KIF22 promotes progress of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells and is negatively regulated by miR-122.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) increases at fast rate of all cancer types in China, which urges the investigations of its potential mechanism. In this research, a highly expressed kinesin superfamily protein 22 (KIF22) was founded both in ESCC tissues and cancer cell lines. The following experiments pointed out that down-regulation of KIF22 remarkably restrained the malignant progression of ESCC cells.

Pathological response and serum VEGF changes during chemoradiotherapy for esophageal carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to observe pathological response and change in serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in esophageal carcinoma (EC) during chemoradiotherapy (CRT).Eighty-nine patients diagnosed with EC were treated with radiotherapy at the Department of Radiotherapy of the Second People's Hospital of Changzhou between May 2008 and December 2014, including 65 patients with CRT. Gastroscopy and pathological examination were conducted 4 weeks afterwards.

Pathologic response during chemo-radiotherapy and variation of serum VEGF levels could predict effects of chemo-radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.

Background: To investigate the relationship between pathologic tumor response to concurrent chemo- radiotherapy and variation of serum VEGF in patients with esophageal cancer.

Materials And Methods: Forty six patients with esophageal cancer who were treated with concurrent chemo-radiotherapy were enrolled. Endoscopic and pathologic examination was conducted before and four weeks afterwards.

Radiobiological characteristics of cancer stem cells from esophageal cancer cell lines.

Aim: To study the cancer stem cell population in esophageal cancer cell lines KYSE-150 and TE-1 and identify whether the resulting stem-like spheroid cells display cancer stem cells and radiation resistance characteristics.

Methods: A serum-free medium (SFM) suspension was used to culture esophageal cancer stem cell lines and enrich the esophageal stem-like spheres. A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was used to detect stem cell gene expression in the spheroid cells.

Clinical trial of thalidomide combined with radiotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.

Aim: To investigate the short-term efficacy and tolerability of radiotherapy plus thalidomide in patients with esophageal cancer (EC).

Methods: Serum samples from 86 EC patients were collected before, during, and after radiotherapy, and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level was examined by ELISA. According to the change in serum VEGF level during radiotherapy, the patients were divided into two groups: in the drug group, VEGF level was increased or remained unchanged, and thalidomide was administered up to the end of radiotherapy; in the non-drug group, VEGF level was decreased and radiotherapy was given alone.

Genomewide association study of leprosy.

Background: The narrow host range of Mycobacterium leprae and the fact that it is refractory to growth in culture has limited research on and the biologic understanding of leprosy. Host genetic factors are thought to influence susceptibility to infection as well as disease progression.

Methods: We performed a two-stage genomewide association study by genotyping 706 patients and 1225 controls using the Human610-Quad BeadChip (Illumina).

[Analysis of serum insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 in benign prostatic hyperplasia].

Objectives: To determine changes of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in serum samples from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients and to evaluate the value of these molecules as possible etiologic factors for BPH.

Methods: The serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels were measured with immunoradiometric assay(IRMA) in 64 cases of BPH and in 30 healthy subjects as controls. The cases of BPH were divided into 3 groups according to the prostate volume(PV).