PURPOSE To investigate the effect of annexin A5, a calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding protein, on corneal epithelial wound healing. METHODS The effect of annexin A5 on migration of rabbit corneal epithelial (RCE) cells in vitro was examined in scrape-wounded cell monolayers. The effect of annexin A5 on the release of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) from cultured RCE cells was d...

BACKGROUND The rice receptor kinase XA21 confers robust resistance to the bacterial pathogen Xanthomonas oryzaepv. oryzae(Xoo). We previously reported that XA21 is cleaved in transgenic plants overexpressing XA21 with a GFP tag (Ubi-XA21-GFP) and that the released C-terminal domain is localized to the nucleus. XA21 carries a predicted nuclear localization sequence (NLS) that directs the C-termi...

Introduction: A noninvasive method of detecting exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) on the external surface of the plasma membrane such as nuclear imaging could assist the diagnosis and therapy of apoptosis related pathologies. The most studied imaging agent for apoptosis is Annexin V so far. Because of limitations of Annexin V other agents have been introduced such as small peptides and molecu...

Melanocortin-1 (MC1) receptor is an attractive melanoma-specific target for the development of α-MSH peptide based imaging and therapeutic agents. In this work a new lactam bridge α-MSH analogue was synthesized and radiolabeled with 99mTc via HYNIC chelator and tricine as co-ligand. Also, stability in human serum, receptor bound internalization and tissue biodistribution in tumor bearing nude m...

BACKGROUND Receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) expression contributes to the impaired angiogenic response to limb ischemia in diabetes. The aim of this study was to detect the effect of increased expression of RAGE on the angiogenic response to limb ischemia in diabetes by targeting αvβ3 integrin with 99mTc-labeled Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD). METHODS Male wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice wer...

Chemotactic peptides bind specifically to receptors on leukocyte membranes. This property makes them prospective vehicles to evaluate inflammation and infection. We used two well-established models of acute pancreatitis to quantitate the binding of the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-lysine (fMLFK) to leukocytes and its correlation to degree of organ inflammation. Up...

BACKGROUND Ectopic production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) by neuroendocrine tumours (NET) is a rare condition, occult presentations often hampering the diagnosis. Although NET are relatively frequent in the ileon and Meckel diverticulum, we describe the first Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic adrenocorticotropic syndrome (CS-EAS) arising from a Meckel diverticulum. CASE PRESENTATION...