The pks genomic island of Escherichia coli encodes polyketide (PK) and nonribosomal peptide (NRP) synthases that allow assembly of a putative hybrid PK-NRP compound named colibactin that induces DNA double-strand breaks in eukaryotic cells. The pks-encoded machinery harbors an atypical essential protein, ClbP. ClbP crystal structure and mutagenesis experiments revealed a serine-active site and ...

We have established two new epithelial cell lines (NRP-152, NRP-154), with markedly different properties, from the dorsal-lateral prostate of Lobund/Wistar rats treated with N-methyl-N-nitrosourea and testosterone propionate. NRP-152 cells do not form tumors in athymic mice and retain many of the properties of normal prostatic epithelial cells. They produce prostatic acid phosphatase, have func...

As in all other eukaryotic organisms, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress triggers the evolutionarily conserved unfolded protein response in soybean, but it also communicates with other adaptive signaling responses, such as osmotic stress-induced and ER stress-induced programmed cell death. These two signaling pathways converge at the level of gene transcription to activate an integrated cascade ...

The transcription factor NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) translocates into the nucleus and activates phase II genes encoding detoxification enzymes and antioxidant proteins, resulting in the protection of cells from oxidative insults. However, the involvement of Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress responses in breast cancer cells is largely unknown. Notably, during our study of the Nrf2 pathway in bre...

Lentiviral expression vectors carrying human NRP-1 short hairpin RNA (shRNA) were constructed and selected to present highly efficient NRP-1/shRNA interference sequences, in order to investigate the effects of RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated NRP-1 silencing on the biological activities of breast cancer cells. Three pairs of human NRP-1 targeted specific interference sequences and one pair of n...

OF DISSERTATION MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF NEUROPILIN-LIGAND BINDING Neuropilin (Nrp) is an essential cell surface receptor with dual functionality in the cardiovascular and nervous systems. The first identified Nrp-ligand family was the Semaphorin-3 (Sema3) family of axon repulsion molecules. Subsequently, Nrp was found to serve as a receptor for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) fami...

We developed a nitroxide radicals-containing polymer (NRP), which is composed of poly(4-methylstyrene) possessing nitroxide radicals as a side chain via amine linkage, to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) from cigarette smoke. In this study, the NRP was coated onto cigarette filters and its ROS-scavenging activity from streaming cigarette smoke was evaluated. The intensity of electron spin...

Transplanting neuronal and glial restricted precursors (NRP/GRP) into a midthoracic injury 9 d after contusion improved bladder and motor function, diminished thermal hypersensitivity, and modified lumbosacral circuitry compared with operated controls (OP-controls). Histological analysis showed that NRP/GRP survived, filled the lesion site, differentiated into neurons and glia, and migrated sel...

The in vivo cutaneous nerve regeneration model using capsaicin is applied extensively to study the regenerative mechanisms and therapeutic efficacy of disease modifying molecules for small fiber neuropathy (SFN). Since mismatches between functional and morphological nerve fiber recovery are described for this model, we aimed at determining the capability of the capsaicin model to truly mimic th...

Despite recent progress in advanced melanoma therapy, identification of signalling pathways involved in melanoma switch from proliferative to invasive states is still crucial to uncover new therapeutic targets for improving the outcome of metastatic disease. Neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), a co-receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) tyrosine kinase receptors (VEGFRs), has been suggest...