Depletion of the cdk inhibitor p16INK4a differentially affects proliferation of established cervical carcinoma cells.

Unlabelled: Infections with high-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) contribute to cervical carcinoma. The cdk inhibitor and tumor suppressor p16INK4A is consistently upregulated in cervical carcinoma cells for reasons that are poorly understood. We report here that downregulation of p16INK4A gene expression in three different cervical carcinoma cell lines reduced expression of the E7 oncogene, suggesting a positive feedback loop involving E7 and p16INK4A.

Mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I is inactivated by NADPH oxidase Nox4.

ROS (reactive oxygen species) generated by NADPH oxidases play an important role in cellular signal transduction regulating cell proliferation, survival and differentiation. Nox4 (NADPH oxidase 4) induces cellular senescence in human endothelial cells; however, intracellular targets for Nox4 remained elusive. In the present study, we show that Nox4 induces mitochondrial dysfunction in human endothelial cells.

Detection of human papillomavirus type 18 E7 oncoprotein in cervical smears: a feasibility study.

Persistent infections by high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the main etiological factor for cervical cancer, and expression of HPV E7 oncoproteins was suggested to be a potential marker for tumor progression. The objective of this study was to generate new reagents for the detection of the HPV18 E7 oncoprotein in cervical smears. Rabbit monoclonal antibodies against recombinant E7 protein of HPV type 18 (HPV18) were generated and characterized using Western blotting, epitope mapping, indirect immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry.

Subcellular localization of the human papillomavirus 16 E7 oncoprotein in CaSki cells and its detection in cervical adenocarcinoma and adenocarcinoma in situ.

E7 is the major oncoprotein of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) which causes cervical cancer. To date E7 oncoproteins have not been investigated in cervical adenocarcinoma. In this study we generated a rabbit monoclonal anti-HPV-16 E7 antibody, RabMab42-3, which recognizes a conformational epitope in the E7 carboxy-terminal zinc-finger resulting in a strong increase in the sensitivity for the detection of cell-associated HPV-16 E7 protein relative to conventional polyclonal anti-HPV-16 E7 antibodies.

The NADPH oxidase Nox4 restricts the replicative lifespan of human endothelial cells.

The free radical theory of aging proposes that ROS (reactive oxygen species) are major driving forces of aging, and are also critically involved in cellular senescence. Besides the mitochondrial respiratory chain, alternative sources of ROS have been described that might contribute to cellular senescence. Noxs (NADPH oxidases) are well-known sources of superoxide, which contribute to the antimicrobial capabilities of macrophages, a process involving the prototypical member of the family referred to as Nox2.

Premature senescence of human endothelial cells induced by inhibition of glutaminase.

Cellular senescence is now recognized as an important mechanism of tumor suppression, and the accumulation of senescent cells may contribute to the aging of various human tissues. Alterations of the cellular energy metabolism are considered key events in tumorigenesis and are also known to play an important role for aging processes in lower eukaryotic model systems. In this study, we addressed senescence-associated changes in the energy metabolism of human endothelial cells, using the HUVEC model of in vitro senescence.

Oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment can be separated from lipofuscin accumulation in aged human skeletal muscle.

According to the free radical theory of aging, reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as a driving force of the aging process, and it is generally believed that mitochondrial dysfunction is a major source of increased oxidative stress in tissues with high content of mitochondria, such as muscle or brain. However, recent experiments in mouse models of premature aging have questioned the role of mitochondrial ROS production in premature aging. To address the role of mitochondrial impairment and ROS production for aging in human muscles, we have analyzed mitochondrial properties in muscle fibres isolated from the vastus lateralis of young and elderly donors.