Репозиторий Университета

© 2019 Most researchers associate the increase in the permeability of lipid bilayers of artificial and biological membranes observed in various experiments with the formation of hypothetical hydrophobic and hydrophilic pores. Although the existence of hydrophobic defects, as the first stage of the formation of a hydrophilic pore, was hypothesized decades ago from electroporation experiments, the difficulty of describing this stage is determined by the lack of experimental data confirming the existence or at least associated with hydrophobic pores. We explored the increase in the current variance through the lipid membrane, observed when approaching the phase transition from the side of high temperatures, and have associated it with capacitive currents arising in response to the formation of hydrophobic pores. Assuming that the number of hydrophobic pores in a membrane follows a Poisson distribution, and thus, the mean number of hydrophobic pores is equal to the variance of that number, we used the measurements of the membrane current variance to evaluate the number of hydrophobic pores. Analysis of experimental data within this model allows us to estimate the number of hydrophobic pores at or above the phase transition and shows that the number of hydrophobic pores in a membrane close to the phase transition increased 20 times compared to the number of hydrophobic pores existing in the membrane far from the melting transition.

© 2019 Solventless and solid-state reactions have become increasingly popular and appealing options in the field of green chemistry and process intensification as they can often minimise waste and energy costs. A variety of strategies and protocols (in particular ball milling, dielectric heating and reactive extrusion) have been developed and improved over the last two decades. Although this account cannot be comprehensive, it will, however, provide a glimpse of such methods, highlight the advantages and limitations of strategies and discuss some mechanistic considerations. A few examples for each case, often from our own laboratories, will be used to illustrate specific applications.

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Immunosuppressive chemoresistance is a major barrier in lung cancer treatment. Tumor immunosuppressive environments mediated by myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a key role in chemotherapy induced MDSC development and differentiation but their mechanistic role has not been elucidated. Here, we define a role for carboplatin based chemotherapy in potentiating an MDSC-dependent pathway that triggers the chemoresistance mechanism. Findings reveal MDSC differentiation and activation of IL-13/IL-33-mediated pathway through VCAM/RANTES following carboplatin treatment. Furthemore, secretion of T regulatory IL-10-producing CD4+Foxp3+ cells was increased followed by expression of co-inhibitory receptor TIGIT on T cells, leading to a dysfunctional T cell phenotype. These cells were characterized by an immunosuppressive phenotype with impaired activation, proliferation and cytokine production. Lung cancer tissues expressed CD155, which bound TIGIT receptors and inactivated CD8 T cells. This TIGIT expression on tumor-infiltrating T cells was found to be associated with tumor progression and was linked to functional exhaustion of T cells. In addition, the presence of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) exposed to tumor-derived factors further enhanced tumor progression through IL-10 production and up-regulation of the inducible co-stimulatory ligand (ICOS-L). Deciphering these deranged immune mechanisms and how they are impacted by chemotherapy induction is essential for incorporation of novel immune-based strategies in order to restore immunity and inhibit the immunosuppressive phenotype of metastatic lung cancer.

© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Fabry disease (FD [MIM:301500]) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder caused by mutations in the GLA gene. Deficient activity of its product, lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A), leads to excessive accumulation of glycosphingolipids in cells of multiple organs. The establishing of the diagnosis is challenge in female patients because of milder clinical manifestation and normal α-Gal A activity. The globotriaosylsphingosine (lysoGb3) is described as a more sensitive diagnostic biomarker for females with pathogenic mutation in the GLA gene. Thus, the aim of this study is to improve the biochemical diagnostic efficiency for FD in females. Here we report the α-Gal A/lysoGb3 ratio as the novel biochemical criteria for diagnosis of female patients with FD, using dried blood spots (DBS) as test samples. It showed 100% sensitivity in distinguishing our group of 35 female patients from control (n = 140). Whereas measurement of α-Gal A and lysoGb3 alone showed 8.6% and 74.4% respectively. A new approach of using the ratio of α-Gal A activity to lysoGb3 concentration in DBS may provide a more accurate screening tool for identification of FD females.

© 2019 The Authors Immunosuppressive chemoresistance is a major challenge in lung cancer treatment. Exosomes present in the tumor microenviroment are implicated in chemoresistant-related immune suppression, and metastasis but the exact pathogenic role of lung-derived exosomes is still uncertain. Recent reports reveal that lung cancer pathogenesis is strictly associated with a exosomal tumor supportive status and a dysfunctional immune system. In this study, we investigate the role of Kras-derived exosomes in chemoresistant immunosuppression in which neoplastic cells create a metabolic-sustained microenvironment. Findings reveal that Kras-derived exosomes induce regulation of SMARCE1/NCOR1 chromatin remodeling genes promoting pre-metastatic niche formation in naive mice and consequently increase lung metastatic burden. Furthermore, exosomal Kras inhibition downregulated transcription factor BACH2/GATA-3 expression in lung tumor tissues by shifting pyruvate/PKM2 dependent metabolism, contributing to a tumor-restraining status. Further co-treatment with carboplatin triggered RIP3/TNFa dependent necroptosis in ex vivo cells accompanied by differential expression of immunosuppressive miR-146/miR-210 regulators in metastatic lung cancer patients. Overall, these findings demonstrate the multifaceted roles of Kras-derived exosomes in sustaining lung immunosuppressive metastasis and provide new opportunities for effective metastasis inhibition, especially in chemoresistant tumors.

© 2019 The field of cartilage tissue engineering has been evolved in the last decade and a myriad of scaffolding biomaterials and bioactive agents have been proposed. Controlled release of growth factors encapsulated in the polymeric nanomaterials has been of interest notably for the repair of damaged articular cartilage. Here, we proposed an on-chip hydrodynamic flow focusing microfluidic approach for synthesis of alginate nanogels loaded with the transforming growth factor beta 3 (TGF-β3) through an ionic gelation method in order to achieve precise release profile of these bioactive agents during chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Alginate nanogels with adjustable sizes were synthesized by fine-tuning the flow rate ratio (FRR) in the microfluidic device consisting of cross-junction microchannels. The result of present study showed that the proposed approach can be a promising tool to synthesize bioactive -loaded polymeric nanogels for applications in drug delivery and tissue engineering.

© 2019 The Royal College of Radiologists AIM: To report prostate cancer (PCa) prevalence in Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS v2) categories and investigate the potential to avoid unnecessary, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided in-bore biopsies by adding clinical and biochemical patient characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present institutional review board-approved, prospective study on 137 consecutive men with 178 suspicious lesions on 3 T MRI was performed. Routine data collected for each patient included patient characteristics (age, prostate volume), clinical background information (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] levels, PSA density), and PI-RADS v2 scores assigned in a double-reading approach. RESULTS: Histopathological evaluation revealed a total of 93/178 PCa (52.2%). The mean age was 66.3 years and PSA density was 0.24 ng/ml2 (range, 0.04–0.89 ng/ml). Clinically significant PCa (csPCa, Gleason score >6) was confirmed in 50/93 (53.8%) lesions and was significantly associated with higher PI-RADS v2 scores (p=0.0044). On logistic regression analyses, age, PSA density, and PI-RADS v2 scores contributed independently to the diagnosis of csPCa (p=7.9×10−7, p=0.097, and p=0.024, respectively). The resulting area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) to predict csPCa was 0.76 for PI-RADS v2, 0.59 for age, and 0.67 for PSA density. The combined regression model yielded an AUC of 0.84 for the diagnosis of csPCa and was significantly superior to each single parameter (p≤0.0009, respectively). Unnecessary biopsies could have been avoided in 50% (64/128) while only 4% (2/50) of csPCa lesions would have been missed. CONCLUSIONS: Adding age and PSA density to PI-RADS v2 scores improves the diagnostic accuracy for csPCa. A combination of these variables with PI-RADS v2 can help to avoid unnecessary in-bore biopsies while still detecting the majority of csPCa.

© 2019 High fidelity and effective adaptive changes of the cell and tissue metabolism to changing environments require strict coordination of numerous biological processes. Multicellular organisms developed sophisticated signaling systems of monitoring and responding to these different contexts. Among these systems, oxygenated lipids play a significant role realized via a variety of re-programming mechanisms. Some of them are enacted as a part of pro-survival pathways that eliminate harmful or unnecessary molecules or organelles by a variety of degradation/hydrolytic reactions or specialized autophageal processes. When these “partial” intracellular measures are insufficient, the programs of cells death are triggered with the aim to remove irreparably damaged members of the multicellular community. These regulated cell death mechanisms are believed to heavily rely on signaling by a highly diversified group of molecules, oxygenated phospholipids (PLox). Out of thousands of detectable individual PLox species, redox phospholipidomics deciphered several specific molecules that seem to be diagnostic of specialized death programs. Oxygenated cardiolipins (CLs) and phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs) have been identified as predictive biomarkers of apoptosis and ferroptosis, respectively. This has led to decoding of the enzymatic mechanisms of their formation involving mitochondrial oxidation of CLs by cytochrome c and endoplasmic reticulum-associated oxidation of PE by lipoxygenases. Understanding of the specific biochemical radical-mediated mechanisms of these oxidative reactions opens new avenues for the design and search of highly specific regulators of cell death programs. This review emphasizes the usefulness of such selective lipid peroxidation mechanisms in contrast to the concept of random poorly controlled free radical reactions as instruments of non-specific damage of cells and their membranes. Detailed analysis of two specific examples of phospholipid oxidative signaling in apoptosis and ferroptosis along with their molecular mechanisms and roles in reprogramming has been presented.

© 2019 The Author(s) The phloem sieve elements (SEs), enucleate cells, contain RNAs, which are imported from surrounding tissues and cells, mostly companion cells tightly associated with SEs, and transported via the phloem over the whole plant body. The RNA phloem transport is essential for plant individual development and responses to environmental cues. Recently, we identified primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) sequences in de novo assembled transcriptome of Cucurbita maxima phloem sap and reported 11 most abundant pri-miRNAs [1]. Here, we provide the output of this analysis in complete detail. For the full set of pri-miRNAs identified in the C. maxima phloem sap transcriptome, data on relative abundance are provided along with annotated sequence data.

© 2019 Stem cells and the niche in which they reside feature a complex microenvironment with tightly regulated homeostasis, cell-cell interactions and dynamic regulation of metabolism. A significant number of organoid models has been described over the last decade, yet few methodologies can enable single cell level resolution analysis of the stem cell niche metabolic demands, in real-time and without perturbing integrity. Here, we studied the redox metabolism of Lgr5-GFP intestinal organoids by two emerging microscopy approaches based on luminescence lifetime measurement – fluorescence-based FLIM for NAD(P)H, and phosphorescence-based PLIM for real-time oxygenation. We found that exposure of stem (Lgr5-GFP) and differentiated (no GFP) cells to high and low glucose concentrations resulted in measurable shifts in oxygenation and redox status. NAD(P)H-FLIM and O2-PLIM both indicated that at high ‘basal’ glucose conditions, Lgr5-GFP cells had lower activity of oxidative phosphorylation when compared with cells lacking Lgr5. However, when exposed to low (0.5 mM) glucose, stem cells utilized oxidative metabolism more dynamically than non-stem cells. The high heterogeneity of complex 3D architecture and energy production pathways of Lgr5-GFP organoids were also confirmed by the extracellular flux (XF) analysis. Our data reveals that combined analysis of NAD(P)H-FLIM and organoid oxygenation by PLIM represents promising approach for studying stem cell niche metabolism in a live readout.

© 2019 Elsevier B.V. A high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) method combined with effect-directed-analysis (EDA) was developed to screen the antioxidant, neuroprotective and antidiabetic effects in essential oils derived from lavender flower, lemon myrtle, oregano, peppermint, sage, and rosemary leaves (Lamiaceae family). HPTLC hyphenated with microchemical (DPPH•, p-anisaldehyde, and ferric chloride) derivatizations, was used to evaluate antioxidant activity, presence of phytosterols and terpenoids, and polyphenolic content, while the combination with biochemical (α-amylase and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) enzymatic) derivatizations was used to asses α-amylase and AChE inhibitory activities. The superior antioxidant activity of oregano leaf extract is attributed to the presence of high levels of aromatic compounds, like polyphenolic acids. The strongest α-amylase inhibition was observed in lemon myrtle and rosemary plus extracts due to the presence of monoterpenes. Rosemary and sage extracts exhibit the highest AChE inhibition activity, with 1 μL essential oils being more potent than the recommended daily dose of donepezil. This superior neuroprotection was attributed to the presences of di- and triterpenes that displayed strong AChE inhibition and antioxidant potential in DPPH• free radical assay. Antioxidant activity was related to phenolic content (R = 0.49), while α-amylase inhibitory activity was positively related to antioxidant activity (R = 0.20) and terpenoid/sterol content (R = 0.31). AChE inhibitory activity was correlated (R = 0.80) to the combined effect of phenolics and terpenoids. Thus, the superior AChE inhibitory and neuroprotection potential of rosemary and sage essential oils could be attributed to joint effects of main phenolic and terpene constituents. The hyphenated HPTLC method provided rapid bioanalytical profiling of highly complex essential oil samples.

Eukaryotic cells can harbour mitochondria with markedly different transmembrane potentials. Intracellular mitochondrial quality-control mechanisms (e.g. mitophagy) rely on this intracellular variation to distinguish functional and damaged (depolarized) mitochondria. Given that intracellular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation can induce mitochondrial heterogeneity, mitophagy could remove deleterious mtDNA variants in cells. However, the reliance of mitophagy on the mitochondrial transmembrane potential suggests that mtDNAs with deleterious mutations in ATP synthase can evade the control. This evasion is possible because inhibition of ATP synthase can increase the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Moreover, the linkage of the mtDNA genotype to individual mitochondrial performance is expected to be weak owing to intracellular mitochondrial intercomplementation. Nonetheless, I reason that intracellular mtDNA quality control is possible and crucial at the zygote stage of the life cycle. Indeed, species with biparental mtDNA inheritance or frequent 'leakage' of paternal mtDNA can be vulnerable to invasion of selfish mtDNAs at the stage of gamete fusion. Here, I critically review recent findings on intracellular mtDNA quality control by mitophagy and discuss other mechanisms by which the nuclear genome can affect the competition of mtDNA variants in the cell. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking the mitochondrial genotype to phenotype: a complex endeavour'.

Eukaryotic cells can harbour mitochondria with markedly different transmembrane potentials. Intracellular mitochondrial quality-control mechanisms (e.g. mitophagy) rely on this intracellular variation to distinguish functional and damaged (depolarized) mitochondria. Given that intracellular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation can induce mitochondrial heterogeneity, mitophagy could remove deleterious mtDNA variants in cells. However, the reliance of mitophagy on the mitochondrial transmembrane potential suggests that mtDNAs with deleterious mutations in ATP synthase can evade the control. This evasion is possible because inhibition of ATP synthase can increase the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Moreover, the linkage of the mtDNA genotype to individual mitochondrial performance is expected to be weak owing to intracellular mitochondrial intercomplementation. Nonetheless, I reason that intracellular mtDNA quality control is possible and crucial at the zygote stage of the life cycle. Indeed, species with biparental mtDNA inheritance or frequent 'leakage' of paternal mtDNA can be vulnerable to invasion of selfish mtDNAs at the stage of gamete fusion. Here, I critically review recent findings on intracellular mtDNA quality control by mitophagy and discuss other mechanisms by which the nuclear genome can affect the competition of mtDNA variants in the cell. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking the mitochondrial genotype to phenotype: a complex endeavour'.

Eukaryotic cells can harbour mitochondria with markedly different transmembrane potentials. Intracellular mitochondrial quality-control mechanisms (e.g. mitophagy) rely on this intracellular variation to distinguish functional and damaged (depolarized) mitochondria. Given that intracellular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation can induce mitochondrial heterogeneity, mitophagy could remove deleterious mtDNA variants in cells. However, the reliance of mitophagy on the mitochondrial transmembrane potential suggests that mtDNAs with deleterious mutations in ATP synthase can evade the control. This evasion is possible because inhibition of ATP synthase can increase the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Moreover, the linkage of the mtDNA genotype to individual mitochondrial performance is expected to be weak owing to intracellular mitochondrial intercomplementation. Nonetheless, I reason that intracellular mtDNA quality control is possible and crucial at the zygote stage of the life cycle. Indeed, species with biparental mtDNA inheritance or frequent 'leakage' of paternal mtDNA can be vulnerable to invasion of selfish mtDNAs at the stage of gamete fusion. Here, I critically review recent findings on intracellular mtDNA quality control by mitophagy and discuss other mechanisms by which the nuclear genome can affect the competition of mtDNA variants in the cell. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking the mitochondrial genotype to phenotype: a complex endeavour'.

Eukaryotic cells can harbour mitochondria with markedly different transmembrane potentials. Intracellular mitochondrial quality-control mechanisms (e.g. mitophagy) rely on this intracellular variation to distinguish functional and damaged (depolarized) mitochondria. Given that intracellular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genetic variation can induce mitochondrial heterogeneity, mitophagy could remove deleterious mtDNA variants in cells. However, the reliance of mitophagy on the mitochondrial transmembrane potential suggests that mtDNAs with deleterious mutations in ATP synthase can evade the control. This evasion is possible because inhibition of ATP synthase can increase the mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Moreover, the linkage of the mtDNA genotype to individual mitochondrial performance is expected to be weak owing to intracellular mitochondrial intercomplementation. Nonetheless, I reason that intracellular mtDNA quality control is possible and crucial at the zygote stage of the life cycle. Indeed, species with biparental mtDNA inheritance or frequent 'leakage' of paternal mtDNA can be vulnerable to invasion of selfish mtDNAs at the stage of gamete fusion. Here, I critically review recent findings on intracellular mtDNA quality control by mitophagy and discuss other mechanisms by which the nuclear genome can affect the competition of mtDNA variants in the cell. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking the mitochondrial genotype to phenotype: a complex endeavour'.

© 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Control over biomaterials surface characteristics through surface modification or deposition of coatings is one of the key aspects of tissue engineering. This work was aimed to evaluate an effectiveness of various methods of chitosan-coating formations onto polylactide films using a number of techniques, such as vacuum deposition by electron-beam sputtering, chemical entrapment method, and electrospray procedure. Differently coated films were studied in terms of surface morphology (scanning electron and atomic-force microscopy), chemical structure (FTIR and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance (goniometry). The effect of coating technique on homogeneity of chitosan distribution over the substrate surface was evaluated using genipin and fluorescein isothiocyanate labeling as well as FTIR-microscopy. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48287.

© 2019 Aims: The high sugar and lipid content of the Western diet (WD) is associated with metabolic dysfunction, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and it is an established risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders. Our previous studies reported negative effects of the WD on rodent emotionality, impulsivity, and sociability in adulthood. Here, we investigated the effect of the WD on motor coordination, novelty recognition, and affective behavior in mice as well as molecular and cellular endpoints in brain and peripheral tissues. Main methods: Female C57BL/6 J mice were fed the WD for three weeks and were investigated for glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, liver steatosis, and changes in motor coordination, object recognition, and despair behavior in the swim test. Lipids and liver injury markers, including aspartate-transaminase, alanine-transaminase and urea were measured in blood. Serotonin transporter (SERT) expression, the density of Iba1-positive cells and concentration of malondialdehyde were measured in brain. Key findings: WD-fed mice exhibited impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, a loss of motor coordination, deficits in novel object exploration and recognition, increased helplessness, dyslipidemia, as well as signs of a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-like syndrome: liver steatosis and increased liver injury markers. Importantly, these changes were accompanied by decreased SERT expression, elevated numbers of microglia cells and malondialdehyde levels in, and restricted to, the prefrontal cortex. Significance: The WD induces a spectrum of behaviors that are more reminiscent of ADHD and ASD than previously recognized and suggests that, in addition to the impairment of impulsivity and sociability, the consumption of a WD might be expected to exacerbate motor dysfunction that is also known to be associated with adult ADHD and ASD.

© 2019 Aims: The high sugar and lipid content of the Western diet (WD) is associated with metabolic dysfunction, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, and it is an established risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders. Our previous studies reported negative effects of the WD on rodent emotionality, impulsivity, and sociability in adulthood. Here, we investigated the effect of the WD on motor coordination, novelty recognition, and affective behavior in mice as well as molecular and cellular endpoints in brain and peripheral tissues. Main methods: Female C57BL/6 J mice were fed the WD for three weeks and were investigated for glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, liver steatosis, and changes in motor coordination, object recognition, and despair behavior in the swim test. Lipids and liver injury markers, including aspartate-transaminase, alanine-transaminase and urea were measured in blood. Serotonin transporter (SERT) expression, the density of Iba1-positive cells and concentration of malondialdehyde were measured in brain. Key findings: WD-fed mice exhibited impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, a loss of motor coordination, deficits in novel object exploration and recognition, increased helplessness, dyslipidemia, as well as signs of a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-like syndrome: liver steatosis and increased liver injury markers. Importantly, these changes were accompanied by decreased SERT expression, elevated numbers of microglia cells and malondialdehyde levels in, and restricted to, the prefrontal cortex. Significance: The WD induces a spectrum of behaviors that are more reminiscent of ADHD and ASD than previously recognized and suggests that, in addition to the impairment of impulsivity and sociability, the consumption of a WD might be expected to exacerbate motor dysfunction that is also known to be associated with adult ADHD and ASD.

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd The aim of the study was to investigate the content and distribution of fucosylated sugar residues and Lewis Y (LeY) in the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC) in placental tissue at early and late onset fetal growth restriction (FGR). Our findings demonstrated that the changes of the fucosylated glycans of type 2 (H2)/LeY in the vascular endothelium of the villi may reflect alteration of villi maturation, or adaptation to hypoxia through the change of cell proliferation potential and induction angiogenesis. Early onset FGR differs from late onset FGR by a markedly increased LeY expression, being associated with more severe pathological state.