Background:Angiogenesis is an important step in the metastatic cascade of tumors. Results: MMP-13 itself as well as VEGF-A secretion from fibroblasts promotes angiogenesis. Indeed, MMP-13 is well correlated with blood vessel density in human cancer tissues. Conclusion: MMP-13 can be a marker for prediction of malignant behaviors and a therapeutic target in cancer. Significance: This work provides new insights regarding the role of MMP-13 in tumor angiogenesis.

BackgroundPeriostin, IFN-induced transmembrane protein 1 (IFITM1) and Wingless-type MMTV integration site family, member 5B (Wnt-5b) were previously identified as the invasion promoted genes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) by comparing the gene expression profiles between parent and a highly invasive clone. We have previously reported that Periostin and IFITM1 promoted the invasion of HNSCC cells. Here we demonstrated that Wnt-5b overexpression promoted the invasion of HNSCC cells. Moreover, stromelysin-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-10; MMP-10) was identified as a common up-regulated gene among Periostin, IFITM1 and Wnt-5b overexpressing HNSCC cells by using microarray data sets. In this study, we investigated the roles of MMP-10 in the invasion of HNSCC.Methods and FindingsWe examined the expression of MMP-10 in HNSCC cases by immunohistochemistry. High expression of MMP-10 was frequently observed and was significantly correlated with the invasiveness and metastasis in HNSCC cases. Next, we examined the roles of MMP-10 in the invasion of HNSCC cells in vitro. Ectopic overexpression of MMP-10 promoted the invasion of HNSCC cells, and knockdown of MMP-10 suppressed the invasion of HNSCC cells. Moreover, MMP-10 knockdown suppressed Periostin and Wnt-5b-promoted invasion. Interestingly, MMP-10 overexpression induced the decreased p38 activity and MMP-10 knockdown induced the increased p38 activity. In addition, treatment with a p38 inhibitor SB203580 in HNSCC cells inhibited the invasion.ConclusionsThese results suggest that MMP-10 plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of HNSCC, and that invasion driven by MMP-10 is partially associated with p38 MAPK inhibition. We suggest that MMP-10 can be used as a marker for prediction of metastasis in HNSCC.

weight fractions (AHM) containing native ingredients of polysaccharide (acemannan) and glycoprotein (verectin) were obtained by using the patented hyper dry system after washing out coloured materials with running water from Aloe vera gel slurry. Forty-six primary first teeth from children between 6-9 years, which formerly planned for serial extraction were selected. The children were distributed into two equal groups; twelve teeth for each. Pulpotomy was done in both groups; where group I treated by AHM, acemannan, as a dressing agent while formocresol used as a dressing agent in group II. The teeth from each group were extracted at two, four, and twelve week intervals for histopathological evaluation. RESULTS: In group I (Acemannan), after twelve weeks significantly better results in pulp inflammation, incomplete dentine bridge formation, and soft tissue organization were demonstrated (p < 0.05). Most of the acemannan-treated group demonstrated no pulp inflammation with only (3/12, 25%) revealed mild pulp inflammation under the exposure site and only one tooth 1/12 teeth (8.3%) showed partial dentine bridge formation. In contrast, group II (Formocresol) moderate or severe pulp inflammation (10/12, 83%), no dentine bridge formation were observed. In almost all cases (10/12, 83%) the soft tissue of the pulp was not well organized. CONCLUSION: According to these findings, AHM, acemannan may be a suitable agent for pulpotomy in primary teeth. Moreover, the inflammatory response was less severed and no necrosis was noted after pulpotomy with acemannan compared to formocresol.

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Introduction: Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is one of the most common malignant salivary gland neoplasms. It represents diverse biological aggressiveness and prognosis. Estrogen receptors (ER) are activated by sex hormone Estrogen. HER2 is a member of epidermal growth factor receptors. Both ER and HER2 have been implicated in the pathogenesis and prognosis of many neoplasms particularly breast. Little is known about their role in MEC. Materials & methods: Normal salivary gland, low and high grade MEC tissue specimens were stained with anti-ER and anti-HER2 antibodies and the expression was quantified using ImagJ. Results: Normal salivary gland tissues were negative for both ER and HER2 while MEC was positive for both of them. Interestingly, ER and HER2 expression was higher in high grade MEC than in low grade MEC. Conclusion: ER and HER2 expression in MEC is correlated with its grade and may play a role in development and progression of MEC.