Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor: a Key Cytokine and Therapeutic Target in Colon Cancer
Throughout Europe, colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and women combined [1], responsible for an estimated 150,000 cancer deaths in 2012 [1]. Chronic inflammation is recognised as an important contributing factor to the development of colorectal cancer. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a significantly higher risk of colon cancer when compared with healthy populations [2–4]. Furthermore, the long-term administration of low-dose dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) to mice or rats results in chronic colonic inflammation which can progresses to colon cancer [5], indicating that ...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 7, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: A.N. Gordon-Weeks, S.Y. Lim, A.E. Yuzhalin, K. Jones, R. Muschel Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Editorial Board and Publication information
(Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 1, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
Sensing and Responding to Cytosolic Viruses Invasions: an Orchestra of Kaleidoscopic Ubiquitinations
Most proteins are covalently modified by certain small chemical group(s) after translation. This process, termed post-translational modification (PTM), broadens the function of target proteins temporally and spatially, thereby fine-tuning the corresponding biological processes. The post-translational modification groups include not only small molecules (phosphates, methyl/acetyl groups or carbohydrates) but also peptides such as ubiquitin and ubiquitin-like proteins [1]. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - April 1, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Xing Liu, Qiang Wang, Youdong Pan, Chen Wang Tags: Survey Source Type: research
IGF2 signaling and regulation in cancer
The mitogenic peptide IGF2 is a component of the phylogenetically ancient insulin/IGF-signaling axis that regulates cell survival, growth and proliferation, and metabolism. Other IGF-axis components include the related peptide IGF1, IGF2 mRNA binding proteins (IGF2BPs, IMPs) and IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) that regulate IGFs post-transcriptionally and post-translationally, as well as the IGF receptors IGF1R and IGF2R. As the name indicates, insulin and IGF peptides, as well as their receptors IR and IGF1R, share significant sequence homology. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - February 3, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Jurriaan Brouwer-Visser, Gloria S. Huang Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Editorial Board and Publication information
(Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - February 1, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research
New perspectives on type I IFNs in cancer
Although type I IFNs were initially described based on their anti-viral properties, it was quickly realized that these cytokines had anti-proliferative and anti-cancer activities. These observations ultimately led to the clinical development and utility of IFN-α2b for the treatment of patients with melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and chronic myelogenous leukemia, among others. However, the mechanism of action of type I IFNs in vivo was never fully elucidated, and the pleiotropic effects of IFNs on multiple cell types had made it challenging to decipher. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - January 7, 2015 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Thomas F. Gajewski, Leticia Corrales Source Type: research
Twenty-five years of type I interferon-based treatment: a critical analysis of its therapeutic use
In his book on the history of interferon (IFN), Toine Pieters affirms that IFN can be considered one of modern medicine's most famous and infamous drugs, the history of which has represented an example of therapeutic survival in the face of several cycles of promise and disappointment as a ‘miracle drug’. The therapeutic use of IFN has enhanced our understanding of how drug manufacturing and marketing has played a role in pushing the boundaries of research, from the post penicillin era to the genetics revolution in medicine [1]. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 30, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Guido Antonelli, Carolina Scagnolari, Federica Moschella, Enrico Proietti Source Type: research
Defensins: “Simple” antimicrobial peptides or broad-spectrum molecules?
Small cationic peptides highly conserved in vertebrates, both α- and β-defensins were primarily identified as anti-microbial compounds involved in innate immunity. While human α-defensins are mostly expressed by neutrophils, β-defensins are secreted by epithelial cells of the skin and mucosae. Besides their anti-microbial activity, accumulating data emerged in the past decade indicating that defensins have extended functions in human physio(patho)logy. Indeed, defensins appeared as modulators of the adaptive immune system and angiogenesis, key mediators of wound healing and determinant players in male fertility. (Sourc...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 29, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Meggy Suarez-Carmona, Pascale Hubert, Philippe Delvenne, Michael Herfs Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Defensins: « simple » antimicrobial peptides or broad-spectrum molecules ?
Members of the antimicrobial peptide superfamily, defensins are small (∼4-6kDa) cationic peptides secreted in various species including humans and other mammals but also fishes, birds, insects, filamentous fungi, plants… This wide distribution suggests that the production of such peptides is an ancient and well-conserved mechanism of host defense [1]. In humans, defensins are classified into two subgroups (α and β), based on both unique amino acid sequences and disulfide connectivities (Table 1). (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 29, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Meggy Suarez-Carmona, Pascale Hubert, Philippe Delvenne, Michael Herfs Source Type: research
The unbearable lightness of bone marrow homeostasis
The anatomical and functional dimensions of bone marrow topography have been at the forefront of modern bone and immunological research for many years and remain a source of complexity and perplexity due to the multitude of microhabitats within this microenvironment. In fact, research has uncovered fascinating functional aspects of bone marrow residents, and the bone marrow niche has been identified as the foremost reservoir of a variety of cells including hematopoietic, skeletal and endothelial stem/progenitor cells. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 26, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Dimitrios Agas, Luigi Marchetti, Eleni Douni, Maria Giovanna Sabbieti Tags: Mini review Source Type: research
Editorial
The past two decades have seen revolutionary progress in the understanding of the mechanisms by which interferons and other cytokines function to regulate host antiviral, immunomodulatory and proliferative activities. On February 20, 2014, a conference entitled Interferon Fundamentals 2014 was held at the Istituto Superiore di Sanita in Rome to discuss advances in cytokine signaling, antiviral responses, immune regulation, tumor immunology and immunotherapy in this rapidly advancing field of biomedical research. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 26, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Angela Battistini, Eliana M. Coccia, Filippo Belardelli Source Type: research
The unbearable lightness of bone marrow steadiness
The anatomical and functional dimensions of bone marrow topography have been at the forefront of modern bone and immunological research for many years and remain a source of complexity and perplexity due to the multitude of microhabitats within this microenvironment. In fact, research has uncovered fascinating functional aspects of bone marrow residents, and the bone marrow niche has been identified as the foremost reservoir of a variety of cells including hematopoietic, skeletal and endothelial stem/progenitor cells. (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 26, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Dimitrios Agas, Luigi Marchetti, Eleni Douni, Maria Giovanna Sabbieti Source Type: research
Biological monitoring of IFN-β therapy in Multiple Sclerosis
Interferon beta (IFN-β) is the most commonly prescribed disease-modifying therapies (DMT) in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). IFN-β therapy reduces the annual relapse rate and the lesion load measured by MRI, brain atrophy and disability progression [1,2]. Unfortunately, most patients are non-responders to treatment [3]. As MS is a heterogeneous disease, all the approved DMTs are only partially active and a variable percentage of patients are non-responders. Non-responsive patients can be divided into two subgroups: pathogenesis-related non-responders and immuno-pharmacological non-responders. (Source: Cyto...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 23, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: A. Bertolotto, L. Granieri, F. Marnetto, P. Valentino, A. Sala, M. Capobianco, S. Malucchi, A. Di Sapio, M. Malentacchi, M. Matta, M. Caldano Source Type: research
IGFBP-2: The dark horse in metabolism and cancer
The insulin-like growth factors I and II (IGF-I and IGF-II) are growth-promoting peptides [1,2], that are expressed in most tissues from early in embryonic development, with IGF-II being highly expressed in utero and IGF-I prevalently expressed during postnatal life [2–4]. Local/peripheral IGF-I expression is regulated by tissue-specific factors and acts in autocrine/paracrine fashion at the sites of production [5]. Circulating IGF-I, secreted by the liver, is mainly regulated by growth hormone (GH), associated with insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs), and mediating GH action, as initially described by t...
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 18, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: V.C. Russo, W.J. Azar, S.W. Yau, M.A. Sabin, G.A. Werther Tags: Survey Source Type: research
“cytokine and growth factor reviews” igfbp-2: the dark horse in metabolism and cancer
Outline Chapter and Sections (Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews)
Source: Cytokine and Growth Factor Reviews - December 18, 2014 Category: Molecular Biology Authors: Russo Vc, Azar Wj, Yau Sw, Sabin Ma, Werther Ga Tags: Survey Source Type: research
