Several peptides, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), heregulin (HRG) and transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα), are ligands for EGFR family. Heregulin beta 1 (HRG-β1) binds to ErbB-3 and -4 and plays important roles in the proliferation and tumorigenesis of breast cancer cells. We investigated proteins through which HRG treatment affects matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity. Breast c...

Histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) is a 75-kDa heparin-binding plasma protein implicated in the regulation of tumor growth and vascularization. In this study, we show that hrg(-/-) mice challenged with fibrosarcoma or pancreatic carcinoma grow larger tumors with increased metastatic properties. Compared with wild-type mice, fibrosarcomas in hrg(-/-) mice were more hypoxic, necrotic, and less per...

Histidine-rich Glycoprotein (HRG) is a metal-binding protein described from the blood plasma of a pteriomorph bivalve, the marine mussel Mytilus edulis L. We demonstrate here, using Cd-Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography (IMAC), SDS-PAGE, Western Blotting, and ELISA, that HRG is present in three additional pteriomorphs and two heterodont bivalves. ELISA indicates that HRG is the predomina...

We have found using differential display of mRNA that the growth factor heregulin beta 1 (HRG), a combinatorial ligand for human epidermal growth factor receptors (HERs), induced expression of G3BP, the Ras GTPase-activating protein SH3 domain-binding protein, in breast cancer cells. G3BP is a downstream effector protein of Ras signaling with ATP-dependent RNase and helicase activities, which m...

Fungi, such as Candida spp., are commonly found on the skin and at mucosal surfaces. Yet, they rarely cause invasive infections in immunocompetent individuals, an observation reflecting the ability of our innate immune system to control potentially invasive microbes found at biological boundaries. Antimicrobial proteins and peptides are becoming increasingly recognized as important effectors of...

Introduction Healthcare Resource Groups [HRG] are the mechanism by which patient activity is classified according to case mix in England. They are the primary funding mechanism for acute care in the English National Health Service [NHS], under the Department of Health's Payment by Results [PbR] national policy. This Department collects annual cost data ('Reference Costs'), and uses this as the ...

Melanocyte growth is tightly controlled by a complex network of cell-cell communications and soluble growth factors. In situations where this delicate homeostasis is upset, the same melanocyte growth factors probably lead to the uncontrolled cell growth associated with melanoma. In this issue of the JID a paper by Stove and colleagues (2003) adds yet another member to the growing list of growth...

We have previously shown that expression of heregulin (HRG) is closely correlated with breast cancer progression. We have subsequently isolated Cyr61, a ligand for the avb3 integrin that is differentially expressed in HRG-positive cells, and have shown that it is expressed in all of the invasive and metastatic breast cancer cell lines tested. Preliminary evaluation of Cyr61 expression in breast...

Extracellular free heme can intercalate into membranes and promote damage to cellular macromolecules. Thus it is likely that specific intercellular pathways exist for the directed transport, trafficking, and delivery of heme to cellular destinations, although none have been found to date. Here we show that Caenorhabditis elegans HRG-3 is required for the delivery of maternal heme to developing ...

Heregulin beta-1 (HRG) is an extracellular ligand that activates mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-OH kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathways through ErbB receptors. MAPK and Akt have been shown to phosphorylate the estrogen receptor (ER) at Ser-118 and Ser-167, respectively, thereby mimicking the effects of estrogenic activity such as estrogen responsive element (...