EDIL3 promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and paclitaxel resistance through its interaction with integrin αVß3 in cancer cells.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has recently been associated with tumor progression, metastasis, and chemotherapy resistance in several tumor types. We performed a differential gene expression analysis comparing paclitaxel-resistant vs. paclitaxel-sensitive breast cancer cells that showed the upregulation of EDIL3 (EGF Like Repeats and Discoidin I Like Domains Protein 3). This gene codifies an extracellular matrix protein that has been identified as a novel regulator of EMT, so we studied its role in tumor progression and paclitaxel response. Our results demonstrated that EDIL3 expression levels were increased in paclitaxel-resistant breast and prostate cancer cells, and in subsets of high-grade breast and prostate tumors. Moreover, we observed that EDIL3 modulated the expression of EMT markers and this was impaired by cilengitide, which blocks the EDIL3-integrin αVß3 interaction. EDIL3 knockdown reverted EMT and sensitized cells to paclitaxel. In contrast, EDIL3 overexpression or the culture of cells in the presence of EDIL3-enriched medium induced EMT and paclitaxel resistance. Adding cilengitide resensitized these cells to paclitaxel treatment. In summary, EDIL3 may contribute to EMT and paclitaxel resistance through autocrine or paracrine signaling in cancer cells. Blockade of EDIL3-integrin αVß3 interaction by cilengitide restores sensitivity to paclitaxel and reverts EMT in paclitaxel-resistant cancer cells. Combinations of cilengitide and taxanes could be beneficial in the treatment of subsets of breast and prostate cancers.

Litigation in Argentina: challenging the tobacco industry.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the processes and outcomes of tobacco litigation in Argentina and to analyse the strategies of the tobacco industry to oppose litigation using tobacco industry documents. METHODS: A systematic search of tobacco industry documents on the internet dating from 1978 to 2002. Law library searches using Argentinean official and unofficial reports systems were combined with computerised online searches. RESULTS: There have been at least 15 failed litigation cases in Argentina and the tobacco industry presented a concerted defence in every claim regardless of cost. We categorised 11 cases as product liability and nicotine addiction, two as health care reimbursement, and two as criminal law and secondhand smoke. Industry strategies included hiring legal consultants from prestigious international and Argentinean law firms and developing litigation prevention programmes. Industry monitored legal academic meetings, controlled the development of new product liability legislation, obtained favourable opinions from experts, and closely observed the development of litigation in Argentina. CONCLUSION: The strategies used by the industry have been successful in preventing recovery for tobacco injuries through litigation. Argentinean health advocates and lawyers need to be aware of the roles and strategies of the tobacco industry in order to develop effective litigation in Argentina.

Studies on the skeletal cell wall of the cystocarpic stage of the red seaweed Iridaea undulosa B. Part II. Fractionation of the cell wall and methylation analysis of the inner core-fibrillar polysaccharides.

In order to determine the structure of the fibrillar cell wall, the material isolated from cystocarpic thalli of the red seaweed Iridaea undulosa was fractionated using different media. While classical methods produced a scarce solubilization of material, the use of lithium salts in polar aprotic solvents (dimethylsulfoxide or N, N-dimethylacetamide), had successfully extracted higher amounts of material. The final residue from the Li(+)/DMSO extraction contains cellulose and a mannan, while that from the Li(+)/DMAc extraction contains only cellulose and traces of a galactan. Methylation analyses of both residues confirm the presence of those polysaccharides, and shows that the mannan is (1-->4)-linked. Treatment with proteases suggests that the protein is efficiently shielded from digestion. All the extracts and residues contain major amounts of (glyco)proteins and/or proteins, in agreement with a previous suggestion that they are of major importance in the structure of the cell wall.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of Salmonella in artificially inoculated chicken meat.

The aim of this study was to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol for the detection of Salmonella in artificially contaminated chicken meat. Tests were performed with different dilutions of Salmonella Typhimurium or Salmonella Enteritidis cells (10(-7), 10(-8) or 10(-9) CFU/mL) inoculated in chicken meat samples, in order to establish the limits of detection, incubation times (0, 6, 8 and 24 hours of pre-enrichment in PBW 1%) and three DNA extraction protocols (phenol-chloroform, thermal treatment and thermal treatment and Sephaglass). The assay was able to detect until 10(-9) CFU/mL of initial dilution of Salmonella cells inoculated in chicken meat, which allows detection of Salmonella within 48 hours, including 24 hours of pre-enrichment and using the phenol-chloroform DNA extraction protocol. As the results are obtained in a shorter time period than that of microbiological culture, this procedure will be useful in the methodology for detection of Salmonella in chicken.

Regulation of Nodule Glutamine Synthetase by CO(2) Levels in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.).

Nodulated bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) plants were grown for 17 days after infection in normal (0.02%) CO(2) and from day 8 to 17 in high (0.1%) CO(2) in order to increase nitrogen fixation and define how nodule glutamine synthetase (GS) isoforms are regulated by the ammonia derived from the bacteroid. Nitrogenase activity was detected by day 10, and by day 17 activity was over twofold higher in 0.1% of CO(2) compared with plants grown in 0.02% CO(2) and inoculated with Rhizobium wild-type strain CE3. Likewise, plant fresh weight increased in response to increased CO(2), particularly in plants inoculated with the Rhizobium phaseoli mutant strain CFN037. Glutamine synthetase specific activity increased 2.5- to 6.5-fold from day 11 to 17. However, increased CO(2) did not appear to have an effect on GS specific activity. Analysis of the nodule GS polypeptide composition revealed that the gamma polypeptide was significantly reduced in response to high CO(2), whereas the beta polypeptide was not affected. The significance of this result in relation to the regulation of GS isoforms and their role in the assimilation of ammonia in the nodule is discussed in this paper.

[Self-medication in a urban population of Cuernavaca, Morelos]. / Automedicación en población urbana de Cuernavaca, Morelos.

This work contains the results of a study on the prevalence of family drug consumption. In our country, self medication should be considered a public health problem due to the population's lack of medical education. Nevertheless, this problem has not been properly studied. For this reason, we completed an exploratory study in an urban population of Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. Its purpose was to gather information about the situation of drug consumption and self medication. A survey was given to 373 domestic groups from the Carolina neighborhood in Cuernavaca. These groups were selected through systematic and probabilistic sampling. A total of 1,537 individuals of all ages were surveyed with an average of four participants per domestic group. Thirty one per cent of those surveyed had consumed drugs during the two weeks prior to the survey. Of these consumers, 53.3 per cent did it through self medication, and 64.9 per cent of them were females. If classified by age group, the highest consumer rate, 7.6 per cent, belonged to the users between 25 to 44 years. If the classification is done by sex and age, women between 25 to 44 years consumed more antibiotics and analgesics which were obtained over the counter. Among the surveyed population, the consumption of medicines was done primarily through self medication, mostly administered by women, and most frequently consumed by infants under one year of age. This phenomenon occurred regardless of the availability and accessibility of public and private health services. The data collected do make us identify women as a fundamental element in the consumption of drugs and self medication.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Calbindin D28k and parvalbumin immunoreactivity in the rabbit superior colliculus: an anatomical study.

The expression pattern of two calcium binding proteins (CaBP), calbindin D28k (CB) and parvalbumin (PV), in the superior colliculus (SC) of the adult rabbit, as well as the morphology of the immunoreactive cells were examined. The study was performed on 12 rabbits. Coronal sections from postmortem SC were analyzed by light microscopy, and drawings of CaBP-labeled cells were obtained using a drawing tube. No previous information is available on either the CB/PV expression or the morphology of CB/PV positive cells in the SC of the adult rabbit. Therefore, in this study we show that CB neurons and neuropil form three main tiers: the first located within the stratum zonale (SZ) and the upper part of the stratum griseum superficiale (SGS), the second located within the stratum griseum intermedium (SGI), and the third, located within the medial and central areas of the stratum griseum profundum (SGP). In contrast to this layer labeling, almost no CB-positivity is found within the other collicular layers. On the other hand, the densest concentration of PV labeled cells and terminals is found within a single dense tier that spanned the ventral part of the startum griseum superficiale (SGS) and the dorsal part of the stratum opticum (SO). Anti-PV neurons are also scattered through the deeper layers below the dense tier. In contrast, almost no anti-PV labeled neurons or neuropil are found within the stratum zonale (SZ) and upper SGS. This distribution represents a new pattern of sublamination in the SC of this species. All the previously described cell types in other mammals are observed in the rabbit SC: marginal cells, horizontal cells, pyriform cells, narrow-field vertical cells, wide-field vertical cells, and stellate/multipolar cells. Detailed drawings of all these cellular types are represented to show their complete morphology. The results of this study indicate that both CB and PV are present in a variety of neurons, which present a number of homologies between mammals, but have a different location and/or distribution, according to the different species. These findings are thus relevant to better understand the organisation of the SC in mammals.