Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) is the most common form of allergic eye disease and an increasingly prevalent condition. Topical eye drop treatments are the usual approach for managing AC, although their impact on the ocular surface is not frequently investigated. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative physicochemical characterization, and in vitro biological evaluations in primary conjunctival and corneal epithelial cells of the new multidose preservative-free bilastine 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe antibiotic tetracycline demeclocycline (DMC) was recently reported to rescue α-synuclein (α-Syn) fibril-induced pathology. However, the antimicrobial activity of DMC precludes its potential use in long-term neuroprotective treatments. Here, we synthesized a doubly reduced DMC (DDMC) derivative with residual antibiotic activity and improved neuroprotective effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe UV-nanoimprint lithography(UV-NIL) fabrication of a novel network of micron-sized channels, forming an open channel microfluidic system is described. Details about the complete manufacturing process, from mastering to fabrication in small batches and in high throughput with up to 1200 micro titer plates per hour is presented. Deep insight into the evaluation of a suitable UV-curable material, mr-UVCur26SF is given, presenting cytotoxic evaluation, cell compatibility tests and finally a neuronal assay.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To assess the effect of somatostatin (SST) on the permeability of human retinal pigment epithelial cells.
Methods: We conducted two experiments, exposing cells from human-fetal retinal pigment epithelium (hfRPE) cultures to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), with or without SST pretreatment, in one, and to hypoxic conditions, again with or without SST pretreatment, in the other. The paracellular permeability of hfRPE was assessed by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and fluorescein isothiocyanate-sodium (FITC-sodium) flux.
5-Hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP) is a serotonin pathway metabolite of L-tryptophan in the brain. In the knowledge that the biological properties of some compounds can be modified upon metal complexation, a new solid metal complex, [Cu(5-hydroxytryptophan)].HO (Cu5HTP), has been synthesized and characterized to analyze the modification of some biological properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNomad Technology (Innoprot [Innovative Technologies in Biological Systems], Derio, Spain), a novel tool for multiplexing high-throughput cell-based G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) assays, is described in this work. This new technology comprises a family of fluorescent biosensors called Nomad Biosensors that allow for the measurement of responses mediated by G proteins through their interactions with second-messenger transduction proteins. GPCRs are one of the largest protein families of receptors in eukaryotes, and their signaling mediates important physiological processes within cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe anticancer and antimetastatic behavior of the flavonoid luteolin and its oxidovanadium(IV) complex [VO(lut)(HO)]Na·3HO (VOlut) has been investigated. Considering that the complex displayed strong anticancer activity on MDAMB231 human breast cancer cell line we herein determined through in vitro assays that the complex would probably reduce breast cancer cell metastasis in a higher extent than the natural antioxidant. In the CT26 colon cancer cell line a stronger anticancer effect has also been determined for the complex (IC 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFParkinson disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, causing tremor and motor impairment. Parkin protein, whose mutants are the cause of Parkinson disease type 2 (PARK2), has been mechanistically linked to the regulation of apoptosis and the turnover of damaged mitochondria. Several studies have implicated aberrant mitochondria as a key contributor to the development of PD.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe natural antioxidant flavonoid diosmin, found in citric fruits, showed low antioxidant properties among other flavonoids due to its structural characteristics and low cytotoxicity against lung (A549) and breast (T47D, SKBR3 and MDAMB231) cancer cell lines. The anticancer behavior has been improved by the metal complex generated with the flavonoid and the oxidovanadium(IV) ion. This new complex, [VO(dios)(OH)3]Na5·6H2O (VOdios), has been synthesized and characterized both in solid and solution states.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemotherapy using metal coordination compounds for cancer treatment is the work of the ongoing research. Continuing our research on the improvement of the anticancer activity of natural flavonoids by metal complexation, a coordination compound of the natural antioxidant flavone luteolin (lut) and the oxidovanadium(IV) cation has been synthesized and characterized. Using different physicochemical measurements some structural aspects of [VO(lut)(H2O)2]Na·3H2O (VOlut) were determined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFColloids Surf B Biointerfaces
November 2015
Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) composed of long-chain fatty acids (palmitic acid, stearic acid or arachidic acid), Epikuron 200 (purified phosphatidylcholine), and bile salts (cholate, taurocholate or taurodeoxycholate) have been prepared by dilution of a microemulsion. A total of five different systems were prepared, and characterized by photon correlation spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and infrared spectroscopy. The SLN formulation showing optimal properties (lowest size and polydispersity index and highest zeta potential) was obtained with stearic acid and taurodeoxycholate as cosurfactant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNaringenin, a natural antioxidant present in grapefruit, oranges and the skin of tomatoes showed low antioxidant properties among other flavonoids due to its structural characteristics. Since many flavonoids were shown to have cell-killing and antioxidant activities, naringenin was investigated herein. In parallel with its antioxidant activities the flavonoid showed very low cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 100 μM against lung (A549) and breast (SKBr3 and MDAMB231) cancer cell lines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA new chlorogenate oxidovanadium complex (Na[VO(chlorog)(H2O)3].4H2O) was synthesized by using Schlenk methodology in the course of a reaction at inert atmosphere in which deprotonated chlorogenic acid ligand binds to oxidovanadium(IV) in a reaction experiment controlled via EPR technique and based in a species distribution diagram. The compound was characterized by FTIR, EPR, UV-visible and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies and thermogravimetric, differential thermal and elemental analyses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIt is known that flavonoids possess, among others, antioxidant and antitumoral properties that depend on their molecular structure. The central objective if this study was to investigate the potential antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of the flavonol morin and its new oxovanadium(IV) complex (VOmor) that was synthesized in order to modify the morin chemical structure. Two osteoblast (UMR106 and MC3T3E1), two breast tumor (T47D and SKBR3) and breast epithelial cell lines in culture were used for the antitumoral determinations.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Human melanoma frequently colonizes bone marrow (BM) since its earliest stage of systemic dissemination, prior to clinical metastasis occurrence. However, how melanoma cell adhesion and proliferation mechanisms are regulated within bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) microenvironment remain unclear. Consistent with the prometastatic role of inflammatory and angiogenic factors, several studies have reported elevated levels of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in melanoma although its pathogenic role in bone marrow melanoma metastasis is unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Implantation and growth of metastatic cancer cells at distant organs is promoted by inflammation-dependent mechanisms. A hepatic melanoma metastasis model where a majority of metastases are generated via interleukin-18-dependent mechanisms was used to test whether anti-inflammatory properties of resveratrol can interfere with mechanisms of metastasis.
Methods: Two experimental treatment schedules were used: 1) Mice received one daily oral dose of 1 mg/kg resveratrol after cancer cell injection and the metastasis number and volume were determined on day 12.
Background: The recruitment of vascular stromal and endothelial cells is an early event occurring during cancer cell growth at premetastatic niches, but how the microenvironment created by the initial three-dimensional (3D) growth of cancer cells affects their angiogenesis-stimulating potential is unclear.
Methods: The proangiogenic profile of CT26 murine colorectal carcinoma cells was studied in seven-day cultured 3D-spheroids of <300 mum in diameter, produced by the hanging-drop method to mimic the microenvironment of avascular micrometastases prior to hypoxia occurrence.
Results: Spheroid-derived CT26 cells increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion by 70%, which in turn increased the in vitro migration of primary cultured hepatic sinusoidal endothelium (HSE) cells by 2-fold.
Interleukin-18 (IL-18, interferon [IFN]-gamma-inducing factor) is a proinflammatory cytokine converted to a biologically active molecule by interleukin (IL)-1beta converting enzyme (caspase-1). A wide range of normal and cancer cell types can produce and respond to IL-18 through a specific receptor (IL-18R) belonging to the toll-like receptor family. The activity of IL-18 is regulated by IL-18-binding protein (IL-18bp), a secreted protein possessing the ability to neutralize IL-18 and whose blood level is affected by renal function and is induced by IFNgamma.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe investigated effects of endostatin (ES) in the prometastatic microenvironment of inflammation occurring during the microvascular phase of cancer cell infiltration in the liver. We used a model of intrasplenic injection of B16 melanoma (B16M) cells leading to hepatic metastasis through vascular cell adhesion molecule-(VCAM-1)-mediated capillary arrest of cancer cells via interleukin-18 (IL-18)-dependent mechanism. We show that administration of 50 mg/kg recombinant human (rh) ES 30 min before B16M, plus repetition of same dose for 3 additional days decreased metastasis number by 60%.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMyofibroblasts infiltrate malignant liver tumors, although their pathogenic implications are unclear. Immunohistochemical detection of alpha-smooth muscle actin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and CD31 and CD34 expression was used to analyze the contribution of myofibroblasts to angiogenesis in hepatic metastasis produced by intrasplenically-injected B16 melanoma (B16M). Because activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are oxygen-sensing myofibroblasts producing vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the effect of B16M and human A375 melanoma supernatants on VEGF production by immortalized rat HSC line T6 and primary cultured human HSCs also was studied under an hypoxic atmosphere mimicking a tumor microenvironment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe studied the role of endogenous interleukin (IL)-18 in hepatic metastasis by blocking this cytokine using the naturally occurring IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP). A single i.p.
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