Human breast cancer-derived soluble factors facilitate CCL19-induced chemotaxis of human dendritic cells

Breast cancer remains as a challenging disease with high mortality in women. Increasing evidence points the importance of understanding a crosstalk between breast cancers and immune cells, but little is known about the effect of breast cancer-derived factors on the migratory properties of dendritic cells (DCs) and their consequent capability in inducing T cell immune responses. Utilizing a unique 3D microfluidic device, we here showed that breast cancers (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-436 and SK-BR-3)-derived soluble factors increase the migration of DCs toward CCL19. The enhanced migration of DCs was mainly mediated via the highly activated JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway, increasing their directional persistence, while the velocity of DCs was not influenced, particularly when they were co-cultured with triple negative breast cancer cells (TNBCs or MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436). The DCs up-regulated inflammatory cytokines IL-1?? and IL-6 and induced T cells more proliferative and resistant against activation-induced cell death (AICD), which secret high levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1??, IL-6 and IFN-??. This study demonstrated new possible evasion strategy of TNBCs utilizing their soluble factors that exploit the directionality of DCs toward chemokine responses, leading to the building of inflammatory milieu which may support their own growth.ope

Uncovering Suitable Reference Proteins for Expression Studies in Human Adipose Tissue with Relevance to Obesity

Protein expression studies based on the two major intra-abdominal human fat depots, the subcutaneous and the omental fat, can shed light into the mechanisms involved in obesity and its co-morbidities. Here we address, for the first time, the identification and validation of reference proteins for data standardization, which are essential for accurate comparison of protein levels in expression studies based on fat from obese and non-obese individuals.To uncover adipose tissue proteins equally expressed either in omental and subcutaneous fat depots (study 1) or in omental fat from non-obese and obese individuals (study 2), we have reanalyzed our previously published data based on two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis. Twenty-four proteins (12 in study 1 and 12 in study 2) with similar expression levels in all conditions tested were selected and identified by mass spectrometry. Immunoblotting analysis was used to confirm in adipose tissue the expression pattern of the potential reference proteins and three proteins were validated: PARK7, ENOA and FAA. Western Blot analysis was also used to test customary loading control proteins. ENOA, PARK7 and the customary loading control protein Beta-actin showed steady expression profiles in fat from non-obese and obese individuals, whilst FAA maintained steady expression levels across paired omental and subcutaneous fat samples.ENOA, PARK7 and Beta-actin are proper reference standards in obesity studies based on omental fat, whilst FAA is the best loading control for the comparative analysis of omental and subcutaneous adipose tissues either in obese and non-obese subjects. Neither customary loading control proteins GAPDH and TBB5 nor CALX are adequate standards in differential expression studies on adipose tissue. The use of the proposed reference proteins will facilitate the adequate analysis of proteins differentially expressed in the context of obesity, an aim difficult to achieve before this study

Integrins as therapeutic targets: lessons and opportunities.

The integrins are a large family of cell adhesion molecules that are essential for the regulation of cell growth and function. The identification of key roles for integrins in a diverse range of diseases, including cancer, infection, thrombosis and autoimmune disorders, has revealed their substantial potential as therapeutic targets. However, so far, pharmacological inhibitors for only three integrins have received marketing approval. This article discusses the structure and function of integrins, their roles in disease and the chequered history of the approved integrin antagonists. Recent advances in the understanding of integrin function, ligand interaction and signalling pathways suggest novel strategies for inhibiting integrin function that could help harness their full potential as therapeutic targets

Improved measurement of CP violation parameters in Bs0→J/ψK+K− decays in the vicinity of the ϕ(1020) resonance

The decay-time-dependent C P asymmetry in B 0 s → J / ψ ( → μ + μ − ) K + K − decays is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6     fb − 1 , collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Using a sample of approximately 349 000 B 0 s signal decays with an invariant K + K − mass in the vicinity of the ϕ ( 1020 ) resonance, the C P -violating phase ϕ s is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the B 0 s − ¯ B 0 s system, Δ Γ s , and the difference of the average B 0 s and B 0 meson decay widths, Γ s − Γ d . The values obtained are ϕ s = − 0.039 ± 0.022 ± 0.006     rad , Δ Γ s = 0.0845 ± 0.0044 ± 0.0024     ps − 1 , and Γ s − Γ d = − 0.005 6 + 0.0013 − 0.0015 ± 0.0014     ps − 1 , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with the previous LHCb analyses of this decay. These results are combined with previous independent LHCb measurements. The phase ϕ s is also measured independently for each polarization state of the K + K − system and shows no evidence for polarization dependence

Ensaio em vasos para o estudo da resposta das culturas da alface (lactuca sativa L.) e do milho (zea mays L.) à aplicação de um produto compostado à base de lamas de depuração urbanas e biomassa floresta

O presente trabalho foi desenvolvido na Escola Superior Agrária de Santarém e teve como objetivo estudar o efeito da aplicação de doses crescentes de um produto compostado à base de lamas de depuração urbanas e biomassa florestal sobre o desenvolvimento e constituição das culturas da alface (Lactuca sativa L.) e do milho (Zea mays L.). Pretendeu-se igualmente avaliar os efeitos do produto nas características de um solo de textura arenosa, pobre em matéria orgânica. O ensaio experimental foi realizado em vasos, considerando-se quatro modalidades que corresponderam a doses de aplicação de 0, 12,5; 25 e 37,5 toneladas de composto por hectare. Analisou-se o efeito na produção de matéria fresca e seca e na nutrição, nomeadamente na quantidade de nutrientes e de metais pesados assimilados pela parte aérea das plantas. Por outro lado, estudou-se os seus efeitos no solo no respeitante ao pH, condutividade elétrica, matéria orgânica, nutrientes e metais pesados. A aplicação deste produto conduziu a aumentos na produção de ambas as culturas. A tendência de aumento foi linear no caso da alface e polinomial no caso do milho. Na alface, a concentração dos macronutrientes na planta aumentou, na generalidade, com as doses crescentes de produto compostado aplicado. No milho, esse aumento não foi tão notório, nomeadamente nas concentrações em azoto e cálcio. A concentração em metais pesados nas plantas, aparentemente, não mostrou qualquer tendência de aumento ou diminuição em função dos tratamentos efetuados. O aumento do pH do solo e o “efeito diluição” parecem poder explicar essa situação. Relativamente ao solo, este produto demonstrou ter influência no aumento do pH e condutividade elétrica, apesar de os valores não atingirem valores críticos. Genericamente, não se observaram aumentos significativos dos teores em metais pesados no solo, ficando os seus níveis bastante abaixo dos valores máximos admissíveis para aplicação de produtos compostados.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio