Protein kinases play a central role in the oncogenesis of colorectal tumors and are attractive druggable targets. Detection of activated kinases within a tumor could open avenues for drug selection and optimization of new kinase inhibitors. By using a phosphokinase arrays with human colorectal tumors we identified activated kinases, including the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR), components of the PI3K/mTOR pathway (AKT and S6), and STAT, among others.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDisseminated triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an incurable disease with limited therapeutic options beyond chemotherapy. Therefore, identification of druggable vulnerabilities is an important aim. Protein kinases play a central role in cancer and particularly in TNBC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objective of this study is to investigate the efficacy of hybrid constructs in comparison to bone grafts (autograft and allograft) for posterolateral lumbar fusion (PLF) in sheep, instrumented with transpedicular screws and bars. Hybrid constructs using cultured bone marrow (BM) mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown promising results in several bone healing models. In particular, hybrid constructs made by calcium phosphate-enriched cells have had similar fusion rates to bone autografts in posterolateral lumbar fusion in sheep.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in the oncogenesis of different tumors, as is the case in prostate cancer. In triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) a gene expression classification has described different subgroups including a luminal androgen subtype. The AR can be controlled by several mechanisms like the activation of membrane tyrosine kinases and downstream signaling pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aberrations in the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/AKT pathway are common in solid tumors. Numerous drugs have been developed to target different components of this pathway. However the prognostic value of these aberrations is unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study was aimed to provide a better understanding of the mitochondria-targeted actions of minocycline (MC), a second-generation tetracycline which has cytoprotective effects. Although the specific mechanisms underlying its activity remained elusive, considerable amounts of data indicated mitochondria as the primary pharmacological target of MC. Previous reports have shown that MC affects the oxygen-uptake rate by isolated mitochondria in different respiratory states.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMultiple sclerosis is the most frequent chronic inflammatory, demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease in young adults, but has no definitive pharmacological treatment. It is a heterogeneous disease from the immunological, neuropathological and clinical point of view, as well as in terms of its response to different therapies. Over the last two decades, pharmacology has focused on developing drugs that are capable of modifying the course of this disease, with the aim of reducing the frequency of the outbreaks and the speed at which the disability produced by the disease progresses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMethadone is a widely used therapeutic opioid in narcotic addiction and neuropathic pain syndromes. Oncologists regularly use methadone as a long-lasting analgesic. Recently it has also been proposed as a promising agent in leukemia therapy, especially when conventional therapies are not effective.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: After cerebral ischemia, necrotic cell death occurs specially for neurons, mainly due to the deprivation of oxygen and glucose. Cell necrosis triggers the activation of the immune system followed by an inflammatory response. This reaction is characterized by the activation of astrocytes and microglia together with the infiltration of peripheral immune cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The immune central nervous system (CNS) innate immune cells including microglia and macrophages play integral roles in receiving and propagating inflammatory signals. Inflammation is generally a beneficial response of an organism to infection but, when prolonged or inappropriate, it can be detrimental. Neuronal loss in acute (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe utility of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in inducing bone formation in fractures of bone is well known. However, the influence of the mechanical environment on the actions of rhBMP-2 on fracture healing is not clear. An experimental model of fractures of the tibia in rabbits was developed and utilized to investigate the role of mechanical environment on rhBMP-2 action.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCell Mol Biol (Noisy-le-grand)
October 2008
Regeneration takes place in the body at a moment or another throughout life. Bone, cartilage, and tendons (the key components of the structure and articulation in the body) have a limited capacity for self-repair and, after traumatic injury or disease, the regenerative power of adult tissue is often insufficient. When organs or tissues are irreparably damaged, they may be replaced by an artificial device or by a donor organ.
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