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The case of a 62-year-old woman who died from liver failure caused by herpes simplex virus is presented. Even though some of her symptoms provided clues of the correct diagnosis, her doctors only tested her for hepatitis viruses. The presence of the herpes simplex virus in her liver was only detected during the autopsy.

Antrum mucosal protein (AMP)-18 is a novel 18-kDa protein synthesized by cells of the gastric antrum mucosa. The protein is present in secretion granules of murine gastric antrum epithelial cells and is a component of canine antrum mucus, suggesting that it is secreted into the viscoelastic gel layer on the mucosal surface. Release of the protein appears to be regulated because forskolin decreased the amount of immunoreactive AMP-18 in primary cultures of canine antrum mucosal epithelial cells, and indomethacin gavaged into the stomach of mice reduced AMP-18 content in antrum mucosal tissue before inducing histological injury. A functional domain of the protein was identified by preparing peptides derived from the center of human AMP-18. A 21-mer peptide stimulated growth of gastric and intestinal epithelial cells, but not fibroblasts, and increased restitution of scrape-wounded gastric epithelial monolayers. These functions of AMP-18 suggest that its release onto the apical cell surface is regulated and that the protein and/or peptide fragments may protect the antral mucosa and promote healing by facilitating restitution and proliferation after injury. growth factor; wound healing; restitution; epithelium; stomach

The histamine H2 receptor agonist exhibits multiple biological actions. For example, it plays an important role in the regulation of gastric acid secretion as well as gastrointestinal motility. This biogenic amine receptor is also involved in the regulation of secretion in the intestines and proliferation of the cells. The H2 receptor demonstrates the ability to activate multiple G proteins. However, its potential role in cell growth is still uncertain and therefore requires additional investigative studies.

The mechanisms that control the growth factor action of gastrin (G17) on the rat pituitary adenoma cell line GH3 are investigated. Both AR42J and GH3 cells exhibited equal levels of CCK(sub B) receptor expression and similar binding kinetics of 125I-labeled G17. G17 simulation of cell proliferation was similar in both cell lines. Findings showed that there are cell type specific differences in the requirement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway for the growth factor action of G17. While in the AR42J cells G17 stimulates cell growth through activation of MAPK and c-fos gene expression, in the GH3 cells, G17 fails to activate MAPK, and it induces cell proliferation through Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways.

Experimental evidence shows that gastrin stimulates c-fos gene transcription in mice via protein kinase C-dependent and protein kinase C-independent signaling pathways. Gastrin causes a six-fold induction in luciferase activity in cells that are transfected with plasmids containing the -356+109 sequence of the c-fos promoter. It was also found that gastrin targets the c-fos promoter CArG sequence via Rho A-dependent pathways while Rho A appears to play a significant role in the regulation of the trophic action of gastrin.

Examines the impact of the binding of a partial agonist on the cellular processes involved in cholecystokinin (CCK) gastrointestinal peptide receptor trafficking. Pathways by which the CCK receptor is internalized after ligand binding; Cellular elements important in regulating the state of activity of G protein-linked receptors; Processes of receptor desensitization.

Background: International Health Electives (IHE) are becoming more popular among graduate training programs. This is likely due to the high demands from graduating medical students who are seeking to have an international health experience during their post-graduate training. Despite the important educational experiences associated with an IHE, this opportunity does not exist in all graduate medical programs and fewer have formal established programs., Summary: We are suggesting that graduate training programs are in a unique position to provide such experiences to our future physicians, in turn creating immediate benefits to host nations as well as long-term impacts on our society in the United States. We are proposing Four Points for stakeholders involved in training future physicians to use as they consider designing such opportunities for future trainees. The four points include: residents are capable of providing service to host nations, improve the quality of care to communities in the U.S., foster graduating medical students' global health interests and increase global health mentorship., Conclusions: We hope that addressing these four points will reemphasize the importance of establishing an IHE in all graduate training programs.