Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammad Alqudah, Rima Abdul Razzaq, Mahmoud A. Alfaqih, Othman Al-Shboul, Ahmed Al-Dwairi, Safa Taha
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the signaling pathways involved in oxytocin-induced contractions in gastric smooth muscle, and found that oxytocin directly stimulates its cell surface receptor to activate PLC beta 1, which in turn liberates IP3, leading to an elevation in intracellular calcium and smooth muscle contraction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yinna Wang, Guoning Liao, Ruping Wang, Dale D. Tang
Summary: Actin cytoskeletal reorganization is crucial for regulating smooth muscle contraction, with Abi1 playing a key role in this process through acetylation at K416. The interaction between Abi1 and N-WASP enhances actin polymerization, ultimately promoting smooth muscle contraction. Additionally, the localization of p300 in the cytoplasm of smooth muscle cells suggests a novel mechanism for the acetylation-dependent regulation of the actin cytoskeleton.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Hiroshi Arima, Timothy Cheetham, Mirjam Christ-Crain, Deborah Cooper, Juliana Drummond, Mark Gurnell, Miles Levy, Ann McCormack, John Newell-Price, Joseph G. Verbalis, John Wass, John Wass
Summary: Recent data suggests that patients with diabetes insipidus (DI) are being harmed. The authors propose renaming central and nephrogenic DI as arginine vasopressin deficiency and resistance, respectively.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY & METABOLISM
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lara Hairapetian, Enrico Cortes, Junyi Zhao, Yao Wang, Ricky Huang, Robert Damoiseaux, Ivan Pushkarsky
Summary: Cellular contractile force is a fundamental trait shared by all cells, and it is crucial for development and function at both cellular and tissue levels. This force also regulates mechanical systems in the body. Various biological processes, including cell motility, adhesion, division, and organ contraction, rely on force. Exaggerated or disrupted cellular contractility can lead to disease processes. This article presents a comprehensive protocol for a microplate-based contractility assay technology called FLECS, which simplifies the analysis of single-cell contractility. This technology allows researchers to study this difficult-to-quantify cell phenotype, effectively lowering the entry barrier into the field of force biology and phenotypic screening of contractile cell force.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Respiratory System
Daniela Riccardi, Jeremy P. T. Ward, Polina L. Yarova, Luke J. Janssen, Tak Hong Lee, Sun Ying, Chris J. Corrigan
Summary: This review article provides an overview of the evidence supporting the role of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) as a key molecular trigger for asthma and discusses the potential benefits of using negative allosteric modulators of the CaSR, known as calcilytics, for topical therapy of asthma.
EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Allergy
Thomas J. A. Maguire, Stephanie Yung, Elena Ortiz-Zapater, O. Stephanie Kayode, Stephen Till, Chris Corrigan, Leonard Q. C. Siew, Gregory A. Knock, Grzegorz Woszczek
Summary: S1P plays an important role in regulating airway smooth muscle reactivity and hyperplasia, potentially serving as a novel therapeutic target for asthma and other lung diseases.
JOURNAL OF ALLERGY AND CLINICAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Dora (Jun Ping) Xiong, James G. Martin, Anne-Marie Lauzon
Summary: Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways that varies in its presentation and severity. Airway smooth muscle is the major contributor to airway narrowing and asthma symptoms. Various factors can contribute to the dysfunction of airway smooth muscle. Methodological limitations in studying the airways have hindered our understanding of asthma mechanisms.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Neurosciences
Stacey Woods, Caragh O'Mahoney, Andrew McKiel, Laurel Natale, Bareket Falk
Summary: Antagonist coactivation refers to the simultaneous activation of agonist and antagonist muscles during a motor task, and age-related differences in coactivation may contribute to muscle performance variations between children and adults. This study summarized the existing research on age-related differences in antagonist muscle coactivation during multi-joint dynamic and single-joint isometric or isokinetic contractions. The majority of studies found higher coactivation in children during multi-joint dynamic contractions, while only a few studies reported higher coactivation in children during single-joint contractions. These findings highlight the importance of considering age-related differences in coactivation, particularly during multi-joint dynamic contractions, when evaluating muscle function in children and adults.
JOURNAL OF ELECTROMYOGRAPHY AND KINESIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Klemens Uhlmann, Daniel Balzani
Summary: In this paper, a novel chemo-mechanical model is proposed to describe the stretch-dependent chemical processes in vascular smooth muscle. The model accurately captures both calcium-dependent and calcium-independent contractions observed in smooth muscle cells. Experimental data and numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in describing the contraction of arteries in response to internal pressure changes.
BIOMECHANICS AND MODELING IN MECHANOBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Iris Lim, Caio Christiansen, Russ Chess-Williams
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of 17β-estradiol (E2) on ureteral contractility. The results showed that E2 increased the frequency of ureteral contractions through G protein-coupled estrogen receptor activation of potassium channels, while also decreasing the maximum amplitude of contractions via an unknown mechanism.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biology
Qunhui Yang, Masatoshi Hori
Summary: Hypertension is a key risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is linked to the contractile machinery in vascular smooth muscle. Different signaling pathways regulate blood pressure by controlling myosin phosphorylation, with implications for physiological and pathophysiological conditions of hypertension.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Moon Young Yang, Soo-Kyung Kim, Donghwa Kim, Stephen B. Liggett, William A. Goddard
Summary: The study identified the activation structure of TAS2R5 receptors and the binding mode with agonists, providing valuable insights into how agonists activate TAS2R5 and the design of novel drugs.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Hayder M. Al-kuraishy, Ali Al-Gareeb, Safaa Qusti, Eida M. Alshammari, Francis O. Atanu, Gaber El-Saber Batiha
Summary: The release of AVP in Covid-19 is influenced by various factors and may trigger inflammatory disorders, leading to complications. Antagonizing AVP could be a potential therapeutic approach for treating Covid-19.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Tae Sik Sung, Seung-Bum Ryoo, Chang-Hyun Lee, Seon-Min Choi, Joo-Won Nam, Hyun-Bok Kim, Ji Young Lee, Jung-Dae Lim, Kyu Joo Park, Hyun-Tai Lee
Summary: The fruit of Morus alba L. (MAF) has been used as a food worldwide and in traditional medicine in East Asia for thousands of years. This study found that MAF has prokinetic activity and can enhance gastrointestinal motor function in mice and human intestines. It increased both myogenic and neurogenic contractions, resulting in accelerated intestinal transit rate (ITR). These findings suggest that MAF has potential as a new prokinetic agent.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Katrin Roehm, Martin Diener, Korinna Huber, Jana Seifert
Summary: The study focused on the ex vivo characterization of cecal smooth muscle contraction in laying hens, showing that the use of calcium-free buffer decreases muscle contraction, while carbachol increases it. Nitroprusside, isoprenaline and Verapamil inhibit smooth muscle contraction.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Koyal Garg, Nicholas A. Pullen, Carole A. Oskeritzian, John J. Ryan, Gary L. Bowlin
Article
Cell Biology
Travis W. Faber, Nicholas A. Pullen, Josephine F. A. Fernando, Elizabeth Motunrayo Kolawole, Jamie J. A. McLeod, Marcela Taruselli, Kathryn L. Williams, Kevin O. Rivera, Brian O. Barnstein, Daniel H. Conrad, John J. Ryan
CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2014)
Article
Immunology
Josephine Fernando, Travis W. Faber, Nicholas A. Pullen, Yves T. Falanga, Elizabeth Motunrayo Kolawole, Carole A. Oskeritzian, Brian O. Barnstein, Geethani Bandara, Geqiang Li, Lawrence B. Schwartz, Sarah Spiegel, David B. Straus, Daniel H. Conrad, Kevin D. Bunting, John J. Ryan
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2013)
Article
Cell Biology
Johanna K. Morales, Sheinei J. Saleem, Rebecca K. Martin, Bryan L. Saunders, Brian O. Barnstein, Travis W. Faber, Nicholas A. Pullen, Elizabeth Motunrayo Kolawole, Keith B. Brooks, Sarah K. Norton, Jamie Sturgill, Laura Graham, Harry D. Bear, Joseph F. Urban, Chris S. Lantz, Daniel H. Conrad, John J. Ryan
JOURNAL OF LEUKOCYTE BIOLOGY
(2014)
Article
Oncology
Nicholas A. Pullen, Monika Anand, Patricia S. Cooper, Helen L. Fillmore
JOURNAL OF NEURO-ONCOLOGY
(2012)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
David O. Lyons, Michele R. Plewes, Nicholas A. Pullen
Review
Cell Biology
Alexandra A. Vita, Emily A. Royse, Nicholas A. Pullen
JOURNAL OF LEUKOCYTE BIOLOGY
(2019)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David O. Lyons, Nicholas A. Pullen
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2020)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jacob Garritson, Luke Krynski, Lea Haverbeck, James M. Haughian, Nicholas A. Pullen, Reid Hayward
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandra A. Vita, Hend Aljobaily, David O. Lyons, Nicholas A. Pullen
Summary: The study demonstrates that berberine can delay the symptoms of collagen-induced arthritis and potentially mediate its effects through T cell suppression.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Ziemkiewicz, Genevieve Hilliard, Nicholas A. Pullen, Koyal Garg
Summary: The inflammatory response plays a critical role in skeletal muscle regeneration, with various immune cells and biomolecules involved in the process of muscle repair. Research has focused on utilizing immune cells and biomolecules to promote muscle regeneration, along with the development of cell and drug-based immunomodulatory strategies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Sport Sciences
Peter Smoak, Nicholas Harman, Victoria Flores, Jacob Kisiolek, Nicholas A. Pullen, Jonathan Lisano, Reid Hayward, Laura K. Stewart
Summary: The study found that 12 weeks of kefir consumption improved lean body mass, depression, fatigue, and gastric distress in cancer survivors. Kefir also significantly reduced circulating LPS levels and increased classical monocyte numbers.
MEDICINE & SCIENCE IN SPORTS & EXERCISE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nicholas A. Pullen, Emma Bertran
Article
Plant Sciences
Alexandra A. Vita, Nicholas A. Pullen
Summary: This study reveals the suppressive effect of berberine on T-fh cell proliferation and provides insight into the underlying mechanism, suggesting that berberine may interfere with cytokine receptor or downstream signaling to inhibit T-fh cell activity.
Article
Education, Scientific Disciplines
David Lopatto, Anne G. Rosenwald, Justin R. DiAngelo, Amy T. Hark, Matthew Skerritt, Matthew Wawersik, Anna K. Allen, Consuelo Alvarez, Sara Anderson, Cindy Arrigo, Andrew Arsham, Daron Barnard, Christopher Bazinet, James E. J. Bedard, Indrani Bose, John M. Braverman, Martin G. Burg, Rebecca C. Burgess, Paula Croonquist, Chunguang Du, Sondra Dubowsky, Heather Eisler, Matthew A. Escobar, Michael Foulk, Emily Furbee, Thomas Giarla, Rivka L. Glaser, Anya L. Goodman, Yuying Gosser, Adam Haberman, Charles Hauser, Shan Hays, Carina E. Howell, Jennifer Jemc, M. Logan Johnson, Christopher J. Jones, Lisa Kadlec, Jacob D. Kagey, Kimberly L. Keller, Jennifer Kennell, S. Catherine Silver Key, Adam J. Kleinschmit, Melissa Kleinschmit, Nighat P. Kokan, Olga Ruiz Kopp, Meg M. Laakso, Judith Leatherman, Lindsey J. Long, Mollie Manier, Juan C. Martinez-Cruzado, Luis F. Matos, Amie Jo McClellan, Gerard McNeil, Evan Merkhofer, Vida Mingo, Hemlata Mistry, Elizabeth Mitchell, Nathan T. Mortimer, Debaditya Mukhopadhyay, Jennifer Leigh Myka, Alexis Nagengast, Paul Overvoorde, Don Paetkau, Leocadia Paliulis, Susan Parrish, Mary Lai Preuss, James V. Price, Nicholas A. Pullen, Catherine Reinke, Dennis Revie, Srebrenka Robic, Jennifer A. Roecklein-Canfield, Michael R. Rubin, Takrima Sadikot, Jamie Siders Sanford, Maria Santisteban, Kenneth Saville, Stephanie Schroeder, Christopher D. Shaffer, Karim A. Sharif, Diane E. Sklensky, Chiyedza Small, Mary Smith, Sheryl Smith, Rebecca Spokony, Aparna Sreenivasan, Joyce Stamm, Rachel Sterne-Marr, Katherine C. Teeter, Justin Thackeray, Jeffrey S. Thompson, Stephanie Toering Peters, Melanie Van Stry, Norma Velazquez-Ulloa, Cindy Wolfe, James Youngblom, Brian Yowler, Leming Zhou, Janie Brennan, Jeremy Buhler, Wilson Leung, Laura K. Reed, Sarah C. R. Elgin
JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY & BIOLOGY EDUCATION
(2020)