Genetic identification, morphology and distribution of subspecies in southern and western Switzerland (Reptilia, Squamata, Serpentes).

Most of Switzerland is inhabited by the nominotypical subspecies of the barred grass snake (), which is characterized by mitochondrial DNA lineage E. Only in the northeast of the country, the common grass snake () occurs and hybridizes with in a narrow contact zone. However, we discovered that in southern and western Switzerland barred grass snakes representing another mtDNA lineage (lineage C) are widely distributed.

Oral Vitamin D Supplements Increase Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Postmenopausal Women and Reduce Bone Calcium Flux Measured by 41Ca Skeletal Labeling.

Background: Ensuring adequate vitamin D status in older adults may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration is the recommended biomarker of vitamin D status, but the optimal serum 25(OH)D concentration for bone health in postmenopausal women remains unclear.

Objective: The aim of this study was to apply the highly sensitive (41)Ca skeletal labeling technique and the measurement of urinary (41)Ca:(40)Ca ratios to determine the serum 25(OH)D concentration that has greatest benefit on bone calcium flux in postmenopausal women.

Animal models reveal role for tau phosphorylation in human disease.

Many proteins that are implicated in human disease are posttranslationally modified. This includes the microtubule-associated protein tau that is deposited in a hyperphosphorylated form in brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. The focus of this review article is on the physiological and pathological phosphorylation of tau; the relevance of aberrant phosphorylation for disease; the role of kinases and phosphatases in this process; its modeling in transgenic mice, flies, and worms; and implications of phosphorylation for therapeutic intervention.

Coordinate activation of autophagy and the proteasome pathway by FoxO transcription factor.

The rapid loss of muscle mass, which occurs with disuse and systemically with fasting, cancer and many other diseases, results primarily from accelerated breakdown of muscle proteins. In atrophying muscles, the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway catalyzes the accelerated degradation of myofibrillar proteins, but the possible importance of the autophagic/lysosomal pathway in atrophy has received little attention. Our prior studies demonstrate that activation of FoxO transcription factors is essential for muscle atrophy, and that activated FoxO3 by itself causes dramatic atrophy of muscles and cultured myotubes via transcription of a set of atrophy-related genes ("atrogenes") including critical ubiquitin ligases.

FoxO3 coordinately activates protein degradation by the autophagic/lysosomal and proteasomal pathways in atrophying muscle cells.

Muscle atrophy occurs in many pathological states and results primarily from accelerated protein degradation and activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. However, the importance of lysosomes in muscle atrophy has received little attention. Activation of FoxO transcription factors is essential for the atrophy induced by denervation or fasting, and activated FoxO3 by itself causes marked atrophy of muscles and myotubes.

Altered levels of PP2A regulatory B/PR55 isoforms indicate role in neuronal differentiation.

The ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is prominent in brain where it serves a wide range of functions under both physiological and pathological conditions. PP2A holoenzymes are composed of a catalytic subunit and a tightly complexed scaffolding subunit. This core enzyme associates with regulatory subunits of the B/PR55, B'/PR56/PR61, B''/PR72 and B'''/PR93/PR110 families.

Impaired development of the Harderian gland in mutant protein phosphatase 2A transgenic mice.

Although Harderian glands are especially large in rodents, many features of this retroocular gland, including its development and function, are not well established. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a family of heterotrimeric enzymes expressed in this gland. PP2A substrate specificity is determined by regulatory subunits with leucine 309 of the catalytic subunit playing a crucial role in the recruitment of regulatory subunits into the complex in vitro.

Altered phosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins in mutant protein phosphatase 2A transgenic mice.

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a family of heterotrimeric enzymes with diverse functions under physiologic and pathologic conditions such as Alzheimer's disease. All PP2A holoenzymes have in common a catalytic subunit C and a structural scaffolding subunit A. These core subunits assemble with various regulatory B subunits to form heterotrimers with distinct functions in the cell.

Adeno-associated viral-mediated insulin-like growth factor delivery protects motor neurons in vitro.

Recent work has demonstrated that adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated delivery of the insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) gene through retrograde axonal transport can prolong survival and delay disease onset in the superoxide dismutase mutant mouse model of motor neuron (MN) disease. The present experiment examines IGF-I gene transfer in vitro. Adenoviral and AAV vectors for IGF-I infect neurons triggering expression and secretion of biologically active IGF-I.

Reference genes identified in SH-SY5Y cells using custom-made gene arrays with validation by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

Transcriptomic methods are widely used as an initial approach to gain a mechanistic insight into physiological and pathological processes. Because differences in gene regulation to be assessed by RNA screening methods (e.g.

Amyloid-induced neurofibrillary tangle formation in Alzheimer's disease: insight from transgenic mouse and tissue-culture models.

Of all forms of dementia, Alzheimer's disease is the most prevalent. It is histopathologically characterized by beta-amyloid-containing plaques, tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles, reduced synaptic density and neuronal loss in selected brain areas. For the rare familial forms of Alzheimer's disease, pathogenic mutations have been identified in both the gene encoding the precursor of the Abeta peptide, APP, itself and in the presenilin genes which encode part of the APP-protease complex.

Diversity, developmental regulation and distribution of murine PR55/B subunits of protein phosphatase 2A.

Protein phosphatase (PP2A) 2A is a hetero-trimeric holoenzyme that consists of a core dimer composed of a catalytic subunit that is tightly complexed with the scaffolding subunit PR65/A. This core dimer associates with variable regulatory subunits of the PR55/B, PR61/B', PR72/B" and PR93/PR110/B"' families. As PP2A holoenzymes containing PR55/B have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease, we characterized the PR55/B family with particular emphasis on its distribution and expression in the brain.