BACKGROUND AND THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1) is involved in inflammation, apoptosis/survival and tumorigenesis as well as resistance to chemotherapy. NAG-1 protein is synthesized as pro-peptide, cleaved and secreted as mature protein. Regulation of NAG-1 is not completely discovered and increased level of NAG-1 has been reported in many c...

Chitinases hydrolyze chitin, an insoluble linear polymer of N-acetyl-d-glucosamine (NAG)(n), into nutrient sources. Bacillus cereus NCTU2 chitinase (ChiNCTU2) predominantly produces chitobioses and belongs to glycoside hydrolase family 18. The crystal structure of wild-type ChiNCTU2 comprises only a catalytic domain, unlike other chitinases that are equipped with additional chitin binding and i...

A common in vitro response for many chemopreventive and antitumor agents, including some cyclooxygenase inhibitors, is the increased expression of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene (NAG)-1/macrophage inhibitory cytokine (MIC)-1/prostate-derived factor (PDF). The experimental anticancer drug 2-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-5-fluorobenzothiazole (5F203) was a potent inducer of NAG-1 e...

Urinary albumin concentration (U-alb) and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (U-NAG) and glomerular basement membrane antibodies (a-GBMs) in serum samples were measured in 77 chloralkali workers previously exposed to mercury (Hg) vapour and 53 age matched referents. The exposure ceased on average 12.3 (range 1-35) years before the study. The mean exposure time was 7.9 (range 1.1-36.2) years. The m...

The expression of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1) inhibits gastrointestinal tumorigenesis in NAG-1 transgenic mice (C57/BL6 background). In the present study, we investigated whether the NAG-1 protein would alter urethane-induced pulmonary lesions in NAG-1 transgenic mice on an FVB background (NAG-1). NAG-1 mice had both decreased number and size of urethane-induced...

The expression of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-activated gene-1 (NAG-1) inhibits gastrointestinal tumorigenesis in NAG-1 transgenic mice (C57/BL6 background). In the present study, we investigated whether the NAG-1 protein would alter urethane-induced pulmonary lesions in NAG-1 transgenic mice on an FVB background (NAG-1(Tg+/FVB)). NAG-1(Tg+/FVB) mice had both decreased number and size o...

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are powerful chemopreventive agents in various cancers. They act by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) activity, or through other mechanisms. NSAID-activated gene (NAG-1) has antitumorigenic and pro-apoptotic activities, but the mechanisms of NAG-1-induced apoptosis are poorly understood. Here we examined whether NAG-1 expression is induced in gastric...

Neurons coexpressing neuropeptide Y, agouti-related peptide, and GABA (NAG) play an important role in ingestive behavior and are located in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. NAG neurons receive both GABAergic and glutamatergic synaptic inputs, however, the developmental time course of synaptic input organization of NAG neurons in mice is unknown. In this study, we show that these neurons...

OBJECTIVE Hydronephrosis leads to deterioration of renal function. As urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (U-NAG) activity is considered a sensitive marker of renal tubular impairment, our aim was to measure U-NAG in children with hydronephrosis and to look for a relationship among selected clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS We studied 31 children (22 boys and 9 girls, mean age 2....

BACKGROUND N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (NAG) is a potential marker of genotoxicity. We retrospectively analyzed plasma NAG and clinico-pathologic features in advanced gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma patients. METHODS Plasma from 118 patients and 51 healthy volunteers was analyzed for associations between NAG levels and age, disease presence, stage, treatment responses and survival. RESULTS Pre...