SLIT2 attenuation during lung cancer progression deregulates beta-catenin and E-cadherin and associates with poor prognosis.

Chromosome 4p15.3 is frequently deleted in late-stage lung cancer. We investigated the significance of the SLIT2 gene located in this region to lung cancer progression.

Decreased mRNA transcripts of M-phase promoting factor and its regulators in the testes of infertile men.

Background: M-phase promoting factor (MPF), which is comprised of Cyclin B and a catalytic subunit, Cdc2, is a key enzyme required for cells to enter M phase in both mitosis and meiosis. MPF activity is controlled by the stimulatory dephosphorylation of the Cdc25 family and the inhibitory phosphorylation of Wee1. We determined the levels of mRNA transcripts of MPF and its regulators in the testes of infertile men, and evaluated the relationship between the transcript levels and patients' testicular phenotypes and sperm retrieval results.

Association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism of the deleted-in-azoospermia-like gene with susceptibility to spermatogenic failure.

Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of exon-containing genomic DNA segments of the deleted-in-azoospermia-like (DAZL) gene was performed in 160 infertile Taiwanese men presenting with severe oligozoospermia and nonobstructive azoospermia. An A-->G transition at nucleotide 386 in exon 3 was identified. The mutation is located within the RNA-recognition motif (aa 32-117) domain of the DAZL protein and will lead to Thr54-->Ala change (T54A) of DAZL protein.