Continuous parathyroid hormone induces cortical porosity in the rat: effects on bone turnover and mechanical properties.

We examined the time course effects of continuous PTH on cortical bone and mechanical properties. PTH increased cortical bone turnover and induced intracortical porosity with no deleterious effect on bone strength. Withdrawal of PTH increased maximum torque to failure and stiffness with no change in energy absorbed. INTRODUCTION: The skeletal response of cortical bone to parathyroid hormone (PTH) is complex and species dependent. Intermittent administration of PTH to rats increases periosteal and endocortical bone formation but has no known effects on intracortical bone turnover. The effects of continuous PTH on cortical bone are not clearly established. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty-four 6-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three control, six PTH, and two PTH withdrawal (WD) groups. They were subcutaneously implanted with osmotic pumps loaded with vehicle or 40 microg/kg BW/day human PTH(1-34) for 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 28 days. After 7 days, PTH was withdrawn from two groups of animals for 7 (7d-PTH/7d-WD) and 21 days (7d-PTH/21d-WD). Histomorphometry was performed on periosteal and endocortical surfaces of the tibial diaphysis in all groups. microCT of tibias and mechanical testing by torsion of femora were performed on 28d-PTH and 7d-PTH/21d-WD animals. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Continuous PTH increased periosteal and endocortical bone formation, endocortical osteoclast perimeter, and cortical porosity in a time-dependent manner, but did not change the mechanical properties of the femur, possibly because of addition of new bone onto periosteal and endocortical surfaces. Additionally, withdrawal of PTH restored normal cortical porosity and increased maximum torque to failure and stiffness. We conclude that continuous administration of PTH increased cortical porosity in rats without having a detrimental effect on bone mechanical properties.     

Genetic contributions to Parkinson's disease

Sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by the loss of midbrain dopamine neurons and Lewy body inclusions. It is thought to result from a complex interaction between multiple predisposing genes and environmental influences, although these interactions are still poorly understood. Several causative genes have been identified in different families. Mutations in two genes [α-synuclein and nuclear receptor-related 1 (Nurr1)] cause the same pathology, and a third locus on chromosome 2 also causes this pathology. Other familial PD mutations have identified genes involved in the ubiquitin–proteasome system [parkin and ubiquitin C-terminal hydroxylase L1 (UCHL1)], although such cases do not produce Lewy bodies. These studies highlight critical cellular proteins and mechanisms for dopamine neuron survival as disrupted in Parkinson's disease. Understanding the genetic variations impacting on dopamine neurons may illuminate other molecular mechanisms involved. Additional candidate genes involved in dopamine cell survival, dopamine synthesis, metabolism and function, energy supply, oxidative stress, and cellular detoxification have been indicated by transgenic animal models and/or screened in human populations with differing results. Genetic variation in genes known to produce different patterns and types of neurodegeneration that may impact on the function of dopamine neurons are also reviewed. These studies suggest that environment and genetic background are likely to have a significant influence on susceptibility to Parkinson's disease. The identification of multiple genes predisposing to Parkinson's disease will assist in determining the cellular pathway/s leading to the neurodegeneration observed in this disease.     

Flow-induced cerebral vasodilatation in vivo involves activation of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, NADPH-oxidase, and nitric oxide synthase.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide (O2*-) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are known cerebral vasodilators. A major source of vascular ROS is the flavin-containing enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-oxidase. Activation of NADPH-oxidase leads to dilatation of the basilar artery in vivo via production of H2O2, but the endogenous stimuli for this unique vasodilator mechanism are unknown. Shear stress is known to activate both NADPH-oxidase and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3-K) in cultured cells. Hence, this study used a cranial window preparation in anesthetized rats to investigate whether increased intraluminal blood flow could induce cerebral vasodilatation via the activation of NADPH-oxidase and/or PI3-K. Bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries to increase basilar artery blood flow caused reproducible, reversible vasodilatation. Topical treatment of the basilar artery with the NADPH-oxidase inhibitor diphenyleneiodonium (DPI) (0.5 and 5 micromol/L) inhibited flow-induced dilatation by up to 50% without affecting dilator responses to acetylcholine. Treatment with the H2O2 scavenger, catalase similarly attenuated flow-induced dilatation, suggesting a role for NADPH-oxidase-derived H2O2 in this response. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) partially reduced flow-induced dilatation, and combined treatment with a ROS inhibitor (DPI or catalase) and L-NAME caused a greater reduction in flow-induced dilatation than that seen with any of these inhibitors alone. Flow-induced dilatation was also markedly inhibited by the PI3-K inhibitor, wortmannin. Increased O2*- production in the endothelium of the basilar artery during acute increases in blood flow was confirmed using dihydroethidium. Thus, flow-induced cerebral vasodilatation in vivo involves production of ROS and nitric oxide, and is dependent on PI3-K activation.     

Substance P-like immunoreactive fibres in the ventromedial mesencephalic tegmentum of rat

The distribution and morphology of the substance P-like immunoreactive (SP-IR) fibres and terminals in the rat ventromedial mesencephalic tegmentum (VMT) were studied using qualitative and quantitative immunohistochemical methods at light and electron microscopic levels. All five component nuclei of the VMT were examined and the size, number and density of immunoreactive terminals determined. The SP-IR fibres were distributed heterogeneously within the VMT. Under the electron microscope, SP-IR axon terminals contained both clear and dense-cored vesicles and made both symmetrical and asymmetrical synapses. The ultrastructure of the SP-IR terminals appeared to differ between nuclei. Small, clear vesicle terminals made symmetrical synaptic junctions with small calibre dendrites in the paranigral nucleus while large, clear and dense-cored vesicle terminals made asymmetrical junctions with somata and large calibre dendrites in the interfascicular nucleus. Quantitative differences between the VMT nuclei were also seen in the density of SP-IR terminals, the paranigral nucleus contained the highest density and the rostral linear nucleus the lowest. A comparison between the number of SP-IR terminals and the total number of axon terminals in the VMT reveals that the majority of all terminals in the paranigral nucleus were SP-IR, as well as the majority of axosomatic synapses in the interfascicular nucleus. These regional differences in the SP-IR innervation suggest that substance P and related peptides may perform several specific functions within the VMT and therefore have a more variable influence on this region than was previously thought.     

Tau isoform expression in frontotemporal dementia without tau deposition

In many cases of sporadic frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and in FTD caused by tau mutations (FTDP-17) there is disruption of the normal splicing of tau leading to the aberrant expression of tau isoforms and neurodegeneration. This suggests a central role for tau in the pathogenesis of FTD. However, more than half the cases of sporadic FTD show no tau deposition. We question whether altered expression is also involved in the pathogenesis of tau-negative FTD. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate tau isoform expression in tau-negative FTD and age-matched controls. There were no differences in total tau mRNA or 4R versus 3R isoform expression. Our study suggests that perturbed tau mRNA expression is unlikely to be involved in the pathogenesis of tau-negative FTD.     

In vivo and in vitro models demonstrate a role for caveolin-1 in the pathogenesis of ischaemic acute renal failure

Caveolae and their proteins, the caveolins, transport macromolecules; compartmentalize signalling molecules; and are involved in various repair processes. There is little information regarding their role in the pathogenesis of significant renal syndromes such as acute renal failure (ARF). In this study, an in vivo rat model of 30 min bilateral renal ischaemia followed by reperfusion times from 4 h to 1 week was used to map the temporal and spatial association between caveolin-1 and tubular epithelial damage (desquamation, apoptosis, necrosis). An in vitro model of ischaemic ARF was also studied, where cultured renal tubular epithelial cells or arterial endothelial cells were subjected to injury initiators modelled on ischaemia-reperfusion (hypoxia, serum deprivation, free radical damage or hypoxia-hyperoxia). Expression of caveolin proteins was investigated using immunohistochemistry, immunoelectron microscopy, and immunoblots of whole cell, membrane or cytosol protein extracts. In vivo, healthy kidney had abundant caveolin-1 in vascular endothelial cells and also some expression in membrane surfaces of distal tubular epithelium. In the kidneys of ARF animals, punctate cytoplasmic localization of caveolin-1 was identified, with high intensity expression in injured proximal tubules that were losing basement membrane adhesion or were apoptotic, 24 h to 4 days after ischaemia-reperfusion. Western immunoblots indicated a marked increase in caveolin-1 expression in the cortex where some proximal tubular injury was located. In vitro, the main treatment-induced change in both cell types was translocation of caveolin-1 from the original plasma membrane site into membrane-associated sites in the cytoplasm. Overall, expression levels did not alter for whole cell extracts and the protein remained membrane-bound, as indicated by cell fractionation analyses. Caveolin-1 was also found to localize intensely within apoptotic cells. The results are indicative of a role for caveolin-1 in ARF-induced renal injury. Whether it functions for cell repair or death remains to be elucidated.     

Aβ as a bioflocculant: implications for the amyloid hypothesis of Alzheimer’s disease

Research into Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been guided by the view that deposits of fibrillar amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) are neurotoxic and are largely responsible for the neurodegeneration that accompanies the disease. This ‘amyloid hypothesis’ has claimed support from a wide range of molecular, genetic and animal studies. We critically review these observations and highlight inconsistencies between the predictions of the amyloid hypothesis and the published data. We show that the data provide equal support for a ‘bioflocculant hypothesis’, which posits that Aβ is normally produced to bind neurotoxic solutes (such as metal ions), while the precipitation of Aβ into plaques may be an efficient means of presenting these toxins to phagocytes. We conclude that if the deposition of Aβ represents a physiological response to injury then therapeutic treatments aimed at reducing the availability of Aβ may hasten the disease process and associated cognitive decline in AD.     

Detection and genotyping of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum by real-time PCR and melting curve analysis

Several real-time PCR procedures for the detection and genotyping of oocysts of Cryptosporidium parvum were evaluated. A 40-cycle amplification of a 157-bp fragment from the C. parvum beta-tubulin gene detected individual oocysts which were introduced into the reaction mixture by micromanipulation. SYBR Green I melting curve analysis was used to confirm the specificity of the method when DNA extracted from fecal samples spiked with oocysts was analyzed. Because C. parvum isolates infecting humans comprise two distinct genotypes, designated type 1 and type 2, real-time PCR methods for discriminating C. parvum genotypes were developed. The first method used the same beta-tubulin amplification primers and two fluorescently labeled antisense oligonucleotide probes spanning a 49-bp polymorphic sequence diagnostic for C. parvum type 1 and type 2. The second genotyping method used SYBR Green I fluorescence and targeted a polymorphic coding region within the GP900/poly(T) gene. Both methods discriminated between type 1 and type 2 C. parvum on the basis of melting curve analysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the application of melting curve analysis for genotyping of C. parvum oocysts.