BACKGROUND AND AIM The present study was conducted to examine the effect of activin A on activation of rat pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). METHODS PSCs were prepared from rat pancreas using collagenase digestion and centrifugation with Nycodenz gradient. Activation of PSCs was examined by determining smooth muscle actin expression with western blotting. The presence of activin A receptors i...

BACKGROUND Activin A and its binding protein follistatin (FS) are increased in inflammatory disorders and sepsis. Overexpression of activin A in the lung causes similar histopathological changes as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS and severe respiratory failure are complications of influenza A(H1N1) infection. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), which in experimental studies increases after a...

The expression of activin type II and IIB receptors and inhibin alpha-, beta A-, and beta B-subunit messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and the secretion of immunoreactive and bioactive activin during culture of testicular peritubular myoid cells and peritubular myoid cell lines were studied. Cultured peritubular myoid cells and cell lines expressed high levels of inhibin beta A-subunit mRNA and some inhib...

We report that activin profoundly alters epithelial branching morphogenesis of embryonic mouse salivary gland, pancreas and kidney rudiments in culture, indicating that it may play a role as a morphogen during mammalian organogenesis. In developing pancreas and salivary gland rudiments, activin causes severe disruption of normal lobulation patterns of the epithelium whereas follistatin, an acti...

Activin A, a member of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily, is involved in regulation of tissue remodeling and inflammation. Herein, we wanted to explore a role for activin A in pulmonary hypertension (PH). Circulating levels of activin A and its binding protein follistatin were measured in patients with PH (n = 47) and control subjects (n = 14). To investigate synthesis and l...

Activin is a member of the transforming growth factor-beta family that is involved in cell differentiation, hormone secretion, and regulation of neuron survival. The cellular responses to activin are mediated by phosphorylation of a downstream target, Smad2. The current study examines the influence of chronic electroconvulsive seizures (ECSs), as well as chemical antidepressants, on the express...

Gonadotrophin regulation by activin/follistatin system is well-documented, but the corresponding effect on growth hormone (GH) has not been fully characterized and with little information available in lower vertebrates, especially in fish models. In grass carp, local interactions of GH and luteinizing hormone (LH) can induce GH release and gene expression at pituitary level via autocrine/paracr...

BACKGROUND Apoptosis, a process of normal embryonic development, is enhanced in blastocyst from diabetic rats. Nevertheless, glucose seems not to be the only factor involved. Activin A, a TGF-beta family member, is also increased in maternal serum from diabetic pregnancy. METHODS Flushing medium, blastocysts and uterine cells were obtained from 5 day old pregnant rats. The presence of activin...

Activin is a member of the transforming growth factor beta superfamily that regulates mammary cell function during development, lactation, and in cancer. Activin slows the growth of breast cancer cells by inducing G(0)/G(1) cell cycle arrest. Estrogen is a steroid hormone that stimulates the proliferation of mammary epithelial cells in development and oncogenesis. The crosstalk between estrogen...

The present study was conducted to examine the effect of activin A on growth of rat hepatocytes. EGF induced a 10-fold increase in DNA synthesis as assessed by [3H]thymidine incorporation in cultured hepatocytes. When activin A was added together with EGF, DNA synthesis induced by EGF was markedly inhibited. Inhibition was detected at a concentration of 10(-10) M, and 5 x 10(-9) M activin A alm...