Higher Expression of DNA (de)methylation-Related Genes Reduces Adipogenicity in Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

Obesity is a significant health concern that has reached alarming proportions worldwide. The overconsumption of high-energy foods may cause metabolic dysfunction and promote the generation of new adipocytes by contributing to several obesity-related diseases. Such concerns demand a deeper understanding of the origin of adipocytes if we want to develop new therapeutic approaches. Recent findings indicate that adipocyte development is facilitated by tight epigenetic reprogramming, which is required to activate the gene program to change the fate of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into mature adipocytes. Like adipose tissue, different tissues are also potential sources of adipocyte-generating MSCs, so it is interesting to explore whether the epigenetic mechanisms of adipogenic differentiation vary from one depot to another. To investigate how DNA methylation (an epigenetic mark that plays an essential role in controlling transcription and cellular differentiation) contributes to adipogenic potential, dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PLSCs) were analyzed during adipogenic differentiation in vitro. Here, we show that the capacity to differentiate from DPSCs or PLSCs to adipocytes may be associated with the expression pattern of DNA methylation-related genes acquired during the induction of the adipogenic program. Our study provides insights into the details of DNA methylation during the adipogenic determination of dental stem cells, which can be a starting point to identify the factors that affect the differentiation of these cells and provide new strategies to regulate differentiation and adipocyte expansion.

Similar Features, Different Behaviors: A Comparative In VitroStudy of the Adipogenic Potential of Stem Cells from Human Follicle, Dental Pulp, and Periodontal Ligament.

Dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DT-MSCs) are a promising resource for tissue regeneration due to their multilineage potential. Despite accumulating data regarding the biology and differentiation potential of DT-MSCs, few studies have investigated their adipogenic capacity. In this study, we have investigated the mesenchymal features of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), as well as the in vitro effects of different adipogenic media on these cells, and compared them to those of periodontal ligament stem cells (PLSCs) and dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs). DFSC, PLSCs, and DPSCs exhibit similar morphology and proliferation capacity, but they differ in their self-renewal ability and expression of stemness markers (e.g OCT4 andc-MYC). Interestingly, DFSCs and PLSCs exhibited more lipid accumulation than DPSCs when induced to adipogenic differentiation. In addition, the mRNA levels of adipogenic markers (PPAR, LPL, and ADIPOQ) were significantly higher in DFSCs and PLSCs than in DPSCs, which could be related to the differences in the adipogenic commitment in those cells. These findings reveal that the adipogenic capacity differ among DT-MSCs, features that might be advantageous to increasing our understanding about the developmental origins and regulation of adipogenic commitment.

Increased Toxicity of Doxorubicin Encapsulated into pH-Responsive Poly(ß-Amino Ester)-Functionalized MCM-41 Silica Nanoparticles.

BACKGROUND: The encapsulation of anti-cancer drugs in stimulus-sensitive release systems may provide advantages such as enhanced drug toxicity in tumour tissue cells due to increased intracellular drug release. Encapsulation may also improve release in targeted tissue due to the response to a stimulus such as pH, which is lower in the tumour tissue microenvironment. Here, we evaluated the in vitro toxicity of the Drug Doxorubicin (DOX) loaded into a release system based on poly(ß-amino ester)- modified MCM-41 silica nanoparticles. METHODS: The MCM-41-DOX-PbAE release system was obtained by loading DOX into MCM-41 nanoparticles amino-functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) and then coated with a pH-responsive poly(ß-amino ester) (PbAE). The physicochemical characteristics of the release system were evaluated through TEM, FTIR and TGA. Cytotoxicity assays were performed on the MCM-41- DOX-PbAE system to determine their effects on the inhibition of human MCF-7 breast cancer cell proliferation after 48 h of exposure through crystal violet assay; the investigated systems included MCF-7 cells with MCM-41, PbAE, and MCM-41-PbAE alone. Additionally, the release of DOX and the change in pH in vitro were determined. RESULTS: The physicochemical characteristics of the synthesized MCM-41-PbAE system were confirmed, including the nanoparticle size, spherical morphology, mesoporous ordered structure, and presence of PbAE on the surface of the MCM-41 nanoparticles. Likewise, we demonstrated that the release of DOX from the MCM-41-DOX-PbAE system promoted an important reduction in MCF-7 cell viability (~ 70%) compared to the values obtained with MCM-41, PbAE, and MCM-41-PbAE, as well as a reduction in the viability under treatment with just DOX (~ 50%). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that all the components of the release system are biocompatible and that the encapsulation of DOX in MCM-41-PbAE could allow better intracellular release, which would probably increase the availability and toxic effect of DOX.

Phospholipid Signaling Is a Component of the Salicylic Acid Response in Plant Cell Suspension Cultures.

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important signaling molecule involved in plant defense. While many proteins play essential roles in SA signaling, increasing evidence shows that responses to SA appear to involve and require lipid signals. The phospholipid-generated signal transduction involves a family of enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis or phosphorylation of phospholipids in membranes to generate signaling molecules, which are important in the plant cellular response. In this review, we focus first, the role of SA as a mitigator in biotic/abiotic stress. Later, we describe the experimental evidence supporting the phospholipid-SA connection in plant cells, emphasizing the roles of the secondary lipid messengers (phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) and phosphatidic acid (PA)) and related enzymes (phospholipase D (PLD) and phospholipase C (PLC)). By placing these recent finding in context of phospholipids and SA in plant cells, we highlight the role of phospholipids as modulators in the early steps of SA triggered transduction in plant cells.

In vitro histomorphometric comparison of dental pulp tissue in different teeth.

BACKGROUND: Dental pulp (DP) represents an accessible and valuable source promising of stem cells for clinical application. However, there are some disadvantages associated with the isolation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), which include the size and weight of the pulp tissue needed to yield sufficient cells for culturing in vitro. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare in vitro histomorphometry of DP from permanent (premolars, third molar), supernumerary and deciduous teeth of patients between 5 and 25 years old with regards to weight, length, width and the cell density in the four regions of the DP in order to obtain quantitative parameters in a tissue that represents a valuable source of stem cells. METHODS: DPs were obtained from 10 central incisors deciduous, 20 permanent teeth (10 premolars, 10 third molars) and 10 supernumeraries (six mesiodents and four inferior premolar shapes). The pulps were carefully removed, and the entire tissue was weighed. The pulp length and the width were measured with a digital Vernier caliper. The cellular density analysis was performed according to the four regions of the DP (coronal, cervical, medial and apical) in histological slides using photography and the ImageJ® program for quantification. RESULTS: The Pearson correlation test revealed that DP weight among different types of teeth is correlated with age in male patients. A significant positive correlation was noted between length and width of the DP with age in both genders. The mean DP weight for supernumerary and third molar teeth was greater than deciduous and premolar teeth. Finally, the histological analysis showed that the coronal and apical portions of DP in supernumerary and premolar teeth have the highest cell density. CONCLUSIONS: The DP of supernumerary teeth has quantitatively the best morphometric parameters and cell density comparable with the quality of DP obtained from deciduous teeth.

Transcriptome analysis of the induction of somatic embryogenesis in Coffea canephora and the participation of ARF and Aux/IAA genes.

BACKGROUND: Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a useful biotechnological tool to study the morpho-physiological, biochemical and molecular processes during the development of Coffea canephora. Plant growth regulators (PGR) play a key role during cell differentiation in SE. The Auxin-response-factor (ARF) and Auxin/Indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) are fundamental components involved in the signaling of the IAA. The IAA signaling pathway activates or represses the expression of genes responsive to auxins during the embryogenic transition of the somatic cells. The growing development of new generation sequencing technologies (NGS), as well as bioinformatics tools, has allowed us to broaden the landscape of SE study of various plant species and identify the genes directly involved. METHODS: Analysis of transcriptome expression profiles of the C. canephora genome and the identification of a particular set of differentially expressed genes (DEG) during SE are described in this study. RESULTS: A total of eight ARF and seven Aux/IAA differentially expressed genes were identified during the different stages of the SE induction process. The quantitative expression analysis showed that ARF18 and ARF5 genes are highly expressed after 21 days of the SE induction, while Aux/IAA7 and Aux/IAA12 genes are repressed. DISCUSSION: The results of this study allow a better understanding of the genes involved in the auxin signaling pathway as well as their expression profiles during the SE process.

Epigenetic Regulation of Adipogenic Differentiation by Histone Lysine Demethylation.

Obesity is a rising public health problem that contributes to the development of several metabolic diseases and cancer. Adipocyte precursors outside of adipose depots that expand due to overweight and obesity may have a negative impact on human health. Determining how progenitor cells acquire a preadipocyte commitment and become mature adipocytes remains a significant challenge. Over the past several years, we have learned that the establishment of cellular identity is widely influenced by changes in histone marks, which in turn modulate chromatin structure. In this regard, histone lysine demethylases (KDMs) are now emerging as key players that shape chromatin through their ability to demethylate almost all major histone methylation sites. Recent research has shown that KDMs orchestrate the chromatin landscape, which mediates the activation of adipocyte-specific genes. In addition, KDMs have functions in addition to their enzymatic activity, which are beginning to be revealed, and their dysregulation seems to be related to the development of metabolic disorders. In this review, we highlight the biological functions of KDMs that contribute to the establishment of a permissive or repressive chromatin environment during the mesenchymal stem cell transition into adipocytes. Understanding how KDMs regulate adipogenesis might prompt the development of new strategies for fighting obesity-related diseases.

Elaboration of Transcriptome During the Induction of Somatic Embryogenesis.

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is one of the most studied developmental processes due to its applications, such as plant micropropagation, transformation, and germplasm conservation. The use of massive techniques of sequencing, as well as the use of subtractive hybridization and macroarrays, has led to the identification of hundreds of genes involved in the SE process. These have been important developments to study the molecular aspects of the progress of SE. With the advent of the new massive techniques for sequencing RNA, it has been possible to see a more complete picture of whole processes. In this chapter we present a technique to handle the elaboration of the transcriptome from the extraction of RNA until the assembly of the complete transcriptome.

Stem Cells from Dental Pulp: What Epigenetics Can Do with Your Tooth.

Adult stem cells have attracted scientific attention because they are able to self-renew and differentiate into several specialized cell types. In this context, human dental tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hDT-MSCs) have emerged as a possible solution for repairing or regenerating damaged tissues. These cells can be isolated from primary teeth that are naturally replaced, third molars, or other dental tissues and exhibit self-renewal, a high proliferative rate and a great multilineage potential. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms that determine lineage specification are still largely unknown. It is known that a change in cell fate requires the deletion of existing transcriptional programs, followed by the establishment of a new developmental program to give rise to a new cell lineage. Increasing evidence indicates that chromatin structure conformation can influence cell fate. In this way, reversible chemical modifications at the DNA or histone level, and combinations thereof can activate or inactivate cell-type-specific gene sequences, giving rise to an alternative cell fates. On the other hand, miRNAs are starting to emerge as a possible player in establishing particular somatic lineages. In this review, we discuss two new and promising research fields in medicine and biology, epigenetics and stem cells, by summarizing the properties of hDT-MSCs and highlighting the recent findings on epigenetic contributions to the regulation of cellular differentiation.

Localization of miRNAs by In Situ Hybridization in Plants Using Conventional Oligonucleotide Probes.

Among the epigenetic mechanisms studied with a greater interest in the last decade are the microRNAs (miRNAs). These small noncoding RNA sequences that are approximately 17-22 nucleotides in length play an essential role in many biological processes of various organisms, including plants. The analysis of spatiotemporal expression of miRNAs provides a better understanding of the role of these small molecules in plant development, cell differentiation, and other processes; but such analysis is also an important method for the validation of biological functions. In this work, we describe the optimization of an efficient protocol for the spatiotemporal analysis of miRNA by in situ hybridization using different plant tissues embedded in paraffin. Instead of LNA-modified probes that are typically used for this work, we use conventional oligonucleotide probes that yield a high specificity and clean distribution of miRNAs.

The role of chromatin modifications in somatic embryogenesis in plants.

Somatic embryogenesis (SE) is a powerful tool for plant genetic improvement when used in combination with traditional agricultural techniques, and it is also an important technique to understand the different processes that occur during the development of plant embryogenesis. SE onset depends on a complex network of interactions among plant growth regulators, mainly auxins and cytokinins, during the proembryogenic early stages, and ethylene and gibberellic and abscisic acids later in the development of the somatic embryos. These growth regulators control spatial and temporal regulation of multiple genes in order to initiate change in the genetic program of somatic cells, as well as moderating the transition between embryo developmental stages. In recent years, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as critical factors during SE. Some early reports indicate that auxins and in vitro conditions modify the levels of DNA methylation in embryogenic cells. The changes in DNA methylation patterns are associated with the regulation of several genes involved in SE, such as WUS, BBM1, LEC, and several others. In this review, we highlight the more recent discoveries in the understanding of the role of epigenetic regulation of SE. In addition, we include a survey of different approaches to the study of SE, and new opportunities to focus SE studies.

Somatic Embryogenesis: Identified Factors that Lead to Embryogenic Repression. A Case of Species of the Same Genus.

Somatic embryogenesis is a powerful biotechnological tool for the mass production of economically important cultivars. Due to the cellular totipotency of plants, somatic cells under appropriate conditions are able to develop a complete functional embryo. During the induction of somatic embryogenesis, there are different factors involved in the success or failure of the somatic embryogenesis response. Among these factors, the origin of the explant, the culture medium and the in vitro environmental conditions have been the most studied. However, the secretion of molecules into the media has not been fully addressed. We found that the somatic embryogenesis of Coffea canephora, a highly direct embryogenic species, is disrupted by the metabolites secreted from C. arabica, a poorly direct embryogenic species. These metabolites also affect DNA methylation. Our results show that the abundance of two major phenolic compounds, caffeine and chlorogenic acid, are responsible for inhibiting somatic embryogenesis in C. canephora.

New insights into somatic embryogenesis: leafy cotyledon1, baby boom1 and WUSCHEL-related homeobox4 are epigenetically regulated in Coffea canephora.

Plant cells have the capacity to generate a new plant without egg fertilization by a process known as somatic embryogenesis (SE), in which differentiated somatic cells can form somatic embryos able to generate a functional plant. Although there have been advances in understanding the genetic basis of SE, the epigenetic mechanism that regulates this process is still unknown. Here, we show that the embryogenic development of Coffea canephora proceeds through a crosstalk between DNA methylation and histone modifications during the earliest embryogenic stages of SE. We found that low levels of DNA methylation, histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) and H3K27me3 change according to embryo development. Moreover, the expression of LEAFY cotyledon1 (LEC1) and BABY BOOM1 (BBM1) are only observed after SE induction, whereas WUSCHEL-related homeobox4 (WOX4) decreases its expression during embryo maturation. Using a pharmacological approach, it was found that 5-Azacytidine strongly inhibits the embryogenic response by decreasing both DNA methylation and gene expression of LEC1 and BBM1. Therefore, in order to know whether these genes were epigenetically regulated, we used Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. It was found that WOX4 is regulated by the repressive mark H3K9me2, while LEC1 and BBM1 are epigenetically regulated by H3K27me3. We conclude that epigenetic regulation plays an important role during somatic embryogenic development, and a molecular mechanism for SE is proposed.

Determination of histone methylation in mono- and dicotyledonous plants.

Epigenetics includes DNA methylation and histones posttranslational modifications such as methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation among others. One of the most abundant modifications in histone tail is the methylation. It has been found that the methylation pattern in the histone H3 may provide understanding of the process involved in cell differentiation, adaptation, and evolution in plants. In this work, we detail a method for isolation of nuclear proteins from small amount of sample to identify global changes in different lysines of the histone H3 tail by using immunodetection.