scholarly journals Potential Nociceptive Role of the Thoracolumbar Fascia: A Scope Review Involving in Vivo and Ex Vivo Studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larissa Sinhorim ◽  
Mayane dos Santos Amorim ◽  
Maria Eugênia Ortiz ◽  
Edsel Balduino Bittencourt ◽  
Gianluca Bianco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Subcutaneous Tissue ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Thoracolumbar Fascia ◽  
Pain Duration

Nociceptive innervation of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) has been investigated over decades, however these studies have not been compiled or collectively appraised. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess current knowledge regarding nociceptive innervation of the TLF to better inform future mechanistic and clinical TLF research targeting low back pain (LBP) treatment. PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane and Embase databases were searched in January 2021 using relevant descriptors encompassing fascia and pain. Eligible studies were: (a) published in English; (b) preclinical and clinical (in vivo and ex vivo) studies; (c) original data; (d) included quantification of at least one TLF nociceptive component. Two-phase screening procedures were conducted by a pair of independent reviewers, data were extracted and summarized from eligible studies. The search resulted in 257 articles of which 10 met inclusion criteria. Studies showed histological evidence of nociceptive nerve fibers terminating in low back fascia, suggesting a TLF contribution to LBP. Noxious chemical injection or electrical stimulation into fascia resulted in longer pain duration and higher pain intensities than injections into subcutaneous tissue or muscle. Pre-clinical and clinical research provides histological and functional evidence of nociceptive innervation of TLF. Greater knowledge of fascial neurological components could impact LBP treatment.

scholarly journals Potential Nociceptive Role of the Thoracolumbar Fascia: A Scope Review Involving In Vivo and Ex Vivo Studies

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (19) ◽  
pp. 4342
Author(s):  
Larissa Sinhorim ◽  
Mayane dos Santos Amorim ◽  
Maria Eugênia Ortiz ◽  
Edsel Balduino Bittencourt ◽  
Gianluca Bianco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Subcutaneous Tissue ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Thoracolumbar Fascia ◽  
Lower Back ◽  
Pain Duration

Nociceptive innervation of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) has been investigated over the past few decades; however, these studies have not been compiled or collectively appraised. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess current knowledge regarding nociceptive innervation of the TLF to better inform future mechanistic and clinical TLF research targeting lower back pain (LBP) treatment. PubMed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched in January 2021 using relevant descriptors encompassing fascia and pain. Eligible studies satisfied the following: (a) published in English; (b) preclinical and clinical (in vivo and ex vivo) studies; (c) original data; (d) included quantification of at least one TLF nociceptive component. Two-phase screening procedures were conducted by a pair of independent reviewers, after which data were extracted and summarized from eligible studies. The search resulted in 257 articles of which 10 met the inclusion criteria. Studies showed histological evidence of nociceptive nerve fibers terminating in lower back fascia, suggesting a TLF contribution to LBP. Noxious chemical injection or electrical stimulation into fascia resulted in longer pain duration and higher pain intensities than injections into subcutaneous tissue or muscle. Pre-clinical and clinical research provides histological and functional evidence of nociceptive innervation of TLF. Additional knowledge of fascial neurological components could impact LBP treatment.

scholarly journals Adenosine A2AReceptors in Substance Use Disorders: A Focus on Cocaine

Cells ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karolina Wydra ◽  
Dawid Gawliński ◽  
Kinga Gawlińska ◽  
Małgorzata Frankowska ◽  
Dasiel O. Borroto-Escuela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
D2 Receptors ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Receptor Complexes ◽  
Abused Drugs ◽  
The Brain

Several psychoactive drugs can evoke substance use disorders (SUD) in humans and animals, and these include psychostimulants, opioids, cannabinoids (CB), nicotine, and alcohol. The etiology, mechanistic processes, and the therapeutic options to deal with SUD are not well understood. The common feature of all abused drugs is that they increase dopamine (DA) neurotransmission within the mesocorticolimbic circuitry of the brain followed by the activation of DA receptors. D2 receptors were proposed as important molecular targets for SUD. The findings showed that D2 receptors formed heteromeric complexes with other GPCRs, which forced the addiction research area in new directions. In this review, we updated the view on the brain D2 receptor complexes with adenosine (A)2A receptors (A2AR) and discussed the role of A2AR in different aspects of addiction phenotypes in laboratory animal procedures that permit the highly complex syndrome of human drug addiction. We presented the current knowledge on the neurochemical in vivo and ex vivo mechanisms related to cocaine use disorder (CUD) and discussed future research directions for A2AR heteromeric complexes in SUD.

scholarly journals Nanotechnology Approaches for Chloroplast Biotechnology Advancements

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory M. Newkirk ◽  
Pedro de Allende ◽  
Robert E. Jinkerson ◽  
Juan Pablo Giraldo
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Targeted Delivery ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Agricultural Field ◽  
Diverse Plant Species ◽  
Diverse Plant

Photosynthetic organisms are sources of sustainable foods, renewable biofuels, novel biopharmaceuticals, and next-generation biomaterials essential for modern society. Efforts to improve the yield, variety, and sustainability of products dependent on chloroplasts are limited by the need for biotechnological approaches for high-throughput chloroplast transformation, monitoring chloroplast function, and engineering photosynthesis across diverse plant species. The use of nanotechnology has emerged as a novel approach to overcome some of these limitations. Nanotechnology is enabling advances in the targeted delivery of chemicals and genetic elements to chloroplasts, nanosensors for chloroplast biomolecules, and nanotherapeutics for enhancing chloroplast performance. Nanotechnology-mediated delivery of DNA to the chloroplast has the potential to revolutionize chloroplast synthetic biology by allowing transgenes, or even synthesized DNA libraries, to be delivered to a variety of photosynthetic species. Crop yield improvements could be enabled by nanomaterials that enhance photosynthesis, increase tolerance to stresses, and act as nanosensors for biomolecules associated with chloroplast function. Engineering isolated chloroplasts through nanotechnology and synthetic biology approaches are leading to a new generation of plant-based biomaterials able to self-repair using abundant CO2 and water sources and are powered by renewable sunlight energy. Current knowledge gaps of nanotechnology-enabled approaches for chloroplast biotechnology include precise mechanisms for entry into plant cells and organelles, limited understanding about nanoparticle-based chloroplast transformations, and the translation of lab-based nanotechnology tools to the agricultural field with crop plants. Future research in chloroplast biotechnology mediated by the merging of synthetic biology and nanotechnology approaches can yield tools for precise control and monitoring of chloroplast function in vivo and ex vivo across diverse plant species, allowing increased plant productivity and turning plants into widely available sustainable technologies.

scholarly journals Comparative study of the stabilities of synthetic in vitro and natural ex vivo transthyretin amyloid fibrils

2020 ◽  
Vol 295 (33) ◽  
pp. 11379-11387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Raimondi ◽  
P. Patrizia Mangione ◽  
Guglielmo Verona ◽  
Diana Canetti ◽  
Paola Nocerino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thermodynamic Stability ◽  
Amyloid Fibrils ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Biochemical Properties ◽  
Amyloid Formation ◽  
Free Energies

Systemic amyloidosis caused by extracellular deposition of insoluble fibrils derived from the pathological aggregation of circulating proteins, such as transthyretin, is a severe and usually fatal condition. Elucidation of the molecular pathogenic mechanism of the disease and discovery of effective therapies still represents a challenging medical issue. The in vitro preparation of amyloid fibrils that exhibit structural and biochemical properties closely similar to those of natural fibrils is central to improving our understanding of the biophysical basis of amyloid formation in vivo and may offer an important tool for drug discovery. Here, we compared the morphology and thermodynamic stability of natural transthyretin fibrils with those of fibrils generated in vitro either using the common acidification procedure or primed by limited selective cleavage by plasmin. The free energies for fibril formation were −12.36, −8.10, and −10.61 kcal mol−1, respectively. The fibrils generated via plasmin cleavage were more stable than those prepared at low pH and were thermodynamically and morphologically similar to natural fibrils extracted from human amyloidotic tissue. Determination of thermodynamic stability is an important tool that is complementary to other methods of structural comparison between ex vivo fibrils and fibrils generated in vitro. Our finding that fibrils created via an in vitro amyloidogenic pathway are structurally similar to ex vivo human amyloid fibrils does not necessarily establish that the fibrillogenic pathway is the same for both, but it narrows the current knowledge gap between in vitro models and in vivo pathophysiology.

scholarly journals Seaweed Components as Potential Modulators of the Gut Microbiota

Marine Drugs ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 358
Author(s):  
Emer Shannon ◽  
Michael Conlon ◽  
Maria Hayes
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Short Chain Fatty Acids ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Therapeutic Effects ◽  
Oral Bioaccessibility

Macroalgae, or seaweeds, are a rich source of components which may exert beneficial effects on the mammalian gut microbiota through the enhancement of bacterial diversity and abundance. An imbalance of gut bacteria has been linked to the development of disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease, immunodeficiency, hypertension, type-2-diabetes, obesity, and cancer. This review outlines current knowledge from in vitro and in vivo studies concerning the potential therapeutic application of seaweed-derived polysaccharides, polyphenols and peptides to modulate the gut microbiota through diet. Polysaccharides such as fucoidan, laminarin, alginate, ulvan and porphyran are unique to seaweeds. Several studies have shown their potential to act as prebiotics and to positively modulate the gut microbiota. Prebiotics enhance bacterial populations and often their production of short chain fatty acids, which are the energy source for gastrointestinal epithelial cells, provide protection against pathogens, influence immunomodulation, and induce apoptosis of colon cancer cells. The oral bioaccessibility and bioavailability of seaweed components is also discussed, including the advantages and limitations of static and dynamic in vitro gastrointestinal models versus ex vivo and in vivo methods. Seaweed bioactives show potential for use in prevention and, in some instances, treatment of human disease. However, it is also necessary to confirm these potential, therapeutic effects in large-scale clinical trials. Where possible, we have cited information concerning these trials.

scholarly journals VKORC1L1, An Enzyme Mediating the Effect of Vitamin K in Liver and Extrahepatic Tissues

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 970 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Lacombe ◽  
Mathieu Ferron
Keyword(s):  
Vitamin K ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Coagulation Factors ◽  
Original Data ◽  
Quinone Reductase ◽  
Culture Models ◽  
Essential Nutrient ◽  
Partial Redundancy

Vitamin K is an essential nutrient involved in the regulation of blood clotting and tissue mineralization. Vitamin K oxidoreductase (VKORC1) converts vitamin K epoxide into reduced vitamin K, which acts as the co-factor for the γ-carboxylation of several proteins, including coagulation factors produced by the liver. VKORC1 is also the pharmacological target of warfarin, a widely used anticoagulant. Vertebrates possess a VKORC1 paralog, VKORC1-like 1 (VKORC1L1), but until very recently, the importance of VKORC1L1 for protein γ-carboxylation and hemostasis in vivo was not clear. Here, we first review the current knowledge on the structure, function and expression pattern of VKORC1L1, including recent data establishing that, in the absence of VKORC1, VKORC1L1 can support vitamin K-dependent carboxylation in the liver during the pre- and perinatal periods in vivo. We then provide original data showing that the partial redundancy between VKORC1 and VKORC1L1 also exists in bone around birth. Recent studies indicate that, in vitro and in cell culture models, VKORC1L1 is less sensitive to warfarin than VKORC1. Genetic evidence is presented here, which supports the notion that VKORC1L1 is not the warfarin-resistant vitamin K quinone reductase present in the liver. In summary, although the exact physiological function of VKORC1L1 remains elusive, the latest findings clearly established that this enzyme is a vitamin K oxidoreductase, which can support γ-carboxylation in vivo.

scholarly journals The Bioactivity and Phytochemicals of Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb.: A Multifunctional Underutilized Crop Plant

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Varun Jaiswal ◽  
Shweta Chauhan ◽  
Hae-Jeung Lee
Keyword(s):  
Immune Modulation ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Biological Properties ◽  
Crop Plant ◽  
Underutilized Crop ◽  
Pachyrhizus Erosus

Pachyrhizus erosus (L.) Urb. is an underutilized crop plant belonging to the Fabaceae family. In recent years, the plant received huge attention and was introduced in different countries owing to properties such as a high nutritional content, its nitrogen-fixing abilities, and different biological activities such as its antioxidant, immune modulation, anticancer, anti-diabetes, anti-osteoporosis, antiviral, and antiaging affects, among others. In this review, an attempt has been made to comprehensively compile the biological activities of the plant to provide a panoramic view of the current efforts and further directions, which may lead to the development of pharmacological applications. This information will be helpful in creating interest towards P. erosus and it may be useful in developing the plant for medical applications and/or as a functional food. More than 50 phytochemicals have been reported from the plant, which belong to different chemical classes such as triterpenoids, organic acid, flavonoids, and fatty acids. Numerous biological activities were reported from the plant through in vivo, in vitro, ex vivo, and human studies. However, well-defined clinical studies are still lacking for the establishment of any biological properties that could be further developed. Suggestions for the further development of P. erosus, according to current knowledge about the different biological properties, has also been provided.

scholarly journals Dexosomes as a cell-free vaccine for cancer immunotherapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sepideh Nikfarjam ◽  
Jafar Rezaie ◽  
Fatah Kashanchi ◽  
Reza Jafari
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Immunotherapy ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Small Cell Lung Carcinoma ◽  
Costimulatory Molecule ◽  
In Vivo Studies ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Mhc I ◽  
Cell Lung Carcinoma

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs) secrete vast quantities of exosomes termed as dexosomes. Dexosomes are symmetric nanoscale heat-stable vesicles that consist of a lipid bilayer displaying a characteristic series of lipid and protein molecules. They include tetraspanins and all established proteins for presenting antigenic material such as the major histocompatibility complex class I/II (MHC I/II) and CD1a, b, c, d proteins and CD86 costimulatory molecule. Dexosomes contribute to antigen-specific cellular immune responses by incorporating the MHC proteins with antigen molecules and transferring the antigen-MHC complexes and other associated molecules to naïve DCs. A variety of ex vivo and in vivo studies demonstrated that antigen-loaded dexosomes were able to initiate potent antitumor immunity. Human dexosomes can be easily prepared using monocyte-derived DCs isolated by leukapheresis of peripheral blood and treated ex vivo by cytokines and other factors. The feasibility of implementing dexosomes as therapeutic antitumor vaccines has been verified in two phase I and one phase II clinical trials in malignant melanoma and non small cell lung carcinoma patients. These studies proved the safety of dexosome administration and showed that dexosome vaccines have the capacity to trigger both the adaptive (T lymphocytes) and the innate (natural killer cells) immune cell recalls. In the current review, we will focus on the perspective of utilizing dexosome vaccines in the context of cancer immunotherapy.

scholarly journals Evidence of a new hidden neural network into deep fasciae

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Caterina Fede ◽  
Lucia Petrelli ◽  
Diego Guidolin ◽  
Andrea Porzionato ◽  
Carmelo Pirri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pain Perception ◽  
Motor Units ◽  
Nerve Fibers ◽  
Autonomic Nerve ◽  
Deep Fascia ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Thoracolumbar Fascia ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Fibers ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Branching Points

AbstractIt is recognized that different fasciae have different type of innervation, but actually nothing is known about the specific innervation of the two types of deep fascia, aponeurotic and epymisial fascia. In this work the aponeurotic thoracolumbar fascia and the epymisial gluteal fascia of seven adult C57-BL mice were analysed by Transmission Electron Microscopy and floating immunohistochemistry with the aim to study the organization of nerve fibers, the presence of nerve corpuscles and the amount of autonomic innervation. The antibodies used were Anti-S100, Anti-Tyrosine Hydroxylase and Anti-PGP, specific for the Schwann cells forming myelin, the sympathetic nerve fibers, and the peripheral nerve fibers, respectively. The results showed that the fascial tissue is pervaded by a rhomboid and dense network of nerves. The innervation was statistically significantly lower in the gluteal fascia (2.78 ± 0.6% of positive area, 140.3 ± 31.6/mm2 branching points, nerves with 3.2 ± 0.6 mm length and 4.9 ± 0.2 µm thickness) with respect to the thoracolumbar fascia (9.01 ± 0.98% of innervated area, 500.9 ± 43.1 branching points/mm2, length of 87.1 ± 1.0 mm, thickness of 5.8 ± 0.2 µm). Both fasciae revealed the same density of autonomic nerve fibers (0.08%). Lastly, corpuscles were not found in thoracolumbar fascia. Based on these results, it is suggested that the two fasciae have different roles in proprioception and pain perception: the free nerve endings inside thoracolumbar fascia may function as proprioceptors, regulating the tensions coming from associated muscles and having a role in nonspecific low back pain, whereas the epymisial fasciae works to coordinate the actions of the various motor units of the underlying muscle.

scholarly journals Pathophysiological Mechanisms of Endogenous FVIII Release following Strenuous Exercise in Non-severe Haemophilia: A Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 117 (12) ◽  
pp. 2237-2242 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.L. Venema ◽  
R.E.G. Schutgens ◽  
K. Fischer
Keyword(s):  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Coagulation Factor ◽  
Strenuous Exercise ◽  
Haemophilia A ◽  
Severe Haemophilia ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanisms ◽  
Vascular Beds ◽  
Von Willebrand

Introduction Non-severe haemophilia A is characterized by coagulation Factor VIII activity (FVIII:C) levels of 1 to 40 IU/dL. It has been reported that strenuous exercise increases the plasma FVIII:C in haemophilia A patients. This review highlights current knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms of endogenous FVIII release following strenuous exercise. Methods A literature search was performed to include relevant studies with data on pathophysiological mechanisms of FVIII release following strenuous exercise in haemophilia. Results The source of the released FVIII is most likely endothelial cells (ECs) from different vascular beds. ECs from human lung, lymph, heart, intestine, skin and pulmonary artery can release and even produce FVIII in response to activation by epinephrine. Ex vivo evidence suggests that FVIII is co-stored with von Willebrand factor in Weibel–Palade bodies in some forms of non-severe haemophilia. The β-adrenergic receptor pathway is involved in increased FVIII levels following strenuous exercise. Conclusion The current available ex vivo and in vivo evidence suggests that endogenous FVIII is released by ECs from different vascular beds in response to epinephrine following strenuous exercise in patients with non-severe haemophilia.

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