Elucidation of a Novel Pathway through Which HDAC1 Controls Cardiomyocyte Differentiation through Expression of SOX-17 and BMP2

Embryonic Stem Cells not only hold a lot of potential for use in regenerative medicine, but also provide an elegant and efficient way to study specific developmental processes and pathways in mammals when whole animal gene knock out experiments fail. We have investigated a pathway through which HDAC1 affects cardiovascular and more specifically cardiomyocyte differentiation in ES cells by controlling expression of SOX17 and BMP2 during early differentiation. This data explains current discrepancies in the role of HDAC1 in cardiovascular differentiation and sheds light into a new pathway through which ES cells determine cardiovascular cell fate.     

Groundwater Contaminated with Hexavalent Chromium [Cr (VI)]: A Health Survey and Clinical Examination of Community Inhabitants (Kanpur,India)

Background

We assessed the health effects of hexavalent chromium groundwater contamination (from tanneries and chrome sulfate manufacturing) in Kanpur, India.

Methods

The health status of residents living in areas with high Cr (VI) groundwater contamination (N = 186) were compared to residents with similar social and demographic features living in communities having no elevated Cr (VI) levels (N = 230). Subjects were recruited at health camps in both the areas. Health status was evaluated with health questionnaires, spirometry and blood hematology measures. Cr (VI) was measured in groundwater samples by diphenylcarbazide reagent method.

Results

Residents from communities with known Cr (VI) contamination had more self-reports of digestive and dermatological disorders and hematological abnormalities. GI distress was reported in 39.2% vs. 17.2% males (AOR = 3.1) and 39.3% vs. 21% females (AOR = 2.44); skin abnormalities in 24.5% vs. 9.2% males (AOR = 3.48) and 25% vs. 4.9% females (AOR = 6.57). Residents from affected communities had greater RBCs (among 30.7% males and 46.1% females), lower MCVs (among 62.8% males) and less platelets (among 68% males and 72% females) than matched controls. There were no differences in leucocytes count and spirometry parameters.

Conclusions

Living in communities with Cr (VI) groundwater is associated with gastrointestinal and dermatological complaints and abnormal hematological function. Limitations of this study include small sample size and the lack of long term follow-up.     

Ultrafast electron transfer in riboflavin binding protein in macromolecular crowding of nano-sized micelle

In this contribution, we have studied the dynamics of electron transfer (ET) of a flavoprotein to the bound cofactor, an important metabolic process, in a model molecular/macromolecular crowding environments. Vitamin B₂ (riboflavin, Rf) and riboflavin binding protein (RBP) are used as model cofactor and flavoprotein, respectively. An anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is considered to be model crowding agent. A systematic study on the ET dynamics in various SDS concentration, ranging from below critical micellar concentration (CMC), where the surfactants remain as monomeric form to above CMC, where the surfactants self-assemble to form nanoscopic micelle, explores the dynamics of ET in the model molecular and macromolecular crowding environments. With energy selective excitation in picosecond-resolved studies, we have followed temporal quenching of the tryptophan residue of the protein and Rf in the RBP–Rf complex in various degrees of molecular/macromolecular crowding. The structural integrity of the protein (secondary and tertiary structures) and the vitamin binding capacity of RBP have been investigated using various techniques including UV–Vis, circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies in the crowding environments. Our finding suggests that the effect of molecular/macromolecular crowding could have major implication in the intra-protein ET dynamics in cellular environments.     

Pre-treatment of seeds with static magnetic field ameliorates soil water stress in seedlings of maize (Zea mays L.)

The effect of magnetic field (MF) treatments of maize (Zea mays L.) var. Ganga Safed 2 seeds on the growth, leaf water status, photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme system under soil water stress was investigated under greenhouse conditions. The seeds were exposed to static MFs of 100 and 200 mT for 2 and 1 h, respectively. The treated seeds were sown in sand beds for seven days and transplanted in pots that were maintained at -0.03, -0.2 and -0.4 MPa soil water potentials under greenhouse conditions. MF exposure of seeds significantly enhanced all growth parameters, compared to the control seedlings. The significant increase in root parameters in seedlings from magnetically-exposed seeds resulted in maintenance of better leaf water status in terms of increase in leaf water potential, turgor potential and relative water content. Photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll content increased in plants from treated seeds, compared to control under irrigated and mild stress condition. Leaves from plants of magnetically-treated seeds showed decreased levels of hydrogen peroxide and antioxidant defense system enzymes (peroxidases, catalase and superoxide dismutase) under moisture stress conditions, when compared with untreated controls. Mild stress of -0.2 MPa induced a stimulating effect on functional root parameters, especially in 200 mT treated seedlings which can be exploited profitably for rain fed conditions. Our results suggested that MF treatment (100 mT for 2 h and 200 for 1 h) of maize seeds enhanced the seedling growth, leaf water status, photosynthesis rate and lowered the antioxidant defense system of seedlings under soil water stress. Thus, pre sowing static magnetic field treatment of seeds can be effectively used for improving growth under water stress.     

Enhancement of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation of human bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by supplementation with umbilical cord blood serum

Umbilical cord blood serum (UCBS) is a promising replacement for animal sera for the culture of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC), the unique serum composition of UCBS appearing to have variable effects on their proliferation and differentiation. Conditioning UCBS with methods such as charcoal stripping assists specific processes such as adipogenesis and osteogenesis in hMSCs. The charcoal stripping of serum removes lipophilic materials such as oestrogens, which are known inhibitors of adipogenesis. hMSC cultures supplemented with charcoal-stripped UCBS (CS-UCBS) show enhanced adipogenesis in adipogenic induction medium (AIM) containing indomethacin, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine and dexamethasone. To obtain efficient adipogenesis without CS-UCBS, we have developed a modified protocol in which cells cultured separately with UCBS and CS-UCBS are constantly treated with minimal doses of insulin (1.1 μg/ml) for 10 days prior to the addition of AIM. hMSC cultures differentiated by using the modified protocol show improved adipogenesis under fetal bovine serum (FBS), UCBS and CS-UCBS conditions, with levels of adipogenesis being highest in UCBS, thereby eliminating the need for charcoal stripping. Furthermore, in each of the three sera, the insulin-pre-treated hMSCs accumulate lipid droplets faster and exhibit improved adipogenesis overall when compared with normal AIM-induced adipogenesis. We have also compared the levels of osteogenesis in hMSCs by using an induction medium devoid of dexamethasone. Maximum calcium deposition has been observed in hMSCs cultured with UCBS, as compared with those cultured with FBS or CS-UCBS. Our newly developed methods with a humanized serum supplement thus enhance the differentiation of cultured hMSCs.     

Restoration of anthropometric, biochemical and histopathological alterations by Lactobacillus casei supplementation in Giardia intestinalis infected renourished BALB/c mice

The present study describes the in vivo ameliorating effect of Lactobacillus casei supplementation in renourished Giardia intestinalis infected BALB/c mice. It was observed that daily administration of probiotic 7 days prior to Giardia-infection to renourished mice, efficiently reduced the excretion of Giardia cysts and trophozoite counts, along with significant increased fecal lactobacilli counts compared with Giardia-infected mice. It was also observed that oral feeding of probiotic to renourished-Giardia-infected mice abrogated all the anthropometric and biochemical anomalies. Histologically, morphological and cellular alteration of microvillus membrane integrity revealed that probiotic administration further ameliorated the mucosal damage in renourished-probiotic-Giardia-infected mice compared to severe microvillus atrophy, oedematous, vacuolated epithelial cells and ileitis in renourished-Giardia and Giardia-infected mice. Thus, it is suggested that probiotic used as the functional food helps in restoration of anthropometric, biochemical alterations and atrophied gut by enhancing the goblet cells and reducing the giardiasis.