thymosin and Esophageal-Neoplasms

Topics: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Esophageal Neoplasms; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunosuppression Therapy; Lymphocytes; Radiation Injuries; Thymosin; Thymus Hormones

Thymosin β4 has been reported to play the key roles in tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Although the importance of thymosin β4 in angiogenesis and metastasis is known, few studies to show the expression patterns of thymosin β4 in human tissues including tumors have been conducted. The comparisons of the expression of thymosin β4 between the normal and tumor tissues are also needed to study the role of thymosin β4 in tumor formation. Using tissue microarray analysis, we compared the expression patterns of thymosin β4 in the normal human tissues and in the tumors to screen certain tumors and upregulated the expression of thymosin β4 by tumorigenesis. Thymosin β4 was highly expressed in the hepatic cells in the normal adult liver, duct, and acinar cells in pancreas, and muscle cells in the heart and also expressed highly in certain tumor cells, including osteosarcoma, colon adenocarcinoma, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, kidney and urinary bladder transitional carcinoma, lung cancer, and liver cancer. Comparing the thymosin β4 expression between normal and tumors, thymosin β4 was upregulated specifically in osteosarcoma, colorectal carcinoma, and esophageal cancer. To confirm the over-expression of thymosin β4 in these tumors, we analyzed expression of thymosin β4 with each additional microarray of osteosarcoma, colorectal carcinoma, and esophageal cancer. The significant increased expression of thymosin β4 was observed in osteosarcoma and in colorectal cancer. These results suggest that the expression of thymosin β4 is highly related with tumorigenesis of certain tumors including the osteosarcoma and colorectal cancers.

Topics: Adult; Cell Line, Tumor; Colorectal Neoplasms; Esophageal Neoplasms; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Male; Organ Specificity; Osteosarcoma; Thymosin; Tissue Array Analysis; Up-Regulation

The beta-thymosins comprise a family of structurally related, highly conserved acidic polypeptides, originally isolated from calf thymus. Recently, we have demonstrated the overexpression of thymosin beta-10 (TB10) in rat thyroid transformed cell lines and in human thyroid carcinoma tissues and cell lines. To verify whether TB10 overexpression is a general event in the process of carcinogenesis, we have analyzed TB10 mRNA levels in human colon carcinomas, germ cell tumors of different histological types, breast carcinomas, ovarian carcinomas, uterine carcinomas, colon and esophageal carcinoma cell lines. Overexpression of the TB10 gene was detected in all of the neoplastic tissues and cell lines compared to the respective normal tissues. Moreover, the mouse model of skin carcinogenesis induced by the combined action of chemical carcinogens and phorbol esters was used to identify the stage of TB10 gene induction. The expression was almost undetectable in normal keratinocytes, its induction occurred even at the papilloma stage, however a further increased expression was observed in the carcinoma derived cell lines. Finally, immunohistochemical analysis of some breast, colon and ovary carcinoma samples by using specific anti-TB10 antibodies revealed the presence of the TB10 protein in all of the neoplastic tissues, but not in the respective normal tissues. Therefore the TB10 detection may be considered a potential tool for the diagnosis of several human neoplasias.

Topics: Animals; Breast Neoplasms; Carcinoma; Colonic Neoplasms; Esophageal Neoplasms; Female; Gene Expression; Germinoma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Mice; Neoplasms; Ovarian Neoplasms; RNA; Skin Neoplasms; Testicular Neoplasms; Thymosin; Tumor Cells, Cultured; Uterine Neoplasms

Fifty-five patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and esophagus were evaluated prior to irradiation and thymosin fraction 5 therapy. Immunity prior to treatment, as measured by total lymphocyte count, E and EAC rosettes, lymphocyte stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and in mixed leukocyte culture (MLC) with allogeneic cells, delayed hypersensitivity skin tests, and quantitative serum immunoglobulins, was comparable and normal in the 40 control patients and in the 15 thymosin-treated patients. After irradiation, significant depression (P less than 0.01) was demonstrated in cellular immunity in both groups of patients with decreased T- and B-cell numbers and depressed phytohemagglutinin and MLC stimulation. Six months after irradiation, our preliminary results suggest that the thymosin-treated patients may be reversing their immunosuppression by a return of MLC function and positivity of delayed hypersensitivity skin tests. The ultimate effect of thymosin on disease control and survival remains uncertain.

Topics: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Esophageal Neoplasms; Female; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; Immunity; Immunosuppression Therapy; Lymphocytes; Male; Thymosin; Thymus Hormones