New concepts concerning prostate cancer screening.

Prostate Cancer (CaP) is rapidly becoming a worldwide health issue. While CaP mortality has decreased in recent years, coincident with the widespread use of Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) screening, it remains the most common solid tumor in men and is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. The frequency of CaP is growing not only in western cultures, but also its incidence is dramatically increasing in eastern nations.

Nmi (N-Myc interactor) inhibits Wnt/beta-catenin signaling and retards tumor growth.

We found that the expression levels of N-Myc interactor (Nmi) were low in aggressive breast cancer cell lines when compared with less aggressive cell lines. However, the lower levels in the aggressive lines were inducible by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). Because Nmi has been reported to be a transcription cofactor that augments IFN-gamma induced transcription activity, we decided to test whether Nmi regulates expression of Dkk1, which is also inducible by IFN-gamma.

NUPR1 interacts with p53, transcriptionally regulates p21 and rescues breast epithelial cells from doxorubicin-induced genotoxic stress.

Nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1/com1/p8) has been shown to interact with transcriptional regulators such as p300, PTIP, estrogen receptor-beta, and SMAD. NUPR1 also has been implicated in the regulation of cell cycle and apoptosis. An increase in NUPR1 expression has been seen with serum starvation and in response to compounds such as cycloheximide, ceramide, and staurosporine.

Large isoform of MRJ (DNAJB6) reduces malignant activity of breast cancer.

Introduction: Mammalian relative of DnaJ (MRJ [DNAJB6]), a novel member of the human DnaJ family, has two isoforms. The smaller isoform, MRJ(S), is studied mainly for its possible role in Huntington's disease. There are no reports of any biologic activity of the longer isoform, MRJ(L).

Structural and functional analysis of domains mediating interaction between the bagpipe homologue, Nkx3.1 and serum response factor.

Nkx3.1 is a member of the NK2 class of homeodomain proteins and is expressed in development, being an early marker of the sclerotome and prostate gland. It has been shown to be a critical factor for prostate differentiation and function.

Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) inhibits osteopontin transcription by abrogating NF-kappaB activation.

Background: Osteopontin (OPN), a secreted phosphoglycoprotein, has been strongly associated with tumor progression and aggressive cancers. MDA-MB-435 cells secrete very high levels of OPN. However metastasis-suppressed MDA-MB-435 cells, which were transfected with breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1), expressed significantly less OPN.

A role for NF-kappa B binding motifs in the differential induction of chemokine gene expression in human corneal epithelial cells.

Purpose: The interleukin (IL)-8 promoter possesses a NF-kappa B-binding site with affinity to p50p65 and p65p65 complexes while the monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 promoter's NF-kappa B-binding site has exclusive affinity to p50p65 heterodimers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the two NF-kappa B sites play a role in the capacity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-stimulated human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) to produce nanogram amounts of IL-8 in the absence of MCP-1 synthesis.

Methods: IL-8 and MCP-1 promoters were cloned into luciferase reporter vectors.

Smooth muscle gamma-actin promoter regulation by RhoA and serum response factor signaling.

Smooth muscle gamma-actin (SMGA) is both an early marker of smooth muscle cell differentiation, which demonstrates an expression pattern restricted to smooth muscle and the post meiotic spermatocyte. Serum response factor (SRF) DNA-binding is an important regulator of muscle differentiation, including SMGA expression during smooth muscle cell differentiation. RhoA, a low molecular weight GTPase protein, can regulate cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle differentiation through SRF-dependent mechanisms.

Differential regulation of ENA-78 and GCP-2 gene expression in human corneal keratocytes and epithelial cells.

Purpose: To determine whether interleukin (IL)-1alpha- and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-stimulated human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs) and human corneal keratocytes (HCKs) produce the alpha-chemokines epithelial cell-derived neutrophil attractant (ENA)-78 and granulocyte chemotactic protein (GCP)-2.

Methods: Cultures of HCECs and HCKs were stimulated with either human recombinant IL-1alpha or TNF-alpha. At selected times after stimulation, culture supernatants were harvested and assayed for ENA-78 and GCP-2 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.