Exposure of human monocytic cells to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) results in immediate up-regulation of interleukin (IL)-15 gene expression. However, the receptor involved in this induction is not known. Here, we provide evidence that this induction depends on TLR2-mediated signaling pathway. Through the use of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), we demonstrate that HSV-1-induced up-regulat...

Exposure of human monocytic cells to herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) results in immediate up-regulation of interleukin (IL)–15 gene expression. However, the receptor involved in this induction is not known. Here, we provide evidence that this induction depends on TLR2mediated signaling pathway. Through the use of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), we demonstrate that HSV-1–induced upregulatio...

Inflammasome activation culminates in activation of caspase-1, which leads to the maturation and subsequent release of cytokines of the interleukin 1 (IL-1) family and results in a particular form of cell death known as pyroptosis. In addition, in the murine system, a so-called non-canonical inflammasome involving caspase-11 has been described that directly responds to cytosolic LPS. Here, we s...

the objective of the study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of aqueous extract of cucumis melo fruit on human prostate cancer cell line (pc-3) using mtt and neutral red assays. the crude aqueous extract of c. melo was prepared by cold maceration method, filtered, concentrated and tested on pc-3 cell line. dose-dependent cytotoxic activities were exhibited on human prostate carcinoma pc-3 c...

Macrophages are abundant in the tumor microenvironment where they adopt a pro-tumor phenotype following alternative polarization induced by paracrine factors from cancer and stromal cells. In contrast, classically activated macrophages have tumoricidal activities, such that the polarization of tumor-associated macrophages has become a novel therapeutic target. Toll-like receptor 4 engagement pr...

The development of tools for efficient targeting of antigens to antigen presenting cells is of great importance for vaccine development. We have previously shown that fusion proteins containing antigens fused to the extra domain A from fibronectin (EDA), an endogenous TLR4 ligand, which targets antigens to TLR4-expressing dendritic cells (DC), are highly immunogenic. To facilitate the procedure...

A series of novel 6-substituted 5,6-dihydro-5-hydroxy-alpha-pyrone esters, 1 approximately 3, isolated from fermentations of a Phomopsis sp. (Xenova culture collection no. X22502) have been identified as inhibitors of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine production. These include the (6S)-4,6-dimethyldodecadien-2E,4E-dienoyl ester of phomalactone, 1, and two analogues bearing a prop-2E-eno...

Introduction Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a recessive disorder characterized by episodes of fever and neutrophilmediated serosal inflammation. The gene causing FMF, MEFV, encodes a protein, pyrin. Pyrin is expressed predominantly in innate immune cells such as neutrophils, monocytes, and dendritic cells, but not in lymphocytes. Studies of pyrin localization show a cell-type dependency....

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the cytotoxicity induced by two resin-based sealers, 2Seal and AH Plus, in two osteoblast-like cell lines, MG-63 and Saos-2. Using sterile discs of both sealers in complete media, 24- and 72-h extracts were prepared. The extracts were exchanged with Saos-2 or MG-63 cell culture media at 75% confluence, and after 24 h incubation, cell viability t...

Podosomes represent a class of integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesions formed by migrating and matrix-degrading cells. We demonstrate that in macrophage-like THP1 cells and fibroblasts stimulated to produce podosomes, down-regulation of the G-protein ARF1 or the ARF1 guanine nucleotide exchange factor, ARNO, by small, interfering RNA or pharmacological inhibitors led to striking podosome elimin...