Chronic metabolic acidosis (CMA) is associated with an inhibition of fluid reabsorption in the renal proximal tubule. The effects of CMA on paracellular transport across the renal epithelial tight junction (TJ) is unknown. Claudin-2 is a transmembrane TJ-associated protein which confers TJ paracellular permeability to Na(+). We examined the effects of CMA on the expression of TJ transport prote...

UNLABELLED Peptidoglycan (PG) is an essential structural component of the bacterial cell wall and maintains the integrity and shape of the cell by forming a continuous layer around the cytoplasmic membrane. The thin PG layer of Escherichia coli resides in the periplasm, a unique compartment whose composition and pH can vary depending on the local environment of the cell. Hence, the growth of th...

We report protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) encapsulated pH-responsive micelles for cancer treatment. This system showed pH-responsive micellization/demicellization transition at tumoral acidic pH and enabled in vivo tumor diagnosis and therapy simultaneously.

Mitochondria of sperm of the sea urchin Strongylo-centrotus purpuratus are tightly coupled before induction of the acrosomal reaction. When the sperm are diluted at low external pH (pH 5.5) or in high potassium (200 mM) or in the absence of sodium, their internal pH is acidic (6.2-7.0) as measured by amine accumulation. Under these conditions the internal ATPase activity (primarily the dynein A...

pH is an important control parameter for maintenance of cell viability and tissue functions. pH monitoring provides valuable information on cell metabolic processes and the living environment. In this study, we prepared dual pH-sensitive, fluorescent dye-loaded polypeptide nanoparticles (DPNs) for ratiometric sensing of pH changes in living cells. DPNs contain two types of dyes: N-(rhodamine B)...

The PhoP/PhoQ two-component system controls several physiological and virulence functions in Salmonella enterica. This system is activated by low Mg(2+), acidic pH, and antimicrobial peptides, but the biological consequences resulting from sensing multiple signals are presently unclear. Here, we report that the PhoP/PhoQ system regulates different Salmonella genes depending on whether the induc...

p53 is a transcription factor that maintains genome integrity, and its function is lost in 50% of human cancers. The majority of p53 mutations are clustered within the core domain. Here, we investigate the effects of low pH on the structure of the wild-type (wt) p53 core domain (p53C) and the R248Q mutant. At low pH, the tryptophan residue is partially exposed to the solvent, suggesting a fluct...

Cysteine cathepsins are lysosomal proteases involved in regulation of both normal cellular processes and disease. Biochemical studies with peptide substrates indicate that cathepsins have optimal activity at acidic pH and highly attenuated activity at neutral pH. In contrast, there is mounting evidence that cathepsins have biological roles in environments that have non-acidic pH. To further def...

Oxidative stability of egg and soy lecithin in emulsion was evaluated with two transition metal ions, cupric and ferric ion, at two concentration levels (50 and 500 microM). The effect of pH on lipid oxidation was also examined under these two concentrations for each ion. Egg lecithin (EL) had similar peroxide value (PV) development pattern as soy lecithin (SL) when treated with cupric ion unde...

This study evaluated the capacity of fluoride acidic dentifrices (pH 4.5) to promote enamel remineralization using a pH cycling model, comparing them with a standard dentifrice (1,100 µgF/g). Enamel blocks had their surface polished and surface hardness determined (SH). Next, they were submitted to subsurface enamel demineralization and to post-demineralization surface hardness analysis. The bl...