Correlates of quality of life in South Korean patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation based on the symptom management model.

While hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has led to higher survival rates, the number of patients experiencing adverse reactions is also increasing. Based on the symptom management model, we aimed to analyze the relationships between symptom experience, symptom management strategies, self-management behavior, and quality of life among patients undergoing HSCT in South Korea and to identify the factors affecting their quality of life. The data of 67 conveniently sampled patients undergoing HSCT at a university-affiliated hospital, for the period from March 23 to June 7, 2016, were collected using a self-reported structured questionnaire.

Synergistic effects of 2A-mediated polyproteins on the production of lignocellulose degradation enzymes in tobacco plants.

Cost-effective bioethanol production requires a supply of various low-cost enzymes that can hydrolyse lignocellulosic materials consisting of multiple polymers. Because plant-based enzyme expression systems offer low-cost and large-scale production, this study simultaneously expressed β-glucosidase (BglB), xylanase (XylII), exoglucanase (E3), and endoglucanase (Cel5A) in tobacco plants, which were individually fused with chloroplast-targeting transit peptides and linked via the 2A self-cleaving oligopeptideex from foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) as follows: [RsBglB-2A-RaCel5A], [RsXylII-2A-RaCel5A], and [RsE3-2A-RaCel5A]. The enzymes were targeted to chloroplasts in tobacco cells and their activities were confirmed.

Pharmacological stimulation of NADH oxidation ameliorates obesity and related phenotypes in mice.

Objective: Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotides (NAD+ and NADH) play a crucial role in cellular energy metabolism, and a dysregulated NAD+-to-NADH ratio is implicated in metabolic syndrome. However, it is still unknown whether a modulating intracellular NAD+-to-NADH ratio is beneficial in treating metabolic syndrome. We tried to determine whether pharmacological stimulation of NADH oxidation provides therapeutic effects in rodent models of metabolic syndrome.

Serum amyloid A induces contrary immune responses via formyl peptide receptor-like 1 in human monocytes.

Although the level of serum amyloid A has been reported to be up-regulated during inflammatory response, the role of serum amyloid A on the regulation of inflammation and immune response has not been elucidated. We found that serum amyloid A stimulated the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-10, which are proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, respectively, in human monocytes. Low concentrations of serum amyloid A stimulated TNF-alpha production with maximal activity at 6 h after stimulation, whereas high concentrations of serum amyloid A stimulated IL-10 production with maximal activity at 12 h.

Group IB secretory phospholipase A2 stimulates CXC chemokine ligand 8 production via ERK and NF-kappa B in human neutrophils.

Although the level of group IB secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)-IB) has been reported to be up-regulated during inflammatory response, the role of sPLA(2)-IB on the regulation of inflammation and immune responses has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we found that sPLA(2)-IB stimulates the expression and secretion of CXCL8 without affecting other proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1beta or TNF alpha in human neutrophils. The induction of CXCL8 secretion by sPLA(2)-IB occurs at both the transcription and translational levels and correlates with activation of NF-kappaB.

Toxoplasma gondii-derived heat shock protein 70 stimulates the maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

We investigated the role of Toxoplasma gondii-derived heat shock protein 70 (TgHSP70) as a dendritic cell (DC) maturation-inducing molecule. TgHSP70 induced the maturation of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells as determined by increased levels of surface markers, namely, CD40, CD80, CD86, and HLA-DR. Moreover, TgHSP70 also reduced phagocytic activity and increased the allostimulatory capacity of DCs, suggesting the functional maturation of DCs by TgHSP70.

Activation of formyl peptide receptor-like 1 by WKYMVm induces serine phosphorylation of STAT3, which inhibits its tyrosine phosphorylation and nuclear translocation induced by hydrogen peroxide.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is an important transcription factor that modulates the expression of several genes. The activation of STAT3 accompanies tyrosine phosphorylation and its translocation to the nucleus. Formyl peptide receptor like 1 (FPRL1) is an important classical chemoattractant receptor.

Identification of peptides that antagonize formyl peptide receptor-like 1-mediated signaling.

Formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1) is an important classical chemoattractant receptor that is expressed in phagocytic cells in the peripheral blood and brain. Recently, various novel agonists have been identified from several origins, such as host-derived molecules. Activation of FPRL1 is closely related to inflammatory responses in the host defense mechanism and neurodegenerative disorders.

Stimulation of early gene induction and cell proliferation by lysophosphatidic acid in human amnion-derived WISH cells: role of phospholipase D-mediated pathway.

Human-amniotic WISH cells express the lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) receptor, LPA(1), LPA(2) but not LPA(3). When WISH cells were stimulated with LPA, phospholipase D (PLD) activation was dramatically induced via a cytosolic calcium increase and protein kinase C activation. We also found that LPA stimulated two kinds of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 kinase via PLD-dependent signaling pathways in WISH cells.

Up-regulation of phospholipase Cgamma1 and phospholipase D during the differentiation of human monocytes to dendritic cells.

Phospholipase C (PLC)gamma and phospholipase D (PLD) play pivotal roles in the signal transduction required for various cellular responses, including cell proliferation and differentiation. Dendritic cells (DCs), which are professional antigen-presenting cells, can be generated from human monocytes by stimulating the cells with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin 4 (IL-4). We investigated whether PLCgamma and PLD expression levels can be changed during the differentiation of the human monocytes into DCs.

Trp-Lys-Tyr-Met-Val-Met stimulates phagocytosis via phospho-lipase D-dependent signaling in mouse dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in activating the immune response against invading pathogens as well as dying cells or tumors. Although the immune response can be initiated by the phagocytic activity by DCs, the molecular mechanism involved in this process has not been fully investigated. Trp-Lys-Tyr-Met-Val-Met-NH(2) (WKYMVM) stimulates the activation of phospholipase D (PLD) via Ca(2+) increase and protein kinase C activation in mouse DC cell line, DC2.

Differential activation of formyl peptide receptor-like 1 by peptide ligands.

Formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1) plays a key role in the regulation of immune responses. The activation of FPRL1 induces a complicated pattern of cellular signaling, which results in the regulation of several immune responses, such as chemotactic migration and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because some of these cellular responses are not beneficial to the host, ligands that selectively modulate these cellular responses are useful.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate in amniotic fluid modulates cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human amnion-derived WISH cells.

The metabolism of arachidonic acid, in particular the generation of prostaglandins (PGs), has been proposed to play a key role in the regulation of labor. Moreover, several extracellular proteins have been reported to modulate PG synthesis in amnion cells. In this study, we found that lipid components dissolved in the amniotic fluid modulate PG synthesis in WISH human amnion cells and identified one of these components as a sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P).