Molecular mechanism underlying the functional loss of cyclindependent kinase inhibitors p16 and p27 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） is one of the most common human cancers, and its incidence is still increasing in many countries. The prognosis of HCC patients remains poor, and identification of useful molecular prognostic markers is required. Many recent studies have shown that functional alterations of cellcycle regulators can be observed in HCC. Among the various types of cell-cycle regulators, p16 and p27 are frequently inactivated in HCC and are considered to be potent tumor suppressors, p16, a G1-specific cell-cycle inhibitor that prevents the association of cyclindependent kinase （CDK） 4 and CDK6 with cyclin DI, is frequently inactivated in HCC via CpG methylation of its promoter region, p16 may be involved in the early steps of hepatocarcinogenesis, since p16 gene methylation has been detected in subsets of pre-neoplastic liver cirrhosis patients, p27, a negative regulator of the G1-S phase transition through inhibition of the kinase activities of Cdk2/cyclin A and Cdk2/cyclin E complexes, is now considered to be an adverse prognostic factor in HCC. In some cases of HCC with increased cell proliferation, p27 is overexpressed but inactivated by sequestration into cyclin D1-CDK4-containing complexes. Since loss of p16 is closely related to functional inactivation of p27 in HCC, investigating both p16 and p27 may be useful for precise prognostic predictions in individuals with HCC.

Skp2与p27^(kip1)在人子宫颈鳞癌中的表达及其与HPV感染的关系

目的 S期激酶相关蛋白2(S-phase kinase-associated protein 2,Skp2)与p27kip1在人子宫颈鳞癌中的表达及其与人乳头瘤病毒(human papilloma virus,HPV)感染的关系。方法选取子宫颈鳞状细胞癌(squamous cell carcinoma of cervix,SCC)组织50例、子宫颈上皮内瘤样病变(cervical intraepithelial neoplasias,CINs)组织40例,并选取慢性子宫颈炎(chronic cervicitis,CC)组织15例为对照组。用免疫组织化学法检测p27kip1和Skp2的表达情况,并与临床病理特征进行比较;用原位杂交法检测HPV 16/18的表达,及其与Skp2和p27kip1表达的相关性。结果 50例SCC组织中Skp2蛋白表达阳性率为76.0%,高于CC(13.3%,P<0.01)及CINs(57.5%,P<0.05)组织;p27kip1蛋白在SCC组织中表达阳性率为24.0%,低于CC(92.6%,P<0.01)及CINs(52.5%,P<0.05)组。Skp2和p27kip1的表达在淋巴结转移方面差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),而在年龄、分化程度、临床分期方面差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。子宫颈鳞癌组织中HPV 16/18 DNA表达阳性率为74.0%,高于CC组的13.3%,组间差异有统计学意义(P<0.01);但与CINs组表达阳性率(62.5%)比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。HPV 16/18感染与Skp2蛋白表达之间呈正相关(r=0.238,P<0.05),HPV 16/18感染与p27kip1蛋白表达之间呈负相关(r=-0.245,P<0.05)。结论 Skp2的高表达和p27kip1蛋白低表达与子宫颈鳞癌的发生、转移以及与HPV感染有密切关系。

Epidermal growth factor upregulates Skp2/Cks1 and p27^(kip1) in human extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma cells

AIM:To evaluate the expression status of S-phase kinase-associated protein 2(Skp2)/cyclin-dependent kinases regulatory subunit 1(Cks1)and p27kip1,and assess the prognostic significance of Skp2/Cks1 expression with p27kip1in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.METHODS:Seventy-six patients who underwent curative resection for histologically confirmed extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma at our institution from December1994 to March 2008 were enrolled.Immunohistochemical staining for Skp2,Cks1,p27kip1,and Ki67,along with other relevant molecular biologic experiments,were performed.RESULTS:By Cox regression analyses,advanced age(>65 years),advanced AJCC tumor stage,poorly differentiated histology,and higher immunostaining intensity of Skp2 were identified as independent prognostic factors in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.Exogenous epidermal growth factor(EGF,especially 0.1-10 ng/mL)significantly increased the proliferation indices by MTT assay and the mRNA levels of Skp2/Cks1 and p27kip1in SNU-1196,SNU-1079,and SNU-245 cells.The protein levels of Skp2/Cks1(from nuclear lysates)and p27kip1(from cytosolic lysate)were also significantly increased in these cells.There were significant reductions in the protein levels of Skp2/Cks1and p27kip1(from nuclear lysate)after the treatment of LY294002.By chromatin immunoprecipitation assay,we found that E2F1 transcription factor directly binds to the promoter site of Skp2.CONCLUSION:Higher immunostaining intensity of Skp2/Cks1 was an independent prognostic factor for patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.EGF upregulates the mRNA and protein levels of Skp2/Cks1and p27kip1via the PI3K/Akt pathway and direct binding of E2F1 transcription factor with the Skp2 promoter.

p21 and p27 immunoexpression in gastric well differentiated endocrine tumors(ECL-cell carcinoids)

AIM： To investigate the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27 in gastric well differentiated endocrine tumors （GWDET） （ECLocell carcinoids）.METHODS： The expressions of p21 and p27 were examined immunhistochemically in endoscopic biopsy specimens from 16 patients matching the diagnostic criteria of GWDET. Percentage of positive nuclear staining either weak or strong was noted. The association of immunoexpressions with age, gender, tumor localization, multifocality and accompanying chronic atrophic gastritis, neuroendocrine cell hyperplasia （NEH）, neuroendocrine dysplasia （NED）, intestinal metaplasia （IM）, Ki-67 proliferation index and clinical outcome were also evaluated.RESULTS： All cases expressed p27 with a mean expression score of 43.6%, while 31.3% of the cases showed any p21 expression, p21 and p27 immunoexpressions were significantly correlated with each other （P 〈 0.01）, and the p21-expressing group had higher p27 expression scores （68% vs 22%）. p21 and p27 expressions were lower in women, in non-atrophic mucosa and cases whose tumors were located somewhere other than fundus without submucosal extension. On contrary, p21 and p27 expressions were higher in males and the patients with submucosal extension and atrophic gastritis. Cases presenting lower p27 scores had solitary tumors showing neither NEH-NED nor IM. Despite, cases with lower p21 expression presented multifocal tumors accompanied by NEH-NED. However, no correlation of p21 and p27 expressions was found with age and Ki-67 expression.CONCLUSION： p27 is widely expressed in GWDETs, while p21 expression is sparse and observed in two thirds of the cases. Loss of p21 and p27 expressions may be correlated with different carcinoid tumor subtypes; however,more studies are needed to assess the role of these prospective markers in gastrointestinal endocrine tumors.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 influences pancreatic cancer cell growth

AIM： To investigate the functional significance of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 （IGFBP-5） overexpression in pancreatic cancer （PaC）.METHODS： The effects of IGFBP-5 on cell growth were assessed by stable transfection of BxPC-3 and PANC-1 cell lines and measuring cell number and DNA synthesis. Alterations in the cell cycle were assessed by flow cytometry and immunoblot analyses. Changes in cell survival and signal transduction were evaluated after mitogen and phosphatidylinositol activated protein kinase 3-kinase （PI3K） inhibitor treatment.RESULTS： After serum deprivation, IGFBP-5 expression increased both cell number and DNA synthesis in BxPC-3 cells, but reduced cell number in PANC-1 cells. Consistent with this observation, cell cycle analysis of IGFBP-5-expressing cells revealed accelerated cell cycle progression in BxPC-3 and G2/M arrest of PANC-1 cells. Signal transduction analysis revealed that Akt activation was increased in BxPC-3, but reduced in PANC-1 cells that express IGFBP-5. Inhibition of PI3K with LY294002 suppressed extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 and -2 （ERK1/2） activation in BxPC-3, but enhanced ERK1/2 activation in PANC-1 cells that express IGFBP-5. When MEK1/2 was blocked, Akt activation remained elevated in IGFBP-5 expressing PaC cells; however, inhibition of PI3K or MEK1/2 abrogated IGFBP-5-mediated cell survival.CONCLUSION： These results indicate that IGFBP-5 expression affects the cell cycle and survival signal pathways and thus it may be an important mediator of PaC cell growth.

Expression of positive and negative regulators of cell cycle during wound healing

OBJECTIVE: To detect the expression of cell cycle positive regulators cyclin D(1), cyclin E, CDK(2), CDK(4) and negative regulators p21(cip1), p27(kip1), p16(ink4a) and p15(ink4b) during wound healing in rats. METHODS: Open wounds of full-thickness skin, diameter 1.8 cm, on rat backs were used as the wound model. Wound tissues were harvested on postwounding days 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 21 and 30. Ki67 expression in granulation tissue was detected by immunohistochemical assay. The patterns of the expression of cyclin D(1), cyclin E, CDK(2), CDK(4) and p21(cip1), p27(kip1), p16(ink4a), p15(ink4b) were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Cell proliferation in granulation tissue took place predominantly within the first week after injury, with the proliferation peak occurring at postwounding day 5. There were no dramatic variations in the expression of cyclin D(1), CDK(2) and CDK(4) during wound healing. Up-regulated cyclin E was maintained from day 3 to 11 after injury, and then was down-regulated. No expression of p16(ink4a) and p15(ink4b) was found. p21(cip1) was expressed only from day 7 to 14, with peak expression observed on day 9. Constitutive p27(kip1) was expressed throughout wound healing with low levels in the proliferating period of day 3 to 5 and with increased levels in the post-mitotic and remodeling stage. The expression of p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) showed an inverse gradient to that of Ki67. CONCLUSION: p21(cip1) and p27(kip1) play a supervising role in preventing the hyperproliferative tendency in tissue repair.

Effect of Yanggan Jiedu Sanjie formula on human hepatocellular carcinoma Bel-7402 cells

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of Yanggan Jiedu Sanjie(YGJDSJ) formula on human hepatocellular carcinoma Bel-7402 cells.METHODS: Bel-7402 cells were treated with YGJDSJ. Cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 assay. Cell apoptosis was identified by Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometric analysis. Cell cycle distribution was quantified by flow cytometric analysis. Caspase activities were measured by commercial kit. Cell senescence was detected by senescence-associated β-galactosidase(SA-β-gal)staining. Protein expression and phosphorylation were identified by Western blot. Protein expression was knocked-down by siRNA.RESULTS: YGJDSJ inhibited proliferation of Bel-7402 cells in a dose-and time-dependent manner.YGJDSJ induced apoptosis and activated caspase-3, 8, and 9 in Bel-7402 cells. YGJDSJ-induced apoptosis was completely abrogated by a pan caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK. YGJDSJ also induced cell senescence, up-regulated cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1 a(CDKN1 a) and CDKN2 a expression and down-regulated retinoblastoma protein(RB) phosphorylation in Bel-7402 cells. Specific knockdown of CDKN1 a and CDKN2 a significantly reduced YGJDSJ-induce cell senescence in Bel-7402 cells.CONCLUSION: YGJDSJ inhibited cell proliferation,induced caspase-dependent apoptosis and CDKN1 a/CDKN2 a-RB signalling mediated cell senescence in Bel-7402 cells. Our findings suggest that YGJDSJ might be potential for hepatocellular carcinoma treatment.

Jab1与头颈肿瘤

p27Kip1是一种细胞周期抑制剂,其低表达与肿瘤的不良预后密切相关,被认为是一种抑癌基因.而c-Jun活化区结合蛋白1(c-jun-activation-domain binding protein,Jab1)是新近发现的一种多功能蛋白,其在头颈肿瘤中的表达有助于了解肿瘤的发生、发展和预后,对肿瘤的治疗提供生物学依据.本文就Jab1与头颈肿瘤的关系做一综述.