Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality. Short-chain fatty acids secreted by dietary propionibacteria from the intestine, such as acetate, induce apoptosis in CRC cells and may therefore be relevant in CRC prevention and therapy. We previously reported that acetic acid-induced apoptosis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells involves partial vacuole permeabilization an...
The yeast apoptosis field emerged with the finding that key components of the apoptotic machinery are conserved in these simple eukaryotes. Thus it became possible to exploit these genetically tractable organisms to improve our understanding of the intricate mechanisms of cell death in higher eukaryotes and of severe human diseases associated with apoptosis dysfunctions. Early on, it was recognized that a mitoc...
Multicellular organisms developed a complex system to balance cell proliferation and cell death in order to guarantee correct embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Failure of cells to undergo programmed cell death (PCD) can potentially lead to severe diseases, including neural degeneration, autoimmunity and cancer. Identifying the molecules involved in PCD and understanding the regulation of the process...
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the western world, and in spite of some decline in death rates in recent years it is still the second most common cause of death from cancer, in women (1). For more than three decades, the estrogen receptor (ER) has been the most important biomarker of breast cancer, largely due to the substantial benefit that endocrine therapy provides in the treatme...
Cationic liposomes/DNA (lipoplexes) have been widely used as non-viral vectors for transfection, the role of the neutral lipid in liposome formulation being determinant for the efficiency of this process [1,2]. In this work, we studied the potential of monoolein (MO) as helper lipid for cellular transfection. Lipoplexes composed of pDNA and dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB)/1-monooleoyl-rac-glycerol (...
Cationic liposomes/ DNA complexes (lipoplexes) have been widely used as nano-carriers for animal cell transfection, with the neutral lipid (helper) playing a determinant role for the efficiency of this process due to the formation of non-lammellar intermediates that are akin to membrane fusion process [1]. We have developed a novel formulation containing the cationic agent dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (D...
Lipoplexes composed of pDNA and DODAB/MO at different molar ratios (4:1, 2:1 and 1:1) and different cationic lipid/DNA charge ratios were investigated. The physicochemical properties of the lipoplexes (size and charge), the pDNA complexation, and the effect of heparin on pDNA release, were studied by Dynamic Light Scattering, Zeta Potential, and Ethidium Bromide exclusion assays. The cytotoxicity, transfection ...
The success of gene therapy is decisively dependent on the development of effective carrier systems, able to compact and thus protect the genetic material as to avoid both in vitro and in vivo barriers for transgene delivery [1]. Given the problems of safety encountered with viral vectors, non-viral carrier systems are a safer alternative for the therapeutic delivery of genes [2]. Cationic liposomes/DNA (lipop...
Oxidative stress has been connected to various forms of cardiovascular diseases. Previously, we have been investigating the potential of new nitrogen-containing synthetic compounds using a neuronal cell model and different oxidative stress conditions in order to elucidate their potential to ameliorate neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we intended to extend these initial studies and investigate the protective ro...
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