Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were adenovirally engineered to secrete interleukin-12 (AdIL-12-MSCs) and evaluated for their anticarcinogenesis efficacy against three kinds of unestablished tumor models including B16 melanoma, LLC Lewis lung cancer and HCC hepatoma. Injection of AdIL-12-MSCs into protected mice before tumor inoculation prevented all of 12 mice in B16 preventive groups, 10 out of 12 in LLC lung cancer model and 11 out of 12 mice in HCC hepatoma model from developing tumors, whereas the control groups pre-receiving PBS were validated for 100% carcinogenesis; the tumor formation rates in free-AdIL-12 and vacant MSC groups were unveiled between approximately 83 and 100% even with plentiful angiogenesis and newborn lymphatic vessels, as well as distant metastases. As a novel approach, AdIL-12-MSC has revealed expected preventive effects on carcinogenesis (P<0.01) with low-toxic, broad-spectrum and long-range superiorities. In conclusion, our data indicate that AdIL-12-MSC possess the potential for tropism to preclinical tumor lesions and deprives surviving or hibernating tumor cells, which have escaped from conventional treatments, of revival and recurrence.

Exosomes are nanometer-scale extracellular vesicles derived from almost all types of cells and key signaling mediators between cancer cells and their microenvironment. Certain microRNAs (miRNAs) are selected for exosome packing and exclusion from parental cells, while other miRNAs are selectively retained by cells, suggesting a biological role for these miRNAs in tumor malignant progression. In the present study, we isolated and characterized the exosomes derived from the laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) cell line AMC-HN-8 for the first time, and identified a subset of miRNAs enriched in the exosomes compared with parental cells, such as miR-1246, miR-1290, miR-335-5p, miR-127-3p and miR-122-5p through small RNA sequencing combined with reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis. Potential target prediction, Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed possible functions associated with these selective exosomal miRNAs. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that the LSCC cell line AMC-HN-8 can release exosomes and cells can selectively pack certain miRNAs into exosomes.

Circular RNAs are abundant endogenous non-coding RNA with no 5′ cap and 3′ polyadenylation tail that modify liner mRNAs and have no terminal structures. Our knowledge of the biogenesis of circular RNAs has been expanded, and circular RNAs were shown to be key regulators of various diseases, especially cancers. Head and neck cancers are the sixth most popular cancers worldwide, and the overall survival rates remain unsatisfactory. Recent studies have indicated that circular RNAs are involved in the tumorigenesis, progression, invasion and chemosensitivity of head and neck cancers and that some circular RNAs could serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In this study, we summarize research advances in the regulation of circular RNA biogenesis, their characteristics and functions, the involvement of circular RNAs in the pathophysiology of head and neck cancers and their potential clinical utilization, as well as the likely directions of future studies.

Colorectal peritoneal carcinomatosis (CRPC) is a common systemic metastasis of intra-abdominal cancers. Intraperitoneal chemotherapy against CRPC is at present the preferred treatment. The aim of this study is to develop a novel hydrogel drug delivery system through the combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) loaded polymeric micelles and cisplatin (DDP) in biodegradable thermosensitive chitosan (CS) hydrogel. The prepared CS hydrogel drug is a free-flowing solution at room temperature and forms a stationary gel at body temperature. Therefore, a CRPC mouse model is established to investigate the antitumor activity of CS hydrogel drug system. The results suggest that intraperitoneal administration of CS hydrogel drug can inhibit tumor growth and metastasis, and prolong survival time compared with other groups, thus improving the chemotherapeutic effect. Ki-67 immunohistochemical analysis reveals that tumors in the CS hydrogel drug group has lower cell proliferation in contrast to other groups (P < 0.001). Furthermore, hematoxylin-eosin staining of liver and lung tissue indicates that the CS hydrogel drug has also a certain inhibitory effect on colorectal cancer metastasis to the liver and lung. Hence, the work highlights the potential clinical applications of the CS hydrogel drug.

BackgroundTo pursuit effective sustained release systems for insulin to treat diabetic retinopathy (DR), a novel insulin delivering system was developed via loading onto chitosan nanoparticles/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) hydrogel (ICNPH).Methods and materialsExaminations including electroretinography, HE staining, transmission electron microscopy, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferased UTP nick-end labeling, immunofluorescence, Western blot, and real-time polymerase chain reaction were performed to evaluate the neuroprotective efficacy of ICNPH on DR by a single subconjunctival injection.ResultsCompared with the insulin, blank, and sham treatment groups, subconjunctival injection of ICNPH significantly reduced the decrease of scotopic B-wave amplitude, alleviated retinal micro- and ultrastructural changes, and reduced retinal cell apoptosis caused in DR rats. Meanwhile, a significant reduction of vascular endothelial growth factor and glial fibrillary acidic protein expression as well as a remarkable increase in Occludin expression was also found in retinas in ICNPH group compared with the sham treatment group.ConclusionThe results indicate that ICNPH has sufficient neuroprotective effect on retinas through subconjunctival injection in DR rats and facilitates controlled insulin delivery. It might be one of the therapeutic strategies for DR in the near future.