Involvement of heparan sulfate proteoglycan in sensing hypotonic stress in bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Hypotonic stress (HTS) induces various responses in vascular endothelium, but the molecules involved in sensing HTS are not known. To investigate a possible role of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) in sensing HTS, we compared the responses of control bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) with those of cells treated with heparinase III, which exclusively degrades HSPG. Tyrosine phosphorylation of 125 kDa FAK induced by HTS (-30%) in control cells was abolished in heparinase III-treated BAECs.

Hypergravity induces ATP release and actin reorganization via tyrosine phosphorylation and RhoA activation in bovine endothelial cells.

Mechanical stresses regulate physiological and pathological functions of vascular endothelial cells. We examined, in this study, the effects of hypergravity on endothelial functions. Hypergravity (3 G) applied by low speed centrifuge immediately induced a membrane translocation of small G-protein RhoA and tyrosine phosphorylation of 125 kDa FAK in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs).

Proapoptotic nitric oxide production in amyloid beta protein-treated cerebral microvascular endothelial cells.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of amyloid beta protein (Abeta) on cerebral microvascular endothelium, and their possible involvement in Abeta-induced apoptosis in the neighboring cells.

Methods: Cultured bovine brain microvascular endothelial cells (BBECs) were incubated with Abeta for 24 h. Production of nitric oxide (NO) was assessed by nitric oxide-sensitive fluorescent dye, DAF-2, and the expression of NO synthase (NOS) proteins was examined by Western blotting.

Protein kinase A inhibits lysophosphatidic acid-induced migration of airway smooth muscle cells.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipid that is released from activated platelets and affects contractile properties of airway smooth muscle cells. However, possible roles of LPA on cell migration, one of the initial events of airway remodeling, are not clarified. This study aimed to examine the effects of LPA on migration and actin fiber formation in bovine tracheal smooth muscle cells (BTSMCs).

Pivotal role of integrin alpha5beta1 in hypotonic stress-induced responses of human endothelium.

We have previously reported that both hypotonic stress (HTS) and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) induce ATP release and a transient reorganization of actin through sequential activation of RhoA/Rho-kinase and focal adhesion kinase F-actin (FAK)/paxillin in human umbilical cord vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). LPA is known to induce the activation of RhoA via its specific receptors, but the mechanisms by which HTS initiates these intracellular signals are not known. The present study aimed to identify the molecule(s) that are unique to the sensing and/or transducing the mechanical stress.

A rare case of idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome involving the oral cavity associated with the esophagus and gastrointestinal tract.

We report the rare case of HES involving oral cavity associated with esophagus, and gastrointestinal tract, which we succeeded in diagnosing precisely through a biopsy specimen obtained from the lip. A 64-year-old man had dysphagia, swelling of the oral mucosa and the posterior cervical muscles, accompanied by an abdominal pain and diarrhea. Peripheral blood cell count showed marked eosinophilia.