BACKGROUND Radiation-induced skin injury remains a serious concern during radiotherapy. Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD, SOD1) is a conserved enzyme for scavenging superoxide radical in cells. Because of the integrity of cell membranes, exogenous molecule is not able to be incorporated into cells, which limited the application of natural SOD1. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pro...

BACKGROUND Sanguisorbae Radix (SR) is a well-known herbal medicine used to treat inflammatory disease and skin burns in Asia. In addition, it is used to treat many types of allergic skin diseases, including urticaria, eczema, and allergic dermatitis. SR has been reported to exhibit anti-wrinkle, anti-oxidant, and anti-contact dermatitis bioactivities. METHODS In this study, we investigated th...

Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype is a major factor leading to many human cancers. Mechanisms of HPV entry into host cells and genome trafficking towards the nucleus are incompletely understood. Dopachrome tautomerase (DCT) was identified as a cellular gene required for HPV infection in HeLa cells on a siRNA screen study. Here, we confirm that DCT knockdown...

It is widely assumed that the coordinate assembly of desmosomal cadherins and plaque proteins into desmosome-typical plaque-coated membrane domains, capable of anchoring intermediate-sized filaments (IF), requires cell-to-cell contacts and a critical extracellular Ca2+ concentration. To test this hypothesis we studied several cell lines grown for years in media with less than 0.1 mM Ca2+ to ste...

We recently described the mitochondrial localization and import of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in actively proliferating HaCaT cells for the first time, but its role in the organelle remains unknown. Many metabolic intermediates that support cell growth are provided by the mitochondria; consequently, the identification of proteins that regulate mitochondrial metabolic pathways is of great inte...

During normal development and throughout life, epigenetic changes arise in response to an individuals’ behavior environment. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are chromatin-modifying enzymes that remove acetyl groups from histones, inducing conformational DNA changes, so regulating gene expression. To date, four classes of HDACs have been identified: class I (HDACs-1, -2, -3 & -8); II (HDACs-4, -5, ...

Epidemiological studies suggest ultraviolet B (UVB) component (290-320 nm) of sun light is the most prevalent etiologic factor for skin carcinogenesis--a disease accounting for more than two million new cases each year in the USA alone. Development of UVB-induced skin carcinoma is a multistep and complex process. The molecular events that occur during UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis are poorly ...

Radiation-induced oral mucositis is a dose-limiting toxic side effect for patients with head and neck cancer. Numerous attempts at improving radiation-induced oral mucositis have not produced a qualified treatment. Ginseng polysaccharide has multiple immunoprotective effects. Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of Korean red ginseng (KRG) on radiation-induced damage in the human kerati...

Abstract: Organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) and their transformation products become a concern when these compounds are released into the environment. To understand the effects of these pesticides on human health, toxicity of a widely used organophosphorus pesticide, parathion and its transformation products, i.e. paraoxon and 4-nitrophenol, were investigated by using T4 lymphocyte cells and Ha...

BACKGROUND The underlying rationale of platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy is that an injection of concentrated PRP at the site of injury may promote tissue repair via cytokine release from platelets. The molecular mechanisms of PRP therapy in the skin wound healing process are not well understood at present, and would benefit from clarification. METHODS PRP was stimulated with angonists for 5...