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Sample records for a2 pla2 activity

  1. Activation of PLA2 isoforms by cell swelling and ischaemia/hypoxia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lambert, I. H.; Pedersen, S. F.; Poulsen, K. A.

    2006-01-01

    Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity is increased in mammalian cells in response to numerous stimuli such as osmotic challenge, oxidative stress and exposure to allergens. The increased PLA2 activity is seen as an increased release of free, polyunsaturated fatty acids, e.g. arachidonic acid....... Here, we review data that illustrates that stress-induced PLA2 activity involves various PLA2 subtypes and that the PLA2 in question is determined by the cell type and the physiological stress condition....

  2. RhoA/Rho Kinase Mediates Neuronal Death Through Regulating cPLA2 Activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Xiangbing; Walker, Chandler L; Lu, Qingbo; Wu, Wei; Eddelman, Daniel B; Parish, Jonathan M; Xu, Xiao-Ming

    2017-11-01

    Activation of RhoA/Rho kinase leads to growth cone collapse and neurite retraction. Although RhoA/Rho kinase inhibition has been shown to improve axon regeneration, remyelination and functional recovery, its role in neuronal cell death remains unclear. To determine whether RhoA/Rho kinase played a role in neuronal death after injury, we investigated the relationship between RhoA/Rho kinase and cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), a lipase that mediates inflammation and cell death, using an in vitro neuronal death model and an in vivo contusive spinal cord injury model performed at the 10th thoracic (T10) vertebral level. We found that co-administration of TNF-α and glutamate induced spinal neuron death, and activation of RhoA, Rho kinase and cPLA 2 . Inhibition of RhoA, Rho kinase and cPLA 2 significantly reduced TNF-α/glutamate-induced cell death by 33, 52 and 43 %, respectively (p < 0.001). Inhibition of RhoA and Rho kinase also significantly downregulated cPLA 2 activation by 66 and 60 %, respectively (p < 0.01). Furthermore, inhibition of RhoA and Rho kinase reduced the release of arachidonic acid, a downstream substrate of cPLA 2 . The immunofluorescence staining showed that ROCK 1 or ROCK 2 , two isoforms of Rho kinase, was co-localized with cPLA 2 in neuronal cytoplasm. Interestingly, co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) assay showed that ROCK 1 or ROCK 2 bonded directly with cPLA 2 and phospho-cPLA 2 . When the Rho kinase inhibitor Y27632 was applied in mice with T10 contusion injury, it significantly decreased cPLA 2 activation and expression and reduced injury-induced apoptosis at and close to the lesion site. Taken together, our results reveal a novel mechanism of RhoA/Rho kinase-mediated neuronal death through regulating cPLA 2 activation.

  3. Genetic invalidation of Lp-PLA2 as a therapeutic target

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gregson, John M; Freitag, Daniel F; Surendran, Praveen

    2017-01-01

    AIMS: Darapladib, a potent inhibitor of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), has not reduced risk of cardiovascular disease outcomes in recent randomized trials. We aimed to test whether Lp-PLA2 enzyme activity is causally relevant to coronary heart disease. METHODS: In 72...... (Val379Ala (rs1051931)) in PLA2G7, the gene encoding Lp-PLA2. We supplemented de-novo genotyping with information on a further 45,823 coronary heart disease patients and 88,680 controls in publicly available databases and other previous studies. We conducted a systematic review of randomized trials...... to compare effects of darapladib treatment on soluble Lp-PLA2 activity, conventional cardiovascular risk factors, and coronary heart disease risk with corresponding effects of Lp-PLA2-lowering alleles. RESULTS: Lp-PLA2 activity was decreased by 64% (p = 2.4 × 10(-25)) with carriage of any of the four loss...

  4. Novel genetic approach to investigate the role of plasma secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2)-V isoenzyme in coronary heart disease: modified Mendelian randomization analysis using PLA2G5 expression levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holmes, Michael V; Exeter, Holly J; Folkersen, Lasse; Nelson, Christopher P; Guardiola, Montse; Cooper, Jackie A; Sofat, Reecha; Boekholdt, S Matthijs; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Li, Ka-Wah; Smith, Andrew J P; Van't Hooft, Ferdinand; Eriksson, Per; Franco-Cereceda, Anders; Asselbergs, Folkert W; Boer, Jolanda M A; Onland-Moret, N Charlotte; Hofker, Marten; Erdmann, Jeanette; Kivimaki, Mika; Kumari, Meena; Reiner, Alex P; Keating, Brendan J; Humphries, Steve E; Hingorani, Aroon D; Mallat, Ziad; Samani, Nilesh J; Talmud, Philippa J

    2014-04-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) enzymes are considered to play a role in atherosclerosis. sPLA2 activity encompasses several sPLA2 isoenzymes, including sPLA2-V. Although observational studies show a strong association between elevated sPLA2 activity and CHD, no assay to measure sPLA2-V levels exists, and the only evidence linking the sPLA2-V isoform to atherosclerosis progression comes from animal studies. In the absence of an assay that directly quantifies sPLA2-V levels, we used PLA2G5 mRNA levels in a novel, modified Mendelian randomization approach to investigate the hypothesized causal role of sPLA2-V in coronary heart disease (CHD) pathogenesis. Using data from the Advanced Study of Aortic Pathology, we identified the single-nucleotide polymorphism in PLA2G5 showing the strongest association with PLA2G5 mRNA expression levels as a proxy for sPLA2-V levels. We tested the association of this SNP with sPLA2 activity and CHD events in 4 prospective and 14 case-control studies with 27 230 events and 70 500 controls. rs525380C>A showed the strongest association with PLA2G5 mRNA expression (P=5.1×10(-6)). There was no association of rs525380C>A with plasma sPLA2 activity (difference in geometric mean of sPLA2 activity per rs525380 A-allele 0.4% (95% confidence intervals [-0.9%, 1.6%]; P=0.56). In meta-analyses, the odds ratio for CHD per A-allele was 1.02 (95% confidence intervals [0.99, 1.04]; P=0.20). This novel approach for single-nucleotide polymorphism selection for this modified Mendelian randomization analysis showed no association between rs525380 (the lead single-nucleotide polymorphism for PLA2G5 expression, a surrogate for sPLA2-V levels) and CHD events. The evidence does not support a causal role for sPLA2-V in CHD.

  5. Modulation of the pharmacological effects of enzymatically-active PLA2 by BTL-2, an isolectin isolated from the Bryothamnion triquetrum red alga

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    Nagano Celso S

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background An interaction between lectins from marine algae and PLA2 from rattlesnake was suggested some years ago. We, herein, studied the effects elicited by a small isolectin (BTL-2, isolated from Bryothamnion triquetrum, on the pharmacological and biological activities of a PLA2 isolated from rattlesnake venom (Crotalus durissus cascavella, to better understand the enzymatic and pharmacological mechanisms of the PLA2 and its complex. Results This PLA2 consisted of 122 amino acids (approximate molecular mass of 14 kDa, its pI was estimated to be 8.3, and its amino acid sequence shared a high degree of similarity with that of other neurotoxic and enzymatically-active PLA2s. BTL-2 had a molecular mass estimated in approximately 9 kDa and was characterized as a basic protein. In addition, BTL-2 did not exhibit any enzymatic activity. The PLA2 and BTL-2 formed a stable heterodimer with a molecular mass of approximately 24–26 kDa, estimated by molecular exclusion HPLC. In the presence of BTL-2, we observed a significant increase in PLA2 activity, 23% higher than that of PLA2 alone. BTL-2 demonstrated an inhibition of 98% in the growth of the Gram-positive bacterial strain, Clavibacter michiganensis michiganensis (Cmm, but only 9.8% inhibition of the Gram-negative bacterial strain, Xanthomonas axonopodis pv passiflorae (Xap. PLA2 decreased bacterial growth by 27.3% and 98.5% for Xap and Cmm, respectively, while incubating these two proteins with PLA2-BTL-2 inhibited their growths by 36.2% for Xap and 98.5% for Cmm. PLA2 significantly induced platelet aggregation in washed platelets, whereas BTL-2 did not induce significant platelet aggregation in any assay. However, BTL-2 significantly inhibited platelet aggregation induced by PLA2. In addition, PLA2 exhibited strong oedematogenic activity, which was decreased in the presence of BTL-2. BTL-2 alone did not induce oedema and did not decrease or abolish the oedema induced by the 48

  6. Lp-PLA2 activity is associated with increased risk of diabetic retinopathy: a longitudinal disease progression study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siddiqui, Moneeza K; Kennedy, Gwen; Carr, Fiona; Doney, Alexander S F; Pearson, Ewan R; Morris, Andrew D; Johnson, Toby; McLaughlin, Megan M; Williams, Rachel E; Palmer, Colin N A

    2018-06-01

    The aim of the study was to examine the association between lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA 2 ) activity levels and incident diabetic retinopathy and change in retinopathy grade. This was a cohort study of diabetic participants with serum collected at baseline and routinely collected diabetic retinal screening data. Participants with type 2 diabetes from the GoDARTS (Genetics of Diabetes Audit and Research in Tayside Scotland) cohort were used. This cohort is composed of individuals of white Scottish ancestry from the Tayside region of Scotland. Survival analysis accounting for informative censoring by modelling death as a competing risk was performed for the development of incident diabetic retinopathy from a disease-free state in a 3 year follow-up period (n = 1364) by stratified Lp-PLA 2 activity levels (in quartiles). The same analysis was performed for transitions to more severe grades. The hazard of developing incident diabetic retinopathy was 2.08 times higher (95% CI 1.64, 2.63) for the highest quartile of Lp-PLA 2 activity compared with the lowest. Higher Lp-PLA 2 activity levels were associated with a significantly increased risk for transitions to all grades. The hazards of developing observable (or more severe) and referable (or more severe) retinopathy were 2.82 (95% CI 1.71, 4.65) and 1.87 (95% CI 1.26, 2.77) times higher for the highest quartile of Lp-PLA 2 activity compared with the lowest, respectively. Higher Lp-PLA 2 levels are associated with increased risk of death and the development of incident diabetic retinopathy, as well as transitions to more severe grades of diabetic retinopathy. These associations are independent of calculated LDL-cholesterol and other traditional risk factors. Further, this biomarker study shows that the association is temporally sensitive to the proximity of the event to measurement of Lp-PLA 2.

  7. Identification and characterization of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in bovine pulmonary endothelial cells (BPEC)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, T.W.; Wysolmerski, R.B.; Lagunoff, D.

    1986-01-01

    Phosphatidylcholine labeled in the sn-2 position with 3 H-oleic acid was used to measure PLA 2 in cell sonicates (CS) prepared from confluent cultures of BPEC. Substrate at 10-200 μM was incubated with 5-30 μg of CS protein in HEPES buffer at 37 0 C. A plot of 3 H-oleic acid release vs time was linear and proportional to the amount of CS protein. Lineweaver-Burk plots of the data were linear with V/sub max/ = 22.2 nmole/mg protein/hr and K/sub d/ = 121 μM. Under these conditions, phospholipase C activity was 20-fold lower, and phospholipase A 1 activity was not detectable. PLA 2 activity was pH-dependent with optima at 4.5 and 7.5. Ca ++ was not required for activity, and addition of up to 10 mM Ca ++ to CS in EDTA increased activity by only 10-20%. After centrifugation of CS at 100,000 g for 90 min, 62% of the PLA 2 activity was recovered in the particular fraction. Triton X-100 (0.006-0.4%) inhibited PLA 2 up to 90%, whereas 2 mM deoxycholate produced nearly 3-fold activation. Of several agents tested, bromophenacylbromide (BPB) was the most effective inhibitor. Treatment of CS with BPB at 37 0 C for 30 min produced up to 9% inhibition (K/sub i/ = 5 μM). Phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride at 200 μm produced 41% inhibition. Quinacrine at 1 mM inhibited PLA 2 by 18%. These data define characteristics of BPEC PLA 2 that should prove useful in studies of the role of this enzyme in specific cellular functions

  8. Hydrolysis of lipoproteins by sPLA2's enhances mitogenesis and eicosanoid release from vascular smooth muscle cells: Diverse activity of sPLA2's IIA, V and X.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pruzanski, Waldemar; Kopilov, Julia; Kuksis, Arnis

    2016-01-01

    Mitogenesis of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells (VSMC) plays an important role in atherogenesis. Until recently, the effect of lipid subfractions has not been clarified. Secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2's) hydrolyse glycerophospholipids and release pro-inflammatory lyso-lipids, oxidized and non-oxidized fatty acids and isoprostanes. They localize in the vascular wall. We hypothesized that structurally similar sPLA2's may exert different impact on VSMC. The influence of sPLA2's, IIA, V, X, HDL, LDL, and hydrolysis products was tested on mitogenesis of VSMC, i.e., the early effect on the cell membrane phospholipids, and on PGE2 and LTB4 release, i.e., late effect of Cyclooxygenase and 5-lipooxygenase activity in VSMC. Mitogenesis was significantly enhanced by HDL and LDL, and by products of sPLA2 hydrolysis. Hydrolysis of HDL or LDL enhanced mitogenic activity in order V>X>IIA. The release of PGE2 was enhanced by group X sPLA2 and by HDL hydrolyzed by groups V and X. LDL and its hydrolysis products enhanced the release of PGE2 in order X>V>IIA. The release of LTB4 was markedly increased by LDL and HDL, and by hydrolytic products of group V and X, but not group IIA sPLA2. Our study demonstrates a diverse interaction of pro-inflammatory sPLA2's with HDL and LDL affecting both mitogenesis and eicosanoid release from VSMC, therefore potentially enhancing their pro-atherogenic activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. The standard aqueous stem bark extract of Mangifera indica L. inhibits toxic PLA2 - NN-XIb-PLA2 of Indian cobra venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhananjaya, Bhadrapura Lakkappa; Sudarshan, Shivalingaiah; Dongol, Yashad; More, Sunil S

    2016-05-01

    The aqueous extract of Mangifera indica is known to possess diverse medicinal properties, which also includes anti-snake venom activities. However, its inhibitory potency and mechanism of action on multi-toxic snake venom phospholipases A2s are still unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the modulatory effect of standard aqueous bark extract of M. indica on NN-XIb-PLA2 of Indian cobra venom. The in vitro sPLA2, in situ hemolytic and in vivo edema inhibition effect were carried out as described. Also the effect of substrate and calcium concentration was carried out. M. indica extract dose dependently inhibited the GIA sPLA2 (NN-XIb-PLA2) activity with an IC50 value of 7.6 μg/ml. M. indica extract effectively inhibited the indirect hemolytic activity up to 98% at ∼40 μg/ml concentration. Further, M. indica extract (0-50 μg/ml) inhibited the edema formed in a dose dependent manner. When examined as a function of increased substrate and calcium concentration, there was no relieve of inhibitory effect of M. indica extract on the NN-XIb-PLA2. Further, the inhibition was irreversible as evident from binding studies. The in vitro inhibition is well correlated with in situ and in vivo edema inhibiting activities of M. indica. As the inhibition is independent of substrate and calcium and was irreversible, it can be concluded that M. indica extract mode of inhibition could be due to direct interaction of components present in the extract with the PLA2 enzyme. The aqueous extract of M. indica effectively inhibits svPLA2 enzymatic and its associated toxic activities, which substantiate their anti-snake venom properties. Further in-depth studies on the role and mechanism of the principal constituents present in the extract, responsible for the anti-PLA2 activity will be interesting to develop them into potent antisnake component and also as an anti-inflammatory agent.

  10. Genome-wide association study of Lp-PLA(2 activity and mass in the Framingham Heart Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunil Suchindran

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2 (Lp-PLA(2 is an emerging risk factor and therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. The activity and mass of this enzyme are heritable traits, but major genetic determinants have not been explored in a systematic, genome-wide fashion. We carried out a genome-wide association study of Lp-PLA(2 activity and mass in 6,668 Caucasian subjects from the population-based Framingham Heart Study. Clinical data and genotypes from the Affymetrix 550K SNP array were obtained from the open-access Framingham SHARe project. Each polymorphism that passed quality control was tested for associations with Lp-PLA(2 activity and mass using linear mixed models implemented in the R statistical package, accounting for familial correlations, and controlling for age, sex, smoking, lipid-lowering-medication use, and cohort. For Lp-PLA(2 activity, polymorphisms at four independent loci reached genome-wide significance, including the APOE/APOC1 region on chromosome 19 (p = 6 x 10(-24; CELSR2/PSRC1 on chromosome 1 (p = 3 x 10(-15; SCARB1 on chromosome 12 (p = 1x10(-8 and ZNF259/BUD13 in the APOA5/APOA1 gene region on chromosome 11 (p = 4 x 10(-8. All of these remained significant after accounting for associations with LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, or triglycerides. For Lp-PLA(2 mass, 12 SNPs achieved genome-wide significance, all clustering in a region on chromosome 6p12.3 near the PLA2G7 gene. Our analyses demonstrate that genetic polymorphisms may contribute to inter-individual variation in Lp-PLA(2 activity and mass.

  11. BmajPLA2-II, a basic Lys49-phospholipase A2 homologue from Bothrops marajoensis snake venom with parasiticidal potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grabner, Amy N; Alfonso, Jorge; Kayano, Anderson M; Moreira-Dill, Leandro S; Dos Santos, Ana Paula de A; Caldeira, Cleópatra A S; Sobrinho, Juliana C; Gómez, Ana; Grabner, Fernando P; Cardoso, Fabio F; Zuliani, Juliana Pavan; Fontes, Marcos R M; Pimenta, Daniel C; Gómez, Celeste Vega; Teles, Carolina B G; Soares, Andreimar M; Calderon, Leonardo A

    2017-09-01

    Snake venoms contain various proteins, especially phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 s), which present potential applications in diverse areas of health and medicine. In this study, a new basic PLA 2 from Bothrops marajoensis with parasiticidal activity was purified and characterized biochemically and biologically. B. marajoensis venom was fractionated through cation exchange followed by reverse phase chromatographies. The isolated toxin, BmajPLA 2 -II, was structurally characterized with MALDI-TOF (Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight) mass spectrometry, sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), followed by two-dimensional electrophoresis, partial amino acid sequencing, an enzymatic activity assay, circular dichroism, and dynamic light scattering assays. These structural characterization tests presented BmajPLA 2 -II as a basic Lys49 PLA 2 homologue, compatible with other basic snake venom PLA 2 s (svPLA 2 ), with a tendency to form aggregations. The in vitro anti-parasitic potential of B. marajoensis venom and of BmajPLA 2 -II was evaluated against Leishmania infantum promastigotes and Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, showing significant activity at a concentration of 100μg/mL. The venom and BmajPLA 2 -II presented IC 50 of 0.14±0.08 and 6.41±0.64μg/mL, respectively, against intraerythrocytic forms of Plasmodium falciparum with CC 50 cytotoxicity values against HepG2 cells of 43.64±7.94 and >150μg/mL, respectively. The biotechnological potential of these substances in relation to leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and malaria should be more deeply investigated. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. sPLA2-IIA

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    67

    Recent research showed that maslinic acid interacts with sPLA2-IIA ... Further analysis revealed that sPLA2-IIA only induced modest LDL ..... MDA/mg protein) compared to native LDL (2.043 nmol MDA/mg protein) while .... to modify extracellular non-cellular lipid components such as lipoproteins, ... The main pathway for.

  13. Mitochondria-localized phospholipase A2, AoPlaA, in Aspergillus oryzae displays phosphatidylethanolamine-specific activity and is involved in the maintenance of mitochondrial phospholipid composition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotani, Shohei; Izawa, Sho; Komai, Noriyuki; Takayanagi, Ayumi; Arioka, Manabu

    2016-11-01

    In mammals, cytosolic phospholipases A 2 (cPLA 2 s) play important physiological roles by releasing arachidonic acid, a precursor for bioactive lipid mediators, from the biological membranes. In contrast, fungal cPLA 2 -like proteins are much less characterized and their roles have remained elusive. AoPlaA is a cPLA 2 -like protein in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae which, unlike mammalian cPLA 2 , localizes to mitochondria. In this study, we investigated the biochemical and physiological functions of AoPlaA. Recombinant AoPlaA produced in E. coli displayed Ca 2+ -independent lipolytic activity. Mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated that AoPlaA displayed PLA 2 activity to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), but not to other phospholipids, and generated 1-acylated lysoPE. Catalytic site mutants of AoPlaA displayed almost no or largely reduced activity to PE. Consistent with PE-specific activity of AoPlaA, AoplaA-overexpressing strain showed decreased PE content in the mitochondrial fraction. In contrast, AoplaA-disruption strain displayed increased content of cardiolipin. AoplaA-overexpressing strain, but not its counterparts overexpressing the catalytic site mutants, exhibited retarded growth at low temperature, possibly because of the impairment of the mitochondrial function caused by excess degradation of PE. These results suggest that AoPlaA is a novel PE-specific PLA 2 that plays a regulatory role in the maintenance of mitochondrial phospholipid composition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Increased synthesis of high-molecular-weight cPLA2 mediates early UV-induced PGE2 in human skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gresham, A; Masferrer, J; Chen, X; Leal-Khouri, S; Pentland, A P

    1996-04-01

    Ultraviolet light (UV) B-induced inflammation is characterized by dramatic increases in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis due to enhanced arachidonate deacylation from the membrane. Therefore, the effect of UV on sythesis, mass, and distribution of the high-molecular-weight phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) in cultured human keratinocytes and human skin was studied. The 105-kDa cPLA2 was demonstrated to be the critical enzyme in UV-induced PGE2 synthesis and erythema in the first 6 h postirradiation. Immunoprecipitation of 35S-labeled protein showed cPLA2 synthesis increased three- to fourfold 6 h after irradiation. Immunoprecipitated 32P-labeled cPLA2 demonstrated phosphorylation of cPLA2 was concurrently induced, suggesting that UV also activates cPLA2. This increase in cPLA2 synthesis and activation also closely correlated with increased PGE2 synthesis and [3H]arachidonic acid release and was effectively blocked by both an S-oligonucleotide antisense to cPLA2 and methyl arachidonate fluorophosphate, a specific inhibitor of cPLA2. Biopsy and histochemical examination of erythematous sites expressed increased amounts of cPLA2 whereas nonerythematous irradiated sites did not. In contrast, cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 in cultures and skin explants were unaffected 6 h post-UV, and no change in cyclooxygenase activity was observed at this time. These results suggest that increased cPLA2 synthesis occurs only when skin is exposed to UV doses that are sufficient to cause erythema and indicate expression of cPLA2 participates in acute UV inflammation.

  15. A snake venom group IIA PLA2 with immunomodulatory activity induces formation of lipid droplets containing 15-d-PGJ2 in macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giannotti, Karina Cristina; Leiguez, Elbio; Carvalho, Ana Eduarda Zulim de; Nascimento, Neide Galvão; Matsubara, Márcio Hideki; Fortes-Dias, Consuelo Latorre; Moreira, Vanessa; Teixeira, Catarina

    2017-06-22

    Crotoxin B (CB) is a catalytically active group IIA sPLA 2 from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. In contrast to most GIIA sPLA 2 s, CB exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, including the ability to inhibit leukocyte functions. Lipid droplets (LDs) are lipid-rich organelles associated with inflammation and recognized as a site for the synthesis of inflammatory lipid mediators. Here, the ability of CB to induce formation of LDs and the mechanisms involved in this effect were investigated in isolated macrophages. The profile of CB-induced 15-d-PGJ 2 (15-Deoxy-Delta-12,14-prostaglandin J 2 ) production and involvement of LDs in 15-d-PGJ 2 biosynthesis were also investigated. Stimulation of murine macrophages with CB induced increased number of LDs and release of 15-d-PGJ 2 . LDs induced by CB were associated to PLIN2 recruitment and expression and required activation of PKC, PI3K, MEK1/2, JNK, iPLA 2 and PLD. Both 15-d-PGJ 2 and COX-1 were found in CB-induced LDs indicating that LDs contribute to the inhibitory effects of CB by acting as platform for synthesis of 15-d-PGJ 2 , a pro-resolving lipid mediator. Together, our data indicate that an immunomodulatory GIIA sPLA 2 can directly induce LD formation and production of a pro-resolving mediator in an inflammatory cell and afford new insights into the roles of LDs in resolution of inflammatory processes.

  16. Pla a 2 and Pla a 3 reactivities identify plane tree-allergic patients with respiratory symptoms or food allergy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scala, E; Cecchi, L; Abeni, D; Guerra, E C; Pirrotta, L; Locanto, M; Giani, M; Asero, R

    2017-04-01

    Nine hundred and thirty-nine rPla a 1, nPla a 2, and rPla a 3 ImmunoCAP ISAC reactors were studied. nPla a 2 pos MUXF3 pos but Pla a 1/2 neg subjects were excluded from the study because they were cross-reactive carbohydrate determinant reactors. Among the 764 remaining participants, 71.9% were Pla a 3 pos , 54.1% Pla a 2 pos , and 10.9% Pla a 1 pos . Among Pla a 3 reactors, 89.6% were Pru p 3 pos and 86.8% Jug 3 pos , but the strongest IgE recognition relationship was observed between Pla a 3 and Jug r 3. Distinctive clinical subsets could be documented among plane tree-allergic patients. Pla a 3 reactors had both local and systemic food-induced reactions, but lower past respiratory symptoms occurrence. Pla a 2 reactivity was associated with respiratory symptoms but inversely related to systemic reactions to food. Cosensitization to Pla a 2 and Pla a 3 was associated with a lower past incidence of severe food-induced reactions. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Functional analysis of two PLA2G2A variants associated with secretory phospholipase A2-IIA levels.

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    Holly J Exeter

    Full Text Available Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2-IIA has been identified as a biomarker of atherosclerosis in observational and animal studies. The protein is encoded by the PLA2G2A gene and the aim of this study was to test the functionality of two PLA2G2A non-coding SNPs, rs11573156 C>G and rs3767221 T>G where the rare alleles have been previously associated with higher and lower sPLA2-IIA levels respectively.Luciferase assays, electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA, and RNA expression by RT-PCR were used to examine allelic differences. For rs3767221 the G allele showed ∼55% lower luciferase activity compared to the T allele (T = 62.1 (95% CI 59.1 to 65.1 G = 27.8 (95% CI 25.0 to 30.6, p = 1.22×10⁻³⁵, and stronger EMSA binding of a nuclear protein compared to the T-allele. For rs11573156 C >G there were no luciferase or EMSA allelic differences seen. In lymphocyte cell RNA, from individuals of known rs11573156 genotype, there was no allelic RNA expression difference for exons 5 and 6, but G allele carriers (n = 7 showed a trend to lower exon 1-2 expression compared to CC individuals. To take this further, in the ASAP study (n = 223, an rs11573156 proxy (r² = 0.91 showed ∼25% higher liver expression of PLA2G2A (1.67×10⁻¹⁷ associated with the G allele. However, considering exon specific expression, the association was greatly reduced for exon 2 (4.5×10⁻⁵ compared to exons 3-6 (10⁻¹⁰ to 10⁻²⁰, suggesting rs11573156 G allele-specific exon 2 skipping.Both SNPs are functional and provide useful tools for Mendelian Randomisation to determine whether the relationship between sPLA2-IIA and coronary heart disease is causal.

  18. Analysis of Several PLA2 mRNA in Human Meningiomas

    OpenAIRE

    Denizot, Yves; De Armas, Rafael; Durand, Karine; Robert, Sandrine; Moreau, Jean-Jacques; Caire, Fran?ois; Weinbreck, Nicolas; Labrousse, Fran?ois

    2010-01-01

    In view of the important oncogenic action of phospholipase A2(PLA2) we investigated PLA2 transcripts in human meningiomas. Real-time PCR was used to investigate PLA2 transcripts in 26 human meningioma tumors. Results indicated that three Ca2+-dependent high molecular weight PLA2 (PLA2-IVA, PLA2-IVB, PLA2-IVC), one Ca2+-independent high molecular weight PLA2 (PLA2-VI) and five low molecular weight secreted forms of PLA2 (PLA2-IB, PLA2-IIA, PLA2-III, PLA2-V, and PLA2-XII) are expressed with PLA...

  19. Studies of insulin secretory responses and of arachidonic acid incorporation into phospholipids of stably transfected insulinoma cells that overexpress group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2beta ) indicate a signaling rather than a housekeeping role for iPLA2beta.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Z; Ramanadham, S; Wohltmann, M; Bohrer, A; Hsu, F F; Turk, J

    2001-04-20

    A cytosolic 84-kDa group VIA phospholipase A(2) (iPLA(2)beta) that does not require Ca(2+) for catalysis has been cloned from several sources, including rat and human pancreatic islet beta-cells and murine P388D1 cells. Many potential iPLA(2)beta functions have been proposed, including a signaling role in beta-cell insulin secretion and a role in generating lysophosphatidylcholine acceptors for arachidonic acid incorporation into P388D1 cell phosphatidylcholine (PC). Proposals for iPLA(2)beta function rest in part on effects of inhibiting iPLA(2)beta activity with a bromoenol lactone (BEL) suicide substrate, but BEL also inhibits phosphatidate phosphohydrolase-1 and a group VIB phospholipase A(2). Manipulation of iPLA(2)beta expression by molecular biologic means is an alternative approach to study iPLA(2)beta functions, and we have used a retroviral construct containing iPLA(2)beta cDNA to prepare two INS-1 insulinoma cell clonal lines that stably overexpress iPLA(2)beta. Compared with parental INS-1 cells or cells transfected with empty vector, both iPLA(2)beta-overexpressing lines exhibit amplified insulin secretory responses to glucose and cAMP-elevating agents, and BEL substantially attenuates stimulated secretion. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometric analyses of arachidonic acid incorporation into INS-1 cell PC indicate that neither overexpression nor inhibition of iPLA(2)beta affects the rate or extent of this process in INS-1 cells. Immunocytofluorescence studies with antibodies directed against iPLA(2)beta indicate that cAMP-elevating agents increase perinuclear fluorescence in INS-1 cells, suggesting that iPLA(2)beta associates with nuclei. These studies are more consistent with a signaling than with a housekeeping role for iPLA(2)beta in insulin-secreting beta-cells.

  20. Snake Venom PLA2, a Promising Target for Broad-Spectrum Antivenom Drug Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Huixiang Xiao

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Snakebite envenomation is a neglected global health problem, causing substantial mortality, disability, and psychological morbidity, especially in rural tropical and subtropical zones. Antivenin is currently the only specific medicine for envenomation. However, it is restricted by cold storage, snakebite diagnosis, and high price. Snake venom phospholipase A2s (svPLA2s are found in all kinds of venomous snake families (e.g., Viperidae, Elapidae, and Colubridae. Along with their catalytic activity, svPLA2s elicit a wide variety of pharmacological effects that play a pivotal role in envenomation damage. Hence, neutralization of the svPLA2s could weaken or inhibit toxic damage. Here we overviewed the latest knowledge on the distribution, pathophysiological effects, and inhibitors of svPLA2s to elucidate the potential for a novel, wide spectrum antivenom drug targeting svPLA2s.

  1. Identification of a novel antisense long non-coding RNA PLA2G16-AS that regulates the expression of PLA2G16 in pigs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Pengliang; Jin, Long; Zhao, Lirui; Long, Keren; Song, Yang; Tang, Qianzi; Ma, Jideng; Wang, Xun; Tang, Guoqing; Jiang, Yanzhi; Zhu, Li; Li, Xuewei; Li, Mingzhou

    2018-05-31

    Natural antisense transcripts (NATs) are widely present in mammalian genomes and act as pivotal regulator molecules to control gene expression. However, studies on the NATs of pigs are relatively rare. Here, we identified a novel antisense transcript, designated PLA2G16-AS, transcribed from the phospholipase A2 group XVI locus (PLA2G16) in the porcine genome, which is a well-known regulatory molecule of fat deposition. PLA2G16-AS and PLA2G16 were dominantly expressed in porcine adipose tissue, and were differentially expressed between Tibetan pigs and Rongchang pigs. In addition, PLA2G16-AS has a weak sequence conservation among different vertebrates. PLA2G16-AS was also shown to form an RNA-RNA duplex with PLA2G16, and to regulate PLA2G16 expression at the mRNA level. Moreover, the overexpression of PLA2G16-AS increased the stability of PLA2G16 mRNA in porcine cells. We envision that our findings of a NAT for a regulatory gene associated with lipolysis might further our understanding of the molecular regulation of fat deposition. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  2. In Silico and In Vitro Study of the Bromelain-Phytochemical Complex Inhibition of Phospholipase A2 (Pla2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fatahiya Mohamed Tap

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Phospholipase A2 (Pla2 is an enzyme that induces inflammation, making Pla2 activity an effective approach to reduce inflammation. Therefore, investigating natural compounds for this Pla2 inhibitory activity has important therapeutic potential. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential in bromelain-phytochemical complex inhibitors via a combination of in silico and in vitro methods. Bromelain-amenthoflavone displays antagonistic effects on Pla2. Bromelian-asiaticoside and bromelain-diosgenin displayed synergistic effects at high concentrations of the combined compounds, with inhibition percentages of more than 70% and 90%, respectively, and antagonistic effects at low concentrations. The synergistic effect of the bromelain-asiaticoside and bromelain-diosgenin combinations represents a new application in treating inflammation. These findings not only provide significant quantitative data, but also provide an insight on valuable implications for the combined use of bromelain with asiaticoside and diosgenin in treating inflammation, and may help researchers develop more natural bioactive compounds in daily foods as anti-inflammatory agent.

  3. Differential regulation of iPLA2beta splice variants by in vitro ischemia in C2C12 myotubes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, K. A.; Kolko, M.; Lambert, I. H.

    2006-01-01

    In this study we investigated the activity, expression and regulation of iPLA2 during ischemia in mouse C2C12 myotubes. Here, we show that in vitro ischemia, i.e. oxygen deprivation and glucose starvation, induces an iPLA2 activity that is totally reversed by siRNA knock down of iPLA2£], indicating...... preferential activation of iPLA2£]. The activity of the native iPLA2£] tetramer has in humans been proposed to be negatively regulated by interactions with catalytic inactive splice variants of the full-length protein. These variants, characterized by the presence exon 9a, have however not been identified...... of this transcript would be a C-terminally truncated î50 kDa protein lacking the catalytic site. qPCR indicated that, while the total iPLA2£] mRNA level in C2C12 myotubes increased weakly within 1-2 hours of in vitro ischemia, the transcript containing the mouse exon 9a was rapidly down regulated. In addition...

  4. Lowered iPLA2γ activity causes increased mitochondrial lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction in a rotenone-induced model of Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Honglu; Liu, Yinlong; Fu, Xian; Xu, Xiupeng; Bao, Zhongyuan; Lin, Chao; Li, Zheng; Liu, Yan; Wang, Xiaoming; You, Yongping; Liu, Ning; Ji, Jing

    2018-02-01

    iPLA 2 γ, calcium-independent phospholipase A 2 γ, discerningly hydrolyses glycerophospholipids to liberate free fatty acids. iPLA 2 γ-deficiency has been associated with abnormal mitochondrial function. More importantly, the iPLA 2 family is causative proteins in mitochondrial neurodegenerative disorders such as parkinsonian disorders. However, the mechanisms by which iPLA 2 γ affects Parkinson's disease (PD) remain unknown. Mitochondrion stress has a key part in rotenone-induced dopaminergic neuronal degeneration. The present evaluation revealed that lowered iPLA 2 γ function provokes the parkinsonian phenotype and leads to the reduction of dopamine and its metabolites, lowered survival, locomotor deficiencies, and organismal hypersensitivity to rotenone-induced oxidative stress. In addition, lowered iPLA 2 γ function escalated the amount of mitochondrial irregularities, including mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) regeneration, reduced ATP synthesis, reduced glutathione levels, and abnormal mitochondrial morphology. Further, lowered iPLA 2 γ function was tightly linked with strengthened lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial membrane flaws following rotenone treatment, which can cause cytochrome c release and eventually apoptosis. These results confirmed the important role of iPLA 2 γ, whereby decreasing iPLA 2 γ activity aggravates mitochondrial degeneration to induce neurodegenerative disorders in a rotenone rat model of Parkinson's disease. These findings may be useful in the design of rational approaches for the prevention and treatment of PD-associated symptoms. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. In vitro study of the PLA2 inhibition and antioxidant activities of Aloe vera leaf skin extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gargouri Youssef

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In the present work we determined the total phenolic content of Aloe vera leaf skin (AVLS extracts by using various solvents (hexane, chloroform-ethanol (1/1, ethyl acetate, butanol and water. We have also evaluated the antioxidant and the anti-PLA2 properties of these extracts by measuring their inhibition potency on the human pro-inflammatory phospholipase A2 (group IIA. Results The water extract exhibits the highest inhibitory effect with an IC50 = 0.22 mg/ml and interestingly no effect was observed on the digestive phospholipase A2 (group IB even at a concentration of 5 mg/ml. Antioxidant activities were also analyzed and the most active extracts were observed when using chloroform ethanol (1/1 and ethyl acetate (IC50 = 0.274 and 0.326 mg/ml, respectively. Analysis of the total phenolic content reveals that the water extract, with the best anti-PLA2 effect, was poor in phenolic molecules (2 mg GAE/g. This latter value has to be compared with the chloroform-ethanol and the ethyl acetate extracts (40 and 23.8 mg GAE/g, respectively, mostly responsible for the antioxidant activity. Conclusion A significant correlation was established between the total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity but not with the anti PLA2 activity. Results from phytochemical screening suggest that the anti PLA2 molecules were probably catechin tannins compounds.

  6. Isolation and characterization of bioactive compounds of Clematis gouriana Roxb. ex DC against snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) computational and in vitro insights.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthusamy, Karthikeyan; Chinnasamy, Sathishkumar; Nagarajan, Subbiah; Sivaraman, Thirunavukkarasu; Chinnasamy, Selvakumar

    2017-07-01

    Bioactive compounds were isolated from Clematis gouriana Roxb. ex DC. The compounds were separated, characterized, the structures elucidated and submitted to the PubChem Database. The PubChem Ids SID 249494134 and SID 249494135 were tested against phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ) of Naja naja (Indian cobra) venom for PLA 2 activity. Both the compounds showed promising inhibitory activity; computational data also substantiated the results. The two compounds underwent density functional theory calculation to observe the chemical stability and electrostatic potential profile. Molecular interactions between the compounds and PLA 2 were observed at the binding pocket of the PLA 2 protein. Further, this protein-ligand complexes were simulated for a timescale of 100 ns of molecular dynamics simulation. Experimental and computational results showed significant PLA 2 inhibition activity.

  7. The role of cPLA2 in Methylglyoxal-induced cell apoptosis of HUVECs

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yuan, Jie; Zhu, Chao; Hong, Yali; Sun, Zongxing; Fang, Xianjun; Wu, Biao; Li, Shengnan

    2017-01-01

    Methylglyoxal (MGO), a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, is mainly formed as a byproduct of glycolysis. Elevated MGO level is known to induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells, which is implicated with progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic complications. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been exhaustively investigated yet. Here, we further characterized the mechanisms how MGO induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our data revealed that cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) played an important role in MGO-induced cell apoptosis. It was found that MGO could increase both the activity and expression of cPLA2. Inhibition of cPLA2 by Pyrrophenone (PYR) or siRNA significantly attenuated the MGO-induced apoptosis. Additionally, MGO time-dependently decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Pretreatment of the cells with NF-κB inhibitor, BAY11-7082, further increased MGO-induced apoptosis of HUVECs, indicating that NF-κB played a survival role in this MGO-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, in the presence of si-cPLA2 or PYR, MGO no longer decreased NF-κB phosphorylation. Beyond that, the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) could reverse the changes of both cPLA2 and NF-κB caused by MGO. p38, the upstream of cPLA2, was also significantly phosphorylated by MGO. However, p38 inhibitor failed to reverse the apoptosis induced by MGO. This study gives an important insight into the downstream signaling mechanisms of MGO, cPLA2-NF-κB, in endothelial apoptosis. - Highlights: • cPLA2 participated in MGO-induced HUVECs apoptosis. • Inhibition of NF-κB was involved in MGO-cPLA2-mediated cell apoptosis. • Antioxidant NAC attenuated MGO-induced cPLA2 activation and cell apoptosis.

  8. The role of cPLA2 in Methylglyoxal-induced cell apoptosis of HUVECs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yuan, Jie; Zhu, Chao; Hong, Yali; Sun, Zongxing; Fang, Xianjun [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Cardiovascular Diseases and Molecular intervention, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029 (China); Wu, Biao, E-mail: wubiao@ncu.edu.cn [Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University (China); Li, Shengnan, E-mail: snli@njmu.edu.cn [Jiangsu Provincial Key Lab of Cardiovascular Diseases and Molecular intervention, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029 (China)

    2017-05-15

    Methylglyoxal (MGO), a highly reactive dicarbonyl compound, is mainly formed as a byproduct of glycolysis. Elevated MGO level is known to induce apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells, which is implicated with progression of atherosclerosis and diabetic complications. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been exhaustively investigated yet. Here, we further characterized the mechanisms how MGO induced apoptosis in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our data revealed that cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) played an important role in MGO-induced cell apoptosis. It was found that MGO could increase both the activity and expression of cPLA2. Inhibition of cPLA2 by Pyrrophenone (PYR) or siRNA significantly attenuated the MGO-induced apoptosis. Additionally, MGO time-dependently decreased the phosphorylation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Pretreatment of the cells with NF-κB inhibitor, BAY11-7082, further increased MGO-induced apoptosis of HUVECs, indicating that NF-κB played a survival role in this MGO-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, in the presence of si-cPLA2 or PYR, MGO no longer decreased NF-κB phosphorylation. Beyond that, the antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) could reverse the changes of both cPLA2 and NF-κB caused by MGO. p38, the upstream of cPLA2, was also significantly phosphorylated by MGO. However, p38 inhibitor failed to reverse the apoptosis induced by MGO. This study gives an important insight into the downstream signaling mechanisms of MGO, cPLA2-NF-κB, in endothelial apoptosis. - Highlights: • cPLA2 participated in MGO-induced HUVECs apoptosis. • Inhibition of NF-κB was involved in MGO-cPLA2-mediated cell apoptosis. • Antioxidant NAC attenuated MGO-induced cPLA2 activation and cell apoptosis.

  9. Interactions of pharmacologically active snake venom sPLA2 with different cell lines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doumanov, Jordan; Mladenova, Kirilka; Aleksandrov, Radoslav; Danovski, Georgi; Petrova, Svetla

    2014-01-01

    Secreted Phospholipases A2 (sPLA2s) represent a large family of structurally related enzymes, which target different tissues and organs and induce numerous pharmacological effects based on their catalytic specificity – hydrolysis of the sn-2 ester bond of glycerophospholipids. The neurotoxin vipoxin, isolated from the venom of Vipera ammodytes meriodionalis, is a heterodimeric postsynaptic ionic complex composed of two protein subunits – a basic and toxic His48 sPLA2 enzyme and an acidic, enzymatically inactive and non-toxic component. In this paper, for the first time, we demonstrate that vipoxin sPLA2 enzyme affects cell integrity and viability of four cell types and causes different cell responses. The most dramatic local tissue effects were observed with RPE-1 (retinal pigment epithelial) cells followed by A549 (adenocarcinomic human alveolar epithelial) cells and MDCK (Madin-Darby Canine Kidney epithelial) cells. Products of the enzymatic reaction, lysophospholipids and unsaturated free fatty acids, act as lipid mediators that can induce membrane damaging or can stimulate cell proliferation. Our preliminary results on the cytotoxic effect of vipoxin sPLA2 on A549 cells are promising in searching of its eventual anticancer potential. PMID:26019578

  10. PLA2 - a major regulator of volume-sensitive taurine release in NIH3T3 fibroblasts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lambert, I. H.

    2006-01-01

    -lipoxygenase (5-LO) system is prevented by the 5-LO inhibitor ETH 615-139 and is reduced under hypertonic conditions. Exposure to the amphiphilic bee venom peptide melittin, which has no effect on the kinetic properties of PLA2 but promotes substrate replenishment, induces release of arachidonic acid...... conditions but has only a minor effect on the melittin-induced taurine efflux under hypertonic conditions. Bromoenol lactone and manoalide, known inhibitors of Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) and secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), respectively, reduce arachidonic acid and taurine release from NIH3......T3 cells under hypotonic conditions and following addition of melittin. It is suggested that iPLA2/sPLA2 activity is responsible for the volume-sensitivity of taurine release in NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts....

  11. The PLA2R1-JAK2 pathway upregulates ERRα and its mitochondrial program to exert tumor-suppressive action.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griveau, A; Devailly, G; Eberst, L; Navaratnam, N; Le Calvé, B; Ferrand, M; Faull, P; Augert, A; Dante, R; Vanacker, J M; Vindrieux, D; Bernard, D

    2016-09-22

    Little is known about the biological role of the phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R1) transmembrane protein. In recent years, PLA2R1 has been shown to have an important role in regulating tumor-suppressive responses via JAK2 activation, but the underlying mechanisms are largely undeciphered. In this study, we observed that PLA2R1 increases the mitochondrial content, judged by increased levels of numerous mitochondrial proteins, of the mitochondrial structural component cardiolipin, of the mitochondrial DNA content, and of the mitochondrial DNA replication and transcription factor TFAM. This effect of PLA2R1 relies on a transcriptional program controlled by the estrogen-related receptor alpha1 (ERRα) mitochondrial master regulator. Expression of ERRα and of its nucleus-encoded mitochondrial targets is upregulated upon PLA2R1 ectopic expression, and this effect is mediated by JAK2. Conversely, downregulation of PLA2R1 decreases the level of ERRα and of its nucleus-encoded mitochondrial targets. Finally, blocking the ERRα-controlled mitochondrial program largely inhibits the PLA2R1-induced tumor-suppressive response. Together, our data document ERRα and its mitochondrial program as downstream effectors of the PLA2R1-JAK2 pathway leading to oncosuppression.

  12. Reinforcement of a porous collagen scaffold with surface-activated PLA fibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xi; Huang, Changbin; Feng, Yujie; Liang, Jie; Fan, Yujiang; Gu, Zhongwei; Zhang, Xingdong

    2010-01-01

    A hybrid porous collagen scaffold mechanically reinforced with surface-activated poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fiber was prepared. PLA fibers, 20 mum in diameter and 1 mm in length, were aminolyzed with hexanediamine to introduce free amino groups on the surfaces. After the amino groups were transferred to aldehyde groups by treatment with glutaraldehyde, different amounts (1.5, 3, 5 and 8 mg) of surface-activated PLA fibers were homogeneously mixed with 2 ml type-I collagen solution (pH 2.8, 0.6 wt%). This mixture solution was then freeze-dried and cross-linked to obtain collagen sponges with surface-activated PLA fiber. Scanning electron microscopy observation indicated that the collagen sponges had a highly interconnected porous structure with an average pore size of 170 mum, irrespective of PLA fiber incorporation. The dispersion of surface-activated PLA fibers was homogeneous in collagen sponge, in contrast to unactivated PLA fibers. The compression modulus test results showed that, compared with unactivated PLA fibers, the surface-activated PLA fibers enhanced the resistance of collagen sponge to compression more significantly. Cytotoxicity assay by MTT test showed no cytotoxicity of these collagen sponges. L929 mouse fibroblast cell-culture studies in vitro revealed that the number of L929 cells attached to the collagen sponge with surface-activated PLA fibers, both 6 h and 24 h after seeding, was higher than that in pure collagen sponge and sponge with unactivated PLA fibers. In addition, a better distribution of cells infiltrated in collagen sponge with surface-activated PLA fibers was observed by histological staining. These results indicated that the collagen sponge reinforced with surface-activated PLA fibers is a promising biocompatible scaffold for tissue engineering.

  13. Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of BmooPLA2-I, a platelet-aggregation inhibitor and hypotensive phospholipase A2 from Bothrops moojeni venom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salvador, Guilherme H. M.; Marchi-Salvador, Daniela P.; Silveira, Lucas B.; Soares, Andreimar M.; Fontes, Marcos R. M.

    2011-01-01

    BmooPLA 2 -I, an acidic, catalytic and nontoxic phospholipase A 2 from B. moojeni venom that is able to inhibit platelet aggregation and induce a hypotensive effect, has been crystallized. An X-ray diffraction data set was collected to 1.6 Å resolution and a molecular-replacement solution was obtained. Phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 s) are enzymes that cause the liberation of fatty acids and lysophospholipids by the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids. In addition to their catalytic action, a wide variety of pharmacological activities have been described for snake-venom PLA 2 s. BmooPLA 2 -I is an acidic, nontoxic and catalytic PLA 2 isolated from Bothrops moojeni snake venom which exhibits an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation, an immediate decrease in blood pressure, inducing oedema at a low concentration, and an effective bactericidal effect. BmooPLA 2 -I has been crystallized and X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 1.6 Å resolution using a synchrotron-radiation source. The crystals belonged to space group C222 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 39.7, b = 53.2, c = 89.2 Å. The molecular-replacement solution of BmooPLA 2 -I indicated a monomeric conformation, which is in agreement with nondenaturing electrophoresis and dynamic light-scattering experiments. A comparative study of this enzyme with the acidic PLA 2 from B. jararacussu (BthA-I) and other toxic and nontoxic PLA 2 s may provide important insights into the functional aspects of this class of proteins

  14. Circulating and PBMC Lp-PLA2 associate differently with oxidative stress and subclinical inflammation in nonobese women (menopausal status.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean Kyung Paik

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the association of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2 (Lp-PLA(2 activity in circulation and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs with inflammatory and oxidative stress markers in nonobese women and according to menopausal status. Lp-PLA(2 activity, a marker for cardiovascular risk is associated with inflammation and oxidative stress. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Eighty postmenopausal women (53.0±4.05 yr and 96 premenopausal women (39.7±9.25 yr participated in this study. Lp-PLA(2 activities, interleukin (IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α, and IL-1β in plasma as well as in PBMCs were measured. Plasma ox-LDL was also measured. Postmenopausal women demonstrated higher circulating levels of ox-LDL and IL-6, as well as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in PBMCs, than premenopausal women. In both groups, plasma Lp-PLA(2 activity positively correlated with Lp-PLA(2 activity in PBMCs and plasma ox-LDL. In premenopausal women, Lp-PLA(2 activities in plasma and PBMCs positively correlated with IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in PBMCs. In postmenopausal women, plasma ox-LDL positively correlated with PBMC cytokine production. In subgroup analysis of postmenopausal women according to plasma ox-LDL level (median level: 48.715 U/L, a significant increase in Lp-PLA(2 activity in the plasma but not the PBMCs was found in the high ox-LDL subgroup. Plasma Lp-PLA(2 activity positively correlated with unstimulated PBMC Lp-PLA(2 activity in the low ox-LDL subgroup (r = 0.627, P<0.001, whereas in the high ox-LDL circulating Lp-PLA(2 activity positively correlated with plasma ox-LDL (r = 0.390, P = 0.014 but not with Lp-PLA(2 activity in PBMCs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The lack of relation between circulating Lp-PLA(2 activity and Lp-PLA(2 activity in PBMCs was found in postmenopausal women with high ox-LDL. This may indicate other sources of circulating Lp-PLA(2 activity except PBMC in postmenopausal women

  15. Inhibition of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α (cPLA2α by Medicinal Plants in Relation to Their Phenolic Content

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    Eva Arnold

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The cytosolic phospholipase A2α(cPLA2α is one of the potential targets for anti-inflammatory drugs, since this enzyme plays a key role in the inflammation processes seen in health disorders, like asthma, allergic reactions, arthritis and neuronal diseases. In this study, cPLA2α inhibition by 43 methanol extracts from medicinal plants rich in polyphenols was determined. The eight most active extracts were derived from Ribes nigrum (IC50 of 27.7 μg/mL, Ononis spinosa (IC50 of 39.4 μg/mL, Urtica dioica (IC50 of 44.32 μg/mL, Betula sp. (IC50 of 58.02 μg/mL, Sanguisorba officinalis (IC50 of 76.25 μg/mL, Orthosiphon stamineus (IC50 of 78.83 μg/mL, Petasites hybridus (IC50 of 81.02 μg/mL and Tussilago farfara (IC50 of 123.28 μg/mL. Additionally, the antioxidant activities of these extracts were determined with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH assay and their phenolic content with the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent. Antioxidant activity showed a non-linear, positive correlation to the phenolic content, but no correlation of PLA2 inhibition with phenolic content could be established. This study provides evidence that cPLA2α may be a relevant target for anti-inflammatory agents.

  16. Involvement of PLA2, COX and LOX in Rhinella arenarum oocyte maturation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ortiz, Maria Eugenia; Bühler, Marta Inés; Zelarayán, Liliana Isabel

    2014-11-01

    In Rhinella arenarum, progesterone is the physiological nuclear maturation inducer that interacts with the oocyte surface and starts a cascade of events that leads to germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD). Polyunsaturated fatty acids and their metabolites produced through cyclooxygenase (COX) and lipoxygenase (LOX) pathways play an important role in reproductive processes. In amphibians, to date, the role of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolites in progesterone (P4)-induced oocyte maturation has not been clarified. In this work we studied the participation of three enzymes involved in AA metabolism - phospholipase A2 (PLA2), COX and LOX in Rhinella arenarum oocyte maturation. PLA2 activation induced maturation in Rhinella arenarum oocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Oocytes when treated with 0.08 μM melittin showed the highest response (78 ± 6% GVBD). In follicles, PLA2 activation did not significantly induce maturation at the assayed doses (12 ± 3% GVBD). PLA2 inhibition with quinacrine prevented melittin-induced GVBD in a dose-dependent manner, however PLA2 inactivation did not affect P4-induced maturation. This finding suggests that PLA2 is not the only phospholipase involved in P4-induced maturation in this species. P4-induced oocyte maturation was inhibited by the COX inhibitors indomethacin and rofecoxib (65 ± 3% and 63 ± 3% GVBD, respectively), although COX activity was never blocked by their addition. Follicles showed a similar response following the addition of these inhibitors. Participation of LOX metabolites in maturation seems to be correlated with seasonal variation in ovarian response to P4. During the February to June period (low P4 response), LOX inhibition by nordihydroguaiaretic acid or lysine clonixinate increased maturation by up to 70%. In contrast, during the July to January period (high P4 response), LOX inhibition had no effect on hormone-induced maturation.

  17. Molecular Cloning and Pharmacological Properties of an Acidic PLA2 from Bothrops pauloensis Snake Venom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferreira, Francis Barbosa; Gomes, Mário Sérgio Rocha; Naves de Souza, Dayane Lorena; Gimenes, Sarah Natalie Cirilo; Castanheira, Letícia Eulalio; Borges, Márcia Helena; Rodrigues, Renata Santos; Yoneyama, Kelly Aparecida Geraldo; Homsi Brandeburgo, Maria Inês; Rodrigues, Veridiana M.

    2013-01-01

    In this work, we describe the molecular cloning and pharmacological properties of an acidic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom. This enzyme, denominated BpPLA2-TXI, was purified by four chromatographic steps and represents 2.4% of the total snake venom protein content. BpPLA2-TXI is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 13.6 kDa, as demonstrated by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) analysis and its theoretical isoelectric point was 4.98. BpPLA2-TXI was catalytically active and showed some pharmacological effects such as inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by collagen or ADP and also induced edema and myotoxicity. BpPLA2-TXI displayed low cytotoxicity on TG-180 (CCRF S 180 II) and Ovarian Carcinoma (OVCAR-3), whereas no cytotoxicity was found in regard to MEF (Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast) and Sarcoma 180 (TIB-66). The N-terminal sequence of forty-eight amino acid residues was determined by Edman degradation. In addition, the complete primary structure of 122 amino acids was deduced by cDNA from the total RNA of the venom gland using specific primers, and it was significantly similar to other acidic D49 PLA2s. The phylogenetic analyses showed that BpPLA2-TXI forms a group with other acidic D49 PLA2s from the gender Bothrops, which are characterized by a catalytic activity associated with anti-platelet effects. PMID:24304676

  18. MVL-PLA2, a snake venom phospholipase A2, inhibits angiogenesis through an increase in microtubule dynamics and disorganization of focal adhesions.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amine Bazaa

    Full Text Available Integrins are essential protagonists of the complex multi-step process of angiogenesis that has now become a major target for the development of anticancer therapies. We recently reported and characterized that MVL-PLA2, a novel phospholipase A2 from Macrovipera lebetina venom, exhibited anti-integrin activity. In this study, we show that MVL-PLA2 also displays potent anti-angiogenic properties. This phospholipase A2 inhibited adhesion and migration of human microvascular-endothelial cells (HMEC-1 in a dose-dependent manner without being cytotoxic. Using Matrigel and chick chorioallantoic membrane assays, we demonstrated that MVL-PLA2, as well as its catalytically inactivated form, significantly inhibited angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. We have also found that the actin cytoskeleton and the distribution of alphav beta3 integrin, a critical regulator of angiogenesis and a major component of focal adhesions, were disturbed after MVL-PLA2 treatment. In order to further investigate the mechanism of action of this protein on endothelial cells, we analyzed the dynamic instability behavior of microtubules in living endothelial cells. Interestingly, we showed that MVL-PLA2 significantly increased microtubule dynamicity in HMEC-1 cells by 40%. We propose that the enhancement of microtubule dynamics may explain the alterations in the formation of focal adhesions, leading to inhibition of cell adhesion and migration.

  19. Molecular Cloning and Pharmacological Properties of an Acidic PLA2 from Bothrops pauloensis Snake Venom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francis Barbosa Ferreira

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In this work, we describe the molecular cloning and pharmacological properties of an acidic phospholipase A2 (PLA2 isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom. This enzyme, denominated BpPLA2-TXI, was purified by four chromatographic steps and represents 2.4% of the total snake venom protein content. BpPLA2-TXI is a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 13.6 kDa, as demonstrated by Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF analysis and its theoretical isoelectric point was 4.98. BpPLA2-TXI was catalytically active and showed some pharmacological effects such as inhibition of platelet aggregation induced by collagen or ADP and also induced edema and myotoxicity. BpPLA2-TXI displayed low cytotoxicity on TG-180 (CCRF S 180 II and Ovarian Carcinoma (OVCAR-3, whereas no cytotoxicity was found in regard to MEF (Mouse Embryonic Fibroblast and Sarcoma 180 (TIB-66. The N-terminal sequence of forty-eight amino acid residues was determined by Edman degradation. In addition, the complete primary structure of 122 amino acids was deduced by cDNA from the total RNA of the venom gland using specific primers, and it was significantly similar to other acidic D49 PLA2s. The phylogenetic analyses showed that BpPLA2-TXI forms a group with other acidic D49 PLA2s from the gender Bothrops, which are characterized by a catalytic activity associated with anti-platelet effects.

  20. Snake Venom PLA2s Inhibitors Isolated from Brazilian Plants: Synthetic and Natural Molecules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, B. M. A.; Santos, J. D. L.; Xavier, B. M.; Almeida, J. R.; Resende, L. M.; Martins, W.; Marcussi, S.; Marangoni, S.; Stábeli, R. G.; Calderon, L. A.; Soares, A. M.; Da Silva, S. L.; Marchi-Salvador, D. P.

    2013-01-01

    Ophidian envenomation is an important health problem in Brazil and other South American countries. In folk medicine, especially in developing countries, several vegetal species are employed for the treatment of snakebites in communities that lack prompt access to serum therapy. However, the identification and characterization of the effects of several new plants or their isolated compounds, which are able to inhibit the activities of snake venom, are extremely important and such studies are imperative. Snake venom contains several organic and inorganic compounds; phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) are one of the principal toxic components of venom. PLA2s display a wide variety of pharmacological activities, such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, anticoagulant, hemorrhagic, and edema-inducing effects. PLA2 inhibition is of pharmacological and therapeutic interests as these enzymes are involved in several inflammatory diseases. This review describes the results of several studies of plant extracts and their isolated active principles, when used against crude snake venoms or their toxic fractions. Isolated inhibitors, such as steroids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, are able to inhibit PLA2s from different snake venoms. The design of specific inhibitors of PLA2s might help in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs, more specific antivenom, or even as alternative approaches for treating snakebites. PMID:24171158

  1. Snake Venom PLA2s Inhibitors Isolated from Brazilian Plants: Synthetic and Natural Molecules

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. M. A. Carvalho

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Ophidian envenomation is an important health problem in Brazil and other South American countries. In folk medicine, especially in developing countries, several vegetal species are employed for the treatment of snakebites in communities that lack prompt access to serum therapy. However, the identification and characterization of the effects of several new plants or their isolated compounds, which are able to inhibit the activities of snake venom, are extremely important and such studies are imperative. Snake venom contains several organic and inorganic compounds; phospholipases A2 (PLA2s are one of the principal toxic components of venom. PLA2s display a wide variety of pharmacological activities, such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, anticoagulant, hemorrhagic, and edema-inducing effects. PLA2 inhibition is of pharmacological and therapeutic interests as these enzymes are involved in several inflammatory diseases. This review describes the results of several studies of plant extracts and their isolated active principles, when used against crude snake venoms or their toxic fractions. Isolated inhibitors, such as steroids, terpenoids, and phenolic compounds, are able to inhibit PLA2s from different snake venoms. The design of specific inhibitors of PLA2s might help in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs, more specific antivenom, or even as alternative approaches for treating snakebites.

  2. The anti-inflammatory activity of standard aqueous stem bark extract of Mangifera indica L. as evident in inhibition of Group IA sPLA2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhananjaya, Bhadrapura Lakkappa; Shivalingaiah, Sudharshan

    2016-03-01

    The standard aqueous stem bark extract is consumed as herbal drink and used in the pharmaceutical formulations to treat patients suffering from various disease conditions in Cuba. This study was carried out to evaluate the modulatory effect of standard aqueous bark extract of M. indica on Group IA sPLA2. M. indica extract, dose dependently inhibited the GIA sPLA2 (NN-XIa-PLA2) activity with an IC50 value 8.1 µg/ml. M. indica extract effectively inhibited the indirect hemolytic activity up to 98% at ~40 µg/ml concentration and at various concentrations (0-50 µg/ml), it dose dependently inhibited the edema formation. When examined as a function of increased substrate and calcium concentration, there was no relieve of inhibitory effect on the GIA sPLA2. Furthermore, the inhibition was irreversible as evidenced from binding studies. It is observed that the aqueous extract ofM. indica effectively inhibits sPLA2 and it is associated inflammatory activities, which substantiate their anti-inflammatory properties. The mode of inhibition could be due to direct interaction of components present in the extract, with sPLA2 enzyme. Further studies on understanding the principal constituents, responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity would be interesting to develop this into potent anti-inflammatory agent.

  3. Swelling kinetics and impregnation of PLA with thymol under supercritical CO2 conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milovanović Stoja L.

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The present work was aimed to study swelling kinetics of polylactic acid (PLA and its impregnation with thymol in supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 medium. The influences of temperature and soaking time on the swelling kinetics and impregnation yield of PLA cylindrical disc and film were investigated. Swelling experiments were performed in a high pressure view cell at 10 MPa and temperatures of 40°C, 60°C and 75°C for 2 to 24 h. On the basis of swelling kinetics, pressure of 10 MPa and temperature of 40°C were chosen for supercritical solvent impregnation (SSI of the PLA samples during 2 to24 h. The highest swelling extent was observed for the PLA monolith after 24 h treatment with pure scCO2 (7.5% and scCO2 with thymol (118.3%. It was shown that sufficiently high amount of thymol can be loaded into both PLA monolith and film using SSI after only 2 h (10.0% and 6.6%, respectively. Monolith and film of PLA impregnated with thymol could be suitable for active food packaging and sterile medical disposables.

  4. Stereocomplex mediated gelation of PEG-(PLA)2 and PEG(PLA)8 block copolymers

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hiemstra, C.; Zhong, Zhiyuan; Dijkstra, Pieter J.; Feijen, Jan

    2005-01-01

    Stereocomplex mediated hydrogels have been prepared by mixing solutions of polymers of opposite chirality of either PEG-(PLA)2 triblock copolymers or PEG-(PLA)8 star block copolymers. The critical gel concentrations of the mixed enantiomer solutions were considerably lower compared to polymer

  5. Plasma Lp-PLA2 mass and apoB-lipoproteins that carry Lp-PLA2 decrease after sodium

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Constantinides, Alexander; Kerstens, Michiel N.; Dikkeschei, Bert D.; van Pelt, L. Joost; Tellis, Constantinos C.; Tselepis, Alexandros D.; Dullaart, Robin P. F.

    2012-01-01

    Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (11): 12351243 Abstract Background Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is a novel cardiovascular risk marker, which is predominantly complexed to apolipoprotein (apo) B-containing lipoproteins in human plasma. As increasing dietary sodium intake may decrease

  6. A dangerous liaison: Leptin and sPLA2-IIA join forces to induce proliferation and migration of astrocytoma cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rubén Martín

    Full Text Available Glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of primary brain tumour, shows worse prognosis linked to diabetes or obesity persistence. These pathologies are chronic inflammatory conditions characterized by altered profiles of inflammatory mediators, including leptin and secreted phospholipase A2-IIA (sPLA2-IIA. Both proteins, in turn, display diverse pro-cancer properties in different cell types, including astrocytes. Herein, to understand the underlying relationship between obesity and brain tumors, we investigated the effect of leptin, alone or in combination with sPLA2-IIA on astrocytoma cell functions. sPLA2-IIA induced up-regulation of leptin receptors in 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells. Leptin, as well as sPLA2-IIA, increased growth and migration in these cells, through activation/phosphorylation of key proteins of survival cascades. Leptin, at concentrations with minimal or no activating effects on astrocytoma cells, enhanced growth and migration promoted by low doses of sPLA2-IIA. sPLA2-IIA alone induced a transient phosphorylation pattern in the Src/ERK/Akt/mTOR/p70S6K/rS6 pathway through EGFR transactivation, and co-addition of leptin resulted in a sustained phosphorylation of these signaling regulators. Mechanistically, EGFR transactivation and tyrosine- and serine/threonine-protein phosphatases revealed a key role in this leptin-sPLA2-IIA cross-talk. This cooperative partnership between both proteins was also found in primary astrocytes. These findings thus indicate that the adipokine leptin, by increasing the susceptibility of cells to inflammatory mediators, could contribute to worsen the prognosis of tumoral and neurodegenerative processes, being a potential mediator of some obesity-related medical complications.

  7. Maslinic acid modulates secreted phospholipase A2-IIA (sPLA2-IIA ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Wei Hsum Yap

    2018-03-29

    Mar 29, 2018 ... Further analysis revealed that sPLA2-IIA only induced modest LDL oxidation and that inhibitory .... COX-2, was also reduced in primary human chondrocyte, primary rat .... oxidation (4.34 nmol MDA/mg protein) compared to native ..... rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocyte arachidonic acid meta- bolism.

  8. Sulodexide prevents activation of the PLA2/COX-2/VEGF inflammatory pathway in human retinal endothelial cells by blocking the effect of AGE/RAGE.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giurdanella, Giovanni; Lazzara, Francesca; Caporarello, Nunzia; Lupo, Gabriella; Anfuso, Carmelina Daniela; Eandi, Chiara M; Leggio, Gian Marco; Drago, Filippo; Bucolo, Claudio; Salomone, Salvatore

    2017-10-15

    Diabetic retinopathy is characterized by the breakdown of endothelial blood-retinal barrier. We tested the hypothesis that sulodexide (SDX), a highly purified glycosaminoglycan composed of 80% iduronylglycosaminoglycan sulfate and 20% dermatan sulfate, protects human retinal endothelial cells (HREC) from high glucose (HG)-induced damage, through the suppression of inflammatory ERK/cPLA2/COX-2/PGE 2 pathway, by blocking the effect of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs). HREC were treated with HG (25mM) or AGEs (glycated-BSA, 2mg/ml) for 48h, with or without SDX (60μg/ml) or aflibercept (AFL, 40μg/ml), a VEGF-trap. SDX protected HREC from HG-induced damage (MTT and LDH release) and preserved their blood-retinal barrier-like properties (Trans Endothelial Electrical Resistance and junction proteins, claudin-5, VE-cadherin and occludin, immunofluorescence and immunoblot) as well as their angiogenic potential (Tube Formation Assay). Both HG and AGEs increased phosphoERK and phospho-cPLA 2 , an effect counteracted by SDX and, less efficiently, by AFL. Both HG and exogenous VEGF (80ng/ml) increased PGE 2 release, an effect partially reverted by SDX for HG and by AFL for VEGF. Analysis of NFκB activity revealed that HG increased the abundance of p65 in the nuclear fraction (nuclear translocation), an effect entirely reverted by SDX, but only partially by AFL. SDX, AFL and SDX+AFL protected HREC even when added 24h after HG. These data show that SDX protects HREC from HG damage and suggest that it counteracts the activation of ERK/cPLA2/COX-2/PGE 2 pathway by reducing AGE-related signaling and downstream NFκB activity. This mechanism, partially distinct from VEGF blockade, may contribute to the therapeutic effect of SDX. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 activation correlates with HER2 overexpression and mediates estrogen-dependent breast cancer cell growth.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Caiazza, Francesco

    2010-05-01

    Cytosolic phospholipase A(2)alpha (cPLA(2)alpha) catalyzes the hydrolysis of membrane glycerol-phospholipids to release arachidonic acid as the first step of the eicosanoid signaling pathway. This pathway contributes to proliferation in breast cancer, and numerous studies have demonstrated a crucial role of cyclooxygenase 2 and prostaglandin E(2) release in breast cancer progression. The role of cPLA(2)alpha activation is less clear, and we recently showed that 17beta-estradiol (E2) can rapidly activate cPLA(2)alpha in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Overexpression or gene amplification of HER2 is found in approximately 30% of breast cancer patients and correlates with a poor clinical outcome and resistance to endocrine therapy. This study reports the first evidence for a correlation between cPLA(2)alpha enzymatic activity and overexpression of the HER2 receptor. The activation of cPLA(2)alpha in response to E2 treatment was biphasic with the first phase dependent on trans-activation through the matrix metalloproteinase-dependent release of heparin-bound epidermal growth factor. EGFR\\/HER2 heterodimerization resulted in downstream signaling through the ERK1\\/2 cascade to promote cPLA(2)alpha phosphorylation at Ser505. There was a correlation between HER2 and cPLA(2)alpha expression in six breast cancer cell lines examined, and inhibition of HER2 activation or expression in the SKBR3 cell line using herceptin or HER2-specific small interfering RNA, respectively, resulted in decreased activation and expression of cPLA(2)alpha. Pharmacological blockade of cPLA(2)alpha using a specific antagonist suppressed the growth of both MCF-7 and SKBR3 cells by reducing E2-induced proliferation and by stimulating cellular apoptosis and necrosis. This study highlights cPLAalpha(2) as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in endocrine-dependent and endocrine-independent breast cancer.

  10. Modifying an Active Compound’s Release Kinetic Using a Supercritical Impregnation Process to Incorporate an Active Agent into PLA Electrospun Mats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carol López de Dicastillo

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The main objective of this work was to study the release of cinnamaldehyde (CIN from electrospun poly lactic acid (e-PLA mats obtained through two techniques: (i direct incorporation of active compound during the electrospinning process (e-PLA-CIN; and (ii supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2 impregnation of CIN within electrospun PLA mats (e-PLA/CINimp. The development and characterization of both of these active electrospun mats were investigated with the main purpose of modifying the release kinetic of this active compound. Morphological, structural, and thermal properties of these materials were also studied, and control mats e-PLA and e- PLA CO 2 were developed in order to understand the effect of electrospinning and scCO2 impregnation, respectively, on PLA properties. Both strategies of incorporation of this active compound into PLA matrix resulted in different morphologies that influenced chemical and physical properties of these composites and in different release kinetics of CIN. The electrospinning and scCO2 impregnation processes and the presence of CIN altered PLA thermal and structural properties when compared to an extruded PLA material. The incorporation of CIN through scCO2 impregnation resulted in higher release rate and lower diffusion coefficients when compared to active electrospun mats with CIN incorporated during the electrospinning process.

  11. Leptin suppresses non-apoptotic cell death in ischemic rat cardiomyocytes by reduction of iPLA2 activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takatani-Nakase, Tomoka; Takahashi, Koichi

    2015-01-01

    Caspase-independent, non-apoptotic cell death is an important therapeutic target in myocardial ischemia. Leptin, an adipose-derived hormone, is known to exhibit cytoprotective effects on the ischemic heart, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. In this research, we found that pretreatment of leptin strongly suppressed ischemic-augmented nuclear shrinkage and non-apoptotic cell death on cardiomyocytes. Leptin was also shown to significantly inhibit the activity of iPLA 2 , which is considered to play crucial roles in non-apoptotic cell death, resulting in effective prevention of ischemia-induced myocyte death. These findings provide the first evidence of a protective mechanism of leptin against ischemia-induced non-apoptotic cardiomyocyte death. - Highlights: • Myocardial ischemia-model induces in caspase-independent, non-apoptotic cell death. • Leptin strongly inhibits ischemic-augmented non-apoptotic cell death. • Leptin reduces iPLA 2 activity, leading to avoidance of non-apoptotic cell death

  12. Serum Lp-PLA2: as a novel viewpoint in periodontal treatment of hyperlipidaemics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fentoğlu, Özlem; Kirzioğlu, Fatma Yeşim; Tözüm Bulut, Memduha; Kurgan, Şivge; Koçak, Havva; Sütcü, Recep; Kale Köroğlu, Banu; Günhan, Meral

    2015-01-01

    To evaluate the effects of periodontal treatment on serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in hyperlipidaemic patients with periodontitis. The study included 52 hyperlipidaemics and 28 systemically healthy controls (C) with periodontitis. Of the 52 hyperlipidaemics, 29 received a suggested diet (HD), and 23 of them were prescribed statin (HS). Clinical periodontal parameters, serum lipids, Lp-PLA2, and CRP levels were assessed at the baseline and 2 months after the completion of the nonsurgical periodontal treatment (2MPT). Serum parameters were also evaluated 1 week following the periodontal treatment (1WPT). At the baseline, patients in the HS group had a higher percentage of bleeding on probing than those in the C and HD groups. Hyperlipidaemics had higher serum triglyceride levels than the control group at 2MPT compared to the baseline. At 2MPT, the levels of Lp-PLA2 in the HS group were significantly higher compared to the baseline and 1WPT. There were no statistically significant differences in CRP levels between study periods for all groups. The periodontal treatment may affect the inflammatory control of hyperlipidaemic patients with periodontitis via increased Lp-PLA2 levels and severity of the impaired lipid metabolism. These findings may be important regarding the therapeutic strategies for hyperlipidaemics with periodontitis.

  13. Leptin suppresses non-apoptotic cell death in ischemic rat cardiomyocytes by reduction of iPLA{sub 2} activity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takatani-Nakase, Tomoka, E-mail: nakase@mukogawa-u.ac.jp; Takahashi, Koichi, E-mail: koichi@mukogawa-u.ac.jp

    2015-07-17

    Caspase-independent, non-apoptotic cell death is an important therapeutic target in myocardial ischemia. Leptin, an adipose-derived hormone, is known to exhibit cytoprotective effects on the ischemic heart, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. In this research, we found that pretreatment of leptin strongly suppressed ischemic-augmented nuclear shrinkage and non-apoptotic cell death on cardiomyocytes. Leptin was also shown to significantly inhibit the activity of iPLA{sub 2}, which is considered to play crucial roles in non-apoptotic cell death, resulting in effective prevention of ischemia-induced myocyte death. These findings provide the first evidence of a protective mechanism of leptin against ischemia-induced non-apoptotic cardiomyocyte death. - Highlights: • Myocardial ischemia-model induces in caspase-independent, non-apoptotic cell death. • Leptin strongly inhibits ischemic-augmented non-apoptotic cell death. • Leptin reduces iPLA{sub 2} activity, leading to avoidance of non-apoptotic cell death.

  14. Revisiting the use of sPLA2-sensitive liposomes in cancer therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pourhassan, Houman; Clergeaud Veiga, Gael; Hansen, Anders Elias

    2017-01-01

    The first developed secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) sensitive liposomal cisplatin formulation (LiPlaCis®) is currently undergoing clinical evaluation. In the present study we revisit and evaluate critical preclinical parameters important for the therapeutic potential and safety of platinum drugs......, here oxaliplatin (L-OHP), formulated in sPLA2 sensitive liposomes. We show the mole percentage of negatively charged phospholipid needed to obtain enzyme-sensitivity for saturated systems is ≥ 25% for 16-carbon chain lipid membranes, and > 40% for 18-chain lipid membranes, which was surprising as 25......% is used clinically in LiPlaCis®. Efficient sPLA2-dependent growth inhibition of colorectal cancer cells was demonstrated in vitro, where cell membrane degradation and cytolysis depends on the sensitivity of the formulation towards the enzyme and is governed by the amount of lysolipids generated...

  15. Secreted phospholipase A2 of Clonorchis sinensis activates hepatic stellate cells through a pathway involving JNK signalling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yinjuan; Li, Ye; Shang, Mei; Jian, Yu; Wang, Caiqin; Bardeesi, Adham Sameer A; Li, Zhaolei; Chen, Tingjin; Zhao, Lu; Zhou, Lina; He, Ai; Huang, Yan; Lv, Zhiyue; Yu, Xinbing; Li, Xuerong

    2017-03-16

    Secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is a protein secreted by Clonorchis sinensis and is a component of excretory and secretory products (CsESPs). Phospholipase A2 is well known for its role in liver fibrosis and inhibition of tumour cells. The JNK signalling pathway is involved in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) activation. Blocking JNK activity with SP600125 inhibits HSCs activation. In a previous study, the protein CssPLA2 was expressed in insoluble inclusion bodies. Therefore, it's necessary to express CssPLA2 in water-soluble form and determine whether the enzymatic activity of CssPLA2 or cell signalling pathways is involved in liver fibrosis caused by clonorchiasis. Balb/C mice were given an abdominal injection of MBP-CssPLA2. Liver sections with HE and Masson staining were observed to detect accumulation of collagen. Western blot of mouse liver was done to detect the activation of JNK signalling pathway. In vitro, HSCs were incubated with MBP-CssPLA2 to detect the activation of HSCs as well as the activation of JNK signalling pathway. The mutant of MBP-CssPLA2 without enzymatic activity was constructed and was also incubated with HSCs to check whether activation of the HSCs was related to the enzymatic activity of MBP-CssPLA2. The recombinant protein MBP-CssPLA2 was expressed soluble and of good enzymatic activity. A mutant of CssPLA2, without enzymatic activity, was also constructed. In vivo liver sections of Balb/C mice that were given an abdominal injection of 50 μg/ml MBP-CssPLA2 showed an obvious accumulation of collagen and a clear band of P-JNK1 could be seen by western blot of the liver tissue. In vitro, MBP-CssPLA2, as well as the mutant, was incubated with HSCs and it was proved that activation of HSCs was related to activation of the JNK signalling pathway instead of the enzymatic activity of MBP-CssPLA2. Activation of HSCs by CssPLA2 is related to the activation of the JNK signalling pathway instead of the enzymatic activity of CssPLA2. This finding

  16. Expression, purification and epitope analysis of Pla a 2 allergen from Platanus acerifolia pollen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, De-Wang; Ni, Wei-Wei; Zhou, Yan-Jun; Huang, Wen; Cao, Meng-Da; Meng, Ling; Wei, Ji-Fu

    2018-01-01

    Platanus acerifolia is one of the major sources of outdoor allergens to humans, and can induce allergic asthma, rhinitis, dermatitis and other allergic diseases. Pla a 2 is a polygalacturonase and represents the major allergen identified in P. acerifolia pollen. The aim of the present study was to express and purify Pla a 2, and to predict B and T cell epitopes of Pla a 2. The gene encoding Pla a 2 was cloned into the pET28a vector and subsequently transfected into ArcticExpress™ (DE3) Escherichia coli cells; purified Pla a 2 was analyzed by western blot analysis. The results of the present study revealed that the Pla a 2 allergen has the ability to bind immunoglobulin E within the sera of patients allergic to P. acerifolia pollen. In addition, the B cell epitopes of Pla a 2 were predicted using the DNAStar Protean system, Bioinformatics Predicted Antigenic Peptides and BepiPred 1.0 software; T cell epitopes were predicted using NetMHCIIpan ‑3.0 and ‑2.2. In total, eight B cell epitopes (15‑24, 60‑66, 78‑86, 109‑124, 232‑240, 260‑269, 298‑306 and 315‑322) and five T cell epitopes (62‑67, 86‑91, 125‑132, 217‑222 and 343‑350) were predicted in the present study. These findings may be used to improve allergen immunotherapies and reduce the frequency of pollen‑associated allergic reactions.

  17. Impact of the Pla protease substrate α2-antiplasmin on the progression of primary pneumonic plague.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eddy, Justin L; Schroeder, Jay A; Zimbler, Daniel L; Bellows, Lauren E; Lathem, Wyndham W

    2015-12-01

    Many pathogens usurp the host hemostatic system during infection to promote pathogenesis. Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, expresses the plasminogen activator protease Pla, which has been shown in vitro to target and cleave multiple proteins within the fibrinolytic pathway, including the plasmin inhibitor α2-antiplasmin (A2AP). It is not known, however, if Pla inactivates A2AP in vivo; the role of A2AP during respiratory Y. pestis infection is not known either. Here, we show that Y. pestis does not appreciably cleave A2AP in a Pla-dependent manner in the lungs during experimental pneumonic plague. Furthermore, following intranasal infection with Y. pestis, A2AP-deficient mice exhibit no difference in survival time, bacterial burden in the lungs, or dissemination from wild-type mice. Instead, we found that in the absence of Pla, A2AP contributes to the control of the pulmonary inflammatory response during infection by reducing neutrophil recruitment and cytokine production, resulting in altered immunopathology of the lungs compared to A2AP-deficient mice. Thus, our data demonstrate that A2AP is not significantly affected by the Pla protease during pneumonic plague, and although A2AP participates in immune modulation in the lungs, it has limited impact on the course or ultimate outcome of the infection. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. Mechanistic Study of the sPLA2 Mediated Hydrolysis of a Thio-ester Pro Anticancer Ether Lipid

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Linderoth, Lars; Fristrup, Peter; Hansen, Martin

    2009-01-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is an interesting enzyme for triggered liposomal drug delivery to tumor tissue due the overexpression of sPLA2 in cancerous tissue. A drug delivery system based on the triggered release of therapeutics from sPLA2-sensitive liposomes constituted of pro anticancer...... ether lipids, which become cytotoxic upon sPLA2-catalyzed hydrolysis has previously been established. To optimize the hydrolysis rate of the lipids and thereby optimizing the release profile of the drugs from the liposomes, we have synthesized a thio-ester pro anticancer ether lipid. Liposomes...... constituted of this lipid showed an altered rate of hydrolysis by sPLA2. We have tested the cytotoxicity of the thio-ester pro anticancer ether lipids toward cancer cells, and the results showed that the cytotoxicity is indeed maintained upon sPLA2 exposure. To further understand the origin for the observed...

  19. Activation of bradykinin B2 receptor induced the inflammatory responses of cytosolic phospholipase A2 after the early traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chao, Honglu; Liu, Yinlong; Lin, Chao; Xu, Xiupeng; Li, Zheng; Bao, Zhongyuan; Fan, Liang; Tao, Chao; Zhao, Lin; Liu, Yan; Wang, Xiaoming; You, Yongping; Liu, Ning; Ji, Jing

    2018-06-09

    Phospholipase A 2 is a known aggravator of inflammation and deteriorates neurological outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI), however the exact inflammatory mechanisms remain unknown. This study investigated the role of bradykinin and its receptor, which are known initial mediators within inflammation activation, as well as the mechanisms of the cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 )-related inflammatory responses after TBI. We found that cPLA 2 and bradykinin B2 receptor were upregulated after a TBI. Rats treated with the bradykinin B2 receptor inhibitor LF 16-0687 exhibited significantly less cPLA 2 expression and related inflammatory responses in the brain cortex after sustaining a controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury. Both the cPLA 2 inhibitor and the LF16-0687 improved CCI rat outcomes by decreasing neuron death and reducing brain edema. The following TBI model utilized both primary astrocytes and primary neurons in order to gain further understanding of the inflammation mechanisms of the B2 bradykinin receptor and the cPLA 2 in the central nervous system. There was a stronger reaction from the astrocytes as well as a protective effect of LF16-0687 after the stretch injury and bradykinin treatment. The protein kinase C pathway was thought to be involved in the B2 bradykinin receptor as well as the cPLA 2 -related inflammatory responses. Rottlerin, a Protein Kinase C (PKC) δ inhibitor, decreased the activity of the cPLA 2 activity post-injury, and LF16-0687 suppressed both the PKC pathway and the cPLA 2 activity within the astrocytes. These results indicated that the bradykinin B2 receptor-mediated pathway is involved in the cPLA 2 -related inflammatory response from the PKC pathway. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  20. Lactadherin inhibits secretory phospholipase A2 activity on pre-apoptotic leukemia cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steffen Nyegaard

    Full Text Available Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2 is a critical component of insect and snake venoms and is secreted by mammalian leukocytes during inflammation. Elevated secretory PLA2 concentrations are associated with autoimmune diseases and septic shock. Many sPLA2's do not bind to plasma membranes of quiescent cells but bind and digest phospholipids on the membranes of stimulated or apoptotic cells. The capacity of these phospholipases to digest membranes of stimulated or apoptotic cells correlates to the exposure of phosphatidylserine. In the present study, the ability of the phosphatidyl-L-serine-binding protein, lactadherin to inhibit phospholipase enzyme activity has been assessed. Inhibition of human secretory phospholipase A2-V on phospholipid vesicles exceeded 90%, whereas inhibition of Naja mossambica sPLA2 plateaued at 50-60%. Lactadherin inhibited 45% of activity of Naja mossambica sPLA2 and >70% of human secretory phospholipase A2-V on the membranes of human NB4 leukemia cells treated with calcium ionophore A23187. The data indicate that lactadherin may decrease inflammation by inhibiting sPLA2.

  1. cPLA2a-evoked formation of arachidonic acid and lysophospholipids is required for exocytosis in mouse pancreatic ß-cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juhl, Kirstine; Høy, Marianne; Olsen, Hervør L.

    2003-01-01

    Using capacitance measurements, we investigated the effects of intracellularly applied recombinant human cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 ) and its lipolytic products arachidonic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine on Ca2+-dependent exocytosis in single mouse pancreatic -cells. cPLA2 dose dependently......–80 to 280–300. cPLA2 -stimulated exocytosis was antagonized by the specific cPLA2 inhibitor AACOCF3. Ca2+-evoked exocytosis was reduced by 40% in cells treated with AACOCF3 or an antisense oligonucleotide against cPLA2 . The action of cPLA2 was mimicked by a combination of arachidonic acid...... and lysophosphatidylcholine (470% stimulation) in which each compound alone doubled the exocytotic response. Priming of insulin-containing secretory granules has been reported to involve Cl- uptake through ClC-3 Cl- channels. Accordingly, the stimulatory action of cPLA2 was inhibited by the Cl- channel inhibitor DIDS...

  2. Structural and Functional Studies of a Bothropic Myotoxin Complexed to Rosmarinic Acid: New Insights into Lys49-PLA2 Inhibition

    Science.gov (United States)

    dos Santos, Juliana I.; Cardoso, Fábio F.; Soares, Andreimar M.; dal Pai Silva, Maeli; Gallacci, Márcia; Fontes, Marcos R. M.

    2011-01-01

    Snakebite envenoming is an important public health problem in many tropical and subtropical countries, and is considered a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. Most severe cases are inflicted by species of the families Elapidae and Viperidae, and lead to a number of systemic and local effects in the victim. One of the main problems regarding viperidic accidents is prominent local tissue damage whose pathogenesis is complex and involves the combined actions of a variety of venom components. Phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) are the most abundant muscle-damaging components of these venoms. Herein, we report functional and structural studies of PrTX-I, a Lys49-PLA2 from Bothops pirajai snake venom, and the influence of rosmarinic acid (RA) upon this toxin's activities. RA is a known active component of some plant extracts and has been reported as presenting anti-myotoxic properties related to bothopic envenomation. The myotoxic activity of Lys49-PLA2s is well established in the literature and although no in vivo neurotoxicity has been observed among these toxins, in vitro neuromuscular blockade has been reported for some of these proteins. Our in vitro studies show that RA drastically reduces both the muscle damage and the neuromuscular blockade exerted by PrTX-I on mice neuromuscular preparations (by ∼80% and ∼90%, respectively). These results support the hypothesis that the two effects are closely related and lead us to suggest that they are consequences of the muscle membrane-destabilizing activity of the Lys49-PLA2. Although the C-terminal region of these proteins has been reported to comprise the myotoxic site, we demonstrate by X-ray crystallographic studies that RA interacts with PrTX-I in a different region. Consequently, a new mode of Lys49-PLA2 inhibition is proposed. Comparison of our results with others in the literature suggests possible new ways to inhibit bothropic snake venom myotoxins and improve serum therapy. PMID:22205953

  3. Differential effects of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and diacylglycerols on thromboxane A2-independent phospholipase A2 activation in collage-stimulated human platelets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reddy, S; Rao, G H; Murthy, M

    1994-04-01

    We investigated the priming effects of protein kinase C (PKC) activators such as phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), 1,2-DiC8 and OAG, and 1,3-DiC8 (a poor activator of PKC) on thromboxane A2 (TxA2)-independent phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activation in human platelets using collagen and A23187 as agonists. We measured PLA2 activation in collagen-stimulated platelets in the presence of BW755C, which abolished TxA2 synthesis, rise in cytosolic Ca2+, and aggregation. In the presence of PMA (50 nM), the amount of arachidonic acid (AA) released in platelets stimulated with collagen and A23187 represented 300% (13.85 nmol versus 4.5 nmol) and 400% (28 nmol versus 7 nmol) of controls (without PMA), respectively, while 1,2-DiC8, OAG, and 1,3-DiC8 increased TxA2-independent AA release by 50% in A23187-stimulated platelets and had no effect on the release of AA in collagen-stimulated platelets. Interestingly, 1,3-DiC8, which is a poor activator of PKC, was as effective as the other two DAGs (OAG and 1,2-DiC8) in priming TxA2-independent PLA2 activation, but was less effective than PMA in platelets stimulated with A23187. These results suggest that the TXA2-dependent IP3-mediated rise in cytosolic Ca2+ may not be obligatory for priming PLA2 activation in the presence of PMA in collagen-stimulated platelets. In contrast, 1,2-DiC8, OAG, and 1,3-DiC8 likely enhanced PLA2 activation via intracellular Ca2+ as they selectively affect this enzyme only in A23187-stimulated platelets. We also observed a significant increase in both saturated (palmitic and stearic acids) and unsaturated fatty acids (oleic and linoleic acids) in platelets stimulated by collagen or A23187 in the presence of PMA (50 nM), but not in the presence of DAGs. These findings imply that PMA may also affect the activation of DAG/MAG lipases, PLA1, or nonspecific PLA2. Since both 1,2-DiC8 and OAG exert no significant effect on the release of these fatty acids, the effects observed with PMA on DAG lipase/PLA1 may not

  4. Two acidic, anticoagulant PLA2 isoenzymes purified from the venom of monocled cobra Naja kaouthia exhibit different potency to inhibit thrombin and factor Xa via phospholipids independent, non-enzymatic mechanism.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashis K Mukherjee

    Full Text Available The monocled cobra (Naja kaouthia is responsible for snakebite fatality in Indian subcontinent and in south-western China. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2; EC 3.1.1.4 is one of the toxic components of snake venom. The present study explores the mechanism and rationale(s for the differences in anticoagulant potency of two acidic PLA2 isoenzymes, Nk-PLA2α (13463.91 Da and Nk-PLA2β (13282.38 Da purified from the venom of N. kaouthia.By LC-MS/MS analysis, these PLA2s showed highest similarity (23.5% sequence coverage with PLA2 III isolated from monocled cobra venom. The catalytic activity of Nk-PLA2β exceeds that of Nk-PLA2α. Heparin differentially regulated the catalytic and anticoagulant activities of these Nk-PLA2 isoenzymes. The anticoagulant potency of Nk-PLA2α was comparable to commercial anticoagulants warfarin, and heparin/antithrombin-III albeit Nk-PLA2β demonstrated highest anticoagulant activity. The anticoagulant action of these PLA2s was partially contributed by a small but specific hydrolysis of plasma phospholipids. The strong anticoagulant effect of Nk-PLA2α and Nk-PLA2β was achieved via preferential, non-enzymatic inhibition of FXa (Ki = 43 nM and thrombin (Ki = 8.3 nM, respectively. Kinetics study suggests that the Nk-PLA2 isoenzymes inhibit their "pharmacological target(s" by uncompetitive mechanism without the requirement of phospholipids/Ca(2+. The anticoagulant potency of Nk-PLA2β which is higher than that of Nk-PLA2α is corroborated by its superior catalytic activity, its higher capacity for binding to phosphatidylcholine, and its greater strength of thrombin inhibition. These PLA2 isoenzymes thus have evolved to affect haemostasis by different mechanisms. The Nk-PLA2β partially inhibited the thrombin-induced aggregation of mammalian platelets suggesting its therapeutic application in the prevention of unwanted clot formation.In order to develop peptide-based superior anticoagulant therapeutics, future application of Nk-PLA2

  5. Enhanced thermal and mechanical properties of PLA/MoS2 nanocomposites synthesized via the in-situ ring-opening polymerization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Pengpeng; Liang, Xiao; Xu, Ying; Zhou, Yifeng; Nie, Wangyan

    2018-05-01

    In this work, MoS2 nanosheets were employed to reinforce PLA. In order to promote the homogeneous dispersion of MoS2 in PLA and form a strong interface between MoS2 and PLA, the MoS2 nanosheets were firstly modified by mercapto-ethylamine, and then functionalized with PLA chains through ring-opening polymerization of poly(L-lactide). The XRD, XPS, TGA and 1H NMR characterizations confirmed the successful amino and PLA functionalization of MoS2 nanosheets. The obtained MoS2-g-PLA nanosheets were then introduced to reinforce PLA. SEM images displayed that the MoS2-g-PLA nanosheets were dispersed in PLA matrix uniformly. TGA results showed that initial decomposition temperature was improved from 275.6 °C to 334.8 °C with 0.5 wt% of MoS2-g-PLA nanosheets. The storage modulus of PLA/MoS2-g-PLA-0.5 wt% in the glass state and rubber state were both greatly enhanced compared with neat PLA.

  6. Domain-induced activation of human phospholipase A2 type IIA: Local versus global lipid composition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leidy, C.; Linderoth, L.; Andresen, T.L.

    2006-01-01

    , we show that local enrichment of anionic lipids into fluid domains triggers PLA(2)-IIA activity. In addition, the compositional range of enzyme activity is shown to be related to the underlying lipid phase diagram. A comparison is done between PLA(2)-IIA and snake venom PLA(2), which in contrast...... to PLA(2)-IIA hydrolyzes both anionic and zwitterionic membranes. In general, this work shows that PLA(2)-IIA activation can be accomplished through local enrichment of anionic lipids into domains, indicating a mechanism for PLA(2)-IIA to target perturbed native membranes with low global anionic lipid...

  7. Helicobacter pylori-elicited induction in gastric mucosal matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) release involves ERK-dependent cPLA2 activation and its recruitment to the membrane-localized Rac1/p38 complex.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slomiany, B L; Slomiany, A

    2016-06-01

    Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of endopeptidases implicated in a wide rage of degenerative and inflammatory diseases, including Helicobacter pylori-associated gastritis, and gastric and duodenal ulcer. As gastric mucosal inflammatory responses to H. pylori are characterized by the rise in MMP-9 production, as well as the induction in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Rac1 activation, we investigated the role of Rac1/MAPK in the processes associated with the release of MMP-9. We show that H. pylori LPS-elicited induction in gastric mucosal MMP-9 release is associated with MAPK, ERK and p38 activation, and occurs with the involvement of Rac1 and cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). Further, we demonstrate that the LPS-induced MMP-9 release requires ERK-mediated phosphorylation of cPLA2 on Ser(505) that is essential for its membrane localization with Rac1, and that this process necessitates p38 participation. Moreover, we reveal that the activation and membrane translocation of p38 to the Rac1-GTP complex plays a pivotal role in cPLA2-dependent enhancement in MMP-9 release. Hence, our findings provide a strong evidence for the role of ERK/cPLA2 and Rac1/p38/cPLA2 cascade in H. pylori LPS-induced up-regulation in gastric mucosal MMP-9 release.

  8. Pancreatic and snake venom presynaptically active phospholipases A2 inhibit nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vulfius, Catherine A; Kasheverov, Igor E; Kryukova, Elena V; Spirova, Ekaterina N; Shelukhina, Irina V; Starkov, Vladislav G; Andreeva, Tatyana V; Faure, Grazyna; Zouridakis, Marios; Tsetlin, Victor I; Utkin, Yuri N

    2017-01-01

    Phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) are enzymes found throughout the animal kingdom. They hydrolyze phospholipids in the sn-2 position producing lysophospholipids and unsaturated fatty acids, agents that can damage membranes. PLA2s from snake venoms have numerous toxic effects, not all of which can be explained by phospholipid hydrolysis, and each enzyme has a specific effect. We have earlier demonstrated the capability of several snake venom PLA2s with different enzymatic, cytotoxic, anticoagulant and antiproliferative properties, to decrease acetylcholine-induced currents in Lymnaea stagnalis neurons, and to compete with α-bungarotoxin for binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and acetylcholine binding protein. Since nAChRs are implicated in postsynaptic and presynaptic activities, in this work we probe those PLA2s known to have strong presynaptic effects, namely β-bungarotoxin from Bungarus multicinctus and crotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus. We also wished to explore whether mammalian PLA2s interact with nAChRs, and have examined non-toxic PLA2 from porcine pancreas. It was found that porcine pancreatic PLA2 and presynaptic β-bungarotoxin blocked currents mediated by nAChRs in Lymnaea neurons with IC50s of 2.5 and 4.8 μM, respectively. Crotoxin competed with radioactive α-bungarotoxin for binding to Torpedo and human α7 nAChRs and to the acetylcholine binding protein. Pancreatic PLA2 interacted similarly with these targets; moreover, it inhibited radioactive α-bungarotoxin binding to the water-soluble extracellular domain of human α9 nAChR, and blocked acetylcholine induced currents in human α9α10 nAChRs heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. These and our earlier results show that all snake PLA2s, including presynaptically active crotoxin and β-bungarotoxin, as well as mammalian pancreatic PLA2, interact with nAChRs. The data obtained suggest that this interaction may be a general property of all PLA2s, which should be proved by

  9. Pancreatic and snake venom presynaptically active phospholipases A2 inhibit nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Catherine A Vulfius

    Full Text Available Phospholipases A2 (PLA2s are enzymes found throughout the animal kingdom. They hydrolyze phospholipids in the sn-2 position producing lysophospholipids and unsaturated fatty acids, agents that can damage membranes. PLA2s from snake venoms have numerous toxic effects, not all of which can be explained by phospholipid hydrolysis, and each enzyme has a specific effect. We have earlier demonstrated the capability of several snake venom PLA2s with different enzymatic, cytotoxic, anticoagulant and antiproliferative properties, to decrease acetylcholine-induced currents in Lymnaea stagnalis neurons, and to compete with α-bungarotoxin for binding to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs and acetylcholine binding protein. Since nAChRs are implicated in postsynaptic and presynaptic activities, in this work we probe those PLA2s known to have strong presynaptic effects, namely β-bungarotoxin from Bungarus multicinctus and crotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus. We also wished to explore whether mammalian PLA2s interact with nAChRs, and have examined non-toxic PLA2 from porcine pancreas. It was found that porcine pancreatic PLA2 and presynaptic β-bungarotoxin blocked currents mediated by nAChRs in Lymnaea neurons with IC50s of 2.5 and 4.8 μM, respectively. Crotoxin competed with radioactive α-bungarotoxin for binding to Torpedo and human α7 nAChRs and to the acetylcholine binding protein. Pancreatic PLA2 interacted similarly with these targets; moreover, it inhibited radioactive α-bungarotoxin binding to the water-soluble extracellular domain of human α9 nAChR, and blocked acetylcholine induced currents in human α9α10 nAChRs heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. These and our earlier results show that all snake PLA2s, including presynaptically active crotoxin and β-bungarotoxin, as well as mammalian pancreatic PLA2, interact with nAChRs. The data obtained suggest that this interaction may be a general property of all PLA2s, which

  10. Molecular modeling of the inhibition of enzyme PLA2 from snake venom by dipyrone and 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silva, S. L. Da; Comar, M., Jr.; Oliveira, K. M. T.; Chaar, J. S.; Bezerra, E. R. M.; Calgarotto, A. K.; Baldasso, P. A.; Veber, C. L.; Villar, J. A. F. P.; Oliveira, A. R. M.; Marangoni, S.

    Phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are enzymes that trigger the degradation cascade of the arachidonic acid, leading to the formation of pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. The selective inhibition of PLA2s is crucial in the search for a more efficient anti-inflammatory drug with fewer side effects than the drugs currently used. Hence, we studied the influences caused by two pyrazolonic inhibitors: dipyrone (DIP) and 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) on the kinetic behavior of PLA2 from Crotalus adamanteus venom. Molecular modeling results, by DFT and MM approaches, showed that DIP is strongly associated to the active site of PLA2 through three hydrogen bonds, whereas PMP is associated to the enzyme just through hydrophobic interactions. In addition, only PMP presents an intramolecular hydrogen bond that make difficult the formation of more efficient interactions with PLA2. These results help in the understanding of the experimental observations. Experimentally, the results showed that PLA2 from C. adamanteus present a typical Michaelian behavior. In addition, the calculated kinetic parameters showed that, in the presence of DIP or PMP, the maximum enzymatic velocity (VMAX) value was kept constant, whereas the Michaelis constant (KM) values increased and the inhibition constant (KI) decreased, indicating competitive inhibition. These results show that the phenyl-pyrazolonic structures might help in the development and design of new drugs able to selectively inhibit PLA2.

  11. Correlation of the inhibitory activity of phospholipase A2 snake venom and the antioxidant activity of Colombian plant extracts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime A. Pereañez

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Snakebite continues to be a significant health problem in many countries of Latin America. Even though, there has been an improvement in the antivenom therapy, the local effects caused by myotoxic phospholipases A2 (PLA2 present in the venoms, still persist. In search for alternatives to antagonize the PLA2 activity of Bothrops asper's venom, 36 extracts belonging to seventeen families of vascular plants and bryophytes were screened. A significant inhibition of the enzymatic activity of PLA2 present in B. asper's whole venom was seen in eleven of these extracts. In addition, the antioxidant activity of all the extracts was evaluated. The results evidenced a significant statistical correlation between extracts with an inhibitory effect against PLA2 and those with an antioxidant activity. Moreover, the amount of phenols was quantified finding a relationship between the bioactivity and the presence of these compounds. Nine extracts were screened against a fraction of the venom rich in basic PLA2 (Fx-V B. asper, exhibiting an inhibitory effect on PLA2 activity of this fraction in a range from 30-80%. This activity was supported by the inhibition that these extracts presented on the cytotoxicity caused by Fx-V B. asper on murine skeletal muscle C2C12 myoblasts. The results obtained, could point to minimize efforts in the search of PLA2 inhibitors by focusing in samples with known antioxidant properties.Veneno de cobra continua a ser um problema importante de saúde em muitos países da América Latina. Apesar dos avanços na terapia antiveneno, os efeitos locais causados por fosfolipases A2 miotóxica (PLA2 presentes no veneno, ainda persistem. Em busca de alternativas para antagonizar a atividade da PLA2 do veneno de Bothrops asper, foram selecionados 36 extratos pertencentes a dezessete famílias de plantas vasculares e briófitas. Uma inibição significativa da atividade enzimática de PLA2 presente no veneno de B. asper foi observada em onze

  12. [Impact of gender on lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 activity and association with known cardiovascularrisk factors].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Zhang-rong; Zhao, Dong; Qi, Yue; Wang, Wei; Wang, Miao; Sun, Jia-yi; Qin, Lan-ping; Liu, Jing

    2013-11-01

    To explore the impact of gender on lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) activity and association with known cardiovascular risk factors. Participants in this study were recruited from Beijing sub-cohort from the Chinese Multi-provincial Cohort Study (CMCS) database. A total of 1471 participants with complete laboratory data were included in the study (688 male). Lp-PLA(2) activity was determined by colorimetric assay kit.Lp-PLA(2) activity level and correlation between Lp-PLA(2) activity and known risk factors were compared between men and women. (1) Lp-PLA(2) activity was higher in males than in females [(22.73 ± 8.52) nmol·min(-1)·ml(-1) vs.(20.01 ± 8.06) nmol·min(-1)·ml(-1), P HDL-C) were higher in females than in males (P correlation showed that Lp-PLA(2) activity was correlated with lipids ( total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglyceride), blood pressure (systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure), and adiposity associated parameters (waist circumference and body mass index) in males (all P correlated with lipid level (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglyceride) and age in females( P Correlations with variables associated with obesity or blood pressure in females were much weaker than those in males (in females, r = 0.02-0.08; in males, r = 0.10-0.16).(4)After adjustment for age, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglyceride and high sensitivity C-reactive protein by multiple logistic regression model, Lp-PLA(2) activity was still significantly higher in males than in females (OR = 1.72, 95% confidence interval = 1.34-2.21, P < 0.01). Lp-PLA(2) activity and association with known cardiovascular risk factors differed in males and females. The gender difference in Lp-PLA(2) activity still presents after adjustment for known cardiovascular risk factors in this cohort.

  13. Effect of PlA1/A2 glycoprotein IIIa gene polymorphism on the long-term outcome after successful coronary stenting

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Riddell John

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Aim To prospectively determine the role of platelet glycoprotein IIIa (GP IIIa gene PlA1/PlA2 polymorphism on the long-term clinical outcome in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing coronary stenting. Design and setting Prospective observational study in the University Hospital of Caen (France. Patients and methods 1 111 symptomatic consecutive Caucasian patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention including stent implantation underwent genotyping for GP IIIa PlA1/A2. Main outcome measures Long-term clinical outcome in terms of the rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE, ie death from any cause, non-fatal Q wave or non Q wave myocardial infarction, and need for coronary revascularisation was obtained and subsequently stratified according to the GP IIIa PlA1/A2 polymorphism. Results Three groups of patients were determined according to the GP IIIa PlA1/A2 polymorphism (71.6% had the A1/A1, 25.8% had the A1/A2 and 2.6% had the A2/A2 genotype. These three groups were comparable for all clinical characteristics including sex ratio, mean age, vascular risk factors, previous coronary events, baseline angiographic exam, indication for the percutaneous coronary intervention and drug therapy. The incidence of MACE was similar in these 3 groups of patients during a mean follow-up period of 654+/-152 days. Independent risk factors for MACE were a left ventricular ejection fraction Conclusion The GP IIIa PlA1/A2 polymorphism does not influence the clinical long-term outcome in patients with symptomatic coronary disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with stent implantation.

  14. Ex vivo effect of varespladib on secretory phospholipase A2 alveolar activity in infants with ARDS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniele De Luca

    Full Text Available Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2 plays a pivotal role in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS. This enzyme seems an interesting target to reduce surfactant catabolism and lung tissue inflammation. Varespladib is a specifically designed indolic sPLA2 inhibitor, which has shown promising results in animals and adults. No specific data in pediatric ARDS patients are yet available.We studied varespladib in broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL fluids obtained ex vivo from pediatric ARDS patients. Clinical data and worst gas exchange values during the ARDS course were recorded. Samples were treated with saline or 10-40-100 µM varespladib and incubated at 37°C. Total sPLA2 activity was measured by non-radioactive method. BAL samples were subjected to western blotting to identify the main sPLA isotypes with different sensitivity to varespladib. Results was corrected for lavage dilution using the serum-to-BAL urea ratio and for varespladib absorbance.Varespladib reduces sPLA2 activity (p<0.0001 at 10,40 and 100 µM; both sPLA2 activity reduction and its ratio to total proteins significantly raise with increasing varespladib concentrations (p<0.001. IC(50 was 80 µM. Western blotting revealed the presence of sPLA2-IIA and -IB isotypes in BAL samples. Significant correlations exist between the sPLA2 activity reduction/proteins ratio and PaO(2 (rho = 0.63;p<0.001, PaO(2/FiO(2 (rho = 0.7; p<0.001, oxygenation (rho = -0.6; p<0.001 and ventilation (rho = -0.4;p = 0.038 indexes.Varespladib significantly inhibits sPLA2 in BAL of infants affected by post-neonatal ARDS. Inhibition seems to be inversely related to the severity of gas exchange impairment.

  15. Phospholipase A2 activation as a therapeutic approach for cognitive enhancement in early-stage Alzheimer disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schaeffer, Evelin L; Forlenza, Orestes V; Gattaz, Wagner F

    2009-01-01

    Alzheimer disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia in the elderly and has no known cure. Evidence suggests that reduced activity of specific subtypes of intracellular phospholipases A2 (cPLA2 and iPLA2) is an early event in AD and may contribute to memory impairment and neuropathology in the disease. The objective of this study was to review the literature focusing on the therapeutic role of PLA2 stimulation by cognitive training and positive modulators, or of supplementation with arachidonic acid (PLA2 product) in facilitating memory function and synaptic transmission and plasticity in either research animals or human subjects. MEDLINE database was searched (no date restrictions) for published articles using the keywords Alzheimer disease (mild, moderate, severe), mild cognitive impairment, healthy elderly, rats, mice, phospholipase A(2), phospholipid metabolism, phosphatidylcholine, arachidonic acid, cognitive training, learning, memory, long-term potentiation, protein kinases, dietary lipid compounds, cell proliferation, neurogenesis, and neuritogenesis. Reference lists of the identified articles were checked to select additional studies of interest. Overall, the data suggest that PLA2 activation is induced in the healthy brain during learning and memory. Furthermore, learning seems to regulate endogenous neurogenesis, which has been observed in AD brains. Finally, PLA2 appears to be implicated in homeostatic processes related to neurite outgrowth and differentiation in both neurodevelopmental processes and response to neuronal injury. The use of positive modulators of PLA2 (especially of cPLA2 and iPLA2) or supplementation with dietary lipid compounds (e.g., arachidonic acid) in combination with cognitive training could be a valuable therapeutic strategy for cognitive enhancement in early-stage AD.

  16. Polylactic acid (PLA)/Silver-NP/VitaminE bionanocomposite electrospun nanofibers with antibacterial and antioxidant activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Munteanu, Bogdanel Silvestru; Aytac, Zeynep; Pricope, Gina M.; Uyar, Tamer; Vasile, Cornelia

    2014-10-01

    The antibacterial property of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) and the antioxidant activity of Vitamin E have been combined by incorporation of these two active components within polylactic acid (PLA) nanofibers via electrospinning (PLA/Ag-NP/VitaminE nanofibers). The morphological and structural characterizations of PLA/Ag-NP/VitaminE nanofibers were performed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The average fiber diameter was 140 ± 60 nm, and the size of the Ag-NP was 2.7 ± 1.5 nm. PLA/Ag-NP/VitaminE nanofibers inhibited growth of Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhymurium up to 100 %. The amount of released Ag ions from the nanofibers immersed in aqueous solution was determined by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, and it has been observed that the release of Ag ions was kept approximately constant after 10 days of immersion. The antioxidant activity of PLA/Ag-NP/VitaminE nanofibers was evaluated according to DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method and determined as 94 %. The results of the tests on fresh apple and apple juice indicated that the PLA/Ag/VitaminE nanofiber membrane actively reduced the polyphenol oxidase activity. The multifunctional electrospun PLA nanofibers incorporating Ag-NP and Vitamin E may be quite applicable in food packaging due to the extremely large surface area of nanofibers along with antibacterial and antioxidant activities. These materials could find application in food industry as a potential preservative packaging for fruits and juices.

  17. Secretory Phospholipase A(2) Activity toward Diverse Substrates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Madsen, Jesper Jonasson; Linderoth, Lars; Subramanian, Arun Kumar

    2011-01-01

    We have studied secretory phospholipase A(2)-IIA (sPLA(2)) activity toward different phospholipid analogues by performing biophysical 1 characterizations and molecular dynamics simulations. The phospholipids were natural substrates, triple alkyl phospholipids, a prodrug anticancer etherlipid, and...

  18. Pressure Modulation of the Enzymatic Activity of Phospholipase A2, A Putative Membrane-Associated Pressure Sensor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suladze, Saba; Cinar, Suleyman; Sperlich, Benjamin; Winter, Roland

    2015-10-07

    Phospholipases A2 (PLA2) catalyze the hydrolysis reaction of sn-2 fatty acids of membrane phospholipids and are also involved in receptor signaling and transcriptional pathways. Here, we used pressure modulation of the PLA2 activity and of the membrane's physical-chemical properties to reveal new mechanistic information about the membrane association and subsequent enzymatic reaction of PLA2. Although the effect of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) on aqueous soluble and integral membrane proteins has been investigated to some extent, its effect on enzymatic reactions operating at the water/lipid interface has not been explored, yet. This study focuses on the effect of HHP on the structure, membrane binding and enzymatic activity of membrane-associated bee venom PLA2, covering a pressure range up to 2 kbar. To this end, high-pressure Fourier-transform infrared and high-pressure stopped-flow fluorescence spectroscopies were applied. The results show that PLA2 binding to model biomembranes is not significantly affected by pressure and occurs in at least two kinetically distinct steps. Followed by fast initial membrane association, structural reorganization of α-helical segments of PLA2 takes place at the lipid water interface. FRET-based activity measurements reveal that pressure has a marked inhibitory effect on the lipid hydrolysis rate, which decreases by 75% upon compression up to 2 kbar. Lipid hydrolysis under extreme environmental conditions, such as those encountered in the deep sea where pressures up to the kbar-level are encountered, is hence markedly affected by HHP, rendering PLA2, next to being a primary osmosensor, a good candidate for a sensitive pressure sensor in vivo.

  19. Increased expression and activity of group IIA and X secretory phospholipase A2 in peritumoral versus central colon carcinoma tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tribler, Line; Jensen, Lotte T.; Jørgensen, Kent

    2007-01-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) type IIA and X was analyzed in tumors from 22 patients with colon adenocarcinomas in order to determine the involvement and activity of sPLA2 in colon cancer. Evaluation of immunoreactive sPLA2 IIA by Western blotting showed a significantly higher level...... in the periphery of the tumors, compared to central tumor regions. Increased levels of sPLA2 IIA protein correlated with a two-fold increase in sPLA2 enzymatic activity in the peripheral regions compared to central regions. Nineteen out of 22 tumors showed high levels of sPLA2 IIA, whereas 7 out of the 22 tumors...... showed sPLA2 type X. These data demonstrate that both sPLA2 type IIA and X are present in human colon cancer and suggest a role for sPLA2 in colon cancer tumor immunology and tumorigenesis....

  20. Phospholipase A2 activity of the Persian Gulf upside-down jellyfish venom (Cassiopea andromeda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gholamhossean Mohebbi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: The venomous jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda can produce envenomation and different toxicological and biological effects by their nematocysts. The phospholipase A2 enzymes (PLA2 are toxic and induce various pharmacological effects including neurotoxicity, myotoxicity and anticoagulant activities. The main aim of the current project was to screen the in vitro PLA2 activity of the C. andromeda crude venom. To better understand the experimental result; a molecular docking study was also performed. Materials and methods: The live specimens were collected from Nayband lagoon, by a trawl net, and separation of their tentacles was done according to Bloom 's et al., method. The PLA2 activity of crude venom was performed according to the acidimetric method of Tan and Tan. The lyophilized venom was subjected to Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectroscopy, and the obtained structures were used for docking study against PLA2. The indoxam was considered as standard control. Results: The PLA2 activity of the jellyfish crude venom was 413 ±0.08 µmol/min/mg. Analysis of the crude venom detected seven compounds (i-vii using GC-MS. Docking data was also confirmed the experimental results. According to the docking results, the highest affinity (-6.7 (kcal/mol was observed in the compound “Pregn-5-ene-3,11-dione, 17,20:20,21 bis [methylenebis(oxy]-, cyclic 3-(1,2-ethane diyl acetal”. Conclusions: A high PLA2 level was found in the venom of C. andromeda. There was a good correlation between in vitro and in silico studies.

  1. cPLA2alpha-evoked formation of arachidonic acid and lysophospholipids is required for exocytosis in mouse pancreatic beta-cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juhl, Kirstine; Høy, Marianne; Olsen, Hervør L

    2003-01-01

    Using capacitance measurements, we investigated the effects of intracellularly applied recombinant human cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2alpha) and its lipolytic products arachidonic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine on Ca2+-dependent exocytosis in single mouse pancreatic beta-cells. cPLA2alpha...... from 70-80 to 280-300. cPLA2alpha-stimulated exocytosis was antagonized by the specific cPLA2 inhibitor AACOCF3. Ca2+-evoked exocytosis was reduced by 40% in cells treated with AACOCF3 or an antisense oligonucleotide against cPLA2alpha. The action of cPLA2alpha was mimicked by a combination...... of arachidonic acid and lysophosphatidylcholine (470% stimulation) in which each compound alone doubled the exocytotic response. Priming of insulin-containing secretory granules has been reported to involve Cl- uptake through ClC-3 Cl- channels. Accordingly, the stimulatory action of cPLA2alpha was inhibited...

  2. Sequential VEGF and BMP-2 releasing PLA-PEG-PLA scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: I. Design and in vitro tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eğri, Sinan; Eczacıoğlu, Numan

    2017-03-01

    Biodegradable PLA-PEG-PLA block copolymers were synthesized with desired backbone structures and molecular weights using PEG20000. Rectangular scaffolds were prepared by freeze drying with or without using NaCl particles. Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 was loaded to the matrix after the scaffold formation for sustained release while vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was loaded within the pores with gelatin solution. VEGF release was quite fast and almost 60% of it was released in 2 d. However, sequential - sustained released was observed for BMP-2 in the following few months. Corporation of VEGF/BMP-2 couple into the scaffolds increased the cell adhesion and proliferation. Neither significant cytotoxicity nor apoptosis/necrosis were observed.

  3. Quercetin modulates activities of Taiwan cobra phospholipase A2 ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2012-04-25

    Apr 25, 2012 ... Quercetin incorporation led to a reduction in PLA2 enzymatic activity and membrane-damaging activity ... membrane physical properties such as membrane fluidity or ..... eral blood mononuclear cells from diabetes patients.

  4. Phospholipase A/sub 2/ activity towards vesicles of DPPC and DMPC-DSPC containing small amounts of SMPC

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Høyrup, Lise Pernille Kristine; Mouritsen, Ole G.; Jørgensen, Kent

    2001-01-01

    Phospholipase A/sub 2/ (PLA/sub 2/) is an interfacially active enzyme whose hydrolytic activity is known to be enhanced in one-component phospholipid bilayer substrates exhibiting dynamic micro-heterogeneity. In this study the activity of PLA/sub 2/ towards large unilamellar vesicles composed of ...

  5. PLA2G6, encoding a phospholipase A2, is mutated in neurodegenerative disorders with high brain iron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morgan, Neil V; Westaway, Shawn K; Morton, Jenny E V; Gregory, Allison; Gissen, Paul; Sonek, Scott; Cangul, Hakan; Coryell, Jason; Canham, Natalie; Nardocci, Nardo; Zorzi, Giovanna; Pasha, Shanaz; Rodriguez, Diana; Desguerre, Isabelle; Mubaidin, Amar; Bertini, Enrico; Trembath, Richard C; Simonati, Alessandro; Schanen, Carolyn; Johnson, Colin A; Levinson, Barbara; Woods, C Geoffrey; Wilmot, Beth; Kramer, Patricia; Gitschier, Jane; Maher, Eamonn R; Hayflick, Susan J

    2007-01-01

    Neurodegenerative disorders with high brain iron include Parkinson disease, Alzheimer disease and several childhood genetic disorders categorized as neuroaxonal dystrophies. We mapped a locus for infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy (INAD) and neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) to chromosome 22q12-q13 and identified mutations in PLA2G6, encoding a calcium-independent group VI phospholipase A2, in NBIA, INAD and the related Karak syndrome. This discovery implicates phospholipases in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders with iron dyshomeostasis. PMID:16783378

  6. Induction of group VIA phospholipase A2 activity during in vitro ischemia in C2C12 myotubes is associated with changes in the level of its splice variants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Poulsen, K A; Petersen, Stine Helene Falsig; Kolko, M

    2007-01-01

    to catalytically inactive 50-kDa iPLA(2)-VIA-ankyrin variants previously identified in humans. Both the mRNA and protein levels of this approximately 50-kDa variant were reduced significantly within 1 h following OGD. In C2C12 myoblasts, iPLA(2)-VIA seemed to predominantly reside at the endoplasmatic reticulum......The involvement of group VI Ca(2+)-independent PLA(2)s (iPLA(2)-VI) in in vitro ischemia [oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD)] in mouse C2C12 myotubes was investigated. OGD induced a time-dependent (0-6 h) increase in bromoenol lactone (BEL)-sensitive iPLA(2) activity, which was suppressed...... by specific short interfering (si)RNA knockdown of iPLA(2)-VIA. OGD was associated with an increase in iPLA(2)-VIA protein levels, whereas mRNA levels were unchanged. The levels of iPLA(2)-VIB mRNA and protein were not increased by OGD. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis identified a mouse iPLA(2)-VIA homolog...

  7. Leptin rapidly activates PPARs in C2C12 muscle cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bendinelli, Paola; Piccoletti, Roberta; Maroni, Paola

    2005-01-01

    Experimental evidence suggests that leptin operates on the tissues, including skeletal muscle, also by modulating gene expression. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we have shown that physiological doses of leptin promptly increase the binding of C2C12 cell nuclear extracts to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) response elements in oligonucleotide probes and that all three PPAR isoforms participate in DNA-binding complexes. We pre-treated C2C12 cells with AACOCF 3 , a specific inhibitor of cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ), an enzyme that supplies ligands to PPARs, and found that it abrogates leptin-induced PPAR DNA-binding activity. Leptin treatment significantly increased cPLA 2 activity, evaluated as the release of [ 3 H]arachidonic acid from pre-labelled C2C12 cells, as well as phosphorylation. Further, using MEK1 inhibitor PD-98059 we showed that leptin activates cPLA 2 through ERK induction. These results support a direct effect of leptin on skeletal muscle cells, and suggest that the hormone may modulate muscle transcription also by precocious activation of PPARs through ERK-cPLA 2 pathway

  8. Influence of Mussel-Derived Bioactive BMP-2-Decorated PLA on MSC Behavior in Vitro and Verification with Osteogenicity at Ectopic Sites in Vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhuoyue; Zhang, Zhen; Feng, Juantao; Guo, Yayuan; Yu, Yuan; Cui, Jihong; Li, Hongmin; Shang, Lijun

    2018-04-11

    Osteoinductive activity of the implant in bone healing and regeneration is still a challenging research topic. Therapeutic application of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) is a promising approach to enhance osteogenesis. However, high dose and uncontrolled burst release of BMP-2 may introduce edema, bone overgrowth, cystlike bone formation, and inflammation. In this study, low-dose BMP-2 of 1 μg was used to design PLA-PD-BMP for functionalization of polylactic acid (PLA) implants via mussel-inspired polydopamine (PD) assist. For the first time, the binding property and efficiency of the PD coating with BMP-2 were directly demonstrated and analyzed using an antigen-antibody reaction. The obtained PLA-PD-BMP surface immobilized with this low BMP-2 dose can endow the implants with abilities of introducing strong stem cell adhesion and enhanced osteogenicity. Furthermore, in vivo osteoinduction of the PLA-PD-BMP-2 scaffolds was confirmed by a rat ectopic bone model, which is marked as the "gold standard" for the evidence of osteoinductive activity. The microcomputed tomography, Young's modulus, and histology analyses were also employed to demonstrate that PLA-PD-BMP grafted with 1 μg of BMP-2 can induce bone formation. Therefore, the method in this study can be used as a model system to immobilize other growth factors onto various different types of polymer substrates. The highly biomimetic mussel-derived strategy can therefore improve the clinical outcome of polymer-based medical implants in a facile, safe, and effective way.

  9. Bee venom phospholipase A2 induces a primary type 2 response that is dependent on the receptor ST2 and confers protective immunity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palm, Noah W; Rosenstein, Rachel K; Yu, Shuang; Schenten, Dominik D; Florsheim, Esther; Medzhitov, Ruslan

    2013-11-14

    Venoms consist of toxic components that are delivered to their victims via bites or stings. Venoms also represent a major class of allergens in humans. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a conserved component of venoms from multiple species and is the major allergen in bee venom. Here we examined how bee venom PLA2 is sensed by the innate immune system and induces a type 2 immune response in mice. We found that bee venom PLA2 induced a T helper type 2 (Th2) cell-type response and group 2 innate lymphoid cell activation via the enzymatic cleavage of membrane phospholipids and release of interleukin-33. Furthermore, we showed that the IgE response to PLA2 could protect mice from future challenge with a near-lethal dose of PLA2. These data suggest that the innate immune system can detect the activity of a conserved component of venoms and induce a protective immune response against a venom toxin. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of BthTX-II, a myotoxic Asp49-phospholipase A2 with low catalytic activity from Bothrops jararacussu venom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Corrêa, L. C.; Marchi-Salvador, D. P.; Cintra, A. C. O.; Soares, A. M.; Fontes, M. R. M.

    2006-01-01

    A myotoxic Asp49-PLA 2 with low catalytic activity from B. jararacussu (BthTX-II) was crystallized in the monoclinic crystal system; a complete X-ray diffraction data set was collected and a molecular-replacement solution was obtained. The oligomeric structure of BthTX-II resembles those of the Asp49-PLA 2 PrTX-III and all bothropic Lys49-PLA 2 s. For the first time, a complete X-ray diffraction data set has been collected from a myotoxic Asp49-phospholipase A 2 (Asp49-PLA 2 ) with low catalytic activity (BthTX-II from Bothrops jararacussu venom) and a molecular-replacement solution has been obtained with a dimer in the asymmetric unit. The quaternary structure of BthTX-II resembles the myotoxin Asp49-PLA 2 PrTX-III (piratoxin III from B. pirajai venom) and all non-catalytic and myotoxic dimeric Lys49-PLA 2 s. In contrast, the oligomeric structure of BthTX-II is different from the highly catalytic and non-myotoxic BthA-I (acidic PLA 2 from B. jararacussu). Thus, comparison between these structures should add insight into the catalytic and myotoxic activities of bothropic PLA 2 s

  11. Serum anti-PLA2R antibody as a diagnostic biomarker of idiopathic membranous nephropathy: The optimal cut-off value for Chinese patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yipeng; Li, Xuan; Ma, Chaoqun; Wang, Ping; Liu, Ju; Su, Hong; Zhuo, Hao; Kong, Xianglei; Xu, Dayu; Xu, Dongmei

    2018-01-01

    The M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) is a specific target autoantigen identified in idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). The autoantibody against PLA2R (anti-PLA2R) may be used to diagnose IMN. However, the appropriate diagnosis cut-off value for Chinese patients with IMN has not been established. In total, 119 patients who underwent renal biopsy (57 patients with IMN and 62 patients with non-IMN glomerulonephritis) and 22 healthy individuals were recruited for our observation study from Qianfoshan Hospital between September 2011 and March 2016. The serum concentration of anti-PLA2R was measured using a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of anti-PLA2R in diagnosing IMN were analysed based on the ELISA detection. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of anti-PLA2R in the diagnosis of IMN in the Chinese patients were 82.5, 75, 69.1, and 86.3% for the 2RU/ml cut-off value; 78.9, 91.7, 86.5, and 86.5% for the 2.6RU/ml cut-off value; 59.6, 95.2, 89.5, and 77.7% for the 14RU/ml cut-off value; 50.9, 96.4, 90.6, and 74.3% for the 20RU/ml cut-off value; and 47.4, 97.6, 93.1, and 73.2% for the 40RU/ml cut-off value, respectively. The area under the ROC curve was 0.879. The cut-off value of 2.6RU/ml is recommended for the use of anti-PLA2R for the diagnosis of IMN in Chinese patients based on the ELISA. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Activation of phospholipase A2 by temporin B: Formation of antimicrobial peptide-enzyme amyloid-type cofibrils

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Code, Christian; Domanov, Y.A.; Killian, J.A.; Kinnunen, P.K.J.

    2009-01-01

    Phospholipases A2 have been shown to be activated in a concentration dependent manner by a number of antimicrobial peptides, including melittin, magainin 2, indolicidin, and temporins B and L. Here we used fluorescently labelled bee venom PLA2 (PLA2D) and the saturated phospholipid substrate

  13. The importance of age and statin therapy in the interpretation of Lp-PLA(2) in ACS patients, and relation to CRP.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franeková, J; Kettner, J; Kubíček, Z; Jabor, A

    2015-01-01

    C-reactive protein (CRP) is a marker of arterial inflammation while lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) is related to plaque instability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the risk of unstable plaque presenting as acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and Lp-PLA(2), and to assess the influence of statins on interpretation of Lp-PLA(2). A total of 362 consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute chest pain suggestive of ACS were evaluated by cardiologists as STEMI, NSTEMI, or unstable angina, and non-ACS. Serum biomarkers measured on admission: troponin I, C-reactive protein (Abbott), and Lp-PLA(2) (DiaDexus). Four groups were defined according to the final diagnosis and history of statin medication: ACS/statin-; ACS/statin+; non-ACS/statin-; non-ACS/statin+. Lp-PLA(2) was highest in ACS/statin- group; statins decreased Lp-PLA(2) both in ACS and non-ACS of about 20 %. Lp-PLA(2) was higher in ACS patients in comparison with non-ACS patients group without respect to statin therapy (pPLA(2) predicted worse outcome (in terms of acute coronary syndrome) effectively in patients up to 62 years; limited prediction was found in older patients. C-reactive protein (CRP) failed to discriminate four groups of patients. Statin therapy and age should be taken into consideration while interpreting Lp-PLA(2) concentrations and lower cut-off values should be used for statin-treated persons.

  14. [Clinical features and expression of PLA(2)R in renal tissue with idiopathic membranous nephropathy in children].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Y F; Sun, L W; Zhang, B; Kuang, X Y; Niu, X L; Kang, Y L; Hao, S; Wang, P; Li, Z; Zhu, G H; Huang, W Y; Wu, Y

    2018-03-02

    Objective: To explore the clinical features and expression of PLA(2)R in renal tissue of children with idiopathic membranous nephropathy. Methods: Retrospective study was performed in patients with membranous nephropathy diagnosed through renal biopsy and the follow-up time was at least half a year in Shanghai Children ' s Hospital from January 2010 to February 2017. We compared their clinicopathological and pathological findings of IMN. Indirect immunofluorescence assay was used to detect glomerular PLA(2)R expression. We analyzed the differences of clinical features between the PLA(2)R negative and positive groups. T test, rank-sum test and Fisher exact test were used. Results: Eleven cases had hematuria and proteinuria, 9 cases presented with nephrotic syndrome, and 2 cases showed isolated proteinuria. Of the 22 cases of children with IMN, 16 patients had complete remission (complete remission rate was 72.8%), and 22 patients had partial remission. The renal function of all cases was normal and in all cases the estimated glomerular filtration rate was > 90 ml/(min·1.73m(2)). Of 22 cases with IMN, 7 cases were PLA(2)R-positive in renal tissue and 15 cases were PLA(2)R-negative. The age of positive group (10 years old) was older than the negative group (6 years old)( Z= -2.483, PPLA(2)R in renal tissue of children with IMN was about 32%. The age of PLA(2)R positive group was older than the negative group. And the time of urine protein turning to negative in positive group was longer than that in the negative group.

  15. Piperine Inhibits the Activities of Platelet Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 and Thromboxane A2 Synthase without Affecting Cyclooxygenase-1 Activity: Different Mechanisms of Action Are Involved in the Inhibition of Platelet Aggregation and Macrophage Inflammatory Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dong Ju Son

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: Piperine, a major alkaloid of black pepper (Piper nigrum and long pepper (Piper longum, was shown to have anti-inflammatory activity through the suppression of cyclooxygenase (COX-2 gene expression and enzyme activity. It is also reported to exhibit anti-platelet activity, but the mechanism underlying this action remains unknown. In this study, we investigated a putative anti-platelet aggregation mechanism involving arachidonic acid (AA metabolism and how this compares with the mechanism by which it inhibits macrophage inflammatory responses; METHODS: Rabbit platelets and murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells were treated with piperine, and the effect of piperine on the activity of AA-metabolizing enzymes, including cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2, COX-1, COX-2, and thromboxane A2 (TXA2 synthase, as well as its effect on AA liberation from the plasma membrane components, were assessed using isotopic labeling methods and enzyme immunoassay kit; RESULTS: Piperine significantly suppressed AA liberation by attenuating cPLA2 activity in collagen-stimulated platelets. It also significantly inhibited the activity of TXA2 synthase, but not of COX-1, in platelets. These results suggest that piperine inhibits platelet aggregation by attenuating cPLA2 and TXA2 synthase activities, rather than through the inhibition of COX-1 activity. On the other hand, piperine significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced generation of prostaglandin (PGE2 and PGD2 in RAW264.7 cells by suppressing the activity of COX-2, without effect on cPLA2; CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that piperine inhibits platelet aggregation and macrophage inflammatory response by different mechanisms.

  16. Dimethyl ester of bilirubin exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of secretory phospholipase A2, lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joshi, Vikram; Umashankara, M; Ramakrishnan, Chandrasekaran; Nanjaraj Urs, Ankanahalli N; Suvilesh, Kanve Nagaraj; Velmurugan, Devadasan; Rangappa, Kanchugarakoppal S; Vishwanath, Bannikuppe Sannanaik

    2016-05-15

    Overproduction of arachidonic acid (AA) mediated by secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2IIA) is a hallmark of many inflammatory disorders. AA is subsequently converted into pro-inflammatory eicosanoids through 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) and cyclooxygenase-1/2 (COX-1/2) activities. Hence, inhibition of sPLA2IIA, 5-LOX and COX-1/2 activities is critical in regulating inflammation. We have previously reported unconjugated bilirubin (UCB), an endogenous antioxidant, as sPLA2IIA inhibitor. However, lipophilic UCB gets conjugated in liver with glucuronic acid into hydrophilic conjugated bilirubin (CB). Since hydrophobicity is pre-requisite for sPLA2IIA inhibition, conjugation reduces the efficacy of UCB. In this regard, UCB was chemically modified and derivatives were evaluated for sPLA2IIA, 5-LOX and COX-1/2 inhibition. Among the derivatives, BD1 (dimethyl ester of bilirubin) exhibited ∼ 3 fold greater inhibitory potency towards sPLA2IIA compared to UCB. Both UCB and BD1 inhibited human 5-LOX and COX-2 activities; however only BD1 inhibited AA induced platelet aggregation. Molecular docking studies demonstrated BD1 as better inhibitor of aforesaid enzymes than UCB and other endogenous antioxidants. These data suggest that BD1 exhibits strong anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of AA cascade enzymes which is of great therapeutic importance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Characterization of Serum Phospholipase A2 Activity in Three Diverse Species of West African Crocodiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark Merchant

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Secretory phospholipase A2, an enzyme that exhibits substantial immunological activity, was measured in the serum of three species of diverse West African crocodiles. Incubation of different volumes of crocodile serum with bacteria labeled with a fluorescent fatty acid in the sn-2 position of membrane lipids resulted in a volume-dependent liberation of fluorescent probe. Serum from the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus exhibited slightly higher activity than that of the slender-snouted crocodile (Mecistops cataphractus and the African dwarf crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis. Product formation was inhibited by BPB, a specific PLA2 inhibitor, confirming that the activity was a direct result of the presence of serum PLA2. Kinetic analysis showed that C. niloticus serum produced product more rapidly than M. cataphractus or O. tetraspis. Serum from all three species exhibited temperature-dependent PLA2 activities but with slightly different thermal profiles. All three crocodilian species showed high levels of activity against eight different species of bacteria.

  18. Key role of group v secreted phospholipase A2 in Th2 cytokine and dendritic cell-driven airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William R Henderson

    Full Text Available Previous work has shown that disruption of the gene for group X secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-X markedly diminishes airway hyperresponsiveness and remodeling in a mouse asthma model. With the large number of additional sPLA2s in the mammalian genome, the involvement of other sPLA2s in the asthma model is possible - in particular, the group V sPLA2 (sPLA2-V that like sPLA2-X is highly active at hydrolyzing membranes of mammalian cells.The allergen-driven asthma phenotype was significantly reduced in sPLA2-V-deficient mice but to a lesser extent than observed previously in sPLA2-X-deficient mice. The most striking difference observed between the sPLA2-V and sPLA2-X knockouts was the significant impairment of the primary immune response to the allergen ovalbumin (OVA in the sPLA2-V(-/- mice. The impairment in eicosanoid generation and dendritic cell activation in sPLA2-V(-/- mice diminishes Th2 cytokine responses in the airways.This paper illustrates the diverse roles of sPLA2s in the immunopathogenesis of the asthma phenotype and directs attention to developing specific inhibitors of sPLA2-V as a potential new therapy to treat asthma and other allergic disorders.

  19. A Role of Electron Beam Irradiation in the Property Improvement of Random and 2-D Type Jute/PLA Green Composites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Donghwan; Ji, Sanggyu; Hwang, Junghyu; Lee, Byungchul [Kumoh National Institute of Technology, Gumi (Korea, Republic of)

    2011-07-01

    The purpose of this research is to improve the interfacial adhesion between natural jute fibers and PlA and the mechanical and thermal properties of jute/PLA green composites by means of electron beam irradiation under optimal conditions for the modification of sustainable and naturally calculably natural fibers. In ths present study, randomly aligned jute fiber/PLA and 2-directionally aligned jute fabric/PLA green composites with jute treated with electron beam at different dosages were fabricated by compression molding method and the effect of electron beam treatment on their mechanical, impact and thermal properties and fracture surfaces was extensively investigated. It was clearly concluded that electron beam irradiation to jute fibers and jute fabrics at 10 kGy was surely improved the tensile, flexural, impact, dynamic mechanical properties, thermal expansion, heat deflection temperature and thermal stability of random jute fiber/PLA and 2-D jute fabric/PLA green composites, All the results were consistent with each other, supporting the positive role of electron beam irradiation on the improved properties of their green composites.

  20. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) mass and activity in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and unaffected siblings: Effect of pravastatin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ryu, Sung Kee; Hutten, Barbara A.; Vissers, Maud N.; Wiegman, Albert; Kastelein, John J. P.; Tsimikas, Sotirios

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease and a target of treatment. Lp-PLA(2) levels in children have not been previously reported. The effect of statin therapy on Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity in children with familial

  1. Endothelial Dysfunction in Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Associated With Elevated Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Plasma Activity Levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kheirandish-Gozal, Leila; Philby, Mona F; Qiao, Zhuanghong; Khalyfa, Abdelnaby; Gozal, David

    2017-02-09

    Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a highly prevalent condition, especially in obese children, and has been associated with increased risk for endothelial dysfunction and dislipidemia, which are precursors of atherosclerosis. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is recognized as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular risk and atheromatous plaque activity. We hypothesized that Lp-PLA2 levels would be elevated in children with OSA, particularly among obese children who also manifest evidence of endothelial dysfunction. One hundred sixty children (mean age 7.1±2.3 years), either nonobese with (n=40) and without OSA (n=40) or obese with (n=40) and without OSA (n=40) underwent overnight polysomnographic and postocclusive reperfusion evaluation and a fasting blood draw the morning after the sleep study. In addition to lipid profile, Lp-PLA2 plasma activity was assessed using a commercial kit. Obese children and OSA children had significantly elevated plasma Lp-PLA2 activity levels compared to controls. Furthermore, when both obesity and OSA were concurrently present or when endothelial function was present, Lp-PLA2 activity was higher. Treatment of OSA by adenotonsillectomy resulted in reductions of Lp-PLA2 activity (n=37; P <0.001). Lp-PLA2 plasma activity is increased in pediatric OSA and obesity, particularly when endothelial dysfunction is present, and exhibits decreases on OSA treatment. The short-term and long-term significance of these findings in relation to cardiovascular risk remain undefined. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

  2. Cytosolic Phospholipase A2-α: A Potential Therapeutic Target for Prostate Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, Manish I.; Singh, Jaskirat; Niknami, Marzieh; Kurek, Caroline; Yao, Mu; Lu, Sasa; Maclean, Fiona; King, Nicholas J.C.; Gelb, Michael H.; Scott, Kieran F.; Russell, Pamela J.; Boulas, John; Dong., Qihan

    2008-01-01

    Purpose Cytosolic Phospholipase A2-α (cPLA2-α) provides intracellular arachidonic acid to supply both cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. We aim to determine the expression and activation of cPLA2-α in prostate cancer (PC) cell line and tissue and the effect of targeting cPLA2-α in-vitro and in-vivo. Experimental Design The expression of cPLA2-α was determined in PC cells by RT-PCR, Western blot and immunocytochemistry. Growth inhibition, apoptosis and cPLA2activity were determined after inhibition with cPLA2-α siRNA or inhibitor (Wyeth-1). cPLA2-α inhibitor or vehicle was also administered to PC xenograft mouse models. Finally the expression of phospho-cPLA2-α was determined by immunohistochemistry in human normal, androgen sensitive and insensitive PC specimens. Results cPLA2-α is present in all PC cells lines, but increased in androgen insensitive cells. Inhibition with siRNA or Wyeth-1 results in significant reductions in PC cell numbers, as a result of reduced proliferation as well as increased apoptosis and this was also associated with a reduction in cPLA2activity. Expression of cyclin D1 and phosphorylation of Akt were also observed to decrease. Wyeth-1 inhibited PC3 xenograft growth by approximately 33% and again, also reduced cyclin D1. Immunohistochemistry of human prostate tissue revealed that phospho-cPLA2-α is increased when hormone refractory is reached. Conclusions cPLA2-α expression and activation is increased in the androgen insensitive cancer cell line and tissue. Inhibition of cPLA2-α results in cells and xenograft tumor growth inhibition and serves as a potentially effective therapy for hormone refractory PC. PMID:19088022

  3. Phospholipase A2 activity-dependent and -independent fusogenic activity of Naja nigricollis CMS-9 on zwitterionic and anionic phospholipid vesicles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiou, Yi-Ling; Chen, Ying-Jung; Lin, Shinne-Ren; Chang, Long-Sen

    2011-11-01

    CMS-9, a phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) from Naja nigricollis venom, induced the death of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells accompanied with the formation of cell clumps without clear boundaries between cells. Annexin V-FITC staining indicated that abundant phosphatidylserine appeared on the outer membrane of MCF-7 cell clumps, implying the possibility that CMS-9 may promote membrane fusion via anionic phospholipids. To validate this proposition, fusogenic activity of CMS-9 on vesicles composed of zwitterionic phospholipid alone or a combination of zwitterionic and anionic phospholipids was examined. Although CMS-9-induced fusion of zwitterionic phospholipid vesicles depended on PLA(2) activity, CMS-9-induced fusion of vesicles containing anionic phospholipids could occur without the involvement of PLA(2) activity. Membrane-damaging activity of CMS-9 was associated with its fusogenicity. Moreover, CMS-9 induced differently membrane leakage and membrane fusion of vesicles with different compositions. Membrane fluidity and binding capability with phospholipid vesicles were not related to the fusogenicity of CMS-9. However, membrane-bound conformation and mode of CMS-9 depended on phospholipid compositions. Collectively, our data suggest that PLA(2) activity-dependent and -independent fusogenicity of CMS-9 are closely related to its membrane-bound modes and targeted membrane compositions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. iPLA2β deficiency attenuates obesity and hepatic steatosis in ob/ob mice through hepatic fatty-acyl phospholipid remodeling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deng, Xiuling; Wang, Jiliang; Jiao, Li; Utaipan, Tanyarath; Tuma-Kellner, Sabine; Schmitz, Gerd; Liebisch, Gerhard; Stremmel, Wolfgang; Chamulitrat, Walee

    2016-05-01

    PLA2G6 or GVIA calcium-independent PLA2 (iPLA2β) is identified as one of the NAFLD modifier genes in humans, and thought to be a target for NAFLD therapy. iPLA2β is known to play a house-keeping role in phospholipid metabolism and remodeling. However, its role in NAFLD pathogenesis has not been supported by results obtained from high-fat feeding of iPLA2β-null (PKO) mice. Unlike livers of human NAFLD and genetically obese rodents, fatty liver induced by high-fat diet is not associated with depletion of hepatic phospholipids. We therefore tested whether iPLA2β could regulate obesity and hepatic steatosis in leptin-deficient mice by cross-breeding PKO with ob/ob mice to generate ob/ob-PKO mice. Here we observed an improvement in ob/ob-PKO mice with significant reduction in serum enzymes, lipids, glucose, insulin as well as improved glucose tolerance, and reduction in islet hyperplasia. The improvement in hepatic steatosis measured by liver triglycerides, fatty acids and cholesterol esters was associated with decreased expression of PPARγ and de novo lipogenesis genes, and the reversal of β-oxidation gene expression. Notably, ob/ob livers contained depleted levels of lysophospholipids and phospholipids, and iPLA2β deficiency in ob/ob-PKO livers lowers the former, but replenished the latter particularly phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) that contained arachidonic (AA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. Compared with WT livers, PKO livers also contained increased PE and PC containing AA and DHA. Thus, iPLA2β deficiency protected against obesity and ob/ob fatty liver which was associated with hepatic fatty-acyl phospholipid remodeling. Our results support the deleterious role of iPLA2β in severe obesity associated NAFLD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Phospholipases A2 in ocular homeostasis and diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Jinmei; Kolko, Miriam; Kolko, Miriam

    2010-01-01

    Phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)s) and its generation of second messengers play an important role in signal transduction, cell proliferation, cell survival and gene expression. At low concentrations mediators of PLA(2) activity have a variety of physiological effects whereas high levels of PLA(2) and ...

  6. Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Protein as a Novel Therapeutic Target for Spinal Cord Injury

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Nai-Kui; Deng, Ling-Xiao; Zhang, Yi Ping; Lu, Qing-Bo; Wang, Xiao-Fei; Hu, Jian-Guo; Oakes, Eddie; Bonventre, Joseph V; Shields, Christopher B; Xu, Xiao-Ming

    2014-01-01

    Objective The objective of this study was to investigate whether cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), an important isoform of PLA2 that mediates the release of arachidonic acid, plays a role in the pathogenesis of spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods A combination of molecular, histological, immunohistochemical, and behavioral assessments were used to test whether blocking cPLA2 activation pharmacologically or genetically reduced cell death, protected spinal cord tissue, and improved behavioral recovery after a contusive SCI performed at the 10th thoracic level in adult mice. Results SCI significantly increased cPLA2 expression and activation. Activated cPLA2 was localized mainly in neurons and oligodendrocytes. Notably, the SCI-induced cPLA2 activation was mediated by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway. In vitro, activation of cPLA2 by ceramide-1-phosphate or A23187 induced spinal neuronal death, which was substantially reversed by arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone, a cPLA2 inhibitor. Remarkably, blocking cPLA2 pharmacologically at 30 minutes postinjury or genetically deleting cPLA2 in mice ameliorated motor deficits, and reduced cell loss and tissue damage after SCI. Interpretation cPLA2 may play a key role in the pathogenesis of SCI, at least in the C57BL/6 mouse, and as such could be an attractive therapeutic target for ameliorating secondary tissue damage and promoting recovery of function after SCI. PMID:24623140

  7. The secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA: a missing link between inflammation, activated renin-angiotensin system, and atherogenesis?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimitar Divchev

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Dimitar Divchev, Bernhard SchiefferDepartment of Cardiology and Angiology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, GermanyAbstract: Inflammation, lipid peroxidation and chronic activation of the renin–angiotensin system (RAS are hallmarks of the development of atherosclerosis. Recent studies have suggested the involvement of the pro-inflammatory secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-IIA in atherogenesis. This enzyme is produced by different cell types through stimulation by proinflammatory cytokines. It is detectable in the intima and in media smooth muscle cells, not only in atherosclerotic lesions but also in the very early stages of atherogenesis. sPLA2-IIA can hydrolyse the phospholipid monolayers of low density lipoproteins (LDL. Such modified LDL show increased affinity to proteoglycans. The modified particles have a greater tendency to aggregate and an enhanced ability to insert cholesterol into cells. This modification may promote macrophage LDL uptake leading to the formation of foam cells. Furthermore, sPLA2-IIA is not only a mediator for localized inflammation but may be also used as an independent predictor of adverse outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndromes. An interaction between activated RAS and phospholipases has been indicated by observations showing that inhibitors of sPLA2 decrease angiotensin (Ang II-induced macrophage lipid peroxidation. Meanwhile, various interactions between Ang II and oxLDL have been demonstrated suggesting a central role of sPLA2-IIA in these processes and offering a possible target for treatment. The role of sPLA2-IIA in the perpetuation of atherosclerosis appears to be the missing link between inflammation, activated RAS and lipidperoxidation.Keywords: secretory phospholipase A2, lipoproteins, renin-angiotensin system, inflammation, atherosclerosis

  8. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 mass and activity in children with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and unaffected siblings: effect of pravastatin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryu, Sung Kee; Hutten, Barbara A; Vissers, Maud N; Wiegman, Albert; Kastelein, John J P; Tsimikas, Sotirios

    2011-01-01

    Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) is an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease and a target of treatment. Lp-PLA(2) levels in children have not been previously reported. The effect of statin therapy on Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity in children with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is also not known. Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity levels were measured at baseline and after 2 years in 178 children with FH randomized to pravastatin or placebo and in 78 unaffected and untreated siblings. At the end of the randomized period, all FH children were then placed on pravastatin for an additional 2 years, and Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity levels were correlated with changes in carotid intima-media thickness during 4 years of follow-up. Baseline levels of Lp-PLA(2) mass and activity were significantly greater in children with FH compared with unaffected siblings (mass: 240.3 ± 41.6 vs 222.1 ± 36.5 ng/mL, P = .002; activity: 205.7 ± 41.6 vs 124.3±23.0 nmol/min/mL, P vs 231.5 ± 34.8 ng/mL, P = .001) and activity (178.8 ± 37.3 vs 206.2 ± 33.5 nmol/min/mL, P children with heterozygous FH compared with unaffected siblings and are significantly reduced by pravastatin therapy. Copyright © 2011 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Secretory Phospholipase A(2)-IIA and Cardiovascular Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Holmes, Michael V.; Simon, Tabassome; Exeter, Holly J.; Folkersen, Lasse; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Guardiola, Montse; Cooper, Jackie A.; Palmen, Jutta; Hubacek, Jaroslav A.; Carruthers, Kathryn F.; Horne, Benjamin D.; Brunisholz, Kimberly D.; Mega, Jessica L.; Van Iperen, Erik P. A.; Li, Mingyao; Leusink, Maarten; Trompet, Stella; Verschuren, Jeffrey J. W.; Hovingh, G. Kees; Dehghan, Abbas; Nelson, Christopher P.; Kotti, Salma; Danchin, Nicolas; Scholz, Markus; Haase, Christiane L.; Rothenbacher, Dietrich; Swerdlow, Daniel I.; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B.; Staines-Urias, Eleonora; Goel, Anuj; van 't Hooft, Ferdinand; Gertow, Karl; de Faire, Ulf; Panayiotou, Andrie G.; Tremoli, Elena; Baldassarre, Damiano; Veglia, Fabrizio; Holdt, Lesca M.; Beutner, Frank; Gansevoort, Ron T.; Navis, Gerjan J.; Mateo Leach, Irene; Breitling, Lutz P.; Brenner, Hermann; Thiery, Joachim; Dallmeier, Dhayana; Franco-Cereceda, Anders; Boer, Jolanda M. A.; Stephens, Jeffrey W.; Hofker, Marten H.; Tedgui, Alain; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Adamkova, Vera; Pitha, Jan; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Cramer, Maarten J.; Nathoe, Hendrik M.; Spiering, Wilko; Klungel, Olaf H.; Kumari, Meena; Whincup, Peter H.; Morrow, David A.; Braund, Peter S.; Hall, Alistair S.; Olsson, Anders G.; Doevendans, Pieter A.; Trip, Mieke D.; Tobin, Martin D.; Hamsten, Anders; Watkins, Hugh; Koenig, Wolfgang; Nicolaides, Andrew N.; Teupser, Daniel; Day, Ian N. M.; Carlquist, John F.; Gaunt, Tom R.; Ford, Ian; Sattar, Naveed; Tsimikas, Sotirios; Schwartz, Gregory G.; Lawlor, Debbie A.; Morris, Richard W.; Sandhu, Manjinder S.; Poledne, Rudolf; Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Keating, Brendan J.; van der Harst, Pim; Price, Jackie F.; Mehta, Shamir R.; Yusuf, Salim; Witteman, Jaqueline C. M.; Franco, Oscar H.; Jukema, J. Wouter; de Knijff, Peter; Tybjaerg-Hansen, Anne; Rader, Daniel J.; Farrall, Martin; Samani, Nilesh J.; Kivimaki, Mika; Fox, Keith A. A.; Humphries, Steve E.; Anderson, Jeffrey L.; Boekholdt, S. Matthijs; Palmer, Tom M.; Eriksson, Per; Pare, Guillaume; Hingorani, Aroon D.; Sabatine, Marc S.; Mallat, Ziad; Casas, Juan P.; Talmud, Philippa J.

    2013-01-01

    Objectives This study sought to investigate the role of secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2))-IIA in cardiovascular disease. Background Higher circulating levels of sPLA(2)-IIA mass or sPLA(2) enzyme activity have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, it is not

  10. Endogenous secreted phospholipase A2 group X regulates cysteinyl leukotrienes synthesis by human eosinophils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallstrand, Teal S; Lai, Ying; Hooper, Kathryn A; Oslund, Rob C; Altemeier, William A; Matute-Bello, Gustavo; Gelb, Michael H

    2016-01-01

    Phospholipase A2s mediate the rate-limiting step in the formation of eicosanoids such as cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs). Group IVA cytosolic PLA2α (cPLA2α) is thought to be the dominant PLA2 in eosinophils; however, eosinophils also have secreted PLA2 (sPLA2) activity that has not been fully defined. To examine the expression of sPLA2 group X (sPLA2-X) in eosinophils, the participation of sPLA2-X in the formation of CysLTs, and the mechanism by which sPLA2-X initiates the synthesis of CysLTs in eosinophils. Peripheral blood eosinophils were obtained from volunteers with asthma and/or allergy. A rabbit polyclonal anti-sPLA2-X antibody identified sPLA2-X by Western blot. We used confocal microscopy to colocalize the sPLA2-X to intracellular structures. An inhibitor of sPLA2-X (ROC-0929) that does not inhibit other mammalian sPLA2s, as well as inhibitors of the mitogen-activated kinase cascade (MAPK) and cPLA2α, was used to examine the mechanism of N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-mediated formation of CysLT. Eosinophils express the mammalian sPLA2-X gene (PLA2G10). The sPLA2-X protein is located in the endoplasmic reticulum, golgi, and granules of eosinophils and moves to the granules and lipid bodies during fMLP-mediated activation. Selective sPLA2-X inhibition attenuated the fMLP-mediated release of arachidonic acid and CysLT formation by eosinophils. Inhibitors of p38, extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (p44/42 MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and cPLA2α also attenuated the fMLP-mediated formation of CysLT. The sPLA2-X inhibitor reduced the phosphorylation of p38 and extracellular-signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (p44/42 MAPK) as well as cPLA2α during cellular activation, indicating that sPLA2-X is involved in activating the MAPK cascade leading to the formation of CysLT via cPLA2α. We further demonstrate that sPLA2-X is activated before secretion from the cell during activation. Short-term priming with IL-13 and TNF/IL-1β increased the

  11. Activated platelets contribute to oxidized low-density lipoproteins and dysfunctional high-density lipoproteins through a phospholipase A2-dependent mechanism

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blache, Denis; Gautier, Thomas; Tietge, Uwe J. F.; Lagrost, Laurent

    Plasma activity of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) increases in patients with cardiovascular disease. The present study investigated whether platelet-released sPLA2 induces low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) modifications that translate into changes in lipoprotein

  12. Inhibitory effects of Swietenia macrophylla on myotoxic phospholipases A2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaime A. Pereañez

    Full Text Available Activity-guided fractionation of an ethanol-soluble extract of the leaves of Swietenia macrophylla King, Meliaceae, led to several fractions. As a result, sample Sm13-16, 23 had the most promising activity against phospholipases A2 (PLA2, Asp49 and Lys49 types. This fraction inhibited PLA2 activity of the Asp49 PLA2, when aggregated substrate was used. On the other hand, this activity was weakly neutralized when monodispersed substrate was used. In addition, Sm13-16, 23 inhibited, in a dose dependent manner, the cytotoxicity, myotoxicity and edema induced by PLA2s, as well as the anticoagulant activity of Asp49 PLA2. Overall, this fraction exhibited a better inhibition of the toxic activities induced by the Lys49 PLA2than those caused by the Asp49 PLA2. The spectral data of Sm13-16, 23 suggested the presence of aromatic compounds (UV λ max (nm 655, 266, and 219; IR λ max KBr (cm-1: ~ 3600-3000 (OH, 2923.07 and 1438.90 (C-H, 1656.69 (C = O, 1618.63 and 1607.67 (C-O, 1285.47772.60. We suggest that phenolic compounds could interact and inhibit the toxins by several mechanisms. Further analysis of the compounds present in the active fraction could be a relevant contribution in the treatment of accidents caused by snake envenomation.

  13. Revealing the functional structure of a new PLA2 K49 from Bothriopsis taeniata snake venom employing automatic "de novo" sequencing using CID/HCD/ETD MS/MS analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carregari, Victor Corasolla; Dai, Jie; Verano-Braga, Thiago; Rocha, Thalita; Ponce-Soto, Luis Alberto; Marangoni, Sergio; Roepstorff, Peter

    2016-01-10

    Snake venoms are composed of approximately 90% of proteins with several pharmacological activities having high potential in research as biological tools. One of the most abundant compounds is phospholipases A2 (PLA2), which are the most studied venom protein due to their wide pharmacological activity. Using a combination of chromatographic steps, a new PLA2 K49 was isolated and purified from the whole venom of the Bothriopsis taeniata and submitted to analyses mass spectrometry. An automatic “de novo” sequencing of this new PLA2 K49 denominated Btt-TX was performed using Peaks Studio 6 for analysis of the spectra. Additionally, a triplex approach CID/HCD/ETD has been performed, to generate higher coverage of the sequence of the protein. Structural studies correlating biological activities were made associating specific Btt-TX regions and myotoxic activity. Lysine acetylation was performed to better understand the mechanism of membrane interaction, identifying the extreme importance of the highly hydrophobic amino acids L, P and F for disruption of the membrane. Our myotoxical studies show a possible membrane disruption mechanism by Creatine Kinase release without a noticeable muscle damage, that probably occurred without phospholipid hydrolyses, but with a probable penetration of the hydrophobic amino acids present in the C-terminal region of the protein.

  14. Novel mutations in PANK2 and PLA2G6 genes in patients with neurodegenerative disorders: two case reports.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dastsooz, Hassan; Nemati, Hamid; Fard, Mohammad Ali Farazi; Fardaei, Majid; Faghihi, Mohammad Ali

    2017-08-18

    Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) is a genetically heterogeneous group of disorders associated with progressive impairment of movement, vision, and cognition. The disease is initially diagnosed on the basis of changes in brain magnetic resonance imaging which indicate an abnormal brain iron accumulation in the basal ganglia. However, the diagnosis of specific types should be based on both clinical findings and molecular genetic testing for genes associated with different types of NBIA, including PANK2, PLA2G6, C19orf12, FA2H, ATP13A2, WDR45, COASY, FTL, CP, and DCAF17. The purpose of this study was to investigate disease-causing mutations in two patients with distinct NBIA disorders. Whole Exome sequencing using Next Generation Illumina Sequencing was used to enrich all exons of protein-coding genes as well as some other important genomic regions in these two affected patients. A deleterious homozygous four-nucleotide deletion causing frameshift deletion in PANK2 gene (c.1426_1429delATGA, p.M476 fs) was identified in an 8 years old girl with dystonia, bone fracture, muscle rigidity, abnormal movement, lack of coordination and chorea. In addition, our study revealed a novel missense mutation in PLA2G6 gene (c.3G > T:p.M1I) in one and half-year-old boy with muscle weakness and neurodevelopmental regression (speech, motor and cognition). The novel mutations were also confirmed by Sanger sequencing in the proband and their parents. Current study uncovered two rare novel mutations in PANK2 and PLA2G6 genes in patients with NBIA disorder and such studies may help to conduct genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis more accurately for individuals at the high risk of these types of disorders.

  15. Inhibition of phospholipase A2 from human plasma by sodium bisulfite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiggins, C.W.; Franson, R.C.

    1987-01-01

    The anti-oxidant sodium bisulfite has been shown to inhibit acid active(lysosomal), non-Ca ++ -dependent phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ), and to interact reversibly with unsaturated fatty acids, altering their chromatographic mobility. The authors examined the effect of bisulfite on neutral active, Ca ++ -dependent PLA 2 from human plasma. Using [1- 14 C]oleate-labelled autoclaved E. coli as substrate, PLA 2 activity was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by bisulfite. Maximal inhibition occurred at 100μM bisulfite. Preincubation of plasma for 0-30 minutes with bisulfite resulted in a time-dependent increase in PLA 2 inhibition. Preincubation of substrate with bisulfite had no such effect. When the plasma PLA 2 was purified 25-fold by SP-Sephadex chromatography it was no longer inhibited by bisulfite. The SP-Sephadex wash through fraction, which contained greater than 95% of the applied protein but not PLA 2 activity, did not inhibit the purified enzyme. When incubated with bisulfite however, the SP-wash through fraction produced dose-dependent inhibition of the purified enzyme. These results indicate that sodium bisulfite inhibits human plasma PLA 2 , in vitro, indirectly by interaction with a factor(s) present in plasma and suggests that anti-oxidants may similarly influence expression of extracellular PLA 2 in vivo

  16. Secretory Phospholipase A2 Hydrolysis Phospholipid Analogs is Dependent on Water Accessibility to the Active Site

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Peters, Günther H.J.; Møller, Martin S.; Jørgensen, Kent

    2007-01-01

    A new and unnatural type of phospholipids with the head group attached to the 2-position of the glycerol backbone has been synthesized and shown to be a good substrate for secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2). To investigate the unexpected sPLA2 activity, we have compared three different phospholip...

  17. Inhibition of cAMP-Dependent PKA Activates β2-Adrenergic Receptor Stimulation of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 via Raf-1/MEK/ERK and IP3-Dependent Ca2+ Signaling in Atrial Myocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabbidi, M R; Ji, X; Maxwell, J T; Mignery, G A; Samarel, A M; Lipsius, S L

    2016-01-01

    We previously reported in atrial myocytes that inhibition of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) by laminin (LMN)-integrin signaling activates β2-adrenergic receptor (β2-AR) stimulation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2). The present study sought to determine the signaling mechanisms by which inhibition of PKA activates β2-AR stimulation of cPLA2. We therefore determined the effects of zinterol (0.1 μM; zint-β2-AR) to stimulate ICa,L in atrial myocytes in the absence (+PKA) and presence (-PKA) of the PKA inhibitor (1 μM) KT5720 and compared these results with atrial myocytes attached to laminin (+LMN). Inhibition of Raf-1 (10 μM GW5074), phospholipase C (PLC; 0.5 μM edelfosine), PKC (4 μM chelerythrine) or IP3 receptor (IP3R) signaling (2 μM 2-APB) significantly inhibited zint-β2-AR stimulation of ICa,L in-PKA but not +PKA myocytes. Western blots showed that zint-β2-AR stimulation increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation in-PKA compared to +PKA myocytes. Adenoviral (Adv) expression of dominant negative (dn) -PKCα, dn-Raf-1 or an IP3 affinity trap, each inhibited zint-β2-AR stimulation of ICa,L in + LMN myocytes compared to control +LMN myocytes infected with Adv-βgal. In +LMN myocytes, zint-β2-AR stimulation of ICa,L was enhanced by adenoviral overexpression of wild-type cPLA2 and inhibited by double dn-cPLA2S505A/S515A mutant compared to control +LMN myocytes infected with Adv-βgal. In-PKA myocytes depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores by 5 μM thapsigargin failed to inhibit zint-β2-AR stimulation of ICa,L via cPLA2. However, disruption of caveolae formation by 10 mM methyl-β-cyclodextrin inhibited zint-β2-AR stimulation of ICa,L in-PKA myocytes significantly more than in +PKA myocytes. We conclude that inhibition of PKA removes inhibition of Raf-1 and thereby allows β2-AR stimulation to act via PKCα/Raf-1/MEK/ERK1/2 and IP3-mediated Ca2+ signaling to stimulate cPLA2 signaling within caveolae. These findings may be relevant to the remodeling of

  18. The effects of two phospholipase A2 inhibitors on the neuromuscular blocking activities of homologous phospholipases A2 from the venom of Pseudechis australis, the Australian king brown snake.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatehi, M; Rowan, E G; Harvey, A L

    1995-12-01

    Previous studies have shown that homologous phospholipases A2 (PLA2) (Pa-3, Pa-9C, Pa-10F and Pa-11) from the venom of the Australian king brown snake, Pseudechis australis, significantly reduce the resting membrane potentials and quantal contents of endplate potentials recorded from endplate regions of mouse triangularis sterni nerve-muscle preparations. It is not clear whether PLA2 activity is essential for their neuromuscular activities. Therefore, pharmacological studies were carried out to determine whether neuromuscular activity of the toxins changed after treatment with the phospholipase A2 inhibitors 7,7-dimethyl-eicosadienoic acid (DEDA) and manoalide. After incubation of the toxins with manoalide (120 nM), or DEDA (50 microM), no PLA2 activity against 1-stearoyl 2-[3H]arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine was detected. After incubation with manoalide and/or DEDA, the toxins did not depolarize muscle fibre membranes up to 60 min after administration. However, manoalide and DEDA had different influences on the inhibitory effect of these toxic enzymes on acetylcholine release from nerve terminals. Manoalide abolished the inhibitory effect of the toxins on evoked release of acetylcholine. In contrast, DEDA was not able to prevent the reduction of quantal content of endplate potentials induced by the toxins. This study provides evidence that the depolarizing action and the inhibitory effect on release of acetylcholine exerted by these toxic PLA2 from king brown snake are independent phenomena. The evidence for this conclusion was that inhibition of enzymatic activity with an arachidonic acid analogue (DEDA) abolished the depolarizing effect of the toxins but not the effects on the quantal release of acetylcholine from mouse motor nerve terminals. The data suggest that the depolarizing effect of these toxins is probably due to the enzymatic activity. Since manoalide interacts with lysine residues of PLA2 polypeptides, and, as shown here, manoalide prevented

  19. SH2-PLA: a sensitive in-solution approach for quantification of modular domain binding by proximity ligation and real-time PCR.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Christopher M; Bloom, Lee R; Ogiue-Ikeda, Mari; Machida, Kazuya

    2015-06-26

    There is a great interest in studying phosphotyrosine dependent protein-protein interactions in tyrosine kinase pathways that play a critical role in many aspects of cellular function. We previously established SH2 profiling, a phosphoproteomic approach based on membrane binding assays that utilizes purified Src Homology 2 (SH2) domains as a molecular tool to profile the global tyrosine phosphorylation state of cells. However, in order to use this method to investigate SH2 binding sites on a specific target in cell lysate, additional procedures such as pull-down or immunoprecipitation which consume large amounts of sample are required. We have developed PLA-SH2, an alternative in-solution modular domain binding assay that takes advantage of Proximity Ligation Assay and real-time PCR. The SH2-PLA assay utilizes oligonucleotide-conjugated anti-GST and anti-EGFR antibodies recognizing a GST-SH2 probe and cellular EGFR, respectively. If the GST-SH2 and EGFR are in close proximity as a result of SH2-phosphotyrosine interactions, the two oligonucleotides are brought within a suitable distance for ligation to occur, allowing for efficient complex amplification via real-time PCR. The assay detected signal across at least 3 orders of magnitude of lysate input with a linear range spanning 1-2 orders and a low femtomole limit of detection for EGFR phosphotyrosine. SH2 binding kinetics determined by PLA-SH2 showed good agreement with established far-Western analyses for A431 and Cos1 cells stimulated with EGF at various times and doses. Further, we showed that PLA-SH2 can survey lung cancer tissues using 1 μl lysate without requiring phospho-enrichment. We showed for the first time that interactions between SH2 domain probes and EGFR in cell lysate can be determined in a microliter-scale assay using SH2-PLA. The obvious benefit of this method is that the low sample requirement allows detection of SH2 binding in samples which are difficult to analyze using traditional protein

  20. Characteristics and cytotoxicity of folate-modified curcumin-loaded PLA-PEG micellar nano systems with various PLA:PEG ratios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phan, Quoc Thong; Le, Mai Huong; Le, Thi Thu Huong; Tran, Thi Hong Ha; Xuan, Phuc Nguyen; Ha, Phuong Thu

    2016-06-30

    Targeting delivery system use natural drugs for tumor cells is an appealing platform help to reduce the side effects and enhance the therapeutic effects of the drug. In this study, we synthesized curcumin (Cur) loaded (D, L Poly lactic - Poly ethylenglycol) micelle (Cur/PLA-PEG) with the ratio of PLA/PEG of 3:1 2:1 1:1 1:2 and 1:3 (w/w) and another micelle modified by folate (Cur/PLA-PEG-Fol) for targeting cancer therapy. The PLA-PEG copolymer was synthesized by ring opening polymerization method. After loading onto the micelle, solubility of Cur increased from 0.38 to 0.73mgml(-1). The average size of prepared Cur/PLA-PEG micelles was from 60 to 69nm (corresponding to the ratio difference of PLA/PEG) and the drug encapsulating efficiency was from 48.8 to 91.3%. Compared with the Cur/PLA-PEG micelles, the size of Cur/PLA-PEG-Fol micelles were from 80 to 86nm and showed better in vitro cellular uptake and cytotoxicity towards HepG2 cells. The cytotoxicity of the NPs however depends much on the PEG component. The results demonstrated that Folate-modified micelles could serve as a potential nano carrier to improve solubility, anti-cancer activity of Cur and targeting ability of the system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. Correlation of secretory phospholipase-A2 activity and fatty acids in cerebrospinal fluid with liver enzymes tests

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sepideh Ghodoosifar

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The aim was to determine whether secretory phospholipase-A2 (sPLA2 activity and fatty acids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF are correlated with liver enzymes tests. Methods: CSF and serum samples were collected from 49 patients (age 18-65 as part of routine diagnostic testing. Along with serum liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST, alanine aminotransferase (ALT and alkaline phosphatase (ALP, the fatty acid composition of CSF was measured by gas liquid chromatography. CSF enzyme activities of sPLA2 were measured using the standard assay with diheptanoyl thio-phosphatidylcholin as substrate. Results: The saturated fatty acids (SFAs including palmitic acid and stearic acid were positively, and the unsaturated fatty acids including oleic acid and linoleic acid were negatively correlated with liver enzymes tests. In regression analysis with adjustment for body mass index (BMI, the elevated liver enzymes tests were positively associated with activity of sPLA2 (β > 0.31, P 0.38, P < 0.010 and negatively with total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs (β < -0.40, P < 0.001 contents of CSF. Conclusion: CSF activity of sPLA2 and fatty acids may be linked to peripheral markers of liver function, suggesting an indirect impact of central fatty acids on hepatocytes function and metabolism.

  2. Secretory phospholipase A2 in dromedary tears: a host defense against staphylococci and other gram-positive bacteria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ben Bacha, Abir; Abid, Islem

    2013-03-01

    The best known physiologic function of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) group IIA (sPLA2-IIA) is defense against bacterial infection through hydrolytic degradation of bacterial membrane phospholipids. In fact, sPLA2-IIA effectively kills Gram-positive bacteria and to a lesser extent Gram-negative bacteria and is considered a major component of the eye's innate immune defense system. The antibacterial properties of sPLA2 have been demonstrated in rabbit and human tears. In this report, we have analyzed the bactericidal activity of dromedary tears and the subsequently purified sPLA2 on several Gram-positive bacteria. Our results showed that the sPLA2 displays a potent bactericidal activity against all the tested bacteria particularly against the Staphylococcus strains when tested in the ionic environment of tears. There is a synergic action of the sPLA2 with lysozyme when added to the bacteria culture prior to sPLA2. Interestingly, lysozyme purified from dromedary tears showed a significant bactericidal activity against Listeria monocytogene and Staphylococcus epidermidis, whereas the one purified from human tears displayed no activity against these two strains. We have also demonstrated that Ca(2+) is crucial for the activity of dromedary tear sPLA2 and to a less extent Mg(2+) ions. Given the presence of sPLA2 in tears and intestinal secretions, this enzyme may play a substantial role in innate mucosal and systemic bactericidal defenses against Gram-positive bacteria.

  3. Crystal structure of myotoxin-II: a myotoxic phospholipase A2 - homologue from Bothrops moojeni venom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azevedo, W.F.; Ward, R.J.; Lombardi, F.R.; Arni, R.K.; Soares, A.M.; Giglio, J.R.; Fontes, M.R.M.

    1997-01-01

    Full text. Phospho lipases A2 (PLA 2 ; E C 3.1.1.4, phosphatides s n-2 acyl hydrolases) hydrolysis the s n-2 ester bond of phospholipids showing enhanced activity at lamellar or membrane surfaces. Intracellular PLA 2 s are involved at phospholipid metabolism and signal transduction, whereas extracellular PLA 2 s are found in mammalian pancreatic juices, the venoms of snakes, lizards and insects. Based on their high primary sequence similarity, extracellular PLA 2 s are separated into Classes I, II and III. Class II PLA 2 s are found in snake venoms of Crotalidae an Viperidae species, and include the sub-family of Lys PLA 2 s homologue. he coordination of the Ca 2+ ion in the PLA 2 calcium-binding loop includes and aspartate at position 49. In the catalytically active PLA 2 s, this calcium ion plays a critical role in the stabilization of the tetrahedral transition state intermediate in the catalytic mechanism. The conservative substitution Asp49-Lys results in a decreased calcium affinity with a concomitant loss of catalytic activity, and naturally occurring PLA 2 s-homologues showing the same substitution are catalytically inactive. However, the Lys PLA 2 s possess cytolytic and myotoxic activities and furthermore retain the ability to disrupt the integrity of both plasma membranes and model lipid layers by a ca 2+ -independent mechanism for which there is no evidence of lipid hydrolysis. Lys 49 PLA 2 homologues have been isolated from several Bothrops spp. venoms including B. moojeni. Therefore, in order to improve our understanding of the molecular basis of the myotoxic and Ca 2+ independent membrane damaging activities we have determined the crystal structure of MjTX-II, a Lys 49 homologue from the venom of B. moojeni. The model presented has been determined at 2.0 A resolution and refined to a crystallographic residual of 19.7% (R f ree=28.1%). (author)

  4. Strong synergistic effects in PLA/PCL blends: Impact of PLA matrix viscosity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ostafinska, Aleksandra; Fortelný, Ivan; Hodan, Jiří; Krejčíková, Sabina; Nevoralová, Martina; Kredatusová, Jana; Kruliš, Zdeněk; Kotek, Jiří; Šlouf, Miroslav

    2017-05-01

    Blends of two biodegradable polymers, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL), with strong synergistic improvement in mechanical performance were prepared by melt-mixing using the optimized composition (80/20) and the optimized preparation procedure (a melt-mixing followed by a compression molding) according to our previous study. Three different PLA polymers were employed, whose viscosity decreased in the following order: PLC ≈ PLA1 > PLA2 > PLA3. The blends with the highest viscosity matrix (PLA1/PCL) exhibited the smallest PCL particles (d∼0.6μm), an elastic-plastic stable fracture (as determined from instrumented impact testing) and the strongest synergistic improvement in toughness (>16× with respect to pure PLA, exceeding even the toughness of pure PCL). According to the available literature, this was the highest toughness improvement in non-compatiblized PLA/PCL blends ever achieved. The decrease in the matrix viscosity resulted in an increase in the average PCL particle size and a dramatic decrease in the overall toughness: the completely stable fracture (for PLA1/PCL) changed to the stable fracture followed by unstable crack propagation (for PLA2/PCL) and finally to the completely brittle fracture (for PLA3/PCL). The stiffness of all blends remained at well acceptable level, slightly above the theoretical predictions based on the equivalent box model. Despite several previous studies, the results confirmed that PLA and PCL could behave as compatible polymers, but the final PLA/PCL toughness is extremely sensitive to the PCL particle size distribution, which is influenced by both processing conditions and PLA viscosity. PLA/PCL blends with high stiffness (due to PLA) and toughness (due to PCL) are very promising materials for medical applications, namely for the bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Secretory Phospholipase A2-IIA and Cardiovascular Disease: A Mendelian Randomization Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Holmes, Michael V.; Simon, Tabassome; Exeter, Holly J.; Folkersen, Lasse; Asselbergs, Folkert W.; Guardiola, Montse; Cooper, Jackie A.; Palmen, Jutta; Hubacek, Jaroslav A.; Carruthers, Kathryn F.; Horne, Benjamin D.; Brunisholz, Kimberly D.; Mega, Jessica L.; van Iperen, Erik P. A.; Li, Mingyao; Leusink, Maarten; Trompet, Stella; Verschuren, Jeffrey J. W.; Hovingh, G. Kees; Dehghan, Abbas; Nelson, Christopher P.; Kotti, Salma; Danchin, Nicolas; Scholz, Markus; Haase, Christiane L.; Rothenbacher, Dietrich; Swerdlow, Daniel I.; Kuchenbaecker, Karoline B.; Staines-Urias, Eleonora; Goel, Anuj; van 't Hooft, Ferdinand; Gertow, Karl; de Faire, Ulf; Panayiotou, Andrie G.; Tremoli, Elena; Baldassarre, Damiano; Veglia, Fabrizio; Holdt, Lesca M.; Beutner, Frank; Gansevoort, Ron T.; Navis, Gerjan J.; Mateo Leach, Irene; Breitling, Lutz P.; Brenner, Hermann; Thiery, Joachim; Dallmeier, Dhayana; Franco-Cereceda, Anders; Boer, Jolanda M. A.; Stephens, Jeffrey W.; Hofker, Marten H.; Tedgui, Alain; Hofman, Albert; Uitterlinden, André G.; Adamkova, Vera; Pitha, Jan; Onland-Moret, N. Charlotte; Cramer, Maarten J.; Nathoe, Hendrik M.; Spiering, Wilko; Klungel, Olaf H.; Kumari, Meena; Whincup, Peter H.; Morrow, David A.; Braund, Peter S.; Hall, Alistair S.; Olsson, Anders G.; Doevendans, Pieter A.; Trip, Mieke D.; Tobin, Martin D.; Hamsten, Anders; Watkins, Hugh; Koenig, Wolfgang; Nicolaides, Andrew N.; Teupser, Daniel; Day, Ian N. M.; Carlquist, John F.; Gaunt, Tom R.; Ford, Ian; Sattar, Naveed; Tsimikas, Sotirios; Schwartz, Gregory G.; Lawlor, Debbie A.; Morris, Richard W.; Sandhu, Manjinder S.; Poledne, Rudolf; Maitland-van der Zee, Anke H.; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Keating, Brendan J.; van der Harst, Pim; Price, Jackie F.; Mehta, Shamir R.; Yusuf, Salim; Witteman, Jaqueline C. M.; Franco, Oscar H.; Jukema, J. Wouter; de Knijff, Peter; Tybjaerg-Hansen, Anne; Rader, Daniel J.; Farrall, Martin; Samani, Nilesh J.; Kivimaki, Mika; Fox, Keith A. A.; Humphries, Steve E.; Anderson, Jeffrey L.; Boekholdt, S. Matthijs; Palmer, Tom M.; Eriksson, Per; Paré, Guillaume; Hingorani, Aroon D.; Sabatine, Marc S.; Mallat, Ziad; Casas, Juan P.; Talmud, Philippa J.

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to investigate the role of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2)-IIA in cardiovascular disease. Higher circulating levels of sPLA2-IIA mass or sPLA2 enzyme activity have been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events. However, it is not clear if this association is

  6. In vitro inactivation of hepatic microsomal phospholipase A2 by the marine natural product manoalide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Master, M.M.; Jacobs, R.S.

    1986-01-01

    The effects of manoalide (MLD) and several analogs (isolated from the sponge Luffariella variabilis) on mouse hepatic microsomal phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activity was investigated. Microsomal PLA 2 , a membrane bound, Ca ++ dependent enzyme with an alkaline pH optimum, functions in intracellular phospholipid turnover. In vitro PLA 2 activity was assayed by preincubating MLD or analogs (2.5-100μM) with microsomes for 60 min. at 37 0 C, combining this mixture with 14 C-phosphatidylcholine and CaCl 2 , and incubating at 37 0 C for 40 minutes. Enzyme activity was quantitated by measurement of the extracted 14 C-arachidonic acid product. MLD inhibited PLA 2 in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC 50 = 94μM. Lineweaver-Burk analysis suggests that MLD inhibits PLA 2 noncompetitively. One of the analogs, producing a comparable dose-response curve to MLD, was found to be more potent (IC 50 = 33μM). Another analog facilitated PLA 2 activity (15%) at 25μM, followed by inactivation at higher doses (IC 50 > 100 μM). Facilitation of PLA 2 activity was seen with concentrations as low as 2.5μM of a third analog, and significant inactivation of PLA 2 was evident. These results indicate that MLD is not as potent against microsomal PLA 2 as has been shown with purified bee venom and cobra venom PLA 2 's

  7. An Asp49 Phospholipase A2 from Snake Venom Induces Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression and Prostaglandin E2 Production via Activation of NF-κB, p38MAPK, and PKC in Macrophages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vanessa Moreira

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 are key enzymes for production of lipid mediators. We previously demonstrated that a snake venom sPLA2 named MT-III leads to prostaglandin (PGE2 biosynthesis in macrophages by inducing the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2. Herein, we explored the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways leading to these MT-III-induced effects. Results demonstrated that MT-III induced activation of the transcription factor NF-κB in isolated macrophages. By using NF-κB selective inhibitors, the involvement of this factor in MT-III-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production was demonstrated. Moreover, MT-III-induced COX-2 protein expression and PGE2 release were attenuated by pretreatment of macrophages with SB202190, and Ly294002, and H-7-dihydro compounds, indicating the involvement of p38MAPK, PI3K, and PKC pathways, respectively. Consistent with this, MT-III triggered early phosphorylation of p38MAPK, PI3K, and PKC. Furthermore, SB202190, H-7-dihydro, but not Ly294002 treatment, abrogated activation of NF-κB induced by MT-III. Altogether, these results show for the first time that the induction of COX-2 protein expression and PGE2 release, which occur via NF-κB activation induced by the sPLA2-MT-III in macrophages, are modulated by p38MAPK and PKC, but not by PI3K signaling proteins.

  8. Molecular Characterization of Lys49 and Asp49 Phospholipases A2 from Snake Venom and Their Antiviral Activities against Dengue virus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre L. Fuly

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available We report the detailed molecular characterization of two PLA2s, Lys49 and Asp49 isolated from Bothrops leucurus venom, and examined their effects against Dengue virus (DENV. The Bl-PLA2s, named BlK-PLA2 and BlD-PLA2, are composed of 121 and 122 amino acids determined by automated sequencing of the native proteins and peptides produced by digestion with trypsin. They contain fourteen cysteines with pIs of 9.05 and 8.18 for BlK- and BlD-PLA2s, and show a high degree of sequence similarity to homologous snake venom PLA2s, but may display different biological effects. Molecular masses of 13,689.220 (Lys49 and 13,978.386 (Asp49 were determined by mass spectrometry. DENV causes a prevalent arboviral disease in humans, and no clinically approved antiviral therapy is currently available to treat DENV infections. The maximum non-toxic concentration of the proteins to LLC-MK2 cells determined by MTT assay was 40 µg/mL for Bl-PLA2s (pool and 20 µg/mL for each isoform. Antiviral effects of Bl-PLA2s were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Bl-PLA2s were able to reduce DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-3 serotypes in LLC-MK2 cells infection. Our data provide further insight into the structural properties and their antiviral activity against DENV, opening up possibilities for biotechnological applications of these Bl-PLA2s as tools of research.

  9. Molecular Characterization of Lys49 and Asp49 Phospholipases A2 from Snake Venom and Their Antiviral Activities against Dengue virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cecilio, Alzira B.; Caldas, Sergio; De Oliveira, Raiana A.; Santos, Arthur S. B.; Richardson, Michael; Naumann, Gustavo B.; Schneider, Francisco S.; Alvarenga, Valeria G.; Estevão-Costa, Maria I.; Fuly, Andre L.; Eble, Johannes A.; Sanchez, Eladio F.

    2013-01-01

    We report the detailed molecular characterization of two PLA2s, Lys49 and Asp49 isolated from Bothrops leucurus venom, and examined their effects against Dengue virus (DENV). The Bl-PLA2s, named BlK-PLA2 and BlD-PLA2, are composed of 121 and 122 amino acids determined by automated sequencing of the native proteins and peptides produced by digestion with trypsin. They contain fourteen cysteines with pIs of 9.05 and 8.18 for BlK- and BlD-PLA2s, and show a high degree of sequence similarity to homologous snake venom PLA2s, but may display different biological effects. Molecular masses of 13,689.220 (Lys49) and 13,978.386 (Asp49) were determined by mass spectrometry. DENV causes a prevalent arboviral disease in humans, and no clinically approved antiviral therapy is currently available to treat DENV infections. The maximum non-toxic concentration of the proteins to LLC-MK2 cells determined by MTT assay was 40 µg/mL for Bl-PLA2s (pool) and 20 µg/mL for each isoform. Antiviral effects of Bl-PLA2s were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Bl-PLA2s were able to reduce DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-3 serotypes in LLC-MK2 cells infection. Our data provide further insight into the structural properties and their antiviral activity against DENV, opening up possibilities for biotechnological applications of these Bl-PLA2s as tools of research. PMID:24131891

  10. In vitro degradation kinetics of pure PLA and Mg/PLA composite: Effects of immersion temperature and compression stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xuan; Chu, Chenglin; Wei, Yalin; Qi, Chenxi; Bai, Jing; Guo, Chao; Xue, Feng; Lin, Pinghua; Chu, Paul K

    2017-01-15

    The effects of the immersion temperature and compression stress on the in vitro degradation behavior of pure poly-lactic acid (pure-PLA) and PLA-based composite unidirectionally reinforced with micro-arc oxidized magnesium alloy wires (Mg/PLA or MAO-MAWs/PLA) are investigated. The degradation kinetics of pure-PLA and the PLA matrix in MAO-MAWs/PLA exhibit an Arrhenius-type behavior. For the composite, the synergic degradation of MAO-MAWs maintains a steady pH and mitigates the degradation of PLA matrix during immersion. However, the external compression stress decreases the activation energy (E a ) and pre-exponential factor (k 0 ) consequently increasing the degradation rate of PLA. Under a compression stress of 1MPa, E a and k 0 of pure PLA are 57.54kJ/mol and 9.74×10 7 day -1 , respectively, but 65.5kJ/mol and 9.81×10 8 day -1 for the PLA matrix in the composite. Accelerated tests are conducted in rising immersion temperature in order to shorten the experimental time. Our analysis indicates there are well-defined relationships between the bending strength of the specimens and the PLA molecular weight during immersion, which are independent of the degradation temperature and external compression stress. Finally, a numerical model is established to elucidate the relationship of bending strength, the PLA molecular weight, activation energy, immersion time and temperature. We systematically evaluate the effects of compression stress and temperature on the degradation properties of two materials: (pure-PLA) and MAO-MAWs/PLA (or Mg/PLA). The initial in vitro degradation kinetics of the unstressed or stressed pure-PLA and MAO-MAWs/PLA composite is confirmed to be Arrhenius-like. MAO-MAWs and external compression stress would influence the degradation activation energy (E a ) and pre-exponential factor (k 0 ) of PLA, and we noticed there is a linear relationship between E a and ln k 0 . Thereafter, we noticed that Mg 2+ , not H + , plays a significant role on the

  11. Lactadherin inhibits secretory phospholipase A2 activity on pre-apoptotic leukemia cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nyegaard, Steffen; Novakovic, Valerie A.; Rasmussen, Jan Trige

    2013-01-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) is a critical component of insect and snake venoms and is secreted by mammalian leukocytes during inflammation. Elevated secretory PLA2 concentrations are associated with autoimmune diseases and septic shock. Many sPLA2’s do not bind to plasma membranes of quies...

  12. Imidazoline NNC77-0074 stimulates Ca2+-evoked exocytosis in INS-1E cells by a phospholipase A2-dependent mechanism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Olsen, Hervør L; Nørby, Peder L; Høy, Marianne

    2003-01-01

    We have previously demonstrated that the novel imidazoline compound (+)-2-(2-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-thiopene-2-yl-ethyl)-pyridine (NNC77-0074) increases insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells by stimulation of Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis. Using capacitance measurements, we now show...... that NNC77-0074 stimulates exocytosis in clonal INS-1E cells. NNC77-0074-stimulated exocytosis was antagonised by the cytoplasmic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) inhibitors ACA and AACOCF(3) and in cells treated with antisense oligonucleotide against cPLA(2)alpha. NNC77-0074-evoked insulin secretion...... was likewise inhibited by ACA, AACOCF(3), and cPLA(2)alpha antisense oligonucleotide treatment. In pancreatic islets NNC77-0074 stimulated PLA(2) activity. We propose that cPLA(2)alpha plays an important role in the regulation of NNC77-0074-evoked exocytosis in insulin secreting beta-cells....

  13. Characterization of phospholipase A2 from the pyloric ceca of two species of starfish, Coscinasterias acutispina and Plazaster borealis

    OpenAIRE

    Kishimura, Hideki; Hayashi, Kenji

    2005-01-01

    Phospholipase A (PLA) activities in the pyloric ceca and viscera from seven species of marine invertebrates (four starfish, one sea urchin, and two shellfish) were determined. Relatively high PLA specific activities were found in the pyloric ceca of two species of starfish (Coscinasterias acutispina and Plazaster borealis). Phospholipase A2s (PLA2s) were partially purified from the pyloric ceca of the starfish, C. acutispina PLA2 (C-PLA2) and P. borealis PLA2 (P-PLA2). The C-PLA2 and P-PLA2 m...

  14. Purification of phospholipase A2 from Bothrops atrox venom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Quevedo

    1999-01-01

    Full Text Available Phospholipase A2 (PLA2 from Bothrops atrox (Sensu lato venom, from Chiriguaná (Colombia was purified using exclusión chromatography on Sephadex G-75, obtaining five fractions one of which showed phospholipase A2 activity. After further purification on Mono S cationic exchange column, eight fractions with PLA2 activity, measured using the hemolytic method, were obtained.

  15. Botanical Polyphenols Mitigate Microglial Activation and Microglia-Induced Neurotoxicity: Role of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuang, Dennis Y; Simonyi, Agnes; Cui, Jiankun; Lubahn, Dennis B; Gu, Zezong; Sun, Grace Y

    2016-09-01

    Microglia play a significant role in the generation and propagation of oxidative/nitrosative stress, and are the basis of neuroinflammatory responses in the central nervous system. Upon stimulation by endotoxins such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS), these cells release pro-inflammatory factors which can exert harmful effects on surrounding neurons, leading to secondary neuronal damage and cell death. Our previous studies demonstrated the effects of botanical polyphenols to mitigate inflammatory responses induced by LPS, and highlighted an important role for cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) upstream of the pro-inflammatory pathways (Chuang et al. in J Neuroinflammation 12(1):199, 2015. doi: 10.1186/s12974-015-0419-0 ). In this study, we investigate the action of botanical compounds and assess whether suppression of cPLA2 in microglia is involved in the neurotoxic effects on neurons. Differentiated SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells were used to test the neurotoxicity of conditioned medium from stimulated microglial cells, and WST-1 assay was used to assess for the cell viability of SH-SY5Y cells. Botanicals such as quercetin and honokiol (but not cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, 3CG) were effective in inhibiting LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and phosphorylation of cPLA2. Conditioned medium from BV-2 cells stimulated with LPS or IFNγ caused neurotoxicity to SH-SY5Y cells. Decrease in cell viability could be ameliorated by pharmacological inhibitors for cPLA2 as well as by down-regulating cPLA2 with siRNA. Botanicals effective in inhibition of LPS-induced NO and cPLA2 phosphorylation were also effective in ameliorating microglial-induced neurotoxicity. Results demonstrated cytotoxic factors from activated microglial cells to cause damaging effects to neurons and potential use of botanical polyphenols to ameliorate the neurotoxic effects.

  16. Generation of N-Acylphosphatidylethanolamine by Members of the Phospholipase A/Acyltransferase (PLA/AT) Family*

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uyama, Toru; Ikematsu, Natsuki; Inoue, Manami; Shinohara, Naoki; Jin, Xing-Hua; Tsuboi, Kazuhito; Tonai, Takeharu; Tokumura, Akira; Ueda, Natsuo

    2012-01-01

    Bioactive N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), including N-palmitoylethanolamine, N-oleoylethanolamine, and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide), are formed from membrane glycerophospholipids in animal tissues. The pathway is initiated by N-acylation of phosphatidylethanolamine to form N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE). Despite the physiological importance of this reaction, the enzyme responsible, N-acyltransferase, remains molecularly uncharacterized. We recently demonstrated that all five members of the HRAS-like suppressor tumor family are phospholipid-metabolizing enzymes with N-acyltransferase activity and are renamed HRASLS1–5 as phospholipase A/acyltransferase (PLA/AT)-1–5. However, it was poorly understood whether these proteins were involved in the formation of NAPE in living cells. In the present studies, we first show that COS-7 cells transiently expressing recombinant PLA/AT-1, -2, -4, or -5, and HEK293 cells stably expressing PLA/AT-2 generated significant amounts of [14C]NAPE and [14C]NAE when cells were metabolically labeled with [14C]ethanolamine. Second, as analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the stable expression of PLA/AT-2 in cells remarkably increased endogenous levels of NAPEs and NAEs with various N-acyl species. Third, when NAPE-hydrolyzing phospholipase D was additionally expressed in PLA/AT-2-expressing cells, accumulating NAPE was efficiently converted to NAE. We also found that PLA/AT-2 was partly responsible for NAPE formation in HeLa cells that endogenously express PLA/AT-2. These results suggest that PLA/AT family proteins may produce NAPEs serving as precursors of bioactive NAEs in vivo. PMID:22825852

  17. cDNA and deduced primary structure of basic phospholipase A2 with neurotoxic activity from the venom secretion of the Crotalus durissus collilineatus rattlesnake

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F.H.R. Fagundes

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available To illustrate the construction of precursor complementary DNAs, we isolated mRNAs from whole venom samples. After reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR, we amplified the cDNA coding for a neurotoxic protein, phospholipase A2 D49 (PLA2 D49, from the venom of Crotalus durissus collilineatus (Cdc PLA2. The cDNA encoding Cdc PLA2 from whole venom was sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of this cDNA has high overall sequence identity with the group II PLA2 protein family. Cdc PLA2 has 14 cysteine residues capable of forming seven disulfide bonds that characterize this group of PLA2 enzymes. Cdc PLA2 was isolated using conventional Sephadex G75 column chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC. The molecular mass was estimated using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. We tested the neuromuscular blocking activities on chick biventer cervicis neuromuscular tissue. Phylogenetic analysis of Cdc PLA2 showed the existence of two lines of N6-PLA2, denominated F24 and S24. Apparently, the sequences of the New World’s N6-F24-PLA2 are similar to those of the agkistrodotoxin from the Asian genus Gloydius. The sequences of N6-S24-PLA2 are similar to the sequence of trimucrotoxin from the genus Protobothrops, found in the Old World.

  18. In vitro inactivation of hepatic microsomal phospholipase A/sub 2/ by the marine natural product manoalide

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Master, M.M.; Jacobs, R.S.

    1986-03-01

    The effects of manoalide (MLD) and several analogs (isolated from the sponge Luffariella variabilis) on mouse hepatic microsomal phospholipase A/sub 2/ (PLA/sub 2/) activity was investigated. Microsomal PLA/sub 2/, a membrane bound, Ca/sup + +/ dependent enzyme with an alkaline pH optimum, functions in intracellular phospholipid turnover. In vitro PLA/sub 2/ activity was assayed by preincubating MLD or analogs (2.5-100..mu..M) with microsomes for 60 min. at 37/sup 0/C, combining this mixture with /sup 14/C-phosphatidylcholine and CaCl/sub 2/, and incubating at 37/sup 0/C for 40 minutes. Enzyme activity was quantitated by measurement of the extracted /sup 14/C-arachidonic acid product. MLD inhibited PLA/sub 2/ in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC/sub 50/ = 94..mu..M. Lineweaver-Burk analysis suggests that MLD inhibits PLA/sub 2/ noncompetitively. One of the analogs, producing a comparable dose-response curve to MLD, was found to be more potent (IC/sub 50/ = 33..mu..M). Another analog facilitated PLA/sub 2/ activity (15%) at 25..mu..M, followed by inactivation at higher doses (IC/sub 50/ > 100 ..mu..M). Facilitation of PLA/sub 2/ activity was seen with concentrations as low as 2.5..mu..M of a third analog, and significant inactivation of PLA/sub 2/ was evident. These results indicate that MLD is not as potent against microsomal PLA/sub 2/ as has been shown with purified bee venom and cobra venom PLA/sub 2/'s.

  19. Structure of Human GIVD Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 Reveals Insights into Substrate Recognition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Hui; Klein, Michael G.; Snell, Gyorgy; Lane, Weston; Zou, Hua; Levin, Irena; Li, Ke; Sang, Bi-Ching (Takeda Cali)

    2016-07-01

    Cytosolic phospholipases A2 (cPLA2s) consist of a family of calcium-sensitive enzymes that function to generate lipid second messengers through hydrolysis of membrane-associated glycerophospholipids. The GIVD cPLA2 (cPLA2δ) is a potential drug target for developing a selective therapeutic agent for the treatment of psoriasis. Here, we present two X-ray structures of human cPLA2δ, capturing an apo state, and in complex with a substrate-like inhibitor. Comparison of the apo and inhibitor-bound structures reveals conformational changes in a flexible cap that allows the substrate to access the relatively buried active site, providing new insight into the mechanism for substrate recognition. The cPLA2δ structure reveals an unexpected second C2 domain that was previously unrecognized from sequence alignments, placing cPLA2δ into the class of membrane-associated proteins that contain a tandem pair of C2 domains. Furthermore, our structures elucidate novel inter-domain interactions and define three potential calcium-binding sites that are likely important for regulation and activation of enzymatic activity. These findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms governing cPLA2's function in signal transduction.

  20. Supercritical CO2 impregnation of PLA/PCL films with natural substances for bacterial growth control in food packaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milovanovic, Stoja; Hollermann, Gesa; Errenst, Cornelia; Pajnik, Jelena; Frerich, Sulamith; Kroll, Stephen; Rezwan, Kurosch; Ivanovic, Jasna

    2018-05-01

    Biodegradable polymers with antibacterial properties are highly desirable materials for active food packaging applications. Thymol, a dietary monoterpene phenol with a strong antibacterial activity is abundant in plants belonging to the genus Thymus. This study presents two approaches for supercritical CO 2 impregnation of poly(lactic acid)(PLA)/poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL) blended films to induce antibacterial properties of the material: (i) a batch impregnation process for loading pure thymol, and (ii) an integrated supercritical extraction-impregnation process for isolation of thyme extract and its incorporation into the films, operated in both batch or semi-continuous modes with supercritical solution circulation. The PCL content in films, impregnation time and CO 2 flow regime were varied to maximize loading of the films with thymol or thyme extract with preserving films' structure and thermal stability. Representative film samples impregnated with thymol and thyme extract were tested against Gram (-) (Escherichia coli) and Gram(+) (Bacillus subtilis) model strains, by measuring their metabolic activity and re-cultivation after exposure to the films. The film containing thymol (35.8 wt%) showed a strong antibacterial activity leading to a total reduction of bacterial cell viability. Proposed processes enable fast, controlled and organic solvent-free fabrication of the PLA/PCL films containing natural antibacterial substances at moderately low temperature, with a compact structure and a good thermal stability, for potential use as active food packaging materials. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Lactonase Activity and Lipoprotein-Phospholipase A2 as Possible Novel Serum Biomarkers for the Differential Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders and Rett Syndrome: Results from a Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joussef Hayek

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Rett syndrome (RTT and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs are not merely expression of brain dysfunction but also reflect the perturbation of physiological/metabolic homeostasis. Accordingly, both disorders appear to be associated with increased vulnerability to toxicants produced by redox imbalance, inflammation, and pollution, and impairment of systemic-detoxifying agents could play a role in the exacerbation of these detrimental processes. To check this hypothesis, the activities of two mechanistically related blood-based enzymes, paraoxonase-1 (arylesterase, paraoxonase, and lactonase, and lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2 were measured in the serum of 79 ASD and 95 RTT patients, and 77 controls. Lactonase and Lp-PLA2 showed a similar trend characterized by significantly lower levels of both activities in ASD compared to controls and RTT (p<0.001 for all pairwise comparisons. Noteworthy, receiving operator curve (ROC analysis revealed that lactonase and, mostly, Lp-PLA2 were able to discriminate between ASD and controls (lactonase: area under curve, AUC = 0.660; Lp-PLA2, AUC = 0.780, and, considering only females, between ASD and RTT (lactonase, AUC = 0.714; Lp-PLA2, AUC = 0.881. These results suggest that lactonase and, especially, Lp-PLA2 activities might represent novel candidate biomarkers for ASD.

  2. Role of phospholipases A2 in diabetic retinopathy: in vitro and in vivo studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lupo, Gabriella; Motta, Carla; Giurdanella, Giovanni; Anfuso, Carmelina Daniela; Alberghina, Mario; Drago, Filippo; Salomone, Salvatore; Bucolo, Claudio

    2013-12-01

    Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness and the most common complication of diabetes with no cure available. We investigated the role of phospholipases A2 (PLA2) in diabetic retinopathy using an in vitro blood-retinal barrier model (BRB) and an in vivo streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic model. Mono- and co-cultures of endothelial cells (EC) and pericytes (PC), treated with high or fluctuating concentrations of glucose, to mimic the diabetic condition, were used. PLA2 activity, VEGF and PGE2 levels and cell proliferation were measured, with or without PLA2 inhibition. Diabetes was induced in rats by STZ injection and PLA2 activity along with VEGF, TNFα and ICAM-1 levels were measured in retina. High or fluctuating glucose induced BRB breakdown, and increased PLA2 activity, PGE2 and VEGF in EC/PC co-cultures; inhibition of PLA2 in mono- or co-cultures treated with high or fluctuating glucose dampened PGE2 and VEGF production down to the levels of controls. High or fluctuating glucose increased EC number and reduced PC number in co-cultures; these effects were reversed after transfecting EC with small interfering RNA targeted to PLA2. PLA2 and COX-2 protein expressions were significantly increased in microvessels from retina of diabetic rats. Diabetic rats had also high retinal levels of VEGF, ICAM-1 and TNFα that were reduced by treatment with a cPLA2 inhibitor. In conclusion, the present findings indicate that PLA2 upregulation represents an early step in glucose-induced alteration of BRB, possibly upstream of VEGF; thus, PLA2 may be an interesting target in managing diabetic retinopathy. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Secreted Phospholipases A2 from Animal Venoms in Pain and Analgesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zambelli, Vanessa O.; Picolo, Gisele; Fernandes, Carlos A. H.

    2017-01-01

    Animal venoms comprise a complex mixture of components that affect several biological systems. Based on the high selectivity for their molecular targets, these components are also a rich source of potential therapeutic agents. Among the main components of animal venoms are the secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2s). These PLA2 belong to distinct PLA2s groups. For example, snake venom sPLA2s from Elapidae and Viperidae families, the most important families when considering envenomation, belong, respectively, to the IA and IIA/IIB groups, whereas bee venom PLA2 belongs to group III of sPLA2s. It is well known that PLA2, due to its hydrolytic activity on phospholipids, takes part in many pathophysiological processes, including inflammation and pain. Therefore, secreted PLA2s obtained from animal venoms have been widely used as tools to (a) modulate inflammation and pain, uncovering molecular targets that are implicated in the control of inflammatory (including painful) and neurodegenerative diseases; (b) shed light on the pathophysiology of inflammation and pain observed in human envenomation by poisonous animals; and, (c) characterize molecular mechanisms involved in inflammatory diseases. The present review summarizes the knowledge on the nociceptive and antinociceptive actions of sPLA2s from animal venoms, particularly snake venoms. PMID:29311537

  4. Carotid intima media thickness is associated with plasma lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) mass in nondiabetic subjects but not in patients with type 2 diabetes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Constantinides, Alexander; van Pelt, L. Joost; van Leeuwen, Jeroen J. J.; de Vries, Rindert; Tio, Rene A.; van der Horst, Iwan C. C.; Sluiter, Wim J.; Dullaart, Robin P. F.

    Background A recent meta-analysis showed that both plasma lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) mass and activity independently predict cardiovascular events. Notably, Lp-PLA(2) activity but not mass was found to be a determinant of cardiovascular outcome in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

  5. The Leu33/Pro polymorphism (PlA1/PlA2) of the glycoprotein IIIa (GPIIIa) receptor is not related to myocardial infarction in the ECTIM Study. Etude Cas-Temoins de l'Infarctus du Myocarde.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Herrmann, S M; Poirier, O; Marques-Vidal, P; Evans, A; Arveiler, D; Luc, G; Emmerich, J; Cambien, F

    1997-06-01

    The GPIIb/IIIa receptor complex may contribute to acute coronary syndromes by mediating platelet aggregation. The Leu33/Pro polymorphism (PlA1/PlA2) of the GPIIIa has recently been shown to be associated with CHD in a small case-control study. We have investigated this polymorphism in a large multicenter study of patients with myocardial infarction and controls and found no difference in the distribution of allele and genotype frequencies between cases and controls.

  6. Glutamate signalling and secretory phospholipase A2 modulate the release of arachidonic acid from neuronal membranes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rodriguez De Turco, Elena B; Jackson, Fannie R; DeCoster, Mark A

    2002-01-01

    The lipid mediators generated by phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)), free arachidonic acid (AA), eicosanoids, and platelet-activating factor, modulate neuronal activity; when overproduced, some of them become potent neurotoxins. We have shown, using primary cortical neuron cultures, that glutamate...... and secretory PLA(2) (sPLA(2)) from bee venom (bv sPLA(2)) and Taipan snake venom (OS2) elicit synergy in inducing neuronal cell death. Low concentrations of sPLA(2) are selective ligands of cell-surface sPLA(2) receptors. We investigated which neuronal arachidonoyl phospholipids are targeted by glutamate......) and in minor changes in other phospholipids. A similar profile, although of greater magnitude, was observed 20 hr posttreatment. Glutamate (80 microM) induced much less mobilization of (3)H-AA than did sPLA(2) and resulted in a threefold greater degradation of (3)H-AA PE than of (3)H-AA PC by 20 hr...

  7. Plasma Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A2 in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome and Carotid Atherosclerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mao Yong-jun

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2 is a recently identified and potentially useful plasma biomarker for cardiovascular and atherosclerotic diseases. However, the correlation between the Lp-PLA2 activity and carotid atherosclerosis remains poorly investigated in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS. The present study aimed to evaluate the potential role of Lp-PLA2 as a comprehensive marker of metabolic syndrome in individuals with and without carotid atherosclerosis. Methods We documented 118 consecutive patients with MetS and 70 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects served as controls. The patients were further divided into two groups: 39 with carotid plaques and 79 without carotid plaques to elucidate the influence of Lp-PLA2 on carotid atherosclerosis. The plasma Lp-PLA2 activity was measured by using ELISA method and carotid intimal-media thickness (IMT was performed by ultrasound in all participants. Results Lp-PLA2 activity was significantly increased in MetS subgroups when compared with controls, and was higher in patients with carotid plaques than those without plaques (P 2 was obtained between patients with three and four disorders of metabolic syndrome (P P = 0.029, LDL-cholesterol (β = 0.401, P = 0.000 and waist-hip ratio (β = 0.410, P = 0.000 emerged as significant and independent determinants of Lp-PLA2 activity. Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that LDL-cholesterol (β = 0.309, P = 0.000, systolic blood pressure (β = 0.322, P = 0.002 and age (β = 0.235, P = 0.007 significantly correlated with max IMT, and Lp-PLA2 was not an independent predictor for carotid IMT. Conclusions Lp-PLA2 may be a modulating factor for carotid IMT via age and LDL-cholesterol, not independent predictor in the pathophysiological process of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with MetS.

  8. Identification of Novel Compound Mutations in PLA2G6-Associated Neurodegeneration Patient with Characteristic MRI Imaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Sen; Yang, Liu; Liu, Huijie; Chen, Wei; Li, Jinchen; Yu, Ping; Sun, Zhong Sheng; Chen, Xiang; Du, Jie; Cai, Tao

    2017-08-01

    Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation comprises a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized clinically by progressive motor dysfunction. Accurate identification of de novo and rare inherited mutations is important for determining causative genes of undiagnosed neurological diseases. In the present study, we report a unique case with cerebellar ataxia symptoms and social communication difficulties in an intermarriage family. MRI showed a marked cerebellar atrophy and the "eye-of-the-tiger"-like sign in the medial globus pallidus. Potential genetic defects were screened by whole-exome sequencing (WES) for the patient and four additional family members. A previously undescribed de novo missense mutation (c.1634A>G, p.K545R) in the exon 12 of the PLA2G6 gene was identified. A second rare variant c.1077G>A at the end of exon 7 was also identified, which was inherited from the mother, and resulted in a frame-shift mutation (c.1074_1077del.GTCG) due to an alternative splicing. In conclusion, the identification of the "eye-of-the-tiger"-like sign in the globus pallidus of the patient expands the phenotypic spectrum of PLA2G6-associated disorders and reveals its value in differential diagnosis of PLA2G6-associated disorders.

  9. NFATC3-PLA2G15 Fusion Transcript Identified by RNA Sequencing Promotes Tumor Invasion and Proliferation in Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jang, Jee-Eun; Kim, Hwang-Phill; Han, Sae-Won; Jang, Hoon; Lee, Si-Hyun; Song, Sang-Hyun; Bang, Duhee; Kim, Tae-You

    2018-06-14

    This study was designed to identify novel fusion transcripts (FTs) and their functional significance in colorectal cancer lines. We performed paired-end RNA sequencing of 28 colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines. FT candidates were identified using TopHat-fusion, ChimeraScan, and FusionMap tools and further experimental validation was conducted through reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. FT was depleted in human CRC line and the effects on cell proliferation, cell migration, and cell invasion were analyzed. 1,380 FT candidates were detected through bioinformatics filtering. We selected 6 candidate FTs, including 4 inter-chromosomal and 2 intra-chromosomal FTs and each FT was found in at least 1 of the 28 cell lines. Moreover, when we tested 19 pairs of CRC tumor and adjacent normal tissue samples, NFATC3-PLA2G15 FT was found in 2. Knockdown of NFATC3-PLA2G15 using siRNA reduced mRNA expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers such as vimentin, twist, and fibronectin and increased mesenchymal-epithelial transition markers of E-cadherin, claudin-1, and FOXC2 in colo-320 cell line harboring NFATC3-PLA2G15 FT. The NFATC3-PLA2G15 knockdown also inhibited invasion, colony formation capacity, and cell proliferation. These results suggest that that NFATC3-PLA2G15 FTs may contribute to tumor progression by enhancing invasion by EMT and proliferation.

  10. Molecular details of secretory phospholipase A2 from flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) provide insight into its structure and function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Payal; Dash, Prasanta K

    2017-09-11

    Secretory phospholipase A 2 (sPLA 2 ) are low molecular weight proteins (12-18 kDa) involved in a suite of plant cellular processes imparting growth and development. With myriad roles in physiological and biochemical processes in plants, detailed analysis of sPLA 2 in flax/linseed is meagre. The present work, first in flax, embodies cloning, expression, purification and molecular characterisation of two distinct sPLA 2 s (I and II) from flax. PLA 2 activity of the cloned sPLA 2 s were biochemically assayed authenticating them as bona fide phospholipase A 2 . Physiochemical properties of both the sPLA 2 s revealed they are thermostable proteins requiring di-valent cations for optimum activity.While, structural analysis of both the proteins revealed deviations in the amino acid sequence at C- & N-terminal regions; hydropathic study revealed LusPLA 2 I as a hydrophobic protein and LusPLA 2 II as a hydrophilic protein. Structural analysis of flax sPLA 2 s revealed that secondary structure of both the proteins are dominated by α-helix followed by random coils. Modular superimposition of LusPLA 2 isoforms with rice sPLA 2 confirmed monomeric structural preservation among plant phospholipase A 2 and provided insight into structure of folded flax sPLA 2 s.

  11. Rabbit IgG antibodies against Phospholipase A2 from Crotalus durissus terrificus neutralize the lethal activity of the venom Los anticuerpos IgG de conejos anti-fosfolipasa A2 de Crotalus durissus terrificus neutralizan la actividad letal del veneno

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan P. Rodríguez

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Crotalus durissus terrificus (C.d.t. (South American rattlesnake venom possesses myotoxic and neurotoxic activities, both of which are also expressed by crotoxin, the principal toxin of this venom. Crotoxin contains a basic phospholipase A2 (PLA2 and a non toxic acidic protein, crotapotin. We have produced and investigated the ability of IgG antibodies raised in rabbits against PLA2 to neutralize the lethality of the whole venom. PLA2 was isolated by gel filtration chromatography (Sephadex G-75. Specific antibodies were obtained by subcutaneous and intramuscular inoculation of PLA2 (700 µg with Freund adjuvant. Groups of six mice (20 + 2 g were inoculated with 0.5 ml i.p. of C. d. t. venom (4 µg or a mixture of venom that had been preincubated with the desired volume of IgG antibodies. Mortality, recorded 24 and 48 h after inoculation, showed that IgG anti-PLA2 were more effective than anticrotalic serum in neutralizing the lethal activity. These results demonstrate that it could be possible to obtain an anti-venom made by specific antibodies with a high level of protection against the lethal component of C.d.t. venom, and/or the inclusion of these antibodies as a supplement in heterologous anti-venoms.El veneno de Crotalus durissus terrificus (C.d.t. (Cascabel de Sud América posee actividad miotóxica y neurotóxica, actividades que también exhibe el complejo crotoxina, principal componente tóxico de este veneno. El complejo crotoxina está constituido por una fosfolipasa A2 básica (PLA2 y una proteína acídica no tóxica, el crotapotín. En este trabajo se estudió la capacidad neutralizante de anticuerpos IgG anti-PLA2 sobre la letalidad inducida por el veneno entero. El antígeno PLA2, fue aislado por cromatografía de filtración en gel (Sephadex G-75. Se inocularon conejos machos por vía subcutánea e intramuscular, con 700 µg de PLA2 y adyuvante para la obtención de anticuerpos específicos. La capacidad neutralizante del

  12. H2O2-Activated Mitochondrial Phospholipase iPLA2 gamma Prevents Lipotoxic Oxidative Stress in Synergy with UCP2, Amplifies Signaling via G-Protein-Coupled Receptor GPR40, and Regulates Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic beta-Cells

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Ježek, Jan; Dlasková, Andrea; Zelenka, Jaroslav; Jabůrek, Martin; Ježek, Petr

    2015-01-01

    Roč. 23, č. 12 (2015), s. 958-972 ISSN 1523-0864 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GPP303/11/P320; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-02033S; GA ČR(CZ) GA13-06666S; GA ČR GA15-02051S Institutional support: RVO:67985823 Keywords : mitochondrial phospholipase iPLA2 gamma * uncoupling protein UCP2 * G-protein coupled receptor - 40 * glucose-stimulated insulin secretion * pancreatic beta cells Subject RIV: FB - Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism, Nutrition Impact factor: 7.093, year: 2015

  13. Ageing sensitized by iPLA2β deficiency induces liver fibrosis and intestinal atrophy involving suppression of homeostatic genes and alteration of intestinal lipids and bile acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Li; Gan-Schreier, Hongying; Zhu, Xingya; Wei, Wang; Tuma-Kellner, Sabine; Liebisch, Gerhard; Stremmel, Wolfgang; Chamulitrat, Walee

    2017-12-01

    Ageing is a major risk factor for various forms of liver and gastrointestinal (GI) disease and genetic background may contribute to the pathogenesis of these diseases. Group VIA phospholipase A2 or iPLA 2 β is a homeostatic PLA 2 by playing a role in phospholipid metabolism and remodeling. Global iPLA 2 β -/- mice exhibit aged-dependent phenotypes with body weight loss and abnormalities in the bone and brain. We have previously reported the abnormalities in these mutant mice showing susceptibility for chemical-induced liver injury and colitis. We hypothesize that iPLA 2 β deficiency may sensitize with ageing for an induction of GI injury. Male wild-type and iPLA 2 β -/- mice at 4 and 20-22months of age were studied. Aged, but not young, iPLA 2 β -/- mice showed increased hepatic fibrosis and biliary ductular expansion as well as severe intestinal atrophy associated with increased apoptosis, pro-inflammation, disrupted tight junction, and reduced number of mucin-containing globlet cells. This damage was associated with decreased expression of intestinal endoplasmic stress XBP1 and its regulator HNF1α, FATP4, ACSL5, bile-acid transport genes as well as nuclear receptors LXRα and FXR. By LC/MS-MS profiling, iPLA 2 β deficiency in aged mice caused an increase of intestinal arachidonate-containing phospholipids concomitant with a decrease in ceramides. By the suppression of intestinal FXR/FGF-15 signaling, hepatic bile-acid synthesis gene expression was increased leading to an elevation of secondary and hydrophobic bile acids in liver, bile, and intestine. In conclusions, ageing sensitized by iPLA 2 β deficiency caused a decline of key intestinal homeostatic genes resulting in the development of GI disease in a gut-to-liver manner. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Monoacylated Cellular Prion Proteins Reduce Amyloid-β-Induced Activation of Cytoplasmic Phospholipase A2 and Synapse Damage

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ewan West

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer’s disease (AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ and the loss of synapses. Aggregation of the cellular prion protein (PrPC by Aβ oligomers induced synapse damage in cultured neurons. PrPC is attached to membranes via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI anchor, the composition of which affects protein targeting and cell signaling. Monoacylated PrPC incorporated into neurons bound “natural Aβ”, sequestering Aβ outside lipid rafts and preventing its accumulation at synapses. The presence of monoacylated PrPC reduced the Aβ-induced activation of cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2 and Aβ-induced synapse damage. This protective effect was stimulus specific, as treated neurons remained sensitive to α-synuclein, a protein associated with synapse damage in Parkinson’s disease. In synaptosomes, the aggregation of PrPC by Aβ oligomers triggered the formation of a signaling complex containing the cPLA2.a process, disrupted by monoacylated PrPC. We propose that monoacylated PrPC acts as a molecular sponge, binding Aβ oligomers at the neuronal perikarya without activating cPLA2 or triggering synapse damage.

  15. Expression of Clonorchis sinensis GIIIsPLA2 protein in baculovirus-infected insect cells and its overexpression facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition in Huh7 cells via AKT pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shang, Mei; Xie, Zhizhi; Tang, Zeli; He, Lei; Wang, Xiaoyun; Wang, Caiqin; Wu, Yinjuan; Li, Ye; Zhao, Lu; Lv, Zhiyue; Wu, Zhongdao; Huang, Yan; Yu, Xinbing; Li, Xuerong

    2017-04-01

    Although prior studies confirmed that group III secretory phospholipase A 2 of Clonorchis sinensis (CsGIIIsPLA 2 ) had stimulating effect on liver fibrosis by binding to LX-2 cells, large-scale expression of recombinant protein and its function in the progression of hepatoma are worth exploring. Because of high productivity and low lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in the Sf9-baculovirus expression system, we firstly used this system to express the coding region of CsGIIIsPLA 2 . The molecular weight of recombinant CsGIIIsPLA 2 protein was about 34 kDa. Further investigation showed that most of the recombinant protein presented intracellular expression in Sf9 insect cell nucleus and could be detected only into cell debris, which made the protein purification and further functional study difficult. Therefore, to study the role of CsGIIIsPLA 2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression, CsGIIIsPLA 2 overexpression Huh7 cell model was applied. Cell proliferation, migration, and the expression level of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related molecules (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, α-catenin, Vimentin, p300, Snail, and Slug) along with possible mechanism were measured. The results indicated that CsGIIIsPLA 2 overexpression not only inhibited cell proliferation and promoted migration and EMT but also enhanced the phosphorylation of AKT in HCC cells. In conclusion, this study supported that CsGIIIsPLA 2 overexpression suppressed cell proliferation and induced EMT through the AKT pathway.

  16. Rosmarinic acid, a new snake venom phospholipase A2 inhibitor from Cordia verbenacea (Boraginaceae): antiserum action potentiation and molecular interaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ticli, Fábio K; Hage, Lorane I S; Cambraia, Rafael S; Pereira, Paulo S; Magro, Angelo J; Fontes, Marcos R M; Stábeli, Rodrigo G; Giglio, José R; França, Suzelei C; Soares, Andreimar M; Sampaio, Suely V

    2005-09-01

    Many plants are used in traditional medicine as active agents against various effects induced by snakebite. The methanolic extract from Cordia verbenacea (Cv) significantly inhibited paw edema induced by Bothrops jararacussu snake venom and by its main basic phospholipase A2 homologs, namely bothropstoxins I and II (BthTXs). The active component was isolated by chromatography on Sephadex LH-20 and by RP-HPLC on a C18 column and identified as rosmarinic acid (Cv-RA). Rosmarinic acid is an ester of caffeic acid and 3,4-dihydroxyphenyllactic acid [2-O-cafeoil-3-(3,4-di-hydroxy-phenyl)-R-lactic acid]. This is the first report of RA in the species C. verbenacea ('baleeira', 'whaler') and of its anti-inflammatory and antimyotoxic properties against snake venoms and isolated toxins. RA inhibited the edema and myotoxic activity induced by the basic PLA2s BthTX-I and BthTX-II. It was, however, less efficient to inhibit the PLA2 activity of BthTX-II and, still less, the PLA2 and edema-inducing activities of the acidic isoform BthA-I-PLA2 from the same venom, showing therefore a higher inhibitory activity upon basic PLA2s. RA also inhibited most of the myotoxic and partially the edema-inducing effects of both basic PLA2s, thus reinforcing the idea of dissociation between the catalytic and pharmacological domains. The pure compound potentiated the ability of the commercial equine polyvalent antivenom in neutralizing lethal and myotoxic effects of the crude venom and of isolated PLA2s in experimental models. CD data presented here suggest that, after binding, no significant conformation changes occur either in the Cv-RA or in the target PLA2. A possible model for the interaction of rosmarinic acid with Lys49-PLA2 BthTX-I is proposed.

  17. Complete regression of xenograft tumors using biodegradable mPEG-PLA-SN38 block copolymer micelles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Lu; Zheng, Yan; Weng, Shuqiang; Zhu, Wenwei; Chen, Jinhong; Zhang, Xiaomin; Lee, Robert J; Yu, Bo; Jia, Huliang; Qin, Lunxiu

    2016-06-01

    7-Ethyl-10-hydroxy-comptothecin (SN38) is an active metabolite of irinotecan (CPT-11) and the clinical application of SN38 is limited by its hydrophobicity and instability. To address these issues, a series of novel amphiphilic mPEG-PLA-SN38-conjugates were synthesized by linking SN38 to mPEG-PLA-SA, and they could form micelles by self-assembly. The effects of mPEG-PLA composition were studied in vitro and in vivo. The mean diameters of mPEG2K-PLA-SN38 micelles and mPEG4K-PLA-SN38 micelles were 10-20nm and 120nm, respectively, and mPEG2K-PLA-SN38 micelles showed greater antitumor efficacy than mPEG4K-PLA-SN38 micelles both in vitro and in vivo. These data suggest that the lengths of mPEG and PLA chains had a major impact on the physicochemical characteristics and antitumor activity of SN38-conjugate micelles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Human eosinophils express, relative to other circulating leukocytes, large amounts of secretory 14-kD phospholipase A2

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Blom, M.; Tool, A. T.; Wever, P. C.; Wolbink, G. J.; Brouwer, M. C. [=Maria Clara; Calafat, J.; Egesten, A.; Knol, E. F.; Hack, C. E.; Roos, D.; Verhoeven, A. J.

    1998-01-01

    Human eosinophils perform several functions dependent on phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity, most notably the synthesis of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and leukotriene C4 (LTC4). Several forms of PLA2 have been identified in mammalian cells. In the present study, the 14-kD, secretory form of PLA2

  19. Inhibition of cytosolic Phospholipase A2 prevents prion peptide-induced neuronal damage and co-localisation with Beta III Tubulin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Last Victoria

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2 and the subsequent metabolism of arachidonic acid (AA to prostaglandins have been shown to play an important role in neuronal death in neurodegenerative disease. Here we report the effects of the prion peptide fragment HuPrP106-126 on the PLA2 cascade in primary cortical neurons and translocation of cPLA2 to neurites. Results Exposure of primary cortical neurons to HuPrP106-126 increased the levels of phosphorylated cPLA2 and caused phosphorylated cPLA2 to relocate from the cell body to the cellular neurite in a PrP-dependent manner, a previously unreported observation. HuPrP106-126 also induced significant AA release, an indicator of cPLA2 activation; this preceded synapse damage and subsequent cellular death. The novel translocation of p-cPLA2 postulated the potential for exposure to HuPrP106-126 to result in a re-arrangement of the cellular cytoskeleton. However p-cPLA2 did not colocalise significantly with F-actin, intermediate filaments, or microtubule-associated proteins. Conversely, p-cPLA2 did significantly colocalise with the cytoskeletal protein beta III tubulin. Pre-treatment with the PLA2 inhibitor, palmitoyl trifluoromethyl ketone (PACOCF3 reduced cPLA2 activation, AA release and damage to the neuronal synapse. Furthermore, PACOCF3 reduced expression of p-cPLA2 in neurites and inhibited colocalisation with beta III tubulin, resulting in protection against PrP-induced cell death. Conclusions Collectively, these findings suggest that cPLA2 plays a vital role in the action of HuPrP106-126 and that the colocalisation of p-cPLA2 with beta III tubulin could be central to the progress of neurodegeneration caused by prion peptides. Further work is needed to define exactly how PLA2 inhibitors protect neurons from peptide-induced toxicity and how this relates to intracellular structural changes occurring in neurodegeneration.

  20. PlA polymorphism and platelet reactivity following clopidogrel loading dose in patients undergoing coronary stent implantation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angiolillo, Dominick J; Fernandez-Ortiz, Antonio; Bernardo, Esther; Alfonso, Fernando; Sabaté, Manel; Fernández, Cristina; Stranieri, Chiara; Trabetti, Elisabetta; Pignatti, Pier Franco; Macaya, Carlos

    2004-01-01

    The PlA polymorphism (Leu33Pro) of the platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIIa gene has been suggested to play an important role in coronary thrombosis. In vitro studies have shown differences for this polymorphism in platelet sensitivity towards antiplatelet drugs (aspirin and abciximab), suggesting a pharmacogenetic modulation. The aim of the study was to assess the modulatory effect of the PlA polymorphism on clopidogrel-induced antiplatelet effects in 38 patients undergoing coronary stent implantation receiving a 300 mg clopidogrel loading-dose. Platelet reactivity was assessed as GPIIb/IIIa activation and P-selectin expression in platelets stimulated with 2 micromol/l adenosine diphosphate using whole blood flow cytometry. The distribution of the homozygous PlA1/A1 and heterozygous PlA1/A2 genotypes were 74 and 26%, respectively. PlA2 carriers had a higher degree of GPIIb/IIIa activation (P = 0.05) and P-selectin expression (P = 0.02) during the overall study time course and a lower antiplatelet effect to a 300 mg clopidogrel loading-dose up to 24 h following intervention (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the Pl polymorphism of the GPIIIa gene modulates platelet reactivity towards clopidogrel front loading in patients undergoing coronary stenting. This suggests the need for individualized antithrombotic regimens to optimally inhibit platelet reactivity. Copyright 2004 Lippincott Williams and Wilkins

  1. Crystal structure of pira toxin-I: a calcium-independent, myotoxic phospholipase A2 - homologue from Bothrops pirajai venom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Canduri, R.J.; Ward, R.J.; Azevedo Junior, G.W.F. de; Arni, R.K.; Soares, A.M.; Giglio, J.R.

    1997-01-01

    Full text. Phospho lipases A2 (PLA 2 ) are small enzymes that specifically hydrolysed the sn-2 ester bond of phospholipids, preferentially in lamellar or micellar aggregates at membrane surfaces. These enzymes are widely distributed in nature and have been extensively studied. Toxic proteins from venoms from Bothrops species include catalytically active PLA 2 s and calcium independent PLA 2L ys 49 homologues. The substitution of Asp49 by Lys greatly diminishes the ability of these PLA 2 to bind calcium, an ion that plays a critical role in the stabilization of the tetrahedral transition state intermediate in the catalytic mechanism. The Lys 49 PLA 2 homologues and therefore catalytically inactive yet maintain cytolytic and myotoxic activities and furthermore retain the ability to disrupt the integrity of both plasma membranes and model lipid bilayers by a poorly understood Ca 2+ independente mechanism. Lys49 PLA 2 homologues demonstrate a specific toxic activity against skeletal muscle, affecting only muscle fibers and leaving other tissue structure such as connective tissue, nerves and vessels essentially unharmed. In order to improve our understanding of the molecular basis of the myotoxic and Ca 2+ -independent membrane damaging activities, we have determined the crystal structure of Pr TX-I, a Lys49 variant from the venom of B. pirajai. The model presented has been determined at 2.8 angstrom resolution and refined to a crystallographic residual of 19.7% (R free =29.7%). (author)

  2. Influence of dynamic compressive loading on the in vitro degradation behavior of pure PLA and Mg/PLA composite.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xuan; Qi, Chenxi; Han, Linyuan; Chu, Chenglin; Bai, Jing; Guo, Chao; Xue, Feng; Shen, Baolong; Chu, Paul K

    2017-12-01

    The effects of dynamic compressive loading on the in vitro degradation behavior of pure poly-lactic acid (PLA) and PLA-based composite unidirectionally reinforced with micro-arc oxidized magnesium alloy wires (Mg/PLA) are investigated. Dynamic compressive loading is shown to accelerate degradation of pure PLA and Mg/PLA. As the applied stress is increased from 0.1MPa to 0.9MPa or frequency from 0.5Hz to 2.5Hz, the overall degradation rate goes up. After immersion for 21days at 0.9MPa and 2.5Hz, the bending strength retention of the composite and pure PLA is 60.1% and 50%, respectively. Dynamic loading enhances diffusion of small acidic molecules resulting in significant pH decrease in the immersion solution. The synergistic reaction between magnesium alloy wires and PLA in the composite is further clarified by electrochemical tests. The degradation behavior of the pure PLA and PLA matrix in the composite under dynamic conditions obey the first order degradation kinetics and a numerical model is postulated to elucidate the relationship of the bending strength, stress, frequency, and immersion time under dynamic conditions. We systematically study the influence of dynamic loading on the degradation behavior of pure PLA and Mg/PLA. Dynamic compressive loading is shown to accelerate degradation of pure PLA and Mg/PLA. The synergistic reaction between magnesium alloy wires and PLA in the composite is firstly clarified by electrochemical tests. The degradation behavior of the pure PLA and PLA matrix in the composite under dynamic conditions obey the first order degradation kinetics. Then, a numerical model is postulated to elucidate the relationship of the bending strength, stress, frequency, and immersion time under dynamic conditions. Copyright © 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Creating a Positive PLA Experience: A Step-by-Step Look at University PLA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leiste, Sara M.; Jensen, Kathryn

    2011-01-01

    A prior learning assessment (PLA) can be an intimidating process for adult learners. Capella University's PLA team has developed best practices, resources, and tools to foster a positive experience and to remove barriers in PLA and uses three criteria to determine how to best administer the assessment. First, a PLA must be motivating, as described…

  4. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 distribution among lipoproteins differs in type 1 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarvie, Jennifer L; Wang, Hong; Kinney, Gregory L; Snell-Bergeon, Janet; Hokanson, John E; Eckel, Robert H

    2016-01-01

    LpPLA2 mass and activity have been variably related to cardiovascular disease risk, and the distribution of LpPLA2 in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D), wherein cardiovascular disease risk is high despite normal or higher levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, is unknown. To determine whether there are differences in the distribution of LpPLA2 mass and activity across lipoproteins and their association with coronary artery calcium (CAC) in patients with T1D. Men with T1D (n = 19) not on statins, with and without CAC progression, and men without diabetes matched for HDL cholesterol (n = 25) had lipoproteins separated by fast protein liquid chromatography. Both LpPLA2 mass and activity were found within low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and HDL pools with more LpPLA2 mass being associated with HDL (54% vs 44%; P-value lipoprotein subfractions was observed between all groups, and there was no relationship between LpPLA2 activity or mass and its distribution and CAC score progression in healthy or T1D men. LpPLA2 is found in both LDL and HDL and is distributed differently in men with T1D without any relationship to CAC score progression. Copyright © 2016 National Lipid Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Deinhibition of cardiac Na+-K+-ATPase after exposure to exogenous phospholipase A2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colvin, R.A.

    1987-01-01

    After 2 h of exogenous phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) exposure, membrane phospholipid decreased from 3.22 +/- 0.31 to 1.06 +/- 0.13 μmol/mg (33% of control). All classes of phospholipid, except sphingomyelin, were hydrolyzed, whereas total cholesterol content was unaffected. Increases in nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) were reflected primarily in oleic (18:1), linoleic (18:2), and arachidonic (20:4). Na + -K + -adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activity was inhibited to 29% of control by 2 h of PLA 2 treatment, and this inhibition was reversed (albeit, not completely after 5 min of PLA 2 treatment) by removal of the hydrolysis products with 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA). In contrast, the apparent binding capacity for [ 3 H]ouabain was not affected by PLA 2 treatment. Unmasking of latent [ 3 H]ouabain binding by alamethicin was utilized to estimate changes in the proportion of sealed vesicles present before and after PLA 2 treatment. PLA 2 treatment resulted in a time-dependent loss of sealed vesicles that paralleled the time course of phospholipid hydrolysis and was not reversed by washing with BSA. These studies demonstrate that cardiac Na + -K + -ATPase activity is inhibited by accumulation of endogenously produced lysophospholipids and NEFA. In contrast, loss of vesicle integrity may result from both accumulation of endogenously produced hydrolysis products and membrane phospholipid depletion

  6. Isolation and Functional Characterization of an Acidic Myotoxic Phospholipase A2 from Colombian Bothrops asper Venom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Silvia Posada Arias

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Myotoxic phospholipases A2 (PLA2 are responsible for many clinical manifestations in envenomation by Bothrops snakes. A new myotoxic acidic Asp49 PLA2 (BaCol PLA2 was isolated from Colombian Bothrops asper venom using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC. BaCol PLA2 had a molecular mass of 14,180.69 Da (by mass spectrometry and an isoelectric point of 4.4. The complete amino acid sequence was obtained by cDNA cloning (GenBank accession No. MF319968 and revealed a mature product of 124 amino acids with Asp at position 49. BaCol PLA2 showed structural homology with other acidic PLA2 isolated from Bothrops venoms, including a non-myotoxic PLA2 from Costa Rican B. asper. In vitro studies showed cell membrane damage without exposure of phosphatidylserine, an early apoptosis hallmark. BaCol PLA2 had high indirect hemolytic activity and moderate anticoagulant action. In mice, BaCol PLA2 caused marked edema and myotoxicity, the latter seen as an increase in plasma creatine kinase and histological damage to gastrocnemius muscle fibers that included vacuolization and hyalinization necrosis of the sarcoplasm.

  7. Evaluation of self-assembled HCPT-loaded PEG-b-PLA nanoparticles by comparing with HCPT-loaded PLA nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xiangrui; Wu, Shichao; Wang, Yange; Li, Yang; Chang, Di; Luo, Yin; Ye, Shefang; Hou, Zhenqing

    2014-12-01

    We present a dialysis technique to prepare the 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT)-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) using methoxypolyethylene glycol-poly(D,L-lactide) (PEG-b-PLA) and PLA, respectively. Both HCPT-loaded PEG-b-PLA NPs and HCPT-loaded PLA NPs were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The results showed that the HCPT-loaded PEG-b-PLA NPs and HCPT-loaded PLA NPs presented a hydrodynamic particle size of 120.1 and 226.8 nm, with a polydispersity index of 0.057 and 0.207, a zeta potential of -31.2 and -45.7 mV, drug encapsulation efficiency of 44.52% and 44.94%, and drug-loaded content of 7.42% and 7.49%, respectively. The HCPT-loaded PEG-b-PLA NPs presented faster drug release rate compared to the HCPT-loaded PLA NPs. The HCPT-loaded PEG-b-PLA NPs presented higher cytotoxicity than the HCPT-loaded PLA NPs. These results suggested that the HCPT-loaded PEG-b-PLA NPs presented better characteristics for drug delivery compared to HCPT-loaded PLA NPs.

  8. Antiphospholipase A2 Receptor Autoantibodies: A Step Forward in the Management of Primary Membranous Nephropathy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obrisca, Bogdan; Ismail, Gener; Jurubita, Roxana; Baston, Catalin; Andronesi, Andreea; Mircescu, Gabriel

    2015-01-01

    Since the identification of PLA2R (M-type phospholipase A2 receptor) as the first human antigenic target in primary membranous nephropathy (MN), perpetual progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease. Accumulating clinical data support a pathogenic role for the anti-PLA2R antibodies (PLA2R ABs), but confirmation in an animal model is still lacking. However, PLA2R ABs were related to disease activity and outcome, as well as to response therapy. Accordingly, PLA2R ABs assay seems to be promising tool not only to diagnose MN but also to predict the course of the disease and could open the way to personalize therapy. Nevertheless, validation of a universal assay with high precision and definition of cut-off levels, followed by larger studies with a prolonged follow-up period, are needed to confirm these prospects. PMID:26576418

  9. Antiphospholipase A2 Receptor Autoantibodies: A Step Forward in the Management of Primary Membranous Nephropathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Obrisca, Bogdan; Ismail, Gener; Jurubita, Roxana; Baston, Catalin; Andronesi, Andreea; Mircescu, Gabriel

    2015-01-01

    Since the identification of PLA2R (M-type phospholipase A2 receptor) as the first human antigenic target in primary membranous nephropathy (MN), perpetual progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease. Accumulating clinical data support a pathogenic role for the anti-PLA2R antibodies (PLA2R ABs), but confirmation in an animal model is still lacking. However, PLA2R ABs were related to disease activity and outcome, as well as to response therapy. Accordingly, PLA2R ABs assay seems to be promising tool not only to diagnose MN but also to predict the course of the disease and could open the way to personalize therapy. Nevertheless, validation of a universal assay with high precision and definition of cut-off levels, followed by larger studies with a prolonged follow-up period, are needed to confirm these prospects.

  10. Antiphospholipase A2 Receptor Autoantibodies: A Step Forward in the Management of Primary Membranous Nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bogdan Obrisca

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Since the identification of PLA2R (M-type phospholipase A2 receptor as the first human antigenic target in primary membranous nephropathy (MN, perpetual progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of this disease. Accumulating clinical data support a pathogenic role for the anti-PLA2R antibodies (PLA2R ABs, but confirmation in an animal model is still lacking. However, PLA2R ABs were related to disease activity and outcome, as well as to response therapy. Accordingly, PLA2R ABs assay seems to be promising tool not only to diagnose MN but also to predict the course of the disease and could open the way to personalize therapy. Nevertheless, validation of a universal assay with high precision and definition of cut-off levels, followed by larger studies with a prolonged follow-up period, are needed to confirm these prospects.

  11. Mechanism of inhibition of human secretory phospholipase A2 by flavonoids: rationale for lead design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lättig, Jens; Böhl, Markus; Fischer, Petra; Tischer, Sandra; Tietböhl, Claudia; Menschikowski, Mario; Gutzeit, Herwig O.; Metz, Peter; Pisabarro, M. Teresa

    2007-08-01

    The human secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2-IIA) is a lipolytic enzyme. Its inhibition leads to a decrease in eicosanoids levels and, thereby, to reduced inflammation. Therefore, PLA2-IIA is of high pharmacological interest in treatment of chronic diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Quercetin and naringenin, amongst other flavonoids, are known for their anti-inflammatory activity by modulation of enzymes of the arachidonic acid cascade. However, the mechanism by which flavonoids inhibit Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) remained unclear so far. Flavonoids are widely produced in plant tissues and, thereby, suitable targets for pharmaceutical extractions and chemical syntheses. Our work focuses on understanding the binding modes of flavonoids to PLA2, their inhibition mechanism and the rationale to modify them to obtain potent and specific inhibitors. Our computational and experimental studies focused on a set of 24 compounds including natural flavonoids and naringenin-based derivatives. Experimental results on PLA2-inhibition showed good inhibitory activity for quercetin, kaempferol, and galangin, but relatively poor for naringenin. Several naringenin derivatives were synthesized and tested for affinity and inhibitory activity improvement. 6-(1,1-dimethylallyl)naringenin revealed comparable PLA2 inhibition to quercetin-like compounds. We characterized the binding mode of these compounds and the determinants for their affinity, selectivity, and inhibitory potency. Based on our results, we suggest C(6) as the most promising position of the flavonoid scaffold to introduce chemical modifications to improve affinity, selectivity, and inhibition of PLA2-IIA by flavonoids.

  12. Cytosolic phospholipase A2 alpha amplifies early cyclooxygenase-2 expression, oxidative stress and MAP kinase phosphorylation after cerebral ischemia in mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Koehler Raymond C

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The enzyme cytosolic phospholipase A2 alpha (cPLA2α has been implicated in the progression of cerebral injury following ischemia and reperfusion. Previous studies in rodents suggest that cPLA2α enhances delayed injury extension and disruption of the blood brain barrier many hours after reperfusion. In this study we investigated the role of cPLA2α in early ischemic cerebral injury. Methods Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO was performed on cPLA2α+/+ and cPLA2α-/- mice for 2 hours followed by 0, 2, or 6 hours of reperfusion. The levels of cPLA2α, cyclooxygenase-2, neuronal morphology and reactive oxygen species in the ischemic and contralateral hemispheres were evaluated by light and fluorescent microscopy. PGE2 content was compared between genotypes and hemispheres after MCAO and MCAO and 6 hours reperfusion. Regional cerebral blood flow was measured during MCAO and phosphorylation of relevant MAPKs in brain protein homogenates was measured by Western analysis after 6 hours of reperfusion. Results Neuronal cPLA2α protein increased by 2-fold immediately after MCAO and returned to pre-MCAO levels after 2 hours reperfusion. Neuronal cyclooxygenase-2 induction and PGE2 concentration were greater in cPLA2α+/+ compared to cPLA2α-/- ischemic cortex. Neuronal swelling in ischemic regions was significantly greater in the cPLA2α+/+ than in cPLA2α-/- brains (+/+: 2.2 ± 0.3 fold vs. -/-: 1.7 ± 0.4 fold increase; P 2α+/+ ischemic core than in cPLA2α-/- (+/+: 7.12 ± 1.2 fold vs. -/-: 3.1 ± 1.4 fold; P 2α+/+, but not cPLA2α-/-, had disruption of neuron morphology and decreased PGE2 content. Phosphorylation of the MAPKs-p38, ERK 1/2, and MEK 1/2-was significantly greater in cPLA2a+/+ than in cPLA2α-/- ischemic cortex 6 hours after reperfusion. Conclusions These results indicate that cPLA2α modulates the earliest molecular and injury responses after cerebral ischemia and have implications for the potential clinical

  13. Point of care testing of phospholipase A2 group IIA for serological diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Nathan J.; Chapman, Robert; Lin, Yiyang; Mmesi, Jonas; Bentham, Andrew; Tyreman, Matthew; Abraham, Sonya; Stevens, Molly M.

    2016-02-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2-IIA) was examined as a point of care marker for determining disease activity in rheumatoid (RA) and psoriatic (PsA) arthritis. Serum concentration and activity of sPLA2-IIA were measured using in-house antibodies and a novel point of care lateral flow device assay in patients diagnosed with varying severities of RA (n = 30) and PsA (n = 25) and found to correlate strongly with C-reactive protein (CRP). Levels of all markers were elevated in patients with active RA over those with inactive RA as well as both active and inactive PsA, indicating that sPLA2-IIA can be used as an analogue to CRP for RA diagnosis at point of care.Secretory phospholipase A2 group IIA (sPLA2-IIA) was examined as a point of care marker for determining disease activity in rheumatoid (RA) and psoriatic (PsA) arthritis. Serum concentration and activity of sPLA2-IIA were measured using in-house antibodies and a novel point of care lateral flow device assay in patients diagnosed with varying severities of RA (n = 30) and PsA (n = 25) and found to correlate strongly with C-reactive protein (CRP). Levels of all markers were elevated in patients with active RA over those with inactive RA as well as both active and inactive PsA, indicating that sPLA2-IIA can be used as an analogue to CRP for RA diagnosis at point of care. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08423g

  14. Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of an acidic phospholipase A2 with vasoconstrictor activity from Agkistrodon halys pallas venom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zou, Zhisong; Zeng, Fuxing; Zhang, Lu; Niu, Liwen; Teng, Maikun; Li, Xu

    2012-01-01

    A vasoconstrictor PLA 2 was purified from Agkistrodon halys pallas venom and the preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis had been described. Phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 s) are the major component of snake venoms and exert a variety of relevant toxic actions such as neurotoxicity and myotoxicity, amongst others. An acidic PLA 2 , here named AhV-aPA, was purified from Agkistrodon halys pallas venom by means of a three-step chromatographic procedure. AhV-aPA migrated as a single band on SDS–PAGE gels, with a molecular weight of about 14 kDa. Like other acidic aPLA 2 s, AhV-aPA has high enzymatic activity. Tension measurements of mouse thoracic aortic rings remarkably indicated that AhV-aPA could induce a further contractile response on the 60 mM K + -induced contraction, with an EC 50 of 369 nmol l −1 . Rod-shaped crystals were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to a resolution limit of 2.30 Å. The crystals belonged to space group P222, with unit-cell parameters a = 44.27, b = 68.39, c = 81.54 Å

  15. A novel protein from the serum of Python sebae, structurally homologous with type-γ phospholipase A(2) inhibitor, displays antitumour activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Donnini, Sandra; Finetti, Federica; Francese, Simona; Boscaro, Francesca; Dani, Francesca R; Maset, Fabio; Frasson, Roberta; Palmieri, Michele; Pazzagli, Mario; De Filippis, Vincenzo; Garaci, Enrico; Ziche, Marina

    2011-12-01

    Cytotoxic and antitumour factors have been documented in the venom of snakes, although little information is available on the identification of cytotoxic products in snake serum. In the present study, we purified and characterized a new cytotoxic factor from serum of the non-venomous African rock python (Python sebae), endowed with antitumour activity. PSS (P. sebae serum) exerted a cytotoxic activity and reduced dose-dependently the viability of several different tumour cell lines. In a model of human squamous cell carcinoma xenograft (A431), subcutaneous injection of PSS in proximity of the tumour mass reduced the tumour volume by 20%. Fractionation of PSS by ion-exchange chromatography yielded an active protein fraction, F5, which significantly reduced tumour cell viability in vitro and, strikingly, tumour growth in vivo. F5 is composed of P1 (peak 1) and P2 subunits interacting in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio to form a heterotetramer in equilibrium with a hexameric form, which retained biological activity only when assembled. The two peptides share sequence similarity with PIP {PLI-γ [type-γ PLA(2) (phospholipase A(2)) inhibitor] from Python reticulatus}, existing as a homohexamer. More importantly, although PIP inhibits the hydrolytic activity of PLA(2), the anti-PLA(2) function of F5 is negligible. Using high-resolution MS, we covered 87 and 97% of the sequences of P1 and P2 respectively. In conclusion, in the present study we have identified and thoroughly characterized a novel protein displaying high sequence similarity to PLI-γ and possessing remarkable cytotoxic and antitumour effects that can be exploited for potential pharmacological applications.

  16. A One Pot Synthesis of Novel Bioactive Tri-Substitute-Condensed-Imidazopyridines that Targets Snake Venom Phospholipase A2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anilkumar, Nirvanappa C.; Sundaram, Mahalingam S.; Mohan, Chakrabhavi Dhananjaya; Rangappa, Shobith; Bulusu, Krishna C.; Fuchs, Julian E.; Girish, Kesturu S.; Bender, Andreas; Basappa; Rangappa, Kanchugarakoppal S.

    2015-01-01

    Drugs such as necopidem, saripidem, alpidem, zolpidem, and olprinone contain nitrogen-containing bicyclic, condensed-imidazo[1,2-α]pyridines as bioactive scaffolds. In this work, we report a high-yield one pot synthesis of 1-(2-methyl-8-aryl-substitued-imidazo[1,2-α]pyridin-3-yl)ethan-1-onefor the first-time. Subsequently, we performed in silico mode-of-action analysis and predicted that the synthesized imidazopyridines targets Phospholipase A2 (PLA2). In vitro analysis confirmed the predicted target PLA2 for the novel imidazopyridine derivative1-(2-Methyl-8-naphthalen-1-yl-imidazo [1,2-α]pyridine-3-yl)-ethanone (compound 3f) showing significant inhibitory activity towards snake venom PLA2 with an IC50 value of 14.3 μM. Evidently, the molecular docking analysis suggested that imidazopyridine compound was able to bind to the active site of the PLA2 with strong affinity, whose affinity values are comparable to nimesulide. Furthermore, we estimated the potential for oral bioavailability by Lipinski's Rule of Five. Hence, it is concluded that the compound 3f could be a lead molecule against snake venom PLA2. PMID:26196520

  17. A One Pot Synthesis of Novel Bioactive Tri-Substitute-Condensed-Imidazopyridines that Targets Snake Venom Phospholipase A2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirvanappa C Anilkumar

    Full Text Available Drugs such as necopidem, saripidem, alpidem, zolpidem, and olprinone contain nitrogen-containing bicyclic, condensed-imidazo[1,2-α]pyridines as bioactive scaffolds. In this work, we report a high-yield one pot synthesis of 1-(2-methyl-8-aryl-substitued-imidazo[1,2-α]pyridin-3-ylethan-1-onefor the first-time. Subsequently, we performed in silico mode-of-action analysis and predicted that the synthesized imidazopyridines targets Phospholipase A2 (PLA2. In vitro analysis confirmed the predicted target PLA2 for the novel imidazopyridine derivative1-(2-Methyl-8-naphthalen-1-yl-imidazo [1,2-α]pyridine-3-yl-ethanone (compound 3f showing significant inhibitory activity towards snake venom PLA2 with an IC50 value of 14.3 μM. Evidently, the molecular docking analysis suggested that imidazopyridine compound was able to bind to the active site of the PLA2 with strong affinity, whose affinity values are comparable to nimesulide. Furthermore, we estimated the potential for oral bioavailability by Lipinski's Rule of Five. Hence, it is concluded that the compound 3f could be a lead molecule against snake venom PLA2.

  18. ATP mediates NADPH oxidase/ROS generation and COX-2/PGE2 expression in A549 cells: role of P2 receptor-dependent STAT3 activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shin-Ei Cheng

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Up-regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX-2 and its metabolite prostaglandin E(2 (PGE(2 are frequently implicated in lung inflammation. Extracellular nucleotides, such as ATP have been shown to act via activation of P2 purinoceptors, leading to COX-2 expression in various inflammatory diseases, such as lung inflammation. However, the mechanisms underlying ATP-induced COX-2 expression and PGE(2 release remain unclear. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we showed that ATPγS induced COX-2 expression in A549 cells revealed by western blot and real-time PCR. Pretreatment with the inhibitors of P2 receptor (PPADS and suramin, PKC (Gö6983, Gö6976, Ro318220, and Rottlerin, ROS (Edaravone, NADPH oxidase [diphenyleneiodonium chloride (DPI and apocynin], Jak2 (AG490, and STAT3 [cucurbitacin E (CBE] and transfection with siRNAs of PKCα, PKCι, PKCμ, p47(phox, Jak2, STAT3, and cPLA(2 markedly reduced ATPγS-induced COX-2 expression and PGE(2 production. In addition, pretreatment with the inhibitors of P2 receptor attenuated PKCs translocation from the cytosol to the membrane in response to ATPγS. Moreover, ATPγS-induced ROS generation and p47(phox translocation was also reduced by pretreatment with the inhibitors of P2 receptor, PKC, and NADPH oxidase. On the other hand, ATPγS stimulated Jak2 and STAT3 activation which were inhibited by pretreatment with PPADS, suramin, Gö6983, Gö6976, Ro318220, GF109203X, Rottlerin, Edaravone, DPI, and apocynin in A549 cells. SIGNIFICANCE: Taken together, these results showed that ATPγS induced COX-2 expression and PGE(2 production via a P2 receptor/PKC/NADPH oxidase/ROS/Jak2/STAT3/cPLA(2 signaling pathway in A549 cells. Increased understanding of signal transduction mechanisms underlying COX-2 gene regulation will create opportunities for the development of anti-inflammation therapeutic strategies.

  19. Phospholipid alterations in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum induced by xanthine oxidase: contamination of commercial preparations of xanthine oxidase by phospholipase A2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gamache, D.A.; Kornberg, L.J.; Bartolf, M.; Franson, R.C.

    1986-01-01

    Incubation of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum with xanthine oxidase alone at pH 7.0 resulted in a loss of lipid phosphorus that was potentiated by the addition of xanthine. Using autoclaved E.coli with 1- 14 C-oleate in the 2-acyl position of membrane phospholipids, the authors demonstrate that many, but not all, commercial preparations of xanthine oxidase contain significant phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activity (64.3-545.6 nmols/min/mg). The PLA 2 was maximally active in the neutral-alkaline pH range, was Ca 2+ -dependent, and was unaffected by the addition of xanthine. PLA 2 activity was totally inhibited by 1mM EDTA whereas radical production by optimal concentrations of xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO) was unaffected by EDTA. Chromatographically purified xanthine oxidase (Sigma Grade III) contained high levels of PLA 2 activity (64.3 nmols/min/mg) compared to endogenous levels of neutral-active, Ca 2+ -dependent PLA 2 measured in various tissue homogenates (≤ 0.5 nmols/ min/mg). Because X/XO mixtures are used extensively to study oxygen free radical-induced cell injury and membrane phospholipid alterations, the presence of a potent extracellular PLA 2 may have influenced previously published reports, and such studies should be interpreted cautiously

  20. Identification of intracellular phospholipases A2 in the human eye: involvement in phagocytosis of photoreceptor outer segments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolko, Miriam; Wang, Jinmei; Zhan, Chen

    2007-01-01

    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 m......)-VIA activity was found to be specifically increased 12 hours after ARPE-19 cells were fed with POS. Finally, RPE phagocytosis was inhibited by the iPLA(2)-VIA inhibitor bromoenol lactone. CONCLUSIONS: Various intracellular PLA(2) subtypes are present in the human retina. iPLA(2)-VIA may play...

  1. Identification of a membrane-bound, glycol-stimulated phospholipase A2 located in the secretory granules of the adrenal medulla

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hildebrandt, E.; Albanesi, J.P.

    1991-01-01

    Chromaffin granule membranes prepared from bovine adrenal medullae showed Ca 2+ -stimulated phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activity when assayed at pH 9.0 with phosphatidylcholine containing an [ 14 C]-arachidonyl group in the 2-position. However, the activity occurred in both soluble and particulate subcellular fractions, and did not codistribute with markers for the secretory granule. PLA 2 activity in the granule membrane preparation was stimulated dramatically by addition of glycerol, ethylene glycole, or poly(ethylene glycol). This glycol-stimulated PLA 2 activity codistributed with membrane-bound dopamine β-hydroxylase, a marker for the granule membranes, through the sequence of differential centrifugation steps employed to prepare the granule membrane fraction, as well as on a sucrose density gradient which resolved the granules from mitochondria, lysosomes, and plasma membrane. The glycol-stimulated PLA 2 of the chromaffin granule was membrane-bound, exhibited a pH optimum of 7.8, retained activity in the presence of EDTA, and was inactivated by p-bromophenacyl bromide. When different 14 C-labeled phospholipids were incorporated into diarachidonylphosphatidylcholine liposomes, 1-palmitoyl-2-arachidonylphosphatidylcholine was a better substrate for this enzyme than 1-palmitoyl-2-oleylphosphatidylcholine or 1-acyl-2-arachidonyl-phosphatidylethhanolamine, and distearoylphosphatidylcholine was not hydrolyzed

  2. Phosphatidylserine-stimulated production of N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamines by Ca2+-dependent N-acyltransferase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hussain, Zahir; Uyama, Toru; Kawai, Katsuhisa; Binte Mustafiz, Smriti Sultana; Tsuboi, Kazuhito; Araki, Nobukazu; Ueda, Natsuo

    2018-05-01

    N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE) is known to be a precursor for various bioactive N-acylethanolamines including the endocannabinoid anandamide. NAPE is produced in mammals through the transfer of an acyl chain from certain glycerophospholipids to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) by Ca 2+ -dependent or -independent N-acyltransferases. The ε isoform of mouse cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 ε) was recently identified as a Ca 2+ -dependent N-acyltransferase (Ca-NAT). In the present study, we first showed that two isoforms of human cPLA 2 ε function as Ca-NAT. We next purified both mouse recombinant cPLA 2 ε and its two human orthologues to examine their catalytic properties. The enzyme absolutely required Ca 2+ for its activity and the activity was enhanced by phosphatidylserine (PS). PS enhanced the activity 25-fold in the presence of 1 mM CaCl 2 and lowered the EC 50 value of Ca 2+ >8-fold. Using a PS probe, we showed that cPLA 2 ε largely co-localizes with PS in plasma membrane and organelles involved in the endocytic pathway, further supporting the interaction of cPLA 2 ε with PS in living cells. Finally, we found that the Ca 2+ -ionophore ionomycin increased [ 14 C]NAPE levels >10-fold in [ 14 C]ethanolamine-labeled cPLA 2 ε-expressing cells while phospholipase A/acyltransferase-1, acting as a Ca 2+ -independent N-acyltransferase, was insensitive to ionomycin for full activity. In conclusion, PS potently stimulated the Ca 2+ -dependent activity and human cPLA 2 ε isoforms also functioned as Ca-NAT. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Thermal and mechanical properties of PLA and PBAT/PLA systems; Propriedades mecanicas e termicas de sistemas de PLA e PBAT/PLA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Silva, M.C.; Oliveira, S.V. de; Araujo, E.M., E-mail: milecost@hotmail.com [Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), PB (Brazil). Unidade Academica de Engenharia de Materiais

    2014-07-01

    Searches with biodegradable materials have grown every day, because they present a lower environmental impact compared to conventional polymers. In this work, biodegradable polymer matrices such as polylactide (PLA) and a poly(adipate butyleneco- terephthalate)/polylactide (PBAT/PLA) blend commercially known as Ecovio ® were used. It was also used a smectite clay from the Paraiba. It was modified with Praepagen surfactant and named as organoclay (OMMT). PLA and PBAT/PLA systems were prepared with organoclay in concentration of 3 wt.%. Initially, masters were produced in a high shear mixer. Subsequently, they were dispersed in the polymer matrix in a do-rotational twin screw extruder. The PLA/OMMT and PBAT/PLA/OMMT biocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile and impact mechanical properties and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). According to XRD patterns of PLA/OMMT and PBAT/PLA/OMMT systems, it was observed a probable formation of a microcomposite for both systems. It was noticed that they showed reduction in tensile mechanical properties, however there was an increase in impact strength for PLA/OMMT system. The DSC curves practically no change in the crystallinity of the systems. (author)

  4. Potential of a newly developed high-speed near-infrared (NIR) camera (Compovision) in polymer industrial analyses: monitoring crystallinity and crystal evolution of polylactic acid (PLA) and concentration of PLA in PLA/Poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishikawa, Daitaro; Nishii, Takashi; Mizuno, Fumiaki; Sato, Harumi; Kazarian, Sergei G; Ozaki, Yukihiro

    2013-12-01

    This study was carried out to evaluate a new high-speed hyperspectral near-infrared (NIR) camera named Compovision. Quantitative analyses of the crystallinity and crystal evolution of biodegradable polymer, polylactic acid (PLA), and its concentration in PLA/poly-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) blends were investigated using near-infrared (NIR) imaging. This NIR camera can measure two-dimensional NIR spectral data in the 1000-2350 nm region obtaining images with wide field of view of 150 × 250 mm(2) (approximately 100  000 pixels) at high speeds (in less than 5 s). PLA with differing crystallinities between 0 and 50% blended samples with PHB in ratios of 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80, and pure films of 100% PLA and PHB were prepared. Compovision was used to collect respective NIR spectra in the 1000-2350 nm region and investigate the crystallinity of PLA and its concentration in the blends. The partial least squares (PLS) regression models for the crystallinity of PLA were developed using absorbance, second derivative, and standard normal variate (SNV) spectra from the most informative region of the spectra, between 1600 and 2000 nm. The predicted results of PLS models achieved using the absorbance and second derivative spectra were fairly good with a root mean square error (RMSE) of less than 6.1% and a determination of coefficient (R(2)) of more than 0.88 for PLS factor 1. The results obtained using the SNV spectra yielded the best prediction with the smallest RMSE of 2.93% and the highest R(2) of 0.976. Moreover, PLS models developed for estimating the concentration of PLA in the blend polymers using SNV spectra gave good predicted results where the RMSE was 4.94% and R(2) was 0.98. The SNV-based models provided the best-predicted results, since it can reduce the effects of the spectral changes induced by the inhomogeneity and the thickness of the samples. Wide area crystal evolution of PLA on a plate where a temperature slope of 70-105 °C had occurred was also

  5. Two Isoforms of Yersinia pestis Plasminogen Activator Pla: Intraspecies Distribution, Intrinsic Disorder Propensity, and Contribution to Virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dentovskaya, Svetlana V; Platonov, Mikhail E; Svetoch, Tat'yana E; Kopylov, Pavel Kh; Kombarova, Tat'yana I; Ivanov, Sergey A; Shaikhutdinova, Rima Z; Kolombet, Lyubov' V; Chauhan, Sadhana; Ablamunits, Vitaly G; Motin, Vladimir L; Uversky, Vladimir N; Anisimov, Andrey P

    2016-01-01

    It has been shown previously that several endemic Y. pestis isolates with limited virulence contained the I259 isoform of the outer membrane protease Pla, while the epidemic highly virulent strains possessed only the T259 Pla isoform. Our sequence analysis of the pla gene from 118 Y. pestis subsp. microtus strains revealed that the I259 isoform was present exclusively in the endemic strains providing a convictive evidence of more ancestral origin of this isoform. Analysis of the effects of the I259T polymorphism on the intrinsic disorder propensity of Pla revealed that the I259T mutation slightly increases the intrinsic disorder propensity of the C-terminal tail of Pla and makes this protein slightly more prone for disorder-based protein-protein interactions, suggesting that the T259 Pla could be functionally more active than the I259 Pla. This assumption was proven experimentally by assessing the coagulase and fibrinolytic activities of the two Pla isoforms in human plasma, as well as in a direct fluorometric assay with the Pla peptide substrate. The virulence testing of Pla-negative or expressing the I259 and T259 Pla isoforms Y. pestis subsp. microtus and subsp. pestis strains did not reveal any significant difference in LD50 values and dose-dependent survival assays between them by using a subcutaneous route of challenge of mice and guinea pigs or intradermal challenge of mice. However, a significant decrease in time-to-death was observed in animals infected with the epidemic T259 Pla-producing strains as compared to the parent Pla-negative variants. Survival curves of the endemic I259 Pla+ strains fit between them, but significant difference in mean time to death post infection between the Pla-strains and their I259 Pla+ variants could be seen only in the isogenic set of subsp. pestis strains. These findings suggest an essential role for the outer membrane protease Pla evolution in Y. pestis bubonic infection exacerbation that is necessary for intensification

  6. The effect of ω-fatty acids on the expression of phospholipase A2 group 2A in human gastric cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shariati, Mahboube; Aghaei, Mahmoud; Movahedian, Ahmad; Somi, Mohammad Hosein; Dolatkhah, Homayun; Aghazade, Ahmad Mirza

    2016-01-01

    Studies show that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may have an inhibitory role in carcinogenesis. It was previously shown that PLA2 group 2A (PLA2G2A) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression is associated with less frequent metastasis and longer survival in gastric adenocarcinoma. This study intends to investigate the effect of PUFAs on the expression of PLA2G2A in patients with gastric cancer. Thirty-four patients with gastric cancer (GC) were randomly divided into two groups. The first group received cisplatin medication. The second group received cisplatin medication and supplements of ω-fatty acids for three courses. The total RNA was extracted from the tissues and cDNA was synthesized. The gene expression of PLA2G2A was evaluated by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. To confirm the changes in gene expression, frozen section was utilized. The frozen tissue samples were sectioned and stained using the immunohistochemistry technique. After chemotherapy and chemotherapy plus supplement, the relative mean of PLA2G2A gene expression increased 1.5 ± 0.5-fold and 7.4 ± 2.6-fold, respectively ( P = 0.006). The relative mean of gene expression in patients who received cisplatin and ω-fatty acids supplement increased more significantly (7.5 ± 3.3-fold) than in patients who received only cisplatin ( P = 0.016). It was found that PUFAs increased the gene and protein expression of PLA2G2A in gastric cancer. Concerning the fact that studies reveal protective function of PLA2G2A in gastric cancer, it is suggested that increased expression of PLA2G2A is helpful. Furthermore, PUFAs can be considered as a useful therapeutic supplement for patients with gastric cancer.

  7. Identification and characterization of B-cell epitopes of 3FTx and PLA(2) toxins from Micrurus corallinus snake venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castro, K L; Duarte, C G; Ramos, H R; Machado de Avila, R A; Schneider, F S; Oliveira, D; Freitas, C F; Kalapothakis, E; Ho, P L; Chávez-Olortegui, C

    2015-01-01

    The main goal of this work was to develop a strategy to identify B-cell epitopes on four different three finger toxins (3FTX) and one phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from Micrurus corallinus snake venom. 3FTx and PLA2 are highly abundant components in Elapidic venoms and are the major responsibles for the toxicity observed in envenomation by coral snakes. Overlapping peptides from the sequence of each toxin were prepared by SPOT method and three different anti-elapidic sera were used to map the epitopes. After immunogenicity analysis of the spot-reactive peptides by EPITOPIA, a computational method, nine sequences from the five toxins were chemically synthesized and antigenically and immunogenically characterized. All the peptides were used together as immunogens in rabbits, delivered with Freund's adjuvant for a first cycle of immunization and Montanide in the second. A good antibody response against individual synthetic peptides and M. corallinus venom was achieved. Anti-peptide IgGs were also cross-reactive against Micrurus frontalis and Micrurus lemniscatus crude venoms. In addition, anti-peptide IgGs inhibits the lethal and phospholipasic activities of M. corallinus crude venom. Our results provide a rational basis to the identification of neutralizing epitopes on coral snake toxins and show that their corresponding synthetic peptides could improve the generation of immuno-therapeutics. The use of synthetic peptide for immunization is a reasonable approach, since it enables poly-specificity, low risk of toxic effects and large scale production. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Synthesis and application of PLA and PLA/GO fibers through thermo-responsive transformation of PLA particles

    OpenAIRE

    Bolakhrif, Sabah

    2016-01-01

    PLA nanofibers were successively produced by thermo-responsive transformation of PLA particles in water. The morphological structure of the nanofibers could be optimized by the heat treatment as well as the incorporation of GO to the fiber surface. PLA/GO fiber demonstrated a more stable morphology and GO provided good compatibility between PLA and starch. Both PLA and PLA/GO fibers incorporated in starch films resulted in increased thermal stability and mechanical properties. However, the mo...

  9. Polymer blends of polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate-adipate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Wenguang

    A series of blends consisting of polylactic acid (PLA) and aliphatic succinate polyester (BionolleRTM #3000) had been prepared and investigated. The results of mechanical property investigations showed that using 20 wt% Bionolle#3000 can significantly increase the toughness of PLA. BionolleRTM #3000 also reduces the physical aging rate of PLA so blends remain tough longer. Conversely, the stiffness of BionolleRTM #3000 can be significantly increased by blending in PLA. DMA and DSC results show that PLA/BionolleRTM 3000 blends are not thermodynamically miscible, but are compatible blends. Studies have also been performed to determine the amount and rate of aerobic biodegradation of PLA/aliphatic succinate polyester blends in biologically active composting, enzymatic, and soil environments. The changes in molecular weight, molecular structure and thermal properties in the composting environment were also studied by GPC, NMR and DSC analyses. The research results showed BionolleRTM #3000 had a high degradation rate, while PLA had a low degradation rate. PLA/BionolleRTM #3000 blends had moderate degradation rates that increased with BionolleRTM #3000 content. The melt flow behavior of PLA/BionolleRTM #3000 blends has been studied by capillary rheometry. The relationship of the blends' viscosity with their composition, shear stress, shear rate, and temperature has been investigated. Power law index and activation energy of PLA, BionolleRTM #3000 and their blends have been calculated. The experimental and theoretical data can let us understand the processability of PLA/BionolleRTM #3000 blends. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to investigate the morphological structure of the PLA/BionolleRTM #3000 blends. Micrographs of the samples made from different methods (blown film, extrudate and compression molding sheet) were taken; their differences in morphology were compared. For comparison, the micrographs of blend PLA/BionolleRTM #6000 was also studied. The

  10. PhTX-II a Basic Myotoxic Phospholipase A2 from Porthidium hyoprora Snake Venom, Pharmacological Characterization and Amino Acid Sequence by Mass Spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huancahuire-Vega, Salomón; Ponce-Soto, Luis Alberto; Marangoni, Sergio

    2014-01-01

    A monomeric basic PLA2 (PhTX-II) of 14149.08 Da molecular weight was purified to homogeneity from Porthidium hyoprora venom. Amino acid sequence by in tandem mass spectrometry revealed that PhTX-II belongs to Asp49 PLA2 enzyme class and displays conserved domains as the catalytic network, Ca2+-binding loop and the hydrophobic channel of access to the catalytic site, reflected in the high catalytic activity displayed by the enzyme. Moreover, PhTX-II PLA2 showed an allosteric behavior and its enzymatic activity was dependent on Ca2+. Examination of PhTX-II PLA2 by CD spectroscopy indicated a high content of alpha-helical structures, similar to the known structure of secreted phospholipase IIA group suggesting a similar folding. PhTX-II PLA2 causes neuromuscular blockade in avian neuromuscular preparations with a significant direct action on skeletal muscle function, as well as, induced local edema and myotoxicity, in mice. The treatment of PhTX-II by BPB resulted in complete loss of their catalytic activity that was accompanied by loss of their edematogenic effect. On the other hand, enzymatic activity of PhTX-II contributes to this neuromuscular blockade and local myotoxicity is dependent not only on enzymatic activity. These results show that PhTX-II is a myotoxic Asp49 PLA2 that contributes with toxic actions caused by P. hyoprora venom. PMID:25365526

  11. PhTX-II a Basic Myotoxic Phospholipase A2 from Porthidium hyoprora Snake Venom, Pharmacological Characterization and Amino Acid Sequence by Mass Spectrometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salomón Huancahuire-Vega

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available A monomeric basic PLA2 (PhTX-II of 14149.08 Da molecular weight was purified to homogeneity from Porthidium hyoprora venom. Amino acid sequence by in tandem mass spectrometry revealed that PhTX-II belongs to Asp49 PLA2 enzyme class and displays conserved domains as the catalytic network, Ca2+-binding loop and the hydrophobic channel of access to the catalytic site, reflected in the high catalytic activity displayed by the enzyme. Moreover, PhTX-II PLA2 showed an allosteric behavior and its enzymatic activity was dependent on Ca2+. Examination of PhTX-II PLA2 by CD spectroscopy indicated a high content of alpha-helical structures, similar to the known structure of secreted phospholipase IIA group suggesting a similar folding. PhTX-II PLA2 causes neuromuscular blockade in avian neuromuscular preparations with a significant direct action on skeletal muscle function, as well as, induced local edema and myotoxicity, in mice. The treatment of PhTX-II by BPB resulted in complete loss of their catalytic activity that was accompanied by loss of their edematogenic effect. On the other hand, enzymatic activity of PhTX-II contributes to this neuromuscular blockade and local myotoxicity is dependent not only on enzymatic activity. These results show that PhTX-II is a myotoxic Asp49 PLA2 that contributes with toxic actions caused by P. hyoprora venom.

  12. Mitigation of N2O Emission from Aquaponics by Optimizing the Nitrogen Transformation Process: Aeration Management and Exogenous Carbon (PLA) Addition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zou, Yina; Hu, Zhen; Zhang, Jian; Fang, Yingke; Li, Minying; Zhang, Jianda

    2017-10-11

    N 2 O production in aquaponics is an inevitable concern when aquaponics is developed as a future production system. In the present study, two attempts were applied to mitigate N 2 O emission from aquaponics, i.e., aeration in hydroponic bed (HA) and addition of polylactic acid (PLA) into fillers (PA). Results showed that N 2 O emission from HA and PA was decreased by 47.1-58.1% and 43.2-74.9% respectively compared with that in control. Denitrification was proved to be the main emission pathway in all treatments, representing 62.4%, 86.4%, and 75.8% of the total N 2 O emission in HA, PA, and control, respectively. However, production of plants in HA was severely impaired, which was only 3.04 ± 0.39 kg/m 2 , while in PA and control, plants yields were 4.87 ± 0.56 kg/m 2 and 4.33 ± 0.58 kg/m 2 . Combining the environmental and economic benefits, adding PLA in aquaponics may have a better future when developing and applying aquaponics systems.

  13. LIM kinase-1 selectively promotes glycoprotein Ib-IX–mediated TXA2 synthesis, platelet activation, and thrombosis

    OpenAIRE

    Estevez, Brian; Stojanovic-Terpo, Aleksandra; Delaney, M. Keegan; O’Brien, Kelly A.; Berndt, Michael C.; Ruan, Changgeng; Du, Xiaoping

    2013-01-01

    Role for LIMK1 in GPIb-IX–dependent cPLA2 activation, TXA2 synthesis, and platelet activation independent of its role in actin polymerization.LIMK1 is important in arterial thrombosis in vivo but appears to be dispensable for hemostasis, suggesting a new antithrombotic target.

  14. Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Mass Level Is Increased in Elderly Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Fortunato

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2 is extensively expressed by advanced atherosclerotic lesions and may play a role in plaque instability. We selected a group of elderly subjects that underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI or balloon angioplasty (BA and separated them into two groups, diabetic and nondiabetic, to compare the level of Lp-PLA2 mass between them. Methods. 44 patients aged 79.6±5.6 years with symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis underwent TAVI (n=35 or BA (n=9. 21 subjects had confirmed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Lp-PLA2 mass was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (USCN Life Science, China before and 3 days after the procedure. Results. Lp-PLA2 mass was significantly elevated in this population (1296±358 ng/mL before TAVI; 1413±268 ng/mL before BA and further increased after TAVI (1604±437 ng/mL, P<0.01 or BA (1808±303 ng/mL, P<0.01. Lp-PLA2 mass was significantly increased on the diabetic group before these interventions. Conclusion. Lp-PLA2 may be a novel biomarker for the presence of rupture-prone atherosclerotic lesions in elderly patients. Levels of Lp-PLA2 in diabetic patients may accompany the higher amount of small dense LDL particles seen in these subjects.

  15. Roles of phospholipase A2 isoforms in swelling- and melittin-induced arachidonic acid release and taurine efflux in NIH3T3 fibroblasts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Stine Helene Falsig; Poulsen, Kristian Arild; Lambert, Ian H.

    2006-01-01

    Osmotic swelling of NIH3T3 mouse fibroblasts activates a bromoenol lactone (BEL)-sensitive taurine efflux, pointing to the involvement of a Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) (Lambert IH. J Membr Biol 192: 19-32, 2003). We report that taurine efflux from NIH3T3 cells was not only increased...... by cell swelling but also decreased by cell shrinkage. Arachidonic acid release to the cell exterior was similarly decreased by shrinkage yet not detectably increased by swelling. NIH3T3 cells were found to express cytosolic calcium-dependent cPLA2-IVA, cPLA2-IVB, cPLA2-IVC, iPLA2-VIA, iPLA2-VIB......, and secretory sPLA2-V. Arachidonic acid release from swollen cells was partially inhibited by BEL and by the sPLA2-inhibitor manoalide. Cell swelling elicited BEL-sensitive arachidonic acid release from the nucleus, to which iPLA2-VIA localized. Exposure to the bee venom peptide melittin, to increase PLA2...

  16. AMPK Signaling Involvement for the Repression of the IL-1β-Induced Group IIA Secretory Phospholipase A2 Expression in VSMCs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Khadija El Hadri

    Full Text Available Secretory Phospholipase A2 of type IIA (sPLA2 IIA plays a crucial role in the production of lipid mediators by amplifying the neointimal inflammatory context of the vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs, especially during atherogenesis. Phenformin, a biguanide family member, by its anti-inflammatory properties presents potential for promoting beneficial effects upon vascular cells, however its impact upon the IL-1β-induced sPLA2 gene expression has not been deeply investigated so far. The present study was designed to determine the relationship between phenformin coupling AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK function and the molecular mechanism by which the sPLA2 IIA expression was modulated in VSMCs. Here we find that 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-D-ribonucleotide (AICAR treatment strongly repressed IL-1β-induced sPLA2 expression at least at the transcriptional level. Our study reveals that phenformin elicited a dose-dependent inhibition of the sPLA2 IIA expression and transient overexpression experiments of constitutively active AMPK demonstrate clearly that AMPK signaling is involved in the transcriptional inhibition of sPLA2-IIA gene expression. Furthermore, although the expression of the transcriptional repressor B-cell lymphoma-6 protein (BCL-6 was markedly enhanced by phenformin and AICAR, the repression of sPLA2 gene occurs through a mechanism independent of BCL-6 DNA binding site. In addition we show that activation of AMPK limits IL-1β-induced NF-κB pathway activation. Our results indicate that BCL-6, once activated by AMPK, functions as a competitor of the IL-1β induced NF-κB transcription complex. Our findings provide insights on a new anti-inflammatory pathway linking phenformin, AMPK and molecular control of sPLA2 IIA gene expression in VSMCs.

  17. Study of association between genetic polymorphisms of phospholipase A2 enzymes and Alzheimer's disease Associação entre polimorfismos das enzimas fosfolipases A2 e doença de Alzheimer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Quirino Cordeiro

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Several genes have been related to late-onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD. Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 influence the processing and secretion of the amyloid precursor protein, which gives rise to the beta-amyloid peptide, the major component of the amyloid plaque in AD. Hence, in the present study, polymorphisms of three genes encoding PLA2 enzymes group (cytosolic PLA2: BanI cPLA2 polymorphism; calcium-independent PLA2: AvrII iPLA2 polymorphism; PAFAH: Val279Phe PAFAH polymorphism were analysed in a case-control sample using 58 patients with LOAD and 107 matched healthy controls. There was a genotypic association between the BanI cPLA2 polymorphism and LOAD (χ2=6.25, 2df, p=0.04, however there was no allelic association. There were no associations between AvrII iPLA2 and Val279Phe PAFAH polymorphisms and LOAD. These data suggest that the BanI cPLA2 polymorphism may play a role in the susceptibility for LOAD in our Brazilian sample.Vários genes têm sido investigados como fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento da doença de Alzheimer (DA de início tardio. As fosfolipases A2 (PLA2 influenciam o processamento e secreção da proteína precursora do amilóide, que dá origem ao peptídeo meta-amilóide, o principal componente da placa amilóide na DA. Assim, no presente estudo, foram analisados três polimorfismos genéticos que codificam enzimas do grupo das PLA2 (PLA2 citosólica: polimorfismo BanI cPLA2; PLA2 cálcio-independente: polimorfismo AvrII iPLA2; PAFAH: polimorfismo Val279Phe PAFAH em 58 pacientes com DA de início tardio e 107 controles saudáveis pareados. Houve associação genotípica entre o polimorfismo BanI cPLA2 e DA de início tardio (χ2=6,25, 2df, p=0,04; no entanto não foi observada associação alélica. Não houve associação entre os polimorfismos AvrII iPLA2 e Val279Phe PAFAH com a doença. Tais dados sugerem que o polimorfismo BanI cPLA2 pode estar envolvido como fator de susceptibilidade para DA de início tardio em

  18. Inhibition of Group IIA Secretory Phospholipase A2 and its Inflammatory Reactions in Mice by Ethanolic Extract of Andrographis paniculata, a Well-known Medicinal Food

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kishore, V.; Yarla, N. S.; Zameer, F.; Nagendra Prasad, M. N.; Santosh, M. S.; More, S. S.; Rao, D. G.; Dhananjaya, Bhadrapura Lakkappa

    2016-01-01

    Andrographis paniculata Nees is an important medicinal plant found in the tropical regions of the world, which has been traditionally used in Indian and Chinese medicinal systems. It is also used as medicinal food. A. paniculata is found to exhibit anti-inflammatory activities; however, its inhibitory potential on inflammatory Group IIA phospholipases A2 (PLA2) and its associated inflammatory reactions are not clearly understood. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the inhibitory/neutralizing potential of ethanolic extract of A. paniculata on the isolated inflammatory PLA2 (VRV-PL-VIIIa) from Daboii rusellii pulchella (belonging to Group IIA inflammatory secretory PLA2 [sPLA2]) and its associated edema-induced activities in Swiss albino mice. A. paniculata extract dose dependently inhibited the Group IIA sPLA2 enzymatic activity with an IC50 value of 10.3 ± 0.5 μg/ml. Further, the extract dose dependently inhibited the edema formation, when co-injected with enzyme indicating that a strong correlation exists between lipolytic and pro-inflammatory activities of the enzyme. In conclusion, results of this study shows that the ethanolic extract of A. paniculata effectively inhibits Group IIA sPLA2 and its associated inflammatory activities, which substantiate its anti-inflammatory properties. The results of the present study warranted further studies to develop bioactive compound (s) in ethanolic extract of A. paniculata as potent therapeutic agent (s) for inflammatory diseases. SUMMARY This study emphasis the anti-inflammatory effect of A. paniculata by inhibiting the inflammatory Group IIA sPLA2 and its associated inflammatory activities such as edema. It was found that there is a strong correlation between lipolytic activity and pro-inflammatory activity inhibition. Therefore, the study suggests that the extract processes potent anti-inflammatory agents, which could be developed as a potential therapeutic agent against inflammatory and related diseases

  19. Deinhibition of cardiac Na/sup +/-K/sup +/-ATPase after exposure to exogenous phospholipase A/sub 2/

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Colvin, R.A.

    1987-01-01

    After 2 h of exogenous phospholipase A/sub 2/ (PLA/sub 2/) exposure, membrane phospholipid decreased from 3.22 +/- 0.31 to 1.06 +/- 0.13 ..mu..mol/mg (33% of control). All classes of phospholipid, except sphingomyelin, were hydrolyzed, whereas total cholesterol content was unaffected. Increases in nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) were reflected primarily in oleic (18:1), linoleic (18:2), and arachidonic (20:4). Na/sup +/-K/sup +/-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activity was inhibited to 29% of control by 2 h of PLA/sub 2/ treatment, and this inhibition was reversed (albeit, not completely after 5 min of PLA/sub 2/ treatment) by removal of the hydrolysis products with 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA). In contrast, the apparent binding capacity for (/sup 3/H)ouabain was not affected by PLA/sub 2/ treatment. Unmasking of latent (/sup 3/H)ouabain binding by alamethicin was utilized to estimate changes in the proportion of sealed vesicles present before and after PLA/sub 2/ treatment. PLA/sub 2/ treatment resulted in a time-dependent loss of sealed vesicles that paralleled the time course of phospholipid hydrolysis and was not reversed by washing with BSA. These studies demonstrate that cardiac Na/sup +/-K/sup +/-ATPase activity is inhibited by accumulation of endogenously produced lysophospholipids and NEFA. In contrast, loss of vesicle integrity may result from both accumulation of endogenously produced hydrolysis products and membrane phospholipid depletion.

  20. Exploring the in vitro and in vivo compatibility of PLA, PLA/GNP and PLA/CNT-COOH biodegradable nanocomposites: Prospects for tendon and ligament applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Correia Pinto, Viviana; Costa-Almeida, Raquel; Rodrigues, Ilda; Guardão, Luísa; Soares, Raquel; Miranda Guedes, Rui

    2017-08-01

    Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgeries are the most frequent orthopedic procedures in the knee. Currently, existing strategies fail in completely restoring tissue functionality and have a high failure rate associated, presenting a compelling argument towards the development of novel materials envisioning ACL reinforcement. Tendons and ligaments, in general, have a strong demand in terms of biomechanical features of developed constructs. We have previously developed polylactic acid (PLA)-based biodegradable films reinforced either with graphene nanoplatelets (PLA/GNP) or with carboxyl-functionalized carbon nanotubes (PLA/CNT-COOH). In the present study, we comparatively assessed the biological performance of PLA, PLA/GNP, and PLA/CNT-COOH by seeding human dermal fibroblasts (HFF-1) and studying cell viability and proliferation. In vivo tests were also performed by subcutaneous implantation in 6-week-old C57Bl/6 mice. Results showed that all formulations studied herein did not elicit cytotoxic responses in seeded HFF-1, supporting cell proliferation up to 3 days in culture. Moreover, animal studies indicated no physiological signs of severe inflammatory response after 1 and 2 weeks after implantation. Taken together, our results present a preliminary assessment on the compatibility of PLA reinforced with GNP and CNT-COOH nanofillers, highlighting the potential use of these carbon-based nanofillers for the fabrication of reinforced synthetic polymer-based structures for ACL reinforcement. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2182-2190, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Phenyllactic Acid from Lactobacillus plantarum PromotesAdipogenic Activity in 3T3-L1 Adipocyte via Up-Regulationof PPAR-γ2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soundharrajan Ilavenil

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic drugs are commonly used to cure various human ailments at present. However, the uses of synthetic drugs are strictly regulated because of their adverse effects. Thus, naturally occurring molecules may be more suitable for curing disease without unfavorable effects. Therefore, we investigated phenyllactic acid (PLA from Lactobacillus plantarum with respect to its effects on adipogenic genes and their protein expression in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes by qPCR and western blot techniques. PLA enhanced differentiation and lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells at the concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 μM. Maximum differentiation and lipid accumulation were observed at a concentration of 100 μM of PLA, as compared with control adipocytes (p < 0.05. The mRNA and protein expression of PPAR-γ2, C/EBP‑α, adiponectin, fatty acid synthase (FAS, and SREBP-1 were increased by PLA treatment as compared with control adipocytes (p < 0.05. PLA stimulates PPAR-γ mRNA expression in a concentration dependent manner, but this expression was lesser than agonist (2.83 ± 0.014 fold of PPAR-γ2. Moreover, PLA supplementation enhances glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes (11.81 ± 0.17 mM compared to control adipocytes, but this glucose uptake was lesser than that induced by troglitazone (13.75 ± 0.95 mM and insulin treatment (15.49 ± 0.20 mM. Hence, we conclude that PLA treatment enhances adipocyte differentiation and glucose uptake via activation of PPAR-γ2, and PLA may thus be the potential candidate for preventing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM.

  2. Secretory Phospholipase A2-IIA and Cardiovascular Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holmes, Michael V; Simon, Tabassome; Exeter, Holly J

    2013-01-01

    This study sought to investigate the role of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2)-IIA in cardiovascular disease.......This study sought to investigate the role of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2)-IIA in cardiovascular disease....

  3. Cytosolic phospholipase A2-alpha expression in breast cancer is associated with EGFR expression and correlates with an adverse prognosis in luminal tumours.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Caiazza, F

    2012-02-01

    BACKGROUND: The eicosanoid signalling pathway promotes the progression of malignancies through the production of proliferative prostaglandins (PGs). Cytosolic phospholipase A(2)alpha (cPLA(2)alpha) activity provides the substrate for cyclooxygenase-dependent PG release, and we have previously found that cPLA(2)alpha expression correlated with EGFR\\/HER2 over-expression in a small number of breast cancer cell lines. METHODS: The importance of differential cPLA(2)alpha activity in clinical breast cancer was established by relating the expression of cPLA(2)alpha in tissue samples from breast cancer patients, and two microarray-based gene expression datasets to different clinicopathological and therapeutic parameters. RESULTS: High cPLA(2)alpha mRNA expression correlated with clinical parameters of poor prognosis, which are characteristic of highly invasive tumours of the HER2-positive and basal-like subtype, including low oestrogen receptor expression and high EGFR expression. High cPLA(2)alpha expression decreased overall survival in patients with luminal cancers, and correlated with a reduced effect of tamoxifen treatment. The cPLA(2)alpha expression was an independent predictive parameter of poor response to endocrine therapy in the first 5 years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: This study shows a role of cPLA(2)alpha in luminal breast cancer progression, in which the enzyme could represent a novel therapeutic target and a predictive marker.

  4. Preparation of Chitin-PLA laminated composite for implantable application

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Romana Nasrin

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The present study explores the possibilities of using locally available inexpensive waste prawn shell derived chitin reinforced and bioabsorbable polylactic acid (PLA laminated composites to develop new materials with excellent mechanical and thermal properties for implantable application such as in bone or dental implant. Chitin at different concentration (1–20% of PLA reinforced PLA films (CTP were fabricated by solvent casting process and laminated chitin-PLA composites (LCTP were prepared by laminating PLA film (obtained by hot press method with CTP also by hot press method at 160 °C. The effect of variation of chitin concentration on the resulting laminated composite's behavior was investigated. The detailed physico-mechanical, surface morphology and thermal were assessed with different characterization technique such as FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TGA. The FTIR spectra showed the characteristic peaks for chitin and PLA in the composites. SEM images showed an excellent dispersion of chitin in the films and composites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA showed that the complete degradation of chitin, PLA film, 5% chitin reinforced PLA film (CTP2 and LCTP are 98%, 95%, 87% and 98% respectively at temperature of 500 °C. The tensile strength of the LCTP was found 25.09 MPa which is significantly higher than pure PLA film (18.55 MPa and CTP2 film (8.83 MPa. After lamination of pure PLA and CTP2 film, the composite (LCTP yielded 0.265–1.061% water absorption from 30 min to 24 h immerse in water that is much lower than PLA and CTP. The increased mechanical properties of the laminated films with the increase of chitin content indicated good dispersion of chitin into PLA and strong interfacial actions between the polymer and chitin. The improvement of mechanical properties and the results of antimicrobial and cytotoxicity of the composites also evaluated and revealed the composite would be a suitable candidate for implant application in biomedical

  5. Preparation of Chitin-PLA laminated composite for implantable application.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasrin, Romana; Biswas, Shanta; Rashid, Taslim Ur; Afrin, Sanjida; Jahan, Rumana Akhter; Haque, Papia; Rahman, Mohammed Mizanur

    2017-12-01

    The present study explores the possibilities of using locally available inexpensive waste prawn shell derived chitin reinforced and bioabsorbable polylactic acid (PLA) laminated composites to develop new materials with excellent mechanical and thermal properties for implantable application such as in bone or dental implant. Chitin at different concentration (1-20% of PLA) reinforced PLA films (CTP) were fabricated by solvent casting process and laminated chitin-PLA composites (LCTP) were prepared by laminating PLA film (obtained by hot press method) with CTP also by hot press method at 160 °C. The effect of variation of chitin concentration on the resulting laminated composite's behavior was investigated. The detailed physico-mechanical, surface morphology and thermal were assessed with different characterization technique such as FT-IR, XRD, SEM and TGA. The FTIR spectra showed the characteristic peaks for chitin and PLA in the composites. SEM images showed an excellent dispersion of chitin in the films and composites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the complete degradation of chitin, PLA film, 5% chitin reinforced PLA film (CTP2) and LCTP are 98%, 95%, 87% and 98% respectively at temperature of 500 °C. The tensile strength of the LCTP was found 25.09 MPa which is significantly higher than pure PLA film (18.55 MPa) and CTP2 film (8.83 MPa). After lamination of pure PLA and CTP2 film, the composite (LCTP) yielded 0.265-1.061% water absorption from 30 min to 24 h immerse in water that is much lower than PLA and CTP. The increased mechanical properties of the laminated films with the increase of chitin content indicated good dispersion of chitin into PLA and strong interfacial actions between the polymer and chitin. The improvement of mechanical properties and the results of antimicrobial and cytotoxicity of the composites also evaluated and revealed the composite would be a suitable candidate for implant application in biomedical sector.

  6. Properties of PET/PLA Electrospun Blends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kevin; Cebe, Peggy

    2012-02-01

    Electrospun membranes were fabricated from poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, co-spun with poly(lactic acid), PLA. The PLA contained 2% of the D-isomer, which served to limit the overall degree of crystallinity. Membranes were deposited from blended solutions of PET/PLA in hexafluoroisopropanol. The PET/PLA composition ranged from 0/100, 75/25, 50/50, 25/75, and 100/0. Electrospun membranes were made using either a static flat plate or a rotating wheel as the counter electrode, yielding unoriented mats or highly oriented tapes, respectively. We report on our investigation of the crystallinity, crystal perfection, and mechanical properties of these materials using differential scanning calorimetry, wide and small angle X-ray scattering, and dynamic mechanical analysis. In particular, we study the ability of one blend component (PET) to crystallize in the presence of existing crystals of the second blend component (PLA) which crystallizes first and at a lower temperature than PET.

  7. Creating a Positive Prior Learning Assessment (PLA Experience: A Step-by-Step Look at University PLA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara M. Leiste

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A prior learning assessment (PLA can be an intimidating process for adult learners. Capella University’s PLA team has developed best practices, resources, and tools to foster a positive experience and to remove barriers in PLA and uses three criteria to determine how to best administer the assessment. First, a PLA must be motivating, as described by the ARCS model. Second, it must enable success. Finally, it must use available resources efficiently. The tools and resources developed according to these criteria fall into two categories: staff and online resources. PLA programs can use both to ensure that all departments provide consistent communication to learners about the PLA process, which will foster a positive experience. The PLA online lab houses centralized resources and offers one-on-one interaction with a facilitator to assist learners step-by-step in the development of their petitions. Each unit contains resources, examples, and optional assignments that help learners to develop specific aspects of the petition. By following the examples and recommendations, learners are able to submit polished petitions after they complete the units. The lab facilitator supports learners throughout the units by answering questions and providing recommendations. When learners submit their petitions, the facilitator reviews it entirely and provides feedback to strengthen the final submission that goes to a faculty reviewer for an official evaluation. All of these individuals and tools work together to help create a positive experience for learners who submit a PLA petition. This article shares these resources with the goal of strengthening PLA as a field.

  8. The effect of polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) derivatives introduced into polylactide (PLA) on the activity of bacterial enzymes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walczak, Maciej; Richert, Agnieszka; Burkowska-But, Aleksandra

    2014-11-01

    The present study was aimed at investigating bactericidal properties of polylactide (PLA) films containing three different polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHMG) derivatives and effect of the derivatives on extracellular hydrolytic enzymes and intracellular dehydrogenases. All PHMG derivatives had a slightly stronger bactericidal effect on Staphylococcus aureus than on E. coli but only PHMG granular polyethylene wax (at the concentration of at least 0.6 %) has a bactericidal effect. PHMG derivatives introduced into PLA affected the activity of microbial hydrolases to a small extent. This means that the introduction of PHMG derivatives into PLA will not reduce its enzymatic biodegradation significantly. On the other hand, PHMG derivatives introduced into PLA strongly affected dehydrogenases activity in S. aureus than in E. coli.

  9. Thermal and mechanical properties of PLA and PBAT/PLA systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, M.C.; Oliveira, S.V. de; Araujo, E.M.

    2014-01-01

    Searches with biodegradable materials have grown every day, because they present a lower environmental impact compared to conventional polymers. In this work, biodegradable polymer matrices such as polylactide (PLA) and a poly(adipate butyleneco- terephthalate)/polylactide (PBAT/PLA) blend commercially known as Ecovio ® were used. It was also used a smectite clay from the Paraiba. It was modified with Praepagen surfactant and named as organoclay (OMMT). PLA and PBAT/PLA systems were prepared with organoclay in concentration of 3 wt.%. Initially, masters were produced in a high shear mixer. Subsequently, they were dispersed in the polymer matrix in a do-rotational twin screw extruder. The PLA/OMMT and PBAT/PLA/OMMT biocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), tensile and impact mechanical properties and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). According to XRD patterns of PLA/OMMT and PBAT/PLA/OMMT systems, it was observed a probable formation of a microcomposite for both systems. It was noticed that they showed reduction in tensile mechanical properties, however there was an increase in impact strength for PLA/OMMT system. The DSC curves practically no change in the crystallinity of the systems. (author)

  10. Varespladib (LY315920 Appears to Be a Potent, Broad-Spectrum, Inhibitor of Snake Venom Phospholipase A2 and a Possible Pre-Referral Treatment for Envenomation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Lewin

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Snakebite remains a neglected medical problem of the developing world with up to 125,000 deaths each year despite more than a century of calls to improve snakebite prevention and care. An estimated 75% of fatalities from snakebite occur outside the hospital setting. Because phospholipase A2 (PLA2 activity is an important component of venom toxicity, we sought candidate PLA2 inhibitors by directly testing drugs. Surprisingly, varespladib and its orally bioavailable prodrug, methyl-varespladib showed high-level secretory PLA2 (sPLA2 inhibition at nanomolar and picomolar concentrations against 28 medically important snake venoms from six continents. In vivo proof-of-concept studies with varespladib had striking survival benefit against lethal doses of Micrurus fulvius and Vipera berus venom, and suppressed venom-induced sPLA2 activity in rats challenged with 100% lethal doses of M. fulvius venom. Rapid development and deployment of a broad-spectrum PLA2 inhibitor alone or in combination with other small molecule inhibitors of snake toxins (e.g., metalloproteases could fill the critical therapeutic gap spanning pre-referral and hospital setting. Lower barriers for clinical testing of safety tested, repurposed small molecule therapeutics are a potentially economical and effective path forward to fill the pre-referral gap in the setting of snakebite.

  11. Calcium-dependent hydrolysis of supported planar lipids was triggered by honey bee venom phospholipase A2 with the right orientation at the interface.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kai, Siqi; Li, Xu; Li, Bolin; Han, Xiaofeng; Lu, Xiaolin

    2017-12-20

    Hydrolysis of planar phospholipids catalyzed by honey bee venom phospholipase A 2 (bvPLA 2 ) was studied. Experiments demonstrated that Ca 2+ ions mediated between the lipids and bvPLA 2 , induced reorientation of bvPLA 2 , and activated hydrolysis. One of the hydrolysis products, fatty acids, was desorbed, and the other one, lysophospholipids, self-organized at the interface.

  12. Characterization and structural analysis of a potent anticoagulant phospholipase A2 from Pseudechis australis snake venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Qianyun Sharon; Trabi, Manuela; Richards, Renée Stirling; Mirtschin, Peter; Madaras, Frank; Nouwens, Amanda; Zhao, Kong-Nan; de Jersey, John; Lavin, Martin F; Guddat, Luke W; Masci, Paul P

    2016-03-01

    Pseudechis australis is one of the most venomous and lethal snakes in Australia. Numerous phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isoforms constitute a major portion of its venom, some of which have previously been shown to exhibit not only enzymatic, but also haemolytic, neurotoxic and anticoagulant activities. Here, we have purified a potent anticoagulant PLA2 (identified as PA11) from P. australis venom to investigate its phospholipase, anticoagulant, haemolytic and cytotoxic activities and shown that addition of 11 nM PA11 resulted in a doubling of the clotting time of recalcified whole blood. We have also demonstrated that PA11 has high PLA2 enzymatic activity (10.9 × 10(4) Units/mg), but low haemolytic activity (0.6% of red blood cells hydrolysed in the presence of 1 nM PA11). PA11 at a concentration lower than 600 nM is not cytotoxic towards human cultured cells. Chemical modification experiments using p-bromophenacyl bromide have provided evidence that the catalytic histidine of PA11 is critical for the anticoagulant activity of this PLA2. PA11 that was subjected to trypsin digestion without previous reduction and alkylation of the disulfide bonds maintained enzymatic and anticoagulant activity, suggesting that proteolysis alone cannot abolish these properties. Consistent with these results, administration of PA11 by gavage in a rabbit stasis thrombosis model increased the clotting time of recalcified citrated whole blood by a factor of four. These data suggest that PA11 has potential to be developed as an anticoagulant in a clinical setting. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  13. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2: Yesterday's Enemy Becomes Today's Friend.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Gihyun; Bae, Hyunsu

    2016-02-22

    Bee venom therapy has been used to treat immune-related diseases such as arthritis for a long time. Recently, it has revealed that group III secretory phospholipase A2 from bee venom (bee venom group III sPLA2) has in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory effects. A growing number of reports have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2. Notably, new experimental data have shown protective immune responses of bee venom group III sPLA2 against a wide range of diseases including asthma, Parkinson's disease, and drug-induced organ inflammation. It is critical to evaluate the beneficial and adverse effects of bee venom group III sPLA2 because this enzyme is known to be the major allergen of bee venom that can cause anaphylactic shock. For many decades, efforts have been made to avoid its adverse effects. At high concentrations, exposure to bee venom group III sPLA2 can result in damage to cellular membranes and necrotic cell death. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge about the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2 on several immunological diseases and described the detailed mechanisms of bee venom group III sPLA2 in regulating various immune responses and physiopathological changes.

  14. Inactivation of Peroxiredoxin 6 by the Pla Protease of Yersinia pestis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zimbler, Daniel L; Eddy, Justin L; Schroeder, Jay A; Lathem, Wyndham W

    2016-01-01

    Pneumonic plague represents the most severe form of disease caused by Yersinia pestis due to its ease of transmission, rapid progression, and high mortality rate. The Y. pestis outer membrane Pla protease is essential for the development of pneumonic plague; however, the complete repertoire of substrates cleaved by Pla in the lungs is not known. In this study, we describe a proteomic screen to identify host proteins contained within the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of mice that are cleaved and/or processed by Y. pestis in a Pla-dependent manner. We identified peroxiredoxin 6 (Prdx6), a host factor that contributes to pulmonary surfactant metabolism and lung defense against oxidative stress, as a previously unknown substrate of Pla. Pla cleaves Prdx6 at three distinct sites, and these cleavages disrupt both the peroxidase and phospholipase A2 activities of Prdx6. In addition, we found that infection with wild-type Y. pestis reduces the abundance of extracellular Prdx6 in the lungs compared to that after infection with Δpla Y. pestis, suggesting that Pla cleaves Prdx6 in the pulmonary compartment. However, following infection with either wild-type or Δpla Y. pestis, Prdx6-deficient mice exhibit no differences in bacterial burden, host immune response, or lung damage from wild-type mice. Thus, while Pla is able to disrupt Prdx6 function in vitro and reduce Prdx6 levels in vivo, the cleavage of Prdx6 has little detectable impact on the progression or outcome of pneumonic plague. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  15. Development of polylactide (PLA) and PLA nanocomposite foams in injection molding for automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najafi Chaloupli, Naqi

    foaming behavior of PLA. To this end, LCB-PLAs were prepared in the presence of a multifunctional chain extender (CE) using two different processing strategies. In the first strategy, the dried PLA was directly mixed in the molten state with various quantities of CE (the formation of LCB structure). To further examine the impact of CE and molecular topology, a LCB-PLA was also prepared using a second approach, strategy S2. In this approach, a highly branched PLA was first prepared and then mixed with the neat PLA at a weight ratio of 50:50 (the introduction of LCB structure). The steady and transient rheological properties of the linear and LCB-PLAs revealed that the LCB-PLAs exhibited an increased viscosity, shear sensitivity and longer relaxation time in comparison with the linear PLA. The presence of the LCB structure, moreover, led to a strong strain-hardening behavior in uniaxial elongational flow whereas no strain hardening was observed for the linear PLA. The batch foaming of the samples was conducted using CO2 at different foaming temperatures ranging from 130 to 155 °C. The impact of molecular structure and foaming temperature on the void fraction, cell density, and cell size were examined. It was found that the increased melt strength and elasticity, resulting from branching, strongly affected the cell uniformity, cell density and void fraction. Among the investigated compositions, LCB-PLA prepared by strategy S2 provided smaller cell size and higher cell density than the other compositions. In most polymer processing operations such as extrusion and injection molding the polymeric chains are subjected to complex flow fields (elongation, shear, and mixed flows). Shearing the molten polymer during processing plays an essential role on crystallization and, thus, on the final properties of the product. The impact of the LCB structure and shear on the isothermal shear-induced crystallization kinetics, and the crystal morphology of PLA were studied in the second

  16. Development of a standardized ELISA for the determination of autoantibodies against human M-type phospholipase A2 receptor in primary membranous nephropathy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dahnrich, C.; Komorowski, L.; Probst, C.; Seitz-Polski, B.; Esnault, V.; Wetzels, J.F.M.; Hofstra, J.M.; Hoxha, E.; Stahl, R.A.K.; Lambeau, G.; Stocker, W.; Schlumberger, W.

    2013-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Autoantibodies against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R1) are specific markers for primary membranous nephropathy (pMN) and anti-PLA2R1 serum levels may be useful to monitor disease activity. So far, a recombinant cell-based indirect immunofluorescence assay (RC-IFA) using

  17. Composite porous scaffold of PEG/PLA support improved bone matrix deposition in vitro compared to PLA-only scaffolds.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhaskar, Birru; Owen, Robert; Bahmaee, Hossein; Wally, Zena; Sreenivasa Rao, Parcha; Reilly, Gwendolen C

    2018-05-01

    Controllable pore size and architecture are essential properties for tissue-engineering scaffolds to support cell ingrowth colonization. To investigate the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) addition on porosity and bone-cell behavior, porous polylactic acid (PLA)-PEG scaffolds were developed with varied weight ratios of PLA-PEG (100/0, 90/10, 75/25) using solvent casting and porogen leaching. Sugar 200-300 µm in size was used as a porogen. To assess scaffold suitability for bone tissue engineering, MLO-A5 murine osteoblast cells were cultured and cell metabolic activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and bone-matrix production determined using (alizarin red S staining for calcium and direct red 80 staining for collagen). It was found that metabolic activity was significantly higher over time on scaffolds containing PEG, ALP activity and mineralized matrix production were also significantly higher on scaffolds containing 25% PEG. Porous architecture and cell distribution and penetration into the scaffold were analyzed using SEM and confocal microscopy, revealing that inclusion of PEG increased pore interconnectivity and therefore cell ingrowth in comparison to pure PLA scaffolds. The results of this study confirmed that PLA-PEG porous scaffolds support mineralizing osteoblasts better than pure PLA scaffolds, indicating they have a high potential for use in bone tissue engineering applications. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 1334-1340, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Degradation of polylactic acid (Pla) at different doses of gamma radiation; Degradacion del acido polilactico (PLA) a diferentes dosis de radiacion gamma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Castillo R, Y.

    2015-07-01

    The excessive use of polymers such as polyethylene (PET), polystyrene (Ps) and recently the polylactic acid (Pla) that take more than 20 years to degrade, have caused great pollution in the environment. In this study the effects of gamma radiation in the Pla to different doses were studied, in order to reduce the degradation time of this polymer. The changes in physico-chemical structure of Pla during radiation were studied by thermo-gravimetric/Mass analysis; differential scanning calorimetry; scanning electron microscopy; X-ray dispersive analysis; infrared spectroscopy; X-ray diffraction and mechanical tests of hardness, elasticity and deformation. With scanning electron microscopy, the morphology of the Pla surface unirradiated was observed, in which an apparently smooth surface was observed, after changes that had the Pla when irradiated also was observed, where the effects of radiation were observed in form of scratch, agglomeration and small fractures. By X-ray dispersive analysis was determined and verified the elemental chemical composition of the Pla; as expected the tests showed only carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. With thermo-gravimetric/Mass analysis the decomposition temperatures of Pla were determined, identifying that the degradation compounds are CO, CO{sub 2} and CH{sub 4}. With infrared spectrometry the major peaks of Pla were observed before and after being irradiated with increasing of radiation dose the intensity of the bands decreased. Also by X-ray diffraction was observed that the polymer is an amorphous material. The mechanical tests indicate that the values of each of the tests decrease significantly with increasing the radiation dose. (Author)

  19. Influence of the Formulation Parameters on the Particle Size and Encapsulation Efficiency of Resveratrol in PLA and PLA-PEG Blend Nanoparticles: A Factorial Design.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindner, Gabriela da Rocha; Dalmolin, Luciana Facco; Khalil, Najeh Maissar; Mainardes, Rubiana Mara

    2015-12-01

    Polymeric nanoparticles are colloidal systems that promote protection and modification of physicochemical characteristics of a drug and that also ensure controlled and extended drug release. This paper reports a 2(3) factorial design study to optimize poly(lactide) (PLA) and poly(lactide)-polyethylene glycol (PLA-PEG) blend nanoparticles containing resveratrol (RVT) for prolonged release. The independent variables analyzed were solvent composition, surfactant concentration and ratio of aqueous to organic phase (two levels each factor). Mean particle size and RVT encapsulation efficiency were set as the dependent variables. The selected optimized parameters were set as organic phase comprised of a mixture of dichloromethane and ethyl acetate, 1% of surfactant polyvinyl alcohol and a 3:1 ratio of aqueous to organic phase, for both PLA and PLA-PEG blend nanoparticles. This formulation originated nanoparticles with size of 228 ± 10 nm and 185 ± 70 nm and RVT encapsulation efficiency of 82 ± 10% and 76 ± 7% for PLA and PLA-PEG blend nanoparticles, respectively. The in vitro release study showed a biphasic pattern with prolonged RVT release and PEG did not influence the RVT release. The in vitro release data were in favor of Higuchi-diffusion kinetics for both nanoformulations and the Kossmeyer-Peppas coefficient indicated that anomalous transport was the main release mechanism of RVT. PLA and PLA-PEG blend nanoparticles produced with single emulsion-solvent evaporation technology were found to be a promising approach for the incorporation of RVT and promoted its controlled release. The factorial design is a tool of great value in choosing formulations with optimized parameters.

  20. Carvacrol attenuates serum levels of total protein, phospholipase A2 and histamine in asthmatic guinea pig

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Hossein Boskabady

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Pharmacological effects of carvacrol such as its anti-inflammatory activities have been shows. In this study the effects of carvacrol on serum levels of total protein (TP, phospholipase A2 (PLA2 and histamine in sensitized guinea pigs was evaluated. Materials and Methods: Sensitized guinea pigs were given drinking water alone (group S, drinking water containing three concentrations of carvacrol (40, 80 and 160 µg/ml or dexamethasone. Serum levels of TP, PLA2 and histamine were examined I all sensitized groups as well as a non-sensitized control group (n=6 for each group. Results: In sensitized animals, serum levels of TP, PLA2 and histamine were significantly increased compared to control animals (p

  1. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based nanocomposites-a novel way of drug-releasing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Chen; Lv Gang; Pan Chao; Song Min; Wu Chunhui; Guo Dadong; Wang Xuemei; Chen Baoan; Gu Zhongze

    2007-01-01

    In this communication, poly(lactic acid) nanofibers have been fabricated by electrospinning and then poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based nanocomposites have been prepared by accumulating anticancer drug daunorubicin on PLA nanofibers combined with TiO 2 nanoparticles. Our atomic force microscopy (AFM) and laser-scanning confocal microscope (LSCM) studies demonstrate that the respective drug molecules could be readily self-assembled on the surface of the blends of nano-TiO 2 with PLA polymer nanocomposites, which could further efficiently facilitate the drug permeation and accumulation on the target leukemia K562 cells. Besides, the respective new nanocomposites have good biocompatibility, ease of surface chemistry modification and very high surface area, which may afford the possibility for their promising application in pharmacology and biomedical engineering areas. (communication)

  2. Darapladib Binds to Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 with Meaningful Interactions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Do, Kyungrok; Chang, Byungha; Shin, Jae Min; No, Kyoung Tai; Lee, Jeeyoung [Bioinformatics and Molecular Design Research Center, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Chul; Yea, Sangjun; Song, Miyoung [Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-01-15

    Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A{sub 2} (Lp-PLA{sub 2}) is a crucial enzyme in atherosclerosis as a potential drug target. The most remarkable Lp-PLA{sub 2} inhibitory drug is Darapladib. We determined the binding pose of Darapladib to Lp-PLA{sub 2} through docking study. Darapladib formed two hydrogen bonding interactions with the side chain of Tyr160 and Gln352 and several pi-pi interactions with aromatic and aliphatic hydrophobic residues of Lp-PLA{sub 2}. It is known that the dietylpropan-amine moiety of Darapladib has influence on the improvement of its oral bioavailability and we supposed this in our docking results.

  3. Relationship between compatibilizer and yield strength of PLA/PP Blend

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jariyakulsith, Pattanun; Puajindanetr, Somchai

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this research is to study the relationship between compatibilizer and yield strength of polylactic acid (PLA) and polypropylene (PP) blend. The PLA is blended with PP (PLA/PP) at the ratios of 70/30, 50/50 and 30/70. In addition, (1) polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) as a compatibilizer at 0.3 and 0.7 part per hundred of PLA/PP resin (phr) and (2) dicumyl peroxide (DCP) being an initiator at 0.03 and 0.07 phr are added in each composition. Yield strength is characterized to study the interaction between compatibilizer, initiator and yield strength by using experimental design of multilevel full factorial. The results show that (1) the yield strength of PLA/PP blend are increased after addition of compatibilizer. Because the adding of PP-g-MAH and DCP resulted in improving compatibility between PLA and PP. (2) there are interaction between PP-g-MAH and DCP that have affected the final properties of PLA/PP blend. The highest yield strength of 27.68 MPa is provided at the ratio of 70/30 blend by using the 0.3 phr of PP-g-MAH and 0.03 phr of DCP. Linear regression model is fitted and follow the assumptions of normal distribution.

  4. Aberrant methylation of the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor gene in leukemic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Menschikowski, Mario; Platzbecker, Uwe; Hagelgans, Albert; Vogel, Margot; Thiede, Christian; Schönefeldt, Claudia; Lehnert, Renate; Eisenhofer, Graeme; Siegert, Gabriele

    2012-01-01

    The M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R1) plays a crucial role in several signaling pathways and may act as tumor-suppressor. This study examined the expression and methylation of the PLA2R1 gene in Jurkat and U937 leukemic cell lines and its methylation in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) or acute leukemia. Sites of methylation of the PLA2R1 locus were identified by sequencing bisulfite-modified DNA fragments. Methylation specific-high resolution melting (MS-HRM) analysis was then carried out to quantify PLA2R1 methylation at 5-CpG sites identified with differences in methylation between healthy control subjects and leukemic patients using sequencing of bisulfite-modified genomic DNA. Expression of PLA2R1 was found to be completely down-regulated in Jurkat and U937 cells, accompanied by complete methylation of PLA2R1 promoter and down-stream regions; PLA2R1 was re-expressed after exposure of cells to 5-aza-2´-deoxycytidine. MS-HRM analysis of the PLA2R1 locus in patients with different types of leukemia indicated an average methylation of 28.9% ± 17.8%, compared to less than 9% in control subjects. In MDS patients the extent of PLA2R1 methylation significantly increased with disease risk. Furthermore, measurements of PLA2R1 methylation appeared useful for predicting responsiveness to the methyltransferase inhibitor, azacitidine, as a pre-emptive treatment to avoid hematological relapse in patients with high-risk MDS or acute myeloid leukemia. The study shows for the first time that PLA2R1 gene sequences are a target of hypermethylation in leukemia, which may have pathophysiological relevance for disease evolution in MDS and leukemogenesis

  5. Clonaje y caracterización molecular in silico de un transcrito de fosfolipasa A2 aislado del veneno de la serpiente peruana Lachesis muta Molecular cloning and characterization in silico of phospholipase A2 transcripto isolated from Lachesis muta peruvian snake venom

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karim L. Jimenez

    2010-12-01

    subsequent sequencing. By bioinformatic analysis identified an open reading frame of 414 nucleotides that encoded 138 amino acids including a signal peptide of 16 aminoacids, molecular weight and pI were 13 976 kDa and 5.66 respectively. Results. The aminoacid sequence was called Lm-PLA2-Peru, contains an aspartate at position 49, this aminoacid in conjunction with other conserved residues such as Tyr-28, Gly-30, Gly-32, His-48, Tyr52, Asp99 are important for enzymatic activity. The comparison with the amino acid sequence data banks showed of similarity between PLA2 from Lachesis stenophrys (93% and other PLA2 snake venoms and over 80% of other sPLA2 family Viperidae venoms. A phylogenetic analysis showed that Lm-PLA2-Peru grouped with other acidic [Asp49] sPLA2 previously isolated from Bothriechis schlegelii venom showing 89 % nucleotide sequence identity. Finally, the computer modeling indicated that enzyme had the characteristic structure of sPLA2 group II that consisted of three α-helices, a β-wing, a short helix and a calcium-binding loop. Conclusion. The nucleotide sequence corresponding to the first transcript of gene from PLA2 cloned of Lachesis muta venom, snake from the Peruvian rainforest.

  6. Inherited human group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 deficiency abolishes platelet, endothelial, and leucocyte eicosanoid generation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkby, Nicholas S.; Reed, Daniel M.; Edin, Matthew L.; Rauzi, Francesca; Mataragka, Stefania; Vojnovic, Ivana; Bishop-Bailey, David; Milne, Ginger L.; Longhurst, Hilary; Zeldin, Darryl C.; Mitchell, Jane A.; Warner, Timothy D.

    2016-01-01

    Eicosanoids are important vascular regulators, but the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isoforms supporting their production within the cardiovascular system are not fully understood. To address this, we have studied platelets, endothelial cells, and leukocytes from 2 siblings with a homozygous loss-of-function mutation in group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α). Chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to determine levels of a broad range of eicosanoids produced by isolated vascular cells, and in plasma and urine. Eicosanoid release data were paired with studies of cellular function. Absence of cPLA2α almost abolished eicosanoid synthesis in platelets (e.g., thromboxane A2, control 20.5 ± 1.4 ng/ml vs. patient 0.1 ng/ml) and leukocytes [e.g., prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), control 21.9 ± 7.4 ng/ml vs. patient 1.9 ng/ml], and this was associated with impaired platelet activation and enhanced inflammatory responses. cPLA2α-deficient endothelial cells showed reduced, but not absent, formation of prostaglandin I2 (prostacyclin; control 956 ± 422 pg/ml vs. patient 196 pg/ml) and were primed for inflammation. In the urine, prostaglandin metabolites were selectively influenced by cPLA2α deficiency. For example, prostacyclin metabolites were strongly reduced (18.4% of control) in patients lacking cPLA2α, whereas PGE2 metabolites (77.8% of control) were similar to healthy volunteer levels. These studies constitute a definitive account, demonstrating the fundamental role of cPLA2α to eicosanoid formation and cellular responses within the human circulation.—Kirkby, N. S., Reed, D. M., Edin, M. L., Rauzi, F., Mataragka, S., Vojnovic, I., Bishop-Bailey, D., Milne, G. L., Longhurst, H., Zeldin, D. C., Mitchell, J. A., Warner, T. D. Inherited human group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 deficiency abolishes platelet, endothelial, and leucocyte eicosanoid generation. PMID:26183771

  7. Synthesis of sn-1 functionalized phospholipids as substrates for secretory phospholipase A2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Linderoth, Lars; Peters, Günther H.J.; Jørgensen, K.

    2007-01-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) represents a family of small water-soluble enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of phospholipids in the sn-2 position liberating free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. Herein we report the synthesis of two new phospholipids (1 and 2) with bulky allyl-substituen......Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) represents a family of small water-soluble enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of phospholipids in the sn-2 position liberating free fatty acids and lysophospholipids. Herein we report the synthesis of two new phospholipids (1 and 2) with bulky allyl...... of the allyl-substituents by a zinc mediated allylation. Small unilamellar liposomes composed of phospholipids 1 and 2 were subjected to sPLA2 activity measurements. Our results show that only phospholipid 1 is hydrolyzed by the enzyme. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that the lack of hydrolysis...

  8. Molecular adaptation of a plant-bacterium outer membrane protease towards plague virulence factor Pla

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Omptins are a family of outer membrane proteases that have spread by horizontal gene transfer in Gram-negative bacteria that infect vertebrates or plants. Despite structural similarity, the molecular functions of omptins differ in a manner that reflects the life style of their host bacteria. To simulate the molecular adaptation of omptins, we applied site-specific mutagenesis to make Epo of the plant pathogenic Erwinia pyrifoliae exhibit virulence-associated functions of its close homolog, the plasminogen activator Pla of Yersinia pestis. We addressed three virulence-associated functions exhibited by Pla, i.e., proteolytic activation of plasminogen, proteolytic degradation of serine protease inhibitors, and invasion into human cells. Results Pla and Epo expressed in Escherichia coli are both functional endopeptidases and cleave human serine protease inhibitors, but Epo failed to activate plasminogen and to mediate invasion into a human endothelial-like cell line. Swapping of ten amino acid residues at two surface loops of Pla and Epo introduced plasminogen activation capacity in Epo and inactivated the function in Pla. We also compared the structure of Pla and the modeled structure of Epo to analyze the structural variations that could rationalize the different proteolytic activities. Epo-expressing bacteria managed to invade human cells only after all extramembranous residues that differ between Pla and Epo and the first transmembrane β-strand had been changed. Conclusions We describe molecular adaptation of a protease from an environmental setting towards a virulence factor detrimental for humans. Our results stress the evolvability of bacterial β-barrel surface structures and the environment as a source of progenitor virulence molecules of human pathogens. PMID:21310089

  9. Distinct enzymatic and cellular characteristics of two secretory phospholipases A2 in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakahama, Tomoyuki; Nakanishi, Yoshito; Viscomi, Arturo R; Takaya, Kohei; Kitamoto, Katsuhiko; Ottonello, Simone; Arioka, Manabu

    2010-04-01

    Microbial secretory phospholipases A(2) (sPLA(2)s) are among the last discovered and least known members of this functionally diverse family of enzymes. We analyzed here two sPLA(2)s, named sPlaA and sPlaB, of the filamentous ascomycete Aspergillus oryzae. sPlaA and sPlaB consist of 222 and 160 amino acids, respectively, and share the conserved Cys and catalytic His-Asp residues typical of microbial sPLA(2)s. Two sPLA(2)s differ in pH optimum, Ca(2+) requirement and expression profile. The splaA mRNA was strongly upregulated in response to carbon starvation, oxidative stress and during conidiation, while splaB was constitutively expressed at low levels and was weakly upregulated by heat shock. Experiments with sPLA(2) overexpressing strains demonstrated that two enzymes produce subtly different phospholipid composition variations and also differ in their subcellular localization: sPlaA is most abundant in hyphal tips and secreted to the medium, whereas sPlaB predominantly localizes to the ER-like intracellular compartment. Both sPLA(2) overexpressing strains were defective in conidiation, which was more pronounced for sPlaB overexpressors. Although no major morphological abnormality was detected in either DeltasplaA or DeltasplaB mutants, hyphal growth of DeltasplaB, but not that of DeltasplaA, displayed increased sensitivity to H(2)O(2) treatment. These data indicate that two A. oryzae sPLA(2) enzymes display distinct, presumably non-redundant, physiological functions.

  10. Electro-spun PLA-PEG-yarns for tissue engineering applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kruse, Magnus; Greuel, Marc; Kreimendahl, Franziska; Schneiders, Thomas; Bauer, Benedict; Gries, Thomas; Jockenhoevel, Stefan

    2018-06-27

    Electro-spinning is widely used in tissue-engineered applications mostly in form of non-woven structures. The development of e-spun yarn opens the door for textile fabrics which combine the micro to nanoscale dimension of electro-spun filaments with three-dimensional (3D) drapable textile fabrics. Therefore, the aim of the study was the implementation of a process for electro-spun yarns. Polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were spun from chloroform solutions with varying PLA/PEG ratios (100:0, 90:10, 75:25 and 50:50). The yarn samples produced were analyzed regarding their morphology, tensile strength, water uptake and cytocompatibility. It was found that the yarn diameter decreased when the funnel collector rotation was increasd, however, the fiber diameter was not influenced. The tensile strength was also found to be dependent on the PEG content. While samples composed of 100% PLA showed a tensile strength of 2.5±0.7 cN/tex, the tensile strength increased with a decreasing PLA content (PLA 75%/PEG 25%) to 6.2±0.5 cN/tex. The variation of the PEG content also influenced the viscosity of the spinning solutions. The investigation of the cytocompatibility with endothelial cells was conducted for PLA/PEG 90:10 and 75:25 and indicated that the samples are cytocompatible.

  11. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2: Yesterday’s Enemy Becomes Today’s Friend

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Gihyun; Bae, Hyunsu

    2016-01-01

    Bee venom therapy has been used to treat immune-related diseases such as arthritis for a long time. Recently, it has revealed that group III secretory phospholipase A2 from bee venom (bee venom group III sPLA2) has in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory effects. A growing number of reports have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2. Notably, new experimental data have shown protective immune responses of bee venom group III sPLA2 against a wide range of diseases including asthma, Parkinson’s disease, and drug-induced organ inflammation. It is critical to evaluate the beneficial and adverse effects of bee venom group III sPLA2 because this enzyme is known to be the major allergen of bee venom that can cause anaphylactic shock. For many decades, efforts have been made to avoid its adverse effects. At high concentrations, exposure to bee venom group III sPLA2 can result in damage to cellular membranes and necrotic cell death. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge about the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2 on several immunological diseases and described the detailed mechanisms of bee venom group III sPLA2 in regulating various immune responses and physiopathological changes. PMID:26907347

  12. Inducing PLA/starch compatibility through butyl-etherification of waxy and high amylose starch.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wokadala, Obiro Cuthbert; Emmambux, Naushad Mohammad; Ray, Suprakas Sinha

    2014-11-04

    In this study, waxy and high amylose starches were modified through butyl-etherification to facilitate compatibility with polylactide (PLA). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and wettability tests showed that hydrophobic butyl-etherified waxy and high amylose starches were obtained with degree of substitution values of 2.0 and 2.1, respectively. Differential scanning calorimetry, tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated improved PLA/starch compatibility for both waxy and high amylose starch after butyl-etherification. The PLA/butyl-etherified waxy and high amylose starch composite films had higher tensile strength and elongation at break compared to PLA/non-butyl-etherified composite films. The morphological study using SEM showed that PLA/butyl-etherified waxy starch composites had a more homogenous microstructure compared to PLA/butyl-etherified high amylose starch composites. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that PLA/starch composite thermal stability decreased with starch butyl-etherification for both waxy and high amylose starches. This study mainly demonstrates that PLA/starch compatibility can be improved through starch butyl-etherification. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. EXPRESSION OF A BEE-VENOM PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 FROM APIS CERANA CERANA IN E,.qCHERICHIA COLI

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Li-rongShen; Jia-anCheng; Chuan-xiZhang

    2004-01-01

    The venomous phospholipase A2 (AcPLA2) coding reading region of the Chinese honeybee (Apis cerana cerana), which is composed of 405 bp encoding a mature glycosylated peptide with 134 amino residues was transformed into the expression vector pETblue-1. Then the recombinant vector was introduced into Escherichia coli Tuner (DE3) plac I for expression. Analysis result of SDS-PAGE showed that the expression products had a protein band of about 15 kD. Detection of western blot using ant-European honeybee (Apis mellifera) phospholipase A2 (AmPLA2) polyclonal serum as the first antibody showed that the expression products appeared a special blot same as the native AmPLA2.The result demonstrated that the AcPLA2 peptide had been expressed in E. coli and the AcPLA2 has the similar antigenicity as the AmPLA2.

  14. Edema toxin impairs anthracidal phospholipase A2 expression by alveolar macrophages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benoit Raymond

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax, is a spore-forming gram-positive bacterium. Infection with this pathogen results in multisystem dysfunction and death. The pathogenicity of B. anthracis is due to the production of virulence factors, including edema toxin (ET. Recently, we established the protective role of type-IIA secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-IIA against B. anthracis. A component of innate immunity produced by alveolar macrophages (AMs, sPLA2-IIA is found in human and animal bronchoalveolar lavages at sufficient levels to kill B. anthracis. However, pulmonary anthrax is almost always fatal, suggesting the potential impairment of sPLA2-IIA synthesis and/or action by B. anthracis factors. We investigated the effect of purified ET and ET-deficient B. anthracis strains on sPLA2-IIA expression in primary guinea pig AMs. We report that ET inhibits sPLA2-IIA expression in AMs at the transcriptional level via a cAMP/protein kinase A-dependent process. Moreover, we show that live B. anthracis strains expressing functional ET inhibit sPLA2-IIA expression, whereas ET-deficient strains induced this expression. This stimulatory effect, mediated partly by the cell wall peptidoglycan, can be counterbalanced by ET. We conclude that B. anthracis down-regulates sPLA2-IIA expression in AMs through a process involving ET. Our study, therefore, describes a new molecular mechanism implemented by B. anthracis to escape innate host defense. These pioneering data will provide new molecular targets for future intervention against this deadly pathogen.

  15. Synergism between Basic Asp49 and Lys49 Phospholipase A2 Myotoxins of Viperid Snake Venom In Vitro and In Vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mora-Obando, Diana; Fernández, Julián; Montecucco, Cesare; Gutiérrez, José María; Lomonte, Bruno

    2014-01-01

    Two subtypes of phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) with the ability to induce myonecrosis, ‘Asp49’ and ‘Lys49’ myotoxins, often coexist in viperid snake venoms. Since the latter lack catalytic activity, two different mechanisms are involved in their myotoxicity. A synergism between Asp49 and Lys49 myotoxins from Bothrops asper was previously observed in vitro, enhancing Ca2+ entry and cell death when acting together upon C2C12 myotubes. These observations are extended for the first time in vivo, by demonstrating a clear enhancement of myonecrosis by the combined action of these two toxins in mice. In addition, novel aspects of their synergism were revealed using myotubes. Proportions of Asp49 myotoxin as low as 0.1% of the Lys49 myotoxin are sufficient to enhance cytotoxicity of the latter, but not the opposite. Sublytic amounts of Asp49 myotoxin also enhanced cytotoxicity of a synthetic peptide encompassing the toxic region of Lys49 myotoxin. Asp49 myotoxin rendered myotubes more susceptible to osmotic lysis, whereas Lys49 myotoxin did not. In contrast to myotoxic Asp49 PLA2, an acidic non-toxic PLA2 from the same venom did not markedly synergize with Lys49 myotoxin, revealing a functional difference between basic and acidic PLA2 enzymes. It is suggested that Asp49 myotoxins synergize with Lys49 myotoxins by virtue of their PLA2 activity. In addition to the membrane-destabilizing effect of this activity, Asp49 myotoxins may generate anionic patches of hydrolytic reaction products, facilitating electrostatic interactions with Lys49 myotoxins. These data provide new evidence for the evolutionary adaptive value of the two subtypes of PLA2 myotoxins acting synergistically in viperid venoms. PMID:25290688

  16. Design and evaluation of mPEG-PLA micelles functionalized with drug-interactive domains as improved drug carriers for docetaxel delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Dingqing; Gong, Feirong; Teng, Xin; Ma, Mingming; Wen, Huijing; Yuan, Weihao; Cheng, Yi; Lu, Chong

    2017-10-01

    Polymeric micelles are very attractive drug delivery systems for hydrophobic agents, owing to their readily tailorable chemical structure and ease for scale-up preparation. However, the intrinsic poor stability of drug-loaded micelles presents one of the major challenges for most micellar systems in the translation to clinical applications. In this study, a simple, well-defined, and easy-to-scale up 9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) and tert-butoxycarbonyl (Boc) containing lysine dendronized mPEG-PLA (mPEG-PLA-Lys(FB) 2 ) micellar formulation was designed and prepared for docetaxel (DTX) delivery, in an effort to improve the stability of the micelles, and its physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetics, and anti-tumor efficacy against SKOV-3 ovarian cancer were evaluated. MPEG-PLA-Lys(FB) 2 was synthesized via a three-step synthetic route, and it actively interacted with DTX in aqueous media to form stable micelles with small particle sizes (~17-19 nm) and narrow size distribution (PI PLA-Lys(FB) 2 micelles achieved delayed and sustained release manner of DTX in comparison with mPEG-PLA micelles. Further in vivo xenograft tumor model in nude mice DTX/mPEG-PLA-Lys(FB) 2 micelles demonstrated significantly higher inhibitory effect on tumor growth than the marketed formulation Taxotere. Thus, our system may hold promise as a simple and effective delivery system for DTX with a potential for translation into clinical study.

  17. Substituted thiobenzoic acid S-benzyl esters as potential inhibitors of a snake venom phospholipase A2: Synthesis, spectroscopic and computational studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henao Castañeda, I. C.; Pereañez, J. A.; Jios, J. L.

    2012-11-01

    4-Chlorothiobenzoic acid S-benzyl ester (I), 3-nitrothiobenzoic acid S-benzyl ester (II), 4-nitrothiobenzoic acid S-benzyl ester (III) and 4-methylthiobenzoic acid S-benzyl ester (IV) were prepared and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, Mass spectrometry and IR spectroscopy. Quantum chemical calculations were performed with Gaussian 09 to calculate the geometric parameters and vibrational spectra. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was purified from Crotalus durissus cumanensis venom by molecular exclusion chromatography, followed by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. Two studies of the inhibition of phospholipase A2 activity were performed using phosphatidilcholine and 4-nitro-3-octanoyloxybenzoic acid as substrates, in both cases compound II showed the best inhibitory ability, with 74.89% and 69.91% of inhibition, respectively. Average percentage of inhibition was 52.49%. Molecular docking was carried out with Autodock Vina using as ligands the minimized structures of compounds (I-IV) and as protein PLA2 (PDB code 2QOG). The results suggest that compounds I-IV could interact with His48 at the active site of PLA2. In addition, all compounds showed Van der Waals interactions with residues from hydrophobic channel of the enzyme. This interaction would impede normal catalysis cycle of the PLA2.

  18. Preparation and mechanical properties of modified nanocellulose/PLA composites from cassava residue

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lijie Huang

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Nanocellulose was prepared by a mechanochemical method using cassava residue as a raw material and phosphoric acid as the auxiliary agent. The prepared nanocellulose was hydrophobically modified with stearic acid to improve its dispersibility. This modified nanocellulose was added to polylactic acid (PLA film-forming liquids at concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%, and the effect of modified nanocellulose on the mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA films were investigated. When at least 0.5% modified nanocellulose is added, more active groups of modified nanocellulose are adsorbed onto the PLA molecular chain. Although the tensile strength of the film is only improved by 13.59%, the flexibility of the film decreases, and the elastic modulus decreases by 28.91%. When 1% modified nanocellulose is added, the modified nanocellulose and PLA are tangled together through molecular chains and they co-crystallize to form a stable network structure. The tensile strength of the nanocomposite films is enhanced by 40.03%, the elastic modulus is enhanced by 55.65%, and the flexibility of the film decreases.

  19. Preparation and mechanical properties of modified nanocellulose/PLA composites from cassava residue

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Lijie; Zhang, Xiaoxiao; Xu, Mingzi; Chen, Jie; Shi, Yinghan; Huang, Chongxing; Wang, Shuangfei; An, Shuxiang; Li, Chunying

    2018-02-01

    Nanocellulose was prepared by a mechanochemical method using cassava residue as a raw material and phosphoric acid as the auxiliary agent. The prepared nanocellulose was hydrophobically modified with stearic acid to improve its dispersibility. This modified nanocellulose was added to polylactic acid (PLA) film-forming liquids at concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%, and the effect of modified nanocellulose on the mechanical properties of polylactic acid (PLA) films were investigated. When at least 0.5% modified nanocellulose is added, more active groups of modified nanocellulose are adsorbed onto the PLA molecular chain. Although the tensile strength of the film is only improved by 13.59%, the flexibility of the film decreases, and the elastic modulus decreases by 28.91%. When 1% modified nanocellulose is added, the modified nanocellulose and PLA are tangled together through molecular chains and they co-crystallize to form a stable network structure. The tensile strength of the nanocomposite films is enhanced by 40.03%, the elastic modulus is enhanced by 55.65%, and the flexibility of the film decreases.

  20. Virtual analysis of structurally diverse synthetic analogs as inhibitors of snake venom secretory phospholipase A2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivaramakrishnan, V; Ilamathi, M; Ghosh, K S; Sathish, S; Gowda, T V; Vishwanath, B S; Rangappa, K S; Dhananjaya, B L

    2016-01-01

    Due to the toxic pathophysiological role of snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2 ), its compelling limitations to anti-venom therapy in humans and the need for alternative therapy foster considerable pharmacological interest towards search of PLA2 specific inhibitors. In this study, an integrated approach involving homology modeling, molecular dynamics and molecular docking studies on VRV-PL-V (Vipera russellii venom phospholipase A2 fraction-V) belonging to Group II-B secretory PLA2 from Daboia russelli pulchella is carried out in order to study the structure-based inhibitor design. The accuracy of the model was validated using multiple computational approaches. The molecular docking study of this protein was undertaken using different classes of experimentally proven, structurally diverse synthetic inhibitors of secretory PLA2 whose selection is based on IC50 value that ranges from 25 μM to 100 μM. Estimation of protein-ligand contacts by docking analysis sheds light on the importance of His 47 and Asp 48 within the VRV-PL-V binding pocket as key residue for hydrogen bond interaction with ligands. Our virtual analysis revealed that compounds with different scaffold binds to the same active site region. ADME analysis was also further performed to filter and identify the best potential specific inhibitor against VRV-PL-V. Additionally, the e-pharmacophore was generated for the best potential specific inhibitor against VRV-PL-V and reported here. The present study should therefore play a guiding role in the experimental design of VRV-PL-V inhibitors that may provide better therapeutic molecular models for PLA2 recognition and anti-ophidian activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Functional Properties of Plasticized Bio-Based Poly(Lactic Acid)_Poly(Hydroxybutyrate) (PLA_PHB) Films for Active Food Packaging

    OpenAIRE

    Burgos, Nuria; Armentano, Ilaria; Fortunati, Elena; Dominici, Franco; Luzi, Francesca; Fiori, Stefano; Cristofaro, Francesco; Visai, Livia; Jiménez, Alfonso; Kenny, José María

    2017-01-01

    Fully bio-based and biodegradable active films based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blended with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and incorporating lactic acid oligomers (OLA) as plasticizers and carvacrol as active agent were extruded and fully characterized in their functional properties for antimicrobial active packaging. PLA_PHB films showed good barrier to water vapor, while the resistance to oxygen diffusion decreased with the addition of OLA and carvacrol. Their overall migration in aqueous f...

  2. Mechanical behaviour׳s evolution of a PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA triblock copolymer during hydrolytic degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breche, Q; Chagnon, G; Machado, G; Girard, E; Nottelet, B; Garric, X; Favier, D

    2016-07-01

    PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA is a biodegradable triblock copolymer that presents both the mechanical properties of PLA and the hydrophilicity of PEG. In this paper, physical and mechanical properties of PLA-b-PEG-b-PLA are studied during in vitro degradation. The degradation process leads to a mass loss, a decrease of number average molecular weight and an increase of dispersity index. Mechanical experiments are made in a specific experimental set-up designed to create an environment close to in vivo conditions. The viscoelastic behaviour of the material is studied during the degradation. Finally, the mechanical behaviour is modelled with a linear viscoelastic model. A degradation variable is defined and included in the model to describe the hydrolytic degradation. This variable is linked to physical parameters of the macromolecular polymer network. The model allows us to describe weak deformations but become less accurate for larger deformations. The abilities and limits of the model are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Drug-conjugated PLA-PEG-PLA copolymers: a novel approach for controlled delivery of hydrophilic drugs by micelle formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danafar, H; Rostamizadeh, K; Davaran, S; Hamidi, M

    2017-12-01

    A conjugate of the antihypertensive drug, lisinopril, with triblock poly(lactic acid)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactic acid) (PLA-PEG-PLA) copolymer was synthesized by the reaction of PLA-PEG-PLA copolymer with lisinopril in the presence of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and dimethylaminopyridine. The conjugated copolymer was characterized in vitro by hydrogen nuclear magnetic resonance (HNMR), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and gel permeation chromatography (GPC) techniques. Then, the lisinopril conjugated PLA-PEG-PLA were self-assembled into micelles in aqueous solution. The resulting micelles were characterized further by various techniques such as dynamic light scattering (DLS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results revealed that the micelles formed by the lisinopril-conjugated PLA-PEG-PLA have spherical structure with the average size of 162 nm. The release behavior of conjugated copolymer, micelles and micelles physically loaded by lisinopril were compared in different media. In vitro release study showed that in contrast to physically loaded micelles, the release rate of micelles consisted of the conjugated copolymer was dependent on pH of media where it was higher at lower pH compared to the neutral medium. Another feature of the conjugated micelles was their more sustained release profile compared to the lisinopril-conjugated copolymer and physically loaded micelles.

  4. Alkylation of histidine residues of Bothrops jararacussu venom proteins and isolated phospholipases A2: a biotechnological tool to improve the production of antibodies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guimarães, C L S; Andrião-Escarso, S H; Moreira-Dill, L S; Carvalho, B M A; Marchi-Salvador, D P; Santos-Filho, N A; Fernandes, C A H; Fontes, M R M; Giglio, J R; Barraviera, B; Zuliani, J P; Fernandes, C F C; Calderón, L A; Stábeli, R G; Albericio, F; da Silva, S L; Soares, A M

    2014-01-01

    Crude venom of Bothrops jararacussu and isolated phospholipases A2 (PLA2) of this toxin (BthTX-I and BthTX-II) were chemically modified (alkylation) by p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB) in order to study antibody production capacity in function of the structure-function relationship of these substances (crude venom and PLA2 native and alkylated). BthTX-II showed enzymatic activity, while BthTX-I did not. Alkylation reduced BthTX-II activity by 50% while this process abolished the catalytic and myotoxic activities of BthTX-I, while reducing its edema-inducing activity by about 50%. Antibody production against the native and alkylated forms of BthTX-I and -II and the cross-reactivity of antibodies to native and alkylated toxins did not show any apparent differences and these observations were reinforced by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) data. Histopathological analysis of mouse gastrocnemius muscle sections after injection of PBS, BthTX-I, BthTX-II, or both myotoxins previously incubated with neutralizing antibody showed inhibition of the toxin-induced myotoxicity. These results reveal that the chemical modification of the phospholipases A2 (PLA2) diminished their toxicity but did not alter their antigenicity. This observation indicates that the modified PLA2 may provide a biotechnological tool to attenuate the toxicity of the crude venom, by improving the production of antibodies and decreasing the local toxic effects of this poisonous substance in animals used to produce antivenom.

  5. Synthesis of structured phospholipids by immobilized phospholipase A2 catalyzed acidolysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vikbjerg, Anders Falk; Vikbjerg, Anders Falk; Xu, Xuebing

    2007-01-01

    Acyl modification of the sn-2 position in phospholipids (PLs) was conducted by acidolysis reaction using immobilized phospholipase A2 (PLA2) as the catalyst. In the first stage we screened different carriers for their ability to immobilize PLA2. Several carriers were able to fix the enzyme...

  6. Cytosolic phospholipase A2-α expression in breast cancer is associated with EGFR expression and correlates with an adverse prognosis in luminal tumours.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Caiazza, F

    2011-01-18

    The eicosanoid signalling pathway promotes the progression of malignancies through the production of proliferative prostaglandins (PGs). Cytosolic phospholipase A(2)α (cPLA(2)α) activity provides the substrate for cyclooxygenase-dependent PG release, and we have previously found that cPLA(2)α expression correlated with EGFR\\/HER2 over-expression in a small number of breast cancer cell lines.

  7. Phospholipase A2 is involved in galactosylsphingosine-induced astrocyte toxicity, neuronal damage and demyelination.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cedric Misslin

    Full Text Available Krabbe disease is a fatal rare inherited lipid storage disorder affecting 1:100,000 births. This illness is caused by mutations in the galc gene encoding for the enzyme galactosylceramidase (GALC. Dysfunction of GALC has been linked to the toxic build-up of the galactolipid, galactosylsphingosine (psychosine, which induces cell death of oligodendrocytes. Previous studies show that phospholipase A2 (PLA2 may play a role in psychosine induce cell death. Here, we demonstrate that non-selective inhibition of cPLA2/sPLA2 and selective inhibition of cPLA2, but not sPLA2, also attenuates psychosine-induced cell death of human astrocytes. This study shows that extracellular calcium is required for psychosine induced cell death, but intracellular calcium release, reactive oxygen species or release of soluble factors are not involved. These findings suggest a cell autonomous effect, at least in human astrocytes. Supporting a role for PLA2 in psychosine-induced cell death of oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, the results show inhibition of PLA2 attenuates psychosine-induced decrease in the expression of astrocyte marker vimentin as well as myelin basic protein (MBP, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG and the neuronal marker SMI-32 in organotypic slice cultures. These findings provide further mechanistic details of psychosine-induced death of glia and suggest a role for PLA2 in the process. This work also supports the proposal that novel drugs for Krabbe disease may require testing on astrocytes as well as oligodendrocytes for more holistic prediction of pre-clinical and clinical efficacy.

  8. Synthesis of protein-coated biocompatible methotrexate-loaded PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles for breast cancer treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salam Massadeh

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: PLA-PEG-PLA triblock polymer nanoparticles are promising tools for targeted dug delivery. The main aim in designing polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery is achieving a controlled and targeted release of a specific drug at the therapeutically optimal rate and choosing a suitable preparation method to encapsulate the drug efficiently, which depends mainly on the nature of the drug (hydrophilic or hydrophobic. In this study, methotrexate (MTX-loaded nanoparticles were prepared by the double emulsion method. Method: Biodegradable polymer polyethylene glycol-polylactide acid tri-block was used with poly(vinyl alcohol as emulsifier. The resulting methotrexate polymer nanoparticles were coated with bovine serum albumin in order to improve their biocompatibility. This study focused on particle size distribution, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, and in vitro drug release at various concentrations of PVA (0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3%. Results: Reduced particle size of methotrexate-loaded nanoparticles was obtained using lower PVA concentrations. Enhanced encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity was obtained using 1% PVA. FT-IR characterization was conducted for the void polymer nanoparticles and for drug-loaded nanoparticles with methotrexate, and the protein-coated nanoparticles in solid state showed the structure of the plain PEG-PLA and the drug-loaded nanoparticles with methotrexate. The methotrexate-loaded PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles have been studied in vitro; the drug release, drug loading, and yield are reported. Conclusion: The drug release profile was monitored over a period of 168 hours, and was free of burst effect before the protein coating. The results obtained from this work are promising; this work can be taken further to develop MTX based therapies.

  9. Synthesis of protein-coated biocompatible methotrexate-loaded PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles for breast cancer treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Massadeh, Salam; Alaamery, Manal; Al-Qatanani, Shatha; Alarifi, Saqer; Bawazeer, Shahad; Alyafee, Yusra

    2016-01-01

    Background PLA-PEG-PLA triblock polymer nanoparticles are promising tools for targeted dug delivery. The main aim in designing polymeric nanoparticles for drug delivery is achieving a controlled and targeted release of a specific drug at the therapeutically optimal rate and choosing a suitable preparation method to encapsulate the drug efficiently, which depends mainly on the nature of the drug (hydrophilic or hydrophobic). In this study, methotrexate (MTX)-loaded nanoparticles were prepared by the double emulsion method. Method Biodegradable polymer polyethylene glycol-polylactide acid tri-block was used with poly(vinyl alcohol) as emulsifier. The resulting methotrexate polymer nanoparticles were coated with bovine serum albumin in order to improve their biocompatibility. This study focused on particle size distribution, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, and in vitro drug release at various concentrations of PVA (0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 3%). Results Reduced particle size of methotrexate-loaded nanoparticles was obtained using lower PVA concentrations. Enhanced encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity was obtained using 1% PVA. FT-IR characterization was conducted for the void polymer nanoparticles and for drug-loaded nanoparticles with methotrexate, and the protein-coated nanoparticles in solid state showed the structure of the plain PEG-PLA and the drug-loaded nanoparticles with methotrexate. The methotrexate-loaded PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles have been studied in vitro; the drug release, drug loading, and yield are reported. Conclusion The drug release profile was monitored over a period of 168 hours, and was free of burst effect before the protein coating. The results obtained from this work are promising; this work can be taken further to develop MTX based therapies.

  10. Origin and evolution of group XI secretory phospholipase A2 from flax (Linum usitatissimum) based on phylogenetic analysis of conserved domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Payal; Saini, Raman; Dash, Prasanta K

    2017-07-01

    Phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) belongs to class of lipolytic enzymes (EC 3.1.1.4). Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and free fatty acids (FFAs) are the products of PLA 2 catalyzed hydrolysis of phosphoglycerides at sn-2 position. LPA and FFA that act as second mediators involved in the development and maturation of plants and animals. Mining of flax genome identified two phospholipase A 2 encoding genes, viz., LusPLA 2 I and LusPLA 2 II (Linum usitatissimum secretory phospholipase A 2 ). Molecular simulation of LusPLA 2 s with already characterized plant sPLA 2 s revealed the presence of conserved motifs and signature domains necessary to classify them as secretory phospholipase A 2 . Phylogenetic analysis of flax sPLA 2 with representative sPLA 2 s from other organisms revealed that they evolved rapidly via gene duplication/deletion events and shares a common ancestor. Our study is the first report of detailed phylogenetic analysis for secretory phospholipase A 2 in flax. Comparative genomic analysis of two LusPLA 2 s with earlier reported plant sPLA 2 s, based on their gene architectures, sequence similarities, and domain structures are presented elucidating the uniqueness of flax sPLA 2 .

  11. Plasma modified PLA electrospun membranes for actinorhodin production intensification in Streptomyces coelicolor immobilized-cell cultivations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scaffaro, Roberto; Lopresti, Francesco; Sutera, Alberto; Botta, Luigi; Fontana, Rosa Maria; Gallo, Giuseppe

    2017-09-01

    Most of industrially relevant bioproducts are produced by submerged cultivations of actinomycetes. The immobilization of these Gram-positive filamentous bacteria on suitable porous supports may prevent mycelial cell-cell aggregation and pellet formation which usually negatively affect actinomycete submerged cultivations, thus, resulting in an improved biosynthetic capability. In this work, electrospun polylactic acid (PLA) membranes, subjected or not to O 2 -plasma treatment (PLA-plasma), were used as support for immobilized-cell submerged cultivations of Streptomyces coelicolor M145. This strain produces different bioactive compounds, including the blue-pigmented actinorhodin (ACT) and red-pigmented undecylprodigiosin (RED), and constitutes a model for the study of antibiotic-producing actinomycetes. Wet contact angles and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis confirmed the increased wettability of PLA-plasma due to the formation of polar functional groups such as carboxyl and hydroxyl moieties. Scanning electron microscope observations, carried out at different incubation times, revealed that S. coelicolor immobilized-cells created a dense "biofilm-like" mycelial network on both kinds of PLA membranes. Cultures of S. coelicolor immobilized-cells on PLA or PLA-plasma membranes produced higher biomass (between 1.5 and 2 fold) as well as higher levels of RED and ACT than planktonic cultures. In particular, cultures of immobilized-cells on PLA and PLA-plasma produced comparable levels of RED that were approximatively 4 and 5 fold higher than those produced by planktonic cultures, respectively. In contrast, levels of ACT produced by immobilized-cell cultures on PLA and PLA-plasma were different, being 5 and 10 fold higher than those of planktonic cultures, respectively. Therefore, this is study demonstrated the positive influence of PLA membrane on growth and secondary metabolite production in S. coelicolor and also revealed that O 2 -plasma treated PLA membranes

  12. Preparation and characterization of collagen/PLA, chitosan/PLA, and collagen/chitosan/PLA hybrid scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haaparanta, Anne-Marie; Järvinen, Elina; Cengiz, Ibrahim Fatih; Ellä, Ville; Kokkonen, Harri T; Kiviranta, Ilkka; Kellomäki, Minna

    2014-04-01

    In this study, three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds were developed for the repair of articular cartilage defects. Novel collagen/polylactide (PLA), chitosan/PLA, and collagen/chitosan/PLA hybrid scaffolds were fabricated by combining freeze-dried natural components and synthetic PLA mesh, where the 3D PLA mesh gives mechanical strength, and the natural polymers, collagen and/or chitosan, mimic the natural cartilage tissue environment of chondrocytes. In total, eight scaffold types were studied: four hybrid structures containing collagen and/or chitosan with PLA, and four parallel plain scaffolds with only collagen and/or chitosan. The potential of these types of scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering applications were determined by the analysis of the microstructure, water uptake, mechanical strength, and the viability and attachment of adult bovine chondrocytes to the scaffolds. The manufacturing method used was found to be applicable for the manufacturing of hybrid scaffolds with highly porous 3D structures. All the hybrid scaffolds showed a highly porous structure with open pores throughout the scaffold. Collagen was found to bind water inside the structure in all collagen-containing scaffolds better than the chitosan-containing scaffolds, and the plain collagen scaffolds had the highest water absorption. The stiffness of the scaffold was improved by the hybrid structure compared to plain scaffolds. The cell viability and attachment was good in all scaffolds, however, the collagen hybrid scaffolds showed the best penetration of cells into the scaffold. Our results show that from the studied scaffolds the collagen/PLA hybrids are the most promising scaffolds from this group for cartilage tissue engineering.

  13. PHEA-PLA biocompatible nanoparticles by technique of solvent evaporation from multiple emulsions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavallaro, Gennara; Craparo, Emanuela Fabiola; Sardo, Carla; Lamberti, Gaetano; Barba, Anna Angela; Dalmoro, Annalisa

    2015-11-30

    Nanocarriers of amphiphilic polymeric materials represent versatile delivery systems for poorly water soluble drugs. In this work the technique of solvent evaporation from multiple emulsions was applied to produce nanovectors based on new amphiphilic copolymer, the α,β-poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl)-DL-aspartamide-polylactic acid (PHEA-PLA), purposely synthesized to be used in the controlled release of active molecules poorly soluble in water. To this aim an amphiphilic derivative of PHEA, a hydrophilic polymer, was synthesized by derivatization of the polymeric backbone with hydrophobic grafts of polylactic acid (PLA). The achieved copolymer was thus used to produce nanoparticles loaded with α tocopherol (vitamin E) adopted as lipophilic model molecule. Applying a protocol based on solvent evaporation from multiple emulsions assisted by ultrasonic energy and optimizing the emulsification process (solvent selection/separation stages), PHEA-PLA nanostructured particles with total α tocopherol entrapment efficiency (100%), were obtained. The drug release is expected to take place in lower times with respect to PLA due to the presence of the hydrophilic PHEA, therefore the produced nanoparticles can be used for semi-long term release drug delivery systems. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. PLA/CS/Nifedipine Nanocomposite Films: Properties and the In Vitro Release of Nifedipine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trang, Nguyen Thi Thu; Chinh, Nguyen Thuy; Giang, Nguyen Vu; Thanh, Dinh Thi Mai; Lam, Tran Dai; Hoang, Thai

    2016-07-01

    The polylactic acid (PLA)/chitosan (CS) films containing a drug, nifedipine (NIF), in the presence of polyethylene oxide (PEO) as a compatibilizer were prepared by the solution method. This method has not been used to form films containing four components (PLA, CS, NIF, PEO) up to now. The CS, PEO, and NIF contents are 25 wt.%, 6-8 wt.%, and 10-50 wt.% in comparison with PLA weight, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to characterize the interactions, properties, and morphology of the PLA/CS/PEO/NIF films. The FTIR, TGA, and DSC results show that NIF carried by PLA/CS/PEO films and PLA, CS, NIF had better interaction and were more compatible when using PEO. The surface morphology of PLA/CS/PEO/NIF films was similar to that of PLA/CS/PEO films. Moreover, this was the first time drug loading and NIF release content from PLA/CS/PEO films were determined by the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy method. The drug loading of PLA/CS/PEO/NIF films was from 80.99% to 93.61%. The in vitro NIF release studies were carried out in pH 2, 6.8, and 7.4 solutions corresponding to the pH of stomach, colon, and duodenum regions in the human body, respectively. The NIF release content in different pH solutions is in the order: pH 2 > pH 6.8 > pH 7.4 and increases when there is increasing NIF loading. The PLA/CS/PEO films are potential materials to apply for long-circulating systems for NIF delivery.

  15. Polymer Film-Based Screening and Isolation of Polylactic Acid (PLA)-Degrading Microorganisms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Mi Yeon; Kim, Changman; Moon, Jungheun; Heo, Jinhee; Jung, Sokhee P; Kim, Jung Rae

    2017-02-28

    Polylactic acid (PLA) has been highlighted as an alternative renewable polymer for the replacement of petroleum-based plastic materials, and is considered to be biodegradable. On the other hand, the biodegradation of PLA by terminal degraders, such as microorganisms, requires a lengthy period in the natural environment, and its mechanism is not completely understood. PLA biodegradation studies have been conducted using mainly undefined mixed cultures, but only a few bacterial strains have been isolated and examined. For further characterization of PLA biodegradation, in this study, the PLA-degrading bacteria from digester sludge were isolated and identified using a polymer film-based screening method. The enrichment of sludge on PLA granules was conducted with the serial transference of a subculture into fresh media for 40 days, and the attached biofilm was inoculated on a PLA film on an agar plate. 3D optical microscopy showed that the isolates physically degraded the PLA film due to bacterial degradation. 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified the microbial colonies to be Pseudomonas sp. MYK1 and Bacillus sp. MYK2. The two isolates exhibited significantly higher specific gas production rates from PLA biodegradation compared with that of the initial sludge inoculum.

  16. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2: Yesterday’s Enemy Becomes Today’s Friend

    OpenAIRE

    Gihyun Lee; Hyunsu Bae

    2016-01-01

    Bee venom therapy has been used to treat immune-related diseases such as arthritis for a long time. Recently, it has revealed that group III secretory phospholipase A2 from bee venom (bee venom group III sPLA2) has in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory effects. A growing number of reports have demonstrated the therapeutic effects of bee venom group III sPLA2. Notably, new experimental data have shown protective immune responses of bee venom group III sPLA2 against a wide range of diseases inc...

  17. On the Use of PLA-PHB Blends for Sustainable Food Packaging Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrieta, Marina Patricia; Samper, María Dolores; Aldas, Miguel; López, Juan

    2017-08-29

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is the most used biopolymer for food packaging applications. Several strategies have been made to improve PLA properties for extending its applications in the packaging field. Melt blending approaches are gaining considerable interest since they are easy, cost-effective and readily available processing technologies at the industrial level. With a similar melting temperature and high crystallinity, poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) represents a good candidate to blend with PLA. The ability of PHB to act as a nucleating agent for PLA improves its mechanical resistance and barrier performance. With the dual objective to improve PLAPHB processing performance and to obtain stretchable materials, plasticizers are frequently added. Current trends to enhance PLA-PHB miscibility are focused on the development of composite and nanocomposites. PLA-PHB blends are also interesting for the controlled release of active compounds in the development of active packaging systems. This review explains the most relevant processing aspects of PLA-PHB based blends such as the influence of polymers molecular weight, the PLA-PHB composition as well as the thermal stability. It also summarizes the recent developments in PLA-PHB formulations with an emphasis on their performance with interest in the sustainable food packaging field. PLA-PHB blends shows highly promising perspectives for the replacement of traditional petrochemical based polymers currently used for food packaging.

  18. Interplay between ABA and phospholipases A(2) and D in the response of citrus fruit to postharvest dehydration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romero, Paco; Gandía, Mónica; Alférez, Fernando

    2013-09-01

    The interplay between abscisic acid (ABA) and phospholipases A2 and D (PLA2 and PLD) in the response of citrus fruit to water stress was investigated during postharvest by using an ABA-deficient mutant from 'Navelate' orange named 'Pinalate'. Fruit from both varieties harvested at two different maturation stages (mature-green and full-mature) were subjected to prolonged water loss inducing stem-end rind breakdown (SERB) in full-mature fruit. Treatment with PLA2 inhibitor aristolochic acid (AT) and PLD inhibitor lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) reduced the disorder in both varieties, suggesting that phospholipid metabolism is involved in citrus peel quality. Expression of CsPLDα and CsPLDβ, and CssPLA2α and CssPLA2β was studied by real-time RT-PCR during water stress and in response to ABA. CsPLDα expression increased in mature-green fruit from 'Navelate' but not in 'Pinalate' and ABA did not counteract this effect. ABA enhanced repression of CsPLDα in full-mature fruit. CsPLDβ gene expression decreased in mature-green 'Pinalate', remained unchanged in 'Navelate' and was induced in full-mature fruit from both varieties. CssPLA2α expression increased in mature-green fruit from both varieties whereas in full-mature fruit only increased in 'Navelate'. CssPLA2β expression increased in mature-green flavedo from both varieties, but in full-mature fruit remained steady in 'Navelate' and barely increased in 'Pinalate' fruit. ABA reduced expression in both after prolonged storage. Responsiveness to ABA increased with maturation. Our results show interplay between PLA2 and PLD and suggest that ABA action is upstream phospholipase activation. Response to ABA during water stress in citrus is regulated during fruit maturation and involves membrane phospholipid degradation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  19. Analgesic Effects of Bee Venom Derived Phospholipase A(2) in a Mouse Model of Oxaliplatin-Induced Neuropathic Pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Dongxing; Lee, Younju; Kim, Woojin; Lee, Kyungjin; Bae, Hyunsu; Kim, Sun Kwang

    2015-06-29

    A single infusion of oxaliplatin, which is widely used to treat metastatic colorectal cancer, induces specific sensory neurotoxicity signs that are triggered or aggravated when exposed to cold or mechanical stimuli. Bee Venom (BV) has been traditionally used in Korea to treat various pain symptoms. Our recent study demonstrated that BV alleviates oxaliplatin-induced cold allodynia in rats, via noradrenergic and serotonergic analgesic pathways. In this study, we have further investigated whether BV derived phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) attenuates oxaliplatin-induced cold and mechanical allodynia in mice and its mechanism. The behavioral signs of cold and mechanical allodynia were evaluated by acetone and a von Frey hair test on the hind paw, respectively. The significant allodynia signs were observed from one day after an oxaliplatin injection (6 mg/kg, i.p.). Daily administration of bvPLA2 (0.2 mg/kg, i.p.) for five consecutive days markedly attenuated cold and mechanical allodynia, which was more potent than the effect of BV (1 mg/kg, i.p.). The depletion of noradrenaline by an injection of N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine hydrochloride (DSP4, 50 mg/kg, i.p.) blocked the analgesic effect of bvPLA2, whereas the depletion of serotonin by injecting DL-p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA, 150 mg/kg, i.p.) for three successive days did not. Furthermore, idazoxan (α2-adrenegic receptor antagonist, 1 mg/kg, i.p.) completely blocked bvPLA2-induced anti-allodynic action, whereas prazosin (α1-adrenegic antagonist, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) did not. These results suggest that bvPLA2 treatment strongly alleviates oxaliplatin-induced acute cold and mechanical allodynia in mice through the activation of the noradrenergic system, via α2-adrenegic receptors, but not via the serotonergic system.

  20. Additive Manufacturing of PLA and CF/PLA Binding Layer Specimens via Fused Deposition Modeling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yuhang; Gao, Shiyou; Dong, Rongmei; Ding, Xuebing; Duan, Xiaoxi

    2018-02-01

    As one of the most popular additive manufacturing techniques, fused deposition modeling (FDM) is successfully applied in aerospace, automotive, architecture, and other fields to fabricate thermoplastic parts. Unfortunately, as a result of the limited nature of the mechanical properties and mass in raw materials, there is a pressing need to improve mechanical properties and reduce weight for FDM parts. Therefore, this paper presents an experiment of a special polylactic acid (PLA) and carbon fiber (CF)/PLA-laminated experimental specimen fabricated using the FDM process. The mechanical properties and mass analysis of the new composites for the PLA and CF/PLA binding layer specimen are investigated experimentally. Through the experimental analysis, one can conclude that the mass of laminated specimen is lighter than the CF/PLA specimen, and the tensile and flexural mechanical properties are higher than the pure PLA specimen.

  1. Design of group IIA secreted/synovial phospholipase A(2 inhibitors: an oxadiazolone derivative suppresses chondrocyte prostaglandin E(2 secretion.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean-Edouard Ombetta

    Full Text Available Group IIA secreted/synovial phospholipase A(2 (GIIAPLA(2 is an enzyme involved in the synthesis of eicosanoids such as prostaglandin E(2 (PGE(2, the main eicosanoid contributing to pain and inflammation in rheumatic diseases. We designed, by molecular modeling, 7 novel analogs of 3-{4-[5(indol-1-ylpentoxy]benzyl}-4H-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-one, denoted C1, an inhibitor of the GIIAPLA(2 enzyme. We report the results of molecular dynamics studies of the complexes between these derivatives and GIIAPLA(2, along with their chemical synthesis and results from PLA(2 inhibition tests. Modeling predicted some derivatives to display greater GIIAPLA(2 affinities than did C1, and such predictions were confirmed by in vitro PLA(2 enzymatic tests. Compound C8, endowed with the most favorable energy balance, was shown experimentally to be the strongest GIIAPLA(2 inhibitor. Moreover, it displayed an anti-inflammatory activity on rabbit articular chondrocytes, as shown by its capacity to inhibit IL-1beta-stimulated PGE(2 secretion in these cells. Interestingly, it did not modify the COX-1 to COX-2 ratio. C8 is therefore a potential candidate for anti-inflammatory therapy in joints.

  2. Docetaxel (DTX)-loaded polydopamine-modified TPGS-PLA nanoparticles as a targeted drug delivery system for the treatment of liver cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Dunwan; Tao, Wei; Zhang, Hongling; Liu, Gan; Wang, Teng; Zhang, Linhua; Zeng, Xiaowei; Mei, Lin

    2016-01-01

    Polydopamine-based surface modification is a simple way to functionalize polymeric nanoparticle (NP) surfaces with ligands and/or additional polymeric layers. In this work, we developed DTX-loaded formulations using polydopamine-modified NPs synthesized using D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate-poly(lactide) (pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs). To target liver cancer cells, galactosamine was conjugated on the prepared NPs (Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs) to enhance the delivery of DTX via ligand-mediated endocytosis. The size and morphology of pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs and Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs changed obviously compared with TPGS-PLA/NPs. In vitro studies showed that TPGS-PLA/NPs, pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs and Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs had similar release profiles of DTX. Both confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometric results showed that coumarin 6-loaded Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs had the highest cellular uptake efficiency in liver cancer cell line HepG2. Moreover, DTX-loaded Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs inhibited the growth of HepG2 cells more potently than TPGS-PLA/NPs, pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs, and a clinically available DTX formulation (Taxotere®). The in vivo biodistribution experiments show that the Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs are specifically targeted to the tumor. Furthermore, the in vivo anti-tumor effects study showed that injecting DTX-loaded Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs reduced the tumor size most significantly on hepatoma-bearing nude mice. These results suggest that Gal-pD-TPGS-PLA/NPs prepared in the study specifically interacted with the hepatocellular carcinoma cells through ligand-receptor recognition and they may be used as a potentially eligible drug delivery system targeting liver cancers. Polydopamine-based surface modification is a simple way to functionalize polymeric nanoparticle surfaces with ligands and/or additional polymeric layers. In this work, we developed docetaxel (DTX)-loaded formulations using polydopamine-modified NPs synthesized from D-α-tocopherol polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate

  3. Optimization in obtaining PLA nanofibers/nHAP for pharmaceuticals release; Otimizacao na obtencao de nanofibras de PLA/nHAP para liberacao de farmacos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Becaro, A.A.; Paris, E.C.; Mattoso, L.H.C., E-mail: elaine.paris@embrapa.br [EMBRAPA Instrumentacao, Sao Carlos, SP (Brazil); Sciena, C.R.; Malafatti, J.D. [Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos (UFSCar), SP (Brazil). Departamento de Quimica

    2016-07-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) belongs to the family of calcium apatites. In nanometric form (nHAP) can be used as a drug carrier. The objective was to improve PLA nanofibers with nHAP insert for use in drug delivery. nHAP were obtained by coprecipitation method and characterized by XRD and TEM techniques. PLA fibers (10%) and 5% nHAP were obtained at a distance of 6 cm and flow rate of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 ml h{sup -1}, and characterized by SEM. The nHAP were single phase with rod shape, rounded tip and from 10 to 20 nm in diameter. The fibers obtained from pure PLA had to be more porous than in the presence of HAP. The diameters ranged from 0.2 to 2.4 micrometers. Among the fibers obtained that showed the best result was to flow 0.3 ml h{sup -1}. (author)

  4. Evolution of a Rippled Membrane during Phospholipase A2 Hydrolysis Studied by Time-Resolved AFM

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leidy, Chad; Mouritsen, Ole G.; Jørgensen, Kent

    2004-01-01

    The sensitivity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) for lipid membrane curvature is explored by monitoring, through time-resolved atomic force microscopy, the hydrolysis of supported double bilayers in the ripple phase. The ripple phase presents a corrugated morphology. PLA2 is shown to have higher activity...... toward the ripple phase compared to the gel phase in 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) membranes, indicating its preference for this highly curved membrane morphology. Hydrolysis of the stable and metastable ripple structures is monitored for equimolar DMPC/1,2-distearoyl- sn-glycero-3....... This is reflected in an increase in ripple spacing, followed by a sudden flattening of the lipid membrane during hydrolysis. Hydrolysis of the ripple phase results in anisotropic holes running parallel to the ripples, suggesting that the ripple phase has strip regions of higher sensitivity to enzymatic attack. Bulk...

  5. Plasticized poly(lactic acid)-poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PLA-PHB) blends incorporated with catechin intended for active food-packaging applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrieta, Marina Patricia; Castro-López, María del Mar; Rayón, Emilio; Barral-Losada, Luis Fernando; López-Vilariño, José Manuel; López, Juan; González-Rodríguez, María Victoria

    2014-10-15

    Active biobased packaging materials based on poly(lactic acid)-poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PLA-PHB) blends were prepared by melt blending and fully characterized. Catechin incorporation, as antioxidant compound, enhanced the thermal stability, whereas its release was improved by the addition of acetyl(tributyl citrate) (ATBC) as plasticizer. Whereas the incorporation of ATBC resulted in a reduction of elastic modulus and hardness, catechin addition produced more rigid materials due to hydrogen-bonding interactions between catechin hydroxyl groups and carbonyl groups of PLA and PHB. The quantification of catechin released into a fatty food simulant and the antioxidant effectiveness after the release process were demonstrated. The effect of the materials' exposure to a food simulant was also investigated. PHB-added materials maintained their structural and mechanical properties after 10 days in a test medium that represents the worst foreseeable conditions of the intended use. Thus, plasticized PLA-PHB blends with catechin show their potential as biobased active packaging for fatty food.

  6. Polylactic acid (PLA) controlled delivery carriers for biomedical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tyler, Betty; Gullotti, David; Mangraviti, Antonella; Utsuki, Tadanobu; Brem, Henry

    2016-12-15

    Polylactic acid (PLA) and its copolymers have a long history of safety in humans and an extensive range of applications. PLA is biocompatible, biodegradable by hydrolysis and enzymatic activity, has a large range of mechanical and physical properties that can be engineered appropriately to suit multiple applications, and has low immunogenicity. Formulations containing PLA have also been Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for multiple applications making PLA suitable for expedited clinical translatability. These biomaterials can be fashioned into sutures, scaffolds, cell carriers, drug delivery systems, and a myriad of fabrications. PLA has been the focus of a multitude of preclinical and clinical testing. Three-dimensional printing has expanded the possibilities of biomedical engineering and has enabled the fabrication of a myriad of platforms for an extensive variety of applications. PLA has been widely used as temporary extracellular matrices in tissue engineering. At the other end of the spectrum, PLA's application as drug-loaded nanoparticle drug carriers, such as liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and micelles, can encapsulate otherwise toxic hydrophobic anti-tumor drugs and evade systemic toxicities. The clinical translation of these technologies from preclinical experimental settings is an ever-evolving field with incremental advancements. In this review, some of the biomedical applications of PLA and its copolymers are highlighted and briefly summarized. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Effect of Commercial SiO2 and SiO2 from rice husk ash loading on biodegradation of Poly (lactic acid) and crosslinked Poly (lactic acid)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prapruddivongs, C.; Apichartsitporn, M.; Wongpreedee, T.

    2017-09-01

    In this work, biodegradation behavior of poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and crosslinked PLA filled with two types of SiO2, precipitated SiO2 (commercial SiO2) and SiO2 from rice husk ash, were studied. Rice husks were first treated with 2 molar hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce high purity SiO2, before burnt in a furnace at 800°C for 6 hours. All components were melted bending by an internal mixer then hot pressed using compression molder to form tested specimens. FTIR spectra of SiO2 and PLA samples were investigated. The results showed the lack of silanol group (Si-OH) of rice husk ash after steric acid surface modification, while the addition of particles can affect the crosslinking of the PLA. For biodegradation test by evaluating total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) evolved during 60 days incubation at a controlled temperature of 58±2°C, the results showed that the biodegradation of crosslinked PLA occurred slower than the neat PLA. However, SiO2 incorporation enhanced the degree of biodegradation In particular, introducing commercial SiO2 in PLA and crosslinked PLA tended to clearly increase the degree of biodegradation as a consequence of the more accelerated hydrolysis degradation.

  8. All Work and No PLA Makes Jack a Dull Boy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova-Gonci, Viktoria

    2009-01-01

    In this article, the author presents an assortment of approaches--building blocks--commonly used in Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) practices (this list is certainly not comprehensive): (1) course matching (comparing course requirements to a student's prior learning experiences); (2) student's ability to articulate learning gained from…

  9. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates House Dust Mite Extract Induced Atopic Dermatitis Like Skin Lesions in Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jung, Kyung-Hwa; Baek, Hyunjung; Kang, Manho; Kim, Namsik; Lee, Seung Young; Bae, Hyunsu

    2017-02-18

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a biphasic inflammatory skin disease that is provoked by epidermal barrier defects, immune dysregulation, and increased skin infections. Previously, we have demonstrated that bvPLA2 evoked immune tolerance by inducing regulatory T cells (Treg), and thus alleviated Th2 dominant allergic asthma in mice. Here, we would like to determine whether treatment with bvPLA2 exacerbates the AD-like allergic inflammations induced by house dust mite extract (DFE) in a murine model. Epidermal thickness, immune cell infiltration, serum immunoglobulin, and cytokines were measured. Ear swelling, skin lesions, and the levels of total serum IgE and Th1/Th2 cytokines were elevated in DFE/DNCB-induced AD mice. Topical application of bvPLA2 elicited significant suppression of the increased AD symptoms, including ear thickness, serum IgE concentration, inflammatory cytokines, and histological changes. Furthermore, bvPLA2 treatment inhibited mast cell infiltration into the ear. On the other hand, Treg cell depletion abolished the anti-atopic effects of bvPLA2, suggesting that the effects of bvPLA2 depend on the existence of Tregs. Taken together, the results revealed that topical exposure to bvPLA2 aggravated atopic skin inflammation, suggesting that bvPLA2 might be a candidate for the treatment of AD.

  10. Effect of ionizing radiation on the properties of PLA packaging materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melski, K.; Kubera, H.; Gluszewski, W.; Zimek, Z.

    2011-01-01

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is attractive as a substitute for classical polymer packaging material due to its biodegradability and sufficient mechanical and barrier properties. Presented research was focused on the changes of basic mechanical parameters after ionizing irradiation performed with doses in the range of 2.5-25 kGy, commonly used in radiation sterilization and preservation of foods. Two commercial available PLA packaging films were tested. The influence of radiation dose on the mechanical properties - tensile strength and elongation were determined using standardized methods. Radiation resistance of PLA is sufficient for packaging applications. The investigations of gas products of radiolysis of PLA have been made by gas chromatography after electron beam (EB) irradiations. (authors)

  11. Interfacial binding of bee venom secreted phospholipase A2 to membranes occurs predominantly by a nonelectrostatic mechanism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bollinger, James G; Diraviyam, Karthikeyan; Ghomashchi, Farideh; Murray, Diana; Gelb, Michael H

    2004-10-26

    The secreted phospholipase A(2) from bee venom (bvPLA(2)) contains a membrane binding surface composed mainly of hydrophobic residues and two basic residues that come in close contact with the membrane. Previous studies have shown that the mutant in which these two basic residues (K14 and R23) as well as three other nearby basic residues were collectively changed to glutamate (charge reversal), like wild-type enzyme, binds with high affinity to anionic phospholipid vesicles. In the present study, we have measured the equilibrium constants for the interaction of wild-type bvPLA(2), the charge-reversal mutant (bvPLA(2)-E5), and the mutant in which the five basic residues were changed to neutral glutamine (bvPLA(2)-Q5) with phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles containing various amounts of the anionic phosphatidylserine (PS). Remarkably, bvPLA(2)-E5 with an anionic membrane binding surface binds more tightly to vesicles as the mole percent of PS is increased. Computational studies predict that this is due to a significant upward shift in the pK(a) of E14 (and to some extent E23) when the enzyme binds to PC/PS vesicles such that the carboxylate of the glutamate side chain near the membrane surface undergoes protonation. The experimental pH dependence of vesicle binding supports this prediction. bvPLA(2)-E5 binds more weakly to PS/PC vesicles than does wild-type enzyme due to electrostatic protein-vesicle repulsion coupled with the similar energetics of desolvation of basic residues and glutamates that accompanies enzyme-vesicle contact. Studies with bvPLA(2)-Q5 show that only a small fraction of the total bvPLA(2) interfacial binding energy ( approximately 10%) is due to electrostatics.

  12. Structural and biophysical studies with the MjTX-I, a Lys49-phospholipase A2 homologue from Bothrops moojeni venom

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salvador, G.H.M.; Fernandes, C.A.H.; Fernandez, R.M.; Fontes, M.R.M.; Marchi-Salvador, D.P.; Soares, A.M.; Oliveira, C.L.P

    2012-01-01

    Full text: Phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ) are small proteins found in a great diversity of organisms and belong to a superfamily of proteins involved in many important pharmacological processes, such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, platelet aggregation, and anticoagulant activity. Ophidic accidents caused by snakes from Bothrops genus are not efficiently neutralized by conventional serum therapy, and then detailed studies with this class of proteins may be very important to supplement this conventional therapy. Miotoxin-I (MjTX-I) is a basic Lys49-PLA 2 , isolated from Bothrops moojeni snake venom, which induces a drastic local myonecrosis. Crystal structure of MjTX-I shows four molecules in the asymmetric unit, an unusually oligomeric conformation for snake venom Lys49-PLA 2 s. However, bioinformatics techniques indicate a dimer as the biological oligomeric conformation. To get additional information of its biological conformation, we also performed Dynamic Light Scattering, Size Exclusion Chromatography and Small Angle X-ray Scattering experiments. These techniques showed a monomer as the most probable biological conformation in water; however small changes in pH and ionic strength result in different oligomeric assemblies. These novel information for Lys49-PLA 2 s may result in important conclusions for this intriguing class of toxins. (author)

  13. Improved thermal stability of polylactic acid (PLA) composite film via PLA-β-cyclodextrin-inclusion complex systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byun, Youngjae; Rodriguez, Katia; Han, Jung H; Kim, Young Teck

    2015-11-01

    The effects of the incorporation of PLA-β-cyclodextrin-inclusion complex (IC) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) on biopolyester PLA films were investigated. Thermal stability, surface morphology, barrier, and mechanical properties of the films were measured at varying IC (1, 3, 5, and 7%) and β-CD (1 and 5%) concentrations. The PLA-IC-composite films (IC-PLA-CFs) showed uniform morphological structure, while samples containing β-CD (β-CD-PLA-CFs) showed high agglomeration of β-CD due to poor interfacial interaction between β-CD and PLA moieties. According to the thermal property analysis, the 5% IC-PLA-CFs showed 6.6 times lower dimensional changes (6.5%) at the temperature range of 20-80°C than that of pure PLA film (43.0%). The increase of IC or β-CD content in the PLA-composite films shifted the glass transition and crystallization temperature to higher temperature regions. The crystallinity of both composite films improved by increasing IC or β-CD content. Both composite films had higher oxygen and water vapor permeability as IC or β-CD content increased in comparison to pure PLA film. All the composite films had less flexibility and lower tensile strength than the pure PLA film. In conclusion, this study shows that the IC technique is valuable to improve the thermal expansion stability of PLA-based films. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  14. Assay of phospholipases A2 and their inhibitors by kinetic analysis in the scooting mode

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahendra Kumar Jain

    1992-01-01

    Full Text Available Several cellular processes are regulated by interfacial catalysis on biomembrane surfaces. Phospholipases A2 (PLA2 are interesting not only as prototypes for interfacial catalysis, but also because they mobilize precursors for the biosynthesis of eicosanoids and platelet activating factor, and these agents ultimately control a wide range of secretory and inflammatory processes. Since PLA2 carry out their catalytic function at membrane surfaces, the kinetics of these enzymes depends on what the enzyme ‘sees’ at the interface, and thus the observed rate is profoundly influenced by the organization and dynamics of the lipidwater interface (‘quality of the interface’. In this review we elaborate the advantages of monitoring interfacial catalysis in the scooting mode, that is, under the conditions where the enzyme remains bound to vesicles for several thousand catalytic turnover cycles. Such a highly processive catalytic turnover in the scooting mode is useful for a rigorous and quantitative characterization of the kinetics of interfacial catalysis. This analysis is now extended to provide insights into designing strategy for PLA2 assays and screens for their inhibitors.

  15. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Ameliorates House Dust Mite Extract Induced Atopic Dermatitis Like Skin Lesions in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung-Hwa Jung

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Atopic dermatitis (AD is a biphasic inflammatory skin disease that is provoked by epidermal barrier defects, immune dysregulation, and increased skin infections. Previously, we have demonstrated that bvPLA2 evoked immune tolerance by inducing regulatory T cells (Treg, and thus alleviated Th2 dominant allergic asthma in mice. Here, we would like to determine whether treatment with bvPLA2 exacerbates the AD-like allergic inflammations induced by house dust mite extract (DFE in a murine model. Epidermal thickness, immune cell infiltration, serum immunoglobulin, and cytokines were measured. Ear swelling, skin lesions, and the levels of total serum IgE and Th1/Th2 cytokines were elevated in DFE/DNCB-induced AD mice. Topical application of bvPLA2 elicited significant suppression of the increased AD symptoms, including ear thickness, serum IgE concentration, inflammatory cytokines, and histological changes. Furthermore, bvPLA2 treatment inhibited mast cell infiltration into the ear. On the other hand, Treg cell depletion abolished the anti-atopic effects of bvPLA2, suggesting that the effects of bvPLA2 depend on the existence of Tregs. Taken together, the results revealed that topical exposure to bvPLA2 aggravated atopic skin inflammation, suggesting that bvPLA2 might be a candidate for the treatment of AD.

  16. Optimization in obtaining PLA nanofibers/nHAP for pharmaceuticals release

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becaro, A.A.; Paris, E.C.; Mattoso, L.H.C.; Sciena, C.R.; Malafatti, J.D.

    2016-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite (HAP) belongs to the family of calcium apatites. In nanometric form (nHAP) can be used as a drug carrier. The objective was to improve PLA nanofibers with nHAP insert for use in drug delivery. nHAP were obtained by coprecipitation method and characterized by XRD and TEM techniques. PLA fibers (10%) and 5% nHAP were obtained at a distance of 6 cm and flow rate of 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 ml h"-"1, and characterized by SEM. The nHAP were single phase with rod shape, rounded tip and from 10 to 20 nm in diameter. The fibers obtained from pure PLA had to be more porous than in the presence of HAP. The diameters ranged from 0.2 to 2.4 micrometers. Among the fibers obtained that showed the best result was to flow 0.3 ml h"-"1. (author)

  17. Structural and biophysical studies with the MjTX-I, a Lys49-phospholipase A{sub 2} homologue from Bothrops moojeni venom

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Salvador, G.H.M.; Fernandes, C.A.H.; Fernandez, R.M.; Fontes, M.R.M. [UNESP, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Botucatu, SP (Brazil); Marchi-Salvador, D.P. [Universidade Federal da Paraiba (UFPB), Joao Pessoa, PB (Brazil); Soares, A.M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP-RP), Ribeirao Preto, SP (Brazil); Oliveira, C.L.P [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), SP (Brazil)

    2012-07-01

    Full text: Phospholipases A{sub 2} (PLA{sub 2}) are small proteins found in a great diversity of organisms and belong to a superfamily of proteins involved in many important pharmacological processes, such as neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, platelet aggregation, and anticoagulant activity. Ophidic accidents caused by snakes from Bothrops genus are not efficiently neutralized by conventional serum therapy, and then detailed studies with this class of proteins may be very important to supplement this conventional therapy. Miotoxin-I (MjTX-I) is a basic Lys49-PLA{sub 2}, isolated from Bothrops moojeni snake venom, which induces a drastic local myonecrosis. Crystal structure of MjTX-I shows four molecules in the asymmetric unit, an unusually oligomeric conformation for snake venom Lys49-PLA{sub 2}s. However, bioinformatics techniques indicate a dimer as the biological oligomeric conformation. To get additional information of its biological conformation, we also performed Dynamic Light Scattering, Size Exclusion Chromatography and Small Angle X-ray Scattering experiments. These techniques showed a monomer as the most probable biological conformation in water; however small changes in pH and ionic strength result in different oligomeric assemblies. These novel information for Lys49-PLA{sub 2}s may result in important conclusions for this intriguing class of toxins. (author)

  18. Enhanced Phospholipase A2 Group 3 Expression by Oxidative Stress Decreases the Insulin-Degrading Enzyme

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yui, Daishi; Nishida, Yoichiro; Nishina, Tomoko; Mogushi, Kaoru; Tajiri, Mio; Ishibashi, Satoru; Ajioka, Itsuki; Ishikawa, Kinya; Mizusawa, Hidehiro; Murayama, Shigeo; Yokota, Takanori

    2015-01-01

    Oxidative stress has a ubiquitous role in neurodegenerative diseases and oxidative damage in specific regions of the brain is associated with selective neurodegeneration. We previously reported that Alzheimer disease (AD) model mice showed decreased insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) levels in the cerebrum and accelerated phenotypic features of AD when crossbred with alpha-tocopherol transfer protein knockout (Ttpa -/-) mice. To further investigate the role of chronic oxidative stress in AD pathophysiology, we performed DNA microarray analysis using young and aged wild-type mice and aged Ttpa -/- mice. Among the genes whose expression changed dramatically was Phospholipase A2 group 3 (Pla2g3); Pla2g3 was identified because of its expression profile of cerebral specific up-regulation by chronic oxidative stress in silico and in aged Ttpa -/- mice. Immunohistochemical studies also demonstrated that human astrocytic Pla2g3 expression was significantly increased in human AD brains compared with control brains. Moreover, transfection of HEK293 cells with human Pla2g3 decreased endogenous IDE expression in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings show a key role of Pla2g3 on the reduction of IDE, and suggest that cerebrum specific increase of Pla2g3 is involved in the initiation and/or progression of AD. PMID:26637123

  19. Enhanced Phospholipase A2 Group 3 Expression by Oxidative Stress Decreases the Insulin-Degrading Enzyme.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daishi Yui

    Full Text Available Oxidative stress has a ubiquitous role in neurodegenerative diseases and oxidative damage in specific regions of the brain is associated with selective neurodegeneration. We previously reported that Alzheimer disease (AD model mice showed decreased insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE levels in the cerebrum and accelerated phenotypic features of AD when crossbred with alpha-tocopherol transfer protein knockout (Ttpa-/- mice. To further investigate the role of chronic oxidative stress in AD pathophysiology, we performed DNA microarray analysis using young and aged wild-type mice and aged Ttpa-/- mice. Among the genes whose expression changed dramatically was Phospholipase A2 group 3 (Pla2g3; Pla2g3 was identified because of its expression profile of cerebral specific up-regulation by chronic oxidative stress in silico and in aged Ttpa-/- mice. Immunohistochemical studies also demonstrated that human astrocytic Pla2g3 expression was significantly increased in human AD brains compared with control brains. Moreover, transfection of HEK293 cells with human Pla2g3 decreased endogenous IDE expression in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings show a key role of Pla2g3 on the reduction of IDE, and suggest that cerebrum specific increase of Pla2g3 is involved in the initiation and/or progression of AD.

  20. Morphology control of PLA microfibers and spheres via melt electrospinning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Shu-Xin; Zheng, Jie; Yan, Xu; Wang, Xiao-Xiong; Nie, Guang-Di; Tan, Ye-Qiang; Zhang, Jun; Sui, Kun-Yan; Long, Yun-Ze

    2018-04-01

    In conventional solution electrospinning, the morphologies (e.g., spheres, beaded fibers, and fibers) of electrospun products can be controlled by solution concentration. Here, we report that the morphologies and structures of polylactic acid (PLA) via melt electrospinning also can be adjusted from microfibers to microspheres by simply increasing the spinning temperature. It was found that with temperature increasing from 200 °C to 240 °C, the average diameter of melt-electrospun PLA fibers decreased from 58.46 to 2.96 μm. Then, beaded fibers and microspheres about 14.5 μm in diameter were collected when the spinning temperature was increased to 250 °C and 260 °C. In addition, we also found that the average PLA fiber diameter decreased with increasing the applied spinning voltage, and increased with the increase of spinning distance. To explain the formation mechanism of different PLA microstructures, rheological property and infrared spectra of PLA under different spinning temperatures were also tested.

  1. Production, characterisation, and in vitro nebulisation performance of budesonide-loaded PLA nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amini, Mohammad Ali; Faramarzi, Mohammad Ali; Gilani, Kambiz; Moazeni, Esmaeil; Esmaeilzadeh-Gharehdaghi, Elina; Amani, Amir

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study is to prepare a nanosuspension of budesonide for respiratory delivery using nebuliser by optimising its particle size and characterising its in vitro deposition behaviour. PLA (poly lactic acid)-budesonide nanosuspension (BNS) was prepared using high-pressure emulsification/solvent evaporation method. To optimise particle size, different parameters such as PLA concentration, sonication time, and amplitude were investigated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses were performed to characterise the prepared PLA-budesonide nanoparticles. The in vitro aerodynamic characteristics of the PLA-BNS using a jet nebuliser were estimated and compared with that of commercially available suspension formulation of budesonide. Budesonide-loaded PLA nanoparticles with fine particle size (an average size of 224-360 nm), narrow size distribution, and spherical and smooth surface were prepared. The optimum condition for preparation of fine particle size for aerosolisation was found to be at PLA concentration of 1.2 mg/ml and amplitude of 70 for 75 s sonication time. The in vitro aerosolisation performance of PLA-BNS compared to that of commercial budesonide indicated that it has significantly (p PLA-BNS could be considered as a promising alternative suspension formulation for deep lung delivery of the drug using nebuliser.

  2. Biochemical and behavioral effects of phospholipase A2 and morphine microinjections in the periaqueductal gray of the rat

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Reichman, M.; Abood, L.G.; Costanzo, M.

    1985-01-01

    In order to characterize the in vivo action of phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) on opiate receptors and opiate-induced behaviors, the effects of injections of PLA 2 into the periaqueductal gray region (PAG) of the rat were assessed on free fatty acid (FFA) release, opiate-binding levels, and morphine-induced behaviors. Rats received bilateral PAG injections of 2 μg of PLA 2 while anesthetized. One hour later, regions around the cannulae tracts in PLA 2 -treated rats contained over 2.5 times more FFA than saline-injected controls, and 3 H-dihydromorphine binding was reduced on average more than 70%. In another series of experiments, conscious rats were given 2 μg of PLA 2 prior to 10 μg of morphine through cannulae chronically implanted into the PAG. PLA 2 did not significantly attenuate morphine-induced analgesia as measured by the tail-flick test to radiant heat, but did prevent the explosive motor behavior observed following morphine injections alone. PLA 2 by itself did not induce analgesia, but did cause explosive motor behavior 2 hr after the injections. Neither lysophosphatidylcholine nor trypsin resulted in motor seizures following PAG injections. It was concluded that the behavioral effects of PLA 2 result from the unique properties of the enzyme, rather than generalized membrane damage, and that the opioid sites and mechanisms that mediate analgesia are different from those associated with explosive motor behavior. 36 references, 2 figures, 2 tables

  3. A New Esterase from Thermobifida halotolerans Hydrolyses Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET and Polylactic Acid (PLA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Georg Steinkellner

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available A new esterase from Thermobifida halotolerans (Thh_Est was cloned and expressed in E. coli and investigated for surface hydrolysis of polylactic acid (PLA and polyethylene terephthalate (PET. Thh_Est is a member of the serine hydrolases superfamily containing the -GxSxG- motif with 85–87% homology to an esterase from T. alba, to an acetylxylan esterase from T. fusca and to various Thermobifida cutinases. Thh_Est hydrolyzed the PET model substrate bis(benzoyloxyethylterephthalate and PET releasing terephthalic acid and mono-(2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate in comparable amounts (19.8 and 21.5 mmol/mol of enzyme while no higher oligomers like bis-(2-hydroxyethyl terephthalate were detected. Similarly, PLA was hydrolyzed as indicated by the release of lactic acid. Enzymatic surface hydrolysis of PET and PLA led to a strong hydrophilicity increase, as quantified with a WCA decrease from 90.8° and 75.5° to 50.4° and to a complete spread of the water drop on the surface, respectively.

  4. HL-1 mouse cardiomyocyte injury and death after simulated ischemia and reperfusion: roles of pH, Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2, and Na+/H+ exchange

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, Ann-Dorit; Poulsen, Kristian Arild; Lambert, Ian H

    2009-01-01

    activation were reduced after acidic compared with neutral SI, whereas necrotic death, estimated as glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase release, was similar in the two conditions. Inhibition of iPLA(2)-VI activity by bromoenol lactone (BEL) elicited cardiomyocyte necrosis during normoxia and after acidic, yet...

  5. Plant Extract Synthesized PLA Nanoparticles for Controlled and Sustained Release of Quercetin: A Green Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Sudesh Kumar

    2012-01-01

    Background Green synthesis of metallic nanoparticles (NPs) has been extensively carried out by using plant extracts (PEs) which have property of stabilizers/ emulsifiers. To our knowledge, there is no comprehensive study on applying a green approach using PEs for fabrication of biodegradable PLA NPs. Conventional methods rely on molecules like polyvinyl alcohol, polyethylene glycol, D-alpha-tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol 1000) succinate as stabilizers/emulsifiers for the synthesis of such biodegradable NPs which are known to be toxic. So, there is urgent need to look for stabilizers which are biogenic and non-toxic. The present study investigated use of PEs as stabilizers/emulsifiers for the fabrication of stable PLA NPs. Synthesized PLA NPs through this green process were explored for controlled release of the well known antioxidant molecule quercetin. Methodology/Principal Findings Stable PLA NPs were synthesized using leaf extracts of medicinally important plants like Syzygium cumini (1), Bauhinia variegata (2), Cedrus deodara (3), Lonicera japonica (4) and Eleaocarpus sphaericus (5). Small and uniformly distributed NPs in the size range 70±30 nm to 143±36 nm were formed with these PEs. To explore such NPs for drugs/ small molecules delivery, we have successfully encapsulated quercetin a lipophilic molecule on a most uniformly distributed PLA-4 NPs synthesized using Lonicera japonica leaf extract. Quercetin loaded PLA-4 NPs were observed for slow and sustained release of quercetin molecule. Conclusions This green approach based on PEs mediated synthesis of stable PLA NPs pave the way for encapsulating drug/small molecules, nutraceuticals and other bioactive ingredients for safer cellular uptake, biodistribution and targeted delivery. Hence, such PEs synthesized PLA NPs would be useful to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of encapsulated small molecules/drugs. Furthermore, different types of plants can be explored for the synthesis of PLA as well as other

  6. Structure-Guided Discovery of Novel, Potent, and Orally Bioavailable Inhibitors of Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qiufeng; Huang, Fubao; Yuan, Xiaojing; Wang, Kai; Zou, Yi; Shen, Jianhua; Xu, Yechun

    2017-12-28

    Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) is a promising therapeutic target for atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and diabetic macular edema. Here we report the identification of novel sulfonamide scaffold Lp-PLA2 inhibitors derived from a relatively weak fragment. Similarity searching on this fragment followed by molecular docking leads to the discovery of a micromolar inhibitor with a 300-fold potency improvement. Subsequently, by the application of a structure-guided design strategy, a successful hit-to-lead optimization was achieved and a number of Lp-PLA2 inhibitors with single-digit nanomolar potency were obtained. After preliminary evaluation of the properties of drug-likeness in vitro and in vivo, compound 37 stands out from this congeneric series of inhibitors for good inhibitory activity and favorable oral bioavailability in male Sprague-Dawley rats, providing a quality candidate for further development. The present study thus clearly demonstrates the power and advantage of integrally employing fragment screening, crystal structures determination, virtual screening, and medicinal chemistry in an efficient lead discovery project, providing a good example for structure-based drug design.

  7. ELISA-PLA: A novel hybrid platform for the rapid, highly sensitive and specific quantification of proteins and post-translational modifications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tong, Qing-He; Tao, Tao; Xie, Li-Qi; Lu, Hao-Jie

    2016-06-15

    Detection of low-abundance proteins and their post-translational modifications (PTMs) remains a great challenge. A conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is not sensitive enough to detect low-abundance PTMs and suffers from nonspecific detection. Herein, a rapid, highly sensitive and specific platform integrating ELISA with a proximity ligation assay (PLA), termed ELISA-PLA, was developed. Using ELISA-PLA, the specificity was improved by the simultaneous and proximate recognition of targets through multiple probes, and the sensitivity was significantly improved by rolling circle amplification (RCA). For GFP, the limit of detection (LOD) was decreased by two orders of magnitude compared to that of ELISA. Using site-specific phospho-antibody and pan-specific phospho-antibody, ELISA-PLA was successfully applied to quantify the phosphorylation dynamics of ERK1/2 and the overall tyrosine phosphorylation level of ERK1/2, respectively. ELISA-PLA was also used to quantify the O-GlcNAcylation of AKT, c-Fos, CREB and STAT3, which is faster and more sensitive than the conventional immunoprecipitation and western blotting (IP-WB) method. As a result, the sample consumption of ELISA-PLA was reduced 40-fold compared to IP-WB. Therefore, ELISA-PLA could be a promising platform for the rapid, sensitive and specific detection of proteins and PTMs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. PLA composites: From production to properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murariu, Marius; Dubois, Philippe

    2016-12-15

    Poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable polyester produced from renewable resources, is used for various applications (biomedical, packaging, textile fibers and technical items). Due to its inherent properties, PLA has a key-position in the market of biopolymers, being one of the most promising candidates for further developments. Unfortunately, PLA suffers from some shortcomings, whereas for the different applications specific end-use properties are required. Therefore, the addition of reinforcing fibers, micro- and/or nanofillers, and selected additives within PLA matrix is considered as a powerful method for obtaining specific end-use characteristics and major improvements of properties. This review highlights recent developments, current results and trends in the field of composites based on PLA. It presents the main advances in PLA properties and reports selected results in relation to the preparation and characterization of the most representative PLA composites. To illustrate the possibility to design the properties of composites, a section is devoted to the production and characterization of innovative PLA-based products filled with thermally-treated calcium sulfate, a by-product from the lactic acid production process. Moreover, are emphasized the last tendencies strongly evidenced in the case of PLA, i.e., the high interest to diversify its uses by moving from biomedical and packaging (biodegradation properties, "disposables") to technical applications ("durables"). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. A study on properties of PLA/PBAT from blown film process

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hongdilokkul, P; Keeratipinit, K; Chawthai, S; Suttiruengwong, S; Hararak, B; Seadan, M

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this work was to study the properties of films based on PLA/PBAT blend prepared by the reactive compounding. PLA/PBAT blends were prepared at the weight ratio of 80:20 together with peroxide as a reactive agent in a twin screw extruder with temperature profile of 160/170/180/210/220/190/175/150°C from feed to die zone. All blended samples, neat PLA, and neat PBAT were characterized for morphology, mechanical and rheological properties. SEM micrographs showed finely dispersed phases of PBAT in PLA in all cases. The particle sizes of PBAT were around 1 μm. The results indicated that the drawability and toughness properties of PLA were greatly improved when blended with 20%wt PBAT. The interface adhesion, and mechanical properties of PLA/PBAT blends were also improved when adding a very small quantity of peroxide. PLA/PBAT blends were then used to produce films. The film characteristics and mechanical properties were examined. Tensile strength of films was significantly improved in the machine direction in PLA/PBAT/peroxide blends whereas the good optical transparent property were remained the same compared with neat PLA. (paper)

  10. Synergy by secretory phospholipase A2 and glutamate on inducing cell death and sustained arachidonic acid metabolic changes in primary cortical neuronal cultures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolko, M; DeCoster, M A; de Turco, E B

    1996-01-01

    glutamate and sPLA2 from bee venom. sPLA2, at concentrations eliciting low neurotoxicity (acid into triacylglycerols. Free [3H]arachidonic acid accumulated at higher enzyme concentrations......, from Taipan snake venom. The NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 blocked glutamate effects and partially inhibited sPLA2 OS2 but not sPLA2 from bee venom-induced arachidonic acid release. Thus, the synergy with glutamate and very low concentrations of exogenously added sPLA2 suggests a potential role......Secretory and cytosolic phospholipases A2 (sPLA2 and cPLA2) may contribute to the release of arachidonic acid and other bioactive lipids, which are modulators of synaptic function. In primary cortical neuron cultures, neurotoxic cell death and [3H]arachidonate metabolism was studied after adding...

  11. Calcium-independent phospholipase A2 regulates retinal pigment epithelium proliferation and may be important in the pathogenesis of retinal diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolko, M; Kiilgaard, J F; Wang, J

    2009-01-01

    Calcium-independent phospholipase A2, group VIA (iPLA2-VIA) is involved in cell proliferation. This study aimed to evaluate the role of iPLA2-VIA in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell proliferation and in retinal diseases involving RPE proliferation. A human RPE cell line (ARPE-19) was used...... the expression of iPLA2-VIA in proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). PVR membranes revealed nuclear expression of iPLA2-VIA in the RPE cells which had migrated and participated in the formation of the membranes. Overall, the present results point to an important role of iPLA2-VIA in the regulation of RPE...

  12. Electrospun PBLG/PLA nanofiber membrane for constructing in vitro 3D model of melanoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yaping; Qian, Junmin; Liu, Ting; Xu, Weijun; Zhao, Na; Suo, Aili

    2017-07-01

    Though much progress in utilizing tissue engineering technology to investigate tumor development in vitro has been made, the effective management of human melanoma is still a challenge in clinic due to lack of suitable 3D culture systems. In this study, we prepared a poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate)/poly(lactic acid) (PBLG/PLA) nanofiber membrane by electrospinning and demonstrated its suitability as a matrix for 3D culture of melanoma cells in vitro. The electrospun PBLG/PLA nanofiber membrane displayed a smooth and uniform fibrous morphology and had a desirable water contact angle of 79.3±0.6°. The average diameter of PBLG/PLA nanofibers was 320.3±95.1nm that was less than that (516.2±163.3nm) of pure PLA nanofibers. The addition of PBLG into PLA decreased the cold crystallization peak of PLA fibers from 93 to 75°C. The in vitro biocompatibility of PBLG/PLA nanofiber membrane was evaluated with B16F10 cells using PLA nanofiber membrane as control. It was found that, compared to PLA nanofiber membrane, PBLG/PLA nanofiber membrane could better support cell viability and proliferation, as indicated by MTT assay and live-dead staining. SEM results revealed that PBLG/PLA rather than PLA nanofiber membrane promoted the generation of tumoroid-like structures. These findings clearly demonstrated that the electrospun PBLG/PLA nanofiber membrane could mimick the extracellular matrix of melanoma microenvironment and be a promising platform for 3D cell culture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Poly(lactic acid)/TiO2 nanocomposites as alternative biocidal and antifungal materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonseca, Carmen; Ochoa, Almudena; Ulloa, Maria Teresa; Alvarez, Eduardo; Canales, Daniel; Zapata, Paula A.

    2015-01-01

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites with titanium oxide (TiO 2 ) ~ 10-nm nanoparticles were produced by the melting process and their main properties were evaluated. The nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the matrix with a low degree of agglomeration, as seen by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallinity temperature increased ~ 12% when 5 wt.% of TiO 2 was added, showing that the nanoparticles acted as nucleating agents this trend was confirmed by optical images. The elastic modulus increased ~ 54% compared to neat PLA at 5 wt.% of nanoparticles. Despite these improvements, PLA/TiO 2 nanocomposites showed lower shear viscosity than neat PLA, possibly reflecting degradation of the polymer due to the particles. Regarding biocidal properties, after 2 h of contact the PLA/TiO 2 composites with 8 wt.% TiO 2 showed a reduction of Escherichia coli colonies of ~ 82% under no UVA irradiation compared to pure PLA. This biocidal characteristic can be increased under UVA irradiation, with nanocomposites containing 8 wt.% TiO 2 killing 94% of the bacteria. The PLA/TiO 2 nanocomposites with 8 wt.% were also 99.99% effective against Aspergillus fumigatus under the UVA irradiation. - Highlights: • PLA composites with titanium oxide (10 nm) were produced by the melting process. • The crystallinity temperature increased ~ 12% when 5 wt.% of TiO 2 was added. • The elastic modulus increased ~ 54% compared to neat PLA. • The PLA/TiO 2 composites showed a reduction of Escherichia coli colonies of 94%. • The PLA/TiO 2 nanocomposites with 8 wt.% were also 99.99% effective against fungi

  14. Development of a cell-based bioassay for phospholipase A2-triggered liposomal drug release

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Arouri, Ahmad; Trojnar, Jakub; Schmidt, Steffen

    2015-01-01

    models, the pattern of sPLA2-assisted drug release is unknown due to the lack of a suitable bio-relevant model. We report here on the development of a novel bioluminescence living-cell-based luciferase assay for the monitoring of sPLA2-triggered release of luciferin from liposomes. To this end, we...

  15. Blends of low molecular weight of poly lactic acid (PLA) with gondorukem (gum rosin)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaavessina, Mujtahid; Distantina, Sperisa; Chafidz, Achmad; Utama, Aditya; Anggraeni, Venisa Mega Puteri

    2018-02-01

    The utilization of plastic was increasing as well as the increasing its demand in wide range application. Consequently, the number of plastic litter will increase and make more serious environmental problems. This research concerns to minimize waste problems by designing biodegradable plastic. In this research, biodegradable plastic was made of poly lactic acid (PLA) and gondorukem (Gum rosin, Resina colophonium) as the plasticizer. The effect of gondorukem towards PLA properties such as rheology and degradability was investigated. The research divided into two steps: (i) the polycondensation of lactic acid (LA) and (ii) modification of obtained poly lactic acid. In the first step, polycondensation was done in N2 atmosphere (138°C) for 30 hours and added 0.1 %w of SnCl2 as catalyst. Bulk modification was conducted by blending of gondurukem in varied weight (0.5, 1, and 2 g in 10 g of PLA). Furthermore, the modified PLA was analyzed its molecular structure, biodegradability and rheological property. The presence of gondorukem enhanced the biodegradability of poly lactic acid. Gondorukem could act as the plasticizer. It is confirmed that the complex viscosity of PLA melt decreased upon the addition of gondorukem

  16. Expression and purification of a major allergen, Pla a 1, from Platanus acerifolia pollen and the preparation of its monoclonal antibody.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Wei-Wei; Huang, Wen; Wu, De-Qin; Zhou, Yan-Jun; Ji, Chun-Mei; Cao, Meng-Da; Guo, Miao; Sun, Jin-Lu; Wei, Ji-Fu

    2017-09-01

    Platanus acerifolia pollen is considered an important source of airborne allergens in numerous cities. Pla a 1 is a major allergen from P. acerifolia pollen. The present study aimed to express and purify Pla a 1, and to prepare its monoclonal antibody. In the present study, the Pla a 1 gene was subcloned into a pET‑28a vector and transformed into the ArcticExpress™ (DE3) RP Escherichia coli host strain. The purified Pla a 1 was then used to immunize BALB/c mice. When serum detection was positive, spleen cells were isolated from the mice and fused with SP2/0 myeloma cells at a ratio of 10:1. Hybridoma cells were screened by indirect ELISA and limiting dilution. Positive cells were used to induce the formation of antibody‑containing ascites fluid, and the antibodies were purified using protein A‑agarose. The results of the present study demonstrated that recombinant Pla a 1 was successfully expressed and purified, and exhibited positive immunoglobulin E‑binding to serum from patients allergic to P. acerifolia. A total of 11 hybridomas that steadily secreted anti‑Pla a 1 antibody were obtained and an immunoblotting analysis indicated that all of these monoclonal antibodies specifically recognized the Pla a 1 protein. These results suggested that specific anti‑Pla a 1 antibodies may be obtained, which can be used for the rapid detection of Pla a 1 allergens and in the preparation of vaccines against P. acerifolia pollen.

  17. Predominant Role of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2α in Dioxin-induced Neonatal Hydronephrosis in Mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoshioka, Wataru; Kawaguchi, Tatsuya; Fujisawa, Nozomi; Aida-Yasuoka, Keiko; Shimizu, Takao; Matsumura, Fumio; Tohyama, Chiharu

    2014-01-01

    Hydronephrosis is a common disease characterized by dilation of the renal pelvis and calices, resulting in loss of kidney function in the most severe cases. 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) induces nonobstructive hydronephrosis in mouse neonates through upregulation of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis pathway consisting of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) by a yet unknown mechanism. We here studied possible involvement of cytosolic phospholipase A2α (cPLA2α) in this mechanism. To this end, we used a cPLA2α-null mouse model and found that cPLA2α has a significant role in the upregulation of the PGE2 synthesis pathway through a noncanonical pathway of aryl hydrocarbon receptor. This study is the first to demonstrate the predominant role of cPLA2α in hydronephrosis. Elucidation of the pathway leading to the onset of hydronephrosis using the TCDD-exposed mouse model will deepen our understanding of the molecular basis of nonobstructive hydronephrosis in humans. PMID:24509627

  18. Antibacterial poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films grafting electrospun PLA/Ally isothioscyanate (AITC) fibers for food packaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) fibers of submicron sizes encapsulating allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (PfA) were made and electrospun onto the surfaces of PLA films (PfA-g-film). SEM examination confirmed that the fibers were grafted to the PLA film after the (PfA-g-film) underwent air blowing and water washi...

  19. Antiparasitic effects induced by polyclonal IgY antibodies anti-phospholipase A2 from Bothrops pauloensis venom.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borges, Isabela Pacheco; Silva, Mariana Ferreira; Santiago, Fernanda Maria; de Faria, Lucas Silva; Júnior, Álvaro Ferreira; da Silva, Rafaela José; Costa, Mônica Soares; de Freitas, Vitor; Yoneyama, Kelly Aparecida Geraldo; Ferro, Eloísa Amália Vieira; Lopes, Daiana Silva; Rodrigues, Renata Santos; de Melo Rodrigues, Veridiana

    2018-06-01

    Activities of phospholipases (PLAs) have been linked to pathogenesis in various microorganisms, and implicated in cell invasion and so the interest in these enzymes as potential targets that could contribute to the control of parasite survival and proliferation. Chicken eggs immunized with BnSP-7, a Lys49 phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) homologue from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom, represent an excellent source of polyclonal antibodies with potential inhibitory activity on parasite PLA s. Herein, we report the production, characterization and anti-parasitic effect of IgY antibodies from egg yolks of hens immunized with BnSP-7. Produced antibodies presented increasing avidity and affinity for antigenic toxin epitopes throughout immunization, attaining a plateau after 4weeks. Pooled egg yolks-purified anti-BnSP-7 IgY antibodies were able to specifically recognize different PLA 2 s from Bothrops pauloensis and Bothrops jararacussu venom. Antibodies also neutralized BnSP-7 cytotoxic activity in C2C12 cells. Also, the antibodies recognized targets in Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Toxoplasma gondii extracts by ELISA and immunofluorescence assays. Anti-BnSP-7 IgY antibodies were cytotoxic to T. gondii tachyzoite and L. (L.) amazonensis promastigotes, and were able to decrease proliferation of both parasites treated before infection. These data suggest that the anti-BnSP-7 IgY is an important tool for discovering new parasite targets and blocking parasitic effects. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Molecular Weight and Structural Properties of Biodegradable PLA Synthesized with Different Catalysts by Direct Melt Polycondensation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyung Woo Lee

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Production of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA from biomassbased lactic acid is widely studied for substituting petro-based plastics or polymers. This study investigated PLA production from commercial lactic acid in a batch reactor by applying a direct melt polycondensation method with two kinds of catalyst, γ-aluminium(III oxide (γ-Al2O3 or zinc oxide (ZnO, in reduced pressure. The molecular weight of the synthesized PLA was determined by capillary viscometry and its structural properties were analyzed by functional group analysis using FT-IR. The yields of polymer production with respect to the theoretical conversion were 47% for γ-Al2O3 and 35% for ZnO. However, the PLA from ZnO had a higher molecular weight (150,600 g/mol than that from γ-Al2O3 (81,400 g/mol. The IR spectra of the synthesized PLA from both catalysts using polycondensation show the same behavior of absorption peaks at wave numbers from 4,500 cm-1 to 500 cm-1, whereas the PLA produced by two other polymerization methods – polycondensation and ring opening polymerization –showed a significant difference in % transmittance intensity pattern as well as peak area absorption at a wave number of 3,500 cm-1 as –OH vibration peak and at 1,750 cm-1 as –C=O carbonyl vibrational peak.

  1. Hydrophobic-modified nano-cellulose fiber/PLA biodegradable composites for lowering water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Zhaoping; Xiao, Huining; Zhao, Yi

    2014-10-13

    New biodegradable nanocomposites have been successfully prepared by incorporating modified nano-cellulose fibers (NCF) in a biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) matrix in this work. The hydrophobic-modified NCF was obtained by grafting hydrophobic monomers on NCF to improve the compatibility between NCF and PLA during blending. The resulting NCF/PLA composites were then applied on paper surface via a cast-coating process in an attempt to reduce the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of paper. The WVTR tests, conducted under various testing conditions and with different coating weights, demonstrated that the modified NCF/PLA composites coating played a critical role in lowering WVTR of paper. The lowest WVTR value was 34 g/m(2)/d, which was obtained with an addition of 1% of modified NCF to PLA and the composites coating weight at 40 g/m(2) and substantially lower than the control value at 1315 g/m(2)/d. The paper coated with the modified biodegradable composite is promising as green-based packaging materials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Poly(lactic acid)/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites as alternative biocidal and antifungal materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fonseca, Carmen; Ochoa, Almudena [POLCA, Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, Química y Diseño Industrial, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería y Diseño Industrial, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Ronda de Valencia 3, Madrid (Spain); Ulloa, Maria Teresa; Alvarez, Eduardo [Programa de Microbiología y Micología. ICBM-Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Chile, Dirección, Avenida Independencia 1027, Comuna Independencia, Santiago (Chile); Canales, Daniel [Grupo Polímeros, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Casilla 40, Correo 33, Santiago (Chile); Zapata, Paula A., E-mail: paula.zapata@usach.cl [Grupo Polímeros, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, USACH, Casilla 40, Correo 33, Santiago (Chile)

    2015-12-01

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites with titanium oxide (TiO{sub 2}) ~ 10-nm nanoparticles were produced by the melting process and their main properties were evaluated. The nanoparticles are homogeneously dispersed in the matrix with a low degree of agglomeration, as seen by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallinity temperature increased ~ 12% when 5 wt.% of TiO{sub 2} was added, showing that the nanoparticles acted as nucleating agents this trend was confirmed by optical images. The elastic modulus increased ~ 54% compared to neat PLA at 5 wt.% of nanoparticles. Despite these improvements, PLA/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites showed lower shear viscosity than neat PLA, possibly reflecting degradation of the polymer due to the particles. Regarding biocidal properties, after 2 h of contact the PLA/TiO{sub 2} composites with 8 wt.% TiO{sub 2} showed a reduction of Escherichia coli colonies of ~ 82% under no UVA irradiation compared to pure PLA. This biocidal characteristic can be increased under UVA irradiation, with nanocomposites containing 8 wt.% TiO{sub 2} killing 94% of the bacteria. The PLA/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites with 8 wt.% were also 99.99% effective against Aspergillus fumigatus under the UVA irradiation. - Highlights: • PLA composites with titanium oxide (10 nm) were produced by the melting process. • The crystallinity temperature increased ~ 12% when 5 wt.% of TiO{sub 2} was added. • The elastic modulus increased ~ 54% compared to neat PLA. • The PLA/TiO{sub 2} composites showed a reduction of Escherichia coli colonies of 94%. • The PLA/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposites with 8 wt.% were also 99.99% effective against fungi.

  3. Non-isothermal crystallization of PET/PLA blends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Huipeng; Pyda, Marek; Cebe, Peggy

    2009-01-01

    Binary blends of poly(ethylene terephthalate) with poly(lactic acid), PET/PLA, were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray scattering. The PET/PLA blends, prepared by solution casting, were found to be miscible in the melt over the entire composition range. Both quenched amorphous and semicrystalline blends exhibit a single, composition dependent glass transition temperature. We report the non-isothermal crystallization of (a) PET, with and without the presence of PLA crystals and (b) PLA, with and without the presence of PET crystals. PET can crystallize in all blends, regardless of whether PLA is amorphous or crystalline, and degree of crystallinity of PET decreases as PLA content increases. In contrast, PLA crystallization is strongly affected by the mobility of the PET fraction. When PET is wholly amorphous, PLA can crystallize even in 70/30 blends, albeit weakly. But when PET is crystalline, PLA cannot crystallize when its own content drops below 0.90. These different behaviors may possibly be related to the tendency of each polymer to form constrained chains, i.e., to form the rigid amorphous fraction, or RAF. PET is capable of forming a large amount of RAF, whereas relatively smaller amount of RAF forms in PLA. Like the crystals, the rigid amorphous fraction of one polymer component may inhibit the growth of crystals of the other blend partner.

  4. Using Participatory Learning & Action (PLA) research techniques for inter-stakeholder dialogue in primary healthcare: an analysis of stakeholders' experiences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Brún, T; O'Reilly-de Brún, M; Van Weel-Baumgarten, E; Burns, N; Dowrick, C; Lionis, C; O'Donnell, C; Mair, F S; Papadakaki, M; Saridaki, A; Spiegel, W; Van Weel, C; Van den Muijsenbergh, M; MacFarlane, A

    2017-01-01

    It is important for health care workers to know the needs and expectations of their patients. Therefore, service users have to be involved in research. To achieve a meaningful dialogue between service users, healthcare workers and researchers, participatory methods are needed. This paper describes how the application of a specific participatory methodology, Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) can lead to such a meaningful dialogue. In PLA all stakeholders are regarded as equal partners and collaborators in research.During 2011-2015, a European project called RESTORE used PLA in Austria, Greece, Ireland, The Netherlands and the UK to investigate how communication between primary health care workers and their migrant patients could be improved.Seventy eight migrants, interpreters, doctors, nurses and other key stakeholders (see Table 2) participated in 62 PLA sessions. These dialogues (involving discussions, activities, PLA techniques and evaluations) were generally 2-3 h long and were recorded and analysed by the researchers.Participants reported many positive experiences about their dialogues with other stakeholders. There was a positive, trusting atmosphere in which all stakeholders could express their views despite differences in social power. This made for better understanding within and across stakeholder groups. For instance a doctor changed her view on the use of interpreters after a migrant explained why this was important. Negative experiences were rare: some doctors and healthcare workers thought the PLA sessions took a lot of time; and despite the good dialogue, there was disappointment that very few migrants used the new interpreting service. Background In order to be effective, primary healthcare must understand the health needs, values and expectations of the population it serves. Recent research has shown that the involvement of service users and other stakeholders and gathering information on their perspectives can contribute positively to many

  5. An anti-phospholipase A2 receptor quantitative immunoassay and epitope analysis in membranous nephropathy reveals different antigenic domains of the receptor.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astrid Behnert

    Full Text Available The phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R was recently discovered as a target autoantigen in patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN. Published evidence suggests that the autoantibodies directed towards a conformation dependent epitope are currently effectively detected by a cell based assay (CBA utilizing indirect immunofluorescence (IIF on tissue culture cells transfected with the PLA2R cDNA. Limitations of such IIF-CBA assays include observer dependent subjective evaluation of semi-quantitative test results and the protocols are not amenable to high throughput diagnostic testing. We developed a quantitative, observer independent, high throughput capture immunoassay for detecting PLA2R autoantibodies on an addressable laser bead immunoassay (ALBIA platform. Since reactive domains of PLA2R (i.e. epitopes could be used to improve diagnostic tests by using small peptides in various high throughput diagnostic platforms, we identified PLA2R epitopes that bound autoantibodies of IMN patients. These studies confirmed that inter-molecular epitope spreading occurs in IMN but use of the cognate synthetic peptides in immunoassays was unable to conclusively distinguish between IMN patients and normal controls. However, combinations of these peptides were able to effectively absorb anti-PLA2R reactivity in IIF-CBA and an immunoassay that employed a lysate derived from HEK cells tranfected with and overexpressing PLA2R. While we provide evidence of intermolecular epitope spreading, our data indicates that in addition to conformational epitopes, human anti-PLA2R reactivity in a commercially available CBA and an addressable laser bead immunoassay is significantly absorbed by peptides representing epitopes of PLA2R.

  6. Coalescence in PLA-PBAT blends under shear flow: Effects of blend preparation and PLA molecular weight

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nofar, M. [Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Chemical Engineering Department, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4, Canada and CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B2 (Canada); Heuzey, M. C.; Carreau, P. J., E-mail: pierre.carreau@polymtl.ca [Center for High Performance Polymer and Composite Systems (CREPEC), Chemical Engineering Department, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, Quebec H3T 1J4 (Canada); Kamal, M. R. [CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2B2 (Canada); Randall, J. [NatureWorks LLC, 15305 Minnetonka Boulevard, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55345 (United States)

    2016-07-15

    Blends containing 75 wt. % of an amorphous polylactide (PLA) with two different molecular weights and 25 wt. % of a poly[(butylene adipate)-co-terephthalate] (PBAT) were prepared using either a Brabender batch mixer or a twin-screw extruder. These compounds were selected because blending PLA with PBAT can overcome various drawbacks of PLA such as its brittleness and processability limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of varying the molecular weight of the PLA matrix and of two different mixing processes on the blend morphology and, further, on droplet coalescence during shearing. The rheological properties of these blends were investigated and the interfacial properties were analyzed using the Palierne emulsion model. Droplet coalescence was investigated by applying shear flows of 0.05 and 0.20 s{sup −1} at a fixed strain of 60. Subsequently, small amplitude oscillatory shear tests were conducted to investigate changes in the viscoelastic properties. The morphology of the blends was also examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. It was observed that the PBAT droplets were much smaller when twin-screw extrusion was used for the blend preparation. Shearing at 0.05 s{sup −1} induced significant droplet coalescence in all blends, but coalescence and changes in the viscoelastic properties were much more pronounced for the PLA-PBAT blend based on a lower molecular weight PLA. The viscoelastic responses were also somehow affected by the thermal degradation of the PLA matrix during the experiments.

  7. Coalescence in PLA-PBAT blends under shear flow: Effects of blend preparation and PLA molecular weight

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nofar, M.; Heuzey, M. C.; Carreau, P. J.; Kamal, M. R.; Randall, J.

    2016-01-01

    Blends containing 75 wt. % of an amorphous polylactide (PLA) with two different molecular weights and 25 wt. % of a poly[(butylene adipate)-co-terephthalate] (PBAT) were prepared using either a Brabender batch mixer or a twin-screw extruder. These compounds were selected because blending PLA with PBAT can overcome various drawbacks of PLA such as its brittleness and processability limitations. In this study, we investigated the effects of varying the molecular weight of the PLA matrix and of two different mixing processes on the blend morphology and, further, on droplet coalescence during shearing. The rheological properties of these blends were investigated and the interfacial properties were analyzed using the Palierne emulsion model. Droplet coalescence was investigated by applying shear flows of 0.05 and 0.20 s"−"1 at a fixed strain of 60. Subsequently, small amplitude oscillatory shear tests were conducted to investigate changes in the viscoelastic properties. The morphology of the blends was also examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs. It was observed that the PBAT droplets were much smaller when twin-screw extrusion was used for the blend preparation. Shearing at 0.05 s"−"1 induced significant droplet coalescence in all blends, but coalescence and changes in the viscoelastic properties were much more pronounced for the PLA-PBAT blend based on a lower molecular weight PLA. The viscoelastic responses were also somehow affected by the thermal degradation of the PLA matrix during the experiments.

  8. The Pla Protease of Yersinia pestis Degrades Fas Ligand to Manipulate Host Cell Death and Inflammation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caulfield, Adam J.; Walker, Margaret E.; Gielda, Lindsay M.; Lathem, Wyndham W.

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Pneumonic plague is a deadly respiratory disease caused by Yersinia pestis. The bacterial protease Pla contributes to disease progression and manipulation of host immunity, but the mechanisms by which this occurs are largely unknown. Here we show that Pla degrades the apoptotic signaling molecule Fas ligand (FasL) to prevent host cell apoptosis and inflammation. Wild-type Y. pestis, but not a Pla mutant (Δpla), degrades FasL, which results in decreased downstream caspase-3/7 activation and reduced apoptosis. Similarly, lungs of mice challenged with wild-type Y. pestis show reduced levels of FasL and activated caspase-3/7 compared to Δpla infection. Consistent with a role for FasL in regulating immune responses, Δpla infection results in aberrant pro-inflammatory cytokine levels. The loss of FasL or inhibition of caspase activity alters host inflammatory responses and enables enhanced Y. pestis outgrowth in the lungs. Thus, by degrading FasL, Y. pestis manipulates host cell death pathways to facilitate infection. PMID:24721571

  9. Degradation of polylactic acid (Pla) at different doses of gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Castillo R, Y.

    2015-01-01

    The excessive use of polymers such as polyethylene (PET), polystyrene (Ps) and recently the polylactic acid (Pla) that take more than 20 years to degrade, have caused great pollution in the environment. In this study the effects of gamma radiation in the Pla to different doses were studied, in order to reduce the degradation time of this polymer. The changes in physico-chemical structure of Pla during radiation were studied by thermo-gravimetric/Mass analysis; differential scanning calorimetry; scanning electron microscopy; X-ray dispersive analysis; infrared spectroscopy; X-ray diffraction and mechanical tests of hardness, elasticity and deformation. With scanning electron microscopy, the morphology of the Pla surface unirradiated was observed, in which an apparently smooth surface was observed, after changes that had the Pla when irradiated also was observed, where the effects of radiation were observed in form of scratch, agglomeration and small fractures. By X-ray dispersive analysis was determined and verified the elemental chemical composition of the Pla; as expected the tests showed only carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. With thermo-gravimetric/Mass analysis the decomposition temperatures of Pla were determined, identifying that the degradation compounds are CO, CO 2 and CH 4 . With infrared spectrometry the major peaks of Pla were observed before and after being irradiated with increasing of radiation dose the intensity of the bands decreased. Also by X-ray diffraction was observed that the polymer is an amorphous material. The mechanical tests indicate that the values of each of the tests decrease significantly with increasing the radiation dose. (Author)

  10. PLA/chitosan/keratin composites for biomedical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tanase, Constantin Edi, E-mail: etanase@live.com [Faculty of Medical Bioengineering, ‘Grigore T. Popa’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 9-13 Kogalniceanu Street, 700454 Iasi (Romania); Spiridon, Iuliana [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania)

    2014-07-01

    Novel composites based on PLA, chitosan and keratin was obtained via blend preparation. The goal of this contribution was to evaluate mechanical and in vitro behavior of the composites. The results point out composites with improved Young modulus and decreased tensile strength, significant increase in hardness (compared to PLA) and a good uptake of the surface properties. Biological assessments using human osteosarcoma cell line on these composites indicate a good viability/proliferation outcome. Hence preliminary results regarding mechanical behavior and in vitro osteoblast response suggest that these composites might have prospective application in medical field. - Highlights: • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites are prepared by blend preparation. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present improved mechanical properties and water uptake compare to PLA. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present good in vitro behavior.

  11. PLA/chitosan/keratin composites for biomedical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanase, Constantin Edi; Spiridon, Iuliana

    2014-01-01

    Novel composites based on PLA, chitosan and keratin was obtained via blend preparation. The goal of this contribution was to evaluate mechanical and in vitro behavior of the composites. The results point out composites with improved Young modulus and decreased tensile strength, significant increase in hardness (compared to PLA) and a good uptake of the surface properties. Biological assessments using human osteosarcoma cell line on these composites indicate a good viability/proliferation outcome. Hence preliminary results regarding mechanical behavior and in vitro osteoblast response suggest that these composites might have prospective application in medical field. - Highlights: • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites are prepared by blend preparation. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present improved mechanical properties and water uptake compare to PLA. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present good in vitro behavior

  12. Augmentation of a Microbial Consortium for Enhanced Polylactide (PLA) Degradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nair, Nimisha R; Sekhar, Vini C; Nampoothiri, K Madhavan

    2016-03-01

    Bioplastics are eco-friendly and derived from renewable biomass sources. Innovation in recycling methods will tackle some of the critical issues facing the acceptance of bioplastics. Polylactic acid (PLA) is the commonly used and well-studied bioplastic that is presumed to be biodegradable. Considering their demand and use in near future, exploration for microbes capable of bioplastic degradation has high potential. Four PLA degrading strains were isolated and identified as Penicillium chrysogenum, Cladosporium sphaerospermum, Serratia marcescens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. A consortium of above strains degraded 44 % (w/w) PLA in 30 days time in laboratory conditions. Subsequently, the microbial consortium employed effectively for PLA composting.

  13. Phospholipase D1 increases Bcl-2 expression during neuronal differentiation of rat neural stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Shin-Young; Ma, Weina; Yoon, Sung Nyo; Kang, Min Jeong; Han, Joong-Soo

    2015-01-01

    We studied the possible role of phospholipase D1 (PLD1) in the neuronal differentiation, including neurite formation of neural stem cells. PLD1 protein and PLD activity increased during neuronal differentiation. Bcl-2 also increased. Downregulation of PLD1 by transfection with PLD1 siRNA or a dominant-negative form of PLD1 (DN-PLD1) inhibited both neurite outgrowth and Bcl-2 expression. PLD activity was dramatically reduced by a PLCγ (phospholipase Cγ) inhibitor (U73122), a Ca(2+)chelator (BAPTA-AM), and a PKCα (protein kinase Cα) inhibitor (RO320432). Furthermore, treatment with arachidonic acid (AA) which is generated by the action of PLA2 (phospholipase A2) on phosphatidic acid (a PLD1 product), increased the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and CREB, as well as Bcl-2 expression, indicating that PLA2 is involved in the differentiation process resulting from PLD1 activation. PGE2 (prostaglandin E2), a cyclooxygenase product of AA, also increased during neuronal differentiation. Moreover, treatment with PGE2 increased the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and CREB, as well as Bcl-2 expression, and this effect was inhibited by a PKA inhibitor (Rp-cAMP). As expected, inhibition of p38 MAPK resulted in loss of CREB activity, and when CREB activity was blocked with CREB siRNA, Bcl-2 production also decreased. We also showed that the EP4 receptor was required for the PKA/p38MAPK/CREB/Bcl-2 pathway. Taken together, these observations indicate that PLD1 is activated by PLCγ/PKCα signaling and stimulate Bcl-2 expression through PLA2/Cox2/EP4/PKA/p38MAPK/CREB during neuronal differentiation of rat neural stem cells.

  14. Chinese Cyber Espionage: A Complementary Method to Aid PLA Modernization

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    COMPLEMENTARY METHOD TO AID PLA MODERNIZATION by Jamie M. Ellis December 2015 Thesis Advisor: Wade L. Huntley Second Reader: Christopher R. Twomey THIS...Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE CHINESE CYBER ESPIONAGE: A COMPLEMENTARY METHOD TO AID PLA MODERNIZATION 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Jamie M...DISTRIBUTION CODE A 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) In 2013, Mandiant published a report linking one People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) unit to the

  15. HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE OBSERVATIONS OF ACTIVE ASTEROID 324P/La SAGRA

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jewitt, David; Li, Jing [Department of Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences, UCLA, 595 Charles Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567 (United States); Agarwal, Jessica [Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 3, D-37077 Göttingen (Germany); Weaver, Harold [The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, 11100 Johns Hopkins Road, Laurel, Maryland 20723 (United States); Mutchler, Max [Space Telescope Science Institute, 3700 San Martin Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Larson, Stephen, E-mail: jewitt@ucla.edu [Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, 1629 E. University Boulevard, Tucson, AZ 85721-0092 (United States)

    2016-09-01

    Hubble Space Telescope observations of active asteroid 324P/La Sagra near perihelion show continued mass loss consistent with the sublimation of near-surface ice. Isophotes of the coma measured from a vantage point below the orbital plane are best matched by steady emission of particles having a nominal size  of  a  ∼ 100 μ m. The inferred rate of mass loss, dM{sub d} / dt  ∼ 0.2 kg s{sup −1}, can be supplied by sublimation of water ice in thermal equilibrium with sunlight from an area as small as 930 m{sup 2}, corresponding to about 0.2% of the nucleus surface. Observations taken from a vantage point only 0.°6 from the orbital plane of 324P set a limit to the velocity of ejection of dust in the direction perpendicular to the plane, V {sub ⊥} < 1 m s{sup −1}. Short-term photometric variations of the near-nucleus region, if related to rotation of the underlying nucleus, rule-out periods ≤3.8 hr and suggest that rotation probably does not play a central role in driving the observed mass loss. We estimate that, in the previous orbit, 324P lost about 4 × 10{sup 7} kg in dust particles, corresponding to 6 × 10{sup −5} of the mass of a 550 m spherical nucleus of assumed density ρ  = 1000 kg m{sup −3}. If continued, mass loss at this rate would limit the lifetime of 324P to ∼1.6 × 10{sup 4} orbits (about 10{sup 5} years). To survive for the 100–400 Myr timescales corresponding to dynamical and collisional stability requires a duty cycle of 2 × 10{sup −4} ≤  f{sub d}  ≤ 8 × 10{sup −4}. Unless its time in orbit is overestimated by many orders of magnitude, 324P is revealed as a briefly active member of a vast population of otherwise dormant ice-containing asteroids.

  16. Computational and in vitro insights on snake venom phospholipase A2 inhibitor of phytocompound ikshusterol3-O-glucoside of Clematis gouriana Roxb. ex DC.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muthusamy, Karthikeyan; Chinnasamy, Sathishkumar; Nagarajan, Subbiah; Sivaraman, Thirunavukkarasu

    2017-12-14

    Ikshusterol3-O-glucoside was isolated from Clematis gouriana Roxb. ex DC. root. A structure of the isolated compound was determined on the basis of various spectroscopic interpretations (UV, NMR, FTIR, and GC-MS-EI). This structure was submitted in the PubChem compound database (SID 249494133). SID 249494133 was carried out by density functional theory calculation to observe the chemical stability and electrostatic potential of this compound. The absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion property of this compound was predicted to evaluate the drug likeness and toxicity. In addition, molecular docking, quantum polarized ligand docking, prime MMGBSA calculation, and induced fit docking were performed to predict the binding status of SID 249494133 with the active site of phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) (PDB ID: 1A3D). The stability of the compound in the active site of PLA 2 was carried out using molecular dynamics simulation. Further, the anti-venom activity of the compound was assessed using the PLA 2 assay against Naja naja (Indian cobra) crude venom. The results strongly show that Ikshusterol3-O-glucoside has a potent snake-venom neutralizing capacity and it might be a potential molecule for the therapeutic treatment for snakebites.

  17. Expression and location of mRNAs encoding multiple forms of secretory phospholipase A2 in the rat retina

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolko, Miriam; Christoffersen, Nanna R; Barreiro, Sebastian G

    2004-01-01

    of sPLA(2)s in neuronal signaling and survival [Kolko et al. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271: 32722-32728]. To date, no retinal sPLA(2)s have been cloned or characterized. We evaluated the existence and abundance of sPLA(2) subtypes in rat retina and explored their possible involvement in light...

  18. Structure of N-Terminal Sequence Asp-Ala-Glu-Phe-Arg-His-Asp-Ser of Aβ-Peptide with Phospholipase A2 from Venom of Andaman Cobra Sub-Species Naja naja sagittifera at 2.0 Å Resolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeenat Mirza

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Alzheimer’s disease (AD is one of the most significant social and health burdens of the present century. Plaques formed by extracellular deposits of amyloid β (Aβ are the prime player of AD’s neuropathology. Studies have implicated the varied role of phospholipase A2 (PLA2 in brain where it contributes to neuronal growth and inflammatory response. Overall contour and chemical nature of the substrate-binding channel in the low molecular weight PLA2s are similar. This study involves the reductionist fragment-based approach to understand the structure adopted by N-terminal fragment of Alzheimer’s Aβ peptide in its complex with PLA2. In the current communication, we report the structure determined by X-ray crystallography of N-terminal sequence Asp-Ala-Glu-Phe-Arg-His-Asp-Ser (DAEFRHDS of Aβ-peptide with a Group I PLA2 purified from venom of Andaman Cobra sub-species Naja naja sagittifera at 2.0 Å resolution (Protein Data Bank (PDB Code: 3JQ5. This is probably the first attempt to structurally establish interaction between amyloid-β peptide fragment and hydrophobic substrate binding site of PLA2 involving H bond and van der Waals interactions. We speculate that higher affinity between Aβ and PLA2 has the therapeutic potential of decreasing the Aβ–Aβ interaction, thereby reducing the amyloid aggregation and plaque formation in AD.

  19. Lipoprotein profile, lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 and cardiovascular risk in hemodialysis patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rolla, Roberta; De Mauri, Andreana; Valsesia, Ambra; Vidali, Matteo; Chiarinotti, Doriana; Bellomo, Giorgio

    2015-12-01

    Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in hemodialysis patients; the increased risk of cardiovascular disease is due to accelerated atherosclerosis, inflammation and impaired lipoprotein metabolism. We aimed to evaluate lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) and some pro-inflammatory aspects of the lipoprotein profile in dialyzed patients in order to evaluate the relationship with the accelerated atherosclerosis and vascular accidents. In 102 dialysis patients and 40 non-uremic controls, we investigated the lipoprotein plasma profile, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), ceruloplasmin and serum amyloid A protein (SAA), and followed patients for 1 year to analyze the risk of acute cardiovascular events. Total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein and high-density lipoprotein plasma levels were significantly lower in uremic patients than controls, whereas CRP, SAA, ceruloplasmin, Lp-PLA2 and their ratio with apolipoprotein A1 were significantly higher. Patients with Lp-PLA2 levels >194 nmol/min/ml had more acute cardiovascular events than patients with lower values. Our results show that in dialysis subjects: (1) low-density lipoproteins show a more atherogenic phenotype than in the general population; (2) high-density lipoproteins are less anti-inflammatory; (3) Lp-PLA2 could potentially be used to evaluate cardiovascular risk.

  20. Deposition of lipid, protein, and secretory phospholipase A2 on hydrophilic contact lenses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mochizuki, Hiroshi; Yamada, Masakazu; Hatou, Shin; Kawashima, Motoko; Hata, Seiichiro

    2008-01-01

    Recent studies have shown that low tear phospholipid levels are associated with tear film instability in hydrophilic contact lens wearers. The concentration of secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), the enzyme that hydrolyzes phospholipids, in tears is known to exceed the levels found in serum by four orders of magnitude. This study was performed to determine the levels of sPLA2 from the deposition on two different frequent-replacement contact lens materials. Polymacon and etafilcon A contact lenses worn for 2 weeks by 16 experienced contact lens wearers were used for the analysis. Total lipids were determined by the sulfo-phospho-vanillin reaction. Phospholipids in lipid extracts were estimated by phosphorus determination with ammonium molybdate through enzymatic digestion. Total protein was measured by bicinchoninic acid analysis. Double-antibody sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine sPLA2 concentrations. Total lipid deposition was found to be greater in the polymacon group (66.3+/-16.3 microg/lens) than in the etafilcon A group, although phospholipids were not detected in either group. The etafilcon A group had greater deposition of protein (3.7+/-0.7 mg/lens) than the polymacon group had. The etafilcon A group deposited statistically significantly more group IIa sPLA2 (1.1+/-0.3 microg/lens) than the polymacon group (0.07+/-0.04 microg/lens) did (P<0.001). There was a significant difference in the lipid and protein deposition profiles in the two lenses tested. A significant amount of sPLA2 in the deposition on contact lenses may play a role in tear film instability in hydrophilic contact lens wearers.

  1. Impact du polylactide (PLA) sur la qualité des bioproduits au contact

    OpenAIRE

    Salazar Gonzalez , Romulo Vinicio

    2013-01-01

    Packaging plays a major role in the preservation of food but mass transfer between the packaging material and foodstuff occurs during shelf life leading to the quality deterioration. Polylactide (PLA) is a novel packaging material; therefore its interaction with food was investigated at service conditions. The sorption of ethyl esters, benzaldehyde and 2-nonanone at low concentrations and in mixture and the effects on the thermal properties of PLA were studied. Multiple Headspace Extraction (...

  2. Improvement of in vivo efficacy of recombinant human erythropoietin by encapsulation in PEG–PLA micelle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shi YN

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Yanan Shi,1,2,* Wan Huang,1,* Rongcai Liang,1–3 Kaoxiang Sun,2,3 Fangxi Zhang,2,3 Wanhui Liu,2,3 Youxin Li1–31College of Life Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China; 2State Key Laboratory of Long-acting and Targeting Drug Delivery System, Luye Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd, Yantai, China; 3School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, Yantai, China*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: To improve the pharmacokinetics and stability of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO, rhEPO was successfully formulated into poly(ethylene glycol–poly(d,l-lactide (PEG–PLA di-block copolymeric micelles at diameters ranging from 60 to 200 nm with narrow polydispersity indices (PDIs; PDI < 0.3 and trace amount of protein aggregation. The zeta potential of the spherical micelles was in the range of −3.78 to 4.65 mV and the highest encapsulation efficiency of rhEPO in the PEG–PLA micelles was about 80%. In vitro release profiles indicated that the stability of rhEPO in the micelles was improved significantly and only a trace amount of aggregate was found. Pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed highly enhanced plasma retention time of the rhEPO-loaded PEG-PLA micelles in comparison with the native rhEPO group. Increased hemoglobin concentrations were also found in the rat study. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis results demonstrated that rhEPO was successfully encapsulated into the micelles, which was stable in phosphate buffered saline with different pHs and concentrations of NaCl. Therefore, PEG–PLA micelles can be a potential protein drug delivery system.Keywords: rhEPO, PEG–PLA micelle, in vitro, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics

  3. Fabrication of nanofibrous scaffold using a PLA and hagfish thread keratin composite; its effect on cell adherence, growth, and osteoblast differentiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Beom-Su; Lee, Jun; Park, Ko Eun; Park, Won Ho

    2013-01-01

    Electrospinning is a useful method for the production of nanofibrous scaffolds in the field of tissue engineering. Keratin has been used as a biomaterial for electrospinning and can be used in a variety of biomedical applications because it is a natural protein, giving it the ability to improve cell affinity of scaffolds. In this study, keratin was extracted from hagfish slime thread (H-keratin) and blended with polylactic acid (PLA) polymer solution to construct a nanofibrous scaffold. Wool keratin (W-keratin) was used as a control for the comparison of morphological, physical, and biological properties. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of both W-keratin and H-keratin in the electrospun PLA/keratin. Observations with a scanning electron microscope revealed that PLA, PLA/W-keratin, and PLA/H-keratin had similar average diameters (∼800 nm). Cell attachment experiments showed that MG-63 cells adhered more rapidly and spread better onto PLA/H-keratin than onto the pure PLA or PLA/W-keratin. Cell proliferation assay, DNA content, live/dead, and alkaline phosphatase activity assays showed that PLA/H-keratin scaffolds could accelerate the viability, proliferation, and osteogenesis of MG-63 cells relative to pure PLA or PLA/W-keratin nanofibrous scaffolds. These findings suggest that H-keratin can improve cellular attraction and has great potential to be used as a biomaterial in bone tissue engineering. (paper)

  4. Screening of phospholipase A activity and its production by new actinomycete strains cultivated by solid-state fermentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priscila Sutto-Ortiz

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Novel microbial phospholipases A (PLAs can be found in actinomycetes which have been poorly explored as producers of this activity. To investigate microbial PLA production, efficient methods are necessary such as high-throughput screening (HTS assays for direct search of PLAs in microbial cultures and cultivation conditions to promote this activity. About 200 strains isolated with selected media for actinomycetes and mostly belonging to Streptomyces (73% and Micromonospora (10% genus were first screened on agar-plates containing the fluorophore rhodamine 6G and egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC to detect strains producing phospholipase activity. Then, a colorimetric HTS assay for general PLA activity detection (cHTS-PLA using enriched PC (≈60% as substrate and cresol red as indicator was developed and applied; this cHTS-PLA assay was validated with known PLAs. For the first time, actinomycete strains were cultivated by solid-state fermentation (SSF using PC as inductor and sugar-cane bagasse as support to produce high PLA activity (from 207 to 2,591 mU/g of support. Phospholipase activity of the enzymatic extracts from SSF was determined using the implemented cHTS-PLA assay and the PC hydrolysis products obtained, were analyzed by TLC showing the presence of lyso-PC. Three actinomycete strains of the Streptomyces genus that stood out for high accumulation of lyso-PC, were selected and analyzed with the specific substrate 1,2-α-eleostearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (EEPC in order to confirm the presence of PLA activity in their enzymatic extracts. Overall, the results obtained pave the way toward the HTS of PLA activity in crude microbial enzymatic extracts at a larger scale. The cHTS-PLA assay developed here can be also proposed as a routine assay for PLA activity determination during enzyme purification,directed evolution or mutagenesis approaches. In addition, the production of PLA activity by actinomycetes using SSF allow find and

  5. Reorganization of lipid nanocapsules at air-water interface 3. Action of hydrolytic enzymes HLL and pancreatic PLA2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minkov, I; Ivanova, Tz; Panaiotov, I; Proust, J; Verger, R

    2005-09-25

    The action of the hydrolytic enzymes humicola lanuginosa lipase (HLL) and pancreatic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) on monolayers formed from lipid nanocapsules (LNC) and model monolayers containing their components, Labrafac, Solutol and Lipoid, is studied by simultaneous measuring the changes in the film area and the surface potential in the "zero order" trough at constant surface pressure (pi). The kinetic models describing the hydrolysis by HLL of the Labrafac, Solutol and their mixtures have been proposed. By using the developed theoretical approach together with the experimental results the surface concentrations of the substrates, hydrolysis products and values of the global kinetic constants were obtained. The comparison between the global kinetic constants in the case of HLL hydrolysis of pure Labrafac, Solutol monolayers and those of the model mixed Labrafac/Solutol monolayers, shows that the rates of hydrolysis are of the same order of magnitude, i.e. an additively of the HLL enzyme action is observed. The composition of the mixed Labrafac/Solutol monolayer, formed after the interfacial LNC destabilization, was estimated.

  6. Defective TCR stimulation in anergized type 2 T helper cells correlates with abrogated p56(lck) and ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faith, A; Akdis, C A; Akdis, M; Simon, H U; Blaser, K

    1997-07-01

    Development of IgE-mediated allergic conditions is dependent on the secretion of a Th2 cytokine pattern, including IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. The induction of anergy would be one mechanism to abrogate cytokine secretion by Th2 cells, which may be pivotal to the allergic response. We demonstrate here that incubation of cloned human CD4+ phospholipase A2 (PLA)-specific Th2 cells with antigenic peptide, in the absence of professional APC, results in a state of nonresponsiveness. The anergic T cells failed to proliferate or secrete IL-4 in response to optimal stimulation with PLA and autologous, professional APC. Secretion of IL-5 and IL-13, however, was only partially inhibited. The anergic state of the Th2 cells was not associated with CD3 or CD28 down-regulation. However, anergy did appear to be closely related to alterations in signaling pathways, mediated through the TCR, of the cells. In contrast to untreated Th2 cells, anergized Th2 cells failed to respond to anti-CD3 mAb with either increased tyrosine kinase activity or increased levels of tyrosine phosphorylation of p56(lck) or ZAP70. A strong and sustained intracellular calcium flux, observed in untreated Th2 cells in response to anti-CD3 mAb, was absent in anergic Th2 cells. Furthermore, the induction of anergy seems to represent an active process, associated with increased levels of basal tyrosine kinase activity, cytokine production, and CD25 up-regulation in anergic Th2 cells. Together, our results indicate that anergy in Th2 cells is associated with defective transmembrane signaling through the TCR.

  7. Improved design and characterization of PLGA/PLA-coated Chitosan based micro-implants for controlled release of hydrophilic drugs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manna, Soumyarwit; Donnell, Anna M; Kaval, Necati; Al-Rjoub, Marwan F; Augsburger, James J; Banerjee, Rupak K

    2018-05-29

    Repetitive intravitreal injections of Methotrexate (MTX), a hydrophilic chemotherapeutic drug, are currently used to treat selected vitreoretinal (VR) diseases, such as intraocular lymphoma. To avoid complications associated with the rapid release of MTX from the injections, a Polylactic acid (PLA) and Chitosan (CS)-based MTX micro-implant prototype was fabricated in an earlier study, which showed a sustained therapeutic release rate of 0.2-2.0 µg/day of MTX for a period ∼1 month in vitro and in vivo. In the current study, different combinations of Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA)/PLA coatings were used for lipophilic surface modification of the CS-MTX micro-implant, such as PLGA 5050, PLGA 6535 and PLGA 7525 (PLA: PGA - 50:50, 65:35, 75:25, respectively; M.W: 54,400 - 103,000) and different PLA, such as PLA 100 and PLA 250 (MW: 102,000 and 257,000, respectively). This improved the duration of total MTX release from the coated CS-MTX micro-implants to ∼3-5 months. With an increase in PLA content in PLGA and molecular weight of PLA, a) the initial burst of MTX and the mean release rate of MTX can be reduced; and b) the swelling and biodegradation of the micro-implants can be delayed. The controlled drug release mechanism is caused by a combination of diffusion process and hydrolysis of the polymer coating, which can be modulated by a) PLA content in PLGA and b) molecular weight of PLA, as inferred from Korsmeyer Peppas model, Zero order, First order and Higuchi model fits. This improved micro-implant formulation has the potential to serve as a platform for controlled release of hydrophilic drugs to treat selected VR diseases. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  8. Development and characterization of novel antimicrobial bilayer films based on Polylactic acid (PLA)/Pickering emulsions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jun-You; Tang, Chuan-He; Yin, Shou-Wei; Yang, Xiao-Quan

    2018-02-01

    Biodegradable food packaging is sustainable and has a great application prospect. PLA is a promising alternative for petroleum-derived polymers. However, PLA packaging suffers from poor barrier properties compared with petroleum-derived ones. To address this issue, we designed bilayer films based on PLA and Pickering emulsions. The formed bilayer films were compact and uniform and double layers were combined firmly. This strategy enhanced mechanical resistance, ductility and moisture barrier of Pickering emulsion films, and concomitantly enhanced the oxygen barrier for PLA films. Thymol loadings in Pickering emulsion layer endowed them with antimicrobial and antioxidant activity. The release profile of thymol was well fitted with Fick's second law. The antimicrobial activity of the films depended on film types, and Pickering emulsion layer presented larger inhibition zone than PLA layer, hinting that the films possessed directional releasing role. This study opens a promising route to fabricate bilayer architecture creating synergism of each layer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Multi-functional biomimetic surfaces of PLA based biomaterials created by printing of functional PLA-b-PEO colloids

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mázl Chánová, Eliška; Knotek, P.; Yang, Y.; Zárubová, Jana; Machová, Luďka; Janoušková, Olga; Proks, Vladimír; Kučka, Jan; Bačáková, Lucie; Rypáček, František; Kubies, Dana

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 7, 2 (Suppl) (2016), s. 74 ISSN 2157-7552. [International Conference on Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine /5./. 12.09.2016-14.09.2016, Berlin] R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1604 Institutional support: RVO:61389013 ; RVO:67985823 Keywords : biomimetic surfaces * RGD * PLA-b-PEO copolymer Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology; EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics (FGU-C)

  10. Proteomic characterization of plasmid pLA1 for biodegradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the marine bacterium, Novosphingobium pentaromativorans US6-1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung Ho Yun

    Full Text Available Novosphingobium pentaromativorans US6-1 is a halophilic marine bacterium able to degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs. Genome sequence analysis revealed that the large plasmid pLA1 present in N. pentaromativorans US6-1 consists of 199 ORFs and possess putative biodegradation genes that may be involved in PAH degradation. 1-DE/LC-MS/MS analysis of N. pentaromativorans US6-1 cultured in the presence of different PAHs and monocyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (MAHs identified approximately 1,000 and 1,400 proteins, respectively. Up-regulated biodegradation enzymes, including those belonging to pLA1, were quantitatively compared. Among the PAHs, phenanthrene induced the strongest up-regulation of extradiol cleavage pathway enzymes such as ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase, putative biphenyl-2,3-diol 1,2-dioxygenase, and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase in pLA1. These enzymes lead the initial step of the lower catabolic pathway of aromatic hydrocarbons through the extradiol cleavage pathway and participate in the attack of PAH ring cleavage, respectively. However, N. pentaromativorans US6-1 cultured with p-hydroxybenzoate induced activation of another extradiol cleavage pathway, the protocatechuate 4,5-dioxygenase pathway, that originated from chromosomal genes. These results suggest that N. pentaromativorans US6-1 utilizes two different extradiol pathways and plasmid pLA1 might play a key role in the biodegradation of PAH in N. pentaromativorans US6-1.

  11. Kinetics and mechanism of the biodegradation of PLA/clay nanocomposites during thermophilic phase of composting process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stloukal, Petr; Pekařová, Silvie; Kalendova, Alena; Mattausch, Hannelore; Laske, Stephan; Holzer, Clemens; Chitu, Livia; Bodner, Sabine; Maier, Guenther; Slouf, Miroslav; Koutny, Marek

    2015-08-01

    The degradation mechanism and kinetics of polylactic acid (PLA) nanocomposite films, containing various commercially available native or organo-modified montmorillonites (MMT) prepared by melt blending, were studied under composting conditions in thermophilic phase of process and during abiotic hydrolysis and compared to the pure polymer. Described first order kinetic models were applied on the data from individual experiments by using non-linear regression procedures to calculate parameters characterizing aerobic composting and abiotic hydrolysis, such as carbon mineralization, hydrolysis rate constants and the length of lag phase. The study showed that the addition of nanoclay enhanced the biodegradation of PLA nanocomposites under composting conditions, when compared with pure PLA, particularly by shortening the lag phase at the beginning of the process. Whereas the lag phase of pure PLA was observed within 27days, the onset of CO2 evolution for PLA with native MMT was detected after just 20days, and from 13 to 16days for PLA with organo-modified MMT. Similarly, the hydrolysis rate constants determined tended to be higher for PLA with organo-modified MMT, particularly for the sample PLA-10A with fastest degradation, in comparison with pure PLA. The acceleration of chain scission in PLA with nanoclays was confirmed by determining the resultant rate constants for the hydrolytical chain scission. The critical molecular weight for the hydrolysis of PLA was observed to be higher than the critical molecular weight for onset of PLA mineralization, suggesting that PLA chains must be further shortened so as to be assimilated by microorganisms. In conclusion, MMT fillers do not represent an obstacle to acceptance of the investigated materials in composting facilities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Alleviate House Dust Mite-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions by the CD206 Mannose Receptor

    OpenAIRE

    Dasom Shin; Won Choi; Hyunsu Bae

    2018-01-01

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by highly pruritic, erythematous, and eczematous skin plaques. We previously reported that phospholipase A2 (PLA2) derived from bee venom alleviates AD-like skin lesions induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and house dust mite extract (Dermatophagoides farinae extract, DFE) in a murine model. However, the underlying mechanisms of PLA2 action in actopic dermatitis remain unclear. In this study, we showed that PLA...

  13. Involvement of Lipid Metabolism in the Action of Phospholipase A2 Neurotoxins

    Science.gov (United States)

    1992-04-15

    activity by 50% toward an egg yolk substrate, but had no effect on hydrolysis of a lecithin substrate (Rosenberg et al., 1989). Lethality was not...etc.) hydrolyzed , not molecular species as evidenced in a recent review (Harris, 1985). The existence of reacylating enzymes in tissues that "restore...34 the hydrolyzed PL by attaching another FFA on to it would mean PLs will appear not to have been hydrolyzed at levels of PLA 2 activity less than the

  14. Analyses of Non-bonding Length, Partial Atomics Charge and Electrostatic Energy from Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Phospholipase A2 – Substrate

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nirwan Syarif

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper reports molecular dynamics simulation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2– substrate that has been done. Non-bonding length, partial atomic charge and electrostatic energy were used to evaluation the interaction between PLA2 and substrate. The research was subjected for three types of PLA2 of different sources, i.e, homo sapien, bovinus and porcinus, by using computer files of their molecular structures. The files with code 3elo, 1bp2, dan 1y6o were downloaded from protein data bank. Substrate structure can be found in 1y60 and was separated from its enzyme structure and docked into two other PLA2 structures for simulation purpose. Molecular dynamics simulations were done for 30000 steps with constant in number of molecules, volume and temperature (NVT. The results showed the existing of flip-flop mechanism as basic feature of PLA2 – substrate reactions. Interaction length analysis results indicated the presence of water molecules on the structures of 1bp2 and 3elo at the time of the simulation was completed. The existence of aspagine at the reaction site confirmed the theory that this amino acid is responsible for the survival of the reaction. the electrostatic energy increased substantially in the interaction after homo sapien PLA2 (3elo and Bovinus (1bp2 with the substrate. Inverse effect took place in the PLA porcinus (1y6o.

  15. Up-regulation of cytosolic phospholipase A2α expression by N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate in PC12 cells; involvement of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akiyama, Nobuteru; Nabemoto, Maiko; Hatori, Yoshio; Nakamura, Hiroyuki; Hirabayashi, Tetsuya; Fujino, Hiromichi; Saito, Takeshi; Murayama, Toshihiko

    2006-01-01

    Disulfiram (an alcohol-aversive drug) and related compounds are known to provoke several side effects involving behavioral and neurological complications. N,N-diethyldithiocarbamate (DDC) is considered as one of the main toxic species of disulfiram and acts as an inhibitor of superoxide dismutase. Since arachidonic acid (AA) formation is regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) and related to toxicity in neuronal cells, we investigated the effects of DDC on AA release and expression of the α type of cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cPLA 2 α) in PC12 cells. Treatment with 80-120 μM DDC that causes a moderate increase in ROS levels without cell toxicity stimulated cPLA 2 α mRNA and its protein expression. The expression was mediated by extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), one of the mitogen-activated protein kinases. Treatment with N G nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, 1 mM) and oxy-hemoglobin (a scavenger of nitric oxide, 2 mg/mL) abolished the DDC-induced responses (ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cPLA 2 α expression). We also showed DDC-induced up-regulation of the mRNA expression of lipocortin 1, an inhibitor of PLA 2 . Furthermore, DDC treatment of the cells enhanced Ca 2+ -ionophore-induced AA release in 30 min, although the effect was limited. Changes in AA metabolism in DDC-treated cells may have a potential role in mediating neurotoxic actions of disulfiram. In this study, we show the first to demonstrate the up-regulation of cPLA 2 α expression by DDC treatment in neuronal cells

  16. The Effect of UV Aging on Antimicrobial and Mechanical Properties of PLA Films with Incorporated Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizielińska, Małgorzata; Kowalska, Urszula; Jarosz, Michał; Sumińska, Patrycja; Landercy, Nicolas; Duquesne, Emmanuel

    2018-04-18

    The aim of this study was to examine the influence of accelerated UV-aging on the activity against chosen microorganisms and the mechanical properties of poly-lactic acid (PLA) films enhanced with ZnO nanoparticles. The pure PLA films and tri-layered PLAZnO1%/PLA/PLAZnO1% films of 150 µm thickness were extruded. The samples were treated with UV-A and Q-SUN irradiation. After irradiation the antimicrobial activity and mechanical properties of the films were analyzed. The results of the study demonstrated that PLA films did not inhibit the growth of Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus cereus , Escherichia coli , Bacillus atrophaeus , and Candida albicans cells. PLA films with incorporated zinc oxide nanoparticles decreased the number of analyzed microorganisms. Accelerated UV aging had no negative effect on the activity of the film containing nano-ZnO against Gram-positive bacteria, but it influenced the activity against Gram-negative cells and C. albicans . Q-SUN irradiation decreased the antimicrobial effect of films with incorporated nanoparticles against B. cereus . UV-A and Q-UV irradiation did not influence the mechanical properties of PLA films containing incorporated ZnO nanoparticles.

  17. Bee venom phospholipase A2 protects against acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury by modulating regulatory T cells and IL-10 in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Hyunseong; Keum, Dong June; Kwak, Jung won; Chung, Hwan-Suck; Bae, Hyunsu

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) from bee venom against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity through CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells (Treg) in mice. Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely used antipyretic and analgesic, but an acute or cumulative overdose of acetaminophen can cause severe hepatic failure. Tregs have been reported to possess protective effects in various liver diseases and kidney toxicity. We previously found that bee venom strongly increased the Treg population in splenocytes and subsequently suppressed immune disorders. More recently, we found that the effective component of bee venom is PLA2. Thus, we hypothesized that PLA2 could protect against liver injury induced by acetaminophen. To evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of PLA2, C57BL/6 mice or interleukin-10-deficient (IL-10-/-) mice were injected with PLA2 once a day for five days and sacrificed 24 h (h) after acetaminophen injection. The blood sera were collected 0, 6, and 24 h after acetaminophen injection for the analysis of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). PLA2-injected mice showed reduced levels of serum AST, ALT, proinflammatory cytokines, and nitric oxide (NO) compared with the PBS-injected control mice. However, IL-10 was significantly increased in the PLA2-injected mice. These hepatic protective effects were abolished in Treg-depleted mice by antibody treatment and in IL-10-/- mice. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the protective effects of PLA2 against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity can be mediated by modulating the Treg and IL-10 production.

  18. Bee venom phospholipase A2 protects against acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury by modulating regulatory T cells and IL-10 in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyunseong Kim

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of phospholipase A2 (PLA2 from bee venom against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity through CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ T cells (Treg in mice. Acetaminophen (APAP is a widely used antipyretic and analgesic, but an acute or cumulative overdose of acetaminophen can cause severe hepatic failure. Tregs have been reported to possess protective effects in various liver diseases and kidney toxicity. We previously found that bee venom strongly increased the Treg population in splenocytes and subsequently suppressed immune disorders. More recently, we found that the effective component of bee venom is PLA2. Thus, we hypothesized that PLA2 could protect against liver injury induced by acetaminophen. To evaluate the hepatoprotective effects of PLA2, C57BL/6 mice or interleukin-10-deficient (IL-10-/- mice were injected with PLA2 once a day for five days and sacrificed 24 h (h after acetaminophen injection. The blood sera were collected 0, 6, and 24 h after acetaminophen injection for the analysis of aspartate aminotransferase (AST and alanine aminotransferase (ALT. PLA2-injected mice showed reduced levels of serum AST, ALT, proinflammatory cytokines, and nitric oxide (NO compared with the PBS-injected control mice. However, IL-10 was significantly increased in the PLA2-injected mice. These hepatic protective effects were abolished in Treg-depleted mice by antibody treatment and in IL-10-/- mice. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the protective effects of PLA2 against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity can be mediated by modulating the Treg and IL-10 production.

  19. IgG4 anti-phospholipase A2 receptor might activate lectin and alternative complement pathway meanwhile in idiopathic membranous nephropathy: an inspiration from a cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yang; Wang, Chao; Jin, Liping; He, Fagui; Li, Changchun; Gao, Qingman; Chen, Guanglei; He, Zhijun; Song, Minghui; Zhou, Zhuliang; Shan, Fujun; Qi, Ka; Ma, Lu

    2016-08-01

    The deposition of IgG4 of antibodies against phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R) is predominating in the kidneys of patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy, while its predictive value has not been determined. It was a retrospective study, and 438 patients were included. Serum samples of two time points [before intervention (baseline) and after 1.5-year treatment (endpoint)] were detected for total and IgG4 anti-PLA2R. IgG4 IgG4 subclass and the achievement of CR; (3) bi-negativity of IgG4 has a high accuracy of predicting CR compared with total antibodies; (4) in patients of bi-positivity, those achieving CR showed lower MASP-1/2, MBL, C3a, C5a, FB, Ba and Bb than patients failing to achieve CR; (5) the titers of endpoint and decrease in Ba and Bb were associated with improvement of 24 h-UP in those of bi-positivity; and (6) the decrease in Ba was a significant factor for achieving CR in those of bi-positivity. Continuous IgG4 negativity was a useful tool to predict the achievement of CR; however, in patients of continuous IgG4 positivity, those with lower activation of lectin and alternative pathways would still more probably achieve CR.

  20. Diffusion of CO2 Molecules in Polyethylene Terephthalate/Polylactide Blends Estimated by Molecular Dynamics Simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liao, Liqiong; Fu, Yizheng; Liang, Ziaoyan; Mei, Linyu; Liu, Yaqing

    2013-01-01

    Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have been used to study the diffusion behavior of small gas molecules (CO 2 ) in polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/polylactide (PLA) blends. The Flory-Huggins interaction parameters (χ) determined from the cohesive energy densities are smaller than the critical value of Flory-Huggins interaction parameters (χ critical ), and that indicates the good compatibility of PET/PLA blends. The diffusion coefficients of CO 2 are determined via MD simulations at 298 K. That the order of diffusion coefficients is correlated with the availably fractional free volume (FFV) of CO 2 in the PET/PLA blends means that the FFV plays a vital role in the diffusion behavior of CO 2 molecules in PET/PLA blends. The slopes of the log (MSD) as a function of log (t) are close to unity over the entire composition range of PET/PLA blends, which confirms the feasibility of MD approach reaches the normal diffusion regime of CO 2 in PET/PLA blends

  1. [Application of Immunohistochemistry and Immunofluorescence Staining in Detection of Phospholipase A2 Receptor on Paraffin Section of Renal Biopsy Tissue].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Hong-rui; Wang, Yan-yan; Wang, Guo-qin; Sun, Li-jun; Cheng, Hong; Chen, Yi-pu

    2015-10-01

    To evaluate the application of immunohistochemistry and fluorescence staining method in the detection of phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) on paraffin section of renal biopsy tissue,and to find an accurate and fast method for the detection of PLA2R in renal tissue. The PLA2R of 193 cases were detected by immunohistochemical staining,and the antigen was repaired by the method of high pressure cooker (HPC) hot repair plus trypsin repair. The 193 samples including 139 cases of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), 15 cases of membranous lupus nephritis, 8 cases of hepatitis B virus associated membranous nephropathy, 18 cases of IgA nephropathy, and 13 cases of minimal change diseases. To compare the dyeing effects, 22 paraffin sections of renal biopsy tissue of IMN cases with positive PLA2R were stained by using 4 different. of antigen repairing,which included HPC hot repair, HPC hot repair plus trypsin repair, water bath heat repair, and water bath heat repair plus trypsin repair. To compare the dyeing effects, 15 paraffin sections of renal biopsy tissue of IMN cases with positive PLA2R were stained by using 3 different. of antigen repairing,which included water bath heat repair plus trypsin repair, protease K digestion repair, and pepsin digestion repair. In 193 cases, the positive rate of PLA2R in IMN cases was 90.6% (126/139), and the other 54 patients without IMN were negative. Twenty-two IMN patients were positive for PLA2R by using the HPC heat repair plus trypsin repaire or the water bath heat repair plus trypsin repair;while only a few cases of 22 IMN cases were positive by using the HPC hot repair alone or water bath heat repair alone. Fifteen IMN patients were positive for PLA2R by using water bath heat repair plus trypsin repair,protease K digestion repair,and pepsin digestion repair, but the distribution of positive deposits and the background were different. PLA2R immunohistochemical staining can effectively identify IMN and secondary MN. For

  2. Ultrastructural analysis of early toxic effects produced by bee venom phospholipase A2 and melittin in Sertoli cells in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilinca, Mariana; Florea, Adrian

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we aimed to investigate the testicular toxicity of two molecules derived from bee venom (BV): phospholipase A2 (PlA2) and melittin (Mlt). Ultrastructural effects of purified BV PlA2 and Mlt were assessed consecutive to repeated dose (30 days) and acute toxicity studies. For the subchronic treatment, PlA2 and Mlt were injected in daily doses equivalent to those released by a bee sting (105 μg PlA2/kg/day and 350 μg Mlt/kg/day), while in the acute treatment their doses corresponded to those released by 100 bee stings (9.3 mg PlA2/kg and 31 mg Mlt/kg). Both PlA2 and Mlt affected the Leydig cells and the cells in seminiferous tubules, the Sertoli cells first of all. PlA2 injection resulted in detachment of the Sertoli cells from the surrounding cells, and extracellular vacuolations, cytoplasmic vacuolations in their basal region and in branches as well, detachment of spermatids, residual bodies and sometimes even spermatocytes into the lumen, changes that had a higher magnitude after the acute treatment. Mlt injection induced similar ultrastructural alterations, but more severe, including degeneration of cellular organelles and cellular necrosis, resulting into rarefaction of the seminiferous epithelium; the ultrastructural changes had a higher magnitude after the 30 repeated dose treatment. We concluded that either of the two molecules tested here, PlA2 and Mlt, were Sertoli cells toxicants at the used doses, and they participated both in the BV testicular toxicity. We consider the observed changes as part of a preceding mechanism of the more severe alterations produced by the BV. It also remains possible that these early unspecific changes reported here could represent the response of the SCs not only to the components of bee venom, but to molecules of other venoms as well. The Sertoli cells were the primary target of PlA2 and Mlt in the spermatogenic epithelium, and their alteration led to further degenerative changes of the germ cells. Since

  3. Gadolinium-conjugated PLA-PEG nanoparticles as liver targeted molecular MRI contrast agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Zhijin; Yu, Dexin; Liu, Chunxi; Yang, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Na; Ma, Chunhong; Song, Jibin; Lu, Zaijun

    2011-09-01

    A nanoparticle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent targeted to liver was developed by conjugation of gadolinium (Gd) chelate groups onto the biocompatible poly(l-lactide)-block-poly (ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) nanoparticles. PLA-PEG conjugated with diethylenetriaminopentaacetic acid (DTPA) was used to formulate PLA-PEG-DTPA nanoparticles by solvent diffusion method, and then Gd was loaded onto the nanoparticles by chelated with the unfolding DTPA on the surface of the PLA-PEG-DTPA nanoparticles. The mean size of the nanoparticles was 265.9 ± 6.7 nm. The relaxivity of the Gd-labeled nanoparticles was measured, and the distribution in vivo was evaluated in rats. Compared with conventional contrast agent (Magnevist), the Gd-labeled PLA-PEG nanoparticles showed significant enhancement both on liver targeting ability and imaging signal intensity. The T(1) and T(2) relaxivities per [Gd] of the Gd-labeled nanoparticles was 18.865 mM(-1) s(-1) and 24.863 mM(-1) s(-1) at 3 T, respectively. In addition, the signal intensity in vivo was stronger comparing with the Gd-DTPA and the T(1) weight time was lasting for 4.5 h. The liver targeting efficiency of the Gd-labeled PLA-PEG nanoparticles in rats was 14.57 comparing with Magnevist injection. Therefore, the Gd-labeled nanoparticles showed the potential as targeting molecular MRI contrast agent for further clinical utilization.

  4. mPEG-PLA Micelle for Delivery of Effective Parts of Andrographis Paniculata.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yao, Hailu; Song, Shiyong; Miao, Xiaolu; Liu, Xiao; Zhao, Junli; Wang, Zhen; Shao, Xiaoting; Zhang, Yu; Han, Guang

    2018-01-01

    Many studies have shown that Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees has a good anti-tumor effect, but poor solubility in water and poor bioavailability hinder the modernization of it. To formulate the effective parts (mainly diterpene lactones) of Andrographis paniculata (AEP) into targeting drug delivery system, a series of poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(D.L-lactic acid)(mPEG-PLA) with different ratio of hydrophilic and hydrophobic segment was synthetized to encapsulate AEP. AEP micelles were prepared by a simple solvent-evaporation method. According to the loading capacity, the best polymer was chosen. mPEG-PLA micelles were characterized in terms of drug entrapping efficiency, loading capacity, size, the crystalline state of AEP, stability and release profile. Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity of micelles on mouse breast cancer 4T-1 was investigated. These micelle (mPEG-PLA-AEP) particles had a size of (92.84±5.63) nm and a high entrapping efficiency and loading capacity of (91.00±11.53)% and (32.14±3.02)%(w/w), respectively. The powder DSC showed that drugs were well encapsulated in the core of micelles. mPEG-PLA-AEP had a good stability against salt dissociation, protein adsorption and anion substitution and the solubility of andrographolide (AG) and 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide(DDAG) in AEP increased 4.51 times and 2.12 times in water, and the solubility of DAG showed no difference. mPEG-PLA-AEP had the same release profile in different dissolution medium. Cytotoxicity testing in vitro demonstrated that mPEG-PLA-AEP exhibited higher cell viability inhibition in mouse breast cancer 4T-1 than free AEP. mPEG-PLA micelles offer a promising alternative for TCM therapy with higher solubility and improved antitumor effect. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  5. Pla(y)ceskabelse

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toft, Herdis; Nørgård, Rikke Toft

    2015-01-01

    pla(y)ceskabelse, transgression, det legekulturelle: "Hvad nu hvis...?" og det konstruktionistisk-designrettede "Hvordan kan vi...?" forstærker opmærksomheden over for læringspotentialer i leg som designvirksomhed. I en interdisciplinær analysemodel tilkobles desuden begreber for modularitet......, flytbarhed, idégenerering, problemløsning, åbenhed og tilblivelse til indfangning af design- og læringspotentialer i legende børns interaktioner med robotteknologier. Artiklen konkluderer, at mødet mellem legebørn og robotteknologi, konceptualiseret som pla(y)ceskabelse, fremmer børns erobring af...

  6. Effective enhancement of polylactic acid-degrading enzyme production by Amycolatopsis sp. strain SCM_MK2-4 using statistical and one-factor-at-a-time approaches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Penkhrue, Watsana; Kanpiengjai, Apinun; Khanongnuch, Chartchai; Masaki, Kazuo; Pathom-Aree, Wasu; Punyodom, Winita; Lumyong, Saisamorn

    2017-08-09

    This study aims to find the optimal medium and conditions for polylactic acid (PLA)-degrading enzyme production by Amycolatopsis sp. SCM_MK2-4. Screening of the most effective components in the enzyme production medium by Plackett-Burman design revealed that the silk cocoon and PLA film were the most significant variables enhancing the PLA-degrading enzyme production. After an response surface methodology, a maximum amount of PLA-degrading enzyme activity at 0.74 U mL -1 was predicted and successfully validated at 95% after 0.39% (w/v) silk cocoon and 1.62% (w/v) PLA film were applied to the basal medium. The optimal initial pH value, temperature, and inoculum size were evaluated by a method considering one-factor-at-a-time. The values were recorded at an initial pH in the range of 7.5-9.0, a temperature of 30-32°C, and an inoculum size of 4-10%. The highest activity of approximately 0.95 U mL -1 was achieved after 4 days of cultivation using the optimized medium and under optimized conditions in a shake flask. Upscaling to the use of a 3-L stirred tank fermenter was found to be successful with a PLA-degrading activity of 5.53 U mL -1 ; which represents a 51-fold increase in the activity compared with that obtained from the nonoptimized medium and conditions in the shake flask.

  7. In Vitro Characterization and Evaluation of the Cytotoxicity Effects of Nisin and Nisin-Loaded PLA-PEG-PLA Nanoparticles on Gastrointestinal (AGS and KYSE-30), Hepatic (HepG2) and Blood (K562) Cancer Cell Lines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goudarzi, Fariba; Asadi, Asadollah; Afsharpour, Maryam; Jamadi, Robab Hassanvand

    2018-05-01

    The aim of this study was an in vitro evaluation and comparison of the cytotoxic effects of free nisin and nisin-loaded PLA-PEG-PLA nanoparticles on gastrointestinal (AGS and KYSE-30), hepatic (HepG2), and blood (K562) cancer cell lines. To create this novel anti-cancer drug delivery system, the nanoparticles were synthesized and then loaded with nisin. Subsequently, their biocompatibility, ability to enter cells, and physicochemical properties, including formation, size, and shape, were studied using hemolysis, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Then, its loading efficiency and release kinetics were examined to assess the potential impact of this formulation for the nanoparticle carrier candidacy. The cytotoxicities of nisin and nisin-loaded nanoparticles were evaluated by using the MTT and Neutral Red (NR) uptake assays. Detections of the apoptotic cells were done via Ethidium Bromide (EB)/Acridine Orange (AO) staining. The FTIR spectra, SEM images, and DLS graph confirmed the formations of the nanoparticles and nisin-loaded nanoparticles with spherical, distinct, and smooth surfaces and average sizes of 100 and 200 nm, respectively. The loading efficiency of the latter nanoparticles was about 85-90%. The hemolysis test represented their non-cytotoxicities and the FITC images indicated their entrance inside the cells. An increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells was observed through EB/AO staining. These results demonstrated that nisin had a cytotoxic effect on AGS, KYSE-30, HepG2, and K562 cancer cell lines, while the cytotoxicity of nisin-loaded nanoparticles was more than that of the free nisin.

  8. Novel procedure to enhance PLA surface properties by chitosan irreversible immobilization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stoleru, Elena; Dumitriu, Raluca Petronela [Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 41A, 700487 Iasi (Romania); Munteanu, Bogdanel Silvestru [“Al. I. Cuza” University, Faculty of Physics, 11 Carol I Blvd., 700506 Iasi (Romania); Zaharescu, Traian [INCDIE ICPE CA, Bucharest (Romania); Tănase, Elisabeta Elena; Mitelut, Amalia [Industrial Biotechnology Department, Faculty of Biotechnology – USAMV Bucharest (Romania); Ailiesei, Gabriela-Liliana [Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 41A, 700487 Iasi (Romania); Vasile, Cornelia, E-mail: cvasile@icmpp.ro [Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 41A, 700487 Iasi (Romania)

    2016-03-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • PLA requires functionalization prior to surface attaching chitosan. • Chitosan with different molecular weights was grafted onto PLA surface. • Antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant PLA-based materials are obtained. • Nano-fibers coatings obtained by electrospinning of high molecular weight chitosan. - Abstract: A novel two step procedure was applied for poly(lactic acid) (PLA) functionalization consisting in the exposure to cold radiofrequency plasma in nitrogen atmosphere or to gamma irradiation followed by “grafting to” of a chitosan layer using carbodiimide chemistry. The adhesion and stability of the deposited surface layer was assured by plasma/gamma irradiation treatment while the chitosan layer offers antifungal/antibacterial/antioxidant activities. Chitosan with different viscosities/deacetylation degree was deposited by electrospinning or immersion methods. Correlations between rheological behavior of chitosan solutions and chitosan layer deposition conditions are made. The PLA surface properties were investigated by water contact angle measurements, ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, AFM, chemiluminiscence, etc. It has been established that the surface roughness increases direct proportional with cold plasma duration and gamma irradiation dose and further increases by chitosan coating which at its turn depends on chitosan characteristics (viscosity and deacetylation degree) and method of deposition. Nano-fibers with relatively homogeneous and reproducible features are obtained by electrospinning of highly viscous chitosan while with the other two types of chitosan both microparticles and nano-fibers are formed. The chitosan coating obtained by immersion is more homogenous and compact and has a better antibacterial activity than the electrospun layer as fiber meshes.

  9. Genetic association between the phospholipase A2 gene and unipolar affective disorder: a multicentre case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadimitriou, George N; Dikeos, Dimitris G; Souery, Daniel; Del-Favero, Jurgen; Massat, Isabelle; Avramopoulos, Dimitrios; Blairy, Sylvie; Cichon, Sven; Ivezic, Sladjana; Kaneva, Radka; Karadima, Georgia; Lilli, Roberta; Milanova, Vihra; Nöthen, Markus; Oruc, Lilijana; Rietschel, Marcella; Serretti, Alessandro; Van Broeckhoven, Christine; Stefanis, Costas N; Mendlewicz, Julien

    2003-12-01

    The co-segregation in one pedigree of bipolar affective disorder with Darier's disease whose gene is on chromosome 12q23-q24.1, and findings from linkage and association studies with the neighbouring gene of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) indicate that PLA2 may be considered as a candidate gene for affective disorders. All relevant genetic association studies, however, were conducted on bipolar patients. In the present study, the possible association between the PLA2 gene and unipolar affective disorder was examined on 321 unipolar patients and 604 controls (all personally interviewed), recruited from six countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Greece, and Italy) participating in the European Collaborative Project on Affective Disorders. After controlling for population group and gender, one of the eight alleles of the investigated marker (allele 7) was found to be more frequent among unipolar patients with more than three major depressive episodes than among controls (P<0.01); genotypic association was also observed, under the dominant model of genetic transmission (P<0.02). In addition, presence of allele 7 was correlated with a higher frequency of depressive episodes (P<0.02). These findings suggest that structural variations at the PLA2 gene or the chromosomal region around it may confer susceptibility for unipolar affective disorder.

  10. Chinas Goldwater-Nichols Assessing PLA Organizational Reforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-04-01

    Liberation Army ( PLA ): the Central Military Commission (CMC) has been revamped, the four general departments dissolved, new service headquarters... PLA insti- tutions, force structure, and policy that will be ongoing through 2020. In pursuing these reforms, China’s leaders hope both to tighten...central politi- cal control over a force that was seen as increasingly corrupt and to build the PLA into a credible joint warfighting entity. Yet

  11. Structure and blood compatibility of highly oriented PLA/MWNTs composites produced by solid hot drawing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhengqiu; Zhao, Xiaowen; Ye, Lin; Coates, Phil; Caton-Rose, Fin; Martyn, Michasel

    2014-03-01

    Highly oriented poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) composites were fabricated through solid hot drawing technology in an effort to improve the mechanical properties and blood biocompatibility of PLA as blood-contacting medical devices. It was found that proper MWNTs content and drawing orientation can improve the tensile strength and modulus of PLA dramatically. With the increase in draw ratio, the cold crystallization peak became smaller, and the glass transition and the melting peak of PLA moved to high temperature, while the crystallinity increased, and the grain size decreased, indicating the stress-induced crystallization of PLA during drawing. MWNTs showed a nucleation effect on PLA, leading to the rise in the melting temperature, increase in crystallinity and reduction of spherulite size for the composites. Moreover, the intensity of (002) diffraction of MWNTs increased with draw ratio, indicating that MWNTs were preferentially aligned and oriented during drawing. Microstructure observation demonstrated that PLA matrix had an ordered fibrillar bundle structure, and MWNTs in the composite tended to align parallel to the drawing direction. In addition, the dispersion of MWNTs in PLA was also improved by orientation. Introduction of MWNTs and drawing orientation could significantly enhance the blood compatibility of PLA by prolonging kinetic clotting time, reducing hemolysis ratio and platelet activation.

  12. Characterization and properties of acetylated nanocrystalline cellulose (aNC) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) polymer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasa, Siti Norbaya; Omar, Mohd Firdaus; Ismail, Ismarul Nizam

    2017-12-01

    Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was synthesized from banana stem through strong acid hydrolysis with measured length of approximately 287.0 ± 56.4 nm and diameter of 26.6 ± 4.8 nm. Modification of NCC was carried by acetylation reaction in order to increase the compatibility during reinforcement with polylactic acid (PLA) polymer. The reinforcing effect towards morphology, crystallinity, mechanical and thermal properties of bio-nanocomposites was investigated. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrograph reveals the uniform dispersion achieved at 1 %, 3 % and 5% aNC loading while agglomeration was found at 7 % aNC loading. Disappearance of crystallinity peak at 2θ = 22.7⁰ for low aNC loading during elemental analysis using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) indicates the proper dispersion of aNC in PLA polymer. From the tensile test, 1 % aNC loading gives the highest mechanical properties of bio-nanocomposite film with 82.71 %, 118.7 % and 24.18 % increment in tensile strength, tensile modulus and elongation at break. However, 7 % aNC loading gives the highest increment in TGA of aNC-PLA nanocomposites which is from 310 °C to 320 °C.

  13. PS-b-PMMA/PLA blends for nanoporous templates with hierarchical and tunable pore size

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Thi-Hoa; Vayer, Marylène; Sinturel, Christophe

    2018-01-01

    Blends of poly(styrene)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-b-PMMA) and poly(lactide) (PLA) were deposited in the form of thin films on the surface of modified silicon wafers and exposed to tetrahydrofuran (THF) vapor annealing. It was shown that in specific experimental conditions, a core-shell morphology consisting in cylinders with a PMMA shell and a PLA core, within a continuous matrix of PS, was formed. In this case, PLA naturally segregated in the core of the PMMA cylinders, minimizing the PS/PLA interaction, which constitutes the most incompatible pair (the interaction strength between the various components was confirmed in thin films of the corresponding polymer blends). Compared to other block copolymer/homopolymer blends described in the literature, this system exhibits unexpected high increase of the characteristic lengths of the system (center-to-center distance and diameter). This was attributed to a partial solubilization of the PLA in the PMMA corona (the two polymers are highly compatible), inducing an enhanced level of PS and PLA stretching caused by the strong repulsion between these two polymers. The selective extraction of the PLA yielded to porous domains with small dimensions (6 ± 2.5 nm), reaching the performances that are currently attained in highly incompatible block polymers with low molecular weight. Further PMMA removal revealed a second porosity level, with higher pores diameter and center-to-center distance compared to the neat PS-b-PMMA system. This work highlights how PS-b-PMMA, that currently represents one of the industrial standards nanoporous template precursors, can be modified in an easy and costless approach using PLA homopolymer addition.

  14. CD1a presentation of endogenous antigens by group 2 innate lymphoid cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardman, Clare S; Chen, Yi-Ling; Salimi, Maryam; Jarrett, Rachael; Johnson, David; Järvinen, Valtteri J; Owens, Raymond J; Repapi, Emmanouela; Cousins, David J; Barlow, Jillian L; McKenzie, Andrew N J; Ogg, Graham

    2017-12-22

    Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) are effectors of barrier immunity, with roles in infection, wound healing, and allergy. A proportion of ILC2 express MHCII (major histocompatibility complex II) and are capable of presenting peptide antigens to T cells and amplifying the subsequent adaptive immune response. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of CD1a-reactive T cells in allergy and infection, activated by the presentation of endogenous neolipid antigens and bacterial components. Using a human skin challenge model, we unexpectedly show that human skin-derived ILC2 can express CD1a and are capable of presenting endogenous antigens to T cells. CD1a expression is up-regulated by TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin) at levels observed in the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis, and the response is dependent on PLA2G4A. Furthermore, this pathway is used to sense Staphylococcus aureus by promoting Toll-like receptor-dependent CD1a-reactive T cell responses to endogenous ligands. These findings define a previously unrecognized role for ILC2 in lipid surveillance and identify shared pathways of CD1a- and PLA2G4A-dependent ILC2 inflammation amenable to therapeutic intervention. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

  15. Research Maps New Routes for Reading Success in PLA Early Childhood Initiative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyers, Elaine

    2002-01-01

    The Public Library Association (PLA) partnered with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) to develop research-based tools for parents to prepare children for reading. Inherent in the materials is the major role of the public library in formation of readers. Outlines goals and activities (2001-2002) of the PLA/ALSC…

  16. Phospholipases A2: enzymatic assay for snake venom (Naja naja karachiensis) with their neutralization by medicinal plants of Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asad, Muhammad H H B; Durr-E-Sabih; Yaqab, Tahir; Murtaza, Ghulam; Hussain, Muhammad S; Hussain, Muhammad S; Nasir, Muhammad T; Azhar, Saira; Khan, Shujaat A; Hussain, Izhar

    2014-01-01

    Phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are the most lethal and noxious component of Naja naja karachiensis venom. They are engaged to induce severe toxicities after their penetration in victims. Present study was designed to highlight hydrolytic actions of PLA. in an egg yolk mixture and to encounter their deleterious effects via medicinal plants of Pakistan. PLA2 were found to produce free fatty acids in a dose dependent manner. Venom at concentration of 0.1 mg was found to liberate 26.6 pmoles of fatty acids with a decline in pH1 of 0.2 owing to the presence of PLA2 (133 Unit/mg). When quantity of venom was increased up to 8 mg, it caused to release 133 pmoles of free fatty acids with a decrease in 1.0 pH due to abundance in PLA, (665 Unit/mg). The rest of other doses of venom (0.3-4.0 mg) was found to liberate fatty acids between these two upper and lower limits. Twenty eight medicinal plants (0.1-0.6 mg) were tried to abort PLA, hydrolytic action, however, all were found useful (50-100%) against PLA,. Bauhinia variegate L., Citrus limon (L.). Burm.f. Enicostemnma hyssopifolium (Willd.) Verdoorn, Ocimum sanctum. Psoralea corylifolia L. and Stenolobium stans (L.) D. Don were found excellent in switching off 100% phospholipases A, at their lowest concentration (0.1 mg). Three plants extract were found useful only at lower concentration (0.1 mg), however, their higher doses were seemed to aggravate venom response. Eight medicinal plants failed to neutralize PLA, rather their higher doses were found effective. Standard antidote and rest of other plants extract were able to show maximum of 50% efficiencies. Therefore, it is necessary to identify and isolate bioactive constituent(s) from above cited six medicinal plants to eradicate the problem of snake bite in the future.

  17. Cross-talk between oxysterols and glucocorticoids: differential regulation of secreted phopholipase A2 and impact on oligodendrocyte death.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amalia Trousson

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Oxysterols are oxidized forms of cholesterol. They have been shown to be implicated in cholesterol turnover, inflammation and in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis. Glial cells are targets of oxysterols: they inhibit astrocyte proliferation after brain injury, and we have previously shown that 25-hydroxycholesterol (25OH provokes oligodendrocyte apoptosis and stimulates the expression of sPLA2 type IIA (sPLA2-IIA, which has a protective effect. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: As glucocorticoids are well-known for their anti-inflammatory effects, our aim was to understand their direct effects on oxysterol-induced responses in oligodendrocytes (sPLA2-IIA stimulation and apoptosis. We demonstrate that the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex abolishes the stimulation of sPLA2-IIA by 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-OH. This inhibition is mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR, which decreases the expression of the oxysterol receptor Pregnane X Receptor (PXR and interferes with oxysterol signaling by recruiting a common limiting coactivator PGC1alpha. Consistent with the finding that sPLA2-IIA can partially protect oligodendrocytes against oxysterol-triggered apoptosis, we demonstrate here that the inhibition of sPLA2-IIA by Dex accelerates the apoptotic phenomenon, leading to a shift towards necrosis. We have shown by atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy that 25-OH and Dex alters oligodendrocyte shape and disorganizes the cytoplasm. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide a new understanding of the cross-talk between oxysterol and glucocorticoid signaling pathways and their respective roles in apoptosis and oligodendrocyte functions.

  18. Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 Alleviate House Dust Mite-Induced Atopic Dermatitis-Like Skin Lesions by the CD206 Mannose Receptor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Dasom; Choi, Won; Bae, Hyunsu

    2018-04-02

    Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by highly pruritic, erythematous, and eczematous skin plaques. We previously reported that phospholipase A2 (PLA2) derived from bee venom alleviates AD-like skin lesions induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and house dust mite extract ( Dermatophagoides farinae extract, DFE) in a murine model. However, the underlying mechanisms of PLA2 action in actopic dermatitis remain unclear. In this study, we showed that PLA2 treatment inhibited epidermal thickness, serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and cytokine levels, macrophage and mast cell infiltration in the ear of an AD model induced by DFE and DNCB. In contrast, these effects were abrogated in CD206 mannose receptor-deficient mice exposed to DFE and DNCB in the ear. These data suggest that bvPLA2 alleviates atopic skin inflammation via interaction with CD206.

  19. PLA micro- and nano-particles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Byung Kook; Yun, Yeonhee; Park, Kinam

    2016-12-15

    Poly(d,l-lactic acid) (PLA) has been widely used for various biomedical applications for its biodegradable, biocompatible, and nontoxic properties. Various methods, such as emulsion, salting out, and precipitation, have been used to make better PLA micro- and nano-particle formulations. They are widely used as controlled drug delivery systems of therapeutic molecules, including proteins, genes, vaccines, and anticancer drugs. Even though PLA-based particles have challenges to overcome, such as low drug loading capacity, low encapsulation efficiency, and terminal sterilization, continuous innovations in particulate formulations will lead to development of clinically useful formulations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Managing Conflict: Examining Recent PLA Writings on Escalation Control

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-02-01

    Cleared for Public Release Managing Conflict: Examining Recent PLA Writings on Escalation Control Alison A. Kaufman, Daniel...ANSI Std. Z39.18 i Abstract This study examines how people in China’s People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) think about and discuss...escalation control in their public writings. It draws on over two dozen PLA writings, most issued since 2008, to explore the current state of PLA

  1. PLA recycling by hydrolysis at high temperature

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cristina, Annesini Maria; Rosaria, Augelletti; Sara, Frattari, E-mail: sara.frattari@uniroma1.it; Fausto, Gironi [Department of Chemical Engineering Materials Environment, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18– 00184 Roma (Italy)

    2016-05-18

    In this work the process of PLA hydrolysis at high temperature was studied, in order to evaluate the possibility of chemical recycling of this polymer bio-based. In particular, the possibility to obtain the monomer of lactic acid from PLA degradation was investigated. The results of some preliminary tests, performed in a laboratory batch reactor at high temperature, are presented: the experimental results show that the complete degradation of PLA can be obtained in relatively low reaction times.

  2. Role of secretory phospholipase A(2) in rhythmic contraction of pulmonary arteries of rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanabe, Yoshiyuki; Saito-Tanji, Maki; Morikawa, Yuki; Kamataki, Akihisa; Sawai, Takashi; Nakayama, Koichi

    2012-01-01

    Excessive stretching of the vascular wall in accordance with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) induces a variety of pathogenic cellular events in the pulmonary arteries. We previously reported that indoxam, a selective inhibitor for secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)), blocked the stretch-induced contraction of rabbit pulmonary arteries by inhibition of untransformed prostaglandin H(2) (PGH(2)) production. The present study was undertaken to investigate involvement of sPLA(2) and untransformed PGH(2) in the enhanced contractility of pulmonary arteries of experimental PAH in rats. Among all the known isoforms of sPLA(2), sPLA(2)-X transcript was most significantly augmented in the pulmonary arteries of rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (MCT-PHR). The pulmonary arteries of MCT-PHR frequently showed two types of spontaneous contraction in response to stretch; 27% showed rhythmic contraction, which was sensitive to indoxam and SC-560 (selective COX-1 inhibitor), but less sensitive to NS-398 (selective COX-2 inhibitor); and 47% showed sustained incremental tension (tonic contraction), which was insensitive to indoxam and SC-560, but sensitive to NS-398 and was attenuated to 45% of the control. Only the rhythmically contracting pulmonary arteries of MCT-PHR produced a substantial amount of untransformed PGH(2), which was abolished by indoxam. These results suggest that sPLA(2)-mediated PGH(2) synthesis plays an important role in the rhythmic contraction of pulmonary arteries of MCT-PHR.

  3. Enhanced effect of folated pluronic F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles on targeted delivery of paclitaxel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Xiang Yuan; Pan, Xiaoqian; Tao, Long; Cheng, Feng; Li, Zi Ling; Gong, Yan Chun; Li, Yu Ping

    2017-10-01

    Targeted drug delivery systems have great potential to overcome the side effect and improve the bioavailability of conventional anticancer drugs. In order to further improve the antitumor efficacy of paclitaxel (PTX) loaded in folated Pluronic F87/poly(lactic acid) (FA-F87-PLA) micelles, D-α-tocopheryl poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 succinate (TPGS or Vitamin E TPGS) were added into FA-F87-PLA to form FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles. The LE of PTX-loaded mixed micelles (13.5%) was highest in the mass ratio 5 to 3 of FA-F87-PLA to TPGS. The in vitro cytotoxicity assays indicated that the IC50 values for free PTX injections, PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA micelles and PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles after 72h of incubation were 1.52, 0.42 and 0.037mg/L, respectively. The quantitative cellular uptake of coumarin 6-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS and FA-F87-PLA micelles showed that the cellular uptake efficiency of mixed micelles was higher for 2 and 4h incubation, respectively. In vivo pharmacokinetic studies found that the AUC of PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles is almost 1.4 times of that of PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA micelles. The decreased particle size and inhibition of P-glycoprotein effect induced by the addition of TPGS could result in enhancing the cellular uptake and improving the antitumor efficiency of PTX-loaded FA-F87-PLA/TPGS mixed micelles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. Bilateral PLA/alginate membranes for the prevention of postsurgical adhesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kessler, Martina; Esser, Eva; Groll, Jürgen; Tessmar, Jörg

    2016-11-01

    A bilateral barrier membrane for the prevention of postsurgical adhesions was developed. Thereby, a smooth PLA side was supposed to keep the affected tissues glidingly separated, while a mucoadhesive side made of alginate was meant to keep the barrier resident on the site of injury so that suturing becomes redundant or at least the membrane stays long enough to facilitate surgical handling. Because hydrophilic alginate and lipophilic PLA films show only low cohesion, solution electrospun meshes of PLA and PLA-PEG-PLA triblock copolymers with varying poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG] content were investigated as cohesion promoter to avoid an easy separation of the functionally different layers. Using direct electrospinning onto the PLA film, a modified contact surface of the mesh was created, which allowed the tested alginate solutions (3%, 5%) to infiltrate to different extents. Thereby, an increasing content of hydrophilic PEG within the mesh copolymer and a lower alginate concentration facilitated the infiltration. As a result, the PLA film with a PLA35k-PEG10k-PLA35k (racemic PLA chains) mesh and an alginate layer cast from a 3% alginate solution appeared to be the most effective combination as examined by means of a t peel test, a mucoadhesion test, a tensile test and optical evaluations. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1563-1570, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Non-agglomerated silicon nanoparticles on (0 0 1) silicon substrate formed by PLA and their photoluminescence properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du Jun; Tu Hailing; Wang Lei

    2009-01-01

    In this work, non-agglomerated silicon nanoparticles formed on Si(0 0 1) substrate were synthesized by pulsed laser ablation (PLA) and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were studied. The controllable parameters in PLA process include mainly pulsed laser energy, target-to-substrate distance and buffer gas pressure. In particular, the effect of buffer gas pressure on the formation of non-agglomerated and size-controlled silicon nanoparticles has been discussed. The results show that non-agglomerated and size-controlled silicon nanoparticles can be fabricated with particle size in the range of 2-10 nm when Ar buffer gas pressure was varied from 50 to 10 Pa. Most of these nanoparticles are in form of single crystal with less surface oxidation in the as-deposited samples. The PL peak positions are located at 581-615 nm for Si nanoparticles with size of 2-10 nm. When exposed to air for up to 60 days, the core/shell structure of Si nanoparticles would be formed, which in turn could be responsible for the blue shift of PL peak position. Pt noble metal coating has passivation effect for surface stabilization of Si nanoparticles and shows relatively satisfied time-stability of PL intensity. These results suggest that the Si nanoparticles prepared by PLA have a large potential for the fabrication of optically active photonic devices based on the Si technology.

  6. Antiphospholipase A2 Receptor Autoantibodies: A Comparison of Three Different Immunoassays for the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astrid Behnert

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The recent identification of circulating autoantibodies directed towards the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R has been a major advancement in the serological diagnosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN, a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. The goal of this study was to compare the performance characteristics of two commercial assays as well as the first addressable laser bead immunoassay (ALBIA developed for the detection of anti-PLA2R antibodies. Methods. Serum samples of 157 IMN patients and 142 controls were studied. Samples were tested by a cell based immunofluorescence assay (CBA-IFA, Euroimmun, Germany, by ELISA (Euroimmun, and by a novel ALBIA employing an in vivo expressed recombinant human PLA2R. Results. Overall, the three assays showed significant qualitative and quantitative correlation. As revealed by receiver operating characteristic analysis, the ALBIA correlated better with the CBA-IFA than the ELISA (P=0.0003. The clinical sensitivities/specificities for IMN were 60.0% (51.0–68.5%/98.6% (95.0–99.8% and 56.2% (47.2–64.8%/100.0% (97.4–100.0% for ALBIA and CBA-IFA, respectively. Conclusion. The ALBIA represents a promising assay for the detection of anti-PLA2R antibodies showing similar performance to the CBA-IFA and the advantage of ease of use and suitability for high throughput, rapid turnaround times, and multiplexing.

  7. The internalization of fluorescence-labeled PLA nanoparticles by macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Fengjuan; Zhu, Aiping; Song, Xiaoli; Ji, Lijun; Wang, Juan

    2013-09-10

    Rhodamine B (RhB)-labeled PLA nanoparticles were prepared through surface grafting copolymerization of glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) onto PLA nanoparticles during the emulsion/evaporation process. RhB firstly interacts with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) through electrostatic interaction to form hydrophobic complex (SDS-RhB). Due to the high-affinity of SDS-RhB with GMA, hydrophilic RhB can be successfully combined into PLA nanoparticles. The internalization of RhB-labeled PLA nanoparticles by macrophages was investigated with fluorescence microscope technology. The effects of the PLA nanoparticle surface nature and size on the internalization were investigated. The results indicate that the PLA particles smaller than 200 nm can avoid the uptake of phagocytosis. The bigger PLA particles (300 nm) with polyethylene glycol (PEG) surface showed less internalization by macrophage compared with those with poly(ethylene oxide-propylene oxide) copolymer (F127) or poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) surface. The "stealth" function of PEG on the PLA nanoparticles from internalization of macrophages due to the low protein adsorption is revealed by electrochemical impedance technology. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Is the Chinese Army the Real Winner in PLA Reforms

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-10-01

    44 Commentary / The Chinese Army and PLA Reforms JFQ 83, 4th Quarter 2016 Is the Chinese Army the Real Winner in PLA Reforms? By Phillip C. Saunders...and John Chen G round force officers run China’s military, the People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ). About 70 percent of PLA soldiers serve in the PLA ...Saunders and Chen 45 services and arms of the PLA ” has meant reductions in “technologically backward” PLAA units and personnel increases for the other

  9. Overexpression of porcine lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 in swine

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tang, Xiaochun; Wang, Gangqi; Liu, Xingxing; Han, Xiaolei; Li, Zhuang; Ran, Guangyao; Li, Zhanjun; Song, Qi; Ji, Y; Wang, Haijun; Wang, Yuhui; Ouyang, Hongsheng; Pang, Daxin

    2015-01-01

    Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp-PLA2) is associated with the risk of vascular disease. It circulates in human blood predominantly in association with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and hydrolyses oxidized phospholipids into pro-inflammatory products. However, in the mouse

  10. Cytosolic phospholipase A2: a member of the signalling pathway of a new G protein α subunit in Sporothrix schenckii

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    González-Méndez Ricardo

    2009-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sporothrix schenckii is a pathogenic dimorphic fungus, the etiological agent of sporotrichosis, a lymphocutaneous disease that can remain localized or can disseminate, involving joints, lungs, and the central nervous system. Pathogenic fungi use signal transduction pathways to rapidly adapt to changing environmental conditions and S. schenckii is no exception. S. schenckii yeast cells, either proliferate (yeast cell cycle or engage in a developmental program that includes proliferation accompanied by morphogenesis (yeast to mycelium transition depending on the environmental conditions. The principal intracellular receptors of environmental signals are the heterotrimeric G proteins, suggesting their involvement in fungal dimorphism and pathogenicity. Identifying these G proteins in fungi and their involvement in protein-protein interactions will help determine their role in signal transduction pathways. Results In this work we describe a new G protein α subunit gene in S. schenckii, ssg-2. The cDNA sequence of ssg-2 revealed a predicted open reading frame of 1,065 nucleotides encoding a 355 amino acids protein with a molecular weight of 40.9 kDa. When used as bait in a yeast two-hybrid assay, a cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 catalytic subunit was identified as interacting with SSG-2. The sspla2 gene, revealed an open reading frame of 2538 bp and encoded an 846 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular weight of 92.62 kDa. The principal features that characterize cPLA2 were identified in this enzyme such as a phospholipase catalytic domain and the characteristic invariable arginine and serine residues. A role for SSPLA2 in the control of dimorphism in S. schenckii is suggested by observing the effects of inhibitors of the enzyme on the yeast cell cycle and the yeast to mycelium transition in this fungus. Phospholipase A2 inhibitors such as AACOCF3 (an analogue of archidonic acid and isotetrandrine (an inhibitor of G protein

  11. Purification and partial characterization of phospholipases A2 from Bothrops asper (barba amarilla snake venom from Chiriguaná (Cesar, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Ramírez-Avila

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Components with phospholipase A2 activity were isolated by gel filtration and cationic exchange chromatography from the venom of Bothrops asper snakes from Chiriguaná, Colombia (9°22´N; 73°37´W. Five fractions were obtained by the gel filtration, and PLA2 activity was found in fraction 3 (F3. In the cationic exchange chromatography, F3 showed eight components with PLA2 activity. Six of these components appeared as one band in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE. Fractions II and VII exhibited an optimal activity at pH 9 and 52ºC. The optimum calcium concentration for fraction II was 48 mM and for fraction VII, 384 mM. Both fractions showed thermal stability. Fraction II was stable at pH values between 2.5 and 9, and fraction VII, between 2.5 and 8. The Michaelis Menten constant (K M was 3.5x10-3 M for fraction II and 1.6x10-3 M for fraction VII. The molecular weight was 16,000 Dalton for fraction II and 17,000 Dalton for fraction VII. Both isoenzymes did not show any toxic activity (DL50 at 5.3 and 4 µg/g. The two fractions showed different kinetic constant (K M, calcium requirement, and substrate specificity for haemolytic activity.

  12. Mitochondrial Dysfunction and β-Cell Failure in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhongmin Alex Ma

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM is the most common human endocrine disease and is characterized by peripheral insulin resistance and pancreatic islet β-cell failure. Accumulating evidence indicates that mitochondrial dysfunction is a central contributor to β-cell failure in the evolution of T2DM. As reviewed elsewhere, reactive oxygen species (ROS produced by β-cell mitochondria as a result of metabolic stress activate several stress-response pathways. This paper focuses on mechanisms whereby ROS affect mitochondrial structure and function and lead to β-cell failure. ROS activate UCP2, which results in proton leak across the mitochondrial inner membrane, and this leads to reduced β-cell ATP synthesis and content, which is a critical parameter in regulating glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. In addition, ROS oxidize polyunsaturated fatty acids in mitochondrial cardiolipin and other phospholipids, and this impairs membrane integrity and leads to cytochrome c release into cytosol and apoptosis. Group VIA phospholipase A2 (iPLA2β appears to be a component of a mechanism for repairing mitochondrial phospholipids that contain oxidized fatty acid substituents, and genetic or acquired iPLA2β-deficiency increases β-cell mitochondrial susceptibility to injury from ROS and predisposes to developing T2DM. Interventions that attenuate ROS effects on β-cell mitochondrial phospholipids might prevent or retard development of T2DM.

  13. Angiotensin 2 directly increases rabbit renal brush-border membrane sodium transport: Presence of local signal transduction system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morduchowicz, G.A.; Sheikh-Hamad, D.; Dwyer, B.E.; Stern, N.; Jo, O.D.; Yanagawa, N.

    1991-01-01

    In the present study, the authors have examined the direct actions of angiotensin II (AII) in rabbit renal brush border membrane (BBM) where binding sites for AII exist. Addition of AII (10(-11)-10(-7) M) was found to stimulate 22Na+ uptake by the isolated BBM vesicles directly. All did not affect the Na(+)-dependent BBM glucose uptake, and the effect of AII on BBM 22Na+ uptake was inhibited by amiloride, suggesting the involvement of Na+/H+ exchange mechanism. BBM proton permeability as assessed by acridine orange quenching was not affected by AII, indicating the direct effect of AII on Na+/H+ antiport system. In search of the signal transduction mechanism, it was found that AII activated BBM phospholipase A2 (PLA) and that BBM contains a 42-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G-protein) that underwent pertussis toxin (PTX)-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. Addition of GTP potentiated, while GDP-beta S or PTX abolished, the effects of AII on BBM PLA and 22Na+ uptake, suggesting the involvement of G-protein in AII's actions. On the other hand, inhibition of PLA by mepacrine prevented AII's effect on BBM 22Na+ uptake, and activation of PLA by mellitin or addition of arachidonic acid similarly enhanced BBM 22Na+ uptake, suggesting the role of PLA activation in mediating AII's effect on BBM 22Na+ uptake. In summary, results of the present study show a direct stimulatory effect of AII on BBM Na+/H+ antiport system, and suggest the presence of a local signal transduction system involving G-protein mediated PLA activation

  14. Translating research into practice in Leeds and Bradford (TRiPLaB: a protocol for a programme of research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bibby John

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR has funded nine Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRCs. Each CLAHRC is a partnership between higher education institutions (HEIs and the NHS in nine UK regional health economies. The CLAHRC for Leeds, York, and Bradford comprises two 'research themes' and three 'implementation themes.' One of these implementation themes is Translating Research into Practice in Leeds and Bradford (TRiPLaB. TRiPLaB aims to develop, implement, and evaluate methods for inducing and sustaining the uptake of research knowledge into practice in order to improve the quality of health services for the people of Leeds and Bradford. Methods TRiPLaB is built around a three-stage, sequential, approach using separate, longitudinal case studies conducted with collaborating NHS organisations, TRiPLaB will select robust innovations to implement, conduct a theory-informed exploration of the local context using a variety of data collection and analytic methods, and synthesise the information collected to identify the key factors influencing the uptake and adoption of targeted innovations. This synthesis will inform the development of tailored, multifaceted, interventions designed to increase the translation of research findings into practice. Mixed research methods, including time series analysis, quasi-experimental comparison, and qualitative process evaluation, will be used to evaluate the impact of the implementation strategies deployed. Conclusion TRiPLaB is a theory-informed, systematic, mixed methods approach to developing and evaluating tailored implementation strategies aimed at increasing the translation of research-based findings into practice in one UK health economy. Through active collaboration with its local NHS, TRiPLaB aims to improve the quality of health services for the people of Leeds and Bradford and to contribute to research knowledge regarding the

  15. Constitutive expression of CaPLA1 conferred enhanced growth and grain yield in transgenic rice plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Ki Youl; Kim, Eun Yu; Seo, Young Sam; Kim, Woo Taek

    2016-03-01

    Phospholipids are not only important components of cell membranes, but participate in diverse processes in higher plants. In this study, we generated Capsicum annuum phospholipiase A1 (CaPLA1) overexpressing transgenic rice (Oryza sativa L.) plants under the control of the maize ubiquitin promoter. The T4 CaPLA1-overexpressing rice plants (Ubi:CaPLA1) had a higher root:shoot mass ratio than the wild-type plants in the vegetative stage. Leaf epidermal cells from transgenic plants had more cells than wild-type plants. Genes that code for cyclin and lipid metabolic enzymes were up-regulated in the transgenic lines. When grown under typical paddy field conditions, the transgenic plants produced more tillers, longer panicles and more branches per panicle than the wild-type plants, all of which resulted in greater grain yield. Microarray analysis suggests that gene expressions that are related with cell proliferation, lipid metabolism, and redox state were widely altered in CaPLA1-overexpressing transgenic rice plants. Ubi:CaPLA1 plants had a reduced membrane peroxidation state, as determined by malondialdehyde and conjugated diene levels and higher peroxidase activity than wild-type rice plants. Furthermore, three isoprenoid synthetic genes encoding terpenoid synthase, hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase were up-regulated in CaPLA1-overexpressing plants. We suggest that constitutive expression of CaPLA1 conferred increased grain yield with enhanced growth in transgenic rice plants by alteration of gene activities related with cell proliferation, lipid metabolism, membrane peroxidation state and isoprenoid biosynthesis.

  16. In vitro degradation of a 3D porous Pennisetum purpureum/PLA biocomposite scaffold.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Revati, R; Majid, M S Abdul; Ridzuan, M J M; Basaruddin, K S; Rahman Y, M N; Cheng, E M; Gibson, A G

    2017-10-01

    The in vitro degradation and mechanical properties of a 3D porous Pennisetum purpureum (PP)/polylactic acid (PLA)-based scaffold were investigated. In this study, composite scaffolds with PP to PLA ratios of 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% were immersed in a PBS solution at 37°C for 40 days. Compression tests were conducted to evaluate the compressive strength and modulus of the scaffolds, according to ASTM F451-95. The compression strength of the scaffolds was found to increase from 1.94 to 9.32MPa, while the compressive modulus increased from 1.73 to 5.25MPa as the fillers' content increased from 0wt% to 30wt%. Moreover, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction were employed to observe and analyse the microstructure and fibre-matrix interface. Interestingly, the degradation rate was reduced for the PLA/PP 20 scaffold, though insignificantly, this could be attributed to the improved mechanical properties and stronger fibre-matrix interface. Microstructure changes after degradation were observed using FESEM. The FESEM results indicated that a strong fibre-matrix interface was formed in the PLA/PP 20 scaffold, which reflected the addition of P. purpureum into PLA decreasing the degradation rate compared to in pure PLA scaffolds. The results suggest that the P. purpureum/PLA scaffold degradation rate can be altered and controlled to meet requirements imposed by a given tissue engineering application. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Blending Novatein{sup ®} thermoplastic protein with PLA for carbon dioxide assisted batch foaming

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Walallavita, Anuradha, E-mail: asw15@students.waikato.ac.nz; Verbeek, Casparus J. R., E-mail: jverbeek@waikato.ac.nz; Lay, Mark, E-mail: mclay@waikato.ac.nz [University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240 (New Zealand)

    2016-03-09

    The convenience of polymeric foams has led to their widespread utilisation in everyday life. However, disposal of synthetic petroleum-derived foams has had a detrimental effect on the environment which needs to be addressed. This study uses a clean and sustainable approach to investigate the foaming capability of a blend of two biodegradable polymers, polylactic acid (PLA) and Novatein® Thermoplastic Protein (NTP). PLA, derived from corn starch, can successfully be foamed using a batch technique developed by the Biopolymer Network Ltd. NTP is a patented formulation of bloodmeal and chemical additives which can be extruded and injection moulded similar to other thermoplastics. However, foaming NTP is a new area of study and its interaction with blowing agents in the batch process is entirely unknown. Subcritical and supercritical carbon dioxide have been examined individually in two uniquely designed pressure vessels to foam various compositions of NTP-PLA blends. Foamed material were characterised in terms of expansion ratio, cell size, and cellular morphology in order to study how the composition of NTP-PLA affects foaming with carbon dioxide. It was found that blends with 5 wt. % NTP foamed using subcritical CO{sub 2} expanded up to 11 times due to heterogeneous nucleation. Morphology analysis using scanning electron microscopy showed that foams blown with supercritical CO{sub 2} had a finer cell structure with consistent cell size, whereas, foams blown with subcritical CO{sub 2} ranged in cell size and showed cell wall rupture. Ultimately, this research would contribute to the production of a biodegradable foam material to be used in packaging applications, thereby adding to the application potential of NTP.

  18. Investigation of Ultrasonics as a tool for energy efficient recycling of Lactic acid from postconsumer PLA products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srinivasan, Gowrishankar

    crystallinity also was an important factor that affected the reaction kinetics of depolymerization. It was found that amorphous PLA de-polymerized faster compared to semi-crystalline PLA under the same conditions. While the depolymerization of PLA was anticipated to require 15 to 30 minutes, or extreme conditions [40], it was determined that with K2CO3 or NaOH catalysts and methanol media as the conditions, PLA could be fully de-polymerized within a few minutes. This information provided insight for effective pathways for the depolymerization of PLA, reducing the environmental impact of material use on the environment. The effects of the ultrasonics were modeled with finite element analysis based on fundamental concepts. The predictions from the modeling were confirmed by studying real-time streaming and fluid flow inside the treatment cell utilizing particle image Velocimetry (PIV). The FEA (finite element analysis) models of ultrasonic streaming were verified and were in reasonable agreement with the experimental values, validating simple assumptions for future researchers.

  19. Polybiguanide (PHMB) loaded in PLA scaffolds displaying high hydrophobic, biocompatibility and antibacterial properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Llorens, Elena; Calderón, Silvia [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Valle, Luis J. del, E-mail: luis.javier.del.valle@upc.edu [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Puiggalí, Jordi [Departament d' Enginyeria Química, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Av. Diagonal 647, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain); Center for Research in Nano-Engineering (CrNE), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Edifici C, C/Pasqual i Vila s/n, Barcelona E-08028 (Spain)

    2015-05-01

    Polyhexamethylenebiguanide hydrochloride (PHMB), a low molecular weight polymer related to chlorohexidine (CHX), is a well-known antibacterial agent. In this study, polylactide (PLA) nanofibers loaded with PHMB were produced by electrospinning to obtain 3D biodegradable scaffolds with antibacterial properties. PLA fibers loaded with CHX were used as control. The electrospun fibers were studied and analyzed by SEM, FTIR, DSC and contact angle measurements. PHMB and CHX release from loaded scaffolds was evaluated, as well as their antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. The results showed that the nanofibers became smoother and their diameter smaller with increasing the amount of loaded PHMB. This feature led to an increase of both surface roughness and hydrophobicity of the scaffold. PHMB release was highly dependent on the hydrophilicity of the medium and differed from that determined for CHX. Lastly, PHMB-loaded PLA scaffolds showed antibacterial properties since they inhibited adhesion and bacterial growth, and exhibited biocompatible characteristics for the adhesion and proliferation of both fibroblast and epithelial cell lines. - Highlights: • Nanofibers of PLA-PHMB (antibacterial polymer) were prepared by electrospinning. • PHMB has hydrophilic character but the PLA-PHMB scaffolds were highly hydrophobic. • The high-hydrophobicity of the new scaffolds conditioned the release of PHMB. • The controlled release of PHMB inhibited the growth and bacterial adhesion. • PLA-PHMB scaffolds have biocompatibility with fibroblast and epithelial cells.

  20. Polybiguanide (PHMB) loaded in PLA scaffolds displaying high hydrophobic, biocompatibility and antibacterial properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Llorens, Elena; Calderón, Silvia; Valle, Luis J. del; Puiggalí, Jordi

    2015-01-01

    Polyhexamethylenebiguanide hydrochloride (PHMB), a low molecular weight polymer related to chlorohexidine (CHX), is a well-known antibacterial agent. In this study, polylactide (PLA) nanofibers loaded with PHMB were produced by electrospinning to obtain 3D biodegradable scaffolds with antibacterial properties. PLA fibers loaded with CHX were used as control. The electrospun fibers were studied and analyzed by SEM, FTIR, DSC and contact angle measurements. PHMB and CHX release from loaded scaffolds was evaluated, as well as their antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. The results showed that the nanofibers became smoother and their diameter smaller with increasing the amount of loaded PHMB. This feature led to an increase of both surface roughness and hydrophobicity of the scaffold. PHMB release was highly dependent on the hydrophilicity of the medium and differed from that determined for CHX. Lastly, PHMB-loaded PLA scaffolds showed antibacterial properties since they inhibited adhesion and bacterial growth, and exhibited biocompatible characteristics for the adhesion and proliferation of both fibroblast and epithelial cell lines. - Highlights: • Nanofibers of PLA-PHMB (antibacterial polymer) were prepared by electrospinning. • PHMB has hydrophilic character but the PLA-PHMB scaffolds were highly hydrophobic. • The high-hydrophobicity of the new scaffolds conditioned the release of PHMB. • The controlled release of PHMB inhibited the growth and bacterial adhesion. • PLA-PHMB scaffolds have biocompatibility with fibroblast and epithelial cells

  1. Nanocellulose fibers applied in PLA composites for food packaging applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Trifol Guzman, Jon; Garciad, A.; Mericer, C.

    Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) has long been advocated as one of the best candidates for bio-based food packaging, but low thermal stability, slow crystallization, high oxygen and water permeability are drawbacks that still limits the use of PLA in a broader range of applications.The goal...... of this research project has been to improve the permeability of PLA by use of nanocellulose or by combination of nanocellulose and nanoclay in PLA composites. The cellulose nanofibers (CNF) were extracted from sisal fibers using an optimized up-scalable three-step chemical protocol. Composites with both CNF...... properties of PLA. In particular 1 wt% of CNF and NC resulted in a 63% of reduction on the oxygen transmission rate and a 57% on the water vapor transmission rate, while a 5 wt% PLA/CNF/NC resulted in a 89% and a 75% of decrease respectively....

  2. A MIDGUT DIGESTIVE PHOSPHOLIPASE A2 IN LARVAL MOSQUITOES, AEDES ALBOPICTUS AND CULEX QUINQUEFASCIATUS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a secretory digestive enzyme that hydrolyzes ester bond at sn-2 position of dietary phospholipids, creating free fatty acid and lysophopholipid. The free fatty acids (arachidonic acid) are absorbed into midgut cells. Aedes albopictus and Culex quinquefasciatus digestive PL...

  3. Antimicrobial activity of lauric arginate-coated polylactic acid films against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella typhimurium on cooked sliced ham.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Theinsathid, Pornpun; Visessanguan, Wonnop; Kruenate, Jittiporn; Kingcha, Yutthana; Keeratipibul, Suwimon

    2012-02-01

    A novel type of environmentally friendly packaging with antibacterial activity was developed from lauric arginate (LAE)-coating of polylactic acid (PLA) films after surface activation using a corona discharge. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-based analysis of the LAE/PLA films confirmed the successful coating of LAE on the PLA surface. The mechanical properties of the LAE/PLA films with different levels of LAE-coating (0% to 2.6%[w/w]) were essentially the same as those of the neat PLA film. The antibacterial activity of the LAE/PLA films against Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) was confirmed by a qualitative modified agar diffusion assay and quantitative JIS Z 2801:2000 method. Using the LAE/PLA film as a food-contact antimicrobial packaging for cooked cured ham, as a model system, suggested a potential application to inhibit L. monocytogenes and S. Typhimurium on ham with a 0.07% (w/w) LAE coating on the PLA when high transparency is required, as evidenced from the 2 to 3 log CFU/tested film lower pathogen growth after 7 d storage but even greater antibacterial activity is obtained with a LAE coating level of 2.6% (w/w) but at the cost of a reduced transparency of the finished product. This article shows how we can simply develop functional green packaging of PLA for food with effective and efficient antimicrobial activity by use of LAE coating on the surface via corona discharge. The effectiveness of an innovative antimicrobial LAE-coated PLA film against foodborne pathogens was demonstrated. Importantly, the application of the LAE to form the LAE-coated PLA film can be customized within current film manufacturing lines. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

  4. A Study of the Crystallization, Melting, and Foaming Behaviors of Polylactic Acid in Compressed CO2

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chul B. Park

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The crystallization and melting behaviors of linear polylactic acid (PLA treated by compressed CO2 was investigated. The isothermal crystallization test indicated that while PLA exhibited very low crystallization kinetics under atmospheric pressure, CO2 exposure significantly increased PLA’s crystallization rate; a high crystallinity of 16.5% was achieved after CO2 treatment for only 1 min at 100 °C and 6.89 MPa. One melting peak could be found in the DSC curve, and this exhibited a slight dependency on treatment times, temperatures, and pressures. PLA samples tended to foam during the gas release process, and a foaming window as a function of time and temperature was established. Based on the foaming window, crystallinity, and cell morphology, it was found that foaming clearly reduced the needed time for PLA’s crystallization equilibrium.

  5. Detection and quantification of microparticles from different cellular lineages using flow cytometry. Evaluation of the impact of secreted phospholipase A2 on microparticle assessment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rousseau, Matthieu; Belleannee, Clemence; Duchez, Anne-Claire; Cloutier, Nathalie; Levesque, Tania; Jacques, Frederic; Perron, Jean; Nigrovic, Peter A; Dieude, Melanie; Hebert, Marie-Josee; Gelb, Michael H; Boilard, Eric

    2015-01-01

    Microparticles, also called microvesicles, are submicron extracellular vesicles produced by plasma membrane budding and shedding recognized as key actors in numerous physio(patho)logical processes. Since they can be released by virtually any cell lineages and are retrieved in biological fluids, microparticles appear as potent biomarkers. However, the small dimensions of microparticles and soluble factors present in body fluids can considerably impede their quantification. Here, flow cytometry with improved methodology for microparticle resolution was used to detect microparticles of human and mouse species generated from platelets, red blood cells, endothelial cells, apoptotic thymocytes and cells from the male reproductive tract. A family of soluble proteins, the secreted phospholipases A2 (sPLA2), comprises enzymes concomitantly expressed with microparticles in biological fluids and that catalyze the hydrolysis of membrane phospholipids. As sPLA2 can hydrolyze phosphatidylserine, a phospholipid frequently used to assess microparticles, and might even clear microparticles, we further considered the impact of relevant sPLA2 enzymes, sPLA2 group IIA, V and X, on microparticle quantification. We observed that if enriched in fluids, certain sPLA2 enzymes impair the quantification of microparticles depending on the species studied, the source of microparticles and the means of detection employed (surface phosphatidylserine or protein antigen detection). This study provides analytical considerations for appropriate interpretation of microparticle cytofluorometric measurements in biological samples containing sPLA2 enzymes.

  6. Physical and mechanical properties of PLA, and their functions in widespread applications - A comprehensive review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farah, Shady; Anderson, Daniel G; Langer, Robert

    2016-12-15

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA), so far, is the most extensively researched and utilized biodegradable aliphatic polyester in human history. Due to its merits, PLA is a leading biomaterial for numerous applications in medicine as well as in industry replacing conventional petrochemical-based polymers. The main purpose of this review is to elaborate the mechanical and physical properties that affect its stability, processability, degradation, PLA-other polymers immiscibility, aging and recyclability, and therefore its potential suitability to fulfill specific application requirements. This review also summarizes variations in these properties during PLA processing (i.e. thermal degradation and recyclability), biodegradation, packaging and sterilization, and aging (i.e. weathering and hygrothermal). In addition, we discuss up-to-date strategies for PLA properties improvements including components and plasticizer blending, nucleation agent addition, and PLA modifications and nanoformulations. Incorporating better understanding of the role of these properties with available improvement strategies is the key for successful utilization of PLA and its copolymers/composites/blends to maximize their fit with worldwide application needs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Beyond the Strait: PLA Missions Other Than Taiwan

    Science.gov (United States)

    2009-04-01

    PLA Logistics and Command College, “China’s Peaceful Development and the PLA’s Historical Mission,” Junshi Jingji Yanjiu (Military Economics...Chubanshe, 2005, pp. 117-126, 163-172; Zhu Tingzhang, Zhongguo Zhoubian Anquan Huanjing yu Zhanlue (China’s Peripheral Security Environment and...on the Construction of Gas Pipelines in Central Asia”), Guoji Shiyou Jingji (International Petroleum Economics), Vol. 16, No. 2, 2008, www.cnki.net

  8. Chinese cyber espionage: a complementary method to aid PLA modernization

    OpenAIRE

    Ellis, Jamie M.

    2015-01-01

    Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited In 2013, Mandiant published a report linking one People’s Liberation Army (PLA) unit to the virtual exploitation of 11 modern U.S. military platforms. In the last two decades, Chinese cyber espionage has cultivated a significant reputation in cyberspace for its high-volume, illicit exploitation of defense technology. At the same time, the PLA has also rapidly modernized its naval, fighter jet, and air defense technologies. This thesis ...

  9. Angiotensin 2 directly increases rabbit renal brush-border membrane sodium transport: Presence of local signal transduction system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Morduchowicz, G.A.; Sheikh-Hamad, D.; Dwyer, B.E.; Stern, N.; Jo, O.D.; Yanagawa, N. (Sepulveda Veterans Administration, CA (USA))

    1991-05-01

    In the present study, the authors have examined the direct actions of angiotensin II (AII) in rabbit renal brush border membrane (BBM) where binding sites for AII exist. Addition of AII (10(-11)-10(-7) M) was found to stimulate 22Na+ uptake by the isolated BBM vesicles directly. All did not affect the Na(+)-dependent BBM glucose uptake, and the effect of AII on BBM 22Na+ uptake was inhibited by amiloride, suggesting the involvement of Na+/H+ exchange mechanism. BBM proton permeability as assessed by acridine orange quenching was not affected by AII, indicating the direct effect of AII on Na+/H+ antiport system. In search of the signal transduction mechanism, it was found that AII activated BBM phospholipase A2 (PLA) and that BBM contains a 42-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G-protein) that underwent pertussis toxin (PTX)-catalyzed ADP-ribosylation. Addition of GTP potentiated, while GDP-beta S or PTX abolished, the effects of AII on BBM PLA and 22Na+ uptake, suggesting the involvement of G-protein in AII's actions. On the other hand, inhibition of PLA by mepacrine prevented AII's effect on BBM 22Na+ uptake, and activation of PLA by mellitin or addition of arachidonic acid similarly enhanced BBM 22Na+ uptake, suggesting the role of PLA activation in mediating AII's effect on BBM 22Na+ uptake. In summary, results of the present study show a direct stimulatory effect of AII on BBM Na+/H+ antiport system, and suggest the presence of a local signal transduction system involving G-protein mediated PLA activation.

  10. Structurally characterized 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine solvated magnesium aryloxide complexes: [Mg(mu-OEt)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(mu-OBc)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(mu-TMBA)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(mu-DPP)(DBP)(H-TMG)]2, [Mg(BMP)2(H-TMG)2], [Mg(O-2,6-Ph2C6H3)2 (H-TMG)2].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monegan, Jessie D; Bunge, Scott D

    2009-04-06

    The synthesis and structural characterization of several 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine (H-TMG) solvated magnesium aryloxide complexes are reported. Bu(2)Mg was successfully reacted with H-TMG, HOC(6)H(3)(CMe(3))(2)-2,6 (H-DBP), and either ethanol, a carboxylic acid, or diphenyl phosphate in a 1:1 ratio to yield the corresponding [Mg(mu-L)(DBP)(H-TMG)](2) where L = OCH(2)CH(3) (OEt, 1), O(2)CC(CH(3))(3) (OBc, 2), O(2)C(C(6)H(2)-2,4,6-(CH(3))(3)) (TMBA, 3), or O(2)P(OC(6)H(5))(2) (DPP, 4). Bu(2)Mg was also reacted with two equivalents of H-TMG and HOC(6)H(3)(CMe(3))-2-(CH(3))-6 (BMP) or HO-2,6-Ph(2)C(6)H(3) to yield [Mg(BMP)(2)(H-TMG)(2)] (5) and [Mg(O-2,6-Ph(2)C(6)H(3))(2)(H-TMG)(2)] (6). Compounds 1-6 were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Polymerization of l- and rac-lactide with 1 was found to generate polylactide (PLA). A discussion concerning the relevance of compounds 2 - 4 to the structure of Mg-activated phosphatase enzymes is also provided. The bulk powders for all complexes were found to be in agreement with the crystal structures based on elemental analyses, FT-IR spectroscopy, and (1)H, (13)C and (31)P NMR studies.

  11. [Fabrication of porous poly lactic acid-bone matrix gelatin composite bioactive material and its osteoinductive activity].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yumin; Li, Baoxing; Li, Ji

    2007-02-01

    To fabricate a novel porous bioactive composite biomaterial consisting of poly lactic acid (PLA)-bone matrix gelatin (BMG) by using the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid technique (SC-CO2) and to evaluate its osteoinductive activity. The cortical bones selected from healthy adult donors were processed into BMG by the defatting, demineralizing, and deproteinizing processes. PLA and BMG were mixed at a volume radio of 3 : 1; then, the PLA-BMG mixed material and the pure PLA material were respectively placed in the supercritical carbon dioxide reaction kettles, and were respectively added by the NaCl particles 100-200 microm in diameter for the porosity of the materials so that the porous PLA-BMG composite material and the porous PLA composite material could be formed. The mouse osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in the dulbecco's modified eagle medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Then, 20 microl of the MC3T3-E1 cell suspensions containing 2 X 10(6) cells /ml were delivered into the culturing plate (24 wells/plate) made of the different materials, which were co-cultured for 2 weeks. In the PLA-BMG group, 100 microg of the crushed PLA-BMG material was contained in each well; in the PLA group, 100 microg of the crushed PLA material was contained in each well; and in the DMEM group, only DMEM was contained, which served as the control group. There were 6 wells in each group. The quantitative analysis on the calcification area was performed by the staining of the alizarin red S. The co-cultured cells were harvested and lysated in 1 ml of 0. 2% Nonidet P-40 by the ultrasonic lysating technique. Then, the ALP activity and the Ca content were measured according to the illuminations of the reagent kits. The porous PLA-BMG composite material showed a good homological porosity with a pore diameter of 50-150 microm and a good connectivity between the pores. The ALP activity, the Ca content, and the calcification area were significantly greater in

  12. Antifungal Activity of Phenyllactic Acid against Molds Isolated from Bakery Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lavermicocca, Paola; Valerio, Francesca; Visconti, Angelo

    2003-01-01

    Phenyllactic acid (PLA) has recently been found in cultures of Lactobacillus plantarum that show antifungal activity in sourdough breads. The fungicidal activity of PLA and growth inhibition by PLA were evaluated by using a microdilution test and 23 fungal strains belonging to 14 species of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Fusarium that were isolated from bakery products, flours, or cereals. Less than 7.5 mg of PLA ml−1 was required to obtain 90% growth inhibition for all strains, while fungicidal activity against 19 strains was shown by PLA at levels of ≤10 mg ml−1. Levels of growth inhibition of 50 to 92.4% were observed for all fungal strains after incubation for 3 days in the presence of 7.5 mg of PLA ml−1 in buffered medium at pH 4, which is a condition more similar to those in real food systems. Under these experimental conditions PLA caused an unpredictable delaying effect that was more than 2 days long for 12 strains, including some mycotoxigenic strains of Penicillium verrucosum and Penicillium citrinum and a strain of Penicillium roqueforti (the most widespread contaminant of bakery products); a growth delay of about 2 days was observed for seven other strains. The effect of pH on the inhibitory activity of PLA and the combined effects of the major organic acids produced by lactic acid bacteria isolated from sourdough bread (PLA, lactic acid, and acetic acid) were also investigated. The ability of PLA to act as a fungicide and delay the growth of a variety of fungal contaminants provides new perspectives for possibly using this natural antimicrobial compound to control fungal contaminants and extend the shelf lives of foods and/or feedstuffs. PMID:12514051

  13. Synthesis and innovation of PLA/clay nanocomposite characterization againts to mechanical and thermal properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salim, S.; Agusnar, H.; Wirjosentono, B.; Tamrin; Marpaung, H.; Rihayat, T.; Nurhanifa; Adriana

    2018-03-01

    Plastic polymer is one of the most dominant materials of daily human activities because of its multifunctional nature, light and strong and anti-corrosion so it is easy to apply in various equipment. Plastic is generally derived from petroleum material so it is nonbiodegradable. Therefore, this study aims to create a breakthrough of natural and biodegradable biodegradable plastic materials from plant starch (pisok kepok starch) with the help of 3 types of acid (HNO3, HCl and H2SO4) called Poly Lactid Acid (PLA). PLA is enhanced by mixing with a clay material with a variation of 1, 3 and 5% composition to form a PLA / Clay Nanocomposite material which is expected to have superior properties and resemble conventional plastics in general. Several types of characterization were performed to see the quality of the resulting material including tensile strength test with UTM tool, thermal endurance test with TGA tool, morphological structure test using SEM tool and additional test to see filler clay quality through X-RD tool. Based on the characterization of tensile and thermal test, 5B nanocomposite with addition of 5% clay and HCl acid aid showed the best tensile strength of 36 Mpa and the highest stability was 446,63 oC. Based on the results of morphological analysis of the best samples (5B) showed good interface ties. Meanwhile, based on the results of filler analysis, the opening of clay layer d-spacing occurred at 0.355 nm.

  14. Pemanfaatan ekstrak jintan hitam untuk menurunkan kadar enzim LPPLA2 sebagai kandidat pengobatan aterosklerosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Retno Susilowati

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Ox-LDL deposits in the sub-endothelial easily occur in individuals who have hyperlipidemia accompanied with oxidative stress. The enzyme Lp-PLA2 is an enzyme marker of three proaterogenik conditions, those are hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress and inflammation. Black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L. have antioxidants ingredient that can inhibit lipid peroxidation, and expected to inhibit atherosclerosis through decreased levels of the enzyme Lp-PLA2 and F2-Isp. This study used posttest only control group design using experimental animals Rattus norvegicus Wistar males. The study analysied the number of foam cells, lipid profi le, Lp-PLA2 and F2-Isp plasma levels in hyperlipidemia rats were given extracts of black cumin seeds with 3 different doses (0; 3.6 and 7.2 mg / kg. The results showed that the extract of black cumin seeds can decrease serum levels of Lp-PLA2, tend to reduce the formation of foam cells, but not signifi cant to decreasing levels of F2-Isp. Black cumin seeds extract can decrease cholesterol, TG, LDL and increase HDL in the blood serum. The extract of black cumin seeds is anti atherogenic by reducing the enzyme Lp-PLA2 and improve lipid profiles

  15. Kinetics of degradation of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers as a result of vipoxin phospholipase A2 activity: an atomic force microscopy (AFM) approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Balashev, Konstantin; Atanasov, Vasil; Mitewa, Mariana

    2011-01-01

    during the vipoxin's PLA(2) action. Experimentally for the first time, we observed the appearance and the growth of three-dimensional (3D), crystal-like structures within the formed defects of the degraded bilayer. In an effort to explain their nature, we applied bearing image analysis to estimate...

  16. Correlation between crystallization behaviour and interfacial interactions in plasticized PLA/POSS nanocomposites

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kodal, Mehmet, E-mail: mehmet.kodal@kocaeli.edu.tr; Şirin, Hümeyra; Özkoç, Güralp, E-mail: guralp.ozkoc@kocaeli.edu.tr [Department of Chemical Engineering, Kocaeli University, 41380, Kocaeli Turkey (Turkey)

    2016-03-09

    In this study, the correlation between crystallization behavior and surface chemistry of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) for plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/POSS nanocomposites was investigated. Four different kinds of POSS particles having different chemical structures were used. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, 8000 g/mol) was utilized as the plasticiser. The nanocomposites were melt-compounded in an Xplore Instruments 15 cc twin screw microcompounder at 180°C barrel temperature and 100 rpm screw speed. Non-isothermal crystallization behaviour of PLA/PEG/POSS nanocomposites were evaluated from common kinetic models such as Avrami and Avrami-Ozawa and Kissinger by using the thermal data obtained from differantial scanning calorimetry (DSC). A polarized optical microscope (POM) equipped with a hot-stage was used to examine the morphology during the crystal growth. In order to investigate the interfacial interactions between POSS particles and plasticized PLA, thermodynamic work of adhesion approach was adopted using the experimentally determined surface energies. A strong correlation was obtained between interfacial chemistry and the nucleation rate in plasticized PLA/POSS nanocomposites. It was found that the polar interactions were the dominating factor which determines the nucleation activity of the POSS particles.

  17. Correlation between crystallization behaviour and interfacial interactions in plasticized PLA/POSS nanocomposites

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodal, Mehmet; Şirin, Hümeyra; Özkoç, Güralp

    2016-01-01

    In this study, the correlation between crystallization behavior and surface chemistry of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) for plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/POSS nanocomposites was investigated. Four different kinds of POSS particles having different chemical structures were used. Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, 8000 g/mol) was utilized as the plasticiser. The nanocomposites were melt-compounded in an Xplore Instruments 15 cc twin screw microcompounder at 180°C barrel temperature and 100 rpm screw speed. Non-isothermal crystallization behaviour of PLA/PEG/POSS nanocomposites were evaluated from common kinetic models such as Avrami and Avrami-Ozawa and Kissinger by using the thermal data obtained from differantial scanning calorimetry (DSC). A polarized optical microscope (POM) equipped with a hot-stage was used to examine the morphology during the crystal growth. In order to investigate the interfacial interactions between POSS particles and plasticized PLA, thermodynamic work of adhesion approach was adopted using the experimentally determined surface energies. A strong correlation was obtained between interfacial chemistry and the nucleation rate in plasticized PLA/POSS nanocomposites. It was found that the polar interactions were the dominating factor which determines the nucleation activity of the POSS particles.

  18. Fracture Surface Morphology and Impact Strength of Cellulose/PLA Composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gao, Honghong; Qiang, Tao

    2017-06-07

    Polylactide (PLA)-based composite materials reinforced with ball-milled celluloses were manufactured by extrusion blending followed by injection molding. Their surface morphology from impact fracture were imaged with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and investigated by calculating their fractal dimensions. Then, linear regression was used to explore the relationship between fractal dimension and impact strength of the resultant cellulose/PLA composite materials. The results show that filling the ball-milled celluloses into PLA can improve the impact toughness of PLA by a minimum of 38%. It was demonstrated that the fracture pattern of the cellulose/PLA composite materials is different from that of pristine PLA. For the resultant composite materials, the fractal dimension of the impact fractured surfaces increased with increasing filling content and decreasing particle size of the ball-milled cellulose particles. There were highly positive correlations between fractal dimension of the fractured surfaces and impact strength of the cellulose/PLA composites. However, the linearity between fractal dimension and impact strength were different for the different methods, due to their different R-squared values. The approach presented in this work will help to understand the structure-property relationships of composite materials from a new perspective.

  19. Expression Analysis of cPLA2 Alpha Interacting TIP60 in Diabetic KKAy and Non-Diabetic C57BL Wild-Type Mice: No Impact of Transient and Stable TIP60 Overexpression on Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Secretion in Pancreatic Beta-Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nordentoft, Iver Kristiansen; Jeppesen, Per Bendix; Nielsen, Anders Lade

    2007-01-01

    In the present study we investigate the expression levels of cytosolic phospholipase A2 alpha (cPLA2alpha) interacting histone acetyl transferase proteins TIP60alpha and TIP60beta in non-diabetic C57BL wild-type mice and obese type 2 diabetic KKAy model mice. The aim was to test our hypothesis...

  20. Erratum to 'Surface Modification of PBO Fibers for Composites by Coaxial Atmospheric Dielectric Barrier Discharge (PLA-PLA)'

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2013-01-01

    There is a mistake in the funding number (National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 10875146)) of article Surface Modification of PBO Fibers for Composites by Coaxial Atmospheric Dielectric Barrier Discharge (PLA-PLA), written by HU Qianqian, XU Jinzhou, ZHOU Zhenxing, ZHANG Jing, published in Plasma Science and Technology, 2013, Vol. 15, Issue 5, page number 429, it should be corrected as National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11075033). (erratum)

  1. Humoral and cellular immune responses to Yersinia pestis Pla antigen in humans immunized with live plague vaccine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feodorova, Valentina A; Lyapina, Anna M; Khizhnyakova, Maria A; Zaitsev, Sergey S; Sayapina, Lidiya V; Arseneva, Tatiana E; Trukhachev, Alexey L; Lebedeva, Svetlana A; Telepnev, Maxim V; Ulianova, Onega V; Lyapina, Elena P; Ulyanov, Sergey S; Motin, Vladimir L

    2018-06-01

    To establish correlates of human immunity to the live plague vaccine (LPV), we analyzed parameters of cellular and antibody response to the plasminogen activator Pla of Y. pestis. This outer membrane protease is an essential virulence factor that is steadily expressed by Y. pestis. PBMCs and sera were obtained from a cohort of naïve (n = 17) and LPV-vaccinated (n = 34) donors. Anti-Pla antibodies of different classes and IgG subclasses were determined by ELISA and immunoblotting. The analysis of antibody response was complicated with a strong reactivity of Pla with normal human sera. The linear Pla B-cell epitopes were mapped using a library of 15-mer overlapping peptides. Twelve peptides that reacted specifically with sera of vaccinated donors were found together with a major cross-reacting peptide IPNISPDSFTVAAST located at the N-terminus. PBMCs were stimulated with recombinant Pla followed by proliferative analysis and cytokine profiling. The T-cell recall response was pronounced in vaccinees less than a year post-immunization, and became Th17-polarized over time after many rounds of vaccination. The Pla protein can serve as a biomarker of successful vaccination with LPV. The diagnostic use of Pla will require elimination of cross-reactive parts of the antigen.

  2. Atmospheric plasma assisted PLA/microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) multilayer biocomposite for sustainable barrier application

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Meriçer, Çağlar; Minelli, Matteo; Angelis, Maria G De

    2016-01-01

    Fully bio-based and biodegradable materials, such as polylactic acid (PLA) and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), are considered in order to produce a completely renewable packaging solution for oxygen barrier applications, even at medium-high relative humidity (R.H.). Thin layers of MFC were coated...... on different PLA substrates by activating film surface with an atmospheric plasma treatment, leading to the fabrication of robust and transparent multilayer composite films, which were then characterized by different experimental techniques. UV transmission measurements confirmed the transparency of multilayer...... films (60% of UV transmission rate), while SEM micrographs showed the presence of a continuous, dense and defect free layer of MFC on PLA surface. Concerning the mechanical behavior of the samples, tensile tests revealed that the multilayer films significantly improved the stress at break value of neat...

  3. Fabrication of PLA Filaments and its Printable Performance

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Wenjie; Zhou, Jianping; Ma, Yuming; Wang, Jie; Xu, Jie

    2017-12-01

    Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a typical 3D printing technology and preparation of qualified filaments is the basis. In order to prepare polylactic acid (PLA) filaments suitable for personalized FDM 3D printing, this article investigated the effect of factors such as extrusion temperature and screw speed on the diameter, surface roughness and ultimate tensile stress of the obtained PLA filaments. The optimal process parameters for fabrication of qualified filaments were determined. Further, the printable performance of the obtained PLA filaments for 3D objects was preliminarily explored.

  4. Ketogenic diet change cPLA2/clusterin and autophagy related gene expression and correlate with cognitive deficits and hippocampal MFs sprouting following neonatal seizures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ni, Hong; Zhao, Dong-Jing; Tian, Tian

    2016-02-01

    Because the ketogenic diet (KD) was affecting expression of energy metabolism- related genes in hippocampus and because lipid membrane peroxidation and its associated autophagy stress were also found to be involved in energy depletion, we hypothesized that KD might exert its neuroprotective action via lipid membrane peroxidation and autophagic signaling. Here, we tested this hypothesis by examining the long-term expression of lipid membrane peroxidation-related cPLA2 and clusterin, its downstream autophagy marker Beclin-1, LC3 and p62, as well as its execution molecule Cathepsin-E following neonatal seizures and chronic KD treatment. On postnatal day 9 (P9), 48 Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to two groups: flurothyl-induced recurrent seizures group and control group. On P28, they were further randomly divided into the seizure group without ketogenic diet (RS+ND), seizure plus ketogenic diet (RS+KD), the control group without ketogenic diet (NS+ND), and the control plus ketogenic diet (NS+KD). Morris water maze test was performed during P37-P43. Then mossy fiber sprouting and the protein levels were detected by Timm staining and Western blot analysis, respectively. Flurothyl-induced RS+ND rats show a long-term lower amount of cPLA2 and LC3II/I, and higher amount of clusterin, Beclin-1, p62 and Cathepsin-E which are in parallel with hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting and cognitive deficits. Furthermore, chronic KD treatment (RS+KD) is effective in restoring these molecular, neuropathological and cognitive changes. The results imply that a lipid membrane peroxidation and autophagy-associated pathway is involved in the aberrant hippocampal mossy fiber sprouting and cognitive deficits following neonatal seizures, which might be a potential target of KD for the treatment of neonatal seizure-induced brain damage. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Electrospinning synthesis and characterization of PLA-PEG-MNPs composite fibrous membranes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, M.; Klimke, S.; Preiss, A.; Unruh, D.; Wengerowsky, D.; Lehmann, R.; Sindelar, R.; Klingelhöfer, G.; Boča, R.; Renz, F.

    2017-11-01

    An electrospinning technique was used to fabricate PLA, PLA-PEG and PLA-PEG-MNPs composite fibrous membranes. The morphology of electrospun composite membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope. To test the potential availability of MNPs in PLA-PEG composite membranes, TG, Raman, Mössbauer, VSM and ICP-OES analysis were used. The PLA-PEG composite fibrous membranes showed the presence of MNPs, hence offers the possibility for magnetically triggered on-demand drug delivery.

  6. In-Solution SH2 Domain Binding Assay Based on Proximity Ligation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machida, Kazuya

    2017-01-01

    Protein-protein interactions mediated by SH2 domains confer specificity in tyrosine kinase pathways. Traditional assays for assessing interactions between an SH2 domain and its interacting protein such as far-Western and pull-down are inherently low throughput. We developed SH2-PLA, an in-solution SH2 domain binding assay, that takes advantage of the speed and sensitivity of proximity ligation and real-time PCR. SH2-PLA allows for rapid assessment of SH2 domain binding to a target protein using only a few microliters of cell lysate, thereby making it an attractive new tool to study tyrosine kinase signaling.

  7. Characterization of PLA parts made with AM process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spina, Roberto; Cavalcante, Bruno; Lavecchia, Fulvio

    2018-05-01

    The main objective of the presented work is to evaluate the thermal behavior of Poly-lactic acid (PLA) parts made with a Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) process. By using a robust framework for the testing sequence of PLA parts, with the aim of establishing a standard testing cycle for the optimization of the part performance and quality. The research involves study the materials before and after 3D printing. Two biodegradable PLA polymers are investigated, characterized by different colors (one black and the other transparent). The study starts with the examination of each polymeric material and measurements of its main thermal properties.

  8. Single lipid vesicle assay for characterizing single-enzyme kinetics of phospholipid hydrolysis in a complex biological fluid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabaei, Seyed R; Rabe, Michael; Zetterberg, Henrik; Zhdanov, Vladimir P; Höök, Fredrik

    2013-09-25

    Imaging of individual lipid vesicles is used to track single-enzyme kinetics of phospholipid hydrolysis. The method is employed to quantify the catalytic activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) in both pure and complex biological fluids. The measurements are demonstrated to offer a subpicomolar limit of detection (LOD) of human secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) in up to 1000-fold-diluted cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). An additional new feature provided by the single-enzyme sensitivity is that information about both relative concentration variations of active sPLA2 in CSF and the specific enzymatic activity can be simultaneously obtained. When CSF samples from healthy controls and individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are analyzed, the specific enzymatic activity is found to be preserved within 7% in the different CSF samples whereas the enzyme concentration differs by up to 56%. This suggests that the previously reported difference in PLA2 activity in CSF samples from healthy and AD individuals originates from differences in the PLA2 expression level rather than from the enzyme activity. Conventional ensemble averaging methods used to probe sPLA2 activity do not allow one to obtain such information. Together with an improvement in the LOD of at least 1 order of magnitude compared to that of conventional assays, this suggests that the method will become useful in furthering our understanding of the role of PLA2 in health and disease and in detecting the pharmacodynamic effects of PLA2-targeting drug candidates.

  9. PLA realizations for VLSI state machines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gopalakrishnan, S.; Whitaker, S.; Maki, G.; Liu, K.

    1990-01-01

    A major problem associated with state assignment procedures for VLSI controllers is obtaining an assignment that produces minimal or near minimal logic. The key item in Programmable Logic Array (PLA) area minimization is the number of unique product terms required by the design equations. This paper presents a state assignment algorithm for minimizing the number of product terms required to implement a finite state machine using a PLA. Partition algebra with predecessor state information is used to derive a near optimal state assignment. A maximum bound on the number of product terms required can be obtained by inspecting the predecessor state information. The state assignment algorithm presented is much simpler than existing procedures and leads to the same number of product terms or less. An area-efficient PLA structure implemented in a 1.0 micron CMOS process is presented along with a summary of the performance for a controller implemented using this design procedure.

  10. Anti-cancer evaluation of quercetin embedded PLA nanoparticles synthesized by emulsified nanoprecipitation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Sanjeev K; Patel, Dinesh K; Thakur, Ravi; Mishra, Durga P; Maiti, Pralay; Haldar, Chandana

    2015-04-01

    This study was carried out to synthesize quercetin (Qt) embedded poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanoparticles (PLA-Qt) and to evaluate anti-cancer efficacy of PLA-Qt by using human breast cancer cells. PLA-Qt were synthesized by using novel emulsified nanoprecipitation technique with varying dimension of 32 ± 8 to 152 ± 9 nm of PLA-Qt with 62 ± 3% (w/w) entrapment efficiency by varying the concentration of polymer, emulsifier, drug and preparation temperature. The dimension of PLA-Qt was measured through transmission electron microscopy indicating larger particle size at higher concentration of PLA. The release rate of Qt from PLA-Qt was found to be more sustained for larger particle dimension (152 ± 9 nm) as compared to smaller particle dimension (32 ± 8 nm). Interaction between Qt and PLA was verified through spectroscopic and calorimetric methods. Delayed diffusion and stronger interaction in PLA-Qt caused the sustained delivery of Qt from the polymer matrix. In vitro cytotoxicity study indicate the killing of ∼ 50% breast cancer cells in two days at 100 μg/ml of drug concentration while the ∼ 40% destruction of cells require 5 days for PLA-Qt (46 ± 6 nm; 20mg/ml of PLA). Thus our results propose anticancer efficacy of PLA-Qt nanoparticles in terms of its sustained release kinetics revealing novel vehicle for the treatment of cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Lipid droplets induced by secreted phospholipase A2 and unsaturated fatty acids protect breast cancer cells from nutrient and lipotoxic stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jarc, Eva; Kump, Ana; Malavašič, Petra; Eichmann, Thomas O; Zimmermann, Robert; Petan, Toni

    2018-03-01

    Cancer cells driven by the Ras oncogene scavenge unsaturated fatty acids (FAs) from their environment to counter nutrient stress. The human group X secreted phospholipase A 2 (hGX sPLA 2 ) releases FAs from membrane phospholipids, stimulates lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis in Ras-driven triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells and enables their survival during starvation. Here we examined the role of LDs, induced by hGX sPLA 2 and unsaturated FAs, in protection of TNBC cells against nutrient stress. We found that hGX sPLA 2 releases a mixture of unsaturated FAs, including ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs), from TNBC cells. Starvation-induced breakdown of LDs induced by low micromolar concentrations of unsaturated FAs, including PUFAs, was associated with protection from cell death. Interestingly, adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) contributed to LD breakdown during starvation, but it was not required for the pro-survival effects of hGX sPLA 2 and unsaturated FAs. High micromolar concentrations of PUFAs, but not OA, induced oxidative stress-dependent cell death in TNBC cells. Inhibition of triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis suppressed LD biogenesis and potentiated PUFA-induced cell damage. On the contrary, stimulation of LD biogenesis by hGX sPLA 2 and suppression of LD breakdown by ATGL depletion reduced PUFA-induced oxidative stress and cell death. Finally, lipidomic analyses revealed that sequestration of PUFAs in LDs by sPLA 2 -induced TAG remodelling and retention of PUFAs in LDs by inhibition of ATGL-mediated TAG lipolysis protect from PUFA lipotoxicity. LDs are thus antioxidant and pro-survival organelles that guard TNBC cells against nutrient and lipotoxic stress and emerge as attractive targets for novel therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Membrane Restructuring by Phospholipase A2 Is Regulated by the Presence of Lipid Domains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Leidy, Chad; Ocampo, Jackson; Duelund, Lars

    2011-01-01

    Secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) catalyzes the hydrolysis of glycerophospholipids. This enzyme is sensitive to membrane structure, and its activity has been shown to increase in the presence of liquid-crystalline/gel (Lα/Lβ) lipid domains. In this work, we explore whether lipid domains can also...... without necessarily destroying the membrane. We confirm by high-performance liquid chromatography the preferential hydrolysis of DMPC within the phase coexistence region of the DMPC/DSPC phase diagram, showing that this preferential hydrolysis is accentuated close to the solidus phase boundary...

  13. Preparation and Mechanical Properties of Fiber Reinforced PLA for 3D Printing Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xionghao; Ni, Zhongjin; Bai, Shuyang; Lou, Baiyang

    2018-03-01

    The cellulose prepared by means of TEMPO oxidation method and glass fibre was blended with PLA respectively, and were spun into enhanced PLA wires. This study evaluates the wire rods that is from extruder is suitable for FDM printing by various physical characterization tests to determine their feasibility as a 3D printing filament materials. The cellulose and glass fibre is blended with PLA and spun into the reinforced PLA filament respectively, which is applied to FDM printing technology. The results showed that the intensity of strike resistant of the reinforced PLA filament made from cellulose and PLA is 34% to 60% higher than the PLA filament, meanwhile the tensile strength is 43% to 52% higher than the pure one. The other enhanced PLA filament is 13% to 35% higher than the PLA filament in intensity of strike resistant, and the tensile strength is 54% to 61% higher than the pure one.

  14. Cellulose nanocrystals as templates for cetyltrimethylammonium bromide mediated synthesis of Ag nanoparticles and their novel use in PLA films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yalcinkaya, E E; Puglia, D; Fortunati, E; Bertoglio, F; Bruni, G; Visai, L; Kenny, J M

    2017-02-10

    In the present paper, we reported how cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from microcrystalline cellulose have the capacity to assist in the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles chains. A cationic surfactant, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), was used as modifier for CNC surface. Silver nanoparticles were synthesized on CNC, and nanoparticle density and size were optimized by varying concentrations of nitrate and reducing agents, and the reduction time. The experimental conditions were optimized for the synthesis and the resulting Ag grafted CNC (Ag-g-CNC) were characterized by means of TGA, SEM, FTIR and XRD, and then introduced in PLA matrix. PLA nanocomposite containing silver grafted cellulose nanocrystals (PLA/0.5Ag-g-1CNC) was characterized by optical and thermal analyses and the obtained data were compared with results from PLA nanocomposites containing 1% wt. of CNC (PLA/1CNC), 0.5% wt. of silver nanoparticles (PLA/0.5Ag) and hybrid system containing CNC and silver in the same amount (PLA/1CNC/0.5Ag). The results demonstrated that grafting of silver nanoparticles on CNC positively affected the thermal degradation process and cold crystallization processes of PLA matrix. Finally, the antibacterial activity of the different systems was studied at various incubation times and temperatures, showing the best performance for PLA/1CNC/0.5Ag based nanocomposite. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. The use of chitosan/PLA nano-fibers by emulsion eletrospinning for periodontal tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Renze; Xu, Weihong; Xue, Yanxiang; Chen, Luyuan; Ye, Haicheng; Zhong, Enyi; Ye, Zhanchao; Gao, Jie; Yan, Yurong

    2018-04-16

    In this study, nanofibrous scaffolds base on pure polylactic acid (PLA) and chitosan/PLA blends were fabricated by emulsion eletrospinning. By modulating their mechanical and biological properties, cell-compatible and biodegradable scaffolds were developed for periodontal bone regeneration. Pure PLA and different weight ratios of chitosan nano-particle/PLA nano-fibers were fabricated by emulsion eletrospinning. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was performed to observe the morphology of nano-fibers. Mechanical properties of nano-fibers were tested by single fiber strength tester. Hydrophilic/hydrophobic nature of the nano-fibers was observed by stereomicroscope. In vitro degradation was also tested. Cells were seeded on nano-fibers scaffolds. Changes in cell adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic differentiation were tested by MTT assay and Alizarin Red S staining. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was used to evaluate the expression of (Toll-like receptor 4) TLR4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, OPG, RUNX2 mRNA. It is shown that the mean diameter of nano-fibers is about 200 nm. The mean diameter of chitosan nano-particles is about 50 nm. The combination of chitosan nano-particles enhanced the mechanical properties of pure PLA nano-fibers. By adding a certain amount of chitosan nano-particles, it promoted cell adhesion. It also promoted the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) by elevating the expression of osteogenic marker genes such as BSP, Ocn, collagen I, and OPN and enhanced ECM mineralization. Nonetheless, it caused higher expression of inflammatory mediators and TLR4 of human periodontal ligament cells (hPDLCs). The combination of chitosan nano-particles enhanced the mechanical properties of pure PLA nano-fibers and increased its hydrophilicity. Pure PLA nano-fibers scaffold facilitated BMSCs proliferation. Adding an appropriate amount of chitosan nano-particles may promote its properties of cell proliferation

  16. A Functional Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Modified with PLA-PEG-DG as Tumor-Targeted MRI Contrast Agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Fei; Hu, Ke; Yu, Haoli; Zhou, Lijun; Song, Lina; Zhang, Yu; Shan, Xiuhong; Liu, Jianping; Gu, Ning

    2017-08-01

    Tumor targeting could greatly promote the performance of magnetic nanomaterials as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) agent for tumor diagnosis. Herein, we reported a novel magnetic nanoparticle modified with PLA (poly lactic acid)-PEG (polyethylene glycol)-DG (D-glucosamine) as Tumor-targeted MRI Contrast Agent. In this work, we took use of the D-glucose passive targeting on tumor cells, combining it on PLA-PEG through amide reaction, and then wrapped the PLA-PEG-DG up to the Fe 3 O 4 @OA NPs. The stability and anti phagocytosis of Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG-DG was tested in vitro; the MRI efficiency and toxicity was also detected in vivo. These functional magnetic nanoparticles demonstrated good biocompatibility and stability both in vitro and in vivo. Cell experiments showed that Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG-DG nanoparticles exist good anti phagocytosis and high targetability. In vivo MRI images showed that the contrast effect of Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG-DG nanoparticles prevailed over the commercial non tumor-targeting magnetic nanomaterials MRI agent at a relatively low dose. The DG can validly enhance the tumor-targetting effect of Fe 3 O 4 @OA@PLA-PEG nanoparticle. Maybe MRI agents with DG can hold promise as tumor-targetting development in the future.

  17. PLA Missions Beyond Taiwan

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Miller, Marc

    2008-01-01

    KEY INSIGHTS: *The PLA is being assigned and training for an increasing variety of missions, including nontraditional battlefields such as outer space and cyber space, as well as nontraditional functions...

  18. PLA-based biodegradable and tunable soft elastomers for biomedical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harrane, Amine; Leroy, Adrien; Nouailhas, Hélène; Garric, Xavier; Coudane, Jean; Nottelet, Benjamin

    2011-01-01

    Although desirable for biomedical applications, soft degradable elastomers having balanced amphiphilic behaviour are rarely described in the literature. Indeed, mainly highly hydrophobic elastomers or very hydrophilic elastomers with hydrogel behaviours are found. In this work, we developed thermoset degradable elastomers based on the photo-cross-linking of poly(lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide) (PLA-PEG-PLA) triblock prepolymers. The originality of the proposed elastomers comes from the careful choice of the prepolymer amphiphilicity and from the possible modulation of their mechanical properties and degradation rates provided by cross-linkers of different nature. This is illustrated with the hydrophobic and rigid 2,4,6-triallyloxy-1,3,5-triazine compared to the hydrophilic and soft pentaerythritol triallyl ether. Thermal properties, mechanical properties, swelling behaviours, degradation rates and cytocompatibility have been evaluated. Results show that it is possible to generate a family of degradable elastomers covering a broad range of properties from a single biocompatible and biodegradable prepolymer.

  19. Multifunctional PLA-PHB/cellulose nanocrystal films: processing, structural and thermal properties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrieta, M P; Fortunati, E; Dominici, F; Rayón, E; López, J; Kenny, J M

    2014-07-17

    Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) synthesized from microcrystalline cellulose by acid hydrolysis were added into poly(lactic acid)-poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PLA-PHB) blends to improve the final properties of the multifunctional systems. CNC were also modified with a surfactant (CNCs) to increase the interfacial adhesion in the systems maintaining the thermal stability. Firstly, masterbatch pellets were obtained for each formulation to improve the dispersion of the cellulose structures in the PLA-PHB and then nanocomposite films were processed. The thermal stability as well as the morphological and structural properties of nanocomposites was investigated. While PHB increased the PLA crystallinity due to its nucleation effect, well dispersed CNC and CNCs not only increased the crystallinity but also improved the processability, the thermal stability and the interaction between both polymers especially in the case of the modified CNCs based PLA-PHB formulation. Likewise, CNCs were better dispersed in PLA-CNCs and PLA-PHB-CNCs, than CNC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. PLA-PEG-PLA copolymer-based polymersomes as nanocarriers for delivery of hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs: preparation and evaluation with atorvastatin and lisinopril.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Danafar, H; Rostamizadeh, K; Davaran, S; Hamidi, M

    2014-10-01

    Tri-block poly(lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide) (PLA-PEG-PLA) copolymers were synthesized and used to prepare polymersomes loaded separately by the hydrophobic and hydrophilic model drugs, atorvastatin and lisinopril, respectively. The resulting nanostructures were characterized by various techniques such as FTIR, DSC, PCS and AFM. The polymersomes exhibited high encapsulation efficiencies of almost 78% and 70.8% for atorvastatin and lisinopril, respectively. Investigation on FTIR and DSC results revealed that such a high encapsulation efficiency is due to strong interaction between atorvastatin and the copolymer. The impact of drug/copolymer ratio and copolymer composition on drug-loading efficiency and drug release behavior were also studied. The results showed that in case of lisinopril, polymersomes exhibited a triphasic drug release, while for atorvastatin a biphasic release profile was obtained. Overall, the results indicated that PLA-PEG-PLA polymersomes can be considered as a promising carrier for both hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs.

  1. Photocrosslinked PLA-PEO-PLA Hydrogels from Self-Assembled Physical Networks: Mechanical Properties and Influence of Assumed Constitutive Relationships

    OpenAIRE

    Sanabria-DeLong, Naomi; Crosby, Alfred J.; Tew, Gregory N.

    2008-01-01

    Poly(lactide) – block – poly(ethylene oxide) – block – poly(lactide) [PLA-PEO-PLA] triblock copolymers are known to form physical hydrogels in water, due to the polymer's amphiphilicity. Their mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability have made them attractive for use as soft tissue scaffolds. However, the network junction points are not covalently crosslinked and in a highly aqueous environment these hydrogels adsorb more water, transform from gel to sol, and lose the des...

  2. Supertoughened renewable PLA reactive multiphase blends system: phase morphology and performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kunyu; Nagarajan, Vidhya; Misra, Manjusri; Mohanty, Amar K

    2014-08-13

    Multiphase blends of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), ethylene-methyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate (EMA-GMA) terpolymer, and a series of renewable poly(ether-b-amide) elastomeric copolymer (PEBA) were fabricated through reactive melt blending in an effort to improve the toughness of the PLA. Supertoughened PLA blend showing impact strength of ∼500 J/m with partial break impact behavior was achieved at an optimized blending ratio of 70 wt % PLA, 20 wt % EMA-GMA, and 10 wt % PEBA. Miscibility and thermal behavior of the binary blends PLA/PEBA and PLA/EMA-GMA, and the multiphase blends were also investigated through differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Phase morphology and fracture surface morphology of the blends were studied through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to understand the strong corelation between the morphology and its significant effect on imparting tremendous improvement in toughness. A unique "multiple stacked structure" with partial encapsulation of EMA-GMA and PEBA minor phases was observed for the PLA/EMA-GMA/PEBA (70/20/10) revealing the importance of particular blend composition in enhancing the toughness. Toughening mechanism behind the supertoughened PLA blends have been established by studying the impact fractured surface morphology at different zones of fracture. Synergistic effect of good interfacial adhesion and interfacial cavitations followed by massive shear yielding of the matrix was believed to contribute to the enormous toughening effect observed in these multiphase blends.

  3. Caracterización biológica y acción de inhibidores de una fosfolipasa A2 del veneno de Lachesis muta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalina Inga

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available El presente trabajo informa de la purificación y caracterización bioquímica y biológica de la fosfolipasa A2 (PLA2 de Lachesis muta (Linnaeus, 1766. La purificación se realizó por cromatografía liquida (CL usando CM-Sephadex C-50 y Sephadex G-50, obteniéndola al estado homogéneo con un peso molecular de 18749 Da. Los ensayos con PLA2 realizados sobre fosfolípidos de yema de huevo y lecitina comercial, mostraron que los agentes EDTA, PMSF, glutatión y cisteína, inhibieron la actividad con valores mayores al 50%. La PLA2 de L. muta produjo un notable efecto anticoagulante, observándose un retardo de 2'30" en el tiempo de coagulación con 9,6 µg de la enzima. La hemólisis indirecta sobre eritrocitos humanos dio un equivalente de 4,35 µg como dosis hemolítica media (HD50. Los valores de dosis edemática media y dosis miotóxica mínima fueron de 91,5 µg y 125,89 µg/mL respectivamente; valores por debajo de PLA2 de otros venenos. No se registró actividad hemorrágica directa. Las pruebas de inmunodifusión e inmunoelectroforésis revelaron que PLA2 de L. muta tuvo reactividad inmunogénica contra el antiveneno lachésico monovalente (INS-Perú. Sin embargo, la neutralización por el antiveneno fue parcial.

  4. Novel PLA-Based Conductive Polymer Composites for Biomedical Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Aziurah Mohd; Kadir, Mohammed Rafiq Abdul; Razak, Saiful Izwan Abd

    2017-12-01

    In this study, the electrical conductivity of polylactic acid (PLA)-based composites has been improved using polyaniline (PANI) with two different solvents: dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid and citric acid. The effects of various factors including PLA quantity, solvent concentration, type of solvent and thickness on the resistivity were investigated using the design of experiments. The experimental plan was based on irregular fraction design to develop the regression models. The results revealed that the proposed mathematical models were sufficient and could describe the performance of resistivity of PLA within the limits of a factor. The findings also indicated that thickness had the most significant effect on the resistivity of PLA, while the effect of the type of solvent was of least significance. Moreover, it was illustrated that, by incorporating two different solvents into PANI, the resistivity could be changed for further applications.

  5. Comparison of 2-D and 3-D estimates of placental volume in early pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aye, Christina Y L; Stevenson, Gordon N; Impey, Lawrence; Collins, Sally L

    2015-03-01

    Ultrasound estimation of placental volume (PlaV) between 11 and 13 wk has been proposed as part of a screening test for small-for-gestational-age babies. A semi-automated 3-D technique, validated against the gold standard of manual delineation, has been found at this stage of gestation to predict small-for-gestational-age at term. Recently, when used in the third trimester, an estimate obtained using a 2-D technique was found to correlate with placental weight at delivery. Given its greater simplicity, the 2-D technique might be more useful as part of an early screening test. We investigated if the two techniques produced similar results when used in the first trimester. The correlation between PlaV values calculated by the two different techniques was assessed in 139 first-trimester placentas. The agreement on PlaV and derived "standardized placental volume," a dimensionless index correcting for gestational age, was explored with the Mann-Whitney test and Bland-Altman plots. Placentas were categorized into five different shape subtypes, and a subgroup analysis was performed. Agreement was poor for both PlaV and standardized PlaV (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001), with the 2-D technique yielding larger estimates for both indices compared with the 3-D method. The mean difference in standardized PlaV values between the two methods was 0.007 (95% confidence interval: 0.006-0.009). The best agreement was found for regular rectangle-shaped placentas (p = 0.438 and p = 0.408). The poor correlation between the 2-D and 3-D techniques may result from the heterogeneity of placental morphology at this stage of gestation. In early gestation, the simpler 2-D estimates of PlaV do not correlate strongly with those obtained with the validated 3-D technique. Copyright © 2015 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. An overview of the recent developments in polylactide (PLA) research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madhavan Nampoothiri, K; Nair, Nimisha Rajendran; John, Rojan Pappy

    2010-11-01

    The concept of biodegradable plastics is of considerable interest with respect to solid waste accumulation. Greater efforts have been made in developing degradable biological materials without any environmental pollution to replace oil-based traditional plastics. Among numerous kinds of degradable polymers, polylactic acid sometimes called polylactide, an aliphatic polyester and biocompatible thermoplastic, is currently a most promising and popular material with the brightest development prospect and was considered as the 'green' eco friendly material. Biodegradable plastics like polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, polycaprolactone, polyhydroxybutyrate, etc. are commercially available for controlled drug releases, implantable composites, bone fixation parts, packaging and paper coatings, sustained release systems for pesticides and fertilizers and compost bags etc. This review will provide information on current PLA market, brief account on recent developments in the synthesis of lactic acid (monomer of PLA) through biological route, PLA synthesis, unique material properties of PLA and modification of those by making copolymers and composites, PLA degradation and its wide spectrum applications.

  7. Mulig terapeutisk intervention med haemmere og fremmere af fosfolipase A 2 -subtyper

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kolko, Miriam; Zhan, Chen; Andreasen, Jens Rovelt

    2007-01-01

    Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a group of enzymes discovered more than a century ago in insect and snake poison. Not more than 20 years ago they were identified in vertebrates, and during the last five years, research has accelerated in relation to isolating and cloning several members of this super...

  8. Poly-lactic acid nanoparticles (PLA-NP) promote physiological modifications in lung epithelial cells and are internalized by clathrin-coated pits and lipid rafts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Luz, Camila Macedo; Boyles, Matthew Samuel Powys; Falagan-Lotsch, Priscila; Pereira, Mariana Rodrigues; Tutumi, Henrique Rudolf; de Oliveira Santos, Eidy; Martins, Nathalia Balthazar; Himly, Martin; Sommer, Aniela; Foissner, Ilse; Duschl, Albert; Granjeiro, José Mauro; Leite, Paulo Emílio Corrêa

    2017-01-31

    Poly-lactic acid nanoparticles (PLA-NP) are a type of polymeric NP, frequently used as nanomedicines, which have advantages over metallic NP such as the ability to maintain therapeutic drug levels for sustained periods of time. Despite PLA-NP being considered biocompatible, data concerning alterations in cellular physiology are scarce. We conducted an extensive evaluation of PLA-NP biocompatibility in human lung epithelial A549 cells using high throughput screening and more complex methodologies. These included measurements of cytotoxicity, cell viability, immunomodulatory potential, and effects upon the cells' proteome. We used non- and green-fluorescent PLA-NP with 63 and 66 nm diameters, respectively. Cells were exposed with concentrations of 2, 20, 100 and 200 µg/mL, for 24, 48 and 72 h, in most experiments. Moreover, possible endocytic mechanisms of internalization of PLA-NP were investigated, such as those involving caveolae, lipid rafts, macropinocytosis and clathrin-coated pits. Cell viability and proliferation were not altered in response to PLA-NP. Multiplex analysis of secreted mediators revealed a low-level reduction of IL-12p70 and vascular epidermal growth factor (VEGF) in response to PLA-NP, while all other mediators assessed were unaffected. However, changes to the cells' proteome were observed in response to PLA-NP, and, additionally, the cellular stress marker miR155 was found to reduce. In dual exposures of staurosporine (STS) with PLA-NP, PLA-NP enhanced susceptibility to STS-induced cell death. Finally, PLA-NP were rapidly internalized in association with clathrin-coated pits, and, to a lesser extent, with lipid rafts. These data demonstrate that PLA-NP are internalized and, in general, tolerated by A549 cells, with no cytotoxicity and no secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators. However, PLA-NP exposure may induce modification of biological functions of A549 cells, which should be considered when designing drug delivery systems. Moreover

  9. Primerjalna analiza obdavčitve managerskih plač v Sloveniji in Veliki Britaniji

    OpenAIRE

    Janković, Nataša

    2016-01-01

    Vsak zaposleni dobi za opravljeno delo plačilo. Plača predstavlja motivacijski dejavnik in večja kot je odgovornost na delovnem mestu, višji je tudi dohodek. Managerji zaradi narave dela, ki ga opravljajo, sodijo v skupino posameznikov z nadpovprečnimi dohodki. Plača je sestavljena iz fiksnega in variabilnega dela. Fiksni del predstavlja osnovno plačo, ki je določena glede na zahtevnost dela, variabilni del pa sestavljajo nagrade in plačilo za uspešnost. Pri vsakem izplačilu delodajalec od pl...

  10. Parenteral immunization of PLA/PLGA nanoparticle encapsulating outer membrane protein (Omp) from Aeromonas hydrophila: Evaluation of immunostimulatory action in Labeo rohita (rohu).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rauta, Pradipta Ranjan; Nayak, Bismita

    2015-05-01

    Advanced vaccine research approaches needs to explore on biodegradable nanoparticles (NPs) based vaccine carrier that can serve as antigen delivery systems as well as immuno-stimulatory action to induce both innate and adaptive immune response in fish. Immunogenicity of PLA and PLGA NPs encapsulating outer membrane protein (Omp) antigen of Aeromonas hydrophila were evaluated through intra-peritoneal injection in fish, Labeo rohita. Antigen loaded PLA-Omp (223.5 ± 13.19 nm) and PLGA-Omp (166.4 ± 21.23 nm) NPs were prepared using double emulsion method by efficiently encapsulating the antigen reaching the encapsulation efficiency 44 ± 4.58% and 59.33 ± 5.13% respectively. Our formulated PLA Omp and PLGA-Omp NPs were in nanometer range (PLA-Omp, it showed considerably slower antigen release in vitro than PLGA-Omp NPs. Other physical properties like zetapotential values and poly dispersity index (PDI) confirmed the stability as well as monodisperse nature of the formulated nanoparticles. The spherical and isolated nature of PLA-Omp and PLGA-Omp NPs were revealed by SEM analysis. Upon immunization of all antigenic formulations (PLA-Omp NP, PLGA-Omp NP, FIA-Omp, PLA NP, PLGA NP, PBS as control), significant higher bacterial agglutination titre and haemolytic activity were observed in case of PLA-Omp and PLGA-Omp immunized groups than rest groups at both 21 days and 42 days. The specific antibody response was significantly increased and persisted up to 42 days of post immunization by PLA-Omp, PLGA-Omp, FIA-Omp. PLA-Omp NPs showed better immune response (higher bacterial agglutination titre, haemolytic activity, specific antibody titre, higher percent survival upon A. hydrophila challenge) than PLGA-Omp in L. rohita confirming its better efficacy. Comparable antibody response of PLA-Omp and PLGA-Omp with FIA-Omp treated groups suggested that PLA and PLGA could be replacement for Freund's adjuvant (for stimulating antibody response) to overcome many side effects

  11. Novel scaffold design with multi-grooved PLA fibers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Sangwon; King, Martin W; Gamcsik, Mike P

    2011-01-01

    A novel prototype nonwoven textile structure containing polylactide (PLA) multigrooved fibers has been proposed as a possible scaffold material for superior cell attachment and proliferation. Grooved cross-sectional fibers with larger surface area were obtained by a bi-component spinning system and the complete removal of the sacrificial component was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. These PLA nonwoven scaffolds containing the grooved fibers exhibited enhanced wettability, greater flexibility and tensile properties, and a larger surface area compared to a traditional PLA nonwoven fabric containing round fibers. To evaluate cellular attachment on the two types of PLA nonwoven scaffolds, NIH 3T3 fibroblasts were cultured for up to 12 days. It was evident that the initial cellular attachment was superior on the scaffold with grooved fibers, which was confirmed by MTT viability assay (p < 0.01) and SEM analysis. In the future, by modulating the size of the grooves on the fibers, such a scaffold material with a large surface area could serve as an alternative matrix for culturing different types of cells.

  12. Morphology and thermal properties of PLA films plasticized with aliphatic oligoesters; Morfologia e propriedades termicas de filmes de PLA plastificados com oligoesteres alifaticos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Inacio, Erika M.; Dias, Marcos L., E-mail: erika.minacio@ima.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Lima, Maria Celiana P. [Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Duque de Caxias, RJ (Brazil)

    2015-07-01

    The addition of plasticizers to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the known ways of changing its ductility, making possible the modification of its mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, it was synthesized two biodegradable aliphatic oligoesters: oligo(trimethylene sebacate) (OST) and oligo(trimethylene malonate) (OMT), and these oligomers were used as plasticizer in cast films of commercial film grade PLA at concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 wt% of each plasticizer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the morphology and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also used aiming the evaluation of the thermal properties of these films. The PLA films containing no plasticizer showed an amorphous behavior, and the addition of PMT on the PLA films acted, simultaneously, decreasing the Tg, and rising the material's crystallinity. In contrast, the increased addition of OST to the PLA films did not change the Tg, and equally, did not have a significant changes in the material's crystallinity. Therefore, it was possible to observe the effect of the concentration of oligomers on the crystallinity of the films as well as the no plasticizer effect of the OST. (author)

  13. Morphology and thermal properties of PLA films plasticised with aliphatic oligoesters; Morfologia e propriedades termicas de filmes de PLA plastificados com oligoesteres alifaticos

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Inacio, Erika M.; Dias, Marcos L., E-mail: erika.minacio@ima.ufrj.br [Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Lima, Maria Celiana P. [Instituto Federal do Rio de Janeiro (IFRJ), Duque de Caxias, RJ (Brazil)

    2013-07-01

    The addition of plasticizers to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the known ways of changing its ductility, making possible the modification of its mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, it was synthesized two biodegradable aliphatic oligoesters: oligo(trimethylene sebacate) (OST) and oligo(trimethylene malonate) (OMT), and these oligomers were used as plasticizer in cast films of commercial film grade PLA at concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 wt% of each plasticizer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the morphology and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also used aiming the evaluation of the thermal properties of these films. The PLA films containing no plasticizer showed an amorphous behavior, and the addition of PMT on the PLA films acted, simultaneously, decreasing the Tg, and rising the material's crystallinity. In contrast, the increased addition of OST to the PLA films did not change the Tg, and equally, did not have a significant changes in the material's crystallinity. Therefore, it was possible to observe the effect of the concentration of oligomers on the crystallinity of the films as well as the no plasticizer effect of the OST. (author)

  14. Activation and inactivation of the volume-sensitive taurine leak pathway in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and Ehrlich Lettre ascites cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lambert, Ian Henry

    2007-01-01

    Hypotonic exposure provokes the mobilization of arachidonic acid, production of ROS, and a transient increase in taurine release in Ehrlich Lettre cells. The taurine release is potentiated by H(2)O(2) and the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor vanadate and reduced by the phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2......)) inhibitors bromoenol lactone (BEL) and manoalide, the 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) inhibitor ETH-615139, the NADPH oxidase inhibitor diphenyl iodonium (DPI), and antioxidants. Thus, swelling-induced taurine efflux in Ehrlich Lettre cells involves Ca(2+)-independent (iPLA(2))/secretory PLA(2) (sPLA(2)) plus 5-LO...... activity and modulation by ROS. Vanadate and H(2)O(2) stimulate arachidonic acid mobilization and vanadate potentiates ROS production in Ehrlich Lettre cells and NIH3T3 fibroblasts under hypotonic conditions. However, vanadate-induced potentiation of the volume-sensitive taurine efflux is, in both cell...

  15. Functionalized PLA polymers to control loading and/or release properties of drug-loaded nanoparticles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thauvin, Cédric; Schwarz, Bettina; Delie, Florence; Allémann, Eric

    2017-11-15

    Advantages associated with the use of polylactic acid (PLA) nano- or microparticles as drug delivery systems have been widely proven in the field of pharmaceutical sciences. These biodegradable and biocompatible carriers have demonstrated different loading and release properties depending on interactions with the cargo, preparation methods, particles size or molecular weight of PLA. In this study, we sought to show the possibility of influencing these properties by modifying the structure of the constituting polymer. Seven non-functionalized or functionalized PLA polymers were specifically designed and synthesized by microwave-assisted ring-opening polymerization of d,l-lactide. They presented short hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic groups thanks to the use of C20 aliphatic chain, mPEG1000, sorbitan esters (Spans ® ) or polysorbates (Tweens ® ), their PEGylated analogues, as initiators. Then, seven types of drug-loaded nanoparticles (NP) were prepared from these polymers and compared in terms of physico-chemical characteristics, drug loading and release profiles. Although the loading properties were not improved with any of the functionalized PLA NP, different release profiles were observed in an aqueous medium at 37 °C and over a period of five days. The presence of PEG moieties in the core of PLA-polysorbates NP induced a faster release while the addition of a single aliphatic chain induced a slower release due to better interactions with the active molecule. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Corruption in the PLA: Retarding China’s Rise as a Great Power

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-03-01

    operations across the entire PLA. The SD was charged to 9 investigate reports of unethical and corrupt behavior by uniformed officers of the PLA. Most...PLAN) who was investigated on bribery charges and having five mistresses. Ironically these charges were brought by one of his former mistresses

  17. An Amperometric Biosensor for the Determination of Bacterial Sepsis Biomarker, Secretory Phospholipase Group 2-IIA Using a Tri-Enzyme System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nik Nurhanan Nik Mansor

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available A tri-enzyme system consisting of choline kinase/choline oxidase/horseradish peroxidase was used in the rapid and specific determination of the biomarker for bacterial sepsis infection, secretory phospholipase Group 2-IIA (sPLA2-IIA. These enzymes were individually immobilized onto the acrylic microspheres via succinimide groups for the preparation of an electrochemical biosensor. The reaction of sPLA2-IIA with its substrate initiated a cascading enzymatic reaction in the tri-enzyme system that led to the final production of hydrogen peroxide, which presence was indicated by the redox characteristics of potassium ferricyanide, K3Fe(CN6. An amperometric biosensor based on enzyme conjugated acrylic microspheres and gold nanoparticles composite coated onto a carbon-paste screen printed electrode (SPE was fabricated and the current measurement was performed at a low potential of 0.20 V. This enzymatic biosensor gave a linear range 0.01–100 ng/mL (R2 = 0.98304 with a detection limit recorded at 5 × 10−3 ng/mL towards sPLA2-IIA. Moreover, the biosensor showed good reproducibility (relative standard deviation (RSD of 3.04% (n = 5. The biosensor response was reliable up to 25 days of storage at 4 °C. Analysis of human serum samples for sPLA2-IIA indicated that the biosensor has potential for rapid bacterial sepsis diagnosis in hospital emergency department.

  18. Bionanocomposite films based on plasticized PLA-PHB/cellulose nanocrystal blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arrieta, M P; Fortunati, E; Dominici, F; López, J; Kenny, J M

    2015-05-05

    Optically transparent plasticized poly(lactic acid) (PLA) based bionanocomposite films intended for food packaging were prepared by melt blending. Materials were plasticized with 15wt% of acetyl(tributyl citrate) (ATBC) to improve the material processability and to obtain flexibile films. Poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) was used to increase PLA crystallinity. The thermal stability of the PLA-PHB blends was improved by the addition of 5 wt% of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) or modified cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) synthesized from microcrystalline cellulose. The combination of ATBC and cellulose nanocrystals, mainly the better dispersed CNCs, improved the interaction between PLA and PHB. Thus, an improvement on the oxygen barrier and stretchability was achieved in PLA-PHB-CNCs-ATBC which also displayed somewhat UV light blocking effect. All bionanocomposite films presented appropriate disintegration in compost suggesting their possible applications as biodegradable packaging materials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. PLA-Based Curriculum: Humanistic Model of Higher Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova-Gonci, Viktoria; Tobol, Amy Ruth

    2011-01-01

    The authors believe that there is no inherent academic validity or lack of thereof in the notion of prior learning assessment (PLA)-based curriculum. If mishandled, it can become the tool for carrying out diploma mill practices. Conversely, if implemented and facilitated appropriately, PLA-based curricula can offer humanistic educational values…

  20. Preparation of flexible PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites by melt blending and radiation crosslinking

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jung, Chang-Hee; Hwang, In-Tae; Jung, Chan-Hee; Choi, Jae-Hak

    2014-01-01

    In this study, poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/poly(ethylene glycol)-functionalized polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (PEG-POSS) nanocomposites with or without triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) were investigated by melt blending and electron beam irradiation to enhance the flexibility of PLA. Based on the results of the crosslinking degree measurements, the PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites were crosslinked by electron beam irradiation in the presence of triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) and their crosslinking degree reached up to 80% based on the absorbed dose and their compositions. From the results of the FE-SEM and EDX Si-mapping, the crosslinked PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites were homogenous without a micro-phase separation or radiation-induced morphological change. Based on the results of the tensile test, the PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites containing 15 wt% PEG-POSS exhibited the highest flexibility, and their tensile strength showed a maximum value of 44.5 MPa after electron beam irradiation at an absorbed dose of 100 kGy in the presence of TAIC, which is comparable to non-biodegradable polypropylene. The results of the dynamic mechanical analysis revealed that the crosslinked PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites exhibited a higher thermal resistance above their melting temperature in comparison to that of the neat PLA, although their glass transition temperature was lower than that of the neat PLA. The enzymatic biodegradation test revealed that the PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites were biodegradable even though their biodegradability was deteriorated in comparison to that of the neat PLA. - Highlights: • PLA/PEG-POSS nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending. • The nanocomposites containing TAIC were crosslinked by electron beam irradiation. • The mechanical properties of the nanocomposites were comparable to polypropylene. • The crosslinked nanocomposites can be biodegradable

  1. [In vitro examination of the influence of lipase and amylase on dog's pancreas tissue incubated with endotoxins, phospholipase A2 or cytokines].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerekes, László; Antal-Szalmás, Péter; Dezso, Balázs; Sipka, Sándor; Furka, Andrea; Mikó, Irén; Sápy, Péter

    2005-04-01

    Proinflammatory cytokines are elevated during acute pancreatitis. The endotoxins and Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) also have important role in acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine, what factors are responsible for the tissue damage in acute pancreatitis. The examinations were performed on fixed and frozen sections of healthy dog's pancreas tissue. Direct effects of endotoxins, PLA2, and proinflammatory cytokines together with pancreas enzymes were examined on pancreatic tissue. Pancreas enzymes themselves did not cause any change in the structure of pancreas. The common influence of endotoxins, PLA2 and pancreas enzymes was examined, and finally the effect of proinflammatory cytokines and enzymes was examined on pancreas tissue. Our results show, that besides enzymes many other factors are necessary to inflict tissue damage in acute pancreatitis, but for necrosis the presence of TNF alfa is a must.

  2. Protective Effects of Intratracheally-Administered Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 on Ovalbumin-Induced Allergic Asthma in Mice

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyung-Hwa Jung

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Asthma is a common chronic disease characterized by bronchial inflammation, reversible airway obstruction, and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR. Current therapeutic options for the management of asthma include inhaled corticosteroids and β2 agonists, which elicit harmful side effects. In the present study, we examined the capacity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2, one of the major components of bee venom (BV, to reduce airway inflammation and improve lung function in an experimental model of asthma. Allergic asthma was induced in female BALB/c mice by intraperitoneal administration of ovalbumin (OVA on days 0 and 14, followed by intratracheal challenge with 1% OVA six times between days 22 and 30. The infiltration of immune cells, such as Th2 cytokines in the lungs, and the lung histology, were assessed in the OVA-challenged mice in the presence and absence of an intratracheal administration of bvPLA2. We showed that the intratracheal administration of bvPLA2 markedly suppressed the OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation by reducing AHR, overall area of inflammation, and goblet cell hyperplasia. Furthermore, the suppression was associated with a significant decrease in the production of Th2 cytokines, such as IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, and a reduction in the number of total cells, including eosinophils, macrophages, and neutrophils in the airway.

  3. In vitro and in vivo tests of PLA/d-HAp nanocomposite

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thom Nguyen, Thi; Hoang, Thai; Mao Can, Van; Son Ho, Anh; Hai Nguyen, Song; Thu Trang Nguyen, Thi; Pham, Thi Nam; Phuong Nguyen, Thu; Le Hien Nguyen, Thi; Thanh Dinh Thi, Mai

    2017-12-01

    The bioactivity of the PLA/d-HAp nanocomposite with 30 wt.% d-HAp was evaluated by in vitro tests and indicated that after 7 immersion days in SBF solution, PLA amorphous part was hydrolyzed and PLA crystal part was remained. The formation of apatite on the surface of the material was observed. The in vivo test results of PLA/d-HAp nanocomposite (70/30 wt/wt) on femur of dogs displayed that 3 months after grafting, the materials did not induce any osteitis, osteomyelitis or structural abnormalities. The histological and x-ray image demonstrated a growth of the bone into the material area, while osteitis and osteomyelitis were not observed.

  4. Inclusion of anti-phospholipase A2 antibody to backgrounding diets on performance, feed efficiency, in vitro fermentation, and the acute-phase response of growing beef calves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mercadante, V R G; Waters, K M; Marquezini, G H L; Henry, D D; Ciriaco, F M; Arthington, J D; DiLorenzo, N; Lamb, G C

    2015-01-01

    In Exp. 1, individual performance and daily DMI was measured on 70 crossbred weaned calves during a 70-d period using a GrowSafe system (GrowSafe Systems Ltd., Airdrie, AB, Canada) at the University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center Feed Efficiency Facility (FEF). Calves were fed a low-concentrate (LC) growing diet, blocked by weight and sex, and then randomly assigned to pens to receive either no additional supplement (CON; n = 35) or receive a supplement of anti-phospholipase A2 antibody (aPLA2) at an inclusion rate of 0.6% of the diet DM (n = 35). After the 70-d feed efficiency (FE) trial (Phase 1), calves were loaded into a commercial livestock trailer and were driven for approximately 1,600 km during 24 h. Upon return to the FEF (Phase 2), calves were relocated to the same pens and groups and received the same diets and treatments for 28 d. Blood samples from each calf were collected on d 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28 relative to initiation of transportation and were analyzed for determination of concentrations of plasma ceruloplasmin and haptoglobin. In Phase 1, initial BW (242.0 ± 3.7 kg; P = 0.92), BW at d 70 (313.0 ± 4.1 kg; P = 0.79), and ADG (1.01 ± 0.02 kg; P = 0.95) were similar between treatments. However, daily DMI was greater (P = 0.01) for CON (9.18 ± 0.15 kg) than aPLA2 (8.53 ± 0.15 kg). In addition, residual feed intake was greater (P = 0.002) for CON (0.389 ± 0.110 kg/d) than aPLA2 calves (-0.272 ± 0.110 kg/d). In Phase 2, after transportation, there were no differences between treatments on BW loss due to transportation shrink (26.0 ± 0.6 kg; P = 0.86), BW at d 28 (339.0 ± 4.1 kg; P = 0.72), ADG (1.28 ± 0.03 kg/d; P = 0.72), G:F (0.164 ± 0.004; P = 0.83), and concentrations of plasma haptoglobin (0.08 ± 0.02 mg/mL; P = 0.41). However, concentrations of plasma ceruloplasmin were greater (P calves (14.3 ± 0.3 mg/dL) compared to aPLA2 calves (13.0 ± 0.3 mg/dL). In Exp. 2, the effects of aPLA2 inclusion on LC and

  5. Poly(Lactic Acid) Hemodialysis Membranes with Poly(Lactic Acid)-block-Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) Copolymer As Additive: Preparation, Characterization, and Performance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Lijing; Liu, Fu; Yu, Xuemin; Xue, Lixin

    2015-08-19

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) hemodialysis membranes with enhanced antifouling capability and hemocompatibility were developed using poly(lactic acid)-block-poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PLA-PHEMA) copolymers as the blending additive. PLA-PHEMA block copolymers were synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation (RAFT) polymerization from aminolyzed PLA. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance ((1)H NMR) were applied to characterize the synthesized products. By blending PLA with the amphiphilic block copolymer, PLA/PLA-PHEMA membranes were prepared by nonsolvent induced phase separation (NIPS) method. Their chemistry and structure were characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results revealed that PLA/PLA-PHEMA membranes with high PLA-PHEMA contents exhibited enhanced hydrophilicity, water permeability, antifouling and hemocompatibility. Especially, when the PLA-PHEMA concentration was 15 wt %, the water flux of the modified membrane was about 236 L m(-2) h(-1). Its urea and creatinine clearance was more than 0.70 mL/min, lysozyme clearance was about 0.50 mL/min, BSA clearance was as less as 0.31 mL/min. All the results suggest that PLA-PHEMA copolymers had served as effective agents for optimizing the property of PLA-based membrane for hemodialysis applications.

  6. Oxygen-dependent acetylation and dimerization of the corepressor CtBP2 in neural stem cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karaca, Esra; Lewicki, Jakub; Hermanson, Ola

    2015-01-01

    The transcriptional corepressor CtBP2 is essential for proper development of the nervous system. The factor exerts its repression by interacting in complexes with chromatin-modifying factors such as histone deacetylases (HDAC) 1/2 and the histone demethylase LSD1/KDM1. Notably, the histone acetyl transferase p300 acetylates CtBP2 and this is an important regulatory event of the activity and subcellular localization of the protein. We recently demonstrated an essential role for CtBPs as sensors of microenvironmental oxygen levels influencing the differentiation potential of neural stem cells (NSCs), but it is not known whether oxygen levels influence the acetylation levels of CtBP factors. Here we show by using proximity ligation assay (PLA) that CtBP2 acetylation levels increased significantly in undifferentiated, proliferating NSCs under hypoxic conditions. CtBP2 interacted with the class III HDAC Sirt1 but this interaction was unaltered in hypoxic conditions, and treatment with the Sirt1 inhibitor Ex527 did not result in any significant change in total CtBP2 acetylation levels. Instead, we revealed a significant decrease in PLA signal representing CtBP2 dimerization in NSCs under hypoxic conditions, negatively correlating with the acetylation levels. Our results suggest that microenvironmental oxygen levels influence the dimerization and acetylation levels, and thereby the activity, of CtBP2 in proliferating NSCs

  7. Oxygen-dependent acetylation and dimerization of the corepressor CtBP2 in neural stem cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karaca, Esra; Lewicki, Jakub; Hermanson, Ola, E-mail: Ola.Hermanson@ki.se

    2015-03-01

    The transcriptional corepressor CtBP2 is essential for proper development of the nervous system. The factor exerts its repression by interacting in complexes with chromatin-modifying factors such as histone deacetylases (HDAC) 1/2 and the histone demethylase LSD1/KDM1. Notably, the histone acetyl transferase p300 acetylates CtBP2 and this is an important regulatory event of the activity and subcellular localization of the protein. We recently demonstrated an essential role for CtBPs as sensors of microenvironmental oxygen levels influencing the differentiation potential of neural stem cells (NSCs), but it is not known whether oxygen levels influence the acetylation levels of CtBP factors. Here we show by using proximity ligation assay (PLA) that CtBP2 acetylation levels increased significantly in undifferentiated, proliferating NSCs under hypoxic conditions. CtBP2 interacted with the class III HDAC Sirt1 but this interaction was unaltered in hypoxic conditions, and treatment with the Sirt1 inhibitor Ex527 did not result in any significant change in total CtBP2 acetylation levels. Instead, we revealed a significant decrease in PLA signal representing CtBP2 dimerization in NSCs under hypoxic conditions, negatively correlating with the acetylation levels. Our results suggest that microenvironmental oxygen levels influence the dimerization and acetylation levels, and thereby the activity, of CtBP2 in proliferating NSCs.

  8. Plasma Lipoprotein-associated Phospholipase A(2) Is Inversely Correlated with Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin-kexin Type 9

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Constantinides, Alexander; Kappelle, Paul J.W.H.; Lambert, Gilles; Dullaart, Robin P. F.

    Background and Aims. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)) is a proatherogenic phospholipase A(2), which is predominantly complexed to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particles. Proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) provides a key step in LDL metabolism by stimulating

  9. Identification of the PLA2G6 c.1579G>A Missense Mutation in Papillon Dog Neuroaxonal Dystrophy Using Whole Exome Sequencing Analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masaya Tsuboi

    Full Text Available Whole exome sequencing (WES has become a common tool for identifying genetic causes of human inherited disorders, and it has also recently been applied to canine genome research. We conducted WES analysis of neuroaxonal dystrophy (NAD, a neurodegenerative disease that sporadically occurs worldwide in Papillon dogs. The disease is considered an autosomal recessive monogenic disease, which is histopathologically characterized by severe axonal swelling, known as "spheroids," throughout the nervous system. By sequencing all eleven DNA samples from one NAD-affected Papillon dog and her parents, two unrelated NAD-affected Papillon dogs, and six unaffected control Papillon dogs, we identified 10 candidate mutations. Among them, three candidates were determined to be "deleterious" by in silico pathogenesis evaluation. By subsequent massive screening by TaqMan genotyping analysis, only the PLA2G6 c.1579G>A mutation had an association with the presence or absence of the disease, suggesting that it may be a causal mutation of canine NAD. As a human homologue of this gene is a causative gene for infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, this canine phenotype may serve as a good animal model for human disease. The results of this study also indicate that WES analysis is a powerful tool for exploring canine hereditary diseases, especially in rare monogenic hereditary diseases.

  10. Crosslinked bicontinuous biobased PLA/NR blends via dynamic vulcanization using different curing systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuan, Daosheng; Chen, Kunling; Xu, Chuanhui; Chen, Zhonghua; Chen, Yukun

    2014-11-26

    In this study, blends of entirely biosourced polymers, namely polylactide (PLA) and natural rubber (NR), were prepared through dynamic vulcanization using dicumyl peroxide (DCP), sulphur (S) and phenolic resin (2402) as curing agents, respectively. The crosslinked NR phase was found to be a continuous structure in all the prepared blends. The molecular weight changes of PLA were studied by gel permeation chromatography. Interfacial compatibilization between PLA and NR was investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The thermal properties of blends were evaluated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis instrument. It was found that the molecular weight of PLA and interfacial compatibilizaion between PLA and NR showed a significant influence on the mechanical and thermal properties of blends. The PLA/NR blend (60/40 w/w) by DCP-induced dynamic vulcanization owned the finest mechanical properties and thermal stability. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Evaluating radon loss from water during storage in standard PET, bio-based PET, and PLA bottles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucchetti, Carlo; De Simone, Gabriele; Galli, Gianfranco; Tuccimei, Paola

    2016-01-01

    Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) bottles were tested to evaluate radon loss from water during 15 days of storage. PET bottles (lower surface/volume-ratio vials) lost 0.4–7.1% of initial radon, whereas PLA bottles lost 3.7% of it. PET bottles with volume of 0.5 L, lower surface/weight ratio, and hence higher thickness display proportionally reduced radon loss. Corrections for dissolved radium are needed during analyses. Formulas for calculating degassing efficiency and water interference on electrostatic collections are developed. - Highlights: • Radon loss from water during storage in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polylactic acid (PLA) bottles was evaluated. • Surface/volume ratio and thickness of plastic materials were studied. • A correction for dissolved radium concentration was applied to estimate gas loss. • Proper corrections for degassing efficiency of aerators were developed. • The interference of H 2 O on radon daughter electrostatic collection was quantified.

  12. Hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonists LSD and DOI enhance dopamine D2R protomer recognition and signaling of D2-5-HT2A heteroreceptor complexes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borroto-Escuela, Dasiel O; Romero-Fernandez, Wilber; Narvaez, Manuel; Oflijan, Julia; Agnati, Luigi F; Fuxe, Kjell

    2014-01-03

    Dopamine D2LR-serotonin 5-HT2AR heteromers were demonstrated in HEK293 cells after cotransfection of the two receptors and shown to have bidirectional receptor-receptor interactions. In the current study the existence of D2L-5-HT2A heteroreceptor complexes was demonstrated also in discrete regions of the ventral and dorsal striatum with in situ proximity ligation assays (PLA). The hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonists LSD and DOI but not the standard 5-HT2AR agonist TCB2 and 5-HT significantly increased the density of D2like antagonist (3)H-raclopride binding sites and significantly reduced the pKiH values of the high affinity D2R agonist binding sites in (3)H-raclopride/DA competition experiments. Similar results were obtained in HEK293 cells and in ventral striatum. The effects of the hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonists on D2R density and affinity were blocked by the 5-HT2A antagonist ketanserin. In a forskolin-induced CRE-luciferase reporter gene assay using cotransfected but not D2R singly transfected HEK293 cells DOI and LSD but not TCB2 significantly enhanced the D2LR agonist quinpirole induced inhibition of CRE-luciferase activity. Haloperidol blocked the effects of both quinpirole alone and the enhancing actions of DOI and LSD while ketanserin only blocked the enhancing actions of DOI and LSD. The mechanism for the allosteric enhancement of the D2R protomer recognition and signalling observed is likely mediated by a biased agonist action of the hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonists at the orthosteric site of the 5-HT2AR protomer. This mechanism may contribute to the psychotic actions of LSD and DOI and the D2-5-HT2A heteroreceptor complex may thus be a target for the psychotic actions of hallunicogenic 5-HT2A agonists. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Tylvalosin exhibits anti-inflammatory property and attenuates acute lung injury in different models possibly through suppression of NF-κB activation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Zhanzhong; Tang, Xiangfang; Zhao, Xinghui; Zhang, Minhong; Zhang, Weijian; Hou, Shaohua; Yuan, Weifeng; Zhang, Hongfu; Shi, Lijun; Jia, Hong; Liang, Lin; Lai, Zhi; Gao, Junfeng; Zhang, Keyu; Fu, Ling; Chen, Wei

    2014-07-01

    Tylvalosin, a new broad-spectrum, third-generation macrolides, may exert a variety of pharmacological activities. Here, we report on its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 macrophages and mouse treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as well as piglet challenged with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Tylvalosin treatment markedly decreased IL-8, IL-6, IL-1β, PGE2, TNF-α and NO levels in vitro and in vivo. LPS and PRRSV-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and the lipid peroxidation in mice lung tissues reduced after tylvalosin treatments. In mouse acute lung injury model induced by LPS, tylvalosin administration significantly attenuated tissues injury, and reduced the inflammatory cells recruitment and activation. The evaluated phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity and the increased expressions of cPLA2-IVA, p-cPLA2-IVA and sPLA2-IVE were lowered by tylvalosin. Consistent with the mouse results, tylvalosin pretreatment attenuated piglet lung scores with improved growth performance and normal rectal temperature in piglet model induced by PRRSV. Furthermore, tylvalosin attenuated the IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, and blocked the NF-κB p65 translocation. These results indicate that in addition to its direct antimicrobial effect, tylvalosin exhibits anti-inflammatory property and attenuates acute lung injury through suppression of NF-κB activation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Studies on PLA grafting onto graphene oxide and its effect on the ensuing composite films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Campos, João M., E-mail: jmdcampos@ua.pt [CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal); Instituto de Biotecnologia e Bioengenharia (IBB) and Department of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Ferraria, Ana M.; Botelho do Rego, Ana M. [Centro de Química-Física Molecular and Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Ribeiro, M. Rosário [Centro de Química Estrutural (CQE) and Department of Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisbon (Portugal); Barros-Timmons, Ana [CICECO - Aveiro Institute of Materials and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro (Portugal)

    2015-09-15

    Polylactide (PLA) with a terminal triple bond was synthesized by organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerization and coupled with azide-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) through an azide-alkyne cycloaddition “click” reaction. The functionalized graphenic species involved were analyzed by spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR, solid state {sup 13}C NMR, Raman), which confirmed the coupling of PLA and GO. Additionally, an in depth study of the prepared GO, intermediates and GO-g-PLA hybrid was carried out that sheds light on the mechanisms involved in the functionalization path. The obtained GO-g-PLA hybrid, containing at least 20% of biopolymer, presented an exfoliated graphenic structure, as established by XRD. The conditions used in the grafting of the PLA chains inhibited the crystallization and melting observed for the free polymer. Furthermore, the graphene oxide seems to be reduced during functionalization, which can also be an advantage. Nanocomposites were obtained as solvent-cast films, prepared by dispersion of the GO-g-PLA hybrid in commercial PLA. Preliminary results regarding the performance of these nanocomposites, obtained by DSC and DMA, highlighted the effect of functionalization. Loading values as low as 0.5% suffice to improve the mechanical properties over a broad temperature range due to the high surface area resulting from the good dispersibility of polymer functionalized nanofillers and/or their effect on the polymer chain organization. - Highlights: • A graphene oxide/PLA (GO-g-PLA) hybrid was obtained by a grafting-to method. • Grafting of PLA chains onto the surface of GO inhibited polymer crystallization. • The GO-g-PLA material was used in the reinforcement of PLA, as nanocomposite films. • GO-g-PLA provides more homogeneously reinforced nanocomposite films, than neat GO. • Nanocomposite films with 0.5% loading present high storage modulus even above T{sub g}.

  15. Studies on PLA grafting onto graphene oxide and its effect on the ensuing composite films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campos, João M.; Ferraria, Ana M.; Botelho do Rego, Ana M.; Ribeiro, M. Rosário; Barros-Timmons, Ana

    2015-01-01

    Polylactide (PLA) with a terminal triple bond was synthesized by organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerization and coupled with azide-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) through an azide-alkyne cycloaddition “click” reaction. The functionalized graphenic species involved were analyzed by spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR, solid state "1"3C NMR, Raman), which confirmed the coupling of PLA and GO. Additionally, an in depth study of the prepared GO, intermediates and GO-g-PLA hybrid was carried out that sheds light on the mechanisms involved in the functionalization path. The obtained GO-g-PLA hybrid, containing at least 20% of biopolymer, presented an exfoliated graphenic structure, as established by XRD. The conditions used in the grafting of the PLA chains inhibited the crystallization and melting observed for the free polymer. Furthermore, the graphene oxide seems to be reduced during functionalization, which can also be an advantage. Nanocomposites were obtained as solvent-cast films, prepared by dispersion of the GO-g-PLA hybrid in commercial PLA. Preliminary results regarding the performance of these nanocomposites, obtained by DSC and DMA, highlighted the effect of functionalization. Loading values as low as 0.5% suffice to improve the mechanical properties over a broad temperature range due to the high surface area resulting from the good dispersibility of polymer functionalized nanofillers and/or their effect on the polymer chain organization. - Highlights: • A graphene oxide/PLA (GO-g-PLA) hybrid was obtained by a grafting-to method. • Grafting of PLA chains onto the surface of GO inhibited polymer crystallization. • The GO-g-PLA material was used in the reinforcement of PLA, as nanocomposite films. • GO-g-PLA provides more homogeneously reinforced nanocomposite films, than neat GO. • Nanocomposite films with 0.5% loading present high storage modulus even above T_g.

  16. PLA/PBAT Bionanocomposites with Antimicrobial Natural Rosin for Green Packaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moustafa, Hesham; El Kissi, Nadia; Abou-Kandil, Ahmed I; Abdel-Aziz, Mohamed S; Dufresne, Alain

    2017-06-14

    The use of biodegradable polymers is of great importance nowadays in many applications. Some of the most commonly used biopolymers are polylactic acid (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) due to their superior properties and availability. In this manuscript, we use a facile and green modification method of organoclay (OC) by antimicrobial natural rosin which is considered as a toxicity-free reinforcing material, thus keeping the green character of the material. It increases the interlayer spacing between the clay platelets. This was proven by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and found to impart antimicrobial properties to PLA/PBAT blends. The morphology of the resulting blends was conducted using scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM), and evidence of exfoliation and intercalation was observed. The thermal properties of the blends were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and a detailed study of the crystallization of both PLA and PBAT was reported showing cold crystallization behavior of PLA. The final effect on mechanical and antimicrobial properties was also investigated. The obtained results reveal excellent possibility of using expanded OC modified PLA/PBAT polymer blends by adding a green material, antimicrobial natural rosin, for food packaging and biomembranes applications.

  17. Homocomposites of Polylactide (PLA) with Induced Interfacial Stereocomplex Crystallites

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-01-01

    The demand for “green” degradable composite materials increases with growing environmental awareness. The key challenge is achieving the preferred physical properties and maintaining their eco-attributes in terms of the degradability of the matrix and the filler. Herein, we have designed a series of “green” homocomposites materials based purely on polylactide (PLA) polymers with different structures. Film-extruded homocomposites were prepared by melt-blending PLA matrixes (which had different degrees of crystallinity) with PLLA and PLA stereocomplex (SC) particles. The PLLA and SC particles were spherical and with 300–500 nm size. Interfacial crystalline structures in the form of stereocomplexes were obtained for certain particulate-homocomposite formulations. These SC crystallites were found at the particle/matrix interface when adding PLLA particles to a PLA matrix with d-lactide units, as confirmed by XRD and DSC data analyses. For all homocomposites, the PLLA and SC particles acted as nucleating agents and enhanced the crystallization of the PLA matrixes. The SC particles were more rigid and had a higher Young’s modulus compared with the PLLA particles. The mechanical properties of the homocomposites varied with particle size, rigidity, and the interfacial adhesion between the particles and the matrix. An improved tensile strength in the homocomposites was achieved from the interfacial stereocomplex formation. Hereafter, homocomposites with tunable crystalline arrangements and subsequently physical properties, are promising alternatives in strive for eco-composites and by this, creating materials that are completely degradable and sustainable. PMID:26523245

  18. Fast-degrading PLA/ORMOGLASS fibrous composite scaffold leads to a calcium-rich angiogenic environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sachot N

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Nadège Sachot,1,2 Agata Roguska,3 Josep Anton Planell,1,2 Malgorzata Lewandowska,3 Elisabeth Engel,1,2,4 Oscar Castaño1,2,5,6 1Biomaterials for Regenerative Therapies, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC, Barcelona, 2CIBER en Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, CIBER-BBN, Zaragoza, Spain; 3Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland; 4Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC, 5Department of Materials Science and Physical Chemistry, Universitat de Barcelona (UB, 6Department of Engineerings: Electronics, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain Abstract: The success of scaffold implantation in acellular tissue engineering approaches relies on the ability of the material to interact properly with the biological environment. This behavior mainly depends on the design of the graft surface and, more precisely, on its capacity to biodegrade in a well-defined manner (nature of ions released, surface-to-volume ratio, dissolution profile of this release, rate of material resorption, and preservation of mechanical properties. The assessment of the biological behavior of temporary templates is therefore very important in tissue engineering, especially for composites, which usually exhibit complicated degradation behavior. Here, blended polylactic acid (PLA calcium phosphate ORMOGLASS (organically modified glass nanofibrous mats have been incubated up to 4 weeks in physiological simulated conditions, and their morphological, topographical, and chemical changes have been investigated. The results showed that a significant loss of inorganic phase occurred at the beginning of the immersion and the ORMOGLASS maintained a stable composition afterward throughout the degradation period. As a whole, the nanostructured scaffolds underwent fast and heterogeneous degradation. This study reveals that an angiogenic calcium

  19. Graphene oxide stabilized by PLA-PEG copolymers for the controlled delivery of paclitaxel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angelopoulou, A; Voulgari, E; Diamanti, E K; Gournis, D; Avgoustakis, K

    2015-06-01

    To investigate the application of water-dispersible poly(lactide)-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) copolymers for the stabilization of graphene oxide (GO) aqueous dispersions and the feasibility of using the PLA-PEG stabilized GO as a delivery system for the potent anticancer agent paclitaxel. A modified Staudenmaier method was applied to synthesize graphene oxide (GO). Diblock PLA-PEG copolymers were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of dl-lactide in the presence of monomethoxy-poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG). Probe sonication in the presence of PLA-PEG copolymers was applied in order to reduce the hydrodynamic diameter of GO to the nano-size range according to dynamic light scattering (DLS) and obtain nano-graphene oxide (NGO) composites with PLA-PEG. The composites were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and DLS. The colloidal stability of the composites was evaluated by recording the size of the composite particles with time and the resistance of composites to aggregation induced by increasing concentrations of NaCl. The composites were loaded with paclitaxel and the in vitro release profile was determined. The cytotoxicity of composites against A549 human lung cancer cells in culture was evaluated by flow cytometry. The uptake of FITC-labeled NGO/PLA-PEG by A549 cells was also estimated with flow cytometry and visualized with fluorescence microscopy. The average hydrodynamic diameter of NGO/PLA-PEG according to DLS ranged between 455 and 534 nm, depending on the molecular weight and proportion of PLA-PEG in the composites. NGO/PLA-PEG exhibited high colloidal stability on storage and in the presence of high concentrations of NaCl (far exceeding physiological concentrations). Paclitaxel was effectively loaded in the composites and released by a highly sustained fashion. Drug release could be regulated by the molecular weight of the PLA-PEG copolymer and its proportion in the composite. The paclitaxel

  20. Sterically Bulky NHC Adducts of GaMe3 and InMe3 for H2 Activation and Lactide Polymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anaëlle Bolley

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The sterically bulky Ga(III and In(III (IPr*MMe3 adducts (1 and 2 and (SItBuMMe3 adducts (3 and 4 (M = Ga, In; IPr* = 1,3-bis{2,6-bis(diphenylmethyl-4-methylphenyl}-1,3-dihydro- imidazol-2-ylidene; SItBu = 1,3-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl-imidazolidin-2-ylidene were prepared and structurally characterized, allowing an estimation of the steric hindrance of such Lewis pairs (yields in 1–4: 92%, 90%, 73%, and 42%, respectively. While the IPr* adducts 1 and 2 are robust species, the more severely congested SItBu adducts 3 and 4 are more reactive and exhibit a limited stability in solution. Adduct (SItBuGaMe3 (3 reacts quickly with H2 at room temperature to afford the corresponding aminal product, 1,3-di-tert-butylimidazolidine (5, along with free GaMe3. Such Frustrated Lewis Pair (FLP reactivity constitutes the first instance of a H2 activation involving a simple trialkyl GaR3 species. Adduct 3 also mediates the ring-opening polymerization (ROP of rac-lactide at room temperature to afford cyclic polylactide (PLA.

  1. Etude des melanges co-continus d'acide polylactique et d'amidon thermoplastique (PLA/TPS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chavez Garcia, Maria Graciela

    Les melanges co-continus sont des melanges polymeriques ou chaque composant se trouve dans une phase continue. Pour cette raison, les caracteristiques de chacun des composants se combinent et il en resulte un materiau avec une morphologie et des proprietes particulieres. L'acide polylactique (PLA) et l'amidon thermoplastique (TPS) sont des biopolymeres qui proviennent de ressources renouvelables et qui sont biodegradables. Dans ce projet, differents melanges de PLA et TPS a une haute concentration de TPS ont ete prepares dans une extrudeuse bi-vis afin de generer des structures co-continues. Grace a la technique de lixiviation selective, le TPS est enleve pour creer une structure poreuse de PLA qui a pu etre analysee au moyen de la microtomographie R-X et de la microscopie electronique a balayage MEB. L'analyse des images 2D et 3D confirme la presence de la structure co-continue dans les melanges dont la concentration en TPS. se situe entre 66% et 80%. L'effet de deux plastifiants, le glycerol seul et le melange de glycerol et de sorbitol, dans la formulation de TPS est etudie dans ce travail. De plus, nous avons evalue l'effet du PLA greffe a l'anhydride maleique (PLAg) en tant que compatibilisant. On a trouve que la phase de TPS obtenue avec le glycerol est plus grande. L'effet de recuit sur la taille de phases est aussi analyse. Grace aux memes techniques d'analyse, on a etudie l'effet du procede de moulage par injection sur la morphologie. On a constate que les pieces injectees presentent une microstructure heterogene et differente entre la surface et le centre de la piece. Pres de la surface, une peau plus riche en PLA est presente et les phases de TPS y sont allongees sous forme de lamelles. Plus au centre de la piece, une morphologie plus cellulaire est observee pour chaque phase continue. L'effet des formulations sur les proprietes mecaniques a aussi ete etudie. Les pieces injectees dont la concentration de TPS est plus grande presentent une moindre

  2. In situ detection of estrogen receptor dimers in breast carcinoma cells in archival materials using proximity ligation assay (PLA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwabuchi, Erina; Miki, Yasuhiro; Ono, Katsuhiko; Onodera, Yoshiaki; Suzuki, Takashi; Hirakawa, Hisashi; Ishida, Takanori; Ohuchi, Noriaki; Sasano, Hironobu

    2017-01-01

    Estrogen receptor (ER) is required for carcinoma cell proliferation in the great majority of breast cancer and also functions as a dimer. ER dimeric proteins have been largely identified by BRET/FRET analyses but their in situ visualization have not yet been reported. Recently, in situ Proximity Ligation Assay (PLA) has been developed as the methods detecting protein interactions in situ. Therefore, in this study we firstly demonstrated the dimerization of ERα in breast carcinoma cell lines and tissues using PLA. The human breast carcinoma cell lines MCF-7, T-47D and MDA-MB-231 were used in this study. Cells were treated with ER agonist or antagonist and fixed in 4% PFA, and ER dimers were subsequently detected using PLA. The evaluation of ER dimers in breast carcinoma cell lines were quantified by measuring the area of dots localized in the nuclei using image analysis. We also firstly demonstrated the visualization of ER dimer patterns in 10% formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues of breast cancer using PLA technique. Estradiol (E2) administration induced ERα homodimers in the nuclei of MCF-7 and T-47D but not in ER-negative MDA-MB-231. 4-OH tamoxifen also induced ERα homodimers but the subcellular localization of these ERα homodimers was predominant in cytoplasm instead of the nuclei induced by E2 treatment. ICI182,780 treatment did decrease the number of formation of ERα homodimers in MCF-7. In breast cancer patients, ERα PLA score was significantly correlated positively with ERα- or PgR (progesterone receptor) immunohistochemical scores and inversely with Ki-67-labeling index, respectively. We also demonstrated the ERα/β heterodimer as well as ERα homodimers in both breast carcinoma cell lines and surgical pathology specimens. In summary, we did firstly succeed in the visualization of ER dimeric proteins using PLA method. The evaluation of ER dimer patterns could provide pivotal information as to the prediction of response to endocrine therapy of

  3. OBSERVATIONAL AND DYNAMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MAIN-BELT COMET P/2010 R2 (La Sagra)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hsieh, Henry H.; Yang Bin; Haghighipour, Nader; Jedicke, Robert; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Denneau, Larry; Kaluna, Heather M.; Kleyna, Jan [Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 2680 Woodlawn Drive, Honolulu HI 96822 (United States); Novakovic, Bojan [Department of Astronomy, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Abe, Shinsuke; Chen Wenping; Ip, Wing; Kinoshita, Daisuke [Institute of Astronomy, National Central University, 300 Jhongda Rd, Jhongli 32001, Taiwan (China); Fitzsimmons, Alan; Lacerda, Pedro [Astronomy Research Centre, Queens University Belfast, Belfast BT7 1NN (United Kingdom); Granvik, Mikael [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 64, 00014 University of Helsinki (Finland); Grav, Tommy [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218 (United States); Knight, Matthew M. [Lowell Observatory, 1400 West Mars Hill Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001 (United States); Lisse, Carey M. [Planetary Exploration Group, Space Department, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD 20723 (United States); Maclennan, Eric, E-mail: hsieh@ifa.hawaii.edu [Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northern Arizona University, 602 South Humphreys Street, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 (United States); and others

    2012-05-15

    We present observations of the recently discovered comet-like main-belt object P/2010 R2 (La Sagra) obtained by Pan-STARRS1 and the Faulkes Telescope-North on Haleakala in Hawaii, the University of Hawaii 2.2 m, Gemini-North, and Keck I telescopes on Mauna Kea, the Danish 1.54 m telescope (operated by the MiNDSTEp consortium) at La Silla, and the Isaac Newton Telescope on La Palma. An antisolar dust tail is observed to be present from 2010 August through 2011 February, while a dust trail aligned with the object's orbit plane is also observed from 2010 December through 2011 August. Assuming typical phase darkening behavior, P/La Sagra is seen to increase in brightness by >1 mag between 2010 August and December, suggesting that dust production is ongoing over this period. These results strongly suggest that the observed activity is cometary in nature (i.e., driven by the sublimation of volatile material), and that P/La Sagra is therefore the most recent main-belt comet to be discovered. We find an approximate absolute magnitude for the nucleus of H{sub R} = 17.9 {+-} 0.2 mag, corresponding to a nucleus radius of {approx}0.7 km, assuming an albedo of p = 0.05. Comparing the observed scattering surface areas of the dust coma to that of the nucleus when P/La Sagra was active, we find dust-to-nucleus area ratios of A{sub d} /A{sub N} = 30-60, comparable to those computed for fellow main-belt comets 238P/Read and P/2008 R1 (Garradd), and one to two orders of magnitude larger than for two other main-belt comets (133P/Elst-Pizarro and 176P/LINEAR). Using optical spectroscopy to search for CN emission, we do not detect any conclusive evidence of sublimation products (i.e., gas emission), finding an upper limit CN production rate of Q{sub CN} < 6 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 23} mol s{sup -1}, from which we infer an H{sub 2}O production rate of Q{sub H{sub 2O}} < 10{sup 26} mol s{sup -1}. Numerical simulations indicate that P/La Sagra is dynamically stable for >100 Myr

  4. OBSERVATIONAL AND DYNAMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MAIN-BELT COMET P/2010 R2 (La Sagra)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsieh, Henry H.; Yang Bin; Haghighipour, Nader; Jedicke, Robert; Wainscoat, Richard J.; Denneau, Larry; Kaluna, Heather M.; Kleyna, Jan; Novaković, Bojan; Abe, Shinsuke; Chen Wenping; Ip, Wing; Kinoshita, Daisuke; Fitzsimmons, Alan; Lacerda, Pedro; Granvik, Mikael; Grav, Tommy; Knight, Matthew M.; Lisse, Carey M.; Maclennan, Eric

    2012-01-01

    We present observations of the recently discovered comet-like main-belt object P/2010 R2 (La Sagra) obtained by Pan-STARRS1 and the Faulkes Telescope-North on Haleakala in Hawaii, the University of Hawaii 2.2 m, Gemini-North, and Keck I telescopes on Mauna Kea, the Danish 1.54 m telescope (operated by the MiNDSTEp consortium) at La Silla, and the Isaac Newton Telescope on La Palma. An antisolar dust tail is observed to be present from 2010 August through 2011 February, while a dust trail aligned with the object's orbit plane is also observed from 2010 December through 2011 August. Assuming typical phase darkening behavior, P/La Sagra is seen to increase in brightness by >1 mag between 2010 August and December, suggesting that dust production is ongoing over this period. These results strongly suggest that the observed activity is cometary in nature (i.e., driven by the sublimation of volatile material), and that P/La Sagra is therefore the most recent main-belt comet to be discovered. We find an approximate absolute magnitude for the nucleus of H R = 17.9 ± 0.2 mag, corresponding to a nucleus radius of ∼0.7 km, assuming an albedo of p = 0.05. Comparing the observed scattering surface areas of the dust coma to that of the nucleus when P/La Sagra was active, we find dust-to-nucleus area ratios of A d /A N = 30-60, comparable to those computed for fellow main-belt comets 238P/Read and P/2008 R1 (Garradd), and one to two orders of magnitude larger than for two other main-belt comets (133P/Elst-Pizarro and 176P/LINEAR). Using optical spectroscopy to search for CN emission, we do not detect any conclusive evidence of sublimation products (i.e., gas emission), finding an upper limit CN production rate of Q CN 23 mol s –1 , from which we infer an H 2 O production rate of Q H 2 O 26 mol s –1 . Numerical simulations indicate that P/La Sagra is dynamically stable for >100 Myr, suggesting that it is likely native to its current location and that its composition is

  5. Effects of fermentation time and low temperature during the production process of Thai pickled fish (pla-som) on the viability and infectivity of Opisthorchis viverrini metacercariae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onsurathum, Sudarat; Pinlaor, Porntip; Haonon, Ornuma; Chaidee, Apisit; Charoensuk, Lakhanawan; Intuyod, Kitti; Boonmars, Thidarut; Laummaunwai, Porntip; Pinlaor, Somchai

    2016-02-02

    Contamination of a popular fermented fish dish, pla-som, by Opisthorchis viverrini metacercariae (OVMC) is a possible cause of carcinogenic liver fluke infection in Thailand. Affected individuals are at risk of bile duct cancer, which is a major health problem for people in the Greater Mekong Subregion. In order to investigate concerns about food safety, we studied the effects of fermentation time and low temperature on the viability and infectivity of OVMC during the pla-som production process. Pla-som was prepared at room temperature for up to 1 week in duplicate experiments using cyprinid freshwater fish obtained from an O. viverrini-endemic area. OVMC were then isolated and identified under a stereomicroscope. Complete and viable OVMC were found on days 1-4 of fermentation, while their morphology was degenerated thereafter. After OVMC were fed to hamsters, the percentage of the worm recovery after 1 to 2 months of infection was 52%, 44.7%, 11.3% and 1% for days 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. In order to measure the effect of low temperature on OVMC, fish were kept in a refrigerator (4 °C) for up to five days and then subsequently fermented for three days. In fish stored in a refrigerator for 1 and 2 days, viable OVMC were clearly observed and were able to infect hamsters, a worm-recovery percentage of 3.3% and 12.7%, respectively. By contrast, in pla-som prepared from fish stored for 3 to 5 days, OVMC were degenerated and could not infect the host. In conclusion, pla-som fermentation for more than four days and refrigerating fish for three days before pla-som processing can prevent O. viverrini infection. This study may increase awareness of fermented-fish dish preparation to prevent liver fluke infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Morphology of Poly lactide/Polycaprolactone (PLA/PCL) Nano composite by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siti Zulaiha Hairaldin; Wan Md Zin Wan Yunus; Norazowa Ibrahim

    2011-01-01

    In this study, Octadecylamine Modified Montmorillonites (ODAMMT) were used to prepare Poly lactide/ Polycaprolactone (PLA/ PCL) nano composites. PLA and PCL mix in 90:10 ratios, using an internal mixer by melt blending technique. The other sample was blend with Natrium Montmorillonite (NaMMT) and Octadecylamine Modified Montmorillonite (ODA-MMT) to produce PLA/ PCL-NaMMT and PLA/ PCL ODAMMT. To characterize the polymer nano composites, X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR and SEM analysis were conducted. Comparison of morphology were made up between PLA/ PCL, PLA/ PCL with presence of 7 % of Na-MMT and 7 % ODA-MMT respectively based on SEM micrograph by calculate the number-average diameter. (author)

  7. Investigation of the Effect of Mixing Methods and Chemical Treatments on the Conductivity of the CNT/PLA Based Composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talwar, Brijpal Singh

    The growing popularity of Poly lactic acid (PLA) is mainly due to its biocompatibility, good mechanical properties, and its synthesis from renewable resources. PLA can be compounded with electrically conductive fillers (e.g., carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) to form conductive polymer composites (CPCs). These fillers provide conductive functionality to the composite material by forming percolation paths. Featuring very low weight densities, CPCs have the potential to replace metals in the electronic industry, if they exhibit similar electrical conductivities to that of the metals. The current challenges being faced during the mixing of CNTs in the polymer matrix are: formation of aggregates due to strong van der Waals forces and breakage of CNTs during dispersion. In this study, we compare: (1) two fabrication methods to create CPCs (i.e., solution mixing by sonication and melt extrusion) (2) effect of various CNT functionalization techniques (i.e., acid and plasma treatments) on the conductivity of CPCs and (3) effect of using binding molecules like para-phenylenediamine, that act as bridges in between the CNTs in the CPCs and its effect on the conductivity of CPCs. Such conductive composite materials find widespread technological applications which either require, or could benefit from, the ability to pattern micro-sized features in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) architectures. Direct-write fabrication technique is used to realise these printed patterns, using the CPC solution as ink. First, the composites comprising of 30% PLA by weight in Dichloromethane (DCM) and CNTs in different concentrations (up to 5wt. %) are fabricated using a two-step sonication method (i.e., dissolving PLA in DCM and then dispersing the CNTs in this polymer solution). Second, CPCs are fabricated using a twin screw micro extruder operating at 180°C. To verify the effects of functionalization of the CNTs on the conductivity of composites, the CNTs are functionalized by three

  8. Investigation of Thermal and Thermomechanical Properties of Biodegradable PLA/PBSA Composites Processed via Supercritical Fluid-Assisted Foam Injection Molding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sai Aditya Pradeep

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Bio-based polymer foams have been gaining immense attention in recent years due to their positive contribution towards reducing the global carbon footprint, lightweighting, and enhancing sustainability. Currently, polylactic acid (PLA remains the most abundant commercially consumed biopolymer, but suffers from major drawbacks such as slow crystallization rate and poor melt processability. However, blending of PLA with a secondary polymer would enhance the crystallization rate and the thermal properties based on their compatibility. This study investigates the physical and compatibilized blends of PLA/poly (butylene succinate-co-adipate (PBSA processed via supercritical fluid-assisted (ScF injection molding technology using nitrogen (N2 as a facile physical blowing agent. Furthermore, this study aims at understanding the effect of blending and ScF foaming of PLA/PBSA on crystallinity, melting, and viscoelastic behavior. Results show that compatibilization, upon addition of triphenyl phosphite (TPP, led to an increase in molecular weight and a shift in melting temperature. Additionally, the glass transition temperature (Tg obtained from the tanδ curve was observed to be in agreement with the Tg value predicted by the Gordon–Taylor equation, further confirming the compatibility of PLA and PBSA. The compatibilization of ScF-foamed PLA–PBSA was found to have an increased crystallinity and storage modulus compared to their physically foamed counterparts.

  9. Pemanfaatan ekstrak jintan hitam untuk menurunkan kadar enzim LPPLA2 sebagai kandidat pengobatan aterosklerosis

    OpenAIRE

    Retno Susilowati; Evika Sandi Savitri; Kholifah Holil

    2013-01-01

    Ox-LDL deposits in the sub-endothelial easily occur in individuals who have hyperlipidemia accompanied with oxidative stress. The enzyme Lp-PLA2 is an enzyme marker of three proaterogenik conditions, those are hyperlipidemia, oxidative stress and inflammation. Black cumin seeds (Nigella sativa L.) have antioxidants ingredient that can inhibit lipid peroxidation, and expected to inhibit atherosclerosis through decreased levels of the enzyme Lp-PLA2 and F2-Isp. This study used posttest only con...

  10. Antioxidant migration resistance of SiOx layer in SiOx/PLA coated film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Chongxing; Zhao, Yuan; Su, Hongxia; Bei, Ronghua

    2018-02-01

    As novel materials for food contact packaging, inorganic silicon oxide (SiO x ) films are high barrier property materials that have been developed rapidly and have attracted the attention of many manufacturers. For the safe use of SiO x films for food packaging it is vital to study the interaction between SiO x layers and food contaminants, as well as the function of a SiO x barrier layer in antioxidant migration resistance. In this study, we deposited a SiO x layer on polylactic acid (PLA)-based films to prepare SiO x /PLA coated films by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Additionally, we compared PLA-based films and SiO x /PLA coated films in terms of the migration of different antioxidants (e.g. t-butylhydroquinone [TBHQ], butylated hydroxyanisole [BHA], and butylated hydroxytoluene [BHT]) via specific migration experiments and then investigated the effects of a SiO x layer on antioxidant migration under different conditions. The results indicate that antioxidant migration from SiO x /PLA coated films is similar to that for PLA-based films: with increase of temperature, decrease of food simulant polarity, and increase of single-sided contact time, the antioxidant migration rate and amount in SiO x /PLA coated films increase. The SiO x barrier layer significantly reduced the amount of migration of antioxidants with small and similar molecular weights and similar physical and chemical properties, while the degree of migration blocking was not significantly different among the studied antioxidants. However, the migration was affected by temperature and food simulant. Depending on the food simulants considered, the migration amount in SiO x /PLA coated films was reduced compared with that in PLA-based films by 42-46%, 44-47%, and 44-46% for TBHQ, BHA, and BHT, respectively.

  11. PLA Binaries in the Context of Competency-Based Assessment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova, Viktoria; Clougherty, R. J., Jr.

    2014-01-01

    In this article, the authors report that, as the importance of competency-based learning (CBL) in higher education discourse surges, it not only further validates prior learning assessment (PLA), but it demonstrates PLA's essential nature as an important framework for assessing learning that has been acquired outside of traditional academia.…

  12. The Cell Nucleus Serves as a Mechanotransducer of Tissue Damage-Induced Inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enyedi, Balázs; Jelcic, Mark; Niethammer, Philipp

    2016-05-19

    Tissue damage activates cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), releasing arachidonic acid (AA), which is oxidized to proinflammatory eicosanoids by 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) on the nuclear envelope. How tissue damage is sensed to activate cPLA2 is unknown. We investigated this by live imaging in wounded zebrafish larvae, where damage of the fin tissue causes osmotic cell swelling at the wound margin and the generation of a chemotactic eicosanoid signal. Osmotic swelling of cells and their nuclei activates cPla2 by translocating it from the nucleoplasm to the nuclear envelope. Elevated cytosolic Ca(2+) was necessary but not sufficient for cPla2 translocation, and nuclear swelling was required in parallel. cPla2 translocation upon nuclear swelling was reconstituted in isolated nuclei and appears to be a simple physical process mediated by tension in the nuclear envelope. Our data suggest that the nucleus plays a mechanosensory role in inflammation by transducing cell swelling and lysis into proinflammatory eicosanoid signaling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Activated sludge model No. 2d, ASM2d

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Henze, M.

    1999-01-01

    The Activated Sludge Model No. 2d (ASM2d) presents a model for biological phosphorus removal with simultaneous nitrification-denitrification in activated sludge systems. ASM2d is based on ASM2 and is expanded to include the denitrifying activity of the phosphorus accumulating organisms (PAOs......). This extension of ASM2 allows for improved modeling of the processes, especially with respect to the dynamics of nitrate and phosphate. (C) 1999 IAWQ Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved....

  14. Study of Effects on Mechanical Properties of PLA Filament which is blended with Recycled PLA Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babagowda; Kadadevara Math, R. S.; Goutham, R.; Srinivas Prasad, K. R.

    2018-02-01

    Fused deposition modeling is a rapidly growing additive manufacturing technology due to its ability to build functional parts having complex geometry. The mechanical properties of the build part is depends on several process parameters and build material of the printed specimen. The aim of this study is to characterize and optimize the parameters such as layer thickness and PLA build material which is mixed with recycled PLA material. Tensile and flexural or bending test are carried out to determine the mechanical response characteristics of the printed specimen. Taguchi method is used for number of experiments and Taguchi S/N ratio is used to identify the set of parameters which give good results for respective response characteristics, effectiveness of each parameters is investigated by using analysis of variance (ANOVA).

  15. Effect of the state of water and relative humidity on ageing of PLA films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocca-Smith, J R; Chau, N; Champion, D; Brachais, C-H; Marcuzzo, E; Sensidoni, A; Piasente, F; Karbowiak, T; Debeaufort, F

    2017-12-01

    Various types of food are now commercialized in packaging materials based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) due to its eco-friendly nature. However, one of the main limitations related to PLA is its reactivity with water. For food applications, it is of critical importance to better understand the hydrolysis of PLA driven by water molecules either in liquid or in vapour state. This work focuses on the modifications of PLA induced by water when simulating contact with semi-dry foods (a w ≈0.5), high moisture foods (a w ≈1) and liquid foods (a w ≈1). This study undoubtedly shows that both the chemical potential of water and its physical state influence the hydrolytic degradation of PLA films. From a practical point of view, PLA packaging is very well suited for semi-dry foods, but is highly sensitive to high moisture and liquid foods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Additive Manufacturing and Characterization of Polylactic Acid (PLA) Composites Containing Metal Reinforcements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuentz, Lily; Salem, Anton; Singh, M.; Halbig, M. C.; Salem, J. A.

    2016-01-01

    Additive manufacturing of polymeric systems using 3D printing has become quite popular recently due to rapid growth and availability of low cost and open source 3D printers. Two widely used 3D printing filaments are based on polylactic acid (PLA) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) systems. PLA is much more environmentally friendly in comparison to ABS since it is made from renewable resources such as corn, sugarcane, and other starches as precursors. Recently, polylactic acid-based metal powder containing composite filaments have emerged which could be utilized for multifunctional applications. The composite filaments have higher density than pure PLA, and the majority of the materials volume is made up of polylactic acid. In order to utilize functionalities of composite filaments, printing behavior and properties of 3-D printed composites need to be characterized and compared with the pure PLA materials. In this study, pure PLA and composite specimens with different metallic reinforcements (Copper, Bronze, Tungsten, Iron, etc) were 3D printed at various layer heights and resulting microstructures and properties were characterized. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) behavior of filaments with different reinforcements were studied. The microscopy results show an increase in porosity between 3-D printed regular PLA and the metal composite PLA samples, which could produce weaker mechanical properties in the metal composite materials. Tensile strength and fracture toughness behavior of specimens as a function of print layer height will be presented.

  17. Involvement of p38 MAPK- and JNK-modulated expression of Bcl-2 and Bax in Naja nigricollis CMS-9-induced apoptosis of human leukemia K562 cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ying-Jung; Liu, Wen-Hsin; Kao, Pei-Hsiu; Wang, Jeh-Jeng; Chang, Long-Sen

    2010-06-15

    CMS-9, a phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) isolated from Naja nigricollis venom, induced apoptosis of human leukemia K562 cells, characterized by mitochondrial depolarization, modulation of Bcl-2 family members, cytochrome c release and activation of caspases 9 and 3. Moreover, an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was noted. Pretreatment with BAPTA-AM (Ca2+ chelator) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC, ROS scavenger) proved that Ca2+ was an upstream event in inducing ROS generation. Upon exposure to CMS-9, activation of p38 MAPK and JNK was observed in K562 cells. BAPTA-AM or NAC abrogated CMS-9-elicited p38 MAPK and JNK activation, and rescued viability of CMS-9-treated K562 cells. SB202190 (p38 MAPK inhibitor) and SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) suppressed CMS-9-induced dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential, Bcl-2 down-regulation, Bax up-regulation and increased mitochondrial translocation of Bax. Inactivation of PLA(2) activity reduced drastically the cytotoxicity of CMS-9, and a combination of lysophosphatidylcholine and stearic acid mimicked the cytotoxic effects of CMS-9. Taken together, our data suggest that CMS-9-induced apoptosis of K562 cells is catalytic activity-dependent and is mediated through mitochondria-mediated death pathway triggered by Ca2+/ROS-evoked p38 MAPK and JNK activation. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Unmasking Snake Venom of Bothrops leucurus: Purification and Pharmacological and Structural Characterization of New PLA2 Bleu TX-III

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marangoni, Fábio André; Ponce-Soto, Luis Alberto; Marangoni, Sergio; Landucci, Elen Cristina Teizem

    2013-01-01

    Bleu TX-III was isolated from Bothrops leucurus snake venom on one-step analytical chromatography reverse phase HPLC, was homogeneous on SDS-PAGE, and was confirmed by Q-Tof Ultima API ESI/MS (TOF MS mode) mass spectrometry in 14243.8 Da. Multiple alignments of Bleu TX-III show high degree of homology with basic PLA2 myotoxins from other Bothrops venoms. Our studies on local and systemic myotoxicity “in vivo” reveal that Bleu TX-III is myotoxin with local but not systemic action due to the decrease in the plasmatic CK levels when Bleu TX-III is administrated by intravenous route in mice (dose 1 and 5 μg). And at a dose of 20 μg myotoxin behaves like a local and systemic action. Bleu TX-III induced moderate marked paw edema, evidencing the local increase in vascular permeability. The inflammatory events induced in the mice (I.M.) were investigated. The increase in the levels of IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α was observed in the plasma. It is concluded that Bleu TX-III induces inflammatory events in this model. The enzymatic phospholipid hydrolysis may be relevant to these phenomena. Bothrops leucurus venom is still not extensively explored, and the knowledge of its toxins separately through the study of structure/function will contribute for a better understanding of its action mechanism. PMID:23509815

  19. Preparation and Characterization of PLA-Starch Biodegradable Composites Via Radiation Processing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hemvichian, K.; Suwanmala, P. [Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology (TINT) (Thailand); Kungsumrith, W. [Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Thammasat University (TU) (Thailand); Pongprayoon, T. [Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), Bangkok (Thailand)

    2011-07-01

    This research project aims to apply the use of radiation processing to prepare biodegradable composites from poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA) and cassava starch. Cassava starch, a natural polymer that is inexpensive and abundant, especially in Thailand, will be used as starting material. Functional group of cassava starch will be modified first in order to render starch more compatible with PLA. The monomer with desired functional groups will be grafted onto the backbone of starch via radiation-induced grafting polymerization. Different parameters will be examined to determine the optimum conditions for the grafting polymerization. The modified starch will subsequently be blended with PLA, with and without clay, to form biodegradable composites. In order to further improve the thermal properties, the blends and their composites will be subjected to radiation to induce crosslinking between the molecules of PLA and starch derivatives. (author)

  20. Preparation and Characterization of PLA-Starch Biodegradable Composites Via Radiation Processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hemvichian, K.; Suwanmala, P.; Kungsumrith, W.; Pongprayoon, T.

    2011-01-01

    This research project aims to apply the use of radiation processing to prepare biodegradable composites from poly(lactic acid) or polylactide (PLA) and cassava starch. Cassava starch, a natural polymer that is inexpensive and abundant, especially in Thailand, will be used as starting material. Functional group of cassava starch will be modified first in order to render starch more compatible with PLA. The monomer with desired functional groups will be grafted onto the backbone of starch via radiation-induced grafting polymerization. Different parameters will be examined to determine the optimum conditions for the grafting polymerization. The modified starch will subsequently be blended with PLA, with and without clay, to form biodegradable composites. In order to further improve the thermal properties, the blends and their composites will be subjected to radiation to induce crosslinking between the molecules of PLA and starch derivatives. (author)

  1. In vivo PTH provokes apical NHE3 and NaPi2 redistribution and Na-K-ATPase inhibition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Y; Norian, J M; Magyar, C E

    1999-01-01

    and to determine whether the same cellular signals drive the changes in apical and basolateral transporters. PTH-(1-34) (20 U), which couples to adenylate cyclase (AC), phospholipase C (PLC), and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), or [Nle8,18,Tyr34]PTH-(3-34) (10 U), which couples to PLC and PLA2 but not AC, were given....../diuresis and NHE3 and NaPi2 internalization, and that Na-K-ATPase inhibition is not secondary to depressed apical Na+ transport....

  2. Morphology and thermal properties of PLA films plasticized with aliphatic oligoesters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inacio, Erika M.; Dias, Marcos L.; Lima, Maria Celiana P.

    2015-01-01

    The addition of plasticizers to poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the known ways of changing its ductility, making possible the modification of its mechanical and thermal properties. In this work, it was synthesized two biodegradable aliphatic oligoesters: oligo(trimethylene sebacate) (OST) and oligo(trimethylene malonate) (OMT), and these oligomers were used as plasticizer in cast films of commercial film grade PLA at concentrations of 1, 5 and 10 wt% of each plasticizer. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to investigate the morphology and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also used aiming the evaluation of the thermal properties of these films. The PLA films containing no plasticizer showed an amorphous behavior, and the addition of PMT on the PLA films acted, simultaneously, decreasing the Tg, and rising the material's crystallinity. In contrast, the increased addition of OST to the PLA films did not change the Tg, and equally, did not have a significant changes in the material's crystallinity. Therefore, it was possible to observe the effect of the concentration of oligomers on the crystallinity of the films as well as the no plasticizer effect of the OST. (author)

  3. The effect of the stretching of PLA extruded films on their crystallinity and gas barrier properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guinault, A.; Menary, G. H.; Courgneau, C.; Griffith, D.; Ducruet, V.; Miri, V.; Sollogoub, C.

    2011-05-01

    Driven by environmental concerns, new polymers based on renewable resources are arriving on the market to replace conventional polymers, obtained from petroleum, for different applications like food packaging. One of the most prominent polymers among these materials is poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a biodegradable, thermoplastic, aliphatic polyester derived from renewable resources, such as corn starch (in the USA) or sugarcanes (in the rest of the world). However this polymer presents different disadvantages and especially low gas barrier properties [1]. Thermal crystallization can be used to increase its gas barrier properties but long times are necessary [2] and are not compatible with an industrial process. Another way to increase the gas barrier properties consists in stretching the film in order to increase its crystallinity and so its diffusion coefficient. We have prepared stretched PLA films with different stretch ratio and we have studied the effect of the stretching parameters on the gas barrier properties of PLA films. Finally we compared this process with the isothermal crystallization process by taking into account the crystallinity degree and the crystalline morphology.

  4. Resveratrol-loaded polymeric nanoparticles: validation of an HPLC-PDA method to determine the drug entrapment and evaluation of its antioxidant activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    da Rocha Lindner, Gabriela; Khalil, Najeh Maissar; Mainardes, Rubiana Mara

    2013-01-01

    Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and PLA-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLA-PEG) nanoparticles containing resveratrol (RVT) were developed, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated. An analytical method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/photodiode array (PDA) detection was also developed and validated for RVT determination in nanoparticles. The mobile phase consisted of methanol : water (51 : 49, v/v) flowed at 0.9 mL/min, and the PDA detector was set at wavelength of 306 nm. The mean diameter of the nanoparticles varied between 180 and 220 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency of RVT ranged from 60% to 88%. The nanoparticles containing RVT were evaluated for their ability to scavenge the radical (2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt) (ABTS•⁺). The profile obtained from the PLA nanoparticles containing RVT demonstrated that after 24 h, there was almost no increase in antioxidant activity, which was lower than that of the free RVT and RVT-loaded PLA-PEG nanoparticles. For PLA-PEG nanoparticles, the radical-scavenging activity of RVT was shown to increase with time, and after 48 h, it was similar to that observed with free RVT.

  5. Resveratrol-Loaded Polymeric Nanoparticles: Validation of an HPLC-PDA Method to Determine the Drug Entrapment and Evaluation of Its Antioxidant Activity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela da Rocha Lindner

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Poly(lactic acid (PLA and PLA-poly(ethylene glycol (PLA-PEG nanoparticles containing resveratrol (RVT were developed, and their antioxidant activity was evaluated. An analytical method using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC/photodiode array (PDA detection was also developed and validated for RVT determination in nanoparticles. The mobile phase consisted of methanol : water (51 : 49, v/v flowed at 0.9 mL/min, and the PDA detector was set at wavelength of 306 nm. The mean diameter of the nanoparticles varied between 180 and 220 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency of RVT ranged from 60% to 88%. The nanoparticles containing RVT were evaluated for their ability to scavenge the radical (2,2-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid diammonium salt (ABTS•+. The profile obtained from the PLA nanoparticles containing RVT demonstrated that after 24 h, there was almost no increase in antioxidant activity, which was lower than that of the free RVT and RVT-loaded PLA-PEG nanoparticles. For PLA-PEG nanoparticles, the radical-scavenging activity of RVT was shown to increase with time, and after 48 h, it was similar to that observed with free RVT.

  6. Flax fiber reinforced PLA composites: studies on types of PLA and different methods of fabrication

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Kumar, R

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Natural fibers are used as reinforcement material for number of thermoplastic/thermoset polymers. The interest in using polylactic acid (PLA) as thermoplastic matrix to produce composites completely from 100% renewable resources has increased...

  7. Effect of reactive agent and transesterification catalyst on properties of PLA/PBAT blends

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pitivut, S; Suttiruengwong, S; Seadan, M

    2015-01-01

    This research aimed to study the properties of poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) blends with two different reactive systems: free radical reaction through peroxide (Perkadox) and transesterification catalyst (tetrabutyl titanate; TBT). Two blends composed of PLA as a matrix phase with the composition of 80 and 70 percent by weight. PLA/PBAT blends with Perkadox were prepared in twin screw extruder, whereas PLA/PBAT blends with TBT were prepared in an internal mixer. The morphology of the blends was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Tensile and impact testingsof the blends were reported. In case of the blends with Perkadox, SEM micrographs revealed that the size of particles was substantially reduced when adding more Perkadox. Young's modulus and the tensile strength of all blend ratios were insignificantly changed, whereas the elongation at break was decreased when compared to non-reactive blends due to the possible crosslinking reaction as observed from melt flow index (MFI) values. When adding Perkadox, the impact strength of PLA/PBAT (80/20) remained almost unchanged. However, the impact strength of PLA/PBAT (70/30) was enhanced, increasing to 110% for 0.05 phr Perkadox. In case of the blends with TBT, SEM micrographs showed the decrease in the particle size of PBAT phase when adding TBT. Young's modulus and the tensile strength of all blend ratios were not different, but the elongation at break was improved when adding TBT owing to the transesterification reaction. For PLA/PBAT (80/20), the elongation at break was increased by 39%, whereas the elongation at break was increased by 15% for PLA/PLA (70/30). The impact strength of all blend ratios unaffected. (paper)

  8. Liposome-based delivery systems for ginsenoside Rh2: in vitro and in vivo comparisons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Linqiang [China Pharmaceutical University, Department of Pharmaceutics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines (China); Yu, Hua [University of Macao, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (China); Yin, Shaoping; Zhang, Ruixia; Zhou, Yudan; Li, Juan, E-mail: lijuancpu@163.com [China Pharmaceutical University, Department of Pharmaceutics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines (China)

    2015-10-15

    The Ginsenoside Rh2 (Rh2) has been shown to possess anti-cancer properties both in vitro and in vivo. However, the poor bioavailability and fast plasma elimination limit the further clinical applications of Rh2 for cancer treatments. In the present study, three types of Rh2-loaded liposomes including Rh2-loaded normal liposome (Rh2-LP), Rh2-loaded cationic liposome (Rh2-CLP), and Rh2-loaded Methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(lactide) (mPEG-PLA) liposome (Rh2-PLP) have been optimized and prepared with mean particle size of 80–125 nm. Compared to Rh2-LP, surface modifications with mPEG or octadecylamine significantly improve the physicochemical and biological properties both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, PLP presented better tumor accumulation of the fluorescent cyanine dye, 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindotricarbocyanine iodide (DiR) in HepG2-xenografted nude mice than CLP (1.3-fold) or LP (1.6-fold) and prolong the resident time of DiR in tumor and organs (more than 24 h). The in vivo anti-cancer efficacy assessments indicate that Rh2-PLP presents the most activity on suppressing tumor growth in HepG2-xenografted mice than Rh2-LP and Rh2-CLP and without any significant toxicity. Our results indicate that mPEG-PLA modified liposome should be a potential and promising strategy to enhance the therapeutic index for anti-cancer agents.

  9. Quantification of Pla or 3, a Platanus orientalis Allergen, Grown under Different Environmental Conditions, by Sandwich ELISA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sedghy, Farnaz; Sankian, Mojtaba; Moghadam, Maliheh; Varasteh, Abdol-Reza

    2016-10-01

    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. Pollen samples were collected from three polluted and two unpolluted sites in Mashhad, northeast Iran. Recombinant Pla or 3 was expressed and used for polyclonal antibody production in rabbit. A sandwich ELISA was developed and validated to quantify Pla or 3 levels in pollen extracts from the different sites. The coefficients of variation (CVs) for the intra- and inter- day assays were less than 5 and 18%, respectively. The working range of the standard curve was between 0.1 and 25 ng/ml, with the detection limit being 0.037 ng/ml. The recovery percentage was 88-106.4% at working concentrations from 0.31 to 26.5 ng/ml. Pla or 3 levels were significantly greater in pollens grown near high-traffic roads than in those grown in rural regions (p Pla or 3 in pollen extracts. Using this validated ELISA, we showed a substantial difference between the amounts of Pla or 3 in pollens grown in different environments. This finding should be considered in developing public policies to reduce traffic pollution, which leads to reduced allergic reactions in atopic subjects.

  10. Use of sequential infiltration synthesis to improve the pattern transfer of PS-b-PLA DSA (Conference Presentation)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evangelio Araujo, Laura; Fernández-Regúlez, Marta; Chevalier, Xavier; Nicolet, Célia; Cayrefourcq, Ian; Navarro, Christophe; Fleury, Guillaume; Pérez-Murano, Francesc

    2017-03-01

    Directed self-assembly of block copolymers is considered one of the candidates to fulfill the requirements of the next technological nodes [1,2]. Polymer domains are aligned by using a chemical and/or a topographical pre-pattern in which preferential surfaces to one of the two blocks or neutral wetting areas are created. In particular, polystyrene-block-polymetylmethacrylate (PS-b-PMMA) has been extensively studied during the last years showing strong capabilities to define periodic nanostructures. However, the relatively low Flory-Huggins parameter and, the resulting low segregation strength of PS-b-PMMA systems, limit their achievable resolution to around 11 nm [3]. The application of block copolymer on sub-10 nm technologies requires the development of the new block copolymer generation known as high- block copolymers. Additionally, an important requirement for their integration on the lithography roadmap is the capability of selectively remove one of the two blocks. The etch contrast between the two domains is typically low due to their organic chemistry. In this sense, selective sequential infiltration synthesis by ALD into one of the blocks can be used in order to incorporate an inorganic material. The formed organic/inorganic blend sustains better the plasma etching to remove the non-infiltrated organic block. In this contribution, we show the use of high- polystyrene-b-polylactide acid (PS-b-PLA) lamellar block copolymer for line/space applications. PS-b-PLA has a larger Flory-Huggins parameter (=0.218 at room temperature[4]) compared with PS-b-PMMA, allowing the size reduction of the self-assembled domains. The method to control the orientation of the polymer domains is similar to the one typically used for PS-b-PMMA. Chemical contrast and the subsequent alignment of the polymer domains are achieved by the definition of a chemical pre-pattern on a random copolymer PS-r-PMMA (48% of PS) (figure 1). The polymer brush is grafted on the substrate and then

  11. Effect of composition ratio on the thermal and physical properties of semicrystalline PLA/PHB-HHx composites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Jung Seop; Park, Ku-il; Chung, Gun Soo; Kim, Jong Hoon

    2013-05-01

    In this study, composites of semicrystalline, biodegradable polylactide (PLA) and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) (PHB-HHx) were prepared by direct melt compounding. The physical and thermal properties of the composites were investigated as a function of the composition ratio. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis indicated that PLA and PHB-HHx formed immiscible composites over the observed range of composition. The crystallization of PLA was gradually suppressed by increasing proportions of PHB-HHx. Dynamic mechanical analysis results confirmed that the innate ductility of PHB-HHX and its inhibiting effect on PLA crystallization improved the stiffness of the composite compared to those of neat PLA. The infrared spectra of the immiscible PLA/PHB-HHx composites at two crystallization temperatures (30 °C, 130 °C) were obtained and presented. At 30 °C, PHB-HHx existed as crystalline domains in the PLA matrix, while, amorphous phase of molten PHB-HHx was diffused within the crystalline phase of PLA at 130 °C. The interaction between PHB-HHX and PLA could not be elucidated from the temperature data. Mechanical tests showed that the addition of PHB-HHx improves ductility of PLA/PHB-HHx composite. Morphological analysis revealed that small proportions of PHB-HHx exhibited less tendency to aggregate, which resulted in greater plastic deformation and improved toughness. From this study, PLA blended with small portions of PHB-HHx may further expand the use of bio-friendly resources in a variety of applications such as flexible films, food packaging and something like that. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Active species in a large volume N2-O2 post-discharge reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kutasi, K; Pintassilgo, C D; Loureiro, J; Coelho, P J

    2007-01-01

    A large volume post-discharge reactor placed downstream from a flowing N 2 -O 2 microwave discharge is modelled using a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The density distributions of the most populated active species present in the reactor-O( 3 P), O 2 (a 1 Δ g ), O 2 (b 1 Σ g + ), NO(X 2 Π), NO(A 2 Σ + ), NO(B 2 Π), NO 2 (X), O 3 , O 2 (X 3 Σ g - ) and N( 4 S)-are calculated and the main source and loss processes for each species are identified for two discharge conditions: (i) p = 2 Torr, f = 2450 MHz, and (ii) p = 8 Torr, f = 915 MHz; in the case of a N 2 -2%O 2 mixture composition and gas flow rate of 2 x 10 3 sccm. The modification of the species relative densities by changing the oxygen percentage in the initial gas mixture composition, in the 0.2%-5% range, are presented. The possible tuning of the species concentrations in the reactor by changing the size of the connecting afterglow tube between the active discharge and the large post-discharge reactor is investigated as well

  13. Photoluminescence properties of Eu2+-activated Ca2Y2Si2O9 phosphor

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhang, Zhijun; Delsing, A.C.A.; Notten, P.H.L.; Zhao, Jingtai; Hintzen, H.T.J.M.

    2012-01-01

    Eu2+-activated Ca2Y2Si2O9 phosphors with different Eu2+ concentrations have been prepared by a solid-state reaction method at high temperature and their photoluminescence (PL) properties were investigated. Photoluminescence results show that Eu2+-doped Ca2Y2Si2O9 can be efficiently excited by

  14. Photo-cross-linked PLA-PEO-PLA hydrogels from self-assembled physical networks: mechanical properties and influence of assumed constitutive relationships.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanabria-DeLong, Naomi; Crosby, Alfred J; Tew, Gregory N

    2008-10-01

    Poly(lactide)-block-poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(lactide) (PLA-PEO-PLA) triblock copolymers are known to form physical hydrogels in water as a result of the polymer's amphiphilicity. Their mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and biodegradability have made them attractive for use as soft tissue scaffolds. However, the network junction points are not covalently cross-linked, and in a highly aqueous environment these hydrogels adsorb more water, transform from gel to sol, and lose the designed mechanical properties. In this article, a hydrogel was formed by the use of a novel two-step approach. In the first step, the end-functionalized PLA-PEO-PLA triblock was self-assembled into a physical hydrogel through hydrophobic micelle network junctions, and in the second step, this self-assembled physical network structure was locked into place by photo-cross-linking the terminal acrylate groups. In contrast with physical hydrogels, the photo-cross-linked gels remained intact in phosphate-buffered solution at body temperature. The swelling, degradation, and mechanical properties were characterized, and they demonstrated an extended degradation time (approximately 65 days), an exponential decrease in modulus with degradation time, and a tunable shear modulus (1.6-133 kPa). We also discuss the various constitutive relationships (Hookean, neo-Hookean, and Mooney-Rivlin) that can be used to describe the stress-strain behavior of these hydrogels. The chosen model and assumptions used for data fitting influenced the obtained modulus values by as much as a factor of 3.5, which demonstrates the importance of clearly stating one's data fitting parameters so that accurate comparisons can be made within the literature.

  15. Analysis of interleukin (IL)-1 beta and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta-induced signal transduction pathways in IL-2 and TGF-beta secretion and proliferation in the thymoma cell line EL4.NOB-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Siese, A; Jaros, P P; Willig, A

    1999-02-01

    In the present study we investigated the interleukin (IL)-1beta and transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1)-mediated proliferation, and production of IL-2 and TGF-beta, in the murine T-cell line, EL4.NOB-1. This cell line is resistant to TGF-beta concerning growth arrest but not autoinduction or suppression of IL-1-induced IL-2 production. When cocultured with IL-1beta, TGF-beta showed growth-promoting activity that could be antagonized by adding the phosphatidyl choline-dependent phospholipase C (PC-PLC) inhibitor, D609. Using specific enzyme inhibitors of protein kinases (PK) C and A, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), phosphatidylinositol-dependent (PI)-PLC and PC-PLC, we showed that IL-1beta-induced IL-2 synthesis was dependent on all investigated kinases and phospholipases, except PC-PLC. TGF-beta1 was able to inhibit IL-2 synthesis by the activation of PKA and MAPK. The same kinases are involved in TGF-beta autoinduction that is accompanied by a secretion of the active but not the latent growth factor and is antagonized by IL-1beta. Addition of the PI-PLC inhibitor, ET 18OCH3, or the PLA2 inhibitor (quinacrine) alone, resulted in secretion of latent TGF-beta and, in the case of ET 18OCH3, active TGF-beta. These data implicate a role for PI-PLC and PLA2 in the control of latency and secretion. Analysis of specific tyrosine activity and c-Fos expression showed synergistic but no antagonistic effects. These events are therefore not involved in IL- and TGF-beta-regulated IL-2 and TGF-beta production, but might participate in IL-1/TGF-beta-induced growth promotion.

  16. Tensile and morphology properties of PLA/LNR blends modified with maleic anhydride grafted-polylactic acid and -natural rubber

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruf, Mohd Farid Hakim Mohd; Ahmad, Sahrim; Chen, Ruey Shan; Shahdan, Dalila; Zailan, Farrah Diyana

    2018-04-01

    This research was carried out to investigate the addition of grafted copolymers of maleic anhydride grafted-polylactic acid(PLA-g-MA) and maleic anhydride grafted-natural rubber (NR-g-MA) on the tensile and morphology properties of polylactic acid/ liquid natural rubber (PLA/LNR) blends. Prior to blend preparation, the PLA-g-MA and NR-g-MA was first self-synthesized using maleic anhydride (MA) and dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as initiator together with the PLA and NR respectively. The PLA/LNR, PLA/LNR/PLA-g-MA and PLA/LNR/NR-g-MA blends were prepared via melt-blending method. The loading of PLA-g-MA and NR-g-MA was varied by 5, 10 and 15 wt% respectively. The addition of PLA-g-MA led to increment in tensile strength with 5 and 10 wt% while NR-g-MA gives lower than controlled sample (PLA/LNR blend). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed the interaction of the components in the blends. The PLA/LNR compatibilized with PLA-g-MA and NR-g-MA shows greater dispersion and adhesion.

  17. Biodegradable micelles enhance the antiglioma activity of curcumin in vitro and in vivo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zheng S

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Songping Zheng,1,* Xiang Gao,1,2,* Xiaoxiao Liu,1 Ting Yu,1 Tianying Zheng,1 Yi Wang,1 Chao You1 1Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Pharmacology, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA *These authors contributed equally to this work Abstract: Curcumin (Cur, a natural polyphenol of Curcuma longa, has been recently reported to possess antitumor activities. However, due to its poor aqueous solubility and low biological availability, the clinical application of Cur is quite limited. The encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs into nanoparticles is an effective way to improve their pharmaceutical activities. In this research, nanomicelles loaded with Cur were formulated by a self-assembly method with biodegradable monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol-poly(lactide copolymers (MPEG-PLAs. After encapsulation, the cellular uptake was increased and Cur could be released from MPEG-PLA micelles in a sustained manner. The Cur-loaded MPEG-PLA micelles (Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles exhibited an enhanced toxicity on C6 and U251 glioma cells and induced more apoptosis on C6 glioma cells compared with free Cur. Moreover, the therapy efficiency of Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles was evaluated at length on a nude mouse model bearing glioma. The Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles were more effective on suppressing tumor growth compared with free Cur, which indicated that Cur/MPEG-PLA micelles improved the antiglioma activity of Cur in vivo. The results of immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analysis indicated that the induction of apoptosis, antiangiogenesis, and inhibition of cell proliferation may contribute to the improvement in antiglioma effects. Our data suggested that Cur/MPEG-PLA may have potential clinic applications in glioma therapy. Keywords: curcumin, glioma, cell apoptosis, cell proliferation, angiogenesis 

  18. Shape memory polymer hybrids of SBS/dl-PLA and their shape memory effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Heng; Chen, Zhi; Zheng, Zheng; Zhu, Xiaomin; Wang, Haitao

    2013-01-01

    The hybrids of styrene-butadiene-styrene tri-block copolymer (SBS) and amorphous poly(dl-lactic acid) (dl-PLA) are found to exhibit shape memory effects, which gives an example of a dual-domain shape memory system consisting of an elastic domain and a thermo-switch domain. The dual-domain manner in this hybrid is studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Subsequently, the tensile test clarifies the interactions of the two domains on shape memory effects. As an elastic domain, SBS offers good shape recovery when its content exceeds 50 wt%. As a thermo-switch domain, dl-PLA triggers the shape memory effect at ca. 55 °C and offers good shape fixing when the content exceeds 30 wt%. An easy-to-do and easy-to-know feature of the hybrid is that the optimization of shape memory effect can be achieved by generating bicontinous phases of SBS and dl-PLA, in which the dl-PLA content ranges from 30 to 70 wt%. -- Highlights: ► The composite materials of SBS and amorphous dl-PLA were prepared by blending. ► A continuous domain was observed with the increasing content of dl-PLA. ► The composites exhibited shape memory effects.

  19. Improving the engineering properties of PLA for 3D printing and beyond

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rocha Gutierrez, Carmen Raquel

    Additive manufacturing (AM), now more commonly known as 3D printing, has been classified as efficient, fast, and practical in the prototyping sector of product development. In the work presented here, we will use one of the AM techniques known as Material extrusion 3D printing (ME3DP), which has all the advantages of AM. However, one of the biggest challenges facing ME3DP technologies is the limitation of the range of materials used by this technique. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and poly-lactic acid (PLA) are currently the most common thermoplastics materials used in ME3DP because of their ability to melt and be reprocessed. PLA is a biodegradable polymer derived from renewable sources such as corn, and sugarcane. The expanded use of this polymer over traditional petroleum-based plastics (ABS) will decrease the demand on petrochemicals, and also lead to less non-biodegradable polymeric waste. While PLA offers an eco-friendly solution for polymeric 3D printing, the mechanical performance is limited by PLA's inherent characteristics (such as moisture absorbance) that may degrade the plastic during processing. PLA novel systems were used through this research maintaining the compatibility with material extrusion 3D printers. The purpose of this investigation is to alter the physical properties of PLA with sustainable additives in order to improve the end use products from this material.

  20. A new approach in compatibilization of the poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic starch (PLA/TPS) blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akrami, Marzieh; Ghasemi, Ismaeil; Azizi, Hamed; Karrabi, Mohammad; Seyedabadi, Mohammad

    2016-06-25

    In this study, a new compatibilizer was synthesized to improve the compatibility of the poly(lactic acid)/thermoplastic starch blends. The compatibilizer was based on maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene glycol grafted starch (mPEG-g-St), and was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and back titration techniques. The results indicated successful accomplishment of the designed reactions and formation of a starch cored structure with many connections to m-PEG chains. To assess the performance of synthesized compatibilizer, several PLA/TPS blends were prepared using an internal mixer. Consequently, their morphology, dynamic-mechanical behavior, crystallization and mechanical properties were studied. The compatibilizer enhanced interfacial adhesion, possibly due to interaction between free end carboxylic acid groups of compatibilizer and active groups of TPS and PLA phases. In addition, biodegradability of the samples was evaluated by various methods consisting of weight loss, FTIR-ATR analysis and morphology. The results revealed no considerable effect of compatibilizer on biodegradability of samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.