Mitochondrial uncoupling protein-4 (UCP4) protects against Complex I deficiency as induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP(+)), but how UCP4 affects mitochondrial function is unclear. Here we investigated how UCP4 affects mitochondrial bioenergetics in SH-SY5Y cells. Cells stably overexpressing UCP4 exhibited higher oxygen consumption (10.1%, p<0.01), with 20% greater proton leak than vecto...

HER-2/neu-overexpressing breast cancer cells are more resistant to the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel (Taxol) than low-HER-2/neu-expressing breast cancer cells, and the adenoviral type 5 EIA can down-regulate HER-2/neu overexpression. Therefore, in this study, we asked (a) whether EIA might sensitize response to paclitaxel in human HER-2/neu-overexpressing ovarian cancer cells, and, if so, w...

Background—Although -adrenergic receptor (AR) blockade therapy is beneficial in the treatment of heart failure, little is known regarding the transcriptional mechanisms underlying this salutary action. Methods and Results—In the present study, we screened mice overexpressing Gs , 1AR, 2AR, or protein kinase A to test if a common genomic pathway exists in different models with enhanced -adrenerg...

To identify a set of genes involved in the development of radiation-induced tumorigenesis, we used DNA microarrays consisting of 1176 mouse genes and compared expression profiles of radioresistant cells, designated NIH3T3-R1 and NIH3T3-R4. These cells were tumorigenic in a nude mouse grafting system, as compared with the parental NIH3T3 cells. Expression of MDM2, CDK6 and CDC25B was found to in...

Testes-specific protease 50 (TSP50) is abnormally overexpressed in many kinds of cancers and promotes cell proliferation and migration. However, whether TSP50 can influence the tumor microenvironment, especially the function of immune cells in the microenvironment, remains largely unknown. We demonstrated that exposure to the conditioned medium from TSP50-overexpressing cells, or co-culture wit...

PURPOSE Numerous studies have reported that glioma patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1(IDH1) R132H mutation are sensitive to temozolomide treatment. However, the mechanism of IDH1 mutations on the chemosensitivity of glioma remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the role and the potential mechanism of Nrf2 in IDH1 R132H-mediated drug resistance. METHODS Wild type IDH1 (R132H-WT)...

BACKGROUND Although beta-adrenergic receptor (AR) blockade therapy is beneficial in the treatment of heart failure, little is known regarding the transcriptional mechanisms underlying this salutary action. METHODS AND RESULTS In the present study, we screened mice overexpressing Gsalpha, beta1AR, beta2AR, or protein kinase A to test if a common genomic pathway exists in different models with ...

PURPOSE The existence of tumor-initiating cells in breast cancer has profound implications for cancer therapy. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of tumor-initiating cells isolated from human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2)-overexpressing carcinoma cell lines to trastuzumab, a compound used for the targeted therapy of breast cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Spheres were ...

Haa1 is a transcriptional activator required for Saccharomyces cerevisiae adaptation to weak acids. Here we show that the constitutive HAA1-overexpressing strain acquired a higher level of acetic acid tolerance. Under conditions of acetic acid stress, the intracellular level of acetic acid was significantly lower in HAA1-overexpressing cells than in the wild-type cells.

Cell-cell contacts are essential for epithelial cell function, and disruption is associated with pathological conditions including ischemic kidney injury. We hypothesize that the exocyst, a highly-conserved eight-protein complex that targets secretory vesicles carrying membrane proteins, is involved in maintaining renal epithelial barrier integrity. Accordingly, increasing exocyst expression in...