IKK{gamma} protein is a target of BAG3 regulatory activity in human tumor growth.

BAG3, a member of the BAG family of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 cochaperones, is expressed in response to stressful stimuli in a number of normal cell types and constitutively in a variety of tumors, including pancreas carcinomas, lymphocytic and myeloblastic leukemias, and thyroid carcinomas. Down-regulation of BAG3 results in cell death, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism of BAG3-dependent survival in human osteosarcoma (SAOS-2) and melanoma (M14) cells.

Overexpression of chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1) p60 is predictive of adverse behaviour of prostatic cancer.

Aims: Prostatic cancer may remain organ-confined indefinitely; in a number of patients, however it gives rise to clinical symptoms and death. The biological behaviour of this tumour mostly remains difficult to predict. A promising tool for diagnosis and prognosis of some human tumours is the chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1), involved in the control of higher order chromatin organization.

Preoperative treatment of uterine leiomyomas: clinical findings and expression of transforming growth factor-beta3 and connective tissue growth factor.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical features and the expression of transforming growth factor-beta3 (TGF-beta3) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in myometrium and uterine leiomyomas after preoperative treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone-analogs (GnRH-a) and tibolone.

Methods: Twenty-three patients received 3.75 mg leuprolide acetate depot for 4 months.

Uterine dehiscence in term pregnant patients with one previous cesarean delivery: growth factor immunoexpression and collagen content in the scarred lower uterine segment.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the relationship between the occurrence of uterine dehiscence in term pregnant scarred uteri and the presence of altered biochemical behavior of the scarring process.

Study Design: Collagen content and the expression of transforming growth factor-beta and its isoforms transforming growth factor-beta1 and transforming growth factor-beta3, connective tissue growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in myometrium of lower uterine segment were assessed in 19 otherwise healthy term patients with one previous cesarean delivery who were not in labor. We were searching for differences between patients who showed uterine dehiscence (9 cases) and patients who showed a normal-appearing scarred lower uterine segment (10 cases).

Poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase 1 expression in malignant melanomas from photoexposed areas of the head and neck region.

The family of the poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) proteins is directly involved in genomic stability, DNA repair, and apoptosis by DNA damage. In this study, we evaluated the role of PARP-1 in melanoma and its prognostic importance. We studied by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis PARP-1 expression in a selected series of 80 primary melanoma of the head and neck region.

Clinical response, vascular change, and angiogenesis in gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue-treated women with uterine myomas.

Objective: Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) are involved in the pathogenesis of leiomyomas and influence angiogenesis, which is necessary for growth of leiomyomas. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue (GnRH-a) treatment might modify the growth factor expression and the blood supply in myomas. We investigated the effects of GnRH-a treatment on some clinical parameters, on the immunohistochemical expression of bFGF, VEGF, and PDGF, and on the vasculature of leiomyomas.

Expression of COX-2, mPGE-synthase1, MDR-1 (P-gp), and Bcl-xL: a molecular pathway of H pylori-related gastric carcinogenesis.

Helicobacter pylori up-regulates cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression, which in turn is involved in tumourigenesis. Recently, a causal link between COX-2 and multidrug resistance 1 (MDR-1) gene expression, implicated in cancer chemoresistance, has been demonstrated. Thus, the expression of COX-2 and the downstream enzyme involved in PGE2 biosynthesis, microsomal PGE-synthase1 (mPGES1), was correlated with P-gp, the product of MDR-1, and the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-xL, in gastric biopsies from patients with H pylori infection and in patients with gastric cancer.

Relationship between platelet-derived growth factor expression in leiomyomas and uterine volume changes after gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist treatment.

The unopposed estrogen effect is the main cause of leiomyoma growth and is at the basis of the clinical use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been indicated as the main growth factor involved, in vitro in the proliferation response of leiomyoma smooth muscle cells to estrogen stimulation. The aim of this article is to evaluate the mitogenic action of PDGF in vivo by studying the relationship between PDGF expression in leiomyomas and post-GnRH analogue treatment changes in uterine volume.

17 beta-estradiol induces spermatogonial proliferation through mitogen-activated protein kinase (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2) activity in the lizard (Podarcis s. sicula).

There are always more evidences indicating that 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) is necessary for normal male fertility. We have used a nonmammalian vertebrate model (the lizard Podarcis s. sicula) to investigate the regulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) activity in the testis during the annual sexual cycle and to study whether E(2) exerts a role in the spermatogenesis through ERK1/2 activity.