Search results for "Reti"

Epigenetic Modulation of Chromatin States and Gene Expression by G-Quadruplex Structures

2020

G-quadruplexes are four-stranded helical nucleic acid structures formed by guanine-rich sequences. A considerable number of studies have revealed that these noncanonical structural motifs are widespread throughout the genome and transcriptome of numerous organisms, including humans. In particular, G-quadruplexes occupy strategic locations in genomic DNA and both coding and noncoding RNA molecules, being involved in many essential cellular and organismal functions. In this review, we first outline the fundamental structural features of G-quadruplexes and then focus on the concept that these DNA and RNA structures convey a distinctive layer of epigenetic information that is critical for the c…

NESSie.jl – Efficient and intuitive finite element and boundary element methods for nonlocal protein electrostatics in the Julia language

2018

Abstract The development of scientific software can be generally characterized by an initial phase of rapid prototyping and the subsequent transition to computationally efficient production code. Unfortunately, most programming languages are not well-suited for both tasks at the same time, commonly resulting in a considerable extension of the development time. The cross-platform and open-source Julia language aims at closing the gap between prototype and production code by providing a usability comparable to Python or MATLAB alongside high-performance capabilities known from C and C++ in a single programming language. In this paper, we present efficient protein electrostatics computations a…

In cutaneous leishmaniasis, induction of retinoic acid in skin-derived Langerhans cells is not sufficient for induction of parasite persistence-media…

2017

Meta-analysis of gene-environment-wide association scans accounting for education level identifies additional loci for refractive error

2016

Myopia is the most common human eye disorder and it results from complex genetic and environmental causes. The rapidly increasing prevalence of myopia poses a major public health challenge. Here, the CREAM consortium performs a joint meta-analysis to test single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) main effects and SNP × education interaction effects on refractive error in 40,036 adults from 25 studies of European ancestry and 10,315 adults from 9 studies of Asian ancestry. In European ancestry individuals, we identify six novel loci (FAM150B-ACP1, LINC00340, FBN1, DIS3L-MAP2K1, ARID2-SNAT1 and SLC14A2) associated with refractive error. In Asian populations, three genome-wide significant loci AREG…

The Good and Bad of Nrf2: An Update in Cancer and New Perspectives in COVID-19

2021

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a well-known transcription factor best recognised as one of the main regulators of the oxidative stress response. Beyond playing a crucial role in cell defence by transactivating cytoprotective genes encoding antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes, Nrf2 is also implicated in a wide network regulating anti-inflammatory response and metabolic reprogramming. Such a broad spectrum of actions renders the factor a key regulator of cell fate and a strategic player in the control of cell transformation and response to viral infections. The Nrf2 protective roles in normal cells account for its anti-tumour and anti-viral functions. However, Nrf2 over…

A stiff extracellular matrix is associated with malignancy in peripheral neuroblastic tumors

2017

Purpose and objective Improved prognosis for patients with peripheral neuroblastic tumors (PNB) depends on enhanced pretreatment risk stratification combined with research into new therapeutic targets. This study investigated the potential contribution of extracellular matrix (ECM) elements toward this endeavor. Methods We characterized certain elements such as reticulin fibers, collagen type I fibers, and elastic fibers by digital pathology in almost 400 untreated PNB. Results A reticular and poorly porous ECM was identified in neuroblastomas (NBs) from patients with clinical and biological features associated with poor prognosis compared with a loose and permeable matrix found in NBs of t…

2017

Purpose Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is recognized as a novel third signaling molecule and gaseous neurotransmitter. Recently, cell protective properties within the central nervous and cardiovascular system have been proposed. Our purpose was to analyze the expression and neuroprotective effects of H2S in experimental models of glaucoma. Methods Elevated IOP was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by means of episcleral vein cauterization. After 7 weeks, animals were killed and the retina was analyzed with label-free mass spectrometry. In vitro, retinal explants were exposed to elevated hydrostatic pressure or oxidative stress (H2O2), with and without addition of a slow-releasing H2S donor Morpholin-4…

2019

Purpose To analyze the potential neuro-protective and neuro-regenerative effects of Collapsin-response-mediator-protein-5 (CRMP-5) on retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) using in vitro and in vivo animal models of glaucoma. Methods Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) was induced in adult female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats by cauterization of three episcleral veins. Changes in CRMP-5 expression within the retinal proteome were analyzed via label-free mass spectrometry. In vitro, retinal explants were cultured under elevated pressure (60 mmHg) within a high-pressure incubation chamber with and without addition of different concentrations of CRMP-5 (4 μg/l, 200 μg/l and 400 μg/l). In addition, retinal …

2016

AbstractGlaucoma related proteomic changes have been documented in cell and animal models. However, proteomic studies investigating on human retina samples are still rare. In the present work, retina samples of glaucoma and non-glaucoma control donors have been examined by a state-of-the-art mass spectrometry (MS) workflow to uncover glaucoma related proteomic changes. More than 600 proteins could be identified with high confidence (FDR < 1%) in human retina samples. Distinct proteomic changes have been observed in 10% of proteins encircling mitochondrial and nucleus species. Numerous proteins showed a significant glaucoma related level change (p < 0.05) or distinct tendency of altera…

A FRAP-Based Method for Monitoring Molecular Transport in Ciliary Photoreceptor Cells In Vivo

2016

The outer segment of rod and cone photoreceptor cells represents a highly modified primary sensory cilium. It renews on a daily basis throughout lifetime and effective vectorial transport to the cilium is essential for the maintenance of the photoreceptor cell function. Defects in molecules of transport modules lead to severe retinal ciliopathies. We have recently established a fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP)-based method to monitor molecular trafficking in living rodent photoreceptor cells. We irreversibly bleach the fluorescence of tagged molecules (e.g. eGFP-Rhodopsin) in photoreceptor cells of native vibratome sections through the retina by high laser intensity. In the…