Identification of Host PDZ-Based Interactions with the SARS-CoV-2 E Protein in Human Monocytes.

Proteins containing PDZ (post-synaptic density, PSD-95/disc large, Dlg/zonula occludens, ZO-1) domains assemble signaling complexes that orchestrate cell responses. Viral pathogens target host PDZ proteins by coding proteins containing a PDZ-binding motif (PBM). The presence of a PBM in the SARS-CoV-2 E protein contributes to the virus's pathogenicity.

Blockade of endothelial G(i) protein enhances early engraftment in intraportal cell transplant to mouse liver.

The limited availability of liver donors and recent progress in cell therapy technologies has centered interest on cell transplantation as a therapeutic alternative to orthotopic liver transplant for restoring liver function. Following transplant by intraportal perfusion, the main obstacle to cell integration in the parenchyma is the endothelial barrier. Transplanted cells form emboli in the portal branches, inducing ischemia and reperfusion injury, which cause disruption of endothelial impermeability and activate the immune system.

Dynamic regulation of CXCR1 and CXCR2 homo- and heterodimers.

Although homo- and heterodimerization are reported for some chemokine receptors, it remains unclear whether these functional states are in dynamic equilibrium and how receptor/ligand levels influence oligomerization. In human neutrophils and in cell lines that coexpress the chemokine receptors CXCR1 and CXCR2, we used fluorescence resonance energy transfer techniques to show that these two receptors form homo- and heterodimers. Receptor expression and ligand activation were found to regulate the balance between these complexes, adapting the response to changes in the milieu.

A PI3K activity-independent function of p85 regulatory subunit in control of mammalian cytokinesis.

Cytosolic division in mitotic cells involves the function of a number of cytoskeletal proteins, whose coordination in the spatio-temporal control of cytokinesis is poorly defined. We studied the role of p85/p110 phosphoinositide kinase (PI3K) in mammalian cytokinesis. Deletion of the p85alpha regulatory subunit induced cell accumulation in telophase and appearance of binucleated cells, whereas inhibition of PI3K activity did not affect cytokinesis.