A survey of genes in the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) as identified by expressed sequence tags

We describe the construction and quality analysis of six cDNA libraries from the liver, ovary, testis, brain, spleen and muscle tissues of adult Atlantic salmon. The cDNA libraries were then screened with total cDNA probes to catalogue clones representing the abundant and rare mRNA populations in each tissue. Subsequently, the 5'-terminal DNA sequences of 1152 cDNA clones, composed of 96 clones from each of the abundant and rare mRNA populations in the six tissues, were determined. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that 510 (50%) of the salmon expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of sufficient length showed significant homology to previously identified genes from salmonid and other species, while 517 (50%) of salmon ESTs were unidentified or novel. After accounting for multi-EST redundancy, the 510 identified ESTs provided DNA sequence markers for 178 salmon genes which are listed in terms of tissue of origin and mRNA abundance class.     

Systemic and Cardiac Depletion of M2 Macrophage through CSF-1R Signaling Inhibition Alters Cardiac Function Post Myocardial Infarction

The heart hosts tissue resident macrophages which are capable of modulating cardiac inflammation and function by multiple mechanisms. At present, the consequences of phenotypic diversity in macrophages in the heart are incompletely understood. The contribution of cardiac M2-polarized macrophages to the resolution of inflammation and repair response following myocardial infarction remains to be fully defined. In this study, the role of M2 macrophages was investigated utilising a specific CSF-1 receptor signalling inhibition strategy to achieve their depletion. In mice, oral administration of GW2580, a CSF-1R kinase inhibitor, induced significant decreases in Gr1^lo and F4/80^hi monocyte populations in the circulation and the spleen. GW2580 administration also induced a significant depletion of M2 macrophages in the heart after 1 week treatment as well as a reduction of cardiac arginase1 and CD206 gene expression indicative of M2 macrophage activity. In a murine myocardial infarction model, reduced M2 macrophage content was associated with increased M1-related gene expression (IL-6 and IL-1β), and decreased M2-related gene expression (Arginase1 and CD206) in the heart of GW2580-treated animals versus vehicle-treated controls. M2 depletion was also associated with a loss in left ventricular contractile function, infarct enlargement, decreased collagen staining and increased inflammatory cell infiltration into the infarct zone, specifically neutrophils and M1 macrophages. Taken together, these data indicate that CSF-1R signalling is critical for maintaining cardiac tissue resident M2-polarized macrophage population, which is required for the resolution of inflammation post myocardial infarction and, in turn, for preservation of ventricular function.     

A new source of endothelial progenitor cells--vascular biology redefined?

The initial discovery of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in tandem with emerging concepts in stem cell biology has generated enormous interest and excitement in fields as diverse as tissue engineering, regenerative medicine, and tumor and vascular biology. A recent paper by Ingram et al. identifies a complete hierarchy of EPCs in the vessel wall, providing a new framework for classification of cells supporting endopoiesis akin to that previously established for hematopoiesis. This could have fundamental implications for our understanding of the role of the endothelium and, more specifically, the role of EPC interfacing with the vessel wall in health and disease.     

Functional and structural remodeling of the myocardial microvasculature in early experimental hypertension

Advanced hypertension (HT), associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), impairs myocardial microvascular function and structure and leads to increased myocardial hypoxia and growth factor activation. However, the effect of HT on microvascular architecture and its relation to microvascular function, before the development of LVH (early HT), remains unclear. By way of method, pigs were studied after 12 wk of renovascular HT (n = 7) or control (n = 7) animals. Myocardial microvascular function (blood volume and blood flow at baseline and in response to adenosine) was assessed by using electron beam computed tomography (CT). Microvascular architecture was subsequently studied ex vivo using micro-CT, and microvessels (diameter, <500 microm) were counted in situ in three-dimensional images (40-microm on-a-side cubic voxels). Myocardial expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha were also measured. By way of results, left ventricular muscle mass was similar between the groups. The blood volume response to intravenous adenosine was attenuated in HT animals compared with normal animals (+7.4 +/- 17.0 vs. +46.2 +/- 12.3% compared with baseline, P = 0.48 and P = 0.01, respectively). Microvascular spatial density in HT animals was significantly elevated compared with normal animals (246 +/- 26 vs. 125 +/- 20 vessels/cm2, P < 0.05) and correlated inversely with the blood volume response to adenosine. Growth factors expression was increased in HT animals compared with control animals. In conclusion, early HT elicits changes in myocardial microvascular architecture, which are associated with microvascular dysfunction and precede changes in muscle mass. These observations underscore the direct and early effects of HT on the myocardial vasculature.     

Cytokine gene polymorphisms and atopic disease in two European cohorts. (ECRHS-Basel and SAPALDIA)

Background

Avoidance of allergens is still recommended as the first and best way to prevent allergic illnesses and their comorbid diseases. Despite a variety of attempts there has been very limited success in the area of environmental control of allergic disease. Our objective was to identify a non-invasive, non-pharmacological method to reduce indoor allergen loads in atopic persons' homes and public environments. We employed a novel in vivo approach to examine the possibility of using aluminum sulfate to control environmental allergens.

Methods

Fifty skin test reactive patients were simultaneously skin tested with conventional test materials and the actions of the protein/glycoprotein modifier, aluminum sulfate. Common allergens, dog, cat, dust mite, Alternaria, and cockroach were used in the study.

Results

Skin test reactivity was significantly reduced by the modifier aluminum sulfate. Our studies demonstrate that the effects of histamine were not affected by the presence of aluminum sulfate. In fact, skin test reactivity was reduced independent of whether aluminum sulfate was present in the allergen test material or removed prior to testing, indicating that the allergens had in some way been inactivated.

Conclusion

Aluminum sulfate was found to reduce the in vivo allergic reaction cascade induced by skin testing with common allergens. The exact mechanism is not clear but appears to involve the alteration of IgE-binding epitopes on the allergen. Our results indicate that it may be possible to diminish the allergenicity of an environment by application of the active agent aluminum sulfate, thus producing environmental control without complete removal of the allergen.     

Systems analysis of primary Sjögren's syndrome pathogenesis in salivary glands identifies shared pathways in human and a mouse model

Bone tissue has an exceptional quality to regenerate to native tissue in response to injury. However, the fracture repair process requires mechanical stability or a viable biological microenvironment or both to ensure successful healing to native tissue. An improved understanding of the molecular and cellular events that occur during bone repair and remodeling has led to the development of biologic agents that can augment the biological microenvironment and enhance bone repair. Orthobiologics, including stem cells, osteoinductive growth factors, osteoconductive matrices, and anabolic agents, are available clinically for accelerating fracture repair and treatment of compromised bone repair situations like delayed unions and nonunions. Preclinical and clinical studies using biologic agents like recombinant bone morphogenetic proteins have demonstrated an efficacy similar or better than that of autologous bone graft in acute fracture healing. A lack of standardized outcome measures for comparison of biologic agents in clinical fracture repair trials, frequent off-label use, and a limited understanding of the biological activity of these agents at the bone repair site have limited their efficacy in clinical applications.     

Species distribution and <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> antifungal susceptibility of oral yeast isolates from Tanzanian HIV-infected patients with primary and recurrent oropharyngeal candidiasis

Background  

In Tanzania, little is known on the species distribution and antifungal susceptibility profiles of yeast isolates from HIV-infected patients with primary and recurrent oropharyngeal candidiasis.     

Three dimensional typological studies using scanning electron microscopy for characterization of Termitomyces pellets obtained from submerged growth conditions

There are gaps in existing understanding of fungal pellet growth dynamics. We used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological characterization of the biomass organization of Termitomyces pellets for seven species: T. microcarpus (TMI1), T. albuminosus (TAL1, TAL2), T. striatus (TSTR), T. aurantiacus (TAUR), T. heimii (THE1, THE2), T. globulus (TGLO) and T. clypeatus (TCL1, TCL2, TCL3, TCL4, TCL5). We assessed the utility of SEM for morphological and structural characterization of Termitomyces spp. in three dimensional (3D) pellet form to identify ideal pellet morphology for industrial use. Typological classification of Termitomyces species was based on furrows, isotropy, total motifs and fractal dimensions. The pellets formed were entangled and exhibited highly compacted mycelial mass with microheterogeneity and microporosity. The mean density of furrows of Termitomyces species was between 10,000 and 11,300 cm/cm², percentage isotropy was 30?80 and total motifs varied from 300 to 2500. TGLO exhibited the highest furrow mean density, 11243 cm/cm², which indicated a compact, cerebroid structure with complex ridges and furrows, whereas TAL2 exhibited the lowest furrow density. TMI1a exhibited a high percentage isotropic value, 74.6, TSTR exhibited the lowest, 30.9. Total motif number also was used as a typological classification parameter. Fractal values were 2.64?2.78 for various submerged conditions of Termitomyces species. TAL1 exhibited the highest fractal dimension and TAL2 the lowest, which indicates the complexity of branching patterns. Three-dimensional SEM image analysis can provide insight into pellet micromorphology and is a powerful tool for exploring topographical details of pellets.