S100A4 participates in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in breast cancer via targeting MMP2

Numerous studies have shown that S100A4 acquires its metastasis-promoting effects via inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, its role and mechanism in EMT in breast cancer had not been clearly elucidated. Herein, we showed that the knockdown of S100A4 expression in breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468, inhibited not only cell invasion ability greatly, but also the occurrence of EMT significantly. In addition, S100A4 knockdown could also decrease the expression of MMP2, a promoter and a mediator of the EMT processes in cancer. Above all, restoring the expression of MMP2 in MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 could not only rescue the invasion ability inhibited by knockdown of S100A4, but also reverse the EMT suppressed by knockdown of S100A4. In summary, our results indicated that S100A4 could promote the invasion ability of breast cancer cells via EMT, more importantly, it could participate in EMT via regulating MMP2 in breast cancer. Therefore, S100A4 could be a candidate biomarker for defining breast cancer metastasis and useful target for therapy.

Expression of cystatin C and its effect on EC9706 cells in esophageal carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the expression of cystatin C gene and its effect on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasiveness of EC9706 cells in esophageal carcinoma.

METHODS

56 cases of esophageal carcinoma were randomly collected from our hospital. Samples of human esophageal carcinomas and matched normal esophageal mucosal epithelium were selected by resection operation from these patients. Expression of cathepsin B and cystatin C in these specimens were determined by immunohistochemistry and qRT-PCR. Next, lentiviral vectors of over-expression and interference for cystatin C gene were constructed, and both were transfected into EC9706 cells, and then the levels of cystatin C mRNA and protein were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The effect of over and low-expressed cystatin C on the proliferation, apoptosis and invasiveness of esophageal carcinoma cells were detected by MTT assay, flow cytometry and Transwell assay.

RESULTS

Compared with normal esophageal epithelial tissues, mRNA and protein levels of cathepsin B and cystatin C in esophageal carcinoma tissues were significantly increased (P<0.05). Lentiviral vectors of over-expression and interference for cystatin C gene were successfully transfected into EC9706 cells. Over or low-expression cystatin C had no effect on EC9706 cells proliferation but had a reverse relationship with the apoptosis. However, cystatin C over-expression significantly decreased tumor invasiveness (P<0.05) while the invasiveness of EC9706 cells was significantly enhanced by RNAi-mediated abrogation of cystatin C gene expression (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Over-expressed cystatin C could inhibit the invasiveness of esophageal carcinoma cells.

Prognostic significance of tumor-infiltrating CD8⁺ or CD3⁺ T lymphocytes and interleukin-2 expression in radically resected non-small cell lung cancer

Background:

Altered immunoresponse is associated with tumorigenesis and cancer progression. This study assessed the levels of tumor-infiltrating CD3⁺ or CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and interleukin-2 (IL-2) protein in radically resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues to predict overall survival (OS) of the patients.

Methods:

Paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 129 NSCLC patients were retrospectively collected for immunostaining of CD8⁺, CD3⁺, and IL-2 expression. Clinicopathological and survival data were collected and analyzed using the Chi-squared test, Kaplan–Meier curves, and the log-rank test or the Cox regression model.

Results:

The data showed a significant inverse association between CD8⁺ T lymphocyte levels and IL-2 expression (r = −0.927; P = 0.000) and between the levels of CD8⁺ and CD3⁺ T lymphocytes (r = −0.722; P = 0.000), but a positive association between CD3⁺ T lymphocyte levels and IL-2 expression (r = 0.781; P = 0.000) in NSCLC tissues. Furthermore, the levels of CD3⁺ and CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and IL-2 expression were associated with tumor stage (P = 0.023, 0.006, and 0.031, respectively) and the level of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes was associated with the patient gender (P = 0.024). In addition, the levels of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes were associated with an unfavorable 5-year OS, whereas patients with high levels of CD3⁺ T lymphocytes in tumor lesions and IL-2-expressing tumors had significantly better 5-year OS rates than patients with low levels.

Conclusions:

The levels of CD8⁺ T cells in tumor lesions and IL-2 expression were both independent predictors of OS for these NSCLC patients. Thus, the detection of tumor-infiltrating CD3⁺ or CD8⁺ T lymphocytes and IL-2 expression could be useful to predict the prognosis of radically resected NSCLC patients.

Biaxially stretchable supercapacitors based on the buckled hybrid fiber electrode array

In order to meet the growing need for smart bionic devices and epidermal electronic systems, biaxial stretchability is essential for energy storage units. Based on porous single-walled carbon nanotube/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (SWCNT/PEDOT) hybrid fiber, we designed and fabricated a biaxially stretchable supercapacitor, which possesses a unique configuration of the parallel buckled hybrid fiber array. Owing to the reticulate SWCNT film and the improved fabrication technique, the hybrid fiber retained its porous architecture both outwardly and inwardly, manifesting a superior capacity of 215 F g(-1). H3PO4-polyvinyl alcohol gel with an optimized component ratio was introduced as both binder and stretchable electrolyte, which contributed to the regularity and stability of the buckled fiber array. The buckled structure and the quasi one-dimensional character of the fibers endow the supercapacitor with 100% stretchability along all directions. In addition, the supercapacitor exhibited good transparency, as well as excellent electrochemical properties and stability after being stretched 5000 times.

MicroRNA-205 inhibits the proliferation and invasion of breast cancer by regulating AMOT expression

It has been reported that the expression of angiomotin (AMOT) is upregulated in breast cancer. However, the regulatory mechanism remains unknown. In the present study, we aimed to ascertain whether the expression of AMOT is regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs) in breast cancer. In the present study, miR-205 was significantly downregulated in breast cancer samples and it was identified to directly target the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of AMOT in breast cancer MCF-7 cells by luciferase assay. miR-205 and small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated AMOT-knockdown experiments revealed that miR-205 significantly inhibited the proliferation and the invasion of MCF-7 cells through a decrease in the expression of AMOT, yet had no effect on apoptosis. Furthermore, we observed that the overexpression of AMOT partially reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-205 on the growth and the invasion of MCF-7 cells. The data indicated that miR-205 regulated the proliferation and the invasion of breast cancer cells through suppression of AMOT expression, at least partly. Therefore, the disordered decreased expression of miR-205 and the resulting AMOT upregulation contributes to breast carcinogenesis, and miR-205-AMOT represents a new potential therapeutic target for the treatment of breast carcinoma.

DATS suppresses growth of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by regulation of ERK1/2

BACKGROUND

It is well known that garlics contain a large number of organosulfur compounds including diallyl trisulfide (DATS), which possess anticancer properties. However, the effects of DATS on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) growth are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of DATS on ESCC cell growth in vivo and in vitro, as well as the associated signaling pathways.

METHODS

Cell proliferation was measured using the crystal violet assay. The transwell method was used to evaluate the effect of DATS on ESCC cell migration. Also, Western blot was performed to detect the activation of ERK1/2 and AKT1 responds to DATS. Finally, the effect of DATS on ESCC xenografts in nude mice was also investigated.

RESULTS

Our results showed that DATS significantly inhibited ESCC cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner. DATS time-dependently (p < 0.05) increased phosphorylation of ERK1/2, but not AKT1. Suppression of ERK1/2 activation with PD9805 also completely blocked DATS-inhibited ESCC cell proliferation. Meanwhile, DATS also robustly suppressed ESCC xenograft growth and increased ERK1/2 activation in nude mice.

CONCLUSIONS

Our finding demonstrated that DATS inhibits the proliferation of ESCC cells by activation of ERK1/2 in vitro and in vivo. These findings revealed that DATS could be used for therapeutic intervention for human ESCC.

TKTL1 expression and its downregulation is implicated in cell proliferation inhibition and cell cycle arrest in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

It is well known that tumor cells mainly depend on the nonoxidative pathway of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP), and transketolase-like 1 (TKTL1), a kind of crucial metabolism enzyme, participates in the regulation of PPP; notably, overwhelming evidence has demonstrated that TKTL1 plays pivotal roles in the development and progression of multiple tumors. However, there were no reports about the role of TKTL1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Here, we investigated TKTL1 expression and preliminarily elucidated its underlying biological functions in ESCC. We found that TKTL1 exhibited the high expression in ESCC tissues and cells, and the survival rate of patients with negative TKTL1 expression was significantly higher than that of patients with positive TKTL1 staining (P < 0.05). Additionally, significant correlations of TKTL1 expression with histologic grade, clinical stage, and lymph node metastasis were found (P < 0.05). Subsequently, TKTL1 small interfering RNA (siRNA) significantly reduced TKTL1 messenger RNA (mRNA), and protein levels companied with the marked reduce of total transketolase activity but did not affect TKT and TKTL1 mRNA level. More importantly, TKTL1 siRNA obviously induced cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and suppressed cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo coupled with the reduced cyclin D1 and cdk4 levels as well as decrease of Ki-67 proliferation index in EC1 cells. Taken altogether, our results suggest that TKTL1 as a key prognostic factor may be a novel target for therapy of the patients with ESCC.

Annexin A2 is implicated in multi-drug-resistance in gastric cancer through p38MAPK and AKT pathway

Studies have shown that Annexin A2 (ANXA2) is related with tumor proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, invasion, migration, and drug resistance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role and its mechanisms of ANXA2 in multi-drug-resistance (MDR) in gastric cancer. ANXA2 expression in both gastric cancer tissues and cell lines were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blotting. The cell proliferation was measured by SRB assay. The pool of siRNA against ANXA2 was designed and synthesized and then transfected into resistant gastric cancer SGC7901/DDP cells. ANXA2 expression was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Drug sensitivities of SGC7901/DDP cells to P-gp-related drug (doxorubicin) and P-gp-non-related drugs (5-FU and cisplatin) were measured by SRB assay. Expression of MDR-related genes and phosphorylation of AKT and MAPKs were also detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Results showed that ANXA2 expression was significantly higher in gastric specimens than that in normal tissues, and negatively correlated with the differentiation level of gastric cancer. In addition, ANXA2 expression level was higher in SGC7901/DDP cells than that in parent SGC7901 cells. After knock-down ANXA2 expression using ANXA2 small interfering RNA, the drug sensitivity of SGC7901/DDP cells to doxorubicin, 5-FU and DDP increased. Delivery of ANXA2 siRNA significantly downregulated the expression of P-gp, MRP1 and Bcl-2, while markedly upregulated Bax in SGC7901/DDP cells. However, several other MDR factors such as GST-π, TOPO-I and TOPO-II had no obvious changes. Additionally, phosphorylation of P38MAPK and AKT, but not ERK1/2 or JNKs was specifically decreased in SGC7901/DDP cells after ANXA2 siRNA delivery. Importantly, P38MAPK and AKT inhibitor increased the drug sensitivity of SGC701/DDP cells in a similar way as ANXA2 siRNAs does. ANXA2 is involved in gastric cancer MDR through regulating p38MAPK and AKT pathways as well as certain MDR factors.

Regulation of NANOG in cancer cells

As one of the key pluripotency transcription factors, NANOG plays a critical role in maintaining the self-renewal and pluripotency in normal embryonic stem cells. Recent data indicate that NANOG is expressed in a variety of cancers and its expression correlates with poor survival in cancer patients. Of interest, many studies suggest that NANOG enhances the defined characteristics of cancer stem cells and may thus function as an oncogene to promote carcinogenesis. Therefore, NANOG expression determines the cell fate not only in pluripotent cells but also in cancer cells. Although the regulation of NANOG in normal embryonic stem cells is reasonably well understood, the regulation of NANOG in cancer cells has only emerged recently. The current review provides a most updated summary on how NANOG expression is regulated during tumor development and progression.

Malondialdehyde and SOD-induced changes of gastric tissues in acute gastric mucosal injury under positive acceleration

The aim of this study was to investigate the impacts of positive acceleration (+Gz) on the gastric mucosal tissues in cases of acute gastric mucosal injury and to explore the role of oxygen free radicals. Thirty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into the absolute ethanol control group (A group), absolute ethanol +5Gz group (B group), absolute ethanol +10Gz group (C group). Following centrifugation, the gastric tissues of each group were studied for the presence of gastric mucosal injuries and morphological changes. The concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) contents were simultaneously investigated. Degree of gastric mucosal injuries were as follows: C group (visually 49.080 ± 10.254, under light microscopy 9.400 ± 2.011) > B group (visually 23.654 ± 9.678, under light microscopy 5.000 ± 1.054) > A group (visually 11.410 ± 3.742, under light microscopy 3.800 ± 1.399). The gastric mucosal MDA content (0.376 ± 0.084 vs 0.235 ± 0.044) was significantly higher in the C group than in the A group, whereas the SOD content (8.852 ± 1.001 vs 10.694 ± 0.965) was lower than that in the A group. However, the MDA and SOD contents did not change much in the B group. Our results suggest that the +Gz exposure might aggravate the acute gastric mucosal injury, and changes in MDA and SOD contents in the gastric tissues indicated that the oxygen free radicals play an important role in this regard.

Effects of Herceptin on circulating tumor cells in HER2 positive early breast cancer

The objective of this study was to determine the changes in peripheral blood circulating tumor cells in HER2-positive early breast cancer before and after Herceptin therapy, and to explore the effects of the HER2 gene and Herceptin on circulating tumor cells. CK19 mRNA expression in peripheral blood was evaluated by qRT-PCR as an index of circulating tumor cells in 15 cases of HER-2-positive breast cancer and 18 cases of HER2-negative breast cancer before, and after chemotherapy as well. Ten cases of HER2-positive breast cancer continued on Herceptin therapy for 3 months after chemotherapy, and their peripheral blood was again drawn and assayed for CK-19 mRNA expression. Preoperatively, all cases of HER2-positive cancer were positive for CK19 mRNA in peripheral blood, but 6 cases of HER2-negative breast cancer were positive (33.3%), where there was a substantial difference between the two groups. After 6 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy, CK19 positive rates in cases of HER2-positive and -negative breast cancer reduced by 93.3 and 11.1%, respectively, with a significant difference still existing. After 3 months of Herceptin therapy, expression of CK19 mRNA declined considerably in 10 cases of HER2 positive breast cancer (113.66 ± 88.65 vs 63.35 ± 49.27, P = 0.025). HER-2 gene expression closely correlated with circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood of early breast cancer patients. Moreover, Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody for HER2, can reduce the number of circulating tumor cells, which can be an early predictive factor for Herceptin therapy effectiveness against breast cancer.

Correlation between the expression of DNMT1, and GSTP1 and APC, and the methylation status of GSTP1 and APC in association with their clinical significance in prostate cancer

The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation between the expression of DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), glutathione S-transferase-P1 (GSTP1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), and the methylation status of GSTP1 and APC in prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), and to examine its clinical significance. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of DNMT1, GSTP1 and APC in 56 samples of PCa tissue and 10 samples of BPH tissue. Methylation-specific-PCR was used to detect the methylation status of the CpG island promoters of GSTP1 and APC. The positive rate of expression of DNMT1 in poorly-differentiated PCa, moderately-differentiated PCa, well-differentiated PCa and BPH was 86.7%, 70.6%, 55.6% and 30.0%, respectively (P<0.05); for GSTP1, the positive rate was 13.3%, 29.4%, 44.4% and 90.0%, respectively (P<0.05); and for APC, the positive rate was 23.3%, 47.6%, 55.6% and 70.0%, respectively (P<0.05). The correlation coefficient for the association between the expression of DNMT1 and GSTP1 was −0.891 (P<0.05). Between the expression of DNMT1 and APC, the correlation coefficient was −0.721 (P<0.05). GSTP1 and APC were hypermethylated in the majority of PCa tissue samples. The positive rate of methylation of these genes in poorly-differentiated PCa was 83.3% and 73.3%, respectively. By contrast, hypomethylation (or demethylation) was observed in BPH samples, in which the positive rate of methylation was 10.0% and 20.0%, respectively (P<0.05). The increased expression of DNMT1, and the reduced expression of GSTP1 and APC have an important role in the development of PCa. Due to the high expression of DNMT1 mRNA, it is likely that the hypermethylation of CpG islands contributed to the silencing of GSTP1 and APC in PCa tissues.

Retrobulbar magnetic resonance angiography using binomial off-resonant rectangular (BORR) pulse

PURPOSE

Applying a newly developed binomial off-resonant rectangular (BORR) pulse method for high resolution three-dimensional MR angiography (MRA) on retrobulbar ocular vessels, which has not been possible with routine MRA due to background fatty tissues.

METHODS

BORR pulse was implemented in a gradient echo sequence by replacing the original excitation pulse, and were optimized for robust orbital fat suppression. Several other MRA methods, with or without fat suppression, were also compared, including time-of-flight, contrast enhanced MRA, and hybrid of opposite-contrast MRA. Nine healthy subjects participated with written informed consents. To reduce eye motion, the subjects were instructed to casually stare at a projected cross during each MRA scan. Major vessels were evaluated by three independent radiologists using a 4-point scale.

RESULTS

The BORR method yielded the best MRA results for retrobulbar vessels without contrast enhancement, significantly superior than other MRA methods. BORR results had significantly higher visibility scores than all other methods for small vessels.

CONCLUSION

We have successfully revealed orbital vessels in retrobulbar space for the first time using MRA, by using the BORR pulse method. With a clear depiction of the vasculature without the need for contrast enhancement, our method has the potential to provide important diagnostic information for ocular vascular diseases.

Assessment of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor as an oncogene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its potential implication in chemotherapy

Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) is a tyrosine kinase receptor implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple cancers. After ligand binding, IGF-1R can initiate the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Ras/Raf/MEK/MAPK pathways to modulate cell proliferation, survival, differentiation, motility, invasion and angiogenesis. IGF-1R is a prerequisite for tumor progression and is one of the most attractive targets for therapeutic interventions in several types of cancer. In the present study, we determined the expression of IGF-1R in an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cohort, investigated the detailed function of IGF-1R and screened the potential application of IGF-1R in the clinic. We verified the higher expression of IGF-1R in ESCC tumor tissues as compared to adjacent normal tissues. We also found that high expression of IGF-1R was associated with advanced tumor progression. We used ESCC cell lines and a mouse xenograft model to detect the function of IGF-1R in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest the oncogenic function of IGF-1R in regulating cell proliferation, clonogenesis, the cell cycle and apoptosis. In addition, we found that IGF-1R was associated with the response to standard chemotherapy drugs 5-FU and cisplatin in an ESCC cell line. More importantly, we confirmed that the serum concentration of IGF-1/IGFBP3 can be used for predicting response to chemotherapy, and increased serum levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 are associated with significantly higher rates of tumor response. In the present study, we demonstrated that IGF-1R is an important oncogene in ESCC and can be used to detect the chemotherapeutic response.

Electronic structure of Eu(Fe0.79Ru0.21)2As2 studied by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Eu(Fe(0.79)Ru(0.21))2As2 is suggested to be a nodeless superconductor based on the empirical correlation between pnictogen height (hPn) and superconducting gap behavior, in contrast to BaFe2(As(0.7)P(0.3))2 and Ba(Fe(0.65)Ru(0.35))2As2. We studied the low-lying electronic structure of Eu(Fe(0.79)Ru(0.21))2As2 with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). By photon energy dependence and polarization dependence measurements, we resolved the band structure in the three-dimensional momentum space and determined the orbital character of each band. In particular, we found that the dz2 -originated ζ band does not contribute spectral weight to the Fermi surface around Z, unlike BaFe2(As(0.7)P(0.3))2 and Ba(Fe(0.65)Ru(0.35))2As2. Since BaFe2(As(0.7)P(0.3))2 and Ba(Fe(0.65)Ru(0.35))2As2 are nodal superconductors and their hPn's are less than 1.33 Å, while the hPn of Eu(Fe(0.79)Ru(0.21))2As2 is larger than 1.33 Å, our results provide more evidence for a direct relationship between nodes, dz2 orbital character and hPn. Our results help to provide an understanding of the nodal superconductivity in iron-based superconductors.

Role of IFN-ks, IFN-ks related genes and the DEPDC5 gene in Hepatitis B virus-related liver disease

Recent studies have associated genetic variation near the interleukin 28B (IL28B/IFN-λ3) gene with natural clearance of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and a common variant in the DEP domain containing 5 (DEPDC5) locus on chromosome 22 has been shown to affect susceptibility to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japanese individuals with chronic HCV infection. This study was conducted to determine whether polymorphisms near or in interferon-lambda (IFN-λs) genes and their receptor genes such as interleukin 28 receptor, alpha (IL28RA) and interleukin 10 receptor, beta (IL10RB) as well as p21-activated kinases 4 (PAK4) and iron/zinc purple acid phosphatase-like protein (PAPL), which are locate upstream of IFN-λs, and lastly the DEPDC5 gene are associated with hepatitis B virus-related liver disease in Han Chinese. The study subjects included 507 normal healthy controls, 350 individuals with natural clearance of HBV and 792 HBV-infected patients. The patients were categorized into 157 inactive carriers (Case I), 216 active carriers (Case II), 111 cirrhotics (Case III) and 308 HCC patients (Case IV) subgroups. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped using the Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionisation mass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF MS) SNP genotyping assay. Rs423058 upstream of PAPL, rs2834167 in IL10RB and rs1012068 in DEPDC5 were associated with chronic HBV status, HBV natural clearance and the presence of HCC (P = 0.0004–0.024), respectively. PAPL, IL10RB and DEPDC5 polymorphisms have an impact on progression of HBV-related liver disease. However, IFN-λs genes as a tool to differentiate between different clinical courses of HBV infection were not useful in the Han Chinese population.

The multicenter, phase II prospective study of paclitaxel plus capecitabine as first-line chemotherapy in advanced gastric carcinoma

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel plus capecitabine (PX) as first-line treatment in advanced gastric cancer (AGC) was evaluated.

METHODS

Patients with previously untreated AGC were included. PX was given every 3 weeks until a maximum of six cycles or progression. Capecitabine monotherapy was continued for patients without disease progression. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival, and secondary endpoints were objective response rate, overall survival (OS), and safety.

RESULTS

Overall, 194 patients were treated per protocol and one patient was excluded because of allergy to paclitaxel. Response was evaluated in 175 patients, with an objective response rate of 34.8%. After a median follow-up of 33.2 months, disease progression was observed in 141 patients, 137 died, and 16 were lost to follow-up, with progression-free survival of 188 days and OS of 354 days. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, no factor remained an independent predictor of OS. Forty-five patients who received capecitabine monotherapy after PX had longer OS (531 days). Adverse events were mild (Fig. 1), and the most common grade 3-4 toxicities were leucopenia and neutropenia.

CONCLUSION

PX as a first-line treatment has promising efficacy in AGC. Based on these data, a phase III study has been launched for further investigation.

Epigallocatechin‑3‑gallate inhibits the proliferation and migration of human ovarian carcinoma cells by modulating p38 kinase and matrix metalloproteinase‑2

Epigallocatechin‑3‑gallate (EGCG), a major catechin in green tea, has recently been reported to exhibit anticancer effects on a number of types of cancer cells in vitro; however, the molecular mechanisms of this anticancer effect remain poorly understood. In the current study, the effects of EGCG on the proliferation and migration of the OVCAR‑3 human ovarian carcinoma cell line were investigated. Cells were treated with EGCG and their proliferation rates were determined by an MTT assay. In addition, cell migration was detected by transwell assay. The activity of mitogen‑activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase‑2/9 (MMP‑2/9) were examined by western blotting. The results showed that EGCG significantly inhibited (P<0.05) the proliferation of OVCAR‑3 cells in a time‑ and concentration‑dependent manner. EGCG (100 µM) time‑dependently increased (P<0.05) the activity of p38, but not extracellular signal‑regulated kinases 1/2. SB203580, a specific p38 MAPK inhibitor, completely diminished EGCG‑induced phosphorylation of p38 and partially blocked EGCG‑inhibited OVCAR‑3 cell proliferation. Furthermore, EGCG (0‑100 µM) dose‑dependently inhibited (P<0.05) OVCAR‑3 cell migration. The protein expression levels of MPP‑2, but not MMP‑9, were dose‑dependently decreased following treatment with EGCG (0‑100 µM) for 48 h. These data indicated that EGCG inhibited OVCAR‑3 cell proliferation and migration, potentially mediated via the activation of p38 MAPK and downregulation of the protein expression of MMP2. Thus, the therapeutic potential of EGCG for ovarian cancer requires further investigation.

A multicenter, phase II study of trastuzumab plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin (XELOX) as first-line chemotherapy for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer: Update results of efficacy and toxicity

102

Background: The ToGA study showed trastuzumab plus chemotherapy prolonged OS in patients with HER2-positive AGC. Result of REAL2 study suggested that oxaliplatin may be as effective as cisplatin but more tolerable. To further improve treatment options, we initiated a study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of trastuzumab plus XELOX in Chinese patients with HER2-positive AGC. Methods: Simon two-stage design with primary endpoint of best confirmed response rate by RECIST 1.0 was applied. The sample size is calculated to be 46, assuming H0=40%, H1=60%, a=0.05, b =0.2. Considering 10% drop-out rate, the total number of subjects was planned to be 51. Patients with previously untreated, HER2-positive (IHC2+/Dual SISH positive, or IHC 3+), histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the stomach or gastro-esophageal junction were eligible. Trastuzumab was administered at a loading dose of 8 mg/kg followed by 6 mg/kg infusion every 3 weeks (q3w). Oxaliplatin was administrated as a 130mg/m2 infusion, q3w, up to 6 cycles. Capecitabine was given orally with 2000mg/m2d, d1-14, q3w. Trastuzumab and capecitabine were continued until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The NCI-CTCAE version 4.0 is used to evaluate safety profiles. Results: 72 patients (362 patients at 13 centers were screened) were HER2 positive, of which 51 patients were enrolled. The majority of patients were HER2 IHC 3+ (38/51). Response was evaluated in 46 patients, one patient achieved CR and thirty-three patients achieved PR. Till June 2013, 29 patients progressed, 14 cases died, showing PFS of 312 days (95%CI:211-360). The most common AEs that are higher than grade 3 were thrombocytopenia (21.6%), neutropenia (13.7%), anemia (7.84%), leucopenia (3.92%), nausea/vomiting (3.92%), hand-foot syndrome (3.92%). 6 patients possess LVEF decrease by ≥10% and one patient discontinued trastuzumab infusion. Conclusions: The addition of trastuzumab to XELOX was well tolerated and the results demonstrated encouraging efficacy. Survival benefit of this regimen needs further follow-up of patients to be concluded. Clinical trial information: NCT01364493.