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Upregulation of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) is involved in tumor progression. Cyclooxygenase (COX)‑2 is the key enzyme catalyzing prostaglandin synthesis and is involved in breast cancer progression and metastasis. However, the prognostic value of EpCAM and its putative correlation with COX‑2 in breast cancer have yet to be elucidated. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical relevance of the relationship between EpCAM and COX‑2, via examining the putative correlation between EpCAM and COX‑2 expression in various types of human breast cancer. A total of 134 breast cancer tissue samples was examined in the present study. Immunohistochemistry approach was used to detect EpCAM and COX‑2 expression in the tissue microarrays. Spearman's correlation analysis was performed to evaluate the correlation between the protein expression and clinicopathological parameters present in patients with various tumor subtypes, with the aim to potentially establish a relationship between EpCAM/COX‑2 and clinical prognosis. Expression of EpCAM and COX‑2 was revealed to be associated with tumor progression, and poor prognosis in breast cancer. The present findings demonstrated that EpCAM was involved in the regulation of COX‑2 expression, and a positive correlation between the proteins was associated with poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. The present results suggest that EpCAM and COX‑2 may have potential as prognostic biomarkers in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Receptor interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is involved in a variety of signaling pathway to produce a series of inflammatory cytokines in response to a diverse of bacterial, viral and protozoal pathogens. However, the underlying regulating of RIPK2 remain unknown. Transcriptome alterations in chicken HD11 cells following RIPK2 overexpression or silencing by shRNA were analyzed by next-generation sequencing. Both overexpression and knockdown of the RIPK2 gene caused wide-spread changes in gene expression in chicken HD11 cells. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) caused by altered RIPK2 gene expression were associated with multiple biological processes linked with biological regulation, response to stimulus, cell communication, and signal transduction etc. KEGG analysis revealed that many of the DEGs were enriched in VEGF signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, Focal adhesion, TGF-beta signaling pathway etc. Moreover, we show that initiation genes, TGFB1 and TGFB3, in the TGF-beta signaling pathway are biological targets regulated by RIPK2 in chicken HD11 cells. This is the first transcriptome-wide study in which RIPK2-regulated genes in chicken cells have been screened. Our findings elucidate the molecular events associated with RIPK2 in chicken HD11 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is considered to be a potent cell-damaging agent in various cell lineages; however, the effect of UV light-emitting diode (LED) irradiation on human cells remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of UV LED irradiation emitting at 280 nm on cultured HL-60 human leukemia cells, and to explore the underlying mechanisms. HL-60 cells were irradiated with UV LED (8, 15, 30 and 60 J/m2) and incubated for 2 h after irradiation. The rates of cell proliferation and apoptosis, the cell cycle profiles and the mRNA expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) were detected using cell counting kit-8, multicaspase assays, propidium iodide staining and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The results showed that UV LED irradiation (8-60 J/m2) inhibited the proliferation of HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner. UV LED at 8-30 J/m2 induced dose-dependent apoptosis and G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, and inhibited the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA, while UV LED at 60 J/m2 induced necrosis. In conclusion, 280 nm UV LED irradiation inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis and necrosis in cultured HL-60 cells. In addition, the cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase and the downregulation of Bcl-2 mRNA expression were shown to be involved in UV LED-induced apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CD166, an adhesion molecule of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is one of the crucial effectors that traffic lymphocytes into tissues. Till now, the expression and role of CD166 in the chronic kidney disease remains unknown. Objectives: In the present study, we are to examine the expression of CD166 in the chronic kidney disease, and to explore its function with CD4+ T cells. Materials and Methods: CD166 expression was tested by Flow Cytometry (FACS) in the primary macrophages stimulated with LPS. In vivo, the expression of CD166 and CD4 were examined in the kidney tissues of adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AN) mice by immnohistochemistry. Macrophages and lymphocytes were co-cultured, the interaction between CD166 and CD4 was tested by immunofluorescent staining. Furthermore, the effects of CD166 on the activation and proliferation of T cells were explored. Results: In this study, CD166 expression was found to be upregulated on activated macrophages and glomerular endothelia in the adriamycin-induced nephropathy (AN) mice and CD4+ T cells were increased with CD166 expression in the AN mice. The interaction between macrophages and CD4+ T cells indicated that CD166 played a key role in the recruitment of lymphocytes in the chronic kidney disease, and neither proliferation nor activation of T cells was affected by CD166. Conclusions: CD166 expressed on macrophages and endothelia in AN kidney, and the function was related to the recruitment of CD4+ T cells into inflamed kidney, indicating that CD166 may be a potential target for reducing the inflammatory infiltrates in the chronic kidney disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small sample sizes used in previous studies result in a lack of overlap between the reported gene signatures for prediction of chemotherapy response. Although morphologic features, especially tumor nuclear morphology, are important for cancer grading, little research has been reported on quantitatively correlating cellular morphology with chemotherapy response, especially in a large data set. In this study, we have used a large population of patients to identify molecular and morphologic signatures associated with chemotherapy response in serous ovarian carcinoma. Methodology/Principal Findings: A gene expression model that predicts response to chemotherapy is developed and validated using a large-scale data set consisting of 493 samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 244 samples from an Australian report. An identified 227-gene signature achieves an overall predictive accuracy of greater than 85% with a sensitivity of approximately 95% and specificity of approximately 70%. The gene signature significantly distinguishes between patients with unfavorable versus favorable prognosis, when applied to either an independent data set (P = 0.04) or an external validation set (P,0.0001). In parallel, we present the production of a tumor nuclear image profile generated from 253 sample slides by characterizing patients with nuclear features (such as size, elongation, and roundness) in incremental bins, and we identify a morphologic signature that demonstrates a strong association with chemotherapy response in serous ovarian carcinoma. Conclusions: A gene signature discovered on a large data set provides robustness in accurately predicting chemotherapy response in serous ovarian carcinoma. The combination of the molecular and morphologic signatures yields a new understanding of potential mechanisms involved in drug resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the findings of a research conducted on molecular cloning, gene expression, and functional characterization of palustrin-2CE, an antimicrobial peptide of rana chensinensis. Under the research, coding sequence corresponding to the mature palustrin-2CE peptide was subcloned into pCEX-6p-1. It concludes that the tadpole of the Chinese brown frog is a unique source of antimicrobial peptides and indicates the therapeutic potential of the palustrin- 2CE peptide.

The altered expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is associated with a number of cancer types. The study of the association between the miRNA profile and cancer may be useful to identify potential biomarkers of certain types of cancer. In the present study, 19 miRNAs were identified by high-throughput sequencing in the serum of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A network analysis was performed based on a computational approach to identify associations between CRC and miRNAs. The present study may be useful to identify cancer-specific signatures and potentially useful biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC. The network analysis of miRNA-target genes may aid in identifying altered miRNA regulatory networks that are involved in tumor pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is a principal risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Natural plants and/or foods play an important role in the management of obesity. Acalypha australis L. (AAL) is a kind of potherb popular among Asian populations, and it is also consumed as a food ingredient and traditional herbal medicine. Objective: We investigated the effects of water extract from AAL on high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obese mice and 3T3-L1 adipocytes to develop a new functional food material. Design: Nine-week-old male mice were randomly divided into control (chow diet, n = 6) and HFD (n = 30) group. From 12-weeks onward, mice in the HFD group were further separated into model (saline, 6 mL/kg), simvastatin (0.11 mg/mL, 6 mL/kg), and AAL treatment (low, middle, and high dosage: 300, 600, and 900 mg/kg) group, with 6 animals per group, while mice in the control group were treated with saline (6 mL/ kg). Food intake, body/fat weight, liver/kidney indexes, and lipid profiles were determined. Tissues were fixed with formalin for pathological examination. Western blotting and PCR were performed to evaluate the protein and mRNA expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Oil Red O staining was used to determine lipid accumulation. Results: AAL administration significantly suppressed body weight gain, and reduced fat pad weight and Lee's index in obese mice, but had no effect on liver/kidney index. AAL also reduced serum cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-C and increased HDL-C levels. Histological analysis revealed that AAL significantly ameliorated lipid accumulation in the liver and subcutaneous adipose tissue. In vitro, Oil Red O staining showed that AAL inhibited adipose differentiation by down-regulating the gene and protein expression of PPARγ and C/EBPα. AAL also reversed HFD-induced intestinal dysbacteriosis. Conclusion: AAL water-soluble extract has a significant anti-adipogenic effect in the HFD-induced obese mice model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), a ligand for low-density lipoprotein receptors, is strongly induced during osteogenesis and has a physiologic role in regulating osteoblast function, but the mechanisms of its action are still unclear. The study aims to elucidate the influence and molecular mechanisms of ApoE on bone formation. An ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic model were conducted in ApoE knockout (ApoE-/-) mice to study the effect of ApoE on the bone system. Bone quality were assessed through bone mineral density and histomorphometric analysis. To investigate the underlying role and mechanisms of ApoE during osteogenesis, primary osteoblasts from the calvariums of newborn ApoE-/- or wild-type (WT) mice were cultured in the osteoblastic differentiation medium in vitro for further research. Our animal experiment data showed that ApoE-/- mice exhibited bone loss, exacerbated by estrogen deprivation after ovariectomy. ApoE deficiency attenuated osteoblast activity and inhibited osteoblast osteogenesis, accompanied by decreased osterix expression. ApoE deficiency did not affect primary osteoblast viability and collagen-1 expression. Moreover, osteoprotegerin expression in ApoE-/- osteoblasts was reduced compared to WT controls. Our study demonstrated that ApoE gene deficiency contributed to bone loss and attenuated osteogenesis by down-regulating osterix expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymph node metastasis is the most common form of metastasis in breast cancer and a crucial indicator influencing breast cancer treatment results. The biological process of lymph node metastasis involves deficiency and mutation of tumor suppressor genes. PTEN and SHIP are critical indicators used to detect occurrence, development, invasion, and metastasis of breast cancer. Loss of expressions of PTEN and SHIP may contribute to lymphatic metastasis of breast cancer, so they can be used as objective indicators for judging the biological behavior of breast cancer. In this study, we perform a comprehensive analysis to investigate the effect of PTEN and SHIP gene expression on regulating lymph node metastasis in breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female reproductive senescence is heralded by hypothalamus region-specific changes in the transcription of genes such as Kiss1 under estradiol (E2) positive feedback, associated with luteinizing hormone (LH) surge dysfunction and reproductive decline. The current study explored whether the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) displayed epigenetic changes mediated by age-related dysregulation of gene expression and whether an epigenetic-based intervention could alleviate an aging-related neuroendocrine disorder. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and ChIP-qPCR were used to assess the differential acetylation of histone H3 in the AVPV and the expression of genes in hormone-primed middle-aged rats. The association between acetylated histone H3 and Kiss1 expression and the underlying mechanisms of dysregulation were determined using pharmacological inhibitors and molecular experiments in vitro and in vivo. An AVPV gene expression program failed to initiate in middle-aged females displaying typical genome-wide hypoacetylation of histone H3, and this coincided with decreased LH. Hypoacetylation of histone H3 at the 3' intergenic region of Kissl in particular was associated with enhanced chromatin looping between the promoter and enhancer. Restoration of physiological histone H3 acetylation by intracerebroventricular injection of trichostatin A (TSA) restored the expression of Kiss1 by modifying chromatin looping and led to the restoration of Kiss1 neuronal activation and Kiss1 synthesis as well as circulating LH. These findings have revealed novel epigenetic-associated changes in gene expression in female reproductive aging. These results also suggest that HDAC enzyme-based treatment is a potential therapeutic approach for insufficient preovulatory LH release in aging females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor-1 (BAI-1) in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC) at different stages and the mechanism by which it inhibits tumor endothelial cell proliferation. Normal bladder mucosa biopsy specimens were obtained as the control group, and human BTCC biopsy specimens were used as the study group. Immunohistochemical assays were used to detect the expression levels of BAI-1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and mutant p53, in addition to microvessel density (MVD) in the tissues. Western blotting was used to analyze the differential expression of BAI-1 in the two samples. Statistical analysis was performed, which indicated that BAI-1 expression levels in the normal bladder mucosa group were significantly higher than those in the BTCC group and were associated with clinical staging. BAI-1 levels in the T1 stage BTCC tissues were higher than those in the T2-4 stage BTCC tissues (P<0.05). BAI-1 expression levels were negatively correlated with those of VEGF (r=-0.661, P<0.001), mutant p53 (r=-0.406, P=0.002) and with the MVD (r=-0.675, P<0.001). BAI-1 may be involved in the negative regulation of BTCC microvascular proliferation, and its expression may be associated with a reduction in p53 mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanisms that regulate proliferation and expansion of human hematopoietic stem/multipotent progenitor cells (HSC/MPPs) are targets of intensive investigations. Several cell intrinsic factors and signaling pathways have been implicated in the proliferation and differentiation of human HSC/MPPs. Nevertheless, expansion of human HSC/MPPs for clinical application remains a critical challenge. VentX is a human homeobox transcription factor that was recently identified as an anti-proliferation and pro-differentiation factor in human hematopoietic cells. Here, we report that VentX expression is up-regulated during ontogenesis of human hematopoietic cells. Strikingly, suppression of VentX expression led to significant expansion of HSC/MPPs ex vivo and a 20-fold increase in engraftment potential in the NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ2null mouse model. VentX suppression helped preserve the HSC/MPP pools and promote clonogenicity of hematopoietic progenitor cells. Mechanistically, we show that VentX regulates critical cell cycle regulators and Wnt downstream genes previously implicated in HSC/MPP proliferation and expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aFGF (acidic fibroblast growth factor) plays an important role in morphogenesis, angiogenesis and wound healing and is therefore of potential medical interest. A DNA fragment encoding haFGF (human aFGF) has been cloned into the PVX (potato virus X)-based binary vector (pgR107) and transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana (a wild Australian tobacco) by agroinfection. Approx. 1 week after agroinfection, the recombinant haFGF accumulated in the agroinfected plants reached up to 1% of the total soluble protein. haFGF was then purified on heparin–Sepharose CL-6B. The purified haFGF could stimulate the growth of NIH 3T3 cells, suggesting that the recombinant haFGF expressed via PVX viral vector in N. benthamiana was active biologically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional diversity of AT2 receptor orthologues in closely related species. Background. The most striking feature of life is biodiversity. However, mechanisms of biodiversity remain poorly understood, as most protein orthologues of different species are highly homologous in sequence and identical in function. Interestingly, recent evidence has demonstrated heterogeneity for a G protein-coupled angiotensin II (Ang II) type 2 (AT2) receptor in both ligand binding and induction of arachidonic acid (AA) release. The present study investigated the properties of AT2 receptors in closely related species. Methods. AT2 receptors cloned from human, rabbit, rat, and mouse were expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1), African green monkey kidney cells (COS-1), and human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293 cells and characterized in ligand binding and signal transductions. Critical residues in rabbit AT2 receptor attributable to heterogeneity were examined using both gain-of-function and loss-of-function approaches with mutagenesis. Results. The newly cloned rabbit AT2 receptor exhibits distinct biochemical and biologic properties compared to its highly homologous orthologues (91% in overall amino acid sequence) of rat, mouse, and human. All these orthologues activate SH2 domain-containing phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) and show similar binding affinities for Ang II and AT2-specific ligands CGP42112A and PD123319. However, reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT) inactivates the rabbit orthologue but potentiates the others in ligand binding, a hallmark of AT2 versus AT1 receptor subtypes. Most interestingly, rabbit AT2 receptor, but not the other orthologues, induces AA release in various cell systems when stimulated by both Ang II and CGP42112A, the peptide antagonist. Mutagenesis studies and sequence analyses further indicate that residues His106, Asp188, and Thr293 are responsible for the DTT inactivation and residues Val209 and Val249 are partially responsible for AA release. Conclusion. These results deny the coexistence of an additional AT2 subtype in rabbit proximal tubule cells and demonstrate for the first time the presence of functional diversity for closely related Eutherian orthologues of a G protein–coupled receptor (GPCR) that are more than 90% homologous in the amino acid sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cholesterol accumulation causes pancreatic beta cell lipotoxicity and dysfunction. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays an important role in blood lipid homeostasis. However, its role in tissue lipid metabolism remains unclear. We hypothesized that plasma CETP impact cholesterol homeostasis in the beta cells, thus damaging their functions. Methods: The adipose tissue-specific CETP expression transgenic (aP2-CETPTg) mice, characterized by high CETP levels in the circulation, were used in this study. Pancreatic islet cholesterol and beta cell function were assessed in mice. We further measured mRNA levels of the genes involved in beta cell proliferation and differentiation, inflammation and cholesterol metabolism. TUNEL assay was applied to investigate beta cell apoptosis in islets. Results: The aP2-CETPTg mice exhibited glucose intolerance, lower plasma insulin concentrations but increased insulin sensitivity compared with wild type mice. In addition, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from isolated pancreatic islets significantly decreased, and free cholesterol significantly increased. Moreover, the number and size of islets from aP2-CETPTg mice were significantly decreased. Genes involved in beta cell proliferation, such as Pdx1 and BETA2, were down-regulated; genes involved in inflammation and ER stress, such as IL-1β, CHOP, and Xbp1 were up-regulated, in line with an increase of beta cell apoptosis. Conclusions: Plasma CETP causes free cholesterol accumulation in islets which could contribute to beta cell dysfunction. Thus, CETP inhibition could be a novel protective strategy for dyslipidemia related to diabetes and obese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of hematopoietic cell differentiation and may contribute to altered growth of leukemic stem cells. Using microarray-based miRNA profiling, we found that miRNA 486 (mi-486) is significantly upregulated in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) compared with normal CD34+ cells, particularly in the megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor population. mi-486-5p expression increased during erythroid differentiation of both CML and normal CD34+ cells. Ectopic mi-486-5p expression enhanced in vitro erythroid differentiation of normal CD34+ cells, whereas mi-486-5p inhibition suppressed normal CD34+ cell growth in vitro and in vivo and inhibited erythroid differentiation and erythroid cell survival. The effects of mi-486-5p on hematopoietic cell growth and survival are mediated at least in part via regulation of AKT signaling and F0X01 expression. Using gene expression and bionformatics analysis, together with functional screening, we identified several novel mi-486-5p target genes that may modulate erythroid differentiation. We further show that increased mi-486-5p expression in CML progenitors is related to both kinase-dependent and kinase-independent mechanisms. Inhibition of mi-486-5p reduced CML progenitor growth and enhanced apoptosis following imatinib treatment. In conclusion, our studies reveal a novel role for mi-486-5p in regulating normal hematopoiesis and of BCR-ABL-induced mi-486-5p overexpression in modulating CML progenitor growth, survival, and drug sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roxithromycin (RXM) expresses anti-asthmatic effects that are separate from its antibiotic activity, but its effects on airway remodeling are still unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of RXM on airway remodeling and the expression of caveolin-1 and phospho-p42/p44mitogen-activated protein kinase (phospho-p42/p44MAPK) in chronic asthmatic rats. The chronic asthma was induced by ovalbumin/Al(OH) 3 sensitization and ovalbumin challenge, RXM (30 mg/kg) or dexamethasone (0.5 mg/kg) was given before airway challenge initiation. We measured the thickness of bronchial wall and bronchial smooth muscle cell layer to indicate airway remodeling, and caveolin-1 and phospho-p42/p44MAPK expression in lung tissue and airway smooth muscle were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis, respectively. The results demonstrated that RXM treatment decreased the thickness of bronchial wall and bronchial smooth muscle cell layer, and also downregulated the phospho-p42/p44MAPK expression and upregulated the caveolin-1 expression. The above effects of RXM were similar to dexamethasone. Our results suggested that pretreatment with RXM could suppress airway remodeling and regulate the expression of caveolin-1 and phospho-p42/p44MAPK in chronic asthmatic rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Because of the shared transmission routes, co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HIV) is very common. Accumulated clinical evidence showed that one could alter the infectious course of the other virus in HIV and HCV co-infected individuals. However, little is known on the molecular basis of HIV/HCV interactions and their modulations on hosts. Methods In this study, treatment-naive HIV, HCV mono-/co-infected individuals with CD4+ T cell counts >300/μl were recruited and their gene expression profiles were investigated by microarray assays. The differentially expressed genes were identified and validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). To further understand the biological meanings of the gene expression profiles in these three groups, GSEA analysis (version 2.0, Broad Institute http://www.broad.mit.edu/gsea) was performed. Results By gene set enrichment analysis, we revealed that gene sets of cell cycle progression, innate immune response and some transcription factors in CD4+ T cells were mainly affected by HIV; while genes associated with GPCR signaling were the major targets of HCV. Metabolic pathways were modulated by both HCV and HIV viruses. Conclusions This study for the first time offers gene profiling basis for HCV/HIV mono-/co- infections in human beings. HIV infection displayed the great impact on transcription profile of CD4+ T cells in HIV/HCV co-infected individuals. Genes related to cell cycle arrest were significantly mediated by HIV which may lead to dysfunction of CD4+ T cells and acceleration of HCV-related disease progression in the co-infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NPC (nasopharyngeal carcinoma) is a common malignancy in southern China without defined aetiology. Recent studies have shown that TGFBR3 (transforming growth factor type III receptor, also known as betaglycan), exhibits anticancer activities. This study was to investigate the effects of TGFBR3 on NPC growth and the mechanisms for its actions. Effects of TGFBR3 overexpression on cell viability and apoptosis were measured by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)- 2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide], AO/EB (acridine orange/ethidium bromide) staining and electron microscopy in human NPC CNE-2Z cells. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins, p-Bad, Bad, XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis), AIF (apoptosis-inducing factor), Bax and Bcl-2, was determined by Western blot or immunofluorescence analysis. Caspase 3 activity was measured by caspase 3 activity kit and [Ca2+ ]i (intracellular Ca2+ concentration) was detected by confocal microscopy. Transfection of TGFBR3 containing plasmid DNA at concentrations of 0.5 and 1 μg/ml reduced viability and induced apoptosis in CNE-2Z in concentration- and time-dependent manners. Forced expression of TGFBR3 up-regulated pro-apoptotic Bad and Bax protein, and down-regulated anti-apoptotic p-Bad, Bcl-2 and XIAP protein. Furthermore, transient overexpression of TGFBR3 also enhanced caspase 3 activity, increased [Ca2+ ]i and facilitated AIF redistribution from the mitochondria to the nucleus in CNE-2Z cells, which is independent of the caspase 3 pathway. These events were associated with TGFBR3-regulated multiple targets involved in CNE-2Z proliferation. Therefore transient overexpression of TGFBR3 may be a novel strategy for NPC prevention and therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Precise coordination of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis orchestrates the normal reproductive function. As a central regulator, the appropriate synthesis and secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone I (GnRH-I) from the hypothalamus is essential for the coordination. Recently, emerging evidence indicates that histone deacetylases (HDACs) play an important role in maintaining normal reproductive function. In this study, we identify the potential effects of HDACs on Gnrh1 gene transcription. Methodology/Principal Findings: Inhibition of HDACs activities by trichostatin A (TSA) and valproic acid (VPA) promptly and dramatically repressed transcription of Gnrh1 gene in the mouse immortalized mature GnRH neuronal cells GT1-7. The suppression was connected with a specific region of Gnrh1 gene promoter, which contains two consensus Otx2 binding sites. Otx2 has been known to activate the basal and also enhancer-driven transcription of Gnrh1 gene. The transcriptional activity of Otx2 is negatively modulated by Grg4, a member of the Groucho-related-gene (Grg) family. In the present study, the expression of Otx2 was downregulated by TSA and VPA in GT1-7 cells, accompanied with the opposite changes of Grg4 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the DNA-binding activity of Otx2 to Gnrh1 gene was suppressed by TSA and VPA. Overexpression of Otx2 partly abolished the TSA- and VPAinduced downregulation of Gnrh1 gene expression. Conclusions/Significance: Our data indicate that HDAC inhibitors downregulate Gnrh1 gene expression via repressing Otx2-driven transcriptional activity. This study should provide an insight for our understanding on the effects of HDACs in the reproductive system and suggests that HDACs could be potential novel targets for the therapy of GnRH-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequent mutations of p53 in human cancers exemplify its crucial role as a tumor suppressor transcription factor, and p21, a transcriptional target of p53, plays a central role in surveillance of cell-cycle checkpoints. Our previous study has shown that FATS stabilize p21 to preserve genome integrity. In this study we identified a novel transcript variant of FATS (GenBank: GQ499374) through screening a cDNA library from mouse testis, which uncovered the promoter region of mouse FATS. Mouse FATS was highly expressed in testis. The p53-responsive elements existed in proximal region of both mouse and human FATS promoters. Functional study indicated that the transcription of FATS gene was activated by p53, whereas such effect was abolished by site-directed mutagenesis in the p53-RE of FATS promoter. Furthermore, the expression of FATS increased upon DNA damage in a p53-dependent manner. FATS expression was silent or downregulated in human cancers, and overexpression of FATS suppressed tumorigenicity in vivo independently of p53. Our results reveal FATS as a p53-regulated gene to monitor genomic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neprilysin has been reported to be a major beta-amyloid peptide (Aβ)-degrading enzyme. The decreased expression and activity of it may contribute to the development of Alzheimer's disease by promoting the accumulation of Aβ. We used denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography to screen the neprilysin gene (NEP) for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 257 Chinese sporadic Alzheimer's disease patients and 242 cognitive normal controls. As a result, eight novel and one known SNP were identified. Three of them, -204G→C in the promoter region, IVS17-294C→T, and IVS22+36C→A showed a significant association with Alzheimer's disease (p = .006, .017, and .003, respectively). Subsequent haplotype analysis provided further evidence of the association (global p < .0001 for the three SNPs mentioned above, and global p < .01 for the eight SNPs with rare allele frequency >1%). These findings indicate that genetic variations within or extremely close to NEP might influence the susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease in Chinese persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes AKNA, a human AT-hook protein that directly binds the A/T-rich regulatory elements of the promoters of CD40 and CD40 ligand (CD40L) and coordinately regulates their expression. How it contains multiple PEST protein-cleavage motifs; Expression of AKNA by B and T lymphocytes, natural killer cells and dendritic cells, and in B-lymphocyte differentiation; Conclusion that an AT-hook molecule can regulate the expression of a key receptor and its ligand, and point towards a molecular mechanism that explains homotypic cell interactions.