The Role of TRPM7 in Oncogenesis

This review summarizes the current understanding of the role of transient receptor potential melastatin-subfamily member 7 (TRPM7) channels in the pathophysiology of neoplastic diseases. The TRPM family represents the largest and most diverse group in the TRP superfamily. Its subtypes are expressed in virtually all human organs playing a central role in (patho)physiological events. The TRPM7 protein (along with TRPM2 and TRPM6) is unique in that it has kinase activity in addition to the channel function. Numerous studies demonstrate the role of TRPM7 chanzyme in tumorigenesis and in other tumor hallmarks such as proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis. Here we provide an up-to-date overview about the possible role of TRMP7 in a broad range of malignancies such as tumors of the nervous system, head and neck cancers, malignant neoplasms of the upper gastrointestinal tract, colorectal carcinoma, lung cancer, neoplasms of the urinary system, breast cancer, malignant tumors of the female reproductive organs, prostate cancer and other neoplastic pathologies. Experimental data show that the increased expression and/or function of TRPM7 are observed in most malignant tumor types. Thus, TRPM7 chanzyme may be a promising target in tumor therapy.

Plasma antioxidant capacity in dogs with naturally occurring heart diseases

The aim of the study was to compare the plasma levels of antioxidants by measuring total antioxidant activity (TAS) and ferric reducing ability of the plasma (FRAP) in healthy dogs and in those that are suffering from dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) or from mitral endocardiosis (ME). Dogs with echocardiographically diagnosed ME (10 dogs) as well as DCM (23 dogs) were sampled. Of dogs with DCM, eight having DCM with sinus rhythm (SR) were included in the DCM-SR group and 15 having DCM with atrial fibrillation (AF) in the DCM-AF group. Total antioxidant levels measured by TAS assay differed neither significantly between the cardiac patients and the control group nor between the heart disease groups. Ferric reducing ability of the plasma in animals with cardiac disease was significantly higher than in the control animals, and the difference was also significant in between the two DCM groups. However, the differences between the antioxidant levels of the DCM and ME groups did not reach significance in none of the antioxidant (TAS and FRAP) tests. Summarizing the results of this study it can be concluded that there is an increased antioxidant reactivity detected by the FRAP, but not by the TAS assay in the blood of dogs with naturally occurring cardiac disorders. The magnitude of this increase seems to be more affected rather by the severity of the cardiac insufficiency and/or by the heart rate or rhythm disorder than by the underlying heart disease itself.

Isoform-specific up-regulation of plasma membrane Ca2+ATPase expression during colon and gastric cancer cell differentiation

In this work we demonstrate a differentiation-induced up-regulation of the expression of plasma membrane Ca2+ATPase (PMCA) isoforms being present in various gastric/colon cancer cell types. We found PMCA1b as the major isoform in non-differentiated cancer cell lines, whereas the expression level of PMCA4b was significantly lower. Cell differentiation initiated with short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and trichostatin A, or spontaneous differentiation of post-confluent cell cultures resulted in a marked induction of PMCA4b expression, while only moderately increased PMCA1b levels. Up-regulation of PMCA4b expression was demonstrated both at the protein and mRNA levels, and closely correlated with the induction of established differentiation markers. In contrast, the expression level of the Na+/K+-ATPase or that of the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ATPase 2 protein did not change significantly under these conditions. In membrane vesicles obtained from SCFA-treated gastric/colon cancer cells a marked increase in the PMCA-dependent Ca2+ transport activity was observed, indicating a general increase of PMCA function during the differentiation of these cancer cells. Because various PMCA isoforms display distinct functional characteristics, we suggest that up-regulated PMCA expression, together with a major switch in PMCA isoform pattern may significantly contribute to the differentiation of gastric/colon cancer cells. The analysis of PMCA expression may provide a new diagnostic tool for monitoring the tumor phenotype.

Investigations on blood and cerebrospinal fluid lymphocytes in patients suffering from tick-borne encephalitis

This paper deals with the immuno-pathological characteristics of tick-borne encephalitis. With the appearance of neurological signs, there is a strong T cell reaction in th peripheral blood. The following seven days are characterized by the appearance of specific cell-mediated reaction in the peripheral blood; in the cell-mediated reaction in the peripheral blood; in the cerebrospinal fluid, an increasing number of B cells and specific antibodies can be detected. After a week, the percent positivity of cell-mediated immune reactions is higher and there is a T cell dominance in the cerebrospinal fluid. Intact cellular immunity against specific antigen is required for the management of this disease. There are major differences in the results obtained from patients suffering from meningitis alone and those suffering from meningoencephalitis.