Receptor-mediated delivery of engineered nucleases for genome modification.

Engineered nucleases, which incise the genome at predetermined sites, have a number of laboratory and clinical applications. There is, however, a need for better methods for controlled intracellular delivery of nucleases. Here, we demonstrate a method for ligand-mediated delivery of zinc finger nucleases (ZFN) proteins using transferrin receptor-mediated endocytosis.

Astrocyte protection of neurons: role of transforming growth factor-beta signaling via a c-Jun-AP-1 protective pathway.

Astrocytes have become a focal point for research in neurobiology, especially regarding their purported ability to regulate neuronal communication and survival. The present study addressed a poorly understood but important focus in this area, the mechanism(s) underlying astrocyte-induced survival of neurons. The results of the study show that soluble factors in astrocyte-conditioned media (ACM) protect murine GT1-7 neurons from serum deprivation-induced cell death and that this neuroprotection is correlated with enhanced activation/phosphorylation of the AP-1 transcription factor, c-JunSer-63.

Basic fibroblast growth factor induces TGF-beta release in an isoform and glioma-specific manner.

The aim of the current study was to determine whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), regulates the release of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) from C6 glioma cells. The results of the study show that bFGF (2, 5 and 10 ng/ml) dose dependently induced the release of TGF-beta1 from C6 glioma cells, with the 10 ng/ml dose inducing a 2- to 3-fold increase of TGF-beta1 levels. This effect was evident as early as 6 h following treatment, with maximal levels observed at 18 h.

Leptin and reproduction.

Since the cloning of leptin by Friedman's laboratory in 1994, over 3000 papers have been published on leptin, making it one of the most active research areas in all of science. Leptin appears to be a pleiotrophic hormone affecting many different tissues in the body. This review focuses on the role of leptin in reproduction.