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The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of aquaporin‑1 (AQP1) level and intratumoral microvessel density (IMD) on the clinicopathological features of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The AQP1 expression levels, IMD and AQP1/IMD ratios in patients with HCC were measured using a semi‑quantitative immunohistochemical technique. The association between these features and clinicopathological variables were evaluated. The prognostic impact of AQP1 and IMD on overall survival (OS), and 5‑year disease‑free survival (DFS) of HCC patients was investigated retrospectively. P<0.05 was considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. A total of 90 cases of HCC were included in the present study. AQP1 was markedly expressed in the membranes of microvessels and small vessels, but seldom in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Blood vessels in the tumors were markedly stained by anti‑cluster of differentiation 34 antibody. AQP1 expression and IMD was significantly correlated with tumor size, histologic grade, Child‑Pugh classification, microvascular invasion and tumor‑node‑metastasis (TNM) stage (P<0.05). Concurrently, for the 5‑year DFS and OS, a larger tumor size, poorly differentiated histological grade, B and C Child‑Pugh classification, presence of microvascular invasion, high TNM stage, a high AQP1 expression and a high IMD were significant risk factors for mortality. Multivariate analysis revealed that TNM stage and IMD were independent unfavorable prognostic markers for 5‑year DFS (P=0.049 and P=0.025, respectively) and OS (P=0.043 and P=0.042, respectively). These data suggest that high AQP1 expression and IMD are associated with tumor progression and prognosis in HCC. The IMD level may serve as an independent indicator for the 5‑year DFS and OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of picfeltarraenin IA (IA) on respiratory inflammation by analyzing its effect on interleukin (IL)-8 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. The expression of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) in human pulmonary adenocarcinoma epithelial A549 cells in culture was also examined. Human pulmonary epithelial A549 cells and the human monocytic leukemia THP-1 cell line were used in the current study. Cell viability was measured using a methylthiazol tetrazolium assay. The production of IL-8 and PGE2 was investigated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of COX2 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-p65 was examined using western blot analysis. Treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 μg/ml) resulted in the increased production of IL-8 and PGE2, and the increased expression of COX2 in the A549 cells. Furthermore, IA (0.1-10 µmol/l) significantly inhibited PGE2 production and COX2 expression in cells with LPS-induced IL-8, in a concentration-dependent manner. The results suggested that IA downregulates LPS-induced COX2 expression, and inhibits IL-8 and PGE2 production in pulmonary epithelial cells. Additionally, IA was observed to suppress the expression of COX2 in THP-1 cells, and also to regulate the expression of COX2 via the NF-κB pathway in the A549 cells, but not in the THP-1 cells. These results indicate that IA regulates LPS-induced cytokine release in A549 cells via the NF-κB pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphisms in microRNA (miR) genes and their target sites are a distinct classification of variation in the human genome, which are rapidly being identified and investigated in human cancer. A polymorphism in the miR-196a-2 locus has demonstrated significant associations with various types of cancer, including lung, breast, esophageal and gastric tumors. However, miR-196a-2 has not been fully explored in ovarian cancer, which shares similar biological characteristics with other types of cancer. Therefore, the present study aimed to elucidate the association between a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the mature sequence of miR-196a-2 (rs11614913, T/C) and the clinical features of 479 Chinese patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). In addition, the biological significance of this polymorphism was investigated in the OVCAR3 ovarian cancer cell line. Risk association was evaluated in 479 cases of EOC patients and 431 controls. SNPs were analyzed by using polymerase chain reaction based restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. miR-196a expression was evaluated with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The influence of miR-196a-2 rs11614913 T/C on EOC cell migration and invasion ability was further investigated in vitro. The results revealed significant differences in the homozygous CC genotype distribution in patients with EOC (n=479), compared with that of the control subjects (n=431; P=0.026). Analysis of the association between genotype and the risk of EOC revealed that individuals who carried the homozygous CC genotype were 1.34-fold more susceptible to EOC, compared with those carrying the wild-type TT and heterozygous CT genotypes [odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.04-2.17; P=0.023]. In addition, the role of this polymorphism in the production of mature miR-196a was investigated. Significantly enhanced production of mature miR-196a was revealed in the C-allelic compared with that of the T-allelic miR-196a-2 precursor (P<0.05). Further examination indicated that miR-196a significantly promoted cell migration and invasion ability in the human OVCAR3 ovarian cell line (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results indicated that the miR-196a-2 rs11614913 CC genotype may increase the risks of ovarian cancer by affecting the expression of mature miR-196a and enhancing cell migration/invasion. The current results provided evidence that the T>C polymorphism in the miR-196a-2 precursor may influence tumorigenesis and metastasis in EOC, and suggested that the functional SNP rs11614913 in the promoter region of pri-miR-196a-2 may be a potential indicator of EOC susceptibility in the population analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sushi domain containing 2 (SUSD2) has been identified as a gene encoding an 822-amino acid protein, which contains a transmembrane domain and functional domains inherent to adhesion molecules. Previous studies have reported that increased expression of SUSD2 has a critical role in tumorigenesis in human breast cancer. However, to the best of our knowledge, SUSD2 expression status and its correlation with the clinicopathological features of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not previously been investigated. In the present study, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were used to evaluate SUSD2 messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression in NSCLC and adjacent normal lung tissues. The clinicopathological significance of SUSD2 was investigated by immunohistochemical analysis of an NSCLC tissue microarray. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to determine the cut-off score for positive expression of SUSD2. Furthermore, the correlation between SUSD2 expression and the clinicopathological features of NSCLC was analyzed by χ² test. The results revealed that SUSD2 mRNA (P<0.0001) and protein (P<0.0001) expression levels were significantly decreased in NSCLC tissues compared with those of adjacent normal tissues. When the SUSD2 positive expression percentage was determined to be >47.5% (area under ROC curve, 0.799; P<0.000), positive expression of SUSD2 was observed in 100% (32/32) of normal lung tissues and 55% (88/160) of NSCLC tissues by immunohistochemistry (χ²=21.160; P<0.000). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the reduced SUSD2 protein levels in cancer tissues were positively correlated with poor histological grade (χ²=41.764; P<0.000), advanced clinical stage (χ²=10.790; P=0.013), higher pT (χ²=9.070; P=0.028) and positive regional lymph node metastasis (χ²=15.399; P=0.002). In conclusion, these data suggest that the reduced expression of SUSD2 is associated with the progression of NSCLC and may have a role in the pathogenesis of NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been shown by certain studies to be associated with diabetes mellitus (DM); however, the results of these studies were controversial. For that reason, a meta-analysis of the literature was performed in order to determine the association between HBV infection and the prevalence of DM more accurately. The PubMed, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wan Fang databases, as well as the Chinese Science and Technology Journal Database, were searched for literature published until June 2014. The reference lists of all relevant articles were also searched. The summary odds ratios (ORs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated based on a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I² statistic. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on study type and region for the purpose of assessing the factors that could potentially affect the outcome. A total of 15 eligible studies (in 14 articles) were selected for the meta-analysis, involving 12,974,690 HBV-infected patients and 231,776,232 controls. The OR for the prevalence of DM was 1.33 (95% CI, 1.09-1.62; P=0.005) between the patients with HBV infection and the controls. The subgroup analysis based on study type revealed a significantly higher prevalence of DM in the HBV-infected group than that in the control group in both case-control (OR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.08-3.30; P=0.025) and cross-sectional (OR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.04-1.90; P=0.027) studies. The subgroup analysis based on region revealed a significantly higher prevalence of DM in the HBV-infected group than in the control group in the Asia-Pacific region (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.08-2.58; P=0.022). Compared with uninfected patients, the pooled results suggest that HBV-infected patients have a higher risk of developing DM; however, given the fact that this is a meta-analysis of observational studies, further randomized controlled trials are required in order to reach a more accurate conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) causes coagulative necrosis of tumor tissue and the production of local tumor protein debris. These fragments of tumor protein debris contain a large number of various antigens, which can stimulate a specific cellular immune response. In the present study, dendritic cells (DCs) were loaded with tumor protein lysate antigens that were produced in situ by RFA, and were used to treat murine colon carcinoma in combination with cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells. Subsequent to the treatment of murine colon carcinoma by RFA, the in situ supernatant of tumor lysis was collected and the DCs were loaded with the lysate antigen to generate Ag-DCs. CIK cells induced from the spleen cells of mice were co-cultured with Ag-DCs to generate Ag-DC-CIK cells. The results revealed that the Ag-DC-CIK cells exhibited strong antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. The morphology and immunophenotypes of these cells were determined using microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. The cytotoxic activity of Ag-DC-CIK cells was determined using a CCK-8 assay. To establish a mouse model, mice were randomized into Ag-DC-CIK, DC-CIK, CIK and PBS control groups and monitored for tumor growth and survival time. ANOVA was used to compare the trends in the three groups for implanted tumor volumes. The log-rank test was used to compare the survival time. The present findings indicated that DCs loaded with the protein lysate antigens of tumors, produced in situ by RFA, combined with CIK cells may be a novel strategy for cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity, diabetes and insulin resistance are marked risk factors that promote the development of type I endometrial cancer. Previous studies have demonstrated that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-2 promote cell proliferation in endometrial cancer cells, while metformin reverses this effect and inhibits cell proliferation. However, the effects of metformin on the regulation of the IGF signaling pathway are unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation of IGF signaling by metformin in endometrial cancer cells, and to determine the effects of metformin combined with IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitor on cell proliferation and apoptosis. Cell proliferation was assessed following exposure of Ishikawa and HEC-1B endometrial cancer cell lines to metformin and/or the IGF-1R inhibitor, PPP. Apoptosis was assessed by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. Metformin was observed to downregulate IGF-1R and upregulate IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) mRNA and protein expression, while compound C, an adenosine monophosphate protein kinase inhibitor, reversed this effect. Metformin administered with PPP inhibited endometrial cancer cell proliferation to a greater degree than treatment with either agent alone. At high concentrations (1 or 2 mM), metformin induced apoptosis in endometrial cancer cells. Metformin combined with IGF-1R axis inhibitors may act synergistically to kill tumor cells, as metformin was shown to delay and prevent IGF-1R feedback. In conclusion, this study supported the results of animal studies and subclinical studies, demonstrating the feasibility of metformin combined with IGF-1R axis inhibitors in the treatment of endometrial cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer is a commom malignancy in the urinary tract that is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The role of functional polymorphisms in the methy-lenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene with bladder cancer risk remains to be determined. This meta-analysis was performed to derive a more precise estimation of MTHFR Ala222Val and Glu429Ala polymorphisms and bladder cancer risk. Data were collected with the last report up to September 2013. A total of 3,463 cases and 3,927 controls for Ala222Val, and 3,177 cases and 3,502 controls for Glu429Ala were analyzed. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated for the association with bladder cancer risk. Overall, no significant associations of Ala222Val and Glu429Ala polymorphisms with bladder cancer risk were found (for Ala222Val: Val/Val vs. Ala/Ala: OR, 1.02; 95% CI: 0.80-1.29; Val/Ala vs. Ala/Ala: OR, 1.02; 95% CI: 0.92-1.12; dominant model: OR, 1.01; 95% CI: 0.87-1.17; recessive model: OR, 1.00; 95% CI: 0.87-1.15; and for Glu429Ala: Ala/Ala vs. Glu/Glu: OR, 1.11; 95% CI: 0.78-1.58; Ala/Glu vs. Glu/Glu: OR, 1.16; 95% CI: 0.95-1.40; dominant model: OR, 1.15; 95% CI: 0.94-1.41; recessive model: OR, 0.96; 95% CI: 0.79-1.15). In stratified analyses by ethnicity, significant associations were observed for Glu429Ala polymorphism in individuals of Middle Eastern descent (Ala/Glu vs. Glu/Glu: OR, 2.11; 95% CI: 1.26-3.53; dominant model: OR, 2.16; 95% CI: 1.16-4.01; recessive model: OR, 1.82; 95% CI: 1.11-3.01). This meta-analysis demonstrated that overall there was no association of MTHFR Ala222Val and Glu429Ala polymorphisms with bladder cancer risk. However, in the stratified analysis by ethnicity the MTHFR Glu429Ala polymorphism was significantly associated with increased bladder cancer risk in individuals of Middle Eastern descent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]