Yingchun Dong

Downregulation of EphA1 in colorectal carcinomas correlates with invasion and metastasis

The Eph gene family has important roles in the developmental processes and may also be involved in the initiation, progression, and metastasis of certain types of cancers. In the present study, quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR was performed to detect the expression of EphA1 transcript in 5 colon cancer cell lines and 75 colorectal carcinomas. Immunohistochemical staining was used to check the expression of EphA1 protein in 20 colorectal adenomas and in 111 colorectal carcinomas specimens. EphA1 protein expression was not completely consistent with transcript expression. EphA1 protein was expressed in all adenomas and reduced in 54% colorectal cancers. Reduced expression of EphA1 protein occurred more often in male patients (P=0.028) and in patients with poor differentiation (P=0.027), greater depth of wall invasion (P=0.003), lymph node metastasis (P=0.034), and advanced tumor stage (P=0.003). Patients with reduced EphA1 expression had a poor overall survival (P=0.059). Reduced EphA1 expression in patients over 55 years or with rectal cancers and sigmoid colon cancers is associated with a poor overall survival (P=0.034 and 0.015, respectively). Our data indicate that the EphA1 may play different roles during the different stages of colorectal carcinoma progression.

Loss of expression of EphB1 protein in gastric carcinoma associated with invasion and metastasis.

Objective:EphB1 is a member of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases that is involved in embryonic nervous and vascular system development. Over- or underexpression of certain Eph receptors has been found in some cancer samples compared to normal tissue. Expression of Eph receptors is related to malignant transformation, metastasis, differentiation, and prognosis of cancers. Recently, the EphB subfamily has been shown to be involved in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer. In the present study, expression of the EphB1 transcript and protein in gastric carcinoma samples was determined to investigate the roles of EphB1 in development, progress and prognosis of gastric carcinoma. Methods: Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical staining were used. Results: The EphB1 transcript was overexpressed in 68.9% (42/61) and underexpressed in 14.8% (9/61) of cases. However, the expression of protein was greatly different from the transcript expression, with overexpression and underexpression being 17.2% (10/58) and 44.8% (26/58), respectively. In addition, we showed that underexpression of EphB1 protein is significantly associated with invasion, stage and metastasis in gastric carcinomas. Conclusion: EphB1 may have a tumor-suppressive role in gastric cancer.

EphB1 is underexpressed in poorly differentiated colorectal cancers.

Background: Over- or underexpression of certain Eph receptors has been associated with tumorigenesis of some types of cancer. EphB1 is a member of receptor tyrosine kinases of the EphB subfamily involved in the development, progress and prognosis of colorectal cancers. The expression levels of EphB1 in colon cancer cell lines and human colorectal carcinoma specimens were determined and association of EphB1 expression with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Methods: Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were used. Results: The EphB1 transcript is expressed in all colon cancer cell lines tested. However, there is marked variability in the expression of the EphB1 transcripts and proteins among colorectal carcinoma specimens. Reduced expression of EphB1 in colorectal cancers more often occurred in poorly differentiated and mucinous adenocarcinomas than in well- and moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas. Further, cancer cells with a low level of EphB1 protein showed more invasive power. Conclusion: Our data indicate that EphB1 may have roles in the pathogenesis and development of colorectal cancer.

Primary adenosquamous carcinoma of the colon: Report of five cases

Primary adenosquamous cell carcinomas (Ad-SCCs) of the colon and rectum are rare malignancies with a poor prognosis, in comparison to adenocarcinoma alone. Different roles of human papilloma virus (HPV) in its pathogenesis have been reported and the role of P16 in Ad-SCCs has not been explored. This report presents five cases of Ad-SCC of the colon to explore the clinicopathological features and the roles of P16, HPV 6/11, and 16/18. There was no confirmed evidence to support the relationship between the infection of HPV 6/11, 16/18, and pathogenesis of Ad-SCC of the colon. P16 overexpression was not related to HPV carcinogenesis and there might be another mechanism of P16 upregulation in Ad-SCC of the colon.

Primary alveolar soft part sarcoma of vertebra: a case report and literature review

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare malignant soft tissue tumor, which rarely occurs in bone. We present a case of ASPS in a 23-year-old man with a 2-month history of back pain. Computed tomography scanning and magnetic resonance images demonstrated a destructive process in the 12th thoracic vertebra associated with a unilateral soft tissue mass. The tumor showed evidence of hypervascularity on MRI; it obviously was enhanced on T1-weighted images after injection of Gd-GDPA, and signal voids were shown on all pulse sequences which may help to differentiate ASPS from other tumors of the vertebra. We believe that this is the first case of ASPS arising in a vertebra.

High expression of EphA1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced disease

Eph receptors play important roles in the development of cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of EphA1 and its clinicopathologic significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The expression levels of the EphA1 transcript and protein were compared between ESCC and matched normal mucosa in the same patient. High expression levels of the EphA1 transcript and protein were detected in 25.6% (21/82) and 23.2% (19/82) of tumors compared with matched normal mucosa. The up‐regulation of EphA1 transcript in tumors was positively associated with differentiation (p = 0.002), disease stage (p = 0.034), and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.042). Increased expression of EphA1 protein in tumors was more often observed in patients with well‐differentiated tumors (p = 0.004), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.028), and advanced tumor stage (p = 0.008). EphA1 protein expression was detected in intraepithelial neoplasias as well. Decreased expression of EphA1 protein was detected in 65.2% (15/23) of samples with low‐grade neoplasia and in 85.3% (8/15) of samples with high‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia. Increased staining of EphA1 protein was not detected in low‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia samples, but was detected in 21.3% (2/15) of high‐grade intraepithelial neoplasia samples. Taken together, our results show that EphA1 appears to be a differentiation marker for esophageal squamous cells, and its increased expression is positively associated with lymph node metastasis and advanced disease stage.

EphrinB2 and EphB4 expression in pterygia: new insights and preliminary results

OBJECTIVE Pterygium is a growth of fibrovascular tissue onto the cornea, in which the mechanisms of cell proliferation and vascularization are unknown. The ephrin-Eph system, especially ephrinB2 and its receptor EphB4, has been shown to play an important role in tumor angiogenesis. EphrinB2 and EphB4 have also been reportedly involved in the pathogenesis of ocular angiogenesis. This study was designed to investigate the expression of ephrinB2 and its receptor EphB4 in pterygia. DESIGN Experimental study of the expression of ephrinB2 and its receptor EphB4 in pterygia. PARTICIPANTS Twenty-three primary pterygia, 5 recurrent pterygia, and 11 normal conjunctiva were studied. METHODS Immunohistochemistry studies were used to assess ephrinB2 and EphB4 protein expression levels and the tissue distribution in the samples. RESULTS EphrinB2 and EphB4 staining was present at a dense level in the total epithelium of the head portions of both primary and recurrent pterygial specimens, although just in the basal and parabasal layer of the epithelium of most of the normal conjunctivae. CONCLUSIONS EphrinB2 and EphB4 appear to be overexpressed in pterygium, and they may play important roles in its development.

Cribriform-morular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: report of three cases and review of the literature

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Four cases of distinctive meningiomas with Zellballen growth pattern

Dong Y, Zhou X, Wu B, Wang J, Ma H, Zhou H, Jiang S, Lu G, Hu Q. Four cases of distinctive meningiomas with Zellballen growth pattern. APMIS 2009; 117: 936–40.