Successful Therapy of Murine Visceral Leishmaniasis with Astrakurkurone, a Triterpene Isolated from the Mushroom Astraeus hygrometricus, Involves the Induction of Protective Cell-Mediated Immunity and TLR9.

In our previous report, we showed that astrakurkurone, a triterpene isolated from the Indian mushroom Astraeus hygrometricus (Pers.) Morgan, induced reactive oxygen species, leading to apoptosis in Leishmania donovani promastigotes, and also was effective in inhibiting intracellular amastigotes at the 50% inhibitory concentration of 2.5 μg/ml.

Branched motifs enable long-range interactions in signaling networks through retrograde propagation.

Branched structures arise in the intra-cellular signaling network when a molecule is involved in multiple enzyme-substrate reaction cascades. Such branched motifs are involved in key biological processes, e.g.

Chromone linked nitrone derivative induces the expression of iNOS2 and Th1 cytokines but reduces the Th2 response in experimental visceral leishmaniasis.

In our previous work we have shown that the novel synthetic chromone derivative could effectively inhibit the Leishmania donovani replication in vitro and in vivo with less cytotoxicity on murine splenocytes. The aim of the present study is to explore the possible mechanism of anti-leishmanial effect of C-(6-methyl-4-oxo-4H-1-benzopyran-3-yl)-N-(p-tolyl) nitrone (designated as NP1) in vitro and in vivo in experimental visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. donovani.

Monocyte CD40 expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

CD40, an antigen-presenting cell expressed costimulatory receptor molecule, binds to T cell expressed CD40-ligand (CD40-L). Using a mouse tumor model, we showed previously that lower CD40/CD40-L expression levels promoted tumor growth whereas higher CD40/CD40-L expression levels led to tumor regression indicating duality in CD40 functions. Whether CD40/CD40-L expressions are regulated in cancer patients is unknown.