80 research outputs found
Chronic inflammation, C-reactive protein, and breast health: future directions to predict, prevent, personalize and inspire consumerism in the mitigation of breast cancer
Distribution of cytochrome P450 2C, 2E1, 3A4, and 3A5 in human colon mucosa
BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that the alimentary tract is part of the body's first line of defense against orally ingested xenobiotica, little is known about the distribution and expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in human colon. Therefore, expression and protein levels of four representative CYPs (CYP2C(8), CYP2E1, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5) were determined in human colon mucosa biopsies obtained from ascending, descending and sigmoid colon. METHODS: Expression of CYP2C, CYP2E1, CYP3A4, and CYP3A5 mRNA in colon mucosa was determined by RT-PCR. Protein concentration of CYPs was determined using Western blot methods. RESULTS: Extensive interindividual variability was found for the expression of most of the genes. However, expression of CYP2C mRNA levels were significantly higher in the ascending colon than in the sigmoid colon. In contrast, mRNA levels of CYP2E1 and CYP3A5 were significantly lower in the ascending colon in comparison to the descending and sigmoid colon. In sigmoid colon protein levels of CYP2C8 were significantly higher by ~73% than in the descending colon. In contrast, protein concentration of CYP2E1 was significantly lower by ~81% in the sigmoid colon in comparison to the descending colon. CONCLUSION: The current data suggest that the expression of CYP2C, CYP2E1, and CYP3A5 varies in different parts of the colon
Reduced cytochrome P4501A activity and recovery from oxidative stress during subchronic benzo[a]pyrene and benzo[e]pyrene treatment of rainbow trout
Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2011. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 254 (2011): 1-7, doi:10.1016/j.taap.2011.04.015.This
study
assessed
the
role
of
aryl
hydrocarbon
receptor
(AHR)
affinity,
and
cytochrome
P4501A
(CYP1A)
protein
and
activity
in
polyaromatic
hydrocarbon
(PAH)-‐induced
oxidative
stress.
In
the
1-‐100
nM
concentration
range
benzo[a]pyrene
(BaP)
but
not
benzo[e]pyrene
(BeP)
competitively
displaced
2
nM
[3H]2,
3,
7,
8-‐tetrachloro-‐dibenzo-‐p-‐dioxin
from
rainbow
trout
AHR2α.
Based
on
appearance
of
fluorescent
aromatic
compounds
in
bile
over
3,
7,
14,
28
or
50
days
of
feeding
3
μg
of
BaP
or
BeP/g
fish/day,
rainbow
trout
liver
readily
excreted
these
polyaromatic
hydrocarbons
(PAHs)
and
their
metabolites
at
near
steady
state
rates.
CYP1A
proteins
catalyzed
more
than
98%
of
ethoxyresorufin-‐O-‐deethylase
(EROD)
activity
in
rainbow
trout
hepatic
microsomes.
EROD
activity
of
hepatic
microsomes
initially
increased
and
then
decreased
to
control
activities
after
50
days
of
feeding
both
PAHs.
Immunohistochemistry
of
liver
confirmed
CYP1A
protein
increased
in
fish
fed
both
PAHs
after
3
days
and
remained
elevated
for
up
to
28
days.
Neither
BaP
nor
BeP
increased
hepatic
DNA
adduct
concentrations
at
any
time
up
to
50
days
of
feeding
these
PAHs.
Comet
assays
of
blood
cells
demonstrated
marked
DNA
damage
after
14
days
of
feeding
both
PAHs
that
was
not
significant
after
50
days.
There
was
a
strong
positive
correlation
between
hepatic
EROD
activity
and
DNA
damage
in
blood
cells
over
time
for
both
PAHs.
Neither
CYP1A
protein
nor
3-‐
nitrotyrosine
(a
biomarker
for
oxidative
stress)
immunostaining
in
trunk
kidney
were
significantly
altered
by
BaP
or
BeP
after
3,
7,
14,
or
28
days.
There
was
no
clear
association
between
AHR2α
affinity
and
BaP
and
BeP-‐induced
oxidative
stress.The
Oregon
Agricultural
Experiment
Station,
Northwest
Fisheries
Science
Center,
and
RO1ES006272
from
the
National
Institute
of
Health
supported
this
work
Parameter estimate of signal transduction pathways
BACKGROUND: The "inverse" problem is related to the determination of unknown causes on the bases of the observation of their effects. This is the opposite of the corresponding "direct" problem, which relates to the prediction of the effects generated by a complete description of some agencies. The solution of an inverse problem entails the construction of a mathematical model and takes the moves from a number of experimental data. In this respect, inverse problems are often ill-conditioned as the amount of experimental conditions available are often insufficient to unambiguously solve the mathematical model. Several approaches to solving inverse problems are possible, both computational and experimental, some of which are mentioned in this article. In this work, we will describe in details the attempt to solve an inverse problem which arose in the study of an intracellular signaling pathway. RESULTS: Using the Genetic Algorithm to find the sub-optimal solution to the optimization problem, we have estimated a set of unknown parameters describing a kinetic model of a signaling pathway in the neuronal cell. The model is composed of mass action ordinary differential equations, where the kinetic parameters describe protein-protein interactions, protein synthesis and degradation. The algorithm has been implemented on a parallel platform. Several potential solutions of the problem have been computed, each solution being a set of model parameters. A sub-set of parameters has been selected on the basis on their small coefficient of variation across the ensemble of solutions. CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of sufficiently reliable and homogeneous experimental data, the genetic algorithm approach has allowed to estimate the approximate value of a number of model parameters in a kinetic model of a signaling pathway: these parameters have been assessed to be relevant for the reproduction of the available experimental data
No strings attached: adult attachment styles in friends with benefits relationship
Friends with benefits (FWB), is defined as a relationship between friends in which the friends engage in sexual activity, but do not define their relationship as romantic or committed (Bisson & Levine, 2009; Epstein, Calzo, Smiler, & Ward, 2009; Lehmiller, VanderDrift, & Kelly, 2011 ; Puentes, Knox, & Zusman, 2008). When examining intimate and interpersonal relationships, attachment theory is considered a key component in shaping the quality and type of relationship a person becomes involved in (Cassidy, & Shaver, 1999). Past research has found relational and sexual differences among secure, avoidant, and anxiously attached individuals. In the current study, attachment styles were examined in three different relationship types; romantic relationships (exclusive partner, fiance, or spouse), friends with benefits (a friend whom you have sex with on an ongoing basis but do not feel a sense of commitment or romance), and casual encounters (casual acquaintance or stranger whom you have a sexual encounter only once). It was predicted that due to the differences between each of these relational styles, specific patterns would emerge in the attachment styles of those involved. Specifically, individuals in a romantic relationship would be more likely to be securely attached, individuals in friends with benefits would be more likely to be anxiously attached, and individuals in casual encounters would be more likely to be avoidantly attached. A sample of 213 college participants completed a questionnaire about their current relationship and attachment style. Findings indicated that individuals in romantic/committed relationships were more secure and had significantly lower scores of both anxious and avoidant attachment compared to FWB relationships, casual encounters, and single individuals. No differences were found between FWB and casual encounter attachment scores. This is consistent with past research that has shown that individuals in committed relationships tend to have secure attachments (Kirkpatrick & Davis, 1994), and that individuals with insecure attachment, both anxious and avoidant, are more likely to engage in short-term mating and are more accepting of casual sex (Gentzler & Kerns, 2004; Schmitt, 2005) --Document
Plasma Biomarker Profiles Differ Depending on Breast Cancer Subtype but RANTES Is Consistently Increased
ELISA-BASE: an integrated bioinformatics tool for analyzing and tracking ELISA microarray data
Summary:ELISA-BASE is an open source database for capturing, organizing and analyzing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) microarray data. ELISA-BASE is an extension of the BioArray Software Environment (BASE) database system
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