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Comparative Transcriptomics of Human Bone Marrow Adipose Tissue Cells and Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Uncover Distinct Lineage Profiles
No full textInterakcija između mezenhimalnih matičnih ćelija i makrofaga u inflamatornoj mikrosredini
No full textMezenhimalne matične ćelije (MMĆ; engl. mesenchymal stem cells – MSC) su ćelije koje imaju veliki terapijski potencijal u regenerativnoj medicini, prevashodno zahvaljujući svojoj sposobnosti samoobnavljanja i diferencijacije u različite tipove ćelija. Imunomodulatorna svojstva ovih ćelija omogućavaju im da regulišu proces inflamacije, u zavisnosti od interakcije sa ćelijama imunskog sistema. Makrofagi, koji su deo urođenog imunskog sistema, mogu da ispoljavaju proinflamatorni M1 ili antiinflamatorni M2 fenotip i utiču na imunski odgovor i homeostazu tkiva. Mezenhimalne matične ćelije utiču na polarizaciju makrofaga, čime modulišu njihove efektorske funkcije. S druge strane, makrofagi mogu da utiču na potencijal za diferencijaciju mezenhimalnih matičnih ćelija i njihovu imunoregulatornu funkciju. Interakcija između mezenhimalnih matičnih ćelija i makrofaga, kao i njihova interakcija sa različitim imunskim i neimunskim ćelijama, ukazuje na složenost procesa unutar inflamatorne mikrosredine. Interakcija između ovih ćelija je od suštinskog značaja za proces reparacije tkiva. U ovom kratkom pregledu nastojaćemo da objasnimo značaj interakcije mezenhimalnih matičnih ćelija i makrofaga u nekim bolestima povezanim sa upalom, sa posebnim naglaskom na ključnu ulogu inflamatorne mikrosredine i terapijski potencijal ovih ćelija
Expression of terminal galactose and sialic acid on serum IgA in IgA multiple myeloma
No full textIntroduction/Objective IgA multiple myeloma has a poor prognosis, and altered glycosylation of myeloma IgA may be one of contributing factors. This study examined the expression of terminal galactose and sialic acid (SA) on serum IgA oligosaccharides in patients with IgA myeloma, compared to healthy control sera. Methods Serum samples from 15 IgA myeloma patients and pooled serum from 100 healthy donors were analyzed. IgA was purified using peptide M affinity chromatography. Terminal galactose and SA expression on isolated IgA was analyzed by Ricinus communis agglutinin I and Sambucus nigra agglutinin lectin blotting. Results IgA-heavy chains from both healthy individuals and all myeloma patients expressed galactose. SA was present in healthy control and in 14 out of 15 myeloma patients. Compared to controls, myeloma IgA showed 12-63% a reduction in galactose and a 67-97% reduction in SA expression on heavy chains. Notable galactosylation of IgA-light chains was observed in only three, while weak SA expression was seen in 14 myeloma cases. Healthy IgA was predominantly monomeric and expressed both galactose and SA. Myeloma IgA existed in both and polymeric forms expressing detectable galactose level, though with different expression levels among individuals. At the same time, SA was undetectable. Conclusion The results of this study showed altered glycosylation of myeloma IgA. Compared to healthy control, myeloma IgA-heavy chains expressed reduced terminal galactose and SA. Notable galactosylation of light chains was observed in three cases. Unlike SA, galactose was detectable on intact monomeric and polymeric multiple myeloma IgA
Understanding Toxoplasma gondii transmission in an ecological context—the contribution of wild avian species from urban environments
No full textIntroductionThe role of avians in the transmission chain of Toxoplasma gondii, a zoonotic coccidian parasite of the phylum Apicomplexa, is as intermediate hosts. However, the true contribution and significance of wild species in the maintenance and spread of the parasite in different ecosystems is not well understood.MethodsFor this study, heart tissue of 224 individual birds, representing 15 common wild species, and one domestic, Gallus gallus domesticus (backyard chickens), was collected. Total nucleic acids were extracted and the presence of T. gondii gDNA was ascertained by amplification of the 529 bp repeat element.ResultsThe infection was detected in 24.1% of the wild birds and in 41.4% of backyard chickens. The occurrence of infection in wild species did not statistically differ by diet or among urban (22.4%), peri-urban (27.3%) and rural areas (22.7%); in contrast, a statistically significant difference was observed between peri-urban (21%) and rural (80%) backyard chickens. Among the 11 city dwelling species, wood pigeons (Columba palumbus), rooks (Corvus frugilegus) and hooded crows (Corvus cornix) were the most numerous. The frequency of infection in the two corvid species was 32.1% and 31.6% in rooks and hooded crows, respectively, and 15.6% in wood pigeons, suggesting that corvids may be good bioindicators for the parasite in cities. As the majority (84%) of the city dwelling birds originated from a single residential area, possible local natural reservoirs of T. gondii, rodents and water, were analyzed additionally. Of the 16 rodents, 56.2% were infected, while three out of four samples of river water harbored T. gondii gDNA, indicating a fairly high probability of exposure to the parasite.DiscussionCollectively, our findings show that diet may not be a primary risk for T. gondii infection. Instead, the importance of understanding prevalence in birds in an ecological context and the contribution of environmental factors in different habitats are highlighted
Underutilised crops in Europe: An interdisciplinary approach towards sustainable practices
No full textIn the context of a rapidly growing global population and significant climatic and environmental change, there is an urgent need to produce nutritious food in a sustainable manner. Some crops are underutilised in Europe, despite their suitability to local environments, viability for sustainable production and potential to improve diets. Rye (Secale cereale) has a long history of cultivation in Europe, yet is underutilised owing to complex historical, socio-cultural, socio-political, socio-economic and agronomic factors. This paper explores an innovative, cross-sectoral approach that harmonises existing datasets from archaeology, plant science, nutrition and policy, and establishes an interdisciplinary dialogue to tackle this challenge
La asociación entre las habilidades motoras y las habilidades de movimiento con las capacidades cognitivas en niños en edad preescolar
No full textIntroduction: There is a lack of studies specifically analyzing the association between motor abilities and movement skills with cognitive abilities in children.Objective: The study aimed to examine the association between motor abilities and movement skills with the cognitive abilities of preschool children.Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, the total sample consisted of 91 children (41 boys and 50 girls), preschoolers aged five to six years (average age 6.09±0.38 years). Motor abilities were assessed through four Bruininks–Oseretsky (BOT-2) subtests, and movement skills were evaluated via the Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD-2), while cognitive abilities were measured using the School Maturity Test (TZŠ+).Results: Based on multiple regression analysis, significant associations between motor abilities and cognitive performance of preschool children were revealed. Specifically, the results demonstrated that motor abilities, particularly body coordination and fine motor integration explain a notable proportion of the variance in cognitive total scores. Contrary to expectations, movement skills did not demonstrate an association with cognitive abilities in preschool children.Conclusions: In conclusion, the findings underline the importance of fostering comprehensive approaches to early childhood education that recognize the integral role of motor abilities in cognitive development. Further exploration is warranted to elucidate the specific mechanisms underlying the association between movement skills and cognitive development
Serum and Seminal Plasma Zinc Levels and Immunopositivity of the ZIP6 and ZIP14 Transporters in Men with Normo- and Teratozoospermia
No full textZinc plays a crucial role in spermatogenesis, sperm function, and fertilisation. Zinc homeostasis is regulated by ZIP and ZnT transporter proteins, which mediate Zn2+ influx and efflux across sperm cell membranes. This study analysed total Zn concentration in seminal plasma and serum of 10 normozoospermic and 32 teratozoospermic men involved in the process of infertility treatment, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. In addition, the expression of Zn transporters ZIP6 and ZIP14 in the sperm of two normozoospermic and two teratozoospermic men was analysed using immunofluorescence. Applying Student’s t test and the Mann–Whitney U test, we found no significant differences in Zn concentrations in seminal plasma and serum between groups. ZIP6 was mainly localised in the sperm head, with slightly higher immunopositivity in normozoospermic than teratozoospermic samples, but there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. ZIP14 was mainly found in the sperm head, and some teratozoospermic samples showed immunopositivity in the tail, although there were no significant differences in ZIP14 immunopositivity between normozoospermic and teratozoospermic samples. The results suggest that Zn concentrations in seminal plasma and serum, and the expression of ZIP6 and ZIP14, do not differ in normo- and teratozospermic samples, and emphasise the complex interplay of factors underlying male fertility
JQ1 Treatment and miR-21 Silencing Activate Apoptosis of CD44+ Oral Cancer Cells
No full textOral cancer ranks in the top 10 most prevalent malignancies worldwide. It is an aggressive tumor with frequent relapses and metastases and relatively modest survival rates that do not improve in spite of constantly evolving treatment modalities. Cancer stem cells are a subpopulation of tumor cells considered to be responsible not only for tumor initiation but also its aggressive behavior. Many efforts are directed at targeting those cells specifically. A class of small molecules, inhibitors of BET proteins (iBET), is emerging as a novel anticancer tool. Modulating the expression of microRNAs could also be a valid approach in cancer therapy. We aimed to study the effect of the iBET JQ1 combined with miR-21 silencing on oral cancer stem cells (CD44+ cells). CD44+ cells were sorted by flow cytometry and treated with JQ1 alone or in combination with miRNA-21 silencing. Following treatment, MTT, spheroid formation, invasion, and annexin V assays were performed, along with cell cycle and gene expression analyses. JQ1 in conjunction with miR-21 silencing showed considerable cytotoxicity led to a significant downregulation of cyclin D1, consistent with G1 cell cycle arrest, a significant caspase 3 upregulation in accordance with activation of apoptosis. The combined treatment approach also reduced CD44+ cell invasion capacity. Modulating chromatin structure with iBETs and silencing miRNA could be suitable epigenetic adjuncts to oral cancer treatment
Development of a diagnostic checklist to identify functional cognitive disorder versus other neurocognitive disorders
No full textBackground Functional cognitive disorder (FCD) poses a diagnostic challenge due to its resemblance to other neurocognitive disorders and limited biomarker accuracy. We aimed to develop a new diagnostic checklist to identify FCD versus other neurocognitive disorders.Methods The clinical checklist was developed through mixed methods: (1) a literature review, (2) a three-round Delphi study with 45 clinicians from 12 countries and (3) a pilot discriminative accuracy study in consecutive patients attending seven memory services across the UK. Items gathering consensus were incorporated into a pilot checklist. Item redundancy was evaluated with phi coefficients. A briefer checklist was produced by removing items with >10% missing data. Internal validity was tested using Cronbach’s alpha. Optimal cut-off scores were determined using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Results A full 11-item checklist and a 7-item briefer checklist were produced. Overall, 239 patients (143 FCD, 96 non-FCD diagnoses) were included. The checklist scores were significantly different across subgroups (FCD and other neurocognitive disorders) (F(2, 236)=313.3, p0.80).Conclusions This pilot study shows that a brief clinical checklist may serve as a quick complementary tool to differentiate patients with neurodegeneration from those with FCD. Prospective blind large-scale validation in diverse populations is warranted. Cite No
The Erythrocyte Fatty Acid Profile in Multiple Sclerosis Is Linked to the Disease Course, Lipid Peroxidation, and Dietary Influence
No full textBackground/Objectives: Dietary lifestyle, particularly the intake of fatty acids (FAs), may be useful in alleviating the key pathogenic processes in multiple sclerosis (MS); however, the data are still scarce, particularly with regard to the course of disease. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate the erythrocyte profile of FAs in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR)MS and progressive (P)MS, and to examine whether dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFAs could influence the FA profile, according to the course of disease. Methods: The FA profile was determined in erythrocytes by gas–liquid chromatography, in 153 patients with RRMS and 69 with PMS, whereas the group on dietary supplementation with n-3 PUFAs consisted of 36 RRMS and 17 PMS patients. Individual FAs were quantified as a percentage of the total identified FAs and analyzed in relation to the demographic and clinical parameters. Results: Compared to RRMS, the PMS patients had higher saturated (S)FAs, n-7 mono-unsaturated (MU)FAs, and n-3 polyunsaturated (PU)FAs, and lower n-6 PUFAs. In the group on omega-3 supplementation, the only difference in FA profile was higher MUFA 16:1n-7 (POA) in PMS than RRMS patients. In PMS patients, there was a positive correlation of disability (EDSS) with the total SFA levels, whereby 16:0 (PA) correlated positively with EDSS and MS severity (MSSS). Also, in PMS, the MSSS correlated negatively with the total and individual n-6, and positively with the total and individual n-3 PUFAs. In PMS patients on n-3 supplementation, there was a negative correlation between MSSS and total n-6/n-3 ratio, and a positive one between MSSS and 22:6n-3 (DHA). The observed decrease in levels of circulating lipid peroxidation product 4-HNE in PMS patients was not found in the n-3 PUFA supplementation group. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that the changes in the levels of FAs and their correlations are specific for the course of MS. Detected FA profile differences can be influenced by n-3 supplementation, primarily in regard to SFAs and PUFAs, supporting an option for the use of dietary supplements in managing the clinical course and progression of MS