The MUC1-C oncoprotein binds to the BH3 domain of the pro-apoptotic BAX protein and blocks BAX function.

The pro-apoptotic BAX protein contains a BH3 domain that is necessary for its dimerization and for activation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. The MUC1 (mucin 1) heterodimeric protein is overexpressed in diverse human carcinomas and blocks apoptosis in the response to stress. In this study, we demonstrate that the oncogenic MUC1-C subunit associates with BAX in human cancer cells.

MUC1-C oncoprotein confers androgen-independent growth of human prostate cancer cells.

Background: The mucin 1 (MUC1) heterodimeric oncoprotein is overexpressed in human prostate cancers with aggressive pathologic and clinical features. However, few insights are available regarding the functional role of MUC1 in prostate cancer.

Methods: Effects of MUC1-C on androgen receptor (AR) expression were determined by RT-PCR, immunoblotting and AR promoter activation.

MUC1-C oncoprotein induces TCF7L2 transcription factor activation and promotes cyclin D1 expression in human breast cancer cells.

MUC1 is a heterodimeric glycoprotein that is overexpressed in breast cancers. The present studies demonstrate that the oncogenic MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) associates with the TCF7L2 transcription factor. The MUC1-C cytoplasmic domain (MUC1-CD) binds directly to the TCF7L2 C-terminal region.

Targeting cysteine-mediated dimerization of the MUC1-C oncoprotein in human cancer cells.

The MUC1 heterodimeric protein is aberrantly overexpressed in diverse human carcinomas and contributes to the malignant phenotype. The MUC1-C transmembrane subunit contains a CQC motif in the cytoplasmic domain that has been implicated in the formation of dimers and in its oncogenic function. The present study demonstrates that MUC1-C forms dimers in human breast and lung cancer cells.

Quantification and reduction of the collimator-detector response effect in SPECT by applying a system model during iterative image reconstruction: a simulation study.

Background: Detector blurring and non-ideal collimation decrease the spatial resolution of the single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images. Iterative reconstruction algorithms such as ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) can incorporate degrading factors during reconstruction. We investigated the quantitative errors associated with poor SPECT resolution and evaluated the importance of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) resolution recovery by modelling system response during iterative image reconstruction.

Quantification and reduction of attenuation related artifacts in SPET by applying attenuation model during iterative image reconstruction: a Monte Carlo study.

Photon attenuation is one of the main causes of the quantitative errors and artifacts in SPET. A transmission or CT based attenuation map is necessary to correct for the effects of attenuation accurately. In this research, some important attenuation related artifacts are described.

Paired organs-should they be treated jointly or separately in internal dosimetry?

Purpose: Size, shape, and the position of paired organs are different in abdomen. However, the counterpart organs are conventionally treated jointly together in internal dosimetry. This study was performed to quantify the difference of specific absorbed fraction of organs in considering paired organs jointly like single organs or as two separate organs.

Time course responses of serum GH, insulin, IGF-1, IGFBP1, and IGFBP3 concentrations after heavy resistance exercise in trained and untrained men.

To investigate the effect of heavy resistance exercise on IGF-1 system, 19 healthy trained men and 15 healthy untrained men volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. Subjects of experimental groups were forced to perform a heavy resistance exercise with the intensity of 70-80% of 1RM in selected movements.

Correction of head movements in positron emission tomography using point source tracking system: a simulation study.

Aim: The motion of the head during brain positron emission tomography (PET) acquisitions has been identified as a source of artifact in the reconstructed image. In this study, a method is described to develop an image-based motion correction technique for correcting the post-acquisition data without using external optical motion-tracking system such as POLARIS.

Method: In this technique, GATE has been used to simulate PET brain scan using point sources mounted around the head to accurately monitor the position of the head during the time frames.

Preparation and biological evaluation of (177)Lu conjugated PR81 for radioimmunotherapy of breast cancer.

Aim: PR81 is a monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to MUC1 antigen that is over expressed in 80% of breast cancers. In this study, we developed a method for indirect labeling of PR81 with lutetium-177 and performed all preclinical qualifications in production of a biologic agent for radioimmunotherapy of breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: The radiochemical purity and in vitro stability of (177)Lu labeled PR81 was determined by instant thin layer chromatography.

Assessment of MIRD data for internal dosimetry using the GATE Monte Carlo code.

GATE/GEANT is a Monte Carlo code dedicated to nuclear medicine that allows calculation of the dose to organs of voxel phantoms. On the other hand, MIRD is a well-developed system for estimation of the dose to human organs. In this study, results obtained from GATE/GEANT using Snyder phantom are compared to published MIRD data.

Synthesis and characterizations of ultra-small ZnS and Zn(1-x)Fe(x)S quantum dots in aqueous media and spectroscopic study of their interactions with bovine serum albumin.

This work reports a new experimental methodology for the synthesis of ultra small zinc sulfide and iron doped zinc sulfide quantum dots in aqueous media. The nanoparticles were obtained using a simple procedure based on the precipitation of ZnS in aqueous solution in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol as a capping agent, at room temperature. The effect of Fe(3+) ion concentration as dopant on the optical properties of ZnS was studied.

Dependence on the MUC1-C oncoprotein in non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells are often associated with constitutive activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) → Akt → mTOR pathway. The mucin 1 (MUC1) heterodimeric glycoprotein is aberrantly overexpressed in NSCLC cells and induces gene signatures that are associated with poor survival of NSCLC patients. The present results show that the MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) cytoplasmic domain associates with PI3K p85 in NSCLC cells.

An unusual migration of Taenia hydatigena larvae in a lamb.

The liver and lungs of an four month old, female dead lamb was referred to Veterinary clinic of Shahrekord, Iran by a sheepherder due to outbreak of an unknown disease that caused four deaths in the livestock over a period of one week. Post-mortem examination of the liver showed a massive infection of Taenia hydatigena larvae. Diffuse, spiral and haemorrhagic tracts made by migrating larvae were seen throughout the liver.

Mucin 1 C-terminal subunit oncoprotein is a target for small-molecule inhibitors.

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a heterodimeric protein that is overexpressed in diverse human carcinomas. The oncogenic function of the MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) subunit is dependent on the formation of dimers through its cytoplasmic domain; however, it is not known whether MUC1-C can be targeted with small-molecule inhibitors. In the present work, an assay using the MUC1-C cytoplasmic domain (MUC1-CD) was established to screen small-molecule libraries for compounds that block its dimerization.

A comparison between GATE4 results and MCNP4B published data for internal radiation dosimetry.

Aim: GATE, has been designed as upper layer of the GEANT4 toolkit for nuclear medicine application including internal dosimetry. However, its results have not been fully compared to the well-developed codes and anthropomorphic voxel phantoms have never been used with GATE/GEANT for internal dosimetry. The aim of present study was to compare the internal dose calculated by GATE/GEANT with the MCNP4B published data.

MUC1-C oncoprotein promotes STAT3 activation in an autoinductive regulatory loop.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is activated in human breast cancer and other malignancies. Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a heterodimeric cell surface glycoprotein that is overexpressed in human carcinomas and, like STAT3, promotes cell survival and induces transformation. We found that in breast cancer cells, the MUC1 carboxyl-terminal receptor subunit (MUC1-C) associates with the gp130-Janus-activated kinase 1 (JAK1)-STAT3 complex.

Androgen receptor regulates expression of the MUC1-C oncoprotein in human prostate cancer cells.

Background: The MUC1 heterodimeric oncoprotein is aberrantly overexpressed in human prostate cancers with more aggressive pathologic and clinical features. However, the signals that regulate MUC1 expression in prostate cancer cells are not well understood.

Methods: MUC1 expression was studied in androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer cell lines by quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting and assessment of MUC1 promoter activation.

The International Atomic Energy Agency software package for the analysis of scintigraphic renal dynamic studies: a tool for the clinician, teacher, and researcher.

Under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency, a new-generation, platform-independent, and x86-compatible software package was developed for the analysis of scintigraphic renal dynamic imaging studies. It provides nuclear medicine professionals cost-free access to the most recent developments in the field. The software package is a step forward towards harmonization and standardization.

177Lu labeling of Herceptin and preclinical validation as a new radiopharmaceutical for radioimmunotherapy of breast cancer.

Introduction: In the present study, Herceptin was labeled with lutetium-177 via DOTA, and the necessary preclinical quality control tests (in vitro and in vivo) were performed to evaluate its use as a radioimmunotherapy agent.

Material And Methods: Herceptin was conjugated to DOTA as a chelator in three different conjugation buffers (ammonium acetate, carbonate and HEPES buffer); each of the resulting conjugates was compared with respect to in vitro characteristics such as number of chelates per antibody, incorporated activity, immunoreactivity and in vitro stability in PBS buffer and blood serum. The biodistribution study and gamma camera imaging were performed in mice bearing breast tumors.

MUCIN 1 ONCOPROTEIN EXPRESSION IS SUPPRESSED BY THE miR-125b ONCOMIR.

The MUC1 oncoprotein is overexpressed in most human breast cancers by mechanisms that are incompletely understood. The microRNA, miR-125b, is downregulated in breast cancer cells. The present studies demonstrate that the MUC1 3'UTR contains a site for binding of the miR-125b seed region.

The effect of high-frequency electric pulses on tumor blood flow in vivo.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 5-kHz repetition frequency of electroporating electric pulses in comparison to the standard 1-Hz frequency on blood flow of invasive ductal carcinoma tumors in Balb/C mice. Electroporation was performed by the delivery of eight electric pulses of 1,000 V cm(-1) and 100 mus duration at a repetition frequency of 1 Hz or 5 kHz. Blood flow changes in tumors were measured by laser Doppler flowmetry.

Toxicity of trastuzumab labeled 177Lu on MCF7 and SKBr3 cell lines.

In this study, we labeled trastuzumab with (177)Lu to synthesize a new radiopharmaceutical for therapy of breast cancer and at the first stage investigated its therapeutic effects on SKBr3 and MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. Trastuzumab-(177)Lu showed very good in-vitro characteristics such as high radiochemical purity (91+/-0.9%), good stability in PBS buffer (86+/-2.

miR-1226 targets expression of the mucin 1 oncoprotein and induces cell death.

The MUC1 oncoprotein is aberrantly overexpressed in human carcinomas and hematologic malignancies. Micro-RNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in the suppression and induction of oncogenesis. The present studies demonstrate that the MUC1 mRNA 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) contains a highly conserved motif for binding of a novel miRNA, miR-1226, that has no known targets.