Branching development of early post-implantation human embryonic-like tissues in 3D stem cell culture.

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) have the intrinsic capacity to self-organize and generate patterned tissues. In vitro models that coax hESCs to form embryonic-like structures by modulating physical environments and priming with chemical signals have become a powerful tool for dissecting the regulatory mechanisms underlying early human development. Here we present a 3D suspension culture system of hESCs that can generate post-implantation, pre-gastrulation embryonic-like tissues in an efficient and controllable manner.

Resveratrol causes cell cycle arrest, decreased collagen synthesis, and apoptosis in rat intestinal smooth muscle cells.

One of the most difficult and treatment-resistant complications of Crohn's disease is the development of fibrotic intestinal strictures due to mesenchymal cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition. Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in berries, peanuts, grapes, and red wine, has been shown to inhibit fibrosis in vasculature, heart, lung, kidney, liver, and esophagus in animal models. Resveratrol has also been shown to inhibit oxidation, inflammation, and cell proliferation and to decrease collagen synthesis in several cell types or animal models.

ECRG1, a novel esophageal gene, cloned and identified from human esophagus and its inhibition effect on tumors.

ECRG-1 (esophageal cancer-related gene 1) has been previously found to be down-regulated in human esophagus cancer. Transient expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged ECRG1 showed plasma membrane localization. Treatment of esophagus cancer cell line (NEC) with ECRG-1 fusion protein and over-expression of ECRG-1 in NEC cells can significantly reduce the in vitro proliferation rate of NEC cells.

A small molecule compound inhibits AKT pathway in ovarian cancer cell lines.

Background And Objective: Overactivation of AKT1 and gene amplification of AKT2 are frequently detected in ovarian cancer. Activated AKT kinases provide a cell survival signal that may confer resistance to apoptosis induced by conventional therapies in cancer cells. Therefore, development of potent inhibitors that block AKT pathway is an attractive therapeutic strategy for treating ovarian carcinoma.

Modulation of Janus kinase 2 by p53 in ovarian cancer cells.

The constitutive activation of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor are both detected in human cancer. We examined the potential regulation of JAK2 phosphorylation by wild-type (wt) p53 in human ovarian cancer cell lines, Caov-3 and MDAH2774, which harbor mutant form of p53 tumor suppressor gene and high levels of phosphorylated JAK2. The wt p53 gene was re-introduced into the cells using an adenovirus vector.

[Transcriptional inactivation of RASSF1A in lung cancer and its clinical significance].

Objective: To explore the relationship between the transcriptional expression of RASSF1A (Ras association domain family 1A gene) and oncogenesis and development of lung cancer.

Method: RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of RASSF1A mRNA in 47 human lung cancer tissues and matched 47 non-cancer tissues.

Results: (1).

[Expression of different RASSF1 transcripts and its clinical significance in lung carcinoma].

Objective: To evaluate the expression of three different RASSF1 transcripts and its clinical significance in lung carcinomas.

Methods: The mRNA expression of RASSF1A, RASSF1B and RASSF1C was detected by RT-PCR in 51 human lung cancer tissues and 51 matched normal tissues.

Results: 1.

[Expression of lysyl oxidase gene in upper digestive tract carcinomas and its clinical significance].

Background & Objective: Lysyl oxidase(LO), one of newly discovered candidate of tumor suppressor genes, was reported that its expression was closely associated with recurrence and metastasis of breast and prostate carcinomas. However, till now there was no report evaluating the relationship between this gene expression and relapse or metastasis of upper digestive tract carcinomas. This study was designed to explore the relationship between the expression of LO gene and recurrence as well as metastasis of malignant upper digestive tract tumors such as esophageal, cardiac, and gastric cancers.

p53 regulates Stat3 phosphorylation and DNA binding activity in human prostate cancer cells expressing constitutively active Stat3.

Constitutive activation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) and mutation of the p53 are both commonly detected in human prostate cancer cells. We sought to investigate whether there is functional regulation of Stat3 by wild-type (wt) p53. Our results demonstrate that expression of wt p53 but not mutant p53 significantly reduced tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3 and inhibited Stat3 DNA binding activity in both DU145 and Tsu prostate cancer cell lines that express constitutively active Stat3.

Dysfunctional apoptosome activation in ovarian cancer: implications for chemoresistance.

Alterations in the regulation of apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of cancer and resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy. In mammalian cells, nonreceptor-mediated apoptosis occurs predominantly via assembly of a cytochrome c-dependent apoptosome complex containing caspase-9 and apoptotic protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1). We show here that cytosolic extracts from human ovarian carcinoma cell lines and primary ovarian tumor samples are deficient in their ability to activate procaspase-9 in the presence of cytochrome c and dATP when compared with control extracts.

Modulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activities by p53 tumor suppressor in breast cancer cells.

The constitutive activation of the Stat3 oncogene product and mutation of the p53 tumor suppressor are both frequently detected in human breast cancer. We sought to determine whether there is functional regulation of Stat3 by wild-type (wt) p53. We demonstrate that expression of wt p53, but not mutant p53, significantly diminished phosphorylation of Stat3, reduced Stat3 DNA binding activity, and inhibited Stat3-dependent transcriptional activity in breast cancer cells expressing constitutively active Stat3.