Biomedical subjects

Wei-Wei Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Wei-Wei Liu.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Overexpression of MMP-2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a potential indicator for poor prognosis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of gelatinases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: In a retrospective study of 72 consecutive patients with LSCC hospitalized in a single cancer center, immunohistochemistry was used to examine the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in surgical samples. The results were compared to clinicopathological features and prognosis. RESULTS: The positive expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in patients with LSCC was 50% (36/72) and 73.6% (53/72), respectively. According to the expression scale, there were 36 patients of -, 26 patients of +, 7 patients of ++, and 3 patients of +++ expression of MMP-2; 19 patients of -, 26 patients of +, 16 patients of ++, and 11 patients of +++ expression of MMP-9. There was no significant relationship found between the expression of MMP-2 or MMP-9 and clinicopathological features of LSCC, such as histological grade, primary site, T stage, N stage, and clinical stage. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rate calculated by Kaplan-Meier method in patients with negative and positive expression of MMP-9 and MMP-2 was 73.68%, 50.94%, 73.68%, and 49.06% in MMP-9 and 72.22%, 41.67%, 72.22%, and 38.89% in MMP-2, respectively. Significant 5-year survival difference was found between patients with negative and positive expression of MMP-2 (log rank = 6.74, P = 0.0094). There was significant lower survival rate in patients with higher positive expression of MMP-2 (log rank = 11.77, P = 0.0028). In glottic laryngeal cancer, positive expression of MMP-2 could predict poor survival and was more likely to present primary recurrence. CONCLUSION: The expression of MMP-2 could be used as a potential predictor for poor prognosis in patients with LSCC.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Significant decrease of recent thymic output function in patients with severe benzene intoxication].

The aim of the present study was to investigate the level of T-cell receptor excision DNA circles (TREC) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) of patients with severe benzene poison, thereby to evaluate the content of naive T cells and the recent thymic output function. Quantitative detection of TREC in DNA of PBMNCs from 16 normal individuals and 8 cases with severe benzene poison was preformed by real-time PCR using TaqMan technique. The results showed that TREC level was 6.69 +/- 4.79/1 000 PBMNCs in normal individuals, however, significant decrease was shown in patients with severe benzene poison (1.03 +/- 0.44/1 000 PBMNCs, P < 0.01). The TREC level was persistently low in period of benzene poisoning, even if peripheral blood cell counts were at normal levels. In conclusion, the recent thymic output function is remarkably decreased in patients with severe benzene intoxication, that may obviously damage the T cell immune function.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Correlation of GST-pi and PCNA expression to prognosis of advanced maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Tumor markers which relate to cell proliferation and metabolism have seldom been studied in maxillary sinus cancer. This study was conducted to identify the correlation of glutathione S-transferase pi (GST-pi) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression to prognosis of advanced maxillary sinus squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: The expression of GST-pi and PCNA in 54 specimens of maxillary sinus SCC, 29 specimens of benign maxillary tumor, and 20 specimens of normal nasal mucosa was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation of GST-pi and PCNA expression to prognosis of advanced maxillary sinus SCC was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method. The prognosis was analyzed by Cox multivariate model. RESULTS: The overexpression rates of GST-pi and PCNA were significantly higher in maxillary sinus SCC than in benign maxillary tumor and normal nasal mucosa (74.1% vs. 89.6% and 15.0%, P<0.01; 79.6% vs. 3.4% and 0, P<0.01). The 5-year survival rate was significantly higher in advanced maxillary sinus SCC patients with high expression of GST-pi than in the patients with low expression of GST-pi (34.5% vs. 21.2%, P=0.025); the difference between the patients with high and low expression of PCNA was not significant (18.0% vs. 27.0%, P=0.890). The expression of GST-pi was an independent prognostic factor of advanced maxillary sinus SCC (P=0.039, odds ratio>1). CONCLUSION: The overexpression of GST-pi is an independent prognostic factor of advanced maxillary sinus SCC, but that of PCNA isn't.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Tree analysis of mass spectral urine profiles discriminates transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder from noncancer patient.

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in proteomic profiling technologies, such as surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (SELDI), have allowed preliminary profiling and identification of tumor markers in biological fluids in several cancer types and establishment of clinically useful diagnostic computational models. We developed a bioinformatics tool and used it to identify proteomic patterns in urine that distinguish transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) from noncancer. METHODS: Proteomic spectra were generated by mass spectroscopy (surface-enhanced laser desorption and ionization). A preliminary "training" set of spectra derived from analysis of urine from 46 TCC patients, 32 patients with benign urogenital diseases (BUD), and 40 age-matched unaffected healthy men were used to train and develop a decision tree classification algorithm that identified a fine-protein mass pattern that discriminated cancer from noncancer effectively. A blinded test set, including 38 new cases, was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the classification system. RESULTS: The algorithm identified a cluster pattern that, in the training set, segregated cancer from noncancer with sensitivity of 84.8% and specificity of 91.7%. The discriminatory pattern correctly identified. A sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 87.0% for the blinded test were obtained when comparing the TCC vs. noncancer. CONCLUSIONS: These findings justify a prospective population-based assessment of proteomic pattern technology as a screening tool for bladder cancer in high-risk and general populations.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Inhibition of glioma invasion by overexpression of pigment epithelium-derived factor.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and an inducer of neural differentiation. We previously reported the loss of PEDF expression in glioma progression. In this study, we investigated whether PEDF overexpression could suppress glioma growth and invasion. Glioma cell line U251 was stably transfected with a full-length human PEDF expression vector. The expression and release of various cytokines and angiogenic factors into the medium were analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and gelatin zymography. Apoptosis was checked by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling. Growth inhibition was evaluated by using the in vitro Matrigel invasion. Tumorigenicity was examined in vivo by subcutaneous xenotransplantation into severe combined immunodeficient mice. In U251 cells overexpressing PEDF, thrombospondin-1 protein was upregulated (5.3-fold more), but the production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (1.8-fold less) and basic fibroblast growth factor (2.5-fold less) was lower than in cells transfected with the vector only. PEDF also downregulated the production of matrix metalloproteinase-9. Conditioned medium collected from the PEDF-transfected U251 cells showed a significant reduction of VEGF expression. In vitro invasiveness was reduced by approximately 40%. PEDF expression prevented the growth of transfected cells and caused a significant increase in the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis (50.4% in PEDF-transfected cells). Furthermore, the size of xenotransplants was significantly smaller. In conclusion, PEDF overexpression decreased malignancy, and this might be attributed to the promotion of apoptosis and the regulation of expression of angiogenic effectors. Thus, treatment with PEDF may be useful in patients with malignant gliomas. However, the mechanism of apoptosis induction needs to be investigated.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

[Prognostic analysis of 151 patients with maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Five-year survival rate of patients with maxillary malignant neoplasms is low, the prognostic factors of these neoplasms were unclear. This study was to investigate prognostic factors of maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms. METHODS: Records of 151 inpatients with malignant neoplasms of maxillary sinus initially treated at Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University from Sep. 1983 to Mar. 1999 were reviewed. Of 151 cases, 72 were squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 44 were adenocarcinoma, 16 were sarcoma, and 19 were other histological types; according to 1997 UICC classification, 7 were stage II, 55 were stage III, and 89 were stage IV; 66 patients received combined therapy of surgery and radiotherapy, 14 received surgery alone, 25 received radiotherapy alone, 39 received other treatments, and 7 gave up treatment. All patients were followed up for more than 5 years. Influences of clinicopathologic factors on prognosis of patients with maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression model with SPSS10.0 software. RESULTS: Five-year overall survival rate of patients of </=40 years old was 55.7%, that of patients of >40 years old was 33.3%(P=0.030); that of patients with SCC was 30.2%, of patients with adenocarcinoma was 57.5%, of patients with sarcoma was 24.3%, of patients with tumor of other histological types was 50.7% (P=0.011); that of patients with tumor of stage II, III, and IV were 85.7%, 45.8%, and 32.7%, respectively (P=0.029); that of patients with cervical metastases was 14.4%, of patients without cervical metastases was 44.1% (P=0.005); that of patients with distant metastases was 14.3%, of patients without distant metastases was 41.1% (P=0.011); that of patients without treatment was 14.3%, of patients treated with surgery alone was 42.9%, of patients treated with radiotherapy alone was 32.3%, of patients treated with combined therapy of surgery and radiotherapy was 50.8%, of patients treated with other treatments was 29.1% (P=0.004). Univariate survival analysis showed that the above 6 factors were prognostic factors of patients with maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms. Multivariate analysis showed that combination of surgery and radiotherapy (P=0.004, OR< 1), clinical stage (P=0.025, OR >1), SCC (P=0.016, OR >1), and sarcoma (P=0.003, OR >1) were independent prognostic factors of patients with maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms. CONCLUSION: For maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms, patients with SCC or sarcoma had poorer survival than patients with adenocarcinoma or other histological types of tumor; patients with sarcoma had poorer survival than patients with SCC. The higher the patient's clinical stage was, the worse his prognosis was. Combination of surgery and radiotherapy may be the best treatment for patients with maxillary sinus malignant neoplasms.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

2,3-bis(2-methylphenylimino)-1,4-dithiacyclohexane.

An N,N'-disubstituted dithiooxamide derivative reacts with 1,2-dibromoethane to produce the title compound, C(18)H(18)N(2)S(2), a heterocycle with a double Schiff base. In the crystal structure, the molecule of the title compound lies on a twofold axis. Weak C-H...pi interactions are the principal intermolecular forces, mediating the formation of layers parallel to the ab plane. Each molecule participates as donor and acceptor in two such contacts.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

[Combined usage of taxotere in induction chemotherapy of head and neck neoplasms].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: There were few reports about combined usage of taxotere in induction chemotherapy of head and neck cancer. It was reported previously that the total response rate in advanced head and neck cancer using TPF regimen [taxotere+cisplatin(DDP)+5-fluorouracil (5-FU)] was 93%. In this article, the authors preliminarily reported the response rate and side effects of TPF regimen in head and neck cancers. METHODS: Twenty-five cases with head and neck cancers in Guangzhou Tumor Hospital from January 1999 to June 2002 were reviewed. All cases underwent induction chemotherapy using TPF regimen (taxotere 75 mg/m(2), i.v. drip, d1; DDP 20 mg/m(2), i.v. drip, d1-3; 5-FU 300 mg/m(2), i.v. drip, d1-3; repeat per 3 weeks). All cases were followed up during chemotherapy and their response was evaluated after induction chemotherapy. The side effects were recorded. RESULTS: Six cases (24.0%) and 12 cases(48.0%) presented complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) after induction chemotherapy using TPF regimen, respectively. There were 7 cases with minimal or none response. The total response rate (CR+PR) after TPF induction chemotherapy was 72.0%. The response rates in oral cancers and the cancers in other primary sites including the base of tongue, larynx, hypopharynx, and nasopharynx were compared. It demonstrated that the response rates were 63.6%(7/11) and 71.4%(10/14), respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.504). In this study, there were 9 cases that relapsed after first treatment. Their response rate after TPF induction chemotherapy was 44.4% (4/9), which had 1 case of CR and 3 cases of PR. In this study, 36.0% (9/25) patients had leucopoenia including 16.0% (4/25) of degree I, 16.0% (4/25) of degree II, 4.0%(1/25) of degree III according to WHO standard;64%(16/25) of patients presented side effects in alimentary system, but the level was all under II according to WHO standard. The side effects in kidney in all patients were degree 0. Other side effects included hair loss but their degrees were all under II according to WHO standard. CONCLUSION: Induction chemotherapy using TPF regimen in local advanced head and neck cancers could have good chemotherapy response. It is effective for local relapse cases after first treatment and its side effects are tolerable.

Adult↗