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Giuliani A, Licursi V, Nisi PS, Fiore M, D'Angelo S, Biagioni S, Negri R, Rugg-Gunn PJ, Cacci E, Lupo G. Dbx2, an Aging-Related Homeobox Gene, Inhibits the Proliferation of Adult Neural Progenitors. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2023; 19:2837-2851. [PMID: 37605090 PMCID: PMC10661760 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-023-10600-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
In the adult mouse brain, the subventricular zone (SVZ) underlying the lateral ventricles harbours a population of quiescent neural stem cells, which can be activated (aNSCs) to initiate proliferation and generate a neurogenic lineage consisting of transit amplifying progenitors (TAPs), neuroblasts (NBs) and newborn neurons. This process is markedly reduced during aging. Recent studies suggest that the aged SVZ niche decreases the pool of proliferating neural/stem progenitor cells (NSPCs), and hence adult neurogenesis, by causing transcriptomic changes that promote NSC quiescence. The transcription factors that mediate these changes, however, remain unclear. We previously found that the homeobox gene Dbx2 is upregulated in NSPCs of the aged mouse SVZ and can inhibit the growth of NSPC cultures. Here, we further investigate its role as a candidate transcriptional regulator of neurogenic decline. We show that Dbx2 expression is downregulated by Epidermal Growth Factor receptor signaling, which promotes NSPC proliferation and decreases in the aged SVZ. By means of transgenic NSPC lines overexpressing Dbx2, we also show that this gene inhibits NSPC proliferation by hindering the G2/M transition. Furthermore, we exploit RNA sequencing of transgenic NSPCs to elucidate the transcriptomic networks modulated by Dbx2. Among the top hits, we report the downregulation of the molecular pathways implicated in cell cycle progression. Accordingly, we find that Dbx2 function is negatively correlated with the transcriptional signatures of proliferative NSPCs (aNSCs, TAPs and early NBs). These results point to Dbx2 as a transcription factor relaying the anti-neurogenic input of the aged niche to the NSPC transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Giuliani
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Licursi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy.
| | - Paola S Nisi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Mario Fiore
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Sara D'Angelo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR), Rome, Italy
| | - Peter J Rugg-Gunn
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1QR, UK
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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2
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Lupo G. Adult neurogenesis and aging mechanisms: a collection of insights. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18104. [PMID: 37872391 PMCID: PMC10593941 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45452-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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3
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Gioia R, Seri T, Diamanti T, Fimmanò S, Vitale M, Ahlenius H, Kokaia Z, Tirone F, Micheli L, Biagioni S, Lupo G, Rinaldi A, De Jaco A, Cacci E. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis and social behavioural deficits in the R451C Neuroligin3 mouse model of autism are reverted by the antidepressant fluoxetine. J Neurochem 2022; 165:318-333. [PMID: 36583243 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Neuron generation persists throughout life in the hippocampus but is altered in animal models of neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, suggesting that disease-associated decline in cognitive and emotional hippocampal-dependent behaviours might be functionally linked with dysregulation of postnatal neurogenesis. Depletion of the adult neural stem/progenitor cell (NSPCs) pool and neurogenic decline have been recently described in mice expressing synaptic susceptibility genes associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASDs). To gain further insight into mechanisms regulating neurogenesis in mice carrying mutations in synaptic genes related to monogenic ASDs, we used the R451C Neuroligin3 knock-in (Nlgn3 KI) mouse, which is characterized by structural brain abnormalities, deficits in synaptic functions and reduced sociability. We show that the number of adult-born neurons, but not the size of the NSPC pool, was reduced in the ventral dentate gyrus in knock-in mice. Notably, this neurogenic decline was rescued by daily injecting mice with 10 mg/Kg of the antidepressant fluoxetine for 20 consecutive days. Sustained treatment also improved KI mice's sociability and increased the number of c-Fos active adult-born neurons, compared with vehicle-injected KI mice. Our study uncovers neurogenesis-mediated alterations in the brain of R451C KI mouse, showing that the R451C Nlgn3 mutation leads to lasting, albeit pharmacologically reversible, changes in the brain, affecting neuron formation in the adult hippocampus. Our results suggest that fluoxetine can ameliorate social behaviour in KI mice, at least in part, by rescuing adult hippocampal neurogenesis, which may be relevant for the pharmacological treatment of ASDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Gioia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Tommaso Seri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- PhD program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Tamara Diamanti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Fimmanò
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marina Vitale
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Henrik Ahlenius
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurology, Stem Cells, Aging and Neurodegeneration, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund, Sweden
| | - Zaal Kokaia
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University Hospital, Lund, Sweden
| | - Felice Tirone
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Micheli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Arianna Rinaldi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Centre for Research in Neurobiology "D. Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella De Jaco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Centre for Research in Neurobiology "D. Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza, University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Centre for Research in Neurobiology "D. Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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4
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Wang W, Di Nisio E, Licursi V, Cacci E, Lupo G, Kokaia Z, Galanti S, Degan P, D’Angelo S, Castagnola P, Tavella S, Negri R. Simulated Microgravity Modulates Focal Adhesion Gene Expression in Human Neural Stem Progenitor Cells. Life (Basel) 2022; 12:life12111827. [PMID: 36362982 PMCID: PMC9699612 DOI: 10.3390/life12111827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed the morphology and the transcriptomic changes of human neural stem progenitor cells (hNSPCs) grown on laminin in adherent culture conditions and subjected to simulated microgravity for different times in a random positioning machine apparatus. Low-cell-density cultures exposed to simulated microgravity for 24 h showed cell aggregate formation and significant modulation of several genes involved in focal adhesion, cytoskeleton regulation, and cell cycle control. These effects were much more limited in hNSPCs cultured at high density in the same conditions. We also found that some of the genes modulated upon exposure to simulated microgravity showed similar changes in hNSPCs grown without laminin in non-adherent culture conditions under normal gravity. These results suggest that reduced gravity counteracts the interactions of cells with the extracellular matrix, inducing morphological and transcriptional changes that can be observed in low-density cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Elena Di Nisio
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Licursi
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR) of Italy c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Zaal Kokaia
- Lund Stem Cell Center, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22184 Lund, Sweden
| | - Sergio Galanti
- Excise, Custom and Monopolies Agency, ADM, 00153 Rome, Italy
| | - Paolo Degan
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
| | - Sara D’Angelo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Sara Tavella
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, 16132 Genova, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, 16132 Genoa, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council (CNR) of Italy c/o Department of Biology and Biotechnologies “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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D'Acunto E, Gianfrancesco L, Serangeli I, D'Orsi M, Sabato V, Guadagno NA, Bhosale G, Caristi S, Failla AV, De Jaco A, Cacci E, Duchen MR, Lupo G, Galliciotti G, Miranda E. Polymerogenic neuroserpin causes mitochondrial alterations and activates NFκB but not the UPR in a neuronal model of neurodegeneration FENIB. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:437. [PMID: 35864382 PMCID: PMC9304071 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04463-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The neurodegenerative condition FENIB (familiar encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies) is caused by heterozygous expression of polymerogenic mutant neuroserpin (NS), with polymer deposition within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of neurons. We generated transgenic neural progenitor cells (NPCs) from mouse fetal cerebral cortex stably expressing either the control protein GFP or human wild type, polymerogenic G392E or truncated (delta) NS. This cellular model makes it possible to study the toxicity of polymerogenic NS in the appropriated cell type by in vitro differentiation to neurons. Our previous work showed that expression of G392E NS in differentiated NPCs induced an adaptive response through the upregulation of several genes involved in the defence against oxidative stress, and that pharmacological reduction of the antioxidant defences by drug treatments rendered G392E NS neurons more susceptible to apoptosis than control neurons. In this study, we assessed mitochondrial distribution and found a higher percentage of perinuclear localisation in G392E NS neurons, particularly in those containing polymers, a phenotype that was enhanced by glutathione chelation and rescued by antioxidant molecules. Mitochondrial membrane potential and contact sites between mitochondria and the ER were reduced in neurons expressing the G392E mutation. These alterations were associated with a pattern of ER stress that involved the ER overload response but not the unfolded protein response. Our results suggest that intracellular accumulation of NS polymers affects the interaction between the ER and mitochondria, causing mitochondrial alterations that contribute to the neuronal degeneration seen in FENIB patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- E D'Acunto
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - L Gianfrancesco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - I Serangeli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - M D'Orsi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - V Sabato
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - N A Guadagno
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - G Bhosale
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - S Caristi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - A V Failla
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A De Jaco
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - E Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - M R Duchen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - G Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - G Galliciotti
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - E Miranda
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
- Pasteur Institute-Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
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6
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Ratto D, Roda E, Romeo M, Venuti MT, Desiderio A, Lupo G, Capelli E, Sandionigi A, Rossi P. The Many Ages of Microbiome–Gut–Brain Axis. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14142937. [PMID: 35889894 PMCID: PMC9319041 DOI: 10.3390/nu14142937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Frailty during aging is an increasing problem associated with locomotor and cognitive decline, implicated in poor quality of life and adverse health consequences. Considering the microbiome–gut–brain axis, we investigated, in a longitudinal study, whether and how physiological aging affects gut microbiome composition in wild-type male mice, and if and how cognitive frailty is related to gut microbiome composition. To assess these points, we monitored mice during aging at five selected experimental time points, from adulthood to senescence. At all selected experimental times, we monitored cognitive performance using novel object recognition and emergence tests and measured the corresponding Cognitive Frailty Index. Parallelly, murine fecal samples were collected and analyzed to determine the respective alpha and beta diversities, as well as the relative abundance of different bacterial taxa. We demonstrated that physiological aging significantly affected the overall gut microbiome composition, as well as the relative abundance of specific bacterial taxa, including Deferribacterota, Akkermansia, Muribaculaceae, Alistipes, and Clostridia VadinBB60. We also revealed that 218 amplicon sequence variants were significantly associated to the Cognitive Frailty Index. We speculated that some of them may guide the microbiome toward maladaptive and dysbiotic conditions, while others may compensate with changes toward adaptive and eubiotic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ratto
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (D.R.); (M.R.); (M.T.V.)
| | - Elisa Roda
- Laboratory of Clinical & Experimental Toxicology, Pavia Poison Centre, National Toxicology Information Centre, Toxicology Unit, Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri IRCCS, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Marcello Romeo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (D.R.); (M.R.); (M.T.V.)
| | - Maria Teresa Venuti
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (D.R.); (M.R.); (M.T.V.)
| | - Anthea Desiderio
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.D.); (G.L.); (E.C.)
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.D.); (G.L.); (E.C.)
| | - Enrica Capelli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (A.D.); (G.L.); (E.C.)
| | - Anna Sandionigi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20126 Milan, Italy;
- Quantia Consulting S.r.l., Via Petrarca 20, 22066 Mariano Comense, Italy
| | - Paola Rossi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “L. Spallanzani”, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (D.R.); (M.R.); (M.T.V.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0382-986076
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7
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Di Nisio E, Lupo G, Licursi V, Negri R. Corrigendum: The Role of Histone Lysine Methylation in the Response of Mammalian Cells to Ionizing Radiation. Front Genet 2022; 13:896771. [PMID: 35495134 PMCID: PMC9043895 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.896771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Di Nisio
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Licursi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Valerio Licursi, ; Rodolfo Negri,
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Counsil (IBPM-CNR), Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Valerio Licursi, ; Rodolfo Negri,
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8
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Quaresima S, Istiaq A, Jono H, Cacci E, Ohta K, Lupo G. Assessing the Role of Ependymal and Vascular Cells as Sources of Extracellular Cues Regulating the Mouse Ventricular-Subventricular Zone Neurogenic Niche. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:845567. [PMID: 35450289 PMCID: PMC9016221 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.845567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurogenesis persists in selected regions of the adult mouse brain; among them, the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ) of the lateral ventricles represents a major experimental paradigm due to its conspicuous neurogenic output. Postnatal V-SVZ neurogenesis is maintained by a resident population of neural stem cells (NSCs). Although V-SVZ NSCs are largely quiescent, they can be activated to enter the cell cycle, self-renew and generate progeny that gives rise to olfactory bulb interneurons. These adult-born neurons integrate into existing circuits to modify cognitive functions in response to external stimuli, but cells shed by V-SVZ NSCs can also reach injured brain regions, suggesting a latent regenerative potential. The V-SVZ is endowed with a specialized microenvironment, which is essential to maintain the proliferative and neurogenic potential of NSCs, and to preserve the NSC pool from exhaustion by finely tuning their quiescent and active states. Intercellular communication is paramount to the stem cell niche properties of the V-SVZ, and several extracellular signals acting in the niche milieu have been identified. An important part of these signals comes from non-neural cell types, such as local vascular cells, ependymal and glial cells. Understanding the crosstalk between NSCs and other niche components may aid therapeutic approaches for neuropathological conditions, since neurodevelopmental disorders, age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases have been associated with dysfunctional neurogenic niches. Here, we review recent advances in the study of the complex interactions between V-SVZ NSCs and their cellular niche. We focus on the extracellular cues produced by ependymal and vascular cells that regulate NSC behavior in the mouse postnatal V-SVZ, and discuss the potential implication of these molecular signals in pathological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Quaresima
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Arif Istiaq
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- Department of Brain Morphogenesis, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Jono
- Department of Pharmacy, Kumamoto University Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan
- Department of Clinical Pharmaceutical Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Kunimasa Ohta
- Department of Stem Cell Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
- *Correspondence: Kunimasa Ohta, ; Giuseppe Lupo,
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- *Correspondence: Kunimasa Ohta, ; Giuseppe Lupo,
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9
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Ito N, Riyadh MA, Ahmad SAI, Hattori S, Kanemura Y, Kiyonari H, Abe T, Furuta Y, Shinmyo Y, Kaneko N, Hirota Y, Lupo G, Hatakeyama J, Abdulhaleem M FA, Anam MB, Yamaguchi M, Takeo T, Takebayashi H, Takebayashi M, Oike Y, Nakagata N, Shimamura K, Holtzman MJ, Takahashi Y, Guillemot F, Miyakawa T, Sawamoto K, Ohta K. Dysfunction of the proteoglycan Tsukushi causes hydrocephalus through altered neurogenesis in the subventricular zone in mice. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/587/eaay7896. [PMID: 33790026 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aay7896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The lateral ventricle (LV) is flanked by the subventricular zone (SVZ), a neural stem cell (NSC) niche rich in extrinsic growth factors regulating NSC maintenance, proliferation, and neuronal differentiation. Dysregulation of the SVZ niche causes LV expansion, a condition known as hydrocephalus; however, the underlying pathological mechanisms are unclear. We show that deficiency of the proteoglycan Tsukushi (TSK) in ependymal cells at the LV surface and in the cerebrospinal fluid results in hydrocephalus with neurodevelopmental disorder-like symptoms in mice. These symptoms are accompanied by altered differentiation and survival of the NSC lineage, disrupted ependymal structure, and dysregulated Wnt signaling. Multiple TSK variants found in patients with hydrocephalus exhibit reduced physiological activity in mice in vivo and in vitro. Administration of wild-type TSK protein or Wnt antagonists, but not of hydrocephalus-related TSK variants, in the LV of TSK knockout mice prevented hydrocephalus and preserved SVZ neurogenesis. These observations suggest that TSK plays a crucial role as a niche molecule modulating the fate of SVZ NSCs and point to TSK as a candidate for the diagnosis and therapy of hydrocephalus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naofumi Ito
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - M Asrafuzzaman Riyadh
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Shah Adil Ishtiyaq Ahmad
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Tangail-1902, Bangladesh
| | - Satoko Hattori
- Division of System Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
| | - Yonehiro Kanemura
- Department of Biomedical Research and Innovation, Institute for Clinical Research, National Hospital Organization Osaka National Hospital, 2-1-14, Hoensaka, Chuo-ku, Osaka 540-0006, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kiyonari
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minami-machi,Chuou-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Takaya Abe
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minami-machi,Chuou-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan
| | - Yasuhide Furuta
- Laboratory for Animal Resources and Genetic Engineering, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, 2-2-3 Minatojima Minami-machi,Chuou-ku, Kobe 650-0047, Japan.,Mouse Genetics Core Facility, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Yohei Shinmyo
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Department of Medical Neuroscience, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kanazawa University, 13-1, Takara-cho, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan
| | - Naoko Kaneko
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan
| | - Yuki Hirota
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.,Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, Rome 00185, Italy
| | - Jun Hatakeyama
- Department of Brain Morphogenesis, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Felemban Athary Abdulhaleem M
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Department of Biology, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, 21955, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Badrul Anam
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Program for Leading Graduate Schools "HIGO Program", Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Masahiro Yamaguchi
- Department of Physiology, Kochi Medical School, Kochi University, Kochi 783-8505, Japan
| | - Toru Takeo
- Division of Reproductive Engineering, Center for Animal Resources and Development (CARD), Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Hirohide Takebayashi
- Division of Neurobiology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata University, 1-757 Asahimachi, Chuo-ku, Niigata 951-8510, Japan
| | - Minoru Takebayashi
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Life Science, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Yuichi Oike
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
| | - Naomi Nakagata
- Division of Reproductive Engineering, Center for Animal Resources and Development (CARD), Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Kenji Shimamura
- Department of Brain Morphogenesis, Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, Kumamoto University, 2-2-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-0811, Japan
| | - Michael J Holtzman
- Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110-1093, USA
| | - Yoshiko Takahashi
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.,AMED Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (AMED-CREST), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan
| | | | - Tsuyoshi Miyakawa
- Division of System Medical Science, Institute for Comprehensive Medical Science, Fujita Health University, Toyoake 470-1192, Japan
| | - Kazunobu Sawamoto
- Department of Developmental and Regenerative Neurobiology, Institute of Brain Science, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Mizuho-cho, Mizuho-ku, Nagoya 467-8601, Japan.,Division of Neural Development and Regeneration, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki 444-8585, Japan
| | - Kunimasa Ohta
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan. .,Stem Cell-Based Tissue Regeneration Research and Education Unit, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,Program for Leading Graduate Schools "HIGO Program", Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Chuo-ku, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.,AMED Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (AMED-CREST), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0004, Japan.,Department of Stem Cell Biology, Faculty of Arts and Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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10
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Lupo G, Piper M, Zolessi FR. Editorial: Context-Dependent Regulation of Neurogenesis: Common Themes and Unique Features of the Neurogenic Process in Different Model Systems. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:678475. [PMID: 33928095 PMCID: PMC8078909 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.678475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael Piper
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Flavio R Zolessi
- Sección Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
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11
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Di Nisio E, Lupo G, Licursi V, Negri R. The Role of Histone Lysine Methylation in the Response of Mammalian Cells to Ionizing Radiation. Front Genet 2021; 12:639602. [PMID: 33859667 PMCID: PMC8042281 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.639602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are wrapped around nucleosomes and organized into different levels of chromatin structure. Chromatin organization has a crucial role in regulating all cellular processes involving DNA-protein interactions, such as DNA transcription, replication, recombination and repair. Histone post-translational modifications (HPTMs) have a prominent role in chromatin regulation, acting as a sophisticated molecular code, which is interpreted by HPTM-specific effectors. Here, we review the role of histone lysine methylation changes in regulating the response to radiation-induced genotoxic damage in mammalian cells. We also discuss the role of histone methyltransferases (HMTs) and histone demethylases (HDMs) and the effects of the modulation of their expression and/or the pharmacological inhibition of their activity on the radio-sensitivity of different cell lines. Finally, we provide a bioinformatic analysis of published datasets showing how the mRNA levels of known HMTs and HDMs are modulated in different cell lines by exposure to different irradiation conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Di Nisio
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Licursi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology Charles Darwin, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Counsil (IBPM-CNR), Rome, Italy
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12
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Persiconi I, Cosmi F, Guadagno NA, Lupo G, De Stefano ME. Dystrophin Is Required for the Proper Timing in Retinal Histogenesis: A Thorough Investigation on the mdx Mouse Model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:760. [PMID: 32982660 PMCID: PMC7487415 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal X-linked muscular disease caused by defective expression of the cytoskeletal protein dystrophin (Dp427). Selected autonomic and central neurons, including retinal neurons, express Dp427 and/or dystrophin shorter isoforms. Because of this, DMD patients may also experience different forms of cognitive impairment, neurological and autonomic disorders, and specific visual defects. DMD-related damages to the nervous system are established during development, suggesting a role for all dystrophin isoforms in neural circuit development and differentiation; however, to date, their function in retinogenesis has never been investigated. In this large-scale study, we analyzed whether the lack of Dp427 affects late retinogenesis in the mdx mouse, the most well studied animal model of DMD. Retinal gene expression and layer maturation, as well as neural cell proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation, were evaluated in E18 and/or P0, P5, P10, and adult mice. In mdx mice, expression of Capn3, Id3 (E18-P5), and Dtnb (P5) genes, encoding proteins involved in different aspects of retina development and synaptogenesis (e.g., Calpain 3, DNA-binding protein inhibitor-3, and β-dystrobrevin, respectively), was transiently reduced compared to age-matched wild type mice. Concomitantly, a difference in the time required for the retinal ganglion cell layer to reach appropriate thickness was observed (P0–P5). Immunolabeling for specific cell markers also evidenced a significant dysregulation in the number of GABAergic amacrine cells (P5–P10), a transient decrease in the area immunopositive for the Vesicular Glutamate Transporter 1 (VGluT1) during ribbon synapse maturation (P10) and a reduction in the number of calretinin+ retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) (adults). Finally, the number of proliferating retinal progenitor cells (P5–P10) and apoptotic cells (P10) was reduced. These results support the hypothesis of a role for Dp427 during late retinogenesis different from those proposed in consolidated neural circuits. In particular, Dp427 may be involved in shaping specific steps of retina differentiation. Notably, although most of the above described quantitative alterations recover over time, the number of calretinin+ RGCs is reduced only in the mature retina. This suggests that alterations subtler than the timing of retinal maturation may occur, a hypothesis that demands further in-depth functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Persiconi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Francesca Cosmi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Egle De Stefano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory Affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Center for Research in Neurobiology "Daniel Bovet", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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13
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Poiana G, Gioia R, Sineri S, Cardarelli S, Lupo G, Cacci E. Transcriptional regulation of adult neural stem/progenitor cells: tales from the subventricular zone. Neural Regen Res 2020; 15:1773-1783. [PMID: 32246617 PMCID: PMC7513981 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.280301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In rodents, well characterized neurogenic niches of the adult brain, such as the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricles and the subgranular zone of the hippocampus, support the maintenance of neural/stem progenitor cells (NSPCs) and the production of new neurons throughout the lifespan. The adult neurogenic process is dependent on the intrinsic gene expression signatures of NSPCs that make them competent for self-renewal and neuronal differentiation. At the same time, it is receptive to regulation by various extracellular signals that allow the modulation of neuronal production and integration into brain circuitries by various physiological stimuli. A drawback of this plasticity is the sensitivity of adult neurogenesis to alterations of the niche environment that can occur due to aging, injury or disease. At the core of the molecular mechanisms regulating neurogenesis, several transcription factors have been identified that maintain NSPC identity and mediate NSPC response to extrinsic cues. Here, we focus on REST, Egr1 and Dbx2 and their roles in adult neurogenesis, especially in the subventricular zone. We review recent work from our and other laboratories implicating these transcription factors in the control of NSPC proliferation and differentiation and in the response of NSPCs to extrinsic influences from the niche. We also discuss how their altered regulation may affect the neurogenic process in the aged and in the diseased brain. Finally, we highlight key open questions that need to be addressed to foster our understanding of the transcriptional mechanisms controlling adult neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giancarlo Poiana
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Gioia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Sineri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Cardarelli
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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14
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Abstract
Aging is associated with cognitive decline and increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative diseases. The progressive extension of the average human lifespan is bound to lead to a corresponding increase in the fraction of cognitively impaired elderly individuals among the human population, with an enormous societal and economic burden. At the cellular and tissue levels, cognitive decline is linked to a reduction in specific neuronal subpopulations, a widespread decrease in synaptic plasticity and an increase in neuroinflammation due to an enhanced activation of astrocytes and microglia, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these functional changes during normal aging and in neuropathological conditions remain poorly understood. In this review, we summarize very recent and outstanding progress in elucidating the molecular changes associated with cognitive decline through the genome-wide profiling of aging brain cells at different molecular levels (genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic). We discuss how the correlation of different molecular and phenotypic traits driven by mathematical and computational analyses of large datasets has led to the prediction of key molecular nodes of neurodegenerative pathways, and provide a few examples of candidate regulators of cognitive decline identified with these approaches. Furthermore, we highlight the dysregulation of the synaptic transcriptome in neuronal cells and of the inflammatory transcriptome in glial cells as some of the key events during normal and neuropathological human brain aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Silvana Gaetani
- Department of Physiology and Farmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, 00185, Rome, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "C. Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro, 00185, Rome, Italy
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15
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Lupo G, Gioia R, Nisi PS, Biagioni S, Cacci E. Molecular Mechanisms of Neurogenic Aging in the Adult Mouse Subventricular Zone. J Exp Neurosci 2019; 13:1179069519829040. [PMID: 30814846 PMCID: PMC6381424 DOI: 10.1177/1179069519829040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
In the adult rodent brain, the continuous production of new neurons by neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) residing in specialized neurogenic niches and their subsequent integration into pre-existing cerebral circuitries supports odour discrimination, spatial learning, and contextual memory capabilities. Aging is recognized as the most potent negative regulator of adult neurogenesis. The neurogenic process markedly declines in the aged brain, due to the reduction of the NSPC pool and the functional impairment of the remaining NSPCs. This decline has been linked to the progressive cognitive deficits of elderly individuals and it may also be involved in the onset/progression of neurological disorders. Since the human lifespan has been dramatically extended, the incidence of age-associated neuropsychiatric conditions in the human population has increased. This has prompted efforts to shed light on the mechanisms underpinning the age-related decline of adult neurogenesis, whose knowledge may foster therapeutic approaches to prevent or delay cognitive alterations in elderly patients. In this review, we summarize recent progress in elucidating the molecular causes of neurogenic aging in the most abundant NSPC niche of the adult mouse brain: the subventricular zone (SVZ). We discuss the age-associated changes occurring both in the intrinsic NSPC molecular networks and in the extrinsic signalling pathways acting in the complex environment of the SVZ niche, and how all these changes may steer young NSPCs towards an aged phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Gioia
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Serena Nisi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "Charles Darwin", Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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16
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Kawano R, Ohta K, Lupo G. Cadherin-7 enhances Sonic Hedgehog signalling by preventing Gli3 repressor formation during neural tube patterning. Open Biol 2018; 7:rsob.170225. [PMID: 29263249 PMCID: PMC5746549 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.170225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) is a ventrally enriched morphogen controlling dorsoventral patterning of the neural tube. In the dorsal spinal cord, Gli3 protein bound to suppressor-of-fused (Sufu) is converted into Gli3 repressor (Gli3R), which inhibits Shh-target genes. Activation of Shh signalling prevents Gli3R formation, promoting neural tube ventralization. We show that cadherin-7 (Cdh7) expression in the intermediate spinal cord region is required to delimit the boundary between the ventral and the dorsal spinal cord. We demonstrate that Cdh7 functions as a receptor for Shh and enhances Shh signalling. Binding of Shh to Cdh7 promotes its aggregation on the cell membrane and association of Cdh7 with Gli3 and Sufu. These interactions prevent Gli3R formation and cause Gli3 protein degradation. We propose that Shh can act through Cdh7 to limit intracellular movement of Gli3 protein and production of Gli3R, thus eliciting more efficient activation of Gli-dependent signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Kawano
- Department of Medical Oncology and Hematology, Oita University Faculty of Medicine, Oita, Japan .,Global COE 'Cell Fate Regulation Research and Education Unit', Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Division of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kunimasa Ohta
- Division of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,International Research Core for Stem Cell-based Developmental Medicine, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Tokyo, Japan
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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17
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Lupo G, Nisi PS, Esteve P, Paul YL, Novo CL, Sidders B, Khan MA, Biagioni S, Liu HK, Bovolenta P, Cacci E, Rugg-Gunn PJ. Molecular profiling of aged neural progenitors identifies Dbx2 as a candidate regulator of age-associated neurogenic decline. Aging Cell 2018; 17:e12745. [PMID: 29504228 PMCID: PMC5946077 DOI: 10.1111/acel.12745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult neurogenesis declines with aging due to the depletion and functional impairment of neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs). An improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms that drive age‐associated neurogenic deficiency could lead to the development of strategies to alleviate cognitive impairment and facilitate neuroregeneration. An essential step towards this aim is to investigate the molecular changes that occur in NSPC aging on a genomewide scale. In this study, we compare the transcriptional, histone methylation and DNA methylation signatures of NSPCs derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ) of young adult (3 months old) and aged (18 months old) mice. Surprisingly, the transcriptional and epigenomic profiles of SVZ‐derived NSPCs are largely unchanged in aged cells. Despite the global similarities, we detect robust age‐dependent changes at several hundred genes and regulatory elements, thereby identifying putative regulators of neurogenic decline. Within this list, the homeobox gene Dbx2 is upregulated in vitro and in vivo, and its promoter region has altered histone and DNA methylation levels, in aged NSPCs. Using functional in vitro assays, we show that elevated Dbx2 expression in young adult NSPCs promotes age‐related phenotypes, including the reduced proliferation of NSPC cultures and the altered transcript levels of age‐associated regulators of NSPC proliferation and differentiation. Depleting Dbx2 in aged NSPCs caused the reverse gene expression changes. Taken together, these results provide new insights into the molecular programmes that are affected during mouse NSPC aging, and uncover a new functional role for Dbx2 in promoting age‐related neurogenic decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Chemistry; Sapienza University of Rome; Rome Italy
| | - Paola S. Nisi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”; Sapienza University of Rome; Rome Italy
| | - Pilar Esteve
- Centro de Biologia Molecular “Severo Ochoa”; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Universidad Autonoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
- CIBER of Rare Diseases; ISCIII; Madrid Spain
| | - Yu-Lee Paul
- Epigenetics Programme; The Babraham Institute; Cambridge UK
| | | | - Ben Sidders
- Bioscience; Oncology; IMED Biotech Unit; AstraZeneca; Cambridge UK
| | - Muhammad A. Khan
- Division of Molecular Neurogenetics; German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ); DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”; Sapienza University of Rome; Rome Italy
| | - Hai-Kun Liu
- Division of Molecular Neurogenetics; German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ); DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Paola Bovolenta
- Centro de Biologia Molecular “Severo Ochoa”; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas-Universidad Autonoma de Madrid; Madrid Spain
- CIBER of Rare Diseases; ISCIII; Madrid Spain
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology “C. Darwin”; Sapienza University of Rome; Rome Italy
| | - Peter J. Rugg-Gunn
- Epigenetics Programme; The Babraham Institute; Cambridge UK
- Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute; University of Cambridge; Cambridge UK
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18
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Tudisco C, Cambria MT, Giuffrida AE, Sinatra F, Anfuso CD, Lupo G, Caporarello N, Falanga A, Galdiero S, Oliveri V, Satriano C, Condorelli GG. Comparison Between Folic Acid and gH625 Peptide-Based Functionalization of Fe 3O 4 Magnetic Nanoparticles for Enhanced Cell Internalization. Nanoscale Res Lett 2018; 13:45. [PMID: 29417388 PMCID: PMC5803153 DOI: 10.1186/s11671-018-2459-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
A versatile synthetic route based on magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticle (MNP) prefunctionalization with a phosphonic acid monolayer has been used to covalently bind the gH625 peptide on the nanoparticle surface. gH625 is a membranotropic peptide capable of easily crossing the membranes of various cells including the typical human blood-brain barrier components. A similar synthetic route was used to prepare another class of MNPs having a functional coating based on PEG, rhodamine, and folic acid, a well-known target molecule, to compare the performance of the two cell-penetrating systems (i.e., gH625 and folic acid). Our results demonstrate that the uptake of gH625-decorated MNPs in immortalized human brain microvascular endothelial cells after 24 h is more evident compared to folic acid-functionalized MNPs as evidenced by confocal laser scanning microscopy. On the other hand, both functionalized systems proved capable of being internalized in a brain tumor cell line (i.e., glioblastoma A-172). These findings indicate that the functionalization of MNPs with gH625 improves their endothelial cell internalization, suggesting a viable strategy in designing functional nanostructures capable of first crossing the BBB and, then, of reaching specific tumor brain cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Tudisco
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
- INSTM UdR di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - M T Cambria
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Università di Catania, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - A E Giuffrida
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
- INSTM UdR di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - F Sinatra
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Università di Catania, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - C D Anfuso
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Università di Catania, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - G Lupo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Università di Catania, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - N Caporarello
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche e Biotecnologiche, Università di Catania, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - A Falanga
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", 80134, Napoli, Italy
| | - S Galdiero
- Dipartimento di Farmacia, Università di Napoli "Federico II", 80134, Napoli, Italy
| | - V Oliveri
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - C Satriano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy
| | - G G Condorelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
- INSTM UdR di Catania, 95125, Catania, Italy.
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19
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Caporarello N, Olivieri M, Cristaldi M, Scalia M, Toscano MA, Genovese C, Addamo A, Salmeri M, Lupo G, Anfuso CD. Blood-Brain Barrier in a Haemophilus influenzae Type a In Vitro Infection: Role of Adenosine Receptors A 2A and A 2B. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 55:5321-5336. [PMID: 28921456 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-017-0769-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is mainly made up of tightly connected microvascular endothelial cells (BMECs), surrounded by pericytes (BMPCs) which regulate BBB tightness by providing soluble factors that control endothelial proliferation. Haemophilus influenzae type a (Hia) is able to reach the BBB, crossing it, thus causing meningitis. In this study, by using an in vitro model of BBB, performed with human BMECs and human BMPCs in co-culture, we demonstrated that, after Hia infection, the number of hBMPCs decreased whereas the number of hBMECs increased in comparison with non-infected cells. SEM and TEM images showed that Hia was able to enter hBMECs and reduce TEER and VE-cadherin expression. When the cells were infected in presence of SCH58261 and PSB603 but not DPCPX, an increase in TEER values was observed thus demonstrating that A2A and A2B adenosine receptors play a key role in BBB dysfunction. These results were confirmed by the use of adenosine receptor agonists CGS21680, CCPA, and NECA. In infected co-cultures cAMP and VEGF increased and TEER reduction was counter-balanced by VEGF-R1 or VEGF-R2 antibodies. Moreover, the phosphorylated CREB and Rho-A significantly increased in infected hBMECs and hBMPCs and the presence of SCH58261 and PSB603 significantly abrogated the phosphorylation. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the infection stimulated A2A and A2B adenosine receptors in hBMECs and hBMPCs thus inducing the pericytes to release large amounts of VEGF. The latter could be responsible for both, pericyte detachment and endothelial cell proliferation, thus provoking BBB impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Caporarello
- Section of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Olivieri
- Section of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Cristaldi
- Section of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Scalia
- Section of Biology and Genetic, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M A Toscano
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - C Genovese
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - A Addamo
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Salmeri
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| | - G Lupo
- Section of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| | - C D Anfuso
- Section of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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20
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Guadagno NA, Moriconi C, Licursi V, D'Acunto E, Nisi PS, Carucci N, De Jaco A, Cacci E, Negri R, Lupo G, Miranda E. Neuroserpin polymers cause oxidative stress in a neuronal model of the dementia FENIB. Neurobiol Dis 2017; 103:32-44. [PMID: 28363799 PMCID: PMC5439028 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2017.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2016] [Revised: 03/10/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The serpinopathies are human pathologies caused by mutations that promote polymerisation and intracellular deposition of proteins of the serpin superfamily, leading to a poorly understood cell toxicity. The dementia FENIB is caused by polymerisation of the neuronal serpin neuroserpin (NS) within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of neurons. With the aim of understanding the toxicity due to intracellular accumulation of neuroserpin polymers, we have generated transgenic neural progenitor cell (NPC) cultures from mouse foetal cerebral cortex, stably expressing the control protein GFP (green fluorescent protein), or human wild type, G392E or delta NS. We have characterised these cell lines in the proliferative state and after differentiation to neurons. Our results show that G392E NS formed polymers that were mostly retained within the ER, while wild type NS was correctly secreted as a monomeric protein into the culture medium. Delta NS was absent at steady state due to its rapid degradation, but it was easily detected upon proteasomal block. Looking at their intracellular distribution, wild type NS was found in partial co-localisation with ER and Golgi markers, while G392E NS was localised within the ER only. Furthermore, polymers of NS were detected by ELISA and immunofluorescence in neurons expressing the mutant but not the wild type protein. We used control GFP and G392E NPCs differentiated to neurons to investigate which cellular pathways were modulated by intracellular polymers by performing RNA sequencing. We identified 747 genes with a significant upregulation (623) or downregulation (124) in G392E NS-expressing cells, and we focused our attention on several genes involved in the defence against oxidative stress that were up-regulated in cells expressing G392E NS (Aldh1b1, Apoe, Gpx1, Gstm1, Prdx6, Scara3, Sod2). Inhibition of intracellular anti-oxidants by specific pharmacological reagents uncovered the damaging effects of NS polymers. Our results support a role for oxidative stress in the cellular toxicity underlying the neurodegenerative dementia FENIB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi A Guadagno
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Moriconi
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Licursi
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Institute for Systems Analysis and Computer Science 'Antonio Ruberti', National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuela D'Acunto
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Paola S Nisi
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Carucci
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella De Jaco
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Institute of Biology and Molecular Pathology (IBPM), National Research Council, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Dpt. of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
| | - Elena Miranda
- Dpt. of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Pasteur Institute - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.
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21
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Panelli S, Lorusso L, Balestrieri A, Lupo G, Capelli E. XMRV and Public Health: The Retroviral Genome Is Not a Suitable Template for Diagnostic PCR, and Its Association with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Appears Unreliable. Front Public Health 2017; 5:108. [PMID: 28589117 PMCID: PMC5439170 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.00108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A few years ago, a highly significant association between the xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), a complex debilitating disease of poorly understood etiology and no definite treatment, was reported in Science, raising concern for public welfare. Successively, the failure to reproduce these findings, and the suspect that the diagnostic PCR was vitiated by laboratory contaminations, led to the retraction of the paper. Notwithstanding, XMRV continued to be the subject of researches and public debates. Occasional positivity in humans was also detected recently, even if the data always appeared elusive and non-reproducible. In this study, we discuss the current status of this controversial association and propose that a major role in the unreliability of the results was played by the XMRV genomic composition in itself. In this regard, we present bioinformatic analyses that show: (i) aspecific, spurious annealings of the available primers in multiple homologous sites of the human genome; (ii) strict homologies between whole XMRV genome and interspersed repetitive elements widespread in mammalian genomes. To further detail this scenario, we screen several human and mammalian samples by using both published and newly designed primers. The experimental data confirm that available primers are far from being selective and specific. In conclusion, the occurrence of highly conserved, repeated DNA sequences in the XMRV genome deeply undermines the reliability of diagnostic PCRs by leading to artifactual and spurious amplifications. Together with all the other evidences, this makes the association between the XMRV retrovirus and CFS totally unreliable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Panelli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Centre for Health Technologies (C.H.T.), University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Lorusso
- Neurology Unit, A.S.S.T. Franciacorta, Chiari (Brescia), Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Centre for Health Technologies (C.H.T.), University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Enrica Capelli
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Section of Animal Biology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Centre for Health Technologies (C.H.T.), University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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22
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Carucci N, Cacci E, Nisi PS, Licursi V, Paul YL, Biagioni S, Negri R, Rugg-Gunn PJ, Lupo G. Transcriptional response of Hoxb genes to retinoid signalling is regionally restricted along the neural tube rostrocaudal axis. R Soc Open Sci 2017; 4:160913. [PMID: 28484611 PMCID: PMC5414248 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
During vertebrate neural development, positional information is largely specified by extracellular morphogens. Their distribution, however, is very dynamic due to the multiple roles played by the same signals in the developing and adult neural tissue. This suggests that neural progenitors are able to modify their competence to respond to morphogen signalling and autonomously maintain positional identities after their initial specification. In this work, we take advantage of in vitro culture systems of mouse neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) to show that NSPCs isolated from rostral or caudal regions of the mouse neural tube are differentially responsive to retinoic acid (RA), a pivotal morphogen for the specification of posterior neural fates. Hoxb genes are among the best known RA direct targets in the neural tissue, yet we found that RA could promote their transcription only in caudal but not in rostral NSPCs. Correlating with these effects, key RA-responsive regulatory regions in the Hoxb cluster displayed opposite enrichment of activating or repressing histone marks in rostral and caudal NSPCs. Finally, RA was able to strengthen Hoxb chromatin activation in caudal NSPCs, but was ineffective on the repressed Hoxb chromatin of rostral NSPCs. These results suggest that the response of NSPCs to morphogen signalling across the rostrocaudal axis of the neural tube may be gated by the epigenetic configuration of target patterning genes, allowing long-term maintenance of intrinsic positional values in spite of continuously changing extrinsic signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Carucci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘C. Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Emanuele Cacci
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘C. Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Paola S. Nisi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘C. Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Valerio Licursi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘C. Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Yu-Lee Paul
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Stefano Biagioni
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘C. Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Rodolfo Negri
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology ‘C. Darwin’, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Istituto Pasteur— Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | | | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Istituto Pasteur— Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
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23
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Pasi F, Fassina L, Mognaschi ME, Lupo G, Corbella F, Nano R, Capelli E. Pulsed Electromagnetic Field with Temozolomide Can Elicit an Epigenetic Pro-apoptotic Effect on Glioblastoma T98G Cells. Anticancer Res 2017; 36:5821-5826. [PMID: 27793904 DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.11166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/12/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Treatment with pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs) is emerging as an interesting therapeutic option for patients with cancer. The literature has demonstrated that low-frequency/low-energy electromagnetic fields do not cause predictable effects on DNA; however, they can epigenetically act on gene expression. The aim of the present work was to study a possible epigenetic effect of a PEMF, mediated by miRNAs, on a human glioblastoma cell line (T98G). We tested a PEMF (maximum magnetic induction, 2 mT; frequency, 75 Hz) that has been demonstrated to induce autophagy in glioblastoma cells. In particular, we studied the effect of PEMF on the expression of genes involved in cancer progression and a promising synergistic effect with temozolomide, a frequently used drug to treat glioblastoma multiforme. We found that electromagnetic stimulation in combination with temozolomide can elicit an epigenetic pro-apoptotic effect in the chemo- and radioresistant T98G glioblastoma cell line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Pasi
- Radiation Oncology Unit, Hospital San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Laboratory of Neuro-Radio-Experimental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fassina
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Centre for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Maria Evelina Mognaschi
- Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Centre for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.,Laboratory of Immunology and Genetic Analysis, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Franco Corbella
- Radiation Oncology Unit, Hospital San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Rosanna Nano
- Laboratory of Neuro-Radio-Experimental Biology, Department of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Enrica Capelli
- Centre for Health Technologies, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy .,Laboratory of Immunology and Genetic Analysis, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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24
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Cacci E, Negri R, Biagioni S, Lupo G. Histone Methylation and microRNA-dependent Regulation of Epigenetic Activities in Neural Progenitor Self-Renewal and Differentiation. Curr Top Med Chem 2017; 17:794-807. [DOI: 10.2174/1568026616666160414124456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 10/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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25
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Satriano C, Lupo G, Motta C, Anfuso CD, Di Pietro P, Kasemo B. Ferritin-supported lipid bilayers for triggering the endothelial cell response. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2016; 149:48-55. [PMID: 27718396 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Revised: 07/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid nanoassemblies of ferritin and silica-supported lipid bilayers (ferritin-SLBs) have been prepared and tested for the adhesion, spreading and proliferation of retinal microvascular endothelial cells (ECs). Lipid membranes with varying surface charge were obtained by mixing cationic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-ethylphosphocholine (POEPC) with zwitterionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) at increasing POPC/POEPC ratios. The supported bilayer formation and their subsequent interaction processes with ferritin were studied at the pH of 7.4 at different protein concentrations, by using the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring and by atomic force microscopy. Both kinetics and viscoelastic parameters of the protein-lipid membrane interface were scrutinized, as well as surface coverage. Phase-contrast optical microscopy analyses of the ferritin-SLBs substrates after their interaction with endothelial cells evidenced the highest cell adhesion (2-4h of incubation time) and proliferation (from 24h to 5 days) for the membranes of POPC/POEPC (75:25 ratio). Moreover, ferritin increased both cell adhesion and proliferation in comparison to control glass (respectively 1.5- and 1.75-fold) as well as proliferation in comparison to bare POPC/POEPC (95:5 ratio) (2 fold). Results are very promising in the goal of modulating the endothelial cell response through the interplay of viscoelastic/charge properties of the solid-supported membranes and the SLB-conditioned ferritin activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Satriano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - G Lupo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy.
| | - C Motta
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - C D Anfuso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - P Di Pietro
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria, 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - B Kasemo
- Department of Applied Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, SE 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
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26
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Moriconi C, Ordoñez A, Lupo G, Gooptu B, Irving JA, Noto R, Martorana V, Manno M, Timpano V, Guadagno NA, Dalton L, Marciniak SJ, Lomas DA, Miranda E. Interactions between N-linked glycosylation and polymerisation of neuroserpin within the endoplasmic reticulum. FEBS J 2015; 282:4565-79. [PMID: 26367528 PMCID: PMC4949553 DOI: 10.1111/febs.13517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 07/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The neuronal serpin neuroserpin undergoes polymerisation as a consequence of point mutations that alter its conformational stability, leading to a neurodegenerative dementia called familial encephalopathy with neuroserpin inclusion bodies (FENIB). Neuroserpin is a glycoprotein with predicted glycosylation sites at asparagines 157, 321 and 401. We used site-directed mutagenesis, transient transfection, western blot, metabolic labelling and ELISA to probe the relationship between glycosylation, folding, polymerisation and degradation of neuroserpin in validated cell models of health and disease. Our data show that glycosylation at N157 and N321 plays an important role in maintaining the monomeric state of neuroserpin, and we propose this is the result of steric hindrance or effects on local conformational dynamics that can contribute to polymerisation. Asparagine residue 401 is not glycosylated in wild type neuroserpin and in several polymerogenic variants that cause FENIB, but partial glycosylation was observed in the G392E mutant of neuroserpin that causes severe, early-onset dementia. Our findings indicate that N401 glycosylation reports lability of the C-terminal end of neuroserpin in its native state. This C-terminal lability is not required for neuroserpin polymerisation in the endoplasmic reticulum, but the additional glycan facilitates degradation of the mutant protein during proteasomal impairment. In summary, our results indicate how normal and variant-specific N-linked glycosylation events relate to intracellular folding, misfolding, degradation and polymerisation of neuroserpin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Moriconi
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Adriana Ordoñez
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, UK
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Bibek Gooptu
- Division of Asthma, Allergy and Lung Biology, King's College London, UK
| | - James A Irving
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, UK
| | - Rosina Noto
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biophysics, Palermo, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Martorana
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biophysics, Palermo, Italy
| | - Mauro Manno
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Biophysics, Palermo, Italy
| | - Valentina Timpano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Noemi A Guadagno
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
| | - Lucy Dalton
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, UK
| | - Stefan J Marciniak
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, UK
| | - David A Lomas
- Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research, University College London, UK
| | - Elena Miranda
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies 'Charles Darwin', Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
- Pasteur Institute - Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
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27
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Caporarello N, Salmeri M, Scalia M, Motta C, Parrino C, Frittitta L, Olivieri M, Toscano MA, Anfuso CD, Lupo G. Role of cytosolic and calcium independent phospholipases A(2) in insulin secretion impairment of INS-1E cells infected by S. aureus. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:3969-76. [PMID: 26632509 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) and Ca(2+)-independent PLA2 (iPLA2) play a significant role in insulin β-cells secretion. Bacterial infections may be responsible of the onset of diabetes. The mechanism by which Staphylococcus aureus infection of INS-1 cells alters glucose-induced insulin secretion has been examined. After acute infection, insulin secretion and PLA2 activities significantly increased. Moreover, increased expressions of phospho-cPLA2, phospho-PKCα and phospho-ERK 1/2 were observed. Chronic infection causes a decrease in insulin release and a significant increase of iPLA2 and COX-2 protein expression. Moreover, insulin secretion in infected cells could be restored using specific siRNAs against iPLA2 isoform and specific COX-2 inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Caporarello
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - M Salmeri
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - M Scalia
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - C Motta
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - C Parrino
- Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - L Frittitta
- Dept. of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - M Olivieri
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - M A Toscano
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - C D Anfuso
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy
| | - G Lupo
- Dept. of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy.
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28
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Bertacchi M, Lupo G, Pandolfini L, Casarosa S, D'Onofrio M, Pedersen RA, Harris WA, Cremisi F. Activin/Nodal Signaling Supports Retinal Progenitor Specification in a Narrow Time Window during Pluripotent Stem Cell Neuralization. Stem Cell Reports 2015; 5:532-45. [PMID: 26388287 PMCID: PMC4624997 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2015.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2015] [Revised: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 08/21/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Retinal progenitors are initially found in the anterior neural plate region known as the eye field, whereas neighboring areas undertake telencephalic or hypothalamic development. Eye field cells become specified by switching on a network of eye field transcription factors, but the extracellular cues activating this network remain unclear. In this study, we used chemically defined media to induce in vitro differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) toward eye field fates. Inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling was sufficient to drive ESCs to telencephalic, but not retinal, fates. Instead, retinal progenitors could be generated from competent differentiating mouse ESCs by activation of Activin/Nodal signaling within a narrow temporal window corresponding to the emergence of primitive anterior neural progenitors. Activin also promoted eye field gene expression in differentiating human ESCs. Our results reveal insights into the mechanisms of eye field specification and open new avenues toward the generation of retinal progenitors for translational medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Bertacchi
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Istituto Pasteur-Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Luca Pandolfini
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56124 Pisa, Italy
| | - Simona Casarosa
- Centre for Integrative Biology, University of Trento, Via delle Regole 101, 38123 Mattarello (Trento), Italy
| | - Mara D'Onofrio
- Genomics Facility, European Brain Research Institute "Rita Levi-Montalcini," Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy; Istituto di Farmacologia Traslazionale, CNR, Via del Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Roger A Pedersen
- Department of Surgery and The Anne McLaren Laboratory for Regenerative Medicine, Wellcome Trust-Medical Research Council Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, West Forvie Building, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0SZ, UK
| | - William A Harris
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
| | - Federico Cremisi
- Laboratorio di Biologia, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa, Piazza dei Cavalieri 7, 56124 Pisa, Italy; Institute of Biomedical Technologies (ITB), National Research Council (CNR) of Pisa, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
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Anfuso CD, Olivieri M, Bellanca S, Salmeri M, Motta C, Scalia M, Satriano C, La Vignera S, Burrello N, Caporarello N, Lupo G, Calogero AE. Asthenozoospermia and membrane remodeling enzymes: a new role for phospholipase A2. Andrology 2015; 3:1173-82. [PMID: 26446356 DOI: 10.1111/andr.12101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Revised: 07/14/2015] [Accepted: 08/01/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Phosholipase A2 (PLA2 ) activity in the seminal plasma and in sperm heads is closely related to sperm motility and male fertility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of different isoforms of phospholipase in asthenozoospermia. To accomplish this, cPLA2 , phospho-cPLA2 , iPLA2 , and sPLA2 were evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses in spermatozoa obtained from 22 normozoospermic men and 28 asthenozoospermic patients. We found significant differences in cPLA2 and its phosphorylated/activated form, iPLA2 , and sPLA2 content and distribution in normal and asthenozoospermic patients. cPLA2 was localized in heads, midpieces, and tails of all spermatozoa as constitutive enzyme, less expressed in the tail of spermatozoa with low progressive motility. While active phospho-cPLA2 distribution was homogeneous throughout the cell body of control-donor spermatozoa, lower levels were detected in the tails of asthenozoospermic patients, as opposed to its strong presence in heads. Low immunofluorescence signal for iPLA2 was found in astenozoospermic patients, whereas sPLA2 was significantly lower in the heads of asthenozoospermic patients. Spermatozoa with low progressive motility showed differences both in terms of total specific activity and of intracellular distribution. cPLA2 , iPLA2 , and sPLA2 specific activities correlated positively and in a significantly manner with sperm progressive motility both in normozoospermic men and asthenozoospermic patients. In conclusion, PLA2 s are expressed in different areas of human spermatozoa. Spermatozoa with low motility showed differences in total specific activity and enzyme distributions. We speculated that PLA2 expression and/or different distribution could be potential biomarkers of asthenozoospermia, one of the major causes of male factor infertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- C D Anfuso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Olivieri
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - S Bellanca
- Department of General Surgery and Medical-Surgical Specialties, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Salmeri
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - C Motta
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - M Scalia
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - C Satriano
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - S La Vignera
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - N Burrello
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - N Caporarello
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - G Lupo
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - A E Calogero
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Wang X, Lupo G, He R, Barsacchi G, Harris WA, Liu Y. Dorsoventral patterning of the Xenopus eye involves differential temporal changes in the response of optic stalk and retinal progenitors to Hh signalling. Neural Dev 2015; 10:7. [PMID: 25886149 PMCID: PMC4373414 DOI: 10.1186/s13064-015-0035-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hedgehog (Hh) signals are instrumental to the dorsoventral patterning of the vertebrate eye, promoting optic stalk and ventral retinal fates and repressing dorsal retinal identity. There has been limited analysis, however, of the critical window during which Hh molecules control eye polarity and of the temporal changes in the responsiveness of eye cells to these signals. Results In this study, we used pharmacological and molecular tools to perform stage-specific manipulations of Hh signalling in the developing Xenopus eye. In gain-of-function experiments, most of the eye was sensitive to ventralization when the Hh pathway was activated starting from gastrula/neurula stages. During optic vesicle stages, the dorsal eye became resistant to Hh-dependent ventralization, but this pathway could partially upregulate optic stalk markers within the retina. In loss-of-function assays, inhibition of Hh signalling starting from neurula stages caused expansion of the dorsal retina at the expense of the ventral retina and the optic stalk, while the effects of Hh inhibition during optic vesicle stages were limited to the reduction of optic stalk size. Conclusions Our results suggest the existence of two competence windows during which the Hh pathway differentially controls patterning of the eye region. In the first window, between the neural plate and the optic vesicle stages, Hh signalling exerts a global influence on eye dorsoventral polarity, contributing to the specification of optic stalk, ventral retina and dorsal retinal domains. In the second window, between optic vesicle and optic cup stages, this pathway plays a more limited role in the maintenance of the optic stalk domain. We speculate that this temporal regulation is important to coordinate dorsoventral patterning with morphogenesis and differentiation processes during eye development. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13064-015-0035-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiumei Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK. .,Department of Chemistry, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Rongqiao He
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Giuseppina Barsacchi
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Unità di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Università di Pisa, SS 12 Abetone e Brennero 4, 56127, Pisa, Italy.
| | - William A Harris
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK.
| | - Ying Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 15 Datun Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
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Celesia BM, Castronuovo D, Pinzone MR, Bellissimo F, Mughini MT, Lupo G, Scarpino MR, Gussio M, Palermo F, Cosentino S, Cacopardo B, Nunnari G. Late presentation of HIV infection: predictors of delayed diagnosis and survival in Eastern Sicily. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2013; 17:2218-2224. [PMID: 23893189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Across Europe, more than one third of patients are diagnosed with HIV infection late. Late presentation for care has been associated with higher risk of clinical progression and mortality. In the present study, we evaluated the prevalence, epidemiological characteristics and survival probability of patients with late and very late presentation, newly diagnosed with HIV infection in Catania, Italy, from 1985 to 2010. PATIENTS AND METHODS According to the European Consensus definition, Late Presenters (LP) were defined as subjects presenting for care with a CD4+ T-cell count below 350 cells/µl or with an AIDS-defining event, regardless of CD4+ T-cell count; patients with advanced HIV disease (Very Late Presenters) (VLP) were those presenting with a CD4+ T-cell count below 200 cells/µl or with an AIDS-defining event, regardless of CD4+ T-cell count. RESULTS 620 patients were included in the study. 345 (55.6%) subjects were LP, 35% of them were asymptomatic; 246 (39.7%) were VLP. In univariate analysis, late presentation was related to age (p < 0.001), to heterosexual exposure to HIV infection (70% of heterosexual subjects were LP) (p < 0.005) and to being diagnosed during the calendar period from 1991 to 2000 (p < 0.001). Very late presentation was related to age (p < 0.001), male sex (p < 0.01), heterosexual risk (p < 0.001) and to being diagnosed during the calendar period from 1991 to 2000 (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, age (p < 0.0001), being older than 50 years old (p = 0.02), years of diagnosis 1991-1995 (p < 0.005) and 1996-2000 (p < 0.05) in the subgroup of late presenters and age (p < 0.0001), being older than 50 years old (p < 0.005), male sex (p < 0.0001), years of diagnosis 1991-1995 (p < 0.05) and 1996-2000 (p < 0.005) in the subgroup of very late presenters maintained statistical significance. The survival probability within LP and VLP group was statistically lower than no LP/VLP (log rank test p < 0.0005 and p < 0.0001, respectively). For both LP (p < 0.002) and VLP (p < 0.0001), survival probability was significantly lower in the pre-HAART era, in comparison with the period of mono/dual therapy and the HAART era. CONCLUSIONS More than fifty percent of patients in our setting were diagnosed late with HIV infection and, consequently, treated late. Late and very late presentation were associated with lower survival probability. The implementation of strategies focused on targeted prevention efforts and HIV testing programs appears fundamental to diagnose and treat HIV infection as early as possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- B M Celesia
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Catania, ARNAS Garibaldi Nesima, Catania, Italy.
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Lupo G, Novorol C, Smith JR, Vallier L, Miranda E, Alexander M, Biagioni S, Pedersen RA, Harris WA. Multiple roles of Activin/Nodal, bone morphogenetic protein, fibroblast growth factor and Wnt/β-catenin signalling in the anterior neural patterning of adherent human embryonic stem cell cultures. Open Biol 2013; 3:120167. [PMID: 23576785 PMCID: PMC3718331 DOI: 10.1098/rsob.120167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have successfully produced a variety of neural cell types from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), but there has been limited systematic analysis of how different regional identities are established using well-defined differentiation conditions. We have used adherent, chemically defined cultures to analyse the roles of Activin/Nodal, bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and Wnt/β-catenin signalling in neural induction, anteroposterior patterning and eye field specification in hESCs. We show that either BMP inhibition or activation of FGF signalling is required for effective neural induction, but these two pathways have distinct outcomes on rostrocaudal patterning. While BMP inhibition leads to specification of forebrain/midbrain positional identities, FGF-dependent neural induction is associated with strong posteriorization towards hindbrain/spinal cord fates. We also demonstrate that Wnt/β-catenin signalling is activated during neural induction and promotes acquisition of neural fates posterior to forebrain. Therefore, inhibition of this pathway is needed for efficient forebrain specification. Finally, we provide evidence that the levels of Activin/Nodal and BMP signalling have a marked influence on further forebrain patterning and that constitutive inhibition of these pathways represses expression of eye field genes. These results show that the key mechanisms controlling neural patterning in model vertebrate species are preserved in adherent, chemically defined hESC cultures and reveal new insights into the signals regulating eye field specification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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Itro A, Lupo G, Carotenuto A, Filipi M, Cocozza E, Fiengo G, Marra A. Management of temporomandibular joint ankylosis: a case report of joint replacement with piezoelectric surgery. Minerva Stomatol 2012; 61:329-335. [PMID: 22976516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
AIM Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis is a joint disorder which refers to bone or fibrous adhesion of the anatomic joint components and the ensuing loss of function. This report describes the management of a case of bilateral TMJ ankylosis in a 20-year-old patient with prosthetic replacement with the aid of a piezoelectric instrument (MECTRON (R). METHODS The right ankylotic mass was surgically removed and replaced by a custom-made prosthesis based on data obtained from three-dimensional computed tomography (CT) reconstruction of the skull of the patient using a stereolithography model. RESULTS At six months postoperative, the opening of the mouth was stable at 36 mm and imaging studies (CT and magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]) showed a great condylar prosthesis and surrounding tissues in addition to partial remodeling of the left TMJ. CONCLUSION In this patient, despite the bilateral ankylosis, it was sufficient to intervene only on the right TMJ, which presented a serious bone block, with mobilization since surgery gradually restored the anatomical and functional conditions of the left TMJ compatible with normal activities of mastication and speech.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Itro
- Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Naples Second University, Naples, Italy
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Itro A, Lupo G, Marra A, Carotenuto A, Cocozza E, Filipi M, D'Amato S. The piezoelectric osteotomy technique compared to the one with rotary instruments in the surgery of included third molars. A clinical study. Minerva Stomatol 2012; 61:247-253. [PMID: 22669054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
AIM The purpose of this study is to compare surgical times, the saving of bonytissues, the postoperative course of the extraction of included third molars in patients treated with piezoelectric surgery compared to those treated with conventional rotary instruments. METHODS The study included 140 patients with upper and lower third molars included. 70 of them were treated with osteotomy using conventional rotary instruments (Group 1) and 70 more with osteotomy through piezosurgery Mectron® (GROUP 2). The treatment protocol was the same for both groups. The time of surgery and the saving of bonytissues in the intra-operative have been estimated; moreover, 24-48-72 hours and 7 days after the surgery, two other parameters have been estimated: facial swelling and trismus. The swelling, trismus and the saving of bony tissues were assessed by a surgery gauge. RESULTS The average surgical time was 15 minutes in Group 1 and 20 minutes in Group 2. The savings of bonytissues was greater in Group 2 than in group 1 by 2.7 mm. The average facial swelling was 6.23 mm for group 1 and 2.86 mm for group 2 24 hours after the surgery, of 5.22 mm for group 1 and 1.76 mm for group 2 48 hours after the intervention, of 3.75 mm for Group 1 and 0.85 for group 2 72 hours after the surgery, of 0.86 mm for group 1 and 0.12 for group 2. The average trismus was of 14.76 mm in Group 1 and 11.15 mm in Group 2. Statistical analysis showed a significant reduction of swelling, trismus and a bigger saving of bony tissues in Group 2 and a reduction in surgical time in Group 1. CONCLUSION The osteotomy technique with a piezoelectric instrument has produced a significant reduction in facial swelling, trismus and a bigger saving of bony tissues than with conventional rotary instruments. A slight lengthening in terms of surgical time has been recorded, compared to the use of conventional rotary instruments.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Itro
- University of Naples, Italy.
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Itro A, Lupo G, Carotenuto A, Filipi M, Cocozza E, Marra A. Benefits of piezoelectric surgery in oral and maxillofacial surgery. Review of literature. Minerva Stomatol 2012; 61:213-224. [PMID: 22576446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Piezoelectric surgery is based on the use of ultrasound for the cutting of bones. It represents an innovative technique, as it offers the maxillofacial surgeon the opportunity of making precise bone cuts without damaging any soft tissue, minimizing the invasiveness of surgical procedure, and the opportunity of working in a field which is almost totally blood-free. It reduces the impact on soft tissues (vessels and nerves) which lie adjacent to the areas of treatment. Compared to traditional methods, it enables optimal healing because it reduces the postsurgery swelling and discomfort. In this article the authors realized a review of the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Itro
- School of Maxillofacial Surgery, Naples, Italy
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Ohta K, Ito A, Kuriyama S, Lupo G, Nakayama R, Ohshima N, Kosaka M, Ohnuma SI, Nakagawa S, Tanaka H. 17-P009 Tsukushi is a Frizzled ligand that, in competition with Wnt2b, regulates the proliferation of retinal stem/progenitor cells. Mech Dev 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mod.2009.06.730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Liu M, Liu Y, Liu Y, Lupo G, Lan L, Barsacchi G, He R. A role for Xvax2 in controlling proliferation of Xenopus ventral eye and brain progenitors. Dev Dyn 2009; 237:3387-93. [PMID: 18942138 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.21763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The Vax2 homeobox gene plays a crucial role in early dorsoventral patterning of the eye. However, although Vax2 transcripts have been detected in later differentiating eye and brain regions, its possible roles at these stages are still unclear. By immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, we extensively compared the expression patterns of Xenopus Vax2 (Xvax2) mRNA and protein. Expression of Xvax2 protein was found to be largely overlapping but more restricted than that of mRNA, suggesting that Xvax2 expression may be also regulated at posttranscriptional levels. During eye and brain neurogenesis, Xvax2 protein was detected in proliferating neural progenitors and postmitotic differentiating cells in ventral regions of both structures. Overexpression of Xvax2 in Xenopus embryos by mRNA microinjection and DNA lipofection appeared to inhibit proliferation in both eye and brain cells, thus pointing to a new potential role for Vax2 in controlling the proliferative properties of ventral eye and brain progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingnan Liu
- The State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, China
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Abstract
AIM AND BACKGROUND In breast cancer, as in almost all neoplastic diseases, the prognosis is strictly related to the invasive capacity, local and distant, that characterizes the growth of all tumors. Since the mechanisms that regulate replication of the neoplastic cells, with consequent capacity to metastasize, are not completely known, identification of new markers represents the gold standard of research in the stratification of patients with such a pathology. Osteopontin, a specific phosphoglycoprotein isolated from extracellular bone matrix and actively involved in mechanisms of bone reabsorption, appears to play a key role in osteoclastogenesis at the level of the skeleton in some pathologic situations. It has been found that patients with metastatic bone lesions from breast or prostate cancer present, with respect to subjects without repetitive bone lesions, elevated serum levels of the protein, indicating that osteopontin could play an important role in the development and progression of the neoplastic disease at the bone level. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN The authors studied 26 patients with breast cancer, evaluating as a marker also serum osteopontin levels. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The results, although obtained on a small number of patients, showed that osteopontin evaluation in breast cancer patients can be a particularly interesting method of research in staging of the disease as well as in the prognosis, thereby attributing a role of a biotumoral marker also in the follow-up of the therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Macrì
- Emergency Surgery Unit, Department of Human Pathology, University of Messina, Italy.
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Ohta K, Ito A, kuriyama S, Lupo G, Nakayama R, Ohshima N, Kosaka M, Ohnuma SI, Nakagawa S, Tanaka H. Molecular function of Tsukushi on neuronal stem cells. Neurosci Res 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2009.09.374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Caristi N, Maisano R, Iorfida M, Scimone A, Lupo G, Buda C, Scisca C, Adamo V. Oral vinorelbine as first line chemotherapy in unfit elderly patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. J Chemother 2008; 20:368-73. [PMID: 18606594 DOI: 10.1179/joc.2008.20.3.368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) is a rapidly progressive disease which produces considerable morbidity and involves mostly men over 70, often comorbid and with poor tolerance to chemotherapy. Low-toxicity chemotherapy is a reasonable option in this setting. Vinorelbine and a corticosteroid show activity and clinical benefit responses in HRPC. An oral regimen is preferable for elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate safety, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response, clinical benefit and progression-free survival in chemonaive elderly HRPC patients. 33 men, median age 78.2, were treated with oral vinorelbine 60 mg/m2 days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks, escalable to 80 mg/m2 after the first cycle, and prednisone 5 mg b.i.d. The main toxicity was hematopoietic (mild at 60 mg/m2 and moderate at 80 mg/m2). Of 27 evaluable patients, 9 (33%) had PSA responses and 9 had clinical benefit, PSA-correlated in 5 cases (56%). Median progression-free survival was 13.4 weeks, median overall survival 45 weeks. Oral vinorelbine plus prednisone is safe and has moderate activity, with biochemical and clinical responses in about one-third of patients and could be an option in unfit elderly HRPC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Caristi
- Unità Operativa di Oncologia Medica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Policlinico G Martino Messina, Italy.
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Morale MC, L'Episcopo F, Tirolo C, Giaquinta G, Caniglia S, Testa N, Arcieri P, Serra PA, Lupo G, Alberghina M, Harada N, Honda S, Panzica GC, Marchetti B. Loss of aromatase cytochrome P450 function as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 57:431-43. [PMID: 18063054 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresrev.2007.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2007] [Revised: 10/24/2007] [Accepted: 10/26/2007] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The final step in the physiological synthesis of 17beta estradiol (E(2)) is aromatization of precursor testosterone by a CYP19 gene product, cytochrome P450 estrogen aromatase in the C19 steroid metabolic pathway. Within the central nervous system (CNS) the presence, distribution, and activity of aromatase have been well characterized. Developmental stage and injury are known modulators of brain enzyme activity, where both neurons and glial cells reportedly have the capability to synthesize this key estrogenic enzyme. The gonadal steroid E(2) is a critical survival, neurotrophic and neuroprotective factor for dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), the cells that degenerate in Parkinson's disease (PD). In previous studies we underlined a crucial role for the estrogenic status at the time of injury in dictating vulnerability to the parkinsonian neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Our ongoing studies address the contribution of brain aromatase and extragonadal E(2) as vulnerability factors for PD pathology in female brain, by exposing aromatase knockout (ArKO, -/-) female mice which are unable to synthesize estrogens to MPTP. Our initial results indicate that aromatase deficiency from early embryonic life significantly impairs the functional integrity of SNpc tyrosine hydroxylase-positive neurons and dopamine transporter innervation of the caudate-putamen in adulthood. In addition, ArKO females exhibited a far greater vulnerability to MPTP-induced nigrostriatal damage as compared to their Wt type gonadally intact and gonadectomized counterparts. Characterization of this novel implication of P450 aromatase as determining factor for PD vulnerability may unravel new avenues for the understanding and development of novel therapeutic approaches for Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- M C Morale
- OASI Institute for Research and Care on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging (IRCCS), Neuropharmacology Section, 94018 Troina, Italy
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Smith JR, Vallier L, Lupo G, Alexander M, Harris WA, Pedersen RA. Inhibition of Activin/Nodal signaling promotes specification of human embryonic stem cells into neuroectoderm. Dev Biol 2007; 313:107-17. [PMID: 18022151 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2007.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2006] [Revised: 09/11/2007] [Accepted: 10/02/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Nodal, a member of the TGF-beta family of signaling molecules, has been implicated in pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) [Vallier, L., Reynolds, D., Pedersen, R.A., 2004a. Nodal inhibits differentiation of human embryonic stem cells along the neuroectodermal default pathway. Dev. Biol. 275, 403-421], a finding that seems paradoxical given Nodal's central role in mesoderm/endoderm specification during gastrulation. In this study, we sought to clarify the role of Nodal signaling during hESC differentiation by constitutive overexpression of the endogenous Nodal inhibitors Lefty2 (Lefty) and truncated Cerberus (Cerb-S) and by pharmacological interference using the Nodal receptor antagonist SB431542. Compared to wildtype (WT) controls, embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from either Lefty or Cerb-S overexpressing hESCs showed increased expression of neuroectoderm markers Sox1, Sox3, and Nestin. Conversely, they were negative for a definitive endoderm marker (Sox17) and did not generate beating cardiomyocyte structures in conditions that allowed mesendoderm differentiation from WT hESCs. EBs derived from either Lefty or Cerb-S expressing hESCs also contained a greater abundance of neural rosette structures as compared to controls. Differentiating EBs derived from Lefty expressing hESCs generated a dense network of beta-tubulin III positive neurites, and when Lefty expressing hESCs were grown as a monolayer and allowed to differentiate, they generated significantly higher numbers of beta-tubulin positive neurons as compared to wildtype hESCs. SB431542 treatments reproduced the neuralising effects of Lefty overexpression in hESCs. These results show that inhibition of Nodal signaling promotes neuronal specification, indicating a role for this pathway in controlling early neural development of pluripotent cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph R Smith
- Department of Surgery and Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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Abstract
Dorsoventral patterning of the neural tube has a crucial role in shaping the functional organization of the CNS. It is well established that hedgehog signalling plays a key role in specifying ventral cell types throughout the neuroectoderm, and major progress has been made in elucidating how hedgehog signalling works in this ventral specification. In addition, other molecular pathways, including nodal, retinoic acid and fibroblast growth factor signalling, have been identified as important molecular cues for ventral patterning of the spinal cord, telencephalon and eye. Here, we discuss recent advances in this field, highlighting the emerging interplay of these signalling pathways in the molecular specification of ventral patterning at different rostrocaudal levels of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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45
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Kuriyama S, Lupo G, Ohta K, Ohnuma SI, Harris WA, Tanaka H. Tsukushi controls ectodermal patterning and neural crest specification in Xenopus by direct regulation of BMP4 and X-delta-1 activity. Development 2005; 133:75-88. [PMID: 16319115 DOI: 10.1242/dev.02178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In Xenopus, ectodermal patterning depends on a mediolateral gradient of BMP signaling, higher in the epidermis and lower in the neuroectoderm. Neural crest cells are specified at the border between the neural plate and the epidermis, at intermediate levels of BMP signaling. We recently described a novel secreted protein, Tsukushi (TSK), which works as a BMP antagonist during chick gastrulation. Here, we report on the Xenopus TSK gene (X-TSK), and show that it is involved in neural crest specification. X-TSK expression accumulates after gastrulation at the anterior-lateral edges of the neural plate, including the presumptive neural crest region. In gain-of-function experiments, X-TSK can strongly enhance neural crest specification by the dorsolateral mesoderm or X-Wnt8 in ectodermal explants, while the electroporation of X-TSK mRNA in the lateral ectoderm of embryos after gastrulation can induce the expression of neural crest markers in vivo. By contrast, depletion of X-TSK in explants or embryos impairs neural crest specification. Similarly to its chick homolog, X-TSK works as a BMP antagonist by direct binding to BMP4. However, X-TSK can also indirectly regulate BMP4 mRNA expression at the neural plate border via modulation of the Delta-Notch signaling pathway. We show that X-TSK directly binds to the extracellular region of X-delta-1, and modulates Delta-dependent Notch activity. We propose that X-TSK plays a key role in neural crest formation by directly regulating BMP and Delta activities at the boundary between the neural and the non-neural ectoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sei Kuriyama
- Division of Developmental Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan
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Lupo G, Liu Y, Qiu R, Chandraratna RAS, Barsacchi G, He RQ, Harris WA. Dorsoventral patterning of the Xenopus eye: a collaboration of Retinoid, Hedgehog and FGF receptor signaling. Development 2005; 132:1737-48. [PMID: 15753216 DOI: 10.1242/dev.01726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
In the developing spinal cord and telencephalon, ventral patterning involves the interplay of Hedgehog (Hh), Retinoic Acid (RA) and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) signaling. In the eye, ventral specification involves Hh signaling, but the roles of RA and FGF signaling are less clear. By overexpression assays in Xenopus embryos, we found that both RA and FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling ventralize the eye, by expanding optic stalk and ventral retina, and repressing dorsal retina character. Co-overexpression experiments show that RA and FGFR can collaborate with Hh signaling and reinforce its ventralizing activity. In loss-of-function experiments, a strong eye dorsalization was observed after triple inhibition of Hh, RA and FGFR signaling, while weaker effects were obtained by inhibiting only one or two of these pathways. These results suggest that the ventral regionalization of the eye is specified by interactions of Hh, RA and FGFR signaling. We argue that similar mechanisms might control ventral neural patterning throughout the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Anatomy, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3DY, UK
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Ohta K, Lupo G, Kuriyama S, Keynes R, Holt CE, Harris WA, Tanaka H, Ohnuma SI. Tsukushi functions as an organizer inducer by inhibition of BMP activity in cooperation with chordin. Dev Cell 2004; 7:347-358. [PMID: 15363410 PMCID: PMC3793302 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2004.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
During chick gastrulation, inhibition of BMP signaling is required for primitive streak formation and induction of Hensen's node. We have identified a unique secreted protein, Tsukushi (TSK), which belongs to the Small Leucine-Rich Proteoglycan (SLRP) family and is expressed in the primitive streak and Hensen's node. Grafts of cells expressing TSK in combination with the middle primitive streak induce an ectopic Hensen's node, while electroporation of TSK siRNA inhibits induction of the node. In Xenopus embryos, TSK can block BMP function and induce a secondary dorsal axis, while it can dorsalize ventral mesoderm and induce neural tissue in embryonic explants. Biochemical analysis shows that TSK binds directly to both BMP and chordin and forms a ternary complex with them. These observations indicate that TSK is an essential dorsalizing factor involved in the induction of Hensen's node.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunimasa Ohta
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Graduate School of Medical Sciences
- PRESTO, JST 4-1-8 Honcho Kawaguchi Saitama 332-0012 Japan
- Correspondence: (K.O.); (S.-i.O.)
| | - Giuseppe Lupo
- Department of Anatomy University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3DY United Kingdom
| | - Sei Kuriyama
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Graduate School of Medical Sciences
- 21 Century COE Kumamoto University Kumamoto 860-8556 Japan
| | - Roger Keynes
- Department of Anatomy University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3DY United Kingdom
| | - Christine E. Holt
- Department of Anatomy University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3DY United Kingdom
| | - William A. Harris
- Department of Anatomy University of Cambridge Downing Street Cambridge CB2 3DY United Kingdom
| | - Hideaki Tanaka
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology Graduate School of Medical Sciences
- 21 Century COE Kumamoto University Kumamoto 860-8556 Japan
| | - Shin-ichi Ohnuma
- Department of Oncology The Hutchison/MRC Research Centre University of Cambridge Hills Road Cambridge CB2 2XZ United Kingdom
- Correspondence: (K.O.); (S.-i.O.)
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48
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Liu Y, Liu Y, Liu W, Lupo G, He RQ, Barsacchi G. Expression of recombinant XVAX2 peptide-104 of Xenopus laevis and preparation of the antibody. Protein Pept Lett 2003; 10:213-9. [PMID: 12678819 DOI: 10.2174/0929866033479086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
An N-terminal polypeptide (XVAX2-P104) of the XVAX2 protein, which is involved in controlling the dorsoventral patterning of the retina in Xenopus laevis, was expressed and purified as a Histagged fusion protein (pHis-XVAX2-P104), and it was employed to generate an anti-XVAX2 antibody in New Zealand white rabbits. ELISA analysis shows that the titer of the antibody is as high as approximately 1:100,000. The antibody could specifically recognize the full-length XVAX2 protein in extracts of Xenopus embryos, as determined by Western Blotting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Liu
- Lab of Visual Information Processing, Centre for Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Institute of Biophysics, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, PR China
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49
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Abstract
We report an analysis of the tissue and molecular interplay involved in the early specification of the forebrain, and in particular telencephalic, regions of the Xenopus embryo. In dissection/recombination experiments, different parts of the organizer region were explanted at gastrula stage and tested for their inducing/patterning activities on either naive ectoderm or on midgastrula stage dorsal ectoderm. We show that the anterior dorsal mesendoderm of the organizer region has a weak neural inducing activity compared with the presumptive anterior notochord, but is able to pattern either neuralized stage 10.5 dorsal ectoderm or animal caps injected with BMP inhibitors to a dorsal telencephalic fate. Furthermore, we found that a subset of this tissue, the anterior dorsal endoderm, still retains this patterning activity. At least part of the dorsal telencephalic inducing activities may be reproduced by the anterior endoderm secreted molecule cerberus, but not by simple BMP inhibition, and requires the N-terminal region of cerberus that includes its Wnt-binding domain. Furthermore, we show that FGF action is both necessary and sufficient for ventral forebrain marker expression in neuralized animal caps, and possibly also required for dorsal telencephalic specification. Therefore, integration of organizer secreted molecules and of FGF, may account for patterning of the more rostral part of Xenopus CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Lupo
- Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Biochimica, Laboratorio di Biologia Cellulare e dello Sviluppo, Università di Pisa, Via G. Carducci 13, 56010 Ghezzano (Pisa), Italy
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Assero G, Lupo G, Anfuso CD, Ragusa N, Alberghina M. High glucose and advanced glycation end products induce phospholipid hydrolysis and phospholipid enzyme inhibition in bovine retinal pericytes. Biochim Biophys Acta 2001; 1533:128-40. [PMID: 11566450 DOI: 10.1016/s1388-1981(01)00151-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we investigated the possible role of oxidative stress and the modulation of phospholipid turnover in two related models of pericyte injury, i.e., treatment with high glucose or advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Growing microcapillary pericytes from bovine retinas in culture were incubated, for 3 weeks, with 20-50 mM glucose or 2-20 microM AGEs, and peroxidation parameters (malondialdehyde, conjugated diene, hydroperoxide, glutathione (GSH) levels and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release) were evaluated. Arachidonate (AA) and choline release from membrane phospholipids was determined in pericytes prelabeled with [1-(14)C]arachidonate and [Me-(3)H]choline, respectively, and stimulated with elevated glucose or AGEs for 30 min or 2 h. [1-(14)C]arachidonate and [Me-(3)H]choline incorporation into phospholipids, for 2 h and 3 h respectively, was also studied in conditioned and serum-starved cultures. Finally, lysates of treated and control cells were assayed for cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)), acyl-CoA:1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine O-acyltransferase (AT), CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) and microsomal choline phosphotransferase (CPT) enzyme activities. We found that high glucose and AGEs caused neither significant production of reactive oxygen species nor cell toxicity or death, unlike other cell types. Both agents had no significant effect on the cellular ultrastructure, evaluated by light and electron microscopy, AA incorporation and release, cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and AT activities. On the contrary, choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine, CT and CPT activities were significantly reduced either by 50 mM glucose or 20 microM AGEs. Simultaneously, [Me-(3)H]choline release was significantly stimulated by both agents. We conclude that prolonged treatments with high glucose or AGEs are not able to induce oxidative injury in bovine retinal capillary pericytes. Nevertheless, they do induce phospholipid hydrolysis and phospholipid enzyme activity inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Assero
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125, Catania, Italy
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