Anti–Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease after Alemtuzumab Aug 14, 2008
NEJM -- Anti-Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease after Alemtuzumab ... Anti Glomerular Basement Membrane Disease after Alemtuzumab ... We describe two patients in whom anti glomerular basement membrane disease developed after treatment with alemtuzumab. (New England Journal of Medicine)
VEGF Inhibition and Renal Thrombotic Microangiopathy Jul 13, 2008
The authors propose that VEGF might be transported across the glomerular basement membrane simply by diffusion. However, their proposal is contrary to the general concept that it is unlikely for any molecules to move against the flow of glomerular filtration. (New England Journal of Medicine)
How Tumor Cells Break Free And Metastasize Jul 5, 2008
The basement membrane around the mammary gland is a barrier to the spread of cancer cells ... The mammary gland is separated from the neighboring tissue by the basement membrane, which the tumor cells will have to cross before continuing on their way ... The cell first forms protrusions called invadopodia and anchors them in the basement membrane. (Science Daily)
Old antibiotic may find new life as a stroke treatment May 20, 2008
Minocycline also blocks matrix metallo-proteinases, also released during stroke, which destroy the basement membrane of blood vessels. The presence of these enzymes also is a mixed bag. (EurekAlert!)
YKL-40 Levels and Asthma Apr 17, 2008
We recently showed that serum YKL-40 levels were elevated in patients with asthma and were correlated with severity, thickening of the subepithelial basement membrane, and pulmonary function. We hypothesized that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that affect YKL-40 levels also influence asthma status and lung function. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Blocking The Effect Of Inflammation-causing Cells Lowered Prostate Cancer Cells Invasion Apr 12, 2008
The treatments that block NF-kappaB activity reduced the cancer cell movement and invasion through the basement membrane (a thin, delicate layer of connective tissue underlying the epithelium of many organs). The researchers now plan to study the effects of macrophages and inflammation and NF-kappaB inhibiting treatments in vivo, in a specially designed mouse model of invasive prostate cancer. (Science Daily)
Breakdown Of Kidney's Ability To Clean Its Own Filters Likely Causes Disease Feb 4, 2008
After passing through a structure known as the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), fluid and serum proteins must finally pass through the most selective filter of the kidney, which is comprised of specialized epithelial cells called podocytes ... Journal reference: Akilesh S, Huber TB, Wu H, Wang G, Hartleben B, Kopp JB, Miner JH, Roopenian DC, Unanue ER, Shaw AS. Podocytes use FcRn to clear IgG from the glomerular basement membrane. (Science Daily)
Breast cancer cells have to learn to walk before they can run Jan 1, 2008
While dangerously invasive cells can squeeze through the basement membrane and make a run for the surrounding tissue, motile cells still could not escape the confines of the ERK-activated acini. But the acquisition of motility prior to invasion presumably lowers the barrier for future invasive growth, explains Pearson. (EurekAlert!)
A Chitinase-like Protein in Patients with Severe Asthma Nov 15, 2007
001) and with airway remodeling (measured as the thickness of the subepithelial basement membrane) (r=0. 51, P=0. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Impact Of Elevated Homocysteine Levels On Vision Under Study Oct 18, 2007
Without the conversion, rising homocysteine levels interfere with the folding and structure of collagen, a component of bone, tissue and the basement membrane of blood vessel walls. When pregnant women don t get enough folate, the result can be devastating neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in their babies. (Science Daily)
Model to study age-related macular degeneration could pave way for better treatment Oct 10, 2007
AMD is caused by the development of deposits between the retinal pigment epithelium and its basement membrane, called Bruchs membrane. The material starts as basal deposits and becomes drusen, extracellular deposits of protein and lipids that accumulate and can cause blindness. (EurekAlert!)
Lubricant reduces virus risk Jul 2, 2007
The crucial step for infection seems to be the virus binding to the basement membrane that underlies these cells, he adds. Visit our to read and post comments about this story. (Nature News Service)
Dietary Supplementation With Enzyme Reverses Some Kidney Disease Jun 4, 2007
The authors show that these effects were caused by a reduction in the number of sialic acid residues on critical glomerular proteins such as podocalyxin, which was associated with a breakdown of the glomerular basement membrane and surrounding structures. This breakdown allows red blood cells and proteins that are normally retained in the glomerulus, to pass into the urine. (Science Daily)
Breast Cancer Summary Feb 14, 2007
Breast cancer can be divided into the following types depending on the presence of cancer cells within the ducts or lobules and whether there is invasion beyond the basement membrane or not. Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) Cancer confined to the ducts. (Suite101.com)
Kidney Membrane Keeps Blood Proteins Out of Urine Aug 5, 2006
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis concluded that a kidney structure called the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) normally plays an important role in keeping blood proteins out of the urine. The findings were published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation. (Health-Finder)
Keep The Baby, Toss The Bathwater: How Kidneys Retain Proteins, Discard Waste Aug 3, 2006
The images suggest that the structure, known as the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), normally plays a key role in keeping blood proteins out of the urine ... Reference: Jarad G, Cunningham J, Shaw AS, Miner JH. Proteinurea precedes podocyte abnormalities in Lamb2-/- mice, implicating the glomerular basement membrane as an albumin barrier. (Science Daily)
Endostatin inhibits VEGF-A induced osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro Jul 14, 2006
Endostatin is a C-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII which is a component of basement membranes with the structural properties of both collagens and proteoglycans ... Our study aims at exploring a possibility that endostatin, either as a part of basement membrane or as a soluble molecule, may control osteoclastogenesis and osteoclastic bone resorption in vitro. (BioMed Central)
New Research Demonstrates Bone-marrow Derived Stem Cells Can Reverse Genetic Kidney Disease Apr 30, 2006
The discovery that bone-marrow derived stem cells can regenerate damaged renal cells in an animal model of Alport syndrome provides a potential new strategy for managing this inherited kidney disease and offers the first example of how stem cells may be useful in repairing basement membrane matrix defects and restoring organ function ... "This is one of 31 human diseases that occur because of genetic defects in the body's extracellular matrix and basement membrane proteins, " explains the... (Science Daily)
Mighty mouseLaboratory mouse shows amazing ability to heal itself Apr 12, 2006
She points out that when amphibians regenerate their limbs, a basement membrane does not form, but if you promote the growth of this membrane, then it seems to stop cell growth and causes scarring. When the team looked at the formation of the membrane in the ears of MRL mice, they found that it did form initially, but disappeared soon after and then cell growth begins. (BBC News -- Science)
In vitro and in vivo MMP gene expression localisation by In Situ-RT-PCR in cell culture and paraffin embedded human breast cancer cell line xenografts Jan 24, 2006
Members of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of proteases are required for the degradation of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix in both normal and pathological conditions. In vitro, MT1-MMP (MMP-14, membrane type-1-MMP) expression is higher in more invasive human breast cancer (HBC) cell lines, whilst in vivo its expression has been associated with the stroma surrounding breast tumours. (BioMed Central)
