86,675 research outputs found
Clinical, pathological and immunological features of psoriatic-like lesions affecting keratin 14-vascular endothelial growth factor transgenic mice
Get PDFUp-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a primary role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Transgenic mice over-expressing VEGF under the Keratin 14 (K14) promoter develop an inflammatory skin condition with many of the pathobiological features of human psoriasis. In this work, the development of spontaneous psoriatic-like dermatitis in K14-VEGF transgenic mice was monitored from week 6 to week 44 and skin lesions were characterized clinically (application of a clinical score system comparable to the human Psoriasis Area and Severity Index), microscopically (histopathology, leukocyte subset and neoangiogensis) and immunologically (evaluation of local and systemic cytokine/chemokine profiles). Based on PASI score system, three progressive clinical phases were identified: mild acute (8-14 weeks of age), moderate subacute (15-21 weeks of age) and severe chronic-active (22-44 weeks of age) dermatitis. Microscopically, skin lesions consisted of progressive proliferative psoriatic-like dermatitis dominated by dermo-epidermal infiltrates of CD3-positive lymphocytes, an increased number of mast cells and neoangiogenesis. Both local and systemic up-regulation of pro-inflammatory (IL-12, TNF-alpha, IL-6, MCP-1 and IL-8) and regulatory (IL-10) cytokines/chemokines was observed, mainly during the later stages of disease development. The results obtained in this study further confirm the central role of VEGF over-expression in the development of psoriatic-like dermatitis. Similarly to what is reported for human psoriasis, both the local and systemic immunologic profiles observed in K14-VEGF transgenic mice suggest that a combined Th1 and Th17 response may be implicated in lesion development. The identification of three progressive stages of disease, each with peculiar clinicopathological features, renders the K14-VEGF transgenic mouse a valuable model to study novel immunotherapies for psoriasis
Data demonstrating the anti-oxidant role of hemopexin in the heart.
Get PDFThe data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled Hemopexin counteracts systolic dysfunction induced by heme-driven oxidative stress (G. Ingoglia, C. M. Sag, N. Rex, L. De Franceschi, F. Vinchi, J. Cimino, S. Petrillo, S. Wagner, K. Kreitmeier, L. Silengo, F. Altruda, L. S. Maier, E. Hirsch, A. Ghigo and E. Tolosano, 2017) [1]. Data show that heme induces reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in primary cardiomyocytes. H9c2 myoblastic cells treated with heme bound to human Hemopexin (Hx) are protected from heme accumulation and oxidative stress. Similarly, the heme-driven oxidative response is reduced in primary cardiomyocytes treated with Hx-heme compared to heme alone. Our in vivo data show that mouse models of hemolytic disorders, β-thalassemic mice and phenylhydrazine-treated mice, have low serum Hx associated to enhanced expression of heme- and oxidative stress responsive genes in the heart. Hx mice do not show signs of heart fibrosis or overt inflammation. For interpretation and discussion of these data, refer to the research article referenced above
Soluble integrin ligands and growth factors independently rescue neuroblastoma cells from apoptosis under non-adherent condition
No full textLONGITUDINAL COUPLING IMPEDANCE OF A CHARGE TRAVELLING ALONG THE AXIS OF THE DRIFT TUBES IN A VACUUM CHAMBER
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Cloning of cDNA for a novel mouse membrane glycoprotein (gp42): shared identity to histocompatibility antigens, immunoglobulins and neural-cell adhesion molecules
No full textA full-length clone encoding a murine membrane glycoprotein, gp42, was selected from a mouse fibroblast cDNA expression library by screening with a polyclonal antiserum. The deduced amino acid (aa) sequence indicates that gp42 is a transmembrane protein of 273 aa with a large N-terminal portion exposed outside the cell and a short cytoplasmic domain. Computer assisted analysis shows that gp42 is distinct from previously characterized proteins, but shares a number of structural features with the class II histocompatibility antigens. The sizes of the extracellular domains of gp42 and of class II histocompatibility antigens are similar, the position of four cysteines and the location of several aa residues are conserved. Some of these conserved residues are also present in immunoglobulins (Ig) and in the neural-cell adhesion molecule, thus indicating that gp42 is a new member of the Ig superfamily. © 1989
Combinatorial cis-acting elements regulate tissue-specific expression of the cardiac troponin I gene in vitro and in vivo
No full textThe cardiac troponin I gene is one of the few sarcomeric protein genes exclusively expressed in cardiac muscle. We show here that this specificity is controlled by a proximal promoter (-230/+16) in transfected cardiac cells in culture, in the adult hearts, and in transgenic animals. Functional analysis indicates that MEF2/Oct-1, Sp1, and GATA regulatory elements are required for optimal gene activation because selective mutations produce weak or inactive promoters. MEF2 and Oct-1 transcription factors bind to the same A/T-rich element. A mutation that blocks this binding markedly reduces gene activation in vivo and in vitro, and overexpression of MEF2A, MEF2C, and MEF2D in noncardiac cells transactivates the cardiac troponin I promoter. Disruption of these elements inactivates the cardiac troponin I promoter in cultured cardiac cells but has a less important role in transfected adult heart. Moreover, nuclear extracts from an almost pure population of adult cardiac cells contain much lower levels of GATA binding activity compared with fetal cardiac cells. These findings point to a differential role of GATA factors in the maintenance of gene expression in the adult heart as compared with the activation of cardiac genes in fetal cardiomyocytes. Overexpression of GATA family members transactivates the cardiac troponin I promoter, and GATA-5 and GATA-6 are stronger transactivators than GATA-4, a property apparently unique to the cardiac troponin I promoter. Transgenic mice carrying the -230/+126 base pair promoter express beta-galactosidase reporter gene in the heart both at early stages of cardiogenesis and in the adult animals. These results indicate that the ability of the cardiac troponin I proximal promoter to target expression of a downstream gene in the heart is also maintained when the transgene is integrated into the genome
IL SUBDOMAIN CITOPLASMATICO VARIABILE DELL'INTEGRINA BETA1A PROTEGGE DA "ANOIKIS" LE CELLULE EPITELIALI
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