Prevalence of genital psoriasis in patients with psoriasis.

Background: Psoriatic lesions in the genital area (GenPs) can cause considerable physical and emotional distress. To increase physician awareness, we estimated the GenPs prevalence among patients with psoriasis.

Methods: An English language literature search was performed.

Patient Characteristics, Health Care Resource Utilization, and Costs Associated with Treatment-Regimen Failure with Biologics in the Treatment of Psoriasis.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, incurable, and immune-mediated skin disorder that is characterized by erythematous scaly papules and plaques. Understanding of psoriasis at the molecular level has led to the development of biologic agents that target disease-specific inflammatory mediators in psoriatic lesions. Biologic agents have become important components of the psoriasis armamentarium, but some patients become refractory to these agents over time or fail to respond to subsequent biologics.

Phase II study of gemcitabine and bevacizumab as first-line treatment in taxane-pretreated, HER2-negative, locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer.

Background: In first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer, the best use of the available therapeutic agents is unclear. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of combined therapy with bevacizumab and gemcitabine.

Patients: Women who were to undergo first-line treatment for locoregionally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer were eligible.

Adenoviruses increase endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation: partial reversal by the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor, FRNK.

During the course of examining the feasibility of using an adenoviral vector to deliver a potential anti-angiogenic agent to endothelial cells, we discovered that adenoviruses, themselves, have pro-angiogenic activities. Thus, an adenoviral vector containing a green fluorescent protein transgene (Ad-GFP) stimulated the growth, migration, tube formation, and phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) of human lung microvascular endothelial cells. However, adenovirus-mediated endothelial cell mitogenesis, tube formation, and FAK phosphorylation were completely reduced and migration was partially reversed by the addition of a Fak-Related Non-Kinase (FRNK) transgene to the vector.

Adenovirus-mediated transfer of FRNK augments drug-induced cytotoxicity in cultured SCCHN cells.

Background: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), which is overexpressed in many human epithelial cancers, regulates cell cycle progression, cellular migration, invasion and survival.

Materials And Methods: In order to determine if inhibiting FAK activity augments drug-induced cytotoxicity in transformed epithelial cells from the head and neck region (SCCHN cells), cells were transfected with a recombinant adenovirus causing overexpression of FRNK a dominant negative inhibitor of FAK Results: When SCCHN cells (SCC25 and RPMI 2650) were transfected with Ad-FRNK there was a decrease in autophosphorylation of FAK, coincident with a large increase in FRNK expression. Ad-FRNK and cytotoxic drugs were more effective in reducing cell viability and increasing apoptosis then Ad-FRNK alone or drugs alone.

Gene expression profiling in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity shows abnormalities in several signaling pathways.

Objectives/hypothesis: To examine gene expression profiles in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (oral SCC) compared with histologically matched normal tissue.

Study Design: Fresh-frozen tissue was prospectively obtained from individuals undergoing surgical resections for oral SCC.

Methods: RNA was extracted from seven sets of oral SCC and matched normal tissue.

Focal adhesion kinase overexpression induces enhanced pathological retinal angiogenesis.

Purpose: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is involved in processes integral to angiogenesis, such as cell growth, survival, and migration. FAK is activated by angiogenic growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The study was conducted to determine whether overexpression of FAK or FAK-related nonkinase (FRNK), an inhibitor of FAK, could influence human retinal endothelial cell (HREC) migration and in vivo angiogenesis.

Expression of focal adhesion kinase and phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx.

Objectives: Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is overexpressed in a variety of human cancers including those derived from the oral cavity. The purpose of this work is to determine the expression patterns of FAK and its activated form, FAK pY397, in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and to correlate FAK expression with tumor differentiation and clinical parameters.

Study Design: A retrospective study using archival tissue.

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor stimulates mitogenesis and migration of a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line.

Objective: We sought to assess the effect of extracellular matrix and hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on the growth and motility of cultured squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) cells.

Methods: Cultured cells were incubated in the presence of HGF/SF. The effect of HFG/SF on cell growth, motility, and phosphorylation of the signaling proteins FAK and Erk was determined.