Targeting Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in the Eye: Insights from a New Model of Experimental Autoimmune Uveitis.

Autoimmune uveitis is a relapsing blind-causing ocular condition with complex pathogenesis that is not completely understood. There is a high demand for accurate animal models of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) suitable for elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the disease and testing new therapeutic approaches. Here, we demonstrated that photoreceptor Ca/Zn-sensor protein recoverin is a uveoretinal antigen in albino rabbits provoking typical autoimmune chorioretinitis 2-4 weeks after immunization.

Expression, Intracellular Localization, and Maturation of Cysteine Cathepsins in Renal Embryonic and Cancer Cell Lines.

Cysteine cathepsins play an important role in tumor development and metastasis. The expression of these enzymes is often increased in many types of tumor cells. Cysteine cathepsins contribute to carcinogenesis through a number of mechanisms, including proteolysis of extracellular matrix and signaling molecules on the cell surface, as well as degradation of transcription factors and disruption of signaling cascades in the cell nucleus.

Redox Regulation of Signaling Complex between Caveolin-1 and Neuronal Calcium Sensor Recoverin.

Caveolin-1 is a cholesterol-binding scaffold protein, which is localized in detergent-resistant membrane (DRM) rafts and interacts with components of signal transduction systems, including visual cascade. Among these components are neuronal calcium sensors (NCSs), some of which are redox-sensitive proteins that respond to calcium signals by modulating the activity of multiple intracellular targets. Here, we report that the formation of the caveolin-1 complex with recoverin, a photoreceptor NCS serving as the membrane-binding regulator of rhodopsin kinase (GRK1), is a redox-dependent process.

Possible risks for the functioning of cyclic processes in the experimental model of a closed ecosystem.

The purpose of the present study is to consider a number of possible risks that may emerge when processed human wastes are involved into mass exchange processes as fertilizers for plants cultivated in the experimental model of the closed ecosystem (CEEM). The problems relating to the disruption of cycling processes in closed ecosystems can be tentatively divided into two groups: the problems that can be rather easily overcome and the chronic problems. Addition of plant inedible biomass to the soil-like substrate (SLS) can result in a decrease in plant productivity because of allelopathic interactions and enhanced growth of microorganisms.