Meta-analysis of the association between three microRNA polymorphisms and breast cancer susceptibility.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in three microRNAs (miRNAs), rs2910164 in miR-146a, rs11614913 in miR-196a2, and rs3746444 in miR-499, have been associated with breast cancer (BC) susceptibility, but the evidence is conflicting. To obtain a more robust assessment of the association between these miRNA variants and BC risk, we carried out a meta-analysis through systematic literature retrieval from the PubMed and Embase databases. A total of 9 case-control studies on rs2910164, 12 on rs11614913, and 7 on rs3746444 were included.

Is adjuvant chemotherapy necessary for patients with microinvasive breast cancer after surgery?

Objective: Survival and treatment of patients with microinvasive breast cancer (MIBC) remain controversial. In this paper, we evaluated whether adjuvant chemotherapy is necessary for patients with MIBC to identify risk factors influencing its prognosis and decide the indication for adjuvant chemotherapy.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 108 patients with MIBC were recruited according to seventh edition of the staging manual of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC).

Predictive value of K-ras and PIK3CA in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with EGFR-TKIs: a systemic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: A meta-analysis was performed to augment the insufficient data on the impact of mutative EGFR downstream phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways on the clinical efficiency of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Methods: Network databases were explored in April, 2015. Papers that investigated the clinical outcomes of NSCLC patients treated with EGFR-TKIs according to the status of K-ras and/or PIK3CA gene mutation were included.

Overweight patients achieve ideal body weight following curative gastrectomy resulting in better long-term prognosis.

Background: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and long-term outcome in gastric cancer patients following radical gastrectomy continues to be debated. We investigated the association between BMI, clinicopathological features, and prognosis in Chinese gastric carcinoma patients.

Methods: A retrospective consecutive cohort study was performed on 1,296 patients who underwent gastrectomy with curative intent at the Tianjin Cancer Institute Hospital between 1999 and 2004.

IDO⁺ DCs and signalling pathways.

Dendritic cells (DCs) have traditionally been viewed as constituting an 'information management' system that functions solely to integrate a diverse array of incoming signals, in order to induce immune reactivity. In recent years, however, there has been a shift towards viewing these cells as key regulators in the orchestration of immunological tolerance, with increasing recognition that they are capable of suppressing T-cell responses depending on signalling processes and localised biochemical conditions. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) competent (IDO⁺) DCs are a subset of human DCs which are programmed to a tolerogenic state and play a vital role in establishing and maintaining a tumour-suppressing milieu.

MiR-205 in cancer: an angel or a devil?

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate their target genes expression at the post-transcriptional level. As accumulating properties of miR-205 have been identified, complex roles of miR-205 in tumor initiation and progression are emerging. MiR-205 acts either as a tumor suppressor through inhibiting proliferation and invasion, or as an oncogene through facilitating tumor initiation and proliferation, depending on the specific tumor context and target genes.

Interferon-λs: special immunomodulatory agents and potential therapeutic targets.

Interferon (IFN)-λs are a new addition to the old IFN family and share many similarities, such as antiviral and antiproliferative characteristics, with type I IFNs. IFN-λs also exhibit unique characteristics in immunomodulation. Accumulating studies have indicated the interactions between IFN-λs and immune cells, which lead to the regulation of the latter.

Combined Erlotinib and Cetuximab overcome the acquired resistance to epidermal growth factor receptors tyrosine kinase inhibitor in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells with somatic mutations in epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) are initially susceptible to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI); however, eventually resistance to TKI is developed in these cells, which leads to the failure of treatment. The most common mechanism of this acquired drug resistance is development of a secondary T790M mutation in EGFR. In this study, we investigated the effects of the combination of Erlotinib and Cetuximab on T790M and L858R mutation lung cancer cells lines (H1975), in the primary NSCLC cells with the T790M mutation and TKI-resistant EGFR mutations human tumor xenograft model (H1975).

How do tumor stem cells actively escape from host immunosurveillance?

Tumor stem cells (TSCs) are considered as the "seeds" in tumor development, metastasis and recurrence. Despite the various immunosurveillance mechanisms in the host, TSCs may possess the phenotypic and functional properties to evade host immunosurveillance and immune-mediated rejection in immunologically intact individuals. The mechanisms of TSC recognition and their consequent destruction are actively disturbed by various processes, including altered immunogenicity of TSCs, production of TSC-derived regulatory molecules, and interaction of TSCs with tumor-infiltrating immune cells.

[Expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase and its correlation with prognosis in breast cancer patients].

Objective: To investigate the expression of indoleamine 2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO) in breast cancer and its correlation with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis.

Methods: The expression of IDO, CD31, CD105 proteins in 40 specimens of breast cancer were assessed by immunohistochemistry.

Results: The overexpression rate of IDO in breast cancer was 67.

Role of SOCS1 in tumor progression and therapeutic application.

SOCS1, a prototype molecule of the SOCS family, was initially defined as a suppressor of cytokine signaling. The molecular mechanisms of SOCS1-mediated functions have been subsequently identified by studies using gene knockout mice and gene silencing technology. As part of a negative feedback regulation, SOCS1 downregulates cytokine signaling through direct inhibition of the JAK tyrosine kinase and the signaling cascade of activated cytokine receptors, thereby attenuating cytokine-initiated signal transduction.

Efficacy of large doses of IL-2-activated human leukocyte antigen haploidentical peripheral blood stem cells on refractory metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Traditional immunotherapy for patients with refractory metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is limited because the tumors themselves induce immunosuppression. The aim of this article was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the infusion of a high dose of interleukin (IL)-2-activated allogeneic haploidentical peripheral blood stem cells (haplo-PBSCs) in patients with advanced intractable RCC. Ten advanced RCC patients and their haploidentical relatives, who were haplo-PBSC donors, were enrolled in this study.

Up-regulation of the expression of S100A8 and S100A9 in lung adenocarcinoma and its correlation with inflammation and other clinical features.

Background: S100A8 and S100A9 are two members of the S100 protein family characterized by the presence of two Ca2+-binding sites of the EF-hand type. Previous studies suggested that the whole S100 family displays significant functions in tumor growth, progression and invasion. This study aimed to determine the expression of the two indices of the family, S100A8 and S100A9, in lung cancer tissues and normal lung tissues and its correlation with clinical features.

[A preliminary study on the effects of feto-maternal microchimerism in activated human leukocyte antigen haploidentical mobilized peripheral blood stem cells on treatment of solid tumors].

Objective: To study the effect of feto-maternal microchimerism in the treatment of activated human leukocyte antigen (HLA) haploidentical mobilized peripheral blood cells against solid tumors.

Methods: Genomic DNA samples of 25 pairs of HLA haploidentical donors and recipients were extracted. The donor-derived HLA-DRB loci were detected with nested PCR-sequence specific primer (SSP) typing.

[Alloreactive NK cells enhance the effect of donor lymphocyte infusion in the management of relapsed lung cancer after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation].

This study was aimed to study the potential effects of alloreactive NK cells (allo-NKs) in therapy of relapsed lung cancer after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI). The F1 donors derived-NK cells were purified with MACS magnetic separation system, in which the proportion of the alloreactive Ly49A(+) cells was detected by flowcytometry and alloreactivity was measured by LDH method. The relapse model of lung cancer after haploidentical-HSCT was established.

[High level secretory expression of recombinant human interleukin 18 in Pichia pastoris].

Aim: To construct eukaryotic expression vector and express human interleukin 18 (hIL-18) in Pichia pastoris.

Methods: The gene encoding of hIL-18 was amplification by PCR. The recombinant pPICZaC/hIL-18 was transformed into the Pichia pastoris X-33 strain via electroporation.

Experimental study on the treatment of intracerebral glioma xenograft with human cytokine-induced killer cells.

Objective. To investigate the phenotype changes and proliferation activities of cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs) and lymphokine-activated killer cells (LAKs) from healthy donor, and the cytotoxicities of CIKs and LAKs to human in vitro glioma cell lines U251 and U87. Therapy of CIK intratumoral injection was evaluated in nude mouse models.

[The anti-tumor activity of GM-CSF-modified lung cancer cell vaccine and its synergism in combination with chemotherapy].

Objective: To investigate the anti-tumor effects and mechanism of tumor vaccines and whether chemotherapeutic agents administered prior to immunotherapy could augment the efficacy of the vaccines.

Methods: C57/BL mice inoculated with Lewis lung cancer cells were used as tumor models. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) gene modified LA795 and Lewis lung cancer cell lines were administered as allogeneic and autologous tumor vaccines, respectively.

[Application of low dose of fludarabine and cyclophosphamide combined with donor NK Cells as a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen for the haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in mice].

This study was aimed to investigate the feasibility of low dose of fludarabine, cyclophosphamide combined with donor derived alloreactive NK cells as a new nonmyeloablative conditioning regimen in the haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haploidentical HSCT). F1 derived-NK cells were enriched with MACS magnetic separation system, in which the proportions of the Ly49C+ and Ly49A+ cells were detected by flow cytometry and the alloreactivity was measured by LDH method. The haploidentical HSCT models were constructed, and the myeloablativity in vivo, donor engraftment and the intensity of GVHD were compared between different myeloablative and nonmyeloablative conditioning regimens, including 9 Gy TBI, 6.

Antitumor effect of large doses IL-2-activated HLA haploidentical peripheral blood stem cells on refractory metastatic solid tumor treatment.

Objective: The traditional immunotherapy for patients with refractory metastatic solid tumors is limited because tumors induce immunosuppression. New treatment is, therefore, needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of infusion of high-dose interleukin (IL)-2-activated allogeneic haploidentical peripheral blood stem cells (haplo-PBSCTs) on patients with an advanced stage of refractory solid tumors.

CD4 +CD25 + regulatory T cells decreased the antitumor activity of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells of lung cancer patients.

: CD(4) (+)CD(25) (+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) have been shown to inhibit cytotoxic lymphocytes-mediated immune responses. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells exert high impact on adoptive immunotherapeutic approaches. Therefore, the purpose of this report was to determine the effect of Tregs on CIK cell growth and CIK-induced cytotoxicity for inhibition of tumor growth in vivo as well as in vitro.

[Anti-leukemia immunity induced by dendritic cells fused with L615 tumor cells].

This study was aimed to investigate the specific anti-L615 leukemia cell immunity induced by L615/DC fused cell vaccine in vivo and in vitro. BM-derived DCs were generated from bone marrow of 615 mice by culturing for 9 - 10 days in culture medium supplemented with GM-CSF and IL-4. Irradiated L615 tumor cells were fused with DC by using PEG to form fused cell vaccine, with which 615 mice were immunized.

[Generation of T cell-mediated antitumor response in vitro by autologous dendritic cells pulsed with tumor lysates in patients with non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To investigate whether dendritic cells pulsed with whole tumor lysates (WTL) could in vitro elicit antitumor T cell responses in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: Monocyte-derived immature DCs (imDCs) generated in the presence of human recombinant granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin-4 from peripheral blood mononuclear cell of NSCLC patients, and then were induced to mature by pulsing autologous WTL (DCs/WTL) or by the addition of TNF-alpha(TNF/DCs). FACS and MLR assay were used to monitor their phenotypic changes and capacity to stimulate allogeneic and autologous T cell proliferation.