OBJECTIVES The excess proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the development of intimal hyperplasia is a hallmark of vein graft failure. This study aimed to verify that a single intraoperative transfection of early growth response gene-1 (Egr-1) decoy oligonucleotide (ODN) can suppress vein graft proliferation of VSMCs and intimal hyperplasia. METHODS In a rabbit model, jug...

Early growth response gene (Egr)-2 is important for the maintenance of T cell homeostasis and controls the development of autoimmune disease. However, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. We have now discovered that Egr-2, which is induced by TGF-β and IL-6, negatively regulates the expression of IL-17, but not IL-2 or IFN-γ, in effector T cells. In the absence of Egr-2, CD4 T cells produce h...

Among all known angiogenic molecules, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is probably the most extensively characterized growth factor that displays broad vascular functions including vasculogenesis, angiogenesis, vascular permeability, vascular survival, and vascular remodeling.1,2 These vascular functions of VEGF are mainly mediated by VEGF tyrosine kinase receptors (TKRs) expressed in ...

operating an engine with homogeneous charge compression ignition (hcci) technique is a promising technique to lower nox and pm emissions of engines while achieving high efficiency and lower fuel consumption. nevertheless, applications for hcci are still limited due to the absence of a definite means to control ignition timing and narrow operating region. a single cylinder diesel engine with com...

Transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) signaling is implicated in the pathogenesis of fibrosis in scleroderma or systemic sclerosis (SSc), but the precise mechanisms are poorly understood. The immediate-early gene Egr-1 is an inducible transcription factor with key roles in mediating fibrotic TGF-ß responses. To elucidate Egr-1 function in SSc-associated fibrosis, we examined change in gene expre...

There is little known about the regulation of gene expression during TCR-mediated differentiation of immature CD4+8+ (double positive) thymocytes into mature T cells. Using the DPK CD4+8+ thymocyte precursor cell line, we demonstrate that the early growth response-1 gene (Erg-1), encoding a zinc finger transcription factor, is rapidly upregulated after TCR stimulation. We also report that Egr-1...

To investigate the role of the Egr family of transcription regulatory factors in neuronal apoptosis, we examined the effect of a dominant negative Egr inhibitor construct in a well characterized in vitro paradigm, cerebellar granule cell death induced by withdrawal of depolarizing concentrations of extracellular potassium. We found that this apoptotic stimulus increases the activity of a report...

This paper addresses the application of high exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) for reduced nitrogen oxide emissions from diesel engines. The research objective is to develop fundamental information about the relationship between EGR parameters and diesel combustion instability and particulate formation so that options can be explored for maximizing the practical EGR limit, thereby further reducin...

Following induction and activation of the early growth response (Egr)-1 transcription factor in human chondrocytes, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) suppresses the expression of the type II collagen gene (COL2A1), associated with induction of Egr-1 binding activity in nuclear extracts. The COL2A1 proximal promoter contains overlapping binding sites for Egr-1 and Sp1 family members at -119/-112 bp a...