Fyn Kinase-Mediated PKCδ Y311 Phosphorylation Induces Dopaminergic Degeneration in Cell Culture and Animal Models: Implications for the Identification of a New Pharmacological Target for Parkinson's Disease

Oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and apoptosis are some of the key etiological factors responsible for dopamin(DA)ergic degeneration during Parkinson's disease (PD), yet the downstream molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegeneration are largely unknown. Recently, a genome-wide association study revealed the FYN gene to be associated with PD, suggesting that Fyn kinase could be a pharmacological target for PD. In this study, we report that Fyn-mediated PKCδ tyrosine (Y311) phosphorylation is a key event preceding its proteolytic activation in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of Parkinsonism. MPP+/MPTP induced Fyn kinase activation in N27 DAergic neuronal cells and the mouse substantia nigra. PKCδ-Y311 phosphorylation by activated Fyn initiates the apoptotic caspase-signaling cascade during DAergic degeneration. Pharmacological attenuation of Fyn activity protected DAergic neurons from MPP+-induced degeneration in primary mesencephalic neuronal cultures. We further employed Fyn wild-type and Fyn knockout (KO) mice to confirm whether Fyn is a valid pharmacological target of DAergic neurodegeneration. Primary mesencephalic neurons from Fyn KO mice were greatly protected from MPP+-induced DAergic cell death, neurite loss and DA reuptake loss. Furthermore, Fyn KO mice were significantly protected from MPTP-induced PKCδ-Y311 phosphorylation, behavioral deficits and nigral DAergic degeneration. This study thus unveils a mechanism by which Fyn regulates PKCδ's pro-apoptotic function and DAergic degeneration. Pharmacological inhibitors directed at Fyn activation could prove to be a novel therapeutic target in the delay or halting of selective DAergic degeneration during PD.

DEFICIENCY OF MYELOID PHD PROTEINS AGGRAVATES ATHEROGENESIS VIA MACROPHAGE APOPTOSIS AND PARACRINE FIBROTIC SIGNALING: Atherogenic effects of myeloid PHD knockdown

Aims

Atherosclerotic plaque hypoxia is detrimental for macrophage function. Prolyl hydroxylases (PHDs) initiate cellular hypoxic responses, possibly influencing macrophage function in plaque hypoxia. Thus, we aimed to elucidate the role of myeloid PHDs in atherosclerosis.

Methods and results

Myeloid-specific PHD knockout (PHDko) mice were obtained via bone marrow transplantation (PHD1ko, PHD3ko) or conditional knockdown through lysozyme M-driven Cre recombinase (PHD2cko). Mice were fed high cholesterol diet for 6–12 weeks to induce atherosclerosis. Aortic root plaque size was significantly augmented 2.6-fold in PHD2cko, and 1.4-fold in PHD3ko compared to controls but was unchanged in PHD1ko mice. Macrophage apoptosis was promoted in PHD2cko and PHD3ko mice in vitro and in vivo, via the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1α/BNIP3 axis. Bulk and single-cell RNA data of PHD2cko bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs) and plaque macrophages, respectively, showed enhanced HIF1α/BNIP3 signalling, which was validated in vitro by siRNA silencing. Human plaque BNIP3 mRNA was positively associated with plaque necrotic core size, suggesting similar pro-apoptotic effects in human. Furthermore, PHD2cko plaques displayed enhanced fibrosis, while macrophage collagen breakdown by matrix metalloproteinases, collagen production, and proliferation were unaltered. Instead, PHD2cko BMDMs enhanced fibroblast collagen secretion in a paracrine manner. In silico analysis of macrophage-fibroblast communication predicted SPP1 (osteopontin) signalling as regulator, which was corroborated by enhanced plaque SPP1 protein in vivo. Increased SPP1 mRNA expression upon PHD2cko was preferentially observed in foamy plaque macrophages expressing ‘triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2’ (TREM2hi) evidenced by single-cell RNA, but not in neutrophils. This confirmed enhanced fibrotic signalling by PHD2cko macrophages to fibroblasts, in vitro as well as in vivo.

Conclusion

Myeloid PHD2cko and PHD3ko enhanced atherosclerotic plaque growth and macrophage apoptosis, while PHD2cko macrophages further activated collagen secretion by fibroblasts in vitro, likely via paracrine SPP1 signalling through TREM2hi macrophages.

Down-regulation of MIAT suppresses osteosarcoma progression by acting as a ceRNA for miR-141-3p to regulate SIX1-mediated PI3K/AKT pathway

OBJECTIVE

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a frequent bone malignancy. Long non-coding RNA myocardial infarction associated transcript (MIAT) has been reported to be involved in the development of human cancers, including OS. However, the mechanism underlying MIAT in OS progression remains largely unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression levels of MIAT and sineoculis homeobox homolog 1 (SIX1) in OS tissues and cells were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Cell viability, apoptosis, migration and invasion of OS cells were determined by MTT, flow cytometry and trans-well assays, respectively. The target interaction among MIAT, miR-141-3p and SIX1 was analyzed by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assay. Phosphatidylinositide 3-kinases (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) pathway was evaluated by Western blot.

RESULTS

MIAT and SIX1 expression levels were enhanced in OS tissues and cells. Knockdown of MIAT or SIX1 repressed cell viability, migration and invasion but promoted apoptosis in OS cells. Moreover, overexpression of SIX1 reversed the inhibitive role of MIAT silence in OS progression. Furthermore, MIAT could increase SIX1 expression by competitively sponging miR-141-3p. Besides, inhibition of MIAT blocked PI3K/AKT pathway by decreasing SIX1 in OS cells.

CONCLUSIONS

MIAT silence suppresses OS progression through inactivating PI3K/AKT signaling by sponging miR-141-3p to regulate SIX1, indicating a novel target for the treatment of OS.

Long noncoding RNA UCA1 promotes proliferation and metastasis of thyroid cancer cells by sponging miR-497-3p

OBJECTIVE

Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted much attention for their roles in tumor progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the exact role of lncRNA UCA1 in the development of thyroid cancer (TC) and to explore the possible underlying mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

UCA1 expression in both TC cells and tissues was detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). Colony formation assay, cell proliferation, and transwell assay were conducted in vitro. Subsequent luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to investigate the underlying mechanism. Furthermore, the function of UCA1 in vivo was monitored as well.

RESULTS

UCA1 expression level in TC samples was significantly higher than that of corresponding normal tissues. After UCA1 was knocked down in vitro and in vivo, the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TC cells were significantly inhibited. Moreover, the expression of miR-497-3p was repressed after the knockdown of UCA1. Furthermore, miR-497-3p was directly targeted by UCA1.

CONCLUSIONS

Knockdown of UCA1 could inhibit TC cell proliferation and metastasis via sponging miR-497-3p. Our findings might offer a new therapeutic intervention for TC patients.

Kv1.3 modulates neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease

Characterization of the key cellular targets contributing to sustained microglial activation in neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD), and optimal modulation of these targets can provide potential treatments to halt disease progression. Here, we demonstrated that microglial Kv1.3, a voltage-gated potassium channel, was transcriptionally upregulated in response to aggregated α-synuclein (αSynAgg) stimulation in primary microglial cultures and animal models of PD, as well as in postmortem human PD brains. Patch-clamp electrophysiological studies confirmed that the observed Kv1.3 upregulation translated to increased Kv1.3 channel activity. The kinase Fyn, a risk factor for PD, modulated transcriptional upregulation and posttranslational modification of microglial Kv1.3. Multiple state-of-the-art analyses, including Duolink proximity ligation assay imaging, revealed that Fyn directly bound to Kv1.3 and posttranslationally modified its channel activity. Furthermore, we demonstrated the functional relevance of Kv1.3 in augmenting the neuroinflammatory response by using Kv1.3-KO primary microglia and the Kv1.3-specific small-molecule inhibitor PAP-1, thus highlighting the importance of Kv1.3 in neuroinflammation. Administration of PAP-1 significantly inhibited neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in multiple animal models of PD. Collectively, our results imply that Fyn-dependent regulation of Kv1.3 channels plays an obligatory role in accentuating the neuroinflammatory response in PD and identify Kv1.3 as a potential therapeutic target for PD.

Vertically stacked RGB LEDs with optimized distributed Bragg reflectors

The design and fabrication of a vertically stacked red-green-blue (RGB) light-emitting diode (LED) with novel, to the best of our knowledge, wavelength-selective distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) are demonstrated. The two DBRs are optimized to achieve selective reflectance in the RGB spectral region through theoretical calculations and simulation modeling. The insertion of optimal DBRs into the stack structure can effectively reflect downward emission from the upper chip without filtering the emission from the lower chips, thereby increasing the luminous efficiency for white emission with a color temperature range of 3000-8000 K by 1.6-7.4%. The optical performances of stacked devices with and without DBRs are thoroughly studied, verifying the effectiveness of the proposed wavelength-selective DBR structure.

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 contributes to the cisplatin resistance of tongue cancer through the KCNQ1OT1/miR-124-3p/TRIM14 axis

OBJECTIVE

Tongue cancer is a common malignant tumor in the oral and maxillofacial region, most of which is squamous cell carcinoma. Cisplatin (DDP) is one of the chemotherapy drugs for patients with tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). However, DDP resistance has become a major obstacle to its clinical application. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) on DDP resistance of tongue cancer and the underlying mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The levels of KCNQ1OT1, miR-124-3p, and tripartite motif containing 14 (TRIM14) were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). The maximum size of tumor (MTS) assay was used to detect the cell survival rates. Furthermore, the cell proliferation was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Transwell assay was performed to detect the cell migration and invasion. Western blot assay was used to detect the protein levels of Vimentin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and TRIM14. The functional targets of KCNQ1OT1 and miR-124-3p, miR-124-3p and TRIM14 were predicted by starBase 3.0 and TargetScan. The relationship between KCNQ1OT1 and miR-124-3p was confirmed by Dual-Luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) and RNA pull-down. Further, the relationship between miR-124-3p and TRIM14 was verified by Dual-Luciferase reporter assay. Animal experiment revealed the effect of KCNQ1OT1 on DDP resistance of tongue cancer cells in vivo.

RESULTS

KCNQ1OT1 was upregulated in DDP-resistant tongue cancer tissues and cells, and mainly expressed in cytoplasm. Functionally, the knockdown of KCNQ1OT1 inhibited the survival rate, proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT of the DDP-resistant tongue cancer cells. Of note, miR-124-3p acted as a target of KCNQ1OT1 and KCNQ1OT1 could reduce the expression of miR-124-3p. Moreover, miR-124-3p targeted TRIM14 and the downregulation of TRIM14 reduced the DDP resistance of tongue cancer cells. Importantly, KCNQ1OT1 regulated the TRIM14 expression by targeting miR-124-3p. Furthermore, KCNQ1OT1 knockdown reduced the DDP-resistant tumor growth and weight through the miR-124-3p/TRIM14 axis in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 promotes the DDP resistance of tongue cancer by sponging miR-124-3p to regulate TRIM14 expression.

Tissue tracking MR to evaluate left ventricular global myocardial deformation in patients with cardiac amyloidosis of transmural late gadolinium enhancement

Purpose

Cardiac amyloidosis (CA) is a major cause of mortality in patients with amyloidosis because it leads to heart failure and lethal arrhythmia. The present study was aimed to evaluate left ventricular (LV) global myocardial deformation in patients with CA of transmural late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) using tissue tracking MRI.

Materials and methods

Thirty-nine patients with CA, confirmed by cardiac MRI, and a biopsy of at least one involved organ were enrolled. According to LV ejection fraction (LVEF), they were divided into reduced LVEF (CArEF) and preserved EF (CApEF) groups. Thirty-nine normal controls were recruited (NC). Tissue tracking analysis was done based on cine MRI sequences. LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), and global radial strain (GRS) were computed.

Results

GLS [CArEF vs. CApEF vs. NC: (−5.82±2.42) % vs. (−8.44±4.15) % vs. (−14.74±2.93)%], GCS [CArEF vs. CApEF vs. NC: (−9.47±2.96) % vs. (−15.01±1.81) % vs. (−19.86±2.30) %], and GRS [CArEF vs. CApEF vs. NC: (11.37±4.68) % vs. (20.61±6.27) % vs. (39.02±8.98) %] were all reduced in the CArEF and CApEF groups compared with healthy control subjects (all P<0.01). GCS and GRS in the CArEF group were reduced compared with the CApEF group (P<0.01). GLS, GCS, and GRS were also strongly correlated with LVEF (r=−0.77, −0.88, and 0.83, respectively; P<0.01). Furthermore, the optimal cutoff values to predict LVEF reduction were −9.31% (sensitivity 88%, specificity 97%) for GLS, −14.13% (sensitivity 96%, specificity 97%) for GCS, and 20.11% (sensitivity 90%, specificity 97%) for GRS.

Conclusion

MRI-based LV global deformation parameters could be a useful method to assess LV myocardial systolic function and predict LVEF reduction in patients with CA of transmural enhancement on LGE. The differences of GCS and GRS between the CArEF and CApEF groups may also reflect preserved contractile function of the mid- or/and subepicardial myocardium.

Figure 1. LV deformation parameters

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: None

Effects of LncRNA KCNQ1OT1 on proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells by Wnt/β-catenin

OBJECTIVE

To explore the role of long noncoding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) KCNQ1OT1 in the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of ovarian cancer cells via Wnt/β-catenin.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ovarian cancer A2780 cells were divided into three groups, namely control group, KCNQ1OT1 overexpression group, and KCNQ1OT1 knockdown group. Next, the effect of KCNQ1OT1 on the proliferation of ovarian cancer A2780 cells was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Wound healing assay and transwell assay were carried out to determine the influence of KCNQ1OT1 on the migration ability of ovarian cancer A2780 cells. The role of KCNQ1OT1 in the cell cycle of ovarian cancer A2780 cells was detected via flow cytometry. The impact of KCNQ1OT1 on the expression level of β-catenin protein in ovarian cancer A2780 cells was determined through Western blotting and fluorescence immunoassay.

RESULTS

The proliferation rate of cells was overtly decreased in KCNQ1OT1 knockdown group but significantly increased in KCNQ1OT1 overexpression group. The results of both wound healing and transwell assays showed that the migration ability of cells was reduced in KCNQ1OT1 knockdown group but raised in KCNQ1OT1 overexpression group. According to flow cytometry, the cell cycle was clearly arrested in the G0/G1 phase in KCNQ1OT1 knockdown group. The results of Western blotting and fluorescence immunoassay revealed that compared with that in control group, the expression level of β-catenin protein evidently declined in KCNQ1OT1 knockdown group, but it was notably elevated in KCNQ1OT1 overexpression group.

CONCLUSIONS

Increased lncRNA KCNQ1OT1 in ovarian cancer cells promotes the expression of β-catenin, thereby facilitating the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiation Therapy Compared With Surgery and Radiofrequency Ablation in Two Patient Cohorts: Metastatic Liver Cancer and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

AIMS

To compare the cost-effectiveness of stereotactic ablative body radiation therapy (SABR) with radiofrequency ablation and surgery in adult patients with metastatic liver cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two patient cohorts were assessed: liver oligometastases and HCC. For each patient cohort, a decision analytic model was constructed to assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions over a 5-year horizon. A Markov process was embedded in the decision model to simulate the possible prognosis of cancer. Data on transition probabilities, survival, side-effects, quality of life and costs were obtained from published sources and the SABR Commissioning through Evaluation (CtE) scheme. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio with respect to quality-adjusted life-years. The robustness of the results was examined in a sensitivity analysis. Analyses were conducted from a National Health Service and Personal Social Services perspective.

RESULTS

In the base case analysis, which assumed that all three interventions were associated with the same cancer progression rates and mortality rates, SABR was the most cost-effective intervention for both patient cohorts. This conclusion was sensitive to the cancer progression rate, mortality rate and cost of interventions. Assuming a willingness-to-pay threshold of £20 000 per quality-adjusted life-year, the probability that SABR is cost-effective was 57% and 50% in liver oligometastases and HCC, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate a potential for SABR to be cost-effective for patients with liver oligometastases and HCC. This finding supports further investigation in clinical trials directly comparing SABR with surgery and radiofrequency ablation.

Blinded RT-QuIC Analysis of α-Synuclein Biomarker in Skin Tissue From Parkinson's Disease Patients

BACKGROUND

An unmet clinical need in Parkinson's disease (PD) is to identify biomarkers for diagnosis, preferably in peripherally accessible tissues such as skin. Immunohistochemical studies have detected pathological α-synuclein (αSyn) in skin biopsies from PD patients albeit sensitivity needs to be improved.

OBJECTIVE

Our study provides the ultrasensitive detection of pathological αSyn present in the skin of PD patients, and thus, pathological αSyn in skin could be a potential biomarker for PD.

METHODS

The real-time quaking-induced conversion assay was used to detect pathological αSyn present in human skin tissues. Further, we optimized this ultra-sensitive and specific assay for both frozen and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of skin tissues. We determined the seeding kinetics of the αSyn present in the skin from autopsied subjects consisting of frozen skin tissues from 25 PD and 25 controls and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections from 12 PD and 12 controls.

RESULTS

In a blinded study of skin tissues from autopsied subjects, we correctly identified 24/25 PD and 24/25 controls using frozen skin tissues (96% sensitivity and 96% specificity) compared to 9/12 PD and 10/12 controls using formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded skin sections (75% sensitivity and 83% specificity).

CONCLUSIONS

Our blinded study results clearly demonstrate the feasibility of using skin tissues for clinical diagnosis of PD by detecting pathological αSyn. Moreover, this peripheral biomarker discovery study may have broader translational value in detecting misfolded proteins in skin samples as a longitudinal progression marker. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Back pain from painful osteoporotic vertebral fractures: discrepancy between the actual fracture location and the location suggested by patient-reported pain or physical examination findings

Caution is necessary when using symptom or physical examination findings to localize the osteoporotic vertebral fractures (VFs) attributable to the discrepant colocalized relationship.

INTRODUCTION

Whether the location of symptoms or physical examination findings delineates the appropriate spinal range for imaging has not been thoroughly investigated for VFs. The present study aims to analyze the consistency between the fractural vertebrae location and the location suggested by patient-reported pain or physical examination findings.

METHODS

This observational study, following a prospective design, enrolled 358 patients with VFs. The locations of two symptoms (patient-reported back pain [P-RBP], radiating pain [RP]) and findings from two physical examinations (spinal palpation tenderness [SPT], axial spinal percussion pain [ASPP]) were used to locate the VF segments identified using whole-spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The percentage of agreements and kappa coefficient were calculated.

RESULTS

In 20.7% (74/358), the P-RBP site and VF segments were in the same location (kappa = 0.153); 21.2% (76/358) presented with concomitant RP in 93.4% (71/76) of whom the RP dermatome was colocalized with the VF segments (kappa = 0.924); 55.0% (197/358) and 23.2% (83/358) of patients presented with positive SPT and ASPP, respectively; and in 49.2% (97/197) and 96.4% (80/83) of patients with positive SPT (kappa = 0.435) and ASPP (kappa = 0.963), the positive finding and the VF segments were consistently colocalized.

CONCLUSIONS

The positive finding of RP or ASPP is useful in determining the spinal range for imaging tests, while an MRI scan covering the whole thoracic and lumbar spine is necessary in VF-suspected patients with P-RBP or positive SPT, indicating that caution is necessary when using symptoms or physical examination findings to localize VFs.

Knockdown of cadherin genes decreases susceptibility of Chilo suppressalis larvae to Bacillus thuringiensis produced Crystal toxins

The striped rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis Walker, is one of the most destructive rice pests in Asia. Insecticidal crystal proteins (Cry toxins) produced by Bacillus thuringiensis are widely used as biopesticides or in developing transgenic crops for pest management. In this study, we tested the involvement of two newly cloned C. suppressalis cadherins (CsCAD3 and CsCAD4) in the toxicity of Cry1Ab/Ac, Cry2Aa and Cry1Ca. Our results showed that CsCAD4 was expressed highest in the midgut, whereas CsCAD3 was expressed highest in the epidermis. The feeding of double-stranded RNA specific to CsCAD3 and CsCAD4 respectively significantly suppressed the expressions of target gene. The knockdown of CsCAD3 significantly reduced the mortality of larvae to Cry1Ab/Ac, whereas knockdown of CsCAD4 significantly decreased the larval susceptibility to Cry2Aa. In contrast, reduced expressions of CsCAD3 or CsCAD4 were not interacted with larval susceptibility to Cry1Ca. Our results suggest that CsCAD3 and CsCAD4 function in Cry toxin toxicity and these findings will help us to better understand the action mechanism of Cry toxins in C. suppressalis.

Mechanistic Interplay Between Autophagy and Apoptotic Signaling in Endosulfan-Induced Dopaminergic Neurotoxicity: Relevance to the Adverse Outcome Pathway in Pesticide Neurotoxicity

Chronic exposure to pesticides is implicated in the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previously, we showed that dieldrin induces dopaminergic neurotoxicity by activating a cascade of apoptotic signaling pathways in experimental models of PD. Here, we systematically investigated endosulfan's effect on the interplay between apoptosis and autophagy in dopaminergic neuronal cell models of PD. Exposing N27 dopaminergic neuronal cells to endosulfan rapidly induced autophagy, indicated by an increased number of autophagosomes and LC3-II accumulation. Prolonged endosulfan exposure (>9 h) triggered apoptotic signaling, including caspase-2 and -3 activation and protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) proteolytic activation, ultimately leading to cell death, thus demonstrating that autophagy precedes apoptosis during endosulfan neurotoxicity. Furthermore, inhibiting autophagy with wortmannin, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor, potentiated endosulfan-induced apoptosis, suggesting that autophagy is an early protective response against endosulfan. Additionally, Beclin-1, a major regulator of autophagy, was cleaved during the initiation of apoptotic cell death, and the cleavage was predominantly mediated by caspase-2. Also, caspase-2 and caspase-3 inhibitors effectively blocked endosulfan-induced apoptotic cell death. CRISPR/Cas9-based stable knockdown of PKCδ significantly attenuated endosulfan-induced caspase-3 activation, indicating that the kinase serves as a regulatory switch for apoptosis. Additional studies in primary mesencephalic neuronal cultures confirmed endosulfan's effect on autophagy and neuronal degeneration. Collectively, our results demonstrate that a functional interplay between autophagy and apoptosis dictate pesticide-induced neurodegenerative processes in dopaminergic neuronal cells. Our study provides insight into cell death mechanisms in environmentally linked neurodegenerative diseases.

Soft sensors for a sensing-actuation system with high bladder voiding efficiency

Sensing-actuation systems can assist a bladder with lost sensation and weak muscle control. Here, we advance the relevant technology by integrating a soft and thin capacitive sensor with a shape memory alloy-based actuator to achieve a high-performance closed-loop configuration. In our design, sensors capable of continuous bladder volume detection and actuators with strong emptying force have been used. This integration has previously hindered performance due to large bladder volume changes. Our solution integrates sensing-actuation elements that are bladder compatible but do not interfere with one another, achieving real-time bladder management. The system attains a highly desirable voiding target of 71 to 100% of a rat's bladder with a volume sensitivity of 0.7 μF/liter. Our system represents an efficient voiding solution that avoids overfilling and represents a technological solution to bladder impairment treatment, serving as a model for similar soft sensor-actuator integration with other organs.

Exosomes as Mediators of Chemical-Induced Toxicity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review provides information regarding how exosomes may contribute to environmental chemical-induced pathogenesis of chronic diseases. In connecting exosome biology to environmental toxicology and disease pathogenesis, we address vital questions regarding what constitutes exosomal cargo, how toxicants influence exosomal cargo, and how environmental stimuli influence exosomal physiological and pathological functions.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent studies in the field demonstrate that exosomal cargo changes depending on external stimuli, which has consequences for the microenvironment of recipient cells. Based on recent findings, it is evident that exosomal cargo comprises various biological molecules including proteins, nucleic acids, and lipid molecules. Misfolded proteins and miRNA are examples of exosomal cargo molecules that can be altered by toxicants, ultimately changing the microenvironment of recipient cells in ways that are conducive to pathological processes. It will be crucial to map out the key signaling pathways that toxicants target to modulate exosomal cargo and their release.

Utilization of the CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing System to Dissect Neuroinflammatory and Neuropharmacological Mechanisms in Parkinson's Disease

Chronic and debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), impose an immense medical, emotional, and economic burden on patients and society. Due to a complex interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors, the etiology of PD remains elusive. However, the cumulative evidence emerging from clinical and experimental research over the last several decades has identified mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and dysregulated protein degradation as the main drivers of PD neurodegeneration. The genome-editing system CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) has recently transformed the field of biotechnology and biomedical discovery and is poised to accelerate neurodegenerative disease research. It has been leveraged to generate PD animal models, such as Parkin, DJ-1, and PINK1 triple knockout miniature pigs. CRISPR has also allowed the deeper understanding of various PD gene interactions, as well as the identification of novel apoptotic pathways associated with neurodegenerative processes in PD. Furthermore, its application has been used to dissect neuroinflammatory pathways involved in PD pathogenesis, such as the PKCδ signaling pathway, as well as the roles of novel compensatory or protective pathways, such as Prokineticin-2 signaling. This review aims to highlight the historical milestones in the evolution of this technology and attempts to illustrate its transformative potential in unraveling disease mechanisms as well as in the development of innovative treatment strategies for PD. Graphical Abstract.

α-Synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion in the submandibular glands of Parkinson's disease patients

BACKGROUND

Identification of a peripheral biomarker is a major roadblock in the diagnosis of PD. Immunohistological identification of p-serine 129 α-synuclein in the submandibular gland tissues of PD patients has been recently reported.

OBJECTIVE

We report on a proof-of-principle study for using an ultra-sensitive and specific, real-time quaking-induced conversion assay to detect pathological α-synuclein in the submandibular gland tissues of PD patients.

METHODS

The α-synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion assay was used to detect and quantify pathological α-synuclein levels in PD, incidental Lewy body disease, and control submandibular gland tissues as well as in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections.

RESULTS

We determined the quantitative seeding kinetics of pathological α-synuclein present in submandibular gland tissues from autopsied subjects using the α-synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion assay. A total of 32 cases comprising 13 PD, 3 incidental Lewy body disease, and 16 controls showed 100% sensitivity and 94% specificity. Interestingly, both PD and incidental Lewy body disease tissues showed 100% concordance for elevated levels of pathological α-synuclein seeding activity compared to control tissues. End-point dilution kinetic analyses revealed that the submandibular gland had a wide dynamic range of pathological α-synuclein seeding activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results are the first to demonstrate the utility of using the real-time quaking-induced conversion assay on peripherally accessible submandibular gland tissues and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections to detect PD-related pathological changes with high sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, the detection of seeding activity from incidental Lewy body disease cases containing immunohistochemically undetected pathological α-synuclein demonstrates the α-synuclein real-time quaking-induced conversion assay's potential utility for identifying prodromal PD in submandibular gland tissues. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis of rabies immunization strategy based on dynamic-decision tree model]

Objective: To evaluate the cost-utility of different immunization strategies for rabies in China, and to provide a reference for determining the optimal immunization strategy. Methods: The system dynamics model was used to simulate the epidemic of canine rabies and a decision tree model was conducted to analysis different immune strategies. Relevant probabilities were obtained through literature search and on-site investigation. Sensitivity analysis was used to explore the important influenced factors. Results: At baseline, from a social perspective, 70% vaccination of dogs was the optimal strategy compared to current vaccination strategy (43% vaccination in dogs, human category-Ⅱ exposure vaccination/category-Ⅲ exposure vaccination combined with RIG). The total cost was 14 084 354 CNY, and the total utility value was 22 078 616.23 QALYs, and the incremental cost-utility ratio was-62 148 147 CNY/QALY; if human vaccination was considered, 55% vaccination of dogs combined with strategy one was the optimal strategy, its incremental cost-utility ratio was-444 620 557 CNY/QALY. The probability that an injured dog carries rabies virus was the most sensitive parameter. When it was greater than 0.005 03, strategy four was the optimal strategy. When it was less than 82/100 000, strategy one was the optimal strategy; when it was between 82/100 000 and 120/100 000, strategy two was the optimal strategy; when it was between 120/100 000 and 503/100 000, strategy two was the optimal strategy. Conclusion: It was conducive to increase the vaccination coverage of canine for the prevention and control of rabies.

PiggyBac-engineered T cells expressing a glypican-3-specific chimeric antigen receptor show potent activities against hepatocellular carcinoma

Glypican-3 (GPC3) is an attractive target for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, as it is overexpressed in most hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues but shows restricted expression in healthy adult tissues. Herein, we generated GPC3-specific CAR-T cells for HCC therapy by electroporation with plasmid DNA encoding the piggyBac (PB) transposon and the hyperactive piggyBac transposase simultaneously instead of by commonly-used viral vectors. Our results demonstrated that GPC3CAR gene was efficiently integrated into the genome of T cells utilizing the PB transposon system. Upon stimulation with GPC3 antigen, GPC3CAR-T cells could be effectively activated, proliferate strongly and secrete high levels of cytokines. It also was demonstrated that GPC3CAR-T cells displayed potent cytotoxicity against GPC3-positive HCC cell lines in vitro by using real-time cell analyser (RTCA) system and the JuLI™ Stage Cell History Recorder. More importantly, in a Huh-7 xenograft mouse model, GPC3CAR-T cells significantly reduced the tumour burden companied with the secretion of high levels of IFN-γ. Moreover, T cells in mice treated with GPC3CAR-T cells could infiltrate into tumour tissues and persist as effector memory T cells (TEM). Overall, our study suggests that the use of PB system-based GPC3CAR-T cell therapy could be a promising clinical strategy for patients with HCC.

MitoPark transgenic mouse model recapitulates the gastrointestinal dysfunction and gut-microbiome changes of Parkinson's disease

Gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances are one of the earliest symptoms affecting most patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). In many cases, these symptoms are observed years before motor impairments become apparent. Hence, the molecular and cellular underpinnings that contribute to this early GI dysfunction in PD have actively been explored using a relevant animal model. The MitoPark model is a chronic, progressive mouse model recapitulating several key pathophysiological aspects of PD. However, GI dysfunction and gut microbiome changes have not been categorized in this model. Herein, we show that decreased GI motility was one of the first non-motor symptoms to develop, evident as early as 8 weeks with significantly different transit times from 12 weeks onwards. These symptoms were observed well before motor symptoms developed, thereby paralleling PD progression in humans. At age 24 weeks, we observed increased colon transit time and reduced fecal water content, indicative of constipation. Intestinal inflammation was evidenced with increased expression of iNOS and TNFα in the small and large intestine. Specifically, iNOS was observed mainly in the enteric plexi, indicating enteric glial cell activation. A pronounced loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons occurred at 24 weeks both in the mid-brain region as well as the gut, leading to a corresponding decrease in dopamine (DA) production. We also observed decreased DARPP-32 expression in the colon, validating the loss of DAergic neurons in the gut. However, the total number of enteric neurons did not significantly differ between the two groups. Metabolomic gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of fecal samples showed increased sterol, glycerol, and tocopherol production in MitoPark mice compared to age-matched littermate controls at 20 weeks of age while 16 s microbiome sequencing showed a transient temporal increase in the genus Prevotella. Altogether, the data shed more light on the role of the gut dopaminergic system in maintaining intestinal health. Importantly, this model recapitulates the chronology and development of GI dysfunction along with other non-motor symptoms and can become an attractive translational animal model for pre-clinical assessment of the efficacy of new anti-Parkinsonian drugs that can alleviate GI dysfunction in PD.

Ultrasensitive Detection of Aggregated α-Synuclein in Glial Cells, Human Cerebrospinal Fluid, and Brain Tissue Using the RT-QuIC Assay: New High-Throughput Neuroimmune Biomarker Assay for Parkinsonian Disorders

Adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders, like Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), that share the accumulation of aggregated α-synuclein (αSynagg) as their hallmark molecular pathology are collectively known as α-synucleinopathies. Diagnosing α-synucleinopathies requires the post-mortem detection of αSynagg in various brain regions. Recent efforts to measure αSynagg in living patients include quantifying αSynagg in different biofluids as a biomarker for PD. We adopted the real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) assay to detect very low levels of αSynagg. We first optimized RT-QuIC for sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility by using monomeric recombinant human wild-type αSyn as a substrate and αSynagg as the seed. Next, we exposed mouse microglia to αSyn pre-formed fibrils (αSynPFF) for 24 h. RT-QuIC assay revealed that the αSynPFF is taken up rapidly by mouse microglia, within 30 min, and cleared within 24 h. We then evaluated the αSyn RT-QuIC assay for detecting αSynagg in human PD, DLB, and Alzheimer's disease (AD) post-mortem brain homogenates (BH) along with PD and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and then determined protein aggregation rate (PAR) for αSynagg. The PD and DLB BH samples not only showed significantly higher αSynagg PAR compared to age-matched healthy controls and AD, but RT-QuIC was also highly reproducible with 94% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Similarly, PD CSF samples demonstrated significantly higher αSynagg PAR compared to age-matched healthy controls, with 100% sensitivity and specificity. Overall, the RT-QuIC assay accurately detects αSynagg seeding activity, offering a potential tool for antemortem diagnosis of α-synucleinopathies and other protein-misfolding disorders. Graphical Abstract A schematic representation of αSyn RT-QuIC assay.

Enhanced differentiation of human dopaminergic neuronal cell model for preclinical translational research in Parkinson's disease

Human-derived neuronal cell lines are progressively being utilized in understanding neurobiology and preclinical translational research as they are biologically more relevant than rodent-derived cells lines. The Lund human mesencephalic (LUHMES) cell line comprises human neuronal cells that can be differentiated to post-mitotic neurons and is increasingly being used as an in vitro model for various neurodegenerative diseases. A previously published 2-step differentiation procedure leads to the generation of post-mitotic neurons within 5-days, but only a small proportion (10%) of the total cell population tests positive for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH). Here we report on a novel differentiation protocol that we optimized by using a cocktail of neurotrophic factors, pleiotropic cytokines, and antioxidants to effectively generate proportionately more dopaminergic neurons within the same time period. Visualization and quantification of TH-positive cells revealed that under our new protocol, 25% of the total cell population expressed markers of dopaminergic neurons with the TH-positive neuron count peaking on day 5. These neurons showed spontaneous electrical activity and responded to known Parkinsonian toxins as expected by showing decreased cell viability and dopamine uptake and a concomitant increase in apoptotic cell death. Together, our results outline an improved method for generating a higher proportion of dopaminergic neurons, thus making these cells an ideal neuronal culture model of Parkinson's disease (PD) for translational research.

Overexpression of TAFI promotes epithelial mesenchymal transition in endometriosis

OBJECTIVE

Endometriosis is a disease that occurs in women. Thrombin-activated fibrinolytic inhibitor (TAFI) is mainly secreted by stem cells and acts as a regulatory role in the body. Epithelial leaf transition plays a leading role in cell growth and invasion. Our study focuses on the mechanism of TAFI in patients with endometriosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The expression of TAFI was determined by immunohistochemistry. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) served to detect the expression of TAFI and the effect of TAFI on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) levels. The changes of primary cytology in patients with endometriosis were observed under a microscope. The cell source was further determined by immunofluorescence labeling of vimentin and cytokeratin, and the expression of TAFI was detected by Western-blot. 3-4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and cell invasion assay were utilized to detect the viability and aggressiveness of cells after epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT).

RESULTS

TAFI was overexpressed in endometriosis tissues and no expression of TAFI was found in normal tissues, which is consistent with RT-PCR results. TAFI overexpressed endometriosis patients had low levels of overall OS and PFS. There were statistically significant differences. Cell morphology shows that endometriosis primary cells are mainly composed of epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Immunofluorescence assay showed that vimentin and cytokeratin were expressed in cells, and the expression of TAFI was detected by Western-blot. Compared with normal tissues, TAFI was considerably higher in patients with endometriosis. The results of Western-blot and RT-PCR showed that the expression of TAFI was significantly increased in patients with endometriosis and the cell proliferation and cell invasion were significantly accelerated.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that TAFI is highly expressed in endometriosis and causes EMT, which accelerated the cell proliferation and cell invasion. Snail is an inhibitor of E-cadherin, which may participate in metastasis and invasion of endometriosis by mediating EMT. So, we suspect that Snail controls the occurrence of the EMT and then affects the cell metastasis and invasion, which requires further verification.

New findings of heparanase in human diseases

OBJECTIVE

This mini-review aims to discuss research works about heparanase published in 2017 and 2018 and provide a direction for therapy methods targeting heparanase.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The relevant data were searched by using keywords "heparanase", "function", "diseases" and "inhibitors" in "PubMed, "Web of Science" and "China Knowledge Resource Integrated databases (CNKI)", and a hand-search was done to acquire peer-reviewed articles and reports about heparanase.

RESULTS

Except for tumor progression, pathological processes including procoagulant activities, preeclamptic placentas, inflammation and so on are all verified to be associated with heparanase activity. Also, these newly-found functions are closely connected to certain cellular activities, including epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT).

CONCLUSIONS

It could be concluded that heparanase would be a potential and valuable therapeutic target.