Rare and Frequent Promoter Methylation, Respectively, of TSHZ2 and 3 Genes That Are Both Downregulated in Expression in Breast and Prostate Cancers

Neoplastic cells harbor both hypomethylated and hypermethylated regions of DNA. Whereas hypomethylation is found mainly in repeat sequences, regional hypermethylation has been linked to the transcriptional silencing of certain tumor suppressor genes. We attempted to search for candidate genes involved in breast/prostate carcinogenesis, using the criteria that they should be expressed in primary cultures of normal breast/prostate epithelial cells but are frequently downregulated in breast/prostate cancer cell lines and that their promoters are hypermethylated.We identified several dozens of candidates among 194 homeobox and related genes using Systematic Multiplex RT-PCR and among 23,000 known genes and 23,000 other expressed sequences in the human genome by DNA microarray hybridization. An additional examination, by real-time qRT-PCR of clinical specimens of breast cancer, further narrowed the list of the candidates. Among them, the most frequently downregulated genes in tumors were NP_775756 and ZNF537, from the homeobox gene search and the genome-wide search, respectively. To our surprise, we later discovered that these genes belong to the same gene family, the 3-member Teashirt family, bearing the new names of TSHZ2 and TSHZ3. We subsequently determined the methylation status of their gene promoters. The TSHZ3 gene promoter was found to be methylated in all the breast/prostate cancer cell lines and some of the breast cancer clinical specimens analyzed. The TSHZ2 gene promoter, on the other hand, was unmethylated except for the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. The TSHZ1 gene was always expressed, and its promoter was unmethylated in all cases.TSHZ2 and TSHZ3 genes turned out to be the most interesting candidates for novel tumor suppressor genes. Expression of both genes is downregulated. However, differential promoter methylation suggests the existence of distinctive mechanisms of transcriptional inactivation for these genes

Persons with chronic hip joint pain exhibit reduced hip muscle strength

STUDY DESIGN: Controlled Laboratory Cross-Sectional Study OBJECTIVES: To assess strength differences of the hip rotator and abductor muscle groups in young adults with chronic hip joint pain (CHJP) and asymptomatic controls. A secondary objective was to determine if strength in the uninvolved hip of those with unilateral CHJP differs from asymptomatic controls. BACKGROUND: Little is known about the relationship between hip muscle strength and CHJP in young adults. METHODS: 35 participants with CHJP and 35 matched controls (18 to 40 years of age) participated. Using hand-held dynamometry, strength of the hip external rotators (ERs) and internal rotators (IRs) was assessed with the hip flexed to 90° (ERs90°, IRs90°) and 0° (ERs0°, IRs0°). To assess ER and IR strength, the hip was placed at the end-range of external rotation and internal rotation, respectively. Strength of the hip abductors (ABDs) was assessed in sidelying, with the hip in 15° of abduction. Break tests were performed to determine maximum muscle force and the average torque was calculated using the corresponding moment arm. Independent samples t-tests were used to compare strength values between the 1) involved limb in participants with CHJP and corresponding limb in the matched controls and 2) the uninvolved limb in participants with unilateral CHJP and corresponding limb in the matched controls. RESULTS: Compared to controls, participants with CHJP demonstrated weakness of 16–28%, (P<0.01) in all muscle groups tested in the involved hip. The uninvolved hip of 22 subjects with unilateral CHJP demonstrated weakness of 18% and 16% (P<0.05) in the ERs0° and ABDs, respectively when compared to the corresponding limb of the matched controls. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that persons with CHJP have weakness in the hip rotator and hip abductor muscles. Weakness also was found in the uninvolved hip of persons with CHJP

Sucrose Supply Can Increase Longevity of Broccoli (Brassica-Oleracea) Branchlets Kept At 22-Degrees-C

Sucrose was supplied several hours after harvest to broccoli branchlets via the transpiration stream in order to increase the amount of sucrose available for respiration and to determine its influence on longevity at 22 degrees C. Calculations based on solution uptake indicated that an 8% (w/v) sucrose solution supplied sufficient substrate for respiration, but the pattern of respiratory decline after harvest was not altered by supply of exogenous sucrose, and yellowing of floret sepals began after 2 days. However, when sucrose was supplied immediately after harvest, yellowing was delayed. Treatment with cytokinin (50 ppm 6-benzylaminopurine), to delay yellowing, had no effect on levels of sucrose in branchlets after 4.5 days, but retarded loss of chlorophyll. Floret tissues appear to sense the decline in sucrose after harvest, the result being induction of senescence as judged by yellowing. 6-benzylaminopurine may block the sensing mechanism

Gibberellin-induced ethylene production and its effect on cowpea epicotyl elongation

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