Search results for "α"
showing 10 items of 449 documents
Lack of Correlation of Plasma HDL With Fecal Cholesterol and Plasma Cholesterol Efflux Capacity Suggests Importance of HDL Functionality in Attenuati…
2018
A number of clinical findings suggested HDL-raising as a plausible approach to treat residual risk of CVD. However, lack of CVD risk reduction by elevated HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) through cholesterol ester transfer protein (CETP) inhibition and enhanced risk reduction in apolipoprotein A-I Milano (apoAI-M) individuals with low HDL-C shifted the focus from HDL-C level to HDL function. In the present study, we investigated correlations between HDL-C, HDL function, fecal cholesterol excretion, and ex vivo plasma cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) in animal models using two HDL modulators, LXR and PPAR-α agonists. In C57Bl mice, LXR agonist, T1317, raised HDL-C by 30%, while PPAR-α agonist, fenof…
Cardiac and vascular alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in congestive heart failure: a systematic review
2020
As heart failure (HF) is a devastating health problem worldwide, a better understanding and the development of more effective therapeutic approaches are required. HF is characterized by sympathetic system activation which stimulates α- and β-adrenoceptors (ARs). The exposure of the cardiovascular system to the increased locally released and circulating levels of catecholamines leads to a well-described downregulation and desensitization of β-ARs. However, information on the role of α-AR is limited. We have performed a systematic literature review examining the role of both cardiac and vascular α1-ARs in HF using 5 databases for our search. All three α1-AR subtypes (α1A, α1B and α1D) are exp…
HSP60 activity on human bronchial epithelial cells
2017
HSP60 has been implicated in chronic inflammatory disease pathogenesis, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but the mechanisms by which this chaperonin would act are poorly understood. A number of studies suggest a role for extracellular HSP60, since it can be secreted from cells and bind Toll-like receptors; however, the effects of this stimulation have never been extensively studied. We investigated the effects (pro- or anti-inflammatory) of HSP60 in human bronchial epithelial cells (16-HBE) alone and in comparison with oxidative, inflammatory, or bacterial challenges. 16-HBE cells were cultured for 1–4 h in the absence or presence of HSP60, H2O2, lipopolysaccharide (…
Multifaceted Mechanisms of WY-14643 to Stabilize the Blood-Brain Barrier in a Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
2017
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is damaged during ischemic insults such as traumatic brain injury or stroke. This contributes to vasogenic edema formation and deteriorate disease outcomes. Enormous efforts are pursued to understand underlying mechanisms of ischemic insults and develop novel therapeutic strategies. In the present study the effects of PPARα agonist WY-14643 were investigated to prevent BBB breakdown and reduce edema formation. WY-14643 inhibited barrier damage in a mouse BBB in vitro model of traumatic brain injury based on oxygen/glucose deprivation in a concentration dependent manner. This was linked to changes of the localization of tight junction proteins. Furthermore, WY-1…
The Role of Adrenoceptors in the Retina
2020
The retina is a part of the central nervous system, a thin multilayer with neuronal lamination, responsible for detecting, preprocessing, and sending visual information to the brain. Many retinal diseases are characterized by hemodynamic perturbations and neurodegeneration leading to vision loss and reduced quality of life. Since catecholamines and respective bindings sites have been characterized in the retina, we systematically reviewed the literature with regard to retinal expression, distribution and function of alpha1 (α1)-, alpha2 (α2)-, and beta (β)-adrenoceptors (ARs). Moreover, we discuss the role of the individual adrenoceptors as targets for the treatment of retinal diseases.
alpha 2-COP is involved in early secretory traffic in Arabidopsis and is required for plant growth
2017
[EN] COP (coat protein) I-coated vesicles mediate intra-Golgi transport and retrograde transport from the Golgi to the endoplasmic reticulum. These vesicles form through the action of the small GTPase ADP-ribosylation factor 1 (ARF1) and the COPI heptameric protein complex (coatomer), which consists of seven subunits (alpha-, beta-, beta' -, gamma-, delta-, epsilon- and xi-COP). In contrast to mammals and yeast, several isoforms for coatomer subunits, with the exception of gamma and delta, have been identified in Arabidopsis. To understand the role of COPI proteins in plant biology, we have identified and characterized a loss-of-function mutant of alpha 2-COP, an Arabidopsis alpha-COP isofo…
More than a pore: How voltage-gated calcium channels act on different levels of neuronal communication regulation.
2021
ABSTRACT Voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) represent key regulators of the calcium influx through the plasma membrane of excitable cells, like neurons. Activated by the depolarization of the membrane, the opening of VGCCs induces very transient and local changes in the intracellular calcium concentration, known as calcium nanodomains, that in turn trigger calcium-dependent signaling cascades and the release of chemical neurotransmitters. Based on their central importance as concierges of excitation-secretion coupling and therefore neuronal communication, VGCCs have been studied in multiple aspects of neuronal function and malfunction. However, studies on molecular interaction partners …
Trajectories of stress biomarkers and anxious-depressive symptoms from pregnancy to postpartum period in women with a trauma history
2019
Background: Cross-sectional studies have found that a trauma history can be associated with anxious-depressive symptomatology and physiological stress dysregulation in pregnant women. Methods: This prospective study examines the trajectories of both anxiety and depressive symptoms and salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase biomarkers from women with (n = 42) and without (n = 59) a trauma history at (i) 38th week of gestation (T1), (ii) 48 hours after birth (T2), and (iii) three months after birth (T3). Results: The quantile regression model showed that trauma history was associated with higher cortisol levels at T1 and this difference was sustained along T2 and T3. Conversely, there were no si…
Androgēnie anaboliskie steroīdi, to ietekme uz veselību un izplatība sabiedrības vidū
2016
Ārējais izskats spēj ietekmēt apkārtējo sabiedrības viedokli, veidojot priekšstatu par cilvēka raksturu un spējām. Izsenis cilvēkus ieinteresējis, kā izmantojot mazāku piepūli iegūt pievilcīgāku ķermeņa izskatu un labāku sportisko sniegumu. Lai sasniegtu mērķi cilvēki dažkārt ir gatavi izmēģināt visdažādākos līdzekļus, lai gan tiem ir risks pasliktināt veselību un izraisīt nopietnas blakusparādības. Šī darba mērķis bija noskaidrot, vai Latvijā ir izplatīta androgēno anabolisko steroīdu lietošana, kādi ir to lietošanas paradumi un, kurš no testosterona līdzekļiem BENU aptieku tīklā ir vispieprasītākais laika posmā no 2013. gada 1. janvāra līdz 2015. gada 31. decembrim. Pēc iegūtajiem aptauju…
Offline commissioning of a new gas cell for the MARA Low-Energy Branch
2023
Results of offline commissioning tests for a new dedicated gas cell for the Mass Analysing Recoil Apparatus (MARA) Low-Energy Branch are reported. Evacuation time, ion survival and transport efficiency in helium buffer gas were characterized with a radioactive 223Ra 𝛼-recoil source. Suppression of the ion signal, originating from non-neutralized species in the gas cell, was explored with 219Rn ions, the daughter recoil of 223Ra, as a function of voltage applied to one of the ion-collector electrodes. Two-step laser resonance ionization of stable tin isotopes produced inside the gas cell from a heated bronze filament was demonstrated, and broadening of the atomic resonances in argon buffer …