Biology subjects

Sadeghi, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Sadeghi, S..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Novel monoclonal antibodies against the C-terminal HEAT domain of Huntingtin

BACKGROUNDReliable detection of huntingtin (HTT) is essential for understanding Huntingtons disease (HD) biology and evaluating therapeutic strategies. However, high-quality monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the HTT C-terminal domain remain limited. OBJECTIVEWe sought to generate and validate novel monoclonal antibodies targeting the HTT C-terminal HEAT-containing domain to better detect HTT independently of potential effects of polyglutamine length that can impact some N-terminally targeted antibodies. METHODSWe immunized mice with a highly purified, well-characterized recombinant protein corresponding to the HTT C-terminal domain. We generated monoclonal antibody-producing hybridoma cell lines and characterized the antibodies using parental and HTT-knockout cell lines in common immuno-applications. RESULTSThree novel, independent hybridoma lines producing anti-HTT monoclonal antibodies were derived. Using CRISPR-edited HTT knockout cell lines we identified one clone, anti-HTT [2F8], that was specific and effective across Western blot, immunofluorescence, and ELISA assays. All antibodies bound full-length HTT irrespective of HAP40 interaction or polyQ length and showed no cross-reactivity to the N-terminal HEAT domain. CONCLUSIONSThese C-terminal HTT mAbs are thus valuable additional tools for studying endogenous HTT function in both normal and disease contexts.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2022

What are the criteria for morphological cell death in Dunaliella salina?

By finding morphological criteria for death in photosynthetic algal cells, one finds that the death of different populations of algae cells is manifested by various morphological changes. Present study, was undertaken to determine morphological criteria to be used in identifying cell death in unicellular green algae in their natural habitats. By applying the principles of formazan crystal formation due to MTT reduction in the presence of cells oxidoreductase enzymes, and the staining of saccharide complexes produced in photosynthesis by iodine reagent, morphological criteria were determined for cell death in Dunaliella salina collected from Maharloo lake and three different types of deaths were identified. Further studies have shown that these criteria can also be applied for fresh water algae and other taxon. Different ways of cell death in unicellular aquatic organisms can be used as monitoring tools for early warning of environmental hazards. We invite scientists, editors and reviewers to embark on establishing a much needed cell death classification committee for identifying different types of cell death and investigate mechanisms involved in unicellular aquatic algal cells. Significance StatementStaining with MTT and iodine reagents, are the best tools for distinguishing damages done to photosynthetic system in aquatic unicellular green algae following which cell death classification will be determined.

plant biology↗

bioRxiv2020

Plasmon-Coupled Photocapacitor Neuromodulators

Efficient transduction of optical energy to bioelectrical stimuli is an important goal for effective communication with biological systems. For that plasmonics has significant potential via boosting the light-matter interactions. However, plasmonics has been primarily used for heat-induced cell stimulation due to membrane capacitance change (i.e., optocapacitance). Instead, here we demonstrate that plasmonic coupling to photocapacitor biointerfaces improves safe and efficacious neuromodulating displacement charges for an average of 185% in the entire visible spectrum while maintaining the Faradaic currents below 1%. Hot-electron injection dominantly leads the enhancement of displacement current at blue spectral window, and nanoantenna effect is mainly responsible for the improvement at red-spectral region. The plasmonic photocapacitor facilitates wireless modulation of single cells at 3-orders of magnitude below the maximum retinal intensity levels corresponding to one of the most sensitive optoelectronic neural interfaces. This study introduces a new way of using plasmonics for safe and effective photostimulation of neurons and paves the way toward ultra-sensitive plasmon-assisted neurostimulation devices.

biophysics↗