P160 RIGHT SISTEMIC VENTRICLE AND PREGNANCY

Patient with complex congenital heart disease: situs inversus with dextrocardia and transposition of the great vessels (D–TGA), right aortic arch and inferior cava agenesis with azygos continuation; at 4 months Mustard atrial switch (intratrial baffle for redirection of the systemic venous circulation in the left subpulmonary left ventricle and of the pulmonary venous circulation in the right subaortic systemic ventricle). At 22 years, 1st pregnancy without complications, caesarean section, birth weight 2.2 kg. Two pregnancies spontaneously terminated in the firts trimester. At 29 years echocardiography: right systemic ventricle hypertrophic, dilated and slightly hypokinetic with tricuspid (systemic) valve with mild to moderate insufficiency; Mustard circuit normally functioning on the systemic side, mild stenosis of the pulmonary buffle (Gmax 6mmHg). At 33 years monochorionic biamniotic twins pregnancy; the risk linked to pregnancy for the patient on the basis of her heart disease was included in a WHO class III worsened by twinning. Because of the high probability of maternal and fetal complications related to the continuation of pregnancy, it was necessary to recommend a selective interruption of the pregnancy of the fetus affected by severe selective underdevelopment with signs of twin to twin transfusion at the 20th week of gestation. Maternal clinical and haemodynamic conditions have been stable during pregnancy. At the 24th week of gestation echocardiography: worsening of the systemic right function ventricle, moderate tricuspid insufficiency and increased gradients in the Mustard circuit (systemic Gmax 13mmHg and pulmonary venous Gmed 8mmHg). After the pregnancy team‘s discussion, a delivery plan was proposed to transfer the patient to a third level cardiac surgery center with experience in congenital heart disease adult between the 35th and 36th week. This was not possible because the patient at 32th week presented preterm labor with caesarean section without maternal and newborn complications (birth weight 1,650 kg). In the puerperium ehocardiography: hypertrophic, dilated and moderately hypokinetic systemic right ventricle with moderate tricuspid insufficiency; Mustard circuit: systemic baffle max gradient 16mmHg and pulmonary venous medium gradient 9mmHg. 7 years after this pregnancy at the last visit: stable clinical and echocardiographic situation with persistence of moderate dysfunction of the systemic right ventricle.

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P398 A CASE OF MIS–C: SARS–COV2 AND MYOCARDITIS IN PEDIATRIC AGE

A 12–year–old patient with paucisymptomatic SARS–COV2 infection in November 2020 with negative swab after 10 days. After 3 weeks access to pediatric emergency room for fever, maculo–papular rash on the trunk, conjunctivitis, nausea and abdominal pain: evidence of thrombocytopenia, increased CPK, LDH, AST and inflammation markers. She starts antibiotic therapy for suspected sepsis. After 24 hours asthenia, general illness, hypotension and tachycardia: echocardium with diffuse hypokinesia of the left ventricle (EF 35%); worsening of thrombocytopenia, D–Dimer, BNP and CPK increase, hyponatremia, troponin positivity, ATIII reduction; negative viral markers. On the basis of the most recent literature, the diagnosis of MIS–C is made, a post–infection SARS–COV2 multisystemic inflammatory syndrome. After discussion with the 3rd level SARS–COV2 Pediatric Center, the following therapy begins: iv diuretic, iv cortisone, sc heparin, iv immunoglobulins, Anakinra. For a progressive clinical worsening by cardiogenic shock with evolution to DIC, she is transferred by military plane to the pediatric intensive care of 3rd level SARS–COV2 Center. The patient is subjected to mechanical ventilation, therapy with inotropes (adrenaline and milrinone) and CRRT ultrafiltration in order to reduce the excessive levels of inflammatory mediators responsible for rapid multiorgan failure. After 4 days, haemodynamic parameters improvement (EF 50%); sartan and low dose diuretic have been started because of the presence of diastolic dysfunction. Discharge after 1 month of hospitalization with good clinical and haemodynamic stability. After 6 months from myocarditis onset with cardiogenic shock in MIS–C, cardiac MRI with evidence of EF 57% and small area of delayed enhancement on the anterior IVS with non–ischemic pattern, no longer present by imaging after 1 year by acute event. Currently the patient reports subjective well–being by the regular follow–up without arrhythmias by Holter monitoring. SARS–COV2 post–infection multisystemic inflammatory syndrome (MIS–C) represents a serious complication with possible myocardial involvement also following a paucysymptomatic infection as in the described case. What happened shows us that SARS–COV2 infection is still a devious clinical entity that needs close follow–up in the short and long term.

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Transcriptome characterisation and simple sequence repeat marker discovery in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica

Posidonia oceanica is an endemic seagrass in the Mediterranean Sea, where it provides important ecosystem services and sustains a rich and diverse ecosystem. P. oceanica meadows extend from the surface to 40 meters depth. With the aim of boosting research in this iconic species, we generated a comprehensive RNA-Seq data set for P. oceanica by sequencing specimens collected at two depths and two times during the day. With this approach we attempted to capture the transcriptional diversity associated with change in light and other depth-related environmental factors. Using this extensive data set we generated gene predictions and identified an extensive catalogue of potential Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) markers. The data generated here will open new avenues for the analysis of population genetic features and functional variation in P. oceanica. In total, 79,235 contigs were obtained by the assembly of 70,453,120 paired end reads. 43,711 contigs were successfully annotated. A total of 17,436 SSR were identified within 13,912 contigs.

Leptin gene haplotypes are associated with change in immunological and hematological variables in dairy cow during the peripartum period

In this study, the effect of polymorphisms in the leptin gene on the hematological variables in periparturient dairy cows was investigated. The hematological profile of 67 Holstein cows was assessed for 6 wk around calving. The DNA of the cows was genotyped at 6 polymorphic loci within the leptin gene, and 7 haplotypes were reconstructed. Significant haplotype substitution effects were found, for haplotype 1, on total white blood cell count for 2 wk around calving (+0.70 10(3)/μL, P = 0.05; +1.38 10(3)/μL, P = 0.0001); on neutrophil cell count in the first week after calving (+0.94 10(3)/μL, P = 0.001); on lymphocyte count during the 3 wk before and the first week after calving (+0.32 10(3)/μL, P = 0.05; +0.27 10(3)/μL, P = 0.03; +0.26 10(3)/μL, P = 0.04; +0.34 10(3)/μL, P = 0.01); on red blood cell count during the last week before calving and wk 1 and 2 after calving (+0.21 10(6)/μL, P = 0.02; +0.23 10(6)/μL, P = 0.01; +0.20 10(6)/μL, P = 0.03); on mean corpuscular volume (-1.35 fL, P = 0.01; -1.29 fL, P = 0.002; -1.18 fL, P = 0.004; -1.09 fL, P = 0.008; -1.23 fL, P = 0.003; -1.31 fL, P = 0.003); and on mean corpuscular hemoglobin (-0.37 pg, P = 0.05; -0.38 pg, P = 0.02; -0.39 pg, P = 0.01; -0.34 pg, P = 0.03; -0.40 pg, P = 0.01; -0.40 pg, P = 0.01) during all 6 wk analyzed. Significant haplotype substitution effects, but opposite those of haplotype-1, were found for haplotype-2 on white blood cell count (-1.10 10(3)/μL, P = 0.01; -1.30 10(3)/μL, P = 0.002; -1.09 10(3)/μL, P = 0.01) and neutrophil count (-0.82 10(3)/μL, P = 0.02; -0.95 10(3)/μL, P = 0.005; -0.92 10(3)/μL, P = 0.01). Haplotype-3 influenced red blood cell count (-0.23 10(6)/μL, P = 0.03; -0.28 10(6)/μL, P = 0.01; -0.34 10(6)/μL, P = 0.002) during the last 2 wk before and the first week after calving, and also, with effects evident only in wk 3 and 2 before calving, mean corpuscular volume (+1.38 fL, P = 0.03; +0.97 fL, P = 0.05; +1.08 fL, P = 0.05), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (+0.58 pg, P = 0.02; +0.38 pg, P = 0.04; 0.51 pg, P = 0.01), and red blood cell distribution width (-0.56% P = 0.02; -0.47%, P = 0.05). The current study provided evidence that several polymorphisms in the leptin gene play a role in the variability of hematological variables during the peripartum period, and might be used as genetic markers for improving the immunological conditions of dairy cows in critical productive periods.

Short Communication: Effect of Stearoyl-Coenzyme A Desaturase Polymorphism on Fatty Acid Composition of Milk

The effect of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) gene on milk fatty acid composition was tested. Cows of 3 breeds of northern Italy, Piedmontese, Valdostana, and Jersey, were genotyped at exon 5 of the SCD gene. This has been suggested as a primary candidate gene to change the proportion of saturated vs. unsaturated fatty acids in milk, wherein a single nucleotide polymorphism (C/T) gives rise to a different AA codon. It was possible to ascribe a reduced desaturase activity to the T allele only in the case of caproleic and myristoleic fatty acids. In contrast with the findings of SCD effects on carcass fat, it was not possible to confirm the higher desaturation activity of this single nucleotide polymorphism on long-chain fatty acids, due to the different pathways that originate milk fatty acids of different carbon length; long-chain fatty acids are highly influenced by the complex metabolic events that affect the ingested nutrients during their transfer to milk fat.

Single nucleotide polymorphism detection in promoter III of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase-alpha gene in sheep

Three novel SNPs were identified in the locus OAR292286, encoding the DNA sequence of promoter III of the ovine acetyl-CoA carboxylase-alpha gene, in Italian sheep of four breeds: Gentile di Puglia (25 individuals) and Sopravissana (31) which are triple-purpose local endangered breeds, Comisana (25) which is a local non-selected, non-endangered dairy breed and Sarda (15) which is a popular selected high yielding dairy breed. Variant alleles are: G/T at 1330 bp, C/G at 1338 bp and C/T at 1430 bp. Frequencies of the variant alleles were calculated and chi-squared analysis of the differences in allele frequency between breed pairs was performed. Allele frequencies of the Sarda breed differ significantly from the other considered breeds.

Gene silencing by S-adenosylmethionine in muscle differentiation

A well-characterised experimental system, the myogenin gene in C2C12 muscle cell culture, was chosen to better understand the methylation mechanism underlying the regulation of gene expression. We already demonstrated that demethylation dynamics of a specific CpG site in the 5'-flanking region of myogenin well correlates with gene expression and terminal differentiation. Here we demonstrate that S-adenosylmethionine-sulphate-p-toluenesulphonate (SAM) inhibits myogenin expression and myoblast differentiation by delaying the demethylation of specific CpG in differentiating myoblasts. These results suggest new perspectives in methylation mechanisms and the use of SAM in the partial silencing of gene expression, as it could be required in disease treatment.

Erythroid differentiation and regulatory gene expression are modulated by adenosine derivatives interfering with S-adenosylmethionine metabolic pathway

The differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells and the expression of SCL, Id1 and c-myc regulatory genes were studied. The first gene is a positive regulator of differentiation, while the other two are both negative regulators of differentiation and positive regulators of proliferation. Accordingly, our data show that when differentiation is stimulated SCL is upregulated while Id1 and c-myc are, coordinately, downregulated. The cultures were treated with two adenosine derivatives, 3-deazaadenosine and 3-deazaaristeromycin, known to act on the metabolic pathway of the methyl donor S-adenosylmethionin, in order to assess the possibility of a coordinated modulation, by these drugs, of regulatory gene expression and erythroid cell differentiation. 3-Deazaaristeromycin caused the simultaneous downregulation of Id1 and c-myc, whereas 3-deazaadenosine caused their upregulation; both drugs produced a transient increase in SCL expression. The use of these drugs evidenced a predominant regulatory effect of negative regulators in the control of erythroid differentiation. The distinct effects of the two drugs on regulatory gene expression led to an increased differentiation induced by 3-deazaaristeromycin and to a reduced differentiation induced by 3-deazaadenosine, if compared with controls. Southern analysis of DNA digested with methylation-specific restriction endonucleases showed that the administration of 3-deazaaristeromycin resulted in hypomethylation of SCL and c-myc, thus evidencing, in these cells, a clear correlation between DNA hypomethylation and differentiation but no straightforward correlation between DNA methylation and gene expression.

Melanoma cells stimulate osteoclastogenesis, c-Src expression and osteoblast cytokines

Malignant melanomas metastasise to the bone and enhance osteoclast bone resorption. We demonstrated that a 48-h-B16 melanoma cell conditioned media (B16CM) induced osteoclastogenesis in mouse bone marrow cultures, without the requirement of B16 cell-bone marrow cell co-culture. B16 cells transcriptionally expressed detectable levels of TGFbeta1, IL-6, M-CSF, GM-CSF and TNFalpha mRNAs, albeit to a lower extent compared with levels in osteoblasts, and failed to express PTHrP, OPGL, OPG and IL-1beta. Interestingly, B16CM greatly upregulated IL-1beta, IL-6 and GM-CSF, and modestly enhanced TNFalpha and OPGL mRNA expression in osteoblasts, suggesting a potential indirect stimulation of osteoclastogenesis via the osteogenic lineage. B16CM barely upregulated c-Fos, but strongly and time-dependently enhanced c-Src expression in the total bone marrow cultures during osteoclast differentiation. Moreover, c-Src expression was enhanced in differentiated and purified osteoclast preparations to higher levels than in stromal cells. In conclusion, melanoma induces osteoclast generation with a paracrine mechanism independent of cell-cell contact, specifically upregulating c-Src in osteoclasts and cytokine expression in osteoblasts.

Dermorphin and deltorphin glycosylated analogues: synthesis and antinociceptive activity after systemic administration

In the present paper we describe the synthesis of some dermorphin and deltorphin analogues beta-O- and alpha-C-glycosylated on the C-terminal amino acid residue and report their opioid receptor affinity and selectivity as well as their analgesic potency after subcutaneous injection in mice.