Effects of Long-Term Treatment with Quercetin on Cognition and Mitochondrial Function in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced mitochondrial dysfunction has been recognized as a prominent, early event in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Therefore, therapeutics targeted to improve mitochondrial function could be beneficial. Quercetin, a bioflavanoid, has been reported to have potent neuro-protective effects, but its preventive effects on Aβ-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment have not been well characterised. Three-month-old APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mice were randomly assigned to a vehicle group, two quercetin (either 20 or 40 mg kg^?1 day^?1) groups, or an Aricept (2 mg kg^?1 day^?1) group. After 16 weeks of treatment, we observed beneficial effects of quercetin (40 mg kg^?1 day^?1), including lessening learning and memory deficits, reducing scattered senile plaques, and ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction, as evidenced by restoration of mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species and ATP levels in mitochondria isolated from the hippocampus compared to control. Furthermore, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity significantly increased in the quercetin-treated (40 mg kg^?1 day^?1) group. These findings suggest that a reduction in plaque burden and mitochondrial dysfunction through the activation of AMPK may be one of the mechanisms by which quercetin improves cognitive functioning in the APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic mouse model of AD.     

A γ-Secretase Independent Role for Presenilin in Calcium Homeostasis Impacts Mitochondrial Function and Morphology in Caenorhabditis elegans

Mutations in the presenilin (PSEN) encoding genes (PSEN1 and PSEN2) occur in most early onset familial Alzheimer’s Disease. Despite the identification of the involvement of PSEN in Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) ∼20 years ago, the underlying role of PSEN in AD is not fully understood. To gain insight into the biological function of PSEN, we investigated the role of the PSEN homolog SEL-12 in Caenorhabditis elegans. Using genetic, cell biological, and pharmacological approaches, we demonstrate that mutations in sel-12 result in defects in calcium homeostasis, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction. Moreover, consistent with mammalian PSEN, we provide evidence that SEL-12 has a critical role in mediating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) calcium release. Furthermore, we found that in SEL-12-deficient animals, calcium transfer from the ER to the mitochondria leads to fragmentation of the mitochondria and mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, we show that the impact that SEL-12 has on mitochondrial function is independent of its role in Notch signaling, γ-secretase proteolytic activity, and amyloid plaques. Our results reveal a critical role for PSEN in mediating mitochondrial function by regulating calcium transfer from the ER to the mitochondria.     

Involvement of PPAR-γ and p53 in DHA-induced apoptosis in Reh cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells and have come to be appreciated as critical controllers of the immune response, especially T cell responses. Apart from presenting antigens to T cells, DCs carry out many other functions in regulating immunity. DC-specific intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-3 grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) is a novel receptor that plays an important role in DC migration and adhesion, the inflammatory response, T cell activation, initiating the immune response, and immune escape of pathogens and tumors. DC-SIGN mediates DC binding to ICAM-3 on the T cell surface and ICAM-2 on the endothelial cell (EC) surface, and takes part in the initial interaction between DC and T cells or vascular ECs. The procedure of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) is a method in which single-stranded oligonucleotides are selected from a wide variety of sequences, based on their interaction with a target molecule. In this study, we selected DNA aptamers against DC-SIGN protein by SELEX, and measured their binding affinity for DC-SIGN. Finally, an appropriate aptamer with high affinity for DC-SIGN was obtained, and it blocked DC adhesion to ECs as effectively as anti-DC-SIGN monoclonal antibody.     

PTENα, a PTEN Isoform Translated through Alternative Initiation,Regulates Mitochondrial Function and Energy Metabolism

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Characterization and Modulation of Glucose Uptake in a Human Blood–Brain Barrier Model

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) plays a key role in limiting and regulating glucose access to glial and neuronal cells. In this work glucose uptake on a human BBB cell model (the hCMEC/D3 cell line) was characterized. The influence of some hormones and diet components on glucose uptake was also studied. ³H-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([³H]-DG) uptake for hCMEC/D3 cells was evaluated in the presence or absence of tested compounds. [³H]-DG uptake was sodium- and energy-independent. [³H]-DG uptake was regulated by Ca²⁺ and calmodulin but not by MAPK kinase pathways. PKC, PKA and protein tyrosine kinase also seem to be involved in glucose uptake modulation. Progesterone and estrone were found to decrease ³H-DG uptake. Catechin and epicatechin did not have any effect, but their methylated metabolites increased [³H]-DG uptake. Quercetin and myricetin decreased [³H]-DG uptake, and glucuronic acid-conjugated quercetin did not have any effect. These cells expressed GLUT1, GLUT3 and SGLT1 mRNA.     

Increased Corneal Epithelial Turnover Contributes to Abnormal Homeostasis in the Pax6+/? Mouse Model of Aniridia

We aimed to test previous predictions that limbal epithelial stem cells (LESCs) are quantitatively deficient or qualitatively defective in Pax6^+/− mice and decline with age in wild-type (WT) mice. Consistent with previous studies, corneal epithelial stripe patterns coarsened with age in WT mosaics. Mosaic patterns were also coarser in Pax6^+/− mosaics than WT at 15 weeks but not at 3 weeks, which excludes a developmental explanation and strengthens the prediction that Pax6^+/− mice have a LESC-deficiency. To investigate how Pax6 genotype and age affected corneal homeostasis, we compared corneal epithelial cell turnover and label-retaining cells (LRCs; putative LESCs) in Pax6^+/− and WT mice at 15 and 30 weeks. Limbal BrdU-LRC numbers were not reduced in the older WT mice, so this analysis failed to support the predicted age-related decline in slow-cycling LESC numbers in WT corneas. Similarly, limbal BrdU-LRC numbers were not reduced in Pax6^+/− heterozygotes but BrdU-LRCs were also present in Pax6^+/− corneas. It seems likely that Pax6^+/− LRCs are not exclusively stem cells and some may be terminally differentiated CD31-positive blood vessel cells, which invade the Pax6^+/− cornea. It was not, therefore, possible to use this approach to test the prediction that Pax6^+/− corneas had fewer LESCs than WT. However, short-term BrdU labelling showed that basal to suprabasal movement (leading to cell loss) occurred more rapidly in Pax6^+/− than WT mice. This implies that epithelial cell loss is higher in Pax6^+/− mice. If increased corneal epithelial cell loss exceeds the cell production capacity it could cause corneal homeostasis to become unstable, resulting in progressive corneal deterioration. Although it remains unclear whether Pax6^+/− mice have LESC-deficiency, we suggest that features of corneal deterioration, that are often taken as evidence of LESC-deficiency, might occur in the absence of stem cell deficiency if corneal homeostasis is destabilised by excessive cell loss.     

PPAR-γ as a therapeutic target in cardiovascular disease: evidence and uncertainty

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR-γ) is a key regulator of fatty acid metabolism, promoting its storage in adipose tissue and reducing circulating concentrations of free fatty acids. Activation of PPAR-γ has favorable effects on measures of adipocyte function, insulin sensitivity, lipoprotein metabolism, and vascular structure and function. Despite these effects, clinical trials of thiazolidinedione PPAR-γ activators have not provided conclusive evidence that they reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The apparent disparity between effects on laboratory measurements and clinical outcomes may be related to limitations of clinical trials, adverse effects of PPAR-γ activation, or off-target effects of thiazolidinedione agents. This review addresses these issues from a clinician's perspective and highlights several ongoing clinical trials that may help to clarify the therapeutic role of PPAR-γ activators in cardiovascular disease.     

Intra- and Extra-cellular Thiol–Disulfide Homeostasis in Blood of Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder

Journal of Evolutionary Biochemistry and Physiology - Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the loss of a person's quality of life due to increased alcohol consumption and the failure of alcohol...     

Effects of Pioglitazone Mediated Activation of PPAR-γ on CIDEC and Obesity Related Changes in Mice

Objective

Obesity is a metabolic disorder that can lead to high blood pressure, increased blood cholesterol and triglycerides, insulin resistance, and diabetes mellitus. The aim was to study the effects of pioglitazone mediated sensitization of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) on the relationship of Cell death-inducing DFFA-like effector C (CIDEC) with obesity related changes in mice.

Methods

Sixty C57B/L6 mice weighing 10–12g at 3 weeks of age were randomly divided into 3 groups. Mice in Group 1 were fed on normal diet (ND) while Group 2 mice were given high fat diet (HFD), and Group 3 mice were given high fat diet and treated with Pioglitazone (HFD+P). Body weight, length and level of blood sugar were measured weekly. Quantitative real-time PCR, fluorescence microscopy, and ELISA were performed to analyze the expression of CIDEC and PPAR-γ in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT).

Results

Body weight and length of mice increased gradually with time in all groups. Blood sugar in HFD mice started to increase significantly from the mid of late phase of obesity while pioglitazone attenuated blood sugar level in HFD+P mice. The mRNA expressions and protein levels of PPAR-γ and CIDEC genes started to increase in HFD mice as compared to ND mice and decreased gradually during the late phase of obesity in VAT. Pioglitazone enhanced the expression of PPAR-γ and CIDEC genes in HFD+P mice even during the late phase of obesity.

Conclusion

It is insinuated that VAT is associated with late phase obesity CIDEC decrease and insulin resistance, while pioglitazone enhances CIDEC through activation of PPAR-γ, increases its expression, and decreases lipolysis, hence preventing an increase of blood sugar in mice exposed to HFD.     

Deregulation of Mitochondrial ATPsyn-β in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells and with Increased Drug Resistance

The mechanisms underlying the development of multidrug resistance in acute myeloid leukemia are not fully understood. Here we analyzed the expressions of mitochondrial ATPsyn-β in adriamycin-resistant cell line HL-60/ADM and its parental cell line HL-60. Meanwhile we compared the differences of mitochondrial ATPsyn-β expression and ATP synthase activity in 110 acute myeloid leukemia (AML, non-M3) patients between relapsed/refractory and those in remission. Our results showed that down-regulation of ATPsyn-β expression by siRNA in HL-60 cells increased cell viability and apoptotic resistance to adriamycin, while up-regulation of mitochondrial ATPsyn-β in HL-60/ADM cells enhanced cell sensitivity to adriamycin and promoted apoptosis. Mitochondrial ATPsyn-β expression and ATP synthase activity in relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia patients were downregulated. This downregulated ATPsyn-β expression exhibited a positive correlation with the response to adriamycin of primary cells. A lower expression of ATPsyn-β in newly diagnosed or relapsed/refractory patients was associated with a shorter first remission duration or overall survival. Our findings show mitochondrial ATPsyn-β plays an important role in the mechanism of multidrug resistance in AML thus may present both a new marker for prognosis assessment and a new target for reversing drug resistance.     

Increased interleukin-4 and decreased interferon-γ levels in serum of children with asthma

Background and purposeImmune and inflammatory responses, mediated by cytokines, play important roles in the pathophysiology of asthma. These responses are associated with over expression of T helper (Th)-2 cytokine, particularly interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, and decreased expression of Th-1 cytokine, IL-2 and IFN-γ. We hypothesized that there would be an imbalance in the levels of circulating IL-4 and IFN-γ in the asthmatic subjects.MethodWe investigated serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ among eighty children (18 steroid-naïve, 30 steroid-treated children with asthma and 32 healthy controls) using commercially available ELISA kits.ResultsSerum level of IL-4 was significantly higher in steroid-naïve group of asthmatic children compared to the healthy control subjects and was lower in steroid-treated group though the level was statistically not significant. In contrast, serum levels of IFN-γ were significantly lower in both steroid-naïve and steroid-treated groups of asthmatic children compared to healthy control subjects.ConclusionThe results of our study suggest that serum level of IL-4 may be elevated in concert with decreased level of IFN-γ in asthma. Determination of serum levels of IL-4 and IFN-γ may be a useful tool for understanding the disease processes in asthma.     

Importance of Mast Cell Prss31/Transmembrane Tryptase/Tryptase-γ in Lung Function and Experimental Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Colitis

Protease serine member S31 (Prss31)/transmembrane tryptase/tryptase-γ is a mast cell (MC)-restricted protease of unknown function that is retained on the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane when MCs are activated. We determined the nucleotide sequences of the Prss31 gene in different mouse strains and then used a Cre/loxP homologous recombination approach to create a novel Prss31^−/− C57BL/6 mouse line. The resulting animals exhibited no obvious developmental abnormality, contained normal numbers of granulated MCs in their tissues, and did not compensate for their loss of the membrane tryptase by increasing their expression of other granule proteases. When Prss31-null MCs were activated with a calcium ionophore or by their high affinity IgE receptors, they degranulated in a pattern similar to that of WT MCs. Prss31-null mice had increased baseline airway reactivity to methacholine but markedly reduced experimental chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and colitis, thereby indicating both beneficial and adverse functional roles for the tryptase. In a cigarette smoke-induced model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, WT mice had more pulmonary macrophages, higher histopathology scores, and more fibrosis in their small airways than similarly treated Prss31-null mice. In a dextran sodium sulfate-induced acute colitis model, WT mice lost more weight, had higher histopathology scores, and contained more Cxcl-2 and IL-6 mRNA in their colons than similarly treated Prss31-null mice. The accumulated data raise the possibility that inhibitors of this membrane tryptase may provide additional therapeutic benefit in the treatment of humans with these MC-dependent inflammatory diseases.     

Comparing the in Vivo Function of α-Carboxysomes and β-Carboxysomes in Two Model Cyanobacteria

The carbon dioxide (CO₂)-concentrating mechanism of cyanobacteria is characterized by the occurrence of Rubisco-containing microcompartments called carboxysomes within cells. The encapsulation of Rubisco allows for high-CO₂ concentrations at the site of fixation, providing an advantage in low-CO₂ environments. Cyanobacteria with Form-IA Rubisco contain α-carboxysomes, and cyanobacteria with Form-IB Rubisco contain β-carboxysomes. The two carboxysome types have arisen through convergent evolution, and α-cyanobacteria and β-cyanobacteria occupy different ecological niches. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first direct comparison of the carboxysome function from α-cyanobacteria (Cyanobium spp. PCC7001) and β-cyanobacteria (Synechococcus spp. PCC7942) with similar inorganic carbon (C_i; as CO₂ and HCO₃⁻) transporter systems. Despite evolutionary and structural differences between α-carboxysomes and β-carboxysomes, we found that the two strains are remarkably similar in many physiological parameters, particularly the response of photosynthesis to light and external C_i and their modulation of internal ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate, phosphoglycerate, and C_i pools when grown under comparable conditions. In addition, the different Rubisco forms present in each carboxysome had almost identical kinetic parameters. The conclusions indicate that the possession of different carboxysome types does not significantly influence the physiological function of these species and that similar carboxysome function may be possessed by each carboxysome type. Interestingly, both carboxysome types showed a response to cytosolic C_i, which is of higher affinity than predicted by current models, being saturated by 5 to 15 mm C_i. This finding has bearing on the viability of transplanting functional carboxysomes into the C₃ chloroplast.Cyanobacteria inhabit a diverse range of ecological habitats, including both freshwater and marine ecosystems. The flexibility to occupy these different habitats is thought to come in part from the carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM) present in all species (Badger et al., 2006). The CCM comprises inorganic carbon (C_i; as carbon dioxide [CO₂] and HCO₃⁻) transporters for C_i uptake and protein microbodies called carboxysomes for CO₂ concentration and fixation by Rubisco (Badger and Price, 2003). The CCM is believed to have evolved in response to changes in the absolute and relative levels of CO₂ and oxygen (O₂) in the atmosphere during the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis in cyanobacteria (Price et al., 2008).There are two main phylogenetic groups within the cyanobacteria based on Rubisco and carboxysome phylogenies; α-cyanobacteria have α-carboxysomes with Form-IA Rubisco, whereas β-cyanobacteria have β-carboxysomes with Form-IB Rubisco (Tabita, 1999; Badger et al., 2002). Rubisco large subunit protein sequences from these two groups are closely related but nevertheless, distinguishable (Supplemental Fig. S1). In general, α-cyanobacteria and β-cyanobacteria occupy a quite different range of ecological habitats. The α-cyanobacteria are mostly marine organisms, with the majority of species living in the open ocean (Badger et al., 2006). Marine α-cyanobacteria live in very stable environments with high pH (pH 8.2) and dissolved carbon levels but low nutrients. They are characterized by small cells, very small genomes (1.6–2.8 Mb), and a few constitutively expressed carbon uptake transporters (Rae et al., 2011; Beck et al., 2012). They have been described as low flux, low energy cyanobacteria with a minimal CCM (Badger et al., 2006). Although these species are slow growing, oceanic cyanobacteria contribute as much as one-half of oceanic primary productivity (Liu et al., 1997, 1999; Field et al., 1998), suggesting that they may contribute up to 25% to net global productivity every year.In comparison, β-cyanobacteria occupy a much more diverse range of habitats, including freshwater, estuarine, and hot springs and never reach the same levels of global abundance (Badger et al., 2006). They are characterized by larger cells, larger genomes (2.2–3.6 Mb), and an array of carbon uptake transporters, including those transporters induced under low C_i (Rae et al., 2011, 2013). In addition to these broadly defined α-groups and β-groups, there are small numbers of α-cyanobacteria that have been termed transitional strains (Price, 2011; Rae et al., 2011). These species (e.g. Cyanobium spp. PCC7001, Synechococcus spp. WH5701, and Cyanobium spp. PCC6307; Supplemental Fig. S1) live in marginal marine and freshwater environments and have a number of characteristics similar to β-cyanobacteria. For example, they have a more diverse range of C_i uptake systems and a significantly larger genome than closely related α-cyanobacteria, and it has been suggested that the additional genes encoding transport systems were acquired by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from β-cyanobacteria (Rae et al., 2011).Although the carboxysomes from α-cyanobacteria and β-cyanobacteria are very similar in overall structure, in that they share an outer protein shell of common phylogenetic origin (Kerfeld et al., 2005), they are distinguished from each other largely by differences in the proteins, which seem to make up or interact with the interior of the carboxysome compartment (Supplemental Table S1). This finding suggests that their different structures today have arisen through periods of common and convergent evolution. Certain carboxysome shell proteins from α-carboxysomes and β-carboxysomes show regions of significant sequence homology. These proteins are denoted as CsoS1 to CsoS4 (in α-cyanobacteria) and CcmKLO (in β-cyanobacteria), and the homologous regions have been termed bacterial microcompartment domains (Kerfeld et al., 2010; Rae et al., 2013). Proteins with these domains are also found in bacterial microcompartments in proteobacteria. However, other identified carboxysome proteins do not show any sequence homology between α-carboxysomes and β-carboxysomes but may perform similar functional roles. For example, carbonic anhydrase activity is essential for carboxysome function, but its activity seems to be provided by a range of different proteins (β-CcaA, β-CcmM, and α-CsoSCA; Kupriyanova et al., 2013). Similarly, β-CcmM and α-CsoS2 could play similar roles in organizing the interface between the shell and Rubisco within the carboxysomes (Gonzales et al., 2005; Long et al., 2007).The functioning of a carboxysome relies on a number of biochemical properties associated with the protein microbody structure. These properties include the biochemical/kinetic properties of Rubisco contained within carboxysomes, the conductance of the carboxysome shell to the influx of substrate ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (RuBP) and the efflux of the carboxylation product phosphoglycerate (PGA), the conductance of the shell to the influx of bicarbonate and the efflux of CO₂, and lastly, the manner in which bicarbonate is converted to CO₂ within the carboxysomes. α-Carboxysomes and β-carboxysomes have the potential to differ in each of these properties. The flux of phosphorylated sugars across the shell has been postulated to be mediated by the pores in the hexameric shell proteins (Yeates et al., 2010; Kinney et al., 2011), which although similar, do differ between the two carboxysomes types. Bicarbonate and CO₂ uptake processes are less well-defined but probably involve aspects of the way in which unique shell interface proteins interact with Rubisco, which also differs in that CsoS2 and CsoSCA are probably the interacting proteins involved in α-carboxysomes (Espie and Kimber, 2011), whereas CcmM and β-carboxysomal CA are variably involved in β-carboxysomes (Long et al., 2010). Finally, the Form-IA and Form-IB Rubisco proteins at the heart of carboxylation, although similar, have the potential to show different kinetic properties. Although Form-IB Rubiscos from β-cyanobacteria are well-characterized, the Form-IA counterparts have received very little attention. In addition, the CCM of very few strains of cyanobacteria have been studied at the level of biochemistry and physiology, and they have been almost exclusively β-cyanobacteria. As a result, there are significant gaps in our knowledge about the similarities and differences in functional traits between α-cyanobacterial and β-cyanobacterial strains. One important question that remains to be answered is whether α-carboxysomes and β-carboxysomes have intrinsic differences in their biochemical properties that influence the nature of the CCM, which is established within each broad cell type.Because of the difficulties in isolating and assaying intact carboxysomes in vitro, the characterization of biochemical properties of carboxysomes is not easily addressed. One way forward is to study the properties of the CCM in detail in a model representative strain from each group and compare their characteristics to contrast the intracellular function of α-cell types and β-cell types. In the past, it has been restricted because of the difficulties in growing many of the open ocean α-cyanobacteria and their very different natures in relation to inorganic transporter composition. However, the availability of α-cyanobacteria transition strains, which grow well in the laboratory, has provided an opportunity to address this question. The α-cyanobacteria Cyanobium spp. PCC7001 (hereafter Cyanobium spp.), in particular, grows in standard freshwater media (BG11) and has growth and photosynthetic performance properties that closely match the model β-cyanobacteria, Synechococcus spp. PCC7942 (hereafter Synechococcus spp.); for this reason, Cyanobium spp. is ideal for a balanced comparison of the in vivo physiological properties of α-carboxysomes and β-carboxysomes in two species with relatively similar C_i-uptake properties.Genome analysis of both strains indicates that Cyanobium spp. have many of the same carbon uptake systems present in Synechococcus spp. (Rae et al., 2011). In using two strains with such similar transport capacities, we aimed to shed light on aspects of the functional properties of carboxysomes in each strain and how these properties affect the operation of the CCM in α-cyanobacteria and β-cyanobacteria. Using both membrane inlet mass spectrometry (MIMS) and silicon oil centrifugation, we investigated C_i pool sizes and CO₂ uptake rates in both species for cells grown at high and low CO₂. Comparative Rubisco properties and photosynthetic rates of each species were determined, and intracellular pools of RuBP and PGA were measured. In addition, we characterized a number of cellular properties to determine differences in the biochemical environments in which each carboxysome type exists. Together, the results provide a unique functional comparison of two distinct carboxysome types from phylogenetically disparate cyanobacteria.     

Modulation of PPARγ Provides New Insights in a Stress Induced Premature Senescence Model

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) may be involved in a key mechanism of the skin aging process, influencing several aspects related to the age-related degeneration of skin cells, including antioxidant unbalance. Therefore, we investigated whether the up-modulation of this nuclear receptor exerts a protective effect in a stress-induced premature senescence (SIPS) model based on a single exposure of human dermal fibroblasts to 8-methoxypsoralen plus + ultraviolet-A-irradiation (PUVA). Among possible PPARγ modulators, we selected 2,4,6-octatrienoic acid (Octa), a member of the parrodiene family, previously reported to promote melanogenesis and antioxidant defense in normal human melanocytes through a mechanism involving PPARγ activation. Exposure to PUVA induced an early and significant decrease in PPARγ expression and activity. PPARγ up-modulation counteracted the antioxidant imbalance induced by PUVA and reduced the expression of stress response genes with a synergistic increase of different components of the cell antioxidant network, such as catalase and reduced glutathione. PUVA-treated fibroblasts grown in the presence of Octa are partially but significantly rescued from the features of the cellular senescence-like phenotype, such as cytoplasmic enlargement, the expression of senescence-associated-β-galactosidase, matrix-metalloproteinase-1, and cell cycle proteins. Moreover, the alterations in the cell membrane lipids, such as the decrease in the polyunsaturated fatty acid content of phospholipids and the increase in cholesterol levels, which are typical features of cell aging, were prevented. Our data suggest that PPARγ is one of the targets of PUVA-SIPS and that its pharmacological up-modulation may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the photooxidative skin damage.     

Innate Immune Function in Placenta and Cord Blood of Hepatitis C – Seropositive Mother-Infant Dyads

Vertical transmission accounts for the majority of pediatric cases of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. In contrast to the adult population who develop persistent viremia in ∼80% of cases following exposure, the rate of mother-to-child transmission (2–6%) is strikingly low. Protection from vertical transmission likely requires the coordination of multiple components of the immune system. Placenta and decidua provide a direct connection between mother and infant. We hypothesized that innate immune responses would differ across the three compartments (decidua, placenta and cord blood) and that hepatitis C exposure would modify innate immunity in these tissues. The study was comprised of HCV-infected and healthy control mother and infant pairs from whom cord blood, placenta and decidua were collected with isolation of mononuclear cells. Multiparameter flow cytometry was performed to assess the phenotype, intracellular cytokine production and cytotoxicity of the cells. In keeping with a model where the maternal-fetal interface provides antiviral protection, we found a gradient in proportional frequencies of NKT and γδ-T cells being higher in placenta than cord blood. Cytotoxicity of NK and NKT cells was enhanced in placenta and placental NKT cytotoxicity was further increased by HCV infection. HCV exposure had multiple effects on innate cells including a decrease in activation markers (CD69, TRAIL and NKp44) on NK cells and a decrease in plasmacytoid dendritic cells in both placenta and cord blood of exposed infants. In summary, the placenta represents an active innate immunological organ that provides antiviral protection against HCV transmission in the majority of cases; the increased incidence in preterm labor previously described in HCV-seropositive mothers may be related to enhanced cytotoxicity of NKT cells.     

Stability of Ion Flow and Role of Boundary Conditions in a Simplified Model of the E × B Plasma Accelerator with a Uniform Electron Mobility

Plasma Physics Reports - Resistive oscillations of axial plasma with ionization effects are analyzed in configuration similar to the Hall effect thrusters. From analysis of stationary equations we...