Cell cycle-dependent palmitoylation of protocadherin 7 by ZDHHC5 promotes successful cytokinesis.

Cell division requires dramatic reorganization of the cell cortex, which is primarily driven by the actomyosin network. We previously reported that protocadherin 7 (PCDH7) gets enriched at the cell surface during mitosis, which is required to build up the full mitotic rounding pressure. Here, we report that PCDH7 interacts with and is palmitoylated by the palmitoyltransferase, ZDHHC5. PCDH7 and ZDHHC5 colocalize at the mitotic cell surface and translocate to the cleavage furrow during cytokinesis. The localization of PCDH7 depends on the palmitoylation activity of ZDHHC5. Silencing PCDH7 increases the percentage of multinucleated cells and the duration of mitosis. Loss of PCDH7 expression correlates with reduced levels of active RhoA and phospho-myosin at the cleavage furrow. This work uncovers a palmitoylation-dependent translocation mechanism for PCDH7, which contributes to the reorganization of the cortical cytoskeleton during cell division.

Enhancing resolution and contrast in fibre bundle-based fluorescence microscopy using generative adversarial network.

Fibre bundle (FB)-based endoscopes are indispensable in biology and medical science due to their minimally invasive nature. However, resolution and contrast for fluorescence imaging are limited due to characteristic features of the FBs, such as low numerical aperture (NA) and individual fibre core sizes. In this study, we improved the resolution and contrast of sample fluorescence images acquired using in-house fabricated high-NA FBs by utilising generative adversarial networks (GANs). In order to train our deep learning model, we built an FB-based multifocal structured illumination microscope (MSIM) based on a digital micromirror device (DMD) which improves the resolution and the contrast substantially compared to basic FB-based fluorescence microscopes. After network training, the GAN model, employing image-to-image translation techniques, effectively transformed wide-field images into high-resolution MSIM images without the need for any additional optical hardware. The results demonstrated that GAN-generated outputs significantly enhanced both contrast and resolution compared to the original wide-field images. These findings highlight the potential of GAN-based models trained using MSIM data to enhance resolution and contrast in wide-field imaging for fibre bundle-based fluorescence microscopy. Lay Description: Fibre bundle (FB) endoscopes are essential in biology and medicine but suffer from limited resolution and contrast for fluorescence imaging. Here we improved these limitations using high-NA FBs and generative adversarial networks (GANs). We trained a GAN model with data from an FB-based multifocal structured illumination microscope (MSIM) to enhance resolution and contrast without additional optical hardware. Results showed significant enhancement in contrast and resolution, showcasing the potential of GAN-based models for fibre bundle-based fluorescence microscopy.

Bypassing pro-survival and resistance mechanisms of autophagy in EGFR-positive lung cancer cells by targeted delivery of 5FU using theranostic Ag2S quantum dots.

Targeted drug delivery systems that combine imaging and therapeutic functions in a single structure have become very popular in nanomedicine. Near-infrared (NIR) emitting Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) are excellent candidates for this task. Here, we have developed PEGylated Ag2S QDs functionalized with Cetuximab (Cet) antibody and loaded with an anticancer drug, 5-fluorouracil (5FU). These theranostic QDs were used for targeted NIR imaging and treatment of lung cancer using low (H1299) and high (A549) Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) overexpressing cell lines. The Cet conjugated QDs effectively and selectively delivered 5FU to A549 cells and provided significantly enhanced cell death associated with apoptosis. Interestingly, while treatment of cells with free 5FU activated autophagy, a cellular mechanism conferring resistance to cell death, these EGFR targeting multimodal QDs significantly overcame drug resistance compared to 5FU treatment alone. The improved therapeutic outcome of 5FU delivered to A549 cells by Cet conjugated Ag2S QDs is suggested as the synergistic outcome of enhanced receptor mediated uptake of nanoparticles, and hence the drug, coupled with suppressed autophagy even in the absence of addition of an autophagy suppressor.

Spectroscopic analysis of embryo culture media for predicting reproductive potential in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVE: To predict the reproductive potential of embryos via Raman spectroscopy evaluation of the spent culture media as well as with a conventional morphologic evaluation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Women of reproductive age (n=31) who were treated for unexplained infertility and scheduled for single embryo transfer were invited to participate in this prospective study. After the embryos were removed from the culture, the spent culture media were stored at -80 °C after snap-freezing in liquid nitrogen. RESULTS: Fifteen patients were clinically pregnant, and 16 patients were clinically non-pregnant. Clinical pregnancy was predicted using Raman spectroscopy in 93% (14/15) of clinically pregnant patients, and in 62.5% (10 out of 16) of clinically non-pregnant patients. The sensitivity of the Raman spectroscopic analysis was 93% and the specificity was 62.5%. CONCLUSION: Metabolomic evaluation of spent embryo culture media is an emerging technique with promising objective results. However, there is clearly room for improvement.