Search results for "protein"
showing 10 items of 21431 documents
Anti-senescence and Anti-inflammatory Effects of the C-terminal Moiety of PTHrP Peptides in OA Osteoblasts.
2016
Osteoarthritis (OA) is characterized by degenerative changes in the whole joint leading to physical disability in the elderly population. This condition is associated with altered bone metabolism in subchondral areas suggesting that therapeutic strategies aimed at modifying bone cell metabolism may be of interest. We have investigated the effects of several parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP)-derived peptides (1-37): (N-terminal), (107-111) and (107-139) (C-terminal) on senescence features induced by inflammatory stress in human OA osteoblasts. Incubation of these primary cells with interleukin(IL)-1β led to an increased expression of senescence markers senescence-associated-β-galac…
Myotonic dystrophy: candidate small molecule therapeutics
2017
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a rare multisystemic neuromuscular disorder caused by expansion of CTG trinucleotide repeats in the noncoding region of the DMPK gene. Mutant DMPK transcripts are toxic and alter gene expression at several levels. Chiefly, the secondary structure formed by CUGs has a strong propensity to capture and retain proteins, like those of the muscleblind-like (MBNL) family. Sequestered MBNL proteins cannot then fulfill their normal functions. Many therapeutic approaches have been explored to reverse these pathological consequences. Here, we review the myriad of small molecules that have been proposed for DM1, including examples obtained from computational rational …
Derepressing muscleblind expression by miRNA sponges ameliorates myotonic dystrophy-like phenotypes in Drosophila
2016
AbstractMyotonic Dystrophy type 1 (DM1) originates from alleles of the DMPK gene with hundreds of extra CTG repeats in the 3′ untranslated region (3′ UTR). CUG repeat RNAs accumulate in foci that sequester Muscleblind-like (MBNL) proteins away from their functional target transcripts. Endogenous upregulation of MBNL proteins is, thus, a potential therapeutic approach to DM1. Here we identify two miRNAs, dme-miR-277 and dme-miR-304, that differentially regulate muscleblind RNA isoforms in miRNA sensor constructs. We also show that their sequestration by sponge constructs derepresses endogenous muscleblind not only in a wild type background but also in a DM1 Drosophila model expressing non-co…
Expanded CCUG repeat RNA expression in Drosophila heart and muscle trigger Myotonic Dystrophy type 1-like phenotypes and activate autophagocytosis ge…
2016
AbstractMyotonic dystrophies (DM1–2) are neuromuscular genetic disorders caused by the pathological expansion of untranslated microsatellites. DM1 and DM2, are caused by expanded CTG repeats in the 3′UTR of the DMPK gene and CCTG repeats in the first intron of the CNBP gene, respectively. Mutant RNAs containing expanded repeats are retained in the cell nucleus, where they sequester nuclear factors and cause alterations in RNA metabolism. However, for unknown reasons, DM1 is more severe than DM2. To study the differences and similarities in the pathogenesis of DM1 and DM2, we generated model flies by expressing pure expanded CUG ([250]×) or CCUG ([1100]×) repeats, respectively, and compared …
Lack of Dystrophin Affects Bronchial Epithelium inmdxMice
2016
Mild exercise training may positively affect the course of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Training causes mild bronchial epithelial injury in both humans and mice, but no study assessed the effects of exercise in mdx mice, a well known model of DMD. The airway epithelium was examined in mdx (C57BL/10ScSn-Dmdmdx) mice, and in wild type (WT, C57BL/10ScSc) mice either under sedentary conditions (mdx-SD, WT-SD) or during mild exercise training (mdx-EX, WT-EX). At baseline, and after 30 and 45 days of training (5 d/wk for 6 weeks), epithelial morphology and markers of regeneration, apoptosis, and cellular stress were assessed. The number of goblet cells in bronchial epithelium was much lower…
The role of osteoprotegerin in the crosstalk between vessels and bone: Its potential utility as a marker of cardiometabolic diseases
2018
International audience; Among the numerous molecules that are being studied for their potential utility as biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases, much interest has been shown in the superfamily of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptors. Members of this family include osteoprotegerin (OPG) and its ligands, which are receptor activators of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). These signals may be expressed and regulated, and their functions could be involved in several physiological and pathological processes. The relationship between bone regulatory proteins and vascular biology has attracted attention, and it has been suggested that OPG may medi…
An approach to a biomimetic bone scaffold: increased expression of BMP-2 and of osteoprotegerin in SaOS-2 cells grown onto silica-biologized 3D print…
2012
Three-dimensional printed (3D printed) bone material is needed to close the shortage and to avoid the potential health risks associated with autografts and allografts, in the treatment of bone fractures/nonunions or bone trauma. Here we describe the fabrication of 3D printed scaffold, initially prepared form Ca-sulfate that has been impregnated/biologized with Ca-phosphate or with silica. The 3D printed grids had a size mesh of 200 μm; the chemical composition was determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy or conventional chemical analysis. Using human SaOS-2 cells (human osteogenic cells) it is shown that both the Ca-sulfate, and the Ca-phosphate or the silica impregnated Ca-sulfat…
Comparison of the acute effects of anti-TNF-alpha drugs on a uveitis experimental model.
2010
To compare histopathological and biochemical effects of the anti-TNF-alpha drugs adalimumab and infliximab in a uveitis experimental model.Histopathological evaluation was performed 24 h after endotoxin (200 microg into the footpad) and drug administration, as well as biochemical analysis of oxidative stress-related markers in the aqueous humor.Severe inflammation was found in rat anterior chamber of the eye 24 h after endotoxin. Only infliximab administration partially prevented the endotoxin-induced disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier, as well as the increase in Rantes and MCP-1 concentration in aqueous humor. Both drugs ameliorated the histopathological score after endotoxin. Biochem…
Transcriptional profiles from patients with dystrophinopathies and limb girdle muscular dystrophies as determined by qRT-PCR.
2003
Mutations in genes coding for the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC) cause inherited muscular dystrophies (MD), including Morbus Duchenne (DMD) and M. Becker (BMB) as well as limb-girdle muscular dystrophies (LGMD). New insights into the pathophysiology of the dystrophic muscle, the identification of compensatory mechanisms and additional proteins interacting with dystrophin are essential for developing new treatments. In order to define molecular mechanisms induced by lack of dystrophin and the subsequent counter-regulatory transcriptional response of degenerating muscle fibres, we have investigated the mRNA expression of 19 functionally linked genes in biopsies of patients with MD by m…
Case Report: Unmasking Hypercalcemia in Patients With Neuroendocrine Neoplasms. Experience From Six Italian Referral Centers
2021
BackgroundHypercalcemia is a common paraneoplastic syndrome which can occur in up to 10% of patients with advanced neoplasms. Paraneoplastic parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) represents the most frequent cause of this syndrome. In neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) paraneoplastic hypercalcemia is rare.Case SeriesThe present series includes all patients with NENs and paraneoplastic hypercalcemia from four Italian centres: (I) A 40-year-old man was hospitalized for repeated episodes of falls, hyposthenia and drowsiness. Severe hypercalcemia was found. Metastatic pancreatic G2 NEN and PTHrP-related hypercalcemia were diagnosed. The patient started therapy with somatostatin analogs (SSA)…