Reduced Susceptibility to Azoles in Cryptococcus gattii Correlates with the Substitution R258L in a Substrate Recognition Site of the Lanosterol 14-α-Demethylase.

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii cause cryptococcosis, a life-threatening fungal infection affecting mostly immunocompromised patients. In fact, cryptococcal meningitis accounts for about 19% of AIDS-related deaths in the world. Because of long-term azole therapies to treat this mycosis, resistance to fluconazole leading to treatment failure and poor prognosis has long been reported for both fungal species.

Semaphorin 3C exacerbates liver fibrosis.

Background And Aims: Chronic liver disease is a growing epidemic, leading to fibrosis and cirrhosis. TGF-β is the pivotal profibrogenic cytokine that activates HSC, yet other molecules can modulate TGF-β signaling during liver fibrosis. Expression of the axon guidance molecules semaphorins (SEMAs), which signal through plexins and neuropilins (NRPs), have been associated with liver fibrosis in HBV-induced chronic hepatitis.

In Vitro Antifungal Activity of Chimeric Peptides Derived from Bovine Lactoferricin and Buforin II against var. .

Cryptococcosis is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. The limited number of antifungal agents, their toxicity, and the difficulty of these molecules in crossing the blood-brain barrier have made the exploration of new therapeutic candidates against a priority task. To optimize the antimicrobial functionality and improve the physicochemical properties of AMPs, chemical strategies include combinations of peptide fragments into one.

The pituitary tumour-transforming gene 1/delta-like homologue 1 pathway plays a key role in liver fibrogenesis.

Background And Aims: PTTG1 is almost undetectable in adult livers but is highly expressed in hepatocarcinoma. While little is known about its involvement in liver fibrosis, PTTG1 expression is associated with DLK1. We assessed the role of the PTTG1/DLK1 pathway in fibrosis progression and the potential therapeutic effect of PTTG1 silencing in fibrosis.

Pathogenicity Assessment of Colombian Strains of in the Invertebrate Model.

, first described in 2009, is an opportunistic pathogenic yeast that causes nosocomial outbreaks around the world, with high mortality rates associated with therapeutic failure. In this study, we evaluated the pathogenicity of 107 isolates from two cities in Colombia, associated with fungemia or colonization processes; to achieve this, we used the invertebrate model to compare pathogenicity. Our results showed that less than half of the total isolates of presented a high pathogenicity compared to the reference strain SC5314, and most of those highly pathogenic strains were from colonization processes.

Cryptococcosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: A Rare Presentation Warranting Recognition.

Cryptococcosis, a life-threatening mycosis caused mainly by , appears to be distinctly rare in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients. When it occurs, this fungal infection is a major limitation for a successful transplant. This review comprehensively analyses 24 cases, reported in the literature, of patients with haematological malignancies including leukemias, multiple myeloma, and lymphomas, as indication for HSCT, who presented with cryptococcosis after transplantation.

Bespoken Nanoceria: An Effective Treatment in Experimental Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Despite the availability of new-generation drugs, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still the third most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO NPs) have emerged as an antioxidant agent in experimental liver disease because of their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antisteatotic properties. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the potential of CeO NPs as therapeutic agents in HCC.

Cerium Oxide Nanoparticles Protect against Oxidant Injury and Interfere with Oxidative Mediated Kinase Signaling in Human-Derived Hepatocytes.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) possess powerful antioxidant properties, thus emerging as a potential therapeutic tool in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) progression, which is characterized by a high presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The aim of this study was to elucidate whether CeONPs can prevent or attenuate oxidant injury in the hepatic human cell line HepG2 and to investigate the mechanisms involved in this phenomenon. The effect of CeONPs on cell viability and ROS scavenging was determined, the differential expression of pro-inflammatory and oxidative stress-related genes was analyzed, and a proteomic analysis was performed to assess the impact of CeONPs on cell phosphorylation in human hepatic cells under oxidative stress conditions.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles display antilipogenic effect in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, ranging from steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Recently, cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONPs) have emerged as a new antioxidant agent with hepatoprotective properties in experimental liver disease. The aim of the current investigation was to elucidate whether CeONPs display beneficial effects in an experimental model of NAFLD.

Metastatic Tissue Proteomic Profiling Predicts 5-Year Outcomes in Patients with Colorectal Liver Metastases.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers in the developed countries, and nearly 70% of patients with CRC develop colorectal liver metastases (CRLMs). During the last decades, several scores have been proposed to predict recurrence after CRLM resection. However, these risk scoring systems do not accurately reflect the prognosis of these patients.

Cerium oxide nanoparticles reduce steatosis, portal hypertension and display anti-inflammatory properties in rats with liver fibrosis.

Background & Aims: Cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2NPs) have proven to behave as free radical scavengers and/or anti-inflammatory agents. The aim of the study was to determine whether CeO2NPs display hepatoprotective properties in experimental chronic liver disease.

Methods: Systemic and hepatic effects of nanoparticles were assessed in CCl4-treated rats receiving CeO2NPs or vehicle twice weekly for two weeks and CCl4 treatment was continued for 8 additional weeks.

Vasopressin 1a receptor partial agonism increases sodium excretion and reduces portal hypertension and ascites in cirrhotic rats.

Unlabelled: Patients and rats with cirrhosis and ascites have portal hypertension and circulatory dysfunction. Synthetic arginine vasopressin (AVP) receptor agonists able to induce systemic and mesenteric vasoconstriction have shown their usefulness in reducing portal pressure (PP) in this condition. We assessed the potential therapeutic value of a new V1 a -AVP receptor partial agonist with a preferential splanchnic vasoconstrictor effect (FE 204038) in rats with cirrhosis and ascites.