PKG did not affect protein stability, nor did it increase phosphorylation of the amino-terminal Ser33/37/Thr41 residues that are known to target beta-catenin

for degradation. However, we found that PKG potently inhibited transcription from a luciferase reporter driven by the human CTNNB1 promoter, and this corresponded to reduced beta-catenin selleckchem mRNA levels. Although PKG was able to inhibit transcription from both the CTNNB1 and TCF reporters, the effect on protein levels was less consistent. Ectopic PKG had a marginal effect on beta-catenin protein levels in SW480 and HCT116 but was able to inhibit TCF-reporter activity by over 80%. Investigation of alternative mechanisms revealed that cJun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation

was required for the PKG-dependent regulation of TCF activity. PKG activation caused beta-catenin to bind to FOXO4 in colon cancer cells, this website and this required JNK. Activation of PKG was also found to increase the nuclear content of FOXO4 and increase the expression of the FOXO target genes MnSOD and catalase. FOXO4 activation was required for the inhibition of TCF activity as FOXO4-specific short-interfering RNA completely blocked the inhibitory effect of PKG. These data illustrate a dual-inhibitory effect of PKG on TCF activity in colon cancer cells that involves reduced expression of beta-catenin at the transcriptional level, and also beta-catenin sequestration by FOXO4 activation. Oncogene (2010) 29, 3423-3434; doi:10.1038/onc.2010.91; published online 29 March 2010″
“Evidence supports that oxidative stress exerts significant effects on the pathogenesis of heart dysfunction. On the other hand, the presence of specific androgen receptor (AR) in mammalian cardiomyocytes implies that androgen plays a physiological role in cardiac function, myocardial injury and the regulation of the redox state in the heart. This study used the testicular feminized (Tfm) and castrated

male mice to investigate the effects of testosterone deficiency, physiological testosterone therapy and AR on oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes. Tfm mice have a non-functional NVP-LDE225 AR and reduced circulating testosterone levels. Male littermates and Tfm mice were separated into 5 experimental groups: non-castrated littermate controls, castrated littermates, sham-operated Tfm, testosterone-treated castrated littermates and testosterone-treated sham-operated Tfm mice. Cardiomyocytes that were isolated from the left ventricle were used far determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Additionally, mitochondrial DNA (rntDNA) deletion mutations were detected by nested PCR. The SOD and GSH-Px enzyme activities of cardiomyocytes were decreased, and the MDA levels and the proportion of mtDNA, mutations were increased in castrated and sham-operated Tfm mice compared to control mice.