Suppression of α-catenin and adherens junctions enhances epithelial cell proliferation and motility via TACE-Mediated TGF-α autocrine/paracrine signaling

Sustained cell migration is essential for wound healing and cancer metastasis. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling cascade is known to drive cell migration and proliferation. While the signal transduction downstream of EGFR has been extensively investigated, our knowledge of the initiation and maintenance of EGFR signaling during cell migration remains limited. The metalloprotease TACE is responsible for producing active EGFR family ligands in the via ligand shedding. Sustained TACE activity may perpetuate EGFR signaling and reduce a cell's reliance on exogenous growth factors. Using a cultured keratinocyte model system, we show that depletion of α-catenin perturbs adherens junctions, enhances cell proliferation and motility, and decreases dependence on exogenous growth factors. We show that the underlying mechanism for these observed phenotypical changes depends on enhanced autocrine/paracrine release of the EGFR ligand TGF-α in a TACE-dependent manner. We demonstrate that proliferating keratinocyte epithelial cell clusters display waves of oscillatory extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activity, which can be eliminated by TACE knockout, suggesting that these waves of oscillatory ERK activity depend on autocrine/paracrine signals produced by TACE. These results provide new insights into the regulatory role of adherens junctions in initiating and maintaining autocrine/paracrine signaling with relevance to wound healing and cellular transformation.

The influence of exogenous growth regulators on seed qualities of white lupine

Обработка семян люпина регуляторами роста является одним из экономически выгодных приёмов, позволяющих улучшить качество семенного материала. В данной статье приведены результаты лабораторного изучения действия экзогенных регуляторов роста «Циркон», «Эпин-Экстра», «Гиббереллин» на посевные характеристики семян люпина белого сортов Дега, Деснянский 2, Алый парус. Исследования проводились в условиях лаборатории в 2017–2019 годах. Выявлено, что регуляторы роста повышали энергию прорастания семян люпина белого. Всхожесть обработанных препаратами семян была выше контроля: у сорта Дега — в среднем на 6,2%, у сорта Деснянский 2 — на 8,7%, у сорта Алый парус — на 7,6%. Степень эффективности действия препаратов на эти показатели зависела от генотипа. Максимальный эффект на энергию прорастания и лабораторную всхожесть семян изучаемых сортов оказывал препарат «Гиббереллин». Обработка семян регуляторами роста оказывала стимулирующее действие на рост и развитие проростков люпина белого и в первую очередь — на развитие корневой системы. Наибольшее влияние на рост корней оказывали «Гиббереллин» и «Циркон». Отмечена дифференциация сортов по степени отзывчивости на данные препараты: более чувствительными были сорта Деснянский 2 и Алый парус. Установлено влияние регуляторов на содержание хлорофилла А+Б и активность каталазы. Увеличение содержания хлорофилла в среднем составило 40,0%. Обнаружено, что в проростках сортов Алый парус и Дега, полученных из семян, обработанных регуляторами роста «Циркон», «Эпин-Экстра» и «Гиббереллин», активность каталазы возрастала в среднем на 62; 60; 94% соответственно. У сорта Деснянский 2 превышение этого показателя над контролем было ниже. Treating lupine seeds with growth stimulators is an effective technique improving seed quality. This report deals with the effect of “Tsirkon”, “Epin-Ekstra” and “Gibberellin”, the exogenous growth stimulators, on seeds of white lupine. The investigation was conducted in 2017–2019. Growth stimulators increased germination energy of seeds. Germination ability of “Dega”, “Desnyanskiy 2” and “Alyy parus” varieties improved by 6.2, 8.7, and 7.6%, respectively. Genotype had a significant impact on these parameters. Seed treatment with “Gibberellin” led to the highest germination energy and ability of seeds. Growth stimulators positively affected growth and development of lupine seedlings and above all — root system. “Gibberellin” and “Tsirkon” influenced root development the most. “Desnyanskiy 2” and “Alyy parus” were more sensitive to the treatment by these preparations. Growth stimulators had an impact on chlorophyll content and catalase activity. The increase in chlorophyll concentration amounted to 40.0%. Catalase activity increased by 62, 60 and 94% in seedlings of “Alyy parus” and “Dega” after the treatment by “Tsirkon”, “Epin-Ekstra” and “Gibberellin”, respectively. “Desnyanskiy 2” showed lower values of this parameter.

Methodological approaches to modeling the role of institutions and technologies in the economic growth of the late USSR (mid-1950s – late 1980s)

Based on historical data, we test our modified production functions, derived from exogenous growth model by Mankiw, Romer, Weil (1992) and theoretical ideas by Romer (1990). Besides physical and human capital, we augment them with proxy indicators for institutional and technological environments, and with a source of endogenous growth, i.e. R&D expenditures. We present our preliminary assessments of the role of these factors in economic growth of the late USSR in inter-country comparison.

PSIX-31 The effect of days on feed and trenbolone acetate + estradiol-17β implants on the dimensional measurements of serially harvested steer carcasses

Charolais x Angus steers (n = 80) were serially harvested to evaluate the effect of days on feed and exogenous growth promotion on dimensional measurements of chilled carcasses. Steers were randomly distributed to treatment and harvest day in a 2 x 10 factorial design. Steers were paired by genetic similarity and randomly assigned one of two treatments; implanted with Revalor-XS (REV) on d 0 and d 190 or non-implanted control (CON). Four pairs were randomly assigned to market endpoints of 0, 42, 84, 126, 168, 210, 252, 294, 336, or 378 DOF. Forty-eight h after harvest, a digital image was obtained of the lateral aspect of the right side of each carcass in front of a grid containing 390 contrasting black and green squares (100 cm2 each). Images were individually calibrated to a common standard and digitally measured for 2-dimensional surface area and maximal carcass length and width. Maximal length was measured from the caudal tip of the hindshank to cranial edge of the foreshank and maximal width was measured from the dorsal edge of the crest to the ventral edge of the foreshank. Carcass dimensional measurements were analyzed using mixed models; fixed effects were implant treatment and DOF with d 0 BW as a covariate. No TRT x DOF interaction was observed (P ≥ 0.13) for any dependent variable. Steers administered REV yielded 516 cm2 greater (P < 0.01) surface area than CON; moreover, surface area increased 21.0 cm2 /day. No TRT effect (P = 0.57) was observed for maximal length, however maximal width was 3.9 cm greater (P < 0.01) for REV steers. Steer carcasses increased 0.16 cm/day in length and 0.07 cm/day in width. These data illustrate growth in carcass size following exogenous growth promotant administration and finishing steers for various lengths of time.

EFFECT OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC PHYTOHORMONES ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER BASIDIOMYCETES

The paper is aimed to analyze the current data on the influence of exogenous growth stimulators on growth and development of higher Basidiomycetes. The historical aspects about discovery and role of phytohormones in fungi physiology are reviewed. The taxa of the basidiomycetes, which are capable of synthesizing phytohormones of all known types, including Aphyllophorales, Boletales, Agaricales, Sclerodermales, Hymenogastrales, Uredinales, Ustilaginales are described. The data from different sources describing the effects of natural and synthetic growth stimulators on the development of basidiomycetes are summarized and compared. It is noted that various concentrations of phytohormones (auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins) from 0.01 to 400 mg/ml were used in the experiments to study their effects on mycelial growth. Possible causes of conflicting results obtained by different authors, such as application of diverse methods of mushroom cultivation, different media and methods of substrate sterilization, are described.