SGK1 Is a Critical Component of an AKT-Independent Pathway Essential for PI3K-Mediated Tumor Development and Maintenance.

Activation of the PI3K-AKT signaling cascade is a common critical event during malignant transformation. In this study, we used thyroid gland epithelial cells and a series of genetically engineered mouse strains as model systems to demonstrate that, although necessary, AKT activation is not sufficient for PI3K-driven transformation. Instead, transformation requires the activity of the PDK1-regulated AGC family of protein kinases.

Collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 is a new promigratory marker of arthritic pannus.

Background: The formation of destructive hypercellular pannus is critical to joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) protein expressed by activated stromal cells of diverse origin has previously been implicated in tissue remodeling and carcinogenesis. We recently discovered that the synovial Cthrc1 mRNA directly correlates with arthritis severity in mice.

Osteoarticular tissue infection and development of skeletal pathology in murine brucellosis.

Brucellosis, a frequent bacterial zoonosis, can produce debilitating chronic disease with involvement of multiple organs in human patients. Whereas acute brucellosis is well studied using the murine animal model, long-term complications of host-pathogen interaction remain largely elusive. Human brucellosis frequently results in persistent, chronic osteoarticular system involvement, with complications such as arthritis, spondylitis and sacroiliitis.

Wnt signaling genes of murine chromosome 15 are involved in sex-affected pathways of inflammatory arthritis.

Objective: Sex disparities in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are well documented despite the lack of any known major RA susceptibility genes mapped to sex chromosomes. Murine chromosome 15 carries the sex-affected Pgia8 locus that mediates proteoglycan-induced arthritis, and homologous human loci are associated with RA. This study was undertaken to identify genes/mechanisms implicated in sex disparities in arthritis.

Spectrally resolved frequency domain analysis of multi-fluorophore systems undergoing energy transfer.

Complex systems of fluorophores undergoing energy transfer can exhibit a variety of anomalous lifetime behavior when probed with frequency domain methods. When presented in traditional apparent lifetime format the data from such systems can exhibit "nodal" behavior in which the computed lifetime approaches +/-infinity. The location of the nodes is system and frequency dependent.

Microspectroscopic fluorescence analysis with prism-based imaging spectrometers: review and current studies.

Background: Fluorescence imaging spectroscopy is a powerful but under-utilized tool. This article gives perspective on the use of imaging spectroscopy, and provides two examples of imaging spectroscopy done with a prism-based system. The intent is to give insight into the power of imaging spectroscopy when used in combination with other imaging techniques.

Following FRET through five energy transfer steps: spectroscopic photobleaching, recovery of spectra, and a sequential mechanism of FRET.

We report the acquisition and analysis of spectrally resolved photobleaching data from a model system designed to exhibit FRET. Spectrally resolved photobleaching can be used to determine the presence of FRET in these systems and to investigate multi-step mechanisms of energy transfer. The model system was a previously described set of fluorescent beads consisting of a system of six fluorophores.