Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Noriyoshi Ogino, Hidekazu Takahashi, Kenjiro Nagaoka, Yuki Harada, Masayuki Kubo, Koichiro Miyagawa, Masashi Kusanaga, Shinji Oe, Yuichi Honma, Masaru Harada, Masamitsu Eitoku, Narufumi Suganuma, Keiki Ogino
Summary: The study found that the increase in arginase activity in the plasma of obese mice is positively correlated with blood glucose levels, along with an increase in exosomal arginase-1 levels. The liver of high-fat diet-fed mice showed a significant increase in arginase-1 expression, and exposure to high glucose increased the expression of arginase-1 in exosomes and total lysates of HepG2 cells.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Adria-Arnau Lindez, Walter Reith
Summary: Arginine plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses and its adequate supply is important for improving immune function. The availability, synthesis, and catabolism of arginine are interrelated aspects that affect immune cell biology profoundly. Disruption or perversion of arginine metabolism is implicated in various pathologies, from infectious diseases to autoimmunity and cancer.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR LIFE SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Mariana Bertozzi-Matheus, Thaina Omia Bueno-Pereira, Sarah Viana-Mattioli, Mattias Carlstrom, Ricardo de Carvalho Cavalli, Valeria Cristina Sandrim
Summary: The study identified different circulating profiles of arginase 2 among pregnant women with preeclampsia, suggesting possible associations with disease severity and response to antihypertensive treatment.
CLINICAL BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caroline C. Pinto-Souza, Fernanda Coeli-Lacchini, Marcelo R. Luizon, Ricardo C. Cavalli, Riccardo Lacchini, Valeria C. Sandrim
Summary: This study compared the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ARG1 and ARG2 genes in healthy pregnant women and those with preeclampsia, finding that SNPs of ARG1 may increase the risk of preeclampsia and modulate plasma nitrite levels in healthy pregnant women. ARG2 polymorphisms were not found to be associated with preeclampsia or nitrite levels in the study groups.
NITRIC OXIDE-BIOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jennet T. Mammedova, Alexey V. Sokolov, Irina S. Freidlin, Eleonora A. Starikova
Summary: L-arginine is a key metabolite for nitric oxide production and plays a role in the mTOR signaling pathway. Disruption of L-arginine metabolism in endothelial cells leads to endothelial dysfunction, and the use of L-arginine supplements to improve endothelial function has conflicting results.
BIOCHEMISTRY-MOSCOW
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva Serna, Maria D. Mauricio, Teresa San-Miguel, Sol Guerra-Ojeda, David Verdu, Alicia Valls, Coralie Arc-Chagnaud, Adrian de la Rosa, Jose Vina
Summary: The increase of vascular arginase activity during aging causes endothelial dysfunction. Our hypothesis is that glucose 6-P dehydrogenase (G6PD) overexpression could improve the endothelial function modulating the arginase pathway in aorta from mice. Vascular reactivity results showed a reduced acetylcholine-dependent relaxation in the old WT but not old G6PD-Tg group, and this endothelial dysfunction was reverted by nor-NOHA, an arginase inhibitor.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Bianca Maria Rotoli, Rossana Visigalli, Francesca Ferrari, Marianna Ranieri, Grazia Tamma, Valeria Dall'Asta, Amelia Barilli
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of desmopressin on human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells and found that it had no cytotoxic effect on the endothelium, but significantly stimulated the production of nitric oxide.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natasha de Alwis, Natalie K. Binder, Yeukai T. M. Mangwiro, Sally Beard, Natasha Pritchard, Elif Kadife, Bianca R. Fato, Emerson Keenan, Fiona C. Brownfoot, Tu'uhevaha J. Kaitu'u-Lino, Natalie J. Hannan
Summary: Esomeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, shows potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of pregnancy-induced hypertension, and may work via the nitric oxide pathway. Further research is needed to fully understand its mechanism of action.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Samantha L. Saunders, Dana S. Hutchinson, Fiona C. Britton, Lu Liu, Irit Markus, Shaun L. Sandow, Timothy V. Murphy
Summary: The study demonstrated the presence of all three beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in the endothelium of rat cremaster muscle artery, with beta(3)-adrenoceptor mediated vasodilation only evident after blockade of beta(1/2)-adrenoceptors. Constitutive beta(1/2)-adrenoceptor activity inhibits beta(3)-adrenoceptor function in the endothelium of skeletal muscle resistance arteries.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Surawee Chuaiphichai, Yasmin Dickinson, Christopher A. R. Whiteman, Desson Au-Yeung, Eileen McNeill, Keith M. Channon, Gillian Douglas
Summary: This study investigated the role and mechanisms of endothelial cell-mediated vaso-relaxation function in pregnancy outcomes. The results showed that maternal endothelial cell tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) deficiency is associated with increased blood pressure, enhanced vasoconstriction, and reduced endothelial-dependent vasodilation in late pregnancy. Supplementation with reduced folates may help restore endothelial cell vasodilator function and prevent/treat pregnancy-related hypertension.
VASCULAR PHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ophthalmology
A. Brantley Milam, Katherine S. Peters, Emilio Rivera, Cassandra Warden, Paula A. Harlow, Sabrina L. Mitchell, M. Wade Calcutt, David C. Samuels
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the differences in six arginine-related and citrulline-related metabolites between patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. The results showed that plasma levels of arginine and citrulline were significantly elevated in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Zhengbing Zhuge, Sarah McCann Haworth, Carina Nihlen, Lucas Rannier R. A. Carvalho, Sophia K. Heuser, Andrei L. Kleschyov, Josefine Nasiell, Miriam M. Cortese-Krott, Eddie Weitzberg, Jon O. Lundberg, Mattias Carlstroem
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a lack of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in red blood cells (RBCs) on vascular endothelial function. Results showed that RBCs lacking eNOS induced endothelial dysfunction and vascular oxidative stress, similar to RBCs from patients with preeclampsia. This suggests that RBC-derived nitric oxide (NO) bioactivity plays a crucial role in protecting the endothelium from oxidative stress.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Thaina Omia Bueno-Pereira, Mariana Bertozzi-Matheus, Gabriela Morelli Zampieri, Joelcio Francisco Abbade, Ricardo C. Cavalli, Priscila Rezeck Nunes, Valeria Cristina Sandrim
Summary: The study suggests that trans-resveratrol (RSV) can modulate arginase and endothelial dysfunction biomarkers in endothelial cells of patients with preeclampsia (PE), increase nitric oxide (NO) levels and total antioxidant capacity, as well as downregulate endothelial dysfunction biomarkers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Celine Erens, Jana Van Broeckhoven, Cindy Hoeks, Gernot Schabbauer, Paul N. Cheng, Li Chen, Niels Hellings, Bieke Broux, Stefanie Lemmens, Sven Hendrix
Summary: L-arginine depletion holds promise as a therapeutic strategy after SCI, as it can improve functional recovery, reduce T-cell infiltration, suppress pro-inflammatory responses, decrease neuronal cell death, and decrease NO production.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Andreia Matos, Marcos Carvalho, Manuel Bicho, Ricardo Ribeiro
Summary: Arginine metabolism and arginase activity in the prostate cancer microenvironment have significant impacts on immunotherapy advances, which may be relevant for the treatment of prostate cancer. Despite the need for further research, arginine deprivation could potentially serve as a novel antimetabolite strategy against arginine-dependent prostate cancer.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Paola Valero, Gonzalo Fuentes, Marcelo Cornejo, Sofia Vega, Adriana Grismaldo, Fabian Pardo, Gerardo Garcia-Rivas, Jan-Luuk Hillebrands, Marijke M. Faas, Paola Casanello, Eline M. van der Beek, Harry van Goor, Luis Sobrevia
Summary: Balanced communication between the mother, placenta, and foetus is crucial for a successful pregnancy, and diseases or environmental toxins may negatively impact the foetus' development and growth.
MOLECULAR ASPECTS OF MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ayleen Bertini, Rodrigo Salas, Steren Chabert, Luis Sobrevia, Fabian Pardo
Summary: Through analyzing 98 articles, 31 were selected for predicting perinatal complications with main features of electronic medical records, medical images, and biological markers. The studies mainly focus on pre-eclampsia and prematurity, using AUC as the main precision metric for accuracy measurement.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Jose Yanez, Andrea Leiva
Summary: The placenta plays a crucial role in cholesterol biosynthesis, metabolism, and exchange between the maternal and fetal compartments. The mechanisms of cholesterol uptake and intracellular traffic in placental cells are not fully understood. Proteins such as LDLR, SR-BI, ABCA1, and ABCG1 are involved in the transport of cholesterol. The role of proteins related to intracellular cholesterol traffic in placental cells during normal and pathological pregnancies is still largely unknown. Oxidative stress induced by ROS has been implicated in lysosomal and mitochondrial dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic pregnancies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Camila Reyes, Estefania Nova-Lamperti, Daniel Duran-Sandoval, Daniela Rojas, Jorge Gajardo, Enrique Guzman-Gutierrez, Camila Bustos-Ruiz, Valeska Ormazabal, Felipe A. Zuniga, Carlos Escudero, Claudio Aguayo
Summary: This study demonstrates the anti-inflammatory effect and tissue damage reduction of LOXIN. Overexpression of LOXIN blocks Lox-1-mediated uptake of ox-LDL, resulting in decreased Lox-1 expression in endothelial cells and reduced fatty streak lesions in the aorta, as well as inflammation and fibrosis in the liver.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Barbara Fuenzalida, Sampada Kallol, Jonas Zaugg, Martin Mueller, Hiten D. Mistry, Jaime Gutierrez, Andrea Leiva, Christiane Albrecht
Summary: This study used a primary human trophoblast cell model to mimic the characteristics of preeclampsia (PE) under hypoxic conditions. The results showed that this cell model reflected important pathological processes occurring in PE, making it suitable for in vitro studies of PE.
Article
Immunology
Catherine Demery-Poulos, Roberto Romero, Yi Xu, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez, Derek Miller, Li Tao, Jose Galaz, Marcelo Farias-Jofre, Gaurav Bhatti, Valeria Garcia-Flores, Megan Seyerle, Adi L. Tarca, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
Summary: Problem pregnancy is associated with changes in circulating innate immune cells as well as adaptive immune components like T cells and B cells. T cells and B cells in pregnant women exhibit distinct responses and activations compared to non-pregnant women. These findings contribute to the understanding of immune changes during pregnancy and their role in preventing adverse perinatal outcomes.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTIVE IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence
Daniela Mennickent, Andres Rodriguez, Marcelo Farias-Jofre, Juan Araya, Enrique Guzman-Gutierrez
Summary: This review provides an overview of machine learning-based models for predicting gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) before 24-28 weeks of pregnancy. The study found that only a small percentage of models have been validated in independent studies, with low to moderate performance in GDM prediction. However, several models without independent validation have shown high predictive power. Evaluating these promising models in future independent validation studies would help assess their performance in different populations and facilitate their clinical implementation.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Kenichiro Motomura, Roberto Romero, Jose Galaz, Li Tao, Valeria Garcia-Flores, Yi Xu, Bogdan Done, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez, Derek Miller, Pedro Gutierrez-Contreras, Marcelo Farias-Jofre, Siddhesh Aras, Lawrence Grossman, Adi L. Tarca, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
Summary: The study reveals a dual role for the NLRP3 pathway in the syndrome of preterm birth, playing a crucial role in triggering the premature onset of labor cascade. The research findings demonstrate that NLRP3 signaling is necessary in both the fetus and the mother for the premature activation of the labor cascade, potentially preventing adverse perinatal outcomes.
Article
Hematology
Tamara Saez, Abbey Pagee, Raven Kirschenman, Anita Quon, Floor Spaans, Sandra T. Davidge
Summary: This study found that gestational dyslipidemia affects postpartum vascular health and induces early signs of atherosclerosis. A high cholesterol diet during pregnancy increases postpartum serum cholesterol levels and impairs vascular function. These results support the hypothesis that gestational dyslipidemia impacts maternal vascular function after pregnancy, potentially increasing the risk for future cardiovascular complications.
ARTERIOSCLEROSIS THROMBOSIS AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jorge Carvajal, Paola Casanello, Alberto Toso, Marcelo Farias, Karina Carrasco-Negue, Kenny Araujo, Paola Valero, Javiera Fuenzalida, Caterina Solari, Luis Sobrevia
Summary: The SARS-CoV-2 infection causes COVID-19 disease, which leads to acute respiratory distress syndrome, bilateral pneumonia, and organ failure. The effects of maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection on pregnant women, fetuses, and neonates are still controversial, and it is important to determine the presence of viral and non-viral vertical transmission. SARS-CoV-2 infection alters the function of asymptomatic and symptomatic pregnant women, the fetoplacental unit, and the neonate, and various pregnancy-related diseases, including COVID-19, can affect the fetoplacental function and result in long-term health consequences.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR BASIS OF DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Delia Indira Chiarello, Fabian Pardo, Jessica Moya, Maricela Pino, Andrea Rodriguez, Maria Eugenia Araneda, Ayleen Bertini, Jaime Gutierrez
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an mHealth intervention in reducing excessive weight gain in pregnant women attending family health care centers. The study design follows a classic randomized clinical trial, and the findings will contribute to the design and implementation of personalized prevention strategies for gestational obesity.
JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS
(2023)
Review
Physiology
Omar Lozano, Patricio Marcos, Felipe de Jesus Salazar-Ramirez, Anay F. Lazaro-Alfaro, Luis Sobrevia, Gerardo Garcia-Rivas
Summary: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide and are associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, specifically in the regulation of Ca2+ uptake. Modulating the activity of the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU) complex has been suggested as a potential therapeutic approach for CVDs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Macarena Ortiz, Francisca Sanchez, Daniela Alvarez, Cristian Flores, Francisca Salas-Perez, Rodrigo Valenzuela, Claudette Cantin, Andrea Leiva, Nicolas Crisosto, Manuel Maliqueo
Summary: Maternal obesity and the imbalance of linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6, LA) and alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3, ALA) levels are associated with alterations in biomarkers of fetal liver function. Obese women showed lower levels of stearic acid (C18:0, ST) and tended to have lower total n-3 FAs in umbilical cord VLDLs compared to controls. Regardless of maternal obesity, GGT levels in umbilical cord blood were positively correlated with LA content and negatively correlated with ALA content in maternal erythrocytes.
PROSTAGLANDINS LEUKOTRIENES AND ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
(2023)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Jose Galaz, Kenichiro Motomura, Roberto Romero, Zhenjie Liu, Valeria Garcia-Flores, Li Tao, Yi Xu, Bogdan Done, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez, Tomi Kanninen, Marcelo Farias-Jofre, Derek Miller, Adi L. Tarca, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
Summary: Preterm birth is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. Sterile intra-amniotic inflammation, triggered by alarmins, is a common condition associated with preterm labor. The NLRP3 inflammasome has been implicated in this process, but its mechanisms are not fully understood. By studying Nlrp3-/- mice, researchers found that NLRP3 deficiency prevents preterm birth and neonatal mortality by inhibiting premature labor activation and reducing inflammation. Furthermore, both maternal and fetal Nlrp3 signaling contribute to alarmin-induced preterm birth. These findings highlight the importance of targeting NLRP3 signaling to prevent adverse perinatal outcomes.
TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Marcelo Farias-Jofre, Roberto Romero, Yi Xu, Dustyn Levenson, Li Tao, Tomi Kanninen, Jose Galaz, Marcia Arenas-Hernandez, Zhenjie Liu, Derek Miller, Gaurav Bhatti, Megan Seyerle, Adi L. L. Tarca, Nardhy Gomez-Lopez
Summary: Pregnancy alters monocyte responses to viral ligands, mainly through TLR8 and membrane-bound TLR3 signaling. These differences may help explain the increased susceptibility of pregnant women to adverse outcomes resulting from viral infections.
BMC PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH
(2023)