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Leptin, Adiponectin, and Melatonin Modulate Colostrum Lymphocytes in Mothers with Obesity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032662. [PMID: 36768983 PMCID: PMC9917098 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy complicated by obesity is associated with adverse triggered gestational and neonatal outcomes, with reductions in the subtypes of CD4+ T-lymphocytes representing the modulators of inflammation. It needs to be better established how maternal nutritional statuses impact the neuroendocrine-immune system's action and affect the immunological mechanisms of the maternal-infant relationship via breastfeeding. This study examined the effects of maternal obesity on human colostrum lymphocytes and the intracellular mechanisms of lymphocyte modulation in the presence of leptin, adiponectin, and melatonin via cell proliferation; the release of intracellular calcium; and apoptosis induction. This cross-sectional study analyzed colostrum samples from 52 puerperal splits and divided them into overweight and eutrophic groups. Colostrum lymphocytes underwent immunophenotyping and cell proliferation by flow cytometry and intracellular calcium release and apoptosis assays by immunofluorescence in the presence or absence of hormones. Significant differences were considered when p < 0.05 by the chi-square or t-test. Maternal obesity reduced the population of T-lymphocytes and TCD4+ in human colostrum and proliferative activities (p < 0.05). These hormones restore lymphocyte proliferation to a level similar to the eutrophic group (p < 0.05). Leptin, adiponectin, melatonin hormones, and biological actions consolidated in the scientific literature also represent maternal and infant protection mechanisms via colostrum and the modulation of human colostrum lymphocytes.
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Devaraj V, Bose B. Morphological State Transition Dynamics in EGF-Induced Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition. J Clin Med 2019; 8:jcm8070911. [PMID: 31247884 PMCID: PMC6678216 DOI: 10.3390/jcm8070911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) is a multi-state process. Here, we investigated phenotypic state transition dynamics of Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF)-induced EMT in a breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-468. We have defined phenotypic states of these cells in terms of their morphologies and have shown that these cells have three distinct morphological states-cobble, spindle, and circular. The spindle and circular states are the migratory phenotypes. Using quantitative image analysis and mathematical modeling, we have deciphered state transition trajectories in different experimental conditions. This analysis shows that the phenotypic state transition during EGF-induced EMT in these cells is reversible, and depends upon the dose of EGF and level of phosphorylation of the EGF receptor (EGFR). The dominant reversible state transition trajectory in this system was cobble to circular to spindle to cobble. We have observed that there exists an ultrasensitive on/off switch involving phospho-EGFR that decides the transition of cells in and out of the circular state. In general, our observations can be explained by the conventional quasi-potential landscape model for phenotypic state transition. As an alternative to this model, we have proposed a simpler discretized energy-level model to explain the observed state transition dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vimalathithan Devaraj
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India
| | - Biplab Bose
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, India.
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Emerson JB, Adams RI, Román CMB, Brooks B, Coil DA, Dahlhausen K, Ganz HH, Hartmann EM, Hsu T, Justice NB, Paulino-Lima IG, Luongo JC, Lymperopoulou DS, Gomez-Silvan C, Rothschild-Mancinelli B, Balk M, Huttenhower C, Nocker A, Vaishampayan P, Rothschild LJ. Schrödinger's microbes: Tools for distinguishing the living from the dead in microbial ecosystems. MICROBIOME 2017; 5:86. [PMID: 28810907 PMCID: PMC5558654 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-017-0285-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 236] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
While often obvious for macroscopic organisms, determining whether a microbe is dead or alive is fraught with complications. Fields such as microbial ecology, environmental health, and medical microbiology each determine how best to assess which members of the microbial community are alive, according to their respective scientific and/or regulatory needs. Many of these fields have gone from studying communities on a bulk level to the fine-scale resolution of microbial populations within consortia. For example, advances in nucleic acid sequencing technologies and downstream bioinformatic analyses have allowed for high-resolution insight into microbial community composition and metabolic potential, yet we know very little about whether such community DNA sequences represent viable microorganisms. In this review, we describe a number of techniques, from microscopy- to molecular-based, that have been used to test for viability (live/dead determination) and/or activity in various contexts, including newer techniques that are compatible with or complementary to downstream nucleic acid sequencing. We describe the compatibility of these viability assessments with high-throughput quantification techniques, including flow cytometry and quantitative PCR (qPCR). Although bacterial viability-linked community characterizations are now feasible in many environments and thus are the focus of this critical review, further methods development is needed for complex environmental samples and to more fully capture the diversity of microbes (e.g., eukaryotic microbes and viruses) and metabolic states (e.g., spores) of microbes in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanne B. Emerson
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, 484 West 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
- Current Address: Department of Plant Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA USA
| | - Rachel I. Adams
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 111 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Clarisse M. Betancourt Román
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
| | - Brandon Brooks
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 111 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - David A. Coil
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Katherine Dahlhausen
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Holly H. Ganz
- Genome Center, University of California Davis, 451 Health Sciences Drive, Davis, CA 95616 USA
| | - Erica M. Hartmann
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403 USA
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 USA
| | - Tiffany Hsu
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Nicholas B. Justice
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, 955-512L, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Ivan G. Paulino-Lima
- Universities Space Research Association, NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop 239-20, Building 239, room 377, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 USA
| | - Julia C. Luongo
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder, 1111 Engineering Drive, 427 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 USA
| | - Despoina S. Lymperopoulou
- Department of Plant & Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 111 Koshland Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
| | - Cinta Gomez-Silvan
- Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, 1 Cyclotron Road, 955-512L, Berkeley, CA 94720 USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
| | | | - Melike Balk
- Department of Earth Sciences – Petrology, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.021, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Curtis Huttenhower
- Department of Biostatistics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Andreas Nocker
- IWW Water Centre, Moritzstrasse 26, 45476 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Parag Vaishampayan
- Biotechnology and Planetary Protection Group, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA USA
| | - Lynn J. Rothschild
- Planetary Sciences and Astrobiology, NASA Ames Research Center, Mail Stop 239-20, Building 239, room 361, Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 USA
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Honorio-França AC, Nunes GT, Fagundes DLG, de Marchi PGF, Fernandes RTDS, França JL, França-Botelho ADC, Moraes LCA, Varotti FDP, França EL. Intracellular calcium is a target of modulation of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells in the presence of IgA adsorbed to polyethylene glycol. Onco Targets Ther 2016; 9:617-26. [PMID: 26893571 PMCID: PMC4745958 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s99839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Clinical and epidemiological studies have indicated that breastfeeding has a protective effect on breast cancer risk. Protein-based drugs, including antibodies, are being developed to attain better forms of cancer therapy. Secretory IgA (SIgA) is the antibody class in human breast milk, and its activity can be linked to the protective effect of breastfeeding. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres with adsorbed SIgA on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. METHODS The PEG microspheres were characterized by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The MCF-7 cells were obtained from American Type Culture Collection. MCF-7 cells were pre-incubated for 24 hours with or without SIgA (100 ng/mL), PEG microspheres or SIgA adsorbed in PEG microspheres (100 ng/mL). Viability, intracellular calcium release, and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS Fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry analyses revealed that SIgA was able to adsorb to the PEG microspheres. The MCF-7 cells that were incubated with PEG microspheres with adsorbed SIgA showed decreased viability. MCF-7 cells that were incubated with SIgA or PEG microspheres with adsorbed SIgA had increased intracellular Ca(2+) levels. In the presence of SIgA, an increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells was observed. The highest apoptosis index was observed when the cells were treated with PEG microspheres with adsorbed SIgA. CONCLUSION These data suggest that colostral SIgA adsorbed to PEG microspheres has antitumor effects on human MCF-7 breast cancer cells and that the presence of large amounts of this protein in secreted breast milk may provide protection against breast tumors in women who breastfed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriel Triches Nunes
- Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | - Danny Laura Gomes Fagundes
- Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil
| | | | | | - Juliana Luzia França
- Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil; Institute of Health Sciences, University Center of Planalto de Araxá, Araxá, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Fernando de Pilla Varotti
- Campus Centro Oeste Dona Lindu - Federal University of São João Del Rei, Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Luzía França
- Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garças, Mato Grosso, Brazil; Campus Centro Oeste Dona Lindu - Federal University of São João Del Rei, Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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França EL, Honorio-França AC, Fernandes RTDS, Marins CMF, Pereira CCDS, Varotti FDP. The Effect of Melatonin Adsorbed to Polyethylene Glycol Microspheres on the Survival of MCF-7 Cells. Neuroimmunomodulation 2016; 23:27-32. [PMID: 26445481 DOI: 10.1159/000439277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2015] [Accepted: 08/06/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although melatonin exhibits oncostatic properties such as antiproliferative effects, the oral bioavailability of this hormone is less than 20%. Modified drug release systems have been used to improve the pharmacological efficiency of drugs. These systems can change the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the associated drugs. Thus, this study investigated the effect of melatonin adsorbed to polyethylene glycol (PEG) microspheres on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. The MCF-7 cells were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. MCF-7 cells were preincubated for 24 h with or without melatonin (100 ng/ml), PEG microspheres or melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres (100 ng/ml). Viability, intracellular calcium release and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells were determined by flow cytometry. MCF-7 cells incubated with melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres showed a lower viability rate (40.0 ± 8.3 with melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres compared to 54.1 ± 7.3 with melatonin; 81.8 ± 12.5 with PEG microsphere and 92.7 ± 4.1 with medium), increased spontaneous intracellular Ca2+ release (27.0 ± 8.6 with melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres compared to 21.5 ± 13.4 with melatonin; 10.1 ± 5.4 with PEG microsphere and 9.1 ± 5.6 with medium) and increased apoptosis index (51.2 ± 2.7 with melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres compared to 36.0 ± 2.1 with melatonin; 4.9 ± 0.5 with PEG microsphere and 3.1 ± 0.6 with medium). The results indicate that melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres exerts antitumor effects on human MCF-7 breast cancer cells. However, clinical tests must be performed to confirm the use of melatonin adsorbed to PEG microspheres as an alternative therapy against cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Luzía França
- Institute of Biological and Health Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso, Barra do Garx00E7;as, Brazil
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Wang Q, Chen J, Wang Y, Han X, Chen X. Hepatitis C virus induced a novel apoptosis-like death of pancreatic beta cells through a caspase 3-dependent pathway. PLoS One 2012; 7:e38522. [PMID: 22675572 PMCID: PMC3366942 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0038522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2011] [Accepted: 05/06/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested that Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with the development of type 2 diabetes. Pancreatic beta cell failure is central to the progression of type 2 diabetes. Using virus infection system, we investigate the influence of HCV infection on the fate of the insulinoma cell line, MIN6. Our experiments demonstrate that the HCV virion itself is indispensable and has a dose- and time-dependent cytopathic effect on the cells. HCV infection inhibits cell proliferation and induces death of MIN6 cells with apoptotic characteristics, including cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspase 3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and DNA fragmentation in the nucleus. However, the fact that HCV-infected cells exhibit a dilated, low-density nucleus with intact plasma and nuclear membrane indicates that a novel apoptosis-like death occurs. HCV infection also causes endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Further, HCV RNA replication was detected in MIN6 cells, although the infection efficiency is very low and no progeny virus particle generates. Taken together, our data suggest that HCV infection induces death of pancreatic beta cells through an ER stress-involved, caspase 3-dependent, special pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wang
- State Key Lab of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Science, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jizheng Chen
- State Key Lab of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yun Wang
- State Key Lab of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiao Han
- Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Science, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinwen Chen
- State Key Lab of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail:
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Chitu V, Yeung YG, Yu W, Nandi S, Stanley ER. Measurement of macrophage growth and differentiation. CURRENT PROTOCOLS IN IMMUNOLOGY 2011; Chapter 14:Unit 14.20.1-26. [PMID: 21400680 PMCID: PMC4184440 DOI: 10.1002/0471142735.im1420s92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
This unit provides protocols for measuring the abundance and growth of macrophage precursors in agar cultures and the proliferation of isolated mature macrophages in vitro, by either direct cell counting or by DNA measurement. Methods for the immunohistochemical identification of macrophages and the determination of their proliferative status in vivo by immunofluorescence are also included. It also describes methods for characterization of macrophage differentiation through the immunofluorescence analysis of cell-surface expression of CSF-1 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Chitu
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Yee-Guide Yeung
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Wenfeng Yu
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Sayan Nandi
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - E. Richard Stanley
- Department of Developmental and Molecular Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
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Soman G, Yang X, Jiang H, Giardina S, Vyas V, Mitra G, Yovandich J, Creekmore SP, Waldmann TA, Quiñones O, Alvord WG. MTS dye based colorimetric CTLL-2 cell proliferation assay for product release and stability monitoring of interleukin-15: assay qualification, standardization and statistical analysis. J Immunol Methods 2009; 348:83-94. [PMID: 19646987 PMCID: PMC2786060 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2009.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2009] [Revised: 06/10/2009] [Accepted: 07/21/2009] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A colorimetric cell proliferation assay using soluble tetrazolium salt [(CellTiter 96(R) Aqueous One Solution) cell proliferation reagent, containing the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt) and an electron coupling reagent phenazine ethosulfate], was optimized and qualified for quantitative determination of IL-15 dependent CTLL-2 cell proliferation activity. An in-house recombinant Human (rHu)IL-15 reference lot was standardized (IU/mg) against an international reference standard. Specificity of the assay for IL-15 was documented by illustrating the ability of neutralizing anti-IL-15 antibodies to block the product specific CTLL-2 cell proliferation and the lack of blocking effect with anti-IL-2 antibodies. Under the defined assay conditions, the linear dose-response concentration range was between 0.04 and 0.17ng/ml of the rHuIL-15 produced in-house and 0.5-3.0IU/ml for the international standard. Statistical analysis of the data was performed with the use of scripts written in the R Statistical Language and Environment utilizing a four-parameter logistic regression fit analysis procedure. The overall variation in the ED(50) values for the in-house reference standard from 55 independent estimates performed over the period of 1year was 12.3% of the average. Excellent intra-plate and within-day/inter-plate consistency was observed for all four parameter estimates in the model. Different preparations of rHuIL-15 showed excellent intra-plate consistency in the parameter estimates corresponding to the lower and upper asymptotes as well as to the 'slope' factor at the mid-point. The ED(50) values showed statistically significant differences for different lots and for control versus stressed samples. Three R-scripts improve data analysis capabilities allowing one to describe assay variations, to draw inferences between data sets from formal statistical tests, and to set up improved assay acceptance criteria based on comparability and consistency in the four parameters of the model. The assay is precise, accurate and robust and can be fully validated. Applications of the assay were established including process development support, release of the rHuIL-15 product for pre-clinical and clinical studies, and for monitoring storage stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gopalan Soman
- Department of Process Analytics, Biopharmaceutical Development Program, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., United States.
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Stakhov VL, Gubin SV, Maksimovich SV, Rebrikov DV, Savilova AM, Kochkina GA, Ozerskaya SM, Ivanushkina NE, Vorobyova EA. Microbial communities of ancient seeds derived from permanently frozen Pleistocene deposits. Microbiology (Reading) 2008. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026261708030156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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10
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Gilichinsky D, Rivkina E, Bakermans C, Shcherbakova V, Petrovskaya L, Ozerskaya S, Ivanushkina N, Kochkina G, Laurinavichuis K, Pecheritsina S, Fattakhova R, Tiedje JM. Biodiversity of cryopegs in permafrost. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2006; 53:117-28. [PMID: 16329934 DOI: 10.1016/j.femsec.2005.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2004] [Revised: 12/21/2004] [Accepted: 02/04/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
This study describes the biodiversity of the indigenous microbial community in the sodium-chloride water brines (cryopegs) derived from ancient marine sediments and sandwiched within permafrost 100-120,000 years ago after the Arctic Ocean regression. Cryopegs remain liquid at the in situ temperature of -9 to -11 degrees C and make up the only habitat on the Earth that is characterized by permanently subzero temperatures, high salinity, and the absence of external influence during geological time. From these cryopegs, anaerobic and aerobic, spore-less and spore-forming, halotolerant and halophilic, psychrophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria, mycelial fungi and yeast were isolated and their activity was detected below 0 degrees C.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Gilichinsky
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, 142290 Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russian Federation.
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Gilichinsky D, Rivkina E, Shcherbakova V, Laurinavichuis K, Tiedje J. Supercooled water brines within permafrost-an unknown ecological niche for microorganisms: a model for astrobiology. ASTROBIOLOGY 2003; 3:331-341. [PMID: 14577882 DOI: 10.1089/153110703769016424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This study describes brine lenses (cryopegs) found in Siberian permafrost derived from ancient marine sediment layers of the Arctic Ocean. The cryopegs were formed and isolated from sediment ~100,000-120,000 years ago. They remain liquid at the in situ temperature of -10 degrees C as a result of their high salt content (170-300 g/L). [(14)C] Glucose is taken up by the cryopeg biomass at -15 degrees C, indicating microbial metabolism at low temperatures in this habitat. Furthermore, aerobic, anaerobic heterotrophs, sulfate reducers, acetogens, and methanogens were detected by most probable number analysis. Two psychrophilic microbes were isolated from the cryopegs, a Clostridium and a Psychrobacter. The closest relatives of each were previously isolated from Antarctica. The cryopeg econiche might serve as a model for extraterrestrial life, and hence is of particular interest to astrobiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Gilichinsky
- Institute of Physicochemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, Russia.
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Jones LJ, Gray M, Yue ST, Haugland RP, Singer VL. Sensitive determination of cell number using the CyQUANT cell proliferation assay. J Immunol Methods 2001; 254:85-98. [PMID: 11406155 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1759(01)00404-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
We describe here the development and characterization of the CyQUANT cell proliferation assay, a highly sensitive, fluorescence-based microplate assay for determining numbers of cultured cells. The assay employs CyQUANT GR dye, which produces a large fluorescence enhancement upon binding to cellular nucleic acids that can be measured using standard fluorescein excitation and emission wavelengths. The fluorescence emission of the dye-nucleic acid complexes correlated linearly with cell number over a large range using a wide variety of cell types. Under the recommended assay conditions, standard curves were linear (r(2)>0.995), detecting as few as 10-50 cells and as many as 25,000-50,000 cells with a single dye concentration, depending on cell type. Increasing the dye concentration extended the linear range of the assay to 100,000-250,000 cells. Results of cell proliferation and growth inhibition studies with the assay were similar to those obtained in published studies using other standard assays. CyQUANT assay measurements of serum-stimulated cell proliferation correlated well with measurements made using [3H]-thymidine. Also, the assay was used to analyze cellular DNA or RNA content, with the addition of a nuclease digestion step to the protocol. The assay procedure is simple and convenient, with no wash steps, and is readily amenable to automation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Jones
- Molecular Probes, Inc., 4849 Pitchford Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402, USA.
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13
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Eun HC, Suh DH. Comprehensive outlook of in vitro tests for assessing skin irritancy as alternatives to Draize tests. J Dermatol Sci 2000; 24:77-91. [PMID: 11064242 DOI: 10.1016/s0923-1811(00)00093-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In vitro alternative methods have been verified for the possibility to assess cutaneous irritancy because humans cannot be direct initial experimental subjects and animal experimentation could be forbidden in the near future. Many kinds of cell cytotoxicity assays have been tried, revealing their own advantages and limitations. Cell function-based tests have been used less frequently than cytotoxicity assays. Three-dimensional culture systems are promising because they are closer to the actual in vivo skin, and some of them are commercialized nowadays. The ultimate objective of in vitro irritancy tests, which is the high degree of correlation with human in vivo test results, has been accomplished in many experimental settings. Before applying these in vitro methods we must consider several points, including cell sources, irritant characteristics, exposure time, endpoint of experiment, extrinsic factors affecting irritation, etc. In vitro skin irritancy tests have been developed continuously, and in the future they could assume a heavy responsibility of estimating the irritancy in human skin in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- H C Eun
- Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 28 Yongon-dong, Chongno-gu, 110-744, Seoul, South Korea.
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Rivkina EM, Friedmann EI, McKay CP, Gilichinsky DA. Metabolic activity of permafrost bacteria below the freezing point. Appl Environ Microbiol 2000; 66:3230-3. [PMID: 10919774 PMCID: PMC92138 DOI: 10.1128/aem.66.8.3230-3233.2000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic activity was measured in the laboratory at temperatures between 5 and -20 degrees C on the basis of incorporation of (14)C-labeled acetate into lipids by samples of a natural population of bacteria from Siberian permafrost (permanently frozen soil). Incorporation followed a sigmoidal pattern similar to growth curves. At all temperatures, the log phase was followed, within 200 to 350 days, by a stationary phase, which was monitored until the 550th day of activity. The minimum doubling times ranged from 1 day (5 degrees C) to 20 days (-10 degrees C) to ca. 160 days (-20 degrees C). The curves reached the stationary phase at different levels, depending on the incubation temperature. We suggest that the stationary phase, which is generally considered to be reached when the availability of nutrients becomes limiting, was brought on under our conditions by the formation of diffusion barriers in the thin layers of unfrozen water known to be present in permafrost soils, the thickness of which depends on temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Rivkina
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee 32306-1100, USA
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Blaheta RA, Kronenberger B, Woitaschek D, Weber S, Scholz M, Schuldes H, Encke A, Markus BH. Development of an ultrasensitive in vitro assay to monitor growth of primary cell cultures with reduced mitotic activity. J Immunol Methods 1998; 211:159-69. [PMID: 9617840 DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1759(97)00202-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Primary cell cultures, such as isolated epithelial cells, neuronal cells, or hepatocytes are characterized by a very low mitotic activity. Monitoring of small changes in cell numbers requires staining with a DNA-specific dye with an extremely high sensitivity and a low inter- and intraassay variability. For this purpose, an ultrasensitive in vitro assay has been developed based on the fluorescent nucleic acid stain PicoGreen. PicoGreen has been shown to detect as little as 0.5 ng pure DNA or 10(2) cells (interassay SD < 10%, intraassay SD < 5%). This is far above the limit of sensitivity of conventional fluorochromes, such as Hoechst 33342 or propidium iodide. To obtain optimum efficacy of PicoGreen, cells were digested with papain for 20 h at 60 degrees C prior to staining. Under these conditions, the slope factor was calculated to be 0.105 relative fluorescence units (RFU)/cell, which is far superior to the slope factor of Hoechst 33342 (0.0137 RFU/cell) or propidium iodide (0.0077 RFU/cell). Analysis of the blank values revealed a very low autofluorescence of PicoGreen, which is only 1/50th of the autofluorescence of Hoechst 33342 and 1/5th of the autofluorescence of propidium iodide. Additional coating of the culture plates with extracellular matrix proteins to prevent cellular dedifferentiation did not influence the high sensitivity of PicoGreen. In conclusion, the PicoGreen-assay seems to be the method of choice when the growth capacity of primary cell cultures needs to be analyzed with high accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Blaheta
- Department of General Surgery, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
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Dunzendorfer S, Rothbucher D, Schratzberger P, Reinisch N, Kähler CM, Wiedermann CJ. Mevalonate-dependent inhibition of transendothelial migration and chemotaxis of human peripheral blood neutrophils by pravastatin. Circ Res 1997; 81:963-9. [PMID: 9400376 DOI: 10.1161/01.res.81.6.963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Pravastatin, a hydrophilic inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase, has been reported to beneficially affect atherogenesis, plaque stability, and transient myocardial ischemia in significant coronary artery disease by influencing lipid metabolism and by intracellular signaling via mevalonate pathway products other than cholesterol. Leukocytes are implicated to play a pathophysiological role in these events. We were interested in finding out whether pravastatin could affect transendothelial migration (TEM), chemotaxis, and respiratory burst activity of the neutrophil ex vivo. In addition, effects on monocyte and T-lymphocyte chemotaxis were tested. For TEM assays, monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were grown to confluence on polycarbonate filters bearing 5-microns pores in Transwell (Costar) culture plate inserts. Chemotaxis experiments were performed using modified Boyden chambers with cellulose nitrate micropore filters. Respiratory burst activity was measured fluorometrically. Treatment of neutrophils and monocytes with pravastatin at 2 to 200 mumol/L and 10 to 1000 mumol/L, respectively, significantly decreased chemotaxis triggered by fMet-Leu-Phe. This effect was abolished in the presence of mevalonic acid (500 mumol/L); no effect of pravastatin was seen on T-lymphocyte chemotaxis triggered by interleukin-8. Preincubation of neutrophils with pravastatin (200 mumol/L) also resulted in a significant reduction in the number of neutrophils that transmigrated a tumor necrosis factor-stimulated or lipopolysaccharide-stimulated HUVEC monolayer. At none of the concentrations tested (2 pmol/L to 200 mumol/L) did pravastatin affect neutrophil respiratory burst activity. We conclude that pravastatin may alter monocyte chemotaxis and neutrophil-endothelial interactions in migratory responses at concentrations obtained in vivo with cholesterol-lowering doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Dunzendorfer
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Austria
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Gohla A, Eckert K, Maurer HR. A rapid and sensitive fluorometric screening assay using YO-PRO-1 to quantify tumour cell invasion through Matrigel. Clin Exp Metastasis 1996; 14:451-8. [PMID: 8871539 DOI: 10.1007/bf00128961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
A new quantitative assay for the study of tumour cell invasion in vitro is described. Employing the novel fluorescent dye YO-PRO-1, cells that penetrate Matrigel-coated transwells are counted on the basis of dye-bound cellular nucleic acid content. Following transmigration, the cells in the lower compartments are lysed by freezing in water. After a brief incubation with YO-PRO-1, nucleic acid or DNA content is measured as fluorescence intensity in 96-well microplates and quantitated by a cell- or DNA-calibration curve. Using standard curves, a linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and cell number was found in the range tested (from 100 to 80 000 cells). The mean relative intra- and inter-assay variability of the cell quantitation in this range was 3.5 and 4.2%, respectively. When applied to Matrigel invasion studies, as few as 400 cells could be counted. The quantitation could be performed within 3 h. HCT 116, MDA MB 231 and HT 29 cells were investigated as examples of tumour cells with different invasive abilities in the 48-h Matrigel invasion assay. Using YO-PRO-1, 6.5 +/- 0.6% invasive HCT 116 cells and 52.6 +/- 4.5% MDA MB 231 cells (percentage of the inoculated cell population) were measured. HT 29 cells were practically non-invasive. These results were confirmed by visual scoring of DAPI-stained nuclei. In conclusion, the main advantages of the assay are its sensitive, reproducible and rapid quantitation of tumour cell invasion in vitro and the applicability to extended sample numbers by measuring in 96-well microplates.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Gohla
- Institut für Pharmazie der Freien Universität Berlin, Germany
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