Normal masticatory function partially protects the rat mandibular bone from estrogen-deficiency induced osteoporosis

Background/aim

In a previous study we showed that mandibular alveolar (trabecular) bone appears to be less sensitive to estrogen deficiency than the proximal tibia spongiosa. We hypothesized that the mechanical loading of the alveolar process during mastication may protect the alveolar bone from the detrimental effects observed in other skeletal sites. To test this hypothesis we compared the effect of ovariectomy on the mandibular alveolar bone and the proximal tibia spongiosa of rats fed either a normal (hard) or a soft diet.

Methods

Forty six-month-old female Sprague–Dawley rats underwent trans-abdominal ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation (SHAM). Half of the animals received their food in the usual form of pellets (hard consistency), while the other half received a soft, porridge-like, isocaloric diet of identical composition (soft consistency). Micro-computed tomographic histomorphometry was used to evaluate the trabecular micro-architecture. A two-factor analysis of variance was used to test for effects and interaction of ovariectomy and/or soft diet.

Results

OVX had a significantly negative effect on the proximal tibia spongiosa (all parameters under study except trabecular thickness; p<0.001) and on the mandibular alveolar bone (trabecular number and spacing; p<0.05). Soft diet led to a further decrease of mandibular BV/TV (p<0.01), trabecular thickness (p<0.05) and number (p<0.05), as well as increase of separation (p<0.001). A significant interaction was observed between OVX and soft diet concerning the mandibular BV/TV, as well as trabecular thickness and spacing (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Normal (hard) diet limited significantly the negative effects of estrogen deficiency on mandibular alveolar bone micro-architecture four months after ovariectomy.     

Immunopathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis: an old wives' tale

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a cholestatic liver disease characterised by the autoimmune destruction of the small intrahepatic bile ducts. The disease has an unpredictable clinical course, but may progress to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Although medical treatment with urseodeoxycholic acid is largely successful, some patients may progress to liver failure requiring liver transplantation. PBC is characterised by the presence of disease specific anti-mitochondrial (AMA) antibodies, which are pathognomonic for PBC development. The disease demonstrates an overwhelming female preponderance and virtually all women with PBC present in middle age. The reasons for this are unknown; however several environmental and immunological factors may be involved. As the immune systems ages, it become less self tolerant, and mounts a weaker response to pathogens, possibly leading to cross reactivity or molecular mimicry. Some individuals display immunological changes which encourage the development of autoimmune disease. Risk factors implicated in PBC include recurrent urinary tract infection in females, as well as an increased prevalence of reproductive complications. These risk factors may work in concert with and possibly even accelerate, immune system ageing, contributing to PBC development. This review will examine the changes that occur in the immune system with ageing, paying particular attention to those changes which contribute to the development of autoimmune disease with increasing age. The review also discusses risk factors which may account for the increased female predominance of PBC, such as recurrent UTI and oestrogens.     

Identification of MiR-205 As a MicroRNA That Is Highly Expressed in Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cells

Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) support T cell development in the thymus. Cortical thymic epithelial cells (cTECs) facilitate positive selection of developing thymocytes whereas medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) facilitate the deletion of self-reactive thymocytes in order to prevent autoimmunity. The mTEC compartment is highly dynamic with continuous maturation and turnover, but the genetic regulation of these processes remains poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of TEC genetic programs since miRNA-deficient TECs are severely defective. However, the individual miRNAs important for TEC maintenance and function and their mechanisms of action remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that miR-205 is highly and preferentially expressed in mTECs during both thymic ontogeny and in the postnatal thymus. This distinct expression is suggestive of functional importance for TEC biology. Genetic ablation of miR-205 in TECs, however, neither revealed a role for miR-205 in TEC function during homeostatic conditions nor during recovery from thymic stress conditions. Thus, despite its distinct expression, miR-205 on its own is largely dispensable for mTEC biology.     

Evolutionary conserved role of ptf1a in the specification of exocrine pancreatic fates

We have characterized and mapped the zebrafish ptf1a gene, analyzed its embryonic expression, and studied its role in pancreas development. In situ hybridization experiments show that from the 12-somite stage to 48 hpf, ptf1a is dynamically expressed in the spinal cord, hindbrain, cerebellum, retina, and pancreas of zebrafish embryos. Within the endoderm, ptf1a is initially expressed at 32 hpf in the ventral portion of the pdx1 expression domain; ptf1a is expressed in a subset of cells located on the left side of the embryo posteriorly to the liver primordium and anteriorly to the endocrine islet that arises from the posterodorsal pancreatic anlage. Then the ptf1a expression domain buds giving rise to the anteroventral pancreatic anlage that grows posteriorly to eventually engulf the endocrine islet. By 72 hpf, ptf1a continues to be expressed in the exocrine compartment derived from the anteroventral anlage. Morpholino-induced ptf1a loss of function suppresses the expression of the exocrine markers, while the endocrine markers in the islet are unaffected. In mind bomb (mib) mutants, in which delta-mediated notch signalling is defective [Dev. Cell 4 (2003) 67], ptf1a is normally expressed. In addition, the slow-muscle-omitted (smu) mutants that lack expression of endocrine markers because of a defective hedgehog signalling [Curr. Biol. 11(2001) 1358] exhibit normal levels of ptf1a. This indicates that hedgehog signaling plays a different genetic role in the specification of the anteroventral (mostly exocrine) and posterodorsal (endocrine) pancreatic anlagen.     

Nitric oxide formation in the oropharyngeal tract: possible influence of cigarette smoking.

Cigarette smoking reduces the level of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air by an unknown mechanism. The view that part of the effect of cigarette smoking on NO production should occur in the oropharyngeal tract is supported by several studies. We have therefore compared smokers and non-smokers regarding non-enzymatic formation of NO from nitrite in the oral cavity since this is a primary candidate target for cigarette smoke. We have also looked at NO synthase-dependent NO formation in the mucosa of the oropharyngeal tract as an alternative target for the inhibitory effect induced by cigarette smoke. Smokers exhaled 67% lower levels of NO than controls (p<0.01, n=15 each group). We could not detect any significant difference in salivary nitrite, nitrate or ascorbate between smokers and non-smokers. Mouthwash with the antibacterial agent chlorhexidine reduced salivary nitrite (-65%) and exhaled NO levels (-10%) similarly in the two groups. Immunohistochemical techniques revealed dense expression of inducible (but not endothelial or neuronal) NO synthase in the squamous epithelium of non-inflamed tonsillar and gingival tissue biopsies. In the same biopsies, significant Ca2+ -independent citrulline-forming activity was detected. We found no difference between smoking and non-smoking subjects regarding NO-synthase expression and in vitro activity. In another group of non-smoking subjects (n=10), spraying the oropharyngeal tract with the NO-synthase inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (250 mg) significantly reduced exhaled NO levels for at least 30 min (-18%, p<0.01). Our data suggest that cigarette smoking does not affect non-enzymatic NO formation from nitrite in saliva. However, NO is also formed by inducible NO synthase in the squamous epithelium of the normal oropharyngeal tract. We suggest that cigarette smoking may down-regulate enzymatic NO formation in the oropharyngeal compartment as well as in the bronchial compartment.     

Partially Penetrant Postnatal Lethality of an Epithelial Specific MicroRNA in a Mouse Knockout

MicroRNAs are small noncoding RNAs thought to have pivotal roles in numerous diseases and developmental processes. However, a growing body of literature indicates that in vivo elimination of these tiny RNAs usually has little to no observable consequence, suggesting functional redundancy with other microRNAs or cellular pathways. We provide an in-depth analysis of miR-205 expression and define miR-205 as an epithelial-specific microRNA, and for the first time show that ablation of this microRNA knockout exhibits partially penetrant lethality in a constitutive mouse knockout model. Given the role of this microRNA in cancer and development, this mouse model will be an incredible reagent to study the function and mechanisms of miR-205 in epithelial tissue development and disease.