Modulation of anti-cancer drug sensitivity through the regulation of mitochondrial activity by adenylate kinase 4.

Background: Adenylate kinase is a key enzyme in the high-energy phosphoryl transfer reaction in living cells. An isoform of this enzyme, adenylate kinase 4 (AK4), is localized in the mitochondrial matrix and is believed to be involved in stress, drug resistance, malignant transformation in cancer, and ATP regulation. However, the molecular basis for the AK4 functions remained to be determined.

Effects of varying virus-spiking conditions on a virus-removal filter Planova™ 20N in a virus validation study of antibody solutions.

We aimed to investigate the effect of virus-spiking conditions on the filter performance (flux, flux decay, and parvovirus reduction) of the small virus filter Planova™ 20N. We used three kinds of porcine parvovirus (PPV) stocks: serum, serum-free, and purified. The flux profile with PPV spiking was similar to that without spiking for normal load filtration of about 250-300 L/m(2) .

Inconsistency between hepatic expression and serum concentration of transthyretin in mice humanized at the transthyretin locus.

Human transthyretin (TTR) has about 110 variants, more than 90 of which are associated with human amyloidosis. Several groups have generated transgenic mice that carry various mutant TTR genes. However, formation of mouse/human TTR heterotetramers has been shown to be inhibitory to dissociation and subsequent amyloid formation.

CD44-chondroitin sulfate interactions mediate leukocyte rolling under physiological flow conditions.

CD44 on leukocytes binds to its glycosaminoglycan (GAG) ligand, hyaluronic acid, and mediates the rolling of leukocytes on vascular endothelial cells. We previously reported that the recombinant CD44 protein binds to other GAGs, including chondroitin sulfates (CS), although the physiological significance of this interaction has remained unclear. Here we report that the CD44 expressed on mouse lymphoma BW5147 cells supports cell binding to immobilized CS under static conditions and mediates cell rolling in CS-coated glass capillary tubes under shear stresses ranging from 0.

Phosphoinositide 3-kinase accelerates autophagic cell death during glucose deprivation in the rat cardiomyocyte-derived cell line H9c2.

We investigated cell death during glucose deprivation in rat cardiomyocyte-derived H9c2 cells. Electron microscopic analysis revealed accumulation of autophagic vacuoles during glucose deprivation. The addition of 3-methyladenine or LY294002, which are known to inhibit autophagosome formation, reduced cell death while Z-VAD-FMK, a caspase inhibitor, slightly affected cell death.

Cutting edge: the B cell chemokine CXC chemokine ligand 13/B lymphocyte chemoattractant is expressed in the high endothelial venules of lymph nodes and Peyer's patches and affects B cell trafficking across high endothelial venules.

While CCR7 ligands direct T cell trafficking into lymph nodes (LNs) and Peyer's patches (PPs), chemokines that regulate B cell trafficking across high endothelial venules (HEVs) remain to be fully elucidated. Here we report that CXC chemokine ligand (CXCL)13 (B lymphocyte chemoattractant) is detected immunohistologically in the majority of HEVs in LNs and PPs of nonimmunized mice. Systemically administered anti-CXCL13 Ab bound to the surface of approximately 50% of HEVs in LNs and PPs, but not to other types of blood vessels, indicating that CXCL13 is expressed in the HEV lumen.

Protein kinase C-epsilon protects PC12 cells against methamphetamine-induced death: possible involvement of suppression of glutamate receptor.

The involvement of PKC isoform in the methamphetamine (MA)-induced death of neuron-like PC12 cell was studied. The death and the enhanced terminal dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining were inhibited by a caspase inhibitor, z-Val-Ala-Asp- (OMe)-CH(2)F (z-VAD-fmk). However, the cell death shows neither morphological nor biochemical features of apoptosis or necrosis.

Effects of moderate hypothermia on proinflammatory cytokine production in a rat model of caerulein-induced pancreatitis.

Introduction: Proinflammatory cytokines act as mediators of the local and systemic manifestations of acute pancreatitis (AP).

Aims: To investigate whether moderate hypothermia (MH) (32 degrees C) can reduce the severity of AP by inhibiting cytokine production in a rat model of caerulein-induced pancreatitis.

Methodology: Rats were divided into three groups: control rats (Group I), AP rats treated with normothermia (38 degrees C) (Group II), and AP rats treated with MH (Group III).

Characterization of mac25/angiomodulin expression by high endothelial venule cells in lymphoid tissues and its identification as an inducible marker for activated endothelial cells.

Previous results have indicated that mac25/angiomodulin (AGM) is expressed in lymph node (LN) high endothelial venules (HEV), the specialized venules that support efficient lymphocyte transendothelial migration. How mac25/AGM's endothelial expression pattern is regulated in situ remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that in mouse LN blood vessels, including HEV, mac25/AGM is localized, unlike previous reports, not to the luminal or lateral regions bordering the endothelial cells (EC), but exclusively to the basal lamina that is in direct association with EC.