Expression of livin in renal cell carcinoma and detection of anti-livin autoantibody in patients

Therapeutic Efficacy of YM155 to Regulate an Epigenetic Enzyme in Major Subtypes of RCC

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer and includes more than 10 subtypes. Compared to the intensively investigated clear cell RCC (ccRCC), the underlying mechanisms and treatment options of other subtypes, including papillary RCC (pRCC) and chromogenic RCC (chRCC), are limited. In this study, we analyzed the public databases for ccRCC, pRCC, and chRCC and found that BIRC5 was commonly overexpressed in a large cohort of pRCC and chRCC patients as well as ccRCC and was closely related to the progression of RCCs. We investigated the potential of BIRC5 as a therapeutic target for these three types of RCCs. Loss and gain of function studies showed the critical role of BIRC5 in cancer growth. YM155, a BIRC5 inhibitor, induced a potent tumor-suppressive effect in the three types of RCC cells and xenograft models. To determine the mechanism underlying the anti-tumor effects of YM155, we examined epigenetic modifications in the BIRC5 promoter and found that histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27Ac) was highly enriched on the promoter region of BIRC5. Chromatin-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that H3K27Ac enrichment was significantly decreased by YM155. Immunohistochemistry of xenografted tissue showed that overexpression of BIRC5 plays an important role in malignancy in RCC. Furthermore, high expression of P300 was significantly associated with the progression of RCC. Our findings demonstrate the P300-H3K27Ac-BIRC5 cascade in three types of RCC and provide a therapeutic path for future research on RCC.

Screening of autoantibodies as biomarkers in the serum of renal cancer patients based on human proteome microarray

The autoantibody in patients' serum can act as a biomarker for diagnosing cancer, and the differences in autoantibodies are significantly correlated with the changes in their target proteins. In this study, 16 renal cancer (RC) patients were assigned to the disease group, and 16 healthy people were assigned to the healthy control (HC) group. The human proteome microarray consisting of>19,500 proteins was used to examine the differences in IgG and IgM autoantibodies in sera between RC and HC. The comparative analysis of the microarray results shows that 101 types of IgG and 25 types of IgM autoantibodies are significantly higher in RC than in HC. Highly responsive autoantibodies can be candidate biomarkers (e.g., anti-KCNAB2 IgG and anti-RCN1 IgM). Extensive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed to screen sera in 72 RC patients and 66 healthy volunteers to verify the effectiveness of the new autoantibodies. The AUCs of anti-KCNAB2 IgG and anti-GAPDH IgG were 0.833 and 0.753, respectively. KCNAB2 achieves high protein expression, and its high mRNA level is confirmed to be an unfavorable prognostic marker in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tissues. This study suggests that the high-throughput human proteome microarray can effectively screen autoantibodies in serum as candidate biomarkers, and their corresponding target proteins can lay a basis for the in-depth investigation into renal cancer.

Autoantibody against arrestin-1 as a potential biomarker of renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the second-most common uronephrological cancer. In the absence of specific symptoms, early diagnosis of RCC is challenging. Monitoring of the aberrant expression of tumour-associated antigens (TAAs) and related autoantibody response is considered as a novel approach of RCC diagnostics. The aim of this study was to examine the aberrant expression of arrestin-1 in renal tumours, to investigate the possible epigenetic mechanism underlying arrestin-1 expression, and to assess the frequency of anti-arrestin-1 autoantibody response. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the presence of arrestin-1 in primary tumours and metastases of 39 patients with RCC and renal oncocytoma. Bisulfite sequencing was employed to analyse the methylation status of the promoter of the SAG gene encoding arrestin-1. Western blot analysis was performed to detect autoantibodies against arrestin-1 in serum samples of 36 RCC and oncocytoma patients. Arrestin-1 was found to be expressed in RCC (58.7% of cases) and renal oncocytoma (90% of cases) cells, while being absent in healthy kidney. The expression of arrestin-1 in RCC metastases was more prominent than in primary tumours. Hypomethylation of the SAG gene promoter is unlikely to be the mechanism for the aberrant expression of arrestin-1. Autoantibodies against arrestin-1 were detected in sera of 75% of RCC patients. Taken together, our findings suggest employment of autoantibody against arrestin-1 as biomarker of RCC.

Study on the relationship between livin expression and osteosarcoma

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this meta-analysis was to analysis the expression of livin in human osteosarcoma.

METHODS

We searched the Pubmed, Science Direct, Embase and Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang and VIP for relevant original studies. Statistical analysis was performed by Stata 11.0 software.

RESULTS

Our study indicated that livin expressed in the osteosarcoma tissue was significantly higher than the control group (OR = 18.814, P c = 0.000, 95% CI: 10.973-32.257), and the positive expression of livin was correlated with the size of osteosarcoma tumor and Enncking staging (OR = 4.832, 95% CI: 2.198-10.621; OR = 4.851, 95% CI: 3.053-7.709, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Livin was highly expressed in osteosarcoma, and osteosarcoma Enncking staging and tumor size were positively correlated, both may be involved in the occurrence and development of osteosarcoma, and be closely related to the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients.

Silencing Livin induces apoptotic and autophagic cell death, increasing chemotherapeutic sensitivity to cisplatin of renal carcinoma cells

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 3 % of all adult malignancies and is the most lethal urological cancer. Livin is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family, which is associated with tumor resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Clinical data also showed that patients with high tumor grades and stages have higher expression levels of Livin in RCC cells. Autophagy is a survival mechanism activated in response to nutrient deprivation. A possible role of Livin in the autophagy of RCC cells has not been investigated; therefore, this pioneer study was carried out. Livin was silenced in RCC cells (slow virus infection [SVI]-shLivin cells) by lentiviral transfection. Then, mRNA and protein expression levels in the transfected cells were assessed by quantitative fluorescence PCR and Western blotting, respectively. In addition, acridine orange staining and electron microscopy were used to assess autophagy in SVI-shLivin cells. The cisplatin IC50 values for RCC cells were measured by the CCK8 assay. Potent antitumor activities were observed in xenograft mouse models generated with Livin-silenced RCC cells in terms of delayed tumor onset and suppressed tumor growth. These results suggested that Livin silencing could increase the chemotherapeutic sensitivity of RCC cells to cisplatin and induce autophagic cell death. A possible mechanism of Bcl-2 and Akt pathway involvement was discussed specifically in this study. Overall, Livin silencing induces apoptotic and autophagic cell death and increases chemotherapeutic sensitivity of RCC cells to cisplatin.

Inhibition of Jak-STAT3 pathway enhances bufalin-induced apoptosis in colon cancer SW620 cells

Background

The purpose of the research is to investigate the roles of Jak-STAT3 signaling pathway in bufalin-induced apoptosis in colon cancer SW620 cells.

Methods

The inhibitory effects of bufalin on cell proliferation were determined by MTT (Methyl thiazolyltetrazolium) assay. The morphological changes of cells were measured by Wright-Giemsa staining. The cell cycle arrest and apoptosis were tested by flow cytometry analysis. Western Blot was used to determine the protein expression of the apoptosis inhibitors livin and caspase-3, the apoptosis-related proteins Bax and Bcl-2, as well as the key protein kinases in the Jak-stat3 signaling pathway, stat3 and p-stat3.

Results

(1) Bufalin inhibited the proliferation of SW620 cells. IC50 at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h were 76.72 ± 6.21 nmol/L, 34.05 ± 4.21 nmol/L and 16.7 ± 6.37 nmol/L. (2) Bufalin induced SW620 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, indicated by the appearance of apoptotic bodies; (3) The results from flow cytometry demonstrated that there was cell cycle G2/M phase arrest in 20 nmol/L bufalin treatment group (36.29 ± 2.11% vs 18.39 ± 1.74%, P<0.01); there was a sub-diploid apoptosis peak in 80 nmol/L bufalin treatment group (19.69 ± 1.63% vs 0.99 ± 0.23%, P <0.01). The apoptosis rate was 34.63 ± 2.57% (vs 19.69 ± 1.63%, P = 0.002) in JAK kinase inhibitor AG490 plus bufalin treatment group. (4) During the process of bufalin-induced apoptosis in SW620 cells, transient activation of p-stat3 inhibited the activation of stat3, up-regulated Bax expression, down-regulated livin and Bcl-2 expression (P<0.01), and activated caspase-3. Inhibition of Jak-stat3 signaling pathway by pre-treatment with AG490 significantly enhanced the bufalin-induced apoptosis (P<0.01), further up-regulated Bax protein expression, down-regulated livin and Bcl-2 protein expression and enhanced caspase-3 activation.

Conclusions

Bufalin not only inhibited the growth of colon cancer SW620 cells, but also induced apoptosis of SW620 cells. Activation of caspase-3, up-regulation of Bax, down-regulation of livin and Bcl-2, as well as inhibition of Jak-stat3 signaling pathway might be the important mechanisms for the bufalin-induced apoptosis.

Prognostic biomarkers of renal cell carcinoma: Recent advances

Recent advances in understanding the characteristics of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have brought to our attention many prognostic markers that affect and predict the survival outcome of patients with the disease. For the moment, however, patients with RCC have not received any benefit from such markers. If a patient is diagnosed as “high risk” by using such prognostic markers, there is no promising systemic therapy available. In this review we mainly focus on biomarkers of RCC that can be applied for therapeutic use reported in recent publications. Several issues and limitations in the reported studies are also highlighted and discussed. Developing biomarkers from the viewpoint of therapeutic application will lead to improvement of the prognosis of RCC patients.

Epidemiologic perspective on immune-surveillance in cancer

Common 'themes' in epidemiology related to cancer risk beg a comprehensive mechanistic explanation. As people age, risk for cancer increases. Obesity and smoking increase the risk for many types of cancer. History of febrile childhood diseases lowers the risk for melanomas, leukemias, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), and ovarian cancer. Increasing number of ovulatory cycles uninterrupted by pregnancies correlate positively with breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer risk while pregnancies and breastfeeding lower the risk for these cancers as well as cancers of the colon, lung, pancreas, and NHL. Chronic inflammatory events such as endometriosis or mucosal exposure to talc increase the risk for several types of cancer. Mechanisms so far considered are site specific and do not explain multiple associations. We propose that most of these events affect cancer immunosurveillance by changing the balance between an effective immune response and immune tolerance of an emerging cancer. We review recently published data that suggest that immune mechanisms underlie most of these observed epidemiologic associations with cancer risk.

Autoantibody against hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase-3 is a potential serological marker for renal cell carcinoma

PURPOSE

To verify the efficacy of a serum autoantibody against hypoxia-inducible factor prolyl hydroxylase-3 (PHD3) as a serological marker for RCC.

METHODS

Serum samples and surgically resected tumor tissue specimens were obtained from 22 patients with primary RCC, 15 of whom underwent radical nephrectomy and 7 partial nephrectomy. Preoperative serum samples were obtained just before tumor resection. Postoperative serum samples were obtained from 17 patients at least 1 month after tumor removal. Serum samples were also obtained from 26 healthy volunteers. Titers of the anti-PHD3 antibody (Ab) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Serum anti-PHD3 Ab titers were significantly higher in patients with RCC than in healthy volunteers (0.610 ± 0.023 vs. 0.591 ± 0.031, P = 0.0001). Using a cutoff point of 0.599, sensitivity, specificity, and positivity for prediction of RCC were 86.4, 57.7, and 63.3%, respectively. In all 17 patients, titers of serum anti-PHD3 were decreased after the surgical resection compared with those before operation (0.622 ± 0.023 vs. 0.580 ± 0.024, P = 0.0003).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study suggests that the anti-PHD3 Ab may be a novel serological marker for RCC and the titer may reflect the tumor burden in each individual.

Expression of inhibitor of apoptosis protein Livin in gastric cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissue

AIM: To detect the expression of Livin protein in gastric cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissue, and to analyze its prognostic significance by exploring the relationship between Livin expression and the biological behavior of gastric cancer.

METHODS: The expression of Livin was detected by immunohistochemistry (streptavidin-peroxidase method) in 50 gastric cancer and matched adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples. Quantitative analysis of Livin expression was performed with the Image-Pro Plus 6.0 software. The significance of Livin expression in gastric cancer was then analyzed.

RESULTS: The integrated absorbance (IA) value of Livin staining in gastric cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent non-cancerous tissue (283 270.55 ± 199 604.16 vs 6 878.08 ± 9 214.56, P < 0.01). The IA value was lower in well and moderately differentiated cancer tissue than in poorly and undifferentiated tissue (41 288.94 ± 27 891.09 vs 359 690.5 ± 166 583.17, P < 0.01), in cancer tissue not invading the serosal layer than in that invading the serosal layer (T_3-4) (85 529.62 ± 115 287.42 vs 360 174.77 ± 170 507.09, P < 0.01), and in gastric cancer without lymph node metastasis than in that with lymph node metastasis (148 547.51 ± 152 479.47 vs 380 949.72 ± 171 073.92, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: Livin protein is highly expressed in gastric cancer. Livin expression is significantly associated with tumor differentiation, infiltration and lymph node metastasis in gastric caner. Livin protein may be used as a prognostic marker for gastric cancer.

The functioning antigens: beyond just as the immunological targets

Antigenic peptides derived from tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) facilitate peptide cancer vaccine therapies. With the recent progress in cancer immunity research, huge amounts of antigenic peptides have already been reported. Clinical trials using such peptides are underway now all over the world. Some reports have shown the efficacy of peptide vaccine therapies. However, others ended with unfavorable results, suggesting fundamental underlying problems. One major mechanism that negates the peptide vaccine therapy is tumor escape from immunological systems caused by loss of antigens. TAAs that are used in cancer vaccine therapies may be divided into two major groups: functioning antigens and nonfunctioning antigens. A 'functioning antigen' could be defined as a TAA that is essential for tumor growth, is expressed in several kinds of malignancies and shows homogenous expression in cancerous tissues. It is not difficult to imagine that antigen loss will occur easily with non-functioning antigens as a target of cancer vaccine therapy. Thus, it is essential to use functioning antigens for successful cancer vaccine therapy. In this review, we discuss the functioning antigens and their categorization in detail.

High nuclear Livin expression is a favourable prognostic indicator in renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

To assess the protein expression of Livin, an apoptosis inhibitor, in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and to determine its prognostic relevance.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Immunohistochemical staining for Livin was performed in tissue microarrays (TMAs), including tumour tissue cores, from patients with RCC who had undergone renal surgery. In 682 TMAs cytoplasmatic staining intensity and nuclear staining quantity were evaluated, and the association of Livin expression with progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was analysed with a multivariate Cox regression model.

RESULTS

Over a median (range) follow-up of 5.2 (0-16.1) years, 204 patients (28%) had died from their disease. The CSS rates at 1 and 5 years for the entire cohort was 88% and 71%. Cytoplasmatic Livin staining was absent in 516 (76%) specimens; staining was positive in 166 (24%) specimens. Weak nuclear Livin staining (<or=25%) was present in 571 (84%) specimens, strong nuclear staining (26-100%) in 111 (16%). In multivariate analysis, high (>25%) nuclear Livin expression was a favourable independent predictor of PFS and CSS even after adjusting for tumour stage, Fuhrman grade, age, sex and Karnofsky severity rating. Cytoplasmatic Livin expression did not offer additional prognostic information.

CONCLUSION

High nuclear Livin expression is a favourable independent predictor of PFS and CSS in patients with RCC.