Neuron-specific cilia loss differentially alters locomotor responses to amphetamine in mice.

The neural mechanisms that underlie responses to drugs of abuse are complex, and impacted by a number of neuromodulatory peptides. Within the past 10 years it has been discovered that several of the receptors for neuromodulators are enriched in the primary cilia of neurons. Primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that project from the surface of nearly all mammalian cells, including neurons. Despite what we know about cilia, our understanding of how cilia regulate neuronal function and behavior is still limited. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the contributions of primary cilia on specific neuronal populations to behavioral responses to amphetamine. To test the consequences of cilia loss on amphetamine-induced locomotor activity we selectively ablated cilia from dopaminergic or GAD2-GABAergic neurons in mice. Cilia loss had no effect on baseline locomotion in either mouse strain. In mice lacking cilia on dopaminergic neurons, locomotor activity compared to wild- type mice was reduced in both sexes in response to acute administration of 3.0 mg/kg amphetamine. In contrast, changes in the locomotor response to amphetamine in mice lacking cilia on GAD2-GABAergic neurons were primarily driven by reductions in locomotor activity in males. Following repeated amphetamine administration (1.0 mg kg-1  day-1 over 5 days), mice lacking cilia on GAD2-GABAergic neurons exhibited enhanced sensitization of the locomotor stimulant response to the drug, whereas mice lacking cilia on dopaminergic neurons did not differ from wild-type controls. These results indicate that cilia play neuron-specific roles in both acute and neuroplastic responses to psychostimulant drugs of abuse.

Prediction of advanced colonic neoplasm in symptomatic patients: a scoring system to prioritize colonoscopy (COLONOFIT study).

BACKGROUND: Fast-track colonoscopy to detect patients with colorectal cancer based on high-risk symptoms is associated with low sensitivity and specificity. The aim was to derive a predictive score of advanced colonic neoplasia in symptomatic patients in fast-track programs. METHODS: All patients referred for fast-track colonoscopy were evaluated. Faecal immunological haemoglobin test (3 samples; positive> 4 µg Hb/g), and a survey to register clinical variables of interest were performed. Colorectal cancer and advanced adenoma were considered as advanced colonic neoplasia. A sample size of 600 and 500 individuals were calculated for each phase 1 and phase 2 of the study, respectively (Phase 1, derivation and Phase 2, validation cohort). A Bayesian logistic regression analysis was used to derive a predictive score. RESULTS: 1495 patients were included. Age (OR, 21), maximum faecal-Hb value (OR, 2.3), and number of positive samples (OR, 28) presented the highest ORs predictive of advanced colonic neoplasia. The additional significant predictive variables adjusted for age and faecal-Hb variables in Phase 1 were previous colonoscopy (last 5 years) and smoking (no, ex/active). With these variables a predictive score of advanced colonic neoplasia was derived. Applied to Phase 2, patients with a Score > 20 had an advanced colonic neoplasia probability of 66% (colorectal cancer, 32%), while those with a Score ≤ 10, a probability of 10% (colorectal cancer, 1%). Prioritizing patients with Score > 10, 49.4% of patients would be referred for fast-track colonoscopy, diagnosing 98.3% of colorectal cancers and 77% of advanced adenomas. CONCLUSIONS: A scoring system was derived and validated to prioritize fast-track colonoscopies according to risk, which was efficient, simple, and robust.

Secondary metabolites with antimicrobial activity produced by thermophilic bacteria from a high-altitude hydrothermal system.

Thermophilic microorganisms possess several adaptations to thrive in high temperature, which is reflected as biosynthesis of proteins and thermostable molecules, isolation and culture represent a great methodological challenge, therefore High throughput sequencing enables screening of the whole bacterial genome for functional potential, providing rapid and cost-effective information to guide targeted cultures for the identification and characterization of novel natural products. In this study, we isolated two thermophilic bacterial strains corresponding to Bacillus LB7 and Streptomyces LB8, from the microbial mats in the Atacama Desert. By combining genome mining, targeted cultures and biochemical characterization, we aimed to identify their capacity to synthesize bioactive compounds with antimicrobial properties. Additionally, we determined the capability to produce bioactive compounds under controlled in vitro assays and detected by determining their masses by Thin-Layer Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (TLC/MS). Overall, both isolates can produce antimicrobial (e.g., Myxalamide C by-product) and antioxidants (e.g. Dihydroxymandelic Acid, Amide biotine and Flavone by-products) compounds. Bacillus LB7 strain possesses a more diverse repertoire with 51.95% of total metabolites unmatched, while Streptomyces LB8 favors mainly antioxidants, but has over 70% of unclassified compounds, highlighting the necessity to study and elucidate the structure of novel compounds. Based on these results, we postulate that the uncultured or rare cultured thermophiles inhabiting high-altitude hydrothermal ecosystems in the Atacama Desert offer a promising opportunity to the study of novel microbial bioactive compounds.

Proteolytic roles of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 during progression of chronic periodontitis: initial evidence for MMP-13/MMP-9 activation cascade.

AIM: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-13 can initiate bone resorption and activate proMMP-9 in vitro, and both these MMPs have been widely implicated in tissue destruction associated with chronic periodontitis. We studied whether MMP-13 activity and TIMP-1 levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) associated with progression of chronic periodontitis assessed clinically and by measuring carboxy-terminal telopeptide of collagen I (ICTP) levels. We additionally addressed whether MMP-13 could potentiate gelatinase activation in diseased gingival tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, GCF samples from subjects undergoing clinical progression of chronic periodontitis and healthy controls were screened for ICTP levels, MMP-13 activity and TIMP-1. Diseased gingival explants were cultured, treated or not with MMP-13 with or without adding CL-82198, a synthetic MMP-13 selective inhibitor, and assayed by gelatin zymography and densitometric analysis. RESULTS: Active sites demonstrated increased ICTP levels and MMP-13 activity (p<0.05) in progression subjects. The MMP-9 activation rate was elevated in MMP-13-treated explants (p<0.05) and MMP-13 inhibitor prevented MMP-9 activation. CONCLUSIONS: MMP-13 could be implicated in the degradation of soft and hard supporting tissues and proMMP-9 activation during progression of chronic periodontitis. MMP-13 and -9 can potentially form an activation cascade overcoming the protective TIMP-1 shield, which may become useful for diagnostic aims and a target for drug development.

Levels of interferon-gamma and transcription factor T-bet in progressive periodontal lesions in patients with chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis is an infection with an episodic pattern of tissue-support destruction. During the generation of a primary CD4(+) T helper 1 (Th1) response, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) acts as a positive regulator by selectively inducing Th1 differentiation through increased transcription of T-bet. The aims of this work were to determine IFN-gamma levels in samples of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and to determine IFN-gamma and transcription factor T-bet expression in gingival tissue from patients undergoing the progression of chronic periodontitis. METHODS: One hundred six patients with moderate or advanced chronic periodontitis were selected. Periodontitis was characterized by at least six sites with probing depth >or=5 mm, clinical attachment loss >or=3 mm, and radiographic bone loss. Periodontitis progression was determined by the tolerance method. GCF was collected using a paper strip, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the total amount of IFN-gamma. Gingival biopsies were obtained from patients for real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to determine IFN-gamma and T-bet expression. Statistical analysis was performed using statistical software. Data were expressed as subject means +/- SD. The chi(2) and Student t tests were used. RESULTS: The total amount and concentration of cytokine IFN-gamma were significantly higher in active sites than in inactive sites (99.90 versus 68.90 pg; P = 0.03; 106.62 pg/mg versus 75.64 pg/mg, P = 0.04, respectively). Active sites showed a significantly lower Delta cycle threshold (Ct) of IFN-gamma than inactive sites (P = 0.04), whereas the expression of transcription factor T-bet was increased 1.42-fold in active sites compared to inactive sites. CONCLUSION: The total amount and concentration of cytokine IFN-gamma in GCF samples and transcription factor T-bet expression were increased in progressive periodontal lesions in patients with chronic periodontitis.

Characterization of progressive periodontal lesions in chronic periodontitis patients: levels of chemokines, cytokines, matrix metalloproteinase-13, periodontal pathogens and inflammatory cells.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Periodontitis is an infection with an episodic nature of tissue support destruction. The aim of this work was to determine the levels of chemokines, cytokines, matrix metalloproteinase-13, periodontal pathogens and inflammatory cells in periodontal sites characterized by active periodontal connective tissue destruction. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Fifty-six patients with moderate or advanced severity of chronic periodontitis were selected. Periodontitis was characterized by at least six sites with probing depth > or =5 mm, clinical attachment level > or =3 mm and radiographic bone loss. Periodontitis progression was determined by the tolerance method. Receptor activator for nuclear factor kappa B-ligand (RANK-L), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1beta, MMP-13, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsithia and inflammatory cells levels were determined. Statistical analysis was performed using the Stata 7.0 software. Data were expressed as mean+/-SD and paired samples t-test and chi(2) tests were used. RESULTS: Higher RANK-L, IL-1beta and MMP-13 activity levels were observed in active sites (p<0.05). The proportion of P. gingivalis, A. actinomycetemcomitans, T. forsythia and the number of CD4(+) T were higher in active than in inactive sites (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The detection of periodontopathic bacteria, host matrix metalloproteinases and cytokines in periodontitis patients with lesions undergoing episodic attachment loss could partially explain the mechanisms associated with the destruction of the supporting tissues of the tooth.

Chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 in progressive periodontal lesions in patients with chronic periodontitis.

BACKGROUND: Chemokines are central in the activation and direction of leukocyte subsets to target tissues. However, the monocyte chemoattractant protein-3 (MCP-3) has not been associated with chronic periodontitis. Chronic periodontitis is an infection showing episodic supporting tissue destruction. The aim of this study is to determine the levels and expression of MCP-3 in periodontal sites characterized by active periodontal connective tissue destruction. METHODS: The study population consisted of 15 patients with a progression of periodontitis (15 of 56 patients), 18 patients with chronic periodontitis, and 10 healthy subjects without periodontal disease. As determined by the tolerance method, the 15 patients with moderate to advanced chronic periodontitis showed a progression of periodontitis over a 4-month period. Periodontitis was characterized by at least six sites with a probing depth >or=5 mm, clinical attachment level >or=3 mm, and radiographic bone loss. Gingival crevicular fluid was collected using a paper strip. The total protein concentration was determined. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine the total amount of MCP-3, and an immunoWestern blot was conducted to assess molecular MCP-3 forms. To determine the MCP-3 expression by immunohistochemistry, gingival biopsies were obtained from patients with chronic periodontitis and healthy subjects during third-molar extraction surgery. Statistical analyses were performed using statistical software. Data were expressed as subject means +/- SD, using the chi(2) and Student t tests. RESULTS: The total amount and concentration of chemokine MCP-3 were significantly higher in patients with chronic periodontitis than in healthy subjects (8.25 pg versus 0.53 pg, P = 0.006 and 2.95 pg/microl versus 0.45 pg/microl, P = 0.04, respectively). Active sites showed a significantly higher total amount and concentration of MCP-3 than inactive sites (11.12 versus 2.88 pg, P value = 0.005 and 3.95 versus 1.02, P value = 0.005, respectively). Western blot and immunohistochemical staining confirmed the presence of MCP-3 in periodontal disease, with observable differences between patients with chronic periodontitis and healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: MCP-3 was highly expressed in patients with chronic periodontitis, particularly in those with progressive periodontal lesions. MCP-3 could be involved in the recruitment of inflammatory cells toward periodontal tissues during the progression of the disease.

Copper transport by lobster (Homarus americanus) hepatopancreatic lysosomes.

Lysosomes are known centers for sequestration of calcium and a variety of heavy metals in many invertebrate tissues, and as a result of this compartmentalization these organelles perform important detoxification roles in the animals involved. The present investigation uses a centrifugation method to isolate and purify hepatopancreatic lysosomes from the American lobster, Homarus americanus. Purified lysosomal preparations were used to characterize membrane transport mechanisms in these organelles for transferring and sequestering cytoplasmic copper following its absorption across the plasma membrane from dietary constituents. The copper-specific fluorescent dye, Phen Green, was employed to quantify transmembrane fluxes of this metal as has been recently used to investigate copper movements across hepatopancreatic mitochondrial and plasma membranes. Results indicated the presence of a vanadate-sensitive, calcium-stimulated, copper ATPase in the membranes of these organelles that displayed high affinity carrier-mediated transport kinetics and may significantly contribute to organismic copper homeostasis. Together with a putative bafilomycin-sensitive V-ATPase in the membrane of the same organelles, importing hydrogen ions into the organellar interior, this copper ATPase may function as part of a physiological mechanism for precipitate formation between metallic cations and anions. These ionic precipitate complexes may then act as a sink for excess metals and thereby reduce the circulating concentrations of these elements.