Increased expression of DNA repair gene XPF enhances resistance to hydroxycamptothecin in bladder cancer

The roles of risk model based on the 3-XRCC genes in lung adenocarcinoma progression

Background

The abnormal expression of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair genes might be the cause of tumor development and resistance of malignant cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. A risk model based on the X-ray repair of cross-complementary (XRCC) genes was constructed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients.

Methods

The expression levels, diagnostic values, and prognostic values of XRCC genes were identified, and the roles and regulatory mechanisms of the risk model based on the XRCC4/5/6 in LUAD progression was explored via The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Oncomine databases.

Results

XRCC1/2/3/4/5/6, XRCC7 (PRKDC), and XRCC9 (FANCG) were overexpressed, and had diagnostic value for LUAD. The XRCC genes were involved in DNA repair, and participated in the regulation of non-homologous end-joining, homologous recombination, etc. The overall survival (OS), tumor (T) stage, and survival status of patients were significantly different between the Cluster1 and Cluster2 groups. XRCC4/5/6 were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of LUAD patients. The risk score was related to the prognosis, sex, clinical stage, T, lymph node (N), and metastasis (M) stage, as well as the survival status of LUAD patients. The clinical stage and risk score were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in LUAD patients. The risk model was involved in RNA degradation, cell cycle, basal transcription factors, DNA replication etc. The risk scores were significantly correlated with the expression levels of TGFBR1, CD160, TNFSF4, TNFRSF14, IL6R, CXCL16, TNFRSF25, TAPBP, CCL16, and CCL14.

Conclusions

The risk model based on the XRCC4/5/6 genes could predict the progression of LUAD patients.

The Application Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing on General Anesthesia Combined with Epidural Anesthesia and Electric Resection for the Treatment of Bladder Cancer and Its Influence on Tumor Markers

Objective

To explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine nursing on general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and electric resection to treat bladder cancer and its influence on tumor markers.

Methods

A total of 160 patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who underwent general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and resection were included in this study. The patients were divided into control group (n = 80) and study group (n = 80) according to the random number table method. The control group received hydroxycamptothecin bladder perfusion therapy, and the study group received traditional Chinese medicine nursing combined with hydroxycamptothecin bladder perfusion therapy. The clinical efficacy, three-year cumulative survival rate, and postoperative recurrence rate of the two groups of patients were detected. The levels of tumor markers including vascular endothelial growth factor (VECF) and bladder tumor antigen (BTA) before and after treatment were also tested. The immune function, inflammatory factor levels, and quality of life of the two groups before and after treatment were evaluated.

Results

The total effective rate of the study group (83.75%) was significantly higher than that of the control group (58.75%). After treatment, the serum VEGF and BTA levels, inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels of the two groups of patients decreased, and the decrease in the study group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of CD3+, CD4+, and CD4+/CD8+ in the two groups increased (P < 0.05), and the increase in the study group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the CD8+ levels of the two groups of patients decreased (P < 0.05), and the decrease in the study group was more significant than that in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the quality-of-life scores in both groups increased (P < 0.05), and the increase in the study group was even more significant (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Traditional Chinese medicine nursing has significant clinical effects on the treatment of bladder cancer with general anesthesia combined with epidural anesthesia and electric resection. It can more effectively prevent the risk of recurrence of bladder cancer after surgery, significantly improve the quality of life, improve immune system function, regulate the levels of VECF and BTA, effectively reduce the level of serum inflammatory factors, inhibit tumor progression, and reduce tumor viability.

Oncoprotein 18 is necessary for malignant cell proliferation in bladder cancer cells and serves as a G3-specific non-invasive diagnostic marker candidate in urinary RNA

Background

Urine-based diagnostics indicated involvement of oncoprotein 18 (OP18) in bladder cancer. In cell culture models we investigated the role of OP18 for malignant cell growth.

Methods

We analyzed 113 urine samples and investigated two human BCa cell lines as a dual model: RT-4 and ECV-304, which represented differentiated (G1) and poorly differentiated (G3) BCa. We designed specific siRNA for down-regulation of OP18 in both cell lines. Phenotypes were characterized by cell viability, proliferation, and expression of apoptosis-related genes. Besides, sensitivity to cisplatin treatment was evaluated.

Results

Analysis of urine samples from patients with urothelial BCa revealed a significant correlation of the RNA-ratio OP18:uroplakin 1A with bladder cancer. High urinary ratios were mainly found in moderately to poorly differentiated tumors (grade G2-3) that were muscle invasive (stage T2-3), whereas samples from patients with more differentiated non-invasive BCa (G1) showed low OP18:UPK1A RNA ratios. Down-regulation of OP18 expression in ECV-304 shifted its phenotype towards G1 state. Further, OP18-directed siRNA induced apoptosis and increased chemo-sensitivity to cisplatin.

Conclusions

This study provides conclusive experimental evidence for the link between OP18-derived RNA as a diagnostic marker for molecular staging of BCa in non-invasive urine-based diagnostics and the patho-mechanistic role of OP18 suggesting this gene as a therapeutic target.

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K is associated with poor prognosis and regulates proliferation and apoptosis in bladder cancer

Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNPK) is an essential RNA- and DNA-binding protein that regulates diverse biological events, especially DNA transcription. hnRNPK overexpression is related to tumorigenesis in several cancers. However, both the expression patterns and biological mechanisms of hnRNPK in bladder cancer are unclear. We investigated hnRNPK expression by immunohistochemistry in 188 patients with bladder cancer, and found that hnRNPK expression levels were significantly increased in bladder cancer tissues and that high-hnRNPK expression was closely correlated with poor prognosis. Loss- and gain-of-function assays demonstrated that hnRNPK promoted proliferation, anti-apoptosis, and chemoresistance in bladder cancer cells in vitro, and hnRNPK knockdown suppressed tumorigenicity in vivo. Mechanistically, hnRNPK regulated various functions in bladder cancer by directly mediating cyclin D1, G0/G1 switch 2 (G0S2), XIAP-associated factor 1, and ERCC excision repair 4, endonuclease catalytic subunit (ERCC4) transcription. In conclusion, we discovered that hnRNPK plays an important role in bladder cancer, suggesting that it is a potential prognostic marker and a promising target for treating bladder cancer.

Attenuated NER expressions of XPF and XPC associated with smoking are involved in the recurrence of bladder cancer

The varied NER genes and smoking are two important risk factors of bladder cancer, but the mechanism of the NER protein and smoking in cancer progression, however, remains unclear. In this report, we compared the expressions of NER genes in 79 bladder cancer tissues with or without any recurrence by real-time PCR and then analyzed the varied NER genes by immunochemistry in 219 bladder cancer tissue samples. Based on the clinical data, we analyzed the clinical value of varied NER genes and smoking in 219 bladder cancers by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression. We found the expressions of the NER gene XPF and XPC were significantly lower in bladder cancer tissues with a recurrence compared with those without a recurrence at mRNA level. Also, the patients with the XPF and XPC defect had a statistically significant lower median recurrence-free survival time than those without the XPF and XPC defect, and smoking can make this difference more remarkable. Our results suggest that XPF and XPC expression may be a potential predictive factor for bladder cancer, and smoking can not only influence the recurrence of bladder cancer as a single factor but also aggravate the results of the XPF defect and XPC defect.

New type of BACE1 siRNA delivery to cells

BACKGROUND

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) gene therapy is a new molecular approach in the search for an efficient therapy for Alzheimer disease (AD), based on the principle of RNA interference. Reducing BACE activity can have great therapeutic potential for the treatment of AD. In this study, receptor-mediated delivery was used to deliver opioid peptide-conjugated BACE 1 to INR-32 human neuroblastoma cells.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An INR-32 human neuroblastoma cell line was stably transfected to express the APP cDNA coding fragment containing the predicted sites for cleavage by α, β, or γ-secretase. This was then treated with BACE 1 siRNA to silence BACE gene expression. BACE gene transcription and translation was determined using BACE-1 siRNA cross-linked with opioid peptide, together with RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and ELISA.

RESULTS

Receptor-mediated delivery was used to introduce BACE1 siRNA to the APP - INR 32 human neuroblastoma cells. Decreased BACE mRNA and protein expression were observed after the cells were transfected with BACE1 siRNA.

CONCLUSIONS

Delivery of BACE1 siRNA appears to specifically reduce the cleavage of APP by inhibiting BACE1 activity.

SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism is associated with bladder cancer risk: a meta-analysis

Background

The evidence of an association between the Sulfotransferase 1A1 (SULT1A1) Arg213His polymorphism (rs9282861) and bladder cancer risk is still conflicting. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the association between this polymorphism and bladder cancer risk.

Material/Methods

PubMed, EMBASE, HuGE Navigator, and Web of Science databases were searched for correlative articles. The risk (odds ratio, OR) was used to estimate the association between SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism and bladder cancer risk. All of the studies used either fixed-effects or random-effects models. For assessing the credibility of an association, we applied the Venice criteria.

Results

Seven published case-control studies with 1688 cases and 2842 controls were included in this meta-analysis. There were 5 studies of Caucasians and 2 studies of Asians. Four studies reported data on smoking behavior. The percentage of Arg/Arg was higher in Asians and non-smokers than that in Caucasians and smokers, respectively. A significant association of this polymorphism with bladder cancer was found (OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.18–1.78, P=0.0004). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, a significant association was found among Caucasians (OR=1.43, 95% CI 1.16–1.77, P=0.0008) but not among Asians (OR=1.89, 95% CI 0.68–5.26, P=0.22). In the subgroup analysis by smoking behavior, increased bladder cancer risk was found in the smokers (OR=1.39, 95% CI 1.01–1.91, P=0.04) and non-smokers (OR=1.74, 95% CI 1.24–2.43, P=0.001).

Conclusions

In conclusion, this meta-analysis indicated that SULT1A1 Arg213His polymorphism is associated with bladder cancer risk.

Aberrant methylation of CDH13 is a potential biomarker for predicting the recurrence and progression of non muscle invasive bladder cancer

Background

CDH13 is a novel tumor suppressor gene often inactivated by aberrant promoter methylation in human cancers. Previous studies have shown that CDH13 methylation correlated with advanced disease and poor prognosis in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The aim of the current study was to investigate the correlations between CDH13 methylation and disease recurrence as well as progression of NMIBC.

Material/Methods

The methylation status of CDH13 in 178 NMIBC samples and 38 normal bladder epithelial tissues was examined by methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and then correlated with clinicopathological features.

Results

We found that CDH13 methylation occurs frequently in NMIBC, and significantly correlates with high grade, advanced stage, larger tumor size, and tumor recurrence and progression. Moreover, patients with methylated CDH13 exhibited significantly shorter recurrence-free survival (P<0.0001) and progression-free survival (P=0.0060) than patients with unmethylated CDH13. In addition, a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis suggests that CDH13 methylation is an independent predictor for the recurrence (P=0.0043) and progression (P=0.0016) of NMIBC after initial transurethral resection.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate that CDH13 methylation is a frequent event in NMIBC, and is associated with unfavorable tumor features. It should be used as an independent predictor for the recurrence and progression of NMIBC, and may be useful for the design of individualized therapeutic modalities.

Association of DNA repair gene polymorphisms with response to chemotherapy and prognosis of gastric cancer in a Chinese population

We conducted a study to investigate the role of excision repair cross-complimentary group 1 gene (ERCC1)-xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group F (XPF) gene polymorphisms in response to chemotherapy and clinical outcome of gastric patients. Three SNPs in ERCC1 (rs11615, rs3212986, and rs2298881) and two SNPs in XPF (rs2276465 and rs6498486) were extracted using Tiangen DNA kit (Tiangen Biotech, Beijing, China) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The median follow-up time was 36.4 months, and ranged from 2-60 months. During the follow-up period, 112 patients died from gastric cancer. Individuals carrying ERCC1 rs11615 AA and XPF rs6498486 CC genotypes were associated with poorer response to chemotherapy when compared with wild-type genotype, with the ORs (95 % CI) of 0.48 (0.25-0.94) and 0.38 (0.14-1.00). In the Cox proportional hazards model, individuals carrying ERCC1 rs11615 GA and AA genotype had 1.91 and 2.66 risk of death when compared with those carrying GG genotype. Patients carrying the XPF rs6498486 AC and CC genotype were associate with 2.17 and 4.91-fold risk of death when compared with wild-type genotype. In conclusion, we found that ERCC1 rs11615 and XPF rs2276465 may substantially contribute to the future design of individualized cancer treatment in gastric cancer patients.