Doxorubicin induces EGF receptor-dependent downregulation of gap junctional intercellular communication in rat liver epithelial cells

Exposure of rat liver epithelial cells to doxorubicin, an anthraquinone derivative widely employed in cancer chemotherapy, led to a dose-dependent decrease in gap junctional intercellular communication (GJC). Gap junctions are clusters of inter-cellular channels consisting of connexins, the major connexin in the cells used being connexin-43 (Cx43). Doxorubicin-induced loss of GJC was mediated by activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-1 and ERK-2, as demonstrated using inhibitors of ERK activation. Furthermore, activation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor by doxorubicin was responsible for ERK activation and the subsequent attenuation of GJC. Inhibition of GJC, however, was not by direct phosphorylation of Cx43 by ERK-1/2, whereas menadione, a 1,4-naphthoquinone derivative that was previously demonstrated to activate the same EGF receptor-dependent pathway as doxorubicin, resulting in downregulation of GJC, caused strong phos-phorylation of Cx43 at serines 279 and 282. Thus, ERK-dependent downregulation of GJC upon exposure to quinones may occur both by direct phosphorylation of Cx43 and in a phosphorylation-independent manner.     

CtBP3/BARS drives membrane fission in dynamin-independent transport pathways

Membrane fission is a fundamental step in membrane transport. So far, the only fission protein machinery that has been implicated in in vivo transport involves dynamin, and functions in several, but not all, transport pathways. Thus, other fission machineries may exist. Here, we report that carboxy-terminal binding protein 3/brefeldin A-ribosylated substrate (CtBP3/BARS) controls fission in basolateral transport from the Golgi to the plasma membrane and in fluid-phase endocytosis, whereas dynamin is not involved in these steps. Conversely, CtBP3/BARS protein is inactive in apical transport to the plasma membrane and in receptor-mediated endocytosis, both steps being controlled by dynamin. This indicates that CtBP3/BARS controls membrane fission in endocytic and exocytic transport pathways, distinct from those that require dynamin.     

Load-dependent kinetics of myosin-V can explain its high processivity

Recent studies provide strong evidence that single myosin class V molecules transport vesicles and organelles processively along F-actin, taking several 36-nm steps, 'hand over hand', for each diffusional encounter. The mechanisms regulating myosin-V's processivity remain unknown. Here, we have used an optical-tweezers-based transducer to measure the effect of load on the mechanical interactions between rabbit skeletal F-actin and a single head of mouse brain myosin-V, which produces its working stroke in two phases. We found that the lifetimes of the first phase of the working stroke changed exponentially and about 10-fold over a range of pushing and pulling forces of +/- 1.5 pN. Stiffness measurements suggest that intramolecular forces could approach 3.6 pN when both heads are bound to F-actin, in which case extrapolation would predict the detachment kinetics of the front head to slow down 50-fold and the kinetics of the rear head to accelerate respectively. This synchronizing effect on the chemo-mechanical cycles of the heads increases the probability of the trail head detaching first and causes a strong increase in the number of forward steps per diffusional encounter over a system with no strain dependence.     

Prohibitin is required for Ras-induced Raf-MEK-ERK activation and epithelial cell migration

Ras proteins control the signalling pathways that are responsible for normal growth and malignant transformation. Raf protein kinases are direct Ras effector proteins that initiate the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, which mediates diverse biological functions such as cell growth, survival and differentiation. Here we show that prohibitin, a ubiquitously expressed and evolutionarily conserved protein is indispensable for the activation of the Raf-MEK-ERK pathway by Ras. The membrane targeting and activation of C-Raf by Ras needs prohibitin in vivo. In addition, direct interaction with prohibitin is required for C-Raf activation. C-Raf kinase fails to interact with the active Ras induced by epidermal growth factor in the absence of prohibitin. Moreover, in prohibitin-deficient cells the adhesion complex proteins cadherin and beta-catenin relocalize to the plasma membrane and thereby stabilize adherens junctions. Our data show an unexpected role of prohibitin in the activation of the Ras-Raf signalling pathway and in modulating epithelial cell adhesion and migration.     

Effect of cultural methods on leaf spot (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycosphaerella fragariae</Emphasis>) and gray mold (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Botrytis cinerea</Emphasis>) damage in strawberries

Damage of leaf spot, caused by Mycosphaerella fragariae and gray mold also called Botrytis fruit rot, caused by Botrytis cinerea, average fruit weight and yield were evaluated with regard to cultural methods over 2years. Leaf spot damage decreased significantly by around 90% due to leaf sanitation (removal of dead and leaf spot infected leaves in early spring) and by 50% due to plantation in a one-row-system instead of a two-row-system. When all leaves including the healthy green ones were removed in early spring, average fruit weight decreased significantly by 10%. Fruit sanitation – the third treatment – did not influence any of the measured parameters. Neither leaf sanitation nor fruit sanitation (removal of damaged fruits during harvest) reduced B. cinerea damage significant. Only the combination of a one-row-system, leaf sanitation and fruit sanitation almost halved (not significantly) B. cinerea damage in the first crop year compared to a two-row-system without leaf and fruit sanitation. B. cinerea damage correlated significantly and positively with the biomass of plants by R²= 0.47. According to this study and the cited literature it is suggested for humid Central European conditions to apply a one-row-system combined with leaf sanitation in early spring and fruit sanitation during harvest if fruit density is high, to reduce the risk of damages in larger dimension caused by M. fragariae and B. cinerea.     

LmxMPK4, a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase homologue essential for promastigotes and amastigotes of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leishmania mexicana</Emphasis>

Background  

Leishmania parasites undergo profound morphological and biochemical changes while passing through their life cycle. Protein kinases have been shown to be involved in the differentiation from the extracellular flagellated promastigotes to the intracellular "non-flagellated" amastigotes and vice versa. Moreover, these enzymes are likely involved in the regulation of the proliferation of the different life stages.     

Transhiatal and transthoracic resection in adenocarcinoma of the esophagus: Does the operative approach have an influence on the long-term prognosis?

Background

Goblet cell carcinoid (GCC) of the appendix is a rare neoplasm that share histological features of both adenocarcinoma and carcinoid tumor. While its malignant potential remains unclear, GCC's are more aggressive than conventional carcinoid. The clinical presentations of this neoplasm are also varied. This review summarizes the published literature on GCC of the appendix. The focus is on its diagnosis, histopathological aspects, clinical manifestations, and management.

Methods

Published studies in the English language between 1966 to 2004 were identified through Medline keyword search utilizing terms "goblet cell carcinoid," "adenocarcinoid", "mucinous carcinoid" and "crypt cell carcinoma" of the appendix.

Results

Based on the review of 57 published papers encompassing nearly 600 diagnosed patients, the mean age of presentation for GCC of the appendix was 58.89 years with equal representation in both males and females. Accurate diagnosis of this neoplasm requires astute observations within an acutely inflamed appendix as this neoplasm has a prominent pattern of submucosal growth and usually lacks the formation of a well-defined tumor mass. The mesoappendix was involved in 21.64% followed by perineural involvement in 2.06%. The most common clinical presentations in order of frequency were acute appendicitis in 22.5%; asymptomatic in 5.4%; non-localized abdominal pain in 5.15% and an appendicular mass in 3.09%. The most common surgical treatment of choice was appendectomy with right hemicolectomy in 34.70% followed by simple appendectomy in 24.57%. Concomitant distant metastasis at diagnosis was present in 11.16% of patients with the ovaries being the most common site in 3.60% followed by disseminated abdominal carcinomatosis in 1.03%. Local lymph node involvement was seen in 8.76% of patients at the time of diagnosis. The reported 5-year survival ranges from 60 % to 84%. GCC's of the appendix remains a neoplasm of unpredictable biological behavior and thus warrants lifelong surveillance for recurrence of the disease upon diagnosis and successful surgical extirpation.

Conclusion

GCC of the appendix is a rare neoplasm. Due to its wide range of presentation, this tumor should be considered as a possible diagnosis in many varied situations leading to abdominal surgery. Histopathological features such as increased number of Paneth cells, increased amount of mucin secretion and presence of pancreatic polypeptide may predict a more aggressive behavior. The advocated plan of management recommended for patients with tumors that involve the adjacent caecum or with high-grade tumors with histological features such as an increased mitotic rate involve initial appendectomy with completion right hemicolectomy due to the high possibility of local recurrence with intraperitoneal seeding prior to lymph node involvement and a 20% risk of metastatic behavior. In female patients with GCC of the appendix regardless of age, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy is advocated. In cases with obvious spread of the disease chemotherapy, mostly with 5-FU and leucovorin is advised. Cytoreductive surgery with adjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy can offer improved survival in cases with advanced peritoneal dissemination.     

WW or WoW: the WW domains in a union of bliss

WW domains are small protein modules that recognize proline-rich peptide motifs or phosphorylated-serine/threonine proline sites in cognate proteins. Within host proteins these modules are joined to other protein domains or to a variety of catalytic domains acting together as adaptors or targeting anchors of enzymes. An important aspect of signaling by WW domains is their ability to recognize their cognate ligands in tandem. Tandem WW domains not only act in a synergistic manner but also appear to chaperone the function of each other. In this review, we focus on structure, function, and mechanism of the tandem WW domains co-operativity as well as independent actions. We emphasize here the implications of tandem arrangement and cooperative function of the domains for signaling pathways.