The Spiny Mouse—A Menstruating Rodent to Build a Bridge From Bench to Bedside

Menstruation, the cyclical breakdown of the uterine lining, is arguably one of evolution's most mysterious reproductive strategies. The complexity and rarity of menstruation within the animal kingdom is undoubtedly a leading contributor to our current lack of understanding about menstrual function and disorders. In particular, the molecular and environmental mechanisms that drive menstrual and fertility dysregulation remain ambiguous, owing to the restricted opportunities to study menstruation and model menstrual disorders in species outside the primates. The recent discovery of naturally occurring menstruation in the Egyptian spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) offers a new laboratory model with significant benefits for prospective research in women's health. This review summarises current knowledge of spiny mouse menstruation, with an emphasis on spiral artery formation, inflammation and endocrinology. We offer a new perspective on cycle variation in menstrual bleeding between individual animals, and propose that this is indicative of fertility success. We discuss how we can harness our knowledge of the unique physiology of the spiny mouse to better understand vascular remodelling and its implications for successful implantation, placentation, and foetal development. Our research suggests that the spiny mouse has the potential as a translational research model to bridge the gap between bench to bedside and provide improved reproductive health outcomes for women.

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Bone morphogenetic proteins, breast cancer, and bone metastases: striking the right balance

Endocrine Related Cancer ◽

10.1530/erc-17-0139 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 24 (10) ◽

pp. R349-R366 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Catherine Zabkiewicz ◽

Jeyna Resaul ◽

Rachel Hargest ◽

Wen Guo Jiang ◽

Lin Ye

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Cancer Progression ◽

Bone Morphogenetic Proteins ◽

Therapeutic Potential ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Breast Tumour ◽

Cellular Functions ◽

Foetal Development ◽

Key Factor ◽

The Right

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the TGF-β super family, and are essential for the regulation of foetal development, tissue differentiation and homeostasis and a multitude of cellular functions. Naturally, this has led to the exploration of aberrance in this highly regulated system as a key factor in tumourigenesis. Originally identified for their role in osteogenesis and bone turnover, attention has been turned to the potential role of BMPs in tumour metastases to, and progression within, the bone niche. This is particularly pertinent to breast cancer, which commonly metastasises to bone, and in which studies have revealed aberrations of both BMP expression and signalling, which correlate clinically with breast cancer progression. Ultimately a BMP profile could provide new prognostic disease markers. As the evidence suggests a role for BMPs in regulating breast tumour cellular function, in particular interactions with tumour stroma and the bone metastatic microenvironment, there may be novel therapeutic potential in targeting BMP signalling in breast cancer. This review provides an update on the current knowledge of BMP abnormalities and their implication in the development and progression of breast cancer, particularly in the disease-specific bone metastasis.

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Naturally Occurring Ecdysteroids in Triticum aestivum L. and Evaluation of Fenarimol as a Potential Inhibitor of Their Biosynthesis in Plants

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22062855 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (6) ◽

pp. 2855

Author(s):

Anna Janeczko ◽

Jana Oklestkova ◽

Danuše Tarkowská ◽

Barbara Drygaś

Keyword(s):

Triticum Aestivum ◽

Winter Wheat ◽

Triticum Aestivum L ◽

Growth Conditions ◽

Animal Kingdom ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

P450 Monooxygenase ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Regulatory Effects ◽

Potential Use

Ecdysteroids (ECs) are steroid hormones originally found in the animal kingdom where they function as insect molting hormones. Interestingly, a relatively high number of these substances can also be formed in plant cells. Moreover, ECs have certain regulatory effects on plant physiology, but their role in plants still requires further study. One of the main aims of the present study was to verify a hypothesis that fenarimol, an inhibitor of the biosynthesis of ECs in the animal kingdom, also affects the content of endogenous ECs in plants using winter wheat Triticum aestivum L. as a model plant. The levels of endogenous ECs in winter wheat, including the estimation of their changes during a course of different temperature treatments, have been determined using a sensitive analytical method based on UHPLC-MS/MS. Under our experimental conditions, four substances of EC character were detected in the tissue of interest in amounts ranging from less than 1 to over 200 pg·g−1 FW: 20-hydroxyecdysone, polypodine B, turkesterone, and isovitexirone. Among them, turkesterone was observed to be the most abundant EC and accumulated mainly in the crowns and leaves of wheat. Importantly, the level of ECs was observed to be dependent on the age of the plants, as well as on growth conditions (especially temperature). Fenarimol, an inhibitor of a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, was shown to significantly decrease the level of naturally occurring ECs in experimental plants, which may indicate its potential use in studies related to the biosynthesis and physiological function of these substances in plants.

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Natural Phenolic Compounds for the Control of Oxidation, Bacterial Spoilage, and Foodborne Pathogens in Meat

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods9060794 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 794 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Aphrodite I. Kalogianni ◽

Thomai Lazou ◽

Ioannis Bossis ◽

Athanasios I. Gelasakis

Keyword(s):

Phenolic Compounds ◽

Foodborne Pathogens ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Antimicrobial Properties ◽

Meat Industry ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Antioxidant And Antimicrobial Activity ◽

Relevant Regulation

Alternative technologies for long-term preservation, quality assurance, and safety of meat are continuously pursued by the food industry to satisfy the demands of modern consumers for nutritious and healthy meat-based products. Naturally occurring phenolic compounds are considered promising substances by the meat industry for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, while consumers seem to embrace them for their claimed health benefits. Despite the numerous in vitro and in situ studies demonstrating their beneficial effects against meat oxidation, spoilage, and foodborne pathogens, wide application and commercialization has not been yet achieved. Major obstacles are still the scarcity of legislative framework, the large variety of meat-based products and targeted pathogens, the limited number of case-specific application protocols and the questionable universal efficiency of the applied ones. The objectives of the present review are (i) to summarize the current knowledge about the applications of naturally occurring phenols in meat and meat-based products, emphasizing the mechanisms, determinants, and spectrum of their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity; (ii) to present state-of-the-art technologies utilized for the application of phenolic compounds in meat systems; and (iii) to discuss relevant regulation, limitations, perspectives, and future challenges for their mass industrial use.

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Field Research Model of the Rod-and-Frame Test

Perceptual and Motor Skills ◽

10.2466/pms.1971.32.2.671 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 671-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Irving R. Stuart ◽

Dorothy Murgatroyd

Keyword(s):

Field Research ◽

Air Travel ◽

Laboratory Model ◽

Research Model ◽

College Age ◽

Portable Apparatus ◽

Original Laboratory ◽

Rod And Frame Test ◽

Rod And Frame

Field research makes size and weight demands upon instruments which are sometimes not as important in the laboratory. A portable model of the rod-and-frame test, which had been standardized against the original laboratory model, was considered too bulky for easy transportation as hand baggage where air travel was necessary. Another portable version of the rod-and-frame test did meet portability requirements but suffered from design limitations which invalidated its results, as well as an absence of standardization data. Successful modifications of this lightweight instrument overcoming the handicaps and a successful comparison with scores on another standardized portable apparatus was made with 51 men and 97 women of college age.

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Naturally Occurring PCSK9 Inhibitors

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12051440 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1440

Author(s):

Maria Pia Adorni ◽

Francesca Zimetti ◽

Maria Giovanna Lupo ◽

Massimiliano Ruscica ◽

Nicola Ferri

Keyword(s):

Ldl Cholesterol ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Therapeutic Option ◽

Low Density Lipoprotein ◽

Density Lipoprotein ◽

Inhibitory Effect ◽

Pcsk9 Inhibitors ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Starting Point

Genetic, epidemiological and pharmacological data have led to the conclusion that antagonizing or inhibiting Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) reduces cardiovascular events. This clinical outcome is mainly related to the pivotal role of PCSK9 in controlling low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The absence of oral and affordable anti-PCSK9 medications has limited the beneficial effects of this new therapeutic option. A possible breakthrough in this field may come from the discovery of new naturally occurring PCSK9 inhibitors as a starting point for the development of oral, small molecules, to be used in combination with statins in order to increase the percentage of patients reaching their LDL-cholesterol target levels. In the present review, we have summarized the current knowledge on natural compounds or extracts that have shown an inhibitory effect on PCSK9, either in experimental or clinical settings. When available, the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic profiles of the listed compounds are described.

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Fire-Borne Life: A Brief Review of Smoke-Induced Germination

Natural Product Communications ◽

10.1177/1934578x19872925 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 14 (9) ◽

pp. 1934578X1987292 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vilmos Soós ◽

Eszter Badics ◽

Norbert Incze ◽

Ervin Balázs

Keyword(s):

Species Diversity ◽

Organic Material ◽

Scientific Community ◽

Chemical Cues ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Early Observation ◽

Controlled Burning ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Plant Life ◽

Physical Effects

Naturally occurring fires have been shaping landscapes long before mankind existed. Presumably, it is an early observation that in some habitats, fire is crucial to maintaining species diversity and for the rejuvenation of the vegetation, and so early settled farmers might have started to take advantage of the controlled burning of a desired area. The heat of fire is essential to break the dormancy of many fire ephemerals and for the seed release of some serotinous or woody taxa. Besides the physical effects caused by the heat on seeds, smoke and burnt organic material contain chemical cues that regulate the germination of seeds and the early development of seedlings. The scientific community really started to reveal the secrets of these enigmatic components from the early 1990s, although there are still a number of questions to be answered. In this review, we briefly introduce the path which leads to our current knowledge on smoke-derived compounds and their enormous effects on plant life.

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Natural Genetic Transformation of Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli in Urine and Water

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.68.1.440-443.2002 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 68 (1) ◽

pp. 440-443 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Markus Woegerbauer ◽

Bernard Jenni ◽

Florian Thalhammer ◽

Wolfgang Graninger ◽

Heinz Burgmann

Keyword(s):

Escherichia Coli ◽

Antibiotic Resistance ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Antibiotic Resistance Genes ◽

Aquatic Environments ◽

Wild Type ◽

E Coli ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Natural Genetic Transformation ◽

Type Strains

ABSTRACT Transfer of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli wild-type strains is possible by transformation under naturally occurring conditions in oligotrophic, aquatic environments containing physiologic concentrations of calcium. In contrast, transformation is suppressed in nitrogen-rich body fluids like urine, a common habitat of uropathogenic strains. Current knowledge indicates that transformation of these E. coli wild-type strains is of no relevance for the acquisition of resistance in this clinically important environment.

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A missing piece: the spiny mouse and the puzzle of menstruating species

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1530/jme-17-0278 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. R25-R41 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Nadia Bellofiore ◽

Fiona Cousins ◽

Peter Temple-Smith ◽

Hayley Dickinson ◽

Jemma Evans

Keyword(s):

Potential Role ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Reproductive Traits ◽

Fold Increase ◽

Spiny Mouse ◽

Biological Phenomenon ◽

Elephant Shrew ◽

Clinical Models ◽

The Common

We recently discovered the first known menstruating rodent. With the exception of four bats and the elephant shrew, the common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) is the only species outside the primate order to exhibit menses. There are few widely accepted theories on why menstruation developed as the preferred reproductive strategy of these select mammals, all of which reference the evolution of spontaneous decidualisation prior to menstrual shedding. Though menstruating species share several reproductive traits, there has been no identifiable feature unique to menstruating species. Such a feature might suggest why spontaneous decidualisation, and thus menstruation, evolved in these species. We propose that a ≥3-fold increase in progesterone during the luteal phase of the reproductive cycle is a unique characteristic linking menstruating species. We discuss spontaneous decidualisation as a consequence of high progesterone, and the potential role of prolactin in screening for defective embryos in these species to aid in minimising implantation of abnormal embryos. We further explore the possible impact of nutrition in selecting species to undergo spontaneous decidualisation and subsequent menstruation. We summarise the current knowledge of menstruation, discuss current pre-clinical models of menstruation and how the spiny mouse may benefit advancing our understanding of this rare biological phenomenon.

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Mating-Induced Trade-Offs upon Egg Production versus Fertilization and Offspring’s Survival in a Sawfly with Facultative Parthenogenesis

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12080693 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 693

Author(s):

Hong Yu ◽

Min-Rui Shi ◽

Jin Xu ◽

Peng Chen ◽

Jian-Hong Liu

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Strategies ◽

Egg Production ◽

Limited Resources ◽

Animal Kingdom ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Reproductive Response ◽

Evolutionarily Conserved ◽

Egg Protection ◽

Facultative Parthenogenesis ◽

Induced Changes

Investigation of mating-induced trade-offs between reproduction and survival is conducive to provide evolutionary insights into reproductive strategies and aging. Here, we used RNAseq and bioinformatics to reveal mating-induced changes of genes and pathways related to reproduction and survival in female Cephalcia chuxiongica, a pine defoliator with facultative parthenogenesis and long larval dormancy. Results showed that mating induced substantial downregulation on genes and pathways associated to immunity, stress response, and longevity. However, mating induced divergent reproductive response, with downregulation on genes and pathways related to egg production while upregulation on genes and pathways related to egg fertilization. Considering the nature of limited resources in adults, low fecundity, and egg protection behavior in C. chuxiongica, we suggest that mating triggers trade-offs between reproduction and survival in this insect and females of this species may have evolved specific strategies to adapt to the environmental and hosts’ conditions, e.g., restrict whole fecundity to ensure higher fertilization and offspring’s survival. Moreover, mating induced significant responses on genes and pathways that play important roles in vertebrate reproduction while their function in insects are unclear, such as the progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation pathway; the significant regulation after mating suggests that their function may be evolutionarily conserved in animal kingdom.

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Applications of the FIV Model to Study HIV Pathogenesis

10.20944/preprints201804.0009.v1 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Craig Miller ◽

Zaid Abdo ◽

Aaron Ericsson ◽

John Elder ◽

Sue VandeWoude

Keyword(s):

Vaccine Development ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Immune Dysfunction ◽

Oral Disease ◽

Oral Microbiota ◽

Hiv Pathogenesis ◽

Opportunistic Disease ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Feline Model

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a naturally-occurring retrovirus that infects domestic and non-domestic feline species, producing progressive immune depletion that results in an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Much has been learned about FIV since it was first described in 1987, particularly in regard to its application as a model to study the closely related lentivirus, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In particular, FIV and HIV share remarkable structure and sequence organization, utilize parallel modes of receptor-mediated entry, and result in a similar spectrum of immunodeficiency-related diseases due to analogous modes of immune dysfunction. This review summarizes current knowledge of FIV infection kinetics and mechanisms of immune dysfunction in relation to opportunistic disease, specifically in regard to studying HIV pathogenesis. Furthermore, we present data which highlight changes in the oral microbiota and oral immune system during FIV infection, and outline the potential for the feline model of oral AIDS manifestations to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms of HIV-induced oral disease. Finally, we discuss advances in molecular biology, vaccine development, neurologic dysfunction, and the ability to apply pharmacologic interventions and sophisticated imaging technologies to study experimental and naturally occurring FIV, which provide an excellent, but often overlooked resource for advancing therapies and management of HIV/AIDS.

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