The extracellular matrix produced by stromal cells plays a critical role in lympho-hematopoiesis. It was recently discovered that matrix glycoprotein SC1/ECM2 is a component of that matrix and preliminary evidence suggested that it could contribute to the nurturing environment for B-lymphocyte precursors. A fusion protein prepared from the amino terminal portion of SC1/ECM2 and the constant reg...

We read with interest the paper by Wu et al. (1) purporting to show that blockade of P-glycoprotein with verapamil or itraconazole increased brain concentrations of amphotericin B (AMB). Because virtually all P-glycoprotein blockers also block other transporters, we chose to compare P-glycoprotein knockout (KO) mice (Mdr1a/1b) with isogenic FVB wild-type mice. After administration of intravenou...

At the blood-brain barrier, P-glycoprotein, an ATP-driven drug efflux pump, selectively limits drug access to the brain parenchyma, impeding pharmacotherapy of a number of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. We previously used confocal imaging to demonstrate in isolated rat brain capillaries that endothelin-1 (ET-1), acting through an ET(B) receptor, NO synthase, and protein kinase C, rapid...

Using high-resolution PAGE and Western-blotting techniques the lectin Ricinus communis agglutinin-1 (RCA-1) was tested for its ability to recognize laminin subunits from the mouse Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) tumour and from bovine cardiac and skeletal muscle. Biotinylated RCA-1 recognized both the A and B chains of purified EHS-tumour laminin with a sensitivity comparable to anti-(EHS laminin) ...

Gradient-polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of human milk serum separated three high-Mr glycoprotein bands. The properties of the components corresponding to the three bands (tentatively termed 'Components C, B and A' in their order of migration) were compared by staining with four monoclonal antibodies and lectins. Components B and C both reacted with the four antibodies, but Component A did n...

A glycoprotein was isolated and purified to homogeneity from the serum of a patient with chronic non-A, non-B hepatitis. NaDodSO4/PAGE of the glycoprotein revealed a single major band at Mr approximately 77,000. Antibodies to this glycoprotein were shown to possess the following immunoreactivity: (i) they reacted by radioimmunoassay with sera obtained at the time of diagnosis from 17 of 42 pati...

objective(s): chemoresistance remains the main causes of treatment failure and mortality in cancer patients. there is an urgent need to investigate novel approaches to improve current therapeutic modalities and increase cancer patients' survival. induction of drug efflux due to overexpression of                  p-glycoproteins is considered as an important leading cause of multidrug resis...

background: improving vaccine potency in the induction of a strong cell-mediated cytotoxicity can enhance the efficacy of vaccines. necrotic cells and the supernatant of necrotic tumor cells are attractive adjuvants, on account of their ability to recruit antigen-presenting cells to the site of antigen synthesis as well as its ability to stimulate the maturation of dendritic cells. objective: t...