Radioimmunoassay Quantitation of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in Human Dental Pulps

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a 36 amino acid peptide that is abundantly expressed in both the central and peripheral nervous systems. NPY has previously been shown to be present in human dental pulp although its exact role in pulpal health and disease remains to be fully elucidated. In addition to serving a neurotransmitter role, NPY may also have a role in modulating the pulpal response to injury and inflammation. Indeed NPY is known to be a potent vasoconstrictor in a range of tissues. Recent work by our research group has demonstrated changes in sensory neuropeptide levels measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) in healthy and carious teeth. In addition to elevated levels of sensory neuropeptides, it is also possible that the carious process is associated with increased levels of autonomic neuropeptides such as NPY. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to undertake a comprehensive quantitative RIA analysis of NPY expression in human dental pulps from carious and non-carious teeth. Methods: A total of 22 non-carious and 46 carious teeth were included in the study. NPY was measured in all samples using RIA. Briefly, the RIA system consisted of a total volume of 400 ul, comprising 100 ul anti-NPY antibody (Peninsula Laboratories), 200 ul human NPY synthetic standard or pulp sample, and 100 ul of 125I-labelled NPY as radioactive tracer. Results: The mean concentration of NPY in non-carious teeth was found to be 4.28 ng/g (4.34 SD) compared to 9.57 ng/g (9.39 SD) in carious teeth. Using ANOVA the difference in NPY levels between the non-carious group and the carious group was found to be statistically significant (p= 0.003). Conclusion: The significant increase in the levels of NPY in carious dental pulps reported in this study provides evidence for a role for NPY in the pulpal response to caries.

Autophagy in hypothalamic cells: role of Neuropeptide Y

Dissertação de mest.Ciências Biomédicas. Departamento de Ciências Biomédicas e Medicina, Univ. do Algarve, 2011

Epigenetic mechanisms of effector y&T cell differentiation : focus on histone modifications and microRNAs

Tese de doutoramento, Ciências Biomédicas (Imunologia), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina, 2014

The battle of Cable Street

This witness seminar on the events in the East End of London of 4 October 1936, traditionally known as the ‘Battle of Cable Street’, was held at the Institute of Historical Research on 1 May 1991. It was chaired by Professor Geoffrey Alderman and introduced by Noreen Branson. The participants were Sid Bailey (former member of the BUF), Dr David Cesarani, Tony Gilbert, Charlie Goodman, Joyce Goodman, Professor Colin Holmes, Frank Lesser, Kevin Morgan (biographer of Harry Pollitt), Phil Piratin (Communist MP for Mile End 1945–50), Michael Quill, Jack Shaw, Harold Smith, Ronald F. Webb (former member of the BUF) and Len Wise (former member of the BUF). Yvonne Kapp was unable to attend but she sent a short account of her recollections of the event and this has been included with this transcript.

The battle of Buena Vista ; with the operations of the Army of occupation for one month

UANL

Agendas de investigación en Educación Matemática en España : una aproximación desde 'ISI-web of knowledge' y ERIH.

Resumen basado en el de la publicación

Antiproliferative activity of Titanocene Y against tumor colony-forming units

Bis-[(p-methoxybenzyl)cyclopentadienyl] titanium dichloride, better known as Titanocene Y, is a newly synthesized titanium-based anticancer drug. We studied the antitumor activity of Titanocene Y with concentrations of 2.1, 21 and 210 μmol/l against a range of freshly explanted human tumors, using an in-vitro soft agar cloning system. The sensitivity against Titanocene Y was highly remarkable in the case of renal cell, ovarian, nonsmall cell lung and colon cancer. In particular the surprisingly good response of nonsmall cell lung cancer and colon cancer against Titanocene Y at its lowest concentration of 2.1 μmol/l was well comparable or better with respect to cisplatin, given at a concentration of 1.0 μmol/l. Further clinical development of Titanocene Y appears to be warranted because of the broad cytotoxic activity shown and the specific activity of Titanocene Y against renal cell cancer.

Anti-tumor activity of Titanocene Y in xenografted Caki-1 tumors in mice

The benzyl-substituted unbridged titanocene bis-[(p-methoxybenzyl)cyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride (Titanocene Y) was tested in vitro against human renal cancer cells (Caki-1), in which it showed an IC50 value of 36 x 10(-6) mol/l. Titanocene Y was then given in vivo in doses of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/kg on 5 consecutive days to Caki-1-bearing mice, and it showed concentration-dependent and statistically significant tumor growth reduction with respect to a solvent-treated control cohort. The maximum tolerable dose of Titanocene Y was determined to be 40 mg/kg and it showed significantly better tumor volume growth reduction than cisplatin given at a dose of 2 mg/kg. This superior activity of Titanocene Y with respect to cisplatin will hopefully lead to clinical tests against metastatic renal cell cancer in the near future.

Antitumor activity of Titanocene Y in xenografted PC3 tumors in mice

Chemotherapeutic options for androgen-independent prostate cancer are extremely limited with minimum survival advantage. The benzyl-substituted unbridged titanocene bis-[(p-methoxybenzyl) cyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride (Titanocene Y) was tested in vitro against the human prostate cancer androgen-independent cell, PC-3, which demonstrated an IC50 value of 56 x 10(-6) mol/L compared to 5.6 x 10(-6) mol/L for cisplatin. Then Titanocene Y was given at the maximum tolerable dose of 40 mg/kg/d on five consecutive days to one cohort of eight PC3 tumor-bearing male NMRI: nu/nu mice, while a second cohort was treated similarly with 3 mg/kg/d of cisplatin. Both of these mouse cohorts showed a statistically significant tumor growth reduction with respect to the third solvent-treated control group, which led to T/C values of 42% for cisplatin and 52% for Titanocene Y at the end of the experiment. This encouraging activity of Titanocene Y against prostate tumors in vivo, which is almost comparable with respect to cisplatin hopefully leads to further development of Titanocene Y in the future.

Antitumor activity of Titanocene Y against freshly explanted human breast tumor cells and in xenografted MCF-7 tumors in mice

Bis-[(p-methoxybenzyl)cyclopentadienyl] titanium dichloride, better known as Titanocene Y, is a newly synthesized transition metal-based anticancer drug. We studied the antitumor activity of Titanocene Y with concentrations of 2.1, 21 and 210 mu mol/l against a freshly explanted human breast cancer, using an in-vitro soft agar cloning system. The sensitivity against Titanocene Y was highly remarkable in the breast cancer tumor in the full concentration range. Titanocene Y showed cell death induction at 2.1 mu mol/l, well comparable to cisplatin, given at a concentration of 1.0 mu mol/l. A further preclinical development of Titanocene Y was warranted and therefore an MCF-7 human breast cancer xenograft nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient mouse model was used. Titanocene Y was given for 21 days at 30 mg/kg/ day (75% of the maximum tolerable dose of Titanocene Y), which resulted in the reduction of the tumor volume to around one-third, whereas no mouse was lost because of the surprisingly low toxicity of Titanocene Y.