Renal carcinomas associated with translocation of transcription factors of the MiT/TFE family include, according to the latest World Health Organization classification, carcinomas with Xp11 translocation that involve the TFE3 gene and those with translocation t(6;11)(p21;q12) that affect the TFEB gene. Each one of these sub-types have well-defined clinicopathological and molecular characteristics. Currently, progress in molecular techniques has led to the description of neoplasms with molecular changes in these same genes but with alterations different to translocation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe coexistence of two or more tumours in the same patient is unusual, but even rarer is the metastasis of one tumour to another. Most reports are based on evidence from autopsies; very few refer to surgical specimens. The most common primary tumour is pulmonary carcinoma and most frequent metastatic tumour is renal clear cell carcinoma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAs our knowledge on the mechanisms that control cell function increases, more complex signaling pathways and quite intricate cross-talks among regulatory proteins are discovered. Establishing accurate interactions between cellular networks is essential for a healthy cell and different alterations in signaling are known to underline human disease. Transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) is an extracellular cytokine that regulates such critical cellular responses as proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, angiogenesis and migration, and it is assumed that the latency-associated protein LTBP-1 plays a relevant role in TGFbeta targeting and activation in the extracellular matrix (ECM).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLatent TGFbeta-binding protein 1 (LTBP-1) is a key regulator of TGFbeta targeting and activation in the extracellular matrix. LTBP-1 is recognized as a major docking molecule to localize, and possibly to activate, TGFbeta in the extracellular matrix. Despite this relevant function, the molecular mechanisms regulating Ltbp-1 transcription remain largely unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEF) lacking dioxin receptor (AhR), high levels of latent transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-binding protein-1 (LTBP-1) correlated with increased TGF-beta1 activity, an observation suggesting that LTBP-1 could contribute to maintain TGF-beta1 levels. Here, using small interfering RNAs (siRNA), we have first analyzed if LTBP-1 expression affected TGF-beta1 activity in MEF cells. We have then determined how LTBP-1 levels could alter the activity of extracellular proteases known to activate TGF-beta1, and finally, whether protease inhibition could reduce TGF-beta1 activation.
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