Reelin expression is upregulated following ocular tissue injury

Purpose Reelin is important in the guidance of neuronal stem cells in the central nervous system during normal development. We wished to determine whether reelin is expressed in the retina and cornea after injury. Methods Mice underwent laceration of their retina as well as corneal epithelial debridement. The mice were sacrificed at 3 days, and eyes were fixed and stained for reelin expression and reelin messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA). Results In normal eyes, reelin was expressed only at very low levels in the ganglion cell layer of the retina and the endothelial cell layer of the cornea. In injured eyes, there was marked expression in reelin immunoreactivity in the retina and cornea. Reelin gene expression was seen in the retina and cornea. Conclusions Reelin is expressed during normal retinogenesis. This study shows that reelin is also upregulated following injury to the retina and cornea. The expression of reelin following injury suggests that reelin may play an important role in regulating stem cell trafficking in neuronal and nonneuronal tissues following injury similar to its role in normal organogenesis. For consideration of publication in Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology.     

Recombinant α2(IV)NC1 domain of type IV collagen is an effective regulator of retinal capillary endothelial cell proliferation and inhibits pre-retinal neovascularisation

Background A recombinant form of the α2(IV)NC1 domain of type IV collagen has been shown to have potent anti-angiogenic activity although this peptide has not been studied in the context of proliferative retinopathies. In the current investigation we examined the potential for α2(IV)NC1 to regulate retinal microvascular endothelial cell function using a range of in vitro and in vivo assay systems. Materials and methods α2(IV)NC1 at concentrations between 0.1 and 1 μg/ml was added to retinal microvascular endothelial cells (RMECs) followed by assessment of cell attachment, proliferation and survival. This agent was also tested within a novel in vitro three-dimensional retinal angiogenesis assay and the number of angiogenic sprouts quantified. α2(IV)NC1 was also delivered intra-vitreally to mice with oxygen-induced proliferative retinopathy (OIR) and neovascularisation evaluated in comparison with vehicle-treated controls. Results RMECs treated with α2(IV)NC1 (0.1, 0.5 and 1 μg/ml) showed delayed attachment at 3 h post-seeding, although this deficit had been restored at the 6-h time point. BrdU assay of DNA replication revealed that confluent RMECs treated with α2(IV)NC1 showed no measurable response in comparison with vehicle-treated controls. By contrast, proliferation of sub-confluent RMECs was significantly reduced by α2(IV)NC1 at 0.5 μg/ml (P<0.01). α2(IV)NC1 also induced apoptosis in RMECs and inhibited angiogenesis of pre-existing retinal vascular networks in vitro (P<0.001). Intra-vitreal injection of α2(IV)NC1 in the OIR model significantly inhibited pre-retinal neovascularisation compared with vehicle-treated controls (P<0.001). Conclusion α2(IV)NC1 inhibits angiogenesis in the retinal microvasculature. This recombinant protein has potential for the treatment of neovascularisation in proliferative retinopathies. BioStratum Inc. did not sponsor this research in any way. None of the authors are paid consultants with this company.     

脑膜瘤组织中Survivin和PCNA的表达

目的 探讨Survivin和PCNA在脑膜瘤组织中的表达及临床意义。方法 采用免疫组织化学sP法检测97例脑膜瘤组织和18例正常脑膜组织中Survivin和PCNA的表达。结果 Survivin在正常脑膜和脑膜瘤组织中阳性表达率为0％和65．9％（64／97），差异具有显著性（P〈0．001）。Survivln表达阳性率在脑膜瘤Ⅱ级（85．7％）和Ⅰ级（51、7％）之间、Ⅲ级（93．8％）和Ⅰ级之间差异具有显著性（P〈0．001）。PCNA蛋白在正常脑膜和脑膜瘤组织中表达阳性率为0％和55．7％（54／97），差异具有显著性（P〈0．001）。PC—NA表达阳性率在脑膜瘤Ⅱ级（71．4％）和Ⅰ级（41、7％）之间，Ⅲ级（87．5％）同Ⅰ级之间差异具有显著性（P〈0．001）。Survivin与PCNA蛋白在脑膜瘤中的表达呈正相关关系（rs=0．640，P〈0．01）。结论 Survivin过度表达和脑膜瘤发生及PCNA的表达密切相关，两者参与了脑膜瘤发生、增殖和发展。     

Polymer strength and chain conformation

It is found that the expected maximum strength of polymers is not proportional to the number of polymer chains per unit area. Under uniaxial stressing only part of polymer chains, i.e., overstressed chains, contribute to the strength of the polymer. The number of overstressed chains obtained here for some polymers is consistent with the results of electron paramagnetic resonance and stress-Fourier-transform IR measurements: (a) Polymers with all-trans conformation of their chains have more overstressed chains than those with helix conformation; (b) in the case of polymers with helix conformation, those with smaller side groups have more overstressed chains. Under uniaxial stress, the polymer chains change their conformation from gauche to trans which results in a relief of stress. Polymer with helix conformation thus have less overstressed chains and, hence, lower strength than polymers with all-trans conformation.