Publications by authors named "H De Luca"
Article Synopsis
- Alternative plasticizers like DINCH, DEHTP, and DEHA are being used to replace phthalates in products due to reproductive concerns associated with phthalates.
- A study aimed to assess how well these substitutes are absorbed through human skin and confirmed the findings with human volunteer tests, measuring metabolite levels in urine.
- Results indicated that DEHTP and DINCH did not significantly penetrate the skin, while DEHA had minimal absorption; consequently, participants showed low levels of urinary metabolites after exposure.
Article Synopsis
- Population studies indicate that many people are exposed to phthalates, chemicals linked to various health concerns, making it crucial to understand how they are absorbed through the skin and eliminated from the body.
- This study specifically examines the skin permeation of three phthalates (d4-DEHP, d4-DBP, and d4-DEP) and found that they can cross the skin barrier and are metabolized into smaller forms called monoesters before being excreted in urine.
- Results revealed that phthalates in an emulsion (a mixture with PEG) were absorbed more effectively through the skin compared to their neat forms, with different absorption rates and urinary excretion patterns observed
IRE1α is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) sensor that recognizes misfolded proteins to induce the unfolded protein response (UPR). We studied cholera toxin (CTx), which invades the ER and activates IRE1α in host cells, to understand how unfolded proteins are recognized. Proximity labeling colocalized the enzymatic and metastable A1 segment of CTx (CTxA1) with IRE1α in live cells, where we also found that CTx-induced IRE1α activation enhanced toxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: This work aims to review and discuss controversial topics in the field of vitamin D, SARS-CoV-2 infection, and COVID-19.
Methods: The International Conferences "Controversies in Vitamin D" are a series of workshops that started in 2017 featuring international experts and leaders in vitamin D research and clinical practice. The fifth annual conference was held in Stresa, Italy, September 15 to 18, 2021.
Epithelial cells lining mucosal surfaces of the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts uniquely express ERN2/IRE1β, a paralogue of the most evolutionarily conserved endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor, ERN1/IRE1α. How ERN2 functions at the host-environment interface and why a second paralogue evolved remain incompletely understood. Using conventionally raised and germ-free Ern2-/- mice, we found that ERN2 was required for microbiota-induced goblet cell maturation and mucus barrier assembly in the colon.
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