Urine Metabolomic Signature of People Diagnosed with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy and Other Types of Chronic Kidney Disease Compared with Healthy Subjects in Romania.

Metabolomic analysis methods were employed to determine biomarkers for various chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). Modern analytical methods were developed and applied successfully to find a specific metabolomic profile in urine samples from CKD and Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) patients. The aim was to explore a specific metabolomic profile defined by feasible/easy-to-identify molecular markers.

L-Lactate Regulates the Expression of Synaptic Plasticity and Neuroprotection Genes in Cortical Neurons: A Transcriptome Analysis.

Lactate, a product of aerobic glycolysis in astrocytes, is required for memory formation and consolidation, and has recently emerged as a signaling molecule for neurons and various cell types in peripheral tissues. In particular lactate stimulates mRNA expression of a few plasticity-related genes. Here, we describe a RNA-seq study that unravels genome-wide transcriptomic responses to this energy metabolite in cortical neurons.

Peripheral administration of lactate produces antidepressant-like effects.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/mp.2016.

Peripheral administration of lactate produces antidepressant-like effects.

In addition to its role as metabolic substrate that can sustain neuronal function and viability, emerging evidence supports a role for l-lactate as an intercellular signaling molecule involved in synaptic plasticity. Clinical and basic research studies have shown that major depression and chronic stress are associated with alterations in structural and functional plasticity. These findings led us to investigate the role of l-lactate as a potential novel antidepressant.

Semi-automated quantification of living cells with internalized nanostructures.

Background: Nanostructures fabricated by different methods have become increasingly important for various applications in biology and medicine, such as agents for medical imaging or cancer therapy. In order to understand their interaction with living cells and their internalization kinetics, several attempts have been made in tagging them. Although methods have been developed to measure the number of nanostructures internalized by the cells, there are only few approaches aimed to measure the number of cells that internalize the nanostructures, and they are usually limited to fixed-cell studies.

Cytotoxicity and intracellular dissolution of nickel nanowires.

The assessment of cytotoxicity of nanostructures is a fundamental step for their development as biomedical tools. As widely used nanostructures, nickel nanowires (Ni NWs) seem promising candidates for such applications. In this work, Ni NWs were synthesized and then characterized using vibrating sample magnetometry, energy dispersive X-Ray analysis, and electron microscopy.

Surprising good antioxidant status in patients with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy on hemodialysis undergoing vitamin C therapy. A pilot study.

Aims: End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) represents a microinflammatory state accompanied by oxidative stress and an imbalance between pro- and antioxidants. Vitamin C is a highly effective antioxidant, acting to lessen oxidative stress. The aim of our study was to assess the Antioxidant Capacity of Water soluble substances (ACW) and the Antioxidant Capacity of Liposoluble substances (ACL) in patients with Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN) on hemodialysis undergoing Vitamin C therapy as compared to healthy controls.

Mouse multivalent IgG(2a, b) antibody--ricin A-chain immunotoxins combined with homologous or heterologous interleukin 2 in the treatment of a murine malignant lymphoproliferation (EL4).

Two immunotoxins containing ricin A-chain, staphylococcal protein A and mouse anti-Thy 1.2 antibodies of IgG(2a,b) subclass, were prepared. The two multivalent immunotoxins of 750 and 370 kDa and molar ratio A-chain: IgG of 1:2, were used for the treatment of mice bearing ascitic EL4 lymphoma.

Interleukin 2 enhances the efficiency of immunotoxins in the treatment of mice with ascitic tumors.

Two multivalent immunotoxins (ITs) with cytotoxic potential against Thy 1.2-expressing tumor cells were used in association with mouse interleukin 2 (IL2) for treatment of mice bearing ascitic EL4 lymphomas. The combined treatment, ITs + IL2, induced an enhanced antitumor effect revealed by a significant prolongation of the survival time of mice as compared to the simple treatment with ITs or IL2 alone.

Treatment of murine EL4 leukemia in ascitic form with anti-Thy 1.2 specific immunotoxins.

C57BL/6 mice with EL4 leukemia cells in ascitic form were intraperitoneally treated with ricin A chain-multivalent antibody immunotoxins. The immunotoxins containing rabbit IgG anti-Thy 1.2 antibodies complemented by protein A of Staphylococcus aureus were able to interact specifically with the target cells and to induce an antitumor effect as revealed by an increase in survival time of the mice.

[Ergonomic study of neuropsychic impairment in relation to health status in printing occupations].

The exertion and risk factors in relation with the state of health, with the psychophysiological reactivity and with the adaptation and fatigue symptomatology were studied by means of complex psychological, psychophysiological, medical) methods in two professional groups that perform an activity implying important mental and sensorial components: monotasterers and correctors, from three polygraphic enterprises and two publishing houses, totalling 167 subjects (74 monotasterers and 93 correctors). The ergonomic work analysis demonstrated that the exertion and risk factors are conditioned both by the contents of work and by the working environment. The occupational exertion is more complex in monotasterers (mental, sensorial and physical) and predominantly sensorial (visual) in correctors.

Experimental model for testing the efficiency of immunotoxins administered in vivo: evaluation of two ricin A-chain--multivalent antibody immunotoxins.

Two immunotoxins, the ricin A chain-multivalent hybrid antibody (750 kDa) and the complex A chain-staphylococcal protein A-rabbit IgG antibody (370 kDa), were prepared. A simple method was elaborated to test the immunotoxins' efficiency in selectively killing target cells in tumor-bearing mice. The target cell (murine EL4 leukemia) was coated with a xenogenic molecule by a method conserving its ability to proliferate and kill the inoculated animals.

Protein A vectorized toxins--II. Preparation and "in vitro" cytotoxic effect of protein A-ricin A chain conjugate on antibody coated human tumour cells.

Protein A of Staphylococcus aureus was covalently bound to reduced ricin A chain toxin by N-succinimidyl 3-(2-pyridyldithio)propionate. The conjugate consisting mainly of one molecule of protein A bound to two molecules of A chains (Mr 107,000) was purified by tandem affinity chromatography on ConA-Sepharose 4B and IgG-Sepharose 4B. The purified protein A-A chain conjugate was able to bind and kill human lymphoma cells coated either with monoclonal mouse IgG2a anti-kappa antibody or with polyclonal rabbit anti-kappa antibody.

In vivo follow-up of the cytotoxic effect of protein A--ricin toxin conjugate, on antibody-coated target cells.

Antibodies of the IgG class, specifically interacted with H-2 antigens of murine leukemia EL4 cells, were used to bind the ricin toxin covalently linked to protein A of Staphylococcus aureus. The toxin thus complexed, introduced in the cytoplasm by endocytosis, was able to kill the leukemic cells inoculated in animals. The interaction of immunotoxin with the leukemic cells was performed in vitro using one, two or three treatments and the cytotoxic effect on the target cells was followed up in vivo.

Interaction between rabbit IgG immune complexes and Ricinus agglutinin.

Ricinus communis agglutinin covalently bound to Sepharose 4B (RcA-Sepharose 4B) was able to selectively bind immune complexes consisting of antigen (bovine serum albumin) and rabbit IgG antibody which were rich in antibody (i.e., high molecular weight complexes of approximately 2000 000).