Overexpression of CHKA contributes to tumor progression and metastasis and predicts poor prognosis in colorectal carcinoma.

Aberrant expression of choline kinase alpha (CHKA) has been reported in a variety of human malignancies including colorectal carcinoma (CRC). However, the role of CHKA in the progression and prognosis of CRC remains unknown. In this study, we found that CHKA was frequently upregulated in CRC clinical samples and CRC-derived cell lines and was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.

Gankyrin has an antioxidative role through the feedback regulation of Nrf2 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Oxidative stress status has a key role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and progression. Normally, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels are tightly controlled by an inducible antioxidant program that responds to cellular stressors. How HCC cells respond to excessive oxidative stress remains elusive.

Upregulation of NETO2 expression correlates with tumor progression and poor prognosis in colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Neuropilin and tolloid-like 2 (NETO2) has been found to be overexpressed in different human cancers, but its expression pattern and clinical relevance in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains unknown.

Methods: Real-time quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to analyze the expression of NETO2 in CRC clinical samples. The correlation of NETO2 expression with clinicopathologic features was estimated in a cohort containing 292 patients with primary CRC.

Downregulation of DHRS9 expression in colorectal cancer tissues and its prognostic significance.

Dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR family) member 9 (DHRS9) is aberrantly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC), but its prognostic value is unknown. The aim of the work was to investigate the prognostic significance of DHRS9 expression in CRC. We found that DHRS9 was frequently downregulated in CRC clinical samples at both the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels.

Overexpression of SULT2B1b is an independent prognostic indicator and promotes cell growth and invasion in colorectal carcinoma.

Aberrant expression of cytosolic sulfotransferase 2B1b (SULT2B1b) has been reported in several human malignancies. However, the expression pattern and clinical significance of SULT2B1b in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) remains unknown. Real-time quantitative PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry analyses were used to determine SULT2B1b expression in CRC clinical samples and CRC-derived cell lines.

Prognostic value of carbonic anhydrase VII expression in colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human cancers. Carbonic anhydrase VII (CA7), a member of the CA gene family, was recently demonstrated to be expressed in several human tissues including colon. Nevertheless, the expression and clinical relevance of CA7 in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has not been investigated.

Serine threonine tyrosine kinase 1 is a potential prognostic marker in colorectal cancer.

Background: Aberrant expression of serine threonine tyrosine kinase 1 (STYK1) has been reported in several human malignancies including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the prognostic significance of STYK1 expression in CRC remains unknown.

Methods: STYK1 protein expression in paraffin-embedded CRC specimens was determined immunohistochemically.

RMP predicts survival and adjuvant TACE response in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adjuvant transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) protects against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with reduced disease recurrence and improved outcome after surgery. However, deterioration of liver function after TACE negatively impacts the patient prognosis and limits it use as an option to prolong survival. We analyzed two independent cohorts that included a total of 510 patients with HCC who had undergone tumor resection.

Signal regulatory protein α negatively regulates mast-cell activation following FcεRI aggregation.

Mast cells elicit allergic reaction through degranulation and release of proinflammatory mediators after aggregation of the IgE receptor FcεRI. Here we provide evidence to show that signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα), an ITIM-containing receptor, is an endogenous regulator of IgE-Ag induced mast-cell activation. SIRPα expression is promptly reduced in mast cells in response to FcεRI aggregation.

The prognostic significance and therapeutic potential of hedgehog signaling in intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: The correlation of the hedgehog signaling pathway with the progression, prognosis, and therapeutics of intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinoma (ICC) has not been well documented. The study aimed to investigate the expression, prognostic significance, and therapeutic value of hedgehog components in ICC.

Experimental Design: Two independent cohorts of 200 patients with ICC were enrolled.

The oncoprotein p28GANK establishes a positive feedback loop in β-catenin signaling.

p28(GANK) (also known as PSMD10 or gankyrin) is a novel oncoprotein that is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Through its interaction with various proteins, p28(GANK) mediates the degradation of the tumor suppressor proteins Rb and p53. Although p53 was reported to downregulate β-catenin, whether p28(GANK) is involved in the regulation of β-catenin remains uncertain.

Inhibition of active autophagy induces apoptosis and increases chemosensitivity in cholangiocarcinoma.

Intrahepatic cholangiocellular carcinomas (ICCs) are usually fatal neoplasms originating from bile duct epithelia. However, many cholangiocarcinoma cells are shown to be resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs, which induce cell apoptosis. The role of autophagy and the therapeutic value of autophagy-associated genes are largely unknown in ICC.

HBx sensitizes cells to oxidative stress-induced apoptosis by accelerating the loss of Mcl-1 protein via caspase-3 cascade.

Background: Oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide spectrum of human diseases, including Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related liver disease. Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) is a key regulator of HBV that exerts pleiotropic activity on cellular functions. Recent studies showed that HBx alters mitochondrial membrane potential, thereby sensitizing cells to pro-apoptotic signals.

p28GANK inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced cell death via enhancement of the endoplasmic reticulum adaptive capacity.

It has been shown that oncoprotein p28(GANK), which is consistently overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), plays a critical role in tumorigenesis of HCC. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that p28(GANK) inhibits apoptosis in HCC cells induced by the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress.

Research on the Diversity of PLA(2) Gene from Agkistrodon halys Pallas.

We used degenerate primers to amplify phospholipase A(2)(PLA(2)) gene by RT-PCR from venom total RNA of Agkistrodon halys Pallas, and screened with B-PLA(2) gene as probe. Finally we isolated three cDNAs containing A-PLA(2) and two other genes showing similar characteristic structure--Asn(49)-PLA(2) and BA-PLA(2). Their complete sequence was determined by bidirectional sequencing and their amino acid sequence was deduced.

Expression of the APLA(2) Gene from Agkistrodon halys Pallas.

The APLA(2) gene from Agkistrodon halys Pallas has been cloned into the expression plasmid pBLMVL2 and expressed in E. coli RR1. The molecular weight of the expressed product is approximately 14 kD as shown by SDS-PAGE, its expression level is about 30% of the total cellular proteins.

Cloning of the BPLA(2) Gene from Agkistrodon halys Pallas.

First strand cDNA synthesis was primed with synthetic oligonucleotide from total RNA extracted from the gland of the snake Agkistrodon halys Pallas. The pro-BPLA(2) gene was then amplified by PCR and cloned into the pBS-ks vector. Its nucleotide sequence has been determined by analyzing the DNA sequence of three colonies containing the pro-BPLA(2) gene.