The discovery of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) as components that recognize conserved structures in pathogens has greatly advanced understanding of how the body senses pathogen invasion, triggers innate immune responses and primes antigen-specific adaptive immunity. Although TLRs are critical for host defense, it has become apparent that loss of negative regulation of TLR signaling, as well as recognition of self molecules by TLRs, are strongly associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, it is now clear that the interaction between TLRs and recently identified cytosolic innate immune sensors is crucial for mounting effective immune responses. Here we describe the recent advances that have been made by research into the role of TLR biology in host defense and disease.

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The role of pattern-recognition receptors in innate immunity: update on Toll-like receptors

Pattern Recognition Receptors and Inflammation

Parkinson's disease: Mechanisms and models

Between the 1960s and 1980s, most life scientists focused their attention on studies of nucleic acids and the translation of the coded information. Protein degradation was a neglected area, conside...

The Ubiquitin-Proteasome Proteolytic Pathway: Destruction for the Sake of Construction

The cause of Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown, but epidemiological studies suggest an association with pesticides and other environmental toxins, and biochemical studies implicate a systemic defect in mitochondrial complex I. We report that chronic, systemic inhibition of complex I by the lipophilic pesticide, rotenone, causes highly selective nigrostriatal dopaminergic degeneration that is associated behaviorally with hypokinesia and rigidity. Nigral neurons in rotenone-treated rats accumulate fibrillar cytoplasmic inclusions that contain ubiquitin and alpha-synuclein. These results indicate that chronic exposure to a common pesticide can reproduce the anatomical, neurochemical, behavioral and neuropathological features of PD.

/pdf/chronic-systemic-pesticide-exposure-reproduces-features-of-11pdan5pm0.pdf

Chronic systemic pesticide exposure reproduces features of Parkinson's disease

This kinetic analysis compares homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts for the cyclization of 6-aminohex-1-yne. The reaction was studied as a model for the direct addition of amine N-H bonds to CC multiple bonds (hydroamination). Kinetic modeling showed that the metal-catalyzed hydroamination reaction is followed by a proton-catalyzed isomerization of the primary reaction product, 2-methylene-piperidine, to the thermodynamically more stable 2-methyl-1,2-dehydropiperidine.

Hydroamination on homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts: Kinetic study

Aspartyl protease Cathepsin D (CTSD) has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to interference with protein degradation mechanisms. A C224T (A38V) polymorphism in exon 2 of the CTSD gene is reported to be associated with an increased risk for AD. The partially overlapping pathology between AD and Parkinson's disease (PD) led us to investigate the role of this polymorphism in PD. Using association studies in 457 German PD patients and 340 controls we found no evidence for direct association between the CTSD genotype and PD. However, stratification for the apolipoprotein E (APOE) e4 allele suggests a protective effect of the CTSD T-allele in PD (OR = 0.24, p = 0.002). Our findings suggest interference of CTSD and APOE polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of PD, in the sense of modulating disease risk.

Modulation of disease risk according to a cathepsin D / apolipoprotein E genotype in Parkinson's disease.

A study into the prevalence and treatment of dyskinesia in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients was performed with 380 PD specialists-completed interviews relating to PD and retrospectively completed 1900 patient record forms for patients with dyskinesia. Physicians reported, that 34% of their PD patients experience dyskinesia, 57% of dyskinetic PD patients were affected by moderately-to-completely disabling dyskinesia. Treatment of dyskinesia was looked upon as not satisfactory, fractionating of levodopa dose was used as first choice therapeutic option of dyskinesia.

Prevalence and treatment strategies of dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease.

It is our pleasure to introduce this Thematic Series on CO2 chemistry for the Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry (BJOC). Today’s growing demand for energy, materials and chemicals has prompted renewed interest in CO2 chemistry. More resource-efficient chemical processes are being implemented, while we are facing the change from a fossil fuel-based society to one that must rely on the sustainable use of renewable resources. Although there are many ways to harness renewable energy resources, much of the needed materials and chemicals will continue to be carbon-based.

CO 2 Chemistry

The interval of line tracing performance is more associated to basal ganglia function due to the dependence on bradykinesia and rigidity. The other component of this task, the precision of execution of complex movement sequences, is more related to attention. We compared the motor response after once dosing of 200 mg retarded release LD (levodopa)/CD (carbidopa) and of 150 mg LD/CD/EN (entacapone) by rating of motor symptoms, by measurement of LD- and 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) plasma concentrations and by the outcomes of a line tracing task. Thirteen treated patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) took one of the two tested LD formulations on two consecutive days under randomised, double blind, identical standardised conditions. No significant differences appeared regarding rated motor response and LD plasma concentrations, but 3-OMD only significantly went up after LD/CD intake. LD/CD/EN was superior to LD/CD regarding the attention related components of line tracing probably due to a hypothetically increased dopamine occurrence at the prefrontal cortex, which guides human behaviour.

Comparison of 200 mg retarded release levodopa/carbidopa - with 150 mg levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone application: pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Thomas Müller

Papers

Hydroamination on homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts: Kinetic study

Modulation of disease risk according to a cathepsin D / apolipoprotein E genotype in Parkinson's disease.

Prevalence and treatment strategies of dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson's disease.

CO 2 Chemistry

Comparison of 200 mg retarded release levodopa/carbidopa - with 150 mg levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone application: pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with Parkinson's disease.