Versican expression in human cervical cancer

Versican expression may enhance tumour invasion and metastasis. However, the expressions of versican in cervical cancer have seldom been characterised. The aim of this study was to investigate versican expression in human cervical cancers. We immunohistochemically investigated the expression of versican protein in 174 cervical cancers and analysed the correlation with various clinicopathological features, including patient outcome. Stromal versican expression was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis (p<0.0001). Epithelial versican expression was significantly higher in patients with non-squamous cell cercinoma (p=0.0003), lymph-vascular space invasion (p=0.046), lymph node metastasis (p=0.009) and ovarian metastasis (p=0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that high epithelial versican expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival. Versican enrichment of the tumour tissue may be associated with progression in cervical cancer. Versican expression can serve as an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer.     

Loss of cell-surface heparan sulfate expression in both cervical intraepithelial neoplasm and invasive cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE: Syndecan-1 binds to various extracellular matrix components via its heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans (HS-GAG) and most of its biological functions are considered to be associated with this process. The aims of this study are to investigate its expression in cervical neoplasms. METHODS: We investigated the expression of both the syndecan-1 core protein and cell-surface HS-GAG by immunohistochemistry in 53 cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN), 19 microinvasive, 143 invasive cervical cancers, and 29 metastatic lymph node samples, and analyzed correlations with various clinicopathological features. RESULTS: The progression of CIN to early invasive cancer was found to associate with reduced levels of both syndecan-1 and HS-GAG expression. In squamous cell carcinomas, HS-GAG expression was significantly lower in cases with lymph-vascular space invasion. Additionally, the overall survival rates for patients exhibiting low HS-GAG expression was significantly lower than patients exhibiting high HS-GAG expression (P = 0.019). Low HS-GAG expression in positive nodes was determined to be a disease-free and overall survival prognostic factor (P = 0.028 and P = 0.018, respectively). CONCLUSION:The loss of syndecan-1 and HS-GAG expression is an early event in cervical carcinogenesis. The loss of HS-GAG expression particularly in positive nodes can serve as an indicator of aggressive disease potential and poor prognosis in patients with invasive cervical cancer.     

Loss of basement membrane heparan sulfate expression is associated with tumor progression in endometrial cancer

Perlecan is a major heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HPSG) of the basement membrane (BM) and binds to various cytokines and growth factors via its heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (HS-GAG) chains. The aim of this study was to investigate BM HS-GAG expression in endometrial cancers. We investigated the expression of BM HS-GAG by immunohistochemistry in 109 endometrial cancers and analyzed correlations with various clinicopathological features. The HS-GAG expression index was significantly lower in cases of advanced stage, high-grade, deep myometrial invasion, positive peritoneal cytology, lymph vascular space invasion and lymph node metastasis. There was no association between HS-GAG expression status and patient outcome. Decreased HS-GAG expression of BM is associated with tumor progression, but is not be a useful prognostic factor in patients presenting with endometrial cancer.     

Loss of basement membrane heparan sulfate expression is associated with pelvic lymph node metastasis in invasive cervical cancer

Perlecan is a major heparan sulfate proteoglycan of basement membrane (BM) and binds to various cytokines and growth factors via its heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycan (HS-GAG) chains. The aim of this study was to investigate BM HS-GAG expression in invasive cervical cancers. We investigated the expression of BM HS-GAG by immunohistochemistry in 143 invasive cervical cancers and 30 metastatic lymph node samples, and analyzed correlations with various clinicopathological features. Furthermore, the gene expression levels of heparanase were assessed by RT-PCR in 52 invasive cervical cancer samples. HS-GAG expression index was significantly lower in cases of lymph node metastasis (p=0.01). There was no association between HS-GAG expression status and patient outcome. HS-GAG expression index in metastatic pelvic lymph nodes was significantly higher than that in the primary site (p=0.019). Furthermore, HS-GAG expression index was significantly lower in cases where heparanase mRNA expression was detectable (p=0.033). Heparanase mRNA expression is associated with the loss of BM HS-GAG expression, which is closely related to lymph node metastasis in invasive cervical cancers.     

1985年与2005年通辽市蒙古族7～18岁中小学生形态发育资料分析

[目的]掌握通辽市蒙古族中小学生形态发育指标的变化特征,为学校体育卫生工作提供科学依据。[方法]对1985年和2005年通辽市城乡蒙古族中小学生身高、体重、胸围调查资料进行分析比较。[结果]1985年调查5 827人,2005年调查2 990人。2005年与1985年比较,城乡各年龄组男女生身高、体重、胸围均明显增加。2005年,男生身高7、15、17岁城区高于乡村(P<0.01),体重9、15~16岁、18岁城区高于乡村(P<0.01),胸围11、18岁城区高于乡村(P<0.1);女生身高7~8、16~17岁城区高于乡村(P<0.01),体重8岁城区高于乡村(P<0.01),胸围8、12岁城区高于乡村(P<0.1)。[结论]2005年通辽市蒙古族中小学生身高、体重水平城区高于乡村,与1985年比较均有明显增长。     

Prognostic significance of stromal versican expression in human endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Versican expression may enhance tumor invasion and metastasis. However, the expression of versican in human endometrial cancer has seldom been characterized. The aim of this study was to investigate versican expression in endometrial cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We immunohistochemically investigated the expression of versican protein in 167 endometrial cancers and analyzed the correlation with various observed clinicopathological features, including patient outcome. RESULTS: Stromal versican expression was significantly higher in the advanced-stage (P = 0.010) and high-grade (P = 0.049) cancers, lymph node metastasis (P = 0.012), and ovarian metastasis (P = 0.024). Epithelial versican expression was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.014) and lymph-vascular space involvement (P = 0.014). The disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates of patients exhibiting high stromal versican expression were significantly lower than those of patients exhibiting low stromal versican expression (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed that high stromal versican expression was an independent prognostic factor for DFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS: Versican enrichment of the stroma may be associated with tumor progression in endometrial cancer. Stromal versican expression can serve as an indicator of poor prognosis for patients with endometrial cancer.     

Prognostic significance of syndecan-1 expression in human endometrial cancer.

BACKGROUND: Syndecan-1 binds to various extracellular matrix components via its heparan sulfate glycosaminoglycans. The aim of this study was to investigate syndecan-1 expression in endometrial cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated the expression of the syndecan-1 core protein by immunohistochemistry in 109 endometrial cancers, and analyzed correlation with various clinicopathological features, including patient outcome. RESULTS: Epithelial syndecan-1 expression was significantly lower in advanced stage, high grade, deep myometrial invasion, cervical involvement, lymph node metastasis, lymph vascular space involvement and positive peritoneal cytology. Stromal syndecan-1 expression was significantly higher in high-grade tumors. The disease-free and overall survival rates of patients exhibiting both low epithelial and high stromal syndecan-1 expression was poor. Multivariate analysis showed that high stromal syndecan-1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for both disease-free and overall survival. Low epithelial syndecan-1 expression was a prognostic factor only in the univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Loss of epithelial syndecan-1 and induction of stromal syndecan-1 expression may be associated with tumor progression. Stromal syndecan-1 expression can serve as an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with endometrial cancer.     

2005年蒙古族6-18岁学生体重指数分析

目的了解2005年蒙古族6-18岁学生体重指数（BMI）分布特征,为改善学生健康状况提供依据。方法采用分层整群抽样方法,选择具有代表蒙古族集居区的通辽市的科左后旗、科尔沁区中的6所蒙古族中小学校及幼儿园,6-18岁学生,城乡各占50％,共3211名,对其体质指数分布特征进行统计分析。结果2005年蒙古族学生17岁前BMI指数总体随年龄增长呈现逐年增加趋势;17岁后在相对稳定的状态下有所起伏,其中有性别差异,青春期前后女生BMI指标低于男生,进入青春期后女生BMI指标明显高于男生。而城乡差异不明显,只有城乡男生16岁、城乡女生8岁差异有统计学意义。结论对蒙古族学生形态发育状况应引起高度重视,并应采取相应的综合防治措施。     

Association of CXCR4 and CCR7 chemokine receptor expression and lymph node metastasis in human cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: The chemokine receptors CXCR4 and CCR7 have been suggested to play an important role in cancer invasion and metastasis. The expression of these receptors in human cervical cancer, however, has seldom been characterized. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We investigated the expression of CXCR4 and CCR7 in cervical cancer specimens and determined the association between their expression and the clinicopathological features observed, including patient outcome. RESULTS: CXCR4 expression was significantly higher in elderly patients (P=0.025); it was also significantly increased in patients with cancers displaying large tumor size (P=0.010), deep stromal invasion (P=0.0004), lymph-vascular space involvement (P=0.0002), or lymph node metastasis (P<0.0001). CCR7 expression was significantly higher in cases of squamous cell carcinomas (P=0.010) and in patients with cancers showing large tumor size (P<0.0001), deep stromal invasion (P<0.0001), vaginal invasion (P=0.047), lymph-vascular space involvement (P=0.012), or lymph node metastasis (P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that deep stromal invasion (P=0.017) and CXCR4 (P=0.016) and CCR7 (P=0.022) expression were independent factors that influenced pelvic lymph node metastasis. The disease-free survival and overall survival (OS) rates of patients exhibiting both CXCR4 and CCR7 expression were significantly reduced (P<0.0001). In addition, the expression of both CXCR4 and CCR7 was an independent prognostic factor for OS (95% confidence interval=1.03-17.86; P=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: CXCR4 and CCR7 expression may be associated with lymph node metastasis; moreover, the expression of these receptors can serve as an indicator of poor prognosis in patients with cervical cancer.