CONCLUSION GDF15 suppresses BC cell invasion in vitro through down-regulation of FA genes but its role in BC is more complicated in vivo and warrants further investigation. BACKGROUND/AIM Ring finger protein 126 (RNF126) belongs to the family of RING E3 ubiquitin ligases. Although RNF126 has been reported to be overexpressed in several cancers, the role of RNF126 in gastric cancer remains unclear. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated the RNF126 expression in 170 primary gastric cancer tissues by immunohistochemistry, and explored its prognostic impact. The effect of the RNF126 expression on the proliferation of cancer cells was evaluated in vitro. RESULTS The RNF126 expression was significantly associated with tumor depth and presence of venous invasion. The RNF126 status was identified as an independent prognostic factor (p less then 0.001). RNF126 gene silencing significantly inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cells, induced G1 phase arrest and increased the p21 protein level. CONCLUSION RNF126 expression has a significant prognostic value in gastric cancer. RNF126 may play an important role in tumor progression of gastric cancer. BACKGROUND/AIM Optimal surgical margins, parenchymal-sparing technique and the effect of the surgical devices on the liver resection surface are currently hot topics. The aim of this study was to set up a surviving animal model to detect histological changes on the resection surface induced by the resection method and the thermal effect of monopolar electrocautery in 'spray mode'. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eighteen male Wistar rats were used; all rats were subjected to standardized liver resection and resection surface coagulation. Resection surface samples were collected immediately after the operation from the first group, and at 1 week and 3 weeks after the operation from the second and third groups, respectively. The samples were histologically investigated. RESULTS Spray diathermy was shown to cause parenchymaI destruction of varying depth on the resection surface due to immediate coagulation and consequent necrosis. CONCLUSION Spray diathermy on the resection surface can also destroy the area that contains possible tumor cells after R1 resection and increases the tumor clearance without worse survival outcomes. BACKGROUND/AIM Although Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) may be critical to several types of cancers, the function of AhR for carcinogenesis of bladder cancer (BC) is still inconclusive. We, therefore, sought to examine the involvement of AhR in bladder carcinogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS We examined the AhR expression of human BC and N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-induced bladder carcinogenesis in AhR-deficient mice. RESULTS There was a significantly higher expression of AhR in non-muscle-invasive BC compared to normal tissue and muscle-invasive BC (MIBC). The incidence of MIBC in AhR-deficient mice (87.5%) was significantly higher than wild-type mice (9.5%, p less then 0.01). In cell invasion assay, the induction of AhR signaling resulted in attenuation of BC cell invasiveness and proliferation. CONCLUSION These results suggest that AhR may be essential for the initiation of carcinogenesis and attenuated the invasion of BC cells; this signaling may have a dual function in bladder carcinogenesis. BACKGROUND/AIM The prognosis of pancreatic cancer has not improved due to its migratory feature and refractory potential to chemo-resistance with absence of effective diagnosis. Despite continuous efforts, its underlying mechanisms of malignant nature remain ambiguous. The objective of this study was to investigate delta-like 1 (DLL1) as a tumor suppressor in the metastasic ability of human pancreatic cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cellular expression of DLL1 was demonstrated using the GEO public database and western blot analysis. The biological function of DLL1 was validated by biological behavior analysis. Prognosis to DLL1 expression was demonstrated using analysis of the GEO public database. RESULTS Analysis using the GEO database and western blotting showed higher DLL1 mRNA and protein expression levels in pancreatic cancer compared to those in normal pancreas. DLL1 was uniquely expressed in seven human pancreatic cancer cell lines compared to human pancreatic duct epithelial H6c7 cells. Ablation of DLL1 expression stimulated migration and invasion by activating Src and p38 phosphorylation, but not viability and chemo-resistance of human pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, expression of DLL1 was correlated with migratory features of pancreatic cancer in vivo. Moreover, high DLL1 expression was associated with a favorable prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients. CONCLUSION DLL1 is a potent suppressor of pancreatic cancer metastasis. Understanding correlation between expression and function of DLL1 might contribute to our knowledge of the complicated mechanism of pancreatic cancer metastasis. BACKGROUND/AIM Gut microbiota plays an important role in colorectal cancer (CRC) and its composition in CRC patients can be influenced by ethnicity and tumour genomics. selleck chemical Herein, the aim was to study the possible associations of ethnicity and gene mutations with the gut microbiota in CRC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bacterial composition in stool samples of 83 CRC patients and 60 controls from Iran and Finland was studied by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The association of gut microbiota composition with CRC, host mutations in KRAS, NRAS and TP53, and ethnicity analysed. RESULTS Beta diversity analysis indicated significant differences between the Iranian and Finnish gut microbiota composition, in both controls and patients' groups. The Iranian controls had higher abundance of Prevotella and lower abundance of Bacteroides compared to the Finnish controls, while the Finnish patients had higher abundance of Clostridium compared to Iranian patients. Abundance of Ruminococcus was higher in patients compared to the controls. Higher abundances of Herbaspirillum, Catenibacterium and lower abundances of Barnesiella were associated with mutations in NRAS, TP53, and RAS respectively. CONCLUSION A possible link of host gene mutations with gut bacterial composition is suggested.