Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) is well known as a Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent kinase. eEF2K catalyzes the phosphorylation of eEF2 and subsequently inactivates eEF2 by impairing its ability to bind to the ribosome, thereby negatively modulates protein synthesis. The high expression of eEF2K has been found recently in several types of malignancies. As participating in the progress of tumor, eEF2K emerges a potential target for future cancer therapy. The relationship between eEF2K and tumor, and the latest progress of eEF2K inhibitors were summarized in this article.
Elongation Factor 2 Kinase ; antagonists & inhibitors ; metabolism ; Humans ; Neoplasms ; metabolism ; Peptide Elongation Factor 2 ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation

OBJECTIVE: Pathogenesis of the endometriosis is very complex and the etiology is still unclear. Our hypothesis is that there may be some difference in gene expression patterns between eutopic endometriums with or without endometriosis. In this study, we analyzed the difference of gene expression profile with cDNA microarray. METHODS: Endometrial tissues were gathered from patients with endometriosis or other benign gynecologic diseases. cDNA microarray technique was applied to screen the different gene expression profiles from early and late secretory phase endometria of those two groups. Each three mRNA samples isolated from early and late secretory phase of endometrial tissues of control were pooled and used as master controls and labeled with Cy3-dUTP. Then the differences of gene expression pattern were screened by comparing eutopic endometria with endometriosis, which were labeled with Cy5-dUTP. Fluorescent labeled probes were hybridized on a microarray of 4,800 human genes. RESULTS: Twelve genes were consistently overexpressed in the endometrium of endometriosis such as ATP synthase H transporting F1 (ATP5B), eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (NADP+), mitochondrial ribosomal protein L3, ATP synthase H+ transporting (ATP5C1) and TNF alpha factor. Eleven genes were consistently down-regulated in the endometriosis samples. Many extracellular matrix protein genes (decorin, lumican, EGF-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1, fibulin 5, and matrix Gla protein) and protease/protease inhibitors (serine proteinase inhibitor, matrix metalloproteinase 2, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1), and insulin like growth factor II associated protein were included. Expression patterns of selected eight genes from the cDNA microarray were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR or real time RT-PCR. CONCLUSION: The result of this analysis supports the hypothesis that the endometrium from patients with endometriosis has distinct gene expression profile from control endometrium without endometriosis.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Endometriosis* ; Endometrium* ; Extracellular Matrix ; Female ; Gene Expression* ; Genital Diseases, Female ; Humans ; Insulin-Like Growth Factor II ; Isocitrate Dehydrogenase ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis ; Peptide Elongation Factor 1 ; Ribosomal Proteins ; RNA, Messenger ; Transcriptome*

OBJECTIVE: Comparison of protein expression by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) in normal myometrium and uterine leiomyoma in Korean women. METHODS: Normal myometrium and uterine leiomyoma tissues were solubilized with 2-DE buffer and the first dimension of PROTEAN IEF CELL, isoelectric focusing (IEF), was performed using pH4-8 linear IPG strips of 17 cm. And then running 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS- PAGE) and sliver stain. Scanned image analyzed using PDQuest 2-D softwareTM. Protein spot spectrum was identified by assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of fighting (MALDI-TOF) and the protein mass spectrums identification were performed by searching protein databases of Swiss-prot/TrEMBL, Mascot and MS-FIT. RESULTS: In this study, we found 17 up-regulated proteins (phosphate carrier protein, 60 kDa heat shock protein, acidic calcium-independent, glutathione transferase omega, chloride intracellular channel 4, Ras-related protein Rab-11B, phosphatidylinositol transfer protein alpha isoform, type II keratin subunit protein, Cofilin 2 isoform 1, transgelin, ATP carrier protein, alpha-catenin homolog, parkinson disease 2, apo-cellular retinoic acid binding protein II, osteoglycin preproprotein, proteasome activator subunit 1 isoform, Unnamed protein) and 7 down-regulated proteins (Serum amyloid P component, annexin IV, alpha 1 actin precursor, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member EDAR precursor, peroxiredoxin 2, translation elongation factor EF-Tu precursor) between myometrium and leiomyoma. CONCLUSION: 2-DE offer total protein expression between normal myometrium and uterine leiomyoma, and searching of differently expressed protein for the diagnostic markers of leiomyoma.
Actins ; Adenosine Triphosphate ; alpha Catenin ; Animals ; Annexin A4 ; Carrier Proteins ; Cofilin 2 ; Databases, Protein ; Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional* ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Female ; Glutathione Transferase ; Heat-Shock Proteins ; Humans ; Hypoxanthine Phosphoribosyltransferase ; Isoelectric Focusing ; Keratins, Type II ; Leiomyoma* ; Mice ; Myometrium* ; Parkinsonian Disorders ; Peptide Elongation Factor Tu ; Peptide Elongation Factors ; Peroxiredoxins ; Phospholipid Transfer Proteins ; Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex ; Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor ; Running ; Serum Amyloid P-Component ; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate ; Tretinoin