Mitochondrial dysfunction in affected skin and increased mitochondrial DNA in serum from patients with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is characterized by keratinocyte proliferation and chronic inflammation, but the pathogenesis is still unclear. Dysregulated mitochondria (mt) could lead to reduced apoptosis and extracellular secretion of mtDNA, acting as "innate pathogen" triggering inflammation. Serum was obtained from healthy volunteers and psoriatic patients. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted from the serum and amplified with quantitative PCR (qPCR). Punch biopsies were obtained from lesional and non-lesional psoriatic skin (10 cm apart) and from healthy volunteers, were placed in RNA later and were stored at -80°C until RNA was extracted and cDNA was synthesized; gene expression of uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2), Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and calcineurin, involved in the regulation of mitochondria function, was detected with qPCR. Mitochondrial DNA was significantly increased (7s, P = 0.0496 and Cytochrome B, CytB, P = 0.0403) in the serum of psoriatic patients (n = 63) as compared to controls (n = 27). Gene expression was significantly reduced for UCP2 (P = 0.0218), Drp1 (P = 0.0001) and calcineurin (P = 0.0001) in lesional psoriatic skin, as compared to non-lesional or control skin. Increased serum extracellular mtDNA in psoriatic patients and decreased expression of mitochondrial regulatory proteins in psoriatic skin suggest increased inflammation and reduced keratinocyte apoptosis, respectively. Inhibitors of mtDNA secretion and/or UCP2 stimulants may be potential treatment options.

Haemosporidian blood parasite diversity and prevalence in the semi-collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata) from the eastern Balkans.

We present the first survey on prevalence and diversity of haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium and Haemoproteus in a poorly studied migratory passerine, the semi-collared flycatcher (Ficedula semitorquata). In total, 110 individuals were sampled during two breeding seasons in Eastern Bulgaria. We collected both blood samples for PCR identification and blood films for microscopic identification of haemosporidians. We found six distinctive parasite cyt b lineages present in the blood of the semi-collared flycatcher (three Haemoproteus and three Plasmodium). Two of the lineages, i.e. pWW3 of Plasmodium sp. and hCCF2 of Haemoproteus sp., are recorded for the first time in the family Muscicapidae. The overall prevalence ranged between 12.2 and 15.9% and we did not find co-infections. We hypothesize that the low prevalence of haemosporidians in this species might be linked to its small population size and relatively restricted geographical range.

Tubulin beta chain, filamin A alpha isoform 1, and cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 1 as serological diagnostic biomarkers of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a proteomics study.

Despite the major advances in diagnosis and treatment, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains a major life-threatening disease. Early diagnosis is critical for guiding the therapeutic management of ESCC. This case-control study focused on the proteomic analysis of serum of healthy volunteers and ESCC patients using the ClinProt profiling technology based on mass spectrometry. A total of 80 healthy volunteers and 119 ESCC patients were enrolled. We identified a pattern of proteins/peptides (including m/z 1867, 2700, and 2094) and differentiated ESCC patients from healthy volunteers with sensitivity and specificity close to 100%. Using mass spectrometry (LTQ orbitrap XL), tubulin beta chain, filamin A alpha isoform 1, and cytochrome b-c1 complex subunit 1 were identified as the three differentially expressed proteins/peptides in the patient serum. These three dysregulated proteins/peptides could be involved in the pathogenesis of ESCC and may serve as putative serological diagnostic biomarkers of ESCC. We suggest that further proteomics and multi-omics research are warranted to identify novel post-genomics diagnostics that can in the future pave the way for personalized medicine for patients with ESCC, a cancer for which we currently lack an integrated battery of diagnostics in the field of oncology.