• Journal of Radiopharmaceuticals and Molecular Probes
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2022

Gadolinium neutron capture therapy (Gd-NCT) is a precision radiation therapy that kills cancer cells using the neutron capture reaction that occurs when ¹⁵⁷Gd hits thermal neutrons. ¹⁵⁷Gd has the highest thermal neutron capture cross section of 254,000 barns among stable isotopes in the periodic table. Another stable isotope, ¹⁵⁵Gd, also has a high thermal neutron trapping area (~ 60,700 barns), so gadolinium that exists in nature can be used as a Gd-NCT drug. Gd-NCT is a mixed kinetic energy of low-energy and high-energy ionizing particles, which can be uniformly distributed throughout the tumor tissue, thereby solving the disadvantage of heterogeneous dose distribution in tumor tissue. The Gd complexes of small-sized molecule are widely used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in clinical practice. Therefore, these compounds can be used not only for diagnosis but also therapy when considering the concept of Gd-NCT. This multifunctional trial can look forward to new medical advance into NCT clinical practices. In this review, we introduce gadolinium compounds suitable for Gd-NCT and describe the necessity of image guided Gd-NCT.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.1265-1268
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• 2023

One important issue in using radiopharmaceuticals as therapeutic and imaging agents is predicting different organ absorbed dose following their injection. The present study aims at extrapolating dosimetry estimates to a female phantom from the animal data of ⁸⁹Zr radionuclide accumulation using the Sparks-Idogan relationship. The absorbed dose of ⁸⁹Zr radionuclide in different organs of the human body was calculated based on its distribution data in mice using both MIRD method and the MCNP simulation code. In this study, breasts, liver, heart wall, stomach, kidneys, lungs and spleen were considered as source and target organs. The highest and the lowest absorbed doses were respectively delivered to the liver (4.00E-02 and 3.43E-02 mGy/MBq) and the stomach (1.83E-03 and 1.66E-03 mGy/MBq). Moreover, there was a good agreement between the results obtained from both MIRD and MCNP methods. Therefore, according to the dosimetry results, [⁸⁹Zr] DFO-CR011-PET/CT seems to be a suitable for diagnostic imaging of the breast anomalies for CDX-011 targeting gpNMB in patients with TNBC in the future.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.385-391
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• 2023

Aspartate-glutamate carrier 2 (AGC2, citrin) is a mitochondrial carrier expressed in the liver that transports aspartate from mitochondria into the cytosol in exchange for glutamate. The AGC2 is the main component of the malate-aspartate shuttle (MAS) that ensures indirect transport of NADH produced in the cytosol during glycolysis, lactate oxidation to pyruvate, and ethanol oxidation to acetaldehyde into mitochondria. Through MAS, AGC2 is necessary to maintain intracellular redox balance, mitochondrial respiration, and ATP synthesis. Through elevated cytosolic Ca²⁺ level, the AGC2 is stimulated by catecholamines and glucagon during starvation, exercise, and muscle wasting disorders. In these conditions, AGC2 increases aspartate input to the urea cycle, where aspartate is a source of one of two nitrogen atoms in the urea molecule (the other is ammonia), and a substrate for the synthesis of fumarate that is gradually converted to oxaloacetate, the starting substrate for gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, aspartate is a substrate for the synthesis of asparagine, nucleotides, and proteins. It is concluded that AGC2 plays a fundamental role in the compartmentalization of aspartate and glutamate metabolism and linkage of the reactions of MAS, glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, amino acid catabolism, urea cycle, protein synthesis, and cell proliferation. Targeting of AGC genes may represent a new therapeutic strategy to fight cancer.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.71.1-71.12
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• 2023

With the growing interest in companion animals and the rapidly expanding animal healthcare and pharmaceuticals market worldwide. With the advancements in RNAsequencing (RNA-seq) technology, it has become a valuable tool for understanding biological processes in companion animals and has multiple applications in animal healthcare. Historically, veterinary diagnoses and treatments relied solely on clinical symptoms and drugs used in human diseases. However, RNA-seq has emerged as an effective technology for studying companion animals, providing insights into their genetic information. The sequencing technology has revealed that not only messenger RNAs (mRNAs) but also noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) such as long ncRNAs and microRNAs can serve as biomarkers. Based on the examination of RNA-seq applications in veterinary medicine, particularly in dogs and cats, this review concludes that RNA-seq has significant potential as a diagnostic and research tool. It has enabled the identification of potential biomarkers for cancer and other diseases in companion animals. Further research and development are required to maximize the utilization of RNA-seq for improved disease diagnosis and therapeutic targeting in companion animals.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.11.1-11.26
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• 2022

When epithelial cells are exposed to potentially threatening external stimuli such as allergens, bacteria, viruses, and helminths, they instantly produce "alarmin" cytokines, namely, IL-33, IL-25, and TSLP. These alarmins alert the immune system about these threats, thereby mobilizing host immune defense mechanisms. Specifically, the alarmins strongly stimulate type-2 immune cells, including eosinophils, mast cells, dendritic cells, type-2 helper T cells, and type-2 innate lymphoid cells. Given that the alarm-raising role of IL-33, IL-25, and TSLP was first detected in allergic and infectious diseases, most studies on alarmins focus on their role in these diseases. However, recent studies suggest that alarmins also have a broad range of effector functions in other pathological conditions, including psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Therefore, this review provides an update on the epithelium-derived cytokines in both allergic and non-allergic diseases. We also review the progress of clinical trials on biological agents that target the alarmins and discuss the therapeutic potential of these agents in non-allergic diseases.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.11.1-11.14
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• 2020

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease. Until recently, systemic treatment options that showed survival benefits in HCC have been limited to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, antibodies targeting oncogenic signaling pathways or VEGF receptors. The HCC tumor microenvironment is characterized by a dysfunction of the immune system through multiple mechanisms, including accumulation of various immunosuppressive factors, recruitment of regulatory T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and induction of T cell exhaustion accompanied with the interaction between immune checkpoint ligands and receptors. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been interfered this interaction and have altered therapeutic landscape of multiple cancer types including HCC. In this review, we discuss the use of anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies in the treatment of advanced HCC. However, ICIs as a single agent do not benefit a significant portion of patients. Therefore, various clinical trials are exploring possible synergistic effects of combinations of different ICIs (anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies) or ICIs and target agents. Combinations of ICIs with locoregional therapies may also improve therapeutic responses.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2005

Purpose: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) are emerging as potentially useful components of anticancer therapy and their radiosensitizing effects have become evident. Specific HDAS are now available that preferentially inhibit specific HDAC classes; TSA inhibits Class I and II HDACs, and SK7041 inhibits Class I HDACs. Materials and methods: We tested the differential radiosensitization induced by two different classes of HDIs in HeLa cells. We next tested the hypothesis that p53 expression in cancer cells may influence the susceptibility to HDIs by using pharmacologic modification of the p53 status under an isogenic background. Results: It is interesting that p53 expression in the HeLa cells clearly increased the degree of radio-sensitization by TSA compared to that of the class I specific inhibitor SK7041. This suggests that p53 may, in part, be responsible for the mechanistic role for the greater radiosensitization induced by Class I & II inhibitors compared to that of the class I specific inhibitors. Thus, these studies are useful in distinguishing between events mediated solely by the Class I HDACS versus those events involving the other classes of HDACS as well. Conclusion: The anticancer efficacy of targeting Class I and II HDACS, in conjunction with radiation therapy, may be further enhanced by the restoration of p53 expression.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.292-297
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• 2015

Research of thyroid cancer, liver cancer, and lung cancer has been reported in Korea. However microRNA research of multiple myeloma has never been reported. Hence we intended to confirm whether microRNA can be utilized as a diagnostic marker to patients of multiple myeloma. We also intended to evaluate whether microRNA can be detected in paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE). This research was conducted targeting 8 samples from patients of multiple myeloma who do not have any other diseases, and 2 control samples. From January 2010 to July 2012, we selected miR-15a, miR-16, miR-21, miR-181a and miR-221 as microRNA target genes. It was decided that for a sample to be significant, the results should show values more than 1.5 or less than -1.5. Our findings of fold change were highly significant in miR-15a with a value of 37.5% (3/8). From these studies, we learned that miR-15a is useful with westerners. miR-221, on the other hand, shows conflicts with westerners, so more research will be needed in this area. In addition, it was confirmed that microRNA can be detected in paraffin embedded tissue (FFPE).

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4969-4976
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• 2014

Background: miR-152 is involved in the genesis and development of several malignancies. However, its role in HCC has not been fully clarified. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological significance of miR-152 and its effect on the malignant phenotype of HCC cells. Methods: miR-152 expression was detected using real-time quantitative RT-PCR in 89 pairs of HCC formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded and their adjacent tissues. Functionally, in vitro effects and mechanisms of action of miR-152 on proliferation, viability, caspase activity, apoptosis and motility were explored in HepG2, HepB3 and SNU449 cells, as assessed by spectrophotometry, fluorimetry, fluorescence microscopy, wound-healing and Western blotting, respectively. Results: miR-152 expression in HCC was downregulated remarkably compared to that in adjacent hepatic tissues. miR-152 levels in groups of advanced clinical stage, larger tumor size and positive HBV infection, were significantly lower than in other groups. A miR-152 mimic could suppress cell growth, inhibit cell motility and increase caspase activity and apoptosis in HCC cell lines. Furthermore, Western blotting showed that the miR-152 mimic downregulated Wnt-1, DNMT1, ERK1/2, AKT and TNFRS6B signaling. Intriguingly, inverse correlation of TNFRF6B and miR-152 expression was found in HCC and bioinformatics confirmed that TNFRF6B might be a target of miR-152. Conclusions: Underexpression of miR-152 plays a vital role in hepatocarcinogenesis and lack of miR-152 is related to the progression of HCC through deregulation of cell proliferation, motility and apoptosis. miR-152 may act as a tumor suppressor miRNA by also targeting TNFRSF6B and is therefore a potential candidate biomarker for HCC diagnosis, prognosis and molecular therapy.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.18
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• pp.8637-8644
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• 2016

Background: Malignant serous effusions (MSE) are one complication in patients with advanced cancer. Endostar is a new anti-tumor drug targeting vessels which exerts potent inhibition of neovascularization. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraperitoneal perfusion therapy of Endostar combined with platinum chemotherapy for malignant serous effusions (MSE). Materials and Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on intraperitoneal perfusion therapy of Endostar combined with platinum chemotherapy for malignant serous effusions were searched in the electronic data of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CNKI, VIP, CBM and WanFang. The quality of RCTs was evaluated by two independent researchers and a meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. Results: The total of 25 RCTs included in the meta-analysis covered 1,253 patients, and all literature quality was evaluated as "B" grade. The meta-analysis showed that Endostar combined with platinum had an advantage over platinum alone in terms of response rate of effusions (76% vs 48%, RR=1.63, 95%CI: 1.50-1.78, P<0.00001) and improvement rate in quality of life (69% vs 44%, RR=1.57, 95%CI: 1.42-1.74, P<0.00001). As for safety, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidences of nausea and vomiting (35% vs 34%, RR=1.01, 95%CI: 0.87-1.18, P=0.88), leucopenia (38% vs 38%, RR=1, 95%CI: 0.87-1.15, P=0.99), and renal impairment (18% vs 20%, RR=0.86, 95%CI: 0.43-1.74, P=0.68). Conclusions: Endostar combined with platinum by intraperitoneal perfusion is effective for malignant serous effusions, and patient quality of life is significantly improved without the incidence of adverse reactions being obviously increased.