2000 FASEB CONFERENCE ON PROTEIN PHOSPHATASES

本申请寻求对将于2000年7月23日至7月28日在科罗拉多州铜山举行的FASE B蛋白质磷酸酶夏季会议的部分支持。这将标志着这次会议十周年。在新千年来临之际，前几届会议的成功以及这些酶在调节许多细胞功能方面得到广泛承认的作用，充分证明了这样一次会议的存在。蛋白质磷酸酶的研究正处于一个令人兴奋和快速发展的阶段，揭示了这些酶在控制细胞生命和死亡的大多数方面的途径中的根本重要性。现在很清楚，磷酸酶和蛋白激酶是平等的伙伴，对蛋白磷酸酶的研究对于我们理解细胞功能的控制是必不可少的。在过去的几年里，大量的磷酸酶和磷酸酶调节/靶向亚基已经被发现。目前研究的一个主要焦点是了解它们的生理作用以及它们参与信号传递的多种方式。蛋白磷酸酶为开发新的和特定的药理药物提供了潜在的靶点。磷酸酶已被确定为免疫抑制药物、肿瘤促进剂、DNA肿瘤病毒和各种天然毒素的靶标。PTEN是双特异性磷酸酶家族中的一员，最近被鉴定为肿瘤抑制基因的产物。PP2B/Calcineurin参与骨骼肌和心肌肥大，PTP1B与胰岛素作用和肥胖有关。这次会议的目的是聚集研究蛋白质磷酸酶各个方面的研究人员，并传播该领域的最新信息。来自不同学科的新研究人员不断涌入这一领域，2000年的会议将对蛋白质磷酸酶的遗传学、生物化学和功能的最新进展进行集中介绍和讨论，这将是重要的。会议将由八届会议组成，每届会议至少有六名发言者，从最近作出重要贡献的研究人员和提交的摘要中挑选。这将有助于确保将青年调查员、妇女和少数群体作为主要参与者。此外，还将组织两次海报宣传会。总体而言，在确定蛋白磷酸酶在正常和病理条件下的各种功能方面取得了快速进展，如糖尿病、癌症、神经退行性疾病、发育和免疫缺陷以及心血管疾病。

This application seeks partial support for a FASEB Summer Conference on Protein Phosphatases to be held from July 23 to July 28, 2000 at Copper Mountain, Colorado. This will mark the tenth anniversary of this meeting. At the dawn of a new millennium, the success of the previous conferences and the widely recognized role of these enzymes in regulation of many cellular functions amply justify the existence of such a conference. Research on protein phosphatases is at an exciting and rapidly moving stage, revealing the fundamental importance of these enzymes in pathways that govern most aspects of cell life and death. It is now clear that phosphatases are equal partners with protein kinases and research on protein phosphatases is essential for our understanding of the control of cellular functions. Within the past few years, a large number of phosphatases and phosphatase regulatory/targeting subunits have been identified. A major focus of current research is to understand their physiological role and the multiplicity of ways they are involved in signaling. Protein phosphatases offer potential targets for development of new and specific pharmacological agents. Phosphatases have already been identified as the targets for immunosuppressant drugs, tumor promoters, DNA tumor viruses and a wide variety of natural toxins. PTEN, a member of the family of dual specificity phosphatases, has recently been identified as the product of a tumor suppressor gene. The involvement of PP2B/calcineurin in skeletal and cardiac muscle hypertrophy has become apparent and the PTP1B has been implicated in insulin action and obesity. The purpose of this conference is to bring together investigators studying various aspects of protein phosphatases and to disseminate the most recent information in the field. There is a constant infusion of new researchers from various disciplines into this area and the 2000 conference will be important for a focused presentation and discussion of the most recent advances in the genetics, biochemistry and function of protein phosphatases. The Conference will consist of eight sessions, each with at least six speakers, selected from investigators who have made important recent contributions and from submitted abstracts. This will help to ensure inclusion of young investigators, women and minorities as primary participants. In addition, two poster sessions will be organized. Overall, rapid progress is being made in the identification of the diverse functions of protein phosphatases in normal and pathological conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, developmental and immunological defects and cardiovascular diseases.