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Comparable Degree (comparable + degree)
Selected AbstractsRegulation of Wnt/,-catenin pathway by cPLA2, and PPAR,JOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2008Chang Han Abstract Cytosolic phospholipase A2, (cPLA2,) is a rate-limiting key enzyme that releases arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane phospholipid for the production of biologically active lipid mediators including prostaglandins, leukotrienes and platelet-activating factor. cPLA2, is translocated to nuclear envelope in response to intracellular calcium increase and the enzyme is also present inside the cell nucleus; however, the biological function of cPLA2, in the nucleus remains unknown. Here we show a novel role of cPLA2, for activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-, (PPAR,) and ,-catenin in the nuclei. Overexpression of cPLA2, in human cholangiocarcinoma cells induced the binding of PPAR, to ,-catenin and increased their association with the TCF/LEF response element. These effects are inhibited by the cPLA2, siRNA and inhibitors as well as by siRNA knockdown of PPAR,. Overexpression of PPAR, or treatment with the selective PPAR, ligand, GW501516, also increased ,-catenin binding to TCF/LEF response element and increased its reporter activity. Addition of AA and GW501516 to nuclear extracts induced a comparable degree of ,-catenin binding to TCF/LEF response element. Furthermore, cPLA2, protein is present in the PPAR, and ,-catenin binding complex. Thus the close proximity between cPLA2, and PPAR, provides a unique advantage for their efficient functional coupling in the nucleus, where AA produced by cPLA2, becomes immediately available for PPAR, binding and subsequent ,-catenin activation. These results depict a novel interaction linking cPLA2,, PPAR, and Wnt/,-catenin signaling pathways and provide insight for further understanding the roles of these key molecules in human cells and diseases. J. Cell. Biochem. 105: 534,545, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Defect of protective immunity to Schistosoma mansoni infection in Mongolian gerbils involves limited recruitment of dendritic cells in the vaccinated skinPARASITE IMMUNOLOGY, Issue 12 2001H. Sato In Mongolian gerbils, Meriones unguiculatus, the attenuated Schistosoma mansoni vaccine, is known to induce marginal or no resistance to a homologous infection. To clarify the base of defective acquisition of the resistance, we have focused on the induction phase of protective immunity to S. mansoni, i.e. cellular responses in the skin and skin-draining lymph nodes (SLN). Percutaneous exposure to normal or ultraviolet (18mJ/cm2)-attenuated cercariae induced comparable increases in SLN leucocyte counts, in contrast to other attenuated schistosome vaccine models in rodents where attenuated parasites induce more notable increases in SLN leucocyte counts than normal ones. Using serial sections, it was demonstrated that greater numbers of attenuated larvae remained for a longer period in the exposed skin than normal ones. Correlated with cellular responses in the SLN, attenuated and normal schistosomes elicited a comparable degree of response of epidermal Langerhans' cells/putative dermal dendritic cells that were visualized by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody to a gerbil major histocompatibility complex class II molecule (HUSM-M.g.30). It is speculated that in Mongolian gerbils limited recruitment of dendritic cells around attenuated S. mansoni larvae, at least partially, contribute to defective induction of protective immunity by the attenuated vaccine. [source] Cell wall biochemistry and biomechanics of harvested white asparagus shoots as affected by temperatureANNALS OF APPLIED BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2008W.B. Herppich Abstract The effects of temperature on the dynamics of changes in shoot mechanical properties, cell wall components, relevant soluble sugars and respiration activity of harvested white asparagus spears were investigated during a 7-day storage period. All functional cell wall components of asparagus spears increased closely temperature dependent. The content of soluble glucose declined with a similar temporal dynamics and to a comparable degree, indicating a major carbon flow of this storage sugar into cell walls (60,70%). Irrespective of temperature, the contents of stored soluble fructose and sucrose remained more or less constant. Lower temperatures reduced cell wall development but do not significantly affect the relative carbon flow from storage sugars into cell walls or maintenance respiration. Compared with cell walls, maintenance respiration is by far the smaller carbon sink in stored asparagus spears. Temperature differentially affects the absolute amount and the relative contribution of the different cell wall components and the temporal dynamics of changes in structural carbohydrate and lignin content. At higher temperatures, secondary cell wall thickening resulted mainly from a large increase in cellulose content. The pronounced increase in the fractions of cellulose and especially lignin may stress the important role of lignin in cell wall strengthening. While the fraction of cell wall proteins decreased, those of hemicellulose and the pectic components were not influenced. [source] Kinetics of bone protection by recombinant osteoprotegerin therapy in Lewis rats with adjuvant arthritisARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 7 2002Giuseppe Campagnuolo Objective To assess the effect of different dosages and treatment schedules of osteoprotegerin (OPG) on joint preservation in an experimental model of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA). Methods Male Lewis rats with AIA (6,8 per group) were treated with a subcutaneous bolus of recombinant human OPG according to one of the following schedules: daily OPG (an efficacious regimen) starting at disease onset (days 9,15), early intervention (days 9,11), delayed intervention (days 13,15), and extended therapy (days 9,22). Inflammation (hind paw swelling) was quantified throughout the clinical course; osteoporosis (bone mineral density [BMD], by quantitative dual x-ray absorptiometry) and morphologic appraisals of inflammation, bone damage, intralesional osteoclasts (by semiquantitative histopathologic scoring), and integrity of the articular cartilage matrix (by retention of toluidine blue stain) were determined in histology sections of arthritic hind paws. Results OPG provided dose- and schedule-dependent preservation of BMD and periarticular bone while essentially eliminating intralesional osteoclasts. Dosages ,2.5 mg/kg/day preserved or enhanced BMD and prevented essentially all erosions. A dosage of 4 mg/kg/day protected joint integrity to a comparable degree when given for 7 (days 9,15) or 14 (days 9,22) consecutive days. At this dosage, early intervention (days 9,11) was twice as effective as delayed intervention (days 13,15) at preventing joint dissolution. Erosions and osteoclast scores were greatly decreased for 26 days (measured from the first treatment) after 7 or 14 daily doses of OPG (4 mg/kg/day). OPG treatment also prevented loss of cartilage matrix proteoglycans, an indirect consequence of protecting the subchondral bone. No OPG dosage or regimen alleviated weight loss, inflammation, or periosteal osteophyte production. Conclusion These data indicate that OPG preserves articular bone and (indirectly) articular cartilage in arthritic joints in a dose- and schedule-dependent manner, halts bone erosion when given at any point during the course of arthritis, produces sustained antierosive activity after a short course, and is most effective when initiated early in the disease. [source] Commercial taxane formulations induce stomatocytosis and increase blood viscosityBRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY, Issue 6 2001Michael Mark Taxanes are antineoplastic drugs which have cardiovascular side effects of unknown mechanism. We investigated their influence on blood viscosity and erythrocyte morphology. Whole blood was incubated in vitro with increasing concentrations of Taxol®, Taxotere®, paclitaxel (0 , 100 ,M) and the vehicles Cremophor-EL and Tween 80 (0 , 5% vol) for 1 h at 37°C. Plasma and whole blood viscosity (Haematocrit 45%) were measured and erythrocyte morphology was assessed on glutaraldehyde-fixed cells. The same investigations were performed in seven patients before and after a Taxol®-infusion. Taxol® and Taxotere® induced a dose- and time-dependent stomatocytic shape transformation of erythrocytes. Paclitaxel alone had no effect, but the vehicles cremophor-EL and Tween 80, used in Taxol® and Taxotere®, respectively, induced a comparable degree of stomatocytosis. This suggests a preferential intercalation of these substances into the inner hemileaflet of the membrane lipid bilayer. Associated with this shape change a dose-dependent increase in plasma and whole blood viscosity was observed. Neither shape nor viscosity changes were reversible upon removal of the agents. After the infusion of 130 , 300 mg Taxol® in patients a slight shift towards stomatocytosis and an increase in whole blood viscosity at high shear rate from 5.09±0.30 to 5.44±0.38 mPa.s (P<0.05) were confirmed. Commercial taxane drug formulations induce stomatocytosis and increase blood viscosity, which is due to their formulation vehicles. These findings may contribute to the understanding of the cardiovascular side effects of these drugs. British Journal of Pharmacology (2001) 134, 1207,1214; doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0704387 [source] | |||||||||||||