High expression of crystallin αB represents an independent molecular marker for unfavourable ovarian cancer patient outcome and impairs TRAIL- and cisplatin-induced apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells.

Dysregulated apoptotic pathways are regarded as major reasons for chemoresistance development as a particular challenge in ovarian cancer therapy. In search of molecular factors affecting human ovarian cancer cell apoptosis and, consequently, patient survival, we examined tumors of 103 platinum-/taxane-treated ovarian cancer patients by mRNA-array hybridization, qPCR, and immunohistochemistry. We identified high expression of crystallin αB (CRYAB), a proposed negative regulator of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)-mediated apoptosis.

Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) predicts response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy and clinical outcome in primary human breast cancer.

In our previous work we showed that NGAL, a protein involved in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation, is overexpressed in human breast cancer (BC) and predicts poor prognosis. In neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) pathological complete response (pCR) is a predictor for outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate NGAL as a predictor of response to NACT and to validate NGAL as a prognostic factor for clinical outcome in patients with primary BC.

Electrofusion generates diverse DC-tumour cell hybrids for cancer immunotherapy.

Background: Hybrid cells generated from dendritic cells (DC) and tumour cells provide tumour-associated antigens (TAA) in a polyvalent mode. The present study was designed to investigate the hybrid cell generation by dendritic cells and different tumour cell lines to establish an electrofusion protocol with an optimal fusion setting.

Materials And Methods: Hybrid cells from mature DC and tumour cells were generated by electrofusion.