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.
 | METASTASIS: Bad company
PI3K signalling protects cells from the lethal effects of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß), wherease the MAPK pathway cooperates with TGF-ß to drive metastasis.
29 March 2002 |
 | SIGNALLING: Cryptic clues about metastasis
Treatment of mice with two different heparanases - the enzymes that modify heparan sulphate glycosaminoglycans (HSGAGs)- has opposite effects on tumour growth and metastasis.
29 March 2002 |
 | In brief: March 2002
Signal Transduction | Kidney Disease | Mouse Models | T-cell Development | Lymphocyte Migration |
 | TUMOUR SUPPRESSORS: Keeping damage in check
BRCA1 is involved in cell-cycle arrest following DNA damage, which allows cells time to repair their DNA
29 March 2002 |
 | THERAPEUTICS: p53 restoration
A team of researchers in Sweden and Russia now report the discovery of a compuond that reactivates p53 function and induces apoptosis in human cancer cells.
29 March 2002 |
 | METABOLIC DISORDERS: Insulin mimetics
Small-molecule insulin mimetics are able to increase insulin sensitivity, but reduce weight gain, in a mouse model of obesity.
29 March 2002 |
 | OBESITY: PPAR?2 piles on the pounds
New research reveals that a key regulator in adipogenesis is the ?2 isoform of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR?2).
29 March 2002 |
 | MICROBIAL DISEASE: Part three of the anthrax trilogy
The conformation of the third component that makes up the 'anthrax toxin', odema factor (EF), is considerably altered upon binding to calmodulin.
22 March 2002 |
 | STRUCTURE-BASED DRUG DESIGN: Turning Ying into Yang
Agonist-bound structures can be used as the basis for the rational modification of agonists into antagonists.
22 March 2002 |
 | ANALGESIA: Ecstatic about RAVE
There is now in vivoevidence that endocytosis of µ-opioid receptor (MOR) can reduce, rather than increase, the development of tolerance to morphine.
22 March 2002 |
 | ANALGESIA: Dial 'P' for pain
Neurokinin 1 (NK1)-receptor antagonists might be more effective if used as adjuncts to opiod-based analgesia.
22 March 2002 |
 | ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES: No bones about it
A nitric oxide (NO)-releasing derivative of the commonly used steroid prednisolone can reduce inflammation in a rat model of arthritis without promoting the bone resorption that is characteristic of treatment with normal prednisolone.
22 March 2002 |
 | SIGNAL TRANSDUCTION: Mastering hopscotch
Master of marelle(mom), a new key component of the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway has been found in Drosophila.
15 March 2002 |
 | T-CELL DEVELOPMENT: Distinguishing features
A transmembrane protein has been identified, Tim-3, which is selectively expressed on the surface of TH1 cells and which may have a role in the induction of autoimmune disease.
15 March 2002 |
 | REGULATORY T CELLS: Back in fashion
Bordetella pertussis uses the induction of pathogen-specific regulatory T cells to subvert the protective T helper 1 (TH1) response.
15 March 2002 |
 | SIGNALLING: Boosting cell signalling
PIM-1 phosphorylates NFATc1 (nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic, calcineurin-dependent 1) and enhances NFAT-dependent transcription.
15 March 2002 |
 | VIRAL IMMUNITY: Positive prospects
The CC chemokine receptor CCR5 is not crucial for T-cell-mediated anti-viralimmunity, validating the use of CCR5 as a target for HIV therapies.
15 March 2002 |
 | IMMUNOLOGICAL MEMORY: Wake-up call
The mechanism by which MHC signals preserve memory T-cell function still needs to be determined, but a new study calls for a re-evaluation of the role of MHC in maintaining T-Cell memory.
15 March 2002 |
 | INNATE IMMUNITY: Close encounters of the third kind
Dendritic cell (DC) activation by natural killer (NK) cells requires cell-to-cell contact.
15 March 2002 |
 | HAEMATOPOIESIS: PU.1 pinned down
Ets family member PU.1 acts, in part, by regulating the expression of the interleukin IL-7 receptor-a (IL-7ra) gene.
8 March 2002 |
 | ENDOCRINOLOGY:
Time to relax
The hormone relaxin has been matched up with the orphan leucine-rich G-protein-coupled receptors LGR7 and LGR8.
8 March 2002 |
 | SIGNALLING: PIKE fishing
Phospholipase c-?1 (PLC?1) - through its SH3 domain - has physiological guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) activity towards a nuclear GTPase that activates nuclear phosphatidyl inositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) activity.
8 March 2002 |
 | CELL CYCLE: Why phosphorylation matters
There is evidence in budding yeast that the replication protein Sld2 is phosphorylated in a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-dependent manner, and that it is essential for chromosomal replication.
8 March 2002 |
 | CELL SIGNALLING: PYRIN fever
A new member of the PYRIN-domain family has been identified as a novel activator of the NF?B signalling pathway.
8 March 2002 |
 | CELL ADHESION: Destroying ties
A novel protein named Hakai has been identified that promotes the endocytosis of E-cadherin.
1 March 2002 |
 | STRUCTURE WATCH
The crystal structures of two prokaryotic ClC Chloride ion channels from Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli have been determined to a 3.0 and 3.5 Šresolution, respectively.
1 March 2002 |
 | ONCOGENES: Dancing the two-step
Phosphorylation, not degradation, might be the key to regulating ß-catenin's activity.
1 March 2002 |
 | DEVELOPMENT: Sonic goes ballooning
It has been proposed that the signalling molecule socic hedgehog (shh) controls an early event in brain morphogenesis, namely the expansion, or 'ballooning', of the forebrain and midbrain vesicles.
1 March 2002 |
 | DEVELOPMENT: Nature vs nurture
It has been shown that Eph receptors can modulate the function of NMDA (N-methyl-D-asparate) receptor ion channels.
1 March 2002 |
 | ION CHANNELS: A rebellious last-born
A new NR3 subunit, NR3B, has been identified that sheds some light on the function of the NR3 subunits, but opens just as many questions.
1 March 2002 |
