Plexin B1 is downregulated in renal cell carcinomas and modulates cell growth.

Plexins are a family of transmembrane receptors that interact with the repulsive axon guidance molecules (Semaphorins) in neural tissues. In extraneural tissues, plexins are involved in other cellular functions often altered in neoplastic cells, such as adhesion, migration, and apoptosis. Plexin B1 has been implicated in the regulation of Akt, which is an activated pathway in renal cell neoplasms, and only 1 report has emphasized its role as an oncogenic factor.

A scan for signatures of positive selection in candidate loci for skin pigmentation in humans.

Although the combination of pale skin and intense sun exposure results in an important health risk for the individual, it is less clear if at the population level this risk has possessed an evolutionary meaning. In this sense, a number of adaptive hypotheses have been put forward to explain the evolution of human skin pigmentation, such as photoprotection against sun-induced cancer, sexual selection, vitamin D synthesis or photoprotection of photolabile compounds, among others. It is expected that if skin pigmentation is adaptive, we might be able to see the signature of positive selection on some of the genes involved.

Tendon xanthomas in familial hypercholesterolemia are associated with a differential inflammatory response of macrophages to oxidized LDL.

Tendon xanthomas (TX) are pathognomonic lipid deposits commonly found in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether macrophages from FH patients with TX (TX+) have higher predisposition to foam cells formation after oxidized LDL (oxLDL) overload than those from FH patients without TX (TX-), and if their differential gene expression profile could explain these different phenotypes. Total RNA pools from macrophages from FH patients TX+ and TX- were analyzed using Affymetrix oligonucleotide arrays to evaluate the gene expression profile in presence and absence of oxLDL.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 is overexpressed in urinary tract carcinomas and modulates the neoplastic cell growth.

Purpose: Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) mutations have been associated with achondroplastic syndromes and urinary bladder carcinomas. Here we describe changes in FGFR3 mRNA and protein expression in transitional carcinomas and determine the effect of monoclonal antibodies against FGFR3 in RT-112 cell line proliferation.

Experimental Design: We used microarray tools to evaluate FGFR3 mRNA expression in 22 urinary bladder carcinomas at different stages (noninvasive pTa, lamina propria invasive pT1, and muscular invasive pT2) and 7 nonneoplastic tissue controls.