Protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1) is a key player in melanoma metastasis with higher expression seen in metastatic melanoma cell lines and tissue specimens. cDNA microarray and Western blot analyses reveal that the gap junctional intracellular communication molecule connexin 43 (Cx-43), known to be involved in tumor cell diapedesis and attachment to endothelial cells, is significantly decre...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a mosquito borne pathogen, is one of the major causes of viral encephalitis in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. The objective of this work was to evaluate the entomological based virological surveillance of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in the highly endemic area of eastern Uttar Pradesh. METHODS The study was carried out during September 2...

CD103 or CX(3)CR1 surface expression defines distinct dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages in the murine lamina propria of the colon (cLP). We investigated the surface marker and functional phenotype of CD103(+) and CX(3)CR1(+) cLP DCs and their role in transfer colitis. cLP CD11c(+) cells were isolated from specific pathogen-free or germ-free mice to elucidate the role of the commensal flora ...

The host-plant fidelity, seasonality, and population dynamics of 3 species of Culex (Culex) were examined from monthly samples of mosquito immatures extracted from the leaf axils of Eryngium pandanifolium and Eryngium cabrerae growing sympatrically in the Punta Lara region of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Culex hepperi was collected only from E. pandanifolium, and abundance peaks of its lar...

In atherosclerosis, chemokines recruit circulating mononuclear leukocytes to the vascular wall. A key factor is CX(3)CL1, a chemokine with soluble and transmembrane species that acts as both a chemoattractant and an adhesion molecule. Thromboxane A(2) and its receptor, TP, are also critical to atherogenesis by promoting vascular inflammation and consequent leukocyte recruitment. We examined the...

Vertical transmission of Japanese encephalitis virus to the F1 adult stage was demonstrated in Culex tritaeniorhynchus, Cx. annulus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Armigeres subalbatus. Transmission to the F1 larval stage was demonstrated in Cx. pipiens, Aedes vexans, Ae. alcasidi, and A. flavus. In Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, vertical transmission rates (the percentage of parent females transmitting to ...

In order to study the host preference of female mosquitoes, samples were taken fortnightly in Cordoba and Cosquin (Argentina), during October-April of two consecutive years. Four different vertebrates were used in baited-can traps: frogs, chickens, rabbits and turtles. The genus Culex accounted for 92.9% of the specimens collected. Aedes for 7.0% and Psorophora ciliata 0.02%. The highest propor...

In order to classify mosquito immature stage habitats, samples were taken in 42 localities of Córdoba Province, Argentina, representing the phytogeographic regions of Chaco, Espinal and Pampa. Immature stage habitats were described and classified according to the following criteria: natural or artificial; size; location related to light and neighboring houses; vegetation; water; permanence, mov...

The Culex pipiens complex consists of vector mosquitoes that transmit important human pathogens. In this study we established a simplified method to distinguish three members of the Cx. pipiens complex, Cx. p. pallens Coquillet, Cx. p. form molestus Forskal, and Cx. quinquefasciatus Say, collected in Japan. Sequence analysis of the Drosophila Ace-orthologous acetylcholinesterase (Ace) gene (668...

BACKGROUND Little is known about the molecules that contribute to the growth of epithelial ovarian carcinomas (EOC), which remain the most lethal gynecological cancer in women. The chemokine Fractalkine/CX(3)CL1 has been widely reported to play a biologically relevant role in tumor growth and spread. We report here the first investigation of the expression and role of CX(3)CL1 in EOC. RESULTS...