Dietary modification dampens liver inflammation and fibrosis in obesity‐related fatty liver disease

Background: Alms1 mutant (foz/foz) mice develop hyperphagic obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver (steatosis). High‐fat (HF) feeding converts pathology from bland steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with fibrosis, which leads to cirrhosis in humans. Objective: We sought to establish how dietary composition contributes to NASH pathogenesis. Design and Methods: foz/foz mice were fed HF diet or chow 24 weeks, or switched HF to chow after 12 weeks. Serum ALT, NAFLD activity score (NAS), fibrosis severity, neutrophil, macrophage and apoptosis immunohistochemistry, uncoupling protein (UCP)2, ATP, NF‐κB activation/expression of chemokines/adhesion molecules/fibrogenic pathways were determined. Result: HF intake upregulated liver fatty acid and cholesterol transporter, CD36. Dietary switch expanded adipose tissue and decreased hepatomegaly by lowering triglyceride, cholesterol ester, free cholesterol and diacylglyceride content of liver. There was no change in lipogenesis or fatty acid oxidation pathways; instead, CD36 was suppressed. These diet‐induced changes in hepatic lipids improved NAS, reduced neutrophil infiltration, normalized UCP2 and increased ATP; this facilitated apoptosis with a change in macrophage phenotype favoring M2 cells. Dietary switch also abrogated NF‐κB activation and chemokine/adhesion molecule expression, and arrested fibrosis by dampening stellate cell activation. Conclusion: Reversion to a physiological dietary composition after HF feeding in foz/foz mice alters body weight distribution but not obesity. This attenuates NASH severity and fibrotic progression by suppressing NF‐κB activation and reducing neutrophil and macrophage activation. However, adipose inflammation persists and is associated with continuing apoptosis in the residual fatty liver disease. Taken together, these findings indicate that other measures, such as weight reduction, may be required to fully reverse obesity‐related NASH.     

The ROSA26-iPSC Mouse: A Conditional,Inducible, and Exchangeable Resource for Studying Cellular (De)Differentiation

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Highlights? Conditional and inducible reprogrammable mouse model presented ? Allows removal of the Yamanaka factors after reprogramming ? Fully and partially reprogrammed endothelial cells generated ? Lineage-directed differentiation of iPSCs toward beating cardiomyocytes     

Anything but Conventional Chromatography Approaches in Bioseparation

While packed bed chromatography, known as conventional chromatography, has been serving the biopharmaceutical industry for decades as the bioseparation method of choice, alternative approaches are likely to take an increasing leading role in the next few years. The high number of new biological drugs under development, and the need to make biopharmaceuticals widely accessible, has been driving the academia and industry in the quest of anything but conventional chromatography approaches. In this perspective paper, these alternative approaches are discussed in view of current and future challenges in the downstream processing field.     

Murine gallbladder epithelial cells can differentiate into hepatocyte-like cells in vitro

We determined whether extrahepatic biliary epithelial cells can differentiate into cells with phenotypic features of hepatocytes. Gallbladders were removed from transgenic mice expressing hepatocyte-specific beta-galactosidase (beta-Gal) and cultured under standard conditions and under experimental conditions designed to induce differentiation into a hepatocyte-like phenotype. Gallbladder epithelial cells (GBEC) cultured under standard conditions exhibited no beta-Gal activity. beta-Gal expression was prominent in 50% of cells cultured under experimental conditions. Similar morphological changes were observed in GBEC from green fluorescent protein transgenic mice cultured under experimental conditions. These cells showed higher levels of mRNA for genes expressed in hepatocytes, but not in GBEC, including aldolase B, albumin, hepatocyte nuclear factor-4alpha, aldehyde dehydrogenase 1, and glutamine synthetase, and they synthesized bile acids. Additional functional evidence of a hepatocyte-like phenotype included LDL uptake and enhanced benzodiazepine metabolism. Connexin-32 expression was evident in murine hepatocytes and in cells cultured under experimental conditions, but not in cells cultured under standard conditions. Notch 1, 2, and 3 and Notch ligand Jagged 1 mRNAs were downregulated in these cells compared with cells cultured under standard conditions. CD34, alpha-fetoprotein, and Sca-1 mRNA were not expressed in cells cultured under standard conditions, suggesting that the hepatocyte-like cells did not arise from hematopoietic stem cells or oval cells. These results point to future avenues for investigation into the potential use of GBEC in the treatment of liver disease.     

Combined analysis of secreted proteins and glycosylation identifies prognostic features in cholangiocarcinoma

Secreted proteins are overexpressed in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) and actively involved in promoting metastatic spread. Many of these proteins possess one or more sites of glycosylation and their various glycoforms have potential utility as prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers. To evaluate the effects of secretome glycosylation on patient outcome, we elucidated the glycosylation patterns of proteins secreted by parental and metastatic CCA cells using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Our analysis showed that the secretome of CCA cells was dominated by fucosylated and fucosialylated glycoforms. Based on the glycan and protein profiles, we evaluated the combined prognostic significance of glycosyltransferases and secretory proteins. Significantly, genes encoding fucosyltransferases and sialyltransferases showed favorable prognostic effects when combined with secretory protein-coding gene expression, particularly thrombospondin-1. Combining these measures may provide improved risk assessment for CCA and be used to indicate stages of disease progression.     

Host-defence-related proteins in cows' milk

Milk is a source of bioactive molecules with wide-ranging functions. Among these, the immune properties have been the best characterised. In recent years, it has become apparent that besides the immunoglobulins, milk also contains a range of minor immune-related proteins that collectively form a significant first line of defence against pathogens, acting both within the mammary gland itself as well as in the digestive tract of the suckling neonate. We have used proteomics technologies to characterise the repertoire of host-defence-related milk proteins in detail, revealing more than 100 distinct gene products in milk, of which at least 15 are known host-defence-related proteins. Those having intrinsic antimicrobial activity likely function as effector proteins of the local mucosal immune defence (e.g. defensins, cathelicidins and the calgranulins). Here, we focus on the activities and biological roles of the cathelicidins and mammary serum amyloid A. The function of the immune-related milk proteins that do not have intrinsic antimicrobial activity is also discussed, notably lipopolysaccharide-binding protein, RNase4, RNase5/angiogenin and cartilage-glycoprotein 39 kDa. Evidence is shown that at least some of these facilitate recognition of microbes, resulting in the activation of innate immune signalling pathways in cells associated with the mammary and/or gut mucosal surface. Finally, the contribution of the bacteria in milk to its functionality is discussed. These investigations are elucidating how an effective first line of defence is achieved in the bovine mammary gland and how milk contributes to optimal digestive function in the suckling calf. This study will contribute to a better understanding of the health benefits of milk, as well as to the development of high-value ingredients from milk.     

Microwave Synthesis of Prion Protein Fragments up to 111 Amino Acids in Length Generates Biologically Active Peptides

Misfolded conformers of the prion protein are aetiologically implicated in neurodegenerative conditions termed prion diseases (also known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies). Two constitutively expressed N-terminal peptides corresponding to human residues 23–90 and 23–111 are thought to serve normal physiological roles related to neuronal protection with membrane binding possibly playing a part in their mechanism of action. These peptides, along with several derivatives up to 111 residues in length, have been produced by microwave assisted peptide synthesis. HPLC and MS characterisation showed that the peptides were manufactured in good yields at high purity. Peptides were assayed by fluorescence spectroscopy for synthetic lipid-membrane binding activity and by dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate assay for the amelioration of reactive oxygen species production. Results of these assays were similar to those reported for the wild type recombinant PrP, demonstrating that these synthetic peptides are useful for biological and chemical assays of PrP activity. Further, the longest peptide 1–111 was dimerised via a single internal cystine residue with good yield. The high yields and low purification burden of the microwave assisted synthesis method lends itself to the production of difficult to produce peptides for such studies.     

Protection of red blood cell acetylcholinesterase by oral huperzine A against ex vivo soman exposure: next generation prophylaxis and sequestering of acetylcholinesterase over butyrylcholinesterase

As part of a phase Ib clinical trial to determine the tolerability and safety of the highly specific acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor huperzine A, twelve (12) healthy elderly individuals received an escalating dose regimen of huperzine A (100, 200, 300, and 400 microg doses, twice daily for a week at each dose), with three (3) individuals as controls receiving a placebo. Using the WRAIR whole blood cholinesterase assay, red blood cell AChE and plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were measured in unprocessed whole blood samples from the volunteers following each dose, and then for up to 48h following the final and highest (400 microg) dose to monitor the profile of inhibition and recovery of AChE. Significant inhibition of AChE was observed, ranging from 30-40% after 100 microg to >50% at 400 microg, and peaking 1.5h after the last dose. Gradual recovery of AChE activity then occurs, but even 48 h after the last dose red blood cell AChE was about 10% below control (pre-dose) values. Huperzine A levels in plasma peaked 1.5h after the final 400 microg dose (5.47+/-2.15 ng/mL). Plasma BChE was unaffected by huperzine A treatment (as expected). Aliquots of huperzine A-containing (from three individuals) and placebo blood samples were exposed ex vivo to the irreversible nerve agent soman (GD) for 10 min, followed by removal of unbound huperzine and soman from the blood by passing through a small C(18) reverse phase spin column. Eluted blood was diluted in buffer, and aliquots taken at various time intervals for AChE and BChE activity measurement to determine the time taken to achieve full return in activity of the free enzyme (dissociation from the active site of AChE by huperzine A), and thus the proportion of AChE that can be protected from soman exposure. Huperzine A-inhibited red blood cell (RBC) AChE activity was restored almost to the level that was initially inhibited by the drug. The increased doses of huperzine A used were well tolerated by these patients and in this ex vivo study sequestered more red blood cell AChE than has been previously demonstrated for pyridostigmine bromide (PB), indicating the potential improved prophylaxis against organophosphate (OP) poisoning.     

Terminal end bud maintenance in mammary gland is dependent upon FGFR2b signaling

We previously demonstrated that Fibroblast Growth Factor 10 (FGF10) and its receptor FGFR2b play a key role in controlling the very early stages of mammary gland development during embryogenesis [Mailleux, A.A., Spencer-Dene, B., Dillon, C., Ndiaye, D., Savona-Baron, C., Itoh, N., Kato, S., Dickson, C., Thiery, J.P., and Bellusci, S. (2002). Role of FGF10/FGFR2b signaling during mammary gland development in the mouse embryo. Development 129, 53-60. Veltmaat, J. M., Relaix, F., Le, L.T., Kratochwil, K., Sala, F.G., van Veelen, W., Rice, R., Spencer-Dene, B., Mailleux, A.A., Rice, D.P., Thiery, J.P., and Bellusci, S. (2006). Gli3-mediated somitic Fgf10 expression gradients are required for the induction and patterning of mammary epithelium along the embryonic axes. Development 133, 2325-35.]. However, the role of FGFR2b signaling in postnatal mammary gland development is still elusive. We show that FGF10 is expressed at high level throughout the adipose tissue in the mammary gland of young virgin female mice whereas its main receptor FGFR2 is found mostly in the epithelium. Using a rtTA transactivator/tetracycline promoter approach allowing inducible and reversible attenuation of the FGFR2b signaling throughout the adult mouse, we are now reporting that FGFR2b signaling is also critical during postnatal mammary gland development. Ubiquitous attenuation of FGFR2b signaling in the postnatal mouse for 6 weeks starting immediately after birth is not lethal and leads to minor defects in the animal. Upon dissection of the mammary glands, a 40% reduction in size compared to the WT control is observed. Further examination shows a rudimentary mammary epithelial tree with completely absent terminal end buds (TEBs), compared to a well-branched structure observed in wild type. Transplantation of mammary gland explants into cleared fat pad of wild type mouse recipients indicates that the observed abnormal branching results from defective FGFR2b signaling in the epithelium. We also demonstrate that this rudimentary tree reforms TEBs and resumes branching upon removal of doxycycline suggesting that the regenerative capacities of the mammary epithelial progenitor cells were still functional despite long-term inactivation of the FGFR2b pathway. At the cellular level, upon FGFR2b attenuation, we show an increase in apoptosis associated with a decrease in the proliferation of the mammary luminal epithelium. We conclude that during puberty, there is a differential requirement for FGFR2b signaling in ductal vs. TEBs epithelium. FGFR2b signaling is crucial for the survival and proliferation of the mammary luminal epithelial cells, but does not affect the regenerative potential of the mammary epithelial progenitor cells.