Subtypes of Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cell Lines React Differently to Eribulin Mesylate.

Background/aim: Diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with adverse prognosis, particularly in cases of chemotherapy resistance. The goal of this analysis was to compare TNBC vs. non-TNBC cell lines and those of distinct TNBC subtypes with regard to sensitivity to eribulin in vitro.

Immune escape and survival mechanisms in circulating tumor cells of colorectal cancer.

The prognosis of colorectal cancer is closely linked to the occurrence of distant metastases. Systemic dissemination is most likely caused by circulating tumor cells (CTC). Despite the fundamental role of CTC within the metastatic cascade, technical obstacles have so far prevented detailed genomic and, in particular, phenotypic analyses of CTC, which may provide molecular targets to delay or prevent distant metastases.

Expression analysis of aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) in colon and rectal cancer in association with prognosis and response to chemotherapy.

Background: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A1 (ALDH1A1) has been described as a cancer stem cell marker and as a regulator of cellular chemoresistance. Therefore, ALDH1A1 has been suggested as potential biomarker to stratify patients into different risk categories for a "personalized" therapy approach. We have investigated the prognostic role of ALDH1A1 in primary colorectal cancer and its value in predicting response to chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

Loss of the oxygen sensor PHD3 enhances the innate immune response to abdominal sepsis.

Hypoxia and HIFs (HIF-1α and HIF-2α) modulate innate immune responses in the setting of systemic inflammatory responses and sepsis. The HIF prolyl hydroxylase enzymes PHD1, PHD2 and PHD3 regulate the mammalian adaptive response to hypoxia; however, their significance in the innate immune response has not been elucidated. We demonstrate in this study that deficiency of PHD3 (PHD3(-/-)) specifically shortens the survival of mice subjected to various models of abdominal sepsis because of an overwhelming innate immune response, leading to premature organ dysfunction.

T cell responses against microsatellite instability-induced frameshift peptides and influence of regulatory T cells in colorectal cancer.

High-level microsatellite-unstable (MSI-H) colorectal carcinomas (CRC) represent a distinct subtype of tumors commonly characterized by dense infiltration with cytotoxic T cells, most likely due to expression of MSI-H-related frameshift peptides (FSP). The contribution of FSP and classical antigens like MUC1 and CEA to the cellular immune response against MSI-H CRC had not been analyzed so far. We analyzed tumor-infiltrating and peripheral T cells from MSI-H (n = 4 and n = 14, respectively) and microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumor patients (n = 26 and n = 17) using interferon gamma ELISpot assays.

Overexpression of RalBP1 in colorectal cancer is an independent predictor of poor survival and early tumor relapse.

The non-ABC transport protein RalBP1 has been shown to be overexpressed in various cancer cell lines and implicated in the process of metastasis formation, but its expression in tissue samples and prognostic significance has not been shown. In this study matched tumor-mucosa tissue samples from 78 CRC patients were investigated. The RalBP1 mRNA and protein levels were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and ELISA.

Biology and significance of circulating and disseminated tumour cells in colorectal cancer.

Purpose: More than 130 years ago, circulating tumour cells (CTCs) and disseminated tumour cells (DTCs) have been linked to metastasis. Since then, a myriad of studies attempted to characterise and elucidate the clinical impact of CTCs/DTCs, amongst others in colorectal cancer (CRC). Due to a flood of heterogeneous findings regarding CTCs/DTCs in CRC, this review aims to describe the known facts about CTC/DTC biology and clinical impact.

Compartmental differences of circulating tumor cells in colorectal cancer.

Background: The prognostic role of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) has been established for colorectal cancer (CRC). We investigated the qualitative and quantitative detection of CTC in the central (CVBC) and mesenteric (MVBC) venous blood compartments to elucidate the patterns of hematogenous tumor cell dissemination in patients with CRC.

Methods: A total of 200 patients were enrolled prospectively.

Overexpression of ZEB2 at the invasion front of colorectal cancer is an independent prognostic marker and regulates tumor invasion in vitro.

Purpose: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in tumor invasion and dissemination. EMT occurs predominantly at the tumor edge where it is induced by cytokines, the extracellular matrix environment, or hypoxia. In the tumor cell, it is further mediated by several transcription factors and microRNAs.

Sulindac sulfide reverses aberrant self-renewal of progenitor cells induced by the AML-associated fusion proteins PML/RARα and PLZF/RARα.

Chromosomal translocations can lead to the formation of chimeric genes encoding fusion proteins such as PML/RARα, PLZF/RARα, and AML-1/ETO, which are able to induce and maintain acute myeloid leukemia (AML). One key mechanism in leukemogenesis is increased self renewal of leukemic stem cells via aberrant activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. Either X-RAR, PML/RARα and PLZF/RARα or AML-1/ETO activate Wnt signaling by upregulating γ-catenin and β-catenin.

A gene signature distinguishing CD133hi from CD133- colorectal cancer cells: essential role for EGR1 and downstream factors.

Aims: In colorectal cancer (CRC), CD133 expression is an independent prognostic marker associated with adverse clinical outcome. The CD133 epitope AC133 allowed isolating stem cells from normal and cancerous tissues, although its use in colon was questioned. We aimed to identify differences between AC133 and AC133 cells.

Expression and possible functions of the cholinergic system in a murine embryonic stem cell line.

The expression of a cholinergic system during embryonic development is a widespread phenomenon. However, no precise function could be assigned to it during early pre-neural stages and there are only few studies that document when it precisely starts to be expressed. Here, we examined the expression of cholinergic components in a murine embryonic stem cell line by RT-PCR, histochemistry, and enzyme activity measurements; the acetylcholine (ACh) content was measured by HPLC.

On functions of cholinesterases during embryonic development.

Expression of cholinesterase (ChE) activity during phases of embryonic development is a general phenomenon in embryonic tissues. To elucidate the role(s) of ChEs during embryonic development, one line of research followed the assumption of a primitive muscarinic system involved in morphogenesis (Hohmann et al., 1995).