In the human fetal lung, surfactant protein A (SP-A) is encoded by two highly similar genes, SP-A1 and SP-A2, which are developmentally and hormonally regulated. Using primer extension analysis, we evaluated the levels of SP-A1 and SP-A2 mRNA transcripts in human fetal lung explants and in a human adult lung adenocarcinoma cell line (H441 cells) cultured in the absence or presence of either dib...

We have examined the signal transduction pathways leading to the expression of the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) gene in human myeloid leukemia cells lines. Two cell lines representing different stages of differentiation were used (HL-60, promyelocytic, and THP-1, mature monocytic). In accordance with previous studies, it was observed that a protein kinase C (PKC) activator, phorbol myristate ...

AIMS Annexin 1 (ANXA1), a member of the annexin family of calcium-binding and phospholipid-binding proteins, is a key mediator of the anti-inflammatory actions of steroid hormones. We have previously demonstrated that, in the human lymphoblastic CCRF-CEM cell line, both the synthetic glucocorticoid hormone, dexamethasone (Dex), and the estrogen hormone, 17beta-estradiol (E2beta), induce the syn...

Extracellular matrix proteins, such as fibronectin, laminin, and collagen, have been implicated in a wide variety of cellular properties, which include cell adhesion, migration, differentiation, and proliferation. In this study, we investigated the modulation of protein kinase A (PKA) activity by matrix proteins at developing motoneurons. The cultures of spinal neurons and myotomal cells were p...

We used the promyelocytic leukemic cell line HL-60 to explore the molecular mechanisms regulating stimulus-induced actin polymerization in myeloid cells. HL-60 cells express very few chemotactic peptide receptors in their undifferentiated state and fail to undergo actin polymerization when stimulated with the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP). However, when the ...

The activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase has been found to be the predominant mode by which cyclic AMP (cAMP) leads to alterations of a large variety of cellular functions. The activation of the kinase results in the release of the catalytic subunit which as the free enzyme possesses phosphotransferase activity for a variety of specific protein substrates. Using a sensitive and spe...

J. Anim. Sci. Vol. 88, E-Suppl. 2/J. Dairy Sci. Vol. 93, E-Suppl. 1/Poult. Sci. Vol. 89, E-Suppl. 1 679 Effects of dbcAMP on the proliferation, differentiation and adipogenesis-related genes of porcine adipocytes. L. Wang*1,2, Z. Y. Jiang1, Y. C. Lin1, X. Y. Ma1, and X. G. Lei2, 1Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, 2Department of...

The effects of endosulfan, a widely used organochlorine pesticide, on cortisol secretion, cell viability, antioxidants and lipid peroxidation were investigated in enzymatically dispersed head kidney cells of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). ACTH- and dbcAMP-stimulated cortisol secretion, and cell viability were impaired in a dose-related manner following acute in vitro exposure to endosulfa...

Luteinization stimulator (LS) is an intrafollicular compound which was shown to be released by granulosa cells under in vitro conditions with stimulatory effects on immature granulosa cell differentiation. This study was undertaken to determine the effects of various endocrine agents which are involved in the regulation of ovarian function on LS secretion by porcine granulosa cells isolated fro...