Metabolic Signaling to Epigenetic Alterations in Cancer

Cancer cells reprogram cellular metabolism to support the malignant features of tumors, such as rapid growth and proliferation. The cancer promoting effects of metabolic reprogramming are found in many aspects: generating additional energy, providing more anabolic molecules for biosynthesis, and rebalancing cellular redox states in cancer cells. Metabolic pathways are considered the pipelines to supply metabolic cofactors of epigenetic modifiers. In this regard, cancer metabolism, whereby cellular metabolite levels are greatly altered compared to normal levels, is closely associated with cancer epigenetics, which is implicated in many stages of tumorigenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of cancer metabolism and its involvement in epigenetic modifications and suggest that the metabolic adaptation leading to epigenetic changes in cancer cells is an important non-genetic factor for tumor progression, which cooperates with genetic causes. Understanding the interaction of metabolic reprogramming with epigenetics in cancers may help to develop novel or highly improved therapeutic strategies that target cancer metabolism.

Identification of molecular markers for the oncogenic differentiation of hepatocellular carcinoma

The aim of this study was to identify molecular markers associated with oncogenic differentiation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Using an unsupervised clustering method with a cDNA microarray, HCC (T) gene expression profiles and corresponding non-tumor tissues (NT) from 40 patients were analyzed. Of total 217 genes, 72 were expressed preferentially in HCC tissues. Among 186 differentially regulated genes, there were molecular chaperone and tumor suppressor gene clusters in the Edmondson grades I and II (GI/II) subclass compared with the liver cirrhosis (LC) subclass. The Edmondson grades III and IV (GIII/IV) subclass with a poor survival (P = 0.0133) contained 122 differentially regulated genes with a cluster containing various metastasis- and invasion-related genes compared with the GI/II subclass. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that ANXA2, one of the 72 genes preferentially expressed in HCC, was over-expressed in the sinusoidal endothelium and in malignant hepatocytes in HCC. The genes identified in the HCC subclasses will be useful molecular markers for the genesis and progression of HCC. In addition, ANXA2 might be a novel marker for tumor angiogenesis in HCC.

Alginate/PEI/DNA polyplexes: a new gene delivery system / 药学学报

<p><b>AIM</b>To avoid the limitation of the use of cationic polyethlenimine (PEI)-complexed plasmid DNA use for in vitro or in vivo gene delivery due to its cytotoxicity and lower efficiency in the presence of serum.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A polyplex with decreased positive charge on the complex surface was designed. The PEI/DNA (PD) complexes coated with an anionic biodegradable polymer, alginate were prepared and their gene delivery behavior with PD was compared.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The alginate-coated PD polyplex, where alginate : PEI : DNA [alginate : DNA, 0.15 (w/w); PEI : DNA, N : P = 10] showed about 10 - 30 fold-increased transfection efficiency compared to corresponding non-coated complexes to C3 cells in the presence of 50% serum. The surface charge of the alginate-coated complex was approximately half of that of the alginate-lacking complex. The size of alginate-coated complex was slightly smaller than that of the corresponding complex without alginate. The former complex also showed a reduced erythrocyte aggregation activity and decreased cytotoxicities to C3 cells in comparison with PD complex.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The alginate-coated PD polyplexes as a new gene delivery system can improve transfection efficiency in high serum concentration with low cytotoxicity to C3 cells.</p>

Identification of Novel Genes with Proapoptotic Activity

In order to identify novel proapoptotic genes, we screened approximately 1,000 hypothetical genes whose functions are completely unknown. After these genes were transiently expressed in HeLa cells, their nuclei images were captured using automated high-speed fluorescence microscope, through which the ratio of apoptotic nuclei was estimated. We selected genes that induce greater than 3-fold increase in apoptotic nuclei compared to that of the vector control. The candidate proapoptotic genes were sequenced and their effects on cell death were further confirmed by the additional assay, DNA fragmentation ELISA. Finally, we were able to identify 4 full-length hypo-thetical genes with proapoptotic activity.

The Expression of Estrogen Receptors in Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Korean Patients

Expression of estrogen receptors (ER)-alpha and -beta, as well as androgen receptor (AR), in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is thought to be correlated with prognosis, survival, and male prevalence of HCC. These hypotheses are based on investigations of European patients; however the expression patterns of these receptors in Asian patients are largely unknown. In this study, we collected liver carcinoma and peritumor tissues from 32 patients (9 females and 23 males) in South Korea. The expression of ERs and ARs was studied using RT-PCR. Wild-type ER-alpha and AR were expressed in all of the samples investigated, and their expression was independent of the causal virus or patient sex. Expression of the ER-alpha variant was independent of sex (100% female vs. 91.3% male) and HCV and HBV status (91.3% vs. 100%). Wild-type ER-beta was expressed more often in HCV patients than in HBV patients (95.7% vs. 44.4%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, the stronger ER-alpha variant expression in HCC tissues implies that this variant has an important role in HCC development. However, at least in Korean patients, expression of the ER-alpha variant (vER-alpha) is not related to male HCC prevalence. In addition, the predominant expression of ER-beta in HCV patients suggests that it plays an important role in HCV-induced liver disease.

Characterization of the Monoclonal Antibody Specific to Human S100A2 Protein

BACKGROUND: The S100A2 gene, also known as S100L or CaN19, encodes a protein comprised of 99-amino acids, is a member of the calcium-binding proteins of EF-hand family. According to a recent study, this gene was over-expressed in several early and malignant carcinomas compared to normal tissues. To elucidate the role of S100A2 protein in the process during carcinogenesis, production of monoclonal antibody specific to the protein is essential. METHODS: First, cDNA sequence coding for ORF region of human S100A2 gene was amplified and cloned into an expression vector to produce GST fusion protein. Recombinant S100A2 protein and subsequently, monoclonal antibody to the protein were produced. The specificity of anti-S100A2 monoclonal antibody was confirmed by immunoblot analysis of cross reactivity to other recombinant proteins of S100A family (GST-S100A1, GST-S100A4 and GST-S100A6). To confirm the relation of S100A2 to cervical carcinogenesis, S100A2 protein in early cervical carcinoma tissue was immunostained using the monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: GST-S100A2 recombinant protein was purified by affinity chromatography and then fusion protein was cleaved and S100A2 protein was isolated. The monoclonal antibody (KK0723; Korean patent pending #2001-30294) to the protein was produced and the antibody did not react with other members of EF-hand family proteins such as S100A1, S100A4 and S100A6. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that anti-S100A2 monoclonal antibody produced in this study can be very useful for the early detection of cervical carcinoma and elucidation of mechanism during the early cervical carcinogenesis