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An abstract of the study "Bisphenol A and Phthalate Enhanced the Growth of Prostate Cancer Cells and Altered TGF-β Signaling Molecules Via an Estrogen Receptor or Androgen Receptor-Dependent Pathway in in Vitro and in Vivo Models," by H.-R. Lee et al. is presented.

The human endometrium resists embryo implantation except during the window of receptivity. A change in endometrial gene expression is required for the development of receptivity. Uterine calbindin-D28k (CaBP-28k) has been shown to be involved in the regulation of endometrial receptivity by intracellular Ca2+. Nowadays, this protein has been mainly linked to the brain, kidneys, and pancreas, but potential role(s) of CaBP-28k remain to be clarified in the uterus of humans during the menstrual cycle. Thus, we demonstrated in this study that the expression of CaBP-28k in the human endometrium in more divided in the menstrual phases. During the menstrual cycle of humans, uterine expression levels of CaBP-28k mRNA and protein increased at the proliferative phase and fluctuated in these tissues, compared with other phases. We assessed the effects of the sex-steroid hormones E2and P4on the expression of CaBP-28k in the Ishikawa cell line. A significant increase in the expression of CaBP-9k mRNA was observed at the concentration of 17β-oestradiol (E2; 10-9to 10-7M). In addition, spatial expression of CaBP-28k was detected by immunohistochemistry. CaBP-28k is abundantly localised in the cytoplasm of the luminal and glandular epithelial cells during the menstrual cycle. Taken together, these results indicate that CaBP-28k, a uterine calcium-binding protein, is abundantly expressed in the human uterus, suggesting that uterine expression of CaBP-28k may be involved in reproductive functions during the menstrual cycle of humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the study "Antitumor Effect of Endometrial Cancer Mass Was Induced by Therapeutic Stem Cells Fused Cytosine Deaminase and Interferon-Beta in a Nude Mouse Model," by B. R. Yi and colleagues is presented.

An abstract of the study "A Potential Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical, 4-Nonylphenol, Stimulated the Ovarian Cancer Cell Growth by Upregulating Cell Cycle Via an Estrogen Receptor Signaling Pathway in Cellular and Animal Models," by M.-A. Park et al. is presented.

An abstract of the study "Resveratrol, a Natural Food Compound, Supressed the Cell Growth of BG-1 Ovarian Cancer Cells Induced by 17β-Estradiol or Bisphenol A Through Downregulating Eestrogen Receptor α and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor," by N.-H. Kang is presented.

An abstract of the study "Risk Assessment of Bisphenol A, an Endocrine Disruptor, Via Proliferative Effect on the Growth of Estrogen-Dependent Ovarian Cancer in Cellular and Animal Models," by K.-A. Hwang et al. is presented.

Extracellular ATP has been suggested to play a role in cellular proliferation and intracellular calcium concentrations (Ca2+) in ovarian cells. To investigate the role of ATP in rat ovarian folliculogenesis or steroidogenesis, we examined the expression of the P2U purinoceptor (P2U-R) and the effect of ATP on growth stimulation in rat ovarian surface epithelial (OSE) cells. Rat OSE cells were isolated and cultured in DMEM media with 10% fetal bovine serum. Our results indicated that P2U-R mRNA was expressed and that ATP exerted a growth-stimulatory effect in rat OSE cells. To investigate the mechanism of the growth-stimulatory effect, we examined the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) by ATP. Treatment with ATP resulted in MAPK activation in these cells, whereas the stimulatory effect of ATP in cellular proliferation and MAPK activation was completely abolished in the presence of PD98059 [a MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor] and staurosporin [a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor], suggesting that the growth-stimulatory effect of ATP may be mediated via PKC-dependent MAPK activation in rat OSE cells. In a time-dependent study, ATP significantly increased MAPK activity at 5 to 20min, and the activated MAPK in these cells declined to the control level after 20min. Similarly, treatment with ATP significantly induced MAPK activation after 5min and sustained it for 60min in these OSE cells. In addition, treatment with ATP resulted in substantial phosphorylation of Elk-1, confirming that ATP action is mediated by activation of MAPK. In conclusion, we demonstrated that P2U-R was expressed and that ATP induced growth stimulation in rat OSE cells. Furthermore, treatment with ATP resulted in activation of the MAPK cascade and phosphorylation of Elk-1 in these cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the MAPK cascade may be involved in growth stimulation in response to ATP in rat OSE cells. This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST; No. 2010-0003093). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDC) may interfere with the endocrine system(s) of animals and humans and have an estrogenicity or androgenicity, the exact mechanism(s) underlying their detrimental effects is not clearly understood. Among them, bisphenol A (BPA) is widespread in the environment and is commonly ingested by animals because it is used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics, food-storage containers, and other plastics. Thus, in this study, we evaluated altered gene expression following exposure to BPA by microarry in human ovarian cancer cells, which highly express oestrogen receptors (ER). Treatment with BPA and endogenous oestrogen (E2) for 24h resulted in an increase in cell proliferation and enhanced the oestrogen response element (ERE) activity in human BG-1 ovarian cancer cells with ER. Bisphenol A-induced cell growth and the activation of ERE were reversed by an oestrogen receptor antagonist, ICI 182780, suggesting that ER appear to be involved in BPA-induced cell growth and ERE activation in these ovarian cells. Following BPA treatment, the expression levels of representative genes, namely, apoptosis inhibitor 4 (survivin), RAB31 ras oncogene family, v-myc, v-myb, cyclin A2, cyclin B1, amphiregulin, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4, chemokine-like factor 3, fibroblast growth factor, and E2F transcription factor 4, were subsequently confirmed in these ovarian cells by real-time PCR. Taken together, these results indicate distinctly altered expression of responsive genes following exposure to BPA, and implicate distinct effects of endogenous E2and environmental EDC in human ovarian cancer cells expressing ER. This work was supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MEST; No. 2010-0003093). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endometrium is hostile to embryo implantation except during the window of receptivity. A change in endometrial gene expression is required for the development of receptivity. The uterine calcium balance is crucial for physiological functioning, including smooth muscle contraction and embryo implantation. The location of cytoplasmic calcium-related proteins (CRP) include the calcium transporters 1 (CaT1), calbindin-D9k/-D28k (CaBP- 9k/28k), plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1b (PMCA1b), sodium/calcium exchangers (NCX1), and potassium-dependent Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCKX3). The expressions of these CRP and their potential roles in the uterus of human during the menstrual cycle remain to be clarified. Thus, in this current study, the expression patterns of CRP were examined for their roles in the human uterus during the menstrual cycle. Human endometrial tissues were collected by curettage from women undergoing hysteroscopy for investigation of tubal patency or tubal ligation. Approval was given by the Human Ethics Committee at SCH Medical Center, Bucheon, and signed consent was obtained in every case. Human uterus (total n= 51) were divided into 3 groups: menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phase. Reverse-transcription PCR and Western blot analysis were applied to measure the level of CRP mRNA and protein, respectively. During the menstrual cycle of human, the expression levels of CaT1 mRNA and protein were increased 5-fold at proliferative phase (Days 6 to 13) compared with secretory phase in the endometrium of uterus. The expression of CaBP-28k mRNA and protein was less 2-fold during the proliferative phase (Days 6 to 13) than during the secretory phase (Days 16 to 28). However, the expressions of NCX1, NCKX3, and PMCA1b mRNA and protein were not altered during cycle, whereas the expression of CaBP-9k was not observed in the uterus of human. In addition, spatial expression of CRP was detected by immunohistochemistry Uterine CRP was abundantly localized in the cytoplasm of the luminal and glandular epithelial cells during menstrual cycle. Taken together, these results indicate that uterine CRP is abundantly expressed in the uterus, suggesting that uterine expression of CRP might be involved in reproductive function during the menstrual cycle in human. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]