Iron Withdrawal with DIBI, a Novel 3-Hydroxypyridin-4-One Chelator Iron-Binding Polymer, Attenuates Macrophage Inflammatory Responses.

Iron is an essential trace element for the inflammatory response to infection. In this study, we determined the effect of the recently developed iron-binding polymer DIBI on the synthesis of inflammatory mediators by RAW 264.7 macrophages and bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation.

The Natural Alkaloid Piperlongumine Inhibits Metastatic Activity and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition of Triple-Negative Mammary Carcinoma Cells.

In this study, we determined the effect of low dose piperlongumine on the motility/invasive capacity and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and the metastasis of 4T1 mouse mammary carcinoma cells. MTT assays measured the effect of piperlongumine on TNBC cell growth. Motility/invasiveness were determined by gap closure/transwell assays.

Delivery of Apoptosis-inducing Piperine to Triple-negative Breast Cancer Cells Co-polymeric Nanoparticles.

Background/aim: Piperine, a major alkaloid of the fruit of black pepper plants, selectively inhibits the growth of triple-negative breast cancer cells but its lipophilicity restricts possible clinical application. This study therefore determined the feasibility of encapsulating piperine in nanoparticles (NPs) to increase its solubility in an aqueous environment.

Materials And Methods: Piperine-loaded biodegradable methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid copolymer-based NPs were produced by single emulsion solvent extraction and thin-film hydration.

Thy-1 (CD90) Signaling Preferentially Promotes RORγt Expression and a Th17 Response.

Thy-1 (CD90) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored protein (GPI-AP) with signaling properties that is abundant on mouse T cells. Upon antibody-mediated crosslinking, Thy-1 provides a T cell receptor (TcR)-like signal that is sufficient to drive CD4 T cell proliferation and differentiation into effector cells when costimulatory signals are provided by syngeneic lipopolysaccharide-matured bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. In this study, we investigated the impact of Thy-1 signaling on the production of the T helper (Th) cell subset-associated cytokines, interferon (IFN) γ, interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-17A, as well as the polarization of highly purified resting CD4 T cells into Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells.

Myricetin-induced oxidative stress suppresses murine T lymphocyte activation.

A number of polyphenolic compounds present in fruits and vegetables have the capacity to modulate immune responses; however, the impact of the common plant-derived flavonoid myricetin on T lymphocyte function has not been investigated. We show that myricetin inhibited mouse T lymphocyte activation by bead-immobilized anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies, as indicated by a dose-dependent reduction in cell proliferation and decreased synthesis of interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and IL-17 associated with different T helper cell subsets. This effect was attributed to myricetin-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) since myricetin caused hydrogen peroxide (H O ) to accumulate in cell-free culture medium and H O inhibited T cell proliferation and cytokine synthesis.

PepSAVI-MS reveals anticancer and antifungal cycloviolacins in Viola odorata.

Widespread resistance to antimicrobial and cancer therapeutics is evolving in every country worldwide and has a direct impact on global health, agriculture and the economy. The specificity and selectivity of bioactive peptide natural products present a possible stopgap measure to address the ongoing deficit of new therapeutic compounds. PepSAVI-MS (Statistically-guided bioActive Peptides prioritized VIa Mass Spectrometry) is an adaptable method for the analysis of natural product libraries to rapidly identify bioactive peptides.

Accurate assessment of liver steatosis in animal models using a high throughput Raman fiber optic probe.

Due to the shortage of healthy donor organs, steatotic livers are commonly used for transplantation, placing patients at higher risk for graft dysfunction and lower survival rates. Raman Spectroscopy is a technique which has shown the ability to rapidly detect the vibration state of C-H bonds in triglycerides. The aim of this study is to determine whether conventional Raman spectroscopy can reliably detect and quantify fat in an animal model of liver steatosis.