Endometrial stem cell transplantation in MPTP‐ exposed primates: an alternative cell source for treatment of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Cell‐replacement therapies have emerged as a promising strategy to slow down or replace neuronal loss. Compared to other stem cell types, endometrium‐derived stem cells (EDSCs) are an attractive source of stem cells for cellular therapies because of their ease of collection and vast differentiation potential. Here we demonstrate that endometrium‐derived stem cells may be transplanted into an MPTP exposed monkey model of PD. After injection into the striatum, endometrium‐derived stem cells engrafted, exhibited neuron‐like morphology, expressed tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and increased the numbers of TH positive cells on the transplanted side and dopamine metabolite concentrations in vivo. Our results suggest that endometrium‐derived stem cells may provide a therapeutic benefit in the primate model of PD and may be used in stem cell based therapies.     

Antiproliferative and newly attributed apoptotic activities from an invasive marine alga: Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea

Caulerpa racemosa (Forsskål) is a green marine alga which spreads from tropical to warm-water regions. Due to having invasive capacity C. racemosa var. cylindracea is a well-known biological pollution in Mediterranean Sea. One of the most important secondary metabolites of C. racemosa is Caulerpenyne (CPN). In the present study, antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of C. racemosa var. cylindracea extract and purified CPN on two well-known neuroblastoma cell lines, SHSY5Y and Kelly, are investigated. The antiproliferative and, additionally, newly attributed apoptotic effects of both C. racemosa var. cylindracea extract and purified CPN on SHSY5Y and Kelly cell lines have been shown in the present study. IC₅₀ values are 0.59 ± 0.06; 1.06 ± 0.23 g wet alga/methanol and 5.64 ± 0.09; 6.02 ± 0.09 μM CPN for C. racemosa var. cylindracea extract and purified CPN on SHSY5Y and Kelly cell lines, respectively. Percentages of apoptotic cells of SHSY5Y and Kelly in 0, 0.1 and 1 μM CPN conditions were 1.00 ± 0.71, 3.00 ± 0.71 and 49.40 ± 3.78, 39.60 ± 6.19 and 78.00 ± 2.74, 69.40 ± 3.78, respectively. In conclusion, the present study shows the antiproliferative effect of C. racemosa var. cylindracea extract and newly attributed apoptotic effects of C. racemosa var. cylindracea this extract. Compared to other alkylating anticancer drugs, CPN and also C. racemosa var. cylindracea extract might be considered as an alternative native source of antitumor drugs. Inasmuch as both C. racemosa extract and CPN have shown both antiproliferative and apoptotic effects on SHSY5Y and Kelly cell lines, the CPN and CPN derivatives might be considered as multifunctional agents in cell metabolism.     

The investigation on accumulation levels of proline and stress parameters of the maize (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zea</Emphasis> <Emphasis Type="Italic">mays</Emphasis> L.) plants under salt and water stress

The present study was carried out to determine interactive and comparative effects of salinity and water stress on growth, proline accumulation, chlorophyll, carotenoid and macro nutrient content and antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), guaiacol peroxidase (POX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) in hydroponically grown maize (Zea mays L.cv DKC647) plants. Plants were treated two salt (NaCl) concentrations and polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG 6000) to create water stress. The results obtained from this experiment show that high salinity reduced growth through decreasing shoot and root dry and fresh weight, chlorophyll, and carotenoid content, but PEG treatment had no significant effect on this parameters. Under NaCl and PEG 6000 treatment, uptake and translocation of mineral nutrients changed drastically. The high presence of Na⁺ in nutrient solution affected considerably the plant nutritional requirement, especially influencing the uptake of Ca²⁺ and K⁺, which were restricted for competition. Proline accumulation, and SOD, POX and PPO activities were increased with the increasing intensity of NaCl stress, but PEG 6000 treatment in addition to NaCl had more significant effect on this enzyme activities. These results suggest that maize plants may be increased proline content to maintain osmotic adjustment and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes to have a better protection against active oxygen species (AOS) under salt and water stress.     

Reactive Oxygen Species Production in Wheat Roots Is Not Linked with Changes in H+ Fluxes During Acidic and Aluminium Stresses

Aluminium stress induces peroxidation of lipids in the plasma membrane, the effect akin to that caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS have recently been proposed as regulators of redox-dependent ion transport across the plasma membrane during biotic and abiotic stresses, thus contributing to the plant defence system. The aim of this study was to discover whether ROS production is linked to redox-dependent H⁺ transport system located at the plasma membranes of two near-isogenic lines of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., ET8 = Al-resistant, ES8 = Al-sensitive).The activities of NADPH-dependent ROS synthase and SOD were increased in both wheat lines 15 and 30 min after Al treatments. However, the ROS production was also increased under acidic stress. There was no difference between the two wheat lines in the root-cell plasma membrane capacity to efflux H⁺ in response to potassium ferricyanide after Al and acidic treatments. In ET8, both stresses led to increases in ROS production and H⁺ influx.ROS production in wheat seedlings was activated primarily by low pH exposure rather than by the Al stress. ROS production and breakdown in wheat seedlings under Al and acidic stresses appear to be linked to the intracellular metabolic changes rather than to the increased activity of plasma membrane-based NADPH-dependent ROS synthase.Key Words: ion fluxes, reactive oxygen species (ROS), redox system, superoxide dismutase (SOD), Triticum aestivum L., wheat     

Multiple QTL-effects of wheat Gpc-B1 locus on grain protein and micronutrient concentrations

Micronutrient malnutrition afflicts over three billion people worldwide and the numbers are continuously increasing. Developing genetically micronutrient-enriched cereals, which are the predominant source of human dietary, is essential to alleviate malnutrition worldwide. Wheat chromosome 6B derived from wild emmer wheat [ Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides (Körn.) Thell] was previously reported to be associated with high Zn concentration in the grain. In the present study, recombinant chromosome substitution lines (RSLs), previously constructed for genetic and physical maps of Gpc-B1 (a 250-kb locus affecting grain protein concentration), were used to identify the effects of the Gpc-B1 locus on grain micronutrient concentrations. RSLs carrying the Gpc-B1 allele of T. dicoccoides accumulated on average 12% higher concentration of Zn, 18% higher concentration of Fe, 29% higher concentration of Mn and 38% higher concentration of protein in the grain as compared with RSLs carrying the allele from cultivated wheat ( Triticum durum ). Furthermore, the high grain Zn, Fe and Mn concentrations were consistently expressed in five different environments with an absence of genotype by environment interaction. The results obtained in the present study also confirmed the previously reported effect of the wild-type allele of Gpc-B1 on earlier senescence of flag leaves. We suggest that the Gpc-B1 locus is involved in more efficient remobilization of protein, zinc, iron and manganese from leaves to the grains, in addition to its effect on earlier senescence of the green tissues.     

Immobilization of polyphenol oxidase in conducting copolymers and determination of phenolic compounds in wines with enzyme electrodes

Polyphenol oxidase (PPO) was immobilized in copolymers of thiophene functionalized menthyl monomer (MM) with pyrrole. Immobilization of enzyme was performed via entrapment in conducting copolymers during electrochemical polymerization of pyrrole. Maximum reaction rates, Michaelis-Menten constants and temperature, pH and operational stabilities of enzyme electrodes were investigated. Total amount of phenolic compounds in red wines of Turkey were analyzed by using these electrodes.     

Determination of intracellular efficacies of azithromycin against Leishmania major infection in human neutrophils in vitro

Azithromycin is one of a new class of antibiotics known as azalides. Azithromycin has high tissue affinity and this feature is thought to be due to the presence of two basic tertiary amine groups. Leishmania major, one of the causative agents of cutaneous leishmaniosis, is an obligate intracellular parasite. In this in vitro study, the potential anti-leishmanial effect of azithromycin upon intracellular forms namely the amastigote of L. major in mice peritoneal macrophages was investigated. L. major promastigotes were propagated in RPMI-1640 supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum in the log phase. The percentage of phagocytosis and microbiacidal activity of azithromycin on macrophages was assessed in the control and study groups by fluorescence microscopy, using acridine orange. Our results showed that at all the concentrations used (0.05, 0.1, 0.3, 0.6 microg ml(-1)) azithromycin had no inhibitory effect on the phagocytic capacity of mouse peritoneal macrophages. Although no significant difference was observed for leishmaniacidal activity between the study and the control groups at a concentration of 0.05 microg ml(-1) (p>0.05), a significant (p<0.05) increase in leishmaniacidal activity was detected at 0.1, 0.3 and 0.6 microg ml(-1). As a result, azithromycin does not provide any contribution to the phagocytosis of L. major promastigotes in macrophages in vitro, but it increases the intracellular killing rates of amastigotes. These results suggest that it has a potential anti-leishmanial effect, and may provide a significant advantage in the treatment of the disease.     

Restoration of fertility by germ cell transplantation requires effective recipient preparation

Spermatogonial transplantation provides access to the mammalian germline and has been used in experimental animal models to study stem cell/niche biology and germline development, to restore fertility, and to produce transgenic models. The potential to manipulate and/or transplant the germline has numerous practical applications that transcend species boundaries. To make the transplantation technology more broadly accessible, it is necessary to develop practical recipient preparation protocols. In the current study, mouse recipients for spermatogonial transplantation were prepared by treating pregnant females with the chemotherapeutic agent busulfan at different times during gestation. Donor germ cells were introduced into the testes of male progeny between 5 and 12 days postpartum. Analysis of recipient animals revealed that busulfan treatment of pregnant females on 12.5 days postcoitum was the most effective; male progeny transplanted with donor germ cells became fertile and passed the donor genotype to 25% of progeny. This approach was effective because 1) the cytoablative treatment reduced (but did not abolish) endogenous spermatogenesis, creating space for colonization by donor stem cells, 2) residual endogenous germ cells contributed to a healthy testicular environment that supported robust donor and recipient spermatogenesis, and 3) fetal busulfan-treated males could be transplanted as pups, which have been established as better recipients than adults. Laboratory mice provide a valuable experimental model for developing the technology that now can be applied and evaluated in other species.     

Effects of the nasal valve on acoustic rhinometry measurements: a model study.

The influence of nasal valve on acoustic rhinometry (AR) measurements was evaluated by using simple nasal cavity models. Each model consisted of a cylindrical pipe with an insert simulating the nasal valve. The AR-determined cross-sectional areas beyond the insert were consistently underestimated, and the corresponding area-distance curves showed pronounced oscillations. The area underestimation was more pronounced in models with inserts of small passage area. The experimental results are discussed in terms of theoretically calculated "sound-power reflection coefficients" for the pipe models. The reason for area underestimation is reflection of most of the incident sound power from the barrier at the front junction between the pipe and the insert. It was also demonstrated that the oscillations are due to low-frequency acoustic resonances in the portion of the pipe beyond the insert. The results suggest that AR does not provide reliable information about the cross-sectional areas of the nasal cavity posterior to a significant constriction, such as pathologies narrowing the nasal valve area. When the passage area of the nasal valve is decreased, the role of AR as a diagnostic tool for the entire nasal cavity becomes limited.