Search results for "Protein"
showing 10 items of 21431 documents
NMR Investigation of Structures of G-Protein Coupled Receptor Folding Intermediates
2016
Folding of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) according to the two-stage model (Popot, J. L., and Engelman, D. M. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 4031-4037) is postulated to proceed in 2 steps: partitioning of the polypeptide into the membrane followed by diffusion until native contacts are formed. Herein we investigate conformational preferences of fragments of the yeast Ste2p receptor using NMR. Constructs comprising the first, the first two, and the first three transmembrane (TM) segments, as well as a construct comprising TM1-TM2 covalently linked to TM7 were examined. We observed that the isolated TM1 does not form a stable helix nor does it integrate well into the micelle. TM1 is significant…
2,3-Dihydrobenzofuran privileged structures as new bioinspired lead compounds for the design of mPGES-1 inhibitors
2016
International audience; 2,3-Dihydrobenzofurans are proposed as privileged structures and used as chemical platform to design small compound libraries. By combining molecular docking calculations and experimental verification of biochemical interference, we selected some potential inhibitors of microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase (mPGES)-1. Starting from low affinity natural product 1, by our combined approach we identified the compounds 19 and 20 with biological activity in the low micromolar range. Our data suggest that the 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran derivatives might be suitable bioinspired lead compounds for development of new generation mPGES-1 inhibitors with increased affinity.
Indicaxanthin from Opuntia Ficus Indica (L. Mill) impairs melanoma cell proliferation, invasiveness, and tumor progression.
2018
Abstract Background: A strong, reciprocal crosstalk between inflammation and melanoma has rigorously been demonstrated in recent years, showing how crucial is a pro-inflammatory microenvironment to drive therapy resistance and metastasis. Purpose: We investigated on the effects of Indicaxanthin, a novel, anti-inflammatory and bioavailable phytochemical from Opuntia Ficus Indica fruits, against human melanoma both in vitro and in vivo. Study Design and Methods: The effects of indicaxanthin were evaluated against the proliferation of A375 human melanoma cell line and in a mice model of cutaneous melanoma. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT assay, apoptosis by Annexin V-Fluorescein Isothio…
Monitoring B-cell repopulation after depletion therapy in neurologic patients.
2017
ObjectiveTo determine the factors that influence B-cell repopulation after B-cell depletion therapy in neurologic patients and derive recommendations for monitoring and dosing of patients.MethodsIn this study, we determined the association of body surface area (BSA; calculated by body weight and height with the Dubois formula), sex, pretreatment therapy, age, CSF data, and white blood cell counts with the risk and timing of B-cell repopulation, defined as 1% CD19+ cells (of total lymphocytes), following 87 B cell–depleting anti-CD20 treatment cycles of 45 neurologic patients (28 women; mean age ± SD, 44.5 ± 15.0 years).ResultsPatients with a larger BSA had a higher probability to reach 1% C…
GFAPα IgG-associated encephalitis upon daclizumab treatment of MS
2018
ObjectiveTo describe a case of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)α immunoglobulin G (IgG)-associated encephalitis in a patient referred to us with MS on daclizumab treatment and to summarize characteristics of 5 additional recent German MS cases of serious encephalitis along with a previously published American case of CNS vasculitis associated with daclizumab.MethodsEvaluation of cause, clinical symptoms, and treatment response.ResultsThe 6 patients included 4 women and 2 men. The median age at onset was 38 years (range 32–51 years). Clinical presentation was marked by progressing neuropsychologic and/or neurologic deficits. Additional drug rash with eosinophilia was seen in 3 patients…
TPP2 mutation associated with sterile brain inflammation mimicking MS
2018
ObjectiveTo ascertain the genetic cause of a consanguineous family from Syria suffering from a sterile brain inflammation mimicking a mild nonprogressive form of MS.MethodsWe used homozygosity mapping and next-generation sequencing to detect the disease-causing gene in the affected siblings. In addition, we performed RNA and protein expression studies, enzymatic activity assays, immunohistochemistry, and targeted sequencing of further MS cases from Austria, Germany, Canada and Jordan.ResultsIn this study, we describe the identification of a homozygous missense mutation (c.82T>G, p.Cys28Gly) in the tripeptidyl peptidase II (TPP2) gene in all 3 affected siblings of the family. Sequencing o…
Functions of histone modifications and histone modifiers in Schwann cells.
2019
Schwann cells (SCs) are the main glial cells present in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Their primary functions are to insulate peripheral axons to protect them from the environment and to enable fast conduction of electric signals along big caliber axons by enwrapping them in a thick myelin sheath rich in lipids. In addition, SCs have the peculiar ability to foster axonal regrowth after a lesion by demyelinating and converting into repair cells that secrete neurotrophic factors and guide axons back to their former target to finally remyelinate regenerated axons. The different steps of SC development and their role in the maintenance of PNS integrity and regeneration after lesion are c…
Downregulation of thioredoxin-1-dependent CD95 S-nitrosation by Sorafenib reduces liver cancer
2020
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents 80% of the primary hepatic neoplasms. It is the sixth most frequent neoplasm, the fourth cause of cancer-related death, and 7% of registered malignancies. Sorafenib is the first line molecular targeted therapy for patients in advanced stage of HCC. The present study shows that Sorafenib exerts free radical scavenging properties associated with the downregulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)-regulated thioredoxin 1 (Trx1) expression in liver cancer cells. The experimental downregulation and/or overexpression strategies showed that Trx1 induced activation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) type 3 (NOS3) and S-nitrosation (SNO) of CD95 rece…
Melatonin Targets Metabolism in Head and Neck Cancer Cells by Regulating Mitochondrial Structure and Function.
2021
This study was funded by grants from the Ministerio de Economia, Industria y Competitividad y por el Fondo de Desarrollo Regional FEDER, Spain nº SAF2013-49019, SAF2017-85903-P, and from the Consejería de Innovación, Ciencia y Empresa, Junta de Andalucía (P07- CTS- 03135, P10- CTS- 5784, and CTS- 101), Spain. J.F. and L.M. have FPU fellowships from the Ministerio de Educación Cultura y Deporte, Spain. C.R.S. was a schorlarship holder from the Plan Propio de Investigación of the University of Granada.
Systemic blockade of ACVR2B ligands prevents chemotherapy-induced muscle wasting by restoring muscle protein synthesis without affecting oxidative ca…
2016
AbstractDoxorubicin is a widely used and effective chemotherapy drug. However, cardiac and skeletal muscle toxicity of doxorubicin limits its use. Inhibiting myostatin/activin signalling can prevent muscle atrophy, but its effects in chemotherapy-induced muscle wasting are unknown. In the present study we investigated the effects of doxorubicin administration alone or combined with activin receptor ligand pathway blockade by soluble activin receptor IIB (sACVR2B-Fc). Doxorubicin administration decreased body mass, muscle size and bone mineral density/content in mice. However, these effects were prevented by sACVR2B-Fc administration. Unlike in many other wasting situations, doxorubicin indu…