A potent endocytosis inhibitor Ikarugamycin up-regulates TNF production.

Ikarugamycin (IK) is an antibiotic which has been reported to have a variety of functions, such as inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), anti-tumor effects and regulation of the immune system. Whether IK influences cytokine production is poorly understood. We have investigated the relationship between IK and production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF).

Oral administration of D-serine prevents the onset and progression of colitis in mice.

Background: L-amino acids are the predominant forms of organic molecules on the planet, but recent studies have revealed that various foods contain D-amino acids, the enantiomers of L-amino acids. Though diet plays important roles in both the development and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), to our best knowledge, there has been no report on any potential interactions between D-amino acids and IBD. In this report, we aim to assess the effects of D-serine in a murine model of IBD.

AGE-modified basement membrane cooperates with Endo180 to promote epithelial cell invasiveness and decrease prostate cancer survival.

Biomechanical strain imposed by age-related thickening of the basal lamina and augmented tissue stiffness in the prostate gland coincides with increased cancer risk. Here we hypothesized that the structural alterations in the basal lamina associated with age can induce mechanotransduction pathways in prostate epithelial cells (PECs) to promote invasiveness and cancer progression. To demonstrate this, we developed a 3D model of PEC acini in which thickening and stiffening of basal lamina matrix was induced by advanced glycation end-product (AGE)-dependent non-enzymatic crosslinking of its major components, collagen IV and laminin.

Survival Outcome and EMT Suppression Mediated by a Lectin Domain Interaction of Endo180 and CD147.

Unlabelled: Epithelial cell-cell contacts maintain normal glandular tissue homeostasis, and their breakage can trigger epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a fundamental step in the development of metastatic cancer. Despite the ability of C-type lectin domains (CTLD) to modulate cell-cell adhesion, it is not known if they modulate epithelial adhesion in EMT and tumor progression. Here, the multi-CTLD mannose receptor, Endo180 (MRC2/uPARAP), was shown using the Kaplan-Meier analysis to be predictive of survival outcome in men with early prostate cancer.