Expression and significance of heat shock protein 70 and glucose-regulated protein 94 in human esophageal carcinoma

AIM: To investigate the expression and significance of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and glucose-regulated protein 94 (grp94) in human esophageai carcinoma and adjacent normal tissues. METHODS: The expression of HSP70 and grp94 in 78 human esophageai cancer and adjacent normal tissues was studied by immunohistochemistry and pathology photograph analysis. RESULTS: Both esophageai cancer and adjacent normal tissues could express HSP70 and grp94. Of the 78 cases of esophageai carcinoma, 95.0%(72/78) showed positive HSP70, mainly stained in nuclei, while grp94 was mainly stained in cell plasma, and the positive rate was 71.8% (56/78).There was a significant difference in the expression of HSP70 and grp94 between esophageai cancer and adjacent normal tissues (P<0.01). Compared with adjacent normal tissues, there was a significant difference between differential types and HSP70 expression (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: HSP70 and grp94 express differently in cell plasma and nuclei. The expression intensity of HSP70 is related to the differentiation of esophageai carcinoma.     

Cell membrane gp96 facilitates HER2 dimerization and serves as a novel target in breast cancer

HER2 receptor dimerization is a critical step in the HER2 activation process. Here, we demonstrated that heat shock protein gp96 on cell membrane interacts with HER2, facilitates HER2 dimerization and promotes cell proliferation. Cell membrane gp96 levels were observed to correlate with HER2 phosphorylation in primary breast tumors. Finally, we provide evidence that targeting gp96 with a specific monoclonal antibody led to decreased cell growth and increased apoptosis in vitro, and suppression of tumor growth in vivo. Our work represents a new therapeutic strategy for inhibiting HER2 signaling in cancer.     

FN14 and GRP94 expression are prognostic/predictive biomarkers of brain metastasis outcome that open up new therapeutic strategies

Brain metastasis is a devastating problem in patients with breast, lung and melanoma tumors. GRP94 and FN14 are predictive biomarkers over-expressed in primary breast carcinomas that metastasized in brain. To further validate these brain metastasis biomarkers, we performed a multicenter study including 318 patients with breast carcinomas. Among these patients, there were 138 patients with metastasis, of whom 84 had brain metastasis. The likelihood of developing brain metastasis increased by 5.24-fold (95%CI 2.83–9.71) and 2.55- (95%CI 1.52–4.3) in the presence of FN14 and GRP94, respectively. Moreover, FN14 was more sensitive than ErbB2 (38.27 vs. 24.68) with similar specificity (89.43 vs. 89.55) to predict brain metastasis and had identical prognostic value than triple negative patients (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, we used GRP94 and FN14 pathways and GUILD, a network-based disease-gene prioritization program, to pinpoint the genes likely to be therapeutic targets, which resulted in FN14 as the main modulator and thalidomide as the best scored drug. The treatment of mice with brain metastasis improves survival decreasing reactive astrocytes and angiogenesis, and down-regulate FN14 and its ligand TWEAK. In conclusion our results indicate that FN14 and GRP94 are prediction/prognosis markers which open up new possibilities for preventing/treating brain metastasis.     

Effect of annealing procedure on the bonding of ceramic to cobalt-chromium alloys fabricated by rapid prototyping

Statement of problem

An annealing procedure is a heat treatment process to improve the mechanical properties of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloys. However, information is lacking about the effect of the annealing process on the bonding ability of ceramic to Co-Cr alloys fabricated by rapid prototyping.

Relationship between the NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus polymorphism and risk of hypertension in the Chinese Han population

Objective: The onset of essential hypertension is the result of a combination of genetic factors and the environment. The nuclear factor (NF)-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus polymorphism is associated with the occurrence of various diseases. The purpose of this study was to find out the relationship between the NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus polymorphism and the risk of hypertension in the Chinese Han population.

Methods: A total of 585 Chinese Han patients with essential hypertension and 585 Chinese Han healthy volunteers were recruited. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed to analyze the genotype of the NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus in all the subjects.

Results: For the NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus, the dominant (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.13–1.54, P < 0.001), recessive (adjusted OR = 1.17, 95% CI = 1.02–1.32, P = 0.03) and additive (adjusted OR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.03–1.36, P = 0.01) models showed significant increase in the risk of hypertension. The NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus II genotype was an independent risk factor for hypertension (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.78–1.69, P = 0.02). The interaction between the NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus polymorphism and BMI, alcohol consumption, and diabetes significantly increased the risk of hypertension (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.26–1.86, P < 0.01).

Conclusion: The NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG polymorphism is an independent risk factor for essential hypertension. The NF-κB1-94ins/del ATTG locus, obesity, drinking, and diabetes also interact to yield a higher risk of hypertension.     

人类白细胞抗原单倍体不合造血干细胞移植后自然杀伤性细胞和T淋巴细胞杀伤抑制性受体表达的研究

目的研究人类白细胞抗原(HLA)单倍体不合的造血干细胞移植后自然杀伤性细胞(NK细胞)和T淋巴细胞杀伤抑制性受体重建的规律。方法2004-04～2004-12对北京大学血液病研究所借助三色和四色荧光标记技术,用流式细胞仪对应用该所GIAC方案(即G:粒细胞集落刺激因子 I:强免疫抑制 A:抗胸腺细胞球蛋白 C:外周血与骨髓联合)进行HLA单倍体不合造血干细胞移植的24例患者(移植前、移植后 30、 60、 90、 120、 180d)及其供者外周血NK细胞及T细胞上杀伤免疫球蛋白类受体(KIR),包括CD158a(KIR2DL1)、CD158b(KIR2DL2)、CD158e(KIR3DL1)和Lectin样受体(CD94/NKG2A)的表达进行了测定。结果根据移植后NK细胞上受体重建规律不同可以分为两组:第1组在移植后 30d,与供者表达水平相比,病人受体表达明显升高(CD94,P=0.013;CD94∶NKG2A,P<0.0001;CD158e,P=0.063),随后逐渐下降,至 180d时重建为供者水平(CD158e、CD94)或仍明显高于供者水平(CD94∶NKG2A、P=0.001);第2组在移植后 30d,与供者表达水平相比,病人受体表达明显降低(CD158a,P=0.016;CD158b,P<0.003),随后逐渐升高,至正常供者水平。移植后患者外周血T淋巴细胞上杀伤抑制性受体的表达规律与NK细胞第1组相近,在 30和(或)60d时,所有KIR及CD94∶NKG2A的表达均明显高于正常供者水平,其后逐渐下降, 180d时降至正常供者水平(CD158a、CD158a/CD158b及CD158e)或仍明显高于供者水平(CD94/NKG2A,CD158b)。结论移植后NK细胞上KIR受体的低表达及CD94∶NKG2A的高表达可能是移植后早期NK细胞杀伤功能低下的主要影响因素;而移植后T细胞上KIR及CD94∶NKG2A的高表达可能有利于移植后的移植物抗宿主疾病(GVHD)及移植物抗白血病(GVL)效应分离。     

Q-T interval in sinus arrhythmia

The Bazett equation is modified for calculating the “corrected Q-T” in children with sinus arrhythmia.     

Inhibition of Histone Deacetylation and DNA Methylation Improves Gene Expression Mediated by the Adeno-Associated Virus/Phage in Cancer Cells

Bacteriophage (phage), viruses that infect bacteria only, have become promising vectors for targeted systemic delivery of genes to cancer, although, with poor efficiency. We previously designed an improved phage vector by incorporating cis genetic elements of adeno-associated virus (AAV). This novel AAV/phage hybrid (AAVP) specifically targeted systemic delivery of therapeutic genes into tumors. To advance the AAVP vector, we recently introduced the stress-inducible Grp78 tumor specific promoter and found that this dual tumor-targeted AAVP provides persistent gene expression, over time, in cancer cells compared to silenced gene expression from the CMV promoter in the parental AAVP. Herein, we investigated the effect of histone deacetylation and DNA methylation on AAVP-mediated gene expression in cancer cells and explored the effect of cell confluence state on AAVP gene expression efficacy. Using a combination of AAVP expressing the GFP reporter gene, flow cytometry, inhibitors of histone deacetylation, and DNA methylation, we have demonstrated that histone deacetylation and DNA methylation are associated with silencing of gene expression from the CMV promoter in the parental AAVP. Importantly, inhibitors of histone deacetylases boost gene expression in cancer cells from the Grp78 promoter in the dual tumor-targeted AAVP. However, cell confluence had no effect on AAVP-guided gene expression. Our findings prove that combination of histone deacetylase inhibitor drugs with the Grp78 promoter is an effective approach to improve AAVP-mediated gene expression in cancer cells and should be considered for AAVP-based clinical cancer gene therapy.     

Experimental parainfluenza type 1 virus-induced encephalomyelopathy in adult mouse

Summary The pathogenicity of a strain of parainfluenza type 1 virus, isolated from the cultured brain cells from multiple sclerosis patients and designated as 6/94 virus, was studied in mouse brain.Selective degeneration of cerebral white matter, preceded by mononuclear cell infiltration, and ependymitis were prominent pathological features of the mouse intracerebrally inoculated with 6/94 virus. After inactivation by ultraviolet light the virus was still capable of producing the inflammatory and degenerative white matter lesions, although the severity of ependymitis was substantially reduced.This investigation was supported in part by funds from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, research grant NS-11036 from the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke and funds from the John A. Hartford Foundation, Inc.     

手指甲襞微循环94'上海简易标准

本文在手指甲襞微循环加权积分法的基础上,提出了94’上海简易诊断标准.新标准简化了观察指标,进行重新归类,并改用微循环得分代替微循环障碍得分.用百分制反映体内的微循环状态.介绍了新标准中12项指标的判断方法及积分标准.