Carnosine Protects Macrophages against the Toxicity of Aβ1-42 Oligomers by Decreasing Oxidative Stress.

Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is a naturally occurring endogenous peptide widely distributed in excitable tissues such as the brain. This dipeptide has well-known antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aggregation activities, and it may be useful for treatment of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this disease, peripheral infiltrating macrophages play a substantial role in the clearance of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides from the brain.

NUP-98 Rearrangements Led to the Identification of Candidate Biomarkers for Primary Induction Failure in Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Conventional chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia regimens generally encompass an intensive induction phase, in order to achieve a morphological remission in terms of bone marrow blasts (<5%). The majority of cases are classified as Primary Induction Response (PIR); unfortunately, 15% of children do not achieve remission and are defined Primary Induction Failure (PIF). This study aims to characterize the gene expression profile of PIF in children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), in order to detect molecular pathways dysfunctions and identify potential biomarkers.

Poly 2-methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine Protects Corneal Cells and Contact Lenses from Desiccation Damage.

Significance: Contact lens (CL) wearing may cause discomfort and eye dryness. We describe here the efficacy of a synthetic polymer in protecting both the corneal epithelial cells and the CL from desiccation damage. Artificial tears containing this polymer might be helpful to treat or prevent ocular surface damage in CL wearers.

Dectin-1 and TIM3 Expression in Deep Vein Thrombosis of Lower Limbs (DVTLL).

The pathophysiological mechanisms of venous thromboembolism are venous stasis, endothelial damage, and hypercoagulability, while less attention has been given to the role of both innate and native immunity. In this paper, we investigate the involvement of the activated immune system detected through some indicators such as TIM3 and Dectin-1 expressed by T lymphocytes. TIM3 and Dectin-1, two surface molecules that regulate the fine-tuning of innate and adaptive immune responses, were evaluated in patients affected by deep vein thrombosis of lower limbs (DVTLL).

Rapha Myr, a Blend of Sulforaphane and Myrosinase, Exerts Antitumor and Anoikis-Sensitizing Effects on Human Astrocytoma Cells Modulating Sirtuins and DNA Methylation.

Brain and other nervous system cancers are the 10th leading cause of death worldwide. Genome instability, cell cycle deregulation, epigenetic mechanisms, cytoarchitecture disassembly, redox homeostasis as well as apoptosis are involved in carcinogenesis. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables is inversely related with the risk of developing cancer.

Isolation and Characterization of a New Human Corneal Epithelial Cell Line: HCE-F.

Purpose: To isolate and characterize an epithelial cell (EC) line from a human donor cornea, which may serve as a reliable test cell line to address biomolecular issues and study the response of corneal epithelium to stressing events and therapeutic treatments.

Methods: A corneal button from a donor patient was treated with enzymes to separate the epithelial sheet and to free EC, which were put in tissue culture. ECs were characterized by optic and electronic microscopies, cytokeratins and PAX6 were detected by SDS-PAGE and western immunoblotting, the barrier function was evaluated by transepithelial electric resistance and by the immune detection of membrane junction proteins, and the karyotype was characterized according to the classical methods.

Atropine Differentially Modulates ECM Production by Ocular Fibroblasts, and Its Ocular Surface Toxicity Is Blunted by Colostrum.

Unlabelled: Background: The etiology and the mechanism behind atropine treatment of progressive myopia are still poorly understood. Our study addressed the role of scleral and choroidal fibroblasts in myopia development and atropine function.

Methods: Fibroblasts treated in vitro with atropine or 7-methylxanthine were tested for ECM production by Western blotting.

Synthesis of Bisphenol Neolignans Inspired by Honokiol as Antiproliferative Agents.

Honokiol (2) is a natural bisphenol neolignan showing a variety of biological properties, including antitumor activity. Some studies pointed out 2 as a potential anticancer agent in view of its antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic activity towards tumor cells. As a further contribution to these studies, we report here the synthesis of a small library of bisphenol neolignans inspired by honokiol and the evaluation of their antiproliferative activity.

Fusion Transcripts of Adjacent Genes: New Insights into the World of Human Complex Transcripts in Cancer.

The awareness of genome complexity brought a radical approach to the study of transcriptome, opening eyes to single RNAs generated from two or more adjacent genes according to the present consensus. This kind of transcript was thought to originate only from chromosomal rearrangements, but the discovery of readthrough transcription opens the doors to a new world of fusion RNAs. In the last years many possible intergenic cis-splicing mechanisms have been proposed, unveiling the origins of transcripts that contain some exons of both the upstream and downstream genes.

Gene expression profiles in genome instability-based classes of colorectal cancer.

Background: Broad copy number aberrations (BCNAs) represent a common form of genome instability in colorectal cancer (CRC). CRCs show large variations in their level of aneuploidy: microsatellite-instable (MSI) tumors are known to have a near-diploid karyotype while microsatellite-stable (MSS) tumors show high level of chromosomal instability. However, MSS tumors have great heterogeneity in the number of BCNAs, with a minor percentage of samples showing an almost normal karyotype.

Positive Caricature Transcriptomic Effects Associated with Broad Genomic Aberrations in Colorectal Cancer.

We re-examined the correlation between Broad Genomic Aberrations (BGAs) and transcriptomic profiles in Colorectal Cancer (CRC). Two types of BGAs have been examined: Broad Copy-Number Abnormal regions (BCNAs), distinguished in gain- and loss-type, and Copy-Neutral Loss of Heterozygosities (CNLOHs). Transcripts are classified as "OverT" or "UnderT" if overexpressed or underexpressed comparing CRCs bearing a specific BGA to CRCs not bearing it and as "UpT" or "DownT" if upregulated or downregulated in cancer compared to normal tissue.

Transcriptome analysis reveals an altered expression profile of zinc transporters in colorectal cancer.

Zinc is a transition metal and catalytic cofactor involved in many biological processes including proliferation, development, differentiation, and metabolism. Zinc transporters (ZnTs) play a fundamental role in cellular zinc homeostasis. ZnTs are responsible of zinc efflux and are encoded by 10 genes belonging to solute carrier family 30A (SLC30A1-10), while zinc-regulated transporter (ZRT)/iron-regulated transporter (IRT)-like protein (ZIP) transporters are responsible for the influx of zinc into the cytoplasm and are encoded by 14 genes belonging to solute carrier family 39A (SLC39A1-14).

Transcriptome analysis of copper homeostasis genes reveals coordinated upregulation of SLC31A1,SCO1, and COX11 in colorectal cancer.

Copper homeostasis and distribution is strictly regulated by a network of transporters and intracellular chaperones encoded by a group of genes collectively known as copper homeostasis genes (CHGs). In this work, analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database for somatic point mutations in colorectal cancer revealed that inactivating mutations are absent or extremely rare in CHGs. Using oligonucleotide microarrays, we found a strong increase in mRNA levels of the membrane copper transporter 1 protein [CTR1; encoded by the solute carrier family 31 member 1 gene (SLC31A1 gene)] in our series of colorectal carcinoma samples.

ATOX1 gene silencing increases susceptibility to anticancer therapy based on copper ionophores or chelating drugs.

Copper is a catalytic cofactor required for the normal function of many enzymes involved in fundamental biological processes but highly cytotoxic when in excess. Therefore its homeostasis and distribution is strictly regulated by a network of transporters and intracellular chaperones. ATOX1 (antioxidant protein 1) is a copper chaperone that plays a role in copper homeostasis by binding and transporting cytosolic copper to ATPase proteins in the trans-Golgi network.