Plant diversity of Hyrcanian relict forests: An annotated checklist,chorology and threat categories of endemic and near endemic vascular plant speciesOA

In this paper a critical annotated checklist of 256 endemic and near endemic species belonging to 152 genera and 50 families of flowering plants known from Hyrcanian relict forests is presented. Distribution maps of taxa, elevational range, number of known records, chorotypes, life forms, IUCN threat categories and habitat types are also provided. The chorotypes are categorized into eight main patterns: 1) the Omni-Hyrcanian pattern(OH), 2) West Hyrcanian pattern(WH), 3) Manjil-Rudbar pattern(MR...     

Preparation of nanoliposomes linked to HER2/neu-derived (P5) peptide containing MPL adjuvant as vaccine against breast cancer

The study was aimed at evaluating antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of liposomal vaccine composed of P5 human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu-derived peptide coupled to the surface of high-temperature nanoliposomes containing distearoylphosphocholine:distearoylphosphoglycerol:Chol:dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) comprising monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL) adjuvant in HER2/neu overexpressing the breast cancer model. BALB/c mice bearing TUBO carcinoma were subcutaneously immunized with formulations containing 10 µg P5 peptide and 25 µg MPL three times with 2-week intervals. To determine immuno responses in immunized mice, the amount of released interferon-γ and IL-4 were measured by the enzyme-linked immunospot method and the flow cytometric analysis on the isolated splenocytes. The results demonstrated that tumor-bearing mice immunized with Lip/DOPE/MPL/P5 formulation had the most released interferon-γ and the highest cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses that led to the lowest tumor size and the longest survival time than those of other formulations. The results achieved by Lip/DOPE/MPL/P5 formulation could make it a suitable candidate to induce effective antigen-specific tumor immunity against breast cancer.     

A kinetic-metabolic model based on cell energetic state: study of CHO cell behavior under Na-butyrate stimulation

A kinetic-metabolic model approach describing and simulating Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell behavior is presented. The model includes glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, TCA cycle, respiratory chain, redox state and energetic metabolism. Growth kinetic is defined as a function of the major precursors for the synthesis of cell building blocks. Michaelis–Menten type kinetic is used for metabolic intermediates as well as for regulatory functions from energy shuttles (ATP/ADP) and cofactors (NAD/H and NADP/H). Model structure and parameters were first calibrated using results from bioreactor cultures of CHO cells expressing recombinant t-PA. It is shown that the model can simulate experimental data for all available experimental data, such as extracellular glucose, glutamine, lactate and ammonium concentration time profiles, as well as cell energetic state. A sensitivity analysis allowed identifying the most sensitive parameters. The model was then shown to be readily adaptable for studying the effect of sodium butyrate on CHO cells metabolism, where it was applied to the cases with sodium butyrate addition either at mid-exponential growth phase (48 h) or at the early plateau phase (74 h). In both cases, a global optimization routine was used for the simultaneous estimation of the most sensitive parameters, while the insensitive parameters were considered as constants. Finally, confidence intervals for the estimated parameters were calculated. Results presented here further substantiate our previous findings that butyrate treatment at mid-exponential phase may cause a shift in cellular metabolism toward a sustained and increased efficiency of glucose utilization channeled through the TCA cycle.     

Structurally Designed Attenuated Subunit Vaccines for S. aureus LukS-PV and LukF-PV Confer Protection in a Mouse Bacteremia Model

Previous efforts towards S. aureus vaccine development have largely focused on cell surface antigens to induce opsonophagocytic killing aimed at providing sterile immunity, a concept successfully applied to other Gram-positive pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. However, these approaches have largely failed, possibly in part due to the remarkable diversity of the staphylococcal virulence factors such as secreted immunosuppressive and tissue destructive toxins. S. aureus produces several pore-forming toxins including the single subunit alpha hemolysin as well as bicomponent leukotoxins such as Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), gamma hemolysins (Hlg), and LukED. Here we report the generation of highly attenuated mutants of PVL subunits LukS-PV and LukF-PV that were rationally designed, based on an octameric structural model of the toxin, to be deficient in oligomerization. The attenuated subunit vaccines were highly immunogenic and showed significant protection in a mouse model of S. aureus USA300 sepsis. Protection against sepsis was also demonstrated by passive transfer of rabbit immunoglobulin raised against LukS-PV. Antibodies to LukS-PV inhibited the homologous oligomerization of LukS-PV with LukF-PV as well heterologous oligomerization with HlgB. Importantly, immune sera from mice vaccinated with the LukS mutant not only inhibited the PMN lytic activity produced by the PVL-positive USA300 but also blocked PMN lysis induced by supernatants of PVL-negative strains suggesting a broad protective activity towards other bicomponent toxins. These findings strongly support the novel concept of an anti-virulence, toxin-based vaccine intended for prevention of clinical S. aureus invasive disease, rather than achieving sterile immunity. Such a multivalent vaccine may include attenuated leukotoxins, alpha hemolysin, and superantigens.     

Up-regulated lncRNA-PVT1 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with coronary artery disease is correlated with decreased interleukin-10 production

Molecular Biology Reports - Plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) is a newly discovered long non-coding RNA, which has not been previously studied in the inflammatory responses of the...     

Effect of Selenium Nanoparticle Supplementation on Tissue Inflammation,Blood Cell Count,and IGF-1 Levels in Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Rats

Biological Trace Element Research - Selenium is known to be a neuroprotective agent in respect to a number of neuronal diseases and pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective...