The precise mechanisms governing invasion at the leading edge of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and its subsequent metastasis are not fully understood. We aimed to define the cancer-related molecular changes that distinguish noninvasive tumor from invasive SCC. To this end, we combined laser capture microdissection with complementary DNA (cDNA) microarray analysis. We defined invasion-associated...

Matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7), a metallohydrolase involved in the development of several cancers, is downregulated in the Apc(Min/+) colon cancer mouse model following sulindac treatment. To determine whether this effect is relevant to the human condition, HT-29 human colon cancer cells were treated with sulindac and its metabolites, and compared to results obtained from in vivo mouse studi...

BACKGROUND Exposure to ozone causes airway inflammation, hyperreactivity, lung hyper-permeability, and epithelial cell injury. An early inflammatory response induced by inhaled O(3) is characterized primarily by release of inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and airway neutrophil accumulation. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of oxidati...

BACKGROUND Mutations in the transcription factor SOX18 are responsible for specific cardiovascular defects in humans and mice. In order to gain insight into the molecular basis of its action, we identified target genes of SOX18 and analyzed one, MMP7, in detail. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS SOX18 was expressed in HUVEC using a recombinant adenoviral vector and the altered gene expression pr...

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of death from cancer in both men and women in the majority of developed countries. Molecular tests of blood could potentially provide this ideal screening tool. AIM Our objective was to assess the usefulness of serum markers and mRNA expression levels in the diagnosis of CRC. METHODS In a prospective study, we measured mRNA ...

BACKGROUND β,β-Carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (BCMO1) converts β-carotene to retinaldehyde. Increased β-carotene consumption is linked to antitumor effects. Retinoic acid reduces the invasiveness in cancer, through inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). In our studies of a mouse model that develops intestinal tumors after low dietary folate, we found reduced BCMO1 expression in normal p...

Here we showed that pAMPKα and PTEN were down-regulated and p-mTOR, p-S6, p-4EBP1, MMP7, and DCN1 were up-regulated in human gastric cancer tissue samples as compared to that in the noncancerous tissues. Metformin inhibited tumor growth in mice. Also it enhanced cisplatin- or rapamycin-induced reduction of tumor growth as compared with treatment of either drug alone. In addition to activation o...

OBJECTIVES To explore the effects of serum from patients with ankylosing spondylitis on the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway and to assess whether the serum has an osteogenic effect in MG63 cells. METHODS MG63 cells were cultured with serum from 45 ankylosing spondylitis patients, 30 healthy controls, or 45 rheumatoid arthritis patients. The relative PPARD, fra-1, MMP7, OPG and RANKL mRNA leve...

The mucosal-dominant variant of pemphigus vulgaris (MPV) is an autoimmune disease characterized by oral mucosal blistering and circulating pathogenic IgG antibodies against desmoglein 3 (Dsg3), resulting in life-threatening bullae erosion formation. Recently, microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising players the diagnosis prognosis several pathological states. For first time, we identified a...

Integrin alpha1beta1 is a collagen receptor abundantly expressed on microvascular endothelial cells. As well as being the only collagen receptor able to activate the Ras/Shc/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway promoting fibroblast cell proliferation, it also acts to inhibit collagen and metalloproteinase (MMP) synthesis. We have observed that in integrin alpha1-null mice synthesis of MMP7 ...