PURPOSE GG-H whole transcriptome array analysis suggested involvement of PININ (PNN) in the alternative splicing of multiple long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). To further investigate PNN's role in regulating the alternative splicing of lncRNAs in a corneal epithelial context, we performed detailed analyses for detecting and identifying alternatively spliced lncRNAs. METHODS Total RNA was isolate...

On water deficit, abscisic acid (ABA) induces stomata closure to reduce water loss by transpiration. To identify Arabidopsis thaliana mutants which transpire less on drought, infrared thermal imaging of leaf temperature has been used to screen for suppressors of an ABA-deficient mutant (aba3-1) cold-leaf phenotype. Three novel mutants, called hot ABA-deficiency suppressor (has), have been ident...

Brinck, J. 2000. The Expression and Regulation of Hyaluronan Synthases and Their Role in Glycosaminoglycan Synthesis. Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Comprehensive Summaries of Uppsala Dissertations from the Faculty of Medicine 955. 63 pp. Uppsala. ISBN 91-554-4806-2. The glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan is an essential component of the extracellular matrix in all higher organisms, affecting cellul...

Thyroid eye disease (TED) is a debilitating disorder characterized by the accumulation of adipocytes and hyaluronan (HA). Production of HA by fibroblasts leads to remarkable increases in tissue volume and to the anterior displacement of the eyes. Prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)), mainly produced by mast cells, promotes orbital fibroblast adipogenesis. The mechanism by which PGD(2) influences orbital...

The content of hyaluronan (HA) in the interstitium of the renal medulla changes in relation to body hydration status. We investigated if hormones of central importance for body fluid homeostasis affect HA production by renomedullary interstitial cells in culture (RMICs). Simultaneous treatment with vasopressin and angiotensin II (Ang II) reduced HA by 69%. No change occurred in the mRNA express...

The serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade E, member 2 (SERPINE2) inhibits urokinase-type plasminogen activator (PLAU) and tissue-type plasminogen activator. Higher SERPINE2 expression levels were detected in cumulus cells of human immature oocytes than in those of mature oocytes. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether high SERPINE2 levels in cumulus cells are associated with oocyte imm...

Research of unique features in exotic animal species often reveals unexpected biology and may even shed light on disease treatment. A recent paper by Tian et al. studies a long-lived, cancer-free rodent named the naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) to understand the mechanism of cancer resistance. Previous work by the same group has suggested early contact inhibition (ECI) in the naked mole ...

Biological functions of hyaluronan (HA) depend on its molecular size. Small size HAs are known to regulate cell proliferation; however, the expression of HA synthases (HASs) and hyaluronidase-2 (HYAL2) and their role during early embryo development have not been previously identified. In this paper, we have shown by immunostaining that HA is produced by bovine in vitro-produced embryos at all s...

Hyaluronan is a large glycosaminoglycan consisting of alternating Nacetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and glucuronic acid (GlcUA) units. It is synthesized by hyaluronan synthase enzymes (HAS1,2,3). In many tissues hyaluronan is a major component of the extracellular matrix. It enhances cell proliferation, migration, and controls differentiation. High hyaluronan levels are associated with cancer progres...

Age-related defects in fibroblast differentiation were previously shown to be associated with impaired hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) function, with both required for normal fibroblast functionality. In fibroblasts, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)-dependent phenotypic activation uses two distinct but co-operating pathways that involve TGF-β r...