BackgroundGliomas are the most common primary tumors in central nervous system. The prognosis of the patients with glioma is poor regardless of the development of therapeutic strategies. Its aggressive behavior mainly depends on the potent ability of proliferation. The transcription factor EGR1 (early growth response 1) is a member of a zinc finger transcription factor family which plays an essential role in cell growth and proliferation.MethodsEGR1 expression levels in 39 glioma tissues and 10 normal brain tissues were tested by RT-qPCR and Western-blotting. The effects of EGR1 on U251 cells, U251 stem-like cells (GSCs), and U87 cells proliferation were assessed using in vitro and in vivo cell proliferation assays. The specific binding between EGR1 and CCND1 promoter was confirmed by CHIP assay. EGF was used to improve EGR1 expression in this assay.ResultsEGR1 expression levels in human gliomas are decreased compared with normal brain tissues, however, the patients with low EGR1 expression level showed significantly enhanced patient survival in all glioma patients. EGR1 silencing inhibited proliferation and induced G1 phase arrest in glioma cells. EGR1 contributed to proliferation by directly raising CCND1. Meanwhile, EGR1 overexpression induced by EGF was able to promote the proliferation of glioma cells.ConclusionsOur results show that stable knockdown EGR1 would inhibit glioma proliferation. The results suggest EGR1 showing lower expression in cancer tissues compared with normal tissues maybe still play an important role in tumor proliferation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13046-017-0656-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Objectives: Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) has significant therapeutic efficacy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.However, acquired resistance is inevitable and limits the long-term efficacy of EGFR-TKI. Our study aimed to investigate the role of ras-associated binding protein 25 (Rab25) in mediating EGFR-TKI resistance in NSCLC. Materials and Methods: Rab25 expression in NSCLC patients was measured by immunohistochemical staining. Western blotting was used to analyse the expression of molecules in the Rab25, EGFR and Wnt signalling pathways. Lentiviral vectors were constructed to knock in and knock out Rab25. The biological function of Rab25 was demonstrated by cell-counting kit-8 and flow cytometry. The interaction between Rab25 and β1 integrin was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Results: Rab25 overexpression induced erlotinib resistance, whereas Rab25 knockdown reversed this refractoriness in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Rab25 interacts with β1 integrin and promotes its trafficking to the cytoplasmic membrane. The membrane-β1 integrin induced protein kinase B (AKT) phosphorylation and subsequently activated the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway, promoting cell proliferation.Furthermore, high Rab25 expression was associated with poor response to EGFR-TKI treatment in NSCLC patients.Conclusions: Rab25 mediates erlotinib resistance by activating the β1 integrin/ AKT/β-catenin signalling pathway. Rab25 may be a predictive biomarker and has potential therapeutic value in NSCLC patients with acquired resistance to EGFR-TKI.

To investigate the molecular pathogenesis of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway in exercise-induced osteoarthritis (OA), 30 male healthy Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups (control, normal exercise-induced OA and injured exercise-induced OA groups) in order to establish the exercise-induced OA rat model. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Runx-2, BMP-2, Ctnnb1, Sox-9, collagen II, Mmp-13, Wnt-3a and β-catenin in chon-drocytes were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and immunohistochemical staining. The mRNA levels of Runx-2, BMP-2 and Ctnnb1 were upregulated in the normal exercise-induced OA and injured exercise-induced OA groups; while Runx-2 and BMP-2 were upregulated in the injured exercise-induced OA group when compared with the normal exercise-induced OA group. The protein levels of Mmp-13, Wnt-3a and β-catenin were increased and collagen II was reduced in the normal exercise-induced OA and injured exercise-induced OA groups. Ctnnb1, Wnt-3a and β-catenin, which are key genes and proteins in the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway, were abnormally expressed in chondrocytes of the exercise-induced OA rat model. Ctnnb1, β-catenin and Wnt-3a were suggested to participate in the pathogenesis of exercise-induced OA by abnormally activating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway during physical exercise due to excessive pressure. The results of the present study may provide an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of exercise-induced OA.

Purpose Despite recent advances in multimodal treatments, the prognosis of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains poor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of moderately hypofractionated simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) combined with temozolomide (TMZ) for the postoperative treatment of GBM. Materials and methods From February 2012 to February 2018, 80 patients with newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed GBM in our institute were reviewed retrospectively. All patients underwent complete resection or partial resection surgery and then received hypofractionated SIB-IMRT with concomitant TMZ followed by adjuvant TMZ. A total dose of 64 Gy over 27 fractions was delivered to the gross tumor volume (GTV), clinical target volume 1 (CTV1) received 60 Gy over 27 fractions, and CTV2 received 54 Gy over 27 fractions. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates and the toxicities were evaluated. Prognostic factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate Cox models. Results The median follow-up was 16 months (range, 5~72 months). The median PFS was 15 months, and the 1-, 2-, and 3-year PFS rates were 56.0, 27.6, and 19.5%, respectively. The median OS was 21 months, and the 1-, 2-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 77.6, 41.6, 32.8, and 13.4%, respectively. The toxicities were mild and acceptable. Age, KPS scores and the total number of TMZ cycles were significant factors influencing patient survival. Conclusion Moderately hypofractionated SIB-IMRT combined with TMZ is a feasible and safe treatment option with mild toxicity and good PFS and OS.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the mycotoxins most frequently encountering in cereal-based foods throughout the world. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was used to alleviate porcine jejunal epithelia cell (IPEC-J2) injury induced by DON in this study. The results indicated that cell viability and proliferation rates were significantly decreased when DON concentrations were increased from 0 to 64 µM after 24 h incubation ( p < 0.05). The longer incubation time and higher DON concentrations would cause more serious effects on cell viability. S. cerevisiae could significantly degrade DON and decrease lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the cells induced by DON ( p < 0.05). DON (4 µM) could increase necrotic and apoptotic cell rates as well as decrease viable cell rates, compared with the control group ( p < 0.05). However, S. cerevisiae addition in the DON group could decrease necrotic, late apoptotic and early apoptotic cell rates by 38.05%, 46.37% and 44.78% respectively, increase viable cell rates by 2.35%, compared with the single DON group ( p < 0.05). In addition, S. cerevisiae addition could up-regulate mRNA abundances of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 in IPEC-J2 cells ( p < 0.05), but down-regulate mRNA abundances of tight junction proteins (TJP-1) and occludin by 36.13% and 50.18% at 1 µM of DON ( p < 0.05). It could be concluded that S. cerevisiae was able to alleviate IPEC-J2 cell damage exposed to DON.

Background and PurposeTo directly reveal the change in genome mutation, RNA transcript of tumor cells, and tumor microenvironment (TME) after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) in paired human lung tumor specimens.Materials and MethodsPaired tumor samples were collected from 10 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) or lung metastatic carcinoma within a week before and after SBRT. DNA and RNA of tumor tissues was extracted from the paired samples. Whole-exome and RNA sequencing assays were performed by next-generation sequencing. Gene mutation, genomic expression, T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, and profiling of tumor-infiltrating immune cells were analyzed through bioinformatics analysis in paired tumor samples. CD8+ T-cell infiltration and PD-L1 expressions were detected by immunostaining in tumor tissues.ResultsThe diversity of TCR repertoire and PD-L1 expression increased significantly in the TME, and the most enriched term of the gene ontology analysis was the immune response gene after receiving SBRT. SBRT induced neo-mutation of genes in tumor cells but did not increase tumor mutation burden in tumor tissues. TME displayed complex immune cell changes and infiltration and expression of immune-regulating factors such as C-X-C motif chemokine (CXCL) 10, CXCL16, interferons (IFNs), and IFN receptors. CD8+ T-cells in tumor tissues did not improve significantly after SBRT while the infiltrating TH1 and TH2 cells decreased remarkably.ConclusionSBRT improved the TCR repertoire diversity and PD-L1 expression in the TME and induced neo-mutation of genes in tumor cells but did not increase CD8+ T-cell infiltration and IFN expression in the tumor tissue within a week.

There were no ideal markers to predict the development of radiation pneumonitis (RP). We want to investigate the value of variations of lymphocytes and T lymphocyte subsets in predicting RP after radiotherapy (RT) of lung cancer based on previous clinical findings. A total of 182 lung cancer patients who received RT were retrospectively analyzed. Circulating lymphocytes and T lymphocyte subsets were measured before, during, and after RT. Patients were evaluated from the start of RT to 6 months post‐RT. A mice model with acute radiation‐induced lung injury was established and circulating lymphocytes were measured weekly until 8 weeks after irradiation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were adopted to identify risk factors of RP. Lymphocyte levels significantly decreased (P < .001) in patients before RP symptoms developed that also was able to be seen in the mice model and the values recovered during remission of symptoms. The decrease in lymphocyte count reflected the severity of RP. Meanwhile, CD4+ T lymphocyte count was significantly lower during the occurrence of symptoms in patients with RP than in those without RP (P < .001), and it improved along with RP recovery. Levels of lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocyte subsets proved as independent predictors of RP. Here we showed that lower peripheral blood levels of lymphocytes and CD4+ T lymphocyte were associated with an increased risk of RP, which was validated by this mice model, and thus are associated with differences in radiation‐induced lung toxicity among individuals and help identify those who are susceptible to developing RP after RT.

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