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The CD1 family of proteins binds self and foreign glycolipids for presentation to CD1-restricted T cells. To identify previously uncharacterized active CD1 ligands, especially those of microbial origin, numerous glycolipids were synthesized and tested for their ability to stimulate mouse and human natural killer T (NKT) cells. They included analogs of the well known NKT cell agonist α-galactosyl ceramide (α-GalCer), bacterial glycolipids, and variations of the self-glycolipid, sulfatide. Bacterial glycolipids, α-galacturono- syl-ceramides from Sphingomonas wittichii, although structurally similar to α-GalCer. have significant differences in the sugar head group as well as the ceramide portion. The Sphingomonas glycosphingolipids (GSLs) and sulfatide variants were shown to activate human NKT cells as measured by IL-4 and IFN-γ secretion. Moreover CD1d-dimer staining revealed human NKT cell reactivity toward these GSLs and to the sulfatides in a fashion comparable with α-GalCer. Because α-GalCer is a marine-sponge-derived Ii-gand, our study here shows that bacterium-derived antigens are also able to stimulate mouse and human NKT cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two kinds of AIE-active fluorescent organic nanoparticles were designed and constructed as anti-counterfeiting photoresponsive materials. One is fluorescent organic nanoparticles (TPELs) based on a self-assembly strategy, which were self-assembled from novel amphiphilic tetraphenylethylene (TPE) molecules decorated with a lactose moiety and different photoresponsive tags. The other is polymeric fluorescent organic nanoparticles (F-TPEs) derived from the nanoprecipitation strategy, which utilized pluronic copolymer F127 to encapsulate hydrophobic TPEs without lactosyl modifications. Upon UV light irradiation, these AIE-active materials exhibit different photooxidation behaviors in an aqueous solution to give cyan, orange and green fluorescence emissions, and they were successfully used as an anti-counterfeiting fluorescent hydrogel and ink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study regarding the effects of SNX-2112 heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) inhibitor on the inhibition of cell growth, apoptosis, and cycle in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. The study indicate that the SNX-2112 inhibits cell growth in a dose- and time-dependent manner based on a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2-5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and flow cytometric analysis. The study has found the involve activation of mitochondrial apoptopic pathway in SNX-2112.