Background: Elevated saturated fats during obesity activate proinflammatory pathways in macrophages, contributing to insulin resistance. Results: The monounsaturated fatty acid cis-palmitoleate antagonizes saturated fat-induced proinflammatory macrophage polarization through an AMPK-dependent mechanism. Conclusion: Palmitoleate is a lipid mediator that confers an anti-inflammatory macrophage phenotype. Significance: Understanding lipid-mediated macrophage polarization is critical to develop nutritional or cell-based strategies to combat insulin resistance.

Rifamycins are a class of antibiotics that were first discovered in 1957 and are known for their use in treating tuberculosis (TB). Rifamycins exhibit bactericidal activity against many Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria by inhibiting RNA polymerase (RNAP); however, resistance is prevalent and the mechanisms range from primary target modification and antibiotic inactivation to cytoplasmic exclusion. Further, phenotypic resistance, in which only a subpopulation of bacteria grow in concentrations exceeding their minimum inhibitory concentration, and tolerance, which is characterized by reduced rates of bacterial cell death, have been identified as additional causes of rifamycin failure. Here we summarize current understanding and recent developments regarding this critical antibiotic class.

Our study implicates Pea3 as a mediator of metastases, and provides a biological rationale for the adverse prognosis associated with elevated Pea3 expression in human CRC.

No abstract

When attempting to propagate infections, bacterial pathogens encounter phagocytes that encase them in vacuoles called phagosomes. Within phagosomes, bacteria are bombarded with a plethora of stresses that often lead to their demise. However, pathogens have evolved numerous strategies to counter those host defenses and facilitate survival. Given the importance of phagosome–bacteria interactions to infection outcomes, they represent a collection of targets that are of interest for next-generation antibacterials. To facilitate such therapies, different approaches can be employed to increase understanding of phagosome–bacteria interactions, and these can be classified broadly as top down (starting from intact systems and breaking down the importance of different parts) or bottom up (developing a knowledge base on simplified systems and progressively increasing complexity). Here we review knowledge of phagosomal compositions and bacterial survival tactics useful for bottom-up approaches, which are particularly relevant for the application of reaction engineering to quantify and predict the time evolution of biochemical species in these death-dealing vacuoles. Further, we highlight how understanding in this area can be built up through the combination of immunology, microbiology, and engineering. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Volume 12 is June 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.