MAIL regulates human monocyte IL-6 production.

IL-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine implicated in the pathogenesis of disorders such as sepsis and cancer. We noted that human monocytes are excellent producers of IL-6 as compared with monocyte-derived macrophages. Because macrophages from molecule containing ankyrin repeats induced by LPS (MAIL) knockout animals have suppressed IL-6 production, we hypothesized that regulation of MAIL is key to IL-6 production in humans and may explain the differences between human monocytes and macrophages.

Collagen gel delivery of Tgf-beta3 non-viral plasmid DNA in rat osteoblast and calvarial culture.

Different forms of collagen as a carrier for naked plasmid DNA have shown potential as vehicles for therapeutic gene delivery and tissue engineering. The objective of this study was to determine the suitability of a dense collagen gel as a vehicle for sustained delivery of plasmid DNA in cell and organ culture. Plasmid DNA encoding Tgf-beta(3) was combined with collagen gel.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid-specific elongation enzymes.

We have isolated a novel gene (GLELO) from Mortierella alpina and its homologue (CEELO1) from Caenorhabditis elegans and demonstrate the involvement of their encoded proteins in the elongation of C(18) polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Cloning of a human cDNA encoding a novel enzyme involved in the elongation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein ELO2p is involved in the elongation of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Among several sequences with limited identity with the S. cerevisiae ELO2 gene, a consensus cDNA sequence was identified from the LifeSeq(R) database of Incyte Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Identification and characterization of an enzyme involved in the elongation of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

The enzymes that are involved in the elongation of fatty acids differ in terms of the substrates on which they act. To date, the enzymes specifically involved in the biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids have not yet been identified. In an attempt to identify a gene(s) encoding an enzyme(s) specific for the elongation of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) (18:3n-6), a cDNA expression library was made from the fungus Mortierella alpina.