scholarly journals The Prospect of Extracting Brain-Region-Specific Exosomes in the Human Bloodstream

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan Yang ◽  
◽  
Andrew Neff ◽  

Exosomes are small vesicles, secreted by eukaryotic cells, containing molecular cargo that reflects the biochemical composition of the origin cell, including protein and RNA. Once secreted, exosomes can enter the circulatory system and be found in blood, urine, and saliva. It has been hypothesized that because exosomes contain transmembrane proteins unique to their cell of origin, specific populations of exosomes could be non-invasively extracted from the bloodstream. The protein L1CAM may serve as a marker of neuronal exosomes. However, although “neuron-derived-exosomes'' could offer some specific information about in-vivo molecular neurobiology, this population of exosomes still provides a relatively noisy signal, including data on protein expression from a variety of different neuronal subpopulations. We argue that it may be possible to isolate brain-region-specific exosomes, and that data derived from these exosomes would provide a superior diagnostic tool.

Author(s):  
U. Aebi ◽  
E.C. Glavaris ◽  
R. Eichner

Five different classes of intermediate-sized filaments (IFs) have been identified in differentiated eukaryotic cells: vimentin in mesenchymal cells, desmin in muscle cells, neurofilaments in nerve cells, glial filaments in glial cells and keratin filaments in epithelial cells. Despite their tissue specificity, all IFs share several common attributes, including immunological crossreactivity, similar morphology (e.g. about 10 nm diameter - hence ‘10-nm filaments’) and the ability to reassemble in vitro from denatured subunits into filaments virtually indistinguishable from those observed in vivo. Further more, despite their proteinchemical heterogeneity (their MWs range from 40 kDa to 200 kDa and their isoelectric points from about 5 to 8), protein and cDNA sequencing of several IF polypeptides (for refs, see 1,2) have provided the framework for a common structural model of all IF subunits.


BMC Genomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vengala Rao Yenuganti ◽  
Dirk Koczan ◽  
Jens Vanselow

Abstract Background Metabolic stress, as negative energy balance on one hand or obesity on the other hand can lead to increased levels of free fatty acids in the plasma and follicular fluid of animals and humans. In an earlier study, we showed that increased oleic acid (OA) concentrations affected the function of cultured bovine granulosa cells (GCs). Here, we focus on genome wide effects of increased OA concentrations. Results Our data showed that 413 genes were affected, of which 197 were down- and 216 up-regulated. Specifically, the expression of FSH-regulated functional key genes, CCND2, LHCGR, INHA and CYP19A1 and 17-β-estradiol (E2) production were reduced by OA treatment, whereas the expression of the fatty acid transporter CD36 was increased and the morphology of the cells was changed due to lipid droplet accumulation. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that associated pathways of the putative upstream regulators “FSH” and “Cg (choriogonadotropin)” were inhibited and activated, respectively. Down-regulated genes are over-represented in GO terms “reproductive structure/system development”, “ovulation cycle process”, and “(positive) regulation of gonadotropin secretion”, whereas up-regulated genes are involved in “circulatory system development”, “vasculature development”, “angiogenesis” or “extracellular matrix/structure organization”. Conclusions From these data we conclude that besides inhibiting GC functionality, increased OA levels seemingly promote angiogenesis and tissue remodelling, thus suggestively initiating a premature fulliculo-luteal transition. In vivo this may lead to impeded folliculogenesis and ovulation, and cause sub-fertility.


2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. iii295-iii295
Author(s):  
Mikaela Nevin ◽  
Janine Gallego ◽  
Xiaohua Song ◽  
Qiang Jiang ◽  
Alan Underhill ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND The identification of H3.3/H3.1K27M in most DIPG has changed our understanding of this disease. H3K27M mutations usually demonstrate global loss of H3K27 trimethylation (me3) with gain of H3K27 acetylation (ac). Single cell RNAseq has identified the putative cell of origin as oligodendroglial progenitor cells (OPC). The distalless gene family is necessary for the differentiation and tangential migration of committed neural progenitors to become GABAergic interneurons. Dlx1/Dlx2 double knockout (DKO) cells from the ganglionic eminences (GE) transplanted into a wild-type environment become oligodendrocytes. RESULTS We identified DLX2 occupancy of early (Olig2, Nkx2.2) and late (Myt1, Plp1) genes required for OPC differentiation in vivo and confirmed direct DLX2 protein-promoter DNA binding in vitro. Co-expression of Dlx2 with target sequences reduced reporter gene expression in vitro. There was increased expression of OLIG2, NKX2.2 and PLP-1 expression in vivo, consistent with de-repression in the absence of Dlx1/Dlx2 function. Transient over-expression of a Dlx2-GFP construct into murine DIPG cells from a GEMM that develops DIPG resulted in significant increases in expression of Gad isoforms with concomitant decreases in Olig2 and Nkx2.2. Dlx2-transfected mDIPG cells also demonstrated reduced migration, invasion and colony formation in vitro. Of significance, there was global restoration of H3K27me3 with corresponding loss of H3K27ac expression in transfected cells compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS DLX2 promotes GABAergic differentiation and migration while concomitantly repressing OPC differentiation in vivo. Developmental reprogramming of mDIPG cells by DLX2 demonstrates the potential role for directed differentiation strategies towards improving patient outcomes for this devastating pediatric cancer.


2013 ◽  
Vol 113 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haruko Nakano ◽  
Xiaoqian Liu ◽  
Armin Arshi ◽  
Ben van Handel ◽  
Rajkumar Sasidharan ◽  
...  

The circulatory system is the first functional organ system that develops during mammalian life. Accumulating evidences suggest that cardiac and endocardial cells can arise from a single common progenitor cell during mammalian cardiogenesis. Notably, these early cardiac progenitors express multiple hematopoietic transcription factors, consistent with previous reports. Indeed, a close relationship among cardiac, endocardial and hematopoietic lineages has been suggested in fly, zebrafish, and embryonic stem cell in vitro differentiation models. However, it is unclear when, where and how this hematopoietic gene program is in operation during in vivo mammalian cardiogenesis. Hematopoietic colony assay suggests that mouse heart explants generate myeloids and erythroids in the absence of circulation, suggesting that the heart tube is a de novo site for the definitive hematopoiesis. Lineage tracing revealed that putative cardiac-derived Nkx2-5+/Isl1+ endocardial cells give rise to CD41+ hematopoietic progenitors that contribute to definitive hematopoiesis in vivo and ex vivo during embryogenesis earlier than in the AGM region. Furthermore, Nkx2-5 and Isl1 are both required for the hemogenic activity of the endocardium. Together, identification of Nkx2-5/Isl1-dependent hemogenic endocardial cells (1) adds hematopoietic component in the cardiogenesis lineage tree, (2) changes the long-held dogma that AGM is the only major source of definitive hematopoiesis in the embryo proper, and (3) represents phylogenetically conserved fundamental mechanism of cardio-vasculo-hematopoietic differentiation pathway during the development of circulatory system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (Supplement_6) ◽  
pp. vi217-vi217
Author(s):  
Joseph Lagas ◽  
Lihua Yang ◽  
Oren Becher ◽  
Joshua Rubin

Abstract Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a devastating pediatric high-grade glioma that occurs in the brainstem with a median survival of less than 1 year. A greater understanding of the early tumorigenic events is essential for the development of effective therapeutics. DIPG is characterized by founder mutations in histone H3, either H3.1K27M or H3.3K27M. These mutations cause global hypomethylation, resulting in aberrant gene expression. It is unknown how this mechanism contributes to tumorigenesis. Interestingly, H3.1K27M DIPG show an increased incidence in females, whereas H3.3K27M DIPG shows no sex difference. This illustrates that the tumorigenic potential of H3.1K27M may be different between the sexes. Few models of DIPG incorporate the study of H3.1K27M despite the fact that it represents a unique opportunity to obtain valuable information on the tumorigenesis of DIPG through the study of the sex difference. Thus, we have created an in vitro and in vivo model system for H3.1K27M DIPG utilizing the RCAS mouse model system. This system utilizes RCAS vectors and a RCAS-ntva transgenic mouse line to deliver specific mutations to nestin expressing cells in the brainstem, including oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), the predicted cell of origin. Delivering H3.1K27M, ACVR1 R206H, and PDGFaa at postnatal day 7 produces DIPG-like tumors in vivo, confirmed by H and E staining, between 60 – 110 days post injection. Additionally, confirmed through immunofluorescence staining, we can isolate a pure population of OPCs via immunopanning and infect them with RCAS vectors in vitro to produce stable expression of H3.1K27M. Introduction of H3.1K27M alone into male and female OPC cultures provides an opportunity to compare the early tumorigenic effects of H3.1K27M between the sexes in vitro. These results demonstrate that we have created an in vitro and in vivo H3.1K27M DIPG model system for the study of sex differences and tumorigenesis in DIPG.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 929-942 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Tessandier ◽  
Imene Melki ◽  
Nathalie Cloutier ◽  
Isabelle Allaeys ◽  
Adam Miszta ◽  
...  

Objective: The lymphatic system is a circulatory system that unidirectionally drains the interstitial tissue fluid back to blood circulation. Although lymph is utilized by leukocytes for immune surveillance, it remains inaccessible to platelets and erythrocytes. Activated cells release submicron extracellular vesicles (EV) that transport molecules from the donor cell. In rheumatoid arthritis, EV accumulate in the joint where they can interact with numerous cellular lineages. However, whether EV can exit the inflamed tissue to recirculate is unknown. Here, we investigated whether vascular leakage that occurs during inflammation could favor EV access to the lymphatic system. Approach and Results: Using an in vivo model of autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, we show that there is an influx of platelet EV, but not EV from erythrocytes or leukocytes, in joint-draining lymph. In contrast to blood platelet EV, lymph platelet EV lacked mitochondrial organelles and failed to promote coagulation. Platelet EV influx in lymph was consistent with joint vascular leakage and implicated the fibrinogen receptor α2bβ 3 and platelet-derived serotonin. Conclusions: These findings show that platelets can disseminate their EV in fluid that is inaccessible to platelets and beyond the joint in this disease.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 103 (12) ◽  
pp. 4389-4395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Freda K. Stevenson ◽  
Federico Caligaris-Cappio

Abstract The finding that chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) consists of 2 clinical subsets, distinguished by the incidence of somatic mutations in the immunoglobulin (Ig) variable region (V) genes, has clearly linked prognosis to biology. Antigen encounter by the cell of origin is indicated in both subsets by selective but distinct expression of V genes, with evidence for continuing stimulation after transformation. The key to distinctive tumor behavior likely relates to the differential ability of the B-cell receptor (BCR) to respond. Both subsets may be undergoing low-level signaling in vivo, although analysis of blood cells limits knowledge of critical events in the tissue microenvironment. Analysis of signal competence in vitro reveals that unmutated CLL generally continues to respond, whereas mutated CLL is anergized. Differential responsiveness may reflect the increased ability of post-germinal center B cells to be triggered by antigen, leading to long-term anergy. This could minimize cell division in mutated CLL and account for prognostic differences. Unifying features of CLL include low responsiveness, expression of CD25, and production of immunosuppressive cytokines. These properties are reminiscent of regulatory T cells and suggest that the cell of origin of CLL might be a regulatory B cell. Continuing regulatory activity, mediated via autoantigen, could suppress Ig production and lead to disease-associated hypogammaglobulinemia. (Blood. 2004;103:4389-4395)


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. i15-i16
Author(s):  
Sachin Kumar ◽  
Antony Michealraj ◽  
Leo Kim ◽  
Jeremy Rich ◽  
Michael Taylor

Abstract Ependymomas are malignant glial tumours that occur throughout the central nervous system. Of the nine distinct molecular subgroups of ependymoma, Posterior Fossa A (PFA), is the most prevalent, occurring in the hindbrain of infants and young children. Lacking highly recurrent somatic mutations, PFAs are thought to be a largely epigenetically driven entity, defined by hypomethylation at the histone 3 lysine 27 residue. Previous transcriptional analysis of PFAs revealed an enrichment of hypoxia signaling genes. Thus, we hypothesized that hypoxic signaling, in combination with a unique metabolic milieu, drive PFA oncogenesis through epigenetic regulation. In this study, we identified that PFA cells control the availability of specific metabolites under hypoxic conditions, resulting in diminished H3K27 trimethylation and increased H3K27 acetylation in vitro and in vivo. Unique to PFA cells, transient exposure to ambient oxygen results in irreversible cellular toxicity. Furthermore, perturbation of key metabolic pathways is sufficient to inhibit growth of PFA primary cultures in vitro. PFA cells sequester s-adenosylmethionine while upregulating EZHIP, a polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) inhibitor, resulting in decreased H3K27 trimethylation. Furthermore, hypoxia fine-tunes the abundance of alpha-ketoglutarate and acetyl-CoA to fuel demethylase and acetyltransferase activity. Paradoxically, a genome-wide CRISPR knockout screen identified the core components of PRC2 as uniquely essential in PFAs. Our findings suggest that PFAs thrive in a narrow “Goldilocks” zone, whereby they must maintain a unique epigenome and deviation to increased or decreased H3K27 trimethylation results in diminished cellular fitness. Previously, we showed that PFAs have a putative cell of origin arising in the first trimester of development. Using single-cell RNAseq and metabolomics, we demonstrate that PFAs resemble the natural metabolic-hypoxic milieu of normal development. Therefore, targeting metabolism and/or the epigenome presents a unique opportunity for rational therapy for infants with PFA ependymoma.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thijs Dhollander ◽  
Adam Clemente ◽  
Mervyn Singh ◽  
Frederique Boonstra ◽  
Oren Civier ◽  
...  

Diffusion MRI has provided the neuroimaging community with a powerful tool to acquire in-vivo data sensitive to microstructural features of white matter, up to 3 orders of magnitude smaller than typical voxel sizes. The key to extracting such valuable information lies in complex modelling techniques, which form the link between the rich diffusion MRI data and various metrics related to the microstructural organisation. Over time, increasingly advanced techniques have been developed, up to the point where some diffusion MRI models can now provide access to properties specific to individual fibre populations in each voxel in the presence of multiple "crossing" fibre pathways. While highly valuable, such fibre-specific information poses unique challenges for typical image processing pipelines and statistical analysis. In this work, we review the "fixel-based analysis" (FBA) framework that implements bespoke solutions to this end, and has recently seen a stark increase in adoption for studies of both typical (healthy) populations as well as a wide range of clinical populations. We describe the main concepts related to fixel-based analyses, as well as the methods and specific steps involved in a state-of-the-art FBA pipeline, with a focus on providing researchers with practical advice on how to interpret results. We also include an overview of the scope of current fixel-based analysis studies (until August 2020), categorised across a broad range of neuroscientific domains, listing key design choices and summarising their main results and conclusions. Finally, we critically discuss several aspects and challenges involved with the fixel-based analysis framework, and outline some directions and future opportunities.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document