Biological Effect of Silver-modified Nanostructured Titanium Dioxide in Cancer.

Background/aim: Nanomedicine is a promising scientific field that exploits the unique properties of innovative nanomaterials, providing alternative solutions in diagnostics, prevention and therapeutics. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) have a great spectrum of photocatalytic antibacterial and anticancer applications. The chemical modification of TiO optimizes its bioactive performance.

Liraglutide, a human glucagon-like peptide-1 analogue, stimulates AKT-dependent survival signalling and inhibits pancreatic β-cell apoptosis.

Liraglutide, a human long-lasting GLP-1 analogue, is currently regarded as a powerful treatment option for type 2 diabetes. Apart from glucoregulatory and insulinotropic actions, liraglutide increases β-cell mass through stimulation of β-cell proliferation and islet neogenesis, as well as inhibition of β-cell apoptosis. However, the underline molecular mechanisms have not been fully characterized.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) Seed Oil on an Experimental Model of Hypertensive Retinopathy in Wistar Rats.

Background/aims: Sea buckthorn ( L.) oil is a rich source of phytosterols, flavonoids, unsaturated fatty acids, and carotenoids, known for their antioxidant and neuroprotective activity. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective and antioxidant effect of sea buckthorn oil on rat retina in hypertensive retinopathy.

Nephrin, a transmembrane protein, is involved in pancreatic beta-cell survival signaling.

Nephrin, a cell surface signaling receptor, regulates podocyte function in health and disease. We study the role of nephrin in β-cell survival signaling. We report that in mouse islet β-cells and the mouse pancreatic beta-cell line (βTC-6 cells) nephrin is associated and partly co-localized with PI3-kinase.

Effect of nanostructured TiO₂ crystal phase on photoinduced apoptosis of breast cancer epithelial cells.

Purpose: The use of nanoparticles has seen exponential growth in the area of health care, due to the unique physicochemical properties of nanomaterials that make them desirable for medical applications. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of crystal phase-nanostructured titanium dioxide particles on bioactivity/cytotoxicity in breast cancer epithelial cells.

Materials And Methods: Cultured Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF)-7 and human breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-468) breast cancer epithelial cells were exposed to ultraviolet A light (wavelength 350 nm) for 20 minutes in the presence of aqueous dispersions of two different nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO₂) crystal phases: anatase and an anatase-rutile mixture.

High glucose induces suppression of insulin signalling and apoptosis via upregulation of endogenous IL-1beta and suppressor of cytokine signalling-1 in mouse pancreatic beta cells.

Chronic hyperglycemia and inflammatory cytokines disrupt and/or attenuate signal transduction pathways that promote normal beta-cell survival, leading to the destruction of endocrine pancreas in type 2 diabetes. There is convincing evidence that autocrine insulin signalling exerts protective anti-apoptotic effects on beta cells. Suppressors of cytokine signalling (SOCS) were induced by several cytokines and inhibit insulin-initiated signal transduction.

Selective binding of integrins from different renal cell types to the NC1 domain of alpha3 and alpha1 chains of type IV collagen.

Background: Cells interact with type IV collagen (Col IV) via integrins through the triple-helical and NC1 domains. We examined interactions of human glomerular and proximal tubular epithelial cells with recombinant alpha1 and alpha3 NC1 chains of Col IV, to explore the ability of different cell types to interact with Col IV of different trimer composition.

Methods: Interactions of TSV-40-immortalized human glomerular epithelial cells (HGECs), HPV-16-immortalized human proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells and primary human mesangial cells (MES) with recombinant alpha1 and alpha3 NC1 chains of Col IV were examined by affinity chromatography and solid-phase binding assays.

Enhanced podocalyxin expression alters the structure of podocyte basal surface.

Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) and podocalyxin are essential for podocyte morphology. We provide evidence of functional interconnections between basement membrane components (collagen IV and laminin), the expression of podocalyxin and the morphology of human glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes). We demonstrated that GBM and laminin, but not collagen IV, up-regulated the expression of podocalyxin.

Glucose-induced changes in integrins and matrix-related functions in cultured human glomerular epithelial cells.

In cultured human glomerular epithelial cells (HGEC), 25 mM glucose resulted in decreased expression of alpha(3)-, alpha(2)-, and beta(1)-integrins and increased expression of alpha(5)- and alpha(v)beta(3)-integrins. This change was accompanied by decreased binding of HGEC to type IV collagen. In the presence of normal (5 mM) glucose concentration, cell binding to type IV collagen was primarily mediated by alpha(2)beta(1)- and alpha(5)beta(1)-integrins, as indicated by experiments in which cell adhesion to type IV collagen was competed by specific anti-integrin monoclonal antibodies.

Proximal tubular epithelial cell integrins respond to high glucose by altered cell-matrix interactions and differentially regulate matrixin expression.

Thickening of the tubular basement membrane (TBM) occurs in diabetic nephropathy, but the effects of high glucose on the functional aspects of proximal tubular epithelial cells are not clearly understood. In the present study, we examined the effects of elevated glucose concentrations on (a) integrin expression by human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and integrin-mediated interactions with type IV collagen (colIV) and laminin, major components of TBM; (b) the expression of matrixins/matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which is regulated by integrins; and (c) the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). HK-2 cells cultured in 25 mM glucose underwent a reduction of the expression of alpha3, beta1, alpha(v)beta3, and alpha5 integrin subunits, with a concomitant increase of the alpha2 subunit, compared with cells grown in 5 mM glucose.

Effects of collagen IV on neuroblastoma cell matrix-related functions.

Integrin-mediated interactions with collagen IV and its domains were examined in a human neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-SH). By adhesion assays we demonstrated that neuroblastoma cells bound to solid-phase intact collagen IV and synthetic cell-binding peptide HEP-III, derived from the collagenous part of the molecule, but not to the main noncollagenous NC1 domain or to the synthetic cell-binding peptide HEP-I, derived from this domain. Monoclonal antibodies against beta1, alpha3, and alpha(v)beta3 integrins resulted in inhibition of cell binding to collagenous substrates by 95, 30, and 35%, respectively.