Conditional Activation of Protein Therapeutics by Templated Removal of Peptide Nucleic Acid Masking Groups.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2)-based therapeutics are emerging as treatments for immunotherapy; however, systemic activation of immune cells hampers their success. Chemically controlling the activity of potent cytokines could mitigate unwanted T cell stimulation and widen their therapeutic window. In this study, we developed a strategy for the conditional activation of proteins utilizing removable peptide nucleic acid (PNA) masking groups.

Pregnant women with periodontal disease: can complete blood count be useful?

Prenatal care is of fundamental importance and must be carried out by a multidisciplinary healthcare team, including dental care, as several changes and complications affecting the oral cavity may occur during pregnancy. This was a cross-sectional study that aimed to analyze the hematological profile of pregnant women with and without periodontal disease (PD). Data were obtained by consulting medical and dental records, which were stratified into two subgroups: pregnant women with PD (n=107) and pregnant women without PD (n=42).

Ayahuasca reverses ischemic stroke-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress.

Background: Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Survivors face disability and psychiatric sequelae resulting from ischemia-induced cell death and associated neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. Herbal medicines have been shown to elicit neuroprotective effects following stroke due to their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

Ultrasensitive Protein Aggregate Quantification Assays for Neurodegenerative Diseases on the Simoa Platform.

Nanoscale aggregates play a key role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. However, quantifying these aggregates in complex biological samples, such as biofluids and postmortem brain tissue, has been challenging due to their low concentration and small size, necessitating the development of methods with high sensitivity and specificity. Here, we have developed ultrasensitive assays utilizing the Quanterix Simoa platform to detect α-synuclein, β-amyloid and tau aggregates, including those with common posttranslational modifications such as truncation of α-synuclein and AT8 phosphorylation of tau aggregates.