Different Effects of Farrerol on an OVA-Induced Allergic Asthma and LPS-induced Acute Lung Injury

BACKGROUND: Farrerol, isolated from rhododendron, has been shown to have the anti-bacterial activity, but no details on the anti-inflammatory activity. We further evaluated the effects of this compound in two experimental models of lung diseases. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: For the asthma model, female BALB/c mice were challenged with ovalbumin (OVA), and then treated daily with farrerol (20 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) as a therapeutic treatment from day 22 to day 26 post immunization. To induce acute lung injury, female BALB/c mice were injected intranasally with LPS and treated with farrerol (20 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 h prior to LPS stimulation. Inflammation in the two different models was determined using ELISA, histology, real-time PCR and western blot. Farrerol significantly regulated the phenotype challenged by OVA, like cell number, Th1 and Th2 cytokines levels in the BALF, the OVA-specific IgE level in the serum, goblet cell hyperplasia in the airway, airway hyperresponsiveness to inhaled methacholine and mRNA expression of chemokines and their receptors. Furthermore, farrerol markedly attenuated the activation of phosphorylation of Akt and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) subunit p65 both in vivo and in vitro. However, farrerol has no effect on the acute lung injury model. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our finding demonstrates that the distinct anti-inflammatory effect of farrerol in the treatment of asthma acts by inhibiting the PI3K and NF-κB pathway

UtpA and UtpB chaperone nascent pre-ribosomal RNA and U3 snoRNA to initiate eukaryotic ribosome assembly

Early eukaryotic ribosome biogenesis involves large multi-protein complexes, which co-transcriptionally associate with pre-ribosomal RNA to form the small subunit processome. The precise mechanisms by which two of the largest multi-protein complexes—UtpA and UtpB—interact with nascent pre-ribosomal RNA are poorly understood. Here, we combined biochemical and structural biology approaches with ensembles of RNA–protein cross-linking data to elucidate the essential functions of both complexes. We show that UtpA contains a large composite RNA-binding site and captures the 5′ end of pre-ribosomal RNA. UtpB forms an extended structure that binds early pre-ribosomal intermediates in close proximity to architectural sites such as an RNA duplex formed by the 5′ ETS and U3 snoRNA as well as the 3′ boundary of the 18S rRNA. Both complexes therefore act as vital RNA chaperones to initiate eukaryotic ribosome assembly

ENETS concensus guidelines for the standards of care in Neuroendocrine tumors: peptide receptor radionuclide therapy with radiolabeled somatostatin analogs

The purpose of this guideline is to assist physicians caring for patients with neuroendocrine tumors in considering eligibility criteria for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), and in defining the minimum requirements for PRRT. This guideline also makes recommendations on what minimal patient, tumor, and treatment outcome characteristics should be reported for PRRT in order to make comparisons between studies possible. It is not this guideline's aim to give specific recommendations on the use of specific radiolabeled somatostatin analogs for PRRT because different analogs are being used, and their availability depends on national law and local permissions. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Base