Functional electrical stimulation cycling improves body composition, metabolic and neural factors in persons with spinal cord injury

Persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at a heightened risk of developing type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this investigation was to conduct an analysis of metabolic, body composition, and neurological factors before and after 10 weeks of functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling in persons with SCI. Eighteen individuals with SCI received FES cycling 2-3 times per week for 10 weeks. Body composition was analyzed by dual X-ray absorptiometry. The American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) neurological classification of SCI test battery was used to assess motor and sensory function. An oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) and insulin-response test was performed to assess blood glucose control. Additional metabolic variables including plasma cholesterol (total-C, HDL-C, LDL-C), triglyceride, and inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP) were also measured. Total FES cycling power and work done increased with training. Lean muscle mass also increased, whereas, bone and adipose mass did not change. The ASIA motor and sensory scores for the lower extremity significantly increased with training. Blood glucose and insulin levels were lower following the OGTT after 10 weeks of training. Triglyceride levels did not change following training. However, levels of IL-6, TNF-alpha, and CRP were all significantly reduced.

Two rare cases of methotrexate-induced pneumonitis and pleurisy in patients with gestational trophoblastic neoplasms

BACKGROUND

Pneumonitis is a serious and unpredictable side-effect of treatment with methotrexate (MTX) that may result in a life-threatening outcome. Pulmonary toxicity of methotrexate in patients with a gestational trophoblastic neoplasm (GTN) has rarely been reported before.

CASE REPORTS

For the first time two cases of methotrexate-induced pneumonitis and pleurisy in GTN patients of Chinese ethnicity are presented. Two patients were both categorized as the low-risk group, and underwent a single regimen therapy of methotrexate. Their symptoms, such as fever, chest pain, acute nonproductive cough, dyspnea and hypoxemia did not respond to antibiotics immediately. Treatment with corticosteroids may be helpful.

CONCLUSION

Awareness of pneumonitis and pleurisy, potentially life-threatening complications of MTX, is very necessary and important to early recognition and treatment.

Experimental study on genistein prevention and treatment of transplant arteriosclerosis in aortic transplants of rat

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to study the effects of genistein, a soy isoflavone, on transplant arteriosclerosis, in addition to its immunosuppressive and antioxidant properties.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed male Brown-Norway to male Lewis aortic transplantation. The recipients were randomly assigned to 3 groups: no treatment controls, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO; 5 mL/kg) solvent controls, and experimental group that received genistein (20 mg/kg/d) by daily intraperitoneal injection. On postoperative day 60, the graft was harvested and blood obtained. The transplanted aorta was analyzed by histology and immunohistochemistry. The serum was analyzed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS

Compared with the 2 controls, leukocyte recruitment to the graft was significantly inhibited by genistein, with a profound reduction in the number of CD69 macrophages infiltrating the adventitia of the transplanted aortas. Moreover, genistein significantly inhibited the expression of VEGF and IFN-gamma production (P < .01).

CONCLUSION

These results suggested that the protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein inhibited graft arteriosclerosis.

Administration-route and gender-independent long-term therapeutic correction of phenylketonuria (PKU) in a mouse model by recombinant adeno-associated virus 8 pseudotyped vector-mediated gene transfer

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of metabolism caused by deficiency of the hepatic enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) which leads to high blood phenylalanine (Phe) levels and consequent damage of the developing brain with severe mental retardation if left untreated in early infancy. The current dietary Phe restriction treatment has certain clinical limitations. To explore a long-term nondietary restriction treatment, a somatic gene transfer approach in a PKU mouse model (C57Bl/6-Pahenu2) was employed to examine its preclinical feasibility. A recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector containing the murine Pah-cDNA was generated, pseudotyped with capsids from AAV serotype 8, and delivered into the liver of PKU mice via single intraportal or tail vein injections. The blood Phe concentrations decreased to normal levels (< or =100 microM or 1.7 mg/dl) 2 weeks after vector application, independent of the sex of the PKU animals and the route of application. In particular, the therapeutic long-term correction in females was also dramatic, which had previously been shown to be difficult to achieve. Therapeutic ranges of Phe were accompanied by the phenotypic reversion from brown to black hair. In treated mice, PAH enzyme activity in whole liver extracts reversed to normal and neither hepatic toxicity nor immunogenicity was observed. In contrast, a lentiviral vector expressing the murine Pah-cDNA, delivered via intraportal vein injection into PKU mice, did not result in therapeutic levels of blood Phe. This study demonstrates the complete correction of hyperphenylalaninemia in both males and females with a rAAV serotype 8 vector. More importantly, the feasibility of a single intravenous injection may pave the way to develop a clinical gene therapy procedure for PKU patients.

Haploinsufficiency of the mSds3 chromatin regulator promotes chromosomal instability and cancer only upon complete neutralization of p53

The mSin3 corepressor complex has been linked to diverse cancer signaling pathways through its capacity to regulate target gene expression via chromatin modification. mSds3, a cell essential gene, is a key component of the mSin3 complex serving to maintain its inherent histone deacetylase activity. mSds3 also serves an essential role in the establishment of pericentric heterochromatin, and genetic ablation of mSds3 results in chromosome missegregation. In contrast, mSin3A nullizygous cells show normal chromosome dynamics and cytogenetic profiles. The integral role of mSds3 in controlling chromosome segregation and mSin3-regulated transcriptional networks prompted efforts to determine the neoplastic impact of loss of one copy of mSds3 or mSin3A. In particular, we assessed whether loss of one copy of mSds3, alone or in combination with p53 mutation, results in aneuploidy and promotes a cancer-prone condition in the mouse. We observe that, in a p53 null background, loss of one mSds3 allele results in accelerated tumor onset and increased tumor burden. Notably, these mSds3(+/-) p53(-/-) tumors exhibit a more complex cytogenetic profile characterized by marked aneuploidy and centromeric associations. The presence of even one copy of p53 is sufficient to suppress the accelerated tumorigenesis in mSds3(+/-) mice, consistent with a key role for p53 in monitoring mitotic fidelity. These observations with Sds3 mutant mice contrast with mSin3A(+/-) p53(-/-) mice, which do not show an accelerated or increased tumor incidence relative to mSin3A(+/+)p53(-/-) controls, correlating with the absence of aneuploidy detected upon mSin3A genetic inactivation. This genetic study establishes that the capacity of mSds3 to cooperate with p53 deficiency in cancer predisposition relates to its specific role in chromosome segregation, rather than its central role in maintaining a functional mSin3A complex.

Morphological study of the interaction between M21 melanoma and lymphatic endothelium

In order to study the interaction between melanoma and lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and to investigate the mechanism of lymphatic metastasis, M21 melanoma cells were seeded on the confluent LECs monolayer and the alterations of both cells were observed. The results showed that tumor cells could both adhere by pseudopodia to LECs at the site near the intercellular junction and on the apical surface. The adhesion of the melanoma cells induced the endothelial junction dissolution and endothelial retraction, which allowed the passage of the tumor cells through the opened gap and attached to the subendothelial matrix, then the tumor cells invaded and migrated under the LECs monolayer. These findings suggest that tumor cells could metastasize through the lymphatic vessel by destroying intercellular junctions or the LECs directly.

Overexpression of sorcin enhances cardiac contractility in vivo and in vitro

Sorcin (SOR), an EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein, interacts with the sarcolemmal proteins Annexin VII and L-type Ca(2+)-channel and with the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-release channel (ryanodine-receptor, RYR), and has been implicated to influence the intracellular Ca(2+)-homeostasis. The present study aimed at investigating the effects of increased SOR expression on force development and relaxation in virus transfected rat hearts and isolated cardiomyocytes. We generated an adenovirus encoding the SOR coding DNA with a separate cassette for green fluorescent protein (GFP) both driven by the CMV-promoter to induce SOR-overexpression (Ad.SOR.GFP). As control served an adenovirus carrying an empty cassette with a separate cassette for GFP also driven by CMV-promoters (Ad.GFP). Cardiomyocytes of healthy male rats were isolated, transfected and cultured for 48 h with Ad.SOR.GFP as well as Ad.GFP as control. In addition, Ad.SOR.GFP was injected into coronary arteries via a catheter-based technique and rat hearts were transfected in vivo for 12 days. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac function at 7 and 12 days before the animals were sacrificed. A 1.7-fold increase of the SOR protein amount in cultured myocytes treated with Ad.SOR.GFP compared to Ad.GFP-transfected cells indicated a successful overexpression of SOR. Cell-contracting experiments using infected cardiomyocytes (transfection: 48 h; frequency: 0.5 Hz) exhibited a significantly higher peak force of contraction (FOC) in the SOR-overexpression group (n = 64) vs. control (n = 21) (6.8% +/- 0.2% vs. 4.3% +/- 0.1%). Beta-adrenergic stimulation with forskolin resulted in similar increases in FOC. Echocardiography of in vivo transfected rat hearts exhibited enhanced fractional shortening (65.9 +/- 5.5% vs. 79.3 +/- 2.5%) and decreased end-systolic diameters indicating enhanced cardiac contractility. Gross morphology was similar in both groups after 14 days of transfection. These results strengthen the notion that overexpression of SOR improves cardiac contractility independent of beta-adrenergic stimulation and may prove beneficial in the treatment of decreased cardiac output such as heart failure.

VEGF165 and angiopoietin-1 decreased myocardium infarct size through phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and Bcl-2 pathways

Angiogenic growth factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) could decrease myocardial infarct size, which was assumed to be related with newly formed capillaries. We doubted that these capillaries could do this solely and the potential protective mechanisms of VEGF and Ang1 on myocardium need to be evaluated. Three types of adenoviruses encoding human VEGF(165) (Ad-VEGF(165)), human angiopoietin-1 (Ad-Ang1) and green fluorescent protein (Ad-GFP, as a parallel control) were constructed. Experiments were taken both in vitro and in vivo. As in vitro, the antiapoptosis effect of VEGF(165), Ang1 and VEGF(165)+Ang1 on cardiac myoblasts was observed, which seemed to be related with the activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and Bcl-2 pathways. As in vivo, adenoviruses were intramyocardially injected immediately after the ligation of the left anterior descending coronay arteries in rats. The results showed positive effect of VEGF(165), Ang1 and VEGF(165)+Ang1 on decreasing the myocardial infarct size at the 7th day. Myocardial PI-3K activity and Bcl-2 expression were elevated relatively at the 3rd day. The protective effect of VEGF(165) and Ang1 on the myocardium may broaden their functional research and contribute to their clinical use in the future.

A minimally invasive approach for efficient gene delivery to rodent hearts

Transcoronary gene delivery represents a desirable option to achieve global myocardial transgene expression but still requires aggressive surgical preparation in rodents. We therefore developed a catheter-based approach for cardiac gene transfer in the closed chest rat. A double-lumen balloon catheter was used to create aortic occlusion for specific infusion of adenoviral vectors carrying a beta-galactosidase transgene (1 x 10(11) PFU) into the coronaries. Simultaneously, venous return was obstructed by a second balloon catheter in the right atrium. To prolong viral incubation time, we induced a transient cardiac arrest (2 and 5 min) by a combination of acetylcholine and the beta-receptor antagonist, esmolol. At 72 h after transfection, the hearts showed a homogeneous and widespread beta-galactosidase expression, and the transduction efficiency increased and up to about 43% of cardiac myocytes (histochemistry) with a 400-fold increase of beta-galactosidase activity (luminescence assay) compared to sham-operated hearts. Pharmacological treatment aimed at increasing vascular permeability (SNAP and histamine) did not bring about synergistic effects on transfection efficiency. In addition, the method using high intracoronary pressure delivery (>300 mmHg) in a single-pass manner resulted in rather sparse beta-galactosidase expression in the myocardium (3-5% of cardiac myocytes). Therefore, the percutaneous gene delivery system described here provides a simple and minimally invasive procedure that represents a novel strategy for a homogeneous and highly efficient in vivo gene transfer to rodent hearts. Our results also suggest that prolongation of viral incubation time is an effective means for achieving highly efficient myocardial gene transduction.

Raman spectroscopy of selected arsenates--implications for soil remediation

The contamination of soils with heavy metals such as As, Cr and Cu is of great importance; the remediation of such soils even more so. Arsenic compounds are prevalent in soils either through leaching of mine tailings, the use of Cu/Cr/As as a wood preservative or through the use of arsenic in cattle dips. The arsenic compounds in soils and leachates can be highly reactive and mobile, resulting in the formation of metal arsenate compounds. Of these compounds, one such set of minerals that can be formed is the vivianite arsenate minerals. Raman spectroscopy has been used to characterise the vivianite arsenates and to identify arsenic contaminants in a soil.

Coxsackie-and-adenovirus receptor mRNA expression in human heart failure

BACKGROUND

Adenoviral vectors are widely used as gene-transfer vehicles in experimental and clinical studies. Since virus incorporation and transfection efficacy depend to a large extent on the concentration of the coxsackie-and-adenovirus (CAR) receptor on target cells the aim of this study was to quantify the CAR-receptor concentration in various human cardiomyopathies.

METHODS

After RNA isolation from myocardial biopsies obtained during surgical procedures, cDNA was generated by reverse transcription. The relative RNA content was analyzed by quantitative PCR using glyceraldehydes-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a standard reference. The cardiomyopathies (CM) analyzed were categorized according to their etiology in dilated CM (DCM, n = 28), ischemic CM (ICM, n = 52), CM in mitral valve disease (MVCM, n = 32) and aortic valve disease (AVCM, n = 32). Data were related to non-cardiomyopathic tissue from donor hearts (non-CM, n = 64).

RESULTS

Compared with non-CM hearts DCM showed a 34-fold (+/-5.4) increase in CAR mRNA concentration, in ICM CAR mRNA was elevated by a factor of 12 (+/-4.3), in MVCM by 27 (+/-7) and AVCM by factor 47 (+/-9.3) (ANOVA p < 0.001). Compared with the expression in rat hearts CAR levels were found to be similar to those in human ICM.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that cardiomyopathies associated with heart failure transcribe substantially higher levels - on average by a factor of 30 - of CAR-mRNA than non-failing control hearts. Myocardial gene transfer using adenoviral vectors should therefore be facilitated in human cardiomyopathies and may present a promising approach for therapeutic interventions.

Atomic-scale observation of temperature and pressure driven preroughening and roughening

Preroughening and roughening transitions are observed on the GaAs(001) surface using scanning tunneling microscopy. By tuning the substrate temperature or As4 pressure the surface morphology can be made free of islands, covered with one monolayer high islands or covered with islands on top of islands forming a wedding-cake-type structure. These three distinct surface morphologies are classified as ordered flat (OF), disordered flat (DOF), and rough within the restricted solid-on-solid model. Here, the DOF phase is macroscopically flat; however, an up-down-up-down step pattern persists across the entire surface. Using this model we have determined the next-nearest-neighbor interaction energy to be about 0.05 eV.

Molecular assembly in synthesised hydrotalcites of formula Cu(x)Zn(6 - x)Al2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O--a vibrational spectroscopic study

Infrared and Raman spectroscopy have been used to characterise synthetic hydrotalcites of formula Cu(x)Zn(6 - x)Al2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O. The spectra have been used to assess the molecular assembly of the cations in the hydrotalcite structure. The spectra may be conveniently subdivided into spectral features based (a) upon the carbonate anion (b) the hydroxyl units (c) water units. The Raman spectra of the hydroxyl-stretching region enable bands to be assigned to the CuOH, ZnOH and AlOH units. It is proposed that in the hydrotalcites with minimal cationic replacement that the cations are arranged in a regular array. For the Cu(x)Zn(6 - x)Al2(OH)16(CO3) x 4H2O hydrotalcites, spectroscopic evidence suggests that 'islands' of cations are formed in the structure. In a similar fashion, the bands assigned to the interlayer water suggest that the water molecules are also in a regular well-structured arrangement. Bands are assigned to the hydroxyl stretching vibrations of water. Three types of water are identified (a) water hydrogen bonded to the interlayer carbonate ion (b) water hydrogen bonded to the hydrotalcite hydroxyl surface and (c) interlamellar water. It is proposed that the water is highly structured in the hydrotalcite as it is hydrogen bonded to both the carbonate anion and the hydroxyl surface.

A gene therapy for cancer based on the angiogenesis inhibitor, vasostatin

The growth and persistence of solid tumors and their metastasis are angiogenesis-dependent. Vasostatin, the N-terminal domain of calreticulin inclusive of amino acids 1-180, is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor. To investigate whether intramuscular administration of vasostatin gene has the antitumor activity in mouse tumor models, we constructed a plasmid DNA encoding vasostatin and a control vector. Production and secretion of vasostatin protein by COS cells transfected with the plasmid DNA encoding vasostatin (pSecTag2B-vaso) were confirmed by Western blot analysis and ELISA. Conditioned medium from vasostatin-transfected COS cells apparently inhibited human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) and mouse endothelial cell (SVEC4-10) proliferation, compared with conditioned medium from the COS cells transfected with control vector or non-transfected cells. Treatment with pSecTag2B-vaso twice weekly for 4 weeks resulted in the inhibition of tumor growth and the prolongation of the survival of tumor-bearing mice. The sustained high level of vasostatin protein in serum could be identified in ELISA. Angiogenesis was apparently inhibited in tumor by immunohistochemical analysis. Angiogenesis was also inhibited in the chicken embryo CAM assay and mouse corneal micropocket assay. The increased apoptotic cells were found within the tumor tissues from the mice treated with plasmid DNA encoding vasostatin. Taken together, the data in the present study indicate that the cancer gene therapy by the intramuscular delivery of plasmid DNA encoding vasostatin, is effective in the inhibition of the systemic angiogenesis and tumor growth in murine models. The present findings also provide further evidence of the anti-tumor effects of the vasostatin, and may be of importance for the further exploration of the application of this molecule in the treatment of cancer.