Nicotinamide Pathway-Dependent Sirt1 Activation Restores Calcium Homeostasis to Achieve Neuroprotection in Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 7.

Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) is a NAD-dependent deacetylase capable of countering age-related neurodegeneration, but the basis of Sirt1 neuroprotection remains elusive. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 7 (SCA7) is an inherited CAG-polyglutamine repeat disorder. Transcriptome analysis of SCA7 mice revealed downregulation of calcium flux genes accompanied by abnormal calcium-dependent cerebellar membrane excitability.

TGF-beta activated kinase-1: new insights into the diverse roles of TAK1 in development and immunity.

A number of recent publications have examined the role of TAK1 in model systems ranging from fly to mouse. Rather than fit into a clearly defined linear molecular pathway, TAK1 seems to act in a signaling nexus that responds to a variety of upstream signals, including inflammatory molecules and developmental cues. TAK1 then influences a number of downstream processes ranging from innate immune responses to patterning and differentiation via JNK, NFkappaB and TCFbeta-catenin signaling.

Psidin is required in Drosophila blood cells for both phagocytic degradation and immune activation of the fat body.

Phagocytic blood cells are critical to innate immune defense: They internalize and destroy microbial invaders and produce signals that trigger other immune responses. Despite this central role, the in vivo contributions of phagocytosis to systemic immune activation are not well understood. Drosophila has proven a fruitful model for the investigation of evolutionarily conserved innate immune mechanisms, including NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional induction, RNAi in antiviral responses, and phagocytosis.

Cooperative control of Drosophila immune responses by the JNK and NF-kappaB signaling pathways.

Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling is a highly conserved pathway that controls both cytoskeletal remodeling and transcriptional regulation in response to a wide variety of signals. Despite the importance of JNK in the mammalian immune response, and various suggestions of its importance in Drosophila immunity, the actual contribution of JNK signaling in the Drosophila immune response has been unclear. Drosophila TAK1 has been implicated in the NF-kappaB/Relish-mediated activation of antimicrobial peptide genes.

A peptide that antagonizes TCR-mediated reactions with both syngeneic and allogeneic agonists: functional and structural aspects.

We identify and consider some characteristics of a peptide antagonist for the Ag-specific receptor on 2C cells (the 2C TCR). The peptide, GNYSFYAL (called GNY), binds to H-2K(b), and a very high-resolution crystal structure of the GNY-K(b) complex at 1.35 A is described.