Identification of molecular mechanisms for cellular drug resistance by combining drug activity and gene expression profiles

Acquired drug resistance is a major problem in cancer treatment. To explore the genes involved in chemosensitivity and resistance, 10 human tumour cell lines, including parental cells and resistant subtypes selected for resistance against doxorubicin, melphalan, teniposide and vincristine, were profiled for mRNA expression of 7400 genes using cDNA microarray technology. The drug activity of 66 cancer agents was evaluated on the cell lines, and correlations between drug activity and gene expression were calculated and ranked. Hierarchical clustering of drugs based on their drug–gene correlations yielded clusters of drugs with similar mechanism of action. Genes correlated with drug sensitivity and resistance were imported into the PathwayAssist software to identify putative molecular pathways involved. A substantial number of both proapoptotic and antiapoptotic genes such as signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 and focal adhesion kinase were found to be associated to drug resistance, whereas genes linked to cell cycle control and proliferation, such as cell division cycle 25A and signal transducer of activator of transcription 5A, were associated to general drug sensitivity. The results indicate that combined information from drug activity and gene expression in a resistance-based cell line panel may provide new knowledge of the genes involved in anticancer drug resistance and become a useful tool in drug development

Investigation of industrial contamination of protective clothing at oil industry sector

The article presents the research results of the interaction of the protective clothes surface with polluting components of production facilities of the oil and oil refining industry. The development direction of an oil-resistant clothing segment is proved. The aggressive components of the production environment of the oil sector are substantiated with respect to the protective functions of special clothes. Oil and petroleum products lead to a change in the properties of textile materials. This depends on the concentration of aggressive components in the structure of textile materials. The research results of the interaction of petroleum products with a textile composition of a woven structure with protective properties are presented. Based on the study of 50 suits that have passed the operational cycle of one season, restrictions are established on the areas of the clothing surface of uneven protection. Clothing zones risk-affected loss of protective effect is established. The results of experimental studies of the concentration of petroleum products in textile materials after chemical purification based on the method of gas capillary chromatography are presented. It was found that the main component with a high concentration of pollutants is hydrocarbons from C14H30 Tetradecane to C36H74 Hexatriacontane. The average values of the concentration of hydrocarbons on the purified samples for the main parts of the clothing surface were established. Using the methods of acoustic emission, the experimental level of contact activity of the permeability of the liquid phase of crude oil in the structure of woven textiles at the boundary of media is established. The effect of the saturation of protective clothing by the petroleum fractions on its strength has been experimentally evaluated. The chemical compositions of the active phases were identified on the basis of experimental data. This is the contact materials of industrial pollution at oil refining facilities. Recommendations have been developed to improve the system of individual protection of man during interaction with a polluting environment taking into account chemically aggressive components

The role of focal-adhesion kinase in cancer. A new therapeutic opportunity

Focal-adhesion kinase (FAK) is an important mediator of growth-factor signalling, cell proliferation, cell survival and cell migration. Given that the development of malignancy is often associated with perturbations in these processes, it is not surprising that FAK activity is altered in cancer cells. Mouse models have shown that FAK is involved in tumour formation and progression, and other studies showing that FAK expression is increased in human tumours make FAK a potentially important new therapeutic target