Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0027819 (neuroblastoma)
 27,800 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The relative inhibitory potency of prostaglandin A (PGA) and prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2) analogues compared to prostaglandin A1 (PGA1) was determined in a clonogenic assay system. Three human melanoma cell strains (C8146A, C8146C, and C8161), a human melanoma cell line (M1RW5) and a human neuroblastoma cell line (IMR-32) were used. Prostaglandin analogues were screened in the clonogenic assay system and the dose effect curves were analyzed by linear regression utilizing the median effect relationship. The computer-generated 50% and 95% inhibitory doses showed that 15-deoxy-16-hydroxyl-16-vinyl-prostaglandin A2 (DHV-PGA2) was from two- to three-fold more active than PGA1 in inhibiting the clonogenic growth of human melanoma cells. Based on the 50% inhibitory dose, PGJ2 and its analogues were from two to five times more potent than PGA1. The delta 12- and delta 12,14-PGJ2 were the most potent of the prostaglandins tested. However, the 95% inhibitory dose for prostaglandin D2 (PGD2), PGJ2 and its analogues against neuroblastoma did not show any enhancement in activity in comparison to PGA1, suggesting that some tumor specificity in the activity of these analogues may be signified by the neuroblastoma data. Prostaglandins which contained a fluoride substitution at position 11 were also tested for activity. As we previously observed with other analogues which did not contain an alpha, beta-unsaturated carbonyl group in the cyclopentane ring, 9 beta, 15 alpha-dihydroxy-11 beta-fluoroprosta-5-cis-13-trans-dienoic acid and 9 alpha, 15 alpha-dihydroxy-11 beta-fluoroprosta-5-cis-13-trans-dienoic acid did not inhibit the clonogenic growth of human melanoma cells. Administration s.c. to established human melanoma tumors growing in athymic nude mice caused a significant growth inhibition. The treatment schedules ranged from 1 to 8 days. Injection s.c. of PGA1 at a dose of 40 mg/kg/day resulted in a 20% suppression in tumor growth. Higher doses (100 and 200 mg/kg/day) effected an 80% reduction in tumor growth. The higher doses were associated with reversible toxicities, diarrhea and skin inflammation. Administration of DHV-PGA2 at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day resulted in 40% reduction in tumor growth. The increased in vivo potency of DHV-PGA2 corresponds to the results obtained in the clonogenic assay system.
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PMID:Inhibition of human melanoma growth by prostaglandin A, D, and J analogues. 369 5

Between January 1993 and December 1996, 21 children with advanced solid tumors were entered in a dose-escalating study of high-dose sequential chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation. The diagnoses included neuroblastoma (NB) for 13 patients; Ewing's sarcoma (ES) for six patients and osteosarcoma for two patients. Nine patients received therapy as consolidation for primary metastatic disease, and 12 patients had had previous relapses. Treatment consisted of CY given i.v. at a dose of 7 g/m2 on day 1, followed by G-CSF until myeloid recovery. After 3 weeks of rest, all patients were given thiotepa i.v. on days 22-24. The total dose of thiotepa was 450 mg/m2 in three patients, 600 mg/m2 in six patients, and 750 mg/m2 in 12 patients. Melphalan was given i.v. at a dose of 180 mg/m2 i.v. on day 27 followed by stem cell infusion on day 28. Major toxic reactions included stomatitis, esophagitis, diarrhea and dermatitis. Three patients died of treatment-related complications. Twelve patients have had a relapse. Six patients (five with NB and one with ES) are alive in continuous remission 5-50 months (median 36) after transplantation. The results of this study show that it is feasible to administer high-dose sequential chemotherapy to children with advanced solid tumors.
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PMID:High-dose sequential chemotherapy and autologous stem cell reinfusion in advanced pediatric solid tumors. 946 76

The most widely used retinoids include topical tretinoin (Retin-A), adapalene (Differin), topical tazarotene (Tazorac), isotretinoin (Accutane), and acitretin (Soriatane). This article will review new uses and developments in tazarotene (its failure to secure FDA approval in oral form for psoriasis), adapalene (its new 0.3% gel form and use in rosacea), alitretinoin (its use in photoaging), bexarotene (its use for psoriasis and chronic hand dermatitis), isotretinoin (the IPledge program, its use for neuroblastoma and branded formulation pharmacological superiority to generics), and retinoic acid metabolism-blocking agents (RAMBAs) (liarazole use for ichthyosis and psoriasis).
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PMID:Schools of pharmacology: retinoid update. 1703 62

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) provides extravehicular activity (EVA) training to astronauts in a weightless environment test building (WETS) located in Tsukuba City. For EVA training, Tsukuba Medial Center Hospital (TMCH) has established an emergency medical support system, serving as operations coordinator. Taking the perspective of emergency physicians, this paper provides an overview of the medical support system and examines its activities over the past decade as well as future issues. Fortunately, no major accident has occurred during the past 10 years of NBS. Minor complaints (external otitis, acute otitis media, transient dizziness, conjunctival inflammation, upper respiratory inflammation, dermatitis, abraded wounds, etc.) among the support divers have been addressed onsite by attending emergency physicians. Operations related to the medical support system at the WETS have proceeded smoothly for the former NASDA and continue to proceed without event for JAXA, providing safe, high-quality emergency medical services. If an accident occurs at the WETS, transporting the patient by helicopter following initial treatment by emergency physicians can actually exacerbate symptoms, since the procedure exposes a patient who was recently within a hyperbaric environment to the low-pressure environment involved in air transportation. If a helicopter is used, the flight altitude should be kept as low as possible by taking routes over the river.
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PMID:Emergency medical support system for extravehicular activity training held at weightless environment test building (WETS) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) : future prospects and a look back over the past decade. 2070 18

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a gradual loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN) of the brain. Ribosomal protein S3 (rpS3) has multiple functions related to protein synthesis, antioxidative activity, and UV endonuclease III activity. We have previously shown that PEP-1-rpS3 inhibits skin inflammation and provides neuroprotection against experimental cerebral ischemic damage. In this study, we examined whether PEP-1-rpS3 can protect DA neurons against oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD mouse model. PEP-1-rpS3 was efficiently delivered to SH-SY5Y cells and the SN of the brain as confirmed by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis. PEP-1-rpS3 significantly inhibited reactive oxygen species generation and DNA fragmentation induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, consequently leading to the survival of SH-SY5Y cells. The neuroprotection was related to the antiapoptotic activity of PEP-1-rpS3 that affected the levels of proapoptotic and antiapoptotic mediators. In addition, immunohistochemical data collected using a tyrosine hydroxylase antibody and cresyl violet staining demonstrated that PEP-1-rpS3 markedly protected DA cells in the SN against MPTP-induced oxidative stress. Therefore, our results suggest that PEP-1-rpS3 may be a potential therapy for PD.
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PMID:PEP-1-ribosomal protein S3 protects dopaminergic neurons in an MPTP-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model. 2317 48

Vitamin A (retinol) and its active metabolite, all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA), play critical roles in regulating the differentiation, growth, and migration of immune cells. Similarly, as critical signaling molecules in the regulation of the cell cycle, retinoids are important in cancers. Concentrations of atRA are tightly regulated in tissues, predominantly by the availability of retinol, synthesis of atRA by ALDH1A enzymes and metabolism and clearance of atRA by CYP26 enzymes. The ALDH1A and CYP26 enzymes are expressed in several cell types in the immune system and in cancer cells. In the immune system, the ALDH1A and CYP26 enzymes appear to modulate RA concentrations. Consequently, alterations in the activity of ALDH1A and CYP26 enzymes are expected to change disease outcomes in inflammation. There is increasing evidence from various disease models of intestinal and skin inflammation that treatment with atRA has a positive effect on disease markers. However, whether aberrant atRA concentrations or atRA synthesis and metabolism play a role in inflammatory disease development and progression is not well understood. In cancers, especially in acute promyelocytic leukemia and neuroblastoma, increasing intracellular concentrations of atRA appears to provide clinical benefit. Inhibition of the CYP26 enzymes to increase atRA concentrations and combat therapy resistance has been pursued as a drug target in these cancers. This chapter covers the current knowledge of how atRA and retinol regulate the immune system and inflammation, how retinol and atRA metabolism is altered in inflammation and cancer, and what roles atRA-metabolizing enzymes have in immune responses and cancers.
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PMID:Role of Retinoic Acid-Metabolizing Cytochrome P450s, CYP26, in Inflammation and Cancer. 2623 12

Antrodia camphorata, also known as A. cinnamomea, is a precious medicinal basidiomycete fungus endemic to Taiwan. This article summarizes the recent advances in research on the multifarious pharmacological effects of A. camphorata. The mushroom exhibits anticancer activity toward a large variety of cancers including breast, cervical, ovarian, prostate, bladder, colorectal, pancreatic, liver, and lung cancers; melanoma; leukemia; lymphoma; neuroblastoma; and glioblastoma. Other activities encompass antiinflammatory, antiatopic dermatitis, anticachexia, immunoregulatory, antiobesity, antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antiatherosclerotic, antihypertensive, antiplatelet, antioxidative, antiphotodamaging, hepatoprotective, renoprotective, neuroprotective, testis protecting, antiasthmatic, osteogenic, osteoprotective, antiviral, antibacterial, and wound healing activities. This review aims to provide a reference for further development and utilization of this highly prized mushroom.
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PMID:Diversity of potentially exploitable pharmacological activities of the highly prized edible medicinal fungus Antrodia camphorata. 3140 39