Stem Cell Differentiation Stage Factors from Zebrafish Embryo: A Novel Strategy to Modulate the Fate of Normal and Pathological Human (Stem) Cells.

In spite of the growing body of evidence on the biology of the Zebrafish embryo and stem cells, including the use of Stem Cell Differentiation Stage Factors (SCDSFs) taken from Zebrafish embryo to impact cancer cell dynamics, comparatively little is known about the possibility to use these factors to modulate the homeostasis of normal human stem cells or to modulate the behavior of cells involved in different pathological conditions. In the present review we recall in a synthetic way the most important researches about the use of SCDSFs in reprogramming cancer cells and in modulating the high speed of multiplication of keratinocytes which is characteristic of some pathological diseases like psoriasis. Moreover we add here the results about the capability of SCDSFs in modulating the homeostasis of human adiposederived stem cells (hASCs) isolated from a fat tissue obtained with a novel-non enzymatic method and device.

Orange juice intake during a fatty meal consumption reduces the postprandial low-grade inflammatory response in healthy subjects.

Background And Aims: Evidence associates polyphenol-rich foods to reduction of low-grade inflammation and mortality for cardiovascular disease, the mechanisms underlying such effects being still unclear. Consumption of a fatty meal by healthy volunteers induces rapid and reversible low-grade inflammation. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of orange juice on cellular modifications induced by a fatty meal.

Both red and blond orange juice intake decreases the procoagulant activity of whole blood in healthy volunteers.

Aim: Numerous epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to flavonoid-rich fruits has beneficial influence on risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether intake of orange juice (OJ) could affect whole blood (WB) procoagulant activity.

Methods: 17 healthy subjects (aged 31 ± 1.

Proteomics: bases for protein complexity understanding.

In the post genomic era we became aware that the genomic sequence and protein functions cannot be correlated. One gene can encode multiple protein functions mainly because of mRNA splice variants, post translational modifications (PTM) and moonlighting functions. To study the whole population of proteins present in a cell to a specific time point and under defined conditions it is necessary to investigate the proteome.

Postprandial cell inflammatory response to a standardised fatty meal in subjects at different degree of cardiovascular risk.

A fatty meal may represent a challenge of in vivo acute inflammatory reaction. We evaluated the acute effects of a standardised fatty meal administration on leukocytes and platelets and on their interactions on 61 subjects at different degree of cardiovascular risk, without any clinical event. Before and 2 hours after a fatty meal, blood cells were counted and markers of leukocyte (intracellular myeloperoxidase [MPO] and Mac-1) and platelet (P-selectin and microparticles) activation and mixed platelet-leukocyte conjugates measured by flow-cytometry.

Four-week ingestion of blood orange juice results in measurable anthocyanin urinary levels but does not affect cellular markers related to cardiovascular risk: a randomized cross-over study in healthy volunteers.

Purpose: Blood orange juice (OJ) is an important source of anthocyanins (ACN). The latter molecules are endowed with antioxidant activity and might thus modulate different cell function. Our aim was to investigate ACN absorption following a 1-month daily supplementation of blood OJ and their potential effects on cell markers of platelet and leukocyte activation and interaction.

Platelet proteome in healthy volunteers who smoke.

Smoking accelerates atherosclerosis and is a well-known risk factor for acute cardiovascular complications; however, the mechanisms of these effects have not been completely clarified. Recently developed proteomic approaches may offer new clues when combined with well-established functional tests. Platelet proteome of healthy smokers and non-smokers was resolved by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis, compared by Decyder software and identified by mass spectrometry analysis (nano-LC-MS/MS).

OFFgel-based multidimensional LC-MS/MS approach to the cataloguing of the human platelet proteome for an interactomic profile.

The proteome of quiescent human platelets was analyzed by a shotgun proteomics approach consisting of enzymatic digestion, peptide separation based on isoelectric point by the use of OFFgel fractionation and, finally, RP nanoscale chromatography coupled to MS/MS detection (nano-LC-MS/MS). OFFgel fractionation in the first dimension was effective in providing an additional dimension of separation, orthogonal to RP nano-LC, thus generating an off-line multidimensional separation platform that proved to be robust and easy to set up. The analysis identified 1373 proteins with high confidence (false discovery rate<0.

Characterisation of a multimeric protein complex associated with ERp57 within the nucleus in paclitaxel-sensitive and -resistant epithelial ovarian cancer cells: the involvement of specific conformational states of beta-actin.

Ovarian cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed malignancy of the reproductive system and is the leading cause of gynecological cancer mortality. Although the majority of advanced ovarian carcinomas initially respond successfully to taxane-based chemotherapy, resistance to chemotherapy remains the primary factor accounting for the low 5-year survival in this patient population. Recent data obtained by our group demonstrate that the disulphide isomerase ERp57 is strongly modulated in paclitaxel resistance suggesting that it may represent a chemoresistance biomarker in ovarian cancer.

Standardized sample preparation phases for a quantitative measurement of plasma peptidome profiling by MALDI-TOF.

A growing body of literature defines MALDI-TOF MS as a technique for studying plasma and serum, thus enabling the detection of proteins, and the generation of reproducible protein profile mass spectra, potentially able to discriminate correctly different biological systems. In this work, the different steps of the pre-analytical phase that may affect the reproducibility of plasma proteome analysis have been carefully considered. The results showed that the method is highly accurate (9.

Glycoproteomics of paclitaxel resistance in human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines: towards the identification of putative biomarkers.

Glycosylation, one of the most common post translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins, is often associated with carcinogenesis and tumor malignancy. Ovarian cancer is the sixth cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. Currently, it is treated by debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy based on paclitaxel, alone or in combination with other drugs.

Moderate consumption of red wine, but not gin, decreases erythrocyte superoxide dismutase activity: a randomised cross-over trial.

Background And Aims: Several studies have shown that moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, a disease related to oxidative stress. However, the effects of different alcoholic beverages on antioxidant status are not fully known. Our aim was therefore to compare the effects of a moderate intake of an alcoholic beverage with high polyphenol content (red wine) and another without polyphenol content (gin) on plasma antioxidant vitamins, lipid profile and oxidability of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles.

Comparative proteomic analysis of paclitaxel sensitive A2780 epithelial ovarian cancer cell line and its resistant counterpart A2780TC1 by 2D-DIGE: the role of ERp57.

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecological cancer mortality. Despite good response to surgery and initial chemotherapy, chemoresistance occurrence represents a major obstacle to a successful therapy. To better understand biological mechanisms at the basis of paclitaxel resistance, a comparative proteomic approach based on DIGE coupled with mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF and LC-MS/MS) was applied to the human epithelial ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and its paclitaxel resistant counterpart A2780TC1.

A proteomic approach to paclitaxel chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cell lines.

Ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynaecological cancer mortality. Paclitaxel is used in the first line treatment of ovarian cancer, but acquired resistance represents the most important clinical problem and a major obstacle to a successful therapy. Several mechanisms have been implicated in paclitaxel resistance, however this process has not yet been fully explained.

Proteomic characterization of cytoskeletal and mitochondrial class III beta-tubulin.

Class III beta-tubulin (TUBB3) has been discovered as a marker of drug resistance in human cancer. To get insights into the mechanisms by which this protein is involved in drug resistance, we analyzed TUBB3 in a panel of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant cell lines. We identified two main different isoforms of TUBB3 having a specific electrophoretic profile.

Chronic dietary intake of plant-derived anthocyanins protects the rat heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Consumption of flavonoid-rich foods and beverages is thought to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Whereas the biological activities of flavonoids have been characterized in vitro, there are no clear experimental data demonstrating that chronic dietary intake and intestinal absorption of flavonoids actually protects the heart against ischemia-reperfusion injury. We tested whether long-term consumption of specific flavonoids (anthocyanins) included in normal food could render the heart of rats more resistant to myocardial infarction.

Application of 2-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) to the study of thrombin-activated human platelet secretome.

Thrombin is an agonist inducing platelet activation. We combined two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to analyse differentially expressed proteins secreted from thrombin-stimulated platelets. Human washed platelets, from healthy volunteers, were stimulated with thrombin 0.

Development and validation of an LC-MS/MS analysis for simultaneous determination of delphinidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside and cyanidin-3-(6-malonylglucoside) in human plasma and urine after blood orange juice administration.

Blood orange juice has a high content in anthocyanins, especially represented by delphinidin-3-glucoside (D3G), cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and cyanidin-3-(6-malonylglucoside) (CMG). An LC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of D3G and C3G in human plasma and urine was developed and validated. After sample preparation by SPE, chromatographic separation was performed with an RP-C(18) column, using a water/methanol linear gradient.

Alcohol-free red wine prevents arterial thrombosis in dietary-induced hypercholesterolemic rats: experimental support for the 'French paradox'.

The concept of the 'French paradox' has been recently challenged. As it is difficult in a short period to produce direct clinical evidence of the protective effect of red wine on thrombosis, we evaluated such a possibility in an experimental model mimicking the conditions of the 'French paradox'. Normolipidemic rats (FNL) were fed a standard diet or a 2% cholesterol-rich-diet (Ch-rich-diet) for 5 months: the latter was given either alone (FNL + D) or in combination with 'alcohol-free' red wine (FNL + D + 5 W).

Expression of glutathione S-transferase and peptide methionine sulphoxide reductase in Ochrobactrum anthropi is correlated to the production of reactive oxygen species caused by aromatic substrates.

Peptide methionine sulphoxide reductase (MsrA) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are considered as detoxification enzymes. In the xenobiotics-degrading bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi the two enzymes are co-induced by toxic concentrations of aromatic substrates such as phenol and 4-chlorophenol. In aerobic organisms, degradation of aromatic substrates by mono- and dioxygenases leads to a generation of oxidative stress that causes the occurrence of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method for the determination of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in rat plasma and urine.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is one of the most bioactive compounds of propolis, a resinous substance collected and elaborated by honeybees. A new liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometric method was developed and validated for its determination in rat plasma and urine, using taxifolin as internal standard. After sample preparation by liquid/liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, chromatographic separations were carried out with an ODS-RP column using a binary mobile phase gradient of acetonitrile in water.

Quantitative analysis of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in crude propolis by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis from honeybee hives, is known to have antimitogenic, anticarcinogenic, antinflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties. The paper describes a rapid and simple liquid chromatography-electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry method for qualitative and quantitative determination of CAPE. The chromatographic separation was performed with a Luna RP-C18 column using a water-acetonitrile linear gradient.

Decreased tumor necrosis factor-induced adhesion of human monocytes to endothelial cells after moderate alcohol consumption.

Background: Moderate alcohol consumption protects against ischemic heart disease, possibly through an antiinflammatory effect. However, little is known about the mechanisms by which alcohol may interfere in the development of atherosclerosis.

Objective: We analyzed the effects of 2 alcoholic beverages with high (red wine) or low (gin) polyphenolic content on human monocyte adhesion to an endothelial cell line (Ea.

Different effects of red wine and gin consumption on inflammatory biomarkers of atherosclerosis: a prospective randomized crossover trial. Effects of wine on inflammatory markers.

Background: No intervention studies have explored the anti-inflammatory effects of different alcoholic beverages on markers of atherosclerosis. We embarked on a randomized, crossover, single-blinded trial to evaluate the effects of wine and gin on inflammatory biomarkers of atherosclerosis.

Methods And Results: Forty healthy men (mean age, 37.