28 research outputs found
Acquisition of neuron-like electrophysiological properties in neuroblastoma cells by controlled expression of NDM29 ncRNA
No full textNeuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer characterized by high malignancy and remarkable cell heterogeneity within the tumor nodules. It has been previously shown that the over-expression of a specific non-coding RNA, NDM29, reduces neuroblastoma development promoting cell differentiation. We have used neuroblastoma cells expressing NDM29 at its basal level (Mock cells) or at 5.4-fold higher levels (S1 cells) to investigate whether a functional differentiation correlates with morphological and biochemical development induced by NDM29 expression. First, analyzing the expression of specific markers we demonstrated that NDM29 expression is accompanied by a well coordinated differentiation process toward a neuron-like, rather than toward a glial-like, phenotype. Next, we defined the neuron-like traits of S1 in terms of secretion of cytokines involved in axon guidance, synapse formation and neurite outgrowth. Finally, we characterized the ionic channel apparatus of S1 cells by patch-clamp technique and compared with the Mock counterpart. S1 cells showed much higher levels of fast inactivating Na(+) current and were able to generate mature action potentials. Moreover, they developed expression of functional GABA(A) receptors on their membrane. In contrast, the two cell lines shared very similar pools of functional K(+) channels, although slight quantitative differences can be described. Our results suggest that a maturation occurs in neuroblastoma as a consequence of NDM29 expression, inducing the appearance of neuronal-like properties. In this context, S1 cells may represent a novel in vitro tool for electrophysiological and pharmacological studies of human cells of the neural lineage
Phenotipic and gene expression analysis of neuron-like cells derived from Bone Marrow Stromal Cells (BMSC)
No full text
Long-term restoration of damaged corneal surfaces with autologous cultivated corneal epithelium.
No full text
CRYOPROTECTIVE AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS USEFUL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF IN VITRO CULTURED EPITHELIAL SHEETS
No full textSpectral gaps for the linear water-wave problem in a channel with thin structures
No full textPeer reviewe
Indagini istologiche, immunoistochimiche e immunobiochimiche in capre clinicamente sane provenienti da un focolaio di scrapie
No full textNel corso del 2003, nell’ambito del piano di
sorveglianza passiva sulle Encefalopatie
Spongiformi Trasmissibili (TSEs), per la prima
volta in Sardegna, è stata diagnosticata
istologicamente ed immunoistochimicamente la
scrapie in una capra. Il soggetto proveniva da un
gregge nel quale da 2 anni si manifestava una
patologia polimorfa caratterizzata talvolta da
sintomi neurologici e da una mortalità intorno al
20%. Sulla base della legge attualmente in vigore
in Italia si è proceduto all’abbattimento di tutte le
capre presenti in allevamento (n = 93). Durante
l’abbattimento venivano prelevati da ciascun
capo obex, linfonodi retrofaringei e tonsille.
L’esame istologico dell’obex non evidenziava
quadri lesivi di tipo spongiforme mentre l’esame
immunoistochimico del tessuto nervoso e linfatico
evidenziava la presenza di cinque soggetti nello
stato pre-clinico della malattia
An intronic ncRNA-dependent regulation of SORL1 expression affecting Aβ formation is upregulated in post-mortem Alzheimer's disease brain samples
No full textSUMMARY
Recent studies indicated that sortilin-related receptor 1 (SORL1) is a risk gene for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), although its role in the aetiology and/or progression of this disorder is not fully understood. Here, we report the finding of a non-coding (nc) RNA (hereafter referred to as 51A) that maps in antisense configuration to intron 1 of the SORL1 gene. 51A expression drives a splicing shift of SORL1 from the synthesis of the canonical long protein variant A to an alternatively spliced protein form. This process, resulting in a decreased synthesis of SORL1 variant A, is associated with impaired processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP), leading to increased Aβ formation. Interestingly, we found that 51A is expressed in human brains, being frequently upregulated in cerebral cortices from individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Altogether, these findings document a novel ncRNA-dependent regulatory pathway that might have relevant implications in neurodegeneration
Mitochondrial D-loop sequence variation among Italian horse breeds
No full textAbstract The genetic variability of the mitochondrial D-loop DNA sequence in seven horse breeds bred in Italy (Giara, Haflinger, Italian trotter, Lipizzan, Maremmano, Thoroughbred and Sarcidano) was analysed. Five unrelated horses were chosen in each breed and twenty-two haplotypes were identified. The sequences obtained were aligned and compared with a reference sequence and with 27 mtDNA D-loop sequences selected in the GenBank database, representing Spanish, Portuguese, North African, wild horses and an Equus asinus sequence as the outgroup. Kimura two-parameter distances were calculated and a cluster analysis using the Neighbour-joining method was performed to obtain phylogenetic trees among breeds bred in Italy and among Italian and foreign breeds. The cluster analysis indicates that all the breeds but Giara are divided in the two trees, and no clear relationships were revealed between Italian populations and the other breeds. These results could be interpreted as showing the mixed origin of breeds bred in Italy and probably indicate the presence of many ancient maternal lineages with high diversity in mtDNA sequences.</p
