Researchers find 5 genes involved in the metastasis of breast tumors to the lung
Jun 20, 2008
The identification of five genes involve in the metastasis of breast tumors to the lung is the principal finding of a scientific team made up of two bodies from the University of Navarra, the Applied Medical Research Centre (CIMA) and the University Hospital of the University of Navarra.

For this research, recently published in the scientific journal Oncogene, a transgenic mouse model which presented a greater tendency for developing metastasis was employed. The increase in what is known as the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in its mammary glands triggered profound changes in the tumoral structure, which enabled the malignant cells to leave the tumor and invade the lungs.

The pattern of genes responsible for this tumoural migration to the lungs was analyzed and this was compared to that shown by women with breast tumors with pulmonary metastatic affectation. It was shown that five of these genes were common to the animal model and patients with breast cancer.
[Oncogene]
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Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57kip2 is a negative regulator of in vitro myelination
Jun 19, 2008
The p57kip2 gene encodes a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor family, proteins known to block G1/S transition during the mammalian cell cycle. Researchers observed that expression of p57kip2 in Schwann cells of the developing and injured adult peripheral nervous system is dynamically regulated. Using gene knockdown by means of vector-based RNA interference in cultured primary Schwann cells the researchers found that reduced levels of p57kip2 lead to cell cycle exit, actin filament stabilization, altered cell morphology and growth, and down-regulation of promyelinating markers as well as induction of myelin genes and proteins.

The researchers could demonstrate that in vitro myelination is enhanced by p57kip2-suppressed Schwann cells. Using microarray technology they found that these cellular reactions are specific to lowered p57kip2 expression levels and detected a shift of the transcriptional expression program toward the pattern known from Schwann cells in developing peripheral nerves. Because in the absence of axons primary Schwann cells normally do not display differentiation-associated reactions, the researchers conclude that we have identified a mechanism and an important intrinsic negative regulator of myelinating glia differentiation.

[André Heinen, David Kremer, Peter Göttle, Fabian Kruse, Birgit Hasse, Helmar Lehmann, Hans Peter Hartung, and Patrick Küry*]
[Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences]
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Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma with Autologous CD4+ T Cells against NY-ESO-1
Jun 19, 2008
Researchers have developed an in vitro method for isolating and expanding autologous CD4+ T-cell clones with specificity for the melanoma-associated antigen NY-ESO-1. These cells were infused into a patient with refractory metastatic melanoma who had not undergone any previous conditioning or cytokine treatment. It was observed that the transferred CD4+ T cells mediated a durable clinical remission and led to endogenous responses against melanoma antigens other than NY-ESO-1.
[New England Journal of Medicine]
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