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Sample records for rbp-j-mediated notch signaling

  1. RITA, a novel modulator of Notch signalling, acts via nuclear export of RBP-J.

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    Wacker, Stephan Armin; Alvarado, Cristobal; von Wichert, Götz; Knippschild, Uwe; Wiedenmann, Jörg; Clauss, Karen; Nienhaus, Gerd Ulrich; Hameister, Horst; Baumann, Bernd; Borggrefe, Tilman; Knöchel, Walter; Oswald, Franz

    2011-01-05

    The evolutionarily conserved Notch signal transduction pathway regulates fundamental cellular processes during embryonic development and in the adult. Ligand binding induces presenilin-dependent cleavage of the receptor and a subsequent nuclear translocation of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD). In the nucleus, NICD binds to the recombination signal sequence-binding protein J (RBP-J)/CBF-1 transcription factor to induce expression of Notch target genes. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of RBP-J interacting and tubulin associated (RITA) (C12ORF52) as a novel RBP-J/CBF-1-interacting protein. RITA is a highly conserved 36 kDa protein that, most interestingly, binds to tubulin in the cytoplasm and shuttles rapidly between cytoplasm and nucleus. This shuttling RITA exports RBP-J/CBF-1 from the nucleus. Functionally, we show that RITA can reverse a Notch-induced loss of primary neurogenesis in Xenopus laevis. Furthermore, RITA is able to downregulate Notch-mediated transcription. Thus, we propose that RITA acts as a negative modulator of the Notch signalling pathway, controlling the level of nuclear RBP-J/CBF-1, where its amounts are limiting.

  2. Notch-RBP-J signaling regulates the mobilization and function of endothelial progenitor cells by dynamic modulation of CXCR4 expression in mice.

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    Lin Wang

    Full Text Available Bone marrow (BM-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPC have therapeutic potentials in promoting tissue regeneration, but how these cells are modulated in vivo has been elusive. Here, we report that RBP-J, the critical transcription factor mediating Notch signaling, modulates EPC through CXCR4. In a mouse partial hepatectomy (PHx model, RBP-J deficient EPC showed attenuated capacities of homing and facilitating liver regeneration. In resting mice, the conditional deletion of RBP-J led to a decrease of BM EPC, with a concomitant increase of EPC in the peripheral blood. This was accompanied by a down-regulation of CXCR4 on EPC in BM, although CXCR4 expression on EPC in the circulation was up-regulated in the absence of RBP-J. PHx in RBP-J deficient mice induced stronger EPC mobilization. In vitro, RBP-J deficient EPC showed lowered capacities of adhering, migrating, and forming vessel-like structures in three-dimensional cultures. Over-expression of CXCR4 could at least rescue the defects in vessel formation by the RBP-J deficient EPC. These data suggested that the RBP-J-mediated Notch signaling regulated EPC mobilization and function, at least partially through dynamic modulation of CXCR4 expression. Our findings not only provide new insights into the regulation of EPC, but also have implications for clinical therapies using EPC in diseases.

  3. Transcription factor RBP-J-mediated signalling regulates basophil immunoregulatory function in mouse asthma model.

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    Qu, Shuo-Yao; He, Ya-Long; Zhang, Jian; Wu, Chang-Gui

    2017-09-01

    Basophils (BA) play an important role in the promotion of aberrant T helper type 2 (Th2) immune responses in asthma. It is not only the effective cell, but also modulates the initiation of Th2 immune responses. We earlier demonstrated that Notch signalling regulates the biological function of BAin vitro. However, whether this pathway plays the same role in vivo is not clear. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of Notch signalling on BA function in the regulation of allergic airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma. Bone marrow BA were prepared by bone marrow cell culture in the presence of recombinant interleukin-3 (rIL-3; 300 pg/ml) for 7 days, followed by isolation of the CD49b + microbeads. The recombination signal binding protein J (RBP-J -/- ) BA were co-cultured with T cells, and the supernatant and the T-cell subtypes were examined. The results indicated disruption of the capacity of BA for antigen presentation alongside an up-regulation of the immunoregulatory function. This was possibly due to the low expression of OX40L in the RBP-J -/- BA. Basophils were adoptively transferred to ovalbumin-sensitized recipient mice, to establish an asthma model. Lung pathology, cytokine profiles of brobchoalveolar fluid, airway hyperactivity and the absolute number of Th1/Th2 cells in lungs were determined. Overall, our results indicate that the RBP-J-mediated Notch signalling is critical for BA-dependent immunoregulation. Deficiency of RBP-J influences the immunoregulatory functions of BA, which include activation of T cells and their differentiation into T helper cell subtypes. The Notch signalling pathway is a potential therapeutic target for BA-based immunotherapy against asthma. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Structure-function analysis of RBP-J-interacting and tubulin-associated (RITA) reveals regions critical for repression of Notch target genes.

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    Tabaja, Nassif; Yuan, Zhenyu; Oswald, Franz; Kovall, Rhett A

    2017-06-23

    The Notch pathway is a cell-to-cell signaling mechanism that is essential for tissue development and maintenance, and aberrant Notch signaling has been implicated in various cancers, congenital defects, and cardiovascular diseases. Notch signaling activates the expression of target genes, which are regulated by the transcription factor CSL (CBF1/RBP-J, Su(H), Lag-1). CSL interacts with both transcriptional corepressor and coactivator proteins, functioning as both a repressor and activator, respectively. Although Notch activation complexes are relatively well understood at the structural level, less is known about how CSL interacts with corepressors. Recently, a new RBP-J (mammalian CSL ortholog)-interacting protein termed RITA has been identified and shown to export RBP-J out of the nucleus, thereby leading to the down-regulation of Notch target gene expression. However, the molecular details of RBP-J/RITA interactions are unclear. Here, using a combination of biochemical/cellular, structural, and biophysical techniques, we demonstrate that endogenous RBP-J and RITA proteins interact in cells, map the binding regions necessary for RBP-J·RITA complex formation, and determine the X-ray structure of the RBP-J·RITA complex bound to DNA. To validate the structure and glean more insights into function, we tested structure-based RBP-J and RITA mutants with biochemical/cellular assays and isothermal titration calorimetry. Whereas our structural and biophysical studies demonstrate that RITA binds RBP-J similarly to the RAM (RBP-J-associated molecule) domain of Notch, our biochemical and cellular assays suggest that RITA interacts with additional regions in RBP-J. Taken together, these results provide molecular insights into the mechanism of RITA-mediated regulation of Notch signaling, contributing to our understanding of how CSL functions as a transcriptional repressor of Notch target genes. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  5. RBP-Jκ-dependent Notch signaling enhances retinal pigment epithelial cell proliferation in transgenic mice.

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    Schouwey, K; Aydin, I T; Radtke, F; Beermann, F

    2011-01-20

    The Notch signaling pathway is an ubiquitous cell-cell interaction mechanism, which is essential in controlling processes like cell proliferation, cell fate decision, differentiation or stem cell maintenance. Recent data have shown that Notch signaling is RBP-Jκ-dependent in melanocytes, being required for survival of these pigment cells that are responsible for coloration of the skin and hairs in mammals. In addition, Notch is believed to function as an oncogene in melanoma, whereas it is a tumor suppressor in mouse epidermis. In this study, we addressed the implication of the Notch signaling in the development of another population of pigment cells forming the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in mammalian eyes. The constitutive activity of Notch in Tyrp1::NotchIC/° transgenic mice enhanced RPE cell proliferation, and the resulting RPE-derived pigmented tumor severely affected the overall eye structure. This RPE cell proliferation is dependent on the presence of the transcription factor RBP-Jκ, as it is rescued in mice lacking RBP-Jκ in the RPE. In conclusion, Notch signaling in the RPE uses the canonical pathway, which is dependent on the transcription factor RBP-Jκ. In addition, it is of importance for RPE development, and constitutive Notch activity leads to hyperproliferation and benign tumors of these pigment cells.

  6. Blockade of Notch Signaling in Tumor-Bearing Mice May Lead to Tumor Regression, Progression, or Metastasis, Depending on Tumor Cell Types

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    Xing-Bin Hu

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available It has been reported that blocking Notch signaling in tumor-bearing mice results in abortive angiogenesis and tumor regression. However, given that Notch signaling influences numerous cellular processes in vivo, a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of Notch inactivation on tumor growth would be favorable. In this study, we inoculated four cancer cell lines in mice with the conditional inactivation of recombination signal-binding protein-Jκ (RBP-J, which mediates signaling from all four mammalian Notch receptors. We found that whereas three tumors including hepatocarcinoma, lung cancer, and osteogenic sarcoma grew slower in the RBP-J-deficient mice, at least a melanoma, B16, grew significantly faster in the RBP-J-deficient mice than in the controls, suggesting that the RBP-J-deficient hosts could provide permissive cues for tumor growth. All these tumors showed increased microvessels and up-regulated hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, suggesting that whereas defective angiogenesis resulted in hypoxia, different tumors might grow differentially in the RBP-J-deleted mice. Similarly, increased infiltration of Gr1+/Mac1+ cells were noticed in tumors grown in the RBP-J-inactivated mice. Moreover, we found that when inoculated in the RBP-J knockout hosts, the H22 hepatoma cells had a high frequency of metastasis and lethality, suggesting that at least for H22, deficiency of environmental Notch signaling favored tumor metastasis. Our findings suggested that the general blockade of Notch signaling in tumor-bearing mice could lead to defective angiogenesis in tumors, but depending on tumor cell types, general inhibition of Notch signaling might result in tumor regression, progression, or metastasis.

  7. miR-342-5p Regulates Neural Stem Cell Proliferation and Differentiation Downstream to Notch Signaling in Mice

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    Fang Gao

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Notch signaling is critically involved in neural development, but the downstream effectors remain incompletely understood. In this study, we cultured neurospheres from Nestin-Cre-mediated conditional Rbp-j knockout (Rbp-j cKO and control embryos and compared their miRNA expression profiles using microarray. Among differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-342-5p showed upregulated expression as Notch signaling was genetically or pharmaceutically interrupted. Consistently, the promoter of the miR-342-5p host gene, the Ena-vasodilator stimulated phosphoprotein-like (Evl, was negatively regulated by Notch signaling, probably through HES5. Transfection of miR-342-5p promoted the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs into intermediate neural progenitors (INPs in vitro and reduced the stemness of NSCs in vivo. Furthermore, miR-342-5p inhibited the differentiation of neural stem/intermediate progenitor cells into astrocytes, likely mediated by targeting GFAP directly. Our results indicated that miR-342-5p could function as a downstream effector of Notch signaling to regulate the differentiation of NSCs into INPs and astrocytes commitment. : In this article, Han and colleagues show that miR-342-5p acts as a downstream effector of Notch signaling in the mouse CNS. Notch signal inhibits miR-342-5p expression by regulating its host gene Evl. And with attenuated Notch signal in NSCs, miR-342-5p is upregulated to promote NSCs transition into INPs, and to inhibit astrocyte commitment by targeting GFAP. Keywords: neural stem cells, intermediate neural progenitors, Notch, RBP-J, neuron, glia, miR-342-5p

  8. RBP-J-interacting and tubulin-associated protein induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in human hepatocellular carcinoma by activating the p53–Fbxw7 pathway

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    Wang, Haihe; Yang, Zhanchun; Liu, Chunbo; Huang, Shishun; Wang, Hongzhi; Chen, Yingli; Chen, Guofu

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • RITA overexpression increased protein expression of p53 and Fbxw7 and downregulated the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, CDK2, Hes-1 and NF-κB p65. • RITA can significantly inhibit the in vitro growth of SMMC7721 and HepG2 cells. • RITA exerts tumor-suppressive effects in hepatocarcinogenesis through induction of G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and suggest a therapeutic application of RITA in HCC. - Abstract: Aberrant Notch signaling is observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has been associated with the modulation of cell growth. However, the role of Notch signaling in HCC and its underlying mechanism remain elusive. RBP-J-interacting and tubulin-associated (RITA) mediates the nuclear export of RBP-J to tubulin fibers and downregulates Notch-mediated transcription. In this study, we found that RITA overexpression increased protein expression of p53 and Fbxw7 and downregulated the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E, CDK2, Hes-1 and NF-κB p65. These changes led to growth inhibition and induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in SMMC7721 and HepG2 cells. Our findings indicate that RITA exerts tumor-suppressive effects in hepatocarcinogenesis through induction of G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and suggest a therapeutic application of RITA in HCC

  9. Mediator 1 contributes to enamel mineralization as a coactivator for Notch1 signaling and stimulates transcription of the alkaline phosphatase gene.

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    Yoshizaki, Keigo; Hu, Lizhi; Nguyen, Thai; Sakai, Kiyoshi; Ishikawa, Masaki; Takahashi, Ichiro; Fukumoto, Satoshi; DenBesten, Pamela K; Bikle, Daniel D; Oda, Yuko; Yamada, Yoshihiko

    2017-08-18

    Tooth enamel is mineralized through the differentiation of multiple dental epithelia including ameloblasts and the stratum intermedium (SI), and this differentiation is controlled by several signaling pathways. Previously, we demonstrated that the transcriptional coactivator Mediator 1 (MED1) plays a critical role in enamel formation. For instance, conditional ablation of Med1 in dental epithelia causes functional changes in incisor-specific dental epithelial stem cells, resulting in mineralization defects in the adult incisors. However, the molecular mechanism by which Med1 deficiency causes these abnormalities is not clear. Here, we demonstrated that Med1 ablation causes early SI differentiation defects resulting in enamel hypoplasia of the Med1 -deficient molars. Med1 deletion prevented Notch1-mediated differentiation of the SI cells resulting in decreased alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), which is essential for mineralization. However, it does not affect the ability of ameloblasts to produce enamel matrix proteins. Using the dental epithelial SF2 cell line, we demonstrated that MED1 directly activates transcription of the Alpl gene through the stimulation of Notch1 signaling by forming a complex with cleaved Notch1-RBP-Jk on the Alpl promoter. These results suggest that MED1 may be essential for enamel matrix mineralization by serving as a coactivator for Notch1 signaling regulating transcription of the Alpl gene.

  10. Lunatic fringe-mediated Notch signaling regulates adult hippocampal neural stem cell maintenance.

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    Semerci, Fatih; Choi, William Tin-Shing; Bajic, Aleksandar; Thakkar, Aarohi; Encinas, Juan Manuel; Depreux, Frederic; Segil, Neil; Groves, Andrew K; Maletic-Savatic, Mirjana

    2017-07-12

    Hippocampal neural stem cells (NSCs) integrate inputs from multiple sources to balance quiescence and activation. Notch signaling plays a key role during this process. Here, we report that Lunatic fringe ( Lfng), a key modifier of the Notch receptor, is selectively expressed in NSCs. Further, Lfng in NSCs and Notch ligands Delta1 and Jagged1, expressed by their progeny, together influence NSC recruitment, cell cycle duration, and terminal fate. We propose a new model in which Lfng-mediated Notch signaling enables direct communication between a NSC and its descendants, so that progeny can send feedback signals to the 'mother' cell to modify its cell cycle status. Lfng-mediated Notch signaling appears to be a key factor governing NSC quiescence, division, and fate.

  11. Notch Signaling Mediates Skeletal Muscle Atrophy in Cancer Cachexia Caused by Osteosarcoma

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    Xiaodong Mu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Skeletal muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia is mediated by the interaction between muscle stem cells and various tumor factors. Although Notch signaling has been known as a key regulator of both cancer development and muscle stem cell activity, the potential involvement of Notch signaling in cancer cachexia and concomitant muscle atrophy has yet to be elucidated. The murine K7M2 osteosarcoma cell line was used to generate an orthotopic model of sarcoma-associated cachexia, and the role of Notch signaling was evaluated. Skeletal muscle atrophy was observed in the sarcoma-bearing mice, and Notch signaling was highly active in both tumor tissues and the atrophic skeletal muscles. Systemic inhibition of Notch signaling reduced muscle atrophy. In vitro coculture of osteosarcoma cells with muscle-derived stem cells (MDSCs isolated from normal mice resulted in decreased myogenic potential of MDSCs, while the application of Notch inhibitor was able to rescue this repressed myogenic potential. We further observed that Notch-activating factors reside in the exosomes of osteosarcoma cells, which activate Notch signaling in MDSCs and subsequently repress myogenesis. Our results revealed that signaling between tumor and muscle via the Notch pathway may play an important role in mediating the skeletal muscle atrophy seen in cancer cachexia.

  12. Atopic dermatitis-like disease and associated lethal myeloproliferative disorder arise from loss of Notch signaling in the murine skin.

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    Alexis Dumortier

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available The Notch pathway is essential for proper epidermal differentiation during embryonic skin development. Moreover, skin specific loss of Notch signaling in the embryo results in skin barrier defects accompanied by a B-lymphoproliferative disease. However, much less is known about the consequences of loss of Notch signaling after birth.To study the function of Notch signaling in the skin of adult mice, we made use of a series of conditional gene targeted mice that allow inactivation of several components of the Notch signaling pathway specifically in the skin. We demonstrate that skin-specific inactivation of Notch1 and Notch2 simultaneously, or RBP-J, induces the development of a severe form of atopic dermatitis (AD, characterized by acanthosis, spongiosis and hyperkeratosis, as well as a massive dermal infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells. Likewise, patients suffering from AD, but not psoriasis or lichen planus, have a marked reduction of Notch receptor expression in the skin. Loss of Notch in keratinocytes induces the production of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP, a cytokine deeply implicated in the pathogenesis of AD. The AD-like associated inflammation is accompanied by a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD characterized by an increase in immature myeloid populations in the bone marrow and spleen. Transplantation studies revealed that the MPD is cell non-autonomous and caused by dramatic microenvironmental alterations. Genetic studies demontrated that G-CSF mediates the MPD as well as changes in the bone marrow microenvironment leading to osteopenia.Our data demonstrate a critical role for Notch in repressing TSLP production in keratinocytes, thereby maintaining integrity of the skin and the hematopoietic system.

  13. Silybin-mediated inhibition of Notch signaling exerts antitumor activity in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

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    Song Zhang

    Full Text Available Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC is a global health burden that is associated with limited treatment options and poor patient prognoses. Silybin (SIL, an antioxidant derived from the milk thistle plant (Silybum marianum, has been reported to exert hepatoprotective and antitumorigenic effects both in vitro and in vivo. While SIL has been shown to have potent antitumor activity against various types of cancer, including HCC, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of SIL remain largely unknown. The Notch signaling pathway plays crucial roles in tumorigenesis and immune development. In the present study, we assessed the antitumor activity of SIL in human HCC HepG2 cells in vitro and in vivo and explored the roles of the Notch pathway and of the apoptosis-related signaling pathway on the activity of SIL. SIL treatment resulted in a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of HCC cell viability. Additionally, SIL exhibited strong antitumor activity, as evidenced not only by reductions in tumor cell adhesion, migration, intracellular glutathione (GSH levels and total antioxidant capability (T-AOC but also by increases in the apoptotic index, caspase3 activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS. Furthermore, SIL treatment decreased the expression of the Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD, RBP-Jκ, and Hes1 proteins, upregulated the apoptosis pathway-related protein Bax, and downregulated Bcl2, survivin, and cyclin D1. Notch1 siRNA (in vitro or DAPT (a known Notch1 inhibitor, in vivo further enhanced the antitumor activity of SIL, and recombinant Jagged1 protein (a known Notch ligand in vitro attenuated the antitumor activity of SIL. Taken together, these data indicate that SIL is a potent inhibitor of HCC cell growth that targets the Notch signaling pathway and suggest that the inhibition of Notch signaling may be a novel therapeutic intervention for HCC.

  14. Redundant Notch1 and Notch2 signaling is necessary for IFNγ secretion by T helper 1 cells during infection with Leishmania major.

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    Floriane Auderset

    Full Text Available The protective immune response to intracellular parasites involves in most cases the differentiation of IFNγ-secreting CD4(+ T helper (Th 1 cells. Notch receptors regulate cell differentiation during development but their implication in the polarization of peripheral CD4(+ T helper 1 cells is not well understood. Of the four Notch receptors, only Notch1 (N1 and Notch2 (N2 are expressed on activated CD4(+ T cells. To investigate the role of Notch in Th1 cell differentiation following parasite infection, mice with T cell-specific gene ablation of N1, N2 or both (N1N2(ΔCD4Cre were infected with the protozoan parasite Leishmania major. N1N2(ΔCD4Cre mice, on the C57BL/6 L. major-resistant genetic background, developed unhealing lesions and uncontrolled parasitemia. Susceptibility correlated with impaired secretion of IFNγ by draining lymph node CD4(+ T cells and increased secretion of the IL-5 and IL-13 Th2 cytokines. Mice with single inactivation of N1 or N2 in their T cells were resistant to infection and developed a protective Th1 immune response, showing that CD4(+ T cell expression of N1 or N2 is redundant in driving Th1 differentiation. Furthermore, we show that Notch signaling is required for the secretion of IFNγ by Th1 cells. This effect is independent of CSL/RBP-Jκ, the major effector of Notch receptors, since L. major-infected mice with a RBP-Jκ deletion in their T cells were able to develop IFNγ-secreting Th1 cells, kill parasites and heal their lesions. Collectively, we demonstrate here a crucial role for RBP-Jκ-independent Notch signaling in the differentiation of a functional Th1 immune response following L. major infection.

  15. Notch activation is dispensable for D, L-sulforaphane-mediated inhibition of human prostate cancer cell migration.

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    Eun-Ryeong Hahm

    Full Text Available D, L-Sulforaphane (SFN, a synthetic racemic analog of broccoli constituent L-sulforaphane, is a highly promising cancer chemopreventive agent with in vivo efficacy against chemically-induced as well as oncogene-driven cancer in preclinical rodent models. Cancer chemopreventive effect of SFN is characterized by G(2/M phase cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, and inhibition of cell migration and invasion. Moreover, SFN inhibits multiple oncogenic signaling pathways often hyperactive in human cancers, including nuclear factor-κB, Akt, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3, and androgen receptor. The present study was designed to determine the role of Notch signaling, which is constitutively active in many human cancers, in anticancer effects of SFN using prostate cancer cells as a model. Exposure of human prostate cancer cells (PC-3, LNCaP, and/or LNCaP-C4-2B to SFN as well as its naturally-occurring thio-, sulfinyl-, and sulfonyl-analogs resulted in cleavage (activation of Notch1, Notch2, and Notch4, which was accompanied by a decrease in levels of full-length Notch forms especially at the 16- and 24-hour time points. The SFN-mediated cleavage of Notch isoforms was associated with its transcriptional activation as evidenced by RBP-Jk-, HES-1A/B- and HEY-1 luciferase reporter assays. Migration of PC-3 and LNCaP cells was decreased significantly by RNA interference of Notch1 and Notch2, but not Notch4. Furthermore, SFN-mediated inhibition of PC-3 and LNCaP cell migration was only marginally affected by knockdown of Notch1 and Notch2. Strikingly, SFN administration to Transgenic Adenocarcinoma of Mouse Prostate transgenic mice failed to increase levels of cleaved Notch1, cleaved Notch2, and HES-1 proteins in vivo in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, well-differentiated carcinoma or poorly-differentiated prostate cancer lesions. These results indicate that Notch activation is largely dispensable for SFN-mediated inhibition of cell

  16. Notch-deficient skin induces a lethal systemic B-lymphoproliferative disorder by secreting TSLP, a sentinel for epidermal integrity.

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    Shadmehr Demehri

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available Epidermal keratinocytes form a highly organized stratified epithelium and sustain a competent barrier function together with dermal and hematopoietic cells. The Notch signaling pathway is a critical regulator of epidermal integrity. Here, we show that keratinocyte-specific deletion of total Notch signaling triggered a severe systemic B-lymphoproliferative disorder, causing death. RBP-j is the DNA binding partner of Notch, but both RBP-j-dependent and independent Notch signaling were necessary for proper epidermal differentiation and lipid deposition. Loss of both pathways caused a persistent defect in skin differentiation/barrier formation. In response, high levels of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP were released into systemic circulation by Notch-deficient keratinocytes that failed to differentiate, starting in utero. Exposure to high TSLP levels during neonatal hematopoiesis resulted in drastic expansion of peripheral pre- and immature B-lymphocytes, causing B-lymphoproliferative disorder associated with major organ infiltration and subsequent death, a previously unappreciated systemic effect of TSLP. These observations demonstrate that local skin perturbations can drive a lethal systemic disease and have important implications for a wide range of humoral and autoimmune diseases with skin manifestations.

  17. Notch signaling mediates the age-associated decrease in adhesion of germline stem cells to the niche.

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    Chen-Yuan Tseng

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Stem cells have an innate ability to occupy their stem cell niche, which in turn, is optimized to house stem cells. Organ aging is associated with reduced stem cell occupancy in the niche, but the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Here, we report that Notch signaling is increased with age in Drosophila female germline stem cells (GSCs, and this results in their removal from the niche. Clonal analysis revealed that GSCs with low levels of Notch signaling exhibit increased adhesiveness to the niche, thereby out-competing their neighbors with higher levels of Notch; adhesiveness is altered through regulation of E-cadherin expression. Experimental enhancement of Notch signaling in GSCs hastens their age-dependent loss from the niche, and such loss is at least partially mediated by Sex lethal. However, disruption of Notch signaling in GSCs does not delay GSC loss during aging, and nor does it affect BMP signaling, which promotes self-renewal of GSCs. Finally, we show that in contrast to GSCs, Notch activation in the niche (which maintains niche integrity, and thus mediates GSC retention is reduced with age, indicating that Notch signaling regulates GSC niche occupancy both intrinsically and extrinsically. Our findings expose a novel role of Notch signaling in controlling GSC-niche adhesion in response to aging, and are also of relevance to metastatic cancer cells, in which Notch signaling suppresses cell adhesion.

  18. Inhibition of fibroblast growth by Notch1 signaling is mediated by induction of Wnt11-dependent WISP-1.

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    Zhao-Jun Liu

    Full Text Available Fibroblasts are an integral component of stroma and important source of growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM. They play a prominent role in maintaining tissue homeostasis and in wound healing and tumor growth. Notch signaling regulates biological function in a variety of cells. To elucidate the physiological function of Notch signaling in fibroblasts, we ablated Notch1 in mouse (Notch1(Flox/Flox embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs. Notch1-deficient (Notch1(-/- MEFs displayed faster growth and motility rate compared to Notch1(Flox/Flox MEFs. Such phenotypic changes, however, were reversible by reconstitution of Notch1 activation via overexpression of the intracellular domain of Notch1 (NICD1 in Notch1-deficient MEFs. In contrast, constitutive activation of Notch1 signaling by introducing NICD1 into primary human dermal fibroblasts (FF2441, which caused pan-Notch activation, inhibited cell growth and motility, whereas cellular inhibition was relievable when the Notch activation was countered with dominant-negative mutant of Master-mind like 1 (DN-MAML-1. Functionally, "Notch-activated" stromal fibroblasts could inhibit tumor cell growth/invasion. Moreover, Notch activation induced expression of Wnt-induced secreted proteins-1 (WISP-1/CCN4 in FF2441 cells while deletion of Notch1 in MEFs resulted in an opposite effect. Notably, WISP-1 suppressed fibroblast proliferation, and was responsible for mediating Notch1's inhibitory effect since siRNA-mediated blockade of WISP-1 expression could relieve cell growth inhibition. Notch1-induced WISP-1 expression appeared to be Wnt11-dependent, but Wnt1-independent. Blockade of Wnt11 expression resulted in decreased WISP-1 expression and liberated Notch-induced cell growth inhibition. These findings indicated that inhibition of fibroblast proliferation by Notch pathway activation is mediated, at least in part, through regulating Wnt1-independent, but Wnt11-dependent WISP-1 expression.

  19. Constitutively active Notch1 induces growth arrest of HPV-positive cervical cancer cells via separate signaling pathways

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    Talora, Claudio; Cialfi, Samantha; Segatto, Oreste; Morrone, Stefania; Kim Choi, John; Frati, Luigi; Paolo Dotto, Gian; Gulino, Alberto; Screpanti, Isabella

    2005-01-01

    Notch signaling plays a key role in cell-fate determination and differentiation in different organisms and cell types. Several reports suggest that Notch signaling may be involved in neoplastic transformation. However, in primary keratinocytes, Notch1 can function as a tumor suppressor. Similarly, in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells, constitutively active Notch1 signaling was found to cause growth suppression. Activated Notch1 in these cells represses viral E6/E7 expression through AP-1 down-modulation, resulting in increased p53 expression and a block of pRb hyperphosphorylation. Here we show that in cervical cancer cell lines in which Notch1 ability to repress AP-1 activity is impaired, Notch1-enforced expression elicits an alternative pathway leading to growth arrest. Indeed, activated Notch1 signaling suppresses activity of the helix-loop-helix transcription factor E47, via ERK1/2 activation, resulting in inhibition of cell cycle progression. Moreover, we found that RBP-Jκ-dependent Notch signaling is specifically repressed in cervical cancer cells and this repression could provide one such mechanism that needs to be activated for cervical carcinogenesis. Finally, we show that inhibition of endogenous Notch1 signaling, although results in a proliferative advantage, sensitizes cervical cancer cell lines to drug-induced apoptosis. Together, our results provide novel molecular insights into Notch1-dependent growth inhibitory effects, counteracting the transforming potential of HPV

  20. PI3K/AKT signaling inhibits NOTCH1 lysosome-mediated degradation.

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    Platonova, Natalia; Manzo, Teresa; Mirandola, Leonardo; Colombo, Michela; Calzavara, Elisabetta; Vigolo, Emilia; Cermisoni, Greta Chiara; De Simone, Daria; Garavelli, Silvia; Cecchinato, Valentina; Lazzari, Elisa; Neri, Antonino; Chiaramonte, Raffaella

    2015-06-06

    The pathways of NOTCH and PI3K/AKT are dysregulated in about 60% and 48% of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients, respectively. In this context, they interact and cooperate in controlling tumor cell biology. Here, we propose a novel mechanism by which the PI3K/AKT pathway regulates NOTCH1 in T-ALL, starting from the evidence that the inhibition of PI3K/AKT signaling induced by treatment with LY294002 or transient transfection with a dominant negative AKT mutant downregulates NOTCH1 protein levels and activity, without affecting NOTCH1 transcription. We showed that the withdrawal of PI3K/AKT signaling was associated to NOTCH1 phosphorylation in tyrosine residues and monoubiquitination of NOTCH1 detected by Ubiquitin capture assay. Co-immunoprecipitation assay and colocalization analysis further showed that the E3 ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl interacts and monoubiquitinates NOTCH1, activating its lysosomal degradation. These results suggest that the degradation of NOTCH1 could represent a mechanism of control by which NOTCH1 receptors are actively removed from the cell surface. This mechanism is finely regulated by the PI3K/AKT pathway in physiological conditions. In pathological conditions characterized by PI3K/AKT hyperactivation, such as T-ALL, the excessive AKT signaling could lead to NOTCH1 signaling dysregulation. Therefore, a therapeutic strategy directed to PI3K/AKT in T-ALL could contemporaneously inhibit the dysregulated NOTCH1 signaling. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Analysis of the interaction between human RITA and Drosophila Suppressor of Hairless.

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    Brockmann, Birgit; Mastel, Helena; Oswald, Franz; Maier, Dieter

    2014-12-01

    Notch signalling mediates intercellular communication, which is effected by the transcription factor CSL, an acronym for vertebrate CBF1/RBP-J, Drosophila Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] and C. elegans Lag1. Nuclear import of CBF1/RBP-J depends on co-activators and co-repressors, whereas the export relies on RITA. RITA is a tubulin and CBF1/RBP-J binding protein acting as a negative regulator of Notch signalling in vertebrates. RITA protein is highly conserved in eumatazoa, but no Drosophila homologue was yet identified. In this work, the activity of human RITA in the fly was addressed. To this end, we generated transgenic flies that allow a tissue specific induction of human RITA, which was demonstrated by Western blotting and in fly tissues. Unexpectedly, overexpression of RITA during fly development had little phenotypic consequences, even when overexpressed simultaneously with either Su(H) or the Notch antagonist Hairless. We demonstrate the in vivo binding of human RITA to Su(H) and to tubulin by co-immune precipitation. Moreover, RITA and tubulin co-localized to some degree in several Drosophila tissues. Overall our data show that human RITA, albeit binding to Drosophila Su(H) and tubulin, cannot influence the Notch signalling pathway in the fly, suggesting that a nuclear export mechanism of Su(H), if existent in Drosophila, does not depend on RITA. © 2015 The Authors.

  2. Glioma cell fate decisions mediated by Dll1-Jag1-Fringe in Notch1 signaling pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Xiaofei; Wang, Ruiqi

    2017-09-21

    The Notch family of proteins plays a vital role in determining cell fates, such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. It has been shown that Notch1 and its ligands, Dll1 and Jag1, are overexpressed in many glioma cell lines and primary human gliomas. The roles of Notch1 in some cancers have been firmly established, and recent data implicate that it plays important roles in glioma cell fate decisions. This paper focuses on devising a specific theoretical framework that incorporates Dll1, Jag1, and Fringe in Notch1 signaling pathway to explore their functional roles of these proteins in glioma cells in the tumorigenesis and progression of human gliomas, and to study how glioma cell fate decisions are modulated by both trans-activation and cis-inhibition. This paper presents a computational model for Notch1 signaling pathway in glioma cells. Based on the bifurcation analysis of the model, we show that how the glioma cell fate decisions are modulated by both trans-activation and cis-inhibition mediated by the Fringe protein, providing insight into the design and control principles of the Notch signaling system and the gliomas. This paper presents a computational model for Notch1 signaling pathway in glioma cells based on intertwined dynamics with cis-inhibition and trans-activation involving the proteins Notch1, Dll1, Jag1, and Fringe. The results show that how the glioma cell fate transitions are performed by the Notch1 signaling. Transition from grade III ∼ IV with significantly high Notch1 to grade I ∼ II with high Notch1, and then to normal cells by repressing the Fringe levels or decreasing the strength of enhancement induced by Fringe.

  3. Notch and presenilin regulate cellular expansion and cytokine secretion but cannot instruct Th1/Th2 fate acquisition.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chin-Tong Ong

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Recent reports suggested that Delta1, 4 and Jagged1, 2 possessed the ability to instruct CD4(+ T cell into selection of Th1 or Th2 fates, respectively, although the underlying mechanism endowing the cleaved Notch receptor with memory of ligand involved in its activation remains elusive. To examine this, we prepared artificial antigen-presenting cells expressing either DLL1 or Jag1. Although both ligands were efficient in inducing Notch2 cleavage and activation in CD4(+ T or reporter cells, the presence of Lunatic Fringe in CD4(+ T cells inhibited Jag1 activation of Notch1 receptor. Neither ligand could induce Th1 or Th2 fate choice independently of cytokines or redirect cytokine-driven Th1 or Th2 development. Instead, we find that Notch ligands only augment cytokine production during T cell differentiation in the presence of polarizing IL-12 and IL-4. Moreover, the differentiation choices of naïve CD4(+ T cells lacking gamma-secretase, RBP-J, or both in response to polarizing cytokines revealed that neither presenilin proteins nor RBP-J were required for cytokine-induced Th1/Th2 fate selection. However, presenilins facilitate cellular proliferation and cytokine secretion in an RBP-J (and thus, Notch independent manner. The controversies surrounding the role of Notch and presenilins in Th1/Th2 polarization may reflect their role as genetic modifiers of T-helper cells differentiation.

  4. Tyrosine phosphorylation and proteolytic cleavage of Notch are required for non-canonical Notch/Abl signaling in Drosophila axon guidance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kannan, Ramakrishnan; Cox, Eric; Wang, Lei; Kuzina, Irina; Gu, Qun; Giniger, Edward

    2018-01-17

    Notch signaling is required for the development and physiology of nearly every tissue in metazoans. Much of Notch signaling is mediated by transcriptional regulation of downstream target genes, but Notch controls axon patterning in Drosophila by local modulation of Abl tyrosine kinase signaling, via direct interactions with the Abl co-factors Disabled and Trio. Here, we show that Notch-Abl axonal signaling requires both of the proteolytic cleavage events that initiate canonical Notch signaling. We further show that some Notch protein is tyrosine phosphorylated in Drosophila , that this form of the protein is selectively associated with Disabled and Trio, and that relevant tyrosines are essential for Notch-dependent axon patterning but not for canonical Notch-dependent regulation of cell fate. Based on these data, we propose a model for the molecular mechanism by which Notch controls Abl signaling in Drosophila axons. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  5. miR-148a-3p Mediates Notch Signaling to Promote the Differentiation and M1 Activation of Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fei Huang

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The Notch pathway plays critical roles in the differentiation and polarized activation of macrophages; however, the downstream molecular mechanisms underlying Notch activity in macrophages remain elusive. Our previous study has identified a group of microRNAs that mediate Notch signaling to regulate macrophage activation and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs. In this study, we demonstrated that miR-148a-3p functions as a novel downstream molecule of Notch signaling to promote the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages in the presence of granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF. Meanwhile, miR-148a-3p promoted M1 and inhibited M2 polarization of macrophages upon Notch activation. Macrophages overexpressing miR-148a-3p exhibited enhanced ability to engulf and kill bacteria, which was mediated by excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS. Further studies using reporter assay and Western blotting identified Pten as a direct target gene of miR-148a-3p in macrophages. Macrophages overexpressing miR-148a-3p increased their ROS production through the PTEN/AKT pathway, likely to defend against bacterial invasion. Moreover, miR-148a-3p also enhanced M1 macrophage polarization and pro-inflammatory responses through PTEN/AKT-mediated upregulation of NF-κB signaling. In summary, our data establish a novel molecular mechanism by which Notch signaling promotes monocyte differentiation and M1 macrophage activation through miR-148a-3p, and suggest that miR-148a-3p-modified monocytes or macrophages are potential new tools for the treatment of inflammation-related diseases.

  6. Notch signalling mediates reproductive constraint in the adult worker honeybee

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duncan, Elizabeth J.; Hyink, Otto; Dearden, Peter K.

    2016-01-01

    The hallmark of eusociality is the reproductive division of labour, in which one female caste reproduces, while reproduction is constrained in the subordinate caste. In adult worker honeybees (Apis mellifera) reproductive constraint is conditional: in the absence of the queen and brood, adult worker honeybees activate their ovaries and lay haploid male eggs. Here, we demonstrate that chemical inhibition of Notch signalling can overcome the repressive effect of queen pheromone and promote ovary activity in adult worker honeybees. We show that Notch signalling acts on the earliest stages of oogenesis and that the removal of the queen corresponds with a loss of Notch protein in the germarium. We conclude that the ancient and pleiotropic Notch signalling pathway has been co-opted into constraining reproduction in worker honeybees and we provide the first molecular mechanism directly linking ovary activity in adult worker bees with the presence of the queen. PMID:27485026

  7. The Hippo signaling functions through the Notch signaling to regulate intrahepatic bile duct development in mammals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Nan; Nguyen, Quy; Wan, Ying; Zhou, Tiaohao; Venter, Julie; Frampton, Gabriel A; DeMorrow, Sharon; Pan, Duojia; Meng, Fanyin; Glaser, Shannon; Alpini, Gianfranco; Bai, Haibo

    2018-01-01

    The Hippo signaling pathway and the Notch signaling pathway are evolutionary conserved signaling cascades that have important roles in embryonic development of many organs. In murine liver, disruption of either pathway impairs intrahepatic bile duct development. Recent studies suggested that the Notch signaling receptor Notch2 is a direct transcriptional target of the Hippo signaling pathway effector YAP, and the Notch signaling is a major mediator of the Hippo signaling in maintaining biliary cell characteristics in adult mice. However, it remains to be determined whether the Hippo signaling pathway functions through the Notch signaling in intrahepatic bile duct development. We found that loss of the Hippo signaling pathway tumor suppressor Nf2 resulted in increased expression levels of the Notch signaling pathway receptor Notch2 in cholangiocytes but not in hepatocytes. When knocking down Notch2 on the background of Nf2 deficiency in mouse livers, the excessive bile duct development induced by Nf2 deficiency was suppressed by heterozygous and homozygous deletion of Notch2 in a dose-dependent manner. These results implicated that Notch signaling is one of the downstream effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway in regulating intrahepatic bile duct development. PMID:28581486

  8. Role of CSL-dependent and independent Notch signaling pathways in cell apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Chong; Xing, Rui; Liu, Jing; Xing, Feiyue

    2016-01-01

    Apoptosis is a normally biological phenomenon in various organisms, involving complexly molecular mechanisms with a series of signaling processes. Notch signaling is found evolutionarily conserved in many species, playing a critical role in embryonic development, normal tissue homeostasis, angiogenesis and immunoregulation. The focus of this review is on currently novel advances about roles of CSL-dependent and independent Notch signaling pathways in cell apoptosis. The CSL can bind Notch intracellular domain (NIC) to act as a switch in mediating transcriptional activation or inactivation of the Notch signaling pathway downstream genes in the nucleus. It shows that CSL-dependent signaling regulates the cell apoptosis through Hes-1-PTEN-AKT-mTOR signaling, but rather the CSL-independent signaling mediates the cell apoptosis possibly via NIC-mTORC2-AKT-mTOR signaling, providing a new insight into apoptotic mechanisms.

  9. Role of RBP2-Induced ER and IGF1R-ErbB Signaling in Tamoxifen Resistance in Breast Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hee-Joo; Joo, Hyeong-Seok; Won, Hee-Young; Min, Kyueng-Whan; Kim, Hyung-Yong; Son, Taekwon; Oh, Young-Ha; Lee, Jeong-Yeon; Kong, Gu

    2018-04-01

    Despite the benefit of endocrine therapy, acquired resistance during or after treatment still remains a major challenge in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. We investigated the potential role of histone demethylase retinoblastoma-binding protein 2 (RBP2) in endocrine therapy resistance of breast cancer. Survival of breast cancer patients according to RBP2 expression was analyzed in three different breast cancer cohorts including METABRIC (n = 1980) and KM plotter (n = 1764). RBP2-mediated tamoxifen resistance was confirmed by invitro sulforhodamine B (SRB) colorimetric, colony-forming assays, and invivo xenograft models (n = 8 per group). RNA-seq analysis and receptor tyrosine kinase assay were performed to identify the tamoxifen resistance mechanism by RBP2. All statistical tests were two-sided. RBP2 was associated with poor prognosis to tamoxifen therapy in ER-positive breast cancer (P = .04 in HYU cohort, P = .02 in KM plotter, P = .007 in METABRIC, log-rank test). Furthermore, RBP2 expression was elevated in patients with tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer (P = .04, chi-square test). Knockdown of RBP2 conferred tamoxifen sensitivity, whereas overexpression of RBP2 induced tamoxifen resistance invitro and invivo (MCF7 xenograft: tamoxifen-treated control, mean [SD] tumor volume = 70.8 [27.9] mm3, vs tamoxifen-treated RBP2, mean [SD] tumor volume = 387.9 [85.1] mm3, P < .001). Mechanistically, RBP2 cooperated with ER co-activators and corepressors and regulated several tamoxifen resistance-associated genes, including NRIP1, CCND1, and IGFBP4 and IGFBP5. Furthermore, epigenetic silencing of IGFBP4/5 by RBP2-ER-NRIP1-HDAC1 complex led to insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) activation. RBP2 also increased IGF1R-ErbB crosstalk and subsequent PI3K-AKT activation via demethylase activity-independent ErbB protein stabilization. Combinational treatment with tamoxifen and PI3K inhibitor could overcome RBP2-mediated tamoxifen

  10. A microRNA-mediated regulatory loop modulates NOTCH and MYC oncogenic signals in B- and T-cell malignancies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortega, M; Bhatnagar, H; Lin, A-P; Wang, L; Aster, J C; Sill, H; Aguiar, R C T

    2015-04-01

    Growing evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) facilitate the cross-talk between transcriptional modules and signal transduction pathways. MYC and NOTCH1 contribute to the pathogenesis of lymphoid malignancies. NOTCH induces MYC, connecting two signaling programs that enhance oncogenicity. Here we show that this relationship is bidirectional and that MYC, via a miRNA intermediary, modulates NOTCH. MicroRNA-30a (miR-30a), a member of a family of miRNAs that are transcriptionally suppressed by MYC, directly binds to and inhibits NOTCH1 and NOTCH2 expression. Using a murine model and genetically modified human cell lines, we confirmed that miR-30a influences NOTCH expression in a MYC-dependent fashion. In turn, through genetic modulation, we demonstrated that intracellular NOTCH1 and NOTCH2, by inducing MYC, suppressed miR-30a. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of NOTCH decreased MYC expression and ultimately de-repressed miR-30a. Examination of genetic models of gain and loss of miR-30a in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells suggested a tumor-suppressive role for this miRNA. Finally, the activity of the miR-30a-NOTCH-MYC loop was validated in primary DLBCL and T-ALL samples. These data define the presence of a miRNA-mediated regulatory circuitry that may modulate the oncogenic signals originating from NOTCH and MYC.

  11. Far infrared promotes wound healing through activation of Notch1 signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Yung-Ho; Lin, Yuan-Feng; Chen, Cheng-Hsien; Chiu, Yu-Jhe; Chiu, Hui-Wen

    2017-11-01

    The Notch signaling pathway is critically involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, development, and homeostasis. Far infrared (FIR) has an effect that promotes wound healing. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, we employed in vivo and HaCaT (a human skin keratinocyte cell line) models to elucidate the role of Notch1 signaling in FIR-promoted wound healing. We found that FIR enhanced keratinocyte migration and proliferation. FIR induced the Notch1 signaling pathway in HaCaT cells and in a microarray dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. We next determined the mRNA levels of NOTCH1 in paired normal and wound skin tissues derived from clinical patients using the microarray dataset and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. The result indicated that the Notch1/Twist1 axis plays important roles in wound healing and tissue repair. In addition, inhibiting Notch1 signaling decreased the FIR-enhanced proliferation and migration. In a full-thickness wound model in rats, the wounds healed more rapidly and the scar size was smaller in the FIR group than in the light group. Moreover, FIR could increase Notch1 and Delta1 in skin tissues. The activation of Notch1 signaling may be considered as a possible mechanism for the promoting effect of FIR on wound healing. FIR stimulates keratinocyte migration and proliferation. Notch1 in keratinocytes has an essential role in FIR-induced migration and proliferation. NOTCH1 promotes TWIST1-mediated gene expression to assist wound healing. FIR might promote skin wound healing in a rat model. FIR stimulates keratinocyte migration and proliferation. Notch1 in keratinocytes has an essential role in FIR-induced migration and proliferation. NOTCH1 promotes TWIST1-mediated gene expression to assist wound healing. FIR might promote skin wound healing in a rat model.

  12. Cell-Cell Contact Area Affects Notch Signaling and Notch-Dependent Patterning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaya, Oren; Binshtok, Udi; Hersch, Micha; Rivkin, Dmitri; Weinreb, Sheila; Amir-Zilberstein, Liat; Khamaisi, Bassma; Oppenheim, Olya; Desai, Ravi A; Goodyear, Richard J; Richardson, Guy P; Chen, Christopher S; Sprinzak, David

    2017-03-13

    During development, cells undergo dramatic changes in their morphology. By affecting contact geometry, these morphological changes could influence cellular communication. However, it has remained unclear whether and how signaling depends on contact geometry. This question is particularly relevant for Notch signaling, which coordinates neighboring cell fates through direct cell-cell signaling. Using micropatterning with a receptor trans-endocytosis assay, we show that signaling between pairs of cells correlates with their contact area. This relationship extends across contact diameters ranging from micrometers to tens of micrometers. Mathematical modeling predicts that dependence of signaling on contact area can bias cellular differentiation in Notch-mediated lateral inhibition processes, such that smaller cells are more likely to differentiate into signal-producing cells. Consistent with this prediction, analysis of developing chick inner ear revealed that ligand-producing hair cell precursors have smaller apical footprints than non-hair cells. Together, these results highlight the influence of cell morphology on fate determination processes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Down-regulation of Notch-1 by γ-secretase inhibitor suppress the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ajl yemi

    2011-11-30

    Nov 30, 2011 ... Notch-1 signaling is crucial for stem cell maintenance and in a variety of tissues. Previous ... family of transcription factors (CBF-1/RBP-Jk, Su (h) and. LAG-1) .... prostate stem cell renew and cell differentiation (Chhipa,. 2011).

  14. Notch signaling mediates granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor priming-induced transendothelial migration of human eosinophils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, L Y; Wang, H; Xenakis, J J; Spencer, L A

    2015-07-01

    Priming with cytokines such as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) enhances eosinophil migration and exacerbates the excessive accumulation of eosinophils within the bronchial mucosa of asthmatics. However, mechanisms that drive GM-CSF priming are incompletely understood. Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that regulates cellular processes, including migration, by integrating exogenous and cell-intrinsic cues. This study investigates the hypothesis that the priming-induced enhanced migration of human eosinophils requires the Notch signaling pathway. Using pan Notch inhibitors and newly developed human antibodies that specifically neutralize Notch receptor 1 activation, we investigated a role for Notch signaling in GM-CSF-primed transmigration of human blood eosinophils in vitro and in the airway accumulation of mouse eosinophils in vivo. Notch receptor 1 was constitutively active in freshly isolated human blood eosinophils, and inhibition of Notch signaling or specific blockade of Notch receptor 1 activation during GM-CSF priming impaired priming-enhanced eosinophil transendothelial migration in vitro. Inclusion of Notch signaling inhibitors during priming was associated with diminished ERK phosphorylation, and ERK-MAPK activation was required for GM-CSF priming-induced transmigration. In vivo in mice, eosinophil accumulation within allergic airways was impaired following systemic treatment with Notch inhibitor, or adoptive transfer of eosinophils treated ex vivo with Notch inhibitor. These data identify Notch signaling as an intrinsic pathway central to GM-CSF priming-induced eosinophil tissue migration. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Notch signaling regulates expression of Mcl-1 and apoptosis in PPD-treated macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palaga, Tanapat; Ratanabunyong, Siriluk; Pattarakankul, Thitiporn; Sangphech, Naunpun; Wongchana, Wipawee; Hadae, Yukihiro; Kueanjinda, Patipark

    2013-09-01

    Macrophages are cellular targets for infection by bacteria and viruses. The fate of infected macrophages plays a key role in determining the outcome of the host immune response. Apoptotic cell death of macrophages is considered to be a protective host defense that eliminates pathogens and infected cells. In this study, we investigated the involvement of Notch signaling in regulating apoptosis in macrophages treated with tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD). Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) treated with PPD or infected with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induced upregulation of Notch1. This upregulation correlated well with the upregulation of the anti-apoptotic gene mcl-1 both at the transcriptional and translational levels. Decreased levels of Notch1 and Mcl-1 were observed in BMM treated with PPD when a gamma secretase inhibitor (GSI), which inhibits the processing of Notch receptors, was used. Moreover, silencing Notch1 in the macrophage-like cell line RAW264.7 decreased Mcl-1 protein expression, suggesting that Notch1 is critical for Mcl-1 expression in macrophages. A significant increase in apoptotic cells was observed upon treatment of BMM with PPD in the presence of GSI compared to the vehicle-control treated cells. Finally, analysis of the mcl-1 promoter in humans and mice revealed a conserved potential CSL/RBP-Jκ binding site. The association of Notch1 with the mcl-1 promoter was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Taken together, these results indicate that Notch1 inhibits apoptosis of macrophages stimulated with PPD by directly controlling the mcl-1 promoter.

  16. Notch signaling protects retina from nuclear factor-kB- and poly-ADP-ribosepolymerase-mediated apoptosis under high-glucose stimulation

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Xiuhong Qin1; Zhenzhen Zhang2; Haitao Xu1; and Yazhen Wu1

    2011-01-01

    Proliferative diabetic retinopathy,the primary cause of vision loss in adults,is one of serious microvascular complications caused by diabetes.Both poly-ADP-ribosepolymerase (PARP) and nuclear factor (NF)-kB signaling are involved in the injury process.Injury activates PARP,which in turn potentiates NF-kB activation and causes cell apoptosis.Like the NF-kB pathway,Notch1 signaling plays a key role in the regulation of cell proliferation,differentiation,and apoptosis.However,the connections between these signaling pathways are not well understood.In this study,we used both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice and human retinal vascular endothelial cells (HRVECs) cultured in high glucose to detect these relationships.We found that apoptosis was increased in both STZinduced diabetic mice and high-glucose-treated HRVECs,which was due to increased activation of PARP,cleaved caspase3,and reduced expression of Notch1 and p-Akt.The results of Notch1 overexpression and knockdown indicated that Notch1 signaling participated in the interaction of PARP and p50,and inhibited PARP- and p50-mediated apoptosis directly.These phenomena could be blocked by pretreatment with the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin via reducing p-Akt levels.Thus,our study demonstrated that Notch1 signaling protects cells from PARP- and NF-kB-induced apoptosis under high glucose through the activation of Akt.

  17. Notch signaling and progenitor/ductular reaction in steatohepatitis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carola M Morell

    Full Text Available Persistent hepatic progenitor cells (HPC activation resulting in ductular reaction (DR is responsible for pathologic liver repair in cholangiopathies. Also, HPC/DR expansion correlates with fibrosis in several chronic liver diseases, including steatohepatitis. Increasing evidence indicates Notch signaling as a key regulator of HPC/DR response in biliary and more in general liver injuries. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the role of Notch during HPC/DR activation in a mouse model of steatohepatitis.Steatohepatitis was generated using methionine-choline deficient (MCD diet. For hepatocyte lineage tracing, R26R-YFP mice were infected with AAV8-TBG-Cre.MCD diet promoted a strong HPC/DR response that progressively diffused in the lobule, and correlated with increased fibrosis and TGF-β1 expression. Notch signaling was unchanged in laser-capture microdissected HPC/DR, whereas Notch receptors were down regulated in hepatocytes. However, in-vivo lineage tracing experiments identified discrete hepatocytes showing Notch-1 activation and expressing (the Notch-dependent Sox9. Stimulation of AML-12 hepatocyte-cell line with immobilized Jag1 induced Sox9 and down-regulated albumin and BSEP expression. TGF-β1 treatment in primary hepatic stellate cells (HSC induced Jag1 expression. In MCD diet-fed mice, αSMA-positive HSC were localized around Sox9 expressing hepatocytes, suggesting that Notch activation in hepatocytes was promoted by TGF-β1 stimulated HSC. In-vivo Notch inhibition reduced HPC response and fibrosis progression.Our data suggest that Notch signaling is an important regulator of DR and that in steatohepatitis, hepatocytes exposed to Jag1-positive HSC, contribute to pathologic DR by undergoing Notch-mediated differentiation towards an HPC-like phenotype. Given the roles of Notch in fibrosis and liver cancer, these data suggest mesenchymal expression of Jag1 as an alternative therapeutic target.

  18. Notching on cancer’s door: Notch signaling in brain tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcin eTeodorczyk

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Notch receptors play an essential role in the regulation of central cellular processes during embryonic and postnatal development. The mammalian genome encodes for four Notch paralogs (Notch 1-4, which are activated by three Delta-like (Dll1/3/4 and two Serrate-like (Jagged1/2 ligands. Further, non-canonical Notch ligands such as EGFL7 have been identified and serve mostly as antagonists of Notch signaling. The Notch pathway prevents neuronal differentiation in the central nervous system by driving neural stem cell maintenance and commitment of neural progenitor cells into the glial lineage. Notch is therefore often implicated in the development of brain tumors, as tumor cells share various characteristics with neural stem and progenitor cells. Notch receptors are overexpressed in gliomas and their oncogenicity has been confirmed by gain- and loss-of-function studies in vitro and in vivo. To this end, special attention is paid to the impact of Notch signaling on stem-like brain tumor-propagating cells as these cells contribute to growth, survival, invasion and recurrence of brain tumors. Based on the outcome of ongoing studies in vivo, Notch-directed therapies such as γ secretase inhibitors and blocking antibodies have entered and completed various clinical trials. This review summarizes the current knowledge on Notch signaling in brain tumor formation and therapy.

  19. Notch2 Signaling Maintains NSC Quiescence in the Murine Ventricular-Subventricular Zone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Engler

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Neurogenesis continues in the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ of the adult forebrain from quiescent neural stem cells (NSCs. V-SVZ NSCs are a reservoir for new olfactory bulb (OB neurons that migrate through the rostral migratory stream (RMS. To generate neurons, V-SVZ NSCs need to activate and enter the cell cycle. The mechanisms underlying NSC transition from quiescence to activity are poorly understood. We show that Notch2, but not Notch1, signaling conveys quiescence to V-SVZ NSCs by repressing cell-cycle-related genes and neurogenesis. Loss of Notch2 activates quiescent NSCs, which proliferate and generate new neurons of the OB lineage. Notch2 deficiency results in accelerated V-SVZ NSC exhaustion and an aging-like phenotype. Simultaneous loss of Notch1 and Notch2 resembled the total loss of Rbpj-mediated canonical Notch signaling; thus, Notch2 functions are not compensated in NSCs, and Notch2 is indispensable for the maintenance of NSC quiescence in the adult V-SVZ.

  20. The adhesion force of Notch with Delta and the rate of Notch signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahimou, Francois; Mok, Lee-Peng; Bardot, Boris; Wesley, Cedric

    2004-12-20

    Notch signaling is repeatedly used during animal development to specify cell fates. Using atomic force microscopy on live cells, chemical inhibitors, and conventional analyses, we show that the rate of Notch signaling is linked to the adhesion force between cells expressing Notch receptors and Delta ligand. Both the Notch extracellular and intracellular domains are required for the high adhesion force with Delta. This high adhesion force is lost within minutes, primarily due to the action of Presenilin on Notch. Reduced turnover or Delta pulling accelerate this loss. These data suggest that strong adhesion between Notch and Delta might serve as a booster for initiating Notch signaling at a high rate.

  1. Functional studies on the role of Notch signaling in Hydractinia development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gahan, James M; Schnitzler, Christine E; DuBuc, Timothy Q; Doonan, Liam B; Kanska, Justyna; Gornik, Sebastian G; Barreira, Sofia; Thompson, Kerry; Schiffer, Philipp; Baxevanis, Andreas D; Frank, Uri

    2017-08-01

    The function of Notch signaling was previously studied in two cnidarians, Hydra and Nematostella, representing the lineages Hydrozoa and Anthozoa, respectively. Using pharmacological inhibition in Hydra and a combination of pharmacological and genetic approaches in Nematostella, it was shown in both animals that Notch is required for tentacle morphogenesis and for late stages of stinging cell maturation. Surprisingly, a role for Notch in neural development, which is well documented in bilaterians, was evident in embryonic Nematostella but not in adult Hydra. Adult neurogenesis in the latter seemed to be unaffected by DAPT, a drug that inhibits Notch signaling. To address this apparent discrepancy, we studied the role of Notch in Hydractinia echinata, an additional hydrozoan, in all life stages. Using CRISPR-Cas9 mediated mutagenesis, transgenesis, and pharmacological interference we show that Notch is dispensable for Hydractinia normal neurogenesis in all life stages but is required for the maturation of stinging cells and for tentacle morphogenesis. Our results are consistent with a conserved role for Notch in morphogenesis and nematogenesis across Cnidaria, and a lineage-specific loss of Notch dependence in neurogenesis in hydrozoans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Notch signaling mediates hypoxia-induced tumor cell migration and invasion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sahlgren, C.; Gustafsson, M.V.; Jin, S.; Poellinger, L.; Lendahl, U.

    2008-01-01

    Tumor hypoxia is linked to increased metastatic potential, but the molecular mechanisms coupling hypoxia to metastasis are poorly understood. Here, we show that Notch signaling is required to convert the hypoxic stimulus into epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), increased motility, and

  3. The bHLH factors Dpn and members of the E(spl complex mediate the function of Notch signalling regulating cell proliferation during wing disc development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beatriz P. San Juan

    2012-05-01

    The Notch signalling pathway plays an essential role in the intricate control of cell proliferation and pattern formation in many organs during animal development. In addition, mutations in most members of this pathway are well characterized and frequently lead to tumour formation. The Drosophila imaginal wing discs have provided a suitable model system for the genetic and molecular analysis of the different pathway functions. During disc development, Notch signalling at the presumptive wing margin is necessary for the restricted activation of genes required for pattern formation control and disc proliferation. Interestingly, in different cellular contexts within the wing disc, Notch can either promote cell proliferation or can block the G1-S transition by negatively regulating the expression of dmyc and bantam micro RNA. The target genes of Notch signalling that are required for these functions have not been identified. Here, we show that the Hes vertebrate homolog, deadpan (dpn, and the Enhancer-of-split complex (E(splC genes act redundantly and cooperatively to mediate the Notch signalling function regulating cell proliferation during wing disc development.

  4. Role of Notch signaling in the mammalian heart

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, X.L.; Liu, J.C. [Department of Cardiac Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Donghu District, Nanchang, Jiangxi (China)

    2013-12-12

    Notch signaling is an evolutionarily ancient, highly conserved pathway important for deciding cell fate, cellular development, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, adhesion, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Notch signaling is also critical in mammalian cardiogenesis, as mutations in this signaling pathway are linked to human congenital heart disease. Furthermore, Notch signaling can repair myocardial injury by promoting myocardial regeneration, protecting ischemic myocardium, inducing angiogenesis, and negatively regulating cardiac fibroblast-myofibroblast transformation. This review provides an update on the known roles of Notch signaling in the mammalian heart. The goal is to assist in developing strategies to influence Notch signaling and optimize myocardial injury repair.

  5. Dll1- and Dll4-mediated Notch signaling is required for homeostasis of intestinal stem cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellegrinet, Luca; Rodilla, Veronica; Liu, Zhenyi; Chen, Shuang; Koch, Ute; Espinosa, Lluis; Kaestner, Klaus H.; Kopan, Raphael; Lewis, Julian; Radtke, Freddy

    2011-01-01

    Background & Aims Ablation of Notch signaling within the intestinal epithelium results in loss of proliferating crypt progenitors, due to their conversion into post-mitotic secretory cells. We aimed to confirm that Notch was active in stem cells (SC), investigate consequences of loss of Notch signaling within the intestinal SC compartment, and identify the physiological ligands of Notch in mouse intestine. Furthermore, we investigated whether the induction of goblet cell differentiation that results from loss of Notch requires the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4). Methods Trasgenic mice that carried a reporter of Notch1 activation were used for lineage tracing experiments. The in vivo functions of the Notch ligands Jagged1 (Jag1), Delta-like1 (Dll1), Delta-like4 (Dll4), and the transcription factor Klf4 were assessed in mice with inducible, gut-specific gene targeting (Vil-Cre-ERT2). Results Notch1 signaling was found to be activated in intestinal SC. Although deletion of Jag1 or Dll4 did not perturb the intestinal epithelium, inactivation of Dll1 resulted in a moderate increase in number of goblet cells without noticeable effects of progenitor proliferation. However, simultaneous inactivation of Dll1 and Dll4 resulted in the complete conversion of proliferating progenitors into post-mitotic goblet cells, concomitant with loss of SC (Olfm4+, Lgr5+ and Ascl2+). Klf4 inactivation did not interfere with goblet cell differentiation in adult wild-type or in Notch pathway-deficient gut. Conclusions Notch signaling in SC and progenitors is activated by Dll1 and Dll4 ligands and is required for maintenance of intestinal progenitor and SC. Klf4 is dispensable for goblet cell differentiation in intestines of adult Notch-deficient mice. PMID:21238454

  6. Dll1- and dll4-mediated notch signaling are required for homeostasis of intestinal stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pellegrinet, Luca; Rodilla, Veronica; Liu, Zhenyi; Chen, Shuang; Koch, Ute; Espinosa, Lluis; Kaestner, Klaus H; Kopan, Raphael; Lewis, Julian; Radtke, Freddy

    2011-04-01

    Ablation of Notch signaling within the intestinal epithelium results in loss of proliferating crypt progenitors due to their conversion into postmitotic secretory cells. We aimed to confirm that Notch was active in stem cells (SCs), investigate consequences of loss of Notch signaling within the intestinal SC compartment, and identify the physiologic ligands of Notch in mouse intestine. Furthermore, we investigated whether the induction of goblet cell differentiation that results from loss of Notch requires the transcription factor Krüppel-like factor 4 (Klf4). Transgenic mice that carried a reporter of Notch1 activation were used for lineage tracing experiments. The in vivo functions of the Notch ligands Jagged1 (Jag1), Delta-like1 (Dll1), Delta-like4 (Dll4), and the transcription factor Klf4 were assessed in mice with inducible, gut-specific gene targeting (Vil-Cre-ER(T2)). Notch1 signaling was found to be activated in intestinal SCs. Although deletion of Jag1 or Dll4 did not perturb the intestinal epithelium, inactivation of Dll1 resulted in a moderate increase in number of goblet cells without noticeable effects of progenitor proliferation. However, simultaneous inactivation of Dll1 and Dll4 resulted in the complete conversion of proliferating progenitors into postmitotic goblet cells, concomitant with loss of SCs (Olfm4(+), Lgr5(+), and Ascl2(+)). Klf4 inactivation did not interfere with goblet cell differentiation in adult wild-type or in Notch pathway-deficient gut. Notch signaling in SCs and progenitors is activated by Dll1 and Dll4 ligands and is required for maintenance of intestinal progenitor and SCs. Klf4 is dispensable for goblet cell differentiation in intestines of adult Notch-deficient mice. Copyright © 2011 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Notch-1 mediates hypoxia-induced angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Wei; Sweeney, Catherine; Connolly, Mary; Kennedy, Aisling; Ng, Chin Teck; McCormick, Jennifer; Veale, Douglas J; Fearon, Ursula

    2012-07-01

    To examine the effect of hypoxia on Notch-1 signaling pathway components and angiogenesis in inflammatory arthritis. The expression and regulation of Notch-1, its ligand delta-like protein 4 (DLL-4) and downstream signaling components (hairy-related transcription factor 1 [HRT-1], HRT-2), and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) under normoxic and hypoxic conditions (1-3%) were assessed in synovial tissue specimens from patients with inflammatory arthritis and controls and in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) by immunohistology, dual immunofluorescence staining (Notch-1/factor VIII), Western blotting, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. In vivo synovial tissue oxygen levels (tissue PO2) were measured under direct visualization at arthroscopy. HDMEC activation under hypoxic conditions in the presence of Notch-1 small interfering RNA (siRNA), the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT, or dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG) was assessed by Matrigel tube formation assay, migration assay, invasion assay, and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2)/MMP-9 zymography. Expression of Notch-1, its ligand DLL-4, and HRT-1 was demonstrated in synovial tissue, with the strongest expression localized to perivascular/vascular regions. Localization of Notch-1 to synovial endothelium was confirmed by dual immunofluorescence staining. Notch-1 intracellular domain (NICD) expression was significantly higher in synovial tissue from patients with tissue PO2 of PO2 of >20 mm Hg (>3% O2). Exposure of HDMECs to 3% hypoxia induced HIF-1α and NICD protein expression and DLL-4, HRT-1, and HRT-2 messenger RNA expression. DMOG directly induced NICD expression, while Notch-1 siRNA inhibited hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression, suggesting that Notch-1/HIF-1α signaling is bidirectional. Finally, 3% hypoxia-induced angiogenesis, endothelial cell migration, endothelial cell invasion, and proMMP-2 and proMMP-9 activities were inhibited by Notch-1 siRNA and/or the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT. Our

  8. [Notch1 signaling participates in the release of inflammatory mediators in mouse RAW264.7 cells via activating NF-κB pathway].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hongwei; Xu, Che Nan; Huang, Chao; Jiang, Jinzhi; Li, Liangchang

    2017-10-01

    Objective To study the effect of Notch1 signaling on the release of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophages and the related mechanism. Methods The expressions of Notch1 and hairy and enhancer of split 1 (Hes1) mRNAs were investigated by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) in mouse RAW264.7 cells after stimulated with 100 ng/mL LPS for 8 hours. Prior to stimulation with LPS, mouse RAW264.7 cells were treated with DAPT (10 μmol/L), an inhibitor of Notch1 signaling, for 1 hour. The concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) in cell culture media were measured by ELISA. The mRNA levels of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were examined by RT-PCR. The protein levels of iNOS, COX-2, nuclear factor kappa Bp65 (NF-κBp65) and phosphorylated nuclear factor κB inhibitor α (p-IκBα) were detected by Western blotting. Results The expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNAs significantly increased in mouse RAW264.7 cells after stimulated with LPS. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, NO and PGE 2 were significantly up-regulated in cell culture media after stimulated with LPS, but the levels of those inflammatory mediators were reduced by DAPT. The mRNA and protein levels of iNOS and COX-2 were significant raised in mouse RAW264.7 cells after stimulated with LPS, while they were inhibited by DAPT. Both IκBα-phosphorylation and NF-κBp65 translocation into nuclear in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells were also inhibited by DAPT. Conclusion Notch1 signaling activates NF-κB to participate in LPS-induced inflammatory mediator release in macrophages.

  9. Identification of 11-amino acid peptides that disrupt Notch-mediated processes in Drosophila

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeh Hsiao-Fong

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The conserved Notch signaling pathway regulates cell fate decisions and maintains stem cells in multicellular organisms. Up-regulation of Notch signaling is observed in several types of cancer and is causally involved in proliferation and survival of cancer cells. Thus, it is of great interest to look for anti-Notch reagents for therapeutic purposes. In model animal Drosophila, Notch signaling restricts selection of sensory organ precursors (SOPs during external sensory (ES organ development. To look for novel genes that can suppress Notch signaling, we performed a gain-of-function modifier screen to look for genes that enhance the phenotype of ectopic ES organs induced by overexpression of phyllopod, a gene required for SOP specification. Results From the gain-of-function screen, we discovered that overexpression of polished rice/tarsal-less (pri/tal increases the numbers of ES organs as well as SOPs. pri/tal is a polycistronic gene that contains four short open reading frames encoding three 11-amino acid and one 32-amino acid peptides. Ectopic expression of the 11 amino-acid peptides recapitulates the pri/tal misexpression phenotype in ectopic ES organ formation. In situ hybridization experiment reveals that pri/tal mRNA is expressed in the SOPs of the chemosensory organs and the stretch-sensing chordotonal organs. In Drosophila wing development, the Notch signaling pathway mediates the formation of the dorsal-ventral (DV compartmental boundary and the restriction of the vein width from the primordial veins, the proveins. We also found that pri/tal mRNA is expressed in the DV boundary and the longitudinal proveins, and overexpression of Pri/Tal peptides disrupts the DV boundary formation and helps to expand the width of the wing vein. Genetic analyses further show that a Notch loss-of-function allele strongly enhances these two phenotypes. Cut and E(splmβ are target genes of the Notch pathway in DV boundary formation and

  10. Intracellular-activated Notch1 can reactivate Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus from latency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lan, Ke; Murakami, Masanao; Choudhuri, Tathagata; Kuppers, Daniel A.; Robertson, Erle S.

    2006-01-01

    Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) establishes a predominantly latent infection in the infected host. Importantly, during latency, only a small number of viral encoded genes are expressed. This viral gene expression pattern contributes to the establishment of long-term infection as well as the ability of the virus to evade the immune system. Previous studies have been shown that the replication and transcription activator (RTA) encoded by ORF50 activates it downstream genes and initiates viral lytic reactivation through functional interaction with RBP-Jκ, the major downstream effector of the Notch signaling pathway. This indicates that RTA can usurp the conserved Notch signaling pathway and mimic the activities of intracellular Notch1 to modulate gene expression. In this report, we show that the activated intracellular domain of Notch1 (ICN) is aberrantly accumulated in KSHV latently infected pleural effusion lymphoma (PEL) cells. ICN activated the RTA promoter in a dose-dependent manner, and forced expression of ICN in latently infected KSHV-positive cells initiated full blown lytic replication with the production of infectious viral progeny. However, latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) which is predominantly expressed during latency can specifically down-modulate ICN-mediated transactivation of RTA and so control KSHV for lytic reactivation. These results demonstrate that LANA can inhibit viral lytic replication by antagonizing ICN function and suggest that LANA is a critical component of the regulatory control mechanism for switching between viral latent and lytic replication by directly interacting with effectors of the conserved cellular Notch1 pathway

  11. Reduced Notch signalling leads to postnatal skeletal muscle hypertrophy in Pofut1cax/cax mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Jaam, Bilal; Heu, Katy; Pennarubia, Florian; Segelle, Alexandre; Magnol, Laetitia; Germot, Agnès; Legardinier, Sébastien; Blanquet, Véronique; Maftah, Abderrahman

    2016-09-01

    Postnatal skeletal muscle growth results from the activation of satellite cells and/or an increase in protein synthesis. The Notch signalling pathway maintains satellite cells in a quiescent state, and once activated, sustains their proliferation and commitment towards differentiation. In mammals, POFUT1-mediated O-fucosylation regulates the interactions between NOTCH receptors and ligands of the DELTA/JAGGED family, thus initiating the activation of canonical Notch signalling. Here, we analysed the consequences of downregulated expression of the Pofut1 gene on postnatal muscle growth in mutant Pofut1(cax/cax) (cax, compact axial skeleton) mice and differentiation of their satellite cell-derived myoblasts (SCDMs). Pofut1(cax/cax) mice exhibited muscle hypertrophy, no hyperplasia and a decrease in satellite cell numbers compared with wild-type C3H mice. In agreement with these observations, Pofut1(cax/cax) SCDMs differentiated earlier concomitant with reduced Pax7 expression and decrease in PAX7(+)/MYOD(-) progenitor cells. In vitro binding assays showed a reduced interaction of DELTA-LIKE 1 ligand (DLL1) with NOTCH receptors expressed at the cell surface of SCDMs, leading to a decreased Notch signalling as seen by the quantification of cleaved NICD and Notch target genes. These results demonstrated that POFUT1-mediated O-fucosylation of NOTCH receptors regulates myogenic cell differentiation and affects postnatal muscle growth in mice. © 2016 The Authors.

  12. Endosomal sorting of Notch receptors through COMMD9-dependent pathways modulates Notch signaling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li, Haiying; Koo, Yeon; Mao, Xicheng; Sifuentes-Dominguez, Luis; Morris, Lindsey L.; Jia, Da; Miyata, Naoteru; Faulkner, Rebecca A.; van Deursen, Jan M.; Vooijs, Marc; Billadeau, Daniel D.; van de Sluis, Bart; Cleaver, Orane; Burstein, Ezra

    2015-01-01

    Notch family members are transmembrane receptors that mediate essential developmental programs. Upon ligand binding, a proteolytic event releases the intracellular domain of Notch, which translocates to the nucleus to regulate gene transcription. In addition, Notch trafficking across the

  13. The adhesion force of Notch with Delta and the rate of Notch signaling

    OpenAIRE

    Ahimou, Francois; Mok, Lee-Peng; Bardot, Boris; Wesley, Cedric

    2004-01-01

    Notch signaling is repeatedly used during animal development to specify cell fates. Using atomic force microscopy on live cells, chemical inhibitors, and conventional analyses, we show that the rate of Notch signaling is linked to the adhesion force between cells expressing Notch receptors and Delta ligand. Both the Notch extracellular and intracellular domains are required for the high adhesion force with Delta. This high adhesion force is lost within minutes, primarily due to the action of ...

  14. Oncogenic Notch signaling in T-cell and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiang, Mark Y; Radojcic, Vedran; Maillard, Ivan

    2016-07-01

    This article highlights recent discoveries about Notch activation and its oncogenic functions in lymphoid malignancies, and discusses the therapeutic potential of Notch inhibition. NOTCH mutations arise in a broad spectrum of lymphoid malignancies and are increasingly scrutinized as putative therapeutic targets. In T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), NOTCH1 mutations affect the extracellular negative regulatory region and lead to constitutive Notch activation, although mutated receptors remain sensitive to Notch ligands. Other NOTCH1 mutations in T-ALL and NOTCH1/2 mutations in multiple B-cell malignancies truncate the C-terminal proline (P), glutamic acid (E), serine (S), threonine (T)-rich (PEST) domain, leading to decreased Notch degradation after ligand-mediated activation. Thus, targeting Notch ligand-receptor interactions could provide therapeutic benefits. In addition, we discuss recent reports on clinical testing of Notch inhibitors in T-ALL that influenced contemporary thinking on the challenges of targeting Notch in cancer. We review advances in the laboratory to address these challenges in regards to drug targets, the Notch-driven metabolome, and the sophisticated protein-protein interactions at Notch-dependent superenhancers that underlie oncogenic Notch functions. Notch signaling is a recurrent oncogenic pathway in multiple T- and B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Understanding the complexity and consequences of Notch activation is critical to define optimal therapeutic strategies targeting the Notch pathway.

  15. An obligatory role of mind bomb-1 in notch signaling of mammalian development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bon-Kyoung Koo

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available The Notch signaling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved intercellular signaling module essential for cell fate specification that requires endocytosis of Notch ligands. Structurally distinct E3 ubiquitin ligases, Neuralized (Neur and Mind bomb (Mib, cooperatively regulate the endocytosis of Notch ligands in Drosophila. However, the respective roles of the mammalian E3 ubiquitin ligases, Neur1, Neur2, Mib1, and Mib2, in mammalian development are poorly understood.Through extensive use of mammalian genetics, here we show that Neur1 and Neur2 double mutants and Mib2(-/- mice were viable and grossly normal. In contrast, conditional inactivation of Mib1 in various tissues revealed the representative Notch phenotypes: defects of arterial specification as deltalike4 mutants, abnormal cerebellum and skin development as jagged1 conditional mutants, and syndactylism as jagged2 mutants.Our data provide the first evidence that Mib1 is essential for Jagged as well as Deltalike ligand-mediated Notch signaling in mammalian development, while Neur1, Neur2, and Mib2 are dispensable.

  16. Epstein-Barr virus nuclear protein 3C binds to the N-terminal (NTD) and beta trefoil domains (BTD) of RBP/CSL; Only the NTD interaction is essential for lymphoblastoid cell growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Calderwood, Michael A.; Lee, Sungwook; Holthaus, Amy M.; Blacklow, Stephen C.; Kieff, Elliott; Johannsen, Eric

    2011-01-01

    Association of EBV nuclear proteins EBNA2, EBNA3A and EBNA3C with RBP/CSL, is essential for lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) proliferation. Conserved residues in the EBNA3 homology domain, required for RBP/CSL interaction, lack the WΦP motif that mediates EBNA2 and Notch binding to the RBP/CSL beta-trefoil domain (BTD). We map RBP/CSL interacting residues within EBNA3A(aa128-204) and EBNA3C(aa211-233). The EBNA3A results are consistent with an earlier report (aa125-222), but the EBNA3C domain is unexpectedly small and includes a 'WTP' sequence. This EBNA3C WTP motif confers RBP/CSL binding in vitro, in yeast, and in mammalian cells. Further, an EBNA3C WTP → STP(W227S) mutation impaired BTD binding whereas EBNA3 homology domain mutations disrupted RBP/CSL N-terminal domain (NTD) binding. WTP was not essential for EBNA3C repression of EBNA2 in reporter assays or for maintenance of LCL growth. Our results indicate that EBNA3 proteins interact with multiple RBP/CSL domains, but only NTD interactions are required for LCL growth.

  17. Notch Signaling: Piercing a Harness of Simplicity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Helbig, Christina; Amsen, Derk

    2015-01-01

    The Notch pathway is an attractive therapeutic target for treatment of cancer and T cell-mediated pathology, but Notch inhibition leads to many side effects. Pinnell et al. (2015) demonstrate that oncogenic functions can be separated biochemically from other functions of Notch, opening new options

  18. The Notch Signaling Pathway Is Balancing Type 1 Innate Lymphoid Cell Immune Functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thibaut Perchet

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available The Notch pathway is one of the canonical signaling pathways implicated in the development of various solid tumors. During carcinogenesis, the Notch pathway dysregulation induces tumor expression of Notch receptor ligands participating to escape the immune surveillance. The Notch pathway conditions both the development and the functional regulation of lymphoid subsets. Its importance on T cell subset polarization has been documented contrary to its action on innate lymphoid cells (ILC. We aim to analyze the effect of the Notch pathway on type 1 ILC polarization and functions after disruption of the RBPJk-dependent Notch signaling cascade. Indeed, type 1 ILC comprises conventional NK (cNK cells and type 1 helper innate lymphoid cells (ILC1 that share Notch-related functional characteristics such as the IFNg secretion downstream of T-bet expression. cNK cells have strong antitumor properties. However, data are controversial concerning ILC1 functions during carcinogenesis with models showing antitumoral capacities and others reporting ILC1 inability to control tumor growth. Using various mouse models of Notch signaling pathway depletion, we analyze the effects of its absence on type 1 ILC differentiation and cytotoxic functions. We also provide clues into its role in the maintenance of immune homeostasis in tissues. We show that modulating the Notch pathway is not only acting on tumor-specific T cell activity but also on ILC immune subset functions. Hence, our study uncovers the intrinsic Notch signaling pathway in ILC1/cNK populations and their response in case of abnormal Notch ligand expression. This study help evaluating the possible side effects mediated by immune cells different from T cells, in case of multivalent forms of the Notch receptor ligand delta 1 treatments. In definitive, it should help determining the best novel combination of therapeutic strategies in case of solid tumors.

  19. Characterization of Notch1 antibodies that inhibit signaling of both normal and mutated Notch1 receptors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Aste-Amézaga

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Notch receptors normally play a key role in guiding a variety of cell fate decisions during development and differentiation of metazoan organisms. On the other hand, dysregulation of Notch1 signaling is associated with many different types of cancer as well as tumor angiogenesis, making Notch1 a potential therapeutic target.Here we report the in vitro activities of inhibitory Notch1 monoclonal antibodies derived from cell-based and solid-phase screening of a phage display library. Two classes of antibodies were found, one directed against the EGF-repeat region that encompasses the ligand-binding domain (LBD, and the second directed against the activation switch of the receptor, the Notch negative regulatory region (NRR. The antibodies are selective for Notch1, inhibiting Jag2-dependent signaling by Notch1 but not by Notch 2 and 3 in reporter gene assays, with EC(50 values as low as 5+/-3 nM and 0.13+/-0.09 nM for the LBD and NRR antibodies, respectively, and fail to recognize Notch4. While more potent, NRR antibodies are incomplete antagonists of Notch1 signaling. The antagonistic activity of LBD, but not NRR, antibodies is strongly dependent on the activating ligand. Both LBD and NRR antibodies bind to Notch1 on human tumor cell lines and inhibit the expression of sentinel Notch target genes, including HES1, HES5, and DTX1. NRR antibodies also strongly inhibit ligand-independent signaling in heterologous cells transiently expressing Notch1 receptors with diverse NRR "class I" point mutations, the most common type of mutation found in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL. In contrast, NRR antibodies failed to antagonize Notch1 receptors bearing rare "class II" or "class III" mutations, in which amino acid insertions generate a duplicated or constitutively sensitive metalloprotease cleavage site. Signaling in T-ALL cell lines bearing class I mutations is partially refractory to inhibitory antibodies as compared to cell

  20. Notch signal reception is required in vascular smooth muscle cells for ductus arteriosus closure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krebs, Luke T.; Norton, Christine R.; Gridley, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Summary The ductus arteriosus is an arterial vessel that shunts blood flow away from the lungs during fetal life, but normally occludes after birth to establish the adult circulation pattern. Failure of the ductus arteriosus to close after birth is termed patent ductus arteriosus, and is one of the most common congenital heart defects. Our previous work demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle cell expression of the Jag1 gene, which encodes a ligand for Notch family receptors, is essential for postnatal closure of the ductus arteriosus in mice. However, it was not known what cell population was responsible for receiving the Jag1-mediated signal. Here we show, using smooth muscle cell-specific deletion of the Rbpj gene, which encodes a transcription factor that mediates all canonical Notch signaling, that Notch signal reception in the vascular smooth muscle cell compartment is required for ductus arteriosus closure. These data indicate that homotypic vascular smooth muscle cell interactions are required for proper contractile smooth muscle cell differentiation and postnatal closure of the ductus arteriosus in mice. PMID:26742650

  1. Increased retinol-free RBP4 contributes to insulin resistance in gestational diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yanmin; Lv, Ping; Du, Mengkai; Liang, Zhaoxia; Zhou, Menglin; Chen, Danqing

    2017-07-01

    Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a circulating retinol transporter that is strongly associated with insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the RBP4 and retinol level in rat model of gestational diabetes mellitus and the relationship between retinol-free RBP4 (apo-RBP4), retinol-bound RBP4 (holo-RBP4) and insulin resistance. Pregnant rats were administered streptozotocin to induce diabetes. The RBP4 and retinol levels were evaluated in GDM and normal pregnant rats. After then, normal pregnant rats were divided into two groups to receive either apo-RBP4 or vehicle injection. The metabolic parameters and insulin signaling in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle and liver were determined in apo-RBP4 and control groups. Primary human adipocytes were cultured in vitro with different proportions of apo-RBP4 and holo-RBP4 for 24 h. The interaction between RBP4 and STRA6 was assessed by co-immunoprecipitation, and the expression of JAK-STAT pathway and insulin signaling were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. We found increases in serum RBP4 levels and the RBP4:retinol ratio but not in the retinol levels in GDM rats. Exogenous apo-RBP4 injection attenuated insulin sensitivity in pregnant rats. In vitro, a prolonged interaction between RBP4 and STRA6 was observed when apo-RBP4 was present. In response to increased apo-RBP4 levels, cells showed elevated activation of the JAK2/STAT5 cascade and SOCS3 expression, decreased phosphorylation of IR and IRS1, and attenuated GLUT4 translocation and glucose uptake upon insulin stimulation. Apo-RBP4 is a ligand that activates the STRA6 signaling cascade, inducing insulin resistance in GDM.

  2. Roles of Notch1 Signaling in Regulating Satellite Cell Fates Choices and Postnatal Skeletal Myogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shan, Tizhong; Xu, Ziye; Wu, Weiche; Liu, Jiaqi; Wang, Yizhen

    2017-11-01

    Adult skeletal muscle stem cells, also called satellite cells, are indispensable for the growth, maintenance, and regeneration of the postnatal skeletal muscle. Satellite cells, predominantly quiescent in mature resting muscles, are activated after skeletal muscle injury or degeneration. Notch1 signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway that plays crucial roles in satellite cells homeostasis and postnatal skeletal myogenesis and regeneration. Activation of Notch1 signaling promotes the muscle satellite cells quiescence and proliferation, but inhibits differentiation of muscle satellite cells. Notably, the new roles of Notch1 signaling during late-stage of skeletal myogenesis including in post-differentiation myocytes and post-fusion myotubes have been recently reported. Here, we mainly review and discuss the regulatory roles of Notch1 in regulating satellite cell fates choices and skeletal myogenesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 2964-2967, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. INHIBITION OF THE DNA-BINDING ACTIVITY OF DROSOPHILA SUPPRESSOR OF HAIRLESS AND OF ITS HUMAN HOMOLOG, KBF2/RBP-J-KAPPA, BY DIRECT PROTEIN-PROTEIN INTERACTION WITH DROSOPHILA HAIRLESS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    BROU, C; LOGEAT, F; LECOURTOIS, M; VANDEKERCKHOVE, Joël; KOURILSKY, P; SCHWEISGUTH, F; ISRAEL, A

    1994-01-01

    We have purified the sequence-specific DNA-binding protein KBF2 and cloned the corresponding cDNA, which is derived from the previously described RBP-J kappa gene, the human homolog of the Drosophila Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] gene. Deletion studies of the RBP-J kappa and Su(H) proteins allowed

  4. Loss of Mel-18 enhances breast cancer stem cell activity and tumorigenicity through activating Notch signaling mediated by the Wnt/TCF pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Won, Hee-Young; Lee, Jeong-Yeon; Shin, Dong-Hui; Park, Ji-Hye; Nam, Jeong-Seok; Kim, Hyoung-Chin; Kong, Gu

    2012-12-01

    Mel-18 has been proposed as a negative regulator of Bmi-1, a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker, but it is still unclear whether Mel-18 is involved in CSC regulation. Here, we examined the effect of Mel-18 on the stemness of human breast CSCs. In Mel-18 small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-transduced MCF-7 cells, side population (SP) cells and breast CSC surface marker (CD44(+)/CD24(-)/ESA(+))-expressing cells, which imply a CSC population, were enriched. Moreover, the self-renewal of CSCs was enhanced by Mel-18 knockdown, as measured by the ability for tumorsphere formation in vitro and tumor-initiating capacity in vivo. Similarly, Mel-18 overexpression inhibited the number and self-renewal activity of breast CSCs in SK-BR-3 cells. Furthermore, our data showed that Mel-18 blockade up-regulated the expression of the Wnt/TCF target Jagged-1, a Notch ligand, and consequently activated the Notch pathway. Pharmacologic inhibition of the Notch and Wnt pathways abrogated Mel-18 knockdown-mediated tumorsphere formation ability. Taken together, our findings suggest that Mel-18 is a novel negative regulator of breast CSCs that inhibits the stem cell population and in vitro and in vivo self-renewal through the inactivation of Wnt-mediated Notch signaling.

  5. High levels of Notch signaling down-regulate Numb and Numblike

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Chapman, G.; Liu, L.; Sahlgren, C.; Dahlqvist, C.; Lendahl, U.

    2006-01-01

    Inhibition of Notch signaling by Numb is critical for many cell fate decisions. In this study, we demonstrate a more complex relationship between Notch and the two vertebrate Numb homologues Numb and Numblike. Although Numb and Numblike at low levels of Notch signaling negatively regulated Notch,

  6. The functional role of Notch signaling in human gliomas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stockhausen, Marie-Thérése; Kristoffersen, Karina; Poulsen, Hans Skovgaard

    2010-01-01

    have been referred to as brain cancer stem cells (bCSC), as they share similarities to normal neural stem cells in the brain. The Notch signaling pathway is involved in cell fate decisions throughout normal development and in stem cell proliferation and maintenance. The role of Notch in cancer is now...... firmly established, and recent data implicate a role for Notch signaling also in gliomas and bCSC. In this review, we explore the role of the Notch signaling pathway in gliomas with emphasis on its role in normal brain development and its interplay with pathways and processes that are characteristic...

  7. Notch Signaling Activation Is Associated with Patient Mortality and Increased FGF1-Mediated Invasion in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weaver, Alice N; Burch, M Benjamin; Cooper, Tiffiny S; Della Manna, Deborah L; Wei, Shi; Ojesina, Akinyemi I; Rosenthal, Eben L; Yang, Eddy S

    2016-09-01

    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a cancer subtype that lacks validated prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers, and human papillomavirus status has not proven beneficial in predicting patient outcomes. A gene expression pathway analysis was conducted using OSCC patient specimens to identify molecular targets that may improve management of this disease. RNA was isolated from 19 OSCCs treated surgically at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB; Birmingham, AL) and evaluated using the NanoString nCounter system. Results were confirmed using the oral cavity subdivision of the Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cancer (HNSCC) study generated by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network. Further characterization of the in vitro phenotype produced by Notch pathway activation in HNSCC cell lines included gene expression, proliferation, cell cycle, migration, invasion, and radiosensitivity. In both UAB and TCGA samples, Notch pathway upregulation was significantly correlated with patient mortality status and with expression of the proinvasive gene FGF1 In vitro Notch activation in HNSCC cells increased transcription of FGF1 and induced a marked increase in cell migration and invasion, which was fully abrogated by FGF1 knockdown. These results reveal that increased Notch pathway signaling plays a role in cancer progression and patient outcomes in OSCC. Accordingly, the Notch-FGF interaction should be further studied as a prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for OSCC. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity who succumb to their disease are more likely to have upregulated Notch signaling, which may mediate a more invasive phenotype through increased FGF1 transcription. Mol Cancer Res; 14(9); 883-91. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  8. Evidence of non-canonical NOTCH signaling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Traustadóttir, Gunnhildur Ásta; Jensen, Charlotte H; Thomassen, Mads

    2016-01-01

    Dlk1(+/+) and Dlk1(-/-) mouse tissues at E16.5, we demonstrated that several NOTCH signaling pathways indeed are affected by DLK1 during tissue development, and this was supported by a lower activation of NOTCH1 protein in Dlk1(+/+) embryos. Likewise, but using a distinct Dlk1-manipulated (si...

  9. Ehrlichia chaffeensis TRP120 Activates Canonical Notch Signaling To Downregulate TLR2/4 Expression and Promote Intracellular Survival

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taslima T. Lina

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Ehrlichia chaffeensis preferentially targets mononuclear phagocytes and survives through a strategy of subverting innate immune defenses, but the mechanisms are unknown. We have shown E. chaffeensis type 1 secreted tandem repeat protein (TRP effectors are involved in diverse molecular pathogen-host interactions, such as the TRP120 interaction with the Notch receptor-cleaving metalloprotease ADAM17. In the present study, we demonstrate E. chaffeensis, via the TRP120 effector, activates the canonical Notch signaling pathway to promote intracellular survival. We found that nuclear translocation of the transcriptionally active Notch intracellular domain (NICD occurs in response to E. chaffeensis or recombinant TRP120, resulting in upregulation of Notch signaling pathway components and target genes notch1, adam17, hes, and hey. Significant differences in canonical Notch signaling gene expression levels (>40% were observed during early and late stages of infection, indicating activation of the Notch pathway. We linked Notch pathway activation specifically to the TRP120 effector, which directly interacts with the Notch metalloprotease ADAM17. Using pharmacological inhibitors and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs against γ-secretase enzyme, Notch transcription factor complex, Notch1, and ADAM17, we demonstrated that Notch signaling is required for ehrlichial survival. We studied the downstream effects and found that E. chaffeensis TRP120-mediated activation of the Notch pathway causes inhibition of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK pathways required for PU.1 and subsequent Toll-like receptor 2/4 (TLR2/4 expression. This investigation reveals a novel mechanism whereby E. chaffeensis exploits the Notch pathway to evade the host innate immune response for intracellular survival.

  10. Gene expression profiling of the Notch-AhR-IL22 axis at homeostasis and in response to tissue injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weidenbusch, Marc; Rodler, Severin; Song, Shangqing; Romoli, Simone; Marschner, Julian A; Kraft, Franziska; Holderied, Alexander; Kumar, Santosh; Mulay, Shrikant R; Honarpisheh, Mohsen; Kumar Devarapu, Satish; Lech, Maciej; Anders, Hans-Joachim

    2017-12-22

    Notch and interleukin-22 (IL-22) signaling are known to regulate tissue homeostasis and respond to injury in humans and mice, and the induction of endogenous aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) ligands through Notch links the two pathways in a hierarchical fashion. However in adults, the species-, organ- and injury-specific gene expression of the Notch-AhR-IL22 axis components is unknown. We therefore performed gene expression profiling of DLL1, DLL3, DLL4, DLK1, DLK2, JAG1, JAG2, Notch1, Notch2, Notch3, Notch4, ADAM17/TNF-α ADAM metalloprotease converting enzyme (TACE), PSEN1, basigin (BSG)/CD147, RBP-J, HES1, HES5, HEY1, HEYL, AHR, ARNT, ARNT2, CYP1A1, CYP24A1, IL-22, IL22RA1, IL22RA2, IL10RB, and STAT3 under homeostatic conditions in ten mature murine and human organs. Additionally, the expression of these genes was assessed in murine models of acute sterile inflammation and progressive fibrosis. We show that there are organ-specific gene expression profiles of the Notch-AhR-IL22 axis in humans and mice. Although there is an overall interspecies congruency, specific differences between human and murine expression signatures do exist. In murine tissues with AHR/ARNT expression CYP1A1 and IL-22 were correlated with HES5 and HEYL expression, while in human tissues no such correlation was found. Notch and AhR signaling are involved in renal inflammation and fibrosis with specific gene expression changes in each model. Despite the presence of all Notch pathway molecules in the kidney and a model-specific induction of Notch ligands, IL-22 was only up-regulated in acute inflammation, but rapidly down-regulated during regeneration. This implies that for targeting injury responses, e.g. via IL-22, species-specific differences, injury type and time points have to be considered. © 2017 The Author(s).

  11. Jagged2a-notch signaling mediates cell fate choice in the zebrafish pronephric duct.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Ma

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Pronephros, a developmental model for adult mammalian kidneys (metanephros and a functional kidney in early teleosts, consists of glomerulus, tubule, and duct. These structural and functional elements are responsible for different kidney functions, e.g., blood filtration, waste extraction, salt recovery, and water balance. During pronephros organogenesis, cell differentiation is a key step in generating different cell types in specific locations to accomplish designated functions. However, it is poorly understood what molecules regulate the differentiation of different cell types in different parts of the kidney. Two types of epithelial cells, multi-cilia cells and principal cells, are found in the epithelia of the zebrafish distal pronephric duct. While the former is characterized by at least 15 apically localized cilia and expresses centrin2 and rfx2, the latter is characterized by a single primary cilium and sodium pumps. Multi-cilia cells and principal cells differentiate from 17.5 hours post-fertilization onwards in a mosaic pattern. Jagged2a-Notch1a/Notch3-Her9 is responsible for specification and patterning of these two cell types through a lateral inhibition mechanism. Furthermore, multi-cilia cell hyperplasia was observed in mind bomb mutants and Mind bomb was shown to interact with Jagged2a and facilitate its internalization. Taken together, our findings add a new paradigm of Notch signaling in kidney development, namely, that Jagged2a-Notch signaling modulates cell fate choice in a nephric segment, the distal pronephric duct.

  12. Cell proliferation control by Notch signalling during imaginal discs development in Drosophila

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carlos Estella

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available The Notch signalling pathway is evolutionary conserved and participates in numerous developmental processes, including the control of cell proliferation. However, Notch signalling can promote or restrain cell division depending on the developmental context, as has been observed in human cancer where Notch can function as a tumor suppressor or an oncogene. Thus, the outcome of Notch signalling can be influenced by the cross-talk between Notch and other signalling pathways. The use of model organisms such as Drosophila has been proven to be very valuable to understand the developmental role of the Notch pathway in different tissues and its relationship with other signalling pathways during cell proliferation control. Here we review recent studies in Drosophila that shed light in the developmental control of cell proliferation by the Notch pathway in different contexts such as the eye, wing and leg imaginal discs. We also discuss the autonomous and non-autonomous effects of the Notch pathway on cell proliferation and its interactions with different signalling pathways.

  13. RBP4-STRA6 Pathway Drives Cancer Stem Cell Maintenance and Mediates High-Fat Diet-Induced Colon Carcinogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sheelarani Karunanithi

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available The transmembrane protein, STRA6, functions as a vitamin A transporter and a cytokine receptor when activated by vitamin A-bound serum retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4. STRA6 activation transduces a JAK2-STAT3 signaling cascade and promotes tumorigenesis in a xenograft mouse model of colon cancer. We show here that RBP4 and STRA6 expression is associated with poor oncologic prognosis. Downregulating STRA6 or RBP4 in colon cancer cells decreased the fraction of cancer stem cells and their sphere and tumor initiation frequency. Furthermore, we show that high-fat diet (HFD increases LGR5 expression and promotes tumor growth in a xenograft model independent of obesity. HFD increased STRA6 levels, and downregulation of STRA6 delays and impairs tumor initiation, tumor growth, and expression of stemness markers. Together, these data demonstrate a key role of STRA6 and RBP4 in the maintenance of colon cancer self-renewal and that this pathway is an important link through which consumption of HFD contributes to colon carcinogenesis.

  14. PKCζ regulates Notch receptor routing and activity in a Notch signaling-dependent manner

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sjöqvist, M.; Antfolk, D.; Ferraris, S.; Rraklli, V.; Haga, C.; Antila, C.; Mutvei, A.; Imanishi, S.Y.; Holmberg, J.; Jin, S.; Eriksson, J.E.; Lendahl, U.; Sahlgren, C.M.

    Activation of Notch signaling requires intracellular routing of the receptor, but the mechanisms controlling the distinct steps in the routing process is poorly understood. We identify PKCζ as a key regulator of Notch receptor intracellular routing. When PKCζ was inhibited in the developing chick

  15. Folic Acid supplementation stimulates notch signaling and cell proliferation in embryonic neural stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Huan; Huang, Guo-Wei; Zhang, Xu-Mei; Ren, Da-Lin; X Wilson, John

    2010-09-01

    The present study investigated the effect of folic acid supplementation on the Notch signaling pathway and cell proliferation in rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs). The NSCs were isolated from E14-16 rat brain and grown as neurospheres in serum-free suspension culture. Individual cultures were assigned to one of 3 treatment groups that differed according to the concentration of folic acid in the medium: Control (baseline folic acid concentration of 4 mg/l), low folic acid supplementation (4 mg/l above baseline, Folate-L) and high folic acid supplementation (40 mg/l above baseline, Folate-H). NSCs were identified by their expression of immunoreactive nestin and proliferating cells by incorporation of 5'bromo-2'deoxyuridine. Cell proliferation was also assessed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. Notch signaling was analyzed by real-time PCR and western blot analyses of the expression of Notch1 and hairy and enhancer of split 5 (Hes5). Supplementation of NSCs with folic acid increased the mRNA and protein expression levels of Notch1 and Hes5. Folic acid supplementation also stimulated NSC proliferation dose-dependently. Embryonic NSCs respond to folic acid supplementation with increased Notch signaling and cell proliferation. This mechanism may mediate the effects of folic acid supplementation on neurogenesis in the embryonic nervous system.

  16. The histone deacetylase HDAC1 positively regulates Notch signaling during Drosophila wing development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zehua Wang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The Notch signaling pathway is highly conserved across different animal species and plays crucial roles in development and physiology. Regulation of Notch signaling occurs at multiple levels in different tissues and cell types. Here, we show that the histone deacetylase HDAC1 acts as a positive regulator of Notch signaling during Drosophila wing development. Depletion of HDAC1 causes wing notches on the margin of adult wing. Consistently, the expression of Notch target genes is reduced in the absence of HDAC1 during wing margin formation. We further provide evidence that HDAC1 acts upstream of Notch activation. Mechanistically, we show that HDAC1 regulates Notch protein levels by promoting Notch transcription. Consistent with this, the HDAC1-associated transcriptional co-repressor Atrophin (Atro is also required for transcriptional activation of Notch in the wing disc. In summary, our results demonstrate that HDAC1 positively regulates Notch signaling and reveal a previously unidentified function of HDAC1 in Notch signaling.

  17. Notch signaling inhibitor DAPT provides protection against acute craniocerebral injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-Mei Zhang

    Full Text Available Notch signaling pathway is involved in many physiological and pathological processes. The γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT inhibits Notch signaling pathway and promotes nerve regeneration after cerebral ischemia. However, neuroprotective effects of DAPT against acute craniocerebral injury remain unclear. In this study, we established rat model of acute craniocerebral injury, and found that with the increase of damage grade, the expression of Notch and downstream protein Hes1 and Hes5 expression gradually increased. After the administration of DAPT, the expression of Notch, Hes1 and Hes5 was inhibited, apoptosis and oxidative stress decreased, neurological function and cognitive function improved. These results suggest that Notch signaling can be used as an indicator to assess the severity of post-traumatic brain injury. Notch inhibitor DAPT can reduce oxidative stress and apoptosis after acute craniocerebral injury, and is a potential drug for the treatment of acute craniocerebral injury.

  18. ALK1 signaling inhibits angiogenesis by cooperating with the Notch pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larrivée, Bruno; Prahst, Claudia; Gordon, Emma; del Toro, Raquel; Mathivet, Thomas; Duarte, Antonio; Simons, Michael; Eichmann, Anne

    2012-03-13

    Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1) is an endothelial-specific member of the TGF-β/BMP receptor family that is inactivated in patients with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT). How ALK1 signaling regulates angiogenesis remains incompletely understood. Here we show that ALK1 inhibits angiogenesis by cooperating with the Notch pathway. Blocking Alk1 signaling during postnatal development in mice leads to retinal hypervascularization and the appearance of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). Combined blockade of Alk1 and Notch signaling further exacerbates hypervascularization, whereas activation of Alk1 by its high-affinity ligand BMP9 rescues hypersprouting induced by Notch inhibition. Mechanistically, ALK1-dependent SMAD signaling synergizes with activated Notch in stalk cells to induce expression of the Notch targets HEY1 and HEY2, thereby repressing VEGF signaling, tip cell formation, and endothelial sprouting. Taken together, these results uncover a direct link between ALK1 and Notch signaling during vascular morphogenesis that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of HHT vascular lesions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Aberrant Regulation of Notch3 Signaling Pathway in Polycystic Kidney Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Idowu, Jessica; Home, Trisha; Patel, Nisha; Magenheimer, Brenda; Tran, Pamela V; Maser, Robin L; Ward, Christopher J; Calvet, James P; Wallace, Darren P; Sharma, Madhulika

    2018-02-20

    Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by fluid-filled cysts in the kidney and liver that ultimately leads to end-stage renal disease. Currently there is no globally approved therapy for PKD. The Notch signaling pathway regulates cellular processes such as proliferation and de-differentiation, which are cellular hallmarks of PKD. Thus we hypothesized that the Notch pathway plays a critical role in PKD. Evaluation of protein expression of Notch signaling components in kidneys of Autosomal Recessive PKD (ARPKD) and Autosomal Dominant PKD (ADPKD) mouse models and of ADPKD patients revealed that Notch pathway members, particularly Notch3, were consistently upregulated or activated in cyst-lining epithelial cells. Notch3 expression correlated with rapidly growing cysts and co-localized with the proliferation marker, PCNA. Importantly, Notch inhibition significantly decreased forskolin-induced Notch3 activation and proliferation of primary human ADPKD cells, and significantly reduced cyst formation and growth of human ADPKD cells cultured in collagen gels. Thus our data indicate that Notch3 is aberrantly activated and facilitates epithelial cell proliferation in PKD, and that inhibition of Notch signaling may prevent cyst formation and growth.

  20. Fringe proteins modulate Notch-ligand cis and trans interactions to specify signaling states.

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeBon, Lauren; Lee, Tom V; Sprinzak, David; Jafar-Nejad, Hamed; Elowitz, Michael B

    2014-09-25

    The Notch signaling pathway consists of multiple types of receptors and ligands, whose interactions can be tuned by Fringe glycosyltransferases. A major challenge is to determine how these components control the specificity and directionality of Notch signaling in developmental contexts. Here, we analyzed same-cell (cis) Notch-ligand interactions for Notch1, Dll1, and Jag1, and their dependence on Fringe protein expression in mammalian cells. We found that Dll1 and Jag1 can cis-inhibit Notch1, and Fringe proteins modulate these interactions in a way that parallels their effects on trans interactions. Fringe similarly modulated Notch-ligand cis interactions during Drosophila development. Based on these and previously identified interactions, we show how the design of the Notch signaling pathway leads to a restricted repertoire of signaling states that promote heterotypic signaling between distinct cell types, providing insight into the design principles of the Notch signaling system, and the specific developmental process of Drosophila dorsal-ventral boundary formation.

  1. Transgenic Mice Over-Expressing RBP4 Have RBP4-Dependent and Light-Independent Retinal Degeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Mei; Phelps, Eric; Balangue, Michael J; Dockins, Aaron; Moiseyev, Gennadiy; Shin, Younghwa; Kane, Shelley; Otalora, Laura; Ma, Jian-Xing; Farjo, Rafal; Farjo, Krysten M

    2017-08-01

    Transgenic mice overexpressing serum retinol-binding protein (RBP4-Tg) develop progressive retinal degeneration, characterized by microglia activation, yet the precise mechanisms underlying retinal degeneration are unclear. Previous studies showed RBP4-Tg mice have normal ocular retinoid levels, suggesting that degeneration is independent of the retinoid visual cycle or light exposure. The present study addresses whether retinal degeneration is light-dependent and RBP4-dependent by testing the effects of dark-rearing and pharmacological lowering of serum RBP4 levels, respectively. RBP4-Tg mice reared on normal mouse chow in normal cyclic light conditions were directly compared to RBP4-Tg mice exposed to chow supplemented with the RBP4-lowering compound A1120 or dark-rearing conditions. Quantitative retinal histological analysis was conducted to assess retinal degeneration, and electroretinography (ERG) and optokinetic tracking (OKT) tests were performed to assess retinal and visual function. Ocular retinoids and bis-retinoid A2E were quantified. Dark-rearing RBP4-Tg mice effectively reduced ocular bis-retinoid A2E levels, but had no significant effect on retinal degeneration or dysfunction in RBP4-Tg mice, demonstrating that retinal degeneration is light-independent. A1120 treatment lowered serum RBP4 levels similar to wild-type mice, and prevented structural retinal degeneration. However, A1120 treatment did not prevent retinal dysfunction in RBP4-Tg mice. Moreover, RBP4-Tg mice on A1120 diet had significant worsening of OKT response and loss of cone photoreceptors compared to RBP4-Tg mice on normal chow. This may be related to the very significant reduction in retinyl ester levels in the retina of mice on A1120-supplemented diet. Retinal degeneration in RBP4-Tg mice is RBP4-dependent and light-independent.

  2. Regulation of differentiation flux by Notch signalling influences the number of dopaminergic neurons in the adult brain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Niurka Trujillo-Paredes

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Notch signalling is a well-established pathway that regulates neurogenesis. However, little is known about the role of Notch signalling in specific neuronal differentiation. Using Dll1 null mice, we found that Notch signalling has no function in the specification of mesencephalic dopaminergic neural precursor cells (NPCs, but plays an important role in regulating their expansion and differentiation into neurons. Premature neuronal differentiation was observed in mesencephalons of Dll1-deficient mice or after treatment with a Notch signalling inhibitor. Coupling between neurogenesis and dopaminergic differentiation was indicated from the coincident emergence of neuronal and dopaminergic markers. Early in differentiation, decreasing Notch signalling caused a reduction in NPCs and an increase in dopaminergic neurons in association with dynamic changes in the proportion of sequentially-linked dopaminergic NPCs (Msx1/2+, Ngn2+, Nurr1+. These effects in differentiation caused a significant reduction in the number of dopaminergic neurons produced. Accordingly, Dll1 haploinsufficient adult mice, in comparison with their wild-type littermates, have a consistent reduction in neuronal density that was particularly evident in the substantia nigra pars compacta. Our results are in agreement with a mathematical model based on a Dll1-mediated regulatory feedback loop between early progenitors and their dividing precursors that controls the emergence and number of dopaminergic neurons.

  3. Evaluation of Notch and Hypoxia Signaling Pathways in Chemically ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common worldwide malignancy. Notch signaling pathway contributes to the genesis of diverse cancers, however, its role in HCC is unclear. Hypoxia is a common feature of HCC. Signal integration between Notch and hypoxia may be involved in HCC. The aim of this study was to ...

  4. The Notch ligand delta-like 3 promotes tumor growth and inhibits Notch signaling in lung cancer cells in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deng, San-Ming; Yan, Xian-Chun; Liang, Liang; Wang, Li; Liu, Yuan; Duan, Juan-Li; Yang, Zi-Yan; Chang, Tian-Fang; Ruan, Bai; Zheng, Qi-Jun; Han, Hua

    2017-01-01

    Although it has been suggested that Dll3, one of the Notch ligands, promotes the proliferation and inhibits the apoptosis of cancer cells, the role of Dll3 in cancers remains unclear. In this study, we found that in the murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells, the level of Dll3 mRNA changed upon tumor microenvironment (TME) stimulation, namely, decreased under hypoxia or stimulated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Dll3 was also expressed at higher level in human lung carcinoma tissues than in the para-carcinoma tissues. Overexpression of Dll3 in LLC cells promoted cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis in vitro, and enhanced tumor growth when inoculated in vivo in mice. The Dll3-mediated proliferation could be due to increased Akt phosphorylation in LLC cells, because an Akt inhibitor counteracted Dll3-induced proliferation. Moreover, Dll3 overexpression promoted PI3K/Akt signaling through inhibiting Notch signaling. - Highlights: • The level of Dll3 in Lewis lung carcinoma changed upon tumor microenvironment (TME) stimulation, namely, decreased under hypoxia or stimulated with TNF-α. • The Dll3 was rarely detectable in the para-carcinoma tissues, but positive in 82.1% of NSCLC tissues from 84 patients. • Overexpression of Dll3 in LLC cells promoted tumor growth but did not remarkably alter TME after inoculated in mice. • Overexpression of Dll3 in LLC cells promoted cell proliferation and reduced apoptosis in vitro in an Akt-dependent way. • Dll3 overexpression promoted PI3K/Akt signaling through inhibiting Notch signaling.

  5. Role of Notch signalling pathway in cancer and its association with ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The Notch signalling pathway is an evolutionarily conserved cell signalling pathway involved in the development of organ- ... Abnormal Notch signalling is seen in many cancers like T-cell acute ...... Morgan T. H. 1917 The theory of the gene.

  6. Nandrolone reduces activation of Notch signaling in denervated muscle associated with increased Numb expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Xin-Hua; Yao, Shen; Qiao, Rui-Fang; Levine, Alice C.; Kirschenbaum, Alexander; Pan, Jiangping; Wu, Yong; Qin, Weiping; Bauman, William A.; Cardozo, Christopher P.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Nerve transection increased Notch signaling in paralyzed muscle. → Nandrolone prevented denervation-induced Notch signaling. → Nandrolone induced the expression of an inhibitor of the Notch signaling, Numb. → Reduction of denervation-induced Notch signaling by nandrolone is likely through upregulation of Numb. -- Abstract: Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, slows denervation-atrophy in rat muscle. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect are not well understood. Androgens and anabolic steroids activate Notch signaling in animal models of aging and thereby mitigate sarcopenia. To explore the molecular mechanisms by which nandrolone prevents denervation-atrophy, we investigated the effects of nandrolone on Notch signaling in denervated rat gastrocnemius muscle. Denervation significantly increased Notch activity reflected by elevated levels of nuclear Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and expression of Hey1 (a Notch target gene). Activation was greatest at 7 and 35 days after denervation but remained present at 56 days after denervation. Activation of Notch in denervated muscle was prevented by nandrolone associated with upregulated expression of Numb mRNA and protein. These data demonstrate that denervation activates Notch signaling, and that nandrolone abrogates this response associated with increased expression of Numb, suggesting a potential mechanism by which nandrolone reduces denervation-atrophy.

  7. Nandrolone reduces activation of Notch signaling in denervated muscle associated with increased Numb expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Xin-Hua [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peter VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Yao, Shen; Qiao, Rui-Fang; Levine, Alice C. [Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Kirschenbaum, Alexander [Department of Urology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Pan, Jiangping; Wu, Yong [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peter VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Qin, Weiping [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peter VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Bauman, William A. [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peter VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Cardozo, Christopher P., E-mail: chris.cardozo@mssm.edu [Center of Excellence for the Medical Consequences of Spinal Cord Injury, James J. Peter VA Medical Center, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Department of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States); Rehabilitation Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029 (United States)

    2011-10-14

    Highlights: {yields} Nerve transection increased Notch signaling in paralyzed muscle. {yields} Nandrolone prevented denervation-induced Notch signaling. {yields} Nandrolone induced the expression of an inhibitor of the Notch signaling, Numb. {yields} Reduction of denervation-induced Notch signaling by nandrolone is likely through upregulation of Numb. -- Abstract: Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid, slows denervation-atrophy in rat muscle. The molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect are not well understood. Androgens and anabolic steroids activate Notch signaling in animal models of aging and thereby mitigate sarcopenia. To explore the molecular mechanisms by which nandrolone prevents denervation-atrophy, we investigated the effects of nandrolone on Notch signaling in denervated rat gastrocnemius muscle. Denervation significantly increased Notch activity reflected by elevated levels of nuclear Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and expression of Hey1 (a Notch target gene). Activation was greatest at 7 and 35 days after denervation but remained present at 56 days after denervation. Activation of Notch in denervated muscle was prevented by nandrolone associated with upregulated expression of Numb mRNA and protein. These data demonstrate that denervation activates Notch signaling, and that nandrolone abrogates this response associated with increased expression of Numb, suggesting a potential mechanism by which nandrolone reduces denervation-atrophy.

  8. The lack of autophagy triggers precocious activation of Notch signaling during Drosophila oogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barth Julia MI

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The proper balance of autophagy, a lysosome-mediated degradation process, is indispensable for oogenesis in Drosophila. We recently demonstrated that egg development depends on autophagy in the somatic follicle cells (FC, but not in the germline cells (GCs. However, the lack of autophagy only affects oogenesis when FCs are autophagy-deficient but GCs are wild type, indicating that a dysfunctional signaling between soma and germline may be responsible for the oogenesis defects. Thus, autophagy could play an essential role in modulating signal transduction pathways during egg development. Results Here, we provide further evidence for the necessity of autophagy during oogenesis and demonstrate that autophagy is especially required in subsets of FCs. Generation of autophagy-deficient FCs leads to a wide range of phenotypes that are similar to mutants with defects in the classical cell-cell signaling pathways in the ovary. Interestingly, we observe that loss of autophagy leads to a precocious activation of the Notch pathway in the FCs as monitored by the expression of Cut and Hindsight, two downstream effectors of Notch signaling. Conclusion Our findings point to an unexpected function for autophagy in the modulation of the Notch signaling pathway during Drosophila oogenesis and suggest a function for autophagy in proper receptor activation. Egg development is affected by an imbalance of autophagy between signal sending (germline and signal receiving cell (FC, thus the lack of autophagy in the germline is likely to decrease the amount of active ligand and accordingly compensates for increased signaling in autophagy-defective follicle cells.

  9. Role of Notch signaling in cell-fate determination of human mammary stem/progenitor cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dontu, Gabriela; Jackson, Kyle W; McNicholas, Erin; Kawamura, Mari J; Abdallah, Wissam M; Wicha, Max S

    2004-01-01

    Notch signaling has been implicated in the regulation of cell-fate decisions such as self-renewal of adult stem cells and differentiation of progenitor cells along a particular lineage. Moreover, depending on the cellular and developmental context, the Notch pathway acts as a regulator of cell survival and cell proliferation. Abnormal expression of Notch receptors has been found in different types of epithelial metaplastic lesions and neoplastic lesions, suggesting that Notch may act as a proto-oncogene. The vertebrate Notch1 and Notch4 homologs are involved in normal development of the mammary gland, and mutated forms of these genes are associated with development of mouse mammary tumors. In order to determine the role of Notch signaling in mammary cell-fate determination, we have utilized a newly described in vitro system in which mammary stem/progenitor cells can be cultured in suspension as nonadherent 'mammospheres'. Notch signaling was activated using exogenous ligands, or was inhibited using previously characterized Notch signaling antagonists. Utilizing this system, we demonstrate that Notch signaling can act on mammary stem cells to promote self-renewal and on early progenitor cells to promote their proliferation, as demonstrated by a 10-fold increase in secondary mammosphere formation upon addition of a Notch-activating DSL peptide. In addition to acting on stem cells, Notch signaling is also able to act on multipotent progenitor cells, facilitating myoepithelial lineage-specific commitment and proliferation. Stimulation of this pathway also promotes branching morphogenesis in three-dimensional Matrigel cultures. These effects are completely inhibited by a Notch4 blocking antibody or a gamma secretase inhibitor that blocks Notch processing. In contrast to the effects of Notch signaling on mammary stem/progenitor cells, modulation of this pathway has no discernable effect on fully committed, differentiated, mammary epithelial cells. These studies

  10. NOTCH-Mediated Maintenance and Expansion of Human Bone Marrow Stromal/Stem Cells: A Technology Designed for Orthopedic Regenerative Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Yufeng; Long, Teng; Wang, Cuicui; Mirando, Anthony J; Chen, Jianquan; O'Keefe, Regis J; Hilton, Matthew J

    2014-12-01

    Human bone marrow-derived stromal/stem cells (BMSCs) have great therapeutic potential for treating skeletal disease and facilitating skeletal repair, although maintaining their multipotency and expanding these cells ex vivo have proven difficult. Because most stem cell-based applications to skeletal regeneration and repair in the clinic would require large numbers of functional BMSCs, recent research has focused on methods for the appropriate selection, expansion, and maintenance of BMSC populations during long-term culture. We describe here a novel biological method that entails selection of human BMSCs based on NOTCH2 expression and activation of the NOTCH signaling pathway in cultured BMSCs via a tissue culture plate coated with recombinant human JAGGED1 (JAG1) ligand. We demonstrate that transient JAG1-mediated NOTCH signaling promotes human BMSC maintenance and expansion while increasing their skeletogenic differentiation capacity, both ex vivo and in vivo. This study is the first of its kind to describe a NOTCH-mediated methodology for the maintenance and expansion of human BMSCs and will serve as a platform for future clinical or translational studies aimed at skeletal regeneration and repair. ©AlphaMed Press.

  11. 17β-estradiol regulates the differentiation of cementoblasts via Notch signaling cascade

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liao, Jing; Zhou, Zeyuan; Huang, Li; Li, Yuyu [Department of Orthodontics, The State Key Laboratory of Oral Disease, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province (China); Li, Jingtao [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province (China); Zou, Shujuan, E-mail: drzsj@scu.edu.cn [Department of Orthodontics, The State Key Laboratory of Oral Disease, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan Province (China)

    2016-08-12

    Estrogen has been well recognized as a key factor in the homeostasis of bone and periodontal tissue, but the way it regulates the activities of cementoblasts, the cell population maintaining cementum has not been fully understood. In this study, we examined the expression of estrogen receptor in OCCM-30 cells and the effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on the proliferation and differentiation of OCCM-30 cells. We found that both estrogen receptor α and β were expressed in OCCM-30 cells. E2 exerted no significant influence on the proliferation of OCCM-30 cells, but inhibited the transcription and translation of BSP and Runx2 in the early phase of osteogenic induction except the BSP mRNA. Afterwards in the late phase of osteogenic induction, E2 enhanced the transcription and translation of BSP and Runx2 and promoted the calcium deposition. In addition, the expression level of Notch1, NICD and Hey1 mRNAs responded to exogenous E2 in a pattern similar to that of the osteoblastic markers. DAPT could attenuate the effect of E2 on the expression of osteoblastic markers. These findings indicated that E2 might regulate the differentiation of cementoblasts via Notch signaling. - Highlights: • 17β-estradiol showed no significant effect on the proliferation of cementoblasts. • 17β-estradiol promoted the osteoblastic differentiation of cementoblasts despite of an early transient inhibition. • Notch signaling was regulated by 17β-estradiol and was responsible for mediating the effect of E2 on cementoblasts. • Hey1 might display an opposite expression pattern to Notch signaling in certain circumstances.

  12. Epithelial Plasticity in Cancer: Unmasking a MicroRNA Network for TGF-β-, Notch-, and Wnt-Mediated EMT

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    Eugenio Zoni

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT is a reversible process by which cancer cells can switch from a sessile epithelial phenotype to an invasive mesenchymal state. EMT enables tumor cells to become invasive, intravasate, survive in the circulation, extravasate, and colonize distant sites. Paracrine heterotypic stroma-derived signals as well as paracrine homotypic or autocrine signals can mediate oncogenic EMT and contribute to the acquisition of stem/progenitor cell properties, expansion of cancer stem cells, development of therapy resistance, and often lethal metastatic disease. EMT is regulated by a variety of stimuli that trigger specific intracellular signalling pathways. Altered microRNA (miR expression and perturbed signalling pathways have been associated with epithelial plasticity, including oncogenic EMT. In this review we analyse and describe the interaction between experimentally validated miRs and their target genes in TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signalling pathways. Interestingly, in this process, we identified a “signature” of 30 experimentally validated miRs and a cluster of validated target genes that seem to mediate the cross talk between TGF-β, Notch, and Wnt signalling networks during EMT and reinforce their connection to the regulation of epithelial plasticity in health and disease.

  13. Temporal effects of Notch signaling and potential cooperation with multiple downstream effectors on adenohypophysis cell specification in zebrafish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakahara, Yoshinari; Muto, Akihiko; Hirabayashi, Ryo; Sakuma, Tetsushi; Yamamoto, Takashi; Kume, Shoen; Kikuchi, Yutaka

    2016-05-01

    The adenohypophysis (AH) consists of six distinct types of hormone-secreting cells. In zebrafish, although proper differentiation of all AH cell types has been shown to require Notch signaling within a period of 14-16 h postfertilization (hpf), the mechanisms underlying this process remain to be elucidated. Herein, we observed using the Notch inhibitor dibenzazepine (DBZ) that Notch signaling also contributed to AH cell specification beyond 16 hpf. Specification of distinct cell types was perturbed by DBZ treatment for different time frames, suggesting that AH cells are specified by Notch-dependent and cell-type-specific mechanisms. We also found that two hes-family genes, her4.1 and hey1, were expressed in the developing AH under the influence of Notch signaling. her4.1 knockdown reduced expression of proopiomelanocortin a (pomca), growth hormone (gh), and prolactin, whereas hey1 was responsible only for gh expression. Simultaneous loss of both Her4.1 and Hey1 produced milder phenotypes than that of DBZ-treated embryos. Moreover, DBZ treatment from 18 hpf led to a significant down-regulation of both gh and pomca genes only when combined with injection of a subthreshold level of her4.1-morpholino. These observations suggest that multiple downstream effectors, including Her4.1 and Hey1, mediate Notch signaling during AH cell specification. © 2016 Molecular Biology Society of Japan and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  14. Notch pathway signaling in the skin antagonizes Merkel cell development.

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    Logan, Gregory J; Wright, Margaret C; Kubicki, Adam C; Maricich, Stephen M

    2018-02-15

    Merkel cells are mechanosensitive skin cells derived from the epidermal lineage whose development requires expression of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor Atoh1. The genes and pathways involved in regulating Merkel cell development during embryogenesis are poorly understood. Notch pathway signaling antagonizes Atoh1 expression in many developing body regions, so we hypothesized that Notch signaling might inhibit Merkel cell development. We found that conditional, constitutive overexpression of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) in mouse epidermis significantly decreased Merkel cell numbers in whisker follicles and touch domes of hairy skin. Conversely, conditional deletion of the obligate NICD binding partner RBPj in the epidermis significantly increased Merkel cell numbers in whisker follicles, led to the development of ectopic Merkel cells outside of touch domes in hairy skin epidermis, and altered the distribution of Merkel cells in touch domes. Deletion of the downstream Notch effector gene Hes1 also significantly increased Merkel cell numbers in whisker follicles. Together, these data demonstrate that Notch signaling regulates Merkel cell production and patterning. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. NOTCH2 signaling confers immature morphology and aggressiveness in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

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    Hayashi, Yoshihiro; Osanai, Makoto; Lee, Gang-Hong

    2015-10-01

    The NOTCH family of membranous receptors plays key roles during development and carcinogenesis. Since NOTCH2, yet not NOTCH1 has been shown essential for murine hepatogenesis, NOTCH2 rather than NOTCH1 may be more relevant to human hepatocarcinogenesis; however, no previous studies have supported this hypothesis. We therefore assessed the role of NOTCH2 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by immunohistochemistry and cell culture. Immunohistochemically, 19% of primary HCCs showed nuclear staining for NOTCH2, indicating activated NOTCH2 signaling. NOTCH2-positive HCCs were on average in more advanced clinical stages, and exhibited more immature cellular morphology, i.e. higher nuclear-cytoplasmic ratios and nuclear densities. Such features were not evident in NOTCH1‑positive HCCs. In human HCC cell lines, abundant NOTCH2 expression was associated with anaplasia, represented by loss of E-cadherin. When NOTCH2 signaling was stably downregulated in HLF cells, an anaplastic HCC cell line, the cells were attenuated in potential for in vitro invasiveness and migration, as well as in vivo tumorigenicity accompanied by histological maturation. Generally, inverse results were obtained for a differentiated HCC cell line, Huh7, manipulated to overexpress activated NOTCH2. These findings suggested that the NOTCH2 signaling may confer aggressive behavior and immature morphology in human HCC cells.

  16. Histone Demethylase RBP2 Is Critical for Breast Cancer Progression and Metastasis

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    Jian Cao

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Metastasis is a major clinical challenge for cancer treatment. Emerging evidence suggests that aberrant epigenetic modifications contribute significantly to tumor formation and progression. However, the drivers and roles of such epigenetic changes in tumor metastasis are still poorly understood. Using bioinformatic analysis of human breast cancer gene-expression data sets, we identified histone demethylase RBP2 as a putative mediator of metastatic progression. By using both human breast cancer cells and genetically engineered mice, we demonstrated that RBP2 is critical for breast cancer metastasis to the lung in multiple in vivo models. Mechanistically, RBP2 promotes metastasis as a pleiotropic positive regulator of many metastasis genes, including TNC. In addition, RBP2 loss suppresses tumor formation in MMTV-neu transgenic mice. These results suggest that therapeutic targeting of RBP2 is a potential strategy for inhibition of tumor progression and metastasis.

  17. Asymmetric cell division and Notch signaling specify dopaminergic neurons in Drosophila.

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    Murni Tio

    Full Text Available In Drosophila, dopaminergic (DA neurons can be found from mid embryonic stages of development till adulthood. Despite their functional involvement in learning and memory, not much is known about the developmental as well as molecular mechanisms involved in the events of DA neuronal specification, differentiation and maturation. In this report we demonstrate that most larval DA neurons are generated during embryonic development. Furthermore, we show that loss of function (l-o-f mutations of genes of the apical complex proteins in the asymmetric cell division (ACD machinery, such as inscuteable and bazooka result in supernumerary DA neurons, whereas l-o-f mutations of genes of the basal complex proteins such as numb result in loss or reduction of DA neurons. In addition, when Notch signaling is reduced or abolished, additional DA neurons are formed and conversely, when Notch signaling is activated, less DA neurons are generated. Our data demonstrate that both ACD and Notch signaling are crucial mechanisms for DA neuronal specification. We propose a model in which ACD results in differential Notch activation in direct siblings and in this context Notch acts as a repressor for DA neuronal specification in the sibling that receives active Notch signaling. Our study provides the first link of ACD and Notch signaling in the specification of a neurotransmitter phenotype in Drosophila. Given the high degree of conservation between Drosophila and vertebrate systems, this study could be of significance to mechanisms of DA neuronal differentiation not limited to flies.

  18. Notch and the awesome power of genetics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwald, Iva

    2012-07-01

    Notch is a receptor that mediates cell-cell interactions in animal development, and aberrations in Notch signal transduction can cause cancer and other human diseases. Here, I describe the major advances in the Notch field from the identification of the first mutant in Drosophila almost a century ago through the elucidation of the unusual mechanism of signal transduction a little over a decade ago. As an essay for the GENETICS Perspectives series, it is my personal and critical commentary as well as an historical account of discovery.

  19. Notch signaling in embryology and cancer

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Reichrath, J; Reichrath, Sandra

    2012-01-01

    "The goal of this volume is to comprehensively cover a highly readable overview on our present knowledge of the role of Notch signalling for embryology and cancer, with a focus on new findings in molecular biology...

  20. Notch1 Mediates Preconditioning Protection Induced by GPER in Normotensive and Hypertensive Female Rat Hearts

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    Carmine Rocca

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER is an estrogen receptor expressed in the cardiovascular system. G1, a selective GPER ligand, exerts cardiovascular effects through activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway and Notch signaling in normotensive animals. Here, we investigated whether the G1/GPER interaction is involved in the limitation of infarct size, and improvement of post-ischemic contractile function in female spontaneous hypertensive rat (SHR hearts. In this model, we also studied Notch signaling and key components of survival pathway, namely PI3K-Akt, nitric oxide synthase (NOS and mitochondrial K+-ATP (MitoKATP channels. Rat hearts isolated from female SHR underwent 30 min of global, normothermic ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion. G1 (10 nM alone or specific inhibitors of GPER, PI3K/NOS and MitoKATP channels co-infused with G1, just before I/R, were studied. The involvement of Notch1 was studied by Western blotting. Infarct size and left ventricular pressure were measured. To confirm endothelial-independent G1-induced protection by Notch signaling, H9c2 cells were studied with specific inhibitor, N-[N-(3,5 difluorophenacetyl-L-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT, 5 μM, of this signaling. Using DAPT, we confirmed the involvement of G1/Notch signaling in limiting infarct size in heart of normotensive animals. In the hypertensive model, G1-induced reduction in infarct size and improvement of cardiac function were prevented by the inhibition of GPER, PI3K/NOS, and MitoKATP channels. The involvement of Notch was confirmed by western blot in the hypertensive model and by the specific inhibitor in the normotensive model and cardiac cell line. Our results suggest that GPERs play a pivotal role in mediating preconditioning cardioprotection in normotensive and hypertensive conditions. The G1-induced protection involves Notch1 and is able to activate the survival pathway in the presence of comorbidity. Several pathological conditions

  1. Metabolic syndrome impairs notch signaling and promotes apoptosis in chronically ischemic myocardium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elmadhun, Nassrene Y; Sabe, Ashraf A; Lassaletta, Antonio D; Chu, Louis M; Kondra, Katelyn; Sturek, Michael; Sellke, Frank W

    2014-09-01

    Impaired angiogenesis is a known consequence of metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, the mechanism is not fully understood. Recent studies have shown that the notch signaling pathway is an integral component of cardiac angiogenesis. We tested, in a clinically relevant swine model, the effects of MetS on notch and apoptosis signaling in chronically ischemic myocardium. Ossabaw swine were fed either a regular diet (control [CTL], n = 8) or a high-cholesterol diet (MetS, n = 8) to induce MetS. An ameroid constrictor was placed to induce chronic myocardial ischemia. Eleven weeks later, the wine underwent cardiac harvest of the ischemic myocardium. Downregulation of pro-angiogenesis proteins notch2, notch4, jagged2, angiopoietin 1, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase were found in the MetS group compared with the CTL group. Also, upregulation of pro-apoptosis protein caspase 8 and downregulation of anti-angiogenesis protein phosphorylated forkhead box transcription factor 03 and pro-survival proteins phosphorylated P38 and heat shock protein 90 were present in the MetS group. Cell death was increased in the MetS group compared with the CTL group. Both CTL and MetS groups had a similar arteriolar count and capillary density, and notch3 and jagged1 were both similarly concentrated in the smooth muscle wall. MetS in chronic myocardial ischemia significantly impairs notch signaling by downregulating notch receptors, ligands, and pro-angiogenesis proteins. MetS also increases apoptosis signaling, decreases survival signaling, and increases cell death in chronically ischemic myocardium. Although short-term angiogenesis appears unaffected in this model of early MetS, the molecular signals for angiogenesis are impaired, suggesting that inhibition of notch signaling might underlie the decreased angiogenesis in later stages of MetS. Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Notch Signaling Pathway Is Activated in Motoneurons of Spinal Muscular Atrophy

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    Gabriel Olmos

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA is a neurodegenerative disease produced by low levels of Survival Motor Neuron (SMN protein that affects alpha motoneurons in the spinal cord. Notch signaling is a cell-cell communication system well known as a master regulator of neural development, but also with important roles in the adult central nervous system. Aberrant Notch function is associated with several developmental neurological disorders; however, the potential implication of the Notch pathway in SMA pathogenesis has not been studied yet. We report here that SMN deficiency, induced in the astroglioma cell line U87MG after lentiviral transduction with a shSMN construct, was associated with an increase in the expression of the main components of Notch signaling pathway, namely its ligands, Jagged1 and Delta1, the Notch receptor and its active intracellular form (NICD. In the SMNΔ7 mouse model of SMA we also found increased astrocyte processes positive for Jagged1 and Delta1 in intimate contact with lumbar spinal cord motoneurons. In these motoneurons an increased Notch signaling was found, as denoted by increased NICD levels and reduced expression of the proneural gene neurogenin 3, whose transcription is negatively regulated by Notch. Together, these findings may be relevant to understand some pathologic attributes of SMA motoneurons.

  3. Notch signaling and ghost cell fate in the calcifying cystig odontogenic tumor

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    Siar CH

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that enables adjacent cells to adopt different fates. Ghost cells (GCs are anucleate cells with homogeneous pale eosinophilic cytoplasm and very pale to clear central areas (previous nucleus sites. Although GCs are present in a variety of odontogenic lesions notably the calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (GCOT, their nature and process of formation remains elusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Notch signaling in the cell fate specification of GCs in CCOT. Immunohistochemical staining for four Notch receptors (Notch1, Notch2, Notch3 and Notch4 and three ligands (Jagged1, Jagged2 and Delta1 was performed on archival tissues of five CCOT cases. Level of positivity was quantified as negative (0, mild (+, moderate (2+ and strong (3+. Results revealed that GCs demonstrated overexpression for Notch1 and Jagged1 suggesting that Notch1Jagged1 signaling might serve as the main transduction mechanism in cell fate decision for GCs in CCOT. Protein localizations were largely membranous and/or cytoplasmic. Mineralized GCs also stained positive implicating that the calcification process might be associated with upregulation of these molecules. The other Notch receptors and ligands were weak to absent in GCs and tumoral epithelium. Stromal endothelium and fibroblasts were stained variably positive.

  4. Adipocyte-specific blockade of gamma-secretase, but not inhibition of Notch activity, reduces adipose insulin sensitivity

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    David P. Sparling

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: As the obesity pandemic continues to expand, novel molecular targets to reduce obesity-related insulin resistance and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D continue to be needed. We have recently shown that obesity is associated with reactivated liver Notch signaling, which, in turn, increases hepatic insulin resistance, opening up therapeutic avenues for Notch inhibitors to be repurposed for T2D. Herein, we tested the systemic effects of γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs, which prevent endogenous Notch activation, and confirmed these effects through creation and characterization of two different adipocyte-specific Notch loss-of-function mouse models through genetic ablation of the Notch transcriptional effector Rbp-Jk (A-Rbpj and the obligate γ-secretase component Nicastrin (A-Nicastrin. Methods: Glucose homeostasis and both local adipose and systemic insulin sensitivity were examined in GSI-treated, A-Rbpj and A-Nicastrin mice, as well as vehicle-treated or control littermates, with complementary in vitro studies in primary hepatocytes and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Results: GSI-treatment increases hepatic insulin sensitivity in obese mice but leads to reciprocal lowering of adipose glucose disposal. While A-Rbpj mice show normal body weight, adipose development and mass and unchanged adipose insulin sensitivity as control littermates, A-Nicastrin mice are relatively insulin-resistant, mirroring the GSI effect on adipose insulin action. Conclusions: Notch signaling is dispensable for normal adipocyte function, but adipocyte-specific γ-secretase blockade reduces adipose insulin sensitivity, suggesting that specific Notch inhibitors would be preferable to GSIs for application in T2D. Keywords: Notch, γ-secretase complex, Insulin resistance

  5. Notch3 signalling promotes tumour growth in colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafin, Valentina; Persano, Luca; Moserle, Lidia; Esposito, Giovanni; Ghisi, Margherita; Curtarello, Matteo; Bonanno, Laura; Masiero, Massimo; Ribatti, Domenico; Stürzl, Michael; Naschberger, Elisabeth; Croner, Roland S; Jubb, Adrian M; Harris, Adrian L; Koeppen, Hartmut; Amadori, Alberto; Indraccolo, Stefano

    2011-08-01

    Increased Notch1 activity has been observed in intestinal tumours, partially accomplished by β-catenin-mediated up-regulation of the Notch ligand Jagged-1. Whether further mechanisms of Notch activation exist and other Notch receptors might be involved is unclear. Microarray data indicated that Notch3 transcript levels are significantly up-regulated in primary and metastatic CRC samples compared to normal mucosa. Moreover, Notch3 protein was expressed at strong/moderate levels by 19.7% of 158 CRC samples analysed, and at weak levels by 51.2% of the samples. Intrigued by these findings, we sought to investigate whether Notch3 modulates oncogenic features of CRC cells. By exploiting xenografts of CRC cells with different tumourigenic properties in mice, we found that the aggressive phenotype was associated with altered expression of components of the Notch pathway, including Notch3, Delta-like 4 (DLL4), and Jagged-1 ligands. Stimulation with immobilized recombinant DLL4 or transduction with DLL4-expressing vectors dramatically increased Notch3 expression in CRC cells, associated with accelerated tumour growth. Forced expression of an active form of Notch3 mirrored the effects of DLL4 stimulation and increased tumour formation. Conversely, attenuation of Notch3 levels by shRNA resulted in perturbation of the cell cycle followed by reduction in cell proliferation, clonogenic capacity, and inhibition of tumour growth. Altogether, these findings indicate that Notch3 can modulate the tumourigenic properties of CRC cells and contributes to sustained Notch activity in DLL4-expressing tumours. Copyright © 2011 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. Structure of human POFUT1, its requirement in ligand-independent oncogenic Notch signaling, and functional effects of Dowling-Degos mutations

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    McMillan, Brian J.; Zimmerman, Brandon; Egan, Emily D.; Lofgren, Michael; Xu, Xiang; Hesser, Anthony; Blacklow, Stephen C.

    2017-03-17

    Protein O-fucosyltransferase-1 (POFUT1), which transfers fucose residues to acceptor sites on serine and threonine residues of epidermal growth factor-like repeats of recipient proteins, is essential for Notch signal transduction in mammals. Here, we examine the consequences of POFUT1 loss on the oncogenic signaling associated with certain leukemia-associated mutations of human Notch1, report the structures of human POFUT1 in free and GDP-fucose bound states, and assess the effects of Dowling-Degos mutations on human POFUT1 function. CRISPR-mediated knockout of POFUT1 in U2OS cells suppresses both normal Notch1 signaling, and the ligand-independent signaling associated with leukemogenic mutations of Notch1. Normal and oncogenic signaling are rescued by wild-type POFUT1 but rescue is impaired by an active-site R240A mutation. The overall structure of the human enzyme closely resembles that of the Caenorhabditis elegans protein, with an overall backbone RMSD of 0.93 Å, despite primary sequence identity of only 39% in the mature protein. GDP-fucose binding to the human enzyme induces limited backbone conformational movement, though the side chains of R43 and D244 reorient to make direct contact with the fucose moiety in the complex. The reported Dowling-Degos mutations of POFUT1, except for M262T, fail to rescue Notch1 signaling efficiently in the CRISPR-engineered POFUT1-/- background. Together, these studies identify POFUT1 as a potential target for cancers driven by Notch1 mutations and provide a structural roadmap for its inhibition.

  7. Illegitimate V(D)J recombination-mediated deletions in Notch1 and Bcl11b are not sufficient for extensive clonal expansion and show minimal age or sex bias in frequency or junctional processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Champagne, Devin P., E-mail: devin.champagne@uvm.edu; Shockett, Penny E., E-mail: pshockett@selu.edu

    2014-03-15

    Highlights: • Examines illegitimate V(D)J deletion junctions in Notch1 and Bcl11b. • Suggests little influence of deletions alone on clonal outgrowth in wild-type mice. • No age or sex biases in frequency, clonality, or junctional processing observed. • Contrasts with previous results at TCRβ and HPRT1 loci. • Deletions in Bcl11b may be tolerated more easily than those in Notch1. - Abstract: Illegitimate V(D)J recombination at oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes is implicated in formation of several T cell malignancies. Notch1 and Bcl11b, genes involved in developing T cell specification, selection, proliferation, and survival, were previously shown to contain hotspots for deletional illegitimate V(D)J recombination associated with radiation-induced thymic lymphoma. Interestingly, these deletions were also observed in wild-type animals. In this study, we conducted frequency, clonality, and junctional processing analyses of Notch1 and Bcl11b deletions during mouse development and compared results to published analyses of authentic V(D)J rearrangements at the T cell receptor beta (TCRβ) locus and illegitimate V(D)J deletions observed at the human, nonimmune HPRT1 locus not involved in T cell malignancies. We detect deletions in Notch1 and Bcl11b in thymic and splenic T cell populations, consistent with cells bearing deletions in the circulating lymphocyte pool. Deletions in thymus can occur in utero, increase in frequency between fetal and postnatal stages, are detected at all ages examined between fetal and 7 months, exhibit only limited clonality (contrasting with previous results in radiation-sensitive mouse strains), and consistent with previous reports are more frequent in Bcl11b, partially explained by relatively high Recombination Signal Information Content (RIC) scores. Deletion junctions in Bcl11b exhibit greater germline nucleotide loss, while in Notch1 palindromic (P) nucleotides are more abundant, although average P nucleotide length is

  8. Different profiles of notch signaling in cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary emphysema and bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shi; Hu, Xiaofei; Wang, Zheng; Wu, Meng; Zhang, Jinnong

    2015-05-01

    Different profiles of Notch signaling mediate naive T cell differentiation which might be involved in pulmonary emphysema and fibrosis. C57BL/6 mice were randomized into cigarette smoke (CS) exposure, bleomycin (BLM) exposure, and two separate groups of control for sham exposure to CS or BLM. The paratracheal lymph nodes of the animals were analyzed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Morphometry of the lung parenchyma, measurement of the cytokines, and cytometry of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were also done accordingly. In comparison with controls, all Notch receptors and ligands were upregulated by chronic CS exposure, especially Notch3 and DLL1 (P emphysema-like morphology and Th1-biased inflammation. While Notch3 and DLL1 were downregulated by BLM exposure (P pulmonary emphysema. Unable to initiate the Th1 response or inhibit it may lead to Th2 polarization and aberrant repair.

  9. hCLP46 regulates U937 cell proliferation via Notch signaling pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Wenzhan; Du, Jie; Chu, Qiaoyun [College of Life Science, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Wang, Youxin [School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069 (China); Liu, Lixin [College of Life Science, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Song, Manshu [School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069 (China); Wang, Wei, E-mail: wei6014@yahoo.com [College of Life Science, Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069 (China)

    2011-04-29

    Highlights: {yields} Knock down of hCLP46 by RNAi impairs mammalian Notch signaling. {yields} hCLP46 affects neither cell surface Notch1 expression nor ligand-receptor binding. {yields} Knock down of hCLP46 inhibits U937 cell-growth by up-regulation of CDKN1B. -- Abstract: Human CAP10-like protein 46 kDa (hCLP46) is the homolog of Rumi, which is the first identified protein O-glucosyltransferase that modifies Notch receptor in Drosophila. Dysregulation of hCLP46 occurs in many hematologic diseases, but the role of hCLP46 remains unclear. Knockdown of hCLP46 by RNA interference resulted in decreased protein levels of endogenous Notch1, Notch intracellular domain (NICD) and Notch target gene Hes-1, suggesting the impairment of the Notch signaling. However, neither cell surface Notch expression nor ligand binding activities were affected. In addition, down-regulated expression of hCLP46 inhibited the proliferation of U937 cells, which was correlated with increased cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI) CDKN1B (p27) and decreased phosphorylation of retinoblastoma (RB) protein. We showed that lack of hCLP46 results in impaired ligand induced Notch activation in mammalian cell, and hCLP46 regulates the proliferation of U937 cell through CDKI-RB signaling pathway, which may be important for the pathogenesis of leukemia.

  10. The cyst nematode SPRYSEC protein RBP-1 elicits Gpa2- and RanGAP2-dependent plant cell death.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melanie Ann Sacco

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Plant NB-LRR proteins confer robust protection against microbes and metazoan parasites by recognizing pathogen-derived avirulence (Avr proteins that are delivered to the host cytoplasm. Microbial Avr proteins usually function as virulence factors in compatible interactions; however, little is known about the types of metazoan proteins recognized by NB-LRR proteins and their relationship with virulence. In this report, we demonstrate that the secreted protein RBP-1 from the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida elicits defense responses, including cell death typical of a hypersensitive response (HR, through the NB-LRR protein Gpa2. Gp-Rbp-1 variants from G. pallida populations both virulent and avirulent to Gpa2 demonstrated a high degree of polymorphism, with positive selection detected at numerous sites. All Gp-RBP-1 protein variants from an avirulent population were recognized by Gpa2, whereas virulent populations possessed Gp-RBP-1 protein variants both recognized and non-recognized by Gpa2. Recognition of Gp-RBP-1 by Gpa2 correlated to a single amino acid polymorphism at position 187 in the Gp-RBP-1 SPRY domain. Gp-RBP-1 expressed from Potato virus X elicited Gpa2-mediated defenses that required Ran GTPase-activating protein 2 (RanGAP2, a protein known to interact with the Gpa2 N terminus. Tethering RanGAP2 and Gp-RBP-1 variants via fusion proteins resulted in an enhancement of Gpa2-mediated responses. However, activation of Gpa2 was still dependent on the recognition specificity conferred by amino acid 187 and the Gpa2 LRR domain. These results suggest a two-tiered process wherein RanGAP2 mediates an initial interaction with pathogen-delivered Gp-RBP-1 proteins but where the Gpa2 LRR determines which of these interactions will be productive.

  11. Notch activates Wnt-4 signalling to control medio-lateral patterning of the pronephros.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naylor, Richard W; Jones, Elizabeth A

    2009-11-01

    Previous studies have highlighted a role for the Notch signalling pathway during pronephrogenesis in the amphibian Xenopus laevis, and in nephron development in the mammalian metanephros, yet a mechanism for this function remains elusive. Here, we further the understanding of how Notch signalling patterns the early X. laevis pronephros anlagen, a function that might be conserved in mammalian nephron segmentation. Our results indicate that early phase pronephric Notch signalling patterns the medio-lateral axis of the dorso-anterior pronephros anlagen, permitting the glomus and tubules to develop in isolation. We show that this novel function acts through the Notch effector gene hrt1 by upregulating expression of wnt4. Wnt-4 then patterns the proximal pronephric anlagen to establish the specific compartments that span the medio-lateral axis. We also identified pronephric expression of lunatic fringe and radical fringe that is temporally and spatially appropriate for a role in regulating Notch signalling in the dorso-anterior region of the pronephros anlagen. On the basis of these results, along with data from previous publications, we propose a mechanism by which the Notch signalling pathway regulates a Wnt-4 function that patterns the proximal pronephric anlagen.

  12. HES1, a target of Notch signaling, is elevated in canine osteosarcoma, but reduced in the most aggressive tumors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dailey, Deanna D; Anfinsen, Kristin P; Pfaff, Liza E; Ehrhart, E J; Charles, J Brad; Bønsdorff, Tina B; Thamm, Douglas H; Powers, Barbara E; Jonasdottir, Thora J; Duval, Dawn L

    2013-07-01

    Hairy and enhancer of split 1 (HES1), a basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional repressor, is a downstream target of Notch signaling. Notch signaling and HES1 expression have been linked to growth and survival in a variety of human cancer types and have been associated with increased metastasis and invasiveness in human osteosarcoma cell lines. Osteosarcoma (OSA) is an aggressive cancer demonstrating both high metastatic rate and chemotherapeutic resistance. The current study examined expression of Notch signaling mediators in primary canine OSA tumors and canine and human osteosarcoma cell lines to assess their role in OSA development and progression. Reverse transcriptase - quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was utilized to quantify HES1, HEY1, NOTCH1 and NOTCH2 gene expression in matched tumor and normal metaphyseal bone samples taken from dogs treated for appendicular OSA at the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Gene expression was also assessed in tumors from dogs with a disease free interval (DFI) of  300 days following treatment with surgical amputation followed by standard chemotherapy. Immunohistochemistry was performed to confirm expression of HES1. Data from RT-qPCR and immunohistochemical (IHC) experiments were analyzed using REST2009 software and survival analysis based on IHC expression employed the Kaplan-Meier method and log rank analysis. Unbiased clustered images were generated from gene array analysis data for Notch/HES1 associated genes. Gene array analysis of Notch/HES1 associated genes suggested alterations in the Notch signaling pathway may contribute to the development of canine OSA. HES1 mRNA expression was elevated in tumor samples relative to normal bone, but decreased in tumor samples from dogs with a DFI 300 days. NOTCH2 and HEY1 mRNA expression was also elevated in tumors relative to normal bone, but was not differentially expressed between the DFI tumor groups. Survival analysis confirmed an association between

  13. The Role of Notch Signaling Pathway in Breast Cancer Pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2005-07-01

    breast cancer cells, I tested whether ErbB2 overexpression will cooperate with Notch in HMLE cells. While overexpression of activated Notch1 failed to...tyrosine kinase upstream of Ras normally found overexpressed in many breast cancers , also failed to transform HMLE cells. These observations suggested...cooperation between Notch1IC and ErbB2 signaling in transforming HMLE cells. Breast cancers typically do not harbor oncogenic Ras mutations; nevertheless

  14. Disrupting Jagged1-Notch signaling impairs spatial memory formation in adult mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sargin, Derya; Botly, Leigh C P; Higgs, Gemma; Marsolais, Alexander; Frankland, Paul W; Egan, Sean E; Josselyn, Sheena A

    2013-07-01

    It is well-known that Notch signaling plays a critical role in brain development and growing evidence implicates this signaling pathway in adult synaptic plasticity and memory formation. The Notch1 receptor is activated by two subclasses of ligands, Delta-like (including Dll1 and Dll4) and Jagged (including Jag1 and Jag2). Ligand-induced Notch1 receptor signaling is modulated by a family of Fringe proteins, including Lunatic fringe (Lfng). Although Dll1, Jag1 and Lfng are critical regulators of Notch signaling, their relative contribution to memory formation in the adult brain is unknown. To investigate the roles of these important components of Notch signaling in memory formation, we examined spatial and fear memory formation in adult mice with reduced expression of Dll1, Jag1, Lfng and Dll1 plus Lfng. We also examined motor activity, anxiety-like behavior and sensorimotor gating using the acoustic startle response in these mice. Of the lines of mutant mice tested, we found that only mice with reduced Jag1 expression (mice heterozygous for a null mutation in Jag1, Jag1(+/-)) showed a selective impairment in spatial memory formation. Importantly, all other behavior including open field activity, conditioned fear memory (both context and discrete cue), acoustic startle response and prepulse inhibition, was normal in this line of mice. These results provide the first in vivo evidence that Jag1-Notch signaling is critical for memory formation in the adult brain. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Effects of PM2.5 exposure on the Notch signaling pathway and immune imbalance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gu, Xing-yu; Chu, Xu; Zeng, Xiao-Li; Bao, Hai-Rong; Liu, Xiao-Ju

    2017-01-01

    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is associated with T lymphocytes subset (Th1/Th2, Th17/Treg) imbalance. Notch signaling pathway plays a key role in the development of the adaptive immunity. The immune disorder induced by fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is related to COPD. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism by which PM2.5 influences the Notch signaling pathway leading to worsening immune disorder and accelerating COPD development. A COPD mouse model was established by cigarette smoke exposure. PM2.5 exposure was performed by aerosol inhalation. γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) was given using intraperitoneal injection. Splenic T lymphocytes were purified using a density gradient centrifugation method. CD4 + T lymphocyte subsets (Th1/Th2, Th17/Treg) were detected using flow cytometry. mRNA and proteins of Notch1/2/3/4, Hes1/5, and Hey1 were detected using RT-PCR and Western blot. Serum INF-γ, IL-4, IL-17 and IL-10 concentrations were measured using ELISA. The results showed that in COPD mice Th1% and Th17%, Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg were increased, and the levels of mRNA and protein in Notch1/2/3/4, Hes1/5, and Hey1 and serum INF-γ and IL-17 concentrations were significantly increased, and Th2%, Treg%, and serum IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations were significantly decreased. COPD Mice have Th1- and Th17-mediated immune disorder, and the Notch signaling pathway is in an overactivated state. PM2.5 promotes the overactivation of the Notch signaling pathway and aggravates the immune disorder of COPD. GSI can partially inhibit the activation of the Notch signaling pathway and alleviate the immune disorder under basal state and the immune disorder of COPD caused by PM2.5. This result suggests that PM2.5 is involved in the immune disorder of mice with COPD by affecting the Notch signaling pathway and that PM2.5 aggravates COPD. - Highlights: • The COPD mice demonstrated Th1 and Th17 dominant immune imbalance. • PM2.5 aggravates the Th1/Th2 and Th

  16. The heterotaxy gene GALNT11 glycosylates Notch to orchestrate cilia type and laterality

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Boskovski, Marko T; Yuan, Shiaulou; Pedersen, Nis Borbye

    2013-01-01

    to such determination. We previously identified GALNT11 as a candidate disease gene in a patient with heterotaxy, and now demonstrate, in Xenopus tropicalis, that galnt11 activates Notch signalling. GALNT11 O-glycosylates human NOTCH1 peptides in vitro, thereby supporting a mechanism of Notch activation either...... by increasing ADAM17-mediated ectodomain shedding of the Notch receptor or by modification of specific EGF repeats. We further developed a quantitative live imaging technique for Xenopus left-right organizer cilia and show that Galnt11-mediated Notch1 signalling modulates the spatial distribution and ratio...... of motile and immotile cilia at the left-right organizer. galnt11 or notch1 depletion increases the ratio of motile cilia at the expense of immotile cilia and produces a laterality defect reminiscent of loss of the ciliary sensor Pkd2. By contrast, Notch overexpression decreases this ratio, mimicking...

  17. Mastermind-Like 1 Is Ubiquitinated: Functional Consequences for Notch Signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mozhgan Farshbaf

    Full Text Available Early studies demonstrated the involvement of ubiquitination of the Notch intracellular domain for rapid turnover of the transcriptional complex at Notch target genes. It was shown that this ubiquitination was promoted by the co-activator Mastermind like 1 (MAML1. MAML1 also contains numerous lysine residues that may also be ubiquitinated and necessary for protein regulation. In this study, we show that over-expressed MAML1 is ubiquitinated and identify eight conserved lysine residues which are required for ubiquitination. We also show that p300 stimulates ubiquitination and that Notch inhibits ubiquitination. Furthermore, we show that a mutant MAML1 that has decreased ubiquitination shows increased output from a HES1 reporter gene assay. Therefore, we speculate that ubiquitination of MAML1 might be a mechanism to maintain low levels of the protein until needed for transcriptional activation. In summary, this study identifies that MAML1 is ubiquitinated in the absence of Notch signaling to maintain low levels of MAML1 in the cell. Our data supports the notion that a precise and tight regulation of the Notch pathway is required for this signaling pathway.

  18. Inhibitory role of Notch1 in calcific aortic valve disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asha Acharya

    Full Text Available Aortic valve calcification is the most common form of valvular heart disease, but the mechanisms of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD are unknown. NOTCH1 mutations are associated with aortic valve malformations and adult-onset calcification in families with inherited disease. The Notch signaling pathway is critical for multiple cell differentiation processes, but its role in the development of CAVD is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular changes that occur with inhibition of Notch signaling in the aortic valve. Notch signaling pathway members are expressed in adult aortic valve cusps, and examination of diseased human aortic valves revealed decreased expression of NOTCH1 in areas of calcium deposition. To identify downstream mediators of Notch1, we examined gene expression changes that occur with chemical inhibition of Notch signaling in rat aortic valve interstitial cells (AVICs. We found significant downregulation of Sox9 along with several cartilage-specific genes that were direct targets of the transcription factor, Sox9. Loss of Sox9 expression has been published to be associated with aortic valve calcification. Utilizing an in vitro porcine aortic valve calcification model system, inhibition of Notch activity resulted in accelerated calcification while stimulation of Notch signaling attenuated the calcific process. Finally, the addition of Sox9 was able to prevent the calcification of porcine AVICs that occurs with Notch inhibition. In conclusion, loss of Notch signaling contributes to aortic valve calcification via a Sox9-dependent mechanism.

  19. Notch signaling regulates platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β expression in vascular smooth muscle cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jin, S.; Hansson, E.M.; Tikka, S.; Lanner, F.; Sahlgren, C.; Farnebo, F.; Baumann, M.; Kalimo, H.; Lendahl, U.

    2008-01-01

    Notch signaling is critically important for proper architecture of the vascular system, and mutations in NOTCH3 are associated with CADASIL, a stroke and dementia syndrome with vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dysfunction. In this report, we link Notch signaling to platelet-derived growth factor

  20. Microbiota promote secretory cell determination in the intestinal epithelium by modulating host Notch signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Troll, Joshua V; Hamilton, M Kristina; Abel, Melissa L; Ganz, Julia; Bates, Jennifer M; Stephens, W Zac; Melancon, Ellie; van der Vaart, Michiel; Meijer, Annemarie H; Distel, Martin; Eisen, Judith S; Guillemin, Karen

    2018-02-23

    Resident microbes promote many aspects of host development, although the mechanisms by which microbiota influence host tissues remain unclear. We showed previously that the microbiota is required for allocation of appropriate numbers of secretory cells in the zebrafish intestinal epithelium. Because Notch signaling is crucial for secretory fate determination, we conducted epistasis experiments to establish whether the microbiota modulates host Notch signaling. We also investigated whether innate immune signaling transduces microbiota cues via the Myd88 adaptor protein. We provide the first evidence that microbiota-induced, Myd88-dependent signaling inhibits host Notch signaling in the intestinal epithelium, thereby promoting secretory cell fate determination. These results connect microbiota activity via innate immune signaling to the Notch pathway, which also plays crucial roles in intestinal homeostasis throughout life and when impaired can result in chronic inflammation and cancer. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  1. Delta-like Ligand-4-Notch Signaling Inhibition Regulates Pancreatic Islet Function and Insulin Secretion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fabienne Billiard

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Although Notch signaling has been proposed as a therapeutic target for type-2 diabetes, liver steatosis, and atherosclerosis, its direct effect on pancreatic islets remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated a function of Dll4-Notch signaling inhibition on the biology of insulin-producing cells. We confirmed enhanced expression of key Notch signaling genes in purified pancreatic islets from diabetic NOD mice and showed that treatment with anti-Dll4 antibody specifically abolished Notch signaling pathway activation. Furthermore, we showed that Notch inhibition could drive proliferation of β-islet cells and confer protection from the development of STZ-induced diabetes. Importantly, inhibition of the Dll4 pathway in WT mice increased insulin secretion by inducing the differentiation of pancreatic β-islet cell progenitors, as well as the proliferation of insulin-secreting cells. These findings reveal a direct effect of Dll4-blockade on pancreatic islets that, in conjunction with its immunomodulatory effects, could be used for unmet medical needs hallmarked by inefficient insulin action.

  2. Immunohistochemical expression of Notch signaling in the lining epithelium of periapical cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meliou, Eleni; Kerezoudis, Nikolaos; Tosios, Konstantinos; Lafkas, Daniel; Kiaris, Hippokratis

    2011-02-01

    In this study we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of the receptors Notch 1 and Notch 2, the ligand Delta 1, and the transcription factors HES 1 and HES 5 in the epithelium of well-defined periapical cysts. Immunohistochemistry was carried out on 55 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded, well-defined periapical cysts with minimum inflammation, obtained from the archival tissue database of the Department of Oral Pathology and Surgery. Western blotting was performed to evaluate the specificity of the anti-Notch antibody and the expression of Notch signaling in 5 fresh-frozen periapical cysts. The levels of staining intensity were estimated by the performance of a semiautomated image analysis system. Descriptive statistic of mean values obtained by computerized image analysis method was performed. Immunostaining reaction of all Notch signaling components was observed in the cytoplasm and/or the cytoplasmic membrane in the majority of epithelial cells of periapical cysts. Nuclear staining was observed occasionally in all cases. Notch 2 showed strong staining in 52.83% of the cases, followed by Notch 1 (35.85%), HES 1 and HES 5 moderate staining in 72.73% and 57.69% of the cases, respectively, and Delta 1 weak staining in 58.33% of the cases. No statistical correlation was found between the antibodies and the sex or the age of the study group. Notch is an evolutionarily conserved signaling mechanism that regulates cell fate decisions during development and postnatal life in organisms as diverse as worms, flies, and humans. The present observations indicate that Notch pathway is active downstream in the lining epithelium of periapical cysts, suggesting an involvement of this pathway in periapical cyst growth and expansion. Copyright © 2011 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. The transcriptional corepressor SMRTER influences both Notch and ecdysone signaling during Drosophila development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bryan W. Heck

    2011-12-01

    SMRTER (SMRT-related and ecdysone receptor interacting factor is the Drosophila homologue of the vertebrate proteins SMRT and N-CoR, and forms with them a well-conserved family of transcriptional corepressors. Molecular characterization of SMRT-family proteins in cultured cells has implicated them in a wide range of transcriptional regulatory pathways. However, little is currently known about how this conserved class of transcriptional corepressors regulates the development of particular tissues via specific pathways. In this study, through our characterization of multiple Smrter (Smr mutant lines, mosaic analysis of a loss-of-function Smr allele, and studies of two independent Smr RNAi fly lines, we report that SMRTER is required for the development of both ovarian follicle cells and the wing. In these two tissues, SMRTER inhibits not only the ecdysone pathway, but also the Notch pathway. We differentiate SMRTER's influence on these two signaling pathways by showing that SMRTER inhibits the Notch pathway, but not the ecdysone pathway, in a spatiotemporally restricted manner. We further confirm the likely involvement of SMRTER in the Notch pathway by demonstrating a direct interaction between SMRTER and Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H], a DNA-binding transcription factor pivotal in the Notch pathway, and the colocalization of both proteins at many chromosomal regions in salivary glands. Based on our results, we propose that SMRTER regulates the Notch pathway through its association with Su(H, and that overcoming a SMRTER-mediated transcriptional repression barrier may represent a key mechanism used by the Notch pathway to control the precise timing of events and the formation of sharp boundaries between cells in multiple tissues during development.

  4. dlk acts as a negative regulator of Notch1 activation through interactions with specific EGF-like repeats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baladron, Victoriano; Ruiz-Hidalgo, Maria Jose; Nueda, Maria Luisa; Diaz-Guerra, Maria Jose M.; Garcia-Ramirez, Jose Javier; Bonvini, Ezio; Gubina, Elena; Laborda, Jorge

    2005-01-01

    The protein dlk, encoded by the Dlk1 gene, belongs to the Notch epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like family of receptors and ligands, which participate in cell fate decisions during development. The molecular mechanisms by which dlk regulates cell differentiation remain unknown. By using the yeast two-hybrid system, we found that dlk interacts with Notch1 in a specific manner. Moreover, by using luciferase as a reporter gene under the control of a CSL/RBP-Jk/CBF-1-dependent promoter in the dlk-negative, Notch1-positive Balb/c 14 cell line, we found that addition of synthetic dlk EGF-like peptides to the culture medium or forced expression of dlk decreases endogenous Notch activity. Furthermore, the expression of the gene Hes-1, a target for Notch1 activation, diminishes in confluent Balb/c14 cells transfected with an expression construct encoding for the extracellular EGF-like region of dlk. The expression of Dlk1 and Notch1 increases in 3T3-L1 cells maintained in a confluent state for several days, which is associated with a concomitant decrease in Hes-1 expression. On the other hand, the decrease of Dlk1 expression in 3T3-L1 cells by antisense cDNA transfection is associated with an increase in Hes-1 expression. These results suggest that dlk functionally interacts in vivo with Notch1, which may lead to the regulation of differentiation processes modulated by Notch1 activation and signaling, including adipogenesis

  5. Proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) suppresses satellite cell self-renewal through inversely modulating Notch and NF-κB signaling pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogura, Yuji; Mishra, Vivek; Hindi, Sajedah M; Kuang, Shihuan; Kumar, Ashok

    2013-12-06

    Satellite cell self-renewal is an essential process to maintaining the robustness of skeletal muscle regenerative capacity. However, extrinsic factors that regulate self-renewal of satellite cells are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that TWEAK cytokine reduces the proportion of Pax7(+)/MyoD(-) cells (an index of self-renewal) on myofiber explants and represses multiple components of Notch signaling in satellite cell cultures. The number of Pax7(+) cells is significantly increased in skeletal muscle of TWEAK knock-out (KO) mice compared with wild-type in response to injury. Furthermore, Notch signaling is significantly elevated in cultured satellite cells and in regenerating myofibers of TWEAK-KO mice. Forced activation of Notch signaling through overexpression of the Notch1 intracellular domain (N1ICD) rescued the TWEAK-mediated inhibition of satellite cell self-renewal. TWEAK also activates the NF-κB transcription factor in satellite cells and inhibition of NF-κB significantly improved the number of Pax7(+) cells in TWEAK-treated cultures. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that a reciprocal interaction between NF-κB and Notch signaling governs the inhibitory effect of TWEAK on satellite cell self-renewal. Collectively, our study demonstrates that TWEAK suppresses satellite cell self-renewal through activating NF-κB and repressing Notch signaling.

  6. Inhibition of Notch1 promotes hedgehog signalling in a HES1-dependent manner in chondrocytes and exacerbates experimental osteoarthritis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Neng-Yu; Distler, Alfiya; Beyer, Christian; Philipi-Schöbinger, Ariella; Breda, Silvia; Dees, Clara; Stock, Michael; Tomcik, Michal; Niemeier, Andreas; Dell'Accio, Francesco; Gelse, Kolja; Mattson, Mark P; Schett, Georg; Distler, Jörg Hw

    2016-11-01

    Notch ligands and receptors have recently been shown to be differentially expressed in osteoarthritis (OA). We aim to further elucidate the functional role of Notch signalling in OA using Notch1 antisense transgenic (Notch1 AS) mice. Notch and hedgehog signalling were analysed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. Notch-1 AS mice were employed as a model of impaired Notch signalling in vivo. Experimental OA was induced by destabilisation of the medial meniscus (DMM). The extent of cartilage destruction and osteophyte formation was analysed by safranin-O staining with subsequent assessment of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) and Mankin scores and µCT scanning. Collagen X staining was used as a marker of chondrocyte hypertrophy. The role of hairy/enhancer of split 1 (Hes-1) was investigated with knockdown and overexpression experiments. Notch signalling was activated in human and murine OA with increased expression of Jagged1, Notch-1, accumulation of the Notch intracellular domain 1 and increased transcription of Hes-1. Notch1 AS mice showed exacerbated OA with increases in OARSI scores, osteophyte formation, increased subchondral bone plate density, collagen X and osteocalcin expression and elevated levels of Epas1 and ADAM-TS5 mRNA. Inhibition of the Notch pathway induced activation of hedgehog signalling with induction of Gli-1 and Gli-2 and increased transcription of hedgehog target genes. The regulatory effects of Notch signalling on Gli-expression were mimicked by Hes-1. Inhibition of Notch signalling activates hedgehog signalling, enhances chondrocyte hypertrophy and exacerbates experimental OA including osteophyte formation. These data suggest that the activation of the Notch pathway may limit aberrant hedgehog signalling in OA. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  7. Notch signaling activation in human embryonic stem cells is required for embryonic but not trophoblastic lineage commitment

    OpenAIRE

    Yu, Xiaobing; Zou, Jizhong; Ye, Zhaohui; Hammond, Holly; Chen, Guibin; Tokunaga, Akinori; Mali, Prashant; Li, Yue-Ming; Civin, Curt; Gaiano, Nicholas; Cheng, Linzhao

    2008-01-01

    The Notch signaling pathway plays important roles in cell fate determination during embryonic development and adult life. In this study, we focus on the role of Notch signaling in governing cell fate choices in human embryonic stem (hES) cells. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we achieved both blockade and conditional activation of Notch signaling in several hES cell lines. We report here that activation of Notch signaling is required for undifferentiated hES cells to form the pr...

  8. Notch1 regulates hippocampal plasticity through interaction with the Reelin pathway, glutamatergic transmission and CREB signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emanuele eBrai

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Notch signaling plays a crucial role in adult brain function such as synaptic plasticity, memory and olfaction. Several reports suggest an involvement of this pathway in neurodegenerative dementia. Yet, to date, the mechanism underlying Notch activity in mature neurons remains unresolved. In this work, we investigate how Notch regulates synaptic potentiation and contributes to the establishment of memory in mice. We observe that Notch1 is a postsynaptic receptor with functional interactions with the Reelin receptor, ApoER2, and the ionotropic receptor, NMDAR. Targeted loss of Notch1 in the hippocampal CA fields affects Reelin signaling by influencing Dab1 expression and impairs the synaptic potentiation achieved through Reelin stimulation. Further analysis indicates that loss of Notch1 affects the expression and composition of the NMDAR but not AMPAR. Glutamatergic signaling is further compromised through downregulation of CamKII and its secondary and tertiary messengers resulting in reduced CREB signaling. Our results identify Notch1 as an important regulator of mechanisms involved in synaptic plasticity and memory formation. These findings emphasize the possible involvement of this signaling receptor in dementia.

  9. Overexpression of protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the Notch signaling pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Lijie; Dong, Pingping; Liu, Longzi; Gao, Qiang; Duan, Meng; Zhang, Si; Chen, She; Xue, Ruyi; Wang, Xiaoying

    2016-01-01

    Aberrant activation of Notch signaling frequently occurs in liver cancer, and is associated with liver malignancies. However, the mechanisms regulating pathologic Notch activation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 (Pofut1) catalyzes the addition of O-linked fucose to the epidermal growth factor-like repeats of Notch. In the present study, we detected the expression of Pofut1 in 8 HCC cell lines and 253 human HCC tissues. We reported that Pofut1 was overexpressed in HCC cell lines and clinical HCC tissues, and Pofut1 overexpression clinically correlated with the unfavorable survival and high disease recurrence in HCC. The in vitro assay demonstrated that Pofut1 overexpression accelerated the cell proliferation and migration in HCC cells. Furthermore, Pofut1 overexpression promoted the binding of Notch ligand Dll1 to Notch receptor, and hence activated Notch signaling pathway in HCC cells, indicating that Pofut1 overexpression could be a reason for the aberrant activation of Notch signaling in HCC. Taken together, our findings indicated that an aberrant activated Pofut1-Notch pathway was involved in HCC progression, and blockage of this pathway could be a promising strategy for the therapy of HCC. - Highlights: • Pofut1 overexpression in HCC was correlated with aggressive tumor behaviors. • Pofut1 overexpression in HCC was associated with poor prognosis. • Pofut1 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in hepatoma cells. • Pofut1 activated Notch signaling pathway in hepatoma cells.

  10. Overexpression of protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 accelerates hepatocellular carcinoma progression via the Notch signaling pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Lijie [Liver Surgery Department, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai (China); Dong, Pingping [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Liver Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Liu, Longzi; Gao, Qiang; Duan, Meng [Liver Surgery Department, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Si; Chen, She [Key Laboratory of Glycoconjugate Research Ministry of Public Health, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Xue, Ruyi, E-mail: xue.ruyi@zs-hospital.sh.cn [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Shanghai Institute of Liver Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Wang, Xiaoying, E-mail: xiaoyingwang@fudan.edu.cn [Liver Surgery Department, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai (China)

    2016-04-29

    Aberrant activation of Notch signaling frequently occurs in liver cancer, and is associated with liver malignancies. However, the mechanisms regulating pathologic Notch activation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 (Pofut1) catalyzes the addition of O-linked fucose to the epidermal growth factor-like repeats of Notch. In the present study, we detected the expression of Pofut1 in 8 HCC cell lines and 253 human HCC tissues. We reported that Pofut1 was overexpressed in HCC cell lines and clinical HCC tissues, and Pofut1 overexpression clinically correlated with the unfavorable survival and high disease recurrence in HCC. The in vitro assay demonstrated that Pofut1 overexpression accelerated the cell proliferation and migration in HCC cells. Furthermore, Pofut1 overexpression promoted the binding of Notch ligand Dll1 to Notch receptor, and hence activated Notch signaling pathway in HCC cells, indicating that Pofut1 overexpression could be a reason for the aberrant activation of Notch signaling in HCC. Taken together, our findings indicated that an aberrant activated Pofut1-Notch pathway was involved in HCC progression, and blockage of this pathway could be a promising strategy for the therapy of HCC. - Highlights: • Pofut1 overexpression in HCC was correlated with aggressive tumor behaviors. • Pofut1 overexpression in HCC was associated with poor prognosis. • Pofut1 promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion in hepatoma cells. • Pofut1 activated Notch signaling pathway in hepatoma cells.

  11. Essential roles for lines in mediating leg and antennal proximodistal patterning and generating a stable Notch signaling interface at segment borders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenberg, Lina; Hatini, Victor

    2009-06-01

    The Drosophila leg imaginal disc provides a paradigm with which to understand the fundamental developmental mechanisms that generate an intricate appendage structure. Leg formation depends on the subdivision of the leg proximodistal (PD) axis into broad domains by the leg gap genes. The leg gap genes act combinatorially to initiate the expression of the Notch ligands Delta (Dl) and Serrate (Ser) in a segmental pattern. Dl and Ser induce the expression of a set of transcriptional regulators along the segment border, which mediate leg segment growth and joint morphogenesis. Here we show that Lines accumulates in nuclei in the presumptive tarsus and the inter-joints of proximal leg segments and governs the formation of these structures by destabilizing the nuclear protein Bowl. Across the presumptive tarsus, lines modulates the opposing expression landscapes of the leg gap gene dachshund (dac) and the tarsal PD genes, bric-a-brac 2 (bab), apterous (ap) and BarH1 (Bar). In this manner, lines inhibits proximal tarsal fates and promotes medial and distal tarsal fates. Across proximal leg segments, lines antagonizes bowl to promote Dl expression by relief-of-repression. In turn, Dl signals asymmetrically to stabilize Bowl in adjacent distal cells. Bowl, then, acts cell-autonomously, together with one or more redundant factors, to repress Dl expression. Together, lines and bowl act as a binary switch to generate a stable Notch signaling interface between Dl-expressing cells and adjacent distal cell. lines plays analogous roles in developing antennae, which are serially homologous to legs, suggesting evolutionarily conserved roles for lines in ventral appendage formation.

  12. AKAP200 promotes Notch stability by protecting it from Cbl/lysosome-mediated degradation in Drosophila melanogaster.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Neeta Bala Tannan

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available AKAP200 is a Drosophila melanogaster member of the "A Kinase Associated Protein" family of scaffolding proteins, known for their role in the spatial and temporal regulation of Protein Kinase A (PKA in multiple signaling contexts. Here, we demonstrate an unexpected function of AKAP200 in promoting Notch protein stability. In Drosophila, AKAP200 loss-of-function (LOF mutants show phenotypes that resemble Notch LOF defects, including eye patterning and sensory organ specification defects. Through genetic interactions, we demonstrate that AKAP200 interacts positively with Notch in both the eye and the thorax. We further show that AKAP200 is part of a physical complex with Notch. Biochemical studies reveal that AKAP200 stabilizes endogenous Notch protein, and that it limits ubiquitination of Notch. Specifically, our genetic and biochemical evidence indicates that AKAP200 protects Notch from the E3-ubiquitin ligase Cbl, which targets Notch to the lysosomal pathway. Indeed, we demonstrate that the effect of AKAP200 on Notch levels depends on the lysosome. Interestingly, this function of AKAP200 is fully independent of its role in PKA signaling and independent of its ability to bind PKA. Taken together, our data indicate that AKAP200 is a novel tissue specific posttranslational regulator of Notch, maintaining high Notch protein levels and thus promoting Notch signaling.

  13. AKAP200 promotes Notch stability by protecting it from Cbl/lysosome-mediated degradation in Drosophila melanogaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bala Tannan, Neeta; Collu, Giovanna; Humphries, Ashley C; Serysheva, Ekatherina; Weber, Ursula; Mlodzik, Marek

    2018-01-01

    AKAP200 is a Drosophila melanogaster member of the "A Kinase Associated Protein" family of scaffolding proteins, known for their role in the spatial and temporal regulation of Protein Kinase A (PKA) in multiple signaling contexts. Here, we demonstrate an unexpected function of AKAP200 in promoting Notch protein stability. In Drosophila, AKAP200 loss-of-function (LOF) mutants show phenotypes that resemble Notch LOF defects, including eye patterning and sensory organ specification defects. Through genetic interactions, we demonstrate that AKAP200 interacts positively with Notch in both the eye and the thorax. We further show that AKAP200 is part of a physical complex with Notch. Biochemical studies reveal that AKAP200 stabilizes endogenous Notch protein, and that it limits ubiquitination of Notch. Specifically, our genetic and biochemical evidence indicates that AKAP200 protects Notch from the E3-ubiquitin ligase Cbl, which targets Notch to the lysosomal pathway. Indeed, we demonstrate that the effect of AKAP200 on Notch levels depends on the lysosome. Interestingly, this function of AKAP200 is fully independent of its role in PKA signaling and independent of its ability to bind PKA. Taken together, our data indicate that AKAP200 is a novel tissue specific posttranslational regulator of Notch, maintaining high Notch protein levels and thus promoting Notch signaling.

  14. Developmental exposure to 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin attenuates later-life Notch1-mediated T cell development and leukemogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahrenhoerster, Lori S.; Leuthner, Tess C.; Tate, Everett R.; Lakatos, Peter A.; Laiosa, Michael D.

    2015-01-01

    Over half of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients have activating mutations in the Notch gene. Moreover, the contaminant 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a known carcinogen that mediates its toxicity through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), and crosstalk between activated AHR and Notch signaling pathways has previously been observed. Given the importance of Notch signaling in thymocyte development and T-ALL disease progression, we hypothesized that the activated AHR potentiates disease initiation and progression in an in vivo model of Notch1-induced thymoma. This hypothesis was tested utilizing adult and developmental exposure paradigms to TCDD in mice expressing a constitutively active Notch1 transgene (Notch ICN-TG ). Following exposure of adult Notch ICN-TG mice to a single high dose of TCDD, we observed a significant increase in the efficiency of CD8 thymocyte generation. We next exposed pregnant mice to 3 μg/kg of TCDD throughout gestation and lactation to elucidate effects of developmental AHR activation on later-life T cell development and T-ALL-like thymoma susceptibility induced by Notch1. We found that the vehicle-exposed Notch ICN-TG offspring have a peripheral T cell pool heavily biased toward the CD4 lineage, while TCDD-exposed Notch ICN-TG offspring were biased toward the CD8 lineage. Furthermore, while the vehicle-exposed NotchICN-TG mice showed increased splenomegaly and B to T cell ratios indicative of disease, mice developmentally exposed to TCDD were largely protected from disease. These studies support a model where developmental AHR activation attenuates later-life Notch1-dependent impacts on thymocyte development and disease progression. - Highlights: • Adult mice exposed to 30 μg/kg TCDD have higher efficiency of CD8 thymocyte generation. • Mice carrying a constitutively active Notch transgene were exposed to 3 μg/kg TCDD throughout development. • Progression of Notch-induced thymoma was different in

  15. Developmental exposure to 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin attenuates later-life Notch1-mediated T cell development and leukemogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahrenhoerster, Lori S.; Leuthner, Tess C.; Tate, Everett R.; Lakatos, Peter A.; Laiosa, Michael D., E-mail: laiosa@uwm.edu

    2015-03-01

    Over half of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients have activating mutations in the Notch gene. Moreover, the contaminant 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is a known carcinogen that mediates its toxicity through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), and crosstalk between activated AHR and Notch signaling pathways has previously been observed. Given the importance of Notch signaling in thymocyte development and T-ALL disease progression, we hypothesized that the activated AHR potentiates disease initiation and progression in an in vivo model of Notch1-induced thymoma. This hypothesis was tested utilizing adult and developmental exposure paradigms to TCDD in mice expressing a constitutively active Notch1 transgene (Notch{sup ICN-TG}). Following exposure of adult Notch{sup ICN-TG} mice to a single high dose of TCDD, we observed a significant increase in the efficiency of CD8 thymocyte generation. We next exposed pregnant mice to 3 μg/kg of TCDD throughout gestation and lactation to elucidate effects of developmental AHR activation on later-life T cell development and T-ALL-like thymoma susceptibility induced by Notch1. We found that the vehicle-exposed Notch{sup ICN-TG} offspring have a peripheral T cell pool heavily biased toward the CD4 lineage, while TCDD-exposed Notch{sup ICN-TG} offspring were biased toward the CD8 lineage. Furthermore, while the vehicle-exposed NotchICN-TG mice showed increased splenomegaly and B to T cell ratios indicative of disease, mice developmentally exposed to TCDD were largely protected from disease. These studies support a model where developmental AHR activation attenuates later-life Notch1-dependent impacts on thymocyte development and disease progression. - Highlights: • Adult mice exposed to 30 μg/kg TCDD have higher efficiency of CD8 thymocyte generation. • Mice carrying a constitutively active Notch transgene were exposed to 3 μg/kg TCDD throughout development. • Progression of Notch

  16. Mind bomb-1 in dendritic cells is specifically required for Notch-mediated T helper type 2 differentiation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyun-Woo Jeong

    Full Text Available In dendritic cell (DC-CD4(+ T cell interaction, Notch signaling has been implicated in the CD4(+ T cell activation, proliferation, and subset differentiation. However, there has been a lot of debate on the exact role of Notch signaling. Here, we observed that expression of Mind bomb-1 (Mib1, a critical regulator of Notch ligands for the activation of Notch signaling, increases gradually as precursor cells differentiate into DCs in mice. To clarify the role of Mib1 in DC-CD4(+ T cell interactions, we generated Mib1-null bone marrow-derived DCs. These cells readily expressed Notch ligands but failed to initiate Notch activation in the adjacent cells. Nevertheless, Mib1-null DCs were able to prime the activation and proliferation of CD4(+ T cells, suggesting that Notch activation in CD4(+ T cells is not required for these processes. Intriguingly, stimulation of CD4(+ T cells with Mib1-null DCs resulted in dramatically diminished Th2 cell populations, while preserving Th1 cell populations, both in vitro and in vivo. Our results demonstrate that Mib1 in DCs is critical for the activation of Notch signaling in CD4(+ T cells, and Notch signaling reinforces Th2 differentiation, but is not required for the activation or proliferation of the CD4(+ T cells.

  17. Gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase promotes the growth of human glioma cells by activating Notch-Akt signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shen, Shang-Hang; Yu, Ning; Liu, Xi-Yao; Tan, Guo-Wei; Wang, Zhan-Xiang, E-mail: md_wzx7189@163.com

    2016-03-18

    Glioma as an aggressive type tumor is rapidly growing and has become one of the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. γ-Glutamylcyclotransferase (GGCT) has been shown as a diagnostic marker in various cancers. To reveal whether there is a correlation between GGCT and human glioma, GGCT expression in human glioma tissues and cell lines was first determined. We found that GGCT expression was up-regulated in human glioma tissues and cell lines. Further, we demonstrate that GGCT knockdown inhibits glioma cell T98G and U251 proliferation and colony formation, whereas GGCT overexpression leads to oppose effects. GGCT overexpression promotes the expression of Notch receptors and activates Akt signaling in glioma cells, and Notch-Akt signaling is activated in glioma tissues with high expression of GGCT. Finally, we show that inhibition of Notch-Akt signaling with Notch inhibitor MK-0752 blocks the effects of GGCT on glioma proliferation and colony formation. In conclusion, GGCT plays a critical role in glioma cell proliferation and may be a potential cancer therapeutic target. - Highlights: • GGCT expression is up-regulated in human glioma tissues and cell lines. • GGCT promotes glioma cell growth and colony formation. • GGCT promotes the activation of Notch-Akt signaling in glioma cells and tissues. • Notch inhibition blocks the role of GGCT in human glioma cells.

  18. The notch and TGF-β signaling pathways contribute to the aggressiveness of clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonas Sjölund

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Despite recent progress, therapy for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC is still inadequate. Dysregulated Notch signaling in CCRCC contributes to tumor growth, but the full spectrum of downstream processes regulated by Notch in this tumor form is unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We show that inhibition of endogenous Notch signaling modulates TGF-β dependent gene regulation in CCRCC cells. Analysis of gene expression data representing 176 CCRCCs showed that elevated TGF-β pathway activity correlated significantly with shortened disease specific survival (log-rank test, p = 0.006 and patients with metastatic disease showed a significantly elevated TGF-β signaling activity (two-sided Student's t-test, p = 0.044. Inhibition of Notch signaling led to attenuation of both basal and TGF-β1 induced TGF-β signaling in CCRCC cells, including an extensive set of genes known to be involved in migration and invasion. Functional analyses revealed that Notch inhibition decreased the migratory and invasive capacity of CCRCC cells. CONCLUSION: An extensive cross-talk between the Notch and TGF-β signaling cascades is present in CCRCC and the functional properties of these two pathways are associated with the aggressiveness of this disease.

  19. The homeobox gene mirror links EGF signalling to embryonic dorso-ventral axis formation through notch activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jordan, K C; Clegg, N J; Blasi, J A; Morimoto, A M; Sen, J; Stein, D; McNeill, H; Deng, W M; Tworoger, M; Ruohola-Baker, H

    2000-04-01

    Recent studies in vertebrates and Drosophila melanogaster have revealed that Fringe-mediated activation of the Notch pathway has a role in patterning cell layers during organogenesis. In these processes, a homeobox-containing transcription factor is responsible for spatially regulating fringe (fng) expression and thus directing activation of the Notch pathway along the fng expression border. Here we show that this may be a general mechanism for patterning epithelial cell layers. At three stages in Drosophila oogenesis, mirror (mirr) and fng have complementary expression patterns in the follicle-cell epithelial layer, and at all three stages loss of mirr enlarges, and ectopic expression of mirr restricts, fng expression, with consequences for follicle-cell patterning. These morphological changes are similar to those caused by Notch mutations. Ectopic expression of mirr in the posterior follicle cells induces a stripe of rhomboid (rho) expression and represses pipe (pip), a gene with a role in the establishment of the dorsal-ventral axis, at a distance. Ectopic Notch activation has a similar long-range effect on pip. Our results suggest that Mirror and Notch induce secretion of diffusible morphogens and we have identified TGF-beta (encoded by dpp) as such a molecule in germarium. We also found that mirr expression in dorsal follicle cells is induced by the EGF-receptor (EGFR) pathway and that mirr then represses pip expression in all but the ventral follicle cells, connecting EGFR activation in the dorsal follicle cells to repression of pip in the dorsal and lateral follicle cells. Our results suggest that the differentiation of ventral follicle cells is not a direct consequence of germline signalling, but depends on long-range signals from dorsal follicle cells, and provide a link between early and late events in Drosophila embryonic dorsal-ventral axis formation.

  20. Combinatorial action of Grainyhead, Extradenticle and Notch in regulating Hox mediated apoptosis in Drosophila larval CNS.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khandelwal, Risha; Sipani, Rashmi; Govinda Rajan, Sriivatsan; Kumar, Raviranjan; Joshi, Rohit

    2017-10-01

    Hox mediated neuroblast apoptosis is a prevalent way to pattern larval central nervous system (CNS) by different Hox genes, but the mechanism of this apoptosis is not understood. Our studies with Abdominal-A (Abd-A) mediated larval neuroblast (pNB) apoptosis suggests that AbdA, its cofactor Extradenticle (Exd), a helix-loop-helix transcription factor Grainyhead (Grh), and Notch signaling transcriptionally contribute to expression of RHG family of apoptotic genes. We find that Grh, AbdA, and Exd function together at multiple motifs on the apoptotic enhancer. In vivo mutagenesis of these motifs suggest that they are important for the maintenance of the activity of the enhancer rather than its initiation. We also find that Exd function is independent of its known partner homothorax in this apoptosis. We extend some of our findings to Deformed expressing region of sub-esophageal ganglia where pNBs undergo a similar Hox dependent apoptosis. We propose a mechanism where common players like Exd-Grh-Notch work with different Hox genes through region specific enhancers to pattern respective segments of larval central nervous system.

  1. Notch signalling in primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders: a new therapeutic approach?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamstrup, M R; Biskup, E; Gniadecki, R

    2010-01-01

    The oncogenic potential of deregulated Notch signalling has been described in several haematopoietic malignancies. We have previously reported an increased expression of Notch1 in primary cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorders, lymphomatoid papulosis and primary cutaneous anaplastic large...

  2. Notch Signaling Is Associated With ALDH Activity And An Aggressive Metastatic Phenotype In Murine Osteosarcoma Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaodong eMu

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Osteosarcoma (OS is the most common primary malignancy of bone, and pulmonary metastatic disease accounts for nearly all mortality. However, little is known about the biochemical signaling alterations that drive the progression of metastatic disease. Two murine OS cell populations, K7M2 and K12, are clonally related but differ significantly in their metastatic phenotypes and therefore represent excellent tools for studying metastatic OS molecular biology. K7M2 cells are highly metastatic, whereas K12 cells display limited metastatic potential. Here we report that the expression of Notch genes (Notch1, 2, 4 are up-regulated, including downstream targets Hes1 and Stat3, in the highly metastatic K7M2 cells compared to the less metastatic K12 cells, indicating that the Notch signaling pathway is more active in K7M2 cells. We have previously described that K7M2 cells exhibit higher levels of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH activity. Here we report that K7M2 cell ALDH activity is reduced with Notch inhibition, suggesting that ALDH activity may be regulated in part by the Notch pathway. Notch signaling is also associated with increased resistance to oxidative stress, migration, invasion, and VEGF expression in vitro. However, Notch inhibition did not significantly alter K7M2 cell proliferation. In conclusion, we provide evidence that Notch signaling is associated with ALDH activity and increased metastatic behavior in OS cells. Both Notch and ALDH are putative molecular targets for the treatment and prevention of OS metastasis.

  3. Genetic screens to identify new Notch pathway mutants in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giagtzoglou, Nikolaos

    2014-01-01

    Notch signaling controls a wide range of developmental processes, including proliferation, apoptosis, and cell fate specification during both development and adult tissue homeostasis. The functional versatility of the Notch signaling pathway is tightly linked with the complexity of its regulation in different cellular contexts. To unravel the complexity of Notch signaling, it is important to identify the different components of the Notch signaling pathway. A powerful strategy to accomplish this task is based on genetic screens. Given that the developmental context of signaling is important, these screens should be customized to specific cell populations or tissues. Here, I describe how to perform F1 clonal forward genetic screens in Drosophila to identify novel components of the Notch signaling pathway. These screens combine a classical EMS (ethyl methanesulfonate) chemical mutagenesis protocol along with clonal analysis via FRT-mediated mitotic recombination. These F1 clonal screens allow rapid phenotypic screening within clones of mutant cells induced at specific developmental stages and in tissues of interest, bypassing the pleiotropic effects of isolated mutations. More importantly, since EMS mutations have been notoriously difficult to map to specific genes in the past, I briefly discuss mapping methods that allow rapid identification of the causative mutations.

  4. Specification of Drosophila corpora cardiaca neuroendocrine cells from mesoderm is regulated by Notch signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangbin Park

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Drosophila neuroendocrine cells comprising the corpora cardiaca (CC are essential for systemic glucose regulation and represent functional orthologues of vertebrate pancreatic α-cells. Although Drosophila CC cells have been regarded as developmental orthologues of pituitary gland, the genetic regulation of CC development is poorly understood. From a genetic screen, we identified multiple novel regulators of CC development, including Notch signaling factors. Our studies demonstrate that the disruption of Notch signaling can lead to the expansion of CC cells. Live imaging demonstrates localized emergence of extra precursor cells as the basis of CC expansion in Notch mutants. Contrary to a recent report, we unexpectedly found that CC cells originate from head mesoderm. We show that Tinman expression in head mesoderm is regulated by Notch signaling and that the combination of Daughterless and Tinman is sufficient for ectopic CC specification in mesoderm. Understanding the cellular, genetic, signaling, and transcriptional basis of CC cell specification and expansion should accelerate discovery of molecular mechanisms regulating ontogeny of organs that control metabolism.

  5. Wnt and Notch signaling pathway involved in wound healing by targeting c-Myc and Hes1 separately.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Yan; Shu, Bin; Yang, Ronghua; Xu, Yingbin; Xing, Bangrong; Liu, Jian; Chen, Lei; Qi, Shaohai; Liu, Xusheng; Wang, Peng; Tang, Jinming; Xie, Julin

    2015-06-16

    Wnt and Notch signaling pathways are critically involved in relative cell fate decisions within the development of cutaneous tissues. Moreover, several studies identified the above two pathways as having a significant role during wound healing. However, their biological effects during cutaneous tissues repair are unclear. We employed a self-controlled model (Sprague-Dawley rats with full-thickness skin wounds) to observe the action and effect of Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signalings in vivo. The quality of wound repair relevant to the gain/loss-of-function Wnt/β-catenin and Notch activation was estimated by hematoxylin-and-eosin and Masson staining. Immunofluorescence analysis and Western blot analysis were used to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the regulation of Wnt and Notch signaling pathways in wound healing. Meanwhile, epidermal stem cells (ESCs) were cultured in keratinocyte serum-free medium with Jaggedl or in DAPT (N-[(3,5-difluorophenyl)acetyl]-L-alanyl-2-phenyl]glycine-1,1-dimethylethyl) to investigate whether the interruption of Notch signaling contributes to the expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. The results showed that in vivo the gain-of-function Wnt/β-catenin and Notch activation extended the ability to promote wound closure. We further determined that activation or inhibition of Wnt signaling and Notch signaling can affect the proliferation of ESCs, the differentiation and migration of keratinocytes, and follicle regeneration by targeting c-Myc and Hes1, which ultimately lead to enhanced or delayed wound healing. Furthermore, Western blot analysis suggested that the two pathways might interact in vivo and in vitro. These results suggest that Wnt and Notch signalings play important roles in cutaneous repair by targeting c-Myc and Hes1 separately. What's more, interaction between the above two pathways might act as a vital role in regulation of wound healing.

  6. RBP-to-retinol ratio, but not total RBP, is elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erikstrup, C; Mortensen, Ole Hartvig; Nielsen, A R

    2009-01-01

    : We studied the ratio between RBP and retinol in 233 humans divided into groups depending on normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and presence or absence of obesity. RESULTS: Plasma RBP and retinol levels were lower in patients with T2DM than...

  7. Neuronal apoptosis and synaptic density in the dentate gyrus of ischemic rats' response to chronic mild stress and the effects of Notch signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shaohua Wang

    Full Text Available Our previous research highlighted an inconsistency with Notch1 signaling-related compensatory neurogenesis after chronic mild stress (CMS in rodents suffering from cerebral ischemia, which continue to display post-stroke depressive symptoms. Here, we hypothesize that CMS aggrandized ischemia-related apoptosis injury and worsened synaptic integrity via gamma secretase-meditated Notch1 signaling. Adult rats were exposed to a CMS paradigm after left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO. Open-field and sucrose consumption testing were employed to assess depression-like behavior. Gene expression of pro-apoptotic Bax, anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, and synaptic density-related synaptophysin were measured by western blotting and real-time PCR on Day 28 after MCAO surgery. CMS induced depressive behaviors in ischemic rats, which was accompanied by an elevation in Bax/bcl-2 ratio, TUNEL staining in neurons and reduced synaptophysin expression in the dentate gyrus. These collective effects were reversed by the gamma-secretase inhibitor DAPT (N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl-L-alanyl]-S-phenyl-glycine t-butyl ester. We found that post-stroke stressors made neurons in the dentate gyrus vulnerable to apoptosis, which supports a putative role for Notch signaling in neural integrity, potentially in newborn cells' synaptic deficit with regard to preexisting cells. These findings suggest that post-stroke depression therapeutically benefits from blocking gamma secretase mediated Notch signaling, and whether this signaling pathway could be a therapeutic target needs to be further investigated.

  8. Immunolocalization of notch signaling protein molecules in a maxillary chondrosarcoma and its recurrent tumor

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siar CH

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Notch receptors are critical determinants of cell fate in a variety of organisms. Notch signaling is involved in the chondrogenic specification of neural crest cells. Aberrant Notch activity has been implicated in numerous human diseases including cancers; however its role in chondrogenic tumors has not been clarified. Method Tissue samples from a case of primary chondrosarcoma of the maxilla and its recurrent tumor were examined immunohistochemically for Notch1-4 and their ligands (Jagged1, Jagged2 and Delta1 expression. Results Both primary and recurrent tumors were histopathologically diagnosed as conventional hyaline chondrosarcoma (WHO Grade I. Hypercellular tumor areas strongly expressed Notch3 and Jagged1 in spindle and pleomorphic cells suggesting up-regulation of these protein molecules at sites of tumor proliferation. Expression patterns were distinct with some overlap. Differentiated malignant and atypical chondrocytes demonstrated variable expression levels of Jagged1, and weak to absent staining for Notch1, 4 and Delta1. Protein immunolocalization was largely membranous and cytoplasmic, sometimes outlining the lacunae of malignant chondrocytes. Hyaline cartilage demonstrated a diffuse or granular precipitation of Jagged1 suggesting presence of soluble Jagged1 activity at sites of abnormal chondrogenesis. No immunoreactivity for the other Notch members was observed. Calcified cartilage was consistently Notch-negative indicating down-regulation of Notch with cartilage maturation. Stromal components namely endothelial cells and fibroblasts variably expressed Notch1, 3 and Jagged1 but were mildly or non-reactive for the other members. Conclusions Results indicate that Notch signaling pathway may participate in cellular differentiation and proliferation in chondrosarcoma. Findings implicate Notch3 and Jagged1 as key molecules that influence the differentiation and maturation of cells of chondrogenic lineage.

  9. Dual Mechanism of Action of Resveratrol in Notch Signaling ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    activation of Notch signaling in osteosarcoma cells. ... HeyL in U2OS cells. Treatment of U2OS cells with 20 µM concentration of resveratrol for 48 h induced a ... Cell lines and culture .... concentration of resveratrol required for induced.

  10. Alterations in Notch signalling in skeletal muscles from mdx and dko dystrophic mice and patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Church, Jarrod E; Trieu, Jennifer; Chee, Annabel; Naim, Timur; Gehrig, Stefan M; Lamon, Séverine; Angelini, Corrado; Russell, Aaron P; Lynch, Gordon S

    2014-04-01

    New Findings What is the central question of this study? The Notch signalling pathway plays an important role in muscle regeneration, and activation of the pathway has been shown to enhance muscle regeneration in aged mice. It is unknown whether Notch activation will have a similarly beneficial effect on muscle regeneration in the context of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). What is the main finding and its importance? Although expression of Notch signalling components is altered in both mouse models of DMD and in human DMD patients, activation of the Notch signalling pathway does not confer any functional benefit on muscles from dystrophic mice, suggesting that other signalling pathways may be more fruitful targets for manipulation in treating DMD. Abstract In Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), muscle damage and impaired regeneration lead to progressive muscle wasting, weakness and premature death. The Notch signalling pathway represents a central regulator of gene expression and is critical for cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptotic signalling during all stages of embryonic muscle development. Notch activation improves muscle regeneration in aged mice, but its potential to restore regeneration and function in muscular dystrophy is unknown. We performed a comprehensive examination of several genes involved in Notch signalling in muscles from dystrophin-deficient mdx and dko (utrophin- and dystrophin-null) mice and DMD patients. A reduction of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA in tibialis anterior muscles of dko mice and quadriceps muscles of DMD patients and a reduction of Hes1 mRNA in the diaphragm of the mdx mice were observed, with other targets being inconsistent across species. Activation and inhibition of Notch signalling, followed by measures of muscle regeneration and function, were performed in the mouse models of DMD. Notch activation had no effect on functional regeneration in C57BL/10, mdx or dko mice. Notch inhibition significantly depressed the

  11. FOXP3 expression is modulated by TGF-β1/NOTCH1 pathway in human melanoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skarmoutsou, Eva; Bevelacqua, Valentina; D'Amico, Fabio; Russo, Angela; Spandidos, Demetrios A.; Scalisi, Aurora

    2018-01-01

    Forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) transcription factor is expressed by immune cells and several human cancers and is associated with tumor aggressiveness and unfavorable clinical outcomes. NOTCH and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) protumorigenic effects are mediated by FOXP3 expression in several cancer models; however, their interaction and role in melanoma is unknown. We investigated TGF-β-induced FOXP3 gene expression during NOTCH1 signaling inactivation. Primary (WM35) and metastatic melanoma (A375 and A2058) cell lines and normal melanocytes (NHEM) were used. FOXP3 subcellular distribution was evaluated by immuno cytochemical analysis. Gene expression levels were assessed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Protein levels were assessed by western blot analysis. The γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) was used for NOTCH1 inhibition and recombinant human (rh)TGF-β was used for melanoma cell stimulation. Cell proliferation and viability were respectively assessed by MTT and Trypan blue dye assays. FOXP3 mRNA and protein levels were progressively higher in WM35, A375 and A2058 cell lines compared to NHEM and their levels were further increased after stimulation with rh-TGF-β. TGF-β-mediated FOXP3 expression was mediated by NOTCH1 signaling. Inhibition of NOTCH1 with concomitant rh-TGF-β stimulation determined the reduction in gene expression and protein level of FOXP3. Finally, melanoma cell line proliferation and viability were reduced by NOTCH1 inhibition. The results show that nn increase in FOXP3 expression in metastatic melanoma cell lines is a potential marker of tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. NOTCH1 is a central mediator of TGF-β-mediated FOXP3 expression and NOTCH1 inhibition produces a significant reduction of melanoma cell proliferation and viability. PMID:29620159

  12. Genetic deletion of Rnd3 in neural stem cells promotes proliferation via upregulation of Notch signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Huimin; Lin, Xi; Li, Yuntao; Hu, Ronghua; Xu, Yang; Guo, Xiaojie; La, Qiong; Wang, Shun; Fang, Congcong; Guo, Junli; Li, Qi; Mao, Shanping; Liu, Baohui

    2017-10-31

    Rnd3, a Rho GTPase, is involved in the inhibition of actin cytoskeleton dynamics through the Rho kinase-dependent signaling pathway. We previously demonstrated that mice with genetic deletion of Rnd3 developed a markedly larger brain compared with wild-type mice. Here, we demonstrate that Rnd3 knockout mice developed an enlarged subventricular zone, and we identify a novel role for Rnd3 as an inhibitor of Notch signaling in neural stem cells. Rnd3 deficiency, both in vivo and in vitro , resulted in increased levels of Notch intracellular domain protein. This led to enhanced Notch signaling and promotion of aberrant neural stem cell growth, thereby resulting in a larger subventricular zone and a markedly larger brain. Inhibition of Notch activity abrogated this aberrant neural stem cell growth.

  13. Epithelial-stromal interaction via Notch signaling is essential for the full maturation of gut-associated lymphoid tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obata, Yuuki; Kimura, Shunsuke; Nakato, Gaku; Iizuka, Keito; Miyagawa, Yurika; Nakamura, Yutaka; Furusawa, Yukihiro; Sugiyama, Machiko; Suzuki, Keiichiro; Ebisawa, Masashi; Fujimura, Yumiko; Yoshida, Hisahiro; Iwanaga, Toshihiko; Hase, Koji; Ohno, Hiroshi

    2014-12-01

    Intrinsic Notch signaling in intestinal epithelial cells restricts secretory cell differentiation. In gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), stromal cells located beneath the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) abundantly express the Notch ligand delta-like 1 (Dll1). Here, we show that mice lacking Rbpj-a gene encoding a transcription factor implicated in Notch signaling-in intestinal epithelial cells have defective GALT maturation. This defect can be attributed to the expansion of goblet cells, which leads to the down-regulation of CCL20 in FAE. These data demonstrate that epithelial Notch signaling maintained by stromal cells contributes to the full maturation of GALT by restricting secretory cell differentiation in FAE. © 2014 The Authors.

  14. Epithelial–stromal interaction via Notch signaling is essential for the full maturation of gut-associated lymphoid tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obata, Yuuki; Kimura, Shunsuke; Nakato, Gaku; Iizuka, Keito; Miyagawa, Yurika; Nakamura, Yutaka; Furusawa, Yukihiro; Sugiyama, Machiko; Suzuki, Keiichiro; Ebisawa, Masashi; Fujimura, Yumiko; Yoshida, Hisahiro; Iwanaga, Toshihiko; Hase, Koji; Ohno, Hiroshi

    2014-01-01

    Intrinsic Notch signaling in intestinal epithelial cells restricts secretory cell differentiation. In gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT), stromal cells located beneath the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) abundantly express the Notch ligand delta-like 1 (Dll1). Here, we show that mice lacking Rbpj—a gene encoding a transcription factor implicated in Notch signaling—in intestinal epithelial cells have defective GALT maturation. This defect can be attributed to the expansion of goblet cells, which leads to the down-regulation of CCL20 in FAE. These data demonstrate that epithelial Notch signaling maintained by stromal cells contributes to the full maturation of GALT by restricting secretory cell differentiation in FAE. Subject Categories Development & Differentiation; Immunology; Signal Transduction PMID:25378482

  15. Fringe Controls Naïve CD4+T Cells Differentiation through Modulating Notch Signaling in Asthmatic Rat Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Wen; Xu, Weiguo; Ding, Tao; Guo, Xuejun

    2012-01-01

    The ability of Notch signaling to regulate T helper cell development and differentiation has been widely accepted. Fringe, O-fucose-β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases modulate Notch receptor expression and promote the Notch signaling pathway through receptor-ligand binding. In this study, we assayed the expression levels of three Fringe homologs in naive CD4+T cells in asthmatic rats. We found that Radical Fringe (Rfng) was highly expressed, whereas both Lunatic Fringe (Lfng) and Manic Fringe (Mfng) were expressed at low levels. Down-regulation of Rfng using siRNA, and overexpression of Lfng or Mfng enhanced Th1 subset lineages and diminished Th2 subset lineages. Notch signaling was more activated in asthmatic naïve CD4+T cells than in control cells, and Lfng, but not Mfng or Rfng, partly inhibited Notch signaling in asthmatic naïve CD4+T lymphocytes. Lfng overexpression resulted in significantly decreased Th2 cytokine production in asthma, which was the same effect as the GSI (γ-secretase inhibitor) treatment alone, but had an increased effect on Th1 cytokines than GSI treatment. Collectively, these data identify the essential role of Fringe modulating naïve CD4+T cells differentiation through Notch signaling. Lfng regulated Th2 cells differentiation via a Notch-dependent manner and Th1 cells differentiation via a Notch-independent manner. Fringe could be a therapeutic strategy for the management and prevention of allergic asthma. PMID:23071776

  16. Fringe controls naïve CD4(+)T cells differentiation through modulating notch signaling in asthmatic rat models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Wen; Xu, Weiguo; Ding, Tao; Guo, Xuejun

    2012-01-01

    The ability of Notch signaling to regulate T helper cell development and differentiation has been widely accepted. Fringe, O-fucose-β1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases modulate Notch receptor expression and promote the Notch signaling pathway through receptor-ligand binding. In this study, we assayed the expression levels of three Fringe homologs in naive CD4(+)T cells in asthmatic rats. We found that Radical Fringe (Rfng) was highly expressed, whereas both Lunatic Fringe (Lfng) and Manic Fringe (Mfng) were expressed at low levels. Down-regulation of Rfng using siRNA, and overexpression of Lfng or Mfng enhanced Th1 subset lineages and diminished Th2 subset lineages. Notch signaling was more activated in asthmatic naïve CD4(+)T cells than in control cells, and Lfng, but not Mfng or Rfng, partly inhibited Notch signaling in asthmatic naïve CD4(+)T lymphocytes. Lfng overexpression resulted in significantly decreased Th2 cytokine production in asthma, which was the same effect as the GSI (γ-secretase inhibitor) treatment alone, but had an increased effect on Th1 cytokines than GSI treatment. Collectively, these data identify the essential role of Fringe modulating naïve CD4(+)T cells differentiation through Notch signaling. Lfng regulated Th2 cells differentiation via a Notch-dependent manner and Th1 cells differentiation via a Notch-independent manner. Fringe could be a therapeutic strategy for the management and prevention of allergic asthma.

  17. Vía de señalización Notch y nuevas estrategias para el tratamiento de cáncer Notch signaling pathway and new strategies in cancer treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leticia Santos

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available La vía de señalización Notch desempeña un papel fundamental en las diferentes etapas del desarrollo celular como la proliferación, crecimiento, diferenciación y apoptosis. Estudios recientes han demostrado que, dependiendo del nivel de expresión y del contexto celular, los receptores de membrana Notch contribuyen en la resistencia a apoptosis en células tumorales. Estos descubrimientos sugieren que componentes de la vía de señalización Notch son un blanco potencial para el desarrollo de terapias más efectivas contra el cáncer. Esta revisión describe la función de la vía Notch y nuevas estrategias utilizadas en la modulación de su señal.The Notch signaling pathway plays a crucial role at different stages of cell development, such as proliferation, growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recent studies demonstrate that depending on the expression level and cellular context, the Notch receptors play a role in apoptosis resistance in malignant cells. These findings suggest that Notch signaling components may be a potential target in the development of new cancer therapies. This review describes the function of the Notch pathway and new strategies in the modulation of its signal.

  18. The hippo pathway promotes Notch signaling in regulation of cell differentiation, proliferation, and oocyte polarity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianzhong Yu

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Specification of the anterior-posterior axis in Drosophila oocytes requires proper communication between the germ-line cells and the somatically derived follicular epithelial cells. Multiple signaling pathways, including Notch, contribute to oocyte polarity formation by controlling the temporal and spatial pattern of follicle cell differentiation and proliferation. Here we show that the newly identified Hippo tumor-suppressor pathway plays a crucial role in the posterior follicle cells in the regulation of oocyte polarity. Disruption of the Hippo pathway, including major components Hippo, Salvador, and Warts, results in aberrant follicle-cell differentiation and proliferation and dramatic disruption of the oocyte anterior-posterior axis. These phenotypes are related to defective Notch signaling in follicle cells, because misexpression of a constitutively active form of Notch alleviates the oocyte polarity defects. We also find that follicle cells defective in Hippo signaling accumulate the Notch receptor and display defects in endocytosis markers. Our findings suggest that the interaction between Hippo and classic developmental pathways such as Notch is critical to spatial and temporal regulation of differentiation and proliferation and is essential for development of the body axes in Drosophila.

  19. Fgf signaling controls pharyngeal taste bud formation through miR-200 and Delta-Notch activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kapsimali, Marika; Kaushik, Anna-Lila; Gibon, Guillaume; Dirian, Lara; Ernest, Sylvain; Rosa, Frederic M

    2011-08-01

    Taste buds, the taste sensory organs, are conserved in vertebrates and composed of distinct cell types, including taste receptor, basal/presynaptic and support cells. Here, we characterize zebrafish taste bud development and show that compromised Fgf signaling in the larva results in taste bud reduction and disorganization. We determine that Fgf activity is required within pharyngeal endoderm for formation of Calb2b(+) cells and reveal miR-200 and Delta-Notch signaling as key factors in this process. miR-200 knock down shows that miR-200 activity is required for taste bud formation and in particular for Calb2b(+) cell formation. Compromised delta activity in mib(-/-) dramatically reduces the number of Calb2b(+) cells and increases the number of 5HT(+) cells. Conversely, larvae with increased Notch activity and ascl1a(-/-) mutants are devoid of 5HT(+) cells, but have maintained and increased Calb2b(+) cells, respectively. These results show that Delta-Notch signaling is required for intact taste bud organ formation. Consistent with this, Notch activity restores Calb2b(+) cell formation in pharyngeal endoderm with compromised Fgf signaling, but fails to restore the formation of these cells after miR-200 knock down. Altogether, this study provides genetic evidence that supports a novel model where Fgf regulates Delta-Notch signaling, and subsequently miR-200 activity, in order to promote taste bud cell type differentiation.

  20. NOR1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation and migration through modulating the Notch signaling pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    You, Kun; Sun, Peisheng; Yue, Zhongyi; Li, Jian; Xiong, Wancheng; Wang, Jianguo, E-mail: jianguowangjgw@163.com

    2017-03-15

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide. Previous studies have reported that the oxidored-nitro domain containing protein 1 (NOR1) is a novel tumor suppressor in several tumors. Recent evidence suggests that NOR1 is strongly expressed in HCC cells. However, its role and mechanism in HCC are unclear. In the current study, Western blot and qPCR detected strong NOR1 mRNA and protein expression in HepG2 and Hep3B cells. After transfection with NOR1 siRNA or pcDNA3.1-myc-his-NOR1, the proliferation and migration of HepG2 and Hep3B cells were analyzed in vitro. HepG2 or Hep3B cells overexpressing NOR1 showed an increased proliferation and migration, whereas siRNA-mediated silencing of NOR1 showed the opposite effect. Furthermore, NOR1 activated the Notch signaling pathway, indicated by increased levels of Notch1, NICD, Hes1, and Hey1 in protein. Importantly, the Notch inhibitor DAPT downregulated Notch activation and further enhanced siNOR1-induced reduction of cell proliferation and migration in HepG2 and Hep3B cells, whereas DAPT reversed the effect of NOR1 overexpression on cell proliferation and migration. In conclusion, these results indicate that NOR1 may be involved in the progression of HCC and thus may be a potential target for the treatment of liver cancer. - Highlights: • NOR1 expression is up-regulated in HCC cells. • NOR1 promotes the proliferation and migration of HCC cells. • NOR1 promotes the progression of HCC cells by activating Notch pathway.

  1. Progranulin promotes peripheral nerve regeneration and reinnervation: role of notch signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Altmann, Christine; Vasic, Verica; Hardt, Stefanie; Heidler, Juliana; Häussler, Annett; Wittig, Ilka; Schmidt, Mirko H H; Tegeder, Irmgard

    2016-10-22

    Peripheral nerve injury is a frequent cause of lasting motor deficits and chronic pain. Although peripheral nerves are capable of regrowth they often fail to re-innervate target tissues. Using newly generated transgenic mice with inducible neuronal progranulin overexpression we show that progranulin accelerates axonal regrowth, restoration of neuromuscular synapses and recovery of sensory and motor functions after injury of the sciatic nerve. Oppositely, progranulin deficient mice have long-lasting deficits in motor function tests after nerve injury due to enhanced losses of motor neurons and stronger microglia activation in the ventral horn of the spinal cord. Deep proteome and gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that the proteins upregulated in progranulin overexpressing mice were involved in 'regulation of transcription' and 'response to insulin' (GO terms). Transcription factor prediction pointed to activation of Notch signaling and indeed, co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed that progranulin bound to the extracellular domain of Notch receptors, and this was functionally associated with higher expression of Notch target genes in the dorsal root ganglia of transgenic mice with neuronal progranulin overexpression. Functionally, these transgenic mice recovered normal gait and running, which was not achieved by controls and was stronger impaired in progranulin deficient mice. We infer that progranulin activates Notch signaling pathways, enhancing thereby the regenerative capacity of partially injured neurons, which leads to improved motor function recovery.

  2. Emodin suppresses TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelial cells through Notch signaling pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Rundi; Chen, Ruilin; Cao, Yu; Wang, Yuan; Song, Kang; Zhang, Ya; Yang, Junchao

    2017-01-01

    Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by the destruction of lung tissue architecture and the formation of fibrous foci, currently has no satisfactory treatment. Emodin is a component of Chinese herb that has been reported to be medicament on pancreatic fibrosis and liver fibrosis. However, its role in pulmonary fibrosis has not been established yet. In the present study, we investigated the hypothesis that Emodin plays an inhibitory role in TGF-β1 induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of alveolar epithelial cell, and Emodin exerts its effect through the Notch signaling pathway. Emodin inhibits the proliferation of Rat alveolar type II epithelial cells RLE-6TN in a concentration-dependent manner; reduces the expression of Collagen I, α-SMA and Vimentin, promotes the expression of E-cadherin. Moreover, Emodin could regulate the expression patterns of the Notch signaling pathway-related factors and reduce the Notch-1 nucleus translocation. Knockdown of Notch-1 enhances the inhibitory effect of Emodin on TGF-β1-induced EMT in RLE-6TN cells. In conclusion, the data of the present study suggests that Emodin suppresses TGF-β1-induced EMT in alveolar epithelial cells through Notch signaling pathway and shows the potential to be effective in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. - Highlights: • Emodin inhibits TGF-β1-induced EMT in alveolar epithelial cells. • Emodin regulates the expression patterns of the Notch signaling pathway-related factors. • Emodin inhibits TGF-β1-induced Notch-1 nucleus translocation and activation.

  3. Emodin suppresses TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in alveolar epithelial cells through Notch signaling pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, Rundi; Chen, Ruilin; Cao, Yu [Department of Respiration, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, NO. 56, Youdian Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310006 (China); Wang, Yuan [Department of Pulmonary Function, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, NO. 56, Youdian Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310006 (China); Song, Kang [Department of Respiration, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, NO. 56, Youdian Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310006 (China); Zhang, Ya [Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, No. 548, Binwen Road, Binjiang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310006 (China); Yang, Junchao, E-mail: yangjunchaozj@zcmu.edu.cn [Department of Respiration, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, NO. 56, Youdian Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310006 (China)

    2017-03-01

    Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by the destruction of lung tissue architecture and the formation of fibrous foci, currently has no satisfactory treatment. Emodin is a component of Chinese herb that has been reported to be medicament on pancreatic fibrosis and liver fibrosis. However, its role in pulmonary fibrosis has not been established yet. In the present study, we investigated the hypothesis that Emodin plays an inhibitory role in TGF-β1 induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of alveolar epithelial cell, and Emodin exerts its effect through the Notch signaling pathway. Emodin inhibits the proliferation of Rat alveolar type II epithelial cells RLE-6TN in a concentration-dependent manner; reduces the expression of Collagen I, α-SMA and Vimentin, promotes the expression of E-cadherin. Moreover, Emodin could regulate the expression patterns of the Notch signaling pathway-related factors and reduce the Notch-1 nucleus translocation. Knockdown of Notch-1 enhances the inhibitory effect of Emodin on TGF-β1-induced EMT in RLE-6TN cells. In conclusion, the data of the present study suggests that Emodin suppresses TGF-β1-induced EMT in alveolar epithelial cells through Notch signaling pathway and shows the potential to be effective in the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. - Highlights: • Emodin inhibits TGF-β1-induced EMT in alveolar epithelial cells. • Emodin regulates the expression patterns of the Notch signaling pathway-related factors. • Emodin inhibits TGF-β1-induced Notch-1 nucleus translocation and activation.

  4. New insights into Notch1 regulation of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR1 signaling axis: targeted therapy of γ-secretase inhibitor resistant T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hales, Eric C; Taub, Jeffrey W; Matherly, Larry H

    2014-01-01

    T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is characterized as a high-risk stratified disease associated with frequent relapse, chemotherapy resistance, and a poorer prognostic outlook than B-precursor ALL. Many of the challenges in treating T-ALL reflect the lack of prognostic cytogenetic or molecular abnormalities on which to base therapy, including targeted therapy. Notch1 activating mutations were identified in more than 50% of T-ALL cases and can be therapeutically targeted with γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs). Mutant Notch1 can activate cMyc and PI3K-AKT-mTOR1 signaling in T-ALL. In T-ALLs with wild-type phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN), Notch1 transcriptionally represses PTEN, an effect reversible by GSIs. Notch1 also promotes growth factor receptor (IGF1R and IL7Rα) signaling to PI3K-AKT. Loss of PTEN is common in primary T-ALLs due to mutation or posttranslational inactivation and results in chronic activation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR1 signaling, GSI-resistance, and repression of p53-mediated apoptosis. Notch1 itself might regulate posttranslational inactivation of PTEN. PP2A is activated by Notch1 in PTEN-null T-ALL cells, and GSIs reduce PP2A activity and increase phosphorylation of AKT, AMPK, and p70S6K. This review focuses on the central role of the PI3K-AKT-mTOR1 signaling in T-ALL, including its regulation by Notch1 and potential therapeutic interventions, with emphasis on GSI-resistant T-ALL. © 2013.

  5. Dual Mechanism of Action of Resveratrol in Notch Signaling ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results: The results revealed that resveratrol treatment exhibited dual mechanisms of action on the activation of Notch signaling in osteosarcoma cells. The osteosarcoma cell lines, MG-63 and U2OS, when exposed to 20 μM concentration of resveratrol for 48 h showed significant toxicity compared to untreated cells.

  6. Mutations in TSPEAR, Encoding a Regulator of Notch Signaling, Affect Tooth and Hair Follicle Morphogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alon Peled

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Despite recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of ectodermal dysplasias (EDs, the molecular basis of many of these disorders remains unknown. In the present study, we aimed at elucidating the genetic basis of a new form of ED featuring facial dysmorphism, scalp hypotrichosis and hypodontia. Using whole exome sequencing, we identified 2 frameshift and 2 missense mutations in TSPEAR segregating with the disease phenotype in 3 families. TSPEAR encodes the thrombospondin-type laminin G domain and EAR repeats (TSPEAR protein, whose function is poorly understood. TSPEAR knock-down resulted in altered expression of genes known to be regulated by NOTCH and to be involved in murine hair and tooth development. Pathway analysis confirmed that down-regulation of TSPEAR in keratinocytes is likely to affect Notch signaling. Accordingly, using a luciferase-based reporter assay, we showed that TSPEAR knock-down is associated with decreased Notch signaling. In addition, NOTCH1 protein expression was reduced in patient scalp skin. Moreover, TSPEAR silencing in mouse hair follicle organ cultures was found to induce apoptosis in follicular epithelial cells, resulting in decreased hair bulb diameter. Collectively, these observations indicate that TSPEAR plays a critical, previously unrecognized role in human tooth and hair follicle morphogenesis through regulation of the Notch signaling pathway.

  7. Notch signaling patterns neurogenic ectoderm and regulates the asymmetric division of neural progenitors in sea urchin embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellott, Dan O; Thisdelle, Jordan; Burke, Robert D

    2017-10-01

    We have examined regulation of neurogenesis by Delta/Notch signaling in sea urchin embryos. At gastrulation, neural progenitors enter S phase coincident with expression of Sp-SoxC. We used a BAC containing GFP knocked into the Sp-SoxC locus to label neural progenitors. Live imaging and immunolocalizations indicate that Sp-SoxC-expressing cells divide to produce pairs of adjacent cells expressing GFP. Over an interval of about 6 h, one cell fragments, undergoes apoptosis and expresses high levels of activated Caspase3. A Notch reporter indicates that Notch signaling is activated in cells adjacent to cells expressing Sp-SoxC. Inhibition of γ-secretase, injection of Sp-Delta morpholinos or CRISPR/Cas9-induced mutation of Sp-Delta results in supernumerary neural progenitors and neurons. Interfering with Notch signaling increases neural progenitor recruitment and pairs of neural progenitors. Thus, Notch signaling restricts the number of neural progenitors recruited and regulates the fate of progeny of the asymmetric division. We propose a model in which localized signaling converts ectodermal and ciliary band cells to neural progenitors that divide asymmetrically to produce a neural precursor and an apoptotic cell. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  8. CmRBP50 protein phosphorylation is essential for assembly of a stable phloem-mobile high-affinity ribonucleoprotein complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Pingfang; Ham, Byung-Kook; Lucas, William J

    2011-07-01

    RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) form ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes that play crucial roles in RNA processing for gene regulation. The angiosperm sieve tube system contains a unique population of transcripts, some of which function as long-distance signaling agents involved in regulating organ development. These phloem-mobile mRNAs are translocated as RNP complexes. One such complex is based on a phloem RBP named Cucurbita maxima RNA-binding protein 50 (CmRBP50), a member of the polypyrimidine track binding protein family. The core of this RNP complex contains six additional phloem proteins. Here, requirements for assembly of this CmRBP50 RNP complex are reported. Phosphorylation sites on CmRBP50 were mapped, and then coimmunoprecipitation and protein overlay studies established that the phosphoserine residues, located at the C terminus of CmRBP50, are critical for RNP complex assembly. In vitro pull-down experiments revealed that three phloem proteins, C. maxima phloem protein 16, C. maxima GTP-binding protein, and C. maxima phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase-like protein, bind directly with CmRBP50. This interaction required CmRBP50 phosphorylation. Gel mobility-shift assays demonstrated that assembly of the CmRBP50-based protein complex results in a system having enhanced binding affinity for phloem-mobile mRNAs carrying polypyrimidine track binding motifs. This property would be essential for effective long-distance translocation of bound mRNA to the target tissues.

  9. Role of notch signaling in osteoimmunology-from the standpoint of osteoclast differentiation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Duan, Li; Ren, Yijin

    The Notch signaling pathway is a highly conserved cell signaling system present in most multicellular organisms. Osteoimmunology comprises the interplay between the immune system and bone metabolism. Osteoclasts, cells that resorb bone, play a crucial role in bone metabolism. In this review, we

  10. Mechanism of Notch Pathway Activation and Its Role in the Regulation of Olfactory Plasticity in Drosophila melanogaster.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Kidd

    Full Text Available The neural plasticity of sensory systems is being increasingly recognized as playing a role in learning and memory. We have previously shown that Notch, part of an evolutionarily conserved intercellular signaling pathway, is required in adult Drosophila melanogaster olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs for the structural and functional plasticity of olfactory glomeruli that is induced by chronic odor exposure. In this paper we address how long-term exposure to odor activates Notch and how Notch in conjunction with chronic odor mediates olfactory plasticity. We show that upon chronic odor exposure a non-canonical Notch pathway mediates an increase in the volume of glomeruli by a mechanism that is autonomous to ORNs. In addition to activating a pathway that is autonomous to ORNs, chronic odor exposure also activates the Notch ligand Delta in second order projection neurons (PNs, but this does not appear to require acetylcholine receptor activation in PNs. Delta on PNs then feeds back to activate canonical Notch signaling in ORNs, which restricts the extent of the odor induced increase in glomerular volume. Surprisingly, even though the pathway that mediates the increase in glomerular volume is autonomous to ORNs, nonproductive transsynaptic Delta/Notch interactions that do not activate the canonical pathway can block the increase in volume. In conjunction with chronic odor, the canonical Notch pathway also enhances cholinergic activation of PNs. We present evidence suggesting that this is due to increased acetylcholine release from ORNs. In regulating physiological plasticity, Notch functions solely by the canonical pathway, suggesting that there is no direct connection between morphological and physiological plasticity.

  11. O-Fucose Monosaccharide of Drosophila Notch Has a Temperature-sensitive Function and Cooperates with O-Glucose Glycan in Notch Transport and Notch Signaling Activation*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishio, Akira; Sasamura, Takeshi; Ayukawa, Tomonori; Kuroda, Junpei; Ishikawa, Hiroyuki O.; Aoyama, Naoki; Matsumoto, Kenjiroo; Gushiken, Takuma; Okajima, Tetsuya; Yamakawa, Tomoko; Matsuno, Kenji

    2015-01-01

    Notch (N) is a transmembrane receptor that mediates the cell-cell interactions necessary for many cell fate decisions. N has many epidermal growth factor-like repeats that are O-fucosylated by the protein O-fucosyltransferase 1 (O-Fut1), and the O-fut1 gene is essential for N signaling. However, the role of the monosaccharide O-fucose on N is unclear, because O-Fut1 also appears to have O-fucosyltransferase activity-independent functions, including as an N-specific chaperon. Such an enzymatic activity-independent function could account for the essential role of O-fut1 in N signaling. To evaluate the role of the monosaccharide O-fucose modification in N signaling, here we generated a knock-in mutant of O-fut1 (O-fut1R245A knock-in), which expresses a mutant protein that lacks O-fucosyltransferase activity but maintains the N-specific chaperon activity. Using O-fut1R245A knock-in and other gene mutations that abolish the O-fucosylation of N, we found that the monosaccharide O-fucose modification of N has a temperature-sensitive function that is essential for N signaling. The O-fucose monosaccharide and O-glucose glycan modification, catalyzed by Rumi, function redundantly in the activation of N signaling. We also showed that the redundant function of these two modifications is responsible for the presence of N at the cell surface. Our findings elucidate how different forms of glycosylation on a protein can influence the protein's functions. PMID:25378397

  12. A novel transcriptional factor Nkapl is a germ cell-specific suppressor of Notch signaling and is indispensable for spermatogenesis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hidenobu Okuda

    Full Text Available Spermatogenesis is an elaborately regulated system dedicated to the continuous production of spermatozoa via the genesis of spermatogonia. In this process, a variety of genes are expressed that are relevant to the differentiation of germ cells at each stage. Although Notch signaling plays a critical role in germ cell development in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, its function and importance for spermatogenesis in mammals is controversial. We report that Nkapl is a novel germ cell-specific transcriptional suppressor in Notch signaling. It is also associated with several molecules of the Notch corepressor complex such as CIR, HDAC3, and CSL. It was expressed robustly in spermatogonia and early spermatocytes after the age of 3 weeks. Nkapl-deleted mice showed complete arrest at the level of pachytene spermatocytes. In addition, apoptosis was observed in this cell type. Overexpression of NKAPL in germline stem cells demonstrated that Nkapl induced changes in spermatogonial stem cell (SSC markers and the reduction of differentiation factors through the Notch signaling pathway, whereas testes with Nkapl deleted showed inverse changes in those markers and factors. Therefore, Nkapl is indispensable because aberrantly elevated Notch signaling has negative effects on spermatogenesis, affecting SSC maintenance and differentiation factors. Notch signaling should be properly regulated through the transcriptional factor Nkapl.

  13. Nrf2 and Notch Signaling in Lung Cancer: Near the Crossroad

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angelo Sparaneo

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The transcription factor Nrf2 (NF-E2 related factor 2 is a master regulator of the cell antioxidant response associated with tumor growth and resistance to cytotoxic treatments. In particular, Nrf2 induces upregulation of cytoprotective genes by interacting with the closely situated AREs (Antioxidant Response Elements in response to endogenous or exogenous stress stimuli and takes part to several oncogenic signaling pathways. Among these, the crosstalk with Notch pathway has been shown to enhance cytoprotection and maintenance of cellular homeostasis, tissue organization by modulating cell proliferation kinetics, and stem cell self-renewal in several organs. The role of Notch and Nrf2 related pathways in tumorigenesis is highly variable and when they are both abnormally activated they can synergistically cause neoplastic proliferation by promoting cell survival, differentiation, invasion, and metastases. NFE2L2, KEAP1, and NOTCH genes family appear in the list of significantly mutated genes in tumors in both combined and individual sets, supporting the crucial role that the aberrant Nrf2-Notch crosstalk might have in cancerogenesis. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the alterations of Nrf2 and Notch pathways and their reciprocal transcriptional regulation throughout tumorigenesis and progression of lung tumors, supporting the potentiality of putative biomarkers and therapeutic targets.

  14. Notch Signaling in Prostate Cancer Cells Promotes Osteoblastic Metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-06-01

    information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this...function and number while inducing osteoblast proliferation. Our results suggest that Notch signaling from cancer cells promotes osteoblastic...Participants and other collaborating organizations: I initiated collaboration with Dr. Evan Keller at University of Michigan to interrogate PCa bone

  15. RBP2 Promotes Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia by Upregulating BCL2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoming Wang

    Full Text Available Despite recent increases in the cure rate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, adult ALL remains a high-risk disease that exhibits a high relapse rate. In this study, we found that the histone demethylase retinoblastoma binding protein-2 (RBP2 was overexpressed in both on-going and relapse cases of adult ALL, which revealed that RBP2 overexpression was not only involved in the pathogenesis of ALL but that its overexpression might also be related to relapse of the disease. RBP2 knockdown induced apoptosis and attenuated leukemic cell viability. Our results demonstrated that BCL2 is a novel target of RBP2 and supported the notion of RBP2 being a regulator of BCL2 expression via directly binding to its promoter. As the role of RBP2 in regulating apoptosis was confirmed, RBP2 overexpression and activation of BCL2 might play important roles in ALL development and progression.

  16. Notch-mediated post-translational control of Ngn3 protein stability regulates pancreatic patterning and cell fate commitment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Qu, Xiaoling; Afelik, Solomon; Jensen, Jan Nygaard

    2013-01-01

    of ducts. On one hand, Ngn3 cell-intrinsically activates endocrine target genes; on the other, Ngn3 cell-extrinsically promotes lateral signaling via the Dll1>Notch>Hes1 pathway which substantially limits its ability to sustain endocrine formation. Prior to endocrine commitment, the Ngn3-mediated...... involves transcriptional repression as previously shown, but also incorporates a novel post-translational mechanism. In addition to its ability to promote endocrine fate, we provide evidence of a competing ability of Ngn3 in the patterning of multipotent progenitor cells in turn controlling the formation...

  17. [Valsartan inhibits angiotensin II-Notch signaling of mesangial cells induced by high glucose].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Qin; Lyu, Chuan; Wu, Can; Lei, Sha; Shao, Ying; Wang, Qiuyue

    2016-01-01

    To explore the role of angiotensin II (Ang II)-Notch signaling in high glucose-induced secretion of extracellular matrix of rat mesangial cells (RMCs) and to further investigate the protective effect of valsartan (one of Ang II receptor blockers) on kidney. Subcultured RMCs were divided into groups as follows: normal glucose group (5.5 mmol/L glucose); high glucose group (30 mmol/L glucose); high concentration of mannitol as osmotic control group (5.5 mmol/L glucose and 24.5 mmol/L mannitol); normal glucose plus 1 μmol/L N-[N-(3, 5-difluorophenacetyl)-L-alanyl ]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester (DAPT) group; normal glucose plus (1, 5, 10) μmol/L valsartan group; high glucose plus 1 μmol/L DAPT group; high glucose plus (1, 5, 10) μmol/L valsartan group. Cells and supernatants were harvested after 12, 24 and 48 hours. Notch1 expression was examined by Western blotting. Secretion of transforming growth factor (TGF-β) and fibronectin (FN) were detected by ELISA. Compared to the normal glucose group, Notch1 expression was elevated in the high glucose group after 12 hours, and peaked at 24 hours. Besides, secretion of TGF-β and FN were much higher in the high glucose group than in the normal glucose group in a time-dependent manner. Compared to the untreated group, Notch1 expression decreased in a dose-dependent manner in the valsartan or DAPT treated group under high glucose after 24 hours. After pre-treatment by either valsartan or DAPT in the high glucose group, secretion of TGF-β and FN obviously decreased as compared to the untreated group. Hyperglycemia could stimulate activation of Notch signaling in cultured RMCs, which may increase secretion of downstream fibrotic factors such as TGF-β and FN. Valsartan may decrease the secretion of downstream FN in a dose-dependent manner via inhibiting AngII-Notch signaling.

  18. Opposing actions of endocannabinoids on cholangiocarcinoma growth is via the differential activation of Notch signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Frampton, Gabriel; Coufal, Monique [Department of Internal Medicine, Texas A and M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX (United States); Li, Huang [Department of Internal Medicine, Texas A and M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX (United States); Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou (China); Ramirez, Jonathan [Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott and White Hospital, Temple, TX (United States); DeMorrow, Sharon, E-mail: demorrow@medicine.tamhsc.edu [Department of Internal Medicine, Texas A and M Health Science Center College of Medicine, Temple, TX (United States); Digestive Disease Research Center, Scott and White Hospital, Temple, TX (United States)

    2010-05-15

    The endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG) have opposing effects on cholangiocarcinoma growth. Implicated in cancer, Notch signaling requires the {gamma}-secretase complex for activation. The aims of this study were to determine if the opposing effects of endocannabinoids depend on the differential activation of the Notch receptors and to demonstrate that the differential activation of these receptors are due to presenilin 1 containing- and presenilin 2 containing-{gamma}-secretase complexes. Mz-ChA-1 cells were treated with AEA or 2-AG. Notch receptor expression, activation, and nuclear translocation were determined. Specific roles for Notch 1 and 2 on cannabinoid-induced effects were determined by transient transfection of Notch 1 or 2 shRNA vectors before stimulation with AEA or 2-AG. Expression of presenilin 1 and 2 was determined after AEA or 2-AG treatment, and the involvement of presenilin 1 and 2 in the cannabinoid-induced effects was demonstrated in cell lines with low presenilin 1 or 2 expression. Antiproliferative effects of AEA required increased Notch 1 mRNA, activation, and nuclear translocation, whereas the growth-promoting effects induced by 2-AG required increased Notch 2 mRNA expression, activation, and nuclear translocation. AEA increased presenilin 1 expression and recruitment into the {gamma}-secretase complex, whereas 2-AG increased expression and recruitment of presenilin 2. The development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the endocannabinoid system or mimicking the mode of action of AEA on Notch signaling pathways would prove beneficial for cholangiocarcinoma management.

  19. Opposing actions of endocannabinoids on cholangiocarcinoma growth is via the differential activation of Notch signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frampton, Gabriel; Coufal, Monique; Li, Huang; Ramirez, Jonathan; DeMorrow, Sharon

    2010-01-01

    The endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG) have opposing effects on cholangiocarcinoma growth. Implicated in cancer, Notch signaling requires the γ-secretase complex for activation. The aims of this study were to determine if the opposing effects of endocannabinoids depend on the differential activation of the Notch receptors and to demonstrate that the differential activation of these receptors are due to presenilin 1 containing- and presenilin 2 containing-γ-secretase complexes. Mz-ChA-1 cells were treated with AEA or 2-AG. Notch receptor expression, activation, and nuclear translocation were determined. Specific roles for Notch 1 and 2 on cannabinoid-induced effects were determined by transient transfection of Notch 1 or 2 shRNA vectors before stimulation with AEA or 2-AG. Expression of presenilin 1 and 2 was determined after AEA or 2-AG treatment, and the involvement of presenilin 1 and 2 in the cannabinoid-induced effects was demonstrated in cell lines with low presenilin 1 or 2 expression. Antiproliferative effects of AEA required increased Notch 1 mRNA, activation, and nuclear translocation, whereas the growth-promoting effects induced by 2-AG required increased Notch 2 mRNA expression, activation, and nuclear translocation. AEA increased presenilin 1 expression and recruitment into the γ-secretase complex, whereas 2-AG increased expression and recruitment of presenilin 2. The development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the endocannabinoid system or mimicking the mode of action of AEA on Notch signaling pathways would prove beneficial for cholangiocarcinoma management.

  20. Notch signaling is required for maintaining stem-cell features of neuroprogenitor cells derived from human embryonic stem cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chung Hyung-Min

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies have provided important findings about the roles of Notch signaling in neural development. Unfortunately, however, most of these studies have investigated the neural stem cells (NSCs of mice or other laboratory animals rather than humans, mainly owing to the difficulties associated with obtaining human brain samples. It prompted us to focus on neuroectodermal spheres (NESs which are derived from human embryonic stem cell (hESC and densely inhabited by NSCs. We here investigated the role of Notch signaling with the hESC-derived NESs. Results From hESCs, we derived NESs, the in-vitro version of brain-derived neurospheres. NES formation was confirmed by increased levels of various NSC marker genes and the emergence of rosette structures in which neuroprogenitors are known to reside. We found that Notch signaling, which maintains stem cell characteristics of in-vivo-derived neuroprogenitors, is active in these hESC-derived NESs, similar to their in-vivo counterpart. Expression levels of Notch signaling molecules such as NICD, DLLs, JAG1, HES1 and HES5 were increased in the NESs. Inhibition of the Notch signaling by a γ-secretase inhibitor reduced rosette structures, expression levels of NSC marker genes and proliferation potential in the NESs, and, if combined with withdrawal of growth factors, triggered differentiation toward neurons. Conclusion Our results indicate that the hESC-derived NESs, which share biochemical features with brain-derived neurospheres, maintain stem cell characteristics mainly through Notch signaling, which suggests that the hESC-derived NESs could be an in-vitro model for in-vivo neurogenesis.

  1. Indispensable role of Notch ligand-dependent signaling in the proliferation and stem cell niche maintenance of APC-deficient intestinal tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakata, Toru; Shimizu, Hiromichi; Nagata, Sayaka; Ito, Go; Fujii, Satoru; Suzuki, Kohei; Kawamoto, Ami; Ishibashi, Fumiaki; Kuno, Reiko; Anzai, Sho; Murano, Tatsuro; Mizutani, Tomohiro; Oshima, Shigeru; Tsuchiya, Kiichiro; Nakamura, Tetsuya; Hozumi, Katsuto; Watanabe, Mamoru; Okamoto, Ryuichi

    2017-01-01

    Ligand-dependent activation of Notch signaling is required to maintain the stem-cell niche of normal intestinal epithelium. However, the precise role of Notch signaling in the maintenance of the intestinal tumor stem cell niche and the importance of the RBPJ-independent non-canonical pathway in intestinal tumors remains unknown. Here we show that Notch signaling was activated in LGR5 +ve cells of APC-deficient mice intestinal tumors. Accordingly, Notch ligands, including Jag1, Dll1, and Dll4, were expressed in these tumors. In vitro studies using tumor-derived organoids confirmed the intrinsic Notch activity-dependent growth of tumor cells. Surprisingly, the targeted deletion of Jag1 but not RBPJ in LGR5 +ve tumor-initiating cells resulted in the silencing of Hes1 expression, disruption of the tumor stem cell niche, and dramatic reduction in the proliferation activity of APC-deficient intestinal tumors in vivo. Thus, our results highlight the importance of ligand-dependent non-canonical Notch signaling in the proliferation and maintenance of the tumor stem cell niche in APC-deficient intestinal adenomas. - Highlights: • Notch signaling is activated in LGR5 +ve cells of APC-deficient intestinal tumors. • Lack of Jag1 but not RBPJ disrupts stem cell niche formation in those tumors. • Lack of Jag1 reduces the proliferation activity of APC-deficient intestinal tumors.

  2. KSR1 is coordinately regulated with Notch signaling and oxidative phosphorylation in thyroid cancer.

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    Lee, Jandee; Seol, Mi-Youn; Jeong, Seonhyang; Kwon, Hyeong Ju; Lee, Cho Rok; Ku, Cheol Ryong; Kang, Sang-Wook; Jeong, Jong Ju; Shin, Dong Yeob; Nam, Kee-Hyun; Lee, Eun Jig; Chung, Woong Youn; Jo, Young Suk

    2015-04-01

    Kinase suppressor of RAS1 (KSR1) is a scaffold protein implicated in RAS-mediated RAF activation. However, the molecular function of KSR in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is unknown. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the role of KSR1 in patients with PTC. qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) revealed inter-tumor heterogeneities in the expression of KSR1 in PTC tissues. Interestingly, BRAFV600E-positive PTC showed higher KSR1 mRNA expression than BRAFV600E-negative PTC (PCNKSR2 was associated with downregulation of the OxPhos gene set (nominal P<0.0001, FDR q-value <0.0001). In conclusion, KSR1 is coordinately regulated with Notch signaling and OxPhos in PTC, because its scaffold function might be required to sustain the proliferative signaling and metabolic remodeling associated with this type of cancer. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.

  3. Notch1 and 4 Signaling Responds to an Increasing Vascular Wall Shear Stress in a Rat Model of Arteriovenous Malformations

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    Jian Tu

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Notch signaling is suggested to promote the development and maintenance of cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs, and an increasing wall shear stress (WSS contributes to AVM rupture. Little is known about whether WSS impacts Notch signaling, which is important for understanding the angiogenesis of AVMs. WSS was measured in arteriovenous fistulas (AVF surgically created in 96 rats at different time points over a period of 84 days. The expression of Notch receptors 1 and 4 and their ligands, Delta1 and 4, Jagged1, and Notch downstream gene target Hes1 was quantified in “nidus” vessels. The interaction events between Notch receptors and their ligands were quantified using proximity ligation assay. There was a positive correlation between WSS and time (r=0.97; P<0.001. The expression of Notch receptors and their ligands was upregulated following AVF formation. There was a positive correlation between time and the number of interactions between Notch receptors and their ligands aftre AVF formation (r=0.62, P<0.05 and a positive correlation between WSS and the number of interactions between Notch receptors and their ligands (r=0.87, P<0.005. In conclusion, an increasing WSS may contribute to the angiogenesis of AVMs by activation of Notch signaling.

  4. Electroacupuncture pretreatment induces tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia through activation of canonical Notch pathway

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    Zhao Yu

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Electroacupuncture (EA pretreatment can induce the tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood. Emerging evidences suggest that canonical Notch signaling may be involved in ischemic brain injury. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that EA pretreatment-induced tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia is mediated by Notch signaling. Results EA pretreatment significantly enhanced Notch1, Notch4 and Jag1 gene transcriptions in the striatum, except Notch1 intracellular domain level, which could be increased evidently by ischemia. After ischemia and reperfusion, Hes1 mRNA and Notch1 intracellular domain level in ischemic striatum in EA pretreatment group were increased and reached the peak at 2 h and 24 h, respectively, which were both earlier than the peak achieved in control group. Intraventricular injection with the γ-secretase inhibitor MW167 attenuated the neuroprotective effect of EA pretreatment. Conclusions EA pretreatment induces the tolerance against focal cerebral ischemia through activation of canonical Notch pathway.

  5. Interactions of Notch1 and TLR4 signaling pathways in DRG neurons of in vivo and in vitro models of diabetic neuropathy.

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    Chen, Tianhua; Li, Hao; Yin, Yiting; Zhang, Yuanpin; Liu, Zhen; Liu, Huaxiang

    2017-11-02

    Understanding the interactions between Notch1 and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathways in the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy may lead to interpretation of the mechanisms and novel approaches for preventing diabetic neuropathic pain. In the present study, the interactions between Notch1 and TLR4 signaling pathways were investigated by using dorsal root ganglion (DRG) from diabetic neuropathic pain rats and cultured DRG neurons under high glucose challenge. The results showed that high glucose induced not only Notch1 mRNA, HES1 mRNA, and TLR4 mRNA expression, but also Notch1 intracellular domain (NICD1) and TLR4 protein expression in DRG neurons. The proportion of NICD1-immunoreactive (IR) and TLR4-IR neurons in DRG cultures was also increased after high glucose challenge. The above alterations could be partially reversed by inhibition of either Notch1 or TLR4 signaling pathway. Inhibition of either Notch1 or TLR4 signaling pathway could improve mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia thresholds. Inhibition of Notch1 or TLR4 signaling also decreased tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels in DRG from diabetic neuropathic rats. These data imply that the interaction between Notch1 and TLR4 signaling pathways is one of the important mechanisms in the development or progression of diabetic neuropathy.

  6. Dysregulation of the ADAM17/Notch signalling pathways in endometriosis: from oxidative stress to fibrosis.

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    González-Foruria, Iñaki; Santulli, Pietro; Chouzenoux, Sandrine; Carmona, Francisco; Chapron, Charles; Batteux, Frédéric

    2017-07-01

    Is oxidative stress associated with the A disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAM) metallopeptidase domain 17 (ADAM17)/Notch signalling pathway and fibrosis in the development of endometriosis? Oxidative stress is correlated with hyperactivation of the ADAM17/Notch signalling pathway and a consequent increase in fibrosis in patients with endometriosis. It is nowadays accepted that oxidative stress plays an important role in the onset and progression of endometriosis. Oxidative stress is able to induce the synthesis of some members of the 'ADAM' family, such as ADAM17. ADAM17/Notch signalling is dysregulated in other profibrotic and inflammatory diseases. This was a prospective laboratory study conducted in a tertiary-care university hospital between January 2011 and April 2013. We investigated non-pregnant, younger than 42-year-old patients (n = 202) during surgery for a benign gynaecological condition. After complete surgical exploration of the abdominopelvic cavity, 121 women with histologically proven endometriosis and 81 endometriosis-free control women were enrolled. Peritoneal fluid (PF) samples were obtained from all the study participants during surgery in order to detect advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) and metalloproteinase activity of ADAM17. Stromal cells from endometrial specimens (n = 8) were obtained from endometrium of control patients (Cs), and from eutopic (Es) and ectopic (Ps) endometrium of patients with deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE) (n = 8). ADAM17, Notch and the fibrosis markers α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type-I collagen were assessed using immunoblotting in all the endometrial samples obtained. Additionally, fibrosis was assessed after using Notch cleavage inhibitors (DAPT and FLI-06). Notch and fibrosis were also evaluated after stimulation of stromal endometrial cells with ADAM17 purified protein, increasing concentrations of H2O2 and primary cell culture supernatants. Patients with DIE presented higher PF AOPP

  7. The common oncogenomic program of NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 signaling in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

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    Sung Hee Choi

    Full Text Available Notch is a major oncogenic driver in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL, in part because it binds to an enhancer that increases expression of MYC. Here, we exploit the capacity of activated NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 to induce T-ALL, despite substantial divergence in their intracellular regions, as a means to elucidate a broad, common Notch-dependent oncogenomic program through systematic comparison of the transcriptomes and Notch-bound genomic regulatory elements of NOTCH1- and NOTCH3-dependent T-ALL cells. ChIP-seq studies show a high concordance of functional NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 genomic binding sites that are enriched in binding motifs for RBPJ, the transcription factor that recruits activated Notch to DNA. The interchangeability of NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 was confirmed by rescue of NOTCH1-dependent T-ALL cells with activated NOTCH3 and vice versa. Despite remarkable overall similarity, there are nuanced differences in chromatin landscapes near critical common Notch target genes, most notably at a Notch-dependent enhancer that regulates MYC, which correlates with responsiveness to Notch pathway inhibitors. Overall, a common oncogenomic program driven by binding of either Notch is sufficient to maintain T-ALL cell growth, whereas cell-context specific differences appear to influence the response of T-ALL cells to Notch inhibition.

  8. Notch4 Signaling Induces a Mesenchymal–Epithelial–like Transition in Melanoma Cells to Suppress Malignant Behaviors

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    Rad, Ehsan Bonyadi; Hammerlindl, Heinz; Wels, Christian; Popper, Ulrich; Menon, Dinoop Ravindran; Breiteneder, Heimo; Kitzwoegerer, Melitta; Hafner, Christine; Herlyn, Meenhard; Bergler, Helmut; Schaider, Helmut

    2016-01-01

    The effects of Notch signaling are context-dependent and both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive functions have been described. Notch signaling in melanoma is considered oncogenic, but clinical trials testing Notch inhibition in this malignancy have not proved successful. Here, we report that expression of the constitutively active intracellular domain of Notch4 (N4ICD) in melanoma cells triggered a switch from a mesenchymal-like parental phenotype to an epithelial-like phenotype. The epithelial-like morphology was accompanied by strongly reduced invasive, migratory, and proliferative properties concomitant with the downregulation of epithelial–mesenchymal transition markers Snail2 (SNAI2), Twist1, vimentin (VIM), and MMP2 and the reexpression of E-cadherin (CDH1). The N4ICD-induced phenotypic switch also resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth in vivo. Immunohistochemical analysis of primary human melanomas and cutaneous metastases revealed a significant correlation between Notch4 and E-cadherin expression. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that N4ICD induced the expression of the transcription factors Hey1 and Hey2, which bound directly to the promoter regions of Snail2 and Twist1 and repressed gene transcription, as determined by EMSA and luciferase assays. Taken together, our findings indicate a role for Notch4 as a tumor suppressor in melanoma, uncovering a potential explanation for the poor clinical efficacy of Notch inhibitors observed in this setting. PMID:26801977

  9. Altered epidermal growth factor-like sequences provide evidence for a role of Notch as a receptor in cell fate decisions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heitzler, P; Simpson, P

    1993-03-01

    In Drosophila each neural precursor is chosen from a group of cells through cell interactions mediated by Notch and Delta which may function as receptor and ligand (signal), respectively, in a lateral signalling pathway. The cells of a group are equipotential and express both Notch and Delta. Hyperactive mutant Notch molecules, (Abruptex), probably have an enhanced affinity for the ligand. When adjacent to wild-type cells, cells bearing the Abruptex proteins are unable to produce the signal. It is suggested that in addition to the binding of Notch molecules on one cell to the Delta molecules of opposing cells, the Notch and Delta proteins on the surface of the same cell may interact. Binding between a cell's own Notch and Delta molecules would alter the availability of these proteins to interact with their counterparts on adjacent cells.

  10. Jagged1 is the pathological link between Wnt and Notch pathways in colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodilla, Verónica; Villanueva, Alberto; Obrador-Hevia, Antonia; Robert-Moreno, Alex; Fernández-Majada, Vanessa; Grilli, Andrea; López-Bigas, Nuria; Bellora, Nicolás; Albà, M Mar; Torres, Ferran; Duñach, Mireia; Sanjuan, Xavier; Gonzalez, Sara; Gridley, Thomas; Capella, Gabriel; Bigas, Anna; Espinosa, Lluís

    2009-04-14

    Notch has been linked to beta-catenin-dependent tumorigenesis; however, the mechanisms leading to Notch activation and the contribution of the Notch pathway to colorectal cancer is not yet understood. By microarray analysis, we have identified a group of genes downstream of Wnt/beta-catenin (down-regulated when blocking Wnt/beta-catenin) that are directly regulated by Notch (repressed by gamma-secretase inhibitors and up-regulated by active Notch1 in the absence of beta-catenin signaling). We demonstrate that Notch is downstream of Wnt in colorectal cancer cells through beta-catenin-mediated transcriptional activation of the Notch-ligand Jagged1. Consistently, expression of activated Notch1 partially reverts the effects of blocking Wnt/beta-catenin pathway in tumors implanted s.c. in nude mice. Crossing APC(Min/+) with Jagged1(+/Delta) mice is sufficient to significantly reduce the size of the polyps arising in the APC mutant background indicating that Notch is an essential modulator of tumorigenesis induced by nuclear beta-catenin. We show that this mechanism is operating in human tumors from Familial Adenomatous Polyposis patients. We conclude that Notch activation, accomplished by beta-catenin-mediated up-regulation of Jagged1, is required for tumorigenesis in the intestine. The Notch-specific genetic signature is sufficient to block differentiation and promote vasculogenesis in tumors whereas proliferation depends on both pathways.

  11. NK-like homeodomain proteins activate NOTCH3-signaling in leukemic T-cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagel, Stefan; Scherr, Michaela; MacLeod, Roderick AF; Venturini, Letizia; Przybylski, Grzegorz K; Grabarczyk, Piotr; Meyer, Corinna; Kaufmann, Maren; Battmer, Karin; Schmidt, Christian A; Drexler, Hans G

    2009-01-01

    Homeodomain proteins control fundamental cellular processes in development and in cancer if deregulated. Three members of the NK-like subfamily of homeobox genes (NKLs), TLX1, TLX3 and NKX2-5, are implicated in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). They are activated by particular chromosomal aberrations. However, their precise function in leukemogenesis is still unclear. Here we screened further NKLs in 24 T-ALL cell lines and identified the common expression of MSX2. The subsequent aim of this study was to analyze the role of MSX2 in T-cell differentiation which may be disturbed by oncogenic NKLs. Specific gene activity was examined by quantitative real-time PCR, and globally by expression profiling. Proteins were analyzed by western blot, immuno-cytology and immuno-precipitation. For overexpression studies cell lines were transduced by lentiviruses. Quantification of MSX2 mRNA in primary hematopoietic cells demonstrated higher levels in CD34+ stem cells as compared to peripheral blood cells and mature CD3+ T-cells. Furthermore, analysis of MSX2 expression levels in T-cell lines after treatment with core thymic factors confirmed their involvement in regulation. These results indicated that MSX2 represents an hematopoietic NKL family member which is downregulated during T-cell development and may functionally substituted by oncogenic NKLs. For functional analysis JURKAT cells were lentivirally transduced, overexpressing either MSX2 or oncogenic TLX1 and NKX2-5, respectively. These cells displayed transcriptional activation of NOTCH3-signaling, including NOTCH3 and HEY1 as analyzed by gene expression profiling and quantitative RT-PCR, and consistently attenuated sensitivity to gamma-secretase inhibitor as analyzed by MTT-assays. Furthermore, in addition to MSX2, both TLX1 and NKX2-5 proteins interacted with NOTCH-pathway repressors, SPEN/MINT/SHARP and TLE1/GRG1, representing a potential mechanism for (de)regulation. Finally, elevated expression of NOTCH3

  12. Inhibition of myostatin signaling through Notch activation following acute resistance exercise.

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    Matthew G MacKenzie

    Full Text Available Myostatin is a TGFβ family member and negative regulator of muscle size. Due to the complexity of the molecular pathway between myostatin mRNA/protein and changes in transcription, it has been difficult to understand whether myostatin plays a role in resistance exercise-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy. To circumvent this problem, we determined the expression of a unique myostatin target gene, Mighty, following resistance exercise. Mighty mRNA increased by 6 h (82.9 ± 24.21% and remained high out to 48 h (56.5 ± 19.67% after resistance exercise. Further examination of the soleus, plantaris and tibialis anterior muscles showed that the change in Mighty mRNA at 6 h correlated with the increase in muscle size associated with this protocol (R(2 = 0.9996. The increase in Mighty mRNA occurred both independent of Smad2 phosphorylation and in spite of an increase in myostatin mRNA (341.8 ± 147.14% at 3 h. The myostatin inhibitor SKI remained unchanged. However, activated Notch, another potential inhibitor of TGFβ signaling, increased immediately following resistance exercise (83 ± 11.2% and stayed elevated out to 6 h (78 ± 16.6%. Electroportion of the Notch intracellular domain into the tibialis anterior resulted in an increase in Mighty mRNA (63 ± 13.4% that was equivalent to the canonical Notch target HES-1 (94.4 ± 7.32%. These data suggest that acute resistance exercise decreases myostatin signaling through the activation of the TGFβ inhibitor Notch resulting in a decrease in myostatin transcriptional activity that correlates well with muscle hypertrophy.

  13. Notch1 deficiency in postnatal neural progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus leads to emotional and cognitive impairment.

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    Feng, Shufang; Shi, Tianyao; Qiu, Jiangxia; Yang, Haihong; Wu, Yan; Zhou, Wenxia; Wang, Wei; Wu, Haitao

    2017-10-01

    It is well known that Notch1 signaling plays a crucial role in embryonic neural development and adult neurogenesis. The latest evidence shows that Notch1 also plays a critical role in synaptic plasticity in mature hippocampal neurons. So far, deeper insights into the function of Notch1 signaling during the different steps of adult neurogenesis are still lacking, and the mechanisms by which Notch1 dysfunction is associated with brain disorders are also poorly understood. In the current study, we found that Notch1 was highly expressed in the adult-born immature neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus. Using a genetic approach to selectively ablate Notch1 signaling in late immature precursors in the postnatal hippocampus by cross-breeding doublecortin (DCX) + neuron-specific proopiomelanocortin (POMC)-α Cre mice with floxed Notch1 mice, we demonstrated a previously unreported pivotal role of Notch1 signaling in survival and function of adult newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus. Moreover, behavioral and functional studies demonstrated that POMC-Notch1 -/- mutant mice showed anxiety and depressive-like behavior with impaired synaptic transmission properties in the dentate gyrus. Finally, our mechanistic study showed significantly compromised phosphorylation of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) in Notch1 mutants, suggesting that the dysfunction of Notch1 mutants is associated with the disrupted pCREB signaling in postnatally generated immature neurons in the dentate gyrus.-Feng, S., Shi, T., Qiu, J., Yang, H., Wu, Y., Zhou, W., Wang, W., Wu, H. Notch1 deficiency in postnatal neural progenitor cells in the dentate gyrus leads to emotional and cognitive impairment. © FASEB.

  14. Oridonin inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis through blocking the Notch signaling

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    Shixin Xia

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Oridonin is a diterpenoid isolated from Rabdosia rubescens with potent anticancer activity. The aim of our study is to investigate the role of oridonin to inhibit growth and metastasis of human breast cancer cells. Methods: The effect of oridonin on proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay, cell migration and invasion were evaluated by transwell migration and invasion assays in human breast cancer cells. The inhibitive effect of oridonin in vivo was determined by using xenografted nude mice. In addition, the expression of Notch receptors (Notch 1–4 was detected by western blot. Results: Oridonin inhibited human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. In addition, oridonin significantly induced human breast cancer cells apoptosis. Furthermore, the oridonin treatment not only inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion, but more significantly, decreased the expression of Notch 1-4 protein. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the inhibitive effect of oridonin is likely to be driven by the inhibition of Notch signaling pathway and the resulting increased apoptosis.

  15. Downregulation of RND3/RhoE in glioblastoma patients promotes tumorigenesis through augmentation of notch transcriptional complex activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Baohui; Lin, Xi; Yang, Xiangsheng; Dong, Huimin; Yue, Xiaojing; Andrade, Kelsey C; Guo, Zhentao; Yang, Jian; Wu, Liquan; Zhu, Xiaonan; Zhang, Shenqi; Tian, Daofeng; Wang, Junmin; Cai, Qiang; Chen, Qizuan; Mao, Shanping; Chen, Qianxue; Chang, Jiang

    2015-01-01

    Activation of Notch signaling contributes to glioblastoma multiform (GBM) tumorigenesis. However, the molecular mechanism that promotes the Notch signaling augmentation during GBM genesis remains largely unknown. Identification of new factors that regulate Notch signaling is critical for tumor treatment. The expression levels of RND3 and its clinical implication were analyzed in GBM patients. Identification of RND3 as a novel factor in GBM genesis was demonstrated in vitro by cell experiments and in vivo by a GBM xenograft model. We found that RND3 expression was significantly decreased in human glioblastoma. The levels of RND3 expression were inversely correlated with Notch activity, tumor size, and tumor cell proliferation, and positively correlated with patient survival time. We demonstrated that RND3 functioned as an endogenous repressor of the Notch transcriptional complex. RND3 physically interacted with NICD, CSL, and MAML1, the Notch transcriptional complex factors, promoted NICD ubiquitination, and facilitated the degradation of these cofactor proteins. We further revealed that RND3 facilitated the binding of NICD to FBW7, a ubiquitin ligase, and consequently enhanced NICD protein degradation. Therefore, Notch transcriptional activity was inhibited. Forced expression of RND3 repressed Notch signaling, which led to the inhibition of glioblastoma cell proliferation in vitro and tumor growth in the xenograft mice in vivo. Downregulation of RND3, however, enhanced Notch signaling activity, and subsequently promoted glioma cell proliferation. Inhibition of Notch activity abolished RND3 deficiency-mediated GBM cell proliferation. We conclude that downregulation of RND3 is responsible for the enhancement of Notch activity that promotes glioblastoma genesis

  16. Stereotypical architecture of the stem cell niche is spatiotemporally established by miR-125-dependent coordination of Notch and steroid signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yatsenko, Andriy S; Shcherbata, Halyna R

    2018-02-08

    Stem cell niches act as signaling platforms that regulate stem cell self-renewal and sustain stem cells throughout life; however, the specific developmental events controlling their assembly are not well understood. Here, we show that during Drosophila ovarian germline stem cell niche formation, the status of Notch signaling in the cell can be reprogrammed. This is controlled via steroid-induced miR-125 , which targets a negative regulator of Notch signaling, Tom. Thus, miR-125 acts as a spatiotemporal coordinator between paracrine Notch and endocrine steroid signaling. Moreover, a dual security mechanism for Notch signaling activation exists to ensure the robustness of niche assembly. Particularly, stem cell niche cells can be specified either via lateral inhibition, in which a niche cell precursor acquires Notch signal-sending status randomly, or via peripheral induction, whereby Delta is produced by a specific cell. When one mechanism is perturbed due to mutations, developmental defects or environmental stress, the remaining mechanism ensures that the niche is formed, perhaps abnormally, but still functional. This guarantees that the germline stem cells will have their residence, thereby securing progressive oogenesis and, thus, organism reproduction. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  17. Notch controls the survival of memory CD4+ T cells by regulating glucose uptake.

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    Maekawa, Yoichi; Ishifune, Chieko; Tsukumo, Shin-ichi; Hozumi, Katsuto; Yagita, Hideo; Yasutomo, Koji

    2015-01-01

    CD4+ T cells differentiate into memory T cells that protect the host from subsequent infection. In contrast, autoreactive memory CD4+ T cells harm the body by persisting in the tissues. The underlying pathways controlling the maintenance of memory CD4+ T cells remain undefined. We show here that memory CD4+ T cell survival is impaired in the absence of the Notch signaling protein known as recombination signal binding protein for immunoglobulin κ J region (Rbpj). Treatment of mice with a Notch inhibitor reduced memory CD4+ T cell numbers and prevented the recurrent induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Rbpj-deficient CD4+ memory T cells exhibit reduced glucose uptake due to impaired AKT phosphorylation, resulting in low Glut1 expression. Treating mice with pyruvic acid, which bypasses glucose uptake and supplies the metabolite downstream of glucose uptake, inhibited the decrease of autoimmune memory CD4+ T cells in the absence of Notch signaling, suggesting memory CD4+ T cell survival relies on glucose metabolism. Together, these data define a central role for Notch signaling in maintaining memory CD4+ T cells through the regulation of glucose uptake.

  18. NADPH Oxidase 1 Modulates WNT and NOTCH1 Signaling To Control the Fate of Proliferative Progenitor Cells in the Colon▿

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coant, Nicolas; Ben Mkaddem, Sanae; Pedruzzi, Eric; Guichard, Cécile; Tréton, Xavier; Ducroc, Robert; Freund, Jean-Noel; Cazals-Hatem, Dominique; Bouhnik, Yoram; Woerther, Paul-Louis; Skurnik, David; Grodet, Alain; Fay, Michèle; Biard, Denis; Lesuffleur, Thécla; Deffert, Christine; Moreau, Richard; Groyer, André; Krause, Karl-Heinz; Daniel, Fanny; Ogier-Denis, Eric

    2010-01-01

    The homeostatic self-renewal of the colonic epithelium requires coordinated regulation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signaling pathways to control proliferation and lineage commitment of multipotent stem cells. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 pathways interplay in controlling cell proliferation and fate in the colon are poorly understood. Here we show that NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1), a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-producing oxidase that is highly expressed in colonic epithelial cells, is a pivotal determinant of cell proliferation and fate that integrates Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signals. NOX1-deficient mice reveal a massive conversion of progenitor cells into postmitotic goblet cells at the cost of colonocytes due to the concerted repression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signaling. This conversion correlates with the following: (i) the redox-dependent activation of the dual phosphatase PTEN, causing the inactivation of the Wnt pathway effector β-catenin, and (ii) the downregulation of Notch1 signaling that provokes derepression of mouse atonal homolog 1 (Math1) expression. We conclude that NOX1 controls the balance between goblet and absorptive cell types in the colon by coordinately modulating PI3K/AKT/Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signaling. This finding provides the molecular basis for the role of NOX1 in cell proliferation and postmitotic differentiation. PMID:20351171

  19. Trastuzumab Resistance: Role for Notch Signaling

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    Kinnari Mehta

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (ErbB-2/HER2 is a potent breast oncogene that has been shown to be amplified in 20% of breast cancers. Overexpression of ErbB-2 predicts for aggressive tumor behavior, resistance to some cytotoxic and antihormonal therapies, and poor overall survival. Trastuzumab, the humanized, monoclonal antibody directed against ErbB-2 has shown tremendous efficacy and improved overall survival for women when combined with a taxane-based chemotherapy. However, resistance to trastuzumab remains a major concern, most notably in women with metastatic breast cancer. Numerous mechanisms that include overexpression of alternate receptor tyrosine kinases and/or loss of critical tumor suppressors have been proposed in the last several years to elucidate trastuzumab resistance. Here we review the many possible mechanisms of action that could contribute to resistance, and novel therapies to prevent or reverse the resistant phenotype. Moreover, we provide a critical role for Notch signaling cross-talk with overlapping or new signaling networks in trastuzumab-resistant breast.

  20. Opposing Actions of Fgf8a on Notch Signaling Distinguish Two Muller Glial Cell Populations that Contribute to Retina Growth and Regeneration

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    Jin Wan

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The teleost retina grows throughout life and exhibits a robust regenerative response following injury. Critical to both these events are Muller glia (or, Muller glial cells; MGs, which produce progenitors for retinal growth and repair. We report that Fgf8a may be an MG niche factor that acts through Notch signaling to regulate spontaneous and injury-dependent MG proliferation. Remarkably, forced Fgf8a expression inhibits Notch signaling and stimulates MG proliferation in young tissue but increases Notch signaling and suppresses MG proliferation in older tissue. Furthermore, cessation of Fgf8a signaling enhances MG proliferation in both young and old retinal tissue. Our study suggests that multiple MG populations contribute to retinal growth and regeneration, and it reveals a previously unappreciated role for Fgf8a and Notch signaling in regulating MG quiescence, activation, and proliferation.

  1. Portulaca oleracea extract can inhibit nodule formation of colon cancer stem cells by regulating gene expression of the Notch signal transduction pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, Heiying; Chen, Li; Wang, Shuiming; Chao, Deng

    2017-07-01

    To investigate whether Portulaca oleracea extract affects tumor formation in colon cancer stem cells and its chemotherapy sensitivity. In addition, to analyze associated genetic changes within the Notch signal transduction pathway. Serum-free cultures of colon cancer cells (HT-29) and HT-29 cancer stem cells were treated with the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil to assess sensitivity. Injections of the stem cells were also given to BALB/c mice to confirm tumor growth and note its characteristics. In addition, the effect of different concentrations of P. oleracea extract was tested on the growth of HT-29 colon cancer cells and HT-29 cancer stem cells, as determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. The effects of P. oleracea extract on the expression of β-catenin, Notch1, and Notch2 in the HT-29 cells were studied using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. The tumor volume of the HT29 cells was two times larger than that of HT29 cancer stem cells. Treatment with P. oleracea extract inhibited the proliferation of both HT-29 cancer cells and HT-29 cancer stem cells at doses from 0.07 to 2.25 µg/mL. Apoptosis of HT-29 cancer cells and HT-29 cancer stem cells was assessed by flow cytometry; it was enhanced by the addition of P. oleracea extract. Finally, treatment with P. oleracea extract significantly downregulated the expression of the Notch1 and β-catenin genes in both cell types. The results of this study show that P. oleracea extract inhibits the growth of colon cancer stem cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, it inhibits the expression of the Notch1 and β-catenin genes. Taken together, this suggests that it may elicit its effects through regulatory and target genes that mediate the Notch signal transduction pathway.

  2. Minocycline attenuates the development of diabetic neuropathy by inhibiting spinal cord Notch signaling in rat.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Cheng; Gao, Jie; Wu, Banglin; Yan, Nuo; Li, Hui; Ren, Yiqing; Kan, Yufei; Liang, Jiamin; Jiao, Yang; Yu, Yonghao

    2017-10-01

    We studied the effects of minocycline (an inhibitor of microglial activation) on the expression and activity of Notch-1 receptor, and explored the therapeutic efficacy of minocycline combined with Notch inhibitor DAPT in the treatment of diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP). Diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection (ip) of Streptozotocin (STZ). Expression and activity of Notch-1 and expression of macrophage/microglia marker Iba-1 were detected by WB. Diabetes induction significantly attenuated sciatic nerve conduction velocity, and dramatically augmented the expression and the activity of Notch-1 in the lumbar enlargement of the spinal cord. Minocycline treatment, however, accelerated the decreased conduction velocity of sciatic nerve and suppressed Notch-1expression and activity in diabetic rats. Similar to DAPT treatment, minocycline administration also prolonged thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) and increase mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) in diabetic rats in response to heat or mechanical stimulation via inhibition the expression and the activity of Notch-1 in spinal cord. Combination of DAPT and minocycline further inhibited Notch-1 receptor signaling and reduce neuropathic pain exhibited as improved TWL and MWT. Our study revealed a novel mechanism of Notch-1 receptor inhibition in spinal cord induced by minocycline administration, and suggested that the combination of minocycline and DAPT has the potential to treat DNP. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  3. Role of Notch-1 signaling in ethanol induced PC12 apoptosis | Li ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Chronic alcoholic dementia has crucial role in progress of neurodegenerative disease and affects a large portion of our aging population. Neuronal cell apoptosis may be a contributing factor of neurodegenerative disease (ND) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous researches have indicated that Notch-1 signaling ...

  4. Thyroid Hormone-Induced Activation of Notch Signaling is Required for Adult Intestinal Stem Cell Development During Xenopus Laevis Metamorphosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasebe, Takashi; Fujimoto, Kenta; Kajita, Mitsuko; Fu, Liezhen; Shi, Yun-Bo; Ishizuya-Oka, Atsuko

    2017-04-01

    In Xenopus laevis intestine during metamorphosis, the larval epithelial cells are removed by apoptosis, and the adult epithelial stem (AE) cells appear concomitantly. They proliferate and differentiate to form the adult epithelium (Ep). Thyroid hormone (TH) is well established to trigger this remodeling by regulating the expression of various genes including Notch receptor. To study the role of Notch signaling, we have analyzed the expression of its components, including the ligands (DLL and Jag), receptor (Notch), and targets (Hairy), in the metamorphosing intestine by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and in situ hybridization or immunohistochemistry. We show that they are up-regulated during both natural and TH-induced metamorphosis in a tissue-specific manner. Particularly, Hairy1 is specifically expressed in the AE cells. Moreover, up-regulation of Hairy1 and Hairy2b by TH was prevented by treating tadpoles with a γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI), which inhibits Notch signaling. More importantly, TH-induced up-regulation of LGR5, an adult intestinal stem cell marker, was suppressed by GSI treatment. Our results suggest that Notch signaling plays a role in stem cell development by regulating the expression of Hairy genes during intestinal remodeling. Furthermore, we show with organ culture experiments that prolonged exposure of tadpole intestine to TH plus GSI leads to hyperplasia of secretory cells and reduction of absorptive cells. Our findings here thus provide evidence for evolutionarily conserved role of Notch signaling in intestinal cell fate determination but more importantly reveal, for the first time, an important role of Notch pathway in the formation of adult intestinal stem cells during vertebrate development. Stem Cells 2017;35:1028-1039. © 2016 The Authors STEM CELLS published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AlphaMed Press.

  5. Antioxidant proteins TSA and PAG interact synergistically with Presenilin to modulate Notch signaling in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wangler, Michael F; Reiter, Lawrence T; Zimm, Georgianna; Trimble-Morgan, Jennifer; Wu, Jane; Bier, Ethan

    2011-07-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis is characterized by senile plaques in the brain and evidence of oxidative damage. Oxidative stress may precede plaque formation in AD; however, the link between oxidative damage and plaque formation remains unknown. Presenilins are transmembrane proteins in which mutations lead to accelerated plaque formation and early-onset familial Alzheimer's disease. Presenilins physically interact with two antioxidant enzymes thiol-specific antioxidant (TSA) and proliferation-associated gene (PAG) of the peroxiredoxin family. The functional consequences of these interactions are unclear. In the current study we expressed a presenilin transgene in Drosophila wing and sensory organ precursors of the fly. This caused phenotypes typical of Notch signaling loss-of-function mutations. We found that while expression of TSA or PAG alone produced no phenotype, co-expression of TSA and PAG with presenilin led to an enhanced Notch loss-of-function phenotype. This phenotype was more severe and more penetrant than that caused by the expression of Psn alone. In order to determine whether these phenotypes were indeed affecting Notch signaling, this experiment was performed in a genetic background carrying an activated Notch (Abruptex) allele. The phenotypes were almost completely rescued by this activated Notch allele. These results link peroxiredoxins with the in vivo function of Presenilin, which ultimately connects two key pathogenetic mechanisms in AD, namely, antioxidant activity and plaque formation, and raises the possibility of a role for peroxiredoxin family members in Alzheimer's pathogenesis.

  6. An Evolutionary-Conserved Function of Mammalian Notch Family Members as Cell Adhesion Molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murata, Akihiko; Yoshino, Miya; Hikosaka, Mari; Okuyama, Kazuki; Zhou, Lan; Sakano, Seiji; Yagita, Hideo; Hayashi, Shin-Ichi

    2014-01-01

    Notch family members were first identified as cell adhesion molecules by cell aggregation assays in Drosophila studies. However, they are generally recognized as signaling molecules, and it was unclear if their adhesion function was restricted to Drosophila. We previously demonstrated that a mouse Notch ligand, Delta-like 1 (Dll1) functioned as a cell adhesion molecule. We here investigated whether this adhesion function was conserved in the diversified mammalian Notch ligands consisted of two families, Delta-like (Dll1, Dll3 and Dll4) and Jagged (Jag1 and Jag2). The forced expression of mouse Dll1, Dll4, Jag1, and Jag2, but not Dll3, on stromal cells induced the rapid and enhanced adhesion of cultured mast cells (MCs). This was attributed to the binding of Notch1 and Notch2 on MCs to each Notch ligand on the stromal cells themselves, and not the activation of Notch signaling. Notch receptor-ligand binding strongly supported the tethering of MCs to stromal cells, the first step of cell adhesion. However, the Jag2-mediated adhesion of MCs was weaker and unlike other ligands appeared to require additional factor(s) in addition to the receptor-ligand binding. Taken together, these results demonstrated that the function of cell adhesion was conserved in mammalian as well as Drosophila Notch family members. Since Notch receptor-ligand interaction plays important roles in a broad spectrum of biological processes ranging from embryogenesis to disorders, our finding will provide a new perspective on these issues from the aspect of cell adhesion. PMID:25255288

  7. DMPD: Modulation of Toll-interleukin 1 receptor mediated signaling. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 15662540 Modulation of Toll-interleukin 1 receptor mediated signaling. Li X, Qin J.... J Mol Med. 2005 Apr;83(4):258-66. Epub 2005 Jan 21. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Modulation of Toll-i...nterleukin 1 receptor mediated signaling. PubmedID 15662540 Title Modulation of Toll-interleukin 1 receptor

  8. Nrf2 regulates cellular behaviors and Notch signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Hong; Paiboonrungruan, Chorlada; Zhang, Xinyan; Prigge, Justin R; Schmidt, Edward E; Sun, Zheng; Chen, Xiaoxin

    2017-11-04

    Oxidative stress is known to play a pivotal role in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We have demonstrated that activation of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway has chemopreventive effects against oxidative stress-associated OSCC. However, Nrf2 have dual roles in cancer development; while it prevents carcinogenesis of normal cells, hyperactive Nrf2 also promotes the survival of cancer cells. This study is aimed to understand the function of Nrf2 in regulating cellular behaviors of OSCC cells, and the potential mechanisms through which Nrf2 facilitates OSCC. We established the Nrf2-overexpressing and Nrf2-knockdown OSCC cell lines, and examined the function of Nrf2 in regulating cell proliferation, migration, invasion, cell cycle and colony formation. Our data showed that Nrf2 overexpression promoted cancer phenotypes in OSCC cells, whereas Nrf2 silencing inhibited these phenotypes. In addition, Nrf2 positively regulated Notch signaling pathway in OSCC cells in vitro. Consistent with this observation, Nrf2 activation in Keap1 -/- mice resulted in not only hyperproliferation of squamous epithelial cells in mouse tongue as evidenced by increased expression of PCNA, but also activation of Notch signaling in these cells as evidenced by increased expression of NICD1 and Hes1. In conclusion, Nrf2 regulates cancer behaviors and Notch signaling in OSCC cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Hypo- and hyperactivated Notch signaling induce a glycolytic switch through distinct mechanisms

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Landor, S.; Mutvei, A.P.; Mamaeva, V.; Jin, S.; Busk, M.; Borra, R.; Grönroos, T.J.; Kronqvist, P.; Lendahl, U.; Sahlgren, C.M.

    2011-01-01

    A switch from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis is frequently observed in cancer cells and is linked to tumor growth and invasion, but the underpinning molecular mechanisms controlling the switch are poorly understood. In this report we show that Notch signaling is a key regulator of cellular

  10. SOX1 links the function of neural patterning and Notch signalling in the ventral spinal cord during the neuron-glial fate switch

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Genethliou, Nicholas; Panayiotou, Elena [The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Airport Avenue, No. 6, Agios Dometios, 2370 Nicosia (Cyprus); Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia (Cyprus); Panayi, Helen; Orford, Michael; Mean, Richard; Lapathitis, George; Gill, Herman; Raoof, Sahir [The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Airport Avenue, No. 6, Agios Dometios, 2370 Nicosia (Cyprus); Gasperi, Rita De; Elder, Gregory [James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Research and Development (3F22), 130 West Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468 (United States); Kessaris, Nicoletta; Richardson, William D. [Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research and Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT (United Kingdom); Malas, Stavros, E-mail: smalas@cing.ac.cy [The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Airport Avenue, No. 6, Agios Dometios, 2370 Nicosia (Cyprus); Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, P.O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia (Cyprus)

    2009-12-25

    During neural development the transition from neurogenesis to gliogenesis, known as the neuron-glial ({Nu}/G) fate switch, requires the coordinated function of patterning factors, pro-glial factors and Notch signalling. How this process is coordinated in the embryonic spinal cord is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that during the N/G fate switch in the ventral spinal cord (vSC) SOX1 links the function of neural patterning and Notch signalling. We show that, SOX1 expression in the vSC is regulated by PAX6, NKX2.2 and Notch signalling in a domain-specific manner. We further show that SOX1 regulates the expression of Hes1 and that loss of Sox1 leads to enhanced production of oligodendrocyte precursors from the pMN. Finally, we show that Notch signalling functions upstream of SOX1 during this fate switch and is independently required for the acquisition of the glial fate perse by regulating Nuclear Factor I A expression in a PAX6/SOX1/HES1/HES5-independent manner. These data integrate functional roles of neural patterning factors, Notch signalling and SOX1 during gliogenesis.

  11. The truncate mutation of Notch2 enhances cell proliferation through activating the NF-κB signal pathway in the diffuse large B-cell lymphomas.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xinxia Zhang

    Full Text Available The Notch2 is a critical membrane receptor for B-cell functions, and also displays various biological roles in lymphoma pathogenesis. In this article, we reported that 3 of 69 (4.3% diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs exhibited a truncate NOTCH2 mutation at the nucleotide 7605 (G/A in the cDNA sequence, which led to partial deletion of the C-terminal of PEST (proline-, glutamic acid-, serine- and threonine-rich domain. The truncate Notch2 activated both the Notch2 and the NF-κB signals and promoted the proliferation of B-cell lymphoma cell lines, including DLBCL and Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines. Moreover, the ectopic proliferation was completely inhibited by ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC, an NF-κB inhibitor. Simultaneously, PDTC also reduced the expression level of Notch2. Based on these results, we conclude that the Notch2 receptor with PEST domain truncation enhances cell proliferation which may be associated with the activation of the Notch2 and the NF-κB signaling. Our results are expected to provide a possible target for new DLBCL therapies by suppressing the Notch2 and the NF-κB signaling.

  12. Inhibition of Notch signaling alters the phenotype of orthotopic tumors formed from glioblastoma multiforme neurosphere cells but does not hamper intracranial tumor growth regardless of endogene Notch pathway signature

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristoffersen, Karina; Nedergaard, Mette Kjølhede; Villingshøj, Mette

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Brain cancer stem-like cells (bCSC) are cancer cells with neural stem cell (NSC)-like properties found in the devastating brain tumor glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). bCSC are proposed a central role in tumor initiation, progression, treatment resistance and relapse and as such present...... a promising target in GBM research. The Notch signaling pathway is often deregulated in GBM and we have previously characterized GBM-derived bCSC cultures based on their expression of the Notch-1 receptor and found that it could be used as predictive marker for the effect of Notch inhibition. The aim...... of the present project was therefore to further elucidate the significance of Notch pathway activity for the tumorigenic properties of GBM-derived bCSC. METHODS: Human-derived GBM xenograft cells previously established as NSC-like neurosphere cultures were used. Notch inhibition was accomplished by exposing...

  13. Heterogeneity of breast cancer stem cells as evidenced with Notch-dependent and Notch-independent populations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, Nelson K Y; Fuller, Megan; Sung, Sandy; Wong, Fred; Karsan, Aly

    2012-01-01

    Studies have suggested the potential importance of Notch signaling to the cancer stem cell population in some tumors, but it is not known whether all cells in the cancer stem cell fraction require Notch activity. To address this issue, we blocked Notch activity in MCF-7 cells by expressing a dominant-negative MAML-GFP (dnMAML) construct, which inhibits signaling through all Notch receptors, and quantified the effect on tumor-initiating activity. Inhibition of Notch signaling reduced primary tumor sphere formation and side population. Functional quantification of tumor-initiating cell numbers in vivo showed a significant decrease, but not a complete abrogation, of these cells in dnMAML-expressing cells. Interestingly, when assessed in secondary assays in vitro or in vivo, there was no difference in tumor-initiating activity between the dnMAML-expressing cells and control cells. The fact that a subpopulation of dnMAML-expressing cells was capable of forming primary and secondary tumors indicates that there are Notch-independent tumor-initiating cells in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Our findings thus provide direct evidence for a heterogeneous cancer stem cell pool, which will require combination therapies against multiple oncogenic pathways to eliminate the tumor-initiating cell population

  14. Manic fringe inhibits tumor growth by suppressing Notch3 degradation in lung cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Fuming; Amarasinghe, Baru; Dang, Thao P

    2013-01-01

    Notch signaling plays an essential role in development as well as cancer. We have previously shown that Notch3 is important for lung cancer growth and survival. Notch receptors are activated through the interaction with their ligands, resulting in proteolytic cleavage of the receptors. This interaction is modulated by Fringe, a family of fucose-specific β1,3 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases that modify the extracellular subunit of Notch receptors. Studies in developmental models showed that Fringe enhances Notch's response to Delta ligands at the expense of Jagged ligands. We observed that Manic Fringe expression is down-regulated in lung cancer. Since Jagged1, a known ligand for Notch3, is often over-expressed in lung cancer, we hypothesized that Fringe negatively regulates Notch3 activation. In this study, we show that re-expression of Manic Fringe down-regulates Notch3 target genes HES1 and HeyL and reduces tumor phenotype in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism for this phenomenon appears to be related to modulation of Notch3 protein stability. Proteasome inhibition reverses Manic Fringe-induced protein turnover. Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that Manic Fringe functions as a tumor suppressor in the lung and that the mechanism of its anti-tumor activity is mediated by inhibition of Notch3 activation.

  15. [Notch signaling pathway participates in the differentiation of hepatic progenitor cells into bile duct epithelial cells and progression of hepatic fibrosis in cholestatic liver fibrosis rat].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mu, Y P; Zhang, X; Xu, Y; Fan, W W; Li, X W; Chen, J M; Chen, G F; Liu, P

    2017-06-08

    Objective: To investigate differentiation direction of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) in cholestatic liver fibrosis (CLF), and the role of Notch signaling pathway in the differentiation of HPCs. Methods: A CLF rat model was established by bile duct ligation (BDL) followed by monitoring changes of Notch signal pathway and the cellular origin of proliferating cholangiocytes. After intraperitoneal injection of DAPT (a Notch signaling inhibitor) after bile duct ligation, the progress of liver fibrosis and the proliferation of cholangiocytes after inhibition of the Notch pathway were analyzed. Results: Data showed that bile duct proliferation gradually increased along with inflammatory cell infiltration and proliferating bile duct cells surrounded by abundant collagen in the BDL group. Immunostaining confirmed markedly increased expression of CK19, OV6, Sox9 and EpCAM. In addition, RT-PCR results showed that Notch signaling pathway was activated significantly. Once the Notch signaling pathway was inhibited by DAPT, bile duct proliferation markedly suppressed along with significantly decreased the mRNA expression of CK19, OV6, Sox9 and EpCAM, compared with BDL group [(10.2±0.7) vs . (22.3±0.8), (7.6±1.5) vs . (18.1±3.7), (1.4±0.4) vs . (4.1±1.1), (1.3±0.3) vs . (5.0±1.4), respectively, P liver fibrosis was also reduced significantly. Conclusion: Notch signaling activation is required for HPCs differentiation into cholangiocytes in CLF and inhibition of the Notch signaling pathway may offer a therapeutic option for treating CLF.

  16. Isoforms of retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) are increased in chronic diseases of the kidney but not of the liver

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frey, Simone K; Nagl, Britta; Henze, Andrea

    2008-01-01

    disease (CLD) RBP4 levels decrease. Little is known about RBP4 isoforms including apo-RBP4, holo-RBP4 as well as RBP4 truncated at the C-terminus (RBP4-L and RBP4-LL) except that RBP4 isoforms have been reported to be increased in hemodialysis patients. Since it is not known whether CLD influence RBP4...... isoforms, we investigated RBP4 levels, apo- and holo-RBP4 as well as RBP4-L and RBP4-LL in plasma of 36 patients suffering from CKD, in 55 CLD patients and in 50 control subjects. RBP4 was determined by ELISA and apo- and holo-RBP4 by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). RBP4-L and RBP4-LL...

  17. Potential involvement of Notch1 signalling in the pathogenesis of primary cutaneous CD30-positive lymphoproliferative disorders

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamstrup, M.R.; Ralfkiaer, E.; Skovgaard, G.L.

    2008-01-01

    Background The central role of Notch signalling in T-cell development and oncogenesis raises the question of the importance of this pathway in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. Objectives To investigate the pattern of expression of Notch and its ligands, Jagged and Delta, in skin samples of primary...... obtained from three patients with LyP and two patients with primary cutaneous ALCL. Results We identified single Notch1-positive cells or small clusters of atypical cells in LyP. Similarly, strongly positive Jagged1 cells tended to be localized in clusters. Primary cutaneous ALCL had higher expression...... of Notch1 and Jagged1 compared with LyP. Cells expressing Notch1 and Jagged1 were colocalized and a subset of cells expressed both the receptor and the ligand. The expression of the ligand Delta1 was low to undetectable in both types of lymphoproliferations. A subpopulation of lymphoma cells was found...

  18. Increased Wnt and Notch signaling: a clue to the renal disease in Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie Morimoto

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Schimke immuno-osseous dysplasia (SIOD is a multisystemic disorder caused by biallelic mutations in the SWI/SNF-related matrix-associated actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A-like 1 (SMARCAL1 gene. Changes in gene expression underlie the arteriosclerosis and T-cell immunodeficiency of SIOD; therefore, we hypothesized that SMARCAL1 deficiency causes the focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS of SIOD by altering renal gene expression. We tested this hypothesis by gene expression analysis of an SIOD patient kidney and verified these findings through immunofluorescent analysis in additional SIOD patients and a genetic interaction analysis in Drosophila. Results We found increased expression of components and targets of the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways in the SIOD patient kidney, increased levels of unphosphorylated β-catenin and Notch1 intracellular domain in the glomeruli of most SIOD patient kidneys, and genetic interaction between the Drosophila SMARCAL1 homologue Marcal1 and genes of the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways. Conclusions We conclude that increased Wnt and Notch activity result from SMARCAL1 deficiency and, as established causes of FSGS, contribute to the renal disease of most SIOD patients. This further clarifies the pathogenesis of SIOD and will hopefully direct potential therapeutic approaches for SIOD patients.

  19. No evidence for induction of key components of the Notch signaling pathway (Notch-1, Jagged-1) by treatment with UV-B, 1,25(OH)(2)D(3), and/or epigenetic drugs (TSA, 5-Aza) in human keratinocytes in vitro.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reichrath, Sandra; Reichrath, Jörg

    2012-01-01

    Notch signaling is of high importance for growth and survival of various cell types. We now analyzed the protein expression of two key components of the Notch signaling pathway (Notch-1, Jagged-1) in spontaneously immortalized (HaCaT) and in malignant (SCL-1) human keratinocytes, using western analysis. We found that Notch-1 and its corresponding ligand Jagged-1 are expressed in both cell lines, with no marked change following UV-B treatment. Moreover, treatment of both cell lines before or after UV-B irradiation with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), the biologically active form of vitamin D, and/or epigenetic modulating drugs (TSA; 5-Aza) did not result in a marked modulation of the protein expression of Notch-1 or Jagged-1. Under the experimental conditions of this study, treatment with 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) protected human keratinocytes in part against the antiproliferative effects of UV-B-radiation. In conclusion, our findings do not point at a differential expression of these two key components of Notch signaling in non-malignant as compared to malignant human keratinocytes, indicating that alterations in their expression are not of importance for the photocarcinogenesis of human squamous cell carcinomas. Moreover, our findings do not support the hypothesis that modulation of Notch signaling may be involved in the photoprotective effect of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3), that we and others reported previously. Additionally, we demonstrate that epigenetic modulating drugs (TSA, 5-Aza) do not markedly modulate the expression Notch-1 or Jagged-1 in UV-B-treated human keratinocytes in vitro.

  20. The pathological significance of Notch1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshida, Ryoji; Nagata, Masashi; Nakayama, Hideki; Niimori-Kita, Kanako; Hassan, Wael; Tanaka, Takuji; Shinohara, Masanori; Ito, Takaaki

    2013-10-01

    Notch signaling has been reported to be involved in several types of malignant tumors; however, the role and activation mechanism of Notch signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains poorly characterized. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the pathological significance of Notch signaling and its activation mechanism in the development and progression of OSCC. In this study, we showed that the expression of Notch1 and intracellular Notch domain (NICD) are upregulated in OSCCs. In addition, Notch1 and NICD were found to be characteristically localized at the invasive tumor front. TNF-α, a major inflammatory cytokine, significantly activated Notch signaling in vitro. In a clinicopathological analysis, Notch1 expression correlated with both the T-stage and the clinical stage. Furthermore, loss of Notch1 expression correlated with the inhibition of cell proliferation and TNF-α-dependent invasiveness in an OSCC cell line. In addition, γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) prevented cell proliferation and TNF-α-dependent invasion of OSCC cells in vitro. These results indicate that altered expression of Notch1 is associated with increased cancer progression and that Notch1 regulates the steps involved in cell metastasis in OSCC. Moreover, inactivating Notch signaling with GSI could therefore be a useful approach for treating patients with OSCC.

  1. TNF inhibits Notch-1 in skeletal muscle cells by Ezh2 and DNA methylation mediated repression: implications in duchenne muscular dystrophy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swarnali Acharyya

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Classical NF-kappaB signaling functions as a negative regulator of skeletal myogenesis through potentially multiple mechanisms. The inhibitory actions of TNFalpha on skeletal muscle differentiation are mediated in part through sustained NF-kappaB activity. In dystrophic muscles, NF-kappaB activity is compartmentalized to myofibers to inhibit regeneration by limiting the number of myogenic progenitor cells. This regulation coincides with elevated levels of muscle derived TNFalpha that is also under IKKbeta and NF-kappaB control.Based on these findings we speculated that in DMD, TNFalpha secreted from myotubes inhibits regeneration by directly acting on satellite cells. Analysis of several satellite cell regulators revealed that TNFalpha is capable of inhibiting Notch-1 in satellite cells and C2C12 myoblasts, which was also found to be dependent on NF-kappaB. Notch-1 inhibition occurred at the mRNA level suggesting a transcriptional repression mechanism. Unlike its classical mode of action, TNFalpha stimulated the recruitment of Ezh2 and Dnmt-3b to coordinate histone and DNA methylation, respectively. Dnmt-3b recruitment was dependent on Ezh2.We propose that in dystrophic muscles, elevated levels of TNFalpha and NF-kappaB inhibit the regenerative potential of satellite cells via epigenetic silencing of the Notch-1 gene.

  2. Down-regulation of Notch signaling pathway reverses the Th1/Th2 imbalance in tuberculosis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Qifeng; Zhang, Hui; Yu, Liang; Wu, Chao; Luo, Xinhui; Sun, He; Ding, Jianbing

    2018-01-01

    Th1/Th2 imbalance to Th2 is of significance in the peripheral immune responses in Tuberculosis (TB) development. However, the mechanisms for Th1/Th2 imbalance are still not well determined. Notch signaling pathway is involved in the peripheral T cell activation and effector cell differentiation. However, whether it affects Th1/Th2 imbalance in TB patients is still not known. Here, we used γ-secretase inhibitor (DAPT) to treat the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy people or individuals with latent or active TB infection in vitro, respectively. Then, the Th1/Th2 ratios were determined by flow cytometry, and cytokines of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10 in the culture supernatant were measured by CBA method. The Notch signal pathway associated proteins Hes1, GATA3 and T-bet were quantitated by real-time PCR or immunoblotting. Our results showed that DAPT effectively inhibited the protein level of Hes1. In TB patients, the Th2 ratio increased in the PBMCs, alone with the high expression of GATA3 and IL-4, resulting in the high ratios of Th2/Th1 and GATA3/T-bet in TB patients. However, Th2 cells ratio decreased after blocking the Notch signaling pathway by DAPT and the Th2/Th1 ratio in TB patients were DAPT dose-dependent, accompanied by the decrease of IL-4 and GATA3. But, its influence on Th1 ratio and Th1 related T-bet and IFN-γ levels were not significant. In conclusion, our results suggest that blocking Notch signaling by DAPT could inhibit Th2 responses and restore Th1/Th2 imbalance in TB patients. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  3. Suppression of p53 by Notch3 is mediated by Cyclin G1 and sustained by MDM2 and miR-221 axis in hepatocellular carcinoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baglioni, Michele; Fornari, Francesca; Giannone, Ferdinando; Ravaioli, Matteo; Cescon, Matteo; Chieco, Pasquale; Bolondi, Luigi; Gramantieri, Laura

    2014-01-01

    To successfully target Notch receptors as part of a multidrug anticancer strategy, it will be essential to fully characterize the factors that are modulated by Notch signaling. We recently reported that Notch3 silencing in HCC results in p53 up-regulation in vitro and, therefore, we focused on the mechanisms that associate Notch3 to p53 protein expression. We explored the regulation of p53 by Notch3 signalling in three HCC cell lines HepG2, SNU398 and Hep3B.We found that Notch3 regulates p53 at post-transcriptional level controlling both Cyclin G1 expression and the feed-forward circuit involving p53, miR-221 and MDM2. Moreover, our results were validated in human HCCs and in a rat model of HCC treated with Notch3 siRNAs. Our findings are becoming an exciting area for further in-depth research toward targeted inactivation of Notch3 receptor as a novel therapeutic approach for increasing the drug-sensitivity, and thereby improving the treatment outcome of patients affected by HCC. Indeed, we proved that Notch3 silencing strongly increases the effects of Nutilin-3. With regard to therapeutic implications, Notch3-specific drugs could represent a valuable strategy to limit Notch signaling in the context of hepatocellular carcinoma over-expressing this receptor. PMID:25431954

  4. The importance of Notch signaling in peripheral T-cell lymphomas

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamstrup, Maria Rørbæk; Biskup, Edyta; Gjerdrum, Lise Mette Rahbek

    2014-01-01

    Peripheral T-cell lymphomas (PTLs) represent an area of high medical need. Previously, we demonstrated high expression of Notch, a known oncogene, in primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). In this study, we performed immunohistochemical staining for Notch1 in lymph nodes from PTL...... cases) (p > 0.05). In the ALK+ ALCL cell line, Karpas-299, pharmacological inhibition of Notch with γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) I was far more potent than with GSI IX, XX and XXI with regard to cell viability and apoptosis. In conclusion, PTL tumor cells have prominent Notch1 expression and treatment...... with Notch inhibitors has cytotoxic effects....

  5. Notch1 Signaling Regulates the Th17/Treg Immune Imbalance in Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Lei; Xue, HaiBo; Gao, Tianqin; Gao, MeiLan; Zhang, YuJie

    2018-01-01

    To evaluate the regulating effect of Notch1 signaling on Th17/Treg immune imbalance in psoriasis vulgaris (PV). Notch1, Hes-1, ROR γ t, Foxp3, IL-17, and IL-10 mRNA expression, as well as Th17 and Treg cell percentages in peripheral CD4 + T cells, were detected by real-time quantitative RT-PCR and flow cytometry, and serum concentrations of IL-17 and IL-10 were detected by ELISA in 36 PV patients and 32 healthy controls. Additionally, CD4 + T cells from 12 PV patients were treated with γ -secretase inhibitor DAPT, and the above indexes were measured. PV patients presented distinct Th17/Treg immune imbalance and highly expressed Notch1 and Hes-1 mRNA levels, which were positively correlated with psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and the ratios of Th17/Treg and ROR γ t/Foxp3. DAPT treatment resulted in the obvious downregulation of Th17 cell percentage in cocultured CD4 + T cells, ROR γ t and IL-17 mRNA levels, and IL-17 concentration in cell-free supernatant from cocultured CD4 + T cells of PV patients in a dose-dependent manner, while there was no significant influence on Treg cell percentage, Foxp3, and IL-10 expression, therefore leading to the recovery of Th17/Treg immune imbalance. Notch1 signaling may contribute to the pathogenesis of PV by regulating Th17/Treg immune imbalance.

  6. Part 1: Notch-sparing γ-secretase inhibitors: The identification of novel naphthyl and benzofuranyl amide analogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Dai; Wei, Han-Xun; Zhang, Jing; Gu, Yongli; Osenkowski, Pamela; Ye, Wenjuan; Selkoe, Dennis J; Wolfe, Michael S; Augelli-Szafran, Corinne E

    2016-05-01

    γ-Secretase is one of two proteases directly involved in the production of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), which is pathogenic in Alzheimer's disease. Inhibition of γ-secretase to suppress the production of Aβ should not block processing of one of its alternative substrates, Notch1 receptors, as interference with Notch1 signaling leads to severe toxic effects. In the course of our studies to identify γ-secretase inhibitors with selectivity for APP over Notch, 1 [3-(benzyl(isopropyl)amino)-1-(naphthalen-2-yl)propan-1-one] was found to inhibit γ-secretase-mediated Aβ production without interfering with γ-secretase-mediated Notch processing in purified enzyme assays. As 1 is chemically unstable, efforts to increase the stability of this compound led to the identification of 2 [naphthalene-2-carboxylic acid benzyl-isopropyl-amide] which showed similar biological activity to compound 1. Synthesis and evaluation of a series of amide analogs resulted in benzofuranyl amide analogs that showed promising Notch-sparing γ-secretase inhibitory effects. This class of compounds may serve as a novel lead series for further study in the development of γ-secretase inhibitors. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. Essential Role of Endothelial Notch1 in Angiogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Limbourg, Florian P.; Takeshita, Kyosuke; Radtke, Freddy; Bronson, Roderick T.; Chin, Michael T.; Liao, James K.

    2009-01-01

    Background Notch signaling influences binary cell fate decisions in a variety of tissues. The Notch1 receptor is widely expressed during embryogenesis and is essential for embryonic development. Loss of global Notch1 function results in early embryonic lethality, but the cell type responsible for this defect is not known. Here, we identify the endothelium as the primary target tissue affected by Notch1 signaling. Methods and Results We generated an endothelium-specific deletion of Notch1 using Tie2Cre and conditional Notch1flox/flox mice. Mutant embryos lacking endothelial Notch1 died at approximately embryonic day 10.5 with profound vascular defects in placenta, yolk sac, and embryo proper, whereas heterozygous deletion had no effect. In yolk sacs of mutant embryos, endothelial cells formed a primary vascular plexus indicative of intact vasculogenesis but failed to induce the secondary vascular remodeling required to form a mature network of well-organized large and small blood vessels, which demonstrates a defect in angiogenesis. These vascular defects were also evident in the placenta, where blood vessels failed to invade the placental labyrinth, and in the embryo proper, where defective blood vessel maturation led to pericardial and intersomitic hemorrhage. Enhanced activation of caspase-3 was detected in endothelial and neural cells of mutant mice, which resulted in enhanced apoptotic degeneration of somites and the neural tube. Conclusions These findings recapitulate the vascular phenotype of global Notch1-/- mutants and indicate an essential cell-autonomous role of Notch1 signaling in the endothelium during vascular development. These results may have important clinical implications with regard to Notch1 signaling in adult angiogenesis. PMID:15809373

  8. Notch signaling, the segmentation clock, and the patterning of vertebrate somites

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lewis Julian

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The Notch signaling pathway has multifarious functions in the organization of the developing vertebrate embryo. One of its most fundamental roles is in the emergence of the regular pattern of somites that will give rise to the musculoskeletal structures of the trunk. The parts it plays in the early operation of the segmentation clock and the later definition and differentiation of the somites are beginning to be understood.

  9. Notch1 is required for hypoxia-induced proliferation, invasion and chemoresistance of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

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    Zou Jie

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Notch1 is a potent regulator known to play an oncogenic role in many malignancies including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL. Tumor hypoxia and increased hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α activity can act as major stimuli for tumor aggressiveness and progression. Although hypoxia-mediated activation of the Notch1 pathway plays an important role in tumor cell survival and invasiveness, the interaction between HIF-1α and Notch1 has not yet been identified in T-ALL. This study was designed to investigate whether hypoxia activates Notch1 signalling through HIF-1α stabilization and to determine the contribution of hypoxia and HIF-1α to proliferation, invasion and chemoresistance in T-ALL. Methods T-ALL cell lines (Jurkat, Sup-T1 transfected with HIF-1α or Notch1 small interference RNA (siRNA were incubated in normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Their potential for proliferation and invasion was measured by WST-8 and transwell assays. Flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis and assess cell cycle regulation. Expression and regulation of components of the HIF-1α and Notch1 pathways and of genes related to proliferation, invasion and apoptosis were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR or Western blot. Results Hypoxia potentiated Notch1 signalling via stabilization and activation of the transcription factor HIF-1α. Hypoxia/HIF-1α-activated Notch1 signalling altered expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins and accelerated cell proliferation. Hypoxia-induced Notch1 activation increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2 and MMP9, which increased invasiveness. Of greater clinical significance, knockdown of Notch1 prevented the protective effect of hypoxia/HIF-1α against dexamethasone-induced apoptosis. This sensitization correlated with losing the effect of hypoxia/HIF-1α on Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression. Conclusions Notch1 signalling is required for hypoxia/HIF-1α-induced proliferation

  10. The EGF repeat-specific O-GlcNAc-transferase Eogt interacts with notch signaling and pyrimidine metabolism pathways in Drosophila.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reto Müller

    Full Text Available The O-GlcNAc transferase Eogt modifies EGF repeats in proteins that transit the secretory pathway, including Dumpy and Notch. In this paper, we show that the Notch ligands Delta and Serrate are also substrates of Eogt, that mutation of a putative UDP-GlcNAc binding DXD motif greatly reduces enzyme activity, and that Eogt and the cytoplasmic O-GlcNAc transferase Ogt have distinct substrates in Drosophila larvae. Loss of Eogt is larval lethal and disrupts Dumpy functions, but does not obviously perturb Notch signaling. To identify novel genetic interactions with eogt, we investigated dominant modification of wing blister formation caused by knock-down of eogt. Unexpectedly, heterozygosity for several members of the canonical Notch signaling pathway suppressed wing blister formation. And importantly, extensive genetic interactions with mutants in pyrimidine metabolism were identified. Removal of pyrimidine synthesis alleles suppressed wing blister formation, while removal of uracil catabolism alleles was synthetic lethal with eogt knock-down. Therefore, Eogt may regulate protein functions by O-GlcNAc modification of their EGF repeats, and cellular metabolism by affecting pyrimidine synthesis and catabolism. We propose that eogt knock-down in the wing leads to metabolic and signaling perturbations that increase cytosolic uracil levels, thereby causing wing blister formation.

  11. 14-3-3{sigma} controls corneal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation through the Notch signaling pathway

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xin, Ying [Stem Cell Institute, James Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Lu, Qingxian [Tumor Immunobiology Group, James Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Li, Qiutang, E-mail: q.li@louisville.edu [Stem Cell Institute, James Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States); Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 301 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., Louisville, KY 40202 (United States)

    2010-02-19

    14-3-3{sigma} (also called stratifin) is specifically expressed in the stratified squamous epithelium and its function was recently shown to be linked to epidermal stratification and differentiation in the skin. In this study, we investigated its role in corneal epithelium cell proliferation and differentiation. We showed that the 14-3-3{sigma} mutation in repeated epilation (Er) mutant mice results in a dominant negative truncated protein. Primary corneal epithelial cells expressing the dominant negative protein failed to undergo high calcium-induced cell cycle arrest and differentiation. We further demonstrated that blocking endogenous 14-3-3{sigma} activity in corneal epithelial cells by overexpressing dominative negative 14-3-3{sigma} led to reduced Notch activity and Notch1/2 transcription. Significantly, expression of the active Notch intracellular domain overcame the block in epithelial cell differentiation in 14-3-3{sigma} mutant-expressing corneal epithelial cells. We conclude that 14-3-3{sigma} is critical for regulating corneal epithelial proliferation and differentiation by regulating Notch signaling activity.

  12. 14-3-3σ controls corneal epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation through the Notch signaling pathway

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xin, Ying; Lu, Qingxian; Li, Qiutang

    2010-01-01

    14-3-3σ (also called stratifin) is specifically expressed in the stratified squamous epithelium and its function was recently shown to be linked to epidermal stratification and differentiation in the skin. In this study, we investigated its role in corneal epithelium cell proliferation and differentiation. We showed that the 14-3-3σ mutation in repeated epilation (Er) mutant mice results in a dominant negative truncated protein. Primary corneal epithelial cells expressing the dominant negative protein failed to undergo high calcium-induced cell cycle arrest and differentiation. We further demonstrated that blocking endogenous 14-3-3σ activity in corneal epithelial cells by overexpressing dominative negative 14-3-3σ led to reduced Notch activity and Notch1/2 transcription. Significantly, expression of the active Notch intracellular domain overcame the block in epithelial cell differentiation in 14-3-3σ mutant-expressing corneal epithelial cells. We conclude that 14-3-3σ is critical for regulating corneal epithelial proliferation and differentiation by regulating Notch signaling activity.

  13. The MAPK-dependent regulation of the Jagged/Notch gene expression by VEGF, bFGF or PPAR gamma mediated angiogenesis in HUVEC

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kiec-Wilk, B; Grzybowska-Galuszka, J; Polus, A

    2010-01-01

    The Jagged-Notch signalling, plays a crucial role in cell differentiation. Angiogenesis, is regulated by VEGF, bFGF as well as by the free fatty acid metabolites , which are regulators of transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferation activating receptors (PPARs). The study analyzed...... the signalling pathways involved in the regulation of Jagged-1/Notch-4 expression in endothelial cells (HUVECs) in response to VEGF, bFGF and PPAR-gamma exogenous activator - ciglitazone. HUVECs were incubated with investigated substances for 24 hours, with or without the presence of the MAP-kinases inhibitors...... were used. Jagged-1 and Notch-4 gene expression was determined using quantitative Real-Time PCR. The Jagged-1/Notch-4 protein expression was compared by flow cytometry, when the phosphorylation-dependent activation of kinases was estimated by Western-blot method. The opposite effect of VEGF, b...

  14. Role of Notch Signaling in Human Breast Cancer Pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    2006-11-01

    transform HMLE cells. Similarly, overexpression of ErbB2, a receptor tyrosine kinase upstream of Ras normally found overexpressed in many breast cancers ...Assess Notch-Ras cooperation in breast cancers in vivo: Since the major observation in this project has been the cooperation of Notch and Ras in HMLE ...metastasis. The in vitro cooperation between Notch and Ras in HMLE cells is mimicked in naturally arising breast cancers in vivo. Further dissection of the

  15. Positive correlation between retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and triglyceride level in central obesity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oktaria, S.; Sari, D. K.; Dalimunthe, D.; Eyanoer, P. C.

    2018-03-01

    Obesity has become an epidemic in both developed and developing countries. Central obesity considered a risk factor that is closely related to several chronic diseases. Central obesity is associated with elevated triglyceride levels and associated with RBP4 which can lead to insulin resistance. Increased level of RBP4 can cause lipid metabolism disorders and can become a marker for insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. This study aims to find the correlation of RBP4 with triglycerides and Apo B100 in central obesity. It was a cross- sectional study on 46 subjects with central obesity, aged 20-50 years old. Blood samples were taken in cubital vein and examined for RBP4 and triglyceride levels. Data analysis was performed using Spearman correlation test. The results showed that gender frequency distribution showed little difference between men and women, i. e., men 43.5% and women 56.5%. RBP4 level was positively correlated with triglyceride (r = 0.48) and statistically significant (p = 0.001). The rbp4 level was positively correlated with triglyceride, indicating the role of RBP4 on high triglyceride level in central obesity.

  16. Notch Signaling and Brain Tumors

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stockhausen, Marie; Kristoffersen, Karina; Poulsen, Hans Skovgaard

    2011-01-01

    Human brain tumors are a heterogenous group of neoplasms occurring inside the cranium and the central spinal cord. In adults and children, astrocytic glioma and medulloblastoma are the most common subtypes of primary brain tumors. These tumor types are thought to arise from cells in which Notch...

  17. Notch and Wnt signaling in the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bigas, Anna; Guiu, Jordi; Gama-Norton, Leonor

    2013-01-01

    Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), which reside in the marrow of adult mammals and sustain hematopoiesis for the lifetime of the organism, are specified and generated during embryonic development. We are just beginning to understand how HSC develop from more primitive cells and the complexity of the...... of the signaling pathways involved. In this work, we review the role of two crucial pathways, Notch and Wnt, in the specification and development of HSC and their nascent microenvironment, the arterial vessels....

  18. TNF Inhibits Notch-1 in Skeletal Muscle Cells by Ezh2 and DNA Methylation Mediated Repression: Implications in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharyya, Swarnali; Sharma, Sudarshana M.; Cheng, Alfred S.; Ladner, Katherine J.; He, Wei; Kline, William; Wang, Huating; Ostrowski, Michael C.; Huang, Tim H.; Guttridge, Denis C.

    2010-01-01

    Background Classical NF-κB signaling functions as a negative regulator of skeletal myogenesis through potentially multiple mechanisms. The inhibitory actions of TNFα on skeletal muscle differentiation are mediated in part through sustained NF-κB activity. In dystrophic muscles, NF-κB activity is compartmentalized to myofibers to inhibit regeneration by limiting the number of myogenic progenitor cells. This regulation coincides with elevated levels of muscle derived TNFα that is also under IKKβ and NF-κB control. Methodology/Principal Findings Based on these findings we speculated that in DMD, TNFα secreted from myotubes inhibits regeneration by directly acting on satellite cells. Analysis of several satellite cell regulators revealed that TNFα is capable of inhibiting Notch-1 in satellite cells and C2C12 myoblasts, which was also found to be dependent on NF-κB. Notch-1 inhibition occurred at the mRNA level suggesting a transcriptional repression mechanism. Unlike its classical mode of action, TNFα stimulated the recruitment of Ezh2 and Dnmt-3b to coordinate histone and DNA methylation, respectively. Dnmt-3b recruitment was dependent on Ezh2. Conclusions/Significance We propose that in dystrophic muscles, elevated levels of TNFα and NF-κB inhibit the regenerative potential of satellite cells via epigenetic silencing of the Notch-1 gene. PMID:20814569

  19. The Dmp1-SOST Transgene Interacts With and Downregulates the Dmp1-Cre Transgene and the Rosa(Notch) Allele.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanotti, Stefano; Canalis, Ernesto

    2016-05-01

    Activation of Notch1 in osteocytes of Rosa(Notch) mice, where a loxP-flanked STOP cassette and the Nicd coding sequence were targeted to the reverse orientation splice acceptor (Rosa)26 locus, causes osteopetrosis associated with suppressed Sost expression and enhanced Wnt signaling. To determine whether Sost downregulation mediates the effects of Notch activation in osteocytes, Rosa(Notch) mice were crossed with transgenics expressing Cre recombinase or SOST under the control of the dentin matrix protein (Dmp)1 promoter. Dmp1-SOST transgenics displayed vertebral osteopenia and a modest femoral cancellous and cortical bone phenotype, whereas hemizygous Dmp1-Cre transgenics heterozygous for the Rosa(Notch) allele (Dmp1-Cre;Rosa(Notch)) exhibited osteopetrosis. The phenotype of Notch activation in osteocytes was prevented in Dmp1-Cre;Rosa(Notch) mice hemizygous for the Dmp1-SOST transgene. The effect was associated with downregulated Notch signaling and suppressed Dmp1 and Rosa26 expression. To test whether SOST regulates Notch expression in osteocytes, cortical bone cultures from Dmp1-Cre;Rosa(Notch) mice or from Rosa(Notch) control littermates were exposed to recombinant human SOST. The addition of SOST had only modest effects on Notch target gene mRNA levels and suppressed Dmp1, but not Cre or Rosa26, expression. These findings suggest that prevention of the Dmp1-Cre;Rosa(Notch) skeletal phenotype by Dmp1-SOST is not secondary to SOST expression but to interactions among the Dmp1-SOST and Dmp1-Cre transgenes and the Rosa26 locus. In conclusion, the Dmp1-SOST transgene suppresses the expression of the Dmp1-Cre transgene and of Rosa26. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. Autochthonous tumors driven by Rb1 loss have an ongoing requirement for the RBP2 histone demethylase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McBrayer, Samuel K; Olenchock, Benjamin A; DiNatale, Gabriel J; Shi, Diana D; Khanal, Januka; Jennings, Rebecca B; Novak, Jesse S; Oser, Matthew G; Robbins, Alissa K; Modiste, Rebecca; Bonal, Dennis; Moslehi, Javid; Bronson, Roderick T; Neuberg, Donna; Nguyen, Quang-De; Signoretti, Sabina; Losman, Julie-Aurore; Kaelin, William G

    2018-04-17

    Inactivation of the retinoblastoma gene ( RB1 ) product, pRB, is common in many human cancers. Targeting downstream effectors of pRB that are central to tumorigenesis is a promising strategy to block the growth of tumors harboring loss-of-function RB1 mutations. One such effector is retinoblastoma-binding protein 2 (RBP2, also called JARID1A or KDM5A), which encodes an H3K4 demethylase. Binding of pRB to RBP2 has been linked to the ability of pRB to promote senescence and differentiation. Importantly, genetic ablation of RBP2 is sufficient to phenocopy pRB's ability to induce these cellular changes in cell culture experiments. Moreover, germline Rbp2 deletion significantly impedes tumorigenesis in Rb1 +/- mice. The value of RBP2 as a therapeutic target in cancer, however, hinges on whether loss of RBP2 could block the growth of established tumors as opposed to simply delaying their onset. Here we show that conditional, systemic ablation of RBP2 in tumor-bearing Rb1 +/- mice is sufficient to slow tumor growth and significantly extend survival without causing obvious toxicity to the host. These findings show that established Rb1 -null tumors require RBP2 for growth and further credential RBP2 as a therapeutic target in human cancers driven by RB1 inactivation.

  1. Modifiers of notch transcriptional activity identified by genome-wide RNAi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Firnhaber Christopher B

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Notch signaling pathway regulates a diverse array of developmental processes, and aberrant Notch signaling can lead to diseases, including cancer. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the genetic network that integrates into Notch signaling, we performed a genome-wide RNAi screen in Drosophila cell culture to identify genes that modify Notch-dependent transcription. Results Employing complementary data analyses, we found 399 putative modifiers: 189 promoting and 210 antagonizing Notch activated transcription. These modifiers included several known Notch interactors, validating the robustness of the assay. Many novel modifiers were also identified, covering a range of cellular localizations from the extracellular matrix to the nucleus, as well as a large number of proteins with unknown function. Chromatin-modifying proteins represent a major class of genes identified, including histone deacetylase and demethylase complex components and other chromatin modifying, remodeling and replacement factors. A protein-protein interaction map of the Notch-dependent transcription modifiers revealed that a large number of the identified proteins interact physically with these core chromatin components. Conclusions The genome-wide RNAi screen identified many genes that can modulate Notch transcriptional output. A protein interaction map of the identified genes highlighted a network of chromatin-modifying enzymes and remodelers that regulate Notch transcription. Our results open new avenues to explore the mechanisms of Notch signal regulation and the integration of this pathway into diverse cellular processes.

  2. The Notch ligand Delta-like 1 integrates inputs from TGFbeta/Activin and Wnt pathways

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bordonaro, Michael, E-mail: mbordonaro@tcmedc.org; Tewari, Shruti, E-mail: stewari@tcmedc.org; Atamna, Wafa, E-mail: watamna@tcmedc.org; Lazarova, Darina L., E-mail: dlazarova@tcmedc.org

    2011-06-10

    Unlike the well-characterized nuclear function of the Notch intracellular domain, it has been difficult to identify a nuclear role for the ligands of Notch. Here we provide evidence for the nuclear function of the Notch ligand Delta-like 1 in colon cancer (CC) cells exposed to butyrate. We demonstrate that the intracellular domain of Delta-like 1 (Dll1icd) augments the activity of Wnt signaling-dependent reporters and that of the promoter of the connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) gene. Data suggest that Dll1icd upregulates CTGF promoter activity through both direct and indirect mechanisms. The direct mechanism is supported by co-immunoprecipitation of endogenous Smad2/3 proteins and Dll1 and by chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses that revealed the occupancy of Dll1icd on CTGF promoter sequences containing a Smad binding element. The indirect upregulation of CTGF expression by Dll1 is likely due to the ability of Dll1icd to increase Wnt signaling, a pathway that targets CTGF. CTGF expression is induced in butyrate-treated CC cells and results from clonal growth assays support a role for CTGF in the cell growth-suppressive role of butyrate. In conclusion, integration of the Notch, Wnt, and TGFbeta/Activin signaling pathways is in part mediated by the interactions of Dll1 with Smad2/3 and Tcf4.

  3. Notch Inhibits Osteoblast Differentiation and Causes Osteopenia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanotti, Stefano; Smerdel-Ramoya, Anna; Stadmeyer, Lisa; Durant, Deena; Radtke, Freddy; Canalis, Ernesto

    2008-01-01

    Notch receptors are determinants of cell fate decisions. To define the role of Notch in the adult skeleton, we created transgenic mice overexpressing the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) under the control of the type I collagen promoter. First-generation transgenics were small and osteopenic. Bone histomorphometry revealed that NICD caused a decrease in bone volume, secondary to a reduction in trabecular number; osteoblast and osteoclast number were decreased. Low fertility of founder mice and lethality of young pups did not allow the complete establishment of transgenic lines. To characterize the effect of Notch overexpression in vitro, NICD was induced in osteoblasts and stromal cells from Rosanotch mice, in which a STOP cassette flanked by loxP sites is upstream of NICD, by transduction with an adenoviral vector expressing Cre recombinase (Cre) under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter (Ad-CMV-Cre). NICD impaired osteoblastogenesis and inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling. To determine the effects of notch1 deletion in vivo, mice in which notch1 was flanked by loxP sequences (notch1loxP/loxP) were mated with mice expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the osteocalcin promoter. Conditional null notch1 mice had no obvious skeletal phenotype, possibly because of rescue by notch2; however, 1-month-old females exhibited a modest increase in osteoclast surface and eroded surface. Osteoblasts from notch1loxP/loxP mice, transduced with Ad-CMV-Cre and transfected with Notch2 small interfering RNA, displayed increased alkaline phosphatase activity. In conclusion, Notch signaling in osteoblasts causes osteopenia and impairs osteo-blastogenesis by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. PMID:18420737

  4. Eddy current standards - Cracks versus notches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagemaier, D. J.; Collingwood, M. R.; Nguyen, K. H.

    1992-10-01

    Eddy current tests aimed at evaluating cracks and electron-discharge machined (EDM) notches in 7075-T6 aluminum specimens are described. A comparison of the shape and amplitude of recordings made from both transverse and longitudinal scans of small EDM notches and fatigue cracks showd almost identical results. The signal amplitude and phase angle increased with an increase of EDM notch and crak size. It is concluded that equivalent eddy current results obtained from similar-size surface cracks and notches in aluminum can be used to establish a desired sensitivity level for inspection.

  5. Characterization of activating mutations of NOTCH3 in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and anti-leukemic activity of NOTCH3 inhibitory antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernasconi-Elias, P; Hu, T; Jenkins, D; Firestone, B; Gans, S; Kurth, E; Capodieci, P; Deplazes-Lauber, J; Petropoulos, K; Thiel, P; Ponsel, D; Hee Choi, S; LeMotte, P; London, A; Goetcshkes, M; Nolin, E; Jones, M D; Slocum, K; Kluk, M J; Weinstock, D M; Christodoulou, A; Weinberg, O; Jaehrling, J; Ettenberg, S A; Buckler, A; Blacklow, S C; Aster, J C; Fryer, C J

    2016-11-24

    Notch receptors have been implicated as oncogenic drivers in several cancers, the most notable example being NOTCH1 in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). To characterize the role of activated NOTCH3 in cancer, we generated an antibody that detects the neo-epitope created upon gamma-secretase cleavage of NOTCH3 to release its intracellular domain (ICD3), and sequenced the negative regulatory region (NRR) and PEST (proline, glutamate, serine, threonine) domain coding regions of NOTCH3 in a panel of cell lines. We also characterize NOTCH3 tumor-associated mutations that result in activation of signaling and report new inhibitory antibodies. We determined the structural basis for receptor inhibition by obtaining the first co-crystal structure of a NOTCH3 antibody with the NRR protein and defined two distinct epitopes for NRR antibodies. The antibodies exhibit potent anti-leukemic activity in cell lines and tumor xenografts harboring NOTCH3 activating mutations. Screening of primary T-ALL samples reveals that 2 of 40 tumors examined show active NOTCH3 signaling. We also identified evidence of NOTCH3 activation in 12 of 24 patient-derived orthotopic xenograft models, 2 of which exhibit activation of NOTCH3 without activation of NOTCH1. Our studies provide additional insights into NOTCH3 activation and offer a path forward for identification of cancers that are likely to respond to therapy with NOTCH3 selective inhibitory antibodies.

  6. A Genetic Polymorphism in RBP4 Is Associated with Coronary Artery Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ke Wan

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Insulin resistance and obesity is influenced by the retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4 adipokine. This study aims to determine if genetic polymorphisms in RBP4 are associated with the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD in Chinese patients. RBP4 polymorphisms were analyzed by high resolution melting (HRM analysis in a case-control study of 392 unrelated CAD patients and 368 controls from China. The Gensini score was used to determine the severity of CAD. The genotypic and allelic frequencies of RBP4 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were evaluated for associations with CAD and severity of disease. The A allele frequency was significantly higher in CAD case groups compared to control groups (16.7% vs. 8.8% at the RBP4 rs7094671 locus. Compared to the G allele, this allele was associated with a higher risk of CAD (OR = 2.07 (1.50–2.84. Polymorphisms at rs7094671 were found to associate with CAD using either a dominant or recessive model (OR, 95% CI: 1.97, 1.38–2.81; 3.81, 1.53–9.51, respectively. Adjusting for sex, history of smoking, serum TC, TG, LDL-c, and HDL-c, the risk of CAD for carriers remained significantly higher in both dominant and recessive models (OR, 95% CI: 1.68, 1.12–2.51; 2.74, 1.00–7.52, respectively. However, this SNP was not significantly associated with severity of CAD using angiographic scores in multivariable linear regression models (p = 0.373. The RBP4 rs7094671 SNP is associated with CAD; however, our results do not indicate that this locus is associated with clinical severity of CAD or the extent of coronary lesions.

  7. Identification of a Paralog-Specific Notch1 Intracellular Domain Degron

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew R. Broadus

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Upon Notch pathway activation, the receptor is cleaved to release the Notch intracellular domain (NICD, which translocates to the nucleus to activate gene transcription. Using Xenopus egg extracts, we have identified a Notch1-specific destruction signal (N1-Box. We show that mutations in the N1-Box inhibit NICD1 degradation and that the N1-Box is transferable for the promotion of degradation of heterologous proteins in Xenopus egg extracts and in cultured human cells. Mutation of the N1-Box enhances Notch1 activity in cultured human cells and zebrafish embryos. Human cancer mutations within the N1-Box enhance Notch1 signaling in transgenic zebrafish, highlighting the physiological relevance of this destruction signal. We find that binding of the Notch nuclear factor, CSL, to the N1-Box blocks NICD1 turnover. Our studies reveal a mechanism by which degradation of NICD1 is regulated by the N1-Box to minimize stochastic flux and to establish a threshold for Notch1 pathway activation.

  8. LaRbp38: A Leishmania amazonensis protein that binds nuclear and kinetoplast DNAs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lira, C.B.B.; Siqueira Neto, J.L.; Giardini, M.A.; Winck, F.V.; Ramos, C.H.I.; Cano, M.I.N.

    2007-01-01

    Leishmania amazonensis causes a wide spectrum of leishmaniasis. There are no vaccines or adequate treatment for leishmaniasis, therefore there is considerable interest in the identification of new targets for anti-leishmania drugs. The central role of telomere-binding proteins in cell maintenance makes these proteins potential targets for new drugs. In this work, we used a combination of purification chromatographies to screen L. amazonensis proteins for molecules capable of binding double-stranded telomeric DNA. This approach resulted in the purification of a 38 kDa polypeptide that was identified by mass spectrometry as Rbp38, a trypanosomatid protein previously shown to stabilize mitochondrial RNA and to associate with nuclear and kinetoplast DNAs. Western blotting and supershift assays confirmed the identity of the protein as LaRbp38. Competition and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that LaRbp38 interacted with kinetoplast and nuclear DNAs in vivo and suggested that LaRbp38 may have dual cellular localization and more than one function

  9. In vivo analysis of the Notch receptor S1 cleavage.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert J Lake

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available A ligand-independent cleavage (S1 in the extracellular domain of the mammalian Notch receptor results in what is considered to be the canonical heterodimeric form of Notch on the cell surface. The in vivo consequences and significance of this cleavage on Drosophila Notch signaling remain unclear and contradictory. We determined the cleavage site in Drosophila and examined its in vivo function by a transgenic analysis of receptors that cannot be cleaved. Our results demonstrate a correlation between loss of cleavage and loss of in vivo function of the Notch receptor, supporting the notion that S1 cleavage is an in vivo mechanism of Notch signal control.

  10. Down-regulation of Notch-1 by γ-secretase inhibitor suppress the ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Notch-1 signaling is crucial for stem cell maintenance and in a variety of tissues. Previous research has demonstrated that Notch-1 activity plays a key role in prostate tumorigenesis. However, the function of Notch-1 signaling in tumorigenesis can be either oncogene or suppressor gene. In our paper, γ- secretase inhibitor ...

  11. Advanced glycation end product-induced astrocytic differentiation of cultured neurospheres through inhibition of Notch-Hes1 pathway-mediated neurogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Yijing; Wang, Pin; Sun, Haixia; Cai, Rongrong; Xia, Wenqing; Wang, Shaohua

    2013-12-23

    This study aims to investigate the roles of the Notch-Hes1 pathway in the advanced glycation end product (AGE)-mediated differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs). We prepared pLentiLox3.7 lentiviral vectors that express short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against Notch1 and transfected it into NSCs. Cell differentiation was analyzed under confocal laser-scanning microscopy. The percentage of neurons and astrocytes was quantified by normalizing the total number of TUJ1+ (Neuron-specific class III β-tubulin) and GFAP+ (Glial fibrillary acidic protein) cells to the total number of Hoechst 33342-labeled cell nuclei. The protein and gene expression of Notch-Hes1 pathway components was examined via western blot analysis and real-time PCR. After 1 week of incubation, we found that AGE-bovine serum albumin (BSA) (400 μg/mL) induced the astrocytic differentiation of cultured neurospheres and inhibited neuronal formation. The expression of Notch-Hes1 pathway components was upregulated in the cells in the AGE-BSA culture medium. Immunoblot analysis indicated that shRNA silencing of Notch1 expression in NSCs significantly increases neurogenesis and suppresses astrocytic differentiation in NSCs incubated with AGE-BSA. AGEs promote the astrocytic differentiation of cultured neurospheres by inhibiting neurogenesis through the Notch-Hes1 pathway, providing a potential therapeutic target for hyperglycemia-related cognitive deficits.

  12. A Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Protein, Pumpkin RBP50, Forms the Basis of a Phloem-Mobile Ribonucleoprotein Complex[W

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ham, Byung-Kook; Brandom, Jeri L.; Xoconostle-Cázares, Beatriz; Ringgold, Vanessa; Lough, Tony J.; Lucas, William J.

    2009-01-01

    RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are integral components of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes and play a central role in RNA processing. In plants, some RBPs function in a non-cell-autonomous manner. The angiosperm phloem translocation stream contains a unique population of RBPs, but little is known regarding the nature of the proteins and mRNA species that constitute phloem-mobile RNP complexes. Here, we identified and characterized a 50-kD pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima cv Big Max) phloem RNA binding protein (RBP50) that is evolutionarily related to animal polypyrimidine tract binding proteins. In situ hybridization studies indicated a high level of RBP50 transcripts in companion cells, while immunolocalization experiments detected RBP50 in both companion cells and sieve elements. A comparison of the levels of RBP50 present in vascular bundles and phloem sap indicated that this protein is highly enriched in the phloem sap. Heterografting experiments confirmed that RBP50 is translocated from source to sink tissues. Collectively, these findings established that RBP50 functions as a non-cell-autonomous RBP. Protein overlay, coimmunoprecipitation, and cross-linking experiments identified the phloem proteins and mRNA species that constitute RBP50-based RNP complexes. Gel mobility-shift assays demonstrated that specificity, with respect to the bound mRNA, is established by the polypyrimidine tract binding motifs within such transcripts. We present a model for RBP50-based RNP complexes within the pumpkin phloem translocation stream. PMID:19122103

  13. Molecular Characterization of Notch1 Positive Progenitor Cells in the Developing Retina.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Galina Dvoriantchikova

    Full Text Available The oscillatory expression of Notch signaling in neural progenitors suggests that both repressors and activators of neural fate specification are expressed in the same progenitors. Since Notch1 regulates photoreceptor differentiation and contributes (together with Notch3 to ganglion cell fate specification, we hypothesized that genes encoding photoreceptor and ganglion cell fate activators would be highly expressed in Notch1 receptor-bearing (Notch1+ progenitors, directing these cells to differentiate into photoreceptors or into ganglion cells when Notch1 activity is diminished. To identify these genes, we used microarray analysis to study expression profiles of whole retinas and isolated from them Notch1+ cells at embryonic day 14 (E14 and postnatal day 0 (P0. To isolate Notch1+ cells, we utilized immunomagnetic cell separation. We also used Notch3 knockout (Notch3KO animals to evaluate the contribution of Notch3 signaling in ganglion cell differentiation. Hierarchical clustering of 6,301 differentially expressed genes showed that Notch1+ cells grouped near the same developmental stage retina cluster. At E14, we found higher expression of repressors (Notch1, Hes5 and activators (Dll3, Atoh7, Otx2 of neuronal differentiation in Notch1+ cells compared to whole retinal cell populations. At P0, Notch1, Hes5, and Dll1 expression was significantly higher in Notch1+ cells than in whole retinas. Otx2 expression was more than thirty times higher than Atoh7 expression in Notch1+ cells at P0. We also observed that retinas of wild type animals had only 14% (P < 0.05 more ganglion cells compared to Notch3KO mice. Since this number is relatively small and Notch1 has been shown to contribute to ganglion cell fate specification, we suggested that Notch1 signaling may play a more significant role in RGC development than the Notch3 signaling cascade. Finally, our findings suggest that Notch1+ progenitors--since they heavily express both pro-ganglion cell (Atoh7

  14. Identification of epidermal Pdx1 expression discloses different roles of Notch1 and Notch2 in murine Kras(G12D-induced skin carcinogenesis in vivo.

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    Pawel K Mazur

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Ras and Notch signaling pathways are frequently activated during development to control many diverse cellular processes and are often dysregulated during tumorigenesis. To study the role of Notch and oncogenic Kras signaling in a progenitor cell population, Pdx1-Cre mice were utilized to generate conditional oncogenic Kras(G12D mice with ablation of Notch1 and/or Notch2. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Surprisingly, mice with activated Kras(G12D and Notch1 but not Notch2 ablation developed skin papillomas progressing to squamous cell carcinoma providing evidence for Pdx1 expression in the skin. Immunostaining and lineage tracing experiments indicate that PDX1 is present predominantly in the suprabasal layers of the epidermis and rarely in the basal layer. Further analysis of keratinocytes in vitro revealed differentiation-dependent expression of PDX1 in terminally differentiated keratinocytes. PDX1 expression was also increased during wound healing. Further analysis revealed that loss of Notch1 but not Notch2 is critical for skin tumor development. Reasons for this include distinct Notch expression with Notch1 in all layers and Notch2 in the suprabasal layer as well as distinctive p21 and β-catenin signaling inhibition capabilities. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide strong evidence for epidermal expression of Pdx1 as of yet not identified function. In addition, this finding may be relevant for research using Pdx1-Cre transgenic strains. Additionally, our study confirms distinctive expression and functions of Notch1 and Notch2 in the skin supporting the importance of careful dissection of the contribution of individual Notch receptors.

  15. Shengui Sansheng San extraction is an angiogenic switch via regulations of AKT/mTOR, ERK1/2 and Notch1 signal pathways after ischemic stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Bowen; Luo, Cheng; Zheng, Zhaoguang; Xia, Zhenyan; Zhang, Qian; Ke, Chienchih; Liu, Renshyan; Zhao, Yonghua

    2018-05-15

    angiogenic switch. Due to suppressed VEGFR2/Notch1 cascades and activated AKT/mTOR and ERK1/2 signals in BMECs, a feedback loop of angiogenic homeostasis is established. Furthermore, the comprehensive mediations of SDF-1α/CXCR4 axis, AKT/mTOR/HIF-α, ERK1/2 and Notch1 pathways in penumbra contribute to the improvements of neurological function, survival rate and infarct volume post-stroke. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. Notch 1 as a potential therapeutic target in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamstrup, Maria Rørbæk; Gjerdrum, Lise Mette Rahbek; Biskup, Edyta Urszula

    2010-01-01

    Deregulation of Notch signaling has been linked to the development of T-cell leukemias and several solid malignancies. Yet, it is unknown whether Notch signalling is involved in the pathogenesis of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome, the most common subtypes of cutaneous T cell lymphoma....... By immunohistochemistry of 40 biopsies taken from skin lesions of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome we demonstrated prominent expression of Notch1 on tumor cells, especially in the more advanced stages. The gamma-secretase inhibitor I blocked Notch signaling and potently induced apoptosis in cell lines derived from...... mycosis fungoides (MyLa) and Sezary syndrome (SeAx, HuT-78)and in primary leukemic Sézary cells. Specific downregulation of Notch1 (but not Notch2 and Notch3) by siRNA induced apoptosis in SeAx. The mechanism of apoptosis involved the inhibition of NF-kappaB, which is the most important prosurvival...

  17. Reciprocal upregulation of Notch signaling molecules in hematopoietic progenitor and mesenchymal stromal cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kikuchi Y

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Although mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs play pivotal supportive roles in hematopoiesis, how they interact with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs is not well understood. We investigated the interaction between HSCs and surrogate MSCs (C3H10T1/2 stromal cells, focusing on the molecular events induced by cell contact of these bipartite populations. C3H10T1/2 is a mesenchymal stromal cell line that can be induced to differentiate into preadipocytes (A54 and myoblasts (M1601. The stromal cell derivatives were cocultured with murine HSCs (Lineage-Sca1+, and gene expression profiles in stromal cells and HSCs were compared before and after the coculture. HSCs gave rise to cobblestone areas only on A54 cells, with ninefold more progenitors than on M1601 or undifferentiated C3H10T1/2 cells. Microarray-based screening and a quantitative reverse transcriptase directed-polymerase chain reaction showed that the levels of Notch ligands (Jagged1 and Delta-like 3 were increased in A54 cells upon interaction with HSCs. On the other hand, the expression of Notch1 and Hes1 was upregulated in the HSCs cocultured with A54 cells. A transwell assay revealed that the reciprocal upregulation was dependent on cell-to-cell contact. The result suggested that in the hematopoietic niche, HSCs help MSCs to produce Notch ligands, and in turn, MSCs help HSCs to express Notch receptor. Such a reciprocal upregulation would reinforce the downstream signaling to determine the fate of hematopoietic cell lineage. Clarification of the initiating events on cell contact should lead to the identification of specific molecular targets to facilitate HSC engraftment in transplantation therapy.

  18. An expanded Notch-Delta model exhibiting long-range patterning and incorporating MicroRNA regulation.

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    Jerry S Chen

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Notch-Delta signaling is a fundamental cell-cell communication mechanism that governs the differentiation of many cell types. Most existing mathematical models of Notch-Delta signaling are based on a feedback loop between Notch and Delta leading to lateral inhibition of neighboring cells. These models result in a checkerboard spatial pattern whereby adjacent cells express opposing levels of Notch and Delta, leading to alternate cell fates. However, a growing body of biological evidence suggests that Notch-Delta signaling produces other patterns that are not checkerboard, and therefore a new model is needed. Here, we present an expanded Notch-Delta model that builds upon previous models, adding a local Notch activity gradient, which affects long-range patterning, and the activity of a regulatory microRNA. This model is motivated by our experiments in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis showing that the peripheral sensory neurons, whose specification is in part regulated by the coordinate activity of Notch-Delta signaling and the microRNA miR-124, exhibit a sparse spatial pattern whereby consecutive neurons may be spaced over a dozen cells apart. We perform rigorous stability and bifurcation analyses, and demonstrate that our model is able to accurately explain and reproduce the neuronal pattern in Ciona. Using Monte Carlo simulations of our model along with miR-124 transgene over-expression assays, we demonstrate that the activity of miR-124 can be incorporated into the Notch decay rate parameter of our model. Finally, we motivate the general applicability of our model to Notch-Delta signaling in other animals by providing evidence that microRNAs regulate Notch-Delta signaling in analogous cell types in other organisms, and by discussing evidence in other organisms of sparse spatial patterns in tissues where Notch-Delta signaling is active.

  19. Proteolytic regulation of Notch1 receptor activity in cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Tetering, Geert

    2011-01-01

    The Notch receptor is part of a highly conserved signaling pathway essential in development and disease in embryos and adults. Notch proteins coordinate cell-cell communication through receptor-ligand interactions between adjacent cells. First Notch is cleaved in the Golgi by furin at Site-1 (S1)

  20. Second generation γ-secretase modulators exhibit different modulation of Notch β and Aβ production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wanngren, Johanna; Ottervald, Jan; Parpal, Santiago; Portelius, Erik; Strömberg, Kia; Borgegård, Tomas; Klintenberg, Rebecka; Juréus, Anders; Blomqvist, Jenny; Blennow, Kaj; Zetterberg, Henrik; Lundkvist, Johan; Rosqvist, Susanne; Karlström, Helena

    2012-09-21

    The γ-secretase complex is an appealing drug target when the therapeutic strategy is to alter amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) aggregation in Alzheimer disease. γ-Secretase is directly involved in Aβ formation and determines the pathogenic potential of Aβ by generating the aggregation-prone Aβ42 peptide. Because γ-secretase mediates cleavage of many substrates involved in cell signaling, such as the Notch receptor, it is crucial to sustain these pathways while altering the Aβ secretion. A way of avoiding interference with the physiological function of γ-secretase is to use γ-secretase modulators (GSMs) instead of inhibitors of the enzyme. GSMs modify the Aβ formation from producing the amyloid-prone Aβ42 variant to shorter and less amyloidogenic Aβ species. The modes of action of GSMs are not fully understood, and even though the pharmacology of GSMs has been thoroughly studied regarding Aβ generation, knowledge is lacking about their effects on other substrates, such as Notch. Here, using immunoprecipitation followed by MALDI-TOF MS analysis, we found that two novel, second generation GSMs modulate both Notch β and Aβ production. Moreover, by correlating S3-specific Val-1744 cleavage of Notch intracellular domain (Notch intracellular domain) to total Notch intracellular domain levels using immunocytochemistry, we also demonstrated that Notch intracellular domain is not modulated by the compounds. Interestingly, two well characterized, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug), R-flurbiprofen and sulindac sulfide, affect only Aβ and not Notch β formation, indicating that second generation GSMs and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-based GSMs have different modes of action regarding Notch processing.

  1. Tumor Architecture and Notch Signaling Modulate Drug Response in Basal Cell Carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eberl, Markus; Mangelberger, Doris; Swanson, Jacob B; Verhaegen, Monique E; Harms, Paul W; Frohm, Marcus L; Dlugosz, Andrzej A; Wong, Sunny Y

    2018-02-12

    Hedgehog (Hh) pathway inhibitors such as vismodegib are highly effective for treating basal cell carcinoma (BCC); however, residual tumor cells frequently persist and regenerate the primary tumor upon drug discontinuation. Here, we show that BCCs are organized into two molecularly and functionally distinct compartments. Whereas interior Hh + /Notch + suprabasal cells undergo apoptosis in response to vismodegib, peripheral Hh +++ /Notch - basal cells survive throughout treatment. Inhibiting Notch specifically promotes tumor persistence without causing drug resistance, while activating Notch is sufficient to regress already established lesions. Altogether, these findings suggest that the three-dimensional architecture of BCCs establishes a natural hierarchy of drug response in the tumor and that this hierarchy can be overcome, for better or worse, by modulating Notch. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Fracture Mechanics Assessment for Different Notch Sizes Using Finite Element Analysis Based on Ductile Failure Simulation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bae, Keun Hyung; Jeon, Jun Young; Han, Jae Jun; Nam, Hyun Suk; Lee, Dae Young; Kim, Yun Jae [Korea Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-08-15

    In this study, notch defects are evaluated using fracture mechanics. To understand the effects of notch defects, FE analysis is conducted to predict the limit load and J-integral for middle-cracked and single-edge cracked plates with various sizes of notch under tension and bending. As the radius of the notch increases, the energy release rate also increases, although the limit load remains constant. The values of fracture toughness(J{sub IC}) of SM490A are determined for various notch radii through FE simulation instead of conducting an experiment. As the radius of the notch increases, the energy release rate also increases, together with a more significant increase in fracture toughness. To conclude, as the notch radius increases, the resistance to crack propagation also increases.

  3. Modulation of notch signaling pathway to prevent H2O2/menadione-induced SK-N-MC cells death by EUK134.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamarehei, Maryam; Yazdanparast, Razieh

    2014-10-01

    The brain in Alzheimer's disease is under increased oxidative stress, and this may have a role in the pathogenesis and neural death in this disorder. It has been verified that numerous signaling pathways involved in neurodegenerative disorders are activated in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS). EUK134, a synthetic salen-manganese antioxidant complex, has been found to possess many interesting pharmacological activities awaiting exploration. The present study is to characterize the role of Notch signaling in apoptotic cell death of SK-N-MC cells. The cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or menadione to induce oxidative stress. The free-radical scavenging capabilities of EUK134 were studied through the MTT assay, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) enzyme activity assay, and glutathione (GSH) Levels. The extents of lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl formation, and intracellular ROS levels, as markers of oxidative stress, were also studied. Our results showed that H2O2/menadione reduced GSH levels and GPx activity. However, EUK134 protected cells against ROS-induced cell death by down-regulation of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonyl formation as well as restoration of antioxidant enzymes activity. ROS induced apoptosis and increased NICD and HES1 expression. Inhibition of NICD production proved that Notch signaling is involved in apoptosis through p53 activation. Moreover, H2O2/menadione led to Numb protein down-regulation which upon EUK134 pretreatment, its level increased and subsequently prevented Notch pathway activation. We indicated that EUK134 can be a promising candidate in designing natural-based drugs for ROS-induced neurodegenerative diseases. Collectively, ROS activated Notch signaling in SK-N-MC cells leading to cell apoptosis.

  4. Macrophage-derived Wnt opposes notch signaling to specify hepatic progenitor cell fate in chronic liver disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boulter, L.; Govaere, O.; Bird, T.G.; Radulescu, S.; Ramachandran, P.; Pellicoro, A.; Ridgway, R.; Seo, S.S.; Spee, B.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/304830925; van Rooijen, N.; Sansom, O.J.; Iredale, J.P.; Lowell, S.; Roskams, T.A.; Forbes, S.J.

    2012-01-01

    Nat Med. 2012 Mar 4;18(4):572-9. doi: 10.1038/nm.2667. Macrophage-derived Wnt opposes Notch signaling to specify hepatic progenitor cell fate in chronic liver disease. Boulter L, Govaere O, Bird TG, Radulescu S, Ramachandran P, Pellicoro A, Ridgway RA, Seo SS, Spee B, Van Rooijen N, Sansom OJ,

  5. Endocardial to myocardial notch-wnt-bmp axis regulates early heart valve development.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yidong Wang

    Full Text Available Endocardial to mesenchymal transformation (EMT is a fundamental cellular process required for heart valve formation. Notch, Wnt and Bmp pathways are known to regulate this process. To further address how these pathways coordinate in the process, we specifically disrupted Notch1 or Jagged1 in the endocardium of mouse embryonic hearts and showed that Jagged1-Notch1 signaling in the endocardium is essential for EMT and early valvular cushion formation. qPCR and RNA in situ hybridization assays reveal that endocardial Jagged1-Notch1 signaling regulates Wnt4 expression in the atrioventricular canal (AVC endocardium and Bmp2 in the AVC myocardium. Whole embryo cultures treated with Wnt4 or Wnt inhibitory factor 1 (Wif1 show that Bmp2 expression in the AVC myocardium is dependent on Wnt activity; Wnt4 also reinstates Bmp2 expression in the AVC myocardium of endocardial Notch1 null embryos. Furthermore, while both Wnt4 and Bmp2 rescue the defective EMT resulting from Notch inhibition, Wnt4 requires Bmp for its action. These results demonstrate that Jagged1-Notch1 signaling in endocardial cells induces the expression of Wnt4, which subsequently acts as a paracrine factor to upregulate Bmp2 expression in the adjacent AVC myocardium to signal EMT.

  6. Oncogenic programmes and Notch activity: an 'organized crime'?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dominguez, Maria

    2014-04-01

    The inappropriate Notch signalling can influence virtually all aspect of cancer, including tumour-cell growth, survival, apoptosis, angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis, although it does not do this alone. Hence, elucidating the partners of Notch that are active in cancer is now the focus of much intense research activity. The genetic toolkits available, coupled to the small size and short life of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, makes this an inexpensive and effective animal model, suited to large-scale cancer gene discovery studies. The fly eye is not only a non-vital organ but its stereotyped size and disposition also means it is easy to screen for mutations that cause tumours and metastases and provides ample opportunities to test cancer theories and to unravel unanticipated nexus between Notch and other cancer genes, or to discover unforeseen Notch's partners in cancer. These studies suggest that Notch's oncogenic capacity is brought about not simply by increasing signal strength but through partnerships, whereby oncogenes gain more by cooperating than acting individually, as in a ring 'organized crime'. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. The bantam microRNA acts through Numb to exert cell growth control and feedback regulation of Notch in tumor-forming stem cells in the Drosophila brain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yen-Chi; Lee, Kyu-Sun; Song, Yan; Gehrke, Stephan; Lu, Bingwei

    2017-05-01

    Notch (N) signaling is central to the self-renewal of neural stem cells (NSCs) and other tissue stem cells. Its deregulation compromises tissue homeostasis and contributes to tumorigenesis and other diseases. How N regulates stem cell behavior in health and disease is not well understood. Here we show that N regulates bantam (ban) microRNA to impact cell growth, a process key to NSC maintenance and particularly relied upon by tumor-forming cancer stem cells. Notch signaling directly regulates ban expression at the transcriptional level, and ban in turn feedback regulates N activity through negative regulation of the Notch inhibitor Numb. This feedback regulatory mechanism helps maintain the robustness of N signaling activity and NSC fate. Moreover, we show that a Numb-Myc axis mediates the effects of ban on nucleolar and cellular growth independently or downstream of N. Our results highlight intricate transcriptional as well as translational control mechanisms and feedback regulation in the N signaling network, with important implications for NSC biology and cancer biology.

  8. The role of the Hes1 crosstalk hub in Notch-Wnt interactions of the intestinal crypt.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie K Kay

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available The Notch pathway plays a vital role in determining whether cells in the intestinal epithelium adopt a secretory or an absorptive phenotype. Cell fate specification is coordinated via Notch's interaction with the canonical Wnt pathway. Here, we propose a new mathematical model of the Notch and Wnt pathways, in which the Hes1 promoter acts as a hub for pathway crosstalk. Computational simulations of the model can assist in understanding how healthy intestinal tissue is maintained, and predict the likely consequences of biochemical knockouts upon cell fate selection processes. Chemical reaction network theory (CRNT is a powerful, generalised framework which assesses the capacity of our model for monostability or multistability, by analysing properties of the underlying network structure without recourse to specific parameter values or functional forms for reaction rates. CRNT highlights the role of β-catenin in stabilising the Notch pathway and damping oscillations, demonstrating that Wnt-mediated actions on the Hes1 promoter can induce dynamic transitions in the Notch system, from multistability to monostability. Time-dependent model simulations of cell pairs reveal the stabilising influence of Wnt upon the Notch pathway, in which β-catenin- and Dsh-mediated action on the Hes1 promoter are key in shaping the subcellular dynamics. Where Notch-mediated transcription of Hes1 dominates, there is Notch oscillation and maintenance of fate flexibility; Wnt-mediated transcription of Hes1 favours bistability akin to cell fate selection. Cells could therefore regulate the proportion of Wnt- and Notch-mediated control of the Hes1 promoter to coordinate the timing of cell fate selection as they migrate through the intestinal epithelium and are subject to reduced Wnt stimuli. Furthermore, mutant cells characterised by hyperstimulation of the Wnt pathway may, through coupling with Notch, invert cell fate in neighbouring healthy cells, enabling an aberrant

  9. Biochemical characterization and cellular effects of CADASIL mutants of NOTCH3.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    He Meng

    Full Text Available Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL is the best understood cause of dominantly inherited stroke and results from NOTCH3 mutations that lead to NOTCH3 protein accumulation and selective arterial smooth muscle degeneration. Previous studies show that NOTCH3 protein forms multimers. Here, we investigate protein interactions between NOTCH3 and other vascular Notch isoforms and characterize the effects of elevated NOTCH3 on smooth muscle gene regulation. We demonstrate that NOTCH3 forms heterodimers with NOTCH1, NOTCH3, and NOTCH4. R90C and C49Y mutant NOTCH3 form complexes which are more resistant to detergents than wild type NOTCH3 complexes. Using quantitative NOTCH3-luciferase clearance assays, we found significant inhibition of mutant NOTCH3 clearance. In coculture assays of NOTCH function, overexpressed wild type and mutant NOTCH3 significantly repressed NOTCH-regulated smooth muscle transcripts and potently impaired the activity of three independent smooth muscle promoters. Wildtype and R90C recombinant NOTCH3 proteins applied to cell cultures also blocked canonical Notch fuction. We conclude that CADASIL mutants of NOTCH3 complex with NOTCH1, 3, and 4, slow NOTCH3 clearance, and that overexpressed wild type and mutant NOTCH3 protein interfere with key NOTCH-mediated functions in smooth muscle cells.

  10. High NOTCH activity induces radiation resistance in non small cell lung cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Theys, Jan; Yahyanejad, Sanaz; Habets, Roger; Span, Paul; Dubois, Ludwig; Paesmans, Kim; Kattenbeld, Bo; Cleutjens, Jack; Groot, Arjan J.; Schuurbiers, Olga C.J.; Lambin, Philippe; Bussink, Jan; Vooijs, Marc

    2013-01-01

    Background and purpose: Patients with advanced NSCLC have survival rates <15%. The NOTCH pathway plays an important role during lung development and physiology but is often deregulated in lung cancer, making it a potential therapeutic target. We investigated NOTCH signaling in NSCLC and hypothesized that high NOTCH activity contributes to radiation resistance. Materials and methods: NOTCH signaling in NSCLC patient samples was investigated using quantitative RT-PCR. H460 NSCLC cells with either high or blocked NOTCH activity were generated and their radiation sensitivity monitored using clonogenic assays. In vivo, xenograft tumors were irradiated and response assessed using growth delay. Microenvironmental parameters were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Patients with high NOTCH activity in tumors showed significantly worse disease-free survival. In vitro, NOTCH activity did not affect the proliferation or intrinsic radiosensitivity of NSCLC cells. In contrast, xenografts with blocked NOTCH activity grew slower than wild type tumors. Tumors with high NOTCH activity grew significantly faster, were more hypoxic and showed a radioresistant phenotype. Conclusions: We demonstrate an important role for NOTCH in tumor growth and correlate high NOTCH activity with poor prognosis and radioresistance. Blocking NOTCH activity in NSCLC might be a promising intervention to improve outcome after radiotherapy

  11. Notch inhibition counteracts Paneth cell death in absence of caspase-8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, M K; Kaemmerer, E; Schneider, U; Schiffer, M; Klaus, C; Hennings, J; Clahsen, T; Ackerstaff, T; Niggemann, M; Schippers, A; Longerich, T; Sellge, G; Trautwein, C; Wagner, N; Liedtke, C; Gassler, N

    2018-05-16

    Opposing activities of Notch and Wnt signaling regulate mucosal barrier homeostasis and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells. Specifically, Wnt activity is essential for differentiation of secretory cells including Wnt3-producing Paneth cells, whereas Notch signaling strongly promotes generation of absorptive cells. Loss of caspase-8 in intestinal epithelium (casp8 ∆int ) is associated with fulminant epithelial necroptosis, severe Paneth cell death, secondary intestinal inflammation, and an increase in Notch activity. Here, we found that pharmacological Notch inhibition with dibenzazepine (DBZ) is able to essentially rescue the loss of Paneth cells, deescalate the inflammatory phenotype, and reduce intestinal permeability in casp8 ∆int mice. The secretory cell metaplasia in DBZ-treated casp8 ∆int animals is proliferative, indicating for Notch activities partially insensitive to gamma-secretase inhibition in a casp8 ∆int background. Our data suggest that casp8 acts in the intestinal Notch network.

  12. The Notch ligand JAG1 is required for sensory progenitor development in the mammalian inner ear.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy E Kiernan

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available In mammals, six separate sensory regions in the inner ear are essential for hearing and balance function. Each sensory region is made up of hair cells, which are the sensory cells, and their associated supporting cells, both arising from a common progenitor. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms that govern the development of these sensory organs. Notch signaling plays a pivotal role in the differentiation of hair cells and supporting cells by mediating lateral inhibition via the ligands Delta-like 1 and Jagged (JAG 2. However, another Notch ligand, JAG1, is expressed early in the sensory patches prior to cell differentiation, indicating that there may be an earlier role for Notch signaling in sensory development in the ear. Here, using conditional gene targeting, we show that the Jag1 gene is required for the normal development of all six sensory organs within the inner ear. Cristae are completely lacking in Jag1-conditional knockout (cko mutant inner ears, whereas the cochlea and utricle show partial sensory development. The saccular macula is present but malformed. Using SOX2 and p27kip1 as molecular markers of the prosensory domain, we show that JAG1 is initially expressed in all the prosensory regions of the ear, but becomes down-regulated in the nascent organ of Corti by embryonic day 14.5, when the cells exit the cell cycle and differentiate. We also show that both SOX2 and p27kip1 are down-regulated in Jag1-cko inner ears. Taken together, these data demonstrate that JAG1 is expressed early in the prosensory domains of both the cochlear and vestibular regions, and is required to maintain the normal expression levels of both SOX2 and p27kip1. These data demonstrate that JAG1-mediated Notch signaling is essential during early development for establishing the prosensory regions of the inner ear.

  13. Fatigue crack growth from blunt notches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rhodes, D.

    1982-01-01

    A number of methods have been proposed, by which the formation and early growth of fatigue cracks at blunt notches may be predicted. In this report, four methods are compared - i.e. analysis of the crack tip plastic deformation, the cyclic contour integral, δJ, the strain in a critical volume of material, and the notch root plastic strain range. It is shown that these approaches have fundamental elements in common, and that all are compatable with linear elastic fracture mechanics. Early results from a continuing experimental programme are reported. (orig.) [de

  14. Engineered Biomaterials Control Differentiation and Proliferation of Human-Embryonic-Stem-Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes via Timed Notch Activation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jason C. Tung

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available For cell-based treatments of myocardial infarction, a better understanding of key developmental signaling pathways and more robust techniques for producing cardiomyocytes are required. Manipulation of Notch signaling has promise as it plays an important role during cardiovascular development, but previous studies presented conflicting results that Notch activation both positively and negatively regulates cardiogenesis. We developed surface- and microparticle-based Notch-signaling biomaterials that function in a time-specific activation-tunable manner, enabling precise investigation of Notch activation at specific developmental stages. Using our technologies, a biphasic effect of Notch activation on cardiac differentiation was found: early activation in undifferentiated human embryonic stem cells (hESCs promotes ectodermal differentiation, activation in specified cardiovascular progenitor cells increases cardiac differentiation. Signaling also induces cardiomyocyte proliferation, and repeated doses of Notch-signaling microparticles further enhance cardiomyocyte population size. These results highlight the diverse effects of Notch activation during cardiac development and provide approaches for generating large quantities of cardiomyocytes.

  15. Notch1/3 and p53/p21 are a potential therapeutic target for APS-induced apoptosis in non-small cell lung carcinoma cell lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing-Xi; Han, Yi-Ping; Bai, Chong; Li, Qiang

    2015-01-01

    Previous studies have shown that Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) can be applied to anti-cancer. However, the mechanism by which APS mediate this effect is unclear. In the present study, APS-mediated NSCLC cell apoptosis was investigated through the regulation of the notch signaling pathway. The cell viability was detected by the CCK8 assay. The mRNA and protein expression of notch1/3 and tumor suppressors were analyzed by RT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. The mRNA and protein of notch1 and notch3 were significantly up-regulated in tumor tissues as compared to non-tumor adjacent tissues. Treatment of human NSCLC cells with APS induced cell death in a dose-and time-dependent manner by using CCK8 assay. The mRNA and protein expression of notch1 and notch3 were significantly lower in NSCLC cells with APS treatment than that in control group. Moreover, western blotting analysis showed that treatment of H460 cells with APS significantly increased the pro-apoptotic Bax and caspase 8 levels, decreased the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 level. Furthermore, p53, p21 and p16 were obviously up-regulated by APS treatment in H460 cell. This study demonstrated that APS-treated could inhibit proliferation and promote cell apoptosis, at least partially, through suppressing the expression of notch1 and notch3 and up-regulating the expression of tumor suppressors in H460 NSCLC cell lines.

  16. The Research Progress of SiRNA Targeting Notch1 on Tumor Cells: A Mini Review of the State of the Art

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lanfen Huo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Notch signaling is a highly conserved signaling pathway, playing an important role in a variety of cell differentiation, development and regulation. Notch signaling includes Notch1-4; Notch1 gene encodes Notch1 signaling that can shorten cell cycle, enhance cell proliferation, inhibit cell differentiation, and promote apoptosis. Mutation and overexpression of the Notch1 gene may induce tumorigenesis, which plays an important role in the development of tumors across a variety of signaling pathways. Currently, using RNA interference technology (RNAi synthesizing small interference RNA (siRNA targeting Notch1 gene(siNotch1)has become a hot topic, and clinical application of gene silencing has also obtained a certain therapeutic effect. In this paper, the application of Notch1 gene silencing in tumor progress was reviewed.

  17. Pancreas lineage allocation and specification are regulated by sphingosine-1-phosphate signalling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serafimidis, Ioannis; Rodriguez-Aznar, Eva; Lesche, Mathias; Yoshioka, Kazuaki; Takuwa, Yoh; Dahl, Andreas; Pan, Duojia; Gavalas, Anthony

    2017-01-01

    During development, progenitor expansion, lineage allocation, and implementation of differentiation programs need to be tightly coordinated so that different cell types are generated in the correct numbers for appropriate tissue size and function. Pancreatic dysfunction results in some of the most debilitating and fatal diseases, including pancreatic cancer and diabetes. Several transcription factors regulating pancreas lineage specification have been identified, and Notch signalling has been implicated in lineage allocation, but it remains unclear how these processes are coordinated. Using a combination of genetic approaches, organotypic cultures of embryonic pancreata, and genomics, we found that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1p), signalling through the G protein coupled receptor (GPCR) S1pr2, plays a key role in pancreas development linking lineage allocation and specification. S1pr2 signalling promotes progenitor survival as well as acinar and endocrine specification. S1pr2-mediated stabilisation of the yes-associated protein (YAP) is essential for endocrine specification, thus linking a regulator of progenitor growth with specification. YAP stabilisation and endocrine cell specification rely on Gαi subunits, revealing an unexpected specificity of selected GPCR intracellular signalling components. Finally, we found that S1pr2 signalling posttranscriptionally attenuates Notch signalling levels, thus regulating lineage allocation. Both S1pr2-mediated YAP stabilisation and Notch attenuation are necessary for the specification of the endocrine lineage. These findings identify S1p signalling as a novel key pathway coordinating cell survival, lineage allocation, and specification and linking these processes by regulating YAP levels and Notch signalling. Understanding lineage allocation and specification in the pancreas will shed light in the origins of pancreatic diseases and may suggest novel therapeutic approaches. PMID:28248965

  18. Notch receptor expression in neurogenic regions of the adult zebrafish brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa de Oliveira-Carlos

    Full Text Available The adult zebrash brain has a remarkable constitutive neurogenic capacity. The regulation and maintenance of its adult neurogenic niches are poorly understood. In mammals, Notch signaling is involved in stem cell maintenance both in embryonic and adult CNS. To better understand how Notch signaling is involved in stem cell maintenance during adult neurogenesis in zebrafish we analysed Notch receptor expression in five neurogenic zones of the adult zebrafish brain. Combining proliferation and glial markers we identified several subsets of Notch receptor expressing cells. We found that 90 [Formula: see text] of proliferating radial glia express notch1a, notch1b and notch3. In contrast, the proliferating non-glial populations of the dorsal telencephalon and hypothalamus rarely express notch3 and about half express notch1a/1b. In the non-proliferating radial glia notch3 is the predominant receptor throughout the brain. In the ventral telencephalon and in the mitotic area of the optic tectum, where cells have neuroepithelial properties, notch1a/1b/3 are expressed in most proliferating cells. However, in the cerebellar niche, although progenitors also have neuroepithelial properties, only notch1a/1b are expressed in a high number of PCNA [Formula: see text] cells. In this region notch3 expression is mostly in Bergmann glia and at low levels in few PCNA [Formula: see text] cells. Additionally, we found that in the proliferation zone of the ventral telencephalon, Notch receptors display an apical high to basal low gradient of expression. Notch receptors are also expressed in subpopulations of oligodendrocytes, neurons and endothelial cells. We suggest that the partial regional heterogeneity observed for Notch expression in progenitor cells might be related to the cellular diversity present in each of these neurogenic niches.

  19. Insensible is a novel nuclear inhibitor of Notch activity in Drosophila.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franck Coumailleau

    Full Text Available Notch signalling regulates a wide range of developmental processes. In the Drosophila peripheral nervous system, Notch regulates a series of binary fate decisions that lead to the formation of regularly spaced sensory organs. Each sensory organ is generated by single sensory organ precursor cell (SOP via a series of asymmetric cell divisions. Starting from a SOP-specific Cis-Regulatory Module (CRM, we identified insensible (insb, a.k.a CG6520, as a SOP/neuron-specific gene encoding a nuclear factor that inhibits Notch signalling activity. First, over-expression of Insb led to the transcriptional repression of a Notch reporter and to phenotypes associated with the inhibition of Notch. Second, while the complete loss of insb activity had no significant phenotype, it enhanced the bristle phenotype associated with reduced levels of Hairless, a nuclear protein acting as a co-repressor for Suppressor of Hairless. In conclusion, our work identified Insb as a novel SOP/neuron-specific nuclear inhibitor of Notch activity in Drosophila.

  20. The role of the Hes1 crosstalk hub in Notch-Wnt interactions of the intestinal crypt

    KAUST Repository

    Kay, Sophie K.

    2017-03-01

    The Notch pathway plays a vital role in determining whether cells in the intestinal epithelium adopt a secretory or an absorptive phenotype. Cell fate specification is coordinated via Notch’s interaction with the canonical Wnt pathway. Here, we propose a new mathematical model of the Notch and Wnt pathways, in which the Hes1 promoter acts as a hub for pathway crosstalk. Computational simulations of the model can assist in understanding how healthy intestinal tissue is maintained, and predict the likely consequences of biochemical knockouts upon cell fate selection processes. Chemical reaction network theory (CRNT) is a powerful, generalised framework which assesses the capacity of our model for monostability or multistability, by analysing properties of the underlying network structure without recourse to specific parameter values or functional forms for reaction rates. CRNT highlights the role of β-catenin in stabilising the Notch pathway and damping oscillations, demonstrating that Wnt-mediated actions on the Hes1 promoter can induce dynamic transitions in the Notch system, from multistability to monostability. Time-dependent model simulations of cell pairs reveal the stabilising influence of Wnt upon the Notch pathway, in which β-catenin- and Dsh-mediated action on the Hes1 promoter are key in shaping the subcellular dynamics. Where Notch-mediated transcription of Hes1 dominates, there is Notch oscillation and maintenance of fate flexibility; Wnt-mediated transcription of Hes1 favours bistability akin to cell fate selection. Cells could therefore regulate the proportion of Wnt- and Notch-mediated control of the Hes1 promoter to coordinate the timing of cell fate selection as they migrate through the intestinal epithelium and are subject to reduced Wnt stimuli. Furthermore, mutant cells characterised by hyperstimulation of the Wnt pathway may, through coupling with Notch, invert cell fate in neighbouring healthy cells, enabling an aberrant cell to maintain

  1. The role of the Hes1 crosstalk hub in Notch-Wnt interactions of the intestinal crypt

    KAUST Repository

    Kay, Sophie K.; Harrington, Heather A.; Shepherd, Sarah; Brennan, Keith; Dale, Trevor; Osborne, James M.; Gavaghan, David J.; Byrne, Helen M.

    2017-01-01

    The Notch pathway plays a vital role in determining whether cells in the intestinal epithelium adopt a secretory or an absorptive phenotype. Cell fate specification is coordinated via Notch’s interaction with the canonical Wnt pathway. Here, we propose a new mathematical model of the Notch and Wnt pathways, in which the Hes1 promoter acts as a hub for pathway crosstalk. Computational simulations of the model can assist in understanding how healthy intestinal tissue is maintained, and predict the likely consequences of biochemical knockouts upon cell fate selection processes. Chemical reaction network theory (CRNT) is a powerful, generalised framework which assesses the capacity of our model for monostability or multistability, by analysing properties of the underlying network structure without recourse to specific parameter values or functional forms for reaction rates. CRNT highlights the role of β-catenin in stabilising the Notch pathway and damping oscillations, demonstrating that Wnt-mediated actions on the Hes1 promoter can induce dynamic transitions in the Notch system, from multistability to monostability. Time-dependent model simulations of cell pairs reveal the stabilising influence of Wnt upon the Notch pathway, in which β-catenin- and Dsh-mediated action on the Hes1 promoter are key in shaping the subcellular dynamics. Where Notch-mediated transcription of Hes1 dominates, there is Notch oscillation and maintenance of fate flexibility; Wnt-mediated transcription of Hes1 favours bistability akin to cell fate selection. Cells could therefore regulate the proportion of Wnt- and Notch-mediated control of the Hes1 promoter to coordinate the timing of cell fate selection as they migrate through the intestinal epithelium and are subject to reduced Wnt stimuli. Furthermore, mutant cells characterised by hyperstimulation of the Wnt pathway may, through coupling with Notch, invert cell fate in neighbouring healthy cells, enabling an aberrant cell to maintain

  2. RITA inhibits growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma through induction of apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Haihe; Chen, Guofu; Wang, Hongzhi; Liu, Chunbo

    2013-01-01

    RBP-J-interacting and tubulin-associated (RITA) is a novel RBP-J-interacting protein that downregulates Notch-mediated transcription. The current study focuses on the antitumor effect of RITA in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and aims to explore its molecular mechanism. Thirty paired HCC and adjacent non-tumoral liver samples were analyzed by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RITA overexpression was induced by transfection of a pcDNA3.1-Flag-RITA plasmid into HepG2 cells. RITA knockdown was achieved by siRNA transfection. mRNA and protein expression of target genes were quantified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured using MTT assay and flow cytometry. Our results demonstrate that adjacent nontumoral liver samples exhibited increased RITA expression compared to HCC tissues (p RITA levels were associated with tumor differentiation status. Overexpression of RITA suppressed cell proliferation and promoted early apoptosis, while its silencing promoted cell growth dramatically (p RITA overexpression upregulated p53 and reduced cyclin E levels, whereas silencing of RITA had the opposite effect on p53 and cyclin E expression. Our in vitro results represent the first evidence that RITA might suppress tumor growth and induce apoptosis in HCCs, and may be a potent antitumoral agent for HCC treatment that deserves further exploration.

  3. The effect of electric discharge machined notches on the fracture toughness of several structural alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joyce, J.A.; Link, R.E.

    1993-09-01

    Recent computational studies of the stress and strain fields at the tip of very sharp notches have shown that the stress and strain fields are very weakly dependent on the initial geometry of the notch once the notch has been blunted to a radius that is 6 to 10 times the initial root radius. It follows that if the fracture toughness of a material is sufficiently high so that fracture initiation does not occur in a specimen until the crack-tip opening displacement (CTOD) reaches a value from 6 to 10 times the size of the initial notch tip diameter, then the fracture toughness will be independent of whether a fatigue crack or a machined notch served as the initial crack. In this experimental program the fracture toughness (J Ic and J resistance (J-R) curve, and CTOD) for several structure alloys was measured using specimens with conventional fatigue cracks and with EDM machined notches. The results of this program have shown, in fact, that most structural materials do not achieve initiation CTOD values on the order of 6 to 10 times the radius of even the smallest EDM notch tip presently achievable. It is found furthermore that tougher materials do not seem to be less dependent on the type of notch tip present. Some materials are shown to be much more dependent on the type of notch tip used, but no simple pattern is found that relates this observed dependence to the material strength toughness, or strain hardening rate

  4. A Novel Notch-YAP Circuit Drives Stemness and Tumorigenesis in Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slemmons, Katherine K; Crose, Lisa E S; Riedel, Stefan; Sushnitha, Manuela; Belyea, Brian; Linardic, Corinne M

    2017-12-01

    Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a cancer characterized by skeletal muscle features, is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma of childhood. While low- and intermediate-risk groups have seen improved outcomes, high-risk patients still face a 5-year survival rate of statistic that has not changed in over 40 years. Understanding the biologic underpinnings of RMS is critical. The developmental pathways of Notch and YAP have been identified as potent but independent oncogenic signals that support the embryonal variant of RMS (eRMS). Here, the cross-talk between these pathways and the impact on eRMS tumorigenesis is reported. Using human eRMS cells grown as three-dimensional (3D) rhabdospheres, which enriches in stem cells, it was found that Notch signaling transcriptionally upregulates YAP1 gene expression and YAP activity. Reciprocally, YAP transcriptionally upregulates the Notch ligand genes JAG1 and DLL1 and the core Notch transcription factor RBPJ This bidirectional circuit boosts expression of key stem cell genes, including SOX2 , which is functionally required for eRMS spheres. Silencing this circuit for therapeutic purposes may be challenging, because the inhibition of one node (e.g., pharmacologic Notch blockade) can be rescued by upregulation of another (constitutive YAP expression). Instead, dual inhibition of Notch and YAP is necessary. Finally, supporting the existence of this circuit beyond a model system, nuclear Notch and YAP protein expression are correlated in human eRMS tumors, and YAP suppression in vivo decreases Notch signaling and SOX2 expression. Implications: This study identifies a novel oncogenic signaling circuit driving eRMS stemness and tumorigenesis, and provides evidence and rationale for combination therapies co-targeting Notch and YAP. Mol Cancer Res; 15(12); 1777-91. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  5. Epidermal Notch1 recruits RORγ + group 3 innate lymphoid cells to orchestrate normal skin repair

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Z. Li (Zhi); T. Hodgkinson (Tom); E.J. Gothard (Elizabeth J.); S. Boroumand (Soulmaz); R. Lamb (Rebecca); I. Cummins (Ian); P. Narang (Priyanka); A. Sawtell (Amy); J. Coles (Jenny); G. Leonov (German); A. Reboldi (Andrea); C.D. Buckley; T. Cupedo (Tom); C. Siebel (Christian); A. Bayat (Ardeshir); M. Coles (Mark); C.A. Ambler (Carrie A.)

    2016-01-01

    textabstractNotch has a well-defined role in controlling cell fate decisions in the embryo and the adult epidermis and immune systems, yet emerging evidence suggests Notch also directs non-cell-autonomous signalling in adult tissues. Here, we show that Notch1 works as a damage response signal.

  6. Common nonmutational NOTCH1 activation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fabbri, Giulia; Holmes, Antony B; Viganotti, Mara; Scuoppo, Claudio; Belver, Laura; Herranz, Daniel; Yan, Xiao-Jie; Kieso, Yasmine; Rossi, Davide; Gaidano, Gianluca; Chiorazzi, Nicholas; Ferrando, Adolfo A; Dalla-Favera, Riccardo

    2017-04-04

    Activating mutations of NOTCH1 (a well-known oncogene in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia) are present in ∼4-13% of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cases, where they are associated with disease progression and chemorefractoriness. However, the specific role of NOTCH1 in leukemogenesis remains to be established. Here, we report that the active intracellular portion of NOTCH1 (ICN1) is detectable in ∼50% of peripheral blood CLL cases lacking gene mutations. We identify a "NOTCH1 gene-expression signature" in CLL cells, and show that this signature is significantly enriched in primary CLL cases expressing ICN1, independent of NOTCH1 mutation. NOTCH1 target genes include key regulators of B-cell proliferation, survival, and signal transduction. In particular, we show that NOTCH1 transactivates MYC via binding to B-cell-specific regulatory elements, thus implicating this oncogene in CLL development. These results significantly extend the role of NOTCH1 in CLL pathogenesis, and have direct implications for specific therapeutic targeting.

  7. Persistent expression of activated notch in the developing hypothalamus affects survival of pituitary progenitors and alters pituitary structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aujla, Paven K; Bogdanovic, Vedran; Naratadam, George T; Raetzman, Lori T

    2015-08-01

    As the pituitary gland develops, signals from the hypothalamus are necessary for pituitary induction and expansion. Little is known about the control of cues that regulate early signaling between the two structures. Ligands and receptors of the Notch signaling pathway are found in both the hypothalamus and Rathke's pouch. The downstream Notch effector gene Hes1 is required for proper pituitary formation; however, these effects could be due to the action of Hes1 in the hypothalamus, Rathke's pouch, or both. To determine the contribution of hypothalamic Notch signaling to pituitary organogenesis, we used mice with loss and gain of Notch function within the developing hypothalamus. We demonstrate that loss of Notch signaling by conditional deletion of Rbpj in the hypothalamus does not affect expression of Hes1 within the posterior hypothalamus or expression of Hes5. In contrast, expression of activated Notch within the hypothalamus results in ectopic Hes5 expression and increased Hes1 expression, which is sufficient to disrupt pituitary development and postnatal expansion. Taken together, our results indicate that Rbpj-dependent Notch signaling within the developing hypothalamus is not necessary for pituitary development, but persistent Notch signaling and ectopic Hes5 expression in hypothalamic progenitors affects pituitary induction and expansion. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. The role of uric acid in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy based on notch pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dan-Dan; Wang, Yun-Zhi; Zou, Chen; She, Xin-Ping; Zheng, Zhi

    2018-06-19

    Uric acid has been proposed as an independent risk factor of diabetic retinopathy. Although Notch signaling was reported to be affected in the presence of high concentrations of uric acid or glucose, the underlying mechanisms of hyperuricemia through the Notch signaling pathway to promote the development of diabetic retinopathy remain unknown. We incubated human retinal endothelial cells (HRECs) with high glucose, high uric acid and high glucose plus high glucose respectively and evaluated the apoptosis rate in different treated cells by Tunel staining. We induced diabetic model by intraperitoneally streptozotocin. Then healthy rats and diabetic rats were given with adenine and oteracil potassium by gavage. Using automatic biochemical analyzer to detect blood glucose, uric acid, urea nitrogen, creatinine levels, to verify the success of modeling. The expression and mRNA levels of ICAM-1, IL-6, MCP-1, TNF-a, receptors Notch 1, ligands Dll 1, Dll 4, Jagged 1, Jagged 2 were detected by RT-PCR and Western-Blot. Notch1 siRNA was used to interfere Notch signaling pathway, the expression and mRNA levels of ICAM-1, IL-6, MCP-1 and TNF-α was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively. In vitro models, the apoptosis of HRECs cells in high uric acid plus high glucose group was the most significant. In vitro and vivo models, detection of inflammatory cytokines revealed that the expression of inflammatory cytokines increased most significantly in high uric acid plus high glucose group. Notch signaling pathway activity was also increased most significantly in high uric acid plus high glucose group. After Notch 1 siRNA transfection in high glucose and high glucose plus uric acid group, the activity of Notch signaling pathway was successfully down-regulated. We found that the apoptosis of HRECs was significantly decreased in cells transfected with Notch 1 siRNA compared to the blank vector group, and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in cells was also significantly

  9. Evidence for the Induction of Key Components of the NOTCH Signaling Pathway via Deltamethrin and Azamethiphos Treatment in the Sea Louse Caligus rogercresseyi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sebastian Boltaña

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The extensive use of organophosphates and pyrethroids in the aquaculture industry has negatively impacted parasite sensitivity to the delousing effects of these antiparasitics, especially among sea lice species. The NOTCH signaling pathway is a positive regulator of ABC transporter subfamily C expression and plays a key role in the generation and modulation of pesticide resistance. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms behind pesticide resistance, partly due to the lack of genomic and molecular information on the processes involved in the resistance mechanism of sea lice. Next-generation sequencing technologies provide an opportunity for rapid and cost-effective generation of genome-scale data. The present study, through RNA-seq analysis, determined that the sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi (C. rogercresseyi specifically responds to the delousing drugs azamethiphos and deltamethrin at the transcriptomic level by differentially activating mRNA of the NOTCH signaling pathway and of ABC genes. These results suggest that frequent antiparasitic application may increase the activity of inhibitory mRNA components, thereby promoting inhibitory NOTCH output and conditions for increased resistance to delousing drugs. Moreover, data analysis underscored that key functions of NOTCH/ABC components were regulated during distinct phases of the drug response, thus indicating resistance modifications in C. rogercresseyi resulting from the frequent use of organophosphates and pyrethroids.

  10. On short cracks that depart from elastoplastic notch tips

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verônica Miquelin Machado

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The behavior of short cracks that depart from elastoplastic notch tips is modeled to estimate the stresses required to initiate and to propagate cracks in notched structural components, and to evaluate the size of tolerable crack-like defects under general loading conditions. This analysis can model both fatigue and environmentally assisted cracking problems; can evaluate notch sensitivity in both cases; and can as well be used to establish design or acceptance criteria for tolerable non-propagating crack-like defects in such cases. The growth of short cracks is assumed driven by the applied stresses and by the stress gradient ahead the notch tip, and supported by the material resistances to crack initiation and to long crack propagation by fatigue or EAC. In the elastoplastic case, the stress gradient ahead of the notch tip is quantified by a J-field to consider the short crack behavior. The tolerable short crack predictions made by this model are evaluated by suitable fatigue and EAC tests of notched specimens specially designed to start nonpropagating cracks from the notch tips, both under elastic and elastoplastic conditions.

  11. Electroacupuncture in the repair of spinal cord injury: inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway and promoting neural stem cell proliferation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Geng

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Electroacupuncture for the treatment of spinal cord injury has a good clinical curative effect, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. In our experiments, the spinal cord of adult Sprague-Dawley rats was clamped for 60 seconds. Dazhui (GV14 and Mingmen (GV4 acupoints of rats were subjected to electroacupuncture. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed that the expression of serum inflammatory factors was apparently downregulated in rat models of spinal cord injury after electroacupuncture. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that electroacupuncture contributed to the proliferation of neural stem cells in rat injured spinal cord, and suppressed their differentiation into astrocytes. Real-time quantitative PCR and western blot assays showed that electroacupuncture inhibited activation of the Notch signaling pathway induced by spinal cord injury. These findings indicate that electroacupuncture repaired the injured spinal cord by suppressing the Notch signaling pathway and promoting the proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells.

  12. CpG in Combination with an Inhibitor of Notch Signaling Suppresses Formalin-Inactivated Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Enhanced Airway Hyperresponsiveness and Inflammation by Inhibiting Th17 Memory Responses and Promoting Tissue-Resident Memory Cells in Lungs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Lei; Li, Hongyong; Hai, Yan; Yin, Wei; Li, Wenjian; Zheng, Boyang; Du, Xiaomin; Li, Na; Zhang, Zhengzheng; Deng, Yuqing; Zeng, Ruihong; Wei, Lin

    2017-05-15

    Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of childhood hospitalizations. The formalin-inactivated RSV (FI-RSV) vaccine-enhanced respiratory disease (ERD) has been an obstacle to the development of a safe and effective killed RSV vaccine. Agonists of Toll-like receptor (TLR) have been shown to regulate immune responses induced by FI-RSV. Notch signaling plays critical roles during the differentiation and effector function phases of innate and adaptive immune responses. Cross talk between TLR and Notch signaling pathways results in fine-tuning of TLR-triggered innate inflammatory responses. We evaluated the impact of TLR and Notch signaling on ERD in a murine model by administering CpG, an agonist of TLR9, in combination with L685,458, an inhibitor of Notch signaling during FI-RSV immunization. Activation with CpG or deficiency of MyD88-dependent TLR signaling did not alleviate airway inflammation in FI-RSV-immunized mice. Activation or inhibition of Notch signaling with Dll4, one of the Notch ligands, or L685,458 did not suppress FI-RSV-enhanced airway inflammation either. However, the CpG together with L685,458 markedly inhibited FI-RSV-enhanced airway hyperresponsiveness, weight loss, and lung inflammation. Interestingly, CpG plus L685,458 completely inhibited FI-RSV-associated Th17 and Th17-associated proinflammatory chemokine responses in lungs following RSV challenge but not Th1 or Th2, memory responses. In addition, FI-RSV plus CpG plus L685,458 promoted protective CD8 + lung tissue-resident memory (TRM) cells. These results indicate that activation of TLR signaling combined with inhibition of Notch signaling prevent FI-RSV ERD, and the mechanism appears to involve suppressing proinflammatory Th17 memory responses and promoting protective TRM in lungs. IMPORTANCE RSV is the most important cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants. The FI-RSV-enhanced respiratory disease (ERD) is a major impediment to the development of a safe and

  13. A Serrate-Notch-Canoe complex mediates essential interactions between glia and neuroepithelial cells during Drosophila optic lobe development

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Pérez-Gómez, R.; Slováková, J.; Rives-Quinto, N.; Krejčí, Alena; Carmena, A.

    2013-01-01

    Roč. 126, č. 21 (2013), s. 4873-4884 ISSN 0021-9533 Grant - others:Spanish Government(ES) BFU2009-08833; Spanish Government(ES) BFU2012-33020; Spanish Government(ES) CSD2007-00023 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : glia * Serrate- Notch signaling * optic lobe Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.325, year: 2013

  14. Gold nanoparticle immunochromatographic assay for quantitative detection of urinary RBP

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    XU Kuan

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available A rapid quantitative detection of urinary RBP was established by using nano-gold immunochromatography (sandwich method and trisodium citrate reduction method and a rapid immunochromatographic test strip was developed. Theimmunochromatographic test strip can quantitatively detect RBP within 15 minutes. The detection limit was 150ng/mL and detection range was from 150 to 5000 ng/mL. There were no cross-reactions with others kidney disease markers,such as urinary albumin (ALB,transferrin protein (TRF,β2-microglobulin (β2-MG,urinary fiber connecting protein (FN,and lysozyme (LZM. The results indicate that it is a quick and simple method with strong specificity,high sensitivity,and wide detection range. The rapid detection method will have extensive clinical applications in the early diagnosis of proximal tubular damage,kidney disease,diabetic nephropathy,and process monitoring.

  15. The Anti-Adipogenic Potential of COUP-TFII Is Mediated by Downregulation of the Notch Target Gene Hey1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilse Scroyen

    Full Text Available Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter transcription factor II (COUP-TFII belongs to the steroid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily and may contribute to the pathogenesis of obesity. It has not conclusively been established, however, whether its role is pro- or anti-adipogenic.Gene silencing of Coup-tfII in 3T3-F442A preadipocytes resulted in enhanced differentiation into mature adipocytes. This was associated with upregulation of the Notch signaling target gene Hey1. A functional role of Hey1 was confirmed by gene silencing in 3T3-F442A preadipocytes, resulting in impaired differentiation. In vivo, de novo fat pad formation in NUDE mice was significantly stimulated following injection of preadipocytes with Coup-tfII gene silencing, but impaired with Hey1 gene silencing. Moreover, expression of Coup-tfII was lower and that of Hey1 higher in isolated adipocytes of obese as compared to lean adipose tissue.These in vitro and in vivo data support an anti-adipogenic role of COUP-TFII via downregulating the Notch signaling target gene Hey1.

  16. Notch1 is a 5-fluorouracil resistant and poor survival marker in human esophagus squamous cell carcinomas.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Liu

    Full Text Available Notch signaling involves the processes that govern cell proliferation, cell fate decision, cell differentiation and stem cell maintenance. Due to its fundamental role in stem cells, it has been speculated during the recent years that Notch family may have critical functions in cancer stem cells or cancer cells with a stem cell phenotype, therefore playing an important role in the process of oncogenesis. In this study, expression of Notch family in KYSE70, KYSE140 and KYSE450 squamous esophageal cancer cell lines and virus transformed squamous esophageal epithelial cell line Het-1A was examined by quantitative RT-PCR. Compared to the Het-1A cells, higher levels of Nocth1 and Notch3 expression in the cancer cell lines were identified. Due to the finding that NOTCH3 mainly mediates squamous cell differentiation, NOTCH1 expression was further studied in these cell lines. By Western blot analyses, the KYSE70 cell line which derived from a poorly differentiated tumor highly expressed Notch1, and the Notch1 expression in this cell line was hypoxia inducible, while the KYSE450 cell line which derived from a well differentiated tumor was always negative for Notch1, even in hypoxia. Additional studies demonstrated that the KYSE70 cell line was more 5-FU resistant than the KYSE450 cell line and such 5-FU resistance is correlated to Notch1 expression verified by Notch1 knockdown experiments. In clinical samples, Notch1 protein expression was detected in the basal cells of human esophagus epithelia, and its expression in squamous cell carcinomas was significantly associated with higher pathological grade and shorter overall survival. We conclude that Notch1 expression is associated with cell aggressiveness and 5-FU drug resistance in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro and is significantly associated with a poor survival in human esophageal squamous cell carcinomas.

  17. Dangerous Liaisons: Deviant Endothelium NOTCHes toward Tumor Metastasis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Peipei; Rafii, Shahin

    2017-03-13

    In this issue of Cancer Cell, Wieland et al. uncover a feedback loop in which tumor cells, by augmenting Notch signaling, provoke a senescent and pro-inflammatory state in endothelial cells, promoting neutrophil infiltration, tumor cell adhesion, and metastasis. Interfering with this Notch-dependent crosstalk may be a therapeutic approach to block metastasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Exosomal lipids impact notch signaling and induce death of human pancreatic tumoral SOJ-6 cells.

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    Sadia Beloribi

    Full Text Available Exosomes are of increasing interest as alternative mode of cell-to-cell communication. We previously reported that exosomes secreted by human SOJ-6 pancreatic tumor cells induce (glycoprotein ligand-independent cell death and inhibit Notch-1 pathway, this latter being particularly active during carcinogenesis and in cancer stem cells. Therefore, we asked whether exosomal lipids were key-elements for cell death and hypothesized that cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains were privileged sites of exosome interactions with tumor cells. To address these questions and based on the lipid composition of exosomes from SOJ-6 cells (Ristorcelli et al. (2008 FASEB J. 22; 3358-3369 enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin (lipids forming liquid-ordered phase, Lo and depleted in phospholipids (lipids forming liquid-disordered phase, Ld, we designed Synthetic Exosome-Like Nanoparticles (SELN with ratios Lo/Ld from 3.0 to 6.0 framing that of SOJ-6 cell exosomes. SELN decreased tumor cell survival, the higher the Lo/Ld ratio, the lower the cell survival. This decreased survival was due to activation of cell death with inhibition of Notch pathway. FRET analyses indicated fusions/exchanges of SELN with cell membranes. Fluorescent SELN co-localized with the ganglioside GM1 then with Rab5A, markers of lipid microdomains and of early endosomes, respectively. These interactions occurred at lipid microdomains of plasma and/or endosome membranes where the Notch-1 pathway matures. We thus demonstrated a major role for lipids in interactions between SELN and tumor cells, and in the ensued cell death. To our knowledge this is the first report on such effects of lipidic nanoparticles on tumor cell behavior. This may have implications in tumor progression.

  19. Notch lineages and activity in intestinal stem cells determined by a new set of knock-in mice.

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    Silvia Fre

    Full Text Available The conserved role of Notch signaling in controlling intestinal cell fate specification and homeostasis has been extensively studied. Nevertheless, the precise identity of the cells in which Notch signaling is active and the role of different Notch receptor paralogues in the intestine remain ambiguous, due to the lack of reliable tools to investigate Notch expression and function in vivo. We generated a new series of transgenic mice that allowed us, by lineage analysis, to formally prove that Notch1 and Notch2 are specifically expressed in crypt stem cells. In addition, a novel Notch reporter mouse, Hes1-EmGFP(SAT, demonstrated exclusive Notch activity in crypt stem cells and absorptive progenitors. This roster of knock-in and reporter mice represents a valuable resource to functionally explore the Notch pathway in vivo in virtually all tissues.

  20. Hyper-activation of Notch3 amplifies the proliferative potential of rhabdomyosarcoma cells.

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    Maria De Salvo

    Full Text Available Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS is a pediatric myogenic-derived soft tissue sarcoma that includes two major histopathological subtypes: embryonal and alveolar. The majority of alveolar RMS expresses PAX3-FOXO1 fusion oncoprotein, associated with the worst prognosis. RMS cells show myogenic markers expression but are unable to terminally differentiate. The Notch signaling pathway is a master player during myogenesis, with Notch1 activation sustaining myoblast expansion and Notch3 activation inhibiting myoblast fusion and differentiation. Accordingly, Notch1 signaling is up-regulated and activated in embryonal RMS samples and supports the proliferation of tumor cells. However, it is unable to control their differentiation properties. We previously reported that Notch3 is activated in RMS cell lines, of both alveolar and embryonal subtype, and acts by inhibiting differentiation. Moreover, Notch3 depletion reduces PAX3-FOXO1 alveolar RMS tumor growth in vivo. However, whether Notch3 activation also sustains the proliferation of RMS cells remained unclear. To address this question, we forced the expression of the activated form of Notch3, Notch3IC, in the RH30 and RH41 PAX3-FOXO1-positive alveolar and in the RD embryonal RMS cell lines and studied the proliferation of these cells. We show that, in all three cell lines tested, Notch3IC over-expression stimulates in vitro cell proliferation and prevents the effects of pharmacological Notch inhibition. Furthermore, Notch3IC further increases RH30 cell growth in vivo. Interestingly, knockdown of Notch canonical ligands JAG1 or DLL1 in RMS cell lines decreases Notch3 activity and reduces cell proliferation. Finally, the expression of Notch3IC and its target gene HES1 correlates with that of the proliferative marker Ki67 in a small cohort of primary PAX-FOXO1 alveolar RMS samples. These results strongly suggest that high levels of Notch3 activation increase the proliferative potential of RMS cells.

  1. Evaluation of J and CTOD (Crack Tip Opening Displacement) fracture parameters for pipeline steels using Single Edge Notch Tension SE(T) specimens

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paredes Tobar, Lenin Marcelo; Ruggieri, Claudio [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil). Escola Politecnica. Dept. de Engenharia Naval e Oceanica

    2009-12-19

    This work presents an evaluation procedure to determine the elastic-plastic J-integral and CTOD for pin-loaded and clamped single edge notch tension (SE(T)) specimens based upon the eta-method. The primary objective is to derive estimation equations applicable to determine J and CTOD fracture parameters for a wide range of a/W-ratios and material flow properties. Very detailed non-linear finite element analyses for plane-strain and full-thickness, 3-D models provide the evolution of load with increased crack mouth opening displacement which is required for the estimation procedure. The present analyses, when taken together with previous studies provide a fairly extensive body of results which serve to determine parameters J and CTOD for different materials using tension specimens with varying geometries. (author)

  2. Notch3 marks clonogenic mammary luminal progenitor cells in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lafkas, Daniel; Rodilla, Veronica; Huyghe, Mathilde; Mourao, Larissa; Kiaris, Hippokratis; Fre, Silvia

    2013-10-14

    The identity of mammary stem and progenitor cells remains poorly understood, mainly as a result of the lack of robust markers. The Notch signaling pathway has been implicated in mammary gland development as well as in tumorigenesis in this tissue. Elevated expression of the Notch3 receptor has been correlated to the highly aggressive "triple negative" human breast cancer. However, the specific cells expressing this Notch paralogue in the mammary gland remain unknown. Using a conditionally inducible Notch3-CreERT2(SAT) transgenic mouse, we genetically marked Notch3-expressing cells throughout mammary gland development and followed their lineage in vivo. We demonstrate that Notch3 is expressed in a highly clonogenic and transiently quiescent luminal progenitor population that gives rise to a ductal lineage. These cells are capable of surviving multiple successive pregnancies, suggesting a capacity to self-renew. Our results also uncover a role for the Notch3 receptor in restricting the proliferation and consequent clonal expansion of these cells.

  3. Hes1 promotes the IL-22-mediated antimicrobial response by enhancing STAT3-dependent transcription in human intestinal epithelial cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Murano, Tatsuro [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan); Okamoto, Ryuichi, E-mail: rokamoto.gast@tmd.ac.jp [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan); Department of Advanced GI Therapeutics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan); Ito, Go; Nakata, Toru; Hibiya, Shuji; Shimizu, Hiromichi; Fujii, Satoru; Kano, Yoshihito; Mizutani, Tomohiro; Yui, Shiro; Akiyama-Morio, Junko; Nemoto, Yasuhiro [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan); Tsuchiya, Kiichiro; Nakamura, Tetsuya [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan); Department of Advanced GI Therapeutics, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan); Watanabe, Mamoru [Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Graduate School, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo (Japan)

    2014-01-17

    Highlights: •Hes1 enhances IL-22-STAT3 signaling in human intestinal epithelial cells. •Hes1 enhances REG family gene induction by IL-22-STAT3 signaling. •Protein level of Hes1 restricts the response to IL-22. •Present regulation of a cytokine signal represents a new mode of Hes1 function. -- Abstract: Notch signaling plays an essential role in the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). We have previously shown that Notch signaling is up-regulated in the inflamed mucosa of ulcerative colitis (UC) and thereby plays an indispensable role in tissue regeneration. Here we show that in addition to Notch signaling, STAT3 signaling is highly activated in the inflamed mucosa of UC. Forced expression of the Notch target gene Hes1 dramatically enhanced the IL-22-mediated STAT3-dependent transcription in human IECs. This enhancement of STAT3-dependent transcription was achieved by the extended phosphorylation of STAT3 by Hes1. Microarray analysis revealed that Hes1-mediated enhancement of IL-22-STAT3 signaling significantly increased the induction of genes encoding antimicrobial peptides, such as REG1A, REG3A and REG3G, in human IECs. Conversely, the reduction of Hes1 protein levels with a γ-secretase inhibitor significantly down-regulated the induction of those genes in IECs, resulting in a markedly poor response to IL-22. Our present findings identify a new role for the molecular function of Hes1 in which the protein can interact with cytokine signals and regulate the immune response of IECs.

  4. β-Elemene-Attenuated Tumor Angiogenesis by Targeting Notch-1 in Gastric Cancer Stem-Like Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bing Yan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Emerging evidence suggests that cancer stem cells are involved in tumor angiogenesis. The Notch signaling pathway is one of the most important regulators of these processes. β-Elemene, a naturally occurring compound extracted from Curcumae Radix, has been used as an antitumor drug for various cancers in China. However, its underlying mechanism in the treatment of gastric cancer remains largely unknown. Here, we report that CD44+ gastric cancer stem-like cells (GCSCs showed enhanced proliferation capacity compared to their CD44− counterparts, and this proliferation was accompanied by the high expression of Notch-1 (in vitro. These cells were also more superior in spheroid colony formation (in vitro and tumorigenicity (in vivo and positively associated with microvessel density (in vivo. β-Elemene was demonstrated to effectively inhibit the viability of GCSCs in a dose-dependent manner, most likely by suppressing Notch-1 (in vitro. β-Elemene also contributed to growth suppression and attenuated the angiogenesis capacity of these cells (in vivo most likely by interfering with the expression of Notch-1 but not with Dll4. Our findings indicated that GCSCs play an important role in tumor angiogenesis, and Notch-1 is one of the most likely mediators involved in these processes. β-Elemene was effective at attenuating angiogenesis by targeting the GCSCs, which could be regarded as a potential mechanism for its efficacy in gastric cancer management in the future.

  5. The Effect of Physiological Stimuli on Sarcopenia; Impact of Notch and Wnt Signaling on Impaired Aged Skeletal Muscle Repair

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arthur, Susan Tsivitse; Cooley, Ian D.

    2012-01-01

    The age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function that is associated with sarcopenia can result in ultimate consequences such as decreased quality of life. The causes of sarcopenia are multifactorial and include environmental and biological factors. The purpose of this review is to synthesize what the literature reveals in regards to the cellular regulation of sarcopenia, including impaired muscle regenerative capacity in the aged, and to discuss if physiological stimuli have the potential to slow the loss of myogenic potential that is associated with sarcopenia. In addition, this review article will discuss the effect of aging on Notch and Wnt signaling, and whether physiological stimuli have the ability to restore Notch and Wnt signaling resulting in rejuvenated aged muscle repair. The intention of this summary is to bring awareness to the benefits of consistent physiological stimulus (exercise) to combating sarcopenia as well as proclaiming the usefulness of contraction-induced injury models to studying the effects of local and systemic influences on aged myogenic capability. PMID:22701343

  6. ADAM10 regulates Notch function in intestinal stem cells of mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Yu-Hwai; VanDussen, Kelli L; Sawey, Eric T; Wade, Alex W; Kasper, Chelsea; Rakshit, Sabita; Bhatt, Riha G; Stoeck, Alex; Maillard, Ivan; Crawford, Howard C; Samuelson, Linda C; Dempsey, Peter J

    2014-10-01

    A disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 10 (ADAM10) is a cell surface sheddase that regulates physiologic processes, including Notch signaling. ADAM10 is expressed in all intestinal epithelial cell types, but the requirement for ADAM10 signaling in crypt homeostasis is not well defined. We analyzed intestinal tissues from mice with constitutive (Vil-Cre;Adam10(f/f) mice) and conditional (Vil-CreER;Adam10(f/f) and Leucine-rich repeat-containing GPCR5 [Lgr5]-CreER;Adam10(f/f) mice) deletion of ADAM10. We performed cell lineage-tracing experiments in mice that expressed a gain-of-function allele of Notch in the intestine (Rosa26(NICD)), or mice with intestine-specific disruption of Notch (Rosa26(DN-MAML)), to examine the effects of ADAM10 deletion on cell fate specification and intestinal stem cell maintenance. Loss of ADAM10 from developing and adult intestine caused lethality associated with altered intestinal morphology, reduced progenitor cell proliferation, and increased secretory cell differentiation. ADAM10 deletion led to the replacement of intestinal cell progenitors with 2 distinct, post-mitotic, secretory cell lineages: intermediate-like (Paneth/goblet) and enteroendocrine cells. Based on analysis of Rosa26(NICD) and Rosa26(DN-MAML) mice, we determined that ADAM10 controls these cell fate decisions by regulating Notch signaling. Cell lineage-tracing experiments showed that ADAM10 is required for survival of Lgr5(+) crypt-based columnar cells. Our findings indicate that Notch-activated stem cells have a competitive advantage for occupation of the stem cell niche. ADAM10 acts in a cell autonomous manner within the intestinal crypt compartment to regulate Notch signaling. This process is required for progenitor cell lineage specification and crypt-based columnar cell maintenance. Copyright © 2014 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Notch fatigue crack propagation - A consistent concept for calculating flawed service life

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dankert, M.

    1999-01-01

    The research report presents a consistent concept of elastic-plastic fatigue fracture mechanics, to be used for numerical description of crack initiation and propagation behaviour within and out of notched areas of circular notched specimens for Woehler tests, two-phase fatigue tests and tests under service conditions. It is shown that a fracture-mechanics approach yields results capable of describing the load history over the whole service life of a structural member. A J-integral-related crack propagation model is derived that takes into account the crack opening and closure behaviour. The model is based on specially developed formulas, algorithms and approximation formulas required for description of crack opening and closure behaviour as well as calculation of the stress intensity factor K and the J-integral of cracks at notches. The values relating to crack opening were compared with experimental data, and those describing the stress intensity factor K and the J-integrals with 2D and 3D elastic-plastic FE calculations. Good and very good agreement of results was achieved. (orig./CB) [de

  8. The Relationship of Fetuin-A, Adiponectin, Retinol Binding Protein-4 (RBP-4 and High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hsCRP with Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR in Obese Non Diabetic Men

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imelda Novianti

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Central obesity is the accumulation of visceral (intra-abdominal fat and is strongly known to be associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM. Obesity can cause adipocyte hypertrophy that results in dysregulation of adipokine expression. The abnormal function of adipocytes may play an important role in the development of a chronic low-grade proinflammatory state associated with obesity. Adiponectin, retinol binding protein (RBP-4 and fetuin-A play a role in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance. Expression of fetuin-A is increased due to fat accumulation in the liver. Elevated concentration of fetuin-A in the circulation can impair insulin signaling in muscle and liver as well as suppress adiponectin secretion, although its molecular mechanism is still unclear. The aim of this study was to identify the relationship of fetuin-A, adiponectin, RBP-4 and hsCRP with insulin resistance in obese non diabetic men. METHODS: This was an observational study with a cross-sectional design. The study subjects were 64 men with non diabetic abdominal obesity, characterized by waist circumference of 98.47±5.88 cm and fasting blood glucose of 85.75±8.36 mg/dL. RESULTS: This study showed that fetuin-A was positively correlated with HOMA-IR in obese non diabetic men with insulin resistance (r=0.128; p=0.570, although not significant. Fetuin-A was found to be correlated with adiponectin, RBP-4 and hsCRP (r=0.150; p=0.233; r=0.050; p=0.711; r=-0.04; p=0.445, although not significant. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of fetuin-A showed a tendency to be positively correlated with HOMA-IR and with RBP-4 in obese non diabetic men, although statistically not significant. The concentration of fetuin-A showed a tendency to be negatively correlated with adiponectin and hsCRP although statistically not significant. There was no interrelationship between fetuin-A, adiponectin, RBP-4, hsCRP and HOMA-IR. Elevated concentrations of fetuin

  9. Self-renewal of CD133(hi) cells by IL6/Notch3 signalling regulates endocrine resistance in metastatic breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sansone, Pasquale; Ceccarelli, Claudio; Berishaj, Marjan; Chang, Qing; Rajasekhar, Vinagolu K; Perna, Fabiana; Bowman, Robert L; Vidone, Michele; Daly, Laura; Nnoli, Jennifer; Santini, Donatella; Taffurelli, Mario; Shih, Natalie N C; Feldman, Michael; Mao, Jun J; Colameco, Christopher; Chen, Jinbo; DeMichele, Angela; Fabbri, Nicola; Healey, John H; Cricca, Monica; Gasparre, Giuseppe; Lyden, David; Bonafé, Massimiliano; Bromberg, Jacqueline

    2016-02-09

    The mechanisms of metastatic progression from hormonal therapy (HT) are largely unknown in luminal breast cancer. Here we demonstrate the enrichment of CD133(hi)/ER(lo) cancer cells in clinical specimens following neoadjuvant endocrine therapy and in HT refractory metastatic disease. We develop experimental models of metastatic luminal breast cancer and demonstrate that HT can promote the generation of HT-resistant, self-renewing CD133(hi)/ER(lo)/IL6(hi) cancer stem cells (CSCs). HT initially abrogates oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) generating self-renewal-deficient cancer cells, CD133(hi)/ER(lo)/OXPHOS(lo). These cells exit metabolic dormancy via an IL6-driven feed-forward ER(lo)-IL6(hi)-Notch(hi) loop, activating OXPHOS, in the absence of ER activity. The inhibition of IL6R/IL6-Notch pathways switches the self-renewal of CD133(hi) CSCs, from an IL6/Notch-dependent one to an ER-dependent one, through the re-expression of ER. Thus, HT induces an OXPHOS metabolic editing of luminal breast cancers, paradoxically establishing HT-driven self-renewal of dormant CD133(hi)/ER(lo) cells mediating metastatic progression, which is sensitive to dual targeted therapy.

  10. J-integral analysis of heterogeneous mismatched girth welds in clamped single-edge notched tension specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hertelé, Stijn; De Waele, Wim; Verstraete, Matthias; Denys, Rudi; O'Dowd, Noel

    2014-01-01

    Flaw assessment procedures require a quantification of crack driving force, and such procedures are generally based on the assumption of weld homogeneity. However, welds generally have a heterogeneous microstructure, which will influence the crack driving force. This paper describes a stress-based methodology to assess complex heterogeneous welds using a J-based approach. Clamped single-edge notched tension specimens, representative of girth weld flaws, are analyzed and the influence of weld heterogeneity on crack driving force has been determined. The use of a modified limit load for heterogeneous welds is proposed, suitable for implementation in a ‘homogenized’ J-integral estimation scheme. It follows from an explicit modification of an existing solution for centre cracked tension specimens. The proposed solution provides a good estimate of crack driving force and any errors in the approximation may be accounted for by means of a small safety factor on load bearing capacity. - Highlights: • We present a crack driving force estimation procedure for heterogeneous welds. • The procedure is based on a ‘homogenized’ version of the EPRI equation. • Complex welds are translated into equivalent idealized mismatched welds. • The procedure is validated for clamped SE(T) specimens. • A mismatch limit load for clamped SE(T) specimens is developed

  11. lin-12 Notch functions in the adult nervous system of C. elegans

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    Tucey Tim M

    2005-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Notch signaling pathways are conserved across species and traditionally have been implicated in cell fate determination during embryonic development. Notch signaling components are also expressed postdevelopmentally in the brains of adult mice and Drosophila. Recent studies suggest that Notch signaling may play a role in the physiological, rather than developmental, regulation of neurons. Here, we investigate a new non-developmental role for Caenorhabditis elegans lin-12 Notch signaling in neurons regulating the spontaneous reversal rate during locomotion. Results The spontaneous reversal rate of C. elegans during normal locomotion is constant. Both lin-12 gain and loss of function mutant animals had significantly increased reversal rates compared to wild type controls. These defects were caused by lin-12 activity, because the loss of function defect could be rescued by a wild type lin-12 transgene. Furthermore, overexpression of lin-12 recapitulated the gain-of-function defect. Increasing or decreasing lin-12 activity in the postdevelopmental adult animal was sufficient to rapidly and reversibly increase reversals, thereby excluding a developmental role for lin-12. Although lin-12 is expressed in the vulval and somatic gonad lineages, we find that these tissues play no role in regulating reversal rates. In contrast, altering lin-12 activity specifically in the nervous system was sufficient to increase reversals. These behavioral changes require components of the canonical lin-12 signaling cascade, including the ligand lag-2 and the transcriptional effector lag-1. Finally, the C. elegans AMPA/kainate glutamate receptor homolog glr-1 shows strong genetic interactions with lin-12, suggesting that glr-1 and/or other glutamate gated channels may be targets of lin-12 regulation. Conclusion Our results demonstrate a neuronal role for lin-12 Notch in C. elegans and suggest that lin-12 acutely regulates neuronal physiology to

  12. A Compact Printed Quadruple Band-Notched UWB Antenna

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoyin Li

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available A novel compact coplanar waveguide- (CPW- fed ultrawideband (UWB printed planar volcano-smoke antenna (PVSA with four band-notches for various wireless applications is proposed and demonstrated. The low-profile antenna consists of a C-shaped parasitic strip to generate a notched band at 8.01~8.55 GHz for the ITU band, two C-shaped slots, and an inverted U-shaped slot etched in the radiator patch to create three notched bands at 5.15~5.35 GHz, 5.75~5.85 GHz, and 7.25~7.75 GHz for filtering the WLAN and X-band satellite signals. Simulated and measured results both confirm that the proposed antenna has a broad bandwidth of 3.1~12 GHz with VSWR < 2 and good omnidirectional radiation patterns with four notched-bands.

  13. Dll4-Notch signaling determines the formation of native arterial collateral networks and arterial function in mouse ischemia models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cristofaro, Brunella; Shi, Yu; Faria, Marcella; Suchting, Steven; Leroyer, Aurelie S; Trindade, Alexandre; Duarte, Antonio; Zovein, Ann C; Iruela-Arispe, M Luisa; Nih, Lina R; Kubis, Nathalie; Henrion, Daniel; Loufrani, Laurent; Todiras, Mihail; Schleifenbaum, Johanna; Gollasch, Maik; Zhuang, Zhen W; Simons, Michael; Eichmann, Anne; le Noble, Ferdinand

    2013-04-01

    Arteriogenesis requires growth of pre-existing arteriolar collateral networks and determines clinical outcome in arterial occlusive diseases. Factors responsible for the development of arteriolar collateral networks are poorly understood. The Notch ligand Delta-like 4 (Dll4) promotes arterial differentiation and restricts vessel branching. We hypothesized that Dll4 may act as a genetic determinant of collateral arterial networks and functional recovery in stroke and hind limb ischemia models in mice. Genetic loss- and gain-of-function approaches in mice showed that Dll4-Notch signaling restricts pial collateral artery formation by modulating arterial branching morphogenesis during embryogenesis. Adult Dll4(+/-) mice showed increased pial collateral numbers, but stroke volume upon middle cerebral artery occlusion was not reduced compared with wild-type littermates. Likewise, Dll4(+/-) mice showed reduced blood flow conductance after femoral artery occlusion, and, despite markedly increased angiogenesis, tissue ischemia was more severe. In peripheral arteries, loss of Dll4 adversely affected excitation-contraction coupling in arterial smooth muscle in response to vasopressor agents and arterial vessel wall adaption in response to increases in blood flow, collectively contributing to reduced flow reserve. We conclude that Dll4-Notch signaling modulates native collateral formation by acting on vascular branching morphogenesis during embryogenesis. Dll4 furthermore affects tissue perfusion by acting on arterial function and structure. Loss of Dll4 stimulates collateral formation and angiogenesis, but in the context of ischemic diseases such beneficial effects are overruled by adverse functional changes, demonstrating that ischemic recovery is not solely determined by collateral number but rather by vessel functionality.

  14. Dll4-Notch signaling determines the formation of native arterial collateral networks and arterial function in mouse ischemia models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cristofaro, Brunella; Shi, Yu; Faria, Marcella; Suchting, Steven; Leroyer, Aurelie S.; Trindade, Alexandre; Duarte, Antonio; Zovein, Ann C.; Iruela-Arispe, M. Luisa; Nih, Lina R.; Kubis, Nathalie; Henrion, Daniel; Loufrani, Laurent; Todiras, Mihail; Schleifenbaum, Johanna; Gollasch, Maik; Zhuang, Zhen W.; Simons, Michael; Eichmann, Anne; le Noble, Ferdinand

    2013-01-01

    Arteriogenesis requires growth of pre-existing arteriolar collateral networks and determines clinical outcome in arterial occlusive diseases. Factors responsible for the development of arteriolar collateral networks are poorly understood. The Notch ligand Delta-like 4 (Dll4) promotes arterial differentiation and restricts vessel branching. We hypothesized that Dll4 may act as a genetic determinant of collateral arterial networks and functional recovery in stroke and hind limb ischemia models in mice. Genetic loss- and gain-of-function approaches in mice showed that Dll4-Notch signaling restricts pial collateral artery formation by modulating arterial branching morphogenesis during embryogenesis. Adult Dll4+/- mice showed increased pial collateral numbers, but stroke volume upon middle cerebral artery occlusion was not reduced compared with wild-type littermates. Likewise, Dll4+/- mice showed reduced blood flow conductance after femoral artery occlusion, and, despite markedly increased angiogenesis, tissue ischemia was more severe. In peripheral arteries, loss of Dll4 adversely affected excitation-contraction coupling in arterial smooth muscle in response to vasopressor agents and arterial vessel wall adaption in response to increases in blood flow, collectively contributing to reduced flow reserve. We conclude that Dll4-Notch signaling modulates native collateral formation by acting on vascular branching morphogenesis during embryogenesis. Dll4 furthermore affects tissue perfusion by acting on arterial function and structure. Loss of Dll4 stimulates collateral formation and angiogenesis, but in the context of ischemic diseases such beneficial effects are overruled by adverse functional changes, demonstrating that ischemic recovery is not solely determined by collateral number but rather by vessel functionality. PMID:23533173

  15. Identification of a Paralog-Specific Notch1 Intracellular Domain Degron

    OpenAIRE

    Broadus, Matthew R.; Chen, Tony W.; Neitzel, Leif R.; Ng, Victoria H.; Jodoin, Jeanne; Lee, Laura A.; Salic, Adrian; Robbins, David J.; Capobianco, Anthony J.; Patton, James G.; Huppert, Stacey S.; Lee, Ethan

    2016-01-01

    Upon Notch pathway activation, the receptor is cleaved to release the Notch intracellular domain (NICD), which translocates to the nucleus to activate gene transcription. Using Xenopus egg extracts, we have identified a Notch1-specific destruction signal (N1-Box). We show that mutations in the N1-Box inhibit NICD1 degradation and that the N1-Box is transferable for the promotion of degradation of heterologous proteins in Xenopus egg extracts and in cultured human cells. Mutation of the N1-Box...

  16. Notch and PKC are involved in formation of the lateral region of the dorso-ventral axis in Drosophila embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tremmel, Daniel M; Resad, Sedat; Little, Christopher J; Wesley, Cedric S

    2013-01-01

    The Notch gene encodes an evolutionarily conserved cell surface receptor that generates regulatory signals based on interactions between neighboring cells. In Drosophila embryos it is normally expressed at a low level due to strong negative regulation. When this negative regulation is abrogated neurogenesis in the ventral region is suppressed, the development of lateral epidermis is severely disrupted, and the dorsal aminoserosa is expanded. Of these phenotypes only the anti-neurogenic phenotype could be linked to excess canonical Notch signaling. The other phenotypes were linked to high levels of Notch protein expression at the surface of cells in the lateral regions indicating that a non-canonical Notch signaling activity normally functions in these regions. Results of our studies reported here provide evidence. They show that Notch activities are inextricably linked to that of Pkc98E, the homolog of mammalian PKCδ. Notch and Pkc98E up-regulate the levels of the phosphorylated form of IκBCactus, a negative regulator of Toll signaling, and Mothers against dpp (MAD), an effector of Dpp signaling. Our data suggest that in the lateral regions of the Drosophila embryos Notch activity, in conjunction with Pkc98E activity, is used to form the slopes of the opposing gradients of Toll and Dpp signaling that specify cell fates along the dorso-ventral axis.

  17. Notch and PKC are involved in formation of the lateral region of the dorso-ventral axis in Drosophila embryos.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel M Tremmel

    Full Text Available The Notch gene encodes an evolutionarily conserved cell surface receptor that generates regulatory signals based on interactions between neighboring cells. In Drosophila embryos it is normally expressed at a low level due to strong negative regulation. When this negative regulation is abrogated neurogenesis in the ventral region is suppressed, the development of lateral epidermis is severely disrupted, and the dorsal aminoserosa is expanded. Of these phenotypes only the anti-neurogenic phenotype could be linked to excess canonical Notch signaling. The other phenotypes were linked to high levels of Notch protein expression at the surface of cells in the lateral regions indicating that a non-canonical Notch signaling activity normally functions in these regions. Results of our studies reported here provide evidence. They show that Notch activities are inextricably linked to that of Pkc98E, the homolog of mammalian PKCδ. Notch and Pkc98E up-regulate the levels of the phosphorylated form of IκBCactus, a negative regulator of Toll signaling, and Mothers against dpp (MAD, an effector of Dpp signaling. Our data suggest that in the lateral regions of the Drosophila embryos Notch activity, in conjunction with Pkc98E activity, is used to form the slopes of the opposing gradients of Toll and Dpp signaling that specify cell fates along the dorso-ventral axis.

  18. Atractylenolide I-mediated Notch pathway inhibition attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ma, Li; Mao, Rurong; Shen, Ke; Zheng, Yuanhong; Li, Yueqi [State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, #268, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237 (China); Liu, Jianwen, E-mail: liujian@ecust.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science and Technology, #268, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai 200237 (China); Ni, Lei, E-mail: nilei625@yahoo.com [Department of Respiration, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 197 Ruijin Road II, Shanghai 200025 (China)

    2014-07-18

    Highlights: • This paper supports the anti-tumor effects of AT-I on gastric cancer in vitro. • AT-I attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits. • It is the systematic study regarding AT-I suppression of Notch pathway in GC and GCSLCs. - Abstract: Atractylenolide I (AT-I), one of the main naturally occurring compounds of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, has remarkable anti-cancer effects on various cancers. However, its effects on the treatment of gastric cancer remain unclear. Via multiple cellular and molecular approaches, we demonstrated that AT-I could potently inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis through inactivating Notch pathway. AT-I treatment led to the reduction of expressions of Notch1, Jagged1, and its downstream Hes1/ Hey1. Our results showed that AT-I inhibited the self-renewal capacity of gastric stem-like cells (GCSLCs) by suppression of their sphere formation capacity and cell viability. AT-I attenuated gastric cancer stem cell (GCSC) traits partly through inactivating Notch1, leading to reducing the expressions of its downstream target Hes1, Hey1 and CD44 in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that AT-I might develop as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of gastric cancer.

  19. Atractylenolide I-mediated Notch pathway inhibition attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Li; Mao, Rurong; Shen, Ke; Zheng, Yuanhong; Li, Yueqi; Liu, Jianwen; Ni, Lei

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • This paper supports the anti-tumor effects of AT-I on gastric cancer in vitro. • AT-I attenuates gastric cancer stem cell traits. • It is the systematic study regarding AT-I suppression of Notch pathway in GC and GCSLCs. - Abstract: Atractylenolide I (AT-I), one of the main naturally occurring compounds of Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae, has remarkable anti-cancer effects on various cancers. However, its effects on the treatment of gastric cancer remain unclear. Via multiple cellular and molecular approaches, we demonstrated that AT-I could potently inhibit cancer cell proliferation and induce apoptosis through inactivating Notch pathway. AT-I treatment led to the reduction of expressions of Notch1, Jagged1, and its downstream Hes1/ Hey1. Our results showed that AT-I inhibited the self-renewal capacity of gastric stem-like cells (GCSLCs) by suppression of their sphere formation capacity and cell viability. AT-I attenuated gastric cancer stem cell (GCSC) traits partly through inactivating Notch1, leading to reducing the expressions of its downstream target Hes1, Hey1 and CD44 in vitro. Collectively, our results suggest that AT-I might develop as a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of gastric cancer

  20. Control of endothelial cell tube formation by Notch ligand intracellular domain interactions with activator protein 1 (AP-1)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Forghany, Zary; Robertson, Francesca; Lundby, Alicia

    2018-01-01

    Notch signaling is a ubiquitous signal transduction pathway found in most if not all metazoan cell types characterized to date. It is indispensable for cell differentiation as well as tissue growth, tissue remodelling and apoptosis. Although the canonical Notch signaling pathway is well character...

  1. The jagged-2/notch-1/hes-1 pathway is involved in intestinal epithelium regeneration after intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guoqing Chen

    Full Text Available Notch signaling plays a critical role in the maintenance of intestinal crypt epithelial cell proliferation. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Notch signaling in the proliferation and regeneration of intestinal epithelium after intestinal ischemia reperfusion (I/R injury.Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to sham operation or I/R by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA for 20 min. Intestinal tissue samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after reperfusion. Proliferation of the intestinal epithelium was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of proliferating nuclear antigen (PCNA. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Notch signaling components were examined using Real-time PCR and Western blot analyses. Immunofluorescence was also performed to detect the expression and location of Jagged-2, cleaved Notch-1, and Hes-1 in the intestine. Finally, the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT and the siRNA for Jagged-2 and Hes-1 were applied to investigate the functional role of Notch signaling in the proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells in an in vitro IEC-6 culture system.I/R injury caused increased intestinal crypt epithelial cell proliferation and increased mRNA and protein expression of Jagged-2, Notch-1, and Hes-1. The immunofluorescence results further confirmed increased protein expression of Jagged-2, cleaved Notch-1, and Hes-1 in the intestinal crypts. The inhibition of Notch signaling with DAPT and the suppression of Jagged-2 and Hes-1 expression using siRNA both significantly inhibited the proliferation of IEC-6 cells.The Jagged-2/Notch-1/Hes-1 signaling pathway is involved in intestinal epithelium regeneration early after I/R injury by increasing crypt epithelial cell proliferation.

  2. Deubiquitinase inhibitor b-AP15 activates endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and inhibits Wnt/Notch1 signaling pathway leading to the reduction of cell survival in hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Youming; Chen, Xiaoyan; Wang, Bin; Yu, Bin; Ge, Jianhui

    2018-04-15

    b-AP15, a potent and selective inhibitor of the ubiquitin-specific peptidase 14 (USP14), displays in vitro and in vivo antitumor abilities on some types of cancer cells. However, the mechanism underlying its action is not well elucidated. The purposes of the present study are to observe the potential impacts of b-AP15 on cell survival of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and to investigate whether and how this compound inhibits some survival-promoting signaling pathways. We found that b-AP15 significantly decreased cell viability and increased cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, along with the perturbation of cell cycle and the decreased expressions of cell cycle-related proteins. We also demonstrated that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response (UPR) were enhanced by b-AP15 supplementation. The inhibition of ER stress/UPR only partly attenuated the cytotoxicity of b-AP15 on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In addition, b-AP15 treatment inhibited Wnt/β-catenin and Notch1 signaling pathways, and suppressed phosphorylation of STAT3, Akt, and Erk1/2, which were not restored by the inhibition of ER stress/UPR. Furthermore, the expression levels of signaling molecules in Notch1 were reduced by specific inhibitor of Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Notably, either Wnt or Notch1 signaling inhibitor mitigated phosphorylation of STAT3, Akt, and Erk1/2, and mimicked the cytotoxicity of b-AP15 on hepatocellular carcinoma cells. These results clearly indicate that b-AP15 induced cytotoxic response to hepatocellular carcinoma cells by augmenting ER stress/UPR and inhibiting Wnt/Notch1 signaling pathways. This new finding provides a novel mechanism by which b-AP15 produces its antitumor therapeutic effects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Non-additive effects of RBP4, ESR1 and IGF2 polymorphisms on litter size at different parities in a Chinese-European porcine line

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alves Estefânia

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this work was to study the effects on litter size of variants of the porcine genes RBP4, ESR1 and IGF2, currently used in genetic tests for different purposes. Moreover, we investigated a possible effect of the interaction between RBP4-MspI and ESR1-PvuII polymorphisms. The IGF2-intron3-G3072A polymorphism is actually used to select lean growth, but other possible effects of this polymorphism on reproductive traits need to be evaluated. Methods Detection of polymorphisms in the genomic and cDNA sequences of RBP4 gene was carried out. RBP4-MspI and IGF2-intron3-G3072A were genotyped in a hyperprolific Chinese-European line (Tai-Zumu and three new RBP4 polymorphisms were genotyped in different pig breeds. A bivariate animal model was implemented in association analyses considering the number of piglets born alive at early (NBA12 and later parities (NBA3+ as different traits. A joint analysis of RBP4-MspI and ESR1-PvuII was performed to test their possible interaction. In the IGF2 analysis, paternal or maternal imprinting effects were also considered. Results Four different RBP4 haplotypes were detected (TGAC, GGAG, GAAG and GATG in different pig breeds and wild boars. A significant interaction effect between RBP4-MspI and ESR1-PvuII polymorphisms of 0.61 ± 0.29 piglets was detected on NBA3+. The IGF2 analysis revealed a significant increase on NBA3+ of 0.74 ± 0.37 piglets for the paternally inherited allele A. Conclusions All the analyzed pig and wild boar populations shared one of the four detected RBP4 haplotypes. This suggests an ancestral origin of the quoted haplotype. The joint use of RBP4-MspI and ESR1-PvuII polymorphisms could be implemented to select for higher prolificacy in the Tai-Zumu line. In this population, the paternal allele IGF2-intron3-3072A increased litter size from the third parity. The non-additive effects on litter size reported here should be tested before implementation in other pig

  4. Phosphatase and tensin homolog-β-catenin signaling modulates regulatory T cells and inflammatory responses in mouse liver ischemia/reperfusion injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Qiang; Li, Changyong; Wang, Kunpeng; Yue, Shi; Jiang, Longfeng; Ke, Michael; Busuttil, Ronald W; Kupiec-Weglinski, Jerzy W; Zhang, Feng; Lu, Ling; Ke, Bibo

    2017-06-01

    The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) deleted on chromosome 10 plays an important role in regulating T cell activation during inflammatory response. Activation of β-catenin is crucial for maintaining immune homeostasis. This study investigates the functional roles and molecular mechanisms by which PTEN-β-catenin signaling promotes regulatory T cell (Treg) induction in a mouse model of liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). We found that mice with myeloid-specific phosphatase and tensin homolog knockout (PTEN M-KO ) exhibited reduced liver damage as evidenced by decreased levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, intrahepatic macrophage trafficking, and proinflammatory mediators compared with the PTEN-proficient (floxed phosphatase and tensin homolog [PTEN FL/FL ]) controls. Disruption of myeloid PTEN-activated b-catenin promoted peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ)-mediated Jagged-1/Notch signaling and induced forkhead box P3 (FOXP3)1 Tregs while inhibiting T helper 17 cells. However, blocking of Notch signaling by inhibiting γ-secretase reversed myeloid PTEN deficiency-mediated protection in ischemia/reperfusion-triggered liver inflammation with reduced FOXP3 + and increased retinoid A receptor-related orphan receptor gamma t-mediated interleukin 17A expression in ischemic livers. Moreover, knockdown of β-catenin or PPARγ in PTEN-deficient macrophages inhibited Jagged-1/Notch activation and reduced FOXP3 + Treg induction, leading to increased proinflammatory mediators in macrophage/T cell cocultures. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that PTEN-β-catenin signaling is a novel regulator involved in modulating Treg development and provides a potential therapeutic target in liver IRI. Liver Transplantation 23 813-825 2017 AASLD. © 2017 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

  5. Reduced Insulin/IGF-1 Signaling Restores the Dynamic Properties of Key Stress Granule Proteins during Aging

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marie C. Lechler

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Low-complexity “prion-like” domains in key RNA-binding proteins (RBPs mediate the reversible assembly of RNA granules. Individual RBPs harboring these domains have been linked to specific neurodegenerative diseases. Although their aggregation in neurodegeneration has been extensively characterized, it remains unknown how the process of aging disturbs RBP dynamics. We show that a wide variety of RNA granule components, including stress granule proteins, become highly insoluble with age in C. elegans and that reduced insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1 daf-2 receptor signaling efficiently prevents their aggregation. Importantly, stress-granule-related RBP aggregates are associated with reduced fitness. We show that heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF-1 is a main regulator of stress-granule-related RBP aggregation in both young and aged animals. During aging, increasing DAF-16 activity restores dynamic stress-granule-related RBPs, partly by decreasing the buildup of other misfolded proteins that seed RBP aggregation. Longevity-associated mechanisms found to maintain dynamic RBPs during aging could be relevant for neurodegenerative diseases. : Lechler et al. show that RNA-binding proteins (RBPs including stress granule proteins are prone to aggregate with age in C. elegans. Aggregation of stress granule RBPs with “prion-like” domains is associated with reduced fitness. Their aggregation is prevented by longevity pathways and promoted by the aggregation of other misfolded proteins. Keywords: neurodegenerative diseases, Caenorhabditis elegans, protein aggregation, aging, RNA-binding proteins, stress granules, HSF-1, DAF-2, longevity

  6. In vitro V(D)J recombination: signal joint formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cortes, P; Weis-Garcia, F; Misulovin, Z; Nussenzweig, A; Lai, J S; Li, G; Nussenzweig, M C; Baltimore, D

    1996-11-26

    The first step of V(D)J recombination, specific cleavage at the recombination signal sequence (RSS), can be carried out by the recombination activating proteins RAG1 and RAG2. In vivo, the cleaved coding and signal ends must be rejoined to generate functional antigen receptors and maintain chromosomal integrity. We have investigated signal joint formation using deletion and inversion substrates in a cell free system. RAG1 and RAG2 alone or in combination were unable to generate signal joints. However, RAG1 and RAG2 complemented with nuclear extracts were able to recombine an extrachromosomal substrate and form precise signal joints. The in vitro reaction resembled authentic V(D)J recombination in being Ku-antigen-dependent.

  7. Observations of the severity of notch-root radius in initiation of subcritical crack growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reuter, W.G.; Eiholzer, C.R.; Tupper, M.A.

    1981-01-01

    Slow bend tests were conducted on Charpy specimens containing precracks or machined notches of 0.10 or 0.25 mm radius. The test specimens were fabricated from three heats of annealed Type 304 stainless steel. The purpose of these tests was to examine the effects of notch root radius, in very ductile materials, on initiation of subcritical crack growth. In addition, it was intended to establish the critical values of J, COD, etc. for the single-edge notch specimen for comparison with results obtained from specimens containing surface flaws. This paper will briefly describe only those results of the calculation for J. The tests were monitored by acoustic emission to identify the load corresponding to initiation of subcritical crack growth, by a crack-opening displacement gage (COD), by cross-head displacement, and by stop-action photography

  8. Thermometric sensing of peroxide in organic media. Application to monitor the stability of RBP-retinol-HRP complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramanathan, K; Jönsson, B R; Danielsson, B

    2000-08-01

    The stability of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in aqueous and organic solvents is applied to develop a simple thermometric procedure to detect the binding of retinoic acid-HRP conjugate to retinol binding protein (RBP). Butanone peroxide (BP) in organic phase and hydrogen peroxide in aqueous phase is detected thermometrically on a HRP column, immobilized by cross-linking with glutaraldehyde on controlled pore glass (CPG). Acetone, acetonitrile, methanol, and 2-butanol are used for detection of BP, in the flow injection analysis (FIA) mode. A linear range between 1 and 50 mM BP is obtained in all the organic solvents with a precision of 5-7% (CV%). The magnitude and nature of the thermometric response is significantly different in each organic solvent. The stability of HRP in the organic phase is used to study the stability of a retinoic acid-HRP conjugate bound to immobilized RBP. The response of HRP (to 20 mM BP) in the retinoic acid-HRP conjugate is used as an indicator of the stability of the RBP-retinoic acid-HRP complex, after challenges with various organic/aqueous solvents. Both immobilized HRP and RBP are stable at least for 6 months. The effect of o-phenylene diamine on the thermometric response of HRP is also investigated. A scheme for the design of a thermometric retinol (vitamin A) biosensor is proposed.

  9. Frequency and distribution of Notch mutations in tumor cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutvei, Anders Peter; Fredlund, Erik; Lendahl, Urban

    2015-01-01

    Deregulated Notch signaling is linked to a variety of tumors and it is therefore important to learn more about the frequency and distribution of Notch mutations in a tumor context. In this report, we use data from the recently developed Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia to assess the frequency and distribution of Notch mutations in a large panel of cancer cell lines in silico. Our results show that the mutation frequency of Notch receptor and ligand genes is at par with that for established oncogenes and higher than for a set of house-keeping genes. Mutations were found across all four Notch receptor genes, but with notable differences between protein domains, mutations were for example more prevalent in the regions encoding the LNR and PEST domains in the Notch intracellular domain. Furthermore, an in silico estimation of functional impact showed that deleterious mutations cluster to the ligand-binding and the intracellular domains of NOTCH1. For most cell line groups, the mutation frequency of Notch genes is higher than in associated primary tumors. Our results shed new light on the spectrum of Notch mutations after in vitro culturing of tumor cells. The higher mutation frequency in tumor cell lines indicates that Notch mutations are associated with a growth advantage in vitro, and thus may be considered to be driver mutations in a tumor cell line context. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1278-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

  10. Gauging NOTCH1 Activation in Cancer Using Immunohistochemistry.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael J Kluk

    Full Text Available Fixed, paraffin-embedded (FPE tissues are a potentially rich resource for studying the role of NOTCH1 in cancer and other pathologies, but tests that reliably detect activated NOTCH1 (NICD1 in FPE samples have been lacking. Here, we bridge this gap by developing an immunohistochemical (IHC stain that detects a neoepitope created by the proteolytic cleavage event that activates NOTCH1. Following validation using xenografted cancers and normal tissues with known patterns of NOTCH1 activation, we applied this test to tumors linked to dysregulated Notch signaling by mutational studies. As expected, frequent NICD1 staining was observed in T lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma, a tumor in which activating NOTCH1 mutations are common. However, when IHC was used to gauge NOTCH1 activation in other human cancers, several unexpected findings emerged. Among B cell tumors, NICD1 staining was much more frequent in chronic lymphocytic leukemia than would be predicted based on the frequency of NOTCH1 mutations, while mantle cell lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma showed no evidence of NOTCH1 activation. NICD1 was also detected in 38% of peripheral T cell lymphomas. Of interest, NICD1 staining in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells and in angioimmunoblastic lymphoma was consistently more pronounced in lymph nodes than in surrounding soft tissues, implicating factors in the nodal microenvironment in NOTCH1 activation in these diseases. Among carcinomas, diffuse strong NICD1 staining was observed in 3.8% of cases of triple negative breast cancer (3 of 78 tumors, but was absent from 151 non-small cell lung carcinomas and 147 ovarian carcinomas. Frequent staining of normal endothelium was also observed; in line with this observation, strong NICD1 staining was also seen in 77% of angiosarcomas. These findings complement insights from genomic sequencing studies and suggest that IHC staining is a valuable experimental tool that may be useful in selection of

  11. Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition reduces angiogenesis via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α and Notch1 in head neck squamous cell carcinoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei-Ming Wang

    Full Text Available Angiogenesis, a marker of cancer development, affects response to radiotherapy sensibility. This preclinical study aims to understand the receptor tyrosine kinase-mediated angiogenesis in head neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC. The receptor tyrosine kinase activity in a transgenic mouse model of HNSCC was assessed. The anti-tumorigenetic and anti-angiogenetic effects of cetuximab-induced epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR inhibition were investigated in xenograft and transgenic mouse models of HNSCC. The signaling transduction of Notch1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α was also analyzed. EGFR was overexpressed and activated in the Tgfbr1/Pten deletion (2cKO mouse model of HNSCC. Cetuximab significantly delayed tumor onset by reducing tumor angiogenesis. This drug exerted similar effects on heterotopic xenograft tumors. In the human HNSCC tissue array, increased EGFR expression correlated with increased HIF-1α and micro vessel density. Cetuximab inhibited tumor-induced angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo by significantly downregulating HIF-1α and Notch1. EGFR is involved in the tumor angiogenesis of HNSCC via the HIF-1α and Notch1 pathways. Therefore, targeting EGFR by suppressing hypoxia- and Notch-induced angiogenesis may benefit HNSCC therapy.

  12. Inhibition of Notch1 increases paclitaxel sensitivity to human breast cancer

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhao Li; Ma Yongjie; Gu Feng; Fu Li

    2014-01-01

    Background Paclitaxel (PAC) is the first-line chemotherapy drug for most breast cancer patients,but clinical studies showed that some breast cancer patients were insensitive to PAC,which led to chemotherapy failure.It was reported that Notch1 signaling participated in drug resistance of breast cancer.Here,we show whether Notch1 expression is related to PAC sensitivity of breast cancer.Methods We employed Notch1 siRNA and Notch1 inhibitor,N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-1-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butylester (DAPT),to down regulate Notch1 expression in human breast cancer cells MDA-MB-231,and detected the inhibition effect by Western blotting and reverse trans cription-polymerase chain reaction,respectively.After 24 hours exposure to different concentration of PAC (0,1,5,10,15,20,and 25 μg/ml),the viability of the control group and experimental group cells was tested by MTT.We also examined the expression of Notch1 in PAC sensitive and nonsensitive breast cancer patients,respectively by immunohistochemistry (IHC).The PAC sensitivity of breast cancer patients were identified by collagen gel droplet embedded culture-drug sensitivity test (CD-DST).Results Down regulation of Notch1 expression by Notch1siRNA interference or Notch1 inhibitor increased the PAC sensitivity in MDA-MB-231 cells (P <0.05).Also,the expression of Notch1 in PAC sensitive patients was much lower than that of PAC non-sensitive patients (P <0.01).Conclusion Notch1 expression has an effect on PAC sensitivity in breast cancer patients,and the inhibition of Notch1 increases paclitaxel sensitivity to human breast cancer.

  13. Effect of notch dimension on the fatigue life of V-notched structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Changzheng; Naman, Recho; Niu Zhongrong; Zhou Huanlin

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → A novel method is proposed to calculate the SIFs of crack at notch tip. → Effect of notch opening angle on the crack extension and propagation is studied. → Influence of notch depth on the crack extension and propagation is analyzed. → The fatigue life of a welded joint is analyzed by the present method. - Abstract: The stress singularity degree associated to a V-notch has a great influence on the fatigue life of V-notched structure. The growth rate of the crack initiated at the tip of a V-notch depends on the stress singularity of the V-notch. The fatigue life accompanying with this small crack will represent a large amount of the total fatigue life. In this work, boundary element method (BEM) is used to study the propagation of the crack emanating from a V-notch tip under fatigue loading. A comparison of the fatigue life between the crack initiated from V-notch tip and a lateral crack is done by a crack propagation law until these two cracks have the same stress intensity factors (SIFs). The effect of initial crack length, notch opening angle and notch depth on the crack extension and propagation is analyzed. As an example of engineering application, the fatigue life of a welded joint is investigated by the present method. The influence of weld toe angle and initial crack length on the fatigue life of the welded structure is studied. Some suggestions are given as an attempt to improve the fatigue life of welded structures at the end.

  14. Spoof surface plasmon polaritons based notch filter for ultra-wideband microwave waveguide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xiao, Binggang; Li, Sheng-Hua; Xiao, Sanshui

    2016-01-01

    Spoof surface plasmon polaritons based notch filter for ultra-wideband microwave waveguide is proposed. Owing to subwavelength confinement, such a filter has advantage in the structure size without sacrificing the performance. The spoof SPP based notch is introduced to suppress the WLAN and satel...... and satellite communication signals. Due to planar structures proposed here, it is easy to integrate in the microwave integrated systems, which can play an important role in the microwave communication circuit and system.......Spoof surface plasmon polaritons based notch filter for ultra-wideband microwave waveguide is proposed. Owing to subwavelength confinement, such a filter has advantage in the structure size without sacrificing the performance. The spoof SPP based notch is introduced to suppress the WLAN...

  15. Adhesion signaling promotes protease‑driven polyploidization of glioblastoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercapide, Javier; Lorico, Aurelio

    2014-11-01

    An increase in ploidy (polyploidization) causes genomic instability in cancer. However, the determinants for the increased DNA content of cancer cells have not yet been fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated whether adhesion induces polyploidization in human U87MG glioblastoma cells. For this purpose, we employed expression vectors that reported transcriptional activation by signaling networks implicated in cancer. Signaling activation induced by intercellular integrin binding elicited both extracellular signal‑regulated kinase (ERK) and Notch target transcription. Upon the prolonged activation of both ERK and Notch target transcription induced by integrin binding to adhesion protein, cell cultures accumulated polyploid cells, as determined by cell DNA content distribution analysis and the quantification of polynucleated cells. This linked the transcriptional activation induced by integrin adhesion to the increased frequency of polyploidization. Accordingly, the inhibition of signaling decreased the extent of polyploidization mediated by protease‑driven intracellular invasion. Therefore, the findings of this study indicate that integrin adhesion induces polyploidization through the stimulation of glioblastoma cell invasiveness.

  16. Aspartyl-(asparaginyl β-Hydroxylase, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α and Notch Cross-Talk in Regulating Neuronal Motility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margot Lawton

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Aspartyl-(Asparaginyl-β-Hydroxylase (AAH promotes cell motility by hydroxylating Notch. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor, type 1 (IGF-I stimulate AAH through Erk MAP K and phosphoinositol-3-kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt. However, hypoxia/oxidative stress may also regulate AAH . Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α regulates cell migration, signals through Notch, and is regulated by hypoxia/oxidative stress, insulin/IGF signaling and factor inhibiting HIF-1α (FIH hydroxylation. To examine cross-talk between HIF-1α and AAH , we measured AAH , Notch-1, Jagged-1, FIH, HIF-1α, HIF-1β and the hairy and enhancer of split 1 (HE S-1 transcription factor expression and directional motility in primitive neuroectodermal tumor 2 (PNET2 human neuronal cells that were exposed to H2O2 or transfected with short interfering RNA duplexes (siRNA targeting AAH , Notch-1 or HIF-1α. We found that: (1 AAH , HIF-1α and neuronal migration were stimulated by H2O2; (2 si-HIF-1α reduced AAH expression and cell motility; (3 si-AAH inhibited Notch and cell migration, but not HIF-1α and (4 si-Notch-1 increased FIH and inhibited HIF-1α. These findings suggest that AAH and HIF-1α crosstalk within a hydroxylation-regulated signaling pathway that may be transiently driven by oxidative stress and chronically regulated by insulin/IGF signaling.

  17. Blocking the NOTCH pathway can inhibit the growth of CD133-positive A549 cells and sensitize to chemotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Juntao; Mao, Zhangfan; Huang, Jie; Xie, Songping; Liu, Tianshu; Mao, Zhifu, E-mail: 48151660@qq.com

    2014-02-21

    Highlights: • Notch signaling pathway members are expressed lower levels in CD133+ cells. • CD133+ cells are not as sensitive as CD133− cells to chemotherapy. • GSI could inhibit the growth of both CD133+ and CD133− cells. • Blockade of Notch signaling pathway enhanced the effect of chemotherapy with CDDP. • DAPT/CDDP co-therapy caused G2/M arrest and elimination in CD133+ cells. - Abstract: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are believed to play an important role in tumor growth and recurrence. These cells exhibit self-renewal and proliferation properties. CSCs also exhibit significant drug resistance compared with normal tumor cells. Finding new treatments that target CSCs could significantly enhance the effect of chemotherapy and improve patient survival. Notch signaling is known to regulate the development of the lungs by controlling the cell-fate determination of normal stem cells. In this study, we isolated CSCs from the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549. CD133 was used as a stem cell marker for fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). We compared the expression of Notch signaling in both CD133+ and CD133− cells and blocked Notch signaling using the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT (GSI-IX). The effect of combining GSI and cisplatin (CDDP) was also examined in these two types of cells. We observed that both CD133+ and CD133− cells proliferated at similar rates, but the cells exhibited distinctive differences in cell cycle progression. Few CD133+ cells were observed in the G{sub 2}/M phase, and there were half as many cells in S phase compared with the CD133− cells. Furthermore, CD133+ cells exhibited significant resistance to chemotherapy when treated with CDDP. The expression of Notch signaling pathway members, such as Notch1, Notch2 and Hes1, was lower in CD133+ cells. GSI slightly inhibited the proliferation of both cell types and exhibited little effect on the cell cycle. The inhibitory effects of DPP on these two types of cells were

  18. The effect of 50/60 Hz notch filter application on human and rat ECG recordings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vale-Cardoso, A S; Guimarães, H N

    2010-01-01

    Power-line interference is always present in indoor biopotential measurements, even when its extremely low magnitude makes it imperceptible. In special situations, this kind of interference can be neglected, but this is not a general rule. In laboratory experiments and clinical analysis, it is hard (and expensive) to isolate the subject of measurement from electrical fields produced by a power line. In human biopotential recordings, it is common practice to apply a 50/60 Hz notch filter to reduce this kind of interference. In such cases, there is no considerable distortion observed on the recorded signal. However, experiments showed that it is not true for rat ECG recordings. Several kinds of notch filters (analog and digital) were implemented for evaluation of the distortion caused on ECG signals. These filters were applied to ECGs of humans and rats and then distortion estimates were computed from their resulting signals. The comparison of these estimates showed that, as experimentally observed, rat ECG signals are significantly distorted and deformed when a 50/60 Hz notch filter is applied to them, while human ECGs are not. The major goal of this paper is to show that the use of a notch filter for power-line interference rejection, when applied to rat ECG recordings, can severely deform the QRS complex of such signals, warning researchers against its non-deliberate usage

  19. GDE2 regulates subtype-specific motor neuron generation through inhibition of Notch signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabharwal, Priyanka; Lee, Changhee; Park, Sungjin; Rao, Meenakshi; Sockanathan, Shanthini

    2011-09-22

    The specification of spinal interneuron and motor neuron identities initiates within progenitor cells, while motor neuron subtype diversification is regulated by hierarchical transcriptional programs implemented postmitotically. Here we find that mice lacking GDE2, a six-transmembrane protein that triggers motor neuron generation, exhibit selective losses of distinct motor neuron subtypes, specifically in defined subsets of limb-innervating motor pools that correlate with the loss of force-generating alpha motor neurons. Mechanistically, GDE2 is expressed by postmitotic motor neurons but utilizes extracellular glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase activity to induce motor neuron generation by inhibiting Notch signaling in neighboring motor neuron progenitors. Thus, neuronal GDE2 controls motor neuron subtype diversity through a non-cell-autonomous feedback mechanism that directly regulates progenitor cell differentiation, implying that subtype specification initiates within motor neuron progenitor populations prior to their differentiation into postmitotic motor neurons. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Human papillomavirus 16E6 and NFX1-123 potentiate notch signaling and differentiation without activating cellular arrest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vliet-Gregg, Portia A.; Hamilton, Jennifer R. [Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children' s Research Institute, 1900 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101 (United States); Katzenellenbogen, Rachel A., E-mail: rkatzen@uw.edu [Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children' s Research Institute, 1900 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101 (United States); Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle WA (United States)

    2015-04-15

    High-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) oncoproteins bind host cell proteins to dysregulate and uncouple apoptosis, senescence, differentiation, and growth. These pathways are important for both the viral life cycle and cancer development. HR HPV16 E6 (16E6) interacts with the cellular protein NFX1-123, and they collaboratively increase the growth and differentiation master regulator, Notch1. In 16E6 expressing keratinocytes (16E6 HFKs), the Notch canonical pathway genes Hes1 and Hes5 were increased with overexpression of NFX1-123, and their expression was directly linked to the activation or blockade of the Notch1 receptor. Keratinocyte differentiation genes Keratin 1 and Keratin 10 were also increased, but in contrast their upregulation was only indirectly associated with Notch1 receptor stimulation and was fully unlinked to growth arrest, increased p21{sup Waf1/CIP1}, or decreased proliferative factor Ki67. This leads to a model of 16E6, NFX1-123, and Notch1 differently regulating canonical and differentiation pathways and entirely uncoupling cellular arrest from increased differentiation. - Highlights: • 16E6 and NFX1-123 increased the Notch canonical pathway through Notch1. • 16E6 and NFX1-123 increased the differentiation pathway indirectly through Notch1. • 16E6 and NFX1-123 increased differentiation gene expression without growth arrest. • Increased NFX1-123 with 16E6 may create an ideal cellular phenotype for HPV.

  1. Breast Cancer Stem Cell Therapeutics, Multiple Strategies Versus Using Engineered Mesenchymal Stem Cells With Notch Inhibitory Properties: Possibilities and Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bose, Bipasha; Sen, Utsav; Shenoy P, Sudheer

    2018-01-01

    Relapse cases of cancers are more vigorous and difficult to control due to the preponderance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Such CSCs that had been otherwise dormant during the first incidence of cancer gradually appear as radiochemoresistant cancer cells. Hence, cancer therapeutics aimed at CSCs would be an effective strategy for mitigating the cancers during relapse. Alternatively, CSC therapy can also be proposed as an adjuvant therapy, along-with the conventional therapies. As regenerative stem cells (RSCs) are known for their trophic effects, anti-tumorogenicity, and better migration toward an injury site, this review aims to address the use of adult stem cells such as dental pulp derived; cord blood derived pure populations of regenerative stem cells for targeting CSCs. Indeed, pro-tumorogenicity of RSCs is of concern and hence has also been dealt with in relation to breast CSC therapeutics. Furthermore, as notch signaling pathways are upregulated in breast cancers, and anti-notch antibody based and sh-RNA based therapies are already in the market, this review focuses the possibilities of engineering RSCs to express notch inhibitory proteins for breast CSC therapeutics. Also, we have drawn a comparison among various possibilities of breast CSC therapeutics, about, notch1 inhibition. J. Cell. Biochem. 119: 141-149, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Modeling ductal carcinoma in situ: a HER2-Notch3 collaboration enables luminal filling.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Pradeep, C-R

    2012-02-16

    A large fraction of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a non-invasive precursor lesion of invasive breast cancer, overexpresses the HER2\\/neu oncogene. The ducts of DCIS are abnormally filled with cells that evade apoptosis, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. We overexpressed HER2 in mammary epithelial cells and observed growth factor-independent proliferation. When grown in extracellular matrix as three-dimensional spheroids, control cells developed a hollow lumen, but HER2-overexpressing cells populated the lumen by evading apoptosis. We demonstrate that HER2 overexpression in this cellular model of DCIS drives transcriptional upregulation of multiple components of the Notch survival pathway. Importantly, luminal filling required upregulation of a signaling pathway comprising Notch3, its cleaved intracellular domain and the transcriptional regulator HES1, resulting in elevated levels of c-MYC and cyclin D1. In line with HER2-Notch3 collaboration, drugs intercepting either arm reverted the DCIS-like phenotype. In addition, we report upregulation of Notch3 in hyperplastic lesions of HER2 transgenic animals, as well as an association between HER2 levels and expression levels of components of the Notch pathway in tumor specimens of breast cancer patients. Therefore, it is conceivable that the integration of the Notch and HER2 signaling pathways contributes to the pathophysiology of DCIS.

  3. Role of Notch-1 signaling in ethanol induced PC12 apoptosis

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. NJ TONUKARI

    2012-04-17

    Apr 17, 2012 ... Key words: Neuronal PC12 cell, neurodegenerative disease, ethanol, Notch-1. INTRODUCTION. Neurodegenerative disorders (ND) such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are pro- gressive, age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder affecting the cortex and hippocampus, and ...

  4. Stroma-induced Jagged1 expression drives PC3 prostate cancer cell migration; disparate effects of RIP-generated proteolytic fragments on cell behaviour and Notch signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Delury, Craig, E-mail: c.delury@lancaster.ac.uk [Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom); Hart, Claire, E-mail: claire.hart@manchester.ac.uk [Genito Urinary Cancer Research Group, Institute of Cancer Sciences, Paterson Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4BX (United Kingdom); Brown, Mick, E-mail: michael.brown@ics.manchester.ac.uk [Genito Urinary Cancer Research Group, Institute of Cancer Sciences, Paterson Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4BX (United Kingdom); Clarke, Noel, E-mail: noel.clarke@christie.nhs.uk [Genito Urinary Cancer Research Group, Institute of Cancer Sciences, Paterson Building, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Wilmslow Road, Manchester, M20 4BX (United Kingdom); Parkin, Edward, E-mail: e.parkin@lancaster.ac.uk [Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YQ (United Kingdom)

    2016-03-25

    The Notch ligand Jagged1 is subject to regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP) which yields a soluble ectodomain (sJag) and a soluble Jagged1 intracellular domain (JICD). The full-length Jagged1 protein enhances prostate cancer (PCa) cell proliferation and is highly expressed in metastatic cells. However, little is known regarding the mechanisms by which Jagged1 or its RIP-generated fragments might promote PCa bone metastasis. In the current study we show that bone marrow stroma (BMS) induces Jagged1 expression in bone metastatic prostate cancer PC3 cells and that this enhanced expression is mechanistically linked to the promotion of cell migration. We also show that RIP-generated Jagged1 fragments exert disparate effects on PC3 cell behaviour and Notch signaling. In conclusion, the expression of both the full-length ligand and its RIP-generated fragments must be considered in tandem when attempting to regulate Jagged1 as a possible PCa therapy. - Highlights: • Bone marrow stroma induces Jagged1 expression in prostate cancer (PCa) PC3 cells. • This enhanced expression of full-length Jagged1 is required for PC3 cell migration. • Proteolytic fragments of Jagged1 exert disparate effects on PC3 cell behaviour. • Effects of fragments on cell behaviour do not correlate with Notch signaling. • Effects of Jagged1 and its fragments on PCa metastasis likely to be complex.

  5. Context-Dependent Functional Divergence of the Notch Ligands DLL1 and DLL4 In Vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina Preuße

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Notch signalling is a fundamental pathway that shapes the developing embryo and sustains adult tissues by direct communication between ligand and receptor molecules on adjacent cells. Among the ligands are two Delta paralogues, DLL1 and DLL4, that are conserved in mammals and share a similar structure and sequence. They activate the Notch receptor partly in overlapping expression domains where they fulfil redundant functions in some processes (e.g. maintenance of the crypt cell progenitor pool. In other processes, however, they appear to act differently (e.g. maintenance of foetal arterial identity raising the questions of how similar DLL1 and DLL4 really are and which mechanism causes the apparent context-dependent divergence. By analysing mice that conditionally overexpress DLL1 or DLL4 from the same genomic locus (Hprt and mice that express DLL4 instead of DLL1 from the endogenous Dll1 locus (Dll1Dll4ki, we found functional differences that are tissue-specific: while DLL1 and DLL4 act redundantly during the maintenance of retinal progenitors, their function varies in the presomitic mesoderm (PSM where somites form in a Notch-dependent process. In the anterior PSM, every cell expresses both Notch receptors and ligands, and DLL1 is the only activator of Notch while DLL4 is not endogenously expressed. Transgenic DLL4 cannot replace DLL1 during somitogenesis and in heterozygous Dll1Dll4ki/+ mice, the Dll1Dll4ki allele causes a dominant segmentation phenotype. Testing several aspects of the complex Notch signalling system in vitro, we found that both ligands have a similar trans-activation potential but that only DLL4 is an efficient cis-inhibitor of Notch signalling, causing a reduced net activation of Notch. These differential cis-inhibitory properties are likely to contribute to the functional divergence of DLL1 and DLL4.

  6. Deficiency of RITA results in multiple mitotic defects by affecting microtubule dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinhäuser, K; Klöble, P; Kreis, N-N; Ritter, A; Friemel, A; Roth, S; Reichel, J M; Michaelis, J; Rieger, M A; Louwen, F; Oswald, F; Yuan, J

    2017-04-01

    Deregulation of mitotic microtubule (MT) dynamics results in defective spindle assembly and chromosome missegregation, leading further to chromosome instability, a hallmark of tumor cells. RBP-J interacting and tubulin-associated protein (RITA) has been identified as a negative regulator of the Notch signaling pathway. Intriguingly, deregulated RITA is involved in primary hepatocellular carcinoma and other malignant entities. We were interested in the potential molecular mechanisms behind its involvement. We show here that RITA binds to tubulin and localizes to various mitotic MT structures. RITA coats MTs and affects their structures in vitro as well as in vivo. Tumor cell lines deficient of RITA display increased acetylated α-tubulin, enhanced MT stability and reduced MT dynamics, accompanied by multiple mitotic defects, including chromosome misalignment and segregation errors. Re-expression of wild-type RITA, but not RITA Δtub ineffectively binding to tubulin, restores the phenotypes, suggesting that the role of RITA in MT modulation is mediated via its interaction with tubulin. Mechanistically, RITA interacts with tubulin/histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and its suppression decreases the binding of the deacetylase HDAC6 to tubulin/MTs. Furthermore, the mitotic defects and increased MT stability are also observed in RITA -/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts. RITA has thus a novel role in modulating MT dynamics and its deregulation results in erroneous chromosome segregation, one of the major reasons for chromosome instability in tumor cells.

  7. Wound trauma mediated inflammatory signaling attenuates a tissue regenerative response in MRL/MpJ mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elster Eric A

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Severe trauma can induce pathophysiological responses that have marked inflammatory components. The development of systemic inflammation following severe thermal injury has been implicated in immune dysfunction, delayed wound healing, multi-system organ failure and increased mortality. Methods In this study, we examined the impact of thermal injury-induced systemic inflammation on the healing response of a secondary wound in the MRL/MpJ mouse model, which was anatomically remote from the primary site of trauma, a wound that typically undergoes scarless healing in this specific strain. Ear-hole wounds in MRL/MpJ mice have previously displayed accelerated healing and tissue regeneration in the absence of a secondary insult. Results Severe thermal injury in addition to distal ear-hole wounds induced marked local and systemic inflammatory responses in the lungs and significantly augmented the expression of inflammatory mediators in the ear tissue. By day 14, 61% of the ear-hole wounds from thermally injured mice demonstrated extensive inflammation with marked inflammatory cell infiltration, extensive ulceration, and various level of necrosis to the point where a large percentage (38% had to be euthanized early during the study due to extensive necrosis, inflammation and ear deformation. By day 35, ear-hole wounds in mice not subjected to thermal injury were completely closed, while the ear-hole wounds in thermally injured mice exhibited less inflammation and necrosis and only closed partially (62%. Thermal injury resulted in marked increases in serum levels of IL-6, TNFα, KC (CXCL1, and MIP-2α (CXCL2. Interestingly, attenuated early ear wound healing in the thermally injured mouse resulted in incomplete tissue regeneration in addition to a marked inflammatory response, as evidenced by the histological appearance of the wound and increased transcription of potent inflammatory mediators. Conclusion These findings suggest that the

  8. TLX1 and NOTCH coregulate transcription in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lee Norman H

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The homeobox gene TLX1 (for T-cell leukemia homeobox 1, previously known as HOX11 is inappropriately expressed in a major subgroup of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL where it is strongly associated with activating NOTCH1 mutations. Despite the recognition that these genetic lesions cooperate in leukemogenesis, there have been no mechanistic studies addressing how TLX1 and NOTCH1 functionally interact to promote the leukemic phenotype. Results Global gene expression profiling after downregulation of TLX1 and inhibition of the NOTCH pathway in ALL-SIL cells revealed that TLX1 synergistically regulated more than 60% of the NOTCH-responsive genes. Structure-function analysis demonstrated that TLX1 binding to Groucho-related TLE corepressors was necessary for maximal transcriptional regulation of the NOTCH-responsive genes tested, implicating TLX1 modulation of the NOTCH-TLE regulatory network. Comparison of the dataset to publicly available biological databases indicated that the TLX1/NOTCH-coregulated genes are frequently targeted by MYC. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments confirmed that MYC was an essential mediator of TLX1/NOTCH transcriptional output and growth promotion in ALL-SIL cells, with TLX1 contributing to the NOTCH-MYC regulatory axis by posttranscriptional enhancement of MYC protein levels. Functional classification of the TLX1/NOTCH-coregulated targets also showed enrichment for genes associated with other human cancers as well as those involved in developmental processes. In particular, we found that TLX1, NOTCH and MYC coregulate CD1B and RAG1, characteristic markers of early cortical thymocytes, and that concerted downregulation of the TLX1 and NOTCH pathways resulted in their irreversible repression. Conclusions We found that TLX1 and NOTCH synergistically regulate transcription in T-ALL, at least in part via the sharing of a TLE corepressor and by augmenting expression of MYC. We conclude that

  9. Kynurenine promotes the goblet cell differentiation of HT-29 colon carcinoma cells by modulating Wnt, Notch and AhR signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Joo-Hung; Lee, Jeong-Min; Lee, Eun-Jin; Kim, Da-Jeong; Hwang, Won-Bhin

    2018-04-01

    Various amino acids regulate cell growth and differentiation. In the present study, we examined the ability of HT-29 cells to differentiate into goblet cells in RPMI and DMEM which are largely different in the amounts of numerous amino acids. Most of the HT-29 cells differentiated into goblet cells downregulating the stem cell marker Lgr5 when cultured in DMEM, but remained undifferentiated in RPMI. The goblet cell differentiation in DMEM was inhibited by 1-methyl-tryptophan (1-MT), an inhibitor of indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase-1 which is the initial enzyme in tryptophan metabolism along the kynurenine (KN) pathway, whereas tryptophan and KN induced goblet cell differentiation in RPMI. The levels of Notch1 and its activation product Notch intracytoplasmic domain in HT-29 cells were lower in DMEM than those in RPMI and were increased by 1-MT in both media. HT-29 cells grown in both media expressed β-catenin at the same level on day 2 when goblet cell differentiation was not observed. β-catenin expression, which was increased by 1-MT in both media, was decreased by KN. DMEM reduced Hes1 expression while enhancing Hath1 expression. Finally, aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) activation moderately induced goblet cell differentiation. Our results suggest that KN promotes goblet cell differentiation by regulating Wnt, Notch, and AhR signals and expression of Hes1 and Hath1.

  10. Acupuncture inhibits Notch1 and Hes1 protein expression in the basal ganglia of rats with cerebral hemorrhage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zou

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Notch pathway activation maintains neural stem cells in a proliferating state and increases nerve repair capacity. To date, studies have rarely focused on changes or damage to signal transduction pathways during cerebral hemorrhage. Here, we examined the effect of acupuncture in a rat model of cerebral hemorrhage. We examined four groups: in the control group, rats received no treatment. In the model group, cerebral hemorrhage models were established by infusing non-heparinized blood into the brain. In the acupuncture group, modeled rats had Baihui (DU20 and Qubin (GB7 acupoints treated once a day for 30 minutes. In the DAPT group, modeled rats had 0.15 μg/mL DAPT solution (10 mL infused into the brain. Immunohistochemistry and western blot results showed that acupuncture effectively inhibits Notch1 and Hes1 protein expression in rat basal ganglia. These inhibitory effects were identical to DAPT, a Notch signaling pathway inhibitor. Our results suggest that acupuncture has a neuroprotective effect on cerebral hemorrhage by inhibiting Notch-Hes signaling pathway transduction in rat basal ganglia after cerebral hemorrhage.

  11. Deletion of Notch1 converts pro-T cells to dendritic cells and promotes thymic B cells by cell-extrinsic and cell-intrinsic mechanisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feyerabend, Thorsten B; Terszowski, Grzegorz; Tietz, Annette; Blum, Carmen; Luche, Hervé; Gossler, Achim; Gale, Nicholas W; Radtke, Freddy; Fehling, Hans Jörg; Rodewald, Hans-Reimer

    2009-01-16

    Notch1 signaling is required for T cell development and has been implicated in fate decisions in the thymus. We showed that Notch1 deletion in progenitor T cells (pro-T cells) revealed their latent developmental potential toward becoming conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. In addition, Notch1 deletion in pro-T cells resulted in large numbers of thymic B cells, previously explained by T-to-B cell fate conversion. Single-cell genotyping showed, however, that the majority of these thymic B cells arose from Notch1-sufficient cells by a cell-extrinsic pathway. Fate switching nevertheless exists for a subset of thymic B cells originating from Notch1-deleted pro-T cells. Chimeric mice lacking the Notch ligand delta-like 4 (Dll4) in thymus epithelium revealed an essential role for Dll4 in T cell development. Thus, Notch1-Dll4 signaling fortifies T cell commitment by suppressing non-T cell lineage potential in pro-T cells, and normal Notch1-driven T cell development repels excessive B cells in the thymus.

  12. Notch-dependent epithelial fold determines boundary formation between developmental fields in the Drosophila antenna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ku, Hui-Yu; Sun, Y Henry

    2017-07-01

    Compartment boundary formation plays an important role in development by separating adjacent developmental fields. Drosophila imaginal discs have proven valuable for studying the mechanisms of boundary formation. We studied the boundary separating the proximal A1 segment and the distal segments, defined respectively by Lim1 and Dll expression in the eye-antenna disc. Sharp segregation of the Lim1 and Dll expression domains precedes activation of Notch at the Dll/Lim1 interface. By repressing bantam miRNA and elevating the actin regulator Enable, Notch signaling then induces actomyosin-dependent apical constriction and epithelial fold. Disruption of Notch signaling or the actomyosin network reduces apical constriction and epithelial fold, so that Dll and Lim1 cells become intermingled. Our results demonstrate a new mechanism of boundary formation by actomyosin-dependent tissue folding, which provides a physical barrier to prevent mixing of cells from adjacent developmental fields.

  13. Fracture toughness evaluation of small notched specimen in consideration of notch effect and loading rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Baik Woo; Kwon, Dong Il; Jang, Jae Il

    2000-01-01

    Notch effect and loading rate dependency on fracture toughness were considered when evaluating fracture toughness of small notched specimens using the instrumented impact test. Notch effect was analyzed into stress redistribution effect and stress relaxation with a viewpoint of stress triaxiality. Stress redistribution effect was corrected by introducing effective crack length, which was the sum of actual crack length and plastic zone size. Stress relaxation effect was also corrected using elastic stress concentration factor, which would decrease if plastic deformation occurred. As a result, corrected fracture toughness of the notched specimen was very consistent with the reference fracture toughness obtained using precracked specimen. In addition, limiting notch root radius, below which fracture toughness was independent of notch radius, was observed and discussed. Loading rate dependency on fracture toughness, which was obtained from the static three point bending test and the instrumented impact test, was also discussed with stress field in plastic zone ahead of a notch and fracture based on stress control mechanism. (author)

  14. Mapping Sites of O-Glycosylation and Fringe Elongation on Drosophila Notch*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey, Beth M.; Rana, Nadia A.; Moss, Hillary; Leonardi, Jessica; Jafar-Nejad, Hamed; Haltiwanger, Robert S.

    2016-01-01

    Glycosylation of the Notch receptor is essential for its activity and serves as an important modulator of signaling. Three major forms of O-glycosylation are predicted to occur at consensus sites within the epidermal growth factor-like repeats in the extracellular domain of the receptor: O-fucosylation, O-glucosylation, and O-GlcNAcylation. We have performed comprehensive mass spectral analyses of these three types of O-glycosylation on Drosophila Notch produced in S2 cells and identified peptides containing all 22 predicted O-fucose sites, all 18 predicted O-glucose sites, and all 18 putative O-GlcNAc sites. Using semiquantitative mass spectral methods, we have evaluated the occupancy and relative amounts of glycans at each site. The majority of the O-fucose sites were modified to high stoichiometries. Upon expression of the β3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase Fringe with Notch, we observed varying degrees of elongation beyond O-fucose monosaccharide, indicating that Fringe preferentially modifies certain sites more than others. Rumi modified O-glucose sites to high stoichiometries, although elongation of the O-glucose was site-specific. Although the current putative consensus sequence for O-GlcNAcylation predicts 18 O-GlcNAc sites on Notch, we only observed apparent O-GlcNAc modification at five sites. In addition, we performed mass spectral analysis on endogenous Notch purified from Drosophila embryos and found that the glycosylation states were similar to those found on Notch from S2 cells. These data provide foundational information for future studies investigating the mechanisms of how O-glycosylation regulates Notch activity. PMID:27268051

  15. Charge-signal multiplication mediated by urea wires inside Y-shaped carbon nanotubes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lv, Mei; Liu, Zengrong; He, Bing; Xiu, Peng; Tu, Yusong

    2014-01-01

    In previous studies, we reported molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showing that single-file water wires confined inside Y-shaped single-walled carbon nanotubes (Y-SWNTs) held strong and robust capability to convert and multiply charge signals [Y. S. Tu, P. Xiu, R. Z. Wan, J. Hu, R. H. Zhou, and H. P. Fang, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106, 18120 (2009); Y. Tu, H. Lu, Y. Zhang, T. Huynh, and R. Zhou, J. Chem. Phys. 138, 015104 (2013)]. It is fascinating to see whether the signal multiplication can be realized by other kinds of polar molecules with larger dipole moments (which make the experimental realization easier). In this article, we use MD simulations to study the urea-mediated signal conversion and multiplication with Y-SWNTs. We observe that when a Y-SWNT with an external charge of magnitude 1.0 e (the model of a signal at the single-electron level) is solvated in 1 M urea solutions, urea can induce drying of the Y-SWNT and fill its interiors in single-file, forming Y-shaped urea wires. The external charge can effectively control the dipole orientation of the urea wire inside the main channel (i.e., the signal can be readily converted), and this signal can further be multiplied into 2 (or more) output signals by modulating dipole orientations of urea wires in bifurcated branch channels of the Y-SWNT. This remarkable signal transduction capability arises from the strong dipole-induced ordering of urea wires under extreme confinement. We also discuss the advantage of urea as compared with water in the signal multiplication, as well as the robustness and biological implications of our findings. This study provides the possibility for multiplying signals by using urea molecules (or other polar organic molecules) with Y-shaped nanochannels and might also help understand the mechanism behind signal conduction in both physical and biological systems

  16. Targeting the Notch-regulated non-coding RNA TUG1 for glioma treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katsushima, Keisuke; Natsume, Atsushi; Ohka, Fumiharu; Shinjo, Keiko; Hatanaka, Akira; Ichimura, Norihisa; Sato, Shinya; Takahashi, Satoru; Kimura, Hiroshi; Totoki, Yasushi; Shibata, Tatsuhiro; Naito, Mitsuru; Kim, Hyun Jin; Miyata, Kanjiro; Kataoka, Kazunori; Kondo, Yutaka

    2016-12-06

    Targeting self-renewal is an important goal in cancer therapy and recent studies have focused on Notch signalling in the maintenance of stemness of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Understanding cancer-specific Notch regulation would improve specificity of targeting this pathway. In this study, we find that Notch1 activation in GSCs specifically induces expression of the lncRNA, TUG1. TUG1 coordinately promotes self-renewal by sponging miR-145 in the cytoplasm and recruiting polycomb to repress differentiation genes by locus-specific methylation of histone H3K27 via YY1-binding activity in the nucleus. Furthermore, intravenous treatment with antisense oligonucleotides targeting TUG1 coupled with a drug delivery system induces GSC differentiation and efficiently represses GSC growth in vivo. Our results highlight the importance of the Notch-lncRNA axis in regulating self-renewal of glioma cells and provide a strong rationale for targeting TUG1 as a specific and potent therapeutic approach to eliminate the GSC population.

  17. In vitro V(D)J recombination: Signal joint formation

    OpenAIRE

    Cortes, Patricia; Weis-Garcia, Frances; Misulovin, Ziva; Nussenzweig, Andre; Lai, Jiann-Shiun; Li, Gloria; Nussenzweig, Michel C.; Baltimore, David

    1996-01-01

    The first step of V(D)J recombination, specific cleavage at the recombination signal sequence (RSS), can be carried out by the recombination activating proteins RAG1 and RAG2. In vivo, the cleaved coding and signal ends must be rejoined to generate functional antigen receptors and maintain chromosomal integrity. We have investigated signal joint formation using deletion and inversion substrates in a cell free system. RAG1 and RAG2 alone or in combination were unabl...

  18. Signaling via ITGB1/FAK and microfilament rearrangement mediates the internalization of Leptospira interrogans in mouse J774A.1 macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhao Xin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Leptospirosis caused by pathogenic Leptospira species is a worldwide zoonotic 2 infectious disease, but the mechanisms of leptospiral internalization remain poorly understood. Here, we report that mouse J774A.1 macrophages expressed integrin-subfamily proteins (ITGB1, ITGB2 and ITGB3. Antibody blockage and siRNA-based knockdown of ITGB1 decreased the internalization of leptospires into mouse J774A.1 macrophage cells. The internalization required focal adhesion kinase (FAK activation in J774A.1 cells rather than phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K, and microfilament rather than microtubule aggregation during infection. The data indicated that the ITGB1/FAK/microfilament signaling pathway is responsible for leptospiral internalization in mouse macrophages.

  19. Assessment of correlation between knee notch width index and the three-dimensional notch volume

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Eck, C.F.; Martins, C.A.Q.; Lorenz, S.G.F.; Fu, F.H.; Smolinski, P.

    2010-01-01

    This study was done to determine whether there is a correlation between the notch volume and the notch width index (NWI) as measured on the three most frequently used radiographic views: the Holmblad 45A degrees, Holmblad 70A degrees, and Rosenberg view. The notch volume of 20 cadaveric knees was

  20. Independent losses of visual perception genes Gja10 and Rbp3 in echolocating bats (Order: Chiroptera.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Shen

    Full Text Available A trade-off between the sensory modalities of vision and hearing is likely to have occurred in echolocating bats as the sophisticated mechanism of laryngeal echolocation requires considerable neural processing and has reduced the reliance of echolocating bats on vision for perceiving the environment. If such a trade-off exists, it is reasonable to hypothesize that some genes involved in visual function may have undergone relaxed selection or even functional loss in echolocating bats. The Gap junction protein, alpha 10 (Gja10, encoded by Gja10 gene is expressed abundantly in mammal retinal horizontal cells and plays an important role in horizontal cell coupling. The interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (Irbp, encoded by the Rbp3 gene is mainly expressed in interphotoreceptor matrix and is known to be critical for normal functioning of the visual cycle. We sequenced Gja10 and Rbp3 genes in a taxonomically wide range of bats with divergent auditory characteristics (35 and 18 species for Gja10 and Rbp3, respectively. Both genes have became pseudogenes in species from the families Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae that emit constant frequency echolocation calls with Doppler shift compensation at high-duty-cycles (the most sophisticated form of biosonar known, and in some bat species that emit echolocation calls at low-duty-cycles. Our study thus provides further evidence for the hypothesis that a trade-off occurs at the genetic level between vision and echolocation in bats.

  1. Independent losses of visual perception genes Gja10 and Rbp3 in echolocating bats (Order: Chiroptera).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Bin; Fang, Tao; Dai, Mengyao; Jones, Gareth; Zhang, Shuyi

    2013-01-01

    A trade-off between the sensory modalities of vision and hearing is likely to have occurred in echolocating bats as the sophisticated mechanism of laryngeal echolocation requires considerable neural processing and has reduced the reliance of echolocating bats on vision for perceiving the environment. If such a trade-off exists, it is reasonable to hypothesize that some genes involved in visual function may have undergone relaxed selection or even functional loss in echolocating bats. The Gap junction protein, alpha 10 (Gja10, encoded by Gja10 gene) is expressed abundantly in mammal retinal horizontal cells and plays an important role in horizontal cell coupling. The interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (Irbp, encoded by the Rbp3 gene) is mainly expressed in interphotoreceptor matrix and is known to be critical for normal functioning of the visual cycle. We sequenced Gja10 and Rbp3 genes in a taxonomically wide range of bats with divergent auditory characteristics (35 and 18 species for Gja10 and Rbp3, respectively). Both genes have became pseudogenes in species from the families Hipposideridae and Rhinolophidae that emit constant frequency echolocation calls with Doppler shift compensation at high-duty-cycles (the most sophisticated form of biosonar known), and in some bat species that emit echolocation calls at low-duty-cycles. Our study thus provides further evidence for the hypothesis that a trade-off occurs at the genetic level between vision and echolocation in bats.

  2. Constitutively active Notch1 converts cranial neural crest-derived frontonasal mesenchyme to perivascular cells in vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sophie R. Miller

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Perivascular/mural cells originate from either the mesoderm or the cranial neural crest. Regardless of their origin, Notch signalling is necessary for their formation. Furthermore, in both chicken and mouse, constitutive Notch1 activation (via expression of the Notch1 intracellular domain is sufficient in vivo to convert trunk mesoderm-derived somite cells to perivascular cells, at the expense of skeletal muscle. In experiments originally designed to investigate the effect of premature Notch1 activation on the development of neural crest-derived olfactory ensheathing glial cells (OECs, we used in ovo electroporation to insert a tetracycline-inducible NotchΔE construct (encoding a constitutively active mutant of mouse Notch1 into the genome of chicken cranial neural crest cell precursors, and activated NotchΔE expression by doxycycline injection at embryonic day 4. NotchΔE-targeted cells formed perivascular cells within the frontonasal mesenchyme, and expressed a perivascular marker on the olfactory nerve. Hence, constitutively activating Notch1 is sufficient in vivo to drive not only somite cells, but also neural crest-derived frontonasal mesenchyme and perhaps developing OECs, to a perivascular cell fate. These results also highlight the plasticity of neural crest-derived mesenchyme and glia.

  3. Specificity and autoregulation of Notch binding by tandem WW domains in suppressor of Deltex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jennings, Martin D; Blankley, Richard T; Baron, Martin; Golovanov, Alexander P; Avis, Johanna M

    2007-09-28

    WW domains target proline-tyrosine (PY) motifs and frequently function as tandem pairs. When studied in isolation, single WW domains are notably promiscuous and regulatory mechanisms are undoubtedly required to ensure selective interactions. Here, we show that the fourth WW domain (WW4) of Suppressor of Deltex, a modular Nedd4-like protein that down-regulates the Notch receptor, is the primary mediator of a direct interaction with a Notch-PY motif. A natural Trp to Phe substitution in WW4 reduces its affinity for general PY sequences and enhances selective interaction with the Notch-PY motif via compensatory specificity-determining interactions with PY-flanking residues. When WW4 is paired with WW3, domain-domain association, impeding proper folding, competes with Notch-PY binding to WW4. This novel mode of autoinhibition is relieved by binding of another ligand to WW3. Such cooperativity may facilitate the transient regulatory interactions observed in vivo between Su(dx) and Notch in the endocytic pathway. The highly conserved tandem arrangement of WW domains in Nedd4 proteins, and similar arrangements in more diverse proteins, suggests domain-domain communication may be integral to regulation of their associated cellular activities.

  4. Notch sensitivity of aliphatic polyketone terpolymers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zuiderduin, W.C.J.; Huetink, Han; Gaymans, R.J.

    2004-01-01

    The notch sensitivity of aliphatic polyketone (PK) terpolymers was investigated in this article. The notch-tip radius was varied between the size of an actual propagating crack tip of 1-2 m and the largest notch tip of 1000 m radius. The larger notch-tip radii (1000-15 m) were milled into the

  5. Notch 1 Receptor, Delta 1 Ligand and HES 1 Transcription Factor are Expressed in the Lining Epithelium of Periapical Cysts (Preliminary Study).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meliou, E; Kerezoudis, Np; Tosios, Ki; Kiaris, H

    2010-07-27

    Periapical cyst is a chronic inflammatory disorder of periradicular tissues. The precise pathological mechanisms involved in periapical cyst enlargement remain unclear. Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway with a regulatory role in cell fate decisions during development and in carcinogenesis. To date, there are no published data available on the expression of Notch signaling components in periapical cysts or any other jaw cyst. In this immunohistochemical study we have examined the expression of the receptor Notch 1, the ligand Delta 1 and the transcription factor HES 1 in the epithelium of well defined periapical cysts. Immunostaining reaction of Notch 1, Delta 1 and HES 1 was observed in the cytoplasm and/or the cytoplasmic membrane and occasionally in the nucleus in the majority of epithelial cells of all periapical cysts. The present observations indicate that Notch pathway is active in the epithelium of periapical cysts. It can be speculated that activation of epithelial cells of periapical cysts is associated with activation of Notch pathway and imply involvement of this pathway in periapical cyst growth and expansion.

  6. The structure and dynamics of tandem WW domains in a negative regulator of notch signaling, Suppressor of deltex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fedoroff, Oleg Y; Townson, Sharon A; Golovanov, Alexander P; Baron, Martin; Avis, Johanna M

    2004-08-13

    WW domains mediate protein recognition, usually though binding to proline-rich sequences. In many proteins, WW domains occur in tandem arrays. Whether or how individual domains within such arrays cooperate to recognize biological partners is, as yet, poorly characterized. An important question is whether functional diversity of different WW domain proteins is reflected in the structural organization and ligand interaction mechanisms of their multiple domains. We have determined the solution structure and dynamics of a pair of WW domains (WW3-4) from a Drosophila Nedd4 family protein called Suppressor of deltex (Su(dx)), a regulator of Notch receptor signaling. We find that the binding of a type 1 PPPY ligand to WW3 stabilizes the structure with effects propagating to the WW4 domain, a domain that is not active for ligand binding. Both WW domains adopt the characteristic triple-stranded beta-sheet structure, and significantly, this is the first example of a WW domain structure to include a domain (WW4) lacking the second conserved Trp (replaced by Phe). The domains are connected by a flexible linker, which allows a hinge-like motion of domains that may be important for the recognition of functionally relevant targets. Our results contrast markedly with those of the only previously determined three-dimensional structure of tandem WW domains, that of the rigidly oriented WW domain pair from the RNA-splicing factor Prp40. Our data illustrate that arrays of WW domains can exhibit a variety of higher order structures and ligand interaction mechanisms.

  7. Sequestration of latent TGF-β binding protein 1 into CADASIL-related Notch3-ECD deposits.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kast, Jessica; Hanecker, Patrizia; Beaufort, Nathalie; Giese, Armin; Joutel, Anne; Dichgans, Martin; Opherk, Christian; Haffner, Christof

    2014-08-13

    Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) represents the most common hereditary form of cerebral small vessel disease characterized by early-onset stroke and premature dementia. It is caused by mutations in the transmembrane receptor Notch3, which promote the aggregation and accumulation of the Notch3 extracellular domain (Notch3-ECD) within blood vessel walls. This process is believed to mediate the abnormal recruitment and dysregulation of additional factors including extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins resulting in brain vessel dysfunction. Based on recent evidence indicating a role for the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) pathway in sporadic and familial small vessel disease we studied fibronectin, fibrillin-1 and latent TGF-β binding protein 1 (LTBP-1), three ECM constituents involved in the regulation of TGF-β bioavailability, in post-mortem brain tissue from CADASIL patients and control subjects. Fibronectin and fibrillin-1 were found to be enriched in CADASIL vessels without co-localizing with Notch3-ECD deposits, likely as a result of fibrotic processes secondary to aggregate formation. In contrast, LTBP-1 showed both an accumulation and a striking co-localization with Notch3-ECD deposits suggesting specific recruitment into aggregates. We also detected increased levels of the TGF-β prodomain (also known as latency-associated peptide, LAP) indicating dysregulation of the TGF-β pathway in CADASIL development. In vitro analyses revealed a direct interaction between LTBP-1 and Notch3-ECD and demonstrated a specific co-aggregation of LTBP-1 with mutant Notch3. We propose LTBP-1 as a novel component of Notch3-ECD deposits and suggest its involvement in pathological processes triggered by Notch3-ECD aggregation.

  8. Band-notched spiral antenna

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeon, Jae; Chang, John

    2018-03-13

    A band-notched spiral antenna having one or more spiral arms extending from a radially inner end to a radially outer end for transmitting or receiving electromagnetic radiation over a frequency range, and one or more resonance structures positioned adjacent one or more segments of the spiral arm associated with a notch frequency band or bands of the frequency range so as to resonate and suppress the transmission or reception of electromagnetic radiation over said notch frequency band or bands.

  9. The adaptor SASH1 acts through NOTCH1 and its inhibitor DLK1 in a 3D model of lumenogenesis involving CEACAM1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stubblefield, Kandis; Chean, Jennifer; Nguyen, Tung; Chen, Charng-Jui; Shively, John E

    2017-10-15

    CEACAM1 transfection into breast cancer cells restores lumen formation in a 3D culture model. Among the top up-regulated genes that were associated with restoration of lumen formation, the adaptor protein SASH1 was identified. Furthermore, SASH1 was shown to be critical for lumen formation by RNAi inhibition. Upon analyzing the gene array from CEACAM1/MCF7 cells treated with SASH1 RNAi, DLK1, an inhibitor of NOTCH1 signaling, was found to be down-regulated to the same extent as SASH1. Subsequent treatment of CEACAM1/MCF7 cells with RNAi to DLK1 also inhibited lumen formation, supporting its association with SASH1. In agreement with the role of DLK1 as a NOTCH1 inhibitor, NOTCH1, as well as its regulated genes HES1 and HEY1, were down-regulated in CEACAM1/MCF7 cells by the action of DLK1 RNAi, and up-regulated by SASH1 RNAi. When CEACAM1/MCF7 cells were treated with a γ-secretase inhibitor known to inhibit NOTCH signaling, lumen formation was inhibited. We conclude that restoration of lumen formation by CEACAM1 regulates the NOTCH1 signaling pathway via the adaptor protein SASH1 and the NOTCH1 inhibitor DLK1. These data suggest that the putative involvement of NOTCH1 as a tumor-promoting gene in breast cancer may depend on its lack of regulation in cancer, whereas its involvement in normal lumen formation requires activation of its expression, and subsequently, inhibition of its signaling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Clinical impact of de-regulated Notch-1 and Notch-3 in the development and progression of HPV-associated different histological subtypes of precancerous and cancerous lesions of human uterine cervix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tripathi, Richa; Rath, Gayatri; Jawanjal, Poonam; Sharma, Shweta; Singhal, Pallavi; Bhambhani, Suresh; Hussain, Showket; Bharadwaj, Mausumi

    2014-01-01

    Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women in India. Limited reports are available for Notch-1 and Notch-3 protein in cervical carcinoma, which play crucial role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. This study was designed to evaluate the role of Notch-1 and Notch-3 with context to HPV infection in cervical carcinoma. A total of 168 tissue biopsy samples comprising of tumor specimens (n = 98), precancer (n = 30) and non-neoplastic cervical tissues (n = 40) were screened for HPV infection by PCR and expression of Notch-1 and Notch-3 protein by Immunohistochemistry and Immunoblotting. 80% (24/30) were found to be positive for HPV in precancer and 86.7% (85/98) in cancer patients. Notch-1 expression of precancer and cancer cases was found to be significantly down-regulated with severity of disease in nuclear (3.43±0.29; 2.04±0.19, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001) and cytoplasm (3.07±0.29; 2.29±0.17, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001) obtained from different stages as compared to normal cervix tissue (5.40±0.19, 4.97±0.15; pcervix tissue (0.95±0.20, 0.70±0.20; pcancer through the deregulation of Notch signalling. This study also shows the clinical utility of both proteins which may be used as predictable biomarkers in diagnosing different histological sub-types of HPV associated cervical cancer. Nevertheless, abnormal activation of this pathway may provide legitimate targets for cervical cancer therapy.

  11. Dynamic plastic behaviour of a notched free-free beam subjected to step-loading at one end

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Y.; Yang, J.L.

    2002-01-01

    A rigid perfectly plastic model is developed to study the initial, small deflection response of a free-free beam with an initial notch along its span under a concentrated step-loading suddenly applied at one end of the beam. Complete solutions are obtained for various combinations of the magnitude of the load, the location of the notch and its defect-severity. The partitioning of the initial energy dissipation rates is discussed for some typical situations. It is concluded that: (i) the different initial deformation mechanisms and the initial energy dissipation rate of the beam depend not only on the magnitude of the load but also on the defect-severity and location of the notch; (ii) because of the influence of the notch, the structural response of the beam is far more complicated than that of the un-notched free-free beam; and (iii) for some cases the maximum rate of energy dissipation in plastic hinges will be more than 1/3 of the total input energy rate, while for an un-notched free-free beam, it has been demonstrated that the plastic dissipated energy is always less than 1/3 of the input energy [Int. J. Impact Engng 21 (1998) 165

  12. Hedgehog Signals Mediate Anti-Cancer Drug Resistance in Three-Dimensional Primary Colorectal Cancer Organoid Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatsuya Usui

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Colorectal cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer death worldwide. In patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, combination treatment with several anti-cancer drugs is employed and improves overall survival in some patients. Nevertheless, most patients with metastatic disease are not cured owing to the drug resistance. Cancer stem cells are known to regulate resistance to chemotherapy. In the previous study, we established a novel three-dimensional organoid culture model from tumor colorectal tissues of human patients using an air–liquid interface (ALI method, which contained numerous cancer stem cells and showed resistance to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU and Irinotecan. Here, we investigate which inhibitor for stem cell-related signal improves the sensitivity for anti-cancer drug treatment in tumor ALI organoids. Treatment with Hedgehog signal inhibitors (AY9944, GANT61 decreases the cell viability of organoids compared with Notch (YO-01027, DAPT and Wnt (WAV939, Wnt-C59 signal inhibitors. Combination treatment of AY9944 or GANT61 with 5-FU, Irinotecan or Oxaliplatin decreases the cell viability of tumor organoids compared with each anti-cancer drug alone treatment. Treatment with AY9944 or GANT61 inhibits expression of stem cell markers c-Myc, CD44 and Nanog, likely through the decrease of their transcription factor, GLI-1 expression. Combination treatment of AY9944 or GANT61 with 5-FU or Irinotecan also prevents colony formation of colorectal cancer cell lines HCT116 and SW480. These findings suggest that Hedgehog signals mediate anti-cancer drug resistance in colorectal tumor patient-derived ALI organoids and that the inhibitors are useful as a combinational therapeutic strategy against colorectal cancer.

  13. Comparison of plasma pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), retinol binding protein 4 (RBP-4), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) for the identification of insulin resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toloza, F J K; Pérez-Matos, M C; Ricardo-Silgado, M L; Morales-Álvarez, M C; Mantilla-Rivas, J O; Pinzón-Cortés, J A; Pérez-Mayorga, M; Arévalo-García, M L; Tolosa-González, G; Mendivil, C O

    2017-09-01

    To evaluate and compare the association of four potential insulin resistance (IR) biomarkers (pigment-epithelium-derived factor [PEDF], retinol-binding-protein-4 [RBP-4], chitinase-3-like protein 1 [YKL-40] and brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF]) with objective measures of IR. We studied 81 subjects with different metabolic profiles. All participants underwent a 5-point OGTT with calculation of multiple IR indexes. A subgroup of 21 participants additionally underwent a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. IR was defined as belonging to the highest quartile of incremental area under the insulin curve (iAUCins), or to the lowest quartile of the insulin sensitivity index (ISI). PEDF was associated with adiposity variables. PEDF and RBP4 increased linearly across quartiles of iAUCins (for PEDF p-trend=0.029; for RBP-4 p-trend=0.053). YKL-40 and BDNF were not associated with any adiposity or IR variable. PEDF and RBP-4 levels identified individuals with IR by the iAUCins definition: A PEDF cutoff of 11.9ng/mL had 60% sensitivity and 68% specificity, while a RBP-4 cutoff of 71.6ng/mL had 70% sensitivity and 57% specificity. In multiple regression analyses simultaneously including clinical variables and the studied biomarkers, only BMI, PEDF and RBP-4 remained significant predictors of IR. Plasma PEDF and RBP4 identified IR in subjects with no prior diagnosis of diabetes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. NOTCH1 Inhibits Activation of ATM by Impairing the Formation of an ATM-FOXO3a-KAT5/Tip60 Complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adamowicz, Marek; Vermezovic, Jelena; d'Adda di Fagagna, Fabrizio

    2016-08-23

    The DNA damage response (DDR) signal transduction pathway is responsible for sensing DNA damage and further relaying this signal into the cell. ATM is an apical DDR kinase that orchestrates the activation and the recruitment of downstream DDR factors to induce cell-cycle arrest and repair. We have previously shown that NOTCH1 inhibits ATM activation upon DNA damage, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that NOTCH1 does not impair ATM recruitment to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Rather, NOTCH1 prevents binding of FOXO3a and KAT5/Tip60 to ATM through a mechanism in which NOTCH1 competes with FOXO3a for ATM binding. Lack of FOXO3a binding to ATM leads to the loss of KAT5/Tip60 association with ATM. Moreover, expression of NOTCH1 or depletion of ATM impairs the formation of the FOXO3a-KAT5/Tip60 protein complex. Finally, we show that pharmacological induction of FOXO3a nuclear localization sensitizes NOTCH1-driven cancers to DNA-damage-induced cell death. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Keratin-6 driven ODC expression to hair follicle keratinocytes enhances stemness and tumorigenesis by negatively regulating Notch

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Chaudhary, Sandeep C.; Afaq, Farrukh [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Elmets, Craig A. [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 (United States); Athar, Mohammad, E-mail: mathar@uab.edu [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 (United States)

    2014-08-29

    Highlights: • Targeting ODC to hair follicle augments skin carcinogenesis and invasive SCCs. • Hair follicle ODC expands stem cell compartment carrying CD34{sup +}/K15{sup +}/p63{sup +} keratinocytes. • Negatively regulated Notch1 is associated with expansion of stem cell compartment. - Abstract: Over-expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is known to be involved in the epidermal carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism by which it enhances skin carcinogenesis remains undefined. Recently, role of stem cells localized in various epidermal compartments has been shown in the pathogenesis of skin cancer. To direct ODC expression in distinct epidermal compartments, we have developed keratin 6 (K6)-ODC/SKH-1 and keratin 14 (K14)-ODC/SKH-1 mice and employed them to investigate the role of ODC directed to these epidermal compartments on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. K6-driven ODC over-expression directed to outer root sheath (ORS) of hair follicle was more effective in augmenting tumorigenesis as compared to mice where K14-driven ODC expression was directed to inter-follicular epidermal keratinocytes. Chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 developed 15 ± 2.5 tumors/mouse whereas K14-ODC/SKH-1 developed only 6.8 ± 1.5 tumors/mouse. K6-ODC/SKH-1 showed augmented UVB-induced proliferation and much higher pro-inflammatory responses than K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Tumors induced in K6-ODC/SKH-1 were rapidly growing, invasive and ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showing decreased expression of epidermal polarity marker E-cadherin and enhanced mesenchymal marker, fibronectin. Interestingly, the number of CD34/CK15/p63 positive stem-like cells was significantly higher in chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 as compared to K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Reduced Notch1 expression was correlated with the expansion of stem cell compartment in these animals. However, other signaling pathways such as DNA damage response or mTOR signaling pathways were not significantly different in

  16. Keratin-6 driven ODC expression to hair follicle keratinocytes enhances stemness and tumorigenesis by negatively regulating Notch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Chaudhary, Sandeep C.; Afaq, Farrukh; Elmets, Craig A.; Athar, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Targeting ODC to hair follicle augments skin carcinogenesis and invasive SCCs. • Hair follicle ODC expands stem cell compartment carrying CD34 + /K15 + /p63 + keratinocytes. • Negatively regulated Notch1 is associated with expansion of stem cell compartment. - Abstract: Over-expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is known to be involved in the epidermal carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism by which it enhances skin carcinogenesis remains undefined. Recently, role of stem cells localized in various epidermal compartments has been shown in the pathogenesis of skin cancer. To direct ODC expression in distinct epidermal compartments, we have developed keratin 6 (K6)-ODC/SKH-1 and keratin 14 (K14)-ODC/SKH-1 mice and employed them to investigate the role of ODC directed to these epidermal compartments on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. K6-driven ODC over-expression directed to outer root sheath (ORS) of hair follicle was more effective in augmenting tumorigenesis as compared to mice where K14-driven ODC expression was directed to inter-follicular epidermal keratinocytes. Chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 developed 15 ± 2.5 tumors/mouse whereas K14-ODC/SKH-1 developed only 6.8 ± 1.5 tumors/mouse. K6-ODC/SKH-1 showed augmented UVB-induced proliferation and much higher pro-inflammatory responses than K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Tumors induced in K6-ODC/SKH-1 were rapidly growing, invasive and ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showing decreased expression of epidermal polarity marker E-cadherin and enhanced mesenchymal marker, fibronectin. Interestingly, the number of CD34/CK15/p63 positive stem-like cells was significantly higher in chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 as compared to K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Reduced Notch1 expression was correlated with the expansion of stem cell compartment in these animals. However, other signaling pathways such as DNA damage response or mTOR signaling pathways were not significantly different in tumors induced

  17. Interplay between a Wnt-dependent organiser and the Notch segmentation clock regulates posterior development in Periplaneta americana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John E. Chesebro

    2012-12-01

    Sequential addition of segments in the posteriorly growing end of the embryo is a developmental mechanism common to many bilaterians. However, posterior growth and patterning in most animals also entails the establishment of a ‘posterior organiser’ that expresses the Caudal and Wnt proteins and has been proposed to be an ancestral feature of animal development. We have studied the functional relationships between the Wnt-driven organiser and the segmentation mechanisms in a basal insect, the cockroach Periplaneta americana. Here, posteriorly-expressed Wnt1 promotes caudal and Delta expression early in development to generate a growth zone from which segments will later bud off. caudal maintains the undifferentiated growth zone by dampening Delta expression, and hence Notch-mediated segmentation occurs just outside the caudal domain. In turn, Delta expression maintains Wnt1, maintaining this posterior gene network until all segments have formed. This feedback between caudal, Wnt and Notch-signalling in regulating growth and segmentation seems conserved in other arthropods, with some aspects found even in vertebrates. Thus our findings not only support an ancestral Wnt posterior organiser, but also impinge on the proposals for a common origin of segmentation in arthropods, annelids and vertebrates.

  18. Hypoxia promotes uveal melanoma invasion through enhanced Notch and MAPK activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laura Asnaghi

    Full Text Available The transcriptional response promoted by hypoxia-inducible factors has been associated with metastatic spread of uveal melanoma. We found expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α protein in well-vascularized tumor regions as well as in four cell lines grown in normoxia, thus this pathway may be important even in well-oxygenated uveal melanoma cells. HIF-1α protein accumulation in normoxia was inhibited by rapamycin. As expected, hypoxia (1% pO2 further induced HIF-1α protein levels along with its target genes VEGF and LOX. Growth in hypoxia significantly increased cellular invasion of all 5 uveal melanoma lines tested, as did the introduction of an oxygen-insensitive HIF-1α mutant into Mel285 cells with low HIF-1α baseline levels. In contrast, HIF-1α knockdown using shRNA significantly decreased growth in hypoxia, and reduced by more than 50% tumor invasion in four lines with high HIF-1α baseline levels. Pharmacologic blockade of HIF-1α protein expression using digoxin dramatically suppressed cellular invasion both in normoxia and in hypoxia. We found that Notch pathway components, including Jag1-2 ligands, Hes1-Hey1 targets and the intracellular domain of Notch1, were increased in hypoxia, as well as the phosphorylation levels of Erk1-2 and Akt. Pharmacologic and genetic inhibition of Notch largely blocked the hypoxic induction of invasion as did the pharmacologic suppression of Erk1-2 activity. In addition, the increase in Erk1-2 and Akt phosphorylation by hypoxia was partially reduced by inhibiting Notch signaling. Our findings support the functional importance of HIF-1α signaling in promoting the invasive capacity of uveal melanoma cells in both hypoxia and normoxia, and suggest that pharmacologically targeting HIF-1α pathway directly or through blockade of Notch or Erk1-2 pathways can slow tumor spread.

  19. Clinical impact of de-regulated Notch-1 and Notch-3 in the development and progression of HPV-associated different histological subtypes of precancerous and cancerous lesions of human uterine cervix.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richa Tripathi

    Full Text Available Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women in India. Limited reports are available for Notch-1 and Notch-3 protein in cervical carcinoma, which play crucial role in cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis.This study was designed to evaluate the role of Notch-1 and Notch-3 with context to HPV infection in cervical carcinoma. A total of 168 tissue biopsy samples comprising of tumor specimens (n = 98, precancer (n = 30 and non-neoplastic cervical tissues (n = 40 were screened for HPV infection by PCR and expression of Notch-1 and Notch-3 protein by Immunohistochemistry and Immunoblotting.80% (24/30 were found to be positive for HPV in precancer and 86.7% (85/98 in cancer patients. Notch-1 expression of precancer and cancer cases was found to be significantly down-regulated with severity of disease in nuclear (3.43±0.29; 2.04±0.19, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001 and cytoplasm (3.07±0.29; 2.29±0.17, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001 obtained from different stages as compared to normal cervix tissue (5.40±0.19, 4.97±0.15; p<0.001; p<0.001. However, Notch-3 expression of above cases was significantly up-regulated with severity of disease and showed intense nuclear (4.17±0.39; 4.74±0.18, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001 and cytoplasm (3.67±0.36; 4.48±0.18, p = 0.0001, p = 0.0001 of different stages as compared to normal cervix tissue (0.95±0.20, 0.70±0.20; p<0.001; p<0.001 respectively.These findings suggest that Notch-1 and Notch-3 may play an important role with synergistic effect of HPV in regulating development and proliferation of cervical cancer through the deregulation of Notch signalling. This study also shows the clinical utility of both proteins which may be used as predictable biomarkers in diagnosing different histological sub-types of HPV associated cervical cancer. Nevertheless, abnormal activation of this pathway may provide legitimate targets for cervical cancer therapy.

  20. Activation of Notch1 inhibits medial edge epithelium apoptosis in all-trans retinoic acid-induced cleft palate in mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Yadong; Dong, Shiyi; Wang, Weicai; Wang, Jianning [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510055 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510055 (China); Wang, Miao [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Kiang Wu Hospital, Macao (China); Chen, Mu [Department of Stomatology, Nanshan Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical College, Shenzhen (China); Hou, Jinsong [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510055 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510055 (China); Huang, Hongzhang, E-mail: drhuang52@163.com [Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Guanghua School of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510055 (China); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510055 (China)

    2016-08-26

    Administration of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on E12.0 (embryonic day 12.0) leads to failure of medial edge epithelium (MEE) disappearance and cleft palate. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship between atRA and MEE remains to be identified. In this study, atRA (200 mg/kg) administered by gavage induced a 75% incidence of cleft palate in C57BL/6 mice. Notch1 was up-regulated in MEE cells in the atRA-treated group compared with the controls at E15.0, together with reduced apoptosis and elevated proliferation. Next, we investigated the mechanisms underlying atRA, Notch1 and MEE degradation in palate organ culture. Our results revealed that down-regulation of Notch1 partially rescued the inhibition of atRA-induced palate fusion. Molecular analysis indicated that atRA increased the expression of Notch1 and Rbpj and decreased the expression of P21. In addition, depletion of Notch1 expression decreased the expression of Rbpj and increased the expression of P21. Moreover, inhibition of Rbpj expression partially reversed atRA-induced MEE persistence and increased P21 expression. These findings demonstrate that atRA inhibits MEE degradation, which in turn induces a cleft palate, possibly through the Notch1/RBPjk/P21 signaling pathway. - Highlights: • atRA exposure on E12.0 induced MEE persistence and cleft palate. • Notch1 was up-regulated in MEE cells in the atRA-treated embryos. • atRA inhibits MEE degradation, which in turn induces cleft palate, possibly through the Notch1/RBPjk/P21 signaling pathway.

  1. Activation of Notch1 inhibits medial edge epithelium apoptosis in all-trans retinoic acid-induced cleft palate in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Yadong; Dong, Shiyi; Wang, Weicai; Wang, Jianning; Wang, Miao; Chen, Mu; Hou, Jinsong; Huang, Hongzhang

    2016-01-01

    Administration of all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) on E12.0 (embryonic day 12.0) leads to failure of medial edge epithelium (MEE) disappearance and cleft palate. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship between atRA and MEE remains to be identified. In this study, atRA (200 mg/kg) administered by gavage induced a 75% incidence of cleft palate in C57BL/6 mice. Notch1 was up-regulated in MEE cells in the atRA-treated group compared with the controls at E15.0, together with reduced apoptosis and elevated proliferation. Next, we investigated the mechanisms underlying atRA, Notch1 and MEE degradation in palate organ culture. Our results revealed that down-regulation of Notch1 partially rescued the inhibition of atRA-induced palate fusion. Molecular analysis indicated that atRA increased the expression of Notch1 and Rbpj and decreased the expression of P21. In addition, depletion of Notch1 expression decreased the expression of Rbpj and increased the expression of P21. Moreover, inhibition of Rbpj expression partially reversed atRA-induced MEE persistence and increased P21 expression. These findings demonstrate that atRA inhibits MEE degradation, which in turn induces a cleft palate, possibly through the Notch1/RBPjk/P21 signaling pathway. - Highlights: • atRA exposure on E12.0 induced MEE persistence and cleft palate. • Notch1 was up-regulated in MEE cells in the atRA-treated embryos. • atRA inhibits MEE degradation, which in turn induces cleft palate, possibly through the Notch1/RBPjk/P21 signaling pathway.

  2. IGF-1 signaling mediated cell-specific skeletal mechano-transduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Faming; Wang, Yongmei; Bikle, Daniel D

    2018-02-01

    Mechanical loading preserves bone mass and stimulates bone formation, whereas skeletal unloading leads to bone loss. In addition to osteocytes, which are considered the primary sensor of mechanical load, osteoblasts, and bone specific mesenchymal stem cells also are involved. The skeletal response to mechanical signals is a complex process regulated by multiple signaling pathways including that of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Conditional osteocyte deletion of IGF-1 ablates the osteogenic response to mechanical loading. Similarly, osteocyte IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) expression is necessary for reloading-induced periosteal bone formation. Transgenic overexpression of IGF-1 in osteoblasts results in enhanced responsiveness to in vivo mechanical loading in mice, a response which is eliminated by osteoblastic conditional disruption of IGF-1 in vivo. Bone marrow derived stem cells (BMSC) from unloaded bone fail to respond to IGF-1 in vitro. IGF-1R is required for the transduction of a mechanical stimulus to downstream effectors, transduction which is lost when the IGF-1R is deleted. Although the molecular mechanisms are not yet fully elucidated, the IGF signaling pathway and its interactions with potentially interlinked signaling cascades involving integrins, the estrogen receptor, and wnt/β-catenin play an important role in regulating adaptive response of cancer bone cells to mechanical stimuli. In this review, we discuss recent advances investigating how IGF-1 and other interlinked molecules and signaling pathways regulate skeletal mechano-transduction involving different bone cells, providing an overview of the IGF-1 signaling mediated cell-specific response to mechanical stimuli. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:576-583, 2018. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Evolution and variability of Solanum RanGAP2, a cofactor in the incompatible interaction between the resistance protein GPA2 and the Globodera pallida effector Gp-RBP-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carpentier, Jean; Grenier, Eric; Esquibet, Magalie; Hamel, Louis-Philippe; Moffett, Peter; Manzanares-Dauleux, Maria J; Kerlan, Marie-Claire

    2013-04-19

    The Ran GTPase Activating Protein 2 (RanGAP2) was first described as a regulator of mitosis and nucleocytoplasmic trafficking. It was then found to interact with the Coiled-Coil domain of the Rx and GPA2 resistance proteins, which confer resistance to Potato Virus X (PVX) and potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida, respectively. RanGAP2 is thought to mediate recognition of the avirulence protein GP-RBP-1 by GPA2. However, the Gpa2-induced hypersensitive response appears to be relatively weak and Gpa2 is limited in terms of spectrum of efficiency as it is effective against only two nematode populations. While functional and evolutionary analyses of Gp-Rbp-1 and Gpa2 identified key residues in both the resistance and avirulence proteins that are involved in recognition determination, whether variation in RanGAP2 also plays a role in pathogen recognition has not been investigated. We amplified a total of 147 RanGAP2 sequences from 55 accessions belonging to 18 different di-and tetraploid Solanum species from the section Petota. Among the newly identified sequences, 133 haplotypes were obtained and 19.1% of the nucleotide sites were found to be polymorphic. The observed intra-specific nucleotide diversity ranges from 0.1 to 1.3%. Analysis of the selection pressures acting on RanGAP2 suggests that this gene evolved mainly under purifying selection. Nonetheless, we identified polymorphic positions in the protein sequence at the intra-specific level, which could modulate the activity of RanGAP2. Two polymorphic sites and a three amino-acid deletion in RanGAP2 were found to affect the timing and intensity of the Gpa2-induced hypersensitive response to avirulent GP-RBP-1 variants even though they did not confer any gain of recognition of virulent GP-RBP-1 variants. Our results highlight how a resistance gene co-factor can manage in terms of evolution both an established role as a cell housekeeping gene and an implication in plant parasite interactions. StRanGAP2 gene

  4. HIF-mediated innate immune responses: cell signaling and therapeutic implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harris AJ

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Alison J Harris, AA Roger Thompson, Moira KB Whyte, Sarah R Walmsley Academic Unit of Respiratory Medicine, Department of Infection and Immunity, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK Abstract: Leukocytes recruited to infected, damaged, or inflamed tissues during an immune response must adapt to oxygen levels much lower than those in the circulation. Hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs are key mediators of cellular responses to hypoxia and, as in other cell types, HIFs are critical for the upregulation of glycolysis, which enables innate immune cells to produce adenosine triphosphate anaerobically. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates that hypoxia also regulates many other innate immunological functions, including cell migration, apoptosis, phagocytosis of pathogens, antigen presentation and production of cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic and antimicrobial factors. Many of these functions are mediated by HIFs, which are not only stabilized posttranslationally by hypoxia, but also transcriptionally upregulated by inflammatory signals. Here, we review the role of HIFs in the responses of innate immune cells to hypoxia, both in vitro and in vivo, with a particular focus on myeloid cells, on which the majority of studies have so far been carried out. Keywords: hypoxia, neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages

  5. Notch-strengthening in two-dimensional foams

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Onck, P.R.

    Metallic foams show notch-strengthening behavior when analyzing double-edge notched specimen in compression and tension. A discrete microstructural model has been used to simulate the effect of notch depth and specimen size on the net-section-strength. The non-uniform deformation behavior is

  6. Monocyte to macrophage differentiation-associated (MMD) positively regulates ERK and Akt activation and TNF-α and NO production in macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qiang; Zheng, Jin; Yin, Dan-Dan; Xiang, Jie; He, Fei; Wang, Yao-Chun; Liang, Liang; Qin, Hong-Yan; Liu, Li; Liang, Ying-Min; Han, Hua

    2012-05-01

    Macrophage activation is modulated by both environmental cues and endogenous programs. In the present study, we investigated the role of a PAQR family protein, monocyte to macrophage differentiation-associated (MMD), in macrophage activation and unveiled its underlying molecular mechanism. Our results showed that while MMD expression could be detected in all tissues examined, its expression level is significantly up-regulated upon monocyte differentiation. Within cells, EGFP-MMD fusion protein could be co-localized to endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, but not lysosomes and cytoplasm. MMD expression is up-regulated in macrophages after LPS stimulation, and this might be modulated by RBP-J, the critical transcription factor of Notch signaling. Overexpression of MMD in macrophages increased the production of TNF-α and NO upon LPS stimulation. We found that MMD overexpression enhanced ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation in macrophages after LPS stimulation. Blocking Erk or Akt by pharmacological agent reduced TNF-α or NO production in MMD-overexpressing macrophages, respectively. These results suggested that MMD modulates TNF-α and NO production in macrophages, and this process might involves Erk or Akt.

  7. Liver sinusoidal endothelial cells induce immunosuppressive IL-10-producing Th1 cells via the Notch pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neumann, Katrin; Rudolph, Christine; Neumann, Christian; Janke, Marko; Amsen, Derk; Scheffold, Alexander

    2015-07-01

    Under homeostasis, liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) shift intrahepatic T-cell responses towards tolerance. However, the role of LSECs in the regulation of T-cell-induced liver inflammation is less clear. Here, we studied the capacity of LSECs to modulate pro-inflammatory Th1-cell differentiation in mice. Using in vitro co-culture systems and subsequent cytokine analysis, we showed that LSECs induced high amounts of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in developing Th1 cells. These LSEC-stimulated Th1 cells had no pro-inflammatory capacity in vivo but instead actively suppressed an inflammatory Th1-cell-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction. Blockage of IL-10 signaling in vivo inhibited immunosuppressive activity of LSEC-stimulated Th1 cells. We identified the Notch pathway as a mechanism how LSECs trigger IL-10 expression in Th1 cells. LSECs expressed high levels of the Delta-like and Jagged family of Notch ligands and induced expression of the Notch target genes hes-1 and deltex-1 in Th1 cells. Blockade of Notch signaling selectively inhibited IL-10 induction in Th1 cells by LSECs. Our findings suggest that LSEC-induced IL-10 expression in Th1 cells via the Notch pathway may contribute to the control of hepatic inflammatory immune responses by induction of a self-regulatory mechanism in pro-inflammatory Th1 cells. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Exome analysis identified a novel mutation in the RBP4 gene in a consanguineous pedigree with retinal dystrophy and developmental abnormalities.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine Cukras

    Full Text Available Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP is a common form of retinal degeneration characterized by photoreceptor degeneration and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE atrophy causing loss of visual field and acuities. Exome sequencing identified a novel homozygous splice site variant (c.111+1G>A in the gene encoding retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4. This change segregated with early onset, progressive, and severe autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP in an eight member consanguineous pedigree of European ancestry. Additionally, one patient exhibited developmental abnormalities including patent ductus arteriosus and chorioretinal and iris colobomas. The second patient developed acne from young age and extending into the 5(th decade. Both patients had undetectable levels of RBP4 in the serum suggesting that this mutation led to either mRNA or protein instability resulting in a null phenotype. In addition, the patients exhibited severe vitamin A deficiency, and diminished serum retinol levels. Circulating transthyretin levels were normal. This study identifies the RBP4 splice site change as the cause of RP in this pedigree. The presence of developmental abnormalities and severe acne in patients with retinal degeneration may indicate the involvement of genes that regulate vitamin A absorption, transport and metabolism.

  9. Exome analysis identified a novel mutation in the RBP4 gene in a consanguineous pedigree with retinal dystrophy and developmental abnormalities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cukras, Catherine; Gaasterland, Terry; Lee, Pauline; Gudiseva, Harini V; Chavali, Venkata R M; Pullakhandam, Raghu; Maranhao, Bruno; Edsall, Lee; Soares, Sandra; Reddy, G Bhanuprakash; Sieving, Paul A; Ayyagari, Radha

    2012-01-01

    Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is a common form of retinal degeneration characterized by photoreceptor degeneration and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy causing loss of visual field and acuities. Exome sequencing identified a novel homozygous splice site variant (c.111+1G>A) in the gene encoding retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4). This change segregated with early onset, progressive, and severe autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) in an eight member consanguineous pedigree of European ancestry. Additionally, one patient exhibited developmental abnormalities including patent ductus arteriosus and chorioretinal and iris colobomas. The second patient developed acne from young age and extending into the 5(th) decade. Both patients had undetectable levels of RBP4 in the serum suggesting that this mutation led to either mRNA or protein instability resulting in a null phenotype. In addition, the patients exhibited severe vitamin A deficiency, and diminished serum retinol levels. Circulating transthyretin levels were normal. This study identifies the RBP4 splice site change as the cause of RP in this pedigree. The presence of developmental abnormalities and severe acne in patients with retinal degeneration may indicate the involvement of genes that regulate vitamin A absorption, transport and metabolism.

  10. Restrictions on TWT Helix Voltage Ripple for Acceptable Notch Filter Performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hyslop, B.

    1984-12-01

    An ac ripple on the helix voltage of the 1-2 GHz TWT's creates FM sidebands that cause amplitude and phase modulation of the microwave TWT output signal. A limit of 16 volts peak-to-peak is required for acceptable superconducting notch filter performance.

  11. Notch filters for port-Hamiltonian systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dirksz, D.A.; Scherpen, J.M.A.; van der Schaft, A.J.; Steinbuch, M.

    2012-01-01

    In this paper a standard notch filter is modeled in the port-Hamiltonian framework. By having such a port-Hamiltonian description it is proven that the notch filter is a passive system. The notch filter can then be interconnected with another (nonlinear) port-Hamiltonian system, while preserving the

  12. Notch 1 Receptor, Delta 1 Ligand and HES 1 Transcription Factor are Expressed in the Lining Epithelium of Periapical Cysts (Preliminary Study)

    OpenAIRE

    Meliou, E; Kerezoudis, NP; Tosios, KI; Kiaris, H

    2010-01-01

    Periapical cyst is a chronic inflammatory disorder of periradicular tissues. The precise pathological mechanisms involved in periapical cyst enlargement remain unclear. Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway with a regulatory role in cell fate decisions during development and in carcinogenesis. To date, there are no published data available on the expression of Notch signaling components in periapical cysts or any other jaw cyst. In this immunohistochemical study we have exami...

  13. A potentiometric biosensor for the detection of notch 3 using functionalized ZnO nanorods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ibupoto, Z H; Khun, K; Liu, X; Willander, M

    2014-09-01

    The notch signalling plays a vital and radical role for the activity of cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. In this study, for the first time a particular biosensor is developed for the detection of notch 3. ZnO nanorods were fabricated on the gold coated glass substrate by hydrothermal method and afterwards were decorated with the gold nanoparticles by electrodepositing technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has shown the perpendicular to the substrate growth pattern of ZnO nanorods. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed the c-axis oriented growth direction with wurtzite crystal structure of ZnO nanorods. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) techniques have shown the presence of Zn, O and Au atoms in the prepared functional material. Furthermore, the anti-notch 3 was physically adsorbed on the gold nanoparticles functionalized ZnO nanorods. The developed potentiometric immunosensor has shown response to the wide range of notch 3 molecules. The detected range included 1.00 x 10(-5)-1.50 x 10(0 ) μg/mL with a sensitivity of 23.15 ± 0.31 mV/decade. The analytical parameters including reproducibility, stability, and selectivity were also investigated and the observed results indicate the acceptable performance of the notch 3 biosensor. Moreover, the proposed notch 3 biosensor exhibited a fast response time of 10 s.

  14. Negative regulation of RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling by TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Na-Rae; Shin, Han-Bo; Kim, Hye-In; Choi, Myung-Soo; Inn, Kyung-Soo

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: •TRK-fused gene product (TFG) interacts with TRIM25 upon viral infection. •TFG negatively regulates RIG-I mediated antiviral signaling. •TFG depletion leads to enhanced viral replication. •TFG act downstream of MAVS. -- Abstract: RIG-I (retinoic acid inducible gene I)-mediated antiviral signaling serves as the first line of defense against viral infection. Upon detection of viral RNA, RIG-I undergoes TRIM25 (tripartite motif protein 25)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination, leading to type I interferon (IFN) production. In this study, we demonstrate that TRK-fused gene (TFG) protein, previously identified as a TRIM25-interacting protein, binds TRIM25 upon virus infection and negatively regulates RIG-I-mediated type-I IFN signaling. RIG-I-mediated IFN production and nuclear factor (NF)-κB signaling pathways were upregulated by the suppression of TFG expression. Furthermore, vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) replication was significantly inhibited by small inhibitory hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of TFG, supporting the suppressive role of TFG in RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling. Interestingly, suppression of TFG expression increased not only RIG-I-mediated signaling but also MAVS (mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein)-induced signaling, suggesting that TFG plays a pivotal role in negative regulation of RNA-sensing, RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) family signaling pathways

  15. Epigenetic inactivation of Notch-Hes pathway in human B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuang, Shao-Qing; Fang, Zhihong; Zweidler-McKay, Patrick A; Yang, Hui; Wei, Yue; Gonzalez-Cervantes, Emilio A; Boumber, Yanis; Garcia-Manero, Guillermo

    2013-01-01

    The Notch pathway can have both oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles, depending on cell context. For example, Notch signaling promotes T cell differentiation and is leukemogenic in T cells, whereas it inhibits early B cell differentiation and acts as a tumor suppressor in B cell leukemia where it induces growth arrest and apoptosis. The regulatory mechanisms that contribute to these opposing roles are not understood. Aberrant promoter DNA methylation and histone modifications are associated with silencing of tumor suppressor genes and have been implicated in leukemogenesis. Using methylated CpG island amplification (MCA)/DNA promoter microarray, we identified Notch3 and Hes5 as hypermethylated in human B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We investigated the methylation status of other Notch pathway genes by bisulfite pyrosequencing. Notch3, JAG1, Hes2, Hes4 and Hes5 were frequently hypermethylated in B leukemia cell lines and primary B-ALL, in contrast to T-ALL cell lines and patient samples. Aberrant methylation of Notch3 and Hes5 in B-ALL was associated with gene silencing and was accompanied by decrease of H3K4 trimethylation and H3K9 acetylation and gain of H3K9 trimethylation and H3K27 trimethylation. 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment restored Hes5 expression and decreased promoter hypermethylation in most leukemia cell lines and primary B-ALL samples. Restoration of Hes5 expression by lentiviral transduction resulted in growth arrest and apoptosis in Hes5 negative B-ALL cells but not in Hes5 expressing T-ALL cells. These data suggest that epigenetic modifications are implicated in silencing of tumor suppressor of Notch/Hes pathway in B-ALL.

  16. The EGF receptor and notch signaling pathways control the initiation of the morphogenetic furrow during Drosophila eye development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, J P; Moses, K

    2001-07-01

    The onset of pattern formation in the developing Drosophila retina begins with the initiation of the morphogenetic furrow, the leading edge of a wave of retinal development that transforms a uniform epithelium, the eye imaginal disc into a near crystalline array of ommatidial elements. The initiation of this wave of morphogenesis is under the control of the secreted morphogens Hedgehog (Hh), Decapentaplegic (Dpp) and Wingless (Wg). We show that the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Notch signaling cascades are crucial components that are also required to initiate retinal development. We also show that the initiation of the morphogenetic furrow is the sum of two genetically separable processes: (1) the 'birth' of pattern formation at the posterior margin of the eye imaginal disc; and (2) the subsequent 'reincarnation' of retinal development across the epithelium.

  17. Level of Notch activation determines the effect on growth and stem cell-like features in glioblastoma multiforme neurosphere cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristoffersen, Karina; Villingshøj, Mette; Poulsen, Hans Skovgaard

    2013-01-01

    Brain cancer stem-like cells (bCSC) are cancer cells with neural stem cell (NSC)-like properties found in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and they are assigned a central role in tumor initiation, progression and relapse. The Notch pathway is important for maintenance and cell fate decisions...... in the normal NSC population. Notch signaling is often deregulated in GBM and recent results suggest that this pathway plays a significant role in bCSC as well. We therefore wished to further elucidate the role of Notch activation in GBM-derived bCSC....

  18. DOL behaviour of end-notched beams

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gustafsson, P.J.; Hoffmeyer, Preben; Valentin, G.

    1998-01-01

    The long-term loading strength of end-notched beams made of glulam and LVL was tested. The beams were of various sizes, with and without a moisture sealing at the notch. Tests were conducted in open shelter climates, and at constant and cyclic relative humidity. The short-term strength was tested...... beams with a moisture sealing at the notch...

  19. The Drosophila T-box transcription factor Midline functions within the Notch-Delta signaling pathway to specify sensory organ precursor cell fates and regulates cell survival within the eye imaginal disc.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Das, Sudeshna; Chen, Q Brent; Saucier, Joseph D; Drescher, Brandon; Zong, Yan; Morgan, Sarah; Forstall, John; Meriwether, Andrew; Toranzo, Randy; Leal, Sandra M

    2013-01-01

    We report that the T-box transcription factor Midline (Mid), an evolutionary conserved homolog of the vertebrate Tbx20 protein, functions within the Notch-Delta signaling pathway essential for specifying the fates of sensory organ precursor (SOP) cells. These findings complement an established history of research showing that Mid regulates the cell-fate specification of diverse cell types within the developing heart, epidermis and central nervous system. Tbx20 has been detected in unique neuronal and epithelial cells of embryonic eye tissues in both mice and humans. However, the mechanisms by which either Mid or Tbx20 function to regulate cell-fate specification or other critical aspects of eye development including cell survival have not yet been elucidated. We have also gathered preliminary evidence suggesting that Mid may play an indirect, but vital role in selecting SOP cells within the third-instar larval eye disc by regulating the expression of the proneural gene atonal. During subsequent pupal stages, Mid specifies SOP cell fates as a member of the Notch-Delta signaling hierarchy and is essential for maintaining cell viability by inhibiting apoptotic pathways. We present several new hypotheses that seek to understand the role of Mid in regulating developmental processes downstream of the Notch receptor that are critical for specifying unique cell fates, patterning the adult eye and maintaining cellular homeostasis during eye disc morphogenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Curcumin Inhibits Chondrocyte Hypertrophy of Mesenchymal Stem Cells through IHH and Notch Signaling Pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Zhen; Dou, Ce; Dong, Shiwu

    2017-01-01

    Using tissue engineering technique to repair cartilage damage caused by osteoarthritis is a promising strategy. However, the regenerated tissue usually is fibrous cartilage, which has poor mechanical characteristics compared to hyaline cartilage. Chondrocyte hypertrophy plays an important role in this process. Thus, it is very important to find out a suitable way to maintain the phenotype of chondrocytes and inhibit chondrocyte hypertrophy. Curcumin deriving from turmeric was reported with anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor pharmacological effects. However, the role of curcumin in metabolism of chondrocytes, especially in the chondrocyte hypertrophy remains unclear. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in cartilage tissue engineering as seed cells. So we investigated the effect of curcumin on chondrogenesis and chondrocyte hypertrophy in MSCs through examination of cell viability, glycosaminoglycan synthesis and specific gene expression. We found curcumin had no effect on expression of chondrogenic markers including Sox9 and Col2a1 while hypertrophic markers including Runx2 and Col10a1 were down-regulated. Further exploration showed that curcumin inhibited chondrocyte hypertrophy through Indian hedgehog homolog (IHH) and Notch signalings. Our results indicated curcumin was a potential agent in modulating cartilage homeostasis and maintaining chondrocyte phenotype.

  1. Analysis of coding-polymorphisms in NOTCH-related genes reveals NUMBL poly-glutamine repeat to be associated with schizophrenia in Brazilian and Danish subjects

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Passos Gregorio, Sheila; Gattaz, Wagner F; Tavares, Hildeberto

    2006-01-01

    Abnormality in neurodevelopment is one of the most robust hypotheses on the etiology of schizophrenia and has found substantial support from brain imaging and genetic studies. Neurodevelopmental processes involve several signaling pathways, including the Notch, but little is known at present...... regarding their possible involvement in schizophrenia. In the present study we investigated the link of non-synonymous variants of five genes of the Notch pathway (NOTCH2, NOTCH3, JAGGED2, ASCL1 and NUMBL) to schizophrenia in a group of 200 Brazilian patients and 200-paired controls. Also, we replicated...

  2. DMPD: Negative regulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 18703349 Negative regulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. Komur...Show Negative regulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. PubmedID 18703349 Title Negative r...egulation of cytoplasmic RNA-mediated antiviral signaling. Authors Komuro A, Bamm

  3. Active form Notch4 promotes the proliferation and differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lai, Peng-Yeh [Institute of Molecular Biology and Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi 621, Taiwan, ROC (China); Tsai, Chong-Bin [Institute of Molecular Biology and Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi 621, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Ophthalmology, Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chiayi 600, Taiwan, ROC (China); Tseng, Min-Jen, E-mail: biomjt@ccu.edu.tw [Institute of Molecular Biology and Department of Life Science, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi 621, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2013-01-18

    Highlights: ► Notch4IC modulates the ERK pathway and cell cycle to promote 3T3-L1 proliferation. ► Notch4IC facilitates 3T3-L1 differentiation by up-regulating proadipogenic genes. ► Notch4IC promotes proliferation during the early stage of 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. ► Notch4IC enhances differentiation during subsequent stages of 3T3-L1 adipogenesis. -- Abstract: Adipose tissue is composed of adipocytes, which differentiate from precursor cells in a process called adipogenesis. Many signal molecules are involved in the transcriptional control of adipogenesis, including the Notch pathway. Previous adipogenic studies of Notch have focused on Notch1 and HES1; however, the role of other Notch receptors in adipogenesis remains unclear. Q-RT-PCR analyses showed that the augmentation of Notch4 expression during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was comparable to that of Notch1. To elucidate the role of Notch4 in adipogenesis, the human active form Notch4 (N4IC) was transiently transfected into 3T3-L1 cells. The expression of HES1, Hey1, C/EBPδ and PPARγ was up-regulated, and the expression of Pref-1, an adipogenic inhibitor, was down-regulated. To further characterize the effect of N4IC in adipogenesis, stable cells expressing human N4IC were established. The expression of N4IC promoted proliferation and enhanced differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells compared with those of control cells. These data suggest that N4IC promoted proliferation through modulating the ERK pathway and the cell cycle during the early stage of 3T3-L1 adipogenesis and facilitated differentiation through up-regulating adipogenic genes such as C/EBPα, PPARγ, aP2, LPL and HSL during the middle and late stages of 3T3-L1 adipogenesis.

  4. Alterations in Lipid Mediated Signaling and Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in DMH Induced Colon Cancer on Supplementation of Fish Oil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shevali Kansal

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Ceramide mediates inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2 which catalyzes formation of prostaglandin further activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptorγ (PPARγ and Wnt/β-catenin pathway; and hence plays a critical role in cancer. Therefore, in current study, ceramide, COX-2, 15-deoxy prostaglandin J2(15-deoxy PGJ2, PPARγ, and β-catenin were estimated to evaluate the effect of fish oil on lipid mediated and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colon carcinoma. Male Wistar rats in Group I received purified diet while Groups II and III received modified diet supplemented with FO : CO(1 : 1 and FO : CO(2.5 : 1, respectively. These were further subdivided into controls receiving ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and treated groups receiving dimethylhydrazine dihydrochloride (DMH/week for 4 weeks. Animals sacrificed 48 hours after last injection constituted initiation phase and those sacrificed after 16 weeks constituted postinitiation phase. Decreased ceramide and increased PPARγ were observed in postinitiation phase only. On receiving FO+CO(1 : 1+DMH and FO+CO(2.5 : 1+DMH in both phases, ceramide was augmented whereas COX-2, 15-deoxy PGJ2, and nuclear translocation of β-catenin were reduced with respect to cancerous animals. Decrease was more significant in postinitiation phase with FO+CO(2.5 : 1+DMH. Treatment with oils increased PPARγ in initiation phase but decreased it in postinitiation phase. Hence, fish oil altered lipid mediated signalling in a dose and time dependent manner so as to inhibit progression of colon cancer.

  5. Plasticity of adult human pancreatic duct cells by neurogenin3-mediated reprogramming.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathalie Swales

    Full Text Available AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Duct cells isolated from adult human pancreas can be reprogrammed to express islet beta cell genes by adenoviral transduction of the developmental transcription factor neurogenin3 (Ngn3. In this study we aimed to fully characterize the extent of this reprogramming and intended to improve it. METHODS: The extent of the Ngn3-mediated duct-to-endocrine cell reprogramming was measured employing genome wide mRNA profiling. By modulation of the Delta-Notch signaling or addition of pancreatic endocrine transcription factors Myt1, MafA and Pdx1 we intended to improve the reprogramming. RESULTS: Ngn3 stimulates duct cells to express a focused set of genes that are characteristic for islet endocrine cells and/or neural tissues. This neuro-endocrine shift however, is incomplete with less than 10% of full duct-to-endocrine reprogramming achieved. Transduction of exogenous Ngn3 activates endogenous Ngn3 suggesting auto-activation of this gene. Furthermore, pancreatic endocrine reprogramming of human duct cells can be moderately enhanced by inhibition of Delta-Notch signaling as well as by co-expressing the transcription factor Myt1, but not MafA and Pdx1. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: The results provide further insight into the plasticity of adult human duct cells and suggest measurable routes to enhance Ngn3-mediated in vitro reprogramming protocols for regenerative beta cell therapy in diabetes.

  6. Analysis list: NOTCH1 [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available NOTCH1 Blood + hg19 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/target/NOTCH1.1....tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/target/NOTCH1.5.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/target/NOTC...H1.10.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/colo/NOTCH1.Blood.tsv http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/hg19/colo/Blood.gml ...

  7. ROS and ROS-Mediated Cellular Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jixiang Zhang

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available It has long been recognized that an increase of reactive oxygen species (ROS can modify the cell-signaling proteins and have functional consequences, which successively mediate pathological processes such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, unchecked growth, neurodegeneration, inflammation, and aging. While numerous articles have demonstrated the impacts of ROS on various signaling pathways and clarify the mechanism of action of cell-signaling proteins, their influence on the level of intracellular ROS, and their complex interactions among multiple ROS associated signaling pathways, the systemic summary is necessary. In this review paper, we particularly focus on the pattern of the generation and homeostasis of intracellular ROS, the mechanisms and targets of ROS impacting on cell-signaling proteins (NF-κB, MAPKs, Keap1-Nrf2-ARE, and PI3K-Akt, ion channels and transporters (Ca2+ and mPTP, and modifying protein kinase and Ubiquitination/Proteasome System.

  8. Epigenetic inactivation of Notch-Hes pathway in human B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shao-Qing Kuang

    Full Text Available The Notch pathway can have both oncogenic and tumor suppressor roles, depending on cell context. For example, Notch signaling promotes T cell differentiation and is leukemogenic in T cells, whereas it inhibits early B cell differentiation and acts as a tumor suppressor in B cell leukemia where it induces growth arrest and apoptosis. The regulatory mechanisms that contribute to these opposing roles are not understood. Aberrant promoter DNA methylation and histone modifications are associated with silencing of tumor suppressor genes and have been implicated in leukemogenesis. Using methylated CpG island amplification (MCA/DNA promoter microarray, we identified Notch3 and Hes5 as hypermethylated in human B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL. We investigated the methylation status of other Notch pathway genes by bisulfite pyrosequencing. Notch3, JAG1, Hes2, Hes4 and Hes5 were frequently hypermethylated in B leukemia cell lines and primary B-ALL, in contrast to T-ALL cell lines and patient samples. Aberrant methylation of Notch3 and Hes5 in B-ALL was associated with gene silencing and was accompanied by decrease of H3K4 trimethylation and H3K9 acetylation and gain of H3K9 trimethylation and H3K27 trimethylation. 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment restored Hes5 expression and decreased promoter hypermethylation in most leukemia cell lines and primary B-ALL samples. Restoration of Hes5 expression by lentiviral transduction resulted in growth arrest and apoptosis in Hes5 negative B-ALL cells but not in Hes5 expressing T-ALL cells. These data suggest that epigenetic modifications are implicated in silencing of tumor suppressor of Notch/Hes pathway in B-ALL.

  9. Fascin Is Critical for the Maintenance of Breast Cancer Stem Cell Pool Predominantly via the Activation of the Notch Self-Renewal Pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barnawi, Rayanah; Al-Khaldi, Samiyah; Majed Sleiman, Ghida; Sarkar, Abdullah; Al-Dhfyan, Abdullah; Al-Mohanna, Falah; Ghebeh, Hazem; Al-Alwan, Monther

    2016-12-01

    An emerging dogma shows that tumors are initiated and maintained by a subpopulation of cancer cells that hijack some stem cell features and thus referred to as "cancer stem cells" (CSCs). The exact mechanism that regulates the maintenance of CSC pool remains largely unknown. Fascin is an actin-bundling protein that we have previously demonstrated to be a major regulator of breast cancer chemoresistance and metastasis, two cardinal features of CSCs. Here, we manipulated fascin expression in breast cancer cell lines and used several in vitro and in vivo approaches to examine the relationship between fascin expression and breast CSCs. Fascin knockdown significantly reduced stem cell-like phenotype (CD44 hi /CD24 lo and ALDH + ) and reversal of epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Interestingly, expression of the embryonic stem cell transcriptional factors (Oct4, Nanog, Sox2, and Klf4) was significantly reduced when fascin expression was down-regulated. Functionally, fascin-knockdown cells were less competent in forming colonies and tumorspheres, consistent with lower basal self-renewal activity and higher susceptibility to chemotherapy. Fascin effect on CSC chemoresistance and self-renewability was associated with Notch signaling. Activation of Notch induced the relevant downstream targets predominantly in the fascin-positive cells. Limiting-dilution xenotransplantation assay showed higher frequency of tumor-initiating cells in the fascin-positive group. Collectively, our data demonstrated fascin as a critical regulator of breast CSC pool at least partially via activation of the Notch self-renewal signaling pathway and modification of the expression embryonic transcriptional factors. Targeting fascin may halt CSCs and thus presents a novel therapeutic approach for effective treatment of breast cancer. Stem Cells 2016;34:2799-2813 Video Highlight: https://youtu.be/GxS4fJ_Ow-o. © 2016 AlphaMed Press.

  10. Correlation of eddy current responses between fatigue cracks and electrical-discharge-machining notches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seo, Sukho; Choi, Gyudong; Eom, Tae Jhoun; Lee, Bokwon; Lee, Soo Yeol

    2017-07-01

    The eddy current responses of Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) notches and fatigue cracks are directly compared to verify the reliability of eddy current inspection. The fatigue crack growth tests using a constant load range control mode were conducted to obtain a variety of edge crack sizes, ranging from 0.9 to 6.6 mm for Al alloy and from 0.1 to 3 mm for Ti alloy. EDM notch specimens of Al and Ti alloys were accordingly prepared in lengths similar to that of the fatigued specimen. The crack length was determined by optical microscope and scanning electron microscope. The eddy current responses between the EDM and fatigued specimens with varying notch/crack length were examined using probe sensors at (100-500) kHz and (1-2) MHz for Al and Ti alloys, respectively. The results show a significant difference in the eddy current signal between the two specimens, based on the correlation between the eddy current response and notch/crack length. This suggests that eddy current inspection using the EDM reference specimen is inaccurate in determining the precise crack size, unless the eddy current response data base is obtained from a fatigue-cracked specimen.

  11. An Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blocker Prevents Renal Injury via Inhibition of the Notch Pathway in Ins2 Akita Diabetic Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaya Koshizaka

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, it has been reported that the Notch pathway is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. In this study, we investigated the activation of the Notch pathway in Ins2 Akita diabetic mouse (Akita mouse and the effects of telmisartan, an angiotensin II type1 receptor blocker, on the Notch pathway. The intracellular domain of Notch1 (ICN1 is proteolytically cleaved from the cell plasma membrane in the course of Notch activation. The expression of ICN1 and its ligand, Jagged1, were increased in the glomeruli of Akita mice, especially in the podocytes. Administration of telmisartan significantly ameliorated the expression of ICN1 and Jagged1. Telmisartan inhibited the angiotensin II-induced increased expression of transforming growth factor β and vascular endothelial growth factor A which could directly activate the Notch signaling pathway in cultured podocytes. Our results indicate that the telmisartan prevents diabetic nephropathy through the inhibition of the Notch pathway.

  12. Compact printed high rejection triple band-notch UWB antenna with multiple wireless applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manish Sharma

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, small printed urn-shape triple notch ultra-wideband (UWB monopole antenna with diverse wireless applications is presented. Notch bands include WiMAX (IEEE802.16 3.30–3.80 GHz, WLAN IEEE802.11a/h/j/n (5.15–5.35 GHz, 5.25–5.35 GHz, 5.47–5.725 GHz, 5.725–5.825 GHz, and X-band downlink satellite system (7.25–7.75 GHz and other multiple wireless services as close range radar (8–12 GHz in X-band & satellite communication (12–18 GHz in Ku-band. By including T-shape stub and etching two C-shaped slots on the radiating patch, triple band-notch function is obtained with measured high band rejection (VSWR = 16.54 at 3.60 GHz, VSWR = 22.35 at 5.64 GHz and VSWR = 6.38 at 7.64 GHz and covers a wide useable fractional bandwidth of 154.56% (2.49–19.41 GHz. In short the antenna offers triple band-notch UWB systems as a compact multifunctional antenna to reduce the number of antennas installed in wireless devices for accessing multiple wireless networks with wide radiation pattern.

  13. Loss of PTB or negative regulation of Notch mRNA reveals distinct zones of Notch and actin protein accumulation in Drosophila embryo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cedric S Wesley

    Full Text Available Polypyrimidine Tract Binding (PTB protein is a regulator of mRNA processing and translation. Genetic screens and studies of wing and bristle development during the post-embryonic stages of Drosophila suggest that it is a negative regulator of the Notch pathway. How PTB regulates the Notch pathway is unknown. Our studies of Drosophila embryogenesis indicate that (1 the Notch mRNA is a potential target of PTB, (2 PTB and Notch functions in the dorso-lateral regions of the Drosophila embryo are linked to actin regulation but not their functions in the ventral region, and (3 the actin-related Notch activity in the dorso-lateral regions might require a Notch activity at or near the cell surface that is different from the nuclear Notch activity involved in cell fate specification in the ventral region. These data raise the possibility that the Drosophila embryo is divided into zones of different PTB and Notch activities based on whether or not they are linked to actin regulation. They also provide clues to the almost forgotten role of Notch in cell adhesion and reveal a role for the Notch pathway in cell fusions.

  14. Loss of PTB or Negative Regulation of Notch mRNA Reveals Distinct Zones of Notch and Actin Protein Accumulation in Drosophila Embryo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wesley, Cedric S.; Guo, Heng; Chaudhry, Kanita A.; Thali, Markus J.; Yin, Jerry C.; Clason, Todd; Wesley, Umadevi V.

    2011-01-01

    Polypyrimidine Tract Binding (PTB) protein is a regulator of mRNA processing and translation. Genetic screens and studies of wing and bristle development during the post-embryonic stages of Drosophila suggest that it is a negative regulator of the Notch pathway. How PTB regulates the Notch pathway is unknown. Our studies of Drosophila embryogenesis indicate that (1) the Notch mRNA is a potential target of PTB, (2) PTB and Notch functions in the dorso-lateral regions of the Drosophila embryo are linked to actin regulation but not their functions in the ventral region, and (3) the actin-related Notch activity in the dorso-lateral regions might require a Notch activity at or near the cell surface that is different from the nuclear Notch activity involved in cell fate specification in the ventral region. These data raise the possibility that the Drosophila embryo is divided into zones of different PTB and Notch activities based on whether or not they are linked to actin regulation. They also provide clues to the almost forgotten role of Notch in cell adhesion and reveal a role for the Notch pathway in cell fusions. PMID:21750738

  15. SKR-1, a homolog of Skp1 and a member of the SCFSEL-10 complex, regulates sex-determination and LIN-12/Notch signaling in C. elegans

    Science.gov (United States)

    Killian, Darrell J.; Harvey, Elizabeth; Johnson, Peter; Otori, Muneyoshi; Mitani, Shohei; Xue, Ding

    2008-01-01

    Sex-determination in C. elegans requires regulation of gene transcription and protein activity and stability. sel-10 encodes a WD40-repeat-containing F-box protein that likely mediates the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of important sex-determination factors. Loss of sel-10 results in a mild masculinization of hermaphrodites, whereas dominant alleles of sel-10, such as sel-10(n1074), cause a more severe masculinization, including a reversal of the life versus death decision in sex-specific neurons. To investigate about how sel-10 regulates sex-determination, we conducted a sel-10(n1074) suppressor screen and isolated a weak loss-of-function allele of skr-1, one of 21 Skp1-related genes in C. elegans. Skp1, Cullin, and F-box proteins, such as SEL-10, are components of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. We present genetic evidence that the sel-10(n1074) masculinization phenotype is dependent upon skr-1 and cul-1 activity. Furthermore, we show that the SKR-1(M140I) weak loss-of-function mutation interferes with SKR-1/SEL-10 binding. Unexpectedly, we found that the G567E substitution in SEL-10 caused by the n1074 allele impairs the binding of SEL-10 to SKR-1 and the dimerization of SEL-10, which may be important for SEL-10 function. Our results suggest that SKR-1, CUL-1 and SEL-10 constitute an SCF E3 ligase complex that plays an important role in modulating sex-determination and LIN-12/Notch signaling in C. elegans. PMID:18718460

  16. Cre-mediated stress affects sirtuin expression levels, peroxisome biogenesis and metabolism, antioxidant and proinflammatory signaling pathways.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yu Xiao

    Full Text Available Cre-mediated excision of loxP sites is widely used in mice to manipulate gene function in a tissue-specific manner. To analyze phenotypic alterations related to Cre-expression, we have used AMH-Cre-transgenic mice as a model system. Different Cre expression levels were obtained by investigation of C57BL/6J wild type as well as heterozygous and homozygous AMH-Cre-mice. Our results indicate that Cre-expression itself in Sertoli cells already has led to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation (4-HNE lysine adducts, inducing PPARα/γ, peroxisome proliferation and alterations of peroxisome biogenesis (PEX5, PEX13 and PEX14 as well as metabolic proteins (ABCD1, ABCD3, MFP1, thiolase B, catalase. In addition to the strong catalase increase, a NRF2- and FOXO3-mediated antioxidative response (HMOX1 of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial SOD2 and a NF-κB activation were noted. TGFβ1 and proinflammatory cytokines like IL1, IL6 and TNFα were upregulated and stress-related signaling pathways were induced. Sertoli cell mRNA-microarray analysis revealed an increase of TNFR2-signaling components. 53BP1 recruitment and expression levels for DNA repair genes as well as for p53 were elevated and the ones for related sirtuin deacetylases affected (SIRT 1, 3-7 in Sertoli cells. Under chronic Cre-mediated DNA damage conditions a strong downregulation of Sirt1 was observed, suggesting that the decrease of this important coordinator between DNA repair and metabolic signaling might induce the repression release of major transcription factors regulating metabolic and cytokine-mediated stress pathways. Indeed, caspase-3 was activated and increased germ cell apoptosis was observed, suggesting paracrine effects. In conclusion, the observed wide stress-induced effects and metabolic alterations suggest that it is essential to use the correct control animals (Cre/Wt with matched Cre expression levels to differentiate between Cre-mediated and specific gene-knock out-mediated

  17. Cre-Mediated Stress Affects Sirtuin Expression Levels, Peroxisome Biogenesis and Metabolism, Antioxidant and Proinflammatory Signaling Pathways

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiao, Yu; Karnati, Srikanth; Qian, Guofeng; Nenicu, Anca; Fan, Wei; Tchatalbachev, Svetlin; Höland, Anita; Hossain, Hamid; Guillou, Florian; Lüers, Georg H.; Baumgart-Vogt, Eveline

    2012-01-01

    Cre-mediated excision of loxP sites is widely used in mice to manipulate gene function in a tissue-specific manner. To analyze phenotypic alterations related to Cre-expression, we have used AMH-Cre-transgenic mice as a model system. Different Cre expression levels were obtained by investigation of C57BL/6J wild type as well as heterozygous and homozygous AMH-Cre-mice. Our results indicate that Cre-expression itself in Sertoli cells already has led to oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation (4-HNE lysine adducts), inducing PPARα/γ, peroxisome proliferation and alterations of peroxisome biogenesis (PEX5, PEX13 and PEX14) as well as metabolic proteins (ABCD1, ABCD3, MFP1, thiolase B, catalase). In addition to the strong catalase increase, a NRF2- and FOXO3-mediated antioxidative response (HMOX1 of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial SOD2) and a NF-κB activation were noted. TGFβ1 and proinflammatory cytokines like IL1, IL6 and TNFα were upregulated and stress-related signaling pathways were induced. Sertoli cell mRNA-microarray analysis revealed an increase of TNFR2-signaling components. 53BP1 recruitment and expression levels for DNA repair genes as well as for p53 were elevated and the ones for related sirtuin deacetylases affected (SIRT 1, 3-7) in Sertoli cells. Under chronic Cre-mediated DNA damage conditions a strong downregulation of Sirt1 was observed, suggesting that the decrease of this important coordinator between DNA repair and metabolic signaling might induce the repression release of major transcription factors regulating metabolic and cytokine-mediated stress pathways. Indeed, caspase-3 was activated and increased germ cell apoptosis was observed, suggesting paracrine effects. In conclusion, the observed wide stress-induced effects and metabolic alterations suggest that it is essential to use the correct control animals (Cre/Wt) with matched Cre expression levels to differentiate between Cre-mediated and specific gene-knock out-mediated

  18. Power Line Interference Removal from Electrocardiogram Using a Simplified Lattice Based Adaptive IIR Notch Filter

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Dhillon, Santpal

    2001-01-01

    ...) notch filter with a simplified adaptation algorithm for removal of power line frequency from ECG signals, The performance of this filter is better as compared to a second order infinite impulse response (IIR...

  19. Serum levels of RBP4 and adipose tissue levels of PTP1B are increased in obese men resident in northeast Scotland without associated changes in ER stress response genes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hoggard N

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Nigel Hoggard1, Abdelali Agouni2, Nimesh Mody2, Mirela Delibegovic21Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health, 2Integrative Physiology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UKBackground: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4 is an adipokine identified as a marker of insulin resistance in mice and humans. Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B expression levels as well as other genes involved in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER stress response are increased in adipose tissue of obese, high-fat-diet-fed mice. In this study we investigated if serum and/or adipose tissue RBP4 protein levels and expression levels of PTP1B and other ER stress-response genes are altered in obese and obese/diabetic men resident in northeast Scotland.Methods: We studied three groups of male volunteers: (1 normal/overweight (body mass index [BMI] < 30, (2 obese (BMI > 30, and (3 obese/diabetic (BMI > 30 controlling their diabetes either by diet or the antidiabetic drug metformin. We analyzed their serum and adipose tissue RBP4 protein levels as well as adipose tissue mRNA expression of PTP1B, binding immunoglobulin protein (BIP, activated transcription factor 4 (ATF4, and glucose-regulated protein 94 (GRP94 alongside other markers of adiposity (percentage body fat, leptin, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin resistance (oral glucose tolerance tests, insulin, homeostatic model assessment–insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, and adiponectin.Results: We found that obese Scottish subjects had significantly higher serum RBP4 protein levels in comparison to the normal/overweight subjects (P < 0.01. Serum RBP4 levels were normalized in obese/diabetic subjects treated with diet or metformin (P < 0.05. Adipose tissue RBP4 protein levels were comparable between all three groups of subjects as were serum and adipose transthyretin levels. Adipose tissue PTP1B mRNA levels were increased in obese subjects in comparison to normal/overweight subjects (P < 0.05; however diet and/or metformin

  20. Cigarette smoke regulates VEGFR2-mediated survival signaling in rat lungs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stevenson Christopher S

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2-mediated survival signaling is critical to endothelial cell survival, maintenance of the vasculature and alveolar structure and regeneration of lung tissue. Reduced VEGF and VEGFR2 expression in emphysematous lungs has been linked to increased endothelial cell death and vascular regression. Previously, we have shown that CS down-regulated the VEGFR2 and its downstream signaling in mouse lungs. However, the VEGFR2-mediated survival signaling in response to oxidants/cigarette smoke (CS is not known. We hypothesized that CS exposure leads to disruption of VEGFR2-mediated endothelial survival signaling in rat lungs. Methods Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed CS for 3 days, 8 weeks and 6 months to investigate the effect of CS on VEGFR2-mediated survival signaling by measuring the Akt/PI3-kinase/eNOS downstream signaling in rat lungs. Results and Discussion We show that CS disrupts VEGFR2/PI3-kinase association leading to decreased Akt and eNOS phosphorylation. This may further alter the phosphorylation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bad and increase the Bad/Bcl-xl association. However, this was not associated with a significant lung cell death as evidenced by active caspase-3 levels. These data suggest that although CS altered the VEGFR2-mediated survival signaling in the rat lungs, but it was not sufficient to cause lung cell death. Conclusion The rat lungs exposed to CS in acute, sub-chronic and chronic levels may be representative of smokers where survival signaling is altered but was not associated with lung cell death whereas emphysema is known to be associated with lung cell apoptosis.

  1. DMPD: IRAK1: a critical signaling mediator of innate immunity. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 17890055 IRAK1: a critical signaling mediator of innate immunity. Gottipati S, Rao ...IRAK1: a critical signaling mediator of innate immunity. PubmedID 17890055 Title IRAK1: a critical signaling mediator

  2. J/Ψ suppression as a signal for the quark-gluon plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wong, C.Y.

    1997-01-01

    The authors review the search for the quark-gluon plasma using the signal of the suppression of J/ψ production in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Recent anomalous J/ψ suppression in high-energy Pb-Pb collisions observed by the NA50 Collaboration are examined and compared with earlier results from pA and nucleus-nucleus collisions with heavy ions of smaller mass numbers. The anomalous suppression of J/ψ production in Pb-Pb collisions can be explained as due to the occurrence of a new phase of strong J/ψ absorption, which sets in when the number of nucleon-nucleon collisions at a spatial point exceeds about 4 and corresponds to a local energy density of about 3.4 GeV/fm 3

  3. Progress Report on Alloy 617 Notched Specimen Testing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMurtrey, Michael David [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Wright, Richard Neil [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Lillo, Thomas Martin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2016-08-01

    Creep behavior of Alloy 617 has been extensively characterized to support the development of a draft Code Case to qualify Alloy 617 in Section III division 5 of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code. This will allow use of Alloy 617 in construction of nuclear reactor components at elevated temperatures and longer periods of time (up to 950°C and 100,000 hours). Prior to actual use, additional concerns not considered in the ASME code need to be addressed. Code Cases are based largely on uniaxial testing of smooth gage specimens. In service conditions, components will generally be under multi axial loading. There is also the concern of the behavior at discontinuities, such as threaded components. To address the concerns of multi axial creep behavior and at geometric discontinuities, notched specimens have been designed to create conditions representative of the states that service components experience. Two general notch geometries have been used for these series of tests: U notch and V notch specimens. The notches produce a tri axial stress state, though not uniform across the specimen. Characterization of the creep behavior of the U notch specimens and the creep rupture behavior of the V notch specimens provides a good approximation of the behavior expected of actual components. Preliminary testing and analysis have been completed and are reported in this document. This includes results from V notch specimens tested at 900°C and 800°C. Failure occurred in the smooth gage section of the specimen rather than at the root of the notch, though some damage was present at the root of the notch, where initial stress was highest. This indicates notch strengthening behavior in this material at these temperatures.

  4. Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, gomisins J and N inhibit the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Kyungsu; Lee, Kyung-Mi; Yoo, Ji-Hye; Lee, Hee Ju [Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chul Young [Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340 (Korea, Republic of); College of Pharmacy, Hanyang University, Ansan 426-791 (Korea, Republic of); Nho, Chu Won, E-mail: cwnho@kist.re.kr [Functional Food Center, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Gangneung 210-340 (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-11-16

    Graphical abstract: Schematic diagram of the possible molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway and the induction of G0/G1-phase arrest by gomisins J and N, derived from the fruits of S. chinensis, in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N inhibited Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N disrupted the binding of {beta}-catenin to specific DNA sequences, TBE. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N inhibited the HCT116 cell proliferation through G0/G1 phase arrest. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Gomisins J and N inhibited the expression of Cyc D1, a Wnt/{beta}-catenin target gene. -- Abstract: Here, we report that gomisin J and gomisin N, dibenzocyclooctadiene type lignans isolated from Schisandra chinensis, inhibit Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling in HCT116 cells. Gomisins J and N appear to inhibit Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling by disrupting the interaction between {beta}-catenin and its specific target DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) rather than by altering the expression of the {beta}-catenin protein. Gomisins J and N inhibit HCT116 cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. The G0/G1 phase arrest induced by gomisins J and N appears to be caused by a decrease in the expression of Cyclin D1, a representative target gene of the Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling pathway, as well as Cdk2, Cdk4, and E2F-1. Therefore, gomisins J and N, the novel Wnt/{beta}-catenin inhibitors discovered in this study, may serve as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of human colorectal cancers.

  5. Dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans, gomisins J and N inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Kyungsu; Lee, Kyung-Mi; Yoo, Ji-Hye; Lee, Hee Ju; Kim, Chul Young; Nho, Chu Won

    2012-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Schematic diagram of the possible molecular mechanism underlying the inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and the induction of G0/G1-phase arrest by gomisins J and N, derived from the fruits of S. chinensis, in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Highlights: ► Gomisins J and N inhibited Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HCT116 cells. ► Gomisins J and N disrupted the binding of β-catenin to specific DNA sequences, TBE. ► Gomisins J and N inhibited the HCT116 cell proliferation through G0/G1 phase arrest. ► Gomisins J and N inhibited the expression of Cyc D1, a Wnt/β-catenin target gene. -- Abstract: Here, we report that gomisin J and gomisin N, dibenzocyclooctadiene type lignans isolated from Schisandra chinensis, inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling in HCT116 cells. Gomisins J and N appear to inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling by disrupting the interaction between β-catenin and its specific target DNA sequences (TCF binding elements, TBE) rather than by altering the expression of the β-catenin protein. Gomisins J and N inhibit HCT116 cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. The G0/G1 phase arrest induced by gomisins J and N appears to be caused by a decrease in the expression of Cyclin D1, a representative target gene of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, as well as Cdk2, Cdk4, and E2F-1. Therefore, gomisins J and N, the novel Wnt/β-catenin inhibitors discovered in this study, may serve as potential agents for the prevention and treatment of human colorectal cancers.

  6. Luteolin suppresses angiogenesis and vasculogenic mimicry formation through inhibiting Notch1-VEGF signaling in gastric cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zang, Mingde; Hu, Lei; Zhang, Baogui; Zhu, Zhenglun; Li, Jianfang; Zhu, Zhenggang; Yan, Min; Liu, Bingya

    2017-08-26

    Gastric cancer is a great threat to the health of the people worldwide and lacks effective therapeutic regimens. Luteolin is one of Chinese herbs and presents in many fruits and green plants. In our previous study, we observed that luteolin inhibited cell migration and promoted cell apoptosis in gastric cancer. In the present study, luteolin significantly inhibited tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) through decreasing cell migration and proliferation of HUVECs in a dose-dependent manner. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) tubes formed by gastric cancer cells were also inhibited with luteolin treatment. To explore how luteolin inhibited tubes formation, ELISA assay for VEGF was performed. Both of the VEGF secretion from Hs-746T cells and HUVECs were significantly decreased subsequent to luteolin treatment. In addition, cell migration was increased with the interaction between gastric cancer cells and HUVECs in co-culture assays. However, the promoting effects were abolished subsequent to luteolin treatment. Furthermore, luteolin inhibited VEGF secretion through suppressing Notch1 expression in gastric cancer. Overexpression of Notch1 in gastric cancer cells partially rescued the effects on cell migration, proliferation, HUVECs tube formation, and VM formation induced by luteolin treatment. In conclusion, luteolin inhibits angiogenesis and VM formation in gastric cancer through suppressing VEGF secretion dependent on Notch1 expression. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Void coalescence and fracture behavior of notched and un-notched tensile tested specimens in fine grain dual phase steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saeidi, N., E-mail: navidsae@gmail.com [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Ashrafizadeh, F.; Niroumand, B. [Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Forouzan, M.R.; Mohseni mofidi, S. [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Barlat, F. [Materials Mechanics Laboratory (MML), Graduate Institute of Ferrous Technology (GIFT), Pohang University of Science and Technology POSTECH, San 31 Hyoja-dong, Nam-gu, Pohang, Gyeongbuk 790-784 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-09-17

    Due to growing global concern about the environmental issues, steel developers have been forced by automobile makers to produce more efficient steel grades with high strength to weight ratios along with high crashworthiness performance. In order to find deficiencies of the existing steels and develop superior steel products, detailed understanding of deformation and damage behavior in the existing steels is needed. In the present research, deformation and damage evolution during room temperature uniaxial tensile test of a modern high strength Dual Phase Steel, i.e. DP780, were studied. Detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination of the microstructures of notched and un-notched tensile fractured specimens revealed that in notched specimen, plastic deformation was concentrated more within the notched region. Therefore, much higher reduction in thickness with a high reduction gradient occurred in this region, In the un-notched specimen, however, plastic deformation was more uniformly distributed in larger parts of the gauge length, and therefore, thickness reduction happened with a lower gradient. Although geometric notch on the specimen did not change the void nucleation and growth mechanisms, the kinetics of these phenomena was influenced. On the other hand, voids linkage mechanism tended to change from void coalescence in the un-notched specimen to void sheeting in the notched specimen. Moreover, three different models developed by Brown & Embury (BM), Thomason and Pardoen were employed to predict the final fracture strain. It was revealed that, BM model showed much more accurate predictions for the studied DP steel in comparison with those of Thomason and Pardoens’ models.

  8. Void coalescence and fracture behavior of notched and un-notched tensile tested specimens in fine grain dual phase steel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saeidi, N.; Ashrafizadeh, F.; Niroumand, B.; Forouzan, M.R.; Mohseni mofidi, S.; Barlat, F.

    2015-01-01

    Due to growing global concern about the environmental issues, steel developers have been forced by automobile makers to produce more efficient steel grades with high strength to weight ratios along with high crashworthiness performance. In order to find deficiencies of the existing steels and develop superior steel products, detailed understanding of deformation and damage behavior in the existing steels is needed. In the present research, deformation and damage evolution during room temperature uniaxial tensile test of a modern high strength Dual Phase Steel, i.e. DP780, were studied. Detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examination of the microstructures of notched and un-notched tensile fractured specimens revealed that in notched specimen, plastic deformation was concentrated more within the notched region. Therefore, much higher reduction in thickness with a high reduction gradient occurred in this region, In the un-notched specimen, however, plastic deformation was more uniformly distributed in larger parts of the gauge length, and therefore, thickness reduction happened with a lower gradient. Although geometric notch on the specimen did not change the void nucleation and growth mechanisms, the kinetics of these phenomena was influenced. On the other hand, voids linkage mechanism tended to change from void coalescence in the un-notched specimen to void sheeting in the notched specimen. Moreover, three different models developed by Brown & Embury (BM), Thomason and Pardoen were employed to predict the final fracture strain. It was revealed that, BM model showed much more accurate predictions for the studied DP steel in comparison with those of Thomason and Pardoens’ models

  9. Notch effects in uniaxial tension specimens

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delph, T.J.

    1979-03-01

    Results of a literature survey on the effect of notches on the time-dependent failure of uniaxial tension specimens at elevated temperatures are presented. Particular attention is paid to the failure of notched specimens containing weldments

  10. Identification of potential pathway mediation targets in Toll-like receptor signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fan Li

    2009-02-01

    Full Text Available Recent advances in reconstruction and analytical methods for signaling networks have spurred the development of large-scale models that incorporate fully functional and biologically relevant features. An extended reconstruction of the human Toll-like receptor signaling network is presented herein. This reconstruction contains an extensive complement of kinases, phosphatases, and other associated proteins that mediate the signaling cascade along with a delineation of their associated chemical reactions. A computational framework based on the methods of large-scale convex analysis was developed and applied to this network to characterize input-output relationships. The input-output relationships enabled significant modularization of the network into ten pathways. The analysis identified potential candidates for inhibitory mediation of TLR signaling with respect to their specificity and potency. Subsequently, we were able to identify eight novel inhibition targets through constraint-based modeling methods. The results of this study are expected to yield meaningful avenues for further research in the task of mediating the Toll-like receptor signaling network and its effects.

  11. Stress concentration at notches

    CERN Document Server

    Savruk, Mykhaylo P

    2017-01-01

    This book compiles solutions of linear theory of elasticity problems for isotropic and anisotropic bodies with sharp and rounded notches. It contains an overview of established and recent achievements, and presents the authors’ original solutions in the field considered with extensive discussion. The volume demonstrates through numerous, useful examples the effectiveness of singular integral equations for obtaining exact solutions of boundary problems of the theory of elasticity for bodies with cracks and notches. Incorporating analytical and numerical solutions of the problems of stress concentrations in solid bodies with crack-like defects, this volume is ideal for scientists and PhD students dealing with the problems of theory of elasticity and fracture mechanics. Stands as a modern and extensive compendium of solutions to the problems of linear theory of elasticity of isotropic and anisotropic bodies with sharp and rounded notches; Adopts a highly reader-friendly layout of tables, charts, approximation ...

  12. Wnt activation followed by Notch inhibition promotes mitotic hair cell regeneration in the postnatal mouse cochlea

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wenyan; Chen, Yan; Zhang, Shasha; Tang, Mingliang; Sun, Shan; Chai, Renjie; Li, Huawei

    2016-01-01

    Hair cell (HC) loss is the main cause of permanent hearing loss in mammals. Previous studies have reported that in neonatal mice cochleae, Wnt activation promotes supporting cell (SC) proliferation and Notch inhibition promotes the trans-differentiation of SCs into HCs. However, Wnt activation alone fails to regenerate significant amounts of new HCs, Notch inhibition alone regenerates the HCs at the cost of exhausting the SC population, which leads to the death of the newly regenerated HCs. Mitotic HC regeneration might preserve the SC number while regenerating the HCs, which could be a better approach for long-term HC regeneration. We present a two-step gene manipulation, Wnt activation followed by Notch inhibition, to accomplish mitotic regeneration of HCs while partially preserving the SC number. We show that Wnt activation followed by Notch inhibition strongly promotes the mitotic regeneration of new HCs in both normal and neomycin-damaged cochleae while partially preserving the SC number. Lineage tracing shows that the majority of the mitotically regenerated HCs are derived specifically from the Lgr5+ progenitors with or without HC damage. Our findings suggest that the co-regulation of Wnt and Notch signaling might provide a better approach to mitotically regenerate HCs from Lgr5+ progenitor cells. PMID:27564256

  13. Mutual inactivation of Notch receptors and ligands facilitates developmental patterning.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Sprinzak

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Developmental patterning requires juxtacrine signaling in order to tightly coordinate the fates of neighboring cells. Recent work has shown that Notch and Delta, the canonical metazoan juxtacrine signaling receptor and ligand, mutually inactivate each other in the same cell. This cis-interaction generates mutually exclusive sending and receiving states in individual cells. It generally remains unclear, however, how this mutual inactivation and the resulting switching behavior can impact developmental patterning circuits. Here we address this question using mathematical modeling in the context of two canonical pattern formation processes: boundary formation and lateral inhibition. For boundary formation, in a model motivated by Drosophila wing vein patterning, we find that mutual inactivation allows sharp boundary formation across a broader range of parameters than models lacking mutual inactivation. This model with mutual inactivation also exhibits robustness to correlated gene expression perturbations. For lateral inhibition, we find that mutual inactivation speeds up patterning dynamics, relieves the need for cooperative regulatory interactions, and expands the range of parameter values that permit pattern formation, compared to canonical models. Furthermore, mutual inactivation enables a simple lateral inhibition circuit architecture which requires only a single downstream regulatory step. Both model systems show how mutual inactivation can facilitate robust fine-grained patterning processes that would be difficult to implement without it, by encoding a difference-promoting feedback within the signaling system itself. Together, these results provide a framework for analysis of more complex Notch-dependent developmental systems.

  14. Hepatitis B virus X protein promotes interleukin-7 receptor expression via NF-κB and Notch1 pathway to facilitate proliferation and migration of hepatitis B virus-related hepatoma cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fanyun Kong

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R is involved in the abnormal function of solid tumors, but the role and regulatory mechanisms of IL-7R in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC are still unclear. Methods Gene and protein expression levels of IL-7R were examined in hepatoma cells transfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV plasmids and in hepatoma cells transfected with the multifunctional nonstructural protein X (HBX. The expression of HBX and IL-7R was measured by immunohistochemical analysis in HBV-related HCC tissues. The role of NF-κB and Notch1 pathways in HBX-mediated expression of IL-7R in hepatoma cells was examined. Activation of IL-7R downstream of intracellular signaling proteins AKT, JNK, STAT5, and the associated molecules CyclinD1 and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9, was assessed in HBX-positive cells with or without treatment with IL-7R short hairpin RNA (shRNA. Additionally, the role of IL-7R in HBX-mediated proliferation and migration of hepatoma cells was investigated. Results The expression of IL-7R was increased in hepatoma cells transfected with HBV plasmids; HBX was responsible for the HBV-mediated upregulation of IL-7R. Compared to adjacent tissues, the expression of HBX and IL-7R was increased in HBV-related HCC tissues. Additionally, the relative expression levels of HBX were associated with IL-7R in HBV-related HCC tissues. The activation of NF-κB pathways and expression of Notch1 were increased in hepatoma cells transfected with HBX, and inhibition of NF-κB and Notch1 pathways significantly decreased HBX-mediated expression of IL-7R. The activation of AKT and JNK and the expression of CyclinD1 and MMP-9 were increased in HBX-positive cells. When cells were treated with IL-7R shRNA, the activation of AKT and JNK, as well as the expression of CyclinD1 and MMP-9, were significantly inhibited. Additionally, IL-7R was responsible for HBX-induced proliferation and migration ability of hepatoma cells

  15. Deep lateral notch sign and double notch sign in complete tears of the anterior cruciate ligament: MR imaging evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grimberg, Alexandre [University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Shirazian, Hoda; Torshizy, Hamid; Smitaman, Edward; Resnick, Donald L. [University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); Chang, Eric Y. [Veterans Administrations San Diego Healthcare Systems, Osteoradiology Section, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States); University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, Division of Musculoskeletal Radiology, Department of Radiology, San Diego, CA (United States)

    2014-11-20

    To systematically compare the notches of the lateral femoral condyle (LFC) in patients with and without complete tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in MR studies by (1) evaluating the dimensions of the lateral condylopatellar sulcus; (2) evaluating the presence and appearance of an extra or a double notch and its association with such tears. This retrospective study was approved by our institutional review board, and informed written patient consent was waived. In 58 cases of complete ACL tears and 37 control cases with intact ACL, the number of notches on the LFC was determined, and the depth and anteroposterior (AP) length of each notch were measured in each third of the LFC. The chi-square test, t-test, and logistic regression model were used to analyze demographic data and image findings, as appropriate. Presence of more than one notch demonstrated a sensitivity of 17.2 %, specificity of 100 %, positive predictive value of 100 %, and negative predictive value of 43.5 % for detecting a complete ACL tear. Lateral third depth measurement (p = 0.028) was a significant associated finding with a complete ACL tear. A deep notch in the lateral third of the LFC is a significant associated finding with a complete ACL tear when compared with an ACL-intact control group, and the presence of more than one notch is a specific but insensitive sign of such a tear. (orig.)

  16. Investigating electro-mechanical signals from collocated piezoelectric wafers for the reference-free damage diagnosis of a plate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eun Jin; Park, Hyun Woo; Kim, Min Koo; Sohn, Hoon

    2011-01-01

    The electro-mechanical (EM) signals from piezoelectric (PZT) wafers are investigated for reference-free damage diagnosis so that a notch in a plate can be detected without requiring direct comparison with a baseline EM signal. Two identical PZT wafers collocated on both surfaces of a plate are utilized for extracting the mode-converted Lamb wave signals created by a notch. As harmonic input voltage signals are exerted on the collocated PZT wafers, the corresponding mode-converted Lamb wave signals become steady-state in the presence of damage. Applying fast Fourier transform to these mode-converted Lamb wave signals followed by a proper normalization, the EM signals associated with the mode conversion can be obtained. The theoretical finding of this paper is validated through spectral element simulations of a cantilever beam with a notch. The effects of the size and the location of the notch on the mode-converted EM signals are investigated as well. Finally, the applicability of the decomposed EM signals to reference-free damage diagnosis is discussed

  17. An amelogenin mutation leads to disruption of the odontogenic apparatus and aberrant expression of Notch I

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xu; Li, Yong; Alawi, Faizan; Bouchard, Jessica R.; Kulkarni, Ashok B.; Gibson, Carolyn W.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND Amelogenins are highly conserved proteins secreted by ameloblasts in the dental organ of developing teeth. These proteins regulate dental enamel thickness and structure in humans and mice. Mice that express an amelogenin transgene with a P70T mutation (TgP70T) develop abnormal epithelial proliferation in an amelogenin null (KO) background. Some of these cellular masses have the appearance of proliferating stratum intermedium, which is the layer adjacent to the ameloblasts in unerupted teeth. As Notch proteins are thought to constitute the developmental switch that separates ameloblasts from stratum intermedium, these signaling proteins were evaluated in normal and proliferating tissues. METHODS Mandibles were dissected for histology and immunohistochemistry using Notch I antibodies. Molar teeth were dissected for western blotting and RT-PCR for evaluation of Notch levels through imaging and statistical analyses. RESULTS Notch I was immunolocalized to ameloblasts of TgP70TKO mice, KO ameloblasts stained, but less strongly, and wild-type teeth had minimal staining. Cells within the proliferating epithelial cell masses were positive for Notch I and had an appearance reminiscent of calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor with amyloid-like deposits. Notch I protein and mRNA were elevated in molar teeth from TgP70TKO mice. CONCLUSION Expression of TgP70T leads to abnormal structures in mandibles and maxillae of mice with the KO genetic background and these mice have elevated levels of Notch I in developing molars. As cells within the masses also express transgenic amelogenins, development of the abnormal proliferations suggests communication between amelogenin producing cells and the proliferating cells, dependent on the presence of the mutated amelogenin protein. PMID:20923441

  18. Comparison of methods for removing electromagnetic noise from electromyographic signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Defreitas, Jason M; Beck, Travis W; Stock, Matt S

    2012-02-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to compare three different methods of removing noise from monopolar electromyographic (EMG) signals: (a) electrical shielding with a Faraday cage, (b) denoising with a digital notch-filter and (c) applying a bipolar differentiation with another monopolar EMG signal. Ten men and ten women (mean age = 24.0 years) performed isometric muscle actions of the leg extensors at 10-100% of their maximal voluntary contraction on two separate occasions. One trial was performed inside a Faraday tent (a flexible Faraday cage made from conductive material), and the other was performed outside the Faraday tent. The EMG signals collected outside the Faraday tent were analyzed three separate ways: as a raw signal, as a bipolar signal, and as a signal digitally notch filtered to remove 60 Hz noise and its harmonics. The signal-to-noise ratios were greatest after notch-filtering (range: 3.0-33.8), and lowest for the bipolar arrangement (1.6-10.2). Linear slope coefficients for the EMG amplitude versus force relationship were also used to compare the methods of noise removal. The results showed that a bipolar arrangement had a significantly lower linear slope coefficient when compared to the three other conditions (raw, notch and tent). These results suggested that an appropriately filtered monopolar EMG signal can be useful in situations that require a large pick-up area. Furthermore, although it is helpful, a Faraday tent (or cage) is not required to achieve an appropriate signal-to-noise ratio, as long as the correct filters are applied.

  19. Comparison of methods for removing electromagnetic noise from electromyographic signals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeFreitas, Jason M; Beck, Travis W; Stock, Matt S

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this investigation was to compare three different methods of removing noise from monopolar electromyographic (EMG) signals: (a) electrical shielding with a Faraday cage, (b) denoising with a digital notch-filter and (c) applying a bipolar differentiation with another monopolar EMG signal. Ten men and ten women (mean age = 24.0 years) performed isometric muscle actions of the leg extensors at 10–100% of their maximal voluntary contraction on two separate occasions. One trial was performed inside a Faraday tent (a flexible Faraday cage made from conductive material), and the other was performed outside the Faraday tent. The EMG signals collected outside the Faraday tent were analyzed three separate ways: as a raw signal, as a bipolar signal, and as a signal digitally notch filtered to remove 60 Hz noise and its harmonics. The signal-to-noise ratios were greatest after notch-filtering (range: 3.0–33.8), and lowest for the bipolar arrangement (1.6–10.2). Linear slope coefficients for the EMG amplitude versus force relationship were also used to compare the methods of noise removal. The results showed that a bipolar arrangement had a significantly lower linear slope coefficient when compared to the three other conditions (raw, notch and tent). These results suggested that an appropriately filtered monopolar EMG signal can be useful in situations that require a large pick-up area. Furthermore, although it is helpful, a Faraday tent (or cage) is not required to achieve an appropriate signal-to-noise ratio, as long as the correct filters are applied. (paper)

  20. The Xanthomonas campestris type III effector XopJ targets the host cell proteasome to suppress salicylic-acid mediated plant defence.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suayib Üstün

    Full Text Available The phytopathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv requires type III effector proteins (T3Es for virulence. After translocation into the host cell, T3Es are thought to interact with components of host immunity to suppress defence responses. XopJ is a T3E protein from Xcv that interferes with plant immune responses; however, its host cellular target is unknown. Here we show that XopJ interacts with the proteasomal subunit RPT6 in yeast and in planta to inhibit proteasome activity. A C235A mutation within the catalytic triad of XopJ as well as a G2A exchange within the N-terminal myristoylation motif abolishes the ability of XopJ to inhibit the proteasome. Xcv ΔxopJ mutants are impaired in growth and display accelerated symptom development including tissue necrosis on susceptible pepper leaves. Application of the proteasome inhibitor MG132 restored the ability of the Xcv ΔxopJ to attenuate the development of leaf necrosis. The XopJ dependent delay of tissue degeneration correlates with reduced levels of salicylic acid (SA and changes in defence- and senescence-associated gene expression. Necrosis upon infection with Xcv ΔxopJ was greatly reduced in pepper plants with reduced expression of NPR1, a central regulator of SA responses, demonstrating the involvement of SA-signalling in the development of XopJ dependent phenotypes. Our results suggest that XopJ-mediated inhibition of the proteasome interferes with SA-dependent defence response to attenuate onset of necrosis and to alter host transcription. A central role of the proteasome in plant defence is discussed.

  1. Magnetoresistance effect in permalloy nanowires with various types of notches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Y.; You, B.; Wang, J.; Yuan, Y.; Wei, L. J.; Tu, H. Q.; Zhang, W.; Du, J.

    2018-05-01

    Suppressing the stochastic domain wall (DW) motion in magnetic nanowires is of great importance for designing DW-related spintronic devices. In this work, we have investigated the pinning/depinning processes of DWs in permalloy nanowires with three different types of notches by using longitudinal magnetoresistance (MR) measurement. The averaged MR curves demonstrate that the stochastic DW depinning is suppressed partly or even completely by a transversely asymmetric notch. The single-shot MR curves show that how the resistance changes with the applied field also depends strongly on the notch type while the DW is pinned around the notch. In the case of two depinning fields, larger (smaller) change of resistance always corresponds to larger (smaller) depinning field, regardless of the notch type. These phenomena can be understood by that the spin structure around the notch changes differently with the notch type when the DW is traveling through the notch.

  2. ERK inhibition enhances TSA-induced gastric cancer cell apoptosis via NF-κB-dependent and Notch-independent mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Jun; Qian, Cui-Juan; Ye, Bei; Zhang, Xin; Liang, Yong

    2012-09-04

    To analyze the combined impact of the histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI) Trichostatin A (TSA) and the extracellular-signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) inhibitor PD98059 on gastric cancer (GC) cell line SGC7901 growth. SGC7901 cells were treated with TSA, PD98059 or with a TSA-PD98059 combination. Effects of drug treatment on tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell cycle progression, and cell signaling pathways were investigated by MTS assay, flow cytometry, Western blotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and luciferase reporter assay, respectively. PD98059 enhanced TSA-induced cell growth arrest, apoptosis and activation of p21(WAF1/CIP1), but reversed TSA-induced activation of ERK1/2 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). TSA alone up-regulated Notch1 and Hes1, and down-regulated Notch2, but PD98059 did not affect the trends of Notch1 and Notch2 induced by TSA. Particularly, PD98059 did potentiate the ability of TSA to down-regulate phospho-histone H3 protein, but increased levels of the acetylated forms of histone H3 bound to the p21(WAF1/CIP1) promoter, leading to enhanced expression of p21(WAF1/CIP1) in SGC7901 cells. PD98059 synergistically potentiates TSA-induced GC growth arrest and apoptosis by manipulating NF-κB and p21(WAF1/CIP1) independent of Notch. Therefore, concomitant administration of HDACIs and ERK1/2 inhibitors may be a promising treatment strategy for individuals with GC. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. A functional study of EGFR and Notch signaling in brain cancer stem-like cells from glioblastoma multiforme (Ph.d.)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kristoffersen, Karina

    2013-01-01

    Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive brain tumor in adults with a median survival for newly diagnosed GBM patients at less than 1.5 year. Despite intense treatment efforts the vast majority of patients will experience relapse and much research today is therefore searching...... for new molecular and cellular targets that can improve the prognosis for GBM patients. One such target is the brain cancer stem-like cells (bCSC) that are believed to be responsible for tumor initiation, progression, treatment resistance and ultimately relapse. bCSC are identified based...... on their resemblance to normal neural stem cells (NSC) and their tumorigenic potential. Like for NSC, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Notch receptor signaling pathways are believed to be important for the maintenance of bCSC. These pathways as such present promising targets in a future anti-bCSC GBM...

  4. A Digital Signal Processor for Doppler Radar Sensing of Vital Signs

    Science.gov (United States)

    2001-10-25

    shows a small spike halfway each heartbeat. This is known as the dicrotic notch , which signifies a sudden drop in pressure after systolic contraction...It is caused by a small reflux flow of blood back into the aortic valve and coronary vessels. This dicrotic notch in the heart signal is clipped...signal, and amax was the maximum amplitude of the signal in the specified window. The user could set the factor k, and it determined the threshold at

  5. Magnetoresistance effect in permalloy nanowires with various types of notches

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Gao

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Suppressing the stochastic domain wall (DW motion in magnetic nanowires is of great importance for designing DW-related spintronic devices. In this work, we have investigated the pinning/depinning processes of DWs in permalloy nanowires with three different types of notches by using longitudinal magnetoresistance (MR measurement. The averaged MR curves demonstrate that the stochastic DW depinning is suppressed partly or even completely by a transversely asymmetric notch. The single-shot MR curves show that how the resistance changes with the applied field also depends strongly on the notch type while the DW is pinned around the notch. In the case of two depinning fields, larger (smaller change of resistance always corresponds to larger (smaller depinning field, regardless of the notch type. These phenomena can be understood by that the spin structure around the notch changes differently with the notch type when the DW is traveling through the notch.

  6. DMPD: Signalling pathways mediating type I interferon gene expression. [Dynamic Macrophage Pathway CSML Database

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available 17904888 Signalling pathways mediating type I interferon gene expression. Edwards M...hways mediating type I interferon gene expression. PubmedID 17904888 Title Signalling pathways...R, Slater L, Johnston SL. Microbes Infect. 2007 Sep;9(11):1245-51. Epub 2007 Jul 1. (.png) (.svg) (.html) (.csml) Show Signalling pat

  7. Notch is required in adult Drosophila sensory neurons for morphological and functional plasticity of the olfactory circuit.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simon Kidd

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs convey odor information to the central brain, but like other sensory neurons were thought to play a passive role in memory formation and storage. Here we show that Notch, part of an evolutionarily conserved intercellular signaling pathway, is required in adult Drosophila ORNs for the structural and functional plasticity of olfactory glomeruli that is induced by chronic odor exposure. Specifically, we show that Notch activity in ORNs is necessary for the odor specific increase in the volume of glomeruli that occurs as a consequence of prolonged odor exposure. Calcium imaging experiments indicate that Notch in ORNs is also required for the chronic odor induced changes in the physiology of ORNs and the ensuing changes in the physiological response of their second order projection neurons (PNs. We further show that Notch in ORNs acts by both canonical cleavage-dependent and non-canonical cleavage-independent pathways. The Notch ligand Delta (Dl in PNs switches the balance between the pathways. These data define a circuit whereby, in conjunction with odor, N activity in the periphery regulates the activity of neurons in the central brain and Dl in the central brain regulates N activity in the periphery. Our work highlights the importance of experience dependent plasticity at the first olfactory synapse.

  8. A conserved role for Notch in priming the cellular response to Shh through ciliary localisation of the key Shh transducer, Smoothened

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stasiulewicz, Magdalena; Gray, Shona; Mastromina, Ioanna

    2015-01-01

    Notochord-derived Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) is essential for dorso-ventral patterning of the overlying neural tube. Increasing concentration and duration of Shh signal induces progenitors to acquire progressively more ventral fates. We show Notch signalling augments the response of neuroepithelial cells...

  9. Plant cell surface receptor-mediated signaling - a common theme amid diversity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Yunxia; Zhou, Jinggeng; Shan, Libo; Meng, Xiangzong

    2018-01-29

    Sessile plants employ a diverse array of plasma membrane-bound receptors to perceive endogenous and exogenous signals for regulation of plant growth, development and immunity. These cell surface receptors include receptor-like kinases (RLKs) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs) that harbor different extracellular domains for perception of distinct ligands. Several RLK and RLP signaling pathways converge at the somatic embryogenesis receptor kinases (SERKs), which function as shared co-receptors. A repertoire of receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) associate with the receptor complexes to relay intracellular signaling. Downstream of the receptor complexes, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are among the key signaling modules at which the signals converge, and these cascades regulate diverse cellular and physiological responses through phosphorylation of different downstream substrates. In this Review, we summarize the emerging common theme that underlies cell surface receptor-mediated signaling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana : the dynamic association of RLKs and RLPs with specific co-receptors and RLCKs for signal transduction. We further discuss how signaling specificities are maintained through modules at which signals converge, with a focus on SERK-mediated receptor signaling. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  10. Notch signaling in T cells is essential for allergic airway inflammation, but expression of the Notch ligands Jagged 1 and Jagged 2 on dendritic cells is dispensable

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tindemans, Irma; Lukkes, Melanie; de Bruijn, Marjolein J. W.; Li, Bobby W. S.; van Nimwegen, Menno; Amsen, Derk; Kleinjan, Alex; Hendriks, Rudi W.

    2017-01-01

    Allergic asthma is characterized by a TH2 response induced by dendritic cells (DCs) that present inhaled allergen. Although the mechanisms by which they instruct TH2 differentiation are still poorly understood, expression of the Notch ligand Jagged on DCs has been implicated in this process. We

  11. SVX Sequence Crate Custom J2/J3 Backplane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Utes, M.

    1997-01-01

    The Custom J2/J3 Backplane is a full length (21 slot) user specified custom 3U backplane to be used in both the J2 and J3 positions. Slot spacing is identical to that used for VME (0.8-inch), and each backplane shall fit into a standard Eurocard VME style crate. The purpose of the Custom J2/J3 Backplane is to send and receive control and clock signals from the SVX chips via 3M pleated foil cables (Slots 2-21), and in slot 1, accept a cable connector and route its signal through to a signal distribution board.

  12. Plane-stress fields for sharp notches in pressure-sensitive materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Abduljabbar, Abdulhamid

    2003-01-01

    The effect of pressure sensitive yield on materials toughness can be determined by investigating stress fields around cracks and notches. In this work, fully-developed plastic stress fields around sharp wedge-shaped notches of perfectly-plastic pressure-sensitive materials are investigated for plane-stress case and Mode 1 loading condition. The pressure-sensitive yielding behavior is represented using the Drucker-Prager criterion. Using equilibrium equations, boundary conditions, and the yield criterion, closed-form expressions for stress fields are derived. The analysis covers the gradual change in the notch angle and compares it with the limiting case of a pure horizontal crack. Effects of notch geometry and pressure sensitivity on stress fields are examined by considering different specimen geometries, as well as different levels of pressure sensitivity. Results indicate that while the stress values directly ahead of the notch-tip are not affected, the extent of stress sector at notch front is reduced, thereby causing increase in the radial stress value around the notch. As the pressure sensitivity increases the reduction of the stress sector directly ahead of the notch tip is more evident. Also, for high pressure sensitivity values, introduction of the notch angle reduces the variation of the stress levels. Results are useful for design of structural components. (author)

  13. The relationship between J waves and contact of lung cancer with the heart.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayashi, Hideki; Wu, Qi; Horie, Minoru

    2017-09-01

    J waves result mainly from an increased density of transient outward current (I to ). Mechanical stretch to the heart activates multiple signal transduction pathways, in which I to may be involved. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that mechanical contact of lung cancer with the heart may manifest J waves. We reviewed 12-lead electrocardiograms to examine whether J waves were associated with contact of lung cancer with the heart. J waves were defied as an elevation of ≥0.1 mV at the junction between QRS complex and ST segment with either notching or slurring morphology. The locational interaction between lung cancer and the heart was determined by computed tomography image. A total of 264 patients (176 men; mean 68.5 ± 10.7 years) with lung cancer were evaluated. The prevalence of J waves was 25.4% in the total population. J waves were present in 40 of 44 (90.9%) patients with the contact. In contrast, J waves were present in 25 of 220 (11.4%) patients without the contact. The sensitivity and specificity of the contact for J waves were 90.9% and 88.6%, respectively. The odds ratio of the contact with the heart to the presence of J waves was 78 (95% confidence interval 25.7-236.4). The appearance of J waves that coincided with the development of lung cancer was observed in 12 patients. The presence of J waves was associated with the contact of lung cancer with the heart. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Oridonin inhibits tumor growth and metastasis through anti-angiogenesis by blocking the Notch signaling.

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    Yanmin Dong

    Full Text Available While significant progress has been made in understanding the anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative effects of the natural diterpenoid component Oridonin on tumor cells, little is known about its effect on tumor angiogenesis or metastasis and on the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, Oridonin significantly suppressed human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs proliferation, migration, and apillary-like structure formation in vitro. Using aortic ring assay and mouse corneal angiogenesis model, we found that Oridonin inhibited angiogenesis ex vivo and in vivo. In our animal experiments, Oridonin impeded tumor growth and metastasis. Immunohistochemistry analysis further revealed that the expression of CD31 and vWF protein in xenografts was remarkably decreased by the Oridonin. Furthermore, Oridonin reinforced endothelial cell-cell junction and impaired breast cancer cell transendothelial migration. Mechanistically, Oridonin not only down-regulated Jagged2 expression and Notch1 activity but also decreased the expression of their target genes. In conclusion, our results demonstrated an original role of Oridonin in inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and propose a mechanism. This study also provides new evidence supporting the central role of Notch in tumor angiogenesis and suggests that Oridonin could be a potential drug candidate for angiogenesis related diseases.

  15. Digital Signal Processing Applications and Implementation for Accelerators Digital Notch Filter with Programmable Delay and Betatron Phase Adjustment for the PS, SPS and LHC Transverse Dampers

    CERN Document Server

    Rossi, V

    2002-01-01

    In the framework of the LHC project and the modifications of the SPS as its injector, I present the concept of global digital signal processing applied to a particle accelerator, using Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology. The approach of global digital synthesis implements in numerical form the architecture of a system, from the start up of a project and the very beginning of the signal flow. It takes into account both the known parameters and the future evolution, whenever possible. Due to the increased performance requirements of today's projects, the CAE design methodology becomes more and more necessary to handle successfully the added complexity and speed of modern electronic circuits. Simulation is performed both for behavioural analysis, to ensure conformity to functional requirements, and for time signal analysis (speed requirements). The digital notch filter with programmable delay for the SPS Transverse Damper is now fully operational with fixed target and LHC-type beams circulating in t...

  16. Three distinct roles for notch in Drosophila R7 photoreceptor specification.

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    Andrew Tomlinson

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs and Notch (N proteins are different types of transmembrane receptors that transduce extracellular signals and control cell fate. Here we examine cell fate specification in the Drosophila retina and ask how N acts together with the RTKs Sevenless (Sev and the EGF receptor (DER to specify the R7 photoreceptor. The retina is composed of many hundred ommatidia, each of which grows by recruiting surrounding, undifferentiated cells and directing them to particular fates. The R7 photoreceptor derives from a cohort of three cells that are incorporated together following specification of the R2-R5 and R8 photoreceptors. Two cells of the cohort are specified as the R1/6 photoreceptor type by DER activation. These cells then activate N in the third cell (the R7 precursor. By manipulation of N and RTK signaling in diverse combinations we establish three roles for N in specifying the R7 fate. The first role is to impose a block to photoreceptor differentiation; a block that DER activation cannot overcome. The second role, paradoxically, is to negate the first; Notch activation up-regulates Sev expression, enabling the presumptive R7 cell to receive an RTK signal from R8 that can override the block. The third role is to specify the cell as an R7 rather than an R1/6 once RTK signaling has specified the cells as a photoreceptor. We speculate why N acts both to block and to facilitate photoreceptor differentiation, and provide a model for how N and RTK signaling act combinatorially to specify the R1/6 and R7 photoreceptors as well as the surrounding non-neuronal cone cells.

  17. let-7 miRNAs Can Act through Notch to Regulate Human Gliogenesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Patterson

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available It is clear that neural differentiation from human pluripotent stem cells generates cells that are developmentally immature. Here, we show that the let-7 plays a functional role in the developmental decision making of human neural progenitors, controlling whether these cells make neurons or glia. Through gain- and loss-of-function studies on both tissue and pluripotent derived cells, our data show that let-7 specifically regulates decision making in this context by regulation of a key chromatin-associated protein, HMGA2. Furthermore, we provide evidence that the let-7/HMGA2 circuit acts on HES5, a NOTCH effector and well-established node that regulates fate decisions in the nervous system. These data link the let-7 circuit to NOTCH signaling and suggest that this interaction serves to regulate human developmental progression.

  18. Resolution of Toll-like receptor 4-mediated acute lung injury is linked to eicosanoids and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hilberath, Jan N; Carlo, Troy; Pfeffer, Michael A; Croze, Roxanne H; Hastrup, Frantz; Levy, Bruce D

    2011-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate roles for Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in host responses to sterile tissue injury. Hydrochloric acid was instilled into the left mainstem bronchus of TLR4-defective (both C3H/HeJ and congenic C.C3-Tlr4(Lps-d)/J) and control mice to initiate mild, self-limited acute lung injury (ALI). Outcome measures included respiratory mechanics, barrier integrity, leukocyte accumulation, and levels of select soluble mediators. TLR4-defective mice were more resistant to ALI, with significantly decreased perturbations in lung elastance and resistance, resulting in faster resolution of these parameters [resolution interval (R(i)); ∼6 vs. 12 h]. Vascular permeability changes and oxidative stress were also decreased in injured HeJ mice. These TLR4-defective mice paradoxically displayed increased lung neutrophils [(HeJ) 24×10(3) vs. (control) 13×10(3) cells/bronchoalveolar lavage]. Proresolving mechanisms for TLR4-defective animals included decreased eicosanoid biosynthesis, including cysteinyl leukotrienes (80% mean decrease) that mediated CysLT1 receptor-dependent vascular permeability changes; and induction of lung suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression that decreased TLR4-driven oxidative stress. Together, these findings indicate pivotal roles for TLR4 in promoting sterile ALI and suggest downstream provocative roles for cysteinyl leukotrienes and protective roles for SOCS3 in the intensity and duration of host responses to ALI.

  19. Partial promoter substitutions generating transcriptional sentinels of diverse signaling pathways in embryonic stem cells and mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Palle Serup

    2012-11-01

    Extracellular signals in development, physiology, homeostasis and disease often act by regulating transcription. Herein we describe a general method and specific resources for determining where and when such signaling occurs in live animals and for systematically comparing the timing and extent of different signals in different cellular contexts. We used recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE to test the effect of successively deleting conserved genomic regions of the ubiquitously active Rosa26 promoter and substituting the deleted regions for regulatory sequences that respond to diverse extracellular signals. We thereby created an allelic series of embryonic stem cells and mice, each containing a signal-responsive sentinel with different fluorescent reporters that respond with sensitivity and specificity to retinoic acids, bone morphogenic proteins, activin A, Wnts or Notch, and that can be adapted to any pathway that acts via DNA elements.

  20. Partial promoter substitutions generating transcriptional sentinels of diverse signaling pathways in embryonic stem cells and mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Serup, Palle; Gustavsen, Carsten; Klein, Tino; Potter, Leah A.; Lin, Robert; Mullapudi, Nandita; Wandzioch, Ewa; Hines, Angela; Davis, Ashley; Bruun, Christine; Engberg, Nina; Petersen, Dorthe R.; Peterslund, Janny M. L.; MacDonald, Raymond J.; Grapin-Botton, Anne; Magnuson, Mark A.; Zaret, Kenneth S.

    2012-01-01

    SUMMARY Extracellular signals in development, physiology, homeostasis and disease often act by regulating transcription. Herein we describe a general method and specific resources for determining where and when such signaling occurs in live animals and for systematically comparing the timing and extent of different signals in different cellular contexts. We used recombinase-mediated cassette exchange (RMCE) to test the effect of successively deleting conserved genomic regions of the ubiquitously active Rosa26 promoter and substituting the deleted regions for regulatory sequences that respond to diverse extracellular signals. We thereby created an allelic series of embryonic stem cells and mice, each containing a signal-responsive sentinel with different fluorescent reporters that respond with sensitivity and specificity to retinoic acids, bone morphogenic proteins, activin A, Wnts or Notch, and that can be adapted to any pathway that acts via DNA elements. PMID:22888097

  1. Significance of a notch in the otoacoustic emission stimulus spectrum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grenner, J

    2012-09-01

    To explain a clinical observation: a notch in the stimulus spectrum during transient evoked otoacoustic emission measurement in ears with secretory otitis media. The effects of tympanic under-pressure were investigated using a pressure chamber. A model of the ear canal was also studied. Tympanic membrane reflectance increased as a consequence of increased stiffness, causing a notch in the stimulus spectrum. In an adult, the notch could be clearly distinguished at an under-pressure of approximately -185 daPa. The sound frequency of the notch corresponded to a wavelength four times the ear canal length. The ear canal of infants was too short to cause a notch within the displayed frequency range. The notch was demonstrated using both Otodynamics and Madsen equipment. A notch in the otoacoustic emission stimulus spectrum can be caused by increased stiffness of the tympanic membrane, raising suspicion of low middle-ear pressure or secretory otitis media. This finding is not applicable to infants.

  2. The mediator complex in genomic and non-genomic signaling in cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weber, Hannah; Garabedian, Michael J

    2018-05-01

    Mediator is a conserved, multi-subunit macromolecular machine divided structurally into head, middle, and tail modules, along with a transiently associating kinase module. Mediator functions as an integrator of transcriptional regulatory activity by interacting with DNA-bound transcription factors and with RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to both activate and repress gene expression. Mediator has been shown to affect multiple steps in transcription, including chromatin looping between enhancers and promoters, pre-initiation complex formation, transcriptional elongation, and mRNA splicing. Individual Mediator subunits participate in regulation of gene expression by the estrogen and androgen receptors and are altered in a number of endocrine cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. In addition to its role in genomic signaling, MED12 has been implicated in non-genomic signaling by interacting with and activating TGF-beta receptor 2 in the cytoplasm. Recent structural studies have revealed extensive inter-domain interactions and complex architecture of the Mediator-Pol II complex, suggesting that Mediator is capable of reorganizing its conformation and composition to fit cellular needs. We propose that alterations in Mediator subunit expression that occur in various cancers could impact the organization and function of Mediator, resulting in changes in gene expression that promote malignancy. A better understanding of the role of Mediator in cancer could reveal new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of Mediator-dependent endocrine cancers, especially in settings of therapy resistance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Allergen-Induced Dermatitis Causes Alterations in Cutaneous Retinoid-Mediated Signaling in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gericke, Janine; Ittensohn, Jan; Mihály, Johanna; Dubrac, Sandrine; Rühl, Ralph

    2013-01-01

    Nuclear receptor-mediated signaling via RARs and PPARδ is involved in the regulation of skin homeostasis. Moreover, activation of both RAR and PPARδ was shown to alter skin inflammation. Endogenous all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can activate both receptors depending on specific transport proteins: Fabp5 initiates PPARδ signaling whereas Crabp2 promotes RAR signaling. Repetitive topical applications of ovalbumin (OVA) in combination with intraperitoneal injections of OVA or only intraperitoneal OVA applications were used to induce allergic dermatitis. In our mouse model, expression of IL-4, and Hbegf increased whereas expression of involucrin, Abca12 and Spink5 decreased in inflamed skin, demonstrating altered immune response and epidermal barrier homeostasis. Comprehensive gene expression analysis showed alterations of the cutaneous retinoid metabolism and retinoid-mediated signaling in allergic skin immune response. Notably, ATRA synthesis was increased as indicated by the elevated expression of retinaldehyde dehydrogenases and increased levels of ATRA. Consequently, the expression pattern of genes downstream to RAR was altered. Furthermore, the increased ratio of Fabp5 vs. Crabp2 may indicate an up-regulation of the PPARδ pathway in allergen-induced dermatitis in addition to the altered RAR signaling. Thus, our findings suggest that ATRA levels, RAR-mediated signaling and signaling involved in PPARδ pathways are mainly increased in allergen-induced dermatitis and may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of allergic skin diseases. PMID:23977003

  4. Notched audiograms and noise exposure history in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nondahl, David M; Shi, Xiaoyu; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Dalton, Dayna S; Tweed, Ted S; Wiley, Terry L; Carmichael, Lakeesha L

    2009-12-01

    Using data from a population-based cohort study, we compared four published algorithms for identifying notched audiograms and compared their resulting classifications with noise exposure history. Four algorithms: (1) , (2) , (3) , and (4) were used to identify notched audiograms. Audiometric evaluations were collected as a part of the 10-yr follow-up examinations of the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study, in Beaver Dam, WI (2003-2005, N = 2395). Detailed noise exposure histories were collected by interview at the baseline examination (1993-1995) and updated at subsequent visits. An extensive history of occupational noise exposure, participation in noisy hobbies, and firearm usage was used to evaluate consistency of the notch classifications with the history of noise exposure. The prevalence of notched audiograms varied greatly by definition (31.7, 25.9, 47.2, and 11.7% for methods 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively). In this cohort, a history of noise exposure was common (56.2% for occupational noise, 71.7% for noisy hobbies, 13.4% for firearms, and 81.2% for any of these three sources). Among participants with a notched audiogram, almost one-third did not have a history of occupational noise exposure (31.4, 33.0, 32.5, and 28.1% for methods 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), and approximately 11% did not have a history of exposure to any of the three sources of noise (11.5, 13.6, 10.3, and 7.6%). Discordance was greater in women than in men. These results suggest that there is a poor agreement across existing algorithms for audiometric notches. In addition, notches can occur in the absence of a positive noise history. In the absence of an objective consensus definition of a notched audiogram and in light of the degree of discordance in women between noise history and notches by each of these algorithms, researchers should be cautious about classifying noise-induced hearing loss by notched audiograms.

  5. Key mediators of intracellular amino acids signaling to mTORC1 activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duan, Yehui; Li, Fengna; Tan, Kunrong; Liu, Hongnan; Li, Yinghui; Liu, Yingying; Kong, Xiangfeng; Tang, Yulong; Wu, Guoyao; Yin, Yulong

    2015-05-01

    Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is activated by amino acids to promote cell growth via protein synthesis. Specifically, Ras-related guanosine triphosphatases (Rag GTPases) are activated by amino acids, and then translocate mTORC1 to the surface of late endosomes and lysosomes. Ras homolog enriched in brain (Rheb) resides on this surface and directly activates mTORC1. Apart from the presence of intracellular amino acids, Rag GTPases and Rheb, other mediators involved in intracellular amino acid signaling to mTORC1 activation include human vacuolar sorting protein-34 (hVps34) and mitogen-activating protein kinase kinase kinase kinase-3 (MAP4K3). Those molecular links between mTORC1 and its mediators form a complicate signaling network that controls cellular growth, proliferation, and metabolism. Moreover, it is speculated that amino acid signaling to mTORC1 may start from the lysosomal lumen. In this review, we discussed the function of these mediators in mTORC1 pathway and how these mediators are regulated by amino acids in details.

  6. CMPK1 and RBP3 are associated with corneal curvature in Asian populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Peng; Miyake, Masahiro; Fan, Qiao; Liao, Jiemin; Yamashiro, Kenji; Ikram, Mohammad K; Chew, Merywn; Vithana, Eranga N; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Aung, Tin; Tai, E-Shyong; Wong, Tien-Yin; Teo, Yik-Ying; Yoshimura, Nagahisa; Saw, Seang-Mei; Cheng, Ching-Yu

    2014-11-15

    Corneal curvature (CC) measures the steepness of the cornea and is an important parameter for clinically diseases such as astigmatism and myopia. Despite the high heritability of CC, only two associated genes have been discovered to date. We performed a three-stage genome-wide association study meta-analysis in 12 660 Asian individuals. Our Stage 1 was done in multiethnic cohorts comprising 7440 individuals, followed by a Stage 2 replication in 2473 Chinese and Stage 3 in 2747 Japanese. The SNP array genotype data were imputed up to the 1000 Genomes Project Phase 1 cosmopolitan panel. The SNP association with the radii of CC was investigated in the linear regression model with the adjustment of age, gender and principal components. In addition to the known genes, MTOR (also known as FRAP1) and PDGFRA, we discovered two novel genes associated with CC: CMPK1 (rs17103186, P = 3.3 × 10(-12)) and RBP3 (rs11204213 [Val884Met], P = 1.1 × 10(-13)). The missense RBP3 SNP, rs11204213, was also associated with axial length (AL) (P = 4.2 × 10(-6)) and had larger effects on both CC and AL compared with other SNPs. The index SNPs at the four indicated loci explained 1.9% of CC variance across the Stages 1 and 2 cohorts, while 33.8% of CC variance was explained by the genome-wide imputation data. We identified two novel genes influencing CC, which are related to either corneal shape or eye size. This study provides additional insights into genetic architecture of corneal shape. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  7. MiR-34a targeting of Notch ligand delta-like 1 impairs CD15+/CD133+ tumor-propagating cells and supports neural differentiation in medulloblastoma.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pasqualino de Antonellis

    Full Text Available Through negative regulation of gene expression, microRNAs (miRNAs can function as oncosuppressors in cancers, and can themselves show altered expression in various tumor types. Here, we have investigated medulloblastoma tumors (MBs, which arise from an early impairment of developmental processes in the cerebellum, where Notch signaling is involved in many of the cell-fate-determining stages. Notch regulates a subset of MB cells that have stem-cell-like properties and can promote tumor growth. On the basis of this evidence, we hypothesized that miRNAs targeting the Notch pathway can regulate these phenomena, and can be used in anti-cancer therapies.In a screening of potential targets within Notch signaling, miR-34a was seen to be a regulator of the Notch pathway through its targeting of Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (Dll1. Down-regulation of Dll1 expression by miR-34a negatively regulates cell proliferation, and induces apoptosis and neural differentiation in MB cells. Using an inducible tetracycline on-off model of miR-34a expression, we show that in Daoy MB cells, Dll1 is the first target that is regulated in MB, as compared to the other targets analyzed here: Cyclin D1, cMyc and CDK4. MiR-34a expression negatively affects CD133(+/CD15(+ tumor-propagating cells, then we assay through reverse-phase proteomic arrays, Akt and Stat3 signaling hypo-phosphorylation. Adenoviruses carrying the precursor miR-34a induce neurogenesis of tumor spheres derived from a genetic animal model of MB (Patch1(+/- p53(-/-, thus providing further evidence that the miR-34a/Dll1 axis controls both autonomous and non autonomous signaling of Notch. In vivo, miR-34a overexpression carried by adenoviruses reduces tumor burden in cerebellum xenografts of athymic mice, thus demonstrating an anti-tumorigenic role of miR-34a in vivo.Despite advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of MB, one-third of patients with MB remain incurable. Here, we show that stable nucleic

  8. NOTCH1 Is Aberrantly Activated in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Hematopoietic Stem Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro Di Ianni

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available To investigate chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL-initiating cells, we assessed NOTCH1 mutation/expression in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs. In NOTCH1-mutated CLL, we detected subclonal mutations in 57% CD34+/CD38− HSCs. NOTCH1 mutation was present in 66% CD34+/CD38+ progenitor cells displaying an increased mutational burden compared to HSCs. Flow cytometric analysis revealed significantly higher NOTCH1 activation in CD34+/CD38− and CD34+/CD38+ cells from CLL patients, regardless NOTCH1 mutation compared to healthy donors. Activated NOTCH1 resulted in overexpression of the NOTCH1 target c-MYC. We conclude that activated NOTCH1 is an early event in CLL that may contribute to aberrant HSCs in this disease.

  9. NOTCH1 Is Aberrantly Activated in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di Ianni, Mauro; Baldoni, Stefano; Del Papa, Beatrice; Aureli, Patrizia; Dorillo, Erica; De Falco, Filomena; Albi, Elisa; Varasano, Emanuela; Di Tommaso, Ambra; Giancola, Raffaella; Accorsi, Patrizia; Rotta, Gianluca; Rompietti, Chiara; Silva Barcelos, Estevão Carlos; Campese, Antonio Francesco; Di Bartolomeo, Paolo; Screpanti, Isabella; Rosati, Emanuela; Falzetti, Franca; Sportoletti, Paolo

    2018-01-01

    To investigate chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)-initiating cells, we assessed NOTCH1 mutation/expression in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). In NOTCH1- mutated CLL, we detected subclonal mutations in 57% CD34+/CD38- HSCs. NOTCH1 mutation was present in 66% CD34+/CD38+ progenitor cells displaying an increased mutational burden compared to HSCs. Flow cytometric analysis revealed significantly higher NOTCH1 activation in CD34+/CD38- and CD34+/CD38+ cells from CLL patients, regardless NOTCH1 mutation compared to healthy donors. Activated NOTCH1 resulted in overexpression of the NOTCH1 target c-MYC. We conclude that activated NOTCH1 is an early event in CLL that may contribute to aberrant HSCs in this disease.

  10. The role of Ca(2+) mediated signaling pathways on the effect of taurine against Streptococcus uberis infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dai, Bin; Zhang, Jinqiu; Liu, Ming; Lu, Jinye; Zhang, Yuanshu; Xu, Yuanyuan; Miao, Jinfeng; Yin, Yulong

    2016-08-30

    To provide insight into the mechanisms of taurine attenuation of pro-inflammatory response in mouse mammary epithelial cell line (EpH4-Ev, purchased by ATCC, USA) after Streptococcus uberis (S. uberis, 0140J) challenge, we infected MECs with S. uberis (2.5×10(7)cfumL(-1), MOI=10) for 3h and quantified changes in TLR-2 and calcium (Ca(2+)) mediated signaling pathways. The results indicate that S. uberis infection significantly increases the expression of TLR-2, intracellular Ca(2+) levels, PLC-γ1 and PKC-α, the activities of transcription factors NF-κB and NFAT, and related cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, G-CSF, IL-2, KC, IL-15, FasL, MCP-1, and LIX) in culture supernatants. Taurine administration downregulated all these indices, the activities of NF-κB and NFAT. Cytokine secretions were similar using special PKC inhibitor Go 6983 and NFAT inhibitor VIVIT. Our data indicate that S. uberis infection induces pro-inflammatory response of MECs through a TLR-2 mediated signaling pathway. In addition, taurine can prevent MEC damage by affecting both PLC-γ1-Ca(2+)-PKC-α-NF-κB and PLC-γ1-Ca(2+)-NFATs signaling pathways. This is the first report to demonstrate the mechanisms of taurine attenuated pro-inflammatory response in MECs after S. uberis challenge. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Static and Fatigue Behavior Investigation of Artificial Notched Steel Reinforcement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yafei Ma

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Pitting corrosion is one of the most common forms of localized corrosion. Corrosion pit results in a stress concentration and fatigue cracks usually initiate and propagate from these corrosion pits. Aging structures may fracture when the fatigue crack reaches a critical size. This paper experimentally simulates the effects of pitting morphologies on the static and fatigue behavior of steel bars. Four artificial notch shapes are considered: radial ellipse, axial ellipse, triangle and length-variable triangle. Each shape notch includes six sizes to simulate a variety of pitting corrosion morphologies. The stress-strain curves of steel bars with different notch shape and depth are obtained based on static tensile testing, and the stress concentration coefficients for various conditions are determined. It was determined that the triangular notch has the highest stress concentration coefficient, followed by length-variable triangle, radial ellipse and axial ellipse shaped notches. Subsequently, the effects of notch depth and notch aspect ratios on the fatigue life under three stress levels are investigated by fatigue testing, and the equations for stress range-fatigue life-notch depth are obtained. Several conclusions are drawn based on the proposed study. The established relationships provide an experimental reference for evaluating the fatigue life of concrete bridges.

  12. Inhibition of Notch signaling by Dll4-Fc promotes reperfusion of acutely ischemic tissues

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Liu, Ren [Department of Pathology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States); Trindade, Alexandre [Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigacao em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Lisbon Technical University, Lisbon (Portugal); Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, Oeiras (Portugal); Sun, Zhanfeng [Department of Vascular Surgery, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang (China); Kumar, Ram; Weaver, Fred A. [Department of Surgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States); Krasnoperov, Valery; Naga, Kranthi [Vasgene Therapeutics, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Duarte, Antonio [Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigacao em Sanidade Animal (CIISA), Lisbon Technical University, Lisbon (Portugal); Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, Oeiras (Portugal); Gill, Parkash S., E-mail: parkashg@usc.edu [Department of Pathology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles (United States)

    2012-02-03

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Low dose Dll4-Fc increases vascular proliferation and overall perfusion. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Low dose Dll4-Fc helps vascular injury recovery in hindlimb ischemia model. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Low dose Dll4-Fc helps vascular injury recovery in skin flap model. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dll4 heterozygous deletion promotes vascular injury recovery. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Dll4 overexpression delays vascular injury recovery. -- Abstract: Notch pathway regulates vessel development and maturation. Dll4, a high-affinity ligand for Notch, is expressed predominantly in the arterial endothelium and is induced by hypoxia among other factors. Inhibition of Dll4 has paradoxical effects of reducing the maturation and perfusion in newly forming vessels while increasing the density of vessels. We hypothesized that partial and/or intermittent inhibition of Dll4 may lead to increased vascular response and still allow vascular maturation to occur. Thus tissue perfusion can be restored rapidly, allowing quicker recovery from ischemia or tissue injury. Our studies in two different models (hindlimb ischemia and skin flap) show that inhibition of Dll4 at low dose allows faster recovery from vascular and tissue injury. This opens a new possibility for Dll4 blockade's therapeutic application in promoting recovery from vascular injury and restoring blood supply to ischemic tissues.

  13. Root signals that mediate mutualistic interactions in the rhizosphere.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rasmann, Sergio; Turlings, Ted Cj

    2016-08-01

    A recent boom in research on belowground ecology is rapidly revealing a multitude of fascinating interactions, in particular in the rhizosphere. Many of these interactions are mediated by photo-assimilates that are excreted by plant roots. Root exudates are not mere waste products, but serve numerous functions to control abiotic and biotic processes. These functions range from changing the chemical and physical properties of the soil, inhibiting the growth of competing plants, combatting herbivores, and regulating the microbial community. Particularly intriguing are root-released compounds that have evolved to serve mutualistic interactions with soil-dwelling organisms. These mutually beneficial plant-mediated signals are not only of fundamental ecological interest, but also exceedingly important from an agronomical perspective. Here, we attempt to provide an overview of the plant-produced compounds that have so far been implicated in mutualistic interactions. We propose that these mutualistic signals may have evolved from chemical defenses and we point out that they can be (mis)used by specialized pathogens and herbivores. We speculate that many more signals and interactions remain to be uncovered and that a good understanding of the mechanisms and ecological implications can be the basis for exploitation and manipulation of the signals for crop improvement and protection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Nitric oxide-mediated bystander signal transduction induced by heavy-ion microbeam irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomita, Masanori; Matsumoto, Hideki; Funayama, Tomoo; Yokota, Yuichiro; Otsuka, Kensuke; Maeda, Munetoshi; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko

    2015-07-01

    In general, a radiation-induced bystander response is known to be a cellular response induced in non-irradiated cells after receiving bystander signaling factors released from directly irradiated cells within a cell population. Bystander responses induced by high-linear energy transfer (LET) heavy ions at low fluence are an important health problem for astronauts in space. Bystander responses are mediated via physical cell-cell contact, such as gap-junction intercellular communication (GJIC) and/or diffusive factors released into the medium in cell culture conditions. Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known major initiator/mediator of intercellular signaling within culture medium during bystander responses. In this study, we investigated the NO-mediated bystander signal transduction induced by high-LET argon (Ar)-ion microbeam irradiation of normal human fibroblasts. Foci formation by DNA double-strand break repair proteins was induced in non-irradiated cells, which were co-cultured with those irradiated by high-LET Ar-ion microbeams in the same culture plate. Foci formation was suppressed significantly by pretreatment with an NO scavenger. Furthermore, NO-mediated reproductive cell death was also induced in bystander cells. Phosphorylation of NF-κB and Akt were induced during NO-mediated bystander signaling in the irradiated and bystander cells. However, the activation of these proteins depended on the incubation time after irradiation. The accumulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), a downstream target of NO and NF-κB, was observed in the bystander cells 6 h after irradiation but not in the directly irradiated cells. Our findings suggest that Akt- and NF-κB-dependent signaling pathways involving COX-2 play important roles in NO-mediated high-LET heavy-ion-induced bystander responses. In addition, COX-2 may be used as a molecular marker of high-LET heavy-ion-induced bystander cells to distinguish them from directly irradiated cells, although this may depend on the time

  15. Low Oxygen Modulates Multiple Signaling Pathways, Increasing Self-Renewal, While Decreasing Differentiation, Senescence, and Apoptosis in Stromal MIAMI Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rios, Carmen; D'Ippolito, Gianluca; Curtis, Kevin M.; Delcroix, Gaëtan J.-R.; Gomez, Lourdes A.; El Hokayem, Jimmy; Rieger, Megan; Parrondo, Ricardo; de las Pozas, Alicia; Perez-Stable, Carlos; Howard, Guy A.

    2016-01-01

    Human bone marrow multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (hMSC) number decreases with aging. Subpopulations of hMSCs can differentiate into cells found in bone, vasculature, cartilage, gut, and other tissues and participate in their repair. Maintaining throughout adult life such cell subpopulations should help prevent or delay the onset of age-related degenerative conditions. Low oxygen tension, the physiological environment in progenitor cell-rich regions of the bone marrow microarchitecture, stimulates the self-renewal of marrow-isolated adult multilineage inducible (MIAMI) cells and expression of Sox2, Nanog, Oct4a nuclear accumulation, Notch intracellular domain, notch target genes, neuronal transcriptional repressor element 1 (RE1)-silencing transcription factor (REST), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), and additionally, by decreasing the expression of (i) the proapoptotic proteins, apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) and Bak, and (ii) senescence-associated p53 expression and β-galactosidase activity. Furthermore, low oxygen increases canonical Wnt pathway signaling coreceptor Lrp5 expression, and PI3K/Akt pathway activation. Lrp5 inhibition decreases self-renewal marker Sox2 mRNA, Oct4a nuclear accumulation, and cell numbers. Wortmannin-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway inhibition leads to increased osteoblastic differentiation at both low and high oxygen tension. We demonstrate that low oxygen stimulates a complex signaling network involving PI3K/Akt, Notch, and canonical Wnt pathways, which mediate the observed increase in nuclear Oct4a and REST, with simultaneous decrease in p53, AIF, and Bak. Collectively, these pathway activations contribute to increased self-renewal with concomitant decreased differentiation, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and/or senescence in MIAMI cells. Importantly, the PI3K/Akt pathway plays a central mechanistic role in the oxygen tension-regulated self-renewal versus osteoblastic differentiation of progenitor cells. PMID:27059084

  16. A three-dimensional analysis of the sigmoid notch

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evan D. Collins

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Fractures of the distal radius are among the most common injuries of the upper extremity, though treatment has traditionally focused on restoration of the radiocarpal joint and late sequelae may persist. X-ray imaging underestimates sigmoid notch involvement following distal radius fractures. No classification system exists for disruption patterns of the sigmoid notch of the radius associated with distal radius fractures. This study quantifies the anatomy of the sigmoid notch and identifies the landmarks of the articular surface and proximal boundaries of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ capsule. Computed tomography scans of freshly frozen cadaveric hands were used - followed by dissection, and three-dimensional reconstruction of the distal radius and sigmoid notch. The sigmoid notch surface was divided into two surfaces and measured. The Anterior Posterior (AP and Proximal Distal (PD widths of the articulating surface were reviewed, along with the radius of curvature, version angle and depth. The study showed that the sigmoid notch is flatter than previously believed - and only the distal 69% of its surface is covered by cartilage. On average, it has about nine degrees of retroversion, and its average inclination is almost parallel to the anatomical axis of the radius. Clinical implications exist for evaluation of the DRUJ involvement in distal radius fractures or degenerative diseases and for future development and evaluation of hemiarthroplasty replacement of the distal radius.

  17. Mandibular Ramus Notching As a Tool for Sexual Dimorphism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bibhuti Bhusana Panda

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Sex determination from a single or a part of bone is always difficult in absence of other bones of the same individual. The current study is an attempt to know the sex of an individual from the study of posterior ramus of mandible. The study was done from December, 2014 to August, 2015 in various Medical Colleges of the state of Odisha, India with the use of morbid anatomical specimen of mandibles and simple measuring instruments. The posterior ramus of adult mandibles were studied for presence or absence of any notching and if present its position in relation to occlusal plane. The study resulted, that there was a role of notch position in sex determination. The presence or absence of the notch though was not a consistent finding of all the mandibles. Males had frequent notching at the level of occlusal plane (P< 0.01 and females had frequent notching above the occlusal plane (P < 0.01. Notch present below the occlusal plane had no relation with sex. Accuracy of sexing mandible from the posterior ramus notch position was 61%, which was more for males (68.57% as compared to females (43.33%. So the posterior ramus of mandible could be considered for determination of sex of mandible but this should not be the sole criteria and should be correlated with the other standard criteria.

  18. Wavelet-OFDM Signal Transmission Characteristics with High-Speed PLC Modem

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakagawa, Kenichi; Tokuda, Masamitsu; Igata, Yuji

    In this paper, we measured the interference immunity characteristics of high-speed PLC system using Wavelet-OFDM when the narrowband conducted interference wave signal was injected. As the results, it was clear that (1) measured PHY rate at the all frequency band hardly decreased in C/I (Carrier to Interference ratio) of above 20dB, but began to decrease rapidly in C/I of below 0dB when the interference signal was injected in the frequency band of high-speed PLC signal, (2) when C/I became from 0dB to -20dB, the measured PHY rate at the frequency existing the notch band were improved around 10Mbps than that at the frequency not existing the notch band, (3) when the narrowband interference wave was injected outside of frequency band of high-speed PLC signal, the measured PHY rate did not decrease than that in each notch band. Therefore, it was revealed that high-speed PLC system using Wavelet-OFDM had good interference immunity characteristics.

  19. Impact of Spectral Notch Width on Neurophysiological Plasticity and Clinical Effectiveness of the Tailor-Made Notched Music Training.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert Wunderlich

    Full Text Available Tinnitus, the ringing in the ears that is unrelated to any external source, causes a significant loss in quality of life, involving sleep disturbance and depression for 1 to 3% of the general population. While in the first place tinnitus may be triggered by damage to the inner ear cells, the neural generators of subjective tinnitus are located in central regions of the nervous system. A loss of lateral inhibition, tonotopical reorganization and a gain-increase in response to the sensory deprivation result in hypersensitivity and hyperactivity in certain regions of the auditory cortex. In the tailor-made notched music training (TMNMT patients listen to music from which the frequency spectrum of the tinnitus has been removed. This evokes strong lateral inhibition from neurons tuned to adjacent frequencies onto the neurons involved in the tinnitus percept. A reduction of tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related neural activity was achieved with TMNMT in previous studies. As the effect of lateral inhibition depends on the bandwidth of the notch, in the current study we altered the notch width to find the most effective notch width for TMNMT. We compared 1-octave notch width with ½-octave and ¼-octave. Participants chose their favorite music for the training that included three month of two hours daily listening. The outcome was measured by means of standardized questionnaires and magnetoencephalography. We found a general reduction of tinnitus distress in all administered tinnitus questionnaires after the training. Additionally, tinnitus-related neural activity was reduced after the training. Nevertheless, notch width did not have an influence on the behavioral or neural effects of TMNMT. This could be due to a non-linear resolution of lateral inhibition in high frequencies.

  20. KSHV Rta promoter specification and viral reactivation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan eGuito

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Viruses are obligate intracellular pathogens whose biological success depends upon replication and packaging of viral genomes, and transmission of progeny viruses to new hosts. The biological success of herpesviruses is enhanced by their ability to reproduce their genomes without producing progeny viruses or killing the host cells, a process called latency. Latency permits a herpesvirus to remain undetected in its animal host for decades while maintaining the potential to reactivate, or switch, to a productive life cycle when host conditions are conducive to generating viral progeny. Direct interactions between many host and viral molecules are implicated in controlling herpesviral reactivation, suggesting complex biological networks that control the decision. One viral protein that is necessary and sufficient to switch latent KSHV into the lytic infection cycle is called K-Rta. Rta is a transcriptional activator that specifies promoters by binding direct DNA directly and interacting with cellular proteins. Among these cellular proteins, binding of K-Rta to RBP-Jk is essential for viral reactivation.. In contrast to the canonical model for Notch signaling, RBP-Jk is not uniformly and constitutively bound to the latent KSHV genome, but rather is recruited to DNA by interactions with K-Rta. Stimulation of RBP-Jk DNA binding requires high affinity binding of Rta to repetitive and palindromic CANT DNA repeats in promoters, and formation of ternary complexes with RBP-Jk. However, while K-Rta expression is necessary for initiating KSHV reactivation, K-Rta’s role as the switch is inefficient. Many factors modulate K-Rta’s function, suggesting that KSHV reactivation can be significantly regulated post-Rta expression and challenging the notion that herpesviral reactivation is bistable. This review analyzes rapidly evolving research on KSHV K-Rta to consider the role of K-Rta promoter specification in regulating the progression of KSHV reactivation.

  1. The critical role of Notch ligand Delta-like 1 in the pathogenesis of influenza A virus (H1N1 infection.

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    Toshihiro Ito

    2011-11-01

    Full Text Available Influenza A viral infections have been identified as the etiologic agents for historic pandemics, and contribute to the annual mortality associated with acute viral pneumonia. While both innate and acquired immunity are important in combating influenza virus infection, the mechanism connecting these arms of the immune system remains unknown. Recent data have indicated that the Notch system is an important bridge between antigen-presenting cells (APCs and T cell communication circuits and plays a central role in driving the immune system to overcome disease. In the present study, we examine the role of Notch signaling during influenza H1N1 virus infection, focusing on APCs. We demonstrate here that macrophages, but not dendritic cells (DCs, increased Notch ligand Delta-like 1 (Dll1 expression following influenza virus challenge. Dll1 expression on macrophages was dependent on retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I induced type-I IFN pathway, and not on the TLR3-TRIF pathway. We also found that IFNα-Receptor knockout mice failed to induce Dll1 expression on lung macrophages and had enhanced mortality during influenza virus infection. Our results further showed that specific neutralization of Dll1 during influenza virus challenge induced higher mortality, impaired viral clearance, and decreased levels of IFN-γ. In addition, we blocked Notch signaling by using γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI, a Notch signaling inhibitor. Intranasal administration of GSI during influenza infection also led to higher mortality, and higher virus load with excessive inflammation and an impaired production of IFN-γ in lungs. Moreover, Dll1 expression on macrophages specifically regulates IFN-γ levels from CD4(+and CD8(+T cells, which are important for anti-viral immunity. Together, the results of this study show that Dll1 positively influences the development of anti-viral immunity, and may provide mechanistic approaches for modifying and controlling the immune response

  2. SCL, LMO1 and Notch1 Reprogram Thymocytes into Self-Renewing Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas-Sutterlin, Shanti; Herblot, Sabine; Hébert, Josée; Sauvageau, Guy; Lemieux, Sébastien; Lécuyer, Eric; Veiga, Diogo F. T.; Hoang, Trang

    2014-01-01

    The molecular determinants that render specific populations of normal cells susceptible to oncogenic reprogramming into self-renewing cancer stem cells are poorly understood. Here, we exploit T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) as a model to define the critical initiating events in this disease. First, thymocytes that are reprogrammed by the SCL and LMO1 oncogenic transcription factors into self-renewing pre-leukemic stem cells (pre-LSCs) remain non-malignant, as evidenced by their capacities to generate functional T cells. Second, we provide strong genetic evidence that SCL directly interacts with LMO1 to activate the transcription of a self-renewal program coordinated by LYL1. Moreover, LYL1 can substitute for SCL to reprogram thymocytes in concert with LMO1. In contrast, inhibition of E2A was not sufficient to substitute for SCL, indicating that thymocyte reprogramming requires transcription activation by SCL-LMO1. Third, only a specific subset of normal thymic cells, known as DN3 thymocytes, is susceptible to reprogramming. This is because physiological NOTCH1 signals are highest in DN3 cells compared to other thymocyte subsets. Consistent with this, overexpression of a ligand-independent hyperactive NOTCH1 allele in all immature thymocytes is sufficient to sensitize them to SCL-LMO1, thereby increasing the pool of self-renewing cells. Surprisingly, hyperactive NOTCH1 cannot reprogram thymocytes on its own, despite the fact that NOTCH1 is activated by gain of function mutations in more than 55% of T-ALL cases. Rather, elevating NOTCH1 triggers a parallel pathway involving Hes1 and Myc that dramatically enhances the activity of SCL-LMO1 We conclude that the acquisition of self-renewal and the genesis of pre-LSCs from thymocytes with a finite lifespan represent a critical first event in T-ALL. Finally, LYL1 and LMO1 or LMO2 are co-expressed in most human T-ALL samples, except the cortical T subtype. We therefore anticipate that the self-renewal network

  3. Complete Absence of Suprascapular Notch: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rohini Mohan Pawar

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Suprascapular Nerve Entrapment (SSNE is an acquired neuropathy secondary to compression of suprascapular nerve in the Suprascapular Notch (SSN. Complete ossification of superior transverse scapular ligament may be a cause for suprascapular nerve entrapment. The absence of suprascapular notch is not very common condition, though its prevalence was quoted by Indian authors to be varying from 1.36% to 32.46% in different parts of the country. It is considered to be a predisposing factor for suprascapular nerve entrapment neuropathy. We noticed a male scapula without suprascapular notch in osteology section of Forensic Medicine department. In this case we observed costal and dorsal surfaces of the left scapula of a male without suprascapular notch at its superior border. The details of the said scapula are discussed in this report.

  4. Femoral intercondylar notch shape and dimensions in ACL-injured patients

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Eck, Carola F.; Martins, Cesar A. Q.; Vyas, Shail M.; Celentano, Umberto; van Dijk, C. Niek; Fu, Freddie H.

    2010-01-01

    The femoral intercondylar notch has been an anatomic site of interest as it houses the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The objective of this study was to arthroscopically evaluate the femoral notch in patients with known ACL injury. This evaluation included establishing a classification for notch

  5. Inositol trisphosphate receptor mediated spatiotemporal calcium signalling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyazaki, S

    1995-04-01

    Spatiotemporal Ca2+ signalling in the cytoplasm is currently understood as an excitation phenomenon by analogy with electrical excitation in the plasma membrane. In many cell types, Ca2+ waves and Ca2+ oscillations are mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor/Ca2+ channels in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane, with positive feedback between cytosolic Ca2+ and IP3-induced Ca2+ release creating a regenerative process. Remarkable advances have been made in the past year in the analysis of subcellular Ca2+ microdomains using confocal microscopy and of Ca2+ influx pathways that are functionally coupled to IP3-induced Ca2+ release. Ca2+ signals can be conveyed into the nucleus and mitochondria. Ca2+ entry from outside the cell allows repetitive Ca2+ release by providing Ca2+ to refill the endoplasmic reticulum stores, thus giving rise to frequency-encoded Ca2+ signals.

  6. Expression of Notch1 Correlates with Breast Cancer Progression and Prognosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xun Yuan

    Full Text Available Various studies have evaluated the significance of Notch1 expression in breast cancer, but the results have ever been disputed. By using 21 studies involving 3867 patients, this meta-analysis revealed that the expression of Notch1 was significantly higher in breast cancer than in normal tissues (OR=7.21; 95%CI, 4.7-11.07 and that higher Notch1 expression was associated with transition from ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS to invasive cancer (OR=3.75; 95% CI, 1.8-7.78. Higher Notch1 activity was observed in the basal subtype of breast cancer (OR=2.53; 95% CI, 1.18-5.43. Moreover, patients with Notch1 overexpression exhibited significantly worse overall and recurrence-free survival. Our meta-analysis suggests that Notch inhibitors may be useful in blocking the early progression of DCIS and that the outcomes of clinical trials for Notch1-targeting therapeutics could be improved by the molecular stratification of breast cancer patients.

  7. Quantitation of magnetic resonance spectroscopy signals: the jMRUI software package

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Stefan, D; Andrasescu, A; Cesare, F Di; Popa, E; Lazariev, A; Graveron-Demilly, D; Vescovo, E; Williams, S; Strbak, O; Starcuk, Z; Cabanas, M; Van Ormondt, D

    2009-01-01

    The software package jMRUI with Java-based graphical user interface enables user-friendly time-domain analysis of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) and HRMAS-NMR signals. Version 3.x has been distributed in more than 1200 groups or hospitals worldwide. The new version 4.x is a plug-in platform enabling the users to add their own algorithms. Moreover, it offers new functionalities compared to versions 3.x. The quantum-mechanical simulator based on NMR-SCOPE, the quantitation algorithm QUEST and the main MRSI functionalities are described. Quantitation results of signals obtained in vivo from a mouse and a human brain are given

  8. Single-cell analysis reveals a link between CD3- and CD59-mediated signaling pathways in Jurkat T cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lipp, A. M.

    2012-01-01

    Elevation of intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) is a key signal during T cell activation and is commonly used as a read-out parameter for stimulation of T cell signaling. Upon T cell stimulation a variety of calcium signals is produced by individual cells of the T cell population and the type of calcium signal strongly influences cell fate decisions. The heterogeneous nature of T cells is masked in ensemble measurements, which highlights the need for single-cell measurements. In this study we used single-cell calcium measurements in Jurkat cells to investigate signaling pathways, which are triggered by different proteins, namely CD3 and CD59. By application of an automated cluster algorithm the presented assay provides unbiased analysis of a large data set of individual calcium time traces generated by the whole cell population. By using this method we could demonstrate that the Jurkat population generates heterogeneous calcium signals in a stimulus-dependent manner. Furthermore, our data revealed the existence of a link between CD3- and CD59-mediated signaling pathways. Single-cell calcium measurements in Jurkat cells expressing different levels of the T cell receptor (TCR) complex indicated that CD59-mediated calcium signaling is critically dependent on TCR surface expression levels. In addition, triggering CD59-mediated calcium signaling resulted in down-regulation of TCR surface expression levels, which is known to happen upon direct TCR triggering too. Moreover, by using siRNA-mediated protein knock-downs and protein knock-out Jurkat mutants we could show that CD3- and CD59-mediated calcium signaling require identical key proteins. We therefore explored by which mechanism CD59-mediated signaling couples into TCR-mediated signaling. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) experiments and live-cell protein-protein interaction assays provided no evidence of a direct physical interaction between CD3- and CD59-mediated signaling pathways

  9. Optical stress investigations of notched bars with superimposed types of loads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Richard, H.A.; Theis, W.

    1982-01-01

    Starting from the notch effect for various types of load, notch stresses are determined by optical methods for superimposed tensile and shearing stress and for superimposed tensile and bending stress. The superimposed stresses are induced by a device developed at the Technical Mechanics Department of Kaiserslautern University; only tensile stress needs to be applied to this testing device. The investigations have shown that in notched bars subject to superimposed tensile and shearing stress, stress increases will be higher than the maximum values of the two types of stress. For superimposed tensile and bending stress, notches on the outer side of the test piece and eccentric notches on the inner side may lead to a considerable stress increase. However, the stress distribution can be improved by an optimum arrangement of notches. (orig.) [de

  10. The Role of Cgrp-Receptor Component Protein (Rcp in Cgrp-Mediated Signal Transduction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. A. Prado

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP-receptor component protein (RCP is a 17-kDa intracellular peripheral membrane protein required for signal transduction at CGRP receptors. To determine the role of RCP in CGRP-mediated signal transduction, RCP was depleted from NIH3T3 cells using antisense strategy. Loss of RCP protein correlated with loss of cAMP production by CGRP in the antisense cells. In contrast, loss of RCP had no effect on CGRP-mediated binding; therefore RCP is not acting as a chaperone for the CGRP receptor. Instead, RCP is a novel signal transduction molecule that couples the CGRP receptor to the cellular signal transduction machinery. RCP thus represents a prototype for a new class of signal transduction proteins that are required for regulation of G protein-coupled receptors.

  11. Stress intensity factors and weight functions for cracks in front of notches

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fett, T.

    1993-12-01

    The knowledge of stress intensity factors for cracks at notch roots is important for the fracture mechanical treatment of real components. Stress intensity factor solutions are available only for special notches and externally applied loads. For the treatment of more complex loadings as thermal stresses near the notch root the weight function is needed in addition. In the first part of this report weight functions for cracks in front of internal notches are derived from stress intensity factor solutions under external loading available in the literature. The second part deals with cracks in front of edge notches. Limit cases of stress intensity factors are derived which allow to estimate stress intensity factors for cracks in front of internal elliptical notches with arbitrary aspect ratio of the ellipse and for external notches. (orig.) [de

  12. Notched K-wire for low thermal damage bone drilling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yao; Belmont, Barry; Wang, Yiwen; Tai, Bruce; Holmes, James; Shih, Albert

    2017-07-01

    The Kirschner wire (K-wire) is a common bone drilling tool in orthopedic surgery to affix fractured bone. Significant heat is produced due to both the cutting and the friction between the K-wire and the bone debris during drilling. Such heat can result in high temperatures, leading to osteonecrosis and other secondary injuries. To reduce thermal injury and other high-temperature associated complications, a new K-wire design with three notches along the three-plane trocar tip fabricated using a thin micro-saw tool is studied. These notches evacuate bone debris and reduce the clogging and heat generation during bone drilling. A set of four K-wires, one without notches and three notched, with depths of 0.5, 0.75, and 1mm, are evaluated. Bone drilling experiments conducted on bovine cortical bone show that notched K-wires could effectively decrease the temperature, thrust force, and torque during bone drilling. K-wires with notches 1mm deep reduced the thrust force and torque by approximately 30%, reduced peak temperatures by 43%, and eliminated blackened burn marks in bone. This study demonstrates that a simple modification of the tip of K-wires can effectively reduce bone temperatures during drilling. Copyright © 2017 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Calcium-mediated signaling and calmodulin-dependent kinase regulate hepatocyte-inducible nitric oxide synthase expression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Baochun; Crankshaw, Will; Nesemeier, Ryan; Patel, Jay; Nweze, Ikenna; Lakshmanan, Jaganathan; Harbrecht, Brian G

    2015-02-01

    Induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is induced in hepatocytes by shock and inflammatory stimuli. Excessive NO from iNOS mediates shock-induced hepatic injury and death, so understanding the regulation of iNOS will help elucidate the pathophysiology of septic shock. In vitro, cytokines induce iNOS expression through activation of signaling pathways including mitogen-activated protein kinases and nuclear factor κB. Cytokines also induce calcium (Ca(2+)) mobilization and activate calcium-mediated intracellular signaling pathways, typically through activation of calmodulin-dependent kinases (CaMK). Calcium regulates NO production in macrophages but the role of calcium and calcium-mediated signaling in hepatocyte iNOS expression has not been defined. Primary rat hepatocytes were isolated, cultured, and induced to produce NO with proinflammatory cytokines. Calcium mobilization and Ca(2+)-mediated signaling were altered with ionophore, Ca(2+) channel blockers, and inhibitors of CaMK. The Ca(2+) ionophore A23187 suppressed cytokine-stimulated NO production, whereas Ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid and nifedipine increased NO production, iNOS messenger RNA, and iNOS protein expression. Inhibition of CaMK with KN93 and CBD increased NO production but the calcineurin inhibitor FK 506 decreased iNOS expression. These data demonstrate that calcium-mediated signaling regulates hepatocyte iNOS expression and does so through a mechanism independent of calcineurin. Changes in intracellular calcium levels may regulate iNOS expression during hepatic inflammation induced by proinflammatory cytokines. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. In-situ tensile testing of notched poly- and oligocrystalline 316L wires

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitevski, Bojan [Materials Science and Engineering (ITM), Duisburg (Germany); Weiss, Sabine [Brandenburg Technical Univ., Cottbus-Senftenberg (Germany). Chair of Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science.; Fischer, Alfons [Duisburg-Essen Univ. (Germany). Materials Science and Engineering; Rush Univ. Medical Center, Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Orthopedics

    2017-03-01

    In-situ testing inside a scanning electron microscope is a helpful tool for detailed analyses of small sized specimens with respect to their mechanical properties and the correlated microstructural alterations. Thus, this test method is used to analyze the tensional properties of thin 316L (1.4441) wires used for microscale components, e.g., like coronary artery stents. Tensile tests were conducted on unnotched and circularly notched 316L wires (oe 0.95 mm) with a special focus on the number of grains within the cross section as well as the notch geometry. Four combinations of notch width (2 and 4 mm) and notch depth (diameter at notch root: 0.5 and 0.75 mm) were chosen. Notch depth and notch shape were adjusted by means of electrochemical polishing. Previous investigations showed, that oligocrystalline structures exhibit a different mechanical behavior compared to polycrystalline ones or single crystals. There are only a few data available on mechanical testing of oligocrystalline structures with respect to varying notch geometries. Depending on the notch geometry, grain size and, therefore, the number of grains within the notch cross section widely scattering yield- and tensile strength as well as failure elongation values were measured. However, the transition criterion between poly- and oligocrystalline behavior could be quantified to be 6 to 7 grains within the cross section.

  15. Xue-fu-Zhu-Yu decoction protects rats against retinal ischemia by downregulation of HIF-1α and VEGF via inhibition of RBP2 and PKM2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Shu-Qiu; Geng, Xue; Liu, Jorn-Hon; Pan, Wynn Hwai-Tzong; Wang, Li-Xiang; Liu, Hui-Kang; Hu, Lei; Chao, Hsiao-Ming

    2017-07-14

    Retinal ischemia-related eye diseases result in visual dysfunction. This study investigates the protective effects and mechanisms of Xue-Fu-Zhu-Yu decoction (XFZYD) with respect to retinal ischemia. Retinal ischemia (I) was induced in Wistar rats by a high intraocular pressure (HIOP) of 120 mmHg for 1 h, which was followed by reperfusion of the ischemic eye; the fellow untreated eye acted as a control. Electroretinogram (ERG), biochemistry and histopathology investigations were performed. Significant ischemic changes occurred after ischemia including decreased ERG b-wave ratios, less numerous retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), reduced inner retinal thickness, fewer choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) labeled amacrine cell bodies, increased glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunoreactivity and increased vimentin Müller immunolabeling. These were accompanied by significant increases in the mRNA/protein concentrations of vascular endothelium growth factor, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, pyruvate kinase M2 and retinoblastoma-binding protein 2. The ischemic changes were concentration-dependently and significantly altered when XFZYD was given for seven consecutive days before or after retina ischemia, compared to vehicle. These alterations included enhanced ERG b-wave amplitudes, more numerous RGCs, enhanced inner retinal thickness, a greater number of ChAT immunolabeled amacrine cell bodies and decreased GFAP/vimentin immunoreactivity. Furthermore, decreased mRNA levels of VEGF, HIF-1α, PKM2, and RBP2 were also found. Reduced protein concentrations of VEGF, HIF-1α, PKM2, and RBP2 were also demonstrated. Furthermore, there was an inhibition of the ischemia-associated increased ratios (target protein/β-actin) in the protein levels of VEGF, HIF-1α, PKM2, and RBP2, which were induced by Shikonin, JIB-04 or Avastin. XFZYD would seem to protect against well-known retinal ischemic changes via a synergistic inhibition of RBP2 and PKM2, as well as down-regulation of HIF-1

  16. Computer simulation of the Charpy V-notch toughness test

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norris, D.M. Jr.

    1977-01-01

    The dynamic Charpy V-notch test was simulated on a computer. The calculational models (for A-533 Grade B class 1 steel) used both a rounded and a flat-tipped striker. The notch stress/strain state was found to be independent of the three-point loading type and was most strongly correlated with notch-opening displacement. The dynamic stress/strain state at the time of fracture initiation was obtained by comparing the calculated deformed shape with that obtained in interrupted Charpy V-notch tests where cracking had started. The calculation was also compared with stress/strain states calculated in other geometries at failure. The distribution and partition of specimen energy was calculated and adiabatic heating and strain rate are discussed

  17. Coastal dune dynamics in response to excavated foredune notches

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruessink, B. G.; Arens, S. M.; Kuipers, M.; Donker, J. J. A.

    2018-04-01

    Dune management along developed coasts has traditionally focussed on the suppression of the geomorphic dynamics of the foredune to improve its role in sea defence. Because a stabilized foredune acts as an almost total barrier to aeolian transport from the beach, the habitat diversity in the more landward dunes has degraded. With the overarching objective to mitigate this undesirable loss in biodiversity, dune management projects nowadays increasingly intend to restore aeolian dynamics by reconnecting the beach-dune system with notches excavated through the foredune. Here, we use repeat topographic survey data to examine the geomorphic response of a coastal dune system in the Dutch National Park Zuid-Kennemerland to five notches excavated in 2012-2013 within an 850-m stretch of the 20-m high established foredune. The notches were dug in a V-shape (viewed onshore), with a width between approximately 50 and 100 m at the top, a (cross-dune) length between 100 and 200 m, and excavation depths between 9 and 12.5 m. The 1 × 1 m digital terrain models, acquired with airborne Lidar and UAV photogrammetry, illustrate that during the 3-year survey period the notches developed into a U-shape because of wall deflation, and that up to 8-m thick and 150-m long depositional lobes formed landward of the notches. Sand budget computations showed that the sand volume of the entire study area increased by about 22,750 m3/year, which, given the 850-m width of the study area, corresponds to an aeolian input from the beach of approximately 26.5 m3/m/year. Between 2006 and 2012 all wind-blown beach sand deposited on the seaward side of the foredune; since 2013, the notches have caused 75% of the sand to be deposited landward of the foredune. This highlights that the notches are highly effective conduits for aeolian transport into the back dunes. Future monitoring is required to determine for how long the notches will stimulate aeolian dynamics and if (and when) vegetation eventually

  18. Role of CD137 signaling in dengue virus-mediated apoptosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nagila, Amar; Netsawang, Janjuree; Srisawat, Chatchawan; Noisakran, Sansanee; Morchang, Atthapan; Yasamut, Umpa; Puttikhunt, Chunya; Kasinrerk, Watchara

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → For the first time the role of CD137 in dengue virus (DENV) infection. → Induction of DENV-mediated apoptosis by CD137 signaling. → Sensitization to CD137-mediated apoptosis by dengue virus capsid protein (DENV C). → Nuclear localization of DENV C is required for CD137-mediated apoptosis. -- Abstract: Hepatic dysfunction is a well recognized feature of dengue virus (DENV) infection. However, molecular mechanisms of hepatic injury are still poorly understood. A complex interaction between DENV and the host immune response contributes to DENV-mediated tissue injury. DENV capsid protein (DENV C) physically interacts with the human death domain-associated protein Daxx. A double substitution mutation in DENV C (R85A/K86A) abrogates Daxx interaction, nuclear localization and apoptosis. Therefore we compared the expression of cell death genes between HepG2 cells expressing DENV C and DENV C (R85A/K86A) using a real-time PCR array. Expression of CD137, which is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, increased significantly in HepG2 cells expressing DENV C compared to HepG2 cells expressing DENV C (R85A/K86A). In addition, CD137-mediated apoptotic activity in HepG2 cells expressing DENV C was significantly increased by anti-CD137 antibody compared to that of HepG2 cells expressing DENV C (R85A/K86A). In DENV-infected HepG2 cells, CD137 mRNA and CD137 positive cells significantly increased and CD137-mediated apoptotic activity was increased by anti-CD137 antibody. This work is the first to demonstrate the contribution of CD137 signaling to DENV-mediated apoptosis.

  19. Role of CD137 signaling in dengue virus-mediated apoptosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nagila, Amar [Medical Molecular Biology Unit, Office for Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Netsawang, Janjuree [Faculty of Medical Technology, Rangsit University, Bangkok (Thailand); Srisawat, Chatchawan [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Noisakran, Sansanee [Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Research Unit, Office for Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Medical Biotechnology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Bangkok (Thailand); Morchang, Atthapan; Yasamut, Umpa [Medical Molecular Biology Unit, Office for Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Puttikhunt, Chunya [Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Research Unit, Office for Research and Development, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok (Thailand); Medical Biotechnology Unit, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Bangkok (Thailand); Kasinrerk, Watchara [Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai (Thailand); Biomedical Technology Research Center, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency at Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai (Thailand); and others

    2011-07-08

    Highlights: {yields} For the first time the role of CD137 in dengue virus (DENV) infection. {yields} Induction of DENV-mediated apoptosis by CD137 signaling. {yields} Sensitization to CD137-mediated apoptosis by dengue virus capsid protein (DENV C). {yields} Nuclear localization of DENV C is required for CD137-mediated apoptosis. -- Abstract: Hepatic dysfunction is a well recognized feature of dengue virus (DENV) infection. However, molecular mechanisms of hepatic injury are still poorly understood. A complex interaction between DENV and the host immune response contributes to DENV-mediated tissue injury. DENV capsid protein (DENV C) physically interacts with the human death domain-associated protein Daxx. A double substitution mutation in DENV C (R85A/K86A) abrogates Daxx interaction, nuclear localization and apoptosis. Therefore we compared the expression of cell death genes between HepG2 cells expressing DENV C and DENV C (R85A/K86A) using a real-time PCR array. Expression of CD137, which is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family, increased significantly in HepG2 cells expressing DENV C compared to HepG2 cells expressing DENV C (R85A/K86A). In addition, CD137-mediated apoptotic activity in HepG2 cells expressing DENV C was significantly increased by anti-CD137 antibody compared to that of HepG2 cells expressing DENV C (R85A/K86A). In DENV-infected HepG2 cells, CD137 mRNA and CD137 positive cells significantly increased and CD137-mediated apoptotic activity was increased by anti-CD137 antibody. This work is the first to demonstrate the contribution of CD137 signaling to DENV-mediated apoptosis.

  20. Rescue of Notch signaling in cells incapable of GDP-L-fucose synthesis by gap junction transfer of GDP-L-fucose in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayukawa, Tomonori; Matsumoto, Kenjiroo; Ishikawa, Hiroyuki O; Ishio, Akira; Yamakawa, Tomoko; Aoyama, Naoki; Suzuki, Takuya; Matsuno, Kenji

    2012-09-18

    Notch (N) is a transmembrane receptor that mediates cell-cell interactions to determine many cell-fate decisions. N contains EGF-like repeats, many of which have an O-fucose glycan modification that regulates N-ligand binding. This modification requires GDP-L-fucose as a donor of fucose. The GDP-L-fucose biosynthetic pathways are well understood, including the de novo pathway, which depends on GDP-mannose 4,6 dehydratase (Gmd) and GDP-4-keto-6-deoxy-D-mannose 3,5-epimerase/4-reductase (Gmer). However, the potential for intercellularly supplied GDP-L-fucose and the molecular basis of such transportation have not been explored in depth. To address these points, we studied the genetic effects of mutating Gmd and Gmer on fucose modifications in Drosophila. We found that these mutants functioned cell-nonautonomously, and that GDP-L-fucose was supplied intercellularly through gap junctions composed of Innexin-2. GDP-L-fucose was not supplied through body fluids from different isolated organs, indicating that the intercellular distribution of GDP-L-fucose is restricted within a given organ. Moreover, the gap junction-mediated supply of GDP-L-fucose was sufficient to support the fucosylation of N-glycans and the O-fucosylation of the N EGF-like repeats. Our results indicate that intercellular delivery is a metabolic pathway for nucleotide sugars in live animals under certain circumstances.