Project description:Primary human gastric cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) cultures (CAF14 and CAF32) were establised from 2 gastrectomy specimens. Silencing the expression (loss-of-function effect) of Twist1 in CAFs showed candidate target genes regulated by Twist1 and abrogated their tumor-promoting properties. Experiment design: two gastric CAFs (CAF14 adn CAF32, respectively) were establised from two gastric cancer patients and Twist1 knockdown studies were performed using shRNA.
Project description:Primary human gastric cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) cultures (CAF14 and CAF32) were establised from 2 gastrectomy specimens. Silencing the expression (loss-of-function effect) of Twist1 in CAFs showed candidate target genes regulated by Twist1 and abrogated their tumor-promoting properties.
Project description:Primary human gastric normal fibroblast cultures (NL14 and NL32, repectivley) were establised from 2 gastrectomy specimens. Enforced expression (gain-of-function effect) of Twist1 in 2 gastric normal fibroblasts (NL14 and NL32) showed candidate target genes and CAF markers upregulated by Twist1. Experiment design: 2 normal gastric fibroblasts (NL14 and NL32) were establised and studied for Twist1 gain-of-function.
Project description:Primary human gastric normal fibroblast cultures (NL14 and NL32, repectivley) were establised from 2 gastrectomy specimens. Enforced expression (gain-of-function effect) of Twist1 in 2 gastric normal fibroblasts (NL14 and NL32) showed candidate target genes and CAF markers upregulated by Twist1.
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.