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Dependent Increase (dependent + increase)
Selected AbstractsRegulated recycling and plasma membrane recruitment of the high-affinity choline transporterEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 12 2007Fabiola M. Ribeiro Abstract The high-affinity choline transporter (CHT1) is responsible for uptake of choline from the synaptic cleft and supplying choline for acetylcholine synthesis. CHT1 internalization by clathrin-coated vesicles is proposed to represent a mechanism by which high-affinity choline uptake can be modulated. We show here that internalized CHT1 is rapidly recycled back to the cell surface in both human embryonic kidney cells (HEK 293 cells) and SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. This rapidly recycling pool of CHT1 comprises about 10% of total CHT1 protein. In the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line K+ -depolarization promotes Ca2+ -dependent increase in the rate of CHT1 recycling to the plasma membrane without affecting the rate of CHT1 internalization. K+ -depolarization also increases the size of the pool of CHT1 protein that can be mobilized to the plasma membrane. Thus, the activity-dependent increase in plasma membrane CHT1 localization appears to be regulated by two mechanisms: (i) an increase in the rate of externalization of the intracellular CHT1 pool; and (ii) the recruitment of additional intracellular transporters to the recycling pool. [source] p27/Kip1 mediates retinoic acid-induced suppression of ovarian carcinoma cell growthJOURNAL OF CELLULAR PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 2 2004Scott Vuocolo We have investigated the mechanisms by which all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) causes growth inhibition of ovarian carcinoma cells. As a model, we have studied the CAOV3 cell line, which is sensitive to ATRA, and the SKOV3 cell line, which is resistant. We have found that treatment of CAOV3 cells with ATRA causes a 5,10 fold increase in the protein level of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p27/Kip1. p27/Kip1 protein upregulation is important in ovarian carcinoma as primary tumors are frequently found lacking this protein. The increase in p27/Kip1 is detected by day 3 of ATRA treatment of CAOV3 cells, and is maximal by day 5. Messenger RNA levels of p27/Kip1 do not change in CAOV3 cells following ATRA treatment, however, we have shown that p27/Kip1 mRNA is more stable in ATRA treated CAOV3 cells. Conversely, the ATRA resistant cell line SKOV3 fails to show p27/Kip1 accumulation. Interestingly, the SCF component protein SKP2 appears to be decreased in CAOV3 cells treated with ATRA. We have also shown that the ATRA dependent increase in p27/kip1 protein in CAOV3 cells leads to a decrease in the kinase activity of cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) following ATRA treatment. Finally, we found that CAOV3 cells stably transfected with a p27/kip1antisense construct, which express lower levels of p27/kip1 following ATRA treatment, and have a higher CDK4 kinase activity are less sensitive to ATRA induced growth suppression. Taken together our data suggest ATRA-induced growth inhibition in CAOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells involves modulation of the CDK inhibitor p27/kip1. J. Cell. Physiol. 199: 237,243, 2004© 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Functional characterization of alternatively spliced 5-HT2 receptor isoforms from the pharynx and muscle of the parasitic nematode, Ascaris suumJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2002Xinyan Huang Abstract Serotonin (5-HT) receptors play key regulatory roles in nematodes and alternatively spliced 5-HT2 receptor isoforms have been identified in the parasitic nematode, Ascaris suum. 5-HT2As1 and 5-HT2As2 contain different C-termini, and 5-HT2As1,4 lacks 42 amino acids at the C-terminus of the third intracellular loop. 5-HT2As1 and 5-HT2As2 exhibited identical pharmacological profiles when stably expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. Both 5-HT2As isoforms had higher affinity for 5-HT than their closely related Caenorhabditis elegans homolog (5-HT2Ce). This increased 5-HT affinity was not related to the substitution in 5-HT2As1 of F120 for Y in the highly conserved DRY motif found in the second intracellular loop of other 5-HT receptors, since a 5-HT2As1F120Y mutant actually exhibited increased 5-HT affinity compared with that of 5-HT2As1. As predicted, cells expressing either 5-HT2As1 or 5-HT2As2 exhibited a 5-HT-dependent increase in phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover. In contrast, although 5-HT2As1,4 displayed a 10-fold higher affinity for 5-HT and 5-HT agonists than either 5-HT2As1 or 5-HT2As2, 5-HT2As1,4 did not couple to either PI turnover or adenyl cyclase activity. Based on RT,PCR, 5-HT2As1 and 5-HT2As2 were more highly expressed in pharynx and body wall muscle and 5-HT2As1,4 in nerve cord/hypodermis. This is the first report of different alternatively spliced 5-HT2 receptor isoforms from any system. [source] Angiotensin II promotes the phosphorylation of cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) at Ser133 through an ERK1/2-dependent mechanismJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 6 2001Martín Cammarota In cells from the adrenal medulla, angiotensin II (AII) regulates both the activity and mRNA levels of catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes whose expression is thought to be under the control of cAMP-responsive element (CRE) binding protein (CREB). In this study, we evaluated the effect of AII stimulation on CREB phosphorylation at Ser133 (pCREB) in bovine adrenal chromaffin cells (BACC). We found that AII produces a rapid and AII type-1 receptor (AT1)-dependent increase in pCREB levels, which is blocked by the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126 but not by H-89, SB203580 or KN-93, suggesting that it is mediated by the extracellular-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) and not by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) or Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) dependent pathways. Gel-shift experiments showed that the increase in pCREB levels is accompanied by an ERK1/2-dependent upregulation of CRE-binding activity. We also found that AII promotes a rapid and reversible increase in the activity of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src and that the inhibition of this enzyme completely blocks the AII-induced phosphorylation of ERK1/2, the CREB kinase p90RSK and CREB. Our data support the hypothesis that in BACC, AII upregulates CREB functionality through a mechanism that requires Src-mediated activation of ERK 1/2 and p90RSK. [source] Evaluation of anticancer activity of the alkaloid fraction of Alstonia scholaris (Sapthaparna) in vitro and in vivoPHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 2 2006Ganesh Chandra Jagetia Abstract The anticancer effect of various doses of an alkaloid fraction of Sapthaparna, Alstonia scholaris (ASERS), was studied in vitro in cultured human neoplastic cell lines (HeLa, HepG2, HL60, KB and MCF-7) and in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing mice. Treatment of HeLa cells with 25 µg/mL ASERS resulted in a time dependent increase in the antineoplastic activity and the greatest activity was observed when the cells were exposed to ASERS for 24 h. However, exposure of cells to ASERS for 4 h resulted in 25% viable cells and hence this time interval was considered to be the optimum time for treatment and further studies were carried out using this time. Treatment of various cells with ASERS resulted in a concentration dependent decline in the viable cells and a nadir was reached at 200 µg/mL in all the cell lines studied. The IC50 was found to be 5.53, 25, 11.16, 10 and 29.76 µg/mL for HeLa, HePG2, HL60, KB and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Similarly, administration of ASERS, once daily for 9 consecutive days to the tumor bearing mice caused a dose dependent remission of the tumor up to 240 mg/kg body weight, where the greatest antitumor effect was observed. Since 240 mg/kg ASERS showed toxic manifestations, the next lower dose of 210 mg/kg was considered as the best effective dose, in which 20% of the animals survived up to 120 days post-tumor-cell inoculation as against no survivors in the saline treated control group. The ASERS treatment resulted in a dose dependent elevation in the median survival time (MST) and the average survival time (AST) up to 240 mg/kg ASERS and declined thereafter. The surviving animals were healthy and disease free. The effect of ASERS was better than cyclophosphamide, which was used as a positive control, where all the animals succumbed to death by 40 days and the MST and AST were 19.5 and 18.3 days, respectively. The effective dose of 210 mg of ASERS was 3/10 of the LD50 dose, which increased the MST and AST up to 54 and 49.5 days, respectively. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Integrated analytical approach in veal calves administered the anabolic androgenic steroids boldenone and boldione: urine and plasma kinetic profile and changes in plasma protein expressionPROTEINS: STRUCTURE, FUNCTION AND BIOINFORMATICS, Issue 17 2007Rosa Draisci Abstract Surveillance of illegal use of steroids hormones in cattle breeding is a key issue to preserve human health. To this purpose, an integrated approach has been developed for the analysis of plasma and urine from calves treated orally with a single dose of a combination of the androgenic steroids boldenone and boldione. A quantitative estimation of steroid hormones was obtained by LC-APCI-Q-MS/MS analysis of plasma and urine samples obtained at various times up to 36 and 24,h after treatment, respectively. These experiments demonstrated that boldione was never found, while boldenone ,- and ,-epimers were detected in plasma and urine only within 2 and 24,h after drug administration, respectively. Parallel proteomic analysis of plasma samples was obtained by combined 2-DE, MALDI-TOF-MS and ,LC-ESI-IT-MS/MS procedures. A specific protein, poorly represented in normal plasma samples collected before treatment, was found upregulated even 36,h after hormone treatment. Extensive mass mapping experiments proved this component as an N-terminal truncated form of apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), a protein involved in cholesterol transport. The expression profile of ApoA1 analysed by Western blot analysis confirmed a significant and time dependent increase of this ApoA1 fragment. Then, provided that further experiments performed with a growth-promoting schedule will confirm these preliminary findings, truncated ApoA1 may be proposed as a candidate biomarker for steroid boldenone and possibly other anabolic androgens misuse in cattle veal calves, when no traces of hormones are detectable in plasma or urine. [source] The anti-inflammatory actions of methotrexate are critically dependent upon the production of reactive oxygen speciesBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 3 2003Darren C Phillips The mechanism of action by which methotrexate (MTX) exerts its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that MTX exerts these effects via the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Addition of MTX (100 nM,10 ,M) to U937 monocytes induced a time and dose dependent increase in cytosolic peroxide [peroxide]cyt from 6,16 h. MTX also caused corresponding monocyte growth arrest, which was inhibited (P<0.05) by pre-treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC; 10 mM) or glutathione (GSH; 10 mM). In contrast, MTX induction of [peroxide]cyt in Jurkat T cells was more rapid (4 h; P<0.05), but was associated with significant apoptosis at 16 h at all doses tested (P<0.05) and was significantly inhibited by NAC or GSH (P<0.05). MTX treatment of monocytes (10 nM,10 ,M) for 16 h significantly reduced total GSH levels (P<0.05) independently of dose (P>0.05). However, in T-cells, GSH levels were significantly elevated following 30 nM MTX treatment (P<0.05) but reduced by doses exceeding 1 ,M compared to controls (P<0.05). MTX treatment significantly reduced monocyte adhesion to 5 h and 24 h LPS (1 ,g ml,1) activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC; P<0.05) but not to resting HUVEC. Pre-treatment with GSH prevented MTX-induced reduction in adhesion. In conclusion, ROS generation by MTX is important for cytostasis in monocytes and cytotoxicity T-cells. Furthermore, MTX caused a reduction in monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells, where the mechanism of MTX action requires the production of ROS. Therefore its clinical efficacy can be attributed to multiple targets. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 138, 501,511. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705054 [source] ,1 -Adrenoceptor effects mediated by protein kinase C , in human cultured prostatic stromal cellsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2003A Preston We have investigated the effects of ,1 -adrenoceptor stimulation upon contractility, Ca2+ influx, inositol phosphate production, and protein kinase C (PKC) translocation in human cultured prostatic stromal cells (HCPSC). The ,1 -adrenoceptor selective agonist phenylephrine elicited contractile responses of HCPSC, i.e. a maximal cell shortening of 45±6% of initial cell length, with an EC50 of 1.6±0.1 ,M. The ,1 -adrenoceptor selective antagonists prazosin (1 ,M) and terazosin (1 ,M) both blocked contractions to phenylephrine (10 ,M). The L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine (10 ,M), and the PKC inhibitors Gö 6976 (1 ,M) and bisindolylmaleimide (1 ,M) also inhibited phenylephrine-induced contractions. Phenylephrine caused a concentration dependent increase in inositol phosphate production (EC50 119±67 nM). This response was blocked by terazosin (1 ,M). Phenylephrine caused the translocation of the PKC , isoform, but not the ,, ,, ,, , or , isoforms, from the cytosolic to the particulate fraction of HCPSC, with an EC50 of 5.7±0.5 ,M. In FURA-2AM (5 ,M) loaded cells, phenylephrine elicited concentration dependent increases in [Ca2+]i, with an EC50 of 3.9±0.4 ,M. The response to phenylephrine (10 ,M) was blocked by prazosin (1 ,M), bisindolymaleimide (1 ,M), and nifedipine (10 ,M). In conclusion, this study has shown that HCPSC express functional ,1 -adrenoceptors, and that the intracellular pathways responsible for contractility may be largely dependent upon protein kinase C activation and subsequent opening of L-type calcium channels. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 138, 218,224. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705021 [source] Multiple sclerosis incidence in the era of measles-mumps-rubella mass vaccinationsACTA NEUROLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 5 2009C. Ahlgren Background,,, Viral childhood infections may be involved in the multiple sclerosis (MS) pathogenesis. Following national Swedish vaccination programs, measles sharply declined in the 1970s, and measles, mumps, and rubella were virtually eliminated in cohorts born from 1981. Objectives,,, To examine whether the vaccination induced reduction in these infections influences the MS incidence. In addition, the public health aspect justified an early evaluation of beneficial as well as harmful effects of mass vaccinations. Materials and methods,,, From an incidence material of 534 MS patients, born 1959,1990, we selected one unvaccinated cohort and four cohorts, each corresponding to a vaccination program (MS patients = 251). Results,,, With the ability to detect a decrease by 30,35%, and an increase by 37,48% in the MS incidence in the first three cohorts, we found no vaccination related MS incidence changes. The background MS incidence showed a significant gradual age dependent increase. Conclusions,,, While the present follow-up provided limited power in the last cohort, there is no evidence as yet that the radical decline in three viral infections influenced the MS incidence. However, the increasing background MS incidence of unknown cause may have concealed a reduction in MS risk associated with mass vaccinations. [source] A luminescent bioassay for thyroid blocking antibodiesCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 3 2001N. J. Jordan Thyroid blocking antibodies (TBAb) have a role in the development of hypothyroidism and in the neonate are responsible for transient hypothyroidism. Specific measurement of TBAb requires a bioassay, but current methods are lengthy and cumbersome. We describe a rapid luciferase-based method for the detection of TBAb using the lulu* cell line which is suitable for the provision of a clinical service Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were transfected with human TSH-R together with G418 resistance and a cAMP responsive luciferase construct. Stable pools of transfected cells were selected and clones identified by limiting dilution. Clone lulu* gave the best response to stimulation by TSH and was used to develop a bioassay for TBAb. The luminescent bioassay conditions have been optimized and validated using 12 serum samples from patients found to be TBAb positive in a bioassay using an established method quantifying cAMP by radioimmunoassay (RIA). The effect of thyroid stimulating antibodies (TSAb) on the calculation of Inhibition Index (InI) using two previously described formulae have been investigated and we have used serum containing both TSAb and TBAb to investigate detection of TBAb in samples containing more than one type of activity. Lulu* displays a dose dependent increase in luciferase expression in response to stimulation with bovine (b) TSH which is more effective in serum free medium than in salt free buffer. TSH stimulated luciferase expression can be inhibited by TBAb in either serum or an immunoglobulin preparation. Using optimized assay conditions, challenging 10% serum against 1 U/l bTSH in culture medium, we have tested 31 euthyroid sera to determine a reference range: InI values >23% were considered positive. Twelve samples previously shown to contain TBAb by an established method quantifying cAMP by RIA were positive by the luciferase-based assay. Of control sera, 20/20 systemic lupus erythematosus, 13/14 rheumatoid arthritis, 12/12 multinodular goitre were negative. We demonstrated that if more complex formulae are used to calculate InI, false positive TBAb results can be obtained in samples containing only TSAb. Finally, when sera contain both TSAb and TBAb, the net activity of stimulating and blocking antibodies is detected in the bioassay. Where TSAb are also present, analysis of serum may be required at several dilutions to detect TBAb. We describe the production of a new cell line, lulu*, and its use to develop a luminescent bioassay for TBAb suitable for clinical use. Comparing two established methods of calculating TBAb, we found that they do not give identical results. In light of this, the high prevalence reported for TBAb in some studies has to be considered with caution. [source] Forearm blood flow measurements using computerized R-wave triggered strain-gauge venous occlusion plethysmography: unilateral vs. bilateral measurementsCLINICAL PHYSIOLOGY AND FUNCTIONAL IMAGING, Issue 5 2001Adriaan M. Kamper The human forearm is a well established model to study local vascular reactivity in humans in vivo, using strain-gauge venous occlusion plethysmography to measure blood flow and changes in blood flow in the forearm. To reduce the intra-individual variability of the forearm blood flow (FBF), it has been advocated that simultaneous measurements of contralateral forearm blood flow is obligatory. Therefore, the use of the calculated forearm ratio (FR) is recommended instead of using the actual FBF. In the present study we compared the intra-individual variability of forearm blood flow measurements and the forearm ratio, by using computerized R-wave triggered strain-gauge venous occlusion plethysmography, to test if bilateral expression of measurements is better than unilateral. Results were obtained in eight volunteers. Intra-arterial infused sodium nitroprusside induced a dose dependent increase in forearm blood flow and a dose dependent increase in the calculated forearm ratio. Intra-arterial infused norepinephrine induced a dose dependent decrease in forearm blood flow and a dose dependent decrease in the calculated forearm ratio. The differences between the variation coefficients of the forearm blood flow measurements and the calculated forearm ratio were different. These results support our hypothesis that by using a computerized, R-wave triggered system for unilateral forearm blood flow measurement is a more reliable outcome than the calculated forearm ratio derived from bilateral measurements. [source] Tamoxifen dilates porcine coronary arteries: roles for nitric oxide and ouabain-sensitive mechanismsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 6 2006H S Leung Background and purpose: Experiments were designed to determine the mechanism of the relaxation induced by tamoxifen in porcine coronary arteries at the tissue, cellular and molecular levels. Experimental approach: Porcine left circumflex coronary arteries were isolated and isometric tension was measured. [Ca2+]i in native endothelial cells of intact arteries was determined by a calcium fluorescence imaging technique and eNOS ser1177 phosphorylation was assayed by Western blotting. Key results: Tamoxifen induced an endothelium-dependent relaxation that was antagonized by ICI 182,780 and abolished by NG -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadizolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). L-Arginine reversed the effect of L-NAME while indomethacin was without effect. Tamoxifen-induced relaxation was attenuated by charybdotoxin (CTX) plus apamin, ouabain or by incubation in a K+ -free solution. Moreover, tamoxifen triggered extracellular Ca2+ -dependent increases in endothelial [Ca2+]i and this effect was abolished by ICI 182,780. Endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside was also inhibited by ouabain or in a K+ -free solution. Furthermore, tamoxifen increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation at Ser-1177 and ICI 182,780 prevented this effect. Conclusions and Implications: The present results suggest that tamoxifen mainly induces endothelium-dependent relaxation and that endothelial nitric oxide (NO) is the primary mediator of this effect. NO-dependent responses may result from elevated [Ca2+]i in endothelial cells; an effect abolished by ICI 182,780. NO activates Na+/K+ -ATPase in vascular smooth muscle, leading to relaxation. These results suggest that tamoxifen is able to modulate eNOS phosphorylation directly. British Journal of Pharmacology (2006) 149, 703,711. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0706921 [source] ,1 -Adrenoceptor effects mediated by protein kinase C , in human cultured prostatic stromal cellsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 1 2003A Preston We have investigated the effects of ,1 -adrenoceptor stimulation upon contractility, Ca2+ influx, inositol phosphate production, and protein kinase C (PKC) translocation in human cultured prostatic stromal cells (HCPSC). The ,1 -adrenoceptor selective agonist phenylephrine elicited contractile responses of HCPSC, i.e. a maximal cell shortening of 45±6% of initial cell length, with an EC50 of 1.6±0.1 ,M. The ,1 -adrenoceptor selective antagonists prazosin (1 ,M) and terazosin (1 ,M) both blocked contractions to phenylephrine (10 ,M). The L-type calcium channel blocker nifedipine (10 ,M), and the PKC inhibitors Gö 6976 (1 ,M) and bisindolylmaleimide (1 ,M) also inhibited phenylephrine-induced contractions. Phenylephrine caused a concentration dependent increase in inositol phosphate production (EC50 119±67 nM). This response was blocked by terazosin (1 ,M). Phenylephrine caused the translocation of the PKC , isoform, but not the ,, ,, ,, , or , isoforms, from the cytosolic to the particulate fraction of HCPSC, with an EC50 of 5.7±0.5 ,M. In FURA-2AM (5 ,M) loaded cells, phenylephrine elicited concentration dependent increases in [Ca2+]i, with an EC50 of 3.9±0.4 ,M. The response to phenylephrine (10 ,M) was blocked by prazosin (1 ,M), bisindolymaleimide (1 ,M), and nifedipine (10 ,M). In conclusion, this study has shown that HCPSC express functional ,1 -adrenoceptors, and that the intracellular pathways responsible for contractility may be largely dependent upon protein kinase C activation and subsequent opening of L-type calcium channels. British Journal of Pharmacology (2003) 138, 218,224. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705021 [source] | |||||||||||||