scholarly journals The Impact of a Single Phosphorylation Site Mutation in the Glucocorticoid Receptor on the Molecular and Cellular Development of the Cerebral Cortex

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. A818-A819
Author(s):  
Herschel Raj Gupta ◽  
Prathi Pitchyaiah ◽  
Neerupma Silswal ◽  
Suban Burale ◽  
Joseph Bean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Glucocorticoid Receptor ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Phosphorylation Site ◽  
Psychiatric Disease ◽  
Site Mutation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Premature birth leads to a significant increase in adverse clinical outcomes, including Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia, Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Intraventricular Hemorrhage. Synthetic Glucocorticoids (sGC) are administered prenatally to pregnant mothers at risk to reduce the chance of these complications. However, there is a correlation between long-term neurological defects in the infant and the clinical use of sGC prenatally. The use of the sGCs have been linked to the development of cerebral palsy and deficits in attention and concentration. To investigate the cellular basis of these abnormalities, we examined the consequences of sGC administration of the developing murine brain. Our studies demonstrated that premature exposure to sGC alters neural stem cell biology and has long term consequences for adult behavior in mice. In humans, site-specific phosphorylation of the Glucocorticoid Receptor (GR) on Serine 211 versus Serine 226 is associated with activated or repressed transcriptional states and clinical studies indicate that the ratio of S220/S226 phosphorylation is associated with increased predisposition to specific psychiatric disease states, including Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder. To examine the role of these phosphorylation sites in the development of behavioral abnormalities, we utilized a knock-in mouse model where Serine 220 (equivalent to human Serine 211) was replaced with an alanine (S220A). In-vitro microarray analysis of neural stem cells and QPCR validation were performed to examine the expression changes in individual transcripts in critical pathways that may correlate with long-term neurologic disorders. Our results indicated that changing the phosphorylation status of GR alters the expression of 2570 genes. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis indicated that the major pathways altered include those involved in cellular proliferation, mitochondrial function, Valine degradation and G-coupled protein receptors involved in neurotransmission. Both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments indicated that the S220A mutation alters the cells response to sGC administration by impacting proliferation and differentiation. The long-term goal of these experiments was to demonstrate a role for S220 phosphorylation in the development of neuropsychiatric disorders.

scholarly journals Effects of long-term in vitro exposure to phosphodiesterase type-3 inhibitors on follicle and oocyte development

Reproduction ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 130 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Nogueira ◽  
R Cortvrindt ◽  
B Everaerdt ◽  
J Smitz
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Cell Function ◽  
Oocyte Growth ◽  
Phosphodiesterase Type ◽  
Type 3 ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Phosphodiesterase Type 3

Germinal vesicle (GV)-stage oocytes retrieved from antral follicles undergo nuclear maturation in vitro, which typically occurs prior to cytoplasmic maturation. Short-term culture with meiotic inhibitors has been applied to arrest oocytes at the GV stage aiming to synchronize nuclear and ooplasmic maturity. However, the results obtained are still far from the in vivo situation. In order to acquire competence, immature oocytes may require meiotic arrest in vitro for a more extended period. The phosphodiesterase type 3-inhibitor (PDE3-I) is a potent meiotic arrester. The effects of a prolonged culture with PDE3-I on oocyte quality prior to and after reversal from the inhibition are not known. This study tested the impact of long-term in vitro exposure of two PDE3-Is, org9935 and cilostamide, on oocytes using a mouse follicle culture model. The results showed that PDE3-I (maximum of 10 μM) during a 12-day culture of follicle-enclosed oocytes did not alter somatic cell proliferation, differentiation or follicle survival. In addition, the steroid production profile was not significantly modified by a 12-day exposure to PDE3-I. The recombinant human chorionic gonadotrophin/recombinant human epidermal growth factor stimulus induced a characteristic normal progesterone peak of luteinization and normal mucification of the cumulus cells, while the enclosed oocyte remained blocked at the GV stage. In vitro maturation of denuded or cumulus-enclosed oocytes derived from org9935- or cilostamide-exposed follicles progressed through meiosis and formed morphologically normal meiotic spindles with chromosomes properly aligned at the equator. In conclusion, long-term culture with PDE3-I was harmless to somatic cell function, differentiation, oocyte growth and maturation. Our results suggested that PDE3-I can be applied when extended oocyte culture is required to improve ooplasmic maturation.

Effect of L-Carnitine on Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Infection-Associated Apoptosis: A Pilot Study

Blood ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 91 (10) ◽  
pp. 3817-3824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Moretti ◽  
Edoardo Alesse ◽  
Luisa Di Marzio ◽  
Francesca Zazzeroni ◽  
Barbara Ruggeri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Fas Ligand ◽  
Cd4 Counts ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Ceramide Production ◽  
Hiv 1

Abstract The Fas/Fas ligand system is involved in uncontrolled apoptosis, which ultimately leads to the loss of T lymphocytes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. The signal transduced by Fas receptor involves the activation of an acidic sphingomyelinase, sphingomyelin breakdown, and ceramide production. Our recent reports have shown that L-carnitine inhibits Fas-induced apoptosis and ceramide production both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to study, in a preliminary fashion, the impact of long-term L-carnitine administration on CD4 and CD8 absolute counts, rate, and apoptosis in HIV-1–infected subjects. The generation of cell-associated ceramide and HIV-1 viremia was also investigated. Eleven, asymptomatic, HIV-1–infected subjects, who refused any antiretroviral treatment despite experiencing a progressive decline of CD4 counts, were treated with daily infusions of L-carnitine (6 g) for 4 months. Immunologic and virologic measures and safety were monitored at the start of the treatment and then on days 15, 30, 90, and 150. L-carnitine therapy resulted in an increase of absolute CD4 counts, which was statistically significant on day 90 and 150 (P = .010 and P = .019, respectively). A positive, not significant trend was also observed even in the change in absolute counts of CD8 lymphocytes. L-carnitine therapy also led to a drop in the frequency of apoptotic CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes. This reduction occurred gradually, but changes in actual values between each time point and baseline were strongly significant (P = .001 at the end of the study compared with the baseline). A strong reduction (P = .001) in cell-associated ceramide levels was found at the end of the study. In general, HIV-1 viremia increased slightly. No toxicity related to L-carnitine therapy was observed and dose reductions were not necessary. In HIV-1–infected subjects, long-term infusions of L-carnitine produced substantial increases in the rate and absolute counts of CD4 and, to a lesser degree, of CD8 lymphocytes. This was paralleled by a reduced frequency of apoptotic cells of both subgroups and a decline in the levels of ceramide. No clinically relevant change of HIV-1 viremia was observed.

Impact of pharmacokinetics (PK) of sunitinib (SU) and its metabolite SU12662 on clinical outcome and toxicity in metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) patients.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (6_suppl) ◽  
pp. 506-506 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Martin ◽  
Delphine Borchiellini ◽  
Julien Viotti ◽  
Emmanuel Chamorey ◽  
Gerard A. Milano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Cell Cancer ◽  
Progression Free Survival ◽  
First Line ◽  
High Exposure ◽  
Line Setting ◽  
The Impact

506 Background: Pharmacological activity of SU is usually attributed to SU and its active metabolite SU12662, known to exhibit similar potency in inhibiting tyrosine kinase activity and cellular proliferation in vitro. However, equivalence is not clearly demonstrated towards clinical endpoints. The objective of this phase 2 study was to determine the impact of SU and SU12662 on clinical outcomes and toxicity in mRCC patients (NCT00943839). Methods: Patients with mRCC, eligible for SU in the first line setting, were prospectively included. SU was given orally at 50 mg qd for 4 weeks on/2 weeks off until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Minimal concentration at steady-state (CSSmin) was evaluated by high-performance liquid chromatography at day 28 of each cycle for both SU and SU12662. Data for tumor response, survival, and toxicity were recorded. Kaplan-Meyer’s curves with log-rank tests and cox regression models were used to identify relationships between PK parameters and survival. Chi2 tests and student t-tests were used to identify relationships with toxicity. Results: 41 patients in 7 French centers were included between 2009 and 2012. 16 patients had favourable prognosis, 13 intermediate prognosis, and 1 poor prognosis according to IMDC risk groups (Heng, J Clin Oncol 2009). Median follow-up was 30.6 months. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 20.2 months and median overall survival (OS) was 39.5 months. Mean CSSmin for SU and SU12662 were 57.2 and 29.8 ng/ml, respectively. CSSmin of SU12662 was independently correlated to poor PFS and OS (p = 0.01 and 0.003 respectively). Patients with a mean CSSmin of SU12662 higher than 42.5 ng/ml had a worse PFS and OS compared to patients with lower concentrations: 5.7 months and 5.7 months versus 20.6 months and 39.5 months (p = 0.01 and 0.002 respectively). High CSSmin of both SU and SU12662 were associated with increased incidence of asthenia (p<0.001). Conclusions: High exposure to SU12662 was associated with poor outcomes and increased asthenia for patients with mRCC treated with SU in the first line setting. It may be related to a higher metabolism and unequal activity between SU and SU12662 in vivo. Clinical trial information: NCT00943839.

scholarly journals Culturing Keratinocytes on Biomimetic Substrates Facilitates Improved Epidermal Assembly In Vitro

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1177
Author(s):  
Eve Hunter-Featherstone ◽  
Natalie Young ◽  
Kathryn Chamberlain ◽  
Pablo Cubillas ◽  
Ben Hulette ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Biology ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Epidermal Keratinocytes ◽  
Mechanical Stimuli ◽  
Linc Complex ◽  
Mechanical Conditioning ◽  
Keratinocyte Cell ◽  
The Impact

Mechanotransduction is defined as the ability of cells to sense mechanical stimuli from their surroundings and translate them into biochemical signals. Epidermal keratinocytes respond to mechanical cues by altering their proliferation, migration, and differentiation. In vitro cell culture, however, utilises tissue culture plastic, which is significantly stiffer than the in vivo environment. Current epidermal models fail to consider the effects of culturing keratinocytes on plastic prior to setting up three-dimensional cultures, so the impact of this non-physiological exposure on epidermal assembly is largely overlooked. In this study, primary keratinocytes cultured on plastic were compared with those grown on 4, 8, and 50 kPa stiff biomimetic hydrogels that have similar mechanical properties to skin. Our data show that keratinocytes cultured on biomimetic hydrogels exhibited major changes in cellular architecture, cell density, nuclear biomechanics, and mechanoprotein expression, such as specific Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton (LINC) complex constituents. Mechanical conditioning of keratinocytes on 50 kPa biomimetic hydrogels improved the thickness and organisation of 3D epidermal models. In summary, the current study demonstrates that the effects of extracellular mechanics on keratinocyte cell biology are significant and therefore should be harnessed in skin research to ensure the successful production of physiologically relevant skin models.

scholarly journals A Cre-dependent massively parallel reporter assay allows for cell-type specific assessment of the functional effects of genetic variants in vivo

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomas Lagunas ◽  
Stephen P Plassmyer ◽  
Ryan Z Friedman ◽  
Michael A Rieger ◽  
Anthony D Fischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Brain ◽  
Genetic Variants ◽  
Massively Parallel ◽  
Psychiatric Disease ◽  
Functional Screening ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Cell Type Specific ◽  
The Impact

Human genetic studies have identified a large number of disease-associated de novo variants in presumptive regulatory regions of the genome that pose a challenge for interpretation of their effects: the impact of regulatory variants is highly dependent on the cellular context, and thus for psychiatric diseases these would ideally be studied in neurons in a living brain. Furthermore, for both common and rare variants, it is expected that only a subset fraction will affect gene expression. Massively Parallel Reporter Assays (MPRAs) are molecular genetic tools that enable functional screening of hundreds of predefined sequences in a single experiment. These assays have been used for functional screening of several different types of regulatory sequences in vitro. However, they have not yet been adapted to query specific cell types in vivo in a complex tissue like the mouse brain. Here, using a test-case 3′UTR MPRA library with variants from ASD patients, we sought to develop a method to achieve reproducible measurements of variant effects in vivo in a cell type-specific manner. We implemented a Cre-dependent design to control expression of our library and first validated our system in vitro. Next, we measured the effect of >500 3′UTR variants in excitatory neurons in the mouse brain. Finally, we report >40 variants with significant effects on transcript abundance in the context of the brain. This new technique should enable robust, functional annotation of genetic variants in the cellular contexts most relevant to psychiatric disease.

scholarly journals A Summary of In Vitro and In Vivo Studies Evaluating the Impact of E-Cigarette Exposure on Living Organisms and the Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Merecz-Sadowska ◽  
Przemyslaw Sitarek ◽  
Hanna Zielinska-Blizniewska ◽  
Katarzyna Malinowska ◽  
Karolina Zajdel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Influence ◽  
Electronic Cigarettes ◽  
Airborne Particulate Matter ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Long Term Effect ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact

Worldwide use of electronic cigarettes has been rapidly expanding over recent years, but the long-term effect of e-cigarette vapor exposure on human health and environment is not well established; however, its mechanism of action entails the production of reactive oxygen species and trace metals, and the exacerbation of inflammation, which are associated with potential cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. The present study examines the effects of selected liquid chemicals used in e-cigarettes, such as propylene glycol/vegetable glycerin, nicotine and flavorings, on living organisms; the data collected indicates that exposure to e-cigarette liquid has potentially detrimental effects on cells in vitro, and on animals and humans in vivo. While e-liquid exposure can adversely influence the physiology of living organisms, vaping is recommended as an alternative for tobacco smoking. The study also compares the impact of e-cigarette liquid exposure and traditional cigarette smoke on organisms and the environmental impact. The environmental influence of e-cigarette use is closely connected with the emission of airborne particulate matter, suggesting the possibility of passive smoking. The obtained data provides an insight into the impact of nicotine delivery systems on living organisms and the environment.

scholarly journals Conditional knockdown of integrin beta-3 reveals its involvement in osteolytic and soft tissue lesions of breast cancer skeletal metastasis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marineta Kovacheva ◽  
Michael Zepp ◽  
Stefan Berger ◽  
Martin R. Berger
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Cancer Progression ◽  
Cellular Proliferation ◽  
Skeletal Metastasis ◽  
Cellular Migration ◽  
Skeletal Metastases ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Integrin β3 (ITGB3) is probably related to skeletal metastasis, which is the most frequent complication in breast cancer progression. We aimed to define its role and suitability as target for anti-metastatic therapy. We generated two MDA-MB-231 cell clones with conditional miRNA-mediated ITGB3 knockdown for analyzing the resulting effects in vitro regarding mRNA expression, proliferation and migration, as well the impact on skeletal metastasis in a nude rat model. Furthermore, ITGB3 levels were analyzed in exosomes from plasma of rats with skeletal metastases, and from MDA-MB-231 cells incubated with these vesicles, as well as from exosomes secreted by cells with conditional ITGB3 knockdown. This inhibition of ITGB3 expression decreased cellular proliferation and more distinctly inhibited cellular migration. Reduction and even complete remissions of respective soft tissue and osteolytic lesions were detected after ITGB3 knockdown in vivo. Furthermore, ITGB3 levels were increased in exosomes isolated from plasma of rats harboring MDA-MB-231 lesions as well as in respective cells incubated with these vesicles in vitro. ITGB3 was distinctly decreased in exosomes from cells with ITGB3 knockdown. The observed in vitro and in vivo anti-ITGB3 effects can be explained by downregulation of specific genes, which have roles in angiogenesis (NPTN, RRM2), tumor growth (NPTN), energy metabolism (ISCA1), cytokinesis (SEPT11), migration (RRM2, STX6), cell proliferation, invasiveness, senescence, tumorigenesis (RRM2) and vesicle trafficking (SEPT11, STX6). ITGB3 has a role in breast cancer skeletal metastasis via gene expression modulation, as mirrored for ITGB3 in exosomes, thus it could serve as target for anti-metastatic therapy.

scholarly journals An updated overview of e-cigarette impact on human health

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrice Marques ◽  
Laura Piqueras ◽  
Maria-Jesus Sanz
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Tobacco Consumption ◽  
Heating Process ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Safe Alternative ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Harmful Effects

AbstractThe electronic cigarette (e-cigarette), for many considered as a safe alternative to conventional cigarettes, has revolutionised the tobacco industry in the last decades. In e-cigarettes, tobacco combustion is replaced by e-liquid heating, leading some manufacturers to propose that e-cigarettes have less harmful respiratory effects than tobacco consumption. Other innovative features such as the adjustment of nicotine content and the choice of pleasant flavours have won over many users. Nevertheless, the safety of e-cigarette consumption and its potential as a smoking cessation method remain controversial due to limited evidence. Moreover, it has been reported that the heating process itself can lead to the formation of new decomposition compounds of questionable toxicity. Numerous in vivo and in vitro studies have been performed to better understand the impact of these new inhalable compounds on human health. Results of toxicological analyses suggest that e-cigarettes can be safer than conventional cigarettes, although harmful effects from short-term e-cigarette use have been described. Worryingly, the potential long-term effects of e-cigarette consumption have been scarcely investigated. In this review, we take stock of the main findings in this field and their consequences for human health including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

scholarly journals Applications of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Sinus Lift Augmentation as a Dental Implant Technology

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feridoun Parnia ◽  
Javad Yazdani ◽  
Solmaz Maleki Dizaj
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Mesenchymal Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Biology ◽  
Sinus Lift ◽  
Pubmed Central ◽  
Dental Implantation

The potential application of stem cell biology in human dentistry is a new and emerging field of research. The objective of the current review was to study the efficiency of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in sinus lift augmentation (SLA). A literature review was performed in PubMed Central using MeSH keywords such as sinus lift, MSCs, dental implants, and augmentation. The searches involved full-text papers written in English, published in the past 10 years (2007–2017). The review included in vitro and in vivo studies on the use of MSCs in SLA. Electronic searching provided 45 titles, and among them, 8 papers were chosen as suitable based on the inclusion requirements of this review. The reviewed studies have revealed the potential of MSCs in SLA. According to these papers, stem cell therapy combined with different biomaterials may considerably improve bone regeneration in previous steps of dental implantation and may veritably lead to efficient clinical usages in the recent future. However, the identification of an ideal source of stem cells as well as long-term studies is vital to assess the success rate of this technology. Further clinical trials are also needed to approve the potential of MSCs in SLA.

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