Chun-Te Wu

TGF-β1 mediates the radiation response of prostate cancer.

Radiotherapy is the main treatment modality for prostate cancer. This study investigated the role of TGF-β1 in biological sequelae and tumor regrowth following irradiation, which are critical for the clinical radiation response of prostate cancer. Human and murine prostate cancer cell lines, and corresponding hormone-refractory (HR) cells, were used to examine the radiation response by clonogenic assays in vitro and tumor growth delay in vivo. Biological changes after irradiation, including cell death and tumor regrowth, were examined by experimental manipulation of TGF-β1 signaling. The correlations among tumor radiation responses, TGF-β1 levels, and regulatory T cells (Tregs) recruitment were also evaluated using animal experiments. HR prostate cancer cells appeared more radioresistant and had higher expression of TGF-β1 compared to hormone-sensitive (HS) cells. TGF-β1 expression was positively linked to irradiation and radioresistance, as demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Inhibition of TGF-β1 increased tumor inhibition and DNA damage after irradiation. When mice were irradiated with a sub-lethal dose, the regrowth of irradiated tumors was significantly correlated with TGF-β1 levels and Tregs accumulation in vivo. Furthermore, blocking TGF-β1 clearly attenuated Tregs accumulation and tumor regrowth following treatment. These data demonstrate that TGF-β1 is important in determining the radiation response of prostate cancer, including tumor cell killing and the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, concurrent treatment with a TGF-β1 inhibitor is a potential therapeutic strategy for increasing the radiation response of prostate cancer, particularly for more aggressive or HR cancer cells.Key message• HR prostate cancer cells appeared more radioresistant and had higher expression of TGF-β1.• TGF-β1 was positively linked to the radiation resistance of prostate cancer.• Tumor regrowth following irradiation was significantly correlated with TGF-β1 and Tregs levels.• Blocking TGF-β1 significantly attenuated RT-induced DNA repair and Tregs.• TGF-β1 inhibitor increases the radiation response of HR cancer cells.

Ectonucleotide Pyrophosphatase/Phosphodiesterase 1 K173Q Polymorphism Is Associated with Diabetic Nephropathy in the Taiwanese Population

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease in the world. The cause of diabetic nephropathy seems to be multifactorial, and about one-third of patients with diabetes eventually develop this complication. The gene encoding ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) is a candidate susceptibility gene for obesity and type 2 diabetes. We assessed rs1044498 (K173Q) located in the ENPP1 gene for association with diabetes nephropathy among 201 diabetic subjects without nephropathy and 215 diabetic subjects with nephropathy in the Taiwanese population. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1044S498 in ENPP1 was associated with diabetes nephropathy in our study subjects. The AC+CC genotype of the rs1044498 SNP was a risk factor for the development of nephropathy in diabetic patients. Further, the AC+CC genotype of rs1044498 was a genetic risk factor in obese (defined by waist circumference) diabetic patients, but not in nonobese diabetic patients. We confirmed the association between the rs1044498 SNP in ENPP1 and diabetic nephropathy, especially among obese diabetic patients, in the Taiwanese population.

Predictive Value of CD44 in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer and Its Relationship with IL-6 Signaling

BackgroundCD44, a cancer stem cell surface marker, is associated with treatment resistance and prognosis in some cancers. In the present study, we examined the predictive value of CD44 in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of 105 MIBC patients and correlated these outcomes with the expression of CD44. Furthermore, the bladder cancer cell lines HT1197 and MB49 were selected for cellular and animal experiments to investigate the correlation between CD44 and tumor aggressiveness.ResultsAnalysis of clinical specimens indicated that CD44 staining was significantly associated with a higher clinical stage, higher locoregional failure rate, and lower disease-specific survival rate for MIBC patients. Using cellular experiments and orthotopic tumor models, we showed that CD44+ bladder cancer cells had a higher invasion ability and augmented epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) compared with CD44 cells. There was a significant correlation between interleukin (IL)-6 and CD44 levels noted by in vitro testing, and clinical samples. Blockade of IL-6 attenuated the expression of CD44, cancer stem-cell-like properties, and aggressive tumor behavior in vitro and in vivo. The related changes included the attenuated STAT3 activation and EMT, and decreased programmed death ligand 1-mediated T-cell suppression.ConclusionOur findings suggest that CD44 expression is positively associated with tumor aggressiveness in bladder cancer, and activated IL-6 signaling provides a suitable microenvironment for the induction of CD44 expression.