Endocannabinoids function as retrograde messengers and modulate synaptic transmission through presynaptic cannabinoid CB1 receptors. The magnitude and time course of endocannabinoid signaling are thought to depend on the balance between the production and degradation of endocannabinoids. The major endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is hydrolyzed by monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), whic...

We examine various versions of oriented cohomology and BorelMoore homology theories in algebraic geometry and put these two together in the setting of an “oriented duality theory”, a generalization of Bloch-Ogus twisted duality theory. We apply this to give a Borel-Moore homology version MGL ∗,∗ of Voevodsky’s MGL-theory, and a natural map θ : Ω∗ → MGL 2∗,∗ , where Ω∗ is the algebraic cobordism...

The endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) are lipid molecules that may mediate retrograde signaling at central synapses and other forms of short-range neuronal communication. The monoglyceride 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) meets several criteria of an endocannabinoid substance: (i) it activates cannabinoid receptors; (ii) it is produced by neurons in an activity-dependent manner; and (iii)...

Carbohydrate-protein interactions govern many crucial processes in biological systems including cell recognition events. We have used the sensitive force probe optical tweezers to quantify the interactions occurring between MGL lectins and MUC1 carrying the cancer-associated glycan antigens mucins Tn and STn. Unbinding forces of 7.6 pN and 7.1 pN were determined for the MUC1(Tn)-MGL and MUC1(ST...

Mg deficiency is considered as a risk factor of cardiovascular disorders like hypertension and atherosclerosis. MGH and MGL mice, selected for high and low Mg status, are animal models which present variations of Mg metabolism of genetic origin. The cardiovascular functions of these mice have never been studied. In this study, the arterial blood pressure of MGH and MGL strains was measured by p...

Dendritic cells (DCs) sense the microenvironment through several types of receptors recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns. In particular, C-type lectins, expressed by distinct subsets of DCs, recognize and internalize specific carbohydrate antigen in a Ca(2+) -dependent manner. Targeting of these receptors is becoming an efficient strategy of delivering antigens in DC-based antican...

The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) plays a major role in many physiological processes, and its action is quickly terminated via enzymatic hydrolysis catalyzed by monoglyceride lipase (MGL). Regulating its endogenous level could offer therapeutic opportunities; however, few selective MGL inhibitors have been described so far. Here, we describe the synthesis of N-substituted maleim...

The evolutionarily conserved lethal giant larvae (Lgl) tumor suppressor gene has an essential role in establishing apical-basal cell polarity, cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue organization. However, the precise molecular mechanism by which the Lgl carries out its function remains obscure. In the current study, we have identified Ran-binding protein M (RanBPM) as a novel binding p...

Salmonellosis is a poultry industry and public health concern worldwide. Recently, Salmonella enterica serovar Heidelberg (SH) has been reported in broilers in Brazil. The effect of feeding a blend of three strains of Bacillus subtilis (PRO) was studied in broilers orally challenged (107 CFU/chick) or not with a SH isolated in south of Brazil (UFPR1 strain). Twelve male Cobb 500 broilers per pe...