Troglitazone upregulates PTEN expression and induces the apoptosis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells under hypoxic conditions.

The increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) are the main causes of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. In this study, we investigated the role of troglitazone [peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist] in the regulation of phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) expression and the apoptosis of PASMCs under hypoxic conditions. Normal human PASMCs were cultured in growth medium (GM) and treated with troglitazone (0.

Cigarette smoke-induced skeletal muscle atrophy is associated with up-regulation of USP-19 via p38 and ERK MAPKs.

Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) deubiquitinate ubiquitin-protein conjugates in the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Previous research shows that ubiquitin-specific protease-19 (USP-19) is up-regulated in mammalian skeletal muscle in some degradative conditions, such as including fasting, diabetes, dexamethasone treatment, and cancer, and its function is associated with muscle atrophy. However, it is still unclear whether USP-19 is involved in muscle atrophy induced by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

[Activation related genes of memory CD(4)(+) T cells in asthma patients].

Objective: To screen and identify the genes of activated memory CD(4)(+) T cells in asthma.

Methods: Differential display polymerase chain reaction (DDPCR) was utilized to identify genes of memory CD(4)(+) T cells after activation from asthmatic patients and normal individuals, and the mRNA levels of the differentially expressed genes were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: Nineteen differentially expressed cDNA fragments were isolated.