High throughput and rapid isolation of extracellular vesicles and exosomes with purity using size exclusion liquid chromatography

Extracellular vesicles(EVs)have emerged as potential biomarkers for diagnosing a range of diseases without invasive procedures.Extracellular vesicles also offer advantages compared to synthetic vesicles for delivery of various drugs;however,limitations in segregating EVs from other particles and soluble proteins have led to inconsistent EV retrieval rates with low levels of purity.Here,we report a new high-yield(88.47%)and rapid(<20 min)EV isolation method termed size exclusion–fast protein liquid chromatography(SE-FPLC).We show SE-FPLC can effectively isolate EVs from multiple sources including EVs derived from human and mouse cells and serum samples.The results indicate that SE-FPLC can successfully remove highly abundant protein contaminants such as albumin and lipoprotein complexes,which can represent a major hurdle in large scale isolation of EVs.The high-yield nature of SE-FPLC allows for easy industrial scaling up of EV production for various clinical utilities.SE-FPLC also enables analysis of small volumes of blood for use in point-of-care diagnostics in the clinic.Collectively,SE-FPLC offers many advantages over current EV isolation methods and offers rapid clinical translation.

Complex role for the immune system in initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer

The immune system plays a complex role in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Inflammation can promote the formation of premalignant lesions and accelerate pancreatic cancer development. Conversely, pancreatic cancer is characterized by an immunosuppressive environment, which is thought to promote tumor progression and invasion. Here we review the current literature describing the role of the immune response in the progressive development of pancreatic cancer, with a focus on the mechanisms that drive recruitment and activation of immune cells at the tumor site, and our current understanding of the function of the immune cell types at the tumor. Recent clinical and preclinical data are reviewed, detailing the involvement of the immune response in pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, including the role of specific cytokines and implications for disease outcome. Acute pancreatitis is characterized by a predominantly innate immune response, while chronic pancreatitis elicits an immune response that involves both innate and adaptive immune cells, and often results in profound sys-temic immune-suppression. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is characterized by marked immune dysfunction driven by immunosuppressive cell types, tumor-promoting immune cells, and defective or absent inflammatory cells. Recent studies reveal that immune cells interact with cancer stem cells and tumor stromal cells, and these interactions have an impact on development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC). Finally, current PDAC therapies are reviewed and the potential for harnessing the actions of the immune response to assist in targeting pancreatic cancer using immunotherapy is discussed.

Effects of selenomethionine on acute toxicities from concurrent chemoradiation for inoperable stage Ⅲ nonsmall cell lung cancer

AIM: To prospectively determine the safety and tolerability of oral L-selenomethionine(SLM) with concurrent chemoradiation(CCRT) for Stage Ⅲ non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and estimate if the incidence and/or severity of adverse events could be reduced by its use.METHODS: Sixteen patients with stage Ⅲ NSCLC were accrued to this single arm, phase Ⅱ study. CCRT consisted of radiation given at 2 Gy per fraction for 30-33 fractions, 5 d per week with concurrent weekly Ⅳ paclitaxel 50 mg/m2 followed by carboplatin dosed at an area under the time-concentration curve of 2. SLM was dosed in a loading phase at 4800 μg twice daily for one week prior to CCRT followed by once daily dosing during treatment. RESULTS: No selenium-related toxicity was observed. Analysis revealed grade 3 or higher esophagitis in 3 of 16 patients(19%), pneumonitis in 0, leukopenia in 2(12.5%), and anemia in 1(6%); the latter two were significantly reduced when compared to the protocolstated expected rate of 35%(P = 0.045 for leukopenia, and P < 0.01 for anemia). Median overall survival was 14.9 mo and median failure-free survival was 9 mo(95%CI: 3.3-21.5).CONCLUSION: There may be some protective benefit of selenium in the setting of CCRT for inoperable NSCLC. The data suggests decreased rates of myelosuppression when compared to similarly-treated historical and contemporary controls. Further evaluation of selenium in this setting may be warranted.

Long-term prognostic impact of circulating tumour cells in gastric cancer patients

AIM To analyse the long-term prognostic impact of circulating tumour cells(CTCs) in gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery. METHODS A 7.5-m L peripheral vein blood sample was obtained from each patient with treatment-negative gastric adenocarcinoma before surgery. OBP-401, a telomerasespecific, replication-selective, oncolytic adenoviral agent carrying the green fluorescent protein gene, was used to label CTCs. Correlations between the number of CTCs and clinical end points were evaluated. RESULTS The median follow-up period of the surviving patients with gastric cancer was 60 mo. The CTC number tended to increase concomitantly with disease progression. The overall survival of patients with more than five CTCs in 7.5-m L of peripheral blood was lower than that of patients with five or less CTCs, although the difference was not significant(P = 0.183). A significant difference in relapse-free survival was found between patients with more than five and those with five or less CTCs(P = 0.034).CONCLUSION A lower number of CTCs was correlated with higher relapse-free survival rates in patients. Detection of CTCs using OBP-401 may be useful for predicting prognosis in gastric cancer.

Anticancer effect of Psidium guajava(Guava) leaf extracts against colorectal cancer through inhibition of angiogenesis

Objective:To evaluate the anti-angiogenic and anticancer activities of Psidium guajava leaf extracts against angiogenesis-dependent colorectal cancer.Methods:Three extracts were produced using distilled water,ethanol,and n-hexane as solvents.The extracts were physically characterised through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry,ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy,and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Their antioxidant activity was evaluated using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl,total phenolic content,and total flavonoid content assays.To assess their anti-angiogenic activity,cell viability and rat aortic ring assays were conducted,while cell migration,tube formation,colony formation,and VEGF ELISA assays were conducted to elucidate their effects on different aspects of angiogenesis.Molecular docking was used to assess the antiangiogenic potential of some possible compounds in the extracts.Tumour spheroid assay was used to assess the extracts’potential as a treatment for colorectal cancer.Results:The ethanol extract showed the best antioxidant activity.The distilled water and ethanol extracts exhibited more inhibitory activity against EA.hy926 cell viability and aortic ring microvessel growth.In addition,the ethanol extract performed significantly better than the distilled water extract against cell migration and colony formation,and VEGF expression of the cells was suppressed by the ethanol extract.Both the distilled water and ethanol extracts showed significant inhibitory effect on EA.hy926 tube formation and tumour spheroids consisting of EA.hy926 and HCT116 cells.The ethanol extract containedβ-caryophyllene andβ-elemene by phytochemical analysis and subsequent docking studies,which may contribute to its anti-angiogenic activity.Conclusions:The ethanol extract of Psidium guajava has potential in the treatment of colorectal cancer through the inhibition of angiogenesis.

Pathological significance of abnormal recepteur d'origine nantais and programmed death ligand 1 expression in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Programmed death ligand 1(PD-L1) immunotherapy remains poorly efficacious in colorectal cancer(CRC). The recepteur d'origine nantais(RON) receptor tyrosine kinase plays an important role in regulating tumor immunity.AIM To identify the patterns of RON and PD-L1 expression and explore their clinical significance in CRC.METHODS Gene expression data from the Gene Expression Omnibus database(GEO;n = 290) and patients at the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine(FAHZUSM;n = 381) were analyzed to determine the prognostic value of RON and PD-L1 expression within the tumor microenvironment of CRC. HT29 cell line was treated with BMS-777607 to explore the relationship between RON activity and PD-L1 expression. Signaling pathways and protein expression perturbed by RON inhibition were evaluated by cellular immunofluorescence and Western blot.RESULTS In the GEO patient cohort, cut-off values for RON and PD-L1 expression were determined to be 7.70 and 4.3, respectively. Stratification of patients based on these cutoffs demonstrated that high expression of RON and PD-L1 was associated with a poor prognosis. In the FAHZUSM cohort, rates of high expression of RON in tumor cells, high PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and tumor infiltrating monocytes, and both high RON and high PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment were 121(32%), 43(11%), 91(24%), and 51(13.4%), respectively. High expression of RON was significantly correlated with high expression of PD-L1 in the tumor cell compartment(P < 0.001). High expression of RON and that of PD-L1 were independent prognostic factors for poorer overall survival. Concurrent high expression of both RON and PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment was significantly associated with a poor prognosis. In vitro, BMS-777607 inhibited the phosphorylation of RON, inhibited PD-L1 expression, and attenuated activation of the ERK1/2 and AKT signaling pathways in CRC cells.CONCLUSION RON, PD-L1, and their crosstalk are significant in predicting the prognostic value of CRC. Moreover, phosphorylation of RON upregulates PD-L1 expression, which provides a novel approach to immunotherapy in CRC.

Expression of nucleus accumbens-1 in colon cancer negatively modulates antitumor immunity

BACKGROUND Nucleus accumbens-1(NAC-1)is highly expressed in a variety of tumors,including colon cancer,and is closely associated with tumor recurrence,metastasis,and invasion.AIM To determine whether and how NAC-1 affects antitumor immunity in colon cancer.METHODS NAC-1-siRNA was transfected into RKO colon cancer cells to knock down NAC expression;tumor cells with or without knockdown of NAC-1 were treated with CD8+T cells to test their cytocidal effect.The level of the immune checkpoint programmed death receptor-1 ligand(PD-L1)in colon cancer cells with or without knockdown of NAC-1 was analyzed using Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting.A double luciferase reporter assay was used to examine the effects of NAC-1 on the transcription of PD-L1.Mice bearing MC-38-OVA colon cancer cells expressing NAC-shRNA or controlshRNA were treated with OT-I mouse CD8+T cells to determine the tumor response to immunotherapy.Immune cells in the tumor tissues were analyzed using flow cytometry.NAC-1,PD-L1 and CD8+T cells in colon cancer specimens from patients were examined using immunohistochemistry staining.RESULTS Knockdown of NAC-1 expression in colon cancer cells significantly enhanced the cytocidal effect of CD8+T cells in cell culture experiments.The sensitizing effect of NAC-1 knockdown on the antitumor action of cytotoxic CD8+T cells was recapitulated in a colon cancer xenograft animal model.Furthermore,knockdown of NAC-1 in colon cancer cells decreased the expression of PD-L1 at both the mRNA and protein levels,and this effect could be rescued by transfection of an RNAi-resistant NAC-1 expression plasmid.In a reporter gene assay,transient expression of NAC-1 in colon cancer cells increased the promoter activity of PD-L1,indicating that NAC-1 regulates PD-L1 expression at the transcriptional level.In addition,depletion of tumoral NAC-1 increased the number of CD8+T cells but decreased the number of suppressive myeloid-derived suppressor cells and regulatory T cells.CONCLUSION Tumor expression of NAC-1 is a negative determinant of immunotherapy.

The effect of methylseleninic acid on paclitaxel efficacy in A2780 ovarian cancer cells

Objective：The role of methylseleninic acid （MSeA）, a selenium compound, has been documented in cancer chemoprevention. However, the therapeutic effect of MSeA in combination with paclitaxel, a chemotherapeutic agent used to treat ovarian cancer, is unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of combination treatment of MSeA and paclitaxel against ovarian cancer cells. Methods：Ovarian cancer cells（A2780） were treated with different concentrations of MSeA, paclitaxel alone or in combination. The individual and combined concentrations of drugs that achieved certain cells growth/death were determined using a sulforhodamine B（SRB） assay. Drug effects on cell viability were further confirmed using floating cell count and trypan blue exclusion assay. The mean Values ± standard deviation were calculated and compared between treatment groups using unpaired t test. Results： The concentration of paclitaxel alone that inhibited 50% of cell growth（IC50） was 0.5 μmol/L. This concentration increased to 1.2 μmol/L when paclitaxel was given in sequential combination with MSeA. The number of dead cells after the combination treatment did not show a significance increase when compared with drug alone. Conclusion：Pretreatment with MSeA did not enhance the paclitaxel effect against A2780 ovarian cancer cells.

Artificial intelligence-based comprehensive analysis of immune-stemness-tumor budding profile to predict survival of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Objective:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)is an aggressive malignancy.CD8^(+)T cells,cancer stem cells(CSCs),and tumor budding(TB)have been significantly correlated with the outcome of patients with PDAC,but the correlations have been independently reported.In addition,no integrated immune-CSC-TB profile for predicting survival in patients with PDAC has been established.Methods:Multiplexed immunofluorescence and artificial intelligence(AI)-based comprehensive analyses were used for quantification and spatial distribution analysis of CD8^(+)T cells,CD133^(+)CSCs,and TB.In vivo humanized patient-derived xenograft(PDX)models were established.Nomogram analysis,calibration curve,time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve,and decision curve analyses were performed using R software.Results:The established‘anti-/pro-tumor’models showed that the CD8^(+)T cell/TB,CD8^(+)T cell/CD133^(+)CSC,TB-adjacent CD8^(+)T cell,and CD133^(+)CSC-adjacent CD8^(+)T cell indices were positively associated with survival of patients with PDAC.These findings were validated using PDX-transplanted humanized mouse models.An integrated nomogram-based immune-CSC-TB profile that included the CD8^(+)T cell/TB and CD8^(+)T cell/CD133^(+)CSC indices was established and shown to be superior to the tumor-nodemetastasis stage model in predicting survival of patients with PDAC.Conclusions:‘Anti-/pro-tumor’models and the spatial relationship among CD8^(+)T cells,CSCs,and TB within the tumor microenvironment were investigated.Novel strategies to predict the prognosis of patients with PDAC were established using AI-based comprehensive analysis and machine learning workflow.The nomogram-based immune-CSC-TB profile can provide accurate prognosis prediction for patients with PDAC.

Approaches to quantify axonal morphology for the analysis of axonal degeneration

Morphological hallmarks of axonal degeneration(AxD):Axons transmit signals from one neuron to another and a re crucial for the proper communication in the nervous system.Therefore,the disintegration of axons,a process named AxD,has detrimental consequences and plays a key role in many neurological diseases.

Autophagy in neural stem cells and glia for brain health and diseases

Autophagy is a multifaceted cellular process that not only maintains the homeostatic and adaptive responses of the brain but is also dynamically involved in the regulation of neural cell generation,maturation,and survival.Autophagy facilities the utilization of energy and the microenvironment for developing neural stem cells.Autophagy arbitrates structural and functional remodeling during the cell differentiation process.Autophagy also plays an indispensable role in the maintenance of stemness and homeostasis in neural stem cells during essential brain physiology and also in the instigation and progression of diseases.Only recently,studies have begun to shed light on autophagy regulation in glia(microglia,astrocyte,and oligodendrocyte)in the brain.Glial cells have attained relatively less consideration despite their unquestioned influence on various aspects of neural development,synaptic function,brain metabolism,cellular debris clearing,and restoration of damaged or injured tissues.Thus,this review composes pertinent information regarding the involvement of autophagy in neural stem cells and glial regulation and the role of this connexion in normal brain functions,neurodevelopmental disorders,and neurodegenerative diseases.This review will provide insight into establishing a concrete strategic approach for investigating pathological mechanisms and developing therapies for brain diseases.

Microglial autophagy in neurogenesis:a new player in Alzheimer's disease

While extensive studies have illuminated the impact of Alzheimer's disease(AD) on neuronal survival,there is growing evidence that abnormal postnatal neurogenesis in early AD brains contributes to disease progression.Postnatal neurogenesis serves as a mechanism to replace dead or damaged neurons.New neurons generated from neural stem cells(NSCs) in the subgranular zone(SGZ) of the dentate gyrus integrate into the existing hippocampal circuit.

Poly(A)-specific RNase(PARN)generates and regulates miR-125a-5p 3’-isoforms,displaying an altered expression in breast cancer

Dear Editor,MicroRNAs(miRNAs)are small non-coding RNAs crucial for post-transcriptional gene regulation,processed from primary miRNA transcripts by Drosha and Dicer.1 Latest advancements in Next Generation Sequencing highlighted the existence of miRNA isoforms(isomiRs)resulting from alternative processing,RNA editing,or post-transcriptional modifications.

Bone marrow microRNA-34a is a good indicator for response to treatment in acute myeloid leukemia

Background:microRNA 34a(miR 34a)had been reported to have a diagnostic role in acute myeloid leukemia(AML).However,its value in the bone marrow(BM)of AML patients,in addition to its role in response to therapy is still unclear.The current study was designed to assess the diagnostic,prognostic,and predictive significance of miR 34a in the BM of AML patients.Methods:The miR.34a was assed in BM aspirate of 82 AML patients in relation to 12 normal control subjects using qRT-PCR.The data were assessed for correlation with the relevant dinical critenia,response to therapy,disease-free survival(DFS),and overall survival(OS)rates.Results:miR.34a was significantly downregulated in AML patients[0.005(3.3×10^(-6)-1.32)],compared to the control subjects[0.108(3.2× 10^(-4)-1.64),p=0.021].The.median relative quantification(RQ)of miR-34a was 0.106(range;0-32.12).The specifaity,sensitivity,and area under the curve(AUC)for the diagnosis of AML were(58.3%,69.5%,0.707,respectively,p=0.021).patients with upregulated miR-34a showed decreased platelets count<34.5 × 10^(9)/L,and achieved early complete remission(CR,p=0.031,p=0.044,respectively).Similarly,patients who were refractory to therapy showed decreased miR 34a levels in comparison to those who achieved CR[0.002(0-0.01)and 0.12(0-32.12),respectively,p=0.002].Therefore,miR 34a could significantly identify patients with CR with a specificity of 75%and sensitivity of 100%at a cut-off of 0.014(AUC=0.927,p=0.005).There was no considerable association between miR-34a expression and survival rates of the induded AML patients.Condusion:miR-34a could be a beneficial diagnostic biomarker for AML patients.In addition,it serves as a good indicator for response to therapy,which could possibly identify patients who are refractory to treatment with 100%sensitivity and 75%specificity.

Detecting LLM-assisted writing in scientific communication:Are we there yet?

Large Language Models(LLMs),exemplified by ChatGPT,have significantly reshaped text generation,particularly in the realm of writing assistance.While ethical considerations underscore the importance of transparently acknowledging LLM use,especially in scientific communication,genuine acknowledgment remains infrequent.A potential avenue to encourage accurate acknowledging of LLM-assisted writing involves employing automated detectors.Our evaluation of four cutting-edge LLM-generated text detectors reveals their suboptimal performance compared to a simple ad-hoc detector designed to identify abrupt writing style changes around the time of LLM proliferation.We contend that the development of specialized detectors exclusively dedicated to LLM-assisted writing detection is necessary.Such detectors could play a crucial role in fostering more authentic recognition of LLM involvement in scientific communication,addressing the current challenges in acknowledgment practices.

Therapeutic advances of targeting receptor tyrosine kinases in cancer

Receptor tyrosine kinases(RTKs),a category of transmembrane receptors,have gained significant clinical attention in oncology due to their central role in cancer pathogenesis.Genetic alterations,including mutations,amplifications,and overexpression of certain RTKs,are critical in creating environments conducive to tumor development.Following their discovery,extensive research has revealed how RTK dysregulation contributes to oncogenesis,with many cancer subtypes showing dependency on aberrant RTK signaling for their proliferation,survival and progression.These findings paved the way for targeted therapies that aim to inhibit crucial biological pathways in cancer.As a result,RTKs have emerged as primary targets in anticancer therapeutic development.Over the past two decades,this has led to the synthesis and clinical validation of numerous small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKIs),now effectively utilized in treating various cancer types.In this manuscript we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the RTKs in the context of cancer.We explored the various alterations and overexpression of specific receptors across different malignancies,with special attention dedicated to the examination of current RTK inhibitors,highlighting their role as potential targeted therapies.By integrating the latest research findings and clinical evidence,we seek to elucidate the pivotal role of RTKs in cancer biology and the therapeutic efficacy of RTK inhibition with promising treatment outcomes.

WJSC 6^(th) Anniversary Special Issues(2):Mesenchymal stem cells Mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injuries:A review

With technological advances in basic research,the intricate mechanism of secondary delayed spinal cord injury(SCI)continues to unravel at a rapid pace.However,despite our deeper understanding of the molecular changes occurring after initial insult to the spinal cord,the cure for paralysis remains elusive.Current treatment of SCI is limited to early administration of high dose steroids to mitigate the harmful effect of cord edema that occurs after SCI and to reduce the cascade of secondary delayed SCI.R ecent evident-based clinical studies have cast doubt on the clinical benefit of steroids in SCI and intense focus on stem cell-based therapy has yielded some encouraging results.An array of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs)from various sources with novel and promising strategies are being developed to improve function after SCI.In this review,we briefly discuss the pathophysiology of spinal cord injuries and characteristics and the potential sources of MSCs that can be used in the treatment of SCI.We will discuss the progress of MSCs application in research,focusing on the neuroprotective properties of MSCs.Finally,we will discuss the results from preclinical and clinical trials involving stem cell-based therapy in SCI.

Role of relevant immune-modulators and cytokines in hepatocellular carcinoma and premalignant hepatic lesions

AIM To assess the levels of different immune modulators in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),in relation to other hepatic diseases.METHODS Eighty-eight patients were included in the current study and represented patients with HCC(20),liver cirrhosis(28) and chronic hepatitis(CH;25),and normal controls(NC;15).Peripheral blood was isolated for immunophenotyping of active myeloid dendritic cells(m DCs;CD1 c and CD40),mature inactive myeloid cells(CD1 c and HLA),active plasmacytoid cells(p DCs;CD303 and CD40),mature inactive p DCs(CD30 and HLA),active natural killer(NK) cells(CD56 and CD161),active NK cells(CD56 and CD314) and inactive NK cells(CD56 and CD158) was done by flow cytometry.Serum levels of interleukin(IL)-2,IL-10,IL-12,IL-1β,interferon(IFN)-α,IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αR2 were assessed by ELISA.RESULTS Active m DCs(CD1 C+/CD40+) and inactive m DCs(CD1 c+/HLA+) were significantly decreased in HCC patients in relation to NC(P < 0.001).CD40+ expression on active p DCs was decreased in HCC patients(P < 0.001),and its level was not significantly changed among other groups.Inactive p DCs(CD303+/HLA+),inactive NKs(CD56+/CD158+) and active NKs(CD56+/CD161+) were not statistically changed among the four groups studied;however,the latter was increased in CH(P < 0.05).NKG2 D was statistically decreased in HCC,CH and cirrhosis(P < 0.001),and it was not expressed in 63%(12/20) of HCC patients.There was significant decrease of IL-2,IFN-α and IFN-γ(P < 0.001),and a significant increase in IL-10,IL-1β,and TNF-αR2(P <0.01,P < 0.001 and P < 0.001;respectively) in HCC patients.There was inverted correlation between IL-12 and IL-1β in HCC(r =-0.565,P < 0.01),with a strong correlation between p DCs(CD303+/CD40+) and NKs(CD56+/CD161+;r = 0.512,P < 0.05) as well as inactive m DCs(CD1 c+/HLA+) and inactive NK cells(CD56+/CD158+;r = 0.945,P < 0.001).CONCLUSION NKG2 D,CD40,IL-2 and IL-10 are important modulators in the development and progression of HCC.

Estrogen and insulin synergistically promote endometrial cancer progression via crosstalk between their receptor signaling pathways

Objective: Despite evidence that estrogens and insulin are involved in the development and progression of many cancers, their synergistic role in endometrial carcinoma(EC) has not been analyzed yet.Methods: Here, we investigated how estrogens act synergistically with insulin to promote EC progression. Cell growth in vitro and in vivo, effects of estradiol and insulin on apoptosis and cell cycle distribution, and expression and activation of estrogen receptor(ER), insulin receptor(InsR), and key proteins in the PI3K and MAPK pathways were examined after combined stimulation with estradiol and insulin.Results: Compared to EC cells treated with estradiol or insulin alone, those treated with both estradiol and insulin exhibited stronger stimulation. Estradiol significantly induced phosphorylation of InsR-β and IRS-1, whereas insulin significantly induced phosphorylation of ER-α. In addition, treatment with both insulin and estradiol together significantly increased the expression and phosphorylation of Akt, MAPK, and ERK. Notably, InsR-β inhibition had a limited effect on estradiol-dependent proliferation,cell cycle, and apoptosis, whereas ER-α inhibition had a limited insulin-dependent effect, in EC cell lines. Insulin and estradiol individually and synergistically promoted EC xenograft growth in mice.Conclusions: Estrogen and insulin play synergistic roles in EC carcinogenesis and progression by activating InsR-β and ER-α,promoting a crosstalk between them, and thereby resulting in the activation of downstream PI3K/Akt and MAPK/ERK signaling pathways.

Ron receptor-dependent gene regulation of Kupffer cells during endotoxemia

BACKGROUND: Ron receptor tyrosine kinase signaling in macrophages, including Kupffer cells and alveolar macrophages,suppresses endotoxin-induced proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine production. Further, we have also identified genes from Ron replete and Ron deplete livers that were differentially expressed during the progression of liver inflammation associated with acute liver failure in mice by microarray analyses.While important genes and signaling pathways have been identified downstream of Ron signaling during progression of inflammation by this approach, the precise role that Ron receptor plays in regulating the transcriptional landscape in macrophages, and particular in isolated Kupffer cells, has still not been investigated.METHODS: Kupffer cells were isolated from wild-type(TK+/+)and Ron tyrosine kinase deficient(TK-/-) mice. Ex vivo, the cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS) in the presence or absence of the Ron ligand, hepatocyte growth factor-like protein(HGFL). Microarray and qRT-PCR analyses were utilized to identify alterations in gene expression between genotypes.RESULTS: Microarray analyses identified genes expressed differentially in TK+/+ and TK-/- Kupffer cells basally as well as after HGFL and LPS treatment. Interestingly, our studies identified Mefv, a gene that codes for the anti-inflammatory protein pyrin, as an HGFL-stimulated Ron-dependent gene.Moreover, lipocalin 2, a proinflammatory gene, which is induced by LPS, was significantly suppressed by HGFL treatment.Microarray results were validated by qRT-PCR studies on Kupffer cells treated with LPS and HGFL.CONCLUSION: The studies herein suggest a novel mechanism whereby HGFL-induced Ron receptor activation promotes the expression of anti-inflammatory genes while inhibiting genes involved in inflammation with a net effect of diminished inflammation in macrophages.