Asparagine availability controls germinal center B cell homeostasis.

The rapid proliferation of germinal center (GC) B cells requires metabolic reprogramming to meet energy demands, yet these metabolic processes are poorly understood. By integrating metabolomic and transcriptomic profiling of GC B cells, we identified that asparagine (Asn) metabolism was highly up-regulated and essential for B cell function. Asparagine synthetase (ASNS) was up-regulated after B cell activation through the integrated stress response sensor GCN2.

Oxidative Stress and Extracellular Matrix Remodeling Are Signature Pathways of Extracellular Vesicles Released upon Morphine Exposure on Human Brain Microvascular Endothelial Cells.

Morphine, a commonly used antinociceptive drug in hospitals, is known to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by first passing through brain endothelial cells. Despite its pain-relieving effect, morphine also has detrimental effects, such as the potential induction of redox imbalance in the brain. However, there is still insufficient evidence of these effects on the brain, particularly on the brain endothelial cells and the extracellular vesicles that they naturally release.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase immobilized onto magnetic beads (G6PDH-Mb) as a generator system for production of NADPH: Development and application in metabolism studies.

Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) participates in several anabolic and catabolic pathways, being essential in numerous biochemical reactions involving energy release. Most of these reactions require a high amount of NADPH, which can be expensive from an industry point of view. Thus, biotechnology industries developed a great interest in NADPH production.

Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for Clinical Metabolomics: An Overview.

Metabolomics is a discipline that offers a comprehensive analysis of metabolites in biological samples. In the last decades, the notable evolution in liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry technologies has driven an exponential progress in LC-MS-based metabolomics. Targeted and untargeted metabolomics strategies are important tools in health and medical science, especially in the study of disease-related biomarkers, drug discovery and development, toxicology, diet, physical exercise, and precision medicine.

Determination of the Absolute Configuration of Bioactive Indole-Containing Pyrazino[2,1-]quinazoline-3,6-diones and Study of Their Metabolic Profile.

In recent decades, fungi-derived naturally occurring quinazolines have emerged as potential drug candidates. Nevertheless, most studies are conducted for bioactivity assays, and little is known about their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) properties. To perform metabolic studies, the synthesis of the naturally occurring quinazolinone, fiscalin B (), and its chloro derivative, 4-((1-indol-3-yl)methyl)-8,10-dichloro-1-isobutyl-1,2-dihydro-6-pyrazino[2,1-]quinazoline-3,6(4)-dione (), disclosed as an antibacterial agent, was performed in a gram scale using a microwave-assisted polycondensation reaction with 22% and 17% yields, respectively.

Micro- and nano-sized amine-terminated magnetic beads in a ligand fishing assay.

Functionalized micro- and nano-sized magnetic beads (MBs) have been widely used as versatile supports for proteins, enzymes, and drugs. Immobilized protein on MB surfaces has been successfully applied for ligand fishing assays allowing for direct identification of active ligands from complex mixtures, such as natural products and synthetic libraries. MBs with different properties such as different core compositions, sizes, coatings, and surface modifications are available commercially.