scholarly journals Stress and sex: does cortisol mediate sex change in fish?

Reproduction ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (6) ◽  
pp. R149-R160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Goikoetxea ◽  
Erica V Todd ◽  
Neil J Gemmell
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Sex Change ◽  
Control Fish ◽  
Lifetime Reproductive Success ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Environmental Signals ◽  
Key Factor ◽  
Social Environmental

Cortisol is the main glucocorticoid (GC) in fish and the hormone most directly associated with stress. Recent research suggests that this hormone may act as a key factor linking social environmental stimuli and the onset of sex change by initiating a shift in steroidogenesis from estrogens to androgens. For many teleost fish, sex change occurs as a usual part of the life cycle. Changing sex is known to enhance the lifetime reproductive success of these fish and the modifications involved (behavioral, gonadal and morphological) are well studied. However, the exact mechanism behind the transduction of the environmental signals into the molecular cascade that underlies this singular process remains largely unknown. We here synthesize current knowledge regarding the role of cortisol in teleost sex change with a focus on two well-described transformations: temperature-induced masculinization and socially regulated sex change. Three non-mutually exclusive pathways are considered when describing the potential role of cortisol in mediating teleost sex change: cross-talk between GC and androgen pathways, inhibition of aromatase expression and upregulation ofamh(the gene encoding anti-Müllerian hormone). We anticipate that understanding the role of cortisol in the initial stages of sex change will further improve our understanding of sex determination and differentiation across vertebrates, and may lead to new tools to control fish sex ratios in aquaculture.

Neurotoxic and Neuroprotective Role of Exosomes in Parkinson’s Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (42) ◽  
pp. 4510-4522 ◽  
Author(s):  
Biancamaria Longoni ◽  
Irene Fasciani ◽  
Shivakumar Kolachalam ◽  
Ilaria Pietrantoni ◽  
Francesco Marampon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parkinson’S Disease ◽  
Parkinson's Disease ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Biological Fluids ◽  
Cell Communication ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Cellular Debris ◽  
The Brain

: Exosomes are extracellular vesicles produced by eukaryotic cells that are also found in most biological fluids and tissues. While they were initially thought to act as compartments for removal of cellular debris, they are now recognized as important tools for cell-to-cell communication and for the transfer of pathogens between the cells. They have attracted particular interest in neurodegenerative diseases for their potential role in transferring prion-like proteins between neurons, and in Parkinson’s disease (PD), they have been shown to spread oligomers of α-synuclein in the brain accelerating the progression of this pathology. A potential neuroprotective role of exosomes has also been equally proposed in PD as they could limit the toxicity of α-synuclein by clearing them out of the cells. Exosomes have also attracted considerable attention for use as drug vehicles. Being nonimmunogenic in nature, they provide an unprecedented opportunity to enhance the delivery of incorporated drugs to target cells. In this review, we discuss current knowledge about the potential neurotoxic and neuroprotective role of exosomes and their potential application as drug delivery systems in PD.

scholarly journals Evidence for a Potential Role of Metallothioneins in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anouk Waeytens ◽  
Martine De Vos ◽  
Debby Laukens
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Zinc Homeostasis ◽  
Central Position ◽  
Small Proteins ◽  
Immune Mediated ◽  
Bowel Diseases ◽  
Inflammatory Bowel

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are a group of chronic, relapsing, immune-mediated disorders of the intestine, including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Recent studies underscore the importance of the damaged epithelial barrier and the dysregulated innate immune system in their pathogenesis. Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of small proteins with a high and conserved cysteine content that are rapidly upregulated in response to an inflammatory stimulus. Herein, we review the current knowledge regarding the expression and potential role of MTs in IBD. MTs exert a central position in zinc homeostasis, modulate the activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor (NF)-B, and serve as antioxidants. In addition, MTs could be involved in IBD through their antiapoptotic effects or through specific immunomodulating extracellular effects. Reports on MT expression in IBD are contradictory but clearly demonstrate a deviant MT expression supporting the idea that these aberrations in IBD require further clarification.

scholarly journals Endocrine regulation of circadian physiology

2016 ◽  
Vol 230 (1) ◽  
pp. R1-R11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony H Tsang ◽  
Mariana Astiz ◽  
Maureen Friedrichs ◽  
Henrik Oster
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Endocrine Regulation ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Endogenous Rhythmicity ◽  
Circadian Physiology ◽  
External Time ◽  
High Calorie

Endogenous circadian clocks regulate 24-h rhythms of behavior and physiology to align with external time. The endocrine system serves as a major clock output to regulate various biological processes. Recent findings suggest that some of the rhythmic hormones can also provide feedback to the circadian system at various levels, thus contributing to maintaining the robustness of endogenous rhythmicity. This delicate balance of clock–hormone interaction is vulnerable to modern lifestyle factors such as shiftwork or high-calorie diets, altering physiological set points. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the communication between the circadian timing and endocrine systems, with a focus on adrenal glucocorticoids and metabolic peptide hormones. We explore the potential role of hormones as systemic feedback signals to adjust clock function and their relevance for the maintenance of physiological and metabolic circadian homeostasis.

scholarly journals A missing piece: the spiny mouse and the puzzle of menstruating species

2018 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. R25-R41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Bellofiore ◽  
Fiona Cousins ◽  
Peter Temple-Smith ◽  
Hayley Dickinson ◽  
Jemma Evans
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Spiny Mouse ◽  
Biological Phenomenon ◽  
Elephant Shrew ◽  
Clinical Models ◽  
The Common

We recently discovered the first known menstruating rodent. With the exception of four bats and the elephant shrew, the common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) is the only species outside the primate order to exhibit menses. There are few widely accepted theories on why menstruation developed as the preferred reproductive strategy of these select mammals, all of which reference the evolution of spontaneous decidualisation prior to menstrual shedding. Though menstruating species share several reproductive traits, there has been no identifiable feature unique to menstruating species. Such a feature might suggest why spontaneous decidualisation, and thus menstruation, evolved in these species. We propose that a ≥3-fold increase in progesterone during the luteal phase of the reproductive cycle is a unique characteristic linking menstruating species. We discuss spontaneous decidualisation as a consequence of high progesterone, and the potential role of prolactin in screening for defective embryos in these species to aid in minimising implantation of abnormal embryos. We further explore the possible impact of nutrition in selecting species to undergo spontaneous decidualisation and subsequent menstruation. We summarise the current knowledge of menstruation, discuss current pre-clinical models of menstruation and how the spiny mouse may benefit advancing our understanding of this rare biological phenomenon.

scholarly journals The emerging role of C/EBPs in glucocorticoid signaling: lessons from the lung

2011 ◽  
Vol 212 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abraham B Roos ◽  
Magnus Nord
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factors ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Steroid Resistance ◽  
Chronic Obstructive ◽  
Obstructive Pulmonary Disease ◽  
Glucocorticoid Signaling ◽  
Enhancer Binding Protein

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have been successfully used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases for decades. However, there is a relative GC resistance in several inflammatory lung disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but still the mechanism(s) behind this unresponsiveness remains unknown. Interaction between transcription factors and the GC receptor contribute to GC effects but may also provide mechanisms explaining steroid resistance. CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) transcription factors are important regulators of pulmonary gene expression and have been implicated in inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma, pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, and COPD. In addition, several studies have indicated a role for C/EBPs in mediating GC effects. In this review, we discuss the different mechanisms of GC action as well as the function of the lung-enriched members of the C/EBP transcription factor family. We also summarize the current knowledge of the role of C/EBP transcription factors in mediating the effects of GCs, with emphasis on pulmonary effects, and their potential role in mediating GC resistance.

scholarly journals CD1-The Pathology Perspective

2001 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 611-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. M. Rhind
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
Major Histocompatibility Complex ◽  
Cell Surface ◽  
Major Histocompatibility Complex Class ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Complex Class ◽  
Potential Significance ◽  
Histocompatibility Complex

CD1 molecules are a family of cell surface-associated glycoproteins now recognized as having a role in antigen presentation. These glycoproteins are distinct from yet have some similarities to classical major histocompatibility complex class I and class II molecules. The role of these molecules has been studied in detail over recent years, with an explosion of interest following the demonstration that they can present nonprotein antigens to certain subpopulations of T cells. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of current knowledge of the function of the CD1 family with specific emphasis on the potential role in the pathogenesis of certain diseases. Although much of the current research in this field has inevitably concentrated on mice and humans, this work also has potential significance for veterinary species.

PtdIns5P: a little phosphoinositide with big functions?

2007 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 117-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Coronas ◽  
Damien Ramel ◽  
Caroline Pendaries ◽  
Frédérique Gaits-Iacovoni ◽  
Hélène Tronchère ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Cell Regulation ◽  
Cellular Functions ◽  
Minor Constituents ◽  
Signalling Molecules ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase ◽  
Synthesis And Degradation

Phosphoinositides are minor constituents of cell membranes playing a critical role in the regulation of many cellular functions. Recent discoveries indicate that mutations in several phosphoinositide kinases and phosphatases generate imbalances in the levels of phosphoinositides, thereby leading to the development of human diseases. Although the roles of phosphoinositide 3-kinase products and PtdIns(4,5)P2 were largely studied these last years, the potential role of phosphatidylinositol monophosphates as direct signalling molecules is just emerging. PtdIns5P, the least characterized phosphoinositide, appears to be a new player in cell regulation. This review will summarize the current knowledge on the mechanisms of synthesis and degradation of PtdIns5P as well as its potential roles.

scholarly journals Emerging RNA-binding roles in the TRIM family of ubiquitin ligases

2019 ◽  
Vol 400 (11) ◽  
pp. 1443-1464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Preston Williams ◽  
Kevin Haubrich ◽  
Cecilia Perez-Borrajero ◽  
Janosch Hennig
Keyword(s):  
Ubiquitin Ligase ◽  
Cellular Differentiation ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
E3 Ligases ◽  
Tumour Suppression ◽  
Ubiquitin Ligase Activity ◽  
Trim Proteins

Abstract TRIM proteins constitute a large, diverse and ancient protein family which play a key role in processes including cellular differentiation, autophagy, apoptosis, DNA repair, and tumour suppression. Mostly known and studied through the lens of their ubiquitination activity as E3 ligases, it has recently emerged that many of these proteins are involved in direct RNA binding through their NHL or PRY/SPRY domains. We summarise the current knowledge concerning the mechanism of RNA binding by TRIM proteins and its biological role. We discuss how RNA-binding relates to their previously described functions such as E3 ubiquitin ligase activity, and we will consider the potential role of enrichment in membrane-less organelles.

scholarly journals The Role of Autophagy in Immunity and Autoimmune Diseases / Uloga Autofagije U Imunskom Odgovoru I Autoimunskim Bolestima

2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-229
Author(s):  
Bojana Simovic Markovic ◽  
Ljubica Vucicevic ◽  
Sanja Bojic ◽  
Vladislav Volarevic
Keyword(s):  
Autoimmune Diseases ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Physiological Role ◽  
Immune Functions ◽  
Complex Relationships ◽  
Cellular Components ◽  
Chaperone Mediated Autophagy

ABSTRACT Autophagy is a catabolic mechanism in the cell that involves the degradation of unnecessary or dysfunctional cellular components by the lysosomal machinery. Recent studies have indicated that autophagy is a source of autoantigens, thus highlighting its potential role in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. There are at least three different forms of autophagy: macroautophagy, microautophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA). The physiological role of autophagy is to maintain cellular homeostasis by removing long-lived, damaged proteins and dysfunctional organelles and by providing energy. Aberrant autophagy may contribute to chronic inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases. An understanding of the complex relationships between autophagy and autophagy-related genes in each autoimmune disease creates the possibility of developing more specific and effective therapeutic strategies. Given the importance of autophagy in immune functions, this review article summarises current knowledge about the role of autophagy in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases.

scholarly journals TREM2 deficiency attenuates neuroinflammation and protects against neurodegeneration in a mouse model of tauopathy

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (43) ◽  
pp. 11524-11529 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl E. G. Leyns ◽  
Jason D. Ulrich ◽  
Mary B. Finn ◽  
Floy R. Stewart ◽  
Lauren J. Koscal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Microglial Activation ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Piriform Cortex ◽  
Tau Pathology ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Gene Expression Analyses ◽  
Unexpected Findings ◽  
Microglial Response ◽  
The Brain

Variants in the gene encoding the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) were recently found to increase the risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In the brain, TREM2 is predominately expressed on microglia, and its association with AD adds to increasing evidence implicating a role for the innate immune system in AD initiation and progression. Thus far, studies have found TREM2 is protective in the response to amyloid pathology while variants leading to a loss of TREM2 function impair microglial signaling and are deleterious. However, the potential role of TREM2 in the context of tau pathology has not yet been characterized. In this study, we crossed Trem2+/+ (T2+/+) and Trem2−/− (T2−/−) mice to the PS19 human tau transgenic line (PS) to investigate whether loss of TREM2 function affected tau pathology, the microglial response to tau pathology, or neurodegeneration. Strikingly, by 9 mo of age, T2−/−PS mice exhibited significantly less brain atrophy as quantified by ventricular enlargement and preserved cortical volume in the entorhinal and piriform regions compared with T2+/+PS mice. However, no TREM2-dependent differences were observed for phosphorylated tau staining or insoluble tau levels. Rather, T2−/−PS mice exhibited significantly reduced microgliosis in the hippocampus and piriform cortex compared with T2+/+PS mice. Gene expression analyses and immunostaining revealed microglial activation was significantly attenuated in T2−/−PS mice, and there were lower levels of inflammatory cytokines and astrogliosis. These unexpected findings suggest that impairing microglial TREM2 signaling reduces neuroinflammation and is protective against neurodegeneration in the setting of pure tauopathy.

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