Search results for "C4"
showing 10 items of 385 documents
Transmembrane signaling and cytoplasmic signal conversion by dimeric transmembrane helix 2 and a linker domain of the DcuS sensor kinase
2020
Transmembrane (TM) signaling is a key process of membrane-bound sensor kinases. The C4-dicarboxylate (fumarate) responsive sensor kinase DcuS of Escherichia coli is anchored by TM helices TM1 and TM2 in the membrane. Signal transmission across the membrane relies on the piston-type movement of the periplasmic part of TM2. To define the role of TM2 in TM signaling, we use oxidative Cys cross-linking to demonstrate that TM2 extends over the full distance of the membrane and forms a stable TM homodimer in both the inactive and fumarate-activated state of DcuS. An S186xxxGxxxG194 motif is required for the stability and function of the TM2 homodimer. The TM2 helix further extends on the periplas…
Association between Leptin and Complement in Hepatitis C Patients with Viral Clearance: Homeostasis of Metabolism and Immunity
2016
Background The association between leptin and complement in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains unknown. Methods A prospective study was conducted including 474 (250 genotype 1, 224 genotype 2) consecutive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who had completed an anti-HCV therapy course and undergone pre-therapy and 24-week post-therapy assessments of interferon λ3-rs12979860 and HCV RNA/genotypes, anthropometric measurements, metabolic and liver profiles, and complement component 3 (C3), C4, and leptin levels. Results Of the 474 patients, 395 had a sustained virological response (SVR). Pre-therapy leptin levels did not differ between patients with and without an SVR. Univariate and mul…
Inflammasome activation in Ankylosing Spondylitis is associated to gut dysbiosis
2021
Objective: We undertook this study to evaluate the activation and functional relevance of inflammasome pathways in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and rodent models and their relationship to dysbiosis. Methods: An inflammasome pathway was evaluated in the gut and peripheral blood from 40 AS patients using quantitative reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy, and was compared to that of 20 healthy controls and 10 patients with Crohn’s disease. Bacteria was visualized using silver stain in human samples, and antibiotics were administered to HLA–B27–transgenic rats. The NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 was admini…
Homer2 and alcohol: A mutual interaction
2017
The past two decades of data derived from addicted individuals and preclinical animal models of addiction implicate a role for the excitatory glutamatergic transmission within the mesolimbic structures in alcoholism. The cellular localization of the glutamatergic receptor subtypes, as well as their signaling efficiency and function, are highly dependent upon discrete functional constituents of the postsynaptic density, including the Homer family of scaffolding proteins. The consequences of repeated alcohol administration on the expression of the Homer family proteins demonstrate a crucial and active role, particularly for the expression of Homer2 isoform, in regulating alcohol-induced behav…
The quality of life in girls with Rett syndrome
2016
Nowadays, quality of life is receiving an increasing attention in all scientific areas. Rett syndrome (RTT) is a rare neurological development, affecting mainly females. The congenital disease affects the central nervous system, and is one of the most common causes of severe intellectual disability. The aim of our study is to evaluate the effect of RTT on the quality of life of people who are affected. Both parents of 18 subjects, all female, diagnosed with RTT, took part in the research. Quality of life was assessed using the Italian version of the Impact of Childhood Illness Scale. This scale consists of 30 questions that investigate the effect of illness on children, parents and families…
Alterations in Tight- and Adherens-Junction Proteins Related to Glaucoma Mimicked in the Organotypically Cultivated Mouse Retina Under Elevated Press…
2020
Purpose To scrutinize alterations in cellular interactions and cell signaling in the glaucomatous retina, mouse retinal explants were exposed to elevated pressure. Methods Retinal explants were prepared from C57bl6 mice and cultivated in a pressure chamber under normotensive (atmospheric pressure + 0 mm Hg), moderately elevated (30 mm Hg), and highly elevated (60 mm Hg) pressure conditions. The expression levels of proteins involved in the formation of tight junctions (zonula occludens 1 [ZO-1], occludin, and claudin-5) and adherens junctions (VE-cadherin and β-catenin) and in cell-signaling cascades (Cdc42 and activated Cdc42 kinase 1 [ACK1]), as well as the expression levels of the growth…
Shortened Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time May Help in Diagnosing Hereditary and Acquired Angioedema
2016
<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate whether activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) could be used in the laboratory diagnosis of hereditary or acquired angioedema (HAE or AAE) with and without C1 inhibitor (C1-INH) deficiency. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a prospective investigation, APTT and other coagulation parameters were determined in 149 adult patients with various types of angioedema and in 26 healthy participants (HP). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Mean APTT was significantly shortened in HAE-C1-INH type I (p < 0.0001) and type II (p = 0.0017) and in AAE-C1-INH (p < 0.0001) compared to the HP. APTT was shorten…
Narratives of Burnout and Recovery from an Agency Perspective : A Two-Year Longitudinal Study
2017
Abstract Purpose To provide knowledge about the recovery process during rehabilitation and two years later by exploring the manifestation of agency and spheres of meaning in the narratives of participants in a national rehabilitation course. Material and methods The subjects of the study were four participants in a national rehabilitation course, whose burnout levels had decreased between the initial and follow-up periods of the course. Semi-structured interviews on two occasions and an electronic questionnaire 1.5 years post rehabilitation comprised the main material. In addition, the BBI -15 (Bergen Burnout Indicator) and DEPS-screen were used. Results Thematic narrative analysis revealed…
Social Difficulties As Risk and Maintaining Factors in Anorexia Nervosa: A Mixed-Method Investigation
2018
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a serious psychiatric disorder characterized by severe restriction of energy intake and dangerously low body weight. Other domains of functioning are affected, including social functioning. Although difficulties within this domain have started to be acknowledged by the literature, some important gaps remain to be filled. Do social difficulties predate the onset of the illness? What difficulties in particular are relevant for the development and maintenance of the illness? The aim of this study is to combine the use of quantitative and qualitative methods to answer these questions. Ninety participants with lifetime AN (88 women and 2 men) completed an online survey a…
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…