PURPOSE To identify intracellular phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)) in the human retina and to explore the role of these enzymes in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments (POS). METHODS PCR amplification and Western blot analysis were used to identify mRNA and protein expression of intracellular PLA(2) subtypes in the retinal pigment epithelial cell lin...

Background: Platanus species are widely cultured around the world and considered an important cause of allergic reactions. In the present study, we developed a sandwich ELISA to quantify Pla or 3 allergen in P. orientalis pollen extracts grown near high-traffic roads and compared it to pollen extracts collected from rural areas as control. Methods: Pollen samples were collected from three po...

Blends of soy protein (SP) and a semicrystalline polylactide (PLA) were prepared using a twin-screw extruder. The melt rheology, phase morphology, mechanical properties, water resistance, and thermal and dynamic mechanical properties were investigated on specimens prepared by injection molding of these blends. The melt flowability of soy-based plastics was improved through blending with PLA. Sc...

Group II PLA 2 has been implicated in inflammatory processes in both man and other animals and has been shown to be involved in inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis and sepsis. Transgenic mice expressing the human group II PLA 2 gene have been generated using a 6.2-kb genomic fragment. These mice express the group II PLA 2 gene abundantly in liver, lung, kidney, and skin, and have serum P...

Atherosclerosis and its manifestations namely cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Although intensified interventions have been applied, the residual cardiovascular (CV) risks are still very high. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA(2)) is a novel and unique biomarker highly specific for vascular inflammation and atheroscler...

Phospholipase A(2)s (PLA(2)s) constitute a family of enzymes that hydrolyze fatty acids of membrane phospholipids, thus initiating the synthesis of proinflammatory mediators. Various PLA(2)s have been detected in human atherosclerotic arteries (advanced lesions); however, only the secretory group of PLA(2) has been shown to specifically hydrolyze low density lipoprotein (LDL)-associated phospho...

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable and renewable polymer, which represents a valuable alternative to plastic packaging films, often associated with environmental problems. In this study, we tested the suitability of PLA as a biodegradable packaging film and assessed the antimicrobial activity of lemongrass oil (LO), incorporated into the PLA film in different concentrations. To obtain the...

Secreted phospholipases A(2) (sPLA(2)s) from snake and insect venoms and from mammalian pancreas are structurally related enzymes that have been associated with several toxic, pathological, or physiological processes. We addressed the issue of whether toxic sPLA(2)s might exert specific effects on the Plasmodium falciparum intraerythrocytic development. We showed that both toxic and non-toxic s...

In the present study, we investigated the ability of an immobilized phospholipase A1 (PLA1) in degumming of soybean oil. The enzyme was immobilized by simple adsorption on bentonite without any further modification. The free and immobilized PLA1 were characterized by Fourier Transform InfraRed (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). The immobilizat...