A lipid signature of BAK-driven apoptotic pore formation.

Apoptotic cell death is regulated by the BCL-2 protein family, with clusters of BAK or BAX homodimers driving pore formation in the mitochondrial outer membrane via a poorly understood process. There is growing evidence that, in addition to BAK and BAX, lipids play an important role in pore formation. Towards a better understanding of the lipidic drivers of apoptotic pore formation in isolated mitochondria, two complementary approaches were taken.

HIV-1-DNA/RNA and immunometabolism in monocytes: contribution to the chronic immune activation and inflammation in people with HIV-1.

Background: Among people living with HIV-1 (PHIV), immunological non-responders (INR) experience incomplete immune recovery despite suppressive antiretroviral treatment (ART), facing more severe non-AIDS events than immunological responders (IR) due to higher chronic immune activation and inflammation (cIA/I). We analyzed the HIV-1 reservoir and immunometabolism in monocytes as a source of cIA/I.

Methods: Cross-sectional study in which 110 participants were enrolled: 25 treatment-naïve; 35 INR; 40 IR; and 10 healthy controls.

HIV-1 Nef is carried on the surface of extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as pivotal mediators of intercellular communication in both health and disease, delivering biologically active molecules from vesicle-producing cells to recipient cells. In the context of HIV infection, EVs have been shown to carry the viral protein Nef, a key pathogenic factor associated with HIV-related co-morbidities. Despite this recognition, the specific localisation of Nef within the vesicles has remained elusive.

Hepatitis C virus E1 recruits high-density lipoprotein to support infectivity and evade antibody recognition.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a member of the family; however, unlike other family members, the HCV virion has an unusually high lipid content. HCV has two envelope glycoproteins, E1 and E2. E2 contributes to receptor binding, cell membrane attachment, and immune evasion.

Asthmatic patients with high serum amyloid A have proinflammatory HDL: Implications for augmented systemic and airway inflammation.

Rationale: Serum amyloid A (SAA) is bound to high-density lipoproteins (HDL) in blood. Although SAA is increased in the blood of patients with asthma, it is not known whether this modifies asthma severity.

Objective: We sought to define the clinical characteristics of patients with asthma who have high SAA levels and assess whether HDL from SAA-high patients with asthma is proinflammatory.

Short hydrocarbon stapled ApoC2-mimetic peptides activate lipoprotein lipase and lower plasma triglycerides in mice.

Introduction: Defects in lipolysis can lead to hypertriglyceridemia, which can trigger acute pancreatitis and is also associated with cardiovascular disease. Decreasing plasma triglycerides (TGs) by activating lipoprotein lipase (LPL) with ApoC2 mimetic peptides is a new treatment strategy for hypertriglyceridemia. We recently described a dual ApoC2 mimetic/ApoC3 antagonist peptide called D6PV that effectively lowered TG in several mouse models but has limitations in terms of drug development.

The Phenolic Compounds' Role in Beer from Various Adjuncts.

Background: The present article considers the influence of malt with various adjuncts on beer organic compounds and taste profile composition, with more attention paid to the phenol complex change. The topic under consideration is relevant since it studies the interactions of phenolic compounds with other biomolecules, and expands the understanding of the adjuncts organic compounds contribution and their joint effect on beer quality.

Methods: Samples of beer were analyzed at a pilot brewery using barley and wheat malts, barley, rice, corn and wheat, and then fermented.

Trained Immunity and HIV Infection.

Findings that certain infections induce immunity not only against the causing agent, but also against an unrelated pathogen have intrigued investigators for many years. Recently, underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon have started to come to light. It was found that the key cells responsible for heterologous protection are innate immune cells such as natural killer cells (NKs), dendritic cells, and monocytes/macrophages.

Abundance of Nef and p-Tau217 in Brains of Individuals Diagnosed with HIV-Associated Neurocognitive Disorders Correlate with Disease Severance.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) is a term used to describe a variety of neurological impairments observed in HIV-infected individuals. The pathogenic mechanisms of HAND and of its connection to HIV infection remain unknown, but one of the considered hypotheses suggests that HIV infection accelerates the development of Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies suggested that HIV-1 Nef may contribute to HAND by inhibiting cholesterol efflux, increasing the abundance of lipid rafts, and affecting their functionality.

Monolayer-Scale GaN/AlN Multiple Quantum Wells for High Power e-Beam Pumped UV-Emitters in the 240-270 nm Spectral Range.

Monolayer (ML)-scale GaN/AlN multiple quantum well (MQW) structures for electron-beam-pumped ultraviolet (UV) emitters are grown on -sapphire substrates by using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy under controllable metal-rich conditions, which provides the spiral growth of densely packed atomically smooth hillocks without metal droplets. These structures have ML-stepped terrace-like surface topology in the entire QW thickness range from 0.75-7 ML and absence of stress at the well thickness below 2 ML.

Direct interaction between ABCA1 and HIV-1 Nef: Molecular modeling and virtual screening for inhibitors.

HIV-1 infection impairs cellular cholesterol efflux by downmodulating the cholesterol transporter ABCA1, leading to metabolic co-morbidities like cardio-vascular disease. The main mechanism of this effect is impairment by the HIV-1 protein Nef of the ABCA1 interaction with the endoplasmic reticulum chaperone calnexin, which leads to a block in ABCA1 maturation followed by its degradation. However, ABCA1 is also downmodulated by Nef delivered with the extracellular vesicles, suggesting involvement of a direct Nef:ABCA1 interaction at the plasma membrane.

Non-linear optical imaging of atherosclerotic plaques in the context of SIV and HIV infection prominently detects crystalline cholesterol esters.

Chronic HIV infection may exacerbate atherosclerotic vascular disease, which at advanced stages presents as necrotic plaques rich in crystalline cholesterol. Such lesions can catastrophically rupture precipitating myocardial infarct and stroke, now important causes of mortality in those living with HIV. However, in this population little is known about plaque structure relative to crystalline content and its chemical composition.

Apolipoprotein Mimetic Peptides: Potential New Therapies for Cardiovascular Diseases.

Since the seminal breakthrough of treating diabetic patients with insulin in the 1920s, there has been great interest in developing other proteins and their peptide mimetics as therapies for a wide variety of other medical disorders. Currently, there are at least 60 different peptides that have been approved for human use and over 150 peptides that are in various stages of clinical development. Peptides mimetic of the major proteins on lipoproteins, namely apolipoproteins, have also been developed first as tools for understanding apolipoprotein structure and more recently as potential therapeutics.

Isolation of Lipid Rafts from Cultured Mammalian Cells and Their Lipidomics Analysis.

Lipid rafts are distinct liquid-ordered domains of plasma membranes of most eukaryotic cells providing platform for signaling pathways. Lipid composition of rafts is critical for their structural integrity and for regulation of signaling pathways originating from rafts. Here we provide a protocol to isolate lipid rafts from cultured human and animal cells and comprehensively analyse their lipid composition.

Specific NLRP3 Inhibition Protects Against Diabetes-Associated Atherosclerosis.

Low-grade persistent inflammation is a feature of diabetes-driven vascular complications, in particular activation of the Nod-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome to trigger the maturation and release of the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β). We investigated whether inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome, through the use of the specific small-molecule NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950, could reduce inflammation, improve vascular function, and protect against diabetes-associated atherosclerosis in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic apolipoprotein E-knockout mouse. Diabetes led to an approximately fourfold increase in atherosclerotic lesions throughout the aorta, which were significantly attenuated with MCC950 ( < 0.

Downregulation of by Cholic Acid and Chenodeoxycholic Acid in Double Knockout Mice: Differential Cardiovascular Outcome.

Sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) is a key enzyme in bile acids (BAs) biosynthesis and a regulator of cholesterol metabolism. double knockout (DKO) mice fed with western diet (WD) are protected from atherosclerosis up-regulation of hepatic and . Since feeding BAs ameliorates metabolic changes in KO mice, we tested BAs feeding on the development of atherosclerosis in DKO mice.

Targeting Lipid Rafts-A Potential Therapy for COVID-19.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic currently in an acute phase of rapid expansion. While public health measures remain the most effective protection strategy at this stage, when the peak passes, it will leave in its wake important health problems. Historically, very few viruses have ever been eradicated.

SR-BI mediates neutral lipid sorting from LDL to lipid droplets and facilitates their formation.

SR-BI binds various lipoproteins, including HDL, LDL as well as VLDL, and mediates selective cholesteryl ester (CE) uptake. HDL derived CE accumulates in cellular lipid droplets (LDs), which also store triacylglycerol (TAG). We hypothesized that SR-BI could significantly facilitate LD formation, in part, by directly transporting LDL derived neutral lipids (NL) such as CE and TAG into LDs without lipolysis and de novo lipid synthesis.