Calcium sensing receptor in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: Infants born from mothers with Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) experience several complications, including a higher rate of postnatal hypocalcemia. In this study, we investigated the association between calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) and neonatal hypocalcemia observed in GDM pregnancies.

Methods: Our study consisted of 58 pregnant women with GDM and 40 healthy women and their neonates.

Differential regulation of M3/6 (DUSP8) signaling complexes in response to arsenite-induced oxidative stress.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are involved in the regulation of cellular proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, as well as in inflammatory responses. Signal intensity and duration have been recognized as crucial parameters determining MAPK signaling output. Phosphatases play a particularly important role in this respect, by tightly controlling MAPK phosphorylation and activation.

Phosphorylation of the M3/6 dual-specificity phosphatase enhances the activation of JNK by arsenite.

Specific outcomes upon activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway critically depend on the intensity and duration of signal transmission. Dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs) play a very important role in these events by modulating the extent of JNK phosphorylation and activation and thus regulating cellular responses to stress. M3/6 (DUSP8) is one of the dual-specificity protein phosphatases with distinct specificity towards JNK.

Modulation of growth factor action by the extracellular matrix.

Growth factors were historically defined as molecules produced by the body to regulate cell growth and proliferation. After the identification of their receptors and the intracellular signaling machinery they activate, it is now clear that they are involved in the regulation of multiple processes essential for development and normal tissue function. The present review gives a brief overview of growth factor action.

The repair enzyme peptide methionine-S-sulfoxide reductase is expressed in human epidermis and upregulated by UVA radiation.

Recently, we reported that photoaging correlates well with the amount of oxidized protein accumulated in the upper dermis, while protein oxidation levels in the viable epidermis are very low. We hypothesized that this might be due to epidermal expression of the repair enzymes methionine sulfoxide reductases (MSRs). The expression of human methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MSRA) was investigated in HaCaT cells, primary human keratinocytes, and in human skin.