Connexin 32 downregulation is critical for chemoresistance in oxaliplatin-resistant HCC cells associated with EMT.

Oxaliplatin (OXA)-based chemotherapy is critical in the management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, acquired drug resistance has largely restricted its clinical efficacy. This study aims to explore the key mechanisms and regulatory factors determining chemosensitivity in HCC. We developed OXA-resistant (OR) HCC cells and used multiple methods, including real-time RT-PCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, transwell invasion assay, wound-healing assay, MTT assay, gene transfection, and immunohistochemistry to achieve our goals.

Complete response to crizotinib in a metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary harboring MET amplification and NTRK1 co-occurring mutation.

Carcinomas of unknown primary (CUPs) have poor prognosis due to the paucity of data on their clinical characteristics and laboratory features, and empirical chemotherapy still remains the critical management for this kind of disease. This study aimed to present the knowledge of treating an elderly man with metastatic adenocarcinoma of unknown primary and also with a history of long-term hypertension and renal cysts. He was identified to harbor mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) gene amplification and neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase 1 (NTRK1) gene co-occurring mutation by targeted next-generation sequencing analysis upon the progression of empirical chemotherapy.

Downregulated connexin32 promotes EMT through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway by targeting Snail expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common malignances in the world and is associated with high mortality and poor prognosis, partly due to early invasion and metastasis. Cx32 has been indicated to be involved in the progression of many cancers including HCC, but its relationship with tumor invasion and metastasis is still controversial. In the present study, the downregulated Cx32 in HCC tissue was found negatively correlated with histological grade and lymph node metastasis.

Role of IL-33 expression in oncogenesis and development of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a newly-discovered cytokine belonging to the IL-1 family, serves an important role in inflammation. However, it is not clear whether IL-33 is of clinical significance in hepatocarcinogenesis. The present study was designed to investigate the role of IL-33 during oncogenesis and development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

[Expression of gap junction protein connexin 26 in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its significance].

Objective: To investigate the expression of gap junction protein connexin 26(Cx26) in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and its significance.

Methods: The expression of Cx26 in liver tissue was examined by immunohistochemistry staining in 159 paraffin-embeded liver sections, including 20 samples of normal liver tissue, 30 samples of chronic hepatitis, 33 samples of liver cirrhosis, and 76 samples of HCC. Normal hepatic cell line LO2 and HCC cell line SMMC-7721 were used in vitro to verify the characteristics of gap junction and Cx26 expression pattern.

Impaired gap junctions in human hepatocellular carcinoma limit intrinsic oxaliplatin chemosensitivity: A key role of connexin 26.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is generally believed to have low sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents including oxaliplatin (OXA). Studies have demonstrated that gap junctions (GJs) composed of connexin (Cx) proteins have the potential to modulate drug chemosensitivity in multiple tumor cells. In the present study, we investigated the characteristics of Cx and GJs in HCC at both histologic and cytologic levels, and the effects of GJ and its effective components on OXA cytotoxicity in HCC cells in vitro.

[Expression of Tcf-4, MMP7 and Survivin in Colorectal Cancer and Its Clinical Significance].

Objective: To explore the clinical and pathological significance and correlations among the xpressions of Tcf-4, MMP7 and survivin in colorectal cancer.

Methods: The expressions of Tcf-4, MMP7 and survivin mRNA in tumor tissues and adjacent normal mucosa from 50 colorectal cancer patients were detected by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). The expressed proteins of Tcf-4, MMP7 and survivin were measured using mmunohistochemistry staining technique (Elivision) in 100 colorectal cancer samples and 60 normal mucosa tissue samples.

Grape seed proanthocyanidins prevent DOCA-salt hypertension-induced renal injury and its mechanisms in rats.

Renal dysfunction is one of the major effects of DOCA (deoxycorticosterone acetate)-salt hypertension and there is an increasing amount of evidence that oxidative stress damages the function of the kidney. Grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPE) have been reported to be potent anti-oxidants and free radical scavengers. The present study sought to investigate the ability of GSPE to prevent renal injury in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying its protective effects.

[Expression of secreted frizzled related protein 1, β-catenin and E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma and its clinicopathological significances].

Objective: To investigate the expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1), β-catenin and E-cadherin in colorectal carcinoma and its clinicopathological significance.

Methods: The expression of SFRP1, β-catenin and E-cadherin mRNA and protein in tumor and pericancerous tissue samples from 60 cases of colorectal cancer was assayed by reverse-transcription PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The correlation of their expression with clinicopathological factors of colorectal cancer was analyzed.