Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0178874 (tumor progression)
 40,807 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In the human prostate, a low affinity (p75) nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor (NGF-R) localizes to the epithelia while a NGF-like protein localizes to the stroma. This NGF-like ligand, derived from prostate stromal cell cultures, has been shown to participate in paracrine mediated growth of a human tumor epithelial cell line (TSU-prl) in vitro. In order to investigate the role of the NGF-R in neoplastic growth we have examined the expression of the NGF-R in normal prostate tissues, benign prostatic hyperplasia tissues, adenocarcinoma tissues, and four metastatic tumor cell lines of the human prostate. In primary epithelial cell cultures of normal human prostate the p75 NGF-R was localized by immunocytochemistry to cytoplasmic vesicles. Furthermore, Western blot analysis of the NGF-R in subcellular fractions of normal prostate tissue identified an M(r) 75,000 immunoreactive protein in the microsomal fraction under nonreducing conditions of sodium dodecyl sulfatepolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. However, microsomal preparations of five prostatic adenocarcinoma and five benign prostatic hyperplasia specimens showed varying immunoreactivity among samples, all of which expressed less of the p75 NGF-R than the normal tissue. Interestingly, microsomal preparations of the human prostatic epithelial cell lines, TSU-prl, DU-145, PC-3, and LNCaP did not show NGF-R expression by immunoblot analysis. Hence, expression of the p75 NGF-R in normal prostate tissue, partial loss of NGF-R expression in benign and malignant prostate tissue, and complete loss of NGF-R expression in the four metastatic tumor cell lines, suggests an inverse association of p75 NGF-R expression with the neoplastic progression of the human prostate.
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PMID:Reduced expression of the low affinity nerve growth factor receptor in benign and malignant human prostate tissue and loss of expression in four human metastatic prostate tumor cell lines. 138 43

IFN-gamma production in whole blood cell cultures (WBCC), and TNF-receptor p75 (TNF-R-75) plasma levels were measured as two independent immunological parameters in a group of 67 untreated renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients at different clinical stages, and 40 age matched healthy controls. In the blood cell cultures of the tumor patients the levels of IFN-gamma were significantly lower compared to the controls and the values decreased with increasing tumor mass. In contrast, TNF-R-75 plasma levels were significantly higher in the tumor patients and increased with tumor stage. Additionally serial assessments of these parameters were studied in another group of 15 patients with advanced RCC during treatment with IL-2, IFN-alpha and retinoic acid according to three different protocols in order to search for any correlation between the biological marker values and the clinical response to treatment. During each 5 day cycle of high dose IL-2/IFN-alpha combination therapy (protocol 1) IFN-gamma-levels in the WBCC were markedly decreased, whereas the plasma levels of TNF-R-75 were increased. During low dose, long-term continuous IFN-alpha/IL-2 administration (protocol 2) in two patients a clear increase of the ex vivo leukocyte IFN-gamma production was seen for the first 5 and 6 months of treatment, respectively, which could be correlated to stable disease for this time. When progression was diagnosed, IFN-gamma levels in the WBCC decreased. In the WBCC of the other four patients with progressive IFN-gamma levels were rather low throughout (< 10 ng/ml) and no clear changes were measured. During low does IFN-alpha and 13-cis-retinoic acid therapy in repetitive weekly cycles (protocol 3) two patients had stable disease for 6 and 14 months respectively. In the WBCC cultures of these patients IFN-gamma production was higher during stable than during progressive disease. The other two patients with tumor progression had a very low leukocyte IFN-gamma production and high plasma levels of TNF-R-75. It is concluded that IFN-gamma levels in WBCC and TNF-R-75 plasma levels may be useful parameters for the immunological monitoring of therapies with biological response modifiers. Low IFN-gamma values and high TNF-R-75 levels may be predictive of tumor progression and bad prognosis.
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PMID:Correlation of clinical and immunological parameters of metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients undergoing therapy with interleukin 2, interferon-alpha and retinoic acid. 967 39

The aim of this study was to characterize phenotypic alterations along the progression of breast carcinoma from primary tumor to pleural effusion through analysis of the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptors phospho-TrkA (p-TrkA activated receptor) and p75. Sections from 42 malignant pleural effusions from breast cancer patients and 65 corresponding solid tumors (34 primary, 31 metastatic) were evaluated for protein expression of the activated p-TrkA receptor. The majority of lesions were additionally studied for NGF and p75 expression. Six effusions and four breast carcinoma cell lines were studied for expression of p-TrkA using immunoblotting (IB). Membrane expression of p-TrkA was high in carcinoma cells in effusions (39/42, 93%) and locoregional recurrences (12/13, 92%), with significantly lower expression in both primary tumors (14/34, 41%) and lymph node metastases (8/18, 44%), respectively (p < 0.001 for effusions vs. primary tumors; p = 0.001 for effusions vs. lymph nodes). In contrast, p75 expression was less frequent in effusions compared to both primary tumors and lymph node metastases, significantly so for the latter (p = 0.019). NGF expression was comparable at all sites, but its expression in tumor cells in effusions (7/21 cases) was limited to cases in which time to progression (TTP) to effusion occurred within 5 years or less from primary operation. In univariate analysis of survival, mean and median TTP were 6.3 and 6 years for NGF-negative effusions, compared to 3 and 4 years for NGF-positive cases (p = 0.013). IB confirmed expression of p-TrkA in five of six effusions, while all four breast cancer cell lines were p-TrkA-negative. Our data provide the first documented evidence of molecular events that occur along tumor progression of breast carcinoma from primary tumors to effusion. The almost universal expression of p-TrkA in cancer cells in effusions and late recurrences is in full agreement with our recent report linking this factor with poor prognosis in ovarian cancer. Furthermore, the rapid progression to effusion in cases showing NGF expression in tumor cells underscores the aggressive clinical behavior of tumors that are able to utilize this pathway in an autocrine manner.
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PMID:Altered expression and activation of the nerve growth factor receptors TrkA and p75 provide the first evidence of tumor progression to effusion in breast carcinoma. 1499 42

The objective of the present report was to study the expression of the low affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor p75 and of the activated high-affinity NGF receptor TrkA in malignant mesothelioma (MM). In addition, to analyze whether expression of these receptors is site-related (pleural versus peritoneal MM, solid lesions versus effusions). Sections from 81 MM (57 biopsies, 24 effusions) were analyzed. Sixty-one mesotheliomas were of pleural origin, while the remaining 20 were peritoneal. Effusion specimens consisted of 6 peritoneal and 18 pleural effusions, while biopsies consisted of 14 peritoneal and 43 pleural lesions. Specimens were immunohistochemically stained using antibodies against p75 and phospho-TrkA (p-TrkA). Six effusions were additionally analyzed for p-TrkA expression using immunoblotting (IB). p-TrkA membrane expression (66/81 specimens; 81%) was by far more frequent than that of p75 (26/81 specimens; 32%). In addition, p-TrkA expression was significantly higher in peritoneal MM compared to their pleural counterparts (20/20 versus 46/61 positive tumors; P = 0.014). p-TrkA membrane expression was marginally higher in effusions (P = 0.058), while the opposite was true for p75 membrane expression (P = 0.008) and p-TrkA cytoplasmic expression (P = 0.003). In conclusion, our results document for the first time frequent expression of p-TrkA and lower expression of p75 in MM, in agreement with the biological aggressiveness of this tumor. The enhanced expression of p-TrkA in peritoneal MM, tumors that appear in younger patients, and in effusions as compared to solid tumors, suggest that p-TrkA plays a significant role in the biology of this disease and may aid in defining tumor progression in this setting.
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PMID:Expression of the nerve growth factor receptors TrkA and p75 in malignant mesothelioma. 1508 80

The objective of this study was to compare the expression of the nerve growth factor (NGF) receptors TrkA and p75 in ovarian borderline tumors, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage I carcinomas and advanced-stage (FIGO stage III-IV) carcinomas, and to assess a possible association between NGF receptor expression and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in borderline tumors and FIGO stage I carcinomas. Sections from 119 borderline tumors, 57 FIGO stage I invasive ovarian carcinomas, and 56 advanced-stage carcinomas were evaluated for expression of activated phospho-TrkA (p-TrkA) and p75 using immunohistochemistry. MAPK activation was analyzed in stage I carcinomas and borderline tumors using phospho-specific antibodies against the extracellular-regulated kinase (p-ERK), the high osmolarity glycerol response kinase (p-p38), and the c-jun amino-terminal kinase (p-JNK). p-TrkA membrane expression was significantly more frequent in advanced-stage carcinomas compared with both borderline and stage I carcinomas (P < .001). p75 membrane expression was comparable in the 3 groups (P > .05). p-ERK and p-p38 expression was comparable in borderline and stage I carcinomas, whereas p-JNK was more frequently expressed in stage I ovarian carcinomas (P < .001). NGF receptor expression showed no association with MAPK activation in borderline and stage I carcinomas. In conclusion, expression of biologically active p-TrkA receptor at the cell membrane is up-regulated along tumor progression in ovarian carcinoma, whereas p75 expression remains unaltered. These data provide further evidence regarding the clinical role of p-TrkA in ovarian carcinoma. NGF receptors probably signal via MAPK-independent pathways in ovarian carcinoma.
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PMID:The activated nerve growth factor receptor p-TrkA is selectively expressed in advanced-stage ovarian carcinoma. 1699 70

Medulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood. Although modern therapy has produced five-year survival rates as high as 70% for some MB patients, this resulted in significant long-term treatment-related morbidity. The cellular mechanisms involved in metastatic spread of medulloblastoma are largely unknown. Neurotrophins (NT) comprise a family of structurally and functionally related neurotrophic factors that are critical for central nervous system (CNS) development with nerve growth factor (NGF) being the prototypic NT. NT acts through two groups of structurally unrelated neurotrophin receptors (NTR): a family of receptor tyrosine kinases (Trks, mainly TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC) and a tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-like molecule called p75NTR TrkC expression is a good prognostic indicator for MB. TrkC binds only to neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) whereas p75 binds to all NT family members. Importantly, little is known about the biological functions of p75 in primitive neuroectodermal tumors such as MB. In contrast, NT-regulated heparanase (HPSE) is a unique extracellular matrix-degrading enzyme known to be associated with tumor progression in a wide variety of cancers. However, HPSE roles in MB invasive pathways have not been investigated. We provide evidence of a differential expression of HPSE in newly-developed medulloblastoma cell lines. Secondly, we show a correlation between HPSE expression and the invasive properties of these medulloblastoma lines. Thirdly, by performing investigations to elucidate prognostic implications of HPSE and TrkC/p75NTR expression in MB, we demonstrate a correlation between p75NTR and HPSE expression. Finally, by using antibodies specific to TrkC and immunohistochemistry (IHC) we prove that IHC scores reveal a significant expression of HPSE in 76% of MB tissues from children aged 3 years and older. Taken together, our data provide evidence that HPSE functionality, in a context linked to TrkC and p75NTR activation, may play critical roles in medulloblastoma tumor invasion and progression.
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PMID:Neurotrophin receptors and heparanase: a functional axis in human medulloblastoma invasion. 1755 Jan 29

Signaling through the Rho family of small GTPases has been increasingly investigated for their involvement in a wide variety of diseases such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, and neurological disorders as well as cancer. Rho GTPases are a subfamily of the Ras superfamily proteins which play essential roles in a number of biological processes, especially in the regulation of cell shape change, cytokinesis, cell adhesion, and cell migration. Many of these processes demonstrate a common theme: the rapid and dynamic reorganization of actin cytoskeleton of which Rho signaling has now emerged as a major switch control. The involvement of dynamic changes of Rho GTPases in disease states underscores the need to produce effective inhibitors for their therapeutic applications. Fasudil and Y-27632, with many newer additions, are two classes of widely used chemical compounds that inhibit Rho kinase (ROCK), an important downstream effector of RhoA subfamily GTPases. These inhibitors have been successful in many preclinical studies, indicating the potential benefit of clinical Rho pathway inhibition. On the other hand, except for Rac1 inhibitor NSC23766, there are few effective inhibitors directly targeting Rho GTPases, likely due to the lack of optimal structural information on individual Rho-RhoGEF, Rho-RhoGAP, or Rho-RhoGDI interaction to achieve specificity. Recently, LM11A-31 and other derivatives of peptide mimetic ligands for p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75(NTR)) show promising effects upstream of Rho GTPase signaling in neuronal regeneration. CCG-1423, a chemical compound showing profiles of inhibiting downstream of RhoA, is a further attempt for the development of novel pharmacological tools to disrupt Rho signaling pathway in cancer. Because of a rapidly growing number of studies deciphering the role of the Rho proteins in many diseases, specific and potent pharmaceutical modulators of various steps of Rho GTPase signaling pathway are critically needed to target for therapeutic intervention in cardiovascular disease, neurological disorders, and cancer progression.
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PMID:Signaling through Rho GTPase pathway as viable drug target. 1935 91

The aim of the present study was to characterize the expression pattern of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and its receptors (TNF-Rs) in the epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and compare these results with the outcome of 126 patients. Presence of TNF-alpha, TNFR-1 and TNFR-2 were studied by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The proportion of samples positive for TNF-alpha and TNF-R2 was higher in epithelial ovarian cancer patients than in benign ovarian diseases (p<0.001 and p=0.016, respectively). Immunostaining intensity of TNF-R2 were correlated with tumor stage (p<0.001) and with reduced mean survival time (MST) (p=0.002). The results of the present study suggested that tissue expression of TNF-R2 in epithelial ovarian cancer was correlated with the highest risk of cancer progression. Thus, the clinical value of activated TNF system in epithelial ovarian cancer needs to be further investigated.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and its receptors in epithelial ovarian cancer. 2043 Jul 28

Lymphocytic infiltrates of the mouse mammary preneoplastic, hyperplastic alveolar nodule (HAN) line C4 have elevated reactivity which correlates positively with the progression of HAN to mammary adenocarcinoma. In this study we investigated the hypothesis that the immunoregulatory mechanisms of HAN infiltrating lymphocytes (HILs) on mammary neoplastic progression are mediated, at least in part, by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). C4 HAN epithelial cells express mRNA for both the p55-60 receptor and the p75-80 TNF alpha receptors. High levels of both TNF alpha and TNF beta are expressed by HILs, whereas only TNF alpha is expressed by the C4 HAN epithelial cells. Treatment of C4 HAN bearers with TNF alpha in vivo decreases the latency period and enhances the frequency of HAN progression to tumor. Proliferation of monolayer cultures of epithelial cells from mammary glands of normal and C4 HAN-bearing mice, as well as C4 tumor cells, is enhanced by TNF alpha. Growth of normal mammary cells in 3-dimensional collagen cultures is also significantly stimulated by TNF alpha. Our results suggest that stimulation of epithelial cell proliferation by HIL-produced TNF alpha is one mechanism responsible for the 'immune stimulation' of neoplastic progression in the HAN model.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced stimulation of neoplastic progression of preneoplastic, hyperplastic alveolar nodule line C4. 2153 6

A new model of cancer progression has been put forward that predicts existence of tumor stem cells (TSCs) in the heterogeneous bulk tumor mass that self-renew, are resistant to chemo- and radiotherapies, and sustain tumor growth during the course of its progression or relapse (Ailles and Weissman, Curr Opin Biotechnol 18:460-466, 2007; Chan et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:14016-14021, 2009; D'Angelo and Wicha, Prog Mol Biol Transl Sci 95:113-158, 2010; O'Brien, Semin Radiat Oncol 19:71-77, 2009; Park et al., Mol Ther 17:219-230, 2009). Using most advanced methods of cell purification and transplantation, our laboratory and another independent study identified melanoma stem cells as CD271(NFGR/p75)+ cells from surgical human specimens (Boiko et al., Nature 466:133-137, 2010; Civenni et al., Cancer Res 71:3098-3109, 2011). Here we describe in great detail an approach for isolating tumor-initiating cells from freshly resected melanomas (Boiko et al., Nature 466:133-137, 2010).
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PMID:Isolation of melanoma tumor-initiating cells from surgical tissues. 2332 49


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