Exosome-derived miR-23a-5p inhibits HCC proliferation and angiogenesis by regulating PRDX2 expression: MiR-23a-5p/PRDX2 axis in HCC progression.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely related to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Cancer-derived exosomes play an essential role in the establishment of the HCC microenvironment. However, the possible effects and underlying mechanisms of exosome (exo) microRNA-23a-5p (miR-23a-5p) in the progression of HCC remain unknown.

The Predictive Role of Inflammatory Biomarkers for Treatment Response and Progression-Free Survival in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma Receiving Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy with FOLFOX Regimen: A Preliminary Study.

Objective: This retrospective study aimed to investigate whether pre-treatment inflammatory biomarkers, including the prognostic nutritional index (PNI), monocyte-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), systemic immune inflammation index (SII), and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), could predict treatment response and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) receiving hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with the oxaliplatin, leucovorin, and fluorouracil (FOLFOX) regimen.

Methods: Based on the cut-off values identified using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve, 124 patients with HCC who received HAIC with the FOLFOX regimen were divided into low- and high-score MLR, PLR, PNI, and SII groups. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of treatment response and progression-free survival (PFS).

Differentiating Peripherally Located Pulmonary Noncalcified Hamartoma From Carcinoid Using CT Radiomics Approaches.

Objective: This article aimed to differentiate noncalcified hamartoma from pulmonary carcinoid preoperatively using computed tomography (CT) radiomics approaches.

Materials And Methods: The unenhanced CT (UECT) and contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) data of noncalcified hamartoma (n = 73) and pulmonary carcinoid (n = 54; typical/atypical carcinoid = 13/41) were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were randomly divided into the training and validation sets.

Apatinib Inhibits Angiogenesis in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma by Regulating the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Factor 3/Hypoxia Inducible Factor 1 Subunit Alpha Signaling Axis.

Introduction: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), which is difficult to diagnose and is usually fatal due to its late clinical presentation and a lack of effective treatment, has risen over the past decades but without much improvement in prognosis.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the role of apatinib that targets vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) in ICC.

Methods: MTT assays, cell scratch assays, and tube formation assays were used to assess the effect of apatinib on human ICC cell line (HuCCT-1) and RBE cells proliferation, migration, and angiogenic capacity, respectively.

[Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation with artificial pleural effusion for liver tumor adjacent to diaphragmatic dome].

To explore the value of ultrasound-guided microwave ablation with artificial pleural effusion for liver tumor adjacent to diaphragmatic dome.
 Methods: A total of 34 patients with liver tumors located at diaphragmatic dome in Hunan Provincial Tumor Hospital were recruited from January 2014 to October 2015. The number of lesions ≤3 or lesion diameter ≤5 cm was in line with the microwave ablation indications.

New approach for development of sensitive and environmentally friendly immunoassay for mycotoxin fumonisin B(1) based on using peptide-MBP fusion protein as substitute for coating antigen.

Here, on the basis of mimotope of small analytes, we demonstrated a new approach for development of sensitive and environmentally friendly immunoassay for toxic small analytes based on the peptide-MBP fusion protein. In this work, using mycotoxin fumonisin B1 (FB1) as a model hapten, phage displayed peptide (mimotope) that binds to the anti-FB1 antibody were selected by biopanning from a 12-mer peptide library. The DNA coding for the sequence of peptide was cloned into Escherichia coli ER2738 as a fusion protein with a maltose binding protein (MBP).

Application of mimotope peptides of fumonisin b1 in Peptide ELISA.

Anti-fumonisin B(1) (FB(1)) McAb 1D11 was used as the target for biopanning from a phage random loop-constrained heptapeptide library. After three cycles of panning, seven phages with three mimotope peptides were selected to mimic the binding of FB(1) to 1D11. After the identification of phage ELISA, the phage clone that showed the best linear range of detection was chosen for further research.

Association between insulin-like growth factor-2 expression and prognosis after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and octreotide in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the association between the change of IGF-2 level in serum after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, especially in relation to metastasis.

Methods: IGF-2 in serum was measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before, 3 days and 4 weeks after TACE in 60 patients with HCC. The occurrence of HCC metastasis was also evaluated, 3 months after TACE.

[Transhepatic arterial chemoembolization with gemcitabine and carboplatin for the treatment of stage III hepatocellular carcinoma].

Objective: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of transhepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) with gemcitabine and carboplatin for the treatment of stage III hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Sixty-one HCC patients were treated by TACE. During TACE, At first, intra-arterial infusion of carboplatin 300 mg/m2, then gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 with 5-30 ml of ultra-lipoidal iodide oil emulsion was used for arterial embolization.

Association between vascular endothelial growth factor and metastasis after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hypoxia up-regulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stimulates the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. This study was designed to investigate the association between changes in plasma VEGF levels after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and HCC progression, especially in relation to metastasis.

Methods: Plasma VEGF levels were measured by quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA R&D system).

[Relation between vascular endothelial growth factor and reoccurence-metastasis after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in hepatocellar carcinoma].

Objective: To investigate the relation between changes in serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, especially in relation to metastasis.

Methods: Serum VEGF expression level, measured by quatitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA, R&D system), was measured before, 3 days and 4 weeks after TACE in 30 patients with HCC. The development of metastasis was evaluated at the end of the third month after TACE.