Search results for "Acellular"

GTPases of the Rho Subfamily Are Required for Brucella abortus Internalization in Nonprofessional Phagocytes

2001

Members of the genus Brucella are intracellular -Proteobacteria responsible for brucellosis, a chronic disease of humans and animals. Little is known about Brucella virulence mechanisms, but the abilities of these bacteria to invade and to survive within cells are decisive factors for causing disease. Transmission electron and fluorescence microscopy of infected nonprofessional phagocytic HeLa cells revealed minor membrane changes accompanied by discrete recruitment of F-actin at the site of Brucella abortus entry. Cell uptake of B. abortus was negatively affected to various degrees by actin, actin-myosin, and microtubule chemical inhibitors. Modulators of MAPKs and protein-tyrosine kinases…

The Impact of Moyamoya Disease and

2019

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disorder characterized by occlusion of bilateral internal carotid and intracerebral arteries with the compensatory growth of fragile small vessels. MMD patients develop recurrent infarctions in the basal ganglia and subcortical regions. Symptoms include transient ischemic attack or stroke, seizures, and headaches, which may occur suddenly or in a stepwise progression. Mutations in Ring Finger Protein 213 (RNF213), a Zinc ring finger protein, have been identified in some MMD patients but the etiology of MMD is still largely unknown. To gain insight into the pathophysiology of MMD, we characterized the impact of the RNF213 mutations on plasma p…

Synthetic/ECM-inspired hybrid platform for hollow microcarriers with ROS-triggered nanoporation hallmarks

2017

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are key pathological signals expressed in inflammatory diseases such as cancer, ischemic conditions and atherosclerosis. An ideal drug delivery system should not only be responsive to these signals but also should not elicit an unfavourable host response. This study presents an innovative platform for drug delivery where a natural/synthetic composite system composed of collagen type I and a synthesized polythioether, ensures a dual stimuli-responsive behaviour. Collagen type I is an extracellular matrix constituent protein, responsive to matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) cleavage per se. Polythioethers are stable synthetic polymers characterized by the presence o…

Synergistic effects of neurons and astrocytes on the differentiation of brain capillary endothelial cells in culture

2003

Brain capillary endothelial cells form a functional barrier between blood and brain, based on the existence of tight junctions that limit paracellular permeability. Occludin is one of the major transmembrane proteins of tight junctions and its peripheral localization gives indication of tight junction formation. We previously reported that RBE4.B cells (brain capillary endothelial cells), cultured on collagen IV, synthesize occludin and correctly localize it at the cell periphery only when cocultured with neurons. In the present study, we describe a three-cell type-culture system that allowed us to analyze the combined effects of neurons and astrocytes on differentiation of brain capillary …

Extracellular vesicles can shuttle molecules among brain cells

2013

A Controlled Trial of Two Acellular Vaccines and One Whole-Cell Vaccine against Pertussis

1996

Background Concern about both safety and efficacy has made the use of whole-cell pertussis vaccines controversial. In some European countries, including Italy, the rate of vaccination against pertussis is low. Methods We conducted a double-blind trial in Italy in which infants were randomly assigned to vaccination at two, four, and six months of age with an acellular pertussis vaccine together with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids (DTP); a DTP vaccine containing whole-cell pertussis (manufactured by Connaught Laboratories); or diphtheria and tetanus toxoids without pertussis (DT). The acellular DTP vaccine was either one containing filamentous hemagglutinin, pertactin, and pertussis toxin ina…

Neuron-Glial Interaction During Injury and Edema of the CNS

1994

During injury and ischemia of the CNS mediator compounds are released or activated which cause secondary swelling and damage of nerve cells. Such mediators are glutamate, acidosis, free fatty acids, or high extracellular potassium. Glial homeostatic mechanisms are activated to prevent the secondary injury from these mediators. The glial clearance mechanisms have been studied in detail using in vitro systems allowing for a close control of the glial environment. Current evidence suggests glial swelling to occur together with glutamate uptake or in response to extracellular acidosis. Glial swelling, therefore, is rather the result of homeostatic mechanisms than an indication of glial demise.

Dauer epileptischer Anfälle während selektiver pharyngealer Hirnkühlung / Duration of induced seizures during selective pharyngeal brain cooling

2004

Whole body hypothermia can be used to treat the injured brain (e.g. after hypoxic events). Side effects include hemodynamic instability, coagulopathy and infection. Because of these side effects it appears reasonable to cool the brain selectively (selective brain cooling, SBC) without changing the core temperature. A new animal model was used to demonstrate SBC from the pharynx and to examine effects of SBC on the duration of pharmacologically induced seizure activity. Sprague-Dawley rats (n=18, 12 successful experiments) were sedated and mechanically ventilated. Invasive blood pressure monitoring was instituted and blood gases were drawn to evaluate the arterial blood gas status. Electrica…

Dissecting the Mechanism of Action of Spiperone—A Candidate for Drug Repurposing for Colorectal Cancer

2022

Approximately 50% of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients still die from recurrence and metastatic disease, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Drug repurposing is attracting increasing attention because, compared to traditional de novo drug discovery processes, it may reduce drug development periods and costs. Epidemiological and preclinical evidence support the antitumor activity of antipsychotic drugs. Herein, we dissect the mechanism of action of the typical antipsychotic spiperone in CRC. Spiperone can reduce the clonogenic potential of stem-like CRC cells (CRC-SCs) and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, in both differentiated and CRC-SCs, at clinically relevant co…

TAZ is required for metastatic activity and chemoresistance of breast cancer stem cells

2015

Metastatic growth in breast cancer (BC) has been proposed as an exclusive property of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, formal proof of their identity as cells of origin of recurrences at distant sites and the molecular events that may contribute to tumor cell dissemination and metastasis development are yet to be elucidated. In this study, we analyzed a set of patient-derived breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) lines. We found that in vitro BCSCs exhibit a higher chemoresistance and migratory potential when compared with differentiated, nontumorigenic, breast cancer cells (dBCCs). By developing an in vivo metastatic model simulating the disease of patients with early BC, we observed that BCSCs…