Publications by authors named "M A Gacad"

Targeting multiple pathways in the activation of alloimmune responses by multi-drug immunosuppressive regimens with complementary mechanisms of action enhances allograft survival and improves quality of life, owing to the reduction of adverse drug effects. In this report we investigated the effect of the combination of everolimus and intraveneous immunoglobulin (IVIG) on cell proliferation and apoptosis induction in human two-way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). Everolimus alone (0.

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Tissue availability of the active vitamin D metabolite, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)(2)D] is dependent on expression of the activating enzyme 1alpha-hydroxylase (CYP27b1) and its catabolic counterpart 24-hydroxylase (CYP24). The activity of these two enzymes is in turn controlled by factors including affinity of the serum vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) for 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]; the availability of enzyme cofactors; and the relative amount of hydroxylase gene product expressed. In recent years, it has become clear that directed trafficking of substrate and enzyme is also a pivotal component of the regulated process of hormone synthesis by both renal and extrarenal tissues expressing the CYP27b1 and CYP24 genes.

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The constitutively expressed member of the heat shock protein-70 family (hsc70) is a chaperone with multiple functions in cellular homeostasis. Previously, we demonstrated the ability of hsc70 to bind 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). Hsc70 also recruits and interacts with the co-chaperone Bcl2-associated athanogene (BAG)-1 via the ATP-binding domain that resides on hsc70.

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Chaperone proteins in the heat shock protein-70 family possess endogenous ATP binding and ATPase activity and interact with intracellular protein substrates in an ATP-dependent manner; the hydrolysis of ATP to ADP results in an increase in the affinity of the chaperone for protein substrates. Heat shock protein-70s can also specifically interact with 25-hydroxylated vitamin D metabolites. Using constitutively expressed heat shock protein-70 (hsc70) as chaperone, here we demonstrate that vitamin D metabolite binding to hsc70 is also ATP dependent.

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Using vitamin D-resistant New World primates as model of natural diversity for sterol/steroid action and metabolism, two families of novel intracellular vitamin D regulatory proteins have been discovered and their human homologs elucidated. The first family of proteins, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs), initially considered to function only as pre-mRNA-interacting proteins, have been demonstrated to be potent cis-acting, trans-dominant regulators of vitamin D hormone-driven gene transactivation. The second group of proteins bind 25-hydroxylated vitamin D metabolites.

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