The NLRP3 inflammasome is differentially activated by pneumolysin variants and contributes to host defense in pneumococcal pneumonia

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a leading cause of pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. Pneumococci can be divided into >90 serotypes that show differences in the pathogenicity and invasiveness. We tested the hypotheses that the innate immune inflammasome pathway is involved in fighting pneumococcal pneumonia and that some invasive pneumococcal types are not recognized by this pathway. We show that human and murine mononuclear cells responded to S. pneumoniae expressing hemolytic pneumolysin by producing IL-1β. This IL-1β production depended on the NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. Some serotype 1, serotype 8, and serotype 7F bacteria, which have previously been associated with increased invasiveness and with production of toxins with reduced hemolytic activity, or bacterial mutants lacking pneumolysin did not stimulate notable IL-1β production. We further found that NLRP3 was beneficial for mice during pneumonia caused by pneumococci expressing hemolytic pneumolysin and was involved in cytokine production and maintenance of the pulmonary microvascular barrier. Overall, the inflammasome pathway is protective in pneumonia caused by pneumococci expressing hemolytic toxin but is not activated by clinically important pneumococcal sequence types causing invasive disease. The study indicates that a virulence factor polymorphism may substantially affect the recognition of bacteria by the innate immune system.     

Retinoids control anterior and dorsal properties in the developing forebrain

We have previously shown that retinoic acid (RA) synthesized by the retinaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (RALDH2) is required in forebrain development. Deficiency in RA due to inactivation of the mouse Raldh2 gene or to complete absence of retinoids in vitamin-A-deficient (VAD) quails, leads to abnormal morphogenesis of various forebrain derivatives. In this study we show that double Raldh2/Raldh3 mouse mutants have a more severe phenotype in the craniofacial region than single null mutants. In particular, the nasal processes are truncated and the eye abnormalities are exacerbated. It has been previously shown that retinoids act mainly on cell proliferation and survival in the ventral forebrain by regulating SHH and FGF8 signaling. Using the VAD quail model, which survives longer than the Raldh-deficient mouse embryos, we found that retinoids act in maintaining the correct position of anterior and dorsal boundaries in the forebrain by modulating FGF8 anteriorly and WNT signaling dorsally. Furthermore, BMP4 and FGF8 signaling are affected in the nasal region and BMP4 is ventrally expanded in the optic vesicle. At the optic cup stage, Pax6, Tbx5 and Bmp4 are ectopically expressed in the presumptive retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE), while Otx2 and Mitf are not induced, leading to a dorsal transdifferentiation of RPE to neural retina. Therefore, besides being required for survival of ventral structures, retinoids are involved in restricting anterior identity in the telencephalon and dorsal identity in the diencephalon and the retina.     

Molecular dynamics simulation approach for the prediction of transmembrane helix–helix heterodimers assembly

Computational methods are useful to identify favorable structures of transmembrane (TM) helix oligomers when experimental data are not available or when they cannot help to interpret helix-helix association. We report here a global search method using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to predict the structures of transmembrane homo and heterodimers. The present approach is based only on sequence information without any experimental data and is first applied to glycophorin A to validate the protocol and to the HER2-HER3 heterodimer receptor. The method successfully reproduces the experimental structures of the TM domain of glycophorin A (GpA(TM)) with a root mean square deviation of 1.5 A. The search protocol identifies three energetically stable models of the TM domain of HER2-HER3 receptor with favorable helix-helix arrangement, including right-handed and left-handed coiled-coils. The predicted TM structures exhibit the GxxxG-like motif at the dimer interface which is presumed to drive receptor oligomerization. We demonstrate that native structures of TM domain can be predicted without quantitative experimental data. This search protocol could help to predict structures of the TM domain of HER heterodimer family.     

CAPITULUM PHYLLOTAXIS AND NUMERICAL CANALIZATION IN MICROSERIS PYGMAEA (ASTERACEAE: LACTUCEAE)

The positions at which floret primordia arise in developing capitulum buds of Microseris pygmaea D. Don have been mapped by computer-assisted light microscopy. The primordia can be assigned positions along a basic phyllotactic spiral with a divergence angle of about 137.5°. In addition, there are regular deviations from a spiral arrangement. Typically, the first 26 primordia in phyllotactic sequence are arranged in two concentric circles of 13 primordia with considerable deviations in the divergence angle and in the distances between primordia along a parastichy at positions 13 and 26. This arrangement can be simulated by geometric models that include nearest neighbor packing, together with spiral phyllotaxis. The circular arrangement of peripheral primordia at nearly equal radial distances from the center of the developing capitulum helps to explain the numerical constancy (canalization) of peripheral structures, especially the constant number of 13 inner phyllaries on heads with very different numbers of florets.     

Copper deficiency induced emphysema is associated with focal adhesion kinase inactivation

Background

Copper is an important regulator of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) dependent vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression, and is also required for the activity of lysyl oxidase (LOX) to effect matrix protein cross-linking. Cell detachment from the extracellular matrix can induce apoptosis (anoikis) via inactivation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK).

Methodology

To examine the molecular mechanisms whereby copper depletion causes the destruction of the normal alveolar architecture via anoikis, Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a copper deficient diet for 6 weeks while being treated with the copper chelator, tetrathiomolybdate. Other groups of rats were treated with the inhibitor of auto-phosphorylation of FAK, 1,2,4,5-benzenetetraamine tetrahydrochloride (1,2,4,5-BT) or FAK small interfering RNA (siRNA).

Principal Findings

Copper depletion caused emphysematous changes, decreased HIF-1α activity, and downregulated VEGF expression in the rat lungs. Cleaved caspase-3, caspase-8 and Bcl-2 interacting mediator of cell death (Bim) expression was increased, and the phosphorylation of FAK was decreased in copper depleted rat lungs. Administration of 1,2,4,5-BT and FAK siRNA caused emphysematous lung destruction associated with increased expression of cleaved capase-3, caspase-8 and Bim.

Conclusions

These data indicate that copper-dependent mechanisms contribute to the pathogenesis of emphysema, which may be associated with decreased HIF-1α and FAK activity in the lung.     

Acceptance and perceived barriers of implementing a guideline for managing low back in general practice

Background

There is considerable interest today in shared decision-making (SDM), defined as a decision-making process jointly shared by patients and their health care provider. However, the data show that SDM has not been broadly adopted yet. Consequently, the main goal of this proposal is to bring together the resources and the expertise needed to develop an interdisciplinary and international research team on the implementation of SDM in clinical practice using a theory-based dyadic perspective.

Methods

Participants include researchers from Canada, US, UK, and Netherlands, representing medicine, nursing, psychology, community health and epidemiology. In order to develop a collaborative research network that takes advantage of the expertise of the team members, the following research activities are planned: 1) establish networking and on-going communication through internet-based forum, conference calls, and a bi-weekly e-bulletin; 2) hold a two-day workshop with two key experts (one in theoretical underpinnings of behavioral change, and a second in dyadic data analysis), and invite all investigators to present their views on the challenges related to the implementation of SDM in clinical practices; 3) conduct a secondary analyses of existing dyadic datasets to ensure that discussion among team members is grounded in empirical data; 4) build capacity with involvement of graduate students in the workshop and online forum; and 5) elaborate a position paper and an international multi-site study protocol.

Discussion

This study protocol aims to inform researchers, educators, and clinicians interested in improving their understanding of effective strategies to implement shared decision-making in clinical practice using a theory-based dyadic perspective.     

ALGAE AS COMPETITORS FOR GLUCOSE WITH HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIA1

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) constitutes the bulk of organic carbon in aquatic environments. The importance of DOC utilization by mixotrophic algae is unclear since heterotrophic bacteria are regarded as more efficient users. We tested the hypothesis that algae decrease the DOC concentration in the light to lower levels than in darkness resulting in competitive exclusion of heterotrophic bacteria according to the mechanistic competition theory. We investigated (a) the uptake kinetics of glucose as a model substrate by two cultured algae and mixed bacteria populations, (b) the competition for glucose between algae and bacteria in chemostats, (c) the effect of discontinuous glucose supply in chemostats, and (d) the minimum glucose concentrations achieved in cultures of algae and bacteria. Bacteria showed higher specific‐glucose‐uptake rates than algae. In chemostats, algae became extinct in the dark and coexisted in the light where they decreased bacteria to lower densities. Discontinuous glucose supply promoted the algae compared to continuous substrate addition. Several algae consumed glucose to lower concentrations in the dark than in the light and showed lower or equal residual glucose concentrations than bacteria. Residual concentrations were not related to allometric traits (cell volume) and photosynthetic potential (chl content). Overall, the hypothesis was not supported, and mechanisms of competition for DOC obviously differed from those for particulate prey. However, since some algae showed lower or equal residual glucose concentrations than bacteria, algal dark uptake of DOC may be important in deep layers of many waters.     

The Association between Plasma Adiponectin and Insulin Sensitivity in Humans Depends on Obesity

Objective: In humans, low plasma adiponectin concentrations precede a decrease in insulin sensitivity and predict type 2 diabetes independently of obesity. However, it is possible that the contribution of adiponectin to insulin sensitivity is not equally strong over the whole range of obesity. Research Methods and Procedures: We investigated the cross‐sectional association between plasma adiponectin levels and insulin sensitivity in different ranges of body fat content [expressed as percentage of body fat (PFAT)] in a large cohort of normal glucose‐tolerant subjects (n = 900). All individuals underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and 299 subjects additionally a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. In longitudinal analyses, the association of adiponectin at baseline with change in insulin sensitivity was investigated in a subgroup of 108 subjects. Results: In cross‐sectional analyses, the association between plasma adiponectin and insulin sensitivity, adjusted for age, gender, and PFAT, depended on whether subjects were lean or obese [p for interaction adiponectin × PFAT = <0.001 (OGTT) and 0.002 (clamp)]. Stratified by quartiles of PFAT, adiponectin did not correlate significantly with insulin sensitivity in subjects in the lowest PFAT quartile (R² = 0.10, p = 0.13, OGTT; and R² = 0.10, p = 0.57, clamp), whereas the association in the upper PFAT quartile was rather strong (R² = 0.36, p < 0.0001, OGTT; and R² = 0.48, p = 0.003, clamp). In longitudinal analyses, plasma adiponectin at baseline preceded change in insulin sensitivity in obese (n = 54, p = 0.03) but not in lean (n = 54, p = 0.68) individuals. Discussion: These data suggest that adiponectin is especially critical in sustaining insulin sensitivity in obese subjects. Thus, interventions to reduce insulin resistance by increasing adiponectin concentrations may be effective particularly in obese, insulin‐resistant individuals.     

In Vitro Metabolic and Mitogenic Signaling of Insulin Glargine and Its Metabolites

Background

Insulin glargine (Lantus®) is a long-acting basal insulin analog that demonstrates effective day-long glycemic control and a lower incidence of hypoglycemia than NPH insulin. After subcutaneous injection insulin glargine is partly converted into the two main metabolites M1 ([Gly^A21]insulin) and M2 ([Gly^A21,des-Thr^B30]insulin). The aim of this study was to characterize the glargine metabolites in vitro with regard to their insulin receptor (IR) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF1R) binding and signaling properties as well as their metabolic and mitogenic activities.

Methods

The affinity of human insulin, insulin glargine and its metabolites to the IR isoforms A and B or IGF1R was analyzed in a competitive binding assay using SPA technology. Receptor autophosphorylation activities were studied via In-Cell Western in CHO and MEF cells overexpressing human IR-A and IR-B or IGF1R, respectively. The metabolic response of the insulins was studied as stimulation of lipid synthesis using primary rat adipocytes. Thymidine incorporation in Saos-2 cells was used to characterize the mitogenic activity.

Conclusions

The binding of insulin glargine and its metabolites M1 and M2 to the IR were similar and correlated well with their corresponding autophosphorylation and metabolic activities in vitro. No differences were found towards the two IR isoforms A or B. Insulin glargine showed a higher affinity for IGF1R than insulin, resulting in a lower EC₅₀ value for autophosphorylation of the receptor and a more potent stimulation of thymidine incorporation in Saos-2 cells. In contrast, the metabolites M1 and M2 were significantly less active in binding to and activation of the IGF1R and their mitogenicity in Saos-2 cells was equal to human insulin. These findings strongly support the idea that insulin glargine metabolites contribute with the same potency as insulin glargine to blood glucose control but lead to significantly reduced growth-promoting activity.