Inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) have been reported to have activities in many types of cancer cells by inhibiting Cdk7 and Cdk9, which control transcription. SNS-032 is a potent and selective inhibitor of Cdk2, Cdk7 and Cdk9 and has emerged in clinical trials. Here, we examined the viability of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-435 breast cancer cells in the presence of SNS-032 and observed a dose-dependent inhibition of cellular proliferation in both cell lines. SNS-032 had a direct apoptosis-inducing effect through both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in breast cancer cells as shown by a dose-dependent increase in Annexin V-positive cells and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick?end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells, as well as activation of caspase-8, -9 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). At the molecular level, SNS-032 induced a marked dephosphorylation of serine 2 and 5 of RNA polymerase (RNA Pol) II and blocked RNA synthesis. Consistent with the inherently rapid turnover rates of their transcripts and proteins, the anti-apoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) were rapidly reduced on exposure to SNS-032. Our results also indicated that SNS-032 suppressed the growth of breast cancer xenografts in mice. These data demonstrate that the use of SNS-032 may be a rational and novel therapeutic strategy for human breast cancer and warrants further clinical investigation.

Moyamoya disease (MMD), most often diagnosed in children and adolescents, is a chronic cerebrovascular disease characterized by progressive stenosis at the terminal portion of the internal carotid artery and an abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain. Recently, many investigators show a great interest in MMD with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Ring finger protein 213 (RNF213) is a major susceptibility gene for MMD and also has strong correlations with PAH. Therefore, this review encapsulates current cases of MMD with PAH and discusses MMD with PAH in the aspects of epidemiology, pathology, possible pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment.