0000000000419650

AUTHOR

Li V. Yang

Roles of GSK-3 and microRNAs on epithelial mesenchymal transition and cancer stem cells.

// James A. McCubrey 1 , Timothy L. Fitzgerald 2 , Li V. Yang 3 , Kvin Lertpiriyapong 4 , Linda S. Steelman 1 , Stephen L. Abrams 1 , Giuseppe Montalto 5,6 , Melchiorre Cervello 6 , Luca M. Neri 7 , Lucio Cocco 8 , Alberto M. Martelli 8 , Piotr Laidler 9 , Joanna Dulinska-Litewka 9 , Dariusz Rakus 10 , Agnieszka Gizak 10 , Ferdinando Nicoletti 11 , Luca Falzone 11 , Saverio Candido 11 and Massimo Libra 11 1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA 2 Department of Surgery, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA 3 Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology/Oncology Section, Brody Sc…

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Introduction of WT-TP53 into pancreatic cancer cells alters sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs, targeted therapeutics and nutraceuticals

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive, highly metastatic malignancy and accounts for 85% of pancreatic cancers. PDAC patients have poor prognosis with a five-year survival of only 5–10%. Mutations at the TP53 gene are readily detected in pancreatic tumors isolated from PDAC patients. We have investigated the effects of restoration of wild-type (WT) TP53 activity on the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to: chemotherapy, targeted therapy, as well as, nutraceuticals. Upon introduction of the WT-TP53 gene into the MIA-PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cell line, the sensitivity to drugs used to treat pancreatic cancer cells such as: gemcitabine, fluorouracil (5FU), cisp…

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Effects of mutations in Wnt/β-catenin, hedgehog, Notch and PI3K pathways on GSK-3 activity—Diverse effects on cell growth, metabolism and cancer

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine kinase that participates in an array of critical cellular processes. GSK-3 was first characterized as an enzyme that phosphorylated and inactivated glycogen synthase. However, subsequent studies have revealed that this moon-lighting protein is involved in numerous signaling pathways that regulate not only metabolism but also have roles in: apoptosis, cell cycle progression, cell renewal, differentiation, embryogenesis, migration, regulation of gene transcription, stem cell biology and survival. In this review, we will discuss the roles that GSK-3 plays in various diseases as well as how this pivotal kinase interacts with multiple sign…

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Effects of resveratrol, curcumin, berberine and other nutraceuticals on aging, cancer development, cancer stem cells and microRNAs

Natural products or nutraceuticals have been shown to elicit anti-aging, anti-cancer and other health-enhancing effects. A key target of the effects of natural products may be the regulation of microRNA (miR) expression which results in cell death or prevents aging, diabetes, cardiovascular and other diseases. This review will focus on a few natural products, especially on resveratrol (RES), curcumin (CUR) and berberine (BBR). RES is obtained from the skins of grapes and other fruits and berries. RES may extend human lifespan by activating the sirtuins and SIRT1 molecules. CUR is isolated from the root of turmeric (Curcuma longa). CUR is currently used in the tutreatment of many disorders, …

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Roles of TP53 in determining therapeutic sensitivity, growth, cellular senescence, invasion and metastasis.

TP53 is a critical tumor suppressor gene that regulates cell cycle progression, apoptosis, cellular senescence and many other properties critical for control of normal cellular growth and death. Due to the pleiotropic effects that TP53 has on gene expression and cellular physiology, mutations at this tumor suppressor gene result in diverse physiological effects. T53 mutations are frequently detected in numerous cancers. The expression of TP53 can be induced by various agents used to treat cancer patients such as chemotherapeutic drugs and ionizing radiation. Radiation will induce Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and other kinases that results in the phosphorylation and activation of TP53…

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