Background And Aims: Vitamin D binding protein (DBP) serves a dual function as a vitamin D carrier and actin scavenger. Free DBP is present in high concentrations in serum, while a smaller pool is bound to lipoproteins like HDL and VLDL. The role of DBP's interaction with lipoproteins remains unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Beta-defensins (BDs) are antimicrobial peptides secreted upon epithelial injury. Both chemotactic and antimicrobial properties of BDs function as initial steps in host defense and prime the adaptive immune system in the body. Psoriasis, a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease, has both visible cutaneous manifestations as well as known associations with higher incidence of cardiometabolic complications and vascular inflammation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ability of cells to mount an interferon response to virus infections depends on intracellular nucleic acid sensing pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). RIG-I is an intracellular PRR that binds short double-stranded viral RNAs to trigger MAVS-dependent signalling. The RIG-I/MAVS signalling complex requires the coordinated activity of multiple kinases and E3 ubiquitin ligases to activate the transcription factors that drive type I and type III interferon production from infected cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition associated with coronary artery disease risk. Uptake of oxidized low-density lipoprotein by the lectin-like low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 triggers release of the soluble extracellular domain of the receptor (sLOX-1). We sought to characterize the relationship between sLOX-1, inflammation, and coronary plaque progression in psoriasis.
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