Perilipin 2 Mediates Progression of Lung Adenocarcinoma by Modulating Lipid Metabolism.

Perilipin 2 expression is related to poor prognosis of patients with various malignant tumors. It exists on the surface of lipid droplets (LDs), which store lipids that can be used as an energy source during cancer progression. However, the underlying mechanism of lipid metabolism involving LDs in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma is unclear.

EFA6A, a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor for Arf6, Regulates Developmental Stage-Dependent Spine Morphogenesis, Synaptic Plasticity, and Long-Term Memory in the Hippocampus.

EFA6A is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for ADP ribosylation factor 6 (Arf6), a small GTPase involved in membrane trafficking and actin cytoskeleton remodeling. While EFA6A-Arf6 signaling has been shown to regulate dendritic spine formation and maintenance in cultured neurons, its role in higher brain functions remains unclear in vivo. Here, we generated mice lacking two EFA6A splicing isoforms, EFA6A and EFA6As, to examine their role in regulating spine morphology and hippocampus-dependent learning and memory.

Septin2 regulates ARHGAP25-mediated suppression of lamellipodia formation and cell spreading.

Rho family small GTPases are key regulators of the actin cytoskeletal organization that controls cell morphology, but the regulatory mechanism of Rho small GTPase activity is not fully understood. Here we identified septin2, a component of the septin cytoskeleton, as an interacting protein of ARHGAP25, a GTPase-activating protein for Rho small GTPase Rac, in mammalian cells. ARHGAP25 colocalized with septin2 at lamellipodia, which are actin filament-rich protrusions.

Influence of flexor pronator muscle contraction on medial elbow joint space distance in high school baseball players: a cross-sectional study.

Background/hypothesis: The contraction of the flexor pronator muscles (FPMs) plays an important role in stabilizing the elbow joint in baseball players. However, the influence of different types of contractions on the medial joint space (MJS) in high school baseball players is not well understood. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of individual or combined contractions of the FPMs, specifically the flexor carpi ulnaris, flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS), pronator teres (PT), palmaris longus, and flexor carpi radialis, on the MJS in high school baseball players.

Disruption of Iqsec1 in mice leads to embryonic lethality with reduced large apical vacuoles in the visceral endoderm.

Iqsec1 (IQ motif and Sec7 domain-containing protein 1), also known as BRAG2 (Brefeldin A-resistant Arf-GEF 2), is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that regulates membrane trafficking, cytoskeletal organization, and signal transduction by activating class II and III ADP-ribosylation factors. To investigate the physiological role of Iqsec1 at the whole animal level, we generated Iqsec1-deficient mice using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing. Nearly all Iqsec1 mice (99%) exhibited embryonic lethality with severe growth retardation.

Endothelium-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Expressing Intercellular Adhesion Molecules Reflect Endothelial Permeability and Sepsis Severity.

Background: Currently, clinical indicators for evaluating endothelial permeability in sepsis are unavailable. Endothelium-derived extracellular vesicles (EDEVs) are emerging as biomarkers of endothelial injury. Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM) and vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin are constitutively expressed endothelial intercellular adhesion molecules that regulate intercellular adhesion and permeability.

On-shelf circulation of warm water toward the Totten Ice Shelf in East Antarctica.

The Totten Glacier in East Antarctica, with an ice volume equivalent to >3.5 m of global sea-level rise, is grounded below sea level and, therefore, vulnerable to ocean forcing. Here, we use bathymetric and oceanographic observations from previously unsampled parts of the Totten continental shelf to reveal on-shelf warm water pathways defined by deep topographic features.

FilGAP, a GAP for Rac1, down-regulates invadopodia formation in breast cancer cells.

Invadopodia are protrusive structures that mediate the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation required for tumor invasion and metastasis. Rho small GTPases regulate invadopodia formation, but the molecular mechanisms of how Rho small GTPase activities are regulated at the invadopodia remain unclear. Here we have identified FilGAP, a GTPase-activating protein (GAP) for Rac1, as a negative regulator of invadopodia formation in tumor cells.

Endosomal Localization of RacGAP Protein ARHGAP22 Regulates its GAP Activity in Human Melanoma Cells.

Background/aim: Rho small GTPases regulate cancer cell adhesion, migration and invasion through reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Rho GTPase Activating Protein 22 (ARHGAP22) is a Rac-specific GAP and suppresses Rac-dependent lamella formation and cell spreading. We have previously shown that ARHGAP22 localizes at endosomes in human melanoma A7 cells.

HMGA2 drives the IGFBP1/AKT pathway to counteract the increase in P27KIP1 protein levels in mtDNA/RNA-less cancer cells.

Recent comprehensive analyses of mtDNA and orthogonal RNA-sequencing data revealed that in numerous human cancers, mtDNA copy numbers and mtRNA amounts are significantly reduced, followed by low respiratory gene expression. Under such conditions (called mt-Low), cells encounter severe cell proliferation defects; therefore, they must acquire countermeasures against this fatal disadvantage during malignant transformation. This study elucidated a countermeasure against the mt-Low condition-induced antiproliferative effects in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells.