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Seminars in Immunology Dec 2018The unprecedented increase of life expectancy challenges society to protect the elderly from morbidity and mortality making vaccination a crucial mean to safeguard this... (Review)
Review
The unprecedented increase of life expectancy challenges society to protect the elderly from morbidity and mortality making vaccination a crucial mean to safeguard this population. Indeed, infectious diseases, such as influenza and pneumonia, are among the top killers of elderly people in the world. Elderly individuals are more prone to severe infections and less responsive to vaccination prevention, due to immunosenescence combined with the progressive increase of a proinflammatory status characteristic of the aging process (inflammaging). These factors are responsible for most age-related diseases and correlate with poor response to vaccination. Therefore, it is of utmost interest to deepen the knowledge regarding the role of inflammaging in vaccination responsiveness to support the development of effective vaccination strategies designed for elderly. In this review we analyse the impact of age-associated factors such as inflammaging, immunosenescence and immunobiography on immune response to vaccination in the elderly, and we consider systems biology approaches as a mean for integrating a multitude of data in order to rationally design vaccination approaches specifically tailored for the elderly.
Topics: Aged; Aging; Animals; Datasets as Topic; Humans; Immunosenescence; Inflammation; Precision Medicine; Systems Biology; Vaccination
PubMed: 30501873
DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2018.10.010 -
Journal of the American Chemical Society Jun 2021Structural engineering in multiple scales permits the integration of exotic properties into a single material, which boosts the development of ultracompact...
Structural engineering in multiple scales permits the integration of exotic properties into a single material, which boosts the development of ultracompact multifunctional devices. Layered perovskites are capable of cross-linking efficient carrier transport originating from few-layer perovskite frameworks with extended functionalities contributed by designable bulky organic cations and nanostructures, thus providing a platform for multiscale material engineering. Herein, high-performance Stokes-parameter photodetectors for arbitrary polarized light detection are realized on the basis of solution-processed chiral-perovskite nanowire arrays. The chiral ammonium cations intercalated between the perovskite layers are responsive to circularly polarized light with a maximum anisotropy factor of 0.15, while the strictly aligned nanowires with the anisotropic dielectric function result in a large polarized ratio of 1.6 to linearly polarized light. Single crystallinity and pure crystallographic orientation permit efficient in-plane carrier transport along the nanowires, yielding a responsivity of 47.1 A W and a detectivity of 1.24 × 10 Jones. By synergy of linear- and circular-polarization response with high optoelectronic performance for providing sufficient photocurrent contrasts, Stokes-parameter photodetection is demonstrated on these nanowires. Our Stokes-parameter photodetectors with a small footprint and high performances present promising applications toward polarization imaging.
PubMed: 34000194
DOI: 10.1021/jacs.1c02675 -
Chemical Society Reviews Apr 2024Self-indicating polymers have emerged as a promising class of smart materials that possess the unique ability to undergo detectable variations in their physical or... (Review)
Review
Self-indicating polymers have emerged as a promising class of smart materials that possess the unique ability to undergo detectable variations in their physical or chemical properties in response to various stimuli. This article presents an overview of the most important mechanisms through which these materials exhibit self-indication, including aggregation, phase transition, covalent and non-covalent bond cleavage, isomerization, charge transfer, and energy transfer. Aggregation is a prevalent mechanism observed in self-indicating polymers, where changes in the degree of molecular organization result in variations in optical or electrical properties. Phase transition-induced self-indication relies on the transformation between different phases, such as liquid-to-solid or crystalline-to-amorphous transitions, leading to observable changes in color or conductivity. Covalent bond cleavage-based self-indicating polymers undergo controlled degradation or fragmentation upon exposure to specific triggers, resulting in noticeable variations in their structural or mechanical properties. Isomerization is another crucial mechanism exploited in self-indicating polymers, where the reversible transformation between the different isomeric forms induces detectable changes in fluorescence or absorption spectra. Charge transfer-based self-indicating polymers rely on the modulation of electron or hole transfer within the polymer backbone, manifesting as changes in electrical conductivity or redox properties. Energy transfer is an essential mechanism utilized by certain self-indicating polymers, where energy transfer between chromophores or fluorophores leads to variations in the emission characteristics. Furthermore, this review article highlights the diverse range of applications for self-indicating polymers. These materials find particular use in sensing and monitoring applications, where their responsive nature enables them to act as sensors for specific analytes, environmental parameters, or mechanical stress. Self-indicating polymers have also been used in the development of smart materials, including stimuli-responsive coatings, drug delivery systems, food sensors, wearable devices, and molecular switches. The unique combination of tunable properties and responsiveness makes self-indicating polymers highly promising for future advancements in the fields of biotechnology, materials science, and electronics.
PubMed: 38449438
DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00431g -
Planta Feb 2023Molecular, biochemical, and genetic experiments demonstrate that metal-responsive elements (MREs), initially identified in animals, confer the cadmium transcriptional...
Molecular, biochemical, and genetic experiments demonstrate that metal-responsive elements (MREs), initially identified in animals, confer the cadmium transcriptional response in Arabidopsis, thus providing deep functional insights of MREs in plants. Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic to all organisms including plants. Cd-responsive gene transcription is a fundamental aspect of the Cd response, in which Cd stress regulatory cis-acting elements are essential. However, little is known regarding such elements in plants. Metal-responsive elements (MREs, 5'-TGCRCNC-3', R: A or G, N: any base) are essential for transcriptional induction of Cd in animals. MREs are also contained in the promoters of some Cd-regulated plant genes, but whether MREs confer Cd responses in plants is poorly defined. Herein, we used a previously identified MRE of the tobacco feedback-insensitive anthranilate synthase α-2 chain gene as a representative MRE (named as MREa, 5'-TGCACAC-3') to explore the roles of MREs in the transcriptional response to Cd stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. First, we showed that MREa conferred Cd stress responsiveness on a minimal promoter in both concentration- and time-dependent manners, whereas the mutated MREa did not. Second, MREa specifically bound nuclear extracts, displaying a biochemical characteristic of cis-acting elements. We screened and identified four MREa-binding transcription factors, including ethylene response factor 13 (AtERF13). At last, MREa could mediate AtERF13 to activate the β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter expression. Overall, these molecular, biochemical, and genetic data suggest that MREa is instrumental in the Cd response in Arabidopsis, thus providing deep functional insights of MREs in plants.
Topics: Arabidopsis; Cadmium; Metals; Response Elements; Transcription Factors; Transcription, Genetic
PubMed: 36773095
DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04093-4 -
Frontiers in Chemistry 2021Of the multiple areas of applications of DNA nanotechnology, stimuli-responsive nanodevices have emerged as an elite branch of research owing to the advantages of... (Review)
Review
Of the multiple areas of applications of DNA nanotechnology, stimuli-responsive nanodevices have emerged as an elite branch of research owing to the advantages of molecular programmability of DNA structures and stimuli-responsiveness of motifs and DNA itself. These classes of devices present multiples areas to explore for basic and applied science using dynamic DNA nanotechnology. Herein, we take the stake in the recent progress of this fast-growing sub-area of DNA nanotechnology. We discuss different stimuli, motifs, scaffolds, and mechanisms of stimuli-responsive behaviours of DNA nanodevices with appropriate examples. Similarly, we present a multitude of biological applications that have been explored using DNA nanodevices, such as biosensing, pH-mapping, drug delivery, and therapy. We conclude by discussing the challenges and opportunities as well as future prospects of this emerging research area within DNA nanotechnology.
PubMed: 34277571
DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.704234 -
Current Opinion in Gastroenterology Jul 2017To update rapidly evolving concepts regarding the controversial entity of 'proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-responsive esophageal eosinophilia,' referring to patients with... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
To update rapidly evolving concepts regarding the controversial entity of 'proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-responsive esophageal eosinophilia,' referring to patients with clinical, endoscopic and histologic features of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) who achieve remission on PPI therapy.
RECENT FINDINGS
Up to half of pediatric and adult patients with typical EoE symptoms and histology achieve clinico-pathologic remission on PPI therapy, irrespective of whether esophageal pH monitoring demonstrates abnormal acid reflux. In patients with clinical and histologic features of EoE, genotypic and phenotypic features of PPI responders and nonresponders are virtually indistinguishable, and different from those of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. In PPI responders, PPIs effects on esophageal Th2 inflammation and gene expression are similar to those of topical steroids in PPI nonresponders. These therapies, along with diets, recently have been shown to be potentially interchangeable in two small series.
SUMMARY
Proton pump inhibitor-responsive esophageal eosinophilia is an inappropriate disease descriptor, arbitrarily based on a response to a single drug, and should be abandoned. Patients who have esophageal eosinophilia and esophageal symptoms that resolve with PPI therapy have phenotypic, molecular, mechanistic, and therapeutic features indistinguishable from similar patients who do not respond to PPIs. These patients with PPI responsiveness should be considered within the spectrum of EoE.
Topics: Diagnosis, Differential; Eosinophilic Esophagitis; Esophageal pH Monitoring; Gastroesophageal Reflux; Guidelines as Topic; Humans; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Remission Induction; Th2 Cells
PubMed: 28445189
DOI: 10.1097/MOG.0000000000000371 -
Current Medicinal Chemistry 2018Composed in a large extent of water and due to their nonadhesiveness, hydrogels found their way to the wound dressing market as materials that provide a moisture... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Composed in a large extent of water and due to their nonadhesiveness, hydrogels found their way to the wound dressing market as materials that provide a moisture environment for healing while being comfortable to the patient. Hydrogels' exploitation is constantly increasing after evidences of their even broader therapeutic potential due to resemblance to dermal tissue and ability to induce partial skin regeneration. The innovation in advanced wound care is further directed to the development of so-called active dressings, where hydrogels are combined with components that enhance the primary purpose of providing a beneficial environment for wound healing.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this review is to concisely describe the relevance of hydrogel dressings as platforms for delivery of active molecules for improved management of difficult- to-treat wounds. The emphasis is on the most recent advances in development of stimuli- responsive hydrogels, which allow for control over wound healing efficiency in response to different external modalities. Novel strategies for monitoring of the wound status and healing progress based on incorporation of sensor molecules into the hydrogel platforms are also discussed.
Topics: Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bandages; Drug Carriers; Drug Liberation; Humans; Hydrogels; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Polymers; Skin; Temperature; Wound Healing; Wounds and Injuries
PubMed: 28933299
DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170920161246 -
Research (Washington, D.C.) 2020With controllable size, biocompatibility, porosity, injectability, responsivity, diffusion time, reaction, separation, permeation, and release of molecular species,... (Review)
Review
With controllable size, biocompatibility, porosity, injectability, responsivity, diffusion time, reaction, separation, permeation, and release of molecular species, hydrogel microparticles achieve multiple advantages over bulk hydrogels for specific biomedical procedures. Moreover, so far studies mostly concentrate on local responses of hydrogels to chemical and/or external stimuli, which significantly limit the scope of their applications. Tetherless micromotors are autonomous microdevices capable of converting local chemical energy or the energy of external fields into motive forces for self-propelled or externally powered/controlled motion. If hydrogels can be integrated with micromotors, their applicability can be significantly extended and can lead to fully controllable responsive chemomechanical biomicromachines. However, to achieve these challenging goals, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and motive mechanisms of hydrogel micromotors need to be simultaneously integrated. This review summarizes recent achievements in the field of micromotors and hydrogels and proposes next steps required for the development of hydrogel micromotors, which become increasingly important for and bioapplications.
PubMed: 32728669
DOI: 10.34133/2020/7659749 -
Nature Immunology Feb 2023T cell dysfunctionality prevents the clearance of chronic infections and cancer. Furthermore, epigenetic programming in dysfunctional CD8 T cells limits their response...
T cell dysfunctionality prevents the clearance of chronic infections and cancer. Furthermore, epigenetic programming in dysfunctional CD8 T cells limits their response to immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). However, it is unclear which upstream signals drive acquisition of dysfunctional epigenetic programs, and whether therapeutically targeting these signals can remodel terminally dysfunctional T cells to an ICB-responsive state. Here we innovate an in vitro model system of stable human T cell dysfunction and show that chronic TGFβ1 signaling in posteffector CD8 T cells accelerates their terminal dysfunction through stable epigenetic changes. Conversely, boosting bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling while blocking TGFβ1 preserved effector and memory programs in chronically stimulated human CD8 T cells, inducing superior responses to tumors and synergizing the ICB responses during chronic viral infection. Thus, rebalancing TGFβ1/BMP signals provides an exciting new approach to unleash dysfunctional CD8 T cells and enhance T cell immunotherapies.
Topics: Humans; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Immunotherapy; Signal Transduction; Virus Diseases; Transforming Growth Factor beta1; Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
PubMed: 36543960
DOI: 10.1038/s41590-022-01384-y -
Macromolecular Bioscience Nov 2022Polymer assemblies on the nanoscale represent a powerful toolbox for the design of theranostic systems when combined with both therapeutic compounds and diagnostic... (Review)
Review
Polymer assemblies on the nanoscale represent a powerful toolbox for the design of theranostic systems when combined with both therapeutic compounds and diagnostic reporting ones. Here, recent advances in the design of theranostic systems for various diseases, containing-in their architecture-either polymers or polymer assemblies as one of the building blocks are presented. This review encompasses the general principles of polymer self-assembly, from the production of adequate copolymers up to supramolecular assemblies with theranostic functionality. Such polymer nanoassemblies can be further tailored through the incorporation of inorganic nanoparticles to endow them with multifunctional therapeutic and/or diagnostic features. Systems that change their architecture or properties in the presence of stimuli are selected, as responsivity to changes in the environment is a key factor for enhancing efficiency. Such theranostic systems are based on the intrinsic properties of copolymers or one of the other components. In addition, systems with a more complex architecture, such as multicompartments, are presented. Selected systems indicate the advantages of such theranostic approaches and provide a basis for further developments in the field.
Topics: Polymers; Precision Medicine; Nanoparticles; Theranostic Nanomedicine
PubMed: 36100461
DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202200270