Search results for "Techniques"
showing 10 items of 4426 documents
Bifunctional viscous nanovesicles co-loaded with resveratrol and gallic acid for skin protection against microbial and oxidative injuries.
2017
Resveratrol and gallic acid were co-loaded in phospholipid vesicles aiming at protecting the skin from external injuries, such as oxidative stress and microbial infections. Liposomes were prepared using biocompatible phospholipids dispersed in water. To improve vesicle stability and applicability, the phospholipids and the phenols were dispersed in water/propylene glycol or water/glycerol, thus obtaining PEVs and glycerosomes, respectively. The vesicles were characterized by size, morphology, physical stability, and their therapeutic efficacy was investigated in vitro. The vesicles were spherical, unilamellar and small in size: liposomes and glycerosomes were around 70nm in diameter, while …
The Cytoskeletal Adaptor Obscurin-Like 1 Interacts with the Human Papillomavirus 16 (HPV16) Capsid Protein L2 and Is Required for HPV16 Endocytosis.
2016
ABSTRACT The human papillomavirus (HPV) capsid protein L2 is essential for viral entry. To gain a deeper understanding of the role of L2, we searched for novel cellular L2-interacting proteins. A yeast two-hybrid analysis uncovered the actin-depolymerizing factor gelsolin, the membrane glycoprotein dysadherin, the centrosomal protein 68 (Cep68), and the cytoskeletal adaptor protein obscurin-like 1 protein (OBSL1) as putative L2 binding molecules. Pseudovirus (PsV) infection assays identified OBSL1 as a host factor required for gene transduction by three oncogenic human papillomavirus types, HPV16, HPV18, and HPV31. In addition, we detected OBSL1 expression in cervical tissue sections and no…
Selective AhR knockout in langerin-expressing cells abates Langerhans cells and polarizes Th2/Tr1 in epicutaneous protein sensitization
2020
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) represents an environmental sensor regulating immune responses. In the skin, AhR is expressed in several cell types, including keratinocytes, epidermal Langerhans cells (LC), and dermal dendritic cells (DC). The mechanisms how AhR activates or inhibits cutaneous immune responses remain controversial, owing to differences in the cell-specific functions of AhR and the different activating ligands. Therefore, we sought to investigate the role of AhR in LC and langerin(+) and negative DC in the skin. To this aim, we generated Langerin-specific and CD11c-specific knockout ((−/−)) mice lacking AhR, respectively, in LC and Langerin(+) dermal DC and in all CD11c(…
Risk factors for anastomotic leakage after colorectal resection in ovarian cancer surgery: A multi-centre study.
2019
Objective. To determine pre-/intraoperative risk factors for anastomotic leak after modified posterior pelvic exenteration (MPE) or colorectal resection in ovarian cancer and to create a practical instrument for predicting anastomotic leak risk. Background. In advanced ovarian cancer surgery, there is rather limited published evidence, drawn from a small sample, providing information about risk factors for anastomotic leak. Methods. Eight hospitals participated in this retrospective study. Data on 695 patients operated for ovarian cancer with primary anastomosis were included (January 2010-June 2018). Twelve pre-/intraoperative variables were analysed as potential independent risk factors f…
Molecular differential diagnosis of uterine leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas.
2018
Abstract Uterine leiomyomas (LM) and leiomyosarcomas (LMS) are considered biologically unrelated tumors due to their cytogenetic and molecular disparity. Yet, these tumors share morphological and molecular characteristics that cannot be differentiated through current clinical diagnostic tests, and thus cannot be definitively classified as benign or malignant until surgery. Newer approaches are needed for the identification of these tumors, as has been done for other tissues. The application of next generation sequencing enables the detection of new mutations that, when coupled to machine learning bioinformatic tools, advances our understanding of chromosomal instability. These approaches in…
Association between Leptin and Complement in Hepatitis C Patients with Viral Clearance: Homeostasis of Metabolism and Immunity
2016
Background The association between leptin and complement in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains unknown. Methods A prospective study was conducted including 474 (250 genotype 1, 224 genotype 2) consecutive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who had completed an anti-HCV therapy course and undergone pre-therapy and 24-week post-therapy assessments of interferon λ3-rs12979860 and HCV RNA/genotypes, anthropometric measurements, metabolic and liver profiles, and complement component 3 (C3), C4, and leptin levels. Results Of the 474 patients, 395 had a sustained virological response (SVR). Pre-therapy leptin levels did not differ between patients with and without an SVR. Univariate and mul…
Jaminaea phylloscopi sp. nov. (Microstromatales), a basidiomycetous yeast isolated from migratory birds in the Mediterranean basin.
2016
During a survey of yeasts vectored by migratory birds in the Mediterranean basin, isolations from the cloacae of members of the order Passeriformes collected in Ustica (Italy) were performed. Based on phylogenetic analysis of the D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer ITS1-5.8S rRNA gene-ITS2 region, five yeast isolates clustered in a new lineage within the Microstromatales clade. The DNA sequences of these isolates differed from those of their closest relatives, Jaminaea angkorensis and Jaminaea lanaiensis, by 20 and 25 nt substitutions in the D1/D2 domain and 119 and 131 nt substitutions in the complete ITS region, respectively. In addition, the five isolate…
Single Particle Plasmon Sensors as Label-Free Technique To Monitor MinDE Protein Wave Propagation on Membranes.
2016
We use individual gold nanorods as pointlike detectors for the intrinsic dynamics of an oscillating biological system. We chose the pattern forming MinDE protein system from Escherichia coli (E. coli), a prominent example for self-organized chemical oscillations of membrane-associated proteins that are involved in the bacterial cell division process. Similar to surface plasmon resonance (SPR), the gold nanorods report changes in their protein surface coverage without the need for fluorescence labeling, a technique we refer to as NanoSPR. Comparing the dynamics for fluorescence labeled and unlabeled proteins, we find a reduction of the oscillation period by about 20%. The absence of photoble…
Investigating fibrosis and inflammation in an ex vivo NASH murine model.
2020
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease, characterized by excess fat accumulation (steatosis). Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) develops in 15–20% of NAFLD patients and frequently progresses to liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. We aimed to develop an ex vivo model of inflammation and fibrosis in steatotic murine precision-cut liver slices (PCLS). NASH was induced in C57Bl/6 mice on an amylin and choline-deficient l-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet. PCLS were prepared from steatohepatitic (sPCLS) and control (cPCLS) livers and cultured for 48 h with LPS, TGFβ1, or elafibranor. Additionally, C57Bl/6 mice were placed on CDAA diet for 12 wk to receive elafibranor…
Macrophage-induced reactive oxygen species promote myometrial contraction and labor-associated mechanisms
2020
AbstractAt labor, the myometrium is infiltrated by a massive influx of macrophages that secrete high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines inducing the expression of specific labor-associated markers. However, the interactions between myocytes and macrophages and the role of macrophages in the myometrium at labor remain to be elucidated. In this work, we studied the role of myometrium-infiltrated macrophages and their interaction with myocytes in lipopolysaccharide-induced preterm labor. A co-culture model of human primary myometrial cells and macrophages was developed and validated. Collagen lattices were used to evaluate myocyte contraction. Differentiation steps were assessed by (i) phall…