Agonistic behavior in naïve juvenile lobsters depleted of serotonin by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine

We have been exploring the role of serotonin in fighting behavior in lobsters using a specific model of agonistic behavior, the establishment of hierarchical relationships between pairs of socially naive juvenile lobsters. We selected this model because the behavior is easily evoked, readily quantifiable, and the effects of experience are eleminated by using socially naive animals. In these studies we injected a specific neurotoxin, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine, into juvenile lobsters over a 4-week period and then measured the effects on fighting behavior. This treatment reduces the levels of serotonin in the nervous system and immunocytochemical studies show a dramatic reduction in neuropil staining for the amine. Control animals received vehicle injection alone. All injected animals were paired against larger or smaller non-injected opponents, and three successive 30-min fights were carried out and statistically analyzed. The results were surprising: As with elevations of serotonin, reduced levels of serotonin increased the amount of time animals engaged in fighting behavior. No significant effects were seen on who initiated encounters, who retreated first, or who the eventual winner would be. Thus, in this model, elevation or reduction of serotonergic function increases the tendency of animals to engage in agonistic encounters.     

SHAPE analysis of the FIV Leader RNA reveals a structural switch potentially controlling viral packaging and genome dimerization

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) infects many species of cat, and is related to HIV, causing a similar pathology. High-throughput selective 2' hydroxyl acylation analysed by primer extension (SHAPE), a technique that allows structural interrogation at each nucleotide, was used to map the secondary structure of the FIV packaging signal RNA. Previous studies of this RNA showed four conserved stem-loops, extensive long-range interactions (LRIs) and a small, palindromic stem-loop (SL5) within the gag open reading frame (ORF) that may act as a dimerization initiation site (DIS), enabling the virus to package two copies of its genome. Our analyses of wild-type (wt) and mutant RNAs suggest that although the four conserved stem-loops are static structures, the 5' and 3' regions previously shown to form LRI also adopt an alternative, yet similarly conserved conformation, in which the putative DIS is occluded, and which may thus favour translational and splicing functions over encapsidation. SHAPE and in vitro dimerization assays were used to examine SL5 mutants. Dimerization contacts appear to be made between palindromic loop sequences in SL5. As this stem-loop is located within the gag ORF, recognition of a dimeric RNA provides a possible mechanism for the specific packaging of genomic over spliced viral RNAs.     

Cell elongation is key to in silico replication of in vitro vasculogenesis and subsequent remodeling

Vasculogenesis, the de novo growth of the primary vascular network from initially dispersed endothelial cells, is the first step in the development of the circulatory system in vertebrates. In the first stages of vasculogenesis, endothelial cells elongate and form a network-like structure, called the primary capillary plexus, which subsequently remodels, with the size of the vacancies between ribbons of endothelial cells coarsening over time. To isolate such intrinsic morphogenetic ability of endothelial cells from its regulation by long-range guidance cues and additional cell types, we use an in vitro model of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in Matrigel. This quasi-two-dimensional endothelial cell culture model would most closely correspond to vasculogenesis in flat areas of the embryo like the yolk sac. Several studies have used continuum mathematical models to explore in vitro vasculogenesis: such models describe cell ensembles but ignore the endothelial cells' shapes and active surface fluctuations. While these models initially reproduce vascular-like morphologies, they eventually stabilize into a disconnected pattern of vascular "islands." Also, they fail to reproduce temporally correct network coarsening. Using a cell-centered computational model, we show that the endothelial cells' elongated shape is key to correct spatiotemporal in silico replication of stable vascular network growth. We validate our simulation results against HUVEC cultures using time-resolved image analysis and find that our simulations quantitatively reproduce in vitro vasculogenesis and subsequent in vitro remodeling.     

IL-21-induced isotype switching to IgG and IgA by human naive B cells is differentially regulated by IL-4

Naive B cells can alter the effector function of their Ig molecule by isotype switching, thereby allowing them to secrete not only IgM, but also the switched isotypes IgG, IgA, and IgE. Different isotypes are elicited in response to specific pathogens. Similarly, dysregulated production of switched isotypes underlies the development of various diseases, such as autoimmunity and immunodeficiency. Thus, it is important to characterize mediators controlling isotype switching, as well as their contribution to the overall B cell response. Isotype switching in human naive B cells can be induced by CD40L together with IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, and/or TGF-beta. Recently, IL-21 was identified as a switch factor for IgG1 and IgG3. However, the effect of IL-21 on switching to IgA, as well as the interplay between IL-21 and other switch factors, remains unknown. We found that IL-4 and IL-21 individually induced CD40L-stimulated human naive B cells to undergo switching to IgG, with IL-4 predominantly inducing IgG1(+) cells and IL-21 inducing IgG3. Culture of naive B cells with CD40L and IL-21, but not IL-4, also yielded IgA(+) cells. Combining IL-4 and IL-21 had divergent effects on isotype switching. Specifically, while IL-4 and IL-21 synergistically increased the generation of IgG1(+) cells from CD40L-stimulated B cells, IL-4 concomitantly abolished IL-21-induced switching to IgA. Our findings demonstrate the dynamic interplay between IL-4 and IL-21 in regulating the production of IgG subclasses and IgA, and suggest temporal roles for these cytokines in humoral immune responses to specific pathogens.     

The MEF2 gene is essential for yeast longevity, with a dual role in cell respiration and maintenance of mitochondrial membrane potential

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae MEF2 gene is a mitochondrial protein translation factor. Formerly believed to catalyze peptide elongation, evidence now suggests its involvement in ribosome recycling. This study confirms the role of the MEF2 gene for cell respiration and further uncovers a slow growth phenotype and reduced chronological lifespan. Furthermore, in comparison with cytoplasmic ρ(0) strains, mef2Δ strains have a marked reduction of the inner mitochondrial membrane potential and mitochondria show a tendency to aggregate, suggesting an additional role for the MEF2 gene in maintenance of mitochondrial health, a role that may also be shared by other mitochondrial protein synthesis factors.     

Comparison of the expression profiles induced by genotoxic and nongenotoxic carcinogens in rat liver

Application of recently developed gene expression techniques using microarrays in toxicological studies (toxicogenomics) facilitate the interpretation of a toxic compound's mode of action and may also allow the prediction of selected toxic effects based on gene expression changes. In order to test this hypothesis, we investigated whether carcinogens at doses known to induce liver tumors in the 2-year rat bioassay deregulate characteristic sets of genes in a short term in vivo study and whether these deregulated genes represent defined biological pathways. Male Wistar rats were dosed with the four nongenotoxic hepatocarcinogens methapyrilene (MPy, 60 mg/kg/day), diethylstilbestrol (DES, 10 mg/kg/day), Wy-14643 (Wy, 60 mg/kg/day), and piperonylbutoxide (PBO, 1200 mg/kg/day). After 1, 3, 7, and 14 days, the livers were taken for histopathological evaluation and for analysis of the gene expression profiles on Affymetrix RG_U34A arrays. The expression profile of the four nongenotoxic carcinogens were compared to the profiles of the four genotoxic carcinogens 2-nitrofluorene (2-NF), dimethylnitrosamine (DMN), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), and aflatoxin B1 (AB1) from a similar study reported previously. By using statistical and clustering tools characteristically deregulated genes were extracted and functionally classified. Distinct cellular pathways were affected by the nongenotoxic carcinogens compared to the genotoxic carcinogens which at least partly correlated with the two-stage model of carcinogenesis. Characteristic to genotoxic carcinogens were a DNA damage response and the activation of proliferative and survival signaling. Nongenotoxic carcinogens showed responses to oxidative DNA or protein damage, as well as cell cycle progression and signs of regeneration. Many of the gene alterations found with the nongenotoxic carcinogens imply compound-specific mechanisms. Although neither a single gene nor a single pathway will be sufficient to discriminate the two classes of carcinogens, it became evident that combinations of pathway-associated gene expression profiles may be used to predict a genotoxic or nongenotoxic carcinogenic potential of a compound in short-term studies.     

Differential proteomic analysis of a polymicrobial biofilm

Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia exist in a polymicrobial biofilm associated with chronic periodontitis. The aim of this study was to culture these three species as a polymicrobial biofilm and to determine proteins important for bacterial interactions. In a flow cell all three species attached and grew as a biofilm; however, after 90 h of culture P. gingivalis and T. denticola were closely associated and dominated the polymicrobial biofilm. For comparison, planktonic cultures of P. gingivalis and T. denticola were grown separately in continuous culture. Whole cell lysates were subjected to SDS-PAGE, followed by in-gel proteolytic H(2)(16)O/H(2)(18)O labeling. From two replicates, 135 and 174 P. gingivalis proteins and 134 and 194 T. denticola proteins were quantified by LC-MALDI TOF/TOF MS. The results suggest a change of strategy in iron acquisition by P. gingivalis due to large increases in the abundance of HusA and HusB in the polymicrobial biofilm while HmuY and other iron/haem transport systems decreased. Significant changes in the abundance of peptidases and enzymes involved in glutamate and glycine catabolism suggest syntrophy. These data indicate an intimate association between P. gingivalis and T. denticola in a biofilm that may play a role in disease pathogenesis.