Julio Raúl Fernández Massó

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Verified

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• PhD
• Head of Department at Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

Objective. To evaluate the association of the rs11125908 polymorphism in the COMMD1 gene in the Cuban population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. In this case-control study, 161 RA patients and 150 control subjects were genotyped for rs11125908 by the allele-specific polymerase chain reaction method. DNA sequencing was used to verify the as...

Non-small cell lung cancer constitutes one the most frequent and lethal forms of the disease. The antitumor peptide CIGB-552 is a new targeted anticancer therapy which molecular mechanism is associated with the inhibition of the transcription factor NF-kB, mediated by COMMD1 protein stabilization. However, its pharmacological potential in combinati...

Introduction The antinociceptive and pharmacological activities of C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) and Phycocyanobilin (PCB) in the context of inflammatory arthritis remain unexplored so far. In the present study, we aimed to assess the protective actions of these compounds in an experimental mice model that replicates key aspects of human rheumatoid arthriti...

Introduction: COMMD1 is a pleiotropic protein that is involved in NF-kB regulation. NF-kB signaling is relevant for the evolution and treatment of RA. The minor allele G of the polymorphism rs11125908 in Commd1 has been associated with a higher expression of COMMD1 and a decrease in bone erosions in Japanese patients. Objectives: To evaluate the as...

Cancer is a disease with high incidence. Other therapies as surgery and radiotherapy is also used in the treatment of this disease. However, the effect adverse and the metastasis limited the use of these therapies. Target anticancer Targeted cancer treatment is an attractive approach where drugs or other substances which targets specific molecules...

Cytokines, demyelination and neuroaxonal degeneration in the central nervous system are pivotal elements implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and its nonclinical model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Phycocyanobilin (PCB), a chromophore of the biliprotein C-Phycocyanin (C-PC) from Spirulina platensis, has an...

Background The antitumor peptide CIGB-552 is a new targeted anticancer therapy which molecular mechanism is associated with the inhibition of the transcription factor NF-kB, mediated by COMMD1 protein stabilization. In this study, we examined the antiproliferative capacity of CIGB-552 in combination with chemotherapeutic agents in lung cancer model...

Introduction: The detection of SARS-CoV-2 genetic material from nasopharyngeal swab samples by RT-PCR is the most specific and sensitive way to test suspected cases. However, factors such as the sampling process, the type of hyssop used, and the anatomical area from which the sample is collected can distort the result and cause false negatives. Ob...

The EGF promotes inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo models depending on its concentration, application schema and the type of tumor cells on which it acts. Our research hypothesis was based on the fact that the EGF varies the expression of genes involved in a negative regulation of tumor cell lines proliferation carrying high lev...

Non-small cell lung cancer constitutes one the most frequent and lethal forms of the disease. The antitumor peptide CIGB-552 is a new targeted anticancer therapy which molecular mechanism is associated with the inhibition of the transcription factor NF-kB, mediated by COMMD1 protein stabilization. However, its pharmacological potential in combinati...

Synthetic therapeutic peptides (STP) are intensively studied as new-generation drugs, characterized by high purity, biocompatibility, selectivity and stereochemical control. However, most of the studies are focussed on the bioactivity of STP without considering how the formulation actually used for therapy administration could alter the physico-che...

CIGB‐552 is a synthetic peptide that interacts with COMMD1 and upregulates its protein levels. The objectives of this phase I study were safety, pharmacokinetic profile, evaluation of the lymphocytes CD4+ and CD8+ and preliminary activity in patients with advanced tumors. A 3 + 3 dose‐escalation design with seven dose levels was implemented. Patien...

Introduction: The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a positive-strand RNA virus. The virus can also be detected in many different specimens as throat swabs, nasal swabs, sputum, saliva, blood, etc. Objective: The aim of this paper is to compare the reliability of different types of specimen collection, saliva and swabs samples for the detection of SARS-CoV-2....

CIGB-552 is a synthetic anti-tumor peptide capable of reducing tumor size and increasing the lifespan of tumor-bearing mice. Part of its anti-cancer effects consists of inducing apoptosis, modulating NF-kB signaling pathway, and the angiogenesis process. Although one of its major mediators, the COMMD1 protein, has been identified, the mechanism by...

El trabajo propone la síntesis y caracterización de nanopartículas magnéticas de óxido de hierro recubiertas con silica (Fe3O4@SiO2) para el aislamiento de ADN plasmídico. La síntesis se realizó por co-precipitación y el recubrimiento por el método de Stöber. Los materiales fueron caracterizados por Fluorescencia de Rayos-X, Difracción de Rayos-X y...

Objectives: IFN-alpha2b and IFN-gamma combination has demonstrated favorable pharmacodynamics for genes underlying antiviral activity which might be involved in the defense of the organism from a SARS-CoV-2 infection. Considering this we conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial for efficacy and safety evaluation of subcutaneous IFN-alpha2b...

The protective effect of the supplementation with an aqueous‐ethanolic extract obtained from Ulva lactuca (Delile) green seaweed on benzo[a] pyrene‐induced damage in mice was evaluated. Animals were treated with oral doses of U. lactuca extract (100 and 400 mg/kg) for 9 weeks. They were exposed to 50 mg/kg of oral doses of benzo(a)pyrene starting f...

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) and gamma (IFN-γ) are important cytokines with multiple functions. HeberFERON is a co-formulation of recombinant IFN-α2b and IFN-γ that shows improved pharmacodynamics properties and stronger antitumor response than individual IFNs. The aim of this study was to investigate the differentially expressed genes by HeberFERON in...

CIGB-552 is a twenty-amino-acid novel synthetic peptide that has proven to be effective in reducing tumor size and increasing lifespan in tumor-bearing mice. Such capability is conferred by its cell-penetrating peptide character, which allows it to enter cells and elicit a pro-apoptotic effect through its major mediator, COMMD1 protein. Cell-penetr...

Aim: The scope of this study was to provide evidence that the oral administration of C-Phycocyanin (C-PC), the main biliprotein of the Spirulina platensis cyanobacteria and its tetrapyrrolic prosthetic group, Phycocyanobilin (PCB), exert ameliorating actions on rodent models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Main methods: EAE w...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a significant global public health problem with >185 million infections worldwide. A series of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has identified IL-28B polymorphisms as a predictor of sustained virologic response (SVR), as well as spontaneous clearance in chronic HCV genotype 1 patients. The objective of this work was...

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) therapies approved so far are unable to effectively reverse the chronic phase of the disease or improve the remyelination process. Here our aim is to evaluate the effects of C-Phycocyanin (C-Pc), a biliprotein from Spirulina platensis with anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective properties, in a chronic model of e...

Inflammation is a fundamental protective response that sometimes goes awry and becomes a major cofactor in the pathogenesis of many chronic human diseases, including cancer. The NFkB signalling is one of the cellular pathways linking with cancer-related inflammation. CIGB-552 is a novel synthetic peptide derived from the antimicrobial peptide LALF3...

Immune Rebalancing: The Future of Immunosuppression summarizes the most promising perspectives of immunopharmacology, in particular in the area of immunosuppression by considering molecular pathways, personalized medicine, microbiome and nanomedicine. Modulation of immune responses for therapeutic purposes is a particularly relevant area, given th...

Inflammation is a fundamental response to tissue injury and invasion of pathogens, but it is detrimental in clinically important inflammatory disorders. Despite the extended use of conventional anti-inflammatory drugs there is a need for new drugs and therapeutic targets to overcome the high risk disadvantages related to such use. SIGIRR/TIR8 is a...

Atherogenesis is associated with the early retention of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in the arterial intima by interaction with glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-side chains of proteoglycans. Retained LDL undergo reactive oxygen species-mediated oxidation. Oxidized LDL trigger oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation, contributing to atherosclerosis developm...

CIGB-552 is a second generation antitumor peptide that displays potent cytotoxicity in lung and colon cancer cells. The nuclear subproteome of HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells treated with CIGB-552 peptide was identified and analyzed [1]. This data article provides supporting evidence for the above analysis.

A second-generation peptide CIGB-552, with cell-penetrating capacity, was developed by the modification of the primary structure of the L-2 peptide. The molecular mechanism underlying its cytotoxic activity remains partially unknown. In this study, it was shown that CIGB-552 binds and increases the levels of COMMD1, a protein involved in copper hom...

Supplementary material

Supplementary material

Aim-Subendothelial retention of LDL by interaction with glycosaminoglycan-side chains of proteoglycans is considered the key initiating process of atherogenesis. We aimed to investigate the anti-atherosclerotic effect of vaccination with chP3R99, a chimeric mAb that recognize sulfated glycosaminoglycans, in a chronic model of atherosclerosis. Metho...

In previous work, we identified the peptide comprising amino acids 32-51 on the antimicrobial protein limulus anti-LPS factor (LALF) from Limulus poliphemus, based on its capacity to bind to the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we designed a chemical peptide library by alanine scanning from the sequence of the LALF32-51 peptide. F...

In previous work, we identified the peptide comprising amino acids 32-51 on the antimicrobial protein limulus anti-LPS factor (LALF) from Limulus poliphemus, based on its capacity to bind to the bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we designed a chemical peptide library by alanine scanning from the sequence of the LALF32-51 peptide. F...

The role of glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPx1) in limiting the oxidative risk for atherogenesis is increasingly recognized. Therapeutic strategies, designed to augment cellular endogenous defense systems have been identified as a promising approach to control oxidative stress-associated diseases, including atherosclerosis. Ozone therapy regulates oxid...

ABSTRACT:Human peripheral blood is a useful material for biomedical research, since it can be used to investigate responses to treatment and predict diseases. However, variousbiological and technological factors produce a large degree of variation in blood of gene expression profiles. Our study wasbased on gene expression profiling analysis on peri...

This invention describes a method for treating cancer by increasing the nuclear localization of the COMMD1 protein, which is associated with decreasing or blocking the proliferation of the cancer cell. The invention is also related to the use of agents that increase nuclear localization of the COMMD1 protein, in the manufacture of a medicament for...

Dengue is an emerging disease that poses a threat to one-third of the global human population and produces over 50 million reported cases in tropical and sub-tropical regions every year. An accurate diagnosis of dengue infection is essential for timely management of the disease. NS1 is a 46- to 50-kilodalton highly conserved dengue virus glycoprote...

Dengue is an emerging disease that poses a threat to one-third of the global human population and produces over 50 million reported cases in tropical and sub-tropical regions every year. An accurate diagnosis of dengue infection is essential for timely management of the disease. NS1 is a 46- to 50-kilodalton highly conserved dengue virus glycoprote...

The EGF promotes inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo models depending on its concentration, application schema and the type of tumor cells on which it acts. Our research hypothesis was based on the fact that the EGF varies the expression of genes involved in a negative regulation of tumor cell lines proliferation carrying high lev...

Dengue is an emerging disease that poses a threat to one-third of the global human population and produces over 50 million reported cases in tropical and sub-tropical regions every year. An accurate diagnosis of dengue infection is essential for timely management of the disease. NS1 is a 46- to 50-kilodalton highly conserved dengue virus glycoprote...

The EGF promotes inhibition of cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo models depending on its concentration, application schema and the type of tumor cells on which it acts. Our research hypothesis was based on the fact that the EGF varies the expression of genes involved in a negative regulation of tumor cell lines proliferation carrying high lev...

Since the inflammatory response and oxidative stress are involved in the stroke cascade, we evaluated here the effects of Phycocyanobilin (PCB, the C-Phycocyanin linked tetrapyrrole) on PC12 cells survival, the gene expression and the oxidative status of hypoperfused rat brain. After the permanent bilateral common carotid arteries occlusion (BCCAo)...

CIGB-552 is a second-generation peptide with antineoplastic effect and cell-penetrating capacity designed from the peptide L-2 (" Identification of a Novel Antitumor peptide based on the screening of an Ala-library derived from the LALF 32-51 region " , Vallespi, M.G et al, J.Pept.Sci. 2010, 16:40). In this study, we show that CIGB-552 increases th...

Abstract: Aim: In order to analyze the potential carcinogenic effect of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) on cancer cells, we have studied the effect of EGF in vitro experiments to follow the proliferation of tumor cells lines expressing different levels of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR). Additionally, in these cells, the gene expression profi...

We have demonstrated that the peptide L-2 designed from an alanine scanning of the Limulus-derived LALF32-51 region is a potential candidate for the anticancer therapy and its cell-penetrating capacity is an associated useful property. By the modification in the primary structure of L-2, a second-generation peptide (CIGB-552) was developed. However...

Objective: To evaluate changes in ultrastructure and cellularity of Purkinje cells in the F066 transgenic mice model for Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2. Background: Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the atrophy and loss of Purkinje neurons from the cerebellar cortex. It is caused by the expression of muta...

We have demonstrated that the peptide L-2 designed from an alanine scanning of the Limulus-derived LALF32-51 region is a potential candidate for the anticancer therapy and its cell-penetrating capacity is an associated useful property. By the modi�cation in the primary structure of L-2, a second-generation peptide (CIGB-552) was developed. However,...

Relative gene quantification by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) is an accurate technique only when a correct normalization strategy is carried out. Some of the most commonly genes used as reference have demonstrated variation after interferon (IFN) treatments. In this work we evaluated the suitability of seven reference genes (RGs)...

El carácter de promotor de la carcinogénesis atribuido al factor de crecimiento epidérmico (FCE) no se ha reproducido uniformemente, pues las células malignas tratadas con esta molécula en algunos experimentos han mostrado inhibición del crecimiento y apoptosis. Se ofrecen datos adicionales de la interacción del FCE con células cancerosas, mediante...

The present invention relates to a method for treating cancer by means of increasing the nuclear localization of the COMMD1 protein, which is associated with the reduction or blocking of cancer cell proliferation. The invention likewise relates to the use of agents that increase the nuclear localization of the COMMD1 protein in the manufacture of a...

The historical tag of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) as carcinogenesis promoter has not been uniformly reproduced, since, in some experiments, malignant cells are bound to growth inhibition and apoptosis. The present study intends to obtain additional data on the interaction of EGF with cancer cells by analyzing its effect in vitro on the growth...

Tissue fibrosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Current treatments for conditions such as hepatic fibrosis have been unsuccessful. The growth hormone relasing peptide 6 (GHRP6) is endowed with cardioprotective actions but its antifibrotic effect had not been anticipated. We examined the GHRP6 ability to prevent and revert liver cirrh...

Tissue fibrosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Current treatments for conditions such as hepatic fibrosis have been unsuccessful. The growth hormone relasing peptide 6 (GHRP6) is endowed with cardioprotective actions but its antifibrotic effect had not been anticipated. We examined the GHRP6 ability to prevent and revert liver cirrh...

A common rate-limiting step in many high throughput proteome scale analyses is the cloning of predicted open reading frames (ORFs) into technique-specific vectors. For example, methodologies for the detection of protein interactions such as Yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) assay require validation using alternative methods as Protein Fragment Complementation...

A common rate-limiting step in many high throughput proteome scale analyses is the cloning of predicted open reading frames (ORFs) into technique-specific vectors. For example, methodologies for the detection of protein interactions such as Yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) assay require validation using alternative methods as Protein Fragment Complementation...

Novel therapeutic peptides are increasingly making their way into clinical application. The cationic and amphipathic properties of certain peptides allow them to cross biological membranes in a non-disruptive way without apparent toxicity increasing drug bioavailability. By modifying the primary structure of the Limulus-derived LALF(32-51) peptide...

The invention relates to one-step instrument-free method for the quantification of the dengue NS1 antigen in early acute phase, present in serum, plasma and blood samples, by reacting same with a specific monoclonal and/or polyclonal antibody against the antigen, which antibodies are conjugated to colloidal gold deposited on a matrix from which it...

Short nucleotide repetitions (STRs) are commonly used as genetic markers; thus their detection and analysis constitutes a very important tool for the mapping of genetic diseases, as well as for gathering information about genetic polymorphisms at the population level. STRs can be detected with agarose- or acrylamide-based electrophoretic techniques...

Chemical peptide compounds obtained by means of in silico molecular modelling whose structure enables them to perform the same functions as growth hormone peptide secretagogues. The invention also comprises the compositions that contain said compounds and use thereof in the preparation of medicinal products, nutritional supplements or other formula...

Within a short period of time, the teaching and popularization of Biotechnology has become a need not only for the academic world, but for society as well. The advances in this field have repercussions within the scientific community, as well as politicians, businessmen, manufacturers, lawyers, journalists and the general population alike. At the s...

The objective of this work was the generation of an animal model of the SCA2 disease for future studies on the benefits of therapeutic molecules and neuropathological mechanisms that underline this human disorder. The transgenic fragment was microinjected into pronuclei of B6D2F1 X OF1 mouse hybrid strain. For Northern blots, RNAs were hybridized w...

2 Center of Investigation and Rehabilitation of Hereditary Ataxias (CIRAH), Holguín, Cuba 3 Food and Pharmaceutics Institute (IFAL), Havana, Cuba ABSTRACT The objective of this work was the generation of an animal model of the SCA2 disease for future studies on the benefits of therapeutic molecules and the underlying neuropathological mechanisms in...

La inmunización con ADN consiste en la administración in vivo de vectores de ADN plasmídico de expresión en mamíferos, codificantes para antígenos de interés vacunal. Es muy ventajoso para el país disponer de vectores propios, compactos y seguros para su administración en seres humanos, de acuerdo a las regulaciones establecidas internacionalmente....

BisoPharma is a flexible software for gene-disease-drug network building. The use of BisoPharma in combination with BisoGenet, offers a very high level of data integration beneficial for drug repositioning and drug-drug interactions research.

Los bio-arreglos son una tecnología versátil y de amplias posibilidades para el avance científico en el siglo XXI. Su aplicación se ha acrecentado enormemente en los últimos años y con ello los análisis genéticos en las investigaciones científicas. Los bio-arreglos le han proporcionado velocidad al desarrollo de la biología molecular y la ciencia e...

The bio-arrays are a versatile technology with wide possibilities for the scientific advance in the XXI century. Its application had shown a significant growth in the last years and, together with this, the genetic analysis on the scientific research. In the same way that the microchip had impressed velocity to the development of the computerized s...

The HIV-1 gp120 gene with natural signal sequence expressed in eukaryotic expression systems showed extremely low levels of synthesis and secretion. Several expression systems have been used to improve the secretion levels of gp 120. In mammalian cells, the efficient expression of gp120 fused to t-PA signal peptide has been previously reported. Her...

The streptokinase (SK) gene from S.equisimilis H46A (ATCC 12449) was cloned in E.coli W3110 under the control of the tryptophan promoter. The recombinant SK, which represented 15% of total cell protein content, was found in the soluble fraction of disrupted cells. The solubility of this SK notably differed from that of the product of the SK gene fr...

beta-Fructofuranosidases share a conserved aspartic acid-containing motif (Arg-Asp-Pro; RDP) which is absent from alpha-glucopyranosidases. The role of Asp-309 located in the RDP motif of levansucrase (EC 2.4.1.10) from Acetobacter diazotrophicus SRT4 was studied by site-directed mutagenesis. Substitution of Asp-309 by Asn did not affect enzyme sec...

CAG repeat unstable expansions causing spinocerebellar ataxia 2 (SCA2) disease were localized into a CpG island on the exon 1 of the SCA2 gene, previously linked to the chromosomic region 12q23-24.1 of human chromosome 12. At molecular level, 392 patients with dominant ataxia from Holguin, Cuba, were analyzed, showing an inverse correlation between...

Gene amplification plays an important role in cellular regulatory mechanisms. To study the amplification and expression of the human erythropoietin (EPO) gene, Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) dhfr- cells co- transfected with chimeric genes for the expression of EPO and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) and selected in the presence of increasing concentrat...

A restriction fragment containing the 5' region of the spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) gene was subcloned from PAC65i22 into pBluescript and totally sequenced using an ABI 373A automated sequencer, in combination with the direct sequencing of the mentioned PAC genomic clone through the DOP- vector PCR method. A typical CpG island with several...

A fragment of the gp-36 gene of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 2 (HIV-2) was fused to a stabilizer sequence, which encodes for the first N-terminal 58 amino acids of the human interleukin-2. The fused protein was expressed under the control of the tryptophan promoter in Escherichia coli, and expressed as 20% of the total cellular protein. Tr...

A protein of molecular weight of 64 kDa (p64k) found in the outer membrane of Neisseria meningitidis shows a high degree of homology with both the lipoyl domain of the acetyltransferase and the entire sequence of the lipoamide dehydrogenase, the E2 and E3 components of the dehydrogenase multienzyme complexes, respectively. The alignment of the p64k...

The gene M-6, encoding the high molecular weight protein P64k, was isolated from a genomic library of the N. meningitidis strain B385, constructed in the EMBL-3 vector. This library was screened using a rabbit hyperimmune serum raised against a purified fraction of high molecular weight proteins. The clone 31 was selected for further study on weste...

73) Titular: CENTRO DE INGENIERIA GENETICA Y BIOTECNOLOGIA ,domiciliado en Ave. 31 entre 158 y 190, Cubanacán, Playa.; (CU) (74) Agente: Moreno Samper, Olga Lidia ; (CU) (54) Título: PROCEDIMIENTO PARA LA EXPRESIÓN DE PROTEINAS HETEROLOGAS PRODUCIDAS DE FORMA FUSIONADA EN ESCHERICHIA COLI, SU USO Y VECTORES DE EXPRESION Y CEPAS RECOMBINANTES.