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Chinese Journal of Cancer Aug 2017Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive malignancy, with a high incidence and poor prognosis. In the past several decades, hundreds of proteins have... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive malignancy, with a high incidence and poor prognosis. In the past several decades, hundreds of proteins have been reported to be associated with the prognosis of ESCC, but none has been widely accepted to guide clinical care. This study aimed to identify proteins with great potential for predicting prognosis of ESCC.
METHODS
We conducted a systematic review on immunohistochemical (IHC) prognostic markers of ESCC according to the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines. Literature related to IHC prognostic markers of ESCC were searched from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until January 30th, 2017. The risk of bias of these original studies was evaluated using the Quality in Prognosis Studies (QUIPS) tool.
RESULTS
We identified 11 emerging IHC markers with reproducible results, including eight markers [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Cyclin D1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Survivin, Podoplanin, Fascin, phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2)] indicating unfavorable prognosis and 3 markers (P27, P16, and E-cadherin) indicating favorable prognosis of ESCC.
CONCLUSION
Strong evidence supports that these 11 emerging IHC markers or their combinations may be useful in predicting prognosis and aiding personalized therapy decision-making for ESCC patients.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Esophageal Neoplasms; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; Female; Humans; Male; Neoplasm Proteins; Prognosis
PubMed: 28818096
DOI: 10.1186/s40880-017-0232-5 -
Fluids and Barriers of the CNS May 2017The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the performance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) beta amyloid 42 (Aβ42), total tau (t-tau), and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the performance of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) beta amyloid 42 (Aβ42), total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) as potential diagnostic biomarkers for idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) and to assess their utility indistinguishing patients with iNPH from those with Alzheimer disease (AD) and healthy normal controls.
METHODS
Studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Chinese Periodical Database, VIP Chinese database, and Chinese Bio-medicine Database (CBM) before August 2016. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI), comparing CSF Aβ42, t-tau, and p-tau levels between iNPH, AD and healthy controls, were calculated using random-effects models. Subgroup analyses were created according to ethnicity (Caucasian or Asian) and CSF type (lumbar or ventricular), and the publication bias was estimated using Egger's test and the Begg's test.
RESULTS
A total of 10 studies including 413 patients with iNPH, 186 patients with AD and 147 healthy controls were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. The concentrations of CSF t-tau, and p-tau were significantly lower in iNPH patients compared to AD (SMD = -1.26, 95% CI -1.95 to -0.57, P = 0.0004; SMD = -1.54, 95% CI -2.34 to -0.74, P = 0.0002, respectively) and lower than healthy controls (SMD = -0.80, 95% CI -1.50 to -0.09, P = 0.03; SMD = -1.12, 95% CI -1.38 to -0.86, P < 0.00001, respectively). Patients with iNPH had significantly lower Aβ42 levels compared with controls (SMD = -1.14, 95% CI -1.74 to -0.55, P = 0.0002), and slightly higher Aβ42 levels compared with AD patients (SMD = 0.32, 95% CI 0.00-0.63, P = 0.05). Subgroup analyses showed that the outcomes may have been influenced by ethnicity and CSF source. Compared to AD, overall sensitivity in differentiating iNPH was 0.813 (95% CI 0.636-0.928) for Aβ42, 0.828 (95% CI 0.732-0.900) for t-tau, 0.943 (95% CI 0.871-0.981) for p-tau. Relative to AD, overall specificity in differentiating iNPH was 0.506 (95% CI 0.393-0.619) for Aβ42, 0.842 (95% CI 0.756-0.907) for t-tau, 0.851 (95% CI 0.767-0.914) for p-tau.
CONCLUSION
The results of our meta-analysis suggest that iNPH may be associated with significantly reduced levels of CSF Aβ42, t-tau and p-tau compared to the healthy normal state. Compared to AD, both t-tau and p-tau were significantly decreased in iNPH, but CSF Aβ42 was slightly increased. Prospective studies are needed to further assess the clinical utility of these and other CSF biomarkers in assisting in the diagnosis of iNPH and differentiating it from AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
Topics: Amyloid beta-Peptides; Databases, Bibliographic; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure; Peptide Fragments; Phosphorylation; tau Proteins
PubMed: 28486988
DOI: 10.1186/s12987-017-0062-5 -
BMC Neurology Apr 2017Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a globally prevalent neurodegenerative condition, clinically characterized by progressive memory loss and gradual impairment of cognitive... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a globally prevalent neurodegenerative condition, clinically characterized by progressive memory loss and gradual impairment of cognitive functions. Bapineuzumab is a fully humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to neurotoxic amyloid proteins in the brain, enhancing their clearance. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bapineuzumab in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
METHODS
We performed a web-based literature search of PubMed, Ovid, EBSCO, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and web of science using the relevant keywords. Data were extracted from eligible records and pooled as mean difference (MD) or risk ratio (RR) values with their 95% confidence interval (CI), using Review Manager software (version 5.3 for windows). Heterogeneity was measured by Chi-square and I-square tests.
RESULT
The pooled effect estimate from six randomized clinical trials (n = 2380) showed that bapineuzumab significantly reduced the cerebrospinal fluid concentration of phosphorylated tau proteins (Standardized MD = -5.53, 95% CI [-8.29, -2.76]). However, the bapineuzumab group was not superior to the placebo group in terms of change from baseline in Alzheimer's disease assessment scale (ADAS)-Cog11 (MD = 0.14, 95% CI [-0.72, 0.99]), disability assessment for dementia (DAD) scale (MD = 1.35, 95% CI [-1.74, 4.43]), and mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scores (MD = 0.08, 95% CI [-0.31, 0.47]). Regarding safety, bapineuzumab increased the risk of serious treatment-emergent adverse events (RR = 1.18, 95% CI [1.02, 1.37]) and cerebral vasogenic edema (RR = 40.88, 95% CI [11.94, 135.95]). All bapineuzumab doses (0.15, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg) were similar to placebo in terms of change from baseline in ADAS-cog11, DAD, and MMSE scores, except for the 0.15 mg/kg dose, which caused a significant worsening on the ADAS-cog11 scale (MD = 5.6, 95% CI [0.22, 10.98]).
CONCLUSIONS
Considering the lack of clinical efficacy, combined with the significant association with serious adverse events, bapineuzumab should not be used to treat patients with mild to moderate AD. Future studies should investigate the effect of combining bapineuzumab with other therapeutic strategies and reevaluate the efficacy of targeting amyloid β proteins in AD therapy.
Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Humans; Outcome Assessment, Health Care; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 28376794
DOI: 10.1186/s12883-017-0850-1 -
PloS One 2017Phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) is a promising prognostic marker in many types of cancer. However, its survival benefit in patients with breast... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
Phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) is a promising prognostic marker in many types of cancer. However, its survival benefit in patients with breast carcinoma remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between p-mTOR expression and prognosis in breast carcinoma based on a systematic review and meta-analysis.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Electronic databases (including Pubmed, Embase, ISI web of science, and Cochrane Library) were searched up to November 24, 2015. The outcome measures were hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between the prognosis of breast carcinoma patients and p-mTOR expression. Primary end points were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS). Statistical analysis was performed with STATA 12.0.
RESULTS
Nine cohort studies including 3051 patients met full eligibility criteria. The pooled HRs (95% CI) for OS, DFS, and RFS were 0.84 (0.27-2.63), 0.71 (0.40-1.23), and 0.48 (0.20-1.18), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggested that p-mTOR overexpression was not significantly related to prognosis in breast carcinoma regarding OS and disease recurrence. Prospective studies are warranted to examine the association between p-mTOR expression and survival outcomes in breast carcinoma.
Topics: Breast Neoplasms; Female; Humans; Survival Analysis; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
PubMed: 28114374
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0170302 -
Scientific Reports Dec 2016We aimed to comprehensively compare two compartmented oral proteomes, the salivary and the dental pellicle proteome. Systematic review and datamining was used to obtain... (Review)
Review
We aimed to comprehensively compare two compartmented oral proteomes, the salivary and the dental pellicle proteome. Systematic review and datamining was used to obtain the physico-chemical, structural, functional and interactional properties of 1,515 salivary and 60 identified pellicle proteins. Salivary and pellicle proteins did not differ significantly in their aliphatic index, hydrophaty, instability index, or isoelectric point. Pellicle proteins were significantly more charged at low and high pH and were significantly smaller (10-20 kDa) than salivary proteins. Protein structure and solvent accessible molecular surface did not differ significantly. Proteins of the pellicle were more phosphorylated and glycosylated than salivary proteins. Ion binding and enzymatic activities also differed significantly. Protein-protein-ligand interaction networks relied on few key proteins. The identified differences between salivary and pellicle proteins could guide proteome compartmentalization and result in specialized functionality. Key proteins could be potential targets for diagnostic or therapeutic application.
Topics: Animals; Data Mining; Dental Enamel Proteins; Dental Pellicle; Humans; Proteome; Salivary Proteins and Peptides
PubMed: 27966577
DOI: 10.1038/srep38882 -
BMC Cancer Nov 2016Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine protein kinase responsible for regulating ribosomal biogenesis and protein synthesis. Dysregulation of mTOR... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of mTOR and phosphorylated mTOR expression in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine protein kinase responsible for regulating ribosomal biogenesis and protein synthesis. Dysregulation of mTOR contributes to tumorigenesis, angiogenesis, cellular growth and metastasis but its roles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are controversial. Therefore, the objective of this study is to evaluate the prognostic and clinicopathological significance of mTOR/p-mTOR expression in ESCC.
METHODS
Literature retrieval was conducted by searching PubMed, EMBASE and the Web of Science for full-text papers that met our eligibility criteria. Odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) with 95 % confidence interval (CI) served as the appropriate summarized statistics for assessments of clinicopathological and prognostic significance, respectively. Cochrane Q-test and I-statistic were adopted to estimate the heterogeneity level between studies. Potential publication bias was detected by Begg's test and Egger's test.
RESULTS
A total of 915 ESCC patients from nine original articles were included into this meta-analysis. The pooled analyses suggested that mTOR/p-mTOR expression was significantly correlated with the unfavorable outcomes of differentiation degree (OR: 2.63; 95 % CI: 1.71-4.05; P = 0.001), tumor invasion (OR: 1.48; 95 % CI: 1.02-2.13; P = 0.037), TNM stage (OR: 2.25; 95 % CI: 1.05-4.82; P = 0.037) and lymph node metastasis (OR: 1.82; 95 % CI: 1.06-3.11; P = 0.029), but had no significant relationship to the genders (OR: 0.81; 95 % CI: 0.50-1.32; P = 0.396). Moreover, mTOR/p-mTOR expression could independently predict the worse overall survival (HR: 2.04; 95 % CI: 1.58-2.62; P < 0.001), disease-free survival (HR: 2.39; 95 % CI: 1.64-3.49; P < 0.001) and cancer-specific survival (HR: 1.62; 95 % CI: 1.18-2.23; P = 0.003) of patients with ESCC. Such prognostic value of mTOR was not substantially altered by further subgroup analyses.
CONCLUSIONS
Positive expression of mTOR and p-mTOR was significantly associated with the unfavorable conditions on the depth of tumor invasion, TNM stage, differentiation degree and lymph node metastasis. mTOR and p-mTOR could serve as a valuable predictor for the poor prognosis of ESCC. More high-quality worldwide studies performing a multivariate analysis based on larger sample size are urgently required for further verifying and modifying our findings in the future.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Esophageal Neoplasms; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis; Neoplasm Invasiveness; Phosphoproteins; Phosphorylation; Prognosis; Protein Processing, Post-Translational; Survival Analysis; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
PubMed: 27835987
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-016-2940-7 -
PloS One 2016High expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) has been detected in a variety of human tumors. However, the association... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
OBJECTIVE
High expression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-STAT3) has been detected in a variety of human tumors. However, the association of positive p-STAT3 expression with clinicopathological parameters and the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients remain controversial. To identify the relationship between p-STAT3 expression and clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed.
METHODS
We performed a comprehensive literature search from PubMed, EMBASE, and SinoMed through 27 March, 2016. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were combined to evaluate the association between p-STAT3 expression and overall survival of colorectal cancer patients. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CI were combined to evaluate the association between p-STAT3 expression and clinicopathological parameters in patients with colorectal cancer.
RESULTS
Seventeen studies including a total of 2,346 colorectal cancer patients were included in this meta-analysis. The combined HR was 1.43 (95% CI: 1.23-1.67, P < 0.001), which suggested a positive relationship between p-STAT3 overexpression and poorer overall survival of colorectal cancer patients. In addition, the results indicated that positive p-STAT3 expression was significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.18-5.01, P = 0.02) but was not associated with TNM stage, tumor differentiation or gender.
CONCLUSION
The meta-analysis results suggest that p-STAT3 overexpression is unfavorable for the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients, and p-STAT3 overexpression is associated with the presence of lymph node metastasis among colorectal cancer patients.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Colorectal Neoplasms; Humans; Lymphatic Metastasis; Phosphoproteins; Prognosis; STAT3 Transcription Factor
PubMed: 27504822
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160125 -
Oncotarget Apr 2016Accumulated studies have provided controversial evidences of the association between signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins 3 (STAT3) expression and... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Accumulated studies have provided controversial evidences of the association between signal transducer and activator of transcription proteins 3 (STAT3) expression and survival of human solid tumors. To address this inconsistency, we performed a meta-analysis with 63 studies identified from PubMed, Medline and EBSCO. We found STAT3 overexpression was significantly associated with worse 3-year overall survival (OS) (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.57 to 2.71, P < 0.00001) and 5-year OS (OR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.53 to 2.63, P < 0.00001) of human solid tumors. Similar results were observed when disease free survival (DFS) were analyzed. Subgroup analysis showed that elevated STAT3 expression was associated with poor prognosis of gastric cancer, lung cancer, gliomas, hepatic cancer, osteosarcoma, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer but better prognosis of breast cancer. The correlation between STAT3 and survival of solid tumors was related to its phosphorylated state. High expression level of STAT3 was also associated with advanced tumor stage. In conclusion, elevated STAT3 expression is associated with poor survival in most solid tumors. STAT3 is a valuable biomarker for prognosis prediction and a promising therapeutic target in human solid tumors.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; Neoplasms; Prognosis; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Sensitivity and Specificity; Survival Analysis
PubMed: 26959884
DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7887 -
Medicine Feb 2016The overexpression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-stat3) was detected in a variety of human tumors. The published studies on... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The overexpression of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (p-stat3) was detected in a variety of human tumors. The published studies on p-stat3 expression among gastric carcinoma patients remain controversial.In order to clarify the prognosis value of p-stat3 with overall survival and its association with clinicopathological characteristics in gastric carcinoma, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis.Eligible studies were retrieved by searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and Chinese biomedical literature service system databases.Studies described the association between p-stat3 expression and clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival in gastric carcinoma patients; p-stat3 expression was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC).Odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) were considered as a measure of evaluating the association in meta-analysis; I was used to assess the heterogeneity across studies; publication bias was assessed with funnel plot, Egger test, and Begg test.Twenty-three studies including 2872 patients which evaluated the p-stat3 expression by IHC in gastric carcinoma were included. The pooled HR (HR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.49-2.73, P < 0.00001) indicated that the increased p-stat3 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival. In addition, when we investigated the association between p-stat3 overexpression and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric carcinoma, we found that the increased p-stat3 expression was significantly associated with tumor differentiation (poorly vs well-moderately: OR = 3.70, 95% CI: 1.98-6.93, P < 0.0001) and lymph node metastasis (present vs absent: OR = 2.40, 95% CI: 1.28-4.50, P = 0.007).The different type of primary antibody was used; the assessment methods of p-stat3 positive expression were defined differently; the locations of p-stat3 expression were different; the method of extrapolating HR from Kaplan-Meier survival curves did seem to be less reliable than when HR was extracted directly from literatures; sample sizes, the age of patients, and the follow-up durations are different.In conclusion, our meta-analysis indicates that the increased p-stat3 expression may be not only predict poor prognosis, but also be associated with worse tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis in patients with gastric carcinoma.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma; Female; Humans; Kaplan-Meier Estimate; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Middle Aged; Odds Ratio; Phosphorylation; Predictive Value of Tests; Prognosis; STAT3 Transcription Factor; Stomach Neoplasms; Young Adult
PubMed: 26844481
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002641 -
Neuropsychology Review Dec 2015Many patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) will develop cognitive impairment. Cross-sectional studies have shown that certain protein levels are altered in the... (Review)
Review
Many patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) will develop cognitive impairment. Cross-sectional studies have shown that certain protein levels are altered in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of PD patients with dementia and are thought to represent potential biomarkers of underlying pathogenesis. Recent studies suggest that CSF biomarker levels may be predictive of future risk of cognitive decline in non-demented PD patients. However, the strength of this evidence and difference between specific CSF biomarkers is not well delineated. We therefore performed a systematic review to assess if levels of specific CSF protein biomarkers are predictive of progression to cognitive impairment. Nine articles were identified that met inclusion criteria for the review. Findings from the review suggest a convergence of evidence that a low baseline Aβ42 in the CSF of non-demented PD patients predicts development of cognitive impairment over time. Conversely, there is limited evidence that CSF levels of tau, either total tau or phosphorylated tau, is a useful predictive biomarker. There are mixed results for other CSF biomarkers such as α-synuclein, Neurofilament light chain, and Heart fatty acid-binding protein. Overall the results of this review show that certain CSF biomarkers have better predictive ability to identify PD patients who are at risk for developing cognitive impairment. Given the interest in developing disease-modifying therapies, identifying this group will be important for clinical trials as initiation of therapy prior to the onset of cognitive decline is likely to be more efficacious.
Topics: Biomarkers; Cognition; Cognition Disorders; Humans; Parkinson Disease; Prognosis
PubMed: 26626621
DOI: 10.1007/s11065-015-9307-8