Factors predicting sensitivity to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) blockade are largely unknown and new strategies are being sought to individualize cancer therapy. This study evaluated the variation in the expression of the early response gene c-fos as a distal effect of EGFR inhibition and its relationship to antitumor effects. The growth-inhibitory and c-fos-modulating effects of gefi...

To test the relationship between the concentration of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors and tumor growth in vivo, we measured the rate of growth of several independently isolated A431 cell lines in athymic mice. This series of A431 clonal variants with differing extents of EGF receptor gene amplification and protein expression were implanted into athymic mice and the time to solid tumor f...

In most non-excitable cells, calcium (Ca(2+)) release from the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3))-sensitive intracellular Ca(2+) stores is coupled to Ca(2+) influx through the plasma membrane Ca(2+) channels whose molecular composition is poorly understood. Several members of mammalian TRP-related protein family have been implicated to both receptor- and store-operated Ca(2+) influx. Here w...

BACKGROUND Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most widespread cancer in humans and its incidence is rising. Novel therapy with better efficacy is needed for clinical treatment of cSCC. Many studies have shown the importance of DNA repair pathways during the development of cancer. A key nucleotide excision repair (NER) protein, xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD), is responsi...

Oncolytic abilities of vaccinia virus (VACV) served as a basis for the development of various recombinants for treating cancer; however, "natural" oncolytic properties of the virus are not examined in detail. Our study was conducted to know how the genetically unmodified L-IVP strain of VACV produces its antitumor effect. Human A431 carcinoma xenografts in nude mice and murine Ehrlich carcinoma...

Progression to an invasive, metastatic tumour requires the coordinated expression and function of a number of gene products, as well as their regulation in the context of invasion. The transcription factor AP-1 regulates expression of many of those genes necessary for implementation of the invasion programme. Two such gene products, CD44 and ezrin, are both upregulated in fibroblasts transforme...

Arachidonic acid metabolism leads to the generation of biologically active metabolites that regulate cell growth and proliferation, as well as survival and apoptosis. We have demonstrated previously that platelet-type 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) regulates the growth and survival of a number of cancer cells. In this study, we show that overexpression of platelet-type 12-LOX in prostate cancer PC3 cell...

Transactivation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) has been proposed to represent an essential link between G-protein-coupled receptors and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in various cell types. In the present work we report, in contrast, that in A431 cells bradykinin transinactivates the EGFR and stimulates MAPK activity independently of EGFR tyrosine phos...

BACKGROUND Oncolytic viruses have become of noticeable interest as a novel biological approach for selectively infecting cancer cells and triggering apoptosis in a number of malignant cells. Many researches are devoted to characterize more viruses with oncolytic properties. OBJECTIVES Evidences on the oncolytic feature of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are conflicting; therefore, this stud...