Interleukin-6 activates phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, which inhibits apoptosis in human prostate cancer cell lines

BACKGROUND: A number of recent studies have identified interleukin (IL)-6 as an important regulator of prostate cancer growth. Here, we investigate the potential interaction of IL-6 with phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3 kinase, a key growth regulatory enzyme, in prostate cancer cell lines. METHODS: Tyrosine phosphorylation of p85, the regulatory subunit of PI-3 kinase, in the human prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP and PC-3 was assessed by sequential immunoprecipitation with anti-p85 antibody and immunoblotting with anti-phosphotyrosine. The effects of wortmannin, an inhibitor of PI-3 kinase, and/or IL-6 on cell growth were assessed by MTT assays. DNA laddering experiments were performed to assay for programmed cell death. RESULTS: Tyrosine phosphorylation of p85 is upregulated by IL-6 in both LNCaP and PC-3. IL-6 promotes coprecipitation of p85 with gp130, the signal-transducing component of the IL-6 receptor. Inhibition of PI-3 kinase with wortmannin induces programmed cell death in PC-3 cells. In contrast, wortmannin has no effect on LNCaP growth when used alone; however, combined with IL-6, wortmannin promotes apoptosis in these cells. CONCLUSIONS: PI-3 kinase is involved in IL-6 signal transduction and delivers an antiapoptotic signal in human prostate cancer cell lines.     

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor of the uterus in a postmenopausal woman: a case report and review of the literature

We report an epithelioid trophoblastic tumor (ETT), a recently delineated type of gestational trophoblastic tumor (GTT), discovered in the uterus of a 66-year-old woman. She had been treated for a hydatidiform mole 17 years previously without chemotherapy. The resected uterus contained a solid/cystic tumor located entirely within the myometrium. Microscopically, there was an epithelial-like growth pattern. The tumor was circumscribed, with a pushing border, and the tumor cells grew in cords, nests, and sheets within which were aggregates of hyaline material and necrotic debris. Most tumor cells were mononuclear and had an epithelioid appearance with distinct cell borders, eosinophilic cytoplasm, and nuclei with occasional indistinct nucleoli. Scattered multinucleated cells consistent with syncytiotrophoblastic cells were also present. Immunohistochemical staining revealed strong diffuse reactivity for cytokeratins (CK7, AE1/AE3, CAM 5.2, CK18) and epidermal growth factor receptor, and focal reactivity, mainly in syncytiotrophoblastic cells, for beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, human placental lactogen, and inhibin-alpha. The histologic and immunohistochemical features were characteristic of ETT, and helped to distinguish the tumor from other trophoblastic tumors and squamous cell carcinoma. An unusual observation was a high mitotic count, reflected in a Ki-67 proliferative index of 68.6%. Our findings indicate that ETT, like other types of GTT, can occur in postmenopausal women, even years after a gestational event.     

外周原始神经外胚层肿瘤形态学免疫表型及临床预后研究

目的：探讨外周原始神经外胚层肿瘤(PNET)的临床表现，病理及免疫组织化学特点及预后。方法：对15例外周原始神经外胚层肿瘤进行临床资料及预后，病理组织形态学和超微结构特点及免疫组化表型研究。结果：患者以男性为主，男女之比约为6．5：1，年龄6～35岁，年龄中位数为16，发生部位较多，可发生在直肠，腹膜后，腹股沟，淋巴结，胸壁，睾丸，鼻腔及骨组织等；免疫组化：肿瘤均弥漫表达CD99，并不同程度地表达NSE，SYN，CgA等，但不表达CK，Desmin，LCA等，其中1例表达组织化学染色PAS，随访最长时间为24月。结论：PNET是一种发生在年轻男性，进展迅速，预后非常差的恶性小圆细胞肿瘤，认识其临床病理特点及免疫组化表型对于该恶性肿瘤的诊断及临床治疗意义重大。     

穴注野木瓜治疗腰椎骨质增生108例疗效观察

方法：采用肾俞穴位注射野木瓜注射液治疗腰椎骨质增生108例，并没针刺对照组52例进行临床对照观察。结果：穴位注射有效率98％，对照组有效率85％。结论：野木瓜注射波穴位注射治疗腰椎骨质增生有显著疗效。     

UV—微O3法去除饮用水中CCl4的研究

研究了以紫外－微臭氧为主体的光化学激发氧化技术的最佳运行参数，用该工艺处理饮用水中微量有机优先污染物。研究结果表明：紫外－微臭氧工艺对ＣＣｌ４－水中常见有机优先污染物有令人满意的去除效果，经２小时处理后，去除率可达９０％，紫外－微臭氧工艺对饮用水的深度处理能力接近于紫外－臭氧工艺，设备方便，投资少，是一种很有前途的饮用水净化工艺。     

人原发性大肠癌的染色体分析

用改良的直接法分析了20例大肠癌新鲜瘤组织及4例大肠癌细胞系的细胞遗传学改变，发现瘤细胞多为异倍体，染色体众数以亚二倍体居多；核型分析发现，其杂色体数目畸变为，13号染色体增多；17号、1号和Y染色体的丢失，结构畸变最常累及1号染色体，断裂声、1q21出现率较高，其次为1p13区的断裂及末端丢失。提示1号染色体结构异常可能为原发性大肠癌特征性染色体改变之一。