QR-1011 restores defective ABCA4 splicing caused by multiple severe ABCA4 variants underlying Stargardt disease.

Stargardt disease type 1 (STGD1), the most common form of hereditary macular dystrophy, can be caused by biallelic combinations of over 2200 variants in the ABCA4 gene. This leads to reduced or absent ABCA4 protein activity, resulting in toxic metabolite accumulation in the retina and damage of the retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors. Approximately 21% of all ABCA4 variants that contribute to disease influence ABCA4 pre-mRNA splicing. This emphasizes the need for therapies to restore disrupted ABCA4 splicing and halt STGD1 progression. Previously, QR-1011, an antisense oligonucleotide (AON), successfully corrected splicing abnormalities and restored normal ABCA4 protein translation in human retinal organoids carrying the prevalent disease-causing variant c.5461-10T>C in ABCA4. Here, we investigated whether QR-1011 could also correct splicing in four less common non-canonical splice site (NCSS) variants flanking ABCA4 exon 39: c.5461-8T>G, c.5461-6T>C, c.5584+5G>A and c.5584+6T>C. We administered QR-1011 and three other AONs to midigene-transfected cells and demonstrate that QR-1011 had the most pronounced effect on splicing compared to the others. Moreover, QR-1011 significantly increased full-length ABCA4 transcript levels for c.5461-8T>G and c.5584+6T>C. Splicing restoration could not be achieved in the other two variants, suggesting their more severe effect on splicing. Overall, QR-1011, initially developed for a single ABCA4 variant, exhibited potent splice correction capabilities for two additional severe NCSS variants nearby. This suggests the possibility of a broader therapeutic impact of QR-1011 extending beyond its original target and highlights the potential for treating a larger population of STGD1 patients affected by multiple severe ABCA4 variants with a single AON.

Emancipatory practices of nurses in primary health care: the home visit as an instrument of health needs assessment / Prácticas emancipadoras del enfermero en la atención primaria de salud: la visita domiciliaria como instrumento de reconocimiento de necesidades de la salud / Práticas emancipatórias de enfermeiros na Atenção Básica à Saúde: a visita domiciliar como instrumento de reconhecimento de necessidades de saúde

Objective Identify nurses’ emancipatory practices in primary care, to contribute to the improvement of health care. Method A case study type social research of qualitative nature, in which nurses of a primary health care service unit in São Paulo were interviewed. Results The home visit was identified as a nursing practice possible to be expanded in order to identify social determinants of health, triggering emancipatory practices in the service. This expansion occurred because the design of health care labour intended by the service team changed its focus from the traditional object of health services, the disease. Conclusion First, it is advocated that social policies lead projects with the purpose of improving health needs. On the other hand, the daily labour needs to provide opportunities for reflection and discussion of healthcare projects, leading workers to propose labour-processes targeted to both the social determinants of health and people’s illness. .

Objetivo Identificar las prácticas emancipadoras de enfermeras en Unidad de Salud Familiar fueron el objeto de este estudio. Método La investigación social cualitativa tipo estúdio de caso. Fueron entrevistados enfermeros de una Unidad de Salud Familiar en Sao Paulo. Resultados Se identificó que la Visita Domiciliaria ha ampliado su alcance y identificado determinantes del proceso salud-enfermedad, lo que provocó en la Unidad de Salud Familiar prácticas emancipadoras. Esta expansión se produjo debido a que el diseño de la atención en propósito por la USF amplió el tradicional objeto de los servicios de salud. Conclusión Se aboga que las directrices de las políticas sociales basen proyectos que tengan como fin el mejoramiento de las necesidades de salud y que el trabajo diario proporcione la reflexión y discusión de los proyectos de atención, para proponer prácticas que enfoquen en los determinantes del proceso salud-enfermedad, tanto cuanto en sus resultados - la enfermedad en el cuerpo individual. .

Objetivo Identificar as práticas emancipatórias de enfermeiros da Atenção Primária, com a finalidade de contribuir para o aprimoramento do cuidado em saúde. Método Pesquisa social de natureza qualitativa, do tipo estudo de caso. Foram entrevistados os enfermeiros de uma Unidade de Saúde da Família em São Paulo. Resultados Identificou-se que a visita domiciliária, prática protocolar, ampliou seu escopo e identificou determinantes do processo saúde-doença, desencadeando na Unidade de Saúde da Família práticas emancipatórias. Essa ampliação ocorreu porque o projeto de cuidado intencionalizado ampliou o objeto tradicional dos serviços de saúde. Conclusão Advoga-se que as diretrizes das políticas sociais ancorem projetos que tomem como finalidade o aprimoramento das necessidades de saúde e que o cotidiano do trabalho proporcione reflexão e discussão dos projetos de cuidado, para intencionalizar práticas que incidam nos determinantes do processo saúde-doença, tanto quanto nos resultados - a doença expressa no corpo individual. .

Role of phospholipase D1 in glucose-induced insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells

As glucose is known to induce insulin secretion in pancreatic beta cells, this study investigated the role of a phospholipase D (PLD)-related signaling pathway in insulin secretion caused by high glucose in the pancreatic beta-cell line MIN6N8. It was found that the PLD activity and PLD1 expression were both increased by high glucose (33.3 mM) treatment. The dominant negative PLD1 inhibited glucose-induced Beta2 expression, and glucose-induced insulin secretion was blocked by treatment with 1-butanol or PLD1-siRNA. These results suggest that high glucose increased insulin secretion through a PLD1-related pathway. High glucose induced the binding of Arf6 to PLD1. Pretreatment with brefeldin A (BFA), an Arf inhibitor, decreased the PLD activity as well as the insulin secretion. Furthermore, BFA blocked the glucose-induced mTOR and p70S6K activation, while mTOR inhibition with rapamycin attenuated the glucose induced Beta2 expression and insulin secretion. Thus, when taken together, PLD1 would appear to be an important regulator of glucose-induced insulin secretion through an Arf6/PLD1/mTOR/p70S6K/Beta2 pathway in MIN6N8 cells.

Na+-Ca2+ exchanger modulates Ca2+ content in intracellular Ca2+ stores in rat osteoblasts

Na+ -Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) transports Ca2+ coupled with Na+ across the plasma membrane in a bi-directional mode. Ca2+ flux via NCX mediates osteogenic processes, such as formation of extracellular matrix proteins and bone nodules. However, it is not clearly understood how the NCX regulates cellular Ca2+ movements in osteogenic processes. In this study, the role of NCX in modulating Ca2+ content of intracellular stores ([Ca2+](ER)) was investigated by measuring intracellular Ca2+ activity in isolated rat osteoblasts. Removal of extracellular Na+ elicited a transient increase of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+](i)). Pretreatment of antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (AS) against NCX depressed this transient Ca2+ rise and raised the basal level of [Ca2+](i). In AS-pretreated cells, the expression and activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an osteogenic marker, were decreased. However, the cell viability was not affected by AS-pretreatment. Suppression of NCX activity by the AS-pretreatment decreased ATP-activated Ca2+ release from intracellular stores and significantly enhanced Ca2+ influx via store operated calcium influx (SOCI), compared to those of S-pretreated or control cells. These results strongly suggest that NCX has a regulatory role in cellular Ca2+ pathways in osteoblasts by modulating intracellular Ca2+ content.