Kettering University

About: Kettering University is a education organization based out in Flint, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & RNA. The organization has 6842 authors who have published 7689 publications receiving 337503 citations. The organization is also known as: GMI Engineering & Management Institute & General Motors Institute.

c-kit receptor signaling through its phosphatidylinositide-3'-kinase-binding site and protein kinase C: role in mast cell enhancement of degranulation, adhesion, and membrane ruffling.

Abstract: In bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs), the Kit receptor tyrosine kinase mediates diverse responses including proliferation, survival, chemotaxis, migration, differentiation, and adhesion to extracellular matrix. In connective tissue mast cells, a role for Kit in the secretion of inflammatory mediators has been demonstrated as well. We recently demonstrated a role for phosphatidylinositide-3' (PI 3)-kinase in Kit-ligand (KL)-induced adhesion of BMMCs to fibronectin. Herein, we investigated the mechanism by which Kit mediates enhancement of Fc epsilon RI-mediated degranulation, cytoskeletal rearrangements, and adhesion in BMMCs. Wsh/Wsh BMMCs lacking endogenous Kit expression, were transduced to express normal and mutant Kit receptors containing Tyr-->Phe substitution at residues 719 and 821. Although the normal Kit receptor fully restored KL-induced responses in Wsh/Wsh BMMCs, Kit gamma 719F, which fails to bind and activate PI 3-kinase, failed to potentiate degranulation and is impaired in mediating membrane ruffling and actin assembly. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase with wortmannin or LY294002 also inhibited secretory enhancement and cytoskeletal rearrangements mediated by Kit. In contrast, secretory enhancement and adhesion stimulated directly through protein kinase C (PKC) do not require PI 3-kinase. Calphostin C, an inhibitor of PKC, blocked Kit-mediated adhesion to fibronectin, secretory enhancement, membrane ruffling, and filamentous actin assembly. Although cytochalasin D inhibited Kit-mediated filamentous actin assembly and membrane ruffling, secretory enhancement and adhesion to fibronectin were not affected by this drug. Therefore, Kit-mediated cytoskeletal rearrangements that are dependent on actin polymerization can be uncoupled from the Kit-mediated secretory and adhesive responses. Our results implicate receptor-proximal PI 3-kinase activation and activation of a PKC isoform in Kit-mediated secretory enhancement, adhesion, and cytoskeletal reorganization.

Increase in primary surgical treatment of T1 and T2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and rates of adverse pathologic features: National Cancer Data Base.

Abstract: BACKGROUND There has been increasing interest in the primary surgical treatment of patients with early T classification (T1-T2) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), with the stated goal of de-escalating or avoiding adjuvant treatment. Herein, the authors sought to determine the degree to which this interest has translated into changes in practice patterns, and the rates of adverse postoperative pathologic features. METHODS Patients with T1 to T2 OPSCC in the National Cancer Data Base who were treated from 2004 through 2013 were categorized as receiving primary surgical or primary radiation-based treatment. Trends in treatment selection and factors related to the selection of primary surgery were examined. The rates of adverse pathologic features including positive surgical margins, extracapsular spread (ECS), and advanced T and N classifications after surgery were analyzed. RESULTS Of 8768 patients with T1 to T2 OPSCC, 68% underwent primary surgical treatment, increasing from 56% in 2004 to 82% in 2013 (P<.0001). The highest versus lowest volume hospitals treated 78% versus 59% of patients with primary surgery (odds ratio, 2.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-3.22 [P<.0001]). Higher lymph node classification was found to be predictive of lower rates of primary surgery, but the majority of patients with clinical N2/N3 disease underwent primary surgery. Among patients treated with surgery, positive surgical margins were present in 24% and ECS in 25% of patients. The rate of positive surgical margins decreased over time (P<.0001) and was observed less often at high-volume centers (P<.0001). Among candidates for single-modality therapy (those with clinical T1-T2/N0-N1 disease), 33% had positive surgical margins and/or ECS and 47% had at least 1 adverse feature (T3-T4 disease, N2-N3 disease, positive surgical margins, and/or ECS). CONCLUSIONS Primary surgical treatment among patients with early T classification OPSCC has become more widespread. Cancer 2016. © 2016 American Cancer Society.

NK cell receptor gene of the KIR family with two IG domains but highest homology to KIR receptors with three IG domains.

Abstract: The killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIRs) are surface glycoproteins expressed by natural killer (NK) cells and some T cells. They recognize polymorphic human HLA class I molecules. Two families of KIRs have been identified and named p58 and p70. The p58 family of genes encode type I membrane proteins with two extracellular immunoglobulin (Ig) domains, while the p70 genes have three Ig domains. We here report the cloning and characterization of a novel KIR cDNA obtained from tumor cell lines with NK reactivity (YT and NK-92). This gene is also expressed in the normal cell line NK 3.3 and in NK cells obtained from some but not all normal donors. The clone, KIR103AS, has an open reading frame consistent with a KIR with two extracellular Ig domains, a transmembrane region and a 114 amino acid long cytoplasmic domain containing a single src homology 2 (SH2) binding motif. The membrane distal Ig domain of KIR 103AS has highest homology with the first Ig domain of p70 KIRs and differs significantly from the first Ig domain of p58 KIRs. The second, membrane proximal Ig domain of KIR103AS has similar and high homology with the membrane proximal Ig domains of both p70 and p58 KIRs. The extracellular domains of KIR 103AS therefore share characteristic features with both p70 and p58 genes: the domain structure is identical to p58 KIRs but the sequence homology matches closely with p70 KIRs. The putative transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains are distinctly different from all previously reported KIR cDNAs.

FoxG1 haploinsufficiency results in impaired neurogenesis in the postnatal hippocampus and contextual memory deficits.

Abstract: FoxG1 (formerly BF-1) encodes a transcription factor that regulates neurogenesis in the embryonic telencephalon The current study suggests that FoxG1 also regulates neurogenesis in the postnatal hippocampus FoxG1 continues to be strongly expressed in areas of known postnatal neurogenesis, including the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus Remarkably, FoxG1+/- mice have a 60% decrease in the total number of hippocampal dentate granule cells that is related to a loss of DG neurogenesis Comparison of acute and chronic BrdU labeling, and PSA-NCAM staining suggests that the stage at which this loss of neurogenesis occurs progresses with age Juvenile mice FoxG1+/- primarily show failed apparent survival of postnatally born DG neurons, whereas adult FoxG1+/- mice also show impairment of proliferation and initial DG neuron differentiation Consistent with this process predominantly affecting postnatal hippocampal neurogenesis, BrdU pulses at embryonic days 16, 17, and 18 labels a higher percentage of DG cells in 6-week-old FoxG1+/- mice than in littermate controls In contrast to the marked effect of FoxG1 haploinsufficiency on postnatal hippocampal neurogenesis, postnatal neurogenesis of olfactory bulb interneurons is grossly unaffected Behaviorally, FoxG1+/- mice show hyperlocomotion and impaired habituation in the open field, and a severe deficit in contextual fear conditioning that are suggestive of impaired hippocampal function Although mechanistic connections between FoxG1 haploinsufficiency and either failed postnatal DG neurogenesis or the behavioral deficits remain to be elucidated, these results present a new model system for impaired postnatal neurogenesis in the DG of adult mice