BACKGROUND. Tranilast is a therapeutic agent used in treatment of allergic diseases, although it has been reported to show anti-tumor effects on some cancer cells. To elucidate the effects of tranilast on prostate cancer, we investigated the mechanisms of its anti-tumor effect on prostate cancer. METHODS. The anti-tumor effects and related mechanisms of tranilast were investigated both in vitro...

Mouse splenic marginal zone (MZ) B cells and B1 B cells enriched in the peritoneal cavity respond preferentially to T cell-independent Ags compared with follicular (FO)/B2 B cells. Despite the differential responses of B cell subsets to various stimuli, and despite the need for multiple stimuli to induce IgA class switching, the relative contribution of B cell subpopulations to IgA production i...

in the pathogenesis of LDS prompted Loeys et al. [4] to investigate the role of TGF-b in MFS. It emerged that increased TGF-b levels and activity was evident in preclinical models and patients with MFS, a phenomenon explained by the fact that TGF-b is normally sequestered (and regulated) in the extracellular matrix by binding to fibrillin [7]. Moreover, suppression of TGF-b in preclinical model...

BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF) have been implicated in Chagas disease pathophysiology and may correlate with left ventricular (LV) function. OBJECTIVES We determined whether TGF-β1 and TNF serum levels correlate with LV systolic and diastolic functions and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) serum levels in chronic Chagas disease. METHODS This...

The founding member of the Kindlin family of proteins, Kindlin-1, received its namewhen itwas shown that a loss-offunction mutation in its gene gives rise to a rare, autosomalrecessive disease of the skin calledKindler syndrome (poikiloderma with blisters and keratosis).1 Kindlin-1 is a constituent of focal adhesions in keratinocytes and interacts with b-integrins. The Kindlin family of focal a...

Although transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is both a suppressor and promoter of tumorigenesis, its contribution to early tumor suppression and staging remains largely unknown. In search of the mechanism of early tumor suppression, we identified the adaptor protein ELF, a beta-spectrin from stem/progenitor cells committed to foregut lineage. ELF activates and modulates Smad4 activation ...

Transforming growth factor b (TGF-b) can promote late stage tumor progression in a number of model systems. In the present study, we have examined whether expression of a truncated soluble extracellular domain of TGF-b type III receptor (sRIII) in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells can antagonize the tumor-promoting activity of TGF-b by sequestering active TGF-b isoforms that are produced by ...

Transforming growth factor-B1 (TGF-β1 )and its coreceptor endoglin (ENG) have been shown to contribute to hepatocellular tumor development and malignant progression. Our aim was to evaluate the serum expression levels of ENG/ TGF-β1 mRNAs and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in cirrhotic Egyptian patients. Our study included 77 subjects. Real time polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate ...