DJ-1 is a novel oncogene and also causative gene for familial Parkinson's disease park7. DJ-1 has multiple functions that include transcriptional regulation, anti-oxidative reaction and chaperone and mitochondrial regulation. For transcriptional regulation, DJ-1 acts as a coactivator that binds to various transcription factors, resulting in stimulation or repression of the expression of their t...

double-j (dj) stents are the main tools used in urological practice for prevention and treatment of obstruction. stenting is also mandatory after complicated ureteroscopy or tul (transureteral lithotripsy). known complications are upper migration of dj stents into the kidney and lower migration to the bladder. in a man with an impacted right lower ureteral stone, a dj stent was placed because t...

Astrocytes, one of the predominant types of glial cells, function as both supportive and metabolic cells for the brain. Under cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced oxidative conditions, astrocytes accumulate and activate in the ischemic region. DJ-1 has recently been shown to be a sensor of oxidative stress in living cells. However, the function of astrocytic DJ-1 is still unknown. In the prese...

DJ-1, which is linked to recessively inherited Parkinson's disease when mutated, is a multi-functional protein with anti-oxidant and transcription regulatory activities. However, the mechanism(s) through which DJ-1 and the genes it regulates provide neuroprotection is not fully understood. Here, we show that wild-type DJ-1 induces the expression of thioredoxin 1 (Trx1), a protein disulfide oxid...

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive, lethal, neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the degeneration of motor neurons. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the disease progression, in concert with an enhanced glutamate excitotoxicity and neuroinflammation. DJ-1 mutations, leading to the loss of functional protein, cause familial Parkinson's disease and motor neuron di...

Recent studies have revealed an oncogenic role of DJ-1 through its ability to transform normal cells, prevent oxidative damage, and inhibit apoptosis. However, its role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is unknown. In this study, by immunohistochemistry, we analyzed the expression of DJ-1 in 81 ESCC tumors, 31 paired nonneoplastic esophageal epithelia, and 19 paired ESCC lymph node m...

Mutations in DJ-1 cause recessively transmitted early-onset Parkinson disease (PD), and oxidative damage to DJ-1 has been associated with the pathogenesis of late-onset sporadic PD. The precise biochemical function of DJ-1 remains elusive. Here, we report that DJ-1 is synthesized as a latent protease zymogen with low-intrinsic proteolytic activity. DJ-1 protease zymogen is activated by the remo...

Background Asparaginyl endopeptidase, also known as legumain (EC 3.4.22.34) shows strong activity in the mouse kidney. Legumain is also highly expressed in tumors. DJ-1/PARK7 is a Parkinson's disease- and cancer-associated protein. DJ-1 is a coactivator of various transcription factors. Recently, we reported that transcription of the legumain gene is regulated by p53 through DJ-1. Methods We ...

Increased use of the DJ stent in urological problems has been associated with a marked increase in DJ related complications. Spontaneous fragmentation of DJ stent is a rare complication and removal of upper fragmented part is technically difficult and frustrating. We report a case of fragmentation of DJ stent and passage of upper coiled portion from renal pelvis to urinary bladder spontaneously.