BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) is an inhibitor of muscle cell differentiation that is associated with fibrosis, poor regeneration and poor function in some diseases of muscle. When neutralizing antibodies to TGF-β1 or the angiotensin II inhibitor losartan were used to reduce TGF-β1 signaling, muscle morphology and function were restored in mouse models of Marfan Syndrome ...

CFTR is an integral transmembrane glycoprotein and a cAMP-activated Cl(-) channel. Mutations in the CFTR gene lead to Cystic Fibrosis (CF)-an autosomal recessive disease with majority of the morbidity and mortality resulting from airway infection, inflammation, and fibrosis. The most common disease-associated mutation in the CFTR gene-deletion of Phe508 (ΔF508) leads to a biosynthetic processin...

This study was undertaken to determine the effects of IL-1β and TGF-β1 on the expression of differentiation-associated genes in chondrocytes in vitro. Rat costal chondrocytes were exposed to different concentrations of IL-1β and TGF-β1 for 48 h and tested for gene expression. IL-1β increased the expression of aggrecanase-1 and aggrecanase-2 and decreased the content of aggrecan and collagen II....

OBJECTIVE Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and nitric oxide (NO) have been implicated in protection against myocardial ischemia injury. This study was designed to explore a new method of therapy for myocardial injury by eNOS gene transfection. METHODS A rat model of myocardial infarction (MI) was established by left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery ligation. eNOS gene in an a...

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFB1) and transforming growth factor β type 2 receptor (TGFBR2) are key components of TGF-β signaling and play an important role in vascular remodeling in placentation. Several polymorphisms have been identified in TGFB1 and TGFBR2 genes, including those associated with the regulation of TGF-β1 levels and TGF binding to its receptor. The decrease of TGF-β1 levels...

Transforming growth factor-β1 is considered a key contributor to the progression of breast cancer. MicroRNAs are important factors in the development and progression of many malignancies. In the present study, upon studies of breast cancer cell lines and tissues, we showed that microRNA -196a-3p is decreased by transforming growth factor-β1 in breast cancer cells and associated with breast canc...

OBJECTIVE To comparatively investigate the expression of several integrins in specimens of human bone metastases and degenerative bone tissue. METHODS Degenerative cancellous tissue was obtained from a sample of human degenerative spine. Thirteen human specimens were obtained from metastatic spine tumors, whose primary cancer was colon cancer (n=3), hepatocellular cancer (n=3), lung cancer (n...

Integrins are heterodimeric extracellular matrix receptors that are essential for the proper development of the vertebrate nervous system. We report here that selective loss of integrin β1 in excitatory neurons leads to reductions in the size and complexity of hippocampal dendritic arbors, hippocampal synapse loss, impaired hippocampus-dependent learning, and exaggerated psychomotor sensitivity...

The β1-adrenoceptor exists in two agonist conformations/states: 1) a high-affinity state where responses to catecholamines and other agonists (e.g., cimaterol) are potently inhibited by β1-adrenoceptor antagonists, and 2) a low-affinity secondary conformation where agonist responses, particularly CGP12177 [(-)-4-(3-tert-butylamino-2-hydroxypropoxy)-benzimidazol-2-one] are relatively resistant t...

BACKGROUND Keloids are an extreme form of abnormal scarring that result from a pathological fibroproliferative wound healing process. The molecular mechanisms driving keloid pathology remain incompletely understood, hindering development of targeted, effective therapies. Recent studies in our laboratory demonstrated that keloid keratinocytes exhibit adhesion abnormalities and display a transcri...