The potential of polymeric nanostructures obtained by extruding polymer solutions through reusable anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanopores for the fabrication is investigated systematically to be able unveil impact structure on cell culturing. Thus, nanostructured Na-alginate and poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) polymers as well blended alginate/PVA hydrogels are fabricated. PVA fibers with different di...

Expression of a transforming Harvey or Kirsten ras gene caused opposing effects in the ability of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and bradykinin to activate phospholipase C-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis. In [3H]inositol-labeled rat-1 fibroblasts, PDGF (5 ng/ml) resulted in a 2-fold increase in the level of [3H]inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) after 2 min and, in the presence of LiCl,...

Using a subtraction method, we have isolated genes that are induced early in the differentiation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells into adipocytes. These include the genes encoding transcription factors and signalling proteins, as well as unknown genes. Bach1, a transcription factor, and ARA70, a cofactor, were rapidly induced during differentiation. The induction of these two genes was observ...

NIH-3T3 cells, which are resistant to reovirus infection, became susceptible when transformed with activated Sos or Ras. Restriction of reovirus proliferation in untransformed NIH-3T3 cells was not at the level of viral gene transcription, but rather at the level of viral protein synthesis. An analysis of cell lysates revealed that a 65 kDa protein was phosphorylated in untransformed NIH-3T3 ce...

Human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV-6) is the etiologic agent of genital warts and recurrent respiratory papillomatosis. We are investigating the mechanism by which this virus stimulates cell proliferation during infection. In this paper, we report that the E5a gene of HPV-6c, an independent isolate of HPV-11, is capable of transforming NIH 3T3 cells. The E5a open reading frame (ORF) was expressed...

Since its identification in 1969, Enterovirus 71 (EV71) has been causing periodic outbreaks of infection in children worldwide and most prominently in the Asia-Pacific Region. Understanding the pathogenesis of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is hampered by the virus's inability to infect small animals and replicate in their derived in vitro cultured cells. This manuscript describes the phenotypic and gen...

The major excreted protein (MEP) of mouse fibroblasts is the precursor to a lysosomal acid protease (cathepsin L) whose synthesis is induced by malignant transformation, growth factors, tumor promoters, and cyclic AMP. We have previously cloned a functional gene for MEP from NIH 3T3 cells. When subcloned into chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) expression vectors, both 4-kilobase and 300 b...

Transcription factor activator protein 1 (AP1) interacts with the promoter region of a number of genes that are stimulated by growth factors present in serum or by agents such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) that partially mimic their action. To investigate the possible role of AP1 in the control of cellular growth and in transformation of mammalian cells, we monitored its activity by ...

The murine neutrophil elastase (NE) gene is expressed specifically in immature myeloid cells. A 91-bp NE promoter region contains three cis elements which are conserved evolutionarily and are essential for activation of the promoter in differentiating 32D cl3 myeloid cells. These elements bound c-Myb (at -49), C/EBPalpha (at -57), and PU.1 (at -82). In NIH 3T3 cells, the NE promoter was activat...