Interferon-alpha-induced modulation of glucocorticoid and serotonin receptors as a mechanism of depression.

Background/aims: The mechanism of interferon (IFN)-alpha-induced depression remains poorly understood. Recently, modulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and serotonin receptor 1A (5-HTR1A) were implicated in mechanism(s) leading to depression. To gain insight into this mechanism, we assessed the effect of IFN-alpha on the modulation of GR and 5-HTR1A expression.

The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on the survivin in thapsigargin-induced apoptosis.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was recently suggested as a third subcellular compartment in apoptotic execution. Survivin is a member of inhibitors of apoptosis and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) prevents apoptosis from various apoptotic stimuli. To assess the activity of survivin and the effect of UDCA on the survivin in ER stress-mediated apoptosis, we treated hepatoma cell lines with thapsigargin (TG).

The human/sheep xenograft model: a large animal model of human hematopoiesis.

Although not 'ideal', xenograft models of human hematopoiesis have proved to be extremely useful experimental systems for the study of the in vivo engraftment/proliferation potential of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSC). Among these, the human/sheep xenograft model is unique in several respects. This model takes advantage of fetal immunologic immaturity and developing 'homing' spaces in the fetal bone marrow to obtain donor HSC engraftment in normal recipients without marrow conditioning.