Depression of T cell-mediated immunity reduces sulfadimethoxine-induced capsular inflammation and inhibits associated development of invasive thyroid follicular cell carcinomas in rats

We previously demonstrated that thyroid capsular inflammation induced by continuous treatment with the antithyroidal agent sulfadimethoxine is associated with development of invasive follicular cell carcinomas in rats initiated with N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN). The inflammatory changes are characterized by large numbers of macrophages and lymphocytes as well as fibroblasts and we hypothesized that it might be enhanced by interplay between macrophages and T cells. To clarify this hypothesis, a comparative study was conducted between athymic nude (rnu/rnu) rats and euthymic (rnu/+) littermates initiated with DHPN (2800 mg/kg, s.c.) followed by sulfadimethoxine treatment in drinking water (0.1%) for 10 weeks. In rnu/+rats, marked capsular thickening with inflammation was induced along with invasive follicular cell carcinomas (2.8 +/- 1.3/rat). In rnu/rnu rats, limited fibrous capsular thickening was noted with or without minimal inflammatory change, and the multiplicity of invasive carcinomas was significantly lower (1.1 +/- 1.0/rat, P < 0.01). Inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in the inflamed lesions was detected in three of 10 rnu/+rats but in none of the rnu/rnu animals. The results thus suggest that development of invasive carcinomas is enhanced by capsular inflammation mediated by T cells, and inducible nitric oxide synthase induction may play a role in tumor progression.     

大鼠实验性肺鳞癌癌变各阶段环氧化酶-2表达及微血管密度的动态研究

背景与目的:近期研究表明,环氧化酶-2(COX-2)参与了肿瘤的发生与发展,在多种肿瘤组织中已检测到COX-2高表达,但它在癌前病变、转移癌中的表达报道较少,在体内它与肿瘤血管生成的关系也尚待证实。本研究检测COX-2在大鼠肺鳞癌癌变进展各阶段病变组织中的表达,探讨COX-2表达与微血管密度(MVD)的关系及应用抑制COX-2表达的非甾体类抗炎药防治肺鳞癌的可能性。方法:Wistar大鼠90只,实验组80只左肺叶支气管灌注致癌质碘油,分批处死获取肺鳞癌癌变及进展各阶段病变标本,对照组10只左肺叶支气管灌注碘油。应用免疫组化检测癌变及进展各阶段病变组织中及10例正常对照组织中COX-2表达,结合COX-2阳性细胞百分比及阳性细胞染色强弱两个方面计算COX-2免疫组化染色评分。在VonWillebrandfactor免疫组化染色切片上计数MVD。结果:共获取肺鳞癌癌变及进展各阶段病变标本147例:支气管粘膜增生14例,鳞状化生25例,不典型增生33例,原位癌12例,浸润癌54例,转移癌9例。不典型增生COX-2表达评分(2.1±1.9)与鳞状化生(0.6±0.9)相比,原位癌(3.7±2.4)与不典型增生相比,转移癌(5.6±3.6)与浸润癌(3.9±2.7)相比,评分增高,差异有显著性意义(P值依次为<0.01,<0.05,<0.05)。原位癌MVD值(31.7±13.3)与不典型增生(6.2±4.0)相比,浸润     

人膀胱癌组织中环氧化酶2的表达

背景与目的：环氧化酶（cyclooxygenase,COX)是人体内合成前列腺素的限速酶。最近研究表明,环氧化酶2（COX－2）与肿瘤的生成有关。本研究通过检测COX－1和COX－2在人膀胱癌组织、正常膀胱粘膜以及膀胱炎症组织中的表达,探讨COX在膀胱癌发生发展中的作用。方法：应用逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT－PCR）和免疫组化法（Envision二步法）,检测膀胱移行细胞癌和癌旁组织、正常膀胱粘膜以及膀胱炎症组织中COX－1和COX－2 mRNA和蛋白的表达,并分析癌组织中COX的表达强度与肿瘤对应的各项病理参数之间的关系。结果：RT－PCR检测15例新鲜膀胱癌组织COX－2 mRNA均阳性表达,5例肉眼所见的癌旁正常组织中仅1例阳性,两者差异有显著性;而COX－1 mRNA在所有新鲜癌组织标本中均有结构性表达。免疫组织化学研究结果与RT－PCR结果相似,COX－2蛋白主要集中在肿瘤细胞浆内,阳性表达率为50％,正常膀胱粘膜（n=4)和膀胱慢性炎症组织（n=5)中没有表达;反之,COX－1蛋白主要表达在正常或炎症组织的平滑肌细胞上,肿瘤组织中为阴性表达。在40例膀胱移行细胞癌石蜡切片标本中,COX－2蛋白的表达强度与肿瘤的分级和分期有关,恶性度较高的Ⅲ级癌的表达水平高于I级和Ⅱ级癌,浸润性癌（T2－4）也高于浅表性癌（Ta-1)。结论：COX－2 mRNA和蛋白在人膀胱癌组织中表达增高,并与肿瘤的恶性率相关,说明COX－2可能在膀胱癌的发生发展中起着重要作用。     

Prognostic impact of syndecan-1 expression in invasive ductal breast carcinomas

Carcinoma cells lack syndecan-1 expression when they are transiting from an epithelial to a less-differentiated mesenchymal phenotype (epithelial-mesenchymal transition, EMT). Furthermore, a shift of syndecan-1 expression from malignant epithelial cells to reactive stromal cells has also been observed during progression of many carcinomas. Finally, epithelial and/or stromal syndecan-1 expression is of prognostic value in many carcinomas. Because recent results are contradictory in breast carcinomas, we have re-evaluated the prognostic significance of syndecan-1 expression in a cohort of 80 patients with invasive ductal breast carcinomas. The tumours from 80 patients diagnosed with invasive ductal breast carcinomas were used to construct a tissue microarray, which was stained with syndecan-1 by immunohistochemistry. We correlated syndecan-1 expression with clinicopathologic parameters and relapse-free survival (RFS). Exclusive epithelial expression of syndecan-1 is observed in 61.25% of the patients, whereas exclusive stromal expression is observed in 30% of the patients. Only 8.75% of the patients had both stromal and epithelial expressions of syndecan-1. A significant correlation was found between the loss of syndecan-1 epithelial expression and the syndecan-1 stromal expression with high grade of malignancy (P=0.011). The loss of syndecan-1 epithelial expression is correlated with RFS (P=0.001). Using multivariate Cox analysis, loss of epithelial syndecan-1 expression was the only prognostic indicator (P<0.001). We concluded that the loss of syndecan-1 epithelial expression was of strong prognostic value in breast carcinomas.     

High expression of stem cell marker ALDH1 is associated with reduced BRCA1 in invasive breast carcinomas

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSC) have been described in a variety of malignancies, including breastcarcinomas. Among several markers, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) has been identified as reliable for breastcancer stem cells. Knockdown of BRCA1 in primary breast epithelial cells leads to an increase in cells expressingALDH1. Methods: We examined 127 breast carcinomas for expression of ALDH1, using immunohistochemistryand correlated with clinicopathological parameters as well as the BRAC1 status. Results: Comparing the resultsfor both ALDH1 and BRCA1 expression showed a significant inverse association between the two, indicatingthat reduced BRCA1 was more often seen in breast cancer cells expressing ALDH1 (p-value = 0.044). A totalof 24/110 (22%) of tumours displayed the ALDH1 + / BRCA1 -/low phenotype, which showed a trend for arelation with a high grade (p-value= 0.056). Cytoplasmic expression of ALDH1 was not correlated with tumourcharacteristics. Conclusion: Taken together, our findings suggest that increased ALDH1 is inversely correlatedwith decreased BRCA1 in a series of unselected breast carcinomas. Therefore, ALDH1 positive (cancer stem)cells with reduced BRCA1 phenotype may indicate a subset of patients for whom specific targeting of the CSCmarker ALDH1 and more aggressive adjuvant treatment is appropriate.     

Activation of tumor cell proliferation by thyroid hormone in a mouse model of follicular thyroid carcinoma

Thyroid cancers are the most common malignancy of the endocrine system in humans. To understand the molecular genetic events underlying thyroid carcinogenesis, we have generated a mouse model that spontaneously develops follicular thyroid carcinoma similar to human thyroid cancer (Thrb(PV/PV) mouse). This mutant mouse harbors a dominant-negative mutated thyroid hormone receptor β (denoted PV). The PV mutation was identified in a patient with resistance to thyroid hormone (TH). Thrb(PV/PV) mice exhibit highly elevated serum thyroid-stimulating hormone levels and increased TH. We have previously shown that thyroid-stimulating hormone is required, but not sufficient to induce metastatic follicular thyroid cancer in Thrb(PV/PV) mice. However, whether the elevated TH also contributes to the thyroid carcinogenesis of Thrb(PV/PV) mice was not elucidated. To understand the role of TH in thyroid carcinogenesis, we blocked the production of TH by treating Thrb(PV/PV) mice with propylthiouracil (Thrb(PV/PV)-PTU mice) and compared the development of thyroid cancer in Thrb(PV/PV)-PTU and untreated Thrb(PV/PV) mice. We found that thyroid tumor growth was reduced by ～42% in Thrb(PV/PV)-PTU mice as compared with Thrb(PV/PV) mice. Analysis by bromodeoxyuridine-nuclear labeling showed decreased incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine in thyroid tumor cells of Thrb(PV/PV)-PTU mice, indicative of decreased tumor cell proliferation. However, cleaved-caspase 3 staining showed no apparent changes in apoptosis of tumor cells in Thrb(PV/PV)-PTU mice. Molecular studies identified a marked attenuation of the PI3K-AKT-β-catenin signaling pathway that led to decreased protein levels of cyclin D2, thereby decreasing tumor cell proliferation in Thrb(PV/PV)-PTU mice. Furthermore, matrix metalloproteinase-2, a downstream target of β-catenin and a key regulator during tumor invasion and metastasis, was also decreased. Thus, the present study uncovers a critical role of TH in promoting the thyroid carcinogenesis of Thrb(PV/PV) mice via membrane signaling events. Importantly, these findings suggest that anti-thyroid drugs could be considered as possible therapeutic agents of thyroid cancer.     

Class distinction between follicular adenomas and follicular carcinomas of the thyroid gland on the basis of their signature expression

BACKGROUND: Nodules of the thyroid gland are observed frequently in patients who undergo ultrasound studies. The majority of these nodules are benign, corresponding to goiters or adenomas, and only a small fraction corresponds to carcinomas. Among thyroid tumors, the diagnosis of follicular adenocarcinomas by preoperative fine-needle aspiration biopsy is a major challenge, because it requires inspection of the entire capsule to differentiate it from adenoma. Consequently, large numbers of patients undergo unnecessary thyroidectomy. METHODS: Using data from gene expression analysis, the authors applied Fisher linear discriminant analysis and searched for expression signatures of individual samples of adenomas and follicular carcinomas that could be used as molecular classifiers for the precise classification of malignant and nonmalignant lesions. RESULTS: Fourteen trios of genes were described that fulfilled the criteria for the correct classification of 100% of samples. The robustness of these trios was verified by using leave-1-out cross-validation and bootstrap analyses. The results demonstrated that, by combining trios, better classifiers could be generated that correctly classified >92% of samples. CONCLUSIONS: The strategy of classifiers based on individual signatures was a useful strategy for distinguishing between samples with very similar expression profiles.     

Inhibitory effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on the activity and expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in human oral epithelial cells and in a rat model of inflammation.

We investigated the mechanisms by which caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a phenolic antioxidant, inhibited the stimulation of prostaglandin (PG) synthesis in cultured human oral epithelial cells and in an animal model of acute inflammation. Treatment of cells with CAPE (2.5 microg/ml) suppressed phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate; TPA) and calcium ionophore (A23187)-mediated induction of PGE2 synthesis. This relatively low concentration of CAPE did not affect amounts of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes. CAPE nonselectively inhibited the activities of baculovirus-expressed hCOX-1 and hCOX-2 enzymes. TPA- and A23187-stimulated release of arachidonic acid from membrane phospholipids was also suppressed by CAPE (4-8 microg/ml). Higher concentrations of CAPE (10-20 microg/ml) suppressed the induction of COX-2 mRNA and protein mediated by TPA. Transient transfections using human COX-2 promoter deletion constructs were performed; the effects of TPA and CAPE were localized to a 124-bp region of the COX-2 promoter. In the rat carrageenan air pouch model of inflammation, CAPE (10-100 mg/kg) caused dose-dependent suppression of PG synthesis. Amounts of COX-2 in the pouch were markedly suppressed by 100 mg/kg CAPE but were unaffected by indomethacin. These data are important for understanding the anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties of CAPE.     

Neu-induced retroviral rat mammary carcinogenesis: a novel chemoprevention model for both hormonally responsive and nonresponsive mammary carcinomas

Clinically relevant animal models of mammary carcinogenesis are crucial for the development and evaluation of new breast cancer chemopreventive agents. The neu-induced retroviral rat mammary carcinogenesis model is based on the direct in situ transfer of the activated neu oncogene into the mammary epithelium using a replication-defective retroviral vector. The resulting mammary carcinomas in intact Wistar-Furth rats exhibit a mixed hormonal response in the same proportion as has been observed in women. In intact rats, approximately 50% of mammary carcinomas can be prevented by tamoxifen treatment. In ovariectomized animals, the mammary carcinomas are hormonally nonresponsive and cannot be prevented by tamoxifen. We evaluated the efficacy of retinoic X receptor-selective retinoids (rexinoids) in this novel model of mammary carcinogenesis. The rexinoids LG100268 and bexarotene (LG1069, Targretin) were highly efficacious in the prevention of neu-induced mammary carcinomas. Dietary LG100268 at 100 mg/kg diet decreased tumor multiplicity by 32% (P = 0.0114) in intact rats and 50% (P < 0.0001) in ovariectomized rats. Bexarotene treatment at a dose of 250 mg/kg diet was associated with reductions in tumor multiplicity of 84% (P < 0.0001) and 86% (P < 0.0001) in intact and ovariectomized animals, respectively. In addition to tumor multiplicity, proliferation and apoptosis were modulated by bexarotene treatment independently of estrogen signaling. The neu-induced retroviral rat mammary carcinogenesis model represents a valuable addition to existing rodent chemoprevention models. The model is useful for assessing the efficacy of chemopreventive agents, specifically those compounds that target hormonally nonresponsive tumors.     

Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 protein in 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide-induced rat tongue carcinomas and chemopreventive efficacy of a specific inhibitor, nimesulide

Expression of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 protein in 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide (4-NQO)-induced rat tongue lesions and the postinitiation chemopreventive potential of a selective COX-2 inhibitor, nimesulide (NIM), were examined in Fischer 344 male rats. NIM was administered in the diet at doses of 150, 300, and 600 ppm for 14 weeks after treatment with 25-35 ppm 4-NQO in the drinking water for 12 weeks. Western blot analysis revealed COX-2 protein to be barely expressed in the normal tongue epithelia, whereas it was increased approximately 6-fold in squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Immunohistochemically, COX-2 protein was diffusely present in SCCs and dysplasia but expressed only in basal cells in hyperplasia and papillomas. In basal cells of normal epithelia, it was also occasionally weakly stained. NIM dose-dependently decreased at doses of 150 and 300 ppm, the incidences of SCCs to 4 of 12 (33.3%) and 1 of 13 (7.7%) and their multiplicity to 0.33+/-0.49 and 0.08+/-0.28 per rat, respectively, as compared with 4-NQO alone group values of 9 of 11 (81.8%) and 1.00+/-0.77. A lesser decrease was observed with 600 ppm, the values being 5 of 12 (41.7%) and 0.50+/-0.67. NIM did not significantly affect the development of hyperplasias, dysplasias, and papillomas. These results clearly indicate chemopreventive potential of a selective COX-2 inhibitor against the postinitiation development of SCCs in rat tongue carcinogenesis.     

Papillary and follicular thyroid cancer: impact of treatment in 1578 patients

We report the experience from 13 Canadian radiotherapy centres concerning the treatment and outcome for 1074 papillary and 504 follicular thyroid cancer patients followed for 4-24 years. Surgical resection was carried out in almost all patients; there was no correlation between the type of operation and recurrence or survival. Treatment with external irradiation (201 patients) radioiodine (214 patients), or both (107 patients) was used more often in poor prognosis patients than in those with good prognostic factors, and was effective in reducing local recurrences and improving survival, especially in patients with microscopic residual disease postoperatively. Treatment complications were common but rarely fatal. Thyroid cancer was the cause of death in over half of the papillary cancer deaths and in two-thirds of the follicular cancer deaths.     

SPON2在甲状腺乳头状癌中的表达及其临床意义

目的：探讨脊椎蛋白2(SPON2)在甲状腺乳头状癌(PTC)中的表达及其临床意义。方法：收集PTC及其癌旁组织新鲜手术标本7例,用实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)检测PTC及其癌旁组织中SPON2 mRNA的表达情况。并选取2019—2020年间病理科存档PTC石蜡标本68例,采用免疫组织化学SP法检测SPON2蛋白在PTC中的表达情况;并使用Kaplan Meier-Plotter数据库分析SPON2mRNA表达水平与甲状腺癌患者的预后关系。使用GEPIA数据库分析SPON2 mRNA表达水平与甲状腺癌临床分期之间的关系。使用TIMER数据库分析SPON2 mRNA表达水平与甲状腺癌免疫细胞之间的关系。结果：qPCR结果显示,PTC组织SPON2 mRNA相对表达水平为1.705±0.724,明显高于癌旁组织的0.929±0.278,差异具有统计学意义(P=0.036)。免疫组化结果显示,SPON2蛋白表达于细胞质及细胞外基质中,在PTC中的表达显著高于癌旁组织,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01)。通过GEPIA数据库分析发现,SPON2 m RNA表达差异与甲状腺癌临床分期相关...     

幽门螺杆菌感染和环氧合酶-2表达在胃癌发生中的作用

目的探讨幽门螺杆菌 (Hp) 感染和环氧合酶-2(COX-2)表达在胃癌发生中的作用.方法 138例胃镜活检标本包括慢性非萎缩性胃炎30例,慢性萎缩性胃炎85例(其中伴有中度以上肠化生45例,中、重度异型增生12例),和胃癌23例.快速尿素酶试验和组织学改良Giemsa染色联合检测Hp,免疫组化检查COX-1和COX-2表达.结果胃癌的Hp阳性率为69.6%,显著高于慢性非萎缩性胃炎的36.7%(P<0.05).慢性非萎缩性胃炎、慢性萎缩性胃炎、肠化生、异型增生和胃癌的COX-2表达率分别为10.0%、37.6%、37.8%、41.7%和69.6%,而不同胃黏膜病变中COX-1表达无明显差异.慢性萎缩性胃炎、肠化生和异型增生中Hp阳性病例的COX-2表达显著高于Hp阴性病例(P<0.01).结论 Hp感染及其诱导的COX-2表达可能是胃癌发生的早期事件之一.     

苯丁酸钠对甲状腺滤泡癌细胞侵袭能力及MMP-9和TIMP-1表达的影响

目的:探讨苯丁酸钠(sodium phenylbutyrate,NaBP)对甲状腺滤泡癌细胞CGTHW1的侵袭能力及基质金属蛋白酶9(matrix metalloproteinase9, MMP9)和金属蛋白酶组织抑制剂1(tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase,TIMP1)表达的影响 。方法：培养CGTHW1细胞,通过Transwell侵袭实验观察苯丁酸钠对CGTHW1细胞侵袭能力的影响,采用免疫细胞化学SP法及RTPCR观察苯丁酸钠对CGTHW1细胞中MMP9和TIMP1蛋白及mRNA表达的影响 。结果： 4 mmol/L苯丁酸钠作72 h, CGTHW1 细胞的侵袭细胞数显著减少\[（29.8±1.77）vs（11.00±2.59）,(P<0．01)\]。免疫细胞化学和RTPCR 检测结果显示,4 、6 mmol/L 苯丁酸钠显著抑制CGTHW1细胞中MMP9、TIMP1蛋白及mRNA的表达 (P<0．05)。结论：苯丁酸钠可通过下调MMP9和TIMP1的表达进而降低甲状腺滤泡癌CGTHW1细胞的侵袭能力。