New epitopes in ovalbumin provide insights for cancer neoepitopes.

MHC I-restricted epitopes of chicken ovalbumin (OVA) were originally identified using CD8 T cells as probes. Here, using bioinformatics tools, we identify four additional epitopes in OVA in addition to a cryptic epitope. Each new epitope is presented in vivo, as deduced from the lack of CD8 response to it in OVA-transgenic mice.

Reagent-Free and Rapid Assessment of T Cell Activation State Using Diffraction Phase Microscopy and Deep Learning.

CD8 T cells constitute an essential compartment of the adaptive immune system. During immune responses, naı̈ve T cells become functional, as they are primed with their cognate determinants by the antigen presenting cells. Current methods of identifying activated CD8 T cells are laborious, time-consuming and expensive due to the extensive list of required reagents.

The inhibitory effect of metals and other ions on acid phosphatase activity from Vigna aconitifolia seeds.

Sensitivity of acid phosphatase from Vigna aconitifolia seeds to metal ions, fluoride, and phosphate was examined. All the effectors had different degree of inhibitory effect on the enzyme. Among metal ions, molybdate and ferric ion were observed to be most potent inhibitors and both exhibited mixed type of inhibition.

Immobilization of acid phosphatase from Vigna aconitifolia seeds on chitosan beads and its characterization.

Acid phosphatase isolated from Vigna aconitifolia seeds was immobilized onto glutaraldehyde activated chitosan beads by crosslinking method. Chitosan beads activated with 2% of glutaraldehyde have demonstrated maximum immobilization yield (∼ 83%). The immobilized enzyme showed optimum activity at pH 7.

In vivo efficacy and synergistic interaction of 16α-hydroxycleroda-3, 13 (14) Z-dien-15, 16-olide, a clerodane diterpene from Polyalthia longifolia against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The Staphylococcus aureus bacterium, a nosocomial pathogen often causing untreatable and lethal infection in patients, mutated to become resistant to all the first-line drugs. The present study details the potential of clerodane diterpene 16α-hydroxycleroda-3, 13 (14) Z-dien-15, 16-olide (CD) isolated from Polyalthia longifolia against methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) through in vitro and in vivo assays.

Isolation and enzymatic properties of a nonspecific acid phosphatase from Vigna aconitifolia seeds.

Acid phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.

Changing epidemiology of community-acquired acute kidney injury in developing countries: analysis of 2405 cases in 26 years from eastern India.

Background: The epidemiology of acute kidney injury (AKI) differs from country to country and varies from center to center within a country. Owing to the absence of a central registry, data on overall epidemiology of AKI are scanty from India.

Methods: This study aimed at describing changes in epidemiology of community-acquired AKI (CAAKI) over a time span of 26 years in two study periods, namely, 1983-95 and 1996-2008.

Immobilization and applications of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase: a review.

Immobilized enzymes have been used extensively in the fields of food industry, materials processing, textiles, detergents, biochemical and chemical industries, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals. Studies on immobilization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase have been less extensive than those for other industrially applicable enzymes. Immobilization of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase has been carried out for the formation of biosensors for the estimation of glucose, ATP, phosphate, and so on.

Rodent models and contemporary molecular techniques: notable feats yet incomplete explanations of Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.

Rodent models and molecular tools, mainly omics and RNA interference, have been rigorously used to decode the intangible etiology and pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Although convention of contemporary molecular techniques and multiple rodent models paved imperative leads in deciphering the role of putative causative factors and sequential events leading to PD, complete and clear-cut mechanisms of pathogenesis are still hard to pin down. The current article reviews the implications and pros and cons of rodent models and molecular tools in understanding the molecular and cellular bases of PD pathogenesis based on the existing literature.

A molecular description of acid phosphatase.

Acid phosphatase is ubiquitous in distribution in various organisms. Although it catalyzes simple hydrolytic reactions, it is considered as an interesting enzyme in biological systems due to its involvement in different physiological activities. However, earlier reviews on acid phosphatase reveal some fragmentary information and do not give a holistic view on this enzyme.

Allethrin-induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in Swiss albino mice.

Allethrin (C(19)H(26)O(3)) is non-cyano-containing pyrethroid insecticide that is used extensively for controlling flies and mosquitoes. Apart from its neurotoxic effects in non-target species, allethrin is reported to be mutagenic in bacterial systems. In this study, we observed oxidative damage-mediated genotoxicity caused by allethrin in Swiss albino mice.

Mancozeb-induced genotoxicity and apoptosis in cultured human lymphocytes.

Aims: Mancozeb is a dithiocarbamate fungicide known to be genotoxic and induces tumors in rodents at various sites. There is no report in the literature about its genotoxicity in humans. Here, we investigated the association between mancozeb exposure and induction of genotoxic and proapoptotic changes in cultured human lymphocytes (CHLs).

Role of secondary mediators in caffeine-mediated neuroprotection in maneb- and paraquat-induced Parkinson's disease phenotype in the mouse.

Maneb and paraquat are known to induce Parkinson's disease (PD) phenotype, however, caffeine offers neuroprotection. Nitric oxide (NO) acts an important mediator in PD phenotype and tyrosine kinase (TK), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB), p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) are known to regulate its production. The present study aimed to elucidate the role of caffeine in the regulation of NO production and microglial activation and their subsequent contribution in dopaminergic neuroprotection.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in CYP1B1 and COMT genes with breast cancer susceptibility in Indian women.

Cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzymes play critical roles in estrogen metabolism. Alterations in the catalytic activity of CYP1B1 and COMT enzymes have been found associated with altered breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women in many populations. The substitution of leucine (Leu) to valine (Val) at codon 432 increases the catalytic activity of CYP1B1, however, substitution of Val to methionine (Met) at codon 158 decreases the catalytic activity of COMT.