Gene expression profiling reveals cross-talk between melanoma and fibroblasts: implications for host-tumor interactions in metastasis.

Host-tumor interaction is considered critical in carcinogenesis, tumor invasion, and metastasis. To explore the reciprocal effects of host-tumor interaction, we developed a system to assess the gene expression patterns of A2058 human melanoma cells cocultured in fibrillar collagen with HS-68 primary human fibroblasts. The gene expression pattern of the cocultured A2058 cells was only modestly affected, whereas the HS-68 fibroblast gene expression pattern was significantly altered.

Use of microarrays for investigating the subtoxic effects of snake venoms: insights into venom-induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

The pathological effects of only a small percentage of the total number of protein components of snake venoms are well documented, yet this knowledge has led to a general understanding of the physiological consequences of snake venom poisoning. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of subpathological levels of Crotalus atrox (Western diamondback rattlesnake) and Bothrops jararaca (Jararaca) snake venoms on the gene expression profile of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in culture. Analysis of the data demonstrated that HUVECs treated with C.