With breast cancer (BC) therapy improvements, the appearance of brain metastases has been increasing, representing a life-threatening condition. Brain metastasis formation involves BC cell (BCC) extravasation across blood–brain barrier (BBB) and colonization by unclear mechanisms. We aimed to disclose actors involved in formation, focusing on BCCs’ phenotype, growth factor expression, signaling...

Exocytosis of synaptic vesicles requires the formation of a fusion complex consisting of the synaptic vesicle protein synaptobrevin (vesicle-associated membrane protein, or VAMP) and the plasma membrane proteins syntaxin and soluble synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (or SNAP 25). In search of mechanisms that regulate the assembly of the fusion complex, it was found that synaptobrevin al...

We have isolated from a lambda gt11 rat brain cDNA library cDNA clones encoding greater than 95% of the open reading frame and untranslated regions of the mRNA for p38, the most abundant of the integral membrane proteins of the synaptic vesicle. Phage containing cDNA that encoded vesicle proteins were identified by screening fusion proteins with a polyclonal serum to rat brain synaptic vesicles...

Five points are discussed regarding the vesicular structure isolated by fractionation techniques from the brain and liver of the guinea pig. 1. One type of vesicle, fixed by OsO(4) and shown in thin sections, is identified with the coated vesicle that has been observed in many varieties of tissues. 2. The vesicle contained in a spherical polygonal "basketwork" shown by the negative-staining tec...

In the brain, astrocytes signal to the neighboring cells by the release of chemical messengers (gliotransmitters) via regulated exocytosis. Recent studies uncovered a potential role of signaling lipids in modulation of exocytosis. Hence, we investigated whether sphingosine and the structural analog fingolimod/FTY720, a recently introduced therapeutic for multiple sclerosis, affect (i) intracell...