Gpr55 deficiency crucially alters cardiomyocyte homeostasis and counteracts angiotensin II induced maladaption in female mice.

Background And Purpose: Cannabis stimulates several G-protein-coupled-receptors and causes bradycardia and hypotension upon sustained consumption. Moreover, in vitro studies suggest an interference of cannabinoid-signalling with cardiomyocyte contractility and hypertrophy. We aimed at revealing a functional contribution of the cannabinoid-sensitive receptor GPR55 to cardiomyocyte homeostasis and neurohumorally induced hypertrophy in vivo.

Sex- and age-related differences in the inflammatory properties of cardiac fibroblasts: impact on the cardiosplenic axis and cardiac fibrosis.

Background: Age and sex are prominent risk factors for heart failure and determinants of structural and functional changes of the heart. Cardiac fibroblasts (cFB) are beyond their task as extracellular matrix-producing cells further recognized as inflammation-supporting cells. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of sex and age on the inflammatory potential of cFB and its impact on the cardiosplenic axis and cardiac fibrosis.

The β-catenin/TCF complex as a novel target of resveratrol in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Wnts are secreted glycolipoproteins that play important roles in the regulation of embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Binding of Wnt to receptors and co-receptors causes inactivation of the β-catenin destruction complex, which leads to the stabilization and nuclear translocation of β-catenin to initiate Wnt-responsive gene expression after associating with TCF in the nucleus. As its deregulation results in serious human diseases, especially cancers, the Wnt signaling pathway serves as a promising platform for screening anti-cancer drugs.

Modeling of oscillatory bursting activity of pancreatic beta-cells under regulated glucose stimulation.

A mathematical model to describe the oscillatory bursting activity of pancreatic beta-cells is combined with a model of glucose regulation system in this work to study the bursting pattern under regulated extracellular glucose stimulation. The bursting electrical activity in beta-cells is crucial for the release of insulin, which acts to regulate the blood glucose level. Different types of bursting pattern have been observed experimentally in glucose-stimulated islets both in vivo and in vitro, and the variations in these patterns have been linked to changes in glucose level.

Modeling of glucose regulation and insulin-signaling pathways.

A model of glucose regulation system was combined with a model of insulin-signaling pathways in this study. A feedback loop was added to link the transportation of glucose into cells (by GLUT4 in the insulin-signaling pathways) and the insulin-dependent glucose uptake in the glucose regulation model using the Michaelis-Menten kinetic model. A value of K(m) for GLUT4 was estimated using Genetic Algorithm.