Glycoproteins play important roles in maintaining normal cell functions depending on their glycosylations. Our previous study indicated that the abundance of glycoproteins recognized by concanavalin A (ConA) was increased in human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) following activation by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1); however, little is known about the ConA-binding glycoproteins (CBGs) of ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS This study was undertaken to identify the intracellular signaling pathway involved in induction of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovial fibroblasts. METHODS Human RA synovial fibroblasts were treated with concanavalin A (ConA), various cytokines, and inhibitors of signal transduction molecules. The production of MIF by synovi...

PURPOSE Inducible costimulator (ICOS) is an important costimulatory molecule involved in T-cell activation. In this study, the role of ICOS in the pathogenesis of uveitis in Behçet's disease (BD) was investigated. METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained from BD patients with uveitis in the active or remission phase and in healthy subjects. Total RNA was isolated from ...

Mononuclear phagocytes, particularly macrophages (M phi) that have been activated by lymphokines, are the principal defense against intracellular pathogens such as Toxoplasma gondii. To determine reasons for the newborns' susceptibility to Toxoplasma infection, we compared: the interaction of Toxoplasma with newborns' mononuclear phagocytes (blood monocytes and two types of newborn M phi, those...

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) play important roles in the attachment of bacterial cells to a surface and/or in building and maintaining the three-dimensional, complex structure of bacterial biofilms. To elucidate the spatial distribution and function of the EPSs levan and alginate during biofilm formation, biofilms of Pseudomonas syringae strains with different EPS patterns were compared. The mucoi...

Identification of the cell surface glycoproteins is an essential requirement for elucidating the mechanisms that mediate intercellular adhesion and cell migration in gastrulating amphibian embryos. In our experiments the glycoproteins present at the surface of isolated cells at blastula and gastrula stages were labelled with 3H-labelled sodium borohydride. The procedure included the oxidation o...

Biotinylation is widely used in DNA, RNA and protein probing assays as this molecule has generally no impact on the biological activity of its substrate. During the streptavidin-based detection of glycoproteins in Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG with biotinylated lectin probes, a strong positive band of approximately 125 kDa was observed, present in different cellular fractions. This potential glyco...

BACKGROUND Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) are getting increased attention as one of the main regulatory cells of the immune system. They are induced at sites of inflammation and can potently suppress T cell functions. In the current study, we demonstrate how activation of TRPV1 vanilloid receptors can trigger MDSCs, which in turn, can inhibit inflammation and hepatitis. METHODOLOGY/...

Chick corneal epithelium takes on its mature conformation between 11 and 16 days of incubation. Earlier work has shown that desmosome frequency increases during this period, reaching its highest rate at 15 1/2 days. In the present report aggregation rates of cells from embryos of 11 days and those of 15 1/2 days are compared. Younger cells, which form fewer desmosomes, aggregate at a more moder...

Umbilical cord can be considered as a source of stem cells with a wide differentiates capacity. It also supplies the embryos with blood contains oxygen and vital nutritional elements and may change by some abnormalities during embryo development. The study of different aspects of umbilical cord biology is critical for understanding of pathology and the way of its application in a stem cell ther...