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Pharmacological Interference (pharmacological + interference)
Selected AbstractsEndothelial dysfunction in aged humans is related with oxidative stress and vascular inflammationAGING CELL, Issue 3 2009Leocadio Rodríguez-Mañas Summary Vascular endothelial dysfunction occurs during the human aging process, and it is considered as a crucial event in the development of many vasculopathies. We investigated the underlying mechanisms of this process, particularly those related with oxidative stress and inflammation, in the vasculature of subjects aged 18,91 years without cardiovascular disease or risk factors. In isolated mesenteric microvessels from these subjects, an age-dependent impairment of the endothelium-dependent relaxations to bradykinin was observed. Similar results were observed by plethysmography in the forearm blood flow in response to acetylcholine. In microvessels from subjects aged less than 60 years, most of the bradykinin-induced relaxation was due to nitric oxide release while the rest was sensitive to cyclooxygenase (COX) blockade. In microvessels from subjects older than 60 years, this COX-derived vasodilatation was lost but a COX-derived vasoconstriction occurred. Evidence for age-related vascular oxidant and inflammatory environment was observed, which could be related to the development of endothelial dysfunction. Indeed, aged microvessels showed superoxide anions (O2,) and peroxynitrite (ONOO,) formation, enhancement of NADPH oxidase and inducible NO synthase expression. Pharmacological interference of COX, thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor, O2,, ONOO,, inducible NO synthase, and NADPH oxidase improved the age-related endothelial dysfunction. In situ vascular nuclear factor-,B activation was enhanced with age, which correlated with endothelial dysfunction. We conclude that the age-dependent endothelial dysfunction in human vessels is due to the combined effect of oxidative stress and vascular wall inflammation. [source] Activator of G-protein signaling in asymmetric cell divisions of the sea urchin embryoDEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 9 2006Ekaterina Voronina An asymmetric fourth cell division in the sea urchin embryo results in formation of daughter cells, macromeres and micromeres, with distinct sizes and fates. Several lines of functional evidence presented here, including pharmacological interference and dominant negative protein expression, indicate that heterotrimeric G protein Gi and its interaction partner, activator of G-protein signaling (AGS), are necessary for this asymmetric cell division. Inhibition of Gi signaling by pertussis toxin interferes with micromere formation and leads to defects in embryogenesis. AGS was isolated in a yeast two-hybrid screen with G,i as bait and was expressed in embryos localized to the cell cortex at the time of asymmetric divisions. Introduction of exogenous dominant-negative AGS protein, containing only G-protein regulatory (GPR) domains, selectively prevented the asymmetric division in normal micromere formation. These results support the growing evidence that AGS is a universal regulator of asymmetric cell divisions in embryos. [source] Inhibition of Notch signaling biases rat thymocyte development towards the NK cell lineageEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 5 2004Jens van den Brandt Abstract Notch receptors are involved in directing the choice between alternative cell fates in developmental scenarios such as thymopoiesis. By pharmacological interference in rat fetal thymus organ culture we show that inhibition of Notch signaling arrests T,cell development at an early double-negative stage and is accompanied by a dramatic increase in the number of NK cells. These cells show an activated phenotype, lack recombination of the TCR, gene locus and express perforin. Similarly, in thymic lobes reconstituted with fetal liver cells, progenitors predominantly develop into NK cells both after pharmacological interference of Notch and after treatment with a recombinant rat Notch1/Fc chimera. Collectively, this identifies the lineage decision of NK/T precursor cells as an important site of Notch action in rat thymocytes. [source] Role of gp130-mediated signalling pathways in the heart and its impact on potential therapeutic aspectsBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue S1 2008P Fischer IL-6-type cytokines bind to plasma membrane receptor complexes containing the common signal transducing receptor chain gp130 that is ubiquitously expressed in most tissues including the heart. The two major signalling cascades activated by the gp130 receptor, SHP2/ERK and STAT pathways, have been demonstrated to play important roles in cardiac development, hypertrophy, protection and remodelling in response to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. Experimental data, both in vivo and in vitro, imply beneficial effects of gp130 signalling on cardiomyocytes in terms of growth and survival. In contrast, it has been reported that elevated serum levels of IL-6 cytokines and gp130 proteins are strong prognostic markers for morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure or after myocardial infarction. Moreover, it has been shown that the local gp130 receptor system is altered in failing human hearts. In the present review, we summarize the basic principles of gp130 signalling, which requires simultaneous activation of STAT and ERK pathways under the tight control of positive and negative intracellular signalling modulators to provide a balanced biological outcome. Furthermore, we highlight the key role of the gp130 receptor and its major downstream effectors in the heart in terms of development and regeneration and in response to various physiological and pathophysiological stress situations. Finally, we comment on tissue-specific diversity and challenges in targeted pharmacological interference with components of the gp130 receptor system. British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 153, S414,S427; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.1; published online 4 February 2008 [source] | |||||||||||||