Telmisartan mitigates hyperglycemia-induced vascular inflammation by increasing GSK3β-Ser phosphorylation in endothelial cells and mouse aortas.

Telmisartan, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB), attenuates hyperglycemia-aggravated vascular inflammation by decreasing IκB kinase β (IKKβ) expression in endothelial cells. Because glycogen synthase 3β (GSK3β) is involved in inflammatory process by regulating nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity, we investigated whether GSK3β mediates telmisartan-ameliorated vascular inflammation in hyperglycemia-treated endothelial cells and high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Telmisartan remarkably induced GSK3β-Ser phosphorylation in hyperglycemia-treated endothelial cells that accompanied a decrease in hyperglycemia-induced NF-κB p65-Ser phosphorylation, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression, and THP-1 monocyte adhesion.

A superhydrophobic layer formed by fluoro-derivative-treated gold sheets on grown-up zinc oxide nanoparticles for a spherical DNA hydrogel.

A facile deposition process was developed for the fabrication of a new superhydrophobic layer composed of an underlying zinc oxide nanoparticle support and a gold top layer doped with the hydrophobic chemical, heptadecafluoro-1-decanethiol (HDFT). The resulting microscaled and spherical DNA-based hydrogels could serve as a platform for pseudo-nucleus mimics.

A gene-networked gel matrix-supported lipid bilayer as a synthetic nucleus system.

A spheroidal transgene-networked gel matrix was designed as a synthetic nucleus system. It was spheroidically manufactured using both advanced lithography and DNA nanotechnology. Stable Aqueorea coerulescens green fluorescent protein (AcGFP)-encoding gene cross-networks have been optimized in various parameters: the number of gene-networked gel (G-net-gel) spheroids, the concentration of a AcGFP plasmid in the scaffold, and the molar ratio between the X-DNA building blocks and the gene.

Budding dynamics of the lipid membrane.

Liposomes are widely used in industrial engineering systems including cosmetics and pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications. A fundamental understanding of the dynamics of lipid bud formation is required to efficiently produce various high-technological liposomes with well-controlled sizes and shapes. In this study, a novel patterning method of controlling the uniformity of the sizes and shapes of liposome buds nucleated from a flat lipid film casted on a flat substrate is reported.