Interplay between cell adhesion and growth factor receptors: from the plasma membrane to the endosomes

The emergence of multicellular animals could only take place once evolution had produced molecular mechanisms for cell adhesion and communication. Today, all metazoans express integrin-type adhesion receptors and receptors for growth factors. Integrins recognize extracellular matrix proteins and respective receptors on other cells and, following ligand binding, can activate the same cellular signaling pathways that are regulated by growth factor receptors. Recent reports have indicated that the two receptor systems also collaborate in many other ways. Here, we review the present information concerning the role of integrins as assisting growth factor receptors and the interplay between the receptors in cell signaling and in the orchestration of receptor recycling

High-level integration of murine intestinal transcriptomics data highlights the importance of the complement system in mucosal homeostasis.

BACKGROUND: The mammalian intestine is a complex biological system that exhibits functional plasticity in its response to diverse stimuli to maintain homeostasis. To improve our understanding of this plasticity, we performed a high-level data integration of 14 whole-genome transcriptomics datasets from samples of intestinal mouse mucosa. We used the tool Centrality based Pathway Analysis (CePa), along with information from the Reactome database. RESULTS: The results show an integrated response of the mouse intestinal mucosa to challenges with agents introduced orally that were expected to perturb homeostasis. We observed that a common set of pathways respond to different stimuli, of which the most reactive was the Regulation of Complement Cascade pathway. Altered expression of the Regulation of Complement Cascade pathway was verified in mouse organoids challenged with different stimuli in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the integrated transcriptomics analysis and data driven experiment suggest an important role of epithelial production of complement and host complement defence factors in the maintenance of homeostasis

Breast Milk Jaundice Correlates With High Levels of Epidermal Growth Factor

Maternal milk plays an important role in breast milk jaundice (BMJ) development and is the major source of epidermal growth factor (EGF) for neonates. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between EGF levels in the infant serum and in the milk of nursing mothers and BMJ. Two groups were defined: study group (n = 30), newborns who were followed up for BMJ without any identifiable pathologic cause; control group, healthy newborns whose serum total bilirubin levels were <10 mg/dL. Milk and infant plasma samples were collected between the third and the fourth postpartum week. EGF concentrations in all of the samples were determined by using ELISA. The infants with BMJ had higher concentrations of EGF in the serum and in the breast milk compared with that of the infants without BMJ. The milk concentrations of EGF were significantly correlated with neonatal bilirubin and blood EGF concentrations. The degree of BMJ was associated with the increased levels of milk borne EGF. Although the exact mechanisms of the hyperbilirubinemic action of. EGF are not completely known. the inhibition of gastric motility, increased absorption, and activation of bilirubin transport have been suggested as possible mechanisms. (Pediatr Res 66: 218-221, 2009