Tissue-specific regulation of cytochrome c by post-translational modifications: respiration, the mitochondrial membrane potential, ROS, and apoptosis.

Cytochrome c (Cyt c) plays a vital role in the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC). In addition, it is a key regulator of apoptosis. Cyt c has multiple other functions including ROS production and scavenging, cardiolipin peroxidation, and mitochondrial protein import.

Publisher Correction: Inhibitory modulation of cytochrome c oxidase activity with specific near-infrared light wavelengths attenuates brain ischemia/reperfusion injury.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Inhibitory modulation of cytochrome c oxidase activity with specific near-infrared light wavelengths attenuates brain ischemia/reperfusion injury.

The interaction of light with biological tissue has been successfully utilized for multiple therapeutic purposes. Previous studies have suggested that near infrared light (NIR) enhances the activity of mitochondria by increasing cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity, which we confirmed for 810 nm NIR. In contrast, scanning the NIR spectrum between 700 nm and 1000 nm revealed two NIR wavelengths (750 nm and 950 nm) that reduced the activity of isolated COX.

Plasma Lactate Levels Increase during Hyperinsulinemic Euglycemic Clamp and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test.

Insulin resistance, which plays a central role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D), is an early indicator that heralds the occurrence of T2D. It is imperative to understand the metabolic changes that occur at the cellular level in the early stages of insulin resistance. The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of circulating lactate levels during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamp (HIEC) study in normal nondiabetic subjects.

Macrophages inhibit insulin signalling in adipocytes: role of inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitric oxide.

Objectives: The interaction of immune cells with adipocytes within the adipose tissues in obese persons with diabetes mellitus may play a role in insulin resistance. We examined in vitro whether nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) play a role in impaired insulin signalling in adipocytes exposed to activated macrophages.

Methods: We used a co-culture system in which Raw264.

Elevated circulating lipasin/betatrophin in human type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Lipasin (also known as C19ORF80, RIFL, ANGPTL8 and betatrophin) is a newly discovered circulating factor that regulates lipid metabolism and promotes pancreatic β-cell proliferation. Whether circulating levels of lipasin in humans are altered in a) type 2 diabetes; b) obesity and c) the postprandial state, however, is unknown. The current study aimed to compare serum lipasin levels in those who were a) non-diabetic (N=15) or diabetic (BMI- and age-matched; N=14); b) lean or obese (N=53 totally) and c) fasting and 2 hours following a defined meal (N=12).

Longitudinal analyses of gut mucosal microbiotas in ulcerative colitis in relation to patient age and disease severity and duration.

Bacteria belonging to the normal colonic microbiota are associated with the etiology of ulcerative colitis (UC). Although several mucosal species have been implicated in the disease process, the organisms and mechanisms involved are unknown. The aim of this investigation was to characterize mucosal biofilm communities over time and to determine the relationship of these bacteria to patient age and disease severity and duration.

GnRH increases glucose transporter-1 expression and stimulates glucose uptake in the gonadotroph.

GnRH is the main regulator of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (H-P-G) axis. GnRH stimulates the pituitary gonadotroph to synthesize and secrete gonadotrophins (LH and FSH), and this effect of GnRH is dependent on the availability of glucose and other nutrients. Little is known about whether GnRH regulates glucose metabolism in the gonadotroph.

Distinct roles for mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) and ERK-MAPK in PTH1R signaling during osteoblast proliferation and differentiation.

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related protein (PTHrP) activate one single receptor (PTH1R) which mediates catabolic and anabolic actions in the bone. Activation of PTH1R modulates multiple intracellular signaling responses. We previously reported that PTH and PTHrP down-regulate pERK1/2 and cyclin D1 in differentiated osteoblasts.

STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation is critical for interleukin 1 beta and interleukin-6 production in response to lipopolysaccharide and live bacteria.

Both interleukin 1 beta (IL-1beta) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are pro-inflammatory cytokines that play a major role in inflammatory diseases as well as cancer. In this work we investigated the signaling pathway involving lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated IL-1beta and IL-6 production in murine macrophage cell lines and primary macrophages. We show that in response to LPS, the JAK/STAT pathway is activated, leading to tyrosine phosphorylation at residue 705 on STAT3 and at residue 701 on STAT1, respectively.

Potentiation of the anti-tumour effect of docetaxel by conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) in breast cancer cells in vitro.

Response rates of tumours to docetaxel (DOCT) are 45-60% in advanced breast cancer but problems associated with side effects, drug resistance and high costs occur. Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) also have anti-tumorigenic activity that elicits similar changes in oncogene expression to DOCT and could augment DOCT efficacy. CLA isomers appear to differ in cytotoxicity toward cancer cells.

Mucosa-associated bacterial diversity in relation to human terminal ileum and colonic biopsy samples.

Little is known about bacterial communities that colonize mucosal surfaces in the human gastrointestinal tract, but they are believed to play an important role in host physiology. The objectives of this study were to investigate the compositions of these populations in the distal small bowel and colon. Healthy mucosal tissue from either the terminal ileum (n = 6) or ascending (n = 8), transverse (n = 8), or descending colon (n = 4) of 26 patients (age, 68.

Down-regulation of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1/redox factor-1 expression by soy isoflavones enhances prostate cancer radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo.

We previously showed that genistein, the major bioactive component of soy isoflavones, acts as a radiosensitizer and potentiates prostate tumor cell killing by radiation in vitro and in animal tumor models in vivo. However, when given alone in vivo, pure genistein promoted increased lymph node metastasis, which was not observed with a soy isoflavone mixture consisting of genistein, daidzein, and glycitein. In this study, we show that soy inhibit tumor cell growth and potentiates radiation-induced cell killing in vitro like pure genistein.

Characterisation of intestinal bacteria in infant stools using real-time PCR and northern hybridisation analyses.

Real-time PCR and northern hybridisations were used to quantify bacterial populations in the large gut of infants. PCR primers for rapid, sensitive, high throughput detection of bifidobacteria, bacteroides, sulphate-reducing bacteria and Enterococcus faecalis, based on analysis of 16S rRNA genes were used. Bacterial populations were analysed in faeces from 40 infants aged 0-6, 7-12 and 13-24 months.

Characterization of bacterial communities in feces from healthy elderly volunteers and hospitalized elderly patients by using real-time PCR and effects of antibiotic treatment on the fecal microbiota.

Fecal bacteria were studied in healthy elderly volunteers (age, 63 to 90 years; n = 35) living in the local community, elderly hospitalized patients (age, 66 to 103; n = 38), and elderly hospitalized patients receiving antibiotic treatment (age, 65 to 100; n = 21). Group- and species-specific primer sets targeting 16S rRNA genes were used to quantitate intestinal bacteria by using DNA extracted from feces and real-time PCR. The principal difference between healthy elderly volunteers and both patient cohorts was a marked reduction in the Bacteroides-Prevotella group following hospitalization.

Effects of ascorbic acid, glutathione, thiocyanate, and iodide on antimicrobial activity of acidified nitrite.

It has been hypothesized that dietary nitrite augments the antimicrobial activity of gastric acid after conversion to nitric oxide and other reactive nitrogen intermediates, thus resulting in increased resistance against gastrointestinal infection. In this study, we showed that the reducing agents ascorbic acid and glutathione reduced the activity of acidified nitrite against Yersinia enterocolitica (P < 0.001).