Steroids and Malignancy Increase Local Heparanase and Decrease Markers of Osteoblast Activity in Bone Tissue Microcirculation.

Bone metastasis and steroids are known to activate the coagulation system and induce osteoporosis, pathological bone fractures, and bone pain. Heparanase is a protein known to enhance the hemostatic system and to promote angiogenesis, metastasis, and inflammation. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of steroids and malignancy on the coagulation factors and osteoblast activity in the bone tissue.

Inhibition of osteosarcoma metastasis in vivo by targeted downregulation of MMP1 and MMP9.

Osteosarcoma (OS) mortality stems from lung metastases. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) facilitate metastatic dissemination by degrading extracellular matrix components. Herein we studied the impact of targeted MMP downregulation on OS metastasis.

Calcium Prevents Enhanced Degradation of Factor VIII in the Condition of Motion.

Hemophilia A and B induce recurrent bleeding episodes, mainly in skeletal muscles and joints that are in intermittent motion. We have previously demonstrated that intermittent motion contributes to increased degradation of factors VIII and IX. Given that calcium ions are known to enhance factor VIII-von Willebrand factor (vWF) interaction, the present study has investigated the role of these ions on factors VIII and IX in the condition of motion.

Augmented Degradation of Factors VIII and IX in the Intermittent Movement State.

The most common clinical presentation of hemophilia A and hemophilia B is bleeding in large joints and striated muscles. It is unclear why bleeding has a predilection to affect joints and muscles. As muscles and joints are involved in intermittent movement, we explored whether this phenomenon could be associated with an impact on factor VIII and IX levels.

Social rank-associated stress vulnerability predisposes individuals to cocaine attraction.

Studies of personality have suggested that dissimilarities in ability to cope with stressful situations results in differing tendency to develop addictive behaviors. The present study used selectively bred stress-resilient, socially-dominant (Dom) and stress-vulnerable, socially-submissive (Sub) mice to investigate the interaction between environmental stress and inbred predisposition to develop addictive behavior to cocaine. In a Conditioned Place Preference (CPP) paradigm using cocaine, Sub mice displayed an aversion to drug, whereas Dom mice displayed drug attraction.