Germ cell tumors overexpress the candidate therapeutic target cyclin B1 independently of p53 function

The activation of BDNF reduced inflammation in a spinal cord injury model by TrkB/p38 MAPK signaling

The aim of the present study was to investigate the pro-inflammation effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling in promoting inflammation following spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression of BDNF in SCI rats. The Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan (BBB) test was used and the water content of spinal cord were assessed to determine the effects of BDNF on SCI. BDNF expression was increased in SCI rats. In an in vitro model, overexpression of BDNF induced the protein expression of tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) and suppressed that of phosphorylated (p-)p38, and reduced inflammation, as indicated by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-18, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 levels. Conversely, the TrkB inhibitor ANA-12 suppressed the protein expression of TrkB and induced that of p-p38, and promoted inflammation (as indicated by TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, iNOS and COX-2 levels) in an in vitro model of SCI by BDNF overexpression. In addition, the p38 inhibitor TA-0, suppressed p38 protein expression and reduced inflammation in an in vitro model of SCI by BDNF overexpression. Together, these data suggest that the pro-inflammation effects of BDNF/TrkB promoted inflammation in SCI through p38 signaling in rats.

Role of DNA repair machinery and p53 in the testicular germ cell cancer: a review

Notwithstanding the peculiar sensitivity to cisplatin-based treatment, resulting in a very high percentage of cures even in advanced stages of the disease, still we do not know the biological mechanisms that make Testicular Germ Cell Tumor (TGCT) “unique” in the oncology scene. p53 and MDM2 seem to play a pivotal role, according to several in vitro observations, but no correlation has been found between their mutational or expression status in tissue samples and patients clinical outcome. Furthermore, other players seem to be on stage: DNA Damage Repair Machinery (DDR) , especially Homologous Recombination (HR) proteins, above all Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), cooperates with p53 in response to DNA damage, activating apoptotic cascade and contributing to cell “fate”. Homologous Recombination deficiency has been assumed to be a Germ Cell Tumor characteristic underlying platinum-sensitivity, whereby Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), an enzyme involved in HR DNA repair, is an intriguing target: PARP inhibitors have already entered in clinical practice of other malignancies and trials are recruiting TGCT patients in order to validate their role in this disease. This paper aims to summarize evidence, trying to outline an overview of DDR implications not only in TGCT curability, but also in resistance to chemotherapy.

Polymorphisms of CCNB1 Associated With the Clinical Outcomes of Platinum-Based Chemotherapy in Chinese NSCLC Patients

As a crucial cell cycle regulator and G2/M phase promotor, CCNB1 played an essential role in progression of chemotherapy related cell death. Platinum-based chemotherapy is still the first-line chemotherapy regimen for most advanced NSCLC patients. We aim to investigate the correlation of CCNB1 polymorphisms to the efficiency of platinum-based chemotherapy in Chinese advanced NSCLC patients. We enrolled 972 patients with advanced NSCLC, and extracted DNA from their peripheral blood for genotyping CCNB1 four tagSNPs which selected from the Hapmap database. We analyzed the association of CCNB1 four tagSNPs with efficiency of platinum-based chemotherapy. We found that rs2069429 and rs2069433 of CCNB1 were associated with the OS of advanced NSCLC patients. Patients with GG genotype of rs2069429 had longer OS than non-GG patients (HR=0.81, 95%CI=0.68-0.95, p=0.009); and patients with AA genotype of rs2069433 had longer OS than non-AA patients (HR=0.78, 95%CI=0.61-0.98, p=0.036). And the haplotype GAAA of CCNB1 was a putative factor in subgroup patients with clinical stage IV. The association of CCNB1 polymorphisms and toxicities after platinum-based chemotherapy was assessed. Rs2069433 and rs350104 were related with gastrointestinal toxicity of platinum-based chemotherapy. The patients with GG genotype of rs2069433 (p=0.013) and/or non-GG genotype of rs350104 (p=0.042) may have a severe gastrointestinal toxicity after chemotherapy, and then clinician may can reduce the dosage of chemotherapy agents to avoid sever toxicities in these patients. In summary, CCNB1 polymorphisms may contribute to the clinical efficiency of platinum-based chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients, and it is helpful for the personalized treatment.