Expression of the proto-oncogene Bcl-2 is associated with tumor progression. Bcl-2's broad expression in tumors, coupled with its role in resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy-induced apoptosis, makes it a rational target for anticancer therapy. Antisense Bcl-2 oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) reagents have been shown to be effective in reducing Bcl-2 expression in a number of systems. We ...

Migration and invasion of malignant cells are prerequisites for cancer progression and metastasis. The Bcl-2 family of proteins consists of about 25 members and has been extensively studied in the context of apoptosis. Despite the fact that small molecules targeting Bcl-2 proteins have already entered clinical trials, very few studies investigated a role of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins beside c...

Bcl-2 and its homologue, Bcl-x1, encode membrane-associated proteins that protect neoplastic cells from DNA damage-induced apoptosis, whereas Bax is a Bcl-2 antagonist that promotes cell death. In the present study, we examined the expression and regulation of these genes at both the mRNA and protein level in 22 pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines, as well as their sensitivi...

Backgrounds: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Primary liver cancer, is the fifth most common cancer in men. Histone deacetylation causes chromatin condensation resulting gene silencing and tumorigenesis. These enzymes have become a novel target for treatment of cancer. deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) can reactivate tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) by inhibition histone deacetylases (HDACs) activity...

Backgrounds: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Primary liver cancer, is the fifth most common cancer in men. Histone deacetylation causes chromatin condensation resulting gene silencing and tumorigenesis. These enzymes have become a novel target for treatment of cancer. deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) can reactivate tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) by inhibition histone deacetylases (HDACs) activity...

Statins inhibit cholesterol synthesis, but also have other pleiotropic effects. There are indications that they affect macrophage survival trough the regulation of apoptosis. We analyzed 50 samples aortic wall, selected based on statins in patients’ therapy (n=25, Th-S group) or statin-free Th-nonS group). Each group had 5 healthy tissue, 10 mild and severe atherosclerotic changes wall. Tissu...

bcl-x is a new member of the bcl-2 gene family and is highly expressed in neural tissues. The present study was designed to determine the expression of the bcl-x gene products in neuroblastoma (NB) and their role in the modulation of chemotherapy-induced apoptosis. Twenty-seven NB cell lines were screened by quantitative immunoprecipitation for Bcl-xL, Bcl-xS, and Bcl-2 expression. None of the ...

OBJECTIVES To explore the roles of Bcl-xl and Bcl-xs in the development and progression of endometrial carcinoma, and to analyze the correlation between Bcl-xl and Bcl-xs. METHODS RT-PCR and Western-blot assay were applied to detect the expressions of Bcl-xl and Bcl-xs in endometrial tissues of various histomorphologic types. RESULTS The Bcl-xl expression levels of simple and atypical hyper...

Treatment of M1 myeloid leukemic cells with interleukin 6 (IL-6) or dexamethasone (DEX), both of which induce differentiation in these cells, down-regulated expression of the apoptosis-suppressing gene bcl-2 and the apoptosis-promoting gene bax but up-regulated expression of the apoptosis-suppressing gene bcl-XL. There was a higher expression of bcl-XL in cells treated with DEX or DEX plus IL-6...