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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

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

Taxol induces paraptosis independent of both protein synthesis and MAPK pathwayEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this report, we further explored the relationship between taxol-induced cell death and vacuolization, and the roles of protein synthesis, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MEK), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and P38 in taxol-induced paraptosis. Enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was used to probe the cell morphological change, while ER-targeted red fluorescent protein (er-RFP) was used to probe ER spatial distribution. Real-time monitoring of the ER swelling dynamics during the formation of vacuolization inside single living cells co-expressing EGFP and er-RFP further demonstrated that taxol-induced cytop...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 14, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Qingrui Sun, Tongsheng Chen, Xiaoping Wang, Xunbin Wei Source Type: journals

Paclitaxel and beta-lapachone synergistically induce apoptosis in human retinoblastoma Y79 cells by downregulating the levels of phospho-AktEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Paclitaxel (PTX) and beta-lapachone (LPC) are naturally occurring compounds that have shown a large spectrum of anticancer activity. In this article we show for the first time that PTX/LPC combination induces potent synergistic apoptotic effects in human retinoblastoma Y79 cells. Combination of suboptimal doses of PTX (0.3 nM) and LPC (1.5 µM) caused biochemical and morphological signs of apoptosis at 48 h of treatment. These effects were accompanied by potent lowering in inhibitor of apoptosis proteins and by activation of Bid and caspases 3 and 6 with lamin B and PARP breakdown. PTX/LPC combination acted by favoring p53...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 13, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Antonella D'Anneo, Giuseppa Augello, Andrea Santulli, Michela Giuliano, Riccardo di Fiore, Concetta Messina, Giovanni Tesoriere, Renza Vento Source Type: journals

Dual role of parathyroid hormone in endothelial progenitor cells and marrow stromal mesenchymal stem cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hematopoietic stem cells derive regulatory information also from parathyroid hormone (PTH). To explore the possibility that PTH may have a role in regulation of other stem cells residing in bone marrow, such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) we assessed the effect of this hormone on the in vitro behavior of MSCs and EPCs. We evidenced that MSCs were much more responsive to PTH than EPCs. PTH increased the proliferation rate of MSCs with a diminution of senescence and apoptosis. Taken together, our results may suggest a protective effect of PTH on MSCs that reduces stress phenomena and...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 13, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Giovanni Di Bernardo, Umberto Galderisi, Carmela Fiorito, Tiziana Squillaro, Letizia Cito, Marilena Cipollaro, Antonio Giordano, Claudio Napoli Source Type: journals

Endoglin is involved in BMP-2-induced osteogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament cells through a pathway independent of Smad-1/5/8 phosphorylationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The periodontal ligament (PDL), a connective tissue located between the cementum of teeth and the alveolar bone of mandibula, plays a crucial role in the maintenance and regeneration of periodontal tissues. The PDL contains fibroblastic cells of a heterogeneous cell population, from which we have established several cell lines previously. To analyze characteristics unique for PDL at a molecular level, we performed cDNA microarray analysis of the PDL cells versus MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. The analysis followed by validation by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunochemical staining revealed that endog...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 13, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Osamu Ishibashi, Mika Ikegame, Fumio Takizawa, Tatsuya Yoshizawa, Md. Ali Moksed, Futabako Iizawa, Hisashi Mera, Akio Matsuda, Hiroyuki Kawashima Source Type: journals

Intracellular redox imbalance and extracellular amino acid metabolic abnormality contribute to arsenic-induced developmental retardation in mouse preimplantation embryosEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, we suggest that p66Shc-linked redox imbalance and abnormal extracellular amino acid metabolism mediate arsenite-induced embryonic retardation. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology)
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 13, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Chuanling Zhang, Chunmei Liu, Dan Li, Nan Yao, Xiaohua Yuan, Aiping Yu, Cailing Lu, Xu Ma Source Type: journals

Molecular dissection of Otx1 functional domains in the zebrafish embryoEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Otx proteins are involved in the induction of neurectoderm patterning and morphogenetic movements, leading to the formation of the vertebrate central nervous system. Despite lack of homology of sequence outside the homeodomain, a large body of evidence has shown that the Otx/Otd class of proteins has similar functions in many animal phyla. Thus, characterization of functional domains in proteins of this family would help in understanding how this functional equivalence operates. Our previous analysis using the zebrafish embryo (Bellipanni et al., , Dev Biol 223:339-353), has suggested that induction of cell aggregation is ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 4, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Gianfranco Bellipanni, Tohru Murakami, Eric S. Weinberg Source Type: journals

Cyclin D2 and the CDK substrate p220NPAT are required for self-renewal of human embryonic stem cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Self-renewal of pluripotent human embryonic stem (hES) cells utilizes an abbreviated cell cycle that bypasses E2F/pRB-dependent growth control. We investigated whether self-renewal is alternatively regulated by cyclin/CDK phosphorylation of the p220NPAT/HiNF-P complex to activate histone gene expression at the G1/S phase transition. We show that cyclin D2 is prominently expressed in pluripotent hES cells, but cyclin D1 eclipses cyclin D2 during differentiation. Depletion of cyclin D2 or p220NPAT causes a cell cycle defect in G1 reflected by diminished phosphorylation of p220NPAT, decreased cell cycle dependent histone H4 e...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 3, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Klaus A. Becker, Prachi N. Ghule, Jane B. Lian, Janet L. Stein, Andre J. van Wijnen, Gary S. Stein Source Type: journals

Inhibition of PARP activity by PJ-34 leads to growth impairment and cell death associated with aberrant mitotic pattern and nucleolar actin accumulation in M14 melanoma cell lineEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The capability of PARP activity inhibitors to prevent DNA damage recovery suggested the use of these drugs as chemo- and radio-sensitisers for cancer therapy. Our research, carried out on cultured human M14 melanoma cells, was aimed to examine if PJ-34, a potent PARP activity inhibitor of second generation, was per se able to affect the viability of these cancer cells without any DNA damaging agents. Using time-lapse videomicroscopy, we evidenced that 10 µM PJ-34 treatment induced severe mitotic defects leading to dramatic reduction of cell proliferation and to cell death. PJ-34 cytotoxic effect was further confirmed by a...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 3, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Marta Chevanne, Michele Zampieri, Riccardo Caldini, Angela Rizzo, Fabio Ciccarone, Angela Catizone, Carmen D'Angelo, Tiziana Guastafierro, Anna Biroccio, Anna Reale, Gabriella Zupi, Paola Caiafa Source Type: journals

Modulation of TRPM6 and Na+/Mg2+ exchange in mammary epithelial cells in response to variations of magnesium availabilityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mammary epithelial cells (HC11) chronically adapted to grow in a low-magnesium (0.05 mM vs. 0.5 mM) or in a high-magnesium (40 mM) medium were used to investigate on the mechanisms of cell magnesium transport under conditions of non-physiological magnesium availability. Magnesium influx was higher in low-magnesium cells compared to control or high-magnesium cells, whereas magnesium efflux was higher in high-magnesium cells compared to control and low-magnesium cells. Magnesium efflux was partially inhibited by imipramine, inhibitor of the Na+/Mg2+ exchange. Using a monoclonal antibody detecting a [sim]70 kDa protein associ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 3, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Federica I. Wolf, Valentina Trapani, Matteo Simonacci, Lucia Mastrototaro, Achille Cittadini, Monika Schweigel Source Type: journals

Population doublings and percentage of S100-positive cells as predictors of in vitro chondrogenicity of expanded human articular chondrocytesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The aim of this study was to investigate the interconnection between the processes of proliferation, dedifferentiation, and intrinsic redifferentiation (chondrogenic) capacities of human articular chondrocyte (HAC), and to identify markers linking HAC dedifferentiation status with their chondrogenic potential. Cumulative population doublings (PD) of HAC expanded in monolayer culture were determined, and a threshold range of 3.57-4.19 PD was identified as indicative of HAC loss of intrinsic chondrogenic capacity in pellets incubated without added chondrogenic factors. While several specific gene and surface markers defined ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 3, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Samoa Giovannini, Jose Diaz-Romero, Thomas Aigner, Pierre Mainil-Varlet, Dobrila Nesic Source Type: journals

Integrin-linked kinase regulates migration and proliferation of human intestinal cells under a fibronectin-dependent mechanismEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) plays a role in integrin signaling-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM)-cell interactions and also acts as a scaffold protein in functional focal adhesion points. In the present study, we investigated the expression and roles of ILK in human intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in vivo and in vitro. Herein, we report that ILK and its scaffold-function interacting partners, PINCH-1, [alpha]-parvin, and [beta]-parvin, are expressed according to a decreasing gradient from the bottom of the crypt (proliferative/undifferentiated) compartment to the tip of the villus (non-proliferative/differentiated) c...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 3, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: David Gagné, Jean-François Groulx, Yannick D. Benoit, Nuria Basora, Elizabeth Herring, Pierre H. Vachon, Jean-François Beaulieu Source Type: journals

1[alpha],25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 induces nuclear matrix association of the 1[alpha],25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 receptor in osteoblasts independently of its ability to bind DNAEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
1[alpha],25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (vitamin D3) has an important role during osteoblast differentiation as it directly modulates the expression of key bone-related genes. Vitamin D3 binds to the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR), a member of the superfamily of nuclear receptors, which in turn interacts with transcriptional activators to target this regulatory complex to specific sequence elements within gene promoters. Increasing evidence demonstrates that the architectural organization of the genome and regulatory proteins within the eukaryotic nucleus support gene expression in a physiological manner. Previous reports indicated th...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 2, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Gloria Arriagada, Roberto Paredes, Andre J. van Wijnen, Jane B. Lian, Brigitte van Zundert, Gary S. Stein, Janet L. Stein, Martin Montecino Source Type: journals

Functional multimerization of mucolipin channel proteinsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we used immunocytochemical analysis to determine that TRPML1, TRPML2, and TRPML3 co-localize in cells. The multimerization of TRPML proteins was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis, which demonstrated that TRPML1 homo-multimerizes as well as hetero-multimerizes with TRPML2 and TRPML3. MLIV-causing mutants of TRPML1 also interacted with wild-type TRPML1. Lipid bilayer re-constitution of in vitro translated TRPML2 and TRPML3 confirmed their cation channel properties with lower single channel conductance and higher partial permeability to anions as compared to TRPML1. We further analyz...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 2, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Cyntia Curcio-Morelli, Peng Zhang, Bhuvarahamurthy Venugopal, Florie A. Charles, Marsha F. Browning, Horacio F. Cantiello, Susan A. Slaugenhaupt Source Type: journals

FEZ1/LZTS1 protein expression in ovarian cancerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, the reduction or loss of FEZ1 protein could be an aid to the clinical management of patients affected by ovarian carcinoma. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology)
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - November 2, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Daniela Califano, Sandro Pignata, Carmela Pisano, Stefano Greggi, Giuseppe Laurelli, Nunzia Simona Losito, Alessandro Ottaiano, Adolfo Gallipoli, Rosa Pasquinelli, Veronica De Simone, Roberto Cirombella, Alfredo Fusco, Gennaro Chiappetta Source Type: journals

Genome modification in human embryonic stem cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology has emerged as the most promising method for generating patient-specific human embryonic stem (ES) cells and adult stem cells (Takahashi et al., 2007, Cell 131:861-872; Wernig et al., , Nature 448:318-324; Park et al., 2008, Nature 451:141-146). So far, most studies of direct reprogramming have been done by using lentiviruses/retroviruses encoding the reprogramming factors. This represents a major limitation to therapeutic applications since viral integration in the host genome increases the risk of tumorigenicity, and low-level residual expression of reprogramming factors ma...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 29, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Toyoaki Tenzen, Filip Zembowicz, Chad A. Cowan Source Type: journals

Dexamethasone counteracts the anti-osteoclastic, but not the anti-leukemic, activity of TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We have analyzed the effect of the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone, used alone or in combination with recombinant TRAIL, on in vitro osteoclastic differentiation of peripheral blood-derived macrophages cultured in the presence of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) + RANKL for 12-14 days. Dexamethasone exhibited different effects based on the concentration used. Indeed, while at 10-7 M dexamethasone reduced the number of mature osteoclasts, at 10-8 M showed no significant effects and at 10-9 M significantly increased the number of mature osteoclasts, with respect to cells cultured with only M-CSF + RANKL. O...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 28, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Giorgio Zauli, Erika Rimondi, Claudio Celeghini, Daniela Milani, Paola Secchiero Source Type: journals

PSMD9 gene in the NIDDM2 locus is linked to type 2 diabetes in ItaliansEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has a replicated linkage on chromosome12q24.2, the non-insulin-dependent-diabetes 2 (NIDDM2) locus. PSMD9 (which rarely causes T2D in Italians) lies in the NIDDM2 region and is implicated in beta cell insulin transcription and diabetes onset in mice. Thus, PSMD9 is a candidate T2D gene for the NIDDM2 locus. We aimed at identifying any linkage of the PSMD9 A/T/G haplotype, or of any of its single variants, to Italian T2D siblings/families. We screened 201 T2D siblings/families for PSMD9 variants and performed a parametric and non-parametric linkage study, including linkage disequilibrium (LD) modeling ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 28, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Claudia Gragnoli Source Type: journals

Human testicular orphan receptor 4 enhances thyroid hormone receptor signalingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study examined the possible interaction or cross-talking between those two receptors. We hypothesized that protein-protein interaction between TR4 and TR may promote TR-mediated transcriptional activity. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down and immunoprecipitation assays showed direct interaction between TR and TR4. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assay demonstrated that TR and TR4 could co-occupy the same TRE. The interaction between TR4 and TR may enhance regulation of genes targeted by TR, such as furin, fibrinogen, cdk2 and p21 expression. We found that TR4 function is similar with TR as TR4 alone could regulate exp...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 27, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Ya-Hui Huang, Chen-Hsin Liao, Ruey-Nan Chen, Chia-Jung Liao, Kwang-Huei Lin Source Type: journals

Cholera toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein-coupled activation of augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) receptor and its function in rat kupffer cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mitogenic effect of augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR), a protein produced and released by hepatocytes, on hepatocytes in vivo but not in vitro suggests that the effect is mediated by nonparenchymal cells. Since mediators produced by Kupffer cells are implicated in hepatic regeneration, we investigated receptor for ALR and its functions in rat Kupffer cells. Kupffer cells were isolated from rat liver by enzymatic digestion and centrifugal elutriation. Radioligand ([125I] ALR) receptor binding, ALR-induced GTP/G-protein association, and nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-[alpha], and interleukin-6 (IL-6) synt...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 26, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Chandrashekhar R. Gandhi, Noriko Murase, Thomas E. Starzl Source Type: journals

TNF-[alpha]-mediated reduction in PGC-1[alpha] may impair skeletal muscle function after cigarette smoke exposureEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study cigarette smoke exposure was hypothesized to increase expression of the inflammatory cytokine, TNF-[alpha], thereby suppressing PGC-1[alpha], and hence affecting down stream molecules that regulate oxygen transport and muscle function. Furthermore, we hypothesized that highly vascularized oxidative skeletal muscle would be more susceptible to cigarette smoke than less well-vascularized glycolytic muscle. To test these hypotheses, mice were exposed to cigarette smoke daily for 8 or 16 weeks, resulting in 157% (8 weeks) and 174% (16 weeks) increases in serum TNF-[alpha]. Separately, TNF-[alpha] administered to ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 26, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kechun Tang, Peter D. Wagner, Ellen C. Breen Source Type: journals

Cumulus cell-enclosed oocytes acquire a capacity to synthesize GSH by FSH stimulation during in vitro maturation in pigsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We investigated (i) follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)-modulated changes in the expression of glutathione (GSH) and its rate-limiting enzyme, glutamate cysteine ligase (GCL), in porcine oocytes and cumulus cells, and (ii) the contribution of gap-junctional communications (GJCs) in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) to intraoocyte GSH accumulation. In experiment (i), COCs were cultured for 48 h with (+FSH group) or without FSH (-FSH group). The GSH content of oocytes increased with cultivation time in the +FSH group, but decreased in the -FSH group. The GSH content of cumulus cells at 48 h was also higher in the +FSH group tha...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 22, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Manabu Ozawa, Takashi Nagai, Tamás Somfai, Michiko Nakai, Naoki Maedomari, Hitoshi Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Kaneko, Junko Noguchi, Kazuhiro Kikuchi Source Type: journals

Molecular mechanism underlying muscle mass retention in hibernating bats: Role of periodic arousalEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hibernators like bats show only marginal muscle atrophy during prolonged hibernation. The current study was designed to test the hypothesis that hibernators use periodic arousal to increase protein anabolism that compensates for the continuous muscle proteolysis during disuse. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the effects of 3-month hibernation (HB) and 7-day post-arousal torpor (TP) followed by re-arousal (RA) on signaling activities in the pectoral muscles of summer-active (SA) and dormant Murina leucogaster bats. The bats did not lose muscle mass relative to body mass during the HB or TP-to-RA period. For the fir...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kisoo Lee, Hyekyoung So, Taesik Gwag, Hyunwoo Ju, Ju-Woon Lee, Masamichi Yamashita, Inho Choi Source Type: journals

Regulation of stemness and stem cell niche of mesenchymal stem cells: Implications in tumorigenesis and metastasisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from adult tissues have been considered a candidate cell type for cell-based tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. These multipotent cells have the ability to differentiate along several mesenchymal lineages and possibly along non-mesenchymal lineages. MSCs possess considerable immunosuppressive properties that can influence the surrounding tissue positively during regeneration, but perhaps negatively towards the pathogenesis of cancer and metastasis. The balance between the naïve stem state and differentiation is highly dependent on the stem cell niche. Identification o...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Nastaran Z. Kuhn, Rocky S. Tuan Source Type: journals

The role of Runx1/AML1 and Evi-1 in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Lineage-specific transcription factors must be precisely regulated during stem cell self-renewal and lineage commitment decisions. The role of specific transcription factors in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fate decisions has derived largely from genetic strategies, primarily gene-targeting and transgenic or retroviral overexpression experiments. From the previous experimental results, several transcription factors have been found to play critical roles in HSC physiology. Among them, we focus two transcription factors, Runx1/AML1 and Evi-1, in this review. During embryogenesis, both Runx1 and Evi-1 are essential for HSCs w...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Keiki Kumano, Mineo Kurokawa Source Type: journals

Thrombin stimulates RPE cell proliferation by promoting c-Fos-mediated cyclin D1 expressionEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays an essential role in the maintenance and normal functioning of the neural retina. Alterations in RPE function are involved in several ocular pathologies involving the breakdown of the blood-retina barrier (BRB), which exposes RPE to serum components, thrombin among them. Our previous work has shown that thrombin stimulates the proliferation of RPE cells. We here analyzed the molecular pathways leading to this outcome, in order to support thrombin involvement in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), a major cause of retinal surgery failure. We demonstrated that thrombin activation...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 20, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Alejandro Parrales, José Prisco Palma-Nicolás, Edith López, Ana María López-Colomé Source Type: journals

Core binding factor at the crossroads: Determining the fate of the HSCEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hematopoietic development requires coordinated actions from a variety of transcription factors. The core binding factor (CBF), consisting of a Runx protein and the CBF[beta] protein, is a transcription factor complex that is essential for emergence of the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) from an endothelial cell stage. The hematopoietic defects observed in either Runx1 or CBF[beta] knockout mice underscore the necessity of this complex for definitive hematopoiesis. Despite the requirement for CBF in establishing definitive hematopoiesis, Runx1 loss has minimal impact on maintaining the HSC state postnatally, while CBF[beta] m...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 7, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kevin A. Link, Fu-Sheng Chou, James C. Mulloy Source Type: journals

VASP phosphorylation at serine239 regulates the effects of NO on smooth muscle cell invasion and contraction of collagenEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Nitric oxide triggers cGMP-dependent kinase-mediated phosphorylation of the actin regulator vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) at residue serine239. The function of this phosphorylation for smooth muscle cell (SMC) adhesion, spreading, matrix contraction, and invasion is not well understood. We reconstituted VASP deficient SMC with wild-type VASP (wt-VASP) or VASP mutants that mimic "locked" serine239 phosphorylation (S239D-VASP) or "blocked" serine239 phosphorylation (S239A-VASP). Collagen gel contraction was reduced in S239D-VASP compared to S239A-VASP and wt-VASP expressing cells and nitric oxide (NO) stimulat...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - October 1, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Olivier D. Defawe, Sarah Kim, Lihua Chen, Daming Huang, Richard D. Kenagy, Thomas Renné, Ulrich Walter, Günter Daum, Alexander W. Clowes Source Type: journals

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor 1 degradation in mouse eggs and impact on [Ca2+]i oscillationsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we investigated the system requirements for IP3R1 degradation and examined the impact of the IP3R1 levels on the pattern of [Ca2+]i oscillations. Using microinjection of IP3 and of its analogs and conditions that prevent the development of [Ca2+]i oscillations, we show that IP3R1 degradation requires uniform and persistently elevated levels of IP3. We also established that progressive degradation of the IP3R1 results in [Ca2+]i oscillations with diminished periodicity while a near complete depletion of IP3R1s precludes the initiation of [Ca2+]i oscillations. These results provide insights into the mechanism ...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 30, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bora Lee, Sook-Young Yoon, Chris Malcuit, Jan B. Parys, Rafael A. Fissore Source Type: journals

GATA3 in development and cancer differentiation: Cells GATA have it!Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
There is increasing evidence that the numerous mechanisms that regulate cell differentiation during normal development are also involved in tumorigenesis. In breast cancer, differentiation markers expressed by the primary tumor are routinely profiled to guide clinical decisions. Indeed, numerous studies have shown that the differentiation profile correlates with the metastatic potential of tumors. The transcription factor GATA3 has emerged recently as a strong predictor of clinical outcome in human luminal breast cancer. In the mammary gland, GATA3 is required for luminal epithelial cell differentiation and commitment, and...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 30, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Jonathan Chou, Sylvain Provot, Zena Werb Source Type: journals

Purification and characterization of a motility initiating protein from caprine epididymal plasmaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study reports for the first time purification to apparent homogeneity of a motility initiating protein (MIP) from epididymal plasma and its characterization using the caprine sperm model. It is a 125 kDa (approximately) dimeric protein made up of two subunits: 70 and 54 kDa. MIP is an acidic protein with an isoelectric point of 4.75. The motility protein at 30 µg/ml (240 nM) level showed nearly maximal motility-promoting activity. MIP is heat stable and it is maximally active at pH 8. It is a glycoprotein that binds with high affinity to concanavalin A and it contains mannose, galactose, and N-acetyl glucosamine appr...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 30, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Bijay Shankar Jaiswal, Kaushik Das, Sudipta Saha, Sandhya Rekha Dungdung, Gopal C. Majumder Source Type: journals

Low oxygen reduces the modulation to an oxidative phenotype in monolayer-expanded chondrocytesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Autologous chondrocyte implantation requires a phase of in vitro cell expansion, achieved by monolayer culture under atmospheric oxygen levels. Chondrocytes reside under low oxygen conditions in situ and exhibit a glycolytic metabolism. However, oxidative phosphorylation rises progressively during culture, with concomitant reactive oxygen species production. We determine if the high oxygen environment in vitro provides the transformation stimulus. Articular chondrocytes were cultured in monolayer for up to 14 days under 2%, 5%, or 20% oxygen. Expansion under 2% and 5% oxygen reduced the rate at which the cells developed an...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 29, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Hannah K. Heywood, David A. Lee Source Type: journals

Melanocytes in development and cancerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
No Abstract. (Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology)
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 29, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Audrey Uong, Leonard I. Zon Source Type: journals

Role of the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 in regulation of chondrocyte differentiationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) is known as an endocytic and signal transmission receptor. We formerly reported the gene expression and the localization of LRP1 in cartilage tissue and chondrocytes, but its roles in the differentiation of chondrocytes remained to be investigated. Here, in order to address this issue, we employed RNAi strategy to knockdown lrp1 in chondrocytic cells and obtained findings indicating a critical role therein. As a result of lrp1 knockdown, aggrecan and col2a1 mRNA levels were decreased. However, that of col10a1 or mmp13 mRNA was rather increased. Under this condit...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 29, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Kazumi Kawata, Satoshi Kubota, Takanori Eguchi, Norifumi H. Moritani, Tsuyoshi Shimo, Seiji Kondo, Takashi Nishida, Shogo Minagi, Masaharu Takigawa Source Type: journals

Bone loss induced by Runx2 Over-expression in mice is blunted by osteoblastic over-expression of TIMP-1Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, our findings suggest that osteoblastic MMPs can affect osteoblast differentiation. Our work also indicates that osteoblastic MMPs are partly responsible for the bone loss observed in Runx2 transgenic mice. J. Cell. Physiol. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology)
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 24, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Corinne Schiltz, Christophe Prouillet, Caroline Marty, Didier Merciris, Corinne Collet, Marie-Christine de Vernejoul, Valérie Geoffroy Source Type: journals

Globular adiponectin inhibits angiotensin II-induced nuclear factor [kappa]B activation through AMP-activated protein kinase in cardiac hypertrophyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Activation of nuclear factor [kappa]B (NF-[kappa]B) has been found necessary for cardiac hypertrophic growth in vivo and in vitro experiments. Adiponectin, an adipocyte-derived polypeptide, suppresses cardiac hypertrophy in response to pressure overload. Here we investigated the potential effect of adiponectin on NF-[kappa]B activation in hypertrophic neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs) and related signal transduction pathway. We treated NRVMs with globular adiponectin (gAd) before angiotensin II (AngII) stimulation. Pretreating cells with gAd reduced the increased incorporation of [3H]-leucine and the mRNA levels of...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Cheng Wang, Li Li, Zhi-Guo Zhang, Dong Fan, Yi Zhu, Li-Ling Wu Source Type: journals

Mutations in the external loops of BK virus VP1 and urine viral load in renal transplant recipientsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN) is a major complication that occurs after renal transplantation and is induced by reactivation of the human polyomavirus BK (BKV). The structure of the viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) is characterized by the presence of external loops, BC, DE, EF, GH, and HI, which are involved in receptor binding. The pathogenesis of PVAN is not well understood, but viral risk factors are thought to play a crucial role in the onset of this pathology. In an attempt to better understand PVAN pathogenesis, the BKV-VP1 coding region was amplified, cloned, and sequenced from the urine of kidney transplan...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Sara Tremolada, Serena Delbue, Lorenzo Castagnoli, Sara Allegrini, Umberto Miglio, Renzo Boldorini, Francesca Elia, Jennifer Gordon, Pasquale Ferrante Source Type: journals

Candida famata modulates toll-like receptor, [beta]-defensin, and proinflammatory cytokine expression by normal human epithelial cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Candida albicans is no longer the only yeast involved in infectious disorders, as others, such as C. famata, commonly associated with foods as well as terrestrial and marine environments, are being recognized as potential emerging pathogens that cause human candidiasis. We investigated the interaction between C. famata and human epithelial cells using monolayer cultures and an engineered human oral mucosa (EHOM). C. famata was able to adhere to gingival epithelial cells but failed to adopt the hyphal form in the presence/absence of proteins. Interestingly, when cultured onto the engineered human oral mucosa (EHOM), C. fama...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Raouf Bahri, Dalila Saidane-Mosbahi, Mahmoud Rouabhia Source Type: journals

Expression of estrogen receptor [beta] increases integrin [alpha]1 and integrin [beta]1 levels and enhances adhesion of breast cancer cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Estrogen effects on mammary gland development and differentiation are mediated by two receptors (ER[alpha] and ER[beta]). Estrogen-bound ER[alpha] induces proliferation of mammary epithelial and cancer cells, while ER[beta] is important for maintenance of the differentiated epithelium and inhibits proliferation in different cell systems. In addition, the normal breast contains higher ER[beta] levels compared to the early stage breast cancers, suggesting that loss of ER[beta] could be important in cancer development. Analysis of ER[beta]-/- mice has consistently revealed reduced expression of cell adhesion proteins. As such...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Karolina Lindberg, Anders Ström, John G. Lock, Jan-Åke Gustafsson, Lars-Arne Haldosén, Luisa A. Helguero Source Type: journals

Saturated fatty acid-induced insulin resistance is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study investigated the effects of saturated and unsaturated FFA on insulin sensitivity in parallel with mitochondrial function. C2C12 myotubes were treated for 24 h with 0.1 mM of saturated (palmitic and stearic) and unsaturated (oleic, linoleic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic) FFA. After this period, basal and insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function were evaluated. Saturated palmitic and stearic acids decreased insulin-induced glycogen synthesis, glucose oxidation, and lactate production. Basal glucose oxidation was also reduced. Palmitic and stearic acids impaired mitochondrial functi...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Sandro M. Hirabara, Rui Curi, Pierre Maechler Source Type: journals

Calcium-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activation elicits Bcl-xL downregulation and Bak upregulation in notexin-treated human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Notechis scutatus scutatus notexin induced apoptotic death of SK-N-SH cells accompanied with downregulation of Bcl-xL, upregulation of Bak, mitochondrial depolarization, and ROS generation. Upon exposure to notexin, Ca2+-mediated JNK and p38 MAPK activation were observed in SK-N-SH cells. Production of ROS was a downstream event followed by Ca2+-mediated mitochondrial alteration. Notexin-induced cell death, mitochondrial depolarization, and ROS generation were suppressed by SB202190 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) and SP600125 (JNK inhibitor). Moreover, phospho-p38 MAPK and phospho-JNK were proved to be involved in Bcl-xL degradation...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Ku-Chung Chen, Wen-Hsin Liu, Pei-Hsiu Kao, Long-Sen Chang Source Type: journals

Bradykinin protects against brain microvascular endothelial cell death induced by pathophysiological stimuliEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The morphological and functional integrity of the microcirculation is compromised in many cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and sepsis. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi), which are known to favor bradykinin (BK) bioactivity by reducing its metabolism, may have a positive impact on preventing the microvascular structural rarefaction that occurs in these diseases. Our study was designed to test the hypothesis that BK, via B2 receptors (B2R), protects the viability of the microvascular endothelium exposed to the necrotic and apoptotic cell death inducers H2O2 and LPS independently o...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Veronica Bovenzi, Martin Savard, Josée Morin, Charles M. Cuerrier, Michel Grandbois, Fernand Gobeil Jr. Source Type: journals

Changes in global gene expression during in vitro decidualization of rat endometrial stromal cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
During the preimplantation phase of pregnancy the endometrial stroma differentiates into decidua, a process that implies numerous morphological changes and is an example of physiological transdifferentiation. Here we show that UIII rat endometrial stromal cells cultured in the presence of calf serum acquired morphological features of decidual cells and expressed decidual markers. To identify genes involved in decidualization we compared gene expression patterns of control and decidualized UIII cells using cDNA microarray. We found 322 annotated genes exhibiting significant differences in expression (>3-fold, fold discovery...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Griselda Vallejo, Darío Maschi, Ana C. Mestre-Citrinovitz, Kazuhiro Aiba, Ricardo Maronna, Victor Yohai, Minoru S.H. Ko, Miguel Beato, Patricia Saragüeta Source Type: journals

Selective control of gene expression by CDK9 in human cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
CDK9 associates with T-type cyclins and positively regulates transcriptional elongation by phosphorylating RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and negative elongation factors. However, it is unclear whether CDK9 is required for transcription of most genes by RNAPII or alternatively plays a role regulating the expression of restricted subsets of genes. We have investigated the direct effects of inhibiting cellular CDK9 activity in global gene expression in human cells by using a dominant-negative form of CDK9 (dnCDK9). We have also compared direct inhibition of cellular CDK9 activity to pharmacological inhibition with flavopiridol (...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 23, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Judit Garriga, Hongbo Xie, Zoran Obradovic, Xavier Graña Source Type: journals

p38 MAPK activity is stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 activation and is essential for shear stress-induced angiogenesisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Increased capillary shear stress induces angiogenesis in skeletal muscle, but the signaling mechanisms underlying this response are not known. We hypothesize that shear stress-dependent activation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) causes p38 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, which contribute to shear stress-induced angiogenesis. Skeletal muscle microvascular endothelial cells were sheared (12 dynes/cm2, 0.5-24 h). VEGFR2-Y1214 phosphorylation increased in response to elevated shear stress and VEGF stimulation. p38 and ERK1/2 phosphorylation increased at 2 h of shear stress but only p38 remained phosphoryl...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 22, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Eric Gee, Malgorzata Milkiewicz, Tara L. Haas Source Type: journals

Heterogeneity of non-cycling and cycling synchronized murine hematopoietic stem/progenitor cellsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Purified long-term multilineage repopulating marrow stem cells have been considered to be homogenous, but functionally these cells are heterogeneous. Many investigators urge clonal studies to define stem cells but, if stem cells are truly heterogeneous, clonal studies can only define heterogeneity. We have determined the colony growth and differentiation of individual lineage negative, rhodamine low, Hoechst low (LRH) stem cells at various times in cytokine culture, corresponding to specific cell cycle stages. These highly purified and cycle synchronized (98% in S phase at 40 h of culture) stem cells were exposed to two cy...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Gerald A. Colvin, David Berz, Liansheng Liu, Mark S. Dooner, Gerri Dooner, Sheila Pascual, Samuel Chung, Yunxia Sui, Peter J. Quesenberry Source Type: journals

Human embryonic stem cells are pre-mitotically committed to self-renewal and acquire a lengthened G1 phase upon lineage programmingEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we show that early lineage-commitment of pluripotent hES cells modifies cell cycle kinetics. Human ES cells acquire a lengthened G1 within 72 h after lineage-programming is initiated, as reflected by loss of the pluripotency factor Oct4 and alterations in nuclear morphology. In hES cells that maintain the pristine pluripotent state, we find that autocrine mechanisms contribute to sustaining the abbreviated cell cycle. Our data show that naïve and mitotically synchronized pluripotent hES cells are competent to initiate two consecutive S phases in the absence of external growth factors. We conclude that short...
Source: Journal of Cellular Physiology - September 21, 2009 Category: Cytology Authors: Klaus A. Becker, Janet L. Stein, Jane B. Lian, Andre J. van Wijnen, Gary S. Stein Source Type: journals