Chemokine Receptor N-Terminus Charge Dictates Reliance on Post-Translational Modifications for Effective Ligand Capture and Following Boosting by Defense Peptides.

The chemokine receptors CCR1 and CCR5 display overlapping expression patterns and ligand dependency. Here we find that ligand activation of CCR5, not CCR1, is dependent on N-terminal receptor O-glycosylation. Release from O-glycosylation dependency is obtained by increasing CCR5 N-terminus acidity to the level of CCR1.

Extracellular vesicle-associated proteins as potential biomarkers.

Every cell in the body secretes extracellular vesicles (EVs) possibly as cellular signaling components and these cell-derivatives can be found in multiple numbers in biological fluids. EVs have in the scientific field received great attention in relation to pathophysiology and disease diagnostics. Altered protein expressions associated with circulating EVs in diseased individuals can serve as biomarkers for different disease states.

[Myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome].

In this review, we discuss the myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), which is characterised by extreme mental and physical fatigue with associated symptoms of pain, disturbed sleep, cognitive and autonomic dysfunction, as well as post-exertional malaise. This con-dition is often preceded by an infection, severe physiological and/or psychological strain. Over the last decades, research has demonstrated mitochondrial, neuroendocrine, immuno-logical, and metabolic perturbations in patients with ME/CFS, giving hope for the development of new biomarkers and new treatment modalities.