Search results for " ACTIVATION"
showing 10 items of 1535 documents
How Can Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Modulate Distinct Cell Death Pathways?
2018
Multiple mechanisms of cell death exist (apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis) and the subtle balance of several distinct proteins and inhibitors tightly regulates the cell fate toward one or the other pathway. Here, by combining coimmunoprecipitation, enzyme assays, and molecular simulations, we ascribe a new role, within this entangled regulatory network, to the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). Our study enlightens that IL-1Ra, which usually inhibits the inflammatory effects of IL-1α/β by binding to IL-1 receptor, under advanced pathological states prevents apoptosis and/or necroptosis by noncompetitively inhibiting the activity of caspase-8 and -9. Consensus docking, followed by…
Insights into the Structure of the Vip3Aa Insecticidal Protein by Protease Digestion Analysis
2017
Vip3 proteins are secretable proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis whose mode of action is still poorly understood. In this study, the activation process for Vip3 proteins was closely examined in order to better understand the Vip3Aa protein stability and to shed light on its structure. The Vip3Aa protoxin (of 89 kDa) was treated with trypsin at concentrations from 1:100 to 120:100 (trypsin:Vip3A, w:w). If the action of trypsin was not properly neutralized, the results of SDS-PAGE analysis (as well as those with Agrotis ipsilon midgut juice) equivocally indicated that the protoxin could be completely processed. However, when the proteolytic reaction was efficiently stopped, it was revealed t…
Plasmin-Induced Activation of Human Platelets Is Modulated by Thrombospondin-1, Bona Fide Misfolded Proteins and Thiol Isomerases
2020
Inflammatory processes are triggered by the fibrinolytic enzyme plasmin. Tissue-type plasminogen activator, which cleaves plasminogen to plasmin, can be activated by the cross-&beta
HLA-E-Restricted CD8+ T Lymphocytes Efficiently Control Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV-1 Co-Infection
2020
We investigated the contribution of human leukocyte antigen A2 (HLA-A2) and HLA-E-restricted CD8+ T cells in patients with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) coinfection. HIV-1 downregulates HLA-A, -B, and -C molecules in infected cells, thus influencing recognition by HLA class I-restricted CD8+ T cells but not by HLA-E-restricted CD8+ T cells, owing to the inability of the virus to downmodulate their expression. Therefore, antigen-specific HLA-E-restricted CD8+ T cells could play a protective role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV-1 coinfection. HLA-E- and HLA-A2-restricted Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific CD8+ T cells were tested in vitro for cyt…
Urtica dioica pollen allergy
2016
Abstract Background The most emblematic members of Urticaceae at allergic risk level are wall pellitories ( Parietaria ), whereas nettle ( Urtica ) pollen is considered as poorly allergenic. No allergen from nettle pollen has yet been characterized, whereas 4 are listed for Parietaria pollen by the International Union of Immunological Societies. Clinical and biological profiles of 2 adult men who developed symptoms against nettle pollen and/or leaves were studied. Objective To characterize the allergic reaction and identify the potential nettle pollen sensitizing allergens. Methods IgE-mediated reaction to nettle pollen extract was evaluated by skin prick test, immunoassay, nasal provocatio…
Mechanisms of NK Cell Activation and Clinical Activity of the Therapeutic SLAMF7 Antibody, Elotuzumab in Multiple Myeloma
2018
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a bone marrow plasma cell neoplasm and is the second most-common hematologic malignancy. Despite advances in therapy, MM remains largely incurable. Elotuzumab is a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting SLAMF7, which is highly expressed on myeloma cells, and the antibody is approved for the treatment of relapsed and/or refractory (RR) MM in combination with lenalidomide and dexamethasone. Elotuzumab can stimulate robust antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) through engaging with FcγRIIIA (CD16) on NK cells and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) by macrophages. Interestingly, SLAMF7 is also expressed on cytolytic NK cells, which also expr…
Wharton’s Jelly Mesenchymal Stromal Cells from Human Umbilical Cord: a Close-up on Immunomodulatory Molecules Featured In Situ and In Vitro
2019
Therapeutic options for end-stage organ failure are often limited to whole organ transplantation. The tolerance or rejection of the transplanted organ is driven by both early non-specific innate and specific adaptive responses. The use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is considered a promising tool in regenerative medicine. Human umbilical cord (HUC) is an easily available source of MSCs, without relevant ethical issues. Moreover, Wharton's jelly-derived MSCs (WJ-MSCs), showed consistent immunomodulatory features that may be useful to promote immune tolerance in the host after transplantation. Few data are available on the phenotype of WJ-MSCs in situ. We investigated the expression of i…
P/CAF-mediated spermidine acetylation regulates histone acetyltransferase activity
2016
Histones and polyamines are important determinants of the chromatin structure. Histones form the core of nucleosome particles and their modification by acetylation of N-terminal tails is involved in chromatin structural changes and transcriptional regulation. Polyamines, including spermidine, are also targets of both cytoplasmic and nuclear acetylation, which in turn alters their affinity for DNA and nucleosomes. Previous studies report the interplay between polyamines metabolism and levels of histone acetylation, but the molecular basis of this effect is still unclear. In this work, we have analyzed the in vitro effect of spermidine on histone H3 acetylation catalyzed by P/CAF, a highly co…
Gut germinal center regeneration and enhanced antiviral immunity by mesenchymal stem/stromal cells in SIV infection.
2021
Although antiretroviral therapy suppresses HIV replication, it does not eliminate viral reservoirs or restore damaged lymphoid tissue, posing obstacles to HIV eradication. Using the SIV model of AIDS, we investigated the effect of mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) infusions on gut mucosal recovery, antiviral immunity, and viral suppression and determined associated molecular/metabolic signatures. MSC administration to SIV-infected macaques resulted in viral reduction and heightened virus-specific responses. Marked clearance of SIV-positive cells from gut mucosal effector sites was correlated with robust regeneration of germinal centers, restoration of follicular B cells and T follicular h…
Cytotoxicity of seven naturally occurring phenolic compounds towards multi-factorial drug-resistant cancer cells
2016
Abstract Introduction In medical oncology, multi-drug resistance (MDR) of cancer cells continues to be a major impediment. We are in quest of novel anti-proliferative agents to overcome drug-resistant tumor cells. Methods In the present study, we investigated the cytotoxicity of 7 naturally occurring phenolic compounds including two isoflavonoids alpinumisoflavone ( 1 ) and laburnetin ( 2 ), one biflavonoid amentoflavone ( 3) , three lignans pycnanthulignene A ( 4 ), pycnanthulignene B ( 5 ), and syringaresinol ( 7 ) and one xanthone, euxanthone ( 6 ) against 9 drug-sensitive and MDR cancer cell lines. The resazurin reduction assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of these compounds, w…