An innate immune response is required for successful implantation and placentation. This is regulated, in part, by the a2 isoform of V-ATPase (a2V) and the concurrent infiltration of M1 (inflammatory) and M2 (anti-inflammatory) macrophages to the uterus and placenta. The objective of the present study was to identify the role of a2V during inflammation-induced preterm labor in mice and its rela...

The cell division cycle comprises a sequence of phenomena controlled by a stable and robust genetic network. We applied a probabilistic genetic network (PGN) to construct a hypothetical model with a dynamical behavior displaying the degree of robustness typical of the biological cell cycle. The structure of our PGN model was inspired in well-established biological facts such as the existence of...

Patients with diabetes often develop peripheral nerve complications, including numbness and pain in the extremities. Diabetes-induced peripheral neuropathic pain is characterized by hypersensitivity to innocuous stimuli, known as tactile allodynia. Pregabalin (PGN) is currently used to treat diabetes-induced peripheral neuropathy and alleviates allodynia. In the present study, we demonstrated t...

Abstract Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) participate in insect defense against bacterial pathogens by recognizing cell wall peptidoglycans (PGNs). Here, we identified the PGRP-LB gene white-backed planthopper Sogatella furcifera ( SfPGRP-LB ). is a secreted protein with typical PGN-binding domain and five conserved amino acid (aa) residues required for amidase activity. Expression an...

Peptidoglycan (PGN) is the major cell wall component (90%, w/w) of Gram-positive bacteria and consists of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) and N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) disaccharide repeating arrays that are cross-linked by short peptides. We hypothesized that PGN is a ligand for pathogen-associated pattern-recognition proteins. Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) and serum amyloid component P are two...

Peptidoglycan (PGN) is a ubiquitous bacterial membrane product that, despite its well known pro-inflammatory properties, has also been invoked in immuno-tolerance of the gastrointestinal tract. PGN-induced mucosal IL-10 secretion and downregulation of Toll like receptors are potential mechanisms of action in the gut but there are few data on tolerogenic adaptive immune responses and PGN. Here, ...

The Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus carnosus (S. carnosus) TM300 is an apathogenic staphylococcal species commonly used in meat starter cultures. As with all Gram-positive bacteria, its cytoplasmic membrane is surrounded by a thick peptidoglycan (PGN) or murein sacculus consisting of several layers of glycan strands cross-linked by peptides. In contrast to pathogenic staphylococci, mainl...

Seeligeriolysin O (LSO), a member of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins of Listeria seeligeri, exhibits cytokine-inducing activity. In this study, we examined the profile of cytokines expressed in macrophages of mice after stimulation with full-length form of recombinant LSO (rLSO530), C-terminal-truncated protein (rLSO483) and two authentic cytokine-inducing Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands from...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of action of chloral hydrate on the peptidoglycan (PGN)-induced inflammatory macrophage response. The effect of chloral hydrate on the production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by murine peritoneal macrophages with PGN-stimulation was investigated. In addition, RAW264.7 cells transfected with a nuclea...