0000000000323605
AUTHOR
Kurt Werner Schmid
Targeting Bcl-2 family proteins modulates the sensitivity of B-cell lymphoma to rituximab-induced apoptosis.
The chimeric monoclonal antibody rituximab is the standard of care for patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL). Rituximab mediates complementdependent cytotoxicity and antibodydependent cellular cytotoxicity of CD20-positive human B cells. In addition, rituximab sensitizes B-NHL cells to cytotoxic chemotherapy and has direct apoptotic and antiproliferative effects. Whereas expression of the CD20 antigen is a natural prerequisite for rituximab sensitivity, cell-autonomous factors determining the response of B-NHL to rituximab are less defined. To this end, we have studied rituximab-induced apoptosis in human B-NHL models. We find that rituximab directly triggers apoptosis via the m…
Metallothionein overexpression and its prognostic relevance in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and extrahepatic hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumors)
Metallothionein is a group of small molecular weight cysteine-rich proteins with a broad variety of functions. Metallothionein has been shown to regulate apoptosis and proliferation. Overexpression of metallothionein frequently occurs in human tumors and is related to prognosis as well as therapy response. However, metallothionein expression and its clinical relevance in cholangiocarcinoma have not been investigated. The present study aimed to analyze metallothionein over-expression and its possible prognostic impact in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hilar extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumors). We investigated the relationship of immunohistochemically demonstrated metalloth…