Polyphosphate expression by cancer cell extracellular vesicles mediates binding of factor XII and contact activation.

Extracellular vesicles (EV) have been implicated in diverse biological processes, including intracellular communication, transport of nucleic acids, and regulation of vascular function. Levels of EVs are elevated in cancer, and studies suggest that EV may stimulate thrombosis in patients with cancer through expression of tissue factor. However, limited data also implicate EV in the activation of the contact pathway of coagulation through activation of factor XII (FXII) to FXIIa.

FAK mediates a compensatory survival signal parallel to PI3K-AKT in PTEN-null T-ALL cells.

Mutations and inactivation of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) are observed in 15%-25% of cases of human T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Pten deletion induces myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and/or T-ALL in mice. Previous studies attributed Pten-loss-related hematopoietic defects and leukemogenesis to excessive activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mTOR signaling.

An AF9/ENL-targted peptide with therapeutic potential in mixed lineage leukemias.

Misregulation of transcription elongation is proposed to underlie the pathobiology of MLL leukemia. AF4, AF9, and ENL, common MLL fusion partners, are found in complex with positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb). AF9 and its homolog ENL directly interact with AF4 within these complexes.

Co-inhibition of NF-κB and JNK is synergistic in TNF-expressing human AML.

Leukemic stem cells (LSCs) isolated from acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients are more sensitive to nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) inhibition-induced cell death when compared with hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in in vitro culture. However, inadequate anti-leukemic activity of NF-κB inhibition in vivo suggests the presence of additional survival/proliferative signals that can compensate for NF-κB inhibition. AML subtypes M3, M4, and M5 cells produce endogenous tumor necrosis factor α (TNF).

p27kip1 maintains a subset of leukemia stem cells in the quiescent state in murine MLL-leukemia.

MLL (mixed-lineage leukemia)-fusion genes induce the development of leukemia through deregulation of normal MLL target genes, such as HOXA9 and MEIS1. Both HOXA9 and MEIS1 are required for MLL-fusion gene-induced leukemogenesis. Co-expression of HOXA9 and MEIS1 induces acute myeloid leukemia (AML) similar to that seen in mice in which MLL-fusion genes are over-expressed.

Multiple coagulation factor deficiency protein 2 contains the ability to support stem cell self-renewal.

Defects in multiple coagulation factor deficiency protein 2 (MCFD2) are a cause of factor V and factor VIII combined deficiency type 2 (F5F8D). MCFD2 was also suggested to play an important role as an autocrine/paracrine factor in maintaining neural stem cell potential. The current work provided direct evidence that both amphibian and human MCFD2 can maintain stem cell pluripotency or stemness of rhesus monkey embryonic stem cells (rESCs) as basic fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) does.

Blockade of miR-150 maturation by MLL-fusion/MYC/LIN-28 is required for MLL-associated leukemia.

Expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is under stringent regulation at both transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. Disturbance at either level could cause dysregulation of miRNAs. Here, we show that MLL fusion proteins negatively regulate production of miR-150, an miRNA widely repressed in acute leukemia, by blocking miR-150 precursors from being processed to mature miRNAs through MYC/LIN28 functional axis.

Bi-functional peptides with both trypsin-inhibitory and antimicrobial activities are frequent defensive molecules in Ranidae amphibian skins.

Amphibian skins act as the first line against noxious aggression by microorganisms, parasites, and predators. Anti-microorganism activity is an important task of amphibian skins. A large amount of gene-encoded antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) has been identified from amphibian skins.

Cathelicidin-BF, a snake cathelicidin-derived antimicrobial peptide, could be an excellent therapeutic agent for acne vulgaris.

Cathelicidins are a family of antimicrobial peptides acting as multifunctional effector molecules in innate immunity. Cathelicidin-BF has been purified from the snake venoms of Bungarus fasciatus and it is the first identified cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide in reptiles. In this study, cathelicidin-BF was found exerting strong antibacterial activities against Propionibacterium acnes.

Proteomic analysis of skin defensive factors of tree frog Hyla simplex.

Tree frogs produce a variety of skin defensive chemicals against many biotic and abiotic risk factors for their everyday survival. By proteomics or peptidomics and coupling transcriptome analysis with pharmacological testings, 27 peptides or proteins belonging to 9 families, which act mainly as defensive functions, were identified and characterized from skin secretions of the tree frog, Hyla simplex. They are: (1) a novel family of peptides with EGF- and VEGF-releasing activities; (2) a novel family of analgesic peptides; (3) a family of neurotoxins acting on sodium channel; (4) a snake venom-like presynaptically active neurotoxin; (5) a snake venom-like neurotoxin targeting cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels; (6) a tachykinin-like peptide, which is the first report from tree frogs; (7) two antimicrobial peptides; (8) a alpha-1-antitrypsin-like serpin; and (9) a wasp venom-like toxin with serine protease inhibitors activity.

Two antimicrobial and nematicidal peptides derived from sequences encoded Picea sitchensis.

Two antimicrobial peptides (piceain 1 and 2) derived from sequences encoded Picea sitchensis are identified. Their amino acid sequences are KSLRPRCWIKIKFRCKSLKF and RPRCWIKIKFRCKSLKF, respectively. One intra-molecular disulfide bridge is formed by these two half-cysteines in both piceain 1 and 2.

Analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the amphibian neurotoxin, anntoxin.

Anntoxin is the first gene-encoded neurotoxin identified from amphibians, which is a 60-residue neurotoxin peptide, acting as an inhibitor of tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC). Sodium channels have been considered as therapeutic targets for pain. Several animal models of persistent inflammatory and neuropathic pain (tail-flick test, hot plate test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, formalin-induced paw licking, carrageenan-induced paw edema) were used to test analgesic functions of recombinant anntoxin (r-anntoxin).

The first gene-encoded amphibian neurotoxin.

Many gene-encoded neurotoxins with various functions have been discovered in fish, reptiles, and mammals. A novel 60-residue neurotoxin peptide (anntoxin) that inhibited tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) was purified and characterized from the skin secretions of the tree frog Hyla annectans (Jerdon). This is the first gene-encoded neurotoxin found in amphibians.

An anticoagulant serine protease from the wasp venom of Vespa magnifica.

Wasp is an important venomous animal that can induce human fatalities. Coagulopathy is a clinical symptom after massive wasp stings, but the reason leading to the envenomation manifestation is still not known. In this paper, a toxin protein is purified and characterized by Sephadex G-75 gel filtration, CM-Sephadex C-25 cationic exchange and fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) from the venom of the wasp, Vespa magnifica (Smith).

A novel bradykinin-like peptide from skin secretions of the frog, Rana nigrovittata.

A bradykinin-like peptide has been isolated from the skin secretions of the frog Rana nigrovittata. This peptide was named ranakinin-N. Its primary structure, RAEAVPPGFTPFR, was determined by Edman degradation and mass spectrometry.