Cell survival under nutrient stress is dependent on metabolic conditions regulated by Akt and not by autophagic vacuoles.

Akt activation assists tumor cell survival and promotes resistance to chemotherapy. Here we show that constitutively active Akt (CA-Akt) cells are highly sensitized to cell death induced by nutrient and growth factor deprivation, whereas dominant-negative Akt (DN-Akt) cells have a high rate of survival. The content of autophagosomes in starved CA-Akt cells was high, while DN-Akt cells expressed autophagic vacuoles constitutively, independently of nutrition conditions.

Preferential chemosensitization of PTEN-mutated prostate cells by silencing the Akt kinase.

Background: In prostate cancer, mutations of the phosphatase PTEN can activate the kinase cascade PI3K/Akt/mTOR which induces drug resistance.

Methods: Chemosensitization by siRNA targeting Akt was studied in HEK293 cells forced to express CA-Akt or kinase-dead DN-Akt. To decrease drug resistance, Akt was silenced with siRNA in human prostate DU-145 cell line expressing the normal PTEN or in LNCaP and PC3 cell lines expressing mutated-PTEN.

Mid-region parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) binds chromatin of MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells and isolated oligonucleotides "in vitro".

We have previously shown that PTHrP(38-94)-amide restrains growth and invasion "in vitro", causes striking toxicity and accelerates death of some breast cancer cell lines, the most responsive being MDA-MB231 whose tumorigenesis was also attenuated "in vivo". PTHrP(38-94)-amide contains the domain implicated in the nuclear import of PTHrP. Although the nucleus was identified as a destination for mid-region PTHrP, evidence for direct DNA-binding capability is lacking to date.

mTOR: a protein kinase switching between life and death.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a central regulator of ribosome biogenesis, protein synthesis, cell growth and neurite plasticity. The mTOR kinase controls the translation machinery, in response to amino acids and growth factors, via activation of p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70S6K) and inhibition of eIF-4E binding protein (4E-BP1). The mTOR protein belongs to the PI3K pathway activated by insulin, nutrients and growth factors.

Wine and tumors: study of resveratrol.

In modern industrial societies the attention to public health, especially in relation to food habits, is increasing day by day. Considering this, it's no wonder that wine, the voluptuary drink that best represents human history, is the most interesting compound. The main and best known wine effects on the human body are caused by alcohol, but several other active compounds are present in wine.