Expression and Distribution Characteristics of Human Ortholog of Mammalian Enabled (hMena) in Glioma

RAB1A regulates glioma cellular proliferation and invasion via the mTOR signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Aim: We aimed at investigating the mechanism of RAB1A proliferation and invasion in gliomas. Materials & methods: Genome-wide expression profile data and immunohistochemistry were analyzed to assess RAB1A expression in gliomas. The Transwell assay, wound healing assay, brain slice coculture model, cellular fluorescence and intracranial xenograft model of nude mice were used to determine the proliferation and invasion of glioma cells. Results & conclusion: RAB1A was highly expressed in gliomas compared with normal brain tissue. The overall survival time of glioma patients with high RAB1A expression was significantly shortened. RAB1A regulated the activity of RAC1 by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway, affecting actin polymerization, cell morphology and cell polarity. RAB1A downregulation inhibited the epithelial-mesenchymal transition, proliferation and invasion of glioma cells.

Characterization, survival analysis, and expression of IGFR in tumor samples from patients diagnosed with Ewing family tumors treated at the Barretos Cancer Hospital

Objectives

Study the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with Ewing family tumors (EFTs) and survival analysis based on risk criteria and expression of the surface protein known as insulin-like growth factor (IGFR).

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study based on clinical data from 77 patients diagnosed with EFTs treated by the Department of Pediatric Oncology at the Barretos Cancer Hospital in a period between 2003 and 2012. Biological samples of patients were examined for the presence of the surface receptor IGFR.

Results

The overall survival rate (OSR) of patients included in the study was 45% at five years, and EFS was 30% at five years. Metastasis at diagnosis was present in 44.2% of the sample; 88.2% of the sample was male (p < 0.001). The evaluation of the expression of IGFR in biological samples of patients was associated with the variable metastasis at diagnosis (p < 0.001). Worse prognosis was observed in patients with extrapulmonary metastasis (p = 0.009). The local treatment of neoplasia presented better prognosis in patients undergoing local surgical treatment (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

These results showed a higher incidence of metastasis at diagnosis in patients with EFTs treated at the Barretos Cancer Hospital (BCH). Extrapulmonary metastases were a negative prognostic factor in this study. Surgical treatment of the primary tumor was a factor for better prognosis. Strong expression of IGFR was more frequent in patients with metastases at diagnosis, but did not represent a prognostic factor for EFTs.