Nogo-B receptor (NgBR) is a specific receptor of Nogo-B, a member of reticulon 4 protein family. It is widely expressed in many tissues and mainly located in cell membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. Previous studies have revealed that NgBR is involved in a variety of physiological and pathophysiological processes, such as dolichol synthesis, lipid metabolism, cholesterol trafficking, insulin resistance, vascular remodeling and angiogenesis, tumorigenesis and nervous system diseases. Further studies on the molecular characteristics and biological function of NgBR might be of great significance to understand its role in diverse diseases and provide possible clinical strategies for the treatment of diseases.
Carrier Proteins/metabolism* ; Endoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism* ; Lipid Metabolism ; Nogo Proteins/metabolism* ; Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism*

Humans ; Liver ; cytology ; metabolism ; Liver Diseases ; metabolism ; pathology ; therapy ; Receptors, Angiotensin ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Receptors, Endothelin ; metabolism ; Receptors, Vasopressin ; metabolism

Wounds on fetal skin can be repaired without leaving scars until the second trimester, but after this period, skin wounds leave scars as in adults. It's known that certain growth factors such as TGF-beta, and bFGF are present at a very low levels during wound repair in fetal skin. These low levels of growth factors minimize inflammatory response and fibroblast proliferation at the wound site, which in turn inhibit collagen synthesis, and thus, allows scarless wound healing. Recently bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), one of the TGF-beta superfamily members, have been studied in the wound healing process. According to several studies, BMPs are related to the differentiation and growth of epithelial and mesenchymal cells, but the precise functions of BMPs and of BMP receptors on skin wound healing have not been elucidated. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of BMP receptors in fetal skin during the second trimester and in adult skin by immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR. BMP receptors were detected on the suprabasal epithelial cells and in the hair follicles in adult skin, but were not defected in the fetal skin except for the hair follicles. This was confirmed by confirming mRNA levels of BMP receptors by RT-PCR in both adult and fetal skins. In conclusion, BMPs and BMP receptors seem to be related to fetal and adult wound healing, and low levels of BMPs and BMP receptors during the second trimester seem to contribute to scarless wound healing in the fetus, as is TGF-beta during the second trimester.
Fetus/metabolism ; Human ; Immunohistochemistry ; Receptors, Cell Surface/*metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Skin/*embryology/*metabolism

The renin/prorenin receptor (RnR) has recently been cloned and demonstrated to exist in different cells in the cardiovascular and renal systems, playing an important role in physiological and pathophysiological situations. In the present study, we used immunofluorescence method to identify whether and where the RnR expressed in cultured rat renal mesangial cells (MCs) and rat kidney. By using the prorenin handle region peptide (HRP) as a decoy peptide of the RnR, we observed the distribution of the HRP-RnR complex in the MCs. Our results showed that the RnR was localized in the perinuclear zone and plasma membrane of the MCs. At the organ level, the RnR was observed in the mesangium of cortical glomeruli in rat kidney. The FITC-labeled HRP (FITC-HRP) translocated from cell culture medium into the cytoplasm within 30 s. Colocalization of the HRP and RnR was observed mainly on the cell membrane and in the perinuclear zone of cytoplasm by using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. At 30 min the FITC-HRP was mainly observed in the nucleus while the RnR remained in the perinuclear zone of cytoplasm. Taken together, our results confirm the expression of RnR in the renal MCs. It is suggested that internalization of the RnR after binding with its ligand is at least one of the pathways through which the RnR exerts its biological actions.
Animals ; Kidney ; metabolism ; Mesangial Cells ; metabolism ; Rats ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism

Lager yeast is the most popular yeast strain used for beer production in China. The flocculation of yeast plays an important role in cell separation at the end of fermentation. Therefore, appropriately enhancing the flocculation capability of the lager yeast without affecting its fermentation performance would be desirable for beer industry. Our previous study showed that the defect of gene RIM21 might contribute to the enhanced flocculation capability of a lager yeast G03. To further investigate the role of the RIM21 gene in flocculation of strain G03, this study constructed a RIM21-deleted mutant strain G03-RIM21Δ through homologous recombination. Deletion of RIM21 improved the flocculation capability of strain G03 during wort fermentation at 11 °C without changing its fermentation performance significantly. The expression of FLO5, Lg-FLO1 and some other genes involved in cell wall integrity pathway were up-regulated in strain G03-RIM21Δ. In addition, the disruption of RIM21 enhanced resistance of yeast cells to cell wall inhibitors. These results provide a basis for elucidating the flocculation mechanism of lager yeast under low-temperature fermentation conditions.
Beer ; Fermentation ; Flocculation ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; Saccharomyces/metabolism* ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism* ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/metabolism*

AIMTo observe the expression of Leptin receptors (OB-R) in male rat anterior pituitary, and study the influence of Leptin on the level of intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in the cultured growth hormone (GH) cell of male rat pituitary.

METHODSRT-PCR method was used to observe the expression of Leptin receptors (OB-R) in male rat anterior pituitary. We used grade centrifuging method to get growth hormone (GH) cell, and [Ca2+]i in GH cell was examined by laser scanning confocal system.

RESULTSOB-R mRNA were expressed in male rat anterior pituitary, including OB-R (common form), OB-Ra (short form) and OB-Rb (long form). There were about 70% or 80% GH cell by grade centrifuging. Leptin at 10(-8)mol/L could decrease the level intracellular free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in cultured GH cell.

CONCLUSIONThere are three subtypes of Leptin receptors expressions in male rat anterior pituitary, and Leptin could reduce intracellular free Ca2+ level of GH cell markedly.

Animals ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Cells, Cultured ; Growth Hormone ; metabolism ; Male ; Pituitary Gland ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Receptors, Leptin ; metabolism

Acute-Phase Proteins ; physiology ; Carrier Proteins ; physiology ; Humans ; Membrane Glycoproteins ; physiology ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; physiology ; Receptors, Immunologic ; physiology ; Receptors, Scavenger ; Sepsis ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Signal Transduction ; Toll-Like Receptors

OBJECTIVETo search for a new diagnostic biomarker for prostate cancer by comparing the differences in the expressions of netrin-1 and UNC5B in prostate cancer cells with different invasive abilities.

METHODSWe examined the expressions of netrin-1 and UNC5B in five prostate cancer cell lines DU145, 22RV1, PC3, PC3M and RWPE-1 using RT-PCR and Western blot, and positioned the ligands netrin-1 and its receptor UNC5B in the prostate cancer cells by immunofluorescence.

RESULTSBoth netrin-1 and UNC5B were expressed in the prostate cancer cells, and the expression of netrin-1 was significantly increased in highly invasive cells (P < 0.05), while that of UNC5B in RWPE-1 (normal) cells (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expressions of netrin-1 and UNC5B are closely related to the infiltration and progression of prostate cancer, and expected to be as potential biomarkers for predicting the malignancy degree of prostate cancer.

Biomarkers, Tumor ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Humans ; Male ; Nerve Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Netrin-1 ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism ; Tumor Suppressor Proteins ; metabolism

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Hepatocytes ; Humans ; Liver ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Nerve Tissue Proteins ; metabolism ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; metabolism

The aim of this study was to clone the chicken zp1 gene encoding zona pellucida 1 (Zp1) and investigate its tissues expression profile and its effect on osteoblast mineralization. The expression level of zp1 was quantified in various tissues of laying hens and in the tibia of the pre- and post-sexual maturity by RT-qPCR. Zp1 overexpressed vector was transfected into chicken calvarial osteoblasts which were induced differentiation for 8 days, and the extracellular mineral and the expression of mineralization-related genes were detected. The full-length chicken zp1 gene is 3 045 bp, encoding 958 amino acids residuals, and has two N-glycosylation sites. The highest expression level of the zp1 gene was found in the liver, followed by the tibia and yolk membrane, while no expression was detected in the heart and eggshell gland. Compared with the pre-sexual maturity hens, the concentration of estrogen (E2) in plasma, the content of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and the expression level of the zp1 gene in the tibia with post-sexual maturity were higher. The extracellular matrix and the level of osteoblast mineralization-related genes showed a significantly upregulated expression in chicken calvarial osteoblasts with Zp1 overexpressed and addition of estrogen. The expression of the zp1 gene is tissue-specific and positively regulated osteoblast mineralization under the action of estrogen, laying the foundation for elucidating the functional properties of Zp1 in chicken bones during the egg production period.
Female ; Animals ; Zona Pellucida Glycoproteins ; Membrane Glycoproteins/metabolism* ; Chickens/genetics* ; Egg Proteins/metabolism* ; Receptors, Cell Surface ; Estrogens