Genetic expression signatures of oral submucous fibrosis and oral cancer-A preliminary microarray report.

Background/purpose: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a potentially malignant disorder of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In this study, we obtained the genetic expression signatures of OSF and SCC by microarray analysis.

Materials And Methods: Five patients with clinically evident OSF, five patients with SCC who also had existing OSF, and four normal volunteers who did not have a history of chewing betel quids were recruited.

A putative novel protein, DEPDC1B, is overexpressed in oral cancer patients, and enhanced anchorage-independent growth in oral cancer cells that is mediated by Rac1 and ERK.

Background: The DEP domain is a globular domain containing approximately 90 amino acids, which was first discovered in 3 proteins: Drosophila disheveled, Caenorhabditis elegans EGL-10, and mammalian Pleckstrin; hence the term, DEP. DEPDC1B is categorized as a potential Rho GTPase-activating protein. The function of the DEP domain in signal transduction pathways is not fully understood.

The novel p53-dependent metastatic and apoptotic pathway induced by vitexin in human oral cancer OC2 cells.

Vitexin, identified as apigenin-8-C-D-glucopyranoside, a natural flavonoid compound found in certain herbs such as hawthorn herb, has been reported to exhibit anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-metastatic and antitumor properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible existence of p53-dependent pathway underlying vitexin-induced metastasis and apoptosis in human oral cancer cells, OC2 cells. Vitexin decreased cell viability significantly.

ZAK negatively regulates RhoGDIbeta-induced Rac1-mediated hypertrophic growth and cell migration.

RhoGDIbeta, a Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor, induced hypertrophic growth and cell migration in a cultured cardiomyoblast cell line, H9c2. We demonstrated that RhoGDIbeta plays a previously undefined role in regulating Rac1 expression through transcription to induce hypertrophic growth and cell migration and that these functions are blocked by the expression of a dominant-negative form of Rac1. We also demonstrated that knockdown of RhoGDIbeta expression by RNA interference blocked RhoGDIbeta-induced Rac1 expression and cell migration.

Apoptotic death mode of mitomycin C-treated HeLa cells and cellular localization of mitomycin C-induced P-glycoprotein.

Mitomycin C (MMC) is an active antineoplastic agent and is suggested to induce apoptosis in a caspase- dependent manner in human gastric, bladder, and breast cancer cells. In this study, the death mode of human cervical cancer cells (HeLa) induced by MMC and the cellular localization of MMC-induced P-glycoprotein (P-gp) were investigated. The results of caspase-3 activity, Annexin V binding, and DNA fragmentation suggested that the degree of caspase-dependent apoptosis induced by MMC was in a dose-, but not time-dependent, manner.

RhoGDIbeta-induced hypertrophic growth in H9c2 cells is negatively regulated by ZAK.

We found that overexpression of RhoGDIbeta, a Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor, induced hypertrophic growth and suppressed cell cycle progression in a cultured cardiomyoblast cell line. Knockdown of RhoGDIbeta expression by RNA interference blocked hypertrophic growth. We further demonstrated that RhoGDIbeta physically interacts with ZAK and is phosphorylated by ZAK in vitro, and this phosphorylation negatively regulates RhoGDIbeta functions.

Orthodontic adhesives induce human gingival fibroblast toxicity and inflammation.

Objective: To test the null hypothesis that the resin base and the resin hybrid glass ionomer base adhesives do not cause inflammation after contacting primary human gingival fibroblasts in vitro.

Materials And Methods: The resin base and resin hybrid glass ionomer base adhesives were used to treat human gingival fibroblasts to evaluate the survival rate using MTT colorimetric assay to detect the level of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique and COX-2 protein expression using Western blot analysis. The results were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

The immunopharmaceutical effects and mechanisms of herb medicine.

In recent years, studies on evaluation of the therapeutic and toxic activity of herbal medicinal products became available and popular. The advances in modern biotechnology have led to discovery of many new active constituents. However, it is a constant challenge to establish the pharmacological basis for efficacy and safety of herbal medicinal products.

Induction of apoptosis in human oral cancer cell lines, OC2 and TSCCa, by chingwaysan.

Chingwaysan, a Chinese herbal formula, contains Cimicfugae Rhizoma, Rehmanniae Radixet Rhizoma, Moutan Radicis Cortex, Coptidis Rhizoma and Angelicae Sinensis Radix. This medicine is well-known for its curing power for ulcerated gums, toothaches, cheek boils and bleeding gingiva. However, no reports can be found on its application in the treatment of oral cancers.

Comparing dental students' knowledge of and attitudes toward hepatitis B virus-, hepatitis C virus-, and HIV-infected patients in Taiwan.

This study investigated and compared Taiwanese dental students' knowledge of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV infection, attitudes toward infected patients, and important factors associated with the willingness to treat infected patients. In 2001, a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted on all 1930 dental students enrolled from seven dental schools in Taiwan, with a response rate of 54.4%.