| From: nigel bates | 5/6/2017 8:30:38 AM | | | | | | Aggregation of thrombin-derived C-terminal fragments as a previously undisclosed host defense mechanism
pnas.org
Abstract
Effective control of endotoxins and bacteria is crucial for normal wound healing. During injury, the key enzyme thrombin is formed, leading to generation of fibrin. Here, we show that human neutrophil elastase cleaves thrombin, generating 11-kDa thrombin-derived C-terminal peptides (TCPs), which bind to and form amorphous amyloid-like aggregates with both bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and gram-negative bacteria. In silico molecular modeling using atomic resolution and coarse-grained simulations corroborates our experimental observations, altogether indicating increased aggregation through LPS-mediated intermolecular contacts between clusters of TCP molecules. Upon bacterial aggregation, recombinantly produced TCPs induce permeabilization of Escherichia coli and phagocytic uptake. TCPs of about 11 kDa are present in acute wound fluids as well as in fibrin sloughs from patients with infected wounds. We noted aggregation and colocalization of LPS with TCPs in such fibrin material, which indicates the presence of TCP-LPS aggregates under physiological conditions. Apart from identifying a function of proteolyzed thrombin and its fragments, our findings provide an interesting link between the coagulation system, innate immunity, LPS scavenging, and protein aggregation/amyloid formation. |
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| From: tnsaf | 9/24/2017 6:06:30 PM | | | | | | | The garbage masquerading as information on websites can be quite humorous. For example, this one appears to combines a template with a database that fills in blanks, but some of the fields in the database are empty: economicsandmoney.com. |
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| From: tnsaf | 5/23/2018 4:46:26 PM | | | | | | Diabetes Researchers Find Switch for Fatty Liver Disease
Interesting article in DDD Magazine on this topic
Duke researchers have identified a key fork in the road for the way the liver deals with carbohydrates, fats and protein. They say it could be a promising new target for combating the pandemics of fatty liver disease and prediabetes.
dddmag.com |
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| From: LetsInvest | 7/6/2018 9:37:20 AM | | | | | | LexaGene Holdings Inc. (OTCQB:LXXGF (TSXV:LXG) Unveils a Revolutionary Pathogen Detection System
LexaGene Holdings Inc. (OTCQB: LXXGF) (TSX-V:LXG) has unveiled a first of its kind Pathogen detection technology capable of detecting a variety of pathogens including E.coli and Staph. According to the biotechnology company, the new prototype is far more effective than any other system in use, and should go a long way in reducing incidences of foodborne illness outbreaks.
LexaGene’s Technology Capabilities
The new technology is specifically designed for healthcare providers as well as food safety officers given that it is capable of is analyzing six samples at a time while searching for over 22 pathogens. Unlike in the past where healthcare officials had to send specimens far away and wait for days to get results, LexaGene’s new technology promises results in about an hour.
The technology will not only be used to reduce chances of shipping contaminated items in the food industry but also provide doctors an easy way of diagnosing sick patients. Carried out tests have shown that the technology can be relied upon to detect and identify the presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Healthcare providers should thus be able to treat patients with more targeted therapies while still in healthcare facilities.
LexaGene’s technology is a much easier and less expensive solution for detecting deadly bacteria compared to other solutions in use at the moment. The company is planning to demonstrate capabilities of the new technology, which has shown to have the potential of revolutionizing a number of multibillion-dollar industries including food safety, water quality monitoring and veterinary diagnostics as well as aquaculture pathogen surveillance market.
“Over the next several months, we will continue to optimize the performance of the instrument and equip it with reagents to detect more diseases such as Salmonella and Listeria. Once we finalize our pathogen-detection panel, we’ll begin processing samples to demonstrate our advantages over standard testing procedures,” said CEO Jack Regan.
Strategic collaborations
In addition, Lexagene has entered into a collaboration agreement with Stanford University School of Medicine. Under the terms of the agreement, the biotechnology company is to leverage a targeted sequencing technology developed in the laboratory of Dr. Hanlee Ji in combination with its Microfluidic instruments.
Integration of the two technologies should expand LexaGene’s technology capabilities allowing it to include cancer diagnostics and Next Generation Sequencing. The biotechnology has been aggressive in signing deals with collaborators as it looks to refine and optimize the technology’s capabilities.
The company has already entered into agreements with Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostics Laboratory and Ethos Veterinary Health. The two are to supply the biotechnology company with Canine urine samples that are to be used for testing using the company’s LX6 prototype for more effective pathogen detection
The samples should go a long way in helping the company’s assays as well as optimize the LX6 prototype. Working with collaborators from different geographic regions should allow the company to gain access to adequate representation of diseases from different climates.
The biotechnology company remains confident that the technology will soon be the world’s first easy-to-use open access rapid pathogen detection system. |
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