No abstract

This study demonstrates that in cases of chronic hepatitis C, the significant association of HPC expression with the severity of disease and more specifically with the response to treatment implies that HPC development and proliferation may provide additional prognostic information and predict prognosis in such cases.

Estrogen receptors alpha (ERα) and beta (ERβ) and their co-regulatory proteins are key components of complex signaling networks that specifically regulate the growth and development of various tissues and tumors. Still, their protein expression profiles and possible role in the pathogenesis of astrocytic tumors remain largely unknown. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the differential protein expression of ΕRα, ERβ, and their co-activators, AIB1, TIF2, and PELP1 in astrocytic tumors of World Health Organization (WHO) grade II-IV, using immunohistochemistry. Potential correlations with clinicopathological parameters and patient prognosis were also explored. ERα protein expression was undetectable while ERβ levels were significantly decreased with progression of tumor grade (P < 0.001). High expression of ERβ was an independent favorable prognostic factor on multivariate analysis (P = 0.003). Expression of AIB1, TIF2, and PELP1 was not correlated with ERβ expression and followed an opposite trend, with increasing levels in high-grade relative to low-grade tumors (P < 0.001). Univariate survival analysis revealed that high AIB1, TIF2, and PELP1 expression was associated with worse prognosis (P = 0.049, P = 0.033, and P = 0.020, respectively). ERβ and ER co-activators AIB1, TIF2, and PELP1 appear to play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of astrocytic tumors and might have prognostic significance. The mechanisms underlying their involvement in astrocytic tumorigenesis, as well as their utility for prognostic and therapeutic purposes merit further investigation.

ILK overexpression in human CRC associates with EMT and CSC traits, contributing to tumor progression and chemoresistance.

Gliomas are among the most aggressive and treatment-refractory of all human tumors. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the role of the expression of cell cycle molecules as prognostic indicators in gliomas. We immunohistochemically analyzed the expression of p21, p27, p14, p16, p53 and proliferation marker Ki67, in 67 low and high grade astrocytic tumors. High grade tumors exhibited higher labeling indices for Ki67 (P = 0.004), p53 (P = 0.039) and slightly higher index for p21 (P = 0.07) compared to low grade tumors. p14 and p16 were more frequently present in low grade tumors (P = 0.001 and P = 0.052, respectively). Worse survival was correlated with high grade tumors (P < 0.0001) and higher Ki67 index (P < 0.0001). Cox regression analysis revealed that only age, grade and marginally Ki67 index were independent prognostic factors. Cell cycle alterations are involved in the malignant progression of astrocytomas, but only age, tumor grade and proliferating index can predict the outcome of the patients with glioma.