Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 19, Issue 7, 2013

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that negatively regulate gene expression through binding on the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of genes. Although microRNAs constitute a small fraction of the human genome, multiple studies have indicated their involvement in the pathogenesis of different types of cancer. Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer with very few therapeutic optio Read More

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the few cancers with a worldwide increasing trend of incidence, representing the third largest cause of cancer-related death. The initiation and progression of HCC depend on progressive accumulation of genetic and epigenetic defects that alter an array of signaling cascades via deregulation of signal activators and inhibitors. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that post-t Read More

microRNAs (miRNAs) comprise a recently discovered class of non-coding RNAs with regulatory functions in posttranscriptional gene expression control. Many miRNAs are located in genomic regions that are frequently deleted in cancer, or are subject to epigenetic and transcriptional deregulation in cancer cells. The miRNA transcriptome of cancer cells is very different from that of their normal cell counterparts. miRN Read More

There are several microRNAs that have been consistently reported to be differentially expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma vs. normal squamous tissue, with prognostic associations for miR-21 (invasion, positive nodes, decreased survival), miR-143 (disease recurrence, invasion depth), and miR-375 (inversely correlated with advanced stage, distant metastasis, poor overall survival, and disease-free survi Read More

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. The molecular mechanism of GIST formation is among the best characterized of all human tumors. Activating mutations of the c-Kit-kinase (KIT), a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase III family, are present in 80% of GISTs. Gain-of-function mutations of platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA), a memb Read More

While the phenotypic changes involved in the esophageal oncogenic “cascade” are now well established, the molecular profiling of this pathway remains unreliable. Our understanding of the molecular dysregulations underlying the development/progression of cancer has recently been expanded by the characterization of a new class of small, noncoding RNA gene products, the microRNAs (or miRNAs). These “endogeno Read More

MiRNAs are small noncoding RNA molecules that are often aberrantly over- or underexpressed in tumors, including colorectal cancer (CRC). Due to their capacity to regulate and thus fine-tune the expression of multiple target genes relevant in tumorigenesis, tumor progression, angiogenesis, metastasis and sensitivity towards chemotherapy, they influence various pivotal cellular processes with prognostic and therapeutic relev Read More

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs exhibiting critical functions as post-transcriptional regulators. Due to the importance and extensive influence of miRNAs on genes, dysregulation of miRNAs has been associated with various types of cancer, with more prominent being colorectal carcinoma (CRC). Increasing evidence suggests that miRNAs mediate the initiation and development of CRC and also act as potential bio Read More

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are approximately 22-nucleotide noncoding RNAs that constitute silencers of target gene expression and have emerged as key regulatory molecules of mammalian cell functions. Aberrant miRNA expression promotes pathologic conditions including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and a variety of precancerous liver diseases, especially chronic hepatitis B and C, and liver cirrhosis. miRNAs may cont Read More

Gastric carcinogenesis is a complex multistep process involving genetic dysregulation of proto-oncogenes and tumorsuppressor genes, and has recently entered the era of microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non-coding RNAs that posttranscriptionally regulate gene expression and control various cellular functions. MicroRNAs are small (approximately 22 nucleotides) non-coding RNAs that play fundamental roles in diverse b Read More

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that post-transcriptionally modulate gene expression by degrading or repressing the translation of target messenger RNAs (mRNA). Aberrant miRNA expression has been reported in OSCC, and this altered expression may be useful for the early detection of oral cancer. In this review w Read More

Esophageal cancer (EC) is a deadly disease. EC usually occurs as either adenocarcinoma (EAC) or squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC). The development of EAC generally follows the metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence. Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a metasplastic precursor of EAC. Multiple global miRNA expression profiling and candidate gene studies have been performed in EAC and ESCC that clearly support the i Read More

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. They have been found to be dysregulated in many pathological conditions including cancer and play an important role during the progression of such disease. Recent efforts have been directed in translating the primary findings of miRNAs into clinical uses. This article gives a general overview on the potential of miRNAs as diagn Read More

Primary negative symptoms (affective flattening or blunting, alogia, avolition) are prominent in approximately 20% of individuals suffering from schizophrenia. These symptoms are particularly associated with impaired functional outcome and poor prognosis. This is in part due to the lack of specific and effective treatments despite the development and use of the second generation antipsychotics. There is increasing evidenc Read More

The aim of this study was to investigate whether topical application of fibrin-binding oligopeptides derived from FN promotes wound healing in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Oligopeptides including fibrin-binding sequences (FF3: CFDKYTGNTYRV, FF5 : CTSRNRCNDQ) of FN repeats were synthesized. Each peptide was loaded in 15 x 15 mm fibrous alginate dressings, and the release kinetics of the peptides w Read More

Gut immune system is daily exposed to a plethora of antigens contained in the environment as well as in food. Both secondary lymphoid tissue, such as Peyer's patches, and lymphoid follicles (tertiary lymphoid tissue) are able to respond to antigenic stimuli releasing cytokines or producing antibodies (secretory IgA). Intestinal epithelial cells are in close cooperation with intraepithelial lymphocytes and possess Toll-like recepto Read More

The treatment of tuberculosis and other mycobacterioses is still a major world health problem and new antimycobacterial compounds unrelated to approved drugs are in demand. Quaternary ammonium salts have revealed many usable properties especially as antimicrobials; they are widely used as disinfection and antiseptic agents. Some of these compounds, including pyridinium salts, have revealed substantial antimycobac Read More