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Endogenous Regulator (endogenous + regulator)
Selected AbstractsToo much of a good thing: retinoic acid as an endogenous regulator of neural differentiation and exogenous teratogenEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2003P. J. McCaffery Abstract Retinoic acid (RA) is essential for both embryonic and adult growth, activating gene transcription via specific nuclear receptors. It is generated, via a retinaldehyde intermediate, from retinol (vitamin A). RA levels require precise regulation by controlled synthesis and catabolism, and when RA concentrations deviate from normal, in either direction, abnormal growth and development occurs. This review describes: (i) how the pattern of RA metabolic enzymes controls the actions of RA; and (ii) the type of abnormalities that result when this pattern breaks down. Examples are given of RA control of the anterior/posterior axis of the hindbrain, the dorsal/ventral axis of the spinal cord, as well as certain sex-specific segments of the spinal cord, using varied animal models including mouse, quail and mosquitofish. These functions are highly sensitive to abnormal changes in RA concentration. In rodents, the control of neural patterning and differentiation are disrupted when RA concentrations are lowered, whereas inappropriately high concentrations of RA result in abnormal development of cerebellum and hindbrain nuclei. The latter parallels the malformations seen in the human embryo exposed to RA due to treatment of the mother with the acne drug Accutane (13- cis RA) and, in cases where the child survives beyond birth, a particular set of behavioural anomalies can be described. Even the adult brain may be susceptible to an imbalance of RA, particularly the hippocampus. This report shows how the properties of RA as a neural induction agent and organizer of segmentation can explain the consequences of RA depletion and overexpression. [source] A Novel Single Nucleotide Polymorphism of the Neuropeptide Y (NPY) Gene Associated With Alcohol DependenceALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2005Salim Mottagui-Tabar Background: Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a major endogenous regulator of anxiety-related behaviors and emotionality. Transgenic work with NPY and null-mutant mice have implicated NPY in the control of alcohol consumption, suggesting that genetic variation of the prepro-NPY gene may also contribute to the heritability of alcoholism. The aim of this study was to examine whether polymorphic variants of the NPY gene are associated with the diagnosis of alcohol dependence. Methods: We compared allele frequencies of 5 NPY polymorphisms (,883-ins/del, ,602, ,399, ,84, and +1128) in a Nordic population of alcohol-dependent individuals (n= 428 males; n= 149 females) and ethnically matched controls (n= 84 males; n= 93 females) for whom alcohol dependence or any diagnosis of substance disorder was excluded. Patients were further subtyped into type I (late-onset) and type II (early-onset) alcoholics. Results: The ,602 marker showed a significant association with alcohol dependence (p= 0.0035; OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.3-4.0); a trend level association was further observed for the ,399 marker (p= 0.058; OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.99-1.7) and the +1128 marker (p= 0.053; OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.99-3.1). The association for the ,602 marker remained and was strengthened when analyzed in type I subjects only, although this association was not seen in type II patients, and there also was a significant association in the female subjects but not in males. The ,602 single nucleotide polymorphism was in strong linkage dysequilibrium (r2= 0.7; p < 0.0001) with the +1128 single nucleotide polymorphism, which has previously been reported to be associated with a diagnosis of alcoholism. Haplotype-based association confirmed these results. Conclusions: We report a novel polymorphism at position ,602 in the 5, region of the NPY gene that is significantly associated with alcohol dependence. We also describe the haplotype frequencies and linkage dysequilibrium pattern of four variations in that region. [source] ,2 -glycoprotein i is a cofactor for tissue plasminogen activator,mediated plasminogen activationARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 2 2009Chunya Bu Objective Regulation of the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is critical in the control of fibrin deposition. While several plasminogen activators have been described, soluble plasma cofactors that stimulate fibrinolysis have not been characterized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ,2 -glycoprotein I (,2GPI), an abundant plasma glycoprotein, on tPA-mediated plasminogen activation. Methods The effect of ,2GPI on tPA-mediated activation of plasminogen was assessed using amidolytic assays, a fibrin gel, and plasma clots. Binding of ,2GPI to tPA and plasminogen was determined in parallel. The effects of IgG fractions and anti-,2GPI antibodies from patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) on tPA-mediated plasminogen activation were also measured. Results Beta2 -glycoprotein I stimulated tPA-dependent plasminogen activation in the fluid phase and within a fibrin gel. The ,2GPI region responsible for stimulating tPA activity was shown to be at least partly contained within ,2GPI domain V. In addition, ,2GPI bound tPA with high affinity (Kd ,20 nM), stimulated tPA amidolytic activity, and caused an overall 20-fold increase in the catalytic efficiency (Kcat/Km) of tPA-mediated conversion of Glu-plasminogen to plasmin. Moreover, depletion of ,2GPI from plasma led to diminished rates of clot lysis, with restoration of normal lysis rates following ,2GPI repletion. Stimulation of tPA-mediated plasminogen activity by ,2GPI was inhibited by monoclonal anti-,2GPI antibodies as well as by anti-,2GPI antibodies from patients with APS. Conclusion These findings suggest that ,2GPI may be an endogenous regulator of fibrinolysis. Impairment of ,2GPI-stimulated fibrinolysis by anti-,2GPI antibodies may contribute to the development of thrombosis in patients with APS. [source] An endogenous regulator of inflammation, resolvin E1, modulates osteoclast differentiation and bone resorptionBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 8 2008B S Herrera Background and purpose: The inflammation-resolving lipid mediator resolvin E1 (RvE1) effectively stops inflammation-induced bone loss in vivo in experimental periodontitis. It was of interest to determine whether RvE1 has direct actions on osteoclast (OC) development and bone resorption. Experimental approach: Primary OC cultures derived from mouse bone marrow were treated with RvE1 and analysed for OC differentiation, cell survival and bone substrate resorption. Receptor binding was measured using radiolabelled RvE1. Nuclear factor (NF)-,B activation and Akt phosphorylation were determined with western blotting. Lipid mediator production was assessed with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Key results: OC growth and resorption pit formation were markedly decreased in the presence of RvE1. OC differentiation was inhibited by RvE1 as demonstrated by decreased number of multinuclear OC, a delay in the time course of OC development and attenuation of receptor activator of NF-,B ligand-induced nuclear translocation of the p50 subunit of NF-,B. OC survival and apoptosis were not altered by RvE1. Messenger RNA for both receptors of RvE1, ChemR23 and BLT1 is expressed in OC cultures. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4) competed with [3H]RvE1 binding on OC cell membrane preparations, and the LTB4 antagonist U75302 prevented RvE1 inhibition of OC growth, indicating that BLT1 mediates RvE1 actions on OC. Primary OC synthesized the RvE1 precursor 18R -hydroxy-eicosapentaenoic acid and LTB4. Co-incubation of OC with peripheral blood neutrophils resulted in transcellular RvE1 biosynthesis. Conclusions and implications: These results indicate that RvE1 inhibits OC growth and bone resorption by interfering with OC differentiation. The bone-sparing actions of RvE1 are in addition to inflammation resolution, a direct action in bone remodelling. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 1214,1223; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.367; published online 22 September 2008 [source] Endogenous isoflavones are essential for the establishment of symbiosis between soybean and Bradyrhizobium japonicumTHE PLANT JOURNAL, Issue 2 2006Senthil Subramanian Summary Legume iso/flavonoids have been implicated in the nodulation process, but questions remain as to their specific role(s), and no unequivocal evidence exists showing that these compounds are essential for nodulation. Two hypotheses suggest that the primary role of iso/flavonoids is their ability to induce rhizobial nod gene expression and/or their ability to modulate internal root auxin concentrations. The present work provides direct, genetic evidence that isoflavones are essential for nodulation of soybean roots because of their ability to induce the nodulation genes of Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Expression of isoflavone synthase (IFS), a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of isoflavones, is specifically induced by B. japonicum. When IFS was silenced using RNA interference in soybean hairy root composite plants, these plants had severely reduced nodulation. Surprisingly, pre-treatment of B. japonicum or exogenous application to the root system of either of the major soybean isoflavones, daidzein or genistein, failed to restore normal nodulation. Silencing of chalcone reductase led to very low levels of daidzein and increased levels of genistein, but did not affect nodulation, suggesting that the endogenous production of genistein was sufficient to support nodulation. Consistent with a role for isoflavones as endogenous regulators of auxin transport in soybean roots, silencing of IFS resulted in altered auxin-inducible gene expression and auxin transport. However, use of a genistein-hypersensitive B. japonicum strain or purified B. japonicum Nod signals rescued normal nodulation in IFS-silenced roots, indicating that the ability of isoflavones to modulate auxin transport is not essential to nodulation. [source] | |||||||||||||