Biotechnological challenges of bioartificial kidney engineering

With the world-wide increase of patients with renal failure, the development of functional renal replacement therapies have gained significant interest and novel technologies are rapidly evolving. Currently used renal replacement therapies insufficiently remove accumulating waste products, resulting in the uremic syndrome. A more preferred treatment option is kidney transplantation, but the shortage of donor organs and the increasing number of patients waiting for a transplant warrant the development of novel technologies. The bioartificial kidney (BAK) is such promising biotechnological approach to replace essential renal functions together with the active secretion of waste products. The development of the BAK requires a multidisciplinary approach and evolves at the intersection of regenerative medicine and renal replacement therapy. Here we provide a concise review embracing a compact historical overview of bioartificial kidney development and highlighting the current state-of-the-art, including implementation of living-membranes and the relevance of extracellular matrices. We focus further on the choice of relevant renal epithelial cell lines versus the use of stem cells and co-cultures that need to be implemented in a suitable device. Moreover, the future of the BAK in regenerative nephrology is discussed.     

Bile acid receptors as targets for the treatment of dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease

Dyslipidemia is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and atherosclerosis. When dyslipidemia coincides with other metabolic disorders such as obesity, hypertension, and glucose intolerance, defined as the metabolic syndrome (MS), individuals present an elevated risk to develop type 2 diabetes (T2D) as well as CVD. Because the MS epidemic represents a growing public health problem worldwide, the development of therapies remains a major challenge. Alterations of bile acid pool regulation in T2D have revealed a link between bile acid and metabolic homeostasis. The bile acid receptors farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and TGR5 both regulate lipid, glucose, and energy metabolism, rendering them potential pharmacological targets for MS therapy. This review discusses the mechanisms of metabolic regulation by FXR and TGR5 and the utility relevance of natural and synthetic modulators of FXR and TGR5 activity, including bile acid sequestrants, in the treatment of the MS.     

Mapping eIF5A binding sites for Dys1 and Lia1: in vivo evidence for regulation of eIF5A hypusination

The evolutionarily conserved factor eIF5A is the only protein known to undergo hypusination, a unique posttranslational modification triggered by deoxyhypusine synthase (Dys1). Although eIF5A is essential for cell viability, the function of this putative translation initiation factor is still obscure. To identify eIF5A-binding proteins that could clarify its function, we screened a two-hybrid library and identified two eIF-5A partners in S. cerevisiae: Dys1 and the protein encoded by the gene YJR070C, named Lia1 (Ligand of eIF5A). The interactions were confirmed by GST pulldown. Mapping binding sites for these proteins revealed that both eIF5A domains can bind to Dys1, whereas the C-terminal domain is sufficient to bind Lia1. We demonstrate for the first time in vivo that the N-terminal alpha-helix of Dys1 can modulate enzyme activity by inhibiting eIF5A interaction. We suggest that this inhibition be abrogated in the cell when hypusinated and functional eIF5A is required.     

The C1B domains of novel PKCε and PKCη have a higher membrane binding affinity than those of the also novel PKCδ and PKCθ

The C1 domains of novel PKCs mediate the diacylglycerol-dependent translocation of these enzymes. The four different C1B domains of novel PKCs (δ, ε, θ and η) were studied, together with different lipid mixtures containing acidic phospholipids and diacylglycerol or phorbol ester. The results show that either in the presence or in the absence of diacylglycerol, C1Bε and C1Bη exhibit a substantially higher propensity to bind to vesicles containing negatively charged phospholipids than C1Bδ and C1Bθ. The observed differences between the C1B domains of novel PKCs (in two groups of two each) were also evident in RBL-2H3 cells and it was found that, as with model membranes, in which C1Bε and C1Bη could be translocated to membranes by the addition of a soluble phosphatidic acid without diacylglycerol or phorbol ester, C1Bδ and C1Bθ were not translocated when soluble phosphatidic acid was added, and diacylglycerol was required to achieve a detectable binding to cell membranes. It is concluded that two different subfamilies of novel PKCs can be established with respect to their propensity to bind to the cell membrane and that these peculiarities in recognizing lipids may explain why these isoenzymes are specialized in responding to different triggering signals and bind to different cell membranes.     

Evolution of a recombinant (gucoamylase-producing) strain of Fusarium venenatum A3/5 in chemostat culture

Fusarium venenatum JeRS 325 is a transformant of strain A3/5 which produces Aspergillus niger glucoamylase (GAM) under the control of a Fusarium oxysporum trypsin-like protease promoter. The evolution of JeRS 325 was studied in glucose-limited chemostat cultures grown on NaNO3 or (NH4)2SO4 as the nitrogen source. Thirteen mutants which were more highly branched and four mutants which were more sparsely branched than the parental strain were isolated from the NaNO3 chemostat. The highly branched mutants detected in this chemostat did not displace the sparsely branched population. The mutants isolated from the NaNO3 chemostat complemented representative strains previously isolated from glucose-limited chemostat cultures of F. venenatum A3/5 grown on (NH4)2SO4, but showed little complementation between themselves. By contrast, a highly branched mutant isolated from the (NH4)2SO4 chemostat culture displaced the sparsely branched mycelial population. None of the mutants isolated from the NaNO3 or (NH4)2SO4 chemostats produced as much GAM as JeRS 325. Southern blot analysis showed that all except one mutant had lost copies of both the glucoamylase and the acetamidase (the selectable marker) genes. However, specific GAM production was not necessarily correlated with the extent of glaA gene loss observed. Further, 10 of the mutants had lost the ability to grow on acetamide as the sole nitrogen source, although they retained copies of the amdS gene. In competition studies, mutants which could not utilize acetamide displaced mutants which could. The presence of foreign DNA in JeRS 325 resulted in a reduced specific growth rate (compared to A3/5), but the presence of the foreign DNA did not prevent the evolution of the strain or the isolation of mutants which had improved growth rates.     

Cell death induced by Pteris semipinnata L. is associated with p53 and oxidant stress in gastric cancer cells

In this study, we demonstrated that Ent-11alpha-hydroxy-15-oxo-kaur-16-en-19-oic-acid (5F) had stronger cytotoxicity against MKN-45, a gastric cancer cell line bearing wild-type p53 than MKN-28, another gastric cancer cell line containing missense mutation in p53. The rapid increase of ROS level was involved in the mechanism of cytotoxicity. Classical features of apoptosis induced by 5F were observed in MKN-45 cells only or more significant in MKN-45 cells than MKN-28 cells. Translocation of Bax from cytosol to mitochondria, reduction of delta psi m and DNA fragmentation were induced by 5F in the p53-dependent manner. We conclude that the expression of Bax and its downstream molecules requires the presentation of a wild-type p53 in the cells treated by 5F.     

Molecular genetic characterization of H5N1 influenza virus strains isolated from poultry in the Kurgan region in 2005

In the second half of 2005, a large-scale outbreak of influenza in poultry and wild birds was caused by a highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza virus in Russia. The level of pathogenicity is a polygenic trait, and most individual genes contribute to the influenza A virus pathogenicity in birds, animals, and humans. The full-length nucleotide sequences were determined for H5N1 strains isolated in the Kurgan region (Western Siberia). The structure of viral proteins was analyzed using the deduced amino acid sequences. The receptor-binding site of hemagglutinin (HA) in strains A/chicken/Kurgan/05/2005 and A/duck/Kurgan/08/2005 was typical for avian influenza viruses and contained Glu and Gly at positions 226 and 228, respectively. The structure of the basic amino acid cluster located within the HA cleavage site was identical in all isolates: QGERRRKKR. According to the neuraminidase structure, all H5N1 isolates from the Kurgan region were assigned to the Z genotype. Amino acid residues typical for the avian influenza virus were revealed in 30 out of 32 positions of M1, M2, NP, PA, and PB2, determining the host range specificity. One of the strains contained Lys at position 627 of PB2. Isolates from the Kurgan region were shown to have a remantadine-sensitive genotype. Both strains contained Glu at position 92 of NS1, indicating that the virus is interferon-resistant. Phylogenetic analysis related the Kurgan isolates to subclade 2 of clade 2 of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses.     

miR-455-5p靶向SOCS3抑制RSV感染致气道上皮炎症反应的机制研究

摘要 目的：揭示miR-455-5p对呼吸道合胞病毒（RSV）感染致气道上皮细胞炎症反应的作用机制。方法：qRT-PCR检测30例健康体检儿童（健康组）、RSV感染轻症组（n=41）和重症组（n=31）患儿血清miR-455-5p水平。将16HBE细胞分为Control组、NC-agomir组、miR-455-5p-agomir组、NC-antagomir组、miR-455-5p-antagomir组。使用Lipofectamine 3000转染16HBE细胞后培养48 h后,分为Blank组、NC组（转染了NC-agomir的细胞）、RSV+NC-agomir组、RSV+miR-455-5p-agomir组,用RSV病毒液感染RSV+NC-agomir组和RSV+miR-455-5p-agomir组16HBE细胞,Blank组和NC组16HBE细胞正常培养。用CCK-8法和EdU法检测细胞增殖、TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡、ELISA法检测上清液中TNF-α、IL-6、IL-8水平,qRT-PCR检测miR-455-5p和SOCS3的mRNA水平,Western blot检测SOCS3、IFN-α、STAT1、STAT2、p-STAT1和p-STAT2的蛋白水平。结果：与健康组相比,轻症组和重症组患儿的血清miR-455-5p水平降低（P<0.05）。与轻症组相比,重症组的血清miR-455-5p水平降低（P<0.05）。与Control组和NC-agomir组相比,miR-455-5p-agomir组16HBE细胞的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率升高（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率降低（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平降低（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平降低（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平升高（P<0.05）。与Control组和NC-antagomir组相比,miR-455-5p-antagomir组16HBE细胞的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率降低（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率升高（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平升高（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平升高（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平降低（P<0.05）。与Blank组和NC组相比,RSV+NC-agomir组16HBE细胞的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率降低（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率升高（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平升高（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平升高（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平降低（P<0.05）。与RSV+NC-agomir组相比,RSV+miR-455-5p-agomir组的miR-455-5p水平、相对细胞活力和EdU阳性率升高（P<0.05）,TUNEL阳性率降低（P<0.05）,上清液中的TNF-α、IL-6和IL-8水平降低（P<0.05）,SOCS3 mRNA和蛋白水平降低（P<0.05）,IFN-α蛋白、STAT1和STAT2磷酸化水平升高（P<0.05）。结论：miR-455-5p在RSV感染患儿血清中下调,上调miR-455-5p通过抑制SOCS3的转录和表达从而激活RSV感染的16HBE细胞中IFN-α介导的抗病毒反应。     

血清微小RNA-141-3p、微小RNA-150-5p与鼻咽癌患者临床病理特征和放疗敏感性的关系研究

摘要 目的：探讨血清微小核糖核酸（miRNA）-141-3p、miR-150-5p与鼻咽癌（NPC）患者临床病理特征和放疗敏感性的关系。方法：收集2019年1月～2022年7月在我院接受放疗的92例NPC患者为NPC组,根据放疗疗效分为抵抗组和敏感组,另选取同期80名在我院体检的健康志愿者为对照组。比较对照组、NPC组血清miR-141-3p、miR-150-5p表达。分析NPC患者血清miR-141-3p、miR-150-5p表达与临床病理特征的关系。利用单因素和多因素Logistic回归分析NPC患者放疗抵抗的影响因素。结果：与对照组比较,NPC组血清miR-141-3p表达升高,miR-150-5p表达降低（P＜0.05）。NPC患者血清miR-141-3p、miR-150-5p表达在不同分化程度、TNM分期和淋巴结转移中比较有差异（P＜0.05）。92例NPC患者放疗抵抗发生率为22.83%（21/92）。单因素分析显示,抵抗组TNM分期Ⅲ～Ⅳa期和miR-141-3p ≥ 2.60比例高于敏感组,miR-150-5p ≥ 0.80比例低于敏感组（P＜0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示,miR-141-3p ≥ 2.60为NPC患者放疗抵抗的独立危险因素,miR-150-5p ≥ 0.80为独立保护因素（P＜0.05）。结论：NPC患者血清miR-141-3p高表达,miR-150-5p低表达,与分化程度、TNM分期、淋巴结转移和放疗敏感性有关,有望成为NPC患者放疗抵抗的评价指标。