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This page shows you the most recent publications within this specialty of the MedWorm directory.

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Self-killing of melanoma cells by cytosolic delivery of dsRNA: Wiring innate immunity for a coordinated mobilization of endosomes, autophagosomes and the apoptotic machinery in tumor cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Patients with metastatic melanoma have a poor prognosis, primarily due to a generalized inefficacy of current anticancer treatments. Therefore, the identification of novel death inducers with good bioavailability and safety profiles is a main priority in this disease. Here we summarize recent work from our group uncovering an unexpected ability of the dsRNA mimic polyinosine-polycytidylic acid (pIC) to engage the endo/lysosomal machinery of melanoma cells and induce their self degradation by autophagy and apoptosis, without noticeable secondary effects in vivo. However the antimelanoma activity of pIC strictly required...
Source: Autophagy - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Alonso-Curbelo D, Soengas MS Tags: Autophagy Source Type: journals

The cysteine protease MoAtg4 interacts with MoAtg8 and is required for differentiation and pathogenesis in Magnaporthe oryzae.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Atg4 is a unique cysteine protease responsible for the cleavage of the carboxyl terminus of Atg8 during the formation of autophagosomes in yeast. Here we report that MoAtg4, an Atg4 homologue in Magnaporthe oryzae, controls cell differentiation and pathogenicity by interacting with MoAtg8, an autophagic protein essential for autophagic cell death and pathogenicity. Yeast complementation assay revealed that MoATG4 can functionally complement the defects of the yeast ATG4 deletion mutant. The direct interaction between MoAtg4 and MoAtg8 was detected in both yeast two hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (B...
Source: Autophagy - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Liu TB, Liu XH, Lu JP, Zhang L, Min H, Lin FC Tags: Autophagy Source Type: journals

Investigating autophagy: Quantitative morphometric analysis using electron microscopy.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Autophagy is a compensatory pathway involving isolation and subsequent degradation of cytosolic material and organelles in eukaryotic cells.(1) The autophagic process can provide a "housekeeping" function by removing damaged proteins and organelles in a selective or nonselective fashion in order to exert a protective effect following stress.(2) Remarkably, after being discovered to be much more of a targeted process than a random one, the role of autophagy became implicated in many normal cellular and disease processes.(3) Several methodologies are routinely employed to monitor the entire autophagic process.(4) Microtu...
Source: Autophagy - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Swanlund JM, Kregel KC, Oberley TD Tags: Autophagy Source Type: journals

Autophagy augmented by troglitazone is independent of EGFR transactivation and correlated with AMP-activated protein kinase signaling.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report here that troglitazone augments AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKalpha) phosphorylation, reduces p70S6 kinase phosphorylation and stimulates autophagy that is independent of EGFR expression and transactivation. Troglitazone stimulus reduced neither lysosomal staining nor GFP-LC3 dots of HeLa cells, when the cells pretreated with AG1478, a specific EGFR kinase inhibitor. Furthermore, AG1478 additively enhanced the troglitazone-induced degradation of sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1/p62), which is a selective substrate of autophagy. Inhibition of AMPKalpha activity either by compound C or by RNA interference markedly ...
Source: Autophagy - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Yan J, Yang H, Wang G, Sun L, Zhou Y, Guo Y, Xi Z, Jiang X Tags: Autophagy Source Type: journals

The Polyhomeotic protein induces hyperplastic tissue overgrowth through the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Epigenetic mechanisms controlling cellular proliferation are essential to animal development. Moreover, altered levels of expression of the epigenetic regulator proteins are associated with the development and progression of human diseases like cancer. We have studied the effects of high levels of Polyhomeotic (PH) protein, a member of the Polycomb Group (PcG), during the proliferation of the imaginal discs in Drosophila. Overexpression of PH protein causes induction of proliferation, accompanied with induction of JNK-dependent apoptosis. As a result, massive hyperplastic overgrowth is produced and the corresponding di...
Source: Cell Cycle - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: González I, Simón R, Busturia A Tags: Cell Cycle Source Type: journals

Genetic ablation of caveolin-1 increases neural stem cell proliferation in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the adult mouse brain.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, dual-label immunofluorescence analysis of the proliferation marker, Ki67, and the stem cell markers, nestin and Sox2, was performed on brains of 8 week-old wild-type (WT) and Cav-1 knockout (KO) mice. Our results demonstrate an increased number of Ki67-positive nuclei in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of Cav-1 KO brains. Importantly, our dual-label immunofluorescence analyses demonstrate increased co-localization of Ki67 with both nestin and Sox2 in the SVZ of Cav-1 KO brains. Remarkably similar results were also obtained with Cav-2 and Cav-3 KO mouse brains as well, with increased proliferation of adult neur...
Source: Cell Cycle - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Jasmin JF, Yang M, Iacovitti L, Lisanti MP Tags: Cell Cycle Source Type: journals

Matrix Crosslinking Forces Tumor Progression by Enhancing Integrin SignalingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Kandice R. Levental, Hongmei Yu, Laura Kass, Johnathon N. Lakins, Mikala Egeblad, Janine T. Erler, Sheri F.T. Fong, Katalin Csiszar, Amato Giaccia, Wolfgang Weninger, Mitsuo Yamauchi, David L. Gasser, Valerie M. Weaver. Tumors are characterized by extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and stiffening. The importance of ECM remodeling to cancer is appreciated; the relevance of stiffening is less clear. We found tha.... (Source: Cell)
Source: Cell - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Source Type: journals

Localisation of translation initiation factors to talin/{beta}3-integrin-enriched adhesion complexes in spreading and migrating mammalian cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions Taken together, these findings demonstrate that repression, complex post-transcriptional regulation and modulation of mRNA stability could potentially be taking place along the distal edge of migrating lamellipodia. (Source: Biology of the Cell)
Source: Biology of the Cell - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: M Willett, H J Pollard, M Vlasak, S J Morley Source Type: journals

Suppression of ERK signaling evokes autocrine Fas-mediated death in arachidonic acid-treated human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Arachidonic acid (AA)-induced apoptotic death of K562 cells (human chronic myeloid leukemic cells) was characteristic of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and mitochondrial depolarization. N-Acetylcysteine pretreatment rescued viability of AA-treated cells and abolished mitochondrial depolarization. In contrast to no significant changes in phospho-JNK and phospho-ERK levels, AA evoked notable activation of p38 MAPK. Unlike that of JNK and p38 MAPK, ERK suppression further reduced the viability of AA-treated cells. Increases in Fas/FasL protein expression, caspase-8 activation, the production of tBid and the loss of ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Ku-Chung Chen, Wen-Hsin Liu, Long-Sen Chang Source Type: journals

MEPE evolution in mammals reveals regions and residues of prime functional importance.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In mammals, the matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) is known to activate osteogenesis and mineralization via a particular region called dentonin, and to inhibit mineralization via its ASARM (acidic serine-aspartate rich MEPE-associated motif) peptide that also plays a role in phosphatemia regulation. In order to understand MEPE evolution in mammals, and particularly that of its functional regions, we conducted an evolutionary analysis based on the study of selective pressures. Using 37 mammalian sequences we: (1) confirmed the presence of an additional coding exon in most placentals; (2) highlighted several...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bardet C, Delgado S, Sire JY Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Zyxin controls migration in epithelial-mesenchymal transition by mediating actin-membrane linkages at cell-cell junctionsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Development is punctuated by morphogenetic rearrangements of epithelial tissues, including detachment of motile cells during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Dramatic actin rearrangements occur as cell-cell junctions are dismantled and cells become independently motile during EMT. Characterizing dynamic actin rearrangements and identifying actin machinery driving these rearrangements is essential for understanding basic mechanisms of cell-cell junction remodeling. Using immunofluorescence and live cell imaging of scattering MDCK cells we examine dynamic actin rearrangement events during EMT and demonstrate that zyx...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Rebecca Bakkevig Sperry, Nicholas H. Bishop, Jeremy J. Bramwell, Michael N. Brodeur, Matthew J. Carter, Brent T. Fowler, Zachery B. Lewis, Steve D. Maxfield, Davis M. Staley, Ryan M. Vellinga, Marc D.H. Hansen Source Type: journals

Direct cell-cell contact between periodontal ligament fibroblasts and osteoclast precursors synergistically increases the expression of genes related to osteoclastogenesisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The formation of bone resorbing osteoclasts in vivo is orchestrated by cells of the osteoblast lineage such as periodontal ligament fibroblasts that provide the proper signals to osteoclast precursors. Although the requirement of cell-cell interactions is widely acknowledged, it is unknown whether these interactions influence the expression of genes required for osteoclastogenesis and the ultimate formation of osteoclasts. In the present study we investigated the effect of cell-cell interaction on the mRNA expression of adhesion molecules and molecules involved in osteoclast formation in cultures of peripheral blood mononu...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Veerle Bloemen, Ton Schoenmaker, Teun J. de Vries, Vincent Everts Source Type: journals

Muscarinic cholinoceptor activation by pilocarpine triggers apoptosis in human skin fibroblast cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The aim of the present work was to examine the role of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) on apoptosis in human skin fibroblast cells. Neonatal human skin fibroblast cultures were stimulated with pilocarpine in the presence or absence of specific antagonists. Pilocarpine stimulates apoptosis, total inositol phosphates (InsP) accumulation and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. All these effects were inhibited by atropine, mustard hydrochloride (4-DAMP) and pirenzepine, indicating that M1 and M3 mAChRs are implicated in pilocarpine action. Pilocarpine apoptotic action is accompanied by caspase-3 and JNK activatio...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Silvia Reina, Leonor Sterin-Borda, Daniela Passafaro, Enri Borda Source Type: journals

Simulated diving after heat stress potentiates the induction of heat shock protein 70 and elevates glutathione in human endothelial cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Heat stress prior to diving has been shown to confer protection against endothelial damage due to decompression sickness. Several lines of evidence indicate a relation between such protection and the heat shock protein (HSP)70 and HSP90 and the major cellular red-ox determinant, glutathione (GSH). The present study has used human endothelial cells as a model system to investigate how heat stress and simulated diving affect these central cellular defense molecules. The results demonstrated for the first time that a simulated dive at 2.6 MPa (26 bar) had a potentiating effect on the heat-induced expression of HSP70, incr...
Source: Cell Stress and Chaperones - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Djurhuus R, Nossum V, Lundsett N, Hovin W, Svardal AM, Havnes MB, Fismen L, Hjelde A, Brubakk AO Tags: Cell Stress Chaperones Source Type: journals

Fusogenic activity of cationic lipids and lipid shape distribution.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Addition of co-lipids into cationic lipid formulations is considered as promoting cell delivery of DNA by enhancing fusion processes with cell membranes. Here, by combining FRET and confocal microscopy, we demonstrate that some cationic lipids do not require a co-lipid to fuse efficiently with cells. These cationic lipids are able to self-organize into bilayers that are stable enough to form liposomes, while presenting some destabilizing properties reminiscent of the conically shaped fusogenic co-lipid, DOPE. We therefore analyzed the resident lipid structures in cationic bilayers by molecular dynamics simulations, clu...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Lonez C, Lensink MF, Kleiren E, Vanderwinden JM, Ruysschaert JM, Vandenbranden M Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Targeted therapy of spinal cord glioma with a genetically modified Salmonella typhimuriumEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: These results suggest that S. typhimurium A1-R monotherapy can effectively treat spinal cord glioma. (Source: Cell Proliferation)
Source: Cell Proliferation - November 19, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: H. Kimura, L. Zhang, M. Zhao, K. Hayashi, H. Tsuchiya, K. Tomita, M. Bouvet, J. Wessels, R. M. Hoffman Source Type: journals

Effects of Extracellular Matrix on Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Smooth Muscle Cell Lineage: Utility for Cardiovascular Tissue EngineeringEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cells Tissues Organs (DOI:10.1159/000260061) (Source: Cells Tissues Organs)
Source: Cells Tissues Organs - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Source Type: journals

Does the Cranial Suspensory Ligament Have a Role in Cryptorchidism?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cells Tissues Organs (DOI:10.1159/000260062) (Source: Cells Tissues Organs)
Source: Cells Tissues Organs - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Source Type: journals

Dynamic Expression and Heterogeneous Intracellular Location of En-1 during Late Mouse Embryonic DevelopmentEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cells Tissues Organs (DOI:10.1159/000260063) (Source: Cells Tissues Organs)
Source: Cells Tissues Organs - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Source Type: journals

Am J Physiol Cell Physiol; +26 new citationsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
26 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol These pubmed results were generated on 2009/11/18PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 15 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. These citations are from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources. (Source: Am J Physiol Cell Ph...)
Source: Am J Physiol Cell Ph... - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Tags: Report Source Type: journals

Polarized traffic towards the cell surface: how to find the route.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Polarity is the structural and functional hallmark of epithelia. The apical plasma membrane, facing the organism's exterior (the lumen of the gut, renal tubule and glandular duct), differs in many important respects from the basolateral plasma membrane that is apposed to the interior of the organism. The generation and maintenance of epithelial polarity require a highly specialized subcellular machinery to bring proteins to their appropriate sites of action. This is a dynamic process involving the interpretation of sorting signals, vectorial delivery mechanisms, membrane-specific fusion and retention processes. Here, w...
Source: Biology of the Cell - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Carmosino M, Valenti G, Caplan M, Svelto M Tags: Biol Cell Source Type: journals

Identification of a novel phosphorylation site on TBC1D4 regulated by AMP-activated protein kinase in skeletal muscle.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
TBC1D4 (also known as AS160) regulates GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake in adipocytes and skeletal muscle. Its mode of action involves phosphorylation of Serine (S)/Threonine (T) residues by upstream kinases resulting in inactivation of Rab-GAP activity leading to GLUT4 mobilization. The majority of known phosphorylation sites on TBC1D4 lie within the Akt consensus motif and are phosphorylated by insulin stimulation. However, the 5 AMP activated protein kinase (AMPK) and other kinases may also phosphorylate TBC1D4, and therefore we hypothesized the presence of additional phosphorylation sites. Mouse skeletal musc...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Treebak JT, Taylor EB, Witczak CA, An D, Toyoda T, Koh HJ, Xie J, Feener EP, Wojtaszewski JF, Hirshman MF, Goodyear LJ Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

Extensive mononuclear infiltration and myogenesis characterize the recovery of dysferlin-null skeletal muscle from contraction-induced injuries.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report that dysferlin-null myofibers retain 10 kDa dextran for 3 days after large-strain injury but are lost thereafter, following necrosis and inflammation. Recovery of dysferlin-null muscle requires myogenesis, which delays the return of contractile function compared to controls, which recover from large-strain injury by repairing damaged myofibers without significant inflammation, necrosis, or myogenesis. Recovery of control and dysferlin-null muscles from small-strain injury involved inflammation and necrosis followed by myogenesis, all of which were more pronounced in the dysferlin-null, which recovered more slowly...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Roche JA, Lovering RM, Roche R, Ru LW, Reed PW, Bloch RJ Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

Abnormalities in Focal Adhesion Complex Formation, Regulation and Function in Human Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) Epithelial Cells.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Integrin-associated focal adhesion complex formation and turnover plays an essential role in directing interactions between epithelial cells and the extra-cellular matrix during organogenesis, leading to appropriate cell spreading, cell-matrix adhesion and migration. Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD) is associated with loss of function of PKHD1-encoded protein Fibrocystin-1 and is characterized by cystic dilation of renal collecting tubules (CT) in utero and loss of renal function in patients if they survive the perinatal period. Normal Polycystin1 (PC-1)/focal adhesion complex function is required ...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Israeli S, Amsler K, Zheleznova NN, Wilson PD Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

PI(4,5)P2 and loss of PLC{gamma} activity inhibit TRPM channels required for oscillatory Ca2+ signaling.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The C. elegans intestinal epithelium generates rhythmic inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-dependent Ca(2+) oscillations that control muscle contractions required for defecation. Two highly Ca(2+) selective TRPM channels, GON-2 and GTL-1, function with PLCgamma in a common signaling pathway that regulates IP(3)-dependent intracellular Ca(2+) release. A second PLC, PLCgamma, is also required for IP3-dependent Ca(2+) oscillations, but functions in an independent signaling mechanism. PLCgamma generates IP(3) that regulates IP3 receptor activity. We demonstrate here that PLCgamma via hydrolysis of PI(4,5)P2 (PIP(2)) also r...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Xing J, Strange K Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

Filamin and filamin-binding proteins in integrin-regulation and adhesion. Focus on: "FilaminA is required for vimentin-mediated cell adhesion and spreading"Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
not required for this manuscript type. PMID: 19923422 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology)
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Macpherson M, Fagerholm S Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

Cytoskeletal Structure Regulates Endothelial Cell Immunogenicity Independent of Fluid Shear Stress.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The cardiovascular disease atherosclerosis is directly linked to the functions of the endothelial cells (ECs), which are affected by fluid shear stress (FSS). High, unidirectional FSS causes EC elongation with aligned cytoskeletal components and non-immunogenic EC functions protecting against atherosclerosis. In contrast, low, oscillatory FSS is associated with cobblestone-shaped ECs with a randomly oriented cytoskeleton and pro-inflammatory EC functions that promote atherosclerosis. Whether EC shape plays a role in EC immunogenic functions, independent of FSS, has not been previously determined. The goal of this study...
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Vartanian KB, Berny MA, McCarty OJ, Hanson SR, Hinds MT Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

Caveolin gene transfer improves glucose metabolism in diabetic mice.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, our results suggest that caveolin is an important regulator of glucose metabolism that can enhance insulin signals. PMID: 19923424 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology)
Source: American Journal of Physiology. Cell Physiology - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Otsu K, Toya Y, Oshikawa J, Kurotani R, Yazawa T, Sato M, Yokoyama U, Umemura S, Minamisawa S, Okumura S, Ishikawa Y Tags: Am J Physiol Cell Physiol Source Type: journals

Why proteins without an alpha-crystallin domain should not be included in the human small heat shock protein family HSPB.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The presence of an alpha-crystallin domain documents the evolutionary relatedness of the ubiquitous family of small heat shock proteins. Sequence and three-dimensional structure provide no evidence for the presence of such a domain in HSPC034, recently proposed as the 11th member of the human HSPB family. Also, phylogenetic analyses detect no relationship between HSPC034 and the human HSPB1-10 sequences. Arguments are provided as to why inclusion in the HSPB family of proteins like HSPC034, which resemble small heat shock proteins in being heat-inducible and having chaperone-like properties and a low monomeric mass, bu...
Source: Cell Stress and Chaperones - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kappé G, Boelens WC, de Jong WW Tags: Cell Stress Chaperones Source Type: journals

Lucifensin, the long-sought antimicrobial factor of medicinal maggots of the blowfly Lucilia sericata.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A novel homologue of insect defensin designated lucifensin (Lucilia defensin) was purified from the extracts of various tissues (gut, salivary glands, fat body, haemolymph) of green bottle fly (Lucilia sericata) larvae and from their excretions/secretions. The primary sequence of this peptide of 40 residues and three intramolecular disulfide bridges was determined by ESI-QTOF mass spectrometry and Edman degradation and is very similar to that of sapecin and other dipteran defensins. We assume that lucifensin is the key antimicrobial component that protects the maggots when they are exposed to the highly infectious envi...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Ceřovský V, Zďárek J, Fučík V, Monincová L, Voburka Z, Bém R Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

The p200 family protein p204 as a modulator of cell proliferation and differentiation: a brief survey.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The expression of the murine p200 family protein p204 in numerous tissues can be activated by a variety of distinct, tissue-specific transcription factors. p204 modulates cell proliferation, cell cycling, and the differentiation of various tissues, including skeletal muscle myotubes, beating cardiac myocytes, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, and macrophages. This protein modulates these processes in various ways, such as by (1) blocking ribosomal RNA synthesis in the nucleolus, (2) inhibiting Ras signaling in the cytoplasm, (3) promoting the activity of particular transcription factors in the nucleus by forming complexes wit...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Lengyel P, Liu CJ Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Biological activity of phenolic lipids.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Phenolic lipids are a very diversified group of compounds derived from mono and dihydroxyphenols, i.e., phenol, catechol, resorcinol, and hydroquinone. Due to their strong amphiphilic character, these compounds can incorporate into erythrocytes and liposomal membranes. In this review, the antioxidant, antigenotoxic, and cytostatic activities of resorcinolic and other phenolic lipids are described. The ability of these compounds to inhibit bacterial, fungal, protozoan and parasite growth seems to depend on their interaction with proteins and/or on their membrane-disturbing properties. PMID: 19921485 [PubMed - as sup...
Source: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences : CMLS - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Stasiuk M, Kozubek A Tags: Cell Mol Life Sci Source Type: journals

Sub-millimolar concentration of the novel phenol-based compound, 2-hydroxy benzoate zinc, induces apoptosis in human HT-1080 fibrosarcoma cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the novel phenolic compound 2HBZ is a potent apoptosis-inducing agent in HT-1080 cells and warrants further investigation as a potential chemotherapeutic agent in primary cancer cell models. (Source: Cell Proliferation)
Source: Cell Proliferation - November 18, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: J. G. Mahdi, C. J. Pepper, M. A. Alkarrawi, A. J. Mahdi, I. D. Bowen Source Type: journals

Interstitial cell migration: integrin-dependent and alternative adhesion mechanismsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Abstract Adhesion and migration are integrated cell functions that build, maintain and remodel the multicellular organism. In migrating cells, integrins are the main transmembrane receptors that provide dynamic interactions between extracellular ligands and actin cytoskeleton and signalling machineries. In parallel to integrins, other adhesion systems mediate adhesion and cytoskeletal coupling to the extracellular matrix (ECM). These include multifunctional cell surface receptors (syndecans and CD44) and discoidin domain receptors, which together coordinate ligand binding with direct or indirect cytoskeletal...
Source: Cell and Tissue Research - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Tags: Cell and Tissue Research Source Type: journals

Special Features and New Developments.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19922861 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Developmental Cell)
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Sweet DJ Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Sorting Out Endosomes in the WASH.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Two new studies published in this issue of Developmental Cell by Derivery et al. and Gomez and Billadeau reveal that WASH (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein and SCAR homolog) activates Arp2/3 on endosomes and plays a critical role in the fission of tubules that serve as transport intermediates during endosome sorting. PMID: 19922862 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Developmental Cell)
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bear JE Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Developmental ECM Sculpting: Laying It Down and Cutting It Up.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In mammals, proteolytic remodeling of the embryonic extracellular matrix (ECM) controls morphogenesis, but the key players remain elusive. Two recent reports identify new roles for metalloproteinases belonging to the MT-MMP and ADAMTS families in branching morphogenesis and interdigital web regression. PMID: 19922863 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Developmental Cell)
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Feinberg T, Weiss SJ Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Nuclei Take a Position: Managing Nuclear Location.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Eukaryotic cells display considerable morphological plasticity linked to their abilities to carry out a myriad of complex functions. Structural rearrangements associated with cellular activities, from yeast mitosis to cell migration in the mammalian central nervous system, often involve relocation of the cell nucleus. Recent studies have provided insight into how nuclear components can be mechanically coupled to the cytoskeleton, providing a more complete understanding of the role of nuclear positioning in both health and disease. PMID: 19922864 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Developmental Cell)
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Burke B, Roux KJ Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

The SUN Rises on Meiotic Chromosome Dynamics.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Recent studies in diverse eukaryotes have implicated a family of nuclear envelope proteins containing SUN domains as key components of meiotic nuclear organization and chromosome dynamics. In many cases, these transmembrane proteins are also known to contribute to centrosome or spindle pole body function in mitotically dividing cells. During meiotic prophase, the apparent role of these SUN-domain proteins, together with their partner KASH-domain proteins, is to connect chromosomes through the intact nuclear envelope to force-generating mechanisms in the cytoplasm. PMID: 19922865 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] ...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Hiraoka Y, Dernburg AF Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Border Control at the Nucleus: Biogenesis and Organization of the Nuclear Membrane and Pore Complexes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Over the last decade, the nuclear envelope (NE) has emerged as a key component in the organization and function of the nuclear genome. As many as 100 different proteins are thought to specifically localize to this double membrane that separates the cytoplasm and the nucleoplasm of eukaryotic cells. Selective portals through the NE are formed at sites where the inner and outer nuclear membranes are fused, and the coincident assembly of approximately 30 proteins into nuclear pore complexes occurs. These nuclear pore complexes are essential for the control of nucleocytoplasmic exchange. Many of the NE and nuclear pore pro...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Hetzer MW, Wente SR Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Acting Out of Character: Regulatory Roles of Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate all selective bidirectional transport between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Additional functions for NPCs and their constituent proteins (nucleoporins) are emerging, some independent of classical transport. Specifically, enzymatic activities at the NPC regulate nucleocytoplasmic transport and use the NPC as a regulatory scaffold. Also, nucleoporins may regulate gene expression by contacting chromatin. Discriminating between effects on transport, scaffolding, and gene expression is a major challenge in understanding the role of the NPC in signaling and development. PMID: 199228...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Xylourgidis N, Fornerod M Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

The Nuclear Envelope as a Signaling Node in Development and Disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The development of a membrane-bound structure separating DNA from other cellular components was the epochal evolutionary event that gave rise to eukaryotes, possibly occurring up to 2 billion years ago. Yet, this view of the nuclear envelope as a physical barrier greatly underestimates its fundamental impact on cellular organization and complexity, much of which is only beginning to be understood. Indeed, alterations of nuclear envelope structure and protein composition are essential to many aspects of metazoan development and cellular differentiation. Mutations in genes encoding nuclear envelope proteins cause a fasci...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Dauer WT, Worman HJ Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Nuclear Bodies: Random Aggregates of Sticky Proteins or Crucibles of Macromolecular Assembly?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The principles of self-assembly and self-organization are major tenets of molecular and cellular biology. Governed by these principles, the eukaryotic nucleus is composed of numerous subdomains and compartments, collectively described as nuclear bodies. Emerging evidence reveals that associations within and between various nuclear bodies and genomic loci are dynamic and can change in response to cellular signals. This review will discuss recent progress in our understanding of how nuclear body components come together, what happens when they form, and what benefit these subcellular structures may provide to the tissues...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Matera AG, Izaguire-Sierra M, Praveen K, Rajendra TK Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

MOR23 Promotes Muscle Regeneration and Regulates Cell Adhesion and Migration.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Odorant receptors (ORs) in the olfactory epithelium bind to volatile small molecules leading to the perception of smell. ORs are expressed in many tissues but their functions are largely unknown. We show multiple ORs display distinct mRNA expression patterns during myogenesis in vitro and muscle regeneration in vivo. Mouse OR23 (MOR23) expression is induced during muscle regeneration when muscle cells are extensively fusing and plays a key role in regulating migration and adhesion of muscle cells in vitro, two processes common during tissue repair. A soluble ligand for MOR23 is secreted by muscle cells in vitro and mus...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Griffin CA, Kafadar KA, Pavlath GK Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

A Family of microRNAs Encoded by Myosin Genes Governs Myosin Expression and Muscle Performance.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Myosin is the primary regulator of muscle strength and contractility. Here we show that three myosin genes, Myh6, Myh7, and Myh7b, encode related intronic microRNAs (miRNAs), which, in turn, control muscle myosin content, myofiber identity, and muscle performance. Within the adult heart, the Myh6 gene, encoding a fast myosin, coexpresses miR-208a, which regulates the expression of two slow myosins and their intronic miRNAs, Myh7/miR-208b and Myh7b/miR-499, respectively. miR-208b and miR-499 play redundant roles in the specification of muscle fiber identity by activating slow and repressing fast myofiber gene programs. ...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: van Rooij E, Quiat D, Johnson BA, Sutherland LB, Qi X, Richardson JA, Kelm RJ, Olson EN Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

Moz and Retinoic Acid Coordinately Regulate H3K9 Acetylation, Hox Gene Expression, and Segment Identity.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, our data show that Moz regulates H3K9 acetylation at Hox gene loci and that RA can act independently of Moz to establish specific Hox gene expression boundaries. PMID: 19922872 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Developmental Cell)
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Voss AK, Collin C, Dixon MP, Thomas T Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

ADAMTS Metalloproteases Generate Active Versican Fragments that Regulate Interdigital Web Regression.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We show that combinatorial mouse alleles for the secreted metalloproteases Adamts5, Adamts20 (bt), and Adamts9 result in fully penetrant soft-tissue syndactyly. Interdigital webs in Adamts5(-/-);bt/bt mice had reduced apoptosis and decreased cleavage of the proteoglycan versican; however, the BMP-FGF axis, which regulates interdigital apoptosis was unaffected. BMP4 induced apoptosis, but without concomitant versican proteolysis. Haploinsufficiency of either Vcan or Fbln1, a cofactor for versican processing by ADAMTS5, led to highly penetrant syndactyly in bt mice, suggesting that cleaved versican was essential for web ...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: McCulloch DR, Nelson CM, Dixon LJ, Silver DL, Wylie JD, Lindner V, Sasaki T, Cooley MA, Argraves WS, Apte SS Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

A FAM21-Containing WASH Complex Regulates Retromer-Dependent Sorting.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The Arp2/3 complex regulates endocytosis, sorting, and trafficking, yet the Arp2/3-stimulating factors orchestrating these distinct events remain ill defined. WASH (Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Protein and SCAR Homolog) is an Arp2/3 activator with unknown function that was duplicated during primate evolution. We demonstrate that WASH associates with tubulin and localizes to early endosomal subdomains, which are enriched in Arp2/3, F-actin, and retromer components. Although WASH localized with activated receptors, it was not essential for endocytosis. However, WASH did regulate retromer-mediated retrograde CI-MPR traffickin...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Gomez TS, Billadeau DD Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

The Arp2/3 Activator WASH Controls the Fission of Endosomes through a Large Multiprotein Complex.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The Arp2/3 complex generates branched actin networks when activated by Nucleation Promoting Factors (NPFs). Recently, the WASH family of NPFs has been identified, but its cellular role is unclear. Here, we show that WASH generates an actin network on a restricted domain of sorting and recycling endosomes. We found that WASH belongs to a multiprotein complex containing seven subunits, including the heterodimer of capping protein (CP). In vitro, the purified WASH complex activates Arp2/3-mediated actin nucleation and binds directly to liposomes. WASH also interacts with dynamin. WASH depletion gives rise to long membrane...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Derivery E, Sousa C, Gautier JJ, Lombard B, Loew D, Gautreau A Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals

SUMO Regulates the Assembly and Function of a Cytoplasmic Intermediate Filament Protein in C. elegans.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Sumoylation is a reversible posttranslational modification that plays roles in many processes, including transcriptional regulation, cell division, chromosome integrity, and DNA damage response. Using a proteomics approach, we identified approximately 250 candidate targets of sumoylation in C. elegans. One such target is the cytoplasmic intermediate filament (cIF) protein named IFB-1, which is expressed in hemidesmosome-like structures in the worm epidermis and is essential for embryonic elongation and maintenance of muscle attachment to the cuticle. In the absence of SUMO, IFB-1 formed ectopic filaments and protein ag...
Source: Developmental Cell - November 17, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kaminsky R, Denison C, Bening-Abu-Shach U, Chisholm AD, Gygi SP, Broday L Tags: Dev Cell Source Type: journals