The world's first wiki where authorship really matters (Nature Genetics, 2008). Due credit and reputation for authors. Imagine a global collaborative knowledge base for original thoughts. Search thousands of articles and collaborate with scientists around the globe.

wikigene or wiki gene protein drug chemical gene disease author authorship tracking collaborative publishing evolutionary knowledge reputation system wiki2.0 global collaboration genes proteins drugs chemicals diseases compound
Hoffmann, R. A wiki for the life sciences where authorship matters. Nature Genetics (2008)
 
 
 
 
 

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor regulates fibroblast growth factor-2 expression in aortic smooth muscle cells.

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) mitogen and chemotactic factor that is expressed by endothelial cells, SMCs, monocytes/macrophages, and T lymphocytes. Both the membrane-anchored HB-EGF precursor and the secreted mature HB-EGF protein are biologically active; thus, HB-EGF may stimulate SMC growth via autocrine, paracrine, and juxtacrine mechanisms. In the present study, we report that HB-EGF treatment of serum-starved at aortic SMCs can induce fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 (basic FGF) gene expression but not FGF-1 (acidic FGF) gene expression. Increased FGF-2 mRNA expression is first detectable at 1 hour after HB-EGF addition, and maximal FGF-2 mRNA levels, corresponding to an approximately 46-fold level of induction, are present at 4 hours. The effect of HB-EGF on FGF-2 mRNA levels appears to be mediated primarily by a transcriptional mechanism and requires de novo synthesized proteins. HB-EGF induction of FGF-2 mRNA levels can be inhibited by treating cells with the anti-inflammatory glucocorticoid dexamethasone or the glycosaminoglycan heparin. Finally, Western blot analyses indicate that HB-EGF-treated SMCs also produce an increased amount of FGF-2 protein. These results indicate that HB-EGF expressed at sites of vascular injury or inflammation in vivo may upregulate FGF-2 production by SMCs.[1]

References

 
WikiGenes - Universities