Epigenetic Regulation of Cancer-Associated Genes in Ovarian Cancer

The involvement of epigenetic aberrations in the development and progression of tumors is now well established. However, most studies have focused on the epigenetic inactivation of tumor suppressor genes during tumorigenesis and little is known about the epigenetic activation of cancer-associated genes, except for the DNA hypomethylation of some genes. Recently, we reported that the overexpression of cancer-promoting genes in ovarian cancer is associated with the loss of repressive histone modifications. This discovery suggested that epigenetic derepression may contribute to ovarian tumorigenesis by constituting a possible mechanism for the overexpression of oncogenes or cancer-promoting genes in tumors. The emerging importance of epigenetic aberrations in tumor initiation and in the regulation of cancer-initiating cells, suggests that epigenetically regulated genes may be promising therapeutic targets and biomarkers. Given that the current challenges in ovarian cancer include the identification of biomarkers for early cancer detection and the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for patients with recurrent malignancies undergoing chemotherapy, understanding the epigenetic changes that occur in ovarian cancer is crucial. This review looks at epigenetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of cancer-associated genes, including the contribution of epigenetic derepression to the activation of cancer-associated genes in ovarian cancer. In addition, possible epigenetic therapies targeting epigenetically dysregulated genes are discussed. A better understanding of the epigenetic changes in ovarian cancer will contribute to the improvement of patient outcomes

Overexpression of Cancer-Associated Genes via Epigenetic Derepression Mechanisms in Gynecologic Cancer

Like other cancers, most gynecologic cancers are caused by aberrant expression of cancer-related genes. Epigenetics is one of the most important gene expression mechanisms, which contribute to cancer development and progression by regulating cancer-related genes. Since the discovery of differential gene expression patterns in cancer cells when compared with normal cells, extensive efforts have been made to explore the origins of abnormal gene expression in cancer. Epigenetics, the study of inheritable changes in gene expression that do not alter DNA sequence is a key area of this research. DNA methylation and histone modification are well-known epigenetic mechanisms, while microRNAs and alternative splicing have recently been identified as important regulators of epigenetic mechanisms. These mechanisms not only affect specific target gene expression but also regulate the functioning of other epigenetic mechanisms. Moreover, these diverse epigenetic regulations occur simultaneously. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is extraordinarily complicated and all epigenetic mechanisms to be studied at once to determine the exact gene regulation mechanisms. Traditionally, the contribution of epigenetics to cancer is thought to be mediated through the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes expression. But recently, it is arising that some oncogenes or cancer-promoting genes (CPGs) are overexpressed in diverse type of cancers through epigenetic derepression mechanism, such as DNA and histone demethylation. Epigenetic derepression arises from diverse epigenetic changes, and all of these mechanisms actively interact with each other to increase oncogenes or CPGs expression in cancer cell. Oncogenes or CPGs overexpressed through epigenetic derepression can initiate cancer development, and accumulation of these abnormal epigenetic changes makes cancer more aggressive and treatment resistance. This review discusses epigenetic mechanisms involved in the overexpression of oncogenes or CPGs via epigenetic derepression in gynecologic cancers. Therefore, improved understanding of these epigenetic mechanisms will provide new targets for gynecologic cancer treatment

Face Recognition Performance Comparison of Fake Faces with Real Faces in Relation to Lighting

Abstract Face Recognition is widely used in security systems, such as surveillance, gate control systems, and guard robots, due to their user friendliness and convenience compared to other biometric approaches. Secure face recognition systems require advanced technology for face liveness detection, which can identify whether a face belongs to a real client or a portrait. However, with the development of display devices and technology, the tools and skills for carrying out spoofing attacks with images and videos have gradually evolved. In this paper, we compare real faces with high-definition facial videos from LED display devices, and present the changes in face recognition performance according to lighting direction

Fishbone-Associated Actinomycosis of the Anterior Cervical Space: A Diagnostic Dilemma

We report the imaging and pathologic findings of fishbone-associated actinomycosis of the anterior cervical space in a 57-year-old man, misdiagnosed preoperatively as a malignancy originating from thyroglossal duct cyst. CT revealed an enhancing mass containing a small abscess pocket and two sharp linear calcifications within it, which infiltrated into the strap muscle. Pathologic examination demonstrated two fishbones within the actinomycotic abscess. Fishbone-associated actinomycosis should be considered when a cervical mass contains sharp linear calcifications

Genotypic Characterization of Vibrio vulnificus Clinical Isolates in Korea

AbstractObjectivesVibrio vunificus is known to cause septicemia and severe wound infections in patients with chronic liver diseases or an immuno-compromised condition. We carried out the molecular characterization of V. vulnificus isolates from human Vibrio septicemia cases based on pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) using NotI and SfiI.Methods and ResultsPFGE was used to characterize a total of 78 strains from clinical cases after NotI or SfiI digestion. The geographical distribution of PFGE patterns for the strains from the southern part of Korea, a high-risk region for Vibrio septicemia, indicated that the isolates from southeastern Korea showed a comparatively higher degree of homology than those from southwestern Korea.ConclusionsWe report the genetic distribution of V. vulnficus isolated from Vibrio septicemia cases during 2000–2004 in Korea. This method has potential use as a subspecies-typing tool for V. vulnificus strains isolated from distant geographic regions

Computational Approach to Identify Enzymes That Are Potential Therapeutic Candidates for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is well known as a chronic inflammatory dermatosis. The disease affects persons of all ages and is a burden worldwide. Psoriasis is associated with various diseases such as arthritis. The disease is characterized by well-demarcated lesions on the skin of the elbows and knees. Various genetic and environmental factors are related to the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In order to identify enzymes that are potential therapeutic targets for psoriasis, we utilized a computational approach, combining microarray analysis and protein interaction prediction. We found 6,437 genes (3,264 upregulated and 3,173 downregulated) that have significant differences in expression between regions with and without lesions in psoriasis patients. We identified potential candidates through protein-protein interaction predictions made using various protein interaction resources. By analyzing the hub protein of the networks with metrics such as degree and centrality, we detected 32 potential therapeutic candidates. After filtering these candidates through the ENZYME nomenclature database, we selected 5 enzymes: DNA helicase (RUVBL2), proteasome endopeptidase complex (PSMA2), nonspecific protein-tyrosine kinase (ZAP70), I-kappa-B kinase (IKBKE), and receptor protein-tyrosine kinase (EGFR). We adopted a computational approach to detect potential therapeutic targets; this approach may become an effective strategy for the discovery of new drug targets for psoriasis

Symptom Bother, Physical and Mental Stress, and Health-related Quality of Life in Women with Overactive Bladder Syndrome

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to identify the relationships among symptom bother, physical and mental stress and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in women with overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome. METHODS: The participants were 106 women who were diagnosed with OAB (urgency, urge urinary incontinence, frequency, and/or nocturia) at P university hospital. Data were collected from Dec 23, 2011 to Aug 31, 2012. RESULTS: The mean score for symptom bother was 43.1 points, for physical stress, 12.8 which was slightly higher than mental stress (11.8), and for HRQoL, 63.9. For symptom type, there were statistically significant differences in the symptom bother (F=8.67, p<.001) and HRQL (F=3.32, p= .023). The Symptom bother of OAB was positively correlated with physical stress (r=.23, p= .014) and mental stress (r=.33, p<.001) and negatively correlated with the subscales of HRQoL; coping (r=-.66, p<.001), concern (r=-.71, p<.001), sleep (r=-.59, p<.001), and social interaction (r=-.58, p<.001). CONCLUSION: From the results, bother symptom was associated with physical, mental stress and HRQoL. These results suggest that nursing intervention programs for OAB should be developed not only to relieve the symptoms but also to reduce stress and improve the quality of life

Crystal structure of Cmr5 from Pyrococcus furiosus and its functional implications

AbstractThe bacterial acquired immune system consists of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) and CRIPSR-associated (Cas) genes, which include Cas-module repeat-associated mysterious proteins (Cmr). The six Cmr proteins of Pyrococcus furiosus (pfCmr1–pfCmr6) form a Cmr effector complex that functions against exogenous nucleic acid. Among the Cmr proteins, the role of pfCmr5 and its involvement in the complex’s cleavage activity have been obscure. The elucidated pfCmr5 structure has two inserted α-helices compared with the other trimeric Cmr5 structure. However, pfCmr5 exists as a monomeric protein both in the crystalline state and in solution. In vitro assays indicate that pfCmr5 interacts with pfCmr4. These structural and biophysical data might help in understanding the complicated and ill-characterized Cmr effector complex.Structured summary of protein interactionspfCmr4 and pfCmr5 bind by molecular sieving (View interaction)pfCmr4 and pfCmr4 bind by molecular sieving (View interaction)pfCmr5 and pfCmr4 bind by ion exchange chromatography (View interaction

Enhanced terahertz conductivity in ultra-thin gold film deposited onto (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS)-coated Si substrates

Various material properties change considerably when material is thinned down to nanometer thicknesses. Accordingly, researchers have been trying to obtain homogeneous thin films with nanometer thickness but depositing homogeneous few nanometers thick gold film is challenging as it tends to form islands rather than homogenous film. Recently, studies have revealed that treating the substrate with an organic buffer, (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) enables deposition of ultra-thin gold film having thickness as low as 5 nm. Different aspects of MPTMS treatment for ultrathin gold films like its effect on the structure and optical properties at visible wavelengths have been investigated. However, the effect of the MPTMS treatment on electrical conductivity of ultra-thin gold film at terahertz frequency remains unexplored. Here, we measure the complex conductivity of nanometer-thick gold films deposited onto an MPTMS-coated silicon substrate using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. Following the MPTMS treatment of the substrate, the conductivity of the films was found to increase compared to those deposited onto uncoated substrate for gold films having the thickness less than 11 nm. We observed 5-fold enhancement in the conductivity for a 7 nm-thick gold film. We also demonstrate the fabrication of nanoslot-antenna arrays in 8.2-nm-thick gold films. The nanoslot-antenna with MPTMS coating has resonance at around 0.5 THz with an electric field enhancement of 44, whereas the nanoslot-antenna without MPTMS coating does not show resonant properties. Our results demonstrate that gold films deposited onto MPTMS-coated silicon substrates are promising advanced materials for fabricating ultra-thin terahertz plasmonic devices