Mammary carcinoma arising in an adenoma in a ewe

A large, firm, multi-cystic mammary gland mass grew slowly over 4 y in a 12-y-old, female Finn–Shetland cross sheep. A diagnosis of epithelial malignancy was suspected following fine-needle aspiration cytology at 30 mo after initial observation. The sheep was euthanized when the flock was downsized 18 mo later. A field postmortem examination revealed a large mammary mass, but an absence of metastases to internal organs. Imprint cytology of the mammary tissue supported a benign proliferative process. Histologically, mammary tissue was obliterated by cystic, tubular, and papillary adenomatous arrangements of mammary epithelium, with an anaplastic component, consistent with mammary carcinoma arising in an adenoma. IHC showed strong nuclear positivity to the antibody against progesterone receptor and minimal positivity to the antibody against estrogen receptor alpha expression. Intrinsic subtyping for basal or luminal epithelial origin was attempted through adaptation of companion animal IHC classification panels; high- and low-molecular-weight cytokeratins (CK5, CK8, CK18) failed to stain, but p63 expression for basal epithelium was positive.     

miR-140-3p inhibits viability,invasion and migration of non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells by targeting PD-L1

AIM: To explore the target relationship between microRNA-140-3p (miR-140-3p) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and their effect on the viability, migration and invasion of non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells.METHODS: RT-qPCR was used to detect the miR-140-3p expression in HLF-1, A549 and H1299 cells, and then the A549 cells with the most significant difference were selected as the subsequent research object. TargetScan software and dual-luciferase reporter assay were performed to predict and confirm the target relationship between miR-140-3p and PD-L1. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to determine the effects of miR-140-3p mimic and inhibitor on PD-L1 expression level. MTT assay was used to detect the viability of A549 cells. Transwell assay was performed to detect the migration and invasion abilities of the A549 cells.RESULTS: miR-140-3p was significantly down-regulated in the A549 cells and H1299 cells (P<0.05). Transfection with miR-140-3p mimic decreased the expression of PD-L1 and inhibited the viability, migration and invasion of the A549 cells. Transfection with pcDNA3.0-PD-L1 reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-140-3p on the viability, migration and invasion of the A549 cells.CONCLUSION: miR-140-3p inhibits the viability, migration and invasion of A549 cells by targeting PD-L1.     

Inhibitory Effects of AURKB Gene on Apoptosis and Cancer Cell Growth in HCT 116 Cells

[Objectives]To explore the inhibitory effect of AURKB gene in apoptosis and cancer cell growth in HCT 116 cells.[Methods]The in vitro cytology studies were carr...     

Effect of beclin-1 gene silencing on TuAKe-injured gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells

AIM: To observe the effect of beclin-1 silencing by the technique of RNA interference on the injury of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell by Sheliugu extract (the extract from tuber of Amorphophallus konjac, TuAKe). METHODS: To knock down the expression of beclin-1 gene, SGC-7901 cells were transfected with lentiviral vector carrying beclin-1-shRNA. The beclin-1 gene knock-down and non-knock-down SGC-7901 cells were treated with TuAKe. The cell viability was analyzed by CKK-8 assay. The percentages of apoptotic cells were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of beclin-1 and LC3 was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The beclin-1 gene silencing decreased the protein expression of beclin-1 and increased the protein expression of LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells, leading to the decrease in cell viability and the increase in apoptotic rate (P<0.05). TuAKe increased the protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells, and decreased the protein expression of LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells with beclin-1 gene silencing, thus inhibiting the cell viability and increasing the apoptotic rate (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Beclin-1 gene silencing inhibits the activation of beclin-1-related signaling pathway in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and aggravates the injury of cell viability induced by TuAKe.     

MicroRNA-145 inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human renal cancer A-498 cells by ADAM28

AIM: To investigate the inhibitory effect of microRNA-145 (miR-145) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in renal cancer A-498 cells. METHODS: The A-498 cells were transfected with miR-145 mimics (M145) and mimic negative control(MNC), which served as M145 group and MNC group, respectively. Mock control (MC) group was set up using untreated A-498 cells. The expression level of miR-145 in each group was detected by RT-qPCR. Transwell assay was used to detect the invasion ability of the cells. The protein expression of vimentin, E-cadherin and ADAM28 was determined by Western blot. Bioinformatic method was used to predict the target genes of miR-145. Antagonistic effect of ADAM28 over-expression on the inhibition of EMT by miR-145 was detected by Western blot. The relationship between miR-145 and ADAM28 was analyzed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: The expression level of miR-145 in M145 group was significantly up-regulated than that in MC group (P<0.05). The number of invasive cells in M145 group was 12.78±3.37, which was significantly lower than that in MC group (P<0.05). ADAM28 may be the target gene of miR-145. Compared with MC group, the protein expression of vimentin and ADAM28 in M145 group was significantly decreased (P<0.05), while the protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly increased (P<0.05).After ADAM28 over-expression, the protein expression of vimentin in the A-498 cells of M145 group was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The results of dual-lucife-irasei reporter assay showed that ADAM28 was a downstream target gene of miR-145. CONCLUSION: miR-145 may inhibit the expression of EMT-related proteins through the downstream target gene ADAM28 and inhibit the EMT process of renal cancer A-498 cells.     

Effect of proline-spirooxindole on viability and apoptosis of non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells

AIM:To investigate the effect of proline-spirooxindole on the viability and apoptosis of human non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells. METHODS:The effect of proline-spirooxindole on the viability of A549 cells was determined by CCK-8 assay. The apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. The effects of proline-spirooxindole on the expression of PARP and p53 and the phosphorylation of mTOR were determined by Western blot. RESULTS:After A549 cells were treated with proline-spirooxindole (25, 50 and 100 mg/L), the cell viability was decreased (P<0.01) compared with DMSO control group. The apoptotic rate was increased compared with DMSO control group (P<0.01). The protein expression of p53 was up-regulated, the increased apoptotic protein cleaved PARP was observed, and the phosphorylation of mTOR was inhibited (P<0.01). CONCLUSION:Proline-spirooxindole inhibits the viability of A549 cells and induces apoptosis, which may be related to the phosphorylation of mTOR.     

Cepharanthine induces autophagy via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells

AIM: To investigate the autophagy of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells induced by cepharanthine and to explore its mechanism. METHODS: The effect of cepharanthine on the viability of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells was measured by CCK-8 assay. The SKOV3 cells were treated with cepharanthine, and then the formation of autophagosome was observed with acridine orange staining under fluorescence microscope. The protein levels of LC3, AKT, p-AKT, mTOR, p-mTOR and GAPDH in the SKOV3 cells treated with cepharanthine were determined by Western blot.RESULTS: Cepharanthine significantly inhibited the viability of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05). The number of the intracellular acidic autophagosomes with bright red fluorescence was significantly increased after cepharanthine treatment in the SKOV3 cells. The expression of LC3-Ⅱ in SKOV3 cells was significantly enhanced after cepharanthine treatment. Furthermore, treatment with cepharanthine in the SKOV3 cells also resulted in a significant down-regulation of phosphorylated form of AKT and mTOR (P<0.01), while the total protein level was not changed. Combination of cepharanthine and 3-methyladenine resulted in a substantial decrease in the cell viability compared with using cepharanthine alone.CONCLUSION: Cepharanthine significantly inhibits the growth of human ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells and induces the autophagy, which may be correlated with down-regulation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.     

Shikonin reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer cells HCC827

AIM: To investigate the effect of shikonin on reversing hepatocyte growth factor(HGF)-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer HCC827 cells, and to explore its possible mechanisms.METHODS: The gefitinib-resistant HCC827 cells induced by HGF were treated with shikonin and gefitinibthe alone or in combination. The inhibition rates of cell viability were determined by MTT assay. The invasive ability of HCC827 cells with HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib was determined by Transwell assay. The protein levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and related signaling pathway in the HCC827 cells were detected by Western blot.RESULTS: The results of MTT assay showed that the cell activity of HCC827 cells was significantly inhibited by shikonin in a dose dependent manner. The IC₅₀ of shikonin in HCC827 cells was 3.06 μmol/L. And the IC₅₀ of gefitinib in HCC827 cells was 0.51 μmol/L. Under the condition of combined treatment with shikonin and gefitinib in the presence of HGF (20 μg/L), the IC₅₀ of gefitinib was 7.36 μmol/L, significantly lower than that treated with gefitinib alone (P<0.01), so did the result of the cell migration (P<0.01). HGF induced EMT, while shikonin reversed this effect. The protein expression level of p-AKT was significantly up-regulated by HGF, while markedly down-regulated treatment with shikonin and gefitinib compared with gefitinib alone (P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Shikonin reverses HGF-induced resistance to gefitinib in lung cancer HCC827 cells, and the mechanism may be likely related to the preventon of EMT and the inhibition of HGF-induced activation of p-AKT signaling pathway.     

转基因动物研究进展

转基因动物是现代生物技术中一个极其重要的研究领域，目前已经有转基因小鼠、兔、绵羊、山羊、猪、牛、鸡和鱼等多种转基因动物问世。本文综述了转基因动物的制作方法、转基因动物的应用研究以及所取得的重要成就，并指出了转基因动物存在的主要问题，展望了其发展前景。     

THORACIC METASTASES OF CANINE MAMMARY GLAND TUMORS

The absence or presence of metastases on thoracic radiographs in 55 female dogs with mammary gland tumors was assessed by comparing the results of a single radiographic examination, using dorsoventral and left lateral views, with clinical and histologic follow-up data. Radiographic abnormalities found in dogs with thoracic metastases were classified as well-defined pulmonary nodules, ill-defined pulmonary nodules, and involvement of pleural effusion. No obvious difference in the effect on the right or left lung lobes was found. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for the detection of thoracic metastases were 65%, 97%, and 87%, respectively.