Mixed-lineage kinase-3 (MLK3) plays a negative modulatory role in insulin secretion from the pancreatic β-cell

Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) from the pancreatic β-cell in response to elevated levels of glucose is controlled by a variety of signals including intracellular calcium and nucleotides such as cAMP, ATP and GTP. These cellular signals are responsible for activation of specific kinases that mediate phosphorylation of key exocytotic proteins that lead to GSIS. In the context of protein kinases, mixed-lineage kinases (MLKs) have been implicated in an assortment of cellular functions, including cell proliferation and apoptosis. However, very little is known on potential regulatory roles of MLKs in islet β-cell function, including GSIS. The goal of this study is to determine the roles of MLK3 in GSIS. Initial data indicated that MLK3 is expressed in clonal β-cells (INS-1 832/13) and human islets. INS-1 832/13 cell exposure to stimulatory glucose (20mM) resulted in a time-dependent increase in phosphorylation of MLK3 at T277 and S281 with peak phosphorylation within 20 minutes. URMC-099, a known inhibitor of MLK3, markedly suppressed glucose-induced MLK3 phosphorylation under stimulatory glucose conditions. Moreover, URMC-099 significantly increased insulin secretion under basal (2.5mM) and stimulatory glucose exposure conditions, suggesting a suppressive role for MLK3 in insulin secretion. Together, these studies provide evidence that MLK3 is in fact expressed in clonal and primary β-cells and inhibition of glucose-induced phosphorylation of MLK3 results in potentiation of GSIS. Studies are underway to further confirm our pharmacological findings using molecular biological (siRNA-MLK3) approaches

An Insight into Classification, Diagnosis and Comprehensive Management of Food Impaction

Food impaction is a commonly occurring entity evidenced in day-to-day dental practice. Various factors, such as improperly built proximal restoration, improperly fabricated crown with interdental spacing, opposing plunger cusps, ill-fitting prosthesis and proximal space created after orthodontic treatment by placement of molar bands, act as a reason for food getting impacted in the proximal space of the dentition. But at the same time, it is neglected without knowing the course of pathogenesis of the same, which could eventually lead to formation of localized periodontitis and further progression even leads to loss of dentition. Hence, this chapter gives an in-depth insight to aetiology, clinical and radiographic diagnosis and various means of management of food impaction from a periodontist perspective

Evasion of anti-growth signaling: a key step in tumorigenesis and potential target for treatment and prophylaxis by natural compounds

The evasion of anti-growth signaling is an important characteristic of cancer cells. In order to continue to proliferate, cancer cells must somehow uncouple themselves from the many signals that exist to slow down cell growth. Here, we define the anti-growth signaling process, and review several important pathways involved in growth signaling: p53, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), retinoblastoma protein (Rb), Hippo, growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), AT-rich interactive domain 1A (ARID1A), Notch, insulin-like growth factor (IGF), and Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) pathways. Aberrations in these processes in cancer cells involve mutations and thus the suppression of genes that prevent growth, as well as mutation and activation of genes involved in driving cell growth. Using these pathways as examples, we prioritize molecular targets that might be leveraged to promote anti-growth signaling in cancer cells. Interestingly, naturally-occurring phytochemicals found in human diets (either singly or as mixtures) may promote anti-growth signaling, and do so without the potentially adverse effects associated with synthetic chemicals. We review examples of naturally-occurring phytochemicals that may be applied to prevent cancer by antagonizing growth signaling, and propose one phytochemical for each pathway. These are: epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) for the Rb pathway, luteolin for p53, curcumin for PTEN, porphyrins for Hippo, genistein for GDF15, resveratrol for ARID1A, withaferin A for Notch and diguelin for the IGF1-receptor pathway. The coordination of anti-growth signaling and natural compound studies will provide insight into the future application of these compounds in the clinical setting

Zinc Sensing Receptor Signaling, Mediated by GPR39, Reduces Butyrate-Induced Cell Death in HT29 Colonocytes via Upregulation of Clusterin

Zinc enhances epithelial proliferation, protects the digestive epithelial layer and has profound antiulcerative and antidiarrheal roles in the colon. Despite the clinical significance of this ion, the mechanisms linking zinc to these cellular processes are poorly understood. We have previously identified an extracellular Zn2+ sensing G-protein coupled receptor (ZnR) that activates Ca2+ signaling in colonocytes, but its molecular identity as well as its effects on colonocytes' survival remained elusive. Here, we show that Zn2+, by activation of the ZnR, protects HT29 colonocytes from butyrate induced cell death. Silencing of the G-protein coupled receptor GPR39 expression abolished ZnR-dependent Ca2+ release and Zn2+-dependent survival of butyrate-treated colonocytes. Importantly, GPR39 also mediated ZnR-dependent upregulation of Na+/H+ exchange activity as this activity was found in native colon tissue but not in tissue obtained from GPR39 knock-out mice. Although ZnR-dependent upregulation of Na+/H+ exchange reduced the cellular acid load induced by butyrate, it did not rescue HT29 cells from butyrate induced cell death. ZnR/GPR39 activation however, increased the expression of the anti-apoptotic protein clusterin in butyrate-treated cells. Furthermore, silencing of clusterin abolished the Zn2+-dependent survival of HT29 cells. Altogether, our results demonstrate that extracellular Zn2+, acting through ZnR, regulates intracellular pH and clusterin expression thereby enhancing survival of HT29 colonocytes. Moreover, we identify GPR39 as the molecular moiety of ZnR in HT29 and native colonocytes