Human Gyrovirus Apoptin shows a similar subcellular distribution pattern and apoptosis induction as the chicken anaemia virus derived VP3/Apoptin

The chicken anaemia virus-derived protein Apoptin/VP3 (CAV-Apoptin) has the important ability to induce tumour-selective apoptosis in a variety of human cancer cells. Recently the first human Gyrovirus (HGyV) was isolated from a human skin swab. It shows significant structural and organisational resemblance to CAV and encodes a homologue of CAV-Apoptin/VP3. Using overlapping primers we constructed a synthetic human Gyrovirus Apoptin (HGyV-Apoptin) fused to green fluorescent protein in order to compare its apoptotic function in various human cancer cell lines to CAV-Apoptin. HGyV-Apoptin displayed a similar subcellular expression pattern as observed for CAV-Apoptin, marked by translocation to the nucleus of cancer cells, although it is predominantly located in the cytosol of normal human cells. Furthermore, expression of either HGyV-Apoptin or CAV-Apoptin in several cancer cell lines triggered apoptosis at comparable levels. These findings indicate a potential anti-cancer role for HGyV-Apoptin

Discovery of Small Molecule WWP2 Ubiquitin Ligase Inhibitors

We have screened small molecule libraries specifically for inhibitors that target WWP2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase associated with tumour outgrowth and spread. Selected hits demonstrated dose‐dependent WWP2 inhibition, low micromolar IC50 values, and inhibition of PTEN substrate‐specific ubiquitination. Binding to WWP2 was confirmed by ligand‐based NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, we used a combination of STD NMR, the recently developed DEEP‐STD NMR approach, and docking calculations, to propose for the first time an NMR‐validated 3D molecular model of a WWP2‐inhibitor complex. These first generation WWP2 inhibitors provide a molecular framework for informing organic synthetic approaches to improve activity and selectivity

Synthesis and evaluation of 3-amino/guanidine substituted phenyl oxazoles as a novel class of LSD1 inhibitors with anti-proliferative properties

A series of functionalized phenyl oxazole derivatives was designed, synthesized and screened in vitro for their activities against LSD1 and for effects on viability of cervical and breast cancer cells, and in vivo for effects using zebrafish embryos. These compounds are likely to act via multiple epigenetic mechanisms specific to cancer cells including LSD1 inhibition

Controlling the Bureaucracy of the Antipoverty Program

Rapid progress made in various areas of regenerative medicine in recent years occurred both at the cellular level, with the Nobel prize-winning discovery of reprogramming (generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells) and also at the biomaterial level. The use of four transcription factors, Oct3/4, Sox2, c-Myc, and Klf4 (called commonly "Yamanaka factors") for the conversion of differentiated cells, back to the pluripotent/embryonic stage, has opened virtually endless and ethically acceptable source of stem cells for medical use. Various types of stem cells are becoming increasingly popular as starting components for the development of replacement tissues, or artificial organs. Interestingly, many of the transcription factors, key to the maintenance of stemness phenotype in various cells, are also overexpressed in cancer (stem) cells, and some of them may find the use as prognostic factors. In this review, we describe various methods of iPS creation, followed by overview of factors known to interfere with the efficiency of reprogramming. Next, we discuss similarities between cancer stem cells and various stem cell types. Final paragraphs are dedicated to interaction of biomaterials with tissues, various adverse reactions generated as a result of such interactions, and measures available, that allow for mitigation of such negative effects

A Polymorphism (rs1801018, Thr7Thr) of BCL2 is Associated with Papillary Thyroid Cancer in Korean Population

ObjectivesAmong the apoptosis signals, B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) is a well-known regulator of apoptosis with anti-apoptotic properties. We investigated here whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the BCL2 were associated with host susceptibility of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) occurrence and clinicopathologic parameters.MethodsNinety-two PTC patients and 222 control subjects were recruited. One promoter SNP (rs2279115, -938A/C) and one synonymous SNP (rs1801018, Thr7Thr) in the BCL2 gene were selected and genotyped using direct sequencing. Multiple logistic regression models were performed to evaluate odds ratios, 95% confidence intervals, and P-values.Resultsrs1801018 of the BCL2 gene was not associated with the development of PTC. In the clinicopathologic features, rs1801018 SNP was associated with the number and location. The G allele frequency of rs1801018 in PTC patients with multifocality (13.3%) was about four-fold higher than that in PTC patients with unifocality (3.4%). The G allele frequency of rs1801018 in PTC patients with both lobes (15.4%) was increased by about five-fold, compared to PTC patients with one lobe (3.2%).ConclusionThe results suggest that synonymous SNP rs1801018 and the G allele of the BCL2 gene may be associated with the multifocality and bilaterality of PTC in Korean population

An atypical DYRK kinase connects quorum-sensing with posttranscriptional gene regulation in Trypanosoma brucei.

The sleeping sickness parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, uses quorum sensing (QS) to balance proliferation and transmission potential in the mammal bloodstream. A signal transduction cascade regulates this process, a component of which is a divergent member of the DYRK family of protein kinases, TbDYRK. Phylogenetic and mutational analysis in combination with activity and phenotypic assays revealed that TbDYRK exhibits a pre-activated conformation and an atypical HxY activation loop motif, unlike DYRK kinases in other eukaryotes. Phosphoproteomic comparison of TbDYRK null mutants with wild-type parasites identified molecules that operate on both the inhibitory 'slender retainer' and activatory 'stumpy inducer' arms of the QS control pathway. One of these molecules, the RNA-regulator TbZC3H20, regulates parasite QS, this being dependent on the integrity of its TbDYRK phosphorylation site. This analysis reveals fundamental differences to conventional DYRK family regulation and links trypanosome environmental sensing, signal transduction and developmental gene expression in a coherent pathway

How ubiquitination regulates the TGF-β signalling pathway: New insights and new players

Ubiquitination of protein species in regulating signal transduction pathways is universally accepted as of fundamental importance for normal development, and defects in this process have been implicated in the progression of many human diseases. One pathway that has received much attention in this context is transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) signalling, particularly during the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumour progression. While E3-ubiquitin ligases offer themselves as potential therapeutic targets, much remains to be unveiled regarding mechanisms that culminate in their regulation. With this in mind, the focus of this review highlights the regulation of the ubiquitination pathway and the significance of a recently described group of NEDD4 E3-ubiquitin ligase isoforms in the context of TGF-ß pathway regulation. Moreover, we now broaden these observations to incorporate a growing number of protein isoforms within the ubiquitin ligase superfamily as a whole, and discuss their relevance in defining a new ‘iso-ubiquitinome’

Expression and Functional Studies of Ubiquitin C-Terminal Hydrolase L1 Regulated Genes

Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) have been increasingly implicated in regulation of cellular processes, but a functional role for Ubiquitin C-terminal Hydrolases (UCHs), which has been largely relegated to processing of small ubiquitinated peptides, remains unexplored. One member of the UCH family, UCH L1, is expressed in a number of malignancies suggesting that this DUB might be involved in oncogenic processes, and increased expression and activity of UCH L1 have been detected in EBV-immortalized cell lines. Here we present an analysis of genes regulated by UCH L1 shown by microarray profiles obtained from cells in which expression of the gene was inhibited by RNAi. Microarray data were verified with subsequent real-time PCR analysis. We found that inhibition of UCH L1 activates genes that control apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and at the same time suppresses expression of genes involved in proliferation and migration pathways. These findings are complemented by biological assays for apoptosis, cell cycle progression and migration that support the data obtained from microarray analysis, and suggest that the multi-functional molecule UCH L1 plays a role in regulating principal pathways involved in oncogenesis