Human papillomavirus and oropharyngeal cancer: what you need to know in 2009.

Oropharyngeal cancer has demonstrated a steady increase in incidence over the past 20 years in contrast to declining numbers of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) overall. Recent evidence has found that high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are the likely cause of the changing epidemiology of oropharyngeal cancer. HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer has a molecular, epidemiological, and clinical profile that is distinct from non-HPV HNSCC.

Complex adenovirus-mediated expression of West Nile virus C, PreM, E, and NS1 proteins induces both humoral and cellular immune responses.

West Nile Virus (WNV), a member of the family Flaviviridae, was first identified in Africa in 1937. In recent years, it has spread into Europe and North America. The clinical manifestations of WNV infection range from mild febrile symptoms to fatal encephalitis.

Impact of nutrients on insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 and their ratio in African American and white males.

Objective: Higher levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and lower levels of IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer. Nutrition is known to partially regulate IGF levels and it is possible that nutritional factors mediate the impact of IGF levels on prostate cancer risk.

Design: A cross-sectional analysis of the impact of nutritional factors measured by a dietary questionnaire on plasma levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-3 and their molar ratio.

Racial and anthropometric differences in plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3.

Objectives: To analyze the differences in the plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), and their ratio between black and white men while controlling for factors that could confound the relationship between IGF levels and race. Furthermore, we analyzed the association between age, height, prostate-specific antigen level, digital rectal examination status, and current smoking status on IGF levels separately in black and white men. Greater levels of IGF-I and lower levels of IGFBP-3 have been associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer in many studies.

Development of a thermally regulated broad-spectrum promoter system for use in pathogenic gram-positive species.

Selectively regulating gene expression is an essential molecular tool that is lacking for many pathogenic gram-positive bacteria. In this report, we describe the evaluation of a series of promoters regulated by the bacteriophage P1 temperature-sensitive C1 repressor in Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus. Using the lacZ gene to monitor gene expression, we examined the strength, basal expression, and induced expression of synthetic promoters carrying C1 operator sites.

Doxorubicin pretreatment sensitizes prostate cancer cell lines to TRAIL induced apoptosis which correlates with the loss of c-FLIP expression.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo2L) can induce receptor-mediated apoptosis in prostate cancer cell lines that have been co-treated with the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (Voelkel-Johnson C, et al. Cancer Gene Therapy 2002; 9:164-172). In this study, we report that pretreatment with doxorubicin is sufficient to sensitize cells to TRAIL.