Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0403608 (ureter)
 9,655 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Changes in the expression of integrins and cadherins might contribute to the progression, invasion and metastasis of transitional cell cancer of the bladder and of melanomas. The expression of alpha5 (P < 0.001), alpha2 and beta1 (P < 0.05 - P < 0.001) integrin subunits in melanoma cells from noncutaneous metastatic sites (WM9, A375) were significantly increased as compared to cutaneous primary tumor (WM35) and metastatic (WM239) cell lines. These differences might be ascribed to the invasive character of melanoma cells and their metastasis to the noncutaneous locations. The significantly heterogeneous expression of beta1 integrin subunit in two malignant bladder cancer cell lines (T24 and Hu456) and nonsignificant differences in the expression of alpha2, alpha3, and alpha5 subunits between malignant and non-malignant human bladder cell lines do not allow an unanimous conclusion on the role of these intergrin subunits in the progression of transitional cancer of bladder. The adhesion molecule, expressed in all studied melanoma and bladder cell lines, that reacted with anti-Pan cadherin monoclonal antibodies was identified as N-cadherin except in the HCV29 non-malignant ureter cell line. However, neither this nor any other bladder or melanoma cell line expressed E-cadherin. The obtained results imply that the replacement of E-cadherin by N-cadherin accompanied by a simultaneous increase in expression of alpha2, alpha3 and alpha5 integrin subunits clearly indicates an increase of invasiveness of melanoma and, to a lesser extent, of transitional cell cancer of bladder. High expression of N-cadherin and alpha5 integrin subunit seems to be associated with the most invasive melanoma phenotype.
 ...
PMID:Expression of beta1-integrins and N-cadherin in bladder cancer and melanoma cell lines. 1199 5

Endometriosis is a benign gynecologic disease, affecting women of reproductive age associated with chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia and infertility. Ovarian endometrioma (OMA), superficial peritoneal endometriosis (SPE), and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) are, till now, recognized as major phenotypes. The discussion is to know whether they share the same pathogenetic mechanisms. Till today, DIE is recognized as the most severe clinical form of endometriosis and has a complex clinical management. The DIE lesions have been considered in the present article, without distinguishing between the anterior (bladder) or the posterior (vagina, uterosacral ligaments, rectum, and ureter) compartment. The present knowledge indicates that hormonal function (estrogen and progesterone receptors) and immunological factors, such as peritoneal macrophages, natural killer cells, and lymphocytes, are critically altered in DIE. The aggressive behavior of DIE may be explained by the highly decreased apoptosis (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells [NF-kB], B-cell lymphoma 2 [Blc-2], and anti-Mullerian hormone) and by the increased proliferation activity related to oxidative stress (NF-kB, reactive oxygen species, extracellular regulated kinase (ERK), advanced oxidation protein product). Invasive mechanisms are more expressed (matrix metalloproteinases and activins) in DIE in comparison to the OMA and SPE. Correlated with the increased invasiveness are the data on very high expression of neuroangiogenesis (nerve growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and intercellular adhesion molecule) genes in DIE. Therefore, at the present time, several of the DIE pathogenetic features result specific in comparison to other endometriosis phenotypes, pleading for the existence of a specific entity. These evidence of specific pathogenetic features of DIE may explain the more severe symptomatology related to this form of endometriosis and suggest possible future target medical treatments.
...
PMID:Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis. 2616 38