ObjectiveTo evaluate the prognostic significance of serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and insulin-like growth factors-Ⅰ (IGF-Ⅰ) in advanced gastric cancer patients who were treated with oxaliplatin/5-fluorouracil (FOLFOX). MethodsNinety-six advanced gastric cancer patients who were treated with FOLFOX in our hospital between March 2007 to August 2010 were enrolled in this study. All of the patients were treated with oxaliplatin (85 mg/m2) as a 2-hour infusion on day 1, and leucovorin (20 mg/m2, about 10 min) on day 1 and day 2, followed by a 5-fluorouracil bolus (400 mg/m2) and 22 hours of continuous infusion of 600 mg/m2. Treatment was repeated in 2-week intervals, and patients received 4 chemotherapy cycle in total. The levels of serum VEGF and IGF-Ⅰ were measured using enzyme-linked immunoassays. The relationship between serum levels of VEGF/IGF-Ⅰ and the clinicopathological characteristics of patients, the relationship between serum levels of VEGF/IGF-Ⅰ and prognosis of patients, were analyzed. ResultsThe serum levels of VEGF and IGF-Ⅰ were (464.4±57.4) pg/mL and (33.5±7.3) ng/mL, respectively. The serum level of VEGF was related with surgical history, Lauren's classification, TNM staging before treatment, and pathological type (P < 0.05), and serum level of IGF-Ⅰ was related with TNM staging before treatment and number of transferred organs (P < 0.05). The serum levels of VEGF and IGF-Ⅰ in stable disease (SD) +progressive disease (PD) patiens were higher than those of complete response (CR) +partial response (PR) patients (P < 0.05). The results of Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that, effect of chemotherapy (HR=1.764, P=0.006), number of transferred organs (HR=1.662, P=0.015), serum level of VEGF (HR=1.834, P=0.012) and IGF-Ⅰ (HR=1.855, P=0.008), were all significantly related with time to progression (TTP); serum level of VEGF (HR=2.205, P=0.002) and IGF-Ⅰ (HR=1.931, P=0.004) were all significantly related with overall survival (OS). ConclusionLevels of serum VEGF and IGF-Ⅰ are independent prognostic factors in patients with advanced gastric cancer who were treated with FOLFOX chemotherapy.
Objective To investigate the effect of Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway on the apoptosis in steroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head (SANFH) in rats. Methods Seventy-two male Sprague Dawley rats (weighing, 200-230 g) were randomly divided into the control group (group A, n=24), the model group (group B, n=24), and the intervening group (group C, n=24). The rats in groups B and C were injected with lipopolysaccharide and methylprednisolone (MPS) to establish the SANFH model. The rats in group C were injected intramuscularly with human recombinant secreted frizzled related protein 1 (SFRP1) [1 μg/(kg·d)] at the first time of MPS administration for 30 days. The rats in group A received saline injection at the same injection time of group B. The general condition of rats in groups B and C was observed during modeling and after modeling. At 2, 4, and 8 weeks after last injection of MPS, 8 rats were sacrificed to harvest the femoral head. Histological staining was performed to evaluate osteonecrosis. Apoptosis was detected via TUNEL staining. The expressions of Wnt/β-cate nin pathway signaling molecules (activated β-catenin and c-Myc) were detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results Six rats were added in groups B and C because of 6 deaths. The other rats survived to the end of experiment. Normal bone structure was observed in group A; osteonecrosis of bone structure disturbance and disruption of the trabecula were found with time in groups B and C. Group C had the highest empty lacuna rate and apoptosis rate, followed by groups B and A, showing significant difference between groups (P < 0.05). The expression levels of activated β-catenin and c-Myc were significantly lower in group C than groups A and B (P < 0.05), and in group B than group A (P < 0.05). Conclusion Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway is involved in the pathogenesis in early SANFH model and its possible mechanism is to affect the cell cycle and cell apoptosis by the regulation of c-Myc expression.