TROMBINO , Sonya

A therapeutic strategy that relies on the use of c-myc antisense in combination with a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, RPR-115135 (C31H29NO4), was studied in human cancer cell lines carrying different mutations (Ras, p53, myc amplification). Cell proliferation was strongly inhibited by the combination and was observed when c-myc oligo (at a...

Oncogenic Ras proteins have been seen as an important target for novel anticancer drugs. Due to the functional role of Ras farnesylation, fanesyltransferase (FTase) inhibition was thought to be a strategy for interfering with Ras-dependent transformation. When farnesylation is blocked, the function of Ras protein is severely impaired because of...

Acetylcholine (Ach), one of the most important examples of a neurotransmitter, represents a phylogenetically old molecule, widely distributed from bacteria to humans. The finding that neuronal Ach receptors (nAChRs) are present in non-neuronal cells raised some interesting issues related to their specific activity. In humans, different studies...

Recently, we showed that Paramecium primaurelia synthesizes molecules functionally related to the cholinergic system and involved in modulating cell-cell interactions leading to the sexual process of conjugation. It is known that nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in regulating the release of transmitter molecules, such as acetylcholine, and that...

This study presents data suggesting that both human mesothelioma (cell lines and human mesothelioma biopsies) and human normal mesothelial cells express receptors for acetylcholine and that stimulation of these receptors by nicotine prompted cell growth via activation of nicotinic cholinergic receptors. Thus, these data demonstrate that: (a)...

ChAT-like molecules were detected in oocytes, mature eggs and zygotes with indirect immunofluorescence methods. Positive immunoreactivity was found in the ovarian egg cytoplasm and surface as well as at the zygote surface. This suggests the eggs' capacity to autonomously synthesise acetylcholine (ACh), the signal molecule of the cholinergic...