NK4 gene therapy combined with cisplatin inhibits tumour growth and metastasis of squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: NK4 inhibits vascularisation in tumour tissues, thereby arresting tumour growth. However, the antitumour efficacy of individual antiangiogenic molecules expressed in vivo is not sufficiently potent to induce regression in animal models. One of the strategies to overcome this disadvantage is to use chemotherapy.

Cold shock domain protein A (CSDA) overexpression inhibits tumor growth and lymph node metastasis in a mouse model of squamous cell carcinoma.

Cancer cells metastasize by entering the lymphatic system. Regional lymph-node dissemination is the first detectable step in the metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and is highly correlated to the prognosis of the disease. Cold shock domain protein A (CSDA) is a DNA-binding protein that represses angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis by directly binding to hypoxia response element (HRE) and serum response element (SRE).

Interleukin-12-responding asialoGM1+CD8+ central memory-type T cells as precursor cells for interferon-gamma-producing killer T cells.

While investigating CD8(+) memory T cells in unimmunized C57BL/6 mice, we found that there were unique memory-type CD8(+) T cells expressing asialoGM1 (ASGM1), CD62L and CCR7 cell surface molecules, which occupied approximately 10% of CD8(+) T cells and 35% of CD44(+) memory CD8(+) T cells. Culture of freshly isolated ASGM1(+)CD8(+) T cells with interleukin (IL)-12 plus IL-2 caused the proliferation and generation of killer T cells. Moreover, ASGM1(+)CD8(+) T cells, but not ASGM1(-)CD8(+) T cells, produced high levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma in response to IL-12 plus IL-2.

Inverted ductal papilloma of minor salivary gland: case report with immunohistochemical study and literature review.

Inverted ductal papilloma (IDP) is a type of ductal papilloma arising in ducts of minor salivary glands. Very few cases, and no cases in Japan, have been reported. Reported herein is a case of IDP with a review of the literature.

Cationized gelatin delivery of a plasmid DNA expressing small interference RNA for VEGF inhibits murine squamous cell carcinoma.

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) plays a major role in RNA interference (RNAi), a process in which segments of dsRNA are initially cleaved by the Dicer into shorter segments (21-23 nt) called small interfering RNA (siRNA). These siRNA then specifically target homologous mRNA molecules causing them to be degraded by cellular ribonucleases. RNAi down regulates endogenous gene expression in mammalian cells.

Essential role of LFA-1 in activating Th2-like responses by alpha-galactosylceramide-activated NKT cells.

NKT cells produce large amounts of cytokines associated with both the Th1 (IFN-gamma) and Th2 (IL-4) responses following stimulation of their invariant Valpha14 Ag receptor. The role of adhesion molecules in the activation of NKT cells by the Valpha14 ligand alpha-galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) remains unclear. To address this issue, LFA-1-/- (CD11a-/-) mice were used to investigate IL-4 and IFN-gamma production by NKT cells following alpha-GalCer stimulation.