Activation of P2Y receptors by released nucleotides subserves important autocrine-paracrine functions in various non-neural tissues. To investigate how P2Y receptors are activated in a neuronal environment, we used PC12 cells in which nucleotides were found to elicit increases in inositol phosphates via P2Y2 and decreases in cAMP via P2Y12 receptors. Depolarization of PC12 cells raised inositol...

Microorganisms such as bacteria that penetrate the epithelial surfaces of body for first time are met immediately by cells and molecules can mount an innate immune response. Phagocytic macrophages conduct defense against means surface receptors able to recognize bind common constituents many bacterial surfaces. Bacterial binding these trigger macrophage engulf bacterium also induce secretion bi...

CD8(+) T cells depend on the alphabeta TCR for Ag recognition and function. However, Ag-activated CD8(+) T cells can also express receptors of the innate immune system. In this study, we examined the expression of NK receptors on a population of CD8(+) T cells expressing high levels of CD44 (CD8(+)CD44(high) cells) from normal mice. These cells are distinct from conventional memory CD8(+) T cel...

Inflammation promotes endothelial dysfunction, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly defined in vivo. Using translational vascular function testing myocardial infarction patients, a situation where inflammation is prevalent, and knock-out (KO) mouse models we demonstrate role for mitogen-activated-protein-kinases (MAPKs) dysfunction. Myocardial significantly lowers mitogen stress kinase 1...

In vertebrates, the mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) is a steroid-activated nuclear (NR) that plays essential roles in water-electrolyte balance and blood pressure homeostasis. It belongs to group of oxo-steroidian NRs, together with glucocorticoid (GR), progesterone (PR), androgen (AR) receptors. Classically, these NRs homodimerize bind specific genomic sequences activate gene expression. are m...

We have examined the roles of Fc receptors and complement receptors in mediating the interaction of sensitized sheep erythrocytes (E) with activated and with nonactivated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Both activated and nonactivated macrophages ingest IgG-coated erythrocytes [E(IgG)]; activated cells intest 1.5-2 times as man E(IgG) as do nonactivated macrophages. Thus, there is a quantitative ...

Abstract Bacterial biosensors, or bactosensors, are promising agents for medical and environmental diagnostics. However, the lack of scalable frameworks to systematically program ligand detection limits their applications. Here we show how novel, clinically relevant sensing modalities can be introduced into bactosensors in a modular fashion. To do so, have leveraged synthetic receptor platform,...

Fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the mammalian central nervous system is mediated by glutamate-activated α-amino-5-methyl-3-hydroxy-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA) receptors. Glutamate binding to AMPA receptors leads rapid activation and desensitization. Synaptically released Zn2+ works as a neuromodulator many brain regions. Here, we show that inhibits GluA2(Q) homomeric an activity- vol...

Odorant receptors (ORs) form one of the largest gene families in the genome. However, the vast majority are orphan receptors as the ligands that activate them remain unknown. Deorphaning approaches have generally focused on finding ligands for particular receptors expressed in homologous or heterologous cells; these attempts have met with only partial success. Here, we outline a conceptually di...