Involvement of endorphins in emotional hyperthermia of rats

When rats were confronted with the novel experience of a new environment and stressful handling procedure their body temperature increased within minutes. At the same time β-endorphin-like immunoreactivity in the plasma increased dramatically. The stress-induced hyperthermia could be antagonized or reversed by the active, not however, by the inactive enantiomer of naloxone. The data provide evidence for a physiological role of endorphins.     

Separation of isolated hamster intestinal epithelial cells by velocity sedimentation on Ficoll gradients

Isolated hamster intestinal epithelial cells can be separated by velocity sedimentationion on 2–10% Ficoll gradients into three subpopulations of cells which differ in morphology, biochemistry, physiology, and membrane components. These subpopulations are not pure but are enriched in a single cell type to the extent that differences in cell function can be observed. The proliferative crypt cells are separated from the digestive-absorptive villus cells. A third subpopulation with a distinctive morphology is also obtained. Quantitation of DNA recoveries from the gradients indicates that this population constitutes approximately one-third of the epithelial cell population. These carrot-shaped cells are found adjacent to the digestive-absorptive columnar epithelial cells on the villus. The two types of villus cells differ in glycolipid or glycoprotein components of the brush border as shown by lectin binding experiments with the isolated cells. The gradient data also suggest that only one-third of the intestinal epithelial cell population is responsible for most monosaccharide absorption in hamster small intestine.     

Stimulation of dome formation in MDCK kidney epithelial cultures by inducers of differentiation: Dissociation from effects on transepithelial resistance and cyclic AMP levels

Changes in transepithelial electrical resistance and cyclic nucleotide levels were monitored accompanying chemical induction of domes in a clonal subline of MDCK kidney epithelial cells. Confluent cell monolayers grown on nitrocellulose filters exhibited a relatively high mean transepithelial resistance (387 ohms · cm²). Hexamethylene bisacetamide, a potent inducer of dome formation (Lever, 1979b), stimulated significantly increased transmonolayer resistance as well as elevated levels of intracellular cyclic AMP. By contrast, dimethylformamide, an equally potent inducer of dome formation in MDCK cells, did not appreciably alter either resistance values or cyclic nucleotide levels. These results suggest that induction of dome formation in epithelial cell cultures by compounds generally known as inducers of differentiation may involve multiple and separate mechanisms.     

A role for Bach1 and HO-2 in suppression of basal and UVA-induced HO-1 expression in human keratinocytes

Ultraviolet A (UVA) radiation is an oxidizing agent that strongly induces the heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) gene and expression of the protein in cultured human skin fibroblasts but weakly induces it in skin keratinocytes. Lower basal levels of HO-1 and much higher basal levels of HO-2 protein are observed in keratinocytes compared with fibroblasts. Using both overexpression and knockdown approaches, we demonstrate that HO-2 modulates basal and UVA-induced HO-1 protein levels, whereas HO-1 levels do not affect HO-2 levels in skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes. Silencing of Bach1 strongly increases HO-1 levels in transformed HaCaT keratinocytes and these HO-1 levels are not further increased by either UVA irradiation or silencing of HO-2. This is consistent with the conclusion that high constitutive levels of HO-2 expression in keratinocytes are responsible for the resistance of these cells to HO-1 induction by UVA radiation and that Bach1 plays a predominant role in influencing the lack of HO-1 expression in keratinocytes. Bach1 inhibition leading to HO-1 induction reduced UVA-irradiation-induced damage as monitored both by the extent of LDH release and by nuclear condensation, so that Bach1 inhibition seems to protect against UVA-irradiation-induced damage in keratinocytes.     

Loads distributed in vivo among vertebrae,muscles, spinal ligaments,and intervertebral discs in a passively flexed lumbar spine

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - The load distribution among lumbar spinal structures—still an unanswered question—has been in the focus of this hybrid experimental and...     

Imatinib mesylate affects extracellular ATP catabolism and expression of NTPDases in a chronic myeloid leukemia cell line

Purinergic Signalling - Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm, characterized by the occurrence of the t(9;22)(q34;q11) translocation. First-line therapy for CML consists...     

Transmembrane adaptor protein WBP1L regulates CXCR4 signalling and murine haematopoiesis

WW domain binding protein 1‐like (WBP1L), also known as outcome predictor of acute leukaemia 1 (OPAL1), is a transmembrane adaptor protein, expression of which correlates with ETV6‐RUNX1 (t(12;21)(p13;q22)) translocation and favourable prognosis in childhood leukaemia. It has a broad expression pattern in haematopoietic and in non‐haematopoietic cells. However, its physiological function has been unknown. Here, we show that WBP1L negatively regulates signalling through a critical chemokine receptor CXCR4 in multiple leucocyte subsets and cell lines. We also show that WBP1L interacts with NEDD4‐family ubiquitin ligases and regulates CXCR4 ubiquitination and expression. Moreover, analysis of Wbp1l‐deficient mice revealed alterations in B cell development and enhanced efficiency of bone marrow cell transplantation. Collectively, our data show that WBP1L is a novel regulator of CXCR4 signalling and haematopoiesis.