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.
 | Toll-like receptors: Uncovering the TRAM tracks
A fourth TLR adaptor protein, TRIF–related adaptor molecule (TRAM), provides specificity for the MyD88–independent component of TLR4 signaling.
Original research paper: Nature Immunology 4, 1144 – 1150, (2003) |
 | Chromosome biology:
The plot thickens
Condensin is dispensable for chromosome condensation, but has an important function in promoting the association of nonhistone proteins with mitotic chromosomes.
Original research paper: Dev. Cell 5, 323 – 336, (2003) |
 | In brief: October 2003
Nuclear Transport | Signalling | Cytoskeleton | Hiv | Metastasis | Tumorigenesis | Antisense therapy | Developmental Biology | Neurological diseases | Obesity |
 | Plant cell biology:
Keep your balance!
A plant cell surface receptor mediates extracellular Ca2+ sensing in guard cells.
Original research paper: Nature 425, 196 – 200, (2003) |
 | Cytokines:
An inflammatory situation
The local microenvironment may account for differential IL–23 production, giving the distal small intestine a predisposition to chronic inflammation.
Original research paper: J. Clin. Invest. 112, 693 – 706, (2003) |
 | Dendritic cells:
A new role for pDCs
Plasmacytoid dendritic cells induce plasma cell differentiation through type I interferon and interleukin 6.
Original research paper: Immunity 19, 225 – 234, (2003) |
 | Drug Resistance:
Clinging on
Interaction between leukemic-cell VLA-4 and stromal fibronectin is a decisive factor for minimal residual disease of acute myelogenous leukemia.
Original research paper: Nature Med. (AOP, 3 Aug 2003) |
 | Oncogenes:
One-man band
MYC seems to induce genomic instability by preventing DNA double-strand break repair.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 9974 – 9979, (2003) |
 | Neurodegenerative disease:
The C terminus: AD's missing link?
Two new studies implicate truncated fragments of apoE4 and tau in Alzheimer's disease-like neurodegeneration.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 10032 – 10037, (2003) |
 | Psychiatric disorders:
Weighing up the risks
Impaired feedback regulation of XBP1 is a genetic risk factor for bipolar disorder.
Original research paper: Nature Genet. 40, 105 – 113, (31 August 2003) |
 | Development: A new source of RA
The meninges is a source of retinoic acid for the late-developing hindbrain.
Original research paper: J. Neurosci. 23, 7610 – 7620, (2003) |
 | Amyloid-ß: Less bark, more bite!
The presence of oligomeric Aß ligands (ADDLs) suggests a molecular basis for reversible memory loss in Alzheimer's disease-affected brains.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 10417 – 10422, (2003) |
 | Digestive tract tumors: A prickly problem
Overexpression of hedgehog proteins is implicated in the genesis of esophageal, stomach, biliary-tract and pancreatic tumors, suggesting that hedgehog pathway inhibitors could be put to therapeutic use against these cancers.
Original research paper: Nature 425, 851 – 856, (2003) |
 | Migration: FAKts about forks
Serine 732 phosphorylation of FAK by Cdk5 is important for microtubule organization, nuclear movement and neuronal migration.
Original research paper: Cell 114, 469 – 482, (2003) |
 | Mucosal immunity: A shock to the system
Intestinal heat shock protein 110 regulates expression of CD1d on intestinal epithelial cells.
Original research paper: J. Clin. Invest. 112, 745 – 754, (2003) |
 | Tumorigenesis: Environmental impact
The response of a tumor to HIF-1a depends on where in the body the tumor is located.
Original research paper: Cancer Cell 4, 133 – 146, (2003) |
 | Lead discovery: RAMPing up NMR screening
A new NMR-based screening approach yields greatly simplified spectra that not only allow increased throughput owing to easier spectral analysis, but also allow multiple proteins to be screened simultaneously in one tube.
Original research paper: J. Am. Chem. Soc. 125, 10941 – 10946, (2003) |
 | ß1-adrenergic receptor polymorphisms: A change of heart
Hyperactive signaling programs increase the risk of heart failure in humans possessing the Arg389 variant of the cardiac ß1-adrenergic receptor, and heart-failure patients with the polymorphism may be more responsive to ß-blockade treatment.
Original research paper: Nature Medicine 9, 1300 – 1305, (2003) |
 | Gene expression: Let's do the twist
Armadillo mediates the mechanical induction of Twist expression.
Original research paper: Curr. Biol. 13, 1365 – 1377, (2003) |
 | Lymphocyte migration: Homing in on leukotrienes
Leukotriene B4 — an arachidonic-acid-derived pro-inflammatory
lipid—is involved in T-cell recruitment.
Original research paper: Nature Immunol. (31 August 2003) |
 | Breast cancer: Recurrence
Human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2) has a role in wound-induced breast carcinoma proliferation.
Original research paper: Lancet 362, 527 – 532, (2003) |
 | Neurochemistry: Ultrasensitive switch
An utrasensitive Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II-protein phosphatase 1 switch facilitates specificity in postsynaptic calcium signaling.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 10512 – 10517, (2003) |
 | PtdInsP3 at endomembranes: Remote control
A new fluorescent indicator allows visualization of PtdInsP3 in specific subcellular compartments, demonstrating PtdInsP3 activation at intracellular compartments remote from the plasma membrane.
Original research paper: Nature Cell Biology 5, 1016 – 1022, (2003) |
 | Membrane lipids: Your own identity
Phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate regulates targeting of clathrin adaptor AP-1 complexes to the Golgi.
Original research paper: Cell 114, 299 – 310, (2003) |
 | Natural killer cells: Matchmaking for natural killers
PVR (CD155) and Nectin-2 (CD112) are cell surface ligands for the human natural killer-cell receptor DNAX accessory molecule 1 (DNAM1).
Original research paper: J. Exp. Med. 198, 557 – 567, (2003) |
 | Cylindromatosis: Cause and treatment
The tumor suppressor CYLD negatively regulates NF-?B signaling by deubiquitination.
Original research paper: Nature 424, 793 – 796, (2003) |
 | Target identification: Unravelling the problem of neuropathic pain
The P2X 4 receptor and the CB2 cannabinoid receptor have roles in propagating neuropathic pain.
Original research paper: Nature 424, 778 – 783, (2003) |
 | Development: Jelly belly develops muscle
The proto-oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinase Alk acts in Drosophila melanogaster as a receptor for the secreted protein Jelly belly, thus driving the development of mesoderm cells into visceral muscle founder cells.
Original research paper: Nature 425, 507 – 512, (2003) |
 | Membrane traffic:
A coat with many pockets
Multiple cargo binding sites on the coat protein COPII subunit Sec24p facilitate the capture of diverse membrane proteins into transport vesicles.
Original research paper: Cell 114, 483 – 495, (2003) |
 | Innate immunity:
Neutrophils can't take a complement
New light is now shed on the regulation by C5a of neutrophil activation during sepsis.
Original research paper: Immunity 19, 193 – 202, (2003) |
 | Tumorigenesis:
High-level Hedgehog hazard
Two studies show that the Hedgehog signaling pathway has an important role in certain digestive tract tumors and that ligand expression identifies a group of common lethal malignancies.
Original research paper: Nature 425, 851 – 856, (2003) |
 | Development:
Get Wise to Wnt
Wise acts as an agonist or an inhibitor of Wnt signaling, depending on the cellular context.
Original research paper: Development 130, 4295 – 4305, (2003) |
 | HIV:
No entry!
The small molecule BMS-378806 targets the HIV-1 envelope protein and inhibits CD4 receptor binding, thereby preventing HIV-1 entry into the host T cell.
Original research paper: Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 100, 11013 – 11018, (2003) |
