Genetic analysis of Pycr1 and Pycr2 in mice

The final step in proline biosynthesis is catalyzed by three pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductases, PYCR1, PYCR2, and PYCR3, which convert pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) to proline. Mutations in human PYCR1 and ALDH18A1 (P5C Synthetase) cause Cutis Laxa (CL), whereas mutations in PYCR2 cause hypomyelinating leukodystrophy 10 (HLD10). Here, we investigated the genetics of Pycr1 and Pycr2 in mice. A null allele of Pycr1 did not show integument or CL-related phenotypes. We also studied a novel chemically-induced mutation in Pycr2. Mice with recessive loss-of-function mutations in Pycr2 showed phenotypes consistent with neurological and neuromuscular disorders, including weight loss, kyphosis, and hind-limb clasping. The peripheral nervous system was largely unaffected, with only mild axonal atrophy in peripheral nerves. A severe loss of subcutaneous fat in Pycr2 mutant mice is reminiscent of a CL-like phenotype, but primary features such as elastin abnormalities were not observed. Aged Pycr2 mutant mice had reduced white blood cell counts and altered lipid metabolism, suggesting a generalized metabolic disorder. PYCR1 and -2 have similar enzymatic and cellular activities, and consistent with previous studies, both were localized in the mitochondria in fibroblasts. Both PYCR1 and -2 were able to complement the loss of Pro3, the yeast enzyme that converts P5C to proline, confirming their activity as P5C reductases. In mice, Pycr1; Pycr2 double mutants were sub-viable and unhealthy compared to either single mutant, indicating the genes are largely functionally redundant. Proline levels were not reduced, and precursors were not increased in serum from Pycr2 mutant mice or in lysates from skin fibroblast cultures, but placing Pycr2 mutant mice on a proline-free diet worsened the phenotype. Thus, Pycr1 and -2 have redundant functions in proline biosynthesis, and their loss makes proline a semi-essential amino acid. These findings have implications for understanding the genetics of CL and HLD10, and for modeling these disorders in mice.     

Sequence determinants in the cathelicidin LL-37 that promote inflammation via presentation of RNA to scavenger receptors

Cathelicidins such as the human 37-amino acid peptide (LL-37) are peptides that not only potently kill microbes but also trigger inflammation by enabling immune recognition of endogenous nucleic acids. Here, a detailed structure–function analysis of LL-37 was performed to understand the details of this process. Alanine scanning of 34-amino acid peptide (LL-34) showed that some variants displayed increased antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and group A Streptococcus. In contrast, different substitutions clustered on the hydrophobic face of the LL-34 alpha helix inhibited the ability of those variants to promote type 1 interferon expression in response to U1 RNA or to present U1 to the scavenger receptor (SR) B1 on the keratinocyte cell surface. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments of the LL-34 variants LL-34, F5A, I24A, and L31A demonstrated that these peptides form cognate supramolecular structures with U1 characterized by inter-dsRNA spacings of approximately 3.5 nm, a range that has been previously shown to activate toll-like receptor 3 by the parent peptide LL-37. Therefore, while alanine substitutions on the hydrophobic face of LL-34 led to loss of binding to SRs and the complete loss of autoinflammatory responses in epithelial and endothelial cells, they did not inhibit the ability to organize with U1 RNA in solution to associate with toll-like receptor 3. These observations advance our understanding of how cathelicidin mediates the process of innate immune self-recognition to enable inert nucleic acids to trigger inflammation. We introduce the term “innate immune vetting” to describe the capacity of peptides such as LL-37 to enable certain nucleic acids to become an inflammatory stimulus through SR binding prior to cell internalization.     

Improvement of Opal Multiplex Immunofluorescence Workflow for Human Tissue Sections

The Opal multiplex technique is an established methodology for the detection of multiple biomarkers in one section. The protocol encompasses iterative single stainings and heating-mediated removal of the primary and secondary antibodies after each staining round, leaving untouched the Opal fluorophores which are deposited onto the antigen of interest. According to our experience, repetitive heating of skin sections often results in tissue damage, indicating an urgent need for milder alternatives to strip immunoglobulins. In this study, we demonstrate that considerable heating-related damage was found not only in skin but also in tissues of different origin, mostly characterized by low cell density. Importantly, the morphology remained fully intact when sections were repetitively exposed to β-mercaptoethanol-containing stripping buffer instead of multiple heating cycles. However, target epitopes appeared sensitive at a differential degree to multiple treatments with stripping buffer, as shown by loss in staining intensity, but in all cases, the staining intensity could be restored by increment of the primary antibody concentrations. Application of β-mercaptoethanol-containing stripping buffer instead of heating for antibody removal markedly improved the quality of the Opal multiplex technique, as a substantial higher number of differently colored cells could be visualized within a well-conserved morphological context:     

无创性皮肤屏障功能检测在朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增生症中的应用

摘要 目的：探讨无创性皮肤屏障功能检测在朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增生症(Langerhans cell histiocytosis,LCH)中的应用价值。方法：研究时间为2017年1月到2020年12月,选择在本院诊治的朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增多症患者72例作为LCH组,同期选择健康体检者72例作为对照组。采用无创性皮肤屏障功能检测皮肤水分、经皮水分丢失(Transdermal water loss,TEWL)、油脂水平,同时检测所有入选者的免疫功能、皮肤菌群并进行相关性分析。结果：LCH组的皮肤水分低于对照组(P<0.05),TEWL、油脂水平高于对照组(P<0.05)。LCH组的乳酸杆菌(La)阳性率低于对照组(P<0.05),表皮葡萄球菌(Se)、痤疮丙酸杆菌(Pa)、金黄色葡萄球菌(Sa)阳性率高于对照组(P<0.05)。LCH组的CD163、ki-67表达阳性率分别为77.8 %、52.8 %,高于对照组的19.4 %和6.9 %(P<0.05)。在LCH组中,Pearson相关性分析显示皮肤水分与乳酸杆菌呈现正相关性(P<0.05),TEWL、油脂与表皮葡萄球菌、痤疮丙酸杆菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、CD163、ki-67呈现正相关性(P<0.05)。结论：无创性皮肤屏障功能检测在朗格汉斯细胞组织细胞增生症中的应用可反映患者的皮肤水分与油脂状况,也可间接反映患者的皮肤微生态与免疫功能状况。     

股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣对手外伤组织缺损修复的应用效果及对创面愈合程度的影响

摘要 目的：探讨股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣对手外伤组织缺损修复的应用效果及对创面愈合程度的影响。方法：选取我院2018年12月到2020年12月共收治的119例手外伤组织缺损患者作为研究对象,随机分为2组,分别为对照组（n=59,应用胸腹带蒂皮瓣修复术）和观察组（n=60,应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣修复术）。对比两组患者治疗优良率,对比两组患者治疗前后手部创面面积、创面愈合程度以及组织愈合时间,对比两组患者治疗后的Jamar握力、TAM和DASH评分情况,对比两组患者的皮瓣成活率、皮瓣危象率和血管吻合时间。结果：通过对比两组患者治疗优良率发现,观察组患者优的人数为21例、良为35例,优良率为93.33%,对照组患者优的人数为16例,良为30例,优良率为77.97%,观察组高于对照组（P＜0.05）;治疗后,与对照组相比,观察组患者的手部创面面积、组织愈合时间和DASH评分显著减少,创面愈合程度以及TAM与Jamar握力显著增加（P＜0.05）;通过对比两组患者的皮瓣成活率、术后皮瓣危象率以及血管吻合时间发现,两组患者的术后皮瓣危象率、血管吻合时间对比无明显差异（P＞0.05）,两组患者的术后皮瓣成活率对比差异显著,观察组明显高于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论：对手外伤组织缺损患者应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣与胸腹带蒂皮瓣修复术均具有明显的修复效果,但是应用股前外侧穿支皮瓣能够提升治疗效果,提升患者创面愈合程度减少愈合时间,提升患者手部运动情况,提升术后皮瓣成活率,值得临床应用推广。     

宏基因组学技术在痤疮研究中的应用进展

高通量测序技术的发展提高了人们对微生物组的认识。宏基因组学技术因其全面和深入的分析功能被广泛应用于各种环境微生物组的研究中,尤其在阐明各种疾病与人体微生物组的关系中,宏基因组学技术具有重要作用。痤疮作为一种常见的皮肤疾病,严重影响人们皮肤美观度和心理健康。利用宏基因组学技术挖掘皮肤微生物与痤疮的关系,将有助于痤疮发病机理的研究和临床治疗方法的改进。通过介绍宏基因组学技术的发展背景、概述及其应用研究进展,探讨皮肤微生物与痤疮的关系,综述宏基因组学技术在痤疮研究中的应用现状,并总结目前宏基因组学技术在皮肤疾病研究中存在的问题,旨在为痤疮的宏基因组研究提供参考。     

Adaptive morphological shifts to novel habitats in marine sculpin fishes

Sculpin fishes of the North American Pacific Coast provide an ideal opportunity to examine whether adaptive morphological character shifts have facilitated occupation of novel habitat types because of their well‐described phylogeny and ecology. In this group, the basal‐rooted species primarily occupy the subtidal habitat, whereas the species in the most distal clades are found in the intertidal. We tested multiple evolutionary models to determine whether changes in body size and changes in number of scales are adaptive for habitat use in sculpins. Based on a statistically robust, highly resolved molecular phylogeny of 26 species of sculpins, in combination with morphometric and habitat affinity data, our analyses show that an adaptive model based on habitat use best explains changes in body size and number of scales. The habitat model was statistically supported over models of neutral evolution, stabilizing selection across all habitats, and three clade‐based models. We suggest that loss of scales and reduction of body size in the intertidal may facilitate cutaneous breathing in air when tidepools become hypoxic during low tides. This study demonstrates how the combined use of phylogenetic, ecological and statistical approaches helps to identify traits that are likely adaptive to novel habitats.     

Redox regulation and oxidant activation of heme oxygenase-1

The ultraviolet A (UVA, 320–400 nm) component of sunlight has the potential to generate an oxidative stress in cells and tissue so that antioxidants (both endogenous and exogenous) strongly influence the biological effects of UVA. The expression of several genes (including heme oxygenase-1, HO-1; collagenase; the CL100 phosphatase and the nuclear oncogenes, c-fos and c-jun) is induced following physiological doses of UVA to cells and this effect can be strongly enhanced by removing intracellular glutathione or enhancing singlet oxygen lifetime. We have observed that heme is released from microsomal heme-containing proteins by UVA and other oxidants and that activation of HO-1 expression by UVA correlates with levels of heme release. UVA radiation also leads to an increase in labile iron pools (either directly or via HO-1) and eventual increases in ferritin levels. The role of heme oxygenase in protection of skin fibroblasts is probably an emergency inducible defense pathway to remove heme liberated by oxidants. The slower increase in ferritin levels is an adaptive response which serves to keep labile iron pools low and thereby reduce Fenton chemistry and oxidant-induced chain reactions involving lipid peroxidation. In keratinocytes, the primary target of UVA radiation, heme oxygenase levels are constitutively high (because of HO-2 expression). Since there is a corresponding increase in basal levels of ferritin the epidermis appears to be well protected constitutively against the oxidative stress generated by UVA.     

Role of particle coating in controlling skin damage photoinduced by titania nanoparticles

TiO₂ nanoparticles hazard is associated to their photocatalytic activity causing release of DNA damaging ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), lipid peroxidation and skin damage. Various coatings have been proposed to minimize photocatalysis, while keeping the potential to block UV radiations. Uncoated and variously coated commercial nano-titania have been classified on the basis of UVB-induced lipoperoxidation of linoleic acid. A selection of the most and the least protective specimens was then examined by ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) to evidence the presence of surface paramagnetic centres and the release of ROS in aqueous suspensions (spin trapping). Paramagnetic centres and ROS were correlated with the extent of lipid peroxidation. When tested on porcine skin (mimicking the human one), titania acted as on linoleic acid. The combined use of lipid peroxidation of simple fatty acids with ESR analysis is here proposed as a possible screening tool for the evaluation of the potential toxicity of nano-titania in sunscreen preparations.