Over-expression of AtEXLA2 alters etiolated arabidopsis hypocotyl growth.

Background And Aims: Plant stature and shape are largely determined by cell elongation, a process that is strongly controlled at the level of the cell wall. This is associated with the presence of many cell wall proteins implicated in the elongation process. Several proteins and enzyme families have been suggested to be involved in the controlled weakening of the cell wall, and these include xyloglucan endotransglucosylases/hydrolases (XTHs), yieldins, lipid transfer proteins and expansins.

Characterization of a small auxin-up RNA (SAUR)-like gene involved in Arabidopsis thaliana development.

The root of Arabidopsis thaliana is used as a model system to unravel the molecular nature of cell elongation and its arrest. From a micro-array performed on roots that were treated with aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), the precursor of ethylene, a Small auxin-up RNA (SAUR)-like gene was found to be up regulated. As it appeared as the 76th gene in the family, it was named SAUR76.

Multifunctionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles for the in vitro treatment of retinoblastoma: Drug delivery, one and two-photon photodynamic therapy.

In this work, we focused on mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) for one photon excitated photodynamic therapy (OPE-PDT) combined with drug delivery and carbohydrate targeting applied on retinoblastoma, a rare disease of childhood. We demonstrate that bitherapy (camptothecin delivery and photodynamic therapy) performed with MSN on retinoblastoma cancer cells was efficient in inducing cancer cell death. Alternatively MSN designed for two-photon excited photodynamic therapy (TPE-PDT) were also studied and irradiation at low fluence efficiently killed retinoblastoma cancer cells.

Cancer therapy improvement with mesoporous silica nanoparticles combining targeting, drug delivery and PDT.

The synthesis of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) covalently encapsulating fluoresceine or a photosensitizer, functionalized with galactose on the surface is described. Confocal microscopy experiments demonstrated that the uptake of galactose-functionalized MSN by colorectal cancer cells was mediated by galactose receptors leading to the accumulation of the nanoparticles in the endosomal and lysosomal compartments. The MSN functionalized with a photosensitizer and galactose were loaded with the anti-cancer drug camptothecin.

A strategy for the targeting of photosensitizers. Synthesis, characterization, and photobiological property of porphyrins bearing glycodendrimeric moieties.

This paper describes the conception, synthesis, and characterization of new tetrapyrrolic chromophores bearing glycodendrimeric moieties inducing a potential increase of tumor targeting by a cluster effect. Two families of monoglycodendrimeric photosensitizers bearing three glycosyl units were designed, prepared with an acceptable overall efficiency and characterized by NMR, UV-visible, and fluorescence spectroscopies. The polarity and log P were evaluated by HPLC and the stir-flask method, respectively.