These short, accessible 'Highlights' summarize and contextualize must-read papers related to cell signaling. These articles add background and context to summaries of primary research. 'In brief' articles emphasize key aspects of selected articles.
 | APOPTOSIS:
Drifting downstream
An unusual oncogenic signalling pathway involving WNT-1-induced secreted protein 1 (WISP1) inhibits the apoptotic pathway downstream of p53.
22 February 2002 |
 | IMMUNOMODULATORS:
Antivirals pay the Toll
New questions are coming to light about whether Toll-like receptor 7 interacts directly with viruses on infection.
22 February 2002 |
 | In brief: February 2002
Structure-Based Drug Design | Development | Signal Transduction | Cytokine Signalling | Immune Regulation | Allergy | T-Cell Homeostasis | Immune Regulation |
 | CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE:
Why, why, why, Delilah?
Following recent reports of the beneficial effects of MMP inhibitors during the development of congestive heart failure, attention has focused on how MMPs might contribute to the progression of heart disease.
22 February 2002 |
 | G-PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS:
Putting the brake on inflammation
A(subscript)2A adenosine receptors are reported to be crucially involved in the limitation and termination of inflammatory responses
15 February 2002 |
 | PROTEIN–PROTEIN INTERACTIONS:
Preventing tangles
The crystal structure for the N-terminal oligomerization domain of BCR-ABL is a promising target for the design of oligomerization inhibitors that could disrupt the transforming activity of BCR-ABL.
15 February 2002 |
 | LYMPHOCYTE DEVELOPMENT: Appearances can be deceptive
Crosslinking of CD81 by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) envelope protein E2 can inhibit natural killer (NK) cell function.
15 February 2002 |
 | INNATE IMMUNITY:
MIF keeps macrophages on guard
A cytokine associated with endotoxic shock, macrophage inhibitory factor (MIF), regulates the innate response to Gram-negative bacteria.
8 February 2002 |
 | IMMUNE REGULATION: IL-25 joins TH2 team
A new cytokine, IL-25, might be involved in promoting T-helper type 2 (TH2) responses and could be a target for the treatment of allergy and asthma.
8 February 2002 |
 | TECHNIQUE: Light up your kinase
A new class of genetically encoded reporters has been discovered that might allow us to follow the activation of virtualy any kinase in living cells.
8 February 2002 |
 | APOPTOSIS:
Death TRAIL
Death by an extrinsic pathway involving TRAIL relies on intrinsic, mitochondrial events to kill human cancer cells.
8 February 2002 |
 | PROTEIN PROCESSING: Cutting tool
Nicastrin has an obligate role in Notch signalling where it is required for Presenilin-dependent Notch transmembrane cleavage.
1 February 2002 |
 | STEM CELLS: Forever young
Cells in the Drosophila testes act as a microenvironment and activate the JAK-STAT signalling pathway, which determines the fate of stem cells.
1 February 2002 |
 | DEVELOPMENT: Surfing for Sef
Sef is a specific inhibitor of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signalling pathway.
1 February 2002 |
 | ION CHANNELS: A new lesson from bacterial channels
A study of NaChBac, a sodium channel from Bacillus halodurans, indicates that channel formation requires tetramerization of the protein.
1 February 2002 |
 | ION CHANNELS: Histamine's comeback?
Two papers report the discovery of two cDNAs from Drosophila that code for a pair of histamine gated chloride channels.
1 February 2002 |
 | ION CHANNEL STRUCTURE: Looking right into the double barrel
Success in solving the crystal structure of two prokaryotic ClC channels takes our understanding of the chemical and physical basis of anion selectivity to new heights.
1 February 2002 |
 | ION CHANNEL STRUCTURE: A long arm to reach you
A recent paper by Rigaldo et al. Provides appealing answers to some binding questions.
1 February 2002 |
