is a survival-enhancing oncoprotein that is frequently overexpressed in ABC-DLBCL by virtue of gene amplification (focal copy number gains) at 18q. The investigators cleverly recapitulated this aspect of the ABC-DLBCL genetic network by combining the MYD88 allele with a newly developed inducible BCL2 allele in double-transgenic mice that developed tumors resembling human ABC-DLBCL with full pen...

In this study, we utilized an integrated bioinformatics and computational biology approach in search of new BH3-only proteins belonging to the BCL2 family of apoptotic regulators. The BH3 (BCL2 homology 3) domain mediates specific binding interactions among various BCL2 family members. It is composed of an amphipathic α-helical region of approximately 13 residues that has only a few amino acids...

The promise of pluripotent stem cells as a research and therapeutic tool is partly undermined by the technical challenges of generating and maintaining these cells in culture. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are exquisitely sensitive to culture conditions, and require constant signaling by growth factors and cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions to prevent apoptosis, senescence, and differe...

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder, characterized by the presence of BCR/ABL fusion gene. It is unclear which cellular events drive BCR/ABL gene translocation or initiate leukemogenesis in CML. Bcl-2 promotes survival of hematopoietic stem cells. Accordingly, apoptosis-related pathway may involve in the leukemogenesis of CML. In the current study, we evaluate...

OBJECTIVES To develop a mouse model for measuring facial nerve injury and recovery and to test the hypothesis that overexpression of the antiapoptotic gene, bcl2, enhances recovery of facial nerve function after peripheral crush injury. DESIGN Prospective analysis of recovery of function after facial nerve crush injury in mice at juvenile (postnatal day 7) and adult (postnatal day 30) ages wi...

The identification of novel combinations of effective cancer drugs is required for the successful treatment of cancer patients for a number of reasons. First, many "cancer specific" therapeutics display detrimental patient side-effects and second, there are almost no examples of single agent therapeutics that lead to cures. One strategy to decrease both the effective dose of individual drugs an...

From the earliest stages of gestation, embryonic-maternal interaction has a key role in a successful pregnancy. Various factors present during gestation may significantly influence this type of juxta/paracrine interaction. PreImplantation Factor (PIF) is a recently identified factor with activity at the fetomaternal interface. PIF is secreted by viable embryos and directly controls placental de...

Proteins of the Bcl2 family play a key role in controlling the activation of caspases, the proteases that dismantle the cell in programmed cell death (Adams and Cory, 1998; Korsmeyer, 1999; Vaux and Korsmeyer, 1999). Bcl2-related proteins fall into two groups that generally either repress apoptosis (Bcl2, Bcl-xL [Bcl2lL], Bcl-w [Bcl2l2], A1 and Mcl1) or promote apoptosis (Bax, Bcl-xs [Bcl2ls], ...

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the gene belonging to the BCL2 family are thought to play a role in chemotherapy resistance. This study investigated the association of BCL2-938C>A(rs2279115) and BAX-248G>A(rs4645878) promoter region SNPs and the clinical responses and outcomes of 235 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. The data suggeste...

AIM OF THE STUDY Cervical cancer is the second most common malignancy in women worldwide. Everolimus displays direct effects on growth and proliferation of cancer cells via inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) protein, which is known to be associated with drug resistance. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of everolimus, gemcitabine, and paclitaxel in terms of cell...