Fluorescent cellular assay for screening agents inhibiting Pseudomonas aeruginosa adherence.

Antibodies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) lectin, PAIIL, which is a virulence factor mediating the bacteria binding to epithelium cells, were prepared in chickens and purified from egg yolks. To examine these antibodies as a prophylactic agent preventing the adhesion of PA we developed a well plate assay based on fluorescently labeled bacteria and immortalized epithelium cell lines derived from normal and cystic fibrosis (CF) human lungs. The antibodies significantly inhibited bacteria adhesion (up to 50%) in both cell lines. In agreement with in vivo data, our plate assay showed higher susceptibility of CF cells towards the PA adhesion as compared to normal epithelium. This finding proved the reliability of the developed experimental system.

Newly Developed Drugs for Alzheimer's Disease in Relation to Energy Metabolism, Cholinergic and Monoaminergic Neurotransmission.

Current options for Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment are based on administration of cholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine) and/or memantine, acting as an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). Therapeutic approaches vary and include novel cholinesterase inhibitors, modulators of NMDA receptors, monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, immunotherapeutics, modulators of mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTP), amyloid-beta binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD) modulators, antioxidant agents, etc. The novel trends of AD therapy are focused on multiple targeted ligands, where mostly ChE inhibition is combined with additional biological properties, positively affecting neuronal energy metabolism as well as mitochondrial functions, and possessing antioxidant properties. The present review summarizes newly developed drugs targeting cholinesterase and MAO, as well as drugs affecting mitochondrial functions.