Search results for "Copy"

Exposure to environmental radionuclides alters mitochondrial DNA maintenance in a wild rodent

2020

AbstractMitochondria are sensitive to oxidative stress, including that derived from ionizing radiation. To quantify the effects of exposure to environmental radionuclides on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) dynamics in wildlife, bank voles (Myodes glareolus) were collected from the chernobyl exclusion zone (CEZ), where animals are exposed to elevated levels of radionuclides, and from uncontaminated areas within the CEZ and elsewhere in Ukraine. Brains of bank voles from outside the CEZ were characterized by low mtDNA copy number and low mtDNA damage; by contrast, bank voles within the CEZ had high mtDNA copy number and high mtDNA damage, consistent with putative damaging effects of elevated radiat…

The Role of JAK/STAT Molecular Pathway in Vascular Remodeling Associated with Pulmonary Hypertension

2021

Pulmonary hypertension is defined as a group of diseases characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), which leads to right ventricular failure and premature death. There are multiple clinical manifestations that can be grouped into five different types. Pulmonary artery remodeling is a common feature in pulmonary hypertension (PH) characterized by endothelial dysfunction and smooth muscle pulmonary artery cell proliferation. The current treatments for PH are limited to vasodilatory agents that do not stop the progression of the disease. Therefore, there is a need for new agents that inhibit pulmonary artery remodeling targeting the main genetic, molecular,…

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Keratinocytes Is Essential for Murine Skin Barrier Integrity.

2016

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor involved in adaptive cell functions, and it is highly active in the epidermis. AhR ligands can accelerate keratinocyte differentiation, but the precise role of AhR in the skin barrier is unknown. Our study showed that transepidermal water loss, a parameter of skin barrier integrity, is high in AhR-deficient mice. Experiments with conditionally AhR-deficient mouse lines identified keratinocytes as the primary cell population responsible for high transepidermal water loss. Electron microscopy showed weaker intercellular connectivity in the epidermis of keratinocytes in AhR-knockout mice, and gene expression analysi…

Zinc(II) Complexes of Amino Acids as New Active Ingredients for Anti-Acne Dermatological Preparations.

2021

Zinc compounds have a number of beneficial properties for the skin, including antimicrobial, sebostatic and demulcent activities. The aim of the study was to develop new anti-acne preparations containing zinc–amino acid complexes as active ingredients. Firstly, the cytotoxicity of the zinc complexes was evaluated against human skin fibroblasts (1BR.3.N cell line) and human epidermal keratinocyte cell lines, and their antimicrobial activity was determined against Cutibacterium acnes. Then, zinc complexes of glycine and histidine were selected to create original gel formulations. The stability (by measuring pH, density and viscosity), microbiological purity (referring to PN-EN ISO standards) …

Double-exponential kinetics of binding and redistribution of the fluorescent dyes in cell membranes witness for the existence of lipid microdomains.

2018

Abstract New technique of detecting lateral heterogeneity of the plasma membrane of living cells by means of membrane-binding fluorescent dyes is proposed. The kinetics of dye incorporation into the membrane or its lateral diffusion inside the membrane is measured and decomposed into exponential components by means of the Maximum Entropy Method. Two distinct exponential components are obtained consistently in all cases for several fluorescent dyes, two different cell lines and in different types of experiments including spectroscopy, flow cytometry and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching. These components are attributed to the liquid-ordered and disordered phases in the plasma membra…

Encapsulation mechanisms and structural studies of GRM2 bacterial microcompartment particles

2019

Bacterial microcompartments (BMCs) are prokaryotic organelles consisting of a protein shell and an encapsulated enzymatic core. BMCs are involved in several biochemical processes, such as choline, glycerol and ethanolamine degradation and carbon fixation. Since non-native enzymes can also be encapsulated in BMCs, an improved understanding of BMC shell assembly and encapsulation processes could be useful for synthetic biology applications. Here we report the isolation and recombinant expression of BMC structural genes from the Klebsiella pneumoniae GRM2 locus, the investigation of mechanisms behind encapsulation of the core enzymes, and the characterization of shell particles by cryo-EM. We …

2020

Bacterial strains of the Lactobacillaceae family are widely used as probiotics for their multifaceted potential beneficial properties. However, no official recommendations for their clinical use exist since, in many cases, oral administrations of these bacteria displayed limited beneficial effects in human. Additional research is thus needed to improve the efficiency of existing strains with strong potential. In this context, we assess in vitro the effects of nine polyphenols to stimulate biofilm formation by lactobacilli, a feature enhancing their functionalities. Among these polyphenols, we identify trans-Resveratrol (referred to hereafter as Resveratrol) as a potent inducer of biofilm fo…

Reply to Comment on: 'Corneal confocal scanning laser microscopy in patients with dry eye disease treated with topical cyclosporine'

2017

Reply to Comment on: ‘Corneal confocal scanning laser microscopy in patients with dry eye disease treated with topical cyclosporine’

Pathophysiology of non alcoholic fatty liver disease

2016

The physiopathology of fatty liver and metabolic syndrome are influenced by diet, life style and inflammation, which have a major impact on the severity of the clinicopathologic outcome of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A short comprehensive review is provided on current knowledge of the pathophysiological interplay among major circulating effectors/mediators of fatty liver, such as circulating lipids, mediators released by adipose, muscle and liver tissues and pancreatic and gut hormones in relation to diet, exercise and inflammation.

Polysialic acid chains exhibit enhanced affinity for ordered regions of membranes.

2018

Polysialic acid (polySia) forms linear chains which are usually attached to the external surface of the plasma membrane mainly through the Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule (NCAM) protein. It is exposed on neural cells, several types of cancer cells, dendritic cells, and egg and sperm cells. There are several lipid raft-related phenomena in which polySia is involved; however the mechanisms of polySia action as well as determinants of its localization in lipid raft microdomains are still unknown, although the majority of NCAM molecules in the liquid-ordered raft membrane fractions of neural cells appear to be polysialylated. Here we investigate the affinity of polySia (both soluble and NCAM-depe…