Improved development of somatic cell cloned bovine embryos by a mammary gland epithelia cells in vitro model

Previous studies have established a bovine mammary gland epithelia cells in vitro model by the adenovirus-mediated telomerase (hTERT-bMGEs). The present study was conducted to confirm whether hTERT-bMGEs were effective target cells to improve the efficiency of transgenic expression and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). To accomplish this, a mammary-specific vector encoding human lysozyme and green fluorescent protein was used to verify the transgenic efficiency of hTERT-bMGEs, and untreated bovine mammary gland epithelial cells (bMGEs) were used as a control group. The results showed that the hTERT-bMGEs group had much higher transgenic efficiency and protein expression than the bMGEs group. Furthermore, the nontransgenic and transgenic hTERT-bMGEs were used as donor cells to evaluate the efficiency of SCNT. There were no significant differences in rates of cleavage or blastocysts or hatched blastocysts of cloned embryos from nontransgenic hTERT-bMGEs at passage 18 and 28 groups (82.8% vs. 81.9%, 28.6% vs. 24.8%, 58.6% vs. 55.3%, respectively) and the transgenic group (80.8%, 26.5% and 53.4%); however, they were significantly higher than the bMGEs group (71.2%, 12.8% and 14.8%), (p < 0.05). We confirmed that hTERT-bMGEs could serve as effective target cells for improving development of somatic cell cloned cattle embryos.     

Surgical treatment of mammary carcinomas in dogs with or without postoperative chemotherapy

This retrospective study identified prognostic factors associated with survival; and compared survival data in 94 canine mammary carcinoma (MCA) dogs treated with surgery (n = 58), or surgery and adjunct chemotherapy (n = 36), and a subset of dogs with poor prognostic factors. On multivariate analysis independent predictors of median survival time (MST) were clinical stage, lymphatic invasion (LI; present 179 days; none 1098 days), ulceration (present 118 days; none 443 days) and surgical margins (incomplete 70 days; complete 872 days). Complete surgical margins were associated with MST in dogs with stages 1–3 MCA (incomplete 68 days; complete 1098 days) and dogs with LI (incomplete 70 days; complete 347 days). There was no statistically significant improvement in MST in dogs with advanced disease (stage 4 or LI) treated with adjunctive chemotherapy (chemotherapy 228 days; none 194 days); although five dogs with complete surgical margins that received mitoxantrone and carboplatin had a mean survival of 1139 days.     

Growth hormone suppresses the expression of IGFBP-5, and promotes the IGF-I-induced phosphorylation of Akt in bovine mammary epithelial cells

Growth hormone (GH) plays a specific role to inhibit apoptosis in the bovine mammary gland through the insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I system, however, the mechanism of GH action is poorly understood. In this study, we show that GH dramatically inhibits the expression of IGFBP-5, and GH along with IGF-I enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt through the reduction of IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-5. To determine how GH affects Akt through IGF-I in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs), we examined the phosphorylation of Akt in GH treated BMECs and found that IGF-I induced phosphorylation of Akt was significantly enhanced by the treatment with GH. We demonstrated that GH reduces mRNA and protein expression of IGFBP-5 in BMECs, but it does not affect the expression of IGFBP-3. To determine that the enhanced effect of the Akt phosphorylation by the treatment of GH is due to the inhibition of the expression of IGFBP-5, we examined the effect of IGFBP-3 and -5 on the phosphorylation of Akt through IGF-I in the GH-treated BMECs. The phosphorylation of Akt was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner when IGFBP-5 was added at varying concentrations and was also inhibited in the presence of IGFBP-3. The results of this study suggest that GH plays an important role on mammary gland involution in bovine mammary epithelial cells.     

Tumour necrosis factor stimulated gene 6 intrinsically regulates PD-L1 expressions in breast cancer cells,leading to modulation of tumour microenvironment

Recent studies have shown that tumour cells express tumour necrosis factor-inducible gene 6 (TSG-6) and its protein, which is known to play a key role in regulating excessive immune responses and proliferation and growth of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). It has not been confirmed whether the inhibition of TSG-6 for tumour cells can suppress tumour cell growth and regulate the activation of immune cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME). TSG-6-specific small interfering RNA was transfected into canine and human breast cancer cells (CIPp, CIPm and BT-20). TSG-6-down-regulated (siTSG-6) cells showed decreased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities. Decreased mRNA expressions of NF-κB, STAT3 and Sox2, confirming that TSG-6 is an upper factor governing tumour growth and metastasis. Notably, siTSG-6 cells showed significantly decreased expression levels of CD44 and PD-L1. Direct and indirect co-culture of canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (cPBMCs) and the siTSG-6 cells showed significant activation in M1 type macrophages and cytotoxic T cells. They also showed a tendency to decrease in the expression of CTLA-4 and increase in the expression of PD-1. In conclusion, this study suggests that the down-regulation of TSG-6 in breast cancer cells could not only suppress tumour growth and metastasis, and but also regulate TME. Since modulation of immune checkpoint proteins occurs in both tumour cells and immune cells, inhibiting TSG-6 and its protein within the TME could be novel therapeutic target for anticancer treatment.     

Extracellular heat shock protein 70 levels in tumour-bearing dogs and cats treated with radiation therapy and hyperthermia

Hyperthermia is a form of a cancer treatment which is frequently applied in combination with radiotherapy (RT) to improve therapy responses and radiosensitivity. The mode of action of hyperthermia is multifactorial; the one hand by altering the amount of the blood circulation in the treated tissue, on the other hand by modulating molecular pathways involved in cell survival processes and immunogenic interactions. One of the most dominant proteins induced by hyperthermia is the major stress-inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70). Hsp70 can be found in the blood either as a free-protein (free HSP70) derived from necrotic cells, or lipid-bound (liposomal Hsp70) when it is actively released in extracellular vesicles (EVs) by living cells. The aim of the study was to evaluate the levels of free and liposomal Hsp70 before and after treatment with RT alone or hyperthermia combined with radiotherapy (HTRT) in dogs and cats to evaluate therapy responses. Peripheral blood was collected from feline and canine patients before and at 2, 4, 6 and 24 h after treatment with RT or HTRT. Hsp70 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were performed to determine the free and liposomal Hsp70 concentrations in the serum. The levels were analysed after the first fraction of radiation to study immediate effects and after all applied fractions to study cumulative effects. The levels of free and liposomal Hsp70 levels in the circulation were not affected by the first singular treatment and cumulative effects of RT in cats however, after finalizing all treatment cycles with HTRT free and liposomal Hsp70 levels significantly increased. In dogs, HTRT, but not treatment with RT alone, significantly affected liposomal Hsp70 levels during the first fraction. Free Hsp70 levels were significantly increased after RT, but not HTRT, during the first fraction in dogs. In dogs, on the other hand, RT alone resulted in a significant increase in liposomal Hsp70, but HTRT did not significantly affect the liposomal Hsp70 when cumulative effects were analysed. Free Hsp70 was significantly induced in dogs after both, RT and HTRT when cumulative effects were analysed. RT and HTRT treatments differentially affect the levels of free and liposomal Hsp70 in dogs and cats. Both forms of Hsp70 could potentially be further investigated as potential liquid biopsy markers to study responses to RT and HTRT treatment in companion animals.     

癌症病人及其家属对医院图书馆提供文献服务的需求

通过对河北省肿瘤医院住院癌症病人及其家属的问卷调查,了解其对该校图书馆提供文献服务的需求,调查结果显示,79.18%的病人及其家属希望在住院期间接受图书馆提供的文献信息服务。     

奶牛乳腺上皮细胞三维培养的形态观察

利用原代培养后纯化的奶牛乳腺上皮细胞,以Matrigel为基质胶原,进行奶牛乳腺上皮细胞的三维培养,细胞接种浓度分别为1×104、1×105和1×106个细胞/mL。经过16d培养后,用DAPI对细胞染色,利用荧光显微镜观察细胞生长状况。结果表明,当细胞接种浓度为1×104～1×105个细胞/mL时,细胞形成了团块状结构,出现了类似腔状的腺泡形态。     

含蛋氨酸二肽影响奶牛乳腺上皮细胞乳蛋白合成相关基因表达

本试验旨在研究含蛋氨酸(Met)二肽对奶牛乳腺上皮细胞(BMECs)内乳蛋白合成相关基因表达的影响。试验分3部分,均采用单因子完全随机试验设计,Met的添加浓度及培养时间分别为60μg/m L(0.402 mmol/L)、48 h。第1部分,培养液添加8种含Met二肽[蛋氨酸-蛋氨酸(P-Met-Met)、蛋氨酸-赖氨酸(P-Met-Lys)、蛋氨酸-色氨酸(P-Met-Trp)、蛋氨酸-苯丙氨酸(P-Met-Phe)、蛋氨酸-苏氨酸(P-Met-Thr)、蛋氨酸-异亮氨酸(P-Met-Ile)、蛋氨酸-亮氨酸(P-Met-Leu)、蛋氨酸-缬氨酸(P-Met-Val)],以不添加二肽为对照,测定BMECs乳蛋白合成相关基因(αs1-酪蛋白、β-酪蛋白、κ-酪蛋白、β-乳球蛋白、Ⅱ型小肽转运载体和氨肽酶氮)的表达量;第2部分,培养液添加8种与上述二肽对应的游离氨基酸(F-Met-Met、F-Met-Lys、F-MetTrp、F-M et-Phe、F-M et-Thr、F-M et-Ile、F-M et-Leu、F-M et-Val),以不添加游离氨基酸为对照,测定BM ECs乳蛋白合成相关基因的表达量;第3部分,用二肽等物质的量替代相应游离氨基酸,测定BMECs乳蛋白合成相关基因的表达量以及细胞内外氨肽酶含量。结果表明:P-Met-Met和P-M et-Lys组较对照组和其他二肽组上调了αs1-酪蛋白和β-酪蛋白基因的表达量,且P-M et-M et组优于P-Met-Lys组。F-Met-Met和F-Met-Lys组较对照组和其他游离氨基酸组显著提高了αs1-酪蛋白基因的表达量(P0.05)。除P-Met-Val和P-Met-Leu组外,其他二肽替代游离氨基酸后均不同程度地提高了乳蛋白和Ⅱ型小肽转运载体基因的表达量,其中P-Met-Met表现出较好的促进效果。总之,含Met二肽等量替代对应的游离氨基酸能够促进乳蛋白基因的表达,其中尤以P-Met-Met的效果最好。