Voltage-gated K^+channels promote BT-474 breast cancer cell migration

Objective: A variety of ion channels have been implicated in breast cancer proliferation and metastasis.Voltagegated K+(Kv) channels not only cause repolarization in excitable cells,but are also involved in multiple cellular functions in non-excitable cells.In this study we investigated the role of Kv channels in migration of BT474 breast cancer cells.Methods: Transwell technique was used to separate migratory cells from non-migratory ones and these two groups of cells were subject to electrophysiological examinations and microfluorimetric measurements for cytosolic Ca.Cell migration was examined in the absence or presence of Kv channel blockers.Results: When compared with non-migratory cells,migratory cells had much higher Kv current densities,but rather unexpectedly,more depolarized membrane potential and reduced Cainflux.Reverse transcriptasepolymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) analysis revealed the presence of Kv1.1,Kv1.3,Kv1.5,Kv2.1,Kv3.3,Kv3.4 and Kv4.3 channels.Cell migration was markedly inhibited by tetraethylammonium(TEA),a delayed rectifier Kv channel blocker,but not by 4-aminopyridine,an A-type Kv channel blocker.Conclusions: Taken together,our results show that increased Kv channel expression played a role in BT474 cell migration,and Kv channels could be considered as biomarkers or potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer metastasis.The mechanism(s) by which Kv channels enhanced migration appeared unrelated to membrane hyperpolarization and Cainflux.

Advances in Oncoplastic Breast Surgery

Evidence from six prospective,randomized trials has shown that breast-conserving surgery(BCS)is a safe alternative to mastectomy,and this led to a heightened interest in achieving and balancing local control and cosmetic outcome post-surgery.However,it is also becoming apparent that conventional BCS techniques may not produce cosmetically favorable results for patients who present with ill-defined or poorly situated breast tumors.Other factors that are commonly found in Chinese women,such as small-volume and denser breasts,also contribute to the difficulty in achieving an optimal cosmetic outcome post-surgery,thus necessitating the need for oncoplastic breast surgery techniques to be employed.This article serves as an overview of the recent advances and principles of oncoplastic breast surgery,as well as the use of autologous fat grafts to improve cosmetic results and eliminate remaining smaller deformities post-surgery.

Aberrant methylation of Glutathione S-transferase P1 and E-cadherin in invasive ductal breast carcinoma and fibroadenoma

Objective To investigate the hypermethylation status of glutathione transferase P1(GSTP1)and E-cadherin(ECAD),TSGs(tumor suppressor genes)in our breast cancer samples and explore their correlation with clinicopathological features of corresponding cancer patients.Methods One hundred and thirty-six IDC(invasive ductal carcinoma)patients were recruited for analysis and 16 fibroadenoma patients acted as control.DNA extraction and methylation-specific PCR(MSP)were subsequently performed preceded by pathological examination.Results The percentage of hypermethylated GSTP1 in carcinoma and fibroadenoma groups was 34.92% and 15.79% respectively and the percentage of hypermethylated ECAD in carcinomas and fibroadenomas was 18.00% and 0.00% respectively.Carcinoma had the highest percentage of c-erbB2 overexpression being 54.55% among the clinicopathological parameters.Conclusion Hypermethylation patterns are frequent in IDC and seem to relate to c-erbB2 overexpression,and such epigenetic change should not be neglected in fibroadenoma.Tumor methylation status in cancer patients can be determined at early stage and it may be a reference for better treatment planning.

Methods of early detection:would clinical breast examination and breast ultrasonography be a good alternative to mammography?

Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths among women[1].In the past 40 years,breast cancer incidence has doubled or even tripled in developed countries such as South Korea and Japan; whereas it is about 20% to 30% in China and India in the past decade[2-4]. An increasing incidence rate of 3%

Immunotherapeutic approach on triple negative breast cancer: recent progress and predictors of response

Clinical trials utilizing the immune checkpoint inhibitors,particularly the IMpassion and KEYNOTE trials,have made it possible to understand how the immune checkpoint inhibitors can be used to treat patients with triple negative breast cancer(TNBC).Patient stratification based on simply PD-L1 positivity has now been shown to be insufficient and inaccurate as a predictor of response to the immune checkpoint inhibitors,and the role of the tumor microenvironment has become more apparent.This article serves as a brief overview of the latest progress on the clinical trials as well as the potential predictors of response to immune checkpoint blockade.