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Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2019 09 1;20(9):2763-2774. Epub 2019 Sep 1.

Substance Abuse Prevention Research Center, Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, kermanshah, Iran.

Objective: Interaction of methamphetamine and sigma (σ) receptors lead to up-regulation and activation of these receptors. The σ receptors induced apoptosis in some parts of the brain by increasing calcium, dopamine, ROS, mitochondrial pores and caspase activity. Ibudilast is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and anti-inflammatory drug, which can decrease the inflammatory cytokines. Read More

Anal Chim Acta 2019 Nov 7;1084:85-92. Epub 2019 Aug 7.

Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100194, PR China; Key Laboratory of Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Organism (Food Safety), Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, 100083, PR China. Electronic address:

Whole cell biosensors offer high potential for the detection of heavy metals in a manner that is simple, rapid and low-cost. However, previous researchers have paid little attention to the impacts of construction models on the performance of these biosensors, thereby limiting the achievement of rational design and the optimization of detection characteristics. Herein, for the first time, three basic models of lead and mercury detection circuits, namely feedback coupled, uncoupled and semi-coupled models, have been constructed and compared to explore the effects of uncoupling the topology of sensing circuits on the reporter signals. Read More

Toxicon 2019 Nov 14;169:25-33. Epub 2019 Aug 14.

Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Electronic address:

The hypothesis of this experiment is that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are involved in the genesis of the bone metaplasia caused by Solanum glaucophyllum intoxication. We determined using liquid chromatography that 1 mL of plant extract contained 3.8 μl of 1,25(OH)D. Read More

Cell Physiol Biochem 2019 ;53(2):413-428

NeuroAllergy Research Laboratory (NARL), School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, VIC, Australia,

Background/aims: Amyloid plaques, generated during the progression of Alzheimer's disease, cause major neurological deficits due to substantial cell toxicity and death. The underlying cause of plaque generation stems from cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase (BACE1). A resulting amyloid-β (Aβ) fragment forms aggregates to produce the main constituent of a plaque. Read More

Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 2019 Oct 14;107:104405. Epub 2019 Jun 14.

Centre for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, India. Electronic address:

Ultrafine gold particles (AuPs) can be emerged as a good candidate in the field of drug delivery as well as in imaging applications. However, little attention has been paid to detailed study of nanoparticle's interaction with blood components before systemic use. An investigation into the interaction of ultrafine AuPs with blood components is must for its clinical application. Read More

Life Sci 2019 Aug 10;231:116556. Epub 2019 Jun 10.

Department of Internal Medicine, Botucatu Medical School, Univ Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, SP 18618-970, Brazil.

Triiodothyronine (T) and estrogen (E) play important roles in the bone remodeling process and signaling of receptor activator of the nuclear factor-kappa β (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin (OPG) expressed by osteoblasts. However, little is known of the molecular action of these hormones in conditions of hyperthyroidism and associated E in human cells.

Aims: This study evaluated the effects of the physiological concentration of E (10 nM), alone or in association with physiological (1 nM) and supraphysiological (10 nM) concentrations of T, on RANKL and OPG gene expression in human osteoblasts. Read More

Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2019 09 30;235:121-130. Epub 2019 May 30.

Laboratory of Integrative Neuroendocrinology, Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Electronic address:

The aim of this work was to determine if the anorexigen nesfatin-1 modulates the expression of genes involved in glucoregulation in rainbow trout. First, the nesfatin-1 sequence from trout was confirmed. Second, the effects of 0. Read More

Chemosphere 2019 Aug 21;228:278-286. Epub 2019 Apr 21.

CICS-UBI - Centro de Investigação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal. Electronic address:

Di(2-etilhexil) phthalate (DEHP) is a compound used in plastic materials, which has endocrine disrupting properties. The human DEHP exposure depend on the use of plastics in toys, medical devices and food and beverage containers. The DEHP effects were studied in some physiological systems; nevertheless, the actions in human arteries were never described. Read More

Anal Chim Acta 2019 Feb 29;1048:194-203. Epub 2018 Oct 29.

Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Biology and Medicine (Ministry of Education), College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China. Electronic address:

BODIPY-based probes have excellent fluorescence properties. However, small Stokes shifts approximately 5-15 nm greatly affect their detection sensitivity. In this study, we compared the Stokes shifts of reported BODIPY-based probes with various of substituents, and found that the phenyl groups on the specific position of BODIPY core could expand the Stokes shift of BODIPY-based probes, and methoxy groups on these phenyl substituents could enhance such effects. Read More

Mol Cell Endocrinol 2019 02 19;481:1-7. Epub 2018 Nov 19.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Sports Medicine, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.

High 17β-Estradiol (E2) concentrations in isolated ventricular myocytes as well as a lack of ovarian hormones in cardiac muscle of ovariectomized (OVX) rodents has been shown to lead to arrhythmogenic effects by inducing post-translational modifications, including phosphorylation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release channel ryanodine receptor-2 (RyR2). The effects of estrogens on the phosphorylation status of the RyR1 in skeletal muscle have not been investigated before. Furthermore, while high intensity exercise has been shown to increase RyR phosphorylation, there is no data on the effects of moderate intensity continuous training (MICT). Read More

Eur J Med Chem 2018 Oct 6;158:322-333. Epub 2018 Sep 6.

Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, China. Electronic address:

To identify ALK and ROS1 dual inhibitors conferring resistance to ALK secondary mutations, especially 'gatekeeper' L1196 M and the most predominant ceritinib-resistant G1202R mutations, a series of novel 2,4-diarylaminopyrimidine analogues were designed and synthesized by incorporating 2-alkoxy-6-alicyclic aminopyridinyl motifs. The biological evaluations on cellular and enzymatic assays led to identification of compound F-1, which turned out to be effective against ALK, ROS1, ALK and ALK kinases with IC of 2.1 nM, 2. Read More

Eur J Med Chem 2018 Oct 31;158:167-183. Epub 2018 Aug 31.

Laboratorio de Química Orgánica y Farmacéutica, Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, E-37007, Salamanca, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, E-37007, Salamanca, Spain; Centro de Investigación de Enfermedades Tropicales de la Universidad de Salamanca (CIETUS). Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, E-37007, Salamanca, Spain. Electronic address:

Resistance to combretastatin A-4 is mediated by metabolic modification of the phenolic hydroxyl and ether groups of the 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl (B ring). Replacement of the B ring of combretastatin A-4 by a N-methyl-5-indolyl reduces tubulin polymerization inhibition (TPI) and cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines but cyano, methoxycarbonyl, formyl, and hydroxyiminomethyl substitutions at the indole 3-position restores potent TPI and cytotoxicity against sensitive human cancer cell lines. These highly potent substituted derivatives displayed low nanomolar cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines due to tubulin inhibition, as shown by cell cycle analysis, confocal microscopy, and tubulin polymerization inhibitory activity studies, and promoted cell killing mediated by caspase-3 activation. Read More

Anal Chim Acta 2018 Sep 29;1025:154-162. Epub 2018 Mar 29.

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong Sino-Japanese Center for Collaborative Research of Carbon Nanomaterials, Laboratory of Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, The Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, Shandong, 266071, PR China. Electronic address:

In this work, glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surface was modified by drop-coating graphene oxide (GO) and nile blue (NB) to form GO/NB/GCE. By using a one-step coreduction treatment under cyclic voltammetry (CV) scanning, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were electrodeposited onto GO/NB/GCE surface, simultaneously generating reduced GO (rGO). AuNPs from the prepared rGO/NB/AuNPs/GCE was combined with 5'-SH-terminated aptamer of dopamine (DA) via Au-S coupling to fabricate aptamer-rGO/NB/AuNPs/GCE system. Read More

J Biomech 2018 06 19;75:96-101. Epub 2018 May 19.

Cleveland State University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA. Electronic address:

Force plates for human movement analysis provide accurate measurements when mounted rigidly on an inertial reference frame. Large measurement errors occur, however, when the force plate is accelerated, or tilted relative to gravity. This prohibits the use of force plates in human perturbation studies with controlled surface movements, or in conditions where the foundation is moving or not sufficiently rigid. Read More

J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2018 10 8;183:10-17. Epub 2018 May 8.

Center of Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Institute for Genetic Medicine, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Departments of Orthopedic Surgery, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address:

Estrogens attenuate bone turnover by inhibiting both osteoclasts and osteoblasts, in part through antagonizing Runx2. Apparently conflicting, stimulatory effects in osteoblast lineage cells, however, sway the balance between bone resorption and bone formation in favor of the latter. Consistent with this dualism, 17ß-estradiol (E2) both stimulates and inhibits Runx2 in a locus-specific manner, and here we provide evidence for such locus-specific regulation of Runx2 by E2 in vivo. Read More

J Chromatogr A 2018 Jun 5;1552:43-52. Epub 2018 Apr 5.

Graduate Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, No.1, Section 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, 106, Taiwan, ROC. Electronic address:

Hydrogen sulfide (HS), previously known as a toxic gas, is now recognized as a gasotransmitter along with nitric oxide and carbon monoxide. However, only few methods are available for quantitative determination of HS in biological samples. 2-Iodoacetanilide (2-IAN), a thiol-reacting agent, has been used to tag the reduced cysteine residues of proteins for quantitative proteomics and for detection of cysteine oxidation modification. Read More

Pharmacol Rep 2018 Feb 4;70(1):178-183. Epub 2017 Oct 4.

Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Silesia, School of Medicine in Katowice, Poland. Electronic address:

Background: Incretin analogue drugs, a FDA-approved treatment in diabetes, has been tested for its therapeutic properties as modulators of atherosclerosis. We investigated the effects of incretin drugs on the modulation of gene expression and protein levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as well as their inhibitors - tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in coronary artery smooth muscle cells (hCASMC) in the context of atherosclerotic plaque formation and inflammation.

Methods: TNFα-stimulated hCASMC were treated with Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) (10nM and 100nM) and Exendin-4 (1nM and 10nM). Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2018 Apr 19;150:86-95. Epub 2017 Dec 19.

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 301, 12587 Berlin, Germany.

Previously, levonorgestrel (LNG) has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor of the amphibian thyroid system. In the present study, we investigated whether anti-thyroidal effects are a common property of progestins other than LNG. Premetamorphic Xenopus laevis tadpoles were exposed to norethisterone (NET) and dienogest DIE (each at 0. Read More

Int J Biol Macromol 2018 Apr 17;110:540-549. Epub 2017 Oct 17.

Centre for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita University, Kochi, Kerala, 682 041, India. Electronic address:

Recent reports indicated DNA damaging potential of few-layer graphene in human cell systems. Here, we used computational technique to understand the interaction of both pristine (pG) or carboxyl functionalized graphene (fG) of different sizes (1, 6, and 10nm) with an important DNA repair protein p53. The molecular docking study revealed strong interaction between pG and DNA binding domains (DBD) of p53 with binding free energies (BE) varying from -12. Read More

Talanta 2018 Jan 3;176:77-84. Epub 2017 Aug 3.

State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China. Electronic address:

A novel headspace colorimetric nanosensor strategy for specific detection of Hg(II) was developed based upon analyte induced etching and amalgamation of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The Hg(II) was first selectively reduced to its volatile form, Hg(0), by stannous chloride (SnCl) through chemical cold vapor generation (CVG) reaction. Then, the Hg(0) was headspace extracted into 37μL thioglycolic acid functionalized AuNP aqueous suspension containing 10% methanol as extractant and simultaneously reacted with AuNPs through the strong metallophilic Hg-Au interaction, resulting in a red-to-blue color change. Read More

Arch Biochem Biophys 2017 11 4;633:29-39. Epub 2017 Sep 4.

Department of Endocrinology, Qilu Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China. Electronic address:

Objective: To determine the relationship between papillary thyroid carcinoma and environmental exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) or 17-β estrogen (E) by assessing the effects of these compounds on estrogen receptor expression and AKT/mTOR signaling.

Methods: The effects of low levels of BPA (1mM-10nM) and 17β-estradiol (E2, 0.1mM-1nM) on ER expression and cellular proliferation were determined in human thyroid papillary cancer BHP10-3 cells. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2017 Nov 12;814:95-105. Epub 2017 Aug 12.

Faculty Research Centre in Applied Biological and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Sunitinib is an anti-cancer tyrosine kinase inhibitor associated with severe cardiotoxic adverse effects. Using rat Langendorff heart model and human acute myeloid leukaemia 60 (HL60) cell line we detected the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) α during Sunitinib-induced cardiotoxicity and the effect of Sunitinib on cancer progression. The cardioprotective and anti-cancer properties of the A adenosine receptor agonist 2-chloro-N6-(3-iodobenzyl)-adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide (IB-MECA) were investigated. Read More

Cancer Lett 2017 10 11;406:71-80. Epub 2017 Aug 11.

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA. Electronic address:

The main aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of an oil-in-water nanoemulsion formulation encapsulating DHA-SBT-1214, a novel omega-3 fatty acid conjugated taxoid prodrug, against prostate cancer stem cells. Nanoemulsions of DHA-SBT-1214 (NE-DHA-SBT-1214) were prepared and characterized. In vitro delivery efficiency and cytotoxicity of NE-DHA-SBT-1214 was compared with solution formulation in PPT2 cells. Read More

Talanta 2017 Aug 1;171:152-158. Epub 2017 May 1.

College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of Resource-conserving & Environment-Friendly Society and Ecological Civilization, Changsha, China. Electronic address:

An effective approach for fabricating core-shell-satellite magnetic microspheres was developed to form a sub-10nm positively charged mesoporous silica (mSiO) interlayer, which was applied to enrich samples and create sufficient hotspots between the inner FeO@Ag core and outer assembled gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) satellites. Based on the prepared FeO@Ag/mSiO/AuNPs (FASA) as SERS substrates, a sensitive and label-free detection of methotrexate in serum was successfully realized. The positively charged mSiO interlayer exhibited strong capability in enriching methotrexate through the electrostatic interaction. Read More

Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2017 Aug 3;198:1-8. Epub 2017 May 3.

Radboud University, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Department of Animal Ecology and Physiology, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are detected in aquafeeds where fish oils are (partially) replaced by vegetable oils. The highly lipophilic PAHs solubilize readily in oil droplets and micelles in the intestinal lumen that can affect enzymatic lipid digestion by altering lipase activity. We therefore investigated the effect of two PAHs, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) and phenanthrene (PHE), on bile salt-activated lipase (BAL) activity in desalted luminal extracts of the proximal intestine of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using the triacylglycerides rapeseed oil and fish oil as substrates. Read More

Eur J Pharm Sci 2017 Jul 27;105:144-149. Epub 2017 Apr 27.

Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Carlos, SP, Brazil. Electronic address:

Purpose: Verify if sodium nitroprusside (SNP) is able to improve endothelial function and if this effect is independent of nitric oxide (NO) release of the compound.

Methods: Normotensive (2K) and hypertensive (2K-1C) wistar rats were used. Intact endothelium aortas were placed in a myograph and incubated with SNP: 0. Read More

Food Chem 2017 Aug 24;229:534-541. Epub 2017 Feb 24.

Departament de Bioquímica i Fisiologia, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), Av. Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; Institut de Recerca en Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària (INSA-UB), Recinte Torribera, Av. Prat de la Riba 171, 08921 Santa Coloma Gramenet, Spain. Electronic address:

Table olives are especially rich in pentacyclic triterpenic compounds, which exert several biological activities. A crucial step in order to know if these compounds could contribute to the beneficial and healthy properties of this food is their measurement in blood. Therefore, the present study describes a simple and accurate liquid-liquid extraction followed by LC-QqQ-MS analysis for the simultaneous determination of the main pentacyclic triterpenes from Olea europaea L. Read More

Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2017 Jun 18;154:350-356. Epub 2017 Mar 18.

Institute of Biology, Medicinal Chemistry & Biotechnology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 48 Vassileos Constantinou Ave., 11635, Athens, Greece.

Oil-in-water (O/W) microemulsions based on Tween 80 as the emulsifier and triacetin as the dispersed oil phase were formulated to be used as delivery vehicles of Vemurafenib analog PLX4720. PLX4720 is a lipophilic antitumor drug against various cancer types correlated with the BRAF mutation. The limits of the single-phase region corresponding to O/W microemulsions as described by ternary phase diagrams were examined. Read More

Peptides 2017 05 11;91:20-25. Epub 2017 Mar 11.

Department of Clinical Neuroendocrinology, Centre of Postgraduate Medical Education, Marymoncka 99/103, 01-813 Warsaw, Poland. Electronic address:

Cocaine and Amphetamine-Regulated Transcript (CART) is widely expressed in the central nervous system and in several endocrine organs. CART is an important factor in the regulation of energy homeostasis. The aim of the study was to assess the role of CART in physiological response of pituitary cells in a course of starvation. Read More

Eur J Pharmacol 2017 Feb 17;797:153-161. Epub 2017 Jan 17.

Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM, Centre de Recherche en Oncologie Biologique et Oncopharmacologie (CRO2) UMR 911, Faculté de Pharmacie, 13385 Marseille, France. Electronic address:

Integrins are essential protagonists in the complex multistep process of cancer progression and are thus attractive targets for the development of anticancer agents. Cucurbitacin B, a triterpenoid purified from the leaves of Tunisian Ecballium elaterium exhibited an anticancer effect and displayed anti-integrin activity on human glioblastoma U87 cells, without being cytotoxic at concentrations up to 500nM. Here we show that cucurbitacin B affected the adhesion and migration of U87 cells to fibronectin in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values of 86. Read More