Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) has been shown to play an important role in the regulation of tumor cell growth, metastasis and host immune response. CCL2 preferentially binds to the C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2), which is expressed in various tissues. However, the role of the CCL2/CCR2 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invasion and its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate this issue. The human HCC cell line MHCC-97H was treated with CCL2. Cyclopamine, a smoothened (SMO) antagonist, was used to inhibit SMO activity. CCR2 siRNA and Gli-1 siRNA were used to inhibit CCR2 and Gli-1 expression respectively. The effect of CCL2 and Hedgehog (Hh) signaling on cancer cell epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and invasion was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR analysis, western blotting and Transwell invasion assay. Our results revealed that CCL2 induced HCC cell invasion and EMT. This effect was accompanied by the activation of Hh signaling, the upregulation of Snail and vimentin and the reduction of E-cadherin. Notably, prior silencing of CCR2 with siRNA abolished CCL2-induced Hh signaling activation, Snail and vimentin upregulation, E-cadherin reduction, as well as HCC cell invasion and EMT. Furthermore, pretreatment with cyclopamine or predepletion of Gli-1 by siRNA also eliminated the changes of Snail, vimentin and E-cadherin, and HCC invasion and EMT caused by CCL2. Collectively, our results revealed that the link between the CCL2/CCR2 axis and the Hh pathway plays an important role in HCC progression. Therefore, the CCL2/CCR2 axis may represent a promising therapeutic target to prevent HCC progression.

Abstract. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, non-coding RNA molecules that act as regulators of gene expression. Circulating blood miRNAs have potential as cancer biomarkers. The main objective of the present study was to assess the effect of miRNA-23b (miR-23b) expression in plasma on the diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure miR-23b expression levels, and methylation-specific PCR was used to test the promoter methylation status. Subsequently, the expression level of miR-23b in plasma samples was compared between CRC patients and healthy control individuals. The miR-23b expression levels were significantly lower in CRC cells and primary CRC tissues than in nonmalignant colorectal tissues (P<0.001). It was also shown that miR-23b expression is downregulated by promoter methylation and can be restored by demethylation agent treatment. miR-23b was significantly decreased in plasma samples from CRC patients compared with the healthy control individuals (P<0.001). The value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.842 (sensitivity, 84.38%; specificity, 77.08%; 95% confidence interval, 0.763-0.922). Low plasma miR-23b expression was significantly associated with clinical stage, tumor depth, distant metastasis and tumor recurrence. CRC patients with low miR-23b expression in plasma exhibited a shorter recurrence-free survival time and poorer overall survival rate. The present results suggested that the downregulation of miR-23b in the plasma has the potential to be a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in CRC.

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AbstractObjectiveTo explore the expression levels of galectin-3 in colorectal cancer and the association between galectin-3 and its clinical pathological parameters, as well as the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.MethodsAn immunohistochemistry assay was used to test the expression levels of galectin-3 in cancer tissues of 61 colorectal cancer cases and in normal intestinal tissues adjacent to the cancer tissues of 23 cases. The associations between protein expression levels of galectin-3 and the clinicopathological features, such as age, sex, pathology type, lymphatic metastasis, and prognosis were also analyzed.ResultsThe positive rate of galectin-3 in cancer tissues was significantly higher than that of cancer-adjacent tissues: 62.5% (38/61) versus 13.0% (3/23) (P<0.05), respectively. Correlation was found between the protein expression of galectin-3 and the tumor size (P<0.05), as well as between the tumor differentiation (P<0.05) and Duke staging (P<0.05). The median progression-free survival times of patients with galectin-3 positive and negative expression were 19.2 and 35.1 months, respectively, with significant statistical difference (P<0.05).ConclusionGalectin-3 expression was correlated with the genesis and development of colorectal cancer and which could be used a biological marker for the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients.

In the present study, two nanoparticles including lactose myristoyl carboxymethyl chitosan (LMCC) and algal polysaccharide myristoyl carboxymethyl chitosan (AMCC), were obtained for hepatic-targeted Adriamycin (ADM) drug delivery systems. ADM was successfully loaded into the LMCC or AMCC nanoparticle by dialysis. The release function and liver targeting of the nanoparticles was explored, and it was revealed that ADM release from the nanoparticles was greatest at acidic pH 5.5. ADM-conjugated nanoparticles were readily taken up by HU7 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, relative to HT22 mouse hippocampal neuron cells in vitro. In vivo, ADM-loaded nanoparticles had significant antitumor efficacy with a 62.7% inhibition rate, followed by ADM and ADM-AMCC (51.2 and 42.5%, respectively). The tissue distribution study confirmed that ADM-LMCC had an improved liver delivery efficacy, by comparison with ADM. Furthermore, a series of safety studies, including hemolysis, acute toxicity and organ toxicity, revealed that the ADM-loaded LMCC and AMCC nanoparticles had advantages over the commercially available injectable preparation of Adriamycin hydrochloride, in terms of low toxicity levels and increased tolerated dose. These results indicated that LMCC is a promising carrier for injectable ADM nanoparticle and ADM-conjugated nanoparticles may improve the efficacy of ADM by hepatic targeting.

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