| 1. |
- Kaarniranta, Kai, et al.
(författare)
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A mouse model for Stickler's syndrome; ocular phenotype of mice carrying a targeted heterozygous inactivation of type II (pro)collagen gene (Col2a1).
- 2006
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Ingår i: Experimental Eye Research. - : Elsevier. - 0014-4835 .- 1096-0007. ; 83:2, s. 297-303
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The influences of targeted heterozygous inactivation of type II (pro)collagen gene (Col2a1) on eye structures in the 15-month-old C57BL/6JOlaHsd mouse was studied. The eyes were collected from C57BL mice heterozygous for a targeted inactivation of one allele of the Col2a1 gene (Col2a1(+/-) mice). The eyes of C57BL mice with normal gene alleles were used as controls (Col2a1(+/+) mice). Ocular histology was analyzed from tissue sections, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, toluidine blue and alcian blue. Type II collagen was localized by immunohistochemistry. Hyaluronan (HA) was stained utilizing the biotinylated complex of the hyaluronan-binding region of aggrecan and link protein (bHABC). The anterior segment of the eye was well-formed in both genotypes, but typical folding of ciliary processes was decreased, while increased stromal extracellular matrix vacuolization was seen in the Col2a1(+/-) mice. In the lens of these mice, subcapsular extracellular matrix changes were observed. Differences in retinal structures or the number of the eyes with retinal detachment were not detected between the genotypes. In Col2a1(+/-) mice, staining for type II collagen was weaker in cornea, ciliary body, iris, lens, vitreous, retina, choroid and sclera than in the control mice. HA staining was detected in the extraocular tissues, ciliary body, iris and the choroid of both genotypes. HA staining was observed only in the vitreous body of the control animals. Heterozygous inactivation of Col2a1 gene causes structural defects in the murine eye. The observed structural changes in the ciliary body, lens and vitreous of the Col2a1(+/-) mice may represent ocular features found in the human Stickler syndrome, where the abnormalities result from COL2A1 gene mutations which lead to functional haploinsufficiency.
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| 2. |
- Li, Lingli, 1963-
(författare)
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Effect of Hyaluronan-activation of CD44 on Cell Signaling and Tumorigenesis
- 2006
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Hyaluronan (HA), a structural component in the extracellular matrix (ECM), has been recognized as a signaling molecule. It is important during various biological activities such as embryogenesis, angiogenesis, wound healing and tumor progression. Increased amount of hyaluronan during embryonic development is necessary for cell migration and differentiation, but the increased production of hyaluronan by tumor cells or tissue fibroblasts is correlated to poor prognosis for tumor progression and chronic inflammation, respectively. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms regulating HA-enriched matrices and the roles of HA in the biological functions is of fundamental biological importance.Four novel findings are described in this thesis: (1) HA fragments (HA12) and the known angiogenic factor FGF-2 promote endothelial cell differentiation by induction of common but also distinct sets of genes, particularly, upregulation of the chemokine CXCL1/GRO1 gene is necessary for HA12-induced angiogenesis and this effect is dependent on CD44 activation. (2) High concentrations of hyaluronan suppress PDGF-BB-induced fibroblasts migration and PDGFRβ tyrosine phosphorylation upon activation of hyaluronan receptor CD44, probably by recruiting a CD44-associated phosphatase to the PDGFRβ. (3) PDGF-BB stimulates HAS2 transcriptional activity and HA synthesis through upregulation of MAP kinase and PI3 kinase signaling pathways in human dermal fibroblasts. (4) Specific suppression of HAS2 gene in the invasive breast cancer cell line Hs578T by RNA interference (RNAi) leads to a less aggressive phenotype of breast tumor cells. This suppressive effect can be reversed by exogenously added hyaluronan.In conclusion, binding of hyaluronan to CD44 plays an important role in cell signaling, inflammation and tumor progression. Further studies are required to elucidate the molecular mechanisms through which hyaluronan levels are regulated under physiological or pathological conditions, and to explore compounds involved in hyaluronan accumulation and activity as targets for therapies of chronic inflammation and tumors.
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| 3. |
- Tiala, Inkeri, et al.
(författare)
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The PSORS1 locus gene CCHCR1 affects keratinocyte proliferation in transgenic mice
- 2008
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Ingår i: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 17:7, s. 1043-1051
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The CCHCR1 gene (Coiled-Coil alpha-Helical Rod protein 1) within the major psoriasis susceptibility locus PSORS1 is a plausible candidate gene for the risk effect. We have previously generated transgenic mice overexpressing either the psoriasis-associated risk allele CCHCR1*WWCC or the normal allele of CCHCR1. All transgenic CCHCR1 mice appeared phenotypically normal, but exhibited altered expression of genes relevant to the pathogenesis of psoriasis, including upregulation of hyperproliferation markers keratins 6, 16 and 17. Here, we challenged the skin of CCHCR1 transgenic mice with wounding or 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-acetate (TPA), treatments able to induce epidermal hyperplasia and proliferation that both are hallmarks of psoriasis. These experiments revealed that CCHCR1 regulates keratinocyte proliferation. Early wound healing on days 1 and 4 was delayed, and TPA-induced epidermal hyperproliferation was less pronounced in mice with the CCHCR1*WWCC risk allele than in mice with the normal allele or in wild-type animals. Finally, we demonstrated that overexpression of CCHCR1 affects basal keratinocyte proliferation in mice; CCHCR1*WWCC mice had less proliferating keratinocytes than the non-risk allele mice. Similarly, keratinocytes isolated from risk allele mice proliferated more slowly in culture than wild-type cells when measured by BrdU labeling and ELISA. Our data show that CCHCR1 may function as a negative regulator of keratinocyte proliferation. Thus, aberrant function of CCHCR1 may lead to abnormal keratinocyte proliferation which is a key feature of psoriatic epidermis.
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