Children with retinoblastoma (RB) typically survive their cancer due to advances in early diagnosis and treatment. Extraocular invasion and metastasis, and secondary malignant tumor carry a very high mortality rate. Prerequisites for metastasis include tumor initiating capacity, altered cellular adhesion and cell motility, resistance to extracellular death signals and disruption of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix. All those changes can be determined by the cell of origin and the genetic instability of the tumor, responding to the multiple layers of pressure such as hypoxia, from the tumor microenvironment or niche. The interaction between tumor cells and the tumor stroma is regulated by several metastasissuppressor proteins and microRNA. This knowledge has important implications for our understanding and the treatment of extraocular spreading of RB.
The debate on the cell of origin of human retinoblastoma lasted for more than one century. In the recent issue of ldquo;cellrdquo;, David Cobrinikprime;s group shows that L/M cone precursors are the most likely answer as they have an intrinsic circuitry, including murine double minute 2 (MDM2), Nmyc, the nuclear receptors retinoid X receptor and thyroxine receptor 2, making them extremely sensitive to transformation following retinoblastoma gene inactivation.
Despite its low incidence, retinoblastoma and its rela ted gene (Rb gene) have attracted some of the most brilliant minds in medicine and biology fi elds over the past years. Great advances have been achieved in the tumoregenesis mechanism and clinical management of retinoblastoma recently. However as always , more questions arise from those results. In order to improve retinoblastoma re search in China, we need to strengthen the communication and cooperation with di ffe rent countries, different institutes and disciplines, and utilize the great reso urces of retinoblastoma patients in China.
Stem cells are crucial for embryonic development and in the maintenance of adult cellular homeostasis. Understanding the regulatory network of stem cells, including embryonic and adult stem cells, will allow us to learn the pathogenesis and possibly design novel approaches to treat many diseases (such as cancer and degeneration). The retinoblastoma (Rb) pathway controls cellular proliferation, differentiation and death. More and more evidences support an important role of Rb activity in the biology of stem and progenitor cells. Transiently inactivating Rb pathway might favor the expanding of functional stem cell populations, thus have values in the future stem cell applications.
Purpose To investigate nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK ) expression of tumor metastasis suppressor gene nm23 in heterotransplanted model of retinoblastoma(RB) in nude mice，and analyse the correlation between the expression of nm23 gene and the formation and progression of heterotran splanted RB． Methods SP immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of nm23 gene product NDPK in 20 tumors of heter otransplanted RB model and normal retinal tissue． Results The negative staining of nm23/ NDPK was found in normal retinal tissue , whereas 100% expression rate in RB tumors with positive number of 48.73plusmn;2.37． No statistical significance of the expression of nm23/ NDPK was observed between the intraocular growth phase （I～Ⅲ grade） and invasive phase （ Ⅳ～Ⅴ grade）in heterotransplantedRB tumors． Conclusion The function of nm23 gene as a tumor metastasis suppressor in heterotra nsplanted RB tumors was less prominent ,but it may play a role in carcinogen esis and progrssion of RB and may predict poor prognosis． (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2001.17:47-49)
Objective To investigate the effect of exogenous Rb gene on the cell cycle of vitreous retinoblastoma (RB) transplantation tumor in nude mouse. Methods Based on establishing vitreous RB transplantation tumor in nude mouse,constructing retrovirus vector of Rb gene PBabe-Rb and transfecing it into the RB transplantation model by liposome Dosper,the change of cell cycle of the RB transplantation tumor by flow cytometry(FCM)was analysed． Results FCM showed that the cells of G1phase of the treated eyes were obviously more than the control eyes with the value of DNA index(DI)and S phase fraction(SPF) decreased by the Rb gene expression. Conclusion The exogenous PBabe-Rb gene can partially suppress the progress of the cell cycle of RB transplantation tumor in vivo. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2000，16：1-70)
Purpose To estabalish a quantifying model of retinal neovascularization suitable for the study of pathogenesis and therapeutic intervention for the retinal neovascularization． Methods Sixteen one-week-old C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 75% oxygen for 5 days and then to room air and 16 mice of the same age kept in room air as controls.Ink-perfused retinal flatmount was examined to assess the oxygen-induced changes of retinal vessels.The proliferated neovascular response was quantitated by counting the nuclei of endothelial cells of new vessels extending from the retina into the vitreous in 6 mu;m sagittal cross sections． VEGF and bFGF were determined on the cross-sections after immunohistochemcal stain. Results Constriction and closure of the blood vessels were found under the hyperoxia condition,and dilation and proliferation were found under the relatively hypoxia status.There was a mean of 24 neovascular nuclei per cross-section in the oxygen-treated retina and less than 1 nucleus in the control group (P＜0.001).VEGF stain was found ber in the inner retinal layer of oxygen-treated mouse than in that of the controls. Conclusion The quantifying model of retinal neovascularization may fascilitate the further researches of medical intervention and pathogenesis of retinal neovacularization. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis，2000，16：213-284)