogene-like activities and its (over)expression has been linked to several human malignancies. Here, we studied a possible association between EZH2 expression and prognosis in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).     

Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins in human cervical cancer

Background  

It has been shown that IAPs, in particular XIAP, survivin and c-IAP1, are overexpressed in several malignancies. In the present study we investigate the expression of c-IAP1, c-IAP2, XIAP and survivin and its isoforms in cervical cancer.     

APRIL is overexpressed in cancer: link with tumor progression

Background  

BAFF and APRIL share two receptors – TACI and BCMA – and BAFF binds to a third receptor, BAFF-R. Increased expression of BAFF and APRIL is noted in hematological malignancies. BAFF and APRIL are essential for the survival of normal and malignant B lymphocytes, and altered expression of BAFF or APRIL or of their receptors (BCMA, TACI, or BAFF-R) have been reported in various B-cell malignancies including B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia.     

Aberrant overexpression of an epithelial marker, 14-3-3σ, in a subset of hematological malignancies

Background  

14-3-3σ is a p53-mediated cell-cycle inhibitor in epithelial cells. The expression of 14-3-3σ is frequently altered in cancers of epithelial origin associated with altered DNA methylation. Since its involvement in a non-epithelial tumor is unknown, we examined 14-3-3σ expression in patients with haematological malignancies.     

Expression of 6 microRNAs in prostate cancer and its significance

OBJECTIVE Numerous microRNAs （miRNAs） are deregulated in human cancers. The experimental evidence supports that miRNAs plays a role in the initiation and progression of human malignancies.The present study was undertaken to evaluate the differential expression of 6 miRNAs as biomarker for early detection of prostate cancer, and then to determine whether the expression profiling of these miRNAs could predict the prognosis of prostate cancer. METHODS The expression profilings of these 6 miRNAs were investigated using the method of locked nucleic acid （LNA）- modified oligonucleotide in situ hybridization （ISH）. And the technology of tissue microarray （TMA） was employed using the formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedd （FFPE） specimens taken from 52 patients with prostate carcinoma （PCa） and 38 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH）. RESULTS The rates of positive expression for 6 miRNAs （miR- 15b, miR-16, let-7g, miR- 96,miR-182 and miR-183） were 26.92%, 15.38%, 15.38%, 67.31%, 61.54% and 71.15% in the specimens of prostate cancer, and 57.89%, 76.32%, 68.42%, 44.74%, 31.58%, 47.37% in the tissues of benign prostatic hyperplasia, respectively. The expressions of all 6 miRNAs between the prostate cancer and benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues were significantly different （P 〈 0.05）. The positive rate of these 6 miRNAs was significantly related to the Gleason Grading of prostate cancer （P 〈 0.01）. There was no significant correlation between the expression of these miRNAs and age and the concentration of serum PSA of the patient （P 〉 0.05）. We also found that the expression of miR-15b, miR-96 and miR-182 correlated with clinical stages of tumor （P 〈 0.05）. The expression of miR-96 correlated with lobus prostatae of tumor invasion （P 〈 0.01）, but the expressions of the remaining five miRNAs were not correlated with that （P 〉 0.05）. In addition, the expression of miR-15b was negatively related to that of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183, respectively （P 〈 0.01, r 〈 0.00）.There was a positive correlation among the expressions of miR-96, miR-182 and miR-183 in prostate cancer （P 〈 0.01, r 〉 0.00）. The expression of miR-16 was positively related to that of miR-let-7g （P 〈 0.01, r 〉 0.00）. CONCLUSION The results suggest that miRNA expression profiling could have relevance to the biological and clinical behavior of prostate cancer, and they might be important biomarkers for early detection and prognostic assessment of prostate cancer.     

Keratin 8 expression in head and neck epithelia

Background  

The intermediate filament forming protein keratin 8 (K8) is a tumour-associated antigen, which was shown to be over-expressed in a variety of malignancies. Here, we present a study of K8 expression in squamous epithelia of the head and neck area, including normal mucosa, hyperplastic and dysplastic leukoplakia, carcinomas of different sub-localisations, and lymph node metastases.     

Promoter hypermethylation of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">SFRP2</Emphasis> gene is a high-frequent alteration and tumor-specific epigenetic marker in human breast cancer

Background  

We have previously reported that expression of the Wnt antagonist genes SFRP1 and SFRP5 is frequently silenced by promoter hypermethylation in breast cancer. SFRP2 is a further Wnt inhibitor whose expression was recently found being downregulated in various malignancies. Here we investigated whether SFRP2 is also implicated in human breast cancer, and if so whether SFRP2 promoter methylation might serve as a potential tumor biomarker.     

Genome-wide gene copy number and expression analysis of primary gastric tumors and gastric cancer cell lines

Background  

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer related death. Gene copy number alterations play an important role in the development of gastric cancer and a change in gene copy number is one of the main mechanisms for a cancer cell to control the expression of potential oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.     

Inhibition of APN/CD13 leads to suppressed progressive potential in ovarian carcinoma cells

Background  

Aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13), a 150-kDa metalloprotease, is a multifunctional cell surface aminopeptidase with ubiquitous expression. Recent studies have suggested that APN/CD13 plays an important role in tumor progression of several human malignancies. In the current study, we investigated the role of APN/CD13 in ovarian carcinoma (OVCA) progression.     

Optimized high-throughput microRNA expression profiling provides novel biomarker assessment of clinical prostate and breast cancer biopsies

Background  

Recent studies indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are mechanistically involved in the development of various human malignancies, suggesting that they represent a promising new class of cancer biomarkers. However, previously reported methods for measuring miRNA expression consume large amounts of tissue, prohibiting high-throughput miRNA profiling from typically small clinical samples such as excision or core needle biopsies of breast or prostate cancer. Here we describe a novel combination of linear amplification and labeling of miRNA for highly sensitive expression microarray profiling requiring only picogram quantities of purified microRNA.     

High TIMM17A expression is associated with adverse pathological and clinical outcomes in human breast cancer

Background  

Mitochondrial dysfunction can be associated with genomic instability and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several human malignancies, including breast cancer (BC). The mitochondrial protein, translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 17 homolog A (TIMM17A) contributes to a pre-protein import complex, essential for mitochondrial function. In this study, TIMM17A mRNA expression was evaluated in benign and malignant breast tissues and correlated with pathological and clinical outcomes.     

Smoothened as a new therapeutic target for human osteosarcoma

Background  

The Hedgehog signaling pathway functions as an organizer in embryonic development. Recent studies have demonstrated constitutive activation of Hedgehog pathway in various types of malignancies. However, it remains unclear how Hedgehog pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma. To explore the involvement of aberrant Hedgehog pathway in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma, we investigated the expression and activation of Hedgehog pathway in osteosarcoma and examined the effect of SMOOTHENED (SMO) inhibition.     

Expression of peanut agglutinin-binding mucin-type glycoprotein in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma as a marker

Background  

The TF (Thomson – Friedenreich) blood group antigen behaves as an onco-foetal carcinoma-associated antigen, showing increased expression in malignancies and its detection and quantification can be used in serologic diagnosis mainly in adenocarcinomas. This study was undertaken to analyze the sera and tissue level detectable mucin-type glycoprotein (TF-antigen) by Peanut agglutinin (PNA) and its diagnostic index in serum as well tissues of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma as marker.     

Differential expression of topoisomerase IIα protein in salivary gland carcinomas: histogenetic and prognostic implications

Background  

Salivary gland carcinomas are relatively uncommon heterogeneous malignancies characterized by locoregional invasion and distant metastasis. Topoisomerase IIα (topoIIα), located at chromosome 17q21-22, is considered a major mediator of cell proliferation and DNA replication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of topoIIα in various types of salivary gland tumors and its biological significance.     

The antiapoptotic gene survivin is highly expressed in human chondrosarcoma and promotes drug resistance in chondrosarcoma cells <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Background  

Chondrosarcoma is virtually resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Survivin, the smallest member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is a critical factor for tumor progression and resistance to conventional therapeutic approaches in a wide range of malignancies. However, the role of survivin in chondrosarcoma has not been well studied. We examined the importance of survivin gene expression in chondrosarcoma and analysed its influences on proliferation, apoptosis and resistance to chemotherapy in vitro.     

Pancreatic cancer and depression: myth and truth

Background  

Various studies reported remarkable high incidence rates of depression in cancer patients compared with the general population. Pancreatic cancer is still one of the malignancies with the worst prognosis and therefore it seems quite logical that it is one of the malignancies with the highest incidence rates of major depression.     

WT1 gene expression as a prognostic marker in advanced serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma: an immunohistochemical study

Background  

WT1 is a tumor suppressor gene responsible for Wilms' tumor. WT1 reactivity is limited to ovarian serous carcinomas. Recent studies have shown that WT1 plays an important role in the progression of disease and indicates a poorer prognosis of human malignancies such as acute myeloid leukemia and breast cancer. The aims of this study were to determine the survival and recurrence-free survival of women with advanced serous epithelial ovarian carcinoma in relation to WT1 gene expression.