Contrast agents for quantitative microCT of lung tumors in mice.

The identification and quantitative evaluation of lung tumors in mouse models is challenging and an unmet need in preclinical arena. In this study, we developed a noninvasive contrast-enhanced microCT (μCT) method to longitudinally evaluate and quantitate lung tumors in mice. Commercially available μCT contrast agents were compared to determine the optimal agent for visualization of thoracic blood vessels and lung tumors in naïve mice and in non-small-cell lung cancer models.

Integrative genomics revealed RAI3 is a cell growth-promoting gene and a novel P53 transcriptional target.

In this study, differential gene expression between normal human mammary epithelial cells and their malignant counterparts (eight well established breast cancer cell lines) was studied using Incyte GeneAlbum 1-6, which contains 65,873 cDNA clones representing 33,515 individual genes. 3,152 cDNAs showed a > or =3.0-fold expression level change in at least one of the human breast cancer cell lines as compared with normal human mammary epithelial cells.

TRAF-4 expression in epithelial progenitor cells. Analysis in normal adult, fetal, and tumor tissues.

TRAF-4 was discovered because of its expression in breast cancers and is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factor (TRAF) family of putative signal-transducing proteins. In vitro binding assays demonstrated that TRAF-4 interacts with the cytosolic domain of the lymphotoxin-beta receptor (LT beta R) and weakly with the p75 nerve growth factor receptor (NGFR) but not with TNFR1, TNFR2, Fas, or CD40. Immunofluorescence analysis of TRAF-4 in transfected cells demonstrated localization to cytosol but not nucleus.

IAPs block apoptotic events induced by caspase-8 and cytochrome c by direct inhibition of distinct caspases.

Inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) gene products play an evolutionarily conserved role in regulating programmed cell death in diverse species ranging from insects to humans. Human XIAP, cIAP1 and cIAP2 are direct inhibitors of at least two members of the caspase family of cell death proteases: caspase-3 and caspase-7. Here we compared the mechanism by which IAPs interfere with activation of caspase-3 and other effector caspases in cytosolic extracts where caspase activation was initiated by caspase-8, a proximal protease activated by ligation of TNF-family receptors, or by cytochrome c, which is released from mitochondria into the cytosol during apoptosis.