Triple-negative breast cancers lack estrogen receptor α (ERα), progesterone receptor, and do not overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her-2). They are neither susceptible to endocrine therapy nor to a therapy using the anti-Her-2 antibody, trastuzumab. Therefore, an efficient targeted therapy is warranted. Triple-negative breast tumors frequently express membrane bound estrogen receptor G-protein coupled receptor (GPR30). »
01/31/12

The 40S ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) is an important regulator of cell growth. Expression of S6K1 is often elevated in breast cancer cells. However, the transcriptional mechanism of S6K1 overexpression is not understood. In this report, we demonstrate that estrogen activates expression of S6K1 via estrogen receptor (ER)α in ER-positive breast cancer cells. »
01/30/12

67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR) has been identified as a prognostic biomarker for a variety of human cancers. We investigated the clinical significance of 67LR expression and its functional role in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). »
01/28/12

The aim of the study was to investigate the photodynamic effect of the novel photosensitizer chlorophyllin e4 against human bladder cancer cells. T24 and 5637 bladder cancer cell lines were incubated with chlorophyllin e4 and irradiated with a 650-nm laser light. The controls included cells treated with chlorophyllin e4 but without light as well as cells exposed to laser light without chlorophyllin e4. Photocytotoxicity was monitored with MTT assay and apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. »
01/26/12

Obesity confers risks to cancer development and progression but the mechanisms underlying these risks remain unclear. In this study, we identify a role for the obesity cytokine leptin, which has been implicated previously in breast cancer development, as a determinant for the tumor-promoting activity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in both wild-type (WT) and K303R mutant ERα-expressing breast cancer cells. »
01/26/12

Prolactin (PRL) promotes the proliferation and survival of breast cancer cells in part via the transactivation of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), also known as Neu in rodents. A PRL receptor (PRLR) antagonist, G129R, has been developed, which indirectly inhibits the tyrosine phosphorylation of HER2 (p-HER2) in human breast cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigate the effects of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) upon this molecular cross-talk using tumor cells and CAFs derived from spontaneous mammary tumors of female MMTV-neu transgenic mice. »
01/22/12

Frequent downregulation of microRNA-449a (miR-449a) was detected in 14 human bladder cancer tissues. The restoration of miR-449a inhibited cell growth and induced G1-phase arrest in T24 and 5637 human bladder cancer cells. »
01/20/12

Although pre-clinical and clinical studies on PARP1 inhibitors, alone and in combination with DNA-damaging agents, show promising results, further ways to improve and broaden the scope of application of this therapeutic approach are warranted. To this end, we have investigated the possibility of improving the response of BRCA1 mutant breast cancer cells to PARP1 inhibition by co-targeting the PI3K pathway. »
01/20/12

Glioblastomas are known to be highly chemoresistant, but HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) have been shown to be of therapeutic relevance for this aggressive tumor type. We treated U87 glioblastoma cells with trichostatin A (TSA) to define potential epigenetic targets for HDACi-mediated antitumor effects. Using a cDNA array analysis covering 96 cell cycle genes, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1) was identified as the major player in TSA-induced cell cycle arrest. »
01/20/12

We analyzed the association between meat intake, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and bladder cancer (BC) risk in a large case-control study comprised of 884 BC cases and 878 healthy controls, recruited from 1999 to 2009. Epidemiologic and dietary data were collected via an in-person interview. Compared to the lowest quartile of red meat intake, the odds ratios (ORs) for the second, third and fourth quartiles were 1.17 (95% CI= 0.87 to1.58), 1.47 (95% CI= 1.09 to1.99), and 1.95 (95% CI=1.41 to 2.68), respectively (P-for trend <0.001). »
01/19/12