Previous studies have detected high levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in metastatic prostate cancer. In this study, we recruited 40 patients with prostate cancer (PCa): 20 presented organ-confined carcinoma and 20 had metastatic cancer. We also recruited 40 subjects for control groups, 20 with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and 20 healthy males with similar characteristics. All of the patients were monitored at the beginning (time 0) and after 90 days. We analyzed the plasma concentrations of MMP-2, MMP-9, MMP-13, TIMP-1 and the enzyme activity of MMP-2 and MMP-9,using specific ELISA tests. The plasma concentrations of MMP-2, MMP-9 and MMP-13 were higher in PCa patients with metastasis than in the other groups, and in these patients decreased markedly after therapy began. For MMP-2 and MMP-9, greater differences were observed in enzyme activity than in plasma concentrations. TIMP-1 was reduced in PCa patients with metastasis, even if the intergroup differences were not statistically significant. Our results suggest that the plasma concentration and activity of MMPs, in association with PSA determination, could play a role in diagnosis, monitoring therapy and evaluating malignant progression in PCa.
Objective. To test the association of osteopontin (OPN) polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods. . These effects were independent of each other, i.e., not a consequence of linkage disequilibrium between the 2 alleles. The risk associated with a double dose of susceptibility alleles at both SNPs was 3.8-fold higher (95% CI 2.0-7.4) relative to the complete absence of susceptibility alleles. With regard to individual clinical and immunologic features, a significant association was seen between lymphadenopathy and ؊156 genotypes (overall P ؍ 0.0011, P corr ؍ 0.046). A significantly increased OPN serum level was detected in healthy individuals carrying ؉1239C (P ؍ 0.002), which is indicative of an association between the SLE susceptibility allele and OPN levels. Conclusion. These data suggest the independent effect of a promoter (؊156) and a 3 -untranslated region (؉1239) SNP in SLE susceptibility. We can speculate that these sequence variants (or others in perfect linkage disequilibrium) create a predisposition to high production of OPN, and that this in turn may confer susceptibility to SLE.Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a multifactorial etiology that is characterized by impaired T cell responses and dysregulation of B cell activation, leading to B cell hyperactivity and production of autoantibodies. Several lines of evi-
Kaempferol (3,4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone) is a flavonoid with anti- and pro-oxidant activity present in various natural sources. Kaempferol has been shown to posses anticancer properties through the induction of the apoptotic program. Here we report that treatment of the chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line K562 and promyelocitic human leukemia U937 with 50 microM kaempferol resulted in an increase of the antioxidant enzymes Mn and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD). Kaempferol treatment induced apoptosis by decreasing the expression of Bcl-2 and increasing the expressions of Bax. There were also induction of mitochondrial release of cytochrome c into cytosol and significant activation of caspase-3, and -9 with PARP cleavage. Kaempferol treatment increased the expression and the mitochondria localization of the NAD-dependent deacetylase SIRT3. K562 cells stably overexpressing SIRT3 were more sensitive to kaempferol, whereas SIRT3 silencing did not increase the resistance of K562 cells to kaempferol. Inhibition of PI3K and de-phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 and Thr308 was also observed after treating both K562 and U937 cells with kaempferol. In conclusion our study shows that the oxidative stress induced by kaempferol in K562 and U937 cell lines causes the inactivation of Akt and the activation of the mitochondrial phase of the apoptotic program with an increase of Bax and SIRT3, decrease of Bcl-2, release of cytochrome c, caspase-3 activation, and cell death.
The autoimmune/lymphoproliferative syndrome (ALPS) displays defective function of Fas, autoimmunities, lymphadenopathy/splenomegaly, and expansion of CD4/CD8 double-negative (DN) T cells. Dianzani autoimmune/lymphoproliferative disease (DALD) is an ALPS variant lacking DN cells. Both forms have been ascribed to inherited mutations hitting the Fas system but other factors may be involved. A pilot cDNA array analysis on a DALD patient detected overexpression of the cytokine osteopontin (OPN). This observation was confirmed by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detection of higher OPN serum levels in DALD patients (n ؍ 25) than in controls (n ؍ 50). Analysis of the OPN cDNA identified 4 polymorphisms forming 3 haplotypes (A, B, and C). Their overall distribution and genotypic combinations were different in patients (N ؍ 26) and controls (N ؍ 158) (P < .01). Subjects carrying haplotype B and/or C had an 8-fold higher risk of developing DALD than haplotype A homozygotes. Several data suggest that these haplotypes influence OPN levels: (1) in DALD families, high levels cosegregated with haplotype B or C; (2) in healthy controls, haplotype B or C carriers displayed higher levels than haplotype A homozygotes; and (3) in AB and AC heterozygotes, mRNA for haplotype B or C was more abundant than that for haplotype A. In vitro, exogenous OPN decreased activation-induced T-cell death, which suggests that high OPN levels are involved in the apoptosis defect. (Blood.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.