Euparyphium albuferensis and Echinostoma friedi cercarial infectivity to four species of sympatric snails was examined under single- or multiple-choice laboratory conditions to show the level of parasite-snail host compatibility. Radix peregra, Lymnaeafuscus, Physella acuta and Gyraulus chinensis act as second intermediate hosts of both parasite species although different cercarial transmission...

When a snail withdraws into its shell the only parts of the body left exposed to the air are a number of fleshy extensions of the mantle; the so-called mantle collar. This area of the body is a potentially serious source of water loss in the inactive terrestrial snail. The evaporation of water from active specimens of the common garden snail, Helix aspersa, is nearly identical to that from a fr...

The cap-dependent translation is frequently deregulated in a variety of cancers associated with tumor progression. However, the molecular basis of the translation activation for metastatic progression of cancer remains largely elusive. Here, we demonstrate that activation of cap-dependent translation by silencing the translational repressor 4E-BP1 causes cancer epithelial cells to undergo epith...

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a phenotype conversion that plays a critical role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). It is known that snail could regulate the progression of EMT. Nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), a key regulator of antioxidant defense system, protects cells against oxidative stress. However, it is not known whether Nrf2 regulates snail t...

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF) exerts several functions in physiological and pathological processes, among them the induction of epithelial cell scattering and motility. Its pivotal role in angiogenesis, tumor progression, and metastasis is evident; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that HGF induces scattering of epithe...

Snail family proteins are key regulators of epithelial-mesenchymal transition, but their role in endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is less well studied. We show that Slug, a Snail family member, is expressed by a subset of endothelial cells as well as mesenchymal cells of the atrioventricular canal and outflow tract during cardiac cushion morphogenesis. Slug deficiency results in impa...

The novel proteasome inhibitor NPI-0052 has been shown to sensitize tumor cells to apoptosis by various chemotherapeutic drugs and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), although the mechanisms involved are not clear. We hypothesized that NPI-0052-mediated sensitization may result from NF-kappaB inhibition and downstream modulation of the metastasis inducer Snail and t...

The transcriptional inhibitor Snail is a critical regulator for epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Although low oxygen induces Snail transcription, thereby stimulating EMT, a direct role of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) in this process remains to be demonstrated. Here we show that hypoxia induces the expression of Snail via HIF. In silico analysis identified a potential hypoxia-response ...

Genetic divergence in the Snail Kite S. E. Haas t al. HORT COMMUNICATION Genetic divergence among Snail Kite subspecies: implications for the conservation of the endangered Florida Snail Kite Rostrhamus sociabilis S. E. HAAS, 1 R. T. KIMBALL, 1 J. MARTIN 2 & W. M. KITCHENS 2 * 1 Department of Zoology, University of Florida, PO Box 118525, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA 2 Florida Cooperative Fi...

BACKGROUND Snail transcription factor can induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), associated with decreased cell adhesion-associated molecules like E-cadherin, increased mesenchymal markers like vimentin, leading to increased motility, invasion and metastasis. Muscadine grape skin extract (MSKE) has been shown to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth and induce apoptosis without affecting...