Prior exposure of endothelial cells to hydroxycarbamide alters the flow dynamics and adhesion of sickle red blood cells.

The hallmark of sickle cell disease (SCD) is vasoocclusive crisis (VOC). The sickle red blood cells (SS-RBCs) present enhanced adhesion to activated endothelial cells (ECs) as compared to normal RBCs (AA-RBCs) and believed to contribute to VOC. Hydroxycarbamide (HC), the sole drug thus far proven as efficacious at reducing VOC frequency, alters the expression of adhesion proteins both on RBCs and ECs. We investigated the functional effect of HC on the adhesive properties of ECs from the micro- or the macrocirculation (TrHBMEC, HPMEC, and HUVEC). Using a flow chamber, we analyzed RBC dynamics on the treated or untreated EC bed and firm adhesion in basal and inflammatory conditions. Most significant effects were obtained with ECs from the pulmonary microcirculation (HPMEC). HC treatment of ECs affects both transient interactions and firm adhesion of SS-RBCs to the EC bed. Indeed, first, HC-treatment of ECs decreases the number of firmly adherent SS-RBCs to the adhesion level of AA-RBCs in a VCAM-1 independent manner. Second, HC significantly increases the mean velocity of SS-RBCs and reduces the population of SS-RBCs in contact with the EC bed. These data provide additional evidence that modulation of SS-RBCs/ECs interactions by HC represents an important aspect of its mechanism of action.

In vivo MRI and ex vivo quantification of iron and Kupffer cells demonstrate residual phagocytic activity in mouse liver after a gadolinium chloride injection.

Kupffer cells (KCs), the resident macrophages of the liver, display a phagocytic activity that is not well quantified in animal models. Its experimental invalidation in rodents has been carried out by various means, among which the gadolinium chloride (GdCl3) injection has been widely used, and has been generally monitored by ex vivo techniques. The aim of our study was to determine the KC phagocytic activity induced in mouse liver following a single GdCl3 injection, through Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) measurement of liver uptake of Ferumoxide in vivo, and through ex vivo quantification of Perls positive and F4/80 labeled macrophages. In this study, we showed that 24 h after an IV injection at a dose of 50 mg/kg body weight, GdCl3 did not induce any hepato-cellular damage, nor did it strongly suppress liver phagocytic activity, as demonstrated by the persistent hepatic uptake of the iron-based MRI contrast agent Ferumoxide. In the GdCl3-treated mice, the injection of Ferumoxide produced an increase in the liver proton transverse relaxation rate R2 which averaged 71 ± 24% of that of the control animals. The ex vivo iron and immune phenotypic quantification, performed after the Ferumoxide injection and MRI, confirmed the presence of activated phagocytes in the liver of the GdCl3-treated animals, with a global iron score and F4/80 positive cell count respectively averaging 85 ± 26% and 46 ± 13% of their values in the untreated mice. In vivo MRI evaluation of the liver phagocytic activity using Ferumoxide may further prove useful in the follow up of both experimental and human pathologies.

Platelets, thrombospondin-1 and human dermal fibroblasts cooperate for stimulation of endothelial cell tubulogenesis through VEGF and PAI-1 regulation.

During cutaneous wound repair, platelets, dermal fibroblasts (DF) and endothelial cells all cooperate. We have presently investigated the regulation of endothelial cell tubulogenesis by human platelet thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), in comparison to transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and total platelet lysates (PL), in a fibrin matrix cell culture system incorporating DF. TSP-1, TGF-beta1 and PL all stimulated VEGF expression in DF dose dependently at mRNA and protein level. TSP-1- and PL-treated DF supernatants significantly stimulated capillary-like structure formation (tubulogenesis) by dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1 and HDMEC), in part via VEGF, as confirmed with neutralizing anti-VEGF antibodies. In contrast, TGF-beta1-treated DF supernatants did not induce tubulogenesis. This apparent discrepancy could be explained by the differential expression regulation in HMEC-1 of fibrinolysis and metalloproteinase mediators by TSP-1 and TGF-beta1. TSP-1 potently reduced the expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) (mRNA and protein), whereas TGF-beta1 enhanced it. The crucial role of PAI-1 in tubulogenesis was confirmed via the addition of active recombinant PAI-1, which abrogated tubulogenesis. In contrast, neutralizing PAI-1 antibodies enhanced tubulogenesis. Our results suggest that platelet TSP-1 released in a wound stimulates endothelial cell tubulogenesis through an upregulation of DF VEGF expression and a downregulation of endothelial cell PAI-1 expression.

The effect of hormones on bone growth is mediated through mechanical stress.

Mechanical stresses play a key role in regulating cell growth and cell differentiation. Using mechanical and physiological data available in the literature, we are able to construct a growth curve of a child, which we compare to the standard curve. It appears likely that the impact of hormones on pubertal growth rate sprout followed by growth arrest can be solely explained by increased mechanical stresses. The uptake of hormones by the muscles results in increased mechanical stress on the chondrocyte before and at the puberty, resulting in a peak in growth followed by growth cessation.

Organization of the cytokeratin network in an epithelial cell.

The cytoskeleton is a dynamic three-dimensional structure mainly located in the cytoplasm. It is involved in many cell functions such as mechanical signal transduction and maintenance of cell integrity. Among the three cytoskeletal components, intermediate filaments (the cytokeratin in epithelial cells) are the best candidates for this mechanical role. A model of the establishment of the cytokeratin network of an epithelial cell is proposed to study the dependence of its structural organization on extracellular mechanical environment. To implicitly describe the latter and its effects on the intracellular domain, we use mechanically regulated protein synthesis. Our model is a hybrid of a partial differential equation of parabolic type, governing the evolution of the concentration of cytokeratin, and a set of stochastic differential equations describing the dynamics of filaments. Each filament is described by a stochastic differential equation that reflects both the local interactions with the environment and the non-local interactions via the past history of the filament. A three-dimensional simulation model is derived from this mathematical model. This simulation model is then used to obtain examples of cytokeratin network architectures under given mechanical conditions, and to study the influence of several parameters.

Herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus, human sperm and assisted fertilization.

BACKGROUND: The effect of viral particles on the motility of human sperm and the relationship between sperm and virus are of importance particularly in assisted fertilization. METHODS: We incubated ejaculated sperm with or without seminal fluid with either herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) or human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). For each experiment, 5 x 10(5) sperm were incubated with a viral load of between 10(4) and 10(6) plaque-forming units. RESULTS: We detected no apparent variations in the percentage of motile forms when sperm were incubated with either HSV2 or HCMV. Using a computer-aided semen analysis system, a slight difference was reported in the percentage of motile forms when seminal fluid-free sperm were incubated with HSV2 (57.18 versus 64.43 in the control). Although the mean amplitude of lateral head displacement and the curvilinear velocity were significantly higher in infected sperm, the difference in straight line velocity was not statistically significantly different. Few viral particles (HSV2 or HCMV) adhered to the sperm membrane in the presence of seminal fluid. However, more particles stuck when in the absence of seminal fluid, particularly with HSV2 (8% of sperm sections for HSV2; 4% for HCMV). CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between sperm and viruses depends on the type of virus present as well as the presence or absence of seminal fluid. Motility is not a good enough criterion on which to prove the presence of viral elements, either in the medium or on the sperm.