Cell Type-Specific Separation of Subicular Principal Neurons during Network Activities

The hippocampal output structure, the subiculum, expresses two major memory relevant network rhythms, sharp wave ripple and gamma frequency oscillations. To this date, it remains unclear how the two distinct types of subicular principal cells, intrinsically bursting and regular spiking neurons, participate in these two network rhythms. Using concomitant local field potential and intracellular recordings in an in vitro mouse model that allows the investigation of both network rhythms, we found a cell type-specific segregation of principal neurons into participating intrinsically bursting and non-participating regular spiking cells. However, if regular spiking cells were kept at a more depolarized level, they did participate in a specific manner, suggesting a potential bimodal working model dependent on the level of excitation. Furthermore, intrinsically bursting and regular spiking cells exhibited divergent intrinsic membrane and synaptic properties in the active network. Thus, our results suggest a cell-type-specific segregation of principal cells into two separate groups during network activities, supporting the idea of two parallel streams of information processing within the subiculum.     

Plant Fertilization Interacts with Life History: Variation in Stoichiometry and Performance in Nettle-Feeding Butterflies

Variation in food stoichiometry affects individual performance and population dynamics, but it is also likely that species with different life histories should differ in their sensitivity to food stoichiometry. To address this question, we investigated the ability of the three nettle-feeding butterflies (Aglais urticae, Polygonia c-album, and Aglais io) to respond adaptively to induced variation in plant stoichiometry in terms of larval performance. We hypothesized that variation in larval performance between plant fertilization treatments should be functionally linked to species differences in host plant specificity. We found species-specific differences in larval performance between plant fertilization treatments that could not be explained by nutrient limitation. We showed a clear evidence of a positive correlation between food stoichiometry and development time to pupal stage and pupal mass in A. urticae. The other two species showed a more complex response. Our results partly supported our prediction that host plant specificity affects larval sensitivity to food stoichiometry. However, we suggest that most of the differences observed may instead be explained by differences in voltinism (number of generations per year). We believe that the potential of some species to respond adaptively to variation in plant nutrient content needs further attention in the face of increased eutrophication due to nutrient leakage from human activities.     

Seasonal variability in pyrrolizidine alkaloids in Senecio inaequidens from the Val Venosta (Northern Italy)

Senecio inaequidens is a neophyte originating from South Africa that has managed to spread to Europe and colonize large areas. This plant has toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) that represent a health risk to humans and animals. The aim of this work was to measure the content of PAs of these plants in continuous intervals over the entire growing season. The plants were separated into their organs, such as sprouts, stems, leaves and inflorescences. PAs were extracted from the dried plants using an acidic methanol solution, purified and measured by GC/MS. The average PA content of plants over the growing season was 0.33% of dry weight. The highest PA levels were about 1% in the dry weight and were found in the young sprouts and flower heads. There were nine PAs present, of which six could be identified. The main alkaloid was retrorsine followed by senecivernine, senecionine, integerrimine, usaramine and seneciphylline. Due to the high PA content of the inflorescences, the long flowering period and the rapid invasion dynamics, this species presents a high health risk for humans and animals.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">australis</Emphasis>: How do genotypes of different phylogeographic origins differ from their invasive genotypes in growth,nitrogen allocation and gas exchange?

It has been suggested that in plant invasions, species may develop intrinsically higher gas exchange and growth rates, and greater nitrogen uptake and allocation to shoots, in their invasive range than in their native habitat under excess nutrients. In this study, native populations of two old world Phragmites australis phylogeographic groups (EU and MED) were compared with their invasive populations in North America [NAint (M) and NAint (Delta)] under unlimited nutrient availability and identical environmental conditions in a common garden. We expected that both introduced groups would have higher growth, nitrogen uptake and allocation, and gas exchange rates than their native groups, but that these enhanced traits would have evolved in different ways in the two introduced ranges, because of different evolutionary histories. Biomass, leaf area, leaf nitrogen concentrations (NH₄ ⁺ and NO₃ ^?) and transpiration rates increased in introduced versus native groups, whereas differences in SLA, leaf pigment concentrations and assimilation rates were due to phylogeographic origins. Despite intrinsic differences in the allocation of C and N in leaves, shoots and rhizome due to phylogeographic origin, the introduced groups invested more biomass in above-ground tissues than roots and rhizomes. Our results support the concept that invasive populations develop enhanced morphological, physiological and biomass traits in their new ranges that may assist their competiveness under nutrient-enriched conditions, however the ecophysiological processes leading to these changes can be different and depend on the evolutionary history of the genotypes.     

Molecular characterization of rabbit scavenger receptor class B types I and II: portal to central vein gradient of expression in the liver

To further elucidate the role of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in reverse cholesterol transport and in atherogenesis, we performed studies in the rabbit, an animal model displaying a lipoprotein profile similar to that of human, expressing cholesteryl ester transfer protein in plasma and having been demonstrated to be susceptible to atherosclerosis. In this report, we describe for the first time the isolation and characterization of rabbit cDNA fragments encoding SR-BI and scavenger receptor class B type II (SR-BII). Development of an isoform-specific Taqman Real Time PCR system and generation of isoform-specific polyclonal antibodies allowed us to measure SR-BI and SR-BII expression in various rabbit organs on mRNA and protein levels, respectively. We found the highest expression of SR-BI in adrenal gland, liver, and proximal intestine; lesser expression was found in appendix and spleen. Immunohistochemical staining of frozen sections showed SR-BI expression in the cortex but not in the medulla of adrenal gland. An increasing portal to central vein gradient of expression was found within the hepatic lobule. As shown in this report, identification and characterization of SR-BI expression in the rabbit affords a powerful tool to elucidate the role of SR-BI in cholesterol homeostasis and atherogenesis in human.     

CD40 ligand enhances dengue viral infection of dendritic cells: a possible mechanism for T cell-mediated immunopathology

We have previously shown that dengue virus (DV) productively infects immature human dendritic cells (DCs) through binding to cell surface DC-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin molecules. Infected DCs are apoptotic, refractory to TNF-alpha stimulation, inhibited from undergoing maturation, and unable to stimulate T cells. In this study, we show that maturation of infected DCs could be restored by a strong stimulus, CD40L. Addition of CD40L significantly reduced apoptosis of DCs, promoted IL-12 production, and greatly elevated the IFN-gamma response of T cells, but yet did not restore T cell proliferation in MLR. Increased viral infection of DCs was also observed; however, increased infection did not appear to be mediated by DC-specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin, but rather was regulated by decreased production of IFN-alpha and decreased apoptotic death of infected DCs. Because CD40L is highly expressed on activated memory (but not naive) T cells, the observation that CD40L signaling results in enhanced DV infection of DC suggests a possible T cell-dependent mechanism for the immune-mediated enhancement of disease severity associated with some secondary dengue infections.