Fgf9 promotes incisor dental epithelial stem cell survival and enamel formation.

Background: Understanding the role of cytokines in tooth development is critical for advancing dental tissue engineering. Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is the only FGF consistently expressed throughout dental epithelial tissue, from the initiation of tooth bud formation to tooth maturation. However, mice lacking Fgf9 (Fgf9) surprisingly show no obvious abnormalities in tooth development, suggesting potential compensation by other FGFs.

regulates bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell fate and bone-fat balance in osteoporosis by PI3K/AKT/Hippo and MEK/ERK signaling.

Bone-fat balance is crucial to maintain bone homeostasis. As common progenitor cells of osteoblasts and adipocytes, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are delicately balanced for their differentiation commitment. However, the exact mechanisms governing BMSC cell fate are unclear.

USP47 deficiency in mice modulates tumor infiltrating immune cells and enhances antitumor immune responses in prostate cancer.

This study investigates the role of USP47, a deubiquitinating enzyme, in the tumor microenvironment and its impact on antitumor immune responses. Analysis of TCGA database revealed distinct expression patterns of USP47 in various tumor tissues and normal tissues. Prostate adenocarcinoma showed significant downregulation of USP47 compared to normal tissue.

GABA transporter mGat4 is involved in multiple neural functions in mice.

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. The termination of GABA transmission is through the action of GABA transporters (GATs). mGAT4 (encoded by Slc6a11) is another GAT besides GAT1 (encoded by Slc6a1) that functions in GABA reuptake in CNS.

Stk10 Deficiency in Mice Promotes Tumor Growth by Dysregulating the Tumor Microenvironment.

Serine-threonine kinase 10 (STK10) is a member of the STE20/p21-activated kinase (PAK) family and is predominantly expressed in immune organs. Our previous reports suggested that STK10 participates in the growth and metastasis of prostate cancer via in vitro and in vivo data. However, the correlation between STK10 and the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear.

Bioluminescence imaging of mouse monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in inflammatory processes.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) plays a crucial role in various inflammatory diseases. To reveal the impact of MCP-1 during diseases and to develop anti-inflammatory agents, we establish a transgenic mouse line. The firefly luciferase gene is incorporated into the mouse genome and driven by the endogenous promoter.

Increased Anxiety-like Behaviors in Adgra1 Male But Not Female Mice are Attributable to Elevated Neuron Dendrite Density, Upregulated PSD95 Expression, and Abnormal Activation of the PI3K/AKT/GSK-3β and MEK/ERK Pathways.

Adhesion G protein-coupled receptor A1 (ADGRA1) belongs to the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) family, and its physiological function remains largely unknown. We found that Adgra1 is highly and exclusively expressed in the brain, suggesting that Adgra1 may be involved in the regulation of neurological behaviors including anxiety, depression, learning and memory. To this end, we comprehensively analyzed the potential role of ADGRA1 in the neurobehaviors of mice by comparing Adgra1 and their wild-type (wt) littermates.

Testis-specific serine protease PRSS54 regulates acrosomal granule localization and sperm head morphogenesis in mice†.

Serine proteases (PRSS) constitute nearly one-third of all proteases, and many of them have been identified to be testis-specific and play significant roles during sperm development and male reproduction. PRSS54 is one of the testis-specific PRSS in mouse and human but its physiological function remains largely unclear. In the present study, we demonstrate in detail that PRSS54 exists not only in testis but also in mature sperm, exhibiting a change in protein size from 50 kDa in testis to 42 kDa in sperm.

2D-DOA Estimation in Switching UCA Using Deep Learning-Based Covariance Matrix Completion.

In this paper, we study the two-dimensional direction of arrival (2D-DOA) estimation problem in a switching uniform circular array (SUCA), which means performing 2D-DOA estimation with a reduction in the number of radio frequency (RF) chains. We propose a covariance matrix completion algorithm for 2D-DOA estimation in a SUCA. The proposed algorithm estimates the complete covariance matrix of a fully sampled UCA (FUCA) from the sample covariance matrix of the SUCA through a neural network.

PRSS37 deficiency leads to impaired energy metabolism in testis and sperm revealed by DIA-based quantitative proteomic analysis.

Our previous studies have reported that a putative trypsin-like serine protease, PRSS37, is exclusively expressed in testicular germ cells during late spermatogenesis and essential for sperm migration from the uterus into the oviduct and sperm-egg recognition via mediating the interaction between PDILT and ADAM3. In the present study, the global proteome profiles of wild-type (wt) and Prss37 mice in testis and sperm were compared employing data independent acquisition (DIA) technology. Overall, 2506 and 459 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were identified in Prss37-null testis and sperm, respectively, when compared to control groups.

RIG-I acts as a tumor suppressor in melanoma via regulating the activation of the MKK/p38MAPK signaling pathway.

Studies have indicated that RIG-I may act as a tumor suppressor and participate in the tumorigenesis of some malignant diseases. However, RIG-I induces distinct cellular responses via different downstream signaling pathways depending on the cell type. To investigate the biological function and underlying molecular mechanism of RIG-I in the tumorigenesis of melanoma, we constructed RIG-I knockout, RIG-I-overexpressing B16-F10 and RIG-I knockdown A375 melanoma cell lines, and analyzed the RIG-I-mediated change in the biological behavior of tumor cells in spontaneous and poly (I:C)-induced RIG-I activation.

Regulates the Luteinizing Hormone Secretion and Affects Mouse Ovulation.

was reportedly involved in the regulation of the reproductive function in female mice, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not clear. In this study, female mice lacking showed a delay in vaginal opening, irregular estrous cycles, ovulation disorder and subfertility. The level of luteinizing hormone (LH) was significantly lower in plasma but higher in pituitary of mutant mice.

The molecular mechanisms underlying acrosome biogenesis elucidated by gene-manipulated mice†.

Sexual reproduction requires the fusion of two gametes in a multistep and multifactorial process termed fertilization. One of the main steps that ensures successful fertilization is acrosome reaction. The acrosome, a special kind of organelle with a cap-like structure that covers the anterior portion of sperm head, plays a key role in the process.

Dissecting the PRSS37 interactome and potential mechanisms leading to ADAM3 loss in PRSS37-null sperm.

A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 3 (ADAM3) is a sperm membrane protein critical for sperm migration from the uterus into the oviduct and sperm-egg binding in mice. Disruption of PRSS37 results in male infertility concurrent with the absence of mature ADAM3 from cauda epididymal sperm. However, how PRSS37 modulates ADAM3 maturation remains largely unclear.

ADGRA1 negatively regulates energy expenditure and thermogenesis through both sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis in male mice.

Adhesion G protein-coupled receptor A1 (ADGRA1, also known as GPR123) belongs to the G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) family and is well conserved in the vertebrate lineage. However, the structure of ADGRA1 is unique and its physiological function remains unknown. Previous studies have shown that Adgra1 is predominantly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), indicating its important role in the transduction of neural signals.

Activated factor X targeted stored in platelets as an effective gene therapy strategy for both hemophilia A and B.

Background: Treatment of hemophiliacs with inhibitors remains challenging, and new treatments are in urgent need. Coagulation factor X plays a critical role in the downstream of blood coagulation cascade, which could serve as a bypassing agent for hemophilia therapy. Base on platelet-targeted gene therapy for hemophilia by our and other groups, we hypothesized that activated factor X (FXa) targeted stored in platelets might be effective in treating hemophilia A (HA) and B (HB) with or without inhibitors.

Fgf9 Negatively Regulates Bone Mass by Inhibiting Osteogenesis and Promoting Osteoclastogenesis Via MAPK and PI3K/AKT Signaling.

Fibroblast growth factor 9 (Fgf9) is a well-known factor that regulates bone development; however, its function in bone homeostasis is still unknown. Previously, we identified a point mutation in the FGF9 gene (p.Ser99Asn, S99N) and generated an isogeneic knock-in mouse model, which revealed that this loss-of-function mutation impaired early joint formation and was responsible for human multiple synostosis syndrome 3 (SYNS3).

STAT3 and AKT signaling pathways mediate oncogenic role of NRSF in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Neuron-restrictive silencer factor (NRSF) is a zinc finger protein that acts as a negative transcriptional regulator by recruiting histone deacetylases and other co-factors. It plays a crucial role in nervous system development and is recently reported to be involved in tumorigenesis in a tumor type-dependent manner; however, the role of NRSF in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumorigenesis remains unclear. Here, we found that NRSF expression was up-regulated in 27 of 49 human HCC tissue samples examined.

Ovotesticular disorders of sex development in FGF9 mouse models of human synostosis syndromes.

In mice, male sex determination depends on FGF9 signalling via FGFR2c in the bipotential gonads to maintain the expression of the key testis gene SOX9. In humans, however, while FGFR2 mutations have been linked to 46,XY disorders of sex development (DSD), the role of FGF9 is unresolved. The only reported pathogenic mutations in human FGF9, FGF9S99N and FGF9R62G, are dominant and result in craniosynostosis (fusion of cranial sutures) or multiple synostoses (fusion of limb joints).

Betaine/GABA transporter-1 (BGT-1) deficiency in mouse prevents acute liver failure in vivo and hepatocytes apoptosis in vitro.

Betaine/γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter 1 (BGT-1 or Slc6a12) is a transporter for the neurotransmitter GABA and osmolyte betaine. To date, most studies on BGT-1 have focused on its functions in the nervous system and renal osmotic homeostasis. Despite its dominant distribution in the liver, the function of BGT-1 in hepatic physiology or disease remains unknown.