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The synthesis and characterization of the platinum(IV)-based anticancer drug known as CPA-7 (fac-[Pt[Cl.sub.3][(N[O.sub.2])[(N[H.sub.3]).sub.2]]) is described. The freshly prepared drug is obtained as a single isomer that might be fac- or mer-[Pt[Cl.sub.3][(N[O.sub.2])[(N[H.sub.3]).sub.2]], but recrystallization has resulted in a disordered crystal containing approximately equal amounts of the two geometric isomers.

The article presents some results from international joint trainings in social entrepreneurship in 2019 within the frame of the international project INNOVENTER on the base of the reactions of the 32 participants from North-East Bulgaria, led by the University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev" to Albania, Cyprus, Greece and North Macedonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ref.: Biochem. Cell Biol. 85: 38-42. In the above-noted paper, the following error occurred. Parts C and D of Fig. 2 contained incorrect panels for the Hsp90 loading controls. The [...]

Ref.: Biochem. Cell Biol. 85: 32-48 (2007). In the original article, the fourth author's last name was spelled incorrectly. The correct spelling is Anagnostopoulou. Received 2 May 2007. Accepted 2 [...]

Neoplastic transformation by oncogenes such as activated Src is known to suppress gap junctional, intercellular communication (GJIC). One of the Src effector pathways leading to GJIC suppression and transformation is the Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk, so that inhibition of this pathway in vSrc-transformed cells restores GJIC. A distinct Src downstream effector required for neoplasia is the signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (Stat3). To examine the role of Stat3 upon the Src-mediated, GJIC suppression, Stat3 was downregulated in rat liver epithelial cells expressing activated Src through treatment with the CPA7, Stat3 inhibitor, or through infection with a retroviral vector expressing a Stat3-specific shRNA. GJIC was examined by electroporating the fluorescent dye, Lucifer yellow, into cells grown on two coplanar electrodes of electrically conductive, optically transparent, indium-tin oxide, followed by observation of the migration of the dye to the adjacent, nonelectroporated cells under fluorescence illumination. The results demonstrate that, contrary to inhibition of the Ras pathway, Stat3 inhibition in cells expressing activated Src does not restore GJIC. On the contrary, Stat3 inhibition in normal cells with high GJIC levels eliminated junctional permeability. Therefore, Stat3's function is actually required for the maintenance of junctional permeability, although Stat3 generally promotes growth and in an activated form can act as an oncogene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Differential Effects of c-Ras Upon Transformation, Adipocytic differentiation and Apoptosis Mediated by the Simian Virus 40 Large Tumor Antigen," is presented.

A correction to the article "Differential Effects of c-Ras Upon Transformation, Adipocytic Differentiation, and Apoptosis Mediated by the Simian Virus 40 large Tumor Antigen," by Jun Cao, Rozanne Arulanandam, Adina Vultur, Aikaterini Anagnostopoulou, and Leda Raptis.

Cultured adherent cells can be electroporated in situ, as they grow on a glass slide coated with electrically conductive, optically transparent indium-tin oxide (ITO). Although the introduction of DNA is a common use, the technique of electroporation in situ is valuable for studying many aspects of signal transduction. This is because, under the appropriate conditions, in situ electroporation can be remarkably nontraumatic, while a large variety of molecules, such as peptides, oligonucleotides, or drugs, are introduced instantly and into essentially 100% of the cells, making this technique especially suitable for kinetic studies of effector activation. Following the introduction of the material, the cells can be either extracted or biochemically analyzed, or their morphology and gene expression can be examined by immunocytochemistry. In this chapter, we describe the introduction of a peptide blocking the Src-homology 2 domain of the adaptor Grb2 to inhibit the activation of the downstream effector Erk1/2 by EGF. The setup includes nonelectroporated, control cells growing side by side with the electroporated ones on the same type of ITO-coated surface. In a modified version, this assembly can be used very effectively for studying intercellular, junctional communication: cells are grown on a glass slide half of which is ITO-coated. An electric pulse is applied in the presence of the fluorescent dye lucifer yellow, causing its penetration into the cells growing on the conductive part of the slide, and the migration of the dye to the nonelectroporated cells growing on the nonconductive area is microscopically observed under fluorescence illumination.