Chitosan-Based Formulations Intended as Protective Spray for Mask Surfaces in Prevention of Coronavirus Dissemination.

The extraordinary occurrence of COVID-19 by the fast expansion of viral infections has propelled particular interest in developing novel antiviral and virucidal agents to guarantee personal security. The main objective of this work is to propose novel formulations able to optimize the use of personal protection elements. In recent years, chitosan (CH) has attracted attention for being an interesting multifunctional, biodegradable, non-antigenic, non-toxic, and biocompatible natural polymer with antimicrobial properties.

Development and Characterization of Antimicrobial Textiles from Chitosan-Based Compounds: Possible Biomaterials Against SARS-CoV-2 Viruses.

Unlabelled: Novel antiviral cotton fabrics impregnated with different formulations based on Chitosan (CH), citric acid (CA), and Copper (Cu) were developed. CA was selected as a CH crosslinker agent and Cu salts as enhancers of the polymer antimicrobial activity. The characterization of the polymeric-inorganic formulations was assessed by using atomic absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopy, as well as thermogravimetric analysis.

Retinoid X receptor activation promotes photoreceptor survival and modulates the inflammatory response in a mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa.

Photoreceptor cell (PHR) death is a hallmark of most retinal neurodegenerative diseases, in which inflammation plays a critical role. Activation of retinoid X receptors (RXR) modulates and integrates multiple cell functions, and has beneficial effects in animal models of chronic inflammatory diseases. Nonetheless, the mechanisms involved and their role in retina neuroprotection are poorly understood.

Ceramide-1-phosphate promotes the migration of retina Müller glial cells.

Müller glial cells, the major glial cell type in the retina, are activated by most retina injuries, leading to an increased proliferation and migration that contributes to visual dysfunction. The molecular cues involved in these processes are still ill defined. We demonstrated that sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a bioactive sphingolipid, promotes glial migration.

A Defective Crosstalk Between Neurons and Müller Glial Cells in the Retina Impairs the Regenerative Potential of Glial Stem Cells.

Müller glial cells (MGC) are stem cells in the retina. Although their regenerative capacity is very low in mammals, the use of MGC as stem cells to regenerate photoreceptors (PHRs) during retina degenerations, such as in retinitis pigmentosa, is being intensely studied. Changes affecting PHRs in diseased retinas have been thoroughly investigated; however, whether MGC are also affected is still unclear.

Infection of Rat Osteoblasts with Junin Virus Promotes the Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 6, an Osteogenic Differentiation Inducer.

Background: The arenavirus Junin virus (JUNV), causative agent of the argentine hemorrhagic fever, is able to modulate several signaling pathways involved in cell survival and multiplication.

Objectives: We aimed to characterize the infection of rat osteoblasts (OBCs) with JUNV and its consequence on the modulation of osteogenic genes expression, thus studying the ability of this virus to induce cell differentiation. In addition, we evaluated the effect of purinergic agonists on viral replication.

Protective effects of retinoid x receptors on retina pigment epithelium cells.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is among the main pathologies leading to blindness in adults and has currently no cure or effective treatment. Selective apoptosis of retina pigment epithelial (RPE) cells results in the progressive loss of photoreceptor neurons, with the consequent gradual vision loss. Oxidative stress plays an important role in this process.

ATP and UTP stimulate bone morphogenetic protein-2,-4 and -5 gene expression and mineralization by rat primary osteoblasts involving PI3K/AKT pathway.

The modulation of purinergic receptors plays an important role in the regulation of bone formation by the osteoblast. On the other hand, bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, regulate the differentiation of osteoprogenitor bone cells and stimulate bone formation. In this study, we investigate the effects of several nucleotides on osteoblast differentiation and function, and their relation with the gene expression of osteogenic proteins BMP-2, BMP-4 and BMP-5 as well as of differentiation markers alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone sialoprotein (BSP).

alpha 7-type acetylcholine receptor localization and its modulation by nicotine and cholesterol in vascular endothelial cells.

The neuronal-type α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7AChR) is also found in various non-neural tissues, including vascular endothelium, where its peculiar ionotropic properties (high Ca(2+) permeability) and its supervening Ca(2+) -mediated intracellular cascades may play important roles in physiology (angiogenesis) and pathology (inflammation and atherogenesis). Changes in molecular (up-regulation, affinity, and conformational states) and cellular (distribution, association with membranes) properties of the α7AChR related to angiogenesis (wound-repair cell migration) and atherogenesis (alterations in cholesterol content) were studied in living endothelial cells, with the aim of determining whether such changes constitute early markers of inflammatory response. The combination of pharmacological, biochemical, and fluorescence microscopy tools showed that α7AChRs in rat arterial endothelial (RAEC) and human venous endothelial (HUVEC) cells occur at extremely low expression levels (∼50 fmol/mg protein) but undergo agonist-induced up-regulation at relatively high nicotine concentrations (∼300-fold with 50 µM ligand), increasing their cell-surface exposure.