Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P42574 (caspase-3)
 45,978 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The rate of tumor growth depends on the balance between proliferation and death of tumor cells. It is known that Bax, caspase-3, and p53 proteins are death-promoting factors, whereas Bcl-2 protein is a death antagonist. We immunohistochemically examined the expression of Bax and apoptosis-related proteins such as caspase-3, p53, and Bcl-2 in 76 patients with human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) including dysplasia to determine the relationship of expression of each protein to tumor behavior and patients' prognosis. No significant relationships in immunopositivity were found among these proteins in SCCs. Cytoplasmic Bax expression was exhibited in 63 cases of SCCs (82.9%). The apoptotic index of caspase-3-positive lesions was significantly higher than that of caspase-3-negative lesions in both dysplasia and SCC (P =.016, P =.012). On the other hand, the apoptotic index (1.18%) was significantly correlated with Bax overexpression in dysplasia (P =.006), but not in SCC lesions (P =.129). The patients with Bax-positive SCCs were found to have a poor prognosis by the Kaplan-Meier method (P =.043). These findings suggested that Bax expressed in dysplasia may play a role as an apoptotic factor, but that it may be functionally inactive in some cancerous lesions and thus not contribute to suppression of the tumor progression in some cases of human esophageal SCCs.
 ...
PMID:Expression of Bax and apoptosis-related proteins in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma including dysplasia. 1150 32

Expression and pharmacological studies support a contribution of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 to mammary gland tumorigenesis. In a recent transgenic study, mouse mammary tumor virus promoter-driven COX-2 expression in mouse mammary glands was shown to result in alveolar hyperplasia, dysplasia, and carcinomas after multiple rounds of pregnancy and lactation. In the study presented here, the effects of constitutive COX-2 overexpression in keratin 5-positive myoepithelial and luminal cells, driven by the keratin 5 promoter in a hormone-independent manner, was investigated. In nulliparous female mice, aberrant COX-2 overexpression correlated with increased prostaglandin (PG) E(2) levels and caused cystic duct dilatations, adenosis, and fibrosis whereas carcinomas developed rarely. This phenotype depended on COX-2-mediated PGE(2) synthesis and correlated with increased expression of proliferation-associated Ki67 in epithelial cells. No changes in the expression of apoptosis-related Bcl-2, caspase 3, or p53 were observed. Hyperproliferation of the mammary gland epithelial cells was associated with increased aromatase mRNA levels in this tissue. The spontaneous pathologies bear analogies to the human breast with fibrocystic changes. Intriguingly, strong COX-2 expression was observed in fibrocystic changes, as compared to low expression in normal breast epithelium. These results show for the first time that aberrant COX-2 expression contributes to the development of fibrocystic changes (FC), indicating that COX-2 and COX-2-mediated PG synthesis represent potential targets for the therapy of this most frequent benign disorder of the human breast.
 ...
PMID:Cystic duct dilatations and proliferative epithelial lesions in mouse mammary glands upon keratin 5 promoter-driven overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2. 1568 40

Multinucleated epithelial giant cells (MEG) simulating viral cytopathic effect and/or dysplasia have been reported in the esophagus in association with inflammation, but the occurrence of similar cells in the colon has not been documented. Twenty-three colon specimens (22 biopsies and 1 partial colectomy) featuring MEG from 21 patients were evaluated for a variety of histologic features and correlated with clinical, endoscopic, and follow-up data. Patients included 9 males and 12 females (mean age, 64.9 years; range, 45-86 years). Eleven cases were obtained from 10 asymptomatic patients undergoing surveillance biopsies. Presenting symptoms in the remaining patients were dyspepsia, anemia, abdominal pain, and hematochezia. Over half (13 of 23) of the specimens were from descending and rectosigmoid colon, and almost all were visualized as polyps on endoscopy. Microscopically, all but 1 of the cases featured multiple MEG (range, 6 to >50 cells per biopsy) in the base and mid crypt zones of inflamed polyps with serrated architecture. Immunohistochemical stains for CMV, HSV, adenovirus, EBV, and polyoma virus were negative and no viral particles were identified on ultrastructural examination. Nuclear staining for hMLH1 and hMSH2, markers of microsatellite instability, was similar in distribution to adjacent serrated crypts, but reduced staining intensity was noted in occasional multinucleated cells. Expression of Ki-67 and cleaved caspase 3 was consistent with a quiescent or low proliferative state. Clinical follow-up was available for 9 patients (mean duration, 22.7 months). One patient died of heart failure; all others were well at last follow-up. Bizarre MEG may occasionally be seen within the crypts of inflamed polyps with serrated architecture, raising concern for dysplasia or viral infection. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies fail to establish a viral etiology, and follow-up does not indicate clinically aggressive disease. These changes appear to represent a nonspecific, possibly degenerative response to inflammation and injury, and should be distinguished from dysplasia.
 ...
PMID:Multinucleated epithelial giant cells in colorectal polyps: a potential mimic of viropathic and/or dysplastic changes. 1595 56

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the protein expression involved in the progression from dysplasia to invasive esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and to analyze the prognostic value of markers. Immunohistochemistry was performed for cell cycle regulators [p53, p21, p27, p16, cyclin D1, Rb], apoptosis-related proteins [Fas, Fas-L, FADD, TRAIL, DR4, DR5, caspase-8, caspase-3, bcl-2, Bax], tumor suppressor proteins [beta-catenin, E-cadherin, FHIT, Smad 4, VHL, PTEN, KAI-1], and oncoproteins [c-myc, COX-2, EGFR]. Caspase-3, TRAIL, Fas-L, Fas, Smad 4, VHL, E-cadherin, and EGFR revealed significant differences between dysplasia and their corresponding invasive cancer portion in 25 cases. In a total of 118 cases of invasive cancer, proteins with frequent (> or = 60% of the cases) alterations were p53 (overexpression in 64% of SCCs), p27 (loss in 91%), p16 (loss in 81%), and FHIT (loss in 75%). Early clinical stage and bcl-2 immunopositivity were related to the survival rate of patients. In conclusion, caspase-3, TRAIL, Fas-L, Fas, Smad 4, VHL, E-cadherin, and EGFR may be involved in the progression from dysplasia to invasive esophageal SCCs. Clinical stage and bcl-2 are independent prognostic factors throughout the multivariate analysis.
 ...
PMID:Differential protein expression between esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and dysplasia, and prognostic significance of protein markers. 1613 47

The regulation of apoptosis, as a distinctive form of programmed cell death, in multistep Barrett's esophagus (BE) carcinogenesis is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate, in the intestinal metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence, the role of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis; the p53 protein, a tumor suppressor gene involved in cell cycle control; and caspase 3, a protease-inducing apoptosis and inhibited by survivin. Immunohistochemical expression was tested in 40 cases of BE, including 11 low-grade and 19 high-grade dysplasias (HGD), and samples were obtained from 40 surgical specimens of esophagectomy performed for HGD or Barrett's adenocarcinoma. To define the deregulation time of the proteins, overexpression was evaluated in relation to the proliferative and/or maturative compartment. In BE, cytoplasmic expression of survivin and caspase 3 (100% of cases) was significantly higher than expression of p53 (25%). The latter increased with increasing grade of dysplasia. In BE, the expression of survivin, p53, and caspase 3 mainly involved the proliferative compartment, whereas in LGD and HGD, the 3 proteins were coexpressed in both proliferative and maturative compartments. These results indicate that survivin overexpression is an early event in the proliferative compartment of BE, preceding both p53 accumulation and dysplastic changes. Cytoplasmic survivin location may indicate an initial antiapoptotic, more than proliferative, role in the early phases of Barrett carcinogenesis. Expression of caspase 3 in BE and dysplasia may be ascribed to accumulation of the nonactivated form, as the antibody used detects both cleaved and uncleaved caspase 3.
 ...
PMID:Expression of survivin, p53, and caspase 3 in Barrett's esophagus carcinogenesis. 1636 Apr 11

Spices and flavoring plants part rich in supposedly health-promoting phytochemicals are currently receiving much attention as a possible source of cancer chemopreventive compounds. Clove, the sun-dried unopened flower bud from the plant Syzygium aromaticum L. is a commonly used spice and food flavor. In the present work we assess the chemopreventive potential of aqueous infusion of clove during benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-induced lung carcinogenesis in strain A mice. Incidence of hyperplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma in situ evident in the carcinogen control group on the 8th, 17th and 26th weeks, respectively, were effectively reduced after treatment with clove infusion. Significant reduction in the number of proliferating cells and an increased number of apoptotic cells was also noted in these BP-induced lung lesions following clove treatment. Western blotting analysis revealed that clove infusion upregulates the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins p53 and Bax, and downregulates the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in the precancerous stages. Expression of caspase 3 and its activation by clove infusion were evident from a very early stage of carcinogenesis (eighth week). Clove infusion was also found to downregulate the expression of some growth-promoting proteins, viz, COX-2, cMyc, Hras. The observations signify the chemopreventive potential of clove in view of its apoptogenic and anti-proliferative properties.
 ...
PMID:Clove (Syzygium aromaticum L.), a potential chemopreventive agent for lung cancer. 1650 Dec 50

TGF-beta, and its type 1 (ALK5) receptor, are critical to the pathogenesis of fibrosis. In toxicologic studies of 4 or more days in 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats, using an ALK5 inhibitor (GW788388), expansion of hypertrophic and proliferation zones of femoral physes were noted. Subphyseal hyperostosis, chondrocyte hypertrophy/hyperplasia, and increased matrix were present. Physeal zones were laser microdissected from ALK5 inhibitor-treated and control rats sacrificed after 3 days of treatment. Transcripts for TGF-beta1, TGF-beta2, ALK5, IHH, VEGF, BMP-7, IGF-1, bFGF, and PTHrP were amplified by real-time PCR. IGF and IHH increased in all physis zones with treatment, but were most prominent in prehypertrophic zones. TGF-beta2, bFGF and BMP7 expression increased in proliferative, pre-and hypertrophic zones. PTHrP expression was elevated in proliferative zones but decreased in hypertrophic zones. VEGF expression was increased after treatment in pre- and hypertrophic zones. ALK5 expression was elevated in prehypertrophic zones. Zymography demonstrated gelatinolytic activity was reduced after treatment. Apoptotic markers (TUNEL and caspase-3) were decreased in hypertrophic zones. Proliferation assessed by Topoisomerase II and Ki67 was increased in multiple zones. Movat stains demonstrated that proteoglycan deposition was altered. Physeal changes occurred at doses well above those resulting in fibrosis. Interactions of factors is important in producing the physeal dysplasia phenotype.
 ...
PMID:Inhibition of ALK5 signaling induces physeal dysplasia in rats. 1736 23

Overexpression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) plays an important role in development and progression of different human cancers, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be defined. Tissue specimens of normal oral epithelia (n=9), dysplasia (n=38), and oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n=54) were immunohistochemically analyzed for COX-2 and E2F-1 expression. A human oral SCC cell line, Tca8113, was used to assess NS398 antitumor activity. PGE2 levels were measured by using radioimmunoassay, and COX-2, pRb, and E2F-1 proteins were determined by Western blot assay. We found expression of COX-2 and E2F-1 proteins was significantly increased in both oral dysplasia and SCC compared to the normal epithelium. Increased COX-2 expression was associated with E2F-1 expression in both oral dysplasia and SCC. NS398 treatment reduced viability of Tca8113 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. NS398 suppressed PGE2 levels, a product of COX-2 enzyme, in the tumor cells. The reduced cell viability is due to induction of apoptosis by NS398, which activates caspase-3, but does not inhibit bcl-2. NS398 also induced tumor cell arrest at G1 phase of the cell cycle and inhibited expression of COX-2, pRb and E2F-1 proteins. This study provides evidence that E2F-1 and COX-2 are overexpressed in oral cancer, and further supports suppression of COX-2 in control of oral cancer.
 ...
PMID:Induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by NS398 in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells via downregulation of E2 promoter-binding factor-1. 1869 12

High-potency glucocorticoids (GC) are used in the prophylaxis and treatment of neonatal bronchopulmonal dysplasia, but there is concern about side effects on the developing brain. Recently, the low-potency GC hydrocortisone (HC) has been suggested as an alternative to high-potency GC. We compared the neurotoxic effects of HC with the high-potency GC dexamethasone (DEX) in chicken cerebellum. A single dose of GC was injected into the egg at embryonic day 16 and the death of granule neurons in histologic sections of the cerebellar cortex was examined 24 h later. DEX and HC showed a similar dose-dependent induction of morphological apoptosis and caspase-3 activation in the internal granular layer. A doubling of the apoptosis rate compared to the basal rate was seen for the highest dose of DEX (5 mg/kg) and medium dose of HC (1 mg/kg). In cultures of embryonic chicken cerebellar granule cells, DEX and HC increased cell death and induced rapid caspase-3 activation in a similar dose-dependent manner. Transfection of granule cells with a luciferase reporter gene revealed that the dose needed for the activation of gene transcription (classical signalling pathway) with DEX was much lower than for HC. In conclusion, HC does not present itself as a safer drug than DEX in this model. In addition, it appears that DEX and HC induce apoptosis in immature granule neurons via a non-genomic (non-classical) mechanism.
 ...
PMID:Low-potency glucocorticoid hydrocortisone has similar neurotoxic effects as high-potency glucocorticoid dexamethasone on neurons in the immature chicken cerebellum. 1870 96

The clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of 69 pediatric examples of infantile digital fibroma/fibromatosis (IDF) were analyzed. Thirty males, 26 females, and 1 child (sex unstated) ranging from newborn to 120 months of age (median, 12 mo) manifested 74 lesions (5 identified in follow-up) involving the toe or finger (n=71) and the hand or foot (n=3). Tumors ranged in size from 3 to 35 (median, 10) mm. All but 4 study members presented with a solitary lesion. Metachronous IDFs developed in 7 patients within 17 to 82 months. Microscopically, a cytologically bland, fibroproliferative lesion was observed forming a dome-shaped/polypoid nodule directly beneath the epidermis and invading dermal adnexa. Mitotic figures per 20 high-powered fields ranged from 0 to 7 (median, 1). Paranuclear cytoplasmic inclusions were identified in 57 tumors. Tumor cells immunohistochemically expressed calponin (11 of 11 tumors), desmin (9/9), alpha-smooth muscle actin (11/11), CD99 (11/11), CD117 (6/8), heavy caldesmon (2/11 and scattered cytoplasmic inclusions in 4 tumors), CD10 (1/9), nuclear beta-catenin (2/11), and CD34 (1/11), but not muscle actin (HUC1-1), keratins, estrogen/progesterone receptor proteins, or activated caspase-3. Twenty-eight of 38 patients (74%) experienced recurrent/persistent disease (single in 22; multiple in 6) (median, 4 mo after surgery). One recurrent tumor spontaneously regressed and the size of another remained unchanged for almost 17 years before reexcision. All 23 patients with >5 years follow-up are currently disease free (median disease-free interval, 23 y). Minor postoperative functional/cosmetic complaints were reported in 47%. No patient with adequate clinical data developed the digitocutaneous dysplasia syndrome or a conventional fibromatosis, or relayed a family history of IDF/conventional fibromatosis. Our results indicate that IDF is a unique myofibroblastic process separable from conventional fibromatoses and from histologic mimics. Conservative excision or observation after biopsy (with additional surgery employed as necessary) are recommended treatment options.
 ...
PMID:Infantile digital fibroma/fibromatosis: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of 69 tumors from 57 patients with long-term follow-up. 1883 Jan 28


1 2 3 4 5 Next >>