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1.
J Clin Invest ; 133(22)2023 11 15.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37966111

RESUMO

Prostate cancer is generally considered an immunologically "cold" tumor type that is insensitive to immunotherapy. Targeting surface antigens on tumors through cellular therapy can induce a potent antitumor immune response to "heat up" the tumor microenvironment. However, many antigens expressed on prostate tumor cells are also found on normal tissues, potentially causing on-target, off-tumor toxicities and a suboptimal therapeutic index. Our studies revealed that six-transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate-2 (STEAP2) was a prevalent prostate cancer antigen that displayed high, homogeneous cell surface expression across all stages of disease with limited distal normal tissue expression, making it ideal for therapeutic targeting. A multifaceted lead generation approach enabled development of an armored STEAP2 chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapeutic candidate, AZD0754. This CAR-T product was armored with a dominant-negative TGF-ß type II receptor, bolstering its activity in the TGF-ß-rich immunosuppressive environment of prostate cancer. AZD0754 demonstrated potent and specific cytotoxicity against antigen-expressing cells in vitro despite TGF-ß-rich conditions. Further, AZD0754 enforced robust, dose-dependent in vivo efficacy in STEAP2-expressing cancer cell line-derived and patient-derived xenograft mouse models, and exhibited encouraging preclinical safety. Together, these data underscore the therapeutic tractability of STEAP2 in prostate cancer as well as build confidence in the specificity, potency, and tolerability of this potentially first-in-class CAR-T therapy.


Assuntos
Neoplasias da Próstata , Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos , Masculino , Humanos , Camundongos , Animais , Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos/genética , Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos/metabolismo , Imunoterapia Adotiva , Neoplasias da Próstata/patologia , Linfócitos T , Fator de Crescimento Transformador beta/metabolismo , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto , Linhagem Celular Tumoral , Microambiente Tumoral , Oxirredutases/metabolismo
2.
World J Orthop ; 14(8): 589-597, 2023 Aug 18.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37662663

RESUMO

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a rare but terrible complication in hip and knee arthroplasty, and the use of topical vancomycin powder (VP) has been investigated as a tool to potentially reduce its incidence. However, there remains no consensus on its efficacy. Therefore, the aim of this review is to provide an overview on the application of topical vancomycin in orthopaedic surgery focusing on the recent evidence and results in total joint arthroplasty. Several systematic reviews and meta-analyses on topical VP in hip and knee arthroplasty have been recently published reporting sometimes conflicting results. Apart from all being limited by the quality of the included studies (mostly level III and IV), confounding variables are often included potentially leading to biased conclusions. If taken into consideration the exclusive use of VP in isolation, the available data, although very limited, suggest that it does not reduce the infection rate in routine primary hip and knee arthroplasty. Therefore, we still cannot advise for a routinary application. A properly powered randomized-controlled trial would be necessary to clarify the role of VP in hip and knee arthroplasty. Based on the analysis of the current evidence, the use of topical VP appears to be safe when used locally in terms of systemic adverse reactions, hence, if proven to be effective, it could bring great benefits due to its low cost and accessibility.

3.
Biosensors (Basel) ; 13(2)2023 Jan 18.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36831917

RESUMO

The identification of protein aggregates as biomarkers for neurodegeneration is an area of interest for disease diagnosis and treatment development. In this work, we present novel super luminescent conjugated polyelectrolyte molecules as ex vivo sensors for tau-paired helical filaments (PHFs) and amyloid-ß (Aß) plaques. We evaluated the use of two oligo-p-phenylene ethynylenes (OPEs), anionic OPE12- and cationic OPE24+, as stains for fibrillar protein pathology in brain sections of transgenic mouse (rTg4510) and rat (TgF344-AD) models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) tauopathy, and post-mortem brain sections from human frontotemporal dementia (FTD). OPE12- displayed selectivity for PHFs in fluorimetry assays and strong staining of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in mouse and human brain tissue sections, while OPE24+ stained both NFTs and Aß plaques. Both OPEs stained the brain sections with limited background or non-specific staining. This novel family of sensors outperformed the gold-standard dye Thioflavin T in sensing capacities and co-stained with conventional phosphorylated tau (AT180) and Aß (4G8) antibodies. As the OPEs readily bind protein amyloids in vitro and ex vivo, they are selective and rapid tools for identifying proteopathic inclusions relevant to AD. Such OPEs can be useful in understanding pathogenesis and in creating in vivo diagnostically relevant detection tools for neurodegenerative diseases.


Assuntos
Doença de Alzheimer , Emaranhados Neurofibrilares , Camundongos , Humanos , Ratos , Animais , Emaranhados Neurofibrilares/metabolismo , Emaranhados Neurofibrilares/patologia , Placa Amiloide , Proteínas tau , Doença de Alzheimer/diagnóstico , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Peptídeos beta-Amiloides , Coloração e Rotulagem , Etilenos/metabolismo
4.
Vaccines (Basel) ; 11(2)2023 Feb 07.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36851264

RESUMO

We evaluated four DNA vaccine candidates for their ability to produce virus-like particles (VLPs) and elicit a protective immune response against Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in cattle. Two traditional DNA plasmids and two DNA minicircle constructs were evaluated. Both the pTarget O1P1-3C plasmid and O1P1-3C minicircle encoded a wild-type FMDV 3C protease to process the P1-2A polypeptide, whereas the O1P1-HIV-3CT minicircle used an HIV-1 ribosomal frameshift to down-regulate expression of a mutant 3C protease. A modified pTarget plasmid with a reduced backbone size, mpTarget O1P1-3CLT, used a 3C protease containing two mutations reported to enhance expression. All constructs produced mature FMDV P1 cleavage products in transfected cells, as seen by western blot analysis. Three constructs, O1P1-3C minicircles, pTarget O1P1-3C, and mpTarget O1P1-3CLT plasmids, produced intracellular VLP crystalline arrays detected by electron microscopy. Despite VLP formation in vitro, none of the DNA vaccine candidates elicited protection from clinical disease when administered independently. Administration of pTarget O1P1-3C plasmid enhanced neutralizing antibody titers when used as a priming dose prior to administration of a conditionally licensed adenovirus-vectored FMD vaccine. Further work is needed to develop these DNA plasmid-based constructs into standalone FMD vaccines in cattle.

5.
Vaccines (Basel) ; 10(9)2022 Sep 09.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36146583

RESUMO

To improve the production of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) molecular vaccines, we sought to understand the effects of the FMD virus (FMDV) 2B viroporin in an experimental, plasmid-based, virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine. Inclusion of the FMDV viroporin 2B into the human Adenovirus 5 vectored FMD vaccine enhanced transgene expression despite independent 2B expression negatively affecting cell viability. Evaluating both wildtype 2B and mutants with disrupted viroporin activity, we confirmed that viroporin activity is detrimental to overall transgene expression when expressed independently. However, the incorporation of 2B into an FMD molecular vaccine construct containing a wildtype FMDV 3C protease, a viral encoded protease responsible for processing structural proteins, resulted in enhancement of transgene expression, validating previous observations. This benefit to transgene expression was negated when using the FMDV 3CL127P mutant, which has reduced processing of host cellular proteins, a reversion resulting from 2B viroporin activity. Inclusion of 2B into VLP production constructs also adversely impacted antigen extraction, a possible side effect of 2B-dependent rearrangement of cellular membranes. These results demonstrate that inclusion of 2B enhanced transgene expression when a wildtype 3C protease is present but was detrimental to transgene expression with the 3CL127P mutant. This has implications for future molecular FMD vaccine constructs, which may utilize mutant FMDV 3C proteases.

6.
Nano Lett ; 22(13): 5570-5574, 2022 07 13.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35737851

RESUMO

The synthesis of Al nanocrystals (Al NCs) is a rapidly expanding field, but there are few strategies for size and morphology control. Here we introduce a dual catalyst approach for the synthesis of Al NCs to control both NC size and shape. By using one catalyst that nucleates growth more rapidly than a second catalyst whose ligands affect NC morphology during growth, one can obtain both size and shape control of the resulting Al NCs. The combination of the two catalysts (1) titanium isopropoxide (TIP), for rapid nucleation, and (2) Tebbe's reagent, for specific facet-promoting growth, yields {100}-faceted Al NCs with tunable diameters between 35 and 65 nm. This dual-catalyst strategy could dramatically expand the possible outcomes for Al NC growth, opening the door to new controlled morphologies and a deeper understanding of earth-abundant plasmonic nanocrystal synthesis.


Assuntos
Alumínio , Nanopartículas , Catálise , Ligantes , Nanopartículas/química
7.
Viruses ; 14(5)2022 05 07.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35632734

RESUMO

RNA viruses, such as foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), have error-prone replication resulting in the continuous emergence of new viral strains capable of evading current vaccine coverage. Vaccine formulations must be regularly updated, which is both costly and technically challenging for many vaccine platforms. In this report, we describe a plasmid-based virus-like particle (VLP) production platform utilizing transiently transfected mammalian cell cultures that combines both the rapid response adaptability of nucleic-acid-based vaccines with the ability to produce intact capsid epitopes required for immunity. Formulated vaccines which employed this platform conferred complete protection from clinical foot-and-mouth disease in both swine and cattle. This novel platform can be quickly adapted to new viral strains and serotypes through targeted exchanges of only the FMDV capsid polypeptide nucleic acid sequences, from which processed structural capsid proteins are derived. This platform obviates the need for high biocontainment manufacturing facilities to produce inactivated whole-virus vaccines from infected mammalian cell cultures, which requires upstream expansion and downstream concentration of large quantities of live virulent viruses.


Assuntos
Vírus da Febre Aftosa , Febre Aftosa , Vacinas de Partículas Semelhantes a Vírus , Vacinas Virais , Animais , Proteínas do Capsídeo/metabolismo , Bovinos , Técnicas de Cultura de Células , Mamíferos , Suínos , Vacinas de Produtos Inativados , Vacinas Virais/genética
8.
Int J Antimicrob Agents ; 60(1): 106598, 2022 Jul.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35533791

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Peri-prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of joint replacement surgery. Determining the optimal duration of intravenous (IV) antibiotics for PJI managed with debridement and implant retention (DAIR) is a research priority. METHODS: Patients undergoing DAIR for early and late-acute PJI of the hip or knee were randomised to receive 2 (short-course) or 6 (standard-course) weeks of IV antibiotics, with both groups completing 12 weeks of antibiotics in total. The primary endpoint of this pilot, open-label, randomised trial was a 7-point ordinal desirability of outcome ranking (DOOR) score, which accounted for mortality, clinical cure and treatment adverse events at 12 months. Duration of IV treatment was used as a tiebreaker, with shorter courses ranked higher. Outcome adjudication was performed by expert clinicians blinded to the allocated intervention (Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12617000127303). RESULTS: 60 patients were recruited; 31 and 29 were allocated to short- and standard-course treatment, respectively. All had an evaluable outcome at 12 months and were analysed by intention-to-treat. Clinical cure was demonstrated in 44 (73%) overall; 22 (71%) in the short-course group and 22 (76%) in the standard-care group (P=0.77). Using the DOOR approach, the probability that short- was better than standard-course treatment was 59.7% (95% confidence interval 45.1-74.3). CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients with early and late-acute PJI managed with DAIR, shorter courses of IV antibiotics may be appropriate. Due to small sample size, these data accord with, but do not confirm, results from other international trials of early transition to oral antibiotics.


Assuntos
Artrite Infecciosa , Infecções Relacionadas à Prótese , Antibacterianos/uso terapêutico , Artrite Infecciosa/tratamento farmacológico , Artrite Infecciosa/cirurgia , Desbridamento/métodos , Humanos , Projetos Piloto , Infecções Relacionadas à Prótese/tratamento farmacológico , Infecções Relacionadas à Prótese/cirurgia , Estudos Retrospectivos , Resultado do Tratamento
9.
Optom Vis Sci ; 98(10): 1156-1159, 2021 10 01.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34629435

RESUMO

SIGNIFICANCE: Facial nerve schwannomas are rare tumors that are usually benign and relatively slow in their progression. Common symptoms include facial neuropathy, auditory deficiencies, and parotid masses. Because of slow progression, symptoms are often present for over a year before an appropriate diagnosis is made. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present a case in which comprehensive dry eye assessments and management led to diagnosis of facial nerve shwannoma in a patient who had no presenting symptoms of auditory deficiencies or facial weakness. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman presented for a contact lens examination with concerns of progressively worsening symptoms of irritation and dryness in her right eye that began 6 months earlier. Dry eye assessment visits and management strategies were implemented. Although this regimen was initially successful, symptoms returned after 7 months. At this visit, a new finding of incomplete blink in her right eye was manifested. Further in-office assessments revealed a weakened right orbicularis oculi and right frontalis muscle. These findings, combined with patient risk factors and no history of trauma, prompted MRI of the seventh nerve. Imaging revealed the presence of seventh nerve schwannoma, the location of which correlated with the geniculate ganglion and greater superficial petrosal nerve. This patient was later referred to a neurosurgeon, who assessed the risks and benefits of schwannoma removal. It was decided that the risks of the surgery outweighed the benefits, and regular MRI was scheduled for monitoring purposes. Appropriate management of the patient's chronic dry eye disease continues. CONCLUSIONS: Facial nerve schwannomas can and do present with no presenting subjective facial neuropathy symptoms aside from mild unilateral dry eye and can be detected with comprehensive dry eye management. This case may contribute to future minor adjustments in clinical practice guidelines for asymmetric dry eye assessments.


Assuntos
Neoplasias dos Nervos Cranianos , Síndromes do Olho Seco , Doenças do Nervo Facial , Neurilemoma , Adulto , Síndromes do Olho Seco/diagnóstico , Diagnóstico Precoce , Feminino , Humanos , Neurilemoma/diagnóstico , Neurilemoma/cirurgia
10.
Genetics ; 217(2)2021 02 09.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33724418

RESUMO

The assimilation of inorganic sulfate and the synthesis of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine and cysteine is mediated by a multibranched biosynthetic pathway. We have investigated this circuitry in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, which is phylogenetically intermediate between the filamentous fungi and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In S. cerevisiae, this pathway is regulated by a collection of five transcription factors (Met4, Cbf1, Met28, and Met31/Met32), while in the filamentous fungi the pathway is controlled by a single Met4-like factor. We found that in C. albicans, the Met4 ortholog is also a core regulator of methionine biosynthesis, where it functions together with Cbf1. While C. albicans encodes this Met4 protein, a Met4 paralog designated Met28 (Orf19.7046), and a Met31 protein, deletion, and activation constructs suggest that of these proteins only Met4 is actually involved in the regulation of methionine biosynthesis. Both Met28 and Met31 are linked to other functions; Met28 appears essential, and Met32 appears implicated in the regulation of genes of central metabolism. Therefore, while S. cerevisiae and C. albicans share Cbf1 and Met4 as central elements of the methionine biosynthesis control, the other proteins that make up the circuit in S. cerevisiae are not members of the C. albicans control network, and so the S. cerevisiae circuit likely represents a recently evolved arrangement.


Assuntos
Regulação Fúngica da Expressão Gênica , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Metionina/biossíntese , Fatores de Transcrição de Zíper de Leucina Básica/genética , Fatores de Transcrição de Zíper de Leucina Básica/metabolismo , Candida albicans/genética , Candida albicans/metabolismo , Proteínas Fúngicas/genética , Proteínas Fúngicas/metabolismo , Metionina/genética
11.
Front Comput Neurosci ; 14: 63, 2020.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32848684

RESUMO

Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and neuroscience are impressive. In AI, this includes the development of computer programs that can beat a grandmaster at GO or outperform human radiologists at cancer detection. A great deal of these technological developments are directly related to progress in artificial neural networks-initially inspired by our knowledge about how the brain carries out computation. In parallel, neuroscience has also experienced significant advances in understanding the brain. For example, in the field of spatial navigation, knowledge about the mechanisms and brain regions involved in neural computations of cognitive maps-an internal representation of space-recently received the Nobel Prize in medicine. Much of the recent progress in neuroscience has partly been due to the development of technology used to record from very large populations of neurons in multiple regions of the brain with exquisite temporal and spatial resolution in behaving animals. With the advent of the vast quantities of data that these techniques allow us to collect there has been an increased interest in the intersection between AI and neuroscience, many of these intersections involve using AI as a novel tool to explore and analyze these large data sets. However, given the common initial motivation point-to understand the brain-these disciplines could be more strongly linked. Currently much of this potential synergy is not being realized. We propose that spatial navigation is an excellent area in which these two disciplines can converge to help advance what we know about the brain. In this review, we first summarize progress in the neuroscience of spatial navigation and reinforcement learning. We then turn our attention to discuss how spatial navigation has been modeled using descriptive, mechanistic, and normative approaches and the use of AI in such models. Next, we discuss how AI can advance neuroscience, how neuroscience can advance AI, and the limitations of these approaches. We finally conclude by highlighting promising lines of research in which spatial navigation can be the point of intersection between neuroscience and AI and how this can contribute to the advancement of the understanding of intelligent behavior.

12.
Nano Lett ; 20(9): 6644-6650, 2020 Sep 09.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32787155

RESUMO

Plasmonic nanowires (NWs) have generated great interest in their applications in nanophotonics and nanotechnology. Here we report the synthesis of Al nanocrystals (NCs) with controlled morphologies that range from nanospheres to branched NW and NW bundles. This is accomplished by catalyzing the pyrolysis of triisobutyl aluminum (TIBA) with Tebbe's reagent, a titanium(III) catalyst with two cyclopentadienyl ligands. The ratio of TIBA to Tebbe's reagent is critical in determining the morphology of the resulting Al NC. The branched Al NWs grow in their ⟨100⟩ directions and are formed by oriented attachment of isotropic Al NCs on their {100} facets. Branched NWs are strongly absorptive from the UV to the mid-IR, with longitudinal dipolar, higher-order, and transverse plasmons, all contributing to their broadband response. This rapid Al NW synthesis enables the expanded use of Al for plasmonic and nanophotonic applications in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the spectrum.

13.
Open Forum Infect Dis ; 7(5): ofaa068, 2020 May.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32432148

RESUMO

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a devastating complication of joint replacement surgery. Most observational studies of PJI are retrospective or single-center, and reported management approaches and outcomes vary widely. We hypothesized that there would be substantial heterogeneity in PJI management and that most PJIs would present as late acute infections occurring as a consequence of bloodstream infections. METHODS: The Prosthetic joint Infection in Australia and New Zealand, Observational (PIANO) study is a prospective study at 27 hospitals. From July 2014 through December 2017, we enrolled all adults with a newly diagnosed PJI of a large joint. We collected data on demographics, microbiology, and surgical and antibiotic management over the first 3 months postpresentation. RESULTS: We enrolled 783 patients (427 knee, 323 hip, 25 shoulder, 6 elbow, and 2 ankle). The mode of presentation was late acute (>30 days postimplantation and <7 days of symptoms; 351, 45%), followed by early (≤30 days postimplantation; 196, 25%) and chronic (>30 days postimplantation with ≥30 days of symptoms; 148, 19%). Debridement, antibiotics, irrigation, and implant retention constituted the commonest initial management approach (565, 72%), but debridement was moderate or less in 142 (25%) and the polyethylene liner was not exchanged in 104 (23%). CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to most studies, late acute infection was the most common mode of presentation, likely reflecting hematogenous seeding. Management was heterogeneous, reflecting the poor evidence base and the need for randomized controlled trials.

15.
Vaccine ; 38(4): 769-778, 2020 01 22.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31718901

RESUMO

To prepare foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) recombinant vaccines in response to newly emerging FMD virus (FMDV) field strains, we evaluated Modified Vaccinia virus Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN®) as an FMD vaccine vector platform. The MVA-BN vector has the capacity to carry and express numerous foreign genes and thereby has the potential to encode antigens from multiple FMDV strains. Moreover, this vector has an extensive safety record in humans. All MVA-BN-FMD constructs expressed the FMDV A24 Cruzeiro P1 capsid polyprotein as antigen and the FMDV 3C protease required for processing of the polyprotein. Because the FMDV wild-type 3C protease is detrimental to mammalian cells, one of four FMDV 3C protease variants were utilized: wild-type, or one of three previously reported mutants intended to dampen protease activity (C142T, C142L) or to increase specificity and thereby reduce adverse effects (L127P). These 3C coding sequences were expressed under the control of different promoters selected to reduce 3C protease expression. Four MVA-BN-FMD constructs were evaluated in vitro for acceptable vector stability, FMDV P1 polyprotein expression, processing, and the potential for vaccine scale-up production. Two MVA-BN FMD constructs met the in vitro selection criteria to qualify for clinical studies: MVA-mBN360B (carrying a C142T mutant 3C protease and an HIV frameshift for reduced expression) and MVA-mBN386B (carrying a L127P mutant 3C protease). Both vaccines were safe in cattle and elicited low to moderate serum neutralization titers to FMDV following multiple dose administrations. Following FMDV homologous challenge, both vaccines conferred 100% protection against clinical FMD and viremia using single dose or prime-boost immunization regimens. The MVA-BN FMD vaccine platform was capable of differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). The demonstration of the successful application of MVA-BN as an FMD vaccine vector provides a platform for further FMD vaccine development against more epidemiologically relevant FMDV strains.


Assuntos
Vírus da Febre Aftosa/imunologia , Febre Aftosa/prevenção & controle , Vacinação/métodos , Vacinas Virais/administração & dosagem , Animais , Bovinos , Doenças dos Bovinos/imunologia , Doenças dos Bovinos/prevenção & controle , Doenças dos Bovinos/virologia , Linhagem Celular , Febre Aftosa/imunologia , Células HeLa , Humanos , Sorogrupo , Vacinação/veterinária , Vacinas de DNA , Vacinas Sintéticas , Vacinas Virais/imunologia , Viremia/prevenção & controle
16.
ACS Nano ; 13(8): 9682-9691, 2019 Aug 27.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31397561

RESUMO

Of the many plasmonic nanoparticle geometries that have been synthesized, nanocubes have been of particular interest for creating nanocavities, facilitating plasmon coupling, and enhancing phenomena dependent upon local electromagnetic fields. Here we report the straightforward colloidal synthesis of single-crystalline {100} terminated Al nanocubes by decomposing AlH3 with Tebbe's reagent in tetrahydrofuran. The size and shape of the Al nanocubes is controlled by the reaction time and the ratio of AlH3 to Tebbe's reagent, which, together with reaction temperature, establish kinetic control over Al nanocube growth. Al nanocubes possess strong localized field enhancements at their sharp corners and resonances highly amenable to coupling with metallic substrates. Their native oxide surface renders them extremely air stable. Chemically synthesized Al nanocubes provide an earth-abundant alternative to noble metal nanocubes for plasmonics and nanophotonics applications.

17.
Mar Drugs ; 17(6)2019 Jun 06.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31174259

RESUMO

This review outlines the research that was carried out regarding the isolation of bioactive compounds from marine-derived bacteria and fungi by China-based research groups from 2009-2018, with 897 publications being surveyed. Endophytic organisms featured heavily, with endophytes from mangroves, marine invertebrates, and marine algae making up more than 60% of the microbial strains investigated. There was also a strong focus on fungi as a source of active compounds, with 80% of publications focusing on this area. The rapid increase in the number of publications in the field is perhaps most notable, which have increased more than sevenfold over the past decade, and suggests that China-based researchers will play a major role in marine microbial natural products drug discovery in years to come.


Assuntos
Organismos Aquáticos/química , Bactérias/química , Descoberta de Drogas , Fungos/química , Alcaloides/química , Alcaloides/isolamento & purificação , China , Peptídeos/química , Peptídeos/isolamento & purificação , Policetídeos/química , Policetídeos/isolamento & purificação , Terpenos/química , Terpenos/isolamento & purificação
18.
J Gen Virol ; 100(3): 446-456, 2019 03.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30702422

RESUMO

The production of experimental molecular vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease virus utilizes the viral encoded 3C protease for processing of the P1 polyprotein. Expression of wild type 3C protease is detrimental to host cells. The molecular vaccine constructs containing the 3C protease L127P mutant significantly reduce adverse effects associated with protease expression while retaining the ability to process and assemble virus-like particles. In published 3C protease crystal structures, the L127 residue is contained within the B2 ß-strand as part of the A2-B2 ß-sheet. To provide insight into the mechanism by which the L127P mutant alters the properties of the 3C protease, we performed scanning proline mutagenesis of residues 123-128 of the B2 ß-strand and monitored expression and P1 processing. Simultaneously, we utilized random mutagenesis of the full 3C sequence to identify additional mutations presenting a phenotype similar to the L127P mutation. Six of the tested mutants enhanced expression over wild type, and the I22P, T100P and V124P mutations surpassed the L127P mutation in certain cell lines. These data areinterpreted in conjunction with published 3C protease crystal structures to provide insight into the mechanism by which these mutations enhance expression.


Assuntos
Cisteína Endopeptidases/química , Cisteína Endopeptidases/genética , Vírus da Febre Aftosa/enzimologia , Febre Aftosa/virologia , Peptídeos/genética , Proteínas Virais/química , Proteínas Virais/genética , Proteases Virais 3C , Animais , Cisteína Endopeptidases/metabolismo , Vírus da Febre Aftosa/genética , Vírus da Febre Aftosa/metabolismo , Regulação Viral da Expressão Gênica , Vetores Genéticos/genética , Vetores Genéticos/metabolismo , Mutagênese , Peptídeos/metabolismo , Plasmídeos/genética , Plasmídeos/metabolismo , Prolina/genética , Prolina/metabolismo , Conformação Proteica em Folha beta , Processamento Pós-Transcricional do RNA , Proteínas Virais/metabolismo
19.
ACS Nano ; 13(3): 3117-3124, 2019 03 26.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30807101

RESUMO

Aluminum nanocrystals have emerged as an earth-abundant material for plasmonics applications. Al nanocrystals readily oxidize in aqueous-based solutions, however, transforming into highly stratified γ-AlOOH nanoparticles with a 700% increase in surface area in a matter of minutes. Here we show that by functionalizing Al nanocrystals with the bioinspired polymer polydopamine, their stability in aqueous media is dramatically increased, maintaining their integrity in aqueous solution for over 2 weeks with no discernible structural changes. Polydopamine functionalization also provides a molecular capture layer that enables the capture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutants in H2O samples and their detection by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, when polydopamine-stabilized Al nanocrystal aggregates are used as substrates. This approach was used to detect a prime carcinogenic H2O pollutant, benzo[a]pyrene with a sensitivity in the sub part-per-billion range.

20.
J Am Chem Soc ; 141(4): 1716-1724, 2019 01 30.
Artigo em Inglês | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30612425

RESUMO

The precise size- and shape-controlled synthesis of monodisperse Al nanocrystals remains an open challenge, limiting their utility for numerous applications that would take advantage of their size and shape-dependent optical properties. Here we pursue a molecular-level understanding of the formation of Al nanocrystals by titanium(IV) isopropoxide-catalyzed decomposition of AlH3 in Lewis base solvents. As determined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of intermediates, the reaction begins with the formation of Ti3+-AlH3 complexes. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy indicates isopropoxy ligands are removed from Ti by Al, producing aluminum(III) isopropoxide and low-valent Ti3+ catalysts. These Ti3+ species catalyze elimination of H2 from AlH3 inducing the polymerization of AlH3 into colloidally unstable low-valent aluminum hydride clusters. These clusters coalesce and grow while expelling H2 to form colloidally stable Al nanocrystals. The colloidal stability of the Al nanocrystals and their size is determined by the molecular structure and density of coordinating atoms in the reaction, which is controlled by choice of solvent composition.


Assuntos
Alumínio/química , Nanopartículas Metálicas/química , Coloides , Ligantes , Modelos Moleculares , Conformação Molecular , Solventes/química
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