BACKGROUND Dupuytren's disease is a fibroproliferative disorder of the palmar fascia. The treatment used to date has mostly been surgery, but there is a high recurrence rate. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has been implicated as a key stimulator of myofibroblast activity and fascial contraction in Dupuytren's disease. RESULTS We studied Dupuytren's fibroblasts in tissues ex vivo and in ...

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by elevated pulmonary pressure and carries a very poor prognosis. Understanding of PAH pathogenesis needed to support the development new therapeutic strategies. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) drives vascular remodeling increases resistance regulating differentiation proliferation smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Also, sphing...

Background: Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) in addition to the C-terminal region can phosphorylate receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads) in their linker region. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of signaling mediators such as NAD(P)H oxidases (reactive oxygen species [ROS] generators), ROS, and ROS-sensitive p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) in this signaling ...

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is characterized by high expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and the G protein-coupled receptor proteinase-activated receptor 2 (PAR2), the latter of which functions as a cell-surface sensor for serine proteinases asscociated with the tumour microenvironment. Since TGF-β and PAR2 affect tumourigenesis by regulating migration, invasion and met...

Tight junction protein 1 (TJP1), a component of tight junction, has been reported to play a role in protein networks as an adaptor protein, and TJP1 expression is altered during tumor development. Here, we found that TJP1 expression was increased at the RNA and protein levels in TGF-β-stimulated lung cancer cells, A549. SB431542, a type-I TGF-β receptor inhibitor, as well as SB203580, a p38 kin...

(1) Background: Mechanical loading is an essential part of the function and maintenance joint. Despite importance intermittent mechanical loading, this factor rarely considered in preclinical models cartilage, limiting their translatability. The aim study was to investigate effects dynamic compression on extracellular matrix during long-term culture bovine cartilage explants. (2) Methods: Bovin...

The advanced glycation end‑product (AGE)‑receptor for AGE (RAGE) axis induces transforming growth factor‑β (TGF‑β) expression, cell hypertrophy and increases extracellular matrices that are indicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy (DN). RAGE binds to numerous ligands besides AGE, including S100B. In the present study, the roles of S100B in high glucose‑induced p21WAF1, extracellula...

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), a transcription factor that functions as a master regulator of oxygen homeostasis, has been implicated in fibrinogenesis. Here, we explore the role of HIF-1α in transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling by examining the effects of TGF-β(1) on the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1). Immunohistochemistry of lung tissue from a mouse b...

The role of crosstalk between the Smad and the MAPK signaling pathways in activin-, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-, hydroxyurea (HU) - and butyrate-dependent erythroid differentiation of K562 leukemic cells was studied. Treatment with all four inducers caused transient phosphorylation of Smad2/3 and MAPK proteins including ERK, p38 and JNK. Use of specific inhibitors of p38, ERK and JNK ...

Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) is an active ingredient of Carthamus tinctorius L.. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of HSYA on transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced changes in proliferation, migration, differentiation, and extracellular matrix accumulation and degradation in human fetal lung fibroblasts (MRC-5), to explore the mechanisms whereby HSYA may alleviate pulmonary fib...