The properties of stem cells can be induced during the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). The responsible molecular mechanisms, however, remain largely undefined. Here we report the identification of the microRNA-146a (miR-146a) as a common target of Krüppel-like factor 8 (KLF8) and TGF-β, both of which are known EMT-inducers. Upon KLF8 overexpression or TGF-β treatment, a significant ...

Breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MCF-10A) are studied through indentation with spherical borosilicate glass particles in atomic force microscopy (AFM) contact mode in fluid. Their mechanical properties are obtained by analyzing the recorded reaction force-time response. The analysis is based on comparing experimental data with predictions from finite element (FE) simulation. Here, FE modeling is ...

Engineered overexpression of protein kinase C (PKC ) was previously shown to endow nonmotile MCF-10A human breast cells with aggressive motility. A traceable mutant of PKC (Abeyweera, T. P., and Rotenberg, S. A. (2007) Biochemistry 46, 2364–2370) revealed that 6-tubulin is phosphorylated in cells expressing traceable PKC and in vitro by wild type PKC . Gain-of-function, single site mutations (S...

BACKGROUND microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in development and are associated with birth defects. Data are scant on the role of miRNAs in birth defects arising from exposure to environmental factors such as alcohol. METHODS In this study, we determined the expression levels of 509 mature miRNAs in fetal mouse brains with or without prenatal ethanol exposure using a miRNA microarray t...

Cdc42 effector protein-4 (CEP4) was recently identified by our laboratory to be a substrate of multiple PKC isoforms in non-transformed MCF-10A human breast cells. The significance of phosphorylated CEP4 to PKC-stimulated motility of MCF-10A cells was evaluated. Single site mutants at Ser residues embedded in potential PKC consensus sites (Ser(18), Ser(77), Ser(80), and Ser(86)) were individual...

A series of novel polyurethane network/organoclay nanocomposites (PUN-NCs) with different soft segment contents (30–60 wt%) was prepared by in situ polymerization solution and characterized. PU network (PUN) made from poly(dimethylsiloxane)-based macrodiol as the 4,4′-methylenediphenyldiisocyanate hyperbranched polyester third pseudo generation hard segment. Nanocomposites were obtained dispers...