Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell malignancy that is still largely incurable, despite considerable progress in recent years. NF-κB is a well-established therapeutic target in multiple myeloma, but none of the currently available treatment options offer direct, specific pharmacologic targeting of NF-κB transcriptional activity. Thus, we designed a novel direct NF-κB inhibitor (IT848) as a drug candidate with strong potential for clinical translation and conducted comprehensive in vitro and in vivo mechanistic studies in multiple myeloma cell lines, primary multiple myeloma cells, xenograft models, and immunocompetent mouse models of multiple myeloma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOligoarginine sequences conjugated to a short cancer-targeting peptide (CTP) selective for the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) receptor was developed for selective small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery to a human metastatic/castration-resistant prostate cancer (PCa) cell line, which expresses PSMA on the surface. The PSMA-R (n = 6 and 9) peptides were synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis, characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and condensed with glucose-regulated protein (GRP)-silencing siRNAs. Native gels showed formation of stable CTP:siRNA ionic complexes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMaintaining or improving quality of life (QoL) is a key outcome of clinical interventions in older people. Fear of falling (FoF) is associated with activity restriction as well as with poorer physical and cognitive functions and may be an important contributor to a diminished QoL. The objectives of this systematic review were to determine i) the effect of FoF on QoL in older people, ii) whether the association between these two constructs depends on the use of specific conceptualizations and measurement instruments, and iii) the role of fall events as mediating factor in this relationship.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Glucose regulated protein 78 (GRP78) is a resident chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum and a master regulator of the unfolded protein response under physiological and pathological cell stress conditions. GRP78 is overexpressed in many cancers, regulating a variety of signaling pathways associated with tumor initiation, proliferation, adhesion and invasion which contributes to metastatic spread. GRP78 can also regulate cell survival and apoptotic pathways to alter responsiveness to anticancer drugs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe integration of therapy and diagnostics, termed "theranostics", has recently gained widespread utility in the development of new and improved therapeutics that effectively diagnose and treat diseases, such as cancer. In this study, the covalent attachment of multiple fluorescent labels (i.e.
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