Role of changes in plasma prolactin concentrations on ram and buck sperm cryoresistance.

Seasonal endocrine changes may modify sperm cryoresistance in certain small ruminant species. The present work examines the effect of prolactin (PRL) on ram and buck sperm cryoresistance. A dopamine agonist (bromocriptine [BCR] 60 mg i.m. twice per week from May 15 to June 15, that is, approaching the summer solstice) or antagonist (sulpiride [SLP] 100 mg s.c. daily from December 15 to January 15, that is, around the winter solstice) was administered under solstice-appropriate photoperiod conditions to modify PRL secretion. Control animals received the vehicle only. Compared to the corresponding controls, BCR reduced PRL secretion to basal levels in both the rams and bucks. In rams, the cryoresistance ratios for sperm curvilinear velocity (P < 0.05) and lateral head displacement (P < 0.01) were higher for the BCR-treated animals. In bucks, neither the characteristics of fresh nor frozen-thawed sperm were affected by BCR treatment. After the administration of SLP, PRL levels increased and remained high for more than 5 h in the rams though they immediately began to fall in the bucks. By 24 h, PRL had returned to basal concentrations in both species. In rams treated with SLP, the cryoresistance ratios for sperm progressive motility, straight line velocity, sperm mean path velocity, cross beat frequency, and the progression ratios linearity, straightness and oscillation, were all lower compared to the controls (P < 0.05), while the amplitude of lateral head displacement was higher (P < 0.01). In bucks, sperm cryoresistance was not affected by SLP administration. Together, these results suggest that high levels of PRL negatively affect the cryoresistance of ram sperm, while buck sperm seems unaffected.

Sitagliptin improved glucose assimilation in detriment of fatty-acid utilization in experimental type-II diabetes: role of GLP-1 isoforms in Glut4 receptor trafficking.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of glucose and fatty-acid transporters in the heart is crucial for energy consecution and myocardial function. In this sense, the glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) enhancer, sitagliptin, improves glucose homeostasis but it could also trigger direct cardioprotective actions, including regulation of energy substrate utilization. METHODS: Type-II diabetic GK (Goto-Kakizaki), sitagliptin-treated GK (10 mg/kg/day) and wistar rats (n = 10, each) underwent echocardiographic evaluation, and positron emission tomography scanning for [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18FDG). Hearts and plasma were isolated for biochemical approaches. Cultured cardiomyocytes were examined for receptor distribution after incretin stimulation in high fatty acid or high glucose media. RESULTS: Untreated GK rats exhibited hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, and plasma GLP-1 reduction. Moreover, GK myocardium decreased 18FDG assimilation and diastolic dysfunction. However, sitagliptin improved hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and GLP-1 levels, and additionally, enhanced 18FDG uptake and diastolic function. Sitagliptin also stimulated the sarcolemmal translocation of the glucose transporter-4 (Glut4), in detriment of the fatty acyl translocase (FAT)/CD36. In fact, Glut4 mRNA expression and sarcolemmal translocation were also increased after GLP-1 stimulation in high-fatty acid incubated cardiomyocytes. PI3K/Akt and AMPKα were involved in this response. Intriguingly, the GLP-1 degradation metabolite, GLP-1(9-36), showed similar effects. CONCLUSIONS: Besides of its anti-hyperglycemic effect, sitagliptin-enhanced GLP-1 may ameliorate diastolic dysfunction in type-II diabetes by shifting fatty acid to glucose utilization in the cardiomyocyte, and thus, improving cardiac efficiency and reducing lipolysis.

Targeting MT1-MMP as an ImmunoPET-Based Strategy for Imaging Gliomas.

BACKGROUND: A critical challenge in the management of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) tumors is the accurate diagnosis and assessment of tumor progression in a noninvasive manner. We have identified Membrane-type 1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) as an attractive biomarker for GBM imaging since this protein is actively involved in tumor growth and progression, correlates with tumor grade and is closely associated with poor prognosis in GBM patients. Here, we report the development of an immunoPET tracer for effective detection of MT1-MMP in GBM models. METHODS: An anti-human MT1-MMP monoclonal antibody (mAb), LEM2/15, was conjugated to p-isothiocyanatobenzyl-desferrioxamine (DFO-NCS) for 89Zr labeling. Biodistribution and PET imaging studies were performed in xenograft mice bearing human GBM cells (U251) expressing MT1-MMP and non-expressing breast carcinoma cells (MCF-7) as negative control. Two orthotopic brain GBM models, patient-derived neurospheres (TS543) and U251 cells, with different degrees of blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption were also used for PET imaging experiments. RESULTS: 89Zr labeling of DFO-LEM2/15 was achieved with high yield (>90%) and specific activity (78.5 MBq/mg). Biodistribution experiments indicated that 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15 showed excellent potential as a radiotracer for detection of MT1-MMP positive GBM tumors. PET imaging also indicated a specific and prominent 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15 uptake in MT1-MMP+ U251 GBM tumors compared to MT1-MMP- MCF-7 breast tumors. Results obtained in orthotopic brain GBM models revealed a high dependence of a disrupted BBB for tracer penetrance into tumors. 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15 showed much higher accumulation in TS543 tumors with a highly disrupted BBB than in U251 orthotopic model in which the BBB permeability was only partially increased. Histological analysis confirmed the specificity of the immunoconjugate in all GBM models. CONCLUSION: A new anti MT1-MMP-mAb tracer, 89Zr-DFO-LEM2/15, was synthesized efficiently. In vivo validation showed high-specific-contrast imaging of MT1-MMP positive GBM tumors and provided strong evidence for utility of MT1-MMP-targeted immunoPET as an alternate to nonspecific imaging of GBM.

Long-term stability of rapid maxillary expansion combined with chincup protraction followed by fixed appliances.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the long-term stability of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) and protraction from chincup therapy in girls with Class III malocclusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two girls (mean age  =  9.1 ± 0.6 years) with Class III malocclusion were treated with combined RME and protraction from a chincup, followed by fixed appliances. Lateral cephalograms were evaluated before treatment, at the end of a two-phase treatment protocol (mean age  =  15.1 ± 1.1 years), and 10.9 ± 0.5 years after the end of treatment (mean age  =  27.5 ± 0.5 years). The control group consisted of 22 matched girls with skeletal Class I malocclusion. RESULTS: After treatment, the Class III group showed significant improvement of the Class III malocclusion, mainly due to changes in the mandible (ie, SNB angle decreased 1.8 ± 1.6°) and significant improvement of the sagittal maxillomandibular relationship (Wits appraisal increased 2.6 ± 2.1 mm; ANB angle increased 1.0 ± 0.3 mm). These changes remained stable for an average of 10 years after the end of therapy. No tendency toward relapse was detected, and the mandibular position showed favorable outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: RME and protraction from chincup therapy led to successful long-term outcomes in 18 of 22 patients (81.8%). This treatment approach can be considered an efficient therapy in growing girls with mild skeletal Class III malocclusion caused by maxillary retrusion and mandibular protrusion.

Skeletal maturation determined by cervical vertebrae development.

The aim of this study was to determine the validity of cervical vertebrae radiographic assessment to predict skeletal maturation. Left hand-wrist and lateral cephalometric radiographs of 958 Spanish children from 5 to 18 years of age were measured. On the left hand-wrist radiographs the classification of Grave and Brown was used to assess skeletal maturation. Cervical vertebrae maturation was evaluated with lateral cephalometric radiographs using the stages described by Lamparski and by Hassel and Farman. A new method to evaluate the cervical maturation by studying the changes in the concavity of the lower border, height, and shape of the vertebral body was created. Correlation coefficients were calculated to establish the relationship between skeletal maturation values obtained by the three classifications of vertebral and skeletal maturation measured at the wrist. All correlation values obtained were statistically significant (P < 0.001). The results suggest that this new method to determine skeletal maturation is very reliable. A simple method based on morphological characteristics of the cervical vertebral bodies to evaluate the maturation stage has been designed. In the population investigated, this method is as accurate as the Hassel and Farman classification and superior to the Lamparski classification. The morphological vertebral parameter best able to estimate the maturation is the concavity of the lower border of the body.

Structural characterization of two CD1A allelic variants.

CD1 molecules are specialized in presenting lipidic antigens to T lymphocytes. They are structurally and evolutionary related to MHC molecules and show very limited polymorphism. We have previously described and partially characterized a new human CD1A allele differing from the wild type CD1A by a substitution of Cysteine by Tryptophan at position 52 in the alpha1 domain of the CD1A molecule. The frequency of this allele varies from 10% in individuals of Caucasian origin to 56% in Chinese people. The aim of the present work was to structurally characterize this CD1A allele. To do this we have cloned and sequenced the full-length cDNA encoding the new CD1A allele. The cDNA sequence of this allele encodes a protein differing the wild type in two amino acids at positions 14 (Threonine versus Isoleucine) and 52 (Cysteine versus Tryptophan). The cDNAs encoding both wild type and mutant CD1A were cloned in the expression vector pSRalphaNeo and transfected into C1R and L721.221 cells. Cell surface expression of the protein products in transfected cell lines were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunoprecipitation using CD1a-specific monoclonal antibodies. Our results indicate that both allelic products are efficiently expressed on the cell surface.

Identification of two novel human CD1E alleles.

CD1 is a family of proteins structurally related to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and specialized in presenting lipids or glycolipids to T cells. In humans, there are five CD1 genes (CD1A to CD1E). It has been shown that, in contrast with classical MHC genes, CD1 loci display a very limited polymorphism. In the present work we describe two novel CD1E alleles found in two healthy Caucasian individuals. One allele differs from the wild-type by a point mutation resulting in a replacement of arginine at position 154 by a tryptophan. In the second allele we found a substitution of the leucine 184 by a proline.

A study on the polymorphism of human MHC class I-related MR1 gene and identification of an MR1-like pseudogene.

Human MR1 is a recently discovered, ubiquitously transcribed gene very similar to the HLA class I loci and of unknown function. Mouse and rat MR1 sequences have also been described showing high similarity with the human gene. The goal of this work was to investigate if human MR1 was polymorphic. We have found that DNA sequences of MR1-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products obtained from samples of diverse ethnic origin were invariant except in one case in which two silent mutations were detected. We also found an MR1-like sequence displaying significant differences with the previously described, the most remarkable of which is a STOP codon in the alpha2 domain indicating that is a pseudogene.

Single strand conformational polymorphism analysis of human CD1 genes in different ethnic groups.

CD1 molecules are able to present unusual antigens, lipids or glycolipids from mycobacterium cell walls to T lymphocytes. Previous studies have suggested that polymorphism of these genes is very limited, in contrast with classical major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen-presenting molecules. Our aim was to study possible allelic variations of exons 2 and 3, encoding for the alpha1 and alpha2 domains, respectively, of human CD1A, -B, -C and -D genes. We analyzed genomic samples of unrelated, healthy individuals from different ethnic background: 70 Caucasians from Europe, 33 Black Africans (13 from Tanzania and 20 Zulus), 19 Caucasians from the Sahara and 44 Asian individuals. We have found CD1A to be a biallelic locus with a common allele which was present in the majority of the individuals studied. The second allele differed from the common one by a single-point mutation, resulting in a change of Cys to Trp at position 52 in the alpha1 domain. This second allele was found in heterozygosis in 7 out of 70 Caucasians from Europe (allelic frequencies P=0.95 and q=0.05). In the Chinese population, we found the second allele present in heterozygosis in 19 from the 44 individuals studied, and we also found 6 homozygous individuals for the second allele (allelic frequencies P=0.64 and q=0.35). In addition, we detected a synonymous mutation (C to T transition) in codon 34 of CD1C exon 2 in 4 out of 20 Zulus and in 2 of the 13 Blacks from Tanzania.