Stepwise molecular specification of excitatory synapse diversity onto cerebellar Purkinje cells.

Brain function relies on the generation of a large variety of morphologically and functionally diverse, but specific, neuronal synapses. Here we show that, in mice, the initial formation of synapses on cerebellar Purkinje cells involves a presynaptic protein-CBLN1, a member of the C1q protein family-that is secreted by all types of excitatory inputs. The molecular program then evolves only in one of the Purkinje cell inputs, the inferior olivary neurons, with the additional expression of the presynaptic secreted proteins C1QL1, CRTAC1 and LGI2.

Topological Heterogeneity of Protein Kinase C Modulators in Human T-Cells Resolved with In-Cell Dynamic Nuclear Polarization NMR Spectroscopy.

Phorbol ester analogs are a promising class of anticancer therapeutics and HIV latency reversing agents that interact with cellular membranes to recruit and activate protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms. However, it is unclear how these esters interact with membranes and how this might correlate with the biological activity of different phorbol ester analogs. Here, we have employed dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) NMR to characterize phorbol esters in a native cellular context.

Bactericidal effects and stability of LL-37 and CAMA in the presence of human lung epithelial cells.

Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) are important actors in host innate immunity and represent a promising alternative to combat antibiotic resistance. Here, the bactericidal activity of two CAMPs (LL-37 and CAMA) was evaluated against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) in the presence of IB3-1 cells, a cell line derived from patients with cystic fibrosis. The two CAMPs exerted different effects on PA survival depending on the timing of their administration.

Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Inhibit Aspergillus fumigatus Germination of Extracellular Conidia via FleA Recognition.

Aspergillus fumigatus is an environmental filamentous fungus that may act as an opportunistic pathogen causing a variety of diseases, including asthma or allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and infection, ranging from asymptomatic colonization to invasive pulmonary form, especially in immunocompromised patients. This fungus is characterized by different morphotypes including conidia which are the infective propagules able to germinate into hyphae. Due to their small size (2-3 µm), conidia released in the air can reach the lower respiratory tract.