Immunohistochemistry in the evaluation of neovascularization in tumor xenografts

Angiogenesis, or neovascularization, is known to play an important role in the neoplastic progression leading to metastasis. CD31 or Factor VIII-related antigen (F VIII RAg) immunohistochemistry is widely used in experimental studies for quantifying tumor neovascularization in immunocompromised animal models implanted with transformed human cell lines. Quantification, however, can be affected by variations in the methodology used to measure vascularization including antibody selection, antigen retrieval (AR) pretreatment, and evaluation techniques. To examine this further, we investigated the microvessel density (MVD) and the intensity of microvascular staining among five different human tumor xenografts and a mouse syngeneic tumor using anti-CD31 and F VIII RAg immunohistochemical staining. Different AR methods also were evaluated. Maximal retrieval of CD31 was achieved using 0.5 M Tris (pH 10) buffer, while maximum retrieval of F VIII RAg was achieved using 0.05% pepsin treatment of tissue sections. For each optimized retrieval condition, anti-CD31 highlighted small vessels better than F VIII RAg. Furthermore, the MVD of CD31 was significantly greater than that of F VIII RAg decorated vessels (p<0.001). The choice of antibody and AR method has a significant affect on immunohistochemical findings when studying angiogenesis. One also must use caution when comparing studies in the literature that use different techniques and reagents.     

Chemical magnetoreception: bird cryptochrome 1a is excited by blue light and forms long-lived radical-pairs

Cryptochromes (Cry) have been suggested to form the basis of light-dependent magnetic compass orientation in birds. However, to function as magnetic compass sensors, the cryptochromes of migratory birds must possess a number of key biophysical characteristics. Most importantly, absorption of blue light must produce radical pairs with lifetimes longer than about a microsecond. Cryptochrome 1a (gwCry1a) and the photolyase-homology-region of Cry1 (gwCry1-PHR) from the migratory garden warbler were recombinantly expressed and purified from a baculovirus/Sf9 cell expression system. Transient absorption measurements show that these flavoproteins are indeed excited by light in the blue spectral range leading to the formation of radicals with millisecond lifetimes. These biophysical characteristics suggest that gwCry1a is ideally suited as a primary light-mediated, radical-pair-based magnetic compass receptor.     

Caspase-mediated cleavage of the exosome subunit PM/Scl-75 during apoptosis

Recent studies have implicated the dying cell as a potential reservoir of modified autoantigens that might initiate and drive systemic autoimmunity in susceptible hosts. A number of subunits of the exosome, a complex of 3'→5' exoribonucleases that functions in a variety of cellular processes, are recognized by the so-called anti-PM/Scl autoantibodies, found predominantly in patients suffering from an overlap syndrome of myositis and scleroderma. Here we show that one of these subunits, PM/Scl-75, is cleaved during apoptosis. PM/Scl-75 cleavage is inhibited by several different caspase inhibitors. The analysis of PM/Scl-75 cleavage by recombinant caspase proteins shows that PM/Scl-75 is efficiently cleaved by caspase-1, to a smaller extent by caspase-8, and relatively inefficiently by caspase-3 and caspase-7. Cleavage of the PM/Scl-75 protein occurs in the C-terminal part of the protein at Asp369 (IILD³⁶⁹↓G), and at least a fraction of the resulting N-terminal fragments of PM/Scl-75 remains associated with the exosome. Finally, the implications of PM/Scl-75 cleavage for exosome function and the generation of anti-PM/Scl-75 autoantibodies are discussed.     

Dietary input of microbes and host genetic variation shape among-population differences in stickleback gut microbiota

To explain differences in gut microbial communities we must determine how processes regulating microbial community assembly (colonization, persistence) differ among hosts and affect microbiota composition. We surveyed the gut microbiota of threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from 10 geographically clustered populations and sequenced environmental samples to track potential colonizing microbes and quantify the effects of host environment and genotype. Gut microbiota composition and diversity varied among populations. These among-population differences were associated with multiple covarying ecological variables: habitat type (lake, stream, estuary), lake geomorphology and food- (but not water-) associated microbiota. Fish genotype also covaried with gut microbiota composition; more genetically divergent populations exhibited more divergent gut microbiota. Our results suggest that population level differences in stickleback gut microbiota may depend more on internal sorting processes (host genotype) than on colonization processes (transient environmental effects).     

Sarcolemmal Repair Is a Slow Process and Includes EHD2

Skeletal muscle is continually subjected to microinjuries that must be repaired to maintain structure and function. Fluorescent dye influx after laser injury of muscle fibers is a commonly used assay to study membrane repair. This approach reveals that initial resealing only takes a few seconds. However, by this method the process of membrane repair can only be studied in part and is therefore poorly understood. We investigated membrane repair by visualizing endogenous and GFP-tagged repair proteins after laser wounding. We demonstrate that membrane repair and remodeling after injury is not a quick event but requires more than 20 min. The endogenous repair protein dysferlin becomes visible at the injury site after 20 seconds but accumulates further for at least 30 min. Annexin A1 and F-actin are also enriched at the wounding area. We identified a new participant in the membrane repair process, the ATPase EHD2. We show, that EHD2, but not EHD1 or mutant EHD2, accumulates at the site of injury in human myotubes and at a peculiar structure that develops during membrane remodeling, the repair dome. In conclusion, we established an approach to visualize membrane repair that allows a new understanding of the spatial and temporal events involved.     

Issues in using whole slide imaging for diagnostic pathology: “routine” stains,immunohistochemistry and predictive markers

The traditional microscope, together with the “routine” hematoxylin and eosin (H & E) stain, remains the “gold standard” for diagnosis of cancer and other diseases; remarkably, it and the majority of associated biological stains are more than 150 years old. Immunohistochemistry has added to the repertoire of “stains” available. Because of the need for specific identification and even measurement of “biomarkers,” immunohistochemistry has increased the demand for consistency of performance and interpretation of staining results. Rapid advances in the capabilities of digital imaging hardware and software now offer a realistic route to improved reproducibility, accuracy and quantification by utilizing whole slide digital images for diagnosis, education and research. There also are potential efficiencies in work flow and the promise of powerful new analytical methods; however, there also are challenges with respect to validation of the quality and fidelity of digital images, including the standard H & E stain, so that diagnostic performance by pathologists is not compromised when they rely on whole slide images instead of traditional stained tissues on glass slides.     

Gene structure,transcripts and calciotropic effects of the PTH family of peptides in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Xenopus</Emphasis> and chicken

Background  

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) belong to a family of endocrine factors that share a highly conserved N-terminal region (amino acids 1-34) and play key roles in calcium homeostasis, bone formation and skeletal development. Recently, PTH-like peptide (PTH-L) was identified in teleost fish raising questions about the evolution of these proteins. Although PTH and PTHrP have been intensively studied in mammals their function in other vertebrates is poorly documented. Amphibians and birds occupy unique phylogenetic positions, the former at the transition of aquatic to terrestrial life and the latter at the transition to homeothermy. Moreover, both organisms have characteristics indicative of a complex system in calcium regulation. This study investigated PTH family evolution in vertebrates with special emphasis on Xenopus and chicken.     

Morphological and molecular characterization of populations of plains bristlegrass (<i>Setaria macrostachya</i> Kunth) in Chihuahua,México

Plains bristlegrass (Setaria macrostachya Kunth) is a native grass with forage value. However, due to the lack of grazing management practices, populations and thus genetic diversity, have been reduced. Morphological and genetic variability were analyzed on 44 populations of plains bristlegrass in the State of Chihuahua. Plants were transplanted in a common area under natural conditions. Two years later, morphological characterization was evaluated measuring nine variables, and genetic variability using AFLP molecular markers. The principal components analysis (PC) showed that the three first principal components explained 73.74% of the variation. The variables with the greatest contribution to the variance in PC1 were plant height and inflorescence length; in CP2, tiller number and leaf width; and in PC3, tiller thickness. Application of four pairs of primers, presented 186 total bands, from which 87.10% showed polymorphism and 12.90% monomorphism. The combination of EcoRI-AGG MseI-CAG primers detected the highest percentage (93%) of polymorphism with 40 polymorphic bands. The cluster analysis and Dice coefficient indicated that populations clump into two groups. The wide genetic variability and morphological characteristics detected among populations represent the basis for the selection of populations that could be used with different purposes in the rehabilitation of ecosystems. In addition, this study will allow establishment of in situ conservation strategies.     

Shigella flexneri Spa15 crystal structure verified in solution by double electron electron resonance

Shigella flexneri Spa15 is a chaperone of the type 3 secretion system, which binds a number of effectors to ensure their stabilization prior to secretion. One of these effectors is IpgB1, a mimic of the human Ras-like Rho guanosine triphosphatase RhoG. In this study, Spa15 alone and in complex with IpgB1 has been studied by double electron electron resonance, an experiment that gives distance information showing the spacial separation of attached spin labels. This distance is explained by determining the crystal structure of the spin-labeled Spa15 where labels are seen to be buried in hydrophobic pockets. The double electron electron resonance experiment on the Spa15 complex with IpgB1 shows that IpgB1 does not bind Spa15 in the same way as is seen in the homologous Salmonella sp. chaperone:effector complex InvB:SipA.