WorldWideScience

Sample records for epithelial cancers including

  1. Stromal-epithelial interactions in aging and cancer: Senescent fibroblasts alter epithelial cell differentiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Parrinello, Simona; Coppe, Jean-Philippe; Krtolica, Ana; Campisi, Judith

    2004-07-14

    Cellular senescence suppresses cancer by arresting cells at risk for malignant tumorigenesis. However, senescent cells also secrete molecules that can stimulate premalignant cells to proliferate and form tumors, suggesting the senescence response is antagonistically pleiotropic. We show that premalignant mammary epithelial cells exposed to senescent human fibroblasts in mice irreversibly lose differentiated properties, become invasive and undergo full malignant transformation. Moreover, using cultured mouse or human fibroblasts and non-malignant breast epithelial cells, we show that senescent fibroblasts disrupt epithelial alveolar morphogenesis, functional differentiation, and branching morphogenesis. Further, we identify MMP-3 as the major factor responsible for the effects of senescent fibroblasts on branching morphogenesis. Our findings support the idea that senescent cells contribute to age-related pathology, including cancer, and describe a new property of senescent fibroblasts--the ability to alter epithelial differentiation--that might also explain the loss of tissue function and organization that is a hallmark of aging.

  2. Cell volume regulation in epithelial physiology and cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Stine Helene Falsig; Hoffmann, Else Kay; Novak, Ivana

    2013-01-01

    expression of ion transporters and channels is now recognized as one of the hallmarks of cancer, it is timely to consider this especially for epithelia. Epithelial cells are highly proliferative and epithelial cancers, carcinomas, account for about 90% of all cancers. In this review we will focus on ion...... such as cancer, transepithelial and cell volume regulatory ion transport are dys-regulated. Furthermore, epithelial architecture and coordinated ion transport function are lost, cell survival/death balance is altered, and new interactions with the stroma arise, all contributing to drug resistance. Since altered...... transporters and channels with key physiological functions in epithelia and known roles in the development of cancer in these tissues. Their roles in cell survival, cell cycle progression, and development of drug resistance in epithelial cancers will be discussed....

  3. Primary Surgery or Interval Debulking for Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Markauskas, Algirdas; Mogensen, Ole; dePont Christensen, René

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the surgical complexity, the postoperative morbidity, and the survival of the women after primary debulking surgery (PDS) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery (NACT-IDS) for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer....... MATERIALS AND METHODS: We consecutively included all patients who underwent debulking surgery at our institution between January 2007 and December 2012 for stages IIIc and IV of epithelial ovarian cancer. RESULTS: Of the 332 patients included, 165 (49.7%) underwent PDS, and 167 (50.3%) had NACT...

  4. Paradigm Shift in the Management Strategy for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Keiichi; McAlpine, Jessica N; Lheureux, Stephanie; Matsumura, Noriomi; Oza, Amit M

    2016-01-01

    The hypothesis on the pathogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer continues to evolve. Although epithelial ovarian cancer had been assumed to arise from the coelomic epithelium of the ovarian surface, it is now becoming clearer that the majority of serous carcinomas arise from epithelium of the distal fallopian tube, whereas clear cell and endometrioid cancers arise from endometriosis. Molecular and genomic characteristics of epithelial ovarian cancer have been extensively investigated. Our understanding of pathogenesis of the various histologic types of ovarian cancer have begun to inform changes to the strategies for management of epithelial ovarian cancer, which represent a paradigm shift not only for treatment but also for prevention, which previously had not been considered achievable. In this article, we will discuss novel attempts at the prevention of high-grade serous ovarian cancer and treatment strategies for two distinct entities in epithelial ovarian cancer: low-grade serous and clear cell ovarian carcinomas, which are relatively rare and resistant to conventional chemotherapy.

  5. Comparative proteome analysis of human epithelial ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gagné Jean-Philippe

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Epithelial ovarian cancer is a devastating disease associated with low survival prognosis mainly because of the lack of early detection markers and the asymptomatic nature of the cancer until late stage. Using two complementary proteomics approaches, a differential protein expression profile was carried out between low and highly transformed epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines which realistically mimic the phenotypic changes observed during evolution of a tumour metastasis. This investigation was aimed at a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying differentiation, proliferation and neoplastic progression of ovarian cancer. Results The quantitative profiling of epithelial ovarian cancer model cell lines TOV-81D and TOV-112D generated using iTRAQ analysis and two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled to liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry revealed some proteins with altered expression levels. Several of these proteins have been the object of interest in cancer research but others were unrecognized as differentially expressed in a context of ovarian cancer. Among these, series of proteins involved in transcriptional activity, cellular metabolism, cell adhesion or motility and cytoskeleton organization were identified, suggesting their possible role in the emergence of oncogenic pathways leading to aggressive cellular behavior. Conclusion The differential protein expression profile generated by the two proteomics approaches combined to complementary characterizations studies will open the way to more exhaustive and systematic representation of the disease and will provide valuable information that may be helpful to uncover the molecular mechanisms related to epithelial ovarian cancer.

  6. Drugs with potential chemopreventive properties in relation to epithelial ovarian cancer--a nationwide case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baandrup, Louise

    2015-07-01

    Ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis because the disease in the majority of patients is diagnosed at an advanced stage as a result of nonspecific symptoms and lack of efficient screening methods. Because of the poor prognosis of ovarian cancer and the challenge of early detection of the disease, identification of protective factors is important. It has been suggested that some commonly used drugs may have a protective effect against cancer, including ovarian cancer; however, the literature on chemopreventive measures for ovarian cancer is sparse and the results are inconclusive. Most previous studies have substantial methodological constraints, including limited study size and self-reporting of drug use, which introduces potential recall bias and misclassification. This PhD thesis includes a nationwide case-control study to evaluate associations between use of drugs with potential chemopreventive properties and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. The study is nested in the entire Danish female population using data from the following nationwide registries: the Danish Cancer Registry, the Danish Civil Registration System, the Danish Prescription Registry, the Danish National Patient Register, and registries in Statistics Denmark on fertility, education, and income. Information from the included registries is linked by use of the unique personal identification number assigned to all Danish citizens. The cases were all women in Denmark with epithelial ovarian cancer diagnosed during 2000-2009 (Paper 1) and 2000-2011 (Papers 2 and 3), identified in the Cancer Registry. Age-matched female population controls were randomly selected from the Civil Registration System by risk-set sampling. We required that cases and controls have no history of cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer) and that controls not previously have undergone bilateral oophorectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy. The total study population comprised 3741 epithelial ovarian cancer cases and 50,576 controls in

  7. The Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer: Focus on Basal-Like Carcinomas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Fedele

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that is characterized by a high grade of cell plasticity arising from the contribution of a diverse range of factors. When combined, these factors allow a cancer cell to transition from an epithelial to a mesenchymal state through a process of dedifferentiation that confers stem-like features, including chemoresistance, as well as the capacity to migrate and invade. Understanding the complex events that lead to the acquisition of a mesenchymal phenotype will therefore help to design new therapies against metastatic breast cancer. Here, we recapitulate the main endogenous molecular signals involved in this process, and their cross-talk with paracrine factors. These signals and cross-talk include the extracellular matrix; the secretome of cancer-associated fibroblasts, macrophages, cancer stem cells, and cancer cells; and exosomes with their cargo of miRNAs. Finally, we highlight some of the more promising therapeutic perspectives based on counteracting the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cells.

  8. [The molecular biology of epithelial ovarian cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leary, Alexandra; Pautier, Patricia; Tazi, Youssef; Morice, Philippe; Duvillard, Pierre; Gouy, Sébastien; Uzan, Catherine; Gauthier, Hélène; Balleyguier, Corinne; Lhommé, Catherine

    2012-12-01

    Epithelial ovarian cancer frequently presents at an advanced stage where the cornerstone of management remains surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. Unfortunately, despite sometimes dramatic initial responses, advanced ovarian cancer almost invariably relapses. Little progress has been made in the identification of effective targeted-therapies for ovarian cancer. The majority of clinical trials investigating novel agents have been negative and the only approved targeted-therapy is bevacizumab, for which reliable predictive biomarkers still elude us. Ovarian cancer is treated as a uniform disease. Yet, biological studies have highlighted the heterogeneity of this malignancy with marked differences in histology, oncogenesis, prognosis, chemo-responsiveness, and molecular profile. Recent high throughput molecular analyses have identified a huge number of genomic/phenotypic alterations. Broadly speaking, high grade serous carcinomas (type II) display significant genomic instability and numerous amplifications and losses; low grade (type I) tumors are genomically stable but display frequent mutations. Importantly, many of these genomic alterations relate to known oncogenes for which targeted-therapies are available or in development. There is today a real potential for personalized medicine in ovarian cancer. We will review the current literature regarding the molecular characterization of epithelial ovarian cancer and discuss the biological rationale for a number of targeted strategies. In order to translate these biological advances into meaningful clinical improvements for our patients, it is imperative to incorporate translational research in ovarian cancer trials, a number of strategies will be proposed such as the acquisition of quality tumor samples, including sequential pre- and post-treatment biopsies, the potential of liquid biopsies, and novel trial designs more adapted to the molecular era of ovarian cancer research.

  9. Nedd4L expression is decreased in ovarian epithelial cancer tissues compared to ovarian non-cancer tissue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Qiuyun; Zhao, Jinghe; Cui, Manhua; Gi, Shuting; Wang, Wei; Han, Xiaole

    2015-12-01

    Recent studies have demonstrated that the neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 4-like (Nedd4L) gene plays a role in the progression of various cancers. However, reports describing Nedd4L expression in ovarian cancer tissues are limited. A cohort (n = 117) of archival formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded resected normal ovarian epithelial tissues (n = 10), benign ovarian epithelial tumor tissues (n = 10), serous borderline ovarian epithelial tumor tissues (n = 14), mucous borderline ovarian epithelial tumor tissues (n = 11), and invasive ovarian epithelial cancer tissues (n = 72) were assessed for Nedd4L protein expression using immunohistochemistry. Nedd4L protein expression was significantly decreased in invasive ovarian epithelial cancer tissues compared to non-cancer tissues (P < 0.05). Decreased Nedd4L protein expression correlated with clinical stage, pathological grade, lymph node metastasis and survival (P < 0.05). Nedd4L protein expression may be an independent prognostic marker of ovarian cancer development. © 2015 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  10. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and its receptors in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacek Nikliński

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the present study was to characterize the expression pattern of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha and its receptors (TNF-Rs in the epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC and compare these results with the outcome of 126 patients. Presence of TNF-alpha, TNFR-1 and TNFR-2 were studied by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The proportion of samples positive for TNF-alpha and TNF-R2 was higher in epithelial ovarian cancer patients than in benign ovarian diseases (p<0.001 and p=0.016, respectively. Immunostaining intensity of TNF-R2 were correlated with tumor stage (p<0.001 and with reduced mean survival time (MST (p=0.002. The results of the present study suggested that tissue expression of TNF-R2 in epithelial ovarian cancer was correlated with the highest risk of cancer progression. Thus, the clinical value of activated TNF system in epithelial ovarian cancer needs to be further investigated.

  11. A case-control study of risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ghaem Maghami Noori F

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian cancer is second prevalent cancer among gynecologic malignancies and the most common type of ovarian cancer is epithelial form (85-90 percent. To detect the risk factors for the epithelial ovarian cancer, a case-control study was conducted in Valieasr hospital in 1988. In this study, 118 cases with epithelial ovarian cancer (according histological records and 240 controls without any gynecological cancer in gynecologic clinic had been interviewed. For data analysis, T-test, Chi2 test and logistic regression have been used at a =0.05 as level of significance. The mean age in cases was 50±13 and in controls was 49.9±12 years, without significant different. The mean number of pregnancies and parity in cases was less than controls, significantly (P<0.03. The mean months of breast feeding in cases was less than controls (54.9±71.2 versus 82.4±62.7 (P<0.001. The cases had a lower mean age of menarch than controls (P=0.03. 58 percent of cases and 21.3 percent of controls hadn't used any contraception methods (P=0.00001. The mean years of contraception was significantly less in cases versus controls (P<0.001. The odds ratio for epithelial ovarian cancer was 0.24 (95 percent CI: 0.13-0.48 in OCP users, 0.47 (95 percent CI: 0.005-0.43 in TL method, and was 0.41 (95 percent CI: 0.22-0.76 in other contraception methods, relative to women who hadn't used any contraception methods. This study reveals that epithelial ovarian cancer risk increases significantly with earlier menarch, decreasing number of pregnancy, deliveries duration of breast feeding and use of contraception methods. Use of contraception pill and tubal ligation method decreases risk of epithelial ovarian cancer.

  12. The emerging role of exosomes in Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition in cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Jayne Vella

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Metastasis in cancer consists of multiple steps, including Epithelial-Mesenchymal-Transition (EMT, which is characterized by the loss of Epithelial-like characteristics and the gain of Mesenchymal-like attributes including cell migration and invasion. It is clear that the tumour microenvironment can promote the metastatic cascade and that intercellular communication is necessary for this to occur. Exosomes are small membranous vesicles secreted by most cell types into the extracellular environment and they are important communicators in the tumour microenvironment. They promote angiogenesis, invasion and proliferation in recipient cells to support tumour growth and a prometastatic phenotype. Although it is clear that exosomes contribute to cancer cell plasticity, experimental evidence to define exosome induced plasticity as EMT is only just coming to light. This review will discuss recent research on exosomal regulation of the EMT process in the tumour microenvironment.

  13. Stomatin-like protein 2 is overexpressed in epithelial ovarian cancer and predicts poor patient survival

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun, Fei; Ding, Wen; He, Jie-Hua; Wang, Xiao-Jing; Ma, Ze-Biao; Li, Yan-Fang

    2015-01-01

    Stomatin-like protein 2 (SLP-2, also known as STOML2) is a stomatin homologue of uncertain function. SLP-2 overexpression has been suggested to be associated with cancer progression, resulting in adverse clinical outcomes in patients. Our study aim to investigate SLP-2 expression in epithelial ovarian cancer cells and its correlation with patient survival. SLP-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were analysed in five epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines and normal ovarian epithelial cells using real-time PCR and western blotting analysis. SLP-2 expression was investigated in eight matched-pair samples of epithelial ovarian cancer and adjacent noncancerous tissues from the same patients. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined the protein expression of paraffin-embedded specimens from 140 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer, 20 cases with borderline ovarian tumours, 20 cases with benign ovarian tumours, and 20 cases with normal ovarian tissues. Statistical analyses were applied to evaluate the clinicopathological significance of SLP-2 expression. SLP-2 mRNA and protein expression levels were significantly up-regulated in epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines and cancer tissues compared with normal ovarian epithelial cells and adjacent noncancerous ovarian tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that the relative overexpression of SLP-2 was detected in 73.6 % (103/140) of the epithelial ovarian cancer specimens, 45.0 % (9/20) of the borderline ovarian specimens, 30.0 % (6/20) of the benign ovarian specimens and none of the normal ovarian specimens. SLP-2 protein expression in epithelial ovarian cancer was significantly correlated with the tumour stage (P < 0.001). Epithelial ovarian cancer patients with higher SLP-2 protein expression levels had shorter progress free survival and overall survival times compared to patients with lower SLP-2 protein expression levels. Multivariate analyses showed that SLP-2 expression levels were an independent prognostic

  14. Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Avendano Juan; Buitrago, Giancarlo; Ramos, Pedro; Suescun Oscar

    2010-01-01

    Objective: To describe the experience at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) on the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy as primary treatment for epithelial ovarian cancer among patients in stages IIIC and IV. Methods: We conducted a descriptive retrospective study (case series type) of patients diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer in stages IIIC and IV, treated at the NCI from January 1, 2003 to December 31,2006, who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy as primary treatment. Demographic characteristics and clinical outcomes are described. Results: Seventeen patients who fulfilled the above mentioned criteria were selected. Once neoadjuvant chemotherapy ended, 5 patients (29.4%) achieved complete or partial clinical response; 4 (23.8%) remained in stable condition, and 8 (47.6%) showed signs of progressive illness. Interval debulking surgery was performed on objective response patients. Maximum cytoreduction was achieved in 5 patients (100%); first relapse was reported at month 18 of follow-up; 2 disease-free survivors were identified in December, 2007; 8 (49%) reported some degree of non-severe chemotherapy-related toxicity. No mortality was related to chemotherapy, no post surgical complications were observed and no patient required advanced support management. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy, followed by optimal interval debulking surgery among selected patients, can be an alternative treatment for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer among women with irresecability or the critically ill. Further studies with improved design are required to confirm these findings.

  15. Diffusion-weighted MRI of epithelial ovarian cancers: Correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient values with histologic grade and surgical stage

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oh, Ji-Won, E-mail: fromentin@naver.com [Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Rha, Sung Eun, E-mail: serha@catholic.ac.kr [Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Oh, Soon Nam, E-mail: hiohsn@catholic.ac.kr [Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Michael Yong, E-mail: digirave@kmle.com [Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Byun, Jae Young, E-mail: jybyun@catholic.ac.kr [Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Ahwon, E-mail: klee@catholic.ac.kr [Department of Hospital Pathology, Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-04-15

    Highlights: •The solid component of all invasive epithelial cancers showed high b{sub 1000} signal intensity. •ADCs can predict the histologic grade of epithelial ovarian cancer. •ADCs correlate negatively to the surgical stage of epithelial ovarian cancer. •ADCs may be useful imaging biomarkers to assess epithelial ovarian cancer. -- Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this article is to correlate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of epithelial ovarian cancers with histologic grade and surgical stage. Materials and methods: We enrolled 43 patients with pathologically proven epithelial ovarian cancers for this retrospective study. All patients underwent preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including diffusion-weighted images with b value of 0 and 1000 s/mm{sup 2} at 3.0-T unit. The mean ADC values of the solid portion of the tumor were measured and compared among different histologic grades and surgical stages. Results: The mean ADC values of epithelial ovarian cancers differed significantly between grade 1 (well-differentiated) and grade 2 (moderately-differentiated) (P = 0.013) as well as between grade 1 and grade 3 (poorly-differentiated) (P = 0.01); however, no statistically significant difference existed between grade 2 and grade 3 (P = 0.737). The receiver-operating characteristic analysis indicated that a cutoff ADC value of less than or equal to 1.09 × 10{sup −3} mm{sup 2}/s was associated with 94.4% sensitivity and 85.7% specificity in distinguishing grade 1 and grade 2/3 cancer. The difference in mean ADC values was statistically significant for early stage (FIGO stage I) and advanced stage (FIGO stage II-IV) cancer (P = 0.011). The interobserver agreement for the mean ADC values of epithelial ovarian cancers was excellent. Conclusion: The mean ADC values of the solid portion of epithelial ovarian cancers negatively correlated to histologic grade and surgical stage. The mean ADC values may be useful imaging

  16. Lymphadenectomy in surgical stage I epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svolgaard, Olivia; Lidegaard, Ojvind; Nielsen, Marie Louise S

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To identify the extent of lymphadenectomy performed in women presenting with epithelial ovarian cancer macroscopically confined to the ovary. Furthermore, the effect of lymphadenectomy on overall survival is evaluated. DESIGN: A prospective nationwide case-only study. SETTING: Denmark...... 2005-2011. SAMPLE: All women registered in the nationwide Danish Gynecologic Cancer Database from 1 January 2005 to 1 May 2011, presenting with a tumor macroscopically confined to the ovary without visible evidence of abdominal spread at the time of the initial exploration (surgical stage I). METHOD......: Descriptive and survival analyses of data from Danish Gynecologic Cancer Database. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The annual proportion of women with surgical stage I disease who received lymphadenectomy and the survival in the two groups. RESULTS: Of 2361 women with epithelial ovarian cancer, 627 were identified...

  17. Optimal primary surgical treatment for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elattar, Ahmed; Bryant, Andrew; Winter-Roach, Brett A; Hatem, Mohamed; Naik, Raj

    2011-08-10

    Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common cancer among women. In addition to diagnosis and staging, primary surgery is performed to achieve optimal cytoreduction (surgical efforts aimed at removing the bulk of the tumour) as the amount of residual tumour is one of the most important prognostic factors for survival of women with epithelial ovarian cancer. An optimal outcome of cytoreductive surgery remains a subject of controversy to many practising gynae-oncologists. The Gynaecologic Oncology group (GOG) currently defines 'optimal' as having residual tumour nodules each measuring 1 cm or less in maximum diameter, with complete cytoreduction (microscopic disease) being the ideal surgical outcome. Although the size of residual tumour masses after surgery has been shown to be an important prognostic factor for advanced ovarian cancer, it is unclear whether it is the surgical procedure that is directly responsible for the superior outcome that is associated with less residual disease. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of optimal primary cytoreductive surgery for women with surgically staged advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (stages III and IV).To assess the impact of various residual tumour sizes, over a range between zero and 2 cm, on overall survival. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2010, Issue 3) and the Cochrane Gynaecological Cancer Review Group Trials Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE (up to August 2010). We also searched registers of clinical trials, abstracts of scientific meetings, reference lists of included studies and contacted experts in the field. Retrospective data on residual disease from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) or prospective and retrospective observational studies which included a multivariate analysis of 100 or more adult women with surgically staged advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and who underwent primary cytoreductive surgery followed by adjuvant platinum

  18. Epithelial cells in nipple aspirate fluid and subsequent breast cancer risk: A historic prospective study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baltzell, Kimberly A; Moghadassi, Michelle; Rice, Terri; Sison, Jennette D; Wrensch, Margaret

    2008-01-01

    Past studies have shown that women with abnormal cytology or epithelial cells in nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) have an increased relative risk (RR) of breast cancer when compared to women from whom NAF was attempted but not obtained (non-yielders). This study analyzed NAF results from a group of women seen in a breast clinic between 1970–1991 (N = 2480). Our analysis presented here is an aggregate of two sub-groups: women with questionnaire data (n = 712) and those with NAF visits beginning in 1988 (n = 238), the year in which cancer case information was uniformly collected in California. Cytological classification was determined for a group of 946 women using the most abnormal epithelial cytology observed in fluid specimens. Breast cancer incidence and mortality status was determined through June 2006 using data from the California Cancer Registry, California Vital Statistics and self-report. We estimated odd ratios (ORs) for breast cancer using logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age. We analyzed breast cancer risk related to abnormality of NAF cytology using non-yielders as the referent group and breast cancer risk related to the presence or absence of epithelial cells in NAF, using non-yielders/fluid without epithelial cells as the referent group. Overall, 10% (93) of the 946 women developed breast cancer during the follow-up period. Age-adjusted ORs and 95% confidence intervals (C.I.) compared to non-yielders were 1.4 (0.3 to 6.4), 1.7 (0.9 to 3.5), and 2.0 (1.1 to 3.6) for women with fluid without epithelial cells, normal epithelial cells and hyperplasia/atypia, respectively. Comparing the presence or absence of epithelial cells in NAF, women with epithelial cells present in NAF were more likely to develop breast cancer than non-yielders or women with fluid without epithelial cells (RR = 1.9, 1.2 to 3.1). These results support previous findings that 1) women with abnormal epithelial cells in NAF have an increased risk of breast cancer when compared to

  19. Lung cancer exosomes as drivers of epithelial mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, Mohammad A; Barger, Jennifer F; Lovat, Francesca; Gao, Min; Otterson, Gregory A; Nana-Sinkam, Patrick

    2016-08-23

    Exosomes, a subgroup of extracellular vesicles (EVs), have been shown to serve as a conduit for the exchange of genetic information between cells. Exosomes are released from all types of cells but in abundance from cancer cells. The contents of exosomes consist of proteins and genetic material (mRNA, DNA and miRNA) from the cell of origin. In this study, we examined the effects of exosomes derived from human lung cancer serum and both highly metastatic and non-metastatic cells on recipient human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs). We found that exosomes derived from highly metastatic lung cancer cells and human late stage lung cancer serum induced vimentin expression, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HBECs. Exosomes derived from highly metastatic cancer cells as well as late stage lung cancer serum induce migration, invasion and proliferation in non-cancerous recipient cells. Our results suggest that cancer derived exosomes could be a potential mediator of EMT in the recipient cells.

  20. CDDO-Me protects normal lung and breast epithelial cells but not cancer cells from radiation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mariam El-Ashmawy

    Full Text Available Although radiation therapy is commonly used for treatment for many human diseases including cancer, ionizing radiation produces reactive oxygen species that can damage both cancer and healthy cells. Synthetic triterpenoids, including CDDO-Me, act as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant modulators primarily by inducing the transcription factor Nrf2 to activate downstream genes containing antioxidant response elements (AREs. In the present series of experiments, we determined if CDDO-Me can be used as a radioprotector in normal non-cancerous human lung and breast epithelial cells, in comparison to lung and breast cancer cell lines. A panel of normal non-cancerous, partially cancer progressed, and cancer cell lines from both lung and breast tissue was exposed to gamma radiation with and without pre-treatment with CDDO-Me. CDDO-Me was an effective radioprotector when given ∼18 hours before radiation in epithelial cells (average dose modifying factor (DMF = 1.3, and Nrf2 function was necessary for CDDO-Me to exert these radioprotective effects. CDDO-Me did not protect cancer lines tested from radiation-induced cytotoxicity, nor did it protect experimentally transformed human bronchial epithelial cells (HBECs with progressive oncogenic manipulations. CDDO-Me also protected human lymphocytes against radiation-induced DNA damage. A therapeutic window exists in which CDDO-Me protects normal cells from radiation by activating the Nrf2 pathway, but does not protect experimentally transformed or cancer cell lines. This suggests that use of this oral available, non-toxic class of drug can protect non-cancerous healthy cells during radiotherapy, resulting in better outcomes and less toxicity for patients.

  1. Common Genetic Variation In Cellular Transport Genes and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Risk

    OpenAIRE

    Chornokur, Ganna; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Lawrenson, Kate; Dennis, Joe; Amankwah, Ernest K.; Qu, Xiaotao; Tsai, Ya-Yu; Jim, Heather S. L.; Chen, Zhihua; Chen, Ann Y.; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Aben, Katja KH.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia

    2015-01-01

    Background\\ud \\ud Defective cellular transport processes can lead to aberrant accumulation of trace elements, iron, small molecules and hormones in the cell, which in turn may promote the formation of reactive oxygen species, promoting DNA damage and aberrant expression of key regulatory cancer genes. As DNA damage and uncontrolled proliferation are hallmarks of cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we hypothesized that inherited variation in the cellular transport genes contribu...

  2. Bone marrow contributes to epithelial cancers in mice and humans as developmental mimicry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cogle, Christopher R; Theise, Neil D; Fu, Dongtao; Ucar, Deniz; Lee, Sean; Guthrie, Steven M; Lonergan, Jean; Rybka, Witold; Krause, Diane S; Scott, Edward W

    2007-08-01

    Bone marrow cells have the capacity to contribute to distant organs. We show that marrow also contributes to epithelial neoplasias of the small bowel, colon, and lung, but not the skin. In particular, epithelial neoplasias found in patients after hematopoietic cell transplantations demonstrate that human marrow incorporates into neoplasias by adopting the phenotype of the surrounding neoplastic environment. To more rigorously evaluate marrow contribution to epithelial cancer, we employed mouse models of intestinal and lung neoplasias, which revealed specifically that the hematopoietic stem cell and its progeny incorporate within cancer. Furthermore, this marrow involvement in epithelial cancer does not appear to occur by induction of stable fusion. Whereas previous claims have been made that marrow can serve as a direct source of epithelial neoplasia, our results indicate a more cautionary note, that marrow contributes to cancer as a means of developmental mimicry. Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest is found at the end of this article.

  3. Macrophage phenotypic subtypes diametrically regulate epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity in breast cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Min; Ma, Bo; Shao, Hanshuang; Clark, Amanda M.; Wells, Alan

    2016-01-01

    Metastatic progression of breast cancer involves phenotypic plasticity of the carcinoma cells moving between epithelial and mesenchymal behaviors. During metastatic seeding and dormancy, even highly aggressive carcinoma cells take on an E-cadherin-positive epithelial phenotype that is absent from the emergent, lethal metastatic outgrowths. These phenotypes are linked to the metastatic microenvironment, though the specific cells and induction signals are still to be deciphered. Recent evidence suggests that macrophages impact tumor progression, and may alter the balance between cancer cell EMT and MErT in the metastatic microenvironment. Here we explore the role of M1/M2 macrophages in epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity of breast cancer cells by coculturing epithelial and mesenchymal cells lines with macrophages. We found that after polarizing the THP-1 human monocyte cell line, the M1 and M2-types were stable and maintained when co-cultured with breast cancer cells. Surprisingly, M2 macrophages may conferred a growth advantage to the epithelial MCF-7 cells, with these cells being driven to a partial mesenchymal phenotypic as indicated by spindle morphology. Notably, E-cadherin protein expression is significantly decreased in MCF-7 cells co-cultured with M2 macrophages. M0 and M1 macrophages had no effect on the MCF-7 epithelial phenotype. However, the M1 macrophages impacted the highly aggressive mesenchymal-like MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells to take on a quiescent, epithelial phenotype with re-expression of E-cadherin. The M2 macrophages if anything exacerbated the mesenchymal phenotype of the MDA-MB-231 cells. Our findings demonstrate M2 macrophages might impart outgrowth and M1 macrophages may contribute to dormancy behaviors in metastatic breast cancer cells. Thus EMT and MErT are regulated by selected macrophage phenotype in the liver metastatic microenvironment. These results indicate macrophage could be a potential therapeutic target for limiting death due

  4. Clinical Use of Cancer Biomarkers in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Söletormos, Georg; Duffy, Michael J; Othman Abu Hassan, Suher

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To present an update of the European Group on Tumor Markers guidelines for serum markers in epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: Systematic literature survey from 2008 to 2013. The articles were evaluated by level of evidence and strength of recommendation. RESULTS: Because of its low s...

  5. Intratumoral bidirectional transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cells in triple-negative breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamamoto, Mizuki; Sakane, Kota; Tominaga, Kana; Gotoh, Noriko; Niwa, Takayoshi; Kikuchi, Yasuko; Tada, Keiichiro; Goshima, Naoki; Semba, Kentaro; Inoue, Jun-Ichiro

    2017-06-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and its reverse process, mesenchymal-epithelial transition MET, are crucial in several stages of cancer metastasis. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition allows cancer cells to move to proximal blood vessels for intravasation. However, because EMT and MET processes are dynamic, mesenchymal cancer cells are likely to undergo MET transiently and subsequently re-undergo EMT to restart the metastatic process. Therefore, spatiotemporally coordinated mutual regulation between EMT and MET could occur during metastasis. To elucidate such regulation, we chose HCC38, a human triple-negative breast cancer cell line, because HCC38 is composed of epithelial and mesenchymal populations at a fixed ratio even though mesenchymal cells proliferate significantly more slowly than epithelial cells. We purified epithelial and mesenchymal cells from Venus-labeled and unlabeled HCC38 cells and mixed them at various ratios to follow EMT and MET. Using this system, we found that the efficiency of EMT is approximately an order of magnitude higher than that of MET and that the two populations significantly enhance the transition of cells from the other population to their own. In addition, knockdown of Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) or Zinc finger protein SNAI2 (SLUG) significantly suppressed EMT but promoted partial MET, indicating that ZEB1 and SLUG are crucial to EMT and MET. We also show that primary breast cancer cells underwent EMT that correlated with changes in expression profiles of genes determining EMT status and breast cancer subtype. These changes were very similar to those observed in EMT in HCC38 cells. Consequently, we propose HCC38 as a suitable model to analyze EMT-MET dynamics that could affect the development of triple-negative breast cancer. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  6. Pancreatic stellate cells promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikuta, Kazuhiro; Masamune, Atsushi; Watanabe, Takashi; Ariga, Hiroyuki; Itoh, Hiromichi; Hamada, Shin; Satoh, Kennichi; Egawa, Shinichi; Unno, Michiaki; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Recent studies have shown that pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promote the progression of pancreatic cancer. → Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed loose cell contacts and scattered, fibroblast-like appearance. → PSCs decreased the expression of epithelial markers but increased that of mesenchymal markers, along with increased migration. → This study suggests epithelial-mesenchymal transition as a novel mechanism by which PSCs contribute to the aggressive behavior of pancreatic cancer cells. -- Abstract: The interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), a major profibrogenic cell type in the pancreas, is receiving increasing attention. There is accumulating evidence that PSCs promote the progression of pancreatic cancer by increasing cancer cell proliferation and invasion as well as by protecting them from radiation- and gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Because epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in the progression of pancreatic cancer, we hypothesized that PSCs promote EMT in pancreatic cancer cells. Panc-1 and SUIT-2 pancreatic cancer cells were indirectly co-cultured with human PSCs isolated from patients undergoing operation for pancreatic cancer. The expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers was examined by real-time PCR and immunofluorescent staining. The migration of pancreatic cancer cells was examined by scratch and two-chamber assays. Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed loose cell contacts and a scattered, fibroblast-like appearance. The expression of E-cadherin, cytokeratin 19, and membrane-associated β-catenin was decreased, whereas vimentin and Snail (Snai-1) expression was increased more in cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs than in mono-cultured cells. The migration of pancreatic cancer cells was increased by co-culture with PSCs. The PSC-induced decrease of E-cadherin expression was not altered by treatment with anti

  7. Epithelial ovarian cancer and the occurrence of skin cancer in the Netherlands: histological type connotations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Niekerk, G.C. van; Bulten, J.; Verbeek, A.L.M.

    2011-01-01

    Background. Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer have a high risk of (non-)melanoma skin cancer. The association between histological variants of primary ovarian cancer and skin cancer is poorly documented. Objectives. To further evaluate the risk of skin cancer based on the histology of the

  8. Relationship between circulating tumor cells and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in early breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mego, M.; Cierna, Z.; Janega, P.; Karaba, M.; Minarik, G.; Benca, J.; Sedlácková, T.; Sieberova, G.; Gronesova, P.; Manasova, D.; Pindak, D.; Sufliarsky, J.; Danihel, L.; Reuben, JM; Mardiak, J.

    2015-01-01

    Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) play a crucial role in tumor dissemination and are an independent survival predictor in breast cancer (BC) patients. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to assess correlation between CTCs and expression of EMT transcription factors TWIST1 and SLUG in breast tumor tissue. This study included 102 early BC patients treated by primary surgery. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were depleted of hematopoietic cells using RossetteSep™ negative selection kit. RNA extracted from CD45-depleted PBMC was interrogated for expression of EMT (TWIST1, SNAIL1, SLUG, FOXC2 and ZEB1) and epithelial (KRT19) gene transcripts by qRT-PCR. Expression of TWIST1 and SLUG in surgical specimens was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and quantified by multiplicative score. CTCs were detected in 24.5 % patients. CTCs exhibiting only epithelial markers were present in 8.8 % patients, whereas CTCs with only EMT markers were observed in 12.8 % of pts and CTCs co-expressing both markers were detected in 2.9 % pts. We observed lack of correlation between CTCs and expression of TWIST1 and SLUG in breast cancer cells or cancer associated stroma. Lack of correlation was observed for epithelial CTCs as well as for CTCs with EMT. In this translational study, we showed a lack of association between CTCs and expression of EMT-inducing transcription factors, TWIST1 and SLUG, in breast tumor tissue. Despite the fact that EMT is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis our results suggest, that expression of EMT proteins in unselected tumor tissue is not surrogate marker of CTCs with either mesenchymal or epithelial features

  9. Development and Novel Uses of Antibodies in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Curtin, John P

    2003-01-01

    .... Further understanding of the host response to epithelial cancers and the potential capability of innovative immunologic technologies to ovarian cancer may play a key role in therapeutic advances...

  10. Etiology and Pathogenesis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samuel C. Mok

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian cancer is complex disease composed of different histological grades and types. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the development of different phenotypes remain largely unknown. Epidemiological studies identified multiple exogenous and endogenous risk factors for ovarian cancer development. Among them, an inflammatory stromal microenvironment seems to play a critical role in the initiation of the disease. The interaction between such a microenvironment, genetic polymorphisms, and different epithelial components such as endosalpingiosis, endometriosis, and ovarian inclusion cyst in the ovarian cortex may induce different genetic changes identified in the epithelial component of different histological types of ovarian tumors. Genetic studies on different histological grades and types provide insight into the pathogenetic pathways for the development of different disease phenotypes. However, the link between all these genetic changes and the etiological factors remains to be established.

  11. Downregulation of tight junction-associated MARVEL protein marvelD3 during epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human pancreatic cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kojima, Takashi; Takasawa, Akira; Kyuno, Daisuke; Ito, Tatsuya; Yamaguchi, Hiroshi; Hirata, Koichi; Tsujiwaki, Mitsuhiro; Murata, Masaki; Tanaka, Satoshi; Sawada, Norimasa

    2011-10-01

    The novel tight junction protein marvelD3 contains a conserved MARVEL (MAL and related proteins for vesicle trafficking and membrane link) domain like occludin and tricellulin. However, little is yet known about the detailed role and regulation of marvelD3 in normal epithelial cells and cancer cells, including pancreatic cancer. In the present study, we investigated marvelD3 expression in well and poorly differentiated human pancreatic cancer cell lines and normal pancreatic duct epithelial cells in which the hTERT gene was introduced into human pancreatic duct epithelial cells in primary culture, and the changes of marvelD3 during Snail-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) under hypoxia, TGF-β treatment and knockdown of FOXA2 in well differentiated pancreatic cancer HPAC cells. MarvelD3 was transcriptionally downregulated in poorly differentiated pancreatic cancer cells and during Snail-induced EMT of pancreatic cancer cells in which Snail was highly expressed and the fence function downregulated, whereas it was maintained in well differentiated human pancreatic cancer cells and normal pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Depletion of marvelD3 by siRNAs in HPAC cells resulted in downregulation of barrier functions indicated as a decrease in transepithelial electric resistance and an increase of permeability to fluorescent dextran tracers, whereas it did not affect fence function of tight junctions. In conclusion, marvelD3 is transcriptionally downregulated in Snail-induced EMT during the progression for the pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Prognostic Significance of Mucin Antigen MUC1 in Various Human Epithelial Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Feng; Liu, Fuquan; Zhao, Hongwei; An, Guangyu; Feng, Guosheng

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Accumulating evidence indicates that mucin antigen MUC1 plays a fundamental role in the initiation and progression of several types of epithelial carcinomas. However, whether the expression of MUC1 on tumor cells is associated with patients’ survival remains controversial. Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, and Grey literature were searched up to 15 August 2015 for eligible studies of the association between the MUC1 expression and overall survival (OS) in various epithelial cancers. The hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated from the included studies. Moreover, the odds ratio (OR) was also extracted to evaluate the association between the clinicopathological parameters of participants and MUC1 expression. A total of 3425 patients covering 23 studies were included in the analysis. The pooled results showed that positive MUC1 staining was a negative predictor of OS (HRFEM = 1.98,95% CIFEM: 1.76–2.22, PFEM = 0.479; HRREM = 2.16,95% CIREM: 1.58–2.94, PREM = 0.355) in various epithelial carcinomas. Subgroup analysis revealed that the increased MUC1 expression was significantly associated with poor OS in patients with gastric cancer (HRFEM = 2.12, 95%CIFEM: 1.75–2.57, PFEM = 0.359; HRREM = 1.89, 95% CIREM: 1.05–3.41, PREM = 0.238), colorectal cancer (HRFEM = 1.73, 95%CIFEM: 1.41–2.13, PFEM = 0.048; HRREM = 2.00,95% CIREM: 1.46–2.73, PREM = 0.019), cholangiocarcinoma (HRFEM = 2.52, 95% CIFEM: 1.42–4.49, PFEM = 0.252; HRREM = 2.34, 95% CIREM: 1.30–4.22, PREM = 0.244), and nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HRFEM = 2.14, 95% CIFEM: 1.46–3.14, PFEM = 0.591; HRREM = 2.81, 95% CIREM: 1.40–5.64, PREM = 0.280). In addition, MUC1 overexpression was more likely to be found in colorectal cancer patients with an advanced tumor node metastasis stage (ORREM = 1.55, 95

  13. Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition---A Hallmark of Breast Cancer Metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yifan; Zhou, Binhua P

    2013-03-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a highly conserved cellular program that converts polarized, immotile epithelial cells to migratory mesenchymal cells. In addition, EMT was initially recognized as a key step for morphogenesis during embryonic development. Emerging evidences indicate that this important developmental program promotes metastasis, drug resistance, and tumor recurrence, features that are associated with a poor clinical outcome for patients with breast cancer. Therefore, better understanding of regulation and signaling pathways in EMT is essential to develop novel targeted therapeutics. In this review, we present updated developments underlying EMT in tumor progression and metastasis, and discuss the challenges remaining in breast cancer research.

  14. FRK inhibits breast cancer cell migration and invasion by suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogunbolude, Yetunde; Dai, Chenlu; Bagu, Edward T; Goel, Raghuveera Kumar; Miah, Sayem; MacAusland-Berg, Joshua; Ng, Chi Ying; Chibbar, Rajni; Napper, Scott; Raptis, Leda; Vizeacoumar, Frederick; Vizeacoumar, Franco; Bonham, Keith; Lukong, Kiven Erique

    2017-12-22

    The human fyn-related kinase (FRK) is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase known to have tumor suppressor activity in breast cancer cells. However, its mechanism of action has not been fully characterized. We generated FRK-stable MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines and analyzed the effect on cell proliferation, migration, and invasiveness. We also used kinome analysis to identify potential FRK-regulated signaling pathways. We employed both immunoblotting and RT-PCR to identify/validate FRK-regulated targets (proteins and genes) in these cells. Finally, we interrogated the TCGA and GENT gene expression databases to determine the correlation between the expression of FRK and epithelial/mesenchymal markers. We observed that FRK overexpression suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasiveness, inhibited various JAK/STAT, MAPK and Akt signaling pathways, and suppressed the expression of some STAT3 target genes. Also, FRK overexpression increased the expression of epithelial markers including E-cadherin mRNA and down-regulated the transcript levels of vimentin, fibronectin, and slug. Finally, we observed an inverse correlation between FRK expression and mesenchymal markers in a large cohort of breast cancer cells. Our data, therefore, suggests that FRK represses cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness by suppressing epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

  15. Decoding critical long non-coding RNA in ovarian cancer epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitra, Ramkrishna; Chen, Xi; Greenawalt, Evan J; Maulik, Ujjwal; Jiang, Wei; Zhao, Zhongming; Eischen, Christine M

    2017-11-17

    Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) are emerging as contributors to malignancies. Little is understood about the contribution of lncRNA to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which correlates with metastasis. Ovarian cancer is usually diagnosed after metastasis. Here we report an integrated analysis of >700 ovarian cancer molecular profiles, including genomic data sets, from four patient cohorts identifying lncRNA DNM3OS, MEG3, and MIAT overexpression and their reproducible gene regulation in ovarian cancer EMT. Genome-wide mapping shows 73% of MEG3-regulated EMT-linked pathway genes contain MEG3 binding sites. DNM3OS overexpression, but not MEG3 or MIAT, significantly correlates to worse overall patient survival. DNM3OS knockdown results in altered EMT-linked genes/pathways, mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, and reduced cell migration and invasion. Proteotranscriptomic characterization further supports the DNM3OS and ovarian cancer EMT connection. TWIST1 overexpression and DNM3OS amplification provides an explanation for increased DNM3OS levels. Therefore, our results elucidate lncRNA that regulate EMT and demonstrate DNM3OS specifically contributes to EMT in ovarian cancer.

  16. Epithelial ovarian cancer and exposure to dietary nitrate and nitrite in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aschebrook-Kilfoy, Briseis; Ward, Mary H; Gierach, Gretchen L; Schatzkin, Arthur; Hollenbeck, Albert R; Sinha, Rashmi; Cross, Amanda J

    2012-01-01

    Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States and it has the highest mortality rate of all gynecologic cancers. Internationally, there is a five-fold variation in incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer, which suggests a role for environmental factors, including diet. Nitrate and nitrite are found in various food items and they are precursors of N-nitroso compounds, which are known carcinogens in animal models. We evaluated dietary nitrate and nitrite intake and epithelial ovarian cancer in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-AARP Diet and Health Study, including 151 316 women aged 50-71 years at the time of the baseline questionnaire in 1995-1996. The nitrate and nitrite intake was assessed using a 124-item validated food frequency questionnaire. Through 31 December 2006, 709 incident epithelial ovarian cancer cases with complete dietary information were identified. Using Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), women in the highest intake quintile of dietary nitrate had a 31% increased risk (95% CI: 1.01-1.68) of epithelial ovarian cancer, compared with those in the lowest intake quintile. Although there was no association for total dietary nitrite, those in the highest intake category of animal sources of nitrite had a 34% increased risk (95% CI: 1.05-1.69) of ovarian cancer. There were no clear differences in risk by histologic subtype of ovarian cancer. Our findings suggest that a role of dietary nitrate and nitrite in ovarian cancer risk should be followed in other large cohort studies.

  17. Wnt is necessary for mesenchymal to epithelial transition in colorectal cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwab, Renate H M; Amin, Nancy; Flanagan, Dustin J; Johanson, Timothy M; Phesse, Toby J; Vincan, Elizabeth

    2018-03-01

    Metastasis underlies most colorectal cancer mortality. Cancer cells spread through the body as single cells or small clusters of cells that have an invasive, mesenchymal, nonproliferative phenotype. At the secondary site, they revert to a proliferative "tumor constructing" epithelial phenotype to rebuild a tumor. We previously developed a unique in vitro three-dimensional model, called LIM1863-Mph, which faithfully recapitulates these reversible transitions that underpin colorectal cancer metastasis. Wnt signaling plays a key role in these transitions and is initiated by the coupling of extracellular Wnt to Frizzled (FZD). Using the LIM1863-Mph model system we demonstrated that the Wnt receptor FZD7 is necessary for mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET). Here we investigate the role of Wnt in MET. Wnt secretion is dependent on palmitoylation by Porcupine (PORC). A PORC inhibitor (IWP2) that prevents Wnt secretion, blocked the epithelial transition of mesenchymal LIM1863-Mph cells. Wnt gene array analysis identified several Wnts that are upregulated in epithelial compared with mesenchymal LIM1863-Mph cells, suggesting these ligands in MET. Wnt2B was the most abundant differentially expressed Wnt gene. Indeed, recombinant Wnt2B could overcome the IWP2-mediated block in epithelial transition of mesenchymal LIM1863-Mph cells. Wnt2B co-operates with Frizzled7 to mediate MET in colorectal cancer. Developmental Dynamics 247:521-530, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Genetic Association of Interleukin-31 Gene Polymorphisms with Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chenlu Liu

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Roles of interleukin-31 (IL-31 in the development and progression of human epithelial ovarian cancer are largely unknown. Studies report that the polymorphisms, rs7977932 C>G and rs4758680 C>A in IL-31, affect the expression level of IL-31. In the present study, we examined 412 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and 428 healthy individuals to explore whether these polymorphisms are associated with the epithelial ovarian cancer in Chinese women. The genotype of the polymorphisms in each individual was identified. The associations of the polymorphisms with patients’ clinical characteristics and outcomes were evaluated. For rs7977932, the frequency of the CG/GG was significantly decreased in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. However, the frequency of the rs4758680 CA/AA was significantly increased in those patients. Moreover, the frequency of rs7977932 CG/GG genotype was significantly higher in patients with less advanced FIGO stages. Kaplan-Meier curve showed that patients with CG/GG genotypes of rs7977932 had a decreased risk for recurrence compared to those with CC genotype. Our findings suggested that rs7977932 and rs4758680 of IL-31 may be associated with the development and progression of the epithelial ovarian cancer in the Chinese population. IL-31, therefore, may be a potential therapeutic target for the development of drugs to treat the disease.

  19. Mechanisms of growth inhibition of primary prostate epithelial cells following gamma irradiation or photodynamic therapy include senescence, necrosis, and autophagy, but not apoptosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frame, Fiona M.; Savoie, Huguette; Bryden, Francesca; Giuntini, Francesca; Mann, Vincent M.; Simms, Matthew S.; Boyle, Ross W.; Maitland, Norman J.

    2015-01-01

    In comparison to more differentiated cells, prostate cancer stem-like cells are radioresistant, which could explain radio-recurrent prostate cancer. Improvement of radiotherapeutic efficacy may therefore require combination therapy. We have investigated the consequences of treating primary prostate epithelial cells with gamma irradiation and photodynamic therapy (PDT), both of which act through production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Primary prostate epithelial cells were cultured from patient samples of benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer prior to treatment with PDT or gamma irradiation. Cell viability was measured using MTT and alamar blue assay, and cell recovery by colony-forming assays. Immunofluorescence of gamma-H2AX foci was used to quantify DNA damage, and autophagy and apoptosis were assessed using Western blots. Necrosis and senescence were measured by propidium iodide staining and beta-galactosidase staining, respectively. Both PDT and gamma irradiation reduced the colony-forming ability of primary prostate epithelial cells. PDT reduced the viability of all types of cells in the cultures, including stem-like cells and more differentiated cells. PDT induced necrosis and autophagy, whereas gamma irradiation induced senescence, but neither treatment induced apoptosis. PDT and gamma irradiation therefore inhibit cell growth by different mechanisms. We suggest these treatments would be suitable for use in combination as sequential treatments against prostate cancer

  20. Low Temperature Plasma for the Treatment of Epithelial Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohades, Soheila

    leading to their activation. The effectiveness of PAM against SCaBER cells is the highest when it is used immediately after preparation. It is found that the killing effect of PAM decreases gradually over time, depending on the dose of plasma exposure. Hydrogen peroxide is known as one of the most stable and impactful ROS in biological systems. Measurements show that the plasma pencil generates a significant amount of hydrogen peroxide in PAM. Interestingly, the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in PAM decreases gradually over time, which correlates well with the decrease of PAM effectiveness with storage time. While the effects of PAM treatment on cancerous epithelial cell lines have been studied, much less is known about the interaction of PAM with normal epithelial cells. Effects of PAM on non-cancerous Madin-Darby Canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells indicates that MDCK cells are much more robust than SCaBER cells against PAM treatment. The dose of PAM, which causes a widespread death in SCaBER cells, does not significantly impact viability and morphology of MDCK cells. Time-lapse imaging of normal cells shows that PAM treatment inhibits cell proliferation and random migration. In addition, immunofluorescence staining shows that PAM treatment causes a significant reduction in the nuclear localization of proliferation marker, Ki-67, without any damage to the morphological properties of cells including adhesions and cytoskeleton function. This dissertation clearly demonstrates the capability of PAM treatment in inducing death in cancerous cells that can be important for cancer therapy. Hydrogen peroxide is identified as an important ROS responsible for the anti-tumor properties of PAM, although much additional work remains to comprehensively understand all the involved ROS/RNS and their role in PAM treatment.

  1. Lysophosphatidic Acid Disrupts Junctional Integrity and Epithelial Cohesion in Ovarian Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yueying Liu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian cancer metastasizes via exfoliation of free-floating cells and multicellular aggregates from the primary tumor to the peritoneal cavity. A key event in EOC metastasis is disruption of cell-cell contacts via modulation of intercellular junctional components including cadherins. Ascites is rich in lysophosphatidic acid (LPA, a bioactive lipid that may promote early events in ovarian cancer dissemination. The objective of this paper was to assess the effect of LPA on E-cadherin junctional integrity. We report a loss of junctional E-cadherin in OVCAR3, OVCA429, and OVCA433 cells exposed to LPA. LPA-induced loss of E-cadherin was concentration and time dependent. LPA increased MMP-9 expression and promoted MMP-9-catalyzed E-cadherin ectodomain shedding. Blocking LPA receptor signaling inhibited MMP-9 expression and restored junctional E-cadherin staining. LPA-treated cells demonstrated a significant decrease in epithelial cohesion. Together these data support a model wherein LPA induces MMP-9 expression and MMP-9-catalyzed E-cadherin ectodomain shedding, resulting in loss of E-cadherin junctional integrity and epithelial cohesion, facilitating metastatic dissemination of ovarian cancer cells.

  2. Bacterial Signaling at the Intestinal Epithelial Interface in Inflammation and Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olivia I. Coleman

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The gastrointestinal (GI tract provides a compartmentalized interface with an enormous repertoire of immune and metabolic activities, where the multicellular structure of the mucosa has acquired mechanisms to sense luminal factors, such as nutrients, microbes, and a variety of host-derived and microbial metabolites. The GI tract is colonized by a complex ecosystem of microorganisms, which have developed a highly coevolved relationship with the host’s cellular and immune system. Intestinal epithelial pattern recognition receptors (PRRs substantially contribute to tissue homeostasis and immune surveillance. The role of bacteria-derived signals in intestinal epithelial homeostasis and repair has been addressed in mouse models deficient in PRRs and signaling adaptors. While critical for host physiology and the fortification of barrier function, the intestinal microbiota poses a considerable health challenge. Accumulating evidence indicates that dysbiosis is associated with the pathogenesis of numerous GI tract diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD and colorectal cancer (CRC. Aberrant signal integration at the epithelial cell level contributes to such diseases. An increased understanding of bacterial-specific structure recognition and signaling mechanisms at the intestinal epithelial interface is of great importance in the translation to future treatment strategies. In this review, we summarize the growing understanding of the regulation and function of the intestinal epithelial barrier, and discuss microbial signaling in the dynamic host–microbe mutualism in both health and disease.

  3. The effect of Pokemon on bladder cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Changcheng; Zhu, Kai; Sun, Wei; Yang, Bin; Gu, Wenyu; Luo, Jun; Peng, Bo; Zheng, Junhua

    2014-01-24

    This study aimed at detecting Pokemon expression in bladder cancer cell and investigating the relationship between Pokemon and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, we investigated the functions of Pokemon in the carcinogenesis and development of bladder cancer. This study was also designed to observe the inhibitory effects of siRNA expression vector on Pokemon in bladder cancer cell. The siRNA expression vectors which were constructed to express a short hairpin RNA against Pokemon were transfected to the bladder cancer cells T24 with a liposome. Levels of Pokemon, E-cadherin and β-catenin mRNA and protein were examined by real-time quantitative-fluorescent PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. The effects of Pokemon silencing on epithelial-mesenchymal transition of T24 cells were evaluated with wound-healing assay. Pokemon was strongly inhibited by siRNA treatment, especially siRNA3 treatment group, as it was reflected by Western blot and real-time PCR. The gene and protein of E-cadherin expression level showed increased markedly after Pokemon was inhibited by RNA interference. While there were no differences in the levels of gene and protein of β-catenin among five groups. The bladder cancer cell after Pokemon siRNA interference showed a significantly reduced wound-closing efficiency at 6, 12 and 24h. Our findings suggest Pokemon may inhibit the expression of E-cadherin. The low expression of E-cadherin lead to increasing the phenotype and apical-base polarity of epithelial cells. These changes of cells may result in the recurrence and progression of bladder cancer at last. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Roles of Dietary Phytoestrogens on the Regulation of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Diverse Cancer Metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Geum-A.; Hwang, Kyung-A.; Choi, Kyung-Chul

    2016-01-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in tumor progression. The cells undergoing EMT upregulate the expression of cell motility-related proteins and show enhanced migration and invasion. The hallmarks of EMT in cancer cells include changed cell morphology and increased metastatic capabilities in cell migration and invasion. Therefore, prevention of EMT is an important tool for the inhibition of tumor metastasis. A novel preventive therapy is needed, such as treatment of natural dietary substances that are nontoxic to normal human cells, but effective in inhibiting cancer cells. Phytoestrogens, such as genistein, resveratrol, kaempferol and 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM), can be raised as possible candidates. They are plant-derived dietary estrogens, which are found in tea, vegetables and fruits, and are known to have various biological efficacies, including chemopreventive activity against cancers. Specifically, these phytoestrogens may induce not only anti-proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, but also anti-metastasis by inhibiting the EMT process in various cancer cells. There have been several signaling pathways found to be associated with the induction of the EMT process in cancer cells. Phytoestrogens were demonstrated to have chemopreventive effects on cancer metastasis by inhibiting EMT-associated pathways, such as Notch-1 and TGF-beta signaling. As a result, phytoestrogens can inhibit or reverse the EMT process by upregulating the expression of epithelial phenotypes, including E-cadherin, and downregulating the expression of mesenchymal phenotypes, including N-cadherin, Snail, Slug, and vimentin. In this review, we focused on the important roles of phytoestrogens in inhibiting EMT in many types of cancer and suggested phytoestrogens as prominent alternative compounds to chemotherapy. PMID:27231938

  5. Chronic Recreational Physical Inactivity and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cannioto, Rikki; LaMonte, Michael J.; Risch, Harvey A

    2016-01-01

    physical activity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is less clear. Despite extensive research, including several epidemiological studies and 2 systematic reviews, insufficient and inconsistent evidence is available to support an independent association between recreational physical activity and risk......It is estimated that 5% of women in the United States and 10% to 50% of women worldwide are physically inactive. Previous studies have demonstrated that recreational physical activity is associated with decreased risks of developing breast, colon, and endometrial cancers. The association between...... of EOC. This is largely due to use of common methodology in most studies that overlooks recreational physical inactivity as an independent risk factor for EOC. The aim of this study was to determine whether self-reported, chronic, recreational physical inactivity is an independent risk factor...

  6. Friend or foe: Endoplasmic reticulum protein 29 (ERp29) in epithelial cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shaohua; Zhang, Daohai

    2015-01-01

    The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein 29 (ERp29) is a molecular chaperone that plays a critical role in protein secretion from the ER in eukaryotic cells. Recent studies have also shown that ERp29 plays a role in cancer. It has been demonstrated that ERp29 is inversely associated with primary tumor development and functions as a tumor suppressor by inducing cell growth arrest in breast cancer. However, ERp29 has also been reported to promote epithelial cell morphogenesis, cell survival against genotoxic stress and distant metastasis. In this review, we summarize the current understanding on the biological and pathological functions of ERp29 in cancer and discuss the pivotal aspects of ERp29 as “friend or foe” in epithelial cancer. PMID:25709888

  7. Tracking and Functional Characterization of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Mesenchymal Tumor Cells During Prostate Cancer Metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruscetti, Marcus; Quach, Bill; Dadashian, Eman L.; Mulholland, David J.; Wu, Hong

    2015-01-01

    The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been postulated as a mechanism by which cancer cells acquire the invasive and stem-like traits necessary for distant metastasis. However, direct in vivo evidence for the role of EMT in the formation of cancer stem-like cells (CSC) and the metastatic cascade remains lacking. Here we report the first isolation and characterization of mesenchymal and EMT tumor cells, which harbor both epithelial and mesenchymal characteristics, in an autochthonous murine model of prostate cancer. By crossing the established Pb-Cre+/−;PtenL/L;KrasG12D/+ prostate cancer model with a vimentin-GFP reporter strain, generating CPKV mice, we were able to isolate epithelial, EMT and mesenchymal cancer cells based on expression of vimentin and EpCAM. CPKV mice (but not mice with Pten deletion alone) exhibited expansion of cells with EMT (EpCAM+/Vim-GFP+) and mesenchymal (EpCAM−/Vim-GFP+) characteristics at the primary tumor site and in circulation. These EMT and mesenchymal tumor cells displayed enhanced stemness and invasive character compared to epithelial tumor cells. Moreover, they displayed an enriched tumor-initiating capacity and could regenerate epithelial glandular structures in vivo, indicative of epithelia-mesenchyme plasticity. Interestingly, while mesenchymal tumor cells could persist in circulation and survive in the lung following intravenous injection, only epithelial and EMT tumor cells could form macrometastases. Our work extends the evidence that mesenchymal and epithelial states in cancer cells contribute differentially to their capacities for tumor initiation and metastatic seeding, respectively, and that EMT tumor cells exist with plasticity that can contribute to multiple stages of the metastatic cascade. PMID:25948589

  8. Conservative management of epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dexeus, S; Labastida, R; Dexeus, D

    2005-01-01

    We are currently faced with a progressive delay in the age at which women conceive for the first time. This raises the possibility of the appearance of gynecologic disorders that may affect fertility, including neoplasms of the ovary. Fertility-sparing surgery is defined as the preservation of ovarian tissue in one or both adnexa and/or the uterus. Borderline ovarian tumor should be treated with conservative surgery. Salpingo-oophorectomy, or even ovarian cystectomy, are the procedures of choice, with recurrence rates of 2-3% and up to 20% if a simple cystectomy is performed. Cystectomy is indicated in patients with bilateral borderline tumors or in patients with a residual ovary. Borderline tumors with invasive peritoneal implants behave as an invasive cancer in 10-30% of cases with a survival rate of 10-66% compared with 100% in borderline tumors without invasive implants. Prophylactic oophorectomy is recommended when desire of conception has been accomplished. Conservative surgery in invasive epithelial ovarian cancer is limited to Stage IA, grade 1 tumor, and in some highly selected grade 2 tumors of serous, mucinous or endometrioid type, well-encapsulated and free of adhesions. The standard oncological surgical procedure with preservation of the uterus and normal appearing ovary is recommended. This includes salpingo-oophorectomy, excision of any suspicious peritoneal lesion, multiple peritoneal biopsies, appendectomy (particularly in mucinous tumors), and pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy.

  9. Annexin A9 (ANXA9) biomarker and therapeutic target in epithelial cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zhi [El Cerrito, CA; Kuo, Wen-Lin [San Ramon, CA; Neve, Richard M [San Mateo, CA; Gray, Joe W [San Francisco, CA

    2012-06-12

    Amplification of the ANXA9 gene in human chromosomal region 1q21 in epithelial cancers indicates a likelihood of both in vivo drug resistance and metastasis, and serves as a biomarker indicating these aspects of the disease. ANXA9 can also serve as a therapeutic target. Interfering RNAs (iRNAs) (such as siRNA and miRNA) and shRNA adapted to inhibit ANXA9 expression, when formulated in a therapeutic composition, and delivered to cells of the tumor, function to treat the epithelial cancer.

  10. Overexpression of Notch3 and pS6 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Human Ovarian Epithelial Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaoxia Liu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Notch3 and pS6 play important roles in tumor angiogenesis. To assess the expression of Notch3 and pS6 in Chinese ovarian epithelial cancer patients, a ten-year follow-up study was performed in ovarian epithelial cancer tissues from 120 specimens of human ovarian epithelial cancer, 30 specimens from benign ovarian tumors, and 30 samples from healthy ovaries by immunohistochemistry. The results indicate that the expression of Notch3 and pS6 was higher in ovarian epithelial cancer than in normal ovary tissues and in benign ovarian tumor tissues (p0.05 but positively associated with clinical stage, pathological grading, histologic type, lymph node metastasis, and ascites (p<0.05 or p<0.01. A follow-up survey of 64 patients with ovarian epithelial cancer showed that patients with high Notch3 and pS6 expression had a shorter survival time (p<0.01, in which the clinical stage (p<0.05 and Notch3 expression (p<0.01 played important roles. In conclusion, Notch3 and pS6 are significantly related to ovarian epithelial cancer development and prognosis, and their combination represents a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in ovarian tumor angiogenesis.

  11. [A survey of willingness about genetic counseling and tests in patients of epithelial ovarian cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, L; Qiu, L; Wu, M

    2017-11-21

    Objective: To analyze patients' tendency towards genetics counseling and tests based on a prospective cohort study on hereditary ovarian cancer. Methods: From February 2017 to June 2017, among 220 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer in Peking Union Medical College Hospital, we collected epidemiological, pathological and tendency towards genetics counseling and tests via medical records and questionnaire.All patients would get education about hereditary ovarian cancer by pamphlets and WeChat.If they would receive further counseling, a face to face interview and tests will be given. Results: Among all 220 patients, 10 (4.5%) denied further counseling.For 210 patients receiving genetic counseling, 170 (81%) accepted genetic tests.In multivariate analysis, risk factors relevant to acceptance of genetic tests included: being charged by physicians of gynecologic oncology for diagnosis and treatment, receiving counseling in genetic counseling clinics, and having family history of breast cancer.For patients denying genetic tests, there were many subjective reasons, among which, "still not understanding genetic tests" (25%) and "unable bear following expensive targeting medicine" . Conclusions: High proportion patients of epithelial ovarian cancer would accept genetic counseling and tests.Genetic counseling clinics for gynecologic oncology would further improve genetic tests for patients.

  12. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Gene Variants and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amankwah, Ernest K; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Lawrenson, Kate; Dennis, Joe; Chornokur, Ganna; Aben, Katja K H; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bruinsma, Fiona; Bandera, Elisa V; Bean, Yukie T; Beckmann, Matthias W; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Bogdanova, Natalia; Brinton, Louise A; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bunker, Clareann H; Butzow, Ralf; Campbell, Ian G; Carty, Karen; Chen, Zhihua; Chen, Y Ann; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Cook, Linda S; Cramer, Daniel W; Cunningham, Julie M; Cybulski, Cezary; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; du Bois, Andreas; Despierre, Evelyn; Dicks, Ed; Doherty, Jennifer A; Dörk, Thilo; Dürst, Matthias; Easton, Douglas F; Eccles, Diana M; Edwards, Robert P; Ekici, Arif B; Fasching, Peter A; Fridley, Brooke L; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Giles, Graham G; Glasspool, Rosalind; Goodman, Marc T; Gronwald, Jacek; Harrington, Patricia; Harter, Philipp; Hasmad, Hanis N; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Hillemanns, Peter; Hogdall, Claus K; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Iversen, Edwin S; Jakubowska, Anna; Jensen, Allan; Ji, Bu-Tian; Karlan, Beth Y; Jim, Heather; Kellar, Melissa; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Krakstad, Camilla; Kjaer, Susanne K; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Le, Nhu D; Lee, Alice W; Lele, Shashi; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A; Liang, Dong; Lim, Boon Kiong; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Massuger, Leon F A G; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R; McNeish, Ian; Menon, Usha; Milne, Roger L; Modugno, Francesmary; Moysich, Kirsten B; Ness, Roberta B; Nevanlinna, Heli; Eilber, Ursula; Odunsi, Kunle; Olson, Sara H; Orlow, Irene; Orsulic, Sandra; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Pike, Malcolm C; Poole, Elizabeth M; Risch, Harvey A; Rosen, Barry; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B; Rzepecka, Iwona K; Salvesen, Helga B; Schernhammer, Eva; Schwaab, Ira; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C; Spiewankiewicz, Beata; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L; Thompson, Pamela J; Thomsen, Lotte; Tangen, Ingvild L; Tworoger, Shelley S; van Altena, Anne M; Vierkant, Robert A; Vergote, Ignace; Walsh, Christine S; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S; Wicklund, Kristine G; Wilkens, Lynne R; Wu, Anna H; Wu, Xifeng; Woo, Yin-Ling; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Kelemen, Linda E; Berchuck, Andrew; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Ramus, Susan J; Goode, Ellen L; Monteiro, Alvaro N A; Gayther, Simon A; Narod, Steven A; Pharoah, Paul D P; Sellers, Thomas A; Phelan, Catherine M

    2015-12-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process whereby epithelial cells assume mesenchymal characteristics to facilitate cancer metastasis. However, EMT also contributes to the initiation and development of primary tumors. Prior studies that explored the hypothesis that EMT gene variants contribute to epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) risk have been based on small sample sizes and none have sought replication in an independent population. We screened 15,816 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 296 genes in a discovery phase using data from a genome-wide association study of EOC among women of European ancestry (1,947 cases and 2,009 controls) and identified 793 variants in 278 EMT-related genes that were nominally (P < 0.05) associated with invasive EOC. These SNPs were then genotyped in a larger study of 14,525 invasive-cancer patients and 23,447 controls. A P-value <0.05 and a false discovery rate (FDR) <0.2 were considered statistically significant. In the larger dataset, GPC6/GPC5 rs17702471 was associated with the endometrioid subtype among Caucasians (odds ratio (OR) = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.07-1.25, P = 0.0003, FDR = 0.19), whereas F8 rs7053448 (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.27-2.24, P = 0.0003, FDR = 0.12), F8 rs7058826 (OR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.27-2.24, P = 0.0003, FDR = 0.12), and CAPN13 rs1983383 (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.69-0.90, P = 0.0005, FDR = 0.12) were associated with combined invasive EOC among Asians. In silico functional analyses revealed that GPC6/GPC5 rs17702471 coincided with DNA regulatory elements. These results suggest that EMT gene variants do not appear to play a significant role in the susceptibility to EOC. © 2015 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

  13. Diffusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Urinary Epithelial Cancer with Upper Urinary Tract Obstruction: Preliminary Results

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeuchi, M.; Matsuzaki, K.; Kubo, H.; Nishitani, H.

    2008-01-01

    Background: Various malignant tumors of the body show high signal intensity on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI). In the genitourinary region, DWI is expected to have a role in detecting urinary epithelial cancer noninvasively. Purpose: To demonstrate the feasibility of DWI for the diagnosis of urinary epithelial cancer with upper urinary tract obstruction. Material and Methods: Twenty upper urinary tract cancers in 16 patients were evaluated by high-b-value DWI (b=800s/mm2). The signal intensity was visually evaluated, and the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were measured. Results: All urinary epithelial cancers showed high signal intensity on DWI. The ADC in cancerous lesions was 1.31±0.27 x 10 -3 mm 2 /s, which was significantly lower than that of the lumens of the ureter or renal pelvis (3.32±0.44 x 10 -3 mm 2 /s; P<0.001). Maximum intensity projection images of DWI in combination with static-fluid MR urography provided three-dimensional entire urinary tract imaging with the extension of tumors. Conclusion: DWI is useful in the tumor detection and in evaluating the tumor extension of urinary epithelial cancer in patients with upper urinary tract obstruction

  14. Prognostic Significance of Mucin Antigen MUC1 in Various Human Epithelial Cancers: A Meta-Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Feng; Liu, Fuquan; Zhao, Hongwei; An, Guangyu; Feng, Guosheng

    2015-12-01

    Accumulating evidence indicates that mucin antigen MUC1 plays a fundamental role in the initiation and progression of several types of epithelial carcinomas. However, whether the expression of MUC1 on tumor cells is associated with patients' survival remains controversial. Medline/PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases, and Grey literature were searched up to 15 August 2015 for eligible studies of the association between the MUC1 expression and overall survival (OS) in various epithelial cancers. The hazard ratio (HR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated from the included studies. Moreover, the odds ratio (OR) was also extracted to evaluate the association between the clinicopathological parameters of participants and MUC1 expression. A total of 3425 patients covering 23 studies were included in the analysis. The pooled results showed that positive MUC1 staining was a negative predictor of OS (HRFEM = 1.98,95% CIFEM: 1.76-2.22, PFEM = 0.479; HRREM = 2.16,95% CIREM: 1.58-2.94, PREM = 0.355) in various epithelial carcinomas. Subgroup analysis revealed that the increased MUC1 expression was significantly associated with poor OS in patients with gastric cancer (HRFEM = 2.12, 95%CIFEM: 1.75-2.57, PFEM = 0.359; HRREM = 1.89, 95% CIREM: 1.05-3.41, PREM = 0.238), colorectal cancer (HRFEM = 1.73, 95%CIFEM: 1.41-2.13, PFEM = 0.048; HRREM = 2.00,95% CIREM: 1.46-2.73, PREM = 0.019), cholangiocarcinoma (HRFEM = 2.52, 95% CIFEM: 1.42-4.49, PFEM = 0.252; HRREM = 2.34, 95% CIREM: 1.30-4.22, PREM = 0.244), and nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) (HRFEM = 2.14, 95% CIFEM: 1.46-3.14, PFEM = 0.591; HRREM = 2.81, 95% CIREM: 1.40-5.64, PREM = 0.280). In addition, MUC1 overexpression was more likely to be found in colorectal cancer patients with an advanced tumor node metastasis stage (ORREM = 1.55, 95% CIREM: 1.06-2.27; PREM = 0

  15. An integrative model on the role of DMBT1 in epithelial cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mollenhauer, Jan; Helmke, Burkhard; Müller, Hanna

    2002-01-01

    The gene, deleted in malignant brain tumors 1 (DMBT1), has been proposed to play a role in brain and epithelial cancer, but shows unusual features for a classical tumor suppressor gene. We have proposed that its presumptive dual function in protection and differentiation is of importance to under......The gene, deleted in malignant brain tumors 1 (DMBT1), has been proposed to play a role in brain and epithelial cancer, but shows unusual features for a classical tumor suppressor gene. We have proposed that its presumptive dual function in protection and differentiation is of importance...... displayed presumable mutations. However, none of the alterations would be predicted to lead to a complete inactivation of the gene. DMBT1 is mucin-like and shows tissue-specific expression and secretion, pointing to a function in the protection of monolayered epithelia and to an additional function...... in the differentiation of multilayered epithelia. The expression patterns in carcinomas arising from the respective structures support this view. Accepting this functional dualism gives rise to an initial model on the role of DMBT1 in epithelial cancer....

  16. Lentiviral Vector Mediated Claudin1 Silencing Inhibits Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xianqi Zhao

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer has a high incidence and mortality rate worldwide. Several viral vectors including lentiviral, adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vectors have been used in gene therapy for various forms of human cancer, and have shown promising effects in controlling tumor development. Claudin1 (CLDN1 is a member of the tetraspan transmembrane protein family that plays a major role in tight junctions and is associated with tumor metastasis. However, the role of CLDN1 in breast cancer is largely unexplored. In this study, we tested the therapeutic potential of silencing CLDN1 expression in two breast cancer (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7 cell lines using lentiviral vector mediated RNA interference. We found that a CLDN1 short hairpin (shRNA construct efficiently silenced CLDN1 expression in both breast cancer cell lines, and CLDN1 knockdown resulted in reduced cell proliferation, survival, migration and invasion. Furthermore, silencing CLDN1 inhibited epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT by upregulating the epithelial cell marker, E-cadherin, and downregulating mesenchymal markers, smooth muscle cell alpha-actin (SMA and Snai2. Our data demonstrated that lentiviral vector mediated CLDN1 RNA interference has great potential in breast cancer gene therapy by inhibiting EMT and controlling tumor cell growth.

  17. Type II diabetes mellitus and the incidence of epithelial ovarian cancer in the cancer prevention study-II nutrition cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gapstur, Susan M; Patel, Alpa V; Diver, W Ryan; Hildebrand, Janet S; Gaudet, Mia M; Jacobs, Eric J; Campbell, Peter T

    2012-11-01

    Despite consistent associations of type II diabetes mellitus with hormonally related cancers such as breast and endometrium, the relation between type II diabetes mellitus and ovarian cancer risk is unclear. Associations of type II diabetes mellitus status, duration, and insulin use with epithelial ovarian cancer overall, and with serous and nonserous histologic subtypes were examined in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort, a prospective study of U.S. men and women predominantly aged 50 years and older. Between 1992 and 2007, 524 incident epithelial ovarian cancer cases were identified among 63,440 postmenopausal women. Multivariable-adjusted relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using extended Cox regression to update diabetes status and bilateral oophorectomy status during follow-up. Type II diabetes mellitus status (RR = 1.05; 95% CI, 0.75-1.46) and duration were not associated with epithelial ovarian cancer risk. Although not statistically significantly different (P(difference) = 0.39), the RR was higher for type II diabetes mellitus with insulin use (RR = 1.28; 95% CI, 0.74-2.24) than for type II diabetes mellitus without insulin use (RR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.64-1.43). Diabetes seemed to be more strongly associated with nonserous (RR = 1.41; 95% CI, 0.70-2.85) than serous (RR = 0.71; 95% CI, 0.41-1.23) histologic subtypes. Type II diabetes mellitus was not associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer, although higher risks with nonserous subtypes and among insulin users cannot be ruled out. Larger studies are needed to clarify associations of type II diabetes mellitus with or without insulin use with risk of ovarian cancer overall and by histologic subtypes. ©2012 AACR.

  18. ARP2, a novel pro-apoptotic protein expressed in epithelial prostate cancer LNCaP cells and epithelial ovary CHO transformed cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mas-Oliva, Jaime; Navarro-Vidal, Enrique; Tapia-Vieyra, Juana Virginia

    2014-01-01

    Neoplastic epithelial cells generate the most aggressive types of cancers such as those located in the lung, breast, colon, prostate and ovary. During advanced stages of prostate cancer, epithelial cells are associated to the appearance of androgen-independent tumors, an apoptotic-resistant phenotype that ultimately overgrows and promotes metastatic events. We have previously identified and electrophysiologically characterized a novel Ca(2+)-permeable channel activated during apoptosis in the androgen-independent prostate epithelial cancer cell line, LNCaP. In addition, we reported for the first time the cloning and characterization of this channel-like molecule named apoptosis regulated protein 2 (ARP2) associated to a lethal influx of Ca(2+) in Xenopus oocytes. In the present study, LNCaP cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO cell line) transfected with arp2-cDNA are induced to undergo apoptosis showing an important impact on cell viability and activation of caspases 3 and 7 when compared to serum deprived grown cells and ionomycin treated cells. The subcellular localization of ARP2 in CHO cells undergoing apoptosis was studied using confocal microscopy. While apoptosis progresses, ARP2 initially localized in the peri-nuclear region of cells migrates with time towards the plasma membrane region. Based on the present results and those of our previous studies, the fact that ARP2 constitutes a novel cation channel is supported. Therefore, ARP2 becomes a valuable target to modulate the influx and concentration of calcium in the cytoplasm of epithelial cancer cells showing an apoptotic-resistant phenotype during the onset of an apoptotic event.

  19. Effect of estradiol on the expression of angiogenic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valladares, Macarena; Plaza-Parrochia, Francisca; Lépez, Macarena; López, Daniela; Gabler, Fernando; Gayan, Patricio; Selman, Alberto; Vega, Margarita; Romero, Carmen

    2017-11-01

    Ovarian cancer presents a high angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels) regulated by pro-angiogenic factors, mainly vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nerve growth factor (NGF). An association between endogenous levels of estrogen and increased risk of developing ovarian cancer has been reported. Estrogen action is mediated by the binding to its specific receptors (ERα and ERβ), altered ERα/ERβ ratio may constitute a marker of ovarian carcinogenesis progression. To determine the effect of estradiol through ERα on the expression of NGF and VEGF in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Levels of phosphorylated estrogen receptor alpha (pERα) were evaluated in well, moderate and poorly differentiated EOC samples (EOC-I, EOC-II, EOC-III). Additionally, ovarian cancer explants were stimulated with NGF (0, 10 and 100 ng/ml) and ERα, ERβ and pERα levels were detected. Finally, human ovarian surface epithelial (HOSE) and epithelial ovarian cancer (A2780) cell lines were stimulated with estradiol, where NGF and VEGF protein levels were evaluated. In tissues, ERs were detected being pERα levels significantly increased in EOC-III samples compared with EOC-I (p<0.05). Additionally, ovarian explants treated with NGF increased pERα levels meanwhile total ERα and ERβ levels did not change. Cell lines stimulated with estradiol revealed an increase of NGF and VEGF protein levels (p<0.05). Estradiol has a positive effect on pro-angiogenic factors such as NGF and VEGF expression in EOC, probably through the activation of ERα; generating a positive loop induced by NGF increasing pERα levels in epithelial ovarian cells.

  20. Polymorphisms in stromal genes and susceptibility to serous epithelial ovarian cancer: a report from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Amankwah, Ernest K; Wang, Qinggang; Schildkraut, Joellen M

    2011-01-01

    Alterations in stromal tissue components can inhibit or promote epithelial tumorigenesis. Decorin (DCN) and lumican (LUM) show reduced stromal expression in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (sEOC). We hypothesized that common variants in these genes associate with risk. Associations with sEOC among...

  1. Epithelial cell polarity, stem cells and cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martin-Belmonte, Fernando; Perez-Moreno, Mirna

    2011-01-01

    , deregulation of adhesion and polarity proteins can cause misoriented cell divisions and increased self-renewal of adult epithelial stem cells. In this Review, we highlight some advances in the understanding of how loss of epithelial cell polarity contributes to tumorigenesis.......After years of extensive scientific discovery much has been learned about the networks that regulate epithelial homeostasis. Loss of expression or functional activity of cell adhesion and cell polarity proteins (including the PAR, crumbs (CRB) and scribble (SCRIB) complexes) is intricately related...

  2. Epithelial Plasticity in Cancer: Unmasking a MicroRNA Network for TGF-β-, Notch-, and Wnt-Mediated EMT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eugenio Zoni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT is a reversible process by which cancer cells can switch from a sessile epithelial phenotype to an invasive mesenchymal state. EMT enables tumor cells to become invasive, intravasate, survive in the circulation, extravasate, and colonize distant sites. Paracrine heterotypic stroma-derived signals as well as paracrine homotypic or autocrine signals can mediate oncogenic EMT and contribute to the acquisition of stem/progenitor cell properties, expansion of cancer stem cells, development of therapy resistance, and often lethal metastatic disease. EMT is regulated by a variety of stimuli that trigger specific intracellular signalling pathways. Altered microRNA (miR expression and perturbed signalling pathways have been associated with epithelial plasticity, including oncogenic EMT. In this review we analyse and describe the interaction between experimentally validated miRs and their target genes in TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signalling pathways. Interestingly, in this process, we identified a “signature” of 30 experimentally validated miRs and a cluster of validated target genes that seem to mediate the cross talk between TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signalling networks during EMT and reinforce their connection to the regulation of epithelial plasticity in health and disease.

  3. IL1β-mediated Stromal COX-2 signaling mediates proliferation and invasiveness of colonic epithelial cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Yingting; Zhu, Min; Lance, Peter

    2012-01-01

    COX-2 is a major inflammatory mediator implicated in colorectal inflammation and cancer. However, the exact origin and role of COX-2 on colorectal inflammation and carcinogenesis are still not well defined. Recently, we reported that COX-2 and iNOS signalings interact in colonic CCD18Co fibroblasts. In this article, we investigated whether activation of COX-2 signaling by IL1β in primary colonic fibroblasts obtained from normal and cancer patients play a critical role in regulation of proliferation and invasiveness of human colonic epithelial cancer cells. Our results demonstrated that COX-2 level was significantly higher in cancer associated fibroblasts than that in normal fibroblasts with or without stimulation of IL-1β, a powerful stimulator of COX-2. Using in vitro assays for estimating proliferative and invasive potential, we discovered that the proliferation and invasiveness of the epithelial cancer cells were much greater when the cells were co-cultured with cancer associated fibroblasts than with normal fibroblasts, with or without stimulation of IL1β. Further analysis indicated that the major COX-2 product, prostaglandin E 2 , directly enhanced proliferation and invasiveness of the epithelial cancer cells in the absence of fibroblasts. Moreover, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, NS-398, blocked the proliferative and invasive effect of both normal and cancer associate fibroblasts on the epithelial cancer cells, with or without stimulation of IL-1β. Those results indicate that activation of COX-2 signaling in the fibroblasts plays a major role in promoting proliferation and invasiveness of the epithelial cancer cells. In this process, PKC is involved in the activation of COX-2 signaling induced by IL-1β in the fibroblasts.

  4. Common Genetic Variation in Circadian Rhythm Genes and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jim, Heather S L; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Lawrenson, Kate; Dennis, Joe; Chornokur, Ganna; Chen, Zhihua; Chen, Ann Y; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Aben, Katja Kh; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bruinsma, Fiona; Bandera, Elisa V; Bean, Yukie T; Beckmann, Matthias W; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Bogdanova, Natalia; Brinton, Louise A; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bunker, Clareann H; Butzow, Ralf; Campbell, Ian G; Carty, Karen; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Cook, Linda S; Cramer, Daniel W; Cunningham, Julie M; Cybulski, Cezary; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; du Bois, Andreas; Despierre, Evelyn; Sieh, Weiva; Doherty, Jennifer A; Dörk, Thilo; Dürst, Matthias; Easton, Douglas F; Eccles, Diana M; Edwards, Robert P; Ekici, Arif B; Fasching, Peter A; Fridley, Brooke L; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Giles, Graham G; Glasspool, Rosalind; Goodman, Marc T; Gronwald, Jacek; Harter, Philipp; Hasmad, Hanis N; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Hillemanns, Peter; Hogdall, Claus K; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Iversen, Edwin S; Jakubowska, Anna; Jensen, Allan; Ji, Bu-Tian; Karlan, Beth Y; Kellar, Melissa; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Krakstad, Camilla; Kjaer, Susanne K; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Vierkant, Robert A; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Le, Nhu D; Lee, Alice W; Lele, Shashi; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A; Liang, Dong; Lim, Boon Kiong; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Massuger, Leon F A G; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R; McNeish, Ian; Menon, Usha; Milne, Roger L; Modugno, Francesmary; Thomsen, Lotte; Moysich, Kirsten B; Ness, Roberta B; Nevanlinna, Heli; Eilber, Ursula; Odunsi, Kunle; Olson, Sara H; Orlow, Irene; Orsulic, Sandra; Palmieri Weber, Rachel; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M; Pike, Malcolm C; Poole, Elizabeth M; Schernhammer, Eva; Risch, Harvey A; Rosen, Barry; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B; Rzepecka, Iwona K; Salvesen, Helga B; Schwaab, Ira; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C; Spiewankiewicz, Beata; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L; Thompson, Pamela J; Tangen, Ingvild L; Tworoger, Shelley S; van Altena, Anne M; Vergote, Ignace; Walsh, Christine S; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S; Wicklund, Kristine G; Wilkens, Lynne R; Wu, Anna H; Wu, Xifeng; Woo, Yin-Ling; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Amankwah, Ernest; Berchuck, Andrew; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Kelemen, Linda E; Ramus, Susan J; Monteiro, Alvaro N A; Goode, Ellen L; Narod, Steven A; Gayther, Simon A; Pharoah, Paul D P; Sellers, Thomas A; Phelan, Catherine M

    Disruption in circadian gene expression, whether due to genetic variation or environmental factors (e.g., light at night, shiftwork), is associated with increased incidence of breast, prostate, gastrointestinal and hematologic cancers and gliomas. Circadian genes are highly expressed in the ovaries where they regulate ovulation; circadian disruption is associated with several ovarian cancer risk factors (e.g., endometriosis). However, no studies have examined variation in germline circadian genes as predictors of ovarian cancer risk and invasiveness. The goal of the current study was to examine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in circadian genes BMAL1, CRY2, CSNK1E, NPAS2, PER3, REV1 and TIMELESS and downstream transcription factors KLF10 and SENP3 as predictors of risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and histopathologic subtypes. The study included a test set of 3,761 EOC cases and 2,722 controls and a validation set of 44,308 samples including 18,174 (10,316 serous) cases and 26,134 controls from 43 studies participating in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Analysis of genotype data from 36 genotyped SNPs and 4600 imputed SNPs indicated that the most significant association was rs117104877 in BMAL1 (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.68-0.90, p = 5.59 × 10 -4 ]. Functional analysis revealed a significant down regulation of BMAL1 expression following cMYC overexpression and increasing transformation in ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells as well as alternative splicing of BMAL1 exons in ovarian and granulosa cells. These results suggest that variation in circadian genes, and specifically BMAL1 , may be associated with risk of ovarian cancer, likely through disruption of hormonal pathways.

  5. Common Genetic Variation In Cellular Transport Genes and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Chornokur, Ganna; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P

    2015-01-01

    . As DNA damage and uncontrolled proliferation are hallmarks of cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we hypothesized that inherited variation in the cellular transport genes contributes to EOC risk. METHODS: In total, DNA samples were obtained from 14,525 case subjects with invasive EOC......BACKGROUND: Defective cellular transport processes can lead to aberrant accumulation of trace elements, iron, small molecules and hormones in the cell, which in turn may promote the formation of reactive oxygen species, promoting DNA damage and aberrant expression of key regulatory cancer genes...... and from 23,447 controls from 43 sites in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Two hundred seventy nine SNPs, representing 131 genes, were genotyped using an Illumina Infinium iSelect BeadChip as part of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS). SNP analyses were conducted...

  6. Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla Cano

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT is a physiologic process that allows morphological and genetic changes of carcinoma cells from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype, which is the basis of the high metastatic potential of pancreatic cancer cells. EMT is triggered by various tumor microenvironmental factors, including cytokines, growth factors, and chemotherapeutic agents. This review summarizes the state-of-the-art knowledge on the molecular mechanisms that support pancreatic cancer EMT and the evidences that support its involvement in invasiveness/aggressiveness, and the drug resistance of pancreatic cancer cells.

  7. E2F5 status significantly improves malignancy diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer

    KAUST Repository

    Kothandaraman, Narasimhan; Bajic, Vladimir B.; Brendan, Pang NK; Huak, Chan Y; Keow, Peh B; Razvi, Khalil; Salto-Tellez, Manuel; Choolani, Mahesh

    2010-01-01

    Background: Ovarian epithelial cancer (OEC) usually presents in the later stages of the disease. Factors, especially those associated with cell-cycle genes, affecting the genesis and tumour progression for ovarian cancer are largely unknown. We

  8. Peritoneal inflammation – A microenvironment for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liu Jinsong

    2004-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC is a significant cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality in women. Preferential involvement of peritoneal structures contributes to the overall poor outcome in EOC patients. Advances in biotechnology, such as cDNA microarray, are a product of the Human Genome Project and are beginning to provide fresh opportunities to understand the biology of EOC. In particular, it is now possible to examine in depth, at the molecular level, the complex relationship between the tumor itself and its surrounding microenvironment. This review focuses on the anatomy, physiology, and current immunobiologic research of peritoneal structures, and addresses certain potentially useful animal models. Changes in both the inflammatory and non-inflammatory cell compartments, as well as alterations to the extracellular matrix, appear to be signal events that contribute to the remodeling effects of the peritoneal stroma and surface epithelial cells on tumor growth and spread. These alterations may involve a number of proteins, including cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, either membrane or non-membrane bound, and integrins. Interactions between these molecules and molecular structures within the extracellular matrix, such as collagens and the proteoglycans, may contribute to a peritoneal mesothelial surface and stromal environment that is conducive to tumor cell proliferation and invasion. These alterations need to be examined and defined as possible prosnosticators and as therapeutic or diagnostic targets.

  9. Quantitative changes in human epithelial cancers and osteogenesis imperfecta disease detected using nonlinear multicontrast microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adur, Javier; Pelegati, Vitor B.; de Thomaz, Andre A.; D'Souza-Li, Lilia; Assunção, Maria do Carmo; Bottcher-Luiz, Fátima; Andrade, Liliana A. L. A.; Cesar, Carlos L.

    2012-08-01

    We show that combined multimodal nonlinear optical (NLO) microscopies, including two-photon excitation fluorescence, second-harmonic generation (SHG), third harmonic generation, and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) can be used to detect morphological and metabolic changes associated with stroma and epithelial transformation during the progression of cancer and osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) disease. NLO microscopes provide complementary information about tissue microstructure, showing distinctive patterns for different types of human breast cancer, mucinous ovarian tumors, and skin dermis of patients with OI. Using a set of scoring methods (anisotropy, correlation, uniformity, entropy, and lifetime components), we found significant differences in the content, distribution and organization of collagen fibrils in the stroma of breast and ovary as well as in the dermis of skin. We suggest that our results provide a framework for using NLO techniques as a clinical diagnostic tool for human cancer and OI. We further suggest that the SHG and FLIM metrics described could be applied to other connective or epithelial tissue disorders that are characterized by abnormal cells proliferation and collagen assembly.

  10. Risk factors of epithelial ovarian carcinomas among women with endometriosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thomsen, Line H.; Schnack, Tine H.; Buchardi, Kristina

    2017-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the published literature on epidemiologic risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer among women with a diagnosis of endometriosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus. Studies comparing epidemiologic risk factors...... an elevated risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. However, due to the limited number and size of studies in this area we cannot draw definitive conclusions. Further research into a risk factor profile among women with endometriosis is needed before clear recommendations can be made....... of epithelial ovarian cancer among women with endometriosis were included. A quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: Eight of 794 articles met the inclusion criteria. A lower risk of epithelial ovarian cancer was observed in women with documented complete surgical excision...

  11. Role of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on TGF-β1 signaling pathway in epithelial ovarian cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kohan-Ivani, Karla; Gabler, Fernando; Selman, Alberto; Vega, Margarita; Romero, Carmen

    2016-01-01

    One of the hypotheses regarding the genesis of epithelial ovarian cancer involves the action of androgens on the proliferation of epithelial ovarian cells, as well as inclusion cysts. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate whether DHT causes changes in the TGF-β1 pathway that might modify the anti-proliferative effect of the latter. The levels of TGF-β1 protein, of its receptors (TGFBR1 and TGFBR2), of Smad2/3 (canonical signaling pathway protein) and of p21 (cell cycle protein) were assessed in ovarian tissues, epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines (A2780) and control cell lines (HOSE) through the use of immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry. Additionally, cell lines were treated with 100 nmol/L DHT, 10 ng/mL of TGF-β1 and DHT + TGF-β1 during 72 h in the presence and absence of a siRNA against androgen receptor. After treatment, TGFBR1 and TGFBR2 levels were detected through Western blotting and p21 was assessed through immunocytochemistry. Epithelial ovarian cancer tissues showed a decrease in TGF-β1 I receptor (p DHT, protein levels of TGF-β1 receptors (TGFBR1-TGFBR2) showed a decrease (p DHT (p < 0.001). Overall, our results indicate a defect in the canonical TGF-β signaling pathway in epithelial ovarian cancer caused by androgen action, thus suggesting eventual changes in such tissue proliferation rates.

  12. Recurrent Fusion Genes in Gastric Cancer: CLDN18-ARHGAP26 Induces Loss of Epithelial Integrity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei Yao

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Genome rearrangements, a hallmark of cancer, can result in gene fusions with oncogenic properties. Using DNA paired-end-tag (DNA-PET whole-genome sequencing, we analyzed 15 gastric cancers (GCs from Southeast Asians. Rearrangements were enriched in open chromatin and shaped by chromatin structure. We identified seven rearrangement hot spots and 136 gene fusions. In three out of 100 GC cases, we found recurrent fusions between CLDN18, a tight junction gene, and ARHGAP26, a gene encoding a RHOA inhibitor. Epithelial cell lines expressing CLDN18-ARHGAP26 displayed a dramatic loss of epithelial phenotype and long protrusions indicative of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Fusion-positive cell lines showed impaired barrier properties, reduced cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix adhesion, retarded wound healing, and inhibition of RHOA. Gain of invasion was seen in cancer cell lines expressing the fusion. Thus, CLDN18-ARHGAP26 mediates epithelial disintegration, possibly leading to stomach H+ leakage, and the fusion might contribute to invasiveness once a cell is transformed.

  13. Common Genetic Variation in Circadian Rhythm Genes and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jim, Heather S L; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P

    2015-01-01

    where they regulate ovulation; circadian disruption is associated with several ovarian cancer risk factors (e.g., endometriosis). However, no studies have examined variation in germline circadian genes as predictors of ovarian cancer risk and invasiveness. The goal of the current study was to examine...... single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in circadian genes BMAL1, CRY2, CSNK1E, NPAS2, PER3, REV1 and TIMELESS and downstream transcription factors KLF10 and SENP3 as predictors of risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and histopathologic subtypes. The study included a test set of 3,761 EOC cases and 2......,722 controls and a validation set of 44,308 samples including 18,174 (10,316 serous) cases and 26,134 controls from 43 studies participating in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Analysis of genotype data from 36 genotyped SNPs and 4600 imputed SNPs indicated that the most significant...

  14. Detecting Temporal and Spatial Effects of Epithelial Cancers with Raman Spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew D. Keller

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial cancers, including those of the skin and cervix, are the most common type of cancers in humans. Many recent studies have attempted to use Raman spectroscopy to diagnose these cancers. In this paper, Raman spectral markers related to the temporal and spatial effects of cervical and skin cancers are examined through four separate but related studies. Results from a clinical cervix study show that previous disease has a significant effect on the Raman signatures of the cervix, which allow for near 100% classification for discriminating previous disease versus a true normal. A Raman microspectroscopy study showed that Raman can detect changes due to adjacent regions of dysplasia or HPV that cannot be detected histologically, while a clinical skin study showed that Raman spectra may be detecting malignancy associated changes in tissues surrounding nonmelanoma skin cancers. Finally, results of an organotypic raft culture study provided support for both the skin and the in vitro cervix results. These studies add to the growing body of evidence that optical spectroscopy, in this case Raman spectral markers, can be used to detect subtle temporal and spatial effects in tissue near cancerous sites that go otherwise undetected by conventional histology.

  15. Second-Line Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Recurrent Epithelial Ovarian, Tubal and Peritoneal Cancer: A Propensity Score-Matching Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Chien-Hsing; Chang, Yen-Hou; Lee, Wai-Hou; Chang, Yi; Peng, Chia-Wen; Chuang, Chi-Mu

    2016-01-01

    The superiority of frontline intraperitoneal (IP) over intravenous (IV) chemotherapy is well established in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer. However, the role of IP chemotherapy in the second-line setting has rarely been investigated. Consecutive patients diagnosed with recurrent epithelial, tubal and peritoneal cancers between January 2000 and December 2012 were recruited using a propensity score-matching technique to adjust relevant risk factors. In total, 310 patients were included in the final analysis (94 for platinum-refractory/resistant disease and 216 for platinum-sensitive disease). IP chemotherapy demonstrated significantly longer median progression-free survival than IV chemotherapy (4.9 vs. 2.4 months, p chemotherapy confers longer progression-free survival than IV chemotherapy. Large-scale clinical trials should be conducted to validate the true efficacy. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  16. Core epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition interactome gene-expression signature is associated with claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes

    OpenAIRE

    Taube, Joseph H.; Herschkowitz, Jason I.; Komurov, Kakajan; Zhou, Alicia Y.; Gupta, Supriya; Yang, Jing; Hartwell, Kimberly; Onder, Tamer T.; Gupta, Piyush B.; Evans, Kurt W.; Hollier, Brett G.; Ram, Prahlad T.; Lander, Eric S.; Rosen, Jeffrey M.; Weinberg, Robert A.

    2010-01-01

    The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) produces cancer cells that are invasive, migratory, and exhibit stem cell characteristics, hallmarks of cells that have the potential to generate metastases. Inducers of the EMT include several transcription factors (TFs), such as Goosecoid, Snail, and Twist, as well as the secreted TGF-β1. Each of these factors is capable, on its own, of inducing an EMT in the human mammary epithelial (HMLE) cell line. However, the interactions between these reg...

  17. Panitumumab and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer with KRAS wild-type

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl Steffensen, Karina; Waldstrøm, Marianne; Lund, Bente

    , and head and neck cancer. No previous studies have evaluated the effect of panitumumab in OC based on KRAS mutation status. Methods: Eligibility criteria are confirmed stage I-IV primary epithelial ovarian/fallopian/peritoneal cancer patients with progression either during or within 6 months after end...... to a total of 33 patients. At present, 15 patients have been enrolled. The primary endpoint is to investigate the response rate in platinum-resistant, KRAS wild- type OC patients treated with PLD supplemented with panitumumab. Translational research is included as a secondary endpoint and tumor tissue...

  18. Functional polymorphisms in the TERT promoter are associated with risk of serous epithelial ovarian and breast cancers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan Beesley

    Full Text Available Genetic variation at the TERT-CLPTM1L locus at 5p15.33 is associated with susceptibility to several cancers, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC. We have carried out fine-mapping of this region in EOC which implicates an association with a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP within the TERT promoter. We demonstrate that the minor alleles at rs2736109, and at an additional TERT promoter SNP, rs2736108, are associated with decreased breast cancer risk, and that the combination of both SNPs substantially reduces TERT promoter activity.

  19. The expression of Egfl7 in human normal tissues and epithelial tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Chun; Yang, Lian-Yue; Wu, Fan; Tao, Yi-Ming; Liu, Lin-Sen; Zhang, Jin-Fan; He, Ya-Ning; Tang, Li-Li; Chen, Guo-Dong; Guo, Lei

    2013-04-23

    To investigate the expression of Egfl7 in normal adult human tissues and human epithelial tumors.
 RT-PCR and Western blot were employed to detect Egfl7 expression in normal adult human tissues and 10 human epithelial tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, malignant glioma, ovarian cancer and renal cancer. Immunohistochemistry and cytoimmunofluorescence were subsequently used to determine the localization of Egfl7 in human epithelial tumor tissues and cell lines. ELISA was also carried out to examine the serum Egfl7 levels in cancer patients. In addition, correlations between Egfl7 expression and clinicopathological features as well as prognosis of HCC and breast cancer were also analyzed on the basis of immunohistochemistry results.
 Egfl7 was differentially expressed in 19 adult human normal tissues and was overexpressed in all 10 human epithelial tumor tissues. The serum Egfl7 level was also significantly elevated in cancer patients. The increased Egfl7 expression in HCC correlated with vein invasion, absence of capsule formation, multiple tumor nodes and poor prognosis. Similarly, upregulation of Egfl7 in breast cancer correlated strongly with TNM stage, lymphatic metastasis, estrogen receptor positivity, Her2 positivity and poor prognosis. 
 Egfl7 is significantly upregulated in human epithelial tumor tissues, suggesting Egfl7 to be a potential biomarker for human epithelial tumors, especially HCC and breast cancer.

  20. Effect of Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene expression in cervical cancer tissue on cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin-Qin Kang1

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene expression in cervical cancer tissue on cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Methods: Cervical cancer tissue samples and tissue samples adjacent to carcinoma were collected from 138 patients with radical operation for cervical cancer, fluorescence quantitative PCR method was used to detect the mRNA expression of Twist, Snail and YB-1 genes, cell invasion-related genes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition marker genes, the Pearson test was used to analyze the correlation of Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue with cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Results: Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue were higher than those in tissue adjacent to carcinoma, the invasion genes STAT3, YAP1, TUG1, FoxM1 and Rab11 mRNA expression were higher than those in tissue adjacent to carcinoma, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin and β-catenin gene mRNA expression were lower than those in tissue adjacent to carcinoma while vimentin gene mRNA expression was higher than that in tissue adjacent to carcinoma. Pearson test showed that Twist, Snail and YB-1 gene mRNA expression in cervical cancer tissue were directly correlated with cell invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Conclusion: Twist, Snail and YB-1 genes are highly expressed in cervical cancer tissue, and their abnormal expression directly leads to the increased tumor cell invasion activity and the aggravated epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

  1. Patient-derived xenograft models to improve targeted therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clare eScott

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Despite increasing evidence that precision therapy targeted to the molecular drivers of a cancer has the potential to improve clinical outcomes, high-grade epithelial ovarian cancer patients are currently treated without consideration of molecular phenotype, and predictive biomarkers that could better inform treatment remain unknown. Delivery of precision therapy requires improved integration of laboratory-based models and cutting-edge clinical research, with pre-clinical models predicting patient subsets that will benefit from a particular targeted therapeutic. Patient-derived xenografts (PDX are renewable tumor models engrafted in mice, generated from fresh human tumors without prior in vitro exposure. PDX models allow an invaluable assessment of tumor evolution and adaptive response to therapy.PDX models have been applied to preclinical drug testing and biomarker identification in a number of cancers including ovarian, pancreatic, breast and prostate cancers. These models have been shown to be biologically stable and accurately reflect the patient tumor with regards to histopathology, gene expression, genetic mutations and therapeutic response. However, pre-clinical analyses of molecularly annotated PDX models derived from high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HG-SOC remain limited. In vivo response to conventional and/or targeted therapeutics has only been described for very small numbers of individual HG-SOC PDX in conjunction with sparse molecular annotation and patient outcome data. Recently, two consecutive panels of epithelial ovarian cancer PDX correlate in vivo platinum response with molecular aberrations and source patient clinical outcomes. These studies underpin the value of PDX models to better direct chemotherapy and predict response to targeted therapy. Tumor heterogeneity, before and following treatment, as well as the importance of multiple molecular aberrations per individual tumor underscore some of the important issues

  2. Oral epithelial stem cells – implications in normal development and cancer metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papagerakis, Silvana; Pannone, Giuseppe; Zheng, Li; About, Imad; Taqi, Nawar; Nguyen, Nghia P.T.; Matossian, Margarite; McAlpin, Blake; Santoro, Angela; McHugh, Jonathan; Prince, Mark E.; Papagerakis, Petros

    2014-01-01

    Oral mucosa is continuously exposed to environmental forces and has to be constantly renewed. Accordingly, the oral mucosa epithelium contains a large reservoir of epithelial stem cells necessary for tissue homeostasis. Despite considerable scientific advances in stem cell behavior in a number of tissues, fewer studies have been devoted to the stem cells in the oral epithelium. Most of oral mucosa stem cells studies are focused on identifying cancer stem cells (CSC) in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) among other head and neck cancers. OSCCs are the most prevalent epithelial tumors of the head and neck region, marked by their aggressiveness and invasiveness. Due to their highly tumorigenic properties, it has been suggested that CSC may be the critical population of cancer cells in the development of OSCC metastasis. This review presents a brief overview of epithelium stem cells with implications in oral health, and the clinical implications of the CSC concept in OSCC metastatic dissemination. PMID:24803391

  3. Lead, selenium and nickel concentrations in epithelial ovarian cancer, borderline ovarian tumor and healthy ovarian tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canaz, Emel; Kilinc, Metin; Sayar, Hamide; Kiran, Gurkan; Ozyurek, Eser

    2017-09-01

    Wide variation exists in ovarian cancer incidence rates suggesting the importance of environmental factors. Due to increasing environmental pollution, trace elements and heavy metals have drawn attention in studies defining the etiology of cancer, but scant data is available for ovarian cancer. Our aim was to compare the tissue concentrations of lead, selenium and nickel in epithelial ovarian cancer, borderline tumor and healthy ovarian tissues. The levels of lead, selenium and nickel were estimated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue samples. Tests were carried out in 20 malignant epithelial ovarian cancer, 15 epithelial borderline tumor and 20 non-neoplastic healthy ovaries. Two samples were collected for borderline tumors, one from papillary projection and one from the smooth surface of cyst wall. Pb and Ni concentrations were found to be higher both in malignant and borderline tissues than those in healthy ovaries. Concentrations of Pb and Ni in malignant tissues, borderline papillary projections and capsular tissue samples were not different. Comparison of Se concentrations of malignant, borderline and healthy ovarian tissues did not reveal statistical difference. Studied metal levels were not found to be different in either papillary projection or in cyst wall of the borderline tumors. This study revealed the accumulation of lead and nickel in ovarian tissue is associated with borderline and malignant proliferation of the surface epithelium. Accumulation of these metals in epithelial ovarian cancer and borderline ovarian tumor has not been demonstrated before. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. High-risk HPV is not associated with epithelial ovarian cancer in a Caucasian population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ingerslev, Kasper Hjorth; Hogdall, Estrid; Skovrider-Ruminski, Wojciech

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: High-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) has been suspected to play a role in the carcinogenesis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, results from previous studies are conflicting. In most of these studies, the number of tissue samples was small. The current study was therefore...... undertaken to examine the prevalence of high-risk HPV DNA in EOC in a large series of patients. METHOD: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-imbedded tumor tissue samples from 198 cases consecutively included in the Danish Pelvic Mass Study were analyzed. The material included 163 serous adenocarcinomas, 15 endometrioid...

  5. Potential Target Antigens for a Universal Vaccine in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vermeij, R.; Daemen, T.; de Bock, G.H.; de Graeff, P.; Leffers, N.; Lambeck, A.; Ten Hoor, K.A.; Hollema, H.; van der Zee, A.G.J.; Nijman, H.W.

    2010-01-01

    The prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), the primary cause of death from gynaecological malignancies, has only modestly improved over the last decades. Immunotherapeutic treatment using a cocktail of antigens has been proposed as a "universal" vaccine strategy. We determined the expression

  6. Overexpression of human sperm protein 17 increases migration and decreases the chemosensitivity of human epithelial ovarian cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Fang-qiu; Han, Yan-ling; Liu, Qun; Wu, Bo; Huang, Wen-bin; Zeng, Su-yun

    2009-01-01

    Most deaths from ovarian cancer are due to metastases that are resistant to conventional therapies. But the factors that regulate the metastatic process and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer are poorly understood. In the current study, we investigated the aberrant expression of human sperm protein 17 (HSp17) in human epithelial ovarian cancer cells and tried to analyze its influences on the cell behaviors like migration and chemoresistance. Immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry were used to identify HSp17 in paraffin embedded ovarian malignant tumor specimens and peritoneal metastatic malignant cells. Then we examined the effect of HSp17 overexpression on the proliferation, migration, and chemoresistance of ovarian cancer cells to carboplatin and cisplatin in a human ovarian carcinoma cell line, HO8910. We found that HSp17 was aberrantly expressed in 43% (30/70) of the patients with primary epithelial ovarian carcinomas, and in all of the metastatic cancer cells of ascites from 8 patients. The Sp17 expression was also detected in the metastatic lesions the same as in ovarian lesions. None of the 7 non-epithelial tumors primarily developed in the ovaries was immunopositive for HSp17. Overexpression of HSp17 increased the migration but decreased the chemosensitivity of ovarian carcinoma cells to carboplatin and cisplatin. HSp17 is aberrantly expressed in a significant proportion of epithelial ovarian carcinomas. Our results strongly suggest that HSp17 plays a role in metastatic disease and resistance of epithelial ovarian carcinoma to chemotherapy

  7. Recreational physical inactivity and mortality in women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cannioto, Rikki A.; LaMonte, Michael J.; Kelemen, Linda E

    2016-01-01

    Background: Little is known about modifiable behaviours that may be associated with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) survival. We conducted a pooled analysis of 12 studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium to investigate the association between pre-diagnostic physical inactivity...... and mortality. Methods: Participants included 6806 women with a primary diagnosis of invasive EOC. In accordance with the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, women reporting no regular, weekly recreational physical activity were classified as inactive. We utilised Cox proportional hazard models...... to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) representing the associations of inactivity with mortality censored at 5 years. Results: In multivariate analysis, inactive women had significantly higher mortality risks, with (HR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.18-1.52) and without (HR=1.22, 95% CI: 1...

  8. Aspirin, nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and acetaminophen use and risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trabert, Britton; Ness, Roberta B; Lo-Ciganic, Wei-Hsuan

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Regular aspirin use is associated with reduced risk of several malignancies. Epidemiologic studies analyzing aspirin, nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and acetaminophen use and ovarian cancer risk have been inconclusive. METHODS: We analyzed pooled data from 12...... population-based case-control studies of ovarian cancer, including 7776 case patients and 11843 control subjects accrued between 1992 and 2007. Odds ratios (ORs) for associations of medication use with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer were estimated in individual studies using logistic regression...... and combined using random effects meta-analysis. Associations between frequency, dose, and duration of analgesic use and risk of ovarian cancer were also assessed. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS: Aspirin use was associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer (OR = 0.91; 95% confidence interval...

  9. JS-K, a nitric oxide-releasing prodrug, induces breast cancer cell death while sparing normal mammary epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMurtry, Vanity; Saavedra, Joseph E; Nieves-Alicea, René; Simeone, Ann-Marie; Keefer, Larry K; Tari, Ana M

    2011-04-01

    Targeted therapy with reduced side effects is a major goal in cancer research. We investigated the effects of JS-K, a nitric oxide (NO) prodrug designed to release high levels of NO when suitably activated, on human breast cancer cell lines, on non-transformed human MCF-10A mammary cells, and on normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). Cell viability assay, flow cytometry, electron microscopy, and Western blot analysis were used to study the effects of JS-K on breast cancer and on mammary epithelial cells. After a 3-day incubation, the IC50s of JS-K against the breast cancer cells ranged from 0.8 to 3 µM. However, JS-K decreased the viability of the MCF-10A cells by only 20% at 10-µM concentration, and HMECs were unaffected by 10 µM JS-K. Flow cytometry indicated that JS-K increased the percentages of breast cancer cells under-going apoptosis. Interestingly, flow cytometry indicated that JS-K increased acidic vesicle organelle formation in breast cancer cells, suggesting that JS-K induced autophagy in breast cancer cells. Electron microscopy confirmed that JS-K-treated breast cancer cells underwent autophagic cell death. Western blot analysis showed that JS-K induced the expression of microtubule light chain 3-II, another autophagy marker, in breast cancer cells. However, JS-K did not induce apoptosis or autophagy in normal human mammary epithelial cells. These data indicate that JS-K selectively induces programmed cell death in breast cancer cells while sparing normal mammary epithelial cells under the same conditions. The selective anti-tumor activity of JS-K warrants its further investigation in breast tumors.

  10. Functional characterization of the transcription factor ZEB1 in epithelial to mesenchymal transition and cancer progression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sultan, A.

    2010-01-01

    Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is implicated in the progression of primary tumours towards metastasis and is likely caused by a pathological activation of transcription factors regulating EMT in embryonic development. To analyse EMT-causing pathways in tumourigenesis, transcriptional targets of the E-cadherin repressor ZEB1 in invasive humancancer cells were identified. We show that ZEB1 repressed multiple key determinants of epithelial differentiation and cell-cell adhesion, including the cell polarity genes Crumbs3, HUGL2, PKP3 and Pals1-associated tight junction protein. ZEB1 associated with their endogenous promoters in vivo, and strongly repressed promoter activities in reporter assays. ZEB1 downregulation in undifferentiated cancer cells by RNA interference was sufficient to upregulate expression of these cell polarity genes on the RNA and protein level, to re-establish epithelial features and to impair cell motility in vitro. In human colorectal cancer, ZEB1 expression was limited to the tumour-host interface and was accompanied by loss of intercellular adhesion and tumour cell invasion. EMT-inducing transcriptional repressor ZEB1 promotes colorectal cancer cell metastasis and loss of cell polarity. Thereby, ZEB1 suppresses the expression of cell polarity factors, in particular of Lgl2, which was found to be reduced in colorectal and breast cancers. In invasive ductal and lobular breast cancer, upregulation of ZEB1 was stringently coupled to cancer cell dedifferentiation. The invasion potential of MDA-MB-231, a highly invasive breast cancer cell line, is shown to be under the control of ZEB1. Over-expression of ZEB1downregulates and relocalizes E-Cadherin in MCF7 breast cancer cells; moreover, ZEB1 overexpression results in reduced proliferation rate of these cells. Most importantly, we show that ZEB1 mediated downregulation of E-cadherin involves chromatin modifications. Markers of transcriptionally active chromatin Acetylated H3 and Acetylated

  11. Mitochondrial Dysfunction: A Novel Potential Driver of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flora Guerra

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT allows epithelial cancer cells to assume mesenchymal features, endowing them with enhanced motility and invasiveness, thus enabling cancer dissemination and metastatic spread. The induction of EMT is orchestrated by EMT-inducing transcription factors that switch on the expression of “mesenchymal” genes and switch off the expression of “epithelial” genes. Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark of cancer and has been associated with progression to a metastatic and drug-resistant phenotype. The mechanistic link between metastasis and mitochondrial dysfunction is gradually emerging. The discovery that mitochondrial dysfunction owing to deregulated mitophagy, depletion of the mitochondrial genome (mitochondrial DNA or mutations in Krebs’ cycle enzymes, such as succinate dehydrogenase, fumarate hydratase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase, activate the EMT gene signature has provided evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction and EMT are interconnected. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the role of different types of mitochondrial dysfunction in inducing EMT in cancer cells. We place emphasis on recent advances in the identification of signaling components in the mito-nuclear communication network initiated by dysfunctional mitochondria that promote cellular remodeling and EMT activation in cancer cells.

  12. Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuchenbaecker, K.B.; Ramus, S.J.; Tyrer, J.; Lee, A.; Shen, H.C.; Beesley, J.; Lawrenson, K.; McGuffog, L.; Healey, S.; Lee, J.M.; Spindler, T.J.; Lin, Y.G.; Pejovic, T.; Bean, Y.; Li, Q.; Coetzee, S.; Hazelett, D.; Miron, A.; Southey, M.; Terry, M.B.; Goldgar, D.E.; Buys, S.S.; Janavicius, R.; Dorfling, C.M.; Rensburg, E.J. van; Neuhausen, S.L.; Ding, Y.C.; Hansen, T.V.; Jonson, L.; Gerdes, A.M.; Ejlertsen, B.; Barrowdale, D.; Dennis, J.; Benitez, J.; Osorio, A.; Garcia, M.J.; Komenaka, I.; Weitzel, J.N.; Ganschow, P.; Peterlongo, P.; Bernard, L.; Viel, A.; Bonanni, B.; Peissel, B.; Manoukian, S.; Radice, P.; Papi, L.; Ottini, L.; Fostira, F.; Konstantopoulou, I.; Garber, J.; Frost, D.; Perkins, J.; Platte, R.; Ellis, S.; Embrace, .; Godwin, A.K.; Schmutzler, R.K.; Meindl, A.; Engel, C.; Sutter, C.; Sinilnikova, O.M.; Damiola, F.; Mazoyer, S.; Stoppa-Lyonnet, D.; Claes, K.; Leeneer, K. De; Kirk, J.; Rodriguez, G.C.; Piedmonte, M.; O'Malley, D.M.; Hoya, M. de la; Caldes, T.; Aittomaki, K.; Nevanlinna, H.; Collee, J.M.; Rookus, M.A.; Oosterwijk, J.C; Tihomirova, L.; Tung, N.; Hamann, U.; Isaccs, C.; Tischkowitz, M.; Imyanitov, E.N.; Caligo, M.A.; Campbell, I.G.; Hogervorst, F.B.; Olah, E.; Diez, O.; Blanco, I.; Brunet, J.; Lazaro, C.; Pujana, M.A.; Jakubowska, A.; Gronwald, J.; Lubinski, J.; Sukiennicki, G.; Massuger, L.F.A.G.; Altena, A.M. van; Aben, K.K.H.; Kiemeney, B.; Mensenkamp, A.R.; Kets, M.; Hoogerbrugge, N.; Ligtenberg, M.J.L.; et al.,

    2015-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 12 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility alleles. The pattern of association at these loci is consistent in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who are at high risk of EOC. After imputation to 1000 Genomes Project data, we assessed

  13. Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    K.B. Kuchenbaecker (Karoline); S.J. Ramus (Susan); J.P. Tyrer (Jonathan); A. Lee (Andrew); H.C. Shen (Howard C.); J. Beesley (Jonathan); K. Lawrenson (Kate); L. McGuffog (Lesley); S. Healey (Sue); J.M. Lee (Janet M.); T.J. Spindler (Tassja J.); Y.G. Lin (Yvonne G.); T. Pejovic (Tanja); Y. Bean (Yukie); Q. Li (Qiyuan); S. Coetzee (Simon); D. Hazelett (Dennis); A. Miron (Alexander); M.C. Southey (Melissa); M.B. Terry (Mary Beth); D. Goldgar (David); S.S. Buys (Saundra); R. Janavicius (Ramunas); C.M. Dorfling (Cecilia); E.J. van Rensburg (Elizabeth); S.L. Neuhausen (Susan); Y.C. Ding (Yuan); T.V.O. Hansen (Thomas); L. Jønson (Lars); A.-M. Gerdes (Anne-Marie); B. Ejlertsen (Bent); D. Barrowdale (Daniel); J. Dennis (Joe); J. Benítez (Javier); A. Osorio (Ana); M.J. Garcia (Maria Jose); I. Komenaka (Ian); J.N. Weitzel (Jeffrey); P. Ganschow (Pamela); P. Peterlongo (Paolo); L. Bernard (Loris); A. Viel (Alessandra); B. Bonnani (Bernardo); B. Peissel (Bernard); S. Manoukian (Siranoush); P. Radice (Paolo); L. Papi (Laura); L. Ottini (Laura); F. Fostira (Florentia); I. Konstantopoulou (I.); J. Garber (Judy); D. Frost (Debra); J. Perkins (Jo); R. Platte (Radka); S.D. Ellis (Steve); A.K. Godwin (Andrew K.); R.K. Schmutzler (Rita); A. Meindl (Alfons); C. Engel (Christoph); C. Sutter (Christian); O. Sinilnikova (Olga); F. Damiola (Francesca); S. Mazoyer (Sylvie); D. Stoppa-Lyonnet (Dominique); K.B.M. Claes (Kathleen B.M.); K. De Leeneer (Kim); J. Kirk (Judy); G. Rodriguez (Gustavo); M. Piedmonte (Marion); D.M. O'Malley (David M.); M. de La Hoya (Miguel); T. Caldes (Trinidad); K. Aittomäki (Kristiina); H. Nevanlinna (Heli); J.M. Collée (Margriet); M.A. Rookus (Matti); J.C. Oosterwijk (Jan); L. Tihomirova (Laima); N. Tung (Nadine); U. Hamann (Ute); C. Isaccs (Claudine); M. Tischkowitz (Marc); E.N. Imyanitov (Evgeny); M.A. Caligo (Maria); I. Campbell (Ian); F.B.L. Hogervorst (Frans); E. Olah; O. Díez (Orland); I. Blanco (Ignacio); J. Brunet (Joan); C. Lazaro (Conxi); M.A. Pujana (Miguel); A. Jakubowska (Anna); J. Gronwald (Jacek); J. Lubinski (Jan); G. Sukiennicki (Grzegorz); R.B. Barkardottir (Rosa); M. Plante (Marie); J. Simard (Jacques); P. Soucy (Penny); M. Montagna (Marco); S. Tognazzo (Silvia); P.J. Teixeira; V.S. Pankratz (Shane); X. Wang (Xianshu); N.M. Lindor (Noralane); C. Szabo (Csilla); N. Kauff (Noah); J. Vijai (Joseph); C.A. Aghajanian (Carol A.); G. Pfeiler (Georg); A. Berger (Andreas); C.F. Singer (Christian); M.-K. Tea; C. Phelan (Catherine); M.H. Greene (Mark H.); P.L. Mai (Phuong); G. Rennert (Gad); A.-M. Mulligan (Anna-Marie); S. Tchatchou (Sandrine); I.L. Andrulis (Irene); G. Glendon (Gord); A.E. Toland (Amanda); U.B. Jensen (Uffe Birk); T.A. Kruse (Torben); M. Thomassen (Mads); A. Bojesen (Anders); J. Zidan (Jamal); E. Friedman (Eitan); Y. Laitman (Yael); M. Soller (Maria); A. Liljegren (Annelie); B. Arver (Brita Wasteson); Z. Einbeigi (Zakaria); M. Stenmark-Askmalm (Marie); O.I. Olopade (Olufunmilayo I.); R.L. Nussbaum (Robert L.); T.R. Rebbeck (Timothy R.); K.L. Nathanson (Katherine); S.M. Domchek (Susan); K.H. Lu (Karen); B.Y. Karlan (Beth Y.); C. Walsh (Christine); K.J. Lester (Kathryn); R. Hein (Rebecca); A.B. Ekici (Arif); M.W. Beckmann (Matthias); P.A. Fasching (Peter); D. Lambrechts (Diether); E. Van Nieuwenhuysen (Els); I. Vergote (Ignace); S. Lambrechts (Sandrina); E. Dicks (Ed); J.A. Doherty (Jennifer A.); K.G. Wicklund (Kristine G.); M.A. Rossing (Mary Anne); A. Rudolph (Anja); J. Chang-Claude (Jenny); S. Wang-Gohrke (Shan); U. Eilber (Ursula); K.B. Moysich (Kirsten B.); K. Odunsi (Kunle); L. Sucheston (Lara); S. Lele (Shashi); L. Wilkens (Lynne); M.T. Goodman (Marc); P.J. Thompson (Pamela J.); Y.B. Shvetsov (Yurii B.); I.B. Runnebaum (Ingo); M. Dürst (Matthias); P. Hillemanns (Peter); T. Dörk (Thilo); N.N. Antonenkova (Natalia); N.V. Bogdanova (Natalia); A. Leminen (Arto); L.M. Pelttari (Liisa); R. Butzow (Ralf); F. Modugno (Francesmary); J.L. Kelley (Joseph L.); R. Edwards (Robert); R.B. Ness (Roberta); A. Du Bois (Andreas); P.U. Heitz; I. Schwaab (Ira); P. Harter (Philipp); K. Matsuo (Keitaro); N. Hosono (Naoya); S. Orsulic (Sandra); A. Jensen (Allan); M. Kjaer (Michael); E. Høgdall (Estrid); H.N. Hasmad (Hanis Nazihah); M.A. Noor Azmi (Mat Adenan); S.-H. Teo (Soo-Hwang); Y.L. Woo (Yin Ling); B.L. Fridley (Brooke); E.L. Goode (Ellen); J.M. Cunningham (Julie); R.A. Vierkant (Robert); F. Bruinsma (Fiona); G.G. Giles (Graham G.); D. Liang (Dong); M.A.T. Hildebrandt (Michelle A.T.); X. Wu (Xifeng); D.A. Levine (Douglas); M. Bisogna (Maria); A. Berchuck (Andrew); E. Iversen (Erik); J.M. Schildkraut (Joellen); P. Concannon (Patrick); R.P. Weber (Rachel Palmieri); D.W. Cramer (Daniel); K.L. Terry (Kathryn); E.M. Poole (Elizabeth); S. Tworoger (Shelley); E.V. Bandera (Elisa); I. Orlow (Irene); S.H. Olson (Sara); C. Krakstad (Camilla); H.B. Salvesen (Helga); I.L. Tangen (Ingvild L.); L. Bjorge (Line); A.M. van Altena (Anne); K.K.H. Aben (Katja); L.A.L.M. Kiemeney (Bart); L.F. Massuger (Leon); M. Kellar (Melissa); A. Brooks-Wilson (Angela); L.E. Kelemen (Linda); L.S. Cook (Linda S.); N.D. Le (Nhu D.); C. Cybulski (Cezary); H. Yang (Hannah); J. Lissowska (Jolanta); L.A. Brinton (Louise); N. Wentzensen (N.); C.K. Høgdall (Claus); L. Lundvall (Lene); L. Nedergaard (Lotte); H. Baker (Helen); H. Song (Honglin); D. Eccles (Diana); I. McNeish (Ian); J. Paul (James); K. Carty (Karen); N. Siddiqui (Nadeem); R. Glasspool (Rosalind); A.S. Whittemore (Alice S.); J.H. Rothstein (Joseph H.); W.P. McGuire; W. Sieh (Weiva); B.-T. Ji (Bu-Tian); W. Zheng (Wei); X.-O. Shu (Xiao-Ou); Y. Gao; B. Rosen (Barry); H. Risch (Harvey); J. McLaughlin (John); S.A. Narod (Steven A.); A.N.A. Monteiro (Alvaro N.); A. Chen (Ann); H.-Y. Lin (Hui-Yi); J. Permuth-Wey (Jenny); T.F. Sellers; Y.-Y. Tsai (Ya-Yu); Z. Chen (Zhihua); A. Ziogas (Argyrios); H. Anton-Culver (Hoda); A. Gentry-Maharaj (Aleksandra); U. Menon (Usha); P. harrington (Patricia); A.W. Lee (Alice W.); A.H. Wu (Anna H.); C.L. Pearce (Celeste); G. Coetzee (Gerry); M.C. Pike (Malcolm C.); A. Dansonka-Mieszkowska (Agnieszka); A. Timorek (Agnieszka); I.K. Rzepecka (Iwona); J. Kupryjanczyk (Jolanta); M. Freedman (Matthew); H. Noushmehr (Houtan); D.F. Easton (Douglas F.); K. Offit (Kenneth); F.J. Couch (Fergus); S.A. Gayther (Simon); P.P.D.P. Pharoah (Paul P.D.P.); A.C. Antoniou (Antonis C.); G. Chenevix-Trench (Georgia)

    2015-01-01

    textabstractGenome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 12 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility alleles. The pattern of association at these loci is consistent in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who are at high risk of EOC. After imputation to 1000 Genomes Project data, we

  14. Stromal COX-2 signaling activated by deoxycholic acid mediates proliferation and invasiveness of colorectal epithelial cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, Yingting; Zhu, Min; Lance, Peter

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Human colonic cancer associated fibroblasts are major sources of COX-2 and PGE 2 . ► The fibroblasts interact with human colonic epithelial cancer cells. ► Activation of COX-2 signaling in the fibroblasts affects behavior of the epithelia. ► Protein Kinase C controls the activation of COX-2 signaling. -- Abstract: COX-2 is a major regulator implicated in colonic cancer. However, how COX-2 signaling affects colonic carcinogenesis at cellular level is not clear. In this article, we investigated whether activation of COX-2 signaling by deoxycholic acid (DCA) in primary human normal and cancer associated fibroblasts play a significant role in regulation of proliferation and invasiveness of colonic epithelial cancer cells. Our results demonstrated while COX-2 signaling can be activated by DCA in both normal and cancer associated fibroblasts, the level of activation of COX-2 signaling is significantly greater in cancer associated fibroblasts than that in normal fibroblasts. In addition, we discovered that the proliferative and invasive potential of colonic epithelial cancer cells were much greater when the cells were co-cultured with cancer associated fibroblasts pre-treated with DCA than with normal fibroblasts pre-treated with DCA. Moreover, COX-2 siRNA attenuated the proliferative and invasive effect of both normal and cancer associate fibroblasts pre-treated with DCA on the colonic cancer cells. Further studies indicated that the activation of COX-2 signaling by DCA is through protein kinase C signaling. We speculate that activation of COX-2 signaling especially in cancer associated fibroblasts promotes progression of colonic cancer.

  15. Expression of zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox factor 1 in epithelial ovarian cancer: A clinicopathological analysis of 238 patients

    OpenAIRE

    LI, XIUFANG; HUANG, RUIXIA; LI, RUTH HOLM; TROPE, CLAES G.; NESLAND, JAHN M.; SUO, ZHENHE

    2015-01-01

    A growing body of evidence indicates that aberrant activation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a key role in tumor cell invasion and metastasis. Zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox factor 1 (ZEB1), as a crucial mediator of EMT, contributes to the malignant progression of various epithelial tumors. To determine whether ZEB1 is involved in the progression of ovarian cancer, we immunohistochemically evaluated the expression of ZEB1 in 238 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC...

  16. Prevalence of human papillomavirus in epithelial ovarian cancer tissue. A meta-analysis of observational studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svahn, Malene F; Faber, Mette Tuxen; Christensen, Jane

    2014-01-01

    The role of human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer is controversial, and conflicting results have been published. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the prevalence of HPV in epithelial ovarian cancer tissue....

  17. Reproductive factors and epithelial ovarian cancer survival in the EPIC cohort study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Be͉ević, Jelena; Gunter, Marc J.; Fortner, Renee T.; Tsilidis, Konstantinos K.; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Dossus, Laure; TjØnneland, Anne; Hansen, Louise; Overvad, Kim; Mesrine, Sylvie; Baglietto, Laura; Clavel-Chapelon, Francoise; Kaaks, Rudolf; Aleksandrova, Krasimira; Boeing, Heiner; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lagiou, Pagona; Bamia, Christina; Masala, Giovanna; Agnoli, Claudia; Tumino, Rosario; Ricceri, Fulvio; Panico, Salvatore; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. B.; Peeters, Petra H.; Jareid, Mie; Quirós, J. Ramon; Duell, Eric J.; Sánchez, Maria Jose; Larrañaga, Nerea; Chirlaque, Maria Dolores; Barricarte, Aurelio; Dias, Joana A.; Sonestedt, Emily; Idahl, Annika; Lundin, Eva; Wareham, Nicholas J.; Khaw, Kay Tee; Travis, Ruth C.; Rinaldi, Sabina; Romieu, Isabelle; Riboli, Elio; Merritt, Melissa A.

    2015-01-01

    Background:Reproductive factors influence the risk of developing epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but little is known about their association with survival. We tested whether prediagnostic reproductive factors influenced EOC-specific survival among 1025 invasive EOC cases identified in the European

  18. Epithelial mesenchymal transition status is associated with anti-cancer responses towards receptor tyrosine-kinase inhibition by dovitinib in human bladder cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hänze, Jörg; Henrici, Marcus; Hegele, Axel; Hofmann, Rainer; Olbert, Peter J

    2013-01-01

    Dovitinib (TKI-258) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and further related RTKs. TKI-258 is under investigation as anticancer drug for the treatment of various cancers including bladder cancer with aberrant RTK signaling. Here, we analyzed the responses of ten human bladder cancer cell lines towards TKI-258 treatment in relation to the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) status of the cells. Expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin as well as mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin was determined by quantitative RT-PCR and Western-blot in RNA and protein extracts from the cultured cell lines. The cell responses were analyzed upon addition of TKI-258 by viability/proliferation (XTT assay) and colony formation assay for measurement of cell contact independent growth. The investigated bladder cancer cell lines turned out to display quite different EMT patterns as indicated by the abundance of E-cadherin or N-cadherin and vimentin. Protein and mRNA levels of the respective components strongly correlated. Based on E-cadherin and N-cadherin mRNA levels that were expressed approximately mutual exclusively, an EMT-score was calculated for each cell line. A high EMT-score indicated mesenchymal-like cells and a low EMT-score epithelial-like cells. Then, we determined the IC 50 values for TKI-258 by dose response curves (0-12 μM TKI-258) in XTT assays for each cell line. Also, we measured the clonogenic survival fraction after adding TKI-258 (1 μM) by colony formation assay. We observed significant correlations between EMT-score and IC 50 values (r = 0.637, p = 0.0474) and between EMT-score and clonogenic survival fraction (r = 0.635, p = 0.0483) as analyzed by linear regression analyses. In sum, we demonstrated that the EMT status based on E-cadherin and N-cadherin mRNA levels may be useful to predict responses towards TKI-258 treatment in bladder cancer

  19. Tumor budding cells, cancer stem cells and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-type cells in pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karamitopoulou, Eva

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal cancers with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Moreover, PDAC escapes early detection and resists treatment. Multiple combinations of genetic alterations are known to occur in PDAC including mutational activation of KRAS, inactivation of p16/CDKN2A and SMAD4 (DPC4) and dysregulation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling. Through their interaction with Wingless-INT pathway, the downstream molecules of these pathways have been implicated in the promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Emerging evidence has demonstrated that cancer stem cells (CSCs), small populations of which have been identified in PDAC, and EMT-type cells play critical roles in drug resistance, invasion, and metastasis in pancreatic cancer. EMT may be histologically represented by the presence of tumor budding which is described as the occurrence of single tumor cells or small clusters (<5) of dedifferentiated cells at the invasive front of gastrointestinal (including colorectal, oesophageal, gastric, and ampullary) carcinomas and is linked to poor prognosis. Tumor budding has recently been shown to occur frequently in PDAC and to be associated with adverse clinicopathological features and decreased disease-free and overall survival. The aim of this review is to present a short overview on the morphological and molecular aspects that underline the relationship between tumor budding cells, CSCs, and EMT-type cells in PDAC.

  20. Tumor Budding Cells, Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-type Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eva eKaramitopoulou

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC is one of the most lethal cancers with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Moreover, PDAC escapes early detection and resists treatment. Multiple combinations of genetic alterations are known to occur in PDAC including mutational activation of KRAS, inactivation of p16/CDKN2A and SMAD4 (DPC4 and dysregulation of PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling. Through their interaction with WNT pathway, the downstream molecules of these pathways have been implicated in the promotion of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Emerging evidence has demonstrated that cancer stem cells (CSCs, small populations of which have been identified in PDAC, and EMT-type cells play critical roles in drug resistance, invasion and metastasis in pancreatic cancer. EMT may be histologically represented by the presence of tumor budding which is described as the occurrence of single tumor cells or small clusters (<5 of dedifferentiated cells at the invasive front of gastrointestinal (including colorectal, oesophageal, gastric and ampullary carcinomas and is linked to poor prognosis. Tumor budding has recently been shown to occur frequently in PDAC and to be associated with adverse clinicopathological features and decreased disease-free and overall survival. The aim of this review is to present a short overview on the morphological and molecular aspects that underline the relationship between tumor budding cells, CSCs and EMT-type cells in PDAC.

  1. Rate of Appendiceal Metastasis with Non-Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in Manitoba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altman, Alon D; Lefas, Georgia; Power, Laura; Lambert, Pascal; Lotocki, Robert; Dean, Erin; Nachtigal, Mark W

    2018-02-01

    This study sought to evaluate the rate of appendiceal involvement in non-serous mucinous and endometrioid-associated epithelial ovarian cancers. The Manitoba Cancer Registry and CancerCare database were used to find all women with non-serous epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer between 1995 and 2011. All patients with an appendectomy were then identified, and their final pathology findings were reviewed. Women who did not receive treatment or lacked follow-up were excluded. We identified 338 patients from 1995-2011 with no prior appendectomy. Of these, 16.6% received an appendectomy, and 22.8% were clinically evaluated. Most cases within this cohort were mucinous (62%) and stage 1 (63%). Four appendiceal metastases were identified (7.2%), and one half appeared clinically normal at the time of surgery (3.6%). Within the mucinous histologic type, 32.7% of patients received an appendectomy, with a metastatic rate of 5.7%. Of the 127 endometrioid cases, only 10 patients received an appendectomy, and 2 were found to have metastases. No metastases were found in the 85 patients in the clear cell cohort, only 5 of whom received an appendectomy. Routine appendectomy or clinical assessment of the appendix is valuable for all non-serous ovarian cancers. The rate of involvement for endometriosis-associated ovarian cancers may be significantly higher than expected, and further studies need to be conducted. Copyright © 2018 Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Stromal COX-2 signaling activated by deoxycholic acid mediates proliferation and invasiveness of colorectal epithelial cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhu, Yingting, E-mail: yitizhu@yahoo.com [Arizona Cancer Center, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724 (United States); Tissue Tech Inc., Miami, FL 33173 (United States); Zhu, Min; Lance, Peter [Arizona Cancer Center, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724 (United States)

    2012-08-31

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Human colonic cancer associated fibroblasts are major sources of COX-2 and PGE{sub 2}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The fibroblasts interact with human colonic epithelial cancer cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Activation of COX-2 signaling in the fibroblasts affects behavior of the epithelia. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Protein Kinase C controls the activation of COX-2 signaling. -- Abstract: COX-2 is a major regulator implicated in colonic cancer. However, how COX-2 signaling affects colonic carcinogenesis at cellular level is not clear. In this article, we investigated whether activation of COX-2 signaling by deoxycholic acid (DCA) in primary human normal and cancer associated fibroblasts play a significant role in regulation of proliferation and invasiveness of colonic epithelial cancer cells. Our results demonstrated while COX-2 signaling can be activated by DCA in both normal and cancer associated fibroblasts, the level of activation of COX-2 signaling is significantly greater in cancer associated fibroblasts than that in normal fibroblasts. In addition, we discovered that the proliferative and invasive potential of colonic epithelial cancer cells were much greater when the cells were co-cultured with cancer associated fibroblasts pre-treated with DCA than with normal fibroblasts pre-treated with DCA. Moreover, COX-2 siRNA attenuated the proliferative and invasive effect of both normal and cancer associate fibroblasts pre-treated with DCA on the colonic cancer cells. Further studies indicated that the activation of COX-2 signaling by DCA is through protein kinase C signaling. We speculate that activation of COX-2 signaling especially in cancer associated fibroblasts promotes progression of colonic cancer.

  3. Whole abdomen irradiation in epithelial ovarian cancer - state of the art

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gocheva, L.

    2009-01-01

    Epithelial ovarian cancer (OC) as a malignancy which poses multiple challenges has led to growing attention and concern during recent years. The not very noteworthy treatment results achieved during the last three decades with contemporary chemotherapeutic schemes have led to the need for research and development of new therapeutic approaches, as well as to a resurgence of interest in radiotherapy (RT) as part of a combined modality approach and as salvage therapy for patients with small volume persistent disease after primary cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy. This article reviews the state of the art of whole abdomen irradiation (WAI) (excluding the moving strip field technique) as part of the complex treatment of epithelial OC. The prognostic factors and risk groups of epithelial OC are discussed as indicators for WAI, giving in detail the applied treatment modalities, fractionation and total doses. Toxicity and second primary malignancies following WAI are analyzed. The clinical experience accumulated during the last decades, as adjuvant, consolidative, salvage and palliative WAI in combined treatment of epithelial OC, is presented. Current issues in the radiotherapeutic management are discussed along with ideas for future clinical research directions. (author)

  4. Knockdown of BAG3 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition in thyroid cancer cells through ZEB1 activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, X; Kong, D-H; Li, N; Zong, Z-H; Liu, B-Q; Du, Z-X; Guan, Y; Cao, L; Wang, H-Q

    2014-02-27

    The process by which epithelial features are lost in favor of a mesenchymal phenotype is referred to as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Most carcinomas use this mechanism to evade into neighboring tissues. Reduction or a loss of E-cadherin expression is a well-established hallmark of EMT. As a potent suppressor of E-cadherin, transcription factor ZEB1 is one of the key inducers of EMT, whose expression promotes tumorigenesis and metastasis of carcinomas. Bcl-2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) affects multifaceted cellular functions, including proliferation, apoptosis, cell adhesion and invasion, viral infection, and autophagy. Recently, we have reported a novel role of BAG3 implicated in EMT, while the mechanisms are poorly elucidated. The current study demonstrated that knockdown of BAG3 induced EMT, and increased cell migratory and invasiveness in thyroid cancer cells via transcriptional activation of ZEB1. We also found that BAG3 knockdown led to nuclear accumulation of β-catenin, which was responsible for the transcriptional activation of ZEB1. These results indicate BAG3 as a regulator of ZEB1 expression in EMT and as a regulator of metastasis in thyroid cancer cells, providing potential targets to prevent and/or treat thyroid cancer cell invasion and metastasis.

  5. Progesterone inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in endometrial cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul H van der Horst

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Every year approximately 74,000 women die of endometrial cancer, mainly due to recurrent or metastatic disease. The presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs as well as progesterone receptor (PR positivity has been correlated with improved prognosis. This study describes two mechanisms by which progesterone inhibits metastatic spread of endometrial cancer: by stimulating T-cell infiltration and by inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal cell transition (EMT. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Paraffin sections from patients with (n = 9 or without (n = 9 progressive endometrial cancer (recurrent or metastatic disease were assessed for the presence of CD4+ (helper, CD8+ (cytotoxic and Foxp3+ (regulatory T-lymphocytes and PR expression. Progressive disease was observed to be associated with significant loss of TILs and loss of PR expression. Frozen tumor samples, used for genome-wide expression analysis, showed significant regulation of pathways involved in immunesurveillance, EMT and metastasis. For a number of genes, such as CXCL14, DKK1, DKK4, PEG10 and WIF1, quantitive RT-PCR was performed to verify up- or downregulation in progressive disease. To corroborate the role of progesterone in regulating invasion, Ishikawa (IK endometrial cancer cell lines stably transfected with PRA (IKPRA, PRB (IKPRB and PRA+PRB (IKPRAB were cultured in presence/absence of progesterone (MPA and used for genome-wide expression analysis, Boyden- and wound healing migration assays, and IHC for known EMT markers. IKPRB and IKPRAB cell lines showed MPA induced inhibition of migration and loss of the mesenchymal marker vimentin at the invasive front of the wound healing assay. Furthermore, pathway analysis of significantly MPA regulated genes showed significant down regulation of important pathways involved in EMT, immunesuppression and metastasis: such as IL6-, TGF-β and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. CONCLUSION: Intact progesterone signaling in non

  6. Resistance to first line platinum paclitaxel chemotherapy in serous epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steffensen, Karina Dahl; Smoter, Marta; Waldstrøm, Marianne

    2014-01-01

    of sensitivity to platinum/paclitaxel treatment. The primary aim of the study was to investigate whether ERCC1 and Tau protein expression correlates with patient outcome in newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 227 newly diagnosed EOC...

  7. YY1 modulates taxane response in epithelial ovarian cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Matsumura, Noriomi; Huang, Zhiqing; Baba, Tsukasa; Lee, Paula S.; Barnett, Jason C.; Mori, Seiichi; Chang, Jeffrey T.; Kuo, Wen-Lin; Gusberg, Alison H.; Whitaker, Regina S.; Gray, JoeW.; Fujii, Shingo; Berchuck, Andrew; Murphy, Susan K.

    2008-10-10

    The results of this study show that a high YY1 gene signature (characterized by coordinate elevated expression of transcription factor YY1 and putative YY1 target genes) within serous epithelial ovarian cancers is associated with enhanced response to taxane-based chemotherapy and improved survival. If confirmed in a prospective study, these results have important implications for the potential future use of individualized therapy in treating patients with ovarian cancer. Identification of the YY1 gene signature profile within a tumor prior to initiation of chemotherapy may provide valuable information about the anticipated response of these tumors to taxane-based drugs, leading to better informed decisions regarding chemotherapeutic choice. Survival of ovarian cancer patients is largely dictated by their response to chemotherapy, which depends on underlying molecular features of the malignancy. We previously identified YIN YANG 1 (YY1) as a gene whose expression is positively correlated with ovarian cancer survival. Herein we investigated the mechanistic basis of this association. Epigenetic and genetic characteristics of YY1 in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (SEOC) were analyzed along with YY1 mRNA and protein. Patterns of gene expression in primary SEOC and in the NCI60 database were investigated using computational methods. YY1 function and modulation of chemotherapeutic response in vitro was studied using siRNA knockdown. Microarray analysis showed strong positive correlation between expression of YY1 and genes with YY1 and transcription factor E2F binding motifs in SEOC and in the NCI60 cancer cell lines. Clustering of microarray data for these genes revealed that high YY1/E2F3 activity positively correlates with survival of patients treated with the microtubule stabilizing drug paclitaxel. Increased sensitivity to taxanes, but not to DNA crosslinking platinum agents, was also characteristic of NCI60 cancer cell lines with a high YY1/E2F signature. YY1

  8. Ionizing Radiation Promotes Migration and Invasion of Cancer Cells Through Transforming Growth Factor-Beta-Mediated Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou Yongchun [Department of Radiation Oncology, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Department of Radiation Medicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Liu Junye; Li Jing; Zhang Jie [Department of Radiation Medicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Xu Yuqiao [Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Zhang Huawei; Qiu Lianbo; Ding Guirong [Department of Radiation Medicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Su Xiaoming [Department of Radiation Oncology, 306th Hospital of PLA, Beijing (China); Mei Shi [Department of Radiation Oncology, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China); Guo Guozhen, E-mail: guozhenguo@hotmail.com [Department of Radiation Medicine, College of Preventive Medicine, Xijing Hospital Fourth Military Medical University, Xi' an (China)

    2011-12-01

    Purpose: To examine whether ionizing radiation enhances the migratory and invasive abilities of cancer cells through transforming growth factor (TGF-{beta})-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Methods and Materials: Six cancer cell lines originating from different human organs were irradiated by {sup 60}Co {gamma}-ray at a total dose of 2 Gy, and the changes associated with EMT, including morphology, EMT markers, migration and invasion, were observed by microscope, Western blot, immunofluorescence, scratch assay, and transwell chamber assay, respectively. Then the protein levels of TGF-{beta} in these cancer cells were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the role of TGF-{beta} signaling pathway in the effect of ionizing radiation on EMT was investigate by using the specific inhibitor SB431542. Results: After irradiation with {gamma}-ray at a total dose of 2 Gy, cancer cells presented the mesenchymal phenotype, and compared with the sham-irradiation group the expression of epithelial markers was decreased and of mesenchymal markers was increased, the migratory and invasive capabilities were strengthened, and the protein levels of TGF-{beta} were enhanced. Furthermore, events associated with EMT induced by IR in A549 could be reversed through inhibition of TGF-{beta} signaling. Conclusions: These results suggest that EMT mediated by TGF-{beta} plays a critical role in IR-induced enhancing of migratory and invasive capabilities in cancer cells.

  9. Normal morphogenesis of epithelial tissues and progression of epithelial tumors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chun-Chao; Jamal, Leen; Janes, Kevin A.

    2011-01-01

    Epithelial cells organize into various tissue architectures that largely maintain their structure throughout the life of an organism. For decades, the morphogenesis of epithelial tissues has fascinated scientists at the interface of cell, developmental, and molecular biology. Systems biology offers ways to combine knowledge from these disciplines by building integrative models that are quantitative and predictive. Can such models be useful for gaining a deeper understanding of epithelial morphogenesis? Here, we take inventory of some recurring themes in epithelial morphogenesis that systems approaches could strive to capture. Predictive understanding of morphogenesis at the systems level would prove especially valuable for diseases such as cancer, where epithelial tissue architecture is profoundly disrupted. PMID:21898857

  10. Human cancer cells express Slug-based epithelial-mesenchymal transition gene expression signature obtained in vivo

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anastassiou, Dimitris; Rumjantseva, Viktoria; Cheng, Weiyi; Huang, Jianzhong; Canoll, Peter D; Yamashiro, Darrell J; Kandel, Jessica J

    2011-01-01

    The biological mechanisms underlying cancer cell motility and invasiveness remain unclear, although it has been hypothesized that they involve some type of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We used xenograft models of human cancer cells in immunocompromised mice, profiling the harvested tumors separately with species-specific probes and computationally analyzing the results. Here we show that human cancer cells express in vivo a precise multi-cancer invasion-associated gene expression signature that prominently includes many EMT markers, among them the transcription factor Slug, fibronectin, and α-SMA. We found that human, but not mouse, cells express the signature and Slug is the only upregulated EMT-inducing transcription factor. The signature is also present in samples from many publicly available cancer gene expression datasets, suggesting that it is produced by the cancer cells themselves in multiple cancer types, including nonepithelial cancers such as neuroblastoma. Furthermore, we found that the presence of the signature in human xenografted cells was associated with a downregulation of adipocyte markers in the mouse tissue adjacent to the invasive tumor, suggesting that the signature is triggered by contextual microenvironmental interactions when the cancer cells encounter adipocytes, as previously reported. The known, precise and consistent gene composition of this cancer mesenchymal transition signature, particularly when combined with simultaneous analysis of the adjacent microenvironment, provides unique opportunities for shedding light on the underlying mechanisms of cancer invasiveness as well as identifying potential diagnostic markers and targets for metastasis-inhibiting therapeutics

  11. Hypoxic conditions induce a cancer-like phenotype in human breast epithelial cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vaapil, Marica; Helczynska, Karolina; Villadsen, René

    2012-01-01

    Solid tumors are less oxygenated than their tissue of origin. Low intra-tumor oxygen levels are associated with worse outcome, increased metastatic potential and immature phenotype in breast cancer. We have reported that tumor hypoxia correlates to low differentiation status in breast cancer. Less...... is known about effects of hypoxia on non-malignant cells. Here we address whether hypoxia influences the differentiation stage of non-malignant breast epithelial cells and potentially have bearing on early stages of tumorigenesis....

  12. The preparation and clinical use of a radioimmunoassay CA125 kit for the diagnosis of epithelial ovarian cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Wenshu

    1992-01-01

    A self-made radioimmunoassay CA125 kit (using OC125 monoclonal antibody ascites offered by Dr. Bast Laboratory which was purified, solidified and labelled with 125 I) was used for serum determination in 80 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer and in 40 standard antigen samples. The results demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between our self-made CA 125 kit and an imported CENTOCOR CA125 kit (P 125 kit is very useful in monitoring epithelial ovarian cancer

  13. Fusion between Intestinal epithelial cells and macrophages in a cancer context results in nuclear reprogramming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Powell, Anne E; Anderson, Eric C; Davies, Paige S; Silk, Alain D; Pelz, Carl; Impey, Soren; Wong, Melissa H

    2011-02-15

    The most deadly phase in cancer progression is attributed to the inappropriate acquisition of molecular machinery leading to metastatic transformation and spread of disease to distant organs. Although it is appreciated that metastasis involves epithelial-mesenchymal interplay, the underlying mechanism defining this process is poorly understood. Specifically, how cancer cells evade immune surveillance and gain the ability to navigate the circulatory system remains a focus. One possible mechanism underlying metastatic conversion is fusion between blood-derived immune cells and cancer cells. While this notion is a century old, in vivo evidence that cell fusion occurs within tumors and imparts genetic or physiologic changes remains controversial. We have previously demonstrated in vivo cell fusion between blood cells and intestinal epithelial cells in an injury setting. Here, we hypothesize that immune cells, such as macrophages, fuse with tumor cells imparting metastatic capabilities by transferring their cellular identity. We used parabiosis to introduce fluorescent-labeled bone marrow-derived cells to mice with intestinal tumors, finding that fusion between circulating blood-derived cells and tumor epithelium occurs during the natural course of tumorigenesis. Moreover, we identify the macrophage as a key cellular partner for this process. Interestingly, cell fusion hybrids retain a transcriptome identity characteristic of both parental derivatives, while also expressing a unique subset of transcripts. Our data supports the novel possibility that tumorigenic cell fusion may impart physical behavior attributed to migratory macrophages, including navigation of circulation and immune evasion. As such, cell fusion may represent a promising novel mechanism underlying the metastatic conversion of cancer cells. ©2011 AACR.

  14. Chronic recreational physical inactivity and epithelial ovarian cancer risk

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Cannioto, Rikki; LaMonte, Michael J.; Risch, Harvey A

    2016-01-01

    . We conducted a pooled analysis of nine studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium to investigate the association between chronic recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. Methods: In accordance with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, women reporting no regular......Background: Despite a large body of literature evaluating the association between recreational physical activity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk, the extant evidence is inconclusive, and little is known about the independent association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk......, weekly recreational physical activity were classified as inactive. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to estimate the ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between inactivity and EOC risk overall and by subgroups based upon histotype, menopausal status, race, and body mass...

  15. Chronic inorganic arsenic exposure in vitro induces a cancer cell phenotype in human peripheral lung epithelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Person, Rachel J.; Olive Ngalame, Ntube N.; Makia, Ngome L.; Bell, Matthew W.; Waalkes, Michael P.; Tokar, Erik J., E-mail: tokare@niehs.nih.gov

    2015-07-01

    Inorganic arsenic is a human lung carcinogen. We studied the ability of chronic inorganic arsenic (2 μM; as sodium arsenite) exposure to induce a cancer phenotype in the immortalized, non-tumorigenic human lung peripheral epithelial cell line, HPL-1D. After 38 weeks of continuous arsenic exposure, secreted matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2) activity increased to over 200% of control, levels linked to arsenic-induced cancer phenotypes in other cell lines. The invasive capacity of these chronic arsenic-treated lung epithelial (CATLE) cells increased to 320% of control and colony formation increased to 280% of control. CATLE cells showed enhanced proliferation in serum-free media indicative of autonomous growth. Compared to control cells, CATLE cells showed reduced protein expression of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN (decreased to 26% of control) and the putative tumor suppressor gene SLC38A3 (14% of control). Morphological evidence of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurred in CATLE cells together with appropriate changes in expression of the EMT markers vimentin (VIM; increased to 300% of control) and e-cadherin (CDH1; decreased to 16% of control). EMT is common in carcinogenic transformation of epithelial cells. CATLE cells showed increased KRAS (291%), ERK1/2 (274%), phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK; 152%), and phosphorylated AKT1 (p-AKT1; 170%) protein expression. Increased transcript expression of metallothioneins, MT1A and MT2A and the stress response genes HMOX1 (690%) and HIF1A (247%) occurred in CATLE cells possibly in adaptation to chronic arsenic exposure. Thus, arsenic induced multiple cancer cell characteristics in human peripheral lung epithelial cells. This model may be useful to assess mechanisms of arsenic-induced lung cancer. - Highlights: • Chronic arsenic exposure transforms a human peripheral lung epithelia cell line. • Cells acquire characteristics in common with human lung adenocarcinoma cells. • These transformed cells provide a

  16. Microcell-mediated chromosome transfer identifies EPB41L3 as a functional suppressor of epithelial ovarian cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dafou, Dimitra; Grun, Barbara; Sinclair, John

    2010-01-01

    lines. Using immunohistochemistry, 66% of 794 invasive ovarian tumors showed no EPB41L3 expression compared with only 24% of benign ovarian tumors and 0% of normal ovarian epithelial tissues. EPB41L3 was extensively methylated in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian tumors compared with normal...... (erythrocyte membrane protein band 4.1-like 3, alternative names DAL-1 and 4.1B) was a candidate ovarian cancer-suppressor gene. Immunoblot analysis showed that EPB41L3 was activated in TOV21G(+18) hybrids, expressed in normal ovarian epithelial cell lines, but was absent in 15 (78%) of 19 ovarian cancer cell...... tissues (P = .00004), suggesting this may be the mechanism of gene inactivation in ovarian cancers. Constitutive reexpression of EPB41L3 in a three-dimensional multicellular spheroid model of ovarian cancer caused significant growth suppression and induced apoptosis. Transmission and scanning electron...

  17. Use of antidepressants and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørch, Lina S; Dehlendorff, Christian; Baandrup, Louise

    2017-01-01

    antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, other antidepressants, and potential confounder drugs), medical and reproductive history and socioeconomic parameters, were obtained from nationwide registries. We used conditional logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and two.......80 (95% CI, 0.60-1.08). Among postmenopausal women, the inverse association was restricted to users of menopausal hormone therapy. In conclusion, use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors was associated with a decreased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer; thereby implying potential chemopreventive...

  18. Immunohistochemical Expression of MCM-2 in Oral Epithelial Dysplasias.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zakaria, Samar H; Farag, Heba A; Khater, Dina S

    2016-03-17

    Oral cancer is one of the most frequent cancers in the world. It arises from epithelial dysplasia. Hence, identifying these lesions in an early stage could prevent their malignant transformation. The aim of the present work was to assess the cell proliferative activity of minichromosome maintenance protein (MCM-2) in oral epithelial dysplastic lesions and to correlate the results with different grades of epithelial dysplasia in an attempt to use MCM-2 in the early detection of malignancy. MCM-2 expression was determined by the nuclear count in a total of 30 oral epithelial dysplastic specimens roughly classified into 10 cases of mild, moderate, and severe dysplasia. Five cases of early invasive squamous-cell carcinomas and 5 cases of epithelial hyperplasia were also included. The MCM-2 immunostaining was found to increase gradually from mild to moderate to severe dysplasia and reached its maximum value in early invasive squamous cell carcinoma. MCM-2 is of prognostic value in cases of oral dysplasia that have a tendency to undergo malignant transformation.

  19. KRAS Mutation and Epithelial-Macrophage Interplay in Pancreatic Neoplastic Transformation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bishehsari, Faraz; Zhang, Lijuan; Barlass, Usman; Preite, Nailliw; Turturro, Sanja; Najor, Matthew S; Shetuni, Brandon B; Zayas, Janet P; Mahdavinia, Mahboobeh; Abukhdeir, Abde M; Keshavarzian, Ali

    2018-05-14

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is characterized by epithelial mutations in KRAS and prominent tumor-associated inflammation, including macrophage infiltration. But knowledge of early interactions between neoplastic epithelium and macrophages in PDA carcinogenesis is limited. Using a pancreatic organoid model, we found that the expression of mutant KRAS in organoids increased i) ductal to acinar gene expression ratios, ii) epithelial cells proliferation, and iii) colony formation capacity in vitro, and endowed pancreatic cells with the ability to generate neoplastic tumors in vivo. KRAS mutations induced a pro-tumorigenic phenotype in macrophages. Altered macrophages decreased epithelial Pigment Epithelial Derived Factor (PEDF) expression and induced a cancerous phenotype. We validated our findings using annotated patient samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as well as in our human PDA specimens. Epithelium-macrophage cross talk occurs early in pancreatic carcinogenesis where KRAS directly induces cancer-related phenotypes in epithelium, and also promotes a pro-tumorigenic phenotype in macrophages, in turn augmenting neoplastic growth. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 UICC.

  20. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast epithelial cells treated with cadmium and the role of Snail.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Zhengxi; Shan, Zhongguo; Shaikh, Zahir A

    2018-04-01

    Epidemiological and experimental studies have implicated cadmium (Cd) with breast cancer. In breast epithelial MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cells, Cd has been shown to promote cell growth. The present study examined whether Cd also promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a hallmark of cancer progression. Human breast epithelial cells consisting of non-cancerous MCF10A, non-metastatic HCC 1937 and HCC 38, and metastatic MDA-MB-231 were treated with 1 or 3 μM Cd for 4 weeks. The MCF10A epithelial cells switched to a more mesenchymal-like morphology, which was accompanied by a decrease in the epithelial marker E-cadherin and an increase in the mesenchymal markers N-cadherin and vimentin. In both non-metastatic HCC 1937 and HCC 38 cells, treatment with Cd decreased the epithelial marker claudin-1. In addition, E-cadherin also decreased in the HCC 1937 cells. Even the mesenchymal-like MDA-MB-231 cells exhibited an increase in the mesenchymal marker vimentin. These changes indicated that prolonged treatment with Cd resulted in EMT in both normal and cancer-derived breast epithelial cells. Furthermore, both the MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cells labeled with Zcad, a dual sensor for tracking EMT, demonstrated a decrease in the epithelial marker E-cadherin and an increase in the mesenchymal marker ZEB-1. Treatment of cells with Cd significantly increased the level of Snail, a transcription factor involved in the regulation of EMT. However, the Cd-induced Snail expression was completely abolished by actinomycin D. Luciferase reporter assay indicated that the expression of Snail was regulated by Cd at the promotor level. Snail was essential for Cd-induced promotion of EMT in the MDA-MB-231 cells, as knockdown of Snail expression blocked Cd-induced cell migration. Together, these results indicate that Cd promotes EMT in breast epithelial cells and does so by modulating the transcription of Snail. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Luteolin inhibits the colon cancer HT-29 cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition: an experimental study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Meng

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the regulating effect of luteolin on colon cancer HT-29 cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Methods: Colon cancer HT-29 cells were cultured and randomly divided into two groups, control group were treated with serum-free medium without drugs and LUT group were treated with serum-free medium containing luteolin. After 24 h of treatment, cells were collected to extract RNA, and then fluorescent quantitative PCR method was used to determine the mRNA expression of proliferation genes, migration genes and epithelial-mesenchymal transition genes. Results: After 24 h of luteolin treatment, Lrig1, TSPYL5, Bim, SOX15 and DLC1 mRNA expression in LUT group were significantly higher than those in control group while RPS15a, Bad, TRPV5, TRPV6, PLD2, IBP, SphK1, FAK, Vimentin and N-cadherin mRNA expression were significantly lower than those in control group. Conclusion: Luteolin has inhibiting effect on colon cancer HT-29 cell proliferation, migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

  2. Moderate plasma activated media suppresses proliferation and migration of MDCK epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mohades, Soheila; Laroussi, Mounir; Maruthamuthu, Venkat

    2017-01-01

    Low-temperature plasma has been shown to have diverse biomedical uses, including its applications in cancer and wound healing. One recent approach in treating mammalian cells with plasma is through the use of plasma activated media (PAM), which is produced by exposing cell culture media to plasma. While the adverse effects of PAM treatment on cancerous epithelial cell lines have been recently studied, much less is known about the interaction of PAM with normal epithelial cells. In this paper, non-cancerous canine kidney MDCK (Madin-Darby Canine Kidney) epithelial cells were treated by PAM and time-lapse microscopy was used to directly monitor their proliferation and random migration upon treatment. While longer durations of PAM treatment led to cell death, we found that moderate levels of PAM treatment inhibited proliferation in these epithelial cells. We also found that PAM treatment reduced random cell migration within epithelial islands. Immunofluorescence staining showed that while there were no major changes in the actin/adhesion apparatus, there was a significant change in the nuclear localization of proliferation marker Ki-67, consistent with our time-lapse results. (paper)

  3. All-Cause Mortality After Fertility-Sparing Surgery for Stage I Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Melamed, Alexander; Rizzo, Anthony E; Nitecki, Roni; Gockley, Allison A; Bregar, Amy J; Schorge, John O; Del Carmen, Marcela G; Rauh-Hain, J Alejandro

    2017-07-01

    To compare all-cause mortality between women who underwent fertility-sparing surgery with those who underwent conventional surgery for stage I ovarian cancer. In a cohort study using the National Cancer Database, we identified women younger than 40 years diagnosed with stage IA and unilateral IC epithelial ovarian cancer between 2004 and 2012. Fertility-sparing surgery was defined as conservation of one ovary and the uterus. The primary outcome was time from diagnosis to death. We used propensity score methods to assemble a cohort of women who underwent fertility-sparing or conventional surgery but were otherwise similar on observed covariates and conducted survival analyses using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models. We identified 1,726 women with stage IA and unilateral IC epithelial ovarian cancer of whom 825 (47.8%) underwent fertility-sparing surgery. Fertility-sparing surgery was associated with younger age, residence in the northeastern and western United States, and serous or mucinous histology (Pfertility-sparing surgery and 37 deaths among propensity-matched women who underwent conventional surgery after a median follow-up of 63 months. Fertility-sparing surgery was not associated with hazard of death (hazard ratio 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49-1.29, P=.36). The probability of survival 10 years after diagnosis was 88.5% (95% CI 82.4-92.6) in the fertility-sparing group and 88.9% (95% CI 84.9-92.0) in the conventional surgery group. In patients with high-risk features such as clear cell histology, grade 3, or stage IC, 10-year survival was 80.5% (95% CI 68.5-88.3) among women who underwent fertility-sparing surgery and 83.4% (95% 76.0-88.7) among those who had conventional surgery (hazard ratio 0.86, 95% CI 0.49-1.53, P=.61). Compared with conventional surgery, fertility-sparing surgery was not associated with increased risk of death in young women with stage I epithelial ovarian cancer.

  4. Survival Advantage Associated with Decrease in Stage at Detection from Stage IIIC to Stage IIIA Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lefringhouse, Jason; Pavlik, Edward; Miller, Rachel; DeSimone, Christopher; Ueland, Frederick; Kryscio, Richard; van Nagell, J. R.

    2014-01-01

    Objective. The aim of this study was to document the survival advantage of lowering stage at detection from Stage IIIC to Stage IIIA epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods. Treatment outcomes and survival were evaluated in patients with Stage IIIA and Stage IIIC epithelial ovarian cancer treated from 2000 to 2009 at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center (UKMCC) and SEER institutions. Results. Cytoreduction to no visible disease (P < 0.0001) and complete response to platinum-based chemotherapy (P < 0.025) occurred more frequently in Stage IIIA than in Stage IIIC cases. Time to progression was shorter in patients with Stage IIIC ovarian cancer (17 ± 1 months) than in those with Stage II1A disease (36 ± 8 months). Five-year overall survival (OS) improved from 41% in Stage IIIC patients to 60% in Stage IIIA patients treated at UKMCC and from 37% to 56% in patients treated at SEER institutions for a survival advantage of 19% in both data sets. 53% of Stage IIIA and 14% of Stage IIIC patients had NED at last followup. Conclusions. Decreasing stage at detection from Stage IIIC to stage IIIA epithelial ovarian cancer is associated with a 5-year survival advantage of nearly 20% in patients treated by surgical tumor cytoreduction and platinum-based chemotherapy. PMID:25254047

  5. Increased Eps15 homology domain 1 and RAB11FIP3 expression regulate breast cancer progression via promoting epithelial growth factor receptor recycling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Dandan; Liang, Ya-Nan; Stepanova, A A; Liu, Yu; Li, Xiaobo; Wang, Letian; Zhang, Fengmin; Vasilyeva, N V

    2017-02-01

    Recent research indicates that the C-terminal Eps15 homology domain 1 is associated with epithelial growth factor receptor-mediated endocytosis recycling in non-small-cell lung cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical significance of Eps15 homology domain 1 gene expression in relation to phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor receptor expression in patients with breast cancer. Primary breast cancer samples from 306 patients were analyzed for Eps15 homology domain 1, RAB11FIP3, and phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor receptor expression via immunohistochemistry. The clinical significance was assessed via a multivariate Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier curves, and the log-rank test. Eps15 homology domain 1 and phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor receptor were upregulated in 60.46% (185/306) and 53.92% (165/306) of tumor tissues, respectively, as assessed by immunohistochemistry. The statistical correlation analysis indicated that Eps15 homology domain 1 overexpression was positively correlated with the increases in phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor receptor ( r = 0.242, p breast cancer for the overall survival in the total, chemotherapy, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (-) groups. However, the use of combined expression of Eps15 homology domain 1 and phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor receptor markers is more effective for the disease-free survival in the overall population, chemotherapy, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (-) groups. Moreover, the combined markers are also significant prognostic markers of breast cancer in the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (+), estrogen receptor (+), and estrogen receptor (-) groups. Eps15 homology domain 1 has a tumor suppressor function, and the combined marker of Eps15 homology domain 1/phosphorylation of epithelial growth factor receptor expression was identified as a better prognostic marker in breast cancer diagnosis

  6. Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B; Ramus, Susan J; Tyrer, Jonathan

    2015-01-01

    associations of 11 million genetic variants with EOC risk from 15,437 cases unselected for family history and 30,845 controls and from 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 8,211 BRCA2 mutation carriers (3,096 with ovarian cancer), and we combined the results in a meta-analysis. This new study design yielded......Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 12 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility alleles. The pattern of association at these loci is consistent in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who are at high risk of EOC. After imputation to 1000 Genomes Project data, we assessed...

  7. Gigantol Inhibits Epithelial to Mesenchymal Process in Human Lung Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thitita Unahabhokha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer remains a leading public health problem as evidenced by its increasing death rate. The main cause of death in lung cancer patients is cancer metastasis. The metastatic behavior of lung cancer cells becomes enhanced when cancer cells undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT. Gigantol, a bibenzyl compound extracted from the Thai orchid, Dendrobium draconis, has been shown to have promising therapeutic potential against cancer cells, which leads to the hypothesis that gigantol may be able to inhibit the fundamental EMT process in cancer cells. This study has demonstrated for the first time that gigantol possesses the ability to suppress EMT in non-small cell lung cancer H460 cells. Western blot analysis has revealed that gigantol attenuates the activity of ATP-dependent tyrosine kinase (AKT, thereby inhibiting the expression of the major EMT transcription factor, Slug, by both decreasing its transcription and increasing its degradation. The inhibitory effects of gigantol on EMT result in a decrease in the level of migration in H460 lung cancer cells. The results of this study emphasize the potential of gigantol for further development against lung cancer metastasis.

  8. Identification of 12 new susceptibility loci for different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Phelan, Catherine M.; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B.; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Kar, Siddhartha P.; Lawrenson, Kate; Winham, Stacey J.; Dennis, Joe; Pirie, Ailith; Riggan, Marjorie J.; Chornokur, Ganna; Earp, Madalene A.; Lyra, Paulo C.; Lee, Janet M.; Coetzee, Simon; Beesley, Jonathan; McGuffog, Lesley; Soucy, Penny; Dicks, Ed; Lee, Andrew; Barrowdale, Daniel; Lecarpentier, Julie; Leslie, Goska; Aalfs, Cora M.; Aben, Katja K. H.; Adams, Marcia; Adlard, Julian; Andrulis, Irene L.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Arnold, Norbert; Arun, Banu K.; Arver, Brita; Azzollini, Jacopo; Balmaña, Judith; Banerjee, Susana N.; Barjhoux, Laure; Barkardottir, Rosa B.; Bean, Yukie; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Benitez, Javier; Bermisheva, Marina; Bernardini, Marcus Q.; Birrer, Michael J.; Bjorge, Line; Black, Amanda; Blankstein, Kenneth; Blok, Marinus J.; Bodelon, Clara; Bogdanova, Natalia; Bojesen, Anders; Bonanni, Bernardo; Borg, Åke; Bradbury, Angela R.; Brenton, James D.; Brewer, Carole; Brinton, Louise; Broberg, Per; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Brunet, Joan; Buecher, Bruno; Butzow, Ralf; Buys, Saundra S.; Caldes, Trinidad; Caligo, Maria A.; Campbell, Ian; Cannioto, Rikki; Carney, Michael E.; Cescon, Terence; Chan, Salina B.; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chanock, Stephen; Chen, Xiao Qing; Chiew, Yoke-Eng; Chiquette, Jocelyne; Chung, Wendy K.; Claes, Kathleen B. M.; Conner, Thomas; Cook, Linda S.; Cook, Jackie; Cramer, Daniel W.; Cunningham, Julie M.; D'Aloisio, Aimee A.; Daly, Mary B.; Damiola, Francesca; Damirovna, Sakaeva Dina; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Dao, Fanny; Davidson, Rosemarie; Defazio, Anna; Delnatte, Capucine; Doheny, Kimberly F.; Diez, Orland; Ding, Yuan Chun; Doherty, Jennifer Anne; Domchek, Susan M.; Dorfling, Cecilia M.; Dörk, Thilo; Dossus, Laure; Duran, Mercedes; Dürst, Matthias; Dworniczak, Bernd; Eccles, Diana; Edwards, Todd; Eeles, Ros; Eilber, Ursula; Ejlertsen, Bent; Ekici, Arif B.; Ellis, Steve; Elvira, Mingajeva; Eng, Kevin H.; Engel, Christoph; Evans, D. Gareth; Fasching, Peter A.; Ferguson, Sarah; Ferrer, Sandra Fert; Flanagan, James M.; Fogarty, Zachary C.; Fortner, Renée T.; Fostira, Florentia; Foulkes, William D.; Fountzilas, George; Fridley, Brooke L.; Friebel, Tara M.; Friedman, Eitan; Frost, Debra; Ganz, Patricia A.; Garber, Judy; García, María J.; Garcia-Barberan, Vanesa; Gehrig, Andrea; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Giles, Graham G.; Glasspool, Rosalind; Glendon, Gord; Godwin, Andrew K.; Goldgar, David E.; Goranova, Teodora; Gore, Martin; Greene, Mark H.; Gronwald, Jacek; Gruber, Stephen; Hahnen, Eric; Haiman, Christopher A.; Håkansson, Niclas; Hamann, Ute; Hansen, Thomas V. O.; Harrington, Patricia A.; Harris, Holly R.; Hauke, Jan; Hein, Alexander; Henderson, Alex; Hildebrandt, Michelle A. T.; Hillemanns, Peter; Hodgson, Shirley; Høgdall, Claus K.; Høgdall, Estrid; Hogervorst, Frans B. L.; Holland, Helene; Hooning, Maartje J.; Hosking, Karen; Huang, Ruea-Yea; Hulick, Peter J.; Hung, Jillian; Hunter, David J.; Huntsman, David G.; Huzarski, Tomasz; Imyanitov, Evgeny N.; Isaacs, Claudine; Iversen, Edwin S.; Izatt, Louise; Izquierdo, Angel; Jakubowska, Anna; James, Paul; Janavicius, Ramunas; Jernetz, Mats; Jensen, Allan; Jensen, Uffe Birk; John, Esther M.; Johnatty, Sharon; Jones, Michael E.; Kannisto, Päivi; Karlan, Beth Y.; Karnezis, Anthony; Kast, Karin; Kennedy, Catherine J.; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Kiiski, Johanna I.; Kim, Sung-Won; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Köbel, Martin; Kopperud, Reidun K.; Kruse, Torben A.; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Kwong, Ava; Laitman, Yael; Lambrechts, Diether; Larrañaga, Nerea; Larson, Melissa C.; Lazaro, Conxi; Le, Nhu D.; Le Marchand, Loic; Lee, Jong Won; Lele, Shashikant B.; Leminen, Arto; Leroux, Dominique; Lester, Jenny; Lesueur, Fabienne; Levine, Douglas A.; Liang, Dong; Liebrich, Clemens; Lilyquist, Jenna; Lipworth, Loren; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen H.; Lubinński, Jan; Luccarini, Craig; Lundvall, Lene; Mai, Phuong L.; Mendoza-Fandiño, Gustavo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Massuger, Leon F. A. G.; May, Taymaa; Mazoyer, Sylvie; McAlpine, Jessica N.; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R.; McNeish, Iain; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Meindl, Alfons; Menon, Usha; Mensenkamp, Arjen R.; Merritt, Melissa A.; Milne, Roger L.; Mitchell, Gillian; Modugno, Francesmary; Moes-Sosnowska, Joanna; Moffitt, Melissa; Montagna, Marco; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Musinsky, Jacob; Nathanson, Katherine L.; Nedergaard, Lotte; Ness, Roberta B.; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Niederacher, Dieter; Nussbaum, Robert L.; Odunsi, Kunle; Olah, Edith; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Olsson, Håkan; Olswold, Curtis; O'Malley, David M.; Ong, Kai-Ren; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Orr, Nicholas; Orsulic, Sandra; Osorio, Ana; Palli, Domenico; Papi, Laura; Park-Simon, Tjoung-Won; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pedersen, Inge Søkilde; Peeters, Petra H. M.; Peissel, Bernard; Peixoto, Ana; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M.; Permuth, Jennifer B.; Peterlongo, Paolo; Pezzani, Lidia; Pfeiler, Georg; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Piedmonte, Marion; Pike, Malcolm C.; Piskorz, Anna M.; Poblete, Samantha R.; Pocza, Timea; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Poppe, Bruce; Porteous, Mary E.; Prieur, Fabienne; Prokofyeva, Darya; Pugh, Elizabeth; Pujana, Miquel Angel; Pujol, Pascal; Radice, Paolo; Rantala, Johanna; Rappaport-Fuerhauser, Christine; Rennert, Gad; Rhiem, Kerstin; Rice, Patricia; Richardson, Andrea; Robson, Mark; Rodriguez, Gustavo C.; Rodríguez-Antona, Cristina; Romm, Jane; Rookus, Matti A.; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B.; Salvesen, Helga B.; Sandler, Dale P.; Schoemaker, Minouk J.; Senter, Leigha; Setiawan, V. Wendy; Severi, Gianluca; Sharma, Priyanka; Shelford, Tameka; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Side, Lucy E.; Sieh, Weiva; Singer, Christian F.; Sobol, Hagay; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C.; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Stadler, Zsofia; Steinemann, Doris; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E.; Sukiennicki, Grzegorz; Sutphen, Rebecca; Sutter, Christian; Swerdlow, Anthony J.; Szabo, Csilla I.; Szafron, Lukasz; Tan, Yen Y.; Taylor, Jack A.; tea, Muy-Kheng; Teixeira, Manuel R.; teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Thomsen, Liv Cecilie Vestrheim; Thull, Darcy L.; Tihomirova, Laima; Tinker, Anna V.; Tischkowitz, Marc; Tognazzo, Silvia; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Tone, Alicia; Trabert, Britton; Travis, Ruth C.; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Tung, Nadine; Tworoger, Shelley S.; van Altena, Anne M.; van den Berg, David; van der Hout, Annemarie H.; van der Luijt, Rob B.; van Heetvelde, Mattias; van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J.; Vanderstichele, Adriaan; Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda; Vega, Ana; Edwards, Digna Velez; Vergote, Ignace; Vierkant, Robert A.; Vijai, Joseph; Vratimos, Athanassios; Walker, Lisa; Walsh, Christine; Wand, Dorothea; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Webb, Penelope M.; Weinberg, Clarice R.; Weitzel, Jeffrey N.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S.; Wijnen, Juul T.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Wolk, Alicja; Woo, Michelle; Wu, Xifeng; Wu, Anna H.; Yang, Hannah; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Ziogas, Argyrios; Zorn, Kristin K.; Narod, Steven A.; Easton, Douglas F.; Amos, Christopher I.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Ramus, Susan J.; Ottini, Laura; Goodman, Marc T.; Park, Sue K.; Kelemen, Linda E.; Risch, Harvey A.; Thomassen, Mads; Offit, Kenneth; Simard, Jacques; Schmutzler, Rita Katharina; Hazelett, Dennis; Monteiro, Alvaro N.; Couch, Fergus J.; Berchuck, Andrew; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Goode, Ellen L.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Gayther, Simon A.; Antoniou, Antonis C.; Pharoah, Paul D. P.

    2017-01-01

    To identify common alleles associated with different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we pooled data from multiple genome-wide genotyping projects totaling 25,509 EOC cases and 40,941 controls. We identified nine new susceptibility loci for different EOC histotypes: six for serous EOC

  9. Identification of 12 new susceptibility loci for different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Phelan, Catherine M; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B; Tyrer, Jonathan P

    2017-01-01

    To identify common alleles associated with different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we pooled data from multiple genome-wide genotyping projects totaling 25,509 EOC cases and 40,941 controls. We identified nine new susceptibility loci for different EOC histotypes: six for serous E...

  10. Morphologic, Immunophenotypic, and Molecular Features of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramalingam, Preetha

    2016-02-01

    Epithelial ovarian cancer comprises a heterogeneous group of tumors. The four most common subtypes are serous, endometrioid, clear cell, and mucinous carcinoma. Less common are transitional cell tumors, including transitional cell carcinoma and malignant Brenner tumor. While in the past these subtypes were grouped together and designated as epithelial ovarian tumors, these tumor types are now known to be separate entities with distinct clinical and biologic behaviors. From a therapeutic standpoint, current regimens employ standard chemotherapy based on stage and grade rather than histotype. However, this landscape may change in the era of personalized therapy, given that most subtypes (with the exception of high-grade serous carcinoma) are relatively resistant to chemotherapy. It is now well-accepted that high-grade and low-grade serous carcinomas represent distinct entities rather than a spectrum of the same tumor type. While they are similar in that patients present with advanced-stage disease, their histologic and molecular features are entirely different. High-grade serous carcinoma is associated with TP53 mutations, whereas low-grade serous carcinomas are associated with BRAF and KRAS mutations. Endometrioid and clear cell carcinomas typically present as early-stage disease and are frequently associated with endometriosis. Mucinous carcinomas typically present as large unilateral masses and often show areas of mucinous cystadenoma and mucinous borderline tumor. It must be emphasized that primary mucinous carcinomas are uncommon tumors, and metastasis from other sites such as the appendix, colon, stomach, and pancreaticobiliary tract must always be considered in the differential diagnosis. Lastly, transitional cell tumors of the ovary, specifically malignant Brenner tumors, are quite uncommon. High-grade serous carcinoma often has a transitional cell pattern, and adequate sampling in most cases shows more typical areas of serous carcinoma. Immunohistochemical

  11. Identification of twelve new susceptibility loci for different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelan, Catherine M.; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B.; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Kar, Siddhartha P.; Lawrenson, Kate; Winham, Stacey J.; Dennis, Joe; Pirie, Ailith; Riggan, Marjorie; Chornokur, Ganna; Earp, Madalene A.; Lyra, Paulo C.; Lee, Janet M.; Coetzee, Simon; Beesley, Jonathan; McGuffog, Lesley; Soucy, Penny; Dicks, Ed; Lee, Andrew; Barrowdale, Daniel; Lecarpentier, Julie; Leslie, Goska; Aalfs, Cora M.; Aben, Katja K.H.; Adams, Marcia; Adlard, Julian; Andrulis, Irene L.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Arnold, Norbert; Arun, Banu K.; Arver, Brita; Azzollini, Jacopo; Balmaña, Judith; Banerjee, Susana N.; Barjhoux, Laure; Barkardottir, Rosa B.; Bean, Yukie; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Benitez, Javier; Bermisheva, Marina; Bernardini, Marcus Q.; Birrer, Michael J.; Bjorge, Line; Black, Amanda; Blankstein, Kenneth; Blok, Marinus J.; Bodelon, Clara; Bogdanova, Natalia; Bojesen, Anders; Bonanni, Bernardo; Borg, Åke; Bradbury, Angela R.; Brenton, James D.; Brewer, Carole; Brinton, Louise; Broberg, Per; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Brunet, Joan; Buecher, Bruno; Butzow, Ralf; Buys, Saundra S.; Caldes, Trinidad; Caligo, Maria A.; Campbell, Ian; Cannioto, Rikki; Carney, Michael E.; Cescon, Terence; Chan, Salina B.; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chanock, Stephen; Chen, Xiao Qing; Chiew, Yoke-Eng; Chiquette, Jocelyne; Chung, Wendy K.; Claes, Kathleen B.M.; Conner, Thomas; Cook, Linda S.; Cook, Jackie; Cramer, Daniel W.; Cunningham, Julie M.; D’Aloisio, Aimee A.; Daly, Mary B.; Damiola, Francesca; Damirovna, Sakaeva Dina; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Dao, Fanny; Davidson, Rosemarie; DeFazio, Anna; Delnatte, Capucine; Doheny, Kimberly F.; Diez, Orland; Ding, Yuan Chun; Doherty, Jennifer Anne; Domchek, Susan M.; Dorfling, Cecilia M.; Dörk, Thilo; Dossus, Laure; Duran, Mercedes; Dürst, Matthias; Dworniczak, Bernd; Eccles, Diana; Edwards, Todd; Eeles, Ros; Eilber, Ursula; Ejlertsen, Bent; Ekici, Arif B.; Ellis, Steve; Elvira, Mingajeva; Eng, Kevin H.; Engel, Christoph; Evans, D. Gareth; Fasching, Peter A.; Ferguson, Sarah; Ferrer, Sandra Fert; Flanagan, James M.; Fogarty, Zachary C.; Fortner, Renée T.; Fostira, Florentia; Foulkes, William D.; Fountzilas, George; Fridley, Brooke L.; Friebel, Tara M.; Friedman, Eitan; Frost, Debra; Ganz, Patricia A.; Garber, Judy; García, María J.; Garcia-Barberan, Vanesa; Gehrig, Andrea; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Giles, Graham G.; Glasspool, Rosalind; Glendon, Gord; Godwin, Andrew K.; Goldgar, David E.; Goranova, Teodora; Gore, Martin; Greene, Mark H.; Gronwald, Jacek; Gruber, Stephen; Hahnen, Eric; Haiman, Christopher A.; Håkansson, Niclas; Hamann, Ute; Hansen, Thomas V.O.; Harrington, Patricia A.; Harris, Holly R; Hauke, Jan; Hein, Alexander; Henderson, Alex; Hildebrandt, Michelle A.T.; Hillemanns, Peter; Hodgson, Shirley; Høgdall, Claus K.; Høgdall, Estrid; Hogervorst, Frans B.L.; Holland, Helene; Hooning, Maartje J.; Hosking, Karen; Huang, Ruea-Yea; Hulick, Peter J.; Hung, Jillian; Hunter, David J.; Huntsman, David G.; Huzarski, Tomasz; Imyanitov, Evgeny N.; Isaacs, Claudine; Iversen, Edwin S.; Izatt, Louise; Izquierdo, Angel; Jakubowska, Anna; James, Paul; Janavicius, Ramunas; Jernetz, Mats; Jensen, Allan; Jensen, Uffe Birk; John, Esther M.; Johnatty, Sharon; Jones, Michael E.; Kannisto, Päivi; Karlan, Beth Y.; Karnezis, Anthony; Kast, Karin; Kennedy, Catherine J.; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Kiiski, Johanna I.; Kim, Sung-Won; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Köbel, Martin; Kopperud, Reidun K.; Kruse, Torben A.; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Kwong, Ava; Laitman, Yael; Lambrechts, Diether; Larrañaga, Nerea; Larson, Melissa C.; Lazaro, Conxi; Le, Nhu D.; Le Marchand, Loic; Lee, Jong Won; Lele, Shashikant B.; Leminen, Arto; Leroux, Dominique; Lester, Jenny; Lesueur, Fabienne; Levine, Douglas A.; Liang, Dong; Liebrich, Clemens; Lilyquist, Jenna; Lipworth, Loren; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen H.; Lubiński, Jan; Luccarini, Craig; Lundvall, Lene; Mai, Phuong L.; Mendoza-Fandiño, Gustavo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Massuger, Leon F.A.G.; May, Taymaa; Mazoyer, Sylvie; McAlpine, Jessica N.; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R.; McNeish, Iain; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Meindl, Alfons; Menon, Usha; Mensenkamp, Arjen R.; Merritt, Melissa A.; Milne, Roger L.; Mitchell, Gillian; Modugno, Francesmary; Moes-Sosnowska, Joanna; Moffitt, Melissa; Montagna, Marco; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Musinsky, Jacob; Nathanson, Katherine L.; Nedergaard, Lotte; Ness, Roberta B.; Neuhausen, Susan L.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Niederacher, Dieter; Nussbaum, Robert L.; Odunsi, Kunle; Olah, Edith; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I.; Olsson, Håkan; Olswold, Curtis; O’Malley, David M.; Ong, Kai-ren; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Orr, Nicholas; Orsulic, Sandra; Osorio, Ana; Palli, Domenico; Papi, Laura; Park-Simon, Tjoung-Won; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pedersen, Inge Søkilde; Peeters, Petra H.M.; Peissel, Bernard; Peixoto, Ana; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M.; Permuth, Jennifer B.; Peterlongo, Paolo; Pezzani, Lidia; Pfeiler, Georg; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Piedmonte, Marion; Pike, Malcolm C.; Piskorz, Anna M.; Poblete, Samantha R.; Pocza, Timea; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Poppe, Bruce; Porteous, Mary E.; Prieur, Fabienne; Prokofyeva, Darya; Pugh, Elizabeth; Pujana, Miquel Angel; Pujol, Pascal; Radice, Paolo; Rantala, Johanna; Rappaport-Fuerhauser, Christine; Rennert, Gad; Rhiem, Kerstin; Rice, Patricia; Richardson, Andrea; Robson, Mark; Rodriguez, Gustavo C.; Rodríguez-Antona, Cristina; Romm, Jane; Rookus, Matti A.; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B.; Salvesen, Helga B.; Sandler, Dale P.; Schoemaker, Minouk J.; Senter, Leigha; Setiawan, V. Wendy; Severi, Gianluca; Sharma, Priyanka; Shelford, Tameka; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Side, Lucy E.; Sieh, Weiva; Singer, Christian F.; Sobol, Hagay; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C.; Spurdle, Amanda B.; Stadler, Zsofia; Steinemann, Doris; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E.; Sukiennicki, Grzegorz; Sutphen, Rebecca; Sutter, Christian; Swerdlow, Anthony J.; Szabo, Csilla I.; Szafron, Lukasz; Tan, Yen Y.; Taylor, Jack A.; Tea, Muy-Kheng; Teixeira, Manuel R.; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Thomsen, Liv Cecilie Vestrheim; Thull, Darcy L.; Tihomirova, Laima; Tinker, Anna V.; Tischkowitz, Marc; Tognazzo, Silvia; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Tone, Alicia; Trabert, Britton; Travis, Ruth C.; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Tung, Nadine; Tworoger, Shelley S.; van Altena, Anne M.; Van Den Berg, David; van der Hout, Annemarie H.; van der Luijt, Rob B.; Van Heetvelde, Mattias; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J.; Vanderstichele, Adriaan; Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda; Ana, Vega; Edwards, Digna Velez; Vergote, Ignace; Vierkant, Robert A.; Vijai, Joseph; Vratimos, Athanassios; Walker, Lisa; Walsh, Christine; Wand, Dorothea; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Webb, Penelope M.; Weinberg, Clarice R.; Weitzel, Jeffrey N.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S.; Wijnen, Juul T.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Wolk, Alicja; Woo, Michelle; Wu, Xifeng; Wu, Anna H.; Yang, Hannah; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Ziogas, Argyrios; Zorn, Kristin K.; Narod, Steven A.; Easton, Douglas F.; Amos, Christopher I.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Ramus, Susan J.; Ottini, Laura; Goodman, Marc T.; Park, Sue K.; Kelemen, Linda E.; Risch, Harvey A.; Thomassen, Mads; Offit, Kenneth; Simard, Jacques; Schmutzler, Rita Katharina; Hazelett, Dennis; Monteiro, Alvaro N.; Couch, Fergus J.; Berchuck, Andrew; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Goode, Ellen L.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Gayther, Simon A.; Antoniou, Antonis C.; Pharoah, Paul D.P.

    2017-01-01

    To identify common alleles associated with different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we pooled data from multiple genome-wide genotyping projects totaling 25,509 EOC cases and 40,941 controls. We identified nine new susceptibility loci for different EOC histotypes: six for serous EOC histotypes (3q28, 4q32.3, 8q21.11, 10q24.33, 18q11.2 and 22q12.1), two for mucinous EOC (3q22.3, 9q31.1) and one for endometrioid EOC (5q12.3). We then meta-analysed the results for high-grade serous ovarian cancer with the results from analysis of 31,448 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, including 3,887 mutation carriers with EOC. This identified an additional three loci at 2q13, 8q24.1 and 12q24.31. Integrated analyses of genes and regulatory biofeatures at each locus predicted candidate susceptibility genes, including OBFC1, a novel susceptibility gene for low grade/borderline serous EOC. PMID:28346442

  12. Identification of 12 new susceptibility loci for different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phelan, Catherine M; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Kar, Siddhartha P; Lawrenson, Kate; Winham, Stacey J; Dennis, Joe; Pirie, Ailith; Riggan, Marjorie J; Chornokur, Ganna; Earp, Madalene A; Lyra, Paulo C; Lee, Janet M; Coetzee, Simon; Beesley, Jonathan; McGuffog, Lesley; Soucy, Penny; Dicks, Ed; Lee, Andrew; Barrowdale, Daniel; Lecarpentier, Julie; Leslie, Goska; Aalfs, Cora M; Aben, Katja K H; Adams, Marcia; Adlard, Julian; Andrulis, Irene L; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Arnold, Norbert; Arun, Banu K; Arver, Brita; Azzollini, Jacopo; Balmaña, Judith; Banerjee, Susana N; Barjhoux, Laure; Barkardottir, Rosa B; Bean, Yukie; Beckmann, Matthias W; Beeghly-Fadiel, Alicia; Benitez, Javier; Bermisheva, Marina; Bernardini, Marcus Q; Birrer, Michael J; Bjorge, Line; Black, Amanda; Blankstein, Kenneth; Blok, Marinus J; Bodelon, Clara; Bogdanova, Natalia; Bojesen, Anders; Bonanni, Bernardo; Borg, Åke; Bradbury, Angela R; Brenton, James D; Brewer, Carole; Brinton, Louise; Broberg, Per; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bruinsma, Fiona; Brunet, Joan; Buecher, Bruno; Butzow, Ralf; Buys, Saundra S; Caldes, Trinidad; Caligo, Maria A; Campbell, Ian; Cannioto, Rikki; Carney, Michael E; Cescon, Terence; Chan, Salina B; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Chanock, Stephen; Chen, Xiao Qing; Chiew, Yoke-Eng; Chiquette, Jocelyne; Chung, Wendy K; Claes, Kathleen B M; Conner, Thomas; Cook, Linda S; Cook, Jackie; Cramer, Daniel W; Cunningham, Julie M; D'Aloisio, Aimee A; Daly, Mary B; Damiola, Francesca; Damirovna, Sakaeva Dina; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Dao, Fanny; Davidson, Rosemarie; DeFazio, Anna; Delnatte, Capucine; Doheny, Kimberly F; Diez, Orland; Ding, Yuan Chun; Doherty, Jennifer Anne; Domchek, Susan M; Dorfling, Cecilia M; Dörk, Thilo; Dossus, Laure; Duran, Mercedes; Dürst, Matthias; Dworniczak, Bernd; Eccles, Diana; Edwards, Todd; Eeles, Ros; Eilber, Ursula; Ejlertsen, Bent; Ekici, Arif B; Ellis, Steve; Elvira, Mingajeva; Eng, Kevin H; Engel, Christoph; Evans, D Gareth; Fasching, Peter A; Ferguson, Sarah; Ferrer, Sandra Fert; Flanagan, James M; Fogarty, Zachary C; Fortner, Renée T; Fostira, Florentia; Foulkes, William D; Fountzilas, George; Fridley, Brooke L; Friebel, Tara M; Friedman, Eitan; Frost, Debra; Ganz, Patricia A; Garber, Judy; García, María J; Garcia-Barberan, Vanesa; Gehrig, Andrea; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Giles, Graham G; Glasspool, Rosalind; Glendon, Gord; Godwin, Andrew K; Goldgar, David E; Goranova, Teodora; Gore, Martin; Greene, Mark H; Gronwald, Jacek; Gruber, Stephen; Hahnen, Eric; Haiman, Christopher A; Håkansson, Niclas; Hamann, Ute; Hansen, Thomas V O; Harrington, Patricia A; Harris, Holly R; Hauke, Jan; Hein, Alexander; Henderson, Alex; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Hillemanns, Peter; Hodgson, Shirley; Høgdall, Claus K; Høgdall, Estrid; Hogervorst, Frans B L; Holland, Helene; Hooning, Maartje J; Hosking, Karen; Huang, Ruea-Yea; Hulick, Peter J; Hung, Jillian; Hunter, David J; Huntsman, David G; Huzarski, Tomasz; Imyanitov, Evgeny N; Isaacs, Claudine; Iversen, Edwin S; Izatt, Louise; Izquierdo, Angel; Jakubowska, Anna; James, Paul; Janavicius, Ramunas; Jernetz, Mats; Jensen, Allan; Jensen, Uffe Birk; John, Esther M; Johnatty, Sharon; Jones, Michael E; Kannisto, Päivi; Karlan, Beth Y; Karnezis, Anthony; Kast, Karin; Kennedy, Catherine J; Khusnutdinova, Elza; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Kiiski, Johanna I; Kim, Sung-Won; Kjaer, Susanne K; Köbel, Martin; Kopperud, Reidun K; Kruse, Torben A; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Kwong, Ava; Laitman, Yael; Lambrechts, Diether; Larrañaga, Nerea; Larson, Melissa C; Lazaro, Conxi; Le, Nhu D; Le Marchand, Loic; Lee, Jong Won; Lele, Shashikant B; Leminen, Arto; Leroux, Dominique; Lester, Jenny; Lesueur, Fabienne; Levine, Douglas A; Liang, Dong; Liebrich, Clemens; Lilyquist, Jenna; Lipworth, Loren; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen H; Lubinński, Jan; Luccarini, Craig; Lundvall, Lene; Mai, Phuong L; Mendoza-Fandiño, Gustavo; Manoukian, Siranoush; Massuger, Leon F A G; May, Taymaa; Mazoyer, Sylvie; McAlpine, Jessica N; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R; McNeish, Iain; Meijers-Heijboer, Hanne; Meindl, Alfons; Menon, Usha; Mensenkamp, Arjen R; Merritt, Melissa A; Milne, Roger L; Mitchell, Gillian; Modugno, Francesmary; Moes-Sosnowska, Joanna; Moffitt, Melissa; Montagna, Marco; Moysich, Kirsten B; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Musinsky, Jacob; Nathanson, Katherine L; Nedergaard, Lotte; Ness, Roberta B; Neuhausen, Susan L; Nevanlinna, Heli; Niederacher, Dieter; Nussbaum, Robert L; Odunsi, Kunle; Olah, Edith; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I; Olsson, Håkan; Olswold, Curtis; O'Malley, David M; Ong, Kai-Ren; Onland-Moret, N Charlotte; Orr, Nicholas; Orsulic, Sandra; Osorio, Ana; Palli, Domenico; Papi, Laura; Park-Simon, Tjoung-Won; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L; Pedersen, Inge Søkilde; Peeters, Petra H M; Peissel, Bernard; Peixoto, Ana; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M; Permuth, Jennifer B; Peterlongo, Paolo; Pezzani, Lidia; Pfeiler, Georg; Phillips, Kelly-Anne; Piedmonte, Marion; Pike, Malcolm C; Piskorz, Anna M; Poblete, Samantha R; Pocza, Timea; Poole, Elizabeth M; Poppe, Bruce; Porteous, Mary E; Prieur, Fabienne; Prokofyeva, Darya; Pugh, Elizabeth; Pujana, Miquel Angel; Pujol, Pascal; Radice, Paolo; Rantala, Johanna; Rappaport-Fuerhauser, Christine; Rennert, Gad; Rhiem, Kerstin; Rice, Patricia; Richardson, Andrea; Robson, Mark; Rodriguez, Gustavo C; Rodríguez-Antona, Cristina; Romm, Jane; Rookus, Matti A; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B; Salvesen, Helga B; Sandler, Dale P; Schoemaker, Minouk J; Senter, Leigha; Setiawan, V Wendy; Severi, Gianluca; Sharma, Priyanka; Shelford, Tameka; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Side, Lucy E; Sieh, Weiva; Singer, Christian F; Sobol, Hagay; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C; Spurdle, Amanda B; Stadler, Zsofia; Steinemann, Doris; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E; Sukiennicki, Grzegorz; Sutphen, Rebecca; Sutter, Christian; Swerdlow, Anthony J; Szabo, Csilla I; Szafron, Lukasz; Tan, Yen Y; Taylor, Jack A; Tea, Muy-Kheng; Teixeira, Manuel R; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L; Thompson, Pamela J; Thomsen, Liv Cecilie Vestrheim; Thull, Darcy L; Tihomirova, Laima; Tinker, Anna V; Tischkowitz, Marc; Tognazzo, Silvia; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Tone, Alicia; Trabert, Britton; Travis, Ruth C; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Tung, Nadine; Tworoger, Shelley S; van Altena, Anne M; Van Den Berg, David; van der Hout, Annemarie H; van der Luijt, Rob B; Van Heetvelde, Mattias; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J; Vanderstichele, Adriaan; Varon-Mateeva, Raymonda; Vega, Ana; Edwards, Digna Velez; Vergote, Ignace; Vierkant, Robert A; Vijai, Joseph; Vratimos, Athanassios; Walker, Lisa; Walsh, Christine; Wand, Dorothea; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wappenschmidt, Barbara; Webb, Penelope M; Weinberg, Clarice R; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S; Wijnen, Juul T; Wilkens, Lynne R; Wolk, Alicja; Woo, Michelle; Wu, Xifeng; Wu, Anna H; Yang, Hannah; Yannoukakos, Drakoulis; Ziogas, Argyrios; Zorn, Kristin K; Narod, Steven A; Easton, Douglas F; Amos, Christopher I; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Ramus, Susan J; Ottini, Laura; Goodman, Marc T; Park, Sue K; Kelemen, Linda E; Risch, Harvey A; Thomassen, Mads; Offit, Kenneth; Simard, Jacques; Schmutzler, Rita Katharina; Hazelett, Dennis; Monteiro, Alvaro N; Couch, Fergus J; Berchuck, Andrew; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Goode, Ellen L; Sellers, Thomas A; Gayther, Simon A; Antoniou, Antonis C; Pharoah, Paul D P

    2017-05-01

    To identify common alleles associated with different histotypes of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we pooled data from multiple genome-wide genotyping projects totaling 25,509 EOC cases and 40,941 controls. We identified nine new susceptibility loci for different EOC histotypes: six for serous EOC histotypes (3q28, 4q32.3, 8q21.11, 10q24.33, 18q11.2 and 22q12.1), two for mucinous EOC (3q22.3 and 9q31.1) and one for endometrioid EOC (5q12.3). We then performed meta-analysis on the results for high-grade serous ovarian cancer with the results from analysis of 31,448 BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers, including 3,887 mutation carriers with EOC. This identified three additional susceptibility loci at 2q13, 8q24.1 and 12q24.31. Integrated analyses of genes and regulatory biofeatures at each locus predicted candidate susceptibility genes, including OBFC1, a new candidate susceptibility gene for low-grade and borderline serous EOC.

  13. miR-671-5p inhibits epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by downregulating FOXM1 expression in breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Xiaohui; Fu, Yebo; Chen, Liang; Lee, Woojin; Lai, Yinglei; Rezaei, Katayoon; Tabbara, Sana; Latham, Patricia; Teal, Christine B.; Man, Yan-Gao; Siegel, Robert S.; Brem, Rachel F.; Fu, Sidney W.

    2016-01-01

    MicroRNA (miRNA) dysfunction is associated with a variety of human diseases, including cancer. Our previous study showed that miR-671-5p was deregulated throughout breast cancer progression. Here, we report for the first time that miR-671-5p is a tumor-suppressor miRNA in breast tumorigenesis. We found that expression of miR-671-5p was decreased significantly in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) compared to normal in microdissected formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues. Forkhead Box M1 (FOXM1), an oncogenic transcription factor, was predicted as one of the direct targets of miR-671-5p, which was subsequently confirmed by luciferase assays. Forced expression of miR-671-5p in breast cancer cell lines downregulated FOXM1 expression, and attenuated the proliferation and invasion in breast cancer cell lines. Notably, overexpression of miR-671-5p resulted in a shift from epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) phenotypes in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells and induced S-phase arrest. Moreover, miR-671-5p sensitized breast cancer cells to cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and epirubicin exposure. Host cell reactivation (HCR) assays showed that miR-671-5p reduces DNA repair capability in post-drug exposed breast cancer cells. cDNA microarray data revealed that differentially expressed genes when miR-671-5p was transfected are associated with cell proliferation, invasion, cell cycle, and EMT. These data indicate that miR-671-5p functions as a tumor suppressor miRNA in breast cancer by directly targeting FOXM1. Hence, miR-671-5p may serve as a novel therapeutic target for breast cancer management. PMID:26588055

  14. Clinical practice of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frielink, Lindy M J; Pijlman, Brenda M; Ezendam, N.P.M.; Pijnenborg, Johanna M A

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy improves survival in women with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Yet, there is a wide variety in clinical practice. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with FIGO I and IIa EOC (2006-2010) in the south of the Netherlands were analyzed. The

  15. Clinical Practice of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Early-Stage Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Frielink, L.M.; Pijlman, B.M.; Ezendam, N.P.; Pijnenborg, J.M.A.

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy improves survival in women with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Yet, there is a wide variety in clinical practice. METHODS: All patients diagnosed with FIGO I and IIa EOC (2006-2010) in the south of the Netherlands were analyzed. The

  16. Endothelial cells stimulate growth of normal and cancerous breast epithelial cells in 3D culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magnusson Magnus K

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Epithelial-stromal interaction provides regulatory signals that maintain correct histoarchitecture and homeostasis in the normal breast and facilitates tumor progression in breast cancer. However, research on the regulatory role of the endothelial component in the normal and malignant breast gland has largely been neglected. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of endothelial cells on growth and differentiation of human breast epithelial cells in a three-dimensional (3D co-culture assay. Methods Breast luminal and myoepithelial cells and endothelial cells were isolated from reduction mammoplasties. Primary cells and established normal and malignant breast cell lines were embedded in reconstituted basement membrane in direct co-culture with endothelial cells and by separation of Transwell filters. Morphogenic and phenotypic profiles of co-cultures was evaluated by phase contrast microscopy, immunostaining and confocal microscopy. Results In co-culture, endothelial cells stimulate proliferation of both luminal- and myoepithelial cells. Furthermore, endothelial cells induce a subpopulation of luminal epithelial cells to form large acini/ducts with a large and clear lumen. Endothelial cells also stimulate growth and cloning efficiency of normal and malignant breast epithelial cell lines. Transwell and gradient co-culture studies show that endothelial derived effects are mediated - at least partially - by soluble factors. Conclusion Breast endothelial cells - beside their role in transporting nutrients and oxygen to tissues - are vital component of the epithelial microenvironment in the breast and provide proliferative signals to the normal and malignant breast epithelium. These growth promoting effects of endothelial cells should be taken into consideration in breast cancer biology.

  17. Potential Application of Curcumin and Its Analogues in the Treatment Strategy of Patients with Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terlikowska, Katarzyna M.; Witkowska, Anna M.; Zujko, Malgorzata E.; Dobrzycka, Bozena; Terlikowski, Slawomir J.

    2014-01-01

    Recent findings on the molecular basis of ovarian cancer development and progression create new opportunities to develop anticancer medications that would affect specific metabolic pathways and decrease side systemic toxicity of conventional treatment. Among new possibilities for cancer chemoprevention, much attention is paid to curcumin—A broad-spectrum anticancer polyphenolic derivative extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa L. According to ClinicalTrials.gov at present there are no running pilot studies, which could assess possible therapeutic benefits from curcumin supplementation to patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer. Therefore, the goal of this review was to evaluate potential preclinical properties of curcumin and its new analogues on the basis of in vivo and in vitro ovarian cancer studies. Curcumin and its different formulations have been shown to display multifunctional mechanisms of anticancer activity, not only in platinum-resistant primary epithelial ovarian cancer, but also in multidrug resistant cancer cells/xenografts models. Curcumin administered together with platinum-taxane chemotherapeutics have been reported to demonstrate synergistic effects, sensitize resistant cells to drugs, and decrease their biologically effective doses. An accumulating body of evidence suggests that curcumin, due to its long-term safety and an excellent profile of side effects should be considered as a beneficial support in ovarian cancer treatment strategies, especially in patients with platinum-resistant primary epithelial recurrent ovarian cancer or multidrug resistant disease. Although the prospect of curcumin and its formulations as anticancer agents in ovarian cancer treatment strategy appears to be challenging, and at the same time promising, there is a further need to evaluate its effectiveness in clinical studies. PMID:25429431

  18. Common variants at the CHEK2 gene locus and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lawrenson, K.; Iversen, E.S.; Tyrer, J.; Weber, R.P.; Concannon, P.; Hazelett, D.J.; Li, Q.; Marks, J.R.; Berchuck, A.; Lee, J.M.; Aben, K.K.H.; Anton-Culver, H.; Antonenkova, N.; Bandera, E.V.; Bean, Y.; Beckmann, M.W.; Bisogna, M.; Bjorge, L.; Bogdanova, N.; Brinton, L.A.; Brooks-Wilson, A.; Bruinsma, F.; Butzow, R.; Campbell, I.G.; Carty, K.; Chang-Claude, J.; Chenevix-Trench, G.; Chen, A; Chen, Z.; Cook, L.S.; Cramer, D.W; Cunningham, J.M.; Cybulski, C.; Plisiecka-Halasa, J.; Dennis, J.; Dicks, E.; Doherty, J.A.; Dork, T.; Bois, A. du; Eccles, D.; Easton, D.T.; Edwards, R.P.; Eilber, U.; Ekici, A.B.; Fasching, P.A.; Fridley, B.L.; Gao, Y.T.; Gentry-Maharaj, A.; Giles, G.G.; Glasspool, R.; Goode, E.L.; Goodman, M.T.; Gronwald, J.; Harter, P.; Hasmad, H.N.; Hein, A.; Heitz, F.; Hildebrandt, M.A.T.; Hillemanns, P.; Hogdall, E.; Hogdall, C.; Hosono, S.; Jakubowska, A.; Paul, J.; Jensen, A.; Karlan, B.Y.; Kjaer, S.K.; Kelemen, L.E.; Kellar, M.; Kelley, J.L.; Kiemeney, L.A.; Krakstad, C.; Lambrechts, D.; Lambrechts, S.; Le, N.D.; Lee, A.W.; Cannioto, R.; Leminen, A.; Lester, J.; Levine, D.A.; Liang, D.; Lissowska, J.; Lu, K.; Lubinski, J.; Lundvall, L.; Massuger, L.F.; Matsuo, K.; McGuire, V.; McLaughlin, J.R.; Nevanlinna, H.; McNeish, I.; Menon, U.; Modugno, F.; Moysich, K.B.; Narod, S.A.; Nedergaard, L.; Ness, R.B.; Azmi, M.A. Noor; Odunsi, K.; Olson, S.H.

    2015-01-01

    Genome-wide association studies have identified 20 genomic regions associated with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but many additional risk variants may exist. Here, we evaluated associations between common genetic variants [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and indels] in DNA repair

  19. Hypoxia inducible factor-1α-dependent epithelial to mesenchymal transition under hypoxic conditions in prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mingchuan; Wang, Yong Xing; Luo, Yong; Zhao, Jiahui; Li, Qing; Zhang, Jiao; Jiang, Yongguang

    2016-07-01

    Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and the second leading cause of cancer death. Hypoxia is an environmental stimulus that plays an important role in the development and cancer progression especially for solid tumors. The key regulator under hypoxic conditions is stabilized hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α. In the present study, immune-fluorescent staining, siRNAs, qRT-PC, immunoblotting, cell migration and invasion assays were carried out to test typical epithelial to mesenchymal transition under hypoxia and the key regulators of this process in PC3, a human prostate cancer cell line. Our data demonstrated that hypoxia induces diverse molecular, phenotypic and functional changes in prostate cancer cells that are consistent with EMT. We also showed that a cell signal factor such as HIF-1α, which might be stabilized under hypoxic environment, is involved in EMT and cancer cell invasive potency. The induced hypoxia could be blocked by HIF-1α gene silencing and reoxygenation of EMT in prostate cancer cells, hypoxia partially reversed accompanied by a process of mesenchymal-epithelial reverting transition (MErT). EMT might be induced by activation of HIF-1α-dependent cell signaling in hypoxic prostate cancer cells.

  20. In vivo detection of oral epithelial cancer using endogenous fluorescence lifetime imaging: a pilot human study (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jo, Javier A.; Hwang, Dae Yon; Palma, Jorge; Cheng, Shuna; Cuenca, Rodrigo; Malik, Bilal; Jabbour, Joey; Cheng, Lisa; Wright, John; Maitland, Kristen

    2016-03-01

    Endogenous fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) provides direct access to the concomitant functional and biochemical changes accompanying tissue transition from benign to precancerous and cancerous. Since FLIM can noninvasively measure different and complementary biomarkers of precancer and cancer, we hypothesize that it will aid in clinically detecting early oral epithelial cancer. Our group has recently demonstrated the detection of benign from premalignant and malignant lesions based on endogenous multispectral FLIM in the hamster cheek-pouch model. Encouraged by these positive preliminary results, we have developed a handheld endoscope capable of acquiring multispectral FLIM images in real time from the oral mucosa. This novel FLIM endoscope is being used for imaging clinically suspicious pre-malignant and malignant lesions from patients before undergoing tissue biopsy for histopathological diagnosis of oral epithelial cancer. Our preliminary results thus far are already suggesting the potential of endogenous FLIM for distinguishing a variety of benign lesions from advanced dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). To the best of out knowledge, this is the first in vivo human study aiming to demonstrate the ability to predict the true malignancy of clinically suspicious lesions using endogenous FLIM. If successful, the resulting clinical tool will allow noninvasive real-time detection of epithelial precancerous and cancerous lesions in the oral mucosa and could potentially be used to assist at every step involved on the clinical management of oral cancer patients, from early screening and diagnosis, to treatment and monitoring of recurrence.

  1. Vascular endothelial growth factor polymorphisms and a synchronized examination of plasma and tissue expression in epithelial ovarian cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhaskari, J; Premalata, C S; Shilpa, V; Rahul, B; Pallavi, V R; Ramesh, G; Krishnamoorthy, Lakshmi

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we have analyzed six genetic polymorphisms of the VEGF-A gene and correlated the genetic data with plasma and tissue expression of VEGF-A in epithelial ovarian carcinomas. A total of 130 cases including 95 malignant carcinomas, 17 low malignant potential and 18 benign tumours were studied. rs699947, rs833061, rs1570360, rs2010963, rs1413711 and rs3025039 were studied by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Plasma levels of VEGF-A were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and tissue expression of VEGF-A by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Four polymorphisms of the above excluding rs699947 and rs3025039 showed significant association with malignancy, and we observed the presence of positive correlation between haplotype CCGGCC and increased expression of VEGF-A in both plasma and tissues which also correlated with poor prognosis and recurrence suggesting a probable increase in resistance to treatment in such carriers. Highly upregulated tissue expression of VEGF-A was seen in all epithelial ovarian carcinomas with intensity of expression increasing from benign to malignant cases. ELISA data from our study showed an increase in circulating levels of VEGF-A in malignancies. VEGF-A plasma levels can be employed as a biomarker for high-grade malignancy in epithelial ovarian cancers alongside tissue expression and CA-125 levels. This study is unique due to the fact that a simultaneous analysis of plasma and tissue expression has been demonstrated and is a first such study in epithelial ovarian cancers and representing the Indian population (South-east Asian) synchronized with genetic polymorphism data as well.

  2. Effect of hGC-MSCs from human gastric cancer tissue on cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tumor tissue of gastric cancer tumor-bearing mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Lin; Zhou, Xin; Jia, Hong-Jun; Du, Mei; Zhang, Jin-Ling; Li, Liang

    2016-08-01

    To study the effect of hGC-MSCs from human gastric cancer tissue on cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in tumor tissue of gastric cancer tumor-bearing mice. BABL/c nude mice were selected as experimental animals and gastric cancer tumor-bearing mice model were established by subcutaneous injection of gastric cancer cells, randomly divided into different intervention groups. hGC-MSCs group were given different amounts of gastric cancer cells for subcutaneous injection, PBS group was given equal volume of PBS for subcutaneous injection. Then tumor tissue volume were determined, tumor-bearing mice were killed and tumor tissues were collected, mRNA expression of proliferation, invasion, EMT-related molecules were determined. 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 d after intervention, tumor tissue volume of hGC-MSCs group were significantly higher than those of PBS group and the more the number of hGC-MSCs, the higher the tumor tissue volume; mRNA contents of Ki-67, PCNA, Bcl-2, MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9, MMP-14, N-cadherin, vimentin, Snail and Twist in tumor tissue of hGC-MSCs group were higher than those of PBS group, and mRNA contents of Bax, TIMP1, TIMP2 and E-cadherin were lower than those of PBS group. hGC-MSCs from human gastric cancer tissue can promote the tumor growth in gastric cancer tumor-bearing mice, and the molecular mechanism includes promoting cell proliferation, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Copyright © 2016 Hainan Medical College. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Influence of Ionizing Radiation on Stromal-Epithelial Intercellular Communication in Esophageal Carcinogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Zarana S.; Kalabis, Jiri; Rustgi, Anil K.; Cucinotta, Francis A.; Huff, Janice L.

    2010-01-01

    Esophageal cancer is the 6th leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Its development is associated with a variety of risk factors including tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption, human papilloma virus infection, and certain dietary factors such as trace mineral and vitamin deficiencies. An association with ionizing radiation exposure is revealed by the high excess relative risk for squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus observed in the survivors of the atomic bomb detonations in Japan. It is also seen as a secondary malignancy in patients who received radiotherapy for breast and thoracic cancers; additionally, patients with head/neck and oral squamous cell cancers are at increased risk for metachronous esophageal squamous cell cancers. This malignancy is rapidly fatal, mainly because it remains asymptomatic until late, advanced stages when the disease is rarely curable. The stromal microenvironment plays an essential role in the maintenance and modulation of normal epithelial cell growth and differentiation and cross talk between the epithelial and stromal compartments can influence many aspects of malignant progression, including tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and recruitment of new blood vessels. To test the hypothesis that radiation exposure plays a role in esophageal carcinogenesis via non-targeted mechanisms involving stromal-epithelial cell communication, we are studying radiation effects on hTERT-immortalized human esophageal epithelial cells and genetic variants grown in co-culture with human esophageal stromal fibroblasts (Okawa et al., Genes & Dev. 2007. 21: 2788-2803). We examined how radiation treatment of stromal fibroblasts affected epithelial migration and invasion, behaviors associated with cancer promotion and progression. Chemotactic and haptotactic migration of epithelial cells stimulated by conditioned media from irradiated fibroblasts was measured using assays conducted in Transwell cell culture chambers. Our results using

  4. High prevalence of atypical hyperplasia in the endometrium of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mingels, M.J.J.M.; Masadah, R.; Geels, Y.P.; Otte-Holler, I.; Kievit, I.M. de; Laak, J.A.W.M. van der; Ham, M.A.P.C. van; Bulten, J.; Massuger, L.F.A.G.

    2014-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study is to determine the prevalence of endometrial premalignancies in women diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). METHODS: Endometrial and ovarian specimens of 186 patients with EOC were retrospectively selected using the nationwide pathology network and

  5. Circadian Gating of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer Cells Via Melatonin-Regulation of GSK3β

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Lulu; Dauchy, Robert T.; Blask, David E.; Slakey, Lauren M.; Xiang, Shulin; Yuan, Lin; Dauchy, Erin M.; Shan, Bin; Brainard, George C.; Hanifin, John P.; Duplessis, Tamika T.; Hill, Steven M.

    2012-01-01

    Disturbed sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythmicity are associated with cancer, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Employing a tissue-isolated human breast xenograft tumor nude rat model, we observed that glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), an enzyme critical in metabolism and cell proliferation/survival, exhibits a circadian rhythm of phosphorylation in human breast tumors. Exposure to light-at-night suppresses the nocturnal pineal melatonin synthesis, disrupting the circadian rhythm of GSK3β phosphorylation. Melatonin activates GSK3β by inhibiting the serine-threonine kinase Akt phosphorylation, inducing β-catenin degradation and inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a fundamental process underlying cancer metastasis. Thus, chronic circadian disruption by light-at-night via occupational exposure or age-related sleep disturbances may contribute to cancer incidence and the metastatic spread of breast cancer by inhibiting GSK3β activity and driving epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer patients. PMID:23002080

  6. Meta-analysis of gene expression signatures defining the epithelial to mesenchymal transition during cancer progression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian J Gröger

    Full Text Available The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT represents a crucial event during cancer progression and dissemination. EMT is the conversion of carcinoma cells from an epithelial to a mesenchymal phenotype that associates with a higher cell motility as well as enhanced chemoresistance and cancer stemness. Notably, EMT has been increasingly recognized as an early event of metastasis. Numerous gene expression studies (GES have been conducted to obtain transcriptome signatures and marker genes to understand the regulatory mechanisms underlying EMT. Yet, no meta-analysis considering the multitude of GES of EMT has been performed to comprehensively elaborate the core genes in this process. Here we report the meta-analysis of 18 independent and published GES of EMT which focused on different cell types and treatment modalities. Computational analysis revealed clustering of GES according to the type of treatment rather than to cell type. GES of EMT induced via transforming growth factor-β and tumor necrosis factor-α treatment yielded uniformly defined clusters while GES of models with alternative EMT induction clustered in a more complex fashion. In addition, we identified those up- and downregulated genes which were shared between the multitude of GES. This core gene list includes well known EMT markers as well as novel genes so far not described in this process. Furthermore, several genes of the EMT-core gene list significantly correlated with impaired pathological complete response in breast cancer patients. In conclusion, this meta-analysis provides a comprehensive survey of available EMT expression signatures and shows fundamental insights into the mechanisms that are governing carcinoma progression.

  7. Tumorigenicity and Validity of Fluorescence Labelled Mesenchymal and Epithelial Human Oral Cancer Cell Lines in Nude Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Xin Cai

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumorigenicity and metastatic activity can be visually monitored in cancer cells that were labelled with stable fluorescence. The aim was to establish and validate local and distant spread of subcutaneously previously injected fluorescence transduced human tongue cancer cell lines of epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype in nude mice. A total of 32 four-week-old male athymic Balb/c nude mice were randomly allocated into 4 groups (n=8. A single dose of 0.3 mL PBS containing 1 × 107 of four different cancer cell-lines (UM1, UM1-GFP, UM2, and UM2-RFP was injected subcutaneously into the right side of their posterolateral back. Validity assessment of the labelled cancer cells’ tumorigenicity was assessed by physical examination, imaging, and histology four weeks after the injection. The tumor take rate of cancer cells was similar in animals injected with either parental or transduced cancer cells. Transduced cancer cells in mice were easily detectable in vivo and after cryosection using fluorescent imaging. UM1 cells showed increased tumor take rate and mean tumor volume, presenting with disorganized histopathological patterns. Fluorescence labelled epithelial and mesenchymal human tongue cancer cell lines do not change in tumorigenicity or cell phenotype after injection in vivo.

  8. N-Myc Drives Neuroendocrine Prostate Cancer Initiated from Human Prostate Epithelial Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, John K.; Phillips, John W.; Smith, Bryan A.; Park, Jung Wook; Stoyanova, Tanya; McCaffrey, Erin F.; Baertsch, Robert; Sokolov, Artem; Meyerowitz, Justin G.; Mathis, Colleen; Cheng, Donghui; Stuart, Joshua M.; Shokat, Kevan M.; Gustafson, W. Clay; Huang, Jiaoti; Witte, Owen N.

    2016-01-01

    SUMMARY MYCN amplification and overexpression are common in neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). However, the impact of aberrant N-Myc expression in prostate tumorigenesis and the cellular origin of NEPC have not been established. We define N-Myc and activated AKT1 as oncogenic components sufficient to transform human prostate epithelial cells to prostate adenocarcinoma and NEPC with phenotypic and molecular features of aggressive, late-stage human disease. We directly show that prostate adenocarcinoma and NEPC can arise from a common epithelial clone. Further, N-Myc is required for tumor maintenance and destabilization of N-Myc through Aurora A kinase inhibition reduces tumor burden. Our findings establish N-Myc as a driver of NEPC and a target for therapeutic intervention. PMID:27050099

  9. The prognostic value of dividing epithelial ovarian cancer into type I and type II tumors based on pathologic characteristics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prahm, Kira Philipsen; Karlsen, Mona Aarenstrup; Høgdall, Estrid

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic significance of dividing epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in type I and type II tumors based on pathologic variables. METHODS: We used the Danish Gynecologic Cancer Database to identify all patients diagnosed with EOC from 2005 to 2012. Information on histo......OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic significance of dividing epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in type I and type II tumors based on pathologic variables. METHODS: We used the Danish Gynecologic Cancer Database to identify all patients diagnosed with EOC from 2005 to 2012. Information...... for survival confirmed the increased overall survival for type I tumors after two years of follow-up (hazard ratio: 1.85, 95% confidence interval: 1.35-2.54, Pbased on pathologic variables was associated with an increased risk of death...

  10. Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT)-Phenotypic Cells: Are They Cousins or Twins?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kong, Dejuan; Li, Yiwei; Wang, Zhiwei; Sarkar, Fazlul H.

    2011-01-01

    Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are cells within a tumor that possess the capacity to self-renew and maintain tumor-initiating capacity through differentiation into the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the whole tumor. These tumor-initiating cells could provide a resource for cells that cause tumor recurrence after therapy. Although the cell origin of CSCs remains to be fully elucidated, mounting evidence has demonstrated that Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), induced by different factors, is associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis and these cells share molecular characteristics with CSCs, and thus are often called cancer stem-like cells or tumor-initiating cells. The acquisition of an EMT phenotype is a critical process for switching early stage carcinomas into invasive malignancies, which is often associated with the loss of epithelial differentiation and gain of mesenchymal phenotype. Recent studies have demonstrated that EMT plays a critical role not only in tumor metastasis but also in tumor recurrence and that it is tightly linked with the biology of cancer stem-like cells or cancer-initiating cells. Here we will succinctly summarize the state-of-our-knowledge regarding the molecular similarities between cancer stem-like cells or CSCs and EMT-phenotypic cells that are associated with tumor aggressiveness focusing on solid tumors

  11. Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT-Phenotypic Cells: Are They Cousins or Twins?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fazlul H. Sarkar

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs are cells within a tumor that possess the capacity to self-renew and maintain tumor-initiating capacity through differentiation into the heterogeneous lineages of cancer cells that comprise the whole tumor. These tumor-initiating cells could provide a resource for cells that cause tumor recurrence after therapy. Although the cell origin of CSCs remains to be fully elucidated, mounting evidence has demonstrated that Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT, induced by different factors, is associated with tumor aggressiveness and metastasis and these cells share molecular characteristics with CSCs, and thus are often called cancer stem-like cells or tumor-initiating cells. The acquisition of an EMT phenotype is a critical process for switching early stage carcinomas into invasive malignancies, which is often associated with the loss of epithelial differentiation and gain of mesenchymal phenotype. Recent studies have demonstrated that EMT plays a critical role not only in tumor metastasis but also in tumor recurrence and that it is tightly linked with the biology of cancer stem-like cells or cancer-initiating cells. Here we will succinctly summarize the state-of-our-knowledge regarding the molecular similarities between cancer stem-like cells or CSCs and EMT-phenotypic cells that are associated with tumor aggressiveness focusing on solid tumors.

  12. Influence of Ionizing Radiation on Stromal-Epithelial Communication in Esophageal Carcinogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huff, Janice; Patel, Zarana; Grugan, Katharine; Rustgi, Anil; Cucinotta, Francis A.

    Esophageal cancer is the 6th leading cause of cancer death worldwide and is associated with a variety of risk factors including tobacco use, heavy alcohol consumption, human papilloma virus infection, and certain dietary factors such as trace mineral and vitamin deficiencies. A connection with ionizing radiation exposure is revealed by the high excess relative risk for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma observed in the survivors of the atomic bomb detonations in Japan. Esophageal carcinomas are also seen as secondary malignancies in patients who received radiotherapy for breast and thoracic cancers; additionally, patients with head/neck and oral squamous cell cancers are at increased risk for metachronous esophageal squamous cell cancers. This malignancy is rapidly fatal, mainly because it remains asymptomatic until late, advanced stages when the disease is rarely responsive to treatment. In normal epithelium, the stromal microenvironment is essential for the maintenance and modulation of cell growth and differentiation. Cross talk between the epithelial and stromal compartments can influence many aspects of malignant progression, including tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion and recruitment of new blood vessels. To test the hypothesis that radiation exposure plays a role in esophageal carcinogenesis via non-targeted mechanisms involving stromal-epithelial cell communication, we are studying radiation effects on hTERT-immortalized human esophageal epithelial cells and genetic variants grown in co-culture with human esophageal stromal fibrob-lasts (Okawa et al., Genes Dev. 2007. 21: 2788-2803). We examined how irradiation of stromal fibroblasts affected epithelial migration and invasion, behaviors associated with cancer promotion and progression. These assays were conducted in modified Boyden chambers using conditioned media from irradiated fibroblasts. Our results using low LET gamma radiation showed a dose-dependent increase in migration of epithelial

  13. A link between lipid metabolism and epithelial-mesenchymal transition provides a target for colon cancer therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sánchez-Martínez, Ruth; Cruz-Gil, Silvia; Gómez de Cedrón, Marta

    2015-01-01

    an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program that promotes migration and invasion of colon cancer cells. The mesenchymal phenotype produced upon overexpression of these enzymes is reverted through reactivation of AMPK signaling. Furthermore, this network expression correlates with poorer clinical outcome...... of stage-II colon cancer patients. Finally, combined treatment with chemical inhibitors of ACSL/SCD selectively decreases cancer cell viability without reducing normal cells viability. Thus, ACSL/SCD network stimulates colon cancer progression through conferring increased energetic capacity and invasive...... and migratory properties to cancer cells, and might represent a new therapeutic opportunity for colon cancer treatment....

  14. Prognostic relevance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and proliferation in surgically treated primary parotid gland cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busch, Alina; Bauer, Larissa; Wardelmann, Eva; Rudack, Claudia; Grünewald, Inga; Stenner, Markus

    2017-05-01

    Cancer of the major salivary glands comprises a morphologically diverse group of rare tumours of largely unknown cause. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to play a significant prognostic role in various human cancers. The aim was to assess the expression of EMT markers in different histological subtypes of parotid gland cancer (PGC) and analyse their prognostic value. We examined 94 PGC samples (13 histological subtypes) for the expression of MIB-1, epithelial cadherin (E-cadherin), β-catenin, vimentin and cytokeratin 8/18 (CK8/18) by means of immunohistochemistry. The experimental findings were correlated with clinicopathological and survival parameters. We detected all analysed EMT and proliferation markers in specifically different constellations within the examined histological subtypes of PGC. We found high epithelial marker expressions (CK8/18, E-cadherin, membranous β-catenin) only in a distinct variety of carcinomas. A high proliferation rate (high MIB-1 expression) as well as a combination of high CK8/18 and low vimentin expression was associated with a significantly worse survival. Our findings indicate that activation of the EMT pathway is a relevant explanation for tumour progression in individual histological subtypes of malignant parotid gland lesions, but by far not in all. Evidence of EMT activation in PGC cannot be seen as an isolated prognostic factor. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  15. DNA methylation profiles of ovarian epithelial carcinoma tumors and cell lines.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sahar Houshdaran

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is a significant cause of cancer mortality in women worldwide and in the United States. Epithelial ovarian cancer comprises several histological subtypes, each with distinct clinical and molecular characteristics. The natural history of this heterogeneous disease, including the cell types of origin, is poorly understood. This study applied recently developed methods for high-throughput DNA methylation profiling to characterize ovarian cancer cell lines and tumors, including representatives of three major histologies.We obtained DNA methylation profiles of 1,505 CpG sites (808 genes in 27 primary epithelial ovarian tumors and 15 ovarian cancer cell lines. We found that the DNA methylation profiles of ovarian cancer cell lines were markedly different from those of primary ovarian tumors. Aggregate DNA methylation levels of the assayed CpG sites tended to be higher in ovarian cancer cell lines relative to ovarian tumors. Within the primary tumors, those of the same histological type were more alike in their methylation profiles than those of different subtypes. Supervised analyses identified 90 CpG sites (68 genes that exhibited 'subtype-specific' DNA methylation patterns (FDR<1% among the tumors. In ovarian cancer cell lines, we estimated that for at least 27% of analyzed autosomal CpG sites, increases in methylation were accompanied by decreases in transcription of the associated gene.The significant difference in DNA methylation profiles between ovarian cancer cell lines and tumors underscores the need to be cautious in using cell lines as tumor models for molecular studies of ovarian cancer and other cancers. Similarly, the distinct methylation profiles of the different histological types of ovarian tumors reinforces the need to treat the different histologies of ovarian cancer as different diseases, both clinically and in biomarker studies. These data provide a useful resource for future studies, including those of

  16. Circulating Vitamin D and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan A. Arslan

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available We conducted a nested case-control study within two prospective cohorts, the New York University Women's Health Study and the Northern Sweden Health and Disease Study, to examine the association between prediagnostic circulating levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OHD and the risk of subsequent invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC. The 25(OHD levels were measured in serum or plasma from 170 incident cases of EOC and 373 matched controls. Overall, circulating 25(OHD levels were not associated with the risk of EOC in combined cohort analysis: adjusted OR for the top tertile versus the reference tertile, 1.09 (95% CI, 0.59–2.01. In addition, there was no evidence of an interaction effect between VDR SNP genotype or haplotype and circulating 25(OHD levels in relation to ovarian cancer risk, although more complex gene-environment interactions may exist.

  17. Dynamic transcription factor networks in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siletz, Anaar; Schnabel, Michael; Kniazeva, Ekaterina; Schumacher, Andrew J; Shin, Seungjin; Jeruss, Jacqueline S; Shea, Lonnie D

    2013-01-01

    The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex change in cell differentiation that allows breast carcinoma cells to acquire invasive properties. EMT involves a cascade of regulatory changes that destabilize the epithelial phenotype and allow mesenchymal features to manifest. As transcription factors (TFs) are upstream effectors of the genome-wide expression changes that result in phenotypic change, understanding the sequential changes in TF activity during EMT provides rich information on the mechanism of this process. Because molecular interactions will vary as cells progress from an epithelial to a mesenchymal differentiation program, dynamic networks are needed to capture the changing context of molecular processes. In this study we applied an emerging high-throughput, dynamic TF activity array to define TF activity network changes in three cell-based models of EMT in breast cancer based on HMLE Twist ER and MCF-7 mammary epithelial cells. The TF array distinguished conserved from model-specific TF activity changes in the three models. Time-dependent data was used to identify pairs of TF activities with significant positive or negative correlation, indicative of interdependent TF activity throughout the six-day study period. Dynamic TF activity patterns were clustered into groups of TFs that change along a time course of gene expression changes and acquisition of invasive capacity. Time-dependent TF activity data was combined with prior knowledge of TF interactions to construct dynamic models of TF activity networks as epithelial cells acquire invasive characteristics. These analyses show EMT from a unique and targetable vantage and may ultimately contribute to diagnosis and therapy.

  18. Dynamic transcription factor networks in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer models.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anaar Siletz

    Full Text Available The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT is a complex change in cell differentiation that allows breast carcinoma cells to acquire invasive properties. EMT involves a cascade of regulatory changes that destabilize the epithelial phenotype and allow mesenchymal features to manifest. As transcription factors (TFs are upstream effectors of the genome-wide expression changes that result in phenotypic change, understanding the sequential changes in TF activity during EMT provides rich information on the mechanism of this process. Because molecular interactions will vary as cells progress from an epithelial to a mesenchymal differentiation program, dynamic networks are needed to capture the changing context of molecular processes. In this study we applied an emerging high-throughput, dynamic TF activity array to define TF activity network changes in three cell-based models of EMT in breast cancer based on HMLE Twist ER and MCF-7 mammary epithelial cells. The TF array distinguished conserved from model-specific TF activity changes in the three models. Time-dependent data was used to identify pairs of TF activities with significant positive or negative correlation, indicative of interdependent TF activity throughout the six-day study period. Dynamic TF activity patterns were clustered into groups of TFs that change along a time course of gene expression changes and acquisition of invasive capacity. Time-dependent TF activity data was combined with prior knowledge of TF interactions to construct dynamic models of TF activity networks as epithelial cells acquire invasive characteristics. These analyses show EMT from a unique and targetable vantage and may ultimately contribute to diagnosis and therapy.

  19. Epithelial cell proliferative activity of Barrett's esophagus : methodology and correlation with traditional cancer risk markers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Peters, FTM; Ganesh, S; Kuipers, EJ; De Jager-Krikken, A; Karrenbeld, A; Harms, Geert; Sluiter, WJ; Koudstaal, J; Klinkenberg-Knol, EC; Lamers, CBHW; Kleibeuker, JH

    Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a premalignant condition, due to chronic gastroesophageal reflux. Effective antireflux therapy may diminish cancer risk. To evaluate this option an intermediate marker is needed. We developed a methodology for measurement of epithelial cell proliferative activity of

  20. Tubal ligation and salpingectomy and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer and borderline ovarian tumors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, C; Baandrup, Louise; Dehlendorff, Christian

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: According to the recent theories on the ovarian cancer origin, any protective effect of tubal ligation may vary with histologic subtype of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, bilateral salpingectomy may represent an opportunity for surgical prevention of serous ovarian cancer. DESIGN: Nationw......OBJECTIVE: According to the recent theories on the ovarian cancer origin, any protective effect of tubal ligation may vary with histologic subtype of ovarian cancer. Furthermore, bilateral salpingectomy may represent an opportunity for surgical prevention of serous ovarian cancer. DESIGN...... sampling. We required that cases and controls have no previous cancer and that controls have no previous bilateral oophorectomy. METHODS: Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, adjusting for potential confounders. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Epithelial...

  1. Connective tissue growth factor activates pluripotency genes and mesenchymal-epithelial transition in head and neck cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Cheng-Chi; Hsu, Wen-Hao; Wang, Chen-Chien; Chou, Chun-Hung; Kuo, Mark Yen-Ping; Lin, Been-Ren; Chen, Szu-Ta; Tai, Shyh-Kuan; Kuo, Min-Liang; Yang, Muh-Hwa

    2013-07-01

    The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a key mechanism in both embryonic development and cancer metastasis. The EMT introduces stem-like properties to cancer cells. However, during somatic cell reprogramming, mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET), the reverse process of EMT, is a crucial step toward pluripotency. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a multifunctional secreted protein that acts as either an oncoprotein or a tumor suppressor among different cancers. Here, we show that in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), CTGF promotes the MET and reduces invasiveness. Moreover, we found that CTGF enhances the stem-like properties of HNSCC cells and increases the expression of multiple pluripotency genes. Mechanistic studies showed that CTGF induces c-Jun expression through αvβ3 integrin and that c-Jun directly activates the transcription of the pluripotency genes NANOG, SOX2, and POU5F1. Knockdown of CTGF in TW2.6 cells was shown to reduce tumor formation and attenuate E-cadherin expression in xenotransplanted tumors. In HNSCC patient samples, CTGF expression was positively correlated with the levels of CDH1, NANOG, SOX2, and POU5F1. Coexpression of CTGF and the pluripotency genes was found to be associated with a worse prognosis. These findings are valuable in elucidating the interplay between epithelial plasticity and stem-like properties during cancer progression and provide useful information for developing a novel classification system and therapeutic strategies for HNSCC. ©2013 AACR.

  2. Chronic Recreational Physical Inactivity and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Risk: Evidence from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cannioto, Rikki; LaMonte, Michael J; Risch, Harvey A; Hong, Chi-Chen; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E; Eng, Kevin H; Brian Szender, J; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Schmalfeldt, Barbara; Klapdor, Ruediger; Gower, Emily; Minlikeeva, Albina N; Zirpoli, Gary R; Bandera, Elisa V; Berchuck, Andrew; Cramer, Daniel; Doherty, Jennifer A; Edwards, Robert P; Fridley, Brooke L; Goode, Ellen L; Goodman, Marc T; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Jensen, Allan; Jordan, Susan; Kjaer, Susanne K; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ness, Roberta B; Olsen, Catherine M; Olson, Sara H; Leigh Pearce, Celeste; Pike, Malcolm C; Anne Rossing, Mary; Szamreta, Elizabeth A; Thompson, Pamela J; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Vierkant, Robert A; Webb, Penelope M; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Wicklund, Kristine G; Winham, Stacey J; Wu, Anna H; Modugno, Francesmary; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Terry, Kathryn L; Kelemen, Linda E; Moysich, Kirsten B

    2016-07-01

    Despite a large body of literature evaluating the association between recreational physical activity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk, the extant evidence is inconclusive, and little is known about the independent association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. We conducted a pooled analysis of nine studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium to investigate the association between chronic recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. In accordance with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, women reporting no regular, weekly recreational physical activity were classified as inactive. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to estimate the ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between inactivity and EOC risk overall and by subgroups based upon histotype, menopausal status, race, and body mass index. The current analysis included data from 8,309 EOC patients and 12,612 controls. We observed a significant positive association between inactivity and EOC risk (OR = 1.34; 95% CI, 1.14-1.57), and similar associations were observed for each histotype. In this large pooled analysis examining the association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk, we observed consistent evidence of an association between chronic inactivity and all EOC histotypes. These data add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that inactivity is an independent risk factor for cancer. If the apparent association between inactivity and EOC risk is substantiated, additional work via targeted interventions should be pursued to characterize the dose of activity required to mitigate the risk of this highly fatal disease. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(7); 1114-24. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  3. Evaluation of candidate stromal epithelial cross-talk genes identifies association between risk of serous ovarian cancer and TERT, a cancer susceptibility "hot-spot".

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sharon E Johnatty

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available We hypothesized that variants in genes expressed as a consequence of interactions between ovarian cancer cells and the host micro-environment could contribute to cancer susceptibility. We therefore used a two-stage approach to evaluate common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in 173 genes involved in stromal epithelial interactions in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC. In the discovery stage, cases with epithelial ovarian cancer (n=675 and controls (n=1,162 were genotyped at 1,536 SNPs using an Illumina GoldenGate assay. Based on Positive Predictive Value estimates, three SNPs-PODXL rs1013368, ITGA6 rs13027811, and MMP3 rs522616-were selected for replication using TaqMan genotyping in up to 3,059 serous invasive cases and 8,905 controls from 16 OCAC case-control studies. An additional 18 SNPs with Pper-alleleor=0.5. However genotypes at TERT rs7726159 were associated with ovarian cancer risk in the smaller, five-study replication study (Pper-allele=0.03. Combined analysis of the discovery and replication sets for this TERT SNP showed an increased risk of serous ovarian cancer among non-Hispanic whites [adj. ORper-allele 1.14 (1.04-1.24 p=0.003]. Our study adds to the growing evidence that, like the 8q24 locus, the telomerase reverse transcriptase locus at 5p15.33, is a general cancer susceptibility locus.

  4. Emerging role of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator- an epithelial chloride channel in gastrointestinal cancers

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Yuning Hou; Xiaoqing Guan; Zhe Yang; Chunying Li

    2016-01-01

    Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator(CFTR), a glycoprotein with 1480 amino acids, has been well established as a chloride channel mainly expressed in the epithelial cells of various tissues and organs such as lungs, sweat glands, gastrointestinal system, and reproductive organs. Although defective CFTR leads to cystic fibrosis, a common genetic disorder in the Caucasian population, there is accumulating evidence that suggests a novel role of CFTR in various cancers, especially in gastroenterological cancers, such as pancreatic cancer and colon cancer. In this review, we summarize the emerging findings that link CFTR with various cancers, with focus on the association between CFTR defects and gastrointestinal cancers as well as the underlying mechanisms. Further study of CFTR in cancer biology may help pave a new way for the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

  5. Endogenous androgens and risk of epithelial invasive ovarian cancer by tumor characteristics in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ose, Jennifer; Fortner, Renée T.; Rinaldi, Sabina; Schock, Helena; Overvad, Kim; Tjonneland, Anne; Hansen, Louise; Dossus, Laure; Fournier, Agnes; Baglietto, Laura; Romieu, Isabelle; Kuhn, Elisabetta; Boeing, Heiner; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Lagiou, Pagona; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Palli, Domenico; Masala, Giovanna; Sieri, Sabina; Tumino, Rosario; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Mattiello, Amalia; Ramon Quiros, Jose; Obõn-Santacana, Mireia; Larrañaga, Nerea; Chirlaque, María Dolores; Sánchez, María José; Barricarte, Aurelio; Peeters, Petra H.; Bueno-De-Mesquita, H. B.; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Brändstedt, Jenny; Lundin, Eva; Idahl, Annika; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Gram, Inger T.; Lund, Eiliv; Kaw, Kay Tee; Travis, Ruth C.; Merritt, Melissa A.; Gunther, Marc J.; Riboli, Elio; Kaaks, Rudolf

    2015-01-01

    The role of endogenous androgens and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in ovarian carcinogenesis is poorly understood. Epithelial invasive ovarian cancer (EOC) is a heterogeneous disease and there are no prospective data on endogenous androgens and EOC risk by tumor characteristics (histology,

  6. Body weight, hemoglobin, and absolute neutrophil count in patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer who received chemotherapy: A single-center study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gunawan, Y.; Winarto, H.

    2017-08-01

    The side effects of chemotherapy, a treatment modality of ovarian cancer, can disrupt overall treatment. To date, the clinical and laboratory profiles of ovarian cancer patients during chemotherapy have not been investigated. This study aimed to elucidate the clinical and laboratory profiles of patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer who received chemotherapy in Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, including body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin (Hb), and absolute neutrophil count (ANC). To generate these clinical and laboratory profiles, we collected secondary data from the medical records of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received six cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy. We enrolled 23 patients with advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients who received six cycles of chemotherapy. Mean patient BMI before and after chemotherapy was 22.86 kg/m2 and 21.78 kg/m2, respectively. Hb levels before chemotherapy were 8-13 g/dl, with Hb chemotherapy. Mean ANC before chemotherapy was 3.5582 ± 3.3250. An average of 26.81% of patients had ANC chemotherapy; no patients had ANC chemotherapy initiation. After six cycles of chemotherapy, three patients (13.04%) had mild neutropenia, four patients (17.39%) had moderate neutropenia, and one patient (4.35%) had severe neutropenia. Of the 22 patients with Hb ≥ 10 g/dl before chemotherapy, 16 (72.72%) experienced a decrease in ANC during chemotherapy. Of the 20 patients (60.87%) with normal BMI or higher, 14 experienced a decrease in ANC during chemotherapy. The mean patient body weight decreased after six cycles of chemotherapy. Hb and ANC were persistently decreased in approximately a quarter of the 23 subjects. The decrease in ANC was not influenced by initial Hb and BMI.

  7. Lipidomic approach to identify patterns in phospholipid profiles and define class differences in mammary epithelial and breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dória, M Luísa; Cotrim, Zita; Macedo, Bárbara; Simões, Cláudia; Domingues, Pedro; Helguero, Luisa; Domingues, M Rosário

    2012-06-01

    Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. Altered cellular functions of cancer cells lead to uncontrolled cellular growth and morphological changes. Cellular biomembranes are intimately involved in the regulation of cell signaling; however, they remain largely understudied. Phospholipids (PLs) are the main constituents of biological membranes and play important functional, structural and metabolic roles. The aim of this study was to establish if patterns in the PL profiles of mammary epithelial cells and breast cancer cells differ in relation to degree of differentiation and metastatic potential. For this purpose, PLs were analyzed using a lipidomic approach. In brief, PLs were extracted using Bligh and Dyer method, followed by a separation of PL classes by thin layer chromatography, and subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry (MS). Differences and similarities were found in the relative levels of PL content between mammary epithelial and breast cancer cells and between breast cancer cells with different levels of aggressiveness. When compared to the total PL content, phosphatidylcholine levels were reduced and lysophosphatydilcholines increased in the more aggressive cancer cells; while phosphatidylserine levels remained unchanged. MS analysis showed alterations in the classes of phosphatidylcholine, lysophosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and phosphatidylinositides. In particular, the phosphatidylinositides, which are signaling molecules that affect proliferation, survival, and migration, showed dramatic alterations in their profile, where an increase of phosphatdylinositides saturated fatty acids chains and a decrease in C20 fatty acids in cancer cells compared with mammary epithelial cells was observed. At present, information about PL changes in cancer progression is lacking. Therefore, these data will be useful as a starting point to define possible PLs with prospective as biomarkers and disclose metabolic pathways with potential

  8. [Expressions of Ras and Sos1 in epithelial ovarian cancer tissues and their clinical significance].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Zheng-Hua; Linghu, Hua; Liu, Qian-Fen

    2016-11-20

    To detect the expressions of Ras and Sos1 proteins in human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) tissues and explore their correlation with the clinicopathological features of the patients. The expressions of Ras and Sos1 proteins were detected immunohistochemically in 62 EOC tissues, 5 borderline ovarian cancer tissues, 15 benign epithelial ovarian neoplasm tissues, and 18 normal ovarian tissues. The EOC tissues showed significantly higher expression levels of both Ras and Sos1 than the other tissues tested (Ptissues, Ras and Sos1 proteins were expressed mostly on the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm. The expression level of Ras was correlated with pathological types of the tumor (Ptissue-specific variation of Ras expression can lend support to a specific diagnosis of ovarian serous adenocarcinoma. The association of Ras and Sos1 protein expression with the tumor-free survival time of the patients awaits further investigation with a larger sample size.

  9. AGE-modified basement membrane cooperates with Endo180 to promote epithelial cell invasiveness and decrease prostate cancer survival

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rodriguez-Teja, Mercedes; Gronau, Julian H; Breit, Claudia

    2015-01-01

    Biomechanical strain imposed by age-related thickening of the basal lamina and augmented tissue stiffness in the prostate gland coincides with increased cancer risk. Here we hypothesized that the structural alterations in the basal lamina associated with age can induce mechanotransduction pathways...... in prostate epithelial cells (PECs) to promote invasiveness and cancer progression. To demonstrate this, we developed a 3D model of PEC acini in which thickening and stiffening of basal lamina matrix was induced by advanced glycation end-product (AGE)-dependent non-enzymatic crosslinking of its major......(Δ) (Ex2-6/) (Δ) (Ex2-6) mice, with constitutively exposed CTLD2 and decreased survival of men with early (non-invasive) prostate cancer with high epithelial Endo180 expression and levels of AGE. These findings indicate that AGE-dependent modification of the basal lamina induces invasive behaviour...

  10. Inflammatory Cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor α Confers Precancerous Phenotype in an Organoid Model of Normal Human Ovarian Surface Epithelial Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Kwong

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available In this study, we established an in vitro organoid model of normal human ovarian surface epithelial (HOSE cells. The spheroids of these normal HOSE cells resembled epithelial inclusion cysts in human ovarian cortex, which are the cells of origin of ovarian epithelial tumor. Because there are strong correlations between chronic inflammation and the incidence of ovarian cancer, we used the organoid model to test whether protumor inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor α would induce malignant phenotype in normal HOSE cells. Prolonged treatment of tumor necrosis factor α induced phenotypic changes of the HOSE spheroids, which exhibited the characteristics of precancerous lesions of ovarian epithelial tumors, including reinitiation of cell proliferation, structural disorganization, epithelial stratification, loss of epithelial polarity, degradation of basement membrane, cell invasion, and overexpression of ovarian cancer markers. The result of this study provides not only an evidence supporting the link between chronic inflammation and ovarian cancer formation but also a relevant and novel in vitro model for studying of early events of ovarian cancer.

  11. Predictive and Prognostic Value of sPRR in Patients with Primary Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katrin Kreienbring

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the predictive and prognostic role of soluble (prorenin receptor (sPRR as a biomarker for clinicopathological outcome in patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC. As part of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS whose activity is known to increase in ovarian cancer patients, the relation of sPRR and ovarian cancer should be further investigated. Patients and Methods. In this study 197 patients with primary EOC in our institution from 2000 to 2011 were included. sPRR was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA in preoperative taken blood sera. Associations with clinicopathological outcome were analyzed and serum levels of sPRR in patients have been compared to those in healthy specimen. Kaplan-Meier and logistic/Cox regression assessed the impact of the markers on progression-free survival (PFS and overall survival (OS. Results. There have been no correlations proved of sPRR levels with neither clinicopathological factors nor prognostic data. Also the distribution of sPRR in patients and controls was normal. Conclusion. sPRR seems to have no predictive, prognostic, or diagnostic value in EOC. As several factors of the RAS which might indicate cancer events have been shown, sPRR seems not to be affected.

  12. The 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO disrupts mammary epithelial morphogenesis and promotes breast cancer cell migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoting Wu

    Full Text Available Mitochondria play important roles in cancer progression and have emerged as viable targets for cancer therapy. Increasing levels of the outer mitochondrial membrane protein, 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO, are associated with advancing breast cancer stage. In particular, higher TSPO levels are found in estrogen receptor (ER-negative breast tumors, compared with ER-positive tumors. In this study, we sought to define the roles of TSPO in the acquisition of breast cancer malignancy. Using a three-dimensional Matrigel culture system, we determined the impact of elevated TSPO levels on mammary epithelial morphogenesis. Our studies demonstrate that stable overexpression of TSPO in mammary epithelial MCF10A acini drives proliferation and provides partial resistance to luminal apoptosis, resulting in enlarged acinar structures with partially filled lumen that resemble early stage breast lesions leading to breast cancer. In breast cancer cell lines, TSPO silencing or TSPO overexpression significantly altered the migratory activity. In addition, we found that combination treatment with the TSPO ligands (PK 11195 or Ro5-4864 and lonidamine, a clinical phase II drug targeting mitochondria, decreased viability of ER-negative breast cancer cell lines. Taken together, these data demonstrate that increases in TSPO levels at different stages of breast cancer progression results in the acquisition of distinct properties associated with malignancy. Furthermore, targeting TSPO, particularly in combination with other mitochondria-targeting agents, may prove useful for the treatment of ER-negative breast cancer.

  13. Microarray-based identification and RT-PCR test screening for epithelial-specific mRNAs in peripheral blood of patients with colon cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Coppola Domenico

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The efficacy of screening for colorectal cancer using a simple blood-based assay for the detection of tumor cells disseminated in the circulation at an early stage of the disease is gaining positive feedback from several lines of research. This method seems able to reduce colorectal cancer mortality and may replace colonoscopy as the most effective means of detecting colonic lesions. Methods In this work, we present a new microarray-based high-throughput screening method to identifying candidate marker mRNAs for the early detection of epithelial cells diluted in peripheral blood cells. This method includes 1. direct comparison of different samples of colonic mucosa and of blood cells to identify consistent epithelial-specific mRNAs from among 20,000 cDNA assayed by microarray slides; 2. identification of candidate marker mRNAs by data analysis, which allowed selection of only 10 putative differentially expressed genes; 3. Selection of some of the most suitable mRNAs (TMEM69, RANBP3 and PRSS22 that were assayed in blood samples from normal subjects and patients with colon cancer as possible markers for the presence of epithelial cells in the blood, using reverse transcription – polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Results Our present results seem to provide an indication, for the first time obtained by genome-scale screening, that a suitable and consistent colon epithelium mRNA marker may be difficult to identify. Conclusion The design of new approaches to identify such markers is warranted.

  14. Panitumumab and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin to platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer with KRAS wild-type: An ongoing, nonrandomized, multicenter, phase II trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl Steffensen, Karina; Waldstrøm, Marianne; Lund, B

    2010-01-01

    , and head and neck cancer. No previous studies have evaluated the effect of panitumumab in OC based on KRAS mutation status. Methods: Eligibility criteria are confirmed stage I-IV primary epithelial ovarian/fallopian/peritoneal cancer patients with progression either during or within 6 months after end...... to a total of 33 patients. At present, 15 patients have been enrolled. The primary endpoint is to investigate the response rate in platinum-resistant, KRAS wild- type OC patients treated with PLD supplemented with panitumumab. Translational research is included as a secondary endpoint and tumor tissue...

  15. A taxonomy of epithelial human cancer and their metastases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    De Moor Bart

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Microarray technology has allowed to molecularly characterize many different cancer sites. This technology has the potential to individualize therapy and to discover new drug targets. However, due to technological differences and issues in standardized sample collection no study has evaluated the molecular profile of epithelial human cancer in a large number of samples and tissues. Additionally, it has not yet been extensively investigated whether metastases resemble their tissue of origin or tissue of destination. Methods We studied the expression profiles of a series of 1566 primary and 178 metastases by unsupervised hierarchical clustering. The clustering profile was subsequently investigated and correlated with clinico-pathological data. Statistical enrichment of clinico-pathological annotations of groups of samples was investigated using Fisher exact test. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA and DAVID functional enrichment analysis were used to investigate the molecular pathways. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log-rank tests were used to investigate prognostic significance of gene signatures. Results Large clusters corresponding to breast, gastrointestinal, ovarian and kidney primary tissues emerged from the data. Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma clustered together with follicular differentiated thyroid carcinoma, which supports recent morphological descriptions of thyroid follicular carcinoma-like tumors in the kidney and suggests that they represent a subtype of chromophobe carcinoma. We also found an expression signature identifying primary tumors of squamous cell histology in multiple tissues. Next, a subset of ovarian tumors enriched with endometrioid histology clustered together with endometrium tumors, confirming that they share their etiopathogenesis, which strongly differs from serous ovarian tumors. In addition, the clustering of colon and breast tumors correlated with clinico-pathological characteristics

  16. SHOX2 Is a Direct miR-375 Target and a Novel Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Inducer in Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sungguan Hong

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available MicroRNAs have added a new dimension to our understanding of tumorigenesis and associated processes like epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Here, we show that miR-375 is elevated in epithelial-like breast cancer cells, and ectopic miR-375 expression suppresses EMT in mesenchymal-like breast cancer cells. We identified short stature homeobox 2 (SHOX2 as a miR-375 target, and miR-375–mediated suppression in EMT was reversed by forced SHOX2 expression. Ectopic SHOX2 expression can induce EMT in epithelial-like breast cancer cells, whereas SHOX2 knockdown diminishes EMT traits in mesenchymal-like breast cancer cells, demonstrating SHOX2 as an EMT inducer. We show that SHOX2 acts as a transcription factor to upregulate transforming growth factor β receptor I (TβR-I expression, and TβR-I inhibitor LY364947 abolishes EMT elicited by ectopic SHOX2 expression, suggesting that transforming growth factor β signaling is essential for SHOX2-induced EMT. Manipulating SHOX2 abundance in breast cancer cells impact in vitro invasion and in vivo dissemination. Analysis of breast tumor microarray database revealed that high SHOX2 expression significantly correlates with poor patient survival. Our study supports a critical role of SHOX2 in breast tumorigenicity.

  17. Peroxiredoxin 5 promotes the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, Hye-Mi; Yoo, Jin-Woo; Lee, Seunghoon; Lee, Hong Jun; Lee, Hyun-Shik; Lee, Dong-Seok

    2017-01-01

    Globally, colorectal cancer (CRC) is common cause of cancer-related deaths. The high mortality rate of patients with colon cancer is due to cancer cell invasion and metastasis. Initiation of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is essential for the tumorigenesis. Peroxiredoinxs (PRX1-6) have been reported to be overexpressed in various tumor tissues, and involved to be responsible for tumor progression. However, the exact role of PRX5 in colon cancer remains to be investigated enhancing proliferation and promoting EMT properties. In this study, we constructed stably overexpressing PRX5 and suppressed PRX5 expression in CRC cells. Our results revealed that PRX5 overexpression significantly enhanced CRC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. On the other hand, PRX5 suppression markedly inhibited these EMT properties. PRX5 was also demonstrated to regulate the expression of two hallmark EMT proteins, E-cadherin and Vimentin, and the EMT-inducing transcription factors, Snail and Slug. Moreover, in the xenograft mouse model, showed that PRX5 overexpression enhances tumor growth of CRC cells. Thus, our findings first provide evidence in CRC that PRX5 promotes EMT properties by inducing the expression of EMT-inducing transcription factors. Therefore, PRX5 can be used as a predictive biomarker and serves as a putative therapeutic target for the development of clinical treatments for human CRC. - Highlights: • PRX5 promoted colorectal cancer cell proliferation. • PRX5 enhanced EMT properties in colorectal cancer. • PRX5 mediated the EMT by inducing the expression of Snail and Slug. • PRX5 promoted tumor growth of colorectal cancer cells.

  18. Risk factors of epithelial ovarian carcinomas among women with endometriosis: a systematic review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomsen, Line H; Schnack, Tine H; Buchardi, Kristina; Hummelshoj, Lone; Missmer, Stacey A; Forman, Axel; Blaakaer, Jan

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this review was to evaluate the published literature on epidemiologic risk factors for epithelial ovarian cancer among women with a diagnosis of endometriosis. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus. Studies comparing epidemiologic risk factors of epithelial ovarian cancer among women with endometriosis were included. A quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Eight of 794 articles met the inclusion criteria. A lower risk of epithelial ovarian cancer was observed in women with documented complete surgical excision of endometriotic tissue and suggested among women with unilateral oophorectomy. The use of oral contraceptives (≥10 years) may be associated with a lower risk of epithelial ovarian cancer among women with endometriosis, whereas older age at endometriosis diagnosis (≥45 years, pre- or postmenopausal), nulliparity, hyperestrogenism (endogenous or exogenous), premenopausal status at endometriosis diagnosis, solid compartments as well as larger size of endometrioma (≥9 cm in diameter at endometriosis diagnosis) were all associated with an increased risk of ovarian cancer. A subgroup of women with endometriosis characterized by endometriosis observed through surgery or imaging after the age of 45 years, nulliparity, postmenopausal status at endometriosis diagnosis, larger size of endometrioma (>9 cm) at endometriosis diagnosis, hyperestrogenism (endogenous or exogenous) and/or cysts with solid compartments may have an elevated risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. However, due to the limited number and size of studies in this area we cannot draw definitive conclusions. Further research into a risk factor profile among women with endometriosis is needed before clear recommendations can be made. © 2016 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

  19. Different Effects of BORIS/CTCFL on Stemness Gene Expression, Sphere Formation and Cell Survival in Epithelial Cancer Stem Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loredana Alberti

    Full Text Available Cancer stem cells are cancer cells characterized by stem cell properties and represent a small population of tumor cells that drives tumor development, progression, metastasis and drug resistance. To date, the molecular mechanisms that generate and regulate cancer stem cells are not well defined. BORIS (Brother of Regulator of Imprinted Sites or CTCFL (CTCF-like is a DNA-binding protein that is expressed in normal tissues only in germ cells and is re-activated in tumors. Recent evidences have highlighted the correlation of BORIS/CTCFL expression with poor overall survival of different cancer patients. We have previously shown an association of BORIS-expressing cells with stemness gene expression in embryonic cancer cells. Here, we studied the role of BORIS in epithelial tumor cells. Using BORIS-molecular beacon that was already validated, we were able to show the presence of BORIS mRNA in cancer stem cell-enriched populations (side population and spheres of cervical, colon and breast tumor cells. BORIS silencing studies showed a decrease of sphere formation capacity in breast and colon tumor cells. Importantly, BORIS-silencing led to down-regulation of hTERT, stem cell (NANOG, OCT4, SOX2 and BMI1 and cancer stem cell markers (ABCG2, CD44 and ALDH1 genes. Conversely, BORIS-induction led to up-regulation of the same genes. These phenotypes were observed in cervical, colon and invasive breast tumor cells. However, a completely different behavior was observed in the non-invasive breast tumor cells (MCF7. Indeed, these cells acquired an epithelial mesenchymal transition phenotype after BORIS silencing. Our results demonstrate that BORIS is associated with cancer stem cell-enriched populations of several epithelial tumor cells and the different phenotypes depend on the origin of tumor cells.

  20. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal plasticity of cancer stem cells: therapeutic targets in hepatocellular carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aparna Jayachandran

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC remains one of the most common and lethal malignancies worldwide despite the development of various therapeutic strategies. A better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for HCC initiation and progression is essential for the development of more effective therapies. The cancer stem cell (CSC model has provided new insights into the development and progression of HCC. CSCs are specialized tumor cells that are capable of self-renewal and have long-term repopulation potential. As they are important mediators of tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, therapy resistance, and cancer relapse, the selective targeting of this crucial population of cells has the potential to improve HCC patient outcomes and survival. In recent years, the role of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT in the advancement of HCC has gained increasing attention. This multi-step reprograming process resulting in a phenotype switch from an epithelial to a mesenchymal cellular state has been closely associated with the acquisition of stem cell-like attributes in tumors. Moreover, CSC mediates tumor metastasis by maintaining plasticity to transition between epithelial or mesenchymal states. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms of the reprograming switches that determine the progression through EMT and generation of CSC is essential for developing clinically relevant drug targets. This review provides an overview of the proposed roles of CSC in HCC and discusses recent results supporting the emerging role of EMT in facilitating hepatic CSC plasticity. In particular, we discuss how these important new insights may facilitate rational development of combining CSC- and EMT-targeted therapies in the future.

  1. Microcalcifications in breast cancer: an active phenomenon mediated by epithelial cells with mesenchymal characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scimeca, Manuel; Giannini, Elena; Antonacci, Chiara; Pistolese, Chiara Adriana; Spagnoli, Luigi Giusto; Bonanno, Elena

    2014-01-01

    Mammary microcalcifications have a crucial role in breast cancer detection, but the processes that induce their formation are unknown. Moreover, recent studies have described the occurrence of the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast cancer, but its role is not defined. In this study, we hypothesized that epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal characteristics and become capable of producing breast microcalcifications. Breast sample biopsies with microcalcifications underwent energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis to better define the elemental composition of the microcalcifications. Breast sample biopsies without microcalcifications were used as controls. The ultrastructural phenotype of breast cells near to calcium deposits was also investigated to verify EMT in relation to breast microcalcifications. The mesenchymal phenotype and tissue mineralization were studied by immunostaining for vimentin, BMP-2, β2-microglobulin, β-catenin and osteopontin (OPN). The complex formation of calcium hydroxyapatite was strictly associated with malignant lesions whereas calcium-oxalate is mainly reported in benign lesions. Notably, for the first time, we observed the presence of magnesium-substituted hydroxyapatite, which was frequently noted in breast cancer but never found in benign lesions. Morphological studies demonstrated that epithelial cells with mesenchymal characteristics were significantly increased in infiltrating carcinomas with microcalcifications and in cells with ultrastructural features typical of osteoblasts close to microcalcifications. These data were strengthened by the rate of cells expressing molecules typically involved during physiological mineralization (i.e. BMP-2, OPN) that discriminated infiltrating carcinomas with microcalcifications from those without microcalcifications. We found significant differences in the elemental composition of calcifications between benign and malignant lesions. Observations of cell phenotype led us to

  2. Andrographolide suppresses epithelial mesenchymal transition by ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) may contribute to the development of posterior capsular opacification (PCO), which leads to visual impairment. Andrographolide has been shown to have therapeutic potential against various cancers. However, its effect on human LECs is still unknown.

  3. Dual inhibition of Wnt and Yes-associated protein signaling retards the growth of triple-negative breast cancer in both mesenchymal and epithelial states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sulaiman, Andrew; McGarry, Sarah; Li, Li; Jia, Deyong; Ooi, Sarah; Addison, Christina; Dimitroulakos, Jim; Arnaout, Angel; Nessim, Carolyn; Yao, Zemin; Ji, Guang; Song, Haiyan; Gadde, Suresh; Li, Xuguang; Wang, Lisheng

    2018-04-01

    Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the most refractory subtype of breast cancer to current treatments, accounts disproportionately for the majority of breast cancer-related deaths. This is largely due to cancer plasticity and the development of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Recently, distinct yet interconvertible mesenchymal-like and epithelial-like states have been revealed in breast CSCs. Thus, strategies capable of simultaneously inhibiting bulk and CSC populations in both mesenchymal and epithelial states have yet to be developed. Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo/YAP pathways are crucial in tumorigenesis, but importantly also possess tumor suppressor functions in certain contexts. One possibility is that TNBC cells in epithelial or mesenchymal state may differently affect Wnt/β-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling and CSC phenotypes. In this report, we found that YAP signaling and CD44 high /CD24 -/low CSCs were upregulated while Wnt/β-catenin signaling and ALDH+ CSCs were downregulated in mesenchymal-like TNBC cells, and vice versa in their epithelial-like counterparts. Dual knockdown of YAP and Wnt/β-catenin, but neither alone, was required for effective suppression of both CD44 high /CD24 -/low and ALDH+ CSC populations in mesenchymal and epithelial TNBC cells. These observations were confirmed with cultured tumor fragments prepared from patients with TNBC after treatment with Wnt inhibitor ICG-001 and YAP inhibitor simvastatin. In addition, a clinical database showed that decreased gene expression of Wnt and YAP was positively correlated with decreased ALDH and CD44 expression in patients' samples while increased patient survival. Furthermore, tumor growth of TNBC cells in either epithelial or mesenchymal state was retarded, and both CD44 high /CD24 -/low and ALDH+ CSC subpopulations were diminished in a human xenograft model after dual administration of ICG-001 and simvastatin. Tumorigenicity was also hampered after secondary transplantation. These data suggest a new

  4. Endothelial Induced EMT in Breast Epithelial Cells with Stem Cell Properties

    OpenAIRE

    Sigurdsson, Valgardur; Hilmarsdottir, Bylgja; Sigmundsdottir, Hekla; Fridriksdottir, Agla J. R.; Ringnér, Markus; Villadsen, Rene; Borg, Ake; Agnarsson, Bjarni A.; Petersen, Ole William; Magnusson, Magnus K.; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn

    2011-01-01

    Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical event in cancer progression and is closely linked to the breast epithelial cancer stem cell phenotype. Given the close interaction between the vascular endothelium and cancer cells, especially at the invasive front, we asked whether endothelial cells might play a role in EMT. Using a 3D culture model we demonstrate that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in D492 an immortalized breast epithelial cell line with stem cell proper...

  5. Molecular Characterization of Gastric Epithelial Cells Using Flow Cytometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kevin A. Bockerstett

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The ability to analyze individual epithelial cells in the gastric mucosa would provide important insight into gastric disease, including chronic gastritis and progression to gastric cancer. However, the successful isolation of viable gastric epithelial cells (parietal cells, neck cells, chief cells, and foveolar cells from gastric glands has been limited due to difficulties in tissue processing. Furthermore, analysis and interpretation of gastric epithelial cell flow cytometry data has been difficult due to the varying sizes and light scatter properties of the different epithelial cells, high levels of autofluorescence, and poor cell viability. These studies were designed to develop a reliable method for isolating viable single cells from the corpus of stomachs and to optimize analyses examining epithelial cells from healthy and diseased stomach tissue by flow cytometry. We performed a two stage enzymatic digestion in which collagenase released individual gastric glands from the stromal tissue of the corpus, followed by a Dispase II digestion that dispersed these glands into greater than 1 × 106 viable single cells per gastric corpus. Single cell suspensions were comprised of all major cell lineages found in the normal gastric glands. A method describing light scatter, size exclusion, doublet discrimination, viability staining, and fluorescently-conjugated antibodies and lectins was used to analyze individual epithelial cells and immune cells. This technique was capable of identifying parietal cells and revealed that gastric epithelial cells in the chronically inflamed mucosa significantly upregulated major histocompatibility complexes (MHC I and II but not CD80 or CD86, which are costimulatory molecules involved in T cell activation. These studies describe a method for isolating viable single cells and a detailed description of flow cytometric analysis of cells from healthy and diseased stomachs. These studies begin to identify effects of

  6. Analysis of gene expression in prostate cancer epithelial and interstitial stromal cells using laser capture microdissection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gregg, Jennifer L; Brown, Kathleen E; Mintz, Eric M; Piontkivska, Helen; Fraizer, Gail C

    2010-01-01

    distinct cell populations to better understand their potential interactions. In the present study, LCM and microarray analysis were used to identify novel gene expression patterns in prostate cell populations, including identification of WT1 expression in epithelial cells. The relevance of WT1 expression in prostate cancer was confirmed by analysis of tumor tissue and cell lines, suggesting a potential role for WT1 in prostate tumorigenesis

  7. The kinetics of epithelial cell generation: its relevance to cancer and ageing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morris, J A

    1999-07-07

    A hierarchical model of epithelial cell generation is proposed, in which even in extreme old age mature epithelial cells in humans are only a limited number of cell divisions from the zygote (60-120). This contrasts with conventional models in which regularly cycling stem cells can be several thousands of cell divisions from the zygote. The hierarchical model is supported by data on the rate of telomere shortening both in vivo and in vitro, and by data on the rate of synonymous substitutions in Y-linked, X-linked and autosomal genes in rodents. Limiting the number of cell generations leads to a vast reduction in the risk of cancer and reduces the rate of ageing. It is suggested that longer-lived animals need stricter control of the hierarchy than do shorter-lived animals and this difference has implications for theories of ageing. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

  8. CYP1B1, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation in the Etiology of Ovarian Epithelial Cancer Using an Avian Model of Ovarian Carcinoma

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Hales, Dale B

    2007-01-01

    .... Research in ovarian cancer has been hampered by a lack of suitable animal models. With the exception of the laying hen, no other animal gets ovarian epithelial cancer analogous to the human disease...

  9. FGFR4 role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and its therapeutic value in colorectal cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alberto Peláez-García

    Full Text Available Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4 is vital in early development and tissue repair. FGFR4 expression levels are very restricted in adult tissues, except in several solid tumors including colorectal cancer, which showed overexpression of FGFR4. Here, FGFR4 mutation analysis discarded the presence of activating mutations, other than Arg(388, in different colorectal cancer cell lines and tumoral samples. Stable shRNA FGFR4-silencing in SW480 and SW48 cell lines resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation, adhesion, cell migration and invasion. This decrease in the tumorigenic and invasive capabilities of colorectal cancer cells was accompanied by a decrease of Snail, Twist and TGFβ gene expression levels and an increase of E-cadherin, causing a reversion to a more epithelial phenotype, in three different cell lines. In addition, FGFR4-signaling activated the oncogenic SRC, ERK1/2 and AKT pathways in colon cancer cells and promoted an increase in cell survival. The relevance of FGFR4 in tumor growth was supported by two different strategies. Kinase inhibitors abrogated FGFR4-related cell growth and signaling pathways at the same extent than FGFR4-silenced cells. Specific FGFR4-targeting using antibodies provoked a similar reduction in cell growth. Moreover, FGFR4 knock-down cells displayed a reduced capacity for in vivo tumor formation and angiogenesis in nude mice. Collectively, our data support a crucial role for FGFR4 in tumorigenesis, invasion and survival in colorectal cancer. In addition, FGFR4 targeting demonstrated its applicability for colorectal cancer therapy.

  10. FGFR4 Role in Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Its Therapeutic Value in Colorectal Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torres, Sofía; Hernández-Varas, Pablo; Teixidó, Joaquín; Bonilla, Félix; de Herreros, Antonio Garcia; Casal, J. Ignacio

    2013-01-01

    Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) is vital in early development and tissue repair. FGFR4 expression levels are very restricted in adult tissues, except in several solid tumors including colorectal cancer, which showed overexpression of FGFR4. Here, FGFR4 mutation analysis discarded the presence of activating mutations, other than Arg388, in different colorectal cancer cell lines and tumoral samples. Stable shRNA FGFR4-silencing in SW480 and SW48 cell lines resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation, adhesion, cell migration and invasion. This decrease in the tumorigenic and invasive capabilities of colorectal cancer cells was accompanied by a decrease of Snail, Twist and TGFβ gene expression levels and an increase of E-cadherin, causing a reversion to a more epithelial phenotype, in three different cell lines. In addition, FGFR4-signaling activated the oncogenic SRC, ERK1/2 and AKT pathways in colon cancer cells and promoted an increase in cell survival. The relevance of FGFR4 in tumor growth was supported by two different strategies. Kinase inhibitors abrogated FGFR4-related cell growth and signaling pathways at the same extent than FGFR4-silenced cells. Specific FGFR4-targeting using antibodies provoked a similar reduction in cell growth. Moreover, FGFR4 knock-down cells displayed a reduced capacity for in vivo tumor formation and angiogenesis in nude mice. Collectively, our data support a crucial role for FGFR4 in tumorigenesis, invasion and survival in colorectal cancer. In addition, FGFR4 targeting demonstrated its applicability for colorectal cancer therapy. PMID:23696849

  11. Elucidation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related pathways in a triple-negative breast cancer cell line model by multi-omics interactome analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pauling, Josch K; Christensen, Anne G; Batra, Richa

    2014-01-01

    exhibiting epithelial-like and mesenchymal-like morphology, respectively. Here we identified altered protein signaling activity in a complex biologically relevant network, related to focal adhesion and migration of breast cancer cells. We found dysregulated functional network modules revealing altered...... obtained from a triple-negative breast cancer cell line model, combining data sets of gene and protein expression as well as protein phosphorylation. We focus on alterations associated with the phenotypical differences arising from epithelial-mesenchymal transition in two breast cancer cell lines...... with generation of biological networks. This allows identification of intrinsic patterns in the data and their linkage to a specific context such as cellular compartments, diseases or functions. Identification of aberrant pathways by traditional approaches is often limited to biological networks based on either...

  12. Interactions between Exosomes from Breast Cancer Cells and Primary Mammary Epithelial Cells Leads to Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species Which Induce DNA Damage Response, Stabilization of p53 and Autophagy in Epithelial Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Sujoy; Warshall, Case; Bandyopadhyay, Chirosree; Dutta, Dipanjan; Chandran, Bala

    2014-01-01

    Exosomes are nanovesicles originating from multivesicular bodies and are released by all cell types. They contain proteins, lipids, microRNAs, mRNAs and DNA fragments, which act as mediators of intercellular communications by inducing phenotypic changes in recipient cells. Tumor-derived exosomes have been shown to play critical roles in different stages of tumor development and metastasis of almost all types of cancer. One of the ways by which exosomes affect tumorigenesis is to manipulate the tumor microenvironments to create tumor permissive “niches”. Whether breast cancer cell secreted exosomes manipulate epithelial cells of the mammary duct to facilitate tumor development is not known. To address whether and how breast cancer cell secreted exosomes manipulate ductal epithelial cells we studied the interactions between exosomes isolated from conditioned media of 3 different breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, T47DA18 and MCF7), representing three different types of breast carcinomas, and normal human primary mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). Our studies show that exosomes released by breast cancer cell lines are taken up by HMECs, resulting in the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and autophagy. Inhibition of ROS by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) led to abrogation of autophagy. HMEC-exosome interactions also induced the phosphorylation of ATM, H2AX and Chk1 indicating the induction of DNA damage repair (DDR) responses. Under these conditions, phosphorylation of p53 at serine 15 was also observed. Both DDR responses and phosphorylation of p53 induced by HMEC-exosome interactions were also inhibited by NAC. Furthermore, exosome induced autophagic HMECs were found to release breast cancer cell growth promoting factors. Taken together, our results suggest novel mechanisms by which breast cancer cell secreted exosomes manipulate HMECs to create a tumor permissive microenvironment. PMID:24831807

  13. Liver X receptor ligand cytotoxicity in colon cancer cells and not in normal colon epithelial cells depends on LXRβ subcellular localization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Courtaut, Flavie; Derangère, Valentin; Chevriaux, Angélique; Ladoire, Sylvain; Cotte, Alexia K; Arnould, Laurent; Boidot, Romain; Rialland, Mickaël; Ghiringhelli, François; Rébé, Cédric

    2015-09-29

    Increasing evidence indicates that Liver X Receptors (LXRs) have some anticancer properties. We recently demonstrated that LXR ligands induce colon cancer cell pyroptosis through an LXRβ-dependent pathway. In the present study, we showed that human colon cancer cell lines presented differential cytoplasmic localizations of LXRβ. This localization correlated with caspase-1 activation and cell death induction under treatment with LXR ligand. The association of LXRβ with the truncated form of RXRα (t-RXRα) was responsible for the sequestration of LXRβ in the cytoplasm in colon cancer cells. Moreover t-RXRα was not expressed in normal colon epithelial cells. These cells presented a predominantly nuclear localization of LXRβ and were resistant to LXR ligand cytotoxicity. Our results showed that predominant cytoplasmic localization of LXRβ, which occurs in colon cancer cells but not in normal colon epithelial cells, allowed LXR ligand-induced pyroptosis. This study strengthens the hypothesis that LXRβ could be a promising target in cancer therapy.

  14. Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in Treating Patients With Ovarian Epithelial Cancer, Melanoma, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, or Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-09

    Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With 11q23 (MLL) Abnormalities; Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With Inv(16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(15;17)(q22;q12); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(16;16)(p13;q22); Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia With t(8;21)(q22;q22); Atypical Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, BCR-ABL1 Negative; Myelodysplastic/Myeloproliferative Neoplasm, Unclassifiable; Previously Treated Myelodysplastic Syndromes; Recurrent Adult Acute Myeloid Leukemia; Recurrent Melanoma; Recurrent Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IV Melanoma; Stage IV Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

  15. Adjuvant Hormone Therapy May Improve Survival in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: Results of the AHT Randomized Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eeles, Rosalind A; Morden, James P; Gore, Martin; Mansi, Janine; Glees, John; Wenczl, Miklos; Williams, Christopher; Kitchener, Henry; Osborne, Richard; Guthrie, David; Harper, Peter; Bliss, Judith M

    2015-12-10

    To assess the effects of adjuvant hormone therapy (AHT) on survival and disease outcome in women with epithelial ovarian cancer. Participants were premenopausal and postmenopausal women who had been diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer (any International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage) 9 or fewer months previously. Ineligible patients included those with deliberately preserved ovarian function, with a history of a hormone-dependent malignancy, or with any contraindications to hormone-replacement therapy. Patients were centrally randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either AHT for 5 years after random assignment or no AHT (control). Main outcome measures were overall survival (OS), defined as time from random assignment to death (any cause), and relapse-free survival, defined as time from random assignment to relapse or death (any cause). Patients who continued, alive and relapse free, were censored at their last known follow-up. A total of 150 patients (n = 75, AHT; n = 75, control) were randomly assigned from 1990 to 1995 from 19 centers in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Hungary; all patients were included in intention-to-treat analyses. The median follow-up in alive patients is currently 19.1 years. Of the 75 patients with AHT, 53 (71%) have died compared with 68 (91%) of 75 patients in the control group. OS was significantly improved in patients who were receiving AHT (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.90; P = .011). A similar effect was seen for relapse-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.97; P = .032). Effects remained after adjustment for known prognostic factors. These results show that women who have severe menopausal symptoms after ovarian cancer treatment can safely take hormone-replacement therapy, and this may, in fact, infer benefits in terms of OS in addition to known advantages in terms of quality of life. © 2015 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

  16. Kaempferol modulates the metastasis of human non-small cell lung cancer cells by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng Hang

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study was done to determine whether kaempferol, a natural polyphenol of the flavonoid family, affects Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Kaempferol not only inhibited cancer cell proliferation and migration in a dose-dependent manner but also modulated the expression of EMT-related proteins E-cadherin and vimentin which are indispensible to cellular motility, invasiveness and metastasis. These results indicate that kaempferol suppresses non-small cell lung cancer migration by modulating the expression of EMT proteins. Therefore, kaempferol may be useful as a potential anticancer agent for non-small cell lung cancer.

  17. Rare thoracic cancers, including peritoneum mesothelioma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Siesling, Sabine; van der Zwan, Jan Maarten; Izarzugaza, Isabel; Jaal, Jana; Treasure, Tom; Foschi, Roberto; Ricardi, Umberto; Groen, Harry; Tavilla, Andrea; Ardanaz, Eva

    Rare thoracic cancers include those of the trachea, thymus and mesothelioma (including peritoneum mesothelioma). The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, prevalence and survival of rare thoracic tumours using a large database, which includes cancer patients diagnosed from 1978 to 2002,

  18. Rare thoracic cancers, including peritoneum mesothelioma

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Siesling, Sabine; Zwan, J.M.V.D.; Izarzugaza, I.; Jaal, J.; Treasure, T.; Foschi, R.; Ricardi, U.; Groen, H.; Tavilla, A.; Ardanaz, E.

    2012-01-01

    Rare thoracic cancers include those of the trachea, thymus and mesothelioma (including peritoneum mesothelioma). The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, prevalence and survival of rare thoracic tumours using a large database, which includes cancer patients diagnosed from 1978 to 2002,

  19. Hybrid clone cells derived from human breast epithelial cells and human breast cancer cells exhibit properties of cancer stem/initiating cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gauck, Daria; Keil, Silvia; Niggemann, Bernd; Zänker, Kurt S; Dittmar, Thomas

    2017-08-02

    The biological phenomenon of cell fusion has been associated with cancer progression since it was determined that normal cell × tumor cell fusion-derived hybrid cells could exhibit novel properties, such as enhanced metastatogenic capacity or increased drug resistance, and even as a mechanism that could give rise to cancer stem/initiating cells (CS/ICs). CS/ICs have been proposed as cancer cells that exhibit stem cell properties, including the ability to (re)initiate tumor growth. Five M13HS hybrid clone cells, which originated from spontaneous cell fusion events between M13SV1-EGFP-Neo human breast epithelial cells and HS578T-Hyg human breast cancer cells, and their parental cells were analyzed for expression of stemness and EMT-related marker proteins by Western blot analysis and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The frequency of ALDH1-positive cells was determined by flow cytometry using AldeRed fluorescent dye. Concurrently, the cells' colony forming capabilities as well as the cells' abilities to form mammospheres were investigated. The migratory activity of the cells was analyzed using a 3D collagen matrix migration assay. M13HS hybrid clone cells co-expressed SOX9, SLUG, CK8 and CK14, which were differently expressed in parental cells. A variation in the ALDH1-positive putative stem cell population was observed among the five hybrids ranging from 1.44% (M13HS-7) to 13.68% (M13HS-2). In comparison to the parental cells, all five hybrid clone cells possessed increased but also unique colony formation and mammosphere formation capabilities. M13HS-4 hybrid clone cells exhibited the highest colony formation capacity and second highest mammosphere formation capacity of all hybrids, whereby the mean diameter of the mammospheres was comparable to the parental cells. In contrast, the largest mammospheres originated from the M13HS-2 hybrid clone cells, whereas these cells' mammosphere formation capacity was comparable to the parental breast cancer cells. All M13HS

  20. Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wei; Danforth, Kim N.; Tworoger, Shelley S.; Goodman, Marc T.; Arslan, Alan A.; Patel, Alpa V.; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Weinstein, Stephanie J.; Kolonel, Laurence N.; Purdue, Mark P.; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Snyder, Kirk; Steplowski, Emily; Visvanathan, Kala; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Gao, Yu-Tang; Hankinson, Susan E.; Harvey, Chinonye; Hayes, Richard B.; Henderson, Brian E.; Horst, Ronald L.; Helzlsouer, Kathy J.

    2010-01-01

    A role for vitamin D in ovarian cancer etiology is supported by ecologic studies of sunlight exposure, experimental mechanism studies, and some studies of dietary vitamin D intake and genetic polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor. However, few studies have examined the association of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), an integrated measure of vitamin D status, with ovarian cancer risk. A nested case-control study was conducted among 7 prospective studies to evaluate the circulating 25(OH)D concentration in relation to epithelial ovarian cancer risk. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals among 516 cases and 770 matched controls. Compared with 25(OH)D concentrations of 50–<75 nmol/L, no statistically significant associations were observed for <37.5 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.21, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.87, 1.70), 37.5–<50 (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.41), or ≥75 (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.55) nmol/L. Analyses stratified by tumor subtype, age, body mass index, and other variables were generally null but suggested an inverse association between 25(OH)D and ovarian cancer risk among women with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 (Pinteraction < 0.01). In conclusion, this large pooled analysis did not support an overall association between circulating 25(OH)D and ovarian cancer risk, except possibly among overweight women. PMID:20562186

  1. Assessment of moderate coffee consumption and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ong, Jue-Sheng; Hwang, Liang-Dar; Cuellar-Partida, Gabriel

    2018-01-01

    Background: Coffee consumption has been shown to be associated with various health outcomes in observational studies. However, evidence for its association with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is inconsistent and it is unclear whether these associations are causal. Methods: We used single...... nucleotide polymorphisms associated with (i) coffee and (ii) caffeine consumption to perform Mendelian randomization (MR) on EOC risk. We conducted a two-sample MR using genetic data on 44 062 individuals of European ancestry from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC), and combined instrumental...... variable estimates using a Wald-type ratio estimator. Results: For all EOC cases, the causal odds ratio (COR) for genetically predicted consumption of one additional cup of coffee per day was 0.92 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.79, 1.06]. The COR was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.73, 1.10) for high-grade serous EOC...

  2. Case of radiation cancer associated with spinocellular carcinoma and basal cell epithelial tumor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oohara, K.; Ootsuka, F. (Tokyo Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Medicine); Mizoguchi, M.

    1980-12-01

    The patient was a 66 year-old male who had received radiotherapy for psoriasis vulgaris in frontal plane for 10 years since the age of 19. This radiotherapy was carried out once a week for 5 to 6 weeks and stopped for following 5 to 6 weeks. The source and the dose were unknown. Multiple superficial basal cell epithelial tumor occurred 32 to 33 years after that in the region over which radiation had been given. Moreover, 37 years after that, spinocellular carcinoma occurred in the same region. Spinocellular carcinoma in this case increased rapidly and reached the depth of frontal plane. Atypic of cancer cells was marked, and various findings were observed. Characteristics of these tumor cells were mixture of spindle cells and cells with vacuoles. Partially, findings common to basal cell epithelial tumor were coexisted, and senile keratosis was also discovered.

  3. Chronic Recreational Physical Inactivity and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Risk: Evidence from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cannioto, Rikki; LaMonte, Michael J.; Risch, Harvey A.; Hong, Chi-Chen; Sucheston-Campbell, Lara E.; Eng, Kevin H.; Szender, J. Brian; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Schmalfeldt, Barbara; Klapdor, Ruediger; Gower, Emily; Minlikeeva, Albina N.; Zirpoli, Gary; Bandera, Elisa V.; Berchuck, Andrew; Cramer, Daniel; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Edwards, Robert P.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Goode, Ellen L.; Goodman, Marc T.; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Jensen, Allan; Jordan, Susan; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Matsuo, Keitaro; Ness, Roberta B.; Olsen, Catherine M.; Olson, Sara H.; Pearce, Celeste Leigh; Pike, Malcolm C.; Rossing, Mary Anne; Szamreta, Elizabeth A.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Tseng, Chiu-Chen; Vierkant, Robert A.; Webb, Penelope M.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Wicklund, Kristine G.; Winham, Stacey J.; Wu, Anna H.; Modugno, Francesmary; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Terry, Kathryn L.; Kelemen, Linda E.; Moysich, Kirsten B.

    2016-01-01

    Background Despite a large body of literature evaluating the association between recreational physical activity and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk, the extant evidence is inconclusive and little is known about the independent association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. We conducted a pooled analysis of nine studies from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC) to investigate the association between chronic recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk. Methods In accordance with the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, women reporting no regular, weekly recreational physical activity were classified as inactive. Multivariable logistic regression was utilized to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between inactivity and EOC risk overall and by subgroups based upon histotype, menopausal status, race and body mass index (BMI). Results The current analysis included data from 8,309 EOC patients and 12,612 controls. We observed a significant positive association between inactivity and EOC risk (OR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.14-1.57) and similar associations were observed for each histotype. Conclusions In this large pooled analysis examining the association between recreational physical inactivity and EOC risk, we observed consistent evidence of an association between chronic inactivity and all EOC histotypes. Impact These data add to the growing body of evidence suggesting that inactivity is an independent risk factor for cancer. If the apparent association between inactivity and EOC risk is substantiated, additional work via targeted interventions should be pursued to characterize the dose of activity required to mitigate the risk of this highly fatal disease. PMID:27197285

  4. The role of diet in the development of breast cancer: a case-control study of patients with breast cancer, benign epithelial hyperplasia and fibrocystic disease of the breast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ingram, D. M.; Nottage, E.; Roberts, T.

    1991-01-01

    A case-control study was undertaken to investigate the role of diet in women with breast cancer, and in two groups of women with benign breast disease: epithelial hyperplasia, and fibrocystic disease without hyperplasia. The study provides data which suggest that the consumption of red meat, savoury meals (pizza, pies, stew, etc.) and of starches is disadvantageous, while the consumption of chicken and fish, and of fruit, appears to be beneficial. These patterns were present for both the breast cancer patients and the patients with benign epithelial hyperplasia. One-third of breast cancer patients had changed their diet after their diagnosis, compared to only around 12% in controls and patients with benign breast disease. Overall, the women studied had changed their diet to reduce their intake of sugars, dairy products and meat, and increased their intake of poultry, fish, fruit and vegetables over the past decade; but the breast cancer group was less likely to have made this change. PMID:1854621

  5. Emergence of fractal geometry on the surface of human cervical epithelial cells during progression towards cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dokukin, M E; Sokolov, I; Guz, N V; Woodworth, C D

    2015-01-01

    Despite considerable advances in understanding the molecular nature of cancer, many biophysical aspects of malignant development are still unclear. Here we study physical alterations of the surface of human cervical epithelial cells during stepwise in vitro development of cancer (from normal to immortal (premalignant), to malignant). We use atomic force microscopy to demonstrate that development of cancer is associated with emergence of simple fractal geometry on the cell surface. Contrary to the previously expected correlation between cancer and fractals, we find that fractal geometry occurs only at a limited period of development when immortal cells become cancerous; further cancer progression demonstrates deviation from fractal. Because of the connection between fractal behaviour and chaos (or far from equilibrium behaviour), these results suggest that chaotic behaviour coincides with the cancer transformation of the immortalization stage of cancer development, whereas further cancer progression recovers determinism of processes responsible for cell surface formation. (paper)

  6. Kaempferol, a phytoestrogen, suppressed triclosan-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastatic-related behaviors of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Geum-A; Choi, Kyung-Chul; Hwang, Kyung-A

    2017-01-01

    As a phytoestrogen, kaempferol is known to play a chemopreventive role inhibiting carcinogenesis and cancer progression. In this study, the influences of triclosan, an anti-bacterial agent recently known for an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), and kaempferol on breast cancer progression were examined by measuring their effects on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic-related behaviors of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Morphological changes of MCF-7 cells were observed, and a wound-healing assay was performed after the treatment of triclosan and kaempferol. The effects of triclosan and kaempferol on protein expression of EMT-related markers such as E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Snail, and Slug and metastasis-related markers such as cathepsin B, D, MMP-2 and -9 were investigated by Western blot assay. In microscopic observations, triclosan (10 -6 M) or E2 (10 -9 M) induced transition to mesenchymal phenotype of MCF-7 cells compared with the control. Co-treatment of ICI 182,780 (10 -8 M), an ER antagonist, or kaempferol (25μM) with E2 or triclosan restored the cellular morphology to an epithelial phenotype. In a wound-healing scratch and a transwell migration assay, triclosan enhanced migration and invasion of MCF-7 cells, but co-treatment of kaempferol or ICI 182,780 reduced the migration and invasion ability of MCF-7 cells to the control level. In addition, kaempferol effectively suppressed E2 or triclosan-induced protein expressions of EMT and metastasis promoting markers. Taken together, triclosan may be a distinct xenoestrogenic EDC to promote EMT, migration, and invasion of MCF-7 breast cancer cells through ER. On the other hand, kaempferol can be an alternative chemopreventive agent to effectively suppress the metastatic behavior of breast cancer induced by an endogenous estrogen as well as exogenous xenoestrogenic compounds including triclosan. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Niclosamide inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition and tumor growth in lapatinib-resistant human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Junjun; Chen, Xiaosong; Ward, Toby; Mao, Yan; Bockhorn, Jessica; Liu, Xiaofei; Wang, Gen; Pegram, Mark; Shen, Kunwei

    2016-02-01

    Acquired resistance to lapatinib, a human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 kinase inhibitor, remains a clinical problem for women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive advanced breast cancer, as metastasis is commonly observed in these patients. Niclosamide, an anti-helminthic agent, has recently been shown to exhibit cytotoxicity to tumor cells with stem-like characteristics. This study was designed to identify the mechanisms underlying lapatinib resistance and to determine whether niclosamide inhibits lapatinib resistance by reversing epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Here, two human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer cell lines, SKBR3 and BT474, were exposed to increasing concentrations of lapatinib to establish lapatinib-resistant cultures. Lapatinib-resistant SKBR3 and BT474 cells exhibited up-regulation of the phenotypic epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers Snail, vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin, accompanied by activation of nuclear factor-кB and Src and a concomitant increase in stem cell marker expression (CD44(high)/CD24(low)), compared to naive lapatinib-sensitive SKBR3 and BT474 cells, respectively. Interestingly, niclosamide reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition, induced apoptosis and inhibited cell growth by perturbing aberrant signaling pathway activation in lapatinib-resistant human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive cells. The ability of niclosamide to alleviate stem-like phenotype development and invasion was confirmed. Collectively, our results demonstrate that lapatinib resistance correlates with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and that niclosamide inhibits lapatinib-resistant cell viability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These findings suggest a role of niclosamide or derivatives optimized for more favorable bioavailability not only in reversing lapatinib resistance but also in reducing metastatic potential during the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor

  8. The tetraindole SK228 reverses the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells by up-regulating members of the miR-200 family.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chie-Hong Wang

    Full Text Available The results of recent studies have shown that metastasis, the most common malignancy and primary cause of mortality promoted by breast cancer in women, is associated with the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT. The results of the current study show that SK228, a novel indole containing substance, exhibits anti-cancer activity. In addition, the effects of SK228 on the regulation of EMT in breast cancer cells as well as the underlying mechanism have been explored. SK228 was observed to induce a fibroblastoid to epithelial-like change in the appearance of various breast cancer cell lines and to suppress the migration and invasion of these cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, expression of E-cadherin was found to increase following SK228 treatment whereas ZEB1 expression was repressed. Expression of other major EMT inducers, including ZEB2, Slug and Twist1, is also repressed by SK228 as a consequence of up-regulation of members of the miR-200 family, especially miR-200c. The results of animal studies demonstrate that SK228 treatment leads to effective suppression of breast cancer growth and metastasis in vivo. The observations made in this investigation show that SK228 reverses the EMT process in breast cancer cells via an effect on the miR-200c/ZEB1/E-cadherin signalling pathway. In addition, the results of a detailed analysis of the in vivo anti-cancer activities of SK228, carried out using a breast cancer xenograft animal model, show that this substance is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer.

  9. Apoptosis resistance in epithelial tumors is mediated by tumor-cell-derived interleukin-4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Todaro, M; Lombardo, Y; Francipane, M G; Alea, M Perez; Cammareri, P; Iovino, F; Di Stefano, A B; Di Bernardo, C; Agrusa, A; Condorelli, G; Walczak, H; Stassi, G

    2008-04-01

    We investigated the mechanisms involved in the resistance to cell death observed in epithelial cancers. Here, we identify that primary epithelial cancer cells from colon, breast and lung carcinomas express high levels of the antiapoptotic proteins PED, cFLIP, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2. These cancer cells produced interleukin-4 (IL-4), which amplified the expression levels of these antiapoptotic proteins and prevented cell death induced upon exposure to TRAIL or other drug agents. IL-4 blockade resulted in a significant decrease in the growth rate of epithelial cancer cells and sensitized them, both in vitro and in vivo, to apoptosis induction by TRAIL and chemotherapy via downregulation of the antiapoptotic factors PED, cFLIP, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2. Furthermore, we provide evidence that exogenous IL-4 was able to upregulate the expression levels of these antiapoptotic proteins and potently stabilized the growth of normal epithelial cells rendering them apoptosis resistant. In conclusion, IL-4 acts as an autocrine survival factor in epithelial cells. Our results indicate that inhibition of IL-4/IL-4R signaling may serve as a novel treatment for epithelial cancers.

  10. TGFβ1-induced down-regulation of microRNA-138 contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in primary lung cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Fang; Li, Tiepeng; Han, Lu; Qin, Peng; Wu, Zhao; Xu, Benling; Gao, Quanli; Song, Yongping

    2018-02-19

    The existence of cancer stem cells within the tumor could lead to cancer therapy resistance. TGFβ1 is considered as one of the most powerful players in the generation of CSCs through induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in different types of cancer including lung cancer, however, the detailed mechanisms by which TGFβ1 contribute to EMT induction and CSC maintenance remains unclear. Here, we showed primary lung cancer cells treated by TGFβ1 exhibit mesenchymal features, including morphology and expression of mesenchymal marker in a time-dependent manner. We also observed long-term TGFβ1 exposure leads to an enrichment of a sub-population of CD44 + CD90 + cells which represent CSCs in lung cancer cells. Moreover, the differential expression microRNAs between CSCs and non-CSCs were identified using next-generation sequencing to screen key miRNAs which might contribute to TGFβ1-induced EMT and CSCs generation. Among those differentially expressed miRNAs, the expression of microRNA-138 was time-dependently down-regulated by TGFβ1 treatment. We further demonstrated primary lung cancer cells, in which we knockdown the expression of miR-138, exhibit mesenchymal phenotypes and stem cell properties. Taken together, these findings indicate TGFβ1-induced down-regulation of microRNA-138 contributes to EMT in primary lung cancer cells, and suggest that miR-138 might serve as a potential therapeutic target. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. A method for establishing human primary gastric epithelial cell culture from fresh surgical gastric tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aziz, Faisal; Yang, Xuesong; Wen, Qingping; Yan, Qiu

    2015-08-01

    At present, biopsy specimens, cancer cell lines and tissues obtained by gastric surgery are used in the study and analysis of gastric cancer, including the molecular mechanisms and proteomics. However, fibroblasts and other tissue components may interfere with these techniques. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop a procedure for the isolation of viable human gastric epithelial cells from gastric surgical tissues. A method was developed to culture human gastric epithelial cells using fresh, surgically excised tissues and was evaluated using immunocytochemistry, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and cell viability assays. Low cell growth was observed surrounding the gastric tissue on the seventh day of tissue explant culture. Cell growth subsequently increased, and at 12 days post-explant a high number of pure epithelial cells were detected. The gastric cancer cells exhibited rapid growth with a doubling time of 13-52 h, as compared to normal cells, which had a doubling time of 20-53 h. Immunocytochemical analyses of primary gastric cells revealed positive staining for cytokeratin 18 and 19, which indicated that the culture was comprised of pure epithelial cells and contained no fibroblasts. Furthermore, PAS staining demonstrated that the cultured gastric cells produced neutral mucin. Granulin and carbohydrate antigen 724 staining confirmed the purity of gastric cancer and normal cells in culture. This method of cell culture indicated that the gastric cells in primary culture consisted of mucin-secreting gastric epithelial cells, which may be useful for the study of gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori and gastric cancer.

  12. Association between BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and survival in women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bolton, Kelly L; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Goh, Cindy

    2012-01-01

    Approximately 10% of women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) carry deleterious germline mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2. A recent article suggested that BRCA2-related EOC was associated with an improved prognosis, but the effect of BRCA1 remains unclear....

  13. BORIS/CTCFL mRNA isoform expression and epigenetic regulation in epithelial ovarian cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Link, Petra A.; Zhang, Wa; Odunsi, Kunle; Karpf, Adam R.

    2013-01-01

    Cancer germline (CG) genes are normally expressed in germ cells and aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancers; their immunogenicity has led to the widespread development of cancer vaccines targeting these antigens. BORIS/CTCFL is an autosomal CG antigen and promising cancer vaccine target. BORIS is the only known paralog of CTCF, a gene intimately involved in genomic imprinting, chromatin insulation, and nuclear regulation. We have previously shown that BORIS is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and that its expression coincides with promoter and global DNA hypomethylation. Recently, 23 different BORIS mRNA variants have been described, and have been functionally grouped into six BORIS isoform families (sf1–sf6). In the present study, we have characterized the expression of BORIS isoform families in normal ovary (NO) and EOC, the latter of which were selected to include two groups with widely varying global DNA methylation status. We find selective expression of BORIS isoform families in NO, which becomes altered in EOC, primarily by the activation of BORIS sf1 in EOC. When comparing EOC samples based on methylation status, we find that BORIS sf1 and sf2 isoform families are selectively activated in globally hypomethylated tumors. In contrast, CTCF is downregulated in EOC, and the ratio of BORIS sf1, sf2, and sf6 isoform families as a function of CTCF is elevated in hypomethylated tumors. Finally, the expression of all BORIS isoform families was induced to varying extents by epigenetic modulatory drugs in EOC cell lines, particularly when DNMT and HDAC inhibitors were used in combination. PMID:23390377

  14. M-CSF in a new biomarker panel with HE4 and CA 125 in the diagnostics of epithelial ovarian cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Będkowska, Grażyna Ewa; Ławicki, Sławomir; Gacuta, Ewa; Pawłowski, Przemysław; Szmitkowski, Maciej

    2015-05-03

    We investigated plasma levels of M-CSF and conventional tumor markers (HE4 and CA 125) in epithelial ovarian cancer patients as compared to control groups: benign ovarian tumor patients (cysts) and healthy subjects. M-CSF levels were determined by ELISA, HE4 and CA 125 levels - by CMIA method. Our results have demonstrated significant differences in the concentration levels of M-CSF, CA 125 and HE4 between the groups of ovarian cancer patients, cysts patients and the healthy controls. In the groups tested M-CSF demonstrated equal to or higher values than both CA 125 and HE4 in diagnostic sensitivity (SE), positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV), and in the area under the ROC curve (AUC), particularly in the group with the serous epithelial sub-type of OC. Moreover, CA 125 showed better results of the aforementioned diagnostic criteria than HE4. The combined use of the parameters studied resulted in a further, significant increase in the value of the diagnostic indicators and in the value of the diagnostic power (AUC), especially in the early stages of ovarian cancer. These findings suggest a high usefulness of M-CSF in diagnosing the serous sub-type of epithelial ovarian cancer and in discriminating between cancer and non-carcinoma lesions, particularly in new diagnostic panels in combination with CA 125 and HE4 for the detection of EOC in the early stages.

  15. Characterization of exosomes derived from ovarian cancer cells and normal ovarian epithelial cells by nanoparticle tracking analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Wei; Peng, Peng; Kuang, Yun; Yang, Jiaxin; Cao, Dongyan; You, Yan; Shen, Keng

    2016-03-01

    Cellular exosomes are involved in many disease processes and have the potential to be used for diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we compared the characteristics of exosomes derived from human ovarian epithelial cells (HOSEPiC) and three epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines (OVCAR3, IGROV1, and ES-2) to investigate the differences between exosomes originating from normal and malignant cells. Two established colloid-chemical methodologies, electron microscopy (EM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS), and a relatively new method, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), were used to measure the size and size distribution of exosomes. The concentration and epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (EpCAM) expression of exosomes were measured by NTA. Quantum dots were conjugated with anti-EpCAM to label exosomes, and the labeled exosomes were detected by NTA in fluorescent mode. The normal-cell-derived exosomes were significantly larger than those derived from malignant cells, and exosomes were successfully labeled using anti-EpCAM-conjugated quantum dots. Exosomes from different cell lines may vary in size, and exosomes might be considered as potential diagnosis biomarkers. NTA can be considered a useful, efficient, and objective method for the study of different exosomes and their unique properties in ovarian cancer.

  16. Stat3: linking inflammation to epithelial cancer - more than a "gut" feeling?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Putoczki Tracy

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Inflammation is an important environmental factor that promotes tumourigenesis and the progression of established cancerous lesions, and recent studies have started to dissect the mechanisms linking the two pathologies. These inflammatory and infectious conditions trigger immune and stromal cell release of soluble mediators which facilitate survival and proliferation of tumour cells in a paracrine manner. In addition, (epi-genetic mutations affecting oncogenes, tumour-suppressor genes, chromosomal rearrangements and amplifications trigger the release of inflammatory mediators within the tumour microenvironment to promote neoplastic growth in an autocrine manner. These two pathways converge in tumour cells and result in activation of the latent signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3 which mediates a transcriptional response favouring survival, proliferation and angiogenesis. The abundance of cytokines that activate Stat3 within the tumour microenvironment, which comprises of members of the interleukin (IL IL6, IL10 and IL17/23 families, underpins a signaling network that simultaneously promotes the growth of neoplastic epithelium, fuels inflammation and suppresses the host's anti-tumour immune response. Accordingly, aberrant and persistent Stat3 activation is a frequent observation in human cancers of epithelial origin and is often associated with poor outcome. Here we summarize insights gained from mice harbouring mutations in components of the Stat3 signaling cascade and in particular of gp130, the shared receptor for the IL6 family of cytokines. We focus on the various feed-back and feed-forward loops in which Stat3 provides the signaling node in cells of the tumour and its microenvironment thereby functionally linking excessive inflammation to neoplastic growth. Although these observations are particularly pertinent to gastrointestinal tumours, we suggest that the tumour's addiction to persistent Stat3 activation

  17. Lingual Epithelial Stem Cells and Organoid Culture of Them

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroko Hisha

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available As tongue cancer is one of the major malignant cancers in the world, understanding the mechanism of maintenance of lingual epithelial tissue, which is known to be the origin of tongue cancer, is unquestionably important. However, the actual stem cells that are responsible for the long-term maintenance of the lingual epithelium have not been identified. Moreover, a simple and convenient culture method for lingual epithelial stem cells has not yet been established. Recently, we have shown that Bmi1-positive cells, residing at the second or third layer of the epithelial cell layer at the base of the interpapillary pit (IPP, were slow-cycling and could supply keratinized epithelial cells for over one year, indicating that Bmi1-positive cells are long-term lingual epithelial stem cells. In addition, we have developed a novel lingual epithelium organoid culture system using a three-dimensional matrix and growth factors. Here, we discuss current progress in the identification of lingual stem cells and future applications of the lingual culture system for studying the regulatory mechanisms of the lingual epithelium and for regenerative medicine.

  18. Quantitative Image Analysis of Epithelial and Stromal Area in Histological Sections of Colorectal Cancer: An Emerging Diagnostic Tool

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R. Rogojanu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In colorectal cancer (CRC, an increase in the stromal (S area with the reduction of the epithelial (E parts has been suggested as an indication of tumor progression. Therefore, an automated image method capable of discriminating E and S areas would allow an improved diagnosis. Immunofluorescence staining was performed on paraffin-embedded sections from colorectal tumors (16 samples from patients with liver metastasis and 18 without. Noncancerous tumor adjacent mucosa (n=5 and normal mucosa (n=4 were taken as controls. Epithelial cells were identified by an anti-keratin 8 (K8 antibody. Large tissue areas (5–63 mm2/slide including tumor center, tumor front, and adjacent mucosa were scanned using an automated microscopy system (TissueFAXS. With our newly developed algorithms, we showed that there is more K8-immunoreactive E in the tumor center than in tumor adjacent and normal mucosa. Comparing patients with and without metastasis, the E/S ratio decreased by 20% in the tumor center and by 40% at tumor front in metastatic samples. The reduction of E might be due to a more aggressive phenotype in metastasis patients. The novel software allowed a detailed morphometric analysis of cancer tissue compartments as tools for objective quantitative measurements, reduced analysis time, and increased reproducibility of the data.

  19. Common Genetic Variation In Cellular Transport Genes and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chornokur, Ganna; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P; Lawrenson, Kate; Dennis, Joe; Amankwah, Ernest K; Qu, Xiaotao; Tsai, Ya-Yu; Jim, Heather S L; Chen, Zhihua; Chen, Ann Y; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Aben, Katja K H; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bruinsma, Fiona; Bandera, Elisa V; Bean, Yukie T; Beckmann, Matthias W; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Bogdanova, Natalia; Brinton, Louise A; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bunker, Clareann H; Butzow, Ralf; Campbell, Ian G; Carty, Karen; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Cook, Linda S; Cramer, Daniel W; Cunningham, Julie M; Cybulski, Cezary; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; du Bois, Andreas; Despierre, Evelyn; Dicks, Ed; Doherty, Jennifer A; Dörk, Thilo; Dürst, Matthias; Easton, Douglas F; Eccles, Diana M; Edwards, Robert P; Ekici, Arif B; Fasching, Peter A; Fridley, Brooke L; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Giles, Graham G; Glasspool, Rosalind; Goodman, Marc T; Gronwald, Jacek; Harrington, Patricia; Harter, Philipp; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Hillemanns, Peter; Hogdall, Claus K; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Jakubowska, Anna; Jensen, Allan; Ji, Bu-Tian; Karlan, Beth Y; Kelemen, Linda E; Kellar, Mellissa; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Krakstad, Camilla; Kjaer, Susanne K; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Le, Nhu D; Lee, Alice W; Lele, Shashi; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A; Liang, Dong; Lim, Boon Kiong; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Massuger, Leon F A G; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R; McNeish, Iain; Menon, Usha; Milne, Roger L; Modugno, Francesmary; Moysich, Kirsten B; Ness, Roberta B; Nevanlinna, Heli; Eilber, Ursula; Odunsi, Kunle; Olson, Sara H; Orlow, Irene; Orsulic, Sandra; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M; Pike, Malcolm C; Poole, Elizabeth M; Risch, Harvey A; Rosen, Barry; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B; Rzepecka, Iwona K; Salvesen, Helga B; Schernhammer, Eva; Schwaab, Ira; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C; Spiewankiewicz, Beata; Sucheston, Lara; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L; Thompson, Pamela J; Thomsen, Lotte; Tangen, Ingvild L; Tworoger, Shelley S; van Altena, Anne M; Vierkant, Robert A; Vergote, Ignace; Walsh, Christine S; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S; Wicklund, Kristine G; Wilkens, Lynne R; Wu, Anna H; Wu, Xifeng; Woo, Yin-Ling; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Hasmad, Hanis N; Berchuck, Andrew; Iversen, Edwin S; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Ramus, Susan J; Goode, Ellen L; Monteiro, Alvaro N A; Gayther, Simon A; Narod, Steven A; Pharoah, Paul D P; Sellers, Thomas A; Phelan, Catherine M

    2015-01-01

    Defective cellular transport processes can lead to aberrant accumulation of trace elements, iron, small molecules and hormones in the cell, which in turn may promote the formation of reactive oxygen species, promoting DNA damage and aberrant expression of key regulatory cancer genes. As DNA damage and uncontrolled proliferation are hallmarks of cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we hypothesized that inherited variation in the cellular transport genes contributes to EOC risk. In total, DNA samples were obtained from 14,525 case subjects with invasive EOC and from 23,447 controls from 43 sites in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Two hundred seventy nine SNPs, representing 131 genes, were genotyped using an Illumina Infinium iSelect BeadChip as part of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS). SNP analyses were conducted using unconditional logistic regression under a log-additive model, and the FDR q<0.2 was applied to adjust for multiple comparisons. The most significant evidence of an association for all invasive cancers combined and for the serous subtype was observed for SNP rs17216603 in the iron transporter gene HEPH (invasive: OR = 0.85, P = 0.00026; serous: OR = 0.81, P = 0.00020); this SNP was also associated with the borderline/low malignant potential (LMP) tumors (P = 0.021). Other genes significantly associated with EOC histological subtypes (p<0.05) included the UGT1A (endometrioid), SLC25A45 (mucinous), SLC39A11 (low malignant potential), and SERPINA7 (clear cell carcinoma). In addition, 1785 SNPs in six genes (HEPH, MGST1, SERPINA, SLC25A45, SLC39A11 and UGT1A) were imputed from the 1000 Genomes Project and examined for association with INV EOC in white-European subjects. The most significant imputed SNP was rs117729793 in SLC39A11 (per allele, OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.5-4.35, p = 5.66x10-4). These results, generated on a large cohort of women, revealed associations between inherited cellular transport

  20. Oral epithelial dysplasia classification systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Warnakulasuriya, S; Reibel, J; Bouquot, J

    2008-01-01

    At a workshop coordinated by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Oral Cancer and Precancer in the United Kingdom issues related to potentially malignant disorders of the oral cavity were discussed by an expert group. The consensus views of the Working Group are presented in a series of papers....... In this report, we review the oral epithelial dysplasia classification systems. The three classification schemes [oral epithelial dysplasia scoring system, squamous intraepithelial neoplasia and Ljubljana classification] were presented and the Working Group recommended epithelial dysplasia grading for routine...... use. Although most oral pathologists possibly recognize and accept the criteria for grading epithelial dysplasia, firstly based on architectural features and then of cytology, there is great variability in their interpretation of the presence, degree and significance of the individual criteria...

  1. Inflammasome-independent NLRP3 is required for epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hong; Wang, Yajing; Du, Qianming; Lu, Ping; Fan, Huimin; Lu, Jinrong; Hu, Rong

    2016-03-15

    Inflammasome NLRP3 plays a crucial role in the process of colitis and colitis--associated colon cancer. Even though much is known regarding the NLRP3 inflammasome that regulates pro-inflammatory cytokine release in innate immune cells, the role of NLRP3 in non-immune cells is still unclear. In this study, we showed that NLRP3 was highly expressed in mesenchymal-like colon cancer cells (SW620), and was upregulated by tumor necrosis factors-α (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) respectively, during EMT in colon cancer epithelial cells HCT116 and HT29. Knockdown of NLRP3 retained epithelial spindle-like morphology of HCT116 and HT29 cells and reversed the mesenchymal characteristic of SW620 cells, indicated by the decreased expression of vimentin and MMP9 and increased expression of E-cadherin. In addition, knockdown of NLRP3 in colorectal carcinoma cells displayed diminished cell migration and invasion. Interestingly, during the EMT process induced by TNF-α or TGF-β1, the cleaved caspase-1 and ASC speck were not detected, indicating that NLRP3 functions in an inflammasome-independent way. Further studies demonstrated that NLRP3 protein expression was regulated by NF-κB signaling in TNF-α or TGF-β1-induced EMT, as verified by the NF-κB inhibitor Bay 11-7082. Moreover, NLRP3 knockdown reduced the expression of Snail1, indicating that NLRP3 may promote EMT through regulating Snail1. In summary, our results showed that the NLRP3 expression, not the inflammasome activation, was required for EMT in colorectal cancer cells. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote cell proliferation and invasion of epithelial ovarian cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chu, Yijing; Tang, Huijuan; Guo, Yan; Guo, Jing; Huang, Bangxing; Fang, Fang; Cai, Jing, E-mail: caijingmmm@hotmail.com; Wang, Zehua, E-mail: zehuawang@163.net

    2015-09-10

    Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADSC) is an important component of tumor microenvironment. However, whether ADSCs have a hand in ovarian cancer progression remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of human ADSCs derived from the omentum of normal donors on human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells in vitro and in vivo. Direct and indirect co-culture models including ADSCs and human EOC cell lines were established and the effects of ADSCs on EOC cell proliferation were evaluated by EdU incorporation and flow cytometry. Transwell migration assays and detection of MMPs were performed to assess the invasion activity of EOC cells in vitro. Mouse models were established by intraperitoneal injection of EOC cells with or without concomitant ADSCs to investigate the role of ADSCs in tumor progression in vivo. We found that ADSCs significantly promoted proliferation and invasion of EOC cells in both direct and indirect co-culture assays. In addition, after co-culture with ADSCs, EOC cells secreted higher levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and inhibition of MMP2 and MMP9 partially relieved the tumor-promoting effects of ADSCs in vitro. In mouse xenograft models, we confirmed that ADSCs promoted EOC growth and metastasis and elevated the expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Our findings indicate that omental ADSCs play a promotive role during ovarian cancer progression. - Highlights: • Omental adipose derived stem cells enhanced growth and invasion properties of ovarian cancer cells. • Adipose derived stem cells promoted the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer in mice models. • Adipose derived stem cells promoted MMPs expression and secretion of ovarian cancer cells. • Elevated MMPs mediated the tumor promoting effects of ADSCs.

  3. Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells promote cell proliferation and invasion of epithelial ovarian cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu, Yijing; Tang, Huijuan; Guo, Yan; Guo, Jing; Huang, Bangxing; Fang, Fang; Cai, Jing; Wang, Zehua

    2015-01-01

    Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell (ADSC) is an important component of tumor microenvironment. However, whether ADSCs have a hand in ovarian cancer progression remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of human ADSCs derived from the omentum of normal donors on human epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells in vitro and in vivo. Direct and indirect co-culture models including ADSCs and human EOC cell lines were established and the effects of ADSCs on EOC cell proliferation were evaluated by EdU incorporation and flow cytometry. Transwell migration assays and detection of MMPs were performed to assess the invasion activity of EOC cells in vitro. Mouse models were established by intraperitoneal injection of EOC cells with or without concomitant ADSCs to investigate the role of ADSCs in tumor progression in vivo. We found that ADSCs significantly promoted proliferation and invasion of EOC cells in both direct and indirect co-culture assays. In addition, after co-culture with ADSCs, EOC cells secreted higher levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and inhibition of MMP2 and MMP9 partially relieved the tumor-promoting effects of ADSCs in vitro. In mouse xenograft models, we confirmed that ADSCs promoted EOC growth and metastasis and elevated the expression of MMP2 and MMP9. Our findings indicate that omental ADSCs play a promotive role during ovarian cancer progression. - Highlights: • Omental adipose derived stem cells enhanced growth and invasion properties of ovarian cancer cells. • Adipose derived stem cells promoted the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer in mice models. • Adipose derived stem cells promoted MMPs expression and secretion of ovarian cancer cells. • Elevated MMPs mediated the tumor promoting effects of ADSCs

  4. A core invasiveness gene signature reflects epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition but not metastatic potential in breast cancer cell lines and tissue samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melike Marsan

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Metastases remain the primary cause of cancer-related death. The acquisition of invasive tumour cell behaviour is thought to be a cornerstone of the metastatic cascade. Therefore, gene signatures related to invasiveness could aid in stratifying patients according to their prognostic profile. In the present study we aimed at identifying an invasiveness gene signature and investigated its biological relevance in breast cancer. METHODS & RESULTS: We collected a set of published gene signatures related to cell motility and invasion. Using this collection, we identified 16 genes that were represented at a higher frequency than observed by coincidence, hereafter named the core invasiveness gene signature. Principal component analysis showed that these overrepresented genes were able to segregate invasive and non-invasive breast cancer cell lines, outperforming sets of 16 randomly selected genes (all P<0.001. When applied onto additional data sets, the expression of the core invasiveness gene signature was significantly elevated in cell lines forced to undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The link between core invasiveness gene expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition was also confirmed in a dataset consisting of 2420 human breast cancer samples. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that CIG expression is not associated with a shorter distant metastasis free survival interval (HR = 0.956, 95%C.I. = 0.896-1.019, P = 0.186. DISCUSSION: These data demonstrate that we have identified a set of core invasiveness genes, the expression of which is associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer cell lines and in human tissue samples. Despite the connection between epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasive tumour cell behaviour, we were unable to demonstrate a link between the core invasiveness gene signature and enhanced metastatic potential.

  5. Transforming Growth Factor-β and Nitrates in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalifa, Ali; Kassim, Samar K.; Ahmed, Maha I.; Fayed, Salah T.

    1999-01-01

    The role of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and nitric oxide (NO) in ovarian neoplasia is still not clear. We studied the expression of TGF-β by enzyme immunoassay, and nitrates (as a stable end product of NO) in 127 ovarian tissues (36 normal, 37 benign, and 54 malignant). Ploidy status and synthetic phase fraction (SPF) were also assessed by flow cytometry. Mean ranks of TGF-β, nitrate, and SPF were significant among different groups (X2 = 12.01, P = 0.0025, X2 = 67.42, P = 0.000, X2 = 9.06, P = 0.011 respectively). Nitrate mean ranks were significant among different FIGO stages of the disease (X2 = 17.6, P = 0.000). A significant correlation was shown between TGF-â, and nitrate levels in all tissues (r = 0.24, P = 0.01), as well as in malignant tissues (r = 0.3, P = 0.026). Cutoff values were determined for both TGF-β (290 pg/mg protein), and nitrates (310 nmole/mg non protein nitrogenous substances). At these cut-offs, nitrates showed a sensitivity of 93% and 84% specificity for malignant versus normal cases, while TGF-β had 76% sensitivity, and 82.4% specificity for poor versus good outcome. Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were followed up for a total of 40 months. Survival analysis showed that patients with TGF-β above the cut-off had worse prognosis (X2 = 12.69, P = 0.004). The present results suggest that malignant transformation of ovarian tissues is associated with increased TGF-β and NO production. NO level is related to the development and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer, while high levels of TGF-β could be of prognostic significance. PMID:10689548

  6. Transforming Growth Factor-β and Nitrates in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Khalifa

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available The role of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β and nitric oxide (NO in ovarian neoplasia is still not clear. We studied the expression of TGF-β by enzyme immunoassay, and nitrates (as a stable end product of NO in 127 ovarian tissues (36 normal, 37 benign, and 54 malignant. Ploidy status and synthetic phase fraction (SPF were also assessed by flow cytometry. Mean ranks of TGF-β, nitrate, and SPF were significant among different groups (X2 = 12.01, P = 0.0025, X2 = 67.42, P = 0.000, X2 = 9.06, P = 0.011 respectively. Nitrate mean ranks were significant among different FIGO stages of the disease (X2 = 17.6, P = 0.000. A significant correlation was shown between TGF-â, and nitrate levels in all tissues (r = 0.24, P = 0.01, as well as in malignant tissues (r = 0.3, P = 0.026. Cutoff values were determined for both TGF-β (290 pg/mg protein, and nitrates (310 nmole/mg non protein nitrogenous substances. At these cut-offs, nitrates showed a sensitivity of 93% and 84% specificity for malignant versus normal cases, while TGF-β had 76% sensitivity, and 82.4% specificity for poor versus good outcome. Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were followed up for a total of 40 months. Survival analysis showed that patients with TGF-β above the cut-off had worse prognosis (X2 = 12.69, P = 0.004. The present results suggest that malignant transformation of ovarian tissues is associated with increased TGF-β and NO production. NO level is related to the development and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer, while high levels of TGF-β could be of prognostic significance.

  7. Transforming growth factor-beta and nitrates in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khalifa, A; Kassim, S K; Ahmed, M I; Fayed, S T

    1999-12-01

    The role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and nitric oxide (NO) in ovarian neoplasia is still not clear. We studied the expression of TGF-beta by enzyme immunoassay, and nitrates (as a stable end product of NO) in 127 ovarian tissues (36 normal, 37 benign, and 54 malignant). Ploidy status and synthetic phase fraction (SPF) were also assessed by flow cytometry. Mean ranks of TGF-beta, nitrate, and SPF were significant among different groups (X2 = 12.01, P = 0.0025, X2 = 67.42, P = 0.000, X2 = 9.06, P = 0.011 respectively). Nitrate mean ranks were significant among different FIGO stages of the disease (X2 = 17.6, P = 0.000). A significant correlation was shown between TGF-beta, and nitrate levels in all tissues (r = 0.24, P = 0.01), as well as in malignant tissues (r = 0.3, P = 0.026). Cutoff values were determined for both TGF-beta (290 pg/mg protein), and nitrates (310 nmole/mg non protein nitrogenous substances). At these cut-offs, nitrates showed a sensitivity of 93% and 84% specificity for malignant versus normal cases, while TGF-beta had 76% sensitivity, and 82.4% specificity for poor versus good outcome. Patients with epithelial ovarian cancer were followed up for a total of 40 months. Survival analysis showed that patients with TGF-beta above the cut-off had worse prognosis (X2 = 12.69, P = 0.004). The present results suggest that malignant transformation of ovarian tissues is associated with increased TGF-beta and NO production. NO level is related to the development and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer, while high levels of TGF-beta could be of prognostic significance.

  8. Genome-wide profiling of the PIWI-interacting RNA-mRNA regulatory networks in epithelial ovarian cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Garima; Roy, Jyoti; Rout, Pratiti; Mallick, Bibekanand

    2018-01-01

    PIWI-interacting (piRNAs), ~23-36 nucleotide-long small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs), earlier believed to be germline-specific, have now been identified in somatic cells, including cancer cells. These sncRNAs impact critical biological processes by fine-tuning gene expression at post-transcriptional and epigenetic levels. The expression of piRNAs in ovarian cancer, the most lethal gynecologic cancer is largely uncharted. In this study, we investigated the expression of PIWILs by qRT-PCR and western blotting and then identified piRNA transcriptomes in tissues of normal ovary and two most prevalent epithelial ovarian cancer subtypes, serous and endometrioid by small RNA sequencing. We detected 219, 256 and 234 piRNAs in normal ovary, endometrioid and serous ovarian cancer samples respectively. We observed piRNAs are encoded from various genomic regions, among which introns harbor the majority of them. Surprisingly, piRNAs originated from different genomic contexts showed the varied level of conservations across vertebrates. The functional analysis of predicted targets of differentially expressed piRNAs revealed these could modulate key processes and pathways involved in ovarian oncogenesis. Our study provides the first comprehensive piRNA landscape in these samples and a useful resource for further functional studies to decipher new mechanistic views of piRNA-mediated gene regulatory networks affecting ovarian oncogenesis. The RNA-seq data is submitted to GEO database (GSE83794).

  9. [Frequency of oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral epithelial dysplasia in oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in Chile].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, Carolina; Hernández, Marcela; Martínez, Benjamín; Adorno, Daniela

    2016-02-01

    Oral cancer in Chile corresponds approximately to 1.6% of all cancer cases. There are few studies about oral epithelial dysplasia and oral squamous cell carcinoma in the Chilean population. To determine the frequency of hyperkeratosis, mild, moderate and severe oral epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the oral and oropharyngeal mucosa in a registry of the Oral Pathology Reference Institute of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile, in a ten years period. Review of clinical records and pathological plates of 389 patients, obtained between 1990 and 2009. Cases were selected according to their pathological diagnosis, including hyperkeratosis, oral epithelial dysplasia, in situ carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and verrucous carcinoma. Forty four percent of cases were squamous cell carcinoma, followed by hyperkeratosis in 37% and mild epithelial dysplasia in 11%. Squamous cell carcinoma was more common in men aged over 50 years. Most of the potentially malignant disorders presented clinically as leukoplakia and squamous cell carcinoma were clinically recognized as cancer. In this study, men aged over 50 years are the highest risk group for oral cancer. Early diagnosis is deficient since most of these lesions were diagnosed when squamous cell carcinoma became invasive. Leukoplakia diagnosis is mostly associated with hyperkeratosis and epithelial dysplasia, therefore biopsy of these lesions is mandatory to improve early diagnosis.

  10. Red meat and colon cancer : dietary haem-induced colonic cytotoxicity and epithelial hyperproliferation are inhibited by calcium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sesink, ALA; Termont, DSML; Kleibeuker, JH; Van der Meer, R

    2001-01-01

    High intake of red meat is associated with increased colon cancer risk. We have shown earlier that this may be due to the high haem content of red meat, because dietary haem increased cytolytic activity of faecal water and colonic epithelial proliferation. Dietary calcium inhibits diet-induced

  11. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by inflammatory priming elicits mesenchymal stromal cell-like immune-modulatory properties in cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ricciardi, M; Zanotto, M; Malpeli, G; Bassi, G; Perbellini, O; Chilosi, M; Bifari, F; Krampera, M

    2015-03-17

    Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has a central role in cancer progression and metastatic dissemination and may be induced by local inflammation. We asked whether the inflammation-induced acquisition of mesenchymal phenotype by neoplastic epithelial cells is associated with the onset of mesenchymal stromal cell-like immune-regulatory properties that may enhance tumour immune escape. Cell lines of lung adenocarcinoma (A549), breast cancer (MCF7) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) were co-cultured with T, B and NK cells before and after EMT induction by either the supernatant of mixed-lymphocyte reactions or inflammatory cytokines. EMT occurrence following inflammatory priming elicited multiple immune-regulatory effects in cancer cells resulting in NK and T-cell apoptosis, inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation and stimulation of regulatory T and B cells. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, but not Fas ligand pathway, was involved at least in part in these effects, as shown by the use of specific inhibitors. EMT induced by inflammatory stimuli confers to cancer cells some mesenchymal stromal cell-like immune-modulatory properties, which could be a cue for cancer progression and metastatic dissemination by favouring immune escape.

  12. Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) negatively regulate triple-negative breast cancer growth and epithelial:mesenchymal stem cell signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narayanan, Ramesh; Ahn, Sunjoo; Cheney, Misty D; Yepuru, Muralimohan; Miller, Duane D; Steiner, Mitchell S; Dalton, James T

    2014-01-01

    The androgen receptor (AR) is the most highly expressed steroid receptor in breast cancer with 75-95% of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and 40-70% of ER-negative breast cancers expressing AR. Though historically breast cancers were treated with steroidal androgens, their use fell from favor because of their virilizing side effects and the emergence of tamoxifen. Nonsteroidal, tissue selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) may provide a novel targeted approach to exploit the therapeutic benefits of androgen therapy in breast cancer. Since MDA-MB-453 triple-negative breast cancer cells express mutated AR, PTEN, and p53, MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells stably expressing wildtype AR (MDA-MB-231-AR) were used to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-proliferative effects of SARMs. Microarray analysis and epithelial:mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) co-culture signaling studies were performed to understand the mechanisms of action. Dihydrotestosterone and SARMs, but not bicalutamide, inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231-AR. The SARMs reduced the MDA-MB-231-AR tumor growth and tumor weight by greater than 90%, compared to vehicle-treated tumors. SARM treatment inhibited the intratumoral expression of genes and pathways that promote breast cancer development through its actions on the AR. SARM treatment also inhibited the metastasis-promoting paracrine factors, IL6 and MMP13, and subsequent migration and invasion of epithelial:MSC co-cultures. 1. AR stimulation inhibits paracrine factors that are important for MSC interactions and breast cancer invasion and metastasis. 2. SARMs may provide promise as novel targeted therapies to treat AR-positive triple-negative breast cancer.

  13. Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs negatively regulate triple-negative breast cancer growth and epithelial:mesenchymal stem cell signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ramesh Narayanan

    Full Text Available The androgen receptor (AR is the most highly expressed steroid receptor in breast cancer with 75-95% of estrogen receptor (ER-positive and 40-70% of ER-negative breast cancers expressing AR. Though historically breast cancers were treated with steroidal androgens, their use fell from favor because of their virilizing side effects and the emergence of tamoxifen. Nonsteroidal, tissue selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs may provide a novel targeted approach to exploit the therapeutic benefits of androgen therapy in breast cancer.Since MDA-MB-453 triple-negative breast cancer cells express mutated AR, PTEN, and p53, MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells stably expressing wildtype AR (MDA-MB-231-AR were used to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-proliferative effects of SARMs. Microarray analysis and epithelial:mesenchymal stem cell (MSC co-culture signaling studies were performed to understand the mechanisms of action.Dihydrotestosterone and SARMs, but not bicalutamide, inhibited the proliferation of MDA-MB-231-AR. The SARMs reduced the MDA-MB-231-AR tumor growth and tumor weight by greater than 90%, compared to vehicle-treated tumors. SARM treatment inhibited the intratumoral expression of genes and pathways that promote breast cancer development through its actions on the AR. SARM treatment also inhibited the metastasis-promoting paracrine factors, IL6 and MMP13, and subsequent migration and invasion of epithelial:MSC co-cultures.1. AR stimulation inhibits paracrine factors that are important for MSC interactions and breast cancer invasion and metastasis. 2. SARMs may provide promise as novel targeted therapies to treat AR-positive triple-negative breast cancer.

  14. The emerging roles and therapeutic potential of exosomes in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiaoduan; Wang, Xipeng

    2017-05-15

    Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the three types of malignant tumors in the female reproductive system, and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is its most typical form. Due to the asymptomatic nature of the early stages and resistance to chemotherapy, EOC has both a poor prognosis and a high fatality rate. Current treatments for OC are very limited, and the 5-years survival rate is approximately 30%. Exosomes, which are microvesicles ranging from approximately 30-100 nm in size that are secreted by living cells, can be produced from different cell types and detected in various body fluids. Cancer cells can secrete more exosomes than healthy cells, and more importantly, the content of cancer cell-derived exosomes is distinct. The exosomes shedding from tumor cells are considered to be involved in tumor progression and metastasis. As such, exosomes are expected to be potential tools for tumor diagnosis and treatment. In this review, we briefly present the emerging roles of exosomes in OC and summarize related articles about their roles as diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and in the treatment and drug resistance of OC.

  15. Protein Profiling of Isolated Leukocytes, Myofibroblasts, Epithelial, Basal, and Endothelial Cells from Normal, Hyperplastic, Cancerous, and Inflammatory Human Prostate Tissues

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahraa I. Khamis, Kenneth A. Iczkowski, Ziad J. Sahab, Qing-Xiang Amy Sang

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available In situ neoplastic prostate cells are not lethal unless they become invasive and metastatic. For cells to become invasive, the prostate gland must undergo degradation of the basement membrane and disruption of the basal cell layer underneath the luminal epithelia. Although the roles of proteinases in breaking down the basement membrane have been well-studied, little is known about the factors that induce basal cell layer disruption, degeneration, and its eventual disappearance in invasive cancer. It is hypothesized that microenvironmental factors may affect the degradation of the basal cell layer, which if protected may prevent tumor progression and invasion. In this study, we have revealed differential protein expression patterns between epithelial and stromal cells isolated from different prostate pathologies and identified several important epithelial and stromal proteins that may contribute to inflammation and malignant transformation of human benign prostate tissues to cancerous tissues using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry and proteomics methods. Cellular retinoic acid-binding protein 2 was downregulated in basal cells of benign prsotate. Caspase-1 and interleukin-18 receptor 1 were highly expressed in leukocytes of prostate cancer. Proto-oncogene Wnt-3 was downregulated in endothelial cells of prostatitis tissue and tyrosine phosphatase non receptor type 1 was only found in normal and benign endothelial cells. Poly ADP-ribose polymerase 14 was downregulated in myofibroblasts of prostatitis tissue. Interestingly, integrin alpha-6 was upregulated in epithelial cells but not detected in myofibroblasts of prostate cancer. Further validation of these proteins may generate new strategies for the prevention of basal cell layer disruption and subsequent cancer invasion.

  16. Core epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition interactome gene-expression signature is associated with claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taube, Joseph H; Herschkowitz, Jason I; Komurov, Kakajan; Zhou, Alicia Y; Gupta, Supriya; Yang, Jing; Hartwell, Kimberly; Onder, Tamer T; Gupta, Piyush B; Evans, Kurt W; Hollier, Brett G; Ram, Prahlad T; Lander, Eric S; Rosen, Jeffrey M; Weinberg, Robert A; Mani, Sendurai A

    2010-08-31

    The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) produces cancer cells that are invasive, migratory, and exhibit stem cell characteristics, hallmarks of cells that have the potential to generate metastases. Inducers of the EMT include several transcription factors (TFs), such as Goosecoid, Snail, and Twist, as well as the secreted TGF-beta1. Each of these factors is capable, on its own, of inducing an EMT in the human mammary epithelial (HMLE) cell line. However, the interactions between these regulators are poorly understood. Overexpression of each of the above EMT inducers up-regulates a subset of other EMT-inducing TFs, with Twist, Zeb1, Zeb2, TGF-beta1, and FOXC2 being commonly induced. Up-regulation of Slug and FOXC2 by either Snail or Twist does not depend on TGF-beta1 signaling. Gene expression signatures (GESs) derived by overexpressing EMT-inducing TFs reveal that the Twist GES and Snail GES are the most similar, although the Goosecoid GES is the least similar to the others. An EMT core signature was derived from the changes in gene expression shared by up-regulation of Gsc, Snail, Twist, and TGF-beta1 and by down-regulation of E-cadherin, loss of which can also trigger an EMT in certain cell types. The EMT core signature associates closely with the claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes and correlates negatively with pathological complete response. Additionally, the expression level of FOXC1, another EMT inducer, correlates strongly with poor survival of breast cancer patients.

  17. Prognostic value of preoperative intratumoral FDG uptake heterogeneity in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Maria; Kim, Hee Seung; Chung, Hyun Hoon; Kim, Jae-Weon; Park, Noh-Hyun; Song, Yong Sang [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Hyunjong; Cheon, Gi Jeong [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-01-15

    To investigate the prognostic value of intratumoral FDG uptake heterogeneity (IFH) derived from PET/CT in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We retrospectively reviewed patients with pathologically proven epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent preoperative {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT scans. PET/CT parameters such as maximum and average standardized uptake values (SUV{sub max} and SUV{sub avg}), sum of all metabolic tumour volume (MTV), cumulative total lesion glycolysis (TLG) and IFH were assessed. Regression analyses were used to identify clinicopathological and imaging variables associated with disease-free survival (DFS). Clinicopathological data were reviewed for 61 eligible patients. The median duration of DFS was 13 months (range, 6-26 months), and 18 (29.5 %) patients experienced recurrence. High IFH values were associated with tumour recurrence (P = 0.005, hazard ratio 4.504, 95 % CI 1.572-12.902). The Kaplan-Meier survival graphs showed that DFS significantly differed in groups categorized based on IFH (P = 0.002, log-rank test). Moreover, there were significant differences in DFS (P = 0.009) and IFH (P = 0.040) between patients with and without recurrence. Preoperative IFH measured by {sup 18}F-FDG PET/CT was significantly associated with EOC recurrence. FDG-based heterogeneity could be a useful and potential predicator of EOC recurrence before treatment. (orig.)

  18. Breast cancer cells obtain an osteomimetic feature via epithelial-mesenchymal transition that have undergone BMP2/RUNX2 signaling pathway induction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Cong-Cong; Li, Gui-Xi; Tan, Li-Duan; Du, Xin; Li, Xiao-Qing; He, Rui; Wang, Qing-Shan; Feng, Yu-Mei

    2016-11-29

    Bone is one of the most common organs of breast cancer metastasis. Cancer cells that mimic osteoblasts by expressing bone matrix proteins and factors have a higher likelihood of metastasizing to bone. However, the molecular mechanisms of osteomimicry formation of cancer cells remain undefined. Herein, we identified a set of bone-related genes (BRGs) that are ectopically co-expressed in primary breast cancer tissues and determined that osteomimetic feature is obtained due to the osteoblast-like transformation of epithelial breast cancer cells that have undergone epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) followed by bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) stimulation. Furthermore, we demonstrated that breast cancer cells that transformed into osteoblast-like cells with high expression of BRGs showed enhanced chemotaxis, adhesion, proliferation and multidrug resistance in an osteoblast-mimic bone microenvironment in vitro. During these processes, runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) functioned as a master mediator by suppressing or activating the transcription of BRGs that underlie the dynamic antagonism between the TGF-β/SMAD and BMP/SMAD signaling pathways in breast cancer cells. Our findings suggest a novel mechanism of osteomimicry formation that arises in primary breast tumors, which may explain the propensity of breast cancer to metastasize to the skeleton and contribute to potential strategies for predicting and targeting breast cancer bone metastasis and multidrug resistance.

  19. Volumetric imaging of oral epithelial neoplasia by MPM-SHGM: epithelial connective tissue interface (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pal, Rahul; Yang, Jinping; Qiu, Suimin; Resto, Vicente; McCammon, Susan; Vargas, Gracie

    2016-03-01

    The majority of oral cancers are comprised of oral squamous cell carcinoma in which neoplastic epithelial cells invade across the epithelial connective tissue interface (ECTI). Invasion is preceded by a multi-component process including epithelial hyperproliferation, loss of cell polarity, and remodeling of the extracellular matrix. Multiphoton Autofluorescence Microscopy (MPAM) and Second Harmonic Generation Microscopy (SHGM) show promise for revealing indicators of neoplasia. In particular, volumetric imaging by these methods can reveal aspects of the 3D microstructure that are not possible by other methods and which could both further our understanding of neoplastic transformation and be explored for development of diagnostic approaches in this disease having only 55% 5-year survival rate. MPAM-SHG were applied to reveal the 3D structure of the critical ECTI interface that plays an integral part toward invasion. Epithelial dysplasia was induced in an established hamster model. MPAM-SHGM was applied to lesion sites, using 780 nm excitation (450-600nm emission) for autofluroescence of cellular and extracellular components; 840 nm using 420 nm bandpass filter for SHG. The ECTI surface was identified as the interface at which SHG signal began following the epithelium and was modeled as a 3D surface using Matlab. ECTI surface area and cell features at sites of epithelial expansion where ECTI was altered were measured; Imaged sites were biopsied and processed for histology. ROC analysis using ECTI image metrics indicated the ability to delineate normal from neoplasia with high sensitivity and specificity and it is noteworthy that inflammation did not significantly alter diagnostic potential of MPAM-SHGM .

  20. ESR1/SYNE1 polymorphism and invasive epithelial ovarian cancer risk: an Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Doherty, Jennifer A; Rossing, Mary Anne; Cushing-Haugen, Kara L

    2010-01-01

    , respectively. A SNP 19 kb downstream of ESR1 (rs2295190, G-to-T change) was associated with invasive ovarian cancer risk, with a per-T-allele odds ratio (OR) of 1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.06-1.44, P = 0.006]. rs2295190 is a nonsynonymous coding SNP in a neighboring gene called spectrin repeat...... through the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium, with 5,279 invasive epithelial cases and 7,450 controls. The per-T-allele OR for this 12-study set was 1.09 (95% CI, 1.02-1.17; P = 0.017). Results for the serous subtype in the 15 combined studies were similar to those overall (n = 3,545; OR, 1.09; 95......% CI, 1.01-1.18; P = 0.025), and our findings were strongest for the mucinous subtype (n = 447; OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.11-1.58; P = 0.002). No association was observed for the endometrioid subtype. In an additional analysis of 1,459 borderline ovarian cancer cases and 7,370 controls, rs2295190...

  1. Positive Correlation between Matrix Metalloproteinases and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition and its Association with Clinical Outcome in Bladder Cancer Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, R; Mandhani, A; Agrawal, V; Garg, Minal

    2018-01-18

    Involvement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the pathogenesis of urothelial carcinoma elects them to be sensitive marker for clinical and prognostic implications. MMPs regulate tumor growth and invasion by inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) which is characterized by the complex reprogramming of epithelial cells and ultimately bring about major changes in the structural organization of bladder urothelium. The present study has been undertaken to evaluate the clinical relevance of MMPs in two distinct types of bladder cancer disease. Expression analysis of MMPs namely MMP-2, MMP-7, MMP-9 and EMT markers including epithelial marker, E-cadherin; mesenchymal markers, N-cadherin and Vimentin; and EMT-activating transcriptional factors (EMT-ATFs), Snail, Slug, Twist and Zeb was done in 64 cases of bladder tumor tissues [{Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC): 35 cases} and {Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC): 29 cases}] by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was done in matched bladder tumor tissues to evaluate the protein expression and localization of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug. Our data showed overexpression of MMP-2, MMP-7 and MMP-9 at transcriptome level in 32.8%, 25% and 37.5% bladder tumor cases respectively. These tumor tissues were examined for higher expression of mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin and Vimentin) at mRNA and protein level and exhibited statistical association with tumor stage and tumor grade (p = 0.02, p = 0.04, Mann-Whitney test). Significant statistical correlation in tumor tissues with overexpressed MMPs has also been observed between gain of transcriptional factors and weak expression of E-cadherin with tumor stage, grade, gender, presence of hematuria and smoking history of the patients. Gene expression patterns of EMT markers in bladder tumors with overexpressed MMPs and their significant association with clinical profile

  2. Epithelial and stromal metabolite changes in the transition from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia to cervical cancer: an in vivo 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging study with ex vivo correlation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Sonali S. de; Payne, Geoffrey S.; Morgan, Veronica A.; Ind, Thomas E.J.; Shepherd, John H.; Barton, Desmond P.J.; Souza, Nandita M. de

    2009-01-01

    To investigate epithelial and stromal metabolite changes in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer in vivo and correlate findings with MR spectroscopy of tissue samples. Forty-seven women (19 with CIN, 28 with cervical cancer) underwent endovaginal MR at 1.5 T with T2-W and localised 2D MR spectroscopic imaging (PRESS, TR=1,500 ms, TE=135 ms). tCho, 2 ppm and -CH 2 lipid peaks were measured in epithelial (>50% epithelium, no tumour), stromal (>50% stroma, no tumour) and tumour (>30% tumour) voxels. Unsuppressed water signal from the same voxel provided a concentration reference. 1 H HR-MAS MR spectra were acquired from tissue in 37 patients (11.74 T, pulse-acquire and cpmg sequences, with water pre-saturation). Analysable data from 17 CIN and 25 cancer patients showed significant increases in tCho (p=0.03) and 2 ppm (p=0.007) in tumour compared with epithelial voxels from CIN patients, but not with epithelial voxels from cancer patients. No significant differences were seen in stroma from cancer compared with CIN patients. Differences in -CH 2 lipids were not significant between groups. There was no significant correlation between in vivo and ex vivo tCho or -CH 2 lipids. Estimated in vivo concentrations of tCho and 2 ppm resonances increase in tumour and adjacent epithelium in progression from CIN to cervical cancer. (orig.)

  3. A phase II study of combination chemotherapy in early relapsed epithelial ovarian cancer using gemcitabine and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mirza, Mansoor Raza; Lund, Bente; Lindegaard, Jacob Christian

    2010-01-01

    Treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer patients relapsing with a short treatment-free interval (TFI) after prior chemotherapy is unsatisfactory. This phase II trial evaluated the activity and feasibility of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) plus gemcitabine in this setting....

  4. Oncofertility in patients with stage I epithelial ovarian cancer: fertility-sparing surgery in young women of reproductive age.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Xuan; Yang, Jiaxin; Yu, Mei; Xie, Weimin; Cao, Dongyan; Wu, Ming; Pan, Lingya; Huang, Huifang; You, Yan; Shen, Keng

    2017-08-15

    Fertility-sparing surgery is indicated for patients with stage I epithelial ovarian cancers. We sought to evaluate the clinical outcomes and oncofertility in a cohort of patients of reproductive age with stage I epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Overall, 108 patients of reproductive age (≤ 40 years) diagnosed with stage I EOC who were treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital between 1999 and 2013 were included in the study. The Kaplan-Meier model and Cox regression analyses were used for the survival analysis. The type of surgery included fertility-sparing surgery (FSS) (48.1%) and radical surgery (RS) (51.9%). After a median follow-up of 83 months, we observed that grade 3 or clear-cell carcinoma was the only independent risk factor for disease-free survival and tumor-specific survival in the multivariate analysis. Patients with grade 3 or clear-cell carcinoma tended to be older than 30 years, have endometriosis, and undergo RS (p Fertility-sparing surgery did not affect disease-free survival or tumor-specific survival among patients of reproductive age with stage I EOC and among high-risk patients with stage IC2-3, grade 3, or clear-cell carcinoma. Thirty-four out of 52 (65.4%) FSS patients attempted to get pregnant. Twenty-eight (82.4%) achieved a successful pregnancy with a full-term delivery. Grade 3 or clear-cell carcinoma was the only independent risk factor for survival of patients of reproductive age with stage I EOC. FSS can be safely performed on patients of reproductive age with grade 1-2, stage I EOC. The safety of FSS for grade 3 and clear-cell carcinoma warrants further investigation.

  5. Antiadhesive and cytotoxic effect of Iranian Vipera lebetina snake venom on lung epithelial cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oghalaie, Akbar; Kazemi-Lomedasht, Fatemeh; Zareinejad, Mohammad Reza; Shahbazzadeh, Delavar

    2017-01-01

    Cancer is one of the major health problems worldwide. Hence, finding potent therapeutics from natural sources seems necessary. Snake venom of Vipera lebetina contains potential component with anticancer activities such as antiproliferation, migration, invasion, adhesion, and angiogenesis effect. Evaluation of cytotoxic and antiadhesive effect of V. lebetina venom on lung epithelial cancer tumor cell (TC-1) was the main aim of this study. Here, we purified snake venom of V. lebetina by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) using Sephacryl S-200 hr column. The fractions collected and evaluated by SDS-PAGE analysis. The cytotoxicity and antiadhesive effect of crude venom and fractions on TC-1 cells were demonstrated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and adhesion assay, respectively. Our results showed six fractions in FPLC diagram. V. lebetina crude venom and fractions showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on TC-1 cells. Fractions 2 and 5 showed high cytotoxic effect with high IC50 value (IC50 = 6 μg/ml for fraction 2 and IC50 = 7.3 μg/ml for fraction 5). Fractions 2 and 5 selected for analysis antiadhesive effect on TC-1 cells. Furthermore, our results showed that both fractions 2 and 5 had antiadhesive effect on TC-1 cells. Because of potent cytotoxic and antiadhesive effect of V. lebetina fractions on lung epithelial cancer cell line, it could be promising tools for further analysis as anticancer therapeutic development.

  6. Antiadhesive and cytotoxic effect of Iranian Vipera lebetina snake venom on lung epithelial cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akbar Oghalaie

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Cancer is one of the major health problems worldwide. Hence, finding potent therapeutics from natural sources seems necessary. Snake venom of Vipera lebetina contains potential component with anticancer activities such as antiproliferation, migration, invasion, adhesion, and angiogenesis effect. Evaluation of cytotoxic and antiadhesive effect of V. lebetina venom on lung epithelial cancer tumor cell (TC-1 was the main aim of this study. Materials and Methods: Here, we purified snake venom of V. lebetina by fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC using Sephacryl S-200 hr column. The fractions collected and evaluated by SDS-PAGE analysis. The cytotoxicity and antiadhesive effect of crude venom and fractions on TC-1 cells were demonstrated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and adhesion assay, respectively. Results: Our results showed six fractions in FPLC diagram. V. lebetina crude venom and fractions showed dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on TC-1 cells. Fractions 2 and 5 showed high cytotoxic effect with high IC50 value (IC50 = 6 μg/ml for fraction 2 and IC50 = 7.3 μg/ml for fraction 5. Fractions 2 and 5 selected for analysis antiadhesive effect on TC-1 cells. Furthermore, our results showed that both fractions 2 and 5 had antiadhesive effect on TC-1 cells. Conclusion: Because of potent cytotoxic and antiadhesive effect of V. lebetina fractions on lung epithelial cancer cell line, it could be promising tools for further analysis as anticancer therapeutic development.

  7. Epithelial cells as alternative human biomatrices for comet assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas, Emilio; Lorenzo, Yolanda; Haug, Kristiane; Nicolaissen, Bjørn; Valverde, Mahara

    2014-01-01

    The comet assay is a valuable experimental tool aimed at mapping DNA damage in human cells in vivo for environmental and occupational monitoring, as well as for therapeutic purposes, such as storage prior to transplant, during tissue engineering, and in experimental ex vivo assays. Furthermore, due to its great versatility, the comet assay allows to explore the use of alternative cell types to assess DNA damage, such as epithelial cells. Epithelial cells, as specialized components of many organs, have the potential to serve as biomatrices that can be used to evaluate genotoxicity and may also serve as early effect biomarkers. Furthermore, 80% of solid cancers are of epithelial origin, which points to the importance of studying DNA damage in these tissues. Indeed, studies including comet assay in epithelial cells have either clear clinical applications (lens and corneal epithelial cells) or examine genotoxicity within human biomonitoring and in vitro studies. We here review improvements in determining DNA damage using the comet assay by employing lens, corneal, tear duct, buccal, and nasal epithelial cells. For some of these tissues invasive sampling procedures are needed. Desquamated epithelial cells must be obtained and dissociated prior to examination using the comet assay, and such procedures may induce varying amounts of DNA damage. Buccal epithelial cells require lysis enriched with proteinase K to obtain free nucleosomes. Over a 30 year period, the comet assay in epithelial cells has been little employed, however its use indicates that it could be an extraordinary tool not only for risk assessment, but also for diagnosis, prognosis of treatments and diseases.

  8. Hydrogen sulfide lowers proliferation and induces protective autophagy in colon epithelial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ya C Wu

    Full Text Available Hydrogen sulfide (H(2S is a gaseous bacterial metabolite that reaches high levels in the large intestine. In the present study, the effect of H(2S on the proliferation of normal and cancerous colon epithelial cells was investigated. An immortalized colon epithelial cell line (YAMC and a panel of colon cancer cell lines (HT-29, SW1116, HCT116 were exposed to H(2S at concentrations similar to those found in the human colon. H(2S inhibited normal and cancerous colon epithelial cell proliferation as measured by MTT assay. The anti-mitogenic effect of H(2S was accompanied by G(1-phase cell cycle arrest and the induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(Cip. Moreover, exposure to H(2S led to features characteristic of autophagy, including increased formation of LC3B(+ autophagic vacuoles and acidic vesicular organelles as determined by immunofluorescence and acridine orange staining, respectively. Abolition of autophagy by RNA interference targeting Vps34 or Atg7 enhanced the anti-proliferative effect of H(2S. Further mechanistic investigation revealed that H(2S stimulated the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK and inhibited the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR and S6 kinase. Inhibition of AMPK significantly reversed H(2S-induced autophagy and inhibition of cell proliferation. Collectively, we demonstrate that H(2S inhibits colon epithelial cell proliferation and induces protective autophagy via the AMPK pathway.

  9. Clinically relevant morphological structures in breast cancer represent transcriptionally distinct tumor cell populations with varied degrees of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44+CD24- stemness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denisov, Evgeny V; Skryabin, Nikolay A; Gerashchenko, Tatiana S; Tashireva, Lubov A; Wilhelm, Jochen; Buldakov, Mikhail A; Sleptcov, Aleksei A; Lebedev, Igor N; Vtorushin, Sergey V; Zavyalova, Marina V; Cherdyntseva, Nadezhda V; Perelmuter, Vladimir M

    2017-09-22

    Intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer is represented by different morphological structures (tubular, alveolar, solid, trabecular, and discrete) and contributes to poor prognosis; however, the mechanisms involved remain unclear. In this study, we performed 3D imaging, laser microdissection-assisted array comparative genomic hybridization and gene expression microarray analysis of different morphological structures and examined their association with the standard immunohistochemistry scorings and CD44 + CD24 - cancer stem cells. We found that the intratumor morphological heterogeneity is not associated with chromosomal aberrations. By contrast, morphological structures were characterized by specific gene expression profiles and signaling pathways and significantly differed in progesterone receptor and Ki-67 expression. Most importantly, we observed significant differences between structures in the number of expressed genes of the epithelial and mesenchymal phenotypes and the association with cancer invasion pathways. Tubular (tube-shaped) and alveolar (spheroid-shaped) structures were transcriptionally similar and demonstrated co-expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers. Solid (large shapeless) structures retained epithelial features but demonstrated an increase in mesenchymal traits and collective cell migration hallmarks. Mesenchymal genes and cancer invasion pathways, as well as Ki-67 expression, were enriched in trabecular (one/two rows of tumor cells) and discrete groups (single cells and/or arrangements of 2-5 cells). Surprisingly, the number of CD44 + CD24 - cells was found to be the lowest in discrete groups and the highest in alveolar and solid structures. Overall, our findings indicate the association of intratumor morphological heterogeneity in breast cancer with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition and CD44 + CD24 - stemness and the appeal of this heterogeneity as a model for the study of cancer invasion.

  10. A case of radiation cancer associated with spinocellular carcinoma and basal cell epithelial tumor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oohara, Kuniaki; Ootsuka, Fujio; Mizoguchi, Masako.

    1980-01-01

    The patient was a 66 year-old male who had received radiotherapy for psoriasis vulgaris in frontal plane for 10 years since the age of 19. This radiotherapy was carried out once a week for 5 to 6 weeks and stopped for following 5 to 6 weeks. The source and the dose were unknown. Multiple superficial basal cell epithelial tumor occurred 32 to 33 years after that in the region over which radiation had been given. Moreover, 37 years after that, spinocellular carcinoma occurred in the same region. Spinocellular carcinoma in this case increased rapidly and reached the depth of frontal plane. Atypic of cancer cells was marked, and various findings were observed. Characteristics of these tumor cells were mixture of spindle cells and cells with vacuoles. Partially, findings common to basal cell epithelial tumor were coexisted, and senile keratosis was also discovered. (Tsunoda, M.)

  11. Polymorphisms in stromal genes and susceptibility to serous epithelial ovarian cancer: a report from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Amankwah, Ernest K; Wang, Qinggang; Schildkraut, Joellen M

    2011-01-01

    Alterations in stromal tissue components can inhibit or promote epithelial tumorigenesis. Decorin (DCN) and lumican (LUM) show reduced stromal expression in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (sEOC). We hypothesized that common variants in these genes associate with risk. Associations with sEOC among...... and replication set 1 (833 cases and 2,013 controls) showed statistically homogeneous (P(heterogeneity)≥0.48) decreased risks of sEOC at four variants: DCN rs3138165, rs13312816 and rs516115, and LUM rs17018765 (OR = 0.6 to 0.9; P(trend) = 0.001 to 0.03). Results from replication set 2 were statistically...... homogeneous (P(heterogeneity)≥0.13) and associated with increased risks at DCN rs3138165 and rs13312816, and LUM rs17018765: all ORs = 1.2; P(trend)≤0.02. The ORs at the four variants were statistically heterogeneous across all 18 studies (P(heterogeneity)≤0.03), which precluded combining. In post...

  12. Abdominal wall perforation in a patient with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer after bevacizumab treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Efnan Algin

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Bowel perforation is a rare but well-described complication of bevacizumab, a VEGF monoclonal antibody. However, bevacizumab associated abdominal wall perforation is a more serious complication. In here, a patient with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer developing both bowel and abdominal wall perforation after bevacizumab treatment is reported with review of the literature to point out the clinical significance of this rare complication. To our knowledge, this is the first case with bevacizumab associated abdominal wall perforation.

  13. Expression and clinical implication of Beclin1, HMGB1, p62, survivin, BRCA1 and ERCC1 in epithelial ovarian tumor tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ju, L-L; Zhao, C Y; Ye, K-F; Yang, H; Zhang, J

    2016-05-01

    The aim of the present study is to investigate the differential expression of Beclin1, HMGB1, p62, survivin, ERCC1 and BRCA1 protein in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and to evaluate the relationship between autophagy and platinum resistance of EOC patients during platinum-based chemotherapy with the protein expression. Expression of Beclin1, HMGB1, p62, survivin, ERCC1 and BRCA1 were detected with immunohistochemistry in 60 patients, including 39 with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), 13 benign epithelial ovarian tumor tissue (BET) and 8 borderline ovarian tumor tissue. Beclin, p62 and ERCC1 expression was significantly higher in the EOC than the BET (p0.05). BRCA1 expression was lower in EOC than BET (pepithelial ovarian cancer.

  14. Syndecan-1 suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration in human oral cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xiaofeng; He, Jinting; Zhao, Xiaoming; Qi, Tianyang; Zhang, Tianfu; Kong, Chenfei

    2018-04-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the major processes that contribute to the occurrence of cancer metastasis. EMT has been associated with the development of oral cancer. Syndecan‑1 (SDC1) is a key cell‑surface adhesion molecule and its expression level inversely correlates with tumor differentiation and prognosis. In the present study, we aimed to determine the role of SDC1 in oral cancer progression and investigate the molecular mechanisms through which SDC1 regulates the EMT and invasiveness of oral cancer cells. We demonstrated that basal SDC1 expression levels were lower in four oral cancer cell lines (KB, Tca8113, ACC2 and CAL‑27), than in normal human periodontal ligament fibroblasts. Ectopic overexpression of SDC1 resulted in morphological transformation, decreased expression of EMT‑associated markers, as well as decreased migration, invasiveness and proliferation of oral cancer cells. In contrast, downregulation of the expression of SDC1 caused the opposite results. Furthermore, the knockdown of endogenous SDC1 activated the extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK) cascade, upregulated the expression of Snail and inhibited the expression of E‑cadherin. In conclusion, our findings revealed that SDC1 suppressed EMT via the modulation of the ERK signaling pathway that, in turn, negatively affected the invasiveness of human oral cancer cells. Our results provided useful evidence about the potential use of SDC1 as a molecular target for therapeutic interventions in human oral cancer.

  15. Pan-cancer stratification of solid human epithelial tumors and cancer cell lines reveals commonalities and tissue-specific features of the CpG island methylator phenotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Vega, Francisco; Gotea, Valer; Margolin, Gennady; Elnitski, Laura

    2015-01-01

    The term CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) has been used to describe widespread DNA hypermethylation at CpG-rich genomic regions affecting clinically distinct subsets of cancer patients. Even though there have been numerous studies of CIMP in individual cancer types, a uniform analysis across tissues is still lacking. We analyze genome-wide patterns of CpG island hypermethylation in 5,253 solid epithelial tumors from 15 cancer types from TCGA and 23 cancer cell lines from ENCODE. We identify differentially methylated loci that define CIMP+ and CIMP- samples, and we use unsupervised clustering to provide a robust molecular stratification of tumor methylomes for 12 cancer types and all cancer cell lines. With a minimal set of 89 discriminative loci, we demonstrate accurate pan-cancer separation of the 12 CIMP+/- subpopulations, based on their average levels of methylation. Tumor samples in different CIMP subclasses show distinctive correlations with gene expression profiles and recurrence of somatic mutations, copy number variations, and epigenetic silencing. Enrichment analyses indicate shared canonical pathways and upstream regulators for CIMP-targeted regions across cancer types. Furthermore, genomic alterations showing consistent associations with CIMP+/- status include genes involved in DNA repair, chromatin remodeling genes, and several histone methyltransferases. Associations of CIMP status with specific clinical features, including overall survival in several cancer types, highlight the importance of the CIMP+/- designation for individual tumor evaluation and personalized medicine. We present a comprehensive computational study of CIMP that reveals pan-cancer commonalities and tissue-specific differences underlying concurrent hypermethylation of CpG islands across tumors. Our stratification of solid tumors and cancer cell lines based on CIMP status is data-driven and agnostic to tumor type by design, which protects against known biases that have hindered

  16. CD44 staining of cancer stem-like cells is influenced by down-regulation of CD44 variant isoforms and up-regulation of the standard CD44 isoform in the population of cells that have undergone epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adrian Biddle

    Full Text Available CD44 is commonly used as a cell surface marker of cancer stem-like cells in epithelial tumours, and we have previously demonstrated the existence of two different CD44(high cancer stem-like cell populations in squamous cell carcinoma, one having undergone epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and the other maintaining an epithelial phenotype. Alternative splicing of CD44 variant exons generates a great many isoforms, and it is not known which isoforms are expressed on the surface of the two different cancer stem-like cell phenotypes. Here, we demonstrate that cancer stem-like cells with an epithelial phenotype predominantly express isoforms containing the variant exons, whereas the cancer stem-like cells that have undergone an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition down-regulate these variant isoforms and up-regulate expression of the standard CD44 isoform that contains no variant exons. In addition, we find that enzymatic treatments used to dissociate cells from tissue culture or fresh tumour specimens cause destruction of variant CD44 isoforms at the cell surface whereas expression of the standard CD44 isoform is preserved. This results in enrichment within the CD44(high population of cancer stem-like cells that have undergone an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and depletion from the CD44(high population of cancer stem-like cells that maintain an epithelial phenotype, and therefore greatly effects the characteristics of any cancer stem-like cell population isolated based on expression of CD44. As well as effecting the CD44(high population, enzymatic treatment also reduces the percentage of the total epithelial cancer cell population staining CD44-positive, with potential implications for studies that aim to use CD44-positive staining as a prognostic indicator. Analyses of the properties of cancer stem-like cells are largely dependent on the ability to accurately identify and assay these populations. It is therefore critical that

  17. Leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer cells and involved in cell proliferation and invasion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cao, Qizhi; Fu, Aili; Yang, Shude; He, Xiaoli; Wang, Yue; Zhang, Xiaoshu; Zhou, Jiadi; Luan, Xiying; Yu, Wenzheng; Xue, Jiangnan

    2015-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) is expressed on most types of hamatopoietic cells and negatively regulate immune response, but the roles of LAIR-1 in tumor of the non-hematopoietic lineage have not been determined. Despite advances in therapy of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), many questions relating to EOC pathogenesis remain unanswered. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of LAIR-1 expression in EOC and explore the possible association between LAIR-1 and cancer. In this study, a tissue microarray containing 78 ovarian cancer cases was stained following a standard immunohistochemical protocol for LAIR-1 and the correlation of LAIR-1 expression with clinicopathologic features was assessed. LAIR-1 was detected to express in tumor cells of ovarian cancer tissues (73.1%) and EOC cell lines COC1 and HO8910, not in normal ovarian tissues. In addition, LAIR-1 expression correlates significantly with tumor grade (p = 0.004). Furthermore, down-regulation of LAIR-1 in HO8910 cells increased cell proliferation, colony formation and cell invasion. These data suggest that LAIR-1 has a relevant impact on EOC progression and may be helpful for a better understanding of molecular pathogenesis of cancer. - Highlights: • LAIR-1 is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer cells. • LAIR-1 expression correlates significantly with tumor grade. • Down-regulation of LAIR-1 expression increased cell proliferation and invasion. • LAIR-1 may be a novel candidate for cancer diagnosis and therapy

  18. Ectopic expression of aquaporin-5 in noncancerous epithelial MDCK cells changes cellular morphology and actin fiber formation without inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jensen, Helene H; Holst, Mikkel R; Login, Frédéric H; Morgen, Jeanette J; Nejsum, Lene N

    2018-06-01

    Aquaporin-5 (AQP5) is a plasma membrane water channel mainly expressed in secretory glands. Increased expression of AQP5 is observed in multiple cancers, including breast cancer, where high expression correlates with the degree of metastasis and poor prognosis. Moreover, studies in cancer cells have suggested that AQP5 activates Ras signaling, drives morphological changes, and in particular increased invasiveness. To design intervention strategies, it is of utmost importance to characterize and dissect the cell biological changes induced by altered AQP5 expression. To isolate the effect of AQP5 overexpression from the cancer background, AQP5 was overexpressed in normal epithelial MDCK cells which have no endogenous AQP5 expression. AQP5 overexpression promoted actin stress fiber formation and lamellipodia dynamics. Moreover, AQP5 decreased cell circularity. Phosphorylation of AQP5 on serine 156 in the second intracellular loop has been shown to activate the Ras pathway. When serine 156 was mutated to alanine to mimic the nonphosphorylated state, the decrease in cell circularity was reversed, indicating that the AQP5-Ras axis is involved in the effect on cell shape. Interestingly, the cellular changes mediated by AQP5 were not associated with induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Thus, AQP5 may contribute to cancer by altering cellular morphology and actin organization, which increase the metastatic potential.

  19. Cigarette smoke alters the secretome of lung epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mossina, Alessandra; Lukas, Christina; Merl-Pham, Juliane; Uhl, Franziska E; Mutze, Kathrin; Schamberger, Andrea; Staab-Weijnitz, Claudia; Jia, Jie; Yildirim, Ali Ö; Königshoff, Melanie; Hauck, Stefanie M; Eickelberg, Oliver; Meiners, Silke

    2017-01-01

    Cigarette smoke is the most relevant risk factor for the development of lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Many of its more than 4500 chemicals are highly reactive, thereby altering protein structure and function. Here, we used subcellular fractionation coupled to label-free quantitative MS to globally assess alterations in the proteome of different compartments of lung epithelial cells upon exposure to cigarette smoke extract. Proteomic profiling of the human alveolar derived cell line A549 revealed the most pronounced changes within the cellular secretome with preferential downregulation of proteins involved in wound healing and extracellular matrix organization. In particular, secretion of secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, a matricellular protein that functions in tissue response to injury, was consistently diminished by cigarette smoke extract in various pulmonary epithelial cell lines and primary cells of human and mouse origin as well as in mouse ex vivo lung tissue cultures. Our study reveals a previously unrecognized acute response of lung epithelial cells to cigarette smoke that includes altered secretion of proteins involved in extracellular matrix organization and wound healing. This may contribute to sustained alterations in tissue remodeling as observed in lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  20. Common Genetic Variation In Cellular Transport Genes and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC Risk.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ganna Chornokur

    Full Text Available Defective cellular transport processes can lead to aberrant accumulation of trace elements, iron, small molecules and hormones in the cell, which in turn may promote the formation of reactive oxygen species, promoting DNA damage and aberrant expression of key regulatory cancer genes. As DNA damage and uncontrolled proliferation are hallmarks of cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC, we hypothesized that inherited variation in the cellular transport genes contributes to EOC risk.In total, DNA samples were obtained from 14,525 case subjects with invasive EOC and from 23,447 controls from 43 sites in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC. Two hundred seventy nine SNPs, representing 131 genes, were genotyped using an Illumina Infinium iSelect BeadChip as part of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS. SNP analyses were conducted using unconditional logistic regression under a log-additive model, and the FDR q<0.2 was applied to adjust for multiple comparisons.The most significant evidence of an association for all invasive cancers combined and for the serous subtype was observed for SNP rs17216603 in the iron transporter gene HEPH (invasive: OR = 0.85, P = 0.00026; serous: OR = 0.81, P = 0.00020; this SNP was also associated with the borderline/low malignant potential (LMP tumors (P = 0.021. Other genes significantly associated with EOC histological subtypes (p<0.05 included the UGT1A (endometrioid, SLC25A45 (mucinous, SLC39A11 (low malignant potential, and SERPINA7 (clear cell carcinoma. In addition, 1785 SNPs in six genes (HEPH, MGST1, SERPINA, SLC25A45, SLC39A11 and UGT1A were imputed from the 1000 Genomes Project and examined for association with INV EOC in white-European subjects. The most significant imputed SNP was rs117729793 in SLC39A11 (per allele, OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.5-4.35, p = 5.66x10-4.These results, generated on a large cohort of women, revealed associations between inherited cellular

  1. Common Genetic Variation In Cellular Transport Genes and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer (EOC) Risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chornokur, Ganna; Lin, Hui-Yi; Tyrer, Jonathan P.; Lawrenson, Kate; Dennis, Joe; Amankwah, Ernest K.; Qu, Xiaotao; Tsai, Ya-Yu; Jim, Heather S. L.; Chen, Zhihua; Chen, Ann Y.; Permuth-Wey, Jennifer; Aben, Katja KH.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bruinsma, Fiona; Bandera, Elisa V.; Bean, Yukie T.; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Bisogna, Maria; Bjorge, Line; Bogdanova, Natalia; Brinton, Louise A.; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Bunker, Clareann H.; Butzow, Ralf; Campbell, Ian G.; Carty, Karen; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Cook, Linda S.; Cramer, Daniel W.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Cybulski, Cezary; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; du Bois, Andreas; Despierre, Evelyn; Dicks, Ed; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Dörk, Thilo; Dürst, Matthias; Easton, Douglas F.; Eccles, Diana M.; Edwards, Robert P.; Ekici, Arif B.; Fasching, Peter A.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Gao, Yu-Tang; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Giles, Graham G.; Glasspool, Rosalind; Goodman, Marc T.; Gronwald, Jacek; Harrington, Patricia; Harter, Philipp; Hein, Alexander; Heitz, Florian; Hildebrandt, Michelle A. T.; Hillemanns, Peter; Hogdall, Claus K.; Hogdall, Estrid; Hosono, Satoyo; Jakubowska, Anna; Jensen, Allan; Ji, Bu-Tian; Karlan, Beth Y.; Kelemen, Linda E.; Kellar, Mellissa; Kiemeney, Lambertus A.; Krakstad, Camilla; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Lambrechts, Diether; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Le, Nhu D.; Lee, Alice W.; Lele, Shashi; Leminen, Arto; Lester, Jenny; Levine, Douglas A.; Liang, Dong; Lim, Boon Kiong; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lu, Karen; Lubinski, Jan; Lundvall, Lene; Massuger, Leon F. A. G.; Matsuo, Keitaro; McGuire, Valerie; McLaughlin, John R.; McNeish, Iain; Menon, Usha; Milne, Roger L.; Modugno, Francesmary; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Ness, Roberta B.; Nevanlinna, Heli; Eilber, Ursula; Odunsi, Kunle; Olson, Sara H.; Orlow, Irene; Orsulic, Sandra; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Paul, James; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pejovic, Tanja; Pelttari, Liisa M.; Pike, Malcolm C.; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Risch, Harvey A.; Rosen, Barry; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Rudolph, Anja; Runnebaum, Ingo B.; Rzepecka, Iwona K.; Salvesen, Helga B.; Schernhammer, Eva; Schwaab, Ira; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Shvetsov, Yurii B.; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Sieh, Weiva; Song, Honglin; Southey, Melissa C.; Spiewankiewicz, Beata; Sucheston, Lara; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Thomsen, Lotte; Tangen, Ingvild L.; Tworoger, Shelley S.; van Altena, Anne M.; Vierkant, Robert A.; Vergote, Ignace; Walsh, Christine S.; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S.; Wicklund, Kristine G.; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Wu, Anna H.; Wu, Xifeng; Woo, Yin-Ling; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Hasmad, Hanis N.; Berchuck, Andrew; Iversen, Edwin S.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Ramus, Susan J.; Goode, Ellen L.; Monteiro, Alvaro N. A.; Gayther, Simon A.; Narod, Steven A.; Pharoah, Paul D. P.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Phelan, Catherine M.

    2015-01-01

    Background Defective cellular transport processes can lead to aberrant accumulation of trace elements, iron, small molecules and hormones in the cell, which in turn may promote the formation of reactive oxygen species, promoting DNA damage and aberrant expression of key regulatory cancer genes. As DNA damage and uncontrolled proliferation are hallmarks of cancer, including epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), we hypothesized that inherited variation in the cellular transport genes contributes to EOC risk. Methods In total, DNA samples were obtained from 14,525 case subjects with invasive EOC and from 23,447 controls from 43 sites in the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Two hundred seventy nine SNPs, representing 131 genes, were genotyped using an Illumina Infinium iSelect BeadChip as part of the Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS). SNP analyses were conducted using unconditional logistic regression under a log-additive model, and the FDR q<0.2 was applied to adjust for multiple comparisons. Results The most significant evidence of an association for all invasive cancers combined and for the serous subtype was observed for SNP rs17216603 in the iron transporter gene HEPH (invasive: OR = 0.85, P = 0.00026; serous: OR = 0.81, P = 0.00020); this SNP was also associated with the borderline/low malignant potential (LMP) tumors (P = 0.021). Other genes significantly associated with EOC histological subtypes (p<0.05) included the UGT1A (endometrioid), SLC25A45 (mucinous), SLC39A11 (low malignant potential), and SERPINA7 (clear cell carcinoma). In addition, 1785 SNPs in six genes (HEPH, MGST1, SERPINA, SLC25A45, SLC39A11 and UGT1A) were imputed from the 1000 Genomes Project and examined for association with INV EOC in white-European subjects. The most significant imputed SNP was rs117729793 in SLC39A11 (per allele, OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 1.5-4.35, p = 5.66x10-4). Conclusion These results, generated on a large cohort of women, revealed associations

  2. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is associated with increased ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Yomi

    2011-12-16

    Dec 16, 2011 ... Key words: SMMC-7721, cancer stem cells, side population cells, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition. INTRODUCTION. Invasion and metastasis are the most important biological ..... the metastatic phenotype of pancreatic cancer cells with- ... occludens-1 (ZO-1), and gain mesenchymal molecular.

  3. Migraine and invasive epithelial ovarian cancer risk in the Nurses' Health Study II and the Women's Health Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rice, Megan S; Rist, Pamela M; Winter, Anke C; Kurth, Tobias; Tworoger, Shelley S

    2018-02-01

    Migraine is a common primary headache disorder, which predominantly impacts women. Recently, migraine has been hypothesized to be associated with hormonally related cancers; however, the potential association between migraine and ovarian cancer has not been studied. Therefore, we evaluated the association between migraine and invasive epithelial ovarian cancer risk in two prospective cohorts, the Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) and the Women's Health Study (WHS). Our prospective analysis included 113,124 NHSII participants aged 25-42 at study baseline as well as 33,490 participants in the WHS who were 45 years or older at study entry. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between migraine and ovarian cancer risk in each cohort. In secondary analyses, we stratified by age and menopausal status. After adjusting for potential covariates, there was no statistically significant association between migraine and ovarian cancer risk in either the NHSII (HR = 1.29, 95%CI: 0.96, 1.74) or the WHS (HR = 0.60, 95%CI: 0.34, 1.06). In stratified analysis in the NHSII, there was a statistically significant positive association between migraine and ovarian cancer risk among women <45 years of age (HR = 1.76, 95%CI: 1.01, 3.07). We did not observe a clear association between migraine and ovarian cancer risk in two large prospective cohort studies. © 2017 UICC.

  4. Establishment of three-dimensional cultures of human pancreatic duct epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gutierrez-Barrera, Angelica M.; Menter, David G.; Abbruzzese, James L.; Reddy, Shrikanth A.G.

    2007-01-01

    Three-dimensional (3D) cultures of epithelial cells offer singular advantages for studies of morphogenesis or the role of cancer genes in oncogenesis. In this study, as part of establishing a 3D culture system of pancreatic duct epithelial cells, we compared human pancreatic duct epithelial cells (HPDE-E6E7) with pancreatic cancer cell lines. Our results show, that in contrast to cancer cells, HPDE-E6E7 organized into spheroids with what appeared to be apical and basal membranes and a luminal space. Immunostaining experiments indicated that protein kinase Akt was phosphorylated (Ser473) and CTMP, a negative Akt regulator, was expressed in both HPDE-E6E7 and cancer cells. However, a nuclear pool of CTMP was detectable in HPDE-E6E7 cells that showed a dynamic concentrated expression pattern, a feature that further distinguished HPDE-E637 cells from cancer cells. Collectively, these data suggest that 3D cultures of HPDE-E6E7 cells are useful for investigating signaling and morphological abnormalities in pancreatic cancer cells

  5. Myoferlin depletion in breast cancer cells promotes mesenchymal to epithelial shape change and stalls invasion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruth Li

    Full Text Available Myoferlin (MYOF is a mammalian ferlin protein with homology to ancestral Fer-1, a nematode protein that regulates spermatic membrane fusion, which underlies the amoeboid-like movements of its sperm. Studies in muscle and endothelial cells have reported on the role of myoferlin in membrane repair, endocytosis, myoblast fusion, and the proper expression of various plasma membrane receptors. In this study, using an in vitro human breast cancer cell model, we demonstrate that myoferlin is abundantly expressed in invasive breast tumor cells. Depletion of MYOF using lentiviral-driven shRNA expression revealed that MDA-MB-231 cells reverted to an epithelial morphology, suggesting at least some features of mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET. These observations were confirmed by the down-regulation of some mesenchymal cell markers (e.g., fibronectin and vimentin and coordinate up-regulation of the E-cadherin epithelial marker. Cell invasion assays using Boyden chambers showed that loss of MYOF led to a significant diminution in invasion through Matrigel or type I collagen, while cell migration was unaffected. PCR array and screening of serum-free culture supernatants from shRNA(MYOF transduced MDA-MB-231 cells indicated a significant reduction in the steady-state levels of several matrix metalloproteinases. These data when considered in toto suggest a novel role of MYOF in breast tumor cell invasion and a potential reversion to an epithelial phenotype upon loss of MYOF.

  6. Aptamer-conjugated gold nanorod for photothermal ablation of epidermal growth factor receptor-overexpressed epithelial cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Jihye; Park, Yeonji; Choi, Eun Bi; Kim, Hyun-Ouk; Kim, Dong Joo; Hong, Yoochan; Ryu, Sung-Ho; Lee, Jung Hwan; Suh, Jin-Suck; Yang, Jaemoon; Huh, Yong-Min; Haam, Seungjoo

    2014-05-01

    Biomarker-specific photothermal nanoparticles that can efficiently sense markers that are overexpressed in distinguished adenocarcinomas have attracted much interest in an aspect of efficacy increase of cancer treatment. We demonstrated a promising prospect of a smart photothermal therapy agent employing anti-epidermal growth factor receptor aptamer (AptEGFR)-conjugated polyethylene glycol (PEG) layted gold nanorods (AptEGFR-PGNRs). The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide bilayer on GNRs was replaced with heterobifunctional PEG (COOH-PEG-SH) not only to serve as a biocompatible stabilizer and but also to conjugate Apt. Subsequently, to direct photothermal therapy agent toward epithelial cancer cells, the carboxylated PEGylated GNRs (PGNRs) were further functionalized with Apt using carbodiimide chemistry. Then, to assess the potential as biomarker-specific photothermal therapy agent of synthesized Apt-PGNRs, the optical properties, biocompatibility, colloidal stability, binding affinity, and epicellial cancer cell killing efficacy in vitro/in vivo under near-infrared laser irradiation were investigated. As a result, Apt-PGNRs exhibit excellent tumor targeting ability and feasibility of effective photothermal ablation cancer therapy.

  7. Progastrin represses the alternative activation of human macrophages and modulates their influence on colon cancer epithelial cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Hernández

    Full Text Available Macrophage infiltration is a negative prognostic factor for most cancers but gastrointestinal tumors seem to be an exception. The effect of macrophages on cancer progression depends on their phenotype, which may vary between M1 (pro-inflammatory, defensive to M2 (tolerogenic, pro-tumoral. Gastrointestinal cancers often become an ectopic source of gastrins and macrophages present receptors for these peptides. The aim of the present study is to analyze whether gastrins can affect the pattern of macrophage infiltration in colorectal tumors. We have evaluated the relationship between gastrin expression and the pattern of macrophage infiltration in samples from colorectal cancer and the influence of these peptides on the phenotype of macrophages differentiated from human peripheral monocytes in vitro. The total number of macrophages (CD68+ cells was similar in tumoral and normal surrounding tissue, but the number of M2 macrophages (CD206+ cells was significantly higher in the tumor. However, the number of these tumor-associated M2 macrophages correlated negatively with the immunoreactivity for gastrin peptides in tumor epithelial cells. Macrophages differentiated from human peripheral monocytes in the presence of progastrin showed lower levels of M2-markers (CD206, IL10 with normal amounts of M1-markers (CD86, IL12. Progastrin induced similar effects in mature macrophages treated with IL4 to obtain a M2-phenotype or with LPS plus IFNγ to generate M1-macrophages. Macrophages differentiated in the presence of progastrin presented a reduced expression of Wnt ligands and decreased the number and increased cell death of co-cultured colorectal cancer epithelial cells. Our results suggest that progastrin inhibits the acquisition of a M2-phenotype in human macrophages. This effect exerted on tumor associated macrophages may modulate cancer progression and should be taken into account when analyzing the therapeutic value of gastrin immunoneutralization.

  8. Parabens can enable hallmarks and characteristics of cancer in human breast epithelial cells: a review of the literature with reference to new exposure data and regulatory status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darbre, Philippa D; Harvey, Philip W

    2014-09-01

    A framework for understanding the complexity of cancer development was established by Hanahan and Weinberg in their definition of the hallmarks of cancer. In this review, we consider the evidence that parabens can enable development in human breast epithelial cells of four of six of the basic hallmarks, one of two of the emerging hallmarks and one of two of the enabling characteristics. In Hallmark 1, parabens have been measured as present in 99% of human breast tissue samples, possess oestrogenic activity and can stimulate sustained proliferation of human breast cancer cells at concentrations measurable in the breast. In Hallmark 2, parabens can inhibit the suppression of breast cancer cell growth by hydroxytamoxifen, and through binding to the oestrogen-related receptor gamma may prevent its deactivation by growth inhibitors. In Hallmark 3, in the 10 nm-1 μm range, parabens give a dose-dependent evasion of apoptosis in high-risk donor breast epithelial cells. In Hallmark 4, long-term exposure (>20 weeks) to parabens leads to increased migratory and invasive activity in human breast cancer cells, properties that are linked to the metastatic process. As an emerging hallmark methylparaben has been shown in human breast epithelial cells to increase mTOR, a key regulator of energy metabolism. As an enabling characteristic parabens can cause DNA damage at high concentrations in the short term but more work is needed to investigate long-term, low-dose mixtures. The ability of parabens to enable multiple cancer hallmarks in human breast epithelial cells provides grounds for regulatory review of the implications of the presence of parabens in human breast tissue. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Pre-diagnosis insulin-like growth factor-I and risk of epithelial invasive ovarian cancer by histological subtypes : A collaborative re-analysis from the Ovarian Cancer Cohort Consortium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ose, Jennifer; Schock, Helena; Poole, Elizabeth M; Lehtinen, Matti; Visvanathan, Kala; Helzlsouer, Kathy; Buring, Julie E; Lee, I-Min; Tjønneland, Anne; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Mattiello, Amalia; Onland-Moret, N Charlotte; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Sánchez, María-José; Idahl, Annika; Travis, Ruth C; Rinaldi, Sabina; Merritt, Melissa A; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Tworoger, Shelley S; Kaaks, Rudolf; Fortner, Renée T

    PURPOSE: Biologic evidence suggests that the Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-family may be involved in the etiology of epithelial invasive ovarian cancer (EOC). However, prospective studies investigating the role of IGF-I in ovarian carcinogenesis have yielded conflicting results. METHODS: We

  10. The effect of neighboring cells on the stiffness of cancerous and non-cancerous human mammary epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, Xinyi; Bonin, Keith; Guthold, Martin; Scarpinato, Karin

    2014-01-01

    Using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) with a 5.3 μm diameter spherical probe, we determined mechanical properties of individual human mammary epithelial cells. The cells were derived from a pair of cell lines that mimic cell progression through four phases of neoplastic transformation: normal (non-transformed), immortal, tumorigenic, and metastatic. Measurements on cells in all four phases were taken over both the cytoplasmic and nuclear regions. Moreover, the measurements were made for cells in different microenvironments as related to cell–cell contacts: isolated cells; cells residing on the periphery of a contiguous cell monolayer; and cells on the inside of a contiguous cell monolayer. By fitting the AFM force versus indentation curves to a Hertz model, we determined the pseudo-elastic Young’s modulus, E. Combining all data for the cellular subregions (over nucleus and cytoplasm) and the different cell microenvironments, we obtained stiffness values for normal, immortal, tumorigenic, and metastatic cells of 870 Pa, 870 Pa, 490 Pa, and 580 Pa, respectively. That is, cells become softer as they advance to the tumorigenic phase and then stiffen somewhat in the final step to metastatic cells. We also found a distinct contrast in the influence of a cell’s microenvironment on cell stiffness. Normal mammary epithelial cells inside a monolayer are stiffer than peripheral cells, which are stiffer than isolated cells. However, the microenvironment had a slight, opposite effect on tumorigenic and little effect on immortal and metastatic cell stiffness. Thus, the stiffness of cancer cells is less sensitive to the microenvironment than normal cells. Our results show that the mechanical properties of a cell can depend on cancer progression and microenvironment (cell–cell interactions). (paper)

  11. The effect of neighboring cells on the stiffness of cancerous and non-cancerous human mammary epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Xinyi; Bonin, Keith; Scarpinato, Karin; Guthold, Martin

    2014-10-01

    Using an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) with a 5.3 μm diameter spherical probe, we determined mechanical properties of individual human mammary epithelial cells. The cells were derived from a pair of cell lines that mimic cell progression through four phases of neoplastic transformation: normal (non-transformed), immortal, tumorigenic, and metastatic. Measurements on cells in all four phases were taken over both the cytoplasmic and nuclear regions. Moreover, the measurements were made for cells in different microenvironments as related to cell-cell contacts: isolated cells; cells residing on the periphery of a contiguous cell monolayer; and cells on the inside of a contiguous cell monolayer. By fitting the AFM force versus indentation curves to a Hertz model, we determined the pseudo-elastic Young’s modulus, E. Combining all data for the cellular subregions (over nucleus and cytoplasm) and the different cell microenvironments, we obtained stiffness values for normal, immortal, tumorigenic, and metastatic cells of 870 Pa, 870 Pa, 490 Pa, and 580 Pa, respectively. That is, cells become softer as they advance to the tumorigenic phase and then stiffen somewhat in the final step to metastatic cells. We also found a distinct contrast in the influence of a cell’s microenvironment on cell stiffness. Normal mammary epithelial cells inside a monolayer are stiffer than peripheral cells, which are stiffer than isolated cells. However, the microenvironment had a slight, opposite effect on tumorigenic and little effect on immortal and metastatic cell stiffness. Thus, the stiffness of cancer cells is less sensitive to the microenvironment than normal cells. Our results show that the mechanical properties of a cell can depend on cancer progression and microenvironment (cell-cell interactions).

  12. Hedgehog Signaling Regulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Pancreatic Cancer Stem-Like Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Feng; Ma, Ling; Zhang, Zhengkui; Liu, Xiaoran; Gao, Hongqiao; Zhuang, Yan; Yang, Pei; Kornmann, Marko; Tian, Xiaodong; Yang, Yinmo

    2016-01-01

    Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is crucially involved in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to assess the role of Hh signaling in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness properties and chemoresistance of human pancreatic Panc-1 cancer stem cells (CSCs). Panc-1 cells were transfected with recombinant lentiviral vectors to silence SMO and serum-free floating-culture system was used to isolate Panc-1 tumorspheres. The expression of CSC and EMT markers was detected by flow cytometry, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Malignant behaviors of Panc-1 CSC were evaluated by tumorigenicity assays and nude mouse lung metastasis model. We found that tumorspheres derived from pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1 possessed self-renewal, differentiation and stemness properties. Hh pathway and EMT were active in Panc-1 tumorspheres. Inhibition of Hh signaling by SMO knockdown inhibited self-renewal, EMT, invasion, chemoresistance, pulmonary metastasis, tumorigenesis of pancreatic CSCs. In conclusion, Hh signaling contributes to the maintenance of stem-like properties and chemoresistance of pancreatic CSC and promotes the tumorigenesis and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Hh pathway is a potential molecular target for the development of therapeutic strategies for pancreatic CSCs. PMID:26918054

  13. An mDia2/ROCK signaling axis regulates invasive egress from epithelial ovarian cancer spheroids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pettee, Krista M; Dvorak, Kaitlyn M; Nestor-Kalinoski, Andrea L; Eisenmann, Kathryn M

    2014-01-01

    Multi-cellular spheroids are enriched in ascites of epithelial ovarian cancer (OvCa) patients. They represent an invasive and chemoresistant cellular population fundamental to metastatic dissemination. The molecular mechanisms triggering single cell invasive egress from spheroids remain enigmatic. mDia formins are Rho GTPase effectors that are key regulators of F-actin cytoskeletal dynamics. We hypothesized that mDia2-driven F-actin dynamics promote single cell invasive transitions in clinically relevant three-dimensional (3D) OvCa spheroids. The current study is a dissection of the contribution of the F-actin assembly factor mDia2 formin in invasive transitions and using a clinically relevant ovarian cancer spheroid model. We show that RhoA-directed mDia2 activity is required for tight spheroid organization, and enrichment of mDia2 in the invasive cellular protrusions of collagen-embedded OVCA429 spheroids. Depleting mDia2 in ES-2 spheroids enhanced invasive dissemination of single amoeboid-shaped cells. This contrasts with spheroids treated with control siRNA, where a mesenchymal invasion program predominated. Inhibition of another RhoA effector, ROCK, had no impact on ES-2 spheroid formation but dramatically inhibited spheroid invasion through induction of a highly elongated morphology. Concurrent inhibition of ROCK and mDia2 blocked single cell invasion from ES-2 spheroids more effectively than inhibition of either protein alone, indicating that invasive egress of amoeboid cells from mDia2-depleted spheroids is ROCK-dependent. Our findings indicate that multiple GTPase effectors must be suppressed in order to fully block invasive egress from ovarian cancer spheroids. Furthermore, tightly regulated interplay between ROCK and mDia2 signaling pathways dictates the invasive capacities and the type of invasion program utilized by motile spheroid-derived ovarian cancer cells. As loss of the gene encoding mDia2, DRF3, has been linked to cancer progression and

  14. An mDia2/ROCK signaling axis regulates invasive egress from epithelial ovarian cancer spheroids.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Krista M Pettee

    Full Text Available Multi-cellular spheroids are enriched in ascites of epithelial ovarian cancer (OvCa patients. They represent an invasive and chemoresistant cellular population fundamental to metastatic dissemination. The molecular mechanisms triggering single cell invasive egress from spheroids remain enigmatic. mDia formins are Rho GTPase effectors that are key regulators of F-actin cytoskeletal dynamics. We hypothesized that mDia2-driven F-actin dynamics promote single cell invasive transitions in clinically relevant three-dimensional (3D OvCa spheroids. The current study is a dissection of the contribution of the F-actin assembly factor mDia2 formin in invasive transitions and using a clinically relevant ovarian cancer spheroid model. We show that RhoA-directed mDia2 activity is required for tight spheroid organization, and enrichment of mDia2 in the invasive cellular protrusions of collagen-embedded OVCA429 spheroids. Depleting mDia2 in ES-2 spheroids enhanced invasive dissemination of single amoeboid-shaped cells. This contrasts with spheroids treated with control siRNA, where a mesenchymal invasion program predominated. Inhibition of another RhoA effector, ROCK, had no impact on ES-2 spheroid formation but dramatically inhibited spheroid invasion through induction of a highly elongated morphology. Concurrent inhibition of ROCK and mDia2 blocked single cell invasion from ES-2 spheroids more effectively than inhibition of either protein alone, indicating that invasive egress of amoeboid cells from mDia2-depleted spheroids is ROCK-dependent. Our findings indicate that multiple GTPase effectors must be suppressed in order to fully block invasive egress from ovarian cancer spheroids. Furthermore, tightly regulated interplay between ROCK and mDia2 signaling pathways dictates the invasive capacities and the type of invasion program utilized by motile spheroid-derived ovarian cancer cells. As loss of the gene encoding mDia2, DRF3, has been linked to cancer

  15. Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer: Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Wei; Danforth, Kim N; Tworoger, Shelley S; Goodman, Marc T; Arslan, Alan A; Patel, Alpa V; McCullough, Marjorie L; Weinstein, Stephanie J; Kolonel, Laurence N; Purdue, Mark P; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Snyder, Kirk; Steplowski, Emily; Visvanathan, Kala; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Gao, Yu-Tang; Hankinson, Susan E; Harvey, Chinonye; Hayes, Richard B; Henderson, Brian E; Horst, Ronald L; Helzlsouer, Kathy J

    2010-07-01

    A role for vitamin D in ovarian cancer etiology is supported by ecologic studies of sunlight exposure, experimental mechanism studies, and some studies of dietary vitamin D intake and genetic polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor. However, few studies have examined the association of circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), an integrated measure of vitamin D status, with ovarian cancer risk. A nested case-control study was conducted among 7 prospective studies to evaluate the circulating 25(OH)D concentration in relation to epithelial ovarian cancer risk. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals among 516 cases and 770 matched controls. Compared with 25(OH)D concentrations of 50- or =75 (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.79, 1.55) nmol/L. Analyses stratified by tumor subtype, age, body mass index, and other variables were generally null but suggested an inverse association between 25(OH)D and ovarian cancer risk among women with a body mass index of > or =25 kg/m(2) (P(interaction) < 0.01). In conclusion, this large pooled analysis did not support an overall association between circulating 25(OH)D and ovarian cancer risk, except possibly among overweight women.

  16. Endothelial induced EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Valgardur Sigurdsson

    Full Text Available Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT is a critical event in cancer progression and is closely linked to the breast epithelial cancer stem cell phenotype. Given the close interaction between the vascular endothelium and cancer cells, especially at the invasive front, we asked whether endothelial cells might play a role in EMT. Using a 3D culture model we demonstrate that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in D492 an immortalized breast epithelial cell line with stem cell properties. Endothelial induced mesenchymal-like cells (D492M derived from D492, show reduced expression of keratins, a switch from E-Cadherin (E-Cad to N-Cadherin (N-Cad and enhanced migration. Acquisition of cancer stem cell associated characteristics like increased CD44(high/CD24(low ratio, resistance to apoptosis and anchorage independent growth was also seen in D492M cells. Endothelial induced EMT in D492 was partially blocked by inhibition of HGF signaling. Basal-like breast cancer, a vascular rich cancer with stem cell properties and adverse prognosis has been linked with EMT. We immunostained several basal-like breast cancer samples for endothelial and EMT markers. Cancer cells close to the vascular rich areas show no or decreased expression of E-Cad and increased N-Cad expression suggesting EMT. Collectively, we have shown in a 3D culture model that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate that basal-like breast cancer contains cells with an EMT phenotype, most prominently close to vascular rich areas of these tumors. We conclude that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT and may play a role in progression of basal-like breast cancer.

  17. Endothelial induced EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sigurdsson, Valgardur; Hilmarsdottir, Bylgja; Sigmundsdottir, Hekla; Fridriksdottir, Agla J R; Ringnér, Markus; Villadsen, Rene; Borg, Ake; Agnarsson, Bjarni A; Petersen, Ole William; Magnusson, Magnus K; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn

    2011-01-01

    Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical event in cancer progression and is closely linked to the breast epithelial cancer stem cell phenotype. Given the close interaction between the vascular endothelium and cancer cells, especially at the invasive front, we asked whether endothelial cells might play a role in EMT. Using a 3D culture model we demonstrate that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in D492 an immortalized breast epithelial cell line with stem cell properties. Endothelial induced mesenchymal-like cells (D492M) derived from D492, show reduced expression of keratins, a switch from E-Cadherin (E-Cad) to N-Cadherin (N-Cad) and enhanced migration. Acquisition of cancer stem cell associated characteristics like increased CD44(high)/CD24(low) ratio, resistance to apoptosis and anchorage independent growth was also seen in D492M cells. Endothelial induced EMT in D492 was partially blocked by inhibition of HGF signaling. Basal-like breast cancer, a vascular rich cancer with stem cell properties and adverse prognosis has been linked with EMT. We immunostained several basal-like breast cancer samples for endothelial and EMT markers. Cancer cells close to the vascular rich areas show no or decreased expression of E-Cad and increased N-Cad expression suggesting EMT. Collectively, we have shown in a 3D culture model that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT in breast epithelial cells with stem cell properties. Furthermore, we demonstrate that basal-like breast cancer contains cells with an EMT phenotype, most prominently close to vascular rich areas of these tumors. We conclude that endothelial cells are potent inducers of EMT and may play a role in progression of basal-like breast cancer.

  18. DMBT1 encodes a protein involved in the immune defense and in epithelial differentiation and is highly unstable in cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mollenhauer, J; Herbertz, S; Holmskov, U

    2000-01-01

    in the respiratory immune defense. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed that DMBT1 is produced by both tumor-associated macrophages and tumor cells and that it is deregulated in glioblastoma multiforme in comparison to normal brain tissue. Our data further suggest that the proteins CRP-ductin and hensin, both...... of which have been implicated in epithelial differentiation, are the DMBT1 orthologs in mice and rabbits, respectively. These findings and the spatial and temporal distribution of DMBT1 in fetal and adult epithelia suggest that DMBT1 further plays a role in epithelial development. Rearrangements of DMBT1......, DMBT1 is a gene that is highly unstable in cancer and encodes for a protein with at least two different functions, one in the immune defense and a second one in epithelial differentiation....

  19. The fibroblast surface markers FAP, anti-fibroblast, and FSP are expressed by cells of epithelial origin and may be altered during epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kahounová, Zuzana; Kurfürstová, Daniela; Bouchal, Jan; Kharaishvili, Gvantsa; Navrátil, Jiří; Remšík, Ján; Šimečková, Šárka; Študent, Vladimír; Kozubík, Alois; Souček, Karel

    2017-04-06

    The identification of fibroblasts and cancer-associated fibroblasts from human cancer tissue using surface markers is difficult, especially because the markers used currently are usually not expressed solely by fibroblasts, and the identification of fibroblast-specific surface molecules is still under investigation. It was aimed to compare three commercially available antibodies in the detection of different surface epitopes of fibroblasts (anti-fibroblast, fibroblast activation protein α, and fibroblast surface protein). The specificity of their expression, employing fibroblast cell lines and tumor-derived fibroblasts from breast and prostate tissues was investigated. Both the established fibroblast cell line HFF-1 and ex vivo primary fibroblasts isolated from breast and prostate cancer tissues expressed the tested surface markers to different degrees. Surprisingly, those markers were expressed also by permanent cell lines of epithelial origin, both benign and cancer-derived (breast-cell lines MCF 10A, HMLE and prostate-cell lines BPH-1, DU 145, and PC-3). The expression of fibroblast activation protein α increased on the surface of previously described models of epithelial cells undergoing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in response to treatment with TGF-β1. To prove the co-expression of the fibroblast markers on cells of epithelial origin, we used freshly dissociated human prostate and breast cancer tissues. The results confirmed the co-expression of anti-fibroblast and fibroblast surface protein on CD31/CD45-negative/EpCAM-positive epithelial cells. In summary, our data support the findings that the tested fibroblast markers are not fibroblast specific and may be expressed also by cells of epithelial origin (e.g., cells undergoing EMT). Therefore, the expression of these markers should be interpreted with caution, and the combination of several epitopes for both positive (anti-fibroblast or fibroblast activation protein α) and negative (Ep

  20. Upregulation of CD147 promotes cell invasion, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and activates MAPK/ERK signaling pathway in colorectal cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Xu, Tao; Zhou, Mingliang; Peng, Lipan; Kong, Shuai; Miao, Ruizheng; Shi, Yulong; Sheng, Hongguang; Li, Leping

    2014-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the world. CD147, a transmembrane protein, has been reported to be correlated with various cancers. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanism of CD147 in regulating drug resistance, cell invasion and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CRC cells. qRT-PCR and western blotting were used to evaluated the expression of CD147 in 40 CRC cases and 4 cell lines. Increased expression of CD147 at both mRNA and protein lev...

  1. Molecular basis of potassium channels in pancreatic duct epithelial cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hayashi, M.; Novak, Ivana

    2013-01-01

    Potassium channels regulate excitability, epithelial ion transport, proliferation, and apoptosis. In pancreatic ducts, K channels hyperpolarize the membrane potential and provide the driving force for anion secretion. This review focuses on the molecular candidates of functional K channels...... and pancreatic pathologies, including pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, and cancer, in which the dysregulation or altered expression of K channels may be of importance....

  2. MDA-9/Syntenin (SDCBP) modulates small GTPases RhoA and Cdc42 via transforming growth factor β1 to enhance epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menezes, Mitchell E; Shen, Xue-Ning; Das, Swadesh K; Emdad, Luni; Sarkar, Devanand; Fisher, Paul B

    2016-12-06

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is one of the decisive steps regulating cancer invasion and metastasis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this transition require further clarification. MDA-9/syntenin (SDCBP) expression is elevated in breast cancer patient samples as well as cultured breast cancer cells. Silencing expression of MDA-9 in mesenchymal metastatic breast cancer cells triggered a change in cell morphology in both 2D- and 3D-cultures to a more epithelial-like phenotype, along with changes in EMT markers, cytoskeletal rearrangement and decreased invasion. Conversely, over expressing MDA-9 in epithelial non-metastatic breast cancer cells instigated a change in morphology to a more mesenchymal phenotype with corresponding changes in EMT markers, cytoskeletal rearrangement and an increase in invasion. We also found that MDA-9 upregulated active levels of known modulators of EMT, the small GTPases RhoA and Cdc42, via TGFβ1. Reintroducing TGFβ1 in MDA-9 silenced cells restored active RhoA and cdc42 levels, modulated cytoskeletal rearrangement and increased invasion. We further determined that MDA-9 interacts with TGFβ1 via its PDZ1 domain. Finally, in vivo studies demonstrated that silencing the expression of MDA-9 resulted in decreased lung metastasis and TGFβ1 re-expression partially restored lung metastases. Our findings provide evidence for the relevance of MDA-9 in mediating EMT in breast cancer and support the potential of MDA-9 as a therapeutic target against metastatic disease.

  3. miR-136 targets MIEN1 and involves the metastasis of colon cancer by suppressing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ren H

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Haipeng Ren,1 Yuanling Qi,1 Xiaoyan Yin,2 Jianfeng Gao1 1Department of Internal Medicine of Oncology, People’s Hospital of Weifang, Weifang, 2Health and Family Planning Bureau of Weifang, Shouguang, People’s Republic of China Abstract: MIEN1 is a novel oncogene, and it involves tumor progression in various cancer types, including colon cancer. However, the definite molecular mechanisms of MIEN1 in colon cancer progression remain to be completely elucidated. In the present study, bioinformatics prediction showed that miR-136 could be an upstream regulator of MIEN1; a luciferase assay and Western blot assay revealed that miR-136 negatively regulates MIEN1 expression via directly targeting its 3'-untranslated region sequence. Moreover, a functional assay using wound healing and transwell invasion showed that overexpressed miR-136 inhibited cell migration and invasion, and overexpression of MIEN1 partly rescued the above-mentioned effects of miR-136 in colon cancer cells. Additionally, a clinical sample assay showed that miR-136 expression was generally downregulated in colon cancer tissue, which was inversely correlated with MIEN1 expression. Furthermore, we found that miR-136 suppressed the Akt/NF-κB signaling pathway and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer. These results suggest that miR-136, as a tumor suppressor, acts in tumor metastasis by suppressing MIEN1 expression in colon cancer, providing a novel target for the treatment of colon cancer. Keywords: colon cancer, miR-136, MIEN1, migration, invasion

  4. HE4 as a predictor of adjuvant chemotherapy resistance and survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Aarenstrup Karlsen, Mona; Høgdall, Claus; Nedergaard, Lotte

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the value of serum human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) and HE4 tissue protein expression to predict tumor resistance to adjuvant chemotherapy, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Consecutive...... inclusion of 198 patients diagnosed with EOC was conducted. Blood samples were collected prior to surgery and tissue samples during surgery. Patient data were registered prospectively in the Danish Gynecologic Cancer Database. The association between serum HE4 and HE4 tissue protein expression, resistance...... significantly (p tissue protein expression...

  5. Germline polymorphisms in an enhancer of PSIP1 are associated with progression-free survival in epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    French, Juliet D; Johnatty, Sharon E; Lu, Yi

    2016-01-01

    Women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are usually treated with platinum/taxane therapy after cytoreductive surgery but there is considerable inter-individual variation in response. To identify germline single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that contribute to variations in individual responses...... binding of the Sp1 transcription factor, which is critical for chromatin interactions with PSIP1. Silencing of PSIP1 significantly impaired DNA damage-induced Rad51 nuclear foci and reduced cell viability in ovarian cancer lines. PSIP1 (PC4 and SFRS1 Interacting Protein 1) is known to protect cells from...

  6. Chromosome aberration induction in human diploid fibroblast and epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, D.

    1986-01-01

    The relative sensitivity of cultured human fibroblasts and epithelial cells to radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations was investigated. Lung fibroblast and kidney epithelial cells from the same fetus were compared, as were skin fibroblasts and epithelial keratinocytes from the same foreskin sample. After exposure of proliferating fetal cells to 1.5 Gy X-rays there was a very similar aberration yield in the fibroblasts and epithelial cells. Observations of either little or no difference in chromosomal sensitivity between human fibroblasts and epithelial cells give added confidence that quantitative cytogenetic data obtained from cultured fibroblasts are relevant to the question of sensitivity of epithelial cells which are the predominant cell type in human cancers. (author)

  7. Telocinobufagin inhibits the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/Snail signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Yuxue; Shi, Lihong; Cao, Zhen; Zhu, Xuetao; Li, Feng; Wang, Ruyan; Xu, Jinyuan; Zhong, Jinyi; Zhang, Baogang; Lu, Shijun

    2018-05-01

    Telocinobufagin (TBG), an active ingredient of Venenumbufonis , exhibits an immunomodulatory activity. However, its antimetastatic activity in breast cancer remains unknown. The present study investigated whether TBG prevents breast cancer metastasis and evaluated its regulatory mechanism. TBG inhibited the migration and invasion of 4T1 breast cancer cells. Furthermore, TBG triggered the collapse of F-actin filaments in breast cancer. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, vimentin and fibronectin, were downregulated following TBG treatment. However, E-cadherin was upregulated following TBG treatment. Snail, a crucial transcriptional factor of EMT, was downregulated following TBG treatment. Signaling pathway markers, including phosphorylated protein kinase B (P-Akt), p-mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) and p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), were decreased following TBG treatment. The same results were obtained from in vivo experiments. In conclusion, in vitro and in vivo experiments reveal that TBG inhibited migration, invasion and EMT via the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/ERK/Snail signaling pathway in breast cancer.

  8. Pten Regulates Epithelial Cytodifferentiation during Prostate Development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lokody, Isabel B; Francis, Jeffrey C; Gardiner, Jennifer R

    2015-01-01

    that are shared with Pten mutant prostate cancer models, including a decrease in androgen receptor regulated genes. In depth analysis of the phenotype of these mice during development revealed that loss of Pten leads to the precocious differentiation of epithelial cells towards a luminal cell fate. This study......Gene expression and functional studies have indicated that the molecular programmes involved in prostate development are also active in prostate cancer. PTEN has been implicated in human prostate cancer and is frequently mutated in this disease. Here, using the Nkx3.1:Cre mouse strain and a genetic...... deletion approach, we investigate the role of Pten specifically in the developing mouse prostate epithelia. In contrast to its role in other developing organs, this gene is dispensable for the initial developmental processes such as budding and branching. However, as cytodifferentiation progresses...

  9. Uranium induces oxidative stress in lung epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Periyakaruppan, Adaikkappan; Kumar, Felix; Sarkar, Shubhashish; Sharma, Chidananda S.; Ramesh, Govindarajan T.

    2007-01-01

    Uranium compounds are widely used in the nuclear fuel cycle, antitank weapons, tank armor, and also as a pigment to color ceramics and glass. Effective management of waste uranium compounds is necessary to prevent exposure to avoid adverse health effects on the population. Health risks associated with uranium exposure includes kidney disease and respiratory disorders. In addition, several published results have shown uranium or depleted uranium causes DNA damage, mutagenicity, cancer and neurological defects. In the current study, uranium toxicity was evaluated in rat lung epithelial cells. The study shows uranium induces significant oxidative stress in rat lung epithelial cells followed by concomitant decrease in the antioxidant potential of the cells. Treatment with uranium to rat lung epithelial cells also decreased cell proliferation after 72 h in culture. The decrease in cell proliferation was attributed to loss of total glutathione and superoxide dismutase in the presence of uranium. Thus the results indicate the ineffectiveness of antioxidant system's response to the oxidative stress induced by uranium in the cells. (orig.)

  10. Suppression of the epidermal growth factor receptor inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Zhi-Gang; Wei, Jun-Min; Qin, Chang-Fu; Hao, Kun; Tian, Xiao-Dong; Xie, Kun; Xie, Xue-Hai; Yang, Yin-Mo

    2012-05-01

    Aberrant expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been detected in pancreatic cancer; however, the mechanisms of EGFR in inducing pancreatic cancer development have not been adequately elucidated. The objective of this study was to determine the role of EGFR in mediating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic cancer cells. Pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 was transfected with small interfering RNA of EGFR by use of a lentiviral expression vector to establish an EGFR-knockdown cell line (si-PANC-1). PANC-1 cells transfected with lentiviral vector expressing negative control sequence were used as negative control (NC-PANC-1). Scratch assay and transwell study were used to analyze cell migration and invasion. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of EMT markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin and transcription factors snail, slug, twist1, and sip1 in PANC-1, NC-PANC-1, and si-PANC-1 cells. Immunofluorescent staining with these antibodies and confocal microscopy were used to observe their cellular location and morphologic changes. After RNA interference of EGFR, the migration and invasion ability of si-PANC-1 cells decreased significantly. The expression of epithelial phenotype marker E-cadherin increased and the expression of mesenchymal phenotype markers N-cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin decreased, indicating reversion of EMT. We also observed intracellular translocation of E-cadherin. Expression of transcription factors snail and slug in si-PANC-1 cells decreased significantly. Suppression of EGFR expression can significantly inhibit EMT of pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. The mechanism may be related with the down-regulation of the expression of transcription factors snail and slug.

  11. Transformation of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Stemlike Cells into Mesenchymal Lineage via EMT Results in Cellular Heterogeneity and Supports Tumor Engraftment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Hua; Lin, Xiaolong; Liu, Yingtao; Gong, Wenjia; Ma, Xiaoling; Yu, Yinhua; Xie, Yi; Sun, Xiaoxi; Feng, Youji; Janzen, Viktor; Chen, Tong

    2012-01-01

    Ovarian cancers are heterogeneous and contain stemlike cells that are able to self-renew and are responsible for sustained tumor growth. Metastasis in the peritoneal cavity occurs more frequently in ovarian cancer than in other malignancies, but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. We have identified that ovarian cancer stemlike cells (CSCs), which were defined as side population (SP) cells, were present in patients’ ascitic fluid and mesenchymally transformed cell lines, ES-2 and HO-8910PM. SP cells, which were sorted from both cell lines and implanted into immunocompromised mice, were localized to the xenografted tumor boundary. In addition, SP cells exhibited an epithelial phenotype and showed a distinct gene expression profile with reduced expression of cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), indicating that SP cells exert an important role in ovarian cancer progression on the basis of their delicate interaction with the surrounding microenvironment and anatomical localization in tumors. In contrast, non-SP cells exhibited a more mesenchymal phenotype and showed more increased invasive potential than SP cells. This heterogeneity was observed as an endogenous transformation via the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process. Inhibition of the EMT process by Snail1 silencing reduced the SP cell frequency, and affected their invasive capacity and engraftment. These findings illustrate the interplay between epithelial ovarian CSCs and the EMT, and exert a link to explain tumor heterogeneity and its necessity for ovarian cancer maintenance, metastasis and progression. PMID:22801793

  12. Enhancement of early cervical cancer diagnosis with epithelial layer analysis of fluorescence lifetime images.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Gu

    Full Text Available This work reports the use of layer analysis to aid the fluorescence lifetime diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN from H&E stained cervical tissue sections. The mean and standard deviation of lifetimes in single region of interest (ROI of cervical epithelium were previously shown to correlate to the gold standard histopathological classification of early cervical cancer. These previously defined single ROIs were evenly divided into layers for analysis. A 10-layer model revealed a steady increase in fluorescence lifetime from the inner to the outer epithelial layers of healthy tissue sections, suggesting a close association with cellular maturity. The shorter lifetime and minimal lifetime increase towards the epithelial surface of CIN-affected regions are in good agreement with the absence of cellular maturation in CIN. Mean layer lifetimes in the top-half cervical epithelium were used as feature vectors for extreme learning machine (ELM classifier discriminations. It was found that the proposed layer analysis technique greatly improves the sensitivity and specificity to 94.6% and 84.3%, respectively, which can better supplement the traditional gold standard cervical histopathological examinations.

  13. Ovarian cancer at young age: the contribution of mismatch-repair defects in a population-based series of epithelial ovarian

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Domanska, K; Malander, S; Måsbäck, A

    2007-01-01

    age is a hallmark of heredity, and ovarian cancers associated with HNPCC have been demonstrated to develop at a particularly early age. We used the Swedish Cancer Registry to identify a population-based series of 98 invasive epithelial ovarian cancers that developed before 40 years. Mucinous......At least one of ten patients with ovarian cancer is estimated to develop their tumor because of heredity with the breast and ovarian cancer syndrome due to mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes and hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) being the major genetic causes. Cancer at young...... and endometrioid cancers were overrepresented and were diagnosed in 27% and 16% of the tumors, respectively. Immunostaining using antibodies against MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6 was used to assess the mismatch-repair status and revealed loss of expression of MLH1/PMS2 in two cases, loss of MSH2/MSH6 in one case...

  14. Tacrolimus Modulates TGF-β Signaling to Induce Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Human Renal Proximal Tubule Epithelial Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason Bennett

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT, a process which describes the trans-differentiation of epithelial cells into motile mesenchymal cells, is pivotal in stem cell behavior, development and wound healing, as well as contributing to disease processes including fibrosis and cancer progression. Maintenance immunosuppression with calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs has become routine management for renal transplant patient, but unfortunately the nephrotoxicity of these drugs has been well documented. HK-2 cells were exposed to Tacrolimus (FK506 and EMT markers were assessed by RT PCR and western blot. FK506 effects on TGF-β mRNA were assessed by RT PCR and TGF-β secretion was measured by ELISA. The impact of increased TGF-β secretion on Smad signaling pathways was investigated. The impact of inhibition of TGF-β signaling on EMT processes was assessed by scratch-wound assay. The results presented in this study suggest that FK506 initiates EMT processes in the HK-2 cell line, with altered expression of epithelial and myofibroblast markers evident. Additionally, the study demonstrates that FK506 activation of the TGF-β/ SMAD pathways is an essential step in the EMT process. Overall the results demonstrate that EMT is heavily involved in renal fibrosis associated with CNI nephrotoxicity.

  15. Identification of six new susceptibility loci for invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B; Ramus, Susan J; Tyrer, Jonathan; Lee, Andrew; Shen, Howard C; Beesley, Jonathan; Lawrenson, Kate; McGuffog, Lesley; Healey, Sue; Lee, Janet M; Spindler, Tassja J; Lin, Yvonne G; Pejovic, Tanja; Bean, Yukie; Li, Qiyuan; Coetzee, Simon; Hazelett, Dennis; Miron, Alexander; Southey, Melissa; Terry, Mary Beth; Goldgar, David E; Buys, Saundra S; Janavicius, Ramunas; Dorfling, Cecilia M; van Rensburg, Elizabeth J; Neuhausen, Susan L; Ding, Yuan Chun; Hansen, Thomas V O; Jønson, Lars; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Ejlertsen, Bent; Barrowdale, Daniel; Dennis, Joe; Benitez, Javier; Osorio, Ana; Garcia, Maria Jose; Komenaka, Ian; Weitzel, Jeffrey N; Ganschow, Pamela; Peterlongo, Paolo; Bernard, Loris; Viel, Alessandra; Bonanni, Bernardo; Peissel, Bernard; Manoukian, Siranoush; Radice, Paolo; Papi, Laura; Ottini, Laura; Fostira, Florentia; Konstantopoulou, Irene; Garber, Judy; Frost, Debra; Perkins, Jo; Platte, Radka; Ellis, Steve; Godwin, Andrew K; Schmutzler, Rita Katharina; Meindl, Alfons; Engel, Christoph; Sutter, Christian; Sinilnikova, Olga M; Damiola, Francesca; Mazoyer, Sylvie; Stoppa-Lyonnet, Dominique; Claes, Kathleen; De Leeneer, Kim; Kirk, Judy; Rodriguez, Gustavo C; Piedmonte, Marion; O'Malley, David M; de la Hoya, Miguel; Caldes, Trinidad; Aittomäki, Kristiina; Nevanlinna, Heli; Collée, J Margriet; Rookus, Matti A; Oosterwijk, Jan C; Tihomirova, Laima; Tung, Nadine; Hamann, Ute; Isaccs, Claudine; Tischkowitz, Marc; Imyanitov, Evgeny N; Caligo, Maria A; Campbell, Ian G; Hogervorst, Frans B L; Olah, Edith; Diez, Orland; Blanco, Ignacio; Brunet, Joan; Lazaro, Conxi; Pujana, Miquel Angel; Jakubowska, Anna; Gronwald, Jacek; Lubinski, Jan; Sukiennicki, Grzegorz; Barkardottir, Rosa B; Plante, Marie; Simard, Jacques; Soucy, Penny; Montagna, Marco; Tognazzo, Silvia; Teixeira, Manuel R; Pankratz, Vernon S; Wang, Xianshu; Lindor, Noralane; Szabo, Csilla I; Kauff, Noah; Vijai, Joseph; Aghajanian, Carol A; Pfeiler, Georg; Berger, Andreas; Singer, Christian F; Tea, Muy-Kheng; Phelan, Catherine M; Greene, Mark H; Mai, Phuong L; Rennert, Gad; Mulligan, Anna Marie; Tchatchou, Sandrine; Andrulis, Irene L; Glendon, Gord; Toland, Amanda Ewart; Jensen, Uffe Birk; Kruse, Torben A; Thomassen, Mads; Bojesen, Anders; Zidan, Jamal; Friedman, Eitan; Laitman, Yael; Soller, Maria; Liljegren, Annelie; Arver, Brita; Einbeigi, Zakaria; Stenmark-Askmalm, Marie; Olopade, Olufunmilayo I; Nussbaum, Robert L; Rebbeck, Timothy R; Nathanson, Katherine L; Domchek, Susan M; Lu, Karen H; Karlan, Beth Y; Walsh, Christine; Lester, Jenny; Hein, Alexander; Ekici, Arif B; Beckmann, Matthias W; Fasching, Peter A; Lambrechts, Diether; Van Nieuwenhuysen, Els; Vergote, Ignace; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Dicks, Ed; Doherty, Jennifer A; Wicklund, Kristine G; Rossing, Mary Anne; Rudolph, Anja; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Wang-Gohrke, Shan; Eilber, Ursula; Moysich, Kirsten B; Odunsi, Kunle; Sucheston, Lara; Lele, Shashi; Wilkens, Lynne R; Goodman, Marc T; Thompson, Pamela J; Shvetsov, Yurii B; Runnebaum, Ingo B; Dürst, Matthias; Hillemanns, Peter; Dörk, Thilo; Antonenkova, Natalia; Bogdanova, Natalia; Leminen, Arto; Pelttari, Liisa M; Butzow, Ralf; Modugno, Francesmary; Kelley, Joseph L; Edwards, Robert P; Ness, Roberta B; du Bois, Andreas; Heitz, Florian; Schwaab, Ira; Harter, Philipp; Matsuo, Keitaro; Hosono, Satoyo; Orsulic, Sandra; Jensen, Allan; Kjaer, Susanne Kruger; Hogdall, Estrid; Hasmad, Hanis Nazihah; Azmi, Mat Adenan Noor; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Woo, Yin-Ling; Fridley, Brooke L; Goode, Ellen L; Cunningham, Julie M; Vierkant, Robert A; Bruinsma, Fiona; Giles, Graham G; Liang, Dong; Hildebrandt, Michelle A T; Wu, Xifeng; Levine, Douglas A; Bisogna, Maria; Berchuck, Andrew; Iversen, Edwin S; Schildkraut, Joellen M; Concannon, Patrick; Weber, Rachel Palmieri; Cramer, Daniel W; Terry, Kathryn L; Poole, Elizabeth M; Tworoger, Shelley S; Bandera, Elisa V; Orlow, Irene; Olson, Sara H; Krakstad, Camilla; Salvesen, Helga B; Tangen, Ingvild L; Bjorge, Line; van Altena, Anne M; Aben, Katja K H; Kiemeney, Lambertus A; Massuger, Leon F A G; Kellar, Melissa; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Kelemen, Linda E; Cook, Linda S; Le, Nhu D; Cybulski, Cezary; Yang, Hannah; Lissowska, Jolanta; Brinton, Louise A; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Hogdall, Claus; Lundvall, Lene; Nedergaard, Lotte; Baker, Helen; Song, Honglin; Eccles, Diana; McNeish, Ian; Paul, James; Carty, Karen; Siddiqui, Nadeem; Glasspool, Rosalind; Whittemore, Alice S; Rothstein, Joseph H; McGuire, Valerie; Sieh, Weiva; Ji, Bu-Tian; Zheng, Wei; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Gao, Yu-Tang; Rosen, Barry; Risch, Harvey A; McLaughlin, John R; Narod, Steven A; Monteiro, Alvaro N; Chen, Ann; Lin, Hui-Yi; Permuth-Wey, Jenny; Sellers, Thomas A; Tsai, Ya-Yu; Chen, Zhihua; Ziogas, Argyrios; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Menon, Usha; Harrington, Patricia; Lee, Alice W; Wu, Anna H; Pearce, Celeste L; Coetzee, Gerry; Pike, Malcolm C; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Timorek, Agnieszka; Rzepecka, Iwona K; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Freedman, Matt; Noushmehr, Houtan; Easton, Douglas F; Offit, Kenneth; Couch, Fergus J; Gayther, Simon; Pharoah, Paul P; Antoniou, Antonis C; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia

    2015-02-01

    Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified 12 epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) susceptibility alleles. The pattern of association at these loci is consistent in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers who are at high risk of EOC. After imputation to 1000 Genomes Project data, we assessed associations of 11 million genetic variants with EOC risk from 15,437 cases unselected for family history and 30,845 controls and from 15,252 BRCA1 mutation carriers and 8,211 BRCA2 mutation carriers (3,096 with ovarian cancer), and we combined the results in a meta-analysis. This new study design yielded increased statistical power, leading to the discovery of six new EOC susceptibility loci. Variants at 1p36 (nearest gene, WNT4), 4q26 (SYNPO2), 9q34.2 (ABO) and 17q11.2 (ATAD5) were associated with EOC risk, and at 1p34.3 (RSPO1) and 6p22.1 (GPX6) variants were specifically associated with the serous EOC subtype, all with P < 5 × 10(-8). Incorporating these variants into risk assessment tools will improve clinical risk predictions for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers.

  16. Acquisition cancer stemness, mesenchymal transdifferentiation, and chemoresistance properties by chronic exposure of oral epithelial cells to arecoline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Tung Yuan; Peng, Chih-Yu; Lee, Shiuan-Shinn; Chou, Ming-Yung; Yu, Cheng-Chia; Chang, Yu-Chao

    2016-12-20

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), one of the most deadliest malignancies in the world, is caused primarily by areca nut chewing in Southeast Asia. The mechanisms by which areca nut participates in OSCC tumorigenesis are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of low dose long-term arecoline (10 μg/mL, 90-days), a major areca nut alkaloid, on enhancement cancer stemness of human oral epithelial (OE) cells. OE cells with chronic arecoline exposure resulted in increased ALDH1 population, CD44 positivity, stemness-related transcription factors (Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2), epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) traits, chemoresistance, migration/invasiveness/anchorage independent growth and in vivo tumor growth as compared to their untreated controls. Mechanistically, ectopic miR-145 over-expression in chronic arecoline-exposed OE (AOE) cells inhibited the cancer stemness and xenografic. In AOE cells, luciferase reporter assays further revealed that miR-145 directly targets the 3' UTR regions of Oct4 and Sox2 and overexpression of Sox2/Oct4 effectively reversed miR-145-regulated cancer stemness-associated phenomenas. Additionally, clinical results further revealed that Sox2 and Oct4 expression was inversely correlated with miR-145 in the tissues of areca quid chewing-associated OSCC patients. This study hence attempts to provide novel insight into areca nut-induced oral carcinogenesis and new intervention for the treatment of OSCC patients, especially in areca nut users.

  17. Long non-coding RNA TUG1 regulates ovarian cancer proliferation and metastasis via affecting epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuang, Defeng; Zhang, Xiaoping; Hua, Shaofang; Dong, Wei; Li, Zhiguo

    2016-10-01

    Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide, and recent studies have highlighted the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in cancer development. However, the role of lncRNAs in ovarian cancer is largely unclear. In this study, we focused on the taurine up-regulated gene 1 (TUG1) and examined its molecular mechanism in ovarian cancer. Here, we reported that TUG1 was up-regulated in ovarian cancer tissues and ovarian cancer cells, and TUG1 expression was positively correlated with tumor grade and FIGO stage. In vitro functional assays (CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and cell invasion assay) revealed that knock-down of TUG1 by small RNA inference significantly inhibited cell proliferation, colony formation and cell invasion in ovarian cancer cells. Further experiment showed that knock-down of TUG1 induced cell apoptosis and altered the protein expression levels of apoptosis-related mediators in ovarian cancer cells. More importantly, knock-down of TUG1 also reversed epithelial-mesenchymal transition in ovarian cancer. In summary, our results suggest that knock-down of TUG1 may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Alterations in the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) and swelling-activated Cl- current associated with neuroendocrine differentiation of prostate cancer epithelial cells.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lemonnier, L.; Lazarenko, R.; Shuba, Y.; Thebault, S.C.; Roudbaraki, M.; Lepage, G.; Prevarskaya, N.; Skryma, R.

    2005-01-01

    Neuroendocrine (NE) differentiation of prostate epithelial/basal cells is a hallmark of advanced, androgen-independent prostate cancer, for which there is no successful therapy. Here we report for the first time on alterations in regulatory volume decrease (RVD) and its key determinant,

  19. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition: a hallmark in metastasis formation linking circulating tumor cells and cancer stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Książkiewicz, Magdalena; Markiewicz, Aleksandra; Zaczek, Anna J

    2012-01-01

    The occurrence of either regional or distant metastases is an indicator of poor prognosis for cancer patients. The mechanism of their formation has not yet been fully uncovered, which limits the possibility of developing new therapeutic strategies. Nevertheless, the discovery of circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which are responsible for tumor dissemination, and cancer stem cells (CSCs), required for tumor growth maintenance, shed light on the metastatic cascade. It seems that CTCs and CSCs are not necessarily separate populations of cancer cells, as CTCs generated in the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) can bear features characteristic of CSCs. This article describes the mechanisms of CTC and CSC formation and characterizes their molecular hallmarks. Moreover, we present different types of EMT occurring in physiological and pathological conditions, and we demonstrate its crucial role in providing CTCs with a CSC phenotype. The article delineates molecular changes acquired by cancer cells undergoing EMT that facilitate metastasis formation. Deeper understanding of those processes is of fundamental importance for the development of new strategies of early cancer detection and effective cancer treatment approaches that will be translated into clinical practice. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  20. Inositol induces mesenchymal-epithelial reversion in breast cancer cells through cytoskeleton rearrangement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinicola, Simona; Fabrizi, Gianmarco; Masiello, Maria Grazia; Proietti, Sara; Palombo, Alessandro; Minini, Mirko; Harrath, Abdel Halim; Alwasel, Saleh H; Ricci, Giulia; Catizone, Angela; Cucina, Alessandra; Bizzarri, Mariano

    2016-07-01

    Inositol displays multi-targeted effects on many biochemical pathways involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). As Akt activation is inhibited by inositol, we investigated if such effect could hamper EMT in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In cancer cells treated with pharmacological doses of inositol E-cadherin was increased, β-catenin was redistributed behind cell membrane, and metalloproteinase-9 was significantly reduced, while motility and invading capacity were severely inhibited. Those changes were associated with a significant down-regulation of PI3K/Akt activity, leading to a decrease in downstream signaling effectors: NF-kB, COX-2, and SNAI1. Inositol-mediated inhibition of PS1 leads to lowered Notch 1 release, thus contributing in decreasing SNAI1 levels. Overall, these data indicated that inositol inhibits the principal molecular pathway supporting EMT. Similar results were obtained in ZR-75, a highly metastatic breast cancer line. These findings are coupled with significant changes on cytoskeleton. Inositol slowed-down vimentin expression in cells placed behind the wound-healing edge and stabilized cortical F-actin. Moreover, lamellipodia and filopodia, two specific membrane extensions enabling cell migration and invasiveness, were no longer detectable after inositol addiction. Additionally, fascin and cofilin, two mandatory required components for F-actin assembling within cell protrusions, were highly reduced. These data suggest that inositol may induce an EMT reversion in breast cancer cells, suppressing motility and invasiveness through cytoskeleton modifications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Evaluation of transforming growth factor-β1 suppress Pokemon/epithelial-mesenchymal transition expression in human bladder cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Kidiyoor, Amritha; Hu, Yangyang; Guo, Changcheng; Liu, Min; Yao, Xudong; Zhang, Yuanyuan; Peng, Bo; Zheng, Junhua

    2015-02-01

    Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) plays a dual role in apoptosis and in proapoptotic responses in the support of survival in a variety of cells. The aim of this study was to determine the function of TGF-β1 in bladder cancer cells and the relationship with POK erythroid myeloid ontogenic factor (Pokemon). TGF-β1 and its receptors mediate several tumorigenic cascades that regulate cell proliferation, migration, and survival of bladder cancer cells. Bladder cancer cells T24 were treated with different levels of TGF-β1. Levels of Pokemon, E-cadherin, Snail, MMP2, MMP9, Twist, VEGF, and β-catenin messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein were examined by real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. The effects of TGF-β1 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition of T24 cells were evaluated with wound-healing assay, proliferation of T24 was evaluated with reference to growth curves with MTT assay, and cell invasive ability was investigated by Transwell assay. Data show that Pokemon was inhibited by TGF-β1 treatment; the gene and protein of E-cadherin and β-catenin expression level showed decreased markedly after TGF-β1 treatment (P Pokemon, β-catenin, and E-cadherin. The high expression of TGF-β1 leads to an increase in the phenotype and apical-base polarity of epithelial cells. These changes of cells may result in the recurrence and progression of bladder cancer at last. Related mechanism is worthy of further investigation.

  2. Suppression of epithelial ovarian cancer invasion into the omentum by 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its receptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lungchukiet, Panida; Sun, Yuefeng; Kasiappan, Ravi; Quarni, Waise; Nicosia, Santo V; Zhang, Xiaohong; Bai, Wenlong

    2015-04-01

    Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of gynecological cancer death in women, mainly because it has spread to intraperitoneal tissues such as the omentum in the peritoneal cavity by the time of diagnosis. In the present study, we established in vitro assays, ex vivo omental organ culture system and syngeneic animal tumor models using wild type (WT) and vitamin D receptor (VDR) null mice to investigate the effects of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3) and VDR on EOC invasion. Treatment of human EOC cells with 1,25D3 suppressed their migration and invasion in monolayer scratch and transwell assays and ability to colonize the omentum in the ex vivo system, supporting a role for epithelial VDR in interfering with EOC invasion. Furthermore, VDR knockdown in OVCAR3 cells increased their ability to colonize the omentum in the ex vivo system in the absence of 1,25D3, showing a potential ligand-independent suppression of EOC invasion by epithelial VDR. In syngeneic models, ID8 tumors exhibited an increased ability to colonize omenta of VDR null over that of WT mice; pre-treatment of WT, not VDR null, mice with EB1089 reduced ID8 colonization, revealing a role for stromal VDR in suppressing EOC invasion. These studies are the first to demonstrate a role for epithelial and stromal VDR in mediating the activity of 1,25D3 as well as a 1,25D3-independent action of the VDR in suppressing EOC invasion. The data suggest that VDR-based drug discovery may lead to the development of new intervention strategies to improve the survival of patients with EOC at advanced stages. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Vitamin D Workshop". Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Salinomycin repressed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition of epithelial ovarian cancer cells via downregulating Wnt/β-catenin pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li R

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Rui Li,* Taotao Dong,* Chen Hu, Jingjing Lu, Jun Dai, Peishu Liu Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, People’s Republic of China *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC is the leading cause of death among all gynecological malignancies. Most patients are diagnosed in the advanced stage and have distant metastasis ultimately. Salinomycin has been demonstrated to reduce invasive capacity of multiple tumor cells. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of salinomycin on EOC cells. The cell counting kit 8 (CCK-8 and Boyden chamber assays showed that salinomycin could effectively reduce the abilities of proliferation, migration and invasion in EOC cells. The western blot assay showed that salinomycin could increase the expression of epithelial markers (E-cadherin and Keratin while decrease the expression of mesenchymal markers (N-cadherin and vimentin in a dose-dependent manner. These results were ascertained by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Besides, salinomycin could downregulate the expression of proteins associated with the Wnt/β-catenin pathway and repress the nuclear translocation of β-catenin. It was also shown that salinomycin could reverse the aberrant activation of the canonical Wnt pathway induced by GSK-3β inhibitor (SB216763. Our results revealed that salinomycin could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion in EOC cells. In addition, the inhibitive effect of salinomycin on the invasive ability was mediated by repressing the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT program, which may be achieved through its inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Keywords: salinomycin, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, epithelial ovarian cancer, Wnt/β-catenin pathway

  4. Prognostic value of plasma soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) in Danish patients with recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer (REOC)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Begum, Farah Diba; Høgdall, Estrid V S; Riisbo, Rikke

    2006-01-01

    The level of the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) is elevated in tumour tissue from several types of cancer. This is the first study aiming to predict the prognosis for survival by the use of a pre-chemotherapeutic plasma suPAR value in 71 patients with recurrent epithelial...

  5. EGCG Suppresses ERK5 Activation to Reverse Tobacco Smoke-Triggered Gastric Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in BALB/c Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling Lu

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Tobacco smoke is an important risk factor of gastric cancer. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is a crucial pathophysiological process in cancer development. ERK5 regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition may be sensitive to cell types and/or the cellular microenvironment and its role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process remain elusive. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG is a promising chemopreventive agent for several types of cancers. In the present study we investigated the regulatory role of ERK5 in tobacco smoke-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the stomach of mice and the preventive effect of EGCG. Exposure of mice to tobacco smoke for 12 weeks reduced expression of epithelial markers E-cadherin, ZO-1, and CK5, while the expression of mesenchymal markers Snail-1, Vimentin, and N-cadherin were increased. Importantly, we demonstrated that ERK5 modulated tobacco smoke-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in mice stomach, as evidenced by the findings that tobacco smoke elevated ERK5 activation, and that tobacco smoke-triggered epithelial-mesenchymal transition was reversed by ERK5 inhibition. Treatment of EGCG (100 mg/kg BW effectively attenuated tobacco smoke-triggered activation of ERK5 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition alterations in mice stomach. Collectively, these data suggested that ERK5 was required for tobacco smoke-triggered gastric epithelial-mesenchymal transition and that EGCG suppressed ERK5 activation to reverse tobacco smoke-triggered gastric epithelial-mesenchymal transition in BALB/c mice. These findings provide new insights into the mechanism of tobacco smoke-associated gastric tumorigenesis and the chemoprevention of tobacco smoke-associated gastric cancer.

  6. Lack of relationship between TIMP-1 tumour cell immunoreactivity, treatment efficacy and prognosis in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Steffensen, Karina Dahl; Waldstrøm, Marianne; Christensen, Rikke Kølby

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) is a natural inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which are proteolytic enzymes involved in degradation of extracellular matrix thereby favoring tumour cell invasion and metastasis. TIMP-1 activity in tumour tissue may ther...... immunoreactivity in tumour tissue from patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer did not correlate with patient survival or response to combination platinum/cyclophosphamide therapy.......BACKGROUND: Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) is a natural inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which are proteolytic enzymes involved in degradation of extracellular matrix thereby favoring tumour cell invasion and metastasis. TIMP-1 activity in tumour tissue may...... therefore play an essential role in the progression of a malignant tumour.The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate TIMP-1 protein immunoreactivity in tissue from primary ovarian cancer patients and associate these findings with the course of the disease including response to treatment...

  7. Interval debulking surgery in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pecorelli, Sergio; Odicino, Franco; Favalli, Giuseppe

    2002-08-01

    Cytoreductive surgery and chemotherapy are the mainstay for the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. In order to minimize the tumour burden before chemotherapy, cytoreductive surgery is usually performed first. The importance of the amount of residual disease as the main prognostic factor for patients suffering from advanced disease has been almost universally accepted even in the absence of prospective randomized trials addressing the benefit of cytoreductive surgery. In the last decade, the value of debulking surgery after induction chemotherapy - interval debulking surgery, IDS - has been widely debated, especially after the completion of a prospective randomized study from the EORTC addressing the introduction of a surgical procedure with debulking intent preceded and followed by cytoreductive chemotherapy. The rationale of such a strategy in the context of the primary treatment of advanced ovarian cancer lies in a higher cytoreductibility to the 'optimal' status forwarded, and possibly facilitated, by chemotherapy. The results demonstrated a prolongation of both progression-free survival and median survival in favour of patients randomized to IDS (5 and 6 months, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed IDS to be an independent prognostic factor which reduced the risk of death by 33% at 3 years and by 48% in subsequent re-evaluation after more than 6 years of observation. Despite the above, results have been questioned by many, leading the GOG to perform a similar study which has been concluded very recently. Nevertheless, the main concern regarding the application of IDS in all instances relates to the morbidity of two major surgical procedures integrated within a short period during which cytotoxic chemotherapy is also administered. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy has been recently proposed to avoid a non-useful surgical procedure in patients considered 'optimally unresectable' after diagnosis of advanced ovarian cancer. Whether or not this newer

  8. Sox5 induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition by transactivation of Twist1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pei, Xin-Hong; Lv, Xin-Quan; Li, Hui-Xiang

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Depletion of Sox5 inhibits breast cancer proliferation, migration, and invasion. • Sox5 transactivates Twist1 expression. • Sox5 induces epithelial to mesenchymal transition through transactivation of Twist1 expression. - Abstract: The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), a highly conserved cellular program, plays an important role in normal embryogenesis and cancer metastasis. Twist1, a master regulator of embryonic morphogenesis, is overexpressed in breast cancer and contributes to metastasis by promoting EMT. In exploring the mechanism underlying the increased Twist1 in breast cancer cells, we found that the transcription factor SRY (sex-determining region Y)-box 5(Sox5) is up-regulation in breast cancer cells and depletion of Sox5 inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, depletion of Sox5 in breast cancer cells caused a dramatic decrease in Twist1 and chromosome immunoprecipitation assay showed that Sox5 can bind directly to the Twist1 promoter, suggesting that Sox5 transactivates Twist1 expression. We further demonstrated that knockdown of Sox5 up-regulated epithelial phenotype cell biomarker (E-cadherin) and down-regulated mesenchymal phenotype cell biomarkers (N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Fibronectin 1), resulting in suppression of EMT. Our study suggests that Sox5 transactivates Twist1 expression and plays an important role in the regulation of breast cancer progression

  9. Cooperation of the BTB-Zinc finger protein, Abrupt, with cytoskeletal regulators in Drosophila epithelial tumorigenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nezaket Turkel

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The deregulation of cell polarity or cytoskeletal regulators is a common occurrence in human epithelial cancers. Moreover, there is accumulating evidence in human epithelial cancer that BTB-ZF genes, such as Bcl6 and ZBTB7A, are oncogenic. From our previous studies in the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we have identified a cooperative interaction between a mutation in the apico-basal cell polarity regulator Scribble (Scrib and overexpression of the BTB-ZF protein Abrupt (Ab. Herein, we show that co-expression of ab with actin cytoskeletal regulators, RhoGEF2 or Src64B, in the developing eye-antennal epithelial tissue results in the formation of overgrown amorphous tumours, whereas ab and DRac1 co-expression leads to non-cell autonomous overgrowth. Together with ab, these genes affect the expression of differentiation genes, resulting in tumours locked in a progenitor cell fate. Finally, we show that the expression of two mammalian genes related to ab, Bcl6 and ZBTB7A, which are oncogenes in mammalian epithelial cancers, significantly correlate with the upregulation of cytoskeletal genes or downregulation of apico-basal cell polarity neoplastic tumour suppressor genes in colorectal, lung and other human epithelial cancers. Altogether, this analysis has revealed that upregulation of cytoskeletal regulators cooperate with Abrupt in Drosophila epithelial tumorigenesis, and that high expression of human BTB-ZF genes, Bcl6 and ZBTB7A, shows significant correlations with cytoskeletal and cell polarity gene expression in specific epithelial tumour types. This highlights the need for further investigation of the cooperation between these genes in mammalian systems.

  10. Interleukin-6 mediates epithelial-stromal interactions and promotes gastric tumorigenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroto Kinoshita

    Full Text Available Interleukin-6 (IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine that affects various functions, including tumor development. Although the importance of IL-6 in gastric cancer has been documented in experimental and clinical studies, the mechanism by which IL-6 promotes gastric cancer remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role of IL-6 in the epithelial-stromal interaction in gastric tumorigenesis. Immunohistochemical analysis of human gastritis, gastric adenoma, and gastric cancer tissues revealed that IL-6 was frequently detected in the stroma. IL-6-positive cells in the stroma showed positive staining for the fibroblast marker α-smooth muscle actin, suggesting that stromal fibroblasts produce IL-6. We compared IL-6 knockout (IL-6(-/- mice with wild-type (WT mice in a model of gastric tumorigenesis induced by the chemical carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea. The stromal fibroblasts expressed IL-6 in tumors from WT mice. Gastric tumorigenesis was attenuated in IL-6(-/- mice, compared with WT mice. Impaired tumor development in IL-6(-/- mice was correlated with the decreased activation of STAT3, a factor associated with gastric cancer cell proliferation. In vitro, when gastric cancer cell line was co-cultured with primary human gastric fibroblast, STAT3-related genes including COX-2 and iNOS were induced in gastric cancer cells and this response was attenuated with neutralizing anti-IL-6 receptor antibody. IL-6 production from fibroblasts was increased when fibroblasts were cultured in the presence of gastric cancer cell-conditioned media. IL-6 production from fibroblasts was suppressed by an interleukin-1 (IL-1 receptor antagonist and siRNA inhibition of IL-1α in the fibroblasts. IL-1α mRNA and protein were increased in fibroblast lysate, suggesting that cell-associated IL-1α in fibroblasts may be involved. Our results suggest the importance of IL-6 mediated stromal-epithelial cell interaction in gastric tumorigenesis.

  11. The role of hERG1 ion channels in epithelial-mesenchymal transition and the capacity of riluzole to reduce cisplatin resistance in colorectal cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fortunato, Angelo

    2017-08-01

    The transition of cells from the epithelial to the mesenchymal state (EMT) plays an important role in tumor progression. EMT allows cells to acquire mobility, stem-like behavior and resistance to apoptosis and drug treatment. These features turn EMT into a central process in tumor biology. Ion channels are attractive targets for the treatment of cancer since they play critical roles in controlling a wide range of physiological processes that are frequently deregulated in cancer. Here, we investigated the role of ether-a-go-go-related 1 (hERG1) ion channels in the EMT of colorectal cancer cells. We studied the epithelial-mesenchymal profile of different colorectal cancer-derived cell lines and the expression of hERG1 potassium channels in these cell lines using real-time PCR. Next, we knocked down hERG1 expression in HCT116 cells using lentivirus mediated RNA interference and characterized the hERG1 silenced cells in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we investigated the capacity of riluzole, an ion channel-modulating drug used in humans to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, to reduce the resistance of the respective colorectal cancer cells to the chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin. We found that of the colorectal cancer-derived cell lines tested, HCT116 showed the highest mesenchymal profile and a high hERG1 expression. Subsequent hERG1 expression knockdown induced a change in cell morphology, which was accompanied by a reduction in the proliferative and tumorigenic capacities of the cells. Notably, we found that hERG1expression knockdown elicited a reversion of the EMT profile in HCT116 cells with a reacquisition of the epithelial-like profile. We also found that riluzole increased the sensitivity of HCT116 cisplatin-resistant cells to cisplatin. Our data indicate that hERG1 plays a role in the EMT of colorectal cancer cells and that its knockdown reduces the proliferative and tumorigenic capacities of these cells. In addition, we conclude that riluzole may be used in

  12. The Potential Role of the Proteases Cathepsin D and Cathepsin L in the Progression and Metastasis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Zahidul Islam Pranjol

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies and has a poor prognosis due to relatively unspecific early symptoms, and thus often advanced stage, metastasized cancer at presentation. Metastasis of EOC occurs primarily through the transcoelomic route whereby exfoliated tumor cells disseminate within the abdominal cavity, particularly to the omentum. Primary and metastatic tumor growth requires a pool of proangiogenic factors in the microenvironment which propagate new vasculature in the growing cancer. Recent evidence suggests that proangiogenic factors other than the widely known, potent angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor may mediate growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. In this review we examine the role of some of these alternative factors, specifically cathepsin D and cathepsin L.

  13. The Potential Role of the Proteases Cathepsin D and Cathepsin L in the Progression and Metastasis of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pranjol, Md Zahidul Islam; Gutowski, Nicholas; Hannemann, Michael; Whatmore, Jacqueline

    2015-11-20

    Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynecologic malignancies and has a poor prognosis due to relatively unspecific early symptoms, and thus often advanced stage, metastasized cancer at presentation. Metastasis of EOC occurs primarily through the transcoelomic route whereby exfoliated tumor cells disseminate within the abdominal cavity, particularly to the omentum. Primary and metastatic tumor growth requires a pool of proangiogenic factors in the microenvironment which propagate new vasculature in the growing cancer. Recent evidence suggests that proangiogenic factors other than the widely known, potent angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor may mediate growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. In this review we examine the role of some of these alternative factors, specifically cathepsin D and cathepsin L.

  14. IL-21-secreting hUCMSCs combined with miR-200c inhibit tumor growth and metastasis via repression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in epithelial ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhang Y

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Yunxia Zhang,1,2 Jing Wang,2 Di Wu,1 Miao Li,1 Fenshu Zhao,1 Mulan Ren,2 Yunlong Cai,2 Jun Dou1 1Department of Pathogenic Biology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Zhongda Hospital, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC with insidious characteristic manifests no symptoms in its early onset but most patients have advanced and distant cancer metastasis at diagnosis. Innovative early diagnosis and effective treatment of EOC are urgently needed. Methods: In the study, we developed a novel agent of IL-21-secreting human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs combined with miR-200c to evaluate its effects on SKOV3 EOC in vitro and in vivo.Results: hUCMSCs-LV-IL-21 combined with miR-200c significantly inhibited the SKOV3 cell mobility and tumorigenesis compared with hUCMSCs-LV-IL-21, hUCMSCs- LV-vector, and hUCMSCs, respectively. These were reflected in decreasing the tumor sizes and elongating the tumor bearing nude mouse survival, accompanied with increasing the serum cytokine levels of IFN-γ, IL-21 and TNF-α as well as the splenocyte cytotoxicity. In addition, the expression of β-catenin, cyclin-D1, Gli1, Gli2, and ZEB1 was decreased but the E-cadherin expression was increased in tumor tissues of mice treated with hUCMSCs-LV-IL-21 plus miR-200c.Conclusion: We demonstrated that the synergistic effect of fighting SKOV3 EOC is attributable to repression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in SKOV3 EOC. The findings may provide a new strategy for therapy of EOC. Keywords: epithelial ovarian cancer, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells, IL-21, miR-200c, Wnt/β-catenin signaling, epithelial–mesenchymal transition

  15. Enhancement of cancer stem-like and epithelial−mesenchymal transdifferentiation property in oral epithelial cells with long-term nicotine exposure: Reversal by targeting SNAIL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu, Cheng-Chia; Chang, Yu-Chao

    2013-01-01

    Cigarette smoking is one of the major risk factors in the development and further progression of tumorigenesis, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Recent studies suggest that interplay cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and epithelial−mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) properties are responsible for the tumor maintenance and metastasis in OSCC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of long-term exposure with nicotine, a major component in cigarette, on CSCs and EMT characteristics. The possible reversal regulators were further explored in nicotine-induced CSCs and EMT properties in human oral epithelial (OE) cells. Long-term exposure with nicotine was demonstrated to up-regulate ALDH1 population in normal gingival and primary OSCC OE cells dose-dependently. Moreover, long-term nicotine treatment was found to enhance the self-renewal sphere-forming ability and stemness gene signatures expression and EMT regulators in OE cells. The migration/cell invasiveness/anchorage independent growth and in vivo tumor growth by nude mice xenotransplantation assay was enhanced in long-term nicotine-stimulated OE cells. Knockdown of Snail in long-term nicotine-treated OE cells was found to reduce their CSCs properties. Therapeutic delivery of Si-Snail significantly blocked the xenograft tumorigenesis of long-term nicotine-treated OSCC cells and largely significantly improved the recipient survival. The present study demonstrated that the enrichment of CSCs coupled EMT property in oral epithelial cells induced by nicotine is critical for the development of OSCC tumorigenesis. Targeting Snail might offer a new strategy for the treatment of OSCC patients with smoking habit. -- Highlights: ► Sustained nicotine treatment induced CSCs properties of oral epithelial cells. ► Long-term nicotine treatment enhance EMT properties of oral epithelial cells. ► Long-term nicotine exposure increased tumorigenicity of oral epithelial cells. ► Si

  16. Enhancement of cancer stem-like and epithelial−mesenchymal transdifferentiation property in oral epithelial cells with long-term nicotine exposure: Reversal by targeting SNAIL

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Cheng-Chia [Institute of Oral Science, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Chang, Yu-Chao, E-mail: cyc@csmu.edu.tw [School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China); Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan (China)

    2013-02-01

    Cigarette smoking is one of the major risk factors in the development and further progression of tumorigenesis, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Recent studies suggest that interplay cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and epithelial−mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) properties are responsible for the tumor maintenance and metastasis in OSCC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of long-term exposure with nicotine, a major component in cigarette, on CSCs and EMT characteristics. The possible reversal regulators were further explored in nicotine-induced CSCs and EMT properties in human oral epithelial (OE) cells. Long-term exposure with nicotine was demonstrated to up-regulate ALDH1 population in normal gingival and primary OSCC OE cells dose-dependently. Moreover, long-term nicotine treatment was found to enhance the self-renewal sphere-forming ability and stemness gene signatures expression and EMT regulators in OE cells. The migration/cell invasiveness/anchorage independent growth and in vivo tumor growth by nude mice xenotransplantation assay was enhanced in long-term nicotine-stimulated OE cells. Knockdown of Snail in long-term nicotine-treated OE cells was found to reduce their CSCs properties. Therapeutic delivery of Si-Snail significantly blocked the xenograft tumorigenesis of long-term nicotine-treated OSCC cells and largely significantly improved the recipient survival. The present study demonstrated that the enrichment of CSCs coupled EMT property in oral epithelial cells induced by nicotine is critical for the development of OSCC tumorigenesis. Targeting Snail might offer a new strategy for the treatment of OSCC patients with smoking habit. -- Highlights: ► Sustained nicotine treatment induced CSCs properties of oral epithelial cells. ► Long-term nicotine treatment enhance EMT properties of oral epithelial cells. ► Long-term nicotine exposure increased tumorigenicity of oral epithelial cells. ► Si

  17. Cancerous epithelial cell lines shed extracellular vesicles with a bimodal size distribution that is sensitive to glutamine inhibition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Santana, Steven Michael; Kirby, Brian J; Antonyak, Marc A; Cerione, Richard A

    2014-01-01

    Extracellular shed vesicles (ESVs) facilitate a unique mode of cell–cell communication wherein vesicle uptake can induce a change in the recipient cell's state. Despite the intensity of ESV research, currently reported data represent the bulk characterization of concentrated vesicle samples with little attention paid to heterogeneity. ESV populations likely represent diversity in mechanisms of formation, cargo and size. To better understand ESV subpopulations and the signaling cascades implicated in their formation, we characterize ESV size distributions to identify subpopulations in normal and cancerous epithelial cells. We have discovered that cancer cells exhibit bimodal ESV distributions, one small-diameter and another large-diameter population, suggesting that two mechanisms may govern ESV formation, an exosome population and a cancer-specific microvesicle population. Altered glutamine metabolism in cancer is thought to fuel cancer growth but may also support metastatic niche formation through microvesicle production. We describe the role of a glutaminase inhibitor, compound 968, in ESV production. We have discovered that inhibiting glutamine metabolism significantly impairs large-diameter microvesicle production in cancer cells. (paper)

  18. Cellular Plasticity of Epithelial Cells-Cause of Metastasis

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Sukumar, Saraswati

    2005-01-01

    .... We present a novel concept that cancer epithelial cells, possibly of stem cell origin, have inherent cellular plasticity and can differentiate into endothelial cells and form microvessels that serve...

  19. Nuclear location of tumor suppressor protein maspin inhibits proliferation of breast cancer cells without affecting proliferation of normal epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Machowska, Magdalena; Wachowicz, Katarzyna; Sopel, Mirosław; Rzepecki, Ryszard

    2014-01-01

    Maspin, which is classified as a tumor suppressor protein, is downregulated in many types of cancer. Several studies have suggested potential anti-proliferative activity of maspin as well as sensitizing activity of maspin for therapeutic cytotoxic agents in breast cancer tissue culture and animal models. All of the experimental data gathered so far have been based on studies with maspin localized cytoplasmically, while maspin in breast cancer tumor cells may be located in the cytoplasm, nucleus or both. In this study, the effect of maspin cytoplasmic and nuclear location and expression level on breast cancer proliferation and patient survival was studied. Tissue sections from 166 patients with invasive ductal breast cancer were stained by immunohistochemistry for maspin and Ki-67 protein. The localization and expression level of maspin were correlated with estimated patient overall survival and percent of Ki-67-positive cells. In further studies, we created constructs for transient transfection of maspin into breast cancer cells with targeted cytoplasmic and nuclear location. We analyzed the effect of maspin location in normal epithelial cell line MCF10A and three breast cancer cell lines - MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SKBR-3 - by immunofluorescence and proliferation assay. We observed a strong positive correlation between moderate and high nuclear maspin level and survival of patients. Moreover, a statistically significant negative relationship was observed between nuclear maspin and Ki-67 expression in patients with invasive ductal breast cancer. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between level of maspin localized in nucleus and percentage of Ki-67 positive cells. No such differences were observed in cells with cytoplasmic maspin. We found a strong correlation between nuclear maspin and loss of Ki-67 protein in breast cancer cell lines, while there was no effect in normal epithelial cells from breast. The anti-proliferative effect of nuclear

  20. Nuclear location of tumor suppressor protein maspin inhibits proliferation of breast cancer cells without affecting proliferation of normal epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Background Maspin, which is classified as a tumor suppressor protein, is downregulated in many types of cancer. Several studies have suggested potential anti-proliferative activity of maspin as well as sensitizing activity of maspin for therapeutic cytotoxic agents in breast cancer tissue culture and animal models. All of the experimental data gathered so far have been based on studies with maspin localized cytoplasmically, while maspin in breast cancer tumor cells may be located in the cytoplasm, nucleus or both. In this study, the effect of maspin cytoplasmic and nuclear location and expression level on breast cancer proliferation and patient survival was studied. Methods Tissue sections from 166 patients with invasive ductal breast cancer were stained by immunohistochemistry for maspin and Ki-67 protein. The localization and expression level of maspin were correlated with estimated patient overall survival and percent of Ki-67-positive cells. In further studies, we created constructs for transient transfection of maspin into breast cancer cells with targeted cytoplasmic and nuclear location. We analyzed the effect of maspin location in normal epithelial cell line MCF10A and three breast cancer cell lines - MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SKBR-3 - by immunofluorescence and proliferation assay. Results We observed a strong positive correlation between moderate and high nuclear maspin level and survival of patients. Moreover, a statistically significant negative relationship was observed between nuclear maspin and Ki-67 expression in patients with invasive ductal breast cancer. Spearman’s correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between level of maspin localized in nucleus and percentage of Ki-67 positive cells. No such differences were observed in cells with cytoplasmic maspin. We found a strong correlation between nuclear maspin and loss of Ki-67 protein in breast cancer cell lines, while there was no effect in normal epithelial cells from breast. The anti

  1. Variation in NF-κB Signaling Pathways and Survival in Invasive Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Block, Matthew S.; Charbonneau, Bridget; Vierkant, Robert A.; Fogarty, Zachary; Bamlet, William R.; Pharoah, Paul D.P.; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Rossing, Mary Anne; Cramer, Daniel; Pearce, Celeste Leigh; Schildkraut, Joellen; Menon, Usha; Kjaer, Susanne K.; Levine, Douglas A.; Gronwald, Jacek; Culver, Hoda Anton; Whittemore, Alice S.; Karlan, Beth Y.; Lambrechts, Diether; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Kupryjanczyk, Jolanta; Chang-Claude, Jenny; Bandera, Elisa V.; Hogdall, Estrid; Heitz, Florian; Kaye, Stanley B.; Fasching, Peter A.; Campbell, Ian; Goodman, Marc T.; Pejovic, Tanja; Bean, Yukie T.; Hays, Laura E.; Lurie, Galina; Eccles, Diana; Hein, Alexander; Beckmann, Matthias W.; Ekici, Arif B.; Paul, James; Brown, Robert; Flanagan, James M.; Harter, Philipp; du Bois, Andreas; Schwaab, Ira; Hogdall, Claus K.; Lundvall, Lene; Olson, Sara H.; Orlow, Irene; Paddock, Lisa E.; Rudolph, Anja; Eilber, Ursula; Dansonka-Mieszkowska, Agnieszka; Rzepecka, Iwona K.; Ziolkowska-Seta, Izabela; Brinton, Louise A.; Yang, Hannah; Garcia-Closas, Montserrat; Despierre, Evelyn; Lambrechts, Sandrina; Vergote, Ignace; Walsh, Christine S.; Lester, Jenny; Sieh, Weiva; McGuire, Valerie; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Ziogas, Argyrios; Lubiński, Jan; Cybulski, Cezary; Menkiszak, Janusz; Jensen, Allan; Gayther, Simon A.; Ramus, Susan J.; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Berchuck, Andrew; Wu, Anna H.; Pike, Malcolm C.; Van Den Berg, David; Terry, Kathryn L.; Vitonis, Allison F.; Ramirez, Starr M.; Rider, David N.; Knutson, Keith L.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Phelan, Catherine M.; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Johnatty, Sharon E.; deFazio, Anna; Song, Honglin; Tyrer, Jonathan; Kalli, Kimberly R.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Goode, Ellen L.

    2014-01-01

    Survival in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is influenced by the host immune response, yet the key genetic determinants of inflammation and immunity that impact prognosis are not known. The nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factor family plays an important role in many immune and inflammatory responses, including the response to cancer. We studied common inherited variation in 210 genes in the NF-κB family in 10,084 patients with invasive EOC (5,248 high grade serous, 1,452 endometrioid, 795 clear cell, and 661 mucinous) from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium. Associations between genotype and overall survival were assessed using Cox regression for all patients and by major histology, adjusting for known prognostic factors and correcting for multiple testing (threshold for statistical significance—p < 2.5×10−5). Results were statistically significant when assessed for patients of a single histology. Key associations were with CARD11 (caspase recruitment domain family, member 11) rs41324349 in patients with mucinous EOC (HR 1.82, 95% CI 1.41–2.35, p=4.13×10−6) and TNFRSF13B (tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, member 13B) rs7501462 in patients with endometrioid EOC (HR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56–0.82, p=2.33×10−5). Other associations of note included TRAF2 (TNF receptor-associated factor 2) rs17250239 in patients with high-grade serous EOC (HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.77–0.92, p=6.49×10−5) and PLCG1 (phospholipase C, gamma 1) rs11696662 in patients with clear cell EOC (HR 0.43, 95% CI 0.26–0.73, p=4.56×10−4). These associations highlight the potential importance of genes associated with host inflammation and immunity in modulating clinical outcomes in distinct EOC histologies. PMID:24740199

  2. Epithelial-derived IL-33 promotes intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc Min/+ mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Zhengxiang; Chen, Lili; Souto, Fabricio O; Canasto-Chibuque, Claudia; Bongers, Gerold; Deshpande, Madhura; Harpaz, Noam; Ko, Huaibin M; Kelley, Kevin; Furtado, Glaucia C; Lira, Sergio A

    2017-07-14

    Increased expression of Interleukin (IL)-33 has been detected in intestinal samples of patients with ulcerative colitis, a condition associated with increased risk for colon cancer, but its role in the development of colorectal cancer has yet to be fully examined. Here, we investigated the role of epithelial expressed IL-33 during development of intestinal tumors. IL-33 expression was detected in epithelial cells in colorectal cancer specimens and in the Apc Min/+ mice. To better understand the role of epithelial-derived IL-33 in the intestinal tumorigenesis, we generated transgenic mice expressing IL-33 in intestinal epithelial cells (V33 mice). V33 Apc Min/+ mice, resulting from the cross of V33 with Apc Min/+ mice, had increased intestinal tumor burden compared with littermate Apc Min/+ mice. Consistently, Apc Min/+ mice deficient for IL-33 receptor (ST2), had reduced polyp burden. Mechanistically, overexpression of IL-33 promoted expansion of ST2 + regulatory T cells, increased Th2 cytokine milieu, and induced alternatively activated macrophages in the gut. IL-33 promoted marked changes in the expression of antimicrobial peptides, and antibiotic treatment of V33 Apc Min/+ mice abrogated the tumor promoting-effects of IL-33 in the colon. In conclusion, elevated IL-33 signaling increases tumor development in the Apc Min/+ mice.

  3. Advanced Cancer Detection Center

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Krischer, Jeffrey

    2003-01-01

    ... and the testing of methods to prevent cancer. The projects included in this report are: ̂ Markers of Transformation in Airways Epithelial Cells from a Cohort of Obstructed Smokers and Former Smokers (PT: Tockman...

  4. 7-(O)-Carboxymethyl daidzein conjugated to N-t-Boc-hexylenediamine: A Novel Compound Capable of Inducing Cell Death in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells

    OpenAIRE

    Green, Jamie M.; Alvero, Ayesha B.; Kohen, Fortune; Mor, Gil

    2009-01-01

    One of the major difficulties in the treatment of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the high rate of recurrent disease. This is thought to be due to the survival of a population of chemo-resistant cells within the tumor, the ovarian cancer stem cells (OCSCs), that are able to regenerate the tumor following chemotherapy. Therefore, the identification of a compund that can target the OCSCs is one of the main steps in improving overall survival of ovarian cancer patients. The objective of this ...

  5. Advanced Cancer Detection Center

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Krischer, Jeffrey

    2002-01-01

    ... and the testing of methods to prevent cancer. The projects included in this report are: 1) Markers of Transformation in Airways Epithelial Cells from a Cohort of Obstructed Smokers and Former Smokers (PI: Tockman); 2...

  6. Identification of glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper as a key regulator of tumor cell proliferation in epithelial ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernandez Hervé

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the molecules that contribute to tumor progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC, currently a leading cause of mortality from gynecological malignancies. Glucocorticoid-Induced Leucine Zipper (GILZ, an intracellular protein widely expressed in immune tissues, has been reported in epithelial tissues and controls some of key signaling pathways involved in tumorigenesis. However, there has been no report on GILZ in EOC up to now. The objectives of the current study were to examine the expression of GILZ in EOC and its effect on tumor cell proliferation. Results GILZ expression was measured by immunohistochemical staining in tissue sections from 3 normal ovaries, 7 benign EOC and 50 invasive EOC. GILZ was not detected on the surface epithelium of normal ovaries and benign tumors. In contrast, it was expressed in the cytoplasm of tumor cells in 80% EOC specimens. GILZ immunostaining scores correlated positively to the proliferation marker Ki-67 (Spearman test in univariate analysis, P P Conclusion The present study is the first to identify GILZ as a molecule produced by ovarian cancer cells that promotes cell cycle progression and proliferation. Our findings clearly indicate that GILZ activates AKT, a crucial signaling molecule in tumorigenesis. GILZ thus appears as a potential key molecule in EOC.

  7. Clinicopathological study of rare invasive epithelial tumors of breast: An institutional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karthik Kasireddy

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Invasive breast cancer (BC is the most common carcinoma in women. It accounts for 22% of all female cancers. Most tumors are derived from mammary duct epithelium, and up to 75% of BCs are ductal carcinomas. The second most common tumor is invasive lobular carcinoma. However, there are many variants which are less common but well defined by the World Health Organization classification. They comprise <10% of breast tumors. Their clinical behavior differs greatly. Hence, it is important to know their main histomorphological features to make the best treatment of choice and to foresee prognosis. Aims and Objectives: To study the histomorphological features, incidence, and clinical features of rare invasive epithelial tumors of the breast. Materials and Methods: This study was done in the department of pathology, Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College, Kolar. All the neoplastic breast lesions over a period of 5 years (July 2010-September 2015 are included in the study. Clinical features and other details (estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor, human epidermal receptor-2, lymph nodes are obtained from the department (surgery records. Specimens are received and preserved in 10% formalin and are subjected to routine histopathological processing. Hematoxylin and eosin sections are studied, and a morphological diagnosis is given. All rare invasive epithelial breast tumors will be reviewed meticulously. Results and Conclusion: A total number of invasive epithelial tumors of breast were 105. The most common presenting symptom was breast lump. Rare invasive epithelial breast tumors account to 28.5%. The age range from 15 to 70 years. Most common, rare invasive epithelial tumor in our study is medullary carcinoma. Hence, it is imperative to always maintain a Hawks vigil during microscopic diagnosis to know prognosis of the condition and to facilitate early and prompt treatment to the patient.

  8. Claudin-1 promotes TNF-α-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhat, Ajaz A.; Ahmad, Rizwan; Uppada, SrijayaPrakash B.; Singh, Amar B.; Dhawan, Punita

    2016-01-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism in cancer progression and malignancy including colorectal cancer (CRC). Importantly, inflammatory mediators are critical constituents of the local tumor environment and an intimate link between CRC progression and inflammation is now validated. We and others have reported key role of the deregulated claudin-1 expression in colon carcinogenesis including colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC). However, the causal association between claudin-1 expression and inflammation-induced colon cancer progression remains unclear. Here we demonstrate, TNF-α, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, regulates claudin-1 to modulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration in colon adenocarcinoma cells. Importantly, colon cancer cells cultured in the presence of TNF-α (10 ng/ml), demonstrated a sharp decrease in E-cadherin expression and an increase in vimentin expression (versus control cells). Interestingly, TNF-α treatment also upregulated (and delocalized) claudin-1 expression in a time-dependent manner accompanied by increase in proliferation and wound healing. Furthermore, similar to our previous observation that claudin-1 overexpression in CRC cells induces ERK1/2 and Src- activation, signaling associated with colon cancer cell survival and transformation, TNF-α-treatment induced upregulation of phospho-ERK1/2 and -Src expression. The shRNA-mediated inhibition of claudin-1 expression largely abrogated the TNF-α-induced changes in EMT, proliferation, migration, p-Erk and p-Src expression. Taken together, our data demonstrate TNF-α mediated regulation of claudin-1 and tumorigenic abilities of colon cancer cells and highlights a key role of deregulated claudin-1 expression in inflammation-induced colorectal cancer growth and progression, through the regulation of the ERK and Src-signaling.

  9. Claudin-1 promotes TNF-α-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition and migration in colorectal adenocarcinoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bhat, Ajaz A. [Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Ahmad, Rizwan; Uppada, SrijayaPrakash B. [Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States); Singh, Amar B. [From the Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States); Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States); Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States); Dhawan, Punita, E-mail: punita.dhawan@unmc.edu [From the Department of Veterans Affairs, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States); Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States); Buffet Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68022 (United States)

    2016-11-15

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important mechanism in cancer progression and malignancy including colorectal cancer (CRC). Importantly, inflammatory mediators are critical constituents of the local tumor environment and an intimate link between CRC progression and inflammation is now validated. We and others have reported key role of the deregulated claudin-1 expression in colon carcinogenesis including colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC). However, the causal association between claudin-1 expression and inflammation-induced colon cancer progression remains unclear. Here we demonstrate, TNF-α, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, regulates claudin-1 to modulate epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration in colon adenocarcinoma cells. Importantly, colon cancer cells cultured in the presence of TNF-α (10 ng/ml), demonstrated a sharp decrease in E-cadherin expression and an increase in vimentin expression (versus control cells). Interestingly, TNF-α treatment also upregulated (and delocalized) claudin-1 expression in a time-dependent manner accompanied by increase in proliferation and wound healing. Furthermore, similar to our previous observation that claudin-1 overexpression in CRC cells induces ERK1/2 and Src- activation, signaling associated with colon cancer cell survival and transformation, TNF-α-treatment induced upregulation of phospho-ERK1/2 and -Src expression. The shRNA-mediated inhibition of claudin-1 expression largely abrogated the TNF-α-induced changes in EMT, proliferation, migration, p-Erk and p-Src expression. Taken together, our data demonstrate TNF-α mediated regulation of claudin-1 and tumorigenic abilities of colon cancer cells and highlights a key role of deregulated claudin-1 expression in inflammation-induced colorectal cancer growth and progression, through the regulation of the ERK and Src-signaling.

  10. Breast fibroblasts modulate epithelial cell proliferation in three-dimensional in vitro co-culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sadlonova, Andrea; Novak, Zdenek; Johnson, Martin R; Bowe, Damon B; Gault, Sandra R; Page, Grier P; Thottassery, Jaideep V; Welch, Danny R; Frost, Andra R

    2005-01-01

    Stromal fibroblasts associated with in situ and invasive breast carcinoma differ phenotypically from fibroblasts associated with normal breast epithelium, and these alterations in carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) may promote breast carcinogenesis and cancer progression. A better understanding of the changes that occur in fibroblasts during carcinogenesis and their influence on epithelial cell growth and behavior could lead to novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. To this end, the effect of CAF and normal breast-associated fibroblasts (NAF) on the growth of epithelial cells representative of pre-neoplastic breast disease was assessed. NAF and CAF were grown with the nontumorigenic MCF10A epithelial cells and their more transformed, tumorigenic derivative, MCF10AT cells, in direct three-dimensional co-cultures on basement membrane material. The proliferation and apoptosis of MCF10A cells and MCF10AT cells were assessed by 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine labeling and TUNEL assay, respectively. Additionally, NAF and CAF were compared for expression of insulin-like growth factor II as a potential mediator of their effects on epithelial cell growth, by ELISA and by quantitative, real-time PCR. In relatively low numbers, both NAF and CAF suppressed proliferation of MCF10A cells. However, only NAF and not CAF significantly inhibited proliferation of the more transformed MCF10AT cells. The degree of growth inhibition varied among NAF or CAF from different individuals. In greater numbers, NAF and CAF have less inhibitory effect on epithelial cell growth. The rate of epithelial cell apoptosis was not affected by NAF or CAF. Mean insulin-like growth factor II levels were not significantly different in NAF versus CAF and did not correlate with the fibroblast effect on epithelial cell proliferation. Both NAF and CAF have the ability to inhibit the growth of pre-cancerous breast epithelial cells. NAF have greater inhibitory capacity than CAF

  11. Obesity Suppresses Cell-Competition-Mediated Apical Elimination of RasV12-Transformed Cells from Epithelial Tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sasaki, Ayana; Nagatake, Takahiro; Egami, Riku; Gu, Guoqiang; Takigawa, Ichigaku; Ikeda, Wataru; Nakatani, Tomoya; Kunisawa, Jun; Fujita, Yasuyuki

    2018-04-24

    Recent studies have revealed that newly emerging transformed cells are often eliminated from epithelial tissues via cell competition with the surrounding normal epithelial cells. This cancer preventive phenomenon is termed epithelial defense against cancer (EDAC). However, it remains largely unknown whether and how EDAC is diminished during carcinogenesis. In this study, using a cell competition mouse model, we show that high-fat diet (HFD) feeding substantially attenuates the frequency of apical elimination of RasV12-transformed cells from intestinal and pancreatic epithelia. This process involves both lipid metabolism and chronic inflammation. Furthermore, aspirin treatment significantly facilitates eradication of transformed cells from the epithelial tissues in HFD-fed mice. Thus, our work demonstrates that obesity can profoundly influence competitive interaction between normal and transformed cells, providing insights into cell competition and cancer preventive medicine. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Potential role of estrogen receptor beta as a tumor suppressor of epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carine Bossard

    Full Text Available Ovarian cancer is the gynecological cancer exhibiting the highest morbidity and improvement of treatments is still required. Previous studies have shown that Estrogen-receptor beta (ERβ levels decreased along with ovarian carcinogenesis. Here, we present evidence that reintroduction of ERβ in BG-1 epithelial ovarian cancer cells, which express ERα, leads in vitro to a decrease of basal and estradiol-promoted cell proliferation. ERβ reduced the frequency of cells in S phase and increased the one of cells in G2/M phase. At the molecular level, we found that ERβ downregulated total retinoblastoma (Rb, phosphorylated Rb and phospho-AKT cellular content as well as cyclins D1 and A2. In addition, ERβ had a direct effect on ERα, by strongly inhibiting its expression and activity, which could explain part of the anti-proliferative action of ERβ. By developing a novel preclinical model of ovarian cancer based on a luminescent orthotopic xenograft in athymic Nude mice, we further revealed that ERβ expression reduces tumor growth and the presence of tumor cells in sites of metastasis, hence resulting in improved survival of mice. Altogether, these findings unveil a potential tumor-suppressor role of ERβ in ovarian carcinogenesis, which could be of potential clinical relevance for the selection of the most appropriate treatment for patients.

  13. Potential Role of Estrogen Receptor Beta as a Tumor Suppressor of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaudin, Françoise; Machelon, Véronique; Brigitte, Madly; Jacquard, Carine; Pillon, Arnaud; Balaguer, Patrick; Balabanian, Karl; Lazennec, Gwendal

    2012-01-01

    Ovarian cancer is the gynecological cancer exhibiting the highest morbidity and improvement of treatments is still required. Previous studies have shown that Estrogen-receptor beta (ERβ) levels decreased along with ovarian carcinogenesis. Here, we present evidence that reintroduction of ERβ in BG-1 epithelial ovarian cancer cells, which express ERα, leads in vitro to a decrease of basal and estradiol-promoted cell proliferation. ERβ reduced the frequency of cells in S phase and increased the one of cells in G2/M phase. At the molecular level, we found that ERβ downregulated total retinoblastoma (Rb), phosphorylated Rb and phospho-AKT cellular content as well as cyclins D1 and A2. In addition, ERβ had a direct effect on ERα, by strongly inhibiting its expression and activity, which could explain part of the anti-proliferative action of ERβ. By developing a novel preclinical model of ovarian cancer based on a luminescent orthotopic xenograft in athymic Nude mice, we further revealed that ERβ expression reduces tumor growth and the presence of tumor cells in sites of metastasis, hence resulting in improved survival of mice. Altogether, these findings unveil a potential tumor-suppressor role of ERβ in ovarian carcinogenesis, which could be of potential clinical relevance for the selection of the most appropriate treatment for patients. PMID:22970307

  14. Overexpression of microRNA-194 suppresses the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in targeting stem cell transcription factor Sox3 in endometrial carcinoma stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gong, Baolan; Yue, Yan; Wang, Renxiao; Zhang, Yi; Jin, Quanfang; Zhou, Xi

    2017-06-01

    The epithelial-mesenchymal transition is the key process driving cancer metastasis. MicroRNA-194 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition in several cancers and its downregulation indicates a poor prognosis in human endometrial carcinoma. Self-renewal factor Sox3 induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition at gastrulation and is also involved epithelial-mesenchymal transition in several cancers. We intended to determine the roles of Sox3 in inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition in endometrial cancer stem cells and the possible role of microRNA-194 in controlling Sox3 expression. Firstly, we found that Sox3 and microRNA-194 expressions were associated with the status of endometrial cancer stem cells in a panel of endometrial carcinoma tissue, the CD133+ cell was higher in tumorsphere than in differentiated cells, and overexpression of microRNA-194 would decrease CD133+ cell expression. Silencing of Sox3 in endometrial cancer stem cell upregulated the epithelial marker E-cadherin, downregulated the mesenchymal marker vimentin, and significantly reduced cell invasion in vitro; overexpression of Sox3 reversed these phenotypes. Furthermore, we discovered that the expression of Sox3 was suppressed by microRNA-194 through direct binding to the Sox3 3'-untranslated region. Ectopic expression of microRNA-194 in endometrial cancer stem cells induced a mesenchymal-epithelial transition by restoring E-cadherin expression, decreasing vimentin expression, and inhibiting cell invasion in vitro. Moreover, overexpression of microRNA-194 inhibited endometrial cancer stem cell invasion or metastasis in vivo by injection of adenovirus microRNA-194. These findings demonstrate the novel mechanism by which Sox3 contributes to endometrial cancer stem cell invasion and suggest that repression of Sox3 by microRNA-194 may have therapeutic potential to suppress endometrial carcinoma metastasis. The cancer stem cell marker, CD133, might be the surface marker of endometrial cancer stem

  15. α-Solanine Inhibits Invasion of Human Prostate Cancer Cell by Suppressing Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and MMPs Expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kun-Hung Shen

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available α-Solanine, a naturally occurring steroidal glycoalkaloid found in nightshade (Solanum nigrum Linn., was found to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis of tumor cells. However, the mechanism involved in suppression of cancer cell metastasis by α-solanine remains unclear. This study investigates the suppression mechanism of α-solanine on motility of the human prostate cancer cell PC-3. Results show that α-solanine reduces the viability of PC-3 cells. When treated with non-toxic doses of α-solanine, cell invasion is markedly suppressed by α-solanine. α-Solanine also significantly elevates epithelial marker E-cadherin expression, while it concomitantly decreases mesenchymal marker vimentin expression, suggesting it suppresses epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. α-Solanine reduces the mRNA level of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2, MMP-9 and extracellular inducer of matrix metalloproteinase (EMMPRIN, but increases the expression of reversion-inducing cysteine-rich protein with kazal motifs (RECK, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. Immunoblotting assays indicate α-solanine is effective in suppressing the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositide-3 kinase (PI3K, Akt and ERK. Moreover, α-solanine downregulates oncogenic microRNA-21 (miR-21 and upregulates tumor suppressor miR-138 expression. Taken together, the results suggest that inhibition of PC-3 cell invasion by α-solanine may be, at least in part, through blocking EMT and MMPs expression. α-Solanine also reduces ERK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways and regulates expression of miR-21 and miR-138. These findings suggest an attractive therapeutic potential of α-solanine for suppressing invasion of prostate cancer cell.

  16. Induction of human microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 by activated oncogene RhoA GTPase in A549 human epithelial cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Hye Jin [Laboratory of Systems Mucosal Biomodulation, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Dong-Hyung [Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Park, Seong-Hwan; Kim, Juil; Do, Kee Hun [Laboratory of Systems Mucosal Biomodulation, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan (Korea, Republic of); An, Tae Jin; Ahn, Young Sup; Park, Chung Berm [Department of Herbal Crop Research, NIHHS, RDA, Eumseong (Korea, Republic of); Moon, Yuseok, E-mail: moon@pnu.edu [Laboratory of Systems Mucosal Biomodulation, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan (Korea, Republic of); Medical Research Institute and Research Institute for Basic Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-09-30

    Highlights: {yields} As a target of oncogene RhoA-linked signal, a prostaglandin metabolism is assessed. {yields} RhoA activation increases PGE{sub 2} levels and its metabolic enzyme mPGES-1. {yields} RhoA-activated NF-{kappa}B and EGR-1 are positively involved in mPGES-1 induction. -- Abstract: Oncogenic RhoA GTPase has been investigated as a mediator of pro-inflammatory responses and aggressive carcinogenesis. Among the various targets of RhoA-linked signals, pro-inflammatory prostaglandin E{sub 2} (PGE{sub 2}), a major prostaglandin metabolite, was assessed in epithelial cancer cells. RhoA activation increased PGE{sub 2} levels and gene expression of the rate-limiting PGE{sub 2} producing enzymes, cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase 1 (mPGES-1). In particular, human mPGES-1 was induced by RhoA via transcriptional activation in control and interleukin (IL)-1{beta}-activated cancer cells. To address the involvement of potent signaling pathways in RhoA-activated mPGES-1 induction, various signaling inhibitors were screened for their effects on mPGES-1 promoter activity. RhoA activation enhanced basal and IL-1{beta}-mediated phosphorylated nuclear factor-{kappa}B and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 proteins, all of which were positively involved in RhoA-induced gene expression of mPGES-1. As one potent down-stream transcription factor of ERK1/2 signals, early growth response gene 1 product also mediated RhoA-induced gene expression of mPGES-1 by enhancing transcriptional activity. Since oncogene-triggered PGE{sub 2} production is a critical modulator of epithelial tumor cells, RhoA-associated mPGES-1 represents a promising chemo-preventive or therapeutic target for epithelial inflammation and its associated cancers.

  17. Acquisition of 5-fluorouracil resistance induces epithelial-mesenchymal transitions through the Hedgehog signaling pathway in HCT-8 colon cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yanjun; DU, Fangfang; Zhao, Qiannan; Jin, Jian; Ma, Xin; Li, Huazhong

    2015-06-01

    Colon cancer has a high incidence in individuals >60-years-old. The commonly used chemotherapeutic agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), has gradually lost its potency in treating colorectal cancer following the acquisition of resistance. Drug resistance is usually associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs) in cancer cells. In the present study, the EMT phenotypes of two colon cancer cell lines, wild-type (HCT-8/WT) and 5-FU-resistant (HCT-8/5-FU), were characterized following the analysis of cellular migration, proliferation, morphology and molecular changes. In order to further clarify the mechanism of EMT in HCT-8/5-FU cells, the effect of EMT pathway inhibitors upon drug sensitivity was investigated. The results revealed that the Hedgehog signaling pathway inhibitor, GDC0449, reversed drug resistance. Therefore, inhibition of the Hedgehog pathway may provide a novel chemotherapeutic strategy for the treatment of patients with 5-FU-resistant colon cancer.

  18. Prevalence of deleterious germline variants in risk genes including BRCA1/2 in consecutive ovarian cancer patients (AGO-TR-1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philipp Harter

    Full Text Available Identification of families at risk for ovarian cancer offers the opportunity to consider prophylactic surgery thus reducing ovarian cancer mortality. So far, identification of potentially affected families in Germany was solely performed via family history and numbers of affected family members with breast or ovarian cancer. However, neither the prevalence of deleterious variants in BRCA1/2 in ovarian cancer in Germany nor the reliability of family history as trigger for genetic counselling has ever been evaluated.Prospective counseling and germline testing of consecutive patients with primary diagnosis or with platinum-sensitive relapse of an invasive epithelial ovarian cancer. Testing included 25 candidate and established risk genes. Among these 25 genes, 16 genes (ATM, BRCA1, BRCA2, CDH1, CHEK2, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, NBN, PMS2, PTEN, PALB2, RAD51C, RAD51D, STK11, TP53 were defined as established cancer risk genes. A positive family history was defined as at least one relative with breast cancer or ovarian cancer or breast cancer in personal history.In total, we analyzed 523 patients: 281 patients with primary diagnosis of ovarian cancer and 242 patients with relapsed disease. Median age at primary diagnosis was 58 years (range 16-93 and 406 patients (77.6% had a high-grade serous ovarian cancer. In total, 27.9% of the patients showed at least one deleterious variant in all 25 investigated genes and 26.4% in the defined 16 risk genes. Deleterious variants were most prevalent in the BRCA1 (15.5%, BRCA2 (5.5%, RAD51C (2.5% and PALB2 (1.1% genes. The prevalence of deleterious variants did not differ significantly between patients at primary diagnosis and relapse. The prevalence of deleterious variants in BRCA1/2 (and in all 16 risk genes in patients <60 years was 30.2% (33.2% versus 10.6% (18.9% in patients ≥60 years. Family history was positive in 43% of all patients. Patients with a positive family history had a prevalence of deleterious variants

  19. Epithelial ovarian cancer and recreational physical activity: A review of the epidemiological literature and implications for exercise prescription.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cannioto, Rikki A; Moysich, Kirsten B

    2015-06-01

    Despite the publication of two dozen observational epidemiological studies investigating the association between recreational physical activity (RPA) and epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk and survival over the past two decades, taken collectively, data from retrospective and prospective studies are mixed and remain inconclusive. Our primary purpose was to conduct a careful review and summary of the epidemiological literature depicting the association between EOC and RPA in the framework of identifying factors which may be impeding our ability to observe consistent associations in the literature. Secondly, in the backdrop of the more broad scientific evidence regarding the benefits of RPA, we provide a summary of guidelines for practitioners to utilize in the context of exercise prescription for cancer patients, including a discussion of special considerations and contraindications to exercise which are unique to EOC patients and survivors. We performed a comprehensive literature search via PubMed to identify epidemiologic investigations focused on the association between RPA and EOC. To be included in the review, studies had to assess RPA independently of occupational or household activities. In total, 26 studies were identified for inclusion. Evidence of a protective effect of RPA relative to EOC risk is more consistent among-case control studies, with the majority of studies demonstrating significant risk reductions between 30 and 60% among the most active women. Among cohort studies, half yielded no significant associations, while the remaining studies provided mixed evidence of an association. Given the limitations identified in the current body of literature, practitioners should not rely on inconclusive evidence to dissuade women from participating in moderate or vigorous RPA. Rather, emphasis should be placed on the greater body of scientific evidence which has demonstrated that RPA results in a plethora of health benefits that can be achieved in all

  20. MIG-6 negatively regulates STAT3 phosphorylation in uterine epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Jung-Yoon; Yang, Woo Sub; Lee, Jae Hee; Kim, Byung Gak; Broaddus, Russell R.; Lim, Jeong M.; Kim, Tae Hoon; Jeong, Jae-Wook

    2017-01-01

    Endometrial cancer is the most common malignancy of the female genital tract. Progesterone (P4) has been used for several decades in endometrial cancer treatment, especially in women who wish to retain fertility. However, it is unpredictable which patients will respond to P4 treatment and which may have a P4 resistant cancer. Therefore, identifying the mechanism of P4 resistance is essential to improve the therapies for endometrial cancer. Mitogen-inducible gene 6 (Mig-6) is a critical mediator of progesterone receptor (PGR) action in the uterus. In order to study the function of Mig-6 in P4 resistance, we generated a mouse model in which we specifically ablated Mig-6 in uterine epithelial cells using Sprr2f-cre mice (Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f). Female mutant mice develop endometrial hyperplasia due to aberrant phosphorylation of STAT3 and proliferation of the endometrial epithelial cells. The results from our immunoprecipitation and cell culture experiments showed that MIG-6 inhibited phosphorylation of STAT3 via protein interactions. Our previous study showed P4 resistance in mice with Mig-6 ablation in Pgr positive cells (Pgrcre/+Mig-6f/f). However, Sprr2fcre+Mig-6f/f mice were P4 responsive. P4 treatment significantly decreased STAT3 phosphorylation and epithelial proliferation in the uterus of mutant mice. We showed that Mig-6 has an important function of tumor suppressor via inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation in uterine epithelial cells and the anti-tumor effects of P4 are mediated by the endometrial stroma. This data helps to develop a new signaling pathway in the regulation of steroid hormones in the uterus, and to overcome P4 resistance in human reproductive diseases, such as endometrial cancer. PMID:28925396

  1. Management of epithelial ovarian cancer from diagnosis to restaging: an overview of the role of imaging techniques with particular regard to the contribution of 18F-FDG PET/CT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Musto, Alessandra; Grassetto, Gaia; Marzola, Maria Cristina; Rampin, Lucia; Chondrogiannis, Sotirios; Maffione, Anna Margherita; Colletti, Patrick M; Perkins, Alan C; Fagioli, Giorgio; Rubello, Domenico

    2014-06-01

    Epithelial ovarian carcinoma is a major form of cancer affecting women in the western world. The silent nature of this disease results in late presentation at an advanced stage in many patients. It is therefore important to assess the role of imaging techniques in the management of these patients. This article presents a review of the literature on the role of (18)F-FDG-PET/CT in the different stages of management of epithelial ovarian cancer. Moreover, a comparison with other imaging techniques has been made and the relationship between (18)F-PET/CT and the assay of serum CA-125 levels has been discussed.

  2. Andrographolide suppresses epithelial mesenchymal transition by inhibition of MAPK signalling pathway in lens epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kayastha, Forum; Johar, Kaid; Gajjar, Devarshi; Arora, Anshul; Madhu, Hardik; Ganatra, Darshini; Vasavada, Abhay

    2015-06-01

    Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of lens epithelial cells (LECs) may contribute to the development of posterior capsular opacification (PCO), which leads to visual impairment. Andrographolide has been shown to have therapeutic potential against various cancers. However, its effect on human LECs is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of andrographolide on EMT induced by growth factors in the fetal human lens epithelial cell line (FHL 124). Initially the LECs were treated with growth factors (TGF-beta 2 and bFGF) to induce EMT. Subsequently these EMT-induced cells were treated with andrographolide at 100 and 500 nM concentrations for 24 h. Our results showed that FHL 124 cells treated with growth factors had a significant decrease in protein and m-RNA levels of epithelial markers pax6 and E-Cadherin. After administering andrographolide, these levels significantly increased. It was noticed that EMT markers alpha-SMA, fibronectin and collagen IV significantly decreased after treatment with andrographolide when compared to the other group. Treatment with andrographolide significantly inhibited phosphorylation of ERK and JNK. Cell cycle analysis showed that andrographolide did not arrest cells at G0/G1 or G2/M at tested concentrations. Our findings suggest that andrographolide helps sustain epithelial characteristics by modulating EMT markers and inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway in LECs. Hence it can prove to be useful in curbing EMT-mediated PCO.

  3. Cediranib, an oral inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor kinases, is an active drug in recurrent epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, and peritoneal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matulonis, Ursula A; Berlin, Suzanne; Ivy, Percy; Tyburski, Karin; Krasner, Carolyn; Zarwan, Corrine; Berkenblit, Anna; Campos, Susana; Horowitz, Neil; Cannistra, Stephen A; Lee, Hang; Lee, Julie; Roche, Maria; Hill, Margaret; Whalen, Christin; Sullivan, Laura; Tran, Chau; Humphreys, Benjamin D; Penson, Richard T

    2009-11-20

    Angiogenesis is important for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) growth, and blocking angiogenesis can lead to EOC regression. Cediranib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) -1, VEGFR-2, VEGFR-3, and c-kit. We conducted a phase II study of cediranib for recurrent EOC or peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer; cediranib was administered as a daily oral dose, and the original dose was 45 mg daily. Because of toxicities observed in the first 11 patients, the dose was lowered to 30 mg. Eligibility included 16 weeks, or CA-125 nonprogression > 16 weeks), which was the primary end point, was 30%; eight patients (17%; 95% CI, 7.6% to 30.8%) had a PR, six patients (13%; 95% CI, 4.8% to 25.7%) had SD, and there were no CRs. Eleven patients (23%) were removed from study because of toxicities before two cycles. Grade 3 toxicities (> 20% of patients) included hypertension (46%), fatigue (24%), and diarrhea (13%). Grade 2 hypothyroidism occurred in 43% of patients. Grade 4 toxicities included CNS hemorrhage (n = 1), hypertriglyceridemia/hypercholesterolemia/elevated lipase (n = 1), and dehydration/elevated creatinine (n = 1). No bowel perforations or fistulas occurred. Median PFS was 5.2 months, and median OS has not been reached; median follow-up time is 10.7 months. Cediranib has activity in recurrent EOC, tubal cancer, and peritoneal cancer with predictable toxicities observed with other TKIs.

  4. DNMT1 Regulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Cancer Stem Cells, Which Promotes Prostate Cancer Metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eunsohl Lee

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Cancer metastasis is a multistep process associated with the induction of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT and cancer stem cells (CSCs. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating EMT and the CSC phenotype, little is known of how these processes are regulated by epigenetics. Here we demonstrate that reduced expression of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1 plays an important role in the induction of EMT and the CSC phenotype by prostate cancer (PCa cells, with enhanced tumorigenesis and metastasis. First, we observed that reduction of DNMT1 by 5-azacitidine (5-Aza promotes EMT induction as well as CSCs and sphere formation in vitro. Reduced expression of DNMT1 significantly increased PCa migratory potential. We showed that the increase of EMT and CSC activities by reduction of DNMT1 is associated with the increase of protein kinase C. Furthermore, we confirmed that silencing DNMT1 is correlated with enhancement of the induction of EMT and the CSC phenotype in PCa cells. Additionally, chromatin immunoprecipitation assay reveals that reduction of DNMT1 promotes the suppression of H3K9me3 and H3K27me3 on the Zeb2 and KLF4 promoter region in PCa cells. Critically, we found in an animal model that significant tumor growth and more disseminated tumor cells in most osseous tissues were observed following injection of 5-Aza pretreated–PCa cells compared with vehicle-pretreated PCa cells. Our results suggest that epigenetic alteration of histone demethylation regulated by reduction of DNMT1 may control induction of EMT and the CSC phenotype, which facilitates tumorigenesis in PCa cells and has important therapeutic implications in targeting epigenetic regulation.

  5. Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Interleukin-6 Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Acquisition of Epithelial Stem-Like Cell Properties in Ameloblastoma Epithelial Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Chunmiao; Zhang, Qunzhou; Shanti, Rabie M; Shi, Shihong; Chang, Ting-Han; Carrasco, Lee; Alawi, Faizan; Le, Anh D

    2017-09-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a biological process associated with cancer stem-like or cancer-initiating cell formation, contributes to the invasiveness, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence of the malignant tumors; it remains to be determined whether similar processes contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of ameloblastoma (AM), a benign but locally invasive odontogenic neoplasm. Here, we demonstrated that EMT- and stem cell-related genes were expressed in the epithelial islands of the most common histologic variant subtype, the follicular AM. Our results revealed elevated interleukin (IL)-6 signals that were differentially expressed in the stromal compartment of the follicular AM. To explore the stromal effect on tumor pathogenesis, we isolated and characterized both mesenchymal stromal cells (AM-MSCs) and epithelial cells (AM-EpiCs) from follicular AM and demonstrated that, in in vitro culture, AM-MSCs secreted a significantly higher level of IL-6 as compared to the counterpart AM-EpiCs. Furthermore, both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that exogenous and AM-MSC-derived IL-6 induced the expression of EMT- and stem cell-related genes in AM-EpiCs, whereas such effects were significantly abrogated either by a specific inhibitor of STAT3 or ERK1/2, or by knockdown of Slug gene expression. These findings suggest that AM-MSC-derived IL-6 promotes tumor-stem like cell formation by inducing EMT process in AM-EpiCs through STAT3 and ERK1/2-mediated signaling pathways, implying a role in the etiology and progression of the benign but locally invasive neoplasm. Stem Cells 2017;35:2083-2094. © 2017 AlphaMed Press.

  6. Risk Factors for Breast Cancer, Including Occupational Exposures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabete Weiderpass

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available The knowledge on the etiology of breast cancer has advanced substantially in recent years, and several etiological factors are now firmly established. However, very few new discoveries have been made in relation to occupational risk factors. The International Agency for Research on Cancer has evaluated over 900 different exposures or agents to-date to determine whether they are carcinogenic to humans. These evaluations are published as a series of Monographs (www.iarc.fr. For breast cancer the following substances have been classified as “carcinogenic to humans” (Group 1: alcoholic beverages, exposure to diethylstilbestrol, estrogen-progestogen contraceptives, estrogen-progestogen hormone replacement therapy and exposure to X-radiation and gamma-radiation (in special populations such as atomic bomb survivors, medical patients, and in-utero exposure. Ethylene oxide is also classified as a Group 1 carcinogen, although the evidence for carcinogenicity in epidemiologic studies, and specifically for the human breast, is limited. The classification “probably carcinogenic to humans” (Group 2A includes estrogen hormone replacement therapy, tobacco smoking, and shift work involving circadian disruption, including work as a flight attendant. If the association between shift work and breast cancer, the most common female cancer, is confirmed, shift work could become the leading cause of occupational cancer in women.

  7. Heterogeneity of tumor chemosensitivity in ovarian epithelial cancer revealed using the adenosine triphosphate-tumor chemosensitivity assay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jin; Li, Hongxia

    2015-05-01

    Ovarian cancer has a poor prognosis, primarily due to the heterogeneity in chemosensitivity among patients. In the present study, this heterogeneity was evaluated in ovarian epithelial cancer (OEC) using an in vitro adenosine triphosphate tumor chemosensitivity assay (ATP-TCA). Specimens were collected from 80 patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery. Viable ovarian cancer cells obtained from malignant tissues were tested for sensitivity to paclitaxel (PTX), carboplatin (CBP), topotecan (TPT), gemcitabine (GEM), docetaxel (TXT), etoposide, bleomycin and 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide using ATP-TCA. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the clinical chemotherapy sensitivity of OEC were 88.6, 77.8, 83 and 84.8%, respectively. PTX demonstrated the highest sensitivity of all agents tested (82.5% in all specimens, 85.7% in recurrent specimens), followed by CBP (58.8 and 60.7%, respectively). The sensitivities to PTX and docetaxel (PIII) or low-differentiated specimens, respectively. The present study indicated that ATP-TCA is an effective method for guiding the choice of chemotherapy drugs. Notable heterogeneity of chemosensitivity was observed in the OEC specimens.

  8. An epithelial marker promoter induction screen identifies histone deacetylase inhibitors to restore epithelial differentiation and abolishes anchorage independence growth in cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, H M; Kuay, K T; Koh, P F; Asad, M; Tan, T Z; Chung, V Y; Lee, S C; Thiery, J P; Huang, Ry-J

    2016-01-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a crucial mechanism in development, mediates aggressiveness during carcinoma progression and therapeutic refractoriness. The reversibility of EMT makes it an attractive strategy in designing novel therapeutic approaches. Therefore, drug discovery pipelines for EMT reversal are in need to discover emerging classes of compounds. Here, we outline a pre-clinical drug screening platform for EMT reversal that consists of three phases of drug discovery and validation. From the Phase 1 epithelial marker promoter induction (EpI) screen on a library consisting of compounds being approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Vorinostat (SAHA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), is identified to exert EMT reversal effects by restoring the expression of an epithelial marker, E-cadherin. An expanded screen on 41 HDACi further identifies 28 compounds, such as class I-specific HDACi Mocetinosat, Entinostat and CI994, to restore E-cadherin and ErbB3 expressions in ovarian, pancreatic and bladder carcinoma cells. Mocetinostat is the most potent HDACi to restore epithelial differentiation with the lowest concentration required for 50% induction of epithelial promoter activity (EpIC-50).The HDACi exerts paradoxical effects on EMT transcriptional factors such as SNAI and ZEB family and the effects are context-dependent in epithelial- and mesenchymal-like cells. In vitro functional studies further show that HDACi induced significant increase in anoikis and decrease in spheroid formation in ovarian and bladder carcinoma cells with mesenchymal features. This study demonstrates a robust drug screening pipeline for the discovery of compounds capable of restoring epithelial differentiation that lead to significant functional lethality.

  9. Cancer incidence in the population of Nagasaki city 30 years after atomic bombing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okuyama, Shinichi; Mishina, Hitoshi

    1988-01-01

    In order to attest the evolutionary hypothesis of non-epithelial-epithelial tumor shift (Okuyama and Mishina 1986), the published cancer incidence data for the population of Nagasaki City during the period of 1973-1977 was studied along with appropriate control populations of Fukuoka City, and Miyagi and Osaka prefectures. Significant increments of non-epithelial tumors including leukemias, and epithelial tumors such as cervical cancers and choriocarcinomas were observed. An inference was made to the post-atomic bomb radiation carcinogenesis that different organ systems responded to that irradiation with different oncogenic patterns: Neoplasms of the pre-vertebral organs (non-epithelial organ systems) were the first to react and tapered long (curve type I); Tumors of the vertebral but pre-mammalian (those of the digestive tract, respiratory and thyroid) could have formed two separate peaks, one for the early and high dosage and the other for the late and low dosage (II); With breast cancer or the mammalian symbol tumor, there was a single peak reflecting the cohort of reproductives (III). The evolutionary and phylogenetic progression could have taken place from I through III. Thus, cancer incidence analysis may be helpful in deciphering the atomic bomb radiation carcinogenesis. (author)

  10. Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transitions and the Expression of Twist in MCF-7/ADR,Human Multidrug-Resistant Breast Cancer Cells

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Fei Zhang; Yurong Shi; Lin Zhang; Bin Zhang; Xiyin Wei; Yi Yang; RUi Wang; Ruifang Niu

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVE To study the expression levels of Twist and epithelialmesenchymal transitions in multidrug-resistant MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cells,and to study the relationship between multidrug resistance (MDR) and metastatic potential of the cells.METHODS RT-PCR,immunohislochemical and Western blotting methods were used to examine the changes of expression levels of the transcription factor Twist.E-cadherin and N-cadherin in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and its multidrug-resistant variant.MCF-7/ADR.RESULTS In MCF-7 cells,the expression of E-cadherin can be detected,but there is no expression of Twisl or N-cadherin.In MCF-7/ADR cells,E-cadherin expression is lost.bul the expression of two other genes was significantly positive.CONCLUSION Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions induced by Twist,may have a relationship with enhanced invasion and metastatic potential during the development of multidrug-resistant MCF-7/ADR breast cancer cells.

  11. A lung cancer risk classifier comprising genome maintenance genes measured in normal bronchial epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeo, Jiyoun; Crawford, Erin L; Zhang, Xiaolu; Khuder, Sadik; Chen, Tian; Levin, Albert; Blomquist, Thomas M; Willey, James C

    2017-05-02

    Annual low dose CT (LDCT) screening of individuals at high demographic risk reduces lung cancer mortality by more than 20%. However, subjects selected for screening based on demographic criteria typically have less than a 10% lifetime risk for lung cancer. Thus, there is need for a biomarker that better stratifies subjects for LDCT screening. Toward this goal, we previously reported a lung cancer risk test (LCRT) biomarker comprising 14 genome-maintenance (GM) pathway genes measured in normal bronchial epithelial cells (NBEC) that accurately classified cancer (CA) from non-cancer (NC) subjects. The primary goal of the studies reported here was to optimize the LCRT biomarker for high specificity and ease of clinical implementation. Targeted competitive multiplex PCR amplicon libraries were prepared for next generation sequencing (NGS) analysis of transcript abundance at 68 sites among 33 GM target genes in NBEC specimens collected from a retrospective cohort of 120 subjects, including 61 CA cases and 59 NC controls. Genes were selected for analysis based on contribution to the previously reported LCRT biomarker and/or prior evidence for association with lung cancer risk. Linear discriminant analysis was used to identify the most accurate classifier suitable to stratify subjects for screening. After cross-validation, a model comprising expression values from 12 genes (CDKN1A, E2F1, ERCC1, ERCC4, ERCC5, GPX1, GSTP1, KEAP1, RB1, TP53, TP63, and XRCC1) and demographic factors age, gender, and pack-years smoking, had Receiver Operator Characteristic area under the curve (ROC AUC) of 0.975 (95% CI: 0.96-0.99). The overall classification accuracy was 93% (95% CI 88%-98%) with sensitivity 93.1%, specificity 92.9%, positive predictive value 93.1% and negative predictive value 93%. The ROC AUC for this classifier was significantly better (p < 0.0001) than the best model comprising demographic features alone. The LCRT biomarker reported here displayed high accuracy and ease

  12. Deregulation of microcephalin and ASPM expression are correlated with epithelial ovarian cancer progression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rawiah Alsiary

    Full Text Available Mutations in the MCPH1 (Microcephalin and ASPM (abnormal spindle-like microcephaly associated genes cause primary microcephaly. Both are centrosomal associated proteins involved in mitosis. Microcephalin plays an important role in DNA damage response and ASPM is required for correct division of proliferative neuro-epithelial cells of the developing brain. Reduced MCPH1 mRNA expression and ASPM mRNA over-expression have been implicated in the development of human carcinomas. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC is characterised by highly aneuploid tumours. Previously we have reported low Microcephalin and high ASPM protein levels and associations with clinico-pathological parameters in malignant cells from ascitic fluids. To confirm these previous findings on a larger scale Microcephalin and ASPM expression levels and localisations were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in two cohorts; a training set of 25 samples and a validation set of 322 EOC tissue samples. Results were correlated to the associated histopathological data. In normal ovarian tissues the Microcephalin nuclear staining pattern was consistently strong. In the cancer tissues, we identified low nuclear Microcephalin expression in high grade and advanced stage tumours (p<0.0001 and p = 0.0438 respectively. ASPM had moderate to high nuclear and low to moderate cytoplasmic expression in normal tissue. Cytoplasmic ASPM expression decreased with tumour grade and stage in the serous subtype of EOC (p = 0.023 and p = 0.011 respectively. Cytoplasmic ASPM increased with tumour stage in the endometrioid subtype (p = 0.023. Increasing tumour invasiveness (T3 and lymph node involvement (N1 also correlated with a decrease in cytoplasmic ASPM in EOC (p = 0.02 and p = 0.04 respectively. We have validated previous findings of deregulated expression of Microcephalin and ASPM in EOC by confirming associations for low nuclear Microcephalin levels and high cytoplasmic ASPM levels in a larger scale tumour

  13. Does risk for ovarian malignancy algorithm excel human epididymis protein 4 and ca125 in predicting epithelial ovarian cancer: A meta-analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, Fake; Tie, Ruxiu; Chang, Kai; Wang, Feng; Deng, Shaoli; Lu, Weiping; Yu, Lili; Chen, Ming

    2012-01-01

    Risk for Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA) and Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) appear to be promising predictors for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), however, conflicting results exist in the diagnostic performance comparison among ROMA, HE4 and CA125. Remote databases (MEDLINE/PUBMED, EMBASE, Web of Science, Google Scholar, the Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov) and full texts bibliography were searched for relevant abstracts. All studies included were closely assessed with the QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2). EOC predictive value of ROMA was systematically evaluated, and comparison among the predictive performances of ROMA, HE4 and CA125 were conducted within the same population. Sensitivity, specificity, DOR (diagnostic odds ratio), LR ± (positive and negative likelihood ratio) and AUC (area under receiver operating characteristic-curve) were summarized with a bivariate model. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to explore the heterogeneity. Data of 7792 tests were retrieved from 11 studies. The overall estimates of ROMA for EOC predicting were: sensitivity (0.89, 95% CI 0.84-0.93), specificity (0.83, 95% CI 0.77-0.88), and AUC (0.93, 95% CI 0.90-0.95). Comparison of EOC predictive value between HE4 and CA125 found, specificity: HE4 (0.93, 95% CI 0.87-0.96) > CA125 (0.84, 95% CI 0.76-0.90); AUC: CA125 (0.88, 95% CI 0.85-0.91) > HE4 (0.82, 95% CI 0.78-0.85). Comparison of OC predictive value between HE4 and CA125 found, AUC: CA125 (0.89, 95% CI 0.85-0.91) > HE4 (0.79, 95% CI 0.76-0.83). Comparison among the three tests for EOC prediction found, sensitivity: ROMA (0.86, 95%CI 0.81-0.91) > HE4 (0.80, 95% CI 0.73-0.85); specificity: HE4 (0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.96) > ROMA (0.84, 95% CI 0.79-0.88) > CA125 (0.78, 95%CI 0.73-0.83). ROMA is helpful for distinguishing epithelial ovarian cancer from benign pelvic mass. HE4 is not better than CA125 either for EOC or OC prediction. ROMA is promising predictors of

  14. Mechanisms of RhoGDI2 Mediated Lung Cancer Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Suppression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huiyan Niu

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the function of RhoGDI2 in lung cancer epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT process and to illustrate the underlying mechanisms that will lead to improvement of lung cancer treatment. Methods: The RhoGDI2 knock-down and overexpressing A549 cell lines were first constructed. The influence of RhoGDI2 on cytoskeleton in A549 cells was studied using two approaches: G-LISA-based Rac1 activity measurement and immunostaining-based F-actin distribution. The expression levels of key EMT genes were analyzed using real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR, western blot and immunostaining in untreated and RhoGDI2 knock-down or overexpressing A549 cells in both in vivo and in vitro experimental settings. Results: Our study showed that the activity of Rac1, a key gene that is crucial for the initiation and metastasis of human lung adenocarcinoma, causing the redistribution of F-actin with partial loss of cell-cell adhesions and stress fibers, was significantly suppressed by RhoGDI2. RhoGDI2 promoted the expression of EMT marker gene E-cadherin and repressed EMT promoting genes Slug, Snail, α-SMA in both A549 cells and lung and liver organs derived from the mouse models. Knocking-down RhoGDI2 induced abnormal morphology for lung organs. Conclusion: These findings indicate that RhoGDI2 repressed the activity of Rac1 and may be involved in the rearrangement of cytoskeleton in lung cancer cells. RhoGDI2 suppresses the metastasis of lung cancer mediated through EMT by regulating the expression of key genes such as E-cadherin, Slug, Snail and α-SMA in both in vivo and in vitro models.

  15. CD73 Regulates Stemness and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Ovarian Cancer-Initiating Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michela Lupia

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Cancer-initiating cells (CICs have been implicated in tumor development and aggressiveness. In ovarian carcinoma (OC, CICs drive tumor formation, dissemination, and recurrence, as well as drug resistance, thus accounting for the high death-to-incidence ratio of this neoplasm. However, the molecular mechanisms that underlie such a pathogenic role of ovarian CICs (OCICs remain elusive. Here, we have capitalized on primary cells either from OC or from its tissues of origin to obtain the transcriptomic profile associated with OCICs. Among the genes differentially expressed in OCICs, we focused on CD73, which encodes the membrane-associated 5′-ectonucleotidase. The genetic inactivation of CD73 in OC cells revealed that this molecule is causally involved in sphere formation and tumor initiation, thus emerging as a driver of OCIC function. Furthermore, functional inhibition of CD73 via either a chemical compound or a neutralizing antibody reduced sphere formation and tumorigenesis, highlighting the druggability of CD73 in the context of OCIC-directed therapies. The biological function of CD73 in OCICs required its enzymatic activity and involved adenosine signaling. Mechanistically, CD73 promotes the expression of stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-associated genes, implying a regulation of OCIC function at the transcriptional level. CD73, therefore, is involved in OCIC biology and may represent a therapeutic target for innovative treatments aimed at OC eradication. : Cavallaro et al. characterized the transcriptome of OCIC-enriched primary cultures and found CD73 as an upregulated gene. CD73 was then shown to regulate the expression of stemness and EMT-associated genes. The expression and function of CD73 in OCICs is required for tumor initiation, and CD73-targeted drugs decrease the rate of tumor take and inhibit cancer growth. Keywords: CD73, ovarian cancer, cancer-initiating cells, cancer stem cells, EMT, adenosine

  16. A prospective comparison of perioperative morbidity in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer: Primary versus interval cytoreduction - experience from India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheikh Zahoor Ahmad

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The objective was to compare perioperative morbidity and mortality of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC treated with either of the two treatment approaches; neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT followed by interval debulking versus upfront surgery. Design: Prospective comparative observational study. Participants: In total, 51 patients were included in the study. All patients with diagnosed advanced EOC (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics IIIC and IV presenting for the 1st time were included in the study. Interventions: Patients were either operated upfront (n = 19 if deemed operable or were subjected to NACT followed by interval debulking (n = 32. Primary and Secondary Outcomes: Intra- and postoperative morbidity and mortality were the primary outcome measures. Results: Patients with interval cytoreduction were noted to have significantly lesser operative time, blood loss, and extent of surgery. Their discharge time was also significantly earlier. However, they did not differ from the other group vis. a vis. postoperative complications or mortality. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy although has a positive impact on various intraoperative adverse events, fails to show any impact on immediate postoperative negative outcomes.

  17. Prognostic implication of the metastatic lesion-to-ovarian cancer standardised uptake value ratio in advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Hyun Hoon; Lee, Maria; Kim, Hee-Seung; Kim, Jae-Weon; Park, Noh-Hyun; Song, Yong Sang; Cheon, Gi Jeong

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic activity of metastatic lesions measured by 18 F-flurodeoxyglucose ( 18 F-FDG) uptake on preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Clinico-pathological variables and PET/CT parameters such as the maximum standardised uptake value of the ovarian cancer (SUV ovary ), metastatic lesions (SUV meta ), and the metastatic lesion-to-ovarian cancer standardised uptake value ratio (SUV meta /SUV ovary ) were assessed in International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III, IV patients. Clinico-pathological data were retrospectively reviewed for 94 eligible patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 18.5 months (range, 6-90 months), and 57 (60.6%) patients experienced recurrence. Older age [P = 0.017, hazard ratio (HR) 1.036, 95% CI 1.006-1.066], residual disease after surgery (P = 0.024, HR 1.907, 95% CI 1.087-3.346), and high SUV meta /SUV ovary (P = 0.019, HR 2.321, 95% CI 1.148-4.692) were independent risk factors of recurrence. Patients with high SUV meta /SUV ovary showed a significantly worse PFS than those with low SUV meta /SUV ovary (P = 0.007, log-rank test). Preoperative SUV meta /SUV ovary was significantly associated with recurrence and has an incremental prognostic value for PFS in patients with advanced serous EOC. (orig.)

  18. Palliative Care in Improving Quality of Life and Symptoms in Patients With Stage III-IV Pancreatic or Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-12-18

    Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer; Stage III Pancreatic Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIB Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIC Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer

  19. Deep RNA-Seq analysis reveals unexpected features of human prostate basal epithelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dingxiao Zhang

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among American men [1]. The prostate gland mainly contains basal and luminal cells, which are constructed as a pseudostratified epithelium. Annotation of prostate epithelial transcriptomes provides a foundation for discoveries that can impact disease understanding and treatment. Here, for the first time, we describe a whole-genome transcriptome analysis of human benign prostatic basal and luminal populations by using deep RNA sequencing (GSE67070 [2]. Combined with comprehensive molecular and biological characterizations, we show that the differential gene expression profiles account for their distinct functional phenotypes. Strikingly, in contrast to luminal cells, basal cells preferentially express gene categories associated with stem cells, neural and neuronal development, and RNA processing. Of clinical relevance, the treatment failed castration-resistant and anaplastic prostate cancers molecularly resemble a basal-like phenotype. We also identified genes associated with patient clinical outcome. Therefore, we provide a gene expression resource for understanding human prostate epithelial lineages, and link the cell-type specific gene signatures to subtypes of prostate cancer development. Keywords: Prostate epithelial cells, Basal cells, Luminal cells, RNA-seq

  20. Circulating tumour cells escape from EpCAM-based detection due to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorges, Tobias M; Tinhofer, Ingeborg; Drosch, Michael; Röse, Lars; Zollner, Thomas M; Krahn, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) have shown prognostic relevance in metastatic breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancer. For further development of CTCs as a biomarker, we compared the performance of different protocols for CTC detection in murine breast cancer xenograft models (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and KPL-4). Blood samples were taken from tumour bearing animals (20 to 200 mm 2 ) and analysed for CTCs using 1. an epithelial marker based enrichment method (AdnaTest), 2. an antibody independent technique, targeting human gene transcripts (qualitative PCR), and 3. an antibody-independent approach, targeting human DNA-sequences (quantitative PCR). Further, gene expression changes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were determined with an EMT-specific PCR assay. We used the commercially available Adna Test, RT-PCR on human housekeeping genes and a PCR on AluJ sequences to detect CTCs in xenografts models. Phenotypic changes in CTCs were tested with the commercially available “Human Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition RT-Profiler PCR Array”. Although the AdnaTest detects as few as 1 tumour cell in 1 ml of mouse blood spiking experiments, no CTCs were detectable with this approach in vivo despite visible metastasis formation. The presence of CTCs could, however, be demonstrated by PCR targeting human transcripts or DNA-sequences - without epithelial pre-enrichment. The failure of CTC detection by the AdnaTest resulted from downregulation of EpCAM, whereas mesenchymal markers like Twist and EGFR were upregulated on CTCs. Such a change in the expression profile during metastatic spread of tumour cells has already been reported and was linked to a biological program termed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The use of EpCAM-based enrichment techniques leads to the failure to detect CTC populations that have undergone EMT. Our findings may explain clinical results where low CTC numbers have been reported even in patients with late

  1. Mesenchymal Stem Cells Induce Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in Colon Cancer Cells through Direct Cell-to-Cell Contact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hidehiko Takigawa

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available We previously reported that in an orthotopic nude mouse model of human colon cancer, bone marrow–derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs migrated to the tumor stroma and promoted tumor growth and metastasis. Here, we evaluated the proliferation and migration ability of cancer cells cocultured with MSCs to elucidate the mechanism of interaction between cancer cells and MSCs. Proliferation and migration of cancer cells increased following direct coculture with MSCs but not following indirect coculture. Thus, we hypothesized that direct contact between cancer cells and MSCs was important. We performed a microarray analysis of gene expression in KM12SM colon cancer cells directly cocultured with MSCs. Expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT–related genes such as fibronectin (FN, SPARC, and galectin 1 was increased by direct coculture with MSCs. We also confirmed the upregulation of these genes with real-time polymerase chain reaction. Gene expression was not elevated in cancer cells indirectly cocultured with MSCs. Among the EMT-related genes upregulated by direct coculture with MSCs, we examined the immune localization of FN, a well-known EMT marker. In coculture assay in chamber slides, expression of FN was seen only at the edges of cancer clusters where cancer cells directly contacted MSCs. FN expression in cancer cells increased at the tumor periphery and invasive edge in orthotopic nude mouse tumors and human colon cancer tissues. These results suggest that MSCs induce EMT in colon cancer cells via direct cell-to-cell contact and may play an important role in colon cancer metastasis.

  2. Tungsten-induced carcinogenesis in human bronchial epithelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Laulicht, Freda; Brocato, Jason; Cartularo, Laura; Vaughan, Joshua; Wu, Feng; Kluz, Thomas; Sun, Hong [Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, Tuxedo, NY 10987 (United States); Oksuz, Betul Akgol [Genome Technology Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016 (United States); Shen, Steven [Center for Health Informatics and Bioinformatics, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016 (United States); Peana, Massimiliano; Medici, Serenella; Zoroddu, Maria Antonietta [Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, Sassari (Italy); Costa, Max, E-mail: Max.Costa@nyumc.org [Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Langone Medical Center, Tuxedo, NY 10987 (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Metals such as arsenic, cadmium, beryllium, and nickel are known human carcinogens; however, other transition metals, such as tungsten (W), remain relatively uninvestigated with regard to their potential carcinogenic activity. Tungsten production for industrial and military applications has almost doubled over the past decade and continues to increase. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate tungsten's ability to induce carcinogenic related endpoints including cell transformation, increased migration, xenograft growth in nude mice, and the activation of multiple cancer-related pathways in transformed clones as determined by RNA sequencing. Human bronchial epithelial cell line (Beas-2B) exposed to tungsten developed carcinogenic properties. In a soft agar assay, tungsten-treated cells formed more colonies than controls and the tungsten-transformed clones formed tumors in nude mice. RNA-sequencing data revealed that the tungsten-transformed clones altered the expression of many cancer-associated genes when compared to control clones. Genes involved in lung cancer, leukemia, and general cancer genes were deregulated by tungsten. Taken together, our data show the carcinogenic potential of tungsten. Further tests are needed, including in vivo and human studies, in order to validate tungsten as a carcinogen to humans. - Highlights: • Tungsten (W) induces cell transformation and increases migration in vitro. • W increases xenograft growth in nude mice. • W altered the expression of cancer-related genes such as those involved in leukemia. • Some of the dysregulated leukemia genes include, CD74, CTGF, MST4, and HOXB5. • For the first time, data is presented that demonstrates tungsten's carcinogenic potential.

  3. The role of bevacizumab in targeted vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruan GY

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Guanyu Ruan,1,* Lixiang Ye,2,* Guifen Liu,3 Jian An,3 Jalid Sehouli,4 Pengming Sun1,3 1Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 2Fujian Center for Safety Evaluation of New Drugs, Fujian Medical University, 3Department of Gynecology, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Children’s Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Department of Gynecologic Oncology and Gynecology, Charité Campus Virchow-Klinikum, European Competence Center for Ovarian Cancer, University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: The impact of bevacizumab (an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy remains uncertain, which has been the focus of studies on the management of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC. To investigate the efficacy of bevacizumab combinations with different regimens in the treatment of patients with EOC, a meta-analysis of Phase III randomized controlled trials was conducted. The databases searched included PubMed, Embase, ClinicalTrials.gov, Chinese Knowledge Infrastructure, as well as the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. After evaluation of quality, a meta-analysis of valid extracted data was performed using Review Manager (RevMan software. Five studies with 4,369 patients were included. Bevacizumab plus chemotherapy improved progression-free survival (hazard ratio [HR] =0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51–0.77; P<0.01 and overall survival (HR =0.91; 95% CI, 0.84–0.99; P<0.05. Interestingly, in patients with a high risk of progression, the subgroups that received bevacizumab combined with different regimens of chemotherapy showed a significant improvement with paclitaxel plus carboplatin-based chemotherapy (HR =0.86; 95% CI, 0.77–0.95; P<0.01, but not with non-paclitaxel plus carboplatin-based chemotherapy (HR =0.91; 95% CI, 0

  4. Regorafenib (Stivarga) pharmacologically targets epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Li-Ching; Teng, Hao-Wei; Shiau, Chung-Wai; Tai, Wei-Tien; Hung, Man-Hsin; Yang, Shung-Haur; Jiang, Jeng-Kai; Chen, Kuen-Feng

    2016-09-27

    Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is well-known to evoke cancer invasion/metastasis, leading to a high frequency of mortality in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase)-targeted therapy has been identified as a novel cancer therapeutic. Previously, we proved that sorafenib with anti-EMT potency prevents TGF-β1-induced EMT/invasion by directly activating SH2-domain-containing phosphatase 1 (SHP-1)-dependent p-STAT3Tyr705 suppression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Regorafenib has a closely related chemical structure as sorafenib and is approved for the pharmacotherapy of mCRC. Herein, we evaluate whether regorafenib activates PTPase SHP-1 in the same way as sorafenib to abolish EMT-related invasion/metastasis in CRC. Notably, regorafenib exerted potent anti-EMT activity to curb TGF-β1-induced EMT/invasion in vitro as well inhibited lung metastatic outgrowth of SW480 mesenchymal cells in vivo. Mechanistically, regorafenib-enhanced SHP-1 activity significantly impeded TGF-β1-induced EMT/invasion via low p-STAT3Tyr705 level as proved by a SHP-1 inhibitor or siRNA-mediated SHP-1 depletion. Conversely, overexpression of SHP-1 further enhanced the inhibitory effects of regorafenib on TGF-β1-induced p-STAT3Tyr705 and EMT/invasion. Regorafenib directly activates SHP-1 by potently relieving the autoinhibited N-SH2 domain of SHP-1 to inhibit TGF-β1-induced p-STAT3Tyr705 and EMT/invasion. Importantly, the clinical evidence indicated that SHP-1 was positively correlated with E-cadherin and that significantly determined the overall survival of CRC patients. This result further confirms our in vitro data that SHP-1 is a negative regulatory PTPase in EMT regulation and serves as a pharmacological target for mCRC therapy. Collectively, activating PTPase SHP-1 by regorafenib focusing on its anti-EMT activity might be a useful pharmacotherapy for mCRC.

  5. Epothilones in epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer: a systematic review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zagouri F

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Flora Zagouri,1 Theodoros N Sergentanis,2 Dimosthenis Chrysikos,2 Meletios-Athanassios Dimopoulos,1 Aristotle Bamias1 1Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, 2First Propaedeutic Surgical Department, Hippokration Hospital, University of Athens, Athens, Greece Abstract: Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy; consequently, there is a need for effective therapies. Epothilones are microtubule-stabilizing agents that inhibit cell growth. Currently, patupilone and its four synthetic derivatives ixabepilone, BMS-310705, sagopilone, 20-desmethyl-20-methylsulfanyl epothilone B and epothilone D, as well as its derivative KOS-1584, are under clinical evaluation. This is the first systematic review conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines that synthesizes all available data emerging from trials and evaluates the efficacy and safety of epothilones in epithelial ovarian, primary fallopian tube, and primary peritoneal cancer. Despite the fact that epothilones have proven active in taxane-resistant settings in preclinical models, it is not yet clear from Phase II/III studies reviewed here that their clinical activity is superior to that of taxanes. Nevertheless, responses to epothilones have been observed in platinum-refractory/resistant ovarian cancer patients. Moreover, despite the shared mechanism of action of epothilones, their clinical profile seems clearly different, with diarrhea being the most common dose-limiting toxicity encountered with patupilone, whereas neutropenia and sensory neuropathy are the most common toxic effects observed with the other epothilones. In any case, randomized trials comparing epothilones with standard treatments seem warranted to define further the role of these agents, whereas biomarker analysis might further optimize patient selection. Keywords: ovarian cancer, epothilone, patupilone, ixabepilone, systematic

  6. Mediation analysis of alcohol consumption, DNA methylation, and epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dongyan; Yang, Haitao; Winham, Stacey J; Natanzon, Yanina; Koestler, Devin C; Luo, Tiane; Fridley, Brooke L; Goode, Ellen L; Zhang, Yanbo; Cui, Yuehua

    2018-03-01

    Epigenetic factors and consumption of alcohol, which suppresses DNA methylation, may influence the development and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). However, there is a lack of understanding whether these factors interact to affect the EOC risk. In this study, we aimed to gain insight into this relationship by identifying leukocyte-derived DNA methylation markers acting as potential mediators of alcohol-associated EOC. We implemented a causal inference test (CIT) and the VanderWeele and Vansteelandt multiple mediator model to examine CpG sites that mediate the association between alcohol consumption and EOC risk. We modified one step of the CIT by adopting a high-dimensional inference procedure. The data were based on 196 cases and 202 age-matched controls from the Mayo Clinic Ovarian Cancer Case-Control Study. Implementation of the CIT test revealed two CpG sites (cg09358725, cg11016563), which represent potential mediators of the relationship between alcohol consumption and EOC case-control status. Implementation of the VanderWeele and Vansteelandt multiple mediator model further revealed that these two CpGs were the key mediators. Decreased methylation at both CpGs was more common in cases who drank alcohol at the time of enrollment vs. those who did not. cg11016563 resides in TRPC6 which has been previously shown to be overexpressed in EOC. These findings suggest two CpGs may serve as novel biomarkers for EOC susceptibility.

  7. [Immunomorphologic features of epithelial-stromal relationships at hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bantysh, B B; Paukov, v S; Kogan, E A

    2012-01-01

    The results of a immunomorphologic comprehensive study of epithelial-stromal relationships in the uterus hyperplasia and endometrial cancer suggest that the suppressor gene of cancer (PTEN) plays a key role in the process of neoplastic transformation of endometrial hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma development. For the first time the existence of two highly differentiated endometrial adenocarcinoma immunophenotype were detected The first one is a PTEN-negative endometrial aedenocarcinoma, characterized by an almost complete inhibition of tumor suppressor gene PTEN in the epithelium of the glands and stromal cell of the tumor The second type is a PTEN-positive endometrial adenocarcinoma, in which epithelial and stromal tumor suppressor gene PTEN activity has retained Based on these results we have formulated a hypothesis about the different types of endometrial hyperplasia morphogenesis and its possible transfer to cervical cancer associated with features of tumor suppressor gene PTEN.

  8. Pyridine-pyrimidine amides that prevent HGF-induced epithelial scattering by two distinct mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui-Jain, Adam; Hoj, Jacob P; Hargiss, J Blade; Hoj, Taylor H; Payne, Carter J; Ritchie, Collin A; Herron, Steven R; Quinn, Colette; Schuler, Jeffrey T; Hansen, Marc D H

    2017-09-01

    Stimulation of cultured epithelial cells with scatter factor/hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) results in individual cells detaching and assuming a migratory and invasive phenotype. Epithelial scattering recapitulates cancer progression and studies have implicated HGF signaling as a driver of cancer metastasis. Inhibitors of HGF signaling have been proposed to act as anti-cancer agents. We previously screened a small molecule library for compounds that block HGF-induced epithelial scattering. Most hits identified in this screen exhibit anti-mitotic properties. Here we assess the biological mechanism of a compound that blocks HGF-induced scattering with limited anti-mitotic activity. Analogs of this compound have one of two distinct activities: inhibiting either cell migration or cell proliferation with cell cycle arrest in G2/M. Each activity bears unique structure-activity relationships. The mechanism of action of anti-mitotic compounds is by inhibition of microtubule polymerization; these compounds entropically and enthalpically bind tubulin in the colchicine binding site, generating a conformational change in the tubulin dimer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. AB0 blood groups and rhesus factor expression as prognostic parameters in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer - a retrospective multi-centre study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seebacher, Veronika; Polterauer, Stephan; Reinthaller, Alexander; Koelbl, Heinz; Achleitner, Regina; Berger, Astrid; Concin, Nicole

    2018-04-19

    AB0 blood groups and Rhesus factor expression have been associated with carcinogenesis, response to treatment and tumor progression in several malignancies. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that AB0 blood groups and Rhesus factor expression are associated with clinical outcome in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). AB0 blood groups and Rhesus factor expression were evaluated in a retrospective multicenter study including 518 patients with EOC. Their association with patients' survival was assessed using univariate and multivariable analyses. Neither AB0 blood groups nor Rhesus factor expression were associated with clinico-pathological parameters, recurrence-free, cancer-specific, or overall survival. In a subgroup of patients with high-grade serous adenocarcinoma, however, blood groups B and AB were associated with a better 5-year cancer-specific survival rate compared to blood groups A and 0 (60.3 ± 8.6% vs. 43.8 ± 3.6%, p = 0.04). Yet, this was not significant in multivariable analysis. AB0 blood groups and Rhesus factor expression are both neither associated with features of biologically aggressive disease nor clinical outcome in patients with EOC. Further investigation of the role of the blood group B antigen on cancer-specific survival in the subgroup of high-grade serous should be considered.

  10. Atypical epithelial hyperplasia of the breast: state of the art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dion, Ludivine; Racin, Adelaïde; Brousse, Susie; Beltjens, Françoise; Cauchois, Aurélie; Levêque, Jean; Coutant, Charles; Lavoué, Vincent

    2016-09-01

    Atypical epithelial hyperplasia (AEH) of the breast is considered benign histological lesions with breast cancer risk. This review focuses on clinical signification and management of AEH that remains controversial. A review of published studies was performed using medline database. In this review, we fully describe the current evidence available. In particular, we describe 1) data from immunohistochemistry and molecular studies that suggest AEH is a precursor of breast cancer; 2) epidemiological studies demonstrate low rate of breast cancer in women with AEH; 3) surgical excision is necessary after diagnosis of AEH, such as lobular carcinoma in situ or atypical ductal hyperplasia, on core needle biopsy; 4) although current recommendations are evolving to fewer (if not no) excisions for flat epithelial with atypia and classic lobular neoplasia found on percutaneous biopsy (without radiologic indications for excision). Expert commentary: HEA management steel need prospective evidences, but recent retrospective data give some clue for less invasive management for some of HEA.

  11. The MyD88+ phenotype is an adverse prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    d'Adhemar, Charles J

    2014-01-01

    The prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer is poor in part due to the high frequency of chemoresistance. Recent evidence points to the Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), and particularly its adaptor protein MyD88, as one potential mediator of this resistance. This study aims to provide further evidence that MyD88 positive cancer cells are clinically significant, stem-like and reproducibly detectable for the purposes of prognostic stratification. Expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was assessed immunohistochemically in 198 paraffin-embedded ovarian tissues and in an embryonal carcinoma model of cancer stemness. In parallel, expression of TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA and regulatory microRNAs (miR-21 and miR-146a) was assessed, as well as in a series of chemosensitive and resistant cancer cells lines. Functional analysis of the pathway was assessed in chemoresistant SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. TLR4 and MyD88 expression can be reproducibly assessed via immunohistochemistry using a semi-quantitative scoring system. TLR4 expression was present in all ovarian epithelium (normal and neoplastic), whereas MyD88 was restricted to neoplastic cells, independent of tumour grade and associated with reduced progression-free and overall survival, in an immunohistological specific subset of serous carcinomas, p<0.05. MiR-21 and miR-146a expression was significantly increased in MyD88 negative cancers (p<0.05), indicating their participation in regulation. Significant alterations in MyD88 mRNA expression were observed between chemosensitive and chemoresistant cells and tissue. Knockdown of TLR4 in SKOV-3 ovarian cells recovered chemosensitivity. Knockdown of MyD88 alone did not. MyD88 expression was down-regulated in differentiated embryonal carcinoma (NTera2) cells, supporting the MyD88+ cancer stem cell hypothesis. Our findings demonstrate that expression of MyD88 is associated with significantly reduced patient survival and altered microRNA levels and suggest an intact\\/functioning TLR4\\/MyD88

  12. The MyD88+ phenotype is an adverse prognostic factor in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles J d'Adhemar

    Full Text Available The prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer is poor in part due to the high frequency of chemoresistance. Recent evidence points to the Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4, and particularly its adaptor protein MyD88, as one potential mediator of this resistance. This study aims to provide further evidence that MyD88 positive cancer cells are clinically significant, stem-like and reproducibly detectable for the purposes of prognostic stratification. Expression of TLR4 and MyD88 was assessed immunohistochemically in 198 paraffin-embedded ovarian tissues and in an embryonal carcinoma model of cancer stemness. In parallel, expression of TLR4 and MyD88 mRNA and regulatory microRNAs (miR-21 and miR-146a was assessed, as well as in a series of chemosensitive and resistant cancer cells lines. Functional analysis of the pathway was assessed in chemoresistant SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. TLR4 and MyD88 expression can be reproducibly assessed via immunohistochemistry using a semi-quantitative scoring system. TLR4 expression was present in all ovarian epithelium (normal and neoplastic, whereas MyD88 was restricted to neoplastic cells, independent of tumour grade and associated with reduced progression-free and overall survival, in an immunohistological specific subset of serous carcinomas, p<0.05. MiR-21 and miR-146a expression was significantly increased in MyD88 negative cancers (p<0.05, indicating their participation in regulation. Significant alterations in MyD88 mRNA expression were observed between chemosensitive and chemoresistant cells and tissue. Knockdown of TLR4 in SKOV-3 ovarian cells recovered chemosensitivity. Knockdown of MyD88 alone did not. MyD88 expression was down-regulated in differentiated embryonal carcinoma (NTera2 cells, supporting the MyD88+ cancer stem cell hypothesis. Our findings demonstrate that expression of MyD88 is associated with significantly reduced patient survival and altered microRNA levels and suggest an intact/functioning TLR4

  13. YB-1 expression promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in prostate cancer that is inhibited by a small molecule fisetin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Mohammad Imran; Adhami, Vaqar Mustafa; Lall, Rahul Kumar; Sechi, Mario; Joshi, Dinesh C.; Haidar, Omar M.; Syed, Deeba Nadeem; Siddiqui, Imtiaz Ahmad; Chiu, Shing-Yan; Mukhtar, Hasan

    2014-01-01

    Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in prostate cancer (PCa) metastasis. The transcription/translation regulatory Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) is known to be associated with cancer metastasis. We observed that YB-1 expression increased with tumor grade and showed an inverse relationship with E-cadherin in a human PCa tissue array. Forced YB-1 expression induced a mesenchymal morphology that was associated with down regulation of epithelial markers. Silencing of YB-1 reversed mesenchymal features and decreased cell proliferation, migration and invasion in PCa cells. YB-1 is activated directly via Akt mediated phosphorylation at Ser102 within the cold shock domain (CSD). We next identified fisetin as an inhibitor of YB-1 activation. Computational docking and molecular dynamics suggested that fisetin binds on the residues from β1 - β4 strands of CSD, hindering Akt's interaction with YB-1. Calculated free binding energy ranged from −11.9845 to −9.6273 kcal/mol. Plasmon Surface Resonance studies showed that fisetin binds to YB-1 with an affinity of approximately 35 μM, with both slow association and dissociation. Fisetin also inhibited EGF induced YB-1 phosphorylation and markers of EMT both in vitro and in vivo. Collectively our data suggest that YB-1 induces EMT in PCa and identify fisetin as an inhibitor of its activation. PMID:24770864

  14. Protocols for Migration and Invasion Studies in Prostate Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van de Merbel, Arjanneke F; van der Horst, Geertje; Buijs, Jeroen T; van der Pluijm, Gabri

    2018-01-01

    Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in men in the western world. The development of distant metastases and therapy resistance are major clinical problems in the management of prostate cancer patients. In order for prostate cancer to metastasize to distant sites in the human body, prostate cancer cells have to migrate and invade neighboring tissue. Cancer cells can acquire a migratory and invasive phenotype in several ways, including single cell and collective migration. As a requisite for migration, epithelial prostate cancer cells often need to acquire a motile, mesenchymal-like phenotype. This way prostate cancer cells often lose polarity and epithelial characteristics (e.g., expression of E-cadherin homotypic adhesion receptor), and acquire mesenchymal phenotype (for example, cytoskeletal rearrangements, enhanced expression of proteolytic enzymes and other repertory of integrins). This process is referred to as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Cellular invasion, one of the hallmarks of cancer, is characterized by the movement of cells through a three-dimensional matrix, resulting in remodeling of the cellular environment. Cellular invasion requires adhesion, proteolysis of the extracellular matrix, and migration of cells. Studying the migratory and invasive ability of cells in vitro represents a useful tool to assess the aggressiveness of solid cancers, including those of the prostate.This chapter provides a comprehensive description of the Transwell migration assay, a commonly used technique to investigate the migratory behavior of prostate cancer cells in vitro. Furthermore, we will provide an overview of the adaptations to the Transwell migration protocol to study the invasive capacity of prostate cancer cells, i.e., the Transwell invasion assay. Finally, we will present a detailed description of the procedures required to stain the Transwell filter inserts and quantify the migration and/or invasion.

  15. Sugary food and beverage consumption and epithelial ovarian cancer risk: a population-based case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Melony G; Olson, Sara H; Paddock, Lisa; Chandran, Urmila; Demissie, Kitaw; Lu, Shou-En; Parekh, Niyati; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Lorna; Bandera, Elisa V

    2013-02-27

    Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the US. The consumption of refined sugars has increased dramatically over the past few decades, accounting for almost 15% of total energy intake. Yet, there is limited evidence on how sugar consumption affects ovarian cancer risk. We evaluated ovarian cancer risk in relation to sugary foods and beverages, and total and added sugar intakes in a population-based case-control study. Cases were women with newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian cancer, older than 21 years, able to speak English or Spanish, and residents of six counties in New Jersey. Controls met same criteria as cases, but were ineligible if they had both ovaries removed. A total of 205 cases and 390 controls completed a phone interview, food frequency questionnaire, and self-recorded waist and hip measurements. Based on dietary data, we computed the number of servings of dessert foods, non-dessert foods, sugary drinks and total sugary foods and drinks for each participant. Total and added sugar intakes (grams/day) were also calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for food and drink groups and total and added sugar intakes, while adjusting for major risk factors. We did not find evidence of an association between consumption of sugary foods and beverages and risk, although there was a suggestion of increased risk associated with sugary drink intake (servings per 1,000 kcal; OR=1.63, 95% CI: 0.94-2.83). Overall, we found little indication that sugar intake played a major role on ovarian cancer development.

  16. Hakai reduces cell-substratum adhesion and increases epithelial cell invasion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodríguez-Rigueiro, Teresa; Valladares-Ayerbes, Manuel; Haz-Conde, Mar; Aparicio, Luis A; Figueroa, Angélica

    2011-01-01

    The dynamic regulation of cell-cell adhesions is crucial for developmental processes, including tissue formation, differentiation and motility. Adherens junctions are important components of the junctional complex between cells and are necessary for maintaining cell homeostasis and normal tissue architecture. E-cadherin is the prototype and best-characterized protein member of adherens junctions in mammalian epithelial cells. Regarded as a tumour suppressor, E-cadherin loss is associated with poor prognosis in carcinoma. The E3 ubiquitin-ligase Hakai was the first reported posttranslational regulator of the E-cadherin complex. Hakai specifically targetted E-cadherin for internalization and degradation and thereby lowered epithelial cell-cell contact. Hakai was also implicated in controlling proliferation, and promoted cancer-related gene expression by increasing the binding of RNA-binding protein PSF to RNAs encoding oncogenic proteins. We sought to investigate the possible implication of Hakai in cell-substratum adhesions and invasion in epithelial cells. Parental MDCK cells and MDCK cells stably overexpressing Hakai were used to analyse cell-substratum adhesion and invasion capabilities. Western blot and immunofluoresecence analyses were performed to assess the roles of Paxillin, FAK and Vinculin in cell-substratum adhesion. The role of the proteasome in controlling cell-substratum adhesion was studied using two proteasome inhibitors, lactacystin and MG132. To study the molecular mechanisms controlling Paxillin expression, MDCK cells expressing E-cadherin shRNA in a tetracycline-inducible manner was employed. Here, we present evidence that implicate Hakai in reducing cell-substratum adhesion and increasing epithelial cell invasion, two hallmark features of cancer progression and metastasis. Paxillin, an important protein component of the cell-matrix adhesion, was completely absent from focal adhesions and focal contacts in Hakai-overexpressing MDCK cells. The

  17. MX-INDUCED URINARY BLADDER EPITHELIAL HYPERPLASIA IN EKER RATS

    Science.gov (United States)

    MX-INDUCED URINARY BLADDER EPITHELIAL HYPERPLASIA IN EKER RATS Epidemiological studies have shown a positive association between chronic exposure to chlorinated drinking water and human cancer, particularly of the urinary bladder. MX (3- chloro-4-(dichloromethyl)-5-hydrox...

  18. Prognostic implication of the metastatic lesion-to-ovarian cancer standardised uptake value ratio in advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Hyun Hoon; Lee, Maria; Kim, Hee-Seung; Kim, Jae-Weon; Park, Noh-Hyun; Song, Yong Sang [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cheon, Gi Jeong [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Cancer Research Institute, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-11-15

    To evaluate the prognostic value of metabolic activity of metastatic lesions measured by {sup 18}F-flurodeoxyglucose ({sup 18}F-FDG) uptake on preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with advanced serous epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Clinico-pathological variables and PET/CT parameters such as the maximum standardised uptake value of the ovarian cancer (SUV{sub ovary}), metastatic lesions (SUV{sub meta}), and the metastatic lesion-to-ovarian cancer standardised uptake value ratio (SUV{sub meta}/SUV{sub ovary}) were assessed in International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage III, IV patients. Clinico-pathological data were retrospectively reviewed for 94 eligible patients. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 18.5 months (range, 6-90 months), and 57 (60.6%) patients experienced recurrence. Older age [P = 0.017, hazard ratio (HR) 1.036, 95% CI 1.006-1.066], residual disease after surgery (P = 0.024, HR 1.907, 95% CI 1.087-3.346), and high SUV{sub meta}/SUV{sub ovary} (P = 0.019, HR 2.321, 95% CI 1.148-4.692) were independent risk factors of recurrence. Patients with high SUV{sub meta}/SUV{sub ovary} showed a significantly worse PFS than those with low SUV{sub meta}/SUV{sub ovary} (P = 0.007, log-rank test). Preoperative SUV{sub meta}/SUV{sub ovary} was significantly associated with recurrence and has an incremental prognostic value for PFS in patients with advanced serous EOC. (orig.)

  19. Culture models of human mammary epithelial cell transformation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stampfer, Martha R.; Yaswen, Paul

    2000-11-10

    Human pre-malignant breast diseases, particularly ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)3 already display several of the aberrant phenotypes found in primary breast cancers, including chromosomal abnormalities, telomerase activity, inactivation of the p53 gene and overexpression of some oncogenes. Efforts to model early breast carcinogenesis in human cell cultures have largely involved studies in vitro transformation of normal finite lifespan human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) to immortality and malignancy. We present a model of HMEC immortal transformation consistent with the know in vivo data. This model includes a recently described, presumably epigenetic process, termed conversion, which occurs in cells that have overcome stringent replicative senescence and are thus able to maintain proliferation with critically short telomeres. The conversion process involves reactivation of telomerase activity, and acquisition of good uniform growth in the absence and presence of TFGB. We propose th at overcoming the proliferative constraints set by senescence, and undergoing conversion, represent key rate-limiting steps in human breast carcinogenesis, and occur during early stage breast cancer progression.

  20. Evidence for epithelial-mesenchymal transition in cancer stem-like cells derived from carcinoma cell lines of the cervix uteri.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Jiaying; Liu, Xishi; Ding, Ding

    2015-01-01

    The cancer stem cell (CSC) paradigm is one possible way to understand the genesis of cancer, and cervical cancer in particular. We quantified and enriched ALDH1(+) cells within cervical cancer cell lines and subsequently characterized their phenotypical and functional properties like invasion capacity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). ALDH1 expression in spheroid-derived cells (SDC) and the parental monolayer-derived cell (MDC) line was compared by flow-cytometry. Invasion capability was evaluated by Matrigel assay and expression of EMT-related genes Twist 1, Twist 2, Snail 1, Snail 2, Vimentin and E-cadherin by real-time PCR. ALDH1 expression was significantly higher in SDC. ALDH1(+) cells showed increased colony-formation. SDC expressed lower levels of E-cadherin and elevated levels of Twist 1, Twist 2, Snail 1, Snail 2 and Vimentin compared to MDC. Cervical cancer cell lines harbor potential CSC, characterized by ALDH1 expression as well as properties like invasiveness, colony-forming ability, and EMT. CSC can be enriched by anchorage-independent culture techniques, which may be important for the investigation of their contribution to therapy resistance, tumor recurrence and metastasis.

  1. Elevated levels of circulating microRNA-200 family members correlate with serous epithelial ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kan Casina WS

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There is a critical need for improved diagnostic markers for high grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (SEOC. MicroRNAs are stable in the circulation and may have utility as biomarkers of malignancy. We investigated whether levels of serum microRNA could discriminate women with high-grade SEOC from age matched healthy volunteers. Methods To identify microRNA of interest, microRNA expression profiling was performed on 4 SEOC cell lines and normal human ovarian surface epithelial cells. Total RNA was extracted from 500 μL aliquots of serum collected from patients with SEOC (n = 28 and age-matched healthy donors (n = 28. Serum microRNA levels were assessed by quantitative RT-PCR following preamplification. Results microRNA (miR-182, miR-200a, miR-200b and miR-200c were highly overexpressed in the SEOC cell lines relative to normal human ovarian surface epithelial cells and were assessed in RNA extracted from serum as candidate biomarkers. miR-103, miR-92a and miR -638 had relatively invariant expression across all ovarian cell lines, and with small-nucleolar C/D box 48 (RNU48 were assessed in RNA extracted from serum as candidate endogenous normalizers. No correlation between serum levels and age were observed (age range 30-79 years for any of these microRNA or RNU48. Individually, miR-200a, miR-200b and miR-200c normalized to serum volume and miR-103 were significantly higher in serum of the SEOC cohort (P  Conclusions We identified serum microRNAs able to discriminate patients with high grade SEOC from age-matched healthy controls. The addition of these microRNAs to current testing regimes may improve diagnosis for women with SEOC.

  2. Bioorthogonal chemical imaging of metabolic changes during epithelial-mesenchymal transition of cancer cells by stimulated Raman scattering microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Luyuan; Min, Wei

    2017-10-01

    Study of metabolic changes during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of cancer cells is important for basic understanding and therapeutic management of cancer progression. We here used metabolic labeling and stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy, a strategy of bioorthogonal chemical imaging, to directly visualize changes in anabolic metabolism during cancer EMT at a single-cell level. MCF-7 breast cancer cell is employed as a model system. Four types of metabolites (amino acids, glucose, fatty acids, and choline) are labeled with either deuterium or alkyne (C≡C) tag. Their intracellular incorporations into MCF-7 cells before or after EMT are visualized by SRS imaging targeted at the signature vibration frequency of C-D or C≡C bonds. Overall, after EMT, anabolism of amino acids, glucose, and choline is less active, reflecting slower protein and membrane synthesis in mesenchymal cells. Interestingly, we also observed less incorporation of glucose and palmitate acids into membrane lipids, but more of them into lipid droplets in mesenchymal cells. This result indicates that, although mesenchymal cells synthesize fewer membrane lipids, they are actively storing energy into lipid droplets, either through de novo lipogenesis from glucose or direct scavenging of exogenous free fatty acids. Hence, metabolic labeling coupled with SRS can be a straightforward method in imaging cancer metabolism.

  3. Cytoreductive Surgery for Advanced Epithelial Tumors of the Ovary: Technical Considerations and Outcome

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalil, E.A.; Fakhr, I.; Younis, A.; El-Shahawy, M.; Adel, I.

    2005-01-01

    The role of cytoreductive surgery in the management of advanced epithelial tumors of the ovary and its effect on survival. Patients and Methods: A prospective study of fifty eight female patients presenting with stage III and VI epithelial ovarian tumors attending the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University during the period from January 2003 to of December 2004. All patients were evaluated clinically, radiologically (including plain chest-X-ray and abdomen-pelvic ultrasound and/or CT), laboratory work up and CA-125. Abdominal exploration under general anesthesia with intent of maximum surgical cytoreduction was performed for all patients. Patients were followed up during the period of the study by history and physical examination, CA-125 measurement and abdomen-pelvic ultrasound or CT. Our study included 58 female patients with advanced epithelial tumors of the ovary. Their age ranged from 18 to 73 years with a mean age of 49 years. Pathological distribution of the lesions were borderline malignancy in 5 patients (8.6%) and malignant in 53 patients (91.4%). According to FIGO classification there were 46 patients stage III (79%) and 12 patients stage VI disease (21 %). Eighteen patients (31 %) had surgery prior to admission to NCI. Cytoreductive surgery was done for 51 patients (88%), while 7 patients (12%) had exploration and biopsy only, one of whom had palliative colostomy for large bowel obstruction. Intraoperative surgical complications were encountered in 5 patients (8.6%), all were managed intraoperatively. We had no early postoperative mortalities and 8 postoperative morbidities (13.7%). All patients were referred for chemotherapy. Thirteen patients (22.4%) had local recurrence within the follow up period of the study which was between 8-24 months. One patient died from locally advanced disease and the rest of the patients were explored and lesions were surgically resected. Surgery remains a major line of therapy in ovarian cancer including advanced

  4. Sputum-Based Molecular Biomarkers for the Early Detection of Lung Cancer: Limitations and Promise

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Connie E. [Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. 462 First Avenue, NBV 7N24, New York, NY 10016 (United States); Tchou-Wong, Kam-Meng; Rom, William N., E-mail: william.rom@nyumc.org [Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. 462 First Avenue, NBV 7N24, New York, NY 10016 (United States); Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, 57 Old Forge Road, Tuxedo, NY 10987 (United States)

    2011-07-19

    Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths, with an overall survival of 15% at five years. Biomarkers that can sensitively and specifically detect lung cancer at early stage are crucial for improving this poor survival rate. Sputum has been the target for the discovery of non-invasive biomarkers for lung cancer because it contains airway epithelial cells, and molecular alterations identified in sputum are most likely to reflect tumor-associated changes or field cancerization caused by smoking in the lung. Sputum-based molecular biomarkers include morphology, allelic imbalance, promoter hypermethylation, gene mutations and, recently, differential miRNA expression. To improve the sensitivity and reproducibility of sputum-based biomarkers, we recommend standardization of processing protocols, bronchial epithelial cell enrichment, and identification of field cancerization biomarkers.

  5. 21-Benzylidene Digoxin: A Proapoptotic Cardenolide of Cancer Cells That Up-Regulates Na,K-ATPase and Epithelial Tight Junctions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha, Sayonarah C.; Pessoa, Marco T. C.; Neves, Luiza D. R.; Alves, Silmara L. G.; Silva, Luciana M.; Santos, Herica L.; Oliveira, Soraya M. F.; Taranto, Alex G.; Comar, Moacyr; Gomes, Isabella V.; Santos, Fabio V.; Paixão, Natasha; Quintas, Luis E. M.; Noël, François; Pereira, Antonio F.; Tessis, Ana C. S. C.; Gomes, Natalia L. S.; Moreira, Otacilio C.; Rincon-Heredia, Ruth; Varotti, Fernando P.; Blanco, Gustavo; Villar, Jose A. F. P.; Contreras, Rubén G.; Barbosa, Leandro A.

    2014-01-01

    Cardiotonic steroids are used to treat heart failure and arrhythmia and have promising anticancer effects. The prototypic cardiotonic steroid ouabain may also be a hormone that modulates epithelial cell adhesion. Cardiotonic steroids consist of a steroid nucleus and a lactone ring, and their biological effects depend on the binding to their receptor, Na,K-ATPase, through which, they inhibit Na+ and K+ ion transport and activate of several intracellular signaling pathways. In this study, we added a styrene group to the lactone ring of the cardiotonic steroid digoxin, to obtain 21-benzylidene digoxin (21-BD), and investigated the effects of this synthetic cardiotonic steroid in different cell models. Molecular modeling indicates that 21-BD binds to its target Na,K-ATPase with low affinity, adopting a different pharmacophoric conformation when bound to its receptor than digoxin. Accordingly, 21-DB, at relatively high µM amounts inhibits the activity of Na,K-ATPase α1, but not α2 and α3 isoforms. In addition, 21-BD targets other proteins outside the Na,K-ATPase, inhibiting the multidrug exporter Pdr5p. When used on whole cells at low µM concentrations, 21-BD produces several effects, including: 1) up-regulation of Na,K-ATPase expression and activity in HeLa and RKO cancer cells, which is not found for digoxin, 2) cell specific changes in cell viability, reducing it in HeLa and RKO cancer cells, but increasing it in normal epithelial MDCK cells, which is different from the response to digoxin, and 3) changes in cell-cell interaction, altering the molecular composition of tight junctions and elevating transepithelial electrical resistance of MDCK monolayers, an effect previously found for ouabain. These results indicate that modification of the lactone ring of digoxin provides new properties to the compound, and shows that the structural change introduced could be used for the design of cardiotonic steroid with novel functions. PMID:25290152

  6. Defining the cellular precursors to human breast cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Patricia J.; Arendt, Lisa M.; Skibinski, Adam; Logvinenko, Tanya; Klebba, Ina; Dong, Shumin; Smith, Avi E.; Prat, Aleix; Perou, Charles M.; Gilmore, Hannah; Schnitt, Stuart; Naber, Stephen P.; Garlick, Jonathan A.; Kuperwasser, Charlotte

    2012-01-01

    Human breast cancers are broadly classified based on their gene-expression profiles into luminal- and basal-type tumors. These two major tumor subtypes express markers corresponding to the major differentiation states of epithelial cells in the breast: luminal (EpCAM+) and basal/myoepithelial (CD10+). However, there are also rare types of breast cancers, such as metaplastic carcinomas, where tumor cells exhibit features of alternate cell types that no longer resemble breast epithelium. Until now, it has been difficult to identify the cell type(s) in the human breast that gives rise to these various forms of breast cancer. Here we report that transformation of EpCAM+ epithelial cells results in the formation of common forms of human breast cancer, including estrogen receptor-positive and estrogen receptor-negative tumors with luminal and basal-like characteristics, respectively, whereas transformation of CD10+ cells results in the development of rare metaplastic tumors reminiscent of the claudin-low subtype. We also demonstrate the existence of CD10+ breast cells with metaplastic traits that can give rise to skin and epidermal tissues. Furthermore, we show that the development of metaplastic breast cancer is attributable, in part, to the transformation of these metaplastic breast epithelial cells. These findings identify normal cellular precursors to human breast cancers and reveal the existence of a population of cells with epidermal progenitor activity within adult human breast tissues. PMID:21940501

  7. Loss of breast epithelial marker hCLCA2 promotes epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and indicates higher risk of metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walia, V; Yu, Y; Cao, D; Sun, M; McLean, J R; Hollier, B G; Cheng, J; Mani, S A; Rao, K; Premkumar, L; Elble, R C

    2012-04-26

    Transition between epithelial and mesenchymal states is a feature of both normal development and tumor progression. We report that expression of chloride channel accessory protein hCLCA2 is a characteristic of epithelial differentiation in the immortalized MCF10A and HMLE models, while induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition by cell dilution, TGFβ or mesenchymal transcription factors sharply reduces hCLCA2 levels. Attenuation of hCLCA2 expression by lentiviral small hairpin RNA caused cell overgrowth and focus formation, enhanced migration and invasion, and increased mammosphere formation in methylcellulose. These changes were accompanied by downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of mesenchymal markers such as vimentin and fibronectin. Moreover, hCLCA2 expression is greatly downregulated in breast cancer cells with a mesenchymal or claudin-low profile. These observations suggest that loss of hCLCA2 may promote metastasis. We find that higher-than-median expression of hCLCA2 is associated with a one-third lower rate of metastasis over an 18-year period among breast cancer patients compared with lower-than-median (n=344, unfiltered for subtype). Thus, hCLCA2 is required for epithelial differentiation, and its loss during tumor progression contributes to metastasis. Overexpression of hCLCA2 has been reported to inhibit cell proliferation and is accompanied by increases in chloride current at the plasma membrane and reduced intracellular pH (pHi). We found that knockdown cells have sharply reduced chloride current and higher pHi, both characteristics of tumor cells. These results suggest a mechanism for the effects on differentiation. Loss of hCLCA2 may allow escape from pHi homeostatic mechanisms, permitting the higher intracellular and lower extracellular pH that are characteristic of aggressive tumor cells.

  8. Prognostic value of HER-2/neu expression in epithelial ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Kai; Guan, Chenan; Yu, Junhui; Jin, Xiaoxiao; Sun, Ling; Zheng, Lingzhi; Xia, Liang; Zhang, Yuquan

    2017-09-26

    This study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the association between human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2/neu) expression and survival in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). HER-2/neu is one of the most frequently studied molecular biological parameters in EOC, but its prognostic impact has not been fully assessed. PubMed and Embase were searched for studies that reported HER-2/neu expression and survival in patients with EOC. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and the secondary outcome was progression-free survival (PFS). Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined using Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model. Publication bias was investigated using funnel plots and Egger's test. A total of 56 studies (N=7212) were included in the analysis. The results showed that patients possessing HER-2/neu expression had significant disadvantages in OS (HR = 1.41; 95%CI, 1.31 to 1.51; P present study findings provided further indication that HER-2/neu expression in patients with EOC has an adverse impact on OS and PFS.

  9. Paclitaxel-induced epithelial damage and ectopic MMP-13 expression promotes neurotoxicity in zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisse, Thomas S; Middleton, Leah J; Pellegrini, Adriana D; Martin, Paige B; Spaulding, Emily L; Lopes, Olivia; Brochu, Elizabeth A; Carter, Erin V; Waldron, Ashley; Rieger, Sandra

    2016-04-12

    Paclitaxel is a microtubule-stabilizing chemotherapeutic agent that is widely used in cancer treatment and in a number of curative and palliative regimens. Despite its beneficial effects on cancer, paclitaxel also damages healthy tissues, most prominently the peripheral sensory nervous system. The mechanisms leading to paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy remain elusive, and therapies that prevent or alleviate this condition are not available. We established a zebrafish in vivo model to study the underlying mechanisms and to identify pharmacological agents that may be developed into therapeutics. Both adult and larval zebrafish displayed signs of paclitaxel neurotoxicity, including sensory axon degeneration and the loss of touch response in the distal caudal fin. Intriguingly, studies in zebrafish larvae showed that paclitaxel rapidly promotes epithelial damage and decreased mechanical stress resistance of the skin before induction of axon degeneration. Moreover, injured paclitaxel-treated zebrafish skin and scratch-wounded human keratinocytes (HEK001) display reduced healing capacity. Epithelial damage correlated with rapid accumulation of fluorescein-conjugated paclitaxel in epidermal basal keratinocytes, but not axons, and up-regulation of matrix-metalloproteinase 13 (MMP-13, collagenase 3) in the skin. Pharmacological inhibition of MMP-13, in contrast, largely rescued paclitaxel-induced epithelial damage and neurotoxicity, whereas MMP-13 overexpression in zebrafish embryos rendered the skin vulnerable to injury under mechanical stress conditions. Thus, our studies provide evidence that the epidermis plays a critical role in this condition, and we provide a previously unidentified candidate for therapeutic interventions.

  10. Naringenin decreases invasiveness and metastasis by inhibiting TGF-β-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Changjie Lou

    Full Text Available Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT promotes cellular motility, invasiveness and metastasis during embryonic development and tumorigenesis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β signaling pathway is a key regulator of EMT. A lot of evidences suggest that this process is Smad3-dependent. Herein we showed that exposure of aspc-1 and panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells to TGF-β1 resulted in characteristic morphological alterations of EMT, and enhancement of cell motility and gemcitabine (Gem resistance along with an up-regulation of EMT markers genes such as vimentin, N-cadherin, MMP2 and MMP9. Naringenin (Nar down-regulated EMT markers expression in both mRNA and protein levels by inhibiting TGF-β1/Smad3 signal pathway in the pancreatic cancer cells. Consequently, Nar suppressed the cells migration and invasion and reversed their resistance to Gem.

  11. The Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition-Like Process in Glioblastoma: An Updated Systematic Review and In Silico Investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iser, Isabele C; Pereira, Mariana B; Lenz, Guido; Wink, Márcia R

    2017-03-01

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of brain cancer due to its highly invasive nature that impedes the surgical removal of all tumor cells, making relapse inevitable. However, the mechanisms used by glioma cells to invade the surrounding tissue are still unclear. In this context, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has emerged as a key regulator of this invasive state and although the real relevance of this program in malignant glioma is still controversial, it has been strongly associated with GBM malignancy. EMT is a very complex process regulated by several families of transcriptional factors through many signaling pathways that form a network that allows cancer cells to acquire invasive properties and penetrate the neighboring stroma, resulting in the formation of an advantageous microenvironment for cancer progression and metastasis. In this systematic review, we focus on the molecular mechanisms of EMT including EMT-factors, drug resistance, miRNA, and new therapeutic strategies. In addition, we address controversial questions about mesenchymal shift in GBMs with a bioinformatics analysis to show that in terms of epithelial and mesenchymal phenotype, the majority of GBMs samples analyzed have a profile more mesenchymal than epithelial. If induced, this phenotype can be shifted toward an even more mesenchymal phenotype in an EMT-like process in glioma cells. A better understanding of the molecular regulation of the EMT during tumor spreading will help to provide potential therapeutic interventions to target this program when treating GBM. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  12. Phoyunnanin E inhibits migration of non-small cell lung cancer cells via suppression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and integrin αv and integrin β3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petpiroon, Nareerat; Sritularak, Boonchoo; Chanvorachote, Pithi

    2017-12-29

    The conversion of the epithelial phenotype of cancer cells into cells with a mesenchymal phenotype-so-called epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-has been shown to enhance the capacity of the cells to disseminate throughout the body. EMT is therefore becoming a potential target for anti-cancer drug discovery. Here, we showed that phoyunnanin E, a compound isolated from Dendrobium venustum, possesses anti-migration activity and addressed its mechanism of action. The cytotoxic and proliferative effects of phoyunnanin E on human non-small cell lung cancer-derived H460, H292, and A549 cells and human keratinocyte HaCaT cells were investigated by MTT assay. The effect of phoyunnanin E on EMT was evaluated by determining the colony formation and EMT markers. The migration and invasion of H460, H292, A549 and HaCaT cells was evaluated by wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay, respectively. EMT markers, integrins and migration-associated proteins were examined by western blot analysis. Phoyunnanin E at the concentrations of 5 and 10 μM, which are non-toxic to H460, H292, A549 and HaCaT cells showed good potential to inhibit the migratory activity of three types of human lung cancer cells. The anti-migration effect of phoyunnanin E was shown to relate to the suppressed EMT phenotypes, including growth in anchorage-independent condition, cell motility, and EMT-specific protein markers (N-cadherin, vimentin, slug, and snail). In addition to EMT suppression, we found that phoyunnanin E treatment with 5 and 10 μM could decrease the cellular level of integrin αv and integrin β3, these integrins are frequently up-regulated in highly metastatic tumor cells. We further characterized the regulatory proteins in cell migration and found that the cells treated with phoyunnanin E exhibited a significantly lower level of phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase (p-FAK) and phosphorylated ATP-dependent tyrosine kinase (p-AKT), and their downstream effectors (including

  13. What Is Cancer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... a cancer that forms in a type of epithelial tissue called transitional epithelium, or urothelium. This tissue, which is made up of many layers of epithelial cells that can get bigger and smaller, is ...

  14. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) expression correlates positively with active angiogenesis and negatively with basic fibroblast growth factor expression in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Szubert, Sebastian; Szpurek, Dariusz; Moszynski, Rafal; Nowicki, Michal; Frankowski, Andrzej; Sajdak, Stefan; Michalak, Slawomir

    2014-03-01

    The primary aim of this paper was to evaluate the expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and its relationship with proangiogenic factors and microvessel density (MVD) in ovarian cancer. The study group included 58 epithelial ovarian cancers (EOCs), 35 benign ovarian tumors, and 21 normal ovaries. The expression of EMMPRIN, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was assessed by ELISA of tissue homogenates. Antibodies against CD105, CD31, and CD34 were used to immunohistochemically assess MVD. We have found significantly higher EMMPRIN expression in EOC than in benign ovarian tumors and normal ovaries. Similarly, the VEGF expression was higher in EOC than in benign ovarian tumors and normal ovaries. By contrast, bFGF expression was lower in EOC than in benign ovarian tumors and ovary samples. EMMPRIN expression in EOC was directly correlated with VEGF expression and CD105-MVD, but inversely correlated with bFGF expression. Grade 2/3 ovarian cancers had increased expression of EMMPRIN and VEGF, increased CD105-MVD, and lowered expression of bFGF compared to grade 1 ovarian cancers. Moreover, EMMPRIN expression was higher in advanced (FIGO III and IV) ovarian cancer. The upregulation of EMMPRIN and VEGF expression is correlated with increased CD105-MVD and silenced bFGF, which suggests early and/or reactivated angiogenesis in ovarian cancer. Aggressive EOC is characterized by the following: high expression of EMMPRIN and VEGF, high CD105-MVD, and low expression of bFGF.

  15. MUC1 enhances invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells by inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy, L D; Sahraei, M; Subramani, D B; Besmer, D; Nath, S; Tinder, T L; Bajaj, E; Shanmugam, K; Lee, Y Y; Hwang, S I L; Gendler, S J; Mukherjee, P

    2011-03-24

    Increased motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells are associated with epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Snai1 and Slug are zinc-finger transcription factors that trigger this process by repressing E-cadherin and enhancing vimentin and N-cadherin protein expression. However, the mechanisms that regulate this activation in pancreatic tumors remain elusive. MUC1, a transmembrane mucin glycoprotein, is associated with the most invasive forms of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDA). In this study, we show that over expression of MUC1 in pancreatic cancer cells triggers the molecular process of EMT, which translates to increased invasiveness and metastasis. EMT was significantly reduced when MUC1 was genetically deleted in a mouse model of PDA or when all seven tyrosines in the cytoplasmic tail of MUC1 were mutated to phenylalanine (mutated MUC1 CT). Using proteomics, RT-PCR and western blotting, we revealed a significant increase in vimentin, Slug and Snail expression with repression of E-Cadherin in MUC1-expressing cells compared with cells expressing the mutated MUC1 CT. In the cells that carried the mutated MUC1 CT, MUC1 failed to co-immunoprecipitate with β-catenin and translocate to the nucleus, thereby blocking transcription of the genes associated with EMT and metastasis. Thus, functional tyrosines are critical in stimulating the interactions between MUC1 and β-catenin and their nuclear translocation to initiate the process of EMT. This study signifies the oncogenic role of MUC1 CT and is the first to identify a direct role of the MUC1 in initiating EMT during pancreatic cancer. The data may have implications in future design of MUC1-targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer.

  16. HMGB1 is negatively correlated with the development of endometrial carcinoma and prevents cancer cell invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luan XR

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Xiaorong Luan,1,2 Chunjing Ma,2 Ping Wang,2 Fenglan Lou1 1Nursing College, Shandong University, 2Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, People’s Republic of China Abstract: High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1, a nuclear protein that plays a significant role in DNA architecture and transcription, was correlated with the progression of some types of cancer. However, the role of HMGB1 in endometrial cancer cell invasion and metastasis remains unexplored. HMGB1 expression was initially assessed by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR in normal endometrial tissue and endometrial carcinoma tissue. High expressions of HMGB1 protein were detected in normal endometrial tissues; however, in endometrial cancer tissues, the expressions of HMGB1 were found to be very weak. Furthermore, HMGB1 expressions were negatively correlated with advanced stage and lymph node metastasis in endometrial cancer. Then by RT-qPCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry, HMGB1 was also detected in primary cultured endometrial cells and four kinds of endometrial cancer cell lines (Ishikawa, HEC-1A, HEC-1B and KLE. We found that the expression of HMGB1 was much higher in normal endometrial cells than in endometrial cancer cells, and reduced expression levels of HMGB1 were observed especially in the highly metastatic cell lines. Using lentivirus transfection, HMGB1 small hairpin RNA was constructed, and this infected the lowly invasive endometrial cancer cell lines, Ishikawa and HEC-1B. HMGB1 knockdown significantly enhanced the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of endometrial cancer cells and induced the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. These results can contribute to the development of a new potential therapeutic target for endometrial cancer. Keywords: HMGB1, endometrial cancer, invasion, metastasis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

  17. Candidate Tumor-Suppressor Gene DLEC1 Is Frequently Downregulated by Promoter Hypermethylation and Histone Hypoacetylation in Human Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Kwong

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Suppression of ovarian tumor growth by chromosome 3p was demonstrated in a previous study. Deleted in Lung and Esophageal Cancer 1 (DLEC1 on 3p22.3 is a candidate tumor suppressor in lung, esophageal, and renal cancers. The potential involvement of DLEC1 in epithelial ovarian cancer remains unknown. In the present study, DLEC1 downregulation was found in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian tumors. Focus-expressed DLEC1 in two ovarian cancer cell lines resulted in 41% to 52% inhibition of colony formation. No chromosomal loss of chromosome 3p22.3 in any ovarian cancer cell line or tissue was found. Promoter hypermethylation of DLEC1 was detected in ovarian cancer cell lines with reduced DLEC1 transcripts, whereas methylation was not detected in normal ovarian epithelium and DLEC1-expressing ovarian cancer cell lines. Treatment with demethylating agent enhanced DLEC1 expression in 90% (9 of 10 of ovarian cancer cell lines. DLEC1 promoter methylation was examined in 13 high-grade ovarian tumor tissues with DLEC1 downregulation, in which 54% of the tumors showed DLEC1 methylation. In addition, 80% of ovarian cancer cell lines significantly upregulated DLEC1 transcripts after histone deacetylase inhibitor treatment. Therefore, our results suggested that DLEC1 suppressed the growth of ovarian cancer cells and that its downregulation was closely associated with promoter hypermethylation and histone hypoacetylation.

  18. Circulating tumour cells escape from EpCAM-based detection due to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gorges Tobias M

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Circulating tumour cells (CTCs have shown prognostic relevance in metastatic breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancer. For further development of CTCs as a biomarker, we compared the performance of different protocols for CTC detection in murine breast cancer xenograft models (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468 and KPL-4. Blood samples were taken from tumour bearing animals (20 to 200 mm2 and analysed for CTCs using 1. an epithelial marker based enrichment method (AdnaTest, 2. an antibody independent technique, targeting human gene transcripts (qualitative PCR, and 3. an antibody-independent approach, targeting human DNA-sequences (quantitative PCR. Further, gene expression changes associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT were determined with an EMT-specific PCR assay. Methods We used the commercially available Adna Test, RT-PCR on human housekeeping genes and a PCR on AluJ sequences to detect CTCs in xenografts models. Phenotypic changes in CTCs were tested with the commercially available “Human Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition RT-Profiler PCR Array”. Results Although the AdnaTest detects as few as 1 tumour cell in 1 ml of mouse blood spiking experiments, no CTCs were detectable with this approach in vivo despite visible metastasis formation. The presence of CTCs could, however, be demonstrated by PCR targeting human transcripts or DNA-sequences - without epithelial pre-enrichment. The failure of CTC detection by the AdnaTest resulted from downregulation of EpCAM, whereas mesenchymal markers like Twist and EGFR were upregulated on CTCs. Such a change in the expression profile during metastatic spread of tumour cells has already been reported and was linked to a biological program termed epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Conclusions The use of EpCAM-based enrichment techniques leads to the failure to detect CTC populations that have undergone EMT. Our findings may explain clinical results where low

  19. Sugary food and beverage consumption and epithelial ovarian cancer risk: a population-based case–control study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic cancer in the US. The consumption of refined sugars has increased dramatically over the past few decades, accounting for almost 15% of total energy intake. Yet, there is limited evidence on how sugar consumption affects ovarian cancer risk. Methods We evaluated ovarian cancer risk in relation to sugary foods and beverages, and total and added sugar intakes in a population-based case–control study. Cases were women with newly diagnosed epithelial ovarian cancer, older than 21 years, able to speak English or Spanish, and residents of six counties in New Jersey. Controls met same criteria as cases, but were ineligible if they had both ovaries removed. A total of 205 cases and 390 controls completed a phone interview, food frequency questionnaire, and self-recorded waist and hip measurements. Based on dietary data, we computed the number of servings of dessert foods, non-dessert foods, sugary drinks and total sugary foods and drinks for each participant. Total and added sugar intakes (grams/day) were also calculated. Multiple logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for food and drink groups and total and added sugar intakes, while adjusting for major risk factors. Results We did not find evidence of an association between consumption of sugary foods and beverages and risk, although there was a suggestion of increased risk associated with sugary drink intake (servings per 1,000 kcal; OR=1.63, 95% CI: 0.94-2.83). Conclusions Overall, we found little indication that sugar intake played a major role on ovarian cancer development. PMID:23442818

  20. Modified Cajal's trichrome stain as a diagnostic aid in the study of epithelial pathology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karpagaselvi Sanjai

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Diagnosis of initial epithelial pathology maybe difficult in Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC, Carcinoma In Situ and other atypical epithelial malignancies, under routine Haematoxylin and Eosin (H and E stain. The detection of minor basement membrane alterations in doubtful cases is both time consuming and confusing. Aims: To evaluate efficacy of Modified Cajal's Trichrome Stain (CTS in relation to Haematoxylin and Eosin for study of epithelial dysplasia, carcinoma in situ, micro invasive SCC, frank SCC, and SCC in lymph nodes. Materials and Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of mild epithelial dysplasia (n = 2, moderate epithelial dysplasia (n = 2, severe epithelial dysplasia (n = 4, carcinoma in situ (n = 1, micro-invasive SCC (n = 4, verrucous carcinoma (n = 1, and frank OSCC (n = 5 were stained with CTS and H&E. The sections were compared based on set histopathological criteria. Results and Conclusion: In SCC cases stained with CTS, invasion into connective tissue and keratin pearls were strikingly evident. Depth of invasion could be more accurately determined. Tumour cells in lymph node were intensely contrasted and easily discernible. Thus, CTS is a good differential stain, clearly delineating the epithelial elements from the connective tissue elements visually. This helps in tracing the basement membrane very clearly. It is an economic, rapid and easy to use method which cannot replace Haematoxylin and Eosin stain in cancer diagnosis, but can definitely be used adjunctive to it. Prompt diagnosis is crucial to effective treatment, and this stain assists in early and rapid diagnosis of cancer.

  1. Crosstalk between TEMs and endothelial cells modulates angiogenesis and metastasis via IGF1-IGF1R signalling in epithelial ovarian cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Xinjing; Zhu, Qinyi; Lin, Yingying; Wu, Li; Wu, Xiaoli; Wang, Kai; He, Qizhi; Xu, Congjian; Wan, Xiaoping; Wang, Xipeng

    2017-01-01

    Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the leading cause of death from gynaecologic malignancies and has a poor prognosis due to metastasis. Drugs targeting the angiogenesis pathway significantly improve patient outcome. However, the key factors linking angiogenesis and metastasis have not been elucidated. In this study, we found Tie2 expressing monocytes (CD14+Tie2+, TEMs) as key contributors to angiogenesis and metastasis of EOC. Methods: Tissue slides were evaluated by immunofluore...

  2. Genetic analysis of the vitamin D receptor gene in two epithelial cancers: melanoma and breast cancer case-control studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barroso, Eva; Arias, Jose I; Zamora, Pilar; Blanco, Monserrat; Lazaro, Pablo; Benitez, Javier; Ribas, Gloria; Fernandez, Lara P; Milne, Roger L; Pita, Guillermo; Sendagorta, Elena; Floristan, Uxua; Feito, Marta; Aviles, Jose A; Martin-Gonzalez, Manuel

    2008-01-01

    Vitamin D serum levels have been found to be related to sun exposure and diet, together with cell differentiation, growth control and consequently, cancer risk. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) genotypes may influence cancer risk; however, no epidemiological studies in sporadic breast cancer (BC) or malignant melanoma (MM) have been performed in a southern European population. In this study, the VDR gene has been evaluated in two epithelial cancers BC and MM. We have conducted an analysis in 549 consecutive and non-related sporadic BC cases and 556 controls, all from the Spanish population, and 283 MM cases and 245 controls. Genotyping analyses were carried out on four putatively functional SNPs within the VDR gene. An association with the minor allele A of the non-synonymous SNP rs2228570 (rs10735810, FokI, Met1Thr) was observed for BC, with an estimated odds ratio (OR) of 1.26 (95% CI = 1.02–1.57; p = 0.036). The synonymous variant rs731236 (TaqI) appeared to be associated with protection from BC (OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.64–0.99; p = 0.047). No statistically significant associations with MM were observed for any SNP. Nevertheless, sub-group analyses revealed an association between rs2228570 (FokI) and absence of childhood sunburns (OR = 0.65, p = 0.003), between the 3'utr SNP rs739837 (BglI) and fair skin (OR = 1.31, p = 0.048), and between the promoter SNP rs4516035 and the more aggressive tumour location in head-neck and trunk (OR = 1.54, p = 0.020). In summary, we observed associations between SNPs in the VDR gene and BC risk, and a comprehensive analysis using clinical and tumour characteristics as outcome variables has revealed potential associations with MM. These associations required confirmation in independent studies

  3. Pilot study of a heptavalent vaccine-keyhole limpet hemocyanin conjugate plus QS21 in patients with epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sabbatini, Paul J; Ragupathi, Govind; Hood, Chandra

    2007-01-01

    PURPOSE: To characterize the safety and immunogenicity of a heptavalent antigen-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) plus QS21 vaccine construct in patients with epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube, or peritoneal cancer in second or greater complete clinical remission. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Eleven......). RESULTS: Eleven patients were included in the safety analysis; 9 of 11 patients remained on study for at least 2 weeks past fourth vaccination and were included in the immunologic analysis (two withdrew, disease progression). The vaccine was well tolerated. Self-limited and mild fatigue (maximum grade 2...... patients in this pilot trial received a heptavalent vaccine s.c. containing GM2 (10 microg), Globo-H (10 microg), Lewis Y (10 microg), Tn(c) (3 microg), STn(c) (3 microg), TF(c) (3 microg), and Tn-MUC1 (3 microg) individually conjugated to KLH and mixed with adjuvant QS21(100 microg). Vaccinations were...

  4. Pseudocarcinomatous epithelial hyperplasia in the bladder unassociated with prior irradiation or chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lane, Zhaoli; Epstein, Jonathan I

    2008-01-01

    Pseudocarcinomatous epithelial hyperplasia in the bladder is a little known phenomenon, recognized to be associated with prior irradiation and/or chemotherapy. Whether this process can occur outside of this setting has not been studied. We identified 8 of these cases mimicking invasive urothelial carcinoma from our consultation files from 07/04 to 07/06 with no prior history of radiation or chemotherapy. The mean age at diagnosis was 65 years (range, 42 to 81 y), with 5 of the 8 males. Seven patients had a potential etiology for these changes that could either have resulted in localized ischemia or injury to the urothelium. These included case 1: atrial fibrillation, hypertension, congestive heart failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, and coronary artery vascular disease; case 2: coronary angioplasty, atrial fibrillation, hyperlipidemia, and amputation of arm for ischemia; case 3: hypertension, uncontrolled diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and atrial fibrillation; case 4: underlying arteriovenous malformation of the bladder; cases 5 to 6: history of indwelling Foley catheter; and case 7: history of radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer but no radiation. One patient had no potential contributing factors. All 8 patients presented with gross hematuria. At cystoscopy, 7 patients had polypoid lesions with 1 appearing nonpolypoid. Histologically, all cases showed epithelial proliferation of urothelium with cells having prominent eosinophilic cytoplasm. This process that mimicked invasive cancer within the lamina propria was marked in 3 cases (38%). Moderate nuclear pleomorphism was seen in 6 cases (75%). Only 1 case revealed mitotic figures. Ulceration was seen in 1 case. All cases showed some degree of hemorrhage with hemosiderin deposition identified in 3 cases (38%). Fibrin deposition was present in 1 case within the stroma, 3 cases in the vessels, and 4 cases in both. Five cases show stromal fibrosis. Edema and vascular congestion were common features (90% and 100

  5. COAGULATION PROFILE IN PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH MALIGNANCIES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCES TO HEAD AND NECK EPITHELIAL CANCERS, LEUKAEMIAS AND LYMPHOMAS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kaberee Bhuyan

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Cancer can cause activation of coagulation in many ways and there is definite evidence of abnormalities in haemostatic mechanism which is seen by the presence of one or more circulating markers of haemostatic activation & this is found to be potentiated by the release of tissue factors or procoagulants from normal tissue destructions during tumour development. OBJECTIVES • To evaluate the range of different types of haemostatic abnormalities in haematological and epithelial malignancies, especially the head and neck epithelial malignancies. • To look for the differences in the grades of these abnormalities in metastatic & non-metastatic malignancies. • To understand the prognostic value of routine tests of coagulation while predicting the outcome of the patient. • MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, Gauhati Medical College & Hospital, Guwahati from July 2004 to June 2005. 70 cases comprising of head and neck epithelial malignancies, leukaemias and lymphomas without clinical presentation of haemorrhage or thrombosis were selected and coagulation profiles were seen. RESULTS AND OBSERVATION Out of 70 cases of both sexes & different age groups prior to therapeutic intervention, metastatic cases were 22, non-metastatic cases were 29, and 19 cases belonged to leukaemias and lymphomas. The commonest age group affected was 51–60 yrs. and male: female was 3.7: 1. The most frequent abnormality was 41 cases (58.57% of FDP positivity in the serum followed by 36 cases (51.43% of hyperfibrinogenaemia; 32 cases (45.71% shortened bleeding time, etc. DISCUSSION Activated coagulation in cancer leads to increased fibrin deposition stimulated by the destroyed tissues; increased FDPs being a strong marker of coagulation and fibrinolytic activation; increased platelet aggregation by the micro vesicles shed by tumour cells; prolonged PT & APTT being well known markers for disseminated intravascular

  6. [Association between obesity and ovarian cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valladares, Macarena; Corsini, Gino; Romero, Carmen

    2014-05-01

    Obesity is a risk factor for cancer. Epidemiological evidences associate ovarian cancer with obesity. Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most common type of ovarian cancer and accounts for a high rate of mortality. The association between ovarian cancer and obesity could be explained by molecular factors secreted by adipose tissue such as leptin. In EOC, leptin increases cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis. Additionally, adipose tissue synthesizes endogenous estrogens, which increase cell proliferation of epithelial ovarian cells. Also, obesity associated hyperinsulinism could increase ovarian estrogen secretion.

  7. Prognostic value of (18)F-FDG PET/CT volumetric parameters in recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mayoral, M; Fernandez-Martinez, A; Vidal, L; Fuster, D; Aya, F; Pavia, J; Pons, F; Lomeña, F; Paredes, P

    2016-01-01

    Metabolic tumour volume (MTV) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) from (18)F-FDG PET/CT are emerging prognostic biomarkers in various solid neoplasms. These volumetric parameters and the SUVmax have shown to be useful criteria for disease prognostication in preoperative and post-treatment epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of (18)F-FDG PET/CT measurements to predict survival in patients with recurrent EOC. Twenty-six patients with EOC who underwent a total of 31 (18)F-FDG PET/CT studies for suspected recurrence were retrospectively included. SUVmax and volumetric parameters whole-body MTV (wbMTV) and whole-body TLG (wbTLG) with a threshold of 40% and 50% of the SUVmax were obtained. Correlation between PET parameters and progression-free survival (PFS) and the survival analysis of prognostic factors were calculated. Serous cancer was the most common histological subtype (76.9%). The median PFS was 12.5 months (range 10.7-20.6 months). Volumetric parameters showed moderate inverse correlation with PFS but there was no significant correlation in the case of SUVmax. The correlation was stronger for first recurrences. By Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test, wbMTV 40%, wbMTV 50% and wbTLG 50% correlated with PFS. However, SUVmax and wbTLG 40% were not statistically significant predictors for PFS. Volumetric parameters wbMTV and wbTLG 50% measured by (18)F-FDG PET/CT appear to be useful prognostic predictors of outcome and may provide valuable information to individualize treatment strategies in patients with recurrent EOC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

  8. Stonin 2 Overexpression is Correlated with Unfavorable Prognosis and Tumor Invasion in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoying Sun

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Stonin 2 (STON2, which functions in adjusting endocytotic complexes, is probably involved in the monitoring of the internalization of dopamine D2 receptors which have an inhibitory action of dopamine on tumor progression. However, its clinical significance in tumor progression and prognosis remains unclear. We explored the association between STON2 and the clinicopathological characteristics of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC. The STON2 levels in ovarian cancer and normal cell lines and tissues were detected by real-time PCR and Western blot analyses. STON2 protein expression was also detected by an immunohistochemical analysis. The clinical significance of STON2 expression in ovarian cancer was statistically analyzed. STON2 significantly increased in the ovarian cancer cell lines and tissues compared to the normal ones. In the 89 EOC samples tested, STON2 expression was significantly correlated with intraperitoneal metastasis, intestinal metastasis, intraperitoneal recurrence, ascites containing tumor cells, and CA153 level. Moreover, patients with STON2 protein overexpression were more likely to exhibit platinum resistance and to have undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients with high STON2 protein expression had a tendency to have a shorter overall survival and a poor prognosis. A multivariate analysis showed that STON2 was an independent prognostic predictor for EOC patients. In conclusion, STON2 plays an important role in the progression and prognosis of ovarian carcinoma, especially in platinum resistance, intraperitoneal metastasis, and recurrence. STON2 can be a novel antitumor drug target and biomarker which predicts an unfavorable prognosis for EOC patients.

  9. The role of Forkhead-box Class O (FoxO) transcription factors in cancer: A target for the management of cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reagan-Shaw, Shannon; Ahmad, Nihal

    2007-01-01

    Human Forkhead-Box Class O (FoxO) transcription factors are primarily regulated through the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3k)-Akt pathway via phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion. Acetylation and ubiquitination represent another level of regulation for FoxO proteins and FoxO-regulated gene expression. FoxO factors can act as tumor suppressors; however, the loss of FoxO function leads to increased cellular survival and a predisposition to neoplasia, especially of epithelial cancers. Based on the critical role of FoxO signaling, this family of transcription factors appears to be a promising target for future drug discovery for epithelial cancers. This review describes mechanism of the regulation of FoxO proteins and their role in epithelial cancers. Based on the current knowledge and studies in the past decade, we suggest that the development of novel agents which specifically activate FoxO members could be useful in the prevention as well as treatment of cancer in general and epithelial cancers in particular

  10. Targeted Therapies in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jurjees Hasan

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Molecularly targeted therapy is relatively new to ovarian cancer despite the unquestionable success with these agents in other solid tumours such as breast and colorectal cancer. Advanced ovarian cancer is chemosensitive and patients can survive several years on treatment. However chemotherapy diminishes in efficacy over time whilst toxicities persist. Newer biological agents that target explicit molecular pathways and lack specific chemotherapy toxicities such as myelosuppression offer the advantage of long-term therapy with a manageable toxicity profile enabling patients to enjoy a good quality of life. In this review we appraise the emerging data on novel targeted therapies in ovarian cancer. We discuss the role of these compounds in the front-line treatment of ovarian cancer and in relapsed disease; and describe how the development of predictive clinical, molecular and imaging biomarkers will define the role of biological agents in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

  11. Targeted Therapies in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dean, Emma; El-Helw, Loaie; Hasan, Jurjees, E-mail: jurjees.hasan@christie.nhs.uk [Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust / Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4BX (United Kingdom)

    2010-02-23

    Molecularly targeted therapy is relatively new to ovarian cancer despite the unquestionable success with these agents in other solid tumours such as breast and colorectal cancer. Advanced ovarian cancer is chemosensitive and patients can survive several years on treatment. However chemotherapy diminishes in efficacy over time whilst toxicities persist. Newer biological agents that target explicit molecular pathways and lack specific chemotherapy toxicities such as myelosuppression offer the advantage of long-term therapy with a manageable toxicity profile enabling patients to enjoy a good quality of life. In this review we appraise the emerging data on novel targeted therapies in ovarian cancer. We discuss the role of these compounds in the front-line treatment of ovarian cancer and in relapsed disease; and describe how the development of predictive clinical, molecular and imaging biomarkers will define the role of biological agents in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

  12. A novel network integrating a miRNA-203/SNAI1 feedback loop which regulates epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michèle Moes

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The majority of human cancer deaths are caused by metastasis. The metastatic dissemination is initiated by the breakdown of epithelial cell homeostasis. During this phenomenon, referred to as epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT, cells change their genetic and trancriptomic program leading to phenotypic and functional alterations. The challenge of understanding this dynamic process resides in unraveling regulatory networks involving master transcription factors (e.g. SNAI1/2, ZEB1/2 and TWIST1 and microRNAs. Here we investigated microRNAs regulated by SNAI1 and their potential role in the regulatory networks underlying epithelial plasticity. RESULTS: By a large-scale analysis on epithelial plasticity, we highlighted miR-203 and its molecular link with SNAI1 and the miR-200 family, key regulators of epithelial homeostasis. During SNAI1-induced EMT in MCF7 breast cancer cells, miR-203 and miR-200 family members were repressed in a timely correlated manner. Importantly, miR-203 repressed endogenous SNAI1, forming a double negative miR203/SNAI1 feedback loop. We integrated this novel miR203/SNAI1 with the known miR200/ZEB feedback loops to construct an a priori EMT core network. Dynamic simulations revealed stable epithelial and mesenchymal states, and underscored the crucial role of the miR203/SNAI1 feedback loop in state transitions underlying epithelial plasticity. CONCLUSION: By combining computational biology and experimental approaches, we propose a novel EMT core network integrating two fundamental negative feedback loops, miR203/SNAI1 and miR200/ZEB. Altogether our analysis implies that this novel EMT core network could function as a switch controlling epithelial cell plasticity during differentiation and cancer progression.

  13. Potential Roles of Amiloride-Sensitive Sodium Channels in Cancer Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siguang Xu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The ENaC/degenerin ion channel superfamily includes the amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channel (ENaC and acid sensitive ionic channel (ASIC. ENaC is a multimeric ion channel formed by heteromultimeric membrane glycoproteins, which participate in a multitude of biological processes by mediating the transport of sodium (Na+ across epithelial tissues such as the kidney, lungs, bladder, and gut. Aberrant ENaC functions contribute to several human disease states including pseudohypoaldosteronism, Liddle syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and salt-sensitive hypertension. Increasing evidence suggests that ion channels not only regulate ion homeostasis and electric signaling in excitable cells but also play important roles in cancer cell behaviors such as proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, and migration. Indeed, ENaCs/ASICs had been reported to be associated with cancer characteristics. Given their cell surface localization and pharmacology, pharmacological strategies to target ENaC/ASIC family members may be promising cancer therapeutics.

  14. Correlation of serum biomarkers (TSA & LSA) and epithelial dysplasia in early diagnosis of oral precancer and oral cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sawhney, Hemant; Kumar, C Anand

    Oral cancer is currently the most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths, which is usually preceded by oral pre-cancerous lesions and conditions. Altered glycosylation of glycoconjugates, such as sialic acid, fucose, etc. are amongst the important molecular changes that accompany malignant transformation. The purpose of our study was to evaluate usefulness of serum Total Sialic Acid (TSA) and serum Lipid-Bound Sialic Acid (LSA) as markers of oral precancerous lesions and histopathologically correlating them with grades of epithelial dysplasia. Blood samples were collected from 50 patients with oral precancer (Leukoplakia & OSMF), 25 patients with untreated oral cancer and 25 healthy subjects. Serum sialic acid (total and lipid bound) levels were measured spectrophotometrically. Tissue samples from all the patients were evaluated for dysplasia. Serum levels of total and lipid bound sialic acid were significantly elevated in patients with oral precancer and cancer when compared with healthy subjects. Analysis of variance test documented that there is progressive rise in serum levels of sialic acid with the degree of dysplastic changes in oral precancer patients. We observed positive correlation between serum levels of the markers and the extent of malignant disease (TNM Clinical staging) as well as histopathological grades. The results suggested that serum levels of TSA and LSA progressively increases with grades of dysplasia in precancerous groups and cancer group, when compared with healthy controls. These glycoconjugates, especially LSA has the clinical utility in indicating a premalignant change.

  15. Prognostic impact of marital status on survival of women with epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahdi, Haider; Kumar, Sanjeev; Munkarah, Adnan R; Abdalamir, Moshrik; Doherty, Mark; Swensen, Ron

    2013-01-01

    The objective of this study is to examine the impact of marital status on survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Patients with a diagnosis of EOC were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program for the period 1988-2006 and divided into married and unmarried groups. Statistical analysis using Student's t-test, Kaplan-Meier, and Cox regression proportional hazards was performed. In 49,777 patients with EOC, 51.2% were married and 48.8% were unmarried. White women were likely to be married compared with African Americans (52.0% vs 32.4%, p vs 43.4%, p vs 33.8%, p married patients compared with unmarried patients. Staging lymphadenectomy was performed more frequently in married than unmarried patients (39.9% vs 29.8%, p married patients and 33.1% for unmarried patients, p Married patients had a better survival compared with unmarried patients within each racial subgroup: 44.5% vs 33.3% for White women (p vs 24.9% for African Americans (p vs 42.7% for others (p married patients had a significantly improved survival compared with unmarried patients (HR 0.8, 95% CI 0.78-0.83, p < 0.001). In this epidemiologic study, the social institution of marriage is associated with improved survival in women with ovarian cancer. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  16. General Information about Ovarian Epithelial Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... diagnosed, tests are done to find out if cancer cells have spread within the ovaries or to other parts of the body. The ... single ovary or fallopian tube. In stage IB, cancer is found inside both ovaries or fallopian tubes. In stage IC, cancer is ...

  17. Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition in a Clinical Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Pasquier

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Tumor growth and metastatic dissemination rely on cellular plasticity. Among the different phenotypes acquired by cancer cells, epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT has been extensively illustrated. Indeed, this transition allows an epithelial polarized cell to acquire a more mesenchymal phenotype with increased mobility and invasiveness. The role of EMT is quite clear during developmental stage. In the neoplastic context in many tumors EMT has been associated with a more aggressive tumor phenotype including local invasion and distant metastasis. EMT allows the cell to invade surrounding tissues and survive in the general circulation and through a stem cell phenotype grown in the host organ. The molecular pathways underlying EMT have also been clearly defined and their description is beyond the scope of this review. Here we will summarize and analyze the attempts made to block EMT in the therapeutic context. Indeed, till today, most of the studies are made in animal models. Few clinical trials are ongoing with no obvious benefits of EMT inhibitors yet. We point out the limitations of EMT targeting such tumor heterogeneity or the dynamics of EMT during disease progression.

  18. Phosphoproteomics of Primary Cells Reveals Druggable Kinase Signatures in Ovarian Cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Francavilla, Chiara; Lupia, Michela; Tsafou, Kalliopi

    2017-01-01

    Our understanding of the molecular determinants of cancer is still inadequate because of cancer heterogeneity. Here, using epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) as a model system, we analyzed a minute amount of patient-derived epithelial cells from either healthy or cancerous tissues by single-shot mas...

  19. Real-time impedance analysis of silica nanowire toxicity on epithelial breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexander, Frank A; Huey, Eric G; Price, Dorielle T; Bhansali, Shekhar

    2012-12-21

    Silica nanowires have great potential for usage in the development of highly sensitive in vivo biosensors used for biomarker monitoring. However, careful analysis of nanowire toxicity is required prior to placing these sensors within the human body. This paper describes a real-time and quantitative analysis of nanowire cytotoxicity using impedance spectroscopy; improving upon studies that have utilized traditional endpoint assays. Silica nanowires were grown using the vapor liquid solid (VLS) method, mixed with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) and exposed to Hs578T epithelial breast cancer cells at concentrations of 0 μg ml(-1), 1 μg ml(-1), 50 μg ml(-1) and 100 μg ml(-1). Real-time cellular responses to silica nanowires confirm that while not cytotoxic, silica nanowires at high concentrations (≥50 μg ml(-1)) are toxic to cells, and also suggest that cell death is due to mechanical disturbances of high numbers of nanowires.

  20. Clinical Practice of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Patients with Early-Stage Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frielink, Lindy M J; Pijlman, Brenda M; Ezendam, Nicole P M; Pijnenborg, Johanna M A

    2016-01-01

    Adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy improves survival in women with early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Yet, there is a wide variety in clinical practice. All patients diagnosed with FIGO I and IIa EOC (2006-2010) in the south of the Netherlands were analyzed. The percentage of patients that received adjuvant chemotherapy was determined as well as the comprehensiveness of staging and outcome. Forty percent (54/135) of the patients with early-stage EOC received adjuvant chemotherapy. Treatment with adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with FIGO stage, clear-cell histology and nonoptimal staging. Optimal staging was achieved in 50%, and nonoptimal staging was associated with advanced age, comorbidity and treatment in a non-referral hospital. Overall, there was no difference in outcome between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. Yet, in grade 3 tumors, adjuvant chemotherapy seems beneficial. Selective treatment of patients with early-stage EOC might reduce adjuvant chemotherapy without compromising outcome. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  1. Differential effect of TGFβ on the proteome of cancer associated fibroblasts and cancer epithelial cells in a co-culture approach - a short report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koczorowska, Maria Magdalena; Friedemann, Charlotte; Geiger, Klaus; Follo, Marie; Biniossek, Martin Lothar; Schilling, Oliver

    2017-12-01

    Solid tumors contain various components that together form the tumor microenvironment. Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are capable of secreting and responding to signaling molecules and growth factors. Due to their role in tumor development, CAFs are considered as potential therapeutic targets. A prominent tumor-associated signaling molecule is transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), an inducer of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The differential action of TGFβ on CAFs and ETCs (epithelial tumor cells) has recently gained interest. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of TGFβ on CAFs and ETCs at the proteomic level. We established a 2D co-culture system of differentially fluorescently labeled CAFs and ETCs and stimulated this co-culture system with TGFβ. The respective cell types were separated using FACS and subjected to quantitative analyses of individual proteomes using mass spectrometry. We found that TGFβ treatment had a strong impact on the proteome composition of CAFs, whereas ETCs responded only marginally to TGFβ. Quantitative proteomic analyses of the different cell types revealed up-regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in TGFβ treated CAFs. In addition, we found that the TGFβ treated CAFs exhibited increased N-cadherin levels. From our data we conclude that CAFs respond to TGFβ treatment by changing their proteome composition, while ETCs appear to be rather resilient.

  2. Proteinase-activated receptor 4 stimulation-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelial cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Araki Hiromasa

    2007-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Proteinase-activated receptors (PARs; PAR1–4 that can be activated by serine proteinases such as thrombin and neutrophil catepsin G are known to contribute to the pathogenesis of various pulmonary diseases including fibrosis. Among these PARs, especially PAR4, a newly identified subtype, is highly expressed in the lung. Here, we examined whether PAR4 stimulation plays a role in the formation of fibrotic response in the lung, through alveolar epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT which contributes to the increase in myofibroblast population. Methods EMT was assessed by measuring the changes in each specific cell markers, E-cadherin for epithelial cell, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA for myofibroblast, using primary cultured mouse alveolar epithelial cells and human lung carcinoma-derived alveolar epithelial cell line (A549 cells. Results Stimulation of PAR with thrombin (1 U/ml or a synthetic PAR4 agonist peptide (AYPGKF-NH2, 100 μM for 72 h induced morphological changes from cobblestone-like structure to elongated shape in primary cultured alveolar epithelial cells and A549 cells. In immunocytochemical analyses of these cells, such PAR4 stimulation decreased E-cadherin-like immunoreactivity and increased α-SMA-like immunoreactivity, as observed with a typical EMT-inducer, tumor growth factor-β (TGF-β. Western blot analyses of PAR4-stimulated A549 cells also showed similar changes in expression of these EMT-related marker proteins. Such PAR4-mediated changes were attenuated by inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR kinase and Src. PAR4-mediated morphological changes in primary cultured alveolar epithelial cells were reduced in the presence of these inhibitors. PAR4 stimulation increased tyrosine phosphorylated EGFR or tyrosine phosphorylated Src level in A549 cells, and the former response being inhibited by Src inhibitor. Conclusion PAR4 stimulation of alveolar epithelial cells induced epithelial

  3. Hormone therapy and different ovarian cancers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mørch, Lina Steinrud; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Andreasen, Anne Helms

    2012-01-01

    Postmenopausal hormone therapy use increases the risk of ovarian cancer. In the present study, the authors examined the risks of different histologic types of ovarian cancer associated with hormone therapy. Using Danish national registers, the authors identified 909,946 women who were followed from...... 1995-2005. The women were 50-79 years of age and had no prior hormone-sensitive cancers or bilateral oophorectomy. Hormone therapy prescription data were obtained from the National Register of Medicinal Product Statistics. The National Cancer and Pathology Register provided data on ovarian cancers......, including information about tumor histology. The authors performed Poisson regression analyses that included hormone exposures and confounders as time-dependent covariates. In an average of 8.0 years of follow up, 2,681 cases of epithelial ovarian cancer were detected. Compared with never users, women...

  4. ZEB1 Promotes Oxaliplatin Resistance through the Induction of Epithelial - Mesenchymal Transition in Colon Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Cao; Ma, Junli; Deng, Ganlu; Qu, Yanlin; Yin, Ling; Li, Yiyi; Han, Ying; Cai, Changjing; Shen, Hong; Zeng, Shan

    2017-01-01

    Background: Oxaliplatin (OXA) chemotherapy is widely used in the clinical treatment of colon cancer. However, chemo-resistance is still a barrier to effective chemotherapy in cases of colon cancer. Accumulated evidence suggests that the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) may be a critical factor in chemo-sensitivity. The present study investigated the effects of Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) on OXA-sensitivity in colon cancer cells. Method: ZEB1expression and its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed using tumor tissue from an independent cohort consisting of 118 colon cancer (CC) patients who receiving OXA-based chemotherapy. ZEB1 modulation of OXA-sensitivity in colon cancer cells was investigated in a OXA-resistant subline of HCT116/OXA cells and the parental colon cancer cell line: HCT116. A CCK8 assay was carried out to determine OXA-sensitivity. qRT-PCR, Western blot, Scratch wound healing and transwell assays were used to determine EMT phenotype of colon cells. ZEB1 knockdown using small interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to determine the ZEB1 contribution to OXA-sensitivity in vitro and in vivo (in a nude mice xenograft model). Result: ZEB1 expression was significantly increased in colon tumor tissue, and was correlated with lymph node metastasis and the depth of invasion. Compared with the parental colon cancer cells (HCT116), HCT116/OXA cells exhibited an EMT phenotype characterized by up-regulated expression of ZEB1, Vimentin, MMP2 and MMP9, but down-regulated expression of E-cadherin. Transfection of Si-ZEB1 into HCT116/OXA cells significantly reversed the EMT phenotype and enhanced OXA-sensitivity in vitro and in vivo . Conclusion: HCT116/OXA cells acquired an EMT phenotype. ZEB1 knockdown effectively restored OXA-sensitivity by reversing EMT. ZEB1 is a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of OXA-resistance in colon cancer.

  5. Xenobiotic Modulation of Human Mammary Epithelial Cell Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication and Growth

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ruch, Randall

    1999-01-01

    .... These agents also inhibit gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC). This inhibition may contribute to the enhancement of breast epithelial growth and breast cancer formation by xenobiotics...

  6. Acute damage by naphthalene triggers expression of the neuroendocrine marker PGP9.5 in airway epithelial cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, T.T.; Naizhen, X.; Linnoila, R.I.

    2008-01-01

    Protein Gene Product 9.5 (PGP9.5) is highly expressed in nervous tissue. Recently PGP9.5 expression has been found to be upregulated in the pulmonary epithelium of smokers and in non-small cell lung cancer, suggesting that it also plays a role in carcinogen-inflicted lung epithelial injury...... neuroendocrine markers was found in the non-neuroendocrine epithelial cells after naphthalene exposure. In contrast, immunostaining for the cell cycle regulator p27(Kip1), which has previously been associated with PGP9.5 in lung cancer cells, revealed transient downregulation of p27(Kip1) in naphthalene exposed...... and further strengthens the accumulating evidence of PGP9.5 as a central player in lung epithelial damage and early carcinogenesis Udgivelsesdato: 2008/9/26...

  7. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells, mediated by a long non-coding RNA, HOTAIR, are involved in cell malignant transformation induced by cigarette smoke extract

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Yi; Luo, Fei; Xu, Yuan; Wang, Bairu; Zhao, Yue; Xu, Wenchao; Shi, Le; Lu, Xiaolin; Liu, Qizhan

    2015-01-01

    The incidence of lung diseases, including cancer, caused by cigarette smoke is increasing, but the molecular mechanisms of gene regulation induced by cigarette smoke remain unclear. This report describes a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that is induced by cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and experiments utilizing lncRNAs to integrate inflammation with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells. The present study shows that, induced by CSE, IL-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, leads to activation of STAT3, a transcription activator. A ChIP assay determined that the interaction of STAT3 with the promoter regions of HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) increased levels of HOTAIR. Blocking of IL-6 with anti-IL-6 antibody, decreasing STAT3, and inhibiting STAT3 activation reduced HOTAIR expression. Moreover, for HBE cells cultured in the presence of HOTAIR siRNA for 24 h, the CSE-induced EMT, formation of cancer stem cells (CSCs), and malignant transformation were reversed. Thus, IL-6, acting on STAT3 signaling, which up-regulates HOTAIR in an autocrine manner, contributes to the EMT and to CSCs induced by CSE. These data define a link between inflammation and EMT, processes involved in the malignant transformation of cells caused by CSE. This link, mediated through lncRNAs, establishes a mechanism for CSE-induced lung carcinogenesis. - Highlights: • STAT3 directly regulates the levels of LncRNA HOTAIR. • LncRNA HOTAIR mediates the link between inflammation and EMT. • LncRNA HOTAIR is involved in the malignant transformation of cells caused by CSE

  8. The Z-cad dual fluorescent sensor detects dynamic changes between the epithelial and mesenchymal cellular states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toneff, M J; Sreekumar, A; Tinnirello, A; Hollander, P Den; Habib, S; Li, S; Ellis, M J; Xin, L; Mani, S A; Rosen, J M

    2016-06-17

    The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in metastasis and therapy resistance of carcinomas and can endow cancer cells with cancer stem cell (CSC) properties. The ability to detect cancer cells that are undergoing or have completed EMT has typically relied on the expression of cell surface antigens that correlate with an EMT/CSC phenotype. Alternatively these cells may be permanently marked through Cre-mediated recombination or through immunostaining of fixed cells. The EMT process is dynamic, and these existing methods cannot reveal such changes within live cells. The development of fluorescent sensors that mirror the dynamic EMT state by following the expression of bona fide EMT regulators in live cells would provide a valuable new tool for characterizing EMT. In addition, these sensors will allow direct observation of cellular plasticity with respect to the epithelial/mesenchymal state to enable more effective studies of EMT in cancer and development. We generated a lentiviral-based, dual fluorescent reporter system, designated as the Z-cad dual sensor, comprising destabilized green fluorescent protein containing the ZEB1 3' UTR and red fluorescent protein driven by the E-cadherin (CDH1) promoter. Using this sensor, we robustly detected EMT and mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) in breast cancer cells by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Importantly, we observed dynamic changes in cellular populations undergoing MET. Additionally, we used the Z-cad sensor to identify and isolate minor subpopulations of cells displaying mesenchymal properties within a population comprising predominately epithelial-like cells. The Z-cad dual sensor identified cells with CSC-like properties more effectively than either the ZEB1 3' UTR or E-cadherin sensor alone. The Z-cad dual sensor effectively reports the activities of two factors critical in determining the epithelial/mesenchymal state of carcinoma cells. The ability of this stably

  9. Prognostic significance of the number of postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy cycles for patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suidan, Rudy S; Zhou, Qin; Iasonos, Alexia; O'Cearbhaill, Roisin E; Chi, Dennis S; Long Roche, Kara C; Tanner, Edward J; Denesopolis, John; Barakat, Richard R; Zivanovic, Oliver

    2015-05-01

    Phase 3 trials have demonstrated a survival advantage for patients with optimally debulked epithelial ovarian cancer who received intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy compared with IV therapy alone. This was despite a significant proportion of patients in the IV/IP arms not completing all 6 planned cycles. Our objective was to evaluate the prognostic significance of the number of IV/IP cycles administered. Data were analyzed for all patients with stage III to IV epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent optimal primary cytoreduction followed by 1 or more cycles of IV/IP chemotherapy from January 2005 to July 2011 at our institution. A landmark analysis was performed to associate progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) with the number of IV/IP cycles given. We identified 201 patients; 26 (13%) received 1 to 2 cycles of IV/IP chemotherapy, 41 (20%) received 3 to 4 cycles, and 134 (67%) received 5 to 6 cycles. The 5-year PFS for patients who received 1 to 2, 3 to 4, and 5 to 6 cycles was 18%, 29%, and 17%, respectively. The 5-year OS for patients who received 1 to 2, 3 to 4, and 5 to 6 cycles was 44%, 54%, and 57%, respectively. There was no significant difference in PFS (P = 0.31) or OS (P = 0.14) between the 3 groups. The most common reason for discontinuing IV/IP therapy was treatment-related toxicity (77%). Postoperative complications were the most common reason for not initiating IV/IP therapy (42%) in patients who subsequently transitioned to it. We did not detect a significant survival difference between patients who received 1 to 2, 3 to 4, or 5 to 6 IV/IP chemotherapy cycles. Women may still derive a survival benefit if they receive fewer than 6 IV/IP cycles.

  10. Molecular Signature for Lymphatic Invasion Associated with Survival of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paik, E Sun; Choi, Hyun Jin; Kim, Tae-Joong; Lee, Jeong-Won; Kim, Byoung-Gie; Bae, Duk-Soo; Choi, Chel Hun

    2018-04-01

    We aimed to develop molecular classifier that can predict lymphatic invasion and their clinical significance in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients. We analyzed gene expression (mRNA, methylated DNA) in data from The Cancer Genome Atlas. To identify molecular signatures for lymphatic invasion, we found differentially expressed genes. The performance of classifier was validated by receiver operating characteristics analysis, logistic regression, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and support vector machine (SVM). We assessed prognostic role of classifier using random survival forest (RSF) model and pathway deregulation score (PDS). For external validation,we analyzed microarray data from 26 EOC samples of Samsung Medical Center and curatedOvarianData database. We identified 21 mRNAs, and seven methylated DNAs from primary EOC tissues that predicted lymphatic invasion and created prognostic models. The classifier predicted lymphatic invasion well, which was validated by logistic regression, LDA, and SVM algorithm (C-index of 0.90, 0.71, and 0.74 for mRNA and C-index of 0.64, 0.68, and 0.69 for DNA methylation). Using RSF model, incorporating molecular data with clinical variables improved prediction of progression-free survival compared with using only clinical variables (p < 0.001 and p=0.008). Similarly, PDS enabled us to classify patients into high-risk and low-risk group, which resulted in survival difference in mRNA profiles (log-rank p-value=0.011). In external validation, gene signature was well correlated with prediction of lymphatic invasion and patients' survival. Molecular signature model predicting lymphatic invasion was well performed and also associated with survival of EOC patients.

  11. Engineering stromal-epithelial interactions in vitro for ...

    Science.gov (United States)

    Background: Crosstalk between epithelial and stromal cells drives the morphogenesis of ectodermal organs during development and promotes normal mature adult epithelial tissue function. Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions (EMIs) have been examined using mammalian models, ex vivo tissue recombination, and in vitro co-cultures. Although these approaches have elucidated signaling mechanisms underlying morphogenetic processes and adult mammalian epithelial tissue function, they are limited by the availability of human tissue, low throughput, and human developmental or physiological relevance. Objectives: Bioengineering strategies to promote EMIs using human epithelial and mesenchymal cells have enabled the development of human in vitro models of adult epidermal and glandular tissues. In this review, we describe recent bioengineered models of human epithelial tissue and organs that can instruct the design of organotypic models of human developmental processes.Methods: We reviewed current bioengineering literature and here describe how bioengineered EMIs have enabled the development of human in vitro epithelial tissue models.Discussion: Engineered models to promote EMIs have recapitulated the architecture, phenotype, and function of adult human epithelial tissue, and similar engineering principles could be used to develop models of developmental morphogenesis. We describe how bioengineering strategies including bioprinting and spheroid culture could be implemented to

  12. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition during oncogenic transformation induced by hexavalent chromium involves reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanism in lung epithelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ding, Song-Ze, E-mail: dingsongze@hotmail.com [Department of Internal Medicine, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Wei-Wu Road, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000 (China); Graduate Center for Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Yang, Yu-Xiu; Li, Xiu-Ling [Department of Internal Medicine, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Wei-Wu Road, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000 (China); Michelli-Rivera, Audrey [Graduate Center for Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States); Han, Shuang-Yin [Department of Internal Medicine, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Wei-Wu Road, Zhengzhou, Henan 450000 (China); Wang, Lei; Pratheeshkumar, Poyil; Wang, Xin; Lu, Jian; Yin, Yuan-Qin; Budhraja, Amit; Hitron, Andrew J. [Graduate Center for Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40536 (United States)

    2013-05-15

    Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is an important human carcinogen associated with pulmonary diseases and lung cancer. Exposure to Cr(VI) induces DNA damage, cell morphological change and malignant transformation in human lung epithelial cells. Despite extensive studies, the molecular mechanisms remain elusive, it is also not known if Cr(VI)-induced transformation might accompany with invasive properties to facilitate metastasis. We aimed to study Cr(VI)-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion during oncogenic transformation in lung epithelial cells. The results showed that Cr(VI) at low doses represses E-cadherin mRNA and protein expression, enhances mesenchymal marker vimentin expression and transforms the epithelial cell into fibroblastoid morphology. Cr(VI) also increases cell invasion and promotes colony formation. Further studies indicated that Cr(VI) uses multiple mechanisms to repress E-cadherin expression, including activation of E-cadherin repressors such as Slug, ZEB1, KLF8 and enhancement the binding of HDAC1 in E-cadherin gene promoter, but DNA methylation is not responsible for the loss of E-cadherin. Catalase reduces Cr(VI)-induced E-cadherin and vimentin protein expression, attenuates cell invasion in matrigel and colony formation on soft agar. These results demonstrate that exposure to a common human carcinogen, Cr(VI), induces EMT and invasion during oncogenic transformation in lung epithelial cells and implicate in cancer metastasis and prevention. - Graphical abstract: Epithelial–mesenchymal transition during oncogenic transformation induced by hexavalent chromium involves reactive oxygen species-dependent mechanisms in lung epithelial cells. - Highlights: • We study if Cr(VI) might induce EMT and invasion in epithelial cells. • Cr(VI) induces EMT by altering E-cadherin and vimentin expression. • It also increases cell invasion and promotes oncogenic transformation. • Catalase reduces Cr(VI)-induced EMT, invasion and

  13. IL-17 suppresses immune effector functions in human papillomavirus-associated epithelial hyperplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gosmann, Christina; Mattarollo, Stephen R; Bridge, Jennifer A; Frazer, Ian H; Blumenthal, Antje

    2014-09-01

    Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) causes epithelial hyperplasia that can progress to cancer and is thought to depend on immunosuppressive mechanisms that prevent viral clearance by the host. IL-17 is a cytokine with diverse functions in host defense and in the pathology of autoimmune disorders, chronic inflammatory diseases, and cancer. We analyzed biopsies from patients with HPV-associated cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2/3 and murine skin displaying HPV16 E7 protein-induced epithelial hyperplasia, which closely models hyperplasia in chronic HPV lesions. Expression of IL-17 and IL-23, a major inducer of IL-17, was elevated in both human HPV-infected and murine E7-expressing lesions. Using a skin-grafting model, we demonstrated that IL-17 in HPV16 E7 transgenic skin grafts inhibited effective host immune responses against the graft. IL-17 was produced by CD3(+) T cells, predominantly CD4(+) T cells in human, and CD4(+) and γδ T cells in mouse hyperplastic lesions. IL-23 and IL-1β, but not IL-18, induced IL-17 production in E7 transgenic skin. Together, these findings demonstrate an immunosuppressive role for IL-17 in HPV-associated epithelial hyperplasia and suggest that blocking IL-17 in persistent viral infection may promote antiviral immunity and prevent progression to cancer. Copyright © 2014 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

  14. Human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 knockdown tunes cellular mechanics through epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeonju Lee

    Full Text Available We report cell mechanical changes in response to alteration of expression of the human equilibrative nucleoside transporter-1 (hENT1, a most abundant and widely distributed plasma membrane nucleoside transporter in human cells and/or tissues. Modulation of hENT1 expression level altered the stiffness of pancreatic cancer Capan-1 and Panc 03.27 cells, which was analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM and correlated to microfluidic platform. The hENT1 knockdown induced reduction of cellular stiffness in both of cells up to 70%. In addition, cellular phenotypic changes such as cell morphology, migration, and expression level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT markers were observed after hENT1 knockdown. Cells with suppressed hENT1 became elongated, migrated faster, and had reduced E-cadherin and elevated N-cadherin compared to parental cells which are consistent with epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. Those cellular phenotypic changes closely correlated with changes in cellular stiffness. This study suggests that hENT1 expression level affects cellular phenotype and cell elastic behavior can be a physical biomarker for quantify hENT1 expression and detect phenotypic shift. Furthermore, cell mechanics can be a critical tool in detecting disease progression and response to therapy.

  15. Diagnosis of the cancer of unknown primary origin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jurisova, S.; Poersoek, S.

    2013-01-01

    Cancer of unknown primary origin (CUP) is one of the ten most frequent cancers worldwide. It constitutes of 3-5% of all human malignancies. At time of diagnosis patients with CUP present with disseminated metastases without established primary origin. CUP manifests as heterogenous group of mainly epithelial cancers recognised by distinct clinico pathological entities. The diagnostic work-up includes extensive histopathology investigations and modern imaging technology. Nevertheless, the primary tumour remains undetected most of the time. (author)

  16. Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy for the management of splenic hilum metastasis in cytoreductive surgery of epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Libing; Tu, Yunxia; He, Tiancong; Shen, Xuxia; Li, Ziting; Wu, Xiaohua; Yang, Huijuan

    2016-11-01

    Distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy may be required for optimal cytoreductive surgery in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) metastasized to splenic hilum. This study evaluates the morbidity and treatment outcomes of the uncommon procedure in the management of advanced or recurrent EOC. This study recruited 18 patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy during cytoreductive surgery of EOC. Their clinicopathological characteristics and follow-up data were retrospectively analyzed. All tumors were confirmed as high-grade serous carcinomas. The median diameter of metastatic tumors located in splenic hilum was 3.5 cm (range, 1 to 10 cm). Optimal cytoreduction was achieved in all patients. Eight patients (44.4%) suffered from postoperative complications. The morbidity associated with distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy included pancreatic leakage (22.2%), encapsulated effusion in the left upper quadrant (11.1%), intra-abdominal infection (11.1%), pleural effusion with or without pulmonary atelectasis (11.1%), intestinal obstruction (5.6%), pneumonia (5.6%), postoperative hemorrhage (5.6%), and pancreatic pseudocyst (5.6%). There was no perioperative mortality. The majority of complications were treated successfully with conservative management. During the median follow-up duration of 25 months, nine patients experienced recurrence, and three patients died of the disease. The 2-year progression-free survival and overall survival were 40.2% and 84.8%, respectively. The inclusion of distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy as part of cytoreduction for the management of ovarian cancer was associated with high morbidity; however, the majority of complications could be managed with conservative therapy.

  17. Cysteine cathepsins B and X promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tumor cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitrović, Ana; Pečar Fonović, Urša; Kos, Janko

    2017-09-01

    Cathepsins B and X are lysosomal cysteine carboxypeptidases suggested as having a redundant role in cancer. They are involved in a number of processes leading to tumor progression but their role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unknown. We have investigated the contribution of both cathepsins B and X in EMT using tumor cell lines differing in their expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers and cell morphology. Higher levels of both cathepsins are shown to promote EMT and are associated with the mesenchymal-like cell phenotype. Moreover, simultaneous knockdown of the two peptidases triggers a reverse, mesenchymal to epithelial transition. Of the two cathepsins, cathepsin B appears to be the stronger promotor of EMT. Furthermore, we evaluated the involvement of cathepsin B and X in the transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling pathway, one of the key signaling mechanisms triggering EMT in cancer. In MCF-7 cells the expression of cathepsin B was shown to depend on their activation with TGF-β1 while, for cathepsin X, a TGF-β1 independent mechanism of induction during EMT is indicated. EMT is thus shown to be another mechanism linking cathepsins B and X with tumor progression. With silencing of their expression or inhibition of enzymatic activity, the tumor cells could be reverted to less aggressive epithelial-like phenotype. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  18. Canine Mammary Cancer Stem Cells are Radio- and Chemo-Resistant and Exhibit an Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Phenotype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pang, Lisa Y.; Cervantes-Arias, Alejandro; Else, Rod W.; Argyle, David J.

    2011-01-01

    Canine mammary carcinoma is the most common cancer among female dogs and is often fatal due to the development of distant metastases. In humans, solid tumors are made up of heterogeneous cell populations, which perform different roles in the tumor economy. A small subset of tumor cells can hold or acquire stem cell characteristics, enabling them to drive tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. In veterinary medicine, the molecular drivers of canine mammary carcinoma are as yet undefined. Here we report that putative cancer stem cells (CSCs) can be isolated form a canine mammary carcinoma cell line, REM134. We show that these cells have an increased ability to form tumorspheres, a characteristic of stem cells, and that they express embryonic stem cell markers associated with pluripotency. Moreover, canine CSCs are relatively resistant to the cytotoxic effects of common chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation, indicating that failure of clinical therapy to eradicate canine mammary cancer may be due to the survival of CSCs. The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been associated with cancer invasion, metastasis, and the acquisition of stem cell characteristics. Our results show that canine CSCs predominantly express mesenchymal markers and are more invasive than parental cells, indicating that these cells have a mesenchymal phenotype. Furthermore, we show that canine mammary cancer cells can be induced to undergo EMT by TGFβ and that these cells have an increased ability to form tumorspheres. Our findings indicate that EMT induction can enrich for cells with CSC properties, and provide further insight into canine CSC biology

  19. Canine Mammary Cancer Stem Cells are Radio- and Chemo-Resistant and Exhibit an Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Phenotype

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pang, Lisa Y., E-mail: lisa.pang@ed.ac.uk; Cervantes-Arias, Alejandro; Else, Rod W.; Argyle, David J. [Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian, EH25 9RG (United Kingdom)

    2011-03-30

    Canine mammary carcinoma is the most common cancer among female dogs and is often fatal due to the development of distant metastases. In humans, solid tumors are made up of heterogeneous cell populations, which perform different roles in the tumor economy. A small subset of tumor cells can hold or acquire stem cell characteristics, enabling them to drive tumor growth, recurrence and metastasis. In veterinary medicine, the molecular drivers of canine mammary carcinoma are as yet undefined. Here we report that putative cancer stem cells (CSCs) can be isolated form a canine mammary carcinoma cell line, REM134. We show that these cells have an increased ability to form tumorspheres, a characteristic of stem cells, and that they express embryonic stem cell markers associated with pluripotency. Moreover, canine CSCs are relatively resistant to the cytotoxic effects of common chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation, indicating that failure of clinical therapy to eradicate canine mammary cancer may be due to the survival of CSCs. The epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been associated with cancer invasion, metastasis, and the acquisition of stem cell characteristics. Our results show that canine CSCs predominantly express mesenchymal markers and are more invasive than parental cells, indicating that these cells have a mesenchymal phenotype. Furthermore, we show that canine mammary cancer cells can be induced to undergo EMT by TGFβ and that these cells have an increased ability to form tumorspheres. Our findings indicate that EMT induction can enrich for cells with CSC properties, and provide further insight into canine CSC biology.

  20. Discovery of dachshund 2 protein as a novel biomarker of poor prognosis in epithelial ovarian cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nodin Björn

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Dachshund homolog 2 (DACH2 gene has been implicated in development of the female genital tract in mouse models and premature ovarian failure syndrome, but to date, its expression in human normal and cancerous tissue remains unexplored. Using the Human Protein Atlas as a tool for cancer biomarker discovery, DACH2 protein was found to be differentially expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC. Here, the expression and prognostic significance of DACH2 was further evaluated in ovarian cancer cell lines and human EOC samples. Methods Immunohistochemical expression of DACH2 was examined in tissue microarrays with 143 incident EOC cases from two prospective, population-based cohorts, including a subset of benign-appearing fallopian tubes (n = 32. A nuclear score (NS, i.e. multiplier of staining fraction and intensity, was calculated. For survival analyses, cases were dichotomized into low (NS 3 using classification and regression tree analysis. Kaplan Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards modelling were used to assess the impact of DACH2 expression on survival. DACH2 expression was analysed in the cisplatin sensitive ovarian cancer cell line A2780 and its cisplatin resistant derivative A2780-Cp70. The specificity of the DACH2 antibody was tested using siRNA-mediated silencing of DACH2 in A2780-Cp70 cells. Results DACH2 expression was considerably higher in the cisplatin resistant A2780-Cp70 cells compared to the cisplatin-sensitive A2780 cells. While present in all sampled fallopian tubes, DACH2 expression ranged from negative to strong in EOC. In EOC, DACH2 expression correlated with several proteins involved in DNA integrity and repair, and proliferation. DACH2 expression was significantly higher in carcinoma of the serous subtype compared to non-serous carcinoma. In the full cohort, high DACH2 expression was significantly associated with poor prognosis in univariable analysis, and in carcinoma of the serous subtype

  1. Epigenetic analysis leads to identification of HNF1B as a subtype-specific susceptibility gene for ovarian cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Shen, Hui; Fridley, Brooke L.; Song, Honglin; Lawrenson, Kate; Cunningham, Julie M.; Ramus, Susan J.; Cicek, Mine S.; Tyrer, Jonathan; Stram, Douglas; Larson, Melissa C.; Köbel, Martin; Ziogas, Argyrios; Zheng, Wei; Yang, Hannah P.; Wu, Anna H.

    2013-01-01

    HNF1B is overexpressed in clear cell epithelial ovarian cancer, and we observed epigenetic silencing in serous epithelial ovarian cancer, leading us to hypothesize that variation in this gene differentially associates with epithelial ovarian cancer risk according to histological subtype. Here we comprehensively map variation in HNF1B with respect to epithelial ovarian cancer risk and analyse DNA methylation and expression profiles across histological subtypes. Different single-nucleotide poly...

  2. Screening of the residual normal ovarian tissue adjacent to orthotopic epithelial ovarian carcinomas in nude mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, G H; Wang, S T; Yao, M Z; Cai, J H; Chen, C Y; Yang, Z X; Hong, L; Yang, S Y

    2014-04-16

    The objective of this study was to explore the feasibility and methods of screening the residual normal ovarian tissue adjacent to orthotopic ovarian carcinomas in nude mice. Human epithelial ovarian cancer cells (OVCAR3) were subcutaneously implanted for a tumor source and ovarian orthotopic transplantation. The cancer tissue, proximal paraneoplastic tissue, middle paraneoplastic tissue, remote paraneoplastic tissue, and normal ovarian tissue were removed. CK-7, CA125, p53, survivin, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 expression was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We obtained 35 paraneoplastic residual ovarian tissues with normal biopsies from 40 cases of an orthotopic epithelial ovarian carcinoma model (87.5%). CK-7, CA125, p53, survivin, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 expression was lower in proximal paraneoplastic tissue than in cancer tissue (P tissue (P tissue as well as among residual normal ovarian tissues with different severity (P > 0.05). In ovarian tissues of 20 normal nude mice, the expression of CK- 7, CA125, p53, survivin, MMP-2, and TIMP-2 was negative. Overall, the expression levels of CK-7, CA125, p53, survivin, MMP-2, TIMP-2, and other molecular markers showed a decreasing trend in the non-cancer tissue direction. The expression levels can be used as standards to screen residual normal ovarian tissue. We can obtain relatively safe normal ovarian tissues adjacent to epithelial ovarian cancer.

  3. Regulation of matrix stiffness on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells under hypoxia environment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Yonggang; Chen, Can; Zhao, Boyuan; Zhang, Xiaomei

    2017-06-01

    Substrate stiffness and hypoxia are associated with tumor development and progression, respectively. However, the synergy of them on the biological behavior of human breast cancer cell is still largely unknown. This study explored how substrate stiffness regulates the cell phenotype, viability, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human breast cancer cells MCF-7 under hypoxia (1% O2). TRITC-phalloidin staining showed that MCF-7 cells transformed from round to irregular polygon with stiffness increase either in normoxia or hypoxia. While being accompanied with the upward tendency from a 0.5- to a 20-kPa substrate, the percentage of cell apoptosis was significantly higher in hypoxia than that in normoxia, especially on the 20-kPa substrate. Additionally, it was hypoxia, but not normoxia, that promoted the EMT of MCF-7 by upregulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vimentin, Snail 1, and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP 2) and 9 (MMP 9), and downregulating E-cadherin simultaneously regardless of the change of substrate stiffness. In summary, this study discovered that hypoxia and stiffer substrate (20 kPa) could synergistically induce phenotype change, apoptosis, and EMT of MCF-7 cells. Results of this study have an important significance on further exploring the synergistic effect of stiffness and hypoxia on the EMT of breast cancer cells and its molecular mechanism.

  4. Clinical experiences with optical coherence tomography in epithelial (pre)malignancies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wessels, R.

    2015-01-01

    This thesis describes the potential of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to differentiate between normal tissue and (pre)malignant tissue in epithelial cancers. It can be divided in research performed in the genital area and the field of melanoma. Chapter 2 describes the principles of the

  5. Exosomes derived from hypoxic epithelial ovarian cancer deliver microRNA-940 to induce macrophage M2 polarization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xin; Ying, Xiang; Wang, Xinjing; Wu, Xiaoli; Zhu, Qinyi; Wang, Xipeng

    2017-07-01

    Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors. It is closely related to tumor progression. Exosomal microRNAs derived from cancers are considered to be mediators between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment. In addition, the number of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in the tumor microenvironment has also been demonstrated to correlate with tumor development. However, the relationship between tumor-secreted exosomes and TAM polarization under hypoxic conditions during tumor progression is not clear. Herein, we demonstrated that hypoxia induces the high expression of microRNA-940 (miR‑940) in exosomes derived from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). We also found that miR‑940 is highly expressed in exosomes isolated from ascites of EOC patients. Moreover, the overexpression of miR‑940 in macrophages delivered by exosomes stimulated M2 phenotype polarization, while the M2 subtype macrophages promoted EOC proliferation and migration. These results highlight the function of hypoxia in enhancing the high level of expression of miR‑940 in tumor exosomes taken up by macrophages. We also showed that the tumor-promoting function of miR‑940 is mediated by TAM polarization in EOC. These findings show that tumor-derived exosomal miR‑940 induced by hypoxia plays an important role in stimulating TAM polarization in the progression of EOC.

  6. Dual-mode endomicroscopy for detection of epithelial dysplasia in the mouth: a descriptive pilot study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodenschatz, Nico; Poh, Catherine F.; Lam, Sylvia; Lane, Pierre; Guillaud, Martial; MacAulay, Calum E.

    2017-08-01

    Dual-mode endomicroscopy is a diagnostic tool for early cancer detection. It combines the high-resolution nuclear tissue contrast of fluorescence endomicroscopy with quantified depth-dependent epithelial backscattering as obtained by diffuse optical microscopy. In an in vivo pilot imaging study of 27 oral lesions from 21 patients, we demonstrate the complementary diagnostic value of both modalities and show correlations between grade of epithelial dysplasia and relative depth-dependent shifts in light backscattering. When combined, the two modalities provide diagnostic sensitivity to both moderate and severe epithelial dysplasia in vivo.

  7. Risk of ovarian cancer in women with first-degree relatives with cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soegaard, Marie; Frederiksen, Kirsten; Jensen, Allan

    2009-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of ovarian cancer in women with first-degree relatives with cancer at one of the four most frequent hereditary sites based on validated cancer diagnoses and to examine the association according to age at diagnosis of ovarian cancer and histology. DESIGN: Case......-control study. SETTING AND POPULATION: First-degree relatives of 554 women with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer and 1,564 controls were included. METHODS: Analyses were performed using multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS: Ovarian cancer in a first-degree relative was significantly associated...... with increased risk of ovarian cancer (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.4-4.1 (mother or sister)). Ovarian cancer in a first-degree relative appeared to be a stronger risk factor for early-onset (cancer than late-onset (OR, 5.3; 95% CI, 2.0-14.1 vs. OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.0-3.4). The positive association...

  8. Human Breast Cancer Cells Are Redirected to Mammary Epithelial Cells upon Interaction with the Regenerating Mammary Gland Microenvironment In-Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bussard, Karen M.; Smith, Gilbert H.

    2012-01-01

    Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. At present, the etiology of breast cancer is unknown; however the possibility of a distinct cell of origin, i.e. a cancer stem cell, is a heavily investigated area of research. Influencing signals from the tissue niche are known to affect stem cells. Literature has shown that cancer cells lose their tumorigenic potential and display ‘normal’ behavior when placed into ‘normal’ ontogenic environments. Therefore, it may be the case that the tissue microenvironment is able to generate signals to redirect cancer cell fate. Previously, we showed that pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma cells could be redirected by the regenerating mammary gland microenvironment to contribute epithelial progeny for ‘normal’ gland development in-vivo. Here, we show that that human metastatic, non-metastatic, and metastasis-suppressed breast cancer cells proliferate and contribute to normal mammary gland development in-vivo without tumor formation. Immunochemistry for human-specific mitochondria, keratin 8 and 14, as well as human-specific milk proteins (alpha-lactalbumin, impregnated transplant hosts) confirmed the presence of human cell progeny. Features consistent with normal mammary gland development as seen in intact hosts (duct, lumen formation, development of secretory acini) were recapitulated in both primary and secondary outgrowths from chimeric implants. These results suggest the dominance of the tissue microenvironment over cancer cell fate. This work demonstrates that cultured human breast cancer cells (metastatic and non-metastatic) respond developmentally to signals generated by the mouse mammary gland microenvironment during gland regeneration in-vivo. PMID:23155468

  9. Human breast cancer cells are redirected to mammary epithelial cells upon interaction with the regenerating mammary gland microenvironment in-vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karen M Bussard

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. At present, the etiology of breast cancer is unknown; however the possibility of a distinct cell of origin, i.e. a cancer stem cell, is a heavily investigated area of research. Influencing signals from the tissue niche are known to affect stem cells. Literature has shown that cancer cells lose their tumorigenic potential and display 'normal' behavior when placed into 'normal' ontogenic environments. Therefore, it may be the case that the tissue microenvironment is able to generate signals to redirect cancer cell fate. Previously, we showed that pluripotent human embryonal carcinoma cells could be redirected by the regenerating mammary gland microenvironment to contribute epithelial progeny for 'normal' gland development in-vivo. Here, we show that that human metastatic, non-metastatic, and metastasis-suppressed breast cancer cells proliferate and contribute to normal mammary gland development in-vivo without tumor formation. Immunochemistry for human-specific mitochondria, keratin 8 and 14, as well as human-specific milk proteins (alpha-lactalbumin, impregnated transplant hosts confirmed the presence of human cell progeny. Features consistent with normal mammary gland development as seen in intact hosts (duct, lumen formation, development of secretory acini were recapitulated in both primary and secondary outgrowths from chimeric implants. These results suggest the dominance of the tissue microenvironment over cancer cell fate. This work demonstrates that cultured human breast cancer cells (metastatic and non-metastatic respond developmentally to signals generated by the mouse mammary gland microenvironment during gland regeneration in-vivo.

  10. The role of oxidative stress in the development of cisplatin resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belotte, Jimmy; Fletcher, Nicole M; Awonuga, Awoniyi O; Alexis, Mitchell; Abu-Soud, Husam M; Saed, Mohammed G; Diamond, Michael P; Saed, Ghassan M

    2014-04-01

    To investigate the role of oxidative stress in the development of cisplatin resistance in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Two parent EOC cell lines (MDAH-2774 and SKOV-3) and their chemoresistant counterparts (cisplatin, 50 µmol/L) were used. Total RNA was extracted and subjected to real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction to evaluate the expression of glutathione reductase (GSR) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), as well as nitrate/nitrite levels. Analysis of variance was used for main effects and Tukey for post hoc analysis at P nitrate/nitrite levels were significantly higher in SKOV-3 cisplatin resistant cells while iNOS mRNA levels were significantly higher in MDAH-2774 cisplatin resistant cells (P < .05). Our data suggest that the development of cisplatin resistance tilts the balance toward a pro-oxidant state in EOC.

  11. MUC-1-ESA+ progenitor cells in normal benign and malignant human breast epithelial cells

    OpenAIRE

    Lu, Xinquan; Li, Huixiang; Xu, Kejia; Nesland, Jahn M.; Suo, Zhenhe

    2009-01-01

    The existence of mammary epithelial stem/progenitor cells has been demonstrated in MUC-1-/ ESA+ subpopulations of breast epithelial cells. However, knowledge about the expression and localization in benign and malignant breast lesions is unknown. Using a double-staining immunohistochemistry method, we investigated MUC-1-/ESA+ cells in 10 normal breast tissues, 49 cases with fibrocystic disease, 40 fibroadenomas, 36 invasive ductal carcinomas and the breast cancer ce...

  12. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) is involved in the TNF-α-induced fusion of human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiler, Julian; Mohr, Marieke; Zänker, Kurt S; Dittmar, Thomas

    2018-04-10

    In addition to physiological events such as fertilisation, placentation, osteoclastogenesis, or tissue regeneration/wound healing, cell fusion is involved in pathophysiological conditions such as cancer. Cell fusion, which applies to both the proteins and conditions that induce the merging of two or more cells, is not a fully understood process. Inflammation/pro-inflammatory cytokines might be a positive trigger for cell fusion. Using a Cre-LoxP-based cell fusion assay we demonstrated that the fusion between human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells was induced by the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). The gene expression profile of the cells in the presence of TNF-α and under normoxic and hypoxic conditions was analysed by cDNA microarray analysis. cDNA microarray data were verified by qPCR, PCR, Western blot and zymography. Quantification of cell fusion events was determined by flow cytometry. Proteins of interest were either blocked or knocked-down using a specific inhibitor, siRNA or a blocking antibody. The data showed an up-regulation of various genes, including claudin-1 (CLDN1), ICAM1, CCL2 and MMP9 in M13SV1-Cre and/or MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cells. Inhibition of these proteins using a blocking ICAM1 antibody, CLDN1 siRNA or an MMP9 inhibitor showed that only the blockage of MMP9 was correlated with a decreased fusion rate of the cells. Likewise, the tetracycline-based antibiotic minocycline, which exhibits anti-inflammatory properties, was also effective in both inhibiting the TNF-α-induced MMP9 expression in M13SV1-Cre cells and blocking the TNF-α-induced fusion frequency of human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells. The matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) is most likely involved in the TNF-α-mediated fusion of human M13SV1-Cre breast epithelial cells and human MDA-MB-435-pFDR1 cancer cells. Likewise, our data indicate that the tetracycline

  13. Markers of fibrosis and epithelial to mesenchymal transition demonstrate field cancerization in histologically normal tissue adjacent to breast tumors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trujillo, Kristina A.; Heaphy, Christopher M.; Mai, Minh; Vargas, Keith M.; Jones, Anna C.; Vo, Phung; Butler, Kimberly S.; Joste, Nancy E.; Bisoffi, Marco; Griffith, Jeffrey K

    2011-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that a field of genetically altered but histologically normal tissue extends 1 cm or more from the margins of human breast tumors. The extent, composition and biological significance of this field are only partially understood, but the molecular alterations in affected cells could provide mechanisms for limitless replicative capacity, genomic instability and a microenvironment that supports tumor initiation and progression. We demonstrate by microarray, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry a signature of differential gene expression that discriminates between patient-matched, tumor-adjacent histologically normal breast tissues located 1 cm and 5 cm from the margins of breast adenocarcinomas (TAHN-1 and TAHN-5, respectively). The signature includes genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, wound healing, fibrosis and epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Myofibroblasts, which are mediators of wound healing and fibrosis, and intra-lobular fibroblasts expressing MMP2, SPARC, TGF-β3, which are inducers of EMT, were both prevalent in TAHN-1 tissues, sparse in TAHN-5 tissues, and absent in normal tissues from reduction mammoplasty. Accordingly, EMT markers S100A4 and vimentin were elevated in both luminal and myoepithelial cells, and EMT markers α-smooth muscle actin and SNAIL were elevated in luminal epithelial cells of TAHN-1 tissues. These results identify cellular processes that are differentially activated between TAHN-1 and TAHN-5 breast tissues, implicate myofibroblasts as likely mediators of these processes, provide evidence that EMT is occurring in histologically normal tissues within the affected field and identify candidate biomarkers to investigate whether or how field cancerization contributes to the development of primary or recurrent breast tumors. PMID:21105047

  14. Inflammatory markers in blood and serum tumor markers predict survival in patients with epithelial appendiceal neoplasms undergoing surgical cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chua, Terence C; Chong, Chanel H; Liauw, Winston; Zhao, Jing; Morris, David L

    2012-08-01

    The study examines the role inflammatory and tumor markers as biomarkers to preoperatively predict outcome in patients with epithelial appendiceal neoplasm undergoing cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Associations between baseline variables, tumor markers [CEA (carcinoembyronic antigen], CA125, CA199), inflammatory markers including neutrophils-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were examined in patients undergoing surgical cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy for epithelial appendiceal neoplasm. A total of 174 patients with epithelial appendiceal neoplasm (low-grade pseudomyxoma, n = 117; appendiceal cancer, n = 57) underwent cytoreduction. On univariate analysis, all 3 inflammatory and tumor markers predicted for both PFS and OS, respectively; NLR ≤ 2.6 (P = 0.01, P = 0.002), PLR ≤ 166 (P = 0.006, P = 0.016), CRP ≤ 12.5 (P = 0.001, P = 0.008), CEA (P 37 (P = 0.003), and a CRP > 12.5 (P = 0.013). A higher peritoneal cancer index (PCI > 24) was associated with elevation in CEA > 12, CA125 > 39, CA199 > 37, PLR > 166 and CRP > 12. The tumor histologic subtype was associated with CA 199 levels. The results from this investigation suggest that preoperative inflammatory markers in blood and serologic tumor markers may predict outcomes and are associated with tumor biology in patients with epithelial appendiceal neoplasm undergoing cytoreduction and intraperitoneal chemotherapy treatment.

  15. STAT3 can be activated through paracrine signaling in breast epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lieblein, Jacqueline C; Ball, Sarah; Hutzen, Brian; Sasser, A Kate; Lin, Huey-Jen; Huang, Tim HM; Hall, Brett M; Lin, Jiayuh

    2008-01-01

    Many cancers, including breast cancer, have been identified with increased levels of phosphorylated or the active form of Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription 3 (STAT3) protein. However, whether the tumor microenvironment plays a role in this activation is still poorly understood. Conditioned media, which contains soluble factors from MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells and breast cancer associated fibroblasts, was added to MCF-10A breast epithelial and MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells. The stimulation of phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) levels by conditioned media was assayed by Western blot in the presence or absence of neutralized IL-6 antibody, or a JAK/STAT3 inhibitor, JSI-124. The stimulation of cell proliferation in MCF-10A cells by conditioned media in the presence or absence of JSI-124 was subjected to MTT analysis. IL-6, IL-10, and VEGF levels were determined by ELISA analysis. Our results demonstrated that conditioned media from cell lines with constitutively active STAT3 are sufficient to induce p-STAT3 levels in various recipients that do not possess elevated p-STAT3 levels. This signaling occurs through the JAK/STAT3 pathway, leading to STAT3 phosphorylation as early as 30 minutes and is persistent for at least 24 hours. ELISA analysis confirmed a correlation between elevated levels of IL-6 production and p-STAT3. Neutralization of the IL-6 ligand or gp130 was sufficient to block increased levels of p-STAT3 (Y705) in treated cells. Furthermore, soluble factors within the MDA-MB-231 conditioned media were also sufficient to stimulate an increase in IL-6 production from MCF-10A cells. These results demonstrate STAT3 phosphorylation in breast epithelial cells can be stimulated by paracrine signaling through soluble factors from both breast cancer cells and breast cancer associated fibroblasts with elevated STAT3 phosphorylation. The induction of STAT3 phosphorylation is through the IL-6/JAK pathway and appears to be associated with

  16. Ezrin/NF-kB activation regulates epithelial- mesenchymal transition induced by EGF and promotes metastasis of colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yingru; Lin, Zhaoyu; Chen, Bin; Chen, Shuang; Jiang, Zhipeng; Zhou, Taicheng; Hou, Zehui; Wang, Youyuan

    2017-08-01

    There is growing evidence that epithelial mesenchymal-transition (EMT) plays significant roles in terms of tumor metastasis. There are a lot of cytokines inducing EMT of tumor cells, EGF is one of the important cytokines.Ezrin is a connexin between the cytoskeleton and the cell membrane, which is closely related to the morphological movement and metastasis of tumor cells.EGF can activate Ezrin and affects cell motility. In recent years, many studies have shown that NF-kB acts as an important transcription factor, involving in the process of EMT. However, does Ezrin participate in the regulation of EGF-induced EMT through the NF-kB pathway? This question needs us to discuss.In the present study, we found that EGF could induce colorectal cancer cells to develop EMT,enhance their ability to invade and migrate and promotes phosphorylation of Ezrin Tyr353.On the other hand, inhibition of Ezrin could reverse EGF-induced EMT and inhibit NF-kB P65 translocating into the nucleus. Finally, knockout of Ezrin inhibited EGF-induced lung metastasis of colorectal cancer xenografts and abnormal activation of Ezrin and NF-kB were related with colorectal cancer metastasis and poor prognosis. Our present results suggest that Ezrin/NF-kB pathway may provide experimental evidence for new targeted drugs for colorectal cancer metastasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  17. Transcriptional networks in epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christo Venkov

    Full Text Available Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT changes polarized epithelial cells into migratory phenotypes associated with loss of cell-cell adhesion molecules and cytoskeletal rearrangements. This form of plasticity is seen in mesodermal development, fibroblast formation, and cancer metastasis.Here we identify prominent transcriptional networks active during three time points of this transitional process, as epithelial cells become fibroblasts. DNA microarray in cultured epithelia undergoing EMT, validated in vivo, were used to detect various patterns of gene expression. In particular, the promoter sequences of differentially expressed genes and their transcription factors were analyzed to identify potential binding sites and partners. The four most frequent cis-regulatory elements (CREs in up-regulated genes were SRY, FTS-1, Evi-1, and GC-Box, and RNA inhibition of the four transcription factors, Atf2, Klf10, Sox11, and SP1, most frequently binding these CREs, establish their importance in the initiation and propagation of EMT. Oligonucleotides that block the most frequent CREs restrain EMT at early and intermediate stages through apoptosis of the cells.Our results identify new transcriptional interactions with high frequency CREs that modulate the stability of cellular plasticity, and may serve as targets for modulating these transitional states in fibroblasts.

  18. A dynamic cellular vertex model of growing epithelial tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Shao-Zhen; Li, Bo; Feng, Xi-Qiao

    2017-04-01

    Intercellular interactions play a significant role in a wide range of biological functions and processes at both the cellular and tissue scales, for example, embryogenesis, organogenesis, and cancer invasion. In this paper, a dynamic cellular vertex model is presented to study the morphomechanics of a growing epithelial monolayer. The regulating role of stresses in soft tissue growth is revealed. It is found that the cells originating from the same parent cell in the monolayer can orchestrate into clustering patterns as the tissue grows. Collective cell migration exhibits a feature of spatial correlation across multiple cells. Dynamic intercellular interactions can engender a variety of distinct tissue behaviors in a social context. Uniform cell proliferation may render high and heterogeneous residual compressive stresses, while stress-regulated proliferation can effectively release the stresses, reducing the stress heterogeneity in the tissue. The results highlight the critical role of mechanical factors in the growth and morphogenesis of epithelial tissues and help understand the development and invasion of epithelial tumors.

  19. DOC1-Dependent Recruitment of NURD Reveals Antagonism with SWI/SNF during Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Oral Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adone Mohd-Sarip

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NURD complex is a key regulator of cell differentiation that has also been implicated in tumorigenesis. Loss of the NURD subunit Deleted in Oral Cancer 1 (DOC1 is associated with human oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs. Here, we show that restoration of DOC1 expression in OSCC cells leads to a reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. This is caused by the DOC1-dependent targeting of NURD to repress key transcriptional regulators of EMT. NURD recruitment drives extensive epigenetic reprogramming, including eviction of the SWI/SNF remodeler, formation of inaccessible chromatin, H3K27 deacetylation, and binding of PRC2 and KDM1A, followed by H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation. Strikingly, depletion of SWI/SNF mimics the effects of DOC1 re-expression. Our results suggest that SWI/SNF and NURD function antagonistically to control chromatin state and transcription. We propose that disturbance of this dynamic equilibrium may lead to defects in gene expression that promote oncogenesis.

  20. microRNA-494 is a potential prognostic marker and inhibits cellular proliferation, migration and invasion by targeting SIRT1 in epithelial ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Aijun; Wang, Xuenan; Yu, Chunna; Jin, Zhenzhen; Wei, Lingxia; Cao, Jinghe; Wang, Qin; Zhang, Min; Zhang, Lin; Zhang, Lei; Hao, Cuifang

    2017-09-01

    Ovarian cancer is one of the most common types of gynecological malignancy worldwide, and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-associated mortality among women. Despite improvements in therapeutic treatments, the prognosis for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remains poor, mainly due to the rapid growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer tumors. An increasing number of studies have indicated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in the carcinogenesis and progression of human cancer, suggesting that miRNAs may be used in clinical prognosis and as a therapeutic target in EOC. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of miRNA-494 in EOC tissues and cell lines. The clinical significance of miRNA-494 in patients with EOC was also evaluated. The results demonstrated that miRNA-494 was significantly downregulated in EOC tissues and cell lines. Low expression levels of miRNA-494 were associated with poor prognostic features, including International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, tumor size and lymph node metastasis. In vitro functional studies demonstrated that overexpression of miRNA-494 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion in EOC cells. By contrast, knockdown of miRNA-494 enhanced cell growth, migration and invasion in EOC cells. Notably, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) was identified as a direct target of miRNA-494 in EOC. Furthermore, MTT, cell migration and invasion assays verified that EOC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were completely restored with forced miRNA-494 expression and SIRT1 restoration. Together, these findings suggest that miRNA-494 is a potential prognostic marker, and may provide novel therapeutic regimens of targeted therapy for EOC.

  1. Prolactin Alters the Mammary Epithelial Hierarchy, Increasing Progenitors and Facilitating Ovarian Steroid Action

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kathleen A. O'Leary

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Hormones drive mammary development and function and play critical roles in breast cancer. Epidemiologic studies link prolactin (PRL to increased risk for aggressive cancers that express estrogen receptor α (ERα. However, in contrast to ovarian steroids, PRL actions on the mammary gland outside of pregnancy are poorly understood. We employed the transgenic NRL-PRL model to examine the effects of PRL alone and with defined estrogen/progesterone exposure on stem/progenitor activity and regulatory networks that drive epithelial differentiation. PRL increased progenitors and modulated transcriptional programs, even without ovarian steroids, and with steroids further raised stem cell activity associated with elevated canonical Wnt signaling. However, despite facilitating some steroid actions, PRL opposed steroid-driven luminal maturation and increased CD61+ luminal cells. Our findings demonstrate that PRL can powerfully influence the epithelial hierarchy alone and temper the actions of ovarian steroids, which may underlie its role in the development of breast cancer.

  2. Prolactin Alters the Mammary Epithelial Hierarchy, Increasing Progenitors and Facilitating Ovarian Steroid Action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Leary, Kathleen A; Shea, Michael P; Salituro, Stephanie; Blohm, Courtney E; Schuler, Linda A

    2017-10-10

    Hormones drive mammary development and function and play critical roles in breast cancer. Epidemiologic studies link prolactin (PRL) to increased risk for aggressive cancers that express estrogen receptor α (ERα). However, in contrast to ovarian steroids, PRL actions on the mammary gland outside of pregnancy are poorly understood. We employed the transgenic NRL-PRL model to examine the effects of PRL alone and with defined estrogen/progesterone exposure on stem/progenitor activity and regulatory networks that drive epithelial differentiation. PRL increased progenitors and modulated transcriptional programs, even without ovarian steroids, and with steroids further raised stem cell activity associated with elevated canonical Wnt signaling. However, despite facilitating some steroid actions, PRL opposed steroid-driven luminal maturation and increased CD61 + luminal cells. Our findings demonstrate that PRL can powerfully influence the epithelial hierarchy alone and temper the actions of ovarian steroids, which may underlie its role in the development of breast cancer. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Targeting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition for Identification of Inhibitors for Pancreatic Cancer Cell Invasion and Tumor Spheres Formation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kishore Polireddy

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer has an enrichment of stem-like cancer cells (CSCs that contribute to chemoresistant tumors prone to metastasis and recurrence. Drug screening assays based on cytotoxicity cannot identify specific CSC inhibitors, because CSCs comprise only a small portion of cancer cell population, and it is difficult to propagate stable CSC populations in vitro for high-throughput screening (HTS assays. Based on the important role of cancer cell epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT in promoting CSCs, we hypothesized that inhibition of EMT can be a useful strategy for inhibiting CSCs, and therefore a feasible approach for HTS can be built for identification of CSC inhibitors, based on assays detecting EMT inhibition.An immunofluorescent assay was established and optimized for HTS to identify compounds that enhance E-cadherin expression, as a hallmark of inhibition of EMT. Four chemical libraries containing 41,472 compounds were screened in PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell line. Positive hits were validated for EMT and CSC inhibition in vitro using sphere formation assay, western blotting, immune fluorescence, and scratch assay.Initial hits were refined to 73 compounds with a secondary screening, among which 17 exhibited concentration dependent induction of E-cadherin expression. Six compounds were selected for further study which belonged to 2 different chemical structural clusters. A novel compound 1-(benzylsulfonyl indoline (BSI, Compound #38 significantly inhibited pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion. BSI inhibited histone deacetylase, increased histone 4 acetylation preferably, resulting in E-cadherin up-regulation. BSI effectively inhibited tumor spheres formation. Six more analogues of BSI were tested for anti-migration and anti-CSC activities.This study demonstrated a feasible approach for discovery of agents targeting EMT and CSCs using HTS, and identified a class of novel chemicals that could be developed as anti-EMT and

  4. Cigarette smoke-induced alveolar epithelial-mesenchymal transition is mediated by Rac1 activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Hui-juan; Sun, Yan-hong; Zhang, Shui-juan; Jiang, Jun-xia; Dong, Xin-wei; Jia, Yong-liang; Shen, Jian; Guan, Yan; Zhang, Lin-hui; Li, Fen-fen; Lin, Xi-xi; Wu, Xi-mei; Xie, Qiang-min; Yan, Xiao-feng

    2014-06-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is the major pathophysiological process in lung fibrosis observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer. Smoking is a risk factor for developing EMT, yet the mechanism remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the role of Rac1 in cigarette smoke (CS) induced EMT. EMT was induced in mice and pulmonary epithelial cells by exposure of CS and cigarette smoke extract (CSE) respectively. Treatment of pulmonary epithelial cells with CSE elevated Rac1 expression associated with increased TGF-β1 release. Blocking TGF-β pathway restrained CSE-induced changes in EMT-related markers. Pharmacological inhibition or knockdown of Rac1 decreased the CSE exposure induced TGF-β1 release and ameliorated CSE-induced EMT. In CS-exposed mice, pharmacological inhibition of Rac1 reduced TGF-β1 release and prevented aberrations in expression of EMT markers, suggesting that Rac1 is a critical signaling molecule for induction of CS-stimulated EMT. Furthermore, Rac1 inhibition or knockdown abrogated CSE-induced Smad2 and Akt (PKB, protein kinase B) activation in pulmonary epithelial cells. Inhibition of Smad2, PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) or Akt suppressed CSE-induced changes in epithelial and mesenchymal marker expression. Altogether, these data suggest that CS initiates EMT through Rac1/Smad2 and Rac1/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Our data provide new insights into the fundamental basis of EMT and suggest a possible new course of therapy for COPD and lung cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. [Gastric cancer detection using kubelka-Munk spectral function of DNA and protein absorption bands].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Lan-quan; Wei, Hua-jiang; Guo, Zhou-yi; Yang, Hong-qin; Xie, Shu-sen; Chen, Xue-mei; Li, Li-bo; He, Bol-hua; Wu, Guo-yong; Lu, Jian-jun

    2009-09-01

    Differential diagnosis for epithelial tissues of normal human gastric, undifferentiation gastric adenocarcinoma, gastric squamous cell carcinomas, and poorly differentiated gastric adenocarcinoma were studied using the Kubelka-Munk spectral function of the DNA and protein absorption bands at 260 and 280 nm in vitro. Diffuse reflectance spectra of tissue were measured using a spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere attachment. The results of measurement showed that for the spectral range from 250 to 650 nm, pathological changes of gastric epithelial tissues induced that there were significant differences in the averaged value of the Kubelka-Munk function f(r infinity) and logarithmic Kubelka-Munk function log[f(r infinity)] of the DNA absorption bands at 260 nm between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human undifferentiation gastric cancer, between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human gastric squamous cell carcinomas, and between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human poorly differentiated cancer. Their differences were 68.5% (p function f(r infinity) and logarithmic Kubelka-Munk function log[f(r infinity)] of the protein absorption bands at 280 nm between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human undifferentiation gastric cancer, between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human gastric squamous cell carcinomas, and between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human poorly differentiated cancer. Their differences were 86.8% (p function f(r infinity) and logarithmic Kubelka-Munk function log[f(r infinity)] of the carotene absorption bands at 480 nm between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human undifferentiation gastric cancer, between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human gastric squamous cell carcinomas, and between epithelial tissues of normal human stomach and human poorly differentiated cancer. Their differences were 59.5% (p < 0.05), 73% (p < 0

  6. Apoptosis induction of human endometriotic epithelial and stromal cells by noscapine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Rasoul Khazaei

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective(s: Endometriosis is a complex gynecologic disease with unknown etiology. Noscapine has been introduced as a cancer cell suppressor. Endometriosis was considered as a cancer like disorder, The aim of present study was to investigate noscapine apoptotic effect on human endometriotic epithelial and stromal cells in vitro. Materials and Methods:In this in vitro study, endometrial biopsies from endometriosis patients (n=9 were prepared and digested by an enzymatic method (collagenase I, 2 mg/ml. Stromal and epithelial cells were separated by sequential filtration through a cell strainer and ficoll layering. The cells of each sample were divided into five groups: control (0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 micromole/liter (µM concentration of noscapine and were cultured for three different periods of times; 24, 48 and 72 hr. Cell viability was assessed by colorimetric assay. Nitric oxide (NO concentration was measured by Griess reagent. Cell death was analyzed by Acridine Orange (AO–Ethidium Bromide (EB double staining and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL assay. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Results: Viability of endometrial epithelial and stromal cells significantly decreased in 10, 25, 50 and 100 µM noscapine concentration in 24, 48, 72 hr (P

  7. Survey of Differentially Methylated Promoters in Prostate Cancer Cell Lines

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yipeng Wang

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available DNA methylation, copy number in the genomes of three immortalized prostate epithelial, five cancer cell lines (LNCaP, PC3, PC3M, PC3M-Pro4, PC3MLN4 were compared using a microarray-based technique. Genomic DNA is cut with a methylation-sensitive enzyme Hpall, followed by linker ligation, polymerase chain reaction (PCR amplification, labeling, hybridization to an array of promoter sequences. Only those parts of the genomic DNA that have unmethylated restriction sites within a few hundred base pairs generate PCR products detectable on an array. Of 2732 promoter sequences on a test array, 504 (18.5% showed differential hybridization between immortalized prostate epithelial, cancer cell lines. Among candidate hypermethylated genes in cancer-derived lines, there were eight (CD44, CDKN1A, ESR1, PLAU, RARB, SFN, TNFRSF6, TSPY previously observed in prostate cancer, 13 previously known methylation targets in other cancers (ARHI, bcl-2, BRCA1, CDKN2C, GADD45A, MTAP, PGR, SLC26A4, SPARC, SYK, TJP2, UCHL1, WIT-1. The majority of genes that appear to be both differentially methylated, differentially regulated between prostate epithelial, cancer cell lines are novel methylation targets, including PAK6, RAD50, TLX3, PIR51, MAP2K5, INSR, FBN1, GG2-1, representing a rich new source of candidate genes used to study the role of DNA methylation in prostate tumors.

  8. Radiation therapy for epithelial ovarian cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dembo, A.J.

    1987-01-01

    Several principles governing the cure of patients with ovarian cancer by radiotherapy were established during the last decade. The author reviews some of the studies at The Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), which led to the establishment of the following principles: The entire peritoneal cavity should be encompassed by the treatment field, because once the disease has spread beyond the ovary, the entire peritoneal cavity is at risk for recurrent cancer. The moving-strip and open-field techniques are equally effective in tumor control. Late complications can be kept to a minimum (<5% bowel surgery, <1% radiation hepatitis, < 1% treatment mortality), but their frequency increases with increasing total radiation dosage, increasing fraction size, and possibly the extent of the previous surgical procedures (Dembo 1985a). Optimal selection of patients for radiotherapy compared with other forms of treatment is based on grouping of patients according to prognostic factors, including presenting stage of disease, amount and site of residual tumor, and histophatologic features. The potential exists for abdominopelvic radiation to be applied curatively as consolidation or as salvage therapy for patients whose disease has not been completely eradicated by chemotherapy;however, further study is needed to clarify the magnitude of this benefit, the situations in which radiotherapy is indicated, and factors that determine the toxicity of the combined-modality treatment

  9. CD44 plays a functional role in Helicobacter pylori-induced epithelial cell proliferation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nina Bertaux-Skeirik

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The cytotoxin-associated gene (Cag pathogenicity island is a strain-specific constituent of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori that augments cancer risk. CagA translocates into the cytoplasm where it stimulates cell signaling through the interaction with tyrosine kinase c-Met receptor, leading cellular proliferation. Identified as a potential gastric stem cell marker, cluster-of-differentiation (CD CD44 also acts as a co-receptor for c-Met, but whether it plays a functional role in H. pylori-induced epithelial proliferation is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that CD44 plays a functional role in H. pylori-induced epithelial cell proliferation. To assay changes in gastric epithelial cell proliferation in relation to the direct interaction with H. pylori, human- and mouse-derived gastric organoids were infected with the G27 H. pylori strain or a mutant G27 strain bearing cagA deletion (∆CagA::cat. Epithelial proliferation was quantified by EdU immunostaining. Phosphorylation of c-Met was analyzed by immunoprecipitation followed by Western blot analysis for expression of CD44 and CagA. H. pylori infection of both mouse- and human-derived gastric organoids induced epithelial proliferation that correlated with c-Met phosphorylation. CagA and CD44 co-immunoprecipitated with phosphorylated c-Met. The formation of this complex did not occur in organoids infected with ∆CagA::cat. Epithelial proliferation in response to H. pylori infection was lost in infected organoids derived from CD44-deficient mouse stomachs. Human-derived fundic gastric organoids exhibited an induction in proliferation when infected with H. pylori that was not seen in organoids pre-treated with a peptide inhibitor specific to CD44. In the well-established Mongolian gerbil model of gastric cancer, animals treated with CD44 peptide inhibitor Pep1, resulted in the inhibition of H. pylori-induced proliferation and associated atrophic gastritis. The current study reports a unique

  10. Polymorphisms in stromal genes and susceptibility to serous epithelial ovarian cancer: a report from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ernest K Amankwah

    Full Text Available Alterations in stromal tissue components can inhibit or promote epithelial tumorigenesis. Decorin (DCN and lumican (LUM show reduced stromal expression in serous epithelial ovarian cancer (sEOC. We hypothesized that common variants in these genes associate with risk. Associations with sEOC among Caucasians were estimated with odds ratios (OR among 397 cases and 920 controls in two U.S.-based studies (discovery set, 436 cases and 1,098 controls in Australia (replication set 1 and a consortium of 15 studies comprising 1,668 cases and 4,249 controls (replication set 2. The discovery set and replication set 1 (833 cases and 2,013 controls showed statistically homogeneous (P(heterogeneity≥0.48 decreased risks of sEOC at four variants: DCN rs3138165, rs13312816 and rs516115, and LUM rs17018765 (OR = 0.6 to 0.9; P(trend = 0.001 to 0.03. Results from replication set 2 were statistically homogeneous (P(heterogeneity≥0.13 and associated with increased risks at DCN rs3138165 and rs13312816, and LUM rs17018765: all ORs = 1.2; P(trend≤0.02. The ORs at the four variants were statistically heterogeneous across all 18 studies (P(heterogeneity≤0.03, which precluded combining. In post-hoc analyses, interactions were observed between each variant and recruitment period (P(interaction≤0.003, age at diagnosis (P(interaction = 0.04, and year of diagnosis (P(interaction = 0.05 in the five studies with available information (1,044 cases, 2,469 controls. We conclude that variants in DCN and LUM are not directly associated with sEOC, and that confirmation of possible effect modification of the variants by non-genetic factors is required.

  11. The role of Sox2 on lung epithelial airway epithelial differentiation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.K. Ochieng (Joshua)

    2014-01-01

    markdownabstract__Abstract__ The foregut is crucial for development of respiratory organs including the lungs. Foregut morphogenesis starts around embryonic day 8.0 in mouse when the endoderm epithelial sheet folds ventrally during gastrulation [1,2]. At embryonic day 9.0, the ventral folding

  12. Early Alterations in Ovarian Surface Epithelial Cells and Induction of Ovarian Epithelial Tumors Triggered by Loss of FSH Receptor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinlei Chen

    2007-06-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the behavior of the ovarian surface epithelium (OSE, which plays a central role in ovarian cancer etiology. It has been suggested that incessant ovulation causes OSE changes leading to transformation and that high gonadotropin levels during postmenopause activate OSE receptors, inducing proliferation. We examined the chronology of OSE changes, including tumor appearance, in a mouse model where ovulation never occurs due to deletion of follitropin receptor. Changes in epithelial cells were marked by pan-cytokeratin (CK staining. Histologic changes and CK staining in the OSE increased from postnatal day 2. CK staining was observed inside the ovary by 24 days and increased thereafter in tumor-bearing animals. Ovaries from a third of aged (1 year mutant mice showed CK deep inside, indicating cell migration. These tumors resembled serous papillary adenoma of human ovaries. Weak expression of GATA-4 and elevation of PCNA, cyclooxygenase-1, cyclooxygenase-2, and plateletderived growth factor receptors α and β in mutants indicated differences in cell proliferation, differentiation, and inflammation. Thus, we report that OSE changes occur long before epithelial tumors appear in FORKO mice. Our results suggest that neither incessant ovulation nor follicle-stimulating hormone receptor presence in the OSE is required for inducing ovarian tumors; thus, other mechanisms must contribute to ovarian tumorigenesis.

  13. Collagen gel contraction serves to rapidly distinguish epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells irrespective of alpha-smooth muscle actin expression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Helga Lind; Gudjonsson, Thorarinn; Villadsen, René

    2004-01-01

    Mesenchymal-like cells in the stroma of breast cancer may arise as a consequence of plasticity within the epithelial compartment, also referred to as epithelial-mesenchymal transition, or by recruitment of genuine mesenchymal cells from the peritumoral stroma. Cells of both the epithelial...... compartment and the stromal compartment express alpha smooth muscle actin (alpha-sm actin) as part of a myoepithelial or a myofibroblastic differentiation program, respectively. Moreover, because both epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived cells are nontumorigenic, other means of discrimination are warranted....... Here, we describe the contraction of hydrated collagen gels as a rapid functional assay for the distinction between epithelial- and mesenchymal-derived stromal-like cells irrespective of the status of alpha-sm actin expression. Three epithelial-derived cell lines and three genuine mesenchymal...

  14. HIF-1α Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Metastasis through Direct Regulation of ZEB1 in Colorectal Cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenjing Zhang

    Full Text Available It is well recognized that hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α is involved in cancer metastasis, chemotherapy and poor prognosis. We previously found that deferoxamine, a hypoxia-mimetic agent, induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT in colorectal cancer. Therefore, here we explored a new molecular mechanism for HIF-1α contributing to EMT and cancer metastasis through binding to ZEB1. In this study, we showed that overexpression of HIF-1α with adenovirus infection promoted EMT, cell invasion and migration in vitro and in vivo. On a molecular level, HIF-1α directly binding to the proximal promoter of ZEB1 via hypoxia response element (HRE sites thus increasing the transactivity and expression of ZEB1. In addition, inhibition of ZEB1 was able to abrogate the HIF-1α-induced EMT and cell invasion. HIF-1α expression was highly correlated with the expression of ZEB1 in normal colorectal epithelium, primary and metastatic CRC tissues. Interestingly, both HIF-1α and ZEB1 were positively associated with Vimentin, an important mesenchymal marker of EMT, whereas negatively associated with E-cadherin expression. These findings suggest that HIF-1α enhances EMT and cancer metastasis by binding to ZEB1 promoter in CRC. HIF-1α and ZEB1 are both widely considered as tumor-initiating factors, but our results demonstrate that ZEB1 is a direct downstream of HIF-1α, suggesting a novel molecular mechanism for HIF-1α-inducing EMT and cancer metastasis.

  15. A novel role of EMMPRIN/CD147 in transformation of quiescent fibroblasts to cancer-associated fibroblasts by breast cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jing; Lu, Yang; Qiu, Songbo; Chen, Zhi-Nan; Fan, Zhen

    2013-01-01

    We tested the novel hypothesis that EMMPRIN/CD147, a transmembrane glycoprotein overexpressed in breast cancer cells, has a previously unknown role in transforming fibroblasts to cancer-associated fibroblasts, and that cancer-associated fibroblasts in turn induce epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells. Co-culture of fibroblasts with breast cancer cells or treatment of fibroblasts with breast cancer cell conditioned culture medium or recombinant EMMPRIN/CD147 induced expression of α-SMA in the fibroblasts in an EMMPRIN/CD147-dependent manner and promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of breast cancer cells and enhanced cell migration potential. These findings support a novel role of EMMPRIN/CD147 in regulating the interaction between cancer and stroma. PMID:23474495

  16. Regulating Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Biology in Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0512 TITLE: Regulating Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Biology in Prostate Cancer PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Andrew...SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Regulating Cancer-Associated Fibroblast Biology in Prostate Cancer 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-15-1-0512 5c. PROGRAM...blocked by the addition of Pim inhibitors. These results suggest that the Pim protein kinase can regulate stromal cell biology to modulate epithelial

  17. α-Mangostin Suppresses the Viability and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Downregulating the PI3K/Akt Pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qinhong Xu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available α-Mangostin, a natural product isolated from the pericarp of the mangosteen fruit, has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor cells in various types of cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, we report that α-mangostin suppressed the viability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Treatment of pancreatic cancer BxPc-3 and Panc-1 cells with α-mangostin resulted in loss of cell viability, accompanied by enhanced cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, and decrease of cyclin-D1. Moreover, Transwell and Matrigel invasion assays showed that α-mangostin significantly reduced the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Consistent with these results, α-mangostin decreased the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin, and vimentin and increased the expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, we found that α-mangostin suppressed the activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway in pancreatic cancer cells as demonstrated by the reduction of the Akt phosphorylation by α-mangostin. Finally, α-mangostin significantly inhibited the growth of BxPc-3 tumor mouse xenografts. Our results suggest that α-mangostin may be potentially used as a novel adjuvant therapy or complementary alternative medicine for the management of pancreatic cancers.

  18. Risk Prediction for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer in 11 United States–Based Case-Control Studies: Incorporation of Epidemiologic Risk Factors and 17 Confirmed Genetic Loci

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clyde, Merlise A.; Palmieri Weber, Rachel; Iversen, Edwin S.; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Doherty, Jennifer A.; Goodman, Marc T.; Ness, Roberta B.; Risch, Harvey A.; Rossing, Mary Anne; Terry, Kathryn L.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Whittemore, Alice S.; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Bandera, Elisa V.; Berchuck, Andrew; Carney, Michael E.; Cramer, Daniel W.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Cushing-Haugen, Kara L.; Edwards, Robert P.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Goode, Ellen L.; Lurie, Galina; McGuire, Valerie; Modugno, Francesmary; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Olson, Sara H.; Pearce, Celeste Leigh; Pike, Malcolm C.; Rothstein, Joseph H.; Sellers, Thomas A.; Sieh, Weiva; Stram, Daniel; Thompson, Pamela J.; Vierkant, Robert A.; Wicklund, Kristine G.; Wu, Anna H.; Ziogas, Argyrios; Tworoger, Shelley S.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.

    2016-01-01

    Previously developed models for predicting absolute risk of invasive epithelial ovarian cancer have included a limited number of risk factors and have had low discriminatory power (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) < 0.60). Because of this, we developed and internally validated a relative risk prediction model that incorporates 17 established epidemiologic risk factors and 17 genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using data from 11 case-control studies in the United States (5,793 cases; 9,512 controls) from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (data accrued from 1992 to 2010). We developed a hierarchical logistic regression model for predicting case-control status that included imputation of missing data. We randomly divided the data into an 80% training sample and used the remaining 20% for model evaluation. The AUC for the full model was 0.664. A reduced model without SNPs performed similarly (AUC = 0.649). Both models performed better than a baseline model that included age and study site only (AUC = 0.563). The best predictive power was obtained in the full model among women younger than 50 years of age (AUC = 0.714); however, the addition of SNPs increased the AUC the most for women older than 50 years of age (AUC = 0.638 vs. 0.616). Adapting this improved model to estimate absolute risk and evaluating it in prospective data sets is warranted. PMID:27698005

  19. Family Caregiver Palliative Care Intervention in Supporting Caregivers of Patients With Stage II-IV Gastrointestinal, Gynecologic, Urologic and Lung Cancers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-02-12

    Healthy Subject; Localized Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Metastatic Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Psychosocial Effects of Cancer and Its Treatment; Recurrent Bladder Cancer; Recurrent Cervical Cancer; Recurrent Colon Cancer; Recurrent Gastric Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer; Recurrent Rectal Cancer; Recurrent Renal Cell Cancer; Recurrent Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Recurrent Urethral Cancer; Recurrent Uterine Sarcoma; Regional Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter; Stage II Bladder Cancer; Stage II Renal Cell Cancer; Stage II Urethral Cancer; Stage IIA Cervical Cancer; Stage IIA Colon Cancer; Stage IIA Gastric Cancer; Stage IIA Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIA Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIA Pancreatic Cancer; Stage IIA Rectal Cancer; Stage IIA Uterine Sarcoma; Stage IIB Cervical Cancer; Stage IIB Colon Cancer; Stage IIB Gastric Cancer; Stage IIB Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIB Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIB Pancreatic Cancer; Stage IIB Rectal Cancer; Stage IIB Uterine Sarcoma; Stage IIC Colon Cancer; Stage IIC Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIC Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIC Rectal Cancer; Stage III Bladder Cancer; Stage III Pancreatic Cancer; Stage III Renal Cell Cancer; Stage III Urethral Cancer; Stage IIIA Cervical Cancer; Stage IIIA Colon Cancer; Stage IIIA Gastric Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIA Rectal Cancer; Stage IIIA Uterine Sarcoma; Stage IIIB Cervical Cancer; Stage IIIB Colon Cancer; Stage IIIB Gastric Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIB Rectal Cancer; Stage IIIB Uterine Sarcoma; Stage IIIC Colon Cancer; Stage IIIC Gastric Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIC Rectal Cancer; Stage IIIC

  20. Genes Contributing to Porphyromonas gingivalis Fitness in Abscess and Epithelial Cell Colonization Environments

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel P. Miller

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important cause of serious periodontal diseases, and is emerging as a pathogen in several systemic conditions including some forms of cancer. Initial colonization by P. gingivalis involves interaction with gingival epithelial cells, and the organism can also access host tissues and spread haematogenously. To better understand the mechanisms underlying these properties, we utilized a highly saturated transposon insertion library of P. gingivalis, and assessed the fitness of mutants during epithelial cell colonization and survival in a murine abscess model by high-throughput sequencing (Tn-Seq. Transposon insertions in many genes previously suspected as contributing to virulence showed significant fitness defects in both screening assays. In addition, a number of genes not previously associated with P. gingivalis virulence were identified as important for fitness. We further examined fitness defects of four such genes by generating defined mutations. Genes encoding a carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, a replication-associated recombination protein, a nitrosative stress responsive HcpR transcription regulator, and RNase Z, a zinc phosphodiesterase, showed a fitness phenotype in epithelial cell colonization and in a competitive abscess infection. This study verifies the importance of several well-characterized putative virulence factors of P. gingivalis and identifies novel fitness determinants of the organism.

  1. Genes Contributing to Porphyromonas gingivalis Fitness in Abscess and Epithelial Cell Colonization Environments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Daniel P.; Hutcherson, Justin A.; Wang, Yan; Nowakowska, Zuzanna M.; Potempa, Jan; Yoder-Himes, Deborah R.; Scott, David A.; Whiteley, Marvin; Lamont, Richard J.

    2017-01-01

    Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important cause of serious periodontal diseases, and is emerging as a pathogen in several systemic conditions including some forms of cancer. Initial colonization by P. gingivalis involves interaction with gingival epithelial cells, and the organism can also access host tissues and spread haematogenously. To better understand the mechanisms underlying these properties, we utilized a highly saturated transposon insertion library of P. gingivalis, and assessed the fitness of mutants during epithelial cell colonization and survival in a murine abscess model by high-throughput sequencing (Tn-Seq). Transposon insertions in many genes previously suspected as contributing to virulence showed significant fitness defects in both screening assays. In addition, a number of genes not previously associated with P. gingivalis virulence were identified as important for fitness. We further examined fitness defects of four such genes by generating defined mutations. Genes encoding a carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, a replication-associated recombination protein, a nitrosative stress responsive HcpR transcription regulator, and RNase Z, a zinc phosphodiesterase, showed a fitness phenotype in epithelial cell colonization and in a competitive abscess infection. This study verifies the importance of several well-characterized putative virulence factors of P. gingivalis and identifies novel fitness determinants of the organism. PMID:28900609

  2. Genes Contributing to Porphyromonas gingivalis Fitness in Abscess and Epithelial Cell Colonization Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Daniel P; Hutcherson, Justin A; Wang, Yan; Nowakowska, Zuzanna M; Potempa, Jan; Yoder-Himes, Deborah R; Scott, David A; Whiteley, Marvin; Lamont, Richard J

    2017-01-01

    Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important cause of serious periodontal diseases, and is emerging as a pathogen in several systemic conditions including some forms of cancer. Initial colonization by P. gingivalis involves interaction with gingival epithelial cells, and the organism can also access host tissues and spread haematogenously. To better understand the mechanisms underlying these properties, we utilized a highly saturated transposon insertion library of P. gingivalis , and assessed the fitness of mutants during epithelial cell colonization and survival in a murine abscess model by high-throughput sequencing (Tn-Seq). Transposon insertions in many genes previously suspected as contributing to virulence showed significant fitness defects in both screening assays. In addition, a number of genes not previously associated with P. gingivalis virulence were identified as important for fitness. We further examined fitness defects of four such genes by generating defined mutations. Genes encoding a carbamoyl phosphate synthetase, a replication-associated recombination protein, a nitrosative stress responsive HcpR transcription regulator, and RNase Z, a zinc phosphodiesterase, showed a fitness phenotype in epithelial cell colonization and in a competitive abscess infection. This study verifies the importance of several well-characterized putative virulence factors of P. gingivalis and identifies novel fitness determinants of the organism.

  3. Regulation of tumour related genes by dynamic epigenetic alteration at enhancer regions in gastric epithelial cells infected by Epstein-Barr virus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okabe, Atsushi; Funata, Sayaka; Matsusaka, Keisuke; Namba, Hiroe; Fukuyo, Masaki; Rahmutulla, Bahityar; Oshima, Motohiko; Iwama, Atsushi; Fukayama, Masashi; Kaneda, Atsushi

    2017-08-11

    Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is associated with tumours such as Burkitt lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and gastric cancer. We previously showed that EBV(+) gastric cancer presents an extremely high-methylation epigenotype and this aberrant DNA methylation causes silencing of multiple tumour suppressor genes. However, the mechanisms that drive EBV infection-mediated tumorigenesis, including other epigenomic alteration, remain unclear. We analysed epigenetic alterations induced by EBV infection especially at enhancer regions, to elucidate their contribution to tumorigenesis. We performed ChIP sequencing on H3K4me3, H3K4me1, H3K27ac, H3K27me3, and H3K9me3 in gastric epithelial cells infected or not with EBV. We showed that repressive marks were redistributed after EBV infection, resulting in aberrant enhancer activation and repression. Enhancer dysfunction led to the activation of pathways related to cancer hallmarks (e.g., resisting cell death, disrupting cellular energetics, inducing invasion, evading growth suppressors, sustaining proliferative signalling, angiogenesis, and tumour-promoting inflammation) and inactivation of tumour suppressive pathways. Deregulation of cancer-related genes in EBV-infected gastric epithelial cells was also observed in clinical EBV(+) gastric cancer specimens. Our analysis showed that epigenetic alteration associated with EBV-infection may contribute to tumorigenesis through enhancer activation and repression.

  4. Exome genotyping arrays to identify rare and low frequency variants associated with epithelial ovarian cancer risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Permuth, Jennifer B.; Pirie, Ailith; Ann Chen, Y.; Lin, Hui-Yi; Reid, Brett M.; Chen, Zhihua; Monteiro, Alvaro; Dennis, Joe; Mendoza-Fandino, Gustavo; Anton-Culver, Hoda; Bandera, Elisa V.; Bisogna, Maria; Brinton, Louise; Brooks-Wilson, Angela; Carney, Michael E.; Chenevix-Trench, Georgia; Cook, Linda S.; Cramer, Daniel W.; Cunningham, Julie M.; Cybulski, Cezary; D’Aloisio, Aimee A.; Anne Doherty, Jennifer; Earp, Madalene; Edwards, Robert P.; Fridley, Brooke L.; Gayther, Simon A.; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Goodman, Marc T.; Gronwald, Jacek; Hogdall, Estrid; Iversen, Edwin S.; Jakubowska, Anna; Jensen, Allan; Karlan, Beth Y.; Kelemen, Linda E.; Kjaer, Suzanne K.; Kraft, Peter; Le, Nhu D.; Levine, Douglas A.; Lissowska, Jolanta; Lubinski, Jan; Matsuo, Keitaro; Menon, Usha; Modugno, Rosemary; Moysich, Kirsten B.; Nakanishi, Toru; Ness, Roberta B.; Olson, Sara; Orlow, Irene; Pearce, Celeste L.; Pejovic, Tanja; Poole, Elizabeth M.; Ramus, Susan J.; Anne Rossing, Mary; Sandler, Dale P.; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Song, Honglin; Taylor, Jack A.; Teo, Soo-Hwang; Terry, Kathryn L.; Thompson, Pamela J.; Tworoger, Shelley S.; Webb, Penelope M.; Wentzensen, Nicolas; Wilkens, Lynne R.; Winham, Stacey; Woo, Yin-Ling; Wu, Anna H.; Yang, Hannah; Zheng, Wei; Ziogas, Argyrios; Phelan, Catherine M.; Schildkraut, Joellen M.; Berchuck, Andrew; Goode, Ellen L.; Pharoah, Paul D. P.; Sellers, Thomas A.

    2016-01-01

    Rare and low frequency variants are not well covered in most germline genotyping arrays and are understudied in relation to epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) risk. To address this gap, we used genotyping arrays targeting rarer protein-coding variation in 8,165 EOC cases and 11,619 controls from the international Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC). Pooled association analyses were conducted at the variant and gene level for 98,543 variants directly genotyped through two exome genotyping projects. Only common variants that represent or are in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) with previously-identified signals at established loci reached traditional thresholds for exome-wide significance (P  P≥5.0 ×10 − 7) were detected for rare and low-frequency variants at 16 novel loci. Four rare missense variants were identified (ACTBL2 rs73757391 (5q11.2), BTD rs200337373 (3p25.1), KRT13 rs150321809 (17q21.2) and MC2R rs104894658 (18p11.21)), but only MC2R rs104894668 had a large effect size (OR = 9.66). Genes most strongly associated with EOC risk included ACTBL2 (PAML = 3.23 × 10 − 5; PSKAT-o = 9.23 × 10 − 4) and KRT13 (PAML = 1.67 × 10 − 4; PSKAT-o = 1.07 × 10 − 5), reaffirming variant-level analysis. In summary, this large study identified several rare and low-frequency variants and genes that may contribute to EOC susceptibility, albeit with possible small effects. Future studies that integrate epidemiology, sequencing, and functional assays are needed to further unravel the unexplained heritability and biology of this disease. PMID:27378695

  5. Lack of relationship between TIMP-1 tumour cell immunoreactivity, treatment efficacy and prognosis in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steffensen, Karina Dahl; Waldstrøm, Marianne; Christensen, Rikke Kølby; Bartels, Annette; Brünner, Nils; Jakobsen, Anders

    2010-01-01

    Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) is a natural inhibitor of the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) which are proteolytic enzymes involved in degradation of extracellular matrix thereby favoring tumour cell invasion and metastasis. TIMP-1 activity in tumour tissue may therefore play an essential role in the progression of a malignant tumour. The primary aim of the present study was to evaluate TIMP-1 protein immunoreactivity in tissue from primary ovarian cancer patients and associate these findings with the course of the disease including response to treatment in the individual patient. TIMP-1 was assessed by immunohistochemistry (in tissue micro arrays) in a total of 163 ovarian cancer specimens obtained from primary debulking surgery during 1991-1994 as part of a randomized clinical protocol. Positive TIMP-1 immunoreactivity was found in 12.3% of the tumours. The median survival time for the 143 patients with TIMP-1 negative tumours was 23.7 months [19.0-29.4] 95% CI, while the median survival time for the 20 patients with TIMP-1 positive tumours was 15.9 months [12.3-27.4] 95% CI. Although a difference of 7.8 months in median overall survival in favor of the TIMP-1 tumour negative patients was found, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.28, Kaplan-Meier, log-rank test). Moreover, TIMP-1 immunoreactivity was not associated with CA125 response (p = 0.53) or response at second look surgery (p = 0.72). TIMP-1 immunoreactivity in tumour tissue from patients with primary epithelial ovarian cancer did not correlate with patient survival or response to combination platinum/cyclophosphamide therapy

  6. Spontaneously immortalised bovine mammary epithelial cells exhibit a distinct gene expression pattern from the breast cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Li Qianqian

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Spontaneous immortalisation of cultured mammary epithelial cells (MECs is an extremely rare event, and the molecular mechanism behind spontaneous immortalisation of MECs is unclear. Here, we report the establishment of a spontaneously immortalised bovine mammary epithelial cell line (BME65Cs and the changes in gene expression associated with BME65Cs cells. Results BME65Cs cells maintain the general characteristics of normal mammary epithelial cells in morphology, karyotype and immunohistochemistry, and are accompanied by the activation of endogenous bTERT (bovine Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase and stabilisation of the telomere. Currently, BME65Cs cells have been passed for more than 220 generations, and these cells exhibit non-malignant transformation. The expression of multiple genes was investigated in BME65Cs cells, senescent BMECs (bovine MECs cells, early passage BMECs cells and MCF-7 cells (a human breast cancer cell line. In comparison with early passage BMECs cells, the expression of senescence-relevant apoptosis-related gene were significantly changed in BME65Cs cells. P16INK4a was downregulated, p53 was low expressed and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio was reversed. Moreover, a slight upregulation of the oncogene c-Myc, along with an undetectable level of breast tumor-related gene Bag-1 and TRPS-1, was observed in BME65Cs cells while these genes are all highly expressed in MCF-7. In addition, DNMT1 is upregulated in BME65Cs. These results suggest that the inhibition of both senescence and mitochondrial apoptosis signalling pathways contribute to the immortality of BME65Cs cells. The expression of p53 and p16INK4a in BME65Cs was altered in the pattern of down-regulation but not "loss", suggesting that this spontaneous immortalization is possibly initiated by other mechanism rather than gene mutation of p53 or p16INK4a. Conclusions Spontaneously immortalised BME65Cs cells maintain many characteristics of normal BMEC cells and

  7. Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Inscribes a Gene Expression Profile for Angiogenic Factors and Cancer Progression in Breast Epithelial Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.S. Oh

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Activation of the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-11R by IGF-1 is associated with the risk and progression of many types of cancer, although despite this it remains unclear how activated IGF-1 R contributes to cancer progression. In this study, gene expression changes elicited by IGF-1 were profiled in breast epithelial cells. We noted that many genes are functionally linked to cancer progression and angiogenesis. To validate some of the changes observed, the RNA and/or protein was confirmed for c-fos, cytochrome P4501Al, cytochrome P450 1131, interleukin-1 beta, fas ligand, vascular endothelial growth factor, and urokinase plasminogen activator. Nuclear proteins were also temporally monitored to address how gene expression changes were regulated. We found that IGF-1 stimulated the nuclear translocation of phosphorylated AKT, hypoxic-inducible factor-1 alpha, and phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element-binding protein, which correlated with temporal changes in gene expression. Next, the promoter regions of IGF-1-regulated genes were searched in silico. The promoters of genes that clustered together had similar regulatory regions. In summary, IGF-1 inscribes a gene expression profile relevant to cancer progression, and this study provides insight into the mechanism(s whereby some of these changes occur.

  8. Mammaglobin B is an independent prognostic marker in epithelial ovarian cancer and its expression is associated with reduced risk of disease recurrence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tassi, Renata A; Todeschini, Paola; Romani, Chiara; Bandiera, Elisabetta; Zanotti, Laura; Pecorelli, Sergio; Santin, Alessandro D; Calza, Stefano; Ravaggi, Antonella; Bignotti, Eliana; Odicino, Franco E; Tognon, Germana; Donzelli, Carla; Falchetti, Marcella; Rossi, Elisa

    2009-01-01

    Traditional prognostic factors in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are inadequate in predicting recurrence and long-term prognosis, but genome-wide cancer research has recently provided multiple potentially useful biomarkers. The gene codifying for Mammaglobin B (MGB-2) has been selected from our previous microarray analysis performed on 19 serous papillary epithelial ovarian cancers and its expression has been further investigated on multiple histological subtypes, both at mRNA and protein level. Since, to date, there is no information available on the prognostic significance of MGB-2 expression in cancer, the aim of this study was to determine its prognostic potential on survival in a large cohort of well-characterized EOC patients. MGB-2 expression was evaluated by quantitative real time-PCR in fresh-frozen tissue biopsies and was validated by immunohistochemistry in matched formalin fixed-paraffin embedded tissue samples derived from a total of 106 EOC patients and 27 controls. MGB-2 expression was then associated with the clinicopathologic features of the tumors and was correlated with clinical outcome. MGB-2 expression was found significantly elevated in EOC compared to normal ovarian controls, both at mRNA and protein level. A good correlation was detected between MGB-2 expression data obtained by the two different techniques. MGB-2 expressing tumors were significantly associated with several clinicopathologic characteristics defining a less aggressive tumor behavior. Univariate survival analysis revealed a decreased risk for cancer-related death, recurrence and disease progression in MGB-2-expressing patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, multivariate analysis indicated that high expression levels of MGB-2 transcript (HR = 0.25, 95%, 0.08–0.75, p = 0.014) as well as positive immunostaining for the protein (HR = 0.41, 95%CI, 0.17–0.99, p = 0.048) had an independent prognostic value for disease-free survival. This is the first report documenting that MGB-2

  9. Xenobiotic Modulation of Human Mammary Epithelial Cell Gap junctional Intercellular Communication and Growth

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ruch, Randall

    1998-01-01

    ...), phthalate esters, and dioxin have been implicated in this increase. Many xenobiotics such as DDT and PCBs have weak estrogenic activity and may enhance breast cancer formation by an estrogenic effect on breast epithelial cell growth...

  10. Xenobiotic Modulation of Human Mammary Epithelial Cell Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication and Growth

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Ruch, Randall

    1997-01-01

    ...), phthalate esters, and dioxin have been implicated in this increase. Many xenobiotics such as DDT and PCBs have weak estrogenic activity and may enhance breast cancer formation by an estrogenic effect on breast epithelial cell growth...

  11. Skin Cancer (Including Melanoma)—Patient Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. The main types of skin cancer are squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Most deaths from skin cancer are caused by melanoma. Start here to find information on skin cancer treatment, causes and prevention, screening, research, and statistics.

  12. Silencing of Kv4.1 potassium channels inhibits cell proliferation of tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jang, Soo Hwa; Choi, Changsun; Hong, Seong-Geun; Yarishkin, Oleg V.; Bae, Young Min; Kim, Jae Gon; O'Grady, Scott M.; Yoon, Kyong-Ah; Kang, Kyung-Sun; Ryu, Pan Dong; Lee, So Yeong

    2009-01-01

    Potassium channel activity has been shown to facilitate cell proliferation in cancer cells. In the present study, the role of Kv4.1 channels in immortal and tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cells was investigated. Kv4.1 protein expression was positively correlated with tumorigenicity. Moreover, transfection with siRNAs targeting Kv4.1 mRNA suppressed proliferation of tumorigenic mammary epithelial cells. Experiments using mRNA isolated from human breast cancer tissues revealed that the level of Kv4.1 mRNA expression varied depending on the stage of the tumor. Kv4.1 protein expression increased during stages T2 and T3 compared to normal tissue. These results demonstrated that Kv4.1 plays a role in proliferation of tumorigenic human mammary epithelial cells. In addition, elevated Kv4.1 expression may be useful as a diagnostic marker for staging mammary tumors and selective blockers of Kv4.1 may serve to suppress tumor cell proliferation.

  13. Expression of a TGF-{beta} regulated cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor in normal and immortalized airway epithelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tierney, L.A.; Bloomfield, C.; Johnson, N.F. [and others

    1995-12-01

    Tumors arising from epithelial cells, including lung cancers are frequently resistant to factors that regulate growth and differentiation in normal in normal cells. Once such factor is transforming growth factor-{Beta} (TGF-{Beta}). Escape from the growth-inhibitory effects of TGF-{Beta} is thought to be a key step in the transformation of airway epithelial cells. most lung cancer cell lines require serum for growth. In contrast, normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells are exquisitely sensitive to growth-inhibitory and differentiating effects of TGF-{Beta}. The recent identification of a novel cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p15{sup INK4B}, which is regulated by TGF-{Beta}, suggests a mechanism by which TGF-{Beta} mediates growth arrest in NHBE cells. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to determine if p15{sup INK4B} is induced by TGF-{Beta} in NHBE cells or immortalized bronchial epithelial (R.1) cells and if that induction corresponds to a G1/S cell-cycle arrest; (2) to determine the temporal relationship between p15{sup INK4B} induction, cell-cycle arrest, and the phosphorylation state of the pRB because it is thought that p15{sup INK4B} acts indirectly by preventing phosphorylation of the RB gene product. In this study, expression of p15{sup INK4B} was examined in NHBE cells and R.1 cells at different time intervals following TGF-{Beta} treatment. The expression of this kinase inhibitor and its relationship to the cell and the pRb phosphorylation state were examined in cells that were both sensitive (NHBE) and resistant (R.1) to the effects of TGF-{Beta}. These results suggest that the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p15{sup INK4B}, is involved in airway epithelial cell differentiation and that loss or reduction of expression plays a role in the resistance of transformed or neoplastic cells to the growth-inhibitory effects of TGF-{Beta}.

  14. Loss of breast epithelial marker hCLCA2 promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition and indicates higher risk of metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walia, Vijay; Yu, Yang; Cao, Deshou; Sun, Miao; McLean, Janel R.; Hollier, Brett G.; Cheng, Jiming; Mani, Sendurai A.; Rao, Krishna; Premkumar, Louis; Elble, Randolph

    2013-01-01

    Transition between epithelial and mesenchymal states is a feature of both normal development and tumor progression. We report that expression of chloride channel accessory protein hCLCA2 is a characteristic of epithelial differentiation in the immortalized MCF10A and HMLE models, while induction of EMT by cell dilution, TGFbeta, or mesenchymal transcription factors sharply reduces hCLCA2 levels. Attenuation of hCLCA2 expression by lentiviral shRNA caused cell overgrowth and focus formation, enhanced migration and invasion, and increased mammosphere formation in methylcellulose. These changes were accompanied by downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of mesenchymal markers such as vimentin and fibronectin. Moreover, hCLCA2 expression is greatly downregulated in breast cancer cells with a mesenchymal or claudin-low profile. These observations suggest that loss of hCLCA2 may promote metastasis. We find that higher-than-median expression of hCLCA2 is associated with a one-third lower rate of metastasis over an 18 year period among breast cancer patients compared to lower-than-median (n=344, unfiltered for subtype). Thus, hCLCA2 is required for epithelial differentiation, and its loss during tumor progression contributes to metastasis. Overexpression of hCLCA2 has been reported to inhibit cell proliferation and is accompanied by increases in chloride current at the plasma membrane and reduced intracellular pH (pHi). We found that knockdown cells have sharply reduced chloride current and higher pHi, both characteristics of tumor cells. These results suggest a mechanism for the effects on differentiation. Loss of hCLCA2 may allow escape from pHi homeostatic mechanisms, permitting the higher intracellular and lower extracellular pH that are characteristic of aggressive tumor cells. PMID:21909135

  15. Targeting Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Pathways in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie-Claude Beauchamp

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Ovarian cancer is the most lethal of all gynecological malignancies, due in part to the diagnosis at an advanced stage caused by the lack of specific signs and symptoms and the absence of reliable tests for screening and early detection. Most patients will respond initially to treatment but about 70% of them will suffer a recurrence. Therefore, new therapeutic modalities are urgently needed to overcome chemoresistance observed in ovarian cancer patients. Evidence accumulates suggesting that the insulin/insulin growth factor (IGF pathways could act as a good therapeutic target in several cancers, including ovarian cancer. In this paper, we will focus on the role of insulin/IGF in ovarian cancer tumorigenesis and treatment.

  16. Functional imaging and assessment of the glucose diffusion rate in epithelial tissues in optical coherence tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Larin, K V; Tuchin, V V

    2008-01-01

    Functional imaging, monitoring and quantitative description of glucose diffusion in epithelial and underlying stromal tissues in vivo and controlling of the optical properties of tissues are extremely important for many biomedical applications including the development of noninvasive or minimally invasive glucose sensors as well as for therapy and diagnostics of various diseases, such as cancer, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma. Recent progress in the development of a noninvasive molecular diffusion biosensor based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) is described. The diffusion of glucose was studied in several epithelial tissues both in vitro and in vivo. Because OCT provides depth-resolved imaging of tissues with high in-depth resolution, the glucose diffusion is described not only as a function of time but also as a function of depth. (special issue devoted to application of laser technologies in biophotonics and biomedical studies)

  17. The role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zidar, Nina; Boštjančič, Emanuela; Malgaj, Marija; Gale, Nina; Dovšak, Tadej; Didanovič, Vojko

    2018-02-01

    Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has emerged as a possible mechanism of cancer metastasizing, but strong evidence for EMT involvement in human cancer is lacking. Our aim was to compare oral spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) as an example of EMT with oral conventional squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with and without nodal metastases to test the hypothesis that EMT contributes to metastasizing in oral SCC. Thirty cases of oral SCC with and without nodal metastasis and 15 cases of SpCC were included. Epithelial (cytokeratin, E-cadherin), mesenchymal (vimentin, N-cadherin), and stem cell markers (ALDH-1, CD44, Nanog, Sox-2) and transcription repressors (Snail, Slug, Twist) were analyzed immunohistochemically. We also analyzed the expression of microRNAs miR-141, miR-200 family, miR-205, and miR-429. SpCC exhibited loss of epithelial markers and expression of mesenchymal markers or coexpression of both up-regulation of transcription repressors and down-regulation of the investigated microRNAs. SCC showed only occasional focal expression of mesenchymal markers at the invasive front. No other differences were observed between SCC with and without nodal metastases except for a higher expression of ALDH-1 in SCC with metastases. Our results suggest that SpCC is an example of true EMT but do not support the hypothesis that EMT is involved in metastasizing of conventional SCC. Regarding oral SCC progression and metastasizing, we have been facing a shift from the initial enthusiasm for the EMT concept towards a more critical approach with "EMT-like" and "partial EMT" concepts. The real question, though, is, is there no EMT at all?

  18. Plumbagin induces cell cycle arrest and autophagy and suppresses epithelial to mesenchymal transition involving PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated pathway in human pancreatic cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Feng; Wang, Qi; Zhou, Zhi-Wei; Yu, Song-Ning; Pan, Shu-Ting; He, Zhi-Xu; Zhang, Xueji; Wang, Dong; Yang, Yin-Xue; Yang, Tianxing; Sun, Tao; Li, Min; Qiu, Jia-Xuan; Zhou, Shu-Feng

    2015-01-01

    Plumbagin (PLB), an active naphthoquinone compound, has shown potent anticancer effects in preclinical studies; however, the effect and underlying mechanism of PLB for the treatment of pancreatic cancer is unclear. This study aimed to examine the pancreatic cancer cell killing effect of PLB and investigate the underlying mechanism in human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. The results showed that PLB exhibited potent inducing effects on cell cycle arrest in PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells via the modulation of cell cycle regulators including CDK1/CDC2, cyclin B1, cyclin D1, p21 Waf1/Cip1, p27 Kip1, and p53. PLB treatment concentration- and time-dependently increased the percentage of autophagic cells and significantly increased the expression level of phosphatase and tensin homolog, beclin 1, and the ratio of LC3-II over LC3-I in both PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. PLB induced inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) pathways and activation of 5′-AMP-dependent kinase as indicated by their altered phosphorylation, contributing to the proautophagic activities of PLB in both cell lines. Furthermore, SB202190, a selective inhibitor of p38 MAPK, and wortmannin, a potent, irreversible, and selective PI3K inhibitor, remarkably enhanced PLB-induced autophagy in PANC-1 and BxPC-3 cells, indicating the roles of PI3K and p38 MAPK mediated signaling pathways in PLB-induced autophagic cell death in both cell lines. In addition, PLB significantly inhibited epithelial to mesenchymal transition phenotype in both cell lines with an increase in the expression level of E-cadherin and a decrease in N-cadherin. Moreover, PLB treatment significantly suppressed the expression of Sirt1 in both cell lines. These findings show that PLB promotes cell cycle arrest and autophagy but inhibits epithelial to mesenchymal transition phenotype in pancreatic cancer cells with the involvement of

  19. Globoside accelerates the differentiation of dental epithelial cells into ameloblasts

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Takashi Nakamura; Yuta Chiba; Masahiro Naruse; Kan Saito; Hidemitsu Harada; Satoshi Fukumoto

    2016-01-01

    Tooth crown morphogenesis is tightly regulated by the proliferation and differentiation of dental epithelial cells. Globoside (Gb4), a globo-series glycosphingolipid, is highly expressed during embryogenesis as well as organogenesis, including tooth development. We previously reported that Gb4 is dominantly expressed in the neutral lipid fraction of dental epithelial cells. However, because its functional role in tooth development remains unknown, we investigated the involvement of Gb4 in dental epithelial cell differentiation. The expression of Gb4 was detected in ameloblasts of postnatal mouse molars and incisors. A cell culture analysis using HAT-7 cells, a rat-derived dental epithelial cell line, revealed that Gb4 did not promote dental epithelial cell proliferation. Interestingly, exogenous administration of Gb4 enhanced the gene expression of enamel extracellular matrix proteins such as ameloblastin, amelogenin, and enamelin in dental epithelial cells as well as in developing tooth germs. Gb4 also induced the expression of TrkB, one of the key receptors required for ameloblast induction in dental epithelial cells. In contrast, Gb4 downregulated the expression of p75, a receptor for neurotrophins (including neurotrophin-4) and a marker of undifferentiated dental epithelial cells. In addition, we found that exogenous administration of Gb4 to dental epithelial cells stimulated the extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signalling pathways. Furthermore, Gb4 induced the expression of epiprofin and Runx2, the positive regulators for ameloblastin gene transcription. Thus, our results suggest that Gb4 contributes to promoting the differentiation of dental epithelial cells into ameloblasts.

  20. Mesenchymal precursor cells maintain the differentiation and proliferation potentials of breast epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-01-01

    Introduction Stromal-epithelial interactions play a fundamental role in tissue homeostasis, controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. Not surprisingly, aberrant stromal-epithelial interactions contribute to malignancies. Studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions require ex vivo experimental model systems that recapitulate the complexity of human tissue without compromising the differentiation and proliferation potentials of human primary cells. Methods We isolated and characterized human breast epithelial and mesenchymal precursors from reduction mammoplasty tissue and tagged them with lentiviral vectors. We assembled heterotypic co-cultures and compared mesenchymal and epithelial cells to cells in corresponding monocultures by analyzing growth, differentiation potentials, and gene expression profiles. Results We show that heterotypic culture of non-immortalized human primary breast epithelial and mesenchymal precursors maintains their proliferation and differentiation potentials and constrains their growth. We further describe the gene expression profiles of stromal and epithelial cells in co-cultures and monocultures and show increased expression of the tumor growth factor beta (TGFβ) family member inhibin beta A (INHBA) in mesenchymal cells grown as co-cultures compared with monocultures. Notably, overexpression of INHBA in mesenchymal cells increases colony formation potential of epithelial cells, suggesting that it contributes to the dynamic reciprocity between breast mesenchymal and epithelial cells. Conclusions The described heterotypic co-culture system will prove useful for further characterization of the molecular mechanisms mediating interactions between human normal or neoplastic breast epithelial cells and the stroma, and will provide a framework to test the relevance of the ever-increasing number of oncogenomic alterations identified in human breast cancer. PMID:24916766