The Mechanics of Tumor Cells Dictate Malignancy via Cytoskeleton-Mediated APC/Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling.

Tumor cells progressively remodel cytoskeletal structures and reduce cellular stiffness during tumor progression, implicating the correlation between cell mechanics and malignancy. However, the roles of tumor cell cytoskeleton and the mechanics in tumor progression remain incompletely understood. We report that softening/stiffening tumor cells by targeting actomyosin promotes/suppresses self-renewal in vitro and tumorigenic potential in vivo.

Gallincin ameliorates colitis-associated inflammation and barrier function in mice based on network pharmacology prediction.

Objective: To explore potential mechanisms and effects of gallincin on a mouse model of colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS).

Methods: Network pharmacology analysis was used to predict the molecular mechanism of action of gallincin for treatment of colitis. Gallincin was administered orally to mice with DSS-induced colitis.

Detection of Gene Rearrangement in Cell-free RNA from Lung Cancer Malignant Pleural Effusion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of measuring gene rearrangement in cell-free RNA (cf-RNA) of the supernatant from malignant pleural effusion (MPE). Supernatant, cell blocks, and matched sera samples were collected. Cf-RNA was isolated from the supernatant and sera, and cellular RNA was isolated from cell blocks.

Identification of upstream miRNAs of SNAI2 and their influence on the metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Background: SNAI2, a member of the snail zinc finger protein family, plays an important role in the metastasis of several types of carcinoma.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the upstream miRNAs of SNAI2 and their influence on the metastasis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Methods: The expression levels of SNAI2, CDH1, and CDH2 in GISTs were determined by immunohistochemistry, and the correlations with their clinicopathologic characteristics were analyzed.

P1-HNF4α expression negatively correlates with HER2 levels and is associated with good prognosis in gastric adenocarcinoma.

HNF4α, a member of the steroid/thyroid nuclear receptor super family, is a transcriptional factor expressed in various tissues and cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of P1-HNF4α protein expression in gastric adenocarcinoma. We examined P1-HNF4α and HER2 protein levels in the tissue of 245 gastric adenocarcinoma samples by immunohistochemistry, and analyzed the association between P1-HNF4α levels, and clinicopathologic factors or prognosis.

Impact of age on EGFR mutations in never-smoking female lung adenocarcinoma patients with malignant pleural effusion.

Our aim was to evaluate EGFR mutations in never-smoking female lung adenocarcinoma patients with malignant pleural effusion and to reveal the relationship between age and EGFR mutations. Never-smoking female lung adenocarcinoma patients were retrospectively studied, including 301 biopsy samples and 80 cytological specimens. Our results showed a significant increase of EGFR mutation prevalence by increase of age in cytological specimens, but not in biopsy samples.

PARP6 acts as an oncogene and positively regulates Survivin in gastric cancer.

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases 6 (PARP6) is a novel member of the PARP family. Previous studies focused mostly on the role of PARP6 in colorectal cancer; however, the role of PARP6 in gastric cancer is currently unclear. In the present study, we found a high-level expression of PARP6 in gastric cancer cells and PARP6 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion.

Primary monophasic synovial sarcoma of the liver in a 13-year-old boy.

Synovial sarcoma originating in the liver is extremely rare, and thus far only 3 cases have been reported in the English literature. Herein, we report a primary hepatic synovial sarcoma in a 13-year-old Chinese boy. This patient present with a 10-day right upper quadrant pain, and a heterogeneous mass was documented in the right hepatic lobe by computed tomography.