Infrared microspectroscopy of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Spectral signatures of cancer grading

In the present paper, we compared the histopathological and vibrational analyses of different tissue sections of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) at various malignancy grades, in order to unambiguously identify them. To achieve reliable results, healthy and dysplastic samples were also taken into account. FT-IR microspectroscopy is considered an effective tool for studying different molecular structures occurring in tumoral tissues and offers an interesting alternative to detect biochemical changes in a non-subjective way. In particular, on an adequate number of tissue sections affected by three different grades of OSSC (well G1, moderately G2, and poorly G3 differentiated), as well as on dysplastic and healthy tissues (all obtained from surgical resection), the chemical maps were acquired on meaningful areas containing both epithelial and connective structures. The multivariate analysis (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, HCA, and Principal Component Analysis, PCA), performed separately on epithelial and connective spectral data, afforded to a good segregation for the different morphological structures. By analysing the representative spectra of healthy, dysplastic and tumoral epithelia and connectives, modifications were pin-pointed in the position of bands and absorbance band ratios usually associated with carcinogenesis. Above all, the changes in the protein pattern (with modifications in the length of side chains and in secondary structures), and in carbohydrates and nucleic acids moieties were associated with specific spectral markers of this pathology. The vibrational investigation led to a satisfactory understanding of these lesions so contributing to an early diagnosis, when the sole morphological inspection may result troublesome.     

葡萄糖转运蛋白1（GLUT-1）抑制剂BAY-876体内活性的正电子发射型计算机断层显像（PET）检测

目前,葡萄糖转运蛋白(glucose transporter,GLUT)不仅是细胞摄取葡萄糖的功能与物质保障,同时也是恶性肿瘤抗肿瘤药物治疗的新型干预靶点。建立GLUT抑制剂的体内活性评价方法具有重要意义。利用正电子发射型计算机断层显像检测仪(positron emission computed tomography,PET)对小动物肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)肿瘤模型进行PET检测,建立GLUT抑制剂的小动物体内活性检测方法。在HCC细胞系中检测GLUT-1的表达,选取GLUT-1表达水平最高的细胞系接种BalB/c免疫缺陷动物皮下,形成免疫缺陷动物皮下肿瘤模型。连续三日口服灌胃给药,给予动物5 mg/kg的GLUT-1抑制剂BAY-876后,进行PET检测。动物行尾静脉注射200μCi的核素探针~(18)F-FDG,约30 min后进行PET检测。在此基础上,使用盖革计数器检测动物肿瘤与血液的放射性强度比较。在所选细胞系中,MHCC-97H细胞中GLUT-1的表达显著高于其他细胞系,BAY-876治疗动物能够显著抑制MHCC-97H皮下肿瘤组织对18F-FDG的摄取。GLUT-1抑制剂BAY-876能够显著抑制HCC细胞对葡萄糖的摄取,成功建立了利用PET检测GLUT抑制剂动物体内活性的PET检测方法。     

Tumor targeting of HPMA copolymer conjugates containing sulfadiazine groups

To develop new tumor targeting macromolecular conjugates,poly（HPMA）-SD-APMA-DTPA（HPMA:N-（2-hydroxypropyl）- methacrylamide;APMA:N-（3-ammopropyl）methacrylamide;DTPA:diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid;SD:sulfadiazine） was synthesized and characterized.The poly（HPMA）-SD-DTPA conjugates were radiolabeled with the radionuclide ^99mTc and tested for uptake by cultured H22 cells in vitro.DTPA-^99mTc（radiotracer 1） and poly（HPMA）-DTPA-^99mTc（radiotracer 2） were also synthesized and characterized for comparison.The uptake of poly（HPMA）-SD-DTPA-^99mTc（radiotracer 3,34.76%） was significantly higher than that of poly（HPMA）-DTPA-^99mTc（16.40%）,indicating that uptake of the poly（HPMA）-SD-DTPA-^99mT was active binding.The uptake of poly（HPMA）-DTPA-^99mTc was significantly higher than that of DTPA-^99mTc（2.98%）, suggesting that uptake of the poly（HPMA）-DTPA-^99mT was passive binding.The data suggest that the poly（HPMA）-SDAPMA -DTPA conjugates might be useful as tumor targeting macromolecular conjugates.     

膳食与癌

主要从营养和膳食因素与某些癌症之间的关系方面加以综述,对防止“癌从口入”具有重要的意义。     

Inhibitory potential of Hydroxychavicol on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma model and in silico interaction on cancer targets

Abstract

Hydroxychavicol (HC), a major phenolic derivative isolated from the leaves of Piper betle L. is well known for its antibacterial, antifungal and antimutagenic properties. The present study evaluated the in vivo antitumor activity of HC against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cells in Swiss albino mice and in silico interaction of HC with the receptors involved in the cancer. Hydroxychavicol (200 and 400?mg/kg bw) was orally administered for 21 consecutive days and was effective in inhibiting the tumor growth in ascitic mouse model. HC consistently reduced the tumor volume, viable cell count, lipid peroxidation and elevated the life span of HC treated mice. Besides the hematological profiles, SGOT and SGPT levels reverted back to normal and oxidative stress markers GSH, SOD and CAT also increased in HC treated groups. In silico docking analysis revealed that HC possessed potent antagonist activity against all the cancer targets demonstrating its inhibitory activity.     

原发性肝癌P53基因第249密码子突变的研究

用聚合酶链反应－限制性片段长度多态性（ＰＣＲ－ＲＦＬＰ）技术对７例原发性肝细胞癌（ＰＨＣ）进行Ｐ＾５３基因第２４９密码子突变的检测。结果：７例肝细胞癌中３例有Ｐ＾５３基因第２４９密码子突变，突变率达４２．９％。     

Screening and Identification of Peptides that Bind Specifically to the X gene Promoter of Hepatitis B Virus Using a Combinatorial Peptide Library Approach

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (HBx) plays a key role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in HBV carriers. A drug that can bind to the promoter region of HBV may shut down the expression of HBx and subsequently prevent the development of HCC in the HBV carrier. We have constructed a seven amino acid residue peptide library on a TentaGel resin using a combinatorial one‐bead one‐sequence peptide synthesis method. The fluorescently labeled eicosanucleotide (5′‐(6‐FAM) CTTTTGGGCT TTGCTGCCCC‐3′) of the HBx promoter region was used as a monitor to screen for peptides that have high binding affinity to the HBx promoter. Two heptapeptides, KAPLFSI and SRVRMTW, were identified, and synthesized. The binding affinities of the peptides to the HBx promoter oligonucleotide were determined using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). The peptide KAPLFSI had a greater binding affinity constant (k_a) and equilibrium constant (K_D) than SRVRMTW. The k_a and K_D values with the full X‐promoter sequence were found to be 1.425 E+5 (1/Ms) and 1.186 E‐8 (M), respectively. The peptide may open a new route for tumor suppression in HBV carriers.     

Hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma in the cirrhotic liver: diffusion-weighted imaging versus superparamagnetic iron oxide-enhanced MRI

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to validate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the assessment of hypervascular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) compared with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the cirrhotic liver.

Material and Methods

Forty-six consecutive patients with 106 hypervascular focal lesions in the cirrhotic liver who underwent DWI using three b factors and gadopentetate dimeglumine-enhanced dynamic MRI followed by SPIO-enhanced MRI were enrolled. Two independent radiologists evaluated two separated image sets (SPIO set, dynamic MRI and SPIO-enhanced T2*-weighted images; DWI set, DWI and dynamic MRI) and assigned confidence levels for diagnosis of HCC using a five-point scale for each lesion. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (A_z) was calculated for each image set.

Results

The A_z value of the DWI set was larger than the SPIO set by both readers (reader 1, 0.936 vs. 0.900, P=.050; reader 2, 0.938 vs. 0.905, P=.110). For the sensitivity (reader 1, 93.1% vs. 86.2%, P=.146; reader 2, 95.4% vs. 88.5%, P=.070) and specificity (reader 1, 89.5% vs. 73.7%, P=.250; reader 2, 79.0% vs. 73.7%, P=1.000) of HCC diagnosis, DWI sets were superior to SPIO sets without statistically significant differences.

Conclusion

For assessment of hypervascular HCC, DWI in combination with dynamic MRI provides comparable or slightly better information compared with the combination of dynamic and SPIO-enhanced MRI.     

GYS2 与 p53 抑制 HBV 相关的肝癌进展

本文基于 Hill 动力学与 Michaelis-Menten 方程,建立理论模型研究糖原合酶2 (GYS2) 与 p53 蛋白抑制乙肝病毒(HBV)相关的肝癌进展。理论模型考虑乙肝病毒x蛋白 (HBx)、组蛋白脱乙酰基酶1 (HDAC1)与乙酰化的p53(p53AC) 结合形成复合体,抑制GYS2 表达,以及GYS2通过调控增强稳态 p53(Sp53) 表达,进而抑制肝癌(HCC)的发生发展。研究发现,GYS2 灵敏地调控 Sp53 表达上调,从而使得未乙酰化的Sp53(FSp53) 表达提升,抑制 HCC 的发生发展。部分 Sp53 经过 p300 蛋白乙酰化后与 HBx、 HDAC1 结合形成复合体,通过负反馈抑制 GYS2表达。通过考察不同浓度 HBx 条件下 GYS2 与 FSp53 的动力学特性,我们发现,较高浓度的 HBx 减弱了 GYS2 表达,进而弱化了下游 FSp53 的表达水平。另外,p300 与部分 Sp53 结合,也在一程度上调低了 FSp53 的表达水平,减弱了 FSp53 对 HCC 的抑制程度,从而促进了HCC 发生发展。理论结果符合实验,并进一步揭示 GYS2 与 p53调控的 HCC 的抑癌机理,可为设计阻断乙型肝炎向 HCC 转变通路的治疗方案提供理论依据。