Absence of regular alpha2(I) collagen chains in colon carcinoma biopsy fragments.
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is known to play an active role in numerous biological processes such as differentiation, apoptosis and cancer. Extensive alterations of epithelial basement membranes and of interstitial ECM are known to occur during the progression of most invasive carcinomas. Collagen, which represents the major component of the interstitial ECM, is primarily involved in the stromal changes at the site of tumor cell invasion. We have previously described the occurrence in breast and colon cancer ECM of an oncofetal form of collagen, characterized by an acidic chain distinct from those of type I and III collagen. In the present paper, we bring evidence that alpha2(I) collagen…
Molecular chaperones and mirnas in epilepsy: Pathogenic implications and therapeutic prospects
Epilepsy is a pathologic condition with high prevalence and devastating consequences for the patient and its entourage. Means for accurate diagnosis of type, patient monitoring for predicting seizures and follow up, and efficacious treatment are desperately needed. To improve this adverse outcome, miRNAs and the chaperone system (CS) are promising targets to understand pathogenic mechanisms and for developing theranostics applications. miRNAs implicated in conditions known or suspected to favor seizures such as neuroinflammation, to promote epileptic tolerance and neuronal survival, to regulate seizures, and others showing variations in expression levels related to seizures are promising ca…