To study the effect of Lichong decoction (LD) on expression of matrix metalloproteinase- 2 (MMP-2) and metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) in a rat model of uterine leiomyoma (UL).

Cancer is a clonal evolutionary process. This presents challenges for effective therapeutic intervention, given the constant selective pressure towards drug resistance. Mathematical modeling from population genetics, evolutionary dynamics, and engineering perspectives are being increasingly employed to study tumor progression, intratumoral heterogeneity, drug resistance, and rational drug scheduling and combinations design. In this review, we discuss promising opportunities these inter-disciplinary approaches hold for advances in cancer biology and treatment. We propose that quantitative modeling perspectives can complement emerging experimental technologies to facilitate enhanced understanding of disease progression and improved capabilities for therapeutic drug regimen designs.

CD25 expression is associated with t(9;22)(q34;q11)/Philadelphia chromosome translocation (Ph); BCR-ABL1 rearrangement in B lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-LL). However, the significance of CD25 expression in Ph negative (Ph-) B-LL regarding residual disease (RD) and genetic abnormalities is largely unknown.

The structural and functional basis of the genome is provided by the three-dimensional (3D) chromatin state. To enable accurate gene regulation, enhancer elements and promoter regions are brought into close spatial proximity to ensure proper, cell type-specific gene expression. In cancer, genetic and epigenetic processes can deregulate the transcriptional program. To investigate whether the 3D chromatin state is also disrupted in cancer we performed Hi-C chromosome conformation sequencing in normal and prostate cancer cells and compared the chromatin interaction maps with changes to the genome and epigenome. Notably, we find that additional topologically associated domain (TAD) boundaries are formed in cancer cells resulting in smaller TADs and altered gene expression profiles. The new TAD boundaries are commonly associated with copy-number changes observed in the cancer genome. We also identified new cancer-specific chromatin loops within TADs that are enriched for enhancers and promoters. Finally, we find that many of the long-range epigenetically silenced (LRES) and long-range epigenetically active (LREA) regions in cancer are characterized by differential chromatin interactions. Together our data provide a new insight into charting alterations in higher-order structure and the relationship with genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional changes across the cancer genome.

It is becoming increasingly clear that small vesicles released from cells (extracellular vesicles [EVs]) represent a heterogeneous population implicated in cell-to-cell communication. The classifications and nomenclature of EVs are evolving as enrichment strategies and specific characteristics are being unraveled. At present, physical properties of EVs-namely, size, shape, and density-are often used to identify subpopulations of EVs. A distinct group of EVs, termed exosomes, largely defined by their small size (∼40-150 nm) and proposed subcellular origin, has been extensively studied in several aspects of cancer biology. Exosomes are implicated in modulating behavior of cancer cells as well as the immune and angiogenic responses in tumors, possibly contributing to cancer progression locally and systemically. Most intriguingly, the nucleic acid content of exosomes has been proposed to play a role in oncogenic transformation and transfer of cancer-specific genome to promote cancer pathogenesis. Here, we specifically focus on the discovery of exosomal DNA, studies related to the origin of genomic DNA in exosomes, and its utility in cancer diagnosis and disease monitoring.

Precision cancer medicine depends on defining distinct tumour subgroups using biomarkers that may occur at very modest frequencies. One such subgroup comprises patients with exceptionally mutated (ultramutated) cancers caused by mutations that impair DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) proofreading.

Pancreatic cysts are a clinical quandary in both diagnosis and management. Although many cysts, such as pseudocysts and serous cystadenomas, are benign and can be monitored clinically, mucinous cysts, such as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and mucinous cystic neoplasms, have the potential to progress to pancreatic cancer. Considering the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, the detection of a pancreatic cyst can be a source of anxiety for both the patient and physician. This diagnosis in turn can lead to expensive, invasive, and even harmful surveillance and treatment options. As a consequence, several national and international guidelines for the management of pancreatic cysts have been developed over the past decade. However, these guidelines rely on standard clinical assessment, radiographical imaging, and ancillary fluid studies that have insufficient sensitivity and specificity. The application of DNA-based molecular techniques has emerged as an adjunct to the assessment of pancreatic cysts. The cellular content of pancreatic cyst fluid aspirate is often suboptimal for analysis, but DNA isolated from lysed or exfoliated cells within the cyst can be analysed for genetic abnormalities. Moreover, whole exome sequencing and targeted sequencing of the major pancreatic cysts has identified unique mutational profiles for cyst type and genetic alterations that coincide with the development of pancreatic cancer. In this Review, we discuss the major cystic lesions of the pancreas and their underlying molecular pathology, current management guidelines for pancreatic cysts, and integration of DNA-based molecular testing within this field.

A key feature of multicellular life is the sharing of nutritional resources by all cells of the organism. In animals, the allocation of nutrients to individual cells is not determined in a cell-autonomous fashion. Instead, growth factor and hormonal signaling pathways have evolved to regulate cellular nutrient uptake, which prevents individual cells from parasitizing the organism's metabolic reserves. Cancer is a condition where the highly ordered regulation of nutrient distribution is disrupted. During carcinogenesis, transformed cells acquire mutations in signaling pathways that render nutrient uptake cell-autonomous. A deeper understanding of how the acquisition of potential nutrients is regulated may help develop improved approaches to cancer therapy.

Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays a role in several biological processes. TGF-β1 is the most abundantly expressed isoform, associated with susceptibility to various diseases, and several polymorphisms have been described in the TGF-β1 gene structure, and some of them have been associated with functional implications. To date, eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one deletion/insertion polymorphism have been shown to affect TGF-β1 expression (rs2317130, rs11466313, rs1800468, rs1800469, rs11466314, rs1800471, rs1800470, and rs11466316); some of these interfere with transcriptional regulation by affecting the binding of transcription factors binding, while others interfere with protein production. These polymorphisms have been associated with different types of diseases (i.e., cancers, cardiac diseases, inflammatory diseases, and others) and could therefore be used as susceptibility biomarkers. Since polymorphism clusters are likely to be more reliable than single polymorphisms in this respect, it is hoped that haplotype analysis of TGF-β1 may reveal the genetic basis of disease susceptibility associated with the TGF-β1 gene.

The androgen receptor (AR) can be stimulated by interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the absence of androgens to induce prostate cancer progression. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the co-activator steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) and co-repressor silencing mediator for retinoid and thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT) are involved in IL-6-induced AR activation.

Urine resource cells were collected from a 23-year-old male with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome (MEN1) for generating iPS cells with episomal plasmids. Two stable iPSC lines with free of episomal plasmid were established. The patient has a heterozygous G>T mutation on the exon 9 of Men1 gene that was confirmed by sequencing analysis on all resulted cell lines. Karyotyping indicated the chromosomes with normal appearances and numbers. Their pluripotency was demonstrated by gene expression and their abilities for differentiating into three germ layers. These iPSC lines provide valuable in vitro resources for pathological study on MEN1 syndrome.

A patient specific point mutation (c.1288G>T) of Men1 gene was introduced into wide type iPSC line with CRISPR/Cas9 and single-stranded donor oligonucleotides carrying the mutation. The mutated iPSC line has a heterozygous c.1288G>T mutation on exon-9 of Men1 that was confirmed by sequencing analysis. The karyotype of this line was normal and the pluripotency was demonstrated by its ability to differentiate into three germ layers. These artificially created Men1 mutation in wild type iPSC line will help to dissect out the molecular basis of two patients carried the same mutation from one family who were differentially represented hypoglycemia.

Urine resource cells were collected from a 59-year-old female patient with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 syndrome (MEN1) for generating iPS cells with episomal plasmids carrying Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and miR-302-367. The patient sustained a heterozygous G>T transition mutation on the exon 9 of Men1 gene that was confirmed by sequencing analysis on the obtained iPSC lines. Karyotyping indicated the chromosomes with normal appearances and numbers. Their pluripotency was demonstrated by gene expression, as well as their abilities for differentiating into three germ layers. This cell line provides an ideal model for studying MEN1.

Cutaneous melanoma is a highly aggressive tumor developing from melanocytes, its incidence is increasing, and prognosis in advanced stages is daunting. New therapies have been approved during the recent years with unprecedented results, including inhibitors of MAPK/ERK pathway and immune checkpoint blockade (anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) as ipilimumab, anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-L1) as pembrolizumab and anti-programmed cell death protein 1 ligand (PD-L1), among many others). The aim of this paper is to review currently available metastatic melanoma therapies focusing mainly on new therapies that have demonstrated effectiveness, after several decades of little progress in the treatment of this disease.

Blood vessel epicardial substance (BVES) is a tight junction-associated protein that regulates epithelial-mesenchymal states and is underexpressed in epithelial malignancy. However, the functional impact of BVES loss on tumourigenesis is unknown. Here we define the in vivo role of BVES in colitis-associated cancer (CAC), its cellular function and its relevance to patients with IBD.

The syndrome of Familial Non Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma (FNMTC) includes two or more patients with an isolated non-medullary thyroid cancer (papillary, follicular, anaplastic) within the same family. To diagnose FNMTC, the clinician must exclude a syndromic presentation such as the syndromes of Cowden, Gardner or Werner, and the Carney Complex. Up to now, a hundred families with FNMTC have been genetically studied, including forms with (Ch19p13.2) or without oxyphilia (Ch2q21), in association with a multinodular goiter (Ch14q32), or with a renal cancer (Ch1q21). Several candidate genes of susceptibility have been proposed: SRGAP1, NKX2-1, FOXE1 and HABP2. So far, it is considered that familial cases represent less than 5 % of thyroid cancers. Although rare, these cases represent a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of thyroid cancer. The identification of candidate genes will enrich our knowledge of thyroid cancer pathophysiology. Based on the literature and our experience of the follow-up of eight families with FNMTC, we discuss epidemiological, clinical, pathological and genetic aspects of FNMTC with a view to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

To investigate the combined effects of indomethacin and oxaliplatin on expressions of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), E-cadherin (E-cad), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and CD44v6 related to lymph node metastasis of human lung cancer cell lines. Human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were inoculated subcutaneously into the left armpit of nude mice to establish human lung cancer xenografts. The mice were randomly divided into control group, indomethacin group, oxaliplatin group and combination therapy group, which were treated with sterile distilled water, indomethacin, oxaliplatin and indomethacin combined with oxaliplatin, respectively. After 42 days, the mice were sacrificed. The immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the expressions of EGFR, E-cad, ICAM-1 and CD44v6 in tumor tissues. Compared to control group, the protein and mRNA expressions of EGFR, ICAM-1 and CD44v6 in the indomethacin, oxaliplatin, and combination therapy groups were significantly reduced (P<0.05) and the protein and mRNA expressions of E-cad expression were significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to indomethacin group and oxaliplatin group, the protein and mRNA expressions of EGFR, ICAM-1 and CD44v6 in combination therapy groups were significantly reduced (P<0.05), and the protein and mRNA expressions of E-cad expression were significantly increased (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between indomethacin and oxaliplatin groups. Indomethacin and oxaliplatin have synergistic effect on expressions of lymph node metastasis related factors in lung cancer cell lines.