Objective To explore the effect of membrane surface nucleolin （NCL） on activation of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） signaling. Methods Immunohistochemistry was used to identify the expressions of membrane surface NCL or EGFR in pallilary thyroid carcinoma （PTC） tissues. The level of phosphorlated EGFR in TPC-1 cells was observed by Western blot. TPC-1 cells invasion capacity was detected by Transwell assay. Results The posi-tive expression rates of membrane surface NCL and EGFR in PTC tissues were 100% （56/56） and 80.4% （45/56） respe-ctively， while the expressions of NCL and EGFR were related with lymph node metastasis （P＜0.05）. There was posi-tive correlation between the expressions of NCL and EGFR （r=0.635， P＜0.01）. Western blot showed that anti-NCL or anti-EGFR of TPC-1 cells could inhibit the expression of phosphorlation EGFR （P＜0.01）. Transwell assay showed the number of membrane-invading cells were reduced significantly in anti-NCL group anti-EGFR group （P＜0.01）. Conclusions Membrane surface NCL may be a kind of indispensable component in activation of EGFR signaling， by which EGFR can participate in growth and invasion of tumors. NCL can be used as a target for developing a new field of tumor treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To explore the expressive characteristics of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) in tissues of fetal and adult intestines. METHODS: The expression intensity and distribution of EGF and EGFR were detected with pathological and immunohistochemical methods in 6 specimens of adult (16-54 years) intestines and 18 specimens of fetal intestines with different gestational ages (13-31 weeks). RESULTS: Positive protein particles of EGF and EGFR could be detected in tissues of fetal and adult intestines. The protein expressions of EGF and EGFR were elevated progressively with the gestational age. EGF was mainly located in the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix of intestinal villus cells, endothelial cells and tunica serosa epithelial cells, while EGFR chiefly distributed in the cellular membrane of these cells. CONCLUSION: The endogenous EGF and EGFR might be involved in the intestinal development at embryonic stage, in the structural and functional maintenance at adult stage, and in the wound healing after injury.
Objective To explore the effects of prolonged inhalation of Aspergillus fumigatus ( Af)spores on epithelial cell injury and expression of epidermal growth factor receptor( EGFR) in airways of asthmatic rats. Methods 64 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 8 groups, ie. chronic asthma group ( group A) , chronic asthma plus Af spores inhalation for 1 week ( group B) , 3 weeks ( group C) and 5 weeks ( group D) , chronic asthma plus saline inhalation for 5 weeks ( group E) , OVA-sensitized and salinechallenged group ( group F) , and OVA-sensitized and saline-challenged plus Af spores inhalation for 5 weeks ( group G) ( each n =8) . The airway resistance ( Raw) and change of Raw after acetylcholine provocation were detected using a computerized system. The concentrations of epidermal growth factor ( EGF) andtransforming growth factor alpha( TGF-α) in BALF were measured by ELISA. The extents of epithelial cell injury and goblet cell hyperplasia were evaluated on hematoxylin and eosin-stained( HE) and periodic acidschiff ( PAS) stained lung sections. The expression of EGFR in airway epithelia was demonstrated byimmunohistochemistry, and the level of EGFR protein in the rat lung tissues was measured by western blot.Results The concentration of EGF( pg/mL) ( 51. 72 ±8. 54, 68. 12 ±7. 85, 86. 24 ±9. 12, respectively)and TGF-α( pg/mL) ( 55. 26 ±9. 30, 75. 58 ±11. 56, 96. 75 ±14. 66, respectively) , detached/ inner perimeter of epithelium( % ) ( 11. 25 ±3. 12, 26. 45 ±5. 56, 28. 50 ±7. 50, respectively) , the ratio of goblet cell area to epithelial cell area ( % ) ( 16. 42 ±5. 24, 22. 64 ±6. 82, 36. 38 ±9. 21, respectively) , the integrated optical density ( IOD) of EGFR positive stain in airway epithelial cells ( 82 ±15,120 ±19, 165 ±21, respectively) , and the EGFR protein levels in lung tissues ( 0. 91 ±0. 26, 1. 61 ±0. 52, 2. 52 ±0. 78,respectively) in group B, C, and D were higher than those in group A, E, F and G( P lt; 0. 05 or P lt;0. 01) .The change rates of Raw( % ) ( 61. 91 ±5. 26, 84. 69 ±6. 38) in group C and D were higher than those in group A, E, F and G ( P lt; 0. 05 or P lt;0. 01) . The IOD of EGFR was positively correlated with detached/inner perimeter of epithelium( % ) and the ratio of goblet cell area to epithelial cell area( % ) ( r = 0. 692,P lt;0. 01; r = 0. 657, P lt; 0. 01, respectively) . Conclusion Prolonged inhalation of Aspergillus fumigatus spores can aggravate airway epithelial cell injury, up-regulate the expression of EGFR in airway epithelial cell and induce goblet cell hyperplasia, thus increase the airway responsiveness in rats with chronic asthma.
ObjectiveTo explore the relationship of the clinicopathological characteristics of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with the mutations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), K-ras and EML4-ALK fusion gene in cell blocks of pleural effusion (PLE). MethodsA total of 268 cytological specimens of PLE (pleural effusion), from Central Hospital of Zibo city were collected from advanced NSCLC patients between January 2012 year and June 2014 year. There were 165 male and 103 female patients at age of 53.6 (31-76) years. Qualitative diagnosis has been made in the 268 patients using PLE samples with conventional smear. Immunohistochemical staining combined with cell block section were used for further classification. There were 76 patients diagnosed as NSCLC with 39 patients of adenocarcinoma and 37 patients of squamous-cell carcinoma. In the 76 patients of lung biopsy specimens and PLE, EGFR and K-ras mutations, EML4-ALK fusions were tested. ResultsEGFR mutations rate was 34.21% (26/76). K-ras mutations rate was 6.58% (5/76). EML4-ALK fusions rate was 7.89% (6/76) at the same time. EGFR and K-ras mutations, EML4-ALK fusions were mostly found in young female adenocarcinoma patients who were non-smokers. EGFR and K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusions were not found in the same patient. ConclusionCytological specimens are feasible for detecting EGFR were K-ras mutations and EML4-ALK fusions. This will especially benefit to patients whose histological specimen can not be obtained.
ObjectiveTo investigate the value of serum soluble CD146 (sCD146) in determining acquired epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) resistance in lung adenocarcinoma.MethodsA total of 144 lung adenocarcinoma EGFR sensitive patients in People’s Hospital of Zhengzhou University diagnosed from January 2016 to December 2016 were recruited in the study. According to the different time of taking drugs, the patients were divided into a non-medication group (31 cases), a 1 to 3 month treatment group (25 cases), a 4 to 6 month treatment group (19 cases), a 7 to 12 month treatment group (25 cases), a drug-resistant group (24 cases), and a nonresistant group up to 1 year of treatment (20 cases). The serum levels of sCD146, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) were measured by ELISA and chemiluminescence and compared between different period of medication. The relationship of serum sCD146 with tumor markers (CEA, NSE) and tumor related clinical parameters (age, gender, tumor stage, metastasis, tumor diameter, number of the lesions) were analyzed.ResultsThe serum sCD146 level was minimum in the non-medication group that did not receive pioglitazone treatment, highest in the 1 to 3 month treatment group (early treatment period), and declined with duration of medication until resistance occurred without significant difference (P>0.05). The level of sCD146 of the drug-resistant group was significantly lower than that of all nonresistant groups, with significant difference (allP<0.05), but still higher than that of the non-medication group (P<0.05). The serum sCD146 levels in the nonresistant patients with medication over 1 year and within 1 year were similar (P>0.05), and significantly higher than the non-medication group and drug-resistance group (allP<0.05). The serum CEA levels did not differ significantly between 6 groups (P>0.05). The serum NSE level of the 4 to 6 month treatment group was lower than that of the 7 to 12 month treatment group (P<0.05), but both in the normal reference range. The NSE levels did not differ in any other groups (P>0.05). Serum sCD146 was associated with metastasis (P<0.05), but not associated with serum CEA or NSE, nor with sex, age, tumor staging, tumor diameter or lesion number (allP>0.05).ConclusionsCD146 may be involved in the mechanism of TKI killing tumor cells and the mechanism of TKI resistance, and may be a serological marker for monitoring the efficacy of TKI and judging the resistance of TKI.
Objective To investigate the feasibility of detection of epidermal growth factor receptor ( EGFR) exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R mutations in pleural effusion fromnon-small-cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) patients by mutant enriched PCR assay. Methods The mutations of exon 19 and 21 of EGFR gene in pleural samples fromthirty NSCLC patients were analyzed using both the mutant-enriched PCR assay and the non-enriched PCR assay. Results Ten ( 33. 3% , 10/ 30) exon 19 deletions and five ( 16. 7% , 5/30) exon 21 L858R mutation were detected by the mutant-enriched PCR assay, while only 6 cases ( 20. 0% ) and 1 case ( 3. 3% ) were detected by the non-enriched PCR assay respectively. The difference of mutation detection rate of EGFR gene between the two methods was statistically significant ( P = 0. 032) . Mutations were detected in all of partial responders ( 2 /4) among the four patients who received gefitinib therapy. Conclusions Mutant-enriched PCR assay can detect EGFR exon 19 deletions and exon 21 L858R mutation in pleural effusion from NSCLC patients effectively, economically and accurately. It may be a valuable biomarker for gefitinib therapy in advanced NSCLC.
Objective To assess the efficacy of a kind of new material lipid magnetic particle for isolation and detection of lung cancer circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Methods Immune lipid magnetic particles were prepared with reverse evaporation method and they were assembled into kits with EpCAM and EGFR antibody respectively. Their efficacy were evaluated by detecting A549 cells in group A (A549 cells mixed in phosphated buffer solution) and group B (A549 cells mixed in blood from healthy volunteers). Lung cancer CTCs of hospitalized patients were also detected with both immune magnetic particals. Then the detecting efficacy was compared between EpCAM immune lipid magnetic particles and the conventional CellsearchTM system. Results The immune lipid magnetic particles had high capture efficiency for CTCs isolation and identification. The median of EpCAM immune lipid magnetic particles method in detecting A549 cells in group A was 92%, and EGFR was 90%. The median of EpCAM immune lipid magnetic particles method in detecting A549 cells in group B was 85%, and EGFR was 81%. In 13 patients with lung cancer, CTCs can be detected with both immune lipid magnetic particles methods and both medians were 5; In negative control, the medians of both methods were 0 (P＜0.05). EpCAM immune lipid magnetic particles method can detect more CTCs than conventional CellsearchTM system in 3 lung cancer patients. Conclusions Immune lipid magnetic particles have good efficacy for lung cancer CTCs detection and has promising clinical application value. The EpCAM immune lipid magnetic particles have equal efficiency in detecting lung cancer CTCs with EGFR. There is a trend that EpCAM immune lipid magnetic particles is superior to the conventional CellsearchTM system.
ObjectiveTo reveal the true value of plasma detection of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) gene diagnosis and to predict survival prognosis. MethodsTissue samples of positive EGFR mutations by using amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) method were surgically resected from 198 patients with stage I-IV NSCLC between February 2014 and June 2015 in Tangdu hospital. Paired blood samples were collected before surgery. And the cellfree DNA (cfDNA) in plasma was extracted, plasma EGFR mutations were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Concentration of cfDNA was measured by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. Follow-up observation for stage ⅢA patients was put into force after surgery. Kaplan-Meire was used in survival analysis. ResultsThe sensitivity of EGFR mutation for the 198 paired tissues and plasma samples was 17.2%.The sensitivity was positively correlated with TNM stage and negatively correlated with tumor differentiation. The sensitivity of sage ⅢA was 33.3%, significantly higher than that of the patients at stage ⅠA (1.6%, P=0.000) and stage ⅠB (7.9%, P=0.004). The sensitivity of poor differentiation was 36.8%, significantly higher than that of high differentiation (0.0%, P=0.000) and moderate differentiation (15.7%, P=0.010). There was no correlation between plasma cfDNA concentration and patient characteristics. Survival analysis showed that plasma detection was a vital factor for predicting postoperative survival prognosis of stage ⅢA patients (P=0.014). ConclusionTissue samples cannot be replaced by plasma samples for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation test in early-stage NSCLC patients, currently. When the sensitivity increases dramatically in the plasma samples of stage ⅢA NSCLC and poor differentiation tumor, we recommend using plasma detection for gene diagnosis, dynamic monitoring of EGFR mutations in stage ⅢA or poorly differentiated tumors, especially in NSCLC patients whose tissue samples cannot be obtained by surgery. And plasma EGFR detection is a valuable method of forecasting survival prognosis for locally advanced NSCLC patients.
Objective To observe the effect of gefitinib on expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in bile duct epithelial cells, and the feasibility of inhibiting hyperplasia of bile duct epithelial cells with gefitinib. Methods Sixty-one patients with hepatolithiasis having to be in hospital for surgery from the First People’s Hospital of Shuangliu county were selected, with 25-65 years old, average 46.92 years. The patients were randomly divided into therapy group and control group. There were 30 cases in therapy group, in which fine duct was placed on lesion bile duct during operation, and through whom gefitinib solution was perfused after operation. There were 31 cases in control group with only T tube drainage after operation. The bile duct sample was obtained respectively during the operation and 6 weeks and 12 weeks after operation. The histology and expression change of EGFR were observed by HE staining, immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR method respectively. Results There were no significant differences in pathohistology changes of bile duct and the EGFR protein and mRNA expression between therapy group and control group during operation. The hyperplasia of epithelium mucosae and submucosal gland in the therapy group were obviously decreased as compared with those in control group, the EGFR mRNA and protein expression in therapy group were weaker than those of control group （Plt;0.05） 6 weeks and 12 weeks after gefitinib treatment. Conclusion EGFR is overexpressed in the chronic proliferative cholangitis, and continuously local application of gefitinib after operation can specifically interrupt the activation and expression of EFGR and then effectively inhibit the hyperplasia of bile duct epithelial cells.
To investigate the significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in thyroid carcinoma, the expression of EGFR in 81 samples of thyroid carcinoma were determined by immunohistochemical SP method and comparison among thyroid carcinoma, thyroid adenomas and normal thyroid tissue adjacent to the cancer were made. The results showed: EGFR expression was positive in 45 cases (55.6%) of thyroid carcinoma with no positive expression either in thyroid adenomas or normal thyroid tissue adjacent to the cancer (Ｐ＜0.01). There were no statistical differences between EGFR positive rate and thyroid carcinomatous pathological type, clinical stage, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis or patients′ postoperative survival time (Ｐ＞0.05). This data suggests that expression of EGFR in thyroid carcinoma is associated with its autonomous growth and malignant phenotype, but it is probably not a useful index for assessing the biological behavious and prognosis of thyroid carcinoma.