Cytokeratin and vimentin intermediate filament proteins in benign and neoplastic prostatic epithelium

Prostatic samples from 30 hyperplastic prostates and 61 prostatic adenocarcinomas were examined for vimentin and cytokeratins. The co-expression of cytokeratins and vimentin was found in all benign prostatic epithelium and in 83% of adenocarcinomas. Benign prostatic epithelium showed vimentin intermediate filaments distinctively distributed in the basal regions and as paranuclear sheaves along the long axis of the cell. This pattern of vimentin staining was seen in adenocarcinomas with low Gleason scores, whereas high-grade tumours showed intense diffuse perinuclear staining.     

Comprehensive Network Analysis of the Molecular Regulation Mechanism for Breast Cancer Metastasis

Breast cancer is one of malignant severe diseases that cause cancer death in women. Although research about the pathogenesis and studies about treatment mechanisms in breast cancer have become clear focuses, we have no clear conclusion yet. Therefore, this research is based on a modular approach to explore key factors and molecular mechanisms that affect breast cancer metastasis. First of all, it is necessary to download breast cancer-related data on the GEO database, and we analyzed the difference between primary tumors and metastatic lesions to obtain differential gene expression profiles. On this basis, a series of bioinformatics analyses were performed to comprehensively, and they were presented to identify critical regulators in breast cancer metastasis. We have obtained a total of five co-expression modules, among which HECW1, FBN1, and other genes have effective regulation in dysfunction modules, and thus they would be recognized as driving genes for breast cancer metastasis. Module genes were significantly enriched in biological function, for instance, leukocyte-cell adhesion and negative regulation in the immune system process. At the same time, it substantially regulates signaling pathways, for example, fatty acid degradation, synthesis, and degradation of ketone bodies, and amino acid metabolism. Finally, we identified ncRNA pivots (including FENDRR, miR-19a-3p, and miR-26b-5p) and TF pivot (including NFKB1 and SP1) to regulate dysfunction modules significantly. Our study identified the coexpression network of genes involved in breast cancer metastasis. These results may be helpful to reveal the gene modules and regulatory factors of breast cancer. Importantly, we identified a long non-coding FENDRR that inhibits breast cancer metastasis through a fatty acid degradation signaling pathway, providing new directions and targets for subsequent studies.     

整合调控网络分析筛选骨髓增生异常综合征ABAT基因相关长链非编码RNA SET2-1及其对细胞增殖和凋亡的影响

目的 构建具有骨髓增生异常综合征(myelodysplastic syndromes,MDS)特征的整合调控网络,从中筛选出调控ABAT(4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase)基因的长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA,LncRNA),并初步探讨其在MDS中的表达和功能....     

Vimentin—a new prognostic parameter in breast carcinoma?

This report describes a positive relationship between vimentin expression in infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma, and high tumour growth fraction. Vimentin expression is potentially a predictor of aggressive behaviour, and such carcinomas may benefit from early adjuvant therapy. Eighty-four malignant breast neoplasms were stained with monoclonal anti-vimentin and anti-cytokeratin antibodies. The tumour growth fractions were determined by immunostaining cryostat sections with the Ki-67 antibody. Seven (9.2 per cent) of 76 infiltrating ductal carcinomas co-expressed cytokeratin and vimentin intermediate filaments in more than 50 per cent of neoplastic cells. In each case, the corresponding Ki-67 count was much greater than 40 per cent, significantly higher than the mean growth fraction for all tumours examined (P less than 0.0001). Vimentin immunoreactivity was also positively related to the histological grade of the ductal carcinomas (P less than 0.002) and inversely related to tumour ER count (P less than 0.0002) and patient age (P less than 0.01). No relationship was observed between vimentin positivity and either the presence of axillary nodal metastases or primary tumour size.     

Co-expression of cytokeratin and vimentin intermediate filament proteins in benign and neoplastic breast epithelium

This paper identifies another neoplasm of epithelial origin which may express vimentin in addition to cytokeratins, thereby adding to the expanding list of tumours which demonstrate intermediate filaments (IFs) other than those of their reputed cell of origin. Twenty examples of benign breast disease and 66 carcinomas were examined for vimentin and cytokeratin IFs using an avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex technique. Co-expression of these IF proteins was found in 35 per cent of cases of benign breast tissue and in 60 per cent of the carcinomas. In 8 (16 per cent) of 50 cases of infiltrating ductal carcinoma, vimentin and cytokeratin immunostaining was observed in more than 60 per cent of the tumour cells. These carcinomas were predominantly of a high histological grade. In benign breast disease and well-differentiated carcinoma, vimentin was distributed in the basal and perinuclear regions of the cells, with sparing of the apical portions. In those cases in which large numbers of tumour cells expressed vimentin, cytoplasmic staining was diffuse, and often exhibited distinctive perinuclear and subplasmalemmal accentuation. We propose that a knowledge of the list of carcinomas which may co-express vimentin and cytokeratin IFs might be helpful in the assessment of undifferentiated tumours and metastatic deposits.     

Myosin heavy chain isoforms in single fibres from m. vastus lateralis of sprinters: influence of training

The myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of single fibres from m. vastus lateralis of a group of male sprint athletes (n= 6) was analysed, before and after a three months period of intensive strength- and interval-training, using a sensitive gel electrophoretic technique. Significant improvements were observed after training in almost all of a series of performance tests. After training the sprinters revealed a decrease in fibres containing only MHC isoform I (52.0 ±3.0% vs. 41.2 ±4.7% (mean±SE) (P < 0.05)) and an increase in the amount of fibres containing only MHC isoform IIA (34.7 ±6.1% vs. 52.3 ±3.6% (P < 0.05)). Fibres showing co-existence of MHC isoforms IIA and IIB decreased with training (12.9 ± 5.0% vs. 5.1 ±3.1%, (P < 0.05)). Only one out of 1000 fibres analysed contained only MHC isoform IIB. In contrast, a higher amount of type IIB fibres (18.8 ± 3.6% vs. 10.5 ± 3.9%, (P < 0.05)) was observed with myofibrillar ATPase histochemistry. The majority of histochemically determined type IIB fibres of sprinters seems therefore to contain both MHC isoforms IIA and IIB. Sprint-training appears to induce an increased expression of MHC isoform IIA in skeletal muscles. This seems related to a bi-directional transformation from both MHC isoforms I and IIB towards MHC isoform IIA.     

利用加权基因共表达网络挖掘乳腺癌相关疾病靶标

目的 利用公共数据库癌症基因组图谱（TCGA）,通过加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA）挖掘乳腺癌诊断年龄和肿瘤分期相关疾病靶标。方法 利用TCGA得到53例亚洲人种和126例非洲人种乳腺癌基因芯片表达数据及相应的临床指标,然后用R软件的WGCNA包分别构建这2个人群的共表达网络,得到与诊断年龄和肿瘤分期的相关显著性模块,并用在线网站DAVID进行功能富集,用在线网站UALCAN进行生存分析。结果 WGCNA分析得到11个与肿瘤分期和诊断年龄显著相关的模块。将11个模块取交集后得到42个候选基因,利用在线网站DAVID进行基因本体（GO）富集分析,发现这些候选基因主要富集在蛋白质结合功能方面。取42个候选基因中9个由WGCNA识别出的核心基因,输入在线网站UALCAN上行差异分析和生存分析,最终筛选出2个（ERLIN2和ASH2L）候选生物标志物,这2个基因在正常组织和癌组织中的表达差异有统计学意义（P<0.01）,且表达水平影响乳腺癌患者的生存期（P<0.05）。结论 利用数据挖掘寻找生物标志物或疾病靶标是一种高效、经济的研究方式。本研究通过数据挖掘发现ERLIN2和ASH2L为乳腺癌的候选生物标志物,可用于大样本临床验证及机制探讨。     

应用分子伴侣共表达系统表达结核分枝杆菌编码蛋白

目的 研究共同表达分子伴侣能否提高结核分枝杆菌编码基因的表达效率及被表达蛋白的生物活性。方法将携带有结核分枝杆菌编码基因的表达质粒Rv3790::pET16b、Rv3791::pET16b与能够同时表达3个分子伴侣DnaK、DnaJ和GrpE的质粒pkJE7共同在大肠埃希菌BL21(DE3)表达,之后对所获得的蛋白通过聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳和免疫印记分析（Western Blot）检测蛋白产量,并分析蛋白的活性。以Rv3790::pET16b、Rv3791::pET16b单独在BL21(DE3)内的表达作为对照。结果与分子伴侣共表达的结核分枝杆菌编码基因相对于目的基因单独表达时获得较多的可溶性蛋白,较少的包涵体和蛋白降解;共表达的蛋白也具有相对较好的活性。结论共同表达分子伴侣能够提高某些结核分枝杆菌编码蛋白的表达效率和生物活性。     

神经生长因子促再生坐骨神经血管生成的作用

BACKGROUND： It remains to be determined whether nerve growth factor （NGF） can promote angiogenesis in regenerating peripheral nerves during repairing peripheral nerve injury.
OBJECTIVE： To evaluate the effects of NGF on angiogenesis, and to analyze the influencing mechanisms of NGF, according to the expression patterns of CD34, von Willebrand factor （vWF）, vascular endothelial cell growth factor （VEGF）, and the NGF receptor TrkA in proliferating vascular endothelial cells from a rat model of sciatic nerve injury.
DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： Randomized, controlled study performed at the Research Institute of Field Surgery, Daping Hospital affiliated to the Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, between October 2003 and July 2005.
MATERIALS： Forty-five healthy, adult, Wistar rats underwent sciatic nerve injury. The rats were randomly divided into four groups： NGF ＋ chitosan （n = 15）, NGF ＋ chitosan ＋ anti-VEGF （n = 10）, chitosan （n = 10）, and physiological saline （n = 10）. METHODS： A 1 -cm defected sciatic nerve was bridged with a silica gel conduit. NGF ＋ chitosan group： 100 μ L chitosan and 5 μ L NGF （20 mg/L） were injected into the silica gel conduit; NGF ＋ chitosan ＋ anti-VEGF group： an additional 5μ L anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody （1 g/L） was injected into the silica gel conduit; chitosan group： 100μL chitosan and 5 μL physiological saline were injected into the silica gel conduit; physiological saline group： only 5μL physiological saline was injected into the silica gel conduit.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： CD34 and vWf were used to label blood capillaries and large-diameter blood vessels in the regenerating peripheral nerves, respectively. At day 14 following surgery, immunohistochemistry was used to detect and semi-quantitatively analyze expressions of CD34, vWf, VEGF, and TrkA in proliferating vascular endothelial cells in the regenerating sciatic nerve. A confocal laser microscope was used to determine co-expression. RESULTS： Expressions of TrkA, CD34, vWf, and VEGF in the NGF ＋ chitosan group were significantly greater than the physiological saline and chitosan groups （P 〈 0.05-0.01）. Expressions of CD34 and VEGF in the NGF ＋ chitosan ＋ anti-VEGF group were completely inhibited, while expressions of vWf and TrkA gradually decreased, compared with the NGF ＋ chitosan group （P 〈 0.01）. Confocal microscopy revealed strong co-expression of VEGF and CD34 in the regenerating sciatic nerve, and CD34 expression positively correlated with VEGF expression. In addition, VEGF expression was greater than CD34 expression, and coexpression of VEGF and vWf was also strong.
CONCLUSION： VEGF was expressed in blood capillaries and large-diameter blood vessels, while exogenous NGF promoted VEGF expression in regenerating sciatic nerves, thereby increasing angiogenesis.