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Cataldo D, Aravena G, Escobar A, Tapia JC, Peralta OA, Torres CG. Effect of Melatonin on Chemoresistance Exhibited by Spheres Derived from Canine Mammary Carcinoma Cells. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1229. [PMID: 38672378 PMCID: PMC11047318 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081229] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammary cancer is a frequent disease in female dogs, where a high proportion of cases correspond to malignant tumors that may exhibit drug resistance. Within the mammary tumor microenvironment, there is a cell subpopulation called cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are capable of forming spheres in vitro and resisting anti-tumor treatments, partly explaining the recurrence of some tumors. Previously, it has been described that spheres derived from canine mammary carcinoma cells CF41.Mg and REM 134 exhibit stemness characteristics. Melatonin has shown anti-tumor effects on mammary tumor cells; however, its effects have been poorly evaluated in canine mammary CSCs. This study aimed to analyze the effect of melatonin on the chemoresistance exhibited by stem-like neoplastic cells derived from canine mammary carcinoma to cytotoxic drugs such as doxorubicin and mitoxantrone. CF41.Mg and REM 134 cells were cultured in high-glucose DMEM supplemented with fetal bovine serum and L-glutamine. The spheres were cultured in ultra-low attachment plates in DMEM/F12 medium without fetal bovine serum and with different growth factors. The CD44+/CD24-/low phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometry. The viability of sphere-derived cells (MTS reduction) was studied in the presence of melatonin (0.1 or 1 mM), doxorubicin, mitoxantrone, and luzindole. In addition, the gene (RT-qPCR) of the multidrug resistance bombs MDR1 and ABCG2 were analyzed in the presence of melatonin. Both cell types expressed the MT1 gene, which encodes the melatonin receptor MT1. Melatonin 1 mM does not modify the CD44+/CD24-/low phenotype; however, the hormone reduced viability (p < 0.0001) only in CF41.Mg spheres, without inducing an additive effect when co-incubated with cytotoxic drugs. These effects were independent of the binding of the hormone to its receptor MT1, since, by pharmacologically inhibiting them, the effect of melatonin was not blocked. In CF41.Mg spheres, the relative gene expression of ABCG2 and MDR1 was decreased in response to the hormone (p < 0.001). These results indicate that melatonin negatively modulates the cell survival of spheres derived from CF41.Mg cells, in a way that is independent of its MT1 receptor. These effects did not counteract the resistance to doxorubicin and mitoxantrone, even though the hormone negatively regulates the gene expression of MDR1 and ABCG2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dania Cataldo
- Centralized Laboratory of Veterinary Research, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (D.C.); (G.A.)
- Laboratory of Biomedicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile
| | - Guillermo Aravena
- Centralized Laboratory of Veterinary Research, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (D.C.); (G.A.)
| | - Alejandro Escobar
- Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Dental Sciences Research Institute, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
| | - Julio C. Tapia
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Biomedical Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
| | - Oscar A. Peralta
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 7820435, Chile;
| | - Cristian G. Torres
- Centralized Laboratory of Veterinary Research, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile; (D.C.); (G.A.)
- Laboratory of Biomedicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8820808, Chile
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Gómez-Espinoza O, Fuentes FI, Ramírez CF, Bravo LA, Sáez PL. In Situ Accumulation of CaOx Crystals in C. quitensis Leaves and Its Relationship with Anatomy and Gas Exchange. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:769. [PMID: 38592779 PMCID: PMC10975422 DOI: 10.3390/plants13060769] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
The accumulation of crystal calcium oxalate (CaOx) in plants is linked to a type of stress-induced photosynthesis termed 'alarm photosynthesis', serving as a carbon reservoir when carbon dioxide (CO2) exchange is constrained. Colobanthus quitensis is an extremophyte found from southern Mexico to Antarctica, which thrives in high-altitude Andean regions. Growing under common garden conditions, C. quitensis from different latitudinal provenances display significant variations in CaOx crystal accumulation. This raises the following questions: are these differences maintained under natural conditions? And is the CaOx accumulation related to mesophyll conductance (gm) and net photosynthesis (AN) performed in situ? It is hypothesized that in provenances with lower gm, C. quitensis will exhibit an increase in the use of CaOx crystals, resulting in reduced crystal leaf abundance. Plants from Central Chile (33°), Patagonia (51°), and Antarctica (62°) were measured in situ and sampled to determine gas exchange and CaOx crystal accumulation, respectively. Both AN and gm decrease towards higher latitudes, correlating with increases in leaf mass area and leaf density. The crystal accumulation decreases at higher latitudes, correlating positively with AN and gm. Thus, in provenances where environmental conditions induce more xeric traits, the CO2 availability for photosynthesis decreases, making the activation of alarm photosynthesis feasible as an internal source of CO2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olman Gómez-Espinoza
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.); (F.I.F.); (L.A.B.)
| | - Francisca I. Fuentes
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.); (F.I.F.); (L.A.B.)
| | - Constanza F. Ramírez
- Laboratorio Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Centro de Biotecnología, Departamento de Silvicultura, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción 4030000, Chile;
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad—IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile
| | - León A. Bravo
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.); (F.I.F.); (L.A.B.)
| | - Patricia L. Sáez
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.); (F.I.F.); (L.A.B.)
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad—IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile
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Molina-Balmaceda A, Rojas-Candia V, Arismendi D, Richter P. Activated carbon from avocado seed as sorbent phase for microextraction technologies: activation, characterization, and analytical performance. Anal Bioanal Chem 2024:10.1007/s00216-024-05203-1. [PMID: 38393340 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-024-05203-1] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
According to green analytical chemistry principles, the use of agricultural byproducts as sorbent phases is an interesting topic due to their lignocellulosic origin, as they are biodegradable and inexpensive. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in which avocado seed and avocado seed activated carbon are proposed as sustainable sorbents for solid-phase microextraction technologies, which were used to assess the proof of concept. Rotating disk sorptive extraction (RDSE) was used as a model technology and ibuprofen (Ibu) and 1-hydroxy-ibuprofen (1-OH-Ibu) as representative analytes. It was found that activated carbon (AC) prepared at 600 °C with an impregnation ratio (raw material/activating agent (ZnCl2), w/w) of 1:1.2 had better extraction efficiency than other ACs obtained at different temperatures, impregnation ratios, and activating agents (K2CO3). Characterization revealed several differences between natural avocado seed, biochar prepared at 600 °C, and selected AC since the typical functional groups of the natural starting material begin to disappear with pyrolysis and increasing the surface area and pore volume, suggesting that the main interactions between analytes and the sorbent material are pore filling and π-π stacking. By using this AC as the sorbent phase, the optimal extraction conditions in RDSE were as follows: the use of 50 mg of sorbent in the disk, 30 mL of sample volume, pH 4, 90 min of extraction time at a rotation velocity of the disk of 2000 rpm, and methanol as the elution solvent. The extracts were analyzed via gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The method provided limits of detection of 0.23 and 0.07 µg L-1 and recoveries of 81% and 91% for Ibu and 1-OH-Ibu, respectively. When comparing the extraction efficiency of the selected activated carbon with those provided by Oasis® HLB and C18 in RDSE, nonsignificant differences were observed, indicating that avocado seed activated carbon is a suitable alternative to these commercial materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Molina-Balmaceda
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, P.O. Box 233, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Rojas-Candia
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, P.O. Box 233, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniel Arismendi
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, P.O. Box 233, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Richter
- Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, P.O. Box 233, Santiago, Chile.
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Ramírez CF, Cavieres LA, Sanhueza C, Vallejos V, Gómez-Espinoza O, Bravo LA, Sáez PL. Ecophysiology of Antarctic Vascular Plants: An Update on the Extreme Environment Resistance Mechanisms and Their Importance in Facing Climate Change. Plants (Basel) 2024; 13:449. [PMID: 38337983 PMCID: PMC10857404 DOI: 10.3390/plants13030449] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Antarctic flowering plants have become enigmatic because of their unique capability to colonize Antarctica. It has been shown that there is not a single trait that makes Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica so special, but rather a set of morphophysiological traits that coordinately confer resistance to one of the harshest environments on the Earth. However, both their capacity to inhabit Antarctica and their uniqueness remain not fully explained from a biological point of view. These aspects have become more relevant due to the climatic changes already impacting Antarctica. This review aims to compile and update the recent advances in the ecophysiology of Antarctic vascular plants, deepen understanding of the mechanisms behind their notable resistance to abiotic stresses, and contribute to understanding their potential responses to environmental changes. The uniqueness of Antarctic plants has prompted research that emphasizes the role of leaf anatomical traits and cell wall properties in controlling water loss and CO2 exchange, the role of Rubisco kinetics traits in facilitating efficient carbon assimilation, and the relevance of metabolomic pathways in elucidating key processes such as gas exchange, nutrient uptake, and photoprotection. Climate change is anticipated to have significant and contrasting effects on the morphophysiological processes of Antarctic species. However, more studies in different locations outside Antarctica and using the latitudinal gradient as a natural laboratory to predict the effects of climate change are needed. Finally, we raise several questions that should be addressed, both to unravel the uniqueness of Antarctic vascular species and to understand their potential responses to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constanza F. Ramírez
- Laboratorio Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Centro de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (C.F.R.); (V.V.)
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad-IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
| | - Lohengrin A. Cavieres
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad-IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
- ECOBIOSIS, Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Barrio Universitario s/n, Concepción 4030000, Chile
| | - Carolina Sanhueza
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Vegetal, Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Barrio Universitario s/n, Concepción 4030000, Chile;
| | - Valentina Vallejos
- Laboratorio Cultivo de Tejidos Vegetales, Centro de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Forestales, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (C.F.R.); (V.V.)
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad-IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
| | - Olman Gómez-Espinoza
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.) (L.A.B.)
| | - León A. Bravo
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.) (L.A.B.)
| | - Patricia L. Sáez
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad-IEB, Las Palmeras 3425, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
- Laboratorio de Fisiología y Biología Molecular Vegetal, Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Medioambiente, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (O.G.-E.) (L.A.B.)
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Sarquis T, Ibáñez C, De La Maza V, Valenzuela R, Zubieta M, Labraña Y, Gutiérrez V, Greppi C, Martínez D, Díaz P, Santolaya ME. Usefulness of Peripheral Blood Cultures in Children With Cancer and Episodes of Fever and Neutropenia. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2024; 43:160-164. [PMID: 38063512 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000004168] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The collection of blood cultures (BC) is key for guiding antimicrobial therapy in children with febrile neutropenia (FN), more than 90% have central venous catheters (CVC). There is no consensus on the need for peripheral BC over central BC in this population. The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of peripheral BC over central BC in the diagnosis of bloodstream infections in children with FN. METHODS Descriptive, retrospective study, episodes of FN recorded prospectively in 6 hospitals in Santiago, Chile, from 2016 to 2021. Central and peripheral BC were drawn upon admission. All episodes with at least one (+) BC were allocated to one of these groups: consistent (+) BC, inconsistent (+) BC, only CVC (+) BC and only peripheral (+) BC. The volume of the samples was recorded. RESULTS The analysis included 241 episodes of FN with at least one (+) BC. The median age was 7.2 years, 51% were female, 84% had hematological cancer and 98% had episodes of high-risk FN. Of a total of 241 episodes, 135 (56%) had consistent (+) BC, 13 (5%) had inconsistent (+) BC, 35 (15%) had only CVC (+) BC and 58 (24%) had only peripheral (+) BC. There were no significant differences in the volume of the samples between central and peripheral BC. CONCLUSIONS The proportion of bloodstream infections detected only through peripheral BC was 24%, higher than previously reported, not due to sample volume. We recommend obtaining peripheral as well CVC BC in children with FN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresita Sarquis
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Roberto del Rio, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Ibáñez
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Verónica De La Maza
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Romina Valenzuela
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcela Zubieta
- Departamento de Pediatría y Cirugía Infantil Sur, Hospital Dr. Exequiel González Cortés, Pediatría Sur, Santiago, Chile
- Committee of Infectious Diseases, National Child Program of Antineoplastic Drugs (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
| | - Yenis Labraña
- Committee of Infectious Diseases, National Child Program of Antineoplastic Drugs (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
- Hospital San Juan De Dios, Pediatrics, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Gutiérrez
- Committee of Infectious Diseases, National Child Program of Antineoplastic Drugs (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
- Department of Pediatrics, Complejo Asistencial Doctor Sotero del Rio, Santiago, Chile
| | - Claudia Greppi
- Committee of Infectious Diseases, National Child Program of Antineoplastic Drugs (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
- Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Surgery, Hospital Roberto del Rio, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Martínez
- Committee of Infectious Diseases, National Child Program of Antineoplastic Drugs (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
- Hospital San Borja Arriaran, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile
| | - Paulina Díaz
- Committee of Infectious Diseases, National Child Program of Antineoplastic Drugs (PINDA), Santiago, Chile
- Hospital Gustavo Fricke, Pediatrics, Viña del Mar, Chile
| | - María Elena Santolaya
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Hospital Dr. Luis Calvo Mackenna, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Short SE, Zamorano M, Aranzaez-Ríos C, Lee-Estevez M, Díaz R, Quiñones J, Ulloa-Rodríguez P, Villalobos EF, Bravo LA, Graether SP, Farías JG. Novel Apoplastic Antifreeze Proteins of Deschampsia antarctica as Enhancer of Common Cell Freezing Media for Cryobanking of Genetic Resources, a Preliminary Study. Biomolecules 2024; 14:174. [PMID: 38397411 PMCID: PMC10886522 DOI: 10.3390/biom14020174] [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] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) are natural biomolecules found in cold-adapted organisms that lower the freezing point of water, allowing survival in icy conditions. These proteins have the potential to improve cryopreservation techniques by enhancing the quality of genetic material postthaw. Deschampsia antarctica, a freezing-tolerant plant, possesses AFPs and is a promising candidate for cryopreservation applications. In this study, we investigated the cryoprotective properties of AFPs from D. antarctica extracts on Atlantic salmon spermatozoa. Apoplastic extracts were used to determine ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI), thermal hysteresis (TH) activities and ice crystal morphology. Spermatozoa were cryopreserved using a standard cryoprotectant medium (C+) and three alternative media supplemented with apoplastic extracts. Flow cytometry was employed to measure plasma membrane integrity (PMI) and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) postthaw. Results showed that a low concentration of AFPs (0.05 mg/mL) provided significant IRI activity. Apoplastic extracts from D. antarctica demonstrated a cryoprotective effect on salmon spermatozoa, with PMI comparable to the standard medium. Moreover, samples treated with apoplastic extracts exhibited a higher percentage of cells with high MMP. These findings represent the first and preliminary report that suggests that AFPs derived from apoplastic extracts of D. antarctica have the potential to serve as cryoprotectants and could allow the development of novel freezing media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania E. Short
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, P.O. Box 54D, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (S.E.S.); (M.Z.); (C.A.-R.)
| | - Mauricio Zamorano
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, P.O. Box 54D, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (S.E.S.); (M.Z.); (C.A.-R.)
| | - Cristian Aranzaez-Ríos
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, P.O. Box 54D, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (S.E.S.); (M.Z.); (C.A.-R.)
| | - Manuel Lee-Estevez
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Av. Alemania 1090, Temuco 4810101, Chile;
| | - Rommy Díaz
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (R.D.); (J.Q.)
| | - John Quiñones
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (R.D.); (J.Q.)
| | - Patricio Ulloa-Rodríguez
- Department of Agronomical Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Av. Carmen 684, Curicó 3341695, Chile;
| | - Elías Figueroa Villalobos
- Nucleus of Research in Food Production, Faculty of Natural Resources, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Manuel Montt 056, Temuco 4813302, Chile;
| | - León A. Bravo
- Department of Agronomical Sciences and Natural Resources, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4811230, Chile;
| | - Steffen P. Graether
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada;
| | - Jorge G. Farías
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, P.O. Box 54D, Temuco 4811230, Chile; (S.E.S.); (M.Z.); (C.A.-R.)
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Angulo R, Cipriani GA, Carboni A, Kessel D. Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence of different processes during a target identification task assessing perceptual learning. Psychol Res 2024; 88:187-196. [PMID: 37100879 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-023-01825-9] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/28/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to test whether a target identification task involving same and different judgments to assess the ability to differentiate between similar pre-exposed stimuli-i.e., perceptual learning-could actually be assessing two different cognitive processes. Specifically, the hypothesis was that while "different" trials might be truly assessing the ability to differentiate between the pre-exposed stimuli, "same" trials might be assessing the ability to recognize one of these stimuli as the target. To test this hypothesis, accuracy on judgments as well as reaction times and event-related potentials for same/different trials were recorded after concurrent pre-exposure to similar stimuli. If same/different trials were assessing cognitive processes with different time courses, distinct outcomes for such trials would be expected at the behavioral and neural level. Results showed that participants were very accurate both in same and different judgments, indicating that they were perfectly able to differentiate between the stimuli after their concurrent presentations. However, larger P3 latencies and slower reaction times for different trials than for same trials were found. These results seem to support the idea that cognitive processes activated in same and different trials are different due to their distinct time courses. The importance of these findings for the theoretical approaches to perceptual learning is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Germán A Cipriani
- Department of Experimental Psychology, and Brain, Mind, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Dominique Kessel
- Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Durán-Jara E, Del Campo M, Gutiérrez V, Wichmann I, Trigo C, Ezquer M, Lobos-González L. Lactadherin immunoblockade in small extracellular vesicles inhibits sEV-mediated increase of pro-metastatic capacities. Biol Res 2024; 57:1. [PMID: 38173019 PMCID: PMC10763369 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00477-8] [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] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-derived small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) can promote tumorigenic and metastatic capacities in less aggressive recipient cells mainly through the biomolecules in their cargo. However, despite recent advances, the specific molecules orchestrating these changes are not completely defined. Lactadherin is a secreted glycoprotein typically found in the milk fat globule membrane. Its overexpression has been associated with increased tumorigenesis and metastasis in breast cancer (BC) and other tumors. However, neither its presence in sEVs secreted by BC cells, nor its role in sEV-mediated intercellular communication have been described. The present study focused on the role of lactadherin-containing sEVs from metastatic MDA-MB-231 triple-negative BC (TNBC) cells (sEV-MDA231) in the promotion of pro-metastatic capacities in non-tumorigenic and non-metastatic recipient cells in vitro, as well as their pro-metastatic role in a murine model of peritoneal carcinomatosis. RESULTS We show that lactadherin is present in sEVs secreted by BC cells and it is higher in sEV-MDA231 compared with the other BC cell-secreted sEVs measured through ELISA. Incubation of non-metastatic recipient cells with sEV-MDA231 increases their migration and, to some extent, their tumoroid formation capacity but not their anchorage-independent growth. Remarkably, lactadherin blockade in sEV-MDA231 results in a significant decrease of those sEV-mediated changes in vitro. Similarly, intraperitoneally treatment of mice with MDA-MB-231 BC cells and sEV-MDA231 greatly increase the formation of malignant ascites and tumor micronodules, effects that were significantly inhibited when lactadherin was previously blocked in those sEV-MDA231. CONCLUSIONS As to our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence on the role of lactadherin in metastatic BC cell-secreted sEVs as promoter of: (i) metastatic capacities in less aggressive recipient cells, and ii) the formation of malignant ascites and metastatic tumor nodules. These results increase our understanding on the role of lactadherin in sEVs as promoter of metastatic capacities which can be used as a therapeutic option for BC and other malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Durán-Jara
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Sciences and Innovation in Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Matías Del Campo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Sciences and Innovation in Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Valentina Gutiérrez
- Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Ignacio Wichmann
- Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 8331150, Santiago, Chile
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - César Trigo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Sciences and Innovation in Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Sciences and Innovation in Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lorena Lobos-González
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Institute for Sciences and Innovation in Medicine, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
- Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile.
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Independencia, Santiago, Chile.
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9
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De la Rubia AG, Largo-Gosens A, Yusta R, Sepúlveda-Orellana P, Riveros A, Centeno ML, Sanhueza D, Meneses C, Saez-Aguayo S, García-Angulo P. A novel pectin methylesterase inhibitor, PMEI3, in common bean suggests a key role of pectin methylesterification in Pseudomonas resistance. J Exp Bot 2024; 75:364-390. [PMID: 37712879 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad362] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying susceptibility to and defense against Pseudomonas syringae (Pph) of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) have not yet been clarified. To investigate these, 15-day-old plants of the variety Riñón were infected with Pph and the transcriptomic changes at 2 h and 9 h post-infection were analysed. RNA-seq analysis showed an up-regulation of genes involved in defense/signaling at 2 h, most of them being down-regulated at 9 h, suggesting that Pph inhibits the transcriptomic reprogramming of the plant. This trend was also observed in the modulation of 101 cell wall-related genes. Cell wall composition changes at early stages of Pph infection were associated with homogalacturonan methylation and the formation of egg boxes. Among the cell wall genes modulated, a pectin methylesterase inhibitor 3 (PvPMEI3) gene, closely related to AtPMEI3, was detected. PvPMEI3 protein was located in the apoplast and its pectin methylesterase inhibitory activity was demonstrated. PvPMEI3 seems to be a good candidate to play a key role in Pph infection, which was supported by analysis of an Arabidopsis pmei3 mutant, which showed susceptibility to Pph, in contrast to resistant Arabidopsis Col-0 plants. These results indicate a key role of the degree of pectin methylesterification in host resistance to Pph during the first steps of the attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso G De la Rubia
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Dpto Ingenieria y Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de León, León, E-24071, Spain
- Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, 8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Asier Largo-Gosens
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Dpto Ingenieria y Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de León, León, E-24071, Spain
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
| | - Ricardo Yusta
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CRG), 7800003, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Sepúlveda-Orellana
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
| | - Aníbal Riveros
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 8331150, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile
| | - María Luz Centeno
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Dpto Ingenieria y Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de León, León, E-24071, Spain
| | - Dayan Sanhueza
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
| | - Claudio Meneses
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Institute Center for Genome Regulation (CRG), 7800003, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 8331150, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Fruticultura y Enología, Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, 7820436, Chile
| | - Susana Saez-Aguayo
- Centro de Biotecnología Vegetal, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile
- ANID - Millennium Science Initiative Program - Millennium Nucleus for the Development of Super Adaptable Plants (MN-SAP), Santiago, Chile
- Chilean fruits cell wall Components as Biotechnological resources (CHICOBIO), Proyecto Anillo ACT210025, Santiago, Chile
| | - Penélope García-Angulo
- Área de Fisiología Vegetal, Dpto Ingenieria y Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de León, León, E-24071, Spain
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10
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Rey M, Kruse MS, Gómez J, Simirgiotis MJ, Tapia A, Coirini H. Ultra-High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Electrospray Ionization Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Tessaria absinthioides (Hook. & Arn.) DC. (Asteraceae) and Antioxidant and Hypocholesterolemic Properties. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 13:50. [PMID: 38247475 PMCID: PMC10812689 DOI: 10.3390/antiox13010050] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, we reported the chemical profile and the hypocholesterolemic effects of a decoction of Tessaria absinthioides (Hook. & Arn.) DC. (Asteraceae). In this study, we evaluated a methanolic extract (METa) instead. Metabolite profiling was conducted using ultra-high-resolution liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS), identifying thirty compounds, including flavonoids, phenolic acids, fatty acids, and phorbolesters. Antioxidant properties were assessed through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), Trolox equivalent antioxidant activity (TEAC), ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and inhibition of lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes (ILP) assays, exhibiting robust antioxidant activity. The in vivo impact of METa on serum lipid parameters and liver X receptors (LXRs) was evaluated in a hypercholesterolemic animal model. After 14 days on a high-fat diet, male rats received either a vehicle (V) or METa100, METa200 or METa500 (100; 200 and 500 mg METa/kg animal, respectively) for an additional two weeks. METa500 reduced total cholesterol levels (17.62%; p < 0.05) and all doses increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (METa100: 86.27%; METa200: 48.37%, and METa500: 29.42%; p < 0.0001). However, METa did not alter LXRs expression. The observed antioxidant and hypocholesterolemic properties of METa may be linked to the presence of six di-caffeoylquinic acids. These findings underscore T. absinthioides as a potential candidate for the treatment of metabolic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Rey
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina;
| | - María Sol Kruse
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina;
| | - Jessica Gómez
- Instituto de Biotecnología-Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ), San Juan J5400ARL, Argentina; (J.G.); (A.T.)
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina
| | - Mario J. Simirgiotis
- Instituto de Farmacia, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus Isla Teja, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile;
- Center for Interdisciplinary Studies on the Nervous System (CISNe), Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Alejandro Tapia
- Instituto de Biotecnología-Instituto de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ), San Juan J5400ARL, Argentina; (J.G.); (A.T.)
| | - Héctor Coirini
- Laboratorio de Neurobiología, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental (IBYME-CONICET), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires C1428ADN, Argentina;
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11
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Manquián-Cerda K, Calderón R, Molina-Roco M, Maldonado T, Arancibia-Miranda N. Cd 2+ Sorption Alterations in Ultisol Soils Triggered by Different Engineered Nanoparticles and Incubation Times. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:3115. [PMID: 38133012 PMCID: PMC10745855 DOI: 10.3390/nano13243115] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The progressive influx of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) into the soil matrix catalyses a fundamental transformation in the equilibrium dynamics between the soil and the edaphic solution. This all-encompassing investigation is geared towards unravelling the implications of an array of ENP types, diverse dosages and varying incubation durations on the kinetics governing Cd2+ sorption within Ultisol soils. These soils have been subjected to detailed characterizations probing their textural and physicochemical attributes in conjunction with an exhaustive exploration of ENP composition, structure and morphology. To decipher the intricate nuances of kinetics, discrete segments of Ultisol soils were subjected to isolated systems involving ENP dosages of 20 and 500 mg ENPs·kg-1 (AgNPs, CuNPs and FeNPs) across intervals of 1, 3 and 6 months. The comprehensive kinetic parameters were unveiled by applying the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. At the same time, the underlying sorption mechanisms were studied via the intra-particle diffusion model. This study underscores the substantial impact of this substrate on the kinetic behaviours of contaminants such as Cd, emphasizing the need for its consideration in soil-linked economic activities and regulatory frameworks to optimize resource management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Manquián-Cerda
- Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. B. O’Higgins, 3363, Santiago 9170124, Chile
| | - Raúl Calderón
- Centro de Investigación en Recursos Naturales y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins, Fabrica 1990, Segundo Piso, Santiago 8370993, Chile;
| | - Mauricio Molina-Roco
- Departamento de Acuicultura y Recursos Agroalimentarios, Campus Osorno-Chuyaca, Universidad de los Lagos, Osorno 5290000, Chile;
| | - Tamara Maldonado
- Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Universidad 330, Placilla, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile;
| | - Nicolás Arancibia-Miranda
- Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Av. B. O’Higgins, 3363, Santiago 9170124, Chile
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12
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Muñoz-Torres P, Márquez SL, Sepúlveda-Chavera G, Cárdenas-Ninasivincha S, Arismendi-Macuer M, Huanca-Mamani W, Aguilar Y, Quezada A, Bugueño F. Isolation and Identification of Bacteria from Three Geothermal Sites of the Atacama Desert and Their Plant-Beneficial Characteristics. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2635. [PMID: 38004648 PMCID: PMC10672901 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11112635] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The Region of Arica and Parinacota (Atacama Desert) offers several unexplored remote sites with unique characteristics that would allow for the formulation of new bioproducts for agriculture. Among them, Jurasi Hot Springs, Polloquere Hot Springs, and Amuyo Lagoons represent a group of open pools fed by thermal water springing from the mountains. Their microbiomes remain unspecified, providing a unique opportunity to characterize the endemic community of these sites and develop new bioproducts for sustainable agriculture. Bacteria were isolated from the sediments of these geothermal sites and characterized by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, microbiological characterization, and agricultural functional characterization. A total of 57 bacteria were isolated from three geothermal sites north of the Atacama Desert. The sequence analysis showed that the isolates belong to several bacterial genera, including Pantoea, Bacillus, and Pseudomonas, among others. The functional characterization revealed the presence of PGP traits, hydrolytic enzymes, and biocontrol activity against phytopathogenic fungi. These bacteria possess the potential to develop new biobased products for agriculture in arid conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio Muñoz-Torres
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Sebastián L. Márquez
- Fundación Científica y Cultural Biociencia, José Domingo Cañas, 2280 Ñuñoa, Santiago 7750132, Chile;
| | - Germán Sepúlveda-Chavera
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Steffany Cárdenas-Ninasivincha
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Mabel Arismendi-Macuer
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Wilson Huanca-Mamani
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Yola Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Antonio Quezada
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
| | - Franco Bugueño
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile; (G.S.-C.); (S.C.-N.); (M.A.-M.); (W.H.-M.); (Y.A.); (A.Q.); (F.B.)
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13
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Pérez-Jeldres T, Bustamante ML, Segovia-Melero R, Aguilar N, Magne F, Ascui G, Uribe D, Azócar L, Hernández-Rocha C, Estela R, Silva V, De La Vega A, Arriagada E, Gonzalez M, Onetto GF, Escobar S, Baez P, Zazueta A, Pavez-Ovalle C, Miquel JF, Álvarez-Lobos M. Genotype Prevalence of Lactose Deficiency, Vitamin D Deficiency, and the Vitamin D Receptor in a Chilean Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort: Insights from an Observational Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14866. [PMID: 37834314 PMCID: PMC10573577 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914866] [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] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Lactose intolerance (LI) and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We conducted an observational study in 192 Chilean IBD patients to investigate the prevalence of a specific gene variant (LCT-13910 CC genotype) associated with LI and the prevalence of VDD/Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene variants. Blood samples were analyzed using Illumina's Infinium Global Screening Array. The LCT-13910 CC genotype was found in 61% of IBD patients, similar to Chilean Hispanic controls and lower than Chilean Amerindian controls. The frequency of the LCT-13910-C allele in Chilean IBD patients (0.79) was comparable to the general population and higher than Europeans (0.49). Regarding VDR and VDD variants, in our study, the rs12785878-GG variant was associated with an increased risk of IBD (OR = 2.64, CI = 1.61-4.32; p-value = 0.001). Sixty-one percent of the Chilean IBD cohort have a genetic predisposition to lactose malabsorption, and a significant proportion exhibit genetic variants associated with VDD/VDR. Screening for LI and VDD is crucial in this Latin American IBD population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Pérez-Jeldres
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - M. Leonor Bustamante
- Biomedical Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
- Fundación Diagnosis, Santiago 7500580, Chile
| | | | - Nataly Aguilar
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Fabien Magne
- Biomedical Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Gabriel Ascui
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, San Diego, CA 92037, USA
| | - Denisse Uribe
- Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de Alimentos, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Lorena Azócar
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
| | - Cristián Hernández-Rocha
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
| | - Ricardo Estela
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Verónica Silva
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Andrés De La Vega
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Elizabeth Arriagada
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Mauricio Gonzalez
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Gian-Franco Onetto
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Sergio Escobar
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital San Borja Arriarán, Santiago 8360160, Chile (M.G.)
| | - Pablo Baez
- Center of Medical Informatics and Telemedicine, University of Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Alejandra Zazueta
- Biomedical Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Carolina Pavez-Ovalle
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
| | - Juan Francisco Miquel
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
| | - Manuel Álvarez-Lobos
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8320000, Chile
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14
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Wood G, Pedersen AU, Kunze KP, Neji R, Hajhosseiny R, Wetzl J, Yoon SS, Schmidt M, Nørgaard BL, Prieto C, Botnar RM, Kim WY. Automated detection of cardiac rest period for trigger delay calculation for image-based navigator coronary magnetic resonance angiography. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 2023; 25:52. [PMID: 37779192 PMCID: PMC10544388 DOI: 10.1186/s12968-023-00962-9] [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] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Coronary magnetic resonance angiography (coronary MRA) is increasingly being considered as a clinically viable method to investigate coronary artery disease (CAD). Accurate determination of the trigger delay to place the acquisition window within the quiescent part of the cardiac cycle is critical for coronary MRA in order to reduce cardiac motion. This is currently reliant on operator-led decision making, which can negatively affect consistency of scan acquisition. Recently developed deep learning (DL) derived software may overcome these issues by automation of cardiac rest period detection. METHODS Thirty individuals (female, n = 10) were investigated using a 0.9 mm isotropic image-navigator (iNAV)-based motion-corrected coronary MRA sequence. Each individual was scanned three times utilising different strategies for determination of the optimal trigger delay: (1) the DL software, (2) an experienced operator decision, and (3) a previously utilised formula for determining the trigger delay. Methodologies were compared using custom-made analysis software to assess visible coronary vessel length and coronary vessel sharpness for the entire vessel length and the first 4 cm of each vessel. RESULTS There was no difference in image quality between any of the methodologies for determination of the optimal trigger delay, as assessed by visible coronary vessel length, coronary vessel sharpness for each entire vessel and vessel sharpness for the first 4 cm of the left mainstem, left anterior descending or right coronary arteries. However, vessel length of the left circumflex was slightly greater using the formula method. The time taken to calculate the trigger delay was significantly lower for the DL-method as compared to the operator-led approach (106 ± 38.0 s vs 168 ± 39.2 s, p < 0.01, 95% CI of difference 25.5-98.1 s). CONCLUSIONS Deep learning-derived automated software can effectively and efficiently determine the optimal trigger delay for acquisition of coronary MRA and thus may simplify workflow and improve reproducibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Wood
- Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
| | - Alexandra Uglebjerg Pedersen
- Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Karl P Kunze
- MR Research Collaborations, Siemens Healthcare Limited, Camberley, UK
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Radhouene Neji
- MR Research Collaborations, Siemens Healthcare Limited, Camberley, UK
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Reza Hajhosseiny
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jens Wetzl
- Cardiovascular MR Predevelopment, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Seung Su Yoon
- Cardiovascular MR Predevelopment, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michaela Schmidt
- Cardiovascular MR Predevelopment, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Bjarne Linde Nørgaard
- Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Claudia Prieto
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- Escuela de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millenium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - René M Botnar
- School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
- Escuela de Ingeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Instituto de Ingeniería Biológica y Médica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
- Millenium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering, Santiago, Chile
| | - Won Yong Kim
- Department of Cardiology, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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15
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Martínez-Cifuentes M, Soto-Tapia E, Linares-Pipón C, Bradshaw B, Valenzuela-Hormazabal P, Ramírez D, Muñoz-Torres P, Parra C. Design of β-Keto Esters with Antibacterial Activity: Synthesis, In Vitro Evaluation, and Theoretical Assessment of Their Reactivity and Quorum-Sensing Inhibition Capacity. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1339. [PMID: 37895810 PMCID: PMC10610512 DOI: 10.3390/ph16101339] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This work proposes the design of β-keto esters as antibacterial compounds. The design was based on the structure of the autoinducer of bacterial quorum sensing, N-(3-oxo-hexanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL). Eight β-keto ester analogues were synthesised with good yields and were spectroscopically characterised, showing that the compounds were only present in their β-keto ester tautomer form. We carried out a computational analysis of the reactivity and ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties of the compounds as well as molecular docking and molecular dynamics calculations with the LasR and LuxS quorum-sensing (QS) proteins, which are involved in bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The results show that all the compounds exhibit reliable ADME properties and that only compound 7 can present electrophile toxicity. The theoretical reactivity study shows that compounds 6 and 8 present a differential local reactivity regarding the rest of the series. Compound 8 presents the most promising potential in terms of its ability to interact with the LasR and LuxS QS proteins efficiently according to its molecular docking and molecular dynamics calculations. An initial in vitro antimicrobial screening was performed against the human pathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus as well as the phytopathogenic bacteria Pseudomonas syringae and Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Compounds 6 and 8 exhibit the most promising results in the in vitro antimicrobial screening against the panel of bacteria studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximiliano Martínez-Cifuentes
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 129, Concepción 4070371, Chile; (E.S.-T.); (C.L.-P.)
| | - Emmanuel Soto-Tapia
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 129, Concepción 4070371, Chile; (E.S.-T.); (C.L.-P.)
| | - Camila Linares-Pipón
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 129, Concepción 4070371, Chile; (E.S.-T.); (C.L.-P.)
| | - Ben Bradshaw
- Laboratori de Química Orgánica, Facultat de Farmàcia, IBUB, Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, s/n, 08028 Barcelona, Spain;
| | - Paulina Valenzuela-Hormazabal
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (P.V.-H.); (D.R.)
| | - David Ramírez
- Departamento de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4030000, Chile; (P.V.-H.); (D.R.)
| | - Patricio Muñoz-Torres
- Laboratorio de Patología Vegetal y Bioproductos, Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas, Universidad de Tarapacá, Av. General Velásquez 1775, Arica 1000000, Chile
| | - Claudio Parra
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Edmundo Larenas 129, Concepción 4070371, Chile; (E.S.-T.); (C.L.-P.)
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16
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Meneses JP, Arrieta C, Della Maggiora G, Besa C, Urbina J, Arrese M, Gana JC, Galgani JE, Tejos C, Uribe S. Liver PDFF estimation using a multi-decoder water-fat separation neural network with a reduced number of echoes. Eur Radiol 2023; 33:6557-6568. [PMID: 37014405 PMCID: PMC10415440 DOI: 10.1007/s00330-023-09576-2] [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] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To accurately estimate liver PDFF from chemical shift-encoded (CSE) MRI using a deep learning (DL)-based Multi-Decoder Water-Fat separation Network (MDWF-Net), that operates over complex-valued CSE-MR images with only 3 echoes. METHODS The proposed MDWF-Net and a U-Net model were independently trained using the first 3 echoes of MRI data from 134 subjects, acquired with conventional 6-echoes abdomen protocol at 1.5 T. Resulting models were then evaluated using unseen CSE-MR images obtained from 14 subjects that were acquired with a 3-echoes CSE-MR pulse sequence with a shorter duration compared to the standard protocol. Resulting PDFF maps were qualitatively assessed by two radiologists, and quantitatively assessed at two corresponding liver ROIs, using Bland Altman and regression analysis for mean values, and ANOVA testing for standard deviation (STD) (significance level: .05). A 6-echo graph cut was considered ground truth. RESULTS Assessment of radiologists demonstrated that, unlike U-Net, MDWF-Net had a similar quality to the ground truth, despite it considered half of the information. Regarding PDFF mean values at ROIs, MDWF-Net showed a better agreement with ground truth (regression slope = 0.94, R2 = 0.97) than U-Net (regression slope = 0.86, R2 = 0.93). Moreover, ANOVA post hoc analysis of STDs showed a statistical difference between graph cuts and U-Net (p < .05), unlike MDWF-Net (p = .53). CONCLUSION MDWF-Net showed a liver PDFF accuracy comparable to the reference graph cut method, using only 3 echoes and thus allowing a reduction in the acquisition times. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT We have prospectively validated that the use of a multi-decoder convolutional neural network to estimate liver proton density fat fraction allows a significant reduction in MR scan time by reducing the number of echoes required by 50%. KEY POINTS • Novel water-fat separation neural network allows for liver PDFF estimation by using multi-echo MR images with a reduced number of echoes. • Prospective single-center validation demonstrated that echo reduction leads to a significant shortening of the scan time, compared to standard 6-echo acquisition. • Qualitative and quantitative performance of the proposed method showed no significant differences in PDFF estimation with respect to the reference technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Pablo Meneses
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering iHEALTH, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristobal Arrieta
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering iHEALTH, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Cecilia Besa
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering iHEALTH, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jesús Urbina
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering iHEALTH, Santiago, Chile
- Complejo Asistencial Dr. Sótero del Río, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marco Arrese
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan Cristóbal Gana
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Division of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jose E Galgani
- Department of Health Sciences, Nutrition and Dietetics Career, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Nutrition, Diabetes and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian Tejos
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering iHEALTH, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sergio Uribe
- Biomedical Imaging Center, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Millennium Institute for Intelligent Healthcare Engineering iHEALTH, Santiago, Chile.
- Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
- Department of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
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Sepúlveda F, Mayorga-Lobos C, Guzmán K, Durán-Jara E, Lobos-González L. EV-miRNA-Mediated Intercellular Communication in the Breast Tumor Microenvironment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13085. [PMID: 37685891 PMCID: PMC10487525 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer research has prioritized the study of the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a crucial area of investigation. Understanding the communication between tumor cells and the various cell types within the TME has become a focal point. Bidirectional communication processes between these cells support cellular transformation, as well as the survival, invasion, and metastatic dissemination of tumor cells. Extracellular vesicles are lipid bilayer structures secreted by cells that emerge as important mediators of this cell-to-cell communication. EVs transfer their molecular cargo, including proteins and nucleic acids, and particularly microRNAs, which play critical roles in intercellular communication. Tumor-derived EVs, for example, can promote angiogenesis and enhance endothelial permeability by delivering specific miRNAs. Moreover, adipocytes, a significant component of the breast stroma, exhibit high EV secretory activity, which can then modulate metabolic processes, promoting the growth, proliferation, and migration of tumor cells. Comprehensive studies investigating the involvement of EVs and their miRNA cargo in the TME, as well as their underlying mechanisms driving tumoral capacities, are necessary for a deeper understanding of these complex interactions. Such knowledge holds promise for the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisca Sepúlveda
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (F.S.); (C.M.-L.); (K.G.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Cristina Mayorga-Lobos
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (F.S.); (C.M.-L.); (K.G.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago 8380492, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Kevin Guzmán
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (F.S.); (C.M.-L.); (K.G.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago 8380492, Chile
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380492, Chile
| | - Eduardo Durán-Jara
- Subdepartamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile, Santiago 7780050, Chile;
| | - Lorena Lobos-González
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610615, Chile; (F.S.); (C.M.-L.); (K.G.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Santiago 8380492, Chile
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Torrealba D, Morales-Lange B, Mulero V, Vasemägi A, Mercado L, Gallardo-Matus J. Heritability of Immunity Traits and Resistance of Atlantic Salmon against the Sea Louse Caligus rogercresseyi. Biology (Basel) 2023; 12:1078. [PMID: 37626964 PMCID: PMC10452322 DOI: 10.3390/biology12081078] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The immune response of Atlantic salmon to sea lice has been extensively studied, but we still do not know the mechanisms by which some fish become resistant and others do not. In this study, we estimated the heritabilities of three key proteins associated with the innate immunity and resistance of Salmo salar against the sea louse Caligus rogercresseyi. In particular, we quantified the abundance of 2 pro-inflammatory cytokines, Tnfα and Il-8, and an antioxidant enzyme, Nkef, in Atlantic salmon skin and gill tissue from 21 families and 268 individuals by indirect ELISA. This covers a wide parasite load range from low or resistant (mean sea lice ± SE = 8.7 ± 0.9) to high or susceptible (mean sea lice ± SE = 43.3 ± 2.0). Our results showed that susceptible fish had higher levels of Nkef and Tnfα than resistant fish in their gills and skin, although gill Il-8 was higher in resistant fish, while no significant differences were found in the skin. Furthermore, moderate to very high heritable genetic variation was estimated for Nkef (h2 skin: 0.96 ± 0.14 and gills: 0.97 ± 0.11) and Tnfα (h2 skin: 0.53 ± 0.17 and gills: 0.32 ± 0.14), but not for Il-8 (h2 skin: 0.22 ± 0.12 ns and gills: 0.09 ± 0.08 ns). This work provides evidence that Nkef and Tnfα protein expressions are highly heritable and related to resistance against sea lice in Atlantic salmon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Torrealba
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Aplicada, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile;
| | - Byron Morales-Lange
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos en Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile; (B.M.-L.); (L.M.)
| | - Victoriano Mulero
- Departamento de Biología Celular e Histología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de Murcia, C. Campus Universitario, 5, 30100 Murcia, Spain;
| | - Anti Vasemägi
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Almas Allé 8, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden;
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwaldi 1a, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Luis Mercado
- Grupo de Marcadores Inmunológicos en Organismos Acuáticos, Instituto de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile; (B.M.-L.); (L.M.)
| | - José Gallardo-Matus
- Laboratorio de Genética y Genómica Aplicada, Escuela de Ciencias del Mar, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Avenida Universidad 330, Valparaíso 2373223, Chile;
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19
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Pereira A, Sáez G, Saavedra E, Escrig J. Tunable Magnetic Properties of Interconnected Permalloy Nanowire Networks. Nanomaterials (Basel) 2023; 13:1971. [PMID: 37446487 DOI: 10.3390/nano13131971] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we investigate the magnetic properties of interconnected permalloy nanowire networks using micromagnetic simulations. The effects of interconnectivity on the hysteresis curves, coercivity, and remanence of the nanowire networks are analyzed. Our results reveal intriguing characteristics of the hysteresis curves, including nonmonotonic behaviors of coercivity as a function of the position of horizontal nanowires relative to vertical nanowires. By introducing horizontal nanowires at specific positions, the coercivity of the nanowire networks can be enhanced without altering the material composition. The normalized remanence remains relatively constant regardless of the position of the horizontal wires, although it is lower in the interconnected nanowire arrays compared to nonconnected arrays. These findings provide valuable insights into the design and optimization of nanowire networks for applications requiring tailored magnetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Pereira
- Department of Sciences, Faculty of Liberal Arts, Adolfo Ibañez University, Santiago 7941169, Chile
| | - Guidobeth Sáez
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 8370448, Chile
| | - Eduardo Saavedra
- Department of Physics, University of Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170124, Chile
| | - Juan Escrig
- Department of Physics, University of Santiago de Chile (USACH), Santiago 9170124, Chile
- Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), Santiago 9170124, Chile
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20
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Ramos-Zúñiga J, Bruna N, Pérez-Donoso JM. Toxicity Mechanisms of Copper Nanoparticles and Copper Surfaces on Bacterial Cells and Viruses. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10503. [PMID: 37445681 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Copper is a metal historically used to prevent infections. One of the most relevant challenges in modern society are infectious disease outbreaks, where copper-based technologies can play a significant role. Currently, copper nanoparticles and surfaces are the most common antimicrobial copper-based technologies. Despite the widespread use of copper on nanoparticles and surfaces, the toxicity mechanism(s) explaining their unique antimicrobial properties are not entirely known. In general, toxicity effects described in bacteria and fungi involve the rupture of membranes, accumulation of ions inside the cell, protein inactivation, and DNA damage. A few studies have associated Cu-toxicity with ROS production and genetic material degradation in viruses. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of the toxicity of copper nanoparticles and surfaces will contribute to developing and implementing efficient antimicrobial technologies to combat old and new infectious agents that can lead to disease outbreaks such as COVID-19. This review summarizes the current knowledge regarding the microbial toxicity of copper nanoparticles and surfaces and the gaps in this knowledge. In addition, we discuss potential applications derived from discovering new elements of copper toxicity, such as using different molecules or modifications to potentiate toxicity or antimicrobial specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javiera Ramos-Zúñiga
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Laboratory, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology (CBIB), Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
| | - Nicolás Bruna
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Laboratory, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology (CBIB), Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
| | - José M Pérez-Donoso
- BioNanotechnology and Microbiology Laboratory, Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology (CBIB), Faculty of Life Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370186, Chile
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Landa-Acuña D, Toro M, Santos-Mendoza R, Zúñiga-Dávila D. Role of Rahnella aquatilis AZO16M2 in Phosphate Solubilization and Ex Vitro Acclimatization of Musa acuminata var. Valery. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1596. [PMID: 37375098 PMCID: PMC10301868 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11061596] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Rahnella aquatilis AZO16M2, was characterized for its phosphate solubilization capacity to improve the establishment and survival of Musa acuminata var. Valery seedlings under ex-acclimation. Three phosphorus sources (Rock Phosphate (RF), Ca3(PO4)2 and K2HPO4) and two types of substrate (sand:vermiculite (1:1) and Premix N°8) were selected. The factorial analysis of variance (p < 0.05) showed that R. aquatilis AZO16M2 (OQ256130) solubilizes Ca3(PO4)2 in solid medium, with a Solubilization Index (SI) of 3.77 at 28 °C (pH 6.8). In liquid medium, it was observed that R. aquatilis produced 29.6 mg/L soluble P (pH 4.4), and synthesized organic acids (oxalic, D-gluconic, 2-ketogluconic and malic), Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) (33.90 ppm) and siderophores (+). Additionally, acid and alkaline phosphatases (2.59 and 2.56 µg pNP/mL/min) were detected. The presence of the pyrroloquinoline-quinone (PQQ) cofactor gene was confirmed. After inoculating AZO16M2 to M. acuminata in sand:vermiculite with RF, the chlorophyll content was 42.38 SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development). Aerial fresh weight (AFW), aerial dry weight (ADW) and root dry weight (RDW) were superior to the control by 64.15%, 60.53% and 43.48%, respectively. In Premix N°8 with RF and R. aquatilis, 8.91% longer roots were obtained, with 35.58% and 18.76% more AFW and RFW compared with the control as well as 94.45 SPAD. With Ca3(PO4)2, values exceeded the control by 14.15% RFW, with 45.45 SPAD. Rahnella aquatilis AZO16M2 favored the ex-climatization of M. acuminata through improving seedling establishment and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Landa-Acuña
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana y Biotecnología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru; (D.L.-A.); (R.S.-M.)
| | - Marcia Toro
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana y Biotecnología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru; (D.L.-A.); (R.S.-M.)
- Centro de Ecología Aplicada, Instituto de Zoología y Ecología Tropical, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1041-A, Venezuela
| | - Ricardo Santos-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana y Biotecnología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru; (D.L.-A.); (R.S.-M.)
| | - Doris Zúñiga-Dávila
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana y Biotecnología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima 15024, Peru; (D.L.-A.); (R.S.-M.)
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Araque I, Ramírez J, Vergara R, Mella J, Aránguiz P, Espinoza L, Vera W, Montenegro I, Salas CO, Villena J, Cuellar MA. Cytotoxic Activity, Topoisomerase I Inhibition and In Silico Studies of New Sesquiterpene-aryl Ester Derivatives of (-) Drimenol. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093959. [PMID: 37175368 PMCID: PMC10179937 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093959] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to evaluate two sets of sesquiterpene-aryl derivatives linked by an ester bond, their cytotoxic activities, and their capacity to activate caspases 3/7 and inhibit human topoisomerase I (TOP1). A total of 13 compounds were synthesized from the natural sesquiterpene (-)-drimenol and their cytotoxic activity was evaluated in vitro against three cancer cell lines: PC-3 (prostate cancer), HT-29 (colon cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and an immortalized non-tumoral cell line (MCF-10). From the results, it was observed that 6a was the most promising compound due to its cytotoxic effect on three cancer cell lines and its selectivity, 6a was 100-fold more selective than 5-FU in MCF-7 and 20-fold in PC-3. It was observed that 6a also induced apoptosis by caspases 3/7 activity using a Capsase-Glo-3/7 assay kit and inhibited TOP1. A possible binding mode of 6a in a complex with TOP1-DNA was proposed by docking and molecular dynamics studies. In addition, 6a was predicted to have a good pharmacokinetic profile for oral administration. Therefore, through this study, it was demonstrated that the drimane scaffold should be considered in the search of new antitumoral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Araque
- Facultad de Farmacia, Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1093, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Javiera Ramírez
- Facultad de Farmacia, Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1093, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Rut Vergara
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar 2520000, Chile
| | - Jaime Mella
- Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Farmacopea Chilena (CIFAR), Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Pablo Aránguiz
- Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Andrés Bello, Viña del Mar 2520000, Chile
| | - Luis Espinoza
- Departamento de Química, Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María, Avenida España 1680, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Waleska Vera
- Facultad de Farmacia, Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1093, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Farmacopea Chilena (CIFAR), Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
| | - Iván Montenegro
- Centro de Investigación Farmacopea Chilena (CIFAR), Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
- Facultad de Medicina, Escuela de Obstetricia y Puericultura, Universidad de Valparaíso, Angamos 655, Reñaca, Viña del Mar 2520000, Chile
| | - Cristian O Salas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago de Chile 7820436, Chile
| | - Joan Villena
- Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Valparaíso, Viña del Mar 2520000, Chile
| | - Mauricio A Cuellar
- Facultad de Farmacia, Escuela de Química y Farmacia, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1093, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
- Centro de Investigación Farmacopea Chilena (CIFAR), Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340000, Chile
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Meza F, Darbyshire R, Farrell A, Lakso A, Lawson J, Meinke H, Nelson G, Stockle C. Assessing temperature-based adaptation limits to climate change of temperate perennial fruit crops. Glob Chang Biol 2023; 29:2557-2571. [PMID: 36652298 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16601] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Temperate perennial fruit and nut trees play varying roles in world food diversity-providing edible oils and micronutrient, energy, and protein dense foods. In addition, perennials reuse significant amounts of biomass each year providing a unique resilience. But they also have a unique sensitivity to seasonal temperatures, requiring a period of dormancy for successful growing season production. This paper takes a global view of five temperate tree fruit crops-apples, cherries, almonds, olives, and grapes-and assesses the effects of future temperature changes on thermal suitability. It uses climate data from five earth system models for two CMIP6 climate scenarios and temperature-related indices of stress to indicate potential future areas where crops cannot be grown and highlight potential new suitable regions. The loss of currently suitable areas and new additions in new locations varies by scenario. In the southern hemisphere (SH), end-century (2081-2100) suitable areas under the SSP 5-8.5 scenario decline by more than 40% compared to a recent historical period (1991-2010). In the northern hemisphere (NH) suitability increases by 20% to almost 60%. With SSP1-2.6, however, the changes are much smaller with SH area declining by about 25% and NH increasing by about 10%. The results suggest substantial restructuring of global production for these crops. Essentially, climate change shifts temperature-suitable locations toward higher latitudes. In the SH, most of the historically suitable areas were already at the southern end of the landmass limiting opportunities for adaptation. If breeding efforts can bring chilling requirements for the major cultivars closer to that currently seen in some cultivars, suitable areas at the end of the century are greater, but higher summer temperatures offset the extent. The high value of fruit crops provides adaptation opportunities such as cultivar selection, canopy cooling using sprinklers, shade netting, and precision irrigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Meza
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Cambio Global, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Rebecca Darbyshire
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Aidan Farrell
- Department of Life Sciences, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Alan Lakso
- School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Geneva, New York, USA
| | - James Lawson
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Central Coast Primary Industries Centre, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Gerald Nelson
- University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, USA
| | - Claudio Stockle
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
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Carrillo-Beltrán D, Osorio JC, Blanco R, Oliva C, Boccardo E, Aguayo F. Interaction between Cigarette Smoke and Human Papillomavirus 16 E6/E7 Oncoproteins to Induce SOD2 Expression and DNA Damage in Head and Neck Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24086907. [PMID: 37108069 PMCID: PMC10138975 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24086907] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Even though epidemiological studies suggest that tobacco smoking and high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection are mutually exclusive risk factors for developing head and neck cancer (HNC), a portion of subjects who develop this heterogeneous group of cancers are both HPV-positive and smokers. Both carcinogenic factors are associated with increased oxidative stress (OS) and DNA damage. It has been suggested that superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) can be independently regulated by cigarette smoke and HPV, increasing adaptation to OS and tumor progression. In this study, we analyzed SOD2 levels and DNA damage in oral cells ectopically expressing HPV16 E6/E7 oncoproteins and exposed to cigarette smoke condensate (CSC). Additionally, we analyzed SOD2 transcripts in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Head and Neck Cancer Database. We found that oral cells expressing HPV16 E6/E7 oncoproteins exposed to CSC synergistically increased SOD2 levels and DNA damage. Additionally, the SOD2 regulation by E6, occurs in an Akt1 and ATM-independent manner. This study suggests that HPV and cigarette smoke interaction in HNC promotes SOD2 alterations, leading to increased DNA damage and, in turn, contributing to development of a different clinical entity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Carrillo-Beltrán
- Instituto de Bioquímica y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
| | - Julio C Osorio
- Laboratorio de Oncovirología, Programa de Virología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile
| | - Rancés Blanco
- Laboratorio de Oncovirología, Programa de Virología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile
| | - Carolina Oliva
- Laboratorio de Oncovirología, Programa de Virología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile
| | - Enrique Boccardo
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Francisco Aguayo
- Departamento de Biomedicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica 1000000, Chile
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Tejeda C, Villegas M, Steuer P, Ulloa F, Iranzo EC, Reyes-Jara A, Salgado M. Experimental evidence of the anti-bacterial activity pathway of copper ion treatment on Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Braz J Microbiol 2023; 54:407-413. [PMID: 36572823 PMCID: PMC9943822 DOI: 10.1007/s42770-022-00897-w] [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] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Copper causes significant damage to the integrity of many bacteria, mainly at the DNA level, through its redox states, as well as its reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating capacity at the cellular level. But whether these mechanisms also apply to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is unknown. In the present study, we have evaluated whether copper ions produce damage at the DNA level of MAP, either through their redox states or through ROS production. MAP-spiked PBS was first supplemented with different copper chelators (2) and ROS antioxidants (3), followed by treatment with copper ions at 942 ppm. MAP DNA integrity (qPCR, magnetic phage separation) was then evaluated. We found that bathocuproine (BCS), as a chelator, and D-mannitol, as an antioxidant of hydroxyl radicals, had a significant protective effect (P < 0.05) on DNA molecules, and that EDTA, as a chelator, and D-mannitol, as an antioxidant had a significant positive effect (P < 0.05) on the viability of this pathogen in contrast to the control and other chelators and anti-oxidants used. In light of the reported findings, it may be concluded that copper ions within MAP cells are directly related to MAP DNA damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Tejeda
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Escuela de Graduados, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Marcela Villegas
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Pamela Steuer
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Fernando Ulloa
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
- Escuela de Graduados, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Esperanza C Iranzo
- Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Angelica Reyes-Jara
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Y Probióticos, Instituto de Nutrición Y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Salgado
- Instituto de Medicina Preventiva Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
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Troncoso I, Calvanese R, Saravia F, Muñoz-Leal S, Zegpi NA, Ortega R. First molecular detection of Equine Herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3) in Chile. Vet Med Sci 2023; 9:717-720. [PMID: 36253808 PMCID: PMC10029895 DOI: 10.1002/vms3.976] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Equine coital rash (ECE) is a highly contagious benign infection that induces lesions on external genitals, and it is caused by the equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3). Although the disease is globally distributed, its presence in Chile has not been documented from a genetic point of view. Here, we performed polymerase chain reaction screenings for EHV-3 in lesions of external genitals in four horses belonging to a riding station at Bulnes, Ñuble Region, Chile. We sequenced a fragment of the glycoprotein G (gG) gene from three horses with clinical signs of ECE. The sequences were identical between them and 99.7% similar to a haplotype of EHV-3 detected in Brazil, and phylogenetically related with homologue from Japan, Russia and Brazil. Our results show the presence of EHV-3 for the first time in horses with ECE in Chile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Troncoso
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Agronomy, Universidad de las Americas, Concepción, Chile
- Faculty of Agricultury Sciences, Universidad del Alba, Chillán, Chile
| | - Rolando Calvanese
- Manager of the Equine Tracer Center, Chilean Army Agreement -INDAP, Municipality of Bulnes and San Carlos, Ñuble, Chile
| | - Fernando Saravia
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Sebastián Muñoz-Leal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - Nhur-Aischa Zegpi
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
| | - René Ortega
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad de Concepción, Chillán, Chile
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Woodworth TS, Hermann-Avigliano C, Chan KWC, Marino AM. Transmission estimation at the quantum Cramér-Rao bound with macroscopic quantum light. EPJ Quantum Technol 2022; 9:38. [PMID: 36573927 PMCID: PMC9780138 DOI: 10.1140/epjqt/s40507-022-00154-x] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The field of quantum metrology seeks to apply quantum techniques and/or resources to classical sensing approaches with the goal of enhancing the precision in the estimation of a parameter beyond what can be achieved with classical resources. Theoretically, the fundamental minimum uncertainty in the estimation of a parameter for a given probing state is bounded by the quantum Cramér-Rao bound. From a practical perspective, it is necessary to find physical measurements that can saturate this fundamental limit and to show experimentally that it is possible to perform measurements with the required precision to do so. Here we perform experiments that saturate the quantum Cramér-Rao bound for transmission estimation over a wide range of transmissions when probing the system under study with a continuous wave bright two-mode squeezed state. To properly take into account the imperfections in the generation of the quantum state, we extend our previous theoretical results to incorporate the measured properties of the generated quantum state. For our largest transmission level of 84%, we show a 62% reduction over the optimal classical protocol in the variance in transmission estimation when probing with a bright two-mode squeezed state with -8 dB of intensity-difference squeezing. Given that transmission estimation is an integral part of many sensing protocols, such as plasmonic sensing, spectroscopy, calibration of the quantum efficiency of detectors, etc., the results presented promise to have a significant impact on a number of applications in various fields of research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy S. Woodworth
- Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 USA
- Center for Quantum Research and Technology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 USA
| | - Carla Hermann-Avigliano
- Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program – Millennium Institute for Research in Optics (MIRO), Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Alberto M. Marino
- Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 USA
- Center for Quantum Research and Technology, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma 73019 USA
- Quantum Information Science Section, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37381 USA
- Quantum Science Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37381 USA
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Guzmán-Valenzuela C, Tagle ARM, Palacios D. Celebrating Higher Education's 50 years: trends, absences, and opportunities. High Educ (Dordr) 2022; 84:1183-1206. [PMID: 36277659 PMCID: PMC9579560 DOI: 10.1007/s10734-022-00924-7] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED The journal, Higher Education (HE), was established in 1972 and is currently one of the leading international journals in higher education studies. By using bibliometric techniques, a systematic review, and a social network analysis, this review article provides an overview of the main patterns of publications in HE during its history. The findings show that (i) the volume of articles has been continuously increasing, with a particular marked uplift since 2007; (ii) while single-authored articles have dominated the publication pattern, collaborative articles have shown a particular growth over the last decade; (iii) the USA, the UK, and Australia have dominated the journal in terms of the number of articles, international collaboration, and the most prolific authors; (iv) while Chinese authors have become more evident, there has been a near-absence of contributions from Latin America, Eastern Europe, and most of Africa; (v) in the entire history of HE, there has been a gender imbalance (in favour of male authors) across the most cited articles, but this pattern has changed in the last decade and; (vi) both teaching and learning and system policy have been key research themes in the journal although internationalisation and the student experience have recently gained traction. These patterns of publication in HE, with their imbalances and absences, suggest several challenges ahead. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10734-022-00924-7.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Diego Palacios
- Society and Health Research Center, School of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences and Arts, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
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29
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Ríos-Silva M, Pérez M, Luraschi R, Vargas E, Silva-Andrade C, Valdés J, Sandoval JM, Vásquez C, Arenas F. Anaerobiosis favors biosynthesis of single and multi-element nanostructures. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273392. [PMID: 36206251 PMCID: PMC9543976 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273392] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we report the use of an environmental multimetal(loid)-resistant strain, MF05, to biosynthesize single- or multi-element nanostructures under anaerobic conditions. Inorganic nanostructure synthesis typically requires methodologies and conditions that are harsh and environmentally hazardous. Thus, green/eco-friendly procedures are desirable, where the use of microorganisms and their extracts as bionanofactories is a reliable strategy. First, MF05 was entirely sequenced and identified as an Escherichia coli-related strain with some genetic differences from the traditional BW25113. Secondly, we compared the CdS nanostructure biosynthesis by whole-cell in a design defined minimal culture medium containing sulfite as the only sulfur source to obtain sulfide reduction from a low-cost chalcogen reactant. Under anaerobic conditions, this process was greatly favored, and irregular CdS (ex. 370 nm; em. 520-530 nm) was obtained. When other chalcogenites were tested (selenite and tellurite), only spherical Se0 and elongated Te0 nanostructures were observed by TEM and analyzed by SEM-EDX. In addition, enzymatic-mediated chalcogenite (sulfite, selenite, and tellurite) reduction was assessed by using MF05 crude extracts in anaerobiosis; similar results for nanostructures were obtained; however Se0 and Te0 formation were more regular in shape and cleaner (with less background). Finally, the in vitro nanostructure biosynthesis was assessed with salts of Ag, Au, Cd, and Li alone or in combination with chalcogenites. Several single or binary nanostructures were detected. Our results showed that MF05 is a versatile anaerobic bionanofactory for different types of inorganic NS. synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirtha Ríos-Silva
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Research Center on the Intersection in Plasma Physics, Matter and Complexity, Pmc, Comisión Chilena de Energía Nuclear, Santiago, Chile
| | - Myriam Pérez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Roberto Luraschi
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Esteban Vargas
- Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Jorge Valdés
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Universidad Mayor, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Claudio Vásquez
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Arenas
- Laboratorio de Microbiología Molecular, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail:
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Correction to: Discriminative Capacity of CT Volumetry to Identify Autonomous Cortisol Secretion in Incidental Adrenal Adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e3542. [PMID: 35595545 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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31
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Sánchez P, Salas CO, Gallardo-Fuentes S, Villegas A, Veloso N, Honores J, Inman M, Isaacs M, Contreras R, Moody CJ, Cisterna J, Brito I, Tapia RA. Phenoxy- and Phenylamino-Heterocyclic Quinones: Synthesis and Preliminary Anti-Pancreatic Cancer Activity. Chem Biodivers 2022; 19:e202101036. [PMID: 35581163 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202101036] [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] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The successful application of fragment-based drug discovery strategy for the efficient synthesis of phenoxy- or phenylamino-2-phenyl-benzofuran, -benzoxazole and -benzothiazole quinones is described. Interestingly, in the final step of the synthesis of the target compounds, unusual results were observed on the regiochemistry of the reaction of bromoquinones with phenol and aniline. A theoretical study was carried out for better understanding the factors that control the regiochemistry of these reactions. The substituted heterocyclic quinones were evaluated in vitro to determine their cytotoxicity by the MTT method in three pancreatic cancer cell lines (MIA-PaCa-2, BxPC-3, and AsPC-1). Phenoxy benzothiazole quinone 26a showed potent cytotoxic activity against BxPC-3 cell lines, while phenylamino benzoxazole quinone 20 was the most potent on MIA-PaCa-2 cells. Finally, electrochemical properties of these quinones were determined to correlate with a potential mechanism of action. All these results, indicate that the phenoxy quinone fragment led to compounds with increased activity against pancreatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio Sánchez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian O Salas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Gallardo-Fuentes
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, 7750000, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alondra Villegas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Veloso
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jessica Honores
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martyn Inman
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Mauricio Isaacs
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Renato Contreras
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, 7750000, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christopher J Moody
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Jonathan Cisterna
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Antofagasta, 02800, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Iván Brito
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Antofagasta, 02800, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Ricardo A Tapia
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
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Salas-Huenuleo E, Hernández A, Lobos-González L, Polakovičová I, Morales-Zavala F, Araya E, Celis F, Romero C, Kogan MJ. Peptide Targeted Gold Nanoplatform Carrying miR-145 Induces Antitumoral Effects in Ovarian Cancer Cells. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:958. [PMID: 35631544 PMCID: PMC9144804 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14050958] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the recent attractive therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment is restoring downregulated microRNAs. They play an essential muti-regulatory role in cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, survival, apoptosis, cell cycle, angiogenesis, and metastasis, among others. In this study, a gold nanoplatform (GNPF) carrying miR-145, a downregulated microRNA in many cancer types, including epithelial ovarian cancer, was designed and synthesized. For targeting purposes, the GNPF was functionalized with the FSH33 peptide, which provided selectivity for ovarian cancer, and loaded with the miR-145 to obtain the nanosystem GNPF-miR-145. The GNPF-mir-145 was selectively incorporated in A2780 and SKOV3 cells and significantly inhibited cell viability and migration and exhibited proliferative and anchor-independent growth capacities. Moreover, it diminished VEGF release and reduced the spheroid size of ovarian cancer through the damage of cell membranes, thus decreasing cell viability and possibly activating apoptosis. These results provide important advances in developing miR-based therapies using nanoparticles as selective vectors and provide approaches for in vivo evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edison Salas-Huenuleo
- Departamento de Química Farmacológica y Toxicológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile; (E.S.-H.); (F.M.-Z.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile & Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (L.L.-G.); (I.P.)
- Advanced Integrated Technologies (AINTECH), Chorrillo Uno, Parcela 21, Lampa, Santiago 9380000, Chile
| | - Andrea Hernández
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Reproduction Biology, Clinical Hospital, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile;
| | - Lorena Lobos-González
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile & Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (L.L.-G.); (I.P.)
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile
| | - Iva Polakovičová
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile & Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (L.L.-G.); (I.P.)
- Department of Hematology-Oncology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile
| | - Francisco Morales-Zavala
- Departamento de Química Farmacológica y Toxicológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile; (E.S.-H.); (F.M.-Z.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile & Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (L.L.-G.); (I.P.)
- Centro de Nanotecnología Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Temuco 4801043, Chile
| | - Eyleen Araya
- Departamento de Ciencias Quimicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago 8370146, Chile;
| | - Freddy Celis
- Laboratorio de Procesos Fotónicos y Electroquímicos, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Exactas, Universidad de Playa Ancha, Valparaíso 2360002, Chile;
| | - Carmen Romero
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile & Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (L.L.-G.); (I.P.)
- Laboratory of Endocrinology and Reproduction Biology, Clinical Hospital, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile;
| | - Marcelo J. Kogan
- Departamento de Química Farmacológica y Toxicológica, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8380000, Chile; (E.S.-H.); (F.M.-Z.)
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile & Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile; (L.L.-G.); (I.P.)
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Olmos R, Mertens N, Vaidya A, Uslar T, Fernandez P, Guarda FJ, Zúñiga Á, San Francisco I, Huete A, Baudrand R. Discriminative Capacity of CT Volumetry to Identify Autonomous Cortisol Secretion in Incidental Adrenal Adenomas. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2022; 107:e1946-e1953. [PMID: 35020922 PMCID: PMC9272424 DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgac005] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Incidentally discovered adrenal adenomas are common. Assessment for possible autonomous cortisol excess (ACS) is warranted for all adrenal adenomas, given the association with increased cardiometabolic disease. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the discriminatory capacity of 3-dimensional volumetry on computed tomography (CT) to identify ACS. METHODS Two radiologists, blinded to hormonal levels, prospectively analyzed CT images of 149 adult patients with unilateral, incidentally discovered, adrenal adenomas. Diameter and volumetry of the adenoma, volumetry of the contralateral adrenal gland, and the adenoma volume-to-contralateral gland volume (AV/CV) ratio were measured. ACS was defined as cortisol ≥ 1.8 mcg/dL after 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST) and a morning ACTH ≤ 15. pg/mL. RESULTS We observed that ACS was diagnosed in 35 (23.4%) patients. Cortisol post-DST was positively correlated with adenoma diameter and volume, and inversely correlated with contralateral adrenal gland volume. Cortisol post-DST was positively correlated with the AV/CV ratio (r = 0.46, P < 0.001) and ACTH was inversely correlated (r = -0.28, P < 0.001). The AV/CV ratio displayed the highest odds ratio (1.40; 95% CI, 1.18-1.65) and area under curve (0.91; 95% CI, 0.86-0.96) for predicting ACS. An AV/CV ratio ≥ 1 (48% of the cohort) had a sensitivity of 97% and a specificity of 70% to identify ACS. CONCLUSION CT volumetry of adrenal adenomas and contralateral adrenal glands has a high discriminatory capacity to identify ACS. The combination of this simple and low-cost radiological phenotyping can supplement biochemical testing to substantially improve the identification of ACS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anand Vaidya
- Center for Adrenal Disorders, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Thomas Uslar
- Department of Endocrinology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, 8330077, Chile
- Program for Adrenal Disorders, CETREN UC, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, 8330077, Chile
| | - Paula Fernandez
- Program for Adrenal Disorders, CETREN UC, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, 8330077, Chile
| | - Francisco J Guarda
- Department of Endocrinology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, 8330077, Chile
| | - Álvaro Zúñiga
- Department of Urology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | - Ignacio San Francisco
- Department of Urology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 8330077, Chile
| | | | - René Baudrand
- Correspondence: René Baudrand, M.D., Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Diagonal Paraguay 362, 4th FL, RM, Santiago, Chile, 8330077, USA.
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Mills MG, Bruce E, Huang ML, Crothers JW, Hyrien O, Oura CAL, Blake L, Brown Jordan A, Hester S, Wehmas L, Mari B, Barby P, Lacoux C, Fassy J, Vial P, Vial C, Martinez JRW, Oladipo OO, Inuwa B, Shittu I, Meseko CA, Chammas R, Santos CF, Dionísio TJ, Garbieri TF, Parisi VA, Mendes-Correa MC, de Paula AV, Romano CM, Góes LGB, Minoprio P, Campos AC, Cunha MP, Vilela APP, Nyirenda T, Mkakosya RS, Muula AS, Dumm RE, Harris RM, Mitchell CA, Pettit S, Botten J, Jerome KR. An international, interlaboratory ring trial confirms the feasibility of an extraction-less "direct" RT-qPCR method for reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in clinical samples. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261853. [PMID: 35025926 PMCID: PMC8758094 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261853] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is used worldwide to test and trace the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). "Extraction-less" or "direct" real time-reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a transparent and accessible qualitative method for SARS-CoV-2 detection from nasopharyngeal or oral pharyngeal samples with the potential to generate actionable data more quickly, at a lower cost, and with fewer experimental resources than full RT-qPCR. This study engaged 10 global testing sites, including laboratories currently experiencing testing limitations due to reagent or equipment shortages, in an international interlaboratory ring trial. Participating laboratories were provided a common protocol, common reagents, aliquots of identical pooled clinical samples, and purified nucleic acids and used their existing in-house equipment. We observed 100% concordance across laboratories in the correct identification of all positive and negative samples, with highly similar cycle threshold values. The test also performed well when applied to locally collected patient nasopharyngeal samples, provided the viral transport media did not contain charcoal or guanidine, both of which appeared to potently inhibit the RT-PCR reaction. Our results suggest that direct RT-PCR assay methods can be clearly translated across sites utilizing readily available equipment and expertise and are thus a feasible option for more efficient COVID-19 coronavirus disease testing as demanded by the continuing pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret G. Mills
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Emily Bruce
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Meei-Li Huang
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jessica W. Crothers
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Ollivier Hyrien
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Christopher A. L. Oura
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | - Lemar Blake
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
| | | | - Susan Hester
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Leah Wehmas
- Office of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Bernard Mari
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, FHU-OncoAge, Valbonne, France
| | - Pascal Barby
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, FHU-OncoAge, Valbonne, France
| | - Caroline Lacoux
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, FHU-OncoAge, Valbonne, France
| | - Julien Fassy
- Université Côte d’Azur, CNRS, Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, FHU-OncoAge, Valbonne, France
| | - Pablo Vial
- Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Programa Hantavirus, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cecilia Vial
- Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Programa Hantavirus, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jose R. W. Martinez
- Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana Universidad del Desarrollo, Programa Hantavirus, Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Bitrus Inuwa
- Infectious and Transboundary Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria
| | - Ismaila Shittu
- Infectious and Transboundary Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria
| | - Clement A. Meseko
- Infectious and Transboundary Animal Diseases, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria
| | - Roger Chammas
- Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, Departamento de Radiologia e Oncologia, Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia, Instituto do Cancer do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos Ferreira Santos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thiago José Dionísio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thais Francini Garbieri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Viviane Aparecida Parisi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Anderson V. de Paula
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila M. Romano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luiz Gustavo Bentim Góes
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Microbiology, Biomedical Sciences Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Paola Minoprio
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Angelica C. Campos
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marielton P. Cunha
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula P. Vilela
- Scientific Platform Pasteur-USP, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Tonney Nyirenda
- Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | | | - Adamson S. Muula
- Department of Public Health, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Blantyre, Malawi
| | - Rebekah E. Dumm
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M. Harris
- Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Constance A. Mitchell
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Syril Pettit
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Jason Botten
- Division of Immunobiology, Department of Medicine, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Keith R. Jerome
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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Fuentes-Lemus E, Hägglund P, López-Alarcón C, Davies MJ. Oxidative Crosslinking of Peptides and Proteins: Mechanisms of Formation, Detection, Characterization and Quantification. Molecules 2021; 27:15. [PMID: 35011250 PMCID: PMC8746199 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27010015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [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: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Covalent crosslinks within or between proteins play a key role in determining the structure and function of proteins. Some of these are formed intentionally by either enzymatic or molecular reactions and are critical to normal physiological function. Others are generated as a consequence of exposure to oxidants (radicals, excited states or two-electron species) and other endogenous or external stimuli, or as a result of the actions of a number of enzymes (e.g., oxidases and peroxidases). Increasing evidence indicates that the accumulation of unwanted crosslinks, as is seen in ageing and multiple pathologies, has adverse effects on biological function. In this article, we review the spectrum of crosslinks, both reducible and non-reducible, currently known to be formed on proteins; the mechanisms of their formation; and experimental approaches to the detection, identification and characterization of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Fuentes-Lemus
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.F.-L.); (P.H.)
| | - Per Hägglund
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.F.-L.); (P.H.)
| | - Camilo López-Alarcón
- Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago 7820436, Chile;
| | - Michael J. Davies
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.F.-L.); (P.H.)
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36
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Navas D, Fuentes S, Castro-Alvarez A, Chavez-Angel E. Review on Sol-Gel Synthesis of Perovskite and Oxide Nanomaterials. Gels 2021; 7:275. [PMID: 34940335 PMCID: PMC8700921 DOI: 10.3390/gels7040275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sol-Gel is a low cost, well-established and flexible synthetic route to produce a wide range of micro- and nanostructures. Small variations in pH, temperature, precursors, time, pressure, atmosphere, among others, can lead to a wide family of compounds that share the same molecular structures. In this work, we present a general review of the synthesis of LaMnO3, SrTiO3, BaTiO3 perovskites and zinc vanadium oxides nanostructures based on Sol-Gel method. We discuss how small changes in the parameters of the synthesis can modify the morphology, shape, size, homogeneity, aggregation, among others, of the products. We also discuss the different precursors, solvents, working temperature, reaction times used throughout the synthesis. In the last section, we present novel uses of Sol-Gel with organic materials with emphasis on carbon-based compounds. All with a perspective to improve the method for future applications in different technological fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Navas
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Matemática y del Medio Ambiente, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Las Palmeras 3360, Ñuñoa, Santiago 7800003, Chile;
| | - Sandra Fuentes
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmaceúticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Av. Angamos 0610, Antofagasta 1270709, Chile
- Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, CEDENNA, Av. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 3363, Santiago 9160000, Chile
| | - Alejandro Castro-Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Bioproductos Farmacéuticos y Cosméticos, Centro de Excelencia en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar 01145, Temuco 4780000, Chile;
| | - Emigdio Chavez-Angel
- Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and BIST, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
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37
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Valdebenito-Maturana B, Arancibia E, Riadi G, Tapia JC, Carrasco M. Locus-specific analysis of Transposable Elements during the progression of ALS in the SOD1G93A mouse model. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0258291. [PMID: 34614020 PMCID: PMC8494334 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0258291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [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: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Transposable Elements (TEs) are ubiquitous genetic elements with the ability to move within a genome. TEs contribute to a large fraction of the repetitive elements of a genome, and because of their nature, they are not routinely analyzed in RNA-Seq gene expression studies. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a lethal neurodegenerative disease, and a well-accepted model for its study is the mouse harboring the human SOD1G93A mutant. In this model, landmark stages of the disease can be recapitulated at specific time points, making possible to understand changes in gene expression across time. While there are several works reporting TE activity in ALS models, they have not explored their activity through the disease progression. Moreover, they have done it at the expense of losing their locus of expression. Depending on their genomic location, TEs can regulate genes in cis and in trans, making locus-specific analysis of TEs of importance in order to understand their role in modulating gene expression. Particularly, the locus-specific role of TEs in ALS has not been fully elucidated. In this work, we analyzed publicly available RNA-Seq datasets of the SOD1G93A mouse model, to understand the locus-specific role of TEs. We show that TEs become up-regulated at the early stages of the disease, and via statistical associations, we speculate that they can regulate several genes, which in turn might be contributing to the genetic dysfunction observed in ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Esteban Arancibia
- Centre for Bioinformatics, Simulation and Modelling, CBSM, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Riadi
- ANID – Millennium Science Initiative Program Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Centre for Bioinformatics, Simulation and Modelling, CBSM, Department of Bioinformatics, Faculty of Engineering, University of Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Juan Carlos Tapia
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- * E-mail: (JCT); (MC)
| | - Mónica Carrasco
- School of Medicine, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- * E-mail: (JCT); (MC)
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Reyes ST, Deacon RMJ, Guo SG, Altimiras FJ, Castillo JB, van der Wildt B, Morales AP, Park JH, Klamer D, Rosenberg J, Oberman LM, Rebowe N, Sprouse J, Missling CU, McCurdy CR, Cogram P, Kaufmann WE, Chin FT. Effects of the sigma-1 receptor agonist blarcamesine in a murine model of fragile X syndrome: neurobehavioral phenotypes and receptor occupancy. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17150. [PMID: 34433831 PMCID: PMC8387417 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94079-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a disorder of synaptic development and function, is the most prevalent genetic form of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. FXS mouse models display clinically-relevant phenotypes, such as increased anxiety and hyperactivity. Despite their availability, so far advances in drug development have not yielded new treatments. Therefore, testing novel drugs that can ameliorate FXS' cognitive and behavioral impairments is imperative. ANAVEX2-73 (blarcamesine) is a sigma-1 receptor (S1R) agonist with a strong safety record and preliminary efficacy evidence in patients with Alzheimer's disease and Rett syndrome, other synaptic neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. S1R's role in calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial function, cellular functions related to synaptic function, makes blarcamesine a potential drug candidate for FXS. Administration of blarcamesine in 2-month-old FXS and wild type mice for 2 weeks led to normalization in two key neurobehavioral phenotypes: open field test (hyperactivity) and contextual fear conditioning (associative learning). Furthermore, there was improvement in marble-burying (anxiety, perseverative behavior). It also restored levels of BDNF, a converging point of many synaptic regulators, in the hippocampus. Positron emission tomography (PET) and ex vivo autoradiographic studies, using the highly selective S1R PET ligand [18F]FTC-146, demonstrated the drug's dose-dependent receptor occupancy. Subsequent analyses also showed a wide but variable brain regional distribution of S1Rs, which was preserved in FXS mice. Altogether, these neurobehavioral, biochemical, and imaging data demonstrates doses that yield measurable receptor occupancy are effective for improving the synaptic and behavioral phenotype in FXS mice. The present findings support the viability of S1R as a therapeutic target in FXS, and the clinical potential of blarcamesine in FXS and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha T Reyes
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Robert M J Deacon
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA, Santiago, Chile
- IEB, Faculty of Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Fraunhofer Chile Research, Center for Systems Biotechnology, Santiago, Chile
| | - Scarlett G Guo
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Francisco J Altimiras
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Engineering and Business, Universidad de las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jessa B Castillo
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | - Aimara P Morales
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jun Hyung Park
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Daniel Klamer
- Anavex Life Sciences Corp., New York, NY, 10019, USA
| | - Jarrett Rosenberg
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lindsay M Oberman
- Center for Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nell Rebowe
- Anavex Life Sciences Corp., New York, NY, 10019, USA
| | | | | | - Christopher R McCurdy
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Patricia Cogram
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA, Santiago, Chile
- IEB, Faculty of Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Fraunhofer Chile Research, Center for Systems Biotechnology, Santiago, Chile
| | - Walter E Kaufmann
- Anavex Life Sciences Corp., New York, NY, 10019, USA.
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Frederick T Chin
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Zárate AM, Espinosa-Bustos C, Guerrero S, Fierro A, Oyarzún-Ampuero F, Quest AFG, Di Marcotullio L, Loricchio E, Caimano M, Calcaterra A, González-Quiroz M, Aguirre A, Meléndez J, Salas CO. A New Smoothened Antagonist Bearing the Purine Scaffold Shows Antitumour Activity In Vitro and In Vivo. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8372. [PMID: 34445078 PMCID: PMC8395040 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [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: 07/07/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The Smoothened (SMO) receptor is the most druggable target in the Hedgehog (HH) pathway for anticancer compounds. However, SMO antagonists such as vismodegib rapidly develop drug resistance. In this study, new SMO antagonists having the versatile purine ring as a scaffold were designed, synthesised, and biologically tested to provide an insight to their mechanism of action. Compound 4s was the most active and the best inhibitor of cell growth and selectively cytotoxic to cancer cells. 4s induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, a reduction in colony formation and downregulation of PTCH and GLI1 expression. BODIPY-cyclopamine displacement assays confirmed 4s is a SMO antagonist. In vivo, 4s strongly inhibited tumour relapse and metastasis of melanoma cells in mice. In vitro, 4s was more efficient than vismodegib to induce apoptosis in human cancer cells and that might be attributed to its dual ability to function as a SMO antagonist and apoptosis inducer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana María Zárate
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago 702843, Chile; (A.M.Z.); (A.F.)
| | - Christian Espinosa-Bustos
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago 702843, Chile;
| | - Simón Guerrero
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone 1007, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile; (S.G.); (F.O.-A.); (A.F.G.Q.)
- Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinar en Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad SEK (I3CBSEK), Fernando Manterola 0789, Providencia, Santiago 7520317, Chile
| | - Angélica Fierro
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago 702843, Chile; (A.M.Z.); (A.F.)
| | - Felipe Oyarzún-Ampuero
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone 1007, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile; (S.G.); (F.O.-A.); (A.F.G.Q.)
- Departamento de Ciencias y Tecnología Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santos Dumont 964, Independencia, Santiago 8380494, Chile
| | - Andrew F. G. Quest
- Advanced Center for Chronic Diseases (ACCDiS), Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone 1007, Independencia, Santiago 8380492, Chile; (S.G.); (F.O.-A.); (A.F.G.Q.)
- Laboratorio de Comunicaciones Celulares, Centro de Estudios en Ejercicio, Metabolismo y Cáncer (CEMC), Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas (ICBM), Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago 8380453, Chile
| | - Lucia Di Marcotullio
- Laboratory Affiliated to Insituto Pasteur Italia, Fondazione Cenci Bognetti, Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Elena Loricchio
- Center For Life Nano Science@Sapienza, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Miriam Caimano
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy;
| | - Andrea Calcaterra
- Department of Chemistry and Technology of Drugs, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy;
| | - Matías González-Quiroz
- Program of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidad de Chile, Independencia 1027, Santiago 8380453, Chile;
| | - Adam Aguirre
- Laboratorio de Medicina Traslacional, Fundación Arturo López Pérez, Rancagua 878, Lower Fifth Floor, Providencia, Santiago 8320000, Chile;
| | - Jaime Meléndez
- Departamento de Farmacia, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago 702843, Chile;
| | - Cristian O. Salas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago 702843, Chile; (A.M.Z.); (A.F.)
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Young RM, Solis CJ, Barriga-Fehrman A, Abogabir C, Thadani AR, Labarca M, Bustamante E, Tapia CV, Sarda AG, Sepulveda F, Pozas N, Cerpa LC, Lavanderos MA, Varela NM, Santibañez A, Sandino AM, Reyes-Lopez F, Dixon G, Quiñones LA. Smartphone screen testing, a novel pre-diagnostic method to identify SARS-CoV-2 infectious individuals. eLife 2021; 10:e70333. [PMID: 34155970 PMCID: PMC8275127 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 05/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic will likely take years to control globally, and constant epidemic surveillance will be required to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, especially considering the emergence of new variants that could hamper the effect of vaccination efforts. We developed a simple and robust - Phone Screen Testing (PoST) - method to detect SARS-CoV-2-positive individuals by RT-PCR testing of smartphone screen swab samples. We show that 81.3-100% of individuals with high-viral-load SARS-CoV-2 nasopharyngeal-positive samples also test positive for PoST, suggesting this method is effective in identifying COVID-19 contagious individuals. Furthermore, we successfully identified polymorphisms associated with SARS-CoV-2 Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants, in SARS-CoV-2-positive PoST samples. Overall, we report that PoST is a new non-invasive, cost-effective, and easy-to-implement smartphone-based smart alternative for SARS-CoV-2 testing, which could help to contain COVID-19 outbreaks and identification of variants of concern in the years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo M Young
- Diagnosis BiotechSantiagoChile
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Eva Bustamante
- Grupo Oncológico Cooperativo Chileno de InvestigaciónSantiagoChile
| | | | | | | | - Nadia Pozas
- Laboratorio de Especialidad, Clínica DávilaSantiagoChile
| | - Leslie C Cerpa
- Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis and Pharmacogenetics (Chilean Health Council Diagnostic Covid19 Laboratory), Department of Basic and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of ChileSantiagoChile
| | - María A Lavanderos
- Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis and Pharmacogenetics (Chilean Health Council Diagnostic Covid19 Laboratory), Department of Basic and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Nelson M Varela
- Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis and Pharmacogenetics (Chilean Health Council Diagnostic Covid19 Laboratory), Department of Basic and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Alvaro Santibañez
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y BiologíaSantiagoChile
- Programa Disciplinario de Inmunología, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Ana M Sandino
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y BiologíaSantiagoChile
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
| | - Felipe Reyes-Lopez
- Centro de Biotecnología Acuícola, Facultad de Química y BiologíaSantiagoChile
- Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, Universidad de Santiago de ChileSantiagoChile
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBellaterraSpain
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Agronomía, Universidad de Las AméricasProvidenciaChile
| | - Garth Dixon
- Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaBellaterraSpain
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Hospital National Health Service Foundation TrustLondonUnited Kingdom
- National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre at Great Ormond Hospital for Children National Health Service Foundation Trust and University CollegeLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Luis A Quiñones
- Laboratory of Chemical Carcinogenesis and Pharmacogenetics (Chilean Health Council Diagnostic Covid19 Laboratory), Department of Basic and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of ChileSantiagoChile
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Clavijo-Baquet S, Cavieres G, González A, Cattan PE, Bozinovic F. Thermal performance of the Chagas disease vector, Triatoma infestans, under thermal variability. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009148. [PMID: 33571203 PMCID: PMC7904210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector-borne diseases (VBD) are particularly susceptible to climate change because most of the diseases' vectors are ectotherms, which themselves are susceptible to thermal changes. The Chagas disease is one neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi. One of the main vectors of the Chagas disease in South America is Triatoma infestans, a species traditionally considered to be restricted to domestic or peridomestic habitats, but sylvatic foci have also been described along its distribution. The infestation of wild individuals, together with the projections of environmental changes due to global warming, urge the need to understand the relationship between temperature and the vector's performance. Here, we evaluated the impact of temperature variability on the thermal response of T. infestans. We acclimated individuals to six thermal treatments for five weeks to then estimate their thermal performance curves (TPCs) by measuring the walking speed of the individuals. We found that the TPCs varied with thermal acclimation and body mass. Individuals acclimated to a low and variable ambient temperature (18°C ± 5°C) exhibited lower performances than those individuals acclimated to an optimal temperature (27°C ± 0°C); while those individuals acclimated to a low but constant temperature (18°C ± 0°C) did not differ in their maximal performance from those at an optimal temperature. Additionally, thermal variability (i.e., ± 5°C) at a high temperature (30°C) increased performance. These results evidenced the plastic response of T. infestans to thermal acclimation. This plastic response and the non-linear effect of thermal variability on the performance of T. infestans posit challenges when predicting changes in the vector's distribution range under climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Clavijo-Baquet
- Laboratorio de Etología, Ecología y Evolución, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Grisel Cavieres
- Departamento de Ecología, Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability (CAPES), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Avia González
- Departamento de Ecología, Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability (CAPES), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pedro E. Cattan
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias y Pecuarias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Bozinovic
- Departamento de Ecología, Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability (CAPES), Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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Golicz AA, Steinfort U, Arya H, Singh MB, Bhalla PL. Analysis of the quinoa genome reveals conservation and divergence of the flowering pathways. Funct Integr Genomics 2020; 20:245-258. [PMID: 31515641 PMCID: PMC7018680 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-019-00711-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 07/19/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a grain crop grown in the Andes renowned as a highly nutritious plant exhibiting tolerance to abiotic stress such as drought, cold and high salinity. Quinoa grows across a range of latitudes corresponding to differing day lengths, suggesting regional adaptations of flowering regulation. Improved understanding and subsequent modification of the flowering process, including flowering time, ensuring high yields, is one of the key factors behind expansion of cultivation zones and goals of the crop improvement programs worldwide. However, our understanding of the molecular basis of flower initiation and development in quinoa is limited. Here, we use a computational approach to perform genome-wide identification and analysis of 611 orthologues of the Arabidopsis thaliana flowering genes. Conservation of the genes belonging to the photoperiod, gibberellin and autonomous pathways was observed, while orthologues of the key genes found in the vernalisation pathway (FRI, FLC) were absent from the quinoa genome. Our analysis indicated that on average each Arabidopsis flowering gene has two orthologous copies in quinoa. Several genes including orthologues of MIF1, FT and TSF were identified as homologue-rich genes in quinoa. We also identified 459 quinoa-specific genes uniquely expressed in the flower and/or meristem, with no known orthologues in other species. The genes identified provide a resource and framework for further studies of flowering in quinoa and related species. It will serve as valuable resource for plant biologists, crop physiologists and breeders to facilitate further research and establishment of modern breeding programs for quinoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka A Golicz
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Ursula Steinfort
- Facultad de Agronomía e Ingeniería Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Hina Arya
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mohan B Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Prem L Bhalla
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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Buetti-Dinh A, Herold M, Christel S, El Hajjami M, Delogu F, Ilie O, Bellenberg S, Wilmes P, Poetsch A, Sand W, Vera M, Pivkin IV, Friedman R, Dopson M. Reverse engineering directed gene regulatory networks from transcriptomics and proteomics data of biomining bacterial communities with approximate Bayesian computation and steady-state signalling simulations. BMC Bioinformatics 2020; 21:23. [PMID: 31964336 PMCID: PMC6975020 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-019-3337-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Network inference is an important aim of systems biology. It enables the transformation of OMICs datasets into biological knowledge. It consists of reverse engineering gene regulatory networks from OMICs data, such as RNAseq or mass spectrometry-based proteomics data, through computational methods. This approach allows to identify signalling pathways involved in specific biological functions. The ability to infer causality in gene regulatory networks, in addition to correlation, is crucial for several modelling approaches and allows targeted control in biotechnology applications. METHODS We performed simulations according to the approximate Bayesian computation method, where the core model consisted of a steady-state simulation algorithm used to study gene regulatory networks in systems for which a limited level of details is available. The simulations outcome was compared to experimentally measured transcriptomics and proteomics data through approximate Bayesian computation. RESULTS The structure of small gene regulatory networks responsible for the regulation of biological functions involved in biomining were inferred from multi OMICs data of mixed bacterial cultures. Several causal inter- and intraspecies interactions were inferred between genes coding for proteins involved in the biomining process, such as heavy metal transport, DNA damage, replication and repair, and membrane biogenesis. The method also provided indications for the role of several uncharacterized proteins by the inferred connection in their network context. CONCLUSIONS The combination of fast algorithms with high-performance computing allowed the simulation of a multitude of gene regulatory networks and their comparison to experimentally measured OMICs data through approximate Bayesian computation, enabling the probabilistic inference of causality in gene regulatory networks of a multispecies bacterial system involved in biomining without need of single-cell or multiple perturbation experiments. This information can be used to influence biological functions and control specific processes in biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Buetti-Dinh
- Institute of Computational Science, Faculty of Informatics, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, Lugano, CH-6900 Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge – Batiment Genopode, Lausanne, CH-1015 Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
- Linnæus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
| | - Malte Herold
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Stephan Christel
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
| | | | - Francesco Delogu
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Oslo, Norway
| | - Olga Ilie
- Institute of Computational Science, Faculty of Informatics, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, Lugano, CH-6900 Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge – Batiment Genopode, Lausanne, CH-1015 Switzerland
| | - Sören Bellenberg
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
| | - Paul Wilmes
- Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine, University of Luxembourg, Belvaux, Luxembourg
| | - Ansgar Poetsch
- Plant Biochemistry, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Center for Marine and Molecular Biotechnology, QNLM, Qingdao, China
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, China
| | - Wolfgang Sand
- Faculty of Chemistry, Essen, Germany
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
- Mining Academy and Technical University Freiberg, Freiberg, Germany
| | - Mario Vera
- Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering. Schools of Engineering, Medicine & Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Hydraulic & Environmental Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Igor V. Pivkin
- Institute of Computational Science, Faculty of Informatics, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Via Giuseppe Buffi 13, Lugano, CH-6900 Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Quartier Sorge – Batiment Genopode, Lausanne, CH-1015 Switzerland
| | - Ran Friedman
- Department of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
- Linnæus University Centre for Biomaterials Chemistry, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
| | - Mark Dopson
- Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems, Linnæus University, Hus Vita, Kalmar, SE-391 82 Sweden
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Casanova-Morales N, Figueroa NL, Alfaro K, Montenegro F, Barrera NP, Maze JR, Wilson CAM, Conejeros P. Structural characterization of the saxitoxin-targeting APTSTX1 aptamer using optical tweezers and molecular dynamics simulations. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0222468. [PMID: 31697710 PMCID: PMC6837747 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0222468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Optical tweezers have enabled the exploration of picoNewton forces and dynamics in single-molecule systems such as DNA and molecular motors. In this work, we used optical tweezers to study the folding/unfolding dynamics of the APTSTX1-aptamer, a single-stranded DNA molecule with high affinity for saxitoxin (STX), a lethal neurotoxin. By measuring the transition force during (un)folding processes, we were able to characterize and distinguish the conformational changes of this aptamer in the presence of magnesium ions and toxin. This work was supported by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to propose an unfolding mechanism of the aptamer-Mg+2 complex. Our results are a step towards the development of new aptamer-based STX sensors that are potentially cheaper and more sensitive than current alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Casanova-Morales
- Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Karol Alfaro
- CIGREN. Instituto de Biología. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Felipe Montenegro
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nelson P. Barrera
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - J. R. Maze
- Instituto de Física, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christian A. M. Wilson
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Conejeros
- CIGREN. Instituto de Biología. Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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Valderrama XP, Goicochea JF, Silva ME, Ratto MH. The effect of seminal plasma β-NGF on follicular fluid hormone concentration and gene expression of steroidogenic enzymes in llama granulosa cells. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2019; 17:60. [PMID: 31331332 PMCID: PMC6647067 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-019-0504-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nerve growth factor (β-NGF) from llama seminal plasma has been described as a potent ovulatory and luteotrophic molecule after intramuscular or intrauterine infusion in llamas and alpacas. We tested the hypothesis that systemic administration of purified β-Nerve Growth Factor (β-NGF) during the preovulatory stage will up-regulate steroidogenic enzymes and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) gene expression in granulosa cells inducing a change in the progesterone/estradiol ratio in the follicular fluid in llamas. METHODS Experiment I: Female llamas (n = 64) were randomly assigned to receive an intramuscular administration of: a) 50 μg gonadorelin acetate (GnRH, Ovalyse, Pfizer Chile SA, Santiago, Chile, n = 16), b) 1.0 mg of purified llama β-NGF (n = 16), or c) 1 ml phosphate buffered saline (PBS, negative control group, n = 16). An additional group of llamas (n = 16) were mated with a fertile male. Follicular fluid and granulosa cells were collected from the preovulatory follicle at 10 or 20 h after treatment (Time 0 = administration of treatment, n = 8/treatment/time point) to determine progesterone/estradiol concentration and steroidogenic enzymes and VEGF gene expression at both time points. Experiment II: Granulosa cells were collected from preovulatory follicles from llamas (n = 24) using ultrasound-guided transvaginal follicle aspiration for in vitro culture to determine mRNA relative expression of Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein (StAR) and VEGF at 10 or 20 h (n = 4 replicates) and progesterone secretion at 48 h (n = 4 replicates) after LH or β-NGF treatment. RESULTS Experiment I: There was a significant increase in the progesterone/estradiol ratio in mated llamas or treated with GnRH or purified β-NGF. There was a significant downregulation in the mRNA expression of Aromatase (CYP19A1/P450 Arom) for both time points in llamas mated or treated with GnRH or llama purified β-NGF with respect to the control group. All treatments except β-NGF (20 h) significantly up regulated the mRNA expression of 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B) whereas the expression of StAR and Side-Chain cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1/P450scc) where significantly up regulated only by mating (20 h), or β-NGF at 10 or 20 h after treatment. VEGF was up regulated only in those llamas submitted to mating (10 h) or treated with purified β-NGF (10 and 20 h). Experiment II: Only β-NGF treatment induced an increase of mRNA abundance of StAR from llama granulosa cells at 20 h of in vitro culture. There was a significant increase on mRNA abundance of VEGF at 10 and 20 h of in vitro culture from granulosa cells treated with β-NGF whereas LH treatment increases VEGF mRNA abundance only at 20 h of in vitro culture. In addition, there was a significant increase on progesterone secretion from llama granulosa cells 48 h after LH or β-NGF treatment. CONCLUSIONS Systemic administration of purified β-NGF from llama seminal fluid induced a rapid shift from estradiol to progesterone production in the preovulatory follicle. Differences in gene expression patterns of steroidogenic enzymes between GnRH and mated or β-NGF-treated llamas suggest local effects of seminal components on the preovulatory follicle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ximena P Valderrama
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
| | - Jose F Goicochea
- Department of Animal Reproduction and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Universidad Nacional Hermilio Valdizán, Huánuco, Peru
| | - Mauricio E Silva
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Natural Resources, Universidad Catolica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - Marcelo H Ratto
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile.
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Riedelsberger J, Vergara-Jaque A, Piñeros M, Dreyer I, González W. An extracellular cation coordination site influences ion conduction of OsHKT2;2. BMC Plant Biol 2019; 19:316. [PMID: 31307394 PMCID: PMC6632200 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-019-1909-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/27/2019] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND HKT channels mediate sodium uniport or sodium and potassium symport in plants. Monocotyledons express a higher number of HKT proteins than dicotyledons, and it is only within this clade of HKT channels that cation symport mechanisms are found. The prevailing ion composition in the extracellular medium affects the transport abilities of various HKT channels by changing their selectivity or ion transport rates. How this mutual effect is achieved at the molecular level is still unknown. Here, we built a homology model of the monocotyledonous OsHKT2;2, which shows sodium and potassium symport activity. We performed molecular dynamics simulations in the presence of sodium and potassium ions to investigate the mutual effect of cation species. RESULTS By analyzing ion-protein interactions, we identified a cation coordination site on the extracellular protein surface, which is formed by residues P71, D75, D501 and K504. Proline and the two aspartate residues coordinate cations, while K504 forms salt bridges with D75 and D501 and may be involved in the forwarding of cations towards the pore entrance. Functional validation via electrophysiological experiments confirmed the biological relevance of the predicted ion coordination site and identified K504 as a central key residue. Mutation of the cation coordinating residues affected the functionality of HKT only slightly. Additional in silico mutants and simulations of K504 supported experimental results. CONCLUSION We identified an extracellular cation coordination site, which is involved in ion coordination and influences the conduction of OsHKT2;2. This finding proposes a new viewpoint in the discussion of how the mutual effect of variable ion species may be achieved in HKT channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janin Riedelsberger
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Ariela Vergara-Jaque
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
| | - Miguel Piñeros
- Robert W. Holley Center for Agriculture and Health, USDA-ARS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY USA
| | - Ingo Dreyer
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
| | - Wendy González
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile
- Millennium Nucleus of Ion Channels-Associated Diseases (MiNICAD), Santiago, Chile
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Piper FI, Gundale MJ, Fuenzalida T, Fajardo A. Herbivore resistance in congeneric and sympatric Nothofagus species is not related to leaf habit. Am J Bot 2019; 106:788-797. [PMID: 31131459 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Two fundamental hypotheses on herbivore resistance and leaf habit are the resource availability hypothesis (RAH) and the carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis (CNBH). The RAH predicts higher constitutive resistance by evergreens, and the CNBH predicts higher induced resistance by deciduous species. Although support for these hypotheses is mixed, they have rarely been examined in congeneric species. METHODS We compared leaf constitutive and induced resistance (as leaf polyphenol and tannin concentrations, and as damage level in non-choice experiments) and leaf traits associated with herbivory of coexisting Nothofagus species using (1) a defoliation experiment and (2) natural defoliation caused by an outbreak of a common defoliator of Nothofagus species. RESULTS In the defoliation experiment, polyphenol and tannin concentrations were similar between deciduous and evergreen species; regardless of leaf habit, polyphenols increased in response to defoliation. In the natural defoliation survey, N. pumilio (deciduous) had significantly higher herbivory, lower carbon/nitrogen ratio and leaf mass per area, and higher nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations than N. betuloides (evergreen); N. antarctica (deciduous) had intermediate values. Polyphenol concentrations and herbivore resistance indicated by the non-choice experiment were lower in N. pumilio than in N. antarctica and N. betuloides, which had similar values. CONCLUSIONS Higher herbivory in N. pumilio was associated with a higher nutritional value and a lower level of leaf carbon-based defenses compared to both the evergreen and the other deciduous species, indicating that herbivore resistance in Nothofagus species cannot be attributed to only leaf habit as predicted by the RAH or CNBH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frida I Piper
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16, Coyhaique, 5951601, Chile
| | - Michael J Gundale
- Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-901 83, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Tomás Fuenzalida
- Plant Science Division, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Alex Fajardo
- Centro de Investigación en Ecosistemas de la Patagonia (CIEP), Moraleda 16, Coyhaique, 5951601, Chile
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Dreyer I, Spitz O, Kanonenberg K, Montag K, Handrich MR, Ahmad S, Schott‐Verdugo S, Navarro‐Retamal C, Rubio‐Meléndez ME, Gomez‐Porras JL, Riedelsberger J, Molina‐Montenegro MA, Succurro A, Zuccaro A, Gould SB, Bauer P, Schmitt L, Gohlke H. Nutrient exchange in arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis from a thermodynamic point of view. New Phytol 2019; 222:1043-1053. [PMID: 30565261 PMCID: PMC6667911 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
To obtain insights into the dynamics of nutrient exchange in arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, we modelled mathematically the two-membrane system at the plant-fungus interface and simulated its dynamics. In computational cell biology experiments, the full range of nutrient transport pathways was tested for their ability to exchange phosphorus (P)/carbon (C)/nitrogen (N) sources. As a result, we obtained a thermodynamically justified, independent and comprehensive model of the dynamics of the nutrient exchange at the plant-fungus contact zone. The predicted optimal transporter network coincides with the transporter set independently confirmed in wet-laboratory experiments previously, indicating that all essential transporter types have been discovered. The thermodynamic analyses suggest that phosphate is released from the fungus via proton-coupled phosphate transporters rather than anion channels. Optimal transport pathways, such as cation channels or proton-coupled symporters, shuttle nutrients together with a positive charge across the membranes. Only in exceptional cases does electroneutral transport via diffusion facilitators appear to be plausible. The thermodynamic models presented here can be generalized and adapted to other forms of mycorrhiza and open the door for future studies combining wet-laboratory experiments with computational simulations to obtain a deeper understanding of the investigated phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Dreyer
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM)Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal ChemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Olivia Spitz
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of BiochemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐University DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Kerstin Kanonenberg
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of BiochemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐University DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Karolin Montag
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of BotanyHeinrich‐Heine UniversityUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Maria R. Handrich
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute for Molecular EvolutionHeinrich Heine UniversityUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Sabahuddin Ahmad
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal ChemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Stephan Schott‐Verdugo
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM)Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal ChemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Carlos Navarro‐Retamal
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM)Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal ChemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - María E. Rubio‐Meléndez
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM)Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
| | - Judith L. Gomez‐Porras
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM)Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
| | - Janin Riedelsberger
- Centro de Bioinformática y Simulación Molecular (CBSM)Facultad de IngenieríaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
- Instalación en la AcademiaNúcleo Científico MultidisciplinarioDirección de InvestigaciónVicerrectoría AcadémicaUniversidad de Talca2 Norte 685Talca3460000Chile
| | - Marco A. Molina‐Montenegro
- Instituto de Ciencias BiológicasUniversidad de TalcaAvenida Lircay s/nTalca3460000Chile
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA)Universidad Católica del NorteAvda. Larrondo 1281CoquimboChile
| | - Antonella Succurro
- Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) InstituteUniversity of BonnCarl‐Troll‐Str. 3153115 BonnGermany
- Botanical InstituteCluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS)University of Cologne50674KolnGermany
| | - Alga Zuccaro
- Botanical InstituteCluster of Excellence on Plant Sciences (CEPLAS)University of Cologne50674KolnGermany
| | - Sven B. Gould
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute for Molecular EvolutionHeinrich Heine UniversityUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Petra Bauer
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of BotanyHeinrich‐Heine UniversityUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Lutz Schmitt
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute of BiochemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐University DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
| | - Holger Gohlke
- SFB 1208 – Identity and Dynamics of Membrane Systems – from Molecules to Cellular FunctionsHeinrich Heine Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- Institute for Pharmaceutical and Medicinal ChemistryHeinrich‐Heine‐Universität DüsseldorfUniversitätsstraße 140225DüsseldorfGermany
- John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC)Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC) & Institute for Complex Systems – Structural Biochemistry (ICS‐6)Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH52425JülichGermany
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Bowman DMJS, Moreira-Muñoz A, Kolden CA, Chávez RO, Muñoz AA, Salinas F, González-Reyes Á, Rocco R, de la Barrera F, Williamson GJ, Borchers N, Cifuentes LA, Abatzoglou JT, Johnston FH. Human-environmental drivers and impacts of the globally extreme 2017 Chilean fires. Ambio 2019; 48:350-362. [PMID: 30128860 PMCID: PMC6411810 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-018-1084-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In January 2017, hundreds of fires in Mediterranean Chile burnt more than 5000 km2, an area nearly 14 times the 40-year mean. We contextualize these fires in terms of estimates of global fire intensity using MODIS satellite record, and provide an overview of the climatic factors and recent changes in land use that led to the active fire season and estimate the impact of fire emissions to human health. The primary fire activity in late January coincided with extreme fire weather conditions including all-time (1979-2017) daily records for the Fire Weather Index (FWI) and maximum temperature, producing some of the most energetically intense fire events on Earth in the last 15-years. Fire activity was further enabled by a warm moist growing season in 2016 that interrupted an intense drought that started in 2010. The land cover in this region had been extensively modified, with less than 20% of the original native vegetation remaining, and extensive plantations of highly flammable exotic Pinus and Eucalyptus species established since the 1970s. These plantations were disproportionally burnt (44% of the burned area) in 2017, and associated with the highest fire severities, as part of an increasing trend of fire extent in plantations over the past three decades. Smoke from the fires exposed over 9.5 million people to increased concentrations of particulate air pollution, causing an estimated 76 premature deaths and 209 additional admissions to hospital for respiratory and cardiovascular conditions. This study highlights that Mediterranean biogeographic regions with expansive Pinus and Eucalyptus plantations and associated rural depopulation are vulnerable to intense wildfires with wide ranging social, economic, and environmental impacts, which are likely to become more frequent due to longer and more extreme wildfire seasons.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. J. S. Bowman
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
| | - Andrés Moreira-Muñoz
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2241 Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Crystal A. Kolden
- College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-1133 USA
| | - Roberto O. Chávez
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2241 Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Ariel A. Muñoz
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2241 Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Fernanda Salinas
- Fiscalía del Medio Ambiente (ONG FIMA), Mosqueto 491, of. 312, Santiago, Chile
| | - Álvaro González-Reyes
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Campus Isla Teja, Casilla, 567 Valdivia, Chile
| | - Ronald Rocco
- Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil 2241 Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Francisco de la Barrera
- Faculty of Architecture, Urbanism and Geography, Universidad de Concepcion, Victor Lamas 1290, Concepción, Chile
| | - Grant J. Williamson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
| | - Nicolás Borchers
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
| | - Luis A. Cifuentes
- Industrial and Systems Engineering Department, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avda. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Macul, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Fay H. Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 23, Hobart, TAS 7001 Australia
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50
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Caneo M, Julian V, Byrne AB, Alkema MJ, Calixto A. Diapause induces functional axonal regeneration after necrotic insult in C. elegans. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007863. [PMID: 30640919 PMCID: PMC6347329 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many neurons are unable to regenerate after damage. The ability to regenerate after an insult depends on life stage, neuronal subtype, intrinsic and extrinsic factors. C. elegans is a powerful model to test the genetic and environmental factors that affect axonal regeneration after damage, since its axons can regenerate after neuronal insult. Here we demonstrate that diapause promotes the complete morphological regeneration of truncated touch receptor neuron (TRN) axons expressing a neurotoxic MEC-4(d) DEG/ENaC channel. Truncated axons of different lengths were repaired during diapause and we observed potent axonal regrowth from somas alone. Complete morphological regeneration depends on DLK-1 but neuronal sprouting and outgrowth is DLK-1 independent. We show that TRN regeneration is fully functional since animals regain their ability to respond to mechanical stimulation. Thus, diapause induced regeneration provides a simple model of complete axonal regeneration which will greatly facilitate the study of environmental and genetic factors affecting the rate at which neurons die.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio Caneo
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
| | - Victoria Julian
- Neurobiology Department, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Alexandra B. Byrne
- Neurobiology Department, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Mark J. Alkema
- Neurobiology Department, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, United States of America
| | - Andrea Calixto
- Centro de Genómica y Bioinformática, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Santiago de Chile, Chile
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencias de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaiso, Chile
- * E-mail: ,
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