Arginine vasopressin (AVP), a vasoactive peptide hormone that binds to three G-protein coupled receptors (V1R, V2R, and V3R), has long been known to activate V1R and elicit mitogenesis in several cell types, including adrenal glomerulosa cells. However, in the mouse Y1 adrenocortical malignant cell line, AVP triggers not only a canonical mitogenic response but also novel RhoA-GTP-dependent mech...

The p21-activated kinase (PAK) serine/threonine kinases are important effectors of the small GTPases Rac and Cdc42, and play significant roles in controlling cell growth, motility, and transformation. Knockdown of PAK4 or PAK1 inhibited the proliferation of mutant KRAS or BRAF colon cancer cells in vitro. Dependence on PAK4 or PAK1 protein for colon cancer cell proliferation was independent of ...

Immune suppression during measles accounts for most of the morbidity and mortality associated with the virus infection. Experimental study of this phenomenon has been hampered by the lack of a suitable animal model. We have used the cotton rat to demonstrate that mitogen-induced proliferation of spleen cells from measles virus-infected animals is impaired. Proliferation inhibition is seen in al...

The endocannabinoid system regulates cell proliferation in human breast cancer cells. Recently, we described that a metabolically stable anandamide analog, 2-methyl-2'-F-anandamide, by activation of CB1 receptors significantly inhibited cell proliferation of human breast cancer cell lines. In this study, we observed that the activation of the CB1 receptor, in two human mammary carcinoma cell li...

The signaling pathways utilized by naïve and experienced effector CD4 T cells during activation and proliferation were evaluated. While inhibition of either mTOR or MAPK alone was able to inhibit naïve T cell proliferation, both mTOR and MAPK (ERK) pathway inhibition was required to efficiently block experienced, effector CD4 T cell proliferation. This was demonstrated both in vitro, and in viv...

Abstract BACKGROUND The Hedgehog pathway directs gene expression programs that are essential for glioblastoma stem cells in vitro, but a clinical trial suggested inhibition does not improve outcomes (ABTC-0904). In pancreatic and bladder cancer, signaling through the tumor microenvironment induces stromal morphogens to inhibit cancer cell proliferation. Thus, we hypothesized may proliferation v...

Abstract Background Nosema bombycis is a unicellular eukaryotic pathogen of the silkworm, Bombyx mori , and an economic occupational hazard in silkworm industry. Because its long incubation period horizontal vertical transmission, it subject to quarantine measures sericulture production. The microsporidian life-cycle includes dormant extracellular phase intracellular proliferation phase, with b...

Endothelial Cells (ECs) form cohesive cellular lining of the vasculature and play essential roles in both developmental processes pathological conditions. Collective migration proliferation endothelial cells are key underlying endothelialization vessels as well vascular graft, but complex interplay mechanical biochemical signals regulating these still not fully elucidated. While surface topogra...

Abstract Children with Group 3 medulloblastoma (MB) have a very poor long-term outcome and many do not survive beyond 5 years. Several drivers for MB been identified but none resulted in targeted therapy to date. LIN28B is stem cell factor upregulated associated worse survival. Here we investigate the role of pathway development. Pharmacologic inhibition feasible may provide unique opportunity ...

Abstract Resistance to genotoxic therapies and tumor recurrence are hallmarks of glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive brain tumor. Here, we explore the functional drivers post-treatment recurrent GBM. By conducting genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens in patient-derived GBM models, uncover distinct genetic dependencies cells that were absent their patient-matched primary predecessors, accompanied by in...