Tag Archives: inflammation
Role of dopamine in cortico-basal ganglia loop in psychosis
Dopamine plays a major role in the formation of acute psychosis, as indicated by the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia. The relationship between acute psychosis and the dopamine system provides insight into the effects of dopamine on brain
The complementary anti-inflammatory and anticancer activity of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives
Inflammation is an important and extremely complex biological process involving a high number of mediators responsible for the activation of multiple cascades, providing a wide range of possible targets for the pharmacological treatment of inflammatory-related diseases. It
Satiated macrophages produce interferon-beta to orchestrate the resolution of bacterial infection
Acute inflammation is a localized, self-limited host defense mechanism against invading microorganism and tissue injury. Rapid recruitment of white blood cells called neutrophils (polymorphonuclear neutrophil granulocytes) from the blood to the site of infection or injury is
The suitability of scopolamine as an Alzheimer’s model
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common cause of dementia. About 50 million people worldwide have Alzheimer’s disease or a related form of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease is a terminal illness affecting mostly the elderly above the age of
Inflammatory differences between men and women uncovered by 27-hydroxycholesterol
The combination of reduced exercise and increased caloric intake has led to a global obesity epidemic. Besides being characterized by increased waist circumferences and BMI, many obese patients also suffer from a chronic, low-grade inflammatory response, which
More than your average bread spread: plant stanols as therapeutical tool in Niemann-Pick type C1 disease
Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease is a lysosomal storage disease that affects nearly 1 in 100,000 live births worldwide. NPC1 disease is caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene that result in a dysfunctional NPC1 protein, which
Does intestinal inflammation impact the lung response to bacterial endotoxin?
Lung inflammation leading to airway hyperresponsiveness causes illnesses for more than ten percent of the population in USA. Recent research had indicated that patients with inflammatory bowel disease have higher incidence of airway hyperresponsiveness compared to the
Biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis: an eye on retinal inflammation
Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders. Alzheimer’s disease cases are constantly increasing worldwide due to population aging. Typical symptoms of the disease include memory loss, cognitive deficits, personality and behavior modifications. At the
Analysis of serum biomarkers and their correlation with pain and quality of life in the rare disease alkaptonuria
Alkaptonuria (AKU) is an ultra-rare disease causing an early onset, chronically debilitating spondylo-arthropathy due to deposition of an ochronotic pigment in joints and spine, which causes severe pain and greatly reduces patients’ quality of life. Despite an
Treatment of experimental eye inflammation with a single subconjunctival injection of liposomal steroid
Non-infectious anterior uveitis is an inflammatory condition in the front of the eye that can potentially lead to blindness. The current gold standard for treatment is with steroid eyedrops. However, this treatment has several disadvantages. Very little
Inhibitors of intracellular enzymes for treatment of multiple sclerosis
Lymphocytes are white blood cells that are central in the immune response to foreign microorganisms. Like all cells, lymphocytes have a membrane, a lipid bilayer, that envelops the content of the cell. Proteins attached to the cell
Unsightly war zones of aging
Imagine you were trying to hammer a nail, but instead you accidentally hit your thumb. Aside from pain, you may notice redness, swelling, and warmth of your thumb. These are symptoms of inflammation. When an area of
Fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis: From friend to foe
Our joints are composed of tissue-resident cells, called fibroblasts, which are responsible for maintaining the structure of the joint and repairing damaged tissue. Additionally, we and others have shown that fibroblasts can also influence the types and
Fungal chitin treatment reestablishes the anaerobic bacteria and decreases the intestinal inflammation in mice
The gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota acts a natural barrier to colonization and proliferation of opportunistic pathogens, thereby decreasing the risk of intestinal infection and disease. Deregulation of the dynamic crosstalk between the microbiota, intestinal epithelial cells and immune
Macrophages in atherosclerosis; the good, the bad and the foamy?
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition in which arteries are narrowed due to the deposition of plaque material to the artery walls. This narrowing can give rise to other cardiovascular events like thrombosis or a stroke. One
Training the immune system to treat Niemann-Pick type C1 disease
Every year, at least 1 in 100,000 people worldwide is born with Niemann-Pick type C1 (NPC1) disease, a lysosomal storage disease. Lysosomes are cellular compartments which process an array of substrates – from DNA to nutrients –
Polarized light therapy: Illuminating immunity
What is it?: Light has been used as an alternative mode for the treatment of diseases, since the ancient Egyptians basked in the sun to restore their energy. Phototherapies are modern treatments in which light is used
New inflammatory properties of nanoparticles (NPs): NPs can alter the biology of human eosinophils
The term nanoparticles (NPs) refer to particles with a very small size ranging in the nanometer scale. One nanometer (nm) is a unit of measure corresponding to a billionth of a meter. In general, the definition of
Role of the gut in systemic inflammation
The multi-layer wall of the intestine is unique and important due its barrier function for billions of potential deadly gut bacteria and the sterile tissues in the body. For this reason, the intestine is equipped with highly
P2X7 antagonism: a specific tool to decrease inflammatory status in human atherosclerotic vessels?
Atherosclerosis is a dynamic progressive disease of the large arteries characterized by the tendency to accumulate lipids, inflammatory cells, smooth muscle cells and extracellular matrix within the sub-endothelial space, and progressing in unpredictable way to different stage.
