https://www.cell.com/trends/cell-biology/pdf/S0962-8924(18)30020-5.pdf

Hallmarks of Cellular Senescence.

Oxidative pathways of chemical toxicity and oxidative stress biomarkers in marine organisms

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore is a high conductance channel whose opening leads to an increase of mitochondrial inner membrane permeability to solutes with molecular masses up to ≈ 1500 Da. In this review we trace the rise of the permeability transition pore from the status of in vitro artifact to that of effector mechanism of cell death. We then cover recent results based on genetic inactivation of putative permeability transition pore components, and discuss their meaning for our understanding of pore structure. Finally, we discuss evidence indicating that the permeability transition pore plays a role in pathophysiology, with specific emphasis on in vivo models of disease.

https://febs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1742-4658.2006.05213.x

The mitochondrial permeability transition from in vitro artifact to disease target

Current research on the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP) and its role in cell death faces a paradox. Initially considered as an in vitro artifact of little pathophysiological relevance, in recent years the PTP has received considerable attention as a potential mechanism for the execution of cell death. The recent successful use of PTP desensitizers in several disease paradigms leaves little doubt about its relevance in pathophysiology; and emerging findings that link the PTP to key cellular signalling pathways are increasing the interest on the pore as a pharmacological target. Yet, recent genetic data have challenged popular views on the molecular nature of the PTP, and called into question many early conclusions about its structure. Here we review basic concepts about PTP structure, function and regulation within the framework of intracellular death signalling, and its role in disease pathogenesis.

/pdf/the-mitochondrial-permeability-transition-pore-and-its-1yzwuap88s.pdf

The mitochondrial permeability transition pore and its involvement in cell death and in disease pathogenesis

Cadmium-induced changes in lipid peroxidation, blood hematology, biochemical parameters and semen quality of male rats: protective role of vitamin E and β-carotene

Monte Carlo simulations are useful to verify the significance of data. Genomic regularities, such as the nucleotide correlations or the not uniform distribution of the motifs throughout genomic or mature mRNA sequences, exist and their significance can be checked by means of the Monte Carlo test. The test needs good quality random sequences in order to work, moreover they should have the same nucleotide distribution as the sequences in which the regularities have been found. Random DNA sequences are also useful to estimate the background score of an alignment, that is a threshold below which the resulting score is merely due to chance. We have developed RANDNA, a free software which allows to produce random DNA or RNA sequences setting both their length and the percentage of nucleotide composition. Sequences having the same nucleotide distribution of exonic, intronic or intergenic sequences can be generated. Its graphic interface makes it possible to easily set the parameters that characterize the sequences being produced and saved in a text format file. The pseudo-random number generator function of Borland Delphi 6 is used, since it guarantees a good randomness, a long cycle length and a high speed. We have checked the quality of sequences generated by the software, by means of well-known tests, both by themselves and versus genuine random sequences. We show the good quality of the generated sequences. The software, complete with examples and documentation, is freely available to users from: http://www.introni.it/en/software.

RANDNA: a random DNA sequence generator.

Biochemical Changes in Transplanted Rat Liver Stored in University of Wisconsin and Euro-Collins Solutions

Aims: To determine the relationship between Lgr5 and other stemness markers and pathologic features in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) samples. Materials & methods: In 69 samples, Lgr5 was analyzed by qRT-PCR together with a panel of 29 genes. Bioinformatic analysis was carried out to identify a possible pathway regulating Lgr5 expression in PDAC. Results: Lgr5 expression was not associated with the expression of tested cancer stem cell markers. Moreover, it was not an independent predictor of survival neither at univariate analysis (p = 0.21) nor at multivariate analysis (p = 0.225). Conclusion: Based on the lack of correlation between Lgr5 and tested cancer stem cell markers, Lgr5 does not seem to be a potential stemness marker or prognostic factor in PDAC.

Lgr5 expression, cancer stem cells and pancreatic cancer: results from biological and computational analyses

Mussel glyoxalase I as a possible marker for ecotoxicological studies: Purification and preliminary characterization

Inhibitors having high specificity toward mammalian glyoxalase II, but not glyoxalase I, were sought as part of a program to study glyoxalase enzyme function in mammalian cells. The compound, S-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl glutathione (FMOC-G), was synthesized and found to be a competitive inhibitor of purified calf liver glyoxalase II (Ki = 2.1 mumol/l). Inhibition constants (Ki values) for the other glyoxalase enzyme, glyoxalase I, and the glutathione-requiring enzyme, glutathione S-transferase, from other sources, were found to be 17 and 25 mumol/l, respectively. FMOC-G is a very poor inhibitor of glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase. Diesters (dimethyl, diethyl, diisopropyl) of FMCO-G were also synthesized, as proinhibitors, to improve transport of FMOC-G into mammalian tumor cells (rat adrenal pheochromocytoma, PC-12) in culture. The diesters were inhibitory to cell growth and variability; the most effective of these, diisopropyl FMOC-G, exhibited an [I]0.5 value of approximately 275 mumol/l. Diesters of FMOC-G may be useful in studies of the glyoxalase enzyme system in cultured mammalian cells.

Giovanni Principato

Papers

RANDNA: a random DNA sequence generator.

Biochemical Changes in Transplanted Rat Liver Stored in University of Wisconsin and Euro-Collins Solutions

Lgr5 expression, cancer stem cells and pancreatic cancer: results from biological and computational analyses

Mussel glyoxalase I as a possible marker for ecotoxicological studies: Purification and preliminary characterization

S-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl Glutathione and Diesters: Inhibition of Mammalian Glyoxalase II