Binding interaction of a ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase with fluoranthene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa DN1.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa DN1 can efficiently utilize fluoranthene as its sole carbon source, and the initial reaction in the biodegradation process is catalyzed by a ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase (RHD). To clarify the binding interaction of RHD with fluoranthene in the strain DN1, the genes encoding alpha subunit (RS30940) and beta subunit (RS05115) of RHD were functionally characterized through multi-technique combination such as gene knockout and homology modeling as well as molecular docking analysis. The results showed that the mutants lacking the characteristic alpha subunit and/or beta subunit failed to degrade fluoranthene effectively.

ZEB1-mediated vasculogenic mimicry formation associates with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cell phenotypes in prostate cancer.

The zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) induced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and altered ZEB1 expression could lead to aggressive and cancer stem cell (CSC) phenotypes in various cancers. Tissue specimens from 96 prostate cancer patients were collected for immunohistochemistry and CD34/periodic acid-Schiff double staining. Prostate cancer cells were subjected to ZEB1 knockdown or overexpression and assessment of the effects on vasculogenic mimicry formation in vitro and in vivo.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 is required for vasculogenic mimicry by clear cell renal carcinoma cells.

Background: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a new pattern of tumor microcirculation system, has been proved to be important for tumor growth and progression and may be one of the causes of antiangiogenesis resistance. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9) was shown to correlate with VM formation in some other cancers. However, the relationship between VM formation and MMP9 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been determined.