Surgical Anatomy of the Marginal Mandibular Nerve: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The high number of marginal mandibular nerve (MMN) anatomical variants have a well-known clinical significance due to the risk of nerve injury in several surgical procedures. The aim of this study was to find and systematize the available anatomical data concerning this nerve. The PubMed and Scopus databases were investigated in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines.

The effect of caffeine on cutaneous postocclusive reactive hyperaemia.

Background: Caffeine is reported to be the most widely used pharmacologically active substance. It causes mental stimulation and increases blood pressure. Acute systolic and diastolic blood pressure response to caffeine attenuates in the course of regular caffeine use; tolerance to cardiovascular responses develops in some people.

Soluble TRAIL is present at high concentrations in seminal plasma and promotes spermatozoa survival.

The expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL(TNFSF10)) and of its receptors (TRAILR1, TRAILR2, TRAILR3, and TRAILR4) have been documented in testis, but the presence of soluble TRAIL in seminal fluid, as well as the potential physiopathological role of the TRAIL/TRAILR system in spermatozoa, has not been previously investigated. Male donors (n=123) among couples presenting for infertility evaluation were consecutively enrolled in this study. The presence of soluble TRAIL was analyzed in seminal samples by ELISA, while the surface expression of TRAIL receptors was investigated by flow cytometry.

Sorafenib inhibits in vitro osteoclastogenesis by down-modulating Mcl-1.

The effect of the multi-kinase inhibitor Sorafenib was investigated in an in vitro model of human osteoclastogenesis, represented by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) induced to differentiate into osteoclast-like cells in presence of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) plus macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF). Sorafenib significantly inhibited osteoclastic formation at clinically achievable concentrations (1-3 μM) and promoted autophagia with minimal induction of apoptosis. At the molecular levels, the M-CSF + RANKL combination increased the expression level of the Bcl-2 family member Mcl-1 protein, which is known to play a key role in the control of both cell survival and autophagia.

In vivo anti-lymphoma activity of an agonistic human recombinant anti-TRAIL-R2 minibody.

A new single-chain fragment variable (scFv) to TRAIL-R2 receptor produced as minibody (MB2.23) was characterized for anti-lymphoma activity in vivo. For this purpose, a disseminated lymphoma model was generated by intraperitoneal inoculation of BJAB cells in severe combined immunodeficiency mice.

Human full-length osteoprotegerin induces the proliferation of rodent vascular smooth muscle cells both in vitro and in vivo.

Background/aims: Since elevated plasma levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) represent a risk factor for death and heart failure in patients affected by diabetes mellitus and coronary artery disease, this study aimed to elucidate potential roles of OPG in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Methods And Results: Recombinant human full-length OPG, used at concentrations comparable to the elevated levels found in the serum of diabetic patients, significantly increased the proliferation rate of rodent vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). To mimic the moderate chronic elevation of OPG observed in diabetic patients, low doses (1 microg/mouse) of full-length human OPG were injected intraperitoneally every 3 weeks in diabetic apolipoprotein E (apoE)-null mice.

A combined approach with rituximab plus anti-TRAIL-R agonistic antibodies for the treatment of haematological malignancies.

Molecular targeted therapies have changed the landscape of cancer research. Agonistic monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) targeting TRAIL-death receptors (TRAIL-Rs) have been developed and currently used in clinical trials. Binding of such antibodies to TRAIL-R1 and TRAIL-R2 results in death inducing signalling complex (DISC) formation and induction of apoptosis, which represents a natural mechanism of cell growth control and an ideal target for drug development.

Sparc localizes to the blebs of hobit cells and human primary osteoblasts.

Secreted protein acidic and rich in cystein (SPARC) is a secreted glycoprotein involved in several biological processes such as tissue remodeling, embryonic development, cell/extracellular matrix interactions, and cell migration. In particular, SPARC affects bone remodeling through the regulation of both differentiation/survival of osteoblasts and bone extracellular matrix synthesis/turnover. Here, we investigated SPARC subcellular localization in the human osteoblastic HOBIT cell line by immunocytochemistry and western blot analysis.

Differential effects of chemotherapeutic drugs versus the MDM-2 antagonist nutlin-3 on cell cycle progression and induction of apoptosis in SKW6.4 lymphoblastoid B-cells.

We have compared the cytotoxic/cytostatic responses of the SKW6.4 lymphoblastoid B-cells to the alkylating agent chlorambucil, the purine analog fludarabine, the non-genotoxic activator of the p53 pathway, Nutlin-3, used alone or in association with the death-inducing ligand recombinant TRAIL. Exposure to chlorambucil, fludarabine, and Nutlin-3 induced p53 accumulation and variably affected cell cycle progression in SKW6.

Synergistic cytotoxic activity of recombinant TRAIL plus the non-genotoxic activator of the p53 pathway nutlin-3 in acute myeloid leukemia cells.

To potentiate the response of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to TRAIL cytotoxicity, we have adopted a strategy of combining nutlin-3, a potent non-genotoxic activator of the p53 pathway, with recombinant TRAIL. The rationale for using such a combination was that deletions and/or mutations of the p53 gene occur in only 5-10% of AML and that TRAIL and nutlin-3 activate the extrinsic and intrinsic pathways of apoptosis, respectively. TRAIL induced a rapid increase of apoptosis when added to OCI M4-type and MOLM M5-type AML cells, carrying a wild-type p53, as well as to NB4 M3-type AML, carrying a mutated p53.

Different levels of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase isoform modulate the rate of osteoclastic differentiation of TIB-71 and CRL-2278 RAW 264.7 murine cell clones.

It has been clearly established that osteoclasts, which play a crucial role in bone resorption, differentiate from hematopoietic cells belonging to the monocyte/macrophage lineage in the presence of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL). We have here investigated the M-CSF- and RANKL-induced osteoclastic differentiation of two distinct clones of the murine monocytic/macrophagic RAW 264.7 cell line, known as TIB-71 and CRL-2278, the latter cell clone being defective for the expression of the inducible nitric oxide synthase isoform in response to interferon-gamma or lipopolysaccharide.

Functional expression of TRAIL and TRAIL-R2 during human megakaryocytic development.

The expression and function of surface TRAIL and TRAIL receptors were investigated in primary megakaryocytic cells, generated in serum-free liquid phase from peripheral human CD34(+) cells. The surface expression of both TRAIL and "death receptor" TRAIL-R2 became detectable starting from the early phase of megakaryocytic differentiation (day 6 of culture) and persisted at later (days10-14) culture times. On the other hand, "death receptor" TRAIL-R1, "decoy receptors" TRAIL-R3, and TRAIL-R4 were barely detectable or undetectable at any time point examined.

Immunolocalisation of bilitranslocase in mucosecretory and parietal cells of the rat gastric mucosa.

Bilitranslocase is a plasma membrane carrier localised at the vascular pole of the rat liver cell, where it mediates uptake of organic anions from the blood into the liver. This carrier is also present in the epithelium of the rat gastric mucosa, with similar molecular mass and functional properties. An immunohistochemical study reveals that both the mucus-secreting cells of the gastric pit and the H+-secreting parietal cells express bilitranslocase.

Expression of protein kinase C (PKC) alpha, delta, epsilon, zeta in primary chick chondrocyte cultures: immunocytochemical study.

PKC is a family of 12 serine/threonine isoenzymes that plays a pivotal role in signal transduction in a large number of biological processes. In the present work we have investigated the expression of PKC (alpha, delta, epsilon, zeta) in chick chondrocyte primary cultures at different differentiation times, i.e.

TRAIL activates a caspase 9/7-dependent pathway in caspase 8/10-defective SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells with two functional end points: induction of apoptosis and PGE2 release.

Most neuroblastoma cell lines do not express apical caspases 8 and 10, which play a key role in mediating tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) cytotoxicity in a variety of malignant cell types. In this study, we demonstrated that TRAIL induced a moderate but significant increase of apoptosis in the caspase 8/10-deficient SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cell line, through activation of a novel caspase 9/7 pathway. Concomitant to the induction of apoptosis, TRAIL also promoted a significant increase of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release by SK-N-SH cells.

TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) up-regulates cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 activity and PGE(2) production in cells of the myeloid lineage.

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) up-regulated the expression of constitutive cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 protein in HL-60 cells without affecting COX-2. The TRAIL-mediated COX-1 up-regulation was accompanied by a significant increase of the PGE(2) synthesis and release, which was suppressed by the COX-1 inhibitor valeryl salicylate but not by the COX-2 inhibitor NS-398. Experiments carried out by adding exogenous PGE(2) to HL-60 cells indicated that PGE(2) was not involved in TRAIL cytotoxicity and rather showed a dose-dependent protection against TRAIL-induced apoptosis.

Human herpesvirus 7 infection impairs the survival/differentiation of megakaryocytic cells.

In vitro infection of CD61+ megakaryocytic cells with human herpesvirus-7 (HHV-7) induced a drastic increase of apoptosis. Moreover, cells surviving HHV-7 cytotoxicity showed enhanced megakaryocytic maturation with respect to control cultures. These data suggest that HHV-7 reactivation in the bone marrow of HIV-1 infected individuals may contribute to impair megakaryocytopoiesis.

Binding of elements of protein kinase C-alpha regulatory domain to lamin B1.

Previous results from our laboratory have demonstrated that lamin B1 is a protein kinase C (PKC)-binding protein. Here, we have identified the regions of PKC-alpha that are important for this binding. By means of overlay assays and fusion proteins made of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) fused to elements of the regulatory domain of rat PKC-alpha, we have established that binding occurs through both the V1 region and a portion of the C2 region (i.

Immunochemical and immunocytochemical expression of protein kinase c isoenzymes alpha, delta, epsilon and zeta in primary adherent cultures of chick chondrocytes.

The family of protein kinase C (PKC) comprises serine/threonine isoenzymes involved in various biological processes, including cell proliferation and differentiation. On the bases of previous investigations performed by us on the expression of various PKC isoforms in the endochondral ossification process of the vertebral column, the aim of the present work was to investigate the expression of various PKC-isoenzymes in chick primary chondrocyte cultures i.e.

Morphological observations and morphometric analysis in three human fetuses with bilateral cervical cystic hygroma.

Three human fetuses (crown-rump length, CRL, ranging from 71 to 77 mm), presenting bilateral cervical cystic hygroma were examined. The specimens were cleared and double-stained with alcian blue and alizarin red S for detecting the ossification growth patterns in the vertebral column, ribs, ischium, limbs, and face. Longitudinal measurements of some long bones in the upper (humerus, ulna, radius) and lower (femur, tibia, fibula) limb were taken.