A Novel Protocol for the Synthesis of 1,2,4-Oxadiazoles Active against Trypanosomatids and Drug-Resistant Leukemia Cell Lines.

Cancer and parasitic diseases, such as leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, share similarities that allow the co-development of new antiproliferative agents as a strategy to quickly track the discovery of new drugs. This strategy is especially interesting regarding tropical neglected diseases, for which chemotherapeutic alternatives are extremely outdated. We designed a series of ()-3-aryl-5-(2-aryl-vinyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazoles based on the reported antiparasitic and anticancer activities of structurally related compounds.

Expression of O-glycosylated oncofetal fibronectin in alternatively activated human macrophages.

Macrophage (Mϕ) polarization is an essential phenomenon for the maintenance of homeostasis and tissue repair, and represents the event by which Mϕ reach divergent functional phenotypes as a result to specific stimuli and/or microenvironmental signals. Mϕ can be polarized into two main phenotypes, M1 or classically activated and M2 or alternatively activated. These two categories diverge in many aspects, such as secreted cytokines, markers of cell surface, and biological functions.

The Sweet Side of Fungal Infections: Structural Glycan Diversity and Its Importance for Pathogenic Adaptation.

Fungal infections are the most common secondary infections in debilitated individuals in a state of chronic disease or immunosuppression. Despite this, most fungal infections are neglected, mainly due to the lower frequency of their more severe clinical forms in immunocompetent individuals with a healthy background. However, over the past few years, several cases of severe fungal infections in healthy individuals have provoked a change in the epidemiological dynamics of fungal infections around the world, both due to recurrent outbreaks in previously infrequent regions and the greater emergence of more pathogenic fungal variants affecting healthy individuals, such as in the genus.

COVID-19 Infection and Neuropathological Features.

The pathology associated with COVID-19 infection is progressively being revealed. Recent postmortem assessments have revealed acute airway inflammation as well as diffuse alveolar damage, which bears resemblance to severe acute respiratory syndromes induced by both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections. Although recent papers have highlighted some neuropathologies associated with COVID-19 infection, little is known about this topic of great importance in the area of public health.

Autoimmune Disorders & COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can progress to severe pneumonia with respiratory failure and is aggravated by the deregulation of the immune system causing an excessive inflammation including the cytokine storm. Since 2019, several studies regarding the interplay between autoimmune diseases and COVID-19 infections is increasing all over the world. In addition, thanks to new scientific findings, we actually know better why certain conditions are considered a higher risk in both situations.

Characterization of Gastrospheres Using 3D Coculture System.

To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in gastric disorders and regeneration, we need an in vitro tridimensional (3D) culture model, which can mimic the in vivo gastric microenvironment. A 3D coculture system named gastrosphere is proposed herein, composed of primary human gastric epithelial and stromal cells. The primary cultures were obtained from endoscopic gastric biopsies, and after mechanical and enzymatic dispersion, epithelial (HGE3) and stromal (HGS12) cells were expanded.

Gold nanoparticles do not induce myotube cytotoxicity but increase the susceptibility to cell death.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) have been widely used for many applications, including as biological carriers. A better understanding concerning AuNP safety on muscle cells is crucial, since it could be a potential tool in the nanomedicine field. Here, we describe the impact of polyethylene glycol-coated gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNP) interaction with differentiated skeletal muscle C2C12 cells on cell viability, mitochondria function, cell signaling related to survival, cytokine levels and susceptibility to apoptosis.

Influence of lycopene on cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis of human prostate cancer and benign hyperplastic cells.

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy in men and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men of the Western world. Lycopene has received attention because of its expcted potential to prevent cancer. In the present study, we evaluated the influence of lycopene on cell viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells and benign prostate hyperplastic cells.

Essential role of RIG-I in the activation of endothelial cells by dengue virus.

Dengue virus (DENV) infection is associated to exacerbated inflammatory response and structural and functional alterations in the vascular endothelium. However, the mechanisms underlying DENV-induced endothelial cell activation and their role in the inflammatory response were not investigated so far. We demonstrated that human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) are susceptible to DENV infection, which induces the expression of the cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptor (PRR) RIG-I.