Renal toxicity and biokinetics models after repeated uranium instillation.

During nuclear fuel processing, workers can potentially be exposed to repeated inhalations of uranium compounds. Uranium nephrotoxicity is well documented after acute uranium intake, but it is controversial after long-term or protracted exposure. This study aims to analyze the nephrotoxicity threshold after repeated uranium exposure through upper airways and to investigate the resulting uranium biokinetics in comparison to reference models. Mice (C57BL/6J) were exposed to uranyl nitrate (0.03-3 mg/kg/day) via intranasal instillation four times a week for two weeks. Concentrations of uranium in urines and tissues were measured at regular time points (from day 1 to 91 post-exposure). At each exposure level, the amount of uranium retained in organs/tissues (kidney, lung, bone, nasal compartment, carcass) and excreta (urine, feces) reflected the two consecutive weeks of instillation except for renal uranium retention for the highest uranium dose. Nephrotoxicity biomarkers, KIM-1, clusterin and osteopontin, are induced from day 4 to day 21 and associated with changes in renal function (arterial fluxes) measured using non-invasive functional imaging (Doppler-ultrasonography) and confirmed by renal histopathological analysis. These results suggest that specific biokinetic models should be developed to consider altered uranium excretion and retention in kidney due to nephrotoxicity. The threshold is between 0.25 and 1 mg/kg/day after repeated exposure to uranium via upper airways.

Anti-integrin αv therapy improves cardiac fibrosis after myocardial infarction by blunting cardiac PW1+ stromal cells.

There is currently no therapy to limit the development of cardiac fibrosis and consequent heart failure. We have recently shown that cardiac fibrosis post-myocardial infarction (MI) can be regulated by resident cardiac cells with a fibrogenic signature and identified by the expression of PW1 (Peg3). Here we identify αV-integrin (CD51) as an essential regulator of cardiac PW1+ cells fibrogenic behavior. We used transcriptomic and proteomic approaches to identify specific cell-surface markers for cardiac PW1+ cells and found that αV-integrin (CD51) was expressed in almost all cardiac PW1+ cells (93% ± 1%), predominantly as the αVß1 complex. αV-integrin is a subunit member of the integrin family of cell adhesion receptors and was found to activate complex of latent transforming growth factor beta (TGFß at the surface of cardiac PW1+ cells. Pharmacological inhibition of αV-integrin reduced the profibrotic action of cardiac PW1+CD51+ cells and was associated with improved cardiac function and animal survival following MI coupled with a reduced infarct size and fibrotic lesion. These data identify a targetable pathway that regulates cardiac fibrosis in response to an ischemic injury and demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of αV-integrin could reduce pathological outcomes following cardiac ischemia.

A metabolic engineering strategy for producing conjugated linoleic acids using the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica.

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) have been found to have beneficial effects on human health when used as dietary supplements. However, their availability is limited because pure, chemistry-based production is expensive, and biology-based fermentation methods can only create small quantities. In an effort to enhance microbial production of CLAs, four genetically modified strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica were generated. These mutants presented various genetic modifications, including the elimination of ß-oxidation (pox1-6∆), the inability to store lipids as triglycerides (dga1∆ dga2∆ are1∆ lro1∆), and the overexpression of the Y. lipolytica ∆12-desaturase gene (YlFAD2) under the control of the constitutive pTEF promoter. All strains received two copies of the pTEF-oPAI or pPOX-oPAI expression cassettes; PAI encodes linoleic acid isomerase in Propionibacterium acnes. The strains were cultured in neosynthesis or bioconversion medium in flasks or a bioreactor. The strain combining the three modifications mentioned above showed the best results: when it was grown in neosynthesis medium in a flask, CLAs represented 6.5% of total fatty acids and in bioconversion medium in a bioreactor, and CLA content reached 302 mg/L. In a previous study, a CLA degradation rate of 117 mg/L/h was observed in bioconversion medium. Here, by eliminating ß-oxidation, we achieved a much lower rate of 1.8 mg/L/h.

Monitoring the impact of hydrocarbon contamination and nutrient addition on microbial density, activity, and diversity in soil.

The development of optimal in situ bioremediation strategies requires a better knowledge of their impact on the soil microbial communities. We have evaluated the impact of hexadecane contamination and different nutrient amendments on soil microbial density and activity. Microbial density was measured via total DNA quantification, and microbial activity via respiration and RNA variation. The RNA/DNA ratio was also determined, as it is a potential indicator of microbial activity. PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes were cloned and sequenced to analyze the diversity of bacterial communities. Nutrient addition significantly increased respiration and DNA and RNA concentrations in contaminated soil, indicating a limitation of degradation and growth by the availability of nitrogen and phosphorus in unamended microcosms. Hexadecane treatment slightly affected the diversity of the bacterial community, while it was dramatically reduced by nutrient treatments, particularly the addition of nitrogen and phosphorus. Microbial community composition was also altered with the enrichment of populations related to Nocardia in bioremediated soils, while uncultured Proteobacteria were mostly detected in uncontaminated soil.