High Cell Concentrations Research Articles

Cost-efficient cell clarification using an intensified fluidized bed centrifugation platform approach.

The intensification of industrial biopharmaceutical production and the integration of process steps pave the way for patients to access affordable treatments. The predominantly batchwise biomanufacturing of established cell clarification technologies, stainless steel disc stack centrifugation (DSC) and single-use (SU) depth filtration (DF), pose technological and economical bottlenecks, that include low biomass loading capacities and low product recoveries. Therefore, a novel SU-based clarification platform was developed combining fluidized bed centrifugation (FBC) with integrated filtration. The feasibility of this approach was investigated for high cell concentration with more than 100E6 cells/mL. Furthermore, scalability to 200 L bioreactor scale was tested for moderate cell concentrations. In both trials, low harvest turbidities (4 NTU) and superior antibody recoveries (95%) were achieved. The impact on the overall economics of industrial SU biomanufacturing using an up-scaled FBC approach was compared with DSC and DF technologies for different process parameters. As a result, the FBC showed to be the most cost-effective alternative for annual mAb production below 500 kg. In addition, the FBC clarification of increasing cell concentrations was found to have minimal impact on overall process costs, in contrast to established technologies, demonstrating that the FBC approach is particularly suitable for intensified processes.

#4983 THE UNEXPECTABLE BALANCE OF PROINFLAMMATORY CELLS IN PERITONEAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS

Abstract Background and Aims Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex and heterogeneous disease and is increasingly becoming a global public health concern. It is is characterized by a persistent inflammation state which appear to be caused by cytokines, grown factors and hormones. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) accounts for 9% of all kidney replacement therapy (KRT) and over time, some changes are expected to occur in the peritoneal membrane mainly due to exposure to PD solutions, infectious processes and non-infectious complications. This inflammatory process is poorly understood and needs further clarification, but Th17 cells and Th1 cells seem to be involved. Therefore, we aimed to quantify the frequency of peripheral immune cells and the concentration of IL-17A in peripheral blood (PB) and peritoneal effluent (PE) and compare to a healthy control group. Method In a cross-sectional study of 26 PD patients and 10 healthy, age and sex-matched controls we evaluated PB and PE frequencies of T lymphocytes, T CD4, T CD8 and Th1 cells by flow cytometry as well as IL-17 concentrations using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Comparisons were performed between PD patients and controls and between the different groups of PD patients according to PD modality, number of exchanges, dialysate tonicity, extraneal use, infusion and daily total volumes, type of peritoneal transport and volume indexes. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS statistics version 26. Results Table 1 summarizes the main characteristics of PD patients and controls. Overall, in comparison with the control group, the frequency of Th1 cells in PB of PD patients was significantly lower (P = 0.001). On the other hand, frequency of Th1 cells substantially expanded in the PE, as compared to the PB (P = 0.001). PD patients also presented lower Th17 cells frequencies (P = 0.061) and those prescribed Extraneal had the lowest frequencies of Th17 (P = 0.030). IL-17A concentration was significantly higher in PE vs PB of PD patients (P = 0.012). Finally, the frequency of total lymphocytes in high PD transporters was significantly higher in comparison with high-average transporters (P = 0.021). Conclusion In our cohort, PE presented high concentrations of proinflammatory cells and cytokines. Th1 cells rather than Th17 cells were increased, pointing to a predominant cytolytic activity but IL-17 was also increased. Treatment with Extraneal associated with a lower frequency of these cells, somehow counterbalancing the inflammatory millieu associated with high glucose concentrations.

A New Cell Line Derived from the Caudal Fin of the Dwarf Gourami (Trichogaster lalius) and Its Susceptibility to Fish Viruses.

The detection of megalocytiviruses, especially the infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), in ornamental fish has increased with the rapid growth of the ornamental fish industry. In this study, dwarf gourami fin (DGF) cells derived from the caudal fin of the dwarf gourami (Trichogaster lalius), which is highly susceptible to red sea bream iridovirus (RSIV) and ISKNV, were established and characterized. The DGF cells were grown at temperatures ranging from 25 °C to 30 °C in Leibovitz's L-15 medium supplemented with 15% fetal bovine serum and were subcultured for more than 100 passages, predominantly with epithelial-like cells. DGF cells had a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 44. Although the initial purpose of this study was to establish a cell line for the causative agents of red sea bream iridoviral disease (RSIV and ISKNV), DGF cells were also susceptible to rhabdoviruses (viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, hirame rhabdovirus, and spring viraemia of carp virus), exhibiting a significant cytopathic effect characterized by cell rounding and lysis. Additionally, viral replication and virion morphology were confirmed using virus-specific conventional polymerase chain reaction and transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, both RSIV and ISKNV were replicated at high concentrations in DGF cells compared to other cell lines. Notably, the DGF cells maintained a monolayer during ISKNV infection, indicating the possibility of persistent infection. Thus, DGF can be used for viral diagnosis and may play a critical role in advancing our understanding of ISKNV pathogenesis.

Unlocking environmental contamination of animal tuberculosis hotspots with viable mycobacteria at the intersection of flow cytometry, PCR, and ecological modelling

Mycobacterium bovis, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC), circulates in multi-host mammal communities. While interactions between different host species are mainly indirect, current knowledge postulates interspecific transmission is favored by animal contact with natural substrates contaminated with droplets and fluids from infected animals. However, methodological constraints have severely hampered monitoring of MTBC outside its hosts and the subsequent validation of this hypothesis.In this work, we aimed to evaluate the extent to which environmental contamination with M. bovis occurs in an endemic animal TB setting, taking advantage of a new real-time monitoring tool we recently developed to quantify the proportion of viable and dormant MTBC cell fractions in environmental matrices. Sixty-five natural substrates were collected nearby the International Tagus Natural Park region, in the epidemiological TB risk area in Portugal. These included sediments, sludge, water, and food deployed at unfenced feeding stations. The tripartite workflow included detection, quantification, and sorting of different M. bovis cell populations: total, viable, and dormant. Real-time PCR targeting IS6110 to detect MTBC DNA was performed in parallel. The majority of samples (54 %) contained metabolically active or dormant MTBC cells. Sludge samples had a higher burden of total MTBC cells and a high concentration of viable cells (2.3 × 104 cells/g). Ecological modelling informed by climate, land use, livestock and human disturbance data suggested eucalyptus forest and pasture cover as potential major factors affecting the occurrence of viable MTBC cells in natural matrices.Our study demonstrates, for the first time, the widespread environmental contamination of animal TB hotspots with viable MTBC bacteria and with dormant MTBC cells that are able to recover metabolic activity. Further, we show that viable MTBC cell load in natural substrates is superior to the estimated minimum infective dose, providing real-time insights into the potential magnitude of environmental contamination for indirect TB transmission.

Regulatory Effect of Inflammatory Mediators in Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is a major contributor to back, neck, and radicular pain. It is related to changes in tissue structure and function, including the breakdown of the extracellular matrix (ECM), aging, apoptosis of the nucleus pulposus, and biomechanical tissue impairment. Recently, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that inflammatory mediators play a crucial role in IDD, and they are being explored as potential treatment targets for IDD and associated disorders. For example, interleukins (IL), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), chemokines, and inflammasomes have all been linked to the pathophysiology of IDD. These inflammatory mediators are found in high concentrations in intervertebral disc (IVD) tissues and cells and are associated with the severity of LBP and IDD. It is feasible to reduce the production of these proinflammatory mediators and develop a novel therapy for IDD, which will be a hotspot of future research. In this review, the effects of inflammatory mediators in IDD were described.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp: A series of 29 cases and a systematic review of the literature

An inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) of the gastrointestinal tract is a localized, benign mesenchymal lesion consisting of spindle-shaped stromal cells, eosinophilic granulocytes, and some lymphocytes and plasma cells. The discovery of a frequent mutation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor A (PDGFRA) gene was the first hint of a gene-regulating process in IFPs. The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction of inflammatory processes and the role of mutation and expression of the PDGFRA gene in the development of IFPs for the first time. We used immunohistochemistry to analyze the composition of inflammatory cells and next generation sequencing (NGS) to provide a broad overview of gene mutations.We report on 29 cases of IFP. The mean age, gender differences, and localization were compatible with the literature. Spindle cell histomorphology was present in 79% of cases showing a typical onion skin-like perivascular arrangement and significantly high CD34 positivity (p = 0.002, Fisher’s exact test). Eosinophilic granulocytes were present in an average density of 60 ± 49/high power field (HPF) (range: 15–200), and there was a significantly higher rate of IFPs larger than 2 cm in size (p = 0.018, Wilcoxon test). All but one cases could be analyzed by NGS. Mutations were observed in 17 cases (60.7%), including 13 (46.4%) mutations in the PDGFRA gene. Among the gastric lesions, mutations were found in exon 18 of the PDGFRA gene with amino acid exchange (Asp842Val) for eight out of 10 cases and in exon 12 in two cases. All three cases in the small intestine revealed mutation of the PDGFRA gene in exon 12. We found no PDGFRA mutation in our colonic cases. PDGFRA expression was significantly correlated with mutations of the same gene (p = 0.005, Fisher’s exact test) and especially with mutations in exon 12 of the same gene (p < 0.001, Fisher’s exact test). Interestingly, three of our cases (10.3%) without mutation or expression of the PDGFRA gene revealed an unusually high concentration of IgG-positive plasma cells (average: 140 ± 26/HPF, range: 110–160) and IgG4-positive plasma cells (average: 87 ± 21/HPF, range: 60–100). For comparison, an IgG4/IgG ratio of more than 0.4 is commonly observed in IgG4-related diseases. Our molecular results were in accordance with 113 genetically analyzed cases published to date. There was a correlation between the IFP site and mutation variants of the PDGFRA gene. IFPs were localized in the stomach in 49.1% of cases, in the small intestine in 47.3%, and in the colon in 3.6%. Exon 12 of the PDGFRA gene was mutated in 41.1% of cases and primarily occurred in the small intestine (82.6%). Exon 18 was mutated in 22.3% of cases and primarily occurred in the stomach (80.0%). The mutated codon interval 566–571 in exon 12 and codon 842 in exon 18 were compatible, as observed in a gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Conclusively, the correlation between mutation and expression of the PDGFRA gene points to different pathways in IFPs. Additionally, our data hint at a morphological but not genetic overlap between IFPs and IgG4-related pseudotumors.

Flow length-dependent evaluation of separation and concentration functions of microfluidic chips for allergy testing using pseudo-cells

In this study, we investigate the channel length dependence of the cell separation and concentration functions of microfluidic chips using pseudo-cells as a preliminary experiment before the real cells. It is necessary to separate necessary cells from a small sample and measure high concentrations of cells in medical applications. To realize this with microfluidic chips, it is necessary to equip the microfluidic channels with cell separation and cell concentration functions and to optimize their performance. We first conducted experiments to evaluate the transport and separation rates of pseudo-cells (latex particles) on a microfluidic chip and compared them with data from real cells. We then assessed the channel length dependence of cell separation and concentration functions. The experimental results demonstrated the possibility of performing separation and transport experiments using pseudo-cells. Additionally, there was no significant dependence of cell separation rate on the channel length for channels longer than 15.5 mm.

Enhancement of the activity of the antimicrobial peptides HNP1 and LL-37 by bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A.

Background: HNP1, LL-37, and HBD1 are antimicrobial against Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 at the standard inoculum but less active at higher inocula. Methods: The virtual colony count (VCC) microbiological assay was adapted for high inocula and the addition of yeast tRNA and bovine pancreatic ribonuclease A (RNase). 96-well plates were read for 12 hours in a Tecan Infinite M1000 plate reader and photographed under 10x magnification. Results: Adding tRNA 1:1 wt/wt to HNP1 at the standard inoculum almost completely abrogated activity. Adding RNase 1:1 to HNP1 at the standard inoculum of 5x10 5 CFU/mL did not enhance activity. Increasing the inoculum to 6.25x10 7 CFU/mL almost abrogated HNP1 activity. However, adding RNase 25:1 to HNP1 enhanced activity at the highest tested concentration of HNP1. Adding both tRNA and RNase resulted in enhanced activity, indicating that the enhancement effect of RNase overwhelms the inhibiting effect of tRNA when both are present. HBD1 activity at the standard inoculum was almost completely abrogated by the addition of tRNA, but LL-37 activity was only slightly inhibited by tRNA. At the high inoculum, LL-37 activity was enhanced by RNase. HBD1 activity was not enhanced by RNase. RNase was not antimicrobial in the absence of antimicrobial peptides. Cell clumps were observed at the high inoculum in the presence of all three antimicrobial peptides and at the standard inoculum in the presence of HNP1+tRNA and HBD1+tRNA. Conclusions: Antimicrobial peptide-ribonuclease combinations have the potential to be active against high cell concentrations, conditions where the antimicrobial agent alone is relatively ineffective.

Methylene blue chromoendoscopy is more useful in detection of intestinal metaplasia in the stomach than mucosal pit pattern or vessel evaluation and predicts advanced Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia stages

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) of the stomach is a precancerous condition that is often not visible during conventional endoscopy. Hence, we evaluated the utility of magnification endoscopy and methylene blue (MB) chromoendoscopy to detect IM. We estimated the percentage of gastric mucosa surface staining with MB, mucosal pit pattern, and vessel visibility and correlated it with the presence of IM and the percentage of metaplastic cells in histology, similar to the Operative Link on Gastric Intestinal Metaplasia (OLGIM) stage. IM was found in 25 of 33 (75.8%) patients and in 61 of 135 biopsies (45.2%). IM correlated with positive MB staining (p<0.001) and other than dot pit patterns (p=0.015). MB staining indicated IM with better accuracy than the pit pattern or vessel evaluation (71.7% vs. 60.5% and 49.6%, respectively). At a cut-off point of 16.5% for the MB-stained gastric surface, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of chromoendoscopy in the detection of advanced OLGIM stages were 88.9%, 91.7%, and 90.9%, respectively. The percentage of metaplastic cells detected on histology was the strongest predictor of positive MB staining. MB chromoendoscopy can serve as a screening method for detecting advanced OLGIM stages. MB mainly stains IM areas with a high concentration of metaplastic cells.

Gas Holdup and Flow Regimes in a Thin‐Gap Bubble Column with Newtonian and Non‐Newtonian Liquid Phase

AbstractThe influence of confinement and rheological properties of the liquid phase on the gas holdup and flow regimes in a 2 mm gap bubble column intended as an intensified photobioreactor at high cell concentration is investigated. The results indicate that at a given superficial gas velocity (UGsup), the gas holdup is higher with viscous or non‐Newtonian (nN) fluids than in water and also in a thin‐gap column than in an unconfined one. This behavior increases when confinement ratio increases. Regime transitions occur at lower UGsup for nN fluids compared to water and for a thin‐gap column compared to classical columns. This information constitutes a first step toward the identification of optimal operating conditions for efficient operation of microalgae culture.

Ferumoxytol: Another Exciting Addition to the Growing Field of Bone Marrow Imaging.

Ferumoxytol: Another Exciting Addition to the Growing Field of Bone Marrow Imaging.

Double-Reinforced Fish Gelatin Composite Scaffolds for Osteochondral Substitutes

Genipin crosslinked composite blends of fish gelatin/kappa-carrageenan (fG/κC) with different concentrations of graphene oxide (GO) for osteochondral substitutes were prepared by a simple solution-blending method. The resulting structures were examined by micro-computer tomography, swelling studies, enzymatic degradations, compressions tests, MTT, LDH, and LIVE/DEAD assays. The derived findings revealed that genipin crosslinked fG/κC blends reinforced with GO have a homogenous morphology with ideal pore dimensions of 200-500 µm for bones alternative. GO additivation with a concentration above 1.25% increased the blends' fluid absorption. The full degradation of the blends occurs in 10 days and the gel fraction stability increases with GO concentration. The blend compression modules decrease at first until fG/κC GO3, which has the least elastic behavior, then by raising the GO concentration the blends start to regain elasticity. The MC3T3-E1 cell viability reveals less viable cells with the increase of GO concentration. The LDH together with the LIVE/DEAD assays reports a high concentration of live and healthy cells in all types of composite blends and very few dead cells at the higher GO content.

Single-Cell Suspension Preparation from Nile Tilapia Intestine for Single-Cell Sequencing.

Nile tilapia is one of the most commonly cultured freshwater fish species worldwide and is a widely used research model for aquaculture fish studies. The preparation of high-quality single-cell suspensions is essential for single-cell level studies such as single-cell RNA or genome sequencing. However, there is no ready-to-use protocol for aquaculture fish species, particularly for the intestine of tilapia. The effective dissociation enzymes vary depending on the tissue type. Therefore, optimizing the tissue dissociation protocol by selecting the appropriate enzyme or enzyme combination to obtain enough viable cells with minimum damage is essential. This study illustrates an optimized protocol to prepare a high-quality single-cell suspension from Nile tilapia intestine with an enzyme combination of collagenase/dispase. This combination is highly effective for dissociation with the utilization of bovine serum albumin and DNase to reduce cell aggregation after digestion. The cell output satisfies the requirements for single-cell sequencing, with 90% cell viability and a high cell concentration. This protocol can also be modified to prepare a single-cell suspension from the intestines of other fish species. This research provides an efficient reference protocol and reduces the need for additional trials in the preparation of single-cell suspensions for aquaculture fish species.

Synthesis and Characterization of Gd-Functionalized B4C Nanoparticles for BNCT Applications

Inorganic nanoparticles of boron-rich compounds represent an attractive alternative to boron-containing molecules, such as boronophenylalanine or boranes, for BNCT applications. This work describes the synthesis and biological activity of multifunctional boron carbide nanoparticles stabilized with polyacrylic acid (PAA) and a gadolinium (Gd)-rich solid phase. A fluorophore (DiI) was included in the PAA functionalization, allowing the confocal microscopy imaging of the nanoparticles. Analysis of the interaction and activity of these fluorescent Gd-containing B4C nanoparticles (FGdBNPs) with cultured cells was appraised using an innovative correlative microscopy approach combining intracellular neutron autoradiography, confocal, and SEM imaging. This new approach allows visualizing the cells, the FGdBNP, and the events deriving from the nuclear process in the same image. Quantification of 10B by neutron autoradiography in cells treated with FGdBNPs confirmed a significant accumulation of NPs with low levels of cellular toxicity. These results suggest that these NPs might represent a valuable tool for achieving a high boron concentration in tumoral cells.

Chronic inflammation on gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

The impact of inflammatory response on the biological characteristics of GMSCs has been the subject of studies, with conflicting findings. In order to more fully understand the effects of the localized inflammatory environment, the current study assessed the intensity and differentiating capacity of GMSCs derived from healthy periodontal tissues (H-GMSC) and GMSC derived from inflamed periodontal tissues (I-GMSC) tissues. Cells from every well were taken out and counted using a hemocytometer every three days for a total of 12 days. The findings of the cell proliferation assay, which involved quantifying the cells with the help of a hemocytometer at 0th day, 3rd day, 6th day, and 9th day, are shown. On day nine of culture, there was a considerable (P = 0.02) variation in the rate of multiplication between GMSCs from healthy gingival tissues and GMSCs from gingival tissues having inflammation. Additionally, I-GMSCs had a higher cell concentration on day twelve than that of H-GMSCs. However, there was no significant variance in PDT values comparing GMSCs from healthy gingival tissues and GMSCs from gingival tissues having inflammation (P > 0.05). The mean PDT findings of 66.7 h and 53.4 h have been documented for Healthy-GMSCs and Inflamed-GMSCs, respectively. In addition, compared to GMSCs from healthy gingival tissues, GMSCs from inflammatory tissues had decreased osteogenesis and increased adipogenic potential. To evaluate the efficacy of GMSCs derived from patients suffering periodontitis utilising human models for cell-based treatments, additional study is necessary.

Enhancing and stabilizing monoclonal antibody production by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with optimized perfusion culture strategies.

The perfusion medium is critical in maintaining high cell concentration in cultures for the production of monoclonal antibody by Chinese hamster ovary cells. In this study, the effects of perfusion culture strategies when using different media on the process stability, product titer, and product quality were investigated in 3-L bioreactor. The results indicated that continuous perfusion could maintain higher levels of cell density, product titer, and quality in comparison with those of the intermittent perfusion culture. Next, the perfusion culture conditions with different perfusion rates and temperature reduction methods were further optimized. When combining the high perfusion rates and delayed reduction of culture temperature at day 6, the product titer reached a higher level of 16.19g/L with the monomer relative abundant of 97.6%. In this case, the main peak of the product reached 56.3% and the total N-glycans ratio was 95.2%. To verify the effectiveness of the optimized perfusion culture in a larger scale, a 200-L bioreactor was used to perform and the final product titer reached the highest level of 16.79g/L at day 16. Meanwhile, the product quality (monomer abundant of 97.6%, main peak of 56.3%, and N-glycans ratio of 96.5%) could also be well maintained. This study provided some guidance for the high-efficient production of monoclonal antibody by CHO cells via optimized perfusion culture strategy.

Hydroxyethyl starch-folic acid conjugates stabilized theranostic nanoparticles for cancer therapy.

Small molecular prodrug-based nanomedicines with high drug-loading efficiency and tumor selectivity have attracted great attention for cancer therapy against solid tumors, including triple negative breast cancers (TNBC). However, abnormal tumor mechanical microenvironment (TMME) severely restricts antitumor efficacy of prodrug nanomedicines by limiting drug delivery and fostering cancer stem cells (CSCs). Herein, we employed carbamate disulfide bridged doxorubicin dimeric prodrug as pharmaceutical ingredient, marketed IR780 iodide as photothermal agent, and biocompatible hydroxyethyl starch-folic acid conjugates as amphiphilic surfactant to prepare a theranostic nanomedicine (FDINs), which could actively target at TNBC 4T1 tumor tissues and achieve reduction-responsive drug release with high glutathione concentration in cancer cells and CSCs. Importantly, in addition to directly causing damage to cancer cells and sensitizing chemotherapy, FDINs-mediated photothermal effect regulates aberrant TMME via reducing cancer associated fibroblasts and depleting extracellular matrix proteins, thereby normalizing intratumor vessel structure and function to facilitate drug and oxygen delivery. Furthermore, FDINs potently eliminate CSCs by disrupting unique CSCs niche and consuming intracellular GSH in CSCs. As a result, FDINs significantly suppress tumor growth in both subcutaneous and orthotopic 4T1 tumors. This study provides novel insights on rational design of prodrug nanomedicines for superior therapeutic effect against stroma- and CSCs-rich solid malignancies.

Cancer cells targeting H2O2-responsive MXene-integrated hyaluronic acid polymer dots coated sensor

We successfully developed a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive electrochemical sensor based on a substrate coated with cancer cell-targeted hyaluronic acid polymer dot-integrated ROS-degradable MXene particles [MXene-PD(HA)] for identifying cancer conditions in vitro. Exposure to high H2O2 concentration of cancer cells selectively controls the electroconductivity and photothermal conversion of the MXene-PD(HA) due to the involvement of oxidation reaction, changing MXene into TiO2. The resistance of the sensor increases with accumulation of H2O2, elevating the resistance from 225.4 ± 62.39 kΩ (0 mM) to 3418 ± 39.22 kΩ after treatment with 1 mM H2O2. In vitro treatment with CHO-K1 and HeLa cells adjusted the morphology of MXene-PD(HA)-coated surfaces and electrochemical sensing performance through the degradation of MXene by intracellular ROS. The sensor could differentiate normal and cancer cells by displaying an increase in resistance from 147.4 ± 16.00 kΩ (control) to 994.4 ± 152.6 kΩ (CHO-K1) and 2040 ± 460.1 kΩ (HeLa). Besides, the MXene-PD(HA) is uptaken after 1 h treatment for CHO-K1 cells and as early as 0.5 h for HeLa, displaying a rapid detection. In conclusion, the MXene-PD(HA) electrode exhibited the ability to distinguish between normal and cancer cells and showed promising potential for the detection of tumor microenvironment.

Analysis of RNFL and GCL in patients with multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia

AbstractPurpose: To evaluate the differences in RNFL and GCL between patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RR‐MS), fibromyalgia (FM) and healthy controls, as well as their correlation with disease time and severity.Methods: 94 eyes of RR‐MS patients, 55 eyes of FM patients and 90 eyes of healthy controls were evaluated using the Spectralis OCT Posterior Pole protocol (64‐cell array grid). The thicknesses of both layers were compared for each of the 64 cells between the three groups, the correlation of each layer with the time of the disease was studied, as well as with the EDSS in the case of RR‐MS and with the questionnaires FIQ and EQ‐5D in the case of FM.Results: We observed a significant thinning (p &lt; 0.05) of the GCL in both pathologies compared to healthy subjects, being the damage significantly greater in RR‐MS. Regarding the RNFL, a significant thinning was observed in the RR‐EM but not in the FM. On the other hand, GCL was correlated with the time of evolution in RR‐MS patients, but not in those with FM, and was significantly correlated with a greater impact of FM (FIQ and EQ‐5D), but not with the EDSS in the case of RR‐MS. In addition, it is in the GCL where a high concentration of cells (&gt;50%) which a greater ability to discriminate between healthy and pathological subjects (AUC &gt; 0.5) was found.Conclusions: The GCL damage in FM patients, similar to that in RR‐MS patients, suggests that there is an underlying neurodegenerative process in this pathology. In the absence of other biomarkers, OCT could be postulated as a potential biomarker in FM, since GCL shows significant thinning and correlates with the impact of this disease on quality of life.

Exposure to higher concentrations of exogenous ELABELA causes HTR-8/SVneo trophoblast cell dysfunction: A possible pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia.

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a multi-system disorder of pregnancy which constitute one of the leading causes of maternal and perinatal mortality worldwide. Dysfunction of trophoblast cells have been play an a significant role in the development and progression of PE. ELABELA (ELA), an endogenous apelin receptor (APJ) ligand, is a hormone secreted by the placenta into circulation, we previously identified ELA and its cognate apelin receptor (APJ) as proteins that are differentially expressed in the placentas of humans with PE. However, a fact known to few about the potential regulatory effects of ELA on the functions of trophoblast cells. In this study, our experiments showed that exogenous ELA did not effectively affect the proliferation and apoptosis of HTR-8/SVneo cells in higher concentrations but inhibited the invasion and migration capabilities. Studies have shown that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) event of trophoblast cells is abnormal through regulate the P13K/AKT pathway in PE. First we confirmed APJ expression in HTR-8/SVneo cells and ELA suppressed P13K/AKT signalling pathway-related factors (AKT, phospho (p)-AKT) phosphorylation in HTR-8/SVneo cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Next, we found that treatment with higher concentrations of ELA or the P13K inhibitor LY294002 significantly increased the expression of β-catenin which is the classical epithelial marker relative to the control group. Moreover, treatment with both LY294002 and ELA more strongly affected the β-catenin expression and the HTR8/SVneo cells invasion and migration. These results demonstrate that ELA inhibits trophoblast cell functions by altering the β-catenin expression get though the PI3K/AKT signalling pathway in PE. Thus, this result might provide a new therapeutic target for the treatment of PE.