Cytotoxicity and Antimicrobial Effects of a New Fast-Set MTA.

Purpose. To compare the biocompatibility and antimicrobial effectiveness of the new Fast-Set MTA (FS-MTA) with ProRoot MTA (RS-MTA). Methods. The agar overlay method with neutral red dye was used. L929 mouse fibroblast cells were cultured. The liquid and oil extracts and solid test material were placed on the agar overlay, four samples for each material. Phenol was used as the positive control and cottonseed oil and MEM extracts were used as negative controls. Cytotoxicity was examined by measuring the zones of decolorization and evaluating cell lysis under an inverted microscope using the established criteria after 24 and 48 hours. The antimicrobial test was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disk-diffusion method against S. mutans, E. faecalis, F. nucleatum, P. gingivalis, and P. intermedia. The size of the zone of inhibition was measured in millimeters. Results. There was no zone of decolorization seen under or around the test materials for FS-MTA and RS-MTA at 24 and 48 hours. The antimicrobial test demonstrated no inhibitory effect of FS-MTA or RS-MTA on any bacterial species after 24 and 48 hours. Conclusions. There was no cytotoxicity or bacterial inhibition observed by the new Fast-Set MTA when compared to the ProRoot MTA after setting.

Osteogenic differentiation of stem cells derived from human periodontal ligaments and pulp of human exfoliated deciduous teeth.

Multipotent stem cells derived from periodontal ligaments (PDLSC) and pulp of human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED) represent promising cell sources for bone regeneration. Recent studies have demonstrated that retinoic acid (RA) and dexamethasone (Dex) induce osteogenesis of postnatal stem cells. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of RA and Dex on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of SHED and PDLSC and to compare the osteogenic characteristics of SHED and PDLSC under RA treatment. SHED and PDLSC were treated with serum-free medium either alone or supplemented with RA or Dex for 21 days. The proliferation of SHED and PDLSC was significantly inhibited by both RA and Dex. RA significantly upregulated gene expression and the activity of alkaline phosphatase in SHED and PDLSC. Positive Alizarin red and von Kossa staining of calcium deposition was seen on the RA-treated SHED and PDLSC after 21 days of culture. The influences of RA on the osteogenic differentiation of SHED and PDLSC were significantly stronger than with Dex. Supplementation with insulin enhanced RA-induced osteogenic differentiation of SHED. Thus, RA is an effective inducer of osteogenic differentiation of SHED and PDLSC, whereas RA treatment in combination with insulin supplementation might be a better option for inducing osteogenic differentiation. Significantly higher cell proliferation of PDLSC results in greater calcium deposition after 3-week culture, suggesting that PDLSC is a better osteogenic stem cell source. This study provides valuable information for efficiently producing osteogenically differentiated SHED or PDLSC for in vivo bone regeneration.

HIV-1 Tat enhances replicative potential of human oral keratinocytes harboring HPV-16 genome.

Introducing highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has significantly decreased the morbidity and mortality in human immunodeficiency virus-positive (HIV+) individuals by decreasing the viral loads and increasing the CD4+ T-cell counts. Subsequently, the occurrence of many HIV-associated diseases has been dramatically declined except human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated lesions. Such notion suggests that immune response is not a major determinant, and that the direct interaction between HIV and HPV may be involved in the HPV-associated pathogenesis. In the current study, we investigated whether HIV plays a direct role in HPV-associated oral carcinogenesis by using HIV-1 transactivator protein (Tat), which is known to have oncogenic properties. We found that HIV-1 Tat not only increased the expression of HPV-16 E6 and E7 oncogenes in human oral keratinocytes harboring the HPV type-16 genome (HOK-16B), but also notably enhanced the proliferative capacity of the cells in vitro. Moreover, HOK-16B cells expressing HIV-1 Tat was capable of inducing cystic nodules in nude mice, while the control HOK-16B cells failed to produce nodules in the mice. Our results indicate that HIV could play a role in the HPV-associated pathogenesis by exerting oncogenic stimulus via Tat protein.

p53 promotes the fidelity of DNA end-joining activity by, in part, enhancing the expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein G.

Many studies have suggested the involvement of wild-type (wt) p53 in the repair of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) via DNA end-joining (EJ) process. To investigate this possibility, we compared the capacity and fidelity of DNA EJ in RKO cells containing wt p53 and RKO cells containing no p53 (RKO cells with p53 knockdown). The p53 knockdown cells showed lower fidelity of DNA EJ compared to the control RKO cells. The DNA end-protection assay revealed the association of a protein complex including heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein G (hnRNP G) with the DNA ends in RKO cells containing wt p53, but not with the DNA ends in RKO cells with p53 knockdown. Depletion of endogenous hnRNP G notably diminished the fidelity of EJ in RKO cells expressing wt p53. Moreover, an ectopic expression of hnRNP G significantly enhanced the fidelity of DNA EJ and the protection of DNA ends in human cancer cells lacking hnRNP G protein or containing mutant hnRNP G. Finally, using recombinant hnRNP G proteins, we demonstrated the hnRNP G protein is able to bind to and protect DNA ends from degradation of nucleases. Our results suggest that wt p53 modulates DNA DSB repair by, in part, inducing hnRNP G, and the ability of hnRNP G to bind and protect DNA ends may contribute its ability to promote the fidelity of DNA EJ.

Intratumoral COX-2 gene expression is a predictive factor for colorectal cancer response to fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is generally elevated in tumors compared with normal tissue and apparently has an important role in tumor development. A number of studies have found high expression of COX-2 to be an unfavorable prognostic factor for overall survival in several cancers. However, the influence of COX-2 expression levels on tumor response to chemotherapy has been relatively little studied. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if COX-2 gene expression is associated with tumor response in the clinical treatment of colorectal cancer with the fluoropyrimidine-based therapy S-1. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Patients with advanced (stage IV) colorectal cancer were treated with S-1 twice daily based on the patient's body surface area (BSA; BSA < 1.25 m2, 80 mg/d; 1.25 m2 < or = BSA < 1.5 m2, 100 mg/d; BSA > or = 1.5 m2, 120 mg/d) for 28 days followed by a 2-week period rest. mRNA was isolated from paraffin-embedded pretreatment primary tumor specimens and expression levels of COX-2 relative to beta-actin as the internal reference gene were measured using a quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (Taqman) system. RESULTS: The overall response rate in a group of 44 patients treated with S-1 was 40.9%. Sufficient tumor tissue was available from 40 of these patients for COX-2 mRNA quantitation. COX-2 gene expression was significantly lower in the responding tumors compared with the nonresponders (P = 0.012, Wilcoxon test). Patients with COX-2 values above the cutoff value of 3.28 x 10(-3) had a significantly shorter survival than those with COX-2 gene expressions below the cutoff value (adjusted P = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Intratumoral COX-2 gene expression is associated with likelihood of response to chemotherapy with S-1 and is a prognostic factor for survival of patients after the start of S-1 chemotherapy.

A molecular/epidemiologic analysis of expression of cyclooxygenases 1 and 2, use of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, and risk of colorectal adenoma.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are postulated to protect against colorectal cancer and adenomas at least in part by a cyclooxygenase (COX-mediated mechanism. The results reported herein address the questions of what factors are associated with expression (relative messenger RNA levels) of COX-1 and COX-2 in colorectal adenomas and whether there is heterogeneity in the protective effect of NSAIDs by levels of COX expression. Paraffin-embedded tissue samples and data describing selected risk factors were obtained from cases enrolled in a case-control study of colorectal adenomatous polyps. RNA was isolated from paraffin-embedded specimens. Samples of complementary DNA were quantified using a fluorescence-based real-time detection method. We tested for differences in levels of COX expression among selected subgroups of cases using a standard Student t test. Odds ratios for the effects of NSAID variables were calculated using unconditional logistic regression in order to make use of all available data on COX expression. Results suggest that use of NSAIDs is associated with lower levels of COX-2 expression and that the protective effect of NSAIDs on polyp occurrence is stronger in the subgroup of cases with higher expression of COX-2 and a higher COX-2/COX-1 ratio. The results suggest that at least part of the protective effect of NSAIDs on the risk of colorectal adenoma involves a COX-mediated pathway.

Quantitative determination of p16 gene expression by RT-PCR.

In recent years, gene expression quantitation of tumor cells has become of principal importance to analyze gene patterns responsible for cancer development, progression, and resistance to treatment. Whereas semi-quantitative methods, such as Northern blotting analysis, allow only a dichotomous differentiation between positive and negative gene expressions, the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) combines a large range of results with an accurate and highly reproducible quantitation of genes. In addition to forward and reverse primers, as used in a conventional PCR, the qRT-PCR system utilizes a probe that is labeled with a fluorescent dye. The probe is an oligonucleotide, homologous to a DNA sequence between the two flanking PCR primers. Degradation of the probe by the activity of the Taq DNA polymerase generates a fluorescent signal that will be detected by means of a laser integrated in the sequence detector. This chapter will cover the isolation of total RNA from frozen tissue, the transcription of RNA to cDNA, and the analysis of the relative gene expression by qRT-PCR. Although in principle applicable to any gene of interest, we will use as an example the qRT-PCR analysis of p16INK4a, whose gene product is involved in cell cycle and senescence checkpoint control.

Loss of heterozygosity at the thymidylate synthase (TS) locus on chromosome 18 affects tumor response and survival in individuals heterozygous for a 28-bp polymorphism in the TS gene.

Thymidylate synthase (TS), the target enzyme of the fluoropyrimidine class of drugs, has a 28-bp repeat polymorphism in the promoter region that has been associated with response of tumors to 5-fluorouracil-based therapy. Patients homozygous for the double repeat (2R/2R) in the TS gene have an overall better outcome from treatment than patients homozygous for the triple repeat (3R/3R). However, due to loss of heterozygosity at the TS locus on chromosome 18 in cancer cells, heterozygous 2R/3R individuals can acquire the 2R/loss or the 3R/loss genotype in their tumors. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the response of colorectal cancer to fluoropyrimidine therapy is associated with the resulting tumor TS genotype when loss of heterozygosity occurs in tumor DNA. A total of 30 colorectal cancer patients treated with the fluoropyrimidine-based combination S-1, all of whom had stage IV disease, were studied. The response rate to S-1 in this group of patients was 13 of 30 (43%). The heterozygous 2R/3R genotype was found in 22 of 30 normal tissues, whereas 10 (45%) of the matched cancer tissues showed only the 2R-sequence band (2R/loss), and 7 cancer tissues (32%) showed only the 3R-sequence band (3R/loss). The response rate of the 2R/loss tumor genotype patients was 80% (8 of 10) compared with 14% (1 of 7) in the 3R/loss genotype group (P = 0.029). Patients with tumor 3R/loss genotypes had significantly lower survival than 2R/loss genotypes. Heterozygous patients with a 2R/loss tumor genotype had the same survival as 2R/2R patients, whereas patients with a 2R/3R tumor genotype had a short survival similar to homozygous 3R/3R genotypes. These results show that: (a) response to 5-fluorouracil-based therapy is determined by tumor genotype; and (b) the 3R repeat is a direct negative determinant of outcome.

Association between Cyclooxygenase expression and colorectal adenoma characteristics.

The cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway is important in colorectal carcinogenesis with the majority of cancers overexpressing COX-2; however, the role of COX-2 in the development of colorectal adenomas is less well defined. Accordingly, we analyzed 108 colorectal adenomas for COX-1 and COX-2 transcription in archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue using by real-time PCR and normalized to beta-actin. Neither COX-1 nor COX-2 mRNA expression differed with regard to age or gender of the subject. COX-2 mRNA expression was significantly higher in distal adenomas (2.2 +/- 1.9) compared with proximal (0.7 +/- 0.5) adenomas (P < 0.0001) and in larger (>/=7 mm) compared with smaller (<7 mm) adenomas (2.3 +/- 2.2 and 1.7 +/- 1.3, respectively, P = 0.04). COX-2 expression did not differ significantly in tubular compared with tubulovillous adenomas, although there appeared to be a trend toward higher COX-2 expression in tubulovillous adenomas with increasing villous content. Additionally, there was not a significant difference in either COX-1 or COX-2 based on the degree of dysplasia Therefore, if COX-2 inhibitors work through a COX-2 mechanism, these agents may have differential effects on colorectal adenomas that are distal and larger.