Search results for "regulation"
showing 10 items of 4463 documents
Agouti-related peptide-expressing neurons are mandatory for feeding.
2005
Multiple hormones controlling energy homeostasis regulate the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus. Nevertheless, inactivation of the genes encoding NPY and/or AgRP has no impact on food intake in mice. Here we demonstrate that induced selective ablation of AgRP-expressing neurons in adult mice results in acute reduction of feeding, demonstrating direct evidence for a critical role of these neurons in the regulation of energy homeostasis.
Molecular genetics of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms on indwelling medical devices.
2005
Staphylococcus epidermidis is an opportunistic pathogen associated with foreign body infections and nosocomial sepsis. The pathogenicity of S. epidermidis is mostly due to its ability to colonize indwelling polymeric devices and form a thick, multilayered biofilm. Biofilm formation is a major problem in treating S. epidermidis infection as biofilms provide significant resistance to antibiotics and to components of the innate host defenses. Various cell surface associated bacterial factors play a role in adherence and accumulation of the biofilm such as the polysaccharide intercellular adhesin and the autolysin AtlE. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that global regulators such as the …
„Eine Medizin der menschlichen Beziehungen” revisited - Aktuelle neurobiologische und psychosomatische Entwicklungen
2007
In his programmatic paper published 1989 in this journal, Herbert Weiner held the view that psychosomatic medicine has become a medicine of human relations. The aim of this review is TO reflect if current scientific evidence supports his view. Evidence from animal studies suggests that early infant-mother separation or neglect not only has a lasting influence on attachment behaviour, but also on brain development and the ability for stress regulation mediated by environmental as well as genetic factors. Neuronal networks processing affective components of physical pain play a role in signalling painful emotional experiences due to social isolation and separation. A consistent finding across…
Progressive pulmonary fibrosis is mediated by TGF-β isoform 1 but not TGF-β3
2007
Tissue repair is a well-orchestrated biological process involving numerous soluble mediators, and an imbalance between these factors may result in impaired repair and fibrosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta is a key profibrotic element in this process and it is thought that its three isoforms act in a similar way. Here, we report that TGF-beta3 administered to rat lungs using transient overexpression initiates profibrotic effects similar to those elicited by TGF-beta1, but causes less severe and progressive changes. The data suggest that TGF-beta3 does not lead to inhibition of matrix degradation in the same way as TGF-beta1, resulting in non-fibrotic tissue repair. Further, TGF-bet…
Skin response to a carcinogen involves the xenobiotic receptor pregnane X receptor.
2015
Skin is in daily contact with potentially harmful molecules from the environment such as cigarette smoke, automobile emissions, industrial soot and groundwater. Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a transcription factor expressed in liver and intestine that is activated by xenobiotic chemicals including drugs and environmental pollutants. Topical application of the tumor initiator 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA) enhances Pxr, Cyp1a1, Cyp1b1 and Cyp3a11, but not Ahr expression in the skin. Surprisingly, DMBA-induced Pxr upregulation is largely impaired in Langerin(+) cell-depleted skin, suggesting that DMBA mainly triggers Pxr in Langerin(+) cells. Furthermore, PXR deficiency protects from DN…
Beta-2-glycoprotein I is growth regulated and plays a role as survival factor for hepatocytes
2004
Beta-2-glycoprotein I (beta(2)GPI) is mainly produced by the liver and is found in plasma partially associated to lipoproteins. Although various properties have been attributed to this protein, its physiological role remains still unclear. We investigated its expression in cultured liver cells and in regenerating liver. Expression studies in HepG2 cells demonstrate that beta(2)GPI mRNA is regulated in a cell cycle-dependent manner, with very low expression in low cycling conditions and increasing levels in proliferating cells. p21 WAF-dependent growth arrest, induced by butyrate treatment, down-regulate beta(2)GPI mRNA levels. Immunolocalization in normal rat liver shows a non-homogeneous p…
Repression of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate Upregulation Disarms and Expands Human Regulatory T Cells
2011
Abstract The main molecular mechanism of human regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated suppression has not been elucidated. We show in this study that cAMP represents a key regulator of human Treg function. Repression of cAMP production by inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity or augmentation of cAMP degradation through ectopic expression of a cAMP-degrading phosphodiesterase greatly reduces the suppressive activity of human Treg in vitro and in a humanized mouse model in vivo. Notably, cAMP repression additionally abrogates the anergic state of human Treg, accompanied by nuclear translocation of NFATc1 and induction of its short isoform NFATc1/αA. Treg expanded under cAMP repression, however,…
Hyperhidrosis
2009
Sweating is a physiological and vital process. The basic distinction is made between two types of sweating: thermoregulatory and emotional sweating. Most of the sweat glands are of the eccrine type. They produce a thin secretion that is hypotonic to plasma (e1). Eccrine sweat glands are distributed all over the body; their highest density is in the axillary region, on the palms of the hands, and on the soles of the feet (1). Their main function is thermoregulation. Apocrine sweat glands are found primarily in the axillae and the urogenital region. These scent glands become active during puberty and secrete a viscous fluid. They are responsible for a person’s "personal," occasionally unpleas…
Slow 0.1 Hz Breathing and Body Posture Induced Perturbations of RRI and Respiratory Signal Complexity and Cardiorespiratory Coupling
2020
Objective: We explored the physiological background of the non-linear operating mode of cardiorespiratory oscillators as the fundamental question of cardiorespiratory homeodynamics and as a prerequisite for the understanding of neurocardiovascular diseases. We investigated 20 healthy human subjects for changes using electrocardiac RR interval (RRI) and respiratory signal (Resp) Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA, α1RRI, α2RRI, α1Resp, α2Resp), Multiple Scaling Entropy (MSERRI1−4, MSERRI5−10, MSEResp1−4, MSEResp5−10), spectral coherence (CohRRI−Resp), cross DFA (ρ1 and ρ2) and cross MSE (XMSE1−4 and XMSE5−10) indices in four physiological conditions: supine with spontaneous breathing, stand…
Induction of the adrenoleukodystrophy-related gene (ABCD2) by thyromimetics.
2009
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD) is a peroxisomal disorder caused by mutations in the ABCD1 (ALD) gene. The ABCD2 gene, its closest homolog, has been shown to compensate for ABCD1 deficiency when overexpressed. We previously demonstrated that the ABCD2 promoter contains a functional thyroid hormone response element. Thyroid hormone (T3) through its receptor TRbeta can induce hepatic Abcd2 expression in rodents and transiently normalize the VLCFA level in fibroblasts of Abcd1 null mice. In a therapeutic perspective, the use of selective agonists of TRbeta should present the advantage to be devoid of side effects, at least concerning the cardiotoxicity associated to TRalpha activation. I…