Combining a microphysiological system of three organ equivalents and transcriptomics to assess toxicological endpoints for cosmetic ingredients.

Animal testing for cosmetic ingredients and final products has been banned in Europe and is gaining legal force worldwide. However, the need for reliable testing methodologies remains for safety assessment of cosmetic ingredients. While new approach methodologies exist for many toxicological endpoints, some complex ones lack appropriate testing methods.

Protein corona meets freeze-drying: overcoming the challenges of colloidal stability, toxicity, and opsonin adsorption.

Freeze-drying of nanoparticle suspensions is capable of generating stable nanoformulations with improved storage times and easier transportation. Nonetheless, nanoparticle aggregation is likely induced during freeze-drying, which reduces its redispersibility upon reconstitution and leads to undesirable effects such as non-specific toxicity and impaired efficacy. In this work, bovine serum albumin (BSA) is described as a suitable protectant for silica nanoparticles (SNPs), which result in solid structures with excellent redispersibility and negligible signs of aggregation even when longer storage times are considered.

Nanoimmunosensor based on atomic force spectroscopy to detect anti-myelin basic protein related to early-stage multiple sclerosis.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder in the central nervous system for which biomarkers for diagnosis still remain unknown. One potential biomarker is the myelin basic protein. Here, a nanoimmunosensor based on atomic force spectroscopy (AFS) successfully detected autoantibodies against the MBP peptide from myelin basic protein.

A highly specific and sensitive nanoimmunosensor for the diagnosis of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders.

A precise diagnosis for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) is crucial to improve patients' prognostic, which requires highly specific and sensitive tests. The cell-based assay with a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 100% is the most recommended test to detect anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies (AQP4-Ab). Here, we tested four AQP4 external loop peptides (AQP4, AQP4, AQP4, and AQP4) with an atomic force microscopy nanoimmunosensor to develop a diagnostic assay.

Cross-reactivity between myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein and human endogenous retrovirus W protein: nanotechnological evidence for the potential trigger of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune and inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Experimental evidence supports the reactivity of autoantibodies against components of myelin sheath including the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG). The MS etiology is still unknown, but some risk factors associated with immune dysregulation, genetic susceptibility, and environmental factors are under investigation.

Antibody-mediated biorecognition of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein: computational evidence of demyelination-related epitopes.

Antigen-antibody interaction is crucial in autoimmune disease pathogenesis, as multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica. Given that, autoantibodies are essential biomolecules, of which the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) can figure as a target. Here we combined Molecular Dynamics (MD), Steered Molecular Dynamics (SMD), and Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) to detail MOG recognition by its specific antibody.

Role of GAD peptides p217 and p290 in the repair of INS receptor in salivary tissues of type 1 diabetic mice.

Glutamate decarboxylase or glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) is a protein associated with autoimmune diseases, including type-1 diabetes. This disease is primarily associated with the occurrence of a specific isoform: GAD65. Conversely, some specific peptides of this protein may block autoimmunity in diabetes.

Periodontal disease-associated compensatory expression of osteoprotegerin is lost in type 1 diabetes mellitus and correlates with alveolar bone destruction by regulating osteoclastogenesis.

Alveolar bone resorption results from the inflammatory response to periodontal pathogens. Systemic diseases that affect the host response, such as type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1), can potentiate the severity of periodontal disease (PD) and accelerate bone resorption. However, the biological mechanisms by which DM1 modulates PD are not fully understood.

Effects of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody in salivary glands of spontaneously diabetic mice.

Background: Diabetes mellitus results in many complications, also compromising the salivary glands. The current treatment for this condition should be a substituting method to exogenous insulin. In this aspect, the immunotherapy has been tested, but, it can be inefficient as an agent for the control of damage caused by diabetes.

Differential diagnosis of Brazilian strains of Citrus tristeza virus by epitope mapping of coat protein using monoclonal antibodies.

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is one of the most important citrus pathogen, and among Brazilian CTV strains, the genotype Capão Bonito (CB) is the most harmful. Therefore, the coat protein (CP) gene were cloned and expressed as recombinant protein and used to develop four specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Our previously data had showed these MAbs could recognize different strains of CTV and the present goal is to identify the epitopes of the recombinant CP by ELISA screening of overlapping recombinant peptides and to determine the binding specificity of CTV isolates in light of their antigenic domains onto CB strains.

Structural and kinetic characterization of a maize aldose reductase.

The aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) are classified as oxidoreductases and are found in organisms from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. The AKR superfamily consists of more than 120 proteins that are distributed throughout 14 families. Very few plant AKRs have been characterized and their biological functions remain largely unknown.

Assessment of the diagnostic potential of Immmunocapture-PCR and Immuno-PCR for Citrus Variegated Chlorosis.

Xylella fastidiosa causes significant losses in many economically important crops. An efficient pathogen detection system is critical for epidemiology studies, particularly when large sample size is involved. In this study we report the development of immunomolecular assays like Immmunocapture-PCR and Immuno-PCR for direct detection of X.

Beta-thalassemia intermedia in a Brazilian patient with-101 (C > T) and codon 39 (C > T) mutations.

Context: We verified molecular alterations in a 72-year-old Brazilian male patient with a clinical course of homozygous beta-thalassemia intermedia, who had undergone splenectomy and was surviving without regular blood transfusions. The blood cell count revealed microcytic and hypochromic anemia (hemoglobin = 6.5 g/dl, mean cell volume = 74 fl, mean cell hemoglobin = 24 pg) and hemoglobin electrophoresis showed fetal hemoglobin = 1.