Contribution of the Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Family to Breast Cancer Progression.

The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) family comprises 14 single-transmembrane receptors sharing structural homology and common repeats. These receptors specifically recognize and internalize various extracellular ligands either alone or complexed with membrane-spanning co-receptors that are then sorted for lysosomal degradation or cell-surface recovery. As multifunctional endocytic receptors, some LDLR members from the core family were first considered as potential tumor suppressors due to their clearance activity against extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes.

Snail regulates BMP and TGFβ pathways to control the differentiation status of glioma-initiating cells.

Glioblastoma multiforme is a brain malignancy characterized by high heterogeneity, invasiveness, and resistance to current therapies, attributes related to the occurrence of glioma stem cells (GSCs). Transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) promotes self-renewal and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) induces differentiation of GSCs. BMP7 induces the transcription factor Snail to promote astrocytic differentiation in GSCs and suppress tumor growth in vivo.

Transforming growth factor beta promotes complexes between Smad proteins and the CCCTC-binding factor on the H19 imprinting control region chromatin.

Whether signal transduction pathways regulate epigenetic states in response to environmental cues remains poorly understood. We demonstrate here that Smad3, signaling downstream of transforming growth factor beta, interacts with the zinc finger domain of CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), a nuclear protein known to act as "the master weaver of the genome." This interaction occurs via the Mad homology 1 domain of Smad3.

Aminopeptidase N during the ontogeny of the chick.

Little is known about the production and function of metallopeptidases in embryonic development. One such enzyme, aminopeptidase N (APN), is present in several epithelia, the brain and angiogenic vessels in adults. APN promotes vascular growth and endothelial cell proliferation in physiological and pathological models of angiogenesis.

The hematopoietic system: a new niche for the renin-angiotensin system.

The role of the renin-angiotensin system was previously thought to be restricted to the cardiovascular system. It now appears that this system also has important functions in other tissues. Hematopoiesis can be affected by inhibitors of the renin system in patients and in various experimental models.

Role of the renin-angiotensin system in primitive erythropoiesis in the chick embryo.

Inactivation of the gene encoding mouse angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE), which converts angiotensin I into angiotensin II, results in anemia in adult animals. This anemia is corrected by angiotensin II, demonstrating the involvement of angiotensin II in adult (definitive) erythropoiesis. We investigated the possible role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in primitive erythropoiesis in the yolk sac of the chicken embryo.