Wound Closure Promotion by Leucine-Based Pseudo-Proteins: An In Vitro Study.

Our research explores leucine-based pseudo-proteins (LPPs) for advanced wound dressings, focusing on their effects on wound healing in an in vitro model. We assessed three types of LPP films for their ability to enhance wound closure rates and modulate cytokine production. They all significantly improved wound closure compared to traditional methods, with the 8L6 and copolymer films showing the most pronounced effects. Notably, the latter exhibited an optimal cytokine profile: an initial burst of pro-inflammatory TNF-α, followed by a controlled release of IL-6 during the proliferative phase and a significant increase in anti-inflammatory IL-10 during remodeling. This balanced cytokine response suggests that the copolymer film not only accelerates wound closure but also supports a well-regulated healing process, potentially reducing fibrosis and abnormal scarring, underscoring the potential of copolymer LPPs as advanced wound dressing materials. Future research will aim to elucidate the specific signaling pathways activated by the copolymer LPP to better understand its mechanism of action. Overall, LPP films offer a promising approach to improving wound care and could lead to more effective treatments for complex wounds.

PARP inhibition suppresses topoisomerase 1 poisoning induced Caspase-3 dependent cell death in zebrafish embryos.

In the present study the role of poly(ADP)ribosylation on rubitecan induced caspase dependent cell death was evaluated. We show that Top1 poisoning by rubitecan induces caspase mediated apoptosis which was reduced by PARP inhibitor olaparib in zebrafish embryo. Collectively our data introduces zebrafish as a valuable model for PARP related biomedical research.

Low-dose trans-resveratrol induce poly(ADP)-ribosylation-dependent increase of the PPAR-γ protein expression level in the in vitro model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

An effect of low-dose resveratrol treatment on lipid metabolism and pro-inflammatory processes has been studied, using an in vitro model of Non-Alcoholic-Fatty Liver Disease. The model system consisted of lipid-loaded monolayer cultures of hepatocytes (Hepa1-6) and macrophages (RAW264.7), as both cell types are present in the liver. Also a tridimensional model of hepatic spheroids has been created to mimic spatial adhesive contacts between cells. Treatment with resveratrol (5 µM, 10 µM) for 3 h caused a decrease in lipid load in all three model systems. This decrease wasn't accompanied by any changes in surface expression of lipid transporter-CD36. The response to resveratrol (RSV) was cell type- and cell environment-dependent. In both cell types an increase of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) protein level has been revealed. The increase of the PPAR-γ protein level appeared to be poly (ADP)-ribosylation-dependent. It has been revealed, that in the resveratrol-induced signaling pathway, leading to the decrease of intracellular lipid load, an activation of poly (ADP)-ribose polymerase should happen upstream of PPAR-γ protein expression.The decrease of lipid load isn't accompanied by changes in the surface expression of lipid transporter CD36.

Rewiring of sIgM-Mediated Intracellular Signaling through the CD180 Toll-like Receptor.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) development and progression are thought to be driven by unknown antigens/autoantigens through the B cell receptor (BCR) and environmental signals for survival and expansion including toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands. CD180/RP105, a membrane-associated orphan receptor of the TLR family, induces normal B cell activation and proliferation and is expressed by approximately 60% of CLL samples. Half of these respond to ligation with anti-CD180 antibody by increased activation/phosphorylation of protein kinases associated with BCR signaling. Hence CLL cells expressing both CD180 and the BCR could receive signals via both receptors. Here we investigated cross-talk between BCR and CD180-mediated signaling on CLL cell survival and apoptosis. Our data indicate that ligation of CD180 on responsive CLL cells leads to activation of either prosurvival Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK)/phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT-mediated, or proapoptotic p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK)-mediated signaling pathways, while selective immunoglobulin M (sIgM) ligation predominantly engages the BTK/PI3K/AKT pathway. Furthermore, pretreatment of CLL cells with anti-CD180 redirects IgM-mediated signaling from the prosurvival BTK/PI3K/AKT toward the proapoptotic p38MAPK pathway. Thus preengaging CD180 could prevent further prosurvival signaling mediated via the BCR and, instead, induce CLL cell apoptosis, opening the door to therapeutic profiling and new strategies for the treatment of a substantial cohort of CLL patients.

Whole genome analysis of multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli isolate collected from drinking water in Armenia revealed the plasmid-borne mcr-1.1-mediated colistin resistance.

The rate of polymyxin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, as well as human and animal infections caused by them, is increasing worldwide, posing a high epidemiological threat since colistin represents a last-resort antibiotic to treat complicated infections. The study of environmental niches, in particular, aquatic ecosystems in terms of genome analysis of inhabiting antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) microorganisms as reservoirs of acquired resistance determinants (AMR genes), represents a specific concern from a One Health approach. Here, we present a phenotypic AMR analysis and molecular characterization of Escherichia coli isolate found in municipal drinking water after an accident in the water supply system of a residential building in Armenia in 2021. CrieF1144 E. coli isolate was resistant to ampicillin, ampicillin/sulbactam, cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, colistin, and tigecycline, whereas whole genome sequencing (WGS) revealed blaTEM-1B, tet(A), and a combination of dfrA14 with sul1 resistance determinants, which corresponds well with phenotypic resistance above. Moreover, the multidrug-resistant isolate studied harbored mcr-1.1 gene on a conjugative 251 Kb IncHI2 plasmid, whose structure was determined using hybrid short- and long-reads assembly. CrieF1141_p1 plasmid carried all antimicrobial resistance genes revealed in the isolate and did not harbor any virulence determinants, so it could contribute to the spread of AMR genes in the bacterial population. Two copies of ISApl1 transposase-encoding element, which is likely to mediate mcr-1.1 gene mobilization, were revealed surrounding this gene in a plasmid. IMPORTANCE: Evolutionary patterns of Escherichia coli show that they usually develop into highly pathogenic forms by acquiring fitness advantages such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and various virulence factors through horizontal gene transfer mediated by mobile elements. This has led to high prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains, which highlights the relevancy of enhanced surveillance to monitor and prevent transmission of the MDR bacteria to human and animal populations. However, the limited number of reports regarding the whole genome sequencing (WGS) investigation of MDR E. coli strains isolated from drinking water and harboring mcr genes hampers the adoption of a comprehensive approach to address the relationship between environmental E. coli populations and human and veterinary infections. Our results highlight the relevance of analyzing the environment, especially water, as a part of the surveillance programs to understand the origins and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance within the One Health concept.

Plasmid Composition, Antimicrobial Resistance and Virulence Genes Profiles of Ciprofloxacin- and Third-Generation Cephalosporin-Resistant Foodborne Salmonella enterica Isolates from Russia.

Salmonella enterica is an important foodborne pathogen worldwide. Ciprofloxacin and extended-spectrum cephalosporins are the common first-line antimicrobial drugs for the treatment of salmonellosis, antimicrobial resistance genes for which are mostly transferred via plasmids. The goal of this work was to perform genomic analysis of plasmids from foodborne S. enterica isolates obtained in Russia based on whole-genome sequencing. In the current study, 11 multidrug-resistant samples isolated in 2021 from 8 regions of Russia were selected based on their resistance to ciprofloxacin and third-generation cephalosporins (CIP-3rd). Whole-genome short-read sequencing (WGS) was performed for all isolates; the samples belonged to five different sequence types (ST32, ST469, ST11, ST142, and ST548) which had different profiles of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and virulence genes. We have performed additional long-read sequencing of four representative S. enterica isolates, which showed that they carried pESI-like megaplasmids of 202-280 kb length harboring extended-spectrum ß-lactamase genes, fluoroquinolone, tetracycline, and aminoglycosides resistance genes, as well as several virulence determinants. We believe that the WGS data obtained will greatly facilitate further studies of foodborne S. enterica isolates epidemiology in terms of their self-transmissible plasmid composition that mediated antimicrobial resistance and virulence determinants conferring selective advantages of this important bacterial pathogen.

Leucine-Based Pseudo-Proteins (LPPs) as Promising Biomaterials: A Study of Cell-Supporting Properties.

Scaffold-based systems have become essential in biomedical research, providing the possibility of building in vitro models that can better mimic tissue/organic physiology. A relatively new family of biomimetics-pseudo-proteins (PPs)-can therefore be considered especially promising in this context. Three different artificial leucine-based LPP films were tested in vitro as potential scaffolding materials. In vitro experiments were performed using two types of cells: primary mouse skin fibroblasts and a murine monocyte/macrophages cell line, RAW264.7. Cell adhesion and cell spreading were evaluated according to morphological parameters via scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and they were assessed according to actin cytoskeleton distribution, which was studied via confocal laser microscopy. Cell proliferation was evaluated via an MTT assay. Cell migration was studied using time-lapse microscopy. SEM images for both types of cells demonstrated prominent adhesion and perfect cell spreading on all three LPPs. Analyses of actin cytoskeleton organization revealed a high number of focal adhesions and prominent motility-associated structures. A certain stimulation of cell proliferation was detected in the cases of all three LPPs, and two of them promoted macrophage migration. Overall, our data suggest that the LPPs used in the study can be considered potential cell-friendly scaffolding materials.

CD180 functions in activation, survival and cycling of B chronic lymphocytic leukaemia cells.

We previously showed that approximately 60% of B chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) cells express surface CD180, an orphan receptor of the Toll-like receptor family. Here we investigated the ability of anti-CD180 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to induce activation, cell cycling, survival and signalling in B-CLL cells and normal B cells. Upon addition of anti-CD180 mAb, alone or in combination with anti-CD40 mAb or recombinant IL-4 (rIL-4), expression of CD86, Ki-67, uptake of DiOC(6) , phosphorylation of signalling protein kinases and Ca(2+) flux were measured in B-CLL cells from untreated patients and normal B cells from age-matched volunteers. Normal B cells and approximately 50% of CD180(+) B-CLL clones responded to CD180 ligation by activation, cycling and increased survival comparable with, or superior to, those induced by anti-CD40 mAb or rIL-4 (Responder B-CLL). Non-responder CD180(+) B-CLL clones failed to respond to CD180 mAb and responded poorly to CD40 mAb and rIL-4. Anti-CD180 mAb induced phosphorylation of ZAP70/Syk, Erk, p38MAPK and Akt in normal B cells and Responder B-CLL cells. In contrast, Erk, p38MAPK and Akt were not phosphorylated in Non-responder B-CLL cells indicating a block in signalling and possible anergy. CD180 may provide powerful expansion and survival signals for Responder B-CLL cells and have an important prognostic value.

Response of antioxidant defense system to chromium (VI)-induced cytotoxicity in human diploid cells.

The aim of this study is to establish antioxidant indicators of chromium toxicity in fetal human lung fibroblasts (HLF). The results obtained corroborate and develop our earlier observation of low-dose and long-term action of Cr(VI) on human cells in culture. In the case of a nontoxic chromium dose, temporary oxidative stress is overcome by increased activity of the antioxidant system with correlation to cell cycle re-entry. The toxic concentrations misbalance the cell antioxidant defense systems and cause irreversible growth arrest and massive cell death by apoptosis. Sub-toxicity is defined as toxicity stretched in time. The activity of GPx (glutathione peroxidase) is proposed as a biomarker of oxidative stress caused by Cr(VI), and the GR (glutathione reductase) inhibition is considered as a marker of the toxicity developed under the complex Cr(VI) action. In HLF cells the glutathione dependent defense system is the first system destroyed in response to toxic chromium action. Only the balance between SOD (superoxide dismutase) and H(2)O(2) degrading enzymes (catalase and GPx), should play an important role in the fate of a cell, not individual enzymes.

Genotoxic effects of topoisomerase poisoning and PARP inhibition on zebrafish embryos.

Topoisomerase poisons are known to stabilize covalent enzyme-DNA intermediates forming covalent cleavage complexes, which are highly cytotoxic especially for dividing cells and thus, make topoisomerases targets for cancer therapy. Topoisomerases have been extensively studied in mammalian model systems, whereas in other vertebrate models including zebrafish, they still remain less characterized. Here we show similarities in the genotoxic effects of zebrafish and mammalian systems towards topoisomerase I (Top1) poisons and PARP inhibitor - olaparib. On the other hand we observed that topoisomerase II (Top2) poisons (doxorubicin and etoposide) did not affect 1 day post fertilization embryo viability, however in cells isolated from Top2 drug treated embryos the formation of DNA cleavage complexes was observed by comet assay. We explain this by cellular drug uptake limitation in live zebrafish embryos versus unimpeded drug influx in cells isolated from Top2 poisons pre-treated embryos. We also demonstrate that EDTA facilitates the extraction of Top2 from zebrafish nuclei and recovers both, basal and Top2 poison induced DNA damage.

Effects of Cr(VI) long-term and low-dose action on mammalian antioxidant enzymes (an in vitro study).

In order to investigate the low-dose long-term Cr(VI) action on antioxidant enzymes in cultured mammalian cells we estimated the activity of glutathione dependent antioxidant enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) under various chromium concentrations in human epithelial-like L-41 cells. The long-term action of 20 microM causes the toxicity that results in losing of the cell viability by activating the apoptotic process, as identified by morphological analysis, the activation of caspase-3, and DNA fragmentation. The toxic chromium concentration totally destroys glutathione antioxidant system, and diminishes the activity of catalase and cytosolic Cu, ZnSOD. The non-toxic concentration (2 microM) causes the activation of the antioxidant defense systems, and they neutralize the oxidative impact.