Publications by authors named "Tamas Palkovics"

Post-antibiotic era requires the use of alternative pesticides against bacterial infections. One potential application field is agriculture, where pesticides are routinely applied in combinations. In this study we tested the interference of antibacterial effects of two alternative antimicrobials with basically different mode of actions if applied together by using the Enterohemorrhagic strain Sakai as a modelorganism, one strain of a pathotype that is frequently associated with meat and plant derived infections.

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Article Synopsis
  • The text discusses a zoonotic bacterium's ability to invade epithelial cells and how the host responds to this invasion through gene expression changes over time.
  • A whole-transcriptome analysis revealed that out of 41,769 human genes tested, 19,060 showed varying degrees of influence during the invasion process.
  • Key biological functions affected include immune responses, apoptosis (cell death), and tumor-related gene upregulation, highlighting the complex interaction between the bacterium and the host's biological systems.
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is a foodborne pathogen, the causative agent of listeriosis. Infections typically occur through consumption of foods, such as meats, fisheries, milk, vegetables, and fruits. Today, chemical preservatives are used in foods; however, due to their effects on human health, attention is increasingly turning to natural decontamination practices.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pitted keratolysis (PK) is a bacterial skin infection affecting the soles of the feet, leading to discomfort, and traditional antibiotic treatments face challenges due to resistance.
  • In a study comparing the antibacterial properties of essential oils (EOs), lemongrass emerged as the most effective against the bacteria causing PK, prompting further exploration.
  • Analysis identified 17 compounds in lemongrass, with α-terpineol showing strong antimicrobial activity, suggesting EO-based formulations could be promising alternatives for treating PK.
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Our study investigated the antimicrobial action of clove (Syzygium aromaticum) essential oil (EO) on the zoonotic pathogen Campylobacter jejuni After confirming the clove essential oil's general antibacterial effect, we analyzed the reference strain Campylobacter jejuni NCTC 11168. Phenotypic, proteomic, and transcriptomic methods were used to reveal changes in cell morphology and functions when exposed to sublethal concentrations of clove EO. The normally curved cells showed markedly straightened and shrunken morphology on the scanning electron micrographs as a result of stress.

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Introduction: Immunoregulation implies the activation of negative pathways leading to the modulation of specific immune responses. Co-inhibitory receptors (such as PD-1 and TIM-3) represent possible tools for this purpose. PD-1 and TIM-3 have been demonstrated to be present on immune cells suggesting general involvement in immunosuppression such as fetomaternal tolerance.

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Receptor-ligand binding is an essential interaction for biological function. Oxidative stress can modify receptors and/or membrane lipid dynamics, thus altering cell physiological functions. The aim of this study is to analyze how oxidative stress may alter receptor-ligand binding and lipid domain distribution in the case of progesterone-induced blocking factor/progesterone-induced blocking factor-receptor.

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Macrophages represent the first defense line against bacterial infection and therefore, play a crucial role in early inflammatory response. In this study, we investigated the role of MAPKs and MKP-1 activation in regulation of an early inflammatory response in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.

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Progesterone is indispensable in creating a suitable endometrial environment for implantation, and also for the maintenance of pregnancy. Successful pregnancy depends on an appropriate maternal immune response to the fetus. Along with its endocrine effects, progesterone also acts as an "immunosteroid", by contributing to the establishment of a pregnancy protective immune milieu.

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Background: An alternative to multivalent vaccines could be to construct strains capable of conferring broad protection through shared antigens. Down-regulation of immunodominant major antigens has been proposed to enhance the immunogenicity of conserved antigens.

Methods: The protection provided by an aroA as well as structural and regulatory lipopolysaccharide (LPS) mutants of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium against homologous and heterologous challenges was assessed in the murine model of typhoid.

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Problem: Progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) induces Th2 biased cytokine production; therefore, this study investigates the effects of PIBF on the protein kinase C (PKC)/Ca(++) system - which plays a key role in Th1/Th2 differentiation.

Method Of Study: Proteins from PIBF-treated cells were reacted on Western blots with phospho-specific antibodies recognizing different PKC izoforms. Intracellular free calcium was measured by flow cytometry.

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Progesterone-induced blocking factor (PIBF) induces Th2-dominant cytokine production. Western blotting and EMSA revealed phosphorylation as well as nuclear translocation of STAT6 and inhibition of STAT4 phosphorylation in PIBF-treated cells. The silencing of STAT6 by small interfering RNA reduced the cytokine effects.

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