Sex-dependent effect of aging on calcium signaling and expression of TRPM2 and CRAC channels in human neutrophils.

The vulnerability of older adults to bacterial infections has been associated with age-related changes in neutrophils. We analyzed the consequences of aging on calcium (Ca) mobilization and TRPM2 and CRAC channels expression in human neutrophils. The percentages of granulocytes, mature neutrophils, and neutrophil precursors were equivalent between young and older adults.

Aging does not affect calcium response to CCL2 and LPS in human monocytes.

Monocytes play important roles in anti-microbial and anti-viral responses and chronic inflammatory diseases. Monocytes' functions are altered by aging. We investigated age-changes in calcium (Ca) response to CCL2 and LPS in human monocytes.

Avenanthramide-C prevents amyloid formation of bovine serum albumin.

The misfolding of protein and its assembly into amyloid fibrils with a characteristic β-sheet-rich secondary structure, cause a lot of illnesses. Polyphenols have been extensively studied as a class of amyloid inhibitors, whose effect depends on the position and number of hydroxyl groups around the flavone backbone. In this study, we used bovine serum albumin (BSA) as an amyloid model to test the anti-amyloid effects of Avenanthramide-C (Avn-C), a molecule with a long aliphatic linker between two aromatic rings.

Evaluation of the TRPM2 channel as a biomarker in breast cancer using public databases analysis.

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies affecting women. Recent investigations have revealed a major role of ion channels in cancer. The transient receptor potential melastatin-2 (TRPM2) is a plasma membrane and lysosomal channel with important roles in cell migration and cell death in immune cells and tumor cells.

Preparation and characterization of a monoclonal antibody specific to histone acetyltransferase from Plasmodium falciparum.

We have obtained a specific monoclonal antibody (MAb) against the Plasmodium falciparum histone acetyl transferase (PfGcn5), a transcriptional factor that possesses HAT activity directed to the amino terminal of histone H3. To prepare this antibody, a 968-base pair (bp) DNA fragment of PfGcn5 gene corresponding to C-terminal domain was obtained by RT-PCR and cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T3. MAb against PfGcn5 was obtained with hybridoma technique and ELISA screening using either purified GSTPfGcn5 protein or purified GST protein alone as a control.

Telomeric heterochromatin propagation and histone acetylation control mutually exclusive expression of antigenic variation genes in malaria parasites.

Malaria parasites use antigenic variation to avoid immune clearance and increase the duration of infection in the human host. Variation at the surface of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes is mediated by the differential control of a family of surface antigens encoded by var genes.

Recombinant and native Plasmodium falciparum TATA-binding-protein binds to a specific TATA box element in promoter regions.

RNA polymerase II promoters in Plasmodium spp., like in most eukaryotes, have a bipartite structure. However, the identification of a functional TATA box located within the Plasmodium spp.