Microbial bile salt hydrolase activity influences gene expression profiles and gastrointestinal maturation in infant mice.

The mechanisms by which early microbial colonizers of the neonate influence gut development are poorly understood. Bacterial bile salt hydrolase (BSH) acts as a putative colonization factor that influences bile acid signatures and microbe-host signaling pathways and we considered whether this activity can influence infant gut development. analysis of the human neonatal gut metagenome confirmed that BSH enzyme sequences are present as early as one day postpartum.

TNF-α synergises with IFN-γ to induce caspase-8-JAK1/2-STAT1-dependent death of intestinal epithelial cells.

Rewiring of host cytokine networks is a key feature of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease (CD). Th1-type cytokines-IFN-γ and TNF-α-occupy critical nodes within these networks and both are associated with disruption of gut epithelial barrier function. This may be due to their ability to synergistically trigger the death of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) via largely unknown mechanisms.

Human BCL-G regulates secretion of inflammatory chemokines but is dispensable for induction of apoptosis by IFN-γ and TNF-α in intestinal epithelial cells.

Proteins of the BCL-2 family are evolutionarily conserved modulators of apoptosis that function as sensors of cellular integrity. Over the past three decades multiple BCL-2 family members have been identified, many of which are now fully incorporated into regulatory networks governing the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. For some, however, an exact role in cell death signalling remains unclear.

PDLIM2 Is a Marker of Adhesion and β-Catenin Activity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

The PDLIM2 protein regulates stability of transcription factors including NF-κB and STATs in epithelial and hemopoietic cells. PDLIM2 is strongly expressed in certain cancer cell lines that exhibit an epithelial-to-mesenchymal phenotype, and its suppression is sufficient to reverse this phenotype. PDLIM2 supports the epithelial polarity of nontransformed breast cells, suggesting distinct roles in tumor suppression and oncogenesis.

IGF-1 Receptor and Adhesion Signaling: An Important Axis in Determining Cancer Cell Phenotype and Therapy Resistance.

IGF-1R expression and activation levels generally cannot be correlated in cancer cells, suggesting that cellular proteins may modulate IGF-1R activity. Strong candidates for such modulation are found in cell-matrix and cell-cell adhesion signaling complexes. Activated IGF-1R is present at focal adhesions, where it can stabilize β1 integrin and participate in signaling complexes that promote invasiveness associated with epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and resistance to therapy.