Three N-Glycosylation Sites of Human Acetylcholinesterase Shares Similar Glycan Composition.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.

Synchronous colorectal liver metastases in pregnancy and post-partum.

Background: Metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in pregnancy and post-partum is rare, but represents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges for clinicians. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach is essential. This study reports the first series in the Australasian literature, describing our experience with and management of pregnant and post-partum patients diagnosed with synchronous colorectal liver metastases (sCRLM).

Reduced Expression of P2Y2 Receptor and Acetylcholinesterase at Neuromuscular Junction of P2Y1 Receptor Knock-out Mice.

ATP is co-stored and co-released with acetylcholine (ACh) at the pre-synaptic vesicles in vertebrate neuromuscular junction (nmj). Several lines of studies demonstrated that binding of ATP to its corresponding P2Y1 and P2Y2 receptors in the muscle regulated post-synaptic gene expressions. To further support the notion that P2Y receptors are playing indispensable role in formation of post-synaptic specifications at the nmj, the knock-out mice of P2Y1 receptor (P2Y1R (-/-)) were employed here for analyses.

Cartilage tissue engineering application of injectable gelatin hydrogel with in situ visible-light-activated gelation capability in both air and aqueous solution.

Chondroprogenitor cells encapsulated in a chondrogenically supportive, three-dimensional hydrogel scaffold represents a promising, regenerative approach to articular cartilage repair. In this study, we have developed an injectable, biodegradable methacrylated gelatin (mGL)-based hydrogel capable of rapid gelation via visible light (VL)-activated crosslinking in air or aqueous solution. The mild photocrosslinking conditions permitted the incorporation of cells during the gelation process.

Three-dimensional osteochondral microtissue to model pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA), the most prevalent form of arthritis, affects up to 15% of the adult population and is principally characterized by degeneration of the articular cartilage component of the joint, often with accompanying subchondral bone lesions. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of OA is important for the rational development of disease-modifying OA drugs. While most studies on OA have focused on the investigation of either the cartilage or the bone component of the articular joint, the osteochondral complex represents a more physiologically relevant target because the disease ultimately is a disorder of osteochondral integrity and function.

High-affinity VEGF antagonists by oligomerization of a minimal sequence VEGF-binding domain.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) neutralizing antagonists including antibodies or receptor extracellular domain Fc fusions have been applied clinically to control angiogenesis in cancer, wet age-related macular degeneration, and edema. We report here the generation of high-affinity VEGF-binding domains by chemical linkage of the second domain of the VEGF receptor Flt-1 (D2) in several configurations. Recombinant D2 was expressed with a 13 a.

Application of visible light-based projection stereolithography for live cell-scaffold fabrication with designed architecture.

One-step scaffold fabrication with live cell incorporation is a highly desirable technology for tissue engineering and regeneration. Projection stereolithography (PSL) represents a promising method owing to its fine resolution, high fabrication speed and computer-aided design (CAD) capabilities. However, the majority of current protocols utilize water-insoluble photoinitiators that are incompatible with live cell-fabrication, and ultraviolet (UV) light that is damaging to the cellular DNA.

Extracellular matrix protein betaig-h3/TGFBI promotes metastasis of colon cancer by enhancing cell extravasation.

Metastasis, the major cause of cancer death, is a multistep process that requires interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells and between cancer cells and extracellular matrix. Molecular alterations of the extracellular matrix in the tumor microenvironment have a considerable impact on the metastatic process during tumorigenesis. Here we report that elevated expression of betaig-h3/TGFBI (transforming growth factor, beta-induced), an extracellular matrix protein secreted by colon cancer cells, is associated with high-grade human colon cancers.

B-Raf is critical for MAPK activation during mitosis and is regulated in an M phase-dependent manner in Xenopus egg extracts.

Activation of the MAPK cascade during mitosis is critical for spindle assembly and normal mitotic progression. The underlying regulatory mechanisms that control activation of the MEK/MAPK cascade during mitosis are poorly understood. Here we purified and characterized the MEK kinase activity present in Xenopus M phase-arrested egg extracts.

Endoscopic hemostasis for bleeding gastric stromal tumors by application of hemoclip.

In the past, numerous reports have advocated primary surgical resection as a treatment of choice for bleeding gastric stromal tumors (GIST). There were scarce reports on primary hemostasis with endoscopic therapy. We encountered two patients who presented to our unit with acute bleeding from gastric fundal stromal tumor, in whom we were able to achieved successful endoscopic hemostasis with hemoclip therapy.

ATP induces post-synaptic gene expressions in vertebrate skeletal neuromuscular junctions.

In vertebrate neuromuscular junctions (nmjs), adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) is stored at the motor nerve terminals and is co-released with acetylcholine during neural stimulation. Several lines of evidence suggest that the synaptic ATP can act as a synapse-organizing factor at the nmjs, mediated by metabotropic P2Y(1) receptors. P2Y(1) receptor mRNAs in chicken and rat muscles are low in embryo but increases markedly in the adult, and decreased after denervation.

ATP acts via P2Y1 receptors to stimulate acetylcholinesterase and acetylcholine receptor expression: transduction and transcription control.

At the vertebrate neuromuscular junction ATP is known to stabilize acetylcholine in the synaptic vesicles and to be co-released with it. We have shown previously that a nucleotide receptor, the P2Y1 receptor, is localized at the junction, and we propose that this mediates a trophic role for synaptic ATP there. Evidence in support of this and on its mechanism is given here.

cDNA encodes Xenopus P2Y(1) nucleotide receptor: expression at the neuromuscular junctions.

A cDNA encoding P2Y(1) receptor was isolated by cross-hybridization with chicken homolog. The deduced amino acid sequence of P2Y(1) receptor with 361 amino residues is 80-85% identical to human, rodent and avian homologs. When the cDNA was expressed in mammalian cells, the activation of P2Y(1) receptor by adenine nucleotides stimulated the accumulation of inositol phosphate, and adenosine 3',5'-bismonophosphate (A3P5P) or other antagonists blocked its action; these pharmacological properties showed resemblance of P2Y(1) receptor family in higher vertebrate.

A cyclic AMP-dependent pathway regulates the expression of acetylcholinesterase during myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells.

The expression of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is markedly increased during myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts to myotubes; the expression is mediated by intrinsic factor(s) during muscle differentiation. In order to analyze the molecular mechanisms regulating AChE expression during myogenic differentiation, a approximately 2.2-kb human AChE promoter tagged with a luciferase reporter gene, namely pAChE-Luc, was stably transfected into C2C12 cells.