910 research outputs found
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Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/108083/1/hep26952.pd
Exploration of in Vivo Efficacy of Artemether-Lumefantrine Against Uncomplicated Plasmodium Falciparum Malaria in Under Fives in Tabora Region, Tanzania.
Tanzania adopted artemether-lumefantrine (AL) as first-line drug for uncomplicated malaria in 2006. Recently, there was an anecdotal report on high malaria recurrence rate following AL treatment in in the (urban and peri-urban), western part of Tanzania. The current report is an exploratory study to carefully and systematically assess AL efficacy in the area. Between June and August 2011, a total of 1,126 patients were screened for malaria, 33 had malaria, of which 20 patients met inclusion criteria and were enrolled and treated with standard dose of AL as recommended in the WHO protocol. Treated patients were followed up for 28 days to assess treatment responses. Before treatment (Day 0) and post-treatment (Day 7) plasma lumefantrine levels were determined to assess prior AL use and ascertain parasites exposure to adequate plasma leveles of lumefantrine, respectively. The cure rate was 100%. All Day 0 plasma lumefantrine were below HPLC detectable level. The median Day 7 lumefantrine concentration was 404, (range, 189-894 ng/ml). Six out of 20 patients (30%) were gametocytaemic and all cleared gametocytes by Day 14. One patient showed an increase in gametocytes from four on Day 0 to 68, per 500 WBC on Day 2. Artemether lumefantrine is highly efficacious against uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The elevation of gametocytaemia despite AL treatment needs to be evaluated in a larger study
A disease- and phosphorylation-related nonmechanical function for keratin 8
Keratin 8 (K8) variants predispose to human liver injury via poorly understood mechanisms. We generated transgenic mice that overexpress the human disease-associated K8 Gly61-to-Cys (G61C) variant and showed that G61C predisposes to liver injury and apoptosis and dramatically inhibits K8 phosphorylation at serine 73 (S73) via stress-activated kinases. This led us to generate mice that overexpress K8 S73-to-Ala (S73A), which mimicked the susceptibility of K8 G61C mice to injury, thereby providing a molecular link between K8 phosphorylation and disease-associated mutation. Upon apoptotic stimulation, G61C and S73A hepatocytes have persistent and increased nonkeratin proapoptotic substrate phosphorylation by stress-activated kinases, compared with wild-type hepatocytes, in association with an inability to phosphorylate K8 S73. Our findings provide the first direct link between patient-related human keratin variants and liver disease predisposition. The highly abundant cytoskeletal protein K8, and possibly other keratins with the conserved S73-containing phosphoepitope, can protect tissue from injury by serving as a phosphate “sponge” for stress-activated kinases and thereby provide a novel nonmechanical function for intermediate filament proteins
Two strikes: limited NIH R55 and R56 retooling funds and abolishment of the A2 grant mechanism
The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) are facing significant budgetary challenges as a result of the current economic climate. The recent sunset of investigator‐initiated R01‐type research grants after one revised submission, coupled with the present lack of an NIH retooling funding mechanism for such grant applicants, creates a concerning risk that talented and well‐trained investigators may be forced to give up their research careers. Existing NIH retooling mechanisms include the R55 Shannon Award, which was established in 1991 and was essentially replaced in 2005 by the R56 award. There is an urgent need to either significantly expand the R55/R56 mechanisms and definition of NIH grant bridging/retooling support for unfunded meritorious proposals or introduce a new mechanism that provides specific support to investigators with competitive but unfunded R01 revised grants. An expanded retooling funding mechanism deserves implementation during continuing assessment of whether allowance of only one revision of research proposals has achieved its initial intended goals. Omary, M. B., Offhaus, H., Kunkel, S. L. Two strikes: limited NIH R55 and R56 retooling funds and abolishment of the A2 grant mechanism. FASEB J. 25, 4108–4110 (2011). www.fasebj.orgPeer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154267/1/fsb2fj11188052.pd
Increased co‐first authorships in biomedical and clinical publications: a call for recognition
Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154532/1/fsb2027010039.pd
Raf-1 activation disrupts its binding to keratins during cell stress
Keratins 8 and 18 (K8/18) heteropolymers may regulate cell signaling via the known K18 association with 14-3-3 proteins and 14-3-3 association with Raf-1 kinase. We characterized Raf–keratin–14-3-3 associations and show that Raf associates directly with K8, independent of Raf kinase activity or Ras–Raf interaction, and that K18 is a Raf physiologic substrate. Raf activation during oxidative and toxin exposure in cultured cells and animals disrupt keratin–Raf association in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Mutational analysis showed that 14-3-3 residues that are essential for Raf binding also regulate 14-3-3–keratin association. Similarly, Raf phosphorylation sites that are important for binding to 14-3-3 are also essential for Raf binding to K8/18. Therefore, keratins may modulate some aspects of Raf signaling under basal conditions via sequestration by K8, akin to Raf–14-3-3 binding. Keratin-bound Raf kinase is released upon Raf hyperphosphorylation and activation during oxidative and other stresses
Characterization of In Vivo Keratin 19 Phosphorylation on Tyrosine-391
Keratin polypeptide 19 (K19) is a type I intermediate filament protein that is expressed in stratified and simple-type epithelia. Although K19 is known to be phosphorylated on tyrosine residue(s), conclusive site-specific characterization of these residue(s) and identification potential kinases that may be involved has not been reported.In this study, biochemical, molecular and immunological approaches were undertaken in order to identify and characterize K19 tyrosine phosphorylation. Upon treatment with pervanadate, a tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor, human K19 (hK19) was phosphorylated on tyrosine 391, located in the 'tail' domain of the protein. K19 Y391 phosphorylation was confirmed using site-directed mutagenesis and cell transfection coupled with the generation of a K19 phospho (p)-Y391-specific rabbit antibody. The antibody also recognized mouse phospho-K19 (K19 pY394). This tyrosine residue is not phosphorylated under basal conditions, but becomes phosphorylated in the presence of Src kinase in vitro and in cells expressing constitutively-active Src. Pervanadate treatment in vivo resulted in phosphorylation of K19 Y394 and Y391 in colonic epithelial cells of non-transgenic mice and hK19-overexpressing mice, respectively.Human K19 tyrosine 391 is phosphorylated, potentially by Src kinase, and is the first well-defined tyrosine phosphorylation site of any keratin protein. The lack of detection of K19 pY391 in the absence of tyrosine phosphatase inhibition suggests that its phosphorylation is highly dynamic
Coinage metals trinuclear metallocycles: old and new aspects of this class of compounds
Coinage metals trinuclear metallocycles: old and new aspects of this class of compounds
Galassi R. a, Oumarou C. S. a, Omary A. M. b, Nesterov V. b, Burini A.a
aSchool of Science and Technology, Chemistry Division, University of Camerino, Via S. Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino; e-mail: [email protected]
b Department of Chemistry, University of North Texas, Denton, 1155 Union Circle, TX 76203, USA; e-mail: [email protected]
Azoles such as imidazoles and pyrazoles are optimal bridging ligands to obtain C,N or N,N trinuclear coinage metals metallocycles. Since past decade till now, few worldwide research groups including us have focused their attention to their synthesis and characterization.[1] Moreover, the photophysical properties[2] the extended network of metallophilic bondings in the supramolecular structure and the pi-acid/pi-base chemistry[3] of these compounds directed the research to theoretical studies bringing to a better interpretation of the experimental behaviors.[4] Here we report the synthesis of new coinage metals metallocycles and their spectroscopic characterizations highlighting points of continuity with the previous analogs and new features for new perspective research lines. As in example, the 1-vinylimidazole resembles the acid-base chemistry of the 1-benzylimidazole gold(I) metallocycle, while substitution in position 4,5 of 1-benzylimidazole with electron-withdrawing group, do not allow the formation of metallocycles with the same synthethic route and mononuclear gold(I) derivatives have been obtained. The nature of the heterocycle and of the substituents, in addition to their position in the azolate ligand defines and tunes the properties of the final products.
References:
1) Galassi, R.; Burini, A.; Omary-Rawanashed, M., Omary, M. A., Comm. Inorg. Chem. 2014, in submission.
2) Rawashdeh-Omary, M. A.; Omary, M. A.; Fackler Jr, J. P, Galassi R., Pietroni, B. R.; Burini, A. J. Am. Chem. Soc 2001, 123; 9689-9691.
3) Burini, A.;. Fackler Jr, J. P; Galassi R., Grant, T. A.. Omary, M. A; Rawashdeh-Omary, M. A.; Pietroni, B. R.; Staples R. J. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2000; 11264-11265.
4) Galassi, R.; Ricci, S.; Burini, A.; Macchioni, A; Marmottini, F.; Tekarli, S. M.; Nesterov, N.V.; Omary, M. A. Inorg. Chem. 2013, 52, 14124-14137
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