Targeted disruption of Ing2 results in defective spermatogenesis and development of soft-tissue sarcomas.

ING2 (inhibitor of growth family, member 2) is a member of the plant homeodomain (PHD)-containing ING family of putative tumor suppressors. As part of mSin3A-HDAC corepressor complexes, ING2 binds to tri-methylated lysine 4 of histone H3 (H3K4me3) to regulate chromatin modification and gene expression. ING2 also functionally interacts with the tumor suppressor protein p53 to regulate cellular senescence, apoptosis and DNA damage response in vitro, and is thus expected to modulate carcinogenesis and aging.

Reproductive and hormonal factors and the risk of nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Although exposure to estrogen may directly influence or modify the association between cigarette smoking and lung cancer risk, results from epidemiologic studies examining the association between reproductive and hormonal factors and risk of lung cancer among women have been inconsistent. Between 1998 and 2008, 430 women diagnosed with nonsmall cell lung cancer, 316 hospital controls and 295 population controls were recruited into the multi-center Maryland Lung Cancer Study. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) according to reproductive and hormonal exposures adjusting for age, smoking, passive smoking, education and household income.

Serum concentrations of cytokines and lung cancer survival in African Americans and Caucasians.

Accumulating evidence suggests a role for inflammation in the development and progression of cancer. Our group recently identified a cytokine gene signature in lung tissue associated with lung cancer prognosis. Therefore, we hypothesized that concentrations of circulating cytokines in serum may be associated with lung cancer survival.

Nitric oxide is a key component in inflammation-accelerated tumorigenesis.

Nitric oxide (NO(*)), an important signaling molecule and a component of inflammatory response, is involved in tumorigenesis. However, the quantity of NO(*) and the cellular microenvironment influences the role of NO(*) in tumor development. We used a genetic strategy to test the hypothesis that an inflammatory microenvironment with an enhanced level of NO(*) accelerates spontaneous tumor development.

Quantitative detection of p53 mutations in plasma DNA from tobacco smokers.

In lung tumors, the p53 tumor suppressor gene is commonly mutated with a characteristic mutation spectrum. The amount of and alterations in plasma DNA, such as mutations in p53, were associated with several cancers. Few studies used quantitative methods of high sensitivity.