Measurement and perturbation of morphogen lifetime: effects on gradient shape

Protein lifetime is of critical importance for most biological processes and plays a central role in cell signaling and embryonic development, where it impacts the absolute concentration of signaling molecules and, potentially, the shape of morphogen gradients. Early conceptual and mathematical models of gradient formation proposed that steady-state gradients are established by an equilibration between the lifetime of a morphogen and its rates of synthesis and diffusion, though whether gradients in fact reach steady state before being read out is a matter of controversy. In any case, this class of models predicts that protein lifetime is a key determinant of both the time to steady state and the spatial extent of a gradient. Using a method that employs repeated photoswitching of a fusion of the morphogen Bicoid (Bcd) and the photoconvertible fluorescent protein Dronpa, we measure and modify the lifetime of Dronpa-Bcd in living Drosophila embryos. We find that the lifetime of Bcd is dynamic, changing from 50 min before mitotic cycle 14 to 15 min during cellularization. Moreover, by measuring total quantities of Bcd over time, we find that the gradient does not reach steady state. Finally, using a nearly continuous low-level conversion to the dark state of Dronpa-Bcd to mimic the effect of increased degradation, we demonstrate that perturbation of protein lifetime changes the characteristic length of the gradient, providing direct support for a mechanism based on synthesis, diffusion, and degradation.     

A genetic variant in osteoprotegerin is associated with progression of joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis

Introduction

Progression of joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is partly heritably; 45 to 58% of the variance in joint destruction is estimated to be explained by genetic factors. The binding of RANKL (Receptor Activator for Nuclear Factor κ B Ligand) to RANK results in the activation of TRAF6 (tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor associated factor-6), and osteoclast formation ultimately leading to enhanced bone resorption. This bone resorption is inhibited by osteoprotegerin (OPG) which prevents RANKL-RANK interactions. The OPG/RANK/RANKL/TRAF6 pathway plays an important role in bone remodeling. Therefore, we investigated whether genetic variants in OPG, RANK, RANKL and TRAF6 are associated with the rate of joint destruction in RA.

Methods

1,418 patients with 4,885 X-rays of hands and feet derived from four independent data-sets were studied. In each data-set the relative increase of the progression rate per year in the presence of a genotype was assessed. First, explorative analyses were performed on 600 RA-patients from Leiden. 109 SNPs, tagging OPG, RANK, RANKL and TRAF6, were tested. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly associated in phase-1 were genotyped in data-sets from Groningen (Netherlands), Sheffield (United Kingdom) and Lund (Switzerland). Data were summarized in an inverse weighted variance meta-analysis. Bonferonni correction for multiple testing was applied.

Results

We found that 33 SNPs were significantly associated with the rate of joint destruction in phase-1. In phase-2, six SNPs in OPG and four SNPs in RANK were associated with progression of joint destruction with P-value <0.05. In the meta-analyses of all four data-sets, RA-patients with the minor allele of OPG-rs1485305 expressed higher rates of joint destruction compared to patients without these risk variants (P = 2.35x10⁻⁴). This variant was also significant after Bonferroni correction.

Conclusions

These results indicate that a genetic variant in OPG is associated with a more severe rate of joint destruction in RA.     

Long-term platinum retention after treatment with cisplatin and oxaliplatin

Background  

The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term platinum retention in patients treated with cisplatin and oxaliplatin.     

Electric field-induced redistribution and postfield relaxation of low density lipoprotein receptors on cultured human fibroblasts

The lateral mobility of unliganded low density lipoprotein-receptor (LDL-R) on the surface of human fibroblasts has been investigated by studying the generation and relaxation of concentration differences induced by exposure of the cultured cells to steady electric fields. The topographic distribution of receptors was determined by fluorescence microscopy of cells labeled with the intensely fluorescent, biologically active LDL derivative dioctadecylindolcarbocyanine LDL (dil(3)-LDL), or with native LDL and anti-LDL indirect immunofluorescence. Exposure of the LDL-receptor-internalization defective J. D. cells (GM2408A) to an electric field of 10 V/cm for 1 h at 22 degrees C causes greater than 80% of the cells to have an asymmetric distribution of LDL-R; receptors accumulate at the more negative pole of the cell. In contrast, only 20% of LDL-internalization normal GM3348 cells exposed to identical conditions have asymmetrical distributions. Phase micrographs taken during electric-field exposure rule out cell movement as the responsible mechanism for the effect. In both cell types, postfield labeling with the F-actin-specific fluorescent probe nitrobenzoxadiazole-phallacidin shows that no topographic alteration of the actin cytoskeleton accompanies the redistribution of cell surface LDL-Rs, and indirect immunofluorescence labeling of the coat protein clathrin shows that coated pits do not redistribute asymmetrically. Measurements of the postfield relaxation in the percentage of GM2408A cells showing an asymmetric distribution allow an estimate of the effective postfield diffusion coefficient of the unliganded LDL-R. At 37 degrees C, D = 2.0 X 10(-9) cm2/s, decreasing to 1.1 X 10(-9) cm2/s at 22 degrees C, and D = 3.5 X 10(-10) cm2/s at 10 degrees C. These values are substantially larger than those measured by photobleaching methods for the LDL-R complexed with dil(3)-LDL on intact cells, but are comparable to those measured on membrane blebs, and are consistent with diffusion coefficients measured for other unliganded integral membrane receptor proteins by postfield-relaxation methods.     

Incongruence in molecular species delimitation schemes: What to do when adding more data is difficult

Using multiple, independent approaches to molecular species delimitation is advocated to accommodate limitations and assumptions of a single approach. Incongruence in delimitation schemes is a potential by‐product of employing multiple methods on the same data, and little attention has been paid to its reconciliation. Instead, a particular scheme is prioritized, and/or molecular delimitations are coupled with additional, independent lines of evidence that mitigate incongruence. We advocate that incongruence within a line of evidence should be accounted for before comparing across lines of evidence that can themselves be incongruent. Additionally, it is not uncommon for empiricists working in nonmodel systems to be data‐limited, generating some concern for the adequacy of available data to address the question of interest. With conservation and management decisions often hinging on the status of species, it seems prudent to understand the capabilities of approaches we use given the data we have. Here, we apply two molecular species delimitation approaches, spedeSTEM and BPP, to the Castilleja ambigua (Orobanchaceae) species complex, a relatively young plant lineage in western North America. Upon finding incongruence in our delimitation, we employed a post hoc simulation study to examine the power of these approaches to delimit species. Given the data we collected, we find that spedeSTEM lacks the power to delimit while BPP is capable, thus allowing us to address incongruence before proceeding in delimitation. We suggest post hoc simulation studies like this compliment empirical delimitation and serve as a means of exploring conflict within a line of evidence and dealing with it appropriately.     

A comparative study on efficiency of adult fibroblasts and amniotic fluid-derived stem cells as donor cells for production of hand-made cloned buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos

The efficiency of two cell types, namely adult fibroblasts, and amniotic fluid stem (AFS) cells as nuclear donor cells for somatic cell nuclear transfer by hand-made cloning in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) was compared. The in vitro expanded buffalo adult fibroblast cells showed a typical “S” shape growth curve with a doubling time of 40.8 h and stained positive for vimentin. The in vitro cultured undifferentiated AFS cells showed a doubling time of 33.2 h and stained positive for alkaline phosphatase, these cells were also found positive for undifferentiated embryonic stem cell markers like OCT-4, NANOG and SOX-2, which accentuate their pluripotent property. Further, when AFS cells were exposed to corresponding induction conditions, these cells differentiated into osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages which was confirmed through alizaran, oil red O and alcian blue staining, respectively. Cultured adult fibroblasts and AFS cells of passages 10–15 and 8–12, respectively, were used as nuclear donors. A total of 94 embryos were reconstructed using adult fibroblast as donor cells with cleavage and blastocyst production rate of 62.8 ± 1.8 and 19.1 ± 1.5, respectively. An overall cleavage and blastocyst formation rate of 71.1 ± 1.2 and 29.9 ± 2.2 was obtained when 97 embryos were reconstructed using AFS cells as donor cells. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in reconstructed efficiency between the cloned embryos derived from two donor cells, whereas the results showed that there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in cleavage and blastocyst rates between the cloned embryos derived from two donor cell groups. Average total cell numbers for blastocyst generated using AFS cells (172.4 ± 5.8) was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than from adult fibroblasts (148.2 ± 6.1). This study suggests that the in vitro developmental potential of the cloned embryos derived from AFS cells were higher than that of the cloned embryos derived from adult fibroblasts in buffalo hand-made cloning.     

A histological and immunohistochemical study of the effects of N-acetyl cysteine on retinopathy of prematurity by modifying insulin-like growth factor-1

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a vasoproliferative disorder that occurs in premature infants and may lead to permanent visual impairment. We investigated both the possible protective role of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) for preventing ROP and the role of IGF-1 in the disorder. Forty-five newborn rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 was raised in room air as controls. Group 2 was exposed to 60% oxygen for 14 days after birth, then transferred to room air. Group 3 was exposed to the same conditions as group 2, but received intraperitoneal injections of NAC on postnatal days 7–17. After 35 days, both eyes of all rats were processed for histology. Some sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to assess structural changes and other sections were immunostained to determine the location of IGF-1. Frozen sections also were prepared and stained for adenosine triphosphatase to detect retinal blood vessels. Compared to the controls, more blood vessels, many of which were abnormal, and increased IGF-1 expression were observed in group 2. In group 3, abnormal blood vessels and IGF-1 expression were less evident. NAC appeared to be an effective vascular-protective agent for ROP by decreasing IGF-1 expression.