Dysregulation of apoptosis and autophagy gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of efficiently treated HIV-infected patients.

Objective: We measure the transcript levels of the proapoptotic GALIG, antiapoptotic MCL1 genes and those of the autophagy genes BECN1, MAP1LC3B, ATG9a, P62/SQSTM1, GABARAP, GABARAPL1 and GABARAPL2 to define if mRNA alteration can characterize HIV-infected patients effectively treated with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART).

Design: Monocentric pilot study conducted on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) of 40 uninfected donors and 27 HIV-positive patients effectively treated by cART for at least 8.4 years.

Opposing Mcl-1, the GALIG proapoptotic gene is upregulated as neutrophils die and underexpressed in Acute Myeloid Leukemia cells.

GALIG gene expression induces apoptosis in cultured cells through a pathway still under investigation. It is highly expressed in leukocytes but weakly detectable in bone marrow, suggesting a role in the myeloid lineage homeostasis. We show here that GALIG-induced cell death is counteracted by the overexpression of MCL-1, a pro-survival member of the Bcl2 family.

The mitogaligin protein is addressed to the nucleus via a non-classical localization signal.

Mitogaligin, a protein encoded by galig, an internal cytotoxic gene of the galectin-3 locus, is mostly a mitochondrial protein. Mitochondrial targeting is due to an already identified mitochondrial localization signal. Interaction of mitogaligin with mitochondria leads to cytochrome c cytosolic leakage and ultimately to cell death.

Inhibition of HIV replication: a powerful antiviral strategy by IFN-beta gene delivery in CD4+ cells.

In this study, we demonstrated the efficiency and feasibility of a gene therapy protocol against HIV infection using the antiviral effects of IFN-beta expression. Lentiviral vectors containing the human or the simian IFN-beta sequences under the influence of the murine moderate H2-kb promoter were constructed. To examine the capacity of IFN-beta to inhibit the replication of HIV in human CD4(+) cells, a transduction protocol permitting to efficiently transduce CD4(+) cells or PBMC (85+/-12% of CD4(+)-transduced cells) with a moderate expression of IFN-beta was developed.

Angiogenic activity of human chorionic gonadotropin through LH receptor activation on endothelial and epithelial cells of the endometrium.

Successful embryo development requires an extensive endometrial angiogenesis in proximity of implantation site. The glycoprotein hCG is produced even before implantation by trophoblast in normal pregnancy. In this manuscript, we demonstrate an angiogenic effect of hCG in several in vivo (chick chorioallantoïc membrane, matrigel plug assay, aortic ring assay) and in vitro experimental models.

[Management of Chlamydia tracomatis pelvic infection].

The infection by Chlamydia trachomatis is a serious infection that affects the male and female tractus, and that induces complications such as infertility and extrauterine pregnancy. The antibiotic treatment needed must necessarily reach the intracellular milieu to be efficient enough to eradicate the infection.

Membrane-type 4 matrix metalloproteinase promotes breast cancer growth and metastases.

Membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases (MT-MMP) constitute a subfamily of six distinct membrane-associated MMPs. Although the contribution of MT1-MMP during different steps of cancer progression has been well documented, the significance of other MT-MMPs is rather unknown. We have investigated the involvement of MT4-MMP, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protease, in breast cancer progression.

[Extended oestrogen-progestin contraceptive regimens: towards a contraception without menses].

Women's attitude concerning menstruations is changing towards achieving extended cycles with few or even suppressed menses, in view of the unpleasant perimenstrual bleeding, pain and discomfort pattern that may accompany menstruation. Use of combined oral estrogen-progestin contraception in extended "cycles" of 3, 6 and 12 or more months is now under active study. Extended cycle contraception is abided by a better compliance than conventional cycle contraception with ensuing optimized contraceptive effectiveness.

A new NMR solution structure of the SL1 HIV-1Lai loop-loop dimer.

Dimerization of genomic RNA is directly related with the event of encapsidation and maturation of the virion. The initiating sequence of the dimerization is a short autocomplementary region in the hairpin loop SL1. We describe here a new solution structure of the RNA dimerization initiation site (DIS) of HIV-1(Lai).

[Adenomyosis: update on a frequent but difficult diagnosis].

Adenomyosis is a frequent entity, with difficult diagnosis, often obtained by pathological analysis performed after hysterectomy. This condition can cause abnormal uterine bleeding and dysmenorrhea, frequent reasons for consultation and hysterectomy. The development of ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance imaging techniques allow preoperative diagnosis.

Trophoblast invasion and placentation: molecular mechanisms and regulation.

Trophoblast invasion is a key process during human placentation. This event constitutes the basis of the conversion of the uterine spiral arteries, a process which allows an adequate vascular connection between the intervillous space and the maternal blood flow. Trophoblast invasion is transient, with stringent spatial and temporal control.

[Menopause-related risks and hormone therapy in diabetic women].

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus (types 1 and 2) in postmenopausal women is about 10-20% according to age. It can be associated with a metabolic syndrome in about 60% of cases, thereby severely increasing cardiovascular risk (among others) in these women. Estrogen or estrogen-progestin replacement therapy does not usually impair diabetes control.

[Contraception in young diabetic women].

Contraception of the diabetic patient is an important matter. It allows to plan adequately the pregnancies, should respect carbohydrate metabolism and should consider the risk of diabetic complications. This review article describes the contraceptive techniques for diabetic patients.

Distinct epigenetic changes in the stromal cells of breast cancers.

Increasing evidence suggests that changes in the cellular microenvironment contribute to tumorigenesis, but the molecular basis of these alterations is not well understood. Although epigenetic modifications of the neoplastic cells in tumors have been firmly implicated in tumorigenesis, it is not known whether epigenetic modifications occur in the non-neoplastic stromal cells. To address this question in an unbiased and genome-wide manner, we developed a new method, methylation-specific digital karyotyping, and applied it to epithelial and myoepithelial cells, stromal fibroblasts from normal breast tissue, and in situ and invasive breast carcinomas.

[The first gynecological consultation in teens].

The first gynecological consultation is particularly important for teens. It not only allows to answer the patient's questions, for instance, by prescribing a contraception, but also to provide an adequate information about some subjects, including sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, and some life-style habits. This article will review the various important points of this first consultation.

Migration-stimulating factor displays HEXXH-dependent catalytic activity important for promoting tumor cell migration.

Like most extracellular matrix (ECM) components, fibronectin (Fn) is proteolyzed generating specific activities. Fibronectin proteinase (Fn-proteinase) represents such a cryptic activity located in the gelatin-binding domain (GBD) of Fn and displays a zinc metalloproteinase activity. The migration-stimulating factor (MSF) is a truncated Fn isoform generated by alternative mRNA splicing and corresponds to the N-terminal part of Fn that comprises the GBD.

[Prostate carcinoma cell lines and apoptosis: a review].

Prostate cancer is a major pathology in industrialized countries. Tumor growth usually results from increased cell proliferation, conjugated with an inhibition of programmed cell death (apoptosis). In this paper, after a short description of the apoptotic mechanisms and their methods of investigation, we review the present knowledge of the implication of different molecular actors in the regulation of apoptosis in prostate cancer cells.

Galectin-3 and cancer (Review).

Galectin-3 is a pleiotropic carbohydrate-binding protein involved in a variety of normal and pathological biological processes. Its carbohydrate-binding properties constitute the basis for cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions and cancer progression. Modulation of galectin-3 expression in cancer cells has indeed been reported.