Huijuan Shi

MACC1 down-regulation inhibits proliferation and tumourigenicity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells through Akt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

The present study was aimed at investigating the expression of metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), its relationship with β-catenin, Met expression and the clinicopathological features of NPC, and its roles in carcinogenesis of NPC. Our results showed that MACC1 expression was higher in NPC cells and tissues than that in normal nasopharyngeal cells and chronic inflammation of the nasopharynx tissues, respectively. MACC1 expression was closely related to the clinical stage (pu200a=u200a0.005) and the N classification (p<0.05) of NPC. Significant correlations between MACC1 expression and Met expression (pu200a=u200a0.003), MACC1 expression and β-catenin abnormal expression (pu200a=u200a0.033) were found in NPC tissues. MACC1 knockdown dramatically inhibited cellular proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony formation, but induced apoptosis in NPC cells compared with the control group. Furthermore, MACC1 down-regulation inhibited phosphorylated-Akt (Ser473) and β-catenin expression in NPC cells, but phosphorylated-Erk1/2 expression was not altered. Further study showed that phosphotidylinsitol-3-kinase inhibitor downregulated β-catenin and Met expression in NPC cells. There was a significant relationship between MACC1 expression and phosphorylated-Akt expression (pu200a=u200a0.03), β-catenin abnormal expression and phosphorylated-Akt expression (pu200a=u200a0.012) in NPC tissue, respectively. In addition, Epstein Barr virus-encoded oncogene latent membrane protein 1 upregulated MACC1 expression in NPC cells. Our results firstly suggest that MACC1 plays an important role in carcinogenesis of NPC through Akt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Targeting MACC1 may be a novel therapeutic strategy for NPC.

Clinical and biological significance of miR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p in colorectal cancer

To investigate miR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p expression and their relationships with the clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer (CRC). Our results showed that miR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p expression were dramatically lower in CRC cell lines and tissues than that in adjacent normal colorectal mucosal tissues, respectively. MiR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p expression were significantly associated with histological differentiation and TNM stage, respectively. CRC patients with low miR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p expression had a significantly shorter survival time than those patients with high miR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p expression (p<0.001, p<0.001), respectively. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that tumour size, TNM stage, miR-378a-3p expression and miR-378a-5p expression were independent prognostic factors for CRC patients. Ectopic miR-378a-3p or miR-378a-5p expression inhibited cellular proliferation and colony formation, induced apoptosis and G1-phase cell cycle arrest in CRC cells, but had no effect on migration and invasion of CRC cells. Furthermore, miR-378a-3p over-expression or down-regulation could inhibit or enhance insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) expression in CRC cells. There was a significantly negative correlation between IGF1R protein expression and miR-378a-3p expression in CRC tissues. MiR-378a-3p over-expression or down-regulation suppressed or enhanced phosphorylated-ERK1/2 protein level, but had no effect on phosphorylated-Akt protein level. In conclusion, miR-378a-3p and miR-378a-5p expression might play an important role as tumour suppressor gene in the initial stage of carcinogenesis of CRC.

Overexpression of astrocyte-elevated gene-1 is closely correlated with poor prognosis in human non-small cell lung cancer and mediates its metastasis through up-regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.

Expression of astrocyte-elevated gene-1, a novel oncoprotein, is elevated in multiple cancers and plays a vital role in tumor cell growth, invasion, angiogenesis, and progression to metastasis. However, the functional significance of astrocyte-elevated gene-1 in non-small cell lung cancer still remains unclear. Our present study showed that the markedly up-regulated expression of astrocyte-elevated gene-1 was observed in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines and tissues at the level of both transcription and translation. Simultaneously, ectopic expression or small interfering RNA silencing of astrocyte-elevated gene-1 markedly enhanced or inhibited the invasive ability of non-small cell lung cancer cells, respectively. At the molecular level, we also revealed that the function of astrocyte-elevated gene-1 in promoting metastasis was associated with the activation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression. Consistent with these observations, immunostaining analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between astrocyte-elevated gene-1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9. Moreover, subcutaneous xenografts of non-small cell lung cancer cells engineered to express astrocyte-elevated gene-1 were highly invasive compared with the parental cells and expressed a high level of matrix metalloproteinase-9. In archival non-small cell lung cancer specimens, high astrocyte-elevated gene-1 expression correlated significantly with clinical staging (P = .048), differentiation (P = .023), and lymph node metastasis (P = .032). The overall survival time in patients with high astrocyte-elevated gene-1 expression was notably shorter than that in patients with low astrocyte-elevated gene-1 expression (P < .001). Taken together, our results indicate that astrocyte-elevated gene-1 plays a crucial role in the carcinogenesis and aggressiveness of non-small cell lung cancer, promoting its metastasis by modulating matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression and leading to a poor clinical prognosis.

Histopathological and immunophenotypic features of testicular tumour of the adrenogenital syndrome.

Wang Z, Yang S, Shi H, Du H, Xue L, Wang L, Dong Y & Han Au2028(2011) Histopathologyu200258, 1013–1018u2028Histopathological and immunophenotypic features of testicular tumour of the adrenogenital syndrome

Clinicopathological features of inflammatory pseudotumour‐like follicular dendritic cell tumour of the abdomen

Inflammatory pseudotumour‐like follicular dendritic cell (FDC) tumour is an extremely rare neoplasm. Herein, we report 10 cases of inflammatory pseudotumour‐like FDC tumours in the abdomen and analyse their clinicopathological features.

Primary cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, non-germinal centre B-cell type in an immunocompetent woman

Primary cardiac lymphomas are extremely rare and always occur in immunodeficient persons. Here, we report a very rare case of a primary cardiac diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in an immunocompetent 41-year old woman. Echocardiography and computed tomography revealed a mass measuring 74 mm 49 mm in the right atrium. No tumour formations were recognized in other organs. Laboratory data did not reveal immunosuppression, and the human immunodeficiency virus was negative. Histological and immunohistochemical studies showed that the cardiac tumour was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, non-germinal centre B-cell type. Epstein-Barr Virus-encoded small RNA was negative by in situ hybridization. The patient died 6 months after the operation.

Epstein–Barr virus-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma bearing an intense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) of the liver is extremely rare. To our knowledge, only 16 cases of pure LELC or LELC with ordinary adenocarcinoma arising in the hepatobiliary tract have been reported in the English literature.1–7 Most of these tumours (68%, 11/16) were positive for Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) by EBV-encoded small non-polyadenylated RNA (EBER-1) in situ hybridisation.1–6 However, association of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma bearing an intense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with EBV infection has not been reported. We were the first to present two cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma with dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltration from Southern China, an area that is well known for and has a high-incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, showing EBV infection, but one case of LELC was associated with EBV infection as well.nn### Clinical featuresnnAfter reviewing 207 consecutive cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from the Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital and Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University …

Clinicopathological Features of Meningioangiomatosis Associated with Meningioma: A Case Report with Literature Review

Aim. To analyze the clinicopathological features of meningioangiomatosis (MA) associated with meningioma. Methods. We present one case of MA associated with meningioma. Histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry were used. Results. The age of the patient was 33-year-old man. Histopathologically, MA was characterized by vascular proliferation with perivascular meningothelial cells and/or fibroblast proliferation, entrapped glial islands. In addition, MA was associated with transitional meningioma. The patient was alive without evidence of recurrence at 18 months after mass resection. Conclusion. MA associated with meningioma is an extremely rare lesion. The differential diagnosis includes cortical invasion by meningioma and intracerebral schwannoma. Patients with MA associated with meningioma often have a good prognosis after operation.

Sporadic Burkitt lymphoma in southern China: 12 years' experience in a single institution in Guangzhou

Aim To analyse the clinicopathological features of sporadic Burkitt lymphoma (sBL). Methods In a review of 1682 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosed in the First Affiliated Hospital and Zhongshan School of Medicine, from 1998 to 2010, 20 cases (1.2%) of sBL were identified. Histopathological examination, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridisation were used to analyse the clinicopathological features of these cases. Results Of the 20 cases of sBL, 18 patients were male and two were female. The mean age was 18u2005years (range 2–67u2005years). Extranodal presentation was more common than nodal presentation (55% vs 15%). Histopathologically, 18 cases (90%) showed monotonous medium-sized tumour cells, and two cases showed cells that were slightly pleomorphic in nuclear size and shape. Immunophenotypically, MUM1 was positive in three of 17 cases (17.6%). EBER expression was shown in five of 17 cases (29.4%), and all EBER-positive sBLs were Bcl-6+/MUM1−. Conclusion sBL is rare and mainly affects male children, with predominantly extranodal presentation. MUM1 expression was found in some sBLs. EBER expression was found in 29.4% of sBLs from southern China, an area with a well-known high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, which is closely associated with Epstein–Barr virus infection.

Endotracheal angiomatoid ‘malignant’ fibrous histiocytoma: EWSR1 gene rearrangement

Sir, Angiomatoid ‘malignant’ fibrous histiocytoma is a rare tumour of intermediate biological potential. It was first described by Enzinger and termed angiomatoid malignant fibrous histocytoma. A subsequent large study revealed that the tumour had a local recurrence and metastasis rate of 12% and 4.6%, respectively. Because of the relative rarity of metastasis and the overall excellent clinical course, it was classified as an intermediate tumour in WHO 2002. Typically it arises in the extremity soft tissue of children and young adults. Besides somatic soft tissue, the tumour has been reported to occur in other sites such as the hard palate, mediastinum, vulva, retroperitoneum, ovary and lung. Among these unusual sites, the lung is the predilection site of non-somatic angiomatoid ‘malignant’ fibrous histiocytoma. Here we described a case that located in the trachea, which was the sixth reported case of angiomatoid ‘malignant’ fibrous histiocytoma of the lower respiratory tract, with some features that have not been described in the previous reported cases. The patient was a 27-year-old man. He complained of persistent cough for 1 year with sputum production, haemoptysis and dyspnoea on exertion. The patient had no history of tuberculosis or exposure to asbestos. Imaging by computed tomography showed a 15 mm lesion in the right wall of the infraglottic cavity with clear margins (Fig. 1A). The tumour was located between the glottis and the upper edge of the seventh cervical vertebrae and had a uniform density. It was pressing the cricoid cartilage but no destruction of the bone was found. There was no lymph node enlargement. The patient’s lung function tests showed morderate to severe obstructive ventilatory dysfunction. Bronchoscopy revealed a non-ulcerated polypoid mass located at the right wall of the hypolarynx trachea. The lumen of the trachea was severely narrowed (Fig. 1B). The tumour was clinically thought to be a carcinoid tumour and was biopsied, after which a sleeve resection of the lesion was performed. The biopsy specimen measured 2 mm in diameter. Histologically, the lesion revealed perivascular lymphocytes and plasma cells embedded in oedematous connective tissue. The