Cardiovascular disease (CVD) comprehensively describes a range of pathologies of the heart and/or blood vessels. These disorders differ markedly in time-scale of development, and relative contributory effects of genes and environment. Largely due to this breadth, and their causes and effects, the range of investigation, assessment, and treatment strategies available is large. The diversity of the diseases, disease processes, and genetic differences between individuals could obscure disease associations in terms of the proteomic signatures of each disorder. Thus, a panel of independent disease-related proteins considered together should be less prone to this noise and help provide much more robust analysis and indication of disease. The publication featured below and the reagents (multi-plex immunoassays or single target ELISA and antibodies) mentioned in this post may contribute in helping you to identify such diseases signature. [Read more…]
5 popular RayBio® ELISA kits for studying inflammation
With more than 170,000 publications in 2016, inflammation remains a “hot” topic in today’s Life Science research (source: Google Scholar). Interestingly, the ELISA test is still one of the most popular tools for the accurate quantification of human cytokines involved in this biological process. Here, we review the 5 protein targets most studied by our clients, together with their favourite ELISA kits by RayBiotech in the field of inflammation.
A new fast and sensitive PGE2 Immunoassay kit
Typical Standard Curves of Our New PGE2 EIA Kit (Cat. number 183K051-H1).
PGE2 is a potent lipid mediator involved in maintaining homeostasis but also in the promotion of acute inflammation or immune suppression in chronic inflammation and cancer. Recently, researchers have shown that the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in human primary monocyte-derived macrophages is inhibited by PGE2 (1) confirming the role of this lipid is an effective autocrine and paracrine inflammatory modulator maintaining homeostasis during the resolution phase of inflammation.
This paper also proove the importance of having access to simple but robust PGE2Â quatitative assays.
Which Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) Immunoassay kit to choose?
The Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) Immunoassay kit is designed to quantitatively measure PGE2 present in serum, plasma, urine, saliva, cells, tissue, and tissue culture media samples. This
EIA kit allows for the widest variations in sample size, sensitivity and assay timing of any PGE2 kit:
- Super Fast Kinetics – Same Assay Range at 2 or 16 hours
- Incredible Sensitivity – < 2 pg/mL
- Superior Cross Reactivity to Other Eicosanoids
- Super Low Sample Volume Requirements
- Choice of Incubation Time, Sensitivity, and Sample Volume in a Single Kit
Want to test this kit allowing you to accomplish any PGE2 measurement you may have, do not hesitate to contact us!
References
1.- Sokolowska, M. et al. (2015). The Journal of Immunology, vol. 194 no. 11 5472-5487. doi: 10.4049/​jimmunol.1401343.
Cytokine signature in airway inflammation with arrays
Chronic Mucosal Inflammation is the hallmark of common airway diseases (ex.  Allergic Rhinitis and asthma). Lipoxin B4(LXB4) is an endogenous mucosal protective mediator decreasing such diseases. LXB4 mechanisms of action remain poorly understood.
Cytokine Quantibody Arrays from Raybiotech and tebu-bio laboratories.
In a recent paper in Mucosal Immunology (Karra, L. et al. (2015) 8; DOI:10.1038/mi.2014.116), Allergic Rhinitis  and asthma murine models have been described to better investigate the role of LXB4 in Mucosal Inflammation. The authors conclude that, in the upper airway, LXB4 significantly decreases nasal mucosal leukocytes and degranulation of Mast Cells (MCs) and Eosinophils. They also show that, in the lower airway, LXB4 significantly decreased airway inflammation, mucus metaplasia, and hyper-responsiveness. [Read more…]
8 criteria for selecting your ELISA kits
Biomarkers specialists are often asked to select an ELISA kit for researchers: with thousands of ELISA references available on the market, the choice can be tricky regarding proteins for which several kits available.
When researchers have to choose a new ELISA kit, the price is regularly the first parameter of selection. But my experience with long term projects shows that it should in fact be the very last one…
Keep cool… corticosterone and stress
Corticosterone is a glucocorticoid secreted by the cortex of the adrenal gland in response to stimulation by adrenocorticotropic hormone. Corticosterone is a major indicator of stress in non-human mammals. Glucocorticoids, such as corticosterone, guide fundamental processes associated with converting sugar, fat, and protein stores to useable energy; inhibiting swelling and inflammation, and suppressing immune responses following a stress event.
Measuring Corticosterone
Comparison of the EIA kit described in this post with traditional RIA, using 1 ul mouse tail bleed samples.
Competitive immunoassays, such as RIA and EIA methods, are the typical means for measuring levels of corticosterone in biological matrices. Most RIAs or EIAs require solvent extraction techniques to measure serum or plasma corticosterone levels, however extraction may be very difficult or impossible with mouse samples due to the large volumes of plasma or serum required for most extraction protocols. [Read more…]
New drug for Sickle Cell Disease targets Leukocytes
Leukocytes adhere to blood vessels as a mechanism to enter tissue where there is inflammation. Inadvertently, they pile up sickle cell red blood cells.
Mutations in the hemoglobin gene can render a person to a lifetime of sickle cell disease (SCD). While otherwise healthy individuals with one allele (gene copy) of the sickle hemoglobin (HbS) gene are carriers, the disease is seen in those with two HbS alleles – one inherited from each carrier parent. A single HbS allele can also cause SCD in a person who inherits other defects in the second hemoglobin allele.
Caspases as pharmaceutical targets – screening for inhibitors?
Caspases (cysteine-dependent aspartate-directed proteases) belong to the family of cysteine proteases and are involved in networks controlling cell death (apoptosis and necrosis) and inflammation. 12 human caspases have been described so far (1.). Human Caspases have been classified according to their roles in apoptosis (Caspase-3, -6, -7, -8, and -9) and inflammation (Caspase-1, -4, -5, and -12). Caspase-2, -10, and -14 can be less easily classified concerning the function (for an overview see 2.).
So let’s take a further look at their role, and some of the tools available to investigate and screen compounds modifying Caspase activities.
New biomarkers in periodontal disease
Periodontitis, also generally called gum disease or periodontal disease, begins with bacterial growth in the mouth and may end, if not properly treated, with tooth loss due to destruction of the tissue that surrounds your teeth. It’s not only an issue of aesthetics, it’s also an issue of health, as it might affect nutrient intake and digestion, affecting quality of life.
To make it simple, depending on the seriousness of the disease, we talk about either gingivitis (gum inflammation), that usually precedes periodontitis (gum disease). Not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis. [Read more…]
Exosomes and neuroinflammation
Following our series of posts on the role of exosomes in cancer (TME, signaling), let’s have a look at Neurobiology today. Because exosomes are everywhere (even in beer!).
Composition of exosomes (taken from Ref. 1).
Years ago, exosomes were considered as ‘extracellular debris’, but in fact they are mediators of intercellular communication by delivering functional proteins, mRNA transcripts and miRNA to recipient cells. In Neurobiology, it has been suggested that they primarily serve as signaling organelles which also remove unwanted cellular components in the brain. However, accumulating evidence suggests that exosomes can also contribute, significantly, to the development of several neuropathologies. [Read more…]