Cell signaling pathways and protein translation are crucial for understanding malignant transformation. 4E-BP1 and the eIF4F complex regulate cap-dependent translation. We investigated how 4E-BP1 and eIF4E phosphorylation status affects in vitro and in vivo cell proliferation in a breast cancer model. »
07/08/11

In a previous study, we reported a critical role of epidermal growth factor-like domain 7 (EGFL7) in the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and documented it to be a prognostic biomarker as well as a potential therapeutic target for HCC. However, the role of EGFL8, the only known paralog of EGFL7, in human malignancies is currently unclear. »
06/01/11

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are strongly implicated in cancer but their specific roles and functions in the major cancers have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we defined the oncogenic significance and function of miR-95, which we found to be elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues by microarray analysis. »
04/01/11

Patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Chronic inflammation is believed to promote carcinogenesis. The risk for colon cancer increases with the duration and anatomic extent of colitis and presence of other inflammatory disorders (such as primary sclerosing cholangitis), whereas it decreases when patients take drugs to reduce inflammation (such as mesalamine and steroids). »
05/01/11

Inhibition of cell-cycle progression is a target for the treatment of cancer. 3-Oxoolean-12-en-27-oic acid (3-OOLA) has shown significant anticancer activity towards diverse cancer cells, but has not been investigated for non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) cells. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of 3-OOLA in NSCLC cell lines and its underlying mechanism. »
06/01/11

The cathepsin inhibitor Cystatin A (CSTA) has antiapoptotic properties linked with neoplastic changes in squamous cell epithelium, where it has been proposed as a diagnostic and prognostic marker of lung cancer. Notably, cystatin A is upregulated in dysplastic epithelium, prompting us to hypothesize that it might be modulated in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a small airway epithelial (SAE) disorder that is a risk factor for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a subset of smokers. »
04/01/11

N-myc downstream regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) is involved in invasion and metastasis of cancer, furthermore it is frequently down-regulated in prostate cancer. Herein we evaluated the effect of NDRG2 overexpression on invasiveness and bone destruction in prostate cancer. »
11/01/11

Calocedrus formosana (Florin) bark acetone/ethylacetate extracts are known to exert an antitumor effect on some human cancer cell lines, but the mechanism is yet to be defined. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Florin leaf methanol extracts on the growth and apoptosis of human bladder cancer cell lines. »
06/12/11

In craniopharyngiomas, cystic growth causes pressure on vital structures of the adjacent brain, leading to significant morbidity. However, the molecular pathogenesis of this cyst formation remains unknown. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) is a tumor-associated, hypoxia-inducible enzyme, which can cause fluid production and development of cysts. The authors investigated CA IX expression in craniopharyngiomas and its correlation with the extent of cyst formation. In addition, the major pathways of CA IX regulation, hypoxia and p53 mutation, were analyzed. »
07/15/11

The human kinome includes Ror1, a poorly characterized orphan receptor. Here we report the findings of an investigation of Ror1 contributions to cancer, undertaken through an integrated screening of 43 cancer cell lines where we measured protein expression, tyrosine phosphorylation, and growth response following RNAi-mediated Ror1 suppression. »
04/15/11