Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Deepak Kumar Tripathi, Nupur Nagar, Viney Kumar, Nidhi Joshi, Partha Roy, Krishna Mohan Poluri
Summary: In this study, the inhibitory potential of four major catechins (EC/EGC/ECG/EGCG) against CCL2-regulated monocyte/macrophage recruitment was assessed. Catechins with the gallate moiety (ECG/EGCG) specifically attenuated CCL2-induced macrophage migration by binding to a pocket on CCL2. The molecular specificity/stability of CCL2-catechin complexes was regulated by multiple factors, including stereospecificity, hydroxyl groups, carbonyl group positioning, and galloylation.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Jenny Jongstra-Bilen, Kelly Tai, Marwan G. Althagafi, Allan Siu, Corey A. Scipione, Saraf Karim, Chanele K. Polenz, Jiro Ikeda, Sharon J. Hyduk, Myron I. Cybulsky
Summary: This study reveals that CCL5 plays a critical role in monocyte recruitment during early lesion formation in atherosclerosis through the CCR5 signaling pathway. However, CCL5 deficiency does not affect early lesion development, and CCL5-blockade does not impact monocyte recruitment in Ldlr-/- mice.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR CARDIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ashley A. Brate, Alexander W. Boyden, Isaac J. Jensen, Vladimir P. Badovinac, Nitin J. Karandikar
Summary: This study identifies a disease-suppressing subset of CD8 T cells with unique phenotypic properties, including a CXCR3(+) subpopulation and increased degranulation and coproduction of IFN-gamma and IL-10. Understanding the functional characteristics of this regulatory subset provides insights into potential novel immunotherapeutic approaches for MS.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Anna Barkaway, Loic Rolas, Regis Joulia, Jennifer Bodkin, Tchern Lenn, Charlotte Owen-Woods, Natalia Reglero-Real, Monja Stein, Laura Vazquez-Martinez, Tamara Girbl, Robin N. Poston, Matthew Golding, Rebecca S. Saleeb, Aude Thiriot, Ulrich H. von Andrian, Johan Duchene, Mathieu-Benoit Voisin, Cleo L. Bishop, David Voehringer, Axel Roers, Antal Rot, Tim Laemmermann, Sussan Nourshargh
Summary: Aging is associated with dysregulated immune functions, affecting neutrophil diapedesis. In aged mice, neutrophils exhibit reverse transendothelial migration, causing remote organ damage.
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Naser Mohtavinejad, Alireza Nakhaee, Honey Harati, Nazila Gholipour, Yavar Mahmoodzade
Summary: The study found that the CCL2 -927 C variant and CCL5/CCL2 haplotype (G/C) were associated with susceptibility to CVD and were risk factors for CVD in the population studied.
IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Thiago Vitarelli da Silva, Danielle Bernardes, Onesia Cristina Oliveira-Lima, Barbara Fernandes Pinto, Marcelo Limborco Filho, Camila Cristina Fraga Faraco, Maria Aparecida Juliano, Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes, Fabricio A. Moreira, Juliana Carvalho-Tavares
Summary: The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism of action of cannabidiol (CBD) on leukocyte recruitment induced by experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The results showed that CBD treatment reduced leukocyte rolling and adhesion, as well as tissue infiltration, in the spinal cord microvasculature. Additionally, there was a decrease in the mRNA expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in the spinal cord.
CANNABIS AND CANNABINOID RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Oksana Shynlova, Adam Boros-Rausch, Tali Farine, Kristina M. Adams Waldorf, Caroline Dunk, Stephen J. Lye
Summary: The study reveals the critical role of cytokines secreted by decidual and myometrial cells in activating inflammatory pathways leading to labor in humans. Targeting these pathways may provide potential therapeutic interventions for preterm labor.
JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Hamidreza Safari, Gholamreza Anani Sarab, Mohsen Naseri
Summary: This study found that Artemisia dracunculus extract can alleviate EAE symptoms, reduce levels of inflammatory cytokines, and increase serum antioxidant levels, indicating its potential as an adjuvant therapy for multiple sclerosis.
NUTRITIONAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Mehrnoosh Esmailiyan, Mehdi Kargarfard, Fahimeh Esfarjani, Golnaz Vaseghi, Shaghayegh Haghjooy Javanmard, Atefeh Amerizadeh
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 4 weeks of continuous aerobic exercise on chemokines CCL2 and CCL5 and their relative receptors in an animal model of human breast cancer. The results showed that 4 weeks of aerobic exercise significantly reduced the levels of CCL2 and CCL5, as well as their receptors CCR2 and CCR5.
ADVANCED BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Jack Wiedrick, Roberto Meza-Romero, Grant Gerstner, Hilary Seifert, Priya Chaudhary, Ashley Headrick, Gail Kent, Ashley Maestas, Halina Offner, Arthur A. Vandenbark
Summary: The study found stronger pro-inflammatory responses in male compared to female C57BL/6 mice who were immunized to induce EAE, but this was partially offset by increased anti-inflammatory cell subsets in males. These sex differences in immune responses may explain the reduced cellular infiltration in the CNS of male mice and the similar clinical EAE disease severity observed in both male and female groups. Overall, the severity of EAE disease seems to be influenced not only by CNS infiltration and demyelination, but also by the balance of pro-inflammatory and regulatory immune cell types and their secreted molecules.
CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Arthur A. Vandenbark, Roberto Meza-Romero, Jack Wiedrick, Grant Gerstner, Hilary Seifert, Gail Kent, Marta Piechycna, Gil Benedek, Richard Bucala, Halina Offner
Summary: Previous studies have shown that high levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF-1) and MIF-2 in males during multiple sclerosis (MS) progression increase the risk of conversion to progressive MS. Female MS patients with severe disease, on the other hand, express higher levels of the MIF-1/MIF-2 receptor. In a mouse model of MS, MIF-deficient males and females showed clinical improvement, suggesting that both MIF-1 and MIF-2 contribute to the progression of the disease. Treatment with a MHCII DR alpha 1-MOG-35-55 molecular construct that inhibits MIF-1 and MIF-2 signaling reduced EAE severity in both males and females. Overall, these findings indicate sex-dependent differences in the role of MIF-1 and MIF-2 in EAE and suggest the potential of MIF blockade as a therapeutic approach for MS.
CELLULAR IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mazher Mohammed, Dominique N. Johnson, Lei A. Wang, Scott W. Harden, Wanhui Sheng, Eliot A. Spector, Khalid Elsaafien, Michael Bader, U. Muscha Steckelings, Karen A. Scott, Charles J. Frazier, Colin Sumners, Eric G. Krause, Annette D. de Kloet
Summary: These studies use advanced techniques to investigate the role of AT2R-expressing neurons in the NTS in blood pressure regulation. Optogenetic stimulation of these neurons increases GABA release and blood pressure. Central activation of AT2R also reduces GABA-related gene expression and blunts pressor responses.
CARDIOVASCULAR RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Katja Grabowski, Laura Herlan, Anika Witten, Fatimunnisa Qadri, Andreas Eisenreich, Diana Lindner, Martin Schaedlich, Angela Schulz, Jana Subrova, Ketaki Nitin Mhatre, Uwe Primessnig, Ralph Plehm, Sophie van Linthout, Felicitas Escher, Michael Bader, Monika Stoll, Dirk Westermann, Frank R. Heinzel, Reinhold Kreutz
Summary: Through genetic models and mouse experiments, the study identified the importance of Cpxm2 in hypertension-mediated left ventricular hypertrophy and cardiac damage, and showed that the absence of Cpxm2 can effectively reduce these injuries.
HYPERTENSION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mark Damen, Mario A. Izidoro, Debora N. Okamoto, Lilian C. G. Oliveira, Helene I. Amatdjais-Groenen, Koen W. R. van Cleef, Ronald P. van Rij, Cindy E. J. Dieteren, Daniel Girones, Bernd N. M. van Buuren, Byron E. E. Martina, Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus, Luiz Juliano, Bob J. Scholte, Martin C. Feiters
Summary: This study reports the activity of lysine-based geminoid compounds against dengue virus infection by inhibiting proteases involved in viral replication. These compounds showed efficacy against both dengue virus protease and human furin protease, and also exhibited inhibitory effects on the replication of wildtype dengue virus. These findings could be promising for the development of antiviral therapeutics, not limited to dengue.
Article
Microbiology
Michele M. Moraes, Thiago T. Mendes, Leandro Borges, Alice L. Marques, Cristian Nunez-Espinosa, Dawit A. P. Goncalves, Carolina B. Simoes, Tales S. Vieira, Roberto V. P. Ladeira, Talita G. B. Lourenco, Danielle V. Ribeiro, Elaine Hatanaka, Debora Heller, Rosa M. E. Arantes
Summary: Antarctic camps, with their isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) conditions, can affect the microbiome and inflammatory responses. A 7-week expedition to Nelson Island resulted in fluctuations in the microbiome, a reduction in disease-associated microbes, and changes in inflammation markers. These findings suggest that Antarctic environments and behaviors play a role in modulating oral microbiome and inflammation.
Letter
Dermatology
Maria Cecilia Campos Canesso, Puebla Cassini-Vieira, Camila Francisco Moreira, Suzanne Luong, Milene Alvarenga Rachid, Flaviano Santos Martins, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Angelica Thomas Vieira, Charles Reay Mackay, Luciola Silva Barcelos
JOURNAL OF INVESTIGATIVE DERMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Debora Romualdo Lacerda, Albena Nunes-Silva, Ana Leticia Malheiros Silveira, Katia Anunciacao Costa, Debora Fernandes Rodrigues, Michele Macedo Moraes, Vanessa Pinho, Gustavo Batista Menezes, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Samuel Penna Wanner, Danusa Dias Soares, Adaliene Versiani Matos Ferreira
Summary: This study investigated the effect of acute exercise on the inflammatory response in adipose tissue of lean and obese mice. Acute exercise enhanced the levels of IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-a in the adipose tissue of lean mice, while no changes were observed in proinflammatory cytokines in obese mice. However, the levels of IL-13, IL-4, and IL-10 were increased in obese mice after exercise. These findings suggest that acute exercise promotes an inflammatory response in adipose tissue of lean mice, but elicits an anti-inflammatory response in adipose tissue of obese mice.
Article
Immunology
Andrew Bacon, Mauro Teixeira, Vivian Costa, Peter Bone, Jennifer Simmons, Jeffrey Drew
Summary: Here we developed a thermally stable, orally administered Zika vaccine using engineered AdHu5. This vaccine, formulated with a mix of sugars and modified amino acids and protected by an enteric coated capsule, induced immune responses and reduced viral counts in mice and non-human primates. It has advantages over current vaccines that require cold storage and parenteral administration.
Review
Virology
Rosangela Santos Pereira, Francoise Camila Pereira Santos, Priscilla Rodrigues Valadares Campana, Vivian Vasconcelos Costa, Rodrigo Maia de Padua, Daniele G. Souza, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Fernao Castro Braga
Summary: This article reviews studies on the anti-ZIKV activity of natural products (NPs) and derivatives from 1997 to 2022. The majority of the studies used NPs from plants (82.4%) or semisynthetic/synthetic derivatives, followed by fungi (3.1%), bacteria (7.6%), animals (1.2%), and marine organisms (1.9%). Different classes of NPs, such as polyphenols, triterpenes, alkaloids, and steroids, have been reported to exhibit anti-ZIKV activity. NPs mainly act at the stages of viral adsorption and internalization, and some compounds show high selectivity index values. However, further research is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and evaluate their safety and efficacy in animal models.
Article
Immunology
Maria Elena Romero-Ibarguengoitia, Diego Rivera-Salinas, Riccardo Sarti, Riccardo Levi, Maximiliano Mollura, Arnulfo Garza-Silva, Andrea Rivera-Cavazos, Yodira Guadalupe Hernandez-Ruiz, Irene Antonieta Barco-Flores, Arnulfo Gonzalez-Cantu, Miguel Angel Sanz-Sanchez, Milton Henriques Guimaraes Junior, Chiara Pozzi, Riccardo Barbieri, Devany Paola Morales-Rodriguez, Mauro Martins Texeira, Maria Rescigno
Summary: This study evaluated the real-life efficacy of six different vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and found that mRNA vaccines had the highest antibody levels during follow-up. Infection before vaccination and after complete vaccination scheme correlated with higher antibody titers. The CoronaVac vaccine was found to lower the risk of infection in the presence of certain comorbidities.
Editorial Material
Microbiology
Andre Talvani, Mauro Martins Teixeira
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Joana Lobato Barbosa, Mariane Izabella Abreu de Melo, Pricila da Silva Cunha, Marcelo Coutinho de Miranda, Breno Rocha Barrioni, Cheisy Daiana Freitas Moreira, Andrea da Fonseca Ferreira, Rosa Maria Esteves Arantes, Marcos Augusto de Sa, Marivalda de Magalhaes Pereira, Michele Angela Rodrigues, Silviene Novikoff, Dawidson Assis Gomes, Alfredo Miranda de Goes
Summary: In this study, a new bilayer scaffold composed of a chitosan-gelatin membrane and a chitosan-polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) porous matrix was synthesized and populated with human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hASCs) to be potentially used for wound dressing applications. The results demonstrate that this scaffold has the potential to promote tissue regeneration in wound healing studies.
JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS RESEARCH PART A
(2023)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Katia Anunciacao Costa, Marina Chaves de Oliveira, Leticia Maria de Souza Cordeiro, Cynthia Honorato Val, Fabiana Simao Machado, Simone Odilia Antunes Fernandes, Valbert Nascimento Cardoso, Mauro Martins Teixeira, Ana Leticia Malheiros Silveira, Adaliene Versiani Matos Ferreira
Summary: This study aims to evaluate the effects of a high-refined carbohydrate (HC) diet on small intestine changes. Male BALB/c mice were fed an HC diet for 8 weeks, and it was found that although there were no significant differences in body weight gain, mice fed the HC diet exhibited adiposity and metabolic alterations. However, there were no significant changes observed in intestinal integrity, tight junction protein expression, intestinal permeability, and bacterial translocation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Priyavathi Sureshkumar, Robson Augusto Souza dos Santos, Natalia Alenina, Stefan Mergler, Michael Bader
Summary: The G protein-coupled receptor MAS is the receptor for the endogenous ligand Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7). This paper demonstrates the importance of MAS signaling in developing novel therapeutics for cardiovascular diseases. Ang-(1-7) induces calcium influx in MAS-transfected HEK293 cells, which is dependent on plasma membrane Ca2+ channels, phospholipase C, and protein kinase C. The study also reveals that MAS utilizes non-selective transient receptor potential channels (TRPs) for calcium entry.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Robson Jose de Almeida, Andrea Harumy de Lima Hirata, Luiz Antonio de Jesus Rocha, Miriam Duarte de Arruda Motta, Patricia Varela, Leonardo Martins, Joao Bosco Pesquero, Cleber P. Camacho
Summary: This study compared the gene expression patterns of hypothyroidism and nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS) as models of NTIS, based on hypothetical similarities. The concordant profile between them may reveal new biomarkers for challenging NTIS scenarios. Ion Proton System next-generation sequencing was used to build the hypothyroidism transcriptome. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in adults and children with sepsis were identified and compared, and specific genes were identified as potential predictive biomarkers for sepsis survivors and nonsurvivors.
ARCHIVES OF ENDOCRINOLOGY METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rubio S. Bruzzi, Michele M. Moraes, Ygor A. T. Martins, Alexandre S. R. Hudson, Roberto V. P. Ladeira, Cristian Nunez-Espinosa, Samuel P. Wanner, Rosa M. E. Arantes
Summary: Short-term diving in Antarctic waters affects physiological parameters including thyroid hormone concentration, autonomic cardiac control, and body temperature, and reduces sleepiness.
ANAIS DA ACADEMIA BRASILEIRA DE CIENCIAS
(2022)
