Permeability and line tension dependent response of polyunsaturated membranes to osmotic stresses

The lipidome of plant plasma membranes – enriched in cellular phospholipids containing at least one polyunsaturated fatty acid tails and a variety of phytosterols and phytosphingolipids – is adapted to significant abiotic stresses. But how mesoscale membrane properties of these membranes, such as permeability and deformability, which arise from their unique molecular compositions and corresponding lateral organization, facilitate response to global mechanical stresses is largely unknown. Here, using giant vesicles reconstituting mixtures of polyunsaturated lipids (Soy-PC), glucosylceramide (GlcCer), and sitosterol common to plant membranes, we find that the membranes adopt "janus-like" domain morphologies and display anomalous solute permeabilities.

https://ift.tt/2CwcZ8t

SAMHD1 and the innate immune response to cytosolic DNA during DNA replication

Flavie Coquel | Christoph Neumayer | Yea-Lih Lin | Philippe Pasero

https://ift.tt/2PgZGvh

Innate immunosensing of DNA in cellular senescence

Selene Glück | Andrea Ablasser

https://ift.tt/2OLT23i

Control of autoreactive B cells by IgM and IgD B cell receptors: maintaining a fine balance

Mark Noviski | Julie Zikherman

https://ift.tt/2Pp7rz6

Enhancement in Iron Absorption on Intake of Chemometrically Optimized Ratio of Probiotic Strain Lactobacillus plantarum 299v with Iron Supplement Pearl Millet

Abstract

This research article aims to establish the intake ratio of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum 299v with iron supplement pearl millet by central composite design of response surface methodology so as to enhance iron absorption. In anemic rat models, the food intake pattern, body weight, hemoglobin content, and hematocrit values were found to be significantly increased on treatment with pearl millet:probiotic; however, incorporation of probiotics at lower dose (0.5 g) was significantly (p < 0.05) effective in enhancing iron absorption, and further increment in probiotic doses (1.0 g) did not produce significant increase in hemoglobin and hematocrit values as evidenced by the experimental findings.

https://ift.tt/2QwSCuu

Combination of Soy Protein, Amylopectin, and Chromium Stimulates Muscle Protein Synthesis by Regulation of Ubiquitin–Proteasome Proteolysis Pathway after Exercise

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of the combination of soy protein, amylopectin, and chromium (SAC) on muscle protein synthesis and signal transduction pathways involved in protein synthesis (mTOR pathways, IGF-1, and Akt^Ser473) and proteolysis (FOXO1^Ser256; MURF1, MAFbx) after exercise. Thirty-five Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: (1) control (C); (2) exercise (E); (3) exercise + soy protein (3.1 g/kg/day) (E + S); (4) exercise + soy protein + chromium (E + S + Cr); (5) exercise + soy protein + amylopectin + chromium (E + S + A + Cr). Post-exercise ingestion of SAC significantly increased the fractional rate of protein synthesis (FSR), insulin, glycogen, and amino acid levels with the highest effect observed in E + S + A + Cr group (P ˂ 0.05). However, SAC supplementation decreased the lactic acid concentration (P ˂ 0.05). A reduction in forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) and forkhead box protein O3 (FOXO3) (regulators of ubiquitin-related proteolysis) and muscle atrophy F-box (MAFbx) levels was noted after treatment with SAC (P < 0.05). Insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1) level was increased in the E + S, E + S + Cr, and E + S + A + Cr groups (P < 0.05). While the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1^Thr37/46, Akt^Ser473, mTOR^Ser2448, and S6K1^Thr389 levels increased after SAC supplementation, phosphorylated muscle ring finger 1 (MuRF-1, an E3-ubiquitin ligase gene) was found to be significantly lower compared with the E group (P ˂ 0.05). These results indicate that SAC supplementation improves FSR, insulin, and glycogen levels after exercise. SAC improves protein synthesis by inhibiting the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway and inducing anabolic metabolism.

https://ift.tt/2y3bBWY

Semen Uranium Concentrations in Depleted Uranium Exposed Gulf War Veterans: Correlations with Other Body Fluid Matrices

Abstract

Environmental metal exposure, as well as dietary metals, may adversely affect semen quality even as others play an essential role in normal spermatogenesis and fertility. Measures of seminal fluid metals have therefore been of high interest in the last several decades but have shown inconsistent results in correlations with some semen quality parameters. As well, environmental metal measures across various body fluid matrices have not been consistently correlated contrary to what one might hypothesize based on a systemic body burden of metal. This may be due to the body fluid matrices assessed and to other differences in laboratory methods and sample preparation. Measures of uranium, a potentially toxic metal in humans, have not previously been reported in the semen of environmentally metal-exposed populations. We report here uranium seminal fluid results and the high correlation of uranium concentrations across several body fluid matrices in a cohort of military veterans exposed to depleted uranium in combat events during the Iraqi Gulf War. These results inform the risk communication conversation for exposed populations and broaden the public health assessments from various exposure scenarios.

https://ift.tt/2Ntotuc