Vasohibin-2 (VASH2) is a homolog of VASH1, an endothelium-derived angiogenesis inhibitor. Vasohibin-2 is mainly expressed in cancer cells, and has been implicated in the progression of cancer by inducing angiogenesis and tumor growth. Although VASH2 has been recently reported to be involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), its precise roles are obscure. The aim of the present study w...

Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) is a multi-functional growth factor expressed in many tissues and organs. Genetic animal models have revealed the critical functions of TGF-β in craniofacial development, including the teeth and periodontal tissue. However, the physiological function of TGF-β in the periodontal ligament (PDL) has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we examined the r...

The epithelial‑mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is an important underlying mechanism proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). We previously found that L‑carnitine (β‑hydroxy‑γ‑N-trimethylammonium‑butyrate, LC) was significantly lower during the transforming growth factor‑β1 (TGF‑β1)‑induced EMT process in ARPE‑19 cells. present study assessed role LC RPE migr...

TGF-β derived from bone fuels melanoma bone metastases by inducing tumor secretion of prometastatic factors that act on bone cells to change the skeletal microenvironment. Halofuginone is a plant alkaloid derivative that blocks TGF-β signaling with antiangiogenic and antiproliferative properties. Here, we show for the first time that halofuginone therapy decreases development and progression of...

TGF-β potently induces apoptosis in Burkitt’s Lymphoma (BL) cell lines and in explanted primary human B lymphocytes. The physiological relevance and mechanism of TGF-β-mediated apoptosis induction in these cells remains to be determined. Here we demonstrate the requirement for TGF-β-mediated regulation of BIK and BCL-XL to activate an intrinsic apoptotic pathway in centroblastic BL cells. TGF-β...

In the present study, we investigated possible involvement of TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway in osteopontin-derived SVVYGLR (SV) peptide-mediated migratory activities myogenic cells and evaluated facilitative effects SV peptide on differentiation vitro. The peptide-induced migration both human-derived satellite myoblasts was substantially suppressed by TGF-β1 receptor inhibitor SB431542 or SB5051...

PURPOSE Radiotherapy is used for the treatment of lung cancer, but at the same time induces acute pneumonitis and subsequent pulmonary fibrosis, where TGF-β signaling is considered to play an important role. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We irradiated thoraces of C57BL/6 mice (single dose, 20 Gy) and administered them a novel small-molecule TGF-β receptor I serine/threonine kinase inhibitor (LY2109761)...

The db/db mouse is the most widely used animal model of type 2 diabetic nephropathy. Recent studies have utilized genetic backcrossing with transgenic mouse strains to create novel db/db strains that either lack or overexpress specific genes. These novel strains [ICAM-1-/-, CCL2-/-, MKK3-/-, osteopontin-/-, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)-/-, endothelial nitric oxide synthase-/-, SOD-...

Even though myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis, the molecular alterations that lead to marrow failure have not been well elucidated. We have previously shown that the myelosuppressive TGF-β pathway is constitutively activated in MDS progenitors. Because there is conflicting data about upregulation of extracellular TGF-β levels in MDS, we wanted to det...

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA), uniquely expressed on gram-positive bacteria, is recognized by Tolllike receptor 2 (TLR2) on not only antigen-presenting cells but also activated T cells. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that LTA is acting on T cells. However, little is known about the effect of LTA on T-cell regulation. In the present study, we investigated the immunomodulatory effects of LTA on ...