Transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) represents the paradigm for cross-talk between G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. In a variety of squamous cell carcinoma cell lines of the head and neck (HNSCCs), we found that treatment with the GPCR agonists lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), bradykinin, thrombin, and carbachol results ...

Proteases play important roles in parasite development and host parasite interactions. The protease of Kudoa spp. has been recognized as a key factor of severe proteolysis of fish muscle post-mortem; however, there is little information available regarding the protease of Kudoa (K.) septempunctata, which was recently identified as a cause of food poisoning in humans. The present study was condu...

We previously reported that a macrophage response that increased binding to 125I-radiolabeled soluble denatured collagen (gelatin) was induced by preincubation of macrophage with a 70-kDa amino-terminal fibronectin fragment and soluble nonlabeled gelatin [S. F. Penc, F. A. Blumenstock, J. E. Kaplan (1995) J. Leukoc. Biol. 58, 501-509]. We now report that neither protein synthesis nor recycling ...

The kallikrein-kinin system, along with the interlocking renin-angiotensin system, is a key regulator of vascular contractility and injury response. The principal effectors of the kallikrein-kinin system are plasma and tissue kallikreins, proteases that cleave high molecular weight kininogen to produce bradykinin. Most of the cellular actions of kallikrein (KK) are thought to be mediated by bra...

Ovarian follicle formation in Drosophila melanogaster requires stall (stl) gene function, both within and outside the ovary, for follicle individualization, stalk cell intercalation, and oocyte localization. We have identified the stl transcript as CG3622 and confirmed the presence of three alternatively spliced isoforms, contrary to current genome annotation. Here we show that the gene is expr...

Little is known about how blood begins to flow during development. A new study shows that release of primitive blood cells in the zebrafish embryo is synchronized and mediated by a metalloprotease.

The chemokine fractalkine is considered as unique since it exists both as membrane-bound adhesion molecule and as shed soluble chemoattractant. Here the hypothesis was tested whether placental fractalkine can be shed and released into the maternal circulation. Immunohistochemical staining of human first trimester and term placenta sections localized fractalkine at the apical microvillous plasma...

Proteases play a key role in the interaction between pathogens and their hosts. The bacterial entomopathogen Photorhabdus lives in symbiosis with nematodes that invade insects. Following entry into the insect, the bacteria are released from the nematode gut into the open blood system of the insect. Here they secrete factors which kill the host and also convert the host tissues into food for the...

ADAM 12, a member of the ADAM (protein containing a disintegrin and metalloprotease) family of metalloprotease-disintegrins, has been implicated in the differentiation and fusion of skeletal myoblasts, and its expression is dramatically up-regulated in many cancer cells. While the extracellular portion of ADAM 12 contains an active metalloprotease and a cell-adhesion domain, the function of the...