The Association of Intra-Tumoral and Stromal Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) Expressions with Molecular Subtypes and Clinicopathological Factors in Breast Carcinoma

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between intra-tumoral and stromal VDR expressions with molecular subtypes and clinicopathological factors. Methods: A total of 75 formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue samples were stained using immunohistochemical methods. The VDR expressions were measured by counting brown-stained nuclei in intra-tumoral and stromal areas. The association of VDR expression with molecular subtypes and clinopathological factors was examined. Statistical analysis was performed by chi square tests. Results: High intra-tumoral VDR expression was found in carcinomas with luminal molecular subtypes (p=0.039) and low histological degrees (p=0.035). High VDR expression in the stroma was found in breast carcinomas with large tumor sizes. Conclusions: High intra-tumoral VDR expression is found in breast carcinomas with luminal subtypes and low histological grade (I/II). Both factors are known to have a good prognosis. These findings further strengthen the function of VDR as anti-tumorigenesis.     

结肠癌细胞上清液对CD4~＋FOXP3~＋调节性T淋巴细胞形成影响

目的观察结肠癌细胞上清液是否能促进正常CD4＋T淋巴细胞转换成调节性T淋巴细胞,并且探讨TGFβ1在促细胞转换中的重要作用。方法应用流式细胞仪染色CD4＋FOXP3＋,ELISA检测结肠癌上清液中TGFβ1浓度。结果分选的CD4＋CD25-细胞纯度高达96.58%±0.59%,这群细胞中表达CD4＋FOXP3＋较低,为0.34%±0.03%。健康正常人CD4＋FOXP3-细胞分别与人结肠癌细胞colo320HSR及DLD-1上清液共培养后,CD4＋FOXP3＋细胞表达增高（colo320HSR组为4.78%±0.41%,DLD-1组为4.48%±0.29%）;这两组与RPMI 1640培养液阴性对照组CD4＋FOXP3＋细胞2.54%±0.41%相比差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。ELISA法检测colo320HSR细胞上清液TGFβ1浓度为（1 228.80±10.65）ng/mL,DLD-1细胞上清液TGFβ1浓度（624.50±12.26）ng/mL,而RPMI 1640无血清培养液中未检测到TGFβ1。在与结肠癌细胞上清液培养同时给与TGFβ抗体后,CD4＋FOXP3＋表达较未加入抗体组明显降低（colo320HSR组2.20%±0.09%,P=0.011;DLD-1组1.67%±0.34%,P=0.033）;而RPMI1640阴性对照组CD4＋FOXP3＋细胞表达下降不显著（1.80%±0.58%,P=0.159）。结论人结肠癌细胞上清液可以促进正常CD4＋T淋巴细胞（CD4＋FOXP3-细胞）转换为调节性T淋巴细胞（CD4＋FOXP3＋）,TGFβ1在肿瘤微环境中调节T淋巴细胞形成可能有一定的作用。识别人调节性T淋巴细胞（CD4＋FOXP3＋）的起源将为肿瘤治疗提供重要信息。     

Small molecule with big role: MicroRNAs in cancer metastatic microenvironments

Cancer metastasis is closely related to tumor cell microenvironments. Cancer cells and stromal cells interact with one another through extracellular matrix (ECM) and jointly participate in establishing the microenvironments. However, many questions remain to be addressed, in particular, a crucial question is which messengers mediate the mutual interaction and regulation between cancer cells and stromal cells. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), as oncogenic and oncosuppressor genes, regulate the expression and function of their related target genes to affect the biological behaviors of cancer cells and stromal cells, which may play an important role in cancer metastasis. Many miRNAs associated with cancer metastasis have been identified. The molecules of miRNAs are small and relatively easy to be secreted into extracellular microenvironments and devoured by nearby cells. As the regulatory messengers between cells, the secreted miRNAs function to regulate cancer cell proliferation, migration, intercellular communication and stromal modification, thereby helping cancer cells to establish their microenvironments for metastasis. In conclusion, miRNAs are small molecules, but they play a powerful role in regulating cancer metastatic ability by construction and modification of microenvironments.     

胃癌微环境中肥大细胞的临床病理学意义

目的初步探讨肥大细胞（mastcell,MC）在胃癌微环境中的生物学意义。方法采用免疫组织化学方法对31份胃癌标本、20份胃良性病变标本中的MC进行标记,并分析MC数目与胃癌及临床病理资料之间的关系。结果胃癌组中MC数目显著高于胃良性病变组,且差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。高、中、低分化胃癌组织中MC数目差异无统计学意义（P〉0．05）。胃癌患者高龄组与低龄组间MC数目差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）,而在性别比例、TNM分期、浸润深度、分化级别、局域淋巴结转移、神经、脉管浸润各临床病理因素分组中差异均无统计学意义（P均〉0．05）。结论MC参与肿瘤微环境及肿瘤的形成与发展,但与重要临床病理资料无明显相关性。     

环氧化酶2抑制剂塞来昔布对胶质瘤树突状细胞表型和功能的影响

目的 探讨脑胶质瘤微环境及环氧化酶2抑制剂塞来昔布对树突状细胞( dendritic cell,DC)表型和功能的影响.方法 检测塞来昔布对C6细胞COX-2蛋白表达及PGE2分泌水平的影响.分离人外周血单个核细胞,分为正常诱导组、C6细胞上清组及塞来昔布+C6细胞上清组,体外诱导培养为DC细胞.观察DC形态学变化,检测DC表面分子CD80、CD83、CD86、CD1a的表达.检测DC培养上清中IL-12的水平及其体外刺激同种异体T细胞增殖能力.结果 塞来昔布可呈浓度依赖性下调C6细胞COX-2蛋白表达水平及PGE2分泌水平.各组细胞均可诱导出典型DC形态.三组DC CD1a表达率(％)为(75.56±2.40,75.09±3.67,76.03±3.43),CD83表达率(％)为(72.04 ±3.45,71.44±3.78,73.63 ±3.31),差异无统计学意义(P＞0.05),C6上清组DC CD80、CD86表达率(％)分别为(58.41 ±3.85,58.22±3.25),低于正常诱导组(分别为70.36±2.91,69.31±4.29),差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.01),对应其刺激T淋巴细胞增殖能力降低(P＜0.01),IL-12分泌水平(pg/ml)低于正常诱导组(分别为137.88±5.33,186.04±4.76),差异具有统计学意义(P＜0.01).塞来昔布预处理C6细胞后可提高CD80、CD86表达水平(66.83±2.51,63.51±5.47,P＜0.01)及刺激T淋巴细胞增殖能力、IL-12分泌水平(170.31±3.46,P＜0.01),但仍低于正常诱导组(P＜0.01).结论 塞来昔布可通过抑制COX-2蛋白活性,降低肿瘤局部微环境中的PGE2水平,改善DC的表型和功能.     

Targeting the microenvironment in chronic lymphocytic leukemia offers novel therapeutic options

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells display features consistent with a defect in apoptosis and exhibit prolonged survival in vivo. Survival of these malignant cells is influenced by interactions with non-leukemic cells located in permissive niches in lymphoid organs. Leukemic cells subvert the normal architecture of the lymphoid organs, recruiting stromal cells, dendritic cells and T lymphocytes, all reported as playing active roles in the survival and proliferation of CLL. The same survival-promoting environment also rescues/protects leukemic cells from cytotoxic therapies, giving way to disease relapse.     

Discovery of the cancer stem cell related determinants of radioresistance

Tumors are known to be heterogeneous containing a dynamic mixture of phenotypically and functionally different tumor cells. The two concepts attempting to explain the origin of intratumor heterogeneity are the cancer stem cell hypothesis and the clonal evolution model. The stochastic model argues that tumors are biologically homogenous and all cancer cells within the tumor have equal ability to propagate the tumor growth depending on continuing mutations and selective pressure. By contrast, the stem cells model suggests that cancer heterogeneity is due to the hierarchy that originates from a small population of cancer stem cells (CSCs) which are biologically distinct from the bulk tumor and possesses self-renewal, tumorigenic and multilineage potential. Although these two hypotheses have been discussed for a long time as mutually exclusive explanations of tumor heterogeneity, they are easily reconciled serving as a driving force of cancer evolution and diversity. Recent discovery of the cancer cell plasticity and heterogeneity makes the CSC population a moving target that could be hard to track and eradicate. Understanding the signaling mechanisms regulating CSCs during the course of cancer treatment can be indispensable for the optimization of current treatment strategies.     

组织发育和构建及其调节机制

从再生医学的角度来讲,体外生成的组织可以在一定程度上模仿生理和病理组织,具有十分重要的生物学意义。然而,体外组织在结构和功能上比较简单,需要进行体外的自组装和模拟组织发育等相关研究。纳米技术和微构衍生工具的出现,使体外组织的组装成为可能。研究表明,除遗传物质外,组织构型及其微环境也与体外组织的形态发生密切相关。那么,我们该如何设计和装配微观组织,使其成形?如何在体外预测和调控其发育机制?本文结合目前有关物理、生物学以及系统集成构形化理论,对体外组织的组装和模拟机制等进行综述。