Mapping of neuropeptide Y expression in Octopus brains

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an evolutionarily conserved neurosecretory molecule implicated in a diverse complement of functions across taxa and in regulating feeding behavior and reproductive maturation in Octopus. However, little is known about the precise molecular circuitry of NPY-mediated behaviors and physiological processes, which likely involve a complex interaction of multiple signal molecules in specific brain regions. Here, we examined the expression of NPY throughout the Octopus central nervous system. The sequence analysis of Octopus NPY precursor confirmed the presence of both, signal peptide and putative active peptides, which are highly conserved across bilaterians. In situ hybridization revealed distinct expression of NPY in specialized compartments, including potential “integration centers,” where visual, tactile, and other behavioral circuitries converge. These centers integrating separate circuits may maintain and modulate learning and memory or other behaviors not yet attributed to NPY-dependent modulation in Octopus. Extrasomatic localization of NPY mRNA in the neurites of specific neuron populations in the brain suggests a potential demand for immediate translation at synapses and a crucial temporal role for NPY in these cell populations. We also documented the presence of NPY mRNA in a small cell population in the olfactory lobe, which is a component of the Octopus feeding and reproductive control centers. However, the molecular mapping of NPY expression only partially overlapped with that produced by immunohistochemistry in previous studies. Our study provides a precise molecular map of NPY mRNA expression that can be used to design and test future hypotheses about molecular signaling in various Octopus behaviors.     

Balancing crosstalk between 20-hydroxyecdysone-induced autophagy and caspase activity in the fat body during Drosophila larval-prepupal transition

In the fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, autophagy and caspase activity function in parallel in the salivary gland during metamorphosis and in a common regulatory hierarchy during oogenesis. Both autophagy and caspase activity progressively increase in the remodeling fat body, and they are induced by a pulse of the molting hormone (20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E) during the larval-prepupal transition. Inhibition of autophagy and/or caspase activity in the remodeling fat body results in 25–40% pupal lethality, depending on the genotypes. Interestingly, a balancing crosstalk occurs between autophagy and caspase activity in this tissue: the inhibition of autophagy induces caspase activity and the inhibition of caspases induces autophagy. The Drosophila remodeling fat body provides an in vivo model for understanding the molecular mechanism of the balancing crosstalk between autophagy and caspase activity, which oppose with each other and are induced by the common stimulus 20E, and blockage of either path reinforces the other path.     

Isotactic polypropylene biodegradation by a microbial community: physicochemical characterization of metabolites produced.

From a selective enrichment culture prepared with different soil samples on starch-containing polyethylene we isolated four microaerophilic microbial communities able to grow on this kind of plastic with no additional carbon source. One consortium, designated community 3S, was tested with pure isotactic polypropylene to determine whether the consortium was able to degrade this polymer. Polypropylene strips were incubated for 5 months in a mineral medium containing sodium lactate and glucose in screw-cap bottles. Dichloromethane crude extracts of the cultures revealed that the weight of extracted materials increased with incubation time, while the polypropylene sample weight decreased. The extracted materials were characterized by performing chromatographic and spectral analyses (thin-layer chromatography, liquid chromatography, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, infrared spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance). Three main fractions were detected and analyzed; a mixture of hydrocarbons at different degrees of functionalization was found together with a mixture of aromatic esters, as the plasticizers usually added to polyolefinic structures.     

A new biallelic DNA polymorphism of the human COL5A1 gene

A cDNA probe of the human COL5A1 gene detects a frequent biallelic PstI polymorphism. Allele A has a frequency of 54% whereas that of allele B is 46%. This restriction fragment length polymorphism provides a useful marker for linkage analysis in 9q34.3.     

A 10-miRNA risk score-based prediction model for pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer

Patients with hormone receptor(HR)-positive tumors breast cancer usually experience a relatively low pathological complete response(p CR) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NAC). Here, we derived a 10-micro RNA risk score(10-mi RNA RS)-based model with better performance in the prediction of p CR and validated its relation with the disease-free survival(DFS) in 755 HRpositive breast cancer patients(273, 265, and 217 in the training, internal, and external validation sets, respectively). This model,pres...     

First report of molecular diagnosis of Tunisian hemophiliacs A: identification of 8 novel causative mutations

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Hemophilia A is an X linked recessive hemorrhagic disorder caused by mutations in the F8 gene that lead to qualitative and/or quantitative deficiencies of coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). Molecular diagnosis of hemophilia A is challenging because of the high number of different causative mutations that are distributed throughout the large F8 gene. Molecular studies of these mutations are essential in order to reinforce our understanding of their pathogenic effect responsible for the disorder. Aim In this study we have performed molecular analysis of 28 Tunisian hemophilia A patients and analyzed the F8 mutation spectrum. METHODS: We screened the presence of intron 22 and intron 1 inversion in severe hemophilia A patients by southern blotting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Detection of point mutations was performed by dHPLC/sequencing of the coding F8 gene region. We predict the potential functional consequences of novel missense mutations with bioinformatics approaches and mapping of their spatial positions on the available FVIII 3D structure. RESULTS: We identified 23 different mutations in 28 Tunisian hemophilia A patients belonging to 22 unrelated families. The identified mutations included 5 intron 22 inversions, 7 insertions, 4 deletions and 7 substitutions. In total 18 point mutations were identified, of which 9 are located in exon 14, the most mutated exonic sequence in the F8 gene. Among the 23 mutations, 8 are novel and not deposited in the HAMSTeRS database nor described in recently published articles. CONCLUSION: The mutation spectrum of Tunisian hemophilia A patients is heterogeneous with the presence of some characteristic features. Virtual slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1693269827490715.     

CD8+ CD28- T regulatory lymphocytes inhibiting T cell proliferative and cytotoxic functions infiltrate human cancers

Tumor growth is allowed by its ability to escape immune system surveillance. An important role in determining tumor evasion from immune control might be played by tumor-infiltrating regulatory lymphocytes. This study was aimed at characterizing phenotype and function of CD8+ CD28- T regulatory cells infiltrating human cancer. Lymphocytes infiltrating primitive tumor lesion and/or satellite lymph node from a series of 42 human cancers were phenotypically studied and functionally analyzed by suppressor assays. The unprecedented observation was made that CD8+ CD28- T regulatory lymphocytes are almost constantly present and functional in human tumors, being able to inhibit both T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. CD4+ CD25+ T regulatory lymphocytes associate with CD8+ CD28- T regulatory cells so that the immunosuppressive activity of tumor-infiltrating regulatory T cell subsets, altogether considered, may become predominant. The infiltration of regulatory T cells seems tumor related, being present in metastatic but not in metastasis-free satellite lymph nodes; it likely depends on both in situ generation (via cytokine production) and recruitment from the periphery (via chemokine secretion). Collectively, these results have pathogenic relevance and implication for immunotherapy of cancer.