Relationship between collagen Ⅳ expression and biological behavior of gastric cancer

INTRODUCTION Conceivably the presence of basement membrane(BM)in a neoplasm might be a result of interactionof tumor cells with the extracellular matrix.Collagen Ⅳ is one of the major intrinsic componentsof BM.Recent study has shown that collagen Ⅳhas cell adhesion function and is involved in theprocess of tumor invasion and metastasis,includingcolorectal cancer and breast cancer.But there arefew systematic studies on gastric cancer and theresults are equivocal.In this study we evaluated

Pin1 overexpression in colorectal cancer and its correlation with aberrant β-catenin expression

AIM： To investigate clinical significance of Pin1 and β-catenin expression in colorectal cancers and to demonstrate the relationship of their expression. METHODS： The role of Pin1 and β-catenin protein in colorectal tumorigenesis and their clinicopathologic significance were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and correlation between Pin1 and β-catenin protein expressions was also studied in 124 patients with colorectal cancer who were surgically treated. RESULTS： Normal colonic epithelium either failed to express or showed focal and weak expression of Pin1 and β-catenin. Overexpression of Pin1 and β-catenin protein was found in 23 （18.54%） and 50 （40.3%） of 124 colorectal cancers, respectively. Overexpression of both proteins was not related to the lymph node metastasis, tumor stage and survival period after excision. Survival analysis results indicated that tumor stage was a valuable predictor of survival. Interestingly, a significant correlation was found between Pin1 and β-catenin protein expression. CONCLUSION： Overexpression of Pin1 and β-catenin may be closely related with the development and/or progression of colorectal carcinoma and further supports that Pin1 overexpression might contribute to the upregulation of β-catenin.

Expression of nitric oxide synthase in the colon of diabetic rats

Objective: To investigate the differen t expression of three isozymes of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in diabetic rat colo ns and the contribution to the colonic dysfunction. Methods: Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were used in this experiment and diabetes were induc ed by streptozotocin (65 mg/kg, i.v.). Three isozymes of NOS (nNOS, iNOS and eNO S) expression in proximal and distal colon were measured in two weeks after diab etes induction using the methods of immunocytochemistry and semi-quantitative r everse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Positive immunoreactivity for nNOS was found in intermuscular and submucous plexus neuronal cells, neither eNOS nor iNOS had been found in any layers of col on in the two groups. The expression of nNOS mRNA was significantly increased in diabetic colon than that in control rats as determined by RT-PCR. The eNOS mRN A level of diabetic colon was lower compared to thecontrol rats, while no expres sion of iNOS mRNA was found in the normal or diabetic rats. Conclusion: This report has demonstrated that nNOS increased and eNOS decreased in rat colon in the early stages of diabetes. NO production by the nNOS might play a key role in colonic dysfunction, as supported by raised nNOS mRNA and enzyme e xpression in the diabetic colon. Reduced eNOS activity might also contribute to colonic dysfunction in experimental diabetes.

EFFECTS OF SUCROSE/NaCl MIXTURES STIMULATION ON C-FOS-LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY IN THE TASTE-RELATED NUCLEI IN RATS

Objective To investigate the changes of neuronal activation in taste related nuclei following intraoral taste stimulation with binary taste mixtures of sucrose and NaCl. Methods Neuronal activation in response to intraoral taste stimulation with 0.5 mol·L -1 sucrose, 0.3 mol·L -1 NaCl, sucrose+NaCl mixture and distilled water was evaluated in taste related nuclei by using c Fos like immunoreactivity in the rats deprived of water overnight. Results The consumption of sucrose+NaCl mixture was lower than that of sucrose solution. Intraoral sucrose or NaCl stimulation induced more c FLI than distilled water in the external lateral subnucleus of the rostral parabrachial nucleus (PBN), but the c FLI induced by intraoral sucrose+NaCl mixture stimulation was less than that induced by sucrose solution in this subnucleus. Compared with distilled water, the intraoral sucrose or sucrose+NaCl mixture stimulation induced more c FLI in the central amygdala. ConclusionThese results suggest that salty taste has a suppressive effect on the neuronal activations induced by sweet taste in the external lateral subnucleus of rostral PBN in rats.

The Effect of Different Interventional Treatment on P-Glycoprotein in Different Histopathological Types and Grades of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma

To study the effect of the different interventional treatment on P Glycoprotein (Pgp) in different histopathological types of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC), 98 surgically and histologically verified PHC specimens were obtained. The patients included 57 patients treated by surgical resection alone and 41 patients receiving second stage surgical resection after four kinds of interventional treatment. SABC immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against human Pgp was used to observe the Pgp in all specimens. The positive rate of Pgp was 100 % in group of chemotherapy alone ( P <0.05), 62.5 % in group of chemotherapy combined with iodized oil ( P >0.05), 46.6 % in group of chemotherapy combined with iodized oil and spongia gelatini absorbens (Sga) ( P >0.05), 18.18 % in group of chemotherapy combined with Ethanol iodized oil and Sga ( P <0.05) and 52.63 % in group of surgical resection alone. The positive rate of Pgp varied with different histopathological types, with rate of clear cell PHC being the lowest, and that of poorly differentiated or undifferentiated PHC the highest. The positive rate of Pgp was increased as pathological grades increased. Overexpression of Pgp may be responsible for the intrinsic and acquired drug resistance of PHC. Multidrug resistance (MDR) varied with different histological types. Therapy of PHC should be tailored according to individual. Local chemotherapy combined with ethanol iodized oil and Sga embolization may become a new way to overcome MDR of PHC.

The expression of Fas, FasL and their biological behavior in human cervical carcinoma

Objective： To investigate the relationship between the expression of Fas and Fas ligand （FasL） and its biological behavior in human cervix carcinoma. Methods： Immunohistochemisty technique was used to detect the expression of Fas and FasL in 47 cases of cervical carcinoma, 16 cases of cervical interaepithelial neoplasia, 10 cases of chronic cervicitis and 10 cases of normal cervix. TUNEL technique was used to observe the apoptic cells in 47 cases of cervical carcinoma. Retrospective study was carried out to find the relationship between the expression of Fas and FasL and cell apoptosis, clinical stage, pathological classification, lymph node metastasis, prognosis and age. Results： The expression of Fas and FasL was significantly different in different cervix （P 〈 0.01）, and also related to the degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis and prognosis （P 〈 0.05）. But had no relation with clinical stage or age （P 〉 0.05） ; Cervix carcinoma cells apoptosis in different pathological classification appeared negative relation （Rs=-0.35, P 〈 0.05 ）. Cervix carcinoma cell apoptosis was significantly higher in Fas-positive and FasL- positive than that in Fas-negative and FasL-negative （P 〈 0.05）. By retrospective investigation, Fas-negative and FasL-positive were related to poor prognoses of the patients with cervical carcinoma （P 〈 0.05 ）. Conclusion： The development of apoptosis in cervix carcinoma has a promoting regulation function in Fas and FasL expression. Gene treatment can alter apoptosis abnormality, thus induce apoptosis in cancerous cell expressing Fas and FasL. Fas or FasL may be taken as a marker in the prognostic character- ization.

Expression and significance of p53,nm23 and p16 in Wilms' tumor of children

We studied 22 Wilms’tumors of children immunohistochemically.We’ve found that the positive rate of p53 in slices was 31.8％ (7),of nm23 was 50％ (11),and of p16 was 86.4％ (19).It suggested that mutation rate of p53 was high in tumors,expression of nm23 in favorite histology(FH)was higher than that in unfavorite histology(UFH) group,and p16 showed very high positive rate in tumors.All of the three showed no relation with sex,age,or pathological type.So each one may be useful in clinic to evaluate pathogenesis and prognosis.

Nuclear Factor kappa B p65 Expression in Mouse Cochlea

Nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) is one of the best-characterized transcription factors playing important roles in many cellular responses to a large variety of stimuli,including inflammatory cytokines, phorbol esters, growth factors, and bacterial and viral products. The aim of this study is to demonstrate NF-κB expression in the mouse cochlea and its enhancement in response to lipopolysaccharides(LPS) and kanamycin(KA) treatment. Methods KA treatment consisted of subcutaneous KA injections at 700 mg/kg twice a day with an eight-hour interval between the two injections for 3 or 7 days. For animals in the LPS treatment group, a single dose of 0.3 mg LPS dissolved in 0.2 ml sterile saline were injected into both bullae through the tympanic membrane and kept there for 3 hours. Animals in the control group received subcutaneous saline injection for 7 days. Following immmunohistochemichal processing with rabbit polyclonal anti-NF-κB p65 antibodies, cryosections of the cochlea were examined for expression of NF-κB p65 in various structures in the cochlea. Results NF-κB p65 expression, identified by presence of brown reaction products characteristic of DAB immunohistochemistry, was visible in the spiral ligament, spiral prominence, tectorial membrane(TM), spiral ganglion and nerve fibers. Relatively weak NF-κB p65 expression was also visualized in the organ of Corti. Within the organ of Corti, the inner hair cells(IHC), outer hair cells(OHC), inner pillar cells(IP), outer pillar cells (OP), Deiter’s cells(DC), and Boettcher’s cells exhibited stronger staining than the inner sulcus cells, Hensen’s cells(HC) and Claudius’cells. No NF-κB p65 expression was seen in the nucleus of the IHC and OHC. NF-κB p65 expression was increased in animals exposed to LPS or KA, demonstrating significant differences in the staining between control animals and LPS/KA-treated animals. NF-κB p65 expression was not significantly different between LPS treated and KA treated animals or between 3 and 7 days in KA-treated animals. Conclusion LPS and KA exposure increases expression of NF-κB p65 in the mouse cochlea.

Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of pilomyxoid astrocytoma: a report of six cases

Objective： The aim of this study was to study the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of pilo- myxoid astrocytoma （PMA）. Methods： The clinical and pathologic features in six cases of PMA were analyzed. Immunohisto- chemical staining for glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP）, synaptophysin （Syn）, Chromogranin A （CgA）, cytokeratin （AEI/AE3）, epithelial membrane antigen （EMA） and Ki67 was performed on paraffin-embedded sections. Results： Among the six cases, five occurred in female patients, one was male, the age at diagnosis ranged from 2 to 15 years. Four cases were located in the hypothalamic area and optic pathway, one case in the third ventricle, and one case in left parietal lobe. On imaging, PMAs often appears as well-circumscribed mass. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of monomorphous bipolar （piloid） cells setting in a prominent myxoid background with an angiocentric radiating growth pattern in some areas. PMA lacked biphasic pattern, Rosenthal fibers and eosinophilic granular bodies which were usually typical in a classic pilocytic astrocytoma （PA）. Immunohistochemcal study showed that the tumor cells were diffusely positive for GFAP. Syn positive staining was observed in one case. The Ki67 labeling index measured less than 5%. Conclusion： PMA is a distinct aggressive variant of pilocytic astrocytoma with special histological and immunohistochemical features. It is typically a rare tumor of early childhood. Im- munohistochemical staining for GFAP and Syn is helpful in differential diagnosis.

Epithelioid angiosarcoma of esophagus

Epithelioid angiosarcomas （EAS） are very uncommon tumors accounting for less than 1% of all sarcomaand most frequently occur in the skin and subcuits. Primary angiosarcomas in alimentary tract are very rare, especially in esophagus and only one case has been reported in the Chinese literature.I Evidence-based advice regarding optimal management is lacking. Here, we reported a case of 54-year-old man who was found to have EAS in the esophagus.