ceramide as a second messenger is a key regulator in apoptosis and cytotoxicity. ceramide-metabolizing enzymes are ideal target in cancer chemo-preventive studies. neutral sphingomyelinase (nsmase), acid ceramidase (acdase) and glucosyl ceramide synthase (gcs) are the main enzymes in ceramide metabolism. silymarin flavonolignans are potent apoptosis inducers and silibinin is the most active com...

organophosphate (ops) compounds are widely used in intensive agriculture to improve production, protect crops and control diseases vectors. the main mechanism of toxicity of ops is the inhibition of the cholinesterase enzymes. in this study the acetylcholinestrase (ache), butyrylcholinesterase (bche) and specific acetylcholinestrase (sache) activities as potential biomarkers of exposure to ops ...

Malassezia spp. are lipid-dependent yeasts that have been related to skin mycobiota and dermatological systemic diseases. Study of lipid droplets (LDs) is relevant elucidate the unknown role these organelles in gain a broader overview metabolism Malassezia. Here, we standardized two protocols for analysis LDs M. pachydermatis globosa. The first describes co-staining confocal laser-scanning fluo...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the most serious form of malaria, infects about 5-10% of the world human population per year. It is well established that the erythrocytic stages of the malaria parasite rely mainly on glycolysis for their energy supply. In the present study, the glucose utilisation of erythrocyte population with parasitaemia levels similar t...

Red blood cell membrane contains blood group antigens, and typing and matching are needed before donor blood can be transfused into patients. This results in delays in emergency situations. Donor blood requires storage at 4oC using standard methods and is good for less than 42 d. Red blood cells cannot be sterilized to remove hepatitis viruses, HIV and other potential emerging infective agents....

Ceramide as a second messenger is a key regulator in apoptosis and cytotoxicity. Ceramide-metabolizing enzymes are ideal target in cancer chemo-preventive studies. Neutral sphingomyelinase (NSMase), acid ceramidase (ACDase) and glucosyl ceramide synthase (GCS) are the main enzymes in ceramide metabolism. Silymarin flavonolignans are potent apoptosis inducers and silibinin is the most active com...

Human neutophils stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate were able to rapidly destroy autologous red blood cell targets. Neutrophil-mediated cytotoxicity was related to phorbol myristate acetate concentration and neutrophil number. The ability of stimulated neutrophils to lyse red blood cell targets was markedly impaired by catalase or superoxide dismutase but not by heat-inactivated enzymes ...

We have previously shown that physiologic concentrations of hemin cause marked inhibition of several red blood cell (RBC) enzymes. Because endogenous heme content is elevated in sickle RBCs, we have examined the activity of hemin-sensitive enzymes in these RBCs. One of the hemin-sensitive enzymes, pyrimidine nucleoside monophosphate kinase (PNMK), was shown to have decreased activity in sickle ...