In vitro studies on the immune regulatory role of complement receptors (C3) present on human B lymphocytes

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a class of small non-coding RNAs with an important regulatory role in various physiological processes as well as in several pathologies including cancers. It is noteworthy that recent evidence suggests that the regulatory role of miRNAs during carcinogenesis is not limited to the cancer cells but they are also implicated in the activation of tumour stroma and its transition into a cancer-associated state. Results from experimental studies involving cells culturedin vitroand mice bearing experimental tumours, corroborated by profiling of clinical cancers for miRNA expression, underline this role and identify miRNAs as a potent regulator of the crosstalk between cancer and stroma cells. Considering the fundamental role of the tumour microenvironment in determining both the clinical characteristics of the disease and the efficacy of anticancer therapy, miRNAs emerge as an attractive target bearing important prognostic and therapeutic significance during carcinogenesis. In this article, we will review the available results that underline the role of miRNAs in tumour stroma biology and emphasise their potential value as tools for the management of the disease.

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Epithelial—mesenchymal tissue interactions guiding otic capsule formation: the role of the otocyst

Development ◽

10.1242/dev.97.1.1 ◽

1986 ◽

Vol 97 (1) ◽

pp. 1-24

Author(s):

Joseph R. McPhee ◽

Thomas R. Van De Water

Keyword(s):

Mouse Embryo ◽

Mouse Embryos ◽

In Vitro Studies ◽

Otic Capsule ◽

Membranous Labyrinth ◽

Capsule Formation ◽

Tissue Interactions ◽

Mesenchymal Tissue

The otocyst is the epithelial anlage of the membranous labyrinth which interacts with surrounding cephalic mesenchyme to form an otic capsule. A series of in vitro studies was performed to gain a better understanding of the epithelial—mesenchymal interactions involved in this process. Parallel series of otocyst/mesenchyme (O/M) and isolated periotic mesenchyme (M) explants provided morphological and biochemical data to define the role of the otocyst in organizing and directing formation of its cartilaginous otic capsule. Explants were made from mouse embryos ranging in age from 10 to 14 days of gestation, and organ cultured under identical conditions until the chronological equivalent of 16 days of gestation. Expression of chrondrogenesis was determined by both histology and biochemistry. The in vitro behaviour of periotic mesenchyme explanted either with or without an otocyst supports several hypotheses that explain aspects of otic capsule development. The results indicate that (a) prior to embryonic day 12 the otocyst alone is not sufficient to stimulate chondrogenesis of the otic capsule within O/M explants; (b) the otocyst acts as an inductor of capsule chondrogenesis within O/M explants between embryonic days 12 to 13; (c) isolated mesenchyme within M explants taken from 13-day-old embryos are capable of initiating in vitro chondrogenesis, but without expressing capsule morphology in the absence of the otocyst; and (d) the isolated mesenchyme of M explants obtained from 14-day-old embryos expresses both chondrogenesis and otic capsule morphology in the absence of the otocyst. These findings suggest that the otocyst acts as an inductor of chondrogenesis of periotic mesenchyme tissue between embryonic days 11 to 13, and controls capsular morphogenesis between embryonic days 13 to 14 in the mouse embryo.

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The Regulatory Role of Ethylene on Cell Differentiation and Growth of Mustard Plants In Vitro

Biotechnology in Agriculture - Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture ◽

10.1007/978-94-011-1779-1_63 ◽

1993 ◽

pp. 344-347 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Eng-Chong Pua ◽

Gek-Lan Chi

Keyword(s):

Cell Differentiation ◽

Regulatory Role

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Interleukin-13 in Combination With CD40 Ligand Potently Inhibits Apoptosis in Human B Lymphocytes: Upregulation of Bcl-xL and Mcl-1

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v89.12.4415 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 89 (12) ◽

pp. 4415-4424 ◽

Cited By ~ 54

Author(s):

Jon Lømo ◽

Heidi Kiil Blomhoff ◽

Sten Eirik Jacobsen ◽

Stanislaw Krajewski ◽

John C. Reed ◽

...

Keyword(s):

B Cells ◽

B Cell ◽

B Lymphocytes ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Cell Apoptosis ◽

Cell Types ◽

Cd40 Ligand ◽

Interleukin 13

Abstract Interleukin-13 (IL-13) is a novel T-cell–derived cytokine with IL-4–like effects on many cell types. In human B lymphocytes, IL-13 induces activation, stimulates proliferation in combination with anti-IgM or anti-CD40 antibodies, and directs Ig isotype switching towards IgE and IgG4 isotypes. We show here that IL-13 also regulates human B-cell apoptosis. IL-13 reduced spontaneous apoptosis of peripheral blood B cells in vitro, as shown by measurement of DNA fragmentation using the TUNEL and Nicoletti assays. The inhibition of cell death by IL-13 alone was significant but modest, but was potently enhanced in combination with CD40 ligand (CD40L), a survival stimulus for B cells by itself. Interestingly, IL-13 increased the expression of CD40 on peripheral blood B cells, providing a possible mechanism for the observed synergy. IL-13 alone was a less potent inhibitor of apoptosis than IL-4. Moreover, there was no additive effect of combining IL-4 and IL-13 at supraoptimal concentrations, which is consistent with the notion that the IL-4 and IL-13 binding sites share a common signaling subunit. The combination of IL-13 with CD40L augmented the expression of the Bcl-2 homologues Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, suggesting this as a possible intracellular mechanism of induced survival. By contrast, levels of Bcl-2, and two other Bcl-2 family members, Bax and Bak, remained unaltered. Given the importance of the CD40-CD40L interaction in B-cell responses, these results suggest a significant role of IL-13 in the regulation of B-cell apoptosis.

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