The possible role of stromal cell stimulation in worsening the prognosis of a subset of patients with breast cancer

This review examines the evidence that a subset of patients with breast cancer have tumors that are stimulated to grow by host cells in the tumor stroma. The search for such a minority group was prompted by the following observations. Adjuvant chemotherapy which is immunosuppressive improves disease-free interval and survival, whereas non-specific immunostimulation worsens the prognosis. Intrinsic immune reactivity is associated with a poor prognosis. A subset of tumors with a bad prognosis has anaplastic cells, dermal lymphatic invasion and a moderate to intense lymphoplasmacytic stromal infiltrate. Evidence is reviewed that adjuvant chemotherapy may be beneficial by virtue of its immunosuppressive effects in addition to tumor kill of minimal residual disease.     

In situ dormancy of B lymphocytes programmed for an IgE antibody response and their sudden release from unresponsiveness under in vitro conditions

Priming of CBA/J mice with different doses of antigen has aprofound effect on the ratio of IgE versus IgG antibodies appearingupon Immunization. Repeated injections of minute doses induceIgG and high titers of IgE antibodies. Large doses elicit ahigh IgG but a very low IgE antibody titer. In order to studythe modalities for activation and inactivation of IgE-producingB cells, an in vitro culture system was established in whichspleen cells from animals primed with keyhole limpet hemocyaninwere re-stliulated with antigen. In contrast to the expectationfrom the in vivo situation, spleen cells from animals Immunizedwith large doses of antigen and virtually lacking IgE antibodiesproduce high amounts of IgE antibodies upon re-stimulation invitro. The titers in spleen cell cultures from mice primed withminute doses remain proportional to the response measured asserum antibodies. In accordance with the induction of high amountsof IgE antibodies in spleen cell cultures from mice primed withlarge doses, the frequency of IgE antibody-secreting cells wasraised drastically, 1000-fold. The in vitro response is a trueanamnestic response. The sudden appearance in high frequencyof IgE antibody-forming cells among spleen cells isolated fromprimed mice which have high IgG but virtually no IgE antibodytiters is as yet unexplained and the origin of the B memorycells has not yet been traced. The answer might be crucial forour understanding of the down-regulation of the IgE Immune responses.     

浙贝母种子两种低温解除休眠过程中酯酶同工酶的电泳分析

为了探讨浙贝母种子低温解除休眠的生理机制,用电泳手段分析了浙贝母种子在8～10℃和3～5℃两种低温下解除休眠过程中酯酶同工酶的电泳图谱。结果表明两种低温条件下酯酶同工酶的变化规律相似。随着低温处理,一些原有谱带的颜色加深,并有新谱带的出现。这些结果说明两种低温下解除休眠的过程可能存在着相似的代谢机制。     

浙贝母低温解除休眠过程中淀粉酶和还原糖的研究

研究了浙贝母低温解除休眠过程中淀粉酶的活性和还原糖的含量变化。结果表明,芽和鳞片的内在代谢均发生了变化,鳞片近轴面表皮的淀粉酶活性和还原糖含量比鳞片的内部贮备组织高,但和芽的该两项指标接近。     

Local expression of interleukin‐2 by B16 melanoma cells results in decreased tumour growth and long‐term tumour dormancy

The tumour microenvironment is complex containing not only neoplastic cells but also a variety of host cells. The heterogeneous infiltrating immune cells include subsets of cells with opposing functions, whose activities are mediated either directly or through the cytokines they produce. Systemic delivery of cytokines such as interleukin‐2 ( IL‐2) has been used clinically to enhance anti‐tumour responses, but these molecules are generally thought to have evolved to act locally in a paracrine fashion. In this study we examined the effect of local production of IL‐2 on the growth and the immune response to B16 melanoma cells. We found that the local production of IL‐2 enhances the number of interferon‐γ‐expressing CD8 T and natural killer cells in the tumour, as well as inducing expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 on tumour vessels. These responses were largely absent in interferon‐γ knockout mice. The expression of IL‐2 in the tumour microenvironment decreases tumour growth despite also enhancing Foxp3⁺ CD4⁺ regulatory T cells and anti‐inflammatory cytokines such as IL‐10. Higher levels of IL‐2 in the tumour microenvironment eliminated the progressive growth of the B16 cells in vivo, and this inhibition was dependent on the presence of either T cells or, to a lesser extent, natural killer cells. Surprisingly however, the B16 tumours were not completely eliminated but instead were controlled for an extended period of time, suggesting that a form of tumour dormancy was established.     

肿瘤休眠及其机制研究进展

肿瘤休眠(tumordormancy)是临床上普遍存在的一种现象,也是恶性肿瘤细胞的生物学特征之一,休眠细胞的长期存在是恶性肿瘤难以彻底根治的主要原因,也是导致肿瘤复发和远处转移的根源之一。本文从临床上发现肿瘤休眠存在、肿瘤休眠概念的演进、肿瘤休眠动物模型的建立、肿瘤休眠的分子及调控机制,以及肿瘤休眠的诱导、维持、再激活等方面进行了综述。旨在为开发诱导肿瘤休眠的药物和应用肿瘤休眠疗法根治肿瘤提供有益的线索。     

Transwell小室环境下小鼠不同器官微环境对人舌癌细胞生长的影响

目的：探讨骨髓和淋巴结微环境对人舌癌细胞SCC-9生长的影响。方法：利用Transwell小室建立微环境与SCC-9共培养体外模型,分为5组：SCC-9单独培养组（对照组）,SCC-9+Balb/c小鼠骨髓共培养组,SCC-9+Balb/c小鼠淋巴结共培养组,SCC-9+Balb/c裸鼠骨髓共培养组,SCC－9+Balb/c裸鼠淋巴结共培养组。采用直接计数法分别于24 h、48 h、72 h、96 h、120 h、144 h检测SCC-9的数量。结果：利用Transwell小室成功构建骨髓、淋巴结微环境与SCC-9共培养体外模型。计数结果显示,SCC-9在Balb/c裸鼠淋巴结共培养组中的增殖程度高于其他4组（P<0.05）;在Balb/c裸鼠骨髓,Balb/c小鼠骨髓和淋巴结共培养组中均低于对照组（P<0.05）,且抑制程度无明显差异（P>0.05）。结论：不同微环境可能通过不同的肿瘤休眠机制,控制肿瘤细胞的增殖与休眠,最终被动形成淋巴转移的靶向性。