Recent advances in understanding the roles of matrix metalloproteinases in tumour invasion and metastasis

This review aims to provide an overview of recent developments regarding the roles of MMPs in tumour invasion and metastasis. Much of the mortality burden belonging to cancer relates to its ability to invade adjacent tissue and form metastases at distant sites. This would not be possible without remodelling of the ECM, a process which is enabled by the functions of MMPs. Recent studies provide a better understanding of the importance of the biophysical nature of the ECM, how this influences cancer cell motility, and how MMPs act to modify matrix stiffness. The regulation of MMPs and the role of immune cell generated MMPs has also become better understood. All of this provides a framework for the therapeutic targeting of MMPs and recent advances in the development of selective MMPs inhibitors are also reviewed. Copyright © 2018 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mandible strength and geometry in relation to bite force: a study in three caviomorph rodents

The monophyletic group Caviomorpha constitutes the most diverse rodent clade in terms of locomotion, ecology and diet. Caviomorph species show considerable variation in cranio‐mandibular morphology that has been linked to the differences in toughness of dietary items and other behaviors, such as chisel‐tooth digging. This work assesses the structural strength of the mandible of three caviomorph species that show remarkable differences in ecology, behavior and bite force: Chinchilla lanigera (a surface‐dwelling species), Octodon degus (a semi‐fossorial species) and Ctenomys talarum (a subterranean species). Finite element (FE) models of the mandibles are used to predict the stresses they withstand during incisor biting; the results are related to in vivo bite forces and interspecific variations in the mandibular geometries. The study concludes that the mandible of C. talarum is better able to withstand strong incisor bites. Its powerful adducting musculature is consistent with the notorious lateral expansion of the angular process and the masseteric crest, and the enhanced cortical bone thickness. Although it has a relatively low bite force, the mandible of O. degus also shows a good performance for mid‐to‐strong incisor biting, in contrast to that of C. lanigera, which exhibits, from a mechanical point of view, the worst performance. The mandibles of C. talarum and O. degus appear to be better suited to withstand stronger reaction forces from incisor biting, which is consistent with their closer phylogenetic affinity and shared digging behaviors. The contrast between the low in vivo bite force of C. lanigera and the relatively high estimations that result from the models suggests that its adductor musculature could play significant roles in functions other than incisor biting.     

A biomarker for tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis based on a recombinant Leishmania hypothetical protein

The measures for leishmaniasis control include the precise diagnosis of disease. However, although several recombinant antigens have been tested with this biotechnological purpose, no effective product exists, which could detects patients with the active disease, as well as differentiates them from cured and treated patients. In this study, a conserved Leishmania hypothetical protein, which was identified in Leishmania infantum parasites, but evaluated to presents high homology in the amino acid sequences between distinct parasite species, was evaluated for the diagnosis of tegumentary and visceral leishmaniasis. In addition, PBMCs collected from treated and untreated mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients, as well as in healthy subjects living in endemic region of disease, were in vitro stimulated, when IFN-γ, IL-4 and IL-10 levels were evaluated in the cell supernatant. Regarding the serological analyses, ELISA experiments using the recombinant protein (rLiHyL) and a human serological panel revealed high sensitivity and specificity values to detect both diseases, while control antigens showed worst results. Regarding the cellular response, results showed that rLiHyL-stimulated cells produced higher IFN-γ and lower IL-4 and IL-10 levels in the supernatants. Also, the anti-protein antibody production was evaluated in these patients, and data showed higher IgG2 and lower IgG1 levels found in the treated patients and healthy controls, demonstrating the stimulation of a Th1-type response induced by the rLiHyL protein. In conclusion, this hypothetical protein can be considered as antigenic in TL and VL, as well as a vaccine candidate to be tested in future studies to protect against disease.     

An Optogenetic Study of the Electrophysiological Properties of Hippocampal Neurons in PS1-M146V Transgenic Mice (a model of Alzheimer’s disease)

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology - We report here a comparative (using chemical, electrical, and optical stimulation) study of the electrophysiological properties of cultured hippocampal...     

Acute Antidepressant Effects of Derivatives of 3-Hydroxypyridine and Succinic Acid in Experiments on Rats

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology - We report here a comparative analysis of the acute antidepressant actions of derivatives of 3-hydroxypyridine and succinic acid (emoxypine, Reamberin, and...     

Propagation of Endogenous Electric Fields as a Possible Mechanism of Synchronization of Interictal Spikes in the Rat Neocortex

Neuroscience and Behavioral Physiology - The effects of weak electric fields with parameters close to those of the electrical activity of brain structures on neural networks in the brain have been...