Publications by authors named "C Parkos"
The gastrointestinal epithelium serves as a critical barrier separating intestinal lumen contents from the underlying tissue environment. Structure and function of the apical junctional complex (AJC), comprising tight and adherens junctions, are essential for establishing and maintaining a polarized and functional epithelial barrier. In this study, we investigated mechanisms by which an apical polarity protein Crumbs homolog 3 (CRB3) regulates AJC assembly and barrier function in primary murine intestinal epithelial cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSusceptibility to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC) is linked with loss of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and mitochondria dysfunction. Steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein-related lipid transfer (START) domain-containing protein 7 (STARD7) is a phosphatidylcholine-specific (PC-specific) lipid transfer protein that transports PC from the ER to the mitochondria, facilitating mitochondria membrane stabilization and respiration function. The aim of this study was to define the contribution of STARD7 in the regulation of the intestinal epithelial mitochondrial function and susceptibility to colitis.
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- Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) has a dual role in intestinal inflammation, being known for its pro-inflammatory effects while also promoting repair by boosting TNFα receptor 2 expression in intestinal epithelial cells.
- Research indicates that IFNγ signals through the transcription factor STAT1 to enhance TNFR2 expression after cell injury, both in lab settings and live models.
- The study reveals that neutralizing IFNγ after intestinal injury hinders healing, suggesting that the timing and levels of IFNγ and TNFα are crucial for restoring tissue balance, challenging the idea that all pro-inflammatory agents only cause harm.
Article Synopsis
- Mosquito saliva, particularly a protein called Nest1, modifies the human immune response to enhance blood feeding and increase the likelihood of pathogen spread, such as Zika virus.
- Nest1 interacts with a human protein known as CD47, which plays a role in immune processes, and this interaction appears to suppress the body’s ability to mount an effective antiviral response.
- By outcompeting the natural ligand for CD47, Nest1 hinders phagocytosis and reduces inflammation, thereby facilitating the dissemination of Zika virus in human skin.
Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is a matricellular protein associated with the regulation of cell migration through direct binding interactions with integrin proteins and by associating with other receptors known to regulate integrin function, including CD47 and CD36. We previously demonstrated that deletion of an epithelial TSP1 receptor, CD47, attenuates epithelial wound repair following intestinal mucosal injury. However, the mechanisms by which TSP1 contributes to intestinal mucosal repair remain poorly understood.
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