Calcium Receptor and Nitric Oxide Synthase Expression in Circular Muscle of Lower Esophagus from Patients with Achalasia

Inflammatory Diseases Among Norwegian LRRK2 Mutation Carriers. A 15-Years Follow-Up of a Cohort

The first families with LRRK2 related Parkinson’s disease (PD) were presented around 15 years ago and numerous papers have described the characteristics of the LRRK2 phenotype. The prevalence of autosomal dominant PD varies around the world mainly depending on local founder effects. The highest prevalence of LRRK2 G2019S PD in Norway is located to the central part of the country and most families could be traced back to common ancestors. The typical Norwegian LRRK2 phenotype is not different from classical PD and similar to that seen in most other LRRK2 families. The discovery of LRRK2 PD has allowed us to follow-up multi-incident families and to study their phenotype longitudinally. In the Norwegian LRRK2 families there has been a significantly higher incidence of inflammatory diseases like multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis that seen in other PD populations. Recent studies in LRRK2 mechanisms have indicated that this protein may be crucial in initiating disease processes. In this short survey of 100 Norwegian mutation carriers followed through more than 15 years are presented. The prevalence of inflammatory diseases among these cases is highlighted. The role of LRRK2 in the conversion process from carrier status to PD phenotype is still unknown and disease generating mechanisms important for initiating LRRK2 PD are still to be identified.

Enzyme-injected method of enzymatic dispersion at low temperature is effective for isolation of smooth muscle cells from human esophagogastric junction

The present study was conducted to examine the feasibility of in vitro isolation and primary culture of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from the esophagogastric junction (EGJ). Smooth muscles of EGJ were harvested from 23 patients with esophageal cancer during esophagostomy from January 2015 to December 2017. Enzymatic dispersion (ED) was performed for isolation. Collagenase II and Trypsin/EDTA were applied by enzyme injection (EI) into tissue fragments or immersion of tissue fragments into enzyme solution. Growth characteristics and proliferation [Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8)] of cells were recorded for both smooth muscle cell medium (SMCM) and DMEM/F12 containing 10% newborn bovine serum (10%-F12). All ED methods could isolate primary cells; EI was the most effective method with low collagenase II concentration (0.5 mg/ml) at 4˚C for 14-24 h. Primary cells demonstrated mainly spindle- and long-spindle-shaped with ‘hills and valleys’ morphology. The CCK-8 assay in SMCM showed better proliferation results than in 10%-F12. After passaging for 4-8 generations in SMCM or 2-4 generations in 10%-F12, cells enlarged gradually with passages and lost spindle structures. mRNA and proteins of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), smooth muscle 22 α (SM22α), vimentin, desmin, CD90 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen were detected in tissues and cells with different levels of expression. SMCs of esophageal circular muscle, esophageal longitudinal muscle, gastric circular muscle near sling in gastric bottom and gastric circular muscle near clasp in lesser gastric curvature, all cultured in 10%-F12, exhibited superior smooth muscle phenotypes compared with SMCs cultured in SMCM in terms of α-SMA, SM22α and vimentin expression. The EI method of ED at low temperature appears effective for isolation and primary culture of SMCs from human EGJ in vitro.