Epidermal melanocytes are skin cells specialized in melanin production. Activation of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) on melanocytes by a-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (a-MSH) induces synthesis of the brown/black pigment eumelanin that confers photoprotection from solar UV radiation (UVR). Contrary to keratinocytes, melanocytes are slow proliferating cells that persist in the skin for decades, in an environment with high levels of UVR-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS). We previously reported that in addition to its role in pigmentation, a-MSH also reduces oxidative stress and enhances the repair of DNA photoproducts in melanocytes, independent of melanin synthesis. Given the significance of ROS in carcinogenesis, here we investigated the mechanisms by which a-MSH exerts antioxidant effects in melanocytes. We show that activation of the MC1R by a-MSH contributes to phosphorylation of p53 on serine 15, a known requirement for stabilization and activation of p53, a major sensor of DNA damage. This effect is mediated by the cAMP/PKA pathway and by the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) ATR and DNA protein kinase (DNA-PK). a-MSH increases the levels of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1) and apurinic apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE-1/Ref-1), enzymes essential for base excision repair. Nutlin-3, an HDM2 inhibitor, mimicked the effects of a-MSH resulting in reduced phosphorylation of H2AX (g-H2AX), a marker of DNA damage. Conversely, the p53 inhibitor pifithrin-a or silencing of p53 abolished the effects of a-MSH and augmented oxidative stress. These results show that p53 is an important target of the downstream MC1R signaling that reduces oxidative stress and possibly malignant transformation of melanocytes. Mol Cancer Res; 10(6); 778-86. Ó2012 AACR. IntroductionThe melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) is best known for its role in stimulating eumelanin synthesis in melanocytes (MC). In the skin, presence of eumelanin is considered the major photoprotective factor against UV radiation (UVR)-induced DNA damage and carcinogenesis. Eumelanin creates not only a physical barrier against the deep penetration of UVR into the epidermal and dermal layers (1) but also reduces oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals (2-4).

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) as ligand-activated nuclear receptors involved in the transcriptional regulation of lipid metabolism, energy balance, inflammation, and atherosclerosis are at the intersection of key pathways involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Synthetic PPAR agonists like fibrates (PPAR-a) and thiazolidinediones (PPAR-c) are in therapeutic use to treat dyslipidaemia and diabetes. Despite strong encouraging in vitro, animal model, and human surrogate marker studies with these agents, recent prospective clinical cardiovascular trials have yielded mixed results, perhaps explained by concomitant drug use, study design, or a lack of efficacy of these agents on cardiovascular disease (independent of their current metabolic indications). The use of PPAR agents has also been limited by untoward effects. An alternative strategy to PPAR therapeutics is better understanding PPAR biology, the nature of natural PPAR agonists, and how these molecules are generated. Such insight might also provide valuable information about pathways that protect against the metabolic problems for which PPAR agents are currently indicated. This approach underscores the important distinction between the effects of synthetic PPAR agonists and the unequivocal biologic role of PPARs as key transcriptional regulators of metabolic and inflammatory pathways relevant to diabetes and atherosclerosis.

Serine-arginine-rich (SR) proteins play a key role in alternative pre-mRNA splicing in eukaryotes. We recently showed that a large SR protein called Son has unique repeat motifs that are essential for maintaining the subnuclear organization of pre-mRNA processing factors in nuclear speckles. Motif analysis of Son highlights putative RNA interaction domains that suggest a direct role for Son in pre-mRNA splicing. Here, we used in situ approaches to show that Son localizes to a reporter minigene transcription site, and that RNAi-mediated Son depletion causes exon skipping on reporter transcripts at this transcription site. A genome-wide exon microarray analysis was performed to identify human transcription and splicing targets of Son. Our data show that Son-regulated splicing encompasses all known types of alternative splicing, the most common being alternative splicing of cassette exons. We confirmed that knockdown of Son leads to exon skipping in pre-mRNAs for chromatin-modifying enzymes, including ADA, HDAC6 and SetD8. This study reports a comprehensive view of human transcription and splicing targets for Son in fundamental cellular pathways such as integrin-mediated cell adhesion, cell cycle regulation, cholesterol biosynthesis, apoptosis and epigenetic regulation of gene expression.

Silk is an attractive biomaterial for use in tissue engineering applications because of its slow degradation, excellent mechanical properties, and biocompatibility. In this report, we demonstrate a simple method to cast patterned films directly from silk fibroin dissolved in an ionic liquid. The films cast from the silk ionic liquid solution were found to support normal cell proliferation and differentiation. The versatility of the silk ionic liquid solutions and the ability to process large amounts of silk into materials with controlled surface topography directly from the dissolved silk ionic liquid solution could enhance the desirability of biomaterials such as silk for a variety of applications.

Background: CXCL12/CXCR4 and hedgehog pathways, predominantly acting in paracrine fashion, play important roles in pancreatic cancer pathobiology. Results: CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling regulates the expression of hedgehog ligand, the sonic hedgehog, in pancreatic cancer cells. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a novel molecular link between CXCL12/CXCR4 and hedgehog pathways. Significance: Our data provide a molecular basis for an active bidirectional tumor-stromal interaction in pancreatic cancer.

DNp63a, implicated as an oncogene, is upregulated by activated Akt, part of a well-known cell survival pathway. Inhibition of Akt activation by phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and the presence of putative p63-binding sites in the pten promoter led us to investigate whether DNp63a regulates PTEN expression. Knockdown of DNp63a led to increases in PTEN levels and loss of activated Akt, while overexpression of DNp63a decreased PTEN levels and elevated active Akt. The repression of PTEN by DNp63a occurs independently of p53 status, as loss of DNp63a increases PTEN expression in cell lines with and without functional p53. In addition, decreased levels of DNp63a resulted in an increase in nuclear PTEN. Conversely, in vivo nuclear PTEN was absent in the proliferative basal layer of the epidermis where DNp63a expression is highest. Additionally, we show that in keratinocytes a balance between DNp63a and PTEN regulates Akt activation and maintains normal proliferation rates. This balance is disrupted in non-melanoma skin cancers through increased DNp63a levels, and could enhance proliferation and subsequent neoplastic development. Our studies show that DNp63a negatively regulates PTEN, thereby providing a feedback loop between PTEN, Akt and DNp63a, which has an integral role in skin cancer development. Cell Death and Differentiation (2011) 18, 1924-1933 doi:10.1038/cdd.2011; published online 3 June 2011The p53 transcription factor family consists of the tumor suppressor p53 and the homologous p63 and p73. Unlike p53, p63 is essential for normal epidermal stratification and the proliferative potential of the epithelial stem cells. 1,2 p63 exists as various isoforms with contrasting functions. 2 The TA isoforms (TAp63a, TAp63b and TAp63g) have a full-length N-terminal transactivation domain, whereas the DN isoforms (DNp63a, DNp63b and DNp63g) have a short but distinct transactivation domain. All isoforms have a DNA-binding domain that shares high homology with p53 that allows p63 proteins to bind to p53 DNA-binding sites. 3,4 Similar to p53, the TA isoforms of p63 and p73 can promote apoptosis and growth arrest through the induction of antiproliferative genes. In contrast, the DN isoforms have been shown to induce pro-survival genes and inhibit anti-proliferative genes. [4][5][6] Several studies indicate that DNp63a, the predominant isoform in adult tissue, may function as an oncogene as it can exert a dominant-negative effect over p53 and the TAp63 and TAp73 isoforms. 2 Additionally, DNp63a is frequently overexpressed in a variety of squamous cell (SCC) and basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). 7,8 The survival factor Akt can increase DNp63a levels and in turn, DNp63a protects against UV-B-induced apoptosis via Akt activation. 9,10 However, the mechanism behind the positive feedback loop between DNp63a and Akt has not been described. Akt activation can be negated by phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN). PTEN dephosphorylates phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate, thereby...

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infections following bone marrow transplantation (BMT) have been shown to be associated with fever, skin rash, graft versus host disease, encephalitis, delay in engraftment, marrow suppression, and pneumonia. Unfortunately several of these studies were case reports and although the results were suggestive they prompted us to study these pathological events systematically. These associations were primarily based on either HHV-6 isolation, HHV-6 DNA detection, antigen detection or increases in HHV-6 specific antibodies. HHV-6 activity was more frequent during the post- rather than the pre-transplantation period. All HHV-6 isolates from BMT patients have been shown to be variant B. A better understanding of HHV-6 associated pathogenesis gained by larger prospective trials is needed to facilitate proper treatment of cases of idiopathic illnesses or those associated with symptoms (fever, skin rash) similar to those caused by HHV-6.

Peptide-mediated internalization and organelle targeting of quantum dots.