A nonolfactory shark adenosine receptor activates CFTR with unique pharmacology and structural features.

Adenosine receptors (ADORs) are G protein-coupled purinoceptors that have several functions including regulation of chloride secretion via cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in human airway and kidney. We cloned an ADOR from (shark) that likely regulates CFTR in the rectal gland. Phylogenic and expression analyses indicate that elasmobranch ADORs are nonolfactory and appear to represent extant predecessors of mammalian ADORs.

Management of skin-sparing mastectomy: results of a survey of German hospitals.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the current management of skin-sparing mastectomy in German hospitals and to determine its oncologic safety. For this purpose, 100 surgeons were surveyed regarding their use of skin-sparing mastectomy.

Results: Almost all surveyed hospitals performed skin-sparing mastectomy.

Early prediction of response to chemotherapy in metastatic breast cancer using sequential 18F-FDG PET.

Unlabelled: Chemotherapy is currently the treatment of choice for patients with high-risk metastatic breast cancer. Clinical response is determined after several cycles of chemotherapy by changes in tumor size as assessed by conventional imaging procedures including CT, MRI, plain film radiography, or ultrasound. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of sequential 18F-FDG PET to predict response after the first and second cycles of standardized chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.

The role of the AP-1 transcription factors c-Fos, FosB, Fra-1 and Fra-2 in the invasion process of mammary carcinomas.

Members of the Fos family of AP-1 transcription factors (c-Fos, FosB, FosB2, Fra-1 and Fra-2) are able to form dimers with Jun proteins which bind to the regulatory sequences of target genes. As many proteases involved in tumor invasion are AP-1-regulated, we assumed that Fos family members might be important for invasion of mammary carcinomas. Therefore, we performed transient transfections with expression vectors for c-Fos, FosB, FosB2, Fra-1 and Fra-2, followed by matrigel invasion assays.