(I)已知有數種器官,長期暴露於砷,會誘導腫瘤的生成與發展;然而,砷在氧化壓力媒介DNA(去氧核醣核酸)傷害的角色,仍未被透徹地瞭解。Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation(多聚ADP核糖化),是一種細胞對DNA傷害的立即反應。多聚ADP核糖化能媒介DNA修補,並強化細胞存活能力。在此研究中,我們發現,將不同的人類癌細胞,暴露於三氧化二砷,會抑制過氧化氫誘導的多聚ADP核糖化。更有甚者,三氧化二砷會促進過氧化氫誘導的DNA傷害與細胞凋亡,導致細胞死亡增加。我們發現,正-乙基順丁烯二醯亞胺,為順丁烯二酸衍生之有機化合物,可逆轉三氧化二砷媒介之效應,強化多聚ADP核糖化,故減少細胞死亡並增加細胞存活。若以藥理學的方式,用丁硫氨酸-亞碸亞胺,抑制穀胱甘肽生成,會阻斷正-乙基順丁烯二醯亞胺對三氧化二砷之拮抗效應,延續三氧化二砷抑制多聚ADP核糖化,並導致DNA傷害。因此,本研究發現,正-乙基順丁烯二醯亞胺,為一具有潛力,以依賴穀胱甘肽的方式,對抗砷媒介的DNA傷害之解毒劑。 (II) 目的:評估細胞激素TGF-β1作為病人於冷凍治療後腫瘤控制結果之預測因子。 材料與方法:收集二零一一年十月,與二零一三年三月間,接受全腺體冷凍治療之攝護腺癌病人之手術前後之血液檢體。以磁珠免疫分析法,量化血漿TGF-β1濃度。手術前後TGF-β1改變量的定義為,術前至術後一至二個月之TGF-β1濃度差。生化性之復發係根據Phoenix criteria定義。以Mann–Whitney U,Kruskal–Wallis rank sum,以及Chi-square test比較次項目之臨床特徵,並應用Cox比例風險模型比較群組間之復發風險。 結果:總共包含75位攝護腺癌病人。在追蹤期中位數12個月(範圍:2.5–47個月)期間,11位病人有生化性復發,另外64位病人則無。我們觀察到,有生化性復發之病人,其手術前後TGF-β1濃度變化量,顯著地比無復發者大(中位數:470.3比78.9 pg/ml)(p < 0.05)。根據TGF-β1濃度變化量,病人被更進一步地以四分法分成四組,決定手術前後TGF-β1的濃度組別。第四組(≥430)預測到最差之生化性復發結果。 結論:手術前後血漿TGF-β1濃度,與局限性攝護腺癌冷凍治療後之生化性復發有關。術後血漿TGF-β1增加,可作為不良腫瘤控制結果,提示可能需要更積極追蹤或較早期之救援性治療之新預測因子。
(I) Long term exposure to arsenic has been known to induce neoplastic initiation and progression in several organs; however, the role of arsenic in oxidative stress-mediated DNA damage remains elusive. One of the immediate cellular responses to DNA damage is poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation), which mediates DNA repair and enhances cell survival. In this study, we found that oxidative stress (H2O2)-induced PARylation was suppressed by arsenic (As2O3) exposure in different human cancer cells. Moreover, As2O3 treatment promoted H2O2-induced DNA damage and apoptosis, leading to increased cell death. We found that N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), an organic compound derived from maleic acid, can reverse As2O3-mediated effects, thus enhancing PARylation with attenuated cell death and increased cell survival. Pharmacologic inhibition of glutathione (GSH) with L-buthionine-sulfoximine blocked the antagonistic effect of NEM on As2O3, thereby continuing As2O3-mediated suppression of PARylation and causing DNA damage. Our findings identify NEM as a potential antidote against arsenic-mediated DNA damage in a GSH dependent manner. (II) Purpose: To evaluate the cytokine transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) as a predictor of oncological outcomes in patients after cryoablation. Materials and Methods: Perioperative blood samples from prostate cancer (PC) patients who underwent total gland cryoablation between October 2011 and March 2013 were collected prospectively. Plasma TGF-β1 levels were quantified using magnetic bead immunoassay. The perioperative change in TGF-β1 was defined as the change in TGF-β1 from before surgery to 1–2 months after surgery. Biochemical recurrence (BCR) was defined according to the Phoenix criteria. The Mann–Whitney U, Kruskal–Wallis rank sum, and Chi-square test were used to compare the clinical characteristics of the subsets. The Cox proportional hazard model was applied for the comparison of recurrence risk among the groups. Results: A total of 75 PC patients were included. During a median follow-up period of 12 months (range: 2.5–47 months), 11 patients had BCR, and 64 patients did not. Significantly greater changes in the perioperative TGF-β1 levels (median: 470.3 vs. 78.9 pg/ml) were observed in patients with than without BCR (p < 0.05). According to the changes in TGF-β1 levels, the patients were further divided into 4 groups, which were determined in the quartile categories of perioperative TGF-β1 levels. Group 4 (≥430) predicted the worst BCR outcome. Conclusions: Perioperative plasma TGF-β1 levels were associated with BCR after prostate cryoablation for localized PC. Increase in postoperative plasma TGF-β1 may be a novel predictor for poor oncological outcomes and prompt a more aggressive follow-up or earlier salvage treatment.