Does larch arabinogalactan enhance immune function? A review of mechanistic and clinical trials.

The common cold is a viral infection with important economic burdens in Western countries. The research and development of nutritional solutions to reduce the incidence and severity of colds today is a major focus of interest, and larch arabinogalactan seems to be a promising supportive agent. Arabinogalactan has been consumed by humans for thousands of years and is found in a variety of common vegetables as well as in medicinal herbs.

Evaluation of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative potential of four fern species from China intended for use as food supplements.

Inflammation plays a major role in many diseases, for instance in arteriosclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune disorders and cancer. Since many plants contain compounds with anti-inflammatory activity, their consumption may be able to prevent the development of inflammatory-based diseases. Edible ferns are some of the most important wild vegetables in China and have traditionally been used both for dietary and therapeutic purposes.

Signaling via class IA Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) in human, breast-derived cell lines.

We have addressed the differential roles of class I Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3K) in human breast-derived MCF10a (and iso-genetic derivatives) and MDA-MB 231 and 468 cells. Class I PI3Ks are heterodimers of p110 catalytic (α, β, δ and γ) and p50-101 regulatory subunits and make the signaling lipid, phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PtdIns(3,4,5)P3) that can activate effectors, eg protein kinase B (PKB), and responses, eg migration. The PtdIns(3,4,5)P3-3-phosphatase and tumour-suppressor, PTEN inhibits this pathway.

A case-control study of colorectal cancer detection by quantification of DNA isolated from directly collected exfoliated colonocytes.

This pilot study aimed to assess an original test based on the analysis of exfoliated colonocytes as a new approach to colorectal cancer (CRC) detection. DNA was isolated from exfoliated cells collected from the surface of the rectal mucosa by a standardized minimally invasive procedure in a case-control trial involving 66 patients with CRC diagnosis and 110 healthy volunteers (age 50-70). PicoGreen staining and quantitative real-time PCR (QRTPCR) were used for DNA quantification.

Expression of GIMAP1, a GTPase of the immunity-associated protein family, is not up-regulated in malaria.

Background: GIMAP (GTPase of the immunity-associated protein family) proteins are a family of putative GTPases believed to be regulators of cell death in lymphomyeloid cells. GIMAP1 was the first reported member of this gene family, identified as a gene up-regulated at the RNA level in the spleens of mice infected with the malarial parasite, Plasmodium chabaudi.

Methods: A monoclonal antibody against mouse GIMAP1 was developed and was used to analyse the expression of the endogenous protein in tissues of normal mice and in defined sub-populations of cells prepared from lymphoid tissues using flow cytometry.

Colorectal cancer detection by measuring DNA from exfoliated colonocytes obtained by direct contact with rectal mucosa.

The purpose of the study was to explore the potential of direct exfoliated colonocyte collection from human rectal mucosa for colorectal cancer screening. A special device was designed for standardized collection of exfoliated cells from the surface of human rectal mucosa. Material was collected from 120 outpatients selected for colonoscopy and 36 patients with confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer or large polyps.

A natural hypomorphic variant of the apoptosis regulator Gimap4/IAN1.

The Gimap/IAN family of GTPases has been implicated in the regulation of cell survival, particularly in lymphomyeloid cells. Prosurvival and prodeath properties have been described for different family members. We generated novel serological reagents to study the expression in rats of the prodeath family member Gimap4 (IAN1), which is sharply up-regulated at or soon after the stage of T cell-positive selection in the thymus.

Expression of the Ian family of putative GTPases during T cell development and description of an Ian with three sets of GTP/GDP-binding motifs.

Reports suggest that two members of the novel immune-associated nucleotide (Ian) GTPase family, Ian1 and Ian5, play roles in T cell development. We performed real-time PCR analysis of the expression of Ian genes of the rat during T cell maturation, in macrophages and in cell lines. We found that all of the genes were expressed at relatively low levels at the early double-negative thymocyte stage but were expressed more strongly at later cell stages.

Measurement of faecal immunoglobulin a levels in young children.

A nephelometric immunoassay was developed to quantify immunoglobulin A (IgA) in children's stools. This method enables IgA in faecal protein extracts to be measured over a large range of concentrations (1.61-51.