Expression of the plasma membrane citrate carrier (pmCiC) in human cancerous tissues-correlation with tumour aggressiveness.

We have recently shown that cancer cells of various origins take up extracellular citrate through the plasma membrane citrate carrier (pmCiC), a specific plasma membrane citrate transporter. Extracellular citrate is required to support cancer cell metabolism, in particular fatty acid synthesis, mitochondrial activity, protein synthesis and histone acetylation. In addition, cancer cells tend to acquire a metastatic phenotype in the presence of extracellular citrate.

Protein kinase C targeting of luminal (T-47D), luminal/HER2-positive (BT474), and triple negative (HCC1806) breast cancer cells in-vitro with AEB071 (Sotrastaurin) is efficient but mediated by subtype specific molecular effects.

Purpose: Protein kinase C (PKC) plays a pivotal role in malignant cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasiveness and migration. However, its exploitation as therapeutic target in breast cancer has been merely explored. Here were evaluated the AEB071 (Sotrastaurin™) treatment efficiency of breast cancer cell lines derived from estrogen receptor positive (T-47D), estrogen/HER2 receptor positive (BT474), and triple negative (HCC1806) breast cancer cells under 2D (monolayer) and 3D (multicellular tumor spheroids) culture conditions.

Significant impact of circulating tumour DNA mutations on survival in metastatic breast cancer patients.

Mutational analysis of circulating tumour (ct) DNA holds promise as an effective tool to predict the course of metastatic breast cancer (MBC). In the present study we used targeted next generation sequencing of ctDNA to evaluate the impact of cancer driven mutations on the prognosis of MBC. The study included 59 oestrogen receptor-positive (ER+), HER2-negative MBC patients.

Cancer-associated cells release citrate to support tumour metastatic progression.

Citrate is important for lipid synthesis and epigenetic regulation in addition to ATP production. We have previously reported that cancer cells import extracellular citrate via the pmCiC transporter to support their metabolism. Here, we show for the first time that citrate is supplied to cancer by cancer-associated stroma (CAS) and also that citrate synthesis and release is one of the latter's major metabolic tasks.

Extracellular Citrate Affects Critical Elements of Cancer Cell Metabolism and Supports Cancer Development .

Glycolysis and fatty acid synthesis are highly active in cancer cells through cytosolic citrate metabolism, with intracellular citrate primarily derived from either glucose or glutamine via the tricarboxylic acid cycle. We show here that extracellular citrate is supplied to cancer cells through a plasma membrane-specific variant of the mitochondrial citrate transporter (pmCiC). Metabolomic analysis revealed that citrate uptake broadly affected cancer cell metabolism through citrate-dependent metabolic pathways.

Shift in prevalence of HPV types in cervical cytology specimens in the era of HPV vaccination.

The aim of the present population-based cohort study was to analyze the association between the prevalence of 32 types of human papilloma virus (HPV) in 615 female patients with abnormal cervical cytopathology findings. In total, 32 HPV types were screened by DNA array technology. HPV infection was detected in 470 women (76.

Glutaminyl cyclase-mediated toxicity of pyroglutamate-beta amyloid induces striatal neurodegeneration.

Background: Posttranslational modifications of beta amyloid (Aβ) have been shown to affect its biophysical and neurophysiological properties. One of these modifications is N-terminal pyroglutamate (pE) formation. Enzymatic glutaminyl cyclase (QC) activity catalyzes cyclization of truncated Aβ(3-x), generating pE3-Aβ.

Prion-like behaviour and tau-dependent cytotoxicity of pyroglutamylated amyloid-β.

Extracellular plaques of amyloid-β and intraneuronal neurofibrillary tangles made from tau are the histopathological signatures of Alzheimer's disease. Plaques comprise amyloid-β fibrils that assemble from monomeric and oligomeric intermediates, and are prognostic indicators of Alzheimer's disease. Despite the importance of plaques to Alzheimer's disease, oligomers are considered to be the principal toxic forms of amyloid-β.

Selective hippocampal neurodegeneration in transgenic mice expressing small amounts of truncated Aβ is induced by pyroglutamate-Aβ formation.

Posttranslational amyloid-β (Aβ) modification is considered to play an important role in Alzheimer's disease (AD) etiology. An N-terminally modified Aβ species, pyroglutamate-amyloid-β (pE3-Aβ), has been described as a major constituent of Aβ deposits specific to human AD but absent in normal aging. Formed via cyclization of truncated Aβ species by glutaminyl cyclase (QC; QPCT) and/or its isoenzyme (isoQC; QPCTL), pE3-Aβ aggregates rapidly and is known to seed additional Aβ aggregation.

The isoenzyme of glutaminyl cyclase is an important regulator of monocyte infiltration under inflammatory conditions.

Acute and chronic inflammatory disorders are characterized by detrimental cytokine and chemokine expression. Frequently, the chemotactic activity of cytokines depends on a modified N-terminus of the polypeptide. Among those, the N-terminus of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (CCL2 and MCP-1) is modified to a pyroglutamate (pE-) residue protecting against degradation in vivo.

Glutaminyl cyclase inhibition attenuates pyroglutamate Abeta and Alzheimer's disease-like pathology.

Because of their abundance, resistance to proteolysis, rapid aggregation and neurotoxicity, N-terminally truncated and, in particular, pyroglutamate (pE)-modified Abeta peptides have been suggested as being important in the initiation of pathological cascades resulting in the development of Alzheimer's disease. We found that the N-terminal pE-formation is catalyzed by glutaminyl cyclase in vivo. Glutaminyl cyclase expression was upregulated in the cortices of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and correlated with the appearance of pE-modified Abeta.

Inhibition of glutaminyl cyclase prevents pGlu-Abeta formation after intracortical/hippocampal microinjection in vivo/in situ.

Modified amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides represent major constituents of the amyloid deposits in Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome. In particular, N-terminal pyroglutamate (pGlu) following truncation renders Abeta more stable, increases hydrophobicity and the aggregation velocity. Recent evidence based on in vitro studies suggests that the cyclization of glutamic acid, leading to pGlu-Abeta, is catalyzed by the enzyme glutaminyl cyclase (QC) following limited proteolysis of Abeta at the N-terminus.

An EF hand mutation in Stim1 causes premature platelet activation and bleeding in mice.

Changes in cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels regulate a variety of fundamental cellular functions in virtually all cells. In nonexcitable cells, a major pathway of Ca2+ entry involves receptor-mediated depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores followed by the activation of store-operated calcium channels in the plasma membrane. We have established a mouse line expressing an activating EF hand motif mutant of stromal interaction molecule 1 (Stim1), an ER receptor recently identified as the Ca2+ sensor responsible for activation of Ca2+ release-activated (CRAC) channels in T cells, whose function in mammalian physiology is not well understood.

IL-22 is increased in active Crohn's disease and promotes proinflammatory gene expression and intestinal epithelial cell migration.

IL-22 is produced by activated T cells and signals through a receptor complex consisting of IL-22R1 and IL-10R2. The aim of this study was to analyze IL-22 receptor expression, signal transduction, and specific biological functions of this cytokine system in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC). Expression studies were performed by RT-PCR.

A luminous efficiency function, V*(lambda), for daylight adaptation.

We propose a new luminosity function, V*(lambda), that improves upon the original CIE 1924 V(lambda) function and its modification by D. B. Judd (1951) and J.

Autoimmunity and inflammation due to a gain-of-function mutation in phospholipase C gamma 2 that specifically increases external Ca2+ entry.

The identification of specific genetic loci that contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases has proved difficult due to the contribution of multiple interacting genes, the inherent genetic heterogeneity present in human populations, and a lack of new mouse mutants. By using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU) mutagenesis to discover new immune regulators, we identified a point mutation in the murine phospholipase Cg2 (Plcg2) gene that leads to severe spontaneous inflammation and autoimmunity. The disease is composed of an autoimmune component mediated by autoantibody immune complexes and B and T cell independent inflammation.

Vestibular defects in head-tilt mice result from mutations in Nox3, encoding an NADPH oxidase.

The vestibular system of the inner ear is responsible for the perception of motion and gravity. Key elements of this organ are otoconia, tiny biomineral particles in the utricle and the saccule. In response to gravity or linear acceleration, otoconia deflect the stereocilia of the hair cells, thus transducing kinetic movements into sensorineural action potentials.

A novel missense mutation in the mouse growth hormone gene causes semidominant dwarfism, hyperghrelinemia, and obesity.

The SMA1-mouse is a novel ethyl-nitroso-urea (ENU)-induced mouse mutant that carries an a-->g missense mutation in exon 5 of the GH gene, which translates to a D167G amino acid exchange in the mature protein. Mice carrying the mutation are characterized by dwarfism, predominantly due to the reduction (sma1/+) or absence (sma1/sma1) of the GH-mediated peripubertal growth spurt, with sma1/+ mice displaying a less pronounced phenotype. All genotypes are viable and fertile, and the mode of inheritance is in accordance with a semidominant Mendelian trait.

Cell type specific expression of secretory TFF peptides: colocalization with mucins and synthesis in the brain.

The "TFF domain" is an ancient cysteine-rich shuffled module forming the basic unit for the family of secretory TFF peptides (formerly P-domain peptides and trefoil factors). It is also an integral component of mosaic proteins associated with mucous surfaces. Three mammalian TFF peptides are known (i.

The molecular basis of dichromatic color vision in males with multiple red and green visual pigment genes.

We investigated the genotypic variation in 50 red-green color vision deficient males (27 deuteranopes and 23 protanopes) of middle European ancestry who possess multiple genes in the X-linked photopigment gene array. We have previously shown that only the first two genes of the array are expressed and contribute to the color vision phenotype. Therefore, the hypothesis is that the first two genes possessed by multigene-dichromats encode pigments of identical or nearly identical spectral sensitivity: one gene normal (R or G) and the other a hybrid (G/R or R/G).