The level of phosphorylated Akt predominantly reflects the expressive status of CerbB2 in invasive breast cancer.

Although some evidence has been documented on EGFR/PI3K mediation of Akt activation in breast cancers, ILK and DNA-PK have not been investigated so far. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of phosphorylated Akt (pAkt) in breast cancer, with respect to its upstream regulators. The immunostaining of pAkt (Ser473) in 70 invasive breast cancers revealed that status of CerbB2 could play a major role in Akt phosphorylation, while ILK was also involved in the stimulated level of pAkt.

A cluster of polypyrimidine tracts is involved in the transcription regulation of telomerase transcriptional elements-interacting factor.

In a previous study, we demonstrated that telomerase transcriptional elements-interacting factor (TEIF) could up-regulate the expression of telomerase and DNA polymerase beta, increasing resistance to genotoxic agents. Here, we further report that TEIF can be stimulated by DNA damage and we have identified a cluster of repeated polypyrimidine tracts in the promoter of TEIF, which mediate both its basal transcription and its response to genotoxic agents. These polypyrimidine tracts are arranged in three types of repeating units and in each of these units there are 14 bp length tandem sequences, which are repeated three times.

[Correlation of telomere length and the expression of its regulating proteins in mesenchymal sarcomas].

Objective: To explore the significance in the change of telomere length in mesenchymal sarcomas, through analyzing telomere length and expression of its associated proteins, including TRF1, POT1, hTERT, P53 and c-myc.

Methods: The telomere length in 20 cases of osteosarcomas, 25 of chondrosarcomas, 19 of rhabdomyosarcomas, 26 of liposarcomas was measured by telomere fluorescence in situ hybridization (Telo-FISH), and the expression of TRF1, POT1, hTERT, p53 or c-myc was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results: The telomere length in osteosarcomas was significantly shorter than that of either chondrosarcomas or liposarcomas (P<0.

[Expression of TEIF protein in soft tissue tumors and its significance].

Objective: To evaluate the expression of TEIF protein in human tumors of soft tissue and its significance.

Methods: Anti-TEIF polyclonal antibody was generated by immunization of E.coli expressed His-TEIF protein.