Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) encodes four accessory genes: vif, vpu, vpr, and nef. Recent investigations using in vitro cell culture systems have shed light on the roles of these HIV-1 accessory proteins, Vif, Vpr, Vpu, and Nef, in counteracting, modulating, and evading various cellular factors that are responsible for anti-HIV-1 intrinsic immunity. However, since humans are the ...

Deregulation of NOTCH2 signaling is implicated in a wide variety of human neoplasias. The current concept of targeting NOTCH is based on using gamma secretase inhibitors (GSI) to regulate the release of the active NOTCH intracellular domain. However, the clinical outcome of GSI remains unsatisfactory. Therefore we analyzed human solid tumor derived cell lines for their nuclear NOTCH activity an...

The selection of human cancer cell lines in cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP, best known as cisplatin) is accompanied by stereotyped alterations that contribute to the acquisition of a CDDP-resistant state. Thus, CDDP resistance often leads to the upregulation of the DNA repair enzyme poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) with the consequent intracellular accumulation of poly (ADP-ribose...

Whereas the standard immunosuppressive agents foster development of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs), the impact of RAD, a macrolide with potent immunosuppressive properties, and other immunosuppressive macrolides on these disorders remains undetermined. We found that RAD had a profound inhibitory effect on in vitro growth of six different PTLD-like Epstein-Barr virus+ lymph...

The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular and protein expression pattern of markers of stemness phenotype and its clinicopathological significance in human biliary tract cancer (BTC). Human BTC cell lines (CCLP-1, Egi-1, MzChA-1, MzChA-2, SkChA-1, TFK-1 and GBC) were analyzed in vitro and in xenotransplanted animals for expression of markers of stemness and compared to tissue micro...

STAT3 operates in both cancer cells and tumor-associated immune cells to promote cancer progression. As a transcription factor, it is a highly desirable but difficult target for pharmacologic inhibition. We have recently shown that the TLR9 agonists CpG oligonucleotides can be used for targeted siRNA delivery to mouse immune cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that a similar strategy al...

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease that involves the adhesion, invasion, and angiogenesis of endometrial tissues outside of the uterine cavity. We hypothesized that a link exists between estrogen and beta-catenin (β-catenin) signaling in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. Human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were separated from eutopic endometrial tissues that were obtained from ...

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most common primary malignant brain tumor in adults, with a median survival of about one year. This poor prognosis is attributed primarily to therapeutic resistance and tumor recurrence after surgical removal, with the root cause suggested to be found in glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs). Using glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) as a reporter of astrocytic...

The use of live bacteria in the treatment of cancer has a long and interesting history. We report the use of a purified bacterial redox protein, azurin, that enters human cancer (melanoma UISO-Mel-2) cells and induces apoptosis. The induction of apoptosis occurs readily in melanoma cells harboring a functional tumor suppressor protein p53, but much less efficiently in p53-null mutant melanoma (...

While targeted agents are an important part of the treatment arsenal for colorectal cancer, there is still a lack of efficient small-molecule targeted agents based on the understanding of pathogenic molecular mechanisms. In this study, curcumin analog RL71 displayed potent cytotoxicity towards human colon cancer cells with an IC50 of 0.8 µM in SW480 cells and inhibited xenotransplanted tumor gr...