We have previously shown that most melanoma cell lines are insensitive to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis, and this involves activation of the mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK)/ERK signaling pathway and expression of the apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) protein in the cells. In the present study, we show that up-re...

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (ASK) 1 is activated in response to various cytotoxic stresses including TNF, Fas and reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H(2)O(2), and activates c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. However, the roles of JNK and p38 signaling pathways during apoptosis have been controversial. Here we show that by deleting ASK1 in mice, TNF- and H(2)O(2)-induced sustai...

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a fatal degenerative muscle disease resulting from mutations in the dystrophin gene. Increased oxidative stress and altered Ca(2+) homeostasis are hallmarks of dystrophic muscle. While impaired autophagy has recently been implicated in the disease process, the mechanisms underlying the impairment have not been elucidated. Here we show that nicotinamide adeni...

BACKGROUND Despite the clear advantages of reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction, part of the myocardium is injured during reperfusion by reactive oxygen species. Reactive oxygen species activate apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1, a key mediator in cell death. We hypothesized that inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 at the time of reperfusion would protect the heart from ...

Elevated levels of protein kinase CK2 were found in tumour cells compared to normal cells. Thus, inhibition of CK2 kinase activity seems to be an attractive method to stop growth of cancer cells. Two drugs, namely tetrabromobenzotriazole, TBB, and 2-dimethylamino-4,5,6,7-tetrabromo-1H-benzimidazole, DMAT were found to specifically inhibit CK2 and to induce apoptosis in tumour cells. The aim of ...

the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (hcc) cells is one of the leading causes of liver cancer mortality in humans. the inhibiting effects of matrine on hcc cell proliferation have been studied, but the mechanism of that inhibition has not been fully elucidated. since, apoptosis plays an important role in hcc cell proliferation. we examined the apoptosis-inducing effect of matrine on tu...

Although halogen radicals are recognized to form as products of hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) scavenging by halides, their contribution to the phototransformation of marine organic compounds has received little attention. We demonstrate that, relative to freshwater conditions, seawater halides can increase photodegradation rates of domoic acid, a marine algal toxin, and dimethyl sulfide, a volatile ...

Bladder cancer is a urothelial malignancy. starts in the cells lining inside of bladder. The 5-year recurrence rate for bladder ranges from 31% to 78%, and progression approximately 45%. To treat cancer, intravesical drug therapy often used. Leonurus artemisia extract (LaE) was obtained medicinal samples Chinese motherwort Scientific Medicine; L. has various biological effects. This study inves...

Kallistatin is a regulator of vascular homeostasis capable of controlling a wide spectrum of biological actions in the cardiovascular and renal systems. We previously reported that kallistatin inhibited intracellular reactive oxygen species formation in cultured cardiac and renal cells. The present study was aimed to investigate the role and mechanisms of kallistatin in protection against oxida...