The bovine papillomavirus E5 protein (BPV E5) is a 44-amino-acid homodimeric transmembrane protein that binds directly to the transmembrane domain of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) beta receptor and induces ligand-independent receptor activation. Three specific features of BPV E5 are considered important for its ability to activate the PDGF beta receptor and transform mouse fibroblas...

There is a severe shortage of human organs available for transplantation and xenotransplantation - use of animal organs has long been suggested to overcome this problem. Recent advances in understanding rejection in xenotranplantation and development of genetically engineered pigs that reduced hyperacute rejection were fundamental steps forward but other unresolved mechanisms remain an obstacle...

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is the primary etiological agent of cervical cancer, the second most common cancer in women worldwide. Complete genomes of 12 isolates representing the major lineages of HPV16 were cloned and sequenced from cervicovaginal cells. The sequence variations within the open reading frames (ORFs) and noncoding regions were identified and compared with the HPV16R re...

In the vertebrate spinal cord, oligodendrocytes arise from the ventral part of the neuroepithelium, a region also known to generate somatic motoneurons. The emergence of oligodendrocytes, like that of motoneurons, depends on an inductive signal mediated by Sonic hedgehog. We have defined the precise timing of oligodendrocyte progenitor specification in the cervico-brachial spinal cord of the ch...

Multicellular organisms rely on complex networks of signaling cascades for development, homeostasis, and responses to the environment. These networks involve diffusible signaling molecules, their receptors, and a variety of downstream effectors. Alterations in the expression or function of any one of these factors can contribute to disease, including cancer. Many viruses have been implicated in...

The spindle checkpoint proteins (SCPs), which sense the existence of misaligned sister chromatids during mitosis and meiosis, are essential for cell proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, the role of SCPs in carcinogenesis is gaining increased attention. In this study, we analysed the expression of Bub1 and Mad2 in clinical samples by immun...

I describe the self-splicing of an RNA that consists of exon sequences flanked by group II intron sequences. I find that this RNA undergoes accurate splicing in vitro, yielding an excised exon circle. This splicing reaction involves the joining of the 5' splice site at the end of an exon to the 3' splice site at the b nning of the same exon; thus, I term it inverse splicing. Inverse splicing pr...

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in salivary gland function in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) undergoing hemodialysis. METHODS The group consisted of 23 patients with CRF (13 female, 10 male; mean age: 40 +/- 13 yr) and 14 healthy control subjects (mean age: 40 +/- 13 yr). All underwent dynamic salivary gland scintigraphy with gustatory stimulation. After i...

HIV-Tat, a conserved protein playing a key role in the early life cycle of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been proposed as a potential AIDS vaccine. An HIV-Tat-based vaccine should elicit a broad, long-lasting, and neutralizing immune response. We have previously demonstrated that the adenylate cyclase (CyaA) from Bordetella pertussis targets dendritic cells and delivers CD8(+) and ...