scholarly journals mPRs represent a novel target for PRL inhibition in experimental prolactinomas

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 497-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
María Andrea Camilletti ◽  
Alejandra Abeledo-Machado ◽  
Pablo A Perez ◽  
Erika Y Faraoni ◽  
Fernanda De Fino ◽  
...  

Membrane progesterone receptors are known to mediate rapid nongenomic progesterone effects in different cell types. Recent evidence revealed that mPRα is highly expressed in the rat pituitary, being primarily localized in lactotrophs, acting as an intermediary of P4-inhibitory actions on prolactin secretion. The role of mPRs in prolactinoma development remains unclear. We hypothesize that mPR agonists represent a novel tool for hyperprolactinemia treatment. To this end, pituitary expression of mPRs was studied in three animal models of prolactinoma. Expression of mPRs and nuclear receptor was significantly decreased in tumoral pituitaries compared to normal ones. However, the relative proportion of mPRα and mPRβ was highly increased in prolactinomas. Interestingly, the selective mPR agonist (Org OD 02-0) significantly inhibited PRL release in both normal and tumoral pituitary explants, displaying a more pronounced effect in tumoral tissues. As P4 also regulates PRL secretion indirectly, by acting on dopaminergic neurons, we studied mPR involvement in this effect. We found that the hypothalamus has a high expression of mPRs. Interestingly, both P4 and OrgOD 02-0 increased dopamine release in hypothalamus explants. Moreover, in an in vivo treatment, that allows both, pituitary and hypothalamus actions, the mPR agonist strongly reduced the hyperprolactinemia in transgenic females carrying prolactinoma. Finally, we also found and interesting gender difference: males express higher levels of pituitary mPRα/β, a sex that does not develop prolactinoma in these mice models. Taken together, these findings suggest mPRs activation could represent a novel tool for hyperprolactinemic patients, especially those that present resistance to dopaminergic drugs.

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (6) ◽  
pp. H1379-H1386
Author(s):  
Ibolya Rutkai ◽  
Wesley R. Evans ◽  
Nikita Bess ◽  
Tomas Salter-Cid ◽  
Siniša Čikić ◽  
...  

We introduce an innovative in vivo approach to study mitochondria in the cerebral circulation in their physiological environment by demonstrating the feasibility of long-term imaging and three-dimensional reconstruction. We postulate that the appropriate combination of Cre/Lox system and two-photon microscopy will contribute to a better understanding of the role of mitochondria in not only endothelium but also the different cell types of the cerebral circulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (24) ◽  
pp. 13231
Author(s):  
Jon Egaña-Huguet ◽  
Edgar Soria-Gómez ◽  
Pedro Grandes

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions. Yearly, five million people are diagnosed with epileptic-related disorders. The neuroprotective and therapeutic effect of (endo)cannabinoid compounds has been extensively investigated in several models of epilepsy. Therefore, the study of specific cell-type-dependent mechanisms underlying cannabinoid effects is crucial to understanding epileptic disorders. It is estimated that about 100 billion neurons and a roughly equal number of glial cells co-exist in the human brain. The glial population is in charge of neuronal viability, and therefore, their participation in brain pathophysiology is crucial. Furthermore, glial malfunctioning occurs in a wide range of neurological disorders. However, little is known about the impact of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulation over glial cells, even less in pathological conditions such as epilepsy. In this review, we aim to compile the existing knowledge on the role of the ECS in different cell types, with a particular emphasis on glial cells and their impact on epilepsy. Thus, we propose that glial cells could be a novel target for cannabinoid agents for treating the etiology of epilepsy and managing seizure-like disorders.


Author(s):  
A. Suresh ◽  
N. Smith ◽  
O. Martinez ◽  
M. Nieto

A sponge matrix model utilized for the study of allograft (graft of tissue between genetically different members of the same species) provides sufficient cell numbers to characterize the cells which infiltrate an allograft in vivo. Circumstantial evidence supports the postulated role of specifically sensitized cytotoxic lymphocytes as the principle mediators of allograft rejection in vivo. The sponge matrix model showed that sponge allografts acquire alloantigenreactive T lymphocytes, whereas sponge isografts (grafts between genetically identical individuals) fail to do so, even though the T cells are continuously circulating in the peripheral blood. High endothelial venules (HEV) are present in the normal lymph nodes and they regulate lymphocyte extravasation from the blood. HEV-like vessels have been identified in the sponge allografts. A correlation has been shown between the formation of HEV-like vessels and the presence of alloantigen-reactive T cells in the sponge matrix. Sponges were examined with the scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study the infiltration of different cell types into the sponge allografts and the development of endothelial venules and neovascularization.


1999 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 907-919 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Legrand ◽  
D. Spehner ◽  
Y. Schlesinger ◽  
N. Settelen ◽  
A. Pavirani ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT In vivo targeting of therapeutic genes to specific tissues has become a major issue in gene therapy, in particular when recombinant adenovirus vectors are used. Restriction of the viral tropism to selected cell types requires the abrogation of the interaction between the viral fiber and its natural cellular receptors and the introduction of a new binding specificity into the virion. In this context, fiberless adenoviruses are attractive vectors, since they may be used as substrates for the insertion of a new ligand in other capsid proteins. In this study, we confirm by using cloned full-length adenovirus genomes with the fiber gene deleted that efficient virus particle formation can occur in the absence of fiber. As expected, the infectivity of such fiberless viruses was severely reduced, but it could be only partially restored when the viruses were produced in cells stably providing the fiber in trans. Although incorporation of penton base into the fiberless particles was normal and binding of the particles to the cellular integrins was functional, several pieces of experimental evidence suggest that later steps in the cell entry process are impaired in correlation with an incorrect maturation of several structural proteins of the fiberless particles. These observations support the hypothesis that the fiber protein may have additional biological functions besides its role in cell binding. Together with the fiber complementation cells, such fiberless vectors constitute unique tools to investigate the role of the fiber in virus assembly, maturation, and cell entry and to explore the possibility of deriving gene transfer vectors with novel target specificities.


2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mónica Varela ◽  
Gabriel Forn-Cuní ◽  
Sonia Dios ◽  
Antonio Figueras ◽  
Beatriz Novoa

In mammals, perforins play a central role in the granule-dependent cell death induced by natural killer T cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and participate both in the defense against virus-infected and neoplastic cells and in the recognition of nonself molecules by the immune system. Little is known about fish perforin genes. We examined the zebrafish with the aim of increasing our knowledge about the role of perforins. We characterized 6 perforin genes in the zebrafish genome, and we studied them at the evolutionary level in combination with expression patterns in several tissues and cell populations, during both larval development and in the course of a viral infection. Our results suggest the specialization of different cell types in the production of perforins. Moreover, functional diversification during the evolution of these molecules could be inferred from this study. In particular, one of the genes, prf19b, which is mainly produced by myeloid cells, seemed to be involved in antiviral defense, conferring protection after an in vivo infection.


Acta Naturae ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. V. Elizar’ev ◽  
D. V. Lomaev ◽  
D. A. Chetverina ◽  
P. G. Georgiev ◽  
M. M. Erokhin

Maintenance of the individual patterns of gene expression in different cell types is required for the differentiation and development of multicellular organisms. Expression of many genes is controlled by Polycomb (PcG) and Trithorax (TrxG) group proteins that act through association with chromatin. PcG/TrxG are assembled on the DNA sequences termed PREs (Polycomb Response Elements), the activity of which can be modulated and switched from repression to activation. In this study, we analyzed the influence of transcriptional read-through on PRE activity switch mediated by the yeast activator GAL4. We show that a transcription terminator inserted between the promoter and PRE doesnt prevent switching of PRE activity from repression to activation. We demonstrate that, independently of PRE orientation, high levels of transcription fail to dislodge PcG/TrxG proteins from PRE in the absence of a terminator. Thus, transcription is not the main factor required for PRE activity switch.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (11) ◽  
pp. 3389
Author(s):  
Ishtiaq Ahmed ◽  
Saif Ur Rehman ◽  
Shiva Shahmohamadnejad ◽  
Muhammad Anjum Zia ◽  
Muhammad Ahmad ◽  
...  

In humans, various sites like cannabinoid receptors (CBR) having a binding affinity with cannabinoids are distributed on the surface of different cell types, where endocannabinoids (ECs) and derivatives of fatty acid can bind. The binding of these substance(s) triggers the activation of specific receptors required for various physiological functions, including pain sensation, memory, and appetite. The ECs and CBR perform multiple functions via the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1); cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2), having a key effect in restraining neurotransmitters and the arrangement of cytokines. The role of cannabinoids in the immune system is illustrated because of their immunosuppressive characteristics. These characteristics include inhibition of leucocyte proliferation, T cells apoptosis, and induction of macrophages along with reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion. The review seeks to discuss the functional relationship between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and anti-tumor characteristics of cannabinoids in various cancers. The therapeutic potential of cannabinoids for cancer—both in vivo and in vitro clinical trials—has also been highlighted and reported to be effective in mice models in arthritis for the inflammation reduction, neuropathic pain, positive effect in multiple sclerosis and type-1 diabetes mellitus, and found beneficial for treating in various cancers. In human models, such studies are limited; thereby, further research is indispensable in this field to get a conclusive outcome. Therefore, in autoimmune disorders, therapeutic cannabinoids can serve as promising immunosuppressive and anti-fibrotic agents.


1997 ◽  
Vol 186 (7) ◽  
pp. 999-1014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hideaki Ishikawa ◽  
Daniel Carrasco ◽  
Estefania Claudio ◽  
Rolf-Peter Ryseck ◽  
Rodrigo Bravo

The nfkb2 gene encodes the p100 precursor which produces the p52 protein after proteolytic cleavage of its COOH-terminal domain. Although the p52 product can act as an alternative subunit of NF-κB, the p100 precursor is believed to function as an inhibitor of Rel/NF-κB activity by cytoplasmic retention of Rel/NF-κB complexes, like other members of the IκB family. However, the physiological relevance of the p100 precursor as an IκB molecule has not been understood. To assess the role of the precursor in vivo, we generated, by gene targeting, mice lacking p100 but still containing a functional p52 protein. Mice with a homozygous deletion of the COOH-terminal ankyrin repeats of NF-κB2 (p100−/−) had marked gastric hyperplasia, resulting in early postnatal death. p100−/− animals also presented histopathological alterations of hematopoietic tissues, enlarged lymph nodes, increased lymphocyte proliferation in response to several stimuli, and enhanced cytokine production in activated T cells. Dramatic induction of nuclear κB–binding activity composed of p52-containing complexes was found in all tissues examined and also in stimulated lymphocytes. Thus, the p100 precursor is essential for the proper regulation of p52-containing Rel/NF-κB complexes in various cell types and its absence cannot be efficiently compensated for by other IκB proteins.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tahereh Zadeh Mehrizi

: Today, Platelets and platelet-derived nanoparticles and microparticles have found many applications in nanomedical technology. The results of our review study show that no article has been published in this field to review the current status of applications of these platelet derivatives so far. Therefore, in present study, our goal is to compare the applications of platelet derivatives and review their latest status between 2010 and 2020 to present the latest findings to researchers. A very interesting point about the role of platelet derivatives is the presence of molecules on their surface which makes them capable of hiding from the immune system, reaching different target cells, and specifically attaching to different cell types. According to the results of this study, most of their applications include drug delivery, diagnosis of various diseases, and tissue engineering. However, their application in drug delivery is limited due to heterogeneity, large size, and the possibility of interference with cellular pathways in microparticles derived from other cells. On the other hand, platelet nanoparticles are more controllable and have been widely used for drug delivery in treatment of cancer, atherosclerosis, thrombosis, infectious diseases, repair of damaged tissue, and photothermal therapy. The results of this study show that platelet nanoparticles are more controllable than platelet microparticles and have a higher potential for use in medicine.


Development ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 499-509
Author(s):  
Janet E. Hornby

Cell suspensions were prepared from the kidney, liver and heart of chick embryos of 5 or 8 days of incubation, and from the limb-buds of chick embryos of 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 days of incubation. When these suspensions were aggregated under laminar shear in a Couette viscometer or random motion in a reciprocating shaker they obeyed the theoretical relationships derived for flocculating lyophobic sols. The values of the collision efficiency found for the different cell types under given conditions were used to calculate the force of interaction between cells of each type. The force of interaction ranged between 9 × 10−11 N (8-day heart) and 3 × 10−9 N (8-day liver). The forces of interaction between cells appear to be responsible for aligning the membranes of adjacent cells with a 10–20 nm gap. It is possible to arrange the cell types in a hierarchy based on the forces of interaction between them. The possible role of these forces in cell specificity is considered.


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