Is chlamydial heat shock protein 60 a risk factor for oncogenesis?

Heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) plays an important role in the protein folding of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Most of the papers published on chlamydial HSP60 concern its role in immune response during infection. In the last decade, exposure to Chlamydia trachomatis has been consistently associated with the development of cervical and ovarian cancer. Moreover, it has been suggested that chlamydial HSP60 may have an anti-apoptotic effect during persistent infection. We hypothesize that the accumulation of exogenous chlamydial HSP60 in the cytoplasm of actively replicating eukaryotic cells may interfere with the regulation of the apoptotic pathway. The concomitant expression of viral oncoproteins and/or the presence of mutations may lead to the ability to survive apoptotic stimuli, loss of replicative senescence, uncontrolled proliferation and, finally neoplastic transformation.Received 15 August 2004; received after revision 1 October 2004; accepted 7 October 2004     

Increased mitochondrial palmitoylcarnitine/carnitine countertransport by flavone causes oxidative stress and apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Cancer cell metabolism is characterized by limited oxidative phosphorylation in order to minimize oxidative stress. We have previously shown that the flavonoid flavone in HT-29 colon cancer cells increases the uptake of pyruvate or lactate into mitochondria, which is followed by an increase in O₂^−.. production that finally leads to apoptosis. Similarly, a supply of palmitoylcarnitine in combination with carnitine induces apoptosis in HT-29 cells by increasing the mitochondrial respiration rate. Here we show that flavone-induced apoptosis is increased more than twofold in the presence of palmitoylcarnitine due to increased mitochondrial fatty acid transport and the subsequent metabolic generation of O₂^−. in mitochondria is the initiating factor for the execution of apoptosis. Received 12 August 2005; received after revision 12 October 2005; accepted 14 October 2005     

Genetic analysis of the kinome and phosphatome in cancer

Protein phosphorylation is a well-characterized biochemical process for reversible regulation of protein activity. Protein kinases and protein phosphatases are the key complementary players in this process, and through their coordinated activity cell homeostasis is tightly controlled. If these enzymes display aberrant activity, cells may undergo unrestrained growth, thus giving rise to complex diseases such as cancer. The technological platform gathered during the Human Genome Project recently allowed the systematic identifi cation of the genetic alterations present in the kinase (the kinome) and the phosphatase (the phosphatome) gene families. These studies suggest that most if not all human tumors carry genetic alterations in at least one phosphatase or kinase gene. Here we integrate the biochemical knowledge on the properties of these molecules with the information collected through their systematic genetic analysis in cancer. We also analyze why the molecular profi ling of the kinome and phosphatome in individual cancers is revolutionizing basic and clinical oncology.Received 13 May 2005; received after revision 30 May 2005; accepted 22 June 2005     

端粒酶抑制剂的作用机理及应用

端粒、端粒酶及其抑制剂研究是分子细胞生物学以及医学的热点之一。笔者在本文中对近年来端粒酶抑制剂的最新研究进展,特别是有关作用机制以及在癌症等疾病治疗中的应用前景,进行了综述和分析。     

胃蛋白酶原亚群与胃部疾病相关性研究

为测定胃蛋白酶原亚群(pepsinogenI PGI,pepsinogenⅡPGⅡ)在健康体检者及胃部疾病患者的血清含量,探讨血清中PG亚群检测对萎缩性胃炎和胃癌早期诊断的临床意义,利用放射免疫法(radioimmunoassay RIA)检测35例健康体检者、18例胃溃疡、30例萎缩性胃炎和30例胃癌患者血清中PGⅠ、PGⅡ及PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值的变化,比较正常组与各疾病组的胃蛋白酶原含量。结果:(1)与正常组相比,胃溃疡组PGⅠ、PGⅡ升高,以PGⅡ增高明显,而PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值降低;萎缩性胃炎和胃癌组PGⅠ水平均呈下降趋势,而PGⅡ水平变化不明显,PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值下降。(2)与溃疡组相比,萎缩性胃炎和胃癌组PGⅠ、PGⅡ及PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值均明显降低。(3)与萎缩性胃炎组相比,胃癌组PGⅠ、PGⅡ及PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值虽略低于萎缩性胃炎,但差异无统计学意义。(4)当PGⅠ≤80 ng/mL和PGⅠ/PGⅡ≤6时,检出萎缩性胃炎的特异度和灵敏度分别为94.3%和53.3%。说明血清PGⅠ和PGⅠ/PGⅡ比值的降低,是萎缩性胃炎及胃癌人群筛查和辅助诊断的一项血清学指标。血清PGI≤80 ng/mL且PGⅠ/PGⅡ≤6时检测萎缩性胃炎具有较好的特异度和灵敏度。测定血清PG亚群的方法简单易行,适于初筛萎缩性胃炎及胃癌人群及胃镜检查禁忌者。     

乳腺癌Jab1蛋白调控Nov基因的表达受甲基化水平影响

为探讨癌基因Jab1在乳腺癌发生发展中的功能,首先在乳腺癌细胞MDA231中建立了慢病毒介导的Jab1基因的表达干扰系统,并通过人基因表达谱芯片分析结果以及实时定量PCR实验筛选出受Jab1调控的下游基因;此外,通过实时定量PCR以及Western blot实验证实Jab1干扰表达能降低Nov基因在转录和翻译水平表达,而且Nov启动子区域存在4个高甲基化CpG位点.进一步使用甲基转移酶抑制剂处理Jab1干扰表达细胞,发现与未使用抑制剂处理细胞相比,Nov基因的mRNA和蛋白质表达水平发生明显上调,说明Jab1基因调控Nov表达受甲基化水平的影响,提示Jab1可能是通过表观遗传学水平调控Nov基因的表达.     

蝙蝠葛酚性碱对胃癌细胞SGC-7901 COX-2表达的影响

为探讨蝙蝠葛酚性碱(PAMD)抗胃癌的作用机理,通过实时定量PCR观察PAMD对胃癌细胞株SGC-7901 COX-2 mRNA表达的影响.结果表明,PAMD各剂量组均能下调COX-2 mRNA的表达,其中PAMD(20)剂量组下调COX-2的作用有统计学差异,且优于阳性对照组.PAMD抗胃癌的作用机理可能与其抑制COX-2基因表达有关.     

自体肝癌细胞裂解物致敏的树突状细胞诱导抗肝癌免疫的体外研究

从术后肝癌病人的外周血中诱导树突状细胞（DC），并经自体肝癌细胞裂解物致敏DC，用流式细胞仪、^3H-TdR掺入法及MTT法检测了DC表面分子的表达、DC刺激T细胞的增殖效应及DC诱导的T细胞对肝癌细胞的杀伤作用，进而比较经自体肝癌细胞裂解物致敏的DC与其它条件下的DC功能的差异．结果显示：肝癌细胞裂解物致敏DC的功能较未致敏DC显著提高，其可诱导自体混合淋巴细胞强的增殖效应，同时诱导的T细胞对自体肝癌细胞有较强的杀伤率．     

王瓜根抗癌糖蛋白的生理生化特征及其对肺腺癌细胞杀伤作用初步研究

经电泳分析,王瓜根活性蛋白可分为两种:其一是酸性蛋白,具细胞毒作用,等电点测定 P~I 为3.2,PAGE 电泳测定分子量为6.76×10~4道尔顿;其二是碱性蛋白,等电点为9.3,PAGE 电泳测定分子量为1.58×10~4道尔顿;微具细胞毒作用。王瓜根活性蛋白属糖蛋白,经纸层析和薄层硅胶 H 层析证实含半乳糖和木糖。扫描电镜观察和光镜连续观察,显示酸性蛋白对肺腺癌细胞的体外培齐有杀伤作用,当培养液含120μg/ml 时杀伤率达58%,对正常肺细胞作用弱;碱性蛋白对肺腺癌细胞杀伤作用较差,在同样剂量时只有47.6%杀伤率。新鲜王瓜根原汁有很强的杀伤肺腺癌细胞作用,剂量在26g/ml 时,杀伤率达60%;当提高到105g/ml 时,杀伤率达74%。试验结果提示:王瓜根活性抗癌物质,除指三萜—葫芦素之外,可能还存在另一种活性物质。这种活性抗癌物质对肺腺癌细胞表面微绒毛无作用,经处理24小时后,癌细胞开始变形,表现为不同程度内陷,32小时癌细胞膜开始溶解,48小时癌细胞溶成团块。     

局部复发性直肠癌的再手术治疗

探讨局部复发性直肠癌(直肠癌根治术后)再次手术的价值、方法、回顾性分析再手术治疗的局部复发性直肠癌33例.结果:21例行根治术,12例行姑息性手术.根治术组和姑息性手术组中位生存期分别为35.2个月(8～82个月)、13个月(2～23个月),再手术5年生存率为34.8%.结论:对于局部复发性直肠癌仍应积极手术,有助于延长生存期,提高生存质量.