Journal of cellular and molecular medicine
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A hallmark of the disease state following severe burn injury is decreased liver function, which results in gross metabolic derangements that compromise patient survival. The underlying mechanisms leading to hepatocyte dysfunction after burn are essentially unknown. The aim of the present study was to determine the underlying mechanisms leading to hepatocyte dysfunction and apoptosis after burn. ⋯ Burn-induced ER calcium depletion caused depressed hepatocyte responsiveness to signalling molecules that regulate hepatic homeostasis, such as vasopressin and the purinergic agonist ATP. In vivo, thermal injury resulted in activation of the ER stress response and major alterations in mitochondrial structure and function - effects which may be mediated by increased calcium release by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors. Our results reveal that thermal injury leads to dramatic hepatic disturbances in calcium homeostasis and resultant ER stress leading to mitochondrial abnormalities contributing to hepatic dysfunction and apoptosis after burn injury.
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Abstract An important limitation in the clinical use of opiates is progressive loss of analgesic efficacy over time. Development of analgesic tolerance is tightly linked to receptor desensitization. In the case of delta opioid receptors (DOR), desensitization is especially swift because receptors are rapidly internalized and are poorly recycled to the membrane. ⋯ This assumption was confirmed by demonstrating that Src inhibition by PP2 or its silencing by siRNA increased membrane recovery of internalized DORs and was further corroborated by showing that inhibition of recycling by monensin or dominant negative Rab11 (Rab11S25N) abolished the ability of Src blockers to prevent desensitization. Finally, Src inhibitors accelerated recovery of DOR-Galphal3 coupling after desensitization. Taken together, these results indicate that Src dynamically regulates DOR recycling and by doing so contributes to desensitization of these receptors.
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p97/VCP, a member of the AAA-ATPase super family, has been associated with a wide variety of essential cellular protein pathways com prising: (i) nuclear envelope reconstruction, (ii) cell cycle, (iii) Golgi reassembly, (iv) suppression of apoptosis and (v) DNA-damage response [1-6]. In addition, vasolin-containing protein (VCP) dislodges the ubiquitinated proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and chaperones them to the cytosol for proteasomal degradation by endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) [7]. The interactions of VCP in the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway determine the substrate selection for proteasomal degradation. ⋯ We predict that selective interference of VCP interaction(s) with aberrant protein or its ERAD function will be an effective therapeutic site to rescue functional misfolded protein in diseases like cystic fibrosis and alpha-1-trypsin deficiency. The control of VCP expression is also proposed to be a potential therapeutic target in ex-polyQ-induced neurodegenerative diseases [12]. The further functional characterization of VCP and associated proteins in these diseases will help in designing of selective therapeutics.
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Ischaemic preconditioning limits the damage induced by subsequent ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R). However, preconditioning is of little practical use as the onset of an infarction is usually unpredictable. Recently, it has been shown that the heart can be protected against the extension of I/R injury if brief (10-30 sec.) coronary occlusions are performed just at the beginning of the reperfusion. ⋯ Protective pathways activated by PostC appear to converge on mitochondrial permeability transition pores, which are inhibited by acidosis and glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta). In conclusion, the first minutes of reperfusion represent a window of opportunity for triggering the aforementioned mediators which will in concert lead to protection against reperfusion injury. Pharmacological PostC and possibly remote PostC may have a promising future in clinical scenario.
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The natriuretic peptides are a family of related hormones that play a crucial role in cardiovascular and renal homeostasis. They have recently emerged as potentially important clinical biomarkers in heart failure. ⋯ Nesiritide, a recombinant human BNP, has been shown to provide symptomatic and haemodynamic improvement in acute decompensated heart failure, although recent reports have suggested an increased short-term risk of death with nesiritide use. This review article describes: the current use of BNP and its inactive precursor NT-proBNP in diagnosis, screening, prognosis and monitoring of therapy for congestive heart failure, the renoprotective actions of natriuretic peptides after renal failure and the controversy around the therapeutic use of the recombinant human BNP nesiritide.