Effect of the neuroprotective compound SR57746A on nerve growth factor synthesis in cultured astrocytes from neonatal rat cortex.

The neurotrophic factor promoting activity of the neuroprotective compound SR57746A was evaluated in primary cultures of neonatal rat cortical astrocytes by studying the synthesis of nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). A concentration- and time-dependent increase of nerve growth factor mRNA was induced by SR57746A (10 nM-1 microM). In these astrocytes, BDNF mRNA contents were increased to a significant but smaller extent, and beta-actin mRNA showed no variation.

Transformation of barrel medic (Medicago truncatula Gaertn.) by Agrobacterium tumefaciens and regeneration via somatic embryogenesis of transgenic plants with the MtENOD12 nodulin promoter fused to the gus reporter gene.

Fertile and stable transgenic plants of the model legume Medicago truncatula Gaertn. were obtained through transformation of leaf tissue with the disarmed Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 and in vitro regeneration via somatic embryogenesis. An optimised transformation/regeneration protocol has been established for two genotypes of the cultivar Jemalong, including a previously described highly embryogenic line (Nolan et al.

Involvement of tyrosine kinase activity in the low-density lipoprotein receptor expression in human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549.

In common with other tumour cell lines but in contrast to normal cells, the human adenocarcinoma cell line A549 showed a biphasic regulation of the LDL receptor activity during growth both LDL binding and metabolism (sum of internalised and degraded LDL) increased during the log exponential growth phase and decreased when the cells approached confluence. This period of increasing LDL receptor activity coincided with a high resistance to cholesterol down-regulation which suggested a sterol-independent pathway of stimulation. Since A549 cells have an autocrine loop of growth factors, two of which have tyrosine kinase activity, the LDL receptor activity was tested in the presence of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein.

Response of four human ovarian carcinoma cell lines to all-trans retinoic acid: relationship with induction of differentiation and retinoic acid receptor expression.

The response of 4 human ovarian carcinoma cell lines to retinoic acid was found to be related to the histological type and degree of differentiation of these tumor cells. The 2 serous cell lines NIHOVCAR3 and OVCCR1 were the most sensitive to the antiproliferative effect of RA. This inhibition was associated with morphological and biological changes that were indicative of differentiation.