scholarly journals Tuberculosis Toxin Blocking Phagosome Maturation Inhibits a Novel Ca2+/Calmodulin-PI3K hVPS34 Cascade

2003 ◽  
Vol 198 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Vergne ◽  
Jennifer Chua ◽  
Vojo Deretic
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Membrane Trafficking ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Antigen Processing ◽  
Phagosome Maturation ◽  
Maturation Arrest ◽  
Phagosomal Maturation

The capacity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to infect latently over one billion people and cause two million fatalities annually rests with its ability to block phagosomal maturation into the phagolysosome in infected macrophages. Here we describe how M. tuberculosis toxin lipoarabinomannan (LAM) causes phagosome maturation arrest, interfering with a new pathway connecting intracellular signaling and membrane trafficking. LAM from virulent M. tuberculosis, but not from avirulent mycobacteria, blocked cytosolic Ca2+ increase. Ca2+ and calmodulin were required for a newly uncovered Ca2+/calmodulin phosphatidylinositol (PI)3 kinase hVPS34 cascade, essential for production of PI 3 phosphate (PI3P) on liposomes in vitro and on phagosomes in vivo. The interference of the trafficking toxin LAM with the calmodulin-dependent production of PI3P described here ensures long-term M. tuberculosis residence in vacuoles sequestered away from the bactericidal and antigen-processing organelles in infected macrophages.

scholarly journals Chronic Ca2+ imaging of cortical neurons with long-term expression of GCaMP-X

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jinli Geng ◽  
Wenxiang Li ◽  
Yingjun Tang ◽  
Yunming Gao ◽  
Yitong Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Development ◽  
Cortical Neurons ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Sensory Response ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Membrane Excitability ◽  
Sensory Evoked

Dynamic Ca2+ signals reflect acute changes in membrane excitability (e.g. sensory response), and also mediate intracellular signaling cascades normally of longer time scales (e.g., Ca2+- dependent neuritogenesis). In both cases, chronic Ca2+ imaging has been often desired, but largely hindered by unexpected cytotoxicity intrinsic to GCaMP, a popular series of genetically-encoded Ca2+ indicators. Here, we demonstrate that the recently developed GCaMP-X outperforms GCaMP in long-term probe expression and/or chronic Ca2+ imaging. GCaMP-X shows much improved compatibility with neurons and thus more reliable than GCaMP as demonstrated in vivo by acute Ca2+ responses to whisker deflection or spontaneous Ca2+ fluctuations over an extended time frame. Chronic Ca2+ imaging data (≥1 month) are acquired from the same set of cultured cortical neurons, unveiling that spontaneous/local Ca2+ activities would progressively develop into autonomous/global Ca2+ oscillations. Besides the morphological indices of neurite length or soma size, the major metrics of oscillatory Ca2+, including rate, amplitude, synchrony among different neurons or organelles have also been examined along with the developmental stages. Both neuritogenesis and Ca2+ signals are dysregulated by GCaMP in virus-infected or transgenic neurons, in direct contrast to GCaMP-X without any noticeable side-effect. Such in vitro data altogether consolidate the unique importance of oscillatory Ca2+ to activity-dependent neuritogenesis, as one major factor responsible for the distinctions between GCaMP vs GCaMP-X in vivo. For the first time with GCaMP-X of long-term expression in neurons, spontaneous and sensory-evoked Ca2+ activities are imaged and evaluated both in vitro and in vivo, providing new opportunities to monitor neural development or other chronic processes concurrently with Ca2+ dynamics.

scholarly journals Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) offer a drug tolerant and immune- privileged niche to Mycobacterium tuberculosis

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neharika Jain ◽  
Haroon Kalam ◽  
Lakshyaveer Singh ◽  
Vartika Sharma ◽  
Saurabh Kedia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Prolonged Treatment ◽  
Phagosome Maturation ◽  
Tuberculosis Prevention ◽  
Prevention And Cure ◽  
Mycobacterial Growth

SummaryAnti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs while being highly potent in vitro require prolonged treatment to control Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infections in vivo. We report here, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) shelter Mtb to help tolerate anti-TB drugs. MSCs uptake Mtb readily and allow them grow unabated despite having functional innate pathway of phagosome maturation. Unlike macrophage-resident ones, MSC-resident Mtb tolerates anti-TB drugs remarkably well, a phenomenon requiring proteins ABCC1, ABCG2 and vacuolar-type H+ATPases. Additionally, contrary to what is classically known, IFNγ and TNFα aid mycobacterial growth within MSCs. Mechanistically, evading drugs and inflammatory cytokines by MSC-resident Mtb is dependent on elevated PGE2 signaling, which we subsequently verified in vivo analyzing sorted CD45-CD73+SCA1+-MSCs from the lungs of infected mice. Moreover granulomas from human pulmonary and extra-pulmonary TB show presence of MSCs co-inhabiting with Mtb. Together the results show targeting the immune-privileged niche, provided by MSCs to Mtb, can revolutionize tuberculosis prevention and cure.

Tuberkulose - Screening

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 381-387
Author(s):  
Otto Schoch
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Interferon Gamma ◽  
Wird Eine ◽  
Interferon Gamma Release Assays

Das primäre Ziel der Aktivitäten zur bevölkerungsbezogenen Tuberkulosekontrolle ist die Identifizierung von Patienten mit sputummikroskopisch positiver Lungentuberkulose. Wenn diese Patienten umgehend therapiert werden, haben sie nicht nur eine optimale Heilungschance, sondern übertragen auch den Krankheitserreger nicht weiter auf andere Personen. Das Screening, die systematische Suche nach Tuberkulose, erfolgt in der Regel radiologisch bei der Suche nach Erkrankten, während immunologische Teste bei der Suche nach einer Infektion mit Mycobacterium tuberculosis zur Anwendung kommen. Diese Infektion, die ein erhöhtes Risiko für die Entwicklung einer Tuberkulose-Erkrankung mit sich bringt, wird im Rahmen der Umgebungsuntersuchungen oder bei Hochrisikogruppen gesucht. Neben dem traditionellen in vivo Mantoux Hauttest stehen heute die neueren in vitro Blutteste, die sogenannten Interferon Gamma Release Assays (IGRA) zur Verfügung, die unter anderem den Vorteil einer höheren Spezifität mit sich bringen, weil die verwendeten Antigene der Mykobakterien-Wand beim Impfstamm Bacille Calmitte Guerin (BCG) und bei den meisten atypischen Mykobakterien nicht vorhanden sind. Zudem kann bei Immunsupprimierten dank einer mitgeführten Positivkontrolle eine Aussage über die Wahrscheinlichkeit eines falsch negativen Testresultates gemacht werden. Bei neu diagnostizierter Infektion mit Mycobacterium tuberculosis wird eine präventive Chemotherapie mit Isoniazid während 9 Monaten durchgeführt.

The depressing (negative) effect of oestradiol benzoate on the in vitro secretion of LH and FSH by the pituitary gland of the LRH-pretreated long-term ovariectomized rat changes into the augmentative (positive) effect after discontinuation of the LRH-pretreatment

1985 ◽  
Vol 110 (3) ◽  
pp. 329-337 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Schuiling ◽  
H. Moes ◽  
T. R. Koiter
Keyword(s):  
Depressing Effect ◽  
Ovx Rats ◽  
Gonadotrophin Secretion ◽  
Oestradiol Benzoate ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Perifusion System

Abstract. The effect of pretreatment in vivo with oestradiol benzoate on in vitro secretion of LH and FSH was studied in long-term ovariectomized (OVX) rats both at the end of a 5-day continuous in vivo pretreatment with LRH and 4-days after cessation of such LRH pretreatment. Rats were on day 0 sc implanted with osmotic minipumps which released LRH at the rate of 250 ng/h. Control rats were implanted with a piece of silicone elastomer with the dimensions of a minipump. On days 2 and 4 the rats were injected with either 3 μg EB or with oil. On day 5 part of the rats were decapitated and the in vitro autonomous (i.e. non-LRH-stimulated) and 'supra-maximally' LRHstimulated release of LH and FSH was studied using a perifusion system. From other rats the minipumps were removed on day 5 and perifusion was performed on day 9. On the 5th day of the in vivo LRH pretreatment the pituitary LH/FSH stores were partially depleted; the pituitaries of the EB-treated rats more so than those of the oil-injected rats. EB alone had no significant effect on the content of the pituitary LH- and FSH stores. On day 9, i.e. 4 days after removal of the minipumps, the pituitary LH and FSH contents had increased in both the oil- and the EB injected rats, but had not yet recovered to control values. In rats not subjected to the 5-days pretreatment with LRH EB had a positive effect on the supra-maximally LRH-stimulated secretion of LH and FSH as well as on the non-stimulated secretion of LH. EB had no effect on the non-stimulated secretion of FSH. After 5 days of in vivo pretreatment with LRH only, the in vitro non-stimulated and supra-maximally LRH-stimulated secretion of both LH and FSH were strongly impaired, the effect correlating well with the LRH-induced depletion of the pituitary LH/FSH stores. In such LRH-pretreated rats EB had on day 5 a negative effect on the (already depressed) LRH-stimulated secretion of LH (not on that of FSH). EB had no effect on the non-stimulated LH/FSH secretion. It could be demonstrated that the negative effect of the combined LRH/EB pretreatment was mainly due to the depressing effect of this treatment on the pituitary LH and FSH stores: the effect of oestradiol on the pituitary LRH-responsiveness (release as related to pituitary gonadotrophin content) remained positive. In LRH-pretreated rats, however, this positive effect of EB was smaller than in rats not pretreated with LRH. Four days after removal of the minipumps there was again a positive effect of EB on the LRH-stimulated secretion of LH and FSH as well as on the non-stimulated secretion of LH. The positive effect of EB on the pituitary LRH-responsiveness was as strong as in rats which had not been exposed to exogenous LRH. The non-stimulated secretion of FSH was again not affected by EB. The results demonstrate that the effect of EB on the oestrogen-sensitive components of gonadotrophin secretion consists of two components: an effect on the pituitary LRH-responsiveness proper, and an effect on the pituitary LH/FSH stores. The magnitude of the effect of EB on the LRH-responsiveness is LRH dependent: it is very weak (almost zero) in LRH-pretreated rats, but strong in rats not exposed to LRH as well as in rats of which the LRH-pretreatment was stopped 4 days previously. Similarly, the effect of EB on the pituitary LH and FSH stores is LRH-dependent: in the absence of LRH, EB has no influence on the contents of these stores, but EB can potentiate the depleting effect of LRH on the LH/FSH-stores. Also this effect disappear after cessation of the LRH-pretreatment.

THE ROLE OF POLYETHYLENIMINE IN ENHANCING PERFORMANCE OF GLUTAMATE BIOSENSORS

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-41
Author(s):  
Diep Do Thi Hong ◽  
Duong Le Phuoc ◽  
Hoai Nguyen Thi ◽  
Serra Pier Andrea ◽  
Rocchitta Gaia
Keyword(s):  
First Generation ◽  
Good Reproducibility ◽  
Complex Matrices ◽  
Long Term Stability ◽  
In Vitro Characterization ◽  
Glutamate Oxidase

Background: The first biosensor was constructed more than fifty years ago. It was composed of the biorecognition element and transducer. The first-generation enzyme biosensors play important role in monitoring neurotransmitter and determine small quantities of substances in complex matrices of the samples Glutamate is important biochemicals involved in energetic metabolism and neurotransmission. Therefore, biosensors requires the development a new approach exhibiting high sensibility, good reproducibility and longterm stability. The first-generation enzyme biosensors play important role in monitoring neurotransmitter and determine small quantities of substances in complex matrices of the samples. The aims of this work: To find out which concentration of polyethylenimine (PEI) exhibiting the most high sensibility, good reproducibility and long-term stability. Methods: We designed and developed glutamate biosensor using different concentration of PEI ranging from 0% to 5% at Day 1 and Day 8. Results: After Glutamate biosensors in-vitro characterization, several PEI concentrations, ranging from 0.5% to 1% seem to be the best in terms of VMAX, the KM; while PEI content ranging from 0.5% to 1% resulted stable, PEI 1% displayed an excellent stability. Conclusions: In the result, PEI 1% perfomed high sensibility, good stability and blocking interference. Furthermore, we expect to develop and characterize an implantable biosensor capable of detecting glutamate, glucose in vivo. Key words: Glutamate biosensors, PEi (Polyethylenimine) enhances glutamate oxidase, glutamate oxidase biosensors

Nanocurcumin: A Double-Edged Sword for Microcancers

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (45) ◽  
pp. 5783-5792
Author(s):  
Kholood Abid Janjua ◽  
Adeeb Shehzad ◽  
Raheem Shahzad ◽  
Salman Ul Islam ◽  
Mazhar Ul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Dosage Forms ◽  
The Body ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Anticancer Activities ◽  
Road Map ◽  
Anticancer Effects

There is compelling evidence that drug molecules isolated from natural sources are hindered by low systemic bioavailability, poor absorption, and rapid elimination from the human body. Novel approaches are urgently needed that could enhance the retention time as well as the efficacy of natural products in the body. Among the various adopted approaches to meet this ever-increasing demand, nanoformulations show the most fascinating way of improving the bioavailability of dietary phytochemicals through modifying their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Curcumin, a yellowish pigment isolated from dried ground rhizomes of turmeric, exhibits tremendous pharmacological effects, including anticancer activities. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that curcumin mediates anticancer effects through the modulation (upregulation and/or downregulations) of several intracellular signaling pathways both at protein and mRNA levels. Scientists have introduced multiple modern techniques and novel dosage forms for enhancing the delivery, bioavailability, and efficacy of curcumin in the treatment of various malignancies. These novel dosage forms include nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, phospholipids, and curcumin-encapsulated polymer nanoparticles. Nanocurcumin has shown improved anticancer effects compared to conventional curcumin formulations. This review discusses the underlying molecular mechanism of various nanoformulations of curcumin for the treatment of different cancers. We hope that this study will make a road map for preclinical and clinical investigations of cancer and recommend nano curcumin as a drug of choice for cancer therapy.

Strategies to Protect Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Culture-Induced Stress Conditions

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Aerts-Kaya
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem Cells ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Stress Conditions ◽  
Stress Factors ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Induced Stress

: In contrast to their almost unlimited potential for expansion in vivo and despite years of dedicated research and optimization of expansion protocols, the expansion of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) in vitro remains remarkably limited. Increased understanding of the mechanisms that are involved in maintenance, expansion and differentiation of HSCs will enable the development of better protocols for expansion of HSCs. This will allow procurement of HSCs with long-term engraftment potential and a better understanding of the effects of the external influences in and on the hematopoietic niche that may affect HSC function. During collection and culture of HSCs, the cells are exposed to suboptimal conditions that may induce different levels of stress and ultimately affect their self-renewal, differentiation and long-term engraftment potential. Some of these stress factors include normoxia, oxidative stress, extra-physiologic oxygen shock/stress (EPHOSS), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, replicative stress, and stress related to DNA damage. Coping with these stress factors may help reduce the negative effects of cell culture on HSC potential, provide a better understanding of the true impact of certain treatments in the absence of confounding stress factors. This may facilitate the development of better ex vivo expansion protocols of HSCs with long-term engraftment potential without induction of stem cell exhaustion by cellular senescence or loss of cell viability. This review summarizes some of available strategies that may be used to protect HSCs from culture-induced stress conditions.

Kinase Targets for Mycolic Acid Biosynthesis in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahinda S.R. Alsayed ◽  
Chau C. Beh ◽  
Neil R. Foster ◽  
Alan D. Payne ◽  
Yu Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Tuberculosis ◽  
Enzymatic Activity ◽  
Bacterial Pathogen ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Mycolic Acid ◽  
Adaptive Responses ◽  
Mycolic Acids ◽  
Hydroxylated Fatty Acids

Background:Mycolic acids (MAs) are the characteristic, integral building blocks for the mycomembrane belonging to the insidious bacterial pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). These C60-C90 long α-alkyl-β-hydroxylated fatty acids provide protection to the tubercle bacilli against the outside threats, thus allowing its survival, virulence and resistance to the current antibacterial agents. In the post-genomic era, progress has been made towards understanding the crucial enzymatic machineries involved in the biosynthesis of MAs in M.tb. However, gaps still remain in the exact role of the phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of regulatory mechanisms within these systems. To date, a total of 11 serine-threonine protein kinases (STPKs) are found in M.tb. Most enzymes implicated in the MAs synthesis were found to be phosphorylated in vitro and/or in vivo. For instance, phosphorylation of KasA, KasB, mtFabH, InhA, MabA, and FadD32 downregulated their enzymatic activity, while phosphorylation of VirS increased its enzymatic activity. These observations suggest that the kinases and phosphatases system could play a role in M.tb adaptive responses and survival mechanisms in the human host. As the mycobacterial STPKs do not share a high sequence homology to the human’s, there have been some early drug discovery efforts towards developing potent and selective inhibitors.Objective:Recent updates to the kinases and phosphatases involved in the regulation of MAs biosynthesis will be presented in this mini-review, including their known small molecule inhibitors.Conclusion:Mycobacterial kinases and phosphatases involved in the MAs regulation may serve as a useful avenue for antitubercular therapy.

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