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Call me Michaelase: The enzyme 4-oxalocrotonate tautomerase (4-OT) promiscuously catalyzes the Michael-type addition of acetaldehyde to a collection of aromatic and aliphatic nitroolefins with high stereoselectivity producing precursors of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) analogues., (Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Bax-interacting factor-1 (Bif-1) interacts with Beclin1 [the mammalian ortholog of yeast autophagy-related gene 6 (Atg6)] and affects the formation of autophagosomes during autophagy. The aim of this study was to explore Bif-1 expression and its prognostic significance in comparison with various clinicopathological predictors of survival. Bif-1 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in 206 hepatocellular carcinomas. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity was scored semi-quantitatively. The results were analyzed in correlation with various clinicopathological characteristics, including patient survival. The Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were applied. The expression of Bif-1 was significantly higher in the hepatocellular cancers than in the adjacent matched non-tumor tissues (51.5 vs. 33.0%, P<0.01). Increased expression of Bif-1 in hepatocellular carcinomas was significantly correlated with a low grade of differentiation and a shortened overall survival (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the expression of Bif-1 and age, gender, tumor size, damage of capsule, expression of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs-Ag) and portal venous invasion. Our data demonstrated that Bif-1 is frequently expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma. Overexpression of Bif-1 is a new independent prognostic marker, which is associated with poor differentiation as well as shortened overall survival.

Background/aims: Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor-associated protein (GABARAP), the mammalian homologue of yeast Atg8, is involved in autophagosome formation during autophagy. The aim of this study is to explore the expression and its prognostic significance in comparison with various clinicopathological predictors of survival., Methodology: GABARAP protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry in 103 colorectal cancers. Cytoplasmic immunoreactivity was scored semiquantitatively. The results were analyzed in correlation with various clinicopathological variables, including patient survival. Chi-square test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were applied., Results: The expression of GABARAP was significantly higher in colorectal cancers than that in adjacent matched nontumor tissues (51.5% vs 33.0%, p < 0.01). Increased expression of GABARAP expression in colorectal cancers was significantly correlated with a low grade of differentiation and shortened overall survival (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the expression of GABARAP and age, gender, stage, tumor size, location of primary tumor, and lymph node invasion., Conclusions: Our data demonstrated that GABARAP is frequently expressed in colorectal cancer. Overexpression of GABARAP is a new independent prognostic marker, which is associated with poor differentiation as well as shortened overall survival.