Development of software and modification of Q-FISH protocol for estimation of individual telomere length in immunopathology

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (02) ◽  
pp. 1650041 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Sh. Barkovskaya ◽  
A. G. Bogomolov ◽  
N. Yu. Knauer ◽  
N. B. Rubtsov ◽  
V. A. Kozlov

Telomere length is an important indicator of proliferative cell history and potential. Decreasing telomere length in the cells of an immune system can indicate immune aging in immune-mediated and chronic inflammatory diseases. Quantitative fluorescent in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) of a labeled (C3TA[Formula: see text] peptide nucleic acid probe onto fixed metaphase cells followed by digital image microscopy allows the evaluation of telomere length in the arms of individual chromosomes. Computer-assisted analysis of microscopic images can provide quantitative information on the number of telomeric repeats in individual telomeres. We developed new software to estimate telomere length. The MeTeLen software contains new options that can be used to solve some Q-FISH and microscopy problems, including correction of irregular light effects and elimination of background fluorescence. The identification and description of chromosomes and chromosome regions are essential to the Q-FISH technique. To improve the quality of cytogenetic analysis after Q-FISH, we optimized the temperature and time of DNA-denaturation to get better DAPI-banding of metaphase chromosomes. MeTeLen was tested by comparing telomere length estimations for sister chromatids, background fluorescence estimations, and correction of nonuniform light effects. The application of the developed software for analysis of telomere length in patients with rheumatoid arthritis was demonstrated.

Author(s):  
P.B. Moens

Quantitative electron microscopy of cells, organelles, or chromosomes gives information on the numbers, sizes, distribution and organization of the structures in question. In the case of the nucleus, quantitative information can be obtained on nuclear pores, spindle pole bodies, kinetochores, centromeres, microtubules, chromosomes, synaptonemal complexes, and nucleoli. Scanning electron microscopy of fractured specimens and transmission electron microscopy of spread preparations and high voltage TKM can give some of the information, but total information can best be obtained from a complete series of sections of the material. The analysis of photographic records, however, is cumbersome and the relevant information is often not readily visible. In this report some of the methods ia compiling quantitative information on the nucleus and its components are described.


Author(s):  
M Wessendorf ◽  
A Beuning ◽  
D Cameron ◽  
J Williams ◽  
C Knox

Multi-color confocal scanning-laser microscopy (CSLM) allows examination of the relationships between neuronal somata and the nerve fibers surrounding them at sub-micron resolution in x,y, and z. Given these properties, it should be possible to use multi-color CSLM to identify relationships that might be synapses and eliminate those that are clearly too distant to be synapses. In previous studies of this type, pairs of images (e.g., red and green images for tissue stained with rhodamine and fluorescein) have been merged and examined for nerve terminals that appose a stained cell (see, for instance, Mason et al.). The above method suffers from two disadvantages, though. First, although it is possible to recognize appositions in which the varicosity abuts the cell in the x or y axes, it is more difficult to recognize them if the apposition is oriented at all in the z-axis—e.g., if the varicosity lies above or below the neuron rather than next to it. Second, using this method to identify potential appositions over an entire cell is time-consuming and tedious.


Author(s):  
A Melgarejo-Ortuño ◽  
RM Romero Jiménez ◽  
E Chamorro De Vega ◽  
A Ais Larisgoitia ◽  
ME Lobato Matilla ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 871.2-871
Author(s):  
F. Araujo ◽  
N. Gonçalves ◽  
A. F. Mourão

Background:The outcomes of the infection by the SARS-CoV-2 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases were largely unknown during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was hypothesized that these patients were at higher risk of morbidity and mortality due to their inherent immune dysfunction and immunosuppressive therapy. Several rheumatology societies issued recommendations urging patients not to stop their anti-rheumatic treatments.Objectives:To assess treatment compliance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic in Portugal.Methods:The web-based survey COVIDRA (COVID in RA) was developed to assess the impact of the first wave mandatory confinement in patients with RA focusing on 5 domains: RA symptoms, attitudes towards medication, employment status, physical exercise and mental health. The questionnaire was sent to RA patients through e-mail and social media of the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology and two patient associations; and it was filled locally at two rheumatology centers in Lisbon. Recruitment took place during June and July 2020. Descriptive statistics were generated by the survey software and were afterwards transported and evaluated using appropriate biostatistics software.Results:We obtained 441 valid questionnaires. Most respondents were female (88.4%), caucasian (93.6%), with a mean age of 58 (+/-13) years. The majority (57.6%) had longstanding disease (>10 years) and were treated with csDMARDs (63.2%) and/or bDMARDs/tsDMARDS (23,7%). Only 14% (N=61) discontinued or reduced the dosage or frequency of their RA treatment. Most of these changes were previously planned by the attending physician (27.9%). Only 11 patients (18%) discontinued their immunosuppressive medication out of fear of becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 (corresponding to 2.5% of total responders). Another 11 patients did so because they had no prescription, couldn’t go to the community/hospital pharmacy or couldn’t afford the medication. Although these numbers preclude any statistical analysis, when compared to patients who persisted on their treatment, those discontinuing due to fear of contagion were younger (56.4 vs 58.5 years), all female (100 vs 86.8%), with long-lasting disease (≥ 11 years) (90.9% vs 57.5%), more frequently treated with bDMARDs (36.4 vs 23.1%) and presenting more symptoms of depression (54.5 vs 49.7%).Conclusion:Most RA patients complied with their treatment during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Portugal. Only a minority changed their immunosuppressive treatment due to fear of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Very similar rates of immunosuppressive discontinuation due to fear of contagion were reported by other authors (such as Schmeiser et al, Pineda-sic et al and Fragoulis et al).Disclosure of Interests:Filipe Araujo Speakers bureau: Pfizer, Biogen, Novartis, Menarini, Consultant of: MSD, Nuno Gonçalves: None declared, Ana Filipa Mourão: None declared.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (14) ◽  
pp. 7506
Author(s):  
Charles Gwellem Anchang ◽  
Cong Xu ◽  
Maria Gabriella Raimondo ◽  
Raja Atreya ◽  
Andreas Maier ◽  
...  

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), such as inflammatory bowel diseases and inflammatory arthritis (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis), are marked by increasing worldwide incidence rates. Apart from irreversible damage of the affected tissue, the systemic nature of these diseases heightens the incidence of cardiovascular insults and colitis-associated neoplasia. Only 40–60% of patients respond to currently used standard-of-care immunotherapies. In addition to this limited long-term effectiveness, all current therapies have to be given on a lifelong basis as they are unable to specifically reprogram the inflammatory process and thus achieve a true cure of the disease. On the other hand, the development of various OMICs technologies is considered as “the great hope” for improving the treatment of IMIDs. This review sheds light on the progressive development and the numerous approaches from basic science that gradually lead to the transfer from “bench to bedside” and the implementation into general patient care procedures.


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