外胚叶发育不全基因及其受体在斑马鱼牙齿早期发育中的表达

目的 探讨外胚叶发育不全（EDA）基因及其受体（EDAR）基因在斑马鱼早期咽齿发育过程中的表达模式,为进一步研究其在牙齿发育过程中的功能奠定基础。方法 提取受精后48 h（48 hpf）的斑马鱼胚胎总RNA,之后逆转录合成cDNA,以该cDNA为模板,特异性扩增斑马鱼咽齿特异性标记基因dlx2b、Eda信号通路相关基因eda及edar基因片段,用TA克隆试剂盒将这3个基因片段分别连接到pGEMT载体上,将对应质粒用聚合酶链反应（PCR）线性化,以PCR线性化做模板,选择相应的RNA聚合酶体外转录,合成dlx2b、eda及edar基因的反义mRNA探针。收集36、48、56、60、72、84 hpf的斑马鱼胚胎,运用全胚原位杂交技术检测eda及edar基因在斑马鱼咽齿发育部位的表达分布。比较原位杂交结果eda及edar表达区域与斑马鱼咽齿特异性标记基因dlx2b所指示咽齿部位的关系。结果 获得了dlx2b、eda及edar基因的反义mRNA探针。原位杂交结果显示,48~72 hpf时eda及edar在鳃弓牙齿相应部位可见强棕褐色阳性信号,与dlx2b所指示咽齿部位吻合。结论 Eda信号通路配体与受体在斑马鱼咽齿早期发育过程中即牙齿发生至形态发生阶段于咽齿部位特异性强表达,这一结果显示该信号通路可能参与斑马鱼咽齿早期发育的调控。     

Glutamate hypothesis in schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe psychiatric disorder that has profound impact on an individual’s life and on society. Thus, developing more effective therapeutic interventions is essential. Over the past quarter‐century, an abundance of evidence from pharmacologic challenges, post‐mortem studies, brain imaging, and genetic studies supports the role of glutamatergic dysregulation in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, and the results of recent randomized clinical trials based on this evidence have yielded promising results. In this article, we review the evidence that alterations in glutamatergic neurotransmission, especially focusing on the N‐methyl‐d ‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) function, may be a critical causative feature of schizophrenia, how this contributes to pathologic circuit function in the brain, and how these insights are revealing whole new avenues for treatment development that could reduce treatment‐resistant symptoms, which account for persistent disability.     

Searching for Serum Antibodies to Neuronal Proteins in Patients With Myalgic Encephalopathy/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

PurposeA role for the immune system in causing myalgic encephalopathy/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is long suspected, but few studies have looked for specific autoantibodies that might contribute to the symptoms. Our aim was to look for evidence of antibodies to neuronal proteins in patients with ME/CSF.MethodsSera samples from 50 patients and 50 healthy individuals were sent coded to the Neuroimmunology Laboratory in Oxford. Screening for antibody binding to neuronal tissue was performed on brain tissue and neuronal cultures. Specific serum antibodies were assessed by antigen-specific cell-based assays and radioimmunoassays. After antibody testing, the associations between seropositive status and clinical data were investigated.FindingsOverall, 8 patients and 11 participants were found to have some serum immunoreactivity toward neuronal or neuromuscular junction proteins, but only 1 patient and 2 participants had specific serum antibodies. Nevertheless, seropositive status in patients with ME was associated with shorter duration since onset and a more severe disease.ImplicationsThe results indicate no overall increased frequency of antibodies to neuronal proteins in ME/CSF and no evidence of a specific antibody that might be causative or contribute to clinical features in patients. However, the association of seropositive status with shorter duration of disease and more severe symptoms suggests a possible role of antibodies at onset in some patients and should be the focus of future studies.     

Toll-like receptor 2 expression on monocytes and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic debilitating illness, and atherosclerotic changes are inevitable and usually neglected during the follow-up of diabetic patients. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is under trial in many studies to hold responsibility for atherosclerosis process progression as they suggest a malfunction of these receptors expressed on monocytes in diabetic patients. This study aimed to assess the association between the TLR2 and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Egyptian diabetic patients and to investigate its relationship with some diabetic complications.MethodsThis study included a 60 diabetic patients group 1 (diabetic complicated), group 2 (diabetic non-complicated) and 30 age-matched normal healthy blood donors.ResultsToll-like receptors (TLRs) expression was significantly associated with T2DM. In this study, the mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) of TLR2 was 596.9 ± 84.78 in group 1, 326.23 ± 62.98 in group 2 while in group 3 it was 208.47 ± 156.73. There was a significant correlation between MFI of TLR2 and random blood sugar (RBS) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (p < 0.05).ConclusionTLR2 was overexpressed in diabetic patients with microvascular complications compared to diabetic non-complicated patients and normal healthy controls.     

Molecular mechanisms and cellular events involved in the neuroprotective actions of estradiol. Analysis of sex differences

Estradiol, either from peripheral or central origin, activates multiple molecular neuroprotective and neuroreparative responses that, being mediated by estrogen receptors or by estrogen receptor independent mechanisms, are initiated at the membrane, the cytoplasm or the cell nucleus of neural cells. Estrogen-dependent signaling regulates a variety of cellular events, such as intracellular Ca²⁺ levels, mitochondrial respiratory capacity, ATP production, mitochondrial membrane potential, autophagy and apoptosis. In turn, these molecular and cellular actions of estradiol are integrated by neurons and non-neuronal cells to generate different tissue protective responses, decreasing blood-brain barrier permeability, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity and promoting synaptic plasticity, axonal growth, neurogenesis, remyelination and neuroregeneration. Recent findings indicate that the neuroprotective and neuroreparative actions of estradiol are different in males and females and further research is necessary to fully elucidate the causes for this sex difference.     

Circulating CCL20: A potential biomarker for active vitiligo together with the number of Th1/17 cells

Background

Vitiligo is an autoimmune disease with varying pathological features. Activation of the CCL20-CCR6 axis plays an important role in chronic inflammatory diseases. However, whether CCL20-CCR6 and Th1/17 cells are indicative of active vitiligo is unclear.

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) antisense oligonucleotide protected against hyperlipidemia-associated atherosclerosis

Background and aims

Heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a representative EGF family member that interacts with EGFR under diverse stress environment. Previously, we reported that the HB-EGF-targeting using antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) effectively suppressed an aortic aneurysm in the vessel wall and circulatory lipid levels. In this study, we further examined the effects of the HB-EGF ASO administration on the development of hyperlipidemia-associated atherosclerosis using an atherogenic mouse model.