Constitutive expression of IL-22 in the human intervertebral disc and its reduction by exposure to pro-inflammatory cytokines in vitro

The importance of cytokines in disc degeneration is well recognized. Little is known about IL-22 expression in the human intervertebral disc. We investigated IL-22 immuno-localization in disc tissue, and molecular expression and production of IL-22 by annulus cells cultured in three-dimensional (3D) culture. We examined human disc tissue using immunohistochemistry and we cultured isolated annulus cells in 3D to analyze IL-22 expression and production, and its receptor, IL-22R, in conditioned media. Ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA) also was used to identify significant gene expression networks within the molecular data. IL-22 and IL-22R were immunolocalized in many cells in the human outer and inner annulus; fewer cells exhibited localization in the nucleus. Three-dimensional culture of annulus cells demonstrated production of IL-22 in conditioned media; exposure to IL-1ß or TNF-α significantly reduced IL-22 levels. Significant decreases also were identified in conditioned media assayed for IL-22R in TNF-α treated cells. IPA analysis showed that IL-22 ranked among the top canonical pathways. We found constitutive expression and production of IL-22 and IL-22R in the disc, which expands our understanding of the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines on IL-22 expression and production. Three-dimensional cultured annulus cells exposed to IL-1ß or TNF produced significantly lower levels of IL-22 into their conditioned media compared to levels produced by control cells. Our findings have clinical relevance because of the elevated pro-inflammatory milieu within the degenerating human disc.     

Increase in levels of microbiota recoverable from male and larval Myrmecia gulosa (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) following segregation from worker ants

The segregation of laboratory maintained male and larval Myrmecia gulosa from workers resulted in increased levels of culturable microbiota. After 29 days, microbial levels recovered from segregated males and larvae were 27 and 126 times greater than from males and larvae not segregated from workers. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that metapleural gland secretions, absent in larvae and males, are transferred from workers to larvae, and males contribute to the inhibition of cuticular microbiota.     

Effect of Vitamin B Deprivation during Pregnancy and Lactation on Homocysteine Metabolism and Related Metabolites in Brain and Plasma of Mice Offspring

Epidemiological and experimental studies indicate that the altered fetal and neonatal environment influences physiological functions and may increase the risk of developing chronic diseases in adulthood. Because homocysteine (Hcy) metabolic imbalance is considered a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases, we investigated whether maternal Vitamin B deficiency during early development alters the offspring''s methionine-homocysteine metabolism in their brain. To this end, the dams were submitted to experimental diet one month before and during pregnancy or pregnancy/lactation. After birth, the offspring were organized into the following groups: control (CT), deficient diet during pregnancy and lactation (DPL) and deficient diet during pregnancy (DP). The mice were euthanized at various stages of development. Hcy, cysteine, glutathione (GSH), S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), folate and cobalamin concentrations were measured in the plasma and/or brain. At postnatal day (PND) 0, total brain of female and male offspring exhibited decreased SAM/SAH ratios. Moreover, at PND 28, we observed decreased GSH/GSSG ratios in both females and males in the DPL group. Exposure to a Vitamin B-deficient diet during the ontogenic plasticity period had a negative impact on plasma folate and brain cortex SAM concentrations in aged DPL males. We also observed decreased plasma GSH concentrations in both DP and DPL males (PND 210). Additionally, this manipulation seemed to affect the female and male offspring differently. The decreased plasma GSH concentration may reflect redox changes in tissues and the decreased brain cortex SAM may be involved in changes of gene expression, which could contribute to neurodegenerative diseases over the long term.     

Description of Euroleptochromus gen.n. (Coleoptera,Staphylinidae, Scydmaeninae) from Baltic amber,with discussion of biogeography and mouthpart evolution within Clidicini

A new extinct species of the ant‐like stone beetle supertribe Mastigitae, Euroleptochromus sabathi gen. & sp.n. is described from Eocene Baltic amber. A phylogenetic analysis of Clidicini, with representatives of Leptomastacini and Mastigini as out‐group taxa, provided strong support for a sister‐group relationship between the Neotropical Leptochromus and the new genus. The monophyly of Clidicini is questioned because of an alternative placement of Nearctic Papusus as a sister taxon to Leptomastacini + [Clidicus + (Palaeoleptochromus + (Euroleptochromus + Leptochromus))]. A dispersal‐vicariance analysis provided three alternative scenarios for the evolution of Mastigitae; with Laurasia as the ancestral area of the supertribe, major branching events occurring within either Eurasia or Laurentia and two trans‐Beringia dispersals in Late Cretaceous and Eocene. Euroleptochromus, Palaeoleptochromus and Leptochromus share highly derived structures on postgenae and maxillary palps, probably as part of a specialised feeding or prey capture mechanism. The formation of these modifications in Clidicini is demonstrated to involve a process (traced back to the Campanian, 79 Ma) of elongation and narrowing of maxillary palps and forming a cuticular setal projection from a broadened insertion site of sensory setae.     

Structure-properties relations in graphene derivatives and metamaterials obtained by atomic-scale modeling

ABSTRACT

Recent findings of atomic-scale modelling studies are reviewed on graphene derivatives and metamaterials fabricated through chemical functionalization and/or defect engineering of graphene sheets. Results of molecular-statics and molecular-dynamics simulations according to a reliable bond-order potential, as well as first-principles density functional theory calculations are reviewed that have established useful structure-properties relations in two-dimensional materials, such as graphene nanomeshes (GNMs), electron-irradiated graphene, and interlayer-bonded twisted bilayer graphene. Quantitative relationships are established for the elastic moduli, mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of GNMs as a function of the nanomesh porosity and the mechanical response of GNMs to uniaxial tensile straining is explored over the range of nanomesh porosities. The dependence of structural, mechanical, and thermal transport properties of electron-irradiated graphene sheets on the density of irradiation-induced defects is reviewed, highlighting an amorphization transition accompanied by a brittle-to-ductile transition and a transition in thermal transport mechanism beyond a critical defect concentration. The tunability of the electronic band structure, mechanical properties, and structural response to mechanical loading of graphene-diamond nanocomposite superstructures consisting of nanodiamond superlattices in interlayer-bonded twisted bilayer graphene also is demonstrated by precise control of the density and distribution of covalent interlayer C–C bonds.     

Design,Immune Responses and Anti-Tumor Potential of an HPV16 E6E7 Multi-Epitope Vaccine

Cervical cancer is a common type of cancer among women worldwide and infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPVs) types represents the major risk factor for the etiopathogenesis of the disease. HPV-16 is the most frequently identified HPV type in cervical lesions and expression of E6 and E7 oncoproteins is required for the uncontrolled cellular proliferation. In the present study we report the design and experimental testing of a recombinant multi-epitope protein containing immunogenic epitopes of HPV-16 E6 and E7. Tumor preventive assays, based on the engraftment of TC-1 cells in mice, showed that the E6E7 multi-epitope protein induced a full preventive anti-tumor protection in wild-type mice, as well as in mice deficient in expression of CD4⁺ T cells and TLR4 receptor. Nonetheless, no anti-tumor protection was observed in mice deficient in CD8⁺ T cells. Also, the vaccine promoted high activation of E6/E7-specific T cells and in a therapeutic-approach, E6E7 protein conferred full anti-tumor protection in mice. These results show a potential use of this E6E7 multi-epitope antigen as a new and promising antigen for the development of a therapeutic vaccine against tumors induced by HPV.     

Purinergic P2Y12 Receptor Activation in Eosinophils and the Schistosomal Host Response

Identifying new target molecules through which eosinophils secrete their stored proteins may reveal new therapeutic approaches for the control of eosinophilic disorders such as host immune responses to parasites. We have recently reported the expression of the purinergic P2Y12 receptor (P2Y12R) in human eosinophils; however, its functional role in this cell type and its involvement in eosinophilic inflammation remain unknown. Here, we investigated functional roles of P2Y12R in isolated human eosinophils and in a murine model of eosinophilic inflammation induced by Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) infection. We found that adenosine 5’-diphosphate (ADP) induced human eosinophils to secrete eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) in a P2Y12R dependent manner. However, ADP did not interfere with human eosinophil apoptosis or chemotaxis in vitro. In vivo, C57Bl/6 mice were infected with cercariae of the Belo Horizonte strain of S. mansoni. Analyses performed 55 days post infection revealed that P2Y12R blockade reduced the granulomatous hepatic area and the eosinophilic infiltrate, collagen deposition and IL-13/IL-4 production in the liver without affecting the parasite oviposition. As found for humans, murine eosinophils also express the P2Y12R. P2Y12R inhibition increased blood eosinophilia, whereas it decreased the bone marrow eosinophil count. Our results suggest that P2Y12R has an important role in eosinophil EPO secretion and in establishing the inflammatory response in the course of a S. mansoni infection.