Fibroblast activation protein-based theranostics in pancreatic cancer.

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a type II transmembrane serine protease that has specific endopeptidase activity. Given its well-established selective expression in the activated stromal fibroblasts of epithelial cancers, although not in quiescent fibroblasts, FAP has received substantial research attention as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. Pancreatic cancer is characterized by an abundant fibrotic or desmoplastic stroma, leading to rapid progression, therapeutic resistance, and poor clinical outcomes.

F-FDG PET/CT for the early prediction of the response rate and survival of patients with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.

The present study aimed to explore the value of fludeoxyglucose F 18 positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) for the early prediction of chemotherapy remission rates and survival in patients with recurrent and metastatic breast cancer. A total of 24 patients diagnosed with recurrent or metastatic breast cancer between 2009 and 2014 were enrolled. All patients underwent a PET/CT examination prior to (PET/CT1) and following (PET/CT2) chemotherapy.

Intra-individual comparison of therapeutic responses to vascular disrupting agent CA4P between rodent primary and secondary liver cancers.

Aim: To compare therapeutic responses of a vascular-disrupting-agent, combretastatin-A4-phosphate (CA4P), among hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and implanted rhabdomyosarcoma (R1) in the same rats by magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI), microangiography and histopathology.

Methods: Thirty-six HCCs were created by diethylnitrosamine gavage in 14 rats that were also intrahepatically implanted with one R1 per rat as monitored by T2-/T1-weighted images (T2WI/T1WI) on a 3.0T clinical MRI-scanner.

Analysis of long non-coding RNA expression profiles in clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

To investigate the expression patterns of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the present study downloaded three human exon arrays available from the public Gene Expression Omnibus. The probes of the human exon arrays were re-annotated and the probes uniquely mapping to lncRNAs were retained at the gene level. Following the analysis of GSE53757 and GSE46699, which contained paired ccRCC cancer and normal adjacent tissue samples, 32 differentially expressed lncRNAs (adjusted P<0.

Biometabolic Distribution of 99mTc-3PRGD2 and Its Potential Value in Monitoring Chemotherapeutic Effects.

Previous studies have reported that 99mTc-3PRGD2 is an excellent tumor imaging agent that showed a good correlation with integrin αvβ3, a main factor of tumor-induced angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the biometabolic distribution characteristics of 99mTc-3PRGD2 with a continuous dynamic acquisition mode to explore the potential value of 99mTc-3PRGD2 in monitoring chemotherapeutic effects in VX2 tumor models. Eighteen rabbits with 27 implanted VX2 squamous cell tumors were randomly divided into a nontreated control group (NTG, n = 8; 12 tumors) and a treatment group (TG, n = 10; 15 tumors).

Electroacupuncture improves survival in rats with lethal endotoxemia via the autonomic nervous system.

Background: Recent advances have indicated a complex interplay between the autonomic nervous system and the innate immune system. Targeting neural networks for the treatment of sepsis is being developed as a therapeutic strategy. Because electroacupuncture at select acupoints can modulate activities of the autonomic nervous system, we tested the hypothesis that electroacupuncture at specific acupoints could modulate systemic inflammatory responses and improve survival via its impact on the autonomic nervous system in a rat model of sepsis.

Decreased hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ contributes to increased sensitivity to endotoxin in obstructive jaundice.

Aim: To investigate the role of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in increased susceptibility to endotoxin-induced toxicity in rats with bile duct ligation during endotoxemia.

Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL). Sham-operated animals served as controls.

18F-FDG PET/CT-related metabolic parameters and their value in early prediction of chemotherapy response in a VX2 tumor model.

Objective: This study acquired fluorine-18-deoxyglucose (FDG) kinetic parameters prior and subsequent to cisplatin chemotherapy so as to define the optimal parameters for early prediction of chemotherapy response.

Methods: A total of 12 non-tumor-bearing rabbits were used to obtain noninvasive input function, five VX2 tumor-bearing rabbits were used for validation and 32 tumor-bearing rabbits underwent 4 mg kg(-1) cisplatin chemotherapy. Dynamic FDG PET/CT was performed at pretherapy, Day 0, Day 1, Day 7 and Day 14 after cisplatin administration.

[The modulation of 4-aminopyridine sensitive potassium channel to bifurcation scenario of the spontaneous neural firing rhythms].

Neuronal firing is crucial to the information processing in the nervous system. In order to make a further study of bifurcation scenarios, experiments were performed on neural pacemakers formed at the injured site of rat sciatic nerve subjected to chronic ligatures. We chose the conductance of voltage-dependent potassium ion channels as conditional parameter, and the extracellular calcium concentration as bifurcation parameter, to give a demonstration of how the firing pattern of neural pacemaker responses to dual parameter adjusting.

[Effect and mechnaisim of GLU and GABA in OFC on gastric motility].

Aim: To Investigate the effect of glutamate (Glu) and gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA) in orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) on regulation of gastric motility.

Methods: Using microinjection in OFC,together with lesion of related nucleus,and recording the intragastric pressure(IGP).

Results: (1) Microinjection of Glu in OFC caused a significant reduce of the amplitude of gastric motility, this effect could be reverse by lesion of amygdala, while lesion of LC had no influence on the effect of Glu.

Changes in 18F-FDG uptake within minutes after chemotherapy in a rabbit VX2 tumor model.

Unlabelled: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether (18)F-FDG PET/CT can be used for in vivo chemosensitivity testing and to determine the optimal time point for observation.

Methods: Forty-two rabbits with 84 implanted VX2 squamous cell tumors were randomized into a control group (n = 10) and a treatment group (n = 32). (18)F-FDG PET/CT was performed the day before intravenous administration of cisplatin (4 mg/kg) and at 95-100 min (day 0), day 1, day 7, and day 14 afterward.

Expression of Glut-1 in primary and recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, and compared with 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose accumulation in positron emission tomography.

The aim of the study was to investigate the pattern of glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1) expression in primary and recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCAs) and the relation between Glut-1 expression and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose - positron emission tomography (FDG-PET). Standardised uptake values (SUVs) were used to evaluate FDG uptake by the tumour. Sections were stained immunohistochemically for Glut-1, which showed that high SUVs were seen in all HNSCCAs, and patients with higher T stage tumours or less well-differentiated tumours showed significantly higher SUVs than those with lower stage tumours or better-differentiated tumours (P=0.

[Effect of naloxone on expression of Bcl-2 protein and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in rats with acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury].

Objective: To investigate the effect of naloxone on myocardial cell apoptosis and apoptosis-related gene Bcl-2 in rats with acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (AMIR) injury, and explore the mechanism of protective effect of naloxone on myocardium.

Methods: Thirty SD rats were randomly divided into three groups (n=10): ischemia/reperfusion group, naloxone preconditioning group (naloxone was injected intraperitoneally 10 minutes before ischemia and 2 hours after reperfusion), and normal control group. The left anterior descending branch (LAD) of rat coronary artery was tied and un-tied in ischemia/reperfusion group and naloxone preconditioning group to establish the AMIR model in rats.