SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Candidate pathways”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,009 records · Page 56Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Csk homologous kinase (CHK) and ErbB-2 interactions are directly coupled with CHK negative growth regulatory function in breast cancer.

Our previous studies demonstrated that Csk homologous kinase (CHK) acts as a negative growth regulator of human breast cancer through inhibition of ErbB-2/neu-mediated Src family kinase activity (Bougeret, C., Jiang, S., Keydar, I., and Avraham, H. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 33711-33720. The interaction between the CHK SH2 domain and Tyr(P)(1248) of the ErbB-2 receptor has been shown to be specific and critical for CHK function. In this report, we investigated whether the interaction of the CHK SH2 domain and ErbB-2 is directly related to the inhibition of heregulin-stimulated Src kinase activity. We constructed three CHK SH2 domain binding mutants: G129R (enhanced binding), R147K (inhibited binding), and R147A (disrupted binding). NMR spectra for the domains of each construct were used to evaluate their interaction with a Tyr(P)(1248)-containing ErbB-2 peptide. G129R showed enhanced binding to ErbB-2, whereas binding was completely disrupted by R147A. The enhanced binding mutant showed chemical shift changes at the same residues as wild-type CHK, indicating that this mutant has the same binding characteristics as the wild-type protein. Furthermore, inhibition of heregulin-stimulated Src kinase activity was markedly diminished by R147A, whereas G129R-mediated inhibition was stronger as compared with wild-type CHK. These results indicate that the specific interaction of CHK and ErbB-2 via the SH2 domain of CHK is directly related to the growth inhibitory effects of CHK. These new CHK high affinity binding constructs may serve as good candidates for inhibition of the ErbB-2/Src transduction pathway in gene therapy studies in breast cancer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Biogenesis and topology of the transient receptor potential Ca2+ channel TRPC1.

The TRPC ion channels are candidates for the store-operated Ca(2+) entry pathway activated in response to depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores. Hydropathy analyses indicate that these proteins contain eight hydrophobic regions (HRs) that could potentially form alpha-helical membrane-spanning segments. Based on limited sequence similarities to other ion channels, it has been proposed that only six of the eight HRs actually span the membrane and that the last two membrane-spanning segments (HRs 6 and 8) border the ion-conducting pore of which HR 7 forms a part. Here we study the biogenesis and transmembrane topology of human TRPC1 to test this model. We have employed a truncation mutant approach combined with insertions of glycosylation sites into full-length TRPC1. In our truncation mutants, portions of the TRPC1 sequence containing one or more HRs were fused between the enhanced green fluorescent protein and a C-terminal glycosylation tag. These chimeras were transiently expressed in the human embryonic cell line HEK-293T. Glycosylation of the tag was used to monitor its location relative to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and thereby HR orientation. Our data indicate that HRs 1, 4, and 6 cross the membrane from cytosol to the ER lumen, that HRs 2, 5, and 8 have the opposite orientation, and that HR 3 is left out of the membrane on the cytosolic side. Our results also show that the sequence downstream of HR 8 plays an important role in anchoring its C-terminal end on the cytosolic side of the membrane. This effect appears to prevent HR 7 from spanning the bilayer and to result in its forming a pore-like structure of the type previously envisioned for the TRPC channels. We speculate that a similar mechanism may be responsible for the formation of other ion channel pores.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

Genetic and epigenetic alterations in tumor progression in a dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma.

In this case of a dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma, we searched for genetic or epigenetic alterations in both components of the tumor, the low grade chondroblastic component, and the high grade osteosacomatouscomponent. To date, only little is known about aberrant patterns of DNA methylation in chondrosarcomas. Microdissection was used as a valuable method for clearly separating the tissues. We examined CpG island methylation of 8 tumor suppressor genes and candidate tumor suppressor genes, which are involved in different pathways: cell cycle (p21WAF1, p16INK4, p14ARF), apoptosis (DAPK, FHIT), DNA repair (hMLH1), and cell adherence (E-Cadherin). We found p16INK4 and E-cadherin promotor methylation in the low grade chondroid compartment of the dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. P16INK4, FHIT, and E-cadherin were methylated in the highly malignant osteosarcomatous compartment of the tumor. Earlier investigations of this chondrosarcoma showed p53 mutation and p53-LOH in the anaplastic component. As shown in this case, it was accompanied by Rb-LOH. Early methylation of p16IK4 and E-cadherin in the chondroid compartment could point to the monoclonal origin of demonstrated dedifferentiated chondrosarcoma. Further alterations, as shown in p53, Rb and FHIT, are responsible for the "switch" to a high grade anaplastic sarcoma.

Cadherins↗

PubMed2006

LRRC4, a putative tumor suppressor gene, requires a functional leucine-rich repeat cassette domain to inhibit proliferation of glioma cells in vitro by modulating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase/protein kinase B/nuclear factor-kappaB pathway.

We have previously reported that the LRRC4 gene, which contains a conserved leucine-rich repeat (LRR) cassette and an immunoglobulin (Ig) IgC2 domain, is associated with glioma suppression both in vitro and in vivo. The present study provides evidence that the conspicuous absence of LRRC4 in high-grade gliomas directly contributes to the increasing tumor grade. The loss of LRRC4 in U251 cells is caused by the loss of homozygosity at chromosome 7q32-ter. It was also found that LRRC4 requires a functional LRR cassette domain to suppress U251 cell proliferation. In the LRR cassette domain, the third LRR motif of the core LRR is found to be indispensable for the function of LRRC4. The inhibitory effect of LRRC4 is accompanied by a decrease in the expression of pERK, pAkt, pNF-kappaBp65, signal transducer and activator of transcription protein-3 (STAT3), and mutant p53, and an increase in the expression of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK)2 and p-c-Jun, suggesting that LRRC4 plays a major role in suppressing U251 cell proliferation by regulating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/Akt/NF-kappaBp65, STAT3, and JNK2/c-Jun pathways. In conclusion, LRRC4 may act as a novel candidate of tumor suppressor gene. Therefore, the loss of LRRC4 function may be an important event in the progression of gliomas.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2002

Alterations of the p16(INK4) locus in human malignant mesothelial tumors.

The INK4 locus has two promoters and encodes two unique proteins that share exons in different reading frames, p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF). The p16(INK4a) protein, by inhibiting cyclin-dependent kinase, down regulates Rb-E2F and leads to cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. The p14(ARF) protein interacts with the MDM2 protein, neutralizing MDM2-mediated degradation of p53. Since p53/Rb genes are not altered in malignant mesothelioma, additional components of these pathways, such as p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF), are candidates for inactivation. In this study, we have examined p16(INK4a) and p14(ARF) alterations (gene deletion, mutation and promoter methylation) in 45 primary malignant mesothelioma specimens. Fourteen patients (31%) had altered p16; four tumors had a methylated promoter region (8.8%), 10 tumors showed p16 to be deleted (22.2%), and one tumor had a point mutation (2%). We did not find any instances of methylation in the p14(ARF) 5'-CpG island. Patients whose tumors had p16 deletion were significantly younger than those with methylation, and, in the patients whose lungs were studied for the prevalence of asbestos fibers, those with any p16 alteration had lower fiber counts than those with no p16 alteration. Hence, p16 gene alteration is relatively common in malignant mesothelioma, while p14(ARF) is rarely, if ever, methylated. Our data suggest that deletion of p16 occurs in a relatively susceptible subset of the population.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Both GnRH agonist and continuous oral progestin treatments reduce the expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor B and mu-opioid receptor in deep infiltrating endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) is commonly associated with severe pain. The pain can be managed successfully with GnRH agonists or continuous progestins. The precise molecular mechanism by which DIE causes pain or why hormonal treatment is effective, however, remains unclear. We recently identified three potential candidate genes that might be involved in DIE pain pathways: tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrKB), mu-opioid receptor (MOR) and serotonin transporter (5HTT). We hypothesized that if these three genes were involved in DIE-associated pain, their expression levels would probably be modulated by GnRH agonist or progestin. In this study, we compared mRNA expression levels of TrKB, MOR and 5HTT in DIE among patients pre-operatively treated with GnRH agonist, progestin or without pre-operative medical treatments. METHODS: The expression levels of TrKB, MOR and 5HTT mRNA in DIE were determined using laser capture microdissection and real-time RT-PCR techniques. RESULTS: The expression levels of TrKB in epithelial cells and MOR in stromal cells from DIE were significantly decreased in patients with pre-operative GnRH agonist or progestin. There was no significant difference in 5HTT expression levels among untreated, GnRH agonist- and progestin-treated patients. CONCLUSION: The expression levels of TrKB and MOR genes in DIE appeared to be modulated by GnRH agonist or progestin. However, the functional roles of TrKB and MOR in DIE remain to be clarified.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Epigenetic changes in cancer and preneoplasia.

Recent studies have identified an increasing number of genes that are inactivated by promoter region methylation in cancer. Some of these genes were initially identified as altered genetically in cancer, but in other tumors they are silenced in association with promoter region CpG island methylation. New approaches for screening the genome add to this list of candidate tumor suppressor genes, and many genes regulated key pathways in cancer, including cell cycle control, DNA repair, and apoptosis. Transcription factors may also be silenced by promoter region methylation, affecting the expression of many downstream target genes and globally altering the cancer phenotype. Determining loss of expression is important in assigning functional importance to promoter region methylation for any gene. Individual cancers have alterations in many different genes, affecting many of these important pathways and contributing to the cancer phenotype. The number of genes targeted for promoter region methylation increases during neoplastic progression. These studies suggest that the epigenetic change of promoter region methylation plays a critical role in neoplastic transformation and progression.

Chromatin↗

PubMed2006

The Medicago truncatula lysin [corrected] motif-receptor-like kinase gene family includes NFP and new nodule-expressed genes.

Rhizobial Nod factors are key symbiotic signals responsible for starting the nodulation process in host legume plants. Of the six Medicago truncatula genes controlling a Nod factor signaling pathway, Nod Factor Perception (NFP) was reported as a candidate Nod factor receptor gene. Here, we provide further evidence for this by showing that NFP is a lysin [corrected] motif (LysM)-receptor-like kinase (RLK). NFP was shown both to be expressed in association with infection thread development and to be involved in the infection process. Consistent with deviations from conserved kinase domain sequences, NFP did not show autophosphorylation activity, suggesting that NFP needs to associate with an active kinase or has unusual functional characteristics different from classical kinases. Identification of nine new M. truncatula LysM-RLK genes revealed a larger family than in the nonlegumes Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) or rice (Oryza sativa) of at least 17 members that can be divided into three subfamilies. Three LysM domains could be structurally predicted for all M. truncatula LysM-RLK proteins, whereas one subfamily, which includes NFP, was characterized by deviations from conserved kinase sequences. Most of the newly identified genes were found to be expressed in roots and nodules, suggesting this class of receptors may be more extensively involved in nodulation than was previously known.

Amino Acid Motifs↗

PubMed1996

De novo purine synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana. II. The PUR7 gene encoding 5'-phosphoribosyl-4-(N-succinocarboxamide)-5-aminoimidazole synthetase is expressed in rapidly dividing tissues.

The small genome size and excellent genetics of Arabidopsis, as well as the ease with which it is transformed, make it a superb candidate for molecular genetic studies of the purine biosynthetic pathway. Herein we report the isolation, physical characterization, and dissection of the expression patterns of the single gene encoding 5'-phosphoribosyl-4-(N-succinocarboxamide)-5-aminoimidazole synthetase. This enzyme, encoded by the PUR7 gene, catalyzes aspartate addition at the alpha-amino group to the growing purine backbone. The expression of the PUR7 as directed by the 5' region, containing the promoter, mRNA leader, and leader intron, was examined in Arabidopsis using a transgenic reporter system. Our analysis demonstrates that the highest level of purine biosynthesis occurs in mitotically active tissues of the plant. Furthermore, purine biosynthesis appears to be under developmental and hormonal regulation. Inhibition of purine biosynthesis using substrate analogs results in arrested plant development and induction of purine gene expression. Purine nucleotides and their derivatives provide multiple cofactors for a variety of metabolic processes. Our findings begin to identify some of the regulatory mechanisms that affect the production of purine nucleotides in Arabidopsis and may give important insights into nitrogen metabolism in general.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

RAGE is the major receptor for the proinflammatory activity of HMGB1 in rodent macrophages.

Abstract High-mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) is a protein with both intranuclear functions and extracellular cytokine-like effects. In this report, we study possible candidate receptors for HMGB1 on macrophages (Mphi) and define pathways activated by HMGB1 binding. Bone marrow Mphi were prepared from Dark Agouti (DA) rats and stimulated in vitro with HMGB1. The kinetics of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) production, NO production, activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), p44/42 MAPK- and SAPK/JNK-signalling pathways, nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) and HMGB1-induced upregulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and CD86 were analysed. Mphi from interleukin (IL)-1 receptor type I-/-, Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2-/-) and RAGE-/- mice were used to investigate the role of these receptors in HMGB1 signalling. HMGB1 induced TNF and NO production by Mphi, phosphorylation of all investigated MAP kinase pathways and NF-kappaB translocation, and expression of MHC class II was increased. Mphi from RAGE-/- mice produced significantly lower amounts of TNF, IL-1beta and IL-6, while IL-1RI-/- and TLR2-/- Mphi produced cytokine levels comparable with wildtype controls in response to HMGB1 stimulation. We conclude that HMGB1 has the potential to induce a proinflammatory phenotype in Mphi, with RAGE as the major activation-inducing receptor.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Calcium and cellular clocks orchestrate cell division.

The results of experiments recently reported from this and other laboratories provide firm support for Heilbrunn's thesis that mitotic events are initiated by transient elevation of intracellular Ca2+, derived from intracellular stores. The ATP-dependent MA Ca2(+)-pump working in concert with an endomembrane Ca2+ channel appears to share the responsibility for regulating these Ca2+ signals. Further results demonstrated a limited time window during which the cell is sensitive to agents that impose mitotic arrest by interfering with transient elevations in intracellular "free" Ca2+ concentration. From this it appears that a discrete, timed increase in cytosolic Ca2+ derived from endomembrane stores is a necessary signal for regulating the onset of NEB, AO, and mitosis. Results from the arrest and release experiments provide support for a model in which Ca2+ is used to coordinate the action of parallel independent and interdependent biochemical pathways whose interaction results in the cytologic events of mitosis. These pathways apparently are operating under the influence of a metabolic "clock" that continues to cycle, at least once, in the absence of a Ca2+ transient sufficient to initiate NEB or AO. The discrete and temporal regulation of this Ca2+ transient through the interaction of the endomembrane Ca2+ pump, an endomembrane Ca2+ channel, and intracellular Ca2(+)-dependent reaction pathways suggest a mechanism incorporating a negative feedback loop to limit the size and duration of the Ca2+ transient and prevent the release of excessive amounts of Ca2+. Deeper understanding of the regulatory mechanism that governs the onset of mitosis requires: (1) quantitative imaging of intracellular Ca2+, especially the Ca2+ signal throughout the cell cycle, with high spatial and temporal resolution; and (2) identifying the molecules responsible for regulating the expression and reception of the Ca2+ signal itself. It is clear that Ca2(+)-dependent pathways are necessary elements of the mitotic process. Molecular candidates for the regulators and regulatees have yet to be identified. The upstream controlling molecules of these transmembrane Ca2+ regulatory elements, as well as the initial mitotic "start" signal, await future identification. Downstream regulation is also clearly indicated, perhaps through regulation of cyclin expression, degradation, or both.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

The high-molecular-weight cytochrome c Cyc2 of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is an outer membrane protein.

A high-molecular-weight c-type cytochrome, Cyc2, and a putative 22-kDa c-type cytochrome were detected in the membrane fraction released during spheroplast formation from Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans. This fraction was enriched in outer membrane components and devoid of cytoplasmic membrane markers. The genetics, as well as the subcellular localization of Cyc2 at the outer membrane level, therefore make it a prime candidate for the initial electron acceptor in the respiratory pathway between ferrous iron and oxygen.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

PubMed2004

The ClpP peptidase is the major determinant of bulk protein turnover in Bacillus subtilis.

Measurements of overall protein degradation rates in wild-type and clpP mutant Bacillus subtilis cells revealed that stress- or starvation-induced bulk protein turnover depends virtually exclusively on the ClpP peptidase. ClpP is also essential for intracellular protein quality control, and in its absence newly synthesized proteins were highly prone to aggregation even at 37 degrees C. Proteomic comparisons between the wild type and a DeltaclpP mutant showed that the absence of ClpP leads to severe perturbations of "normal" physiology, complicating the detection of ClpP substrates. A pulse-chase two-dimensional gel approach was therefore used to compare wild-type and clpP mutant cultures that had been radiolabeled in mid-exponential phase, by quantifying changes in relative spot intensities with time. The results showed that overall proteolysis is biased toward proteins with vegetative functions which are no longer required (or are required at lower levels) in the nongrowing state. The identified substrate candidates for ClpP-dependent degradation include metabolic enzymes and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Some substrate candidates catalyze the first committed step of certain biosynthetic pathways. Our data suggest that ClpP-dependent proteolysis spans a broad physiological spectrum, with regulatory processing of key metabolic components and regulatory proteins on the one side and general bulk protein breakdown at the transition from growing to nongrowing phases on the other.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

PubMed2026

Multi-level aggregation analysis of microbiome composition and host gene expression reveals associations with systemic and local immunity.

The human gut microbiome plays a critical role in immune regulation, yet the molecular links between microbiome composition and host gene expression remain incompletely understood. We analyzed associations between host gene expression and microbiome composition in a cohort of 315 healthy individuals, integrating microarray-based gene expression data from three intestinal sites (ileum, transverse colon, and rectum) and six immune cell types with microbiome sequencing data. Using a hierarchical feature aggregation strategy combining principal component analysis, clustering, and covariate correction, we discovered significant associations primarily related to immunity. While microbial profiles were similar across the three intestinal sites, the transverse colon yielded the most "microbiome-host gene expression" associations. Among the immune cell types, CD8+ cells showed the highest number of associations. The first principal component of microbiome composition, reflecting a gradient from commensals (e.g., Ruminococcaceae and Christensenellaceae) to proinflammatory taxa ([Ruminococcus] gnavus and Lachnoclostridium), correlated with the expression of TNF-α-linked genes (HMOX1, CPI17, HSD3B2, and SLC5A1). Among individual genera, Catenibacterium abundance was associated with gene expression in both intestinal and immune cells, including negative associations with MRPS21 (related to mitochondrial function) in the transverse colon and with CD8+ gene programs related to T cell differentiation. These findings align with emerging evidence implicating mitochondrial dysfunction in intestinal inflammation. Our results identify multi-level associations between the gut microbiome and host gene expression, suggesting potential mechanisms by which microbiota shape local and systemic immunity and vice versa. The implicated genes and taxa represent candidates for experimental validation to improve understanding of host-microbiome homeostasis and its disruption in disease.IMPORTANCEThe gut microbiome and immune system are engaged in a complex interplay throughout human life. While most associative studies focus on case-control comparisons-typically examining patients with conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or metabolic diseases-less is known about the molecular links between the microbiome and immune system in healthy individuals. In this study of a large cohort of healthy individuals, we addressed this gap by applying multiscale modeling to tackle the high dimensionality of host-microbiome data. We identified multi-level associations between microbiome composition and host gene expression in both intestinal tissues and immune cells. These findings offer a valuable reference for understanding baseline host-microbiome communication and highlight molecular candidates-such as TNF-α-related genes and mitochondrial pathways-for future experimental validation.

Humans↗

PubMed2005

Gene expression profiling of gilthead sea bream during early development and detection of stress-related genes by the application of cDNA microarray technology.

Large-scale gene expression studies were performed for one of the main European aquaculture species, the gilthead sea bream Sparus auratus L. For this purpose, a cDNA microarray containing 10,176 clones from a cDNA library of mixed embryonic and larval stages was constructed. In addition to its importance for aquaculture, the taxonomic position and the relatively small genome size of sea bream makes it a prospective model for evolutionary biology and comparative genomics. However, so far, no large-scale analysis of gene expression exists for this species. In the present study, gene expression was analyzed in gilthead sea bream during early development, a significant period in the determination of quantitative traits and therefore of considerable interest for aquaculture. Synexpression groups expressed primarily early and late in development were determined and were composed of both known and novel genes. Furthermore, it was possible to identify stress response genes induced by cortisol injections using the cDNA microarray generated. The creation of gene expression profiles for sea bream by microarray hybridization will accelerate identification of candidate genes involved in multifactorial traits and certain regulatory pathways and will also contribute to a better understanding of the genetic background of fish physiology, which may help to improve aquaculture practices.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Perifosine inhibits multiple signaling pathways in glial progenitors and cooperates with temozolomide to arrest cell proliferation in gliomas in vivo.

Perifosine is an oral Akt inhibitor which exerts a marked cytotoxic effect on human tumor cell lines, and is currently being tested in several phase II trials for treatment of major human cancers. However, the efficacy of perifosine in human gliomas has not been established. As Akt is activated in approximately 70% of human glioblastomas, we investigated the impact of perifosine on glia in culture and on a mouse glioma model in vivo. Here we show that perifosine strongly reduces phosphorylation levels of Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) 1/2, induces cell cycle arrest in G1 and G2, and causes dose-dependent growth inhibition of mouse glial progenitors in which Akt and/or Ras-Erk 1/2 pathways are activated. Furthermore, because temozolomide is a common oral alkylating agent used in the treatment of gliomas, we investigated the effect of perifosine in combination with temozolomide. We observed an enhanced effect when both were used in culture. With these results, we combined perifosine and temozolomide as treatment of platelet-derived growth factor B-driven gliomas in mice. Animal studies showed that perifosine and temozolomide combination therapy was more effective than temozolomide treatment alone (P < 0.01). These results indicate that perifosine is an effective drug in gliomas in which Akt and Ras-Erk 1/2 pathways are frequently activated, and may be a new candidate for glioma treatment in the clinic.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Isoginkgetin inhibits tumor cell invasion by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt-dependent matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression.

Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 plays a key role in tumor invasion. Inhibitors of MMP-9 were screened from Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn redwood) and one potent inhibitor, isoginkgetin, a biflavonoid, was identified. Noncytotoxic levels of isoginkgetin decreased MMP-9 production profoundly, but up-regulated the level of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1, an inhibitor of MMP-9, in HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells. The major mechanism of Ras-dependent MMP-9 production in HT1080 cells was phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt/nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. Expression of dominant-active H-Ras and p85 (a subunit of PI3K) increased MMP-9 activity, whereas dominant-negative forms of these molecules decreased the level of MMP-9. H-Ras did not increase MMP-9 in the presence of a PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, and a NF-kappaB inhibitor, SN50. Further studies showed that isoginkgetin regulated MMP-9 production via PI3K/Akt/NF-kappaB pathway, as evidenced by the findings that isoginkgetin inhibited activities of both Akt and NF-kappaB. PI3K/Akt is a well-known key pathway for cell invasion, and isoginkgetin inhibited HT1080 tumor cell invasion substantially. Isoginkgetin was also quite effective in inhibiting the activities of Akt and MMP-9 in MDA-MB-231 breast carcinomas and B16F10 melanoma. Moreover, isoginkgetin treatment resulted in marked decrease in invasion of these cells. In summary, PI3K/Akt is a major pathway for MMP-9 expression and isoginkgetin markedly decreased MMP-9 expression and invasion through inhibition of this pathway. This suggests that isoginkgetin could be a potential candidate as a therapeutic agent against tumor invasion.

Biflavonoids↗

PubMed2006

Association study of the trinucleotide repeat polymorphism within SMARCA2 and schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND: Brahma (BRM) is a key component of the multisubunit SWI/SNF complex, a complex which uses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to remodel chromatin. BRM contains an N-terminal polyglutamine domain, encoded by a polymorphic trinucleotide (CAA/CAG) repeat, the only known polymorphism in the coding region of the gene (SMARCA2). We have examined the association of this polymorphism with schizophrenia in a family-based and case/control study. SMARCA2 was chosen as a candidate gene because of its specific role in developmental pathways, its high expression level in the brain and some evidence of its association with schizophrenia spectrum disorder from genome-wide linkage analysis. RESULTS: Family-based analysis with 281 complete and incomplete triads showed that there is no significant preferential transmission of any of the alleles to the affected offspring. Also, in the case/control analysis, similar allele and genotype distributions were observed between affected cases (n = 289) and unaffected controls (n = 273) in each of three Caucasian populations studied: French Canadian, Tunisian and other Caucasians of European origin. CONCLUSION: Results from our family-based and case-control association study suggest that there is no association between the trinucleotide repeat polymorphism within SMARCA2 and schizophrenia.

Case-Control Studies↗