pH-stimulus response dye-cucurbituril sensor for amino acids in aqueous solution.

The host-guest inclusion complexes that comprise an inverted cucurbit[7]uril (iQ[7]) and a quinoline derivative, 4-(4-dimethylaminostyryl) quinoline (DSQ) at different pHs were exploited as multiple supramolecular sensors to sense l-α-amino acids. DSQ complexation inside iQ[7] at different pHs leads to increased fluorescence and formation of different-colored iQ[7]-DSQ complexes. The enhanced fluorescence of DSQ after iQ[7] encapsulation may be attributed to limited dimethylamine rotation and the formation of a twisted internal charge transfer (TICT) state.

Elevated Th22 cells correlated with Th17 cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: T-helper (Th) 22 and Th17 cells are implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The roles of Th22 cells in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remain unsettled.

Materials And Methods: CD4(+)IFNγ(-)IL17(-)IL-22(+) T cells (Th22 cells), CD4(+)IFNγ(-)IL-22(-)IL17(+) T cells (pure Th17 cells), CD4(+)IL17(+) T cells (Th17 cells), and CD4(+)IFNγ(+) T cells (Th1 cells) in RA, osteoarthritis patients, and healthy controls were examined by flow cytometry.

OPN promotes survival of activated T cells by up-regulating CD44 in patients with oral lichen planus.

Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of oral mucosa, which represents cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Pathological study demonstrated that abundant T lymphocytes infiltrated the oral mucosa, in which the activated T cells that trigger apoptosis of oral epithelial cells is an important mechanism for OLP. However, to date the molecular mechanisms underlying the T lymphocytes infiltration and accumulation in OLP remain unclear.

[Effect of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha on vascular endothelial growth factor expression in human tongue squamous carcinoma cells (Tca8113) under hypoxia].

Objective: To investigate the effect of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in Tca8113 cells under hypoxia.

Methods: The expression of the mRNA of HIF-1 alpha and VEGF in Tca8113 cells was examined by RT-PCR technique at different culture times (1/2 h, 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h) under normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

Results: The expression of HIF-1 alpha under hypoxia showed the trend of increasing first and then decreasing, and was higher than that of the control (normoxic group) at 6h and 12 h (P < 0.

Expression of BAFF in the trophoblast and decidua of normal early pregnant women and patients with recurrent spontaneous miscarriage.

Background: BAFF, the B cell activation factor, is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) ligand family that binds to BCMA, TACI, and BAFF-R. Previous studies have shown that members of the TNF family are detected in human placental trophoblast cells, but the expression patterns of BAFF involved in human decidua and the differential expression of BAFF between normal pregnancy and miscarriage are still incompletely documented or unknown. This study was designed to investigate the expression of BAFF and BAFF-R in the trophoblast and decidua of normal early pregnant women and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) patients.

Membrane type 1-matrix metalloproteinase is involved in the migration of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DC) are highly mobile APC. The trafficking of both immature and mature DC is crucial for their functions, which depends mainly on chemotactic attraction and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) activity. MMP that are in a transmembrane form belong to membrane type (MT)-MMP, among which MT1-MMP has been shown to possess strong proteolytic activity that is capable of degrading extracellular matrix molecules.

Hypoxia inhibits the migratory capacity of human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Hypoxia, a prominent characteristic of inflammatory tissue lesions and solid tumour microenvironments, is a crucial stimulus capable of modulating the expression of specific genes involved in leucocyte recruitment. Although studies have shown that hypoxia can affect leucocyte migration by influencing the expression of migration-related genes, such as matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and their endogenous tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP), it remains unclear whether hypoxia can affect the migration of dendritic cells (DC). In this study, we showed that human monocyte-derived DC under hypoxic conditions in a transwell system have significantly reduced migratory capacity compared to normoxic controls.

[Hepatocellular carcinoma associated antigen HCA520, a novel Ca2+-binding protein].

Aim: To analyze the binding activity of the hepatocellular carcinoma associated antigen HCA520 to Ca2+.

Methods: The HCA520 gene was gained by PCR. Then, it was cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-3.