Identification of cognate ligands for G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) provides a starting point for understanding novel regulatory mechanisms. Although GPCR ligands have typically been evaluated through the activation of heterotrimeric G proteins, recent studies have shown that GPCRs signal not only through G proteins but also through β-arrestins. As such, monitoring β-arrestin signaling in...

INTRODUCTION To investigate how markers of β-cell secretion (proinsulin-processing metabolites) are expressed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and their potential relation with the insulin resistance (IR) observed in these patients. METHODS The 101 RA patients and 99 nondiabetic sex- and age-matched controls were included. IR by homeostatic model assessment (HOMA2), and β-cell secretion,...

BACKGROUND In recent years, it has been gradually realized that bacterial inclusion bodies (IBs) could be biologically active. In particular, several proteins including green fluorescent protein, β-galactosidase, β-lactamase, alkaline phosphatase, D-amino acid oxidase, polyphosphate kinase 3, maltodextrin phosphorylase, and sialic acid aldolase have been successfully produced as active IBs when...

UNLABELLED The overexpression of integrin α(2)β(1) has been demonstrated to correlate with prostate tumor aggressiveness and metastatic potential. Recently, we reported that the DGEA peptide is a promising targeting ligand for near-infrared fluorescence and microPET imaging of integrin α(2)β(1) expression in prostate cancers. Here, we aimed to further improve the targeting efficacy of this pept...

The way for explanation postischemic dementia processes has been one fraught with a wide range of complications and frequent revisions with a lack of a final clear solution. Data from animal models of brain ischemia and human ischemic brains studies have demonstrated an overexpression of amyloid precursor protein and increase production of a β-amyloid peptide. Restoration brain activity followi...

The first cyclic peptide discovered in animals is an antimicrobial octadecapeptide that is expressed in leukocytes of rhesus monkeys. The peptide, termed rhesus θ-defensin 1 (RTD-1) is the prototype of a new family of antimicrobial peptides, which like the previously characterized αand β-defensin families, possesses broad spectrum microbicidal activities against bacteria, fungi, and protects mo...

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS The ASK1-JNK3 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). The specific binding of β-arrestin2 to JNK3 is essential for activation of the ASK1-JNK3 cascade, representing a potential therapeutic target for preventing dopaminergic neuronal death in PD. The aim of this study was to identify a novel strategy for the prevention of dopa...

Silibinin is a natural flavonoid with anti-diabetic activity. Glucagon-like peptide−1 (GLP−1), an intestinal hormone mainly secreted from L cells, which regulates insulin production and sensitivity, appears to be potential therapeutic strategy for T2DM. The current study aims determine the protective effect of silibinin against palmitic acid (PA)-induced damage in GLUTag cells. results revealed...

OBJECTIVES Antibodies against actin, as one of the most widely studied structural and multifunctional housekeeping proteins in eukaryotic cells, are used as internal loading controls in western blot analyses. The aim of this study was to produce polyclonal antibody against a synthetic peptide derived from N-terminal region of β-actin protein to be used as a protein loading control in western bl...