Knockdown of long non-coding RNA HOTAIR sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cell to cisplatin by suppressing the STAT3/ABCB1 signaling pathway.

Long non-coding RNA HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) has been demonstrated to exhibit oncogenic activity in several types of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the association between HOTAIR and HCC multidrug resistance remains uncertain. The present study aimed to investigate the role of HOTAIR in HCC chemoresistance; it was found that knockdown of HOTAIR expression in HCC Huh7 cells resulted in decreased cell proliferation and increased chemosensitivity to cisplatin.

Knockdown of Hotair suppresses proliferation and cell cycle progression in hepatocellular carcinoma cell by downregulating CCND1 expression.

The long noncoding RNA, homeobox transcript antisense RNA (Hotair), has been demonstrated to have an important role in regulating various biological processes in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the importance of Hotair in HCC proliferation and cell cycle progression remains to be elucidated. In the present study, knockdown of HOTAIR expression by RNA interference inhibited cell proliferation and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in Huh7 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Optimized construction of MUC1-VNTR DNA vaccine and its anti-pancreatic cancer efficacy.

Considering mucin 1-variable number tandem repeat (MUC1-VNTR) as a novel target for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy, the present study aimed to screen and identify the pVAX1-MUC1-VNTR DNA vaccine with the strongest immunogenicity. Following construction of a pVAX1-MUC1-VNTR plasmid, immature dendritic cells (DCs) were subjected to transfection, and mature DCs were then co-cultured with autologous T-cells. The numbers of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) secreting interferon (IFN)-γ were determined using an enzyme-linked immunospot assay, and CytoTox was also used to examine the MUC1-VNTR-specific Lethal effect of CTLs on Capan2 cells.

Hepatitis C virus core protein increases Snail expression and induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition through the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 pathway in hepatoma cells.

Aim: Aberrant expression of Snail, a mediator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is crucial for cancer invasiveness and metastasis. Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein has been implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis, the relationship between HCV core and Snail expression has not been clarified.

Methods: HepG2 and Huh7 stable cell lines were established by transfection with pcDNA-HCVc.

Hepatitis C virus core protein regulates OCT4 expression and promotes cell cycle progression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein plays an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. octamer-binding protein 4 (OCT4) is critically essential for the pluripotency and self-renewal of embryonic stem cells. Abnormal expression of OCT4 has been detected in several human solid tumors.

Linc00675 is a novel marker of short survival and recurrence in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Aim: To detect linc00675 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), to analyze the relationship between the expression level of linc00675 and the clinical pathological characteristics, to explore the biological functions of linc00675, and to determine whether linc00675 has independent prognostic value in PDAC.

Methods: We studied linc00675 expression among eight histologically confirmed PDAC tissue samples and four chronic pancreatitis tissue samples through microarray screening. RT-qPCR was conducted to further investigate linc00675 expression in PDAC cell lines as well as archived tissues from a large cohort of PDAC patients.

Low RASSF6 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is associated with poor survival.

Aim: To analyze RASSF6 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and to determine whether RASSF6 has an independent prognostic value in PDAC.

Methods: We studied RASSF6 expression in 96 histologically confirmed PDAC samples and 20 chronic pancreatitis specimens using immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. PDAC issues were then classified as RASSF6 strongly positive, weakly positive or negative.

Click modification of helical amylose by poly(l-lysine) dendrons for non-viral gene delivery.

Although amylose as a naturally-occurring helical polysaccharide has been widely used for biomedical applications, few studies have dealt with its chemical modification for non-viral gene delivery. In this work, the click modification of amylose by poly(l-lysine) dendrons was carried out and then characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and elemental analyses. Such a modified polysaccharide exhibited excellent ability to condense plasmid pMSCV-GFP-PARK2 into compact and spherical nanoparticles.

The expression levels of transcription factors T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt and FOXP3 in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) of patients with liver cancer and their significance.

Objectives: To investigate the expression of transcriptional factors (TFs) T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt and FOXP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate the correlation between the imbalances of Th1/Th2, Th17/Treg at the expression levels and liver cancer Methods: The peripheral venous blood was drawn from 20 HCC-patients (HCC-group) and 20 health participants (C-group). The expression levels of Th1, Th2 and Th17 and the major Treg-specific TFs T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt and FOXP3 in the PBMC were measured with quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR).

Results: The mRNA level of Th1-specific TF T-bet in HCC-group was significantly lower than that of C-group (52.

Knockdown of NANOG enhances chemosensitivity of liver cancer cells to doxorubicin by reducing MDR1 expression.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the major reasons for the failure of liver cancer chemotherapy, and its suppression may increase the efficacy of chemotherapy. NANOG plays a key role in the regulation of embryonic stem cell self-renewal and pluripotency. Recent studies reported that NANOG was abnormally expressed in several types of tumors, indicating that NANOG is related to tumor development.

Hepatitis C virus core protein regulates NANOG expression via the stat3 pathway.

HCV Core plays a role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Aberrant expression of NANOG has been observed in many types of human malignancies. However, relationship between Core and NANOG has not been clarified.

Transfection of HCVc improves hTERT expression through STAT3 pathway by epigenetic regulation in Huh7 cells.

Previous studies showed that transient transfection of HCVc improved hTERT expression in hepatoma cell lines and it was noteworthy that phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) were up regulated simultaneously. This study was designed to investigate the role of epigenetic regulation in the process of hTERT up regulation after HCVc transfection. Q-PCR and Western blot were used to analyze the expression of pSTAT3, DNMT1, and hTERT after the transfection of HCVc in hepatoma cell line Huh7.

Ophthalmic drug-loaded N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan hydrogels: synthesis, in vitro and in vivo evaluation.

Aim: to investigate the ability of drug-loaded N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) hydrogels to modulate wound healing after glaucoma filtration surgery.

Methods: the drug-loaded CMCS hydrogels were in situ synthesized using genipin as the crosslinker in the presence of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) or bevacizumab. Their structures were characterized by FTIR, ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Hepatitis C virus core protein induces malignant transformation of biliary epithelial cells by activating nuclear factor-kappaB pathway.

Unlabelled: In an earlier study, we found that hepatitis C virus core protein, HCV-C, participated in the malignant transformation of HCV-C transfected normal human biliary epithelial (hBE) cells by activating telomerase. Here we further investigated the signaling of the malignant transformation.

Methods: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting and immunoprecipitation were used to analyze the expression of HCV-C, human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and NF-kappaB inhibitor alpha (IkappaBalpha) genes and the phosphorylation level of IkappaBalpha protein.

[Synthesis of colon-specific prodrug of indomethacin and its inhibitory effect on liver metastasis from colon cancer].

Objective: To develop a colon-specific prodrug of Indomethacin microbially triggered, carry out in vitro/in vivo evaluation of drug release, and appraise its inhibitory effect on liver metastasis from colon cancer.

Methods: Indomethacin prodrugs were synthesized and characterized by FTIR and NMR, and dissolution test simulating gastrointestinal tract was employed to screen the colon-specific prodrug. Then, the pharmacokinetic profile of portal vein and peripheral blood in Sprague-Dawley rats was studied.

Preparation and antitumor effects of nanovaccines with MAGE-3 peptides in transplanted gastric cancer in mice.

Background And Objective: As a prospective vaccine carrier, nanoparticles can protect antigens from degradation and enhance immune response. This study prepared nanovaccines with MAGE-3-derived CD4+-CD8+T cell epitope peptides, and investigated its character and antitumor effects on transplanted gastric cancer in mice.

Methods: We adopted the self-assembly method to prepare peptide/chitosan conjugated with deoxycholic acid (chitosan-deoxycholic acid) nanoparticles.

[Preparation of doxorubicin encapsulated in amphiphilic polysaccharide nanoparticles and anti-hepatocarcinoma effect thereof].

Objective: To investigate the sustained release rule of doxorubicin/polylactide-grafted dextran copolymer (DOX/DEX-PLA) nanoparticles and the effect thereof in killing hepatocarcinoma cells.

Methods: DOX/DEX-PLA nanoparticles were prepared by method of emulsification & evaporation of organic solvent. Its morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy and the encapsulating efficiency of DOX was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry.

[Nanoparticle-mediated endostatin gene therapy targeting hepatocellular carcinoma utilizing heat-inducible promoter].

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of nanoparticle-mediated endostatin gene therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma xenografts combined with local hyperthermia utilizing heat-inducible promoter.

Methods: Heat-inducible HSP70B promoter and fusion gene of Endo/EGFP were cloned into pcDNA3.1 (+) plasmid, thus obtaining recombinant plasmid of pcDNA3.

[Therapeutic clinical effect of radiofrequency ablation for small hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic patients: a meta-analysis].

Objective: To evaluate the value of radiofrequency ablation in the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: MEDLINE (1966 - 2008), EMBASE (1966 - 2008), CBMdisc (1978 - 2008) were searched. The Cochrane Library, Evidence Base Medicine Reviews (Ovid Edition), Cancerlit (1993 - 2008) and so on, date of last search: 30 January 2008.

[Human mucin 1 promoter drives human sodium/iodide symporter gene targeting expression in pancreatic carcinoma cells].

Objective: To clone human mucin 1 (MUC1) gene promoter and apply to drive human sodium/iodide symporter (hNIS) gene targeting expression in pancreatic carcinoma cells.

Methods: Human Mucin1 (MUC1) promoter was cloned from the 5' flanking region of the MUC1 gene by two-step nest PCR from human pancreatic carcinoma cells of the line CAPAN-I, II and then linked to pDC316 plasmid (pDC316-MUC1). Subsequently, a recombinant plasmid containing MUC1 and hNIS was constructed (pDC316-MUC1/hNIS).

Preoperative evaluation with T-staging system for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Aim: To investigate the clinical value of T-staging system in the preoperative assessment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods: From March 1993 to January 2006, 85 patients who had cholangiocarcinoma diagnosed by operative tissue-biopsy were placed into one of three stages based on the new T-staging system, and it was evaluated the resectability and survival correlated with T-staging.

Results: The likelihood of resection and achieving tumor-free margin decreased progressively with increasing T stage (P < 0.

A 26-year clinical observation of splenic auto-transplantation and oesophageal transection anastomosis: a new treatment strategy in patients with portal hypertension.

Background: Surgical treatment options for patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension are complicated. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a new treatment strategy, splenic auto-transplantation and oesophageal transection anastomosis. We report results from clinical observations, splenic immune function and portal dynamics in 274 patients.

[Preparation of 5-fluorouracil encapsulated in amphiphilic polysaccharide nano-micelles and its killing effect on hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2].

Background & Objective: Biodegradable colloidal nano-micelles is a novel targeting drug delivery and controlled release system, which could prolong the biological half-life and lighten the toxicity of chemotherapeutant, meanwhile, present fine biocompatibility. This study was to prepare the biodegradable 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles, and investigate their killing effect on hepatocarcinoma cell line HepG2 in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: 5-FU/DEX-g-PLA nano-micelles were prepared by 'self-assembly'.