A flow cytometric assay to detect viability and persistence of subsp. serotypes in nuclease-free water at 4 and 25°C.

spp. is one of the most isolated microorganisms reported to be responsible for human foodborne diseases and death. Water constitutes a major reservoir where the spp.

Repurposing live attenuated trivalent MMR vaccine as cost-effective cancer immunotherapy.

It has long been known that oncolytic viruses wield their therapeutic capability by priming an inflammatory state within the tumor and activating the tumor immune microenvironment, resulting in a multifaceted antitumor immune response. Vaccine-derived viruses, such as measles and mumps, have demonstrated promising potential for treating human cancer in animal models and clinical trials. However, the extensive cost of manufacturing current oncolytic viral products makes them far out of reach for most patients.

Effects of Gamma-Tocotrienol on Partial-Body Irradiation-Induced Intestinal Injury in a Nonhuman Primate Model.

Exposure to high doses of radiation, accidental or therapeutic, often results in gastrointestinal (GI) injury. To date, there are no therapies available to mitigate GI injury after radiation exposure. Gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) is a promising radioprotector under investigation in nonhuman primates (NHP).

Comprehensive Risk Assessment of Carbon Nanotubes Used for Agricultural Applications.

Carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNs) are often used for potential agricultural applications. Since CBNs applied to plants can easily enter plant organs and reach the human diet, the consequences of the introduction of CBNs into the food chain need to be investigated. We created a platform for a comprehensive investigation of the possible health risks of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) accumulated in the organs of exposed tomato plants.

Effects of Gamma-Tocotrienol on Intestinal Injury in a GI-Specific Acute Radiation Syndrome Model in Nonhuman Primate.

The gastrointestinal (GI) system is highly susceptible to irradiation. Currently, there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medical countermeasures for GI radiation injury. The vitamin E analog gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) is a promising radioprotector in mice and nonhuman primates (NHP).

Antimelanoma activities of chimeric thiazole-androstenone derivatives.

The discovery of chimeric anti-melanoma agents is reported. These molecules are potent growth suppressors of melanoma cells with growth inhibition of 50% (GI) values as low as 1.32 µM.

TUNEL Assay: A Powerful Tool for Kidney Injury Evaluation.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay is a long-established assay used to detect cell death-associated DNA fragmentation (3'-OH DNA termini) by endonucleases. Because these enzymes are particularly active in the kidney, TUNEL is widely used to identify and quantify DNA fragmentation and cell death in cultured kidney cells and animal and human kidneys resulting from toxic or hypoxic injury. The early characterization of TUNEL as an apoptotic assay has led to numerous misinterpretations of the mechanisms of kidney cell injury.

DNase I Induces Other Endonucleases in Kidney Tubular Epithelial Cells by Its DNA-Degrading Activity.

Endonuclease-mediated DNA fragmentation is both an immediate cause and a result of apoptosis and of all other types of irreversible cell death after injury. It is produced by nine enzymes including DNase I, DNase 2, their homologs, caspase-activated DNase (CAD) and endonuclease G (EndoG). The endonucleases act simultaneously during cell death; however, regulatory links between these enzymes have not been established.

Mechanism of graphene-induced cytotoxicity: Role of endonucleases.

Graphene, a crystalline allotrope or carbon, presents numerous useful properties; however, its toxicity is yet to be determined. One of the most dramatic and irreversible toxic abilities of carbon nanomaterials is the induction of DNA fragmentation produced by endogenous cellular endonucleases. This study demonstrated that pristine graphene exposed to cultured kidney tubular epithelial cells is capable of inducing DNA fragmentation measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, which is usually associated with cell death.

Serotonin transporter protects the placental cells against apoptosis in caspase 3-independent pathway.

Serotonin (5-HT) and its specific transporter, SERT play important roles in pregnancy. Using placentas dissected from 18d gestational SERT-knock out (KO), peripheral 5-HT (TPH1)-KO, and wild-type (WT) mice, we explored the role of 5-HT and SERT in placental functions in detail. An abnormal thick band of fibrosis and necrosis under the giant cell layer in SERT-KO placentas appeared only moderately in TPH1-KO and minimally present in WT placentas.

Carbamylated-oxidized LDL: proatherosclerotic effects on endothelial cells and macrophages.

Aim: Both oxidized LDL and carbamylated LDL are considered important for initiating atherosclerosis in patients with end-stage kidney disease through vascular endothelial cell dysfunction or injury. However their effects on each other and their relationship related to pro-atherosclerotic effects on endothelial cells and macrophages have not been investigated. In this study, we analyzed the competition between LDL carbamylation and oxidation, tested biological effects of carbamylated-oxidized LDL (coxLDL) toward the endothelial cells, assessed its ability to cause foam cell development, and determined the roles of scavenger receptors in this process.

Protective effect of zinc-N-acetylcysteine on the rat kidney during cold storage.

Cold storage of kidneys before transplantation is problematic because of the limited survival time of the allografts. In this study, zinc-N-acetylcysteine (ZnNAC) was shown to be a potent endonuclease inhibitor and antioxidant, and it was tested as a potential additive to a cold storage solution for kidney preservation. Exposure of normal rat kidney NRK-52E cells to ZnNAC resulted in zinc delivery to the cells as determined by TFL-Zn fluorophore and partial protection of the cells against injury by cold storage in University of Wisconsin solution (UWS) as measured by propidium iodide assay.

Interferon regulatory transcription factor 3 protects mice from uterine horn pathology during Chlamydia muridarum genital infection.

Mice with the type I interferon (IFN) receptor gene knocked out (IFNAR KO mice) or deficient for alpha/beta IFN (IFN-α/β) signaling clear chlamydial infection earlier than control mice and develop less oviduct pathology. Initiation of host IFN-β transcription during an in vitro chlamydial infection requires interferon regulatory transcription factor 3 (IRF3). The goal of the present study was to characterize the influence of IRF3 on chlamydial genital infection and its relationship to IFN-β expression in the mouse model.

Chronic uremia stimulates LDL carbamylation and atherosclerosis.

Carbamylated LDL (cLDL) is a potential atherogenic factor in chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether elevated plasma cLDL associates with atherosclerosis in vivo is unknown. Here, we induced CKD surgically in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE(-/-)) mice fed a high-fat diet to promote the development of atherosclerosis.

Deoxyribonuclease I is essential for DNA fragmentation induced by gamma radiation in mice.

Gamma radiation is known to induce cell death in several organs. This damage is associated with endonuclease-mediated DNA fragmentation; however, the enzyme that produces the latter and is likely to cause cell death is unknown. To determine whether the most abundant cytotoxic endonuclease DNase I mediates gamma-radiation-induced tissue injury, we used DNase I knockout mice and zinc chelate of 3,5-diisopropylsalicylic acid (Zn-DIPS), which, as we show, has DNase I inhibiting activity in vitro.