Classic signaling by the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 (IL-6) involves its binding to target cells that express the membrane-bound IL-6 receptor α. However, an alternate signaling pathway exists in which soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6Rα) can bind IL-6 and activate target cells that lack mIL-6Rα, such as endothelial cells. This alternate pathway, also termed trans-signaling, serves as the...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) induce cytochrome P-450 monoxygenase enzymes that catalyze the formation of DNA adducts. We investigated the effects benzo(α)pyrene (B[α]P) alone or in combination with ethanol on normal human keratinocyte (NHK) growth, induction of cytochrome P-4501A1 (CYP1A1), and modulation of these treatments by retinoic acid (RA) in a serum-free culture medium. Growt...

OBJECTIVE The lesions of Parkinson disease spread through the brain in a characteristic pattern that corresponds to axonal projections. Previous observations suggest that misfolded α-synuclein could behave as a prion, moving from neuron to neuron and causing endogenous α-synuclein to misfold. Here, we characterized and quantified the axonal transport of α-synuclein fibrils and showed that fibri...

We report the first magnetically coupled guanidinate, α-Eu(CN3H4)2 (monoclinic, P21, a = 5.8494(3) Å, b = 14.0007(8) Å, c = 8.4887(4) Å, β = 91.075(6)◦, V = 695.07(6) Å3, Z = 4). Its synthesis, polymorphism, crystal structure, and properties are complemented and supported by density-functional theory (DFT) calculations. The α-, βand γ-polymorphs of Eu(CN3H4)2 differ in powder XRD, while the γ-p...

Patients with platelet α or dense δ-granule defects have bleeding problems. Although several proteins are known to be required for δ-granule development, less is known about α-granule biogenesis. Our previous work showed that the BEACH protein NBEAL2 and the Sec1/Munc18 protein VPS33B are required for α-granule biogenesis. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, mass spectrometry, coimmunoprecipitatio...

A series of fatty acid amides were synthesized and their peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPAR-α) agonistic activities were evaluated in a normal rat liver cell line, clone 9. The mRNAs of the PPAR-α downstream genes, carnitine-palmitoyltransferase-1 and mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase, were determined by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reacti...

The mammalian Golgi complex, trans Golgi network (TGN) and ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) are comprised of membrane cisternae, coated vesicles and membrane tubules, all of which contribute to membrane trafficking and maintenance of their unique architectures. Recently, a new cast of players was discovered to regulate the Golgi and ERGIC: four unrelated cytoplasmic phospholipase A (PL...

The control of blood glucose levels is critical in the treatment of diabetes mellitus. α-Glucosidase inhibitors are of great importance in reducing hyperglycemia, and plants have provided many of these agents. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of two stilbenes, lonchocarpene and 3,5-dimethoxy-4'-O-prenyl-trans-stilbene (DPS), isolated from the Amazonian plant Deguelia rufescen...

Nuclear magnetic resonance, broadband dielectric spectroscopy and dynamic-mechanical thermal analysis were employed to study molecular dynamics of ethylene-norbornene copolymer. The analysis of experimental data indicates existence of three motional processes denoted as α, β, and γ in order of decreasing temperature. The α relaxation is related to the dynamic glass transition, while the β relax...