Search results for " Subunit"
showing 10 items of 502 documents
Differential response of neuronal cells to a fusion protein of ciliary neurotrophic factor/soluble CNTF-receptor and leukemia inhibitory factor
2002
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) displays neurotrophic activities on motor neurons and neural cell populations both in vivo and in vitro. On target cells lacking intrinsic expression of specific receptor alpha subunits cytokines of the IL-6 family only act in the presence of their specific agonistic soluble receptors. Here, we report the construction and expression of a CNTF/soluble CNTF-receptor (sCNTF-R) fusion protein (Hyper-CNTF) with enhanced biological activity on cells expressing gp130 and leukemia inhibitory factor receptor (LIF-R), but not membrane-bound CNTF-R. At the cDNA level, the C-terminus of the extracellular domain of human CNTF-R (amino acids 1-346) was linked via a sing…
Glomerular basement membrane: evidence for collagenous domain of the alpha 3 and alpha 4 chains of collagen IV.
1990
Abstract A collagenous component(s) of Mr = 60K was extracted from glomerular basement membrane with urea and was purified. Upon digestion, it yielded a collagenase-resistant fragment(s) of Mr = 23.5K. Both component and fragment showed immunochemical identity with the noncollagenous domains of the new α3 & α4 chains of collagen IV. The component is characterized by a collagenous domain of about 280 residues and a noncollagenous domain of about 250 residues. These findings further establish these new chains as distinct entities of collagen IV.
Atrial fibrillation is associated with cardiac hypoxia.
2008
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common human arrhythmia, is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality and may be promoted by selective atrial ischemia and atrial fibrosis. Consequently, we investigated markers for hypoxia and angiogenesis in AF. METHODS: Right atrial appendages (n=158) were grouped according to heart rhythm [sinus rhythm (SR) or AF]. The degree of fibrosis and microvessel density of all patients were determined morphometrically using Sirius-Red- and CD34/CD105-stained sections, respectively. Next, sections (n=77) underwent immunostaining to detect hypoxia- and angiogenesis-related proteins [hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)1 alpha, HIF2 alpha, vascular…
More than a pore: How voltage-gated calcium channels act on different levels of neuronal communication regulation.
2021
ABSTRACT Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) represent key regulators of the calcium influx through the plasma membrane of excitable cells, like neurons. Activated by the depolarization of the membrane, the opening of VGCCs induces very transient and local changes in the intracellular calcium concentration, known as calcium nanodomains, that in turn trigger calcium-dependent signaling cascades and the release of chemical neurotransmitters. Based on their central importance as concierges of excitation-secretion coupling and therefore neuronal communication, VGCCs have been studied in multiple aspects of neuronal function and malfunction. However, studies on molecular interaction partners …
Interferon-α Suppresses cAMP to Disarm Human Regulatory T Cells
2013
Abstract IFN-α is an antineoplastic agent in the treatment of several solid and hematologic malignancies that exerts strong immune- and autoimmune-stimulating activity. However, the mechanisms of immune activation by IFN-α remain incompletely understood, particularly with regard to CD4+CD25highFoxp+ regulatory T cells (Treg). Here, we show that IFN-α deactivates the suppressive function of human Treg by downregulating their intracellular cAMP level. IFN-α–mediated Treg inactivation increased CD4+ effector T-cell activation and natural killer cell tumor cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, repression of cAMP in Treg was caused by IFN-α–induced MAP–ERK kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated ki…
Molecular and Functional Characterisation of Hemocyanin of the Giant African Millipede Archispirostreptus gigas
2013
SummaryIn contrast to other terrestrial arthropods where gaseous O2 that fuels aerobic metabolism diffuses to the tissues in tracheal tubes, and most other metazoans where O2 is transported to tissues by circulating respiratory proteins, the myriapods (millipedes and centipedes) strikingly have tracheal systems as well as circulating hemocyanin (Hc). In order to elucidate the evolutionary origin and biological significance of millipede Hc we report the molecular structure (subunit composition and amino acid sequence) of multimeric (36-mer) Hc from the forest-floor dwelling giant African millipede Archispirostreptus gigas and its allosteric oxygen binding properties under various physico-che…
miR-155 inhibition sensitizes CD4+ Th cells for TREG mediated suppression.
2009
BackgroundIn humans and mice naturally occurring CD4(+)CD25(+) regulatory T cells (nTregs) are a thymus-derived subset of T cells, crucial for the maintenance of peripheral tolerance by controlling not only potentially autoreactive T cells but virtually all cells of the adaptive and innate immune system. Recent work using Dicer-deficient mice irrevocably demonstrated the importance of miRNAs for nTreg cell-mediated tolerance.Principal findingsDNA-Microarray analyses of human as well as murine conventional CD4(+) Th cells and nTregs revealed a strong up-regulation of mature miR-155 (microRNA-155) upon activation in both populations. Studying miR-155 expression in FoxP3-deficient scurfy mice …
Polymorphisms of microRNA target genes
2016
AIM To evaluate associations between miRNA target genes IL12B, INSR, CCND1 and IL10 polymorphisms and gastric cancer (GC) in European population. METHODS Gene polymorphisms were analyzed in 508 controls and 474 GC patients from 3 tertiary centers in Germany, Lithuania and Latvia. Controls were patients from the out-patient departments, who were referred for upper endoscopy because of dyspeptic symptoms and had no history of previous malignancy. Gastric cancer (GC) patients had histopathological verification of gastric adenocarcinoma. Genomic DNA was extracted using salting out method from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. IL12B T>G (rs1368439), INSR T>C (rs1051690), CCND1 A>C (rs7177) and…
The Proteoglycan NG2 Is Complexed with α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA) Receptors by the PDZ Glutamate Receptor Interactio…
2003
The proteoglycan NG2 is expressed by immature glial cells in the developing and adult central nervous system. Using the COOH-terminal region of NG2 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified the glutamate receptor interaction protein GRIP1, a multi-PDZ domain protein, as an interacting partner. NG2 exhibits a PDZ binding motif at the extreme COOH terminus which binds to the seventh PDZ domain of GRIP1. In addition to the published expression in neurons, GRIP1 is expressed by immature glial cells. GRIP1 is known to bind to the GluRB subunit of the AMPA glutamate receptor expressed by subpopulations of neurons and immature glial cells. In cultures of primary oligodendrocytes, cells c…
A novel pyruvate kinase (PK-S) from boar spermatozoa is localized at the fibrous sheath and the acrosome
2007
Boar spermatozoa contain a novel pyruvate kinase (PK-S) that is tightly bound at the acrosome of the sperm head and at the fibrous sheath in the principal piece of the flagellum, while the midpiece contains a soluble pyruvate kinase (PK). PK-S could not be solubilized by detergents, but by trypsin with no loss of activity. Purified PK-S as well as PK-S still bound to cell structures and soluble sperm PK have all kinetics similar to those of rabbit muscle PK-M1. The PK-S subunit had a relative molecular mass of 64 ± 1 × 103(n= 3), i.e. slightly higher than that of PK-M1, and carried an N-terminal extension (NH2-TSEAM-COOH) that is lacking in native PK-M1. Evidence is provided that PK-S is en…