Search results for "Lula"
showing 10 items of 7309 documents
Mitochondrial Changes in β0-Thalassemia/Hb E Disease.
2015
The compound β°-thalassemia/Hb E hemoglobinopathy is characterized by an unusually large range of presentation from essentially asymptomatic to a severe transfusion dependent state. While a number of factors are known that moderate presentation, these factors do not account for the full spectrum of presentation. Mitochondria are subcellular organelles that are pivotal in a number of cellular processes including oxidative phosphorylation and apoptosis. A mitochondrial protein enriched proteome was determined and validated from erythroblasts from normal controls and β°-thalassemia/Hb E patients of different severities. Mitochondria were evaluated through the use of mitotracker staining, analy…
Apoptotic Activity of MeCP2 Is Enhanced by C-Terminal Truncating Mutations.
2016
Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a widely abundant, multifunctional protein most highly expressed in post-mitotic neurons. Mutations causing Rett syndrome and related neurodevelopmental disorders have been identified along the entire MECP2 locus, but symptoms vary depending on mutation type and location. C-terminal mutations are prevalent, but little is known about the function of the MeCP2 C-terminus. We employ the genetic efficiency of Drosophila to provide evidence that expression of p.Arg294* (more commonly identified as R294X), a human MECP2 E2 mutant allele causing truncation of the C-terminal domains, promotes apoptosis of identified neurons in vivo. We confirm this novel find…
Positive Role of the MHC Class-I Antigen Presentation Regulator m04/gp34 of Murine Cytomegalovirus in Antiviral Protection by CD8 T Cells
2020
Murine cytomegalovirus (mCMV) codes for MHC class-I trafficking modulators m04/gp34, m06/gp48, and m152/gp40. By interacting with the MHC class-Iα chain, these proteins disconnect peptide-loaded MHC class-I (pMHC-I) complexes from the constitutive vesicular flow to the cell surface. Based on the assumption that all three inhibit antigen presentation, and thus the recognition of infected cells by CD8 T cells, they were referred to as “immunoevasins.” Improved antigen presentation mediated by m04 in the presence of m152 after infection with deletion mutant mCMV-Δm06W, compared to mCMV-Δm04m06 expressing only m152, led us to propose renaming these molecules “viral regulators of antigen present…
Anaplasma phagocytophilum Induces TLR- and MyD88-Dependent Signaling in In Vitro Generated Murine Neutrophils
2021
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is a tick-transmitted obligate intracellular Gram-negative bacterium that replicates in neutrophils. It elicits febrile disease in humans and in animals. In a mouse model, elimination of A. phagocytophilum required CD4+ T cells, but was independent of IFN-γ and other classical antibacterial effector mechanisms. Further, mice deficient for immune recognition and signaling via Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4 or MyD88 were unimpaired in pathogen control. In contrast, animals lacking adaptor molecules of Nod-like receptors (NLR) such as RIP2 or ASC showed delayed clearance of A. phagocytophilum. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of further pattern…
The Anti-apoptotic Murine Cytomegalovirus Protein vMIA-m38.5 Induces Mast Cell Degranulation.
2020
Mast cells (MC) represent "inbetweeners" of the immune system in that they are part of innate immunity by acting as first-line sentinels for environmental antigens but also provide a link to adaptive immunity by secretion of chemokines that recruit CD8 T cells to organ sites of infection. An interrelationship between MC and cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been a blank area in science until recently when the murine model revealed a role for MC in the resolution of pulmonary infection by murine CMV (mCMV). As to the mechanism, MC were identified as a target cell type of mCMV. Infected MC degranulate and synthesize the CC-chemokine ligand-5 (CCL-5), which is released to attract protective virus-spec…
Aerobic growth of Rhodococcus aetherivorans BCP1 using selected naphthenic acids as the sole carbon and energy sources
2018
Naphthenic acids (NAs) are an important group of toxic organic compounds naturally occurring in hydrocarbon deposits. This work shows that Rhodococcus aetherivorans BCP1 cells not only utilize a mixture of eight different NAs (8XNAs) for growth but they are also capable of marked degradation of two model NAs, cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (CHCA) and cyclopentanecarboxylic acid (CPCA) when supplied at concentrations from 50 to 500 mgL−1 . The growth curves of BCP1 on 8XNAs, CHCA, and CPCA showed an initial lag phase not present in growth on glucose, which presumably was related to the toxic effects of NAs on the cell membrane permeability. BCP1 cell adaptation responses that allowed survi…
Pertussis: Microbiology, Disease, Treatment, and Prevention
2016
SUMMARY Pertussis is a severe respiratory infection caused by Bordetella pertussis , and in 2008, pertussis was associated with an estimated 16 million cases and 195,000 deaths globally. Sizeable outbreaks of pertussis have been reported over the past 5 years, and disease reemergence has been the focus of international attention to develop a deeper understanding of pathogen virulence and genetic evolution of B. pertussis strains. During the past 20 years, the scientific community has recognized pertussis among adults as well as infants and children. Increased recognition that older children and adolescents are at risk for disease and may transmit B. pertussis to younger siblings has undersc…
Immunogenicity and Safety of Primary and Booster Vaccinations of a Fully Liquid DTaP-IPV-HB-PRP-T Hexavalent Vaccine in Healthy Infants and Toddlers …
2018
To support a fully liquid, diphtheria (D)-tetanus (T)-acellular pertussis (aP)-inactivated poliovirus (IPV)-hepatitis B (HB)-Haemophilus influenzae b (PRP-T) vaccine in Europe using a 2, 3, 4 month primary series and a booster at 11-15 months of age. Phase III, randomized, observer-blind studies in Germany and the Czech Republic. Participants who had not received HB vaccine were randomized to a 2, 3, 4 month primary series of DTaP-IPV-HB-PRP-T (group 1; N = 266) or a reconstituted DTaP-HB-IPV//PRP-T comparator (group 2; N = 263) and a booster of the same vaccine. Pneumococcal vaccine (PCV13) and rotavirus vaccine were coadministered at 2, 3, 4 months, and the booster was coadministered with…
Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map) Fatty Acids Profile Is Strain-Dependent and Changes Upon Host Macrophages Infection
2017
Johne´s disease is a chronic granulomatous enteritis of ruminants caused by the intracellular bacterium Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Map). We previously demonstrated that Map isolates from sheep persisted within host macrophages in lower CFUs than cattle isolates after 7 days of infection. In the current study, we hypothesize that these phenotypic differences between Map isolates may be driven be the fatty acids (FAs) present on the phosphadidyl-1-myo-inositol mannosides of the Map cell wall that mediate recognition by the mannose receptors of host macrophages. FAs modifications may influence Map´s envelope fluidity ultimately affecting pathogenicity. To test this hypothesis…
High vancomycin MICs within the susceptible range in Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia isolates are associated with increased cell wall thickness and…
2016
Vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) at the upper end of the susceptible range for Staphylococcus aureus have been associated with poor clinical outcomes of bloodstream infections. We tested the hypothesis that high vancomycin MICs in S. aureus bacteraemia isolates are associated with increased cell wall thickness and suboptimal bacterial internalisation or lysis by human phagocytes. In total, 95 isolates were evaluated. Original vancomycin MICs were determined by Etest. The susceptibility of S. aureus isolates to killing by phagocytes was assessed in a human whole blood assay. Internalisation of bacterial cells by phagocytes was investigated by flow cytometry. Cell wall thic…