MET receptor is a potential therapeutic target in high grade cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women suffering from tumors. Current treatment options are insufficient. Here, we investigated the MET receptor as a potential molecular target in advanced cervical cancer. Downregulation of MET receptor expression via RNA interference in different cervical carcinoma cell lines dramatically decreased tumor growth and forced tumor differentiation in vivo. MET receptor silencing also led to a dramatic decrease in cell size and a decrease in proliferation rate under normal and stress conditions. MET receptor downregulation also resulted in decreased cyclin D1 and c-myc levels but did not increase apoptosis. Subsequent experiments showed that downregulation of the MET receptor decreased the expression of a key regulator of the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, SLUG. and increased the expression of E-cadherin, a hallmark of the epithelial phenotype. Moreover, MET downregulation impairs expression and signaling of CXCR4 receptor, responsible for invasive phenotype.Taken together, our results strongly suggest that the MET receptor influences the oncogenic properties of cervical carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings highlight a unique role of the MET receptor in cervical carcinoma cells and indicate the MET receptor as a potential therapeutic target for advanced cervical carcinoma.     

Nogo‐B expression,in arterial intima,is impeded in the early stages of atherosclerosis in humans

Nogo‐B (Reticulon 4B) is considered to be a novel vascular marker, which may have a protective role in injury‐induced neointima formation and atherosclerosis. Nogo A/B is found to be crucial for monocyte/macrophage recruitment in acute inflammation and it is expressed in CD68 + macrophages. We hypothesize that macrophage infiltration in atherosclerosis is not dependent on Nogo‐B expression in arterial wall. We have assessed Nogo‐B expression and macrophage accumulation in the iliac arteries of healthy organ donors and organ donors with cardiovascular risk factors. Paraffin sections of 66 iliac arteries, from 44 deceased organ donors (17 women and 27 men), were studied. The healthy and cardiovascular risk (CVR) subgroups were created. With regard to staging of the atherosclerotic process, the thickness of arterial intima was measured in digitalized images of H+E stained tissue sections. Immunohistochemical reactions (Nogo‐B and CD68) were carried out in all arteries (66 samples). Western blotting (WB‐19 samples) and real‐time PCR (27 samples) were performed on selected arteries. Significantly higher Nogo‐B expression was demonstrated in the intima of the healthy subjects' subgroup, using immunohistochemistry. WB and real‐time PCR revealed a trend toward lower Nogo‐B expression in the adventitia of the CVR subgroup. Furthermore, the thickness of the intima was found to negatively correlate with the expression of Nogo‐B in the intima and media (r = ?0.32; p < 0.05; r = ?0.32; p < 0.05). Macrophage infiltrates were more prominent in intima of CVR subjects (0.65 vs 3.52 a.u.; p < 0.01). Macrophage density in intima increased with atherosclerosis progression (r = 0.37; p < 0.01). CD68 macrophages density in adventitia was lower in CVR arteries than in healthy arteries. The expression of Nogo‐B, in arterial intima, is impeded in the early stages of atherosclerosis. Accumulation of arterial intimal CD68 macrophages has been shown to progress; however, the overall macrophage density in the adventitia is reduced in arteries shown to have intimal thickening. Macrophage infiltration is not accompanied by Nogo‐B expression in atherosclerotic arteries.     

Melatonin nephroprotective action in Zucker diabetic fatty rats involves its inhibitory effect on NADPH oxidase

Excessive activity of NADPH oxidase (Nox) is considered to be of importance for the progress of diabetic nephropathy. The aim of the study was to elucidate the effect of melatonin, known for its nephroprotective properties, on Nox activity under diabetic conditions. The experiments were performed on three groups of animals: (i) untreated lean (?/+) Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats; (ii) untreated obese diabetic (fa/fa) ZDF rats; and (iii) ZDF fa/fa rats treated with melatonin (20 mg/L) in drinking water. Urinary albumin excretion was measured weekly. After 4 wk of the treatment, the following parameters were determined in kidney cortex: Nox activity, expression of subunits of the enzyme, their phosphorylation and subcellular distribution. Histological studies were also performed. Compared to ?/+ controls, ZDF fa/fa rats exhibited increased renal Nox activity, augmented expression of Nox4 and p47^phox subunits, elevated level of p47^phox phosphorylation, and enlarged phospho‐p47^phox and p67^phox content in membrane. Melatonin administration to ZDF fa/fa rats resulted in the improvement of renal functions, as manifested by considerable attenuation of albuminuria and some amelioration of structural abnormalities. The treatment turned out to nearly normalize Nox activity, which was accompanied by considerably lowered expression and diminished membrane distribution of regulatory subunits, that is, phospho‐p47^phox and p67^phox. Thus, it is concluded that: (i) melatonin beneficial action against diabetic nephropathy involves attenuation of the excessive activity of Nox; and (ii) the mechanism of melatonin inhibitory effect on Nox is based on the mitigation of expression and membrane translocation of its regulatory subunits.     

Molecular Biomarkers of Epileptogenesis

Epileptogenesis, a process leading to a reduced threshold for seizures after transient brain insults, as well as the mechanisms underlying the propensity to generate spontaneous epileptic seizures, are highly dynamic processes. Biomarkers—objective measures of biological processes—would be excellent tools for monitoring epileptogenesis and the dynamics of increased seizure propensity, as well as the potential to interfere, for example pharmacologically, with these key pathological aspects of epilepsy. Molecular biomarkers have revolutionized therapies, as well as response prediction and monitoring of therapies in other biomedical fields. However, high-impact molecular biomarkers are still not available in the context of epilepsy. Several factors, such as the large heterogeneity of epileptic syndromes and their underlying pathological patterns, as well as the limited availability of tissue samples, represent a particular challenge to the development of molecular biomarkers in epileptogenesis and epilepsy. However, substantial technical progress has been made recently with respect to biomarker characterization and monitoring by large throughput analysis on the genomic, mRNA, and proteomic levels, starting from minute amounts of brain tissue or body fluids, for example cerebrospinal fluid, blood, serum, or plasma. Given the substantial cellular- and network-level functional pathophysiology involved in epilepsy, it may be beneficial in the future to combine molecular analysis with other methods, such as imaging and electrophysiological biomarkers.     

Kynurenic acid and zaprinast diminished CXCL17-evoked pain-related behaviour and enhanced morphine analgesia in a mouse neuropathic pain model

Background

The G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35), is considered important for nociceptive transmission, as suggested by accumulating evidence. This receptor was discovered in 1998; however, a lack of pharmacological tools prevented a complete understanding of its function and how to exploit it therapeutically. We studied the influence of CXCL17, kynurenic acid and zaprinast on nociceptive transmission in naïve and neuropathic mice. Additionally, we investigated the influence of kynurenic acid and zaprinast on morphine effectiveness in neuropathic pain.