Morphological restriction of human coronary artery endothelial cells substantially impacts global gene expression patterns.

Alterations in cell shape have been shown to modulate chromatin condensation and cell lineage specification; however, the mechanisms controlling these processes are largely unknown. Because endothelial cells experience cyclic mechanical changes from blood flow during normal physiological processes and disrupted mechanical changes as a result of abnormal blood flow, cell shape deformation and loss of polarization during coronary artery disease, we aimed to determine how morphological restriction affects global gene expression patterns. Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAECs) were cultured on spatially defined adhesive micropatterns, forcing them to conform to unique cellular morphologies differing in cellular polarization and angularity.

Targeting of beta adrenergic receptors results in therapeutic efficacy against models of hemangioendothelioma and angiosarcoma.

Therapeutic targeting of the beta-adrenergic receptors has recently shown remarkable efficacy in the treatment of benign vascular tumors such as infantile hemangiomas. As infantile hemangiomas are reported to express high levels of beta adrenergic receptors, we examined the expression of these receptors on more aggressive vascular tumors such as hemangioendotheliomas and angiosarcomas, revealing beta 1, 2, and 3 receptors were indeed present and therefore aggressive vascular tumors may similarly show increased susceptibility to the inhibitory effects of beta blockade. Using a panel of hemangioendothelioma and angiosarcoma cell lines, we demonstrate that beta adrenergic inhibition blocks cell proliferation and induces apoptosis in a dose dependent manner.

Propranolol treatment of infantile hemangioma endothelial cells: A molecular analysis.

Infantile hemangiomas (IHs) are non-malignant, largely cutaneous vascular tumors affecting approximately 5-10% of children to varying degrees. During the first year of life, these tumors are strongly proliferative, reaching an average size ranging from 2 to 20 cm. These lesions subsequently stabilize, undergo a spontaneous slow involution and are fully regressed by 5 to 10 years of age.

GSTA is a major glutathione S-transferase gene responsible for 4-hydroxynonenal conjugation in largemouth bass liver.

We have previously shown that largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) has a remarkable ability to conjugate 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4HNE), a mutagenic and cytotoxic alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde produced during the peroxidation of lipids. In addition, we have isolated a glutathione S-transferase cDNA (bass GSTA) that encodes a recombinant protein which is highly active in 4HNE conjugation and structurally similar to plaice (Pleuronectes platessa) GSTA. In the present study, HPLC-GST subunit analysis revealed the presence of at least two major GST isoforms in bass liver, with one peak constituting 80% of the total bass liver GST protein.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a glutathione S-transferase from largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) liver that is involved in the detoxification of 4-hydroxynonenal.

We are currently investigating the role of detoxification pathways in protecting against the sublethal effects of chemicals in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). To this end, previous work in our laboratory indicated a remarkable ability of bass liver glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) to detoxify 4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE), a common mutagenic and cytotoxic alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde produced during the peroxidation of lipids. In the current study, we observed that GST-mediated 4HNE conjugation in bass liver follows high efficiency single-enzyme Michaelis-Menten kinetics, suggesting that an individual GST isoform is involved in 4HNE detoxification.

Ontogenic differences in human liver 4-hydroxynonenal detoxification are associated with in vitro injury to fetal hematopoietic stem cells.

4-hydroxynonenal (4HNE) is a highly mutagenic and cytotoxic alpha,beta-unsaturated aldehyde that can be produced in utero during transplacental exposure to prooxidant compounds. Cellular protection against 4HNE injury is provided by alcohol dehydrogenases (ADH), aldehyde reductases (ALRD), aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH), and glutathione S-transferases (GST). In the present study, we examined the comparative detoxification of 4HNE by aldehyde-metabolizing enzymes in a panel of adult and second-trimester prenatal liver tissues and report the toxicological ramifications of ontogenic 4HNE detoxification in vitro.

High-resolution computed tomography appearance of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex infection after exposure to hot tub: case of hot-tub lung.

Reports detailing Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in an immunocompetent host after exposure to hot tub (hot-tub lung) are few and have not focused on the radiographic presentation. On high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT), hot-tub lung caused by MAC infection closely resembles subacute hypersensitivity pneumonitis and is difficult to distinguish based on imaging parameters alone. Centrilobular nodules of ground-glass attenuation with beading of the interlobular septae are prominent features on HRCT.

Conjugation of 4-hydroxynonenal by largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) glutathione S-transferases.

The glutathione S-transferases (GST) are a major group of conjugative enzymes involved in the detoxification of electrophilic compounds and products of oxidative stress. We have previously described the kinetics of hepatic GST conjugation in largemouth bass using a variety of synthetic GST reference substrates. In the present study, we investigated the ability of largemouth bass hepatic GSTs to conjugate 4-hydroxynon-2-enal (4HNE), a mutagenic and cytotoxic alpha-beta-unsaturated aldehyde produced during oxidative injury.