Serum lipid profile in psoriatic patients: correlation between vascular adhesion protein 1 and lipoprotein (a)

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by excessive cellular replication. Apolipoproteins are genetically determined molecule whose role has been implied in cardiovascular pathology. Vascular adhesion protein?1 (VAP?1) is an adhesion molecule with an enzymatic activity that partakes in the migration process of lymphocytes into sites of inflammation. Our purpose was to evaluate the plasma lipid profiles, apolipoproteins (A1, B) and Lp (a) and VAP?1 in order to compare the lipid profile in psoriatic patients with non‐affected persons and correlation between VAP?1 and Lp (a). We determined serum concentrations of lipids, lipoproteins , apolipoproteins and VAP?1 in 90 patients with psoriasis and 90 age matched controls. Serum Lp (a), apo A1 and apo B were measured by immunoprecipitation assays, and the lipids and lipoproteins were measured by enzymatic methods.The VAP?1 were masured by ELISA method. The mean levels of total cholesterol, LDL, apo B and VAP?1 in patients with psoriasis were found to be significantly higher than those of healthy subjects (P<0.05. In psoriatic patients, elevation of VAP‐1 correlated with elevation of Lp (a) (p = 0.025). This study shows that high serum lipid level and VAP?1, is significantly more common in psoriasis. This fact may be responsible for higher prevalence of cardiovascular accident in psoriatic patients. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of early rearing environment on water-borne cortisol and expression of stress-related genes in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Molecular Biology Reports - Nowadays, lower post-release survivorship of hatchery-reared fish in natural aquatic bodies has attained great attention and research is in progress to determine the...     

Microbicidal effect of the lactoferrin peptides Lactoferricin17–30, Lactoferrampin265–284, and Lactoferrin chimera on the parasite Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica is a parasitic protozoan that produces amoebiasis, an intestinal disease characterized by ulcerative colitis and dysentery. In some cases, trophozoites can travel to the liver leading to hepatic abscesses and death. Recently, lactoferrin and lactoferricin B have been shown to be amoebicidal in axenic cultures. The aim of this work was to determine whether the lactoferrin-peptides lactoferricin amino acids 17–30, lactoferrampin amino acids 265–284, and lactoferrin chimera which is a fusion product of the two peptides, are capable of producing a microbicidal effect to trophozoites of E. histolytica. We evaluated the killing effect of these peptides in growth kinetics carried out in axenic culture medium to which different concentrations of peptides were added. At 50 μM of peptide concentration, lactoferricin and lactoferrampin had a moderate amoebicidal effect, since a 45–50% of trophozoites remained viable at 24 h culture. However, at 50 μM of the lactoferrin chimera 75% amoeba were killed whereas at 100 μM all cells died. These data indicate that of lactoferrin-peptides mainly the chimera have amoebicidal activity in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The lactoferrin-peptides might be useful as therapeutic agents against amoebiasis and thereby diminish the use of metronidazole, which is extremely toxic for the host.     

Heterologous expression,purification, and refolding of SRY protein: role of l-arginine as analyzed by simulation and practical study

Molecular Biology Reports - Escherichia coli is a widely-used cell factory for recombinant protein production, nevertheless, high amount of produced protein is seen in aggregated form. The purpose...     

Chemical compositions of leaf extracts from Conocarpus erectus L. (Combretaceae) and their bioactivities against Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

Botanical insecticides have long been considered as alternatives to synthetic chemical insecticides in IPM programs. Effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts obtained from buttonwood, Conocarpus erectus L. (Combretaceae), leaves on a major kind of stored product pests, Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), were evaluated under laboratory conditions. For this purpose, LC₅₀, repellency, antifeedant properties, and some biological effects (including body weight, immature developmental time and survival) of the insect were determined. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts were highly toxic to the larvae and adults. Calculated LC₅₀ values ranged between 2.6 and 193.4 (g/kg). Both extracts had repellent and antifeedant properties against the adults. The extracts adversely affected the larval and pupal weights, developmental time, and survival. Aqueous extracts were more effective only for the LC₅₀ values and only in females. All other measured parameters do not differ between the two extracts. The bioactive properties might be related to high amounts of alkaloid, phenol and tannin. Aqueous extract of the plant leaves may be a useful alternative for chemical insecticides.     

Aerobic exercise modulates noncoding RNA network upstream of FNDC5 in the Gastrocnemius muscle of high-fat-diet-induced obese mice

Journal of Physiology and Biochemistry - The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of aerobic exercise with a fat-rich diet on ncRNAs expression associated with FNDC5 in the...