Cathepsin B Is Required for NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Macrophages, Through NLRP3 Interaction.

The mechanisms leading to NOD-leucine rich repeat and pyrin containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation are still debated. It is well established that oligomerized NLRP3 interacts with apoptosis associated Speck-like protein containing a CARD domain (ASC) which polymerizes into filaments recruiting procaspase-1, leading to its activation. However, pathways triggering NLRP3 activation, such as potassium efflux, ROS production or lysosomal permeabilization, can be required or not, depending on the activators used.

Understanding the Effects of High Pressure on Bacterial Spores Using Synchrotron Infrared Spectroscopy.

Bacterial spores are extremely resistant life-forms that play an important role in food spoilage and foodborne disease. The return of spores to a vegetative cell state is a three-step process, these being activation, germination, and emergence. High-pressure (HP) processing is known to induce germination in part of the spore population and even to inactivate a high number of spores when combined with other mild treatments such as the addition of nisin.

Metronomic cyclophosphamide induces regulatory T cells depletion and PSA-specific T cells reactivation in patients with biochemical recurrent prostate cancer.

Biochemical recurrence (BCR) occurs in up to 40% of prostate cancer patients after prostatectomy. In our study, we performed an immune monitoring study in 20 prostate cancer patients with BCR previously treated with metronomic cyclophosphamide (mCTX). We observed a decrease of regulatory T cells (Tregs) from 2 months and this was more pronounced after 6 months of mCTX treatment.

Time-resolved Fluorescence and Generalized Polarization: Innovative tools to assess bull sperm membrane dynamics during slow freezing.

During slow freezing, spermatozoa undergo membrane alterations that compromise their ability of fertilizing. These alterations are cause either by cold shock or by the use of cryoprotectants known to be cytotoxic. However, little is known about the membrane changes that occurred during freezing.

High pressure sensitization of heat-resistant and pathogenic foodborne spores to nisin.

Today, there is no effective non-thermal method to inactivate unwanted bacterial spores in foods. High-Pressure (HP) process has been shown to act synergistically with moderate heating and the bacteriocin nisin to inactivate spores but the mechanisms have not been elucidated. The purpose of the present work was to investigate in depth the synergy of HP and nisin on various foodborne spore species and to bring new elements of understandings.