M6PR- and EphB4-Rich Exosomes Secreted by Serglycin-Overexpressing Esophageal Cancer Cells Promote Cancer Progression.

Accumulating evidence shows that exosomes participate in cancer progression. However, the functions of cancer cell exosome-transmitted proteins are rarely studied. Previously, we reported that serglycin () overexpression promotes invasion and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells.

Proteoglycans and their functions in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a highly malignant disease that has a poor prognosis. Its high lethality is mainly due to the lack of symptoms at early stages, which culminates in diagnosis at a late stage when the tumor has already metastasized. Unfortunately, the common cancer biomarkers have low sensitivity and specificity in esophageal cancer.

mTORC2-mediated PDHE1α nuclear translocation links EBV-LMP1 reprogrammed glucose metabolism to cancer metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

EBV infection of preinvasive nasopharyngeal epithelium is believed to be an initiation step during pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we report a novel mechanism driving NPC metastasis through the EBV-encoded LMP1-mediated metabolic reprogramming, via activation of IGF1-mTORC2 signaling and nuclear acetylation of the Snail promoter by the PDHE1α, an enzyme involved in glucose metabolism. Mechanistically, EBV-LMP1 increases the cellular secretion of IGF1 which promotes phosphorylation of IGF1R to activate mTORC2/AKT signaling linking glucose metabolism to cell motility.

Establishment and characterization of new tumor xenografts and cancer cell lines from EBV-positive nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The lack of representative nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) models has seriously hampered research on EBV carcinogenesis and preclinical studies in NPC. Here we report the successful growth of five NPC patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) from fifty-eight attempts of transplantation of NPC specimens into NOD/SCID mice. The take rates for primary and recurrent NPC are 4.

Significance of NF-κB activation in immortalization of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

NF-κB is a key regulator of inflammatory response and is frequently activated in human cancer including the undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), which is common in Southern China including Hong Kong. Activation of NF-κB is common in NPC and may contribute to NPC development. The role of NF-κB activation in immortalization of nasopharyngeal epithelial (NPE) cells, which may represent an early event in NPC pathogenesis, is unknown.

Water extract from Pleurotus pulmonarius with antioxidant activity exerts in vivo chemoprophylaxis and chemosensitization for liver cancer.

Chemoprophylaxis and chemosensitization are promising strategies to combat human cancers. Natural antioxidant agents show great promise in cancer therapy, and the use of edible mushrooms against cancer is receiving more interest globally. In this study, the radical scavenging activities including diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical, and hydrogen peroxide were compared among hot water extracts from 3 edible mushrooms, among which Pleurotus pulmonarius (Pp) possessed the highest antioxidant potential.

Enhanced IL-6/IL-6R signaling promotes growth and malignant properties in EBV-infected premalignant and cancerous nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is etiologically associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. However, the exact role of EBV in NPC pathogenesis remains elusive. Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is common in human cancers including NPC and plays an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of human cancers.

Cyclin D1 overexpression supports stable EBV infection in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

Undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) are commonly present with latent EBV infection. However, events regulating EBV infection at early stages of the disease and the role of EBV in disease pathogenesis are largely undefined. Genetic alterations leading to activation of cyclin D1 signaling in premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial (NPE) cells have been postulated to predispose cells to EBV infection.

Expression of Epstein-Barr virus-encoded LMP1 and hTERT extends the life span and immortalizes primary cultures of nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

Cell immortalization is regarded as an early and pre-requisite step in tumor development. Defining the specific genetic events involved in cell immortalization may provide insights into the early events of carcinogenesis. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is common among the Southern Chinese population.

Epstein-Barr virus infection in immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cells: regulation of infection and phenotypic characterization.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection has been postulated to be an early event involved in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC). The lack of representative premalignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cell system for EBV infection has hampered research investigation into the regulation and involvement of EBV infection in NPC pathogenesis. We have compared the efficiency of EBV infection in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells with different biological properties including immortalized, primary and cancerous nasopharyngeal epithelial cells.

Berberine inhibits Rho GTPases and cell migration at low doses but induces G2 arrest and apoptosis at high doses in human cancer cells.

Berberine is an active ingredient extracted from Coptidis rhizoma which has been used for centuries as a traditional Chinese medicine for treatment of inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have indicated that berberine has anticancer properties. Berberine arrested cell growth and inhibited cell migration in various cancer cell lines.

Id1 overexpression induces tetraploidization and multiple abnormal mitotic phenotypes by modulating aurora A.

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor, Id1, was shown to induce tetraploidy in telomerase-immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cells in this study. Using both transient and stable Id1-expressing cell models, multiple mitotic aberrations were detected, including centrosome amplification, binucleation, spindle defects, and microtubule perturbation. Many of these abnormal phenotypes have previously been reported in cells overexpressing Aurora A.

Establishment and characterization of a human non-small cell lung cancer cell line.

Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide. Although many efforts have been made to explore the mechanisms involved in the development of lung cancer, the genetic events involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer are still unclear. For a better mechanistic scope of study, a well-established cellular model is essential.

Physical status of HPV-16 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated as one of the risk factors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Integration of viral DNA into host genome is essential for carcinogenesis since it promotes disruption of the HPV E2 gene, leading to abnormal expression of E6 and E7 oncoproteins.

Objectives And Study Design: To investigate the viral integration status of HPV-16 infection in ESCC, 35 HPV-positive ESCC specimens collected from Chinese patients were subject to real-time quantitative PCR for determination of physical status of HPV-16 by analyzing the ratios of E2 to E6 genes.

Human papillomavirus infection and loss of heterozygosity in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The incidence/mortality rates of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) vary widely in different parts of China. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered a possible risk factor. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analysis on 87 ESCC specimens collected from three different areas of China showed lower frequency of LOH at marker D3S1621 in Linxian, an area with exceptionally high incidence of ESCC but low HPV infection rate.