UNLABELLED Lung cancer is one of the most lethal forms of cancer and current chemotherapeutic strategies lack broad specificity and efficacy. Recently, β-lapachone (β-lap) was shown to be highly efficacious in killing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells regardless of their p53, cell cycle and caspase status. Pre-clinical and clinical use of β-lap (clinical form, ARQ501 or 761) is hampered ...

BACKGROUND Hepatic fibrosis, which is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrices (ECMs) produced mainly from activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), develops to cirrhosis over several decades. There are no validated biomarkers that can non-invasively monitor excessive production of ECM (i.e., fibrogenesis). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, a key driver of fibrogenesis, is produced...

Background: Hepatic fibrosis, which is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrices (ECMs) produced mainly from activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), develops to cirrhosis over several decades. There are no validated biomarkers that can non-invasively monitor excessive production of ECM (i.e., fibrogenesis). Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, a key driver of fibrogenesis, is produce...

The insulin-regulated membrane aminopeptidase (IRAP) was originally identified in fat and muscle cells as a major protein in intracellular vesicles that also harbor the insulin-responsive glucose transporter GLUT4. IRAP, like GLUT4, predominantly localizes to these intracellular vesicles under basal conditions. In response to insulin IRAP, like GLUT4, translocates to the plasma membrane. Purifi...

Byproducts of cytokine activation are sometimes useful as surrogate biomarkers for monitoring cytokine generation in patients. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β plays a pivotal role in pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. TGF-β is produced as part of an inactive latent complex, in which the cytokine is trapped by its propeptide, the latency-associated protein (LAP). Therefore, to exert its biolog...

BACKGROUND Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) causes increased left atrial pressure (LAP) and is associated with occurrence of clinical signs. It will be useful to understand diurnal variations of LAP for the management of MR. HYPOTHESIS Circulatory parameters and diurnal rhythm are linked to clinical signs in cardiac diseases. LAP also exhibits a diurnal rhythm in dogs with MR. ANIMALS Five h...

The Language-action perspective (LAP) provides an alternative foundation for analyzing and designing effective information systems. The fundamental principle of the LAP approach is people perform actions through communication; therefore, the role of information systems is to support such communications among people to achieve business goals. Basing on linguistic and communicative theories, the ...

We report a facile approach to preparing laponite (LAP) bioceramics via sintering LAP powder compacts for bone tissue engineering applications. The sintering behavior and mechanical properties of LAP compacts under different temperatures, heating rates, and soaking times were investigated. We show that LAP bioceramic with a smooth and porous surface can be formed at 800°C with a heating rate of...

Jasmonate inducible plant leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) is proposed to serve as direct defense in the insect midgut. However, exact functions of inducible plant LAPs in the insect midgut remain to be estimated. In the present investigation, we report the direct defensive role of pigeon pea inducible LAP in the midgut of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and responses of midgut solubl...

Growth hormone (GH) regulates transcription factors associated with c-fos, including C/EBPbeta. Two forms of C/EBPbeta, liver-activating protein (LAP) and liver inhibitory protein (LIP), are dephosphorylated in GH-treated 3T3-F442A fibroblasts. GH-induced dephosphorylation of LAP and LIP is reduced when cells are preincubated with phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors. GH activates A...