T1alpha/podoplanin deficiency disrupts normal lymphatic vasculature formation and causes lymphedema

Within the vascular system, the mucin-type transmembrane glycoprotein T1alpha/podoplanin is predominantly expressed by lymphatic endothelium, and recent studies have shown that it is regulated by the lymphatic-specific homeobox gene Prox1. In this study, we examined the role of T1alpha/podoplanin in vascular development and the effects of gene disruption in mice. T1alpha/podoplanin is first expressed at around E11.0 in Prox1-positive lymphatic progenitor cells, with predominant localization in the luminal plasma membrane of lymphatic endothelial cells during later development. T1alpha/podoplanin(-/-) mice die at birth due to respiratory failure and have defects in lymphatic, but not blood vessel pattern formation. These defects are associated with diminished lymphatic transport, congenital lymphedema and dilation of lymphatic vessels. T1alpha/podoplanin is also expressed in the basal epidermis of newborn wild-type mice, but gene disruption did not alter epidermal differentiation. Studies in cultured endothelial cells indicate that T1alpha/podoplanin promotes cell adhesion, migration and tube formation, whereas small interfering RNA-mediated inhibition of T1alpha/podoplanin expression decreased lymphatic endothelial cell adhesion. These data identify T1alpha/podoplanin as a novel critical player that regulates different key aspects of lymphatic vasculature formation.     

GH values after clonidine stimulation measured by immunofluorometric assay in normal prepubertal children and GH-deficient patients

OBJECTIVE: To establish the cut-off values of GH measured by immunofluorometric assay, a more sensitive and specific assay, in normal prepubertal children and compare their values with those of proven GH-deficient patients. METHODS: 30 normal children (20 males) and 26 patients with known causes of GH deficiency were submitted to the clonidine test and their GH values were compared. A powdered clonidine tablet (0.1 mg/m(2)) was given orally and blood samples for GH measurements were drawn at times -30, 0, 60, 90 and 120 min. RESULTS: GH peak values presented a wide variation ranging from 1.7 to 25 micro g/l (mean +/- SD = 12.87 +/- 5.8 micro g/l) in the normal group. The cut-off values for the 5th and 10th percentiles of the distribution curve were 3.3 and 5.5 micro g/l, respectively. In the GH deficiency group, maximum GH levels after clonidine stimulation ranged from <0.1 to 2.1 micro g/l (0.56 +/- 0.58 micro g/l). CONCLUSIONS: The cut-off values obtained with the immunofluorometric method are lower than the ones obtained by radioimmunoassay. We suggest a cut-off value of 3.3 micro g/l (5th percentile) that ensures 100% of sensitivity along with 93% of specificity to exclude the diagnosis of GH deficiency when using this immunofluorometric method.     

Apoptosis in prostate carcinogenesis

Development of effective therapeutic modalities for the treatment of human cancer relies heavily upon understanding the molecular alterations that result in initiation and progression of the tumorigenic process. Many of the molecular changes identified in human prostate tumorigenesis so far play key roles in apoptosis regulation. Apoptosis represents a universal and exquisitely efficient cellular suicide pathway. Since the therapeutic goal is to trigger tumor-selective apoptotic cell death (without clinically significant effects on the host), elucidation of the mechanisms underlying apoptosis deregulation will lead to the identification of specific cellular components for targeting therapeutic interventions. As our understanding of its vital role in the development and growth of the prostate gland has expanded, numerous genes that encode apoptotic regulators have been identified that are severely impaired in prostate cancer cells. In addition, the expression of apoptotic modulators within prostatic tumors appears to correlate with tumor sensitivity to traditional therapies such as hormonal ablation and radiotherapy. No strict correlation between apoptosis induction and a patient's long-term prognosis has emerged, perhaps due to the fact that the ability to achieve initial remission alone does not adequately predict long-term outcome. This review will encompass the known molecular changes intimately involved in the apoptotic pathway which have potential prognostic value in disease progression, as well as therapeutic significance in the enhancement of the apoptotic response to novel and established treatment strategies for the treatment of androgen-dependent and androgen-independent prostatic tumors. The main focus will be on the role of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway, bcl-2 and the bcl-2 family members, the caspase cascade (apoptosis executioners), and the Fas pathway in induction and regulation of apoptosis following therapeutic stimuli for the management of advanced prostate cancer.     

Adult human mesenchymal stem cell differentiation to the osteogenic or adipogenic lineage is regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase

Adult human mesenchymal stem cells are primary, multipotent cells capable of differentiating to osteocytic, chondrocytic, and adipocytic lineages when stimulated under appropriate conditions. To characterize the molecular mechanisms that regulate osteogenic differentiation, we examined the contribution of mitogen-activated protein kinase family members, ERK, JNK, and p38. Treatment of these stem cells with osteogenic supplements resulted in a sustained phase of ERK activation from day 7 to day 11 that coincided with differentiation, before decreasing to basal levels. Activation of JNK occurred much later (day 13 to day 17) in the osteogenic differentiation process. This JNK activation was associated with extracellular matrix synthesis and increased calcium deposition, the two hallmarks of bone formation. Inhibition of ERK activation by PD98059, a specific inhibitor of the ERK signaling pathway, blocked the osteogenic differentiation in a dose-dependent manner, as did transfection with a dominant negative form of MAP kinase kinase (MEK-1). Significantly, the blockage of osteogenic differentiation resulted in the adipogenic differentiation of the stem cells and the expression of adipose-specific mRNAs peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma2, aP2, and lipoprotein lipase. These observations provide a potential mechanism involving MAP kinase activation in osteogenic differentiation of adult stem cells and suggest that commitment of hMSCs into osteogenic or adipogenic lineages is governed by activation or inhibition of ERK, respectively.     

NRH:quinone oxidoreductase2 (NQO2)

The quinone oxidoreductases [NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase1 (NQO1) and NRH:quinone oxidoreductase2 (NQO2)] are flavoproteins. NQO1 is known to catalyse metabolic detoxification of quinones and protect cells from redox cycling, oxidative stress and neoplasia. NQO2 is a 231 amino acid protein (25956 mw) that is 43 amino acids shorter than NQO1 at its carboxy-terminus. The human NQO2 cDNA and protein are 54 and 49% similar to the human liver cytosolic NQO1 cDNA and protein. Recent studies have revealed that NQO2 differs from NQO1 in its cofactor requirement. NQO2 uses dihydronicotinamide riboside (NRH) rather than NAD(P)H as an electron donor. Another difference between NQO1 and NQO2 is that NQO2 is resistant to typical inhibitors of NQO1, such as dicoumarol, Cibacron blue and phenindone. Flavones, including quercetin and benzo(a)pyrene, are known inhibitors of NQO2. Even though overlapping substrate specificities have been observed for NQO1 and NQO2, significant differences exist in relative affinities for the various substrates. Analysis of the crystal structure of NQO2 revealed that NQO2 contains a specific metal binding site, which is not present in NQO1. The human NQO2 gene has been precisely localized to chromosome 6p25. The human NQO2 gene locus is highly polymorphic. The NQO2 gene is ubiquitously expressed and induced in response to TCDD. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the NQO2 gene promoter revealed the presence of several cis-elements, including SP1 binding sites, CCAAT box, xenobiotic response element (XRE) and an antioxidant response element (ARE). The complement of these elements regulates tissue specific expression and induction of the NQO2 gene in response to xenobiotics and antioxidants. The in vivo role of NQO2 and its role in quinone detoxification remains unknown.     

Behavioural alterations in rats induced by single prenatal exposure of haloperidol

Haloperidol (50 mg/kg, i.p.) treatment was given once to two different groups of pregnant Charles Foster rats on gestational day 9 and 14, these being respectively the critical periods of neural morphogenesis and rapid neural cell proliferation in this species. Pregnant control rats were similarly treated with equal volume of vehicle. The pups born were subjected to open-field exploratory behaviour and elevated plus-maze behaviour tests of anxiety and learned helplessness test of depression at 9 weeks of age. The results indicate that prenatal haloperidol treatment on gestational day 14 induces a significant increase in open-field ambulation and faecal droppings whereas haloperidol treatment on gestational day 9 caused significantly decreased rearing and unaltered ambulation in rat offsprings. Rat offsprings treated with haloperidol on gestational day 9 and 14 also displayed significant anxiogenic behaviour pattern on elevated plus-maze. Significantly increased number of escape failures were observed in learned helplessness tests indicating presence of depression in haloperidol treated rat offsprings. These behavioural alterations were found to be more marked in rat offsprings treated with haloperidol on gestational day 14. The results suggest that prenatal single exposure of high dose of haloperidol during critical period of neural cell proliferation leaves a lasting imprint on offsprings resulting in abnormal emotional state.     

An Arabidopsis VPS45p Homolog Implicated in Protein Transport to the Vacuole

The Sec1p family of proteins is required for vesicle-mediated protein trafficking between various organelles of the endomembrane system. This family includes Vps45p, which is required for transport to the vacuole in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). We have isolated a cDNA encoding a VPS45 homolog from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtVPS45). The cDNA is able to complement both the temperature-sensitive growth defect and the vacuolar-targeting defect of a yeast vps45 mutant, indicating that the two proteins are functionally related. AtVPS45p is a peripheral membrane protein that associates with microsomal membranes. Sucrose-density gradient fractionation demonstrated that AtVPS45p co-fractionates with AtELP, a potential vacuolar protein sorting receptor, implying that they may reside on the same membrane populations. These results indicate that AtVPS45p is likely to function in the transport of proteins to the vacuole in plants.     

Disparity between Adult and Juvenile American Robins Turdus migratorius Foraging for Ground Invertebrates and Cherry Fruits

Although it has long been known that juveniles often have foraging skills inferior to those of adults, it has generally been assumed that animal prey are more difficult to capture than fruit, and thus that juveniles foraging on fruit should be similar to adults in their efficiency. To examine these ideas, we investigated the abilities of juvenile and adult American robins Turdus migratorius to forage for ground invertebrates and fruits of the black cherry tree Prunus serotina. We hypothesized that juveniles, lacking the experience of adults, would not have the skills of adults and therefore would be less proficient invertebrate and fruit foragers. Juveniles captured 69% of invertebrates at which they struck compared with 80% of adults’ strikes that ended in capture. However, juveniles made more strikes than adults, so mean prey capture per minute was the same. Juveniles were also less skilled fruit foragers. Juveniles were twice as likely as adults to fail to pick a cherry (55% of adults’ vs. 28% of juveniles’ attempts ended in success). However, there was no significant difference in the proportion of juveniles and adults that dropped a cherry once it was picked. As a result of their low levels of success, juveniles consumed about half the number of cherries per minute as did adults. Contrary to prior assumptions, skills involved in fruit foraging may not be so easily acquired and many omnivorous species, like the American robin, must learn both invertebrate and fruit foraging skills.     

Preparation and graft copolymerisation of thiolated β-chitin and chitosan derivatives

β-Chitin was extracted from squid pens and deacetylated to β-chitosan. Both polymers were treated with tosyl chloride, potassium thioacetate and sodium methoxide to form 6-mercaptochitin and 6-mercaptochitosan, respectively. The degrees of substitution were lower for the chitosan derivatives and both types of polymer were less substituted than related polymers prepared from α-chitin. The thiolated polymers were reacted with MMA to form grafted copolymers. The solvent had an influence on the success of the polymerisation with the chitosan polymers giving highly grafted materials in aqueous acetic acid solution.