RESUMEN
The healthcare industry is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Assisted reproductive technology is part of the larger healthcare sector, with its own heavy carbon footprint. The social, economic and environmental costs of this collective carbon footprint are becoming clearer, as is the impact on human reproductive health. Alpha Scientists in Reproductive Medicine and the International IVF Initiative collaborated to seek and formulate practical recommendations for sustainability in IVF laboratories. An international panel of experts, enthusiasts and professionals in reproductive medicine, environmental science, architecture, biorepository and law convened to discuss the topics of importance to sustainability. Recommendations were issued on how to build a culture of sustainability in the workplace, implement green design and building, use life cycle analysis to determine the environmental impact, manage cryostorage more sustainably, and understand and manage laboratory waste with prevention as a primary goal. The panel explored whether the industry supporting IVF is sustainable. An example is provided to illustrate the application of green principles to an IVF laboratory through a certification programme. The UK legislative landscape surrounding sustainability is also discussed and a few recommendations on 'Green Conferencing' are offered.
Asunto(s)
Huella de Carbono , Laboratorios , Humanos , Técnicas Reproductivas Asistidas , Fertilización In VitroRESUMEN
Perturbed microRNA (miR) expression is a feature of, and may play a fundamental role in, certain disease states such as different forms of cancer. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) a group of inherited retinal degenerations is characterised by a progressive loss of photoreceptor cells and consequent visual handicap. We have previously reported an altered pan-retinal expression of miR-96, -183, -1 and -133 in a P347S-Rhodopsin transgenic mouse model of RP. As many different mutations in Rhodopsin and other genes such as RDS/Peripherin can lead to RP, it was of interest to explore whether the characterized retinal miR expression signature was observed in three other mouse models of RP linked to rhodopsin and rds/peripherin. Therefore, pan-retinal expression of miR-96, -182, -183, -1, -133 and -142 was analysed using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. A common signature of altered miR expression was found; expression of miR-96, -182 and -183 decreased by 14.1-53.2%, while expression of miR-1, -133 and -142 was up-regulated by 186.1-538.5%. Significantly, the detected pan-retinal miR signature was mirrored by similar miR expression profiles in FACS-isolated rod photoreceptors from these mice. In an attempt to understand the function of these miRs, corresponding target genes were predicted using computational means. Many 'enriched' targets (with binding sites for at least two of the above miRs) were found to be regulatory molecules and members of intracellular signalling circuits. However, further studies are required to highlight which of the large number of in silico predicted targets are actually controlled by these miRs.
Asunto(s)
MicroARNs/metabolismo , Retinitis Pigmentosa/genética , Animales , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Expresión Génica , Proteínas de Filamentos Intermediarios/genética , Proteínas de Filamentos Intermediarios/metabolismo , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/genética , Glicoproteínas de Membrana/metabolismo , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Ratones Noqueados , MicroARNs/genética , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/genética , Proteínas del Tejido Nervioso/metabolismo , Periferinas , Células Fotorreceptoras Retinianas Bastones/metabolismo , Retinitis Pigmentosa/metabolismo , Retinitis Pigmentosa/patología , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa/métodos , Rodopsina/genética , Rodopsina/metabolismoRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The role played by microRNAs (miRs) as common regulators in physiologic processes such as development and various disease states was recently highlighted. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) linked to RHO (which encodes rhodopsin) is the most frequent form of inherited retinal degeneration that leads to blindness, for which there are no current therapies. Little is known about the cellular mechanisms that connect mutations within RHO to eventual photoreceptor cell death by apoptosis. RESULTS: Global miR expression profiling using miR microarray technology and quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qPCR) was performed in mouse retinas. RNA samples from retina of a mouse model of RP carrying a mutant Pro347Ser RHO transgene and from wild-type retina, brain and a whole-body representation (prepared by pooling total RNA from eight different mouse organs) exhibited notably different miR profiles. Expression of retina-specific and recently described retinal miRs was semi-quantitatively demonstrated in wild-type mouse retina. Alterations greater than twofold were found in the expression of nine miRs in Pro347Ser as compared with wild-type retina (P < 0.05). Expression of miR-1 and miR-133 decreased by more than 2.5-fold (P < 0.001), whereas expression of miR-96 and miR-183 increased by more than 3-fold (P < 0.001) in Pro347Ser retinas, as validated by qPCR. Potential retinal targets for these miRs were predicted in silico. CONCLUSION: This is the first miR microarray study to focus on evaluating altered miR expression in retinal disease. Additionally, novel retinal preference for miR-376a and miR-691 was identified. The results obtained contribute toward elucidating the function of miRs in normal and diseased retina. Modulation of expression of retinal miRs may represent a future therapeutic strategy for retinopathies such as RP.