Natural killer cells and type II interferon in Ro/SSA and La/SSB autoantibody-exposed newborns at risk of congenital heart block.

Objective: Congenital heart block (CHB) with immune cell infiltration develops in the fetus after exposure to maternal Ro/La autoantibodies. CHB-related serology has been extensively studied, but reports on immune-cell profiles of anti-Ro/La-exposed neonates are lacking. In the current study, we characterised circulating immune-cell populations in anti-Ro/La+mothers and newborns, and explored potential downstream effects of skewed neonatal cell populations.

Distribution and characterization of progenitor cells within the human filum terminale.

Background: Filum terminale (FT) is a structure that is intimately associated with conus medullaris, the most caudal part of the spinal cord. It is well documented that certain regions of the adult human central nervous system contains undifferentiated, progenitor cells or multipotent precursors. The primary objective of this study was to describe the distribution and progenitor features of this cell population in humans, and to confirm their ability to differentiate within the neuroectodermal lineage.

PACAP promotes neural stem cell proliferation in adult mouse brain.

In recent years, it has become evident that neural stem cells in the adult mammalian brain continuously generate new neurons, mainly in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb. Although different growth factors have been shown to stimulate neurogenesis in the adult brain, very little is known about the role of neuropeptides in this process. Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a neuropeptide with pleiotropic effects acting through three receptors to which it has high affinity, namely, PACAP receptor 1 (PAC1), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) receptor 1, and VIP receptor 2.

The binding of the alpha subunit of protein kinase CK2 and RAP74 subunit of TFIIF to protein-coding genes in living cells is DRB sensitive.

In a previous report, we documented that a major portion of the nuclear protein kinase CK2alpha (CK2alpha) subunit does not form heterooligomeric structures with the beta subunit, but it binds tightly to nuclear structures in an epithelial Chironomus cell line. We report here that the CK2alpha, but not beta, subunit is co-localized with productively transcribing RNA polymerase II (pol II) on polytene chromosomes of Chironomus salivary gland cells. Likewise, the RAP74 subunit ofTFIIF, a potential substrate for CK2, is co-localized with pol II.

Heat-shock-specific phosphorylation and transcriptional activity of RNA polymerase II.

The carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of the largest RNA polymerase II (pol II) subunit is a target for extensive phosphorylation in vivo. Using in vitro kinase assays it was found that several different protein kinases can phosphorylate the CTD including the transcription factor IIH-associated CDK-activating CDK7 kinase (R. Roy, J.