Publications by authors named "Benjamin J Lantz"
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates whether maternal exercise can protect offspring from high-altitude pulmonary hypertension (PH) resulting from chronic hypoxic conditions, simulating high-altitude environments.
- Female mice were assigned to exercise or non-exercise groups during pregnancy, and their offspring were either kept at low altitude or exposed to hypoxia, with various health metrics assessed after eight weeks.
- Results showed that hypoxia led to smaller body sizes, reduced motor function, and PH signs in offspring, but maternal exercise did not significantly mitigate these effects, indicating the need for further research for conclusive findings.
Article Synopsis
- Chronic hypoxia (CH) leads to an increase in pro-inflammatory T helper 17 (T17) cells and a decrease in the suppressive function of regulatory T cells (Tregs), which is linked to the development of pulmonary hypertension (PH).
- In mice exposed to CH, Tregs showed altered gene expression indicating reduced suppressive capabilities, while T17 cells were found to be more prevalent.
- The study reveals that under chronic hypoxic conditions, Tregs may transition into exTreg-T17 cells, further exacerbating the imbalance between Tregs and T17 cells and contributing to the onset of PH.
Article Synopsis
- Charged residues on proteins are essential for stability and binding, but high net-charge regions can destabilize proteins while helping them interact with oppositely charged targets.
- Researchers studied the folding of a specific yeast protein domain (SH3) and found that increased salt concentrations surprisingly stabilize its structure by mimicking interactions that occur during target binding.
- The study revealed that while the protein experiences both hydrophobic collapse and electrostatic repulsion during folding, the formation of favorable interactions like salt-bridges and hydrogen bonds allows it to maintain a functional, folded state after overcoming initial challenges.
Article Synopsis
- Charged residues on proteins are crucial for stability and interactions, often creating regions that might destabilize proteins but are necessary for binding to oppositely charged targets.
- The study found that increasing salt concentrations stabilizes the folding of the yeast SH3 domain by reducing electrostatic repulsion, thanks to effects like Debye-Huckel screening.
- Experiments revealed that while the addition of urea or salt affects folding rates, the key folding events happen in the transition state, allowing the protein domain to efficiently fold and prepare for binding despite its high charge.
NFATc3 regulation of collagen V expression contributes to cellular immunity to collagen type V and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol
December 2020
Article Synopsis
- Chronic hypoxia leads to pulmonary hypertension primarily due to inflammation caused by T helper-17 (T17) cells, although the exact antigens involved remain unidentified.
- The study reveals that smooth muscle NFATc3 increases the expression of collagen type V (col V), which is usually hidden from the immune system, triggering an autoimmune response from naturally occurring T17 cells in response to hypoxia.
- Experiments with smooth muscle cell-specific knockout mice showed that the absence of NFATc3 prevents the development of pulmonary hypertension, indicating its crucial role in the immune response and inflammation linked to chronic hypoxia.
Article Synopsis
- Protein purification is crucial for studying protein structure and developing new therapeutics, leading to a need for improved methods to purify multiple proteins simultaneously.* -
- The researchers created a multi-column plate adapter (MCPA) to efficiently purify proteins using gravity or vacuum, allowing for the simultaneous purification of up to 96 samples with ease.* -
- The MCPA system is adaptable for optimizing different purification parameters and produces enough protein for further analysis, making it a valuable tool in laboratory settings.*