Staurosporine promotes endothelial cell assembly and FAK phosphorylation during in vitro angiogenesis.

In the present study, we report that staurosporine, a known PKC inhibitor, enhanced in vitro angiogenesis. Endothelial cells plated in a three-dimensional matrix formed cords and enclosed structures within 4-6 hours. The cells in cord structures became elongated during the subsequent incubation.

Apolipoprotein E promotes astrocyte colocalization and degradation of deposited amyloid-beta peptides.

We have previously shown that apolipoprotein E (Apoe) promotes the formation of amyloid in brain and that astrocyte-specific expression of APOE markedly affects the deposition of amyloid-beta peptides (Abeta) in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease. Given the capacity of astrocytes to degrade Abeta, we investigated the potential role of Apoe in this astrocyte-mediated degradation. In contrast to cultured adult wild-type mouse astrocytes, adult Apoe(-/-) astrocytes do not degrade Abeta present in Abeta plaque-bearing brain sections in vitro.

Neuropeptide Y Y4 receptor homodimers dissociate upon agonist stimulation.

The pancreatic polypeptide-fold family of peptides consists of three 36-amino acid peptides, namely neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP). These peptides regulate important functions, including food intake, circadian rhythms, mood, blood pressure, intestinal secretion, and gut motility, through four receptors: Y1, Y2, Y4, and Y5. Additional receptor subtypes have been proposed based on pharmacology observed in native tissues.

Insulin-stimulated trafficking of ENaC in renal cells requires PI 3-kinase activity.

AlphaENaC-EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein-tagged alpha-subunit of the epithelial Na(+) channel) stably transfected clonal lines derived from the A6 parental cell line were used to study the physical mechanisms of insulin-stimulated Na(+) transport. Within 1 min of insulin stimulation, ENaC migrates from a diffuse cytoplasmic localization to the apical and lateral membranes. Concurrently, after insulin stimulation, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) is colocalized with ENaC on the lateral but not apical membrane.

Antiangiogenic effects of a protein kinase Cbeta-selective small molecule.

Background: Protein kinase C frequently plays a central role in the intracellular signal transduction of growth factors and cytokines.

Methods: The acyclic bisindolylmaleimide 317615 x 2HCl was identified as a potent selective inhibitor of protein kinase Cbeta. The compound 317615 x 2HCl was tested in culture and in vivo in the rat corneal micropocket and in the SW2 small-cell lung carcinoma human tumor xenograft.