Methylene Blue-Loaded NanoMOFs: Accumulation in Inclusions and Light/Dark Antibacterial Effects.

Metal-organic framework nanoparticles (nanoMOFs) are promising nanomaterials for biomedical applications. Some of them, including biodegradable porous iron carboxylates are proposed for encapsulation and delivery of antibiotics. Due to the high drug loading capacity and fast internalization kinetics, nanoMOFs are more beneficial for the treatment of intracellular bacterial infections compared to free antibacterial drugs, which poorly accumulate inside the cells because of the inability to cross membrane barriers or have low intracellular retention.

β-N-Methylamino-L-Alanine (BMAA) Causes Severe Stress in sp. PCC 7120 Cells under Diazotrophic Conditions: A Proteomic Study.

Non-proteinogenic neurotoxic amino acid β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) is synthesized by cyanobacteria, diatoms, and dinoflagellates, and is known to be a causative agent of human neurodegenerative diseases. Different phytoplankton organisms' ability to synthesize BMAA could indicate the importance of this molecule in the interactions between microalgae in nature. We were interested in the following: what kinds of mechanisms underline BMAA's action on cyanobacterial cells in different nitrogen supply conditions.

Spatial manipulation of magnetically-responsive nanoparticle engineered human neuronal progenitor cells.

Here we report a detailed investigation of the interaction of neuronal progenitor cells and neurons with polyelectrolyte-stabilized magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. Human neuronal progenitor and neurons were differentiated in vitro from fibroblast-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. The cytotoxic effects of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) were determined on human skin fibroblasts and neuronal progenitor cells.

[Increase of antituberculosis efficiency of rifampicin embedded into phospholipid nanoparticles with sodium oleate].

The formulation of the antituberculosis drug rifampicin embedded into 20-30 nm nanoparticles from soy phosphatidylcholine and sodium oleate, is characterized by greater bioavailability as compared with free drug substance. In this study higher antituberculosis activity of this formulation was shown. Rifampicin in nanoparticles demonstrated more effective inhibition of M.

The Cyanotoxin BMAA Induces Heterocyst Specific Gene Expression in sp. PCC 7120 under Repressive Conditions.

Cyanobacteria synthesize neurotoxic β--methylamino-l-alanine (BMAA). The roles of this non-protein amino acid in cyanobacterial cells are insufficiently studied. During diazotrophic growth, filamentous cyanobacteria form single differentiated cells, called heterocysts, which are separated by approximately 12⁻15 vegetative cells.

Epigenetic reprogramming by naïve conditions establishes an irreversible state of partial X chromosome reactivation in female stem cells.

Female human pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have variable X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) status. One of the X chromosomes may either be inactive (Xi) or display some active state markers. Long-term cultivation of PSCs may lead to an erosion of XCI and partial X reactivation.

Stress effects of cyanotoxin β-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) on cyanobacterial heterocyst formation and functionality.

Various species of cyanobacteria, diatoms and dinoflagellates are capable of synthesizing the non-proteinogenic neurotoxic amino acid β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), which is known to be a causative agent of human neurodegeneration. Similar to most cyanotoxins, the biological and ecological functions of BMAA in cyanobacteria are unknown. In this study, we show for the first time that BMAA, in micromolar amounts, inhibits the formation of heterocysts (specialized nitrogen-fixing cells) in heterocystous, diazotrophic cyanobacteria [Anabaena sp.

Gastritis Can Cause and Trigger Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria Independent of the Presence of Helicobacter pylori.

Background/aim: In chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU), Helicobacter pylori (HP) has been discussed as a cause, but it is unknown whether the bacterium itself or concomitant inflammation is causing the urticaria. Our aim was to investigate HP and upper gastrointestinal lesions as signs of inflammation independently of each other in the pathogenesis of CSU.

Methods: A total of 36 prospectively enrolled CSU patients from Moscow were investigated by gastroscopy and screened for the presence of HP and/or upper gastrointestinal lesions.

Direct visualization of the oligomeric state of hemagglutinins of influenza virus by high-resolution atomic force microscopy.

High-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a powerful technique for the direct visualization of single molecules. Here, AFM is applied to characterize the oligomeric state of hemagglutinins of the influenza virus. Hemagglutinins are known to be present in a trimeric form inside the viral envelope.

State of the Art of Chromosome 18-Centric HPP in 2016: Transcriptome and Proteome Profiling of Liver Tissue and HepG2 Cells.

A gene-centric approach was applied for a large-scale study of expression products of a single chromosome. Transcriptome profiling of liver tissue and HepG2 cell line was independently performed using two RNA-Seq platforms (SOLiD and Illumina) and also by Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) and quantitative RT-PCR. Proteome profiling was performed using shotgun LC-MS/MS as well as selected reaction monitoring with stable isotope-labeled standards (SRM/SIS) for liver tissue and HepG2 cells.

Myeloperoxidase Stimulates Neutrophil Degranulation.

Myeloperoxidase, heme enzyme of azurophilic granules in neutrophils, is released into the extracellular space in the inflammation foci. In neutrophils, it stimulates a dose-dependent release of lactoferrin (a protein of specific granules), lysozyme (a protein of specific and azurophilic granules), and elastase (a protein of azurophilic granules). 4-Aminobenzoic acid hydrazide, a potent inhibitor of peroxidase activity of myeloperoxidase, produced no effect on neutrophil degranulation.

The role of levosimendan in acute heart failure complicating acute coronary syndrome: A review and expert consensus opinion.

Acute heart failure and/or cardiogenic shock are frequently triggered by ischemic coronary events. Yet, there is a paucity of randomized data on the management of patients with heart failure complicating acute coronary syndrome, as acute coronary syndrome and cardiogenic shock have frequently been defined as exclusion criteria in trials and registries. As a consequence, guideline recommendations are mostly driven by observational studies, even though these patients have a particularly poor prognosis compared to heart failure patients without signs of coronary artery disease.

Manifestation of Huntington's disease pathology in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neurons.

Background: Huntington's disease (HD) is an incurable hereditary neurodegenerative disorder, which manifests itself as a loss of GABAergic medium spiny (GABA MS) neurons in the striatum and caused by an expansion of the CAG repeat in exon 1 of the huntingtin gene. There is no cure for HD, existing pharmaceutical can only relieve its symptoms.

Results: Here, induced pluripotent stem cells were established from patients with low CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, and were then efficiently differentiated into GABA MS-like neurons (GMSLNs) under defined culture conditions.

Application of vasoactive and matrix-modifying drugs can improve polyplex delivery to tumors upon intravenous administration.

Low efficacy of cationic polymer-based formulations (polyplexes) for systemic gene delivery to tumors remains the crucial concern for their clinical translation. Here we show that modulating the physiological state of a tumor using clinically approved pharmaceuticals can improve delivery of intravenously injected polyplexes to murine melanoma tumors with different characteristics. Direct comparison of drugs with different mechanisms of action has shown that application of nitroglycerin or losartan improved extravasation and tumor uptake of polyplex nanoparticles, whereas angiotensin II had almost no effect on polyplex accumulation and microdistribution in the tumor tissue.

Concerted action of two subunits of the functional dimer of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 uridine phosphorylase derived from a comparison of the C212S mutant and the wild-type enzyme.

Uridine phosphorylase (UP; EC 2.4.2.

Profiling of Mycoplasma gallisepticum Ribosomes.

The development of high-throughput technologies is increasingly resulting in identification of numerous cases of low correlation between mRNA and the protein level in cells. These controversial observations were made on various bacteria, such as E. coli, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, and Lactococcus lactis.

Morphology and aggregation of RADA-16-I peptide Studied by AFM, NMR and molecular dynamics simulations.

RADA-16-I is a self-assembling peptide which forms biocompatible fibrils and hydrogels. We used molecular dynamics simulations, atomic-force microscopy, NMR spectroscopy, and thioflavin T binding assay to examine size, structure, and morphology of RADA-16-I aggregates. We used the native form of RADA-16-I (H-(ArgAlaAspAla)4 -OH) rather than the acetylated one commonly used in the previous studies.

Generation of recombinant destabilase-lysozyme from medicinal leeches in three different expression systems.

Destabilase-lysozyme (mlDL) is an enzyme secreted by the salivary gland cells of medicinal leeches. Destabilase-lysozyme possesses lysozyme and isopeptidase activities. We generated recombinant destabilase-lysozyme isoform 2 in three expression systems, i.

The 5'-proximal region of Potato virus X RNA involves the potential cap-dependent "conformational element" for encapsidation.

Filamentous helical Potato virus X (PVX) can be regarded as one of the well-studied viruses. Nevertheless, some aspects of the PVX assembly remained obscure. Previously, we have shown that the presence of a cap structure at the 5' end of PVX RNA is indispensable for assembly of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) particles varying in length.

Recombinant fragilysin isoforms cause E-cadherin cleavage of intact cells and do not cleave isolated E-cadherin.

The fragilysin (BFT) is a protein secreted by enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis strains. BFT contains zinc-binding motif which was found in the metzincins family of metalloproteinases. In this study, we generated three known recombinant isoforms of BFT using Escherichia coli, tested their activity and examined whether E-cadherin is a substrate for BFTs.

Complete Genome Sequence of an Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis Clinical Isolate.

Here we present the complete genome sequence of Bacteroides fragilis isolate BOB25. It is an enterotoxigenic isolate that was obtained from a stool sample of a patient with dysbiosis.

Quantification of autoantibodies to plasminogen in plasma of patients with cancer.

Background: The investigation of autoantibodies which may play a role in the processes of angiogenesis and tumorogenesis is important in the early diagnostis of cancer.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the levels of autoantibodies to Glu-plasminogen (Pg) in plasma of patients with tumors.

Methods: Plasma samples from healthy volunteers were compared with samples from patients with prostate cancer using 2D electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

No DNA damage response and negligible genome-wide transcriptional changes in human embryonic stem cells exposed to terahertz radiation.

Terahertz (THz) radiation was proposed recently for use in various applications, including medical imaging and security scanners. However, there are concerns regarding the possible biological effects of non-ionising electromagnetic radiation in the THz range on cells. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are extremely sensitive to environmental stimuli, and we therefore utilised this cell model to investigate the non-thermal effects of THz irradiation.

Visualization of fibrinogen αC regions and their arrangement during fibrin network formation by high-resolution AFM.

Background: Fibrinogen has been intensively studied with transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. But until now, a complete 3D structure of the molecule has not yet been available because the two highly flexible αC regions could not be resolved in fibrinogen crystals. This study was aimed at determining whether the αC regions can be visualized by high-resolution atomic force microscopy.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus pumilus 7P, Isolated from the Soil of the Tatarstan Republic, Russia.

Here, we present a draft genome sequence of Bacillus pumilus strain 7P. This strain was isolated from soil as an extracellular RNase-producing microorganism. The RNase of B.