Expression of E-selectin, integrinβ_1 and immunoglobulin superfamily member in human gastric carcinoma cells and its clinicopathologic significance

AIM： To study the expression levels of E-selectin, integrin β1 and immunoglobulin supperfamily memberintercellular adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1） in human gastric carcinoma cells, and to explore the relationship between these three kinds of cell adhesion molecules and gastric carcinoma. METHODS： The serum contents of E-selectin, integrin β1 and ICAM-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）, in 47 healthy individuals （control group） and in 57 patients with gastric carcinoma （gastric carcinoma group） respectively prior to operation and 7 d after operation. RESULTS： The serum E-selectin, ECAM-1 and integrin β1 were found to be expressed in both control and gastric carcinoma groups. However, they were highly expressed in patients with gastric carcinoma patients before operation or with unresectable tumours. The expression levels of ICAM-1 and integrin β1 were significantly higher in gastric carcinoma patients than in controls （P 〈 0.01）. A comparison of the E-selectin levels between the two groups showed statistically insignificant differnce （P = 0.64）. In addition, the expression levels were all decreased substantially in the postoperative patients subjected to radical resection of the tumours, indicating that the high level expressions of these compounds might be the important factor for predicting the prognosis of these patients. CONCLUSION： Serum E-selectin, ICAM-1 and integrin β1 expression levels are probably related to the metastasis and relapse of gastric cancer.

Low intensity ultrasound-induced apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma cells

AIM： To investigate the low intensity ultrasound （US）- induced apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma cells and its potential mechanism and to suggest a new therapeutic approach to gastric carcinoma. METHODS： Human SGC-7901 gastric carcinoma cells were cultured in vitro and irradiated by low intensity US for 10 min at different intensities with different incubation times after irradiation. Morphologic changes were examined under microscope with trypan blue staining and then the percentage of early apoptotic cells was detected by flow cytometry （FCM） with double staining of fiuorescein isothiocyanate （FITC）- Annexin V/propidium iodide （PI）. Two-dimensional electrophoresis （2DE） was used to get the protein profile and some proteins differently expressed after US irradiation were identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry （MALDI-TOF-MS）. Functional analysis was performed to investigate the mechanism of US-induced cell apoptosis. RESULTS： The percentage of apoptotic cells increased about 10% after US irradiation （12.0 W/cm^2, 12 h culture）, The percentage of early apoptosis and secondary necrosis in the US-irradiated cells increased with the increased US intensity. Moreover, apoptotic cells increased with the increased culture time after US irradiation and reached its maximum at about 12 h.Several new proteins appeared after US irradiation and were up or down regulated more than 2 times. Some heat shock proteins （HSPs） were found to be associated with the signal process simulating the apoptosis of cells. CONCLUSION： Low intensity US could induce apoptosis in human gastric carcinoma cells. US-induced apoptosis is related to US intensity/culture time. US-induced apoptosis may be caspases-dependent and endoplasmic reticulum （ER） stress-triggered apoptosis may also contribute to it. Proteomic experimental system is useful in finding the protein alteration in carcinoma cells after US irradiation, helping to develop a new cancer therapy.

DIFFERENCES IN EXPRESSION AND REGULATION BETWEEN TRANSFORMED CELLS OF THE HUMAN GASTRIC CARCINOMA ONCOGENE Ha-ras AND THE UNTRANSFORMED PARENT CELLS

An Ha-ras oncogene was isolated from a cell line of gastric carcinoma called BGE-823 in order to elucidate genetic control and the influence of DNA sequences. The oncogene was cloned and identified as a single nucleotide substitution of thymine for guanine in the 12th codon through the sequencing of its first axon. We compared the differences of expression and regulation between the transformed Ha-ras cells and untransformed parent cells. Data indicated that the expression of Ha-ras in the transformed cells was five-fold higher than in the untransformed cells and that the Ha-ras gene in the former was hypersensitive toward DNase I. In addition, a nuclear protein of 35 kilodaltons bound strongly to the 2.5 Kb fragment located upstream of the 6.6 Kb Ha-ras gene and contained a CC rich region. These results suggest that there might be another mechanism of activation for the ras gene besides point mutation.

Inhibitory effect of Fuzheng Yiliuyin in combination with chemotherapeutics on human gastric carcinoma cell strain

AIM： To study the inhibitory effects of Fuzheng Yiliuyin （Decoction for Suppressing Tumors by Strengthening the Body Resistance） in combination with chemotherapeutics on human gastric carcinoma cell strain. METHODS： Fuzheng Yiliuyin （ZY） combined with various kinds of chemotherapeutics was put into two kinds of cultivated human gastric carcinoma cell strains, then its inhibitory effects on human gastric carcinoma cell strains were determind by the MTT method. Flow cytorneter was used to assay the apoptosis rate, and the ultrastructure of gastric carcinoma cells was observed under transmission electron microscope. RESULTS： Obvious apoptosis was seen in gastric carcinoma cells after treatment with ZY for 72 h. ZY and chemical drugs had synergistic inhibition effects on the cultivated gastric carcinoma cells, but the effects were different on various cell strains. The inhibitory effects of ZY could be strengthened by cytotoxic action and apoptosis. ZY combined with tluorouracil, etoposide and cisplatin （EFP） chemotherapeutics had better inhibitory effects on SGC-7901, while ZY combined with EFP or with DDP chemotherapeutics had better inhibitory effects than other drugs on MGC-803. CONCLUSION： ZY induces apoptosis and inhibits the growth of gastric carcinoma cells. ZY has the synergistic function of chemotherapeutics.

INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE HUMAN GASTRIC CARCINOMA CELL AND THE HUMAN VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL CELL

Objective To definite the interactions between the human gastric carcinoma cell and the human vascular endothelial cell during the establishment and maintenance of the tumor vascular system and the tumor hematogenous metastasis.Methods We prepared the conditioned mediums of each cell so as to study the effect of the conditioned medium on itself or others by MTT colorimetry. The comprehensive effect of interactions between two cells was determined by stratified transfilter co culture or direct contact co culture.Results The conditioned medium of human gastric carcinoma cell can stimulate the proliferation of the human vascular endothelial cell, but the CM of HVEC can inhibit the growth of HGCC. Both kinds of cells can inhibit the growth of itself. The ultimate comprehensive effect of the interactions between two kinds of cells was increase of total cell numbers.Conclusion There exist the complicated interactions between the human gastric carcinoma cell and the human vascular endothelial cell during the tumor angiogenesis and the tumor hematogenous metastasis. The ultimate comprehensive effect of the interactions is increase of total cells numbers and tumor volume.