Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 effects on proliferation and telomerase activity in sheep growth plate chondrocytes

Background： Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 （FGFR3） inhibits growth-plate chondrocyte proliferation and limits bone elongation. Gain-of-function FGFR3 mutations cause dwarfism, reduced telomerase activity and shorter telomeres in growth plate chondroyctes suggesting that FGFR3 reduces proliferative capacity, inhibits telomerase, and enhances senescence. Thyroid hormone （1-3） plays a role in cellular maturation of growth plate chondrocytes and a known target of T3 is FGFR3. The present study addressed whether reduced FGFR3 expression enhanced telomerase activity, mRNA expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase （TERT） and RNA component of telomerase （TR）, and chondrocyte proliferation, and whether the stimulation of FGFR3 by T3 evoked the opposite response. Results： Sheep growth-plate proliferative zone chondrocytes were cultured and transfected with siRNA to reduce FGFR3 expression; FGFR3 siRNA reduced chondrocyte FGFR3 mRNA and protein resulting in greater proliferation and increased TERT mRNA expression and telomerase activity （p 〈 0.0.5）. Chondrocytes treated with T3 significantly enhanced FGFR3 mRNA and protein expression and reduced telomerase activity （p 〈 0.05）; TERT and TR were not significantly reduced. The action of T3 at the growth plate may be partially mediated through the FGFR3 pathway. Conclusions： The results suggest that FGFR3 inhibits chondrocyte proliferation and reducing telomerase activity indicating an important role for telomerase in capacity during bone elongation. by down-regulating TERT expression sustaining chondrocyte proliferative

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 Gly388Arg polymorphism in Chinese gastric cancer patients

AIM: To investigate the contribution of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) Gly388Arg polymorphism as a genetic risk factor for gastric cancer (GC) and to investigate any associations between this polymorphism and clinicopathological parameters and survival. METHODS: Tumors and matched adjacent non-cancer tissues were collected from 304 GC patients, and 5 mL of venous blood was collected from 62 GC patients and 392 ageand sex-matched healthy controls without cancer history from the same ethnic population. DNA was extracted, and direct sequencing analyses were performed to genotype the FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism in all the samples. Differences in the genotype frequencies of the FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism between GC patients and healthy controls were estimated using the χ 2 test. Binary logistic regression was used for all analysis variables to estimate risk as the ORs with 95%CIs. The relationships between the FGFR4 genotype and clinicopathological parameters were tested with the χ 2 test. The Kaplan-Meier product-limit method, the log-rank test, and the Cox regression model were applied to evaluate the effect of the FGFR4 genotype on the overall survival of patients with GC. RESULTS: In the present GC cohort, 118 patients (38.8%) were homozygous for the Gly388 allele, 124 patients (40.8%) were heterozygous, and 62 patients (20.4%) were homozygous for the Arg388 allele. The frequencies of the Gly/Gly, Gly/Arg, and Arg/Arg genotypes in the healthy controls were 33.6%, 48.0%, and 18.4%, respectively. The distributions of genotypes (χ 2 = 3.589, P = 0.166) and alleles (χ 2 = 0.342, P = 0.559) of the FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism were not different between the GC patients and the healthy controls. Although we observed no correlation between the FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism and clinicopathological parameters or survival in the total cohort of GC patients, the presence of the Arg388 allele was associated with shorter survival time in patients with GC if the tumor was small (log rank χ 2 = 5.449, P = 0.020), well differentiated (log rank χ 2 = 12.798, P = 0.000), T1 or T2 stage (log rank χ 2 = 4.745, P = 0.029), without lymph node involvement (log rank χ 2 = 6.647, P = 0.010), and at an early clinical stage (log rank χ 2 = 4.615, P = 0.032). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the FGFR4 Gly388Arg polymorphism is not a risk factor for GC cancer initiation but that it is a useful prognostic marker for GC patients when the tumor is relatively small, well differentiated, or at an early clinical stage.

Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor-1 in Human Meningiomas

The expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1) in human meningiomas and the relationships between their expression and the tumors' histological features and angiogenesis were investigated by means of immunohistochemical technique. The expression of bFGF and FGFR-1 was detected by antibody of bFGF or FGFR-1. The tumors' angiogenesis was evaluated by microvascular density (MVD) and, which was observed by use of CD34-antibody immunohistochemically. The results showed that there were varied degrees of the expression of bFGF and FGFR-1 proteins in meningiomas. The expression was correlated with the tumors' histological characters and angiogenesis. It was concluded that bFGF and FGFR-1 might play important roles in meningiomas' angiogenesis and proliferation. The expression positive rate of bFGF and FGFR-1 may provide an indication of evaluating the histological and malignant degree of the tumor.

EXPRESSION AND SIGNIFICANCE OF BASIC FIBROBLAST GWOWTH FACTOR AND FIBROBLAST GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR-1 IN OVARIAN EPITHELIAL NEOPLASM

Objective To study the relevance of expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR 1) and carcinogenesis and progression of ovarian epithelial neoplasm. Methods Ten cases of normal ovarian tissues and 75 cases of ovarian epithelial neoplasm tissues were detected by immunohistochemical methods: S P for bFGF, FGFR 1,double immunohistochemistry Lab SA for Ki 67 antigen and bFGF. Results The expression level of bFGF, FGFR 1in ovarian epithelium and ovarian epithelial neoplasm showed a step wise increase in the following order:normal <benign <borderline <malignant; The expression level and intensity of bFGF and FGFR 1 were increased with the decrease of differentiation degree and increase of clinical stage in ovarian carcinoma; There was no statistical difference between the expression of bFGF, FGFR 1 in serous cystadenocarcinoma and that of mucinous cystadenocarcinoma; The expression of bFGF was correlated with that of FGFR 1 in neoplastic tissues; There were positive expression rates of bFGF and Ki 67 antigen in ovarian epithelial neoplasm. Conclusion As an important proliferative factor, bFGF plays an important role in carcinogenisis and progression of ovarian epithelial neoplasm.

Expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 protein in the hippocampus in rats exhibiting chronic stress-induced depression

There is evidence that the expression of members of the fibroblast growth factor （FGF） protein family is altered in post-mortem brains of humans suffering from major depressive disorder. The present study examined whether the expression of fibroblast growth factor-2 （FGF2） and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 （FGFR1） protein is altered following chronic stress in an animal model. Rats were exposed to 35 days of chronic unpredictable mild stress, and then tested using open-field and sucrose consumption tests. Compared with the control group, rats in the chronic stress group exhibited obvious depressive-like behaviors, including anhedonia, anxiety and decreased mobility. The results of western blot analysis and immunohistochemical analysis revealed a downregulation of the expression of FGF2 and FGFR1 in the hippocampus of rats, particularly in the CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus. This decreased expression is in accord with the results of post-mortem studies in humans with major depressive disorder. These findings suggest that FGF2 and FGFR1 proteins participate in the pathophysiology of depressive-like behavior, and may play an important role in the mechanism of chronic stress-induced depression.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 single nucleotide polymorphism Gly388Arg in head and neck carcinomas

BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) is considered to be a progressive disease resulting from alterations in multiple genes regulating cell proliferation and differentiation like receptor tyrosine kinases(RTKs) and members of the fibroblast growth factor receptors(FGFR)-family. Singlenucleotide polymorphism(SNP) Arg388 of the FGFR4 is associated with a reduced overall survival in patients with cancers of various types. We speculate that FGFR4 expression and SNP is associated with worse survival in patients with HSNCC.AIM To investigate the potential clinical significance of FGFR4 Arg388 in the context of tumors arising in HNSCC, a comprehensive analysis of FGFR4 receptor expression and genotype in tumor tissues and correlated results with patients' clinical data in a large cohort of patients with HNSCC was conducted.METHODS Surgical specimens from 284 patients with HNSCC were retrieved from the Institute of Pathology at the Ludwig-Maximilian-University in Germany.Specimens were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP). The expression of FGFR4 was analyzed in 284 surgical specimens of HNSCC using immunohistochemstry. FGFR4 polymorphism was detected by PCR-RFLP.Patients' clinical data with a minimum follow-up of 5 years were statistically evaluated with a special emphasis on survival analysis employing Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox regression analysis.RESULTS Concerning the invasive tumor areas the intensity of the FGFR4 expression was evaluated in a four-grade system: no expression, low expression, intermediate and high expression. FGFR4 expression was scored as "high"(+++) in 74(26%),"intermediate"(++) in 103(36.3%), and "low"(+) in 107(36.7%) cases. Analyzing the FGFR4 mutation it was found in 96 tumors(33.8%), 84 of them(29.6%) having a heterozygous and 12(4.2%) homozygous mutated Arg388 allele. The overall frequency concerning the mutant alleles demonstrated 65% vs 34% mutated alleles in general. FGFR4 Arg388 was significantly associated with advanced tumor stage(P < 0.004), local metastasis(P < 0.0001) and reduced disease-free survival(P < 0.01). Furthermore, increased expression of FGFR4 correlated significantly with worse overall survival(P < 0.003).CONCLUSION In conclusion, the FGFR4 Arg388 genotype and protein expression of FGFR4 impacts tumor progression in patients with HNSCC and may present a useful target within a multimodal therapeutic intervention.

Over-expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To describe the significant over-expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), which is a signal transduction and cell proliferation related gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).METHODS: Following DNA microarray, Northern blot and quantitative real-time PCR were employed to confirm FGFR3 expression difference in HCC tissues and surrounding non-neoplastic liver tissue. FGFR3 expression levels were further determined by immunohistochemical study in 43 cases of HCC.RESULTS: Northern blot results showed the significant over-expression of FGFR3 in HCC tissues, which was consistent with that from DNA microarray. Quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated that the mean ratio of FGFR3 mRNA to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GADPH) mRNA in HCC tissue was 0.250, whereas the ratio in non-neoplastic liver tissue was 0.014. Statistical analyses of 43 cases of HCC revealed that HCC scored higher than the matched non-neoplastic liver tissues.Examination of clinicopathological features revealed a strong correlation of over-expression of FGFR3 with poor tumor differentiation and high nuclear grade.CONCLUSION: Over-expression of FGFR3 may play an important role in liver carcinogenesis. FGFR3 may be an ideal candidate as a molecular marker in the diagnosis of HCC and a potential therapeutic target.

RNA interference affects tumorigenicity and expression of insulin-like growth factor-1,insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor,and basic fibroblast growth factor-2 in rat C6 glioma cells

BACKGROUND： Human gliomas are more likely to express basic fibroblast growth factor-2 （FGF-2） insulin-like growth factor-1（IGF-1）, and IGF-1 receptor （IGF-1R） than normal brain tissue. These factors activate signal transduction systems of Ras/MAPK and PI3K/Akl, which promote glioma growth. OBJECTIVE： To utilize RNA interference （RNAi） technique to down-regulate FGF-2, IGF-1, and IGF-1R gene expression, and to investigate the effects of these genes on rat C6 glioma cells, as well as the feasibility of RNAi for treating glioma. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： This neurooncological, randomized, controlled, in vivo and in vitro experiment, which used RNAi methodology, was performed at the Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences between August 2005 and February 2008. MATERIALS： Rat C6 cell lines were purchased from Shanghai Institute of Cellular Biology Affiliated to Chinese Academy of Sciences. Small interfering RNA （siRNA） was synthesized by Shanghai GenePharma. Anti-IGF-1, anti-IGF-1R, anti-FGF-2, anti-mouse and anti-rabbit IgG G1-HRP antibodies were provided by Santa Cruz Biotechnology, USA. Four to six week-old BALB/c nude mice were purchased from the Laboratory Animal Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences. METHODS： C6 glioma cells were transfected with siRNA, which was chemically synthesized in vitro to correspond to endogenous FGF-2, IGF-1, and IGF-1R genes. The inhibition ratio of targeting mRNA expression was detected by semiquantitative RT-PCR, and protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. C6 glioma cell proliferation was observed using a growth curve C6 glioma cell apoptosis rate and cell cycle were detected by flow cytometry. C6 glioma cell growth regression was observed by transwell migration assay. In addition, nude mouse subcutaneous tumor models were used in this study. For studying the anti-tumor effects of IGF-1 and IGF-1R siRNA, two blank control groups, with six mice each, were set up： A （2.5 μg siRNA was injected one week after C6 cells were inoculated, Le., when tumor volume reached 8 mm × 8 mm） and B （siRNA was injected at the same time with C6 cells were inoculated. To study the effects of FGF-2 siRNA, the groups consisted of a blank control group, negative control group, 2.6 μg siRNA group, 4 μg siRNA group, and 5.3 μg siRNA group, with six mice each. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： mRNA and protein inhibition ratio of FGF-2, IGF-1, and IGF-1 R; C6 glioma cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cycle growth arrest; C6 glioma cell growth regression and subcutaneous tumorigenicity rates. RESULTS： All siRNA constructs proved to be effective. After 48 hours, transfection of 200 nmol/L siRNA resulted in a FGF-2 or IGF-1R gene inhibition ratio 〉 80% and an IGF-1 gene inhibition ratio of approximately 70%. Protein expression levels for FGF-2, IGF-1, and IGF-1R decreased in a dose-dependent manner following siRNA transfection, with an inhibition rate 〉 85%, 60%, and 50%, respectively. C6 glioma cell proliferation and apoptosis rates increased in proportion to siRNA. The apoptosis rate of C6 glioma cells induced by FGF-2, IGF-1, and IGF-1R siRNA was 39.96%, 15.07% and 22.47%, respectively （P 〈 0.01）. Transfection of 200 nmol/L IGF or IGF-1R siRNA for 48 hours suppressed C6 glioma cell migration. At 30 days after intratumoral injection of 2.6, 4, and 5.3 tJg FGF-2 siRNA, tumor growth regression rate of FGF-2 siRNA was 56%, 67%, and 86%, respectively. The tumor growth regression rate was 71.88% and 45.71%, respectively, when IGF-1 or IGF-1R siRNA was intratumorally injected 1 week after C6 glioma cell transplantation. When IGF-1 or IGF-1 R siRNA was intratumorally injected during C6 glioma cell transplantation, the tumor growth regression rate was 78.13% and 74.29%, respectively. CONCLUSION： siRNA transfection downregulated gene expression of FGF-2, IGF-1, and IGF-1R In addition, siRNA treatment markedly suppressed glioma cell proliferation, growth, and migration, and concomitantly reduced subcutaneous tumorigenicity.

Are there fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 mutations in a Chinese Kallmann syndrome family?

The present study examined 58 members of a Kallmann syndrome family and investigated whether there are fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 （FGFR1） gene mutations in this family. Genomic DNA from the proband and family members was subjected to PCR to amplify 18 exons of FGFR1, and the amplified products were sequenced to identify potential mutations. MRI of the olfactory bulb region was performed on suspected subjects. The patient and his father were diagnosed with Kallmann syndrome. A polymorphic site was found at 39542, with the proband and his parents being heterozygous （guanine ＋ cytosine）. However, healthy controls and the other members of this family were homozygous for guanine at this position.

Basic fibroblast growth factor increases the numbe of endogenous neural stem cells and inhibits the expression of amino methyl isoxazole propionic acid receptors in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice

This study aimed to investigate the number of amino methyl isoxazole propionic acid （AMPA） receptors and production of endogenous neural stem cells in the SOD1 G93AG1H transgenic mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, at postnatal day 60 following administration of basic fibroblast growth factor （FGF-2）. A radioligand binding assay and immunohistochemistry were used to estimate the number of AMPA receptors and endogenous neural stem cells respectively. Results showed that the number of AMPA receptors and endogenous neural stem cells in the brain stem and sensorimotor cortex were significantly increased, while motor function was significantly decreased at postnatal days 90 and 120. After administration of FGF-2 into mice, numbers of endogenous neural stem cells increased, while expression of AMPA receptors decreased, whilst motor functions were recovered. At postnatal day 120, the number of AMPA receptors was negatively correlated with the number of endogenous neural stem cells in model mice and FGF-2-treated mice. Our experimental findings indicate that FGF-2 can inhibit AMPA receptors and increase the number of endogenous neural stem cells, thus repairing neural injury in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis mice.

Effect of Ligustrazine on Expressions of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor and Its Receptor in Bone Marrow of Mice with Acute Radiation Injury

Objective: To study the expressions of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and its receptor (bFGFR) in bone marrow of mice with acute radiation injury, and to evaluate the effect of Ligustrazine (Lt) on them. Methods: Fifty-six Kunming mice of clean grade were randomly divided into 3 groups, the normal group, the control group and the Lt group. Mice in the latter two groups were once homogeneously systemic irradiated with 6.0 Gy of 60 Co, with the absorption dose rate of 0. 56 Gy/min, then treated with saline (0.2 ml/ mice) or Lt (2 mg/mice) respectively, twice a day through gastrogavage for successive 13 days. Mice were sacrificed in batch on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day by cervical dislocation to collect the bilateral femoral bone marrow for preparing bone marrow mono-nuclear cell (BMMNC) suspension. The bFGFR expression on surface of BMMNC was determined by flow cytometry; and the bFGF expres-sion level in one side of femoral bone marrow tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry with SABC-AP assay. Results: The bFGF expression in bone marrow of mice on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day after acute radiation injury all were significantly lower than that of the normal mice (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The expressions of bFGF and bFGFR in the Lt group detected were significantly higher than that in the control group detected at the corresponding time points (P<0.05 or P < 0.01). Conclusion:By way of enhancing bFGF expression in bone marrow and bFGFR expression on surface of BMMNC to accelerate the repairing of hemopoietic micro-environment in bone marrow might be one of the mechanisms of Lt in promoting hemopoietic function reconstitution after acute radiation injury.Original article on CJITWM (Chin) 2004;24(5):439

Fibroblast growth factor receptor signaling as therapeutic targets in gastric cancer

Fibroblast growth factor receptors(FGFRs) regulate a variety of cellular functions, from embryogenesis to adult tissue homeostasis. FGFR signaling also plays significant roles in the proliferation, invasion, and survival of several types of tumor cells. FGFR-induced alterations, including gene amplification, chromosomal translocation, and mutations, have been shown to be associated with the tumor initiation and progression of gastric cancer, especially in diffuse-type cancers. Therefore, the FGFR signaling pathway might be one of the therapeutic targets in gastric cancer. This review aims to provide an overview of the role of FGFR signaling in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, proliferation, and chemoresistance. We also discuss the accumulating evidence that demonstrates the effectiveness of using clinical therapeutic agents to inhibit FGFR signaling for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Emodin regulating excision repair cross-complementation group 1 through fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 signaling

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the reversal effect of emodin on platinum resistance in hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS: After the addition of 10 μmol/L emodin to HepG2/oxaliplatin (OXA) cells, the inhibition rate (IR), 50% inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) and reversal index (IC 50 in experimental group/IC 50 in control group) were calculated. For HepG2, HepG2/OXA, HepG2/OXA/T, each cell line was divided into a control group, OXA group, OXA + fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7) group and OXA + emodin group, and the final concentrations of FGF7, emodin and OXA in each group were 5 ng/mL, 10 μg/mL and 10 μmol/L, respectively. Single-cell gel electrophoresis was conducted to detect DNA damage, and the fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2), phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) and excision repair cross-complementing gene 1 (ERCC1) protein expression levels in each group were examined by Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the IC50 of 120.78 μmol/L in HepG2/OXA cells, the IC 50 decreased to 39.65 μmol/L after treatment with 10 μmol/L emodin; thus, the reversal index was 3.05. Compared with the control group, the tail length and Olive tail length in the OXA group, OXA + FGF7 group and OXA + emodin group were significantly increased, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). The tail length and Olive tail length were lower in the OXA + FGF7 group than in the OXA group, and this difference was also statistically significant. Compared with the OXA + FGF7 group, the tail extent, the Olive tail moment and the percentage of tail DNA were significantly increased in the OXA + emodin group, and these differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). In comparison with its parental cell line HepG2, the HepG2/OXA cells demonstrated significantly increased FGFR2, p-ERK1/2 and ERCC1 expression levels, whereas the expression of all three molecules was significantly inhibited in HepG2/ OXA/T cells, in which FGFR2 was silenced by FGFR2 shRNA. In the examined HepG2 cells, the FGFR2, p-ERK1/2 and ERCC1 expression levels demonstrated increasing trends in the OXA group and OXA + FGF7 group. Compared with the OXA group and OXA + FGF7 group, the FGFR2, p-ERK1/2, and ERCC1 expression levels were significantly lower in the OXA + emodin group, and these differences were statistically significant. In the HepG2/OXA/T cell line that was transfected with FGFR2 shRNA, the FGFR2, p-ERK1/2 and ERCC1 expression levels were significantly inhibited, but there were no significant differences in these expression levels among the OXA, OXA + FGF7 and OXA + emodin groups. CONCLUSION: Emodin markedly reversed OXA resistance by enhancing OXA DNA damage in HepG2/OXA cells, and the molecular mechanism was related to the inhibitory effect on ERCC1 expression being mediated by the FGFR2/ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 protein expression and clinicopathological features in gastric cancer

AIM:To investigate fibroblast growth factor receptor4(FGFR4)protein expression in Chinese patients with resectable gastric cancer(GC)and the association with clinicopathological characteristics and survival.who underwent curative surgical procedures were enrolled in this study.The protein expression of FGFR4 in formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded(FFPE)GC tissues was determined by immunohistochemical(IHC)analysis.Patient clinicopathological data and survival information were also collected andχ2 statistical analysis was performed to analyze FGFR4 protein expression in the subgroups with differing clinicopathological characteristics including;gender,age,tumor location,differentiation,tumor-node-metastasis stage,macroscopic type,depth of invasion,lymph node metastases,distant metastasis,neural invasion and vascular invasion.Furthermore,some common molecular markers of GC in our cancer center,including p53,p27,topoisomeraseⅡα(TopoⅡα)were also determined by IHC and their association with FGFR4 protein expression evaluated.The probability of survival for different subgroups with different clinicopathological characteristics was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and survival curves plotted using the log rank test.RESULTS:Seventy seven cases(44%)were found to have high expression of FGFR4 protein.Significantly different FGFR4 expression was observed between gastric cancers with differing expression of TopoⅡα(log rankχ2=9.4760,P=0.0236).No significant differences were observed between subgroups defined by any of the other clinicopathological characteristics.The median survival time of the FGFR4 high expression(77 cases)and low expression groups(98 cases)was27 mo and 39 mo,respectively.The five-year survival rates and median survival times of gastric cancers with high FGFR4 expression were worse than those with low expression(30.8%vs 39.2%,27 mo vs 39 mo),respectively,however,no significant difference was observed in survival time(log rankχ2=1.0477,P=0.3060).Survival analysis revealed that high expression of FGFR4 was a predictor of poor outcome in GC patients if the tumor was small(less than or equal to 3cm in size)(log rankχ2=5.5033,P=0.0190),well dif-ferentiated(log rankχ2=7.9757,P=0.0047),and of T1 or T2 stage invasion depth(log rankχ2=4.8827,P=0.0271).CONCLUSION:Our results suggest that high tumor expression of FGFR4 protein is not an independent risk factor for GC cancer initiation,but is a useful prognostic marker for GC patients when the tumor is relatively small,well differentiated,or in the early stages of invasion.

Therapeutic strategies targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway in metastatic colorectal cancer

More than 1.9 million new colorectal cancer(CRC)cases and 935000 deaths were estimated to occur worldwide in 2020,representing about one in ten cancer cases and deaths.Overall,colorectal ranks third in incidence,but second in mortality.More than half of the patients are in advanced stages at diagnosis.Treatment options are complex because of the heterogeneity of the patient population,including different molecular subtypes.Treatments have included conventional fluorouracil-based chemotherapy,targeted therapy,immunotherapy,etc.In recent years,with the development of genetic testing technology,more and more targeted drugs have been applied to the treatment of CRC,which has further prolonged the survival of metastatic CRC patients.

Synergistic anti-tumor effect of recombinant chicken fibroblast growth factor receptor-1-mediated anti-angiogenesis and low-dose gemcitabine in a mouse colon adenocarcinoma model

AIM: To evaluate whether the combination of recom- binant chicken fibroblast growth factor receptor -1 (FGFR-1) protein vaccine (cFR-1) combined with low- dose gemcitabine would improve anti-tumor efficacy in a mouse CT26 colon adenocarcinoma (CT26) model. METHODS: The CT26 model was established in BABL/c mice. Seven days after tumor cell injection, mice were randomly divided into four groups: combination therapy, cFR-1 alone, gemcitabine alone, and normal saline groups. Tumor growth, survival rate of tumor-bearing mice, and systemic toxicity were observed. The presence of anti-tumor auto-antibodies was detected by Western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunospot assay, microvessel density (MVD) of the tumors and tumor cell proliferation were detected by Immunohistochemistry staining, and tumor cell apoptosis was detected by TdT- mediated biotinylated-dUTP nick end label staining. RESULTS: The combination therapy results in apparent decreases in tumor volume, microvessel density andtumor cell proliferation, and an increase in apoptosis without obvious side-effects as compared with either therapy alone or normal control groups. Also, both auto- antibodies and the antibody-producing B cells against mouse FGFR-1 were detected in mice immunized with cFR-1 vaccine alone or with combination therapy, but not in non-immunized mice. In addition, the deposition of auto-antibodies on endothelial cells from mice immunized with cFR-1 was observed by immunofluorescent stain- ing, but not on endothelial cells from control groups. Synergistic indexes of tumor volume, MVD, cell apoptosis and proliferation in the combination therapy group were 1.71 vs 1.15 vs 1.11 and 1.04, respectively, 31 d after tumor cell injection. CONCLUSION: The combination of cFR-1-mediated anti- angiogenesis and low-dose gemcitabine synergistically enhances the anti-tumor activity without overt toxicity in mice.

Roles of fibroblast growth factors in the treatment of diabetes

Diabetes affects about 422 million people worldwide,causing 1.5 million deaths each year.However,the incidence of diabetes is increasing,including several types of diabetes.Type 1 diabetes(5%-10%of diabetic cases)and type 2 diabetes(90%-95%of diabetic cases)are the main types of diabetes in the clinic.Accumulating evidence shows that the fibroblast growth factor(FGF)family plays important roles in many metabolic disorders,including type 1 and type 2 diabetes.FGF consists of 23 family members(FGF-1-23)in humans.Here,we review current findings of FGFs in the treatment of diabetes and management of diabetic complications.Some FGFs(e.g.,FGF-15,FGF-19,and FGF-21)have been broadly investigated in preclinical studies for the diagnosis and treatment of diabetes,and their therapeutic roles in diabetes are currently under investigation in clinical trials.Overall,the roles of FGFs in diabetes and diabetic complications are involved in numerous processes.First,FGF intervention can prevent high-fat diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance and reduce the levels of fasting blood glucose and triglycerides by regulating lipolysis in adipose tissues and hepatic glucose production.Second,modulation of FGF expression can inhibit renal and cardiac fibrosis by regulating the expression of extracellular matrix components,promote diabetic wound healing process and bone repair,and inhibit cancer cell proliferation and migration.Finally,FGFs can regulate the activation of glucoseexcited neurons and the expression of thermogenic genes.

Role of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 in the bone development and skeletal diseases

Accumulating data suggest that FGFs/FGFR1 plays essential roles in the bone development and human skeletal diseases.Conditional inactivation of fgfr1 caused different phenotypes displaying in different cells or specific organs and revealed some novel functions of FGFR1 in bone development.Fgfr1 mutation mainly induced 2 types of human skeletal diseases,craniosynostosis syndrome and dysplasias. Similar mutation of fgfr1 in mouse model just mimicked the phenotype that happened in human.These fa- cilitate the investigation on the underlying mechanism of the diseases.Here we mainly focused on the ad- vance of FGFR1 function in the bone development and its mutation caused skeletal diseases.

Overexpression of fibroblast growth factor 13 ameliorates amyloid-β-induced neuronal damage

Previous studies have shown that fibroblast growth factor 13 is downregulated in the brain of both Alzheimer’s disease mouse models and patients,and that it plays a vital role in the learning and memory.However,the underlying mechanisms of fibroblast growth factor 13 in Alzheimer’s disease remain unclear.In this study,we established rat models of Alzheimer’s disease by stereotaxic injection of amyloid-β(Aβ_(1-42))-induced into bilateral hippocampus.We also injected lentivirus containing fibroblast growth factor 13 into bilateral hippocampus to overexpress fibroblast growth factor 13.The expression of fibroblast growth factor 13 was downregulated in the brain of the Alzheimer’s disease model rats.After overexpression of fibroblast growth factor 13,learning and memory abilities of the Alzheimer’s disease model rats were remarkably improved.Fibroblast growth factor 13 overexpression increased brain expression levels of oxidative stress-related markers glutathione,superoxide dismutase,phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase,AKT and glycogen synthase kinase 3β,and anti-apoptotic factor BCL.Furthermore,fibroblast growth factor 13 overexpression decreased the number of apoptotic cells,expression of pro-apoptotic factor BAX,cleaved-caspase 3 and amyloid-βexpression,and levels of tau phosphorylation,malondialdehyde,reactive oxygen species and acetylcholinesterase in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease model rats.The changes were reversed by the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor LY294002.These findings suggest that overexpression of fibroblast growth factor 13 improved neuronal damage in a rat model of Alzheimer’s disease through activation of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/AKT/glycogen synthase kinase 3βsignaling pathway.

Dihydroergotamine ameliorates liver fibrosis by targeting transforming growth factor β type Ⅱ receptor

BACKGROUND The transforming growth factor β(TGFβ) signaling pathway plays a crucial role in the development of liver fibrosis by activating TGFβ type Ⅱ receptor(TGFβR2), followed by the recruitment of TGFβR1 finally triggering downstream signaling pathway.AIM To find drugs targeting TGFβR2 that inhibit TGFβR1/TGFβR2 complex formation, theoretically inhibit TGFβ signaling pathway, and thereby ameliorate liver fibrosis.METHODS Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs were screened for binding affinity with TGFβR2 by virtual molecular docking. We identified 6 candidates and further explored their potential by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8) cell cytotoxic experiment to validate toxicity and titrated the best cellular working concentrations. Next, we further demonstrated the detailed molecular working mechanisms using mutagenesis analysis. Finally, we used a mouse model to investigate its potential anti-liver fibrosis effect.RESULTS We identified 6 drug candidates. Among these 6 drugs, dihydroergotamine(DHE) shows great ability in reducing fibrotic gene expressions such as collagen, p-SMAD3, and α-SMA in TGFβ induced cellular model of liver fibrosis in LX-2 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that DHE binds to TGFβR2. Moreover, mutation of Leu27, Phe30, Thr51, Ser52, Ile53, and Glu55 of TGFβR2 disrupted the binding of TGFβR2 with DHE. In addition, DHE significantly improved liver fibrosis, as evidenced by Masson’s trichrome staining of liver sections. This is further supported by the width and the velocity of the portal vein, and serum markers of liver function. In line with those observations, DHE also decreased macrophages infiltration and extracellular matrix deposition in the liver.CONCLUSION DHE alleviates liver fibrosis by binding to TGFβR2 thereby suppressing TGFβ signaling pathway. We show here that as far as drug repurposing, DHE has great potential to treat liver fibrosis.