EGCG downregulates IL-1RI expression and suppresses IL-1-induced tumorigenic factors in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells.

Human pancreatic cancer is currently one of the fifth-leading causes of cancer-related mortality with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Since pancreatic carcinoma is largely refractory to conventional therapies, there is a strong medical need for the development of novel and innovative therapeutic strategies. Increasing evidence suggests an association of carcinogenesis and chronic inflammation.

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase and prostaglandin H2 synthase 2 are up-regulated in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells after stimulation with interleukin-1.

Human pancreatic cancer is today an almost incurable disease with a 5-year survival rate of <5%. Chronic inflammation in the tumor region is often associated with cancer progression. In pancreatic tumors, the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1 has been found to affect the development of chemoresistance in this cancer type.

Glycated albumin (Amadori product) induces activation of MAP kinases in monocyte-like MonoMac 6 cells.

Increased levels of glycated, Amadori-modified albumin are a risk factor for diabetic vascular disorders. Glycated albumin binds to specific receptors and induces cellular signaling pathways, the complexity of which is largely unknown. Binding of glycated albumin to MonoMac 6 cells leads to an activation of MAPK p44/42 (ERK1/2) and p38 with subsequent translocation of NF-kappaB into the nucleus.

Nucleophosmin is a component of the fructoselysine-specific receptor in cell membranes of Mono Mac 6 and U937 monocyte-like cells.

The monocyte-like cell lines Mono Mac 6 (MM6) and U937 bind Amadori-modified proteins via fructoselysine (FL)-specific sites with molar masses of 110, 150 and 200 kDa, which can specifically be isolated by an affinity method with magnetobeads coated with glycated polylysine. Using Western blots developed with different anti-nucleophosmin antisera, MS-analysis and immunohistochemistry, we show that the nucleolar protein nucleophosmin is also localized in the cell membrane and is part of the 150- and 200-kDa membrane protein fractions of FL-specific binding membrane proteins. This is the first evidence that nucleophosmin is not only existing in the nucleolus and cytoplasm, but also, like nucleolin, is in the cell membrane.