A murine homologue of the epithelial membrane protein 2 (EMP2) gene was identified in a search for genes associated with B-cell lymphoma tumorigenicity by using suppression subtractive hybridization. Expression of EMP2 messenger RNA in primary mouse tissues was limited to certain epithelial cell types and the peritoneal lymphoid compartment. EMP2 was expressed in the poorly tumorigenic DAC B-ly...

The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor achaete-scute complex homologue 1 (ASCL1) is essential for the development of normal lung neuroendocrine cells as well as other endocrine and neural tissues. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non-SCLC with neuroendocrine features express ASCL1, where the factor may play a role in the virulence and primitive neuroendocrine phenotype of these tumors...

Pathogenesis of AKI is complex and involves both local events in the kidney as well as systemic effects in the body that are interconnected and interdependent. Despite intensive investigations there is still no pharmacological agent that could provide complete protection against cisplatin nephrotoxicity. In the last decade mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a potentially useful...

Guanine nucleotide binding protein (G protein), alpha 13 (GNA13) has been implicated as an oncogenic protein in several human cancers. In this study, GNA13 was characterized for its role in gastric cancer (GC) progression and underlying molecular mechanisms. The expression dynamics of GNA13 were examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in two independent cohorts of GC samples. A series of in-vivo...

There are established epidemiological links between obesity and the severity of prostate cancer. We directly tested this relationship by assessing tumorigenicity of patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) of moderate-grade localized prostate cancer in lean and obese severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. Mice were rendered obese and insulin resistant by high-fat feeding for 6 weeks prior to tr...

Although high doses of single bioactive agents may have potent anticancer effects, the chemopreventive properties of the Asian diet may result from interactions among several components that potentiate the activities of any single constituent. In Asia, where intake of soy products and tea consumption are very high, aggressive prostate cancer is significantly less prevalent in Asian men. The obj...