scholarly journals Challenges to Cure Cancer

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  

Cell division is a normal process in multicellular organisms. Growth and repair (replacement of dead cells) take place as a result of cell division (mitosis). Except for cells like the liver and brain cells, which rarely divide in the mature adult, most cells undergo frequent division. Sometimes, however, cell division becomes very rapid and uncontrolled, leading lo cancer. It should be clearly understood that rapid growth means a high rate of cell division for a particular cell type. It is possible for perfectly normal cells, e. g. the blood-forming cells, to have a higher rate of division than some cancerous cells. Cells which undergo rapid, abnormal and uncontrolled growth at the cost of remaining ceils are called neoplastic cells. The growths resulting from the division of such cells are called neoplastic growths or tumours. Tumours are commonly classified as benign and malignant. Abnormal and persistent cell division that remains localized at the spot of origin results in the so-called benign tumours. It should be noted, however, that benign tumours can sometimes be fatal, e’ g, brain tumours that cause pressure on vital centres. Benign tumours usually contain well-differentiated cells. Tumour cells may be carried by the blood stream, or the lymphatic system, or by direct penetration to other parts of the body, where they may induce secondary (metastatic) tumours. Such invasive cancers ultimately result in the death of the organism and are therefore said to be malignant. Malignant tumours usually contain undifferentiated cells, often with large nuclei and nucleoli.

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 534
Author(s):  
Julián Suárez-Canto ◽  
Faustino Suárez-Sánchez ◽  
Francisco Domínguez-Iglesias ◽  
Gonzalo Hernández-Vallejo ◽  
Juana García-Pedrero ◽  
...  

Zinc finger AN1-type containing 4 (ZFAND4) has emerged as a promising prognostic marker and predictor of metastasis for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, further validation is fundamental before clinical implementation. Hence, this study evaluated the expression pattern of ZFAND4 protein expression by immunohistochemistry using an independent cohort of 125 patients with OSCC, and correlations with the clinicopathologic parameters and disease outcome. Remarkably, ZFAND4 expression, while negligible in normal epithelium, exhibited two distinct expression patterns in tumors that did not overlap. A gross granular staining was characteristic of the undifferentiated cells at the invasive front of tumors, whereas the most differentiated cells located at the center of the tumor nests showed diffuse non-granular staining. ZFAND4 staining was higher in undifferentiated than in differentiated areas of tumors. High ZFAND4 expression in differentiated cells was significantly associated to well-differentiated (p = 0.04) and non-recurrent tumors (p = 0.04), whereas ZFAND4 expression in undifferentiated cells correlated with tumor location (p = 0.005). No correlations between the ZFAND4 expression and patient survival were found. These data question the clinical relevance of ZFAND4 expression as a prognostic biomarker in OSCC, and also reveal distinct ZFAND4 expression patterns depending on the differentiation areas of tumors that should be evaluated separately.


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (7) ◽  
pp. 6085-6088 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bals ◽  
Weidong Xiao ◽  
Nianli Sang ◽  
Daniel J. Weiner ◽  
Rupalie L. Meegalla ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The limitations of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated vectors for lung-directed gene transfer were investigated by using differentiated human respiratory epithelium in air-liquid interface cultures. Transduction efficiency was high in undifferentiated cells and was enhanced in well-differentiated cells after basolateral application of the vector or after apical application following disruption of tight junctions or pretreatment of the cultures with glycosidases. These results indicate that transduction of airway epithelia by AAV vectors is limited by entry and reinforce the importance of a physical barrier on the airway surface.


Author(s):  
Hisham F. Bahmada ◽  
Mohamad K. Elajami ◽  
Reem Daouk ◽  
Hiba Jalloul ◽  
Batoul Darwish ◽  
...  

: Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with the ability to proliferate and convert to different types of differentiated cells that make up the various tissues and organs in the body. They exist both in embryos as pluripotent stem cells that can differentiate into the three germ layers and as multipotent or unipotent stem cells in adult tissues to aid in repair and homeostasis. Perturbations in these cells’ normal functions can give rise to a wide variety of diseases. In this review, we discuss the origin of different stem cell types, their properties and characteristics, their role in tissue homeostasis, current research, and their potential applications in various life-threatening diseases. We focus on neural stem cells, their role in neurogenesis and how they can be exploited to treat diseases of the brain including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Next, we explore current research in induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) techniques and their clinical applications in regenerative and personalized medicine. Lastly, we tackle a special type of stem cells called cancer stem cells (CSCs) and how they can be responsible for therapy resistance and tumor recurrence and explore ways to target them.


F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 1351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Aze ◽  
Domenico Maiorano

DNA replication is an essential process occurring prior to cell division. Cell division coupled to proliferation ensures the growth and renewal of a large variety of specialized cell types generated during embryonic development. Changes in the DNA replication program occur during development. Embryonic undifferentiated cells show a high replication rate and fast proliferation, whereas more differentiated cells are characterized by reduced DNA synthesis and a low proliferation rate. Hence, the DNA replication program must adapt to the specific features of cells committed to different fates. Recent findings on DNA synthesis regulation in different cell types open new perspectives for developing efficient and more adapted therapies to treat various diseases such as genetic diseases and cancer. This review will put the emphasis on recent progress made in this field.


Author(s):  
Manoj Raje ◽  
Karvita B. Ahluwalia

In Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia motility of lymphocytes is associated with dissemination of malignancy and establishment of metastatic foci. Normal and leukemic lymphocytes in circulation reach solid tissues where due to in adequate perfusion some cells get trapped among tissue spaces. Although normal lymphocytes reenter into circulation leukemic lymphocytes are thought to remain entrapped owing to reduced mobility and form secondary metastasis. Cell surface, transmembrane interactions, cytoskeleton and level of cell differentiation are implicated in lymphocyte mobility. An attempt has been made to correlate ultrastructural information with quantitative data obtained by Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV). TEM of normal & leukemic lymphocytes revealed heterogeneity in cell populations ranging from well differentiated (Fig. 1) to poorly differentiated cells (Fig. 2). Unlike other cells, surface extensions in differentiated lymphocytes appear to originate by extrusion of large vesicles in to extra cellular space (Fig. 3). This results in persistent unevenness on lymphocyte surface which occurs due to a phenomenon different from that producing surface extensions in other cells.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 862-869
Author(s):  
Meena Kumari ◽  
Monika Agrawal ◽  
Rakesh Kumar Singh ◽  
Parameswarappa S Byadgi

Currently, the world is facing a health and socioeconomic crisis caused by the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19. On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this disease as a pandemic. The condition (COVID-19) is an infectious disorder triggered by a newly discovered severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2. Most of the COVID-19 infected patients will experience mild to moderate respiratory symptoms and recover without any unique therapy. Assessment of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 cases suggests the infected patients will not be contagious until the onset of severe symptoms and affects the other organs. Well-differentiated cells of apical airway epithelia communicating with ACE2 were promptly infected to SARS-CoV-2 virus. But the expression of ACE 2 in poorly differentiated epithelia facilitated SARS spike (S) protein-pseudo typed virus entry and it is replicated in polarized epithelia and especially exited via the apical surface. Limiting the transmission of COVID-19 infection & its prevention can be regarded as a hierarchy of controls. In this article, we briefly discuss the most recent advances in respect to aetiology, pathogenesis and clinical progression of the disease COVID-19.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 28-33
Author(s):  
Mao Nguyen Van ◽  
Thao Le Thi Thu

Background: In practice it was difficult or impossible to have a correct diagnosis for the lymphoid proliferation lesions based on only H.E standard histopathology. In addition to histopathology, the application of immunohistochemistry was indispensable for the definitive diagnosis of the malignant or benign tumours and the origin of the tumour cells as well. Objectives: 1. To describe the gross and microscopic features of the suspected lesions of lymphoma; 2. To asses the expression of some immunologic markers for the diagnosis and classification of the suspected lesions of lymphoma. Materials and Method: Cross-sectional research on 81 patients diagnosed by histopathology as lymphomas or suspected lesions of lymphoma, following with immunohistopathology staining of 6 main markers including LCA, CD3, CD20, Bcl2, CD30 and AE1/3. Results: The most site was lymph node 58.1% which appeared at cervical region 72.3%, then the stomach 14.9% and small intestine 12.4%. The other sites in the body were met with lower frequency. Histopathologically, the most type of the lesions was atypical hyperplasia of the lymphoid tissue suspecting the lymphomas 49.4%, lymphomas 34.5%, the other diagnoses were lower including inflammation, poor differentiation carcinoam not excluding the lymphomas, lymphomas differentiating with poor differentiation carcinomas. Immunohistochemistry showed that, LCA, CD3, CD20, Bcl2, CD30 and AE1/3 were all positive depending on such type of tumours. The real lymphomas were 48/81 cases (59.3%), benign ones 35.8% and poor differentiated carcinomas 4.9%. Conclusion: Immunohistochemistry with 6 markers could help to diagnose correctly as benign or malignant lesions, classify and determine the origin of the tumour cells as lymphocytes or epithelial cells diagnosed by histopathology as lymphomas or suspected lesions of lymphomas. Key words: histopathology, immunohistochemistry, lymphomas, poor differentiated carcinomas, hyperplasia, atypicality


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guanghui Xu ◽  
Yuhao Wang ◽  
Hushan Zhang ◽  
Xueke She ◽  
Jianjun Yang

Neuroendocrine neoplasias (NENs) are a heterogeneous group of rare tumors scattered throughout the body. Surgery, locoregional or ablative therapies as well as maintenance treatments are applied in well-differentiated, low-grade NENs, whereas cytotoxic chemotherapy is usually applied in high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas. However, treatment options for patients with advanced or metastatic NENs are limited. Immunotherapy has provided new treatment approaches for many cancer types, including neuroendocrine tumors, but predictive biomarkers of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in the treatment of NENs have not been fully reported. By reviewing the literature and international congress abstracts, we summarize the current knowledge of ICIs, potential predicative biomarkers in the treatment of NENs, implications and efficacy of ICIs as well as biomarkers for NENs of gastroenteropancreatic system, lung NENs and Merkel cell carcinoma in clinical practice.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 3729
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Balon ◽  
Benita Wiatrak

Models based on cell cultures have become a useful tool in modern scientific research. Since primary cell lines are difficult to obtain and handle, neoplasm-derived lines like PC12 and THP-1 offer a cheap and flexible solution for neurobiological studies but require prior differentiation to serve as a neuronal or microglia model. PC12 cells constitute a suitable research model only after differentiation by incubation with nerve growth factor (NGF) and THP-1 cells after administering a differentiation factor such as phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Still, quite often, studies are performed on these cancer cells without differentiation. The study aimed to assess the impact of PC12 or THP-1 cell differentiation on sensitivity to harmful factors such as Aβ25-35 (0.001–5 µM) (considered as one of the major detrimental factors in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease) or lipopolysaccharide (1–100 µM) (LPS; a pro-inflammatory factor of bacterial origin). Results showed that in most of the tests performed, the response of PC12 and THP-1 cells induced to differentiation varied significantly from the effect in undifferentiated cells. In general, differentiated cells showed greater sensitivity to harmful factors in terms of metabolic activity and DNA damage, while in the case of the free radicals, the results were heterogeneous. Obtained data emphasize the importance of proper differentiation of cell lines of neoplastic origin in neurobiological research and standardization of cell culture handling protocols to ensure reliable results.


1975 ◽  
Vol 1 (12) ◽  
pp. 405-406
Author(s):  
G. R. Kurble ◽  
J. J. Campbell
Keyword(s):  
The Body ◽  

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