Search results for "Genes"
showing 10 items of 13944 documents
2020
The periodontal ligament (PDL) is exposed to different kinds of mechanical stresses such as bite force or orthodontic tooth movement. A simple and efficient model to study molecular responses to mechanical stress is the application of compressive force onto primary human periodontal ligament fibroblasts via glass disks. Yet, this model suffers from the need for primary cells from human donors which have a limited proliferative capacity. Here we show that an immortalized cell line, PDL-hTERT, derived from primary human periodontal ligament fibroblasts exhibits characteristic responses to glass disk-mediated compressive force resembling those of primary cells. These responses include inductio…
CD4+ T-cell differentiation and function: Unifying glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, polyamines NAD mitochondria
2021
The progression through different steps of T-cell development, activation, and effector function is tightly bound to specific cellular metabolic processes. Previous studies established that T-effector cells have a metabolic bias toward aerobic glycolysis, whereas naive and regulatory T cells mainly rely on oxidative phosphorylation. More recently, the field of immunometabolism has drifted away from the notion that mitochondrial metabolism holds little importance in T-cell activation and function. Of note, T cells possess metabolic promiscuity, which allows them to adapt their nutritional requirements according to the tissue environment. Altogether, the integration of these metabolic pathway…
2020
PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum is caused by mosaicism mutations in the PIK3CA gene. These mutations, which are also observed in various types of cancer, lead to a constitutive activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, increasing cell proliferation. Heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) is the major stress-responsive transcription factor. Recent findings indicate that AKT phosphorylates and activates HSF1 independently of heat-shock in breast cancer cells. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of HSF1 in PIK3CA-related overgrowth spectrum. We observed a higher rate of proliferation and increased phosphorylation of AKT and p70S6K in mutant fibroblasts than in control cells. We also fou…
Amorphous polyphosphate, a smart bioinspired nano-/bio-material for bone and cartilage regeneration: towards a new paradigm in tissue engineering
2020
Recent developments in the field of biomaterials for tissue engineering open up new opportunities for regenerative therapy and prevention of progression of osteo-articular damage/impairment. A key advancement was the discovery of the regenerative activity of a group of physiologically occurring high-energy polymers, inorganic polyphosphates (polyP). These bio-polymers, in suitable bioinspired formulations, turned out to be capable of inducing proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteogenic or chondrogenic lineages through differential gene expression (morphogenetic activity). Unprecedented is the property of these biopolymers to deliver high-energy phosphate in t…
Visualizing In Vitro Type I Collagen Fibrillogenesis by Transmission Electron Microscopy
2017
Techniques and protocols for the in vitro formation of collagen type I fibrils and the extensive biochemical variation of the fibrillogenesis conditions are presented. In all cases, the incubation and fibrillogenesis product can be readily monitored by transmission electron microscopic study of negatively stained specimens. Representative TEM data is presented and discussed within the context of the products of the fibrillogenesis protocols, from which the extensive biochemical and structural possibilities of this integrated approach can be appreciated.
NFATc1 releases BCL6-dependent repression of CCR2 agonist expression in peritoneal macrophages fromSaccharomyces cerevisiaeinfected mice
2016
The link between the extensive usage of calcineurin (CN) inhibitors cyclosporin A and tacrolimus (FK506) in transplantation medicine and the increasing rate of opportunistic infections within this segment of patients is alarming. Currently, how peritoneal infections are favored by these drugs, which impair the activity of several signaling pathways including the Ca(++) /CN/NFAT, Ca(++) /CN/cofilin, Ca(++) /CN/BAD, and NF-κB networks, is unknown. Here, we show that Saccharomyces cerevisiae infection of peritoneal resident macrophages triggers the transient nuclear translocation of NFATc1β isoforms, resulting in a coordinated, CN-dependent induction of the Ccl2, Ccl7, and Ccl12 genes, all enc…
COVID-19: viral–host interactome analyzed by network based-approach model to study pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection
2020
AbstractBackgroundEpidemiological, virological and pathogenetic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection are under evaluation. A better understanding of the pathophysiology associated with COVID-19 is crucial to improve treatment modalities and to develop effective prevention strategies. Transcriptomic and proteomic data on the host response against SARS-CoV-2 still have anecdotic character; currently available data from other coronavirus infections are therefore a key source of information.MethodsWe investigated selected molecular aspects of three human coronavirus (HCoV) infections, namely SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and HCoV-229E, through a network based-approach. A functional analysis of HCoV-hos…
A rare association of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with c-ANCA-positive Wegener’s granulomatosis: a case report
2016
Background Wegener’s granulomatosis is a systemic vasculitis of the small- and medium-sized vessels, produced by the action of ANCA, which involves the respiratory tract, kidneys, and eyes, with a potential for lethal evolution in the first year after diagnosis. Its association with chronic lymphocytic leukemia is rarely described in the literature, and it may be difficult to diagnose and to treat this association. Case presentation We present the case of a 73-year-old Caucasian patient, a rare case in which Wegener’s granulomatosis is associated in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, who is admitted in the Infectious Disease Department for fever, diplopia, headache, purulent and h…
Natural Compounds: Molecular Weapons against Leukemia’s
2017
Nowadays cancer is one of the main reasons of death all over the world and it is estimated that deaths caused by cancer will grow dramatically in the next decades. Even if chemotherapy is the election therapy for solid tumors, as well as leukemias and lymphomas, cancer treatments are in continuous evolution trying to solve the problem of resistance mainly due to low accumulation of the drug in tumor cells (MDR). Natural compounds represent a valid alternative to treat several disease and recently the scientific community focus on these natural compounds and plant metabolites with therapeutic activities and low toxicities compared with synthetic ones. A combination therapy, that join convent…
2020
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICPi) have shown their superiority over conventional therapies to treat some cancers. ICPi are effective against immunogenic tumors. However, patients with tumors poorly infiltrated with immune cells do not respond to ICPi. Combining ICPi with other anticancer therapies such as chemotherapy, radiation, or vaccines, which can stimulate the immune system and recruit antitumor T cells into the tumor bed, may be a relevant strategy to increase the proportion of responding patients. Such an approach still raises the following questions: What are the immunological features modulated by immunogenic therapies that can be critical to ensure not only immediate but also l…