Analysis of the occurrence and distribution of primary and recurrent basal cell carcinoma of head and neck coupled to the assessment of tumor microenvironment and Sonic hedgehog signaling.

Often, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) displays local aggressiveness, and when developed in the head and neck presents with deep tissue invasion and recurrence. Previous studies have pointed out the necessity of systematic assessment of primary and recurrent BCC based on a better understanding of the biology and function of its microenvironment. Although hedgehog-dependent tumor cells signaling to the underlying stroma, and vice versa, have been demonstrated to be implicated in the pathogenesis of BCC, little is known about peculiarities of the tumor microenvironment and the above-mentioned signaling in the head and neck.

Structural Basis and Kinetic Pathway of RBM39 Recruitment to DCAF15 by a Sulfonamide Molecular Glue E7820.

E7820 and indisulam are two examples of aryl sulfonamides that recruit RBM39 to Rbx-Cul4-DDA1-DDB1-DCAF15 E3 ligase complex, leading to its ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. To understand their mechanism of action, we performed kinetic analysis on the recruitment of RBM39 to DCAF15 and solved a crystal structure of DDA1-DDB1-DCAF15 in complex with E7820 and the RRM2 domain of RBM39. E7820 packs in a shallow pocket on the surface of DCAF15 and the resulting modified interface binds RBM39 through the α1 helix of the RRM2 domain.

A dual regulatory circuit consisting of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase protein and its reaction product controls expression of the paralogous activator prozyme in Trypanosoma brucei.

Polyamines are essential for cell growth of eukaryotes including the etiologic agent of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Trypanosoma brucei. In trypanosomatids, a key enzyme in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (TbAdoMetDC) heterodimerizes with a unique catalytically-dead paralog called prozyme to form the active enzyme complex. In higher eukaryotes, polyamine metabolism is subject to tight feedback regulation by spermidine-dependent mechanisms that are absent in trypanosomatids.

Species-Selective Pyrimidineamine Inhibitors of Trypanosoma brucei S-Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase.

New therapeutic options are needed for treatment of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) caused by protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei. S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) is an essential enzyme in the polyamine pathway of T. brucei.

Human GW182 Paralogs Are the Central Organizers for RNA-Mediated Control of Transcription.

In the cytoplasm, small RNAs can control mammalian translation by regulating the stability of mRNA. In the nucleus, small RNAs can also control transcription and splicing. The mechanisms for RNA-mediated nuclear regulation are not understood and remain controversial, hindering the effective application of nuclear RNAi and investigation of its natural regulatory roles.

Identification of Trypanosoma brucei AdoMetDC Inhibitors Using a High-Throughput Mass Spectrometry-Based Assay.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a fatal infectious disease caused by the eukaryotic pathogen Trypanosoma brucei (Tb). Available treatments are difficult to administer and have significant safety issues. S-Adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) is an essential enzyme in the parasite polyamine biosynthetic pathway.

Relief of autoinhibition by conformational switch explains enzyme activation by a catalytically dead paralog.

Catalytically inactive enzyme paralogs occur in many genomes. Some regulate their active counterparts but the structural principles of this regulation remain largely unknown. We report X-ray structures of -adenosylmethionine decarboxylase alone and in functional complex with its catalytically dead paralogous partner, prozyme.

Improved Synthesis of MDL 73811 - a Potent AdoMetDC Inhibitor and Anti-Trypanosomal Compound.

An improved synthesis of MDL 73811 - a potent AdoMetDC (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylease) inhibitor and anti-trypanosomal compound with in vivo activity has been completed in four steps from commercially available 2',3'--isopropylideneadenosine. Utilization of Mitsunobu chemistry was crucial for the reliable and scalable introduction of the 5'-methylamine moiety, which was problematic using traditional activation/displacement chemistry as previously reported. All reactions in this synthesis were run on gram-scale resulting in a five-fold increase in yield over the original synthesis.

Product feedback regulation implicated in translational control of the Trypanosoma brucei S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase regulatory subunit prozyme.

Human African sleeping sickness (HAT) is caused by the parasitic protozoan Trypanosoma brucei. Polyamine biosynthesis is an important drug target in the treatment of HAT. Previously we showed that trypanosomatid S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC), a key enzyme for biosynthesis of the polyamine spermidine, is activated by heterodimer formation with an inactive paralogue termed prozyme.

Older women: work and caregiving in conflict? A study of four countries.

Caregiving issues are important for industrialized societies that have been undergoing population aging. In this article we consider caregiving as a factor in the outlook for midlife and older women with respect to economic security and economic advancement. We use demographic and economic data from the United States, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, in particular to document the importance of continued labor force participation for older women to make ends meet in an era of high household costs of physician services, prescription drugs, and other health-related services, and uncertainties about pensions.

De-novo modeling and ESR validation of a cyanobacterial F(o)F(1)-ATP synthase subunit bb' left-handed coiled coil.

The structure and functional role of the dimeric external stalk of F(o)F(1)-ATP synthases have been very actively researched over the last years. To understand the function, detailed knowledge of the structure and protein packing interactions in the dimer is required. In this paper we describe the application of structural prediction and molecular modeling approaches to elucidate the structural packing interaction of the cyanobacterial ATP synthase external stalk.

Conformational changes in the Escherichia coli ATP synthase b-dimer upon binding to F(1)-ATPase.

Conformational changes within the subunit b-dimer of the E. coli ATP synthase occur upon binding to the F(1) sector. ESR spectra of spin-labeled b at room temperature indicated a pivotal point in the b-structure at residue 62.

Structure of the cytosolic part of the subunit b-dimer of Escherichia coli F0F1-ATP synthase.

The structure of the external stalk and its function in the catalytic mechanism of the F(0)F(1)-ATP synthase remains one of the important questions in bioenergetics. The external stalk has been proposed to be either a rigid stator that binds F(1) or an elastic structural element that transmits energy from the small rotational steps of subunits c to the F(1) sector during catalysis. We employed proteomics, sequence-based structure prediction, molecular modeling, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy using site-directed spin labeling to understand the structure and interfacial packing of the Escherichia coli b-subunit homodimer external stalk.

Phosphine-boranes as bidentate ligands: formation of [8,8-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] and [9,9-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm)-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)] from [8,8-(eta(2)-dppm)-8-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] and [9,9-(eta(2)-dppm)-9-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)], respectively.

The two clusters [8,8-(eta(2)-dppm)-8-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] (1) and [9,9-(eta(2)-dppm)-9-(eta(1)-dppm)-nido-9,7,8-RhC(2)B(8)H(11)] (2) (dppm = PPh(2)CH(2)PPh(2)), both of which contain pendant PPh(2) groups, react with BH(3).thf to afford the species [8,8-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).dppm)-nido-8,7-RhSB(9)H(10)] (3) and [9,9-eta(2)-(eta(2)-(BH(3)).

CYP17 genetic polymorphism in endometrial cancer: are only steroids involved?

Initiation and/or promotion of endometrial cancer is known to be associated with estrogen and androgen (androstenedione) excess as well as with hyperinsulinemia/insulin resistance. It is possible that some allelic polymorphisms of the genes involved in steroidogenesis or steroid metabolism contribute to endometrial cancer susceptibility. We evaluated here the role of CYP17 biallelic (MspAI) polymorphism in 114 endometrial cancer patients compared with 182 healthy women.