Role of the phospholipid binding sites, PX of p47 and PB region of Rac1, in the formation of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase complex NOX2.

In phagocytes, superoxide anion (O), the precursor of reactive oxygen species, is produced by the NADPH oxidase complex to kill pathogens. Phagocyte NADPH oxidase consists of the transmembrane cytochrome b (cyt b) and four cytosolic components: p40, p47, p67, and Rac1/2. The phagocyte activation by stimuli leads to activation of signal transduction pathways.

Splice variants of protein disulfide isomerase - identification, distribution and functional characterization in the rat.

Background: Protein Disulfide Isomerase (PDI) enzyme is an emerging therapeutic target in oncology and hematology. Although PDI reductase activity has been studied with isolated fragments of the protein, natural structural variations affecting reductase activity have not been addressed.

Methods: In this study, we discovered four coding splice variants of the Pdi pre-mRNA in rats.

Biomarkers Potency to Monitor Non-target Fauna Poisoning by Anticoagulant Rodenticides.

The widespread use of pesticides to control agricultural pests is a hot topic on the public scene of environmental health. Selective pest control for minimum environmental impact is a major goal of the environmental toxicology field, notably to avoid unintended poisoning in different organisms. Anticoagulant rodenticides cause abnormal blood coagulation process; they have been widely used to control rodents, allowing inadvertent primary and secondary exposure in domestic animals and non-target predatory wildlife species through direct ingestion of rodenticide-containing bait or by consumption of poisoned prey.

Impacts of vesicular environment on Nox2 activity measurements in vitro.

Background: The production of superoxide anions (O) by the phagocyte NADPH oxidase complex has a crucial role in the destruction of pathogens in innate immunity. Majority of in vitro studies on the functioning of NADPH oxidase indirectly follows the enzymatic reaction by the superoxide reduction of cytochrome c (cyt c). Only few reports mention the alternative approach consisting in measuring the NADPH consumption rate.