Role of INK4a/Arf locus-encoded senescent checkpoints activated in normal and psoriatic keratinocytes.

During malignant transformation in skin, epidermal keratinocytes (KCs) frequently acquire the capacity to by-pass cellular senescence, a response that normally limits their unrestricted proliferation. Despite growing interest in the role for senescence during aging of skin and cutaneous carcinogenesis, little is known regarding regulation of three proteins encoded by the INK4a/ARF locus (p12, p14(ARF), p16) in KCs. In this study, several molecular pathways are explored using cultured KCs and KCs freshly isolated from psoriatic plaques.

Dependence of stimulus-transcription coupling on phospholipase D in agonist-stimulated pituitary cells.

Stimulation of phospholipase D activity is frequently observed during agonist activation of Ca(2+)-mobilizing receptors, but the cellular functions of this signaling pathway are not well defined. Pituitary gonadotrophs express Ca(2+)-mobilizing receptors for gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and endothelin (ET), activation of which stimulates luteinizing hormone secretion and transient expression of c-fos. In pituitary cells and alpha T3-1 gonadotrophs, GnRH action was associated with both initial and sustained diacylglycerol (DG) production, whereas ET-1 induced only a transient DG response.

Effects of the phospholipase-C inhibitor, U73122, on signaling and secretion in pituitary gonadotrophs.

The effects of inhibition of phosphoinositide hydrolysis by U73122 [1-(6-[17 beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5- (10) triene-17-yl] amino/hexyl) 1H-pyrroledione] and neomycin on agonist-stimulated intracellular signaling and secretory responses were analyzed in cultured pituitary cells and alpha T3-1 gonadotrophs. GnRH (100 nM)- and endothelin-1 (ET-1; 100 nM)-induced inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate and diacylglycerol formation in normal cells and immortalized gonadotrophs were reduced by U73122 in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of about 2 microM and complete inhibition at 10 microM U73122. Neomycin also reduced GnRH- and ET-induced inositol phosphate production in both cell types.

Coordinate actions of calcium and protein kinase-C in the expression of primary response genes in pituitary gonadotrophs.

Activation of GnRH receptors in cultured pituitary cells and alpha T3-1 gonadotrophs caused prominent, but transient, increases in messenger RNAs for primary response genes (PRGs) including c-fos, c-jun, and junB. GnRH-induced stimulation peaked at 30 min and was dose related, with similar EC50 values (approximately 1 nM) for all three PRGs and higher maximum responses for junB than for c-jun and c-fos. The agonist-induced expression of PRGs was mimicked by activation of protein kinase-C with the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), which acted additively with GnRH at low concentrations of both stimuli.

The role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the generation of acute phase response and bone loss in rats and talc granulomatosis.

Background: Trabecular bone loss is the part of acute-phase response (APR) in rats with subcutaneous granulomatous inflammation induced by talc.

Experimental Design: We investigated the possible involvement of inflammatory cytokine, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the pathogenesis of bone loss and other aspects of APR. Intraperitoneal administration of specific neutralizing antibodies to TNF-alpha or of recombinant cytokine indicated that TNF-alpha was the primary mediator of bone changes, evidence as slower bone elongation rate, bone marrow hyperplasia, and decreased trabecular bone volume and osteoblast number in tibial metaphysis.