Molecular mechanisms underlying TGF-ß/Hippo signaling crosstalks - Role of baso-apical epithelial cell polarity.

The ubiquitous distribution of both Hippo and TGF-ß signaling cascade components and their critical implication in tissue homeostasis and disease has led to the discovery of a remarkable slew of interesting and unique features regarding their functional crosstalks. Upstream cellular cues regulating the Hippo pathway, including cell-cell contacts and apico-basal cell polarity have been well characterized. Herein, we provide an overview of the published models of compartmentalized signaling crosstalk mechanisms between Hippo signaling and the TGF-ß/SMAD pathway.

Microbial biotransformation of DON: molecular basis for reduced toxicity.

Bacteria are able to de-epoxidize or epimerize deoxynivalenol (DON), a mycotoxin, to deepoxy-deoxynivalenol (deepoxy-DON or DOM-1) or 3-epi-deoxynivalenol (3-epi-DON), respectively. Using different approaches, the intestinal toxicity of 3 molecules was compared and the molecular basis for the reduced toxicity investigated. In human intestinal epithelial cells, deepoxy-DON and 3-epi-DON were not cytotoxic, did not change the oxygen consumption or impair the barrier function.

ISPOG European Consensus Statement - chronic pelvic pain in women (short version).

To date there is no international guideline on chronic pelvic pain available that focuses on medical, psychosomatic and psychological diagnostics and treatment of this complicated disease pattern. In this paper, a European working group, which was established in October 2010, aims to bridge this gap. The working group decided to use the current German guideline as source text and to transform it into a European consensus statement by deleting parts that apply only to the conditions of the German health system.

Intestinal toxicity of the masked mycotoxin deoxynivalenol-3-β-D-glucoside.

Natural food contaminants such as mycotoxins are an important problem for human health. Deoxynivalenol (DON) is one of the most common mycotoxins detected in cereals and grains. Its toxicological effects mainly concern the immune system and the gastrointestinal tract.