Podoplanin is a small membrane mucin expressed in tumors associated with malignant progression. It is enriched at cell-surface protrusions where it colocalizes with members of the ERM (ezrin, ...radixin, moesin) protein family. Here, we found that human podoplanin directly interacts with ezrin (and moesin) in vitro and in vivo through a cluster of basic amino acids within its cytoplasmic tail, mainly through a juxtamembrane dipeptide RK. Podoplanin induced an epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MDCK cells linked to the activation of RhoA and increased cell migration and invasiveness. Fluorescence time-lapse video observations in migrating cells indicate that podoplanin might be involved in ruffling activity as well as in retractive processes. By using mutant podoplanin constructs fused to green fluorescent protein we show that association of the cytoplasmic tail with ERM proteins is required for upregulation of RhoA activity and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, expression of either a dominant-negative truncated variant of ezrin or a dominant-negative mutant form of RhoA blocked podoplanin-induced RhoA activation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. These results provide a mechanistic basis to understand the role of podoplanin in cell migration or invasiveness.
Gene flow was examined among Anopheles albimanus populations from Cuba, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela by examining variation at four ...microsatellite (MS) loci and a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) marker. There was little variation among Central American populations and weak isolation by distance was only observed with the MS loci. There was moderate to large variation between Central and South American populations, suggesting a barrier to gene flow between Central and South America. However, Panamanian and Pacific Costa Rican populations differed with respect to western Central America, suggesting that there may be another barrier within Central America. There was small to moderate variation among Caribbean and continental populations. Phylogenetic and diversity analyses of mtDNA indicate that more ancestral and diverse haplotypes were present in the Caribbean population, suggesting that current continental An. albimanus populations may have originated from the Caribbean.
Barriers to gene flow between Pacific and Atlantic coast populations of Anopheles albimanus were reported in an earlier study of variation in the intergenic spacer of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. We ...examined the distribution of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes among A. albimanus populations to test for gene flow barriers with an independent genetic marker. A region of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 1,105 mosquitoes collected from 16 locations in Guatemala and in single collections from Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Venezuela. The PCR products were tested for variation using single strand conformation polymorphism analysis and 45 haplotypes were detected. Haplotype frequencies did not vary between coasts in Guatemala. Populations within approximately 200 km of one another were panmictic. However, at distances > 200 km, FST and geographic distances were correlated suggesting that populations are isolated by distance.
Vitamin D: And its role in breast cancer de La Puente-Yagüe, Miriam; Cuadrado-Cenzual, Maria A.; Ciudad-Cabañas, María J. ...
The Kaohsiung journal of medical sciences,
August 2018, 2018-Aug, 2018-08-00, 20180801, 2018-08-01, Letnik:
34, Številka:
8
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that plays a role in calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. Recently, extensive research on its extraskeletal actions has linked vitamin D deficiency to an increased ...risk of infection, diabetes mellitus types 1 and 2, cardiovascular disease, obesity, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, colon, breast, prostate and ovarian cancer and some neurological diseases. There are various mechanisms by which vitamin D influences the natural history of cancer. These include the role of vitamin D in the induction of apoptosis, stimulation of cell differentiation, anti-inflammatory and antiproliferative effects and inhibition of angiogenesis, invasion and metastasis. The aim of this review is to clarify the true role of vitamin D in the onset of breast cancer and evolution of the disease after treatment. A further aim is to suggest new research directions to identify indications and requirements for vitamin D supplementation in patients with breast cancer.
Constipation is an intestinal dysfunction. Prebiotics, such as inulin, can improve bowel function by positively influencing intestinal biota.
To analyze the scientific evidence for the role of inulin ...in improving bowel function in patients with chronic constipation.
A meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials was conducted, grounded on a literature search for the period 1995-2013 (descriptors: inulin & constipation) on PubMed, ScieLo and Central Trials Register Cochrane databases. A total of 24 articles were found, 5 of them were selected for this meta-analysis, involving 252 subjects (experimental group: n = 144, control group: n = 108). The quality of the studies was assessed using the Jadad scale.
We found a significant overall effect of inulin on stool frequency (DEM = 0.69, 95%CI: 0.04, 1.34), stool consistency (Bristol scale) (DEM = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.70, 1.45), transit time (DEM = -0.57, 95% CI: -0.99, -0.15) and hardness of stool (RR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.70). Pain and bloating do not improve with inulin intake.
Inulin intake has a positive effect on bowel function.
Abstract
Milk and dairy (M&D) is a longstanding human food with widespread use. Many studies showed the preventive capacity of M&D in several human health disorders, but its utility in others is ...under discussion. Aging has been associated to elderly cognitive decline including dementia-Alzheimer syndrome (Dem-AD). The absence of a therapy to impede or postpone Dem-AD determines the need for its prevention, including nutritional factors. To evaluate the preventive capacity of M&D consumption in elderly Dem-AD we performed a systematic review in the main biomedical databases and information resources, but we present this study as a narrative review to discuss better the complexity of this subject. The elderly Dem-AD has a long pre-symptomatic period and the M&D intake has a widespread use. These determinants and the quality flaws of published studies impeach us to answer whether M&D consumption is preventive for Dem-AD. Moreover, two long Japanese cohorts suggest that M&D intake could prevent Dem-AD. Prospective cohorts beginning in midlife (or early life) could answer this question in the future.
Objectives:
Observe the association of foods habits, body composition, lifestyle habits, and loss of gustatory function with Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Methods:
This comparative study enrolled 75 ...patients with AD (mean age 77.5 years) and 267 healthy volunteers (mean age 73 years). Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), body fat, visceral fat, muscle mass, and waist circumference were measured. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was measured by the Mediterranean-Diet-Adherence Screener. Gustatory function was investigated using a threshold and triangle test.
Results:
Cases with AD presented lower BMI and weight and higher sleep hours, being statistically significant the difference between cases and controls (P = .02; P = .001; P = .001, respectively). Patients with AD showed lower adherence to exercise and Mediterranean diet as shown by the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener–score (8.12 ± 2.5 vs 8.65 ± 2.4). The gustatory function was impaired in patients with AD when compared to controls.
Conclusion:
Patients with AD show worst outcomes in terms of anthropometric measurements, lifestyle habits (diet, exercise), and gustatory function than controls.
Introducción: La hipercolesterolemia es uno de los factores de riesgo relevantes en la enfermedad cardiovascular, siendo el uso de esteroles vegetales una de las estrategias con mayor evidencia. ...Objetivos: Determinar la eficacia de una leche enriquecida en fitoesteroles para la disminución de marcadores de enfermedad cardiovascular en población joven adulta. Métodos: Ensayo clínico, controlado, aletorizado, doble ciego y cruzado. Los esteroles (2,24 g diarios) fueron ingeridos a través de una leche comercial, administrada en dos fases de 3 semanas respectivamente y separadas por un periodo de lavado de 2 semanas, para aquellos sujetos durante la fase de "leche de estudio", y la misma cantidad de leche desnatada, sin esteroles, para el placebo. Al inicio y al final de cada fase se realizaron extracciones de sangre. Se recopilaron datos antropométricos, hábitos de salud y marcadores analíticos sanguíneos: perfil lipídico, hematológico, inflamación, etc. Resultados: Diecinueve personas culminaron el estudio de con una edad media de 34,68 años (±6,91). La diferencia entre los marcadores basales y finales para el colesterol-LDL, el Colesterol total y Triglicéridos fueron de 19,47 (±29,10) mg/dl, 24,47 (±30,68) mg/dl, 14,36 (±44,16) mg/dl, respectivamente. Sin cambios considerables en las fracciones de colesterol-HDL. Existen diferencias significativas, entre el placebo y la leche con esteroles para colesterol-LDL (p=0,009) y Colesterol total (p=0,003). Conclusiones: Los esteroles vegetales suministrados en un alimento de consumo habitual, como la leche, pueden ser una estrategia terapéutica no farmacológica de la hipoercolesterolemia y, por ello, una herramienta en la prevención del riesgo cardiovascular a nivel global.
PDF
