Therapy of acute promyelocytic leukemia

Metalloids: essential, beneficial or toxic? Major intrinsic proteins sort it out

Major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) are a family of selective membrane channels comprising water-channelling aquaporins and glycerol-channelling aquaglyceroporins. Recently, several MIPs within all domains of life were shown to facilitate the diffusion of reduced and non-charged species of the metalloids silicon, boron, arsenic and antimony. Metalloids encompass a group of biologically important elements ranging from the essential to the highly toxic. Consequently, all organisms require efficient membrane transport systems to control the exchange of metalloids with the environment. Recent genetic evidence has demonstrated a crucial role for specific MIPs in metalloid homeostasis. We propose that specific MIPs represent an ancient and indispensable transport mechanism for metalloids, which suggests that they could be potential pharmacological targets.

Maximizing mouse cancer models

Animal models of cancer provide an alternative means to determine the causes of and treatments for malignancy, thus representing a resource of immense potential for cancer medicine. The sophistication of modelling cancer in mice has increased to the extent that investigators can both observe and manipulate a complex disease process in a manner impossible to perform in patients. However, owing to limitations in model design and technology development, and the surprising underuse of existing models, only now are we realising the full potential of mouse models of cancer and what new approaches are needed to derive the maximum value for cancer patients from this investment.

Organ-specific expression profiles of rat mammary gland, liver, and lung tissues treated with targretin, 9-cis retinoic acid, and 4-hydroxyphenylretinamide

A rexinoid, targretin, and two retinoids, 9-cis retinoic acid (9cRA) and 4-hydroxyphenylretinamide (4HPR), were examined for their effects on gene expression in rat mammary gland, liver, and lung tissues. The chemopreventive effects of these agents have largely been attributed to their ability to interact with retinoic acid receptors (RAR) and/or retinoid X receptors (RXR). Targretin interacts with the RXR receptors. 9cRA interacts with both the RAR and RXR receptors, whereas 4HPR has a moderate affinity primarily for RAR gamma. Based on previous studies on mammary chemoprevention, targretin (150 mg/kg diet), 9cRA (100 mg/kg diet), and 4HPR (782 mg/kg diet), were administered to rats continually in their diet for 7 days. Tissue- and agent-specific expression differences were determined by comparing tissues from treated rats with those from rats given a control diet. There were significantly more changes associated with targretin than 9cRA or 4HPR. Only a limited number of expression changes were found with 4HPR treatment. For each organ, targretin- and 9cRA-treated tissues clustered closely together, whereas 4HPR-treated tissues clustered with the tissues from the control diet group. In contrast to 9cRA treatment, targretin treatment altered genes that involved fatty acid metabolism and modulation of various cytochromes P450 in the liver, clearly demonstrating the very disparate nature of these two retinoids. These expression signatures could provide useful pharmacodynamic biomarkers for retinoid treatment and chemoprevention.