Publications by authors named "Alexis Gonzalez"

Background: During diabetes, prorenin is highly produced by the renal collecting ducts. The binding of prorenin to (pro)renin receptor (PRR) on the apical plasma membrane triggers intracellular profibrotic genes, including TGF-β and CTGF. However, the underlying mechanisms contributing to the stimulation of these pathways remain unclear.

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  • * The (pro)renin receptor (PRR), important for sodium reabsorption and blood pressure control, is upregulated in intercalated cells of the collecting duct in 2K1C mice, indicating a connection between reduced blood flow and increased blood pressure.
  • * Experiments reveal that blocking OXGR1 or using OXGR1 knockout mice hampers PRR upregulation in response
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Background: Tenuous blood supply carries a risk of wound-healing problems and subsequent infection following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This risk may be increased by the presence of previous incisions. Performing a sham incision procedure allows for detection of wound-healing problems prior to performing TKA.

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  • The KEAP1-NFE2L2 pathway is crucial for how cells respond to metabolic and oxidative stress, regulating the levels of NFE2L2, a key transcription factor that activates protective genes.
  • Infection by Legionella pneumophila triggers a process where the autophagy receptor SQSTM1 is modified, preventing its binding to KEAP1, leading to the degradation of NFE2L2 and a drop in antioxidant gene expression during the early phase of infection.
  • As the infection progresses, serine ubiquitination levels of SQSTM1 decrease, allowing the activation of NFE2L2-target genes, which differentially affects the host's metabolome and proteome.
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Increased body weight (BW) induces inappropriate renin-angiotensin system (RAS) activation. The activation of the intrarenal RAS is associated with increased urinary angiotensinogen (uAGT), blood pressure (BP), and kidney damage. Here, we examined uAGT excretion levels in young non-diabetic human subjects with overweight (OW) and non-diabetic mice with high-fat diet (HFD)-induced OW.

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Selective autophagy of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), known as ER-phagy, is an important regulator of ER remodeling and essential to maintain cellular homeostasis during environmental changes. We recently showed that members of the FAM134 family play a critical role during stress-induced ER-phagy. However, the mechanisms on how they are activated remain largely unknown.

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  • Homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) is a serious metabolic disorder caused by LDL receptor mutations, leading to high cholesterol levels and premature death if left untreated; lomitapide is a FDA-approved drug for lowering lipids in adult HoFH patients.* -
  • This study tested lomitapide's effects in LDL receptor-knockout mice on different diets, assessing factors like body weight, lipid profiles, blood glucose, and vascular health.* -
  • Results showed that lomitapide treatment significantly reduced body weight, fat mass, and cholesterol levels while improving vascular function, suggesting its effectiveness in managing cardiovascular issues related to high fat levels in HoFH.*
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This work studied the distribution, reactivity, and biological effects of pentavalent or trivalent antimony (Sb(V), Sb(III)) and N-methylglucamine antimonate (NMG-Sb(V)) in Wistar Rats. The expression of fibrosis genes such as α - SMA, PAI-1, and CTGF were determined in Liver, and Kidney tissues. Wistar rats were treated with different concentrations of Sb(V), Sb(III), As(V) and As(III), and MA via intra-peritoneal injections.

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The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) undergoes continuous remodelling via a selective autophagy pathway, known as ER-phagy. ER-phagy receptors have a central role in this process, but the regulatory mechanism remains largely unknown. Here we report that ubiquitination of the ER-phagy receptor FAM134B within its reticulon homology domain (RHD) promotes receptor clustering and binding to lipidated LC3B, thereby stimulating ER-phagy.

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Membrane-shaping proteins characterized by reticulon homology domains play an important part in the dynamic remodelling of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). An example of such a protein is FAM134B, which can bind LC3 proteins and mediate the degradation of ER sheets through selective autophagy (ER-phagy). Mutations in FAM134B result in a neurodegenerative disorder in humans that mainly affects sensory and autonomic neurons.

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Chronic diabetes mellitus (DM) can lead to kidney damage associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), proteinuria, and tubular damage. Altered protein expression levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1), fibronectin, and renal NADPH oxidase (NOX-4) are associated with the profibrotic phenotype in renal tubular cells. NOX-4 is one of the primary sources of ROS in the diabetic kidney and responsible for the induction of profibrotic factors in collecting duct (CD) cells.

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Objectives: Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), the main metabolites released from the gut microbiota, are altered during hypertension and obesity. SCFAs play a beneficial role in the cardiovascular system. However, the effect of SCFAs on cerebrovascular endothelial cells is yet to be uncovered.

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  • - The study found that levels of soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) were higher in the urine and plasma of African green monkeys infected with SARS-CoV-2.
  • - This increase in suPAR suggests a potential link to kidney issues and health problems in the context of COVID-19.
  • - The research highlights the possibility of using suPAR measurements to understand kidney function in COVID-19 cases.
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Background: The presence of a chronic total occlusion (CTO) in a non-infarct-related artery in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), may be a sign of bad prognosis.

Aim: To estimate the long-term survival of patients with AMI who were studied with coronarography during 2013-2014 who had one or more CTO in a non-infarct-related artery.

Material And Methods: Review of coronary angiograms performed between 2013 and 2014 to patients with an AMI.

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In Brief: Glucose is an important nutrient for the endometrium and embryo during pregnancy. This study shows that estradiol (E2)/IGF1 signaling stimulates glycogen synthesis in the uterine epithelium of cows, which could provide glucose when needed.

Abstract: Glycogen storage in the uterine epithelium peaks near estrus and is a potential source of glucose for the endometrium and embryos.

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Background: The Center of Molecular Immunology of Cuba has developed a programme for the conducting of multicentre oncology clinical trials in primary healthcare centres since 2009.

Aim: To evaluate the ability to conduct oncology clinical trials in primary health care.

Design & Setting: A longitudinal, prospective, analytical study was developed between July 2010 and August 2020 in the Villa Clara province.

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Macroautophagy and the ubiquitin proteasome system work as an interconnected network in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Indeed, efficient activation of macroautophagy upon nutritional deprivation is sustained by degradation of preexisting proteins by the proteasome. However, the specific substrates that are degraded by the proteasome in order to activate macroautophagy are currently unknown.

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Legionella pneumophila, a Gram-negative intracellular bacterium, is one of the major causes of Legionnaires' disease, a specific type of atypical pneumonia. Despite intensive research efforts that elucidated many relevant structural, molecular and medical insights into Legionella's pathogenicity, Legionnaires' disease continues to present an ongoing public health concern. Legionella's virulence is based on its ability to simultaneously hijack multiple molecular pathways of the host cell to ensure its fast replication and dissemination.

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The production of renin by the principal cells of the collecting duct has widened our understanding of the regulation of intrarenal angiotensin II (Ang II) generation and blood pressure. In the collecting duct, Ang II increases the synthesis and secretion of renin by mechanisms involving the activation of Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) via stimulation of the PKCα, Ca, and cAMP/PKA/CREB pathways. Additionally, paracrine mediators, including vasopressin (AVP), prostaglandins, bradykinin (BK), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), regulate renin in principal cells.

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Anticancer drugs play an important role in reducing mortality rates and increasing life expectancy in cancer patients. Treatments include monotherapy and/or a combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or immunotherapy. Despite great advances in drug development, some of these treatments have been shown to induce cardiotoxicity directly affecting heart function and structure, as well as accelerating the development of cardiovascular disease.

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Growing evidence indicates that prorenin receptor (PRR) is upregulated in collecting duct (CD) of diabetic kidney. Prorenin is secreted by the principal CD cells, and is the natural ligand of the PRR. PRR activation stimulates fibrotic factors, including fibronectin, collagen, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) contributing to tubular fibrosis.

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Diabetes mellitus (DM) causes high glucose (HG) levels in the plasma and urine. The (pro)renin receptor (PRR) is a key regulator of renal Na handling. PRR is expressed in intercalated (IC) cells of the collecting duct (CD) and binds renin to promote angiotensin (Ang) II formation, thereby contributing to Na reabsorption.

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The intrarenal renin-angiotensin system is critical for the regulation of tubule sodium reabsorption, renal haemodynamics and blood pressure. The excretion of renin in urine can result from its increased filtration, the inhibition of renin reabsorption by megalin in the proximal tubule, or its secretion by the principal cells of the collecting duct. Modest increases in circulating or intrarenal angiotensin II (ANGII) stimulate the synthesis and secretion of angiotensinogen in the proximal tubule, which provides sufficient substrate for collecting duct-derived renin to form angiotensin I (ANGI).

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In the kidney, the stimulation of renin production by the collecting duct (CD-renin) contributes to the development of hypertension. The CD is a major nephron segment for the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO), and low NO bioavailability in the renal medulla is associated with hypertension. However, it is unknown whether NO regulates renin production in the CD.

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