Search results for "Biological Factor"

Nitric oxide mediates abnormal responsiveness of thyroid arteries in methimazole-treated patients.

2005

Objective: We studied the intervention of nitric oxide (NO), prostacyclin and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF) in mediating responses to acetylcholine in thyroid arteries from euthyroid and methimazole-treated (MT) patients. Design and methods: Branches of the superior thyroid artery were obtained from 19 euthyroid patients and 17 MT patients (euthyroid at the time of surgery) undergoing total thyroidectomy or hemithyroidectomy. Artery rings were suspended in organ baths for isometric recording of tension. Results and conclusions: Acetylcholine caused endothelium-dependent relaxation of greater magnitude in arteries from MT patients (pD2 (−log EC50) values were 7.68±0.19 in…

Letter to the Editor Regarding "Biologic Agents Preserve the C-2 Pedicle in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Comparative Imaging Study Using Thr…

2022

Long-term effects on offspring of early exposure to biological and external factors

2000

Assessing autophagy in archived tissue or how to capture autophagic flux from a tissue snapshot

2020

This article belongs to the Special Issue Autophagy in Cancer.

Autocatalytic cleavage of Clostridium difficile toxin B.

2007

Clostridium difficile, the causative agent of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis, possesses two main virulence factors: the large clostridial cytotoxins A and B. It has been proposed that toxin B is cleaved by a cytosolic factor of the eukaryotic target cell during its cellular uptake. Here we report that cleavage of not only toxin B, but also all other large clostridial cytotoxins, is an autocatalytic process dependent on host cytosolic inositolphosphate cofactors. A covalent inhibitor of aspartate proteases, 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane, completely blocked toxin B function on cultured cells and was used to identify its catalytically active prote…

All-trans retinoic acid restores gap junctional intercellular communication between oral cancer cells with upregulation of Cx32 and Cx43 expressions …

2012

Objective: All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has been demonstrated to inhibit tumor growth by restoration of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) via upregulation of connexin (Cx) expression in some solid tumors. However, the relationship between ATRA and GJIC remains unclear in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ATRA on the GJIC function of OSCC. Study design: We measured the effects of ATRA on the viability and cell cycle distribution of SCC9 and Tca8113 OSCC cells. The GJIC function was observed using the scrape-loading dye transfer technique, and the mRNA and protein levels of Cx32 and Cx43 were detected by qRT-PCR, West…

The Mucus of Actinia equina (Anthozoa, Cnidaria): An Unexplored Resource for Potential Applicative Purposes

2015

The mucus produced by many marine organisms is a complex mixture of proteins and polysaccharides forming a weak watery gel. It is essential for vital processes including locomotion, navigation, structural support, heterotrophic feeding and defence against a multitude of environmental stresses, predators, parasites, and pathogens. In the present study we focused on mucus produced by a benthic cnidarian, the sea anemone Actinia equina (Linnaeus, 1758) for preventing burial by excess sedimentation and for protection. We investigated some of the physico-chemical properties of this matrix such as viscosity, osmolarity, electrical conductivity, protein, carbohydrate, and total lipid contents. Som…

Microalgae in the postgenomic era: a blooming reservoir for new natural products

2013

Bacteria, fungi, algae and higher plants are the most prolific producers of natural products (secondary metabolites). Compared to macroalgae, considerably fewer natural products have been isolated from microalgae, which offer the possibility of obtaining sufficient and well-defined biological material from laboratory cultures. Interest in microalgae is reinforced by large-scale data sets from genome sequencing projects and the development of genetic tools such as transformation protocols. This review highlights what is currently known about the biosynthesis and biological role of natural products in microalgae, with examples from isoprenoids, complex polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, poly…

LATE-BREAKING ABSTRACT: MUC1 downregulation induces corticosteroid resistance in asthma'sin vitroandin vivomodels

2016

Background: Corticosteroids are in the first-line of Asthma treatment. However a subset of asthmatic patients is insensitive to anti-inflammatory effects of corticosteroids. Our previous data demonstrated that MUC1 downregulation correlates corticosteroid resistance in Nasal Polyposis and COPD. We hypothesized that MUC1 is also involved in corticosteroid resistance in Asthma. Objective: To analyze the role of MUC1 in the corticosteroid effectiveness in Asthma9s in vitro and in vivo models. Methods: 20 patients with steroid resistant Asthma were recruited. The expression of MUC1 was determined by real-time PCR in inflammatory cells from peripheral blood. HMVEC-L and U937 cells knockdown with…

Interventions to Slow Aging in Humans: Are We Ready?

2015

The workshop entitled 'Interventions to Slow Aging in Humans: Are We Ready?' was held in Erice, Italy, on October 8-13, 2013, to bring together leading experts in the biology and genetics of aging and obtain a consensus related to the discovery and development of safe interventions to slow aging and increase healthy lifespan in humans. There was consensus that there is sufficient evidence that aging interventions will delay and prevent disease onset for many chronic conditions of adult and old age. Essential pathways have been identified, and behavioral, dietary, and pharmacologic approaches have emerged. Although many gene targets and drugs were discussed and there was not complete consens…