Genetic Variants in Double-Strand Break Repair Pathway Genes to Predict Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Prognosis in Patients With Lung Cancer.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations of genetic variants in double-strand break (DSB) repair pathway genes with prognosis in patients with lung cancer treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Three hundred ninety-nine patients with lung cancer who received platinum-based chemotherapy for at least two cycles were included in this study. A total of 35 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DSB repair, base excision repair (BER), and nucleotide excision repair (NER) repair pathway genes were genotyped, and were used to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients who received platinum-based chemotherapy using Cox proportional hazard models.

A preliminary study on the activation and antigen presentation of hepatitis B virus core protein virus-like particle-pulsed bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.

Hepatitis B virus core protein virus-like particles (HBc-VLPs) act as a strong immunogen and are suitable for uptake by dendritic cells (DCs), in which they directly promote DC maturation and migration. To illustrate the utility of global proteomic analysis techniques in elucidating the molecular events that are altered in HBc-VLP-pulsed bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) and to gain a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of capture and processing of HBc-VLP-pulsed BMDCs, an antigen (Ag) delivery system based on HBc-VLP-pulsed BMDCs was developed. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analyses were utilized to analyze the differential protein expression patterns between HBc-VLP-pulsed and untreated BMDCs.

Repression of the miR-17-92 cluster by p53 has an important function in hypoxia-induced apoptosis.

We here report that miR-17-92 cluster is a novel target for p53-mediated transcriptional repression under hypoxia. We found the expression levels of miR-17-92 cluster were reduced in hypoxia-treated cells containing wild-type p53, but were unchanged in hypoxia-treated p53-deficient cells. The repression of miR-17-92 cluster under hypoxia is independent of c-Myc.

Screen of multifunctional monoclonal antibodies against hepatitis B core virus-like particles.

HBc-VLP can be used in an epitope presentation system to carry foreign epitopes and mimic live virus in order to study viral particle uptake, virion-mediated activation and antigen presentation by dendritic cells. In this study, a multifunctional mAb was produced using a novel research strategy. A truncated HBc-VLP bone vector with a special conformation was used as an immunogen and the target hybridoma cell lines were screened by a series of tests; including ELISA, Western blot, and cellular immunofluorescence based on the epitope presentation system.

Expression of annexin a5 is associated with higher tumor stage and poor prognosis in colorectal adenocarcinomas.

Goals: To gain an insight into the putative role of annexin A5 (ANXA5) in the tumor stage and its clinical outcome.

Background: ANXA5 is a calcium-binding protein, which has been implicated in the carcinogenesis of several carcinomas. However, the role of ANXA5 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is unclear.

Multiepitope peptide-loaded virus-like particles as a vaccine against hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Unlabelled: To develop a hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapeutic vaccine that can induce a broad but specific immune response and significant antitumor effects both in vivo and in vitro, we inserted HBV X protein (HBx)-derived epitopes HBx(52-60), HBx(92-100), and HBx(115-123); a novel subdominant cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitope HBx(140-148); and the universal T helper epitope pan human leukocyte antigen DR-binding epitope into HBV core protein to form multiepitope peptide-loaded virus-like particles (VLPs). CTL responses against epitope-loaded VLPs were elicited by priming with VLP-pulsed dendritic cells in both HLA-A*0201 transgenic (Tg) mice and peripheral blood lymphocytes from HLA-A2(+)/HBx(+) HBV-infected hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The multiepitope peptide-loaded VLPs demonstrated significantly higher immunogenicity in Tg mice than any single responsive epitope.

Calcium-dependent proapoptotic effect of Taenia solium metacestodes annexin B1 on human eosinophils: a novel strategy to prevent host immune response.

Annexins are a family of calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding proteins that have been proposed to be involved in a wide range of important biological processes. At present, only a few annexins have been identified in parasites, and the physiological roles of these annexins are obscure. Earlier, we cloned a novel annexin (annexin B1) from Taenia solium metacestodes and found that annexin B1 was detectable in the surrounding host-derived layer with granulomaous infiltration.

Translocation of annexin B1 in response to the stimulation of PMA and ionomycin in cervical cancer cells.

Annexin B1 is a novel member of the annexin superfamily which was isolated from a Cysticercus cellulosae cDNA library. To investigate the physiological roles of annexin B1, we firstly performed immunohistochemical analysis on frozen Cysticercus cellulosae sections and found that annexin B1 was present not only in the tegument of the bladder wall, but also in the host-derived inflammatory layer; In addition, ELISA analysis revealed that annexin B1 could be detected in the cystic fluid of Cysticercus cellulosae and the sera of pigs with cysticercosis. These findings indicated that annexin B1 might be a secretary protein.

A novel, cheap and effective fusion expression system for the production of recombinant proteins.

To develop faster, less expensive methods for expression and purification of proteins, the annexin B1-intein fusion expression system was constructed. The interest proteins fused to the annexin B1-intein tag were purified in a single-step method based on the Ca(2+)-binding activity of annexin B1, and the annexin B1-intein fusion tag was removed based on the self-cleaving activity of the intein. Moreover, we found that in some cases, fusion to annexin B1 can promote the solubility of heterologous proteins.

Annexin B1 from Taenia solium metacestodes is a newly characterized member of the annexin family.

We previously reported cloning of the Taenia solium annexin B1 gene from a metacestode cDNA expression library and demonstrated that it acts as a protective antigen for effective vaccine development against cysticercosis. In the present study we produced recombinant annexin B1 and antiserum against the protein to investigate its structural and functional properties. Western blotting of metacestode fractions indicated that T.

Annexin B1 at the host-parasite interface of the Taenia solium cysticercus: Secreted and associated with inflammatory reaction.

Annexin B1 is a novel member of annexin family firstly cloned by immunological screening a Taenia solium cysticercus library. To investigate the histological distribution and physiological role(s) of this protein, we first prepared a specific monoclonal antibody against annexin B1. Western blot analysis indicated that annexin B1 could be detected in cystic fluid of T.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms of mismatch repair genes in healthy Chinese individuals and sporadic colorectal cancer patients.

Mismatch repair (MMR) genes are among of the most important genes associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are generally thought to provide important information across a wide spectrum of life sciences; however, no study of association between SNPs of MMR genes and Chinese sporadic colorectal cancer (SCRC) is available. We chose 29 reported single-nucleotide variants that have rarely been verified in a population-based study.

Design and characterization of a platelet-targeted plasminogen activator with enhanced thrombolytic and antithrombotic potency.

To obtain a thrombus-targeted plasminogen activator with high affinity for activated platelets and enhanced thrombolytic and antithrombotic potency, we engineered a sequence encoding RGDS (Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser) peptide into the loop between domains II and III of the sequence-deleted mutant of annexin B1 and then constructed a chimaeric plasminogen activator gene mAnxB1-RGDS-ScuPA by fusing ScuPA32k [low-molecular-mass single-chain urokinase (32 kDa)] with the N-terminus. The chimaeric protein was expressed in inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli at 25% of the total cellular protein content. Ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatographies were applied to purify the chimaeric protein, achieving purity greater than 98%.

Cloning, purification and biochemical characterization of a thrombus-ditargeting thrombolytic agent, comprised of annexin B1, ScuPA-32K and fibrin-adherent peptide.

The development of thrombolytic agent could provide invaluable progress for antithrombotic therapy. In this paper, we reported the cloning, purification and biochemical characterization of AnxB1ScuPAFap, a thrombus-ditargeting chimera composed of annexin B1, low molecular single-chain urokinase (ScuPA-32K) and fibrin-adherent peptide (dodecapeptide, Fap). In vitro test showed that, the chimera was a thrombolytic agent with anticoagulant activity and thrombus-ditargeting with the activated-platelet membrane binding and fibrin clot binding activity.