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Tight Junctions: A Barrier to the Initiation and Progression of Breast Cancer?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Breast cancer is a complex and heterogeneous disease that arises from epithelial cells lining the breast ducts and lobules. Correct adhesion between adjacent epithelial cells is important in determining the normal structure and function of epithelial tissues, and there is accumulating evidence that dysregulated cell-cell adhesion is associated with many cancers. This review will focus on one cell-cell adhesion complex, the tight junction (TJ), and summarize recent evidence that TJs may participate in breast cancer development or progression. We will first outline the protein composition of TJs and discuss the functions of ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 15, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Chitosan-Alginate Sponge: Preparation and Application in Curcumin Delivery for Dermal Wound Healing in RatEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
A biodegradable sponge, composed of chitosan (CS) and sodium alginate (SA), was successfully obtained in this work. The sponge was ethereal and pliable. The chemical structure and morphology of the sponges was characterized by FTIR and SEM. The swelling ability, in vitro drug release and degradation behaviors, and an in vivo animal test were employed to confirm the applicability of this sponge as a wound dressing material. As the chitosan content in the sponge decreased, the swelling ability decreased. All types of the sponges exhibited biodegradable properties. The release of curcumin from the sponges could be controlled ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Separation and Purification of Two Flavone Glucuronides from Erigeron multiradiatus (Lindl.) Benth with Macroporous ResinsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, a simple method for preparative separation of the two flavone glucuronides was established with macroporous resins. The performance and adsorption characteristics of eight macroporous resins including AB-8, HPD100, HPD450, HPD600, D100, D101, D141, and D160 have been evaluated. The results confirmed that D141 resin offered the best adsorption and desorption capacities and the highest desorption ratio for the two glucuronides among the tested resins. Sorption isotherms were constructed for D141 resin under optimal ethanol conditions and fitted well to the Freundlich and Langmuir models (R2>0.95). Dynam...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Toll-Like Receptor Initiated Host Defense against Toxoplasma gondiiEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular pathogen notable for its ability to establish a stable host-parasite relationship amongst a wide range of host species and in a large percentage of the human population. Toll-like receptor signaling through MyD88 is a critical pathway in initiating defense against this opportunistic protozoan and may also be a mediator of pathology during immune dysfunction. Other MyD88 independent signaling pathways are also involved in the host-parasite interaction. These responses can be triggered by the parasite itself, but interactions with the intestinal microbiota add additional complexity durin...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Quantification of Spatial Parameters in 3D Cellular Constructs Using Graph TheoryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Multispectral three-dimensional (3D) imaging provides spatial information for biological structures that cannot be measured by traditional methods. This work presents a method of tracking 3D biological structures to quantify changes over time using graph theory. Cell-graphs were generated based on the pairwise distances, in 3D-Euclidean space, between nuclei during collagen I gel compaction. From these graphs quantitative features are extracted that measure both the global topography and the frequently occurring local structures of the “tissue constructs.” The feature trends can be controlled by manipulating ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 10, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Microfluidic Technology in Vascular ResearchEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Vascular cell biology is an area of research with great biomedical relevance. Vascular dysfunction is involved in major diseases such as atherosclerosis, diabetes, and cancer. However, when studying vascular cell biology in the laboratory, it is difficult to mimic the dynamic, three-dimensional microenvironment that is found in vivo. Microfluidic technology offers unique possibilities to overcome this difficulty. In this review, an overview of the recent applications of microfluidic technology in the field of vascular biological research will be given. Examples of how microfluidics can be used to generate shear stresses, g...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 10, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Mass Spectrometry-Based Label-Free Quantitative ProteomicsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In order to study the differential protein expression in complex biological samples, strategies for rapid, highly reproducible and accurate quantification are necessary. Isotope labeling and fluorescent labeling techniques have been widely used in quantitative proteomics research. However, researchers are increasingly turning to label-free shotgun proteomics techniques for faster, cleaner, and simpler results. Mass spectrometry-based label-free quantitative proteomics falls into two general categories. In the first are the measurements of changes in chromatographic ion intensity such as peptide peak areas or peak heights. ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 10, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Interaction Map and Selection of microRNA Targets in Parkinson's Disease-Related GenesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study will pave a way for selection of potential miRNA candidates for Parkinson's disease-related genes for quick therapeutic applications and diagnosis. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 8, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Maternal Plasma in Down Syndrome Pregnancies Using Isobaric Tagging Reagent (iTRAQ)Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Currently no specific biomarkers exist for the screening of pregnancies at risk for down syndrome (DS). Since a quantitative proteomic approach with isobaric labelling (iTRAQ) has recently been suggested to be highly suitable for the discovery of novel plasma biomarkers, we have now used this method to examine for potential quantitative changes in the plasma proteome of the pregnancies bearing DS fetuses in comparison to normal healthy babies. In our study, we used plasma from six women with DS pregnancies and six with uncomplicated pregnancies care were taken to match cases and controls for gestational and maternal age, a...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 5, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Methyl-CpG-Binding PCR of Bloodspots for Confirmation of Fragile X Syndrome in MalesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study demonstrates that methyl-CpG-binding PCR (MB-PCR) is a rapid and simple method for detecting fragile X syndrome (FXS) in males, which is performed by verifying the methylation status of the FMR1 promoter in bloodspots. Proteins containing methyl-CpG-binding (MB) domains can be freeze-stored and used as stocks, and the entire test requires only a few hours. The minimum amount of DNA required for the test is 0.5 ng. At this amount, detection sensitivity is not hampered, even mixing with excess unmethylated alleles up to 320 folds. We examined bloodspots from 100 males, including 24 with FXS, in a blinded ma...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 4, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Dermaseptins and Magainins: Antimicrobial Peptides from Frogs' Skin—New Sources for a Promising Spermicides Microbicides—A Mini ReviewEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the causative agents of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), are two great concerns in the reproductive health of women. Thus, the challenge is to find products with a double activity, on the one hand having antimicrobial/antiviral properties with a role in the reduction of STI, and on the other hand having spermicidal action to be used as a contraceptive. In the absence of an effective microbicide along with the disadvantages of the most commonly used spermicidal contraceptive worldwide, nonoxynol-9, new emphasis has been focused on the d...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 4, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Gene Expression Divergence and Evolutionary Analysis of the Drosomycin Gene Family in Drosophila melanogasterEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Drosomycin (Drs) encoding an inducible 44-residue antifungal peptide is clustered with six additional genes, Dro1, Dro2, Dro3, Dro4, Dro5, and Dro6, forming a multigene family on the 3L chromosome arm in Drosophila melanogaster. To get further insight into the regulation of each member of the drosomycin gene family, here we investigated gene expression patterns of this family by either microbe-free injury or microbial challenges using real time RT-PCR. The results indicated that among the seven drosomycin genes, Drs, Dro2, Dro3, Dro4, and Dro5 showed constitutive expressions. Three out of five, Dro2, Dro3, and Dro5, were a...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 1, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Nitric Oxide Production by the Human Intestinal Microbiota by Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to AmmoniumEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The free radical nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule in the gastrointestinal tract. Besides eukaryotic cells, gut microorganisms are also capable of producing NO. However, the exact mechanism of NO production by the gut microorganisms is unknown. Microbial NO production was examined under in vitro conditions simulating the gastrointestinal ecosystem using L-arginine or nitrate as substrates. L-arginine did not influence the microbial NO production. However, NO concentrations in the order of 90 ng NO-N per L feed medium were produced by the fecal microbiota from nitrate. N15 tracer experiments showed...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 1, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Drug Resistance in Visceral LeishmaniasisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Visceral leishmaniasis remains a public health problem worldwide. This illness was included by the World Health Organization in the list of neglected tropical diseases targeted for elimination by 2015. The widespread emergence of resistance to pentavalent antimonials in India where half cases occur globally and the unavailability of a vaccine in clinical use constitute major obstacles in achieving of this goal. The last decade new antileishmanials became available, including the oral agent miltefosine. However, in poor endemic countries their wide use was curtailed because of the high costs, and also due to concerns of tox...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 1, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

A Proteomic Approach for Plasma Biomarker Discovery with iTRAQ Labelling and OFFGEL FractionationEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Human blood plasma contains a plethora of proteins, encompassing not only proteins that have plasma-based functionalities, but also possibly every other form of low concentrated human proteins. As it circulates through the tissues, the plasma picks up proteins that are released from their origin due to physiological events such as tissue remodeling and cell death. Specific disease processes or tumors are often characterized by plasma “signatures,” which may become obvious via changes in the plasma proteome profile, for example, through over expression of proteins. However, the wide dynamic range of proteins pre...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - November 1, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

The Roles of Platelet GPIIb/IIIa and αvβ3 Integrins during HeLa Cells Adhesion, Migration, and Invasion to Monolayer Endothelium under Static and Dynamic Shear FlowEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
During their passage through the circulatory system, tumor cells undergo extensive interactions with various host cells including endothelial cells and platelets. Mechanisms mediating tumor cell adhesion, migration, and metastasis to vessel wall under flow condition are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential roles of GPIIb/IIIa and αvβ3 integrins underlying the HeLa-endothelium interaction in static and dynamic flow conditions. HeLa cell migration and invasion were studied by using Millicell cell culture insert system. The numbers of transmigrated or invaded HeLa cells signifi...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 28, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Whole Genome Association Study in a Homogenous Population in Shandong Peninsula of China Reveals JARID2 as a Susceptibility Gene for SchizophreniaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
DNA pooling can provide an economic and efficient way to detect susceptibility loci to complex diseases. We carried out a genome screen with 400 microsatellite markers spaced at approximately 10 cm in two DNA pools consisting of 119 schizophrenia (SZ) patients and 119 controls recruited from a homogenous population in the Chang Le area of the Shandong peninsula of China. Association of D6S289, a dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the JARID2 gene with SZ, was found and confirmed by individual genotyping (X2=17.89; P=.047). In order to refine the signal, we genotyped 14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 27, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Erratum of “Investigation of Microencapsulated BSH Active Lactobacillus in the Simulated Human GI Tract”Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 26, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Purple Sweet Potato Color Ameliorates Cognition Deficits and Attenuates Oxidative Damage and Inflammation in Aging Mouse Brain Induced by D-GalactoseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study explores whether PSPC has the neuroprotective effect on the aging mouse brain induced by D-galactose (D-gal). The mice administrated with PSPC (100 mg/kg.day, 4 weeks, from 9th week) via oral gavage showed significantly improved behavior performance in the open field and passive avoidance test compared with D-gal-treated mice (500 mg/kg.day, 8 weeks). We further investigate the mechanism involved in neuroprotective effects of PSPC on mouse brain. Interestingly, we found, PSPC decreased the expression level of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cycloo...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 26, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

DNA Damage/Repair and Polymorphism of the hOGG1 Gene in Lymphocytes of AMD PatientsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Oxidative stress is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We determined the extent of oxidative DNA damage and the kinetics of its removal as well as the genotypes of the Ser326Cys polymorphism of the hOGG1 gene in lymphocytes of 30 wet AMD patients and 30 controls. Oxidative DNA damage induced by hydrogen peroxide and its repair were evaluated by the comet assay and DNA repair enzymes. We observed a higher extent of endogenous oxidative DNA damage and a lower efficacy of its repair in AMD patients as compared with the controls. We did not find any correlation between the ext...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 26, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Oxidative Imbalance in HIV-1 Infected Patients Treated with Antiretroviral TherapyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
It is generally accepted that oxidative stress is involved in HIV infection. However, the role in oxidative balance of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) is still debated. In our study we assessed serum oxidant and antioxidant levels in an HIV-1-infected population treated with HAART, and compared them with those of untreated HIV-1 patients and HIV-1-negative subjects. The study included 116 HIV-1-infected patients (86 HAART-treated and 30 untreated), and 46 HIV-negative controls. Serum oxidant levels were significantly higher in the HIV-1 treated group as compared to untreated and control groups. In addition, a ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 26, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

A Significant Increase of RNAi Efficiency in Human Cells by the CMV Enhancer with a tRNAlys PromoterEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
RNA interference (RNAi) is the process of mRNA degradation induced by double-stranded RNA in a sequence-specific manner. Different types of promoters, such as U6, H1, tRNA, and CMV, have been used to control the inhibitory effect of RNAi expression vectors. In the present study, we constructed two shRNA expression vectors, respectively, controlled by tRNAlys and CMV enhancer-tRNAlys promoters. Compared to the vectors with tRNAlys or U6 promoter, the vector with a CMV enhancer-tRNAlys promoter silenced pokemon more efficiently on both the mRNA and the protein levels. Meanwhile, the silencing of pokemon inhibited the prolif...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 25, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

The Prominent Role of Neutrophils during the Initial Phase of Infection by Leishmania ParasitesEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Neutrophils are rapidly and massively recruited to the site of Leishmania inoculation, where they phagocytose the parasites, some of which are able to survive within these first host cells. Neutrophils can thus provide a transient safe shelter for the parasites, prior to their entry into macrophages where they will replicate. In addition, neutrophils release and synthesize rapidly several factors including cytokines and chemokines. The mechanism involved in their rapid recruitment to the site of parasite inoculation, as well as the putative consequences of their massive presence on the microenvironment of the focus of infe...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 25, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Functional Characterization of N-Terminally GFP-Tagged GLP-1 ReceptorEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we synthesized and characterized N-terminally GFP-tagged GLP-1 (GFP-GLP-1) receptor in CHO cells. We demonstrated that GFP-GLP-1 receptor is weakly expressed in the plasma membranes and is functionally coupled to adenylyl cyclase via heterotrimeric G-proteins, similarly as its wild type. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 22, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Benefit of Whole Pelvic Radiotherapy Combined with Neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation for the High-Risk Prostate CancerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions. The WPRT combined with N-ADT compared to PORT for high-risk patients resulted in improvement in CSS and bPFS; however no OS benefit was observed. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 22, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Protective Effect of Melatonin Against Mitomycin C-Induced Genotoxic Damage in Peripheral Blood of RatsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Mitomycin C (MMC) generates free radicals when metabolized. We investigated the effect of melatonin against MMC-induced genotoxicity in polychromatic erythrocytes and MMC-induced lipid peroxidation in brain and liver homogenates. Rats (N = 36) were classified into 4 groups: control, melatonin, MMC, and MMC + melatonin. Melatonin and MMC doses of 10 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg, respectively, were injected intraperitoneally. Peripheral blood samples were collected at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours posttreatment and homogenates were obtained at 96 hours posttreatment. The number of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 20, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Automation of cDNA Synthesis and Labelling Improves ReproducibilityEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions. We demonstrate, in an automated gene expression microarray experiment, a reduced variance between replicates, resulting in an increase in the statistical power to detect differentially expressed genes, thus allowing smaller differences between samples to be identified. This protocol can with minor modifications be used to create cDNA libraries for other applications such as in-depth analysis using next-generation sequencing technologies. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 15, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Computational Data Mining in Cancer Bioinformatics and Cancer EpidemiologyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
(Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 14, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Novel miR390-Dependent Transacting siRNA Precursors in Plants Revealed by a PCR-Based Experimental Approach and Database AnalysisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
TAS loci in plant genomes encode transacting small interfering RNAs (ta-siRNAs) that regulate expression of a number of genes. The function of TAS3 precursor in Arabidopsis thaliana is controlled by two miR390 target sites flanking two ta-siARF sequences targeting mRNAs of ARF transcription factors. Cleavage of the 3′-miR390-site initiates ta-siRNAs biogenesis. Here we describe the new method for identification of plant ta-siRNA precursors based on PCR with oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers mimicking miR390. The method was found to be efficient for dicotiledonous plants, cycads, and mosses. Based on sequences of ampl...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 13, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

MicroRNA Implications across Neurodevelopment and NeuropathologyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have rapidly emerged as biologically important mediators of posttranscriptional and epigenetic regulation in both plants and animals. miRNAs function through a variety of mechanisms including mRNA degradation and translational repression; additionally, miRNAs may guide gene expression by serving as transcription factors. miRNAs are highly expressed in human brain. Tissue and cell type-specific enrichments of certain miRNAs within the nervous system argue for a biological significance during neurodevelopmental stages. On the other hand, a large number of studies have reported links between alterations of ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 13, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

The pol3-t Hyperrecombination Phenotype and DNA Damage-Induced Recombination in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Is RAD50 DependentEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The DNA polymerase δ (POL3/CDC2) allele pol3-t of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has previously been shown to be sensitive to methylmethanesulfonate (MMS) and has been proposed to be involved in base excision repair. Our results, however, show that the pol3-t mutation is synergistic for MMS sensitivity with MAG1, a known base excision repair gene, but it is epistatic with rad50Δ, suggesting that POL3 may be involved not only in base excision repair but also in a RAD50 dependent function. We further studied the interaction of pol3-t with rad50Δ by examining their effect on spontaneous, MMS-, UV-, and ionizing...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 12, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Integrating Diverse Information to Gain More Insight into Microarray AnalysisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Microarray technology provides an opportunity to view transcriptions at genomic level under different conditions controlled by an experiment. From an array experiment using a human cancer cell line that is engineered to differ in expression of tumor antigen, integrin α6β4, few hundreds of differentially expressed genes are selected and are clustered using one of several standard algorithms. The set of genes in a cluster is expected to have similar expression patterns and are most likely to be coregulated and thereby expected to have similar function. The highly expressed set of upregulated genes become candid...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 12, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Immune Responses Following Mouse Peripheral Nerve Xenotransplantation in RatsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we investigate the rejection of mouse peripheral nerve xenografts in rats. Severe intragraft mononuclear cell infiltration, graft distension, and necrosis were detected in the recipients as early as 2 weeks after mouse nerve xenotransplantation. The number of axons in xenografts reduced progressively and became almost undetectable at week 8. However, mouse nerve xenotransplantation only led to a transient and moderate increase in the production of Th1 cytokines, including IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α. The data implicate that cellular immune responses play a critical role in nerve xenograft rejection ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 12, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Adding to Yersinia enterocolitica Gene Pool Diversity: Two Cryptic Plasmids from a Biotype 1A IsolateEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We report the nucleotide sequence of two novel cryptic plasmids (4357 and 14 662 base pairs) carried by a Yersinia enterocolitica biotype 1A strain isolated from pork. As distinguished from most biotype 1A strains, this isolate, designated 07-04449, exhibited adherence to eukaryotic cells. The smaller plasmid pYe4449-1 carries five attributable open reading frames (ORFs) encoding the first CcdA/CcdB-like antitoxin/toxin system described for a Yersinia plasmid, a RepA-like replication initiation protein, and mobilizing factors MobA and MobC. The deduced amino acid sequences showed highest similarity to proteins described in...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Comparability of Microarray Data between Amplified and Non Amplified RNA in Colorectal CarcinomaEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion microarray data resulting from different pre-processing regarding RNA pre-amplification can not be compared within one analysis. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Meso Scale Discovery and Luminex Comparative Analysis of Calbindin D28KEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, a pair of anti-calbindin D28K antibodies was used in an immunoassay for the detection of calbindin D28K expression in rat and human kidney and urine. Comparative analysis of the immunoassay was performed on the Meso Scale Development (MSD) and Luminex platforms. Analysis on both platforms detected calbindin D28K concentrations between 100 ng/mL and 100 pg/mL. Luminex detected 10-fold the amount of calbindin D28K in samples analyzed as compared to MSD, whereas calbindin D28K level in rat and human urine was below detection limit in both platforms. The application of the immunoassays described he...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Rapid Determination of Ractopamine Residues in Edible Animal Products by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay: Development and Investigation of Matrix EffectsEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
To determine ractopamine residues in animal food products (chicken muscle, pettitoes, pig muscle, and pig liver), we established a rapid direct competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a polyclonal antibody generated from ractopamine-linker-BSA. The antibody showed high sensitivity and specificity in phosphate buffer, with an IC50 of 0.6 ng/mL, and the limit of detection was 0.04 ng/mL. The matrix effect of the samples was easily eliminated by one-step extraction with PBS, without any organic solution or clean-up procedure such as SPE or liquid-liquid extraction, making it a much more simpl...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 11, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Effect of Plant Oils upon Lipase and Citric Acid Production in Yarrowia lipolytica YeastEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The nonconventional yeast Yarrowia lipolytica degrades very efficiently hydrophobic substrates to produce organic acids, single-cell oil, lipases, and so forth. The aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical behavior and simultaneous production of valuable metabolites such as lipase, citric acid (CA), and single-cell protein (SCP) by Yarrowia lipolytica DSM 3286 grown on various plant oils as sole carbon source. Among tested plant oils, olive oil proved to be the best medium for lipase and CA production. The Y. lipolytica DSM 3286 produced 34.6 ± 0.1 U/mL of lipase and also CA and SCP as by-product ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 9, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Activation of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 Is a Consequence of Cell DeathEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) is similar to other Cdks but is activated during cell differentiation and cell death rather than cell division. Since activation of Cdk5 has been reported in many situations leading to cell death, we attempted to determine if it was required for any form of cell death. We found that Cdk5 is activated during apoptotic deaths and that the activation can be detected even when the cells continue to secondary necrosis. This activation can occur in the absence of Bim, calpain, or neutral cathepsins. The kinase is typically activated by p25, derived from p35 by calpain-mediated cleavage, but inhib...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 9, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Silencing of Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 1 by siRNA in EC109 Cells Affects Cell Proliferation and ApoptosisEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) is a membrane receptor able to bind TNF-α or TNF-β. TNFR1 can suppress apoptosis by activating the NF-κB or JNK/SAPK signal transduction pathway, or it can induce apoptosis through a series of caspase cascade reactions; the particular effect may depend on the cell line. In the present study, we first showed that TNFR1 is expressed at both the gene and protein levels in the esophageal carcinoma cell line EC109. Then, by applying a specific siRNA, we silenced the expression of TNFR1; this resulted in a significant time-dependent promotion of cell proliferation and...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 9, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Growth Inhibition of Re-Challenge B16 Melanoma Transplant by Conjugates of Melanogenesis Substrate and Magnetite Nanoparticles as the Basis for Developing Melanoma-Targeted Chemo-Thermo-ImmunotherapyEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study tested if a chemo-thermo-immunotherapy (CTI therapy) strategy can be developed for better management of melanoma by conjugating NPrCAP on the surface of magnetite nanoparticles (NPrCAP/M). We examined the feasibility of this approach in B16 mouse melanoma and evaluated the impact of exposure temperature, frequency, and interval on the inhibition of re-challenged melanoma growth. The therapeutic protocol against the primary transplanted tumor with or without AMF exposure once a day every other day for a total of three treatments not only inhibited the growth of the primary transplant but also prevented the growth...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 9, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Diagnosis of Charcot-Marie-Tooth DiseaseEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease or hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (HMSN) is a genetically heterogeneous group of conditions that affect the peripheral nervous system. The disease is characterized by degeneration or abnormal development of peripheral nerves and exhibits a range of patterns of genetic transmission. In the majority of cases, CMT first appears in infancy, and its manifestations include clumsiness of gait, predominantly distal muscular atrophy of the limbs, and deformity of the feet in the form of foot drop. It can be classified according to the pattern of transmission (autosomal dominant, autosomal ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 9, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Schwann Cells Overexpressing FGF-2 Alone or Combined with Manual Stimulation Do Not Promote Functional Recovery after Facial Nerve InjuryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Conclusions. Neither FGF-2 isoform changed the extent of collateral branching or polyinnervation of motor endplates; furthermore, this motoneuron response could not be overridden by MS. (Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - October 9, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Modular Cre/lox System and Genetic Therapeutics for Colorectal CancerEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The Cre/lox system is a powerful tool for targeting therapeutic effectors in a wide variety of human disorders. I review a Cre/lox Wnt-targeted system that has shown promise against Wnt-positive colorectal cancer cell lines. In addition to Wnt-specific targeting of cell death inducers, the modular nature of this gene therapy model system can be exploited by designing positive and negative feedback loops to either amplify or inhibit Wnt activity for experimental or therapeutic benefit. I discuss the structural components and performance parameters of the system, the implication of these findings with respect to cancer stem ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 30, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Characterization for Binding Complex Formation with Site-Directly Immobilized Antibodies Enhancing Detection Capability of Cardiac Troponin IEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The enhanced analytical performances of immunoassays that employed site-directly immobilized antibodies as the capture binders have been functionally characterized in terms of antigen-antibody complex formation on solid surfaces. Three antibody species specific to cardiac troponin I, immunoglobulin G (IgG), Fab, and F(ab′)2 were site-directly biotinylated within the hinge region and then immobilized via a streptavidin-biotin linkage. The new binders were more efficient capture antibodies in the immunoassays compared to randomly bound IgG, particularly, in the low antibody density range. The observed improvements cou...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 29, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

LAS0811: From Combinatorial Chemistry to Activation of Antioxidant Response ElementEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The antioxidant response element (ARE) and its transcription factor, nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2), are potential targets for cancer chemoprevention. We sought to screen small molecules synthesized with combinatorial chemistry for activation of ARE. By high-throughput screening of 9400 small molecules from 10 combinatorial chemical libraries using HepG2 cells with an ARE-driven reporter, we have identified a novel small molecule, 1,2-dimethoxy-4,5-dinitrobenzene (LAS0811), as an activator of the ARE. LAS0811 upregulated the activity of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), a representative antio...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 24, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Proteomic Analysis of Serum in Lung Cancer Induced by 3-MethylcholanthreneEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Early detection of lung cancer is problematic due to the lack of a marker with high diagnosis sensitivity and specificity. To determine the differently expressed proteins in the serum of lung cancer and figure out the function of the proteins, two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) were used to screen the serum proteins of lung cancer model induced by 3-methylcholanthrene (MCA). From optimized 2DE image, 455 spots in the normal sera and 716 spots in the ...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 24, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Ischemia Alters the Expression of Connexins in the Aged Human BrainEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Although the function of astrocytic gap junctions under ischemia is still under debate, increased expression of connexin 43 (Cx43) has been observed in ischemic brain lesions, suggesting that astrocytic gap junctions could provide neuronal protection against ischemic insult. Moreover, different connexin subtypes may play different roles in pathological conditions. We used immunohistochemical analysis to investigate alterations in the expression of connexin subtypes in human stroke brains. Seven samples, sectioned after brain embolic stroke, were used for the analysis. Data, evaluated semiquantitatively by computer-assisted...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 23, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Poly(hydroxyalkanoates)-Based Polymeric Nanoparticles for Drug DeliveryEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Poly (hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) have recently attracted a great deal of academic and industrial interest for their biodegradability and biocompatibility making them suitable for environmental and biomedical applications. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-) (PHB-) and Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA-) based nanoparticles were prepared using the dialysis method as yet unreported for the preparation of nanoparticles based on PHB. Processing conditions were varied in order to evaluate their influence on morphology, drug encapsulation, and size of nanoparticles. The relevant results obtained give a theoretical understanding of the phe...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 18, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals

Variable Increased Expression of Program Death-1 and Program Death-1 Ligands on Peripheral Mononuclear Cells Is Not Impaired in Patients with Systemic Lupus ErythematosusEmail this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Programmed death-1 (PD-1) was shown to deliver an inhibitory signal after binding to its ligands, PD-L1 (B7-H1) or PD-L2 (B7-DC). Recently, up-regulated expression of PD-1 molecule and/or its ligands was demonstrated in human diseases including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory colitis. The study aimed to investigate the expression and function of PD-1 and PD-1 ligands on circulating T cells, B cells and monocytes from patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The results showed that patients with SLE had significantly increased percentages of PD-1-expressing CD3+T cells and CD19+B cells, PD-L1-expressing CD19+B...
Source: Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology - September 16, 2009 Category: Biotechnology Source Type: journals