The cell cycle regulator protein P16 and the cellular senescence of dental follicle cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Morsczeck, Christian; Hullmann, Markus; Reck, Anja; Reichert, Torsten E

2018-02-01

Cellular senescence is a restricting factor for regenerative therapies with somatic stem cells. We showed previously that the onset of cellular senescence inhibits the osteogenic differentiation in stem cells of the dental follicle (DFCs), although the mechanism remains elusive. Two different pathways are involved in the induction of the cellular senescence, which are driven either by the cell cycle protein P21 or by the cell cycle protein P16. In this study, we investigated the expression of cell cycle proteins in DFCs after the induction of cellular senescence. The induction of cellular senescence was proved by an increased expression of β-galactosidase and an increased population doubling time after a prolonged cell culture. Cellular senescence regulated the expression of cell cycle proteins. The expression of cell cycle protein P16 was up-regulated, which correlates with the induction of cellular senescence markers in DFCs. However, the expression of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK)2 and 4 and the expression of the cell cycle protein P21 were successively decreased in DFCs. In conclusion, our data suggest that a P16-dependent pathway drives the induction of cellular senescence in DFCs.

Piezo Proteins: Regulators of Mechanosensation and Other Cellular Processes*

OpenAIRE

Bagriantsev, Sviatoslav N.; Gracheva, Elena O.; Gallagher, Patrick G.

2014-01-01

Piezo proteins have recently been identified as ion channels mediating mechanosensory transduction in mammalian cells. Characterization of these channels has yielded important insights into mechanisms of somatosensation, as well as other mechano-associated biologic processes such as sensing of shear stress, particularly in the vasculature, and regulation of urine flow and bladder distention. Other roles for Piezo proteins have emerged, some unexpected, including participation in cellular deve...

Cellular regulation of the structure and function of aortic valves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ismail El-Hamamsy

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The aortic valve was long considered a passive structure that opens and closes in response to changes in transvalvular pressure. Recent evidence suggests that the aortic valve performs highly sophisticated functions as a result of its unique microscopic structure. These functions allow it to adapt to its hemodynamic and mechanical environment. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in normal valve physiology is essential to elucidate the mechanisms behind valve disease. We here review the structure and developmental biology of aortic valves; we examine the role of its cellular parts in regulating its function and describe potential pathophysiological and clinical implications.

Lysine acetylation targets protein complexes and co-regulates major cellular functions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Choudhary, Chuna Ram; Kumar, Chanchal; Gnad, Florian

2009-01-01

Lysine acetylation is a reversible posttranslational modification of proteins and plays a key role in regulating gene expression. Technological limitations have so far prevented a global analysis of lysine acetylation's cellular roles. We used high-resolution mass spectrometry to identify 3600......, cell cycle, splicing, nuclear transport, and actin nucleation. Acetylation impaired phosphorylation-dependent interactions of 14-3-3 and regulated the yeast cyclin-dependent kinase Cdc28. Our data demonstrate that the regulatory scope of lysine acetylation is broad and comparable with that of other...

Tissue organization by cadherin adhesion molecules: dynamic molecular and cellular mechanisms of morphogenetic regulation

Science.gov (United States)

Niessen, Carien M.; Leckband, Deborah; Yap, Alpha S.

2013-01-01

This review addresses the cellular and molecular mechanisms of cadherin-based tissue morphogenesis. Tissue physiology is profoundly influenced by the distinctive organizations of cells in organs and tissues. In metazoa, adhesion receptors of the classical cadherin family play important roles in establishing and maintaining such tissue organization. Indeed, it is apparent that cadherins participate in a range of morphogenetic events that range from support of tissue integrity to dynamic cellular rearrangements. A comprehensive understanding of cadherin-based morphogenesis must then define the molecular and cellular mechanisms that support these distinct cadherin biologies. Here we focus on four key mechanistic elements: the molecular basis for adhesion through cadherin ectodomains; the regulation of cadherin expression at the cell surface; cooperation between cadherins and the actin cytoskeleton; and regulation by cell signaling. We discuss current progress and outline issues for further research in these fields. PMID:21527735

Thiol peroxidases mediate specific genome-wide regulation of gene expression in response to hydrogen peroxide

OpenAIRE

Fomenko, Dmitri E.; Koc, Ahmet; Agisheva, Natalia; Jacobsen, Michael; Kaya, Alaattin; Malinouski, Mikalai; Rutherford, Julian C.; Siu, Kam-Leung; Jin, Dong-Yan; Winge, Dennis R.; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

2011-01-01

Hydrogen peroxide is thought to regulate cellular processes by direct oxidation of numerous cellular proteins, whereas antioxidants, most notably thiol peroxidases, are thought to reduce peroxides and inhibit H2O2 response. However, thiol peroxidases have also been implicated in activation of transcription factors and signaling. It remains unclear if these enzymes stimulate or inhibit redox regulation and whether this regulation is widespread or limited to a few cellular components. Herein, w...

Cellular zinc fluxes and the regulation of apoptosis/gene-directed cell death.

Science.gov (United States)

Truong-Tran, A Q; Ho, L H; Chai, F; Zalewski, P D

2000-05-01

The maintenance of discrete subcellular pools of zinc (Zn) is critical for the functional and structural integrity of cells. Among the important biological processes influenced by Zn is apoptosis, a process that is important in cellular homeostasis (an important cellular homeostatic process). It has also been identified as a major mechanism contributing to cell death in response to toxins and in disease, offering hope that novel therapies that target apoptotic pathways may be developed. Because Zn levels in the body can be increased in a relatively nontoxic manner, it may be possible to prevent or ameliorate degenerative disorders that are associated with high rates of apoptotic cell death. This review begins with brief introductions that address, first, the cellular biology of Zn, especially the critical labile Zn pools, and, second, the phenomenon of apoptosis. We then review the evidence relating Zn to apoptosis and address three major hypotheses: (1) that a specific pool or pools of intracellular labile Zn regulates apoptosis; (2) that systemic changes in Zn levels in the body, due to dietary factors, altered physiological states or disease, can influence cell susceptibility to apoptosis, and (3) that this altered susceptibility to apoptosis contributes to pathophysiological changes in the body. Other key issues are the identity of the molecular targets of Zn in the apoptotic cascade, the types of cells and tissues most susceptible to Zn-regulated apoptosis, the role of Zn as a coordinate regulator of mitosis and apoptosis and the apparent release of tightly bound intracellular pools of Zn during the later stages of apoptosis. This review concludes with a section highlighting areas of priority for future studies.

Numerical Investigation on the Propagation Mechanism of Steady Cellular Detonations in Curved Channels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jian; Ning Jian-Guo; Zhao Hui; Wang Cheng; Hao Li

2015-01-01

The propagation mechanism of steady cellular detonations in curved channels is investigated numerically with a detailed chemical reaction mechanism. The numerical results demonstrate that as the radius of the curvature decreases, detonation fails near the inner wall due to the strong expansion effect. As the radius of the curvature increases, the detonation front near the inner wall can sustain an underdriven detonation. In the case where detonation fails, a transverse detonation downstream forms and re-initiates the quenched detonation as it propagates toward the inner wall. Two kinds of propagation modes exist as the detonation is propagating in the curved channel. One is that the detonation fails first, and then a following transverse detonation initiates the quenched detonation and this process repeats itself. The other one is that without detonation failure and re-initiation, a steady detonation exists which consists of an underdriven detonation front near the inner wall subject to the diffraction and an overdriven detonation near the outer wall subject to the compression. (paper)

NAD(H) and NADP(H) Redox Couples and Cellular Energy Metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Wusheng; Wang, Rui-Sheng; Handy, Diane E; Loscalzo, Joseph

2018-01-20

The nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD + )/reduced NAD + (NADH) and NADP + /reduced NADP + (NADPH) redox couples are essential for maintaining cellular redox homeostasis and for modulating numerous biological events, including cellular metabolism. Deficiency or imbalance of these two redox couples has been associated with many pathological disorders. Recent Advances: Newly identified biosynthetic enzymes and newly developed genetically encoded biosensors enable us to understand better how cells maintain compartmentalized NAD(H) and NADP(H) pools. The concept of redox stress (oxidative and reductive stress) reflected by changes in NAD(H)/NADP(H) has increasingly gained attention. The emerging roles of NAD + -consuming proteins in regulating cellular redox and metabolic homeostasis are active research topics. The biosynthesis and distribution of cellular NAD(H) and NADP(H) are highly compartmentalized. It is critical to understand how cells maintain the steady levels of these redox couple pools to ensure their normal functions and simultaneously avoid inducing redox stress. In addition, it is essential to understand how NAD(H)- and NADP(H)-utilizing enzymes interact with other signaling pathways, such as those regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor, to maintain cellular redox homeostasis and energy metabolism. Additional studies are needed to investigate the inter-relationships among compartmentalized NAD(H)/NADP(H) pools and how these two dinucleotide redox couples collaboratively regulate cellular redox states and cellular metabolism under normal and pathological conditions. Furthermore, recent studies suggest the utility of using pharmacological interventions or nutrient-based bioactive NAD + precursors as therapeutic interventions for metabolic diseases. Thus, a better understanding of the cellular functions of NAD(H) and NADP(H) may facilitate efforts to address a host of pathological disorders effectively. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 251-272.

Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins regulate angiotensin-converting enzyme expression: crosstalk between cellular and endocrine metabolic regulators suggested by RNA interference and genetic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhamrait, Sukhbir S; Maubaret, Cecilia; Pedersen-Bjergaard, Ulrik; Brull, David J; Gohlke, Peter; Payne, John R; World, Michael; Thorsteinsson, Birger; Humphries, Steve E; Montgomery, Hugh E

2016-07-01

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulate mitochondrial function, and thus cellular metabolism. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is the central component of endocrine and local tissue renin-angiotensin systems (RAS), which also regulate diverse aspects of whole-body metabolism and mitochondrial function (partly through altering mitochondrial UCP expression). We show that ACE expression also appears to be regulated by mitochondrial UCPs. In genetic analysis of two unrelated populations (healthy young UK men and Scandinavian diabetic patients) serum ACE (sACE) activity was significantly higher amongst UCP3-55C (rather than T) and UCP2 I (rather than D) allele carriers. RNA interference against UCP2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells reduced UCP2 mRNA sixfold (P sACE suggests a novel means of crosstalk between (and mutual regulation of) cellular and endocrine metabolism. This might partly explain the reduced risk of developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome with RAS antagonists and offer insight into the origins of cardiovascular disease in which UCPs and ACE both play a role. © 2016 The Authors. BioEssays published by WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

Mitochondrial uncoupling proteins regulate angiotensin‐converting enzyme expression: crosstalk between cellular and endocrine metabolic regulators suggested by RNA interference and genetic studies

Science.gov (United States)

Maubaret, Cecilia; Pedersen‐Bjergaard, Ulrik; Brull, David J.; Gohlke, Peter; Payne, John R.; World, Michael; Thorsteinsson, Birger; Humphries, Steve E.; Montgomery, Hugh E.

2015-01-01

Uncoupling proteins (UCPs) regulate mitochondrial function, and thus cellular metabolism. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) is the central component of endocrine and local tissue renin–angiotensin systems (RAS), which also regulate diverse aspects of whole‐body metabolism and mitochondrial function (partly through altering mitochondrial UCP expression). We show that ACE expression also appears to be regulated by mitochondrial UCPs. In genetic analysis of two unrelated populations (healthy young UK men and Scandinavian diabetic patients) serum ACE (sACE) activity was significantly higher amongst UCP3‐55C (rather than T) and UCP2 I (rather than D) allele carriers. RNA interference against UCP2 in human umbilical vein endothelial cells reduced UCP2 mRNA sixfold (P sACE suggests a novel means of crosstalk between (and mutual regulation of) cellular and endocrine metabolism. This might partly explain the reduced risk of developing diabetes and metabolic syndrome with RAS antagonists and offer insight into the origins of cardiovascular disease in which UCPs and ACE both play a role. PMID:27347560

Kinetic and Thermodynamic Aspects of Cellular Thiol-Disulfide Redox Regulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Kristine Steen; Hansen, Rosa Erritzøe; Winther, Jakob R

2009-01-01

. In the cytosol regulatory disulfide bonds are typically formed in spite of the prevailing reducing conditions and may thereby function as redox switches. Such disulfide bonds are protected from enzymatic reduction by kinetic barriers and are thus allowed to exist long enough to elicit the signal. Factors......Regulation of intracellular thiol-disulfide redox status is an essential part of cellular homeostasis. This involves the regulation of both oxidative and reductive pathways, production of oxidant scavengers and, importantly, the ability of cells to respond to changes in the redox environment...... that affect the rate of thiol-disulfide exchange and stability of disulfide bonds are discussed within the framework of the underlying chemical foundations. This includes the effect of thiol acidity (pKa), the local electrostatic environment, molecular strain and entropy. Even though a thiol-disulfide...

Cellular mRNA decay factors involved in the hepatitis C virus life cycle

OpenAIRE

Mina Ibarra, Leonardo Bruno

2010-01-01

The group of positive strand RNA ((+)RNA) viruses includes numerous plant, animal and human pathogens such as the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Their viral genomes mimic cellular mRNAs, however, besides acting as messengers for translation of viral proteins, they also act as templates for viral replication. Since these two functions are mutually exclusive, a key step in the replication of all (+) RNA viruses is the regulated exit of the genomic RNAs from the cellular translation machinery to the v...

Ionizing Radiation Induces Cellular Senescence of Articular Chondrocytes via Negative Regulation of SIRT1 by p38 Kinase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Eun Hee; Hwang, Sang Gu [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2009-05-15

Senescent cells exhibit irreversible growth arrest, large flat morphology, and up-regulated senescence-associated {beta}-galactosidase activity at pH 6.0. Several conditions, including oncogenic stress, oxidative stress, and DNA damage are associated with cellular senescence. Massive acute DNA double-strand breaks occurring as a result of mechanical and chemical stress can be repaired, but some DNA damage persists, eventually triggering premature senescence. Since ionizing radiation directly induces DBS, it is possible that cellular senescence is activated under these conditions. The biological events in chondrocytes following irradiation are poorly understood, and limited information is available on the molecular signal transduction mechanisms of cellular senescence at present. In this study, we identify SIRT1 as a target molecule of p38 kinase and demonstrate that the interactions between p38 kinase and SIRT1 protein play an important role in the regulation of cellular senescence in response to IR.

BICD2, dynactin, and LIS1 cooperate in regulating dynein recruitment to cellular structures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

D. Splinter (Daniël); D.S. Razafsky (David); M.A. Schlager (Max); A. Serra-Marques (Andrea); I. Grigoriev (Ilya); J.A.A. Demmers (Jeroen); N. Keijzer (Nanda); K. Jiang (Kai); S. Poser; A. Hyman (Anthony); C.C. Hoogenraad (Casper); S.J. King (Stephen); A.S. Akhmanova (Anna)

2012-01-01

textabstractCytoplasmic dynein is the major microtubule minus-end-directed cellular motor. Most dynein activities require dynactin, but the mechanisms regulating cargo-dependent dynein-dynactin interaction are poorly understood. In this study, we focus on dynein-dynactin recruitment to cargo by the

Numerical Study on the Projectile Impact Resistance of Multi-Layer Sandwich Panels with Cellular Cores

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liming Chen

Full Text Available Abstract The projectile impact resistance of sandwich panels with cellular cores with different layer numbers has been numerically investigated by perpendicular impact of rigid blunt projectile in ABAQUS/Explicit. These panels with corrugation, hexagonal honeycomb and pyramidal truss cores are impacted at velocities between 50 m/s and 202 m/s while the relative density ranges from 0.001 to 0.15 The effects of core configuration and layer number on projectile impact resistance of sandwich panels with cellular cores are studied. At low impact velocity, sandwich panels with cellular cores outperform the corresponding solid ones and non-montonicity between relative density and projectile resistance of sandwich panels is found and analyzed. Multiplying layer can reduce the maximum central deflection of back face sheet of the above three sandwich panels except pyramidal truss ones in high relative density. Hexagonal honeycomb sandwich panel is beneficial to increasing layer numbers in lowering the contact force and prolonging the interaction time. At high impact velocity, though corrugation and honeycomb sandwich panels are inferior to the equal-weighted solid panels, pyramidal truss ones with high relative density outperform the corresponding solid panels. Multiplying layer is not the desirable way to improve high-velocity projectile resistance.

Wrecked regulation of intrinsically disordered proteins in diseases: Pathogenicity of deregulated regulators

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Vladimir N. Uversky

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Biologically active proteins without stable tertiary structure are common in all known proteomes. Functions of these intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs are typically related to regulation, signaling and control. Cellular levels of these important regulators are tightly regulated by a variety mechanisms ranging from firmly controlled expression to precisely targeted degradation. Functions of IDPs are controlled by binding to specific partners, alternative splicing, and posttranslational modifications among other means. In the norm, right amounts of precisely activated IDPs have to be present in right time at right places. Wrecked regulation brings havoc to the ordered world of disordered proteins, leading to protein misfolding, misidentification, and missignaling that give rise to numerous human diseases, such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative diseases, and diabetes. Among factors inducing pathogenic transformations of IDPs are various cellular mechanisms, such as chromosomal translocations, damaged splicing, altered expression, frustrated posttranslational modifications, aberrant proteolytic degradation, and defective trafficking. This review presents some of the aspects of deregulated regulation of IDPs leading to human diseases.

Matrix rigidity regulates cancer cell growth by modulating cellular metabolism and protein synthesis.

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Robert W Tilghman

Full Text Available Tumor cells in vivo encounter diverse types of microenvironments both at the site of the primary tumor and at sites of distant metastases. Understanding how the various mechanical properties of these microenvironments affect the biology of tumor cells during disease progression is critical in identifying molecular targets for cancer therapy.This study uses flexible polyacrylamide gels as substrates for cell growth in conjunction with a novel proteomic approach to identify the properties of rigidity-dependent cancer cell lines that contribute to their differential growth on soft and rigid substrates. Compared to cells growing on more rigid/stiff substrates (>10,000 Pa, cells on soft substrates (150-300 Pa exhibited a longer cell cycle, due predominantly to an extension of the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and were metabolically less active, showing decreased levels of intracellular ATP and a marked reduction in protein synthesis. Using stable isotope labeling of amino acids in culture (SILAC and mass spectrometry, we measured the rates of protein synthesis of over 1200 cellular proteins under growth conditions on soft and rigid/stiff substrates. We identified cellular proteins whose syntheses were either preferentially inhibited or preserved on soft matrices. The former category included proteins that regulate cytoskeletal structures (e.g., tubulins and glycolysis (e.g., phosphofructokinase-1, whereas the latter category included proteins that regulate key metabolic pathways required for survival, e.g., nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, a regulator of the NAD salvage pathway.The cellular properties of rigidity-dependent cancer cells growing on soft matrices are reminiscent of the properties of dormant cancer cells, e.g., slow growth rate and reduced metabolism. We suggest that the use of relatively soft gels as cell culture substrates would allow molecular pathways to be studied under conditions that reflect the different mechanical

BRD4 regulates cellular senescence in gastric cancer cells via E2F/miR-106b/p21 axis.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Xingchen; Hu, Xiangming; Chen, Jinjing; Hu, Dan; Chen, Lin-Feng

2018-02-12

Small molecules targeting bromodomains of BET proteins possess strong anti-tumor activities and have emerged as potential therapeutics for cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms for the anti-proliferative activity of these inhibitors are still not fully characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that BET inhibitor JQ1 suppressed the proliferation and invasiveness of gastric cancer cells by inducing cellular senescence. Depletion of BRD4, which was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues, but not other BET proteins recapitulated JQ1-induced cellular senescence with increased cellular SA-β-Gal activity and elevated p21 levels. In addition, we showed that the levels of p21 were regulated at the post-transcriptional level by BRD4-dependent expression of miR-106b-5p, which targets the 3'-UTR of p21 mRNA. Overexpression of miR-106b-5p prevented JQ1-induced p21 expression and BRD4 inhibition-associated cellular senescence, whereas miR-106b-5p inhibitor up-regulated p21 and induced cellular senescence. Finally, we demonstrated that inhibition of E2F suppressed the binding of BRD4 to the promoter of miR-106b-5p and inhibited its transcription, leading to the increased p21 levels and cellular senescence in gastric cancer cells. Our results reveal a novel mechanism by which BRD4 regulates cancer cell proliferation by modulating the cellular senescence through E2F/miR-106b-5p/p21 axis and provide new insights into using BET inhibitors as potential anticancer drugs.

Cellular contractility and substrate elasticity: a numerical investigation of the actin cytoskeleton and cell adhesion.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronan, William; Deshpande, Vikram S; McMeeking, Robert M; McGarry, J Patrick

2014-04-01

Numerous experimental studies have established that cells can sense the stiffness of underlying substrates and have quantified the effect of substrate stiffness on stress fibre formation, focal adhesion area, cell traction, and cell shape. In order to capture such behaviour, the current study couples a mixed mode thermodynamic and mechanical framework that predicts focal adhesion formation and growth with a material model that predicts stress fibre formation, contractility, and dissociation in a fully 3D implementation. Simulations reveal that SF contractility plays a critical role in the substrate-dependent response of cells. Compliant substrates do not provide sufficient tension for stress fibre persistence, causing dissociation of stress fibres and lower focal adhesion formation. In contrast, cells on stiffer substrates are predicted to contain large amounts of dominant stress fibres. Different levels of cellular contractility representative of different cell phenotypes are found to alter the range of substrate stiffness that cause the most significant changes in stress fibre and focal adhesion formation. Furthermore, stress fibre and focal adhesion formation evolve as a cell spreads on a substrate and leading to the formation of bands of fibres leading from the cell periphery over the nucleus. Inhibiting the formation of FAs during cell spreading is found to limit stress fibre formation. The predictions of this mutually dependent material-interface framework are strongly supported by experimental observations of cells adhered to elastic substrates and offer insight into the inter-dependent biomechanical processes regulating stress fibre and focal adhesion formation.

Membrane plasmalogen composition and cellular cholesterol regulation: a structure activity study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su-Myat Khine K

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Disrupted cholesterol regulation leading to increased circulating and membrane cholesterol levels is implicated in many age-related chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD, Alzheimer's disease (AD, and cancer. In vitro and ex vivo cellular plasmalogen deficiency models have been shown to exhibit impaired intra- and extra-cellular processing of cholesterol. Furthermore, depleted brain plasmalogens have been implicated in AD and serum plasmalogen deficiencies have been linked to AD, CVD, and cancer. Results Using plasmalogen deficient (NRel-4 and plasmalogen sufficient (HEK293 cells we investigated the effect of species-dependent plasmalogen restoration/augmentation on membrane cholesterol processing. The results of these studies indicate that the esterification of cholesterol is dependent upon the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA-containing ethanolamine plasmalogen (PlsEtn present in the membrane. We further elucidate that the concentration-dependent increase in esterified cholesterol observed with PUFA-PlsEtn was due to a concentration-dependent increase in sterol-O-acyltransferase-1 (SOAT1 levels, an observation not reproduced by 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA reductase inhibition. Conclusion The present study describes a novel mechanism of cholesterol regulation that is consistent with clinical and epidemiological studies of cholesterol, aging and disease. Specifically, the present study describes how selective membrane PUFA-PlsEtn enhancement can be achieved using 1-alkyl-2-PUFA glycerols and through this action reduce levels of total and free cholesterol in cells.

HTLV Tax: a fascinating multifunctional co-regulator of viral and cellular pathways

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Robert eCurrer

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1 has been identified as the causative agent of adult T cell leukemia (ATL and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP. The virus infects between 15 and 20 million people worldwide of which approximately 2 to 5% develop ATL. The past 35 years of research have yielded significant insight into the pathogenesis of HTLV-1, including the molecular characterization of Tax, the viral transactivator and oncoprotein. In spite of these efforts, the mechanisms of oncogenesis of this pleiotropic protein remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, we illustrate the multiple oncogenic roles of Tax by summarizing a recent body of literature that refines our understanding of cellular transformation. A focused range of topics are discussed in this review including Tax-mediated regulation of the viral promoter and other cellular pathways, particularly the connection of the NF-κB pathway to both post-translational modifications of Tax and sub-cellular localization. Specifically, recent research on polyubiquitination of Tax as it relates to the activation of the IkappaB kinase (IKK complex is highlighted. Regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage responses due to Tax are also discussed, including Tax interaction with minichromosome maintenance proteins and the role of Tax in chromatin remodeling. The recent identification of HTLV-3 has amplified the importance of the characterization of emerging viral pathogens. The challenge of the molecular determination of pathogenicity and malignant disease of this virus lies in the comparison of the viral transactivators of HTLV-1, -2, and -3 in terms of transformation and immortalization. Consequently, differences between the three proteins are currently being studied to determine what factors are required for the differences in tumorogenesis.

Integrin Beta 3 Regulates Cellular Senescence by Activating the TGF-β Pathway

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Valentina Rapisarda

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Cellular senescence is an important in vivo mechanism that prevents the propagation of damaged cells. However, the precise mechanisms regulating senescence are not well characterized. Here, we find that ITGB3 (integrin beta 3 or β3 is regulated by the Polycomb protein CBX7. β3 expression accelerates the onset of senescence in human primary fibroblasts by activating the transforming growth factor β (TGF-β pathway in a cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous manner. β3 levels are dynamically increased during oncogene-induced senescence (OIS through CBX7 Polycomb regulation, and downregulation of β3 levels overrides OIS and therapy-induced senescence (TIS, independently of its ligand-binding activity. Moreover, cilengitide, an αvβ3 antagonist, has the ability to block the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP without affecting proliferation. Finally, we show an increase in β3 levels in a subset of tissues during aging. Altogether, our data show that integrin β3 subunit is a marker and regulator of senescence.

A biphasic endothelial stress-survival mechanism regulates the cellular response to vascular endothelial growth factor A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latham, Antony M.; Odell, Adam F.; Mughal, Nadeem A.; Issitt, Theo; Ulyatt, Clare; Walker, John H.; Homer-Vanniasinkam, Shervanthi; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

2012-01-01

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is an essential cytokine that regulates endothelial function and angiogenesis. VEGF-A binding to endothelial receptor tyrosine kinases such as VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 triggers cellular responses including survival, proliferation and new blood vessel sprouting. Increased levels of a soluble VEGFR1 splice variant (sFlt-1) correlate with endothelial dysfunction in pathologies such as pre-eclampsia; however the cellular mechanism(s) underlying the regulation and function of sFlt-1 are unclear. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a biphasic stress response in endothelial cells, using serum deprivation as a model of endothelial dysfunction. The early phase is characterized by a high VEGFR2:sFlt-1 ratio, which is reversed in the late phase. A functional consequence is a short-term increase in VEGF-A-stimulated intracellular signaling. In the late phase, sFlt-1 is secreted and deposited at the extracellular matrix. We hypothesized that under stress, increased endothelial sFlt-1 levels reduce VEGF-A bioavailability: VEGF-A treatment induces sFlt-1 expression at the cell surface and VEGF-A silencing inhibits sFlt-1 anchorage to the extracellular matrix. Treatment with recombinant sFlt-1 inhibits VEGF-A-stimulated in vitro angiogenesis and sFlt-1 silencing enhances this process. In this response, increased VEGFR2 levels are regulated by the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase and PKB/Akt signaling pathways and increased sFlt-1 levels by the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. We conclude that during serum withdrawal, cellular sensing of environmental stress modulates sFlt-1 and VEGFR2 levels, regulating VEGF-A bioavailability and ensuring cell survival takes precedence over cell proliferation and migration. These findings may underpin an important mechanism contributing to endothelial dysfunction in pathological states. -- Highlights: ► Endothelial cells mount a stress response under conditions of low serum. ► Endothelial VEGFR levels are

Direct numerical simulation of cellular-scale blood flow in microvascular networks

Science.gov (United States)

Balogh, Peter; Bagchi, Prosenjit

2017-11-01

A direct numerical simulation method is developed to study cellular-scale blood flow in physiologically realistic microvascular networks that are constructed in silico following published in vivo images and data, and are comprised of bifurcating, merging, and winding vessels. The model resolves large deformation of individual red blood cells (RBC) flowing in such complex networks. The vascular walls and deformable interfaces of the RBCs are modeled using the immersed-boundary methods. Time-averaged hemodynamic quantities obtained from the simulations agree quite well with published in vivo data. Our simulations reveal that in several vessels the flow rates and pressure drops could be negatively correlated. The flow resistance and hematocrit are also found to be negatively correlated in some vessels. These observations suggest a deviation from the classical Poiseuille's law in such vessels. The cells are observed to frequently jam at vascular bifurcations resulting in reductions in hematocrit and flow rate in the daughter and mother vessels. We find that RBC jamming results in several orders of magnitude increase in hemodynamic resistance, and thus provides an additional mechanism of increased in vivo blood viscosity as compared to that determined in vitro. Funded by NSF CBET 1604308.

Eukaryotic Cell Cycle as a Test Case for Modeling Cellular Regulation in a Collaborative Problem-Solving Environment

Science.gov (United States)

2007-03-01

computer models of cell cycle regulation in a variety of organisms, including yeast cells, amphibian embryos, bacterial cells and human cells. These...and meiosis ), but they do not nullify the central role played by irreversible, alternating START and FINISH transitions in the cell cycle. 32...AFRL-IF-RS-TR-2007-69 Final Technical Report March 2007 EUKARYOTIC CELL CYCLE AS A TEST CASE FOR MODELING CELLULAR REGULATION IN A

Cellular prion protein expression is not regulated by the Alzheimer's amyloid precursor protein intracellular domain.

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Victoria Lewis

Full Text Available There is increasing evidence of molecular and cellular links between Alzheimer's disease (AD and prion diseases. The cellular prion protein, PrP(C, modulates the post-translational processing of the AD amyloid precursor protein (APP, through its inhibition of the β-secretase BACE1, and oligomers of amyloid-β bind to PrP(C which may mediate amyloid-β neurotoxicity. In addition, the APP intracellular domain (AICD, which acts as a transcriptional regulator, has been reported to control the expression of PrP(C. Through the use of transgenic mice, cell culture models and manipulation of APP expression and processing, this study aimed to clarify the role of AICD in regulating PrP(C. Over-expression of the three major isoforms of human APP (APP(695, APP(751 and APP(770 in cultured neuronal and non-neuronal cells had no effect on the level of endogenous PrP(C. Furthermore, analysis of brain tissue from transgenic mice over-expressing either wild type or familial AD associated mutant human APP revealed unaltered PrP(C levels. Knockdown of endogenous APP expression in cells by siRNA or inhibition of γ-secretase activity also had no effect on PrP(C levels. Overall, we did not detect any significant difference in the expression of PrP(C in any of the cell or animal-based paradigms considered, indicating that the control of cellular PrP(C levels by AICD is not as straightforward as previously suggested.

HJURP regulates cellular senescence in human fibroblasts and endothelial cells via a p53-dependent pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Heo, Jong-Ik; Cho, Jung Hee; Kim, Jae-Ryong

2013-08-01

Holliday junction recognition protein (HJURP), a centromere protein-A (CENP-A) histone chaperone, mediates centromere-specific assembly of CENP-A nucleosome, contributing to high-fidelity chromosome segregation during cell division. However, the role of HJURP in cellular senescence of human primary cells remains unclear. We found that the expression levels of HJURP decreased in human dermal fibroblasts and umbilical vein endothelial cells in replicative or premature senescence. Ectopic expression of HJURP in senescent cells partially overcame cell senescence. Conversely, downregulation of HJURP in young cells led to premature senescence. p53 knockdown, but not p16 knockdown, abolished senescence phenotypes caused by HJURP reduction. These data suggest that HJURP plays an important role in the regulation of cellular senescence through a p53-dependent pathway and might contribute to tissue or organismal aging and protection of cellular transformation.

Numerical simulation on self-regulating characteristics of a cold neutron source with a closed-thermosiphon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawai, Takeshi; Utsuro, Masahiko; Okamoto, Sunao

1989-01-01

A cold neutron source (CNS) having a closed-thermosiphon cooling loop shows a characteristic of self-regulation to the heat load fluctuations if the moderator transfer tube fulfills certain conditions. A dynamical equation of the closed-thermosiphon type CNS having such a property has been presented on the basis of the non-equilibrium thermodynamics. Kyoto University Reactor (KUR) CNS is investigated by numerical simulation of this equation. The numerical predictions for the self-regulating characteristics are in agreement with available experimental data. (author)

ATM-mediated Snail Serine 100 phosphorylation regulates cellular radiosensitivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boohaker, Rebecca J.; Cui, Xiaoli; Stackhouse, Murray; Xu, Bo

2013-01-01

Purpose: Activation of the DNA damage responsive protein kinase ATM is a critical step for cellular survival in response to ionizing irradiation (IR). Direct targets of ATM regulating radiosensitivity remain to be fully investigated. We have recently reported that ATM phosphorylates the transcriptional repressor Snail on Serine 100. We aimed to further study the functional significance of ATM-mediated Snail phosphorylation in response to IR. Material and methods: We transfected vector-only, wild-type, the Serine 100 to alanine (S100A) or to glutamic acid (S100E) substitution of Snail into various cell lines. We assessed colony formation, γ-H2AX focus formation and the invasion index in the cells treated with or without IR. Results: We found that over-expression of the S100A mutant Snail in HeLa cells significantly increased radiosensitivity. Meanwhile the expression of S100E, a phospho-mimicking mutation, resulted in enhanced radio-resistance. Interestingly, S100E could rescue the radiosensitive phenotype in ATM-deficient cells. We also found that expression of S100E increased γ-H2AX focus formation and compromised inhibition of invasion in response to IR independent of cell survival. Conclusion: ATM-mediated Snail Serine 100 phosphorylation in response to IR plays an important part in the regulation of radiosensitivity

Thiol peroxidases mediate specific genome-wide regulation of gene expression in response to hydrogen peroxide

Science.gov (United States)

Fomenko, Dmitri E.; Koc, Ahmet; Agisheva, Natalia; Jacobsen, Michael; Kaya, Alaattin; Malinouski, Mikalai; Rutherford, Julian C.; Siu, Kam-Leung; Jin, Dong-Yan; Winge, Dennis R.; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

2011-01-01

Hydrogen peroxide is thought to regulate cellular processes by direct oxidation of numerous cellular proteins, whereas antioxidants, most notably thiol peroxidases, are thought to reduce peroxides and inhibit H2O2 response. However, thiol peroxidases have also been implicated in activation of transcription factors and signaling. It remains unclear if these enzymes stimulate or inhibit redox regulation and whether this regulation is widespread or limited to a few cellular components. Herein, we found that Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells lacking all eight thiol peroxidases were viable and withstood redox stresses. They transcriptionally responded to various redox treatments, but were unable to activate and repress gene expression in response to H2O2. Further studies involving redox transcription factors suggested that thiol peroxidases are major regulators of global gene expression in response to H2O2. The data suggest that thiol peroxidases sense and transfer oxidative signals to the signaling proteins and regulate transcription, whereas a direct interaction between H2O2 and other cellular proteins plays a secondary role. PMID:21282621

Dynamic behavior of cellular materials and cellular structures: Experiments and modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Ziyang

Cellular solids, including cellular materials and cellular structures (CMS), have attracted people's great interests because of their low densities and novel physical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and acoustic properties. They offer potential for lightweight structures, energy absorption, thermal management, etc. Therefore, the studies of cellular solids have become one of the hottest research fields nowadays. From energy absorption point of view, any plastically deformed structures can be divided into two types (called type I and type II), and the basic cells of the CMS may take the configurations of these two types of structures. Accordingly, separated discussions are presented in this thesis. First, a modified 1-D model is proposed and numerically solved for a typical type II structure. Good agreement is achieved with the previous experimental data, hence is used to simulate the dynamic behavior of a type II chain. Resulted from different load speeds, interesting collapse modes are observed, and the parameters which govern the cell's post-collapse behavior are identified through a comprehensive non-dimensional analysis on general cellular chains. Secondly, the MHS specimens are chosen as an example of type I foam materials because of their good uniformity of the cell geometry. An extensive experimental study was carried out, where more attention was paid to their responses to dynamic loadings. Great enhancement of the stress-strain curve was observed in dynamic cases, and the energy absorption capacity is found to be several times higher than that of the commercial metal foams. Based on the experimental study, finite elemental simulations and theoretical modeling are also conducted, achieving good agreements and demonstrating the validities of those models. It is believed that the experimental, numerical and analytical results obtained in the present study will certainly deepen the understanding of the unsolved fundamental issues on the mechanical behavior of

The Emerging Role of Skeletal Muscle Metabolism as a Biological Target and Cellular Regulator of Cancer-Induced Muscle Wasting

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Carson, James A.; Hardee, Justin P.; VanderVeen, Brandon N.

2015-01-01

While skeletal muscle mass is an established primary outcome related to understanding cancer cachexia mechanisms, considerable gaps exist in our understanding of muscle biochemical and functional properties that have recognized roles in systemic health. Skeletal muscle quality is a classification beyond mass, and is aligned with muscle’s metabolic capacity and substrate utilization flexibility. This supplies an additional role for the mitochondria in cancer-induced muscle wasting. While the historical assessment of mitochondria content and function during cancer-induced muscle loss was closely aligned with energy flux and wasting susceptibility, this understanding has expanded to link mitochondria dysfunction to cellular processes regulating myofiber wasting. The primary objective of this article is to highlight muscle mitochondria and oxidative metabolism as a biological target of cancer cachexia and also as a cellular regulator of cancer-induced muscle wasting. Initially, we examine the role of muscle metabolic phenotype and mitochondria content in cancer-induced wasting susceptibility. We then assess the evidence for cancer-induced regulation of skeletal muscle mitochondrial biogenesis, dynamics, mitophagy, and oxidative stress. In addition, we discuss environments associated with cancer cachexia that can impact the regulation of skeletal muscle oxidative metabolism. The article also examines the role of cytokine-mediated regulation of mitochondria function regulation, followed by the potential role of cancer-induced hypogonadism. Lastly, a role for decreased muscle use in cancer-induced mitochondrial dysfunction is reviewed. PMID:26593326

Anterior gradient protein-2 is a regulator of cellular adhesion in prostate cancer.

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Diptiman Chanda

Full Text Available Anterior Gradient Protein (AGR-2 is reported to be over-expressed in many epithelial cancers and promotes metastasis. A clear-cut mechanism for its observed function(s has not been previously identified. We found significant upregulation of AGR-2 expression in a bone metastatic prostate cancer cell line, PC3, following culturing in bone marrow-conditioned medium. Substantial AGR-2 expression was also confirmed in prostate cancer tissue specimens in patients with bone lesions. By developing stable clones of PC3 cells with varying levels of AGR-2 expression, we identified that abrogation of AGR-2 significantly reduced cellular attachment to fibronectin, collagen I, collagen IV, laminin I and fibrinogen. Loss of cellular adhesion was associated with sharp decrease in the expression of α4, α5, αV, β3 and β4 integrins. Failure to undergo apoptosis following detachment is a hallmark of epithelial cancer metastasis. The AGR-2-silenced PC3 cells showed higher resistance to Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis- inducing ligand (TRAIL induced apoptosis in vitro. This observation was also supported by significantly reduced Caspase-3 expression in AGR-2-silenced PC3 cells, which is a key effector of both extrinsic and intrinsic death signaling pathways. These data suggest that AGR-2 influence prostate cancer metastasis by regulation of cellular adhesion and apoptosis.

Active cell-matrix coupling regulates cellular force landscapes of cohesive epithelial monolayers

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Tiankai; Zhang, Yao; Wei, Qiong; Shi, Xuechen; Zhao, Peng; Chen, Long-Qing; Zhang, Sulin

2018-03-01

Epithelial cells can assemble into cohesive monolayers with rich morphologies on substrates due to competition between elastic, edge, and interfacial effects. Here we present a molecularly based thermodynamic model, integrating monolayer and substrate elasticity, and force-mediated focal adhesion formation, to elucidate the active biochemical regulation over the cellular force landscapes in cohesive epithelial monolayers, corroborated by microscopy and immunofluorescence studies. The predicted extracellular traction and intercellular tension are both monolayer size and substrate stiffness dependent, suggestive of cross-talks between intercellular and extracellular activities. Our model sets a firm ground toward a versatile computational framework to uncover the molecular origins of morphogenesis and disease in multicellular epithelia.

HTLV Tax: A Fascinating Multifunctional Co-Regulator of Viral and Cellular Pathways

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Currer, Robert; Van Duyne, Rachel; Jaworski, Elizabeth; Guendel, Irene; Sampey, Gavin; Das, Ravi; Narayanan, Aarthi; Kashanchi, Fatah

2012-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) has been identified as the causative agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). The virus infects between 15 and 20 million people worldwide of which approximately 2–5% develop ATL. The past 35 years of research have yielded significant insight into the pathogenesis of HTLV-1, including the molecular characterization of Tax, the viral transactivator, and oncoprotein. In spite of these efforts, the mechanisms of oncogenesis of this pleiotropic protein remain to be fully elucidated. In this review, we illustrate the multiple oncogenic roles of Tax by summarizing a recent body of literature that refines our understanding of cellular transformation. A focused range of topics are discussed in this review including Tax-mediated regulation of the viral promoter and other cellular pathways, particularly the connection of the NF-κB pathway to both post-translational modifications (PTMs) of Tax and subcellular localization. Specifically, recent research on polyubiquitination of Tax as it relates to the activation of the IkappaB kinase (IKK) complex is highlighted. Regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage responses due to Tax are also discussed, including Tax interaction with minichromosome maintenance proteins and the role of Tax in chromatin remodeling. The recent identification of HTLV-3 has amplified the importance of the characterization of emerging viral pathogens. The challenge of the molecular determination of pathogenicity and malignant disease of this virus lies in the comparison of the viral transactivators of HTLV-1, -2, and -3 in terms of transformation and immortalization. Consequently, differences between the three proteins are currently being studied to determine what factors are required for the differences in tumorogenesis. PMID:23226145

Disruption of a cystine transporter downregulates expression of genes involved in sulfur regulation and cellular respiration

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Jessica A. Simpkins

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Cystine and cysteine are important molecules for pathways such as redox signaling and regulation, and thus identifying cellular deficits upon deletion of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cystine transporter Ers1p allows for a further understanding of cystine homeostasis. Previous complementation studies using the human ortholog suggest yeast Ers1p is a cystine transporter. Human CTNS encodes the protein Cystinosin, a cystine transporter that is embedded in the lysosomal membrane and facilitates the export of cystine from the lysosome. When CTNS is mutated, cystine transport is disrupted, leading to cystine accumulation, the diagnostic hallmark of the lysosomal storage disorder cystinosis. Here, we provide biochemical evidence for Ers1p-dependent cystine transport. However, the accumulation of intracellular cystine is not observed when the ERS1 gene is deleted from ers1-Δ yeast, supporting the existence of modifier genes that provide a mechanism in ers1-Δ yeast that prevents or corrects cystine accumulation. Upon comparison of the transcriptomes of isogenic ERS1+ and ers1-Δ strains of S. cerevisiae by DNA microarray followed by targeted qPCR, sixteen genes were identified as being differentially expressed between the two genotypes. Genes that encode proteins functioning in sulfur regulation, cellular respiration, and general transport were enriched in our screen, demonstrating pleiotropic effects of ers1-Δ. These results give insight into yeast cystine regulation and the multiple, seemingly distal, pathways that involve proper cystine recycling.

Taming the sphinx: Mechanisms of cellular sphingolipid homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, D K; Fröhlich, F; Farese, R V; Walther, T C

2016-08-01

Sphingolipids are important structural membrane components of eukaryotic cells, and potent signaling molecules. As such, their levels must be maintained to optimize cellular functions in different cellular membranes. Here, we review the current knowledge of homeostatic sphingolipid regulation. We describe recent studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that have provided insights into how cells sense changes in sphingolipid levels in the plasma membrane and acutely regulate sphingolipid biosynthesis by altering signaling pathways. We also discuss how cellular trafficking has emerged as an important determinant of sphingolipid homeostasis. Finally, we highlight areas where work is still needed to elucidate the mechanisms of sphingolipid regulation and the physiological functions of such regulatory networks, especially in mammalian cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The cellular lipid landscape edited by Tim P. Levine and Anant K. Menon. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Cellular Spacing Selection During the Directional Solidification of Binary Alloys. A Numerical Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Catalina, Adrian V.; Sen, S.; Rose, M. Franklin (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The evolution of cellular solid/liquid interfaces from an initially unstable planar front was studied by means of a two-dimensional computer simulation. The developed numerical model makes use of an interface tracking procedure and has the capability to describe the dynamics of the interface morphology based on local changes of the thermodynamic conditions. The fundamental physics of this formulation was validated against experimental microgravity results and the predictions of the analytical linear stability theory. The performed simulations revealed that in certain conditions, based on a competitive growth mechanism, an interface could become unstable to random perturbations of infinitesimal amplitude even at wavelengths smaller than the neutral wavelength, lambda(sub c), predicted by the linear stability theory. Furthermore, two main stages of spacing selection have been identified. In the first stage, at low perturbations amplitude, the selection mechanism is driven by the maximum growth rate of instabilities while in the second stage the selection is influenced by nonlinear phenomena caused by the interactions between the neighboring cells. Comparison of these predictions with other existing theories of pattern formation and experimental results will be discussed.

Development of a formalism of movable cellular automaton method for numerical modeling of fracture of heterogeneous elastic-plastic materials

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S. Psakhie

2013-04-01

Full Text Available A general approach to realization of models of elasticity, plasticity and fracture of heterogeneous materials within the framework of particle-based numerical methods is proposed in the paper. It is based on building many-body forces of particle interaction, which provide response of particle ensemble correctly conforming to the response (including elastic-plastic behavior and fracture of simulated solids. Implementation of proposed approach within particle-based methods is demonstrated by the example of the movable cellular automaton (MCA method, which integrates the possibilities of particle-based discrete element method (DEM and cellular automaton methods. Emergent advantages of the developed approach to formulation of many-body interaction are discussed. Main of them are its applicability to various realizations of the concept of discrete elements and a possibility to realize various rheological models (including elastic-plastic or visco-elastic-plastic and models of fracture to study deformation and fracture of solid-phase materials and media. Capabilities of particle-based modeling of heterogeneous solids are demonstrated by the problem of simulation of deformation and fracture of particle-reinforced metal-ceramic composites.

Lysophosphatidic acid signaling via LPA_1 and LPA_3 regulates cellular functions during tumor progression in pancreatic cancer cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukushima, Kaori; Takahashi, Kaede; Yamasaki, Eri; Onishi, Yuka; Fukushima, Nobuyuki; Honoki, Kanya; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

2017-01-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors exhibits a variety of biological effects, such as cell proliferation, motility and differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of LPA_1 and LPA_3 in cellular functions during tumor progression in pancreatic cancer cells. LPA_1 and LPA_3 knockdown cells were generated from PANC-1 cells. The cell motile and invasive activities of PANC-1 cells were inhibited by LPA_1 and LPA_3 knockdown. In gelatin zymography, LPA_1 and LPA_3 knockdown cells indicated the low activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in the presence of LPA. Next, to assess whether LPA_1 and LPA_3 regulate cellular functions induced by anticancer drug, PANC-1 cells were treated with cisplatin (CDDP) for approximately 6 months. The cell motile and invasive activities of long-term CDDP treated cells were markedly higher than those of PANC-1 cells, correlating with the expression levels of LPAR1 and LPAR3 genes. In soft agar assay, the long-term CDDP treated cells formed markedly large sized colonies. In addition, the cell motile and invasive activities enhanced by CDDP were significantly suppressed by LPA_1 and LPA_3 knockdown as well as colony formation. These results suggest that LPA signaling via LPA_1 and LPA_3 play an important role in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor progression in PANC-1 cells. - Highlights: • The cell motile and invasive activities of PANC-1 cells were stimulated by LPA_1 and LPA_3. • LPA_1 and LPA_3 enhanced MMP-2 activation in PANC-1 cells. • The expressions of LPAR1 and LPAR3 genes were elevated in PANC-1 cells treated with cisplatin. • The cell motile and invasive activities of PANC-1 cells treated with cisplatin were suppressed by LPA_1 and LPA_3 knockdown. • LPA_1 and LPA_3 are involved in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor progression in PANC-1 cells.

TNF and TNF Receptor Superfamily Members in HIV infection: New Cellular Targets for Therapy?

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Amit Kumar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Tumor necrosis factor (TNF and TNF receptors (TNFR superfamily members are engaged in diverse cellular phenomena such as cellular proliferation, morphogenesis, apoptosis, inflammation, and immune regulation. Their role in regulating viral infections has been well documented. Viruses have evolved with numerous strategies to interfere with TNF-mediated signaling indicating the importance of TNF and TNFR superfamily in viral pathogenesis. Recent research reports suggest that TNF and TNFRs play an important role in the pathogenesis of HIV. TNFR signaling modulates HIV replication and HIV proteins interfere with TNF/TNFR pathways. Since immune activation and inflammation are the hallmark of HIV infection, the use of TNF inhibitors can have significant impact on HIV disease progression. In this review, we will describe how HIV infection is modulated by signaling mediated through members of TNF and TNFR superfamily and in turn how these latter could be targeted by HIV proteins. Finally, we will discuss the emerging therapeutics options based on modulation of TNF activity that could ultimately lead to the cure of HIV-infected patients.

A chemical biology approach to interrogate quorum-sensing regulated behaviors at the molecular and cellular level.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowery, Colin A; Matamouros, Susana; Niessen, Sherry; Zhu, Jie; Scolnick, Jonathan; Lively, Jenny M; Cravatt, Benjamin F; Miller, Samuel I; Kaufmann, Gunnar F; Janda, Kim D

2013-07-25

Small molecule probes have been used extensively to explore biologic systems and elucidate cellular signaling pathways. In this study, we use an inhibitor of bacterial communication to monitor changes in the proteome of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium with the aim of discovering unrecognized processes regulated by AI-2-based quorum-sensing (QS), a mechanism of bacterial intercellular communication that allows for the coordination of gene expression in a cell density-dependent manner. In S. typhimurium, this system regulates the uptake and catabolism of intercellular signals and has been implicated in pathogenesis, including the invasion of host epithelial cells. We demonstrate that our QS antagonist is capable of selectively inhibiting the expression of known QS-regulated proteins in S. typhimurium, thus attesting that QS inhibitors may be used to confirm proposed and elucidate previously unidentified QS pathways without relying on genetic manipulation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large-Scale Phosphoproteomics Reveals Shp-2 Phosphatase-Dependent Regulators of Pdgf Receptor Signaling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Batth, Tanveer S; Papetti, Moreno; Pfeiffer, Anamarija

2018-01-01

Despite its low cellular abundance, phosphotyrosine (pTyr) regulates numerous cell signaling pathways in health and disease. We applied comprehensive phosphoproteomics to unravel differential regulators of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK)-initiated signaling networks upon activation by Pdgf-ββ, Fgf-2...... of Pdgfr pTyr signaling. Application of a recently introduced allosteric Shp-2 inhibitor revealed global regulation of the Pdgf-dependent tyrosine phosphoproteome, which significantly impaired cell migration. In addition, we present a list of hundreds of Shp-2-dependent targets and putative substrates...

Cellular Particle Dynamics simulation of biomechanical relaxation processes of multi-cellular systems

Science.gov (United States)

McCune, Matthew; Kosztin, Ioan

2013-03-01

Cellular Particle Dynamics (CPD) is a theoretical-computational-experimental framework for describing and predicting the time evolution of biomechanical relaxation processes of multi-cellular systems, such as fusion, sorting and compression. In CPD, cells are modeled as an ensemble of cellular particles (CPs) that interact via short range contact interactions, characterized by an attractive (adhesive interaction) and a repulsive (excluded volume interaction) component. The time evolution of the spatial conformation of the multicellular system is determined by following the trajectories of all CPs through numerical integration of their equations of motion. Here we present CPD simulation results for the fusion of both spherical and cylindrical multi-cellular aggregates. First, we calibrate the relevant CPD model parameters for a given cell type by comparing the CPD simulation results for the fusion of two spherical aggregates to the corresponding experimental results. Next, CPD simulations are used to predict the time evolution of the fusion of cylindrical aggregates. The latter is relevant for the formation of tubular multi-cellular structures (i.e., primitive blood vessels) created by the novel bioprinting technology. Work supported by NSF [PHY-0957914]. Computer time provided by the University of Missouri Bioinformatics Consortium.

Novel aspects of cellular action of dipeptidyl peptidase IV/CD26.

Science.gov (United States)

Ansorge, Siegfried; Nordhoff, Karsten; Bank, Ute; Heimburg, Anke; Julius, Heiko; Breyer, Doreen; Thielitz, Anja; Reinhold, Dirk; Täger, Michael

2011-03-01

The cellular dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPIV, E.C.3.4.14.5, CD26) is a type II membrane peptidase with various physio-logical functions. Our main knowledge on DPIV comes from studies of soluble DPIV which plays a role in regulation of glucose homeostasis by inactivation of the incretins glucagon-like peptide-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic poly-peptide. It has been reported that membrane-bound DPIV plays a crucial role in the immune system and in other tissues and cells, but the knowledge on the action of cellular DPIV and its regulation is limited. In this study, we show particularly for immune cells that DPIV and not DP8 or DP9 is the most potent member of the DPIV family in regulating cellular immune functions. Moreover, we provide evidence that soluble and cellular DPIV differ in functions and hand-ling of substrates and inhibitors owing to the different accessibility of peptide substrates to the two access paths of DPIV. The different functions are based on the favored access path of the central pore of cellular DPIV and a special central pore binding site which assists substrate access to the active site of the enzyme. The newly discovered central pore binding site mediates an autosterical regulation of cellular DPIV and is its most crucial target site to regulate cellular functions such as growth and cytokine production. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) processing by cellular DPIV was found to be inhibited by ligands which interact with the central pore binding site. This finding suggests a crucial role of the immunosuppressive cytokine NPY in the function of DPIV in growth regulation.

Numerical Simulation of Tubular Pumping Systems with Different Regulation Methods

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Zhu, Honggeng; Zhang, Rentian; Deng, Dongsheng; Feng, Xusong; Yao, Linbi

2010-06-01

Since the flow in tubular pumping systems is basically along axial direction and passes symmetrically through the impeller, most satisfying the basic hypotheses in the design of impeller and having higher pumping system efficiency in comparison with vertical pumping system, they are being widely applied to low-head pumping engineering. In a pumping station, the fluctuation of water levels in the sump and discharge pool is most common and at most time the pumping system runs under off-design conditions. Hence, the operation of pump has to be flexibly regulated to meet the needs of flow rates, and the selection of regulation method is as important as that of pump to reduce operation cost and achieve economic operation. In this paper, the three dimensional time-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are closed by RNG κ-ɛ turbulent model, and two tubular pumping systems with different regulation methods, equipped with the same pump model but with different designed system structures, are numerically simulated respectively to predict the pumping system performances and analyze the influence of regulation device and help designers make final decision in the selection of design schemes. The computed results indicate that the pumping system with blade-adjusting device needs longer suction box, and the increased hydraulic loss will lower the pumping system efficiency in the order of 1.5%. The pumping system with permanent magnet motor, by means of variable speed regulation, obtains higher system efficiency partly for shorter suction box and partly for different structure design. Nowadays, the varied speed regulation is realized by varied frequency device, the energy consumption of which is about 3˜4% of output power of the motor. Hence, when the efficiency of variable frequency device is considered, the total pumping system efficiency will probably be lower.

Early vertebrate origin and diversification of small transmembrane regulators of cellular ion transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Pirkmajer, Sergej; Kirchner, Henriette; Lundell, Leonidas S; Zelenin, Pavel V; Zierath, Juleen R; Makarova, Kira S; Wolf, Yuri I; Chibalin, Alexander V

2017-07-15

Small transmembrane proteins such as FXYDs, which interact with Na + ,K + -ATPase, and the micropeptides that interact with sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase play fundamental roles in regulation of ion transport in vertebrates. Uncertain evolutionary origins and phylogenetic relationships among these regulators of ion transport have led to inconsistencies in their classification across vertebrate species, thus hampering comparative studies of their functions. We discovered the first FXYD homologue in sea lamprey, a basal jawless vertebrate, which suggests small transmembrane regulators of ion transport emerged early in the vertebrate lineage. We also identified 13 gene subfamilies of FXYDs and propose a revised, phylogeny-based FXYD classification that is consistent across vertebrate species. These findings provide an improved framework for investigating physiological and pathophysiological functions of small transmembrane regulators of ion transport. Small transmembrane proteins are important for regulation of cellular ion transport. The most prominent among these are members of the FXYD family (FXYD1-12), which regulate Na + ,K + -ATPase, and phospholamban, sarcolipin, myoregulin and DWORF, which regulate the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA). FXYDs and regulators of SERCA are present in fishes, as well as terrestrial vertebrates; however, their evolutionary origins and phylogenetic relationships are obscure, thus hampering comparative physiological studies. Here we discovered that sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a representative of extant jawless vertebrates (Cyclostomata), expresses an FXYD homologue, which strongly suggests that FXYDs predate the emergence of fishes and other jawed vertebrates (Gnathostomata). Using a combination of sequence-based phylogenetic analysis and conservation of local chromosome context, we determined that FXYDs markedly diversified in the lineages leading to cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) and bony

Sodium Glucose Cotransporter 2 (SGLT2 Plays as a Physiological Glucose Sensor and Regulates Cellular Contractility in Rat Mesangial Cells.

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Masanori Wakisaka

Full Text Available Mesangial cells play an important role in regulating glomerular filtration by altering their cellular tone. We report the presence of a sodium glucose cotransporter (SGLT in rat mesangial cells. This study in rat mesangial cells aimed to evaluate the expression and role of SGLT2.The SGLT2 expression in rat mesangial cells was assessed by Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Changes in the mesangial cell surface area at different glucose concentrations and the effects of extracellular Na+ and Ca2+ and of SGLT and Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX inhibitors on cellular size were determined. The cellular sizes and the contractile response were examined during a 6-day incubation with high glucose with or without phlorizin, an SGLT inhibitor.Western blotting revealed an SGLT2 band, and RT-PCR analysis of SGLT2 revealed the predicted 422-bp band in both rat mesangial and renal proximal tubular epithelial cells. The cell surface area changed according to the extracellular glucose concentration. The glucose-induced contraction was abolished by the absence of either extracellular Na+ or Ca2+ and by SGLT and NCX inhibitors. Under the high glucose condition, the cell size decreased for 2 days and increased afterwards; these cells did not contract in response to angiotensin II, and the SGLT inhibitor restored the abolished contraction.These data suggest that SGLT2 is expressed in rat mesangial cells, acts as a normal physiological glucose sensor and regulates cellular contractility in rat mesangial cells.

The Rho GTPase Cdc42 regulates hair cell planar polarity and cellular patterning in the developing cochlea

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Anna Kirjavainen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Hair cells of the organ of Corti (OC of the cochlea exhibit distinct planar polarity, both at the tissue and cellular level. Planar polarity at tissue level is manifested as uniform orientation of the hair cell stereociliary bundles. Hair cell intrinsic polarity is defined as structural hair bundle asymmetry; positioning of the kinocilium/basal body complex at the vertex of the V-shaped bundle. Consistent with strong apical polarity, the hair cell apex displays prominent actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. The Rho GTPase Cdc42 regulates cytoskeletal dynamics and polarization of various cell types, and, thus, serves as a candidate regulator of hair cell polarity. We have here induced Cdc42 inactivation in the late-embryonic OC. We show the role of Cdc42 in the establishment of planar polarity of hair cells and in cellular patterning. Abnormal planar polarity was displayed as disturbances in hair bundle orientation and morphology and in kinocilium/basal body positioning. These defects were accompanied by a disorganized cell-surface microtubule network. Atypical protein kinase C (aPKC, a putative Cdc42 effector, colocalized with Cdc42 at the hair cell apex, and aPKC expression was altered upon Cdc42 depletion. Our data suggest that Cdc42 together with aPKC is part of the machinery establishing hair cell planar polarity and that Cdc42 acts on polarity through the cell-surface microtubule network. The data also suggest that defects in apical polarization are influenced by disturbed cellular patterning in the OC. In addition, our data demonstrates that Cdc42 is required for stereociliogenesis in the immature cochlea.

BICD2, dynactin, and LIS1 cooperate in regulating dynein recruitment to cellular structures

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Splinter, Daniël; Razafsky, David S.; Schlager, Max A.; Serra-Marques, Andrea; Grigoriev, Ilya; Demmers, Jeroen; Keijzer, Nanda; Jiang, Kai; Poser, Ina; Hyman, Anthony A.; Hoogenraad, Casper C.; King, Stephen J.; Akhmanova, Anna

2012-01-01

Cytoplasmic dynein is the major microtubule minus-end–directed cellular motor. Most dynein activities require dynactin, but the mechanisms regulating cargo-dependent dynein–dynactin interaction are poorly understood. In this study, we focus on dynein–dynactin recruitment to cargo by the conserved motor adaptor Bicaudal D2 (BICD2). We show that dynein and dynactin depend on each other for BICD2-mediated targeting to cargo and that BICD2 N-terminus (BICD2-N) strongly promotes stable interaction between dynein and dynactin both in vitro and in vivo. Direct visualization of dynein in live cells indicates that by itself the triple BICD2-N–dynein–dynactin complex is unable to interact with either cargo or microtubules. However, tethering of BICD2-N to different membranes promotes their microtubule minus-end–directed motility. We further show that LIS1 is required for dynein-mediated transport induced by membrane tethering of BICD2-N and that LIS1 contributes to dynein accumulation at microtubule plus ends and BICD2-positive cellular structures. Our results demonstrate that dynein recruitment to cargo requires concerted action of multiple dynein cofactors. PMID:22956769

Cellular structure of lean hydrogen flames in microgravity

Science.gov (United States)

Patnaik, G.; Kailasanath, K.

1990-01-01

Detailed, time-dependent, two-dimensional numerical simulations of premixed laminar flames have been used to study the initiation and subsequent development of cellular structures in lean hydrogen-air flames. The model includes detailed hydrogen-oxygen combustion with 24 elementary reactions of eight reactive species and a nitrogen diluent, molecular diffusion of all species, thermal conduction, viscosity, and convection. This model has been used to study the nonlinear evolution of cellular flame structure and shows that cell splitting, as observed in experiments, can be predicted numerically for sufficiently reactive mixtures. The structures that evolved also resembled the cellular structures observed in experiments. The present study shows that the 'cell-split limit' postulated from experimental observations is an intrinsic property of the mixture and that external factors such as heat losses are not necessary to cause this limit.

SaeRS Is Responsive to Cellular Respiratory Status and Regulates Fermentative Biofilm Formation in Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Mashruwala, Ameya A; Gries, Casey M; Scherr, Tyler D; Kielian, Tammy; Boyd, Jeffrey M

2017-08-01

Biofilms are multicellular communities of microorganisms living as a quorum rather than as individual cells. The bacterial human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus uses oxygen as a terminal electron acceptor during respiration. Infected human tissues are hypoxic or anoxic. We recently reported that impaired respiration elicits a p rogrammed c ell l ysis (PCL) phenomenon in S. aureus leading to the release of cellular polymers that are utilized to form biofilms. PCL is dependent upon the AtlA murein hydrolase and is regulated, in part, by the SrrAB two-component regulatory system (TCRS). In the current study, we report that the SaeRS TCRS also governs fermentative biofilm formation by positively influencing AtlA activity. The SaeRS-modulated factor fibronectin-binding protein A (FnBPA) also contributed to the fermentative biofilm formation phenotype. SaeRS-dependent biofilm formation occurred in response to changes in cellular respiratory status. Genetic evidence presented suggests that a high cellular titer of phosphorylated SaeR is required for biofilm formation. Epistasis analyses found that SaeRS and SrrAB influence biofilm formation independently of one another. Analyses using a mouse model of orthopedic implant-associated biofilm formation found that both SaeRS and SrrAB govern host colonization. Of these two TCRSs, SrrAB was the dominant system driving biofilm formation in vivo We propose a model wherein impaired cellular respiration stimulates SaeRS via an as yet undefined signal molecule(s), resulting in increasing expression of AtlA and FnBPA and biofilm formation. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

Sub-cellular mRNA localization modulates the regulation of gene expression by small RNAs in bacteria

Science.gov (United States)

Teimouri, Hamid; Korkmazhan, Elgin; Stavans, Joel; Levine, Erel

2017-10-01

Small non-coding RNAs can exert significant regulatory activity on gene expression in bacteria. In recent years, substantial progress has been made in understanding bacterial gene expression by sRNAs. However, recent findings that demonstrate that families of mRNAs show non-trivial sub-cellular distributions raise the question of how localization may affect the regulatory activity of sRNAs. Here we address this question within a simple mathematical model. We show that the non-uniform spatial distributions of mRNA can alter the threshold-linear response that characterizes sRNAs that act stoichiometrically, and modulate the hierarchy among targets co-regulated by the same sRNA. We also identify conditions where the sub-cellular organization of cofactors in the sRNA pathway can induce spatial heterogeneity on sRNA targets. Our results suggest that under certain conditions, interpretation and modeling of natural and synthetic gene regulatory circuits need to take into account the spatial organization of the transcripts of participating genes.

Genome-Wide RNAi Ionomics Screen Reveals New Genes and Regulation of Human Trace Element Metabolism

OpenAIRE

Malinouski, Mikalai; Hasan, Nesrin M.; Zhang, Yan; Seravalli, Javier; Lin, Jie; Avanesov, Andrei; Lutsenko, Svetlana; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

2017-01-01

Trace elements are essential for human metabolism and dysregulation of their homeostasis is associated with numerous disorders. Here we characterize mechanisms that regulate trace elements in human cells by designing and performing a genome-wide high-throughput siRNA/ionomics screen, and examining top hits in cellular and biochemical assays. The screen reveals high stability of the ionomes, especially the zinc ionome, and yields known regulators and novel candidates. We further uncover fundam...

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.

Optimal control approaches for aircraft conflict avoidance using speed regulation : a numerical study

OpenAIRE

Cellier , Loïc; Cafieri , Sonia; Messine , Frederic

2013-01-01

International audience; In this paper a numerical study is provided to solve the aircraft conflict avoidance problem through velocity regulation maneuvers. Starting from optimal controlbased model and approaches in which aircraft accelerations are the controls, and by applying the direct shooting technique, we propose to study two different largescale nonlinear optimization problems. In order to compare different possibilities of implementation, two environments (AMPL and MATLAB) and determin...

Lysophosphatidic acid receptor-5 negatively regulates cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Yan; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Fukushima, Nobuyuki [Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi, E-mail: ttujiuch@life.kindai.ac.jp [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

2014-04-04

Highlights: • LPA{sub 5} inhibits the cell growth and motile activities of 3T3 cells. • LPA{sub 5} suppresses the cell motile activities stimulated by hydrogen peroxide in 3T3 cells. • Enhancement of LPA{sub 5} on the cell motile activities inhibited by LPA{sub 1} in 3T3 cells. • The expression and activation of Mmp-9 were inhibited by LPA{sub 5} in 3T3 cells. • LPA signaling via LPA{sub 5} acts as a negative regulator of cellular responses in 3T3 cells. - Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA{sub 1}–LPA{sub 6}) mediates a variety of biological functions, including cell migration. Recently, we have reported that LPA{sub 1} inhibited the cell motile activities of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. In the present study, to evaluate a role of LPA{sub 5} in cellular responses, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3-L5) cells were generated from 3T3 cells. In cell proliferation assays, LPA markedly stimulated the cell proliferation activities of 3T3-L5 cells, compared with control cells. In cell motility assays with Cell Culture Inserts, the cell motile activities of 3T3-L5 cells were significantly higher than those of control cells. The activity levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured by gelatin zymography. 3T3-L5 cells stimulated the activation of Mmp-2, correlating with the expression levels of Mmp-2 gene. Moreover, to assess the co-effects of LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 5} on cell motile activities, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3a1-L5) cells were also established from Lpar1 over-expressing (3T3a1) cells. 3T3a1-L5 cells increased the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells, while the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells were significantly lower than those of control cells. These results suggest that LPA{sub 5} may act as a negative regulator of cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells, similar to the case for LPA{sub 1}.

Lysophosphatidic acid receptor-5 negatively regulates cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong, Yan; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi; Fukushima, Nobuyuki; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

2014-01-01

Highlights: • LPA 5 inhibits the cell growth and motile activities of 3T3 cells. • LPA 5 suppresses the cell motile activities stimulated by hydrogen peroxide in 3T3 cells. • Enhancement of LPA 5 on the cell motile activities inhibited by LPA 1 in 3T3 cells. • The expression and activation of Mmp-9 were inhibited by LPA 5 in 3T3 cells. • LPA signaling via LPA 5 acts as a negative regulator of cellular responses in 3T3 cells. - Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA 1 –LPA 6 ) mediates a variety of biological functions, including cell migration. Recently, we have reported that LPA 1 inhibited the cell motile activities of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. In the present study, to evaluate a role of LPA 5 in cellular responses, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3-L5) cells were generated from 3T3 cells. In cell proliferation assays, LPA markedly stimulated the cell proliferation activities of 3T3-L5 cells, compared with control cells. In cell motility assays with Cell Culture Inserts, the cell motile activities of 3T3-L5 cells were significantly higher than those of control cells. The activity levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured by gelatin zymography. 3T3-L5 cells stimulated the activation of Mmp-2, correlating with the expression levels of Mmp-2 gene. Moreover, to assess the co-effects of LPA 1 and LPA 5 on cell motile activities, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3a1-L5) cells were also established from Lpar1 over-expressing (3T3a1) cells. 3T3a1-L5 cells increased the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells, while the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells were significantly lower than those of control cells. These results suggest that LPA 5 may act as a negative regulator of cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells, similar to the case for LPA 1

Nitric Oxide and ERK mediates regulation of cellular processes by Ecdysterone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omanakuttan, Athira; Bose, Chinchu; Pandurangan, Nanjan; Kumar, Geetha B.; Banerji, Asoke; Nair, Bipin G., E-mail: bipin@amrita.edu

2016-08-15

The complex process of wound healing is a major problem associated with diabetes, venous or arterial disease, old age and infection. A wide range of pharmacological effects including anabolic, anti-diabetic and hepato-protective activities have been attributed to Ecdysterone. In earlier studies, Ecdysterone has been shown to modulate eNOS and iNOS expression in diabetic animals and activate osteogenic differentiation through the Extracellular-signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) pathway in periodontal ligament stem cells. However, in the wound healing process, Ecdysterone has only been shown to enhance granulation tissue formation in rabbits. There have been no studies to date, which elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the complex cellular process involved in wound healing. The present study, demonstrates a novel interaction between the phytosteroid Ecdysterone and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS), in an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-dependent manner, thereby promoting cell proliferation, cell spreading and cell migration. These observations were further supported by the 4-amino-5-methylamino- 2′ ,7′ -difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF FM) fluorescence assay which indicated that Ecdysterone activates NOS resulting in increased Nitric Oxide (NO) production. Additionally, studies with inhibitors of both the EGFR and ERK, demonstrated that Ecdysterone activates NOS through modulation of EGFR and ERK. These results clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that Ecdysterone enhances Nitric Oxide production and modulates complex cellular processes by activating ERK1/2 through the EGF pathway. - Highlights: • Ecdysterone significantly enhances cell migration in a dose dependent manner. • Ecdysterone augments cell spreading during the initial phase of cell migration through actin cytoskeletal rearrangement. • Ecdysterone enhances cell proliferation in a nitric oxide dependent manner. • Ecdysterone enhances nitric oxide production via activation of EGFR

Nitric Oxide and ERK mediates regulation of cellular processes by Ecdysterone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omanakuttan, Athira; Bose, Chinchu; Pandurangan, Nanjan; Kumar, Geetha B.; Banerji, Asoke; Nair, Bipin G.

2016-01-01

The complex process of wound healing is a major problem associated with diabetes, venous or arterial disease, old age and infection. A wide range of pharmacological effects including anabolic, anti-diabetic and hepato-protective activities have been attributed to Ecdysterone. In earlier studies, Ecdysterone has been shown to modulate eNOS and iNOS expression in diabetic animals and activate osteogenic differentiation through the Extracellular-signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) pathway in periodontal ligament stem cells. However, in the wound healing process, Ecdysterone has only been shown to enhance granulation tissue formation in rabbits. There have been no studies to date, which elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying the complex cellular process involved in wound healing. The present study, demonstrates a novel interaction between the phytosteroid Ecdysterone and Nitric Oxide Synthase (NOS), in an Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-dependent manner, thereby promoting cell proliferation, cell spreading and cell migration. These observations were further supported by the 4-amino-5-methylamino- 2′ ,7′ -difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF FM) fluorescence assay which indicated that Ecdysterone activates NOS resulting in increased Nitric Oxide (NO) production. Additionally, studies with inhibitors of both the EGFR and ERK, demonstrated that Ecdysterone activates NOS through modulation of EGFR and ERK. These results clearly demonstrate, for the first time, that Ecdysterone enhances Nitric Oxide production and modulates complex cellular processes by activating ERK1/2 through the EGF pathway. - Highlights: • Ecdysterone significantly enhances cell migration in a dose dependent manner. • Ecdysterone augments cell spreading during the initial phase of cell migration through actin cytoskeletal rearrangement. • Ecdysterone enhances cell proliferation in a nitric oxide dependent manner. • Ecdysterone enhances nitric oxide production via activation of EGFR

Sub-cellular distribution and translocation of TRP channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Toro, Carlos A; Arias, Luis A; Brauchi, Sebastian

2011-01-01

Cellular electrical activity is the result of a highly complex processes that involve the activation of ion channel proteins. Ion channels make pores on cell membranes that rapidly transit between conductive and non-conductive states, allowing different ions to flow down their electrochemical gradients across cell membranes. In the case of neuronal cells, ion channel activity orchestrates action potentials traveling through axons, enabling electrical communication between cells in distant parts of the body. Somatic sensation -our ability to feel touch, temperature and noxious stimuli- require ion channels able to sense and respond to our peripheral environment. Sensory integration involves the summing of various environmental cues and their conversion into electrical signals. Members of the Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) family of ion channels have emerged as important mediators of both cellular sensing and sensory integration. The regulation of the spatial and temporal distribution of membrane receptors is recognized as an important mechanism for controlling the magnitude of the cellular response and the time scale on which cellular signaling occurs. Several studies have shown that this mechanism is also used by TRP channels to modulate cellular response and ultimately fulfill their physiological function as sensors. However, the inner-working of this mode of control for TRP channels remains poorly understood. The question of whether TRPs intrinsically regulate their own vesicular trafficking or weather the dynamic regulation of TRP channel residence on the cell surface is caused by extrinsic changes in the rates of vesicle insertion or retrieval remain open. This review will examine the evidence that sub-cellular redistribution of TRP channels plays an important role in regulating their activity and explore the mechanisms that control the trafficking of vesicles containing TRP channels.

Investigation of cellular detonation structure formation via linear stability theory and 2D and 3D numerical simulations

Science.gov (United States)

Borisov, S. P.; Kudryavtsev, A. N.

2017-10-01

Linear and nonlinear stages of the instability of a plane detonation wave (DW) and the subsequent process of formation of cellular detonation structure are investigated. A simple model with one-step irreversible chemical reaction is used. The linear analysis is employed to predict the DW front structure at the early stages of its formation. An emerging eigenvalue problem is solved with a global method using a Chebyshev pseudospectral method and the LAPACK software library. A local iterative shooting procedure is used for eigenvalue refinement. Numerical simulations of a propagation of a DW in plane and rectangular channels are performed with a shock capturing WENO scheme of 5th order. A special method of a computational domain shift is implemented in order to maintain the DW in the domain. It is shown that the linear analysis gives certain predictions about the DW structure that are in agreement with the numerical simulations of early stages of DW propagation. However, at later stages, a merger of detonation cells occurs so that their number is approximately halved. Computations of DW propagation in a square channel reveal two different types of spatial structure of the DW front, "rectangular" and "diagonal" types. A spontaneous transition from the rectangular to diagonal type of structure is observed during propagation of the DW.

Methods for the Analysis of Protein Phosphorylation-Mediated Cellular Signaling Networks

Science.gov (United States)

White, Forest M.; Wolf-Yadlin, Alejandro

2016-06-01

Protein phosphorylation-mediated cellular signaling networks regulate almost all aspects of cell biology, including the responses to cellular stimulation and environmental alterations. These networks are highly complex and comprise hundreds of proteins and potentially thousands of phosphorylation sites. Multiple analytical methods have been developed over the past several decades to identify proteins and protein phosphorylation sites regulating cellular signaling, and to quantify the dynamic response of these sites to different cellular stimulation. Here we provide an overview of these methods, including the fundamental principles governing each method, their relative strengths and weaknesses, and some examples of how each method has been applied to the analysis of complex signaling networks. When applied correctly, each of these techniques can provide insight into the topology, dynamics, and regulation of protein phosphorylation signaling networks.

Stochastic processes, multiscale modeling, and numerical methods for computational cellular biology

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This book focuses on the modeling and mathematical analysis of stochastic dynamical systems along with their simulations. The collected chapters will review fundamental and current topics and approaches to dynamical systems in cellular biology. This text aims to develop improved mathematical and computational methods with which to study biological processes. At the scale of a single cell, stochasticity becomes important due to low copy numbers of biological molecules, such as mRNA and proteins that take part in biochemical reactions driving cellular processes. When trying to describe such biological processes, the traditional deterministic models are often inadequate, precisely because of these low copy numbers. This book presents stochastic models, which are necessary to account for small particle numbers and extrinsic noise sources. The complexity of these models depend upon whether the biochemical reactions are diffusion-limited or reaction-limited. In the former case, one needs to adopt the framework of s...

Regulation of Cellular Redox Signaling by Matricellular Proteins in Vascular Biology, Immunology, and Cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, David D; Kaur, Sukhbir; Isenberg, Jeffrey S

2017-10-20

In contrast to structural elements of the extracellular matrix, matricellular proteins appear transiently during development and injury responses, but their sustained expression can contribute to chronic disease. Through interactions with other matrix components and specific cell surface receptors, matricellular proteins regulate multiple signaling pathways, including those mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and H 2 S. Dysregulation of matricellular proteins contributes to the pathogenesis of vascular diseases and cancer. Defining the molecular mechanisms and receptors involved is revealing new therapeutic opportunities. Recent Advances: Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) regulates NO, H 2 S, and superoxide production and signaling in several cell types. The TSP1 receptor CD47 plays a central role in inhibition of NO signaling, but other TSP1 receptors also modulate redox signaling. The matricellular protein CCN1 engages some of the same receptors to regulate redox signaling, and ADAMTS1 regulates NO signaling in Marfan syndrome. In addition to mediating matricellular protein signaling, redox signaling is emerging as an important pathway that controls the expression of several matricellular proteins. Redox signaling remains unexplored for many matricellular proteins. Their interactions with multiple cellular receptors remains an obstacle to defining signaling mechanisms, but improved transgenic models could overcome this barrier. Therapeutics targeting the TSP1 receptor CD47 may have beneficial effects for treating cardiovascular disease and cancer and have recently entered clinical trials. Biomarkers are needed to assess their effects on redox signaling in patients and to evaluate how these contribute to their therapeutic efficacy and potential side effects. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 874-911.

Cellular-automation fluids: A model for flow in porous media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rothman, D.H.

1987-01-01

Because the intrinsic inhomogeneity of porous media makes the application of proper boundary conditions difficult, fluid flow through microgeometric models has typically been achieved with idealized arrays of geometrically simple pores, throats, and cracks. The author proposes here an attractive alternative, capable of freely and accurately modeling fluid flow in grossly irregular geometries. This new method numerically solves the Navier-Stokes equations using the cellular-automation fluid model introduced by Frisch, Hasslacher, and Pomeau. The cellular-automation fluid is extraordinarily simple - particles of unit mass traveling with unit velocity reside on a triangular lattice and obey elementary collisions rules - but capable of modeling much of the rich complexity of real fluid flow. The author shows how cellular-automation fluids are applied to the study of porous media. In particular, he discusses issues of scale on the cellular-automation lattice and present the results of 2-D simulations, including numerical estimation of permeability and verification of Darcy's law

Predictability in cellular automata.

Science.gov (United States)

Agapie, Alexandru; Andreica, Anca; Chira, Camelia; Giuclea, Marius

2014-01-01

Modelled as finite homogeneous Markov chains, probabilistic cellular automata with local transition probabilities in (0, 1) always posses a stationary distribution. This result alone is not very helpful when it comes to predicting the final configuration; one needs also a formula connecting the probabilities in the stationary distribution to some intrinsic feature of the lattice configuration. Previous results on the asynchronous cellular automata have showed that such feature really exists. It is the number of zero-one borders within the automaton's binary configuration. An exponential formula in the number of zero-one borders has been proved for the 1-D, 2-D and 3-D asynchronous automata with neighborhood three, five and seven, respectively. We perform computer experiments on a synchronous cellular automaton to check whether the empirical distribution obeys also that theoretical formula. The numerical results indicate a perfect fit for neighbourhood three and five, which opens the way for a rigorous proof of the formula in this new, synchronous case.

Yeast aquaporin regulation by 4-hydroxynonenal is implicated in oxidative stress response.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Claudia; Tartaro Bujak, Ivana; Mihaljević, Branka; Soveral, Graça; Cipak Gasparovic, Ana

2017-05-01

Reactive oxygen species, especially hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), contribute to functional molecular impairment and cellular damage, but also are necessary in normal cellular metabolism, and in low doses play stimulatory role in cell proliferation and stress resistance. In parallel, reactive aldehydes such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), are lipid peroxidation breakdown products which also contribute to regulation of numerous cellular processes. Recently, channeling of H 2 O 2 by some mammalian aquaporin isoforms has been reported and suggested to contribute to aquaporin involvement in cancer malignancies, although the mechanism by which these membrane water channels are implicated in oxidative stress is not clear. In this study, two yeast models with increased levels of membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and aquaporin AQY1 overexpression, respectively, were used to evaluate their interplay in cell's oxidative status. In particular, the aim of the study was to investigate if HNE accumulation could affect aquaporin function with an outcome in oxidative stress response. The data showed that induction of aquaporin expression by PUFAs results in increased water permeability in yeast membranes and that AQY1 activity is impaired by HNE. Moreover, AQY1 expression increases cellular sensitivity to oxidative stress by facilitating H 2 O 2 influx. On the other hand, AQY1 expression has no influence on the cellular antioxidant GSH levels and catalase activity. These results strongly suggest that aquaporins are important players in oxidative stress response and could contribute to regulation of cellular processes by regulation of H 2 O 2 influx. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(5):355-362, 2017. © 2017 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Systematic identification of cellular signals reactivating Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fuqu Yu

2007-03-01

Full Text Available The herpesvirus life cycle has two distinct phases: latency and lytic replication. The balance between these two phases is critical for viral pathogenesis. It is believed that cellular signals regulate the switch from latency to lytic replication. To systematically evaluate the cellular signals regulating this reactivation process in Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, the effects of 26,000 full-length cDNA expression constructs on viral reactivation were individually assessed in primary effusion lymphoma-derived cells that harbor the latent virus. A group of diverse cellular signaling proteins were identified and validated in their effect of inducing viral lytic gene expression from the latent viral genome. The results suggest that multiple cellular signaling pathways can reactivate the virus in a genetically homogeneous cell population. Further analysis revealed that the Raf/MEK/ERK/Ets-1 pathway mediates Ras-induced reactivation. The same pathway also mediates spontaneous reactivation, which sets the first example to our knowledge of a specific cellular pathway being studied in the spontaneous reactivation process. Our study provides a functional genomic approach to systematically identify the cellular signals regulating the herpesvirus life cycle, thus facilitating better understanding of a fundamental issue in virology and identifying novel therapeutic targets.

Modeling the mechanics of cancer: effect of changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Katira, Parag; Bonnecaze, Roger T; Zaman, Muhammad H

2013-01-01

Malignant transformation, though primarily driven by genetic mutations in cells, is also accompanied by specific changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties such as stiffness and adhesivity. As the transformed cells grow into tumors, they interact with their surroundings via physical contacts and the application of forces. These forces can lead to changes in the mechanical regulation of cell fate based on the mechanical properties of the cells and their surrounding environment. A comprehensive understanding of cancer progression requires the study of how specific changes in mechanical properties influences collective cell behavior during tumor growth and metastasis. Here we review some key results from computational models describing the effect of changes in cellular and extra-cellular mechanical properties and identify mechanistic pathways for cancer progression that can be targeted for the prediction, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

Movies of cellular and sub-cellular motion by digital holographic microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Lingfeng

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many biological specimens, such as living cells and their intracellular components, often exhibit very little amplitude contrast, making it difficult for conventional bright field microscopes to distinguish them from their surroundings. To overcome this problem phase contrast techniques such as Zernike, Normarsky and dark-field microscopies have been developed to improve specimen visibility without chemically or physically altering them by the process of staining. These techniques have proven to be invaluable tools for studying living cells and furthering scientific understanding of fundamental cellular processes such as mitosis. However a drawback of these techniques is that direct quantitative phase imaging is not possible. Quantitative phase imaging is important because it enables determination of either the refractive index or optical thickness variations from the measured optical path length with sub-wavelength accuracy. Digital holography is an emergent phase contrast technique that offers an excellent approach in obtaining both qualitative and quantitative phase information from the hologram. A CCD camera is used to record a hologram onto a computer and numerical methods are subsequently applied to reconstruct the hologram to enable direct access to both phase and amplitude information. Another attractive feature of digital holography is the ability to focus on multiple focal planes from a single hologram, emulating the focusing control of a conventional microscope. Methods A modified Mach-Zender off-axis setup in transmission is used to record and reconstruct a number of holographic amplitude and phase images of cellular and sub-cellular features. Results Both cellular and sub-cellular features are imaged with sub-micron, diffraction-limited resolution. Movies of holographic amplitude and phase images of living microbes and cells are created from a series of holograms and reconstructed with numerically adjustable

Probabilistic cellular automata.

Science.gov (United States)

Agapie, Alexandru; Andreica, Anca; Giuclea, Marius

2014-09-01

Cellular automata are binary lattices used for modeling complex dynamical systems. The automaton evolves iteratively from one configuration to another, using some local transition rule based on the number of ones in the neighborhood of each cell. With respect to the number of cells allowed to change per iteration, we speak of either synchronous or asynchronous automata. If randomness is involved to some degree in the transition rule, we speak of probabilistic automata, otherwise they are called deterministic. With either type of cellular automaton we are dealing with, the main theoretical challenge stays the same: starting from an arbitrary initial configuration, predict (with highest accuracy) the end configuration. If the automaton is deterministic, the outcome simplifies to one of two configurations, all zeros or all ones. If the automaton is probabilistic, the whole process is modeled by a finite homogeneous Markov chain, and the outcome is the corresponding stationary distribution. Based on our previous results for the asynchronous case-connecting the probability of a configuration in the stationary distribution to its number of zero-one borders-the article offers both numerical and theoretical insight into the long-term behavior of synchronous cellular automata.

Quantum field theoretic behavior of a deterministic cellular automaton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hooft, G ' t; Isler, K; Kalitzin, S [Inst. for Theoretical Physics, Utrecht (Netherlands)

1992-11-16

A certain class of cellular automata in 1 space +1 time dimension is shown to be closely related to quantum field theories containing Dirac fermions. In the massless case this relation can be studied analytically, while the introduction of Dirac mass requires numerical simulations. We show that in the last case the cellular automation describes the corresponding field theory only approximately. (orig.).

Lysophosphatidic acid signaling via LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} regulates cellular functions during tumor progression in pancreatic cancer cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fukushima, Kaori; Takahashi, Kaede; Yamasaki, Eri; Onishi, Yuka [Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Fukushima, Nobuyuki [Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Honoki, Kanya [Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijo-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634-8521 (Japan); Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi, E-mail: ttujiuch@life.kindai.ac.jp [Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

2017-03-01

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors exhibits a variety of biological effects, such as cell proliferation, motility and differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} in cellular functions during tumor progression in pancreatic cancer cells. LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} knockdown cells were generated from PANC-1 cells. The cell motile and invasive activities of PANC-1 cells were inhibited by LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} knockdown. In gelatin zymography, LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} knockdown cells indicated the low activation of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in the presence of LPA. Next, to assess whether LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} regulate cellular functions induced by anticancer drug, PANC-1 cells were treated with cisplatin (CDDP) for approximately 6 months. The cell motile and invasive activities of long-term CDDP treated cells were markedly higher than those of PANC-1 cells, correlating with the expression levels of LPAR1 and LPAR3 genes. In soft agar assay, the long-term CDDP treated cells formed markedly large sized colonies. In addition, the cell motile and invasive activities enhanced by CDDP were significantly suppressed by LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} knockdown as well as colony formation. These results suggest that LPA signaling via LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} play an important role in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor progression in PANC-1 cells. - Highlights: • The cell motile and invasive activities of PANC-1 cells were stimulated by LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3}. • LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} enhanced MMP-2 activation in PANC-1 cells. • The expressions of LPAR1 and LPAR3 genes were elevated in PANC-1 cells treated with cisplatin. • The cell motile and invasive activities of PANC-1 cells treated with cisplatin were suppressed by LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} knockdown. • LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 3} are involved in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor

Epigenetics and Cellular Metabolism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenyi Xu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Living eukaryotic systems evolve delicate cellular mechanisms for responding to various environmental signals. Among them, epigenetic machinery (DNA methylation, histone modifications, microRNAs, etc. is the hub in transducing external stimuli into transcriptional response. Emerging evidence reveals the concept that epigenetic signatures are essential for the proper maintenance of cellular metabolism. On the other hand, the metabolite, a main environmental input, can also influence the processing of epigenetic memory. Here, we summarize the recent research progress in the epigenetic regulation of cellular metabolism and discuss how the dysfunction of epigenetic machineries influences the development of metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity; then, we focus on discussing the notion that manipulating metabolites, the fuel of cell metabolism, can function as a strategy for interfering epigenetic machinery and its related disease progression as well.

Cellular Response to Ionizing Radiation: A MicroRNA Story

Science.gov (United States)

Halimi, Mohammad; Asghari, S. Mohsen; Sariri, Reyhaneh; Moslemi, Dariush; Parsian, Hadi

2012-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They play a crucial role in diverse cellular pathways. Ionizing radiation (IR) is one of the most important treatment protocols for patients that suffer from cancer and affects directly or indirectly cellular integration. Recently it has been discovered that microRNA-mediated gene regulation interferes with radio-related pathways in ionizing radiation. Here, we review the recent discoveries about miRNAs in cellular response to IR. Thoroughly understanding the mechanism of miRNAs in radiation response, it will be possible to design new strategies for improving radiotherapy efficiency and ultimately cancer treatment. PMID:24551775

Expression of Arabidopsis FCS-Like Zinc finger genes is differentially regulated by sugars, cellular energy level, and abiotic stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammed eJamsheer K

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Cellular energy status is an important regulator of plant growth, development, and stress mitigation. Environmental stresses ultimately lead to energy deficit in the cell which activates the SNF1-RELATED KINASE 1 (SnRK1 signaling cascade which eventually triggering a massive reprogramming of transcription to enable the plant to survive under low-energy conditions. The role of Arabidopsis thaliana FCS-Like Zinc finger (FLZ gene family in energy and stress signaling is recently come to highlight after their interaction with kinase subunits of SnRK1 were identified. In a detailed expression analysis in different sugars, energy starvation, and replenishment series, we identified that the expression of most of the FLZ genes is differentially modulated by cellular energy level. It was found that FLZ gene family contains genes which are both positively and negatively regulated by energy deficit as well as energy-rich conditions. Genetic and pharmacological studies identified the role of HEXOKINASE 1- dependent and energy signaling pathways in the sugar-induced expression of FLZ genes. Further, these genes were also found to be highly responsive to different stresses as well as abscisic acid. In over-expression of kinase subunit of SnRK1, FLZ genes were found to be differentially regulated in accordance with their response towards energy fluctuation suggesting that these genes may work downstream to the established SnRK1 signaling under low-energy stress. Taken together, the present study provides a conceptual framework for further studies related to SnRK1-FLZ interaction in relation to sugar and energy signaling and stress response.

El nucléolo como un regulador del envejecimiento celular The nucleolus as a regulator of cellular senescence

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María Rosete

2007-04-01

Full Text Available El nucléolo, considerado únicamente como el sitio de síntesis de los ribosomas, actualmente representa una estructura nuclear dinámica que participa en la regulación de importantes procesos celulares. Numerosas evidencias han demostrado que el envejecimiento celular es una de las diversas funciones que son controladas por el nucléolo. Las mutaciones en las proteínas de localización nucleolar promueven el envejecimiento prematuro en levaduras y humanos. La carencia de represión en la transcripción de genes que codifican para el ARNr que se encuentran dañados, y las mutaciones en las helicasas del ADN encargadas de minimizar la formación de círculos extra-cromosómicos del ADN que codifica para el ARNr, provocan modificaciones en la estructura del nucléolo e inducen envejecimiento prematuro en levaduras. De igual manera, en los humanos la carencia de las helicasas del ADN localizadas en el nucléolo y que participan en el mantenimiento de la integridad genómica, favorecen el desarrollo de aquellas enfermedades asociadas con el envejecimiento acelerado. Además, la presencia de algunos componentes de la telomerasa en el nucléolo, indica que parte de la biosíntesis de esta enzima se realiza en esta estructura nuclear, sugiriendo una conexión entre el nucléolo y la síntesis de los telómeros en la regulación del envejecimiento celular. Por otra parte, el nucléolo secuestra proteínas para regular su actividad biológica durante el inicio o término de la vida replicativa celular.The nucleolus has been considered originally only as the site for the ribosome synthesis, but now it is well known that it represents a dynamic nuclear structure involved in important cellular processes. Several evidences have demonstrated that the nucleolus regulates the cellular senescence. Specific mutations on the DNAs codifying for nucleolar proteins induced premature senescence from yeast to human. The failure to repress the genes transcription

Rac1 Regulates the Activity of mTORC1 and mTORC2 and Controls Cellular Size

Science.gov (United States)

Saci, Abdelhafid; Cantley, Lewis C.; Carpenter, Christopher L.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a serine/threonine kinase that exists in two separate complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, that function to control cell size and growth in response to growth factors, nutrients, and cellular energy levels. Low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins of the Rheb and Rag families are key regulators of the mTORC1 complex, but regulation of mTORC2 is poorly understood. Here, we report that Rac1, a member of the Rho family of GTPases, is a critical regulator of both mTORC1 and mTORC2 in response to growth-factor stimulation. Deletion of Rac1 in primary cells using an inducible-Cre/Lox approach inhibits basal and growth-factor activation of both mTORC1 and mTORC2. Rac1 appears to bind directly to mTOR and to mediate mTORC1 and mTORC2 localization at specific membranes. Binding of Rac1 to mTOR does not depend on the GTP-bound state of Rac1, but on the integrity of its C-terminal domain. This function of Rac1 provides a means to regulate mTORC1 and mTORC2 simultaneously. PMID:21474067

Cellular metabolism regulates contact sites between vacuoles and mitochondria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hönscher, Carina; Mari, Muriel; Auffarth, Kathrin; Bohnert, Maria; Griffith, Janice; Geerts, Willie; van der Laan, Martin; Cabrera, Margarita; Reggiori, Fulvio; Ungermann, Christian

2014-01-01

Emerging evidence suggests that contact sites between different organelles form central hubs in the coordination of cellular physiology. Although recent work has emphasized the crucial role of the endoplasmic reticulum in interorganellar crosstalk, the cooperative behavior of other organelles is

Repaglinide at a cellular level

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogsgaard Thomsen, M; Bokvist, K; Høy, M

2002-01-01

To investigate the hormonal and cellular selectivity of the prandial glucose regulators, we have undertaken a series of experiments, in which we characterised the effects of repaglinide and nateglinide on ATP-sensitive potassium ion (KATP) channel activity, membrane potential and exocytosis in ra...

Differential and Cooperative Cell Adhesion Regulates Cellular Pattern in Sensory Epithelia.

Science.gov (United States)

Togashi, Hideru

2016-01-01

Animal tissues are composed of multiple cell types arranged in complex and elaborate patterns. In sensory epithelia, including the auditory epithelium and olfactory epithelium, different types of cells are arranged in unique mosaic patterns. These mosaic patterns are evolutionarily conserved, and are thought to be important for hearing and olfaction. Recent progress has provided accumulating evidence that the cellular pattern formation in epithelia involves cell rearrangements, movements, and shape changes. These morphogenetic processes are largely mediated by intercellular adhesion systems. Differential adhesion and cortical tension have been proposed to promote cell rearrangements. Many different types of cells in tissues express various types of cell adhesion molecules. Although cooperative mechanisms between multiple adhesive systems are likely to contribute to the production of complex cell patterns, our current understanding of the cooperative roles between multiple adhesion systems is insufficient to entirely explain the complex mechanisms underlying cellular patterning. Recent studies have revealed that nectins, in cooperation with cadherins, are crucial for the mosaic cellular patterning in sensory organs. The nectin and cadherin systems are interacted with one another, and these interactions provide cells with differential adhesive affinities for complex cellular pattern formations in sensory epithelia, which cannot be achieved by a single mechanism.

Chaotic behavior in the disorder cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ko, J.-Y.; Hung, Y.-C.; Ho, M.-C.; Jiang, I-M.

2008-01-01

Disordered cellular automata (DCA) represent an intermediate class between elementary cellular automata and the Kauffman network. Recently, Rule 126 of DCA has been explicated: the system can be accurately described by a discrete probability function. However, a means of extending to other rules has not been developed. In this investigation, a density map of the dynamical behavior of DCA is formulated based on Rule 22 and other totalistic rules. The numerical results reveal excellent agreement between the model and original automata. Furthermore, the inhomogeneous situation is also discussed

Activation and Regulation of Cellular Eicosanoid Biosynthesis

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Thomas G. Brock

2007-01-01

Full Text Available There is a growing appreciation for the wide variety of physiological responses that are regulated by lipid messengers. One particular group of lipid messengers, the eicosanoids, plays a central role in regulating immune and inflammatory responses in a receptor-mediated fashion. These mediators are related in that they are all derived from one polyunsaturated fatty acid, arachidonic acid. However, the various eicosanoids are synthesized by a wide variety of cell types by distinct enzymatic pathways, and have diverse roles in immunity and inflammation. In this review, the major pathways involved in the synthesis of eicosanoids, as well as key points of regulation, are presented.

Building synthetic cellular organization

OpenAIRE

Polka, Jessica K.; Silver, Pamela A.

2013-01-01

The elaborate spatial organization of cells enhances, restricts, and regulates protein–protein interactions. However, the biological significance of this organization has been difficult to study without ways of directly perturbing it. We highlight synthetic biology tools for engineering novel cellular organization, describing how they have been, and can be, used to advance cell biology.

Overexpression of FurA in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 reveals new targets for this regulator involved in photosynthesis, iron uptake and cellular morphology.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Andrés; Bes, M Teresa; Barja, François; Peleato, M Luisa; Fillat, María F

2010-11-01

Previous genomic analyses of the filamentous nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 have identified three ferric uptake regulator (Fur) homologs with low sequence identities and probably different functions in the cell. FurA is a constitutive protein that shares the highest homology with Fur from heterotrophic bacteria and appears to be essential for in vitro growth. In this study, we have analysed the effects of FurA overexpression on the Anabaena sp. phenotype and investigated which of the observed alterations were directly operated by FurA. Overexpression of the regulator led to changes in cellular morphology, resulting in shorter filaments with rounded cells of different sizes. The furA-overexpressing strain showed a slower photoautotrophic growth and a marked decrease in the oxygen evolution rate. Overexpression of the regulator also decreased both catalase and superoxide dismutase activities, but did not lead to an increase in the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species. By combining phenotypic studies, reverse transcription-PCR analyses and electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we identified three novel direct targets of FurA, including genes encoding a siderophore outer membrane transporter (schT), bacterial actins (mreBCD) and the PSII reaction center protein D1 (psbA). The affinity of FurA for these novel targets was markedly affected by the absence of divalent metal ions, confirming previous evidence of a critical role for the metal co-repressor in the function of the regulator in vivo. The results unravel new cellular processes modulated by FurA, supporting its role as a global transcriptional regulator in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120.

Modularized Smad-regulated TGFβ signaling pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yongfeng; Wang, Minli; Carra, Claudio; Cucinotta, Francis A

2012-12-01

The transforming Growth Factor β (TGFβ) signaling pathway is a prominent regulatory signaling pathway controlling various important cellular processes. TGFβ signaling can be induced by several factors including ionizing radiation. The pathway is regulated in a negative feedback loop through promoting the nuclear import of the regulatory Smads and a subsequent expression of inhibitory Smad7, that forms ubiquitin ligase with Smurf2, targeting active TGFβ receptors for degradation. In this work, we proposed a mathematical model to study the Smad-regulated TGFβ signaling pathway. By modularization, we are able to analyze mathematically each component subsystem and recover the nonlinear dynamics of the entire network system. Meanwhile the excitability, a common feature observed in the biological systems, in the TGFβ signaling pathway is discussed and supported as well by numerical simulation, indicating the robustness of the model. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A numerical investigation into the influence of the properties of cobalt chrome cellular structures on the load transfer to the periprosthetic femur following total hip arthroplasty.

Science.gov (United States)

Hazlehurst, Kevin Brian; Wang, Chang Jiang; Stanford, Mark

2014-04-01

Stress shielding of the periprosthetic femur following total hip arthroplasty is a problem that can promote the premature loosening of femoral stems. In order to reduce the need for revision surgery it is thought that more flexible implant designs need to be considered. In this work, the mechanical properties of laser melted square pore cobalt chrome molybdenum cellular structures have been incorporated into the design of a traditional monoblock femoral stem. The influence of incorporating the properties of cellular structures on the load transfer to the periprosthetic femur was investigated using a three dimensional finite element model. Eleven different stiffness configurations were investigated by using fully porous and functionally graded approaches. This investigation confirms that the periprosthetic stress values depend on the stiffness configuration of the stem. The numerical results showed that stress shielding is reduced in the periprosthetic Gruen zones when the mechanical properties of cobalt chrome molybdenum cellular structures are used. This work identifies that monoblock femoral stems manufactured using a laser melting process, which are designed for reduced stiffness, have the potential to contribute towards reducing stress shielding. Copyright © 2014 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cellular stress-induced up-regulation of FMRP promotes cell survival by modulating PI3K-Akt phosphorylation cascades

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Wells David

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Fragile X syndrome (FXS, the most commonly inherited mental retardation and single gene cause of autistic spectrum disorder, occurs when the Fmr1 gene is mutated. The product of Fmr1, fragile X linked mental retardation protein (FMRP is widely expressed in HeLa cells, however the roles of FMRP within HeLa cells were not elucidated, yet. Interacting with a diverse range of mRNAs related to cellular survival regulatory signals, understanding the functions of FMRP in cellular context would provide better insights into the role of this interesting protein in FXS. Using HeLa cells treated with etoposide as a model, we tried to determine whether FMRP could play a role in cell survival. Methods Apoptotic cell death was induced by etoposide treatment on Hela cells. After we transiently modulated FMRP expression (silencing or enhancing by using molecular biotechnological methods such as small hairpin RNA virus-induced knock down and overexpression using transfection with FMRP expression vectors, cellular viability was measured using propidium iodide staining, TUNEL staining, and FACS analysis along with the level of activation of PI3K-Akt pathway by Western blot. Expression level of FMRP and apoptotic regulator BcL-xL was analyzed by Western blot, RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Results An increased FMRP expression was measured in etoposide-treated HeLa cells, which was induced by PI3K-Akt activation. Without FMRP expression, cellular defence mechanism via PI3K-Akt-Bcl-xL was weakened and resulted in an augmented cell death by etoposide. In addition, FMRP over-expression lead to the activation of PI3K-Akt signalling pathway as well as increased FMRP and BcL-xL expression, which culminates with the increased cell survival in etoposide-treated HeLa cells. Conclusions Taken together, these results suggest that FMRP expression is an essential part of cellular survival mechanisms through the modulation of PI3K, Akt, and Bcl-xL signal

Carica Papaya Seed Extract Enhances Cellular Response to Stress ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Therefore, the present study was carried out to investigate the role of Carica papaya seed (CPS) extract that contains, Benzyl Isothiocyanates, one of the inducers of phase II enzymes in the regulation of cellular stress. The cellular responses were observed in U937 cells (human monocyte/macrophage cell line) at the ...

Regulated production of free radicals by the mitochondrial electron transport chain: Cardiac ischemic preconditioning.

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Satoshi; Szweda, Pamela A; Szweda, Luke I; Humphries, Kenneth M

2009-11-30

Excessive production of free radicals by mitochondria is associated with, and likely contributes to, the progression of numerous pathological conditions. Nevertheless, the production of free radicals by the mitochondria may have important biological functions under normal or stressed conditions by activating or modulating redox-sensitive cellular signaling pathways. This raises the intriguing possibility that regulated mitochondrial free radical production occurs via mechanisms that are distinct from pathologies associated with oxidative damage. Indeed, the capacity of mitochondria to produce free radicals in a limited manner may play a role in ischemic preconditioning, the phenomenon whereby short bouts of ischemia protect from subsequent prolonged ischemia and reperfusion. Ischemic preconditioning can thus serve as an important model system for defining regulatory mechanisms that allow for transient, signal-inducing, production of free radicals by mitochondria. Defining how these mechanism(s) occur will provide insight into therapeutic approaches that minimize oxidative damage without altering normal cellular redox biology. The aim of this review is to present and discuss evidence for the regulated production of superoxide by the electron transport chain within the ischemic preconditioning paradigm of redox regulation.

numerical assessment of conventional regulation effectiveness

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Benkoussas B, Djedjig R, and Vauquelin O

2016-05-01

May 1, 2016 ... The effectiveness of an underground smoke control system mainly depends on fire safety engineering that is ... In the same context, this work aims firstly, at investigating the effectiveness of conventional regulation applied to .... 5a). Fig.4. Station smoke behavior for conventional ventilation regulation. Fig.5a.

Regulation of Mitochondrial Function and Cellular Energy Metabolism by Protein Kinase C-λ/ι: A Novel Mode of Balancing Pluripotency

Science.gov (United States)

Mahato, Biraj; Home, Pratik; Rajendran, Ganeshkumar; Paul, Arindam; Saha, Biswarup; Ganguly, Avishek; Ray, Soma; Roy, Nairita; Swerdlow, Russell H.; Paul, Soumen

2014-01-01

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) contain functionally immature mitochondria and rely upon high rates of glycolysis for their energy requirements. Thus, altered mitochondrial function and promotion of aerobic glycolysis is key to maintain and induce pluripotency. However, signaling mechanisms that regulate mitochondrial function and reprogram metabolic preferences in self-renewing vs. differentiated PSC populations are poorly understood. Here, using murine embryonic stem cells (ESCs) as a model system, we demonstrate that atypical protein kinase C isoform, PKC lambda/iota (PKCλ/ι), is a key regulator of mitochondrial function in ESCs. Depletion of PKCλ/ι in ESCs maintains their pluripotent state as evident from germline offsprings. Interestingly, loss of PKCλ/ι in ESCs leads to impairment in mitochondrial maturation, organization and a metabolic shift toward glycolysis under differentiating condition. Our mechanistic analyses indicate that a PKCλ/ι-HIF1α-PGC1α axis regulates mitochondrial respiration and balances pluripotency in ESCs. We propose that PKCλ/ι could be a crucial regulator of mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in stem cells and other cellular contexts. PMID:25142417

Cellular roles of ADAM12 in health and disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kveiborg, Marie; Albrechtsen, Reidar; Couchman, John R

2008-01-01

and it is a potential biomarker for breast cancer. It is therefore important to understand ADAM12's functions. Many cellular roles for ADAM12 have been suggested. It is an active metalloprotease, and has been implicated in insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor signaling, through cleavage of IGF-binding proteins......, and in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways, via ectodomain shedding of membrane-tethered EGFR ligands. These proteolytic events may regulate diverse cellular responses, such as altered cell differentiation, proliferation, migration, and invasion. ADAM12 may also regulate cell-cell and cell...... to or from the cell interior. These ADAM12-mediated cellular effects appear to be critical events in both biological and pathological processes. This review presents current knowledge on ADAM12 functions gained from in vitro and in vivo observations, describes ADAM12's role in both normal physiology...

Compound C prevents Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α protein stabilization by regulating the cellular oxygen availability via interaction with Mitochondrial Complex I

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Hagen Thilo

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract The transcription factor Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α is a master regulator of the cellular response to low oxygen concentration. Compound C, an inhibitor of AMP-activated kinase, has been reported to inhibit hypoxia dependent Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α activation via a mechanism that is independent of AMP-activated kinase but dependent on its interaction with the mitochondrial electron transport chain. The objective of this study is to characterize the interaction of Compound C with the mitochondrial electron transport chain and to determine the mechanism through which the drug influences the stability of the Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α protein. We found that Compound C functions as an inhibitor of complex I of the mitochondrial electron transport chain as demonstrated by its effect on mitochondrial respiration. It also prevents hypoxia-induced Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α stabilization in a dose dependent manner. In addition, Compound C does not have significant effects on reactive oxygen species production from complex I via both forward and reverse electron flux. This study provides evidence that similar to other mitochondrial electron transport chain inhibitors, Compound C regulates Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α stability by controlling the cellular oxygen concentration.

PI3K/AKT and ERK regulate retinoic acid-induced neuroblastoma cellular differentiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qiao, Jingbo [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Paul, Pritha; Lee, Sora [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Qiao, Lan; Josifi, Erlena; Tiao, Joshua R. [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Chung, Dai H., E-mail: dai.chung@vanderbilt.edu [Department of Pediatric Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States); Department of Cancer Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232 (United States)

2012-08-03

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Retinoic acid (RA) induces neuroblastoma cells differentiation, which is accompanied by G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer RA resulted in neuroblastoma cell survival and inhibition of DNA fragmentation; this is regulated by PI3K pathway. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer RA activates PI3K and ERK1/2 pathway; PI3K pathway mediates RA-induced neuroblastoma cell differentiation. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Upregulation of p21 is necessary for RA-induced neuroblastoma cell differentiation. -- Abstract: Neuroblastoma, the most common extra-cranial solid tumor in infants and children, is characterized by a high rate of spontaneous remissions in infancy. Retinoic acid (RA) has been known to induce neuroblastoma differentiation; however, the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways that are responsible for RA-mediated neuroblastoma cell differentiation remain unclear. Here, we sought to determine the cell signaling processes involved in RA-induced cellular differentiation. Upon RA administration, human neuroblastoma cell lines, SK-N-SH and BE(2)-C, demonstrated neurite extensions, which is an indicator of neuronal cell differentiation. Moreover, cell cycle arrest occurred in G1/G0 phase. The protein levels of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p21 and p27{sup Kip}, which inhibit cell proliferation by blocking cell cycle progression at G1/S phase, increased after RA treatment. Interestingly, RA promoted cell survival during the differentiation process, hence suggesting a potential mechanism for neuroblastoma resistance to RA therapy. Importantly, we found that the PI3K/AKT pathway is required for RA-induced neuroblastoma cell differentiation. Our results elucidated the molecular mechanism of RA-induced neuroblastoma cellular differentiation, which may be important for developing novel therapeutic strategy against poorly differentiated neuroblastoma.

Epstein-Barr virus growth/latency III program alters cellular microRNA expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cameron, Jennifer E.; Fewell, Claire; Yin, Qinyan; McBride, Jane; Wang Xia; Lin Zhen

2008-01-01

The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with lymphoid and epithelial cancers. Initial EBV infection alters lymphocyte gene expression, inducing cellular proliferation and differentiation as the virus transitions through consecutive latency transcription programs. Cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of signaling pathways and are implicated in carcinogenesis. The extent to which EBV exploits cellular miRNAs is unknown. Using micro-array analysis and quantitative PCR, we demonstrate differential expression of cellular miRNAs in type III versus type I EBV latency including elevated expression of miR-21, miR-23a, miR-24, miR-27a, miR-34a, miR-146a and b, and miR-155. In contrast, miR-28 expression was found to be lower in type III latency. The EBV-mediated regulation of cellular miRNAs may contribute to EBV signaling and associated cancers

Involvement of FFA1 and FFA4 in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor progression in colon cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Kaede; Fukushima, Kaori; Onishi, Yuka; Minami, Kanako; Otagaki, Shiho; Ishimoto, Kaichi; Fukushima, Nobuyuki; Honoki, Kanya; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

2018-08-01

Free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFA1) and FFA4 mediate a variety of biological responses through binding of medium- and long-chain free fatty acids. The aim of this study was to investigate an involvement of FFA1 and FFA4 in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor progression in colon cancer cells. The long-term fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin (CDDP) treated cells were generated from DLD1 cells (DLD-5FU and DLD-CDDP cells, respectively). FFAR1 expressions were lower in DLD-5FU and DLD-CDDP cells than in DLD1 cells. In contrast, DLD-5FU and DLD-CDDP cells showed the high FFAR4 expressions, compared with DLD1 cells. The cell motile activities of DLD-5FU and DLD-CDDP cells were reduced by GW9508 which is an agonist of FFA1 and FFA4. Moreover, GW1100, an antagonist of FFA1, inhibited the cell motile activities of DLD-5FU and DLD-CDDP cells. To evaluate whether FFA1 and FFA4 regulate the enhancement of cell motility, invasion and colony formation, highly migratory (hmDLD1) cells were established from DLD1 cells. FFAR1 expression was significantly higher in hmDLD1 cells than in DLD1 cells, but no change of FFAR4 expression was observed. The elevated cell motile and invasive activities and colony formation of hmDLD1 cells were suppressed by FFA1 inhibition. These results suggest that FFA1 and FFA4 are involved in the regulation of cellular functions during tumor progression in colon cancer DLD1 cells. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Yeast two-hybrid screens imply involvement of Fanconi anemia proteins in transcription regulation, cell signaling, oxidative metabolism, and cellular transport.

Science.gov (United States)

Reuter, Tanja Y; Medhurst, Annette L; Waisfisz, Quinten; Zhi, Yu; Herterich, Sabine; Hoehn, Holger; Gross, Hans J; Joenje, Hans; Hoatlin, Maureen E; Mathew, Christopher G; Huber, Pia A J

2003-10-01

Mutations in one of at least eight different genes cause bone marrow failure, chromosome instability, and predisposition to cancer associated with the rare genetic syndrome Fanconi anemia (FA). The cloning of seven genes has provided the tools to study the molecular pathway disrupted in Fanconi anemia patients. The structure of the genes and their gene products provided few clues to their functional role. We report here the use of 3 FA proteins, FANCA, FANCC, and FANCG, as "baits" in the hunt for interactors to obtain clues for FA protein functions. Using five different human cDNA libraries we screened 36.5x10(6) clones with the technique of the yeast two-hybrid system. We identified 69 proteins which have not previously been linked to the FA pathway as direct interactors of FANCA, FANCC, or FANCG. Most of these proteins are associated with four functional classes including transcription regulation (21 proteins), signaling (13 proteins), oxidative metabolism (10 proteins), and intracellular transport (11 proteins). Interaction with 6 proteins, DAXX, Ran, IkappaBgamma, USP14, and the previously reported SNX5 and FAZF, was additionally confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation and/or colocalization studies. Taken together, our data strongly support the hypothesis that FA proteins are functionally involved in several complex cellular pathways including transcription regulation, cell signaling, oxidative metabolism, and cellular transport.

Simulating physics with cellular automata

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vichniac, G Y

1984-01-01

Cellular automata are dynamical systems where space, time, and variables are discrete. They are shown on two-dimensional examples to be capable of non-numerical simulations of physics. They are useful for faithful parallel processing of lattice models. At another level, they exhibit behaviours and illustrate concepts that are unmistakably physical, such as non-ergodicity and order parameters, frustration, relaxation to chaos through period doublings, a conspicuous arrow of time in reversible microscopic dynamics, causality and light-cone, and non-separability. In general, they constitute exactly computable models for complex phenomena and large-scale correlations that result from very simple short-range interactions. The author studies their space, time, and intrinsic symmetries and the corresponding conservation laws, with an emphasis on the conservation of information obeyed by reversible cellular automata. 60 references.

Cellular automatons applied to gas dynamic problems

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Lyle N.; Coopersmith, Robert M.; Mclachlan, B. G.

1987-01-01

This paper compares the results of a relatively new computational fluid dynamics method, cellular automatons, with experimental data and analytical results. This technique has been shown to qualitatively predict fluidlike behavior; however, there have been few published comparisons with experiment or other theories. Comparisons are made for a one-dimensional supersonic piston problem, Stokes first problem, and the flow past a normal flat plate. These comparisons are used to assess the ability of the method to accurately model fluid dynamic behavior and to point out its limitations. Reasonable results were obtained for all three test cases, but the fundamental limitations of cellular automatons are numerous. It may be misleading, at this time, to say that cellular automatons are a computationally efficient technique. Other methods, based on continuum or kinetic theory, would also be very efficient if as little of the physics were included.

Down-regulation of cellular FLICE-inhibitory protein (Long Form contributes to apoptosis induced by Hsp90 inhibition in human lung cancer cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Qilin

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cellular FLICE-Inhibitory Protein (long form, c-FLIPL is a critical negative regulator of death receptor-mediated apoptosis. Overexpression of c-FLIPL has been reported in many cancer cell lines and is associated with chemoresistance. In contrast, down-regulation of c-FLIP may drive cancer cells into cellular apoptosis. This study aims to demonstrate that inhibition of the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90 either by inhibitors geldanamycin/17-N-Allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (GA/17-AAG or siRNA technique in human lung cancer cells induces c-FLIPL degradation and cellular apoptosis through C-terminus of Hsp70-interacting protein (CHIP-mediated mechanisms. Methods Calu-1 and H157 cell lines (including H157-c-FLIPL overexpressing c-FLIPL and control cell H157-lacZ were treated with 17-AAG and the cell lysates were prepared to detect the given proteins by Western Blot and the cell survival was assayed by SRB assay. CHIP and Hsp90 α/β proteins were knocked down by siRNA technique. CHIP and c-FLIPL plasmids were transfected into cells and immunoprecipitation experiments were performed to testify the interactions between c-FLIPL, CHIP and Hsp90. Results c-FLIPL down-regulation induced by 17-AAG can be reversed with the proteasome inhibitor MG132, which suggested that c-FLIPL degradation is mediated by a ubiquitin-proteasome system. Inhibition of Hsp90α/β reduced c-FLIPL level, whereas knocking down CHIP expression with siRNA technique inhibited c-FLIPL degradation. Furthermore, c-FLIPL and CHIP were co-precipitated in the IP complexes. In addition, overexpression of c-FLIPL can rescue cancer cells from apoptosis. When 17-AAG was combined with an anti-cancer agent celecoxib(CCB, c-FLIPL level declined further and there was a higher degree of caspase activation. Conclusion We have elucidated c-FLIPL degradation contributes to apoptosis induced by Hsp90 inhibition, suggesting c-FLIP and Hsp90 may be the promising combined targets

Quantifying the global cellular thiol-disulfide status

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rosa E; Roth, Doris; Winther, Jakob R

2009-01-01

It is widely accepted that the redox status of protein thiols is of central importance to protein structure and folding and that glutathione is an important low-molecular-mass redox regulator. However, the total cellular pools of thiols and disulfides and their relative abundance have never been...... determined. In this study, we have assembled a global picture of the cellular thiol-disulfide status in cultured mammalian cells. We have quantified the absolute levels of protein thiols, protein disulfides, and glutathionylated protein (PSSG) in all cellular protein, including membrane proteins. These data...... cell types. However, when cells are exposed to a sublethal dose of the thiol-specific oxidant diamide, PSSG levels increase to >15% of all protein cysteine. Glutathione is typically characterized as the "cellular redox buffer"; nevertheless, our data show that protein thiols represent a larger active...

Regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling by NDPK/NME proteins and caveolins: an update.

Science.gov (United States)

Abu-Taha, Issam H; Heijman, Jordi; Feng, Yuxi; Vettel, Christiane; Dobrev, Dobromir; Wieland, Thomas

2018-02-01

Heterotrimeric G proteins are pivotal mediators of cellular signal transduction in eukaryotic cells and abnormal G-protein signaling plays an important role in numerous diseases. During the last two decades it has become evident that the activation status of heterotrimeric G proteins is both highly localized and strongly regulated by a number of factors, including a receptor-independent activation pathway of heterotrimeric G proteins that does not involve the classical GDP/GTP exchange and relies on nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPKs). NDPKs are NTP/NDP transphosphorylases encoded by the nme/nm23 genes that are involved in a variety of cellular events such as proliferation, migration, and apoptosis. They therefore contribute, for example, to tumor metastasis, angiogenesis, retinopathy, and heart failure. Interestingly, NDPKs are translocated and/or upregulated in human heart failure. Here we describe recent advances in the current understanding of NDPK functions and how they have an impact on local regulation of G-protein signaling.

The induction and regulation of radiogenic transformation in vitro: Cellular and molecular mechanisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borek, C.

1987-01-01

Rodent and human cells in culture, transformed in vitro by ionizing radiation, ultraviolet light, or chemicals into malignant cells afford us the opportunity to probe into early and late events in the neoplastic process at a cellular and molecular level. Transformation can be regarded as an abnormal expression of cellular genes. The initiating agents disrupt the integrity of the genetic apparatus altering DNA in ways that result in the activation of cellular transforming genes (oncogenes) during some stage of the neoplastic process. Events associated with initiation and promotion may overlap to some degree, but in order for them to occur, cellular permissive conditions must prevail. Permissive factors include thyroid and steroid hormones, specific states of differentiation, certain stages in the cell cycle, specific genetic impairment, and inadequate antioxidants. Genetically susceptible cells require physiological states conducive to transformation. These may differ with age, tissue, and species and in part may be responsible for the observed lower sensitivity of human cells to transformation

CRF2 signaling is a novel regulator of cellular adhesion and migration in colorectal cancer cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducarouge, Benjamin; Pelissier-Rota, Marjolaine; Lainé, Michèle; Cristina, Nadine; Vachez, Yvan; Scoazec, Jean-Yves; Bonaz, Bruno; Jacquier-Sarlin, Muriel

2013-01-01

Stress has been proposed to be a tumor promoting factor through the secretion of specific neuromediators, such as Urocortin2 and 3 (Ucn2/3), however its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains elusive. We observed that Ucn2/3 and their receptor the Corticotropin Releasing Factor receptor 2 (CRF2) were up-regulated in high grade and poorly differentiated CRC. This suggests a role for CRF2 in the loss of cellular organization and tumor progression. Using HT-29 and SW620 cells, two CRC cell lines differing in their abilities to perform cell-cell contacts, we found that CRF2 signals through Src/ERK pathway to induce the alteration of cell-cell junctions and the shuttle of p120ctn and Kaiso in the nucleus. In HT-29 cells, this signaling pathway also leads to the remodeling of cell adhesion by i) the phosphorylation of Focal Adhesion Kinase and ii) a modification of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion complexes. These events stimulate cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, our findings indicate that CRF2 signaling controls cellular organization and may promote metastatic potential of human CRC cells through an epithelial-mesenchymal transition like process. This contributes to the comprehension of the tumor-promoting effects of stress molecules and designates Ucn2/3-CRF2 tandem as a target to prevent CRC progression and aggressiveness.

HIV-1 infection induces changes in expression of cellular splicing factors that regulate alternative viral splicing and virus production in macrophages

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Purcell Damian FJ

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Macrophages are important targets and long-lived reservoirs of HIV-1, which are not cleared of infection by currently available treatments. In the primary monocyte-derived macrophage model of infection, replication is initially productive followed by a decline in virion output over ensuing weeks, coincident with a decrease in the levels of the essential viral transactivator protein Tat. We investigated two possible mechanisms in macrophages for regulation of viral replication, which appears to be primarily regulated at the level of tat mRNA: 1 differential mRNA stability, used by cells and some viruses for the rapid regulation of gene expression and 2 control of HIV-1 alternative splicing, which is essential for optimal viral replication. Results Following termination of transcription at increasing times after infection in macrophages, we found that tat mRNA did indeed decay more rapidly than rev or nef mRNA, but with similar kinetics throughout infection. In addition, tat mRNA decayed at least as rapidly in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Expression of cellular splicing factors in uninfected and infected macrophage cultures from the same donor showed an inverse pattern over time between enhancing factors (members of the SR family of RNA binding proteins and inhibitory factors (members of the hnRNP family. While levels of the SR protein SC35 were greatly up-regulated in the first week or two after infection, hnRNPs of the A/B and H groups were down-regulated. Around the peak of virus production in each culture, SC35 expression declined to levels in uninfected cells or lower, while the hnRNPs increased to control levels or above. We also found evidence for increased cytoplasmic expression of SC35 following long-term infection. Conclusion While no evidence of differential regulation of tat mRNA decay was found in macrophages following HIV-1 infection, changes in the balance of cellular splicing factors which regulate alternative

Minimal entropy approximation for cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukś, Henryk

2014-01-01

We present a method for the construction of approximate orbits of measures under the action of cellular automata which is complementary to the local structure theory. The local structure theory is based on the idea of Bayesian extension, that is, construction of a probability measure consistent with given block probabilities and maximizing entropy. If instead of maximizing entropy one minimizes it, one can develop another method for the construction of approximate orbits, at the heart of which is the iteration of finite-dimensional maps, called minimal entropy maps. We present numerical evidence that the minimal entropy approximation sometimes outperforms the local structure theory in characterizing the properties of cellular automata. The density response curve for elementary CA rule 26 is used to illustrate this claim. (paper)

Differential regulation of striatal motor behavior and related cellular responses by dopamine D2L and D2S isoforms.

Science.gov (United States)

Radl, Daniela; Chiacchiaretta, Martina; Lewis, Robert G; Brami-Cherrier, Karen; Arcuri, Ludovico; Borrelli, Emiliana

2018-01-02

The dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) is a major component of the dopamine system. D2R-mediated signaling in dopamine neurons is involved in the presynaptic regulation of dopamine levels. Postsynaptically, i.e., in striatal neurons, D2R signaling controls complex functions such as motor activity through regulation of cell firing and heterologous neurotransmitter release. The presence of two isoforms, D2L and D2S, which are generated by a mechanism of alternative splicing of the Drd2 gene, raises the question of whether both isoforms may equally control presynaptic and postsynaptic events. Here, we addressed this question by comparing behavioral and cellular responses of mice with the selective ablation of either D2L or D2S isoform. We establish that the presence of either D2L or D2S can support postsynaptic functions related to the control of motor activity in basal conditions. On the contrary, absence of D2S but not D2L prevents the inhibition of tyrosine hydroxylase phosphorylation and, thereby, of dopamine synthesis, supporting a major presynaptic role for D2S. Interestingly, boosting dopamine signaling in the striatum by acute cocaine administration reveals that absence of D2L, but not of D2S, strongly impairs the motor and cellular response to the drug, in a manner similar to the ablation of both isoforms. These results suggest that when the dopamine system is challenged, D2L signaling is required for the control of striatal circuits regulating motor activity. Thus, our findings show that D2L and D2S share similar functions in basal conditions but not in response to stimulation of the dopamine system.

Thermo-fluid behaviour of periodic cellular metals

CERN Document Server

Lu, Tian Jian; Wen, Ting

2013-01-01

Thermo-Fluid Behaviour of Periodic Cellular Metals introduces the study of coupled thermo-fluid behaviour of cellular metals with periodic structure in response to thermal loads, which is an interdisciplinary research area that requires a concurrent-engineering approach.  The book, for the first time, systematically adopts experimental, numerical, and analytical approaches, presents the fluid flow and heat transfer in periodic cellular metals under forced convection conditions, aiming to establish structure-property relationships for tailoring material structures to achieve properties and performance levels that are customized for defined multifunctional applications. The book, as a textbook and reference book, is intended for both academic and industrial people, including graduate students, researchers and engineers. Dr. Tian Jian Lu is a professor at the School of Aerospace, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, China. Dr. Feng Xu is a professor at the Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering o...

Antiviral and Inflammatory Cellular Signaling Associated with Enterovirus 71 Infection

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Yuefei Jin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Enterovirus 71 (EV71 infection has become a major threat to global public health, especially in infants and young children. Epidemiological studies have indicated that EV71 infection is responsible for severe and even fatal cases of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD. Accumulated evidence indicates that EV71 infection triggers a plethora of interactive signaling pathways, resulting in host immune evasion and inflammatory response. This review mainly covers the effects of EV71 infection on major antiviral and inflammatory cellular signal pathways. EV71 can activate cellular signaling networks including multiple cell surface and intracellular receptors, intracellular kinases, calcium flux, and transcription factors that regulate antiviral innate immunity and inflammatory response. Cellular signaling plays a critical role in the regulation of host innate immune and inflammatory pathogenesis. Elucidation of antiviral and inflammatory cellular signaling pathways initiated by EV71 will not only help uncover the potential mechanisms of EV71 infection-induced pathogenesis, but will also provide clues for the design of therapeutic strategies against EV71 infection.

Regulation of Cellular and Molecular Functions by Protein ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... a high-energy linkage. The free energy of hydrolysis 1 of protein bound tyrosine phosphate ... protein kinases, cdc2 kinase (which regulates cell division cycle) and related cdc ... residues in response to extracellular signals such as hormones or growth factors. ... involved in regulating glycogen metabolism. The activity of.

IGF-I enhances cellular senescence via the reactive oxygen species-p53 pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Handayaningsih, Anastasia-Evi; Takahashi, Michiko; Fukuoka, Hidenori; Iguchi, Genzo; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Masaaki; Suda, Kentaro [Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe (Japan); Takahashi, Yutaka, E-mail: takahash@med.kobe-u.ac.jp [Division of Diabetes and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe (Japan)

2012-08-24

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Cellular senescence plays an important role in tumorigenesis and aging process. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We demonstrated IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in primary confluent cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer These results may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging. -- Abstract: Cellular senescence is characterized by growth arrest, enlarged and flattened cell morphology, the expression of senescence-associated {beta}-galactosidase (SA-{beta}-gal), and by activation of tumor suppressor networks. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a critical role in cellular growth, proliferation, tumorigenesis, and regulation of aging. In the present study, we show that IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in mouse, rat, and human primary cells in the confluent state. IGF-I induced expression of a DNA damage marker, {gamma}H2AX, the increased levels of p53 and p21 proteins, and activated SA-{beta}-gal. In the confluent state, an altered downstream signaling of IGF-I receptor was observed. Treatment with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, N-acetylcystein (NAC) significantly suppressed induction of these markers, indicating that ROS are involved in the induction of cellular senescence by IGF-I. In p53-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, the IGF-I-induced augmentation of SA-{beta}-gal and p21 was inhibited, demonstrating that p53 is required for cellular senescence induced by IGF-I. Thus, these data reveal a novel pathway whereby IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner and may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging.

IGF-I enhances cellular senescence via the reactive oxygen species–p53 pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Handayaningsih, Anastasia-Evi; Takahashi, Michiko; Fukuoka, Hidenori; Iguchi, Genzo; Nishizawa, Hitoshi; Yamamoto, Masaaki; Suda, Kentaro; Takahashi, Yutaka

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Cellular senescence plays an important role in tumorigenesis and aging process. ► We demonstrated IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in primary confluent cells. ► IGF-I enhanced cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner. ► These results may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging. -- Abstract: Cellular senescence is characterized by growth arrest, enlarged and flattened cell morphology, the expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal), and by activation of tumor suppressor networks. Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays a critical role in cellular growth, proliferation, tumorigenesis, and regulation of aging. In the present study, we show that IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in mouse, rat, and human primary cells in the confluent state. IGF-I induced expression of a DNA damage marker, γH2AX, the increased levels of p53 and p21 proteins, and activated SA-β-gal. In the confluent state, an altered downstream signaling of IGF-I receptor was observed. Treatment with a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, N-acetylcystein (NAC) significantly suppressed induction of these markers, indicating that ROS are involved in the induction of cellular senescence by IGF-I. In p53-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, the IGF-I-induced augmentation of SA-β-gal and p21 was inhibited, demonstrating that p53 is required for cellular senescence induced by IGF-I. Thus, these data reveal a novel pathway whereby IGF-I enhances cellular senescence in the ROS and p53-dependent manner and may explain the underlying mechanisms of IGF-I involvement in tumorigenesis and in regulation of aging.

Ubiquitination of HTLV-I Tax in response to DNA damage regulates nuclear complex formation and nuclear export

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marriott Susan J

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The HTLV-I oncoprotein, Tax, is a pleiotropic protein whose activity is partially regulated by its ability to interact with, and perturb the functions of, numerous cellular proteins. Tax is predominantly a nuclear protein that localizes to nuclear foci known as Tax Speckled Structures (TSS. We recently reported that the localization of Tax and its interactions with cellular proteins are altered in response to various forms of genotoxic and cellular stress. The level of cytoplasmic Tax increases in response to stress and this relocalization depends upon the interaction of Tax with CRM1. Cellular pathways and signals that regulate the subcellular localization of Tax remain to be determined. However, post-translational modifications including sumoylation and ubiquitination are known to influence the subcellular localization of Tax and its interactions with cellular proteins. The sumoylated form of Tax exists predominantly in the nucleus while ubiquitinated Tax exists predominantly in the cytoplasm. Therefore, we hypothesized that post-translational modifications of Tax that occur in response to DNA damage regulate the localization of Tax and its interactions with cellular proteins. Results We found a significant increase in mono-ubiquitination of Tax in response to UV irradiation. Mutation of specific lysine residues (K280 and K284 within Tax inhibited DNA damage-induced ubiquitination. In contrast to wild-type Tax, which undergoes transient nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in response to DNA damage, the K280 and K284 mutants were retained in nuclear foci following UV irradiation and remained co-localized with the cellular TSS protein, sc35. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the localization of Tax, and its interactions with cellular proteins, are dynamic following DNA damage and depend on the post-translational modification status of Tax. Specifically, DNA damage induces the ubiquitination of Tax at K280 and K284

Three-dimensional simulations of cellular non-premixed jet flames

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valaer, A.L.; Frouzakis, C.E.; Boulouchos, K. [Aerothermochemistry and Combustion System Laboratory, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, CH-8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Papas, P. [Division of Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO 80401 (United States); Tomboulides, A.G. [Department of Engineering and Management of Energy Resources, University of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani (Greece)

2010-04-15

The formation, dynamics and structure of cellular flames in circular non-premixed jets are examined with three-dimensional numerical simulations incorporating detailed descriptions of chemistry and transport. Similar to past experiments reported in the literature, CO{sub 2}-diluted hydrogen in diluted or pure oxygen co-flowing streams in the proximity of the extinction limit are considered. As in the experiments, several preferred cellular states are found to co-exist with the particular state realized depending on initial conditions as well as on the jet characteristics. The simulations provide additionally the temporal transitions to different stationary or rotating cellular flames, their detailed structure, and the dependence of the scaling of the realized number of cells with the vorticity thickness. (author)

Cellular proteostasis: degradation of misfolded proteins by lysosomes

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Matthew P.

2016-01-01

Proteostasis refers to the regulation of the cellular concentration, folding, interactions and localization of each of the proteins that comprise the proteome. One essential element of proteostasis is the disposal of misfolded proteins by the cellular pathways of protein degradation. Lysosomes are an important site for the degradation of misfolded proteins, which are trafficked to this organelle by the pathways of macroautophagy, chaperone-mediated autophagy and endocytosis. Conversely, amyloid diseases represent a failure in proteostasis, in which proteins misfold, forming amyloid deposits that are not degraded effectively by cells. Amyloid may then exacerbate this failure by disrupting autophagy and lysosomal proteolysis. However, targeting the pathways that regulate autophagy and the biogenesis of lysosomes may present approaches that can rescue cells from the deleterious effects of amyloidogenic proteins. PMID:27744333

Regulation of cellular pH: From molecules to membranes

Science.gov (United States)

Grabe, Michael David

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) is a universal class of proton pumps responsible for creating and maintaining acidic milieus in both intracellular and extracellular spaces. In the first chapter, I develop a mechanochemical model of this enzyme based upon the counter-rotation of adjacent subunits. The mathematical approach details a general integrated method for describing the mechanical and chemical reactions that occur in motor systems. A novel escapement is proposed for how the protons cross the protein-bilayer interface, and it is shown how this movement couples to ATP hydrolysis. This model reproduces a variety of experimental data while providing a framework for understanding the function of the enzyme's subunits. Specifically, it explains how ATP hydrolysis can uncouple from proton movement, which has important consequences for cellular energetics and pH regulation. Until now only an equilibrium theory of organelle acidification has been proposed; however, recent experiments show that large proton leaks prevent many cellular compartments from reaching thermodynamic equilibrium. The characterization of the V-ATPase is used in the second chapter in order to develop a unified model of organelle acidification based on the interplay of ion pumps and channels and the physical characteristics of the organelle. This model successfully describes the time dependent acidification of many different organelle systems. It accurately predicts both the electrical and concentration dependent terms of the chemical potential. In conjunction with fluorescence experiments, I determined the first measurements of the proton permeability of organelles along the secretory pathway. These measurements allowed me to make the first estimates of the number of V-ATPases in each compartment by analyzing the resting pH's of the respective organelles. I found a decrease in permeability from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) (51 x 10-4 cm/s) to the Golgi (21 x 10-4 cm/s) to the mature secretory

Estimating cellular parameters through optimization procedures: elementary principles and applications

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Akatsuki eKimura

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Construction of quantitative models is a primary goal of quantitative biology, which aims to understand cellular and organismal phenomena in a quantitative manner. In this article, we introduce optimization procedures to search for parameters in a quantitative model that can reproduce experimental data. The aim of optimization is to minimize the sum of squared errors (SSE in a prediction or to maximize likelihood. A (local maximum of likelihood or (local minimum of the SSE can efficiently be identified using gradient approaches. Addition of a stochastic process enables us to identify the global maximum/minimum without becoming trapped in local maxima/minima. Sampling approaches take advantage of increasing computational power to test numerous sets of parameters in order to determine the optimum set. By combining Bayesian inference with gradient or sampling approaches, we can estimate both the optimum parameters and the form of the likelihood function related to the parameters. Finally, we introduce four examples of research that utilize parameter optimization to obtain biological insights from quantified data: transcriptional regulation, bacterial chemotaxis, morphogenesis, and cell cycle regulation. With practical knowledge of parameter optimization, cell and developmental biologists can develop realistic models that reproduce their observations and thus, obtain mechanistic insights into phenomena of interest.

Analysis by numerical calculations of the depth and dynamics of the penetration of ordered cellular structure made by casting from AlSi10Mg eutectic alloy

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M. Małysza

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Owing to high plastic deformability while maintaining stress values constant and relatively low, ordered cellular structures arecharacterised by excellent properties and the ability to dissipate the impact energy. Due to the low weight, structures of this type can beused, among others, for different parts of motor vehicles. For tests, a trapezoidal ordered cellular structure of 50.8 x 50.8 x 25.4 (mmoverall dimensions was selected. It was made as an investment casting from AlSi9Mg eutectic alloy by the method of Rapid Prototyping(RP. During FEM computations using an Abaqus programme, it was assumed that the material is isotropic and exhibits the features of anelastic – plastic body, introducing to calculations the, listed in a table, values of the stress-strain curve obtained in tensile tests performedon a MTS testing machine (10T. The computations used Johnson - Cook model, which is usually sufficiently accurate when modelling thephenomena of penetration of an element by an object of high initial velocity. The performed numerical calculations allowed identification

Engineering Cellular Metabolism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jens; Keasling, Jay

2016-01-01

Metabolic engineering is the science of rewiring the metabolism of cells to enhance production of native metabolites or to endow cells with the ability to produce new products. The potential applications of such efforts are wide ranging, including the generation of fuels, chemicals, foods, feeds...... of metabolic engineering and will discuss how new technologies can enable metabolic engineering to be scaled up to the industrial level, either by cutting off the lines of control for endogenous metabolism or by infiltrating the system with disruptive, heterologous pathways that overcome cellular regulation....

Maternal Embryonic Leucine Zipper Kinase (MELK: A Novel Regulator in Cell Cycle Control, Embryonic Development, and Cancer

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Pengfei Jiang

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase (MELK functions as a modulator of intracellular signaling and affects various cellular and biological processes, including cell cycle, cell proliferation, apoptosis, spliceosome assembly, gene expression, embryonic development, hematopoiesis, and oncogenesis. In these cellular processes, MELK functions by binding to numerous proteins. In general, the effects of multiple protein interactions with MELK are oncogenic in nature, and the overexpression of MELK in kinds of cancer provides some evidence that it may be involved in tumorigenic process. In this review, our current knowledge of MELK function and recent discoveries in MELK signaling pathway were discussed. The regulation of MELK in cancers and its potential as a therapeutic target were also described.

Regulation of taurine transport systems by protein kinase CK2 in mammalian cells

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lambert, Ian Henry; Hansen, Daniel Bloch

2011-01-01

regulate the cellular content of the major cellular organic osmolyte, taurine with emphasis on CK2 mediated regulation of active taurine uptake and volume-sensitive taurine release. Furthermore, we discuss how CK2-mediated regulation of taurine homeostasis is potentially involved in cellular functions...

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Stimulates Extra-Cellular Matrix Production in Cellular Spheroids

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Megan Casco

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Nanotechnologies have been integrated into drug delivery, and non-invasive imaging applications, into nanostructured scaffolds for the manipulation of cells. The objective of this work was to determine how the physico-chemical properties of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs and their spatial distribution into cellular spheroids stimulated cells to produce an extracellular matrix (ECM. The MNP concentration (0.03 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL and 0.3 mg/mL, type (magnetoferritin, shape (nanorod—85 nm × 425 nm and incorporation method were studied to determine each of their effects on the specific stimulation of four ECM proteins (collagen I, collagen IV, elastin and fibronectin in primary rat aortic smooth muscle cell. Results demonstrated that as MNP concentration increased there was up to a 6.32-fold increase in collagen production over no MNP samples. Semi-quantitative Immunohistochemistry (IHC results demonstrated that MNP type had the greatest influence on elastin production with a 56.28% positive area stain compared to controls and MNP shape favored elastin stimulation with a 50.19% positive area stain. Finally, there are no adverse effects of MNPs on cellular contractile ability. This study provides insight on the stimulation of ECM production in cells and tissues, which is important because it plays a critical role in regulating cellular functions.

Cellular chloride and bicarbonate retention alters intracellular pH regulation in Cftr KO crypt epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Nancy M; Liu, Jinghua; Stein, Sydney R; Stefanski, Casey D; Strubberg, Ashlee M; Clarke, Lane L

2016-01-15

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an anion channel providing a major pathway for Cl(-) and HCO3 (-) efflux across the apical membrane of the epithelium. In the intestine, CF manifests as obstructive syndromes, dysbiosis, inflammation, and an increased risk for gastrointestinal cancer. Cftr knockout (KO) mice recapitulate CF intestinal disease, including intestinal hyperproliferation. Previous studies using Cftr KO intestinal organoids (enteroids) indicate that crypt epithelium maintains an alkaline intracellular pH (pHi). We hypothesized that Cftr has a cell-autonomous role in downregulating pHi that is incompletely compensated by acid-base regulation in its absence. Here, 2',7'-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein microfluorimetry of enteroids showed that Cftr KO crypt epithelium sustains an alkaline pHi and resistance to cell acidification relative to wild-type. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Cftr KO enteroids exhibit downregulated transcription of base (HCO3 (-))-loading proteins and upregulation of the basolateral membrane HCO3 (-)-unloader anion exchanger 2 (Ae2). Although Cftr KO crypt epithelium had increased Ae2 expression and Ae2-mediated Cl(-)/HCO3 (-) exchange with maximized gradients, it also had increased intracellular Cl(-) concentration relative to wild-type. Pharmacological reduction of intracellular Cl(-) concentration in Cftr KO crypt epithelium normalized pHi, which was largely Ae2-dependent. We conclude that Cftr KO crypt epithelium maintains an alkaline pHi as a consequence of losing both Cl(-) and HCO3 (-) efflux, which impairs pHi regulation by Ae2. Retention of Cl(-) and an alkaline pHi in crypt epithelium may alter several cellular processes in the proliferative compartment of Cftr KO intestine. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Cellular chloride and bicarbonate retention alters intracellular pH regulation in Cftr KO crypt epithelium

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Nancy M.; Liu, Jinghua; Stein, Sydney R.; Stefanski, Casey D.; Strubberg, Ashlee M.

2015-01-01

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), an anion channel providing a major pathway for Cl− and HCO3− efflux across the apical membrane of the epithelium. In the intestine, CF manifests as obstructive syndromes, dysbiosis, inflammation, and an increased risk for gastrointestinal cancer. Cftr knockout (KO) mice recapitulate CF intestinal disease, including intestinal hyperproliferation. Previous studies using Cftr KO intestinal organoids (enteroids) indicate that crypt epithelium maintains an alkaline intracellular pH (pHi). We hypothesized that Cftr has a cell-autonomous role in downregulating pHi that is incompletely compensated by acid-base regulation in its absence. Here, 2′,7′-bis(2-carboxyethyl)-5(6)-carboxyfluorescein microfluorimetry of enteroids showed that Cftr KO crypt epithelium sustains an alkaline pHi and resistance to cell acidification relative to wild-type. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Cftr KO enteroids exhibit downregulated transcription of base (HCO3−)-loading proteins and upregulation of the basolateral membrane HCO3−-unloader anion exchanger 2 (Ae2). Although Cftr KO crypt epithelium had increased Ae2 expression and Ae2-mediated Cl−/HCO3− exchange with maximized gradients, it also had increased intracellular Cl− concentration relative to wild-type. Pharmacological reduction of intracellular Cl− concentration in Cftr KO crypt epithelium normalized pHi, which was largely Ae2-dependent. We conclude that Cftr KO crypt epithelium maintains an alkaline pHi as a consequence of losing both Cl− and HCO3− efflux, which impairs pHi regulation by Ae2. Retention of Cl− and an alkaline pHi in crypt epithelium may alter several cellular processes in the proliferative compartment of Cftr KO intestine. PMID:26542396

Numerical cell model investigating cellular carbon fluxes in Emiliania huxleyi.

Science.gov (United States)

Holtz, Lena-Maria; Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter; Thoms, Silke

2015-01-07

Coccolithophores play a crucial role in the marine carbon cycle and thus it is interesting to know how they will respond to climate change. After several decades of research the interplay between intracellular processes and the marine carbonate system is still not well understood. On the basis of experimental findings given in literature, a numerical cell model is developed that describes inorganic carbon fluxes between seawater and the intracellular sites of calcite precipitation and photosynthetic carbon fixation. The implemented cell model consists of four compartments, for each of which the carbonate system is resolved individually. The four compartments are connected to each other via H(+), CO2, and HCO3(-) fluxes across the compartment-confining membranes. For CO2 accumulation around RubisCO, an energy-efficient carbon concentrating mechanism is proposed that relies on diffusive CO2 uptake. At low external CO2 concentrations and high light intensities, CO2 diffusion does not suffice to cover the carbon demand of photosynthesis and an additional uptake of external HCO3(-) becomes essential. The model is constrained by data of Emiliania huxleyi, the numerically most abundant coccolithophore species in the present-day ocean. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Adipocyte size and cellular expression of caveolar proteins analyzed by confocal microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hulstrøm, Veronica; Prats Gavalda, Clara; Vinten, Jørgen

2013-01-01

Caveolae are abundant in adipocytes and are involved in the regulation of lipid accumulation, which is the main volume determinant of these cells. We have developed and applied a confocal microscopic technique for measuring individual cellular expression of the caveolar proteins cavin-1 and caveo......Caveolae are abundant in adipocytes and are involved in the regulation of lipid accumulation, which is the main volume determinant of these cells. We have developed and applied a confocal microscopic technique for measuring individual cellular expression of the caveolar proteins cavin-1...

Expressions of toll-like receptors 2 and 4, and relative cellular ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

for regulation of the immune system. Their cellular factors are TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6 and. IL-10. Th1 cells induce cellular response reaction and inflammatory reaction, but Th2 cell promote immunity of body fluids and resist parasitic infections; these two types of cells maintain balance in the immune system [20]. HIV infection.

Novel regulation of cardiac Na pump via phospholemman.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlovic, Davor; Fuller, William; Shattock, Michael J

2013-08-01

As the only quantitatively significant Na efflux pathway from cardiac cells, the Na/K ATPase (Na pump) is the primary regulator of intracellular Na. The transmembrane Na gradient it establishes is essential for normal electrical excitability, numerous coupled-transport processes and, as the driving force for Na/Ca exchange, thus setting cardiac Ca load and contractility. As Na influx varies with electrical excitation, heart rate and pathology, the dynamic regulation of Na efflux is essential. It is now widely recognized that phospholemman, a 72 amino acid accessory protein which forms part of the Na pump complex, is the key nexus linking cellular signaling to pump regulation. Phospholemman is the target of a variety of post-translational modifications (including phosphorylation, palmitoylation and glutathionation) and these can dynamically alter the activity of the Na pump. This review summarizes our current understanding of the multiple regulatory mechanisms that converge on phospholemman and govern NA pump activity in the heart. The corrected Fig. 4 is reproduced below. The publisher would like to apologize for any inconvenience caused. [corrected]. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase in Reuber hepatoma cells: variation in enzyme activity, insulin regulation, and cellular lipid content.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, A; Evans, J L; Nordlund, A C; Watts, T D; Witters, L A

1992-01-01

Reuber hepatoma cells are useful cultured lines for the study of insulin action, lipid and lipoprotein metabolism, and the regulation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), the rate-limiting enzyme of fatty acid biosynthesis. During investigations in different clonal lines of these cells, we have uncovered marked intercellular variability in the activity, enzyme content, and insulin regulation of ACC paralleled by differences in cellular neutral lipid (triglyceride) content. Two contrasting clonal lines, Fao and H356A-1, have been studied in detail. Several features distinguish these two lines, including differences in ACC activity and enzyme kinetics, the content of the two major hepatic ACC isozymes (Mr 280,000 and 265,000 Da) and their heteroisozymic complex, the extent of ACC phosphorylation, and the ability of ACC to be activated on stimulation by insulin and insulinomimetic agonists. As studied by Nile Red staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting, these two lines also display marked differences in neutral lipid content, which correlates with both basal levels of ACC activity and inhibition of ACC by the fatty acid analog, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA). These results emphasize the importance of characterization of any particular clonal line of Reuber cells for studies of enzyme regulation, substrate metabolism, and hormone action. With respect to ACC, studies in contrasting clonal lines of Reuber cells could provide valuable clues to understanding both the complex mechanisms of intracellular ACC regulation in the absence and presence of hormones and its regulatory role(s) in overall hepatic lipid metabolism.

Regulation of Autophagy by Kinases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sridharan, Savitha; Jain, Kirti; Basu, Alakananda

2011-01-01

Autophagy is a process of self-degradation that maintains cellular viability during periods of metabolic stress. Although autophagy is considered a survival mechanism when faced with cellular stress, extensive autophagy can also lead to cell death. Aberrations in autophagy are associated with several diseases, including cancer. Therapeutic exploitation of this process requires a clear understanding of its regulation. Although the core molecular components involved in the execution of autophagy are well studied there is limited information on how cellular signaling pathways, particularly kinases, regulate this complex process. Protein kinases are integral to the autophagy process. Atg1, the first autophagy-related protein identified, is a serine/threonine kinase and it is regulated by another serine/threonine kinase mTOR. Emerging studies suggest the participation of many different kinases in regulating various components/steps of this catabolic process. This review focuses on the regulation of autophagy by several kinases with particular emphasis on serine/threonine protein kinases such as mTOR, AMP-activated protein kinase, Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK, p38 and JNK) and protein kinase C that are often deregulated in cancer and are important therapeutic targets

Regulation of Autophagy by Kinases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sridharan, Savitha; Jain, Kirti; Basu, Alakananda, E-mail: alakananda.basu@unthsc.edu [Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Institute for Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107 (United States)

2011-06-09

Autophagy is a process of self-degradation that maintains cellular viability during periods of metabolic stress. Although autophagy is considered a survival mechanism when faced with cellular stress, extensive autophagy can also lead to cell death. Aberrations in autophagy are associated with several diseases, including cancer. Therapeutic exploitation of this process requires a clear understanding of its regulation. Although the core molecular components involved in the execution of autophagy are well studied there is limited information on how cellular signaling pathways, particularly kinases, regulate this complex process. Protein kinases are integral to the autophagy process. Atg1, the first autophagy-related protein identified, is a serine/threonine kinase and it is regulated by another serine/threonine kinase mTOR. Emerging studies suggest the participation of many different kinases in regulating various components/steps of this catabolic process. This review focuses on the regulation of autophagy by several kinases with particular emphasis on serine/threonine protein kinases such as mTOR, AMP-activated protein kinase, Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK, p38 and JNK) and protein kinase C that are often deregulated in cancer and are important therapeutic targets.

Regulation of Autophagy by Kinases

Science.gov (United States)

Sridharan, Savitha; Jain, Kirti; Basu, Alakananda

2011-01-01

Autophagy is a process of self-degradation that maintains cellular viability during periods of metabolic stress. Although autophagy is considered a survival mechanism when faced with cellular stress, extensive autophagy can also lead to cell death. Aberrations in autophagy are associated with several diseases, including cancer. Therapeutic exploitation of this process requires a clear understanding of its regulation. Although the core molecular components involved in the execution of autophagy are well studied there is limited information on how cellular signaling pathways, particularly kinases, regulate this complex process. Protein kinases are integral to the autophagy process. Atg1, the first autophagy-related protein identified, is a serine/threonine kinase and it is regulated by another serine/threonine kinase mTOR. Emerging studies suggest the participation of many different kinases in regulating various components/steps of this catabolic process. This review focuses on the regulation of autophagy by several kinases with particular emphasis on serine/threonine protein kinases such as mTOR, AMP-activated protein kinase, Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK, p38 and JNK) and protein kinase C that are often deregulated in cancer and are important therapeutic targets. PMID:24212825

Regulation of Autophagy by Kinases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Savitha Sridharan

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Autophagy is a process of self-degradation that maintains cellular viability during periods of metabolic stress. Although autophagy is considered a survival mechanism when faced with cellular stress, extensive autophagy can also lead to cell death. Aberrations in autophagy are associated with several diseases, including cancer. Therapeutic exploitation of this process requires a clear understanding of its regulation. Although the core molecular components involved in the execution of autophagy are well studied there is limited information on how cellular signaling pathways, particularly kinases, regulate this complex process. Protein kinases are integral to the autophagy process. Atg1, the first autophagy-related protein identified, is a serine/threonine kinase and it is regulated by another serine/threonine kinase mTOR. Emerging studies suggest the participation of many different kinases in regulating various components/steps of this catabolic process. This review focuses on the regulation of autophagy by several kinases with particular emphasis on serine/threonine protein kinases such as mTOR, AMP-activated kinase, Akt, mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK, p38 and JNK and protein kinase C that are often deregulated in cancer and are important therapeutic targets.

Volume Regulated Channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klausen, Thomas Kjær

of volume perturbations evolution have developed system of channels and transporters to tightly control volume homeostasis. In the past decades evidence has been mounting, that the importance of these volume regulated channels and transporters are not restricted to the defense of cellular volume...... but are also essential for a number of physiological processes such as proliferation, controlled cell death, migration and endocrinology. The thesis have been focusing on two Channels, namely the swelling activated Cl- channel (ICl, swell) and the transient receptor potential Vanilloid (TRPV4) channel. I: Cl......- serves a multitude of functions in the mammalian cell, regulating the membrane potential (Em), cell volume, protein activity and the driving force for facilitated transporters giving Cl- and Cl- channels a major potential of regulating cellular function. These functions include control of the cell cycle...

Time scale of diffusion in molecular and cellular biology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holcman, D; Schuss, Z

2014-01-01

Diffusion is the driver of critical biological processes in cellular and molecular biology. The diverse temporal scales of cellular function are determined by vastly diverse spatial scales in most biophysical processes. The latter are due, among others, to small binding sites inside or on the cell membrane or to narrow passages between large cellular compartments. The great disparity in scales is at the root of the difficulty in quantifying cell function from molecular dynamics and from simulations. The coarse-grained time scale of cellular function is determined from molecular diffusion by the mean first passage time of molecular Brownian motion to a small targets or through narrow passages. The narrow escape theory (NET) concerns this issue. The NET is ubiquitous in molecular and cellular biology and is manifested, among others, in chemical reactions, in the calculation of the effective diffusion coefficient of receptors diffusing on a neuronal cell membrane strewn with obstacles, in the quantification of the early steps of viral trafficking, in the regulation of diffusion between the mother and daughter cells during cell division, and many other cases. Brownian trajectories can represent the motion of a molecule, a protein, an ion in solution, a receptor in a cell or on its membrane, and many other biochemical processes. The small target can represent a binding site or an ionic channel, a hidden active site embedded in a complex protein structure, a receptor for a neurotransmitter on the membrane of a neuron, and so on. The mean time to attach to a receptor or activator determines diffusion fluxes that are key regulators of cell function. This review describes physical models of various subcellular microdomains, in which the NET coarse-grains the molecular scale to a higher cellular-level, thus clarifying the role of cell geometry in determining subcellular function. (topical review)

Time scale of diffusion in molecular and cellular biology

Science.gov (United States)

Holcman, D.; Schuss, Z.

2014-05-01

Diffusion is the driver of critical biological processes in cellular and molecular biology. The diverse temporal scales of cellular function are determined by vastly diverse spatial scales in most biophysical processes. The latter are due, among others, to small binding sites inside or on the cell membrane or to narrow passages between large cellular compartments. The great disparity in scales is at the root of the difficulty in quantifying cell function from molecular dynamics and from simulations. The coarse-grained time scale of cellular function is determined from molecular diffusion by the mean first passage time of molecular Brownian motion to a small targets or through narrow passages. The narrow escape theory (NET) concerns this issue. The NET is ubiquitous in molecular and cellular biology and is manifested, among others, in chemical reactions, in the calculation of the effective diffusion coefficient of receptors diffusing on a neuronal cell membrane strewn with obstacles, in the quantification of the early steps of viral trafficking, in the regulation of diffusion between the mother and daughter cells during cell division, and many other cases. Brownian trajectories can represent the motion of a molecule, a protein, an ion in solution, a receptor in a cell or on its membrane, and many other biochemical processes. The small target can represent a binding site or an ionic channel, a hidden active site embedded in a complex protein structure, a receptor for a neurotransmitter on the membrane of a neuron, and so on. The mean time to attach to a receptor or activator determines diffusion fluxes that are key regulators of cell function. This review describes physical models of various subcellular microdomains, in which the NET coarse-grains the molecular scale to a higher cellular-level, thus clarifying the role of cell geometry in determining subcellular function.

Regulator LdhR and d-Lactate Dehydrogenase LdhA of Burkholderia multivorans Play Roles in Carbon Overflow and in Planktonic Cellular Aggregate Formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Inês N; Ramires, Marcelo J; Azevedo, Lisa A; Guerreiro, Ana R; Tavares, Andreia C; Becker, Jörg D; Moreira, Leonilde M

2017-10-01

LysR-type transcriptional regulators (LTTRs) are the most commonly found regulators in Burkholderia cepacia complex, comprising opportunistic pathogens causing chronic respiratory infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Despite LTTRs being global regulators of pathogenicity in several types of bacteria, few have been characterized in Burkholderia Here, we show that gene ldhR of B. multivorans encoding an LTTR is cotranscribed with ldhA encoding a d-lactate dehydrogenase and evaluate their implication in virulence traits such as exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis and biofilm formation. A comparison of the wild type (WT) and its isogenic Δ ldhR mutant grown in medium with 2% d-glucose revealed a negative impact on EPS biosynthesis and on cell viability in the presence of LdhR. The loss of viability in WT cells was caused by intracellular acidification as a consequence of the cumulative secretion of organic acids, including d-lactate, which was absent from the Δ ldhR mutant supernatant. Furthermore, LdhR is implicated in the formation of planktonic cellular aggregates. WT cell aggregates reached 1,000 μm in size after 24 h in liquid cultures, in contrast to Δ ldhR mutant aggregates that never grew more than 60 μm. The overexpression of d-lactate dehydrogenase LdhA in the Δ ldhR mutant partially restored the formed aggregate size, suggesting a role for fermentation inside aggregates. Similar results were obtained for surface-attached biofilms, with WT cells producing more biofilm. A systematic evaluation of planktonic aggregates in Burkholderia CF clinical isolates showed aggregates in 40 of 74. As CF patients' lung environments are microaerophilic and bacteria are found as free aggregates/biofilms, LdhR and LdhA might have central roles in adapting to this environment. IMPORTANCE Cystic fibrosis patients often suffer from chronic respiratory infections caused by several types of microorganisms. Among them are the Burkholderia cepacia complex bacteria, which

Cellular Energy Pathways as Novel Targets for the Therapy of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Science.gov (United States)

2017-09-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0419 TITLE: Cellular Energy Pathways as Novel Targets for the Therapy of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease...COVERED 1 Sep 2016 - 31 Aug 2017 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Cellular Energy Pathways as Novel Targets for the Therapy of Autosomal...inappropriate cell growth, fluid secretion, and dysregulation of cellular energy metabolism. The enzyme AMPK regulates a number of cellular pathways, including

Molecular and Cellular Signaling

CERN Document Server

Beckerman, Martin

2005-01-01

A small number of signaling pathways, no more than a dozen or so, form a control layer that is responsible for all signaling in and between cells of the human body. The signaling proteins belonging to the control layer determine what kinds of cells are made during development and how they function during adult life. Malfunctions in the proteins belonging to the control layer are responsible for a host of human diseases ranging from neurological disorders to cancers. Most drugs target components in the control layer, and difficulties in drug design are intimately related to the architecture of the control layer. Molecular and Cellular Signaling provides an introduction to molecular and cellular signaling in biological systems with an emphasis on the underlying physical principles. The text is aimed at upper-level undergraduates, graduate students and individuals in medicine and pharmacology interested in broadening their understanding of how cells regulate and coordinate their core activities and how diseases ...

New multifunctional lightweight materials based on cellular metals - manufacturing, properties and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stephani, Guenter; Quadbeck, Peter; Andersen, Olaf

2009-01-01

Cellular metallic materials are a new class of materials which have been the focus of numerous scientific studies over the past few years. The increasing interest in cellular metals is due to the fact that the introduction of pores into the materials significantly lowers the density. These highly porous materials also possess combinations of properties which are not possible to achieve with other materials. Besides the drastic weight and material savings that arise from the cell structure, there are also other application-specific benefits such as noise and energy absorption, heat insulation, mechanical damping, filtration effects and also catalytic properties. Cellular metallic materials are hence multi-functional lightweight materials.

Curcumin exhibits anti-tumor effect and attenuates cellular migration via Slit-2 mediated down-regulation of SDF-1 and CXCR4 in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Sirohi, Vijay Kumar; Popli, Pooja; Sankhwar, Pushplata; Kaushal, Jyoti Bala; Gupta, Kanchan; Manohar, Murli; Dwivedi, Anila

2017-06-01

Although curcumin shows anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory activities in various cancers, the effect of curcumin on cellular migration in endometrial adenocarcinoma cells remains to be understood. The current investigation was aimed to explore the anti-proliferative and anti-migratory effects of curcumin and its mechanism of action in endometrial cancer cells. Our in-vitro and in-vivo experimental studies showed that curcumin inhibited the proliferation of endometrial cancer cells and suppressed the tumor growth in Ishikawa xenograft mouse model. Curcumin induced ROS-mediated apoptosis in endometrial cancer cells. Curcumin suppressed the migration rate of Ishikawa and Hec-1B cells as analyzed by scratch wound assay. In transwell migration studies, knock down of Slit-2 reversed the anti-migratory effect of curcumin in these cell lines. Curcumin significantly up-regulated the expression of Slit-2 in Ishikawa, Hec-1B and primary endometrial cancer cells while it down-regulated the expression of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and CXCR4 which in turn, suppressed the expression of matrix metallopeptidases (MMP) 2 and 9, thus attenuating the migration of endometrial cancer cells. In summary, we have demonstrated that curcumin has inhibitory effect on cellular migration via Slit-2 mediated down-regulation of CXCR4, SDF-1, and MMP2/MMP9 in endometrial carcinoma cells. These findings helped explore the role of Slit-2 in endometrial cancer cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxicology and cellular effect of manufactured nanomaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Fanqing

2014-07-22

The increasing use of nanotechnology in consumer products and medical applications underlies the importance of understanding its potential toxic effects to people and the environment. Herein are described methods and assays to predict and evaluate the cellular effects of nanomaterial exposure. Exposing cells to nanomaterials at cytotoxic doses induces cell cycle arrest and increases apoptosis/necrosis, activates genes involved in cellular transport, metabolism, cell cycle regulation, and stress response. Certain nanomaterials induce genes indicative of a strong immune and inflammatory response within skin fibroblasts. Furthermore, the described multiwall carbon nanoonions (MWCNOs) can be used as a therapeutic in the treatment of cancer due to its cytotoxicity.

Neurodegeneration in ataxia-telangiectasia: Multiple roles of ATM kinase in cellular homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Choy, Kay Rui; Watters, Dianne J

2018-01-01

Ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) is characterized by neuronal degeneration, cancer, diabetes, immune deficiency, and increased sensitivity to ionizing radiation. A-T is attributed to the deficiency of the protein kinase coded by the ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia mutated) gene. ATM is a sensor of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and signals to cell cycle checkpoints and the DNA repair machinery. ATM phosphorylates numerous substrates and activates many cell-signaling pathways. There has been considerable debate about whether a defective DNA damage response is causative of the neurological aspects of the disease. In proliferating cells, ATM is localized mainly in the nucleus; however, in postmitotic cells such as neurons, ATM is mostly cytoplasmic. Recent studies reveal an increasing number of roles for ATM in the cytoplasm, including activation by oxidative stress. ATM associates with organelles including mitochondria and peroxisomes, both sources of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which have been implicated in neurodegenerative diseases and aging. ATM is also associated with synaptic vesicles and has a role in regulating cellular homeostasis and autophagy. The cytoplasmic roles of ATM provide a new perspective on the neurodegenerative process in A-T. This review will examine the expanding roles of ATM in cellular homeostasis and relate these functions to the complex A-T phenotype. Developmental Dynamics 247:33-46, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The cellular prion protein negatively regulates phagocytosis and cytokine expression in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min Wang

Full Text Available The cellular prion protein (PrP(C is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI-anchored glycoprotein on the cell surface. Previous studies have demonstrated contradictory roles for PrP(C in connection with the phagocytic ability of macrophages. In the present work, we investigated the function of PrP(C in phagocytosis and cytokine expression in bone marrow-derived macrophages infected with Escherichia coli. E. coli infection induced an increase in the PRNP mRNA level. Knockout of PrP(C promoted bacterial uptake; upregulated Rab5, Rab7, and Eea1 mRNA expression; and increased the recruitment of lysosomal-associated membrane protein-2 to phagosomes, suggesting enhanced microbicidal activity. Remarkably, knockout of PrP(C suppressed the proliferation of internalized bacteria and increased the expression of cytokines such as interleukin-1β. Collectively, our data reveal an important role of PrP(C as a negative regulator for phagocytosis, phagosome maturation, cytokine expression, and macrophage microbicidal activity.

A numerical algorithm for optimal feedback gains in high dimensional linear quadratic regulator problems

Science.gov (United States)

Banks, H. T.; Ito, K.

1991-01-01

A hybrid method for computing the feedback gains in linear quadratic regulator problem is proposed. The method, which combines use of a Chandrasekhar type system with an iteration of the Newton-Kleinman form with variable acceleration parameter Smith schemes, is formulated to efficiently compute directly the feedback gains rather than solutions of an associated Riccati equation. The hybrid method is particularly appropriate when used with large dimensional systems such as those arising in approximating infinite-dimensional (distributed parameter) control systems (e.g., those governed by delay-differential and partial differential equations). Computational advantages of the proposed algorithm over the standard eigenvector (Potter, Laub-Schur) based techniques are discussed, and numerical evidence of the efficacy of these ideas is presented.

Production, properties, and applications of hydrocolloid cellular solids.

Science.gov (United States)

Nussinovitch, Amos

2005-02-01

Many common synthetic and edible materials are, in fact, cellular solids. When classifying the structure of cellular solids, a few variables, such as open vs. closed cells, flexible vs. brittle cell walls, cell-size distribution, cell-wall thickness, cell shape, the uniformity of the structure of the cellular solid and the different scales of length are taken into account. Compressive stress-strain relationships of most cellular solids can be easily identified according to their characteristic sigmoid shape, reflecting three deformation mechanisms: (i) elastic distortion under small strains, (ii) collapse and/or fracture of the cell walls, and (iii) densification. Various techniques are used to produce hydrocolloid (gum) cellular solids. The products of these include (i) sponges, obtained when the drying gel contains the occasionally produced gas bubbles; (ii) sponges produced by the immobilization of microorganisms; (iii) solid foams produced by drying foamed solutions or gels containing oils, and (iv) hydrocolloid sponges produced by enzymatic reactions. The porosity of the manufactured cellular solid is subject to change and depends on its composition and the processing technique. The porosity is controlled by a range of methods and the resulting surface structures can be investigated by microscopy and analyzed using fractal methods. Models used to describe stress-strain behaviors of hydrocolloid cellular solids as well as multilayered products and composites are discussed in detail in this manuscript. Hydrocolloid cellular solids have numerous purposes, simple and complex, ranging from dried texturized fruits to carriers of vitamins and other essential micronutrients. They can also be used to control the acoustic response of specific dry food products, and have a great potential for future use in countless different fields, from novel foods and packaging to medicine and medical care, daily commodities, farming and agriculture, and the environmental, chemical

Gold nanoparticles cellular toxicity and recovery: adipose Derived Stromal cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Mironava, Tatsiana; Hadjiargyrou, Michael; Simon, Marcia; Rafailovich, Miriam H

2014-03-01

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are currently used in numerous medical applications. Herein, we describe their in vitro impact on human adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) using 13 nm and 45 nm citrate-coated AuNPs. In their non-differentiated state, ADSCs were penetrated by the AuNPs and stored in vacuoles. The presence of the AuNPs in ADSCs resulted in increased population doubling times, decreased cell motility and cell-mediated collagen contraction. The degree to which the cells were impacted was a function of particle concentration, where the smaller particles required a sevenfold higher concentration to have the same effect as the larger ones. Furthermore, AuNPs reduced adipogenesis as measured by lipid droplet accumulation and adiponectin secretion. These effects correlated with transient increases in DLK1 and with relative reductions in fibronectin. Upon removal of exogenous AuNPs, cellular NP levels decreased and normal ADSC functions were restored. As adiponectin helps regulate energy metabolism, local fluctuations triggered by AuNPs can lead to systemic changes. Hence, careful choice of size, concentration and clinical application duration of AuNPs is warranted.

Regulation of HTLV-1 Tax Stability, Cellular Trafficking and NF-κB Activation by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway

Science.gov (United States)

Lavorgna, Alfonso; Harhaj, Edward William

2014-01-01

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a complex retrovirus that infects CD4+ T cells and causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) in 3%–5% of infected individuals after a long latent period. HTLV-1 Tax is a trans-activating protein that regulates viral gene expression and also modulates cellular signaling pathways to enhance T-cell proliferation and cell survival. The Tax oncoprotein promotes T-cell transformation, in part via constitutive activation of the NF-κB transcription factor; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Ubiquitination is a type of post-translational modification that occurs in a three-step enzymatic cascade mediated by E1, E2 and E3 enzymes and regulates protein stability as well as signal transduction, protein trafficking and the DNA damage response. Emerging studies indicate that Tax hijacks the ubiquitin machinery to activate ubiquitin-dependent kinases and downstream NF-κB signaling. Tax interacts with the E2 conjugating enzyme Ubc13 and is conjugated on C-terminal lysine residues with lysine 63-linked polyubiquitin chains. Tax K63-linked polyubiquitination may serve as a platform for signaling complexes since this modification is critical for interactions with NEMO and IKK. In addition to NF-κB signaling, mono- and polyubiquitination of Tax also regulate its subcellular trafficking and stability. Here, we review recent advances in the diverse roles of ubiquitin in Tax function and how Tax usurps the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to promote oncogenesis. PMID:25341660

Implications of TGFβ on transcriptome and cellular biofunctions of palatal mesenchyme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiujuan eZhu

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Development of the palate comprises sequential stages of growth, elevation and fusion of the palatal shelves. The mesenchymal component of palates plays a major role in early phases of palatogenesis, such as growth and elevation. Failure in these steps may result in cleft palate, the second most common birth defect in the world. These early stages of palatogenesis require precise and chronological orchestration of key physiological processes, such as growth, proliferation, differentiation, migration, and apoptosis. There is compelling evidence for the vital role of TGFβ-mediated regulation of palate development. We hypothesized that the isoforms of TGFβ regulate different cellular biofunctions of the palatal mesenchyme to various extents. Human embryonic palatal mesenchyme (HEPM cells were treated with TGFβ1, β2, and β3 for microarray-based gene expression studies in order to identify the roles of TGFβ in the transcriptome of the palatal mesenchyme. Following normalization and modeling of 28,869 human genes, 566 transcripts were detected as differentially expressed in TGFβ-treated HEPM cells. Out of these altered transcripts, 234 of them were clustered in cellular biofunctions, including growth and proliferation, development, morphology, movement, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Biological interpretation and network analysis of the genes active in cellular biofunctions were performed using IPA. Among the differentially expressed genes, 11 of them were previously identified as being crucial for palatogenesis (EDN1, INHBA, LHX8, PDGFC, PIGA, RUNX1, SNAI1, SMAD3, TGFβ1, TGFβ2, and TGFβR1. These genes were used for a merged interaction network with cellular behaviors. Overall, we have determined that more than 2% of human transcripts were differentially expressed in response to TGFβ treatment in HEPM cells. Our results suggest that both TGFβ1 and TGFβ2 orchestrate major cellular biofunctions within the palatal mesenchyme in vitro by

Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Cellular Solids

OpenAIRE

Ettrich, Jörg

2014-01-01

To determine the characteristics and properties of cellular solids for an application, and to allow a systematic practical use by means of correlations and modelling approaches, we perform experimental investigations and develop numerical methods. In view of coupled multi-physics simulations, we employ the phase-field method. Finally, the applicability is demonstrated exemplarily for open-cell metal foams, providing qualitative and quantitative comparison with experimental data.

Inter-cellular transport of ran GTPase.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deepak Khuperkar

Full Text Available Ran, a member of the Ras-GTPase superfamily, has a well-established role in regulating the transport of macromolecules across the nuclear envelope (NE. Ran has also been implicated in mitosis, cell cycle progression, and NE formation. Over-expression of Ran is associated with various cancers, although the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon is unclear. Serendipitously, we found that Ran possesses the ability to move from cell-to-cell when transiently expressed in mammalian cells. Moreover, we show that the inter-cellular transport of Ran is GTP-dependent. Importantly, Ran displays a similar distribution pattern in the recipient cells as that in the donor cell and co-localizes with the Ran binding protein Nup358 (also called RanBP2. Interestingly, leptomycin B, an inhibitor of CRM1-mediated export, or siRNA mediated depletion of CRM1, significantly impaired the inter-cellular transport of Ran, suggesting a function for CRM1 in this process. These novel findings indicate a possible role for Ran beyond nucleo-cytoplasmic transport, with potential implications in inter-cellular communication and cancers.

Modeling and Analysis of Cellular Networks using Stochastic Geometry: A Tutorial

KAUST Repository

Elsawy, Hesham; Salem, Ahmed Sultan; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim; Win, Moe Z.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a tutorial on stochastic geometry (SG) based analysis for cellular networks. This tutorial is distinguished by its depth with respect to wireless communication details and its focus on cellular networks. The paper starts by modeling and analyzing the baseband interference in a baseline single-tier downlink cellular network with single antenna base stations and universal frequency reuse. Then, it characterizes signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) and its related performance metrics. In particular, a unified approach to conduct error probability, outage probability, and transmission rate analysis is presented. Although the main focus of the paper is on cellular networks, the presented unified approach applies for other types of wireless networks that impose interference protection around receivers. The paper then extends the unified approach to capture cellular network characteristics (e.g., frequency reuse, multiple antenna, power control, etc.). It also presents numerical examples associated with demonstrations and discussions. To this end, the paper highlights the state-of-the- art research and points out future research directions.

Modeling and Analysis of Cellular Networks using Stochastic Geometry: A Tutorial

KAUST Repository

Elsawy, Hesham

2016-11-03

This paper presents a tutorial on stochastic geometry (SG) based analysis for cellular networks. This tutorial is distinguished by its depth with respect to wireless communication details and its focus on cellular networks. The paper starts by modeling and analyzing the baseband interference in a baseline single-tier downlink cellular network with single antenna base stations and universal frequency reuse. Then, it characterizes signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) and its related performance metrics. In particular, a unified approach to conduct error probability, outage probability, and transmission rate analysis is presented. Although the main focus of the paper is on cellular networks, the presented unified approach applies for other types of wireless networks that impose interference protection around receivers. The paper then extends the unified approach to capture cellular network characteristics (e.g., frequency reuse, multiple antenna, power control, etc.). It also presents numerical examples associated with demonstrations and discussions. To this end, the paper highlights the state-of-the- art research and points out future research directions.

Hepatitis C virus NS2 protein activates cellular cyclic AMP-dependent pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Kyoung Mi; Kwon, Shi-Nae; Kang, Ju-Il; Lee, Song Hee; Jang, Sung Key; Ahn, Byung-Yoon; Kim, Yoon Ki

2007-01-01

Chronic infection of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) leads to liver cirrhosis and cancer. The mechanism leading to viral persistence and hepatocellular carcinoma, however, has not been fully understood. In this study, we show that the HCV infection activates cellular cAMP-dependent pathways. Expression of a luciferase reporter gene controlled by a basic promoter with the cAMP response element (CRE) was significantly elevated in human hepatoma Huh-7 cells infected with the HCV JFH1. Analysis with viral subgenomic replicons indicated that the HCV NS2 protein is responsible for the effect. Furthermore, the level of cellular transcripts whose stability is known to be regulated by cAMP was specifically reduced in cells harboring NS2-expressing replicons. These results allude to the HCV NS2 protein having a novel function of regulating cellular gene expression and proliferation through the cAMP-dependent pathway

Tropomodulins and tropomyosins - organizers of cellular microcompartments.

Science.gov (United States)

Fath, Thomas

2013-02-01

Eukaryotic cells show a remarkable compartmentalization into compartments such as the cell nucleus, the Golgi apparatus, the endoplasmic reticulum, and endosomes. However, organelle structures are not the only means by which specialized compartments are formed. Recent research shows a critical role for diverse actin filament populations in defining functional compartments, here referred to as microcompartments, in a wide range of cells. These microcompartments are involved in regulating fundamental cellular functions including cell motility, plasma membrane organization, and cellular morphogenesis. In this overview, the importance of two multigene families of actin-associated proteins, tropomodulins and tropomyosins, their interactions with each other, and a large number of other proteins will be discussed in the context of generating specialized actin-based microcompartments.

Involvement of the iron regulatory protein from Eisenia andrei earthworms in the regulation of cellular iron homeostasis.

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Petra Procházková

Full Text Available Iron homeostasis in cells is regulated by iron regulatory proteins (IRPs that exist in different organisms. IRPs are cytosolic proteins that bind to iron-responsive elements (IREs of the 5'- or 3'-untranslated regions (UTR of mRNAs that encode many proteins involved in iron metabolism. In this study, we have cloned and described a new regulatory protein belonging to the family of IRPs from the earthworm Eisenia andrei (EaIRP. The earthworm IRE site in 5'-UTR of ferritin mRNA most likely folds into a secondary structure that differs from the conventional IRE structures of ferritin due to the absence of a typically unpaired cytosine that participates in protein binding. Prepared recombinant EaIRP and proteins from mammalian liver extracts are able to bind both mammalian and Eisenia IRE structures of ferritin mRNA, although the affinity of the rEaIRP/Eisenia IRE structure is rather low. This result suggests the possible contribution of a conventional IRE structure. When IRP is supplemented with a Fe-S cluster, it can function as a cytosolic aconitase. Cellular cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions, as well as recombinant EaIRP, exhibit aconitase activity that can be abolished by the action of oxygen radicals. The highest expression of EaIRP was detected in parts of the digestive tract. We can assume that earthworms may possess an IRE/IRP regulatory network as a potential mechanism for maintaining cellular iron homeostasis, although the aconitase function of EaIRP is most likely more relevant.

Involvement of the Iron Regulatory Protein from Eisenia andrei Earthworms in the Regulation of Cellular Iron Homeostasis

Science.gov (United States)

Procházková, Petra; Škanta, František; Roubalová, Radka; Šilerová, Marcela; Dvořák, Jiří; Bilej, Martin

2014-01-01

Iron homeostasis in cells is regulated by iron regulatory proteins (IRPs) that exist in different organisms. IRPs are cytosolic proteins that bind to iron-responsive elements (IREs) of the 5′- or 3′-untranslated regions (UTR) of mRNAs that encode many proteins involved in iron metabolism. In this study, we have cloned and described a new regulatory protein belonging to the family of IRPs from the earthworm Eisenia andrei (EaIRP). The earthworm IRE site in 5′-UTR of ferritin mRNA most likely folds into a secondary structure that differs from the conventional IRE structures of ferritin due to the absence of a typically unpaired cytosine that participates in protein binding. Prepared recombinant EaIRP and proteins from mammalian liver extracts are able to bind both mammalian and Eisenia IRE structures of ferritin mRNA, although the affinity of the rEaIRP/Eisenia IRE structure is rather low. This result suggests the possible contribution of a conventional IRE structure. When IRP is supplemented with a Fe-S cluster, it can function as a cytosolic aconitase. Cellular cytosolic and mitochondrial fractions, as well as recombinant EaIRP, exhibit aconitase activity that can be abolished by the action of oxygen radicals. The highest expression of EaIRP was detected in parts of the digestive tract. We can assume that earthworms may possess an IRE/IRP regulatory network as a potential mechanism for maintaining cellular iron homeostasis, although the aconitase function of EaIRP is most likely more relevant. PMID:25279857

The threshold of coexistence and critical behaviour of a predator-prey cellular automaton

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arashiro, Everaldo; Tome, Tania

2007-01-01

We study a probabilistic cellular automaton to describe two population biology problems: the threshold of species coexistence in a predator-prey system and the spreading of an epidemic in a population. By carrying out mean-field approximations and numerical simulations we obtain the phase boundaries (thresholds) related to the transition between an active state, where prey and predators present a stable coexistence, and a prey absorbing state. The numerical estimates for the critical exponents show that the transition belongs to the directed percolation universality class. In the limit where the cellular automaton maps into a model for the spreading of an epidemic with immunization we observe a crossover from directed percolation class to the dynamic percolation class. Patterns of growing clusters related to species coexistence and spreading of epidemic are shown and discussed

Regulation of ROCK Activity in Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan-Fisher, Marie; Wewer, Ulla M.

2013-01-01

Cancer-associated changes in cellular behavior, such as modified cell-cell contact, increased migratory potential, and generation of cellular force, all require alteration of the cytoskeleton. Two homologous mammalian serine/threonine kinases, Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCK I and II), are key regulators of the actin cytoskeleton acting downstream of the small GTPase Rho. ROCK is associated with cancer progression, and ROCK protein expression is elevated in several types of cancer. ROCKs exist in a closed, inactive conformation under quiescent conditions, which is changed to an open, active conformation by the direct binding of guanosine triphosphate (GTP)–loaded Rho. In recent years, a number of ROCK isoform-specific binding partners have been found to modulate the kinase activity through direct interactions with the catalytic domain or via altered cellular localization of the kinases. Thus, these findings demonstrate additional modes to regulate ROCK activity. This review describes the molecular mechanisms of ROCK activity regulation in cancer, with emphasis on ROCK isoform-specific regulation and interaction partners, and discusses the potential of ROCKs as therapeutic targets in cancer. PMID:23204112

Image processing with a cellular nonlinear network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morfu, S.

2005-01-01

A cellular nonlinear network (CNN) based on uncoupled nonlinear oscillators is proposed for image processing purposes. It is shown theoretically and numerically that the contrast of an image loaded at the nodes of the CNN is strongly enhanced, even if this one is initially weak. An image inversion can be also obtained without reconfiguration of the network whereas a gray levels extraction can be performed with an additional threshold filtering. Lastly, an electronic implementation of this CNN is presented

Leading research on artificial techniques controlling cellular function; Saibo zoshoku seigyo gijutsu no sendo kenkyu

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

Advanced research and its applicability were surveyed to apply the advanced functional cells to industry. The basic target was set to develop, produce, control and utilize the functional cells, such as intelligent materials and self-regulation bioreactors. The regulation factors regarding apotosis, which is a process of cell suicide programmed within the cell itself of multicellular organisms, cell cycle and aging/ageless were investigated. Furthermore, the function of regulatory factors was investigated at the protein level. Injection of factors regulating cellular function and tissue engineering required for the regulation of cell proliferation were investigated. Tissue engineering is considered to be the intracellular regulation by gene transduction and the extracellular regulation by culture methods, such as coculture. Analysis methods for cell proliferation and function of living cells were investigated using the probes recognizing molecular structure. Novel biomaterials, artificial organ systems, cellular therapy and useful materials were investigated for utilizing the regulation techniques of cell proliferation. 425 refs., 85 figs., 9 tabs.

The nucleolus—guardian of cellular homeostasis and genome integrity.

Science.gov (United States)

Grummt, Ingrid

2013-12-01

All organisms sense and respond to conditions that stress their homeostasis by downregulating the synthesis of rRNA and ribosome biogenesis, thus designating the nucleolus as the central hub in coordinating the cellular stress response. One of the most intriguing roles of the nucleolus, long regarded as a mere ribosome-producing factory, is its participation in monitoring cellular stress signals and transmitting them to the RNA polymerase I (Pol I) transcription machinery. As rRNA synthesis is a most energy-consuming process, switching off transcription of rRNA genes is an effective way of saving the energy required to maintain cellular homeostasis during acute stress. The Pol I transcription machinery is the key convergence point that collects and integrates a vast array of information from cellular signaling cascades to regulate ribosome production which, in turn, guides cell growth and proliferation. This review focuses on the mechanisms that link cell physiology to rDNA silencing, a prerequisite for nucleolar integrity and cell survival.

Emerging roles and regulation of MiT/TFE transcriptional factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Min; Liu, En; Tang, Li; Lei, Yuanyuan; Sun, Xuemei; Hu, Jiaxi; Dong, Hui; Yang, Shi-Ming; Gao, Mingfa; Tang, Bo

2018-06-15

The MiT/TFE transcription factors play a pivotal role in the regulation of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis. The subcellular localization and activity of MiT/TFE proteins are primarily regulated through phosphorylation. And the phosphorylated protein is retained in the cytoplasm and subsequently translocates to the nucleus upon dephosphorylation, where it stimulates the expression of hundreds of genes, leading to lysosomal biogenesis and autophagy induction. The transcription factor-mediated lysosome-to-nucleus signaling can be directly controlled by several signaling molecules involved in the mTORC1, PKC, and AKT pathways. MiT/TFE family members have attracted much attention owing to their intracellular clearance of pathogenic factors in numerous diseases. Recently, multiple studies have also revealed the MiT/TFE proteins as master regulators of cellular metabolic reprogramming, converging on autophagic and lysosomal function and playing a critical role in cancer, suggesting that novel therapeutic strategies could be based on the modulation of MiT/TFE family member activity. Here, we present an overview of the latest research on MiT/TFE transcriptional factors and their potential mechanisms in cancer.

Diurnal Regulation of Cellular Processes in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803: Insights from Transcriptomic, Fluxomic, and Physiological Analyses

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Rajib Saha

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 is the most widely studied model cyanobacterium, with a well-developed omics level knowledgebase. Like the lifestyles of other cyanobacteria, that of Synechocystis PCC 6803 is tuned to diurnal changes in light intensity. In this study, we analyzed the expression patterns of all of the genes of this cyanobacterium over two consecutive diurnal periods. Using stringent criteria, we determined that the transcript levels of nearly 40% of the genes in Synechocystis PCC 6803 show robust diurnal oscillating behavior, with a majority of the transcripts being upregulated during the early light period. Such transcripts corresponded to a wide array of cellular processes, such as light harvesting, photosynthetic light and dark reactions, and central carbon metabolism. In contrast, transcripts of membrane transporters for transition metals involved in the photosynthetic electron transport chain (e.g., iron, manganese, and copper were significantly upregulated during the late dark period. Thus, the pattern of global gene expression led to the development of two distinct transcriptional networks of coregulated oscillatory genes. These networks help describe how Synechocystis PCC 6803 regulates its metabolism toward the end of the dark period in anticipation of efficient photosynthesis during the early light period. Furthermore, in silico flux prediction of important cellular processes and experimental measurements of cellular ATP, NADP(H, and glycogen levels showed how this diurnal behavior influences its metabolic characteristics. In particular, NADPH/NADP+ showed a strong correlation with the majority of the genes whose expression peaks in the light. We conclude that this ratio is a key endogenous determinant of the diurnal behavior of this cyanobacterium.

Cellular transport of l-arginine determines renal medullary blood flow in control rats, but not in diabetic rats despite enhanced cellular uptake capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Persson, Patrik; Fasching, Angelica; Teerlink, Tom; Hansell, Peter; Palm, Fredrik

2017-02-01

Diabetes mellitus is associated with decreased nitric oxide bioavailability thereby affecting renal blood flow regulation. Previous reports have demonstrated that cellular uptake of l-arginine is rate limiting for nitric oxide production and that plasma l-arginine concentration is decreased in diabetes. We therefore investigated whether regional renal blood flow regulation is affected by cellular l-arginine uptake in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Rats were anesthetized with thiobutabarbital, and the left kidney was exposed. Total, cortical, and medullary renal blood flow was investigated before and after renal artery infusion of increasing doses of either l-homoarginine to inhibit cellular uptake of l-arginine or N ω -nitro- l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) to inhibit nitric oxide synthase. l-Homoarginine infusion did not affect total or cortical blood flow in any of the groups, but caused a dose-dependent reduction in medullary blood flow. l-NAME decreased total, cortical and medullary blood flow in both groups. However, the reductions in medullary blood flow in response to both l-homoarginine and l-NAME were more pronounced in the control groups compared with the diabetic groups. Isolated cortical tubular cells displayed similar l-arginine uptake capacity whereas medullary tubular cells isolated from diabetic rats had increased l-arginine uptake capacity. Diabetics had reduced l-arginine concentrations in plasma and medullary tissue but increased l-arginine concentration in cortical tissue. In conclusion, the reduced l-arginine availability in plasma and medullary tissue in diabetes results in reduced nitric oxide-mediated regulation of renal medullary hemodynamics. Cortical blood flow regulation displays less dependency on extracellular l-arginine and the upregulated cortical tissue l-arginine may protect cortical hemodynamics in diabetes. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Lattice gas cellular automata and lattice Boltzmann models an introduction

CERN Document Server

Wolf-Gladrow, Dieter A

2000-01-01

Lattice-gas cellular automata (LGCA) and lattice Boltzmann models (LBM) are relatively new and promising methods for the numerical solution of nonlinear partial differential equations. The book provides an introduction for graduate students and researchers. Working knowledge of calculus is required and experience in PDEs and fluid dynamics is recommended. Some peculiarities of cellular automata are outlined in Chapter 2. The properties of various LGCA and special coding techniques are discussed in Chapter 3. Concepts from statistical mechanics (Chapter 4) provide the necessary theoretical background for LGCA and LBM. The properties of lattice Boltzmann models and a method for their construction are presented in Chapter 5.

DNA Mismatch Repair System: Repercussions in Cellular Homeostasis and Relationship with Aging

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Juan Cristóbal Conde-Pérezprina

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The mechanisms that concern DNA repair have been studied in the last years due to their consequences in cellular homeostasis. The diverse and damaging stimuli that affect DNA integrity, such as changes in the genetic sequence and modifications in gene expression, can disrupt the steady state of the cell and have serious repercussions to pathways that regulate apoptosis, senescence, and cancer. These altered pathways not only modify cellular and organism longevity, but quality of life (“health-span”. The DNA mismatch repair system (MMR is highly conserved between species; its role is paramount in the preservation of DNA integrity, placing it as a necessary focal point in the study of pathways that prolong lifespan, aging, and disease. Here, we review different insights concerning the malfunction or absence of the DNA-MMR and its impact on cellular homeostasis. In particular, we will focus on DNA-MMR mechanisms regulated by known repair proteins MSH2, MSH6, PMS2, and MHL1, among others.

Modeling integrated cellular machinery using hybrid Petri-Boolean networks.

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Natalie Berestovsky

Full Text Available The behavior and phenotypic changes of cells are governed by a cellular circuitry that represents a set of biochemical reactions. Based on biological functions, this circuitry is divided into three types of networks, each encoding for a major biological process: signal transduction, transcription regulation, and metabolism. This division has generally enabled taming computational complexity dealing with the entire system, allowed for using modeling techniques that are specific to each of the components, and achieved separation of the different time scales at which reactions in each of the three networks occur. Nonetheless, with this division comes loss of information and power needed to elucidate certain cellular phenomena. Within the cell, these three types of networks work in tandem, and each produces signals and/or substances that are used by the others to process information and operate normally. Therefore, computational techniques for modeling integrated cellular machinery are needed. In this work, we propose an integrated hybrid model (IHM that combines Petri nets and Boolean networks to model integrated cellular networks. Coupled with a stochastic simulation mechanism, the model simulates the dynamics of the integrated network, and can be perturbed to generate testable hypotheses. Our model is qualitative and is mostly built upon knowledge from the literature and requires fine-tuning of very few parameters. We validated our model on two systems: the transcriptional regulation of glucose metabolism in human cells, and cellular osmoregulation in S. cerevisiae. The model produced results that are in very good agreement with experimental data, and produces valid hypotheses. The abstract nature of our model and the ease of its construction makes it a very good candidate for modeling integrated networks from qualitative data. The results it produces can guide the practitioner to zoom into components and interconnections and investigate them

Ripk3 regulates cardiac microvascular reperfusion injury: The role of IP3R-dependent calcium overload, XO-mediated oxidative stress and F-action/filopodia-based cellular migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Hao; Wang, Jin; Zhu, Pingjun; Hu, Shunying; Ren, Jun

2018-05-01

Ripk3-mediated cellular apoptosis is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of myocardial ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury. However, the mechanisms by which Ripk3 influences microvascular homeostasis and endothelial apoptosis are not completely understood. In this study, loss of Ripk3 inhibited endothelial apoptosis, alleviated luminal swelling, maintained microvasculature patency, reduced the expression of adhesion molecules and limited the myocardial inflammatory response. In vitro, Ripk3 deficiency protected endothelial cells from apoptosis and migratory arrest induced by HR injury. Mechanistically, Ripk3 had the ability to migrate onto the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), leading to ER damage, as evidenced by increased IP3R and XO expression. The higher IP3R content was associated with cellular calcium overload, and increased XO expression was involved in cellular oxidative injury. Furthermore, IP3R-mediated calcium overload and XO-dependent oxidative damage were able to initiate cellular apoptosis. More importantly, IP3R and XO also caused F-actin degradation into G-actin via post-transcriptional modification of cofilin, impairing the formation of the filopodia and limiting the migratory response of endothelial cells. Altogether, our data confirmed that Ripk3 was involved in microvascular IR injury via regulation of IP3R-mediated calcium overload, XO-dependent oxidative damage and filopodia-related cellular migration, ultimately leading to endothelial apoptosis and migratory inhibition. These findings provide a potential target for treating cardiac microcirculatory IR injury. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MicroRNA-221 and -222 Regulate Radiation Sensitivity by Targeting the PTEN Pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Chunzhi; Kang Chunsheng; Wang Ping; Cao Yongzhen; Lv Zhonghong; Yu Shizhu; Wang Guangxiu; Zhang Anling; Jia Zhifan; Han Lei; Yang Chunying; Ishiyama, Hiromichi; Teh, Bin S.; Xu Bo; Pu Peiyu

2011-01-01

Purpose: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are noncoding RNAs inhibiting expression of numerous target genes by posttranscriptional regulation. miRNA-221 and miRNA-222 (miRNA-221/-222) expression is elevated in radioresistant tumor cell lines; however, it is not known whether and how miRNAs control cellular responses to ionizing irradiation. Methods and Materials: We used bioinformatic analyses, luciferase reporter assay, and genetic knockdown and biochemical assays to characterize the regulation pathways of miRNA-221/-222 in response to radiation treatment. Results: We identified the PTEN gene as a target of miRNA-221/-222. Furthermore, we found that knocking down miRNA-221/-222 by antisense oligonucleotides upregulated PTEN expression. Upregulated PTEN expression suppressed AKT activity and increased radiation-induced apoptosis, resulting in enhancement of radiosensitivity in tumor cells. Conclusions: miRNA-221/-222 control radiation sensitivity by regulating the PTEN/AKT pathway and can be explored as novel targets for radiosensitization.

Environmental contaminants and microRNA regulation: Transcription factors as regulators of toxicant-altered microRNA expression

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sollome, James; Martin, Elizabeth [Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (United States); Sethupathy, Praveen [Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States); Fry, Rebecca C., E-mail: rfry@unc.edu [Department of Environmental Science & Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (United States); Curriculum in Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC (United States)

2016-12-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding mRNA and inhibiting translation and/or inducing degradation of the associated transcripts. Expression levels of miRNAs have been shown to be altered in response to environmental toxicants, thus impacting cellular function and influencing disease risk. Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be altered in response to environmental toxicants and play a critical role in the regulation of miRNA expression. To date, environmentally-responsive TFs that are important for regulating miRNAs remain understudied. In a state-of-the-art analysis, we utilized an in silico bioinformatic approach to characterize potential transcriptional regulators of environmentally-responsive miRNAs. Using the miRStart database, genomic sequences of promoter regions for all available human miRNAs (n = 847) were identified and promoter regions were defined as − 1000/+500 base pairs from the transcription start site. Subsequently, the promoter region sequences of environmentally-responsive miRNAs (n = 128) were analyzed using enrichment analysis to determine overrepresented TF binding sites (TFBS). While most (56/73) TFs differed across environmental contaminants, a set of 17 TFs was enriched for promoter binding among miRNAs responsive to numerous environmental contaminants. Of these, one TF was common to miRNAs altered by the majority of environmental contaminants, namely SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 3 (SMARCA3). These identified TFs represent candidate common transcriptional regulators of miRNAs perturbed by environmental toxicants. - Highlights: • Transcription factors that regulate environmentally-modulated miRNA expression are understudied • Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located within DNA promoter regions of miRNAs were identified. • Specific transcription factors may serve as master regulators of environmentally-mediated microRNA expression.

Environmental contaminants and microRNA regulation: Transcription factors as regulators of toxicant-altered microRNA expression

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sollome, James; Martin, Elizabeth; Sethupathy, Praveen; Fry, Rebecca C.

2016-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by binding mRNA and inhibiting translation and/or inducing degradation of the associated transcripts. Expression levels of miRNAs have been shown to be altered in response to environmental toxicants, thus impacting cellular function and influencing disease risk. Transcription factors (TFs) are known to be altered in response to environmental toxicants and play a critical role in the regulation of miRNA expression. To date, environmentally-responsive TFs that are important for regulating miRNAs remain understudied. In a state-of-the-art analysis, we utilized an in silico bioinformatic approach to characterize potential transcriptional regulators of environmentally-responsive miRNAs. Using the miRStart database, genomic sequences of promoter regions for all available human miRNAs (n = 847) were identified and promoter regions were defined as − 1000/+500 base pairs from the transcription start site. Subsequently, the promoter region sequences of environmentally-responsive miRNAs (n = 128) were analyzed using enrichment analysis to determine overrepresented TF binding sites (TFBS). While most (56/73) TFs differed across environmental contaminants, a set of 17 TFs was enriched for promoter binding among miRNAs responsive to numerous environmental contaminants. Of these, one TF was common to miRNAs altered by the majority of environmental contaminants, namely SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 3 (SMARCA3). These identified TFs represent candidate common transcriptional regulators of miRNAs perturbed by environmental toxicants. - Highlights: • Transcription factors that regulate environmentally-modulated miRNA expression are understudied • Transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) located within DNA promoter regions of miRNAs were identified. • Specific transcription factors may serve as master regulators of environmentally-mediated microRNA expression

New features on the environmental regulation of metabolism revealed by modeling the cellular proteomic adaptations induced by light, carbon and inorganic nitrogen in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

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Stéphanie Gérin

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Microalgae are currently emerging to be very promising organisms for the production of biofuels and high-added value compounds. Understanding the influence of environmental alterations on their metabolism is a crucial issue. Light, carbon and nitrogen availability have been reported to induce important metabolic adaptations. So far, the influence of these variables has essentially been studied while varying only one or two environmental factors at the same time. The goal of the present work was to model the cellular proteomic adaptations of the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii upon the simultaneous changes of light intensity, carbon concentrations (CO2 and acetate and inorganic nitrogen concentrations (nitrate and ammonium in the culture medium. Statistical design of experiments (DOE enabled to define 32 culture conditions to be tested experimentally. Relative protein abundance was quantified by two dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE. Additional assays for respiration, photosynthesis, and lipid and pigment concentrations were also carried out. A hierarchical clustering survey enabled to partition biological variables (proteins + assays into eight co-regulated clusters. In most cases, the biological variables partitioned in the same cluster had already been reported to participate to common biological functions (acetate assimilation, bioenergetic processes, light harvesting, Calvin cycle and protein metabolism. The environmental regulation within each cluster was further characterized by a series of multivariate methods including principal component analysis and multiple linear regressions. This metadata analysis enabled to highlight the existence of a clear regulatory pattern for every cluster and to mathematically simulate the effects of light, carbon and nitrogen. The influence of these environmental variables on cellular metabolism is described in details and thoroughly discussed. This work provides an overview

The CPT1C 5'UTR contains a repressing upstream open reading frame that is regulated by cellular energy availability and AMPK.

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Ines Lohse

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Translational control is utilized as a means of regulating gene expression in many species. In most cases, posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms play an important role in stress response pathways and can lead to dysfunctional physiology if blocked by mutations. Carnitine Palmitoyltransferase 1 C (CPT1C, the brain-specific member of the CPT 1 family, has previously been shown to be involved in regulating metabolism in situations of energy surplus. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Sequence analysis of the CPT1C mRNA revealed that it contains an upstream open reading frame (uORF in the 5' UTR of its mRNA. Using CPT1C 5' UTR/luciferase constructs, we investigated the role of the uORF in translational regulation. The results presented here show that translation from the CPT1C main open reading frame (mORF is repressed by the presence of the uORF, that this repression is relieved in response to specific stress stimuli, namely glucose deprivation and palmitate-BSA treatment, and that AMPK inhibition can relieve this uORF-dependent repression. SIGNIFICANCE: The fact that the mORF regulation is relieved in response to a specific set of stress stimuli rather than general stress response, hints at an involvement of CPT1C in cellular energy-sensing pathways and provides further evidence for a role of CPT1C in hypothalamic regulation of energy homeostasis.

Cellular Dynamics Revealed by Digital Holographic Microscopy☆

KAUST Repository

Marquet, P.

2016-11-22

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is a new optical method that provides, without the use of any contrast agent, real-time, three-dimensional images of transparent living cells, with an axial sensitivity of a few tens of nanometers. They result from the hologram numerical reconstruction process, which permits a sub wavelength calculation of the phase shift, produced on the transmitted wave front, by the optically probed cells, namely the quantitative phase signal (QPS). Specifically, in addition to measurements of cellular surface morphometry and intracellular refractive index (RI), various biophysical cellular parameters including dry mass, absolute volume, membrane fluctuations at the nanoscale and biomechanical properties, transmembrane water permeability as swell as current, can be derived from the QPS. This article presents how quantitative phase DHM (QP-DHM) can explored cell dynamics at the nanoscale with a special attention to both the study of neuronal dynamics and the optical resolution of local neuronal network.

Cellular Dynamics Revealed by Digital Holographic Microscopy☆

KAUST Repository

Marquet, P.; Depeursinge, Christian; Jourdain, P.

2016-01-01

Digital holographic microscopy (DHM) is a new optical method that provides, without the use of any contrast agent, real-time, three-dimensional images of transparent living cells, with an axial sensitivity of a few tens of nanometers. They result from the hologram numerical reconstruction process, which permits a sub wavelength calculation of the phase shift, produced on the transmitted wave front, by the optically probed cells, namely the quantitative phase signal (QPS). Specifically, in addition to measurements of cellular surface morphometry and intracellular refractive index (RI), various biophysical cellular parameters including dry mass, absolute volume, membrane fluctuations at the nanoscale and biomechanical properties, transmembrane water permeability as swell as current, can be derived from the QPS. This article presents how quantitative phase DHM (QP-DHM) can explored cell dynamics at the nanoscale with a special attention to both the study of neuronal dynamics and the optical resolution of local neuronal network.

Steroidogenesis and early response gene expression in MA-10 Leydig tumor cells following heterologous receptor down-regulation and cellular desensitization

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Tsuey-Ming Chen

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The Leydig tumor cell line, MA-10, expresses the luteinizing hormone receptor, a G protein-coupled receptor that, when activated with luteinizing hormone or chorionic gonadotropin (CG, stimulates cAMP production and subsequent steroidogenesis, notably progesterone. These cells also respond to epidermal growth factor (EGF and phorbol esters with increased steroid biosynthesis. In order to probe the intracellular pathways along with heterologous receptor down-regulation and cellular desensitization, cells were preincubated with EGF or phorbol esters and then challenged with CG, EGF, dibutryl-cyclic AMP, and a phorbol ester. Relative receptor numbers, steroid biosynthesis, and expression of the early response genes, JUNB and c-FOS, were measured. It was found that in all cases but one receptor down-regulation and decreased progesterone production were closely coupled under the conditions used; the exception involved preincubation of the cells with EGF followed by addition of CG where the CG-mediated stimulation of steroidogenesis was considerably lower than the level of receptor down-regulation. In a number of instances JUNB and c-FOS expression paralleled the decreases in receptor number and progesterone production, while in some cases these early response genes were affected little if at all by the changes in receptor number. This finding may indicate that even low levels of activated signaling kinases, e.g. protein kinase A, protein kinase C, or receptor tyrosine kinase, may suffice to yield good expression of JUNB and c-FOS, or it may suggest alternative pathways for regulating expression of these two early response genes.

Cellular copper homeostasis: current concepts on its interplay with glutathione homeostasis and its implication in physiology and human diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharjee, Ashima; Chakraborty, Kaustav; Shukla, Aditya

2017-10-18

Copper is a trace element essential for almost all living organisms. But the level of intracellular copper needs to be tightly regulated. Dysregulation of cellular copper homeostasis leading to various diseases demonstrates the importance of this tight regulation. Copper homeostasis is regulated not only within the cell but also within individual intracellular compartments. Inactivation of export machinery results in excess copper being redistributed into various intracellular organelles. Recent evidence suggests the involvement of glutathione in playing an important role in regulating copper entry and intracellular copper homeostasis. Therefore interplay of both homeostases might play an important role within the cell. Similar to copper, glutathione balance is tightly regulated within individual cellular compartments. This review explores the existing literature on the role of glutathione in regulating cellular copper homeostasis. On the one hand, interplay of glutathione and copper homeostasis performs an important role in normal physiological processes, for example neuronal differentiation. On the other hand, perturbation of the interplay might play a key role in the pathogenesis of copper homeostasis disorders.

The Vip1 inositol polyphosphate kinase family regulates polarized growth and modulates the microtubule cytoskeleton in fungi.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jennifer Pöhlmann

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Microtubules (MTs are pivotal for numerous eukaryotic processes ranging from cellular morphogenesis, chromosome segregation to intracellular transport. Execution of these tasks requires intricate regulation of MT dynamics. Here, we identify a new regulator of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe MT cytoskeleton: Asp1, a member of the highly conserved Vip1 inositol polyphosphate kinase family. Inositol pyrophosphates generated by Asp1 modulate MT dynamic parameters independent of the central +TIP EB1 and in a dose-dependent and cellular-context-dependent manner. Importantly, our analysis of the in vitro kinase activities of various S. pombe Asp1 variants demonstrated that the C-terminal phosphatase-like domain of the dual domain Vip1 protein negatively affects the inositol pyrophosphate output of the N-terminal kinase domain. These data suggest that the former domain has phosphatase activity. Remarkably, Vip1 regulation of the MT cytoskeleton is a conserved feature, as Vip1-like proteins of the filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus nidulans and the distantly related pathogenic basidiomycete Ustilago maydis also affect the MT cytoskeleton in these organisms. Consistent with the role of interphase MTs in growth zone selection/maintenance, all 3 fungal systems show aspects of aberrant cell morphogenesis. Thus, for the first time we have identified a conserved biological process for inositol pyrophosphates.

The MAP kinase-activated protein kinase Rck2p regulates cellular responses to cell wall stresses, filamentation and virulence in the human fungal pathogen Candida albicans.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xichuan; Du, Wei; Zhao, Jingwen; Zhang, Lilin; Zhu, Zhiyan; Jiang, Linghuo

2010-06-01

Rck2p is the Hog1p-MAP kinase-activated protein kinase required for the attenuation of protein synthesis in response to an osmotic challenge in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Rck2p also regulates rapamycin sensitivity in both S. cerevisiae and Candida albicans. In this study, we demonstrate that the deletion of CaRCK2 renders C. albicans cells sensitive to, and CaRck2p translocates from the cytosol to the nucleus in response to, cell wall stresses caused by Congo red, Calcoflor White, elevated heat and zymolyase. However, the kinase activity of CaRck2p is not required for the cellular response to these cell wall stresses. Furthermore, transcripts of cell wall protein-encoding genes CaBGL2, CaHWP1 and CaXOG1 are reduced in C. albicans cells lacking CaRCK2. The deletion of CaRCK2 also reduces the in vitro filamentation of C. albicans and its virulence in a mouse model of systemic candidasis. The kinase activity of CaRck2p is required for the virulence, but not for the in vitro filamentation, in C. albicans. Therefore, Rck2p regulates cellular responses to cell wall stresses, filamentation and virulence in the human fungal pathogen C. albicans.

TOR Complexes and the Maintenance of Cellular Homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Eltschinger, Sandra; Loewith, Robbie

2016-02-01

The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) is a conserved serine/threonine (ser/thr) kinase that functions in two, distinct, multiprotein complexes called TORC1 and TORC2. Each complex regulates different aspects of eukaryote growth: TORC1 regulates cell volume and/or mass by influencing protein synthesis and turnover, while TORC2, as detailed in this review, regulates cell surface area by influencing lipid production and intracellular turgor. TOR complexes function in feedback loops, implying that downstream effectors are also likely to be involved in upstream regulation. In this regard, the notion that TORCs function primarily as mediators of cellular and organismal homeostasis is fundamentally different from the current, predominate view of TOR as a direct transducer of extracellular biotic and abiotic signals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A dynamic cellular vertex model of growing epithelial tissues

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shao-Zhen; Li, Bo; Feng, Xi-Qiao

2017-04-01

Intercellular interactions play a significant role in a wide range of biological functions and processes at both the cellular and tissue scales, for example, embryogenesis, organogenesis, and cancer invasion. In this paper, a dynamic cellular vertex model is presented to study the morphomechanics of a growing epithelial monolayer. The regulating role of stresses in soft tissue growth is revealed. It is found that the cells originating from the same parent cell in the monolayer can orchestrate into clustering patterns as the tissue grows. Collective cell migration exhibits a feature of spatial correlation across multiple cells. Dynamic intercellular interactions can engender a variety of distinct tissue behaviors in a social context. Uniform cell proliferation may render high and heterogeneous residual compressive stresses, while stress-regulated proliferation can effectively release the stresses, reducing the stress heterogeneity in the tissue. The results highlight the critical role of mechanical factors in the growth and morphogenesis of epithelial tissues and help understand the development and invasion of epithelial tumors.

The cellular and compartmental profile of mouse retinal glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and ~P transferring kinases.

Science.gov (United States)

Rueda, Elda M; Johnson, Jerry E; Giddabasappa, Anand; Swaroop, Anand; Brooks, Matthew J; Sigel, Irena; Chaney, Shawnta Y; Fox, Donald A

2016-01-01

combined results indicate that glycolysis is regulated by the compartmental expression of hexokinase 2, pyruvate kinase M1, and pyruvate kinase M2 in photoreceptors, whereas the inner retinal neurons exhibit a lower capacity for glycolysis and aerobic glycolysis. Expression of nucleoside diphosphate kinase, mitochondria-associated adenylate kinase, and several mitochondria-associated creatine kinase isozymes was highest in the outer retina, whereas expression of cytosolic adenylate kinase and brain creatine kinase was higher in the cones, horizontal cells, and amacrine cells indicating the diversity of ATP-buffering strategies among retinal neurons. Based on the antibody intensities and the COX and LDH activity, Müller glial cells (MGCs) had the lowest capacity for glycolysis, aerobic glycolysis, and OXPHOS. However, they showed high expression of glutamate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinate thiokinase, GABA transaminase, and ~P transferring kinases. This suggests that MGCs utilize TCA cycle anaplerosis and cataplerosis to generate GTP and ~P transferring kinases to produce ATP that supports MGC energy requirements. Our comprehensive and integrated results reveal that the adult mouse retina expresses numerous isoforms of ATP synthesizing, regulating, and buffering genes; expresses differential cellular and compartmental levels of glycolytic, OXPHOS, TCA cycle, and ~P transferring kinase proteins; and exhibits differential layer-by-layer LDH and COX activity. New insights into cell-specific and compartmental ATP and GTP production, as well as utilization and buffering strategies and their relationship with known retinal and cellular functions, are discussed. Developing therapeutic strategies for neuroprotection and treating retinal deficits and degeneration in a cell-specific manner will require such knowledge. This work provides a platform for future research directed at identifying the molecular targets and proteins that regulate these processes.

Regulation of ROCK Activity in Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morgan-Fisher, Marie; Wewer, Ulla M; Yoneda, Atsuko

2013-01-01

, these findings demonstrate additional modes to regulate ROCK activity. This review describes the molecular mechanisms of ROCK activity regulation in cancer, with emphasis on ROCK isoform-specific regulation and interaction partners, and discusses the potential of ROCKs as therapeutic targets in cancer.......Cancer-associated changes in cellular behavior, such as modified cell-cell contact, increased migratory potential, and generation of cellular force, all require alteration of the cytoskeleton. Two homologous mammalian serine/threonine kinases, Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCK I and II), are key...... regulators of the actin cytoskeleton acting downstream of the small GTPase Rho. ROCK is associated with cancer progression, and ROCK protein expression is elevated in several types of cancer. ROCKs exist in a closed, inactive conformation under quiescent conditions, which is changed to an open, active...

Evolution and regulation of cellular periodic processes: a role for paralogues

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trachana, Kalliopi; Jensen, Lars Juhl; Bork, Peer

2010-01-01

performed the first systematic comparison in three organisms (Homo sapiens, Arabidopsis thaliana and Saccharomyces cerevisiae) by using public microarray data. We observed that although diurnal-regulated and ultradian-regulated genes are not generally cell-cycle-regulated, they tend to have cell...

Numerical assessment of conventional regulation effectiveness for ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... depends on fire safety engineering that is provided, and which is generally established using smoke spread field and temperature distribution predictions. ... conventional regulation; ventilation strategies; smoke temperature; smoke barriers ...

Downregulation of miR-130b~301b cluster is mediated by aberrant promoter methylation and impairs cellular senescence in prostate cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

João Ramalho-Carvalho

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Numerous DNA-damaging cellular stresses, including oncogene activation and DNA-damage response (DDR, may lead to cellular senescence. Previous observations linked microRNA deregulation with altered senescent patterns, prompting us to investigate whether epigenetic repression of microRNAs expression might disrupt senescence in prostate cancer (PCa cells. Methods Differential methylation mapping in prostate tissues was carried using Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip. After validation of methylation and expression analyses in a larger series of prostate tissues, the functional role of the cluster miR-130b~301b was explored using in vitro studies testing cell viability, apoptosis, invasion and DNA damage in prostate cancer cell lines. Western blot and RT-qPCR were performed to support those observations. Results We found that the miR-130b~301b cluster directs epigenetic activation of cell cycle inhibitors required for DDR activation, thus stimulating the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-130b~301b cluster markedly reduced the malignant phenotype of PCa cells. Conclusions Altogether, these data demonstrate that miR-130b~301b cluster overexpression might effectively induce PCa cell growth arrest through epigenetic regulation of proliferation-blocking genes and activation of cellular senescence.

TFEB and TFE3: Linking Lysosomes to Cellular Adaptation to Stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Raben, Nina; Puertollano, Rosa

2016-10-06

In recent years, our vision of lysosomes has drastically changed. Formerly considered to be mere degradative compartments, they are now recognized as key players in many cellular processes. The ability of lysosomes to respond to different stimuli revealed a complex and coordinated regulation of lysosomal gene expression. This review discusses the participation of the transcription factors TFEB and TFE3 in the regulation of lysosomal function and biogenesis, as well as the role of the lysosomal pathway in cellular adaptation to a variety of stress conditions, including nutrient deprivation, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding, and pathogen infection. We also describe how cancer cells make use of TFEB and TFE3 to promote their own survival and highlight the potential of these transcription factors as therapeutic targets for the treatment of neurological and lysosomal diseases.

TGF-β1 targets a microRNA network that regulates cellular adhesion and migration in renal cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Bogusławska, Joanna; Rodzik, Katarzyna; Popławski, Piotr; Kędzierska, Hanna; Rybicka, Beata; Sokół, Elżbieta; Tański, Zbigniew; Piekiełko-Witkowska, Agnieszka

2018-01-01

In our previous study we found altered expression of 19 adhesion-related genes in renal tumors. In this study we hypothesized that disturbed expression of adhesion-related genes could be caused by microRNAs: short, non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression. Here, we found that expression of 24 microRNAs predicted to target adhesion-related genes was disturbed in renal tumors and correlated with expression of their predicted targets. miR-25-3p, miR-30a-5p, miR-328 and miR-363-3p directly targeted adhesion-related genes, including COL5A1, COL11A1, ITGA5, MMP16 and THBS2. miR-363-3p and miR-328 inhibited proliferation of renal cancer cells, while miR-25-3p inhibited adhesion, promoted proliferation and migration of renal cancer cells. TGF-β1 influenced the expression of miR-25-3p, miR-30a-5p, and miR-328. The analyzed microRNAs, their target genes and TGF-β1 formed a network of strong correlations in tissue samples from renal cancer patients. The expression signature of microRNAs linked with TGF-β1 levels correlated with poor survival of renal cancer patients. The results of our study suggest that TGF-β1 coordinates the expression of microRNA network that regulates cellular adhesion in cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cystic Fibrosis, Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator and Drugs: Insights from Cellular Trafficking.

Science.gov (United States)

Bridges, Robert J; Bradbury, Neil A

2018-01-01

The eukaryotic cell is organized into membrane-delineated compartments that are characterized by specific cadres of proteins sustaining biochemically distinct cellular processes. The appropriate subcellular localization of proteins is key to proper organelle function and provides a physiological context for cellular processes. Disruption of normal trafficking pathways for proteins is seen in several genetic diseases, where a protein's absence for a specific subcellular compartment leads to organelle disruption, and in the context of an individual, a disruption of normal physiology. Importantly, several drug therapies can also alter protein trafficking, causing unwanted side effects. Thus, a deeper understanding of trafficking pathways needs to be appreciated as novel therapeutic modalities are proposed. Despite the promising efficacy of novel therapeutic agents, the intracellular bioavailability of these compounds has proved to be a potential barrier, leading to failures in treatments for various diseases and disorders. While endocytosis of drug moieties provides an efficient means of getting material into cells, the subsequent release and endosomal escape of materials into the cytosol where they need to act has been a barrier. An understanding of cellular protein/lipid trafficking pathways has opened up strategies for increasing drug bioavailability. Approaches to enhance endosomal exit have greatly increased the cytosolic bioavailability of drugs and will provide a means of investigating previous drugs that may have been shelved due to their low cytosolic concentration.

HSV-I and the cellular DNA damage response.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Samantha; Weller, Sandra K

2015-04-01

Peter Wildy first observed genetic recombination between strains of HSV in 1955. At the time, knowledge of DNA repair mechanisms was limited, and it has only been in the last decade that particular DNA damage response (DDR) pathways have been examined in the context of viral infections. One of the first reports addressing the interaction between a cellular DDR protein and HSV-1 was the observation by Lees-Miller et al . that DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit levels were depleted in an ICP0-dependent manner during Herpes simplex virus 1 infection. Since then, there have been numerous reports describing the interactions between HSV infection and cellular DDR pathways. Due to space limitations, this review will focus predominantly on the most recent observations regarding how HSV navigates a potentially hostile environment to replicate its genome.

Cellular recycling of proteins in seed dormancy alleviation and germination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krystyna Oracz

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Each step of the seed-to-seed cycle of plant development including seed germination is characterized by a specific set of proteins. The continual renewal and/or replacement of these biomolecules are crucial for optimal plant adaptation. As proteins are the main effectors inside the cells, their levels need to be tightly regulated. This is partially achieved by specific proteolytic pathways via multicatalytic protease complexes defined as 20S and 26S proteasomes. In plants, the 20S proteasome is responsible for degradation of carbonylated proteins, while the 26S being a part of ubiquitin-proteasome pathway (UPP is known to be involved in proteolysis of phytohormone signaling regulators. On the other hand, the role of translational control of plant development is also well documented, especially in the context of pollen tube growth and light signaling. Despite the current progress that has been made in seed biology, the sequence of cellular events that determine if the seed can germinate or not are still far from complete understanding. The role and mechanisms of regulation of proteome composition during processes occurring in the plant’s photosynthetic tissues have been well characterized since many years, but in nonphotosynthetic seeds it has emerged as a tempting research task only since the last decade. This review discusses the recent discoveries providing insights into the role of protein turnover in seed dormancy alleviation, and germination, with a focus on the control of translation and proteasomal proteolysis. The presented novel data of translatome profiling in seeds highlighted that post-transcriptional regulation of germination results from a timely regulated initiation of translation. In addition, the importance of 26S proteasome in the degradation of regulatory elements of cellular signaling and that of the 20S complex in proteolysis of specific carbonylated proteins in hormonal- and light-dependent processes occurring in seeds is

The CORVET complex: compositions, function, and impact on cellular behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jonker, CTH

2016-01-01

The endolysosomal system is positioned on the crossroad of the intracellular and extracellular environment and is therefore crucial to regulate many cellular processes. Proper function of the endolysosomal system greatly depends on the concept of membrane identity; the controlled protein and lipid

Viral and cellular SOS-regulated motor proteins: dsDNA translocation mechanisms with divergent functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Annie; Phipps, Kara; Weitao, Tao

2014-01-01

DNA damage attacks on bacterial cells have been known to activate the SOS response, a transcriptional response affecting chromosome replication, DNA recombination and repair, cell division and prophage induction. All these functions require double-stranded (ds) DNA translocation by ASCE hexameric motors. This review seeks to delineate the structural and functional characteristics of the SOS response and the SOS-regulated DNA translocases FtsK and RuvB with the phi29 bacteriophage packaging motor gp16 ATPase as a prototype to study bacterial motors. While gp16 ATPase, cellular FtsK and RuvB are similarly comprised of hexameric rings encircling dsDNA and functioning as ATP-driven DNA translocases, they utilize different mechanisms to accomplish separate functions, suggesting a convergent evolution of these motors. The gp16 ATPase and FtsK use a novel revolution mechanism, generating a power stroke between subunits through an entropy-DNA affinity switch and pushing dsDNA inward without rotation of DNA and the motor, whereas RuvB seems to employ a rotation mechanism that remains to be further characterized. While FtsK and RuvB perform essential tasks during the SOS response, their roles may be far more significant as SOS response is involved in antibiotic-inducible bacterial vesiculation and biofilm formation as well as the perspective of the bacteria-cancer evolutionary interaction.

Beyond cellular detoxification: a plethora of physiological roles for MDR transporter homologs in plants

Science.gov (United States)

Remy, Estelle; Duque, Paula

2014-01-01

Higher plants possess a multitude of Multiple Drug Resistance (MDR) transporter homologs that group into three distinct and ubiquitous families—the ATP-Binding Cassette (ABC) superfamily, the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), and the Multidrug And Toxic compound Extrusion (MATE) family. As in other organisms, such as fungi, mammals, and bacteria, MDR transporters make a primary contribution to cellular detoxification processes in plants, mainly through the extrusion of toxic compounds from the cell or their sequestration in the central vacuole. This review aims at summarizing the currently available information on the in vivo roles of MDR transporters in plant systems. Taken together, these data clearly indicate that the biological functions of ABC, MFS, and MATE carriers are not restricted to xenobiotic and metal detoxification. Importantly, the activity of plant MDR transporters also mediates biotic stress resistance and is instrumental in numerous physiological processes essential for optimal plant growth and development, including the regulation of ion homeostasis and polar transport of the phytohormone auxin. PMID:24910617

Understanding Regulation of Metabolism through Feasibility Analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nikerel, I.E.; Berkhout, J.; Hu, F.; Teusink, B.; Reinders, M.J.T.; De Ridder, D.

2012-01-01

Understanding cellular regulation of metabolism is a major challenge in systems biology. Thus far, the main assumption was that enzyme levels are key regulators in metabolic networks. However, regulation analysis recently showed that metabolism is rarely controlled via enzyme levels only, but

The effect of cellular aging on the dynamics of spiral waves

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng Min-Yi; Chen Xi-Qiong; Tang Guo-Ning

2014-01-01

Cellular aging can result in deterioration of electrical coupling, the extension of the action potential duration, and lower excitability of the cell. Those factors are introduced into the Greenberg—Hastings cellular automaton model and the effects of the cellular aging on the dynamics of spiral waves are studied. The numerical results show that a 50% reduction of the coupling strength of aging cells has a little influence on spiral waves. If the coupling strength of aging cells equals zero, the ability for the medium to maintain spiral waves will be reduced by approximately 50% when the aging cell ratio increases from 0 to 0.5, where the reduction of cell excitability plays a major role in inducing disappearance of spiral waves. When the relevant parameters are properly chosen, the cellular aging can lead to the meandering of spiral waves, the emergence of the binary spiral waves, and even the disappearance of spiral waves via the stopping rotation or shrinkage of wave. Physical mechanisms of the above phenomena are analyzed briefly. (general)

Cellular and Porous Materials Thermal Properties Simulation and Prediction

CERN Document Server

Öchsner, Andreas; de Lemos, Marcelo J S

2008-01-01

Providing the reader with a solid understanding of the fundamentals as well as an awareness of recent advances in properties and applications of cellular and porous materials, this handbook and ready reference covers all important analytical and numerical methods for characterizing and predicting thermal properties. In so doing it directly addresses the special characteristics of foam-like and hole-riddled materials, combining theoretical and experimental aspects for characterization purposes.

Analytical modeling of mode selection and power control for underlay D2D communication in cellular networks

KAUST Repository

Elsawy, Hesham

2014-11-01

Device-to-device (D2D) communication enables the user equipments (UEs) located in close proximity to bypass the cellular base stations (BSs) and directly connect to each other, and thereby, offload traffic from the cellular infrastructure. D2D communication can improve spatial frequency reuse and energy efficiency in cellular networks. This paper presents a comprehensive and tractable analytical framework for D2D-enabled uplink cellular networks with a flexible mode selection scheme along with truncated channel inversion power control. The developed framework is used to analyze and understand how the underlaying D2D communication affects the cellular network performance. Through comprehensive numerical analysis, we investigate the expected performance gains and provide guidelines for selecting the network parameters.

Temperature Regulation of Photovoltaic Module Using Phase Change Material: A Numerical Analysis and Experimental Investigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Mahamudul

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This work represents an effective design of a temperature regulated PV module by integrating phase change materials for Malaysian weather condition. Through the numerical analysis and experimental investigation it has been shown that if a PCM layer of width 0.02 m of RT 35 is used as a cooling arrangement with a PV module, the surface temperature of the module is reduced by 10°C, which remains constant for a period of 4–6 hours. This reduction of temperature implies the increase in conversion efficiency of the module. Experiment as well as investigation has been carried out considering typical Malaysian weather. Obtained result has been validated by using experimental prototype and comparative analysis.

Hybrid disassembly system for cellular telephone end-of-life treatment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kniebel, M.; Basdere, B.; Seliger, G. [Technical Univ. Berlin, Inst. for Machine Tools and Factory Management, Dept. of Assembly Technology and Factory Management, Berlin (Germany)

2004-07-01

Concern over the negative environmental impacts associated with the production, use, and end-of-life (EOL) of cellular telephones is particularly high due to large production volumes and characteristically short time scales of technological and stylistic obsolescence. Landfilled or incinerated cellular telephones create the potential for release of toxic substances. The European legislation has passed the directive on Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) to regulate their collection and appropriate end-of-life treatment. Manufacturers must conduct material recycling or remanufacturing processes to recover resources. While recovery rates can hardly be met economically by material recycling, remanufacturing and reusing cellular phones is developing into a reasonable alternative. Both end-of-life options require disassembly processes for WEEE compliant treatment. Due to the high number of different cell phone variants and their typical design that fits components into tight enclosing spaces, cellular phone disassembly becomes a challenging task. These challenges and the expected high numbers of phones to be returned in the course of the WEEE urges for automated disassembly. A hybrid disassembly system has been developed to ensure the mass-treatment of obsolete cellular phones. It has been integrated into a prototypical remanufacturing factory for cellular phones that has been planned based on market data. (orig.)

Cellular therapies: Day by day, all the way.

Science.gov (United States)

Atilla, Erden; Kilic, Pelin; Gurman, Gunhan

2018-04-18

Tremendous effort and knowledge have elucidated a new era of 'cellular therapy,' also called "live" or "living" drugs. There are currently thousands of active clinical trials that are ongoing, seeking hope for incurable conditions thanks to the increased accessibility and reliability of gene editing and cellular reprogramming. Accomplishments in various adoptive T cell immunotherapies and chimeric antigen receptor (CART) T cell therapies oriented researchers to the field. Cellular therapies are believed to be the next generation of curative therapeutics in many ways, the classification and nomenclature for these applications have not yet reached a consensus. Trends in recent years are moving towards making tissues and cell processes only in centers with production permits. It is quite promising that competent authorities have increased licensing activities of tissue and cell establishments in their countries, under good practice (GxP) rules, and preclinical and clinical trials involving cell-based therapies have led to significant investments. Despite the initiatives undertaken and the large budgets that have been allocated, only limited success has been achieved in cellular therapy compared to conventional drug development. Cost, and cost effectiveness, are important issues for these novel therapies to meet unmet clinical needs, and there are still many scientific, translational, commercializational, and ethical questions that do not have answers. The main objectives of this review is to underline the current position of cellular therapies in research, highlight the timely topic of immunotherapy and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment, and compile information related to regulations and marketing of cellular therapeutic approaches worldwide. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Magnetogenetics: Remote Control of Cellular Signaling with Magnetic Fields

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Jeremy P.

Means for temporally regulating gene expression and cellular activity are invaluable for elucidating the underlying physiological processes and have therapeutic implications. Here we report the development of a system for remote regulation of gene expression by low frequency radiowaves (RF) or by a static magnetic field. We accomplished this by first adding iron oxide nanoparticles - either exogenously or as genetically encoded ferritin/ferric oxyhydroxide particle. These particles have been designed with affinity to the plasma membrane ion channel Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) by a conjugated antibody. Application of a magnetic field stimulates the particle to gate the ion channel and this, in turn, initiates calcium-dependent transgene expression. We first demonstrated in vitro that TRPV1 can be actuated to cause calcium flux into the cell by directly applying a localized magnetic field. In mice expressing these genetically encoded components, application of external magnetic field caused remote stimulation of insulin transgene expression and significantly lowered blood glucose. In addition, we are investigating mechanisms by which iron oxide nanoparticles can absorb RF, and transduce this energy to cause channel opening. This robust, repeatable method for remote cellular regulation in vivo may ultimately have applications in basic science, as well as in technology and therapeutics.

High-Concentrate Diet-Induced Change of Cellular Metabolism Leads to Decreases of Immunity and Imbalance of Cellular Activities in Rumen Epithelium.

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Zhongyan; Shen, Hong; Shen, Zanming

2018-01-01

In animals, the immune and cellular processes of tissue largely depend on the status of local metabolism. However, in the rumen epithelium, how the cellular metabolism affects epithelial immunity, and cellular processes, when the diet is switched from energy-rich to energy-excess status, with regard to animal production and health, have not as yet been reported. RNA-seq was applied to compare the biological processes altered by an increase of dietary concentration from 10% to 35% with those altered by an increase of dietary concentration from 35% to 65% (dietary concentrate: the non-grass component in diet, including corn, soya bean meal and additive. High concentrate diet composed of 35% grass, 55% corn, 8% soya bean meal and 2% additive). In addition to the functional analysis of enriched genes in terms of metabolism, the immune system, and cellular process, the highly correlated genes to the enriched metabolism genes were identified, and the function and signaling pathways related to the differentially expressed neighbors were compared among the groups. The variation trends of molar proportions of ruminal SCFAs and those of enriched pathways belonging to metabolism, immune system, and cellular process were altered with the change of diets. With regard to metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism were most affected. According to the correlation analysis, both innate and adaptive immune responses were promoted by the metabolism genes enriched under the 65% concentrate diet. However, the majority of immune responses were suppressed under the 35% concentrate diet. Moreover, the exclusive upregulation of cell growth and dysfunction of cellular transport and catabolism were induced by the metabolism genes enriched under the 65% concentrate diet. On the contrary, a balanced regulation of cellular processes was detected under the 35% concentrate diet. These results indicated that the alterations of cellular metabolism promote the alterations in cellular

High-Concentrate Diet-Induced Change of Cellular Metabolism Leads to Decreases of Immunity and Imbalance of Cellular Activities in Rumen Epithelium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhongyan Lu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background/Aims: In animals, the immune and cellular processes of tissue largely depend on the status of local metabolism. However, in the rumen epithelium, how the cellular metabolism affects epithelial immunity, and cellular processes, when the diet is switched from energy-rich to energy-excess status, with regard to animal production and health, have not as yet been reported. Methods: RNA-seq was applied to compare the biological processes altered by an increase of dietary concentration from 10% to 35% with those altered by an increase of dietary concentration from 35% to 65% (dietary concentrate: the non-grass component in diet, including corn, soya bean meal and additive. High concentrate diet composed of 35% grass, 55% corn, 8% soya bean meal and 2% additive. In addition to the functional analysis of enriched genes in terms of metabolism, the immune system, and cellular process, the highly correlated genes to the enriched metabolism genes were identified, and the function and signaling pathways related to the differentially expressed neighbors were compared among the groups. Results: The variation trends of molar proportions of ruminal SCFAs and those of enriched pathways belonging to metabolism, immune system, and cellular process were altered with the change of diets. With regard to metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism were most affected. According to the correlation analysis, both innate and adaptive immune responses were promoted by the metabolism genes enriched under the 65% concentrate diet. However, the majority of immune responses were suppressed under the 35% concentrate diet. Moreover, the exclusive upregulation of cell growth and dysfunction of cellular transport and catabolism were induced by the metabolism genes enriched under the 65% concentrate diet. On the contrary, a balanced regulation of cellular processes was detected under the 35% concentrate diet. Conclusions: These results indicated that the

Understanding Biological Regulation Through Synthetic Biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bashor, Caleb J; Collins, James J

2018-03-16

Engineering synthetic gene regulatory circuits proceeds through iterative cycles of design, building, and testing. Initial circuit designs must rely on often-incomplete models of regulation established by fields of reductive inquiry-biochemistry and molecular and systems biology. As differences in designed and experimentally observed circuit behavior are inevitably encountered, investigated, and resolved, each turn of the engineering cycle can force a resynthesis in understanding of natural network function. Here, we outline research that uses the process of gene circuit engineering to advance biological discovery. Synthetic gene circuit engineering research has not only refined our understanding of cellular regulation but furnished biologists with a toolkit that can be directed at natural systems to exact precision manipulation of network structure. As we discuss, using circuit engineering to predictively reorganize, rewire, and reconstruct cellular regulation serves as the ultimate means of testing and understanding how cellular phenotype emerges from systems-level network function. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics Volume 47 is May 20, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Cellular Homeostasis and Antioxidant Response in Epithelial HT29 Cells on Titania Nanotube Arrays Surface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabiatul Basria SMN Mydin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Cell growth and proliferative activities on titania nanotube arrays (TNA have raised alerts on genotoxicity risk. Present toxicogenomic approach focused on epithelial HT29 cells with TNA surface. Fledgling cell-TNA interaction has triggered G0/G1 cell cycle arrests and initiates DNA damage surveillance checkpoint, which possibly indicated the cellular stress stimuli. A profound gene regulation was observed to be involved in cellular growth and survival signals such as p53 and AKT expressions. Interestingly, the activation of redox regulator pathways (antioxidant defense was observed through the cascade interactions of GADD45, MYC, CHECK1, and ATR genes. These mechanisms furnish to protect DNA during cellular division from an oxidative challenge, set in motion with XRRC5 and RAD50 genes for DNA damage and repair activities. The cell fate decision on TNA-nanoenvironment has been reported to possibly regulate proliferative activities via expression of p27 and BCL2 tumor suppressor proteins, cogent with SKP2 and BCL2 oncogenic proteins suppression. Findings suggested that epithelial HT29 cells on the surface of TNA may have a positive regulation via cell-homeostasis mechanisms: a careful circadian orchestration between cell proliferation, survival, and death. This nanomolecular knowledge could be beneficial for advanced medical applications such as in nanomedicine and nanotherapeutics.

Cellular reprogramming through mitogen-activated protein kinases

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Justin eLee

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK cascades are conserved eukaryote signaling modules where MAPKs, as the final kinases in the cascade, phosphorylate protein substrates to regulate cellular processes. While some progress in the identification of MAPK substrates has been made in plants, the knowledge on the spectrum of substrates and their mechanistic action is still fragmentary. In this focused review, we discuss the biological implications of the data in our original paper (Sustained mitogen-activated protein kinase activation reprograms defense metabolism and phosphoprotein profile in Arabidopsis thaliana; Frontiers in Plant Science 5: 554 in the context of related research. In our work, we mimicked in vivo activation of two stress-activated MAPKs, MPK3 and MPK6, through transgenic manipulation of Arabidopsis thaliana and used phosphoproteomics analysis to identify potential novel MAPK substrates. Here, we plotted the identified putative MAPK substrates (and downstream phosphoproteins as a global protein clustering network. Based on a highly stringent selection confidence level, the core networks highlighted a MAPK-induced cellular reprogramming at multiple levels of gene and protein expression – including transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, post-translational (such as protein modification, folding and degradation steps, and also protein re-compartmentalization. Additionally, the increase in putative substrates/phosphoproteins of energy metabolism and various secondary metabolite biosynthesis pathways coincides with the observed accumulation of defense antimicrobial substances as detected by metabolome analysis. Furthermore, detection of protein networks in phospholipid or redox elements suggests activation of downstream signaling events. Taken in context with other studies, MAPKs are key regulators that reprogram cellular events to orchestrate defense signaling in eukaryotes.

Matriptase autoactivation is tightly regulated by the cellular chemical environments.

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Jehng-Kang Wang

Full Text Available The ability of cells to rapidly detect and react to alterations in their chemical environment, such as pH, ionic strength and redox potential, is essential for cell function and survival. We present here evidence that cells can respond to such environmental alterations by rapid induction of matriptase autoactivation. Specifically, we show that matriptase autoactivation can occur spontaneously at physiological pH, and is significantly enhanced by acidic pH, both in a cell-free system and in living cells. The acid-accelerated autoactivation can be attenuated by chloride, a property that may be part of a safety mechanism to prevent unregulated matriptase autoactivation. Additionally, the thio-redox balance of the environment also modulates matriptase autoactivation. Using the cell-free system, we show that matriptase autoactivation is suppressed by cytosolic reductive factors, with this cytosolic suppression being reverted by the addition of oxidizing agents. In living cells, we observed rapid induction of matriptase autoactivation upon exposure to toxic metal ions known to induce oxidative stress, including CoCl2 and CdCl2. The metal-induced matriptase autoactivation is suppressed by N-acetylcysteine, supporting the putative role of altered cellular redox state in metal induced matriptase autoactivation. Furthermore, matriptase knockdown rendered cells more susceptible to CdCl2-induced cell death compared to control cells. This observation implies that the metal-induced matriptase autoactivation confers cells with the ability to survive exposure to toxic metals and/or oxidative stress. Our results suggest that matriptase can act as a cellular sensor of the chemical environment of the cell that allows the cell to respond to and protect itself from changes in the chemical milieu.

Genome-Wide RNAi Ionomics Screen Reveals New Genes and Regulation of Human Trace Element Metabolism

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Malinouski, Mikalai; Hasan, Nesrin M.; Zhang, Yan; Seravalli, Javier; Lin, Jie; Avanesov, Andrei; Lutsenko, Svetlana; Gladyshev, Vadim N.

2017-01-01

Trace elements are essential for human metabolism and dysregulation of their homeostasis is associated with numerous disorders. Here we characterize mechanisms that regulate trace elements in human cells by designing and performing a genome-wide high-throughput siRNA/ionomics screen, and examining top hits in cellular and biochemical assays. The screen reveals high stability of the ionomes, especially the zinc ionome, and yields known regulators and novel candidates. We further uncover fundamental differences in the regulation of different trace elements. Specifically, selenium levels are controlled through the selenocysteine machinery and expression of abundant selenoproteins; copper balance is affected by lipid metabolism and requires machinery involved in protein trafficking and posttranslational modifications; and the iron levels are influenced by iron import and expression of the iron/heme-containing enzymes. Our approach can be applied to a variety of disease models and/or nutritional conditions, and the generated dataset opens new directions for studies of human trace element metabolism. PMID:24522796

Ion channel signaling influences cellular proliferation and phagocyte activity during axolotl tail regeneration.

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Franklin, Brandon M; Voss, S Randal; Osborn, Jeffrey L

2017-08-01

Little is known about the potential for ion channels to regulate cellular behaviors during tissue regeneration. Here, we utilized an amphibian tail regeneration assay coupled with a chemical genetic screen to identify ion channel antagonists that altered critical cellular processes during regeneration. Inhibition of multiple ion channels either partially (anoctamin1/Tmem16a, anoctamin2/Tmem16b, K V 2.1, K V 2.2, L-type Ca V channels and H/K ATPases) or completely (GlyR, GABA A R, K V 1.5 and SERCA pumps) inhibited tail regeneration. Partial inhibition of tail regeneration by blocking the calcium activated chloride channels, anoctamin1&2, was associated with a reduction of cellular proliferation in tail muscle and mesenchymal regions. Inhibition of anoctamin 1/2 also altered the post-amputation transcriptional response of p44/42 MAPK signaling pathway genes, including decreased expression of erk1/erk2. We also found that complete inhibition via voltage gated K + channel blockade was associated with diminished phagocyte recruitment to the amputation site. The identification of H + pumps as required for axolotl tail regeneration supports findings in Xenopus and Planaria models, and more generally, the conservation of ion channels as regulators of tissue regeneration. This study provides a preliminary framework for an in-depth investigation of the mechanistic role of ion channels and their potential involvement in regulating cellular proliferation and other processes essential to wound healing, appendage regeneration, and tissue repair. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Blocking Rate and Bandwidth Usage of Mobile IPTV Services in Wireless Cellular Networks

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Mingfu Li

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile IPTV services over wireless cellular networks become more and more popular, owing to the significant growth in access bandwidth of wireless cellular networks such as 3G/4G and WiMAX. However, the spectrum resources of wireless cellular networks is rare. How to enhance the spectral efficiency of mobile networks becomes an important issue. Unicast, broadcast, and multicast are the most important transport schemes for offering mobile IPTV services over wireless cellular networks. Therefore, bandwidth usages and blocking rates of unicast, broadcast, and multicast IPTV services were analyzed and compared in this paper. Simulations were also conducted to validate the analytical results. Numerical results demonstrate that the presented analysis is correct, and multicast scheme achieves the best bandwidth usage and blocking rate performance, relative to the other two schemes.

Analysis of blocking rate and bandwidth usage of mobile IPTV services in wireless cellular networks.

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Li, Mingfu

2014-01-01

Mobile IPTV services over wireless cellular networks become more and more popular, owing to the significant growth in access bandwidth of wireless cellular networks such as 3G/4G and WiMAX. However, the spectrum resources of wireless cellular networks is rare. How to enhance the spectral efficiency of mobile networks becomes an important issue. Unicast, broadcast, and multicast are the most important transport schemes for offering mobile IPTV services over wireless cellular networks. Therefore, bandwidth usages and blocking rates of unicast, broadcast, and multicast IPTV services were analyzed and compared in this paper. Simulations were also conducted to validate the analytical results. Numerical results demonstrate that the presented analysis is correct, and multicast scheme achieves the best bandwidth usage and blocking rate performance, relative to the other two schemes.

BRD4 Phosphorylation Regulates HPV E2-Mediated Viral Transcription, Origin Replication, and Cellular MMP-9 Expression

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Shwu-Yuan Wu

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Post-translational modification can modulate protein conformation and alter binding partner recruitment within gene regulatory regions. Here, we report that bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4, a transcription co-factor and chromatin regulator, uses a phosphorylation-induced switch mechanism to recruit E2 protein encoded by cancer-associated human papillomavirus (HPV to viral early gene and cellular matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 promoters. Enhanced MMP-9 expression, induced upon keratinocyte differentiation, occurs via BRD4-dependent recruitment of active AP-1 and NF-κB to their target sequences. This is triggered by replacement of AP-1 family members JunB and JunD by c-Jun and by re-localization of NF-κB from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, BRD4 phosphorylation is critical for E2- and origin-dependent HPV DNA replication. A class of phospho-BRD4-targeting compounds, distinct from the BET bromodomain inhibitors, effectively blocks BRD4 phosphorylation-specific functions in transcription and factor recruitment.

Regulation of transport processes across the tonoplast

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Neuhaus, H. Ekkehard; Trentmann, Oliver

2014-01-01

In plants, the vacuole builds up the cellular turgor and represents an important component in cellular responses to diverse stress stimuli. Rapid volume changes of cells, particularly of motor cells, like guard cells, are caused by variation of osmolytes and consequently of the water contents in the vacuole. Moreover, directed solute uptake into or release out of the large central vacuole allows adaptation of cytosolic metabolite levels according to the current physiological requirements and specific cellular demands. Therefore, solute passage across the vacuolar membrane, the tonoplast, has to be tightly regulated. Important principles in vacuolar transport regulation are changes of tonoplast transport protein abundances by differential expression of genes or changes of their activities, e.g., due to post-translational modification or by interacting proteins. Because vacuolar transport is in most cases driven by an electro-chemical gradient altered activities of tonoplast proton pumps significantly influence vacuolar transport capacities. Intense studies on individual tonoplast proteins but also unbiased system biological approaches have provided important insights into the regulation of vacuolar transport. This short review refers to selected examples of tonoplast proteins and their regulation, with special focus on protein phosphorylation. PMID:25309559

The AAA+ ATPase p97, a cellular multitool.

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Stach, Lasse; Freemont, Paul S

2017-08-17

The AAA+ (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) ATPase p97 is essential to a wide range of cellular functions, including endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation, membrane fusion, NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells) activation and chromatin-associated processes, which are regulated by ubiquitination. p97 acts downstream from ubiquitin signaling events and utilizes the energy from ATP hydrolysis to extract its substrate proteins from cellular structures or multiprotein complexes. A multitude of p97 cofactors have evolved which are essential to p97 function. Ubiquitin-interacting domains and p97-binding domains combine to form bi-functional cofactors, whose complexes with p97 enable the enzyme to interact with a wide range of ubiquitinated substrates. A set of mutations in p97 have been shown to cause the multisystem proteinopathy inclusion body myopathy associated with Paget's disease of bone and frontotemporal dementia. In addition, p97 inhibition has been identified as a promising approach to provoke proteotoxic stress in tumors. In this review, we will describe the cellular processes governed by p97, how the cofactors interact with both p97 and its ubiquitinated substrates, p97 enzymology and the current status in developing p97 inhibitors for cancer therapy. © 2017 The Author(s).

Cellular growth in plants requires regulation of cell wall biochemistry.

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Chebli, Youssef; Geitmann, Anja

2017-02-01

Cell and organ morphogenesis in plants are regulated by the chemical structure and mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix, the cell wall. The two primary load bearing components in the plant cell wall, the pectin matrix and the cellulose/xyloglucan network, are constantly remodelled to generate the morphological changes required during plant development. This remodelling is regulated by a plethora of loosening and stiffening agents such as pectin methyl-esterases, calcium ions, expansins, and glucanases. The tight spatio-temporal regulation of the activities of these agents is a sine qua non condition for proper morphogenesis at cell and tissue levels. The pectin matrix and the cellulose-xyloglucan network operate in concert and their behaviour is mutually dependent on their chemical, structural and mechanical modifications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selfish cellular networks and the evolution of complex organisms.

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Kourilsky, Philippe

2012-03-01

Human gametogenesis takes years and involves many cellular divisions, particularly in males. Consequently, gametogenesis provides the opportunity to acquire multiple de novo mutations. A significant portion of these is likely to impact the cellular networks linking genes, proteins, RNA and metabolites, which constitute the functional units of cells. A wealth of literature shows that these individual cellular networks are complex, robust and evolvable. To some extent, they are able to monitor their own performance, and display sufficient autonomy to be termed "selfish". Their robustness is linked to quality control mechanisms which are embedded in and act upon the individual networks, thereby providing a basis for selection during gametogenesis. These selective processes are equally likely to affect cellular functions that are not gamete-specific, and the evolution of the most complex organisms, including man, is therefore likely to occur via two pathways: essential housekeeping functions would be regulated and evolve during gametogenesis within the parents before being transmitted to their progeny, while classical selection would operate on other traits of the organisms that shape their fitness with respect to the environment. Copyright © 2012 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

A computational and cellular solids approach to the stiffness-based design of bone scaffolds.

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Norato, J A; Wagoner Johnson, A J

2011-09-01

We derive a cellular solids approach to the design of bone scaffolds for stiffness and pore size. Specifically, we focus on scaffolds made of stacked, alternating, orthogonal layers of hydroxyapatite rods, such as those obtained via micro-robotic deposition, and aim to determine the rod diameter, spacing and overlap required to obtain specified elastic moduli and pore size. To validate and calibrate the cellular solids model, we employ a finite element model and determine the effective scaffold moduli via numerical homogenization. In order to perform an efficient, automated execution of the numerical studies, we employ a geometry projection method so that analyses corresponding to different scaffold dimensions can be performed on a fixed, non-conforming mesh. Based on the developed model, we provide design charts to aid in the selection of rod diameter, spacing and overlap to be used in the robotic deposition to attain desired elastic moduli and pore size.

Lysosomal Re-acidification Prevents Lysosphingolipid-Induced Lysosomal Impairment and Cellular Toxicity.

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Christopher J Folts

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs are severe and untreatable, and mechanisms underlying cellular dysfunction are poorly understood. We found that toxic lipids relevant to three different LSDs disrupt multiple lysosomal and other cellular functions. Unbiased drug discovery revealed several structurally distinct protective compounds, approved for other uses, that prevent lysosomal and cellular toxicities of these lipids. Toxic lipids and protective agents show unexpected convergence on control of lysosomal pH and re-acidification as a critical component of toxicity and protection. In twitcher mice (a model of Krabbe disease [KD], a central nervous system (CNS-penetrant protective agent rescued myelin and oligodendrocyte (OL progenitors, improved motor behavior, and extended lifespan. Our studies reveal shared principles relevant to several LSDs, in which diverse cellular and biochemical disruptions appear to be secondary to disruption of lysosomal pH regulation by specific lipids. These studies also provide novel protective strategies that confer therapeutic benefits in a mouse model of a severe LSD.

Role of the blood service in cellular therapy.

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Rebulla, Paolo; Giordano, Rosaria

2012-05-01

Cellular therapy is a novel form of medical or surgical treatment using cells in place of or in addition to traditional chemical drugs. The preparation of cellular products - called advanced therapy medicinal products - ATMP in Europe, requires compliance with good manufacturing practices (GMP). Based on long-term experience in blood component manufacturing, product traceability and hemovigilance, selected blood services may represent ideal settings for the development and experimental use of ATMP. International harmonization of the protocols and procedures for the preparation of ATMP is of paramount importance to facilitate the development of multicenter clinical trials with adequate sample size, which are urgently needed to determine the clinical efficacy of ATMP. This article describes European regulations on cellular therapy and summarizes the activities of the 'Franco Calori' Cell Factory, a GMP unit belonging to the department of regenerative medicine of a large public university hospital, which acquired a certification for the GMP production of ATMP in 2007 and developed nine experimental clinical protocols during 2003-2011. Copyright © 2011 The International Alliance for Biological Standardization. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-cellular logistics of collective cell migration.

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Masataka Yamao

Full Text Available During development, the formation of biological networks (such as organs and neuronal networks is controlled by multicellular transportation phenomena based on cell migration. In multi-cellular systems, cellular locomotion is restricted by physical interactions with other cells in a crowded space, similar to passengers pushing others out of their way on a packed train. The motion of individual cells is intrinsically stochastic and may be viewed as a type of random walk. However, this walk takes place in a noisy environment because the cell interacts with its randomly moving neighbors. Despite this randomness and complexity, development is highly orchestrated and precisely regulated, following genetic (and even epigenetic blueprints. Although individual cell migration has long been studied, the manner in which stochasticity affects multi-cellular transportation within the precisely controlled process of development remains largely unknown. To explore the general principles underlying multicellular migration, we focus on the migration of neural crest cells, which migrate collectively and form streams. We introduce a mechanical model of multi-cellular migration. Simulations based on the model show that the migration mode depends on the relative strengths of the noise from migratory and non-migratory cells. Strong noise from migratory cells and weak noise from surrounding cells causes "collective migration," whereas strong noise from non-migratory cells causes "dispersive migration." Moreover, our theoretical analyses reveal that migratory cells attract each other over long distances, even without direct mechanical contacts. This effective interaction depends on the stochasticity of the migratory and non-migratory cells. On the basis of these findings, we propose that stochastic behavior at the single-cell level works effectively and precisely to achieve collective migration in multi-cellular systems.

The emergence of extracellular matrix mechanics and cell traction forces as important regulators of cellular self-organization.

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Checa, Sara; Rausch, Manuel K; Petersen, Ansgar; Kuhl, Ellen; Duda, Georg N

2015-01-01

Physical cues play a fundamental role in a wide range of biological processes, such as embryogenesis, wound healing, tumour invasion and connective tissue morphogenesis. Although it is well known that during these processes, cells continuously interact with the local extracellular matrix (ECM) through cell traction forces, the role of these mechanical interactions on large scale cellular and matrix organization remains largely unknown. In this study, we use a simple theoretical model to investigate cellular and matrix organization as a result of mechanical feedback signals between cells and the surrounding ECM. The model includes bi-directional coupling through cellular traction forces to deform the ECM and through matrix deformation to trigger cellular migration. In addition, we incorporate the mechanical contribution of matrix fibres and their reorganization by the cells. We show that a group of contractile cells will self-polarize at a large scale, even in homogeneous environments. In addition, our simulations mimic the experimentally observed alignment of cells in the direction of maximum stiffness and the building up of tension as a consequence of cell and fibre reorganization. Moreover, we demonstrate that cellular organization is tightly linked to the mechanical feedback loop between cells and matrix. Cells with a preference for stiff environments have a tendency to form chains, while cells with a tendency for soft environments tend to form clusters. The model presented here illustrates the potential of simple physical cues and their impact on cellular self-organization. It can be used in applications where cell-matrix interactions play a key role, such as in the design of tissue engineering scaffolds and to gain a basic understanding of pattern formation in organogenesis or tissue regeneration.

Cellular energy allocation of pistachio green stink bug, Brachynema ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of pyriproxyfen (an insect growth regulator compound) on cellular energy allocation of a heterometabolous insect, Brachynema germari Kol. The fifth instar of this insect was treated with 0, 20, 60, 100, 200 and 500 mg l-1 formulation of pyriproxyfen (Admiral 10EC) and the ...

Mitochondria, Energetics, Epigenetics, and Cellular Responses to Stress

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McAllister, Kimberly; Worth, Leroy; Haugen, Astrid C.; Meyer, Joel N.; Domann, Frederick E.; Van Houten, Bennett; Mostoslavsky, Raul; Bultman, Scott J.; Baccarelli, Andrea A.; Begley, Thomas J.; Sobol, Robert W.; Hirschey, Matthew D.; Ideker, Trey; Santos, Janine H.; Copeland, William C.; Tice, Raymond R.; Balshaw, David M.; Tyson, Frederick L.

2014-01-01

Background: Cells respond to environmental stressors through several key pathways, including response to reactive oxygen species (ROS), nutrient and ATP sensing, DNA damage response (DDR), and epigenetic alterations. Mitochondria play a central role in these pathways not only through energetics and ATP production but also through metabolites generated in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as mitochondria–nuclear signaling related to mitochondria morphology, biogenesis, fission/fusion, mitophagy, apoptosis, and epigenetic regulation. Objectives: We investigated the concept of bidirectional interactions between mitochondria and cellular pathways in response to environmental stress with a focus on epigenetic regulation, and we examined DNA repair and DDR pathways as examples of biological processes that respond to exogenous insults through changes in homeostasis and altered mitochondrial function. Methods: The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences sponsored the Workshop on Mitochondria, Energetics, Epigenetics, Environment, and DNA Damage Response on 25–26 March 2013. Here, we summarize key points and ideas emerging from this meeting. Discussion: A more comprehensive understanding of signaling mechanisms (cross-talk) between the mitochondria and nucleus is central to elucidating the integration of mitochondrial functions with other cellular response pathways in modulating the effects of environmental agents. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of mitochondrial functions in epigenetic regulation and DDR with environmental stress. Development and application of novel technologies, enhanced experimental models, and a systems-type research approach will help to discern how environmentally induced mitochondrial dysfunction affects key mechanistic pathways. Conclusions: Understanding mitochondria–cell signaling will provide insight into individual responses to environmental hazards, improving prediction of hazard and susceptibility to

Optimized Energy Procurement for Cellular Networks with Uncertain Renewable Energy Generation

KAUST Repository

Rached, Nadhir B.

2017-02-07

Renewable energy (RE) is an emerging solution for reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cellular networks. One of the challenges of using RE sources is to handle its inherent uncertainty. In this paper, a RE powered cellular network is investigated. For a one-day operation cycle, the cellular network aims to reduce energy procurement costs from the smart grid by optimizing the amounts of energy procured from their locally deployed RE sources as well as from the smart grid. In addition to that, it aims to determine the extra amount of energy to be sold to the electrical grid at each time period. Chance constrained optimization is first proposed to deal with the randomness in the RE generation. Then, to make the optimization problem tractable, two well- know convex approximation methods, namely; Chernoff and Chebyshev based-approaches, are analyzed in details. Numerical results investigate the optimized energy procurement for various daily scenarios and compare between the performances of the employed convex approximation approaches.

Systems analysis of multiple regulator perturbations allows discovery of virulence factors in Salmonella

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoon, Hyunjin; Ansong, Charles; McDermott, Jason E.; Gritsenko, Marina A.; Smith, Richard D.; Heffron, Fred; Adkins, Joshua N.

2011-06-28

Background: Systemic bacterial infections are highly regulated and complex processes that are orchestrated by numerous virulence factors. Genes that are coordinately controlled by the set of regulators required for systemic infection are potentially required for pathogenicity. Results: In this study we present a systems biology approach in which sample-matched multi-omic measurements of fourteen virulence-essential regulator mutants were coupled with computational network analysis to efficiently identify Salmonella virulence factors. Immunoblot experiments verified network-predicted virulence factors and a subset was determined to be secreted into the host cytoplasm, suggesting that they are virulence factors directly interacting with host cellular components. Two of these, SrfN and PagK2, were required for full mouse virulence and were shown to be translocated independent of either of the type III secretion systems in Salmonella or the type III injectisome-related flagellar mechanism. Conclusions: Integrating multi-omic datasets from Salmonella mutants lacking virulence regulators not only identified novel virulence factors but also defined a new class of translocated effectors involved in pathogenesis. The success of this strategy at discovery of known and novel virulence factors suggests that the approach may have applicability for other bacterial pathogens.

ROS-related redox regulation and signaling in plants.

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Noctor, Graham; Reichheld, Jean-Philippe; Foyer, Christine H

2017-07-18

As sessile oxygenic organisms with a plastic developmental programme, plants are uniquely positioned to exploit reactive oxygen species (ROS) as powerful signals. Plants harbor numerous ROS-generating pathways, and these oxidants and related redox-active compounds have become tightly embedded into plant function and development during the course of evolution. One dominant view of ROS-removing systems sees them as beneficial antioxidants battling to keep damaging ROS below dangerous levels. However, it is now established that ROS are a necessary part of subcellular and intercellular communication in plants and that some of their signaling functions require ROS-metabolizing systems. For these reasons, it is suggested that "ROS processing systems" would be a more accurate term than "antioxidative systems" to describe cellular components that are most likely to interact with ROS and, in doing so, transmit oxidative signals. Within this framework, our update provides an overview of the complexity and compartmentation of ROS production and removal. We place particular emphasis on the importance of ROS-interacting systems such as the complex cellular thiol network in the redox regulation of phytohormone signaling pathways that are crucial for plant development and defense against external threats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Interacts with Nsp9 and Cellular DHX9 To Regulate Viral RNA Synthesis.

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Liu, Long; Tian, Jiao; Nan, Hao; Tian, Mengmeng; Li, Yuan; Xu, Xiaodong; Huang, Baicheng; Zhou, Enmin; Hiscox, Julian A; Chen, Hongying

2016-06-01

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) nucleocapsid (N) protein is the main component of the viral capsid to encapsulate viral RNA, and it is also a multifunctional protein involved in the regulation of host cell processes. Nonstructural protein 9 (Nsp9) is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase that plays a critical role in viral RNA transcription and replication. In this study, we demonstrate that PRRSV N protein is bound to Nsp9 by protein-protein interaction and that the contacting surface on Nsp9 is located in the two predicted α-helixes formed by 48 residues at the C-terminal end of the protein. Mutagenesis analyses identified E646, E608, and E611 on Nsp9 and Q85 on the N protein as the pivotal residues participating in the N-Nsp9 interaction. By overexpressing the N protein binding fragment of Nsp9 in infected Marc-145 cells, the synthesis of viral RNAs, as well as the production of infectious progeny viruses, was dramatically inhibited, suggesting that Nsp9-N protein association is involved in the process of viral RNA production. In addition, we show that PRRSV N interacts with cellular RNA helicase DHX9 and redistributes the protein into the cytoplasm. Knockdown of DHX9 increased the ratio of short subgenomic mRNAs (sgmRNAs); in contrast, DHX9 overexpression benefited the synthesis of longer sgmRNAs and the viral genomic RNA (gRNA). These results imply that DHX9 is recruited by the N protein in PRRSV infection to regulate viral RNA synthesis. We postulate that N and DHX9 may act as antiattenuation factors for the continuous elongation of nascent transcript during negative-strand RNA synthesis. It is unclear whether the N protein of PRRSV is involved in regulation of the viral RNA production process. In this report, we demonstrate that the N protein of the arterivirus PRRSV participates in viral RNA replication and transcription through interacting with Nsp9 and its RdRp and recruiting cellular RNA helicase to promote the production of

Structure and Chromosomal Organization of Yeast Genes Regulated by Topoisomerase II.

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Joshi, Ricky S; Nikolaou, Christoforos; Roca, Joaquim

2018-01-03

Cellular DNA topoisomerases (topo I and topo II) are highly conserved enzymes that regulate the topology of DNA during normal genome transactions, such as DNA transcription and replication. In budding yeast, topo I is dispensable whereas topo II is essential, suggesting fundamental and exclusive roles for topo II, which might include the functions of the topo IIa and topo IIb isoforms found in mammalian cells. In this review, we discuss major findings of the structure and chromosomal organization of genes regulated by topo II in budding yeast. Experimental data was derived from short (10 min) and long term (120 min) responses to topo II inactivation in top-2 ts mutants. First, we discuss how short term responses reveal a subset of yeast genes that are regulated by topo II depending on their promoter architecture. These short term responses also uncovered topo II regulation of transcription across multi-gene clusters, plausibly by common DNA topology management. Finally, we examine the effects of deactivated topo II on the elongation of RNA transcripts. Each study provides an insight into the particular chromatin structure that interacts with the activity of topo II. These findings are of notable clinical interest as numerous anti-cancer therapies interfere with topo II activity.

Disruptive environmental chemicals and cellular mechanisms that confer resistance to cell death.

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Narayanan, Kannan Badri; Ali, Manaf; Barclay, Barry J; Cheng, Qiang Shawn; D'Abronzo, Leandro; Dornetshuber-Fleiss, Rita; Ghosh, Paramita M; Gonzalez Guzman, Michael J; Lee, Tae-Jin; Leung, Po Sing; Li, Lin; Luanpitpong, Suidjit; Ratovitski, Edward; Rojanasakul, Yon; Romano, Maria Fiammetta; Romano, Simona; Sinha, Ranjeet K; Yedjou, Clement; Al-Mulla, Fahd; Al-Temaimi, Rabeah; Amedei, Amedeo; Brown, Dustin G; Ryan, Elizabeth P; Colacci, Annamaria; Hamid, Roslida A; Mondello, Chiara; Raju, Jayadev; Salem, Hosni K; Woodrick, Jordan; Scovassi, A Ivana; Singh, Neetu; Vaccari, Monica; Roy, Rabindra; Forte, Stefano; Memeo, Lorenzo; Kim, Seo Yun; Bisson, William H; Lowe, Leroy; Park, Hyun Ho

2015-06-01

Cell death is a process of dying within biological cells that are ceasing to function. This process is essential in regulating organism development, tissue homeostasis, and to eliminate cells in the body that are irreparably damaged. In general, dysfunction in normal cellular death is tightly linked to cancer progression. Specifically, the up-regulation of pro-survival factors, including oncogenic factors and antiapoptotic signaling pathways, and the down-regulation of pro-apoptotic factors, including tumor suppressive factors, confers resistance to cell death in tumor cells, which supports the emergence of a fully immortalized cellular phenotype. This review considers the potential relevance of ubiquitous environmental chemical exposures that have been shown to disrupt key pathways and mechanisms associated with this sort of dysfunction. Specifically, bisphenol A, chlorothalonil, dibutyl phthalate, dichlorvos, lindane, linuron, methoxychlor and oxyfluorfen are discussed as prototypical chemical disruptors; as their effects relate to resistance to cell death, as constituents within environmental mixtures and as potential contributors to environmental carcinogenesis. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Protein-protein interactions within the ensemble, eukaryotic V-ATPase, and its concerted interactions with cellular machineries.

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Balakrishna, Asha Manikkoth; Manimekalai, Malathy Sony Subramanian; Grüber, Gerhard

2015-10-01

The V1VO-ATPase (V-ATPase) is the important proton-pump in eukaryotic cells, responsible for pH-homeostasis, pH-sensing and amino acid sensing, and therefore essential for cell growths and metabolism. ATP-cleavage in the catalytic A3B3-hexamer of V1 has to be communicated via several so-called central and peripheral stalk units to the proton-pumping VO-part, which is membrane-embedded. A unique feature of V1VO-ATPase regulation is its reversible disassembly of the V1 and VO domain. Actin provides a network to hold the V1 in proximity to the VO, enabling effective V1VO-assembly to occur. Besides binding to actin, the 14-subunit V-ATPase interacts with multi-subunit machineries to form cellular sensors, which regulate the pH in cellular compartments or amino acid signaling in lysosomes. Here we describe a variety of subunit-subunit interactions within the V-ATPase enzyme during catalysis and its protein-protein assembling with key cellular machineries, essential for cellular function. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SEPTIN2 and STATHMIN Regulate CD99-Mediated Cellular Differentiation in Hodgkin's Lymphoma.

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Wenjing Jian

Full Text Available Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL is a lymphoid neoplasm characterized by Hodgkin's and Reed-Sternberg (H/RS cells, which is regulated by CD99. We previously reported that CD99 downregulation led to the transformation of murine B lymphoma cells (A20 into cells with an H/RS phenotype, while CD99 upregulation induced differentiation of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL cells (L428 into terminal B-cells. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, using fluorescence two-dimensional differential in-gel electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS, we have analyzed the alteration of protein expression following CD99 upregulation in L428 cells as well as downregulation of mouse CD99 antigen-like 2 (mCD99L2 in A20 cells. Bioinformatics analysis showed that SEPTIN2 and STATHMIN, which are cytoskeleton proteins, were significantly differentially expressed, and chosen for further validation and functional analysis. Differential expression of SEPTIN2 was found in both models and was inversely correlated with CD99 expression. STATHMIN was identified in the A20 cell line model and its expression was positively correlated with that of CD99. Importantly, silencing of SEPTIN2 with siRNA substantially altered the cellular cytoskeleton in L428 cells. The downregulation of STATHMIN by siRNA promoted the differentiation of H/RS cells toward terminal B-cells. These results suggest that SEPTIN2-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangement and STATHMIN-mediated differentiation may contribute to changes in cell morphology and differentiation of H/RS cells with CD99 upregulation in HL.

Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum–Mitochondria Ca2+ Transfer and Its Importance for Anti-Cancer Therapies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gaia Pedriali

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Inter-organelle membrane contact sites are emerging as major sites for the regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration and distribution. Here, extracellular stimuli operate on a wide array of channels, pumps, and ion exchangers to redistribute intracellular Ca2+ among several compartments. The resulting highly defined spatial and temporal patterns of Ca2+ movement can be used to elicit specific cellular responses, including cell proliferation, migration, or death. Plasma membrane (PM also can directly contact mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER through caveolae, small invaginations of the PM that ensure inter-organelle contacts, and can contribute to the regulation of numerous cellular functions through scaffolding proteins such as caveolins. PM and ER organize specialized junctions. Here, many components of the receptor-dependent Ca2+ signals are clustered, including the ORAI1-stromal interaction molecule 1 complex. This complex constitutes a primary mechanism for Ca2+ entry into non-excitable cells, modulated by intracellular Ca2+. Several contact sites between the ER and mitochondria, termed mitochondria-associated membranes, show a very complex and specialized structure and host a wide number of proteins that regulate Ca2+ transfer. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the particular action of several oncogenes and tumor suppressors at these specialized check points and analyze anti-cancer therapies that specifically target Ca2+ flow at the inter-organelle contacts to alter the metabolism and fate of the cancer cell.

Cellular and Chemical Neuroscience of Mammalian Sleep

OpenAIRE

Datta, Subimal

2010-01-01

Extraordinary strides have been made toward understanding the complexities and regulatory mechanisms of sleep over the past two decades, thanks to the help of rapidly evolving technologies. At its most basic level, mammalian sleep is a restorative process of the brain and body. Beyond its primary restorative purpose, sleep is essential for a number of vital functions. Our primary research interest is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of sleep and it...

Pex35 is a regulator of peroxisome abundance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yofe, Ido; Soliman, Kareem; Chuartzman, Silvia G

2017-01-01

Peroxisomes are cellular organelles with vital functions in lipid, amino acid, and redox metabolism. The cellular formation and dynamics of peroxisomes are governed by PEX genes, however, the regulation of peroxisome abundance is yet poorly understood. Here we use a high-content microscopy screen...

A coarse-grained model for the simulations of biomolecular interactions in cellular environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Zhong-Ru; Chen, Jiawen; Wu, Yinghao

2014-01-01

The interactions of bio-molecules constitute the key steps of cellular functions. However, in vivo binding properties differ significantly from their in vitro measurements due to the heterogeneity of cellular environments. Here we introduce a coarse-grained model based on rigid-body representation to study how factors such as cellular crowding and membrane confinement affect molecular binding. The macroscopic parameters such as the equilibrium constant and the kinetic rate constant are calibrated by adjusting the microscopic coefficients used in the numerical simulations. By changing these model parameters that are experimentally approachable, we are able to study the kinetic and thermodynamic properties of molecular binding, as well as the effects caused by specific cellular environments. We investigate the volumetric effects of crowded intracellular space on bio-molecular diffusion and diffusion-limited reactions. Furthermore, the binding constants of membrane proteins are currently difficult to measure. We provide quantitative estimations about how the binding of membrane proteins deviates from soluble proteins under different degrees of membrane confinements. The simulation results provide biological insights to the functions of membrane receptors on cell surfaces. Overall, our studies establish a connection between the details of molecular interactions and the heterogeneity of cellular environments

Snail regulates cell survival and inhibits cellular senescence in human metastatic prostate cancer cell lines.

Science.gov (United States)

Emadi Baygi, Modjtaba; Soheili, Zahra Soheila; Schmitz, Ingo; Sameie, Shahram; Schulz, Wolfgang A

2010-12-01

The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is regarded as an important step in cancer metastasis. Snail, a master regulator of EMT, has been recently proposed to act additionally as a cell survival factor and inducer of motility. We have investigated the function of Snail (SNAI1) in prostate cancer cells by downregulating its expression via short (21-mer) interfering RNA (siRNA) and measuring the consequences on EMT markers, cell viability, death, cell cycle, senescence, attachment, and invasivity. Of eight carcinoma cell lines, the prostate carcinoma cell lines LNCaP and PC-3 showed the highest and moderate expression of SNAI1 mRNA, respectively, as measured by quantitative RT-PCR. Long-term knockdown of Snail induced a severe decline in cell numbers in LNCaP and PC-3 and caspase activity was accordingly enhanced in both cell lines. In addition, suppression of Snail expression induced senescence in LNCaP cells. SNAI1-siRNA-treated cells did not tolerate detachment from the extracellular matrix, probably due to downregulation of integrin α6. Expression of E-cadherin, vimentin, and fibronectin was also affected. Invasiveness of PC-3 cells was not significantly diminished by Snail knockdown. Our data suggest that Snail acts primarily as a survival factor and inhibitor of cellular senescence in prostate cancer cell lines. We therefore propose that Snail can act as early driver of prostate cancer progression.

The cellular mastermind(?) – Mechanotransduction and the nucleus

Science.gov (United States)

Kaminski, Ashley; Fedorchak, Gregory R.; Lammerding, Jan

2015-01-01

Cells respond to mechanical stimulation by activation of specific signaling pathways and genes that allow the cell to adapt to its dynamic physical environment. How cells sense the various mechanical inputs and translate them into biochemical signals remains an area of active investigation. Recent reports suggest that the cell nucleus may be directly implicated in this cellular mechanotransduction process. In this chapter, we discuss how forces applied to the cell surface and cytoplasm induce changes in nuclear structure and organization, which could directly affect gene expression, while also highlighting the complex interplay between nuclear structural proteins and transcriptional regulators that may further modulate mechanotransduction signaling. Taken together, these findings paint a picture of the nucleus as a central hub in cellular mechanotransduction—both structurally and biochemically—with important implications in physiology and disease. PMID:25081618

Discrete dynamic modeling of cellular signaling networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Albert, Réka; Wang, Rui-Sheng

2009-01-01

Understanding signal transduction in cellular systems is a central issue in systems biology. Numerous experiments from different laboratories generate an abundance of individual components and causal interactions mediating environmental and developmental signals. However, for many signal transduction systems there is insufficient information on the overall structure and the molecular mechanisms involved in the signaling network. Moreover, lack of kinetic and temporal information makes it difficult to construct quantitative models of signal transduction pathways. Discrete dynamic modeling, combined with network analysis, provides an effective way to integrate fragmentary knowledge of regulatory interactions into a predictive mathematical model which is able to describe the time evolution of the system without the requirement for kinetic parameters. This chapter introduces the fundamental concepts of discrete dynamic modeling, particularly focusing on Boolean dynamic models. We describe this method step-by-step in the context of cellular signaling networks. Several variants of Boolean dynamic models including threshold Boolean networks and piecewise linear systems are also covered, followed by two examples of successful application of discrete dynamic modeling in cell biology.

Biomolecular condensates: organizers of cellular biochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

Banani, Salman F; Lee, Hyun O; Hyman, Anthony A; Rosen, Michael K

2017-05-01

Biomolecular condensates are micron-scale compartments in eukaryotic cells that lack surrounding membranes but function to concentrate proteins and nucleic acids. These condensates are involved in diverse processes, including RNA metabolism, ribosome biogenesis, the DNA damage response and signal transduction. Recent studies have shown that liquid-liquid phase separation driven by multivalent macromolecular interactions is an important organizing principle for biomolecular condensates. With this physical framework, it is now possible to explain how the assembly, composition, physical properties and biochemical and cellular functions of these important structures are regulated.

A new micromechanical approach of micropolar continuum modeling for 2-D periodic cellular material

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Bin Niu; Jun Yan

2016-01-01

In this paper, we present a new united approach to formulate the equivalent micropolar constitutive relation of two-dimensional (2-D) periodic cellular material to capture its non-local properties and to explain the size effects in its structural analysis. The new united approach takes both the displacement compatibility and the equilibrium of forces and moments into consideration, where Taylor series expansion of the displacement and rotation fields and the extended aver-aging procedure with an explicit enforcement of equilibrium are adopted in the micromechanical analysis of a unit cell. In numerical examples, the effective micropolar constants obtained in this paper and others derived in the literature are used for the equivalent micropolar continuum simulation of cellular solids. The solutions from the equivalent analysis are compared with the discrete simulation solutions of the cellu-lar solids. It is found that the micropolar constants developed in this paper give satisfying results of equivalent analysis for the periodic cellular material.

Regulation of transport processes across the tonoplast membrane

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Oliver eTrentmann

2014-09-01

Full Text Available In plants, the vacuole builds up the cellular turgor and represents an important component in cellular responses to diverse stress stimuli. Rapid volume changes of cells, particularly of motor cells, like guard cells, are caused by variation of osmolytes and consequently of the water contents in the vacuole. Moreover, directed solute uptake into or release out of the large central vacuole allows adaptation of cytosolic metabolite levels according to the current physiological requirements and specific cellular demands. Therefore, solute passage across the vacuolar membrane, the tonoplast, has to be tightly regulated. Important principles in vacuolar transport regulation are changes of tonoplast transport protein abundances by differential expression of genes or changes of their activities, e.g. due to post-translational modification or by interacting proteins. Because vacuolar transport is in most cases driven by an electro-chemical gradient altered activities of tonoplast proton pumps significantly influence vacuolar transport capacities. Intense studies on individual tonoplast proteins but also unbiased system biological approaches have provided important insights into the regulation of vacuolar transport. This short review refers to selected examples of tonoplast proteins and their regulation, with special focus on protein phosphorylation.

Selection of doublet cellular patterns in directional solidification through spatially periodic perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Losert, W.; Stillman, D.A.; Cummins, H.Z.; Kopczynski, P.; Rappel, W.; Karma, A.

1998-01-01

Pattern formation at the solid-liquid interface of a growing crystal was studied in directional solidification using a perturbation technique. We analyzed both experimentally and numerically the stability range and dynamical selection of cellular arrays of 'doublets' with asymmetric tip shapes, separated by alternate deep and shallow grooves. Applying an initial periodic perturbation of arbitrary wavelength to the unstable planar interface allowed us to force the interface to evolve into doublet states that would not otherwise be dynamically accessible from a planar interface. We determined systematically the ranges of wavelength corresponding to stable singlets, stable doublets, and transient unstable patterns. Experimentally, this was accomplished by applying a brief UV light pulse of a desired spatial periodicity to the planar interface during the planar-cellular transient using the model alloy Succinonitrile-Coumarin 152. Numerical simulations of the nonlinear evolution of the interface were performed starting from a small sinusoidal perturbation of the steady-state planar interface. These simulations were carried out using a computationally efficient phase-field symmetric model of directional solidification with recently reformulated asymptotics and vanishing kinetics [A. Karma and W.-J. Rappel, Phys. Rev. E 53 R3017 (1996); Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 4050 (1996); Phys. Rev. E 57, 4323 (1998)], which allowed us to simulate spatially extended arrays that can be meaningfully compared to experiments. Simulations and experiments show remarkable qualitative agreement in the dynamic evolution, steady-state structure, and instability mechanisms of doublet cellular arrays. copyright 1998 The American Physical Society

Detection of silent cells, synchronization and modulatory activity in developing cellular networks.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hjorth, J.J.J.; Dawitz, J.; Kroon, T.; da Silva Dias Pires, J.H.; Dassen, V.J.; Berkhout, J.A.; Emperador Melero, J.; Nadadhur, A.G.; Alevra, M.; Toonen, R.F.G.; Heine, V.M.; Mansvelder, H.D.; Meredith, R.M.

2016-01-01

Developing networks in the immature nervous system and in cellular cultures are characterized by waves of synchronous activity in restricted clusters of cells. Synchronized activity in immature networks is proposed to regulate many different developmental processes, from neuron growth and cell

Visualizing Escherichia coli sub-cellular structure using sparse deconvolution Spatial Light Interference Tomography.

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Mustafa Mir

Full Text Available Studying the 3D sub-cellular structure of living cells is essential to our understanding of biological function. However, tomographic imaging of live cells is challenging mainly because they are transparent, i.e., weakly scattering structures. Therefore, this type of imaging has been implemented largely using fluorescence techniques. While confocal fluorescence imaging is a common approach to achieve sectioning, it requires fluorescence probes that are often harmful to the living specimen. On the other hand, by using the intrinsic contrast of the structures it is possible to study living cells in a non-invasive manner. One method that provides high-resolution quantitative information about nanoscale structures is a broadband interferometric technique known as Spatial Light Interference Microscopy (SLIM. In addition to rendering quantitative phase information, when combined with a high numerical aperture objective, SLIM also provides excellent depth sectioning capabilities. However, like in all linear optical systems, SLIM's resolution is limited by diffraction. Here we present a novel 3D field deconvolution algorithm that exploits the sparsity of phase images and renders images with resolution beyond the diffraction limit. We employ this label-free method, called deconvolution Spatial Light Interference Tomography (dSLIT, to visualize coiled sub-cellular structures in E. coli cells which are most likely the cytoskeletal MreB protein and the division site regulating MinCDE proteins. Previously these structures have only been observed using specialized strains and plasmids and fluorescence techniques. Our results indicate that dSLIT can be employed to study such structures in a practical and non-invasive manner.

Wig1 prevents cellular senescence by regulating p21 mRNA decay through control of RISC recruitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Bong Cho; Lee, Hyung Chul; Lee, Je-Jung; Choi, Chang-Min; Kim, Dong-Kwan; Lee, Jae Cheol; Ko, Young-Gyu; Lee, Jae-Seon

2012-11-14

Premature senescence, a key strategy used to suppress carcinogenesis, can be driven by p53/p21 proteins in response to various stresses. Here, we demonstrate that Wig1 plays a critical role in this process through regulation of p21 mRNA stability. Wig1 controls the association of Argonaute2 (Ago2), a central component of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), with target p21 mRNA via binding of the stem-loop structure near the microRNA (miRNA) target site. Depletion of Wig1 prohibited miRNA-mediated p21 mRNA decay and resulted in premature senescence. Wig1 plays an essential role in cell proliferation, as demonstrated in tumour xenografts in mice, and Wig1 and p21 mRNA levels are inversely correlated in human normal and cancer tissues. Together, our data indicate a novel role of Wig1 in RISC target accessibility, which is a key step in RNA-mediated gene silencing. In addition, these findings indicate that fine-tuning of p21 levels by Wig1 is essential for the prevention of cellular senescence.

Cellular modelling of river catchments and reaches: Advantages, limitations and prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Coulthard, T. J.; Hicks, D. M.; Van De Wiel, M. J.

2007-10-01

The last decade has witnessed the development of a series of cellular models that simulate the processes operating within river channels and drive their geomorphic evolution. Their proliferation can be partly attributed to the relative simplicity of cellular models and their ability to address some of the shortcomings of other numerical models. By using relaxed interpretations of the equations determining fluid flow, cellular models allow rapid solutions of water depths and velocities. These can then be used to drive (usually) conventional sediment transport relations to determine erosion and deposition and alter the channel form. The key advance of using these physically based yet simplified approaches is that they allow us to apply models to a range of spatial scales (1-100 km 2) and time periods (1-100 years) that are especially relevant to contemporary management and fluvial studies. However, these approaches are not without their limitations and technical problems. This paper reviews the findings of nearly 10 years of research into modelling fluvial systems with cellular techniques, principally focusing on improvements in routing water and how fluvial erosion and deposition (including lateral erosion) are represented. These ideas are illustrated using sample simulations of the River Teifi, Wales. A detailed case study is then presented, demonstrating how cellular models can explore the interactions between vegetation and the morphological dynamics of the braided Waitaki River, New Zealand. Finally, difficulties associated with model validation and the problems, prospects and future issues important to the further development and application of these cellular fluvial models are outlined.

MicroRNAs - A New Generation Molecular Targets for Treating Cellular Diseases

OpenAIRE

Paulmurugan, Ramasamy

2013-01-01

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a unique class of non-coding, small RNAs, similar to mRNAs, transcribed by cells, but for entirely different reasons. While mRNAs are transcribed to code for proteins, miRNAs are produced to regulate the production of proteins from mRNAs. miRNAs are central components that tightly and temporally regulating gene expression in cells. Dysregulation of miRNAs expressions in cellular pathogenesis, including cancer, has been reported, and it clearly supports the importance of...

Label-free cellular structure imaging with 82 nm lateral resolution using an electron-beam excitation-assisted optical microscope.

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuta, Masahiro; Masuda, Yuriko; Inami, Wataru; Kawata, Yoshimasa

2016-07-25

We present label-free and high spatial-resolution imaging for specific cellular structures using an electron-beam excitation-assisted optical microscope (EXA microscope). Images of the actin filament and mitochondria of stained HeLa cells, obtained by fluorescence and EXA microscopy, were compared to identify cellular structures. Based on these results, we demonstrated the feasibility of identifying label-free cellular structures at a spatial resolution of 82 nm. Using numerical analysis, we calculated the imaging depth region and determined the spot size of a cathodoluminescent (CL) light source to be 83 nm at the membrane surface.

Managing the cellular redox hub in photosynthetic organisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Foyer, Christine H; Noctor, Graham

2012-02-01

Light-driven redox chemistry is a powerful source of redox signals that has a decisive input into transcriptional control within the cell nucleus. Like photosynthetic electron transport pathways, the respiratory electron transport chain exerts a profound control over gene function, in order to balance energy (reductant and ATP) supply with demand, while preventing excessive over-reduction or over-oxidation that would be adversely affect metabolism. Photosynthetic and respiratory redox chemistries are not merely housekeeping processes but they exert a controlling influence over every aspect of plant biology, participating in the control of gene transcription and translation, post-translational modifications and the regulation of assimilatory reactions, assimilate partitioning and export. The number of processes influenced by redox controls and signals continues to increase as do the components that are recognized participants in the associated signalling pathways. A step change in our understanding of the overall importance of the cellular redox hub to plant cells has occurred in recent years as the complexity of the management of the cellular redox hub in relation to metabolic triggers and environmental cues has been elucidated. This special issue describes aspects of redox regulation and signalling at the cutting edge of current research in this dynamic and rapidly expanding field. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

HDACi: cellular effects, opportunities for restorative dentistry.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Duncan, H F

2011-12-01

Acetylation of histone and non-histone proteins alters gene expression and induces a host of cellular effects. The acetylation process is homeostatically balanced by two groups of cellular enzymes, histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). HAT activity relaxes the structure of the human chromatin, rendering it transcriptionally active, thereby increasing gene expression. In contrast, HDAC activity leads to gene silencing. The enzymatic balance can be \\'tipped\\' by histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), leading to an accumulation of acetylated proteins, which subsequently modify cellular processes including stem cell differentiation, cell cycle, apoptosis, gene expression, and angiogenesis. There is a variety of natural and synthetic HDACi available, and their pleiotropic effects have contributed to diverse clinical applications, not only in cancer but also in non-cancer areas, such as chronic inflammatory disease, bone engineering, and neurodegenerative disease. Indeed, it appears that HDACi-modulated effects may differ between \\'normal\\' and transformed cells, particularly with regard to reactive oxygen species accumulation, apoptosis, proliferation, and cell cycle arrest. The potential beneficial effects of HDACi for health, resulting from their ability to regulate global gene expression by epigenetic modification of DNA-associated proteins, also offer potential for application within restorative dentistry, where they may promote dental tissue regeneration following pulpal damage.

Negative regulation of quorum-sensing systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by ATP-dependent Lon protease.

Science.gov (United States)

Takaya, Akiko; Tabuchi, Fumiaki; Tsuchiya, Hiroko; Isogai, Emiko; Yamamoto, Tomoko

2008-06-01

Lon protease, a member of the ATP-dependent protease family, regulates numerous cellular systems by degrading specific substrates. Here, we demonstrate that Lon is involved in the regulation of quorum-sensing (QS) signaling systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an opportunistic human pathogen. The organism has two acyl-homoserine lactone (HSL)-mediated QS systems, LasR/LasI and RhlR/RhlI. Many reports have demonstrated that these two systems are regulated and interconnected by global regulators. We found that lon-disrupted cells overproduce pyocyanin, the biosynthesis of which depends on the RhlR/RhlI system, and show increased levels of a transcriptional regulator, RhlR. The QS systems are organized hierarchically: the RhlR/RhlI system is subordinate to LasR/LasI. To elucidate the mechanism by which Lon negatively regulates RhlR/RhlI, we examined the effect of lon disruption on the LasR/LasI system. We found that Lon represses the expression of LasR/LasI by degrading LasI, an HSL synthase, leading to negative regulation of the RhlR/RhlI system. RhlR/RhlI was also shown to be regulated by Lon independently of LasR/LasI via regulation of RhlI, an HSL synthase. In view of these findings, it is suggested that Lon protease is a powerful negative regulator of both HSL-mediated QS systems in P. aeruginosa.

Critical Role of Zinc as Either an Antioxidant or a Prooxidant in Cellular Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sung Ryul Lee

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Zinc is recognized as an essential trace metal required for human health; its deficiency is strongly associated with neuronal and immune system defects. Although zinc is a redox-inert metal, it functions as an antioxidant through the catalytic action of copper/zinc-superoxide dismutase, stabilization of membrane structure, protection of the protein sulfhydryl groups, and upregulation of the expression of metallothionein, which possesses a metal-binding capacity and also exhibits antioxidant functions. In addition, zinc suppresses anti-inflammatory responses that would otherwise augment oxidative stress. The actions of zinc are not straightforward owing to its numerous roles in biological systems. It has been shown that zinc deficiency and zinc excess cause cellular oxidative stress. To gain insights into the dual action of zinc, as either an antioxidant or a prooxidant, and the conditions under which each role is performed, the oxidative stresses that occur in zinc deficiency and zinc overload in conjunction with the intracellular regulation of free zinc are summarized. Additionally, the regulatory role of zinc in mitochondrial homeostasis and its impact on oxidative stress are briefly addressed.

O-GlcNAc regulates NEDD4-1 stability via caspase-mediated pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Kuan; Bai, Bingyang; Ta, Yajie; Zhang, Tingling; Xiao, Zikang; Wang, Peng George; Zhang, Lianwen

2016-01-01

O-GlcNAc modification of cytosolic and nuclear proteins regulates essential cellular processes such as stress responses, transcription, translation, and protein degradation. Emerging evidence indicates O-GlcNAcylation has a dynamic interplay with ubiquitination in cellular regulation. Here, we report that O-GlcNAc indirectly targets a vital E3 ubiquitin ligase enzyme of NEDD4-1. The protein level of NEDD4-1 is accordingly decreased following an increase of overall O-GlcNAc level upon PUGNAc or glucosamine stimulation. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) knockdown, overexpression and mutation results confirm that the stability of NEDD4-1 is negatively regulated by cellular O-GlcNAc. Moreover, the NEDD4-1 degradation induced by PUGNAc or GlcN is significantly inhibited by the caspase inhibitor. Our study reveals a regulation mechanism of NEDD4-1 stability by O-GlcNAcylation. - Highlights: • Reduced NEDD4-1 correlates with increased overall O-GlcNAc level. • OGT negatively regulates NEDD4-1 stability. • O-GlcNAc regulates NEDD4-1 through caspase-mediated pathway.

Designed Transcriptional Regulation in Mammalian Cells Based on TALE- and CRISPR/dCas9.

Science.gov (United States)

Lebar, Tina; Jerala, Roman

2018-01-01

Transcriptional regulation lies at the center of many cellular processes and is the result of cellular response to different external and internal signals. Control of transcription of selected genes enables an unprecedented access to shape the cellular response. While orthogonal transcription factors from bacteria, yeast, plants, or other cells have been used to introduce new cellular logic into mammalian cells, the discovery of designable modular DNA binding domains, such as Transcription Activator-Like Effectors (TALEs) and the CRISPR system, enable targeting of almost any selected DNA sequence. Fusion or conditional association of DNA targeting domain with transcriptional effector domains enables controlled regulation of almost any endogenous or ectopic gene. Moreover, the designed regulators can be linked into genetic circuits to implement complex responses, such as different types of Boolean functions and switches. In this chapter, we describe the protocols for achieving efficient transcriptional regulation with TALE- and CRISPR-based designed transcription factors in mammalian cells.

Numerical simulations of a reduced model for blood coagulation

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlova, Jevgenija; Fasano, Antonio; Sequeira, Adélia

2016-04-01

In this work, the three-dimensional numerical resolution of a complex mathematical model for the blood coagulation process is presented. The model was illustrated in Fasano et al. (Clin Hemorheol Microcirc 51:1-14, 2012), Pavlova et al. (Theor Biol 380:367-379, 2015). It incorporates the action of the biochemical and cellular components of blood as well as the effects of the flow. The model is characterized by a reduction in the biochemical network and considers the impact of the blood slip at the vessel wall. Numerical results showing the capacity of the model to predict different perturbations in the hemostatic system are discussed.

Mechanisms and Regulation of Intestinal Absorption of Water-soluble Vitamins: Cellular and Molecular Aspects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nexø, Ebba; Said, Hamid M

2012-01-01

The water-soluble vitamins represent a group of structurally and functionally unrelated compounds that share the common feature of being essential for normal cellular functions, growth, and development. With the exception of some endogenous production of niacin, human cells cannot synthesize...

Cellular and chemical neuroscience of mammalian sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Subimal

2010-05-01

Extraordinary strides have been made toward understanding the complexities and regulatory mechanisms of sleep over the past two decades thanks to the help of rapidly evolving technologies. At its most basic level, mammalian sleep is a restorative process of the brain and body. Beyond its primary restorative purpose, sleep is essential for a number of vital functions. Our primary research interest is to understand the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of sleep and its cognitive functions. Here I will reflect on our own research contributions to 50 years of extraordinary advances in the neurobiology of slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep regulation. I conclude this review by suggesting some potential future directions to further our understanding of the neurobiology of sleep. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cellular and Molecular Basis of Cerebellar Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salvador eMartinez

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Historically, the molecular and cellular mechanisms of cerebellar development were investigated through structural descriptions and studying spontaneous mutations in animal models and humans. Advances in experimental embryology, genetic engineering and neuroimaging techniques render today the possibility to approach the analysis of molecular mechanisms underlying histogenesis and morphogenesis of the cerebellum by experimental designs. Several genes and molecules were identified to be involved in the cerebellar plate regionalization, specification and differentiation of cerebellar neurons, as well as the establishment of cellular migratory routes and the subsequent neuronal connectivity. Indeed, pattern formation of the cerebellum requires the adequate orchestration of both key morphogenetic signals, arising from distinct brain regions, and local expression of specific transcription factors. Thus, the present review wants to revisit and discuss these morphogenetic and molecular mechanisms taking place during cerebellar development in order to understand causal processes regulating cerebellar cytoarchitecture, its highly topographically ordered circuitry and its role in brain function.

Cellular Mechanisms of Somatic Stem Cell Aging

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, Yunjoon

2014-01-01

Tissue homeostasis and regenerative capacity rely on rare populations of somatic stem cells endowed with the potential to self-renew and differentiate. During aging, many tissues show a decline in regenerative potential coupled with a loss of stem cell function. Cells including somatic stem cells have evolved a series of checks and balances to sense and repair cellular damage to maximize tissue function. However, during aging the mechanisms that protect normal cell function begin to fail. In this review, we will discuss how common cellular mechanisms that maintain tissue fidelity and organismal lifespan impact somatic stem cell function. We will highlight context-dependent changes and commonalities that define aging, by focusing on three age-sensitive stem cell compartments: blood, neural, and muscle. Understanding the interaction between extrinsic regulators and intrinsic effectors that operate within different stem cell compartments is likely to have important implications for identifying strategies to improve health span and treat age-related degenerative diseases. PMID:24439814

LiZIP3 is a cellular zinc transporter that mediates the tightly regulated import of zinc in Leishmania infantum parasites

Science.gov (United States)

Carvalho, Sandra; da Silva, Rosa Barreira; Shawki, Ali; Castro, Helena; Lamy, Márcia; Eide, David; Costa, Vítor; Mackenzie, Bryan; Tomás, Ana M.

2016-01-01

Summary Cellular zinc homeostasis ensures that the intracellular concentration of this element is kept within limits that enable its participation in critical physiological processes without exerting toxic effects. We report here the identification and characterization of the first mediator of zinc homeostasis in Leishmania infantum, LiZIP3, a member of the ZIP family of divalent metal-ion transporters. The zinc transporter activity of LiZIP3 was first disclosed by its capacity to rescue the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains deficient in zinc acquisition. Subsequent expression of LiZIP3 in Xenopus laevis oocytes was shown to stimulate the uptake of a broad range of metal ions, among which Zn2+ was the preferred LiZIP3 substrate (K0.5 ≈ 0.1 μM). Evidence that LiZIP3 functions as a zinc importer in L. infantum came from the observations that the protein locates to the cell membrane and that its overexpression leads to augmented zinc internalization. Importantly, expression and cell-surface location of LiZIP3 are lost when parasites face high zinc bioavailability. LiZIP3 decline in response to zinc is regulated at the mRNA level in a process involving (a) short-lived protein(s). Collectively, our data reveal that LiZIP3 enables L. infantum to acquire zinc in a highly regulated manner, hence contributing to zinc homeostasis. PMID:25644708

Cellular retinoic acid bioavailability in various pathologies and its therapeutic implication.

Science.gov (United States)

Osanai, Makoto

2017-06-01

Retinoic acid (RA), an active metabolite of vitamin A, is a critical signaling molecule in various cell types. We found that RA depletion caused by expression of the RA-metabolizing enzyme CYP26A1 promotes carcinogenesis, implicating CYP26A1 as a candidate oncogene. Several studies of CYP26s have suggested that the biological effect of RA on target cells is primarily determined by "cellular RA bioavailability", which is defined as the RA level in an individual cell, rather than by the serum concentration of RA. Consistently, stellate cells store approximately 80% of vitamin A in the body, and the state of cellular RA bioavailability regulates their function. Based on the similarities between stellate cells and astrocytes, we demonstrated that retinal astrocytes regulate tight junction-based endothelial integrity in a paracrine manner. Since diabetic retinopathy is characterized by increased vascular permeability in its early pathogenesis, RA normalized retinal astrocytes that are compromised in diabetes, resulting in suppression of vascular leakiness. RA also attenuated the loss of the epithelial barrier in murine experimental colitis. The concept of "cellular RA bioavailability" in various diseases will be directed at understanding various pathologies caused by RA insufficiency, implying the potential feasibility of a therapeutic strategy targeting the stellate cell system. © 2017 Japanese Society of Pathology and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Cyclosporin A associated helicase-like protein facilitates the association of hepatitis C virus RNA polymerase with its cellular cyclophilin B.

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Kengo Morohashi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cyclosporin A (CsA is well known as an immunosuppressive drug useful for allogeneic transplantation. It has been reported that CsA inhibits hepatitis C virus (HCV genome replication, which indicates that cellular targets of CsA regulate the viral replication. However, the regulation mechanisms of HCV replication governed by CsA target proteins have not been fully understood. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we show a chemical biology approach that elucidates a novel mechanism of HCV replication. We developed a phage display screening to investigate compound-peptide interaction and identified a novel cellular target molecule of CsA. This protein, named CsA associated helicase-like protein (CAHL, possessed RNA-dependent ATPase activity that was negated by treatment with CsA. The downregulation of CAHL in the cells resulted in a decrease of HCV genome replication. CAHL formed a complex with HCV-derived RNA polymerase NS5B and host-derived cyclophilin B (CyPB, known as a cellular cofactor for HCV replication, to regulate NS5B-CyPB interaction. CONCLUSIONS: We found a cellular factor, CAHL, as CsA associated helicase-like protein, which would form trimer complex with CyPB and NS5B of HCV. The strategy using a chemical compound and identifying its target molecule by our phage display analysis is useful to reveal a novel mechanism underlying cellular and viral physiology.

Cyclosporin A associated helicase-like protein facilitates the association of hepatitis C virus RNA polymerase with its cellular cyclophilin B.

Science.gov (United States)

Morohashi, Kengo; Sahara, Hiroeki; Watashi, Koichi; Iwabata, Kazuki; Sunoki, Takashi; Kuramochi, Kouji; Takakusagi, Kaori; Miyashita, Hiroki; Sato, Noriyuki; Tanabe, Atsushi; Shimotohno, Kunitada; Kobayashi, Susumu; Sakaguchi, Kengo; Sugawara, Fumio

2011-04-29

Cyclosporin A (CsA) is well known as an immunosuppressive drug useful for allogeneic transplantation. It has been reported that CsA inhibits hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome replication, which indicates that cellular targets of CsA regulate the viral replication. However, the regulation mechanisms of HCV replication governed by CsA target proteins have not been fully understood. Here we show a chemical biology approach that elucidates a novel mechanism of HCV replication. We developed a phage display screening to investigate compound-peptide interaction and identified a novel cellular target molecule of CsA. This protein, named CsA associated helicase-like protein (CAHL), possessed RNA-dependent ATPase activity that was negated by treatment with CsA. The downregulation of CAHL in the cells resulted in a decrease of HCV genome replication. CAHL formed a complex with HCV-derived RNA polymerase NS5B and host-derived cyclophilin B (CyPB), known as a cellular cofactor for HCV replication, to regulate NS5B-CyPB interaction. We found a cellular factor, CAHL, as CsA associated helicase-like protein, which would form trimer complex with CyPB and NS5B of HCV. The strategy using a chemical compound and identifying its target molecule by our phage display analysis is useful to reveal a novel mechanism underlying cellular and viral physiology.

Almost periodic cellular neural networks with neutral-type proportional delays

Science.gov (United States)

Xiao, Songlin

2018-03-01

This paper presents a new result on the existence, uniqueness and generalised exponential stability of almost periodic solutions for cellular neural networks with neutral-type proportional delays and D operator. Based on some novel differential inequality techniques, a testable condition is derived to ensure that all the state trajectories of the system converge to an almost periodic solution with a positive exponential convergence rate. The effectiveness of the obtained result is illustrated by a numerical example.

Changes in Cellular mRNA Stability, Splicing, and Polyadenylation through HuR Protein Sequestration by a Cytoplasmic RNA Virus

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Michael D. Barnhart

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The impact of RNA viruses on the posttranscriptional regulation of cellular gene expression is unclear. Sindbis virus causes a dramatic relocalization of the cellular HuR protein from the nucleus to the cytoplasm in infected cells. This is to the result of the expression of large amounts of viral RNAs that contain high-affinity HuR binding sites in their 3′ UTRs effectively serving as a sponge for the HuR protein. Sequestration of HuR by Sindbis virus is associated with destabilization of cellular mRNAs that normally bind HuR and rely on it to regulate their expression. Furthermore, significant changes can be observed in nuclear alternative polyadenylation and splicing events on cellular pre-mRNAs as a result of sequestration of HuR protein by the 3′ UTR of transcripts of this cytoplasmic RNA virus. These studies suggest a molecular mechanism of virus-host interaction that probably has a significant impact on virus replication, cytopathology, and pathogenesis.

Oxygen concentration modulates cellular senescence and autophagy in human trophoblast cells.

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Seno, Kotomi; Tanikawa, Nao; Takahashi, Hironori; Ohkuchi, Akihide; Suzuki, Hirotada; Matsubara, Shigeki; Iwata, Hisataka; Kuwayama, Takehito; Shirasuna, Koumei

2018-02-15

We investigated the effect of oxygen concentrations on cellular senescence and autophagy and examined the role of autophagy in human trophoblast cells. Human first-trimester trophoblast cells (Sw.71) were incubated under 21%, 5%, or 1% O 2 concentrations for 24 hours. We examined the extent of senescence caused using senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) as markers. Moreover, we examined the role of autophagy in causing cellular senescence using an autophagy inhibitor (3-methyladenine, 3MA). Physiological normoxia (5% O 2 ) decreased SA-β-Gal-positive cells and SASP including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 compared with cultured cells in 21% O 2 . Pathophysiological hypoxia (1% O 2 ) caused cytotoxicity, including extracellular release of ATP and lactate dehydrogenase, and decreased senescence phenotypes. 3MA-treated trophoblast cells significantly suppressed senescence markers (SA-β-Gal-positive cells and SASP secretion) in O 2 -independent manner. We conclude that O 2 concentration modulates cellular senescence phenotypes regulating autophagy in the human trophoblast cells. Moreover, inhibiting autophagy suppresses cellular senescence, suggesting that autophagy contributes to oxygen stress-induced cellular senescence. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Quiescent Cellular State is Arf/p53-Dependent and Associated with H2AX Downregulation and Genome Stability

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Mitsuko Masutani

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Cancer is a disease associated with genomic instability and mutations. Excluding some tumors with specific chromosomal translocations, most cancers that develop at an advanced age are characterized by either chromosomal or microsatellite instability. However, it is still unclear how genomic instability and mutations are generated during the process of cellular transformation and how the development of genomic instability contributes to cellular transformation. Recent studies of cellular regulation and tetraploidy development have provided insights into the factors triggering cellular transformation and the regulatory mechanisms that protect chromosomes from genomic instability.

PDGF-AA-induced filamentous mitochondria benefit dermal papilla cells in cellular migration.

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Mifude, C; Kaseda, K

2015-06-01

Human dermal papilla cells (HDPCs) play essential roles in hair follicular morphogenesis and postnatal hair growth cycles. Previous reports demonstrated that platelet-derived growth factor-AA (PDGF-AA) enhanced the formation of dermal condensates in hair follicular development. Additionally, PDGF-AA induces/maintains the anagen phase of the hair cycle. It is likely that mitochondrial morphology and functions are tightly coupled with maintenance of these energy-demanding activities. However, little is known about the mitochondrial regulation in HDPCs. Thus, we investigated the PDGF-involved mitochondrial regulation in HDPCs. The mitochondrial morphologies of HDPCs were examined in the presence or absence of PDGF-AA under a fluorescent microscope. ATP production and cellular motility were investigated. The relationship between mitochondrial morphology and the cellular functions was discussed. We observed that primary HDPCs contained mitochondria with filamentous and/or rounded morphologies. Both types of mitochondria showed similar membrane potentials. Interestingly, in the presence of PDGF-AA, but not PDGF-BB, the balance between the two morphologies shifted towards the filamentous form. Concomitantly, both mitochondrial enzymatic activity and total cellular ATP level were augmented by PDGF-AA. These two parameters were closely correlated, suggesting the mitochondrial involvement in the PDGF-augmented ATP production. Moreover, PDGF-AA accelerated the migration of HDPCs in a gap-filling assay, but did not change the rate of cellular proliferation. Notably, filamentous mitochondria dominated migrating HDPCs. PDGF-AA benefits HDPCs in the process of migration, by increasing the number of filamentous mitochondria. © 2014 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

RNA epitranscriptomics: Regulation of infection of RNA and DNA viruses by N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A).

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Tan, Brandon; Gao, Shou-Jiang

2018-04-26

N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) was discovered 4 decades ago. However, the functions of m 6 A and the cellular machinery that regulates its changes have just been revealed in the last few years. m 6 A is an abundant internal mRNA modification on cellular RNA and is implicated in diverse cellular functions. Recent works have demonstrated the presence of m 6 A in the genomes of RNA viruses and transcripts of a DNA virus with either a proviral or antiviral role. Here, we first summarize what is known about the m 6 A "writers," "erasers," "readers," and "antireaders" as well as the role of m 6 A in mRNA metabolism. We then review how the replications of numerous viruses are enhanced and restricted by m 6 A with emphasis on the oncogenic DNA virus, Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), whose m 6 A epitranscriptome was recently mapped. In the context of KSHV, m 6 A and the reader protein YTHDF2 acts as an antiviral mechanism during viral lytic replication. During viral latency, KSHV alters m 6 A on genes that are implicated in cellular transformation and viral latency. Lastly, we discuss future studies that are important to further delineate the functions of m 6 A in KSHV latent and lytic replication and KSHV-induced oncogenesis. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Activity-regulated genes as mediators of neural circuit plasticity.

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, Jennifer H; Nedivi, Elly

2011-08-01

Modifications of neuronal circuits allow the brain to adapt and change with experience. This plasticity manifests during development and throughout life, and can be remarkably long lasting. Evidence has linked activity-regulated gene expression to the long-term structural and electrophysiological adaptations that take place during developmental critical periods, learning and memory, and alterations to sensory map representations in the adult. In all these cases, the cellular response to neuronal activity integrates multiple tightly coordinated mechanisms to precisely orchestrate long-lasting, functional and structural changes in brain circuits. Experience-dependent plasticity is triggered when neuronal excitation activates cellular signaling pathways from the synapse to the nucleus that initiate new programs of gene expression. The protein products of activity-regulated genes then work via a diverse array of cellular mechanisms to modify neuronal functional properties. Synaptic strengthening or weakening can reweight existing circuit connections, while structural changes including synapse addition and elimination create new connections. Posttranscriptional regulatory mechanisms, often also dependent on activity, further modulate activity-regulated gene transcript and protein function. Thus, activity-regulated genes implement varied forms of structural and functional plasticity to fine-tune brain circuit wiring. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-operator collaboration for green cellular networks under roaming price consideration

KAUST Repository

Ghazzai, Hakim; Yaacoub, Elias E.; Alouini, Mohamed-Slim

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the collaboration between multiple mobile operators to optimize the energy efficiency of cellular networks. Our framework studies the case of LTE-Advanced networks deployed in the same area and owning renewable energy generators. The objective is to reduce the CO2 emissions of cellular networks via collaborative techniques and using base station sleeping strategy while respecting the network quality of service. Low complexity and practical algorithm is employed to achieve green goals during low traffic periods. Cooperation decision criteria are also established basing on derived roaming prices and profit gains of competitive mobile operators. Our numerical results show a significant save in terms of CO2 compared to the non-collaboration case and that cooperative mobile operator exploiting renewables are more awarded than traditional operators.

Multi-operator collaboration for green cellular networks under roaming price consideration

KAUST Repository

Ghazzai, Hakim

2014-09-01

This paper investigates the collaboration between multiple mobile operators to optimize the energy efficiency of cellular networks. Our framework studies the case of LTE-Advanced networks deployed in the same area and owning renewable energy generators. The objective is to reduce the CO2 emissions of cellular networks via collaborative techniques and using base station sleeping strategy while respecting the network quality of service. Low complexity and practical algorithm is employed to achieve green goals during low traffic periods. Cooperation decision criteria are also established basing on derived roaming prices and profit gains of competitive mobile operators. Our numerical results show a significant save in terms of CO2 compared to the non-collaboration case and that cooperative mobile operator exploiting renewables are more awarded than traditional operators.

Hepatitis C virus core protein regulates p300/CBP co-activation function. Possible role in the regulation of NF-AT1 transcriptional activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gomez-Gonzalo, Marta; Benedicto, Ignacio; Carretero, Marta; Lara-Pezzi, Enrique; Maldonado-Rodriguez, Alejandra; Moreno-Otero, Ricardo; Lai, Michael M.C.; Lopez-Cabrera, Manuel

2004-01-01

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core is a viral structural protein; it also participates in some cellular processes, including transcriptional regulation. However, the mechanisms of core-mediated transcriptional regulation remain poorly understood. Oncogenic virus proteins often target p300/CBP, a known co-activator of a wide variety of transcription factors, to regulate the expression of cellular and viral genes. Here we demonstrate, for the first time, that HCV core protein interacts with p300/CBP and enhances both its acetyl-transferase and transcriptional activities. In addition, we demonstrate that nuclear core protein activates the NH 2 -terminal transcription activation domain (TAD) of NF-AT1 in a p300/CBP-dependent manner. We propose a model in which core protein regulates the co-activation function of p300/CBP and activates NF-AT1, and probably other p300/CBP-regulated transcription factors, by a novel mechanism involving the regulation of the acetylation state of histones and/or components of the transcriptional machinery

Metabolic regulation of cellular plasticity in the pancreas.

Science.gov (United States)

Ninov, Nikolay; Hesselson, Daniel; Gut, Philipp; Zhou, Amy; Fidelin, Kevin; Stainier, Didier Y R

2013-07-08

Obese individuals exhibit an increase in pancreatic β cell mass; conversely, scarce nutrition during pregnancy has been linked to β cell insufficiency in the offspring [reviewed in 1, 2]. These phenomena are thought to be mediated mainly through effects on β cell proliferation, given that a nutrient-sensitive β cell progenitor population in the pancreas has not been identified. Here, we employed the fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell-cycle indicator system to investigate β cell replication in real time and found that high nutrient concentrations induce rapid β cell proliferation. Importantly, we found that high nutrient concentrations also stimulate β cell differentiation from progenitors in the intrapancreatic duct (IPD). Furthermore, using a new zebrafish line where β cells are constitutively ablated, we show that β cell loss and high nutrient intake synergistically activate these progenitors. At the cellular level, this activation process causes ductal cell reorganization as it stimulates their proliferation and differentiation. Notably, we link the nutrient-dependent activation of these progenitors to a downregulation of Notch signaling specifically within the IPD. Furthermore, we show that the nutrient sensor mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is required for endocrine differentiation from the IPD under physiological conditions as well as in the diabetic state. Thus, this study reveals critical insights into how cells modulate their plasticity in response to metabolic cues and identifies nutrient-sensitive progenitors in the mature pancreas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mitochondrial dysfunction and cellular metabolic deficiency in Alzheimer's disease.

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Gu, Xue-Mei; Huang, Han-Chang; Jiang, Zhao-Feng

2012-10-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder. The pathology of AD includes amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits in neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated tau, as well as neuronal loss in specific brain regions. Increasing epidemiological and functional neuroimaging evidence indicates that global and regional disruptions in brain metabolism are involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Aβ precursor protein is cleaved to produce both extracellular and intracellular Aβ, accumulation of which might interfere with the homeostasis of cellular metabolism. Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that not only supply the main energy to the cell but also regulate apoptosis. Mitochondrial dysfunction might contribute to Aβ neurotoxicity. In this review, we summarize the pathways of Aβ generation and its potential neurotoxic effects on cellular metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction.

Research advances in cellular immunotherapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma

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ZHANG Ye

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present therapy for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC consists of surgery as well as local radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the majority of patients are susceptible to recurrence after comprehensive treatment, and the overall treatment outcome is not ideal due to the lack of effective drugs and strategies. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that the immune system is closely related to the development, progression, metastasis, and recurrence of HCC. Thus, immune therapy, especially cellular immunotherapy, could regulate immune function and induce specific antitumor immunity to achieve the goal of controlling HCC and reducing its recurrence and metastasis, which has become an essential part in the comprehensive treatment of HCC. The findings in preclinical and clinical studies on cellular immunotherapy for HCC data are reviewed, and the current problems are discussed.

Mechanisms of cellular invasion by intracellular parasites.

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Walker, Dawn M; Oghumu, Steve; Gupta, Gaurav; McGwire, Bradford S; Drew, Mark E; Satoskar, Abhay R

2014-04-01

Numerous disease-causing parasites must invade host cells in order to prosper. Collectively, such pathogens are responsible for a staggering amount of human sickness and death throughout the world. Leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, toxoplasmosis, and malaria are neglected diseases and therefore are linked to socio-economical and geographical factors, affecting well-over half the world's population. Such obligate intracellular parasites have co-evolved with humans to establish a complexity of specific molecular parasite-host cell interactions, forming the basis of the parasite's cellular tropism. They make use of such interactions to invade host cells as a means to migrate through various tissues, to evade the host immune system, and to undergo intracellular replication. These cellular migration and invasion events are absolutely essential for the completion of the lifecycles of these parasites and lead to their for disease pathogenesis. This review is an overview of the molecular mechanisms of protozoan parasite invasion of host cells and discussion of therapeutic strategies, which could be developed by targeting these invasion pathways. Specifically, we focus on four species of protozoan parasites Leishmania, Trypanosoma cruzi, Plasmodium, and Toxoplasma, which are responsible for significant morbidity and mortality.

Cellular automata in cytoskeletal lattices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smith, S A; Watt, R C; Hameroff, S R

1984-01-01

Cellular automata (CA) activities could mediate biological regulation and information processing via nonlinear electrodynamic effects in cytoskeletal lattice arrays. Frohlich coherent oscillations and other nonlinear mechanisms may effect discrete 10/sup -10/ to 10/sup -11/ s interval events which result in dynamic patterns in biolattices such as cylindrical protein polymers: microtubules (MT). Structural geometry and electrostatic forces of MT subunit dipole oscillations suggest neighbor rules among the hexagonally packed protein subunits. Computer simulations using these suggested rules and MT structural geometry demonstrate CA activities including dynamical and stable self-organizing patterns, oscillators, and traveling gliders. CA activities in MT and other cytoskeletal lattices may have important biological regulatory functions. 23 references, 6 figures, 1 table.

[Cellular adhesion signal transduction network of tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced hepatocellular carcinoma cells].

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Yongchang; Du, Shunda; Xu, Haifeng; Xu, Yiyao; Zhao, Haitao; Chi, Tianyi; Lu, Xin; Sang, Xinting; Mao, Yilei

2014-11-18

To systemically explore the cellular adhesion signal transduction network of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma cells with bioinformatics tools. Published microarray dataset of TNF-α-induced HepG2, human transcription factor database HTRI and human protein-protein interaction database HPRD were used to construct and analyze the signal transduction network. In the signal transduction network, MYC and SP1 were the key nodes of signaling transduction. Several genes from the network were closely related with cellular adhesion.Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a possible key gene of effectively regulating cellular adhesion during the induction of TNF-α. EGFR is a possible key gene for TNF-α-induced metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Acrolein-exposed normal human lung fibroblasts in vitro: cellular senescence, enhanced telomere erosion, and degradation of Werner's syndrome protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jun-Ho; Bruse, Shannon; Huneidi, Salam; Schrader, Ronald M; Monick, Martha M; Lin, Yong; Carter, A Brent; Klingelhutz, Aloysius J; Nyunoya, Toru

2014-09-01

Acrolein is a ubiquitous environmental hazard to human health. Acrolein has been reported to activate the DNA damage response and induce apoptosis. However, little is known about the effects of acrolein on cellular senescence. We examined whether acrolein induces cellular senescence in cultured normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF). We cultured NHLF in the presence or absence of acrolein and determined the effects of acrolein on cell proliferative capacity, senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, the known senescence-inducing pathways (e.g., p53, p21), and telomere length. We found that acrolein induced cellular senescence by increasing both p53 and p21. The knockdown of p53 mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) attenuated acrolein-induced cellular senescence. Acrolein decreased Werner's syndrome protein (WRN), a member of the RecQ helicase family involved in DNA repair and telomere maintenance. Acrolein-induced down-regulation of WRN protein was rescued by p53 knockdown or proteasome inhibition. Finally, we found that acrolein accelerated p53-mediated telomere shortening. These results suggest that acrolein induces p53-mediated cellular senescence accompanied by enhanced telomere attrition and WRN protein down-regulation.

Coordinated regulation by two VPS9 domain-containing guanine nucleotide exchange factors in small GTPase Rab5 signaling pathways in fission yeast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsukamoto, Yuta; Kagiwada, Satoshi; Shimazu, Sayuri; Takegawa, Kaoru; Noguchi, Tetsuko; Miyamoto, Masaaki

2015-01-01

The small GTPase Rab5 is reported to regulate various cellular functions, such as vesicular transport and endocytosis. VPS9 domain-containing proteins are thought to activate Rab5(s) by their guanine-nucleotide exchange activities. Numerous VPS9 proteins have been identified and are structurally conserved from yeast to mammalian cells. However, the functional relationships among VPS9 proteins in cells remain unclear. Only one Rab5 and two VPS9 proteins were identified in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome. Here, we examined the cellular function of two VPS9 proteins and the relationship between these proteins in cellular functions. Vps901-GFP and Vps902-GFP exhibited dotted signals in vegetative and differentiated cells. vps901 deletion mutant (Δvps901) cells exhibited a phenotype deficient in the mating process and responses to high concentrations of ions, such as calcium and metals, and Δvps901Δvps902 double mutant cells exhibited round cell shapes similar to ypt5-909 (Rab5 mutant allele) cells. Deletion of both vps901 and vps902 genes completely abolished the mating process and responses to various stresses. A lack of vacuole formation and aberrant inner cell membrane structures were also observed in Δvps901Δvps902 cells by electron microscopy. These data strongly suggest that Vps901 and Vps902 are cooperatively involved in the regulation of cellular functions, such as cell morphology, sexual development, response to ion stresses, and vacuole formation, via Rab5 signaling pathways in fission yeast cells. - Highlights: • Roles of Rab5 activator VPS9 proteins in cellular functions. • Cooperation between VPS9 proteins in Rab5 signaling pathway. • Roles of each VPS9 protein in Rab5 signaling pathway are discussed

Coordinated regulation by two VPS9 domain-containing guanine nucleotide exchange factors in small GTPase Rab5 signaling pathways in fission yeast

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsukamoto, Yuta [Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Kagiwada, Satoshi [Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Nara Women' s University, Kitauoyanishi-machi, Nara 630-8506 (Japan); Shimazu, Sayuri [Center for Supports to Research and Education Activities, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Takegawa, Kaoru [Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Noguchi, Tetsuko [Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Nara Women' s University, Kitauoyanishi-machi, Nara 630-8506 (Japan); Miyamoto, Masaaki, E-mail: miya@kobe-u.ac.jp [Department of Biology, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan); Center for Supports to Research and Education Activities, Kobe University, 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada, Kobe 657-8501 (Japan)

2015-03-20

The small GTPase Rab5 is reported to regulate various cellular functions, such as vesicular transport and endocytosis. VPS9 domain-containing proteins are thought to activate Rab5(s) by their guanine-nucleotide exchange activities. Numerous VPS9 proteins have been identified and are structurally conserved from yeast to mammalian cells. However, the functional relationships among VPS9 proteins in cells remain unclear. Only one Rab5 and two VPS9 proteins were identified in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe genome. Here, we examined the cellular function of two VPS9 proteins and the relationship between these proteins in cellular functions. Vps901-GFP and Vps902-GFP exhibited dotted signals in vegetative and differentiated cells. vps901 deletion mutant (Δvps901) cells exhibited a phenotype deficient in the mating process and responses to high concentrations of ions, such as calcium and metals, and Δvps901Δvps902 double mutant cells exhibited round cell shapes similar to ypt5-909 (Rab5 mutant allele) cells. Deletion of both vps901 and vps902 genes completely abolished the mating process and responses to various stresses. A lack of vacuole formation and aberrant inner cell membrane structures were also observed in Δvps901Δvps902 cells by electron microscopy. These data strongly suggest that Vps901 and Vps902 are cooperatively involved in the regulation of cellular functions, such as cell morphology, sexual development, response to ion stresses, and vacuole formation, via Rab5 signaling pathways in fission yeast cells. - Highlights: • Roles of Rab5 activator VPS9 proteins in cellular functions. • Cooperation between VPS9 proteins in Rab5 signaling pathway. • Roles of each VPS9 protein in Rab5 signaling pathway are discussed.

Performance Comparison of Orthogonal and Quasi-orthogonal Codes in Quasi-Synchronous Cellular CDMA Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Jos, Sujit; Kumar, Preetam; Chakrabarti, Saswat

Orthogonal and quasi-orthogonal codes are integral part of any DS-CDMA based cellular systems. Orthogonal codes are ideal for use in perfectly synchronous scenario like downlink cellular communication. Quasi-orthogonal codes are preferred over orthogonal codes in the uplink communication where perfect synchronization cannot be achieved. In this paper, we attempt to compare orthogonal and quasi-orthogonal codes in presence of timing synchronization error. This will give insight into the synchronization demands in DS-CDMA systems employing the two classes of sequences. The synchronization error considered is smaller than chip duration. Monte-Carlo simulations have been carried out to verify the analytical and numerical results.

Cellular gravity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

F.C. Gruau; J.T. Tromp (John)

1999-01-01

textabstractWe consider the problem of establishing gravity in cellular automata. In particular, when cellular automata states can be partitioned into empty, particle, and wall types, with the latter enclosing rectangular areas, we desire rules that will make the particles fall down and pile up on

Mixing of two-component flow in a simplified stirred tank with cellular automaton method; Cellular automaton ho ni yoru kakuhan sonai no niseibunryu no kongo keisan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watanabe, S; Takahashi, R [Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tokyo (Japan)

1996-01-25

The applicability of a cellular automaton technique to engineering problems will be examined by dealing with mixing in multicomponent flow. The quality and accumulation rate of the product depend on the mixing of raw materials basically. After thoroughly understanding the mixing process, we optimize the geometrical allocation of such elements as a propeller with casing, a chimney and a product output nozzle in a reactor. Usually mixing is formulated by partial differential equations of conservation laws and empirical formulae, and solved numerically by the finite difference technique. In order to evaluate the fine structure of time-dependent interfacial behavior in multicomponent flow, the cellular automaton technique is used, since this has an advantage of describing the pattern formation in detail. It will be demonstrated in the present paper that mixing of two-component immiscible flow is reasonably simulated mesoscopically. 13 refs., 17 figs.

Identification of genes potentially regulated by human polynucleotide phosphorylase (hPNPase old-35 using melanoma as a model.

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Upneet K Sokhi

Full Text Available Human Polynucleotide Phosphorylase (hPNPase(old-35 or PNPT1 is an evolutionarily conserved 3'→ 5' exoribonuclease implicated in the regulation of numerous physiological processes including maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis, mtRNA import and aging-associated inflammation. From an RNase perspective, little is known about the RNA or miRNA species it targets for degradation or whose expression it regulates; except for c-myc and miR-221. To further elucidate the functional implications of hPNPase(old-35 in cellular physiology, we knocked-down and overexpressed hPNPase(old-35 in human melanoma cells and performed gene expression analyses to identify differentially expressed transcripts. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis indicated that knockdown of hPNPase(old-35 resulted in significant gene expression changes associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and cholesterol biosynthesis; whereas overexpression of hPNPase(old-35 caused global changes in cell-cycle related functions. Additionally, comparative gene expression analyses between our hPNPase(old-35 knockdown and overexpression datasets allowed us to identify 77 potential "direct" and 61 potential "indirect" targets of hPNPase(old-35 which formed correlated networks enriched for cell-cycle and wound healing functional association, respectively. These results provide a comprehensive database of genes responsive to hPNPase(old-35 expression levels; along with the identification new potential candidate genes offering fresh insight into cellular pathways regulated by PNPT1 and which may be used in the future for possible therapeutic intervention in mitochondrial- or inflammation-associated disease phenotypes.

A Stochastic Model of the Yeast Cell Cycle Reveals Roles for Feedback Regulation in Limiting Cellular Variability.

Science.gov (United States)

Barik, Debashis; Ball, David A; Peccoud, Jean; Tyson, John J

2016-12-01

The cell division cycle of eukaryotes is governed by a complex network of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) and auxiliary proteins that govern CDK activities. The control system must function reliably in the context of molecular noise that is inevitable in tiny yeast cells, because mistakes in sequencing cell cycle events are detrimental or fatal to the cell or its progeny. To assess the effects of noise on cell cycle progression requires not only extensive, quantitative, experimental measurements of cellular heterogeneity but also comprehensive, accurate, mathematical models of stochastic fluctuations in the CDK control system. In this paper we provide a stochastic model of the budding yeast cell cycle that accurately accounts for the variable phenotypes of wild-type cells and more than 20 mutant yeast strains simulated in different growth conditions. We specifically tested the role of feedback regulations mediated by G1- and SG2M-phase cyclins to minimize the noise in cell cycle progression. Details of the model are informed and tested by quantitative measurements (by fluorescence in situ hybridization) of the joint distributions of mRNA populations in yeast cells. We use the model to predict the phenotypes of ~30 mutant yeast strains that have not yet been characterized experimentally.

A Stochastic Model of the Yeast Cell Cycle Reveals Roles for Feedback Regulation in Limiting Cellular Variability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Debashis Barik

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The cell division cycle of eukaryotes is governed by a complex network of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs and auxiliary proteins that govern CDK activities. The control system must function reliably in the context of molecular noise that is inevitable in tiny yeast cells, because mistakes in sequencing cell cycle events are detrimental or fatal to the cell or its progeny. To assess the effects of noise on cell cycle progression requires not only extensive, quantitative, experimental measurements of cellular heterogeneity but also comprehensive, accurate, mathematical models of stochastic fluctuations in the CDK control system. In this paper we provide a stochastic model of the budding yeast cell cycle that accurately accounts for the variable phenotypes of wild-type cells and more than 20 mutant yeast strains simulated in different growth conditions. We specifically tested the role of feedback regulations mediated by G1- and SG2M-phase cyclins to minimize the noise in cell cycle progression. Details of the model are informed and tested by quantitative measurements (by fluorescence in situ hybridization of the joint distributions of mRNA populations in yeast cells. We use the model to predict the phenotypes of ~30 mutant yeast strains that have not yet been characterized experimentally.

Reversible and Dynamic Fluorescence Imaging of Cellular Redox Self-Regulation Using Fast-Responsive Near-Infrared Ge-Pyronines.

Science.gov (United States)

Nie, Hailiang; Jing, Jing; Tian, Yong; Yang, Wen; Zhang, Rubo; Zhang, Xiaoling

2016-04-13

Cellular self-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) stress via glutathione (GSH) antioxidant repair plays a crucial role in maintaining redox balance, which affects various physiological and pathological pathways. In this work, we developed a simple yet effective strategy for reversible, dynamic, and real-time fluorescence imaging of ROS stress and GSH repair, based on novel Ge-pyronine dyes (GePs). Unlike the current O-pyronine (OP) dye, the fluorescence of GePs can be quenched in GSH reduction and then greatly restored by ROS (e.g., ClO(-), ONOO(-), and HO(•)) oxidation because of their unique affinity toward thiols. The "on-off" and "off-on" fluorescence switch can complete in 10 and 20 s, respectively, and exhibit excellent reversibility in vitro and in cells. GePs also show excitation in the long wavelength from the deep-red to near-infrared (NIR) (621-662 nm) region, high fluorescence quantum yield (Φ(fl) = 0.32-0.44) in aqueous media, and excellent cell permeability. Our results demonstrated that GePs can be used for real-time monitoring of the reversible and dynamic interconversion between ROS oxidation and GSH reduction in living cells. GePs might be a useful tool for investigating various redox-related physiological and pathological pathways.

Complex regulation of CREB-binding protein by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2

KAUST Repository

Ková cs, Krisztiá n A.; Steinmann, Myriam; Halfon, Olivier; Magistretti, Pierre J.; Cardinaux, Jean René

2015-01-01

CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300 are transcriptional coactivators involved in numerous biological processes that affect cell growth, transformation, differentiation, and development. In this study, we provide evidence of the involvement of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in the regulation of CBP activity. We show that HIPK2 interacts with and phosphorylates several regions of CBP. We demonstrate that serines 2361, 2363, 2371, 2376, and 2381 are responsible for the HIPK2-induced mobility shift of CBP C-terminal activation domain. Moreover, we show that HIPK2 strongly potentiates the transcriptional activity of CBP. However, our data suggest that HIPK2 activates CBP mainly by counteracting the repressive action of cell cycle regulatory domain 1 (CRD1), located between amino acids 977 and 1076, independently of CBP phosphorylation. Our findings thus highlight a complex regulation of CBP activity by HIPK2, which might be relevant for the control of specific sets of target genes involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. © 2015 Elsevier Inc.

Complex regulation of CREB-binding protein by homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2

KAUST Repository

Kovács, Krisztián A.

2015-11-01

CREB-binding protein (CBP) and p300 are transcriptional coactivators involved in numerous biological processes that affect cell growth, transformation, differentiation, and development. In this study, we provide evidence of the involvement of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) in the regulation of CBP activity. We show that HIPK2 interacts with and phosphorylates several regions of CBP. We demonstrate that serines 2361, 2363, 2371, 2376, and 2381 are responsible for the HIPK2-induced mobility shift of CBP C-terminal activation domain. Moreover, we show that HIPK2 strongly potentiates the transcriptional activity of CBP. However, our data suggest that HIPK2 activates CBP mainly by counteracting the repressive action of cell cycle regulatory domain 1 (CRD1), located between amino acids 977 and 1076, independently of CBP phosphorylation. Our findings thus highlight a complex regulation of CBP activity by HIPK2, which might be relevant for the control of specific sets of target genes involved in cellular proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. © 2015 Elsevier Inc.

Influence of Macromolecular Biosynthesis on Cellular Autolysis in Streptococcus faecalis

Science.gov (United States)

Sayare, Mitchel; Daneo-Moore, Lolita; Shockman, Gerald D.

1972-01-01

The addition of several different antibiotics to growing cultures of Streptococcus faecalis, ATCC 9790, was found to inhibit autolysis of cells in sodium phosphate buffer. When added to exponential-phase cultures, mitomycin C (0.4 μg/ml) or phenethyl alcohol (3 mg/ml) inhibited deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, but did not appreciably affect the rate of cellular autolysis. Addition of chloramphenicol (10 μg/ml), tetracycline (0.5 μg/ml), puromycin (25 μg/ml), or 5-azacytidine (5 μg/ml) to exponential-phase cultures inhibited protein synthesis and profoundly decreased the rate of cellular autolysis. Actinomycin D (0.075 μg/ml) and rifampin (0.01 μg/ml), both inhibitors of ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis, also reduced the rate of cellular autolysis. However, the inhibitory effect of actinomycin D and rifampin on cellular autolysis was more closely correlated with their concomitant secondary inhibition of protein synthesis than with the more severe inhibition of RNA synthesis. The dose-dependent inhibition of protein synthesis by 5-azacytidine was quickly diluted out of a growing culture. Reversal of inhibition was accompanied by a disproportionately rapid increase in the ability of cells to autolyze. Thus, inhibition of the ability of cells to autolyze can be most closely related to inhibition of protein synthesis. Furthermore, the rapidity of the response of cellular autolysis to inhibitors of protein synthesis suggests that regulation is exerted at the level of autolytic enzyme activity and not enzyme synthesis. PMID:4116754

[Pain and emotional dysregulation: Cellular memory due to pain].

Science.gov (United States)

Narita, Minoru; Watanabe, Moe; Hamada, Yusuke; Tamura, Hideki; Ikegami, Daigo; Kuzumaki, Naoko; Igarashi, Katsuhide

2015-08-01

Genetic factors are involved in determinants for the risk of psychiatric disorders, and neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. Chronic pain stimuli and intense pain have effects at a cellular and/or gene expression level, and will eventually induce "cellular memory due to pain", which means that tissue damage, even if only transient, can elicit epigenetically abnormal transcription/translation and post-translational modification in related cells depending on the degree or kind of injury or associated conditions. Such cell memory/transformation due to pain can cause an abnormality in a fundamental intracellular response, such as a change in the three-dimensional structure of DNA, transcription, or translation. On the other hand, pain is a multidimensional experience with sensory-discriminative and motivational-affective components. Recent human brain imaging studies have examined differences in activity in the nucleus accumbens between controls and patients with chronic pain, and have revealed that the nucleus accumbens plays a role in predicting the value of a noxious stimulus and its offset, and in the consequent changes in the motivational state. In this review, we provide a very brief overview of a comprehensive understanding of chronic pain associated with emotional dysregulation due to transcriptional regulation, epigenetic modification and miRNA regulation.

Linking metabolomics data to underlying metabolic regulation

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Thomas eNägele

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The comprehensive experimental analysis of a metabolic constitution plays a central role in approaches of organismal systems biology.Quantifying the impact of a changing environment on the homeostasis of cellular metabolism has been the focus of numerous studies applying various metabolomics techniques. It has been proven that approaches which integrate different analytical techniques, e.g. LC-MS, GC-MS, CE-MS and H-NMR, can provide a comprehensive picture of a certain metabolic homeostasis. Identification of metabolic compounds and quantification of metabolite levels represent the groundwork for the analysis of regulatory strategies in cellular metabolism. This significantly promotes our current understanding of the molecular organization and regulation of cells, tissues and whole organisms.Nevertheless, it is demanding to elicit the pertinent information which is contained in metabolomics data sets.Based on the central dogma of molecular biology, metabolite levels and their fluctuations are the result of a directed flux of information from gene activation over transcription to translation and posttranslational modification.Hence, metabolomics data represent the summed output of a metabolic system comprising various levels of molecular organization.As a consequence, the inverse assignment of metabolomics data to underlying regulatory processes should yield information which-if deciphered correctly-provides comprehensive insight into a metabolic system.Yet, the deduction of regulatory principles is complex not only due to the high number of metabolic compounds, but also because of a high level of cellular compartmentalization and differentiation.Motivated by the question how metabolomics approaches can provide a representative view on regulatory biochemical processes, this article intends to present and discuss current metabolomics applications, strategies of data analysis and their limitations with respect to the interpretability in context of

The Rab GTPase Rab8 as a shared regulator of ciliogenesis and immune synapse assembly: From a conserved pathway to diverse cellular structures.

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Patrussi, Laura; Baldari, Cosima T

2016-01-01

Rab GTPases, which form the largest branch of the Ras GTPase superfamily, regulate almost every step of vesicle-mediated trafficking. Among them, Rab8 is an essential participant in primary cilium formation. In a report recently published in the Journal of Cell Science, Finetti and colleagues identify Rab8 as a novel player in vesicular traffic in the non-ciliated T lymphocytes, which contributes to the assembly of the specialized signaling platform known as the immune synapse. By interacting with the v-SNARE VAMP-3, Rab8 is indeed responsible for the final docking/fusion step in T cell receptor (TCR) recycling to the immune synapse. A second important take-home message which comes to light from this work is that VAMP-3 also interacts with Rab8 at the base of the cilium in NIH-3T3 cells, where it regulates ciliary growth and targeting of Smoothened at the plasma membrane. Hence the data presented in this report, in addition to identifying Rab8 as a novel player in vesicular traffic to the immune synapse, reveal how both ciliated and non-ciliated cells take advantage of a conserved pathway to build highly specific cellular structures.

Autophagy in hypothalamic AgRP neurons regulates food intake and energy balance

OpenAIRE

Kaushik, Susmita; Rodriguez-Navarro, Jose Antonio; Arias, Esperanza; Kiffin, Roberta; Sahu, Srabani; Schwartz, Gary J.; Cuervo, Ana Maria; Singh, Rajat

2011-01-01

Macroautophagy is a lysosomal degradative pathway that maintains cellular homeostasis by turning over cellular components. Here, we demonstrate a role for autophagy in hypothalamic agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the regulation of food intake and energy balance. We show that starvation-induced hypothalamic autophagy mobilizes neuron-intrinsic lipids to generate endogenous free fatty acids, which in turn regulate AgRP levels. The functional consequences of inhibiting autophagy are the...

Domain 4 (D4 of Perfringolysin O to Visualize Cholesterol in Cellular Membranes—The Update

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Masashi Maekawa

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The cellular membrane of eukaryotes consists of phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol and membrane proteins. Among them, cholesterol is crucial for various cellular events (e.g., signaling, viral/bacterial infection, and membrane trafficking in addition to its essential role as an ingredient of steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. From a micro-perspective, at the plasma membrane, recent emerging evidence strongly suggests the existence of lipid nanodomains formed with cholesterol and phospholipids (e.g., sphingomyelin, phosphatidylserine. Thus, it is important to elucidate how cholesterol behaves in membranes and how the behavior of cholesterol is regulated at the molecular level. To elucidate the complexed characteristics of cholesterol in cellular membranes, a couple of useful biosensors that enable us to visualize cholesterol in cellular membranes have been recently developed by utilizing domain 4 (D4 of Perfringolysin O (PFO, theta toxin, a cholesterol-binding toxin. This review highlights the current progress on development of novel cholesterol biosensors that uncover new insights of cholesterol in cellular membranes.

Domain 4 (D4) of Perfringolysin O to Visualize Cholesterol in Cellular Membranes-The Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Maekawa, Masashi

2017-03-03

The cellular membrane of eukaryotes consists of phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol and membrane proteins. Among them, cholesterol is crucial for various cellular events (e.g., signaling, viral/bacterial infection, and membrane trafficking) in addition to its essential role as an ingredient of steroid hormones, vitamin D, and bile acids. From a micro-perspective, at the plasma membrane, recent emerging evidence strongly suggests the existence of lipid nanodomains formed with cholesterol and phospholipids (e.g., sphingomyelin, phosphatidylserine). Thus, it is important to elucidate how cholesterol behaves in membranes and how the behavior of cholesterol is regulated at the molecular level. To elucidate the complexed characteristics of cholesterol in cellular membranes, a couple of useful biosensors that enable us to visualize cholesterol in cellular membranes have been recently developed by utilizing domain 4 (D4) of Perfringolysin O (PFO, theta toxin), a cholesterol-binding toxin. This review highlights the current progress on development of novel cholesterol biosensors that uncover new insights of cholesterol in cellular membranes.

Single-cell-based system to monitor carrier driven cellular auxin homeostasis

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Abundance and distribution of the plant hormone auxin play important roles in plant development. Besides other metabolic processes, various auxin carriers control the cellular level of active auxin and, hence, are major regulators of cellular auxin homeostasis. Despite the developmental importance of auxin transporters, a simple medium-to-high throughput approach to assess carrier activities is still missing. Here we show that carrier driven depletion of cellular auxin correlates with reduced nuclear auxin signaling in tobacco Bright Yellow-2 (BY-2) cell cultures. Results We developed an easy to use transient single-cell-based system to detect carrier activity. We use the relative changes in signaling output of the auxin responsive promoter element DR5 to indirectly visualize auxin carrier activity. The feasibility of the transient approach was demonstrated by pharmacological and genetic interference with auxin signaling and transport. As a proof of concept, we provide visual evidence that the prominent auxin transport proteins PIN-FORMED (PIN)2 and PIN5 regulate cellular auxin homeostasis at the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), respectively. Our data suggest that PIN2 and PIN5 have different sensitivities to the auxin transport inhibitor 1-naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA). Also the putative PIN-LIKES (PILS) auxin carrier activity at the ER is insensitive to NPA in our system, indicating that NPA blocks intercellular, but not intracellular auxin transport. Conclusions This single-cell-based system is a useful tool by which the activity of putative auxin carriers, such as PINs, PILS and WALLS ARE THIN1 (WAT1), can be indirectly visualized in a medium-to-high throughput manner. Moreover, our single cell system might be useful to investigate also other hormonal signaling pathways, such as cytokinin. PMID:23379388

Hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2 (HAVCR2) is decreased with viral infection and regulates pro-labour mediators OA.

Science.gov (United States)

Liong, Stella; Lim, Ratana; Barker, Gillian; Lappas, Martha

2017-07-01

Intrauterine infection caused by viral infection has been implicated to contribute to preterm birth. Hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2 (HAVCR2) regulates inflammation in non-gestational tissues in response to viral infection. The aims of this study were to determine the effect of: (i) viral dsRNA analogue polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) on HAVCR2 expression; and (ii) HAVCR2 silencing by siRNA (siHAVCR2) in primary amnion and myometrial cells on poly(I:C)-induced inflammation. In human foetal membranes and myometrium, HAVCR2 mRNA and protein expression was decreased when exposed to poly(I:C). Treatment of primary amnion and myometrial cells with poly(I:C) significantly increased the expression and release of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF, IL1A, IL1B and IL6; the expression of chemokines CXCL8 and CCL2; the expression and secretion of adhesion molecules ICAM1 and VCAM1; and PTGS2 and PTGFR mRNA expression and the release of prostaglandin PGF 2α . This increase was significantly augmented in cells transfected with siHAVCR2. Furthermore, mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL4 and IL10 was significantly decreased. Collectively, our data suggest that HAVCR2 regulates cytokines, chemokines, prostaglandins and cell adhesion molecules in the presence of viral infection. This suggests a potential for HAVCR2 activators as therapeutics for the management of preterm birth associated with viral infections. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

2012 Gordon Research Conference on Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology, Final Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berman, Judith [Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN (United States)

2012-06-22

The Gordon Research Conference on Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology was held at Holderness School, Holderness New Hampshire, June 17 - 22, 2012. The 2012 Gordon Conference on Cellular and Molecular Fungal Biology (CMFB) will present the latest, cutting-edge research on the exciting and growing field of molecular and cellular aspects of fungal biology. Topics will range from yeast to filamentous fungi, from model systems to economically important organisms, and from saprophytes and commensals to pathogens of plants and animals. The CMFB conference will feature a wide range of topics including systems biology, cell biology and morphogenesis, organismal interactions, genome organisation and regulation, pathogenesis, energy metabolism, biomass production and population genomics. The Conference was well-attended with 136 participants. Gordon Research Conferences does not permit publication of meeting proceedings.

Cellular and molecular modifier pathways in tauopathies: the big picture from screening invertebrate models.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannan, Shabab B; Dräger, Nina M; Rasse, Tobias M; Voigt, Aaron; Jahn, Thomas R

2016-04-01

Abnormal tau accumulations were observed and documented in post-mortem brains of patients affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) long before the identification of mutations in the Microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT) gene, encoding the tau protein, in a different neurodegenerative disease called Frontotemporal dementia and Parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17 (FTDP-17). The discovery of mutations in the MAPT gene associated with FTDP-17 highlighted that dysfunctions in tau alone are sufficient to cause neurodegeneration. Invertebrate models have been diligently utilized in investigating tauopathies, contributing to the understanding of cellular and molecular pathways involved in disease etiology. An important discovery came with the demonstration that over-expression of human tau in Drosophila leads to premature mortality and neuronal dysfunction including neurodegeneration, recapitulating some key neuropathological features of the human disease. The simplicity of handling invertebrate models combined with the availability of a diverse range of experimental resources make these models, in particular Drosophila a powerful invertebrate screening tool. Consequently, several large-scale screens have been performed using Drosophila, to identify modifiers of tau toxicity. The screens have revealed not only common cellular and molecular pathways, but in some instances the same modifier has been independently identified in two or more screens suggesting a possible role for these modifiers in regulating tau toxicity. The purpose of this review is to discuss the genetic modifier screens on tauopathies performed in Drosophila and C. elegans models, and to highlight the common cellular and molecular pathways that have emerged from these studies. Here, we summarize results of tau toxicity screens providing mechanistic insights into pathological alterations in tauopathies. Key pathways or modifiers that have been identified are associated with a broad range of processes

Niemann-pick type C1 (NPC1) overexpression alters cellular cholesterol homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Millard, E E; Srivastava, K; Traub, L M; Schaffer, J E; Ory, D S

2000-12-08

The Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) protein is a key participant in intracellular trafficking of low density lipoprotein cholesterol, but its role in regulation of sterol homeostasis is not well understood. To characterize further the function of NPC1, we generated stable Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines overexpressing the human NPC1 protein (CHO/NPC1). NPC1 overexpression increases the rate of trafficking of low density lipoprotein cholesterol to the endoplasmic reticulum and the rate of delivery of endosomal cholesterol to the plasma membrane (PM). CHO/NPC1 cells exhibit a 1.5-fold increase in total cellular cholesterol and up to a 2.9-fold increase in PM cholesterol. This increase in PM cholesterol is closely paralleled by a 3-fold increase in de novo cholesterol synthesis. Inhibition of cholesterol synthesis results in marked redistribution of PM cholesterol to intracellular sites, suggesting an unsuspected role for NPC1 in internalization of PM cholesterol. Despite elevated total cellular cholesterol, CHO/NPC1 cells exhibit increased cholesterol synthesis, which may be attributable to both resistance to oxysterol suppression of sterol-regulated gene expression and to reduced endoplasmic reticulum cholesterol levels under basal conditions. Taken together, these studies provide important new insights into the role of NPC1 in the determination of the levels and distribution of cellular cholesterol.

Cellular commitment in the developing cerebellum

Science.gov (United States)

Marzban, Hassan; Del Bigio, Marc R.; Alizadeh, Javad; Ghavami, Saeid; Zachariah, Robby M.; Rastegar, Mojgan

2014-01-01

The mammalian cerebellum is located in the posterior cranial fossa and is critical for motor coordination and non-motor functions including cognitive and emotional processes. The anatomical structure of cerebellum is distinct with a three-layered cortex. During development, neurogenesis and fate decisions of cerebellar primordium cells are orchestrated through tightly controlled molecular events involving multiple genetic pathways. In this review, we will highlight the anatomical structure of human and mouse cerebellum, the cellular composition of developing cerebellum, and the underlying gene expression programs involved in cell fate commitments in the cerebellum. A critical evaluation of the cell death literature suggests that apoptosis occurs in ~5% of cerebellar cells, most shortly after mitosis. Apoptosis and cellular autophagy likely play significant roles in cerebellar development, we provide a comprehensive discussion of their role in cerebellar development and organization. We also address the possible function of unfolded protein response in regulation of cerebellar neurogenesis. We discuss recent advancements in understanding the epigenetic signature of cerebellar compartments and possible connections between DNA methylation, microRNAs and cerebellar neurodegeneration. Finally, we discuss genetic diseases associated with cerebellar dysfunction and their role in the aging cerebellum. PMID:25628535

Cellular Commitment in the Developing Cerebellum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan eMarzban

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The mammalian cerebellum is located in the posterior cranial fossa and is critical for motor coordination and non-motor functions including cognitive and emotional processes. The anatomical structure of cerebellum is distinct with a three-layered cortex. During development, neurogenesis and fate decisions of cerebellar primordium cells are orchestrated through tightly controlled molecular events involving multiple genetic pathways. In this review, we will highlight the anatomical structure of human and mouse cerebellum, the cellular composition of developing cerebellum, and the underlying gene expression programs involved in cell fate commitments in the cerebellum. A critical evaluation of the cell death literature suggests that apoptosis occurs in ~5% of cerebellar cells, most shortly after mitosis. Apoptosis and cellular autophagy likely play significant roles in cerebellar development, we provide a comprehensive discussion of their role in cerebellar development and organization. We also address the possible function of unfolded protein response in regulation of cerebellar neurogenesis. We discuss recent advancements in understanding the epigenetic signature of cerebellar compartments and possible connections between DNA methylation, microRNAs and cerebellar neurodegeneration. Finally, we then discuss genetic diseases associated with cerebellar dysfunction and their role in the aging cerebellum.

Roles and regulation of Epstein-Barr virus microRNAs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hooykaas, M.J.G.

2016-01-01

MicroRNAs are posttranscriptional gene regulators that play important roles in many cellular processes. These short non-coding RNA molecules regulate gene expression by binding to complementary target mRNAs, thereby inducing RNA destabilization and inhibition of translation. Several DNA viruses

15 CFR 711.5 - Numerical precision of submitted data.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Numerical precision of submitted data. 711.5 Section 711.5 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Continued) BUREAU OF INDUSTRY AND SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REGULATIONS...

Imaging the lipidome: omega-alkynyl fatty acids for detection and cellular visualization of lipid-modified proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Hannoush, Rami N; Arenas-Ramirez, Natalia

2009-07-17

Fatty acylation or lipid modification of proteins controls their cellular activation and diverse roles in physiology. It mediates protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions and plays an important role in regulating cellular signaling pathways. Currently, there is need for visualizing lipid modifications of proteins in cells. Herein we report novel chemical probes based on omega-alkynyl fatty acids for biochemical detection and cellular imaging of lipid-modified proteins. Our study shows that omega-alkynyl fatty acids of varying chain length are metabolically incorporated onto cellular proteins. Using fluorescence imaging, we describe the subcellular distribution of lipid-modified proteins across a panel of different mammalian cell lines and during cell division. Our results demonstrate that this methodology is a useful diagnostic tool for analyzing the lipid content of cellular proteins and for studying the dynamic behavior of lipid-modified proteins in various disease or physiological states.

Proteomic investigation of Vibrio alginolyticus challenged Caenorhabditis elegans revealed regulation of cellular homeostasis proteins and their role in supporting innate immune system.

Science.gov (United States)

Durai, Sellegounder; Singh, Nirpendra; Kundu, Suman; Balamurugan, Krishnaswamy

2014-08-01

Caenorhabditis elegans has been the preferred model system for many investigators to study pathogenesis. In the present investigation, regulation of C. elegans proteome was explored against V. alginolyticus infection using quantitative proteomics approach. Proteins were separated using 2D-DIGE and the differentially regulated proteins were identified using PMF and MALDI TOF/TOF analysis. The results thus obtained were validated using Western blotting for candidate proteins. The corresponding transcriptional regulation was quantified subsequently using real-time PCR. Interaction network for candidate proteins was predicted using search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins (STRING) and functional validation was performed using respective mutant strains. Out of the 25 proteins identified, 21 proteins appeared to be upregulated while four were downregulated. Upregulated proteins included those involved in stress-response (PDI-2, HSP-6), immune-response (protein kinase -18, GST-8) and energy-production (ATP-2) while proteins involved in structural maintenance (IFB-2) and lipid metabolism (SODH-1) were downregulated. The roles of these players in the host system during Vibrio infection was analyzed in vivo using wild type and mutant C. elegans. Survival assays using mutants lacking pdi-2, ire-1, and xbp-1 displayed enhanced susceptibility to V. alginolyticus. Cellular stress generated by V. alginolyticus was determined using ROS assay. This is the first report of proteome changes in C. elegans against V. alginolyticus challenge and highlights the significance of unfolded protein response (UPR) pathway during bacterial infection. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cellular bone matrices: viable stem cell-containing bone graft substitutes.

Science.gov (United States)

Skovrlj, Branko; Guzman, Javier Z; Al Maaieh, Motasem; Cho, Samuel K; Iatridis, James C; Qureshi, Sheeraz A

2014-11-01

Advances in the field of stem cell technology have stimulated the development and increased use of allogenic bone grafts containing live mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), also known as cellular bone matrices (CBMs). It is estimated that CBMs comprise greater than 17% of all bone grafts and bone graft substitutes used. To critically evaluate CBMs, specifically their technical specifications, existing published data supporting their use, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation, cost, potential pitfalls, and other aspects pertaining to their use. Areview of literature. A series of Ovid, Medline, and Pubmed-National Library of Medicine/National Institutes of Health (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) searches were performed. Only articles in English journals or published with English language translations were included. Level of evidence of the selected articles was assessed. Specific technical information on each CBM was obtained by direct communication from the companies marketing the individual products. Five different CBMs are currently available for use in spinal fusion surgery. There is a wide variation between the products with regard to the average donor age at harvest, total cellular concentration, percentage of MSCs, shelf life, and cell viability after defrosting. Three retrospective studies evaluating CBMs and fusion have shown fusion rates ranging from 90.2% to 92.3%, and multiple industry-sponsored trials are underway. No independent studies evaluating spinal fusion rates with the use of CBMs exist. All the commercially available CBMs claim to meet the FDA criteria under Section 361, 21 CFR Part 1271, and are not undergoing FDA premarket review. The CBMs claim to provide viable MSCs and are offered at a premium cost. Numerous challenges exist in regard to MSCs' survival, function, osteoblastic potential, and cytokine production once implanted into the intended host. Cellular bone matrices may be a promising bone augmentation technology in spinal fusion surgery

Motion Analysis of Thumb in Cellular Phone Use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naotaka Sakai

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The thumb motion of 10 normal subjects during cellular phone use was measured using a reflective marker detection system to compare the maximum, minimum and range of flexion angles of the interphalangeal (IP, metacarpophalangeal (MP and carpometacarpal (CM joints. Two micro-reflective markers 3 mm in diameter were each placed on the dorsal surface of the distal phalanx, basal phalanx and metacarpal bone of the thumb. Three markers were placed on the dorsal hand in order to define the dorsal hand plane. Each subject pushed the 12 keys of a folding cellular phone with an 85-mm-long and 40-mm-wide keypad, sequentially from ‘1’ to ‘#’, and the pushing motion was recorded by six infrared video cameras for 12 seconds, using the VICON 612 system. The mean maximum flexion angle of the MP joint was significantly (p < .05 larger than the CM joint, and the mean minimum flexion angle of the CM joint was significantly (p < .01 smaller than the IP and MP joints. The mean range of motion of the IP joint was significantly (p < .05 larger than the MP and the CM joints. In a comparison of different key-pushing motions, only the CM joint was significantly (p < .05 larger in its range of motion. In conclusion, thumb motion on pushing the keys of the cellular phone was produced mainly by the MP and the CM joints. In addition, the ability to reach keys in different areas of the cellular phone keypad is regulated by changing the flexion angle of the CM joint.

Lipids in the cell: organisation regulates function.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Ana L; Preta, Giulio

2018-06-01

Lipids are fundamental building blocks of all cells and play important roles in the pathogenesis of different diseases, including inflammation, autoimmune disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration. The lipid composition of different organelles can vary substantially from cell to cell, but increasing evidence demonstrates that lipids become organised specifically in each compartment, and this organisation is essential for regulating cell function. For example, lipid microdomains in the plasma membrane, known as lipid rafts, are platforms for concentrating protein receptors and can influence intra-cellular signalling. Lipid organisation is tightly regulated and can be observed across different model organisms, including bacteria, yeast, Drosophila, and Caenorhabditis elegans, suggesting that lipid organisation is evolutionarily conserved. In this review, we summarise the importance and function of specific lipid domains in main cellular organelles and discuss recent advances that investigate how these specific and highly regulated structures contribute to diverse biological processes.

Quantitative phase-digital holographic microscopy: a new imaging modality to identify original cellular biomarkers of diseases

KAUST Repository

Marquet, P.

2016-05-03

Quantitative phase microscopy (QPM) has recently emerged as a powerful label-free technique in the field of living cell imaging allowing to non-invasively measure with a nanometric axial sensitivity cell structure and dynamics. Since the phase retardation of a light wave when transmitted through the observed cells, namely the quantitative phase signal (QPS), is sensitive to both cellular thickness and intracellular refractive index related to the cellular content, its accurate analysis allows to derive various cell parameters and monitor specific cell processes, which are very likely to identify new cell biomarkers. Specifically, quantitative phase-digital holographic microscopy (QP-DHM), thanks to its numerical flexibility facilitating parallelization and automation processes, represents an appealing imaging modality to both identify original cellular biomarkers of diseases as well to explore the underlying pathophysiological processes.

Cellular MR Imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michel Modo

2005-07-01

Full Text Available Cellular MR imaging is a young field that aims to visualize targeted cells in living organisms. In order to provide a different signal intensity of the targeted cell, they are either labeled with MR contrast agents in vivo or prelabeled in vitro. Either (ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide [(USPIO] particles or (polymeric paramagnetic chelates can be used for this purpose. For in vivo cellular labeling, Gd3+- and Mn2+- chelates have mainly been used for targeted hepatobiliary imaging, and (USPIO-based cellular imaging has been focused on imaging of macrophage activity. Several of these magneto-pharmaceuticals have been FDA-approved or are in late-phase clinical trials. As for prelabeling of cells in vitro, a challenge has been to induce a sufficient uptake of contrast agents into nonphagocytic cells, without affecting normal cellular function. It appears that this issue has now largely been resolved, leading to an active research on monitoring the cellular biodistribution in vivo following transplantation or transfusion of these cells, including cell migration and trafficking. New applications of cellular MR imaging will be directed, for instance, towards our understanding of hematopoietic (immune cell trafficking and of novel guided (stem cell-based therapies aimed to be translated to the clinic in the future.

Matrix regulators in neural stem cell functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wade, Anna; McKinney, Andrew; Phillips, Joanna J

2014-08-01

Neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) reside within a complex and dynamic extracellular microenvironment, or niche. This niche regulates fundamental aspects of their behavior during normal neural development and repair. Precise yet dynamic regulation of NSPC self-renewal, migration, and differentiation is critical and must persist over the life of an organism. In this review, we summarize some of the major components of the NSPC niche and provide examples of how cues from the extracellular matrix regulate NSPC behaviors. We use proteoglycans to illustrate the many diverse roles of the niche in providing temporal and spatial regulation of cellular behavior. The NSPC niche is comprised of multiple components that include; soluble ligands, such as growth factors, morphogens, chemokines, and neurotransmitters, the extracellular matrix, and cellular components. As illustrated by proteoglycans, a major component of the extracellular matrix, the NSPC, niche provides temporal and spatial regulation of NSPC behaviors. The factors that control NSPC behavior are vital to understand as we attempt to modulate normal neural development and repair. Furthermore, an improved understanding of how these factors regulate cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation, crucial for malignancy, may reveal novel anti-tumor strategies. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Matrix-mediated cell behaviour and properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cell-Nonautonomous Mechanisms Underlying Cellular and Organismal Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Medkour, Younes; Svistkova, Veronika; Titorenko, Vladimir I

2016-01-01

Cell-autonomous mechanisms underlying cellular and organismal aging in evolutionarily distant eukaryotes have been established; these mechanisms regulate longevity-defining processes within a single eukaryotic cell. Recent findings have provided valuable insight into cell-nonautonomous mechanisms modulating cellular and organismal aging in eukaryotes across phyla; these mechanisms involve a transmission of various longevity factors between different cells, tissues, and organisms. Herein, we review such cell-nonautonomous mechanisms of aging in eukaryotes. We discuss the following: (1) how low molecular weight transmissible longevity factors modulate aging and define longevity of cells in yeast populations cultured in liquid media or on solid surfaces, (2) how communications between proteostasis stress networks operating in neurons and nonneuronal somatic tissues define longevity of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans by modulating the rates of aging in different tissues, and (3) how different bacterial species colonizing the gut lumen of C. elegans define nematode longevity by modulating the rate of organismal aging. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The β-Arrestins: Multifunctional Regulators of G Protein-coupled Receptors.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Jeffrey S; Rajagopal, Sudarshan

2016-04-22

The β-arrestins (βarrs) are versatile, multifunctional adapter proteins that are best known for their ability to desensitize G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), but also regulate a diverse array of cellular functions. To signal in such a complex fashion, βarrs adopt multiple conformations and are regulated at multiple levels to differentially activate downstream pathways. Recent structural studies have demonstrated that βarrs have a conserved structure and activation mechanism, with plasticity of their structural fold, allowing them to adopt a wide array of conformations. Novel roles for βarrs continue to be identified, demonstrating the importance of these dynamic regulators of cellular signaling. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Proportional fair scheduling with superposition coding in a cellular cooperative relay system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaneko, Megumi; Hayashi, Kazunori; Popovski, Petar

2013-01-01

Many works have tackled on the problem of throughput and fairness optimization in cellular cooperative relaying systems. Considering firstly a two-user relay broadcast channel, we design a scheme based on superposition coding (SC) which maximizes the achievable sum-rate under a proportional...... fairness constraint. Unlike most relaying schemes where users are allocated orthogonally, our scheme serves the two users simultaneously on the same time-frequency resource unit by superposing their messages into three SC layers. The optimal power allocation parameters of each SC layer are derived...... by analysis. Next, we consider the general multi-user case in a cellular relay system, for which we design resource allocation algorithms based on proportional fair scheduling exploiting the proposed SC-based scheme. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithms allowing simultaneous user allocation...

A cellular automata model of traffic flow with variable probability of randomization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Wei-Fan; Zhang Ji-Ye

2015-01-01

Research on the stochastic behavior of traffic flow is important to understand the intrinsic evolution rules of a traffic system. By introducing an interactional potential of vehicles into the randomization step, an improved cellular automata traffic flow model with variable probability of randomization is proposed in this paper. In the proposed model, the driver is affected by the interactional potential of vehicles before him, and his decision-making process is related to the interactional potential. Compared with the traditional cellular automata model, the modeling is more suitable for the driver’s random decision-making process based on the vehicle and traffic situations in front of him in actual traffic. From the improved model, the fundamental diagram (flow–density relationship) is obtained, and the detailed high-density traffic phenomenon is reproduced through numerical simulation. (paper)

Interaction of a plant pseudo-response regulator with a calmodulin-like protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perochon, Alexandre; Dieterle, Stefan; Pouzet, Cecile; Aldon, Didier; Galaud, Jean-Philippe; Ranty, Benoit

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → The pseudo-response regulator PRR2 specifically binds CML9, a calmodulin-like protein → The interaction is confirmed in plant cell nuclei → The interaction requires an intact PRR2 protein. -- Abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes by modulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Plants possess an extended CaM family including numerous CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which appear to be unique to plants. We previously demonstrated a role for CML9 in abiotic stress tolerance and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. We report here the isolation of PRR2, a pseudo-response regulator as a CML9 interacting protein by screening an expression library prepared from Arabidopsis seedlings with CML9 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system. PRR2 is similar to the response regulators of the two-component system, but lacks the invariant residue required for phosphorylation by which response regulators switch their output response, suggesting the existence of alternative regulatory mechanisms. PRR2 was found to bind CML9 and closely related CMLs but not a canonical CaM. Mapping analyses indicate that an almost complete form of PRR2 is required for interaction with CML9, suggesting a recognition mode different from the classical CaM-target peptide complex. PRR2 contains several features that are typical of transcription factors, including a GARP DNA recognition domain, a Pro-rich region and a Golden C-terminal box. PRR2 and CML9 as fusion proteins with fluorescent tags co-localized in the nucleus of plant cells, and their interaction in the nuclear compartment was validated in planta by using a fluorophore-tagged protein interaction assay. These findings suggest that binding of PRR2 to CML9 may be an important mechanism to modulate the physiological role of this transcription factor in plants.

Interaction of a plant pseudo-response regulator with a calmodulin-like protein

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perochon, Alexandre; Dieterle, Stefan; Pouzet, Cecile; Aldon, Didier; Galaud, Jean-Philippe [UMR 5546 CNRS/Universite Toulouse 3, Pole de Biotechnologie vegetale, BP 42617 Auzeville, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan cedex (France); Ranty, Benoit, E-mail: ranty@scsv.ups-tlse.fr [UMR 5546 CNRS/Universite Toulouse 3, Pole de Biotechnologie vegetale, BP 42617 Auzeville, 31326 Castanet-Tolosan cedex (France)

2010-08-06

Research highlights: {yields} The pseudo-response regulator PRR2 specifically binds CML9, a calmodulin-like protein {yields} The interaction is confirmed in plant cell nuclei {yields} The interaction requires an intact PRR2 protein. -- Abstract: Calmodulin (CaM) plays a crucial role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes by modulating the activities of numerous target proteins. Plants possess an extended CaM family including numerous CaM-like proteins (CMLs), most of which appear to be unique to plants. We previously demonstrated a role for CML9 in abiotic stress tolerance and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. We report here the isolation of PRR2, a pseudo-response regulator as a CML9 interacting protein by screening an expression library prepared from Arabidopsis seedlings with CML9 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid system. PRR2 is similar to the response regulators of the two-component system, but lacks the invariant residue required for phosphorylation by which response regulators switch their output response, suggesting the existence of alternative regulatory mechanisms. PRR2 was found to bind CML9 and closely related CMLs but not a canonical CaM. Mapping analyses indicate that an almost complete form of PRR2 is required for interaction with CML9, suggesting a recognition mode different from the classical CaM-target peptide complex. PRR2 contains several features that are typical of transcription factors, including a GARP DNA recognition domain, a Pro-rich region and a Golden C-terminal box. PRR2 and CML9 as fusion proteins with fluorescent tags co-localized in the nucleus of plant cells, and their interaction in the nuclear compartment was validated in planta by using a fluorophore-tagged protein interaction assay. These findings suggest that binding of PRR2 to CML9 may be an important mechanism to modulate the physiological role of this transcription factor in plants.

Cellular stress induces a protective sleep-like state in C. elegans.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, Andrew J; Mansfield, Richard; Lopez, Jessie M N G; Raizen, David M; Van Buskirk, Cheryl

2014-10-20

Sleep is recognized to be ancient in origin, with vertebrates and invertebrates experiencing behaviorally quiescent states that are regulated by conserved genetic mechanisms. Despite its conservation throughout phylogeny, the function of sleep remains debated. Hypotheses for the purpose of sleep include nervous-system-specific functions such as modulation of synaptic strength and clearance of metabolites from the brain, as well as more generalized cellular functions such as energy conservation and macromolecule biosynthesis. These models are supported by the identification of synaptic and metabolic processes that are perturbed during prolonged wakefulness. It remains to be seen whether perturbations of cellular homeostasis in turn drive sleep. Here we show that under conditions of cellular stress, including noxious heat, cold, hypertonicity, and tissue damage, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans engages a behavioral quiescence program. The stress-induced quiescent state displays properties of sleep and is dependent on the ALA neuron, which mediates the conserved soporific effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) ligand overexpression. We characterize heat-induced quiescence in detail and show that it is indeed dependent on components of EGF signaling, providing physiological relevance to the behavioral effects of EGF family ligands. We find that after noxious heat exposure, quiescence-defective animals show elevated expression of cellular stress reporter genes and are impaired for survival, demonstrating the benefit of stress-induced behavioral quiescence. These data provide evidence that cellular stress can induce a protective sleep-like state in C. elegans and suggest that a deeply conserved function of sleep is to mitigate disruptions of cellular homeostasis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aberrant localization of lamin B receptor (LBR) in cellular senescence in human cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arai, Rumi; En, Atsuki; Ukekawa, Ryo [Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0027 (Japan); Miki, Kensuke [Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0027 (Japan); Ichiban Life Corporation, 1-1-7 Horai-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0048 (Japan); Fujii, Michihiko, E-mail: mifuji@yokohama-cu.ac.jp [Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0027 (Japan); Ayusawa, Dai [Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, 22-2 Seto, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama 236-0027 (Japan); Ichiban Life Corporation, 1-1-7 Horai-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama 231-0048 (Japan)

2016-05-13

5-Bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), a thymidine analogue, induces cellular senescence in mammalian cells. BrdU induces cellular senescence probably through the regulation of chromatin because BrdU destabilizes or disrupts nucleosome positioning and decondenses heterochromatin. Since heterochromatin is tethered to the nuclear periphery through the interaction with the nuclear envelope proteins, we examined the localization of the several nuclear envelope proteins such as lamins, lamin-interacting proteins, nuclear pore complex proteins, and nuclear transport proteins in senescent cells. We have shown here that lamin B receptor (LBR) showed a change in localization in both BrdU-induced and replicative senescent cells.

A cellular automata model of bone formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Scoy, Gabrielle K; George, Estee L; Opoku Asantewaa, Flora; Kerns, Lucy; Saunders, Marnie M; Prieto-Langarica, Alicia

2017-04-01

Bone remodeling is an elegantly orchestrated process by which osteocytes, osteoblasts and osteoclasts function as a syncytium to maintain or modify bone. On the microscopic level, bone consists of cells that create, destroy and monitor the bone matrix. These cells interact in a coordinated manner to maintain a tightly regulated homeostasis. It is this regulation that is responsible for the observed increase in bone gain in the dominant arm of a tennis player and the observed increase in bone loss associated with spaceflight and osteoporosis. The manner in which these cells interact to bring about a change in bone quality and quantity has yet to be fully elucidated. But efforts to understand the multicellular complexity can ultimately lead to eradication of metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis and improved implant longevity. Experimentally validated mathematical models that simulate functional activity and offer eventual predictive capabilities offer tremendous potential in understanding multicellular bone remodeling. Here we undertake the initial challenge to develop a mathematical model of bone formation validated with in vitro data obtained from osteoblastic bone cells induced to mineralize and quantified at 26 days of culture. A cellular automata model was constructed to simulate the in vitro characterization. Permutation tests were performed to compare the distribution of the mineralization in the cultures and the distribution of the mineralization in the mathematical models. The results of the permutation test show the distribution of mineralization from the characterization and mathematical model come from the same probability distribution, therefore validating the cellular automata model. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Programmable cellular arrays. Faults testing and correcting in cellular arrays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cercel, L.

1978-03-01

A review of some recent researches about programmable cellular arrays in computing and digital processing of information systems is presented, and includes both combinational and sequential arrays, with full arbitrary behaviour, or which can realize better implementations of specialized blocks as: arithmetic units, counters, comparators, control systems, memory blocks, etc. Also, the paper presents applications of cellular arrays in microprogramming, in implementing of a specialized computer for matrix operations, in modeling of universal computing systems. The last section deals with problems of fault testing and correcting in cellular arrays. (author)

Inhibition of microRNA-153 protects neurons against ischemia/reperfusion injury in an oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation cellular model by regulating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Qiong; Gao, Jianbo; Zheng, Yan; Liu, Xueli; Zhou, Qiangqiang; Shi, Canxia; Yao, Meng; Chen, Xia

2017-07-01

MicroRNAs are emerging as critical regulators in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury; however, their exact roles remain poorly understood. miR-153 is reported to be a neuron-related miRNA involved in neuroprotection. In this study, we aimed to investigate the precise role of miR-153 in regulating neuron survival during cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury using an oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) cellular model. We found that miR-153 was significantly upregulated in neurons subjected to OGD/R treatment. Inhibition of miR-153 significantly attenuated OGD/R-induced injury and oxidative stress in neurons. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was identified as a target gene of miR-153. Inhibition of miR-153 significantly promoted the expression of Nrf2 and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). However, silencing of Nrf2 significantly blocked the protective effects of miR-153 inhibition. Our study indicates that the inhibition of miR-153 protects neurons against OGD/R-induced injury by regulating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling and suggests a potential therapeutic target for cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ceruloplasmin Oxidation, a Feature of Parkinson's Disease CSF, Inhibits Ferroxidase Activity and Promotes Cellular Iron Retention

KAUST Repository

Olivieri, S.; Conti, A.; Iannaccone, S.; Cannistraci, C. V.; Campanella, A.; Barbariga, M.; Codazzi, F.; Pelizzoni, I.; Magnani, G.; Pesca, M.; Franciotta, D.; Cappa, S. F.; Alessio, M.

2011-01-01

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by oxidative stress and CNS iron deposition. Ceruloplasmin is an extracellular ferroxidase that regulates cellular iron loading and export, and hence protects tissues from oxidative

A new cellular automata model of traffic flow with negative exponential weighted look-ahead potential

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Xiao; Zheng, Wei-Fan; Jiang, Bao-Shan; Zhang, Ji-Ye

2016-10-01

With the development of traffic systems, some issues such as traffic jams become more and more serious. Efficient traffic flow theory is needed to guide the overall controlling, organizing and management of traffic systems. On the basis of the cellular automata model and the traffic flow model with look-ahead potential, a new cellular automata traffic flow model with negative exponential weighted look-ahead potential is presented in this paper. By introducing the negative exponential weighting coefficient into the look-ahead potential and endowing the potential of vehicles closer to the driver with a greater coefficient, the modeling process is more suitable for the driver’s random decision-making process which is based on the traffic environment that the driver is facing. The fundamental diagrams for different weighting parameters are obtained by using numerical simulations which show that the negative exponential weighting coefficient has an obvious effect on high density traffic flux. The complex high density non-linear traffic behavior is also reproduced by numerical simulations. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 11572264, 11172247, 11402214, and 61373009).

C/EBPγ Is a Critical Regulator of Cellular Stress Response Networks through Heterodimerization with ATF4

Science.gov (United States)

Huggins, Christopher J.; Mayekar, Manasi K.; Martin, Nancy; Saylor, Karen L.; Gonit, Mesfin; Jailwala, Parthav; Kasoji, Manjula; Haines, Diana C.; Quiñones, Octavio A.

2015-01-01

The integrated stress response (ISR) controls cellular adaptations to nutrient deprivation, redox imbalances, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. ISR genes are upregulated in stressed cells, primarily by the bZIP transcription factor ATF4 through its recruitment to cis-regulatory C/EBP:ATF response elements (CAREs) together with a dimeric partner of uncertain identity. Here, we show that C/EBPγ:ATF4 heterodimers, but not C/EBPβ:ATF4 dimers, are the predominant CARE-binding species in stressed cells. C/EBPγ and ATF4 associate with genomic CAREs in a mutually dependent manner and coregulate many ISR genes. In contrast, the C/EBP family members C/EBPβ and C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) were largely dispensable for induction of stress genes. Cebpg−/− mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) proliferate poorly and exhibit oxidative stress due to reduced glutathione levels and impaired expression of several glutathione biosynthesis pathway genes. Cebpg−/− mice (C57BL/6 background) display reduced body size and microphthalmia, similar to ATF4-null animals. In addition, C/EBPγ-deficient newborns die from atelectasis and respiratory failure, which can be mitigated by in utero exposure to the antioxidant, N-acetyl-cysteine. Cebpg−/− mice on a mixed strain background showed improved viability but, upon aging, developed significantly fewer malignant solid tumors than WT animals. Our findings identify C/EBPγ as a novel antioxidant regulator and an obligatory ATF4 partner that controls redox homeostasis in normal and cancerous cells. PMID:26667036

Chaos Control and Synchronization of Cellular Neural Network with Delays Based on OPNCL Control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qian, Tang; Xing-Yuan, Wang

2010-01-01

The problem of chaos control and complete synchronization of cellular neural network with delays is studied. Based on the open plus nonlinear closed loop (OPNCL) method, the control scheme and synchronization scheme are designed. Both the schemes can achieve the chaos control and complete synchronization of chaotic neural network respectively, and their validity is further verified by numerical simulation experiments. (general)

The study of selective accumulation of radionuclides cesium 137, strontium 90 and cerium 144 in the cellular compartments of charophyta algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marchyulenene, D.P.; Moteyunene, E.B.; Gudavichene, N.A.; Polikarpov, G.G.

1976-01-01

The study of the accumulation of 137 Cs, 90 Sr and 144 Ce in separate compartments of Chara algae (cellular wall, protoplasm, vacuoles), testifies to the fact that the entrance and accumulation level of the radionuclides depend upon the selective permeability of the cellular wall and plasmalemma, which is regulated both by the ratio of the chemical analogues of the radionuclides in the medium, and by the level of cellular metabolism [fr

Recent Progress in Understanding Subtype Specific Regulation of NMDA Receptors by G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Yang

2014-02-01

Full Text Available G Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs are the largest family of receptors whose ligands constitute nearly a third of prescription drugs in the market. They are widely involved in diverse physiological functions including learning and memory. NMDA receptors (NMDARs, which belong to the ionotropic glutamate receptor family, are likewise ubiquitously expressed in the central nervous system (CNS and play a pivotal role in learning and memory. Despite its critical contribution to physiological and pathophysiological processes, few pharmacological interventions aimed directly at regulating NMDAR function have been developed to date. However, it is well established that NMDAR function is precisely regulated by cellular signalling cascades recruited downstream of G protein coupled receptor (GPCR stimulation. Accordingly, the downstream regulation of NMDARs likely represents an important determinant of outcome following treatment with neuropsychiatric agents that target selected GPCRs. Importantly, the functional consequence of such regulation on NMDAR function varies, based not only on the identity of the GPCR, but also on the cell type in which relevant receptors are expressed. Indeed, the mechanisms responsible for regulating NMDARs by GPCRs involve numerous intracellular signalling molecules and regulatory proteins that vary from one cell type to another. In the present article, we highlight recent findings from studies that have uncovered novel mechanisms by which selected GPCRs regulate NMDAR function and consequently NMDAR-dependent plasticity.

47 CFR 22.970 - Unacceptable interference to part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone or part 90-800 MHz cellular systems. 22.970 Section... MOBILE SERVICES Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.970 Unacceptable interference to part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from cellular radiotelephone or part 90-800 MHz cellular systems. (a) Definition...

The Chromatin Regulator Brpf1 Regulates Embryo Development and Cell Proliferation*

Science.gov (United States)

You, Linya; Yan, Kezhi; Zou, Jinfeng; Zhao, Hong; Bertos, Nicholas R.; Park, Morag; Wang, Edwin; Yang, Xiang-Jiao

2015-01-01

With hundreds of chromatin regulators identified in mammals, an emerging issue is how they modulate biological and pathological processes. BRPF1 (bromodomain- and PHD finger-containing protein 1) is a unique chromatin regulator possessing two PHD fingers, one bromodomain and a PWWP domain for recognizing multiple histone modifications. In addition, it binds to the acetyltransferases MOZ, MORF, and HBO1 (also known as KAT6A, KAT6B, and KAT7, respectively) to promote complex formation, restrict substrate specificity, and enhance enzymatic activity. We have recently showed that ablation of the mouse Brpf1 gene causes embryonic lethality at E9.5. Here we present systematic analyses of the mutant animals and demonstrate that the ablation leads to vascular defects in the placenta, yolk sac, and embryo proper, as well as abnormal neural tube closure. At the cellular level, Brpf1 loss inhibits proliferation of embryonic fibroblasts and hematopoietic progenitors. Molecularly, the loss reduces transcription of a ribosomal protein L10 (Rpl10)-like gene and the cell cycle inhibitor p27, and increases expression of the cell-cycle inhibitor p16 and a novel protein homologous to Scp3, a synaptonemal complex protein critical for chromosome association and embryo survival. These results uncover a crucial role of Brpf1 in controlling mouse embryo development and regulating cellular and gene expression programs. PMID:25773539

Contribution of cellular autolysis to tissular functions during plant development

OpenAIRE

Escamez, Sacha; Tuominen, Hannele

2017-01-01

Plant development requires specific cells to be eliminated in a predictable and genetically regulated manner referred to as programmed cell death (PCD). However, the target cells do not merely die but they also undergo autolysis to degrade their cellular corpses. Recent progress in understanding developmental cell elimination suggests that distinct proteins execute PCD sensu stricto and autolysis. In addition, cell death alone and cell dismantlement can fulfill different functions. Hence, it ...

p53-Dependent Nestin Regulation Links Tumor Suppression to Cellular Plasticity in Liver Cancer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tschaharganeh, Darjus F; Xue, Wen; Calvisi, Diego F

2014-01-01

The p53 tumor suppressor coordinates a series of antiproliferative responses that restrict the expansion of malignant cells, and as a consequence, p53 is lost or mutated in the majority of human cancers. Here, we show that p53 restricts expression of the stem and progenitor-cell-associated protei...... by p53 restricts cellular plasticity and tumorigenesis in liver cancer....

The Cellular Differential Evolution Based on Chaotic Local Search

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qingfeng Ding

2015-01-01

Full Text Available To avoid immature convergence and tune the selection pressure in the differential evolution (DE algorithm, a new differential evolution algorithm based on cellular automata and chaotic local search (CLS or ccDE is proposed. To balance the exploration and exploitation tradeoff of differential evolution, the interaction among individuals is limited in cellular neighbors instead of controlling parameters in the canonical DE. To improve the optimizing performance of DE, the CLS helps by exploring a large region to avoid immature convergence in the early evolutionary stage and exploiting a small region to refine the final solutions in the later evolutionary stage. What is more, to improve the convergence characteristics and maintain the population diversity, the binomial crossover operator in the canonical DE may be instead by the orthogonal crossover operator without crossover rate. The performance of ccDE is widely evaluated on a set of 14 bound constrained numerical optimization problems compared with the canonical DE and several DE variants. The simulation results show that ccDE has better performances in terms of convergence rate and solution accuracy than other optimizers.

Heterogeneous cellular networks

CERN Document Server

Hu, Rose Qingyang

2013-01-01

A timely publication providing coverage of radio resource management, mobility management and standardization in heterogeneous cellular networks The topic of heterogeneous cellular networks has gained momentum in industry and the research community, attracting the attention of standardization bodies such as 3GPP LTE and IEEE 802.16j, whose objectives are looking into increasing the capacity and coverage of the cellular networks. This book focuses on recent progresses,  covering the related topics including scenarios of heterogeneous network deployment, interference management i

Regulation of p21ras activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lowy, D R; Zhang, K; DeClue, J E

1992-01-01

The ras genes encode GTP/GDP-binding proteins that participate in mediating mitogenic signals from membrane tyrosine kinases to downstream targets. The activity of p21ras is determined by the concentration of GTP-p21ras, which is tightly regulated by a complex array of positive and negative control...... mechanisms. GAP and NF1 can negatively regulate p21ras activity by stimulating hydrolysis of GTP bound to p21ras. Other cellular factors can positively regulate p21ras by stimulating GDP/GTP exchange....

Natural agents: cellular and molecular mechanisms of photoprotection.

Science.gov (United States)

Afaq, Farrukh

2011-04-15

The skin is the largest organ of the body that produces a flexible and self-repairing barrier and protects the body from most common potentially harmful physical, environmental, and biological insults. Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is one of the major environmental insults to the skin and causes multi-tiered cellular and molecular events eventually leading to skin cancer. The past decade has seen a surge in the incidence of skin cancer due to changes in life style patterns that have led to a significant increase in the amount of UV radiation that people receive. Reducing excessive exposure to UV radiation is desirable; nevertheless this approach is not easy to implement. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies to reduce the adverse biological effects of UV radiation on the skin. A wide variety of natural agents have been reported to possess substantial skin photoprotective effects. Numerous preclinical and clinical studies have elucidated that natural agents act by several cellular and molecular mechanisms to delay or prevent skin cancer. In this review article, we have summarized and discussed some of the selected natural agents for skin photoprotection. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lifesavers and Samaritans: emergency use of cellular (mobile) phones in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Chapman, S; Schofield, W N

1998-11-01

There has been highly publicised concern about possible radiation health effects from mobile phones and towers, but scant attention has been paid to the use of mobile phones in reducing notification times in emergencies. National random telephone survey of Australian mobile phone users (n = 720) and extrapolation to national user population (n = 5.1 million). Using a cellular phone, 1 in 8 users have reported a traffic accident; 1 in 4 a dangerous situation; 1 in 16 a non-road medical emergency; 1 in 20 a crime; and 1 in 45 being lost in the bush or being in difficulty at sea. Any debate about the net health impact of mobile phone proliferation must balance possible negative effects (cancer, driving incidents) with the benefits from what appears to be their widespread use in rapidly reporting emergencies and in numerous acts of often health-relevant 'cellular Samaritanism'.

Health and Cellular Impacts of Air Pollutants: From Cytoprotection to Cytotoxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karine Andreau

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Air pollution as one of the ravages of our modern societies is primarily linked to urban centers, industrial activities, or road traffic. These atmospheric pollutants have been incriminated in deleterious health effects by numerous epidemiological and in vitro studies. Environmental air pollutants are a heterogeneous mixture of particles suspended into a liquid and gaseous phase which trigger the disruption of redox homeostasis—known under the term of cellular oxidative stress—in relation with the establishment of inflammation and cell death via necrosis, apoptosis, or autophagy. Activation or repression of the apoptotic process as an adaptative response to xenobiotics might lead to either acute or chronic toxicity. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the central role of oxidative stress induced by air pollutants and to focus on the subsequent cellular impacts ranging from cytoprotection to cytotoxicity by decreasing or stimulating apoptosis, respectively.

Np9, a cellular protein of retroviral ancestry restricted to human, chimpanzee and gorilla, binds and regulates ubiquitin ligase MDM2

Science.gov (United States)

Heyne, Kristina; Kölsch, Kathrin; Bruand, Marine; Kremmer, Elisabeth; Grässer, Friedrich A; Mayer, Jens; Roemer, Klaus

2015-01-01

Humans and primates are long-lived animals with long reproductive phases. One factor that appears to contribute to longevity and fertility in humans, as well as to cancer-free survival, is the transcription factor and tumor suppressor p53, controlled by its main negative regulator MDM2. However, p53 and MDM2 homologs are found throughout the metazoan kingdom from Trichoplacidae to Hominidae. Therefore the question arises, if p53/MDM2 contributes to the shaping of primate features, then through which mechanisms. Previous findings have indicated that the appearances of novel p53-regulated genes and wild-type p53 variants during primate evolution are important in this context. Here, we report on another mechanism of potential relevance. Human endogenous retrovirus K subgroup HML-2 (HERV-K(HML-2)) type 1 proviral sequences were formed in the genomes of the predecessors of contemporary Hominoidea and can be identified in the genomes of Nomascus leucogenys (gibbon) up to Homo sapiens. We previously reported on an alternative splicing event in HERV-K(HML-2) type 1 proviruses that can give rise to nuclear protein of 9 kDa (Np9). We document here the evolution of Np9-coding capacity in human, chimpanzee and gorilla, and show that the C-terminal half of Np9 binds directly to MDM2, through a domain of MDM2 that is known to be contacted by various cellular proteins in response to stress. Np9 can inhibit the MDM2 ubiquitin ligase activity toward p53 in the cell nucleus, and can support the transactivation of genes by p53. Our findings point to the possibility that endogenous retrovirus protein Np9 contributes to the regulation of the p53-MDM2 pathway specifically in humans, chimpanzees and gorillas. PMID:26103464

Three-dimensional finite-element analysis of the cellular convection phenomena in the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant prototype pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silver, A.H.; Lee, J.Y.

1983-01-01

Cellular convection was studied rigorously during the development of the Clinch River Breeder Reactor Plant (CRBRP) Program Pumps. This paper presents the development of a three-dimensional finite-element heat transfer model which accounts for the cellular convection phenomena. A buoyancy driven cellular convection flow pattern is introduced in the annulus region between the upper inner structure and the pump tank. Steady-state thermal data were obtained for several test conditions for argon gas pressures up to 93 psig (741 kPa) and sodium operating temperatures to 1000 0 F (811 0 K). Test temperature distributions on the pump tank and inner structure were correlated with numerical results and excellent agreement was obtained

Human more complex than mouse at cellular level.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander E Vinogradov

Full Text Available The family of transcription factors with the C2H2 zinc finger domain is expanding in the evolution of vertebrates, reaching its highest numbers in the mammals. The question arises: whether an increased amount of these transcription factors is related to embryogenesis, nervous system, pathology or more of them are expressed in individual cells? Among mammals, the primates have a more complex anatomical structure than the rodents (e.g., brain. In this work, I show that a greater number of C2H2-ZF genes are expressed in the human cells than in the mouse cells. The effect is especially pronounced for C2H2-ZF genes accompanied with the KRAB domain. The relative difference between the numbers of C2H2-ZF(-KRAB genes in the human and mouse cellular transcriptomes even exceeds their difference in the genomes (i.e. a greater subset of existing in the genome genes is expressed in the human cellular transcriptomes compared to the mouse transcriptomes. The evolutionary turnover of C2H2-ZF(-KRAB genes acts in the direction of the revealed phenomenon, i.e. gene duplication and loss enhances the difference in the relative number of C2H2-ZF(-KRAB genes between human and mouse cellular transcriptomes. A higher amount of these genes is expressed in the brain and embryonic cells (compared with other tissues, whereas a lower amount--in the cancer cells. It is specifically the C2H2-ZF transcription factors whose repertoire is poorer in the cancer and richer in the brain (other transcription factors taken together do not show this trend. These facts suggest that increase of anatomical complexity is accompanied by a more complex intracellular regulation involving these transcription factors. Malignization is associated with simplification of this regulation. These results agree with the known fact that human cells are more resistant to oncogenic transformation than mouse cells. The list of C2H2-ZF genes whose suppression might be involved in malignization is provided.

Nitric Oxide Synthase and Cyclooxygenase Pathways: A Complex Interplay in Cellular Signaling.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorokin, Andrey

2016-01-01

The cellular reaction to external challenges is a tightly regulated process consisting of integrated processes mediated by a variety of signaling molecules, generated as a result of modulation of corresponding biosynthetic systems. Both, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX) systems, consist of constitutive forms (NOS1, NOS3 and COX-1), which are mostly involved in housekeeping tasks, and inducible forms (NOS2 and COX-2), which shape the cellular response to stress and variety of bioactive agents. The complex interplay between NOS and COX pathways can be observed at least at three levels. Firstly, products of NOS and Cox systems can mediate the regulation and the expression of inducible forms (NOS2 and COX-2) in response of similar and dissimilar stimulus. Secondly, the reciprocal modulation of cyclooxygenase activity by nitric oxide and NOS activity by prostaglandins at the posttranslational level has been shown to occur. Mechanisms by which nitric oxide can modulate prostaglandin synthesis include direct S-nitrosylation of COX and inactivation of prostaglandin I synthase by peroxynitrite, product of superoxide reaction with nitric oxide. Prostaglandins, conversely, can promote an increased association of dynein light chain (DLC) (also known as protein inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase) with NOS1, thereby reducing its activity. The third level of interplay is provided by intracellular crosstalk of signaling pathways stimulated by products of NOS and COX which contributes significantly to the complexity of cellular signaling. Since modulation of COX and NOS pathways was shown to be principally involved in a variety of pathological conditions, the dissection of their complex relationship is needed for better understanding of possible therapeutic strategies. This review focuses on implications of interplay between NOS and COX for cellular function and signal integration.

47 CFR 22.909 - Cellular markets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cellular markets. 22.909 Section 22.909... Cellular Radiotelephone Service § 22.909 Cellular markets. Cellular markets are standard geographic areas used by the FCC for administrative convenience in the licensing of cellular systems. Cellular markets...

Cellular characterization of human dermal fibroblasts, focus on mitochondria and maple syrup urine disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fernandez-Guerra, Paula

and functions are expressed in HDFs’ culture environment. Studies of molecular disease mechanisms often point to the involvement of mitochondria. Mitochondria are involved in the regulation of cell cycle and programmed cell death as well as cellular stress responses because they are the main producers...

Regulation of gene expression in Escherichia coli and its bacteriophage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgins, C.F.

1986-01-01

This chapter reviews the study of prokaryotic gene expression beginning with a look at the regulation of the lactose operon and the mechanism of attenuation in the tryptophan operon to the more recent development of recombinant DNA technology. The chapter deals almost entirely with escherichia coli and its bacteriophage. The only experimental technique which the authors explore in some detail is the construction and use of gene and operon fusions which have revolutionized the study of gene expression. Various mechanisms by which E. Coli regulate the cellular levels of individual messenger-RNA species are described. Translational regulation of the cellular levels of messenger-RNA include signals encoded within the messenger-RNA molecule itself and regulatory molecules which interact with the messenger-RNA and alter it translational efficiency

Developmental regulation of nucleolus size during Drosophila eye differentiation.

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Nicholas E Baker

Full Text Available When cell cycle withdrawal accompanies terminal differentiation, biosynthesis and cellular growth are likely to change also. In this study, nucleolus size was monitored during cell fate specification in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc using fibrillarin antibody labeling. Nucleolus size is an indicator of ribosome biogenesis and can correlate with cellular growth rate. Nucleolar size was reduced significantly during cell fate specification and differentiation, predominantly as eye disc cells entered a cell cycle arrest that preceded cell fate specification. This reduction in nucleolus size required Dpp and Hh signaling. A transient enlargement of the nucleolus accompanied cell division in the Second Mitotic Wave. Nucleoli continued to diminish in postmitotic cells following fate specification. These results suggest that cellular growth is regulated early in the transition from proliferating progenitor cells to terminal cell fate specification, contemporary with regulation of the cell cycle, and requiring the same extracellular signals.

Developmental regulation of nucleolus size during Drosophila eye differentiation.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Nicholas E

2013-01-01

When cell cycle withdrawal accompanies terminal differentiation, biosynthesis and cellular growth are likely to change also. In this study, nucleolus size was monitored during cell fate specification in the Drosophila eye imaginal disc using fibrillarin antibody labeling. Nucleolus size is an indicator of ribosome biogenesis and can correlate with cellular growth rate. Nucleolar size was reduced significantly during cell fate specification and differentiation, predominantly as eye disc cells entered a cell cycle arrest that preceded cell fate specification. This reduction in nucleolus size required Dpp and Hh signaling. A transient enlargement of the nucleolus accompanied cell division in the Second Mitotic Wave. Nucleoli continued to diminish in postmitotic cells following fate specification. These results suggest that cellular growth is regulated early in the transition from proliferating progenitor cells to terminal cell fate specification, contemporary with regulation of the cell cycle, and requiring the same extracellular signals.

On numerical considerations for modeling reactive astrophysical shocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papatheodore, Thomas L.; Messer, O. E. Bronson

2014-01-01

Simulating detonations in astrophysical environments is often complicated by numerical approximations to shock structure. A common prescription to ensure correct detonation speeds and associated quantities is to prohibit burning inside the numerically broadened shock. We have performed a series of simulations to verify the efficacy of this approximation and to understand how resolution and dimensionality might affect its use. Our results show that in one dimension, prohibiting burning in the shock is important wherever the carbon burning length is not resolved, in keeping with the results of Fryxell et al. In two dimensions, we find that the prohibition of shock burning effectively inhibits the development of cellular structure for all but the most highly resolved cases. We discuss the possible impacts this outcome may have on sub-grid models and detonation propagation in models of Type Ia supernovae, including potential impacts on observables.

Campylobacter jejuni CsrA complements an Escherichia coli csrA mutation for the regulation of biofilm formation, motility and cellular morphology but not glycogen accumulation

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

Background Although Campylobacter jejuni is consistently ranked as one of the leading causes of bacterial diarrhea worldwide, the mechanisms by which C. jejuni causes disease and how they are regulated have yet to be clearly defined. The global regulator, CsrA, has been well characterized in several bacterial genera and is known to regulate a number of independent pathways via a post transcriptional mechanism, but remains relatively uncharacterized in the genus Campylobacter. Previously, we reported data illustrating the requirement for CsrA in several virulence related phenotypes of C. jejuni strain 81–176, indicating that the Csr pathway is important for Campylobacter pathogenesis. Results We compared the Escherichia coli and C. jejuni orthologs of CsrA and characterized the ability of the C. jejuni CsrA protein to functionally complement an E. coli csrA mutant. Phylogenetic comparison of E. coli CsrA to orthologs from several pathogenic bacteria demonstrated variability in C. jejuni CsrA relative to the known RNA binding domains of E. coli CsrA and in several amino acids reported to be involved in E. coli CsrA-mediated gene regulation. When expressed in an E. coli csrA mutant, C. jejuni CsrA succeeded in recovering defects in motility, biofilm formation, and cellular morphology; however, it failed to return excess glycogen accumulation to wild type levels. Conclusions These findings suggest that C. jejuni CsrA is capable of efficiently binding some E. coli CsrA binding sites, but not others, and provide insight into the biochemistry of C. jejuni CsrA. PMID:23051923

Expression of human papilloma virus type 16 E5 protein in amelanotic melanoma cells regulates endo-cellular pH and restores tyrosinase activity

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Coccia Raffaella

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Melanin synthesis, the elective trait of melanocytes, is regulated by tyrosinase activity. In tyrosinase-positive amelanotic melanomas this rate limiting enzyme is inactive because of acidic endo-melanosomal pH. The E5 oncogene of the Human Papillomavirus Type 16 is a small transmembrane protein with a weak transforming activity and a role during the early steps of viral infections. E5 has been shown to interact with 16 kDa subunit C of the trans-membrane Vacuolar ATPase proton pump ultimately resulting in its functional suppressions. However, the cellular effects of such an interaction are still under debate. With this work we intended to explore whether the HPV16 E5 oncoprotein does indeed interact with the vacuolar ATPase proton pump once expressed in intact human cells and whether this interaction has functional consequences on cell metabolism and phenotype. Methods The expression of the HPV16-E5 oncoproteins was induced in two Tyrosinase-positive amelanotic melanomas (the cell lines FRM and M14 by a retroviral expression construct. Modulation of the intracellular pH was measured with Acridine orange and fluorescence microscopy. Expression of tyrosinase and its activity was followed by RT-PCR, Western Blot and enzyme assay. The anchorage-independence growth and the metabolic activity of E5 expressing cells were also monitored. Results We provide evidence that in the E5 expressing cells interaction between E5 and V-ATPase determines an increase of endo-cellular pH. The cellular alkalinisation in turn leads to the post-translational activation of tyrosinase, melanin synthesis and phenotype modulation. These effects are associated with an increased activation of tyrosine analogue anti-blastic drugs. Conclusion Once expressed within intact human cells the HPV16-E5 oncoprotein does actually interact with the vacuolar V-ATPase proton pump and this interaction induces a number of functional effects. In amelanotic melanomas these

QoE-Driven D2D Media Services Distribution Scheme in Cellular Networks

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Mingkai Chen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Device-to-device (D2D communication has been widely studied to improve network performance and considered as a potential technological component for the next generation communication. Considering the diverse users’ demand, Quality of Experience (QoE is recognized as a new degree of user’s satisfaction for media service transmissions in the wireless communication. Furthermore, we aim at promoting user’s Mean of Score (MOS value to quantify and analyze user’s QoE in the dynamic cellular networks. In this paper, we explore the heterogeneous media service distribution in D2D communications underlaying cellular networks to improve the total users’ QoE. We propose a novel media service scheme based on different QoE models that jointly solve the massive media content dissemination issue for cellular networks. Moreover, we also investigate the so-called Media Service Adaptive Update Scheme (MSAUS framework to maximize users’ QoE satisfaction and we derive the popularity and priority function of different media service QoE expression. Then, we further design Media Service Resource Allocation (MSRA algorithm to schedule limited cellular networks resource, which is based on the popularity function to optimize the total users’ QoE satisfaction and avoid D2D interference. In addition, numerical simulation results indicate that the proposed scheme is more effective in cellular network content delivery, which makes it suitable for various media service propagation.

Coordination between p21 and DDB2 in the cellular response to UV radiation.

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Hao Li

Full Text Available The tumor suppressor p53 guides the cellular response to DNA damage mainly by regulating expression of target genes. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, which is induced by p53, can both arrest the cell cycle and inhibit apoptosis. Interestingly, p53-inducible DDB2 (damaged-DNA binding protein 2 promotes apoptosis by mediating p21 degradation after ultraviolet (UV-induced DNA damage. Here, we developed an integrated model of the p53 network to explore how the UV-irradiated cell makes a decision between survival and death and how the activities of p21 and DDB2 are modulated. By numerical simulations, we found that p53 is activated progressively and the promoter selectivity of p53 depends on its concentration. For minor DNA damage, p53 settles at an intermediate level. p21 is induced by p53 to arrest the cell cycle via inhibiting E2F1 activity, allowing for DNA repair. The proapoptotic genes are expressed at low levels. For severe DNA damage, p53 undergoes a two-phase behavior and accumulates to high levels in the second phase. Consequently, those proapoptotic proteins accumulate remarkably. Bax activates the release of cytochrome c, while DDB2 promotes the degradation of p21, which leads to activation of E2F1 and induction of Apaf-1. Finally, the caspase cascade is activated to trigger apoptosis. We revealed that the downregulation of p21 is necessary for apoptosis induction and PTEN promotes apoptosis by amplifying p53 activation. This work demonstrates that how the dynamics of the p53 network can be finely regulated through feed-forward and feedback loops within the network and emphasizes the importance of p21 regulation in the DNA damage response.

Human Parvovirus B19 Utilizes Cellular DNA Replication Machinery for Viral DNA Replication.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Wei; Wang, Zekun; Xiong, Min; Chen, Aaron Yun; Xu, Peng; Ganaie, Safder S; Badawi, Yomna; Kleiboeker, Steve; Nishimune, Hiroshi; Ye, Shui Qing; Qiu, Jianming

2018-03-01

Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection of human erythroid progenitor cells (EPCs) induces a DNA damage response and cell cycle arrest at late S phase, which facilitates viral DNA replication. However, it is not clear exactly which cellular factors are employed by this single-stranded DNA virus. Here, we used microarrays to systematically analyze the dynamic transcriptome of EPCs infected with B19V. We found that DNA metabolism, DNA replication, DNA repair, DNA damage response, cell cycle, and cell cycle arrest pathways were significantly regulated after B19V infection. Confocal microscopy analyses revealed that most cellular DNA replication proteins were recruited to the centers of viral DNA replication, but not the DNA repair DNA polymerases. Our results suggest that DNA replication polymerase δ and polymerase α are responsible for B19V DNA replication by knocking down its expression in EPCs. We further showed that although RPA32 is essential for B19V DNA replication and the phosphorylated forms of RPA32 colocalized with the replicating viral genomes, RPA32 phosphorylation was not necessary for B19V DNA replication. Thus, this report provides evidence that B19V uses the cellular DNA replication machinery for viral DNA replication. IMPORTANCE Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection can cause transient aplastic crisis, persistent viremia, and pure red cell aplasia. In fetuses, B19V infection can result in nonimmune hydrops fetalis and fetal death. These clinical manifestations of B19V infection are a direct outcome of the death of human erythroid progenitors that host B19V replication. B19V infection induces a DNA damage response that is important for cell cycle arrest at late S phase. Here, we analyzed dynamic changes in cellular gene expression and found that DNA metabolic processes are tightly regulated during B19V infection. Although genes involved in cellular DNA replication were downregulated overall, the cellular DNA replication machinery was tightly

Early leaf senescence is associated with an altered cellular redox balance in Arabidopsis cpr5/old1 mutants

OpenAIRE

Jing, H. -C.; Hebeler, R.; Oeljeklaus, S.; Sitek, B.; Stuehler, K.; Meyer, H. E.; Sturre, M. J. G.; Hille, J.; Warscheid, B.; Dijkwel, P. P.; Stühler, K.

2008-01-01

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the inevitable by-products of essential cellular metabolic and physiological activities. Plants have developed sophisticated gene networks of ROS generation and scavenging systems. However, ROS regulation is still poorly understood. Here, we report that mutations in the Arabidopsis CPR5/OLD1 gene may cause early senescence through deregulation of the cellular redox balance. Genetic analysis showed that blocking stress-related hormonal signalling pathways, suc...

Autophagy regulated by miRNAs in colorectal cancer progression and resistance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Fesler

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The catabolic process of autophagy is an essential cellular function that allows for the breakdown and recycling of cellular macromolecules. In recent years, the impact of epigenetic regulation of autophagy by noncoding miRNAs has been recognized in human cancer. In colorectal cancer, autophagy plays critical roles in cancer progression as well as resistance to chemotherapy, and recent evidence demonstrates that miRNAs are directly involved in mediating these functions. In this review, we focus on the recent advancements in the field of miRNA regulation of autophagy in colorectal cancer.

Compression behavior of cellular metals with inhomogeneous mass distribution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foroughi, B.

2001-05-01

Mechanical behavior of two types of closed cell metals (ALULIGHT and ALPORAS) is investigated experimentally and numerically. Compressive tests performed on prismatic specimens indicate that inhomogeneities in the mass density distribution are a key factor in the deformation behavior of cellular metals. The three dimensional cellular structure of the investigated specimens is recorded using x-ray medical computed tomography (CT). A special procedure called density mapping method has been used to transfer the recorded CT data into a continuum by averaging over a certain domain (averaging domain). This continuum model is implemented using finite elements to study the effect of variations in local mass densities. The finite element model is performed by a simple regular discretization of a specimen's volume with elements which have constant edge length. Mechanical properties derived from compression tests of ALPORAS samples are assigned to the corresponding mesoscopic density value of each element. The effect of averaging domain size is studied to obtain a suitable dimension which fulfils the homogenization requirements and allows the evaluation of inhomogenities in the specimens. The formation and propagation of deformation band(s) and stress-strain responses of tested cellular metals are modeled with respect to their mass distribution. It is shown that the inhomogeneous density distribution leads to plastic strain localization and causes a monotonically increase of the stress in the plateau regime although no hardening response was considered for homogeneous material in this regime. The simulated plastic strain localization and the calculated stress-strain responses are compared with the experimental results. The stiffness values of experiment and simulation agree very well for both cellular materials. The values of plateau strength as well, but it differs in some cases of ALULIGHT samples, where the hardening response can be predicted at least qualitatively

Redox regulation in cancer stem cells

Science.gov (United States)

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ROS-dependent (redox regulation) signaling pathways and transcriptional activities are thought to be critical in stem cell self-renewal and differentiation during growth and organogenesis. Aberrant ROS burst and dysregulation of those ROS-dependent cellular processe...

Gene regulation by MAP kinase cascades

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fiil, Berthe Katrine; Petersen, Klaus; Petersen, Morten

2009-01-01

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are signaling modules that transduce extracellular stimuli to a range of cellular responses. Research in yeast and metazoans has shown that MAPK-mediated phosphorylation directly or indirectly regulates the activity of transcription factors. Plant ...

N6-methyladenosine mediates the cellular proliferation and apoptosis via microRNAs in arsenite-transformed cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Shiyan; Sun, Donglei; Dai, Huangmei; Zhang, Zunzhen

2018-04-20

N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) modification is implicated to play an important role in cellular biological processes, but its regulatory mechanisms in arsenite-induced carcinogenesis are largely unknown. Here, human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cells were chronically treated with 2.5 μM arsenite sodium (NaAsO 2 ) for about 13 weeks and these cells were identified with malignant phenotype which was demonstrated by increased levels of cellular proliferation, percentages of plate colony formation and soft agar clone formation, and high potential of resistance to apoptotic induction. Our results firstly demonstrated that m 6 A modification on RNA was significantly increased in arsenite-transformed cells and this modification may be synergistically regulated by methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3), methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14), Wilms tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP) and Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO). In addition, knocking down of METTL3 in arsenite-transformed cells can dramatically reverse the malignant phenotype, which was manifested by lower percentages of clone and colony formation as well as higher rates of apoptotic induction. Given the critical roles of miRNAs in cellular proliferation and apoptosis, miRNAs regulated by m 6 A in arsenite-transformed cells were analyzed by Venn diagram and KEGG pathway in this study. The results showed that these m 6 A-mediated miRNAs can regulate pathways which are closely associated with cellular proliferation and apoptosis, implicating that these miRNAs may be the critical bridge by which m 6 A mediates dysregulation of cell survival and apoptosis in arsenite-transformed cells. Taken together, our results firstly demonstrated the significant role of m 6 A in the prevention of tumor occurrence and progression induced by arsenite. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Biomechanics of cellular solids.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Lorna J

2005-03-01

Materials with a cellular structure are widespread in nature and include wood, cork, plant parenchyma and trabecular bone. Natural cellular materials are often mechanically efficient: the honeycomb-like microstructure of wood, for instance, gives it an exceptionally high performance index for resisting bending and buckling. Here we review the mechanics of a wide range of natural cellular materials and examine their role in lightweight natural sandwich structures (e.g. iris leaves) and natural tubular structures (e.g. plant stems or animal quills). We also describe two examples of engineered biomaterials with a cellular structure, designed to replace or regenerate tissue in the body.

Survey of numerical safety targets for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, A.P. Jr.; Buttemer, D.R.

1981-04-01

The construction of a nuclear power plant implies, as does the construction of any major public work, the acceptance of a finite degree of risk. This risk can be reduced by an increased investment in engineered safeguards. However, at some level of risk, overinvestment in safety can render the project uneconomical. Because of the desirability of fixing safety standards on an absolute basis, there has long been an interest in establishing numerical risk criteria for the design, construction, and operation of nuclear power plants. Interest in the subject of numerical safety goals has recently been intensified by the Three Mile Island Action Plan. The USNRC has been directed by Congress to develop a national safety goal for reactor regulation. This report summarizes actions which have been historically, and are currently, taking place toward establishing national numerical risk targets for reactor regulation. Emphasis is placed upon actions taken, or currently being taken, by federal regulatory agencies and directly associated advisory bodies

Modeling and Analysis of Hybrid Cellular/WLAN Systems with Integrated Service-Based Vertical Handoff Schemes

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Weiwei; Shen, Lianfeng

We propose two vertical handoff schemes for cellular network and wireless local area network (WLAN) integration: integrated service-based handoff (ISH) and integrated service-based handoff with queue capabilities (ISHQ). Compared with existing handoff schemes in integrated cellular/WLAN networks, the proposed schemes consider a more comprehensive set of system characteristics such as different features of voice and data services, dynamic information about the admitted calls, user mobility and vertical handoffs in two directions. The code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular network and IEEE 802.11e WLAN are taken into account in the proposed schemes. We model the integrated networks by using multi-dimensional Markov chains and the major performance measures are derived for voice and data services. The important system parameters such as thresholds to prioritize handoff voice calls and queue sizes are optimized. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed ISHQ scheme can maximize the utilization of overall bandwidth resources with the best quality of service (QoS) provisioning for voice and data services.

Cellular Reflectarray Antenna

Science.gov (United States)

Romanofsky, Robert R.

2010-01-01

The cellular reflectarray antenna is intended to replace conventional parabolic reflectors that must be physically aligned with a particular satellite in geostationary orbit. These arrays are designed for specified geographical locations, defined by latitude and longitude, each called a "cell." A particular cell occupies nominally 1,500 square miles (3,885 sq. km), but this varies according to latitude and longitude. The cellular reflectarray antenna designed for a particular cell is simply positioned to align with magnetic North, and the antenna surface is level (parallel to the ground). A given cellular reflectarray antenna will not operate in any other cell.

Mechanisms and cellular functions of intramembrane proteases.

Science.gov (United States)

Urban, Siniša

2013-12-01

The turn of the millennium coincided with the branding of a fundamentally different class of enzyme - proteases that reside immersed inside the membrane. This new field was the convergence of completely separate lines of research focused on cholesterol homeostasis, Alzheimer's disease, and developmental genetics. None intended their ultimate path, but soon became a richly-integrated fabric for an entirely new field: regulated intramembrane proteolysis. Our aim in this Special Issue is to focus on the ancient and nearly ubiquitous enzymes that catalyze this unexpected yet important reaction. The pace of progress has been dramatic, resulting in a rapidly-expanding universe of known cellular functions, and a paradigm shift in the biochemical understanding of these once heretical enzymes. More recently, the first therapeutic successes have been attained by targeting an intramembrane protease. We consider these advances and identify oncoming opportunities in four parts: growing spectra of cellular roles, insights into biochemical mechanisms, therapeutic strategies, and newly-emerging topics. Recent studies also expose challenges for the future, including non-linear relationships between substrate identification and physiological functions, and the need for potent and specific, not broad-class, inhibitors. © 2013.

Redox Regulation of Mitochondrial Function

Science.gov (United States)

Handy, Diane E.

2012-01-01

Abstract Redox-dependent processes influence most cellular functions, such as differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. Mitochondria are at the center of these processes, as mitochondria both generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that drive redox-sensitive events and respond to ROS-mediated changes in the cellular redox state. In this review, we examine the regulation of cellular ROS, their modes of production and removal, and the redox-sensitive targets that are modified by their flux. In particular, we focus on the actions of redox-sensitive targets that alter mitochondrial function and the role of these redox modifications on metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, receptor-mediated signaling, and apoptotic pathways. We also consider the role of mitochondria in modulating these pathways, and discuss how redox-dependent events may contribute to pathobiology by altering mitochondrial function. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 16, 1323–1367. PMID:22146081

Regulation of Plant Microprocessor Function in Shaping microRNA Landscape

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jakub Dolata

2018-06-01

Full Text Available MicroRNAs are small molecules (∼21 nucleotides long that are key regulators of gene expression. They originate from long stem–loop RNAs as a product of cleavage by a protein complex called Microprocessor. The core components of the plant Microprocessor are the RNase type III enzyme Dicer-Like 1 (DCL1, the zinc finger protein Serrate (SE, and the double-stranded RNA binding protein Hyponastic Leaves 1 (HYL1. Microprocessor assembly and its processing of microRNA precursors have been reported to occur in discrete nuclear bodies called Dicing bodies. The accessibility of and modifications to Microprocessor components affect microRNA levels and may have dramatic consequences in plant development. Currently, numerous lines of evidence indicate that plant Microprocessor activity is tightly regulated. The cellular localization of HYL1 is dependent on a specific KETCH1 importin, and the E3 ubiquitin ligase COP1 indirectly protects HYL1 from degradation in a light-dependent manner. Furthermore, proper localization of HYL1 in Dicing bodies is regulated by MOS2. On the other hand, the Dicing body localization of DCL1 is regulated by NOT2b, which also interacts with SE in the nucleus. Post-translational modifications are substantial factors that contribute to protein functional diversity and provide a fine-tuning system for the regulation of protein activity. The phosphorylation status of HYL1 is crucial for its activity/stability and is a result of the interplay between kinases (MPK3 and SnRK2 and phosphatases (CPL1 and PP4. Additionally, MPK3 and SnRK2 are known to phosphorylate SE. Several other proteins (e.g., TGH, CDF2, SIC, and RCF3 that interact with Microprocessor have been found to influence its RNA-binding and processing activities. In this minireview, recent findings on the various modes of Microprocessor activity regulation are discussed.

Role of specimen size upon the measured toughness of cellular solids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christodoulou, I; Tan, P J

2013-01-01

It is well known that the mechanical properties of cellular solids depend critically upon the specimen size and that a 'sufficiently' large test specimen is needed to obtain representative bulk values. Notwithstanding, the fracture toughness of cellular solids is still measured experimentally based on standards, such as the ASTM E399 and E813, developed for solid materials that do not possess an intermediate, 'cell-level' length scale. Experimental data in the literature appears to show that the toughness of stochastic 3D foams is, also, size-dependent. This paper presents the results of a detailed finite element (FE) study that will quantify, and identify the physical origin of, the size-dependent effect. Three-point bending of a single-edge notched (or SEN(B)) specimen, with a 2D Voronoi micro-architecture, is modelled numerically to obtain estimates of fracture toughness which are compared to those obtained with a 'boundary-layer' analysis

Uniform and localized corrosion modelling by means of probabilistic cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez-Brokate, Cristian

2016-01-01

Numerical modelling is complementary tool for corrosion prediction. The objective of this work is to develop a corrosion model by means of a probabilistic cellular automata approach at a mesoscopic scale. In this work, we study the morphological evolution and kinetics of corrosion. This model couples electrochemical oxidation and reduction reactions. Regarding kinetics, cellular automata models are able to describe current as a function of the applied potential for a redox reaction on an inert electrode. The inclusion of probabilities allows the description of the stochastic nature of anodic and cathodic reactions. Corrosion morphology has been studied in different context: generalised corrosion, pitting corrosion and corrosion in an occluded environment. a general tendency of two regimes is found. a first regime of uniform corrosion where the anodic and cathodic reactions occur homogeneously over the surface. a second regime of localized corrosion when there is a spatial separation of anodic and cathodic zones, with an increase of anodic reaction rate. (author) [fr

Diphtheria toxin translocation across cellular membranes is regulated by sphingolipids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spilsberg, Bjorn; Hanada, Kentaro; Sandvig, Kirsten

2005-01-01

Diphtheria toxin is translocated across cellular membranes when receptor-bound toxin is exposed to low pH. To study the role of sphingolipids for toxin translocation, both a mutant cell line lacking the first enzyme in de novo sphingolipid synthesis, serine palmitoyltransferase, and a specific inhibitor of the same enzyme, myriocin, were used. The serine palmitoyltransferase-deficient cell line (LY-B) was found to be 10-15 times more sensitive to diphtheria toxin than the genetically complemented cell line (LY-B/cLCB1) and the wild-type cell line (CHO-K1), both when toxin translocation directly across the plasma membrane was induced by exposing cells with surface-bound toxin to low pH, and when the toxin followed its normal route via acidified endosomes into the cytosol. Toxin binding was similar in these three cell lines. Furthermore, inhibition of serine palmitoyltransferase activity by addition of myriocin sensitized the two control cell lines (LY-B/cLCB1 and CHO-K1) to diphtheria toxin, whereas, as expected, no effect was observed in cells lacking serine palmitoyltransferase (LY-B). In conclusion, diphtheria toxin translocation is facilitated by depletion of membrane sphingolipids

Antioxidant responses and cellular adjustments to oxidative stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Espinosa-Diez, Cristina; Miguel, Verónica; Mennerich, Daniela; Kietzmann, Thomas; Sánchez-Pérez, Patricia; Cadenas, Susana; Lamas, Santiago

2015-12-01

Redox biological reactions are now accepted to bear the Janus faceted feature of promoting both physiological signaling responses and pathophysiological cues. Endogenous antioxidant molecules participate in both scenarios. This review focuses on the role of crucial cellular nucleophiles, such as glutathione, and their capacity to interact with oxidants and to establish networks with other critical enzymes such as peroxiredoxins. We discuss the importance of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway as an example of a transcriptional antioxidant response and we summarize transcriptional routes related to redox activation. As examples of pathophysiological cellular and tissular settings where antioxidant responses are major players we highlight endoplasmic reticulum stress and ischemia reperfusion. Topologically confined redox-mediated post-translational modifications of thiols are considered important molecular mechanisms mediating many antioxidant responses, whereas redox-sensitive microRNAs have emerged as key players in the posttranscriptional regulation of redox-mediated gene expression. Understanding such mechanisms may provide the basis for antioxidant-based therapeutic interventions in redox-related diseases. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

MiR-145 regulates PAK4 via the MAPK pathway and exhibits an antitumor effect in human colon cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Zhigang; Zhang, Xiaoping; Yang, Zhili; Du, Hangxiang; Wu, Zhenqian; Gong, Jianfeng; Yan, Jun; Zheng, Qi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► MiR-145 targets a putative binding site in the 3′UTR of PAK4. ► MiR-145 played an important role in inhibiting cell growth by directly targeting PAK4. ► MiR-145 may function as tumor suppressors. -- Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulators of numerous cellular events; accumulating evidence indicates that miRNAs play a key role in a wide range of biological functions, such as cellular proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis in cancer. Down-regulated expression of miR-145 has been reported in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. The molecular mechanisms underlying miR-145 and the regulation of colon carcinogenesis remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the levels of miR-145 in human colon cancer cells using qRT-PCR and found markedly decreased levels compared to normal epithelial cells. We identified PAK4 as a novel target of miR-145 using informatics screening. Additionally, we demonstrated that miR-145 targets a putative binding site in the 3′UTR of PAK4 and that its abundance is inversely associated with miR-145 expression in colon cancer cells; we confirmed this relationship using the luciferase reporter assay. Furthermore, restoration of miR-145 by mimics in SW620 cells significantly attenuated cell growth in vitro, in accordance with the inhibitory effects induced by siRNA mediated knockdown of PAK4. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that miR-145 downregulates P-ERK expression by targeting PAK4 and leads to inhibition of tumor growth.

Linearizable cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nobe, Atsushi; Yura, Fumitaka

2007-01-01

The initial value problem for a class of reversible elementary cellular automata with periodic boundaries is reduced to an initial-boundary value problem for a class of linear systems on a finite commutative ring Z 2 . Moreover, a family of such linearizable cellular automata is given

Electromagnetic cellular interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cifra, Michal; Fields, Jeremy Z; Farhadi, Ashkan

2011-05-01

Chemical and electrical interaction within and between cells is well established. Just the opposite is true about cellular interactions via other physical fields. The most probable candidate for an other form of cellular interaction is the electromagnetic field. We review theories and experiments on how cells can generate and detect electromagnetic fields generally, and if the cell-generated electromagnetic field can mediate cellular interactions. We do not limit here ourselves to specialized electro-excitable cells. Rather we describe physical processes that are of a more general nature and probably present in almost every type of living cell. The spectral range included is broad; from kHz to the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum. We show that there is a rather large number of theories on how cells can generate and detect electromagnetic fields and discuss experimental evidence on electromagnetic cellular interactions in the modern scientific literature. Although small, it is continuously accumulating. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cellular plasticity enables adaptation to unforeseen cell-cycle rewiring challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Katzir, Yair; Stolovicki, Elad; Stern, Shay; Braun, Erez

2012-01-01

The fundamental dynamics of the cell cycle, underlying cell growth and reproduction, were previously found to be robust under a wide range of environmental and internal perturbations. This property was commonly attributed to its network structure, which enables the coordinated interactions among hundreds of proteins. Despite significant advances in deciphering the components and autonomous interactions of this network, understanding the interfaces of the cell cycle with other major cellular processes is still lacking. To gain insight into these interfaces, we used the process of genome-rewiring in yeast by placing an essential metabolic gene HIS3 from the histidine biosynthesis pathway, under the exclusive regulation of different cell-cycle promoters. In a medium lacking histidine and under partial inhibition of the HIS3p, the rewired cells encountered an unforeseen multitasking challenge; the cell-cycle regulatory genes were required to regulate the essential histidine-pathway gene in concert with the other metabolic demands, while simultaneously driving the cell cycle through its proper temporal phases. We show here that chemostat cell populations with rewired cell-cycle promoters adapted within a short time to accommodate the inhibition of HIS3p and stabilized a new phenotypic state. Furthermore, a significant fraction of the population was able to adapt and grow into mature colonies on plates under such inhibiting conditions. The adapted state was shown to be stably inherited across generations. These adaptation dynamics were accompanied by a non-specific and irreproducible genome-wide transcriptional response. Adaptation of the cell-cycle attests to its multitasking capabilities and flexible interface with cellular metabolic processes and requirements. Similar adaptation features were found in our previous work when rewiring HIS3 to the GAL system and switching cells from galactose to glucose. Thus, at the basis of cellular plasticity is the emergence of a yet

In vivo cellular imaging with microscopes enabled by MEMS scanners

Science.gov (United States)

Ra, Hyejun

High-resolution optical imaging plays an important role in medical diagnosis and biomedical research. Confocal microscopy is a widely used imaging method for obtaining cellular and sub-cellular images of biological tissue in reflectance and fluorescence modes. Its characteristic optical sectioning capability also enables three-dimensional (3-D) image reconstruction. However, its use has mostly been limited to excised tissues due to the requirement of high numerical aperture (NA) lenses for cellular resolution. Microscope miniaturization can enable in vivo imaging to make possible early cancer diagnosis and biological studies in the innate environment. In this dissertation, microscope miniaturization for in vivo cellular imaging is presented. The dual-axes confocal (DAC) architecture overcomes limitations of the conventional single-axis confocal (SAC) architecture to allow for miniaturization with high resolution. A microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanner is the central imaging component that is key in miniaturization of the DAC architecture. The design, fabrication, and characterization of the two-dimensional (2-D) MEMS scanner are presented. The gimbaled MEMS scanner is fabricated on a double silicon-on-insulator (SOI) wafer and is actuated by self-aligned vertical electrostatic combdrives. The imaging performance of the MEMS scanner in a DAC configuration is shown in a breadboard microscope setup, where reflectance and fluorescence imaging is demonstrated. Then, the MEMS scanner is integrated into a miniature DAC microscope. The whole imaging system is integrated into a portable unit for research in small animal models of human biology and disease. In vivo 3-D imaging is demonstrated on mouse skin models showing gene transfer and siRNA silencing. The siRNA silencing process is sequentially imaged in one mouse over time.

Epigenetic Regulation of Monocyte and Macrophage Function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoeksema, Marten A.; de Winther, Menno P. J.

2016-01-01

Monocytes and macrophages are key players in tissue homeostasis and immune responses. Epigenetic processes tightly regulate cellular functioning in health and disease. Recent Advances: Recent technical developments have allowed detailed characterizations of the transcriptional circuitry underlying

The PTEN protein: cellular localization and post-translational regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Leslie, Nick R; Kriplani, Nisha; Hermida, Miguel A; Alvarez-Garcia, Virginia; Wise, Helen M

2016-02-01

The phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) phosphatase dephosphorylates PIP3, the lipid product of the class I PI 3-kinases, and suppresses the growth and proliferation of many cell types. It has been heavily studied, in large part due to its status as a tumour suppressor, the loss of function of which is observed through diverse mechanisms in many tumour types. Here we present a concise review of our understanding of the PTEN protein and highlight recent advances, particularly in our understanding of its localization and regulation by ubiquitination and SUMOylation. © 2016 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited.

Multiuser Scheduling on the Downlink of an LTE Cellular System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raymond Kwan

2008-01-01

Full Text Available The challenge of scheduling user transmissions on the downlink of a long-term evolution (LTE cellular communication system is addressed. In particular, a novel optimalmultiuser scheduler is proposed. Numerical results show that the system performance improves with increasing correlation among OFDMA subcarriers. It is found that only a limited amount of feedback information is needed to achieve relatively good performance. A suboptimal reduced-complexity scheduler is also proposed and shown to provide good performance. The suboptimal scheme is especially attractive when the number of users is large, in which case the complexity of the optimal scheme is high.

SREBP-regulated lipid metabolism: convergent physiology - divergent pathophysiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Shimano, Hitoshi; Sato, Ryuichiro

2017-12-01

Cellular lipid metabolism and homeostasis are controlled by sterol regulatory-element binding proteins (SREBPs). In addition to performing canonical functions in the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in the biosynthesis and uptake of lipids, genome-wide system analyses have revealed that these versatile transcription factors act as important nodes of convergence and divergence within biological signalling networks. Thus, they are involved in myriad physiological and pathophysiological processes, highlighting the importance of lipid metabolism in biology. Changes in cell metabolism and growth are reciprocally linked through SREBPs. Anabolic and growth signalling pathways branch off and connect to multiple steps of SREBP activation and form complex regulatory networks. In addition, SREBPs are implicated in numerous pathogenic processes such as endoplasmic reticulum stress, inflammation, autophagy and apoptosis, and in this way, they contribute to obesity, dyslipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, chronic kidney disease, neurodegenerative diseases and cancers. This Review aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of SREBPs in physiology and pathophysiology at the cell, organ and organism levels.

A hybrid parallel framework for the cellular Potts model simulations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jiang, Yi [Los Alamos National Laboratory; He, Kejing [SOUTH CHINA UNIV; Dong, Shoubin [SOUTH CHINA UNIV

2009-01-01

The Cellular Potts Model (CPM) has been widely used for biological simulations. However, most current implementations are either sequential or approximated, which can't be used for large scale complex 3D simulation. In this paper we present a hybrid parallel framework for CPM simulations. The time-consuming POE solving, cell division, and cell reaction operation are distributed to clusters using the Message Passing Interface (MPI). The Monte Carlo lattice update is parallelized on shared-memory SMP system using OpenMP. Because the Monte Carlo lattice update is much faster than the POE solving and SMP systems are more and more common, this hybrid approach achieves good performance and high accuracy at the same time. Based on the parallel Cellular Potts Model, we studied the avascular tumor growth using a multiscale model. The application and performance analysis show that the hybrid parallel framework is quite efficient. The hybrid parallel CPM can be used for the large scale simulation ({approx}10{sup 8} sites) of complex collective behavior of numerous cells ({approx}10{sup 6}).

The role of mitochondria in cellular iron-sulfur protein biogenesis and iron metabolism.

Science.gov (United States)

Lill, Roland; Hoffmann, Bastian; Molik, Sabine; Pierik, Antonio J; Rietzschel, Nicole; Stehling, Oliver; Uzarska, Marta A; Webert, Holger; Wilbrecht, Claudia; Mühlenhoff, Ulrich

2012-09-01

Mitochondria play a key role in iron metabolism in that they synthesize heme, assemble iron-sulfur (Fe/S) proteins, and participate in cellular iron regulation. Here, we review the latter two topics and their intimate connection. The mitochondrial Fe/S cluster (ISC) assembly machinery consists of 17 proteins that operate in three major steps of the maturation process. First, the cysteine desulfurase complex Nfs1-Isd11 as the sulfur donor cooperates with ferredoxin-ferredoxin reductase acting as an electron transfer chain, and frataxin to synthesize an [2Fe-2S] cluster on the scaffold protein Isu1. Second, the cluster is released from Isu1 and transferred toward apoproteins with the help of a dedicated Hsp70 chaperone system and the glutaredoxin Grx5. Finally, various specialized ISC components assist in the generation of [4Fe-4S] clusters and cluster insertion into specific target apoproteins. Functional defects of the core ISC assembly machinery are signaled to cytosolic or nuclear iron regulatory systems resulting in increased cellular iron acquisition and mitochondrial iron accumulation. In fungi, regulation is achieved by iron-responsive transcription factors controlling the expression of genes involved in iron uptake and intracellular distribution. They are assisted by cytosolic multidomain glutaredoxins which use a bound Fe/S cluster as iron sensor and additionally perform an essential role in intracellular iron delivery to target metalloproteins. In mammalian cells, the iron regulatory proteins IRP1, an Fe/S protein, and IRP2 act in a post-transcriptional fashion to adjust the cellular needs for iron. Thus, Fe/S protein biogenesis and cellular iron metabolism are tightly linked to coordinate iron supply and utilization. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Cell Biology of Metals. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

UV laser-ablated surface textures as potential regulator of cellular response.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandra, Prafulla; Lai, Karen; Sung, Hak-Joon; Murthy, N Sanjeeva; Kohn, Joachim

2010-06-01

Textured surfaces obtained by UV laser ablation of poly(ethylene terephthalate) films were used to study the effect of shape and spacing of surface features on cellular response. Two distinct patterns, cones and ripples with spacing from 2 to 25 μm, were produced. Surface features with different shapes and spacings were produced by varying pulse repetition rate, laser fluence, and exposure time. The effects of the surface texture parameters, i.e., shape and spacing, on cell attachment, proliferation, and morphology of neonatal human dermal fibroblasts and mouse fibroblasts were studied. Cell attachment was the highest in the regions with cones at ∼4 μm spacing. As feature spacing increased, cell spreading decreased, and the fibroblasts became more circular, indicating a stress-mediated cell shrinkage. This study shows that UV laser ablation is a useful alternative to lithographic techniques to produce surface patterns for controlling cell attachment and growth on biomaterial surfaces.

Negative Regulation of STAT3 Protein-mediated Cellular Respiration by SIRT1 Protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernier, Michel; Paul, Rajib K; Martin-Montalvo, Alejandro

2011-01-01

those of wild-type controls. Comparison of profiles of phospho-antibody array data indicated that the deletion of SirT1 was accompanied by constitutive activation of the pro-inflammatory NF-¿B pathway, which is key for STAT3 induction and increased cellular respiration in Sirt1-KO cells. Thus, SIRT1...... cells exhibited higher mitochondrial respiration as compared with wild-type MEFs. Two independent approaches, including ectopic expression of SIRT1 and siRNA-mediated knockdown of STAT3, led to reduction in intracellular ATP levels and increased lactate production in Sirt1-KO cells that were approaching...

Autophagy Facilitates IFN-γ-induced Jak2-STAT1 Activation and Cellular Inflammation*

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Yu-Ping; Tsai, Cheng-Chieh; Huang, Wei-Ching; Wang, Chi-Yun; Chen, Chia-Ling; Lin, Yee-Shin; Kai, Jui-In; Hsieh, Chia-Yuan; Cheng, Yi-Lin; Choi, Pui-Ching; Chen, Shun-Hua; Chang, Shih-Ping; Liu, Hsiao-Sheng; Lin, Chiou-Feng

2010-01-01

Autophagy is regulated for IFN-γ-mediated antimicrobial efficacy; however, its molecular effects for IFN-γ signaling are largely unknown. Here, we show that autophagy facilitates IFN-γ-activated Jak2-STAT1. IFN-γ induces autophagy in wild-type but not in autophagy protein 5 (Atg5−/−)-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), and, autophagy-dependently, IFN-γ induces IFN regulatory factor 1 and cellular inflammatory responses. Pharmacologically inhibiting autophagy using 3-methyladenine, a known inhibitor of class III phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, confirms these effects. Either Atg5−/− or Atg7−/− MEFs are, independent of changes in IFN-γ receptor expression, resistant to IFN-γ-activated Jak2-STAT1, which suggests that autophagy is important for IFN-γ signal transduction. Lentivirus-based short hairpin RNA for Atg5 knockdown confirmed the importance of autophagy for IFN-γ-activated STAT1. Without autophagy, reactive oxygen species increase and cause SHP2 (Src homology-2 domain-containing phosphatase 2)-regulated STAT1 inactivation. Inhibiting SHP2 reversed both cellular inflammation and the IFN-γ-induced activation of STAT1 in Atg5−/− MEFs. Our study provides evidence that there is a link between autophagy and both IFN-γ signaling and cellular inflammation and that autophagy, because it inhibits the expression of reactive oxygen species and SHP2, is pivotal for Jak2-STAT1 activation. PMID:20592027

Experimental design for dynamics identification of cellular processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinh, Vu; Rundell, Ann E; Buzzard, Gregery T

2014-03-01

We address the problem of using nonlinear models to design experiments to characterize the dynamics of cellular processes by using the approach of the Maximally Informative Next Experiment (MINE), which was introduced in W. Dong et al. (PLoS ONE 3(8):e3105, 2008) and independently in M.M. Donahue et al. (IET Syst. Biol. 4:249-262, 2010). In this approach, existing data is used to define a probability distribution on the parameters; the next measurement point is the one that yields the largest model output variance with this distribution. Building upon this approach, we introduce the Expected Dynamics Estimator (EDE), which is the expected value using this distribution of the output as a function of time. We prove the consistency of this estimator (uniform convergence to true dynamics) even when the chosen experiments cluster in a finite set of points. We extend this proof of consistency to various practical assumptions on noisy data and moderate levels of model mismatch. Through the derivation and proof, we develop a relaxed version of MINE that is more computationally tractable and robust than the original formulation. The results are illustrated with numerical examples on two nonlinear ordinary differential equation models of biomolecular and cellular processes.

Adamantyl Glycosphingolipids Provide a New Approach to the Selective Regulation of Cellular Glycosphingolipid Metabolism*

OpenAIRE

Kamani, Mustafa; Mylvaganam, Murugesapillai; Tian, Robert; Rigat, Brigitte; Binnington, Beth; Lingwood, Clifford

2011-01-01

Mammalian glycosphingolipid (GSL) precursor monohexosylceramides are either glucosyl- or galactosylceramide (GlcCer or GalCer). Most GSLs derive from GlcCer. Substitution of the GSL fatty acid with adamantane generates amphipathic mimics of increased water solubility, retaining receptor function. We have synthesized adamantyl GlcCer (adaGlcCer) and adamantyl GalCer (adaGalCer). AdaGlcCer and adaGalCer partition into cells to alter GSL metabolism. At low dose, adaGlcCer increased cellular GSLs...

Endothelin-1 Regulation of exercise-induced changes in flow: Dynamic regulation of vascular tone

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rapoport, R.M. (Robert M.); D. Merkus (Daphne)

2017-01-01

textabstractAlthough endothelin (ET)-1 is a highly potent vasoconstrictor with considerable efficacy in numerous vascular beds, the role of endogenous ET-1 in the regulation of vascular tone remains unclear. The perspective that ET-1 plays little role in the on-going regulation of vascular tone at

Antagonism between Hedgehog and Wnt signaling pathways regulates tumorigenicity.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Mei; Wang, Xin

2017-12-01

The crosstalk of multiple cellular signaling pathways is crucial in animal development and tissue homeostasis, and its dysregulation may result in tumor formation and metastasis. The Hedgehog (Hh) and Wnt signaling pathways are both considered to be essential regulators of cell proliferation, differentiation and oncogenesis. Recent studies have indicated that the Hh and Wnt signaling pathways are closely associated and involved in regulating embryogenesis and cellular differentiation. Hh signaling acts upstream of the Wnt signaling pathway, and negative regulates Wnt activity via secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1), and the Wnt/β-catenin pathway downregulates Hh activity through glioma-associated oncogene homolog 3 transcriptional regulation. This evidence suggests that the imbalance of Hh and Wnt regulation serves a crucial role in cancer-associated processes. The activation of SFRP1, which inhibits Wnt, has been demonstrated to be an important cross-point between the two signaling pathways. The present study reviews the complex interaction between the Hh and Wnt signaling pathways in embryogenesis and tumorigenicity, and the role of SFRP1 as an important mediator associated with the dysregulation of the Hh and Wnt signaling pathways.

Itga2b regulation at the onset of definitive hematopoiesis and commitment to differentiation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephanie Dumon

Full Text Available Product of the Itga2b gene, CD41 contributes to hematopoietic stem cell (HSC and megakaryocyte/platelet functions. CD41 expression marks the onset of definitive hematopoiesis in the embryo where it participates in regulating the numbers of multipotential progenitors. Key to platelet aggregation, CD41 expression also characterises their precursor, the megakaryocyte, and is specifically up regulated during megakaryopoiesis. Though phenotypically unique, megakaryocytes and HSC share numerous features, including key transcription factors, which could indicate common sub-regulatory networks. In these respects, Itga2b can serve as a paradigm to study features of both developmental-stage and HSC- versus megakaryocyte-specific regulations. By comparing different cellular contexts, we highlight a mechanism by which internal promoters participate in Itga2b regulation. A developmental process connects epigenetic regulation and promoter switching leading to CD41 expression in HSC. Interestingly, a similar process can be observed at the Mpl locus, which codes for another receptor that defines both HSC and megakaryocyte identities. Our study shows that Itga2b expression is controlled by lineage-specific networks and associates with H4K8ac in megakaryocyte or H3K27me3 in the multipotential hematopoietic cell line HPC7. Correlating with the decrease in H3K27me3 at the Itga2b Iocus, we find that following commitment to megakaryocyte differentiation, the H3K27 demethylase Jmjd3 up-regulation influences both Itga2b and Mpl expression.

Drosophila Cbp53E Regulates Axon Growth at the Neuromuscular Junction.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kimberly R Hagel

Full Text Available Calcium is a primary second messenger in all cells that functions in processes ranging from cellular proliferation to synaptic transmission. Proper regulation of calcium is achieved through numerous mechanisms involving channels, sensors, and buffers notably containing one or more EF-hand calcium binding domains. The Drosophila genome encodes only a single 6 EF-hand domain containing protein, Cbp53E, which is likely the prototypic member of a small family of related mammalian proteins that act as calcium buffers and calcium sensors. Like the mammalian homologs, Cbp53E is broadly though discretely expressed throughout the nervous system. Despite the importance of calcium in neuronal function and growth, nothing is known about Cbp53E's function in neuronal development. To address this deficiency, we generated novel null alleles of Drosophila Cbp53E and examined neuronal development at the well-characterized larval neuromuscular junction. Loss of Cbp53E resulted in increases in axonal branching at both peptidergic and glutamatergic neuronal terminals. This overgrowth could be completely rescued by expression of exogenous Cbp53E. Overexpression of Cbp53E, however, only affected the growth of peptidergic neuronal processes. These findings indicate that Cbp53E plays a significant role in neuronal growth and suggest that it may function in both local synaptic and global cellular mechanisms.

Cellular Chaperones As Therapeutic Targets in ALS to Restore Protein Homeostasis and Improve Cellular Function

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernadett Kalmar

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Heat shock proteins (Hsps are ubiquitously expressed chaperone proteins that enable cells to cope with environmental stresses that cause misfolding and denaturation of proteins. With aging this protein quality control machinery becomes less effective, reducing the ability of cells to cope with damaging environmental stresses and disease-causing mutations. In neurodegenerative disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, such mutations are known to result in protein misfolding, which in turn results in the formation of intracellular aggregates cellular dysfunction and eventual neuronal death. The exact cellular pathology of ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases has been elusive and thus, hindering the development of effective therapies. However, a common scheme has emerged across these “protein misfolding” disorders, in that the mechanism of disease involves one or more aspects of proteostasis; from DNA transcription, RNA translation, to protein folding, transport and degradation via proteosomal and autophagic pathways. Interestingly, members of the Hsp family are involved in each of these steps facilitating normal protein folding, regulating the rate of protein synthesis and degradation. In this short review we summarize the evidence that suggests that ALS is a disease of protein dyshomeostasis in which Hsps may play a key role. Overwhelming evidence now indicates that enabling protein homeostasis to cope with disease-causing mutations might be a successful therapeutic strategy in ALS, as well as other neurodegenerative diseases. Novel small molecule co-inducers of Hsps appear to be able to achieve this aim. Arimoclomol, a hydroxylamine derivative, has shown promising results in cellular and animal models of ALS, as well as other protein misfolding diseases such as Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM. Initial clinical investigations of Arimoclomol have shown promising results. Therefore, it is possible that the long series of

Coverage extension and balancing the transmitted power of the moving relay node at LTE-A cellular network.

Science.gov (United States)

Aldhaibani, Jaafar A; Yahya, Abid; Ahmad, R Badlishah

2014-01-01

The poor capacity at cell boundaries is not enough to meet the growing demand and stringent design which required high capacity and throughput irrespective of user's location in the cellular network. In this paper, we propose new schemes for an optimum fixed relay node (RN) placement in LTE-A cellular network to enhance throughput and coverage extension at cell edge region. The proposed approach mitigates interferences between all nodes and ensures optimum utilization with the optimization of transmitted power. Moreover, we proposed a new algorithm to balance the transmitted power of moving relay node (MR) over cell size and providing required SNR and throughput at the users inside vehicle along with reducing the transmitted power consumption by MR. The numerical analysis along with the simulation results indicates that an improvement in capacity for users is 40% increment at downlink transmission from cell capacity. Furthermore, the results revealed that there is saving nearly 75% from transmitted power in MR after using proposed balancing algorithm. ATDI simulator was used to verify the numerical results, which deals with real digital cartographic and standard formats for terrain.

Modelling the structure of a ceRNA-theoretical, bipartite microRNA-mRNA interaction network regulating intestinal epithelial cellular pathways using R programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, J M; Henderson, W A

2018-01-12

We report a method using functional-molecular databases and network modelling to identify hypothetical mRNA-miRNA interaction networks regulating intestinal epithelial barrier function. The model forms a data-analysis component of our cell culture experiments, which produce RNA expression data from Nanostring Technologies nCounter ® system. The epithelial tight-junction (TJ) and actin cytoskeleton interact as molecular components of the intestinal epithelial barrier. Upstream regulation of TJ-cytoskeleton interaction is effected by the Rac/Rock/Rho signaling pathway and other associated pathways which may be activated or suppressed by extracellular signaling from growth factors, hormones, and immune receptors. Pathway activations affect epithelial homeostasis, contributing to degradation of the epithelial barrier associated with osmotic dysregulation, inflammation, and tumor development. The complexity underlying miRNA-mRNA interaction networks represents a roadblock for prediction and validation of competing-endogenous RNA network function. We developed a network model to identify hypothetical co-regulatory motifs in a miRNA-mRNA interaction network related to epithelial function. A mRNA-miRNA interaction list was generated using KEGG and miRWalk2.0 databases. R-code was developed to quantify and visualize inherent network structures. We identified a sub-network with a high number of shared, targeting miRNAs, of genes associated with cellular proliferation and cancer, including c-MYC and Cyclin D.

Control of human adenovirus type 5 gene expression by cellular Daxx/ATRX chromatin-associated complexes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schreiner, Sabrina; Bürck, Carolin; Glass, Mandy

2013-01-01

to interact with ATRX. To ensure efficient viral replication, Ad5 E1B-55K protein inhibits Daxx and targets ATRX for proteasomal degradation in cooperation with early region 4 open reading frame protein 6 and cellular components of a cullin-dependent E3-ubiquitin ligase. Our studies illustrate the importance...... is the targeting factor, leading to histone deacetylase recruitment, H3.3 deposition and transcriptional repression of cellular promoters. Despite recent findings on the fundamental importance of chromatin modification in host-cell gene regulation, it remains unclear whether adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) transcription...

Actin retrograde flow controls natural killer cell response by regulating the conformation state of SHP-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Matalon, Omri; Ben-Shmuel, Aviad; Kivelevitz, Jessica; Sabag, Batel; Fried, Sophia; Joseph, Noah; Noy, Elad; Biber, Guy; Barda-Saad, Mira

2018-03-01

Natural killer (NK) cells are a powerful weapon against viral infections and tumor growth. Although the actin-myosin (actomyosin) cytoskeleton is crucial for a variety of cellular processes, the role of mechanotransduction, the conversion of actomyosin mechanical forces into signaling cascades, was never explored in NK cells. Here, we demonstrate that actomyosin retrograde flow (ARF) controls the immune response of primary human NK cells through a novel interaction between β-actin and the SH2-domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1), converting its conformation state, and thereby regulating NK cell cytotoxicity. Our results identify ARF as a master regulator of the NK cell immune response. Since actin dynamics occur in multiple cellular processes, this mechanism might also regulate the activity of SHP-1 in additional cellular systems. © 2018 The Authors.

Quantitative analysis of proteome and lipidome dynamics reveals functional regulation of global lipid metabolism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Casanovas, Albert; Sprenger, Richard R; Tarasov, Kirill

2015-01-01

Elucidating how and to what extent lipid metabolism is remodeled under changing conditions is essential for understanding cellular physiology. Here, we analyzed proteome and lipidome dynamics to investigate how regulation of lipid metabolism at the global scale supports remodeling of cellular...

The Interplay between Feedback and Buffering in Cellular Homeostasis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hancock, Edward J; Ang, Jordan; Papachristodoulou, Antonis; Stan, Guy-Bart

2017-11-22

Buffering, the use of reservoirs of molecules to maintain concentrations of key molecular species, and negative feedback are the primary known mechanisms for robust homeostatic regulation. To our knowledge, however, the fundamental principles behind their combined effect have not been elucidated. Here, we study the interplay between buffering and negative feedback in the context of cellular homeostasis. We show that negative feedback counteracts slow-changing disturbances, whereas buffering counteracts fast-changing disturbances. Furthermore, feedback and buffering have limitations that create trade-offs for regulation: instability in the case of feedback and molecular noise in the case of buffering. However, because buffering stabilizes feedback and feedback attenuates noise from slower-acting buffering, their combined effect on homeostasis can be synergistic. These effects can be explained within a traditional control theory framework and are consistent with experimental observations of both ATP homeostasis and pH regulation in vivo. These principles are critical for studying robustness and homeostasis in biology and biotechnology. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy-efficient power control for OFDMA cellular networks

KAUST Repository

Sboui, Lokman

2016-12-24

In this paper, we study the energy efficiency (EE) of orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA) cellular networks. Our objective is to present a power allocation scheme that maximizes the EE of downlink communications. We propose a novel explicit expression of the optimal power allocation to each subcarrier. We also present the power control when the transmit power is limited by power budget constraint or/and minimal rate constraint and we highlight the occurrence of some transmission outage events depending on the constraints\\' parameters. In the numerical results, we show that our proposed power control improves the EE especially at high power budget regime and low minimal rate regime. In addition, we show that having a higher number of subcarriers enhances the OFDMA EE.

Polynomial model inversion control: numerical tests and applications

OpenAIRE

Novara, Carlo

2015-01-01

A novel control design approach for general nonlinear systems is described in this paper. The approach is based on the identification of a polynomial model of the system to control and on the on-line inversion of this model. Extensive simulations are carried out to test the numerical efficiency of the approach. Numerical examples of applicative interest are presented, concerned with control of the Duffing oscillator, control of a robot manipulator and insulin regulation in a type 1 diabetic p...

Ion Channels Involved in Cell Volume Regulation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hoffmann, Else Kay

2011-01-01

regulatory ion channels involved, and the mechanisms (cellular signalling pathways) that regulate these channels. Finally, I shall also briefly review current investigations in these two cell lines that focuses on how changes in cell volume can regulate cell functions such as cell migration, proliferation......This mini review outlines studies of cell volume regulation in two closely related mammalian cell lines: nonadherent Ehrlich ascites tumour cells (EATC) and adherent Ehrlich Lettre ascites (ELA) cells. Focus is on the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) that occurs after cell swelling, the volume...

Linear matrix inequality approach for synchronization control of fuzzy cellular neural networks with mixed time delays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balasubramaniam, P.; Kalpana, M.; Rakkiyappan, R.

2012-01-01

Fuzzy cellular neural networks (FCNNs) are special kinds of cellular neural networks (CNNs). Each cell in an FCNN contains fuzzy operating abilities. The entire network is governed by cellular computing laws. The design of FCNNs is based on fuzzy local rules. In this paper, a linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach for synchronization control of FCNNs with mixed delays is investigated. Mixed delays include discrete time-varying delays and unbounded distributed delays. A dynamic control scheme is proposed to achieve the synchronization between a drive network and a response network. By constructing the Lyapunov—Krasovskii functional which contains a triple-integral term and the free-weighting matrices method an improved delay-dependent stability criterion is derived in terms of LMIs. The controller can be easily obtained by solving the derived LMIs. A numerical example and its simulations are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Acrolein-Exposed Normal Human Lung Fibroblasts in Vitro: Cellular Senescence, Enhanced Telomere Erosion, and Degradation of Werner’s Syndrome Protein

Science.gov (United States)

Jang, Jun-Ho; Bruse, Shannon; Huneidi, Salam; Schrader, Ronald M.; Monick, Martha M.; Lin, Yong; Carter, A. Brent; Klingelhutz, Aloysius J.

2014-01-01

Background: Acrolein is a ubiquitous environmental hazard to human health. Acrolein has been reported to activate the DNA damage response and induce apoptosis. However, little is known about the effects of acrolein on cellular senescence. Objectives: We examined whether acrolein induces cellular senescence in cultured normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLF). Methods: We cultured NHLF in the presence or absence of acrolein and determined the effects of acrolein on cell proliferative capacity, senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, the known senescence-inducing pathways (e.g., p53, p21), and telomere length. Results: We found that acrolein induced cellular senescence by increasing both p53 and p21. The knockdown of p53 mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA) attenuated acrolein-induced cellular senescence. Acrolein decreased Werner’s syndrome protein (WRN), a member of the RecQ helicase family involved in DNA repair and telomere maintenance. Acrolein-induced down-regulation of WRN protein was rescued by p53 knockdown or proteasome inhibition. Finally, we found that acrolein accelerated p53-mediated telomere shortening. Conclusions: These results suggest that acrolein induces p53-mediated cellular senescence accompanied by enhanced telomere attrition and WRN protein down-regulation. Citation: Jang JH, Bruse S, Huneidi S, Schrader RM, Monick MM, Lin Y, Carter AB, Klingelhutz AJ, Nyunoya T. 2014. Acrolein-exposed normal human lung fibroblasts in vitro: cellular senescence, enhanced telomere erosion, and degradation of Werner’s syndrome protein. Environ Health Perspect 122:955–962; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306911 PMID:24747221

Protein Corona Analysis of Silver Nanoparticles Links to Their Cellular Effects.

Science.gov (United States)

Juling, Sabine; Niedzwiecka, Alicia; Böhmert, Linda; Lichtenstein, Dajana; Selve, Sören; Braeuning, Albert; Thünemann, Andreas F; Krause, Eberhard; Lampen, Alfonso

2017-11-03

The breadth of applications of nanoparticles and the access to food-associated consumer products containing nanosized materials lead to oral human exposure to such particles. In biological fluids nanoparticles dynamically interact with biomolecules and form a protein corona. Knowledge about the protein corona is of great interest for understanding the molecular effects of particles as well as their fate inside the human body. We used a mass spectrometry-based toxicoproteomics approach to elucidate mechanisms of toxicity of silver nanoparticles and to comprehensively characterize the protein corona formed around silver nanoparticles in Caco-2 human intestinal epithelial cells. Results were compared with respect to the cellular function of proteins either affected by exposure to nanoparticles or present in the protein corona. A transcriptomic data set was included in the analyses in order to obtain a combined multiomics view of nanoparticle-affected cellular processes. A relationship between corona proteins and the proteomic or transcriptomic responses was revealed, showing that differentially regulated proteins or transcripts were engaged in the same cellular signaling pathways. Protein corona analyses of nanoparticles in cells might therefore help in obtaining information about the molecular consequences of nanoparticle treatment.

Plasma membrane Ca²⁺-ATPase isoforms composition regulates cellular pH homeostasis in differentiating PC12 cells in a manner dependent on cytosolic Ca²⁺ elevations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boczek, Tomasz; Lisek, Malwina; Ferenc, Bozena

2014-01-01

isoforms (PMCA1-4) but only PMCA2 and PMCA3, due to their unique localization and features, perform more specialized function. Using differentiated PC12 cells we assessed the role of PMCA2 and PMCA3 in the regulation of intracellular pH in steady-state conditions and during Ca2+ overload evoked by 59 m....... In steady-state conditions, higher TMRE uptake in PMCA2-knockdown line was driven by plasma membrane potential (Ψp). Nonetheless, mitochondrial membrane potential (Ψm) in this line was dissipated during Ca2+ overload. Cyclosporin and bongkrekic acid prevented Ψm loss suggesting the involvement of Ca2......+-driven opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore as putative underlying mechanism. The findings presented here demonstrate a crucial role of PMCA2 and PMCA3 in regulation of cellular pH and indicate PMCA membrane composition important for preservation of electrochemical gradient...

PfsR is a key regulator of iron homeostasis in Synechocystis PCC 6803.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dan Cheng

Full Text Available Iron is an essential cofactor in numerous cellular processes. The iron deficiency in the oceans affects the primary productivity of phytoplankton including cyanobacteria. In this study, we examined the function of PfsR, a TetR family transcriptional regulator, in iron homeostasis of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803. Compared with the wild type, the pfsR deletion mutant displayed stronger tolerance to iron limitation and accumulated significantly more chlorophyll a, carotenoid, and phycocyanin under iron-limiting conditions. The mutant also maintained more photosystem I and photosystem II complexes than the wild type after iron deprivation. In addition, the activities of photosystem I and photosystem II were much higher in pfsR deletion mutant than in wild-type cells under iron-limiting conditions. The transcripts of pfsR were enhanced by iron limitation and inactivation of the gene affected pronouncedly expression of fut genes (encoding a ferric iron transporter, feoB (encoding a ferrous iron transporter, bfr genes (encoding bacterioferritins, ho genes (encoding heme oxygenases, isiA (encoding a chlorophyll-binding protein, and furA (encoding a ferric uptake regulator. The iron quota in pfsR deletion mutant cells was higher than in wild-type cells both before and after exposure to iron limitation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that PfsR bound to its own promoter and thereby auto-regulated its own expression. These data suggest that PfsR is a critical regulator of iron homeostasis.

Mitochondrial regulation of cell death: a phylogenetically conserved control

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo Galluzzi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Mitochondria are fundamental for eukaryotic cells as they participate in critical catabolic and anabolic pathways. Moreover, mitochondria play a key role in the signal transduction cascades that precipitate many (but not all regulated variants of cellular demise. In this short review, we discuss the differential implication of mitochondria in the major forms of regulated cell death.

Histone deacetylases as regulators of inflammation and immunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Shakespear, Melanie R; Halili, Maria A; Irvine, Katharine M; Fairlie, David P; Sweet, Matthew J

2011-07-01

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) remove an acetyl group from lysine residues of target proteins to regulate cellular processes. Small-molecule inhibitors of HDACs cause cellular growth arrest, differentiation and/or apoptosis, and some are used clinically as anticancer drugs. In animal models, HDAC inhibitors are therapeutic for several inflammatory diseases, but exacerbate atherosclerosis and compromise host defence. Loss of HDAC function has also been linked to chronic lung diseases in humans. These contrasting effects might reflect distinct roles for individual HDACs in immune responses. Here, we review the current understanding of innate and adaptive immune pathways that are regulated by classical HDAC enzymes. The objective is to provide a rationale for targeting (or not targeting) individual HDAC enzymes with inhibitors for future immune-related applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular and cellular endocrinology of the testis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stefanini, M.; Conti, M.; Geremia, R.; Ziparo, E.

1986-01-01

This volume contains the Proceedings of the IV European Workshop on Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology of the Testis held in Capri (Italy) between the 9th and 12th April 1986. The workshop was organized in several symposia related to some of the most relevant aspects of the regulation of testicular function. Main topics were the role of cell interactions, the mechanisms of signal transduction, gene expression and metabolic response of somatic cells as well as differentiation of germ cells. One session was devoted to prostaglandins in the male reproductive system and to brief discussions on interstitial fluid and on antispermatogenic compounds. In this book only the main lectures and some selected short papers are presented. (Auth.)

Cellular and molecular mechanisms coordinating pancreas development.

Science.gov (United States)

Bastidas-Ponce, Aimée; Scheibner, Katharina; Lickert, Heiko; Bakhti, Mostafa

2017-08-15

The pancreas is an endoderm-derived glandular organ that participates in the regulation of systemic glucose metabolism and food digestion through the function of its endocrine and exocrine compartments, respectively. While intensive research has explored the signaling pathways and transcriptional programs that govern pancreas development, much remains to be discovered regarding the cellular processes that orchestrate pancreas morphogenesis. Here, we discuss the developmental mechanisms and principles that are known to underlie pancreas development, from induction and lineage formation to morphogenesis and organogenesis. Elucidating such principles will help to identify novel candidate disease genes and unravel the pathogenesis of pancreas-related diseases, such as diabetes, pancreatitis and cancer. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Cellular adhesome screen identifies critical modulators of focal adhesion dynamics, cellular traction forces and cell migration behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Fokkelman, Michiel; Balcıoğlu, Hayri E.; Klip, Janna E.; Yan, Kuan; Verbeek, Fons J.; Danen, Erik H. J.; van de Water, Bob

2016-01-01

Cancer cells migrate from the primary tumour into surrounding tissue in order to form metastasis. Cell migration is a highly complex process, which requires continuous remodelling and re-organization of the cytoskeleton and cell-matrix adhesions. Here, we aimed to identify genes controlling aspects of tumour cell migration, including the dynamic organization of cell-matrix adhesions and cellular traction forces. In a siRNA screen targeting most cell adhesion-related genes we identified 200+ genes that regulate size and/or dynamics of cell-matrix adhesions in MCF7 breast cancer cells. In a subsequent secondary screen, the 64 most effective genes were evaluated for growth factor-induced cell migration and validated by tertiary RNAi pool deconvolution experiments. Four validated hits showed significantly enlarged adhesions accompanied by reduced cell migration upon siRNA-mediated knockdown. Furthermore, loss of PPP1R12B, HIPK3 or RAC2 caused cells to exert higher traction forces, as determined by traction force microscopy with elastomeric micropillar post arrays, and led to considerably reduced force turnover. Altogether, we identified genes that co-regulate cell-matrix adhesion dynamics and traction force turnover, thereby modulating overall motility behaviour. PMID:27531518

Transient Expression and Cellular Localization of Recombinant Proteins in Cultured Insect Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabrick, Jeffrey A; Hull, J Joe

2017-04-20

Heterologous protein expression systems are used for the production of recombinant proteins, the interpretation of cellular trafficking/localization, and the determination of the biochemical function of proteins at the sub-organismal level. Although baculovirus expression systems are increasingly used for protein production in numerous biotechnological, pharmaceutical, and industrial applications, nonlytic systems that do not involve viral infection have clear benefits but are often overlooked and underutilized. Here, we describe a method for generating nonlytic expression vectors and transient recombinant protein expression. This protocol allows for the efficient cellular localization of recombinant proteins and can be used to rapidly discern protein trafficking within the cell. We show the expression of four recombinant proteins in a commercially available insect cell line, including two aquaporin proteins from the insect Bemisia tabaci, as well as subcellular marker proteins specific for the cell plasma membrane and for intracellular lysosomes. All recombinant proteins were produced as chimeras with fluorescent protein markers at their carboxyl termini, which allows for the direct detection of the recombinant proteins. The double transfection of cells with plasmids harboring constructs for the genes of interest and a known subcellular marker allows for live cell imaging and improved validation of cellular protein localization.

Statistical mechanics of cellular automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolfram, S.

1983-01-01

Cellular automata are used as simple mathematical models to investigate self-organization in statistical mechanics. A detailed analysis is given of ''elementary'' cellular automata consisting of a sequence of sites with values 0 or 1 on a line, with each site evolving deterministically in discrete time steps according to p definite rules involving the values of its nearest neighbors. With simple initial configurations, the cellular automata either tend to homogeneous states, or generate self-similar patterns with fractal dimensions approx. =1.59 or approx. =1.69. With ''random'' initial configurations, the irreversible character of the cellular automaton evolution leads to several self-organization phenomena. Statistical properties of the structures generated are found to lie in two universality classes, independent of the details of the initial state or the cellular automaton rules. More complicated cellular automata are briefly considered, and connections with dynamical systems theory and the formal theory of computation are discussed

Coordination of plant mitochondrial biogenesis: keeping pace with cellular requirements

Science.gov (United States)

Welchen, Elina; García, Lucila; Mansilla, Natanael; Gonzalez, Daniel H.

2014-01-01

Plant mitochondria are complex organelles that carry out numerous metabolic processes related with the generation of energy for cellular functions and the synthesis and degradation of several compounds. Mitochondria are semiautonomous and dynamic organelles changing in shape, number, and composition depending on tissue or developmental stage. The biogenesis of functional mitochondria requires the coordination of genes present both in the nucleus and the organelle. In addition, due to their central role, all processes held inside mitochondria must be finely coordinated with those in other organelles according to cellular demands. Coordination is achieved by transcriptional control of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins by specific transcription factors that recognize conserved elements in their promoter regions. In turn, the expression of most of these transcription factors is linked to developmental and environmental cues, according to the availability of nutrients, light–dark cycles, and warning signals generated in response to stress conditions. Among the signals impacting in the expression of nuclear genes, retrograde signals that originate inside mitochondria help to adjust mitochondrial biogenesis to organelle demands. Adding more complexity, several nuclear encoded proteins are dual localized to mitochondria and either chloroplasts or the nucleus. Dual targeting might establish a crosstalk between the nucleus and cell organelles to ensure a fine coordination of cellular activities. In this article, we discuss how the different levels of coordination of mitochondrial biogenesis interconnect to optimize the function of the organelle according to both internal and external demands. PMID:24409193

Coordination of plant mitochondrial biogenesis: keeping pace with cellular requirements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elina eWelchen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Plant mitochondria are complex organelles that carry out numerous metabolic processes related with the generation of energy for cellular functions and the synthesis and degradation of several compounds. Mitochondria are semiautonomous and dynamic organelles changing in shape, number and composition depending on tissue or developmental stage. The biogenesis of functional mitochondria requires the coordination of genes present both in the nucleus and the organelle. In addition, due to their central role, all processes held inside mitochondria must be finely coordinated with those in other organelles according to cellular demands. Coordination is achieved by transcriptional control of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins by specific transcription factors that recognize conserved elements in their promoter regions. In turn, the expression of most of these transcription factors is linked to developmental and environmental cues, according to the availability of nutrients, light-dark cycles and warning signals generated in response to stress conditions. Among the signals impacting in the expression of nuclear genes, retrograde signals that originate inside mitochondria help to adjust mitochondrial biogenesis to organelle demands. Adding more complexity, several nuclear encoded proteins are dual localized to mitochondria and either chloroplasts or the nucleus. Dual targeting might establish a crosstalk between the nucleus and cell organelles to ensure a fine coordination of cellular activities. In this article, we discuss how the different levels of coordination of mitochondrial biogenesis interconnect to optimize the function of the organelle according to both internal and external demands.

VEGF-A isoform-specific regulation of calcium ion flux, transcriptional activation and endothelial cell migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Fearnley, Gareth W; Bruns, Alexander F; Wheatcroft, Stephen B; Ponnambalam, Sreenivasan

2015-04-24

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) regulates many aspects of vascular physiology such as cell migration, proliferation, tubulogenesis and cell-cell interactions. Numerous isoforms of VEGF-A exist but their physiological significance is unclear. Here we evaluated two different VEGF-A isoforms and discovered differential regulation of cytosolic calcium ion flux, transcription factor localisation and endothelial cell response. Analysis of VEGF-A isoform-specific stimulation of VEGFR2-dependent signal transduction revealed differential capabilities for isoform activation of multiple signal transduction pathways. VEGF-A165 treatment promoted increased phospholipase Cγ1 phosphorylation, which was proportional to the subsequent rise in cytosolic calcium ions, in comparison to cells treated with VEGF-A121. A major consequence of this VEGF-A isoform-specific calcium ion flux in endothelial cells is differential dephosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NFATc2. Using reverse genetics, we discovered that NFATc2 is functionally required for VEGF-A-stimulated endothelial cell migration but not tubulogenesis. This work presents a new mechanism for understanding how VEGF-A isoforms program complex cellular outputs by converting signal transduction pathways into transcription factor redistribution to the nucleus, as well as defining a novel role for NFATc2 in regulating the endothelial cell response. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

VEGF-A isoform-specific regulation of calcium ion flux, transcriptional activation and endothelial cell migration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gareth W. Fearnley

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A regulates many aspects of vascular physiology such as cell migration, proliferation, tubulogenesis and cell-cell interactions. Numerous isoforms of VEGF-A exist but their physiological significance is unclear. Here we evaluated two different VEGF-A isoforms and discovered differential regulation of cytosolic calcium ion flux, transcription factor localisation and endothelial cell response. Analysis of VEGF-A isoform-specific stimulation of VEGFR2-dependent signal transduction revealed differential capabilities for isoform activation of multiple signal transduction pathways. VEGF-A165 treatment promoted increased phospholipase Cγ1 phosphorylation, which was proportional to the subsequent rise in cytosolic calcium ions, in comparison to cells treated with VEGF-A121. A major consequence of this VEGF-A isoform-specific calcium ion flux in endothelial cells is differential dephosphorylation and subsequent nuclear translocation of the transcription factor NFATc2. Using reverse genetics, we discovered that NFATc2 is functionally required for VEGF-A-stimulated endothelial cell migration but not tubulogenesis. This work presents a new mechanism for understanding how VEGF-A isoforms program complex cellular outputs by converting signal transduction pathways into transcription factor redistribution to the nucleus, as well as defining a novel role for NFATc2 in regulating the endothelial cell response.

Investigating the Regulation of Estrogen Receptor-Mediated Transcription

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thackray, Varykina

2002-01-01

...-mediated regulation of specific target genes are still lacking. We have developed an estrogen responsive system in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster in order to explore the functional interactions between ER and other cellular proteins...

Investigating the Regulation of Estrogen Receptor-Mediated Transcription

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Thackray, Varykina

2001-01-01

...-mediated regulation of specific target genes are still lacking. We have developed an estrogen responsive system in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster in order to explore the functional interactions between ER and other cellular proteins...

Wireless Cellular Mobile Communications

OpenAIRE

Zalud, V.

2002-01-01

In this article is briefly reviewed the history of wireless cellular mobile communications, examined the progress in current second generation (2G) cellular standards and discussed their migration to the third generation (3G). The European 2G cellular standard GSM and its evolution phases GPRS and EDGE are described somewhat in detail. The third generation standard UMTS taking up on GSM/GPRS core network and equipped with a new advanced access network on the basis of code division multiple ac...

Adhesion GPCRs CD97 and GPR56: From structural regulation to cellular function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hsiao, C.-C.

2015-01-01

Cells correspond with their environment through receptors that translate extracellular signals into intracellular messages. Members of the large superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) control various physiological functions and have been implicated in numerous diseases. Adhesion GPCRs

MSAT and cellular hybrid networking

Science.gov (United States)

Baranowsky, Patrick W., II

Westinghouse Electric Corporation is developing both the Communications Ground Segment and the Series 1000 Mobile Phone for American Mobile Satellite Corporation's (AMSC's) Mobile Satellite (MSAT) system. The success of the voice services portion of this system depends, to some extent, upon the interoperability of the cellular network and the satellite communication circuit switched communication channels. This paper will describe the set of user-selectable cellular interoperable modes (cellular first/satellite second, etc.) provided by the Mobile Phone and described how they are implemented with the ground segment. Topics including roaming registration and cellular-to-satellite 'seamless' call handoff will be discussed, along with the relevant Interim Standard IS-41 Revision B Cellular Radiotelecommunications Intersystem Operations and IOS-553 Mobile Station - Land Station Compatibility Specification.

Feedback regulation between autophagy and PKA.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres-Quiroz, Francisco; Filteau, Marie; Landry, Christian R

2015-01-01

Protein kinase A (PKA) controls diverse cellular processes and homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. Many processes and substrates of PKA have been described and among them are direct regulators of autophagy. The mechanisms of PKA regulation and how they relate to autophagy remain to be fully understood. We constructed a reporter of PKA activity in yeast to identify genes affecting PKA regulation. The assay systematically measures relative protein-protein interactions between the regulatory and catalytic subunits of the PKA complex in a systematic set of genetic backgrounds. The candidate PKA regulators we identified span multiple processes and molecular functions (autophagy, methionine biosynthesis, TORC signaling, protein acetylation, and DNA repair), which themselves include processes regulated by PKA. These observations suggest the presence of many feedback loops acting through this key regulator. Many of the candidate regulators include genes involved in autophagy, suggesting that not only does PKA regulate autophagy but that autophagy also sends signals back to PKA.

Stochastic properties of disturbed Elementary Cellular Automata

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Posiewnik, M.

2005-01-01

Cellular automata are class of simple mathematical systems that generate diverse, often complicated behaviour. Evolution of such a system is given by set of local and deterministic rules. However, in spite of simplicity of 'interactions' it's global behaviour can't be, in general, simply predicted or even can not be predicted in time shorter that time of it's strict evolution. We get as, a systems well known 1-dimensional, Wolfram class automata, and connect it into the reservoir consists of some random source (noise). In our experiment we are interested in: a) numeric verification of ergodicity for such a coupled system. b) finding it's probability distribution and evolution. c) finding some analogous for 'real' quantities and behaviour. d) using the dynamical systems and Markov chains theory to describe the system, and to make any predictions of it's behaviour. (author)

Does Training in How to Regulate One's Learning Affect How Students Report Self-Regulated Learning in Diary Tasks?

Science.gov (United States)

Costa Ferreira, P.; Veiga Simão, A. M.; Lopes da Silva, A.

2015-01-01

The processes and perceptions of students' self-regulated learning are not easily measured. Thus, research has presented and suggested numerous ways in which these processes and perceptions of self-regulated learning can be investigated and assessed. Accordingly, this study aims to assess whether training in how to regulate one's learning is…

The zebrafish miR-462/miR-731 cluster is induced under hypoxic stress via hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and functions in cellular adaptations.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Chun-Xiao; Chen, Nan; Wu, Xin-Jie; Huang, Cui-Hong; He, Yan; Tang, Rong; Wang, Wei-Min; Wang, Huan-Ling

2015-12-01

Hypoxia, a unique and essential environmental stress, evokes highly coordinated cellular responses, and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1 in the hypoxia signaling pathway, an evolutionarily conserved cellular signaling pathway, acts as a master regulator of the transcriptional response to hypoxic stress. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a major class of posttranscriptional gene expression regulators, also play pivotal roles in orchestrating hypoxia-mediated cellular adaptations. Here, global miRNA expression profiling and quantitative real-time PCR indicated that the up-regulation of the miR-462/miR-731 cluster in zebrafish larvae is induced by hypoxia. It was further validated that miR-462 and miR-731 are up-regulated in a Hif-1α-mediated manner under hypoxia and specifically target ddx5 and ppm1da, respectively. Overexpression of miR-462 and miR-731 represses cell proliferation through blocking cell cycle progress of DNA replication, and induces apoptosis. In situ detection revealed that the miR-462/miR-731 cluster is highly expressed in a consistent and ubiquitous manner throughout the early developmental stages. Additionally, the transcripts become restricted to the notochord, pharyngeal arch, liver, and gut regions from postfertilization d 3 to 5. These data highlight a previously unidentified role of the miR-462/miR-731 cluster as a crucial signaling mediator for hypoxia-mediated cellular adaptations and provide some insights into the potential function of the cluster during embryonic development. © FASEB.

Protein phosphorylation in bcterial signaling and regulation

KAUST Repository

Mijakovic, Ivan

2016-01-26

In 2003, it was demonstrated for the first time that bacteria possess protein-tyrosine kinases (BY-kinases), capable of phosphorylating other cellular proteins and regulating their activity. It soon became apparent that these kinases phosphorylate a number of protein substrates, involved in different cellular processes. More recently, we found out that BY-kinases can be activated by several distinct protein interactants, and are capable of engaging in cross-phosphorylation with other kinases. Evolutionary studies based on genome comparison indicate that BY-kinases exist only in bacteria. They are non-essential (present in about 40% bacterial genomes), and their knockouts lead to pleiotropic phenotypes, since they phosphorylate many substrates. Surprisingly, BY-kinase genes accumulate mutations at an increased rate (non-synonymous substitution rate significantly higher than other bacterial genes). One direct consequence of this phenomenon is no detectable co-evolution between kinases and their substrates. Their promiscuity towards substrates thus seems to be “hard-wired”, but why would bacteria maintain such promiscuous regulatory devices? One explanation is the maintenance of BY-kinases as rapidly evolving regulators, which can readily adopt new substrates when environmental changes impose selective pressure for quick evolution of new regulatory modules. Their role is clearly not to act as master regulators, dedicated to triggering a single response, but they might rather be employed to contribute to fine-tuning and improving robustness of various cellular responses. This unique feature makes BY-kinases a potentially useful tool in synthetic biology. While other bacterial kinases are very specific and their signaling pathways insulated, BY-kinase can relatively easily be engineered to adopt new substrates and control new biosynthetic processes. Since they are absent in humans, and regulate some key functions in pathogenic bacteria, they are also very promising

Elevated hypothalamic TCPTP in obesity contributes to cellular leptin resistance

Science.gov (United States)

Loh, Kim; Fukushima, Atsushi; Zhang, Xinmei; Galic, Sandra; Briggs, Dana; Enriori, Pablo J.; Simonds, Stephanie; Wiede, Florian; Reichenbach, Alexander; Hauser, Christine; Sims, Natalie A.; Bence, Kendra K.; Zhang, Sheng; Zhang, Zhong-Yin; Kahn, Barbara B.; Neel, Benjamin G.; Andrews, Zane B.; Cowley, Michael A.; Tiganis, Tony

2011-01-01

SUMMARY In obesity, anorectic responses to leptin are diminished, giving rise to the concept of ‘leptin resistance’. Increased expression of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been associated with the attenuation of leptin signaling and development of cellular leptin resistance. Here we report that hypothalamic levels of the tyrosine phosphatase TCPTP are also elevated in obesity to attenuate the leptin response. We show that mice that lack TCPTP in neuronal cells have enhanced leptin sensitivity and are resistant to high fat diet-induced weight gain and the development of leptin resistance. Also, intracerebroventricular administration of a TCPTP inhibitor enhances leptin signaling and responses in mice. Moreover, the combined deletion of TCPTP and PTP1B in neuronal cells has additive effects in the prevention of diet-induced obesity. Our results identify TCPTP as a critical negative regulator of hypothalamic leptin signaling and causally link elevated TCPTP to the development of cellular leptin resistance in obesity. PMID:22000926

Yeast functional genomic screens lead to identification of a role for a bacterial effector in innate immunity regulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roger W Kramer

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Numerous bacterial pathogens manipulate host cell processes to promote infection and ultimately cause disease through the action of proteins that they directly inject into host cells. Identification of the targets and molecular mechanisms of action used by these bacterial effector proteins is critical to understanding pathogenesis. We have developed a systems biological approach using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that can expedite the identification of cellular processes targeted by bacterial effector proteins. We systematically screened the viable yeast haploid deletion strain collection for mutants hypersensitive to expression of the Shigella type III effector OspF. Statistical data mining of the results identified several cellular processes, including cell wall biogenesis, which when impaired by a deletion caused yeast to be hypersensitive to OspF expression. Microarray experiments revealed that OspF expression resulted in reversed regulation of genes regulated by the yeast cell wall integrity pathway. The yeast cell wall integrity pathway is a highly conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK signaling pathway, normally activated in response to cell wall perturbations. Together these results led us to hypothesize and subsequently demonstrate that OspF inhibited both yeast and mammalian MAPK signaling cascades. Furthermore, inhibition of MAPK signaling by OspF is associated with attenuation of the host innate immune response to Shigella infection in a mouse model. These studies demonstrate how yeast systems biology can facilitate functional characterization of pathogenic bacterial effector proteins.

Cellular energy metabolism in T-lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaber, Timo; Strehl, Cindy; Sawitzki, Birgit; Hoff, Paula; Buttgereit, Frank

2015-01-01

Energy homeostasis is a hallmark of cell survival and maintenance of cell function. Here we focus on the impact of cellular energy metabolism on T-lymphocyte differentiation, activation, and function in health and disease. We describe the role of transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of lymphocyte metabolism on immune functions of T cells. We also summarize the current knowledge about T-lymphocyte adaptations to inflammation and hypoxia, and the impact on T-cell behavior of pathophysiological hypoxia (as found in tumor tissue, chronically inflamed joints in rheumatoid arthritis and during bone regeneration). A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms that control immune cell metabolism and immune response may provide therapeutic opportunities to alter the immune response under conditions of either immunosuppression or inflammation, potentially targeting infections, vaccine response, tumor surveillance, autoimmunity, and inflammatory disorders.

Top-down cellular pyramids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, A Y; Rosenfeld, A

1983-10-01

A cellular pyramid is an exponentially tapering stack of arrays of processors (cells), where each cell is connected to its neighbors (siblings) on its own level, to a parent on the level above, and to its children on the level below. It is shown that in some situations, if information flows top-down only, from fathers to sons, then a cellular pyramid may be no faster than a one-level cellular array; but it may be possible to use simpler cells in the pyramid case. 23 references.

Cellular decomposition in vikalloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Belyatskaya, I.S.; Vintajkin, E.Z.; Georgieva, I.Ya.; Golikov, V.A.; Udovenko, V.A.

1981-01-01

Austenite decomposition in Fe-Co-V and Fe-Co-V-Ni alloys at 475-600 deg C is investigated. The cellular decomposition in ternary alloys results in the formation of bcc (ordered) and fcc structures, and in quaternary alloys - bcc (ordered) and 12R structures. The cellular 12R structure results from the emergence of stacking faults in the fcc lattice with irregular spacing in four layers. The cellular decomposition results in a high-dispersion structure and magnetic properties approaching the level of well-known vikalloys [ru

Sterol Regulation of Voltage-Gated K+ Channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Balajthy, Andras; Hajdu, Peter; Panyi, Gyorgy; Varga, Zoltan

2017-01-01

Cholesterol is an essential lipid building block of the cellular plasma membrane. In addition to its structural role, it regulates the fluidity and raft structure of the membrane and influences the course of numerous membrane-linked signaling pathways and the function of transmembrane proteins, including ion channels. This is supported by a vast body of scientific data, which demonstrates the modulation of ion channels with a great variety of ion selectivity, gating, and tissue distribution by changes in membrane cholesterol. Here, we review what is currently known about the modulation of voltage-gated K + (Kv) channels by changes in membrane cholesterol content, considering raft association of the channels, the roles of cholesterol recognition sites, and those of adaptor proteins in cholesterol-Kv channel interactions. We specifically focus on Kv1.3, the dominant K + channel of human T cells. Effects of cholesterol depletion and enrichment and 7-dehydrocholesterol enrichment on Kv1.3 gating are discussed in the context of the immunological synapse and the comparison of the in vitro effects of sterol modifications on Kv1.3 function with ex vivo effects on cells from hypercholesterolemic and Smith-Lemli-Opitz patients. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hypothalamic eIF2α Signaling Regulates Food Intake

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne-Catherine Maurin

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The reversible phosphorylation of the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α is a highly conserved signal implicated in the cellular adaptation to numerous stresses such as the one caused by amino acid limitation. In response to dietary amino acid deficiency, the brain-specific activation of the eIF2α kinase GCN2 leads to food intake inhibition. We report here that GCN2 is rapidly activated in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH after consumption of a leucine-deficient diet. Furthermore, knockdown of GCN2 in this particular area shows that MBH GCN2 activity controls the onset of the aversive response. Importantly, pharmacological experiments demonstrate that the sole phosphorylation of eIF2α in the MBH is sufficient to regulate food intake. eIF2α signaling being at the crossroad of stress pathways activated in several pathological states, our study indicates that hypothalamic eIF2α phosphorylation could play a critical role in the onset of anorexia associated with certain diseases.

Structure, Function and Regulation of the Hsp90 Machinery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jing Li

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90 is an ATP-dependent molecular chaperone which is essential in eukaryotes. It is required for the activation and stabilization of a wide variety of client proteins and many of them are involved in important cellular pathways. Since Hsp90 affects numerous physiological processes such as signal transduction, intracellular transport, and protein degradation, it became an interesting target for cancer therapy. Structurally, Hsp90 is a flexible dimeric protein composed of three different domains which adopt structurally distinct conformations. ATP binding triggers directionality in these conformational changes and leads to a more compact state. To achieve its function, Hsp90 works together with a large group of cofactors, termed co-chaperones. Co-chaperones form defined binary or ternary complexes with Hsp90, which facilitate the maturation of client proteins. In addition, posttranslational modifications of Hsp90, such as phosphorylation and acetylation, provide another level of regulation. They influence the conformational cycle, co-chaperone interaction, and inter-domain communications. In this review, we discuss the recent progress made in understanding the Hsp90 machinery.

Regulation of NAD+ metabolism, signaling and compartmentalization in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Michiko; Lin, Su-Ju

2014-01-01

Pyridine nucleotides are essential coenzymes in many cellular redox reactions in all living systems. In addition to functioning as a redox carrier, NAD+ is also a required co-substrate for the conserved sirtuin deacetylases. Sirtuins regulate transcription, genome maintenance and metabolism and function as molecular links between cells and their environment. Maintaining NAD+ homeostasis is essential for proper cellular function and aberrant NAD+ metabolism has been implicated in a number of metabolic- and age-associated diseases. Recently, NAD+ metabolism has been linked to the phosphate-responsive signaling pathway (PHO pathway) in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Activation of the PHO pathway is associated with the production and mobilization of the NAD+ metabolite nicotinamide riboside (NR), which is mediated in part by PHO-regulated nucleotidases. Cross-regulation between NAD+ metabolism and the PHO pathway has also been reported; however, detailed mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The PHO pathway also appears to modulate the activities of common downstream effectors of multiple nutrient-sensing pathways (Ras-PKA, TOR, Sch9/AKT). These signaling pathways were suggested to play a role in calorie restriction-mediated beneficial effects, which have also been linked to Sir2 function and NAD+ metabolism. Here, we discuss the interactions of these pathways and their potential roles in regulating NAD+ metabolism. In eukaryotic cells, intracellular compartmentalization facilitates the regulation of enzymatic functions and also concentrates or sequesters specific metabolites. Various NAD+-mediated cellular functions such as mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation are compartmentalized. Therefore, we also discuss several key players functioning in mitochondrial, cytosolic and vacuolar compartmentalization of NAD+ intermediates, and their potential roles in NAD+ homeostasis. To date, it remains unclear how NAD+ and NAD+ intermediates shuttle between different

Aquaporin-2 regulation in health and disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Radin, M J; Yu, Ming-Jiun; Stødkilde-Jørgensen, Lene

2012-01-01

Aquaporin-2 (AQP2), the vasopressin-regulated water channel of the renal collecting duct, is dysregulated in numerous disorders of water balance in people and animals, including those associated with polyuria (urinary tract obstruction, hypokalemia, inflammation, and lithium toxicity) and with di......Aquaporin-2 (AQP2), the vasopressin-regulated water channel of the renal collecting duct, is dysregulated in numerous disorders of water balance in people and animals, including those associated with polyuria (urinary tract obstruction, hypokalemia, inflammation, and lithium toxicity...

Cell-to-cell communication and cellular environment alter the somatostatin status of delta cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, Catriona, E-mail: catriona.kelly@qub.ac.uk [SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine (United Kingdom); Flatt, Peter R.; McClenaghan, Neville H. [SAAD Centre for Pharmacy and Diabetes, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Coleraine (United Kingdom)

2010-08-20

Research highlights: {yields} TGP52 cells display enhanced functionality in pseudoislet form. {yields} Somatostatin content was reduced, but secretion increased in high glucose conditions. {yields} Cellular interactions and environment alter the somatostatin status of TGP52 cells. -- Abstract: Introduction: Somatostatin, released from pancreatic delta cells, is a potent paracrine inhibitor of insulin and glucagon secretion. Islet cellular interactions and glucose homeostasis are essential to maintain normal patterns of insulin secretion. However, the importance of cell-to-cell communication and cellular environment in the regulation of somatostatin release remains unclear. Methods: This study employed the somatostatin-secreting TGP52 cell line maintained in DMEM:F12 (17.5 mM glucose) or DMEM (25 mM glucose) culture media. The effect of pseudoislet formation and culture medium on somatostatin content and release in response to a variety of stimuli was measured by somatostatin EIA. In addition, the effect of pseudoislet formation on cellular viability (MTT and LDH assays) and proliferation (BrdU ELISA) was determined. Results: TGP52 cells readily formed pseudoislets and showed enhanced functionality in three-dimensional form with increased E-cadherin expression irrespective of the culture environment used. However, culture in DMEM decreased cellular somatostatin content (P < 0.01) and increased somatostatin secretion in response to a variety of stimuli including arginine, calcium and PMA (P < 0.001) when compared with cells grown in DMEM:F12. Configuration of TGP52 cells as pseudoislets reduced the proliferative rate and increased cellular cytotoxicity irrespective of culture medium used. Conclusions: Somatostatin secretion is greatly facilitated by cell-to-cell interactions and E-cadherin expression. Cellular environment and extracellular glucose also significantly influence the function of delta cells.

Cell-to-cell communication and cellular environment alter the somatostatin status of delta cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, Catriona; Flatt, Peter R.; McClenaghan, Neville H.

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → TGP52 cells display enhanced functionality in pseudoislet form. → Somatostatin content was reduced, but secretion increased in high glucose conditions. → Cellular interactions and environment alter the somatostatin status of TGP52 cells. -- Abstract: Introduction: Somatostatin, released from pancreatic delta cells, is a potent paracrine inhibitor of insulin and glucagon secretion. Islet cellular interactions and glucose homeostasis are essential to maintain normal patterns of insulin secretion. However, the importance of cell-to-cell communication and cellular environment in the regulation of somatostatin release remains unclear. Methods: This study employed the somatostatin-secreting TGP52 cell line maintained in DMEM:F12 (17.5 mM glucose) or DMEM (25 mM glucose) culture media. The effect of pseudoislet formation and culture medium on somatostatin content and release in response to a variety of stimuli was measured by somatostatin EIA. In addition, the effect of pseudoislet formation on cellular viability (MTT and LDH assays) and proliferation (BrdU ELISA) was determined. Results: TGP52 cells readily formed pseudoislets and showed enhanced functionality in three-dimensional form with increased E-cadherin expression irrespective of the culture environment used. However, culture in DMEM decreased cellular somatostatin content (P < 0.01) and increased somatostatin secretion in response to a variety of stimuli including arginine, calcium and PMA (P < 0.001) when compared with cells grown in DMEM:F12. Configuration of TGP52 cells as pseudoislets reduced the proliferative rate and increased cellular cytotoxicity irrespective of culture medium used. Conclusions: Somatostatin secretion is greatly facilitated by cell-to-cell interactions and E-cadherin expression. Cellular environment and extracellular glucose also significantly influence the function of delta cells.

Kibra and aPKC regulate starvation-induced autophagy in Drosophila

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Ahrum [Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141 (Korea, Republic of); Neufeld, Thomas P. [Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 (United States); Choe, Joonho, E-mail: jchoe@kaist.ac.kr [Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-04

Autophagy is a bulk degradation system that functions in response to cellular stresses such as metabolic stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidative stress, and developmental processes. During autophagy, cytoplasmic components are captured in double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes. The autophagosome fuses with the lysosome, producing a vacuole known as an autolysosome. The cellular components are degraded by lysosomal proteases and recycled. Autophagy is important for maintaining cellular homeostasis, and the process is evolutionarily conserved. Kibra is an upstream regulator of the hippo signaling pathway, which controls organ size by affecting cell growth, proliferation, and apoptosis. Kibra is mainly localized in the apical membrane domain of epithelial cells and acts as a scaffold protein. We found that Kibra is required for autophagy to function properly. The absence of Kibra caused defects in the formation of autophagic vesicles and autophagic degradation. We also found that the well-known cell polarity protein aPKC interacts with Kibra, and its activity affects autophagy upstream of Kibra. Constitutively active aPKC decreased autophagic vesicle formation and autophagic degradation. We confirmed the interaction between aPKC and Kibra in S2 cells and Drosophila larva. Taken together, our data suggest that Kibra and aPKC are essential for regulating starvation-induced autophagy. - Highlights: • Loss of Kibra causes defects in autophagosome formation and autophagic degradation. • Constitutively-active aPKCs negatively regulate autophagy. • Kibra interacts with aPKC in vitro and in vivo. • Kibra regulates autophagy downstream of aPKC.

Modeling the cost and benefit of proteome regulation in a growing bacterial cell

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Pooja; Pratim Pandey, Parth; Jain, Sanjay

2018-07-01

Escherichia coli cells differentially regulate the production of metabolic and ribosomal proteins in order to stay close to an optimal growth rate in different environments, and exhibit the bacterial growth laws as a consequence. We present a simple mathematical model of a growing-dividing cell in which an internal dynamical mechanism regulates the allocation of proteomic resources between different protein sectors. The model allows an endogenous determination of the growth rate of the cell as a function of cellular and environmental parameters, and reproduces the bacterial growth laws. We use the model and its variants to study the balance between the cost and benefit of regulation. A cost is incurred because cellular resources are diverted to produce the regulatory apparatus. We show that there is a window of environments or a ‘niche’ in which the unregulated cell has a higher fitness than the regulated cell. Outside this niche there is a large space of constant and time varying environments in which regulation is an advantage. A knowledge of the ‘niche boundaries’ allows one to gain an intuitive understanding of the class of environments in which regulation is an advantage for the organism and which would therefore favour the evolution of regulation. The model allows us to determine the ‘niche boundaries’ as a function of cellular parameters such as the size of the burden of the regulatory apparatus. This class of models may be useful in elucidating various tradeoffs in cells and in making in-silico predictions relevant for synthetic biology.

Decomposing Oncogenic Transcriptional Signatures to Generate Maps of Divergent Cellular States.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jong Wook; Abudayyeh, Omar O; Yeerna, Huwate; Yeang, Chen-Hsiang; Stewart, Michelle; Jenkins, Russell W; Kitajima, Shunsuke; Konieczkowski, David J; Medetgul-Ernar, Kate; Cavazos, Taylor; Mah, Clarence; Ting, Stephanie; Van Allen, Eliezer M; Cohen, Ofir; Mcdermott, John; Damato, Emily; Aguirre, Andrew J; Liang, Jonathan; Liberzon, Arthur; Alexe, Gabriella; Doench, John; Ghandi, Mahmoud; Vazquez, Francisca; Weir, Barbara A; Tsherniak, Aviad; Subramanian, Aravind; Meneses-Cime, Karina; Park, Jason; Clemons, Paul; Garraway, Levi A; Thomas, David; Boehm, Jesse S; Barbie, David A; Hahn, William C; Mesirov, Jill P; Tamayo, Pablo

2017-08-23

The systematic sequencing of the cancer genome has led to the identification of numerous genetic alterations in cancer. However, a deeper understanding of the functional consequences of these alterations is necessary to guide appropriate therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe Onco-GPS (OncoGenic Positioning System), a data-driven analysis framework to organize individual tumor samples with shared oncogenic alterations onto a reference map defined by their underlying cellular states. We applied the methodology to the RAS pathway and identified nine distinct components that reflect transcriptional activities downstream of RAS and defined several functional states associated with patterns of transcriptional component activation that associates with genomic hallmarks and response to genetic and pharmacological perturbations. These results show that the Onco-GPS is an effective approach to explore the complex landscape of oncogenic cellular states across cancers, and an analytic framework to summarize knowledge, establish relationships, and generate more effective disease models for research or as part of individualized precision medicine paradigms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Numerical simulation of deformation and fracture of space protective shell structures from concrete and fiber concrete under pulse loading

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radchenko, P A; Batuev, S P; Radchenko, A V; Plevkov, V S

2015-01-01

This paper presents results of numerical simulation of interaction between aircraft Boeing 747-400 and protective shell of nuclear power plant. The shell is presented as complex multilayered cellular structure comprising layers of concrete and fiber concrete bonded with steel trusses. Numerical simulation was held three-dimensionally using the author's algorithm and software taking into account algorithms for building grids of complex geometric objects and parallel computations. The dynamics of stress-strain state and fracture of structure were studied. Destruction is described using two-stage model that allows taking into account anisotropy of elastic and strength properties of concrete and fiber concrete. It is shown that wave processes initiate destruction of shell cellular structure—cells start to destruct in unloading wave, originating after output of compression wave to the free surfaces of cells. (paper)

MiR-145 regulates PAK4 via the MAPK pathway and exhibits an antitumor effect in human colon cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Zhigang [Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated 6th People' s Hospital, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Xiaoping [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Shanghai 10th People' s Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine (China); Yang, Zhili; Du, Hangxiang; Wu, Zhenqian; Gong, Jianfeng; Yan, Jun [Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated 6th People' s Hospital, Shanghai (China); Zheng, Qi, E-mail: zhengqi1957@yahoo.com.cn [Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated 6th People' s Hospital, Shanghai (China)

2012-10-26