A previously identified gene sprE of Enterococcus faecalis strain OG1 was shown to encode an extracellular serine protease that appears to belong to the glutamyl endopeptidase I staphylococcal group. A single form of SprE with a molecular mass of 25 kDa and a pH optimum between 7.0 and 7.5 was isolated from culture supernatant of wild-type E. faecalis strain OG1RF (TX4002); this form was appare...

BACKGROUND RECS1 is a mechanical stress responsive gene and RECS1 knockout (KO) mice (older than 14 months) are prone to cystic medial degeneration (CMD). The present study was designed to assess whether RECS1 KO mice have altered gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9) levels and whether they are prone to aortic dilation. METHODS AND RESULTS Aortic and plasma gelatinase level...

PURPOSE Proliferative vitreoretinopathy occurs when cells migrate into the vitreous humor, where they proliferate and produce a membrane composed of extracellular matrix. Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1-beta) may be involved in these processes because it is chemotactic and mitogenic, and it stimulates metalloproteinase production. In the present study, the effects of intravitreally injected IL-1-beta ...

AIMS The ductus arteriosus (DA) closes after birth to adapt to the robust changes in hemodynamics, which require intimal thickening (IT) to occur. The smooth muscle cells of the DA have been reported to play important roles in IT formation. However, the roles of the endothelial cells (ECs) have not been fully investigated. We herein focused on tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), which is ...

PURPOSE Pterygia are a common, benign, fibrovascular, and infiltrative process of the corneal-conjunctival junction of unknown pathogenesis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of proteolytic enzymes active against all components of the extracellular matrix, whose activity is specifically neutralized by tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs). In the current study the hypothesis was that MM...

Testosterone-induced neuronal addition to the adult songbird vocal control center, HVC, requires the androgenic induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), followed by VEGF-stimulated angiogenesis. The expanded vasculature acts as a source of BDNF, which supports the immigration of new neurons from the overlying ventricular zone. In tumorigenesis, a similar process of adult angiogen...

Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae are major cause nosocomial infections, including approximately 70% gastrointestinal 60% to urinary tract infections (UTIs), and septicemias. Since 1990, members have emerged as predominant pathogens causing UTIs. In this study, we performed phenotypic testing virulence factors in uropathogens. A total 118 uropathogens belonging were isolated from suspect...

Detection of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activities in the urine from patients with a variety of cancers has been closely correlated to disease status. Among these activities, the presence of a group of high molecular weight (HMW) MMPs independently serves as a multivariate predictor of the metastatic phenotype (). The identity of these HMW MMP activities has remained unknown despite their n...