is a free-living amoeba that is ubiquitous in diverse natural environments. It causes a fatal brain infection in humans known as primary amoebic meningoencephalitis. Despite the medical importance of the parasitic disease, there is a great lack of knowledge about the biology and pathogenicity of . In this study, we identified and characterized a novel cysteine protease inhibitor of (NfCPI). NfCPI is a typical cysteine protease inhibitor belonging to the cystatin family with a Gln-Val-Val-Ala-Gly (QVVAG) motif, a characteristic motif conserved in the cystatin family of proteins. Bacterially expressed recombinant NfCPI has a dimeric structure and exhibits inhibitory activity against several cysteine proteases including cathespin Bs of at a broad range of pH values. Expression profiles of revealed that the gene was highly expressed during encystation and cyst of the amoeba. Western blot and immunofluorescence assays also support its high level of expression in cysts. These findings collectively suggest that NfCPI may play a critical role in encystation or cyst formation of by regulating cysteine proteases that may mediate encystation or mature cyst formation of the amoeba. More comprehensive studies to investigate the roles of NfCPI in encystation and its target proteases are necessary to elucidate the regulatory mechanism and the biological significance of NfCPI.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10040388 | DOI Listing |
Cell Death Dis
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have significant therapeutic effects but can also cause fatal lung injury. However, the lack of mouse animal models of ICI-related lung injury (ICI-LI) has limited the in-depth exploration of its pathogenesis. In clinical practice, underlying lung diseases increase the risk of lung injury.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZhonghua Bing Li Xue Za Zhi
January 2025
Department of Pathology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing210002, China.
To investigate the clinicopathological features, immunophenotype, molecular characteristics, and differential diagnosis of MED15-TFE3 gene fusion renal cell carcinoma (MED15-TFE3 RCC). A total of 12 MED15-TFE3 RCCs, diagnosed from 2016 to 2023, were collected from the Department of Pathology of Nanjing Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing, China for clinicopathologic, immunohistochemical, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses and follow-up. In addition, its diagnosis and differential diagnosis were also explored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProgrammed cell death (apoptosis) is essential part of the process of tissue regeneration that also plays role in the mechanism of pathology. The phenomenon of fast and transient permeability of mitochondrial membranes by various triggers, known as permeability transition pore (mPTP) leads to the release of proapoptotic proteins and acts as an initial step in initiation of apoptosis. However, a role for mPTP was also suggested for physiology and it is unclear if there is a threshold in number of mitochondria with mPTP which induces cell death and how this mechanism is regulated in different tissues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Vascular Gland Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, 075000, Hebei, China.
Previous studies highlighting the pivotal function of the S100A8 protein have shown that inflammation and vascular endothelial harm play a major role in deep vein thrombosis (DVT) development, as evidenced by earlier studies highlighting the pivotal function of the S100 calcium-binding protein A8 (S100A8). Therefore, we aimed to establish a connection between S100A8 and DVT and investigate the role of S100A8 in DVT development. Blood specimens were taken from 23 patients with DVT and 31 controls.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEMBO J
January 2025
Philips Institute for Oral Health Research, School of Dentistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA.
The complement system and neutrophils constitute the two main pillars of the host innate immune defense against infection by bacterial pathogens. Here, we identify T-Mac, a novel virulence factor of the periodontal pathogen Treponema denticola that allows bacteria to evade both defense systems. We show that T-Mac is expressed as a pre-protein that is cleaved into two functional units.
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