An integrated genome-wide approach to discover tumor-specific antigens as potential immunologic and clinical targets in cancer.

Tumor-specific antigens (TSA) are central elements in the immune control of cancers. To systematically explore the TSA genome, we developed a computational technology called heterogeneous expression profile analysis (HEPA), which can identify genes relatively uniquely expressed in cancer cells in contrast to normal somatic tissues. Rating human genes by their HEPA score enriched for clinically useful TSA genes, nominating candidate targets whose tumor-specific expression was verified by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR).

Radiotherapy of unicentric mediastinal Castleman's disease.

Castleman's disease is a slowly progressive and rare lymphoproliferative disorder. Here, we report a 55-year-old woman with superior mediastinal Castleman's disease being misdiagnosed for a long term. We found a 4.

Assessment of five antigens from Mycobacterium tuberculosis for serodiagnosis of tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is a major public health issue, particularly in developing countries, and thus effective diagnostic methods for TB remain a central theme in basic and clinical research. To evaluate five antigens (38-kDa protein [38kDa], Rv3621c, Rv3618, 38kDa-ESAT-6 [38E6], and Ag85B-HBHA [AH]) in serological tests for TB patients, we recruited 288 patients and 201 healthy controls. The median IgG reactivity to 38kDa, 38E6, and AH was higher than that to Rv3618 and Rv3621c in pulmonary TB.

[Clinical significance of expressions of tumor markers in peripheral blood in non-small cell lung cancer].

Objective: To investigate the expressions of BJ-TSA-9, CK19 and Pre-proGRP mRNA in peripheral blood from the patients with non-small cell lung cancer and analyze their correlations with non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: The expressions of BJ-TSA-9, CK19 and Pre-proGRP mRNA were detected by nested reverse transcription-PCR assay in peripheral blood from the patients with non-small cell lung cancer (n = 120), benign pulmonary disease (n = 106) and from healthy subjects (n = 80) so as to further investigate their relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis. Meantime we also examined the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of combination detection.

Detection of circulating cancer cells in lung cancer patients with a panel of marker genes.

The current study was undertaken to examine the circulating cancer cells of lung cancer patients using a panel of markers and to evaluate the clinical significance of such tests. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 134 lung cancer patients, 106 benign pulmonary disease, and 80 healthy individuals were isolated and assessed by nested reverse transcription-PCR assay for the expression of three different tumor markers, including tumor specific antigen 9 (TSA-9), Keratin 19 (KRT-19), and Pre-progastrin-releasing peptide (Pre-proGRP). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis showed that the combination of these markers was highly sensitive and specific in differentiating cancer patients from healthy and benign pulmonary disease controls.

Telomerase-specific oncolytic virotherapy for human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aim: To evaluate the therapeutic efficiency of replicative adenovirus CNHK300 targeted in telomerase-positive hepatocellular carcinoma.

Methods: CNHK300, ONYX-015 (55 kDa protein deleted adenovirus) and wtAd5 (wild type adenovirus 5) were compared, and virus proliferation assay, cell viability assay, Western blot and fluorescence microscopy were used to evaluate the proliferation and cytolysis selectivity of CNHK300.

Results: The replicative multiples in Hep3B and HepG II after 48 h of CNHK300 proliferation were 40625 and 65326 fold, respectively, similar to that of wtAd5.