Short title: Disintegrin metalloproteinase and collagen gel contraction ABSTRACT To test the hypothesis that homocysteine induces constrictive vascular remodeling by promoting collagen contraction and by inactivating peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR), human aortic endothelial and smooth muscle cells (SMC) were isolated and characterized by positive labeling for van Willebrand fa...

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) is a major physiological inhibitor of fibrinolysis, with its plasma levels correlating with the risk for myocardial infarction and venous thrombosis. The regulation of PAI-1 transcription by endothelial cells (ECs), a major source of PAI-1, remains incompletely understood. Adipocytes also produce PAI-1, suggesting possible common regulatory pathway...

Microglial activation plays an important role in the regulation of neuronal function and contributes to the development of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Activation of nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) by an endogenous agonist, 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14)-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2), has been shown to be beneficial in many diseases with aberrant immune respo...

Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) is a major physiological inhibitor of fibrinolysis, with its plasma levels correlating with the risk for myocardial infarction and venous thrombosis. The regulation of PAI-1 transcription by endothelial cells (ECs), a major source of PAI-1, remains incompletely understood. Adipocytes also produce PAI-1, suggesting possible common regulatory pathway...

Nerve growth factor (NGF) has recently been shown to be secreted from white adipocytes, its production being strongly stimulated by the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha. In this study, we have examined whether a series of prostaglandins and other inflammation-related factors also stimulate NGF expression and secretion by adipocytes, using 3T3-L1 cells. Although interleukin (...

The thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of antidiabetic drugs, which are ligands for peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR), has been shown to possess potent anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic actions. Here, we show in mesangial cells that PPARagonists inhibit fibronectin expression by transforming growth factor (TGF)1. TGF1 enhanced fibronectin mRNA expression, and this enhancement was ...