Graphical abstract Ivermectin has powerful antitumor effects, including the inhibition of proliferation, metastasis, and angiogenic activity, in a variety of cancer cells. This may be related to the regulation of multiple signaling pathways by ivermectin through PAK1 kinase. On the other hand, ivermectin promotes programmed cancer cell death, including apoptosis, autophagy and pyroptosis. Ivermectin induces apoptosis and autophagy is mutually regulated. Interestingly, ivermectin can also inhibit tumor stem cells and reverse multidrug resistance and exerts the optimal effect when used in combination with other chemotherapy drugs.

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The present study was designed to investigate the expression of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in gastric cancer and its clinicopathological relationship. In addition, we also aimed to analyze the relationship between helicobacter pylori (HP) infection and TAMs in gastric cancer. The protein expression of CD16 and CD163 in 90 gastric cancer tissues and 30 margin tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. HP infection was detected in 90 gastric cancer tissues and 30 margin tissues by gram staining and immunohistochemistry. There was no clear correlation between CD16 macrophages and gastric cancer. The density of CD163 macrophages was not correlated with the general condition of tumor patients, but with tumor size, tumor differentiation, lymphatic metastasis, depth of invasion and TNM stage. Additionally, the infection rate of HP in gastric cancer tissues was significantly higher. In summary, TAMs are associated with tumor size, degree of differentiation, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM stage, suggesting their critical role in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer.

Background: Endometrial carcinoma is one of the three major malignant tumors in female reproductive system. The current research aimed to investigate the relationship between the Slug and FoxC2 expression and the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of endometrial carcinoma. Methods:The expression of Slug and FoxC2 genes between 124 endometrial carcinoma tissues and 35 normal endometrial tissues was analyzed through immunohistochemistry. The endometrial carcinoma cell lines Ishikawa and RL-952 were cultured, the Slug-shRNA and FoxC2-shRNA expression vectors were constructed, and the endometrial carcinoma cells interfering with the expression of Slug and FoxC2 genes were also established. Western blotting and RT-PCR were employed to verify whether shRNA could down regulate the expression of Slug and FoxC2 genes. Additionally, the proliferation, migration and invasion capacities in both cell lines after interfering with Slug and FoxC2 was detected through CCK-8and Transwell assay respectively. Furthermore, MMP2 and MMP9 were detected by ELISA and epithelialmesenchymal transition (EMT) related proteins including E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin were assessed by Western blotting analysis.Results: Compared with normal endometrial tissues, the Slug and FoxC2 expression levels in endometrial carcinoma tissues were remarkably increased. shRNAs transfection significantly down-regulated expressions in both endometrial carcinoma cell lines. The proliferation, invasion and migration ability were significantly inhibited by Slug-shRNA and FoxC2-shRNA compared with the control group. The expression of E-cadherin was increased while the expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was suppressed by the Slug-shRNA and FoxC2-shRNA.Conclusions: Slug and FoxC2 could be used as a prognostic factor of endometrial carcinoma. Interfering with the expression of Slug and FoxC2 in endometrial carcinoma cell lines could effectively inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration, and its mechanism is related to the inhibition of EMT. Slug and FoxC2 are potential targets for the treatment of endometrial carcinoma.