Glucose depletion reduces cholesterol intracellular accumulation in ABCB1-dependent mechanism.

Lipids and glucose are important components of energy metabolism closely linked to each other. Glucose regulates cholesterol uptake regulating the expression of different membrane transport proteins including NPC1L1, SR-B1 and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. Here, we explored further the mechanism underlying glucose-mediated regulation of cholesterol absorption and secretion.

Autotaxin regulates the expression and the activity of P-glycoprotein in lipopolysaccharide -activated microglial cells.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, are characterized by chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, often mediated by activated microglial cells. Microglia-induced neuroinflammation is essential to neuronal damage, driven by the overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species. Autotaxin (ATX), a lysophospholipase D enzyme, can modulate inflammation through its enzymatic product lysophosphatidic acid (LPA).

Fecal prevalence of spp. in house dogs in Lebanon: A pilot study.

Background And Aim: spp. are Gram-negative bacilli that are widely recognized as a primary cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Campylobacteriosis is the disease caused by this pathogen.

Prevalence of spp. in broilers in North Lebanon.

Background And Aim: Great attention has been given recently to the prevalence of different spp. in poultry since the latter are considered the major contributing reservoir of human campylobacteriosis. In Lebanon, the occurrence of campylobacteriosis in humans is high.

Food shopping and food hygiene related knowledge and practices during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of a developing country.

The aim of this study was to assess the level of food hygiene and food shopping knowledge and practices among residents of Lebanon during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify their socio-demographic determinants. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire composed of 13 questions about demographics, and 25 questions related to knowledge and practices in terms of hand maintenance, mask placing, and food shopping. A total of 1337 participants filled the survey.

Prevalence, Laboratory Findings and Clinical Characteristics of Campylobacteriosis Agents among Hospitalized Children with Acute Gastroenteritis in Lebanon.

Purpose: species are currently the most common cause of bacterial gastroenteritis. In Lebanon, infection occurrence is underdiagnosed owing to the lack of specific culture and rapid test kits, particularly among children. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, laboratory findings, and clinical characteristics of infection in hospitalized children with acute gastroenteritis in South Lebanon.

Repressive effect of Rhus coriaria L. fruit extracts on microglial cells-mediated inflammatory and oxidative stress responses.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Rhus coriaria L. represents a herbal shrub that is used widely in traditional medicine in the Middle East region to treat different diseases including inflammation-related disorders. R.

Seroprevalence of in cattle in Southern Lebanon using different diagnostic tests.

Background And Aim: Brucellosis is endemic zoonotic and highly contagious bacterial disease. Recently, several brucellosis cases were reported in Lebanon, causing significant economic losses; however, no study was done so far on farms located in the southern part of the country. Thus, the aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of in South Lebanon using three different serological tests in the diagnosis of brucellosis in cattle.

Prevalence and prevention of brucellosis in cattle in Lebanon.

Background And Aim: Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the bacterium of the genus . This disease is present worldwide, especially in developing and underdeveloped countries, where it is endemic. This first-of-its-kind study in Lebanon aimed to assess the prevalence of brucellosis across the country and to determine the efficacy of a vaccine for reducing losses in herds so that its toll on public health is reduced.

Pyocyanin, a Metabolite of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Exhibits Antifungal Drug Activity Through Inhibition of a Pleiotropic Drug Resistance Subfamily FgABC3.

The fungus Fusarium graminearum is the causative agent of economically significant plant diseases such as Fusarium Healed Blight (FHB) of cereals, its mycotoxins as deoxynivalenol (DON), Nivalenol (NIV) and Zearalenone (ZEN) contaminate wheat and other grains. The objectives of the present study were to determine the mechanism by which the bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibits the growth of F. graminearum.

Secret talk between adipose tissue and central nervous system via secreted factors-an emerging frontier in the neurodegenerative research.

First seen as a storage organ, the white adipose tissue (WAT) is now considered as an endocrine organ. WAT can produce an array of bioactive factors known as adipokines acting at physiological level and playing a vital role in energy metabolism as well as in immune response. The global effect of adipokines in metabolic activities is well established, but their impact on the physiology and the pathophysiology of the central nervous system (CNS) remains poorly defined.

Autotaxin downregulates LPS-induced microglia activation and pro-inflammatory cytokines production.

Inflammation is essential in defense against infection or injury. It is tightly regulated, as over-response can be detrimental, especially in immune-privileged organs such as the central nervous system (CNS). Microglia constitutes the major source of inflammatory factors, but are also involved in the regulation of the inflammation and in the reparation.

Autotaxin protects microglial cells against oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress occurs when antioxidant defenses are overwhelmed by oxygen-reactive species and can lead to cellular damage, as seen in several neurodegenerative disorders. Microglia are specialized cells in the central nervous system that act as the first and main form of active immune defense in the response to pathological events. Autotaxin (ATX) plays an important role in the modulation of critical cellular functions, through its enzymatic production of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA).

Exposure to an organometal compound stimulates adipokine and cytokine expression in white adipose tissue.

Objective: White adipose tissue (WAT) is now considered a defined tissue capable of interactions with other organ systems. WAT role in elevating the level of systemic chronic inflammation suggests that alterations in this tissue as the result of disease or environmental factors may influence the development and progression of various obesity-related pathologies. This study investigated WAT cell-specific responses to an organometal compound, trimethyltin (TMT), to determine possible contribution to induced inflammation.