Competing endogenous RNAs in human astrocytes: crosstalk and interacting networks in response to lipotoxicity.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by a progressive deterioration of neuronal function, leading to motor and cognitive damage in patients. Astrocytes are essential for maintaining brain homeostasis, and their functional impairment is increasingly recognized as central to the etiology of various NDs. Such impairment can be induced by toxic insults with palmitic acid (PA), a common fatty acid, that disrupts autophagy, increases reactive oxygen species, and triggers inflammation.

Elevated serum IL-6 levels predict treatment interruption in patients with moderate to severe psoriasis: a 6-year real-world cohort study.

Background: Real-world, primary data on the treatment of psoriasis are scarce, especially concerning the role of soluble biomarkers as outcome predictors.

Objective: The authors evaluated the utility of Th1/Th17 serum cytokines along with clinical characteristics as predictors of drug survival in the treatment of psoriasis.

Methods: The authors consecutively included participants with moderate to severe psoriasis who were followed up for 6 years.

MicroRNA: A Linking between Astrocyte Dysfunction, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The importance of miRNAs in cellular processes and their dysregulation has taken significant importance in understanding different pathologies. Due to the constant increase in the prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases (ND) worldwide and their economic impact, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), considered a prodromal phase, is a logical starting point to study this public health problem. Multiple studies have established the importance of miRNAs in MCI, including astrocyte regulation during stressful conditions.

The First Contact of Human Dendritic Cells With Reveals Response to Virus as an Unexplored Central Pathway.

Chagas disease is a debilitating and neglected disease caused by the protozoan . Soon after infection, interactions among and host innate immunity cells can drive/contribute to disease outcome. Dendritic cells (DCs), present in all tissues, are one of the first immune cells to interact with metacyclic trypomastigotes.

Structural differences in gut bacteria communities in developmental stages of natural populations of Lutzomyia evansi from Colombia's Caribbean coast.

Background: Lutzomyia evansi, a phlebotomine insect endemic to Colombia's Caribbean coast, is considered to be the main vector of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis in the region. Although insects of this species can harbor pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms in their intestinal microbiota, there is little information available about the diversity of gut bacteria present in Lutzomyia evansi. In this study, conventional microbiological methods and molecular tools were used to assess the composition of bacterial communities associated with Lutzomyia evansi guts in immature and adult stages of natural populations from the department of Sucre (Caribbean coast of Colombia).

Dendritic Cells: A Double-Edged Sword in Immune Responses during Chagas Disease.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most important member of the antigen presenting cells group due to their ability to recognize antigen at the infection site and their high specialized antigen internalization capacity. These cells have central role in connecting the innate and adaptive immune responses against Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. These first line defense cells modulate host immune response depending on type, maturation level, cytokine milieu and DC receptor involved in the interactions with T.