Web designers and providers are keenly interested in determining the ideal range of Web site complexity to facilitate user–Web site interactions. Previous empirical findings have sparked a lively debate about whether Web site complexity inhibits or enhances user responses toward the Web site. This paper develops a theoretical framework that posits that complexity effects shift along a sequence of evaluation criteria depending on the overall intensity and type of Web site complexity. The first experimental study confirms the suggested interaction effect of the overall degree of complexity and the sequence of evaluation criteria: the optimum is lower for upstream criteria (e.g., ease of navigation) and higher for downstream criteria (e.g., attitude toward the Web site). The second experiment distinguishes two dimensions of complexity (structural vs. visual) that evoke the antipodal effects underlying the shift in the optimal range of complexity. The paper also outlines avenues for further research and implications for marketing practitioners.

Human CD137 (4-1BB), a member of the TNF receptor family, and its ligand CD137L (4-1BBL), are expressed on immune cells and tumor cells. CD137/CD137L interaction mediates bidirectional cellular responses of potential relevance in inflammatory diseases, autoimmunity and oncology. A soluble form of CD137 exists, elevated levels of which have been reported in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and various malignancies. Soluble CD137 (sCD137) is considered to represent a splice variant of CD137. In this report, however, evidence is presented that A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase (ADAM)10 and potentially also ADAM17 are centrally involved in its generation. Release of sCD137 by transfected cell lines and primary T cells was uniformly inhibitable by ADAM10 inhibition. The shedding function of ADAM10 can be blocked through inhibition of its interaction with surface exposed phosphatidylserine (PS), and this effectively inhibited sCD137 generation. The phospholipid scramblase Anoctamin-6 (ANO6) traffics PS to the outer membrane and thus modifies ADAM10 function. Overexpression of ANO6 increased stimulated shedding, and hyperactive ANO6 led to maximal constitutive shedding of CD137. sCD137 was functionally active and augmented T cell proliferation. Our findings shed new light on the regulation of CD137/CD137L immune responses with potential impact on immunotherapeutic approaches targeting CD137.

The protein family of small GTPases controls cellular processes by acting as a binary switch between an active and an inactive state. The most prominent family members are H-Ras, N-Ras, and K-Ras isoforms, which are highly related and frequently mutated in cancer. Bisphenols are widespread in modern life because of their industrial application as plasticisers. Bisphenol A (BPA) is the best-known member and has gained significant scientific as well as public attention as an endocrine disrupting chemical, a fact that eventually led to its replacement. However, compounds used to replace BPA still contain the molecular scaffold of bisphenols. BPA, BPAF, BPB, BPE, BPF, and an amine-substituted BPAF-derivate all interact with all GDP-bound Ras-Isoforms through binding to a common site on these proteins. NMR-, SOScat-, and GDI- assay-based data revealed a new bisphenol-induced, allosterically activated GDP-bound Ras conformation that define these plasticisers as Ras allosteric agonists.

Ca2+-activated Cl− channels (TMEM16, also known as anoctamins) perform important functions in cell physiology, including modulation of cell proliferation and cancer growth. Many members, including TMEM16F/ANO6, additionally act as Ca2+-activated phospholipid scramblases. We recently presented evidence that ANO6-dependent surface exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) is pivotal for the disintegrin-like metalloproteases ADAM10 and ADAM17 to exert their sheddase function. Here, we compared the influence of seven ANO family members (ANO1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10) on ADAM sheddase activity. Similar to ANO6, overexpression of ANO4 and ANO9 led to increased release of ADAM10 and ADAM17 substrates, such as betacellulin, TGFα, and amphiregulin (AREG), upon ionophore stimulation in HEK cells. Inhibitor experiments indicated that ANO4/ANO9-mediated enhancement of TGFα-cleavage broadened the spectrum of participating metalloproteinases. Annexin V-staining demonstrated increased externalisation of PS in ANO4/ANO9-overexpressing cells. Competition experiments with the soluble PS-headgroup phosphorylserine indicated that the ANO4/ANO9 effects were due to increased PS exposure. Overexpression of ANO4 or ANO9 in human cervical cancer cells (HeLa), enhanced constitutive shedding of the growth factor AREG and increased cell proliferation. We conclude that ANO4 and ANO9, by virtue of their scramblase activity, may play a role as important regulators of ADAM-dependent cellular functions.

ADAM17, prominent member of the “Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase” (ADAM) family, controls vital cellular functions through cleavage of transmembrane substrates. Several of these play central roles in oncogenesis and inflammation, yet despite its importance, the mechanism by which ADAM17 is activated is not fully understood. We recently presented evidence that surface exposure of phosphatidylserine (PS) is the penultimate event required for sheddase activation, which occurs upon binding of a membrane-proximal, cationic binding motif to the anionic phospholipid headgroup. Here, we show that mutagenesis of the 3 amino acids constituting the PS-binding motif leads to embryonic lethality in mice. Heterozygotes showed no abnormalities. Primary hepatocytes and fibroblasts were analysed and found to express the mutant protease on the cell surface. However, PMA-stimulated release of ADAM17 substrates was completely abolished. The results directly support the novel concept of transiently externalised PS as essential trigger of extracellular protease function in vivo.