Search results for "Targeting"
showing 10 items of 186 documents
Hepatitis B Virus Large Envelope Protein Interacts with γ2-Adaptin, a Clathrin Adaptor-Related Protein
2001
ABSTRACT For the outcome of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the viral L envelope protein with its pre-S domain performs pivotal functions by mediating attachment of HBV to liver cells, envelopment of viral capsids, release of (sub)viral particles, regulation of supercoiled DNA amplification, and transcriptional transactivation. To assess its multiple functions and host-protein assistance involved, we initiated a two-hybrid screen using the L-specific pre-S1 domain as bait. With this approach, we have identified γ2-adaptin, a putative member of the clathrin adaptor proteins responsible for protein sorting and trafficking, as a specific binding partner of L protein. Evidence for a physic…
Histidine-rich glycoprotein-induced vascular normalization improves EPR-mediated drug targeting to and into tumors
2018
Tumors are characterized by leaky blood vessels, and by an abnormal and heterogeneous vascular network. These pathophysiological characteristics contribute to the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, which is one of the key rationales for developing tumor-targeted drug delivery systems. Vessel abnormality and heterogeneity, however, which typically result from excessive pro-angiogenic signaling, can also hinder efficient drug delivery to and into tumors. Using histidine-rich glycoprotein (HRG) knockout and wild type mice, and HRG-overexpressing and normal t241 fibrosarcoma cells, we evaluated the effect of genetically induced and macrophage-mediated vascular normalization on th…
Smart materials meet multifunctional biomedical devices:Current and prospective implications for nanomedicine
2017
With the increasing advances in the fabrication and in monitoring approaches of nanotechnology devices, novel materials are being synthesized and tested for the interaction with biological environments. Among them, smart materials in particular provide versatile and dynamically tunable platforms for the investigation and manipulation of several biological activities with very low invasiveness in hardly accessible anatomical districts. In the following, we will briefly recall recent examples of nanotechnology-based materials that can be remotely activated and controlled through different sources of energy, such as electromagnetic fields or ultrasounds, for their relevance to both basic scien…
Arylpyridines, arylpyrimidines and related compounds as potential modulator agents of the VEGF, hTERT and c-Myc oncogenes.
2019
Twenty-four derivatives structurally related to honokiol have been synthesized and biologically evaluated. IC50 values were determined towards the HT-29, MCF-7 and HEK-293 cell lines. Some of these derivatives exhibited comparable or lower IC50 values than honokiol towards the HT-29 and MCF-7 cell lines or else higher selectivity indexes than the natural product. Twelve selected derivatives were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the expression of the VEGFA, hTERT and c-Myc genes and also to inhibit the production of total c-Myc protein and the secretion of the VEGF protein. One of the most promising compounds, 3-(2,4-dimethoxyphenyl)pyridine, may be a good candidate for further studies…
Inulin-based polymer coated SPIONs as potential drug delivery systems for targeted cancer therapy
2014
This paper deal with the synthesis and characterization of PEGylated squalene-grafted-inulin amphiphile capable of self-assembling and self-organizing into nanocarriers once placed in aqueous media. It was exploited as coating agent for obtaining doxorubicin loaded superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) endowed with stealth like behavior and excellent physicochemical stability. Inulin was firstly modified in the side chain with primary amine groups, followed in turn by conjugation with squalenoyl derivatives through common amidic coupling agents and PEGylation by imine linkage. Polymer coated SPIONs were so obtained by spontaneous self-assembling of inulin copolymer onto magnet…
Proteinaceous and oligosaccharidic elicitors induce different calcium signatures in the nucleus of tobacco cells.
2005
We previously reported elevated cytosolic calcium levels in tobacco cells in response to elicitors [D. Lecourieux, C. Mazars, N. Pauly, R. Ranjeva, A. Pugin, Analysis and effects of cytosolic free calcium elevations in response to elicitors in Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cells, Plant Cell 14 (2002) 2627-2641]. These data suggested that in response to elicitors, Ca2+, as a second messenger, was involved in both systemic acquired resistance (RSA) and/or hypersensitive response (HR) depending on calcium signature. Here, we used transformed tobacco cells with apoaequorin expressed in the nucleus to monitor changes in free nuclear calcium concentrations ([Ca2+](nuc)) in response to elicitors. Two …
Cell uptake enhancement of folate targeted polymer coated magnetic nanoparticles.
2013
Dual targeted drug delivery systems represent a potential platform for developing efficient vector to tumor sites. In this study we evaluated a folate- and magnetic-targeted nanocarriers based on 10 nm iron oxide nanodomais coated with the properly synthesized and characterized folic acid (FA)-functionalized amphiphilic copolymer PHEA-PLA-PEG-FA. FA was chemically conjugated to one end of diamino-polyethylene glycol of 2000 Da, in order to ensure its exposition on the polymer coated magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs-FA). The prepared nanoparticles have been exhaustively characterized by different methods, including DLS, SEM, FT-IR and magnetic measurements. Magnetic nanoparticles showed dimensio…
Rethinking Monetary Policy with Reference to Monetary Circuit Theory
2011
Standard monetary policy is grounded in the quantity theory of money, which links changes in the general price level to excess money that would induce excess demand on the goods market. This article shows that this theoretical foundation is misleading and harmful to growth. This is so because price determination is multifaceted. Central banks, especially the European Central Bank, currently tighten credit conditions whereas money is not an issue. In this way, they act not only on demand but also on the supply of goods. The additional reference made to rational expectations is an aggravating factor. Is there another way to conduct monetary policy? In this article it is argued that circuit th…
The P* model and its performance for the Spanish economy
2000
The performance of the P∗ model is tested as an inflation forecaster for the Spanish economy. It is shown that log-run relationships work as expected according to the model and the Quantitative Theory of Money. The Error Correction Model constructed by using the gap between actual prices and the long-term equilibrium price level as an error correction term, offers a consistent explanation for the short-run dynamics in prices. On the other hand, the P∗ approach shows a forecasting ability similar to that presented for other countries in several studies, although the degree of accuracy in the prediction is not specially satisfactory, mainly for the period 1989:3- 1992:3, when the credibility …
Does Inflation Targeting Affect the Trade-off Between Output Gap and Inflation Variability?
2002
We utilize a stochastic volatility model to analyse the possible effects of inflation targeting on the trade–off between output gap variability and inflation variability. We find that the adoption of inflation targets (in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the UK, Sweden and Finland) might result in a more favourable monetary policy trade–off (except in Australia and Finland). This conclusion is reached by comparing, first, the economic performance of targeting countries in the 1980s and the 1990s; and second, the economic performance in the 1990s of targeting and non–targeting countries (the USA, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, France and the Netherlands). We focus on two possible explanations f…