Sham-operated Controls Research Articles

Evaluation of individual visual implant elastomer tag marking of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) larvae

Visual implant elastomer (VIE) marking was evaluated as a tool for individual tagging of larval Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica, during rearing conditions. Combinations of eight colors of VIE tag were used to individually mark leptocephalus larvae (104–110 days post hatched) by injecting them with either a mixture of a silicone color material and a curing agent, or only color material. Injections were at three locations on the dorso-lateral body surface for individual identification, and a sham-operated control group was also prepared. Tag retention was 100% with or without curing agent, and individuals could be tracked until larvae completely metamorphosed into glass eels. After some initial mortality, the survival and growth rates were not different between each treatment group. These results suggested that VIE tagging could provide good individual larva identification method for research during rearing conditions.

Moxibustion Promoted Axonal Regeneration and Improved Learning and Memory of Post-stroke Cognitive Impairment by Regulating PI3K/AKt and TACC3

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate whether moxibustion could affect PI3K/Akt pathway to regulate Transforming acidic coiled-coil containing protein 3 (TACC3) and promote axonal regeneration to improve learning and memory function in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats. MethodsSixty SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: sham-operated control group (SC), model control group (MC), model + moxibustion group (MM), and model + inhibitor + moxibustion group (MIM). The rats in MC, MM, and MIM groups were made into MCAO models, and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 was injected into the rats in MIM group before modeling; while the rats in SC group were only treated with artery separation without monofilament inserting. After that, the rats in MM and MIM groups were intervented with moxibustion. We used the Zea-Longa scale, micro-Magnetic Resonance Imaging (micro-MRI), Morris water maze (MWM), TUNEL, western blot (WB), immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry to evaluate the neurological deficits, cerebral infarct volume, learning and memory, apoptotic cell percentage in the hippocampal, the expression level of axonal regeneration and PI3K/AKt related proteins, the expression level of TACC3. The detection of 2 h after surgery showed the result before moxibustion and 7 days after the intervention showed the results after moxibustion. ResultsAfter 7 d of intervention, the scores of Zea-Longa and the cerebral infarct volume, the escape latency, the percentage of apoptosis cells of MM group were lower than that of MC and MIM groups; the frequency of rats crossed the previous platform location, PI3K, p-Akt/t-Akt and TACC3, the level of GAP-43 in MM group was more than MC and MIM groups (P < 0.05). While no statistical difference existed between MIM group and MC group (P > 0.05). ConclusionMoxibustion can promote axonal regeneration and improve learning and memory of Post-stroke cognitive impairment via activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and TACC3.

Regulatory role of BNP in the spinal center of rats with nonbacterial prostatitis.

A growing body of evidence has shown that activating spinal cord glial cells (typically astrocytes and microglial cells) is closely related to hyperpathia and persistent pain. To investigate the expression of GFAP and CR3/CD11b in cornu dorsale medullae spinalis of rats with nonbacterial prostatitis, to explore the therapeutic efficacy and action mechanism of intrathecal injection of BNP alleviating chronic neuropathic pain. Eighteen male SPF SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation control group, nonbacterial prostatitis group (NBP) and intrathecal injection BNP group, the NBP model was established by intraprostatic injection of CFA, and the spinal cord of L6-S1 segment was extracted seven days after intrathecal injection of BNP; The expression of GFAP and CR3/CD11b in dorsal horn of spinal cord were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. The cumulative optical density values of GFAP and CR3/CD11b immunofluorescence assay in the NBP group were higher than those in the sham operation group, with statistical significance (p⁢ï⁢¼⁢ 0.01); The expression of GFAP and CR3/CD11b in intrathecal injection BNP group were lower than those in NBP group, the differences were statistically significant (p⁢ï⁢¼⁢ 0.01). Western blot results showed that the expression of GFAP and CR3/CD11B in NBP group were higher than those in sham operation group, with statistical significance (p⁢ï⁢¼⁢ 0.05). The expression of GFAP and CR3/CD11B in intrathecal injection BNP group were lower than those in NBP group, the differences were statistically significant (p⁢ï⁢¼⁢ 0.05). Intrathecal injection of BNP can down-regulate the expressions of GFAP and CR3/CD11b in L6-S1 spinal cord of NBP rat model and to further inhibit chronic pain caused by NBP.

#1116 Hyperuricemia worsens bacterial sepsis by suppressing neutrophil functions in CKD

Abstract Background and Aims Patients with kidney disease, especially those on dialysis, are more susceptible to infections such as peritonitis, sepsis, pneumonia, and are at a higher risk for infection-related mortality. Pathogenic mechanisms underlying the secondary immunodeficiency in kidney disease include gut dysbiosis and barrier dysfunction, persistent inflammation, immune paralysis due to increased levels of immunoregulatory metabolites (e.g. uric acid) and proteins (e.g. FGF23) [1]. Currently, it is unknown whether CKD-related hyperuricemia may contribute to the immune paralysis in this context. We hypothesized that hyperuricemia (HU) may aggravate the innate immune response to infection in CKD in mice. Method Mono- and polybacterial sepsis was induced by LPS injection or cecal ligation and puncture in Alb-creERT2;Glut9lox/lox mice with HU and/or CKD, and in Glut9lox/lox (healthy) control mice. After 24 hours, systemic inflammation was evaluated by measuring serum cytokine levels, immune cell activation and recruitment, and neutrophil extracellular trap release. Tissue injury in liver, heart, and kidney was assessed by performing RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry. In addition, kidney function was determined by measuring the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Additionally, mice were treated with urate-lowering therapy to reduce serum uric acid levels and the immune response and functional outcomes after sepsis is quantified. Results We found that both mono- and polybacterial sepsis caused systemic inflammation as indicated by an increased number of blood neutrophils (see Figure), neutrophil activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels as compared to the PBS-treated or sham-operated control groups in Glut9lox/lox healthy mice, respectively. Mice with sepsis also displayed a slightly worsened kidney function. Interestingly, HU significantly increased neutrophil numbers but decreased their activation status and the ability of neutrophils to form neutrophil extracellular traps in Alb-creERT2;Glut9lox/lox mice with sepsis as compared to the control groups, which was further aggravated in mice with CKD-related HU (CKD+HU). This impaired inflammatory response was partially reversible by lowering serum uric acid with febuxostat. Conclusion Our results identify hyperuricemia related or unrelated to kidney disease as immune regulator in bacterial infection by suppressing neutrophil functions in mice. Specifically targeting uric acid may help to overcome the secondary immunodeficiency related to kidney disease during infection but enhances sterile inflammation [2].

#3023 Dietary protein intake modulates the tubular handling of the uremic retention solute indoxyl sulfate

Abstract Background and Aims Nutritional intervention constitutes a key part of the clinical management of individuals with chronic kidney disease (CKD). The gut emerged as an important source of uremic retention solutes, including indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate and TMAO among the others. Indoxyl sulfate (IS) is produced through the gut microbial fermentation of tryptophan into indole and its conversion into indoxyl sulfate in the liver. Previous authors hypothesised that higher amounts of gut microbial metabolites can be sensed by kidney's proximal tubule cells through the use of receptors and signaling pathways. Particular evidence points to the involvement of kidney Organic Anion Transporters’(OATs') in controlling the gut-kidney communication. According to the so-called remote sensing hypothesis, kidney tubular cells respond to uremic toxins plasma fluctuations altering the activity of OAT1. Few studies have investigated whether in CKD the protein content in the diet affects gut generation, plasma retention and excretion mechanisms of indolic uremic toxins including kidney cells OAT1 expression. Method Eighteen male Sprague-Dawley rats (Janvier, France) aged 7-8 weeks and weighing between 270 and 388 g were randomly assigned to a low protein (LP) diet (n = 10) or a high protein (HP) diet (n = 8) after undergoing a 5/6 nephrectomy to develop CKD. For each diet, a sham-operated control group (n = 7 and n = 8 correspondingly) was used. After 7 weeks, urine was collected, and 8 weeks after the disease was induced, euthanasia was performed. Samples of kidney and blood were taken. mRNA and protein expression of OAT1 were sought via qPCR and Western blot. Forty patients with CKD were recruited in a cross-sectional study investigating eating habits and uremic toxins levels. Eating habits were searched via a food diary. Protein and energy intake were therefore calculated. Blood and 48 h-urine were collected. Blood creatinine and urea were determined with standard laboratory techniques. Total plasmatic and urinary IS concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS. The fractional excretion (FE) i.e. the percentage of IS excreted relatively to the kidney filtered load, was calculated to assess IS remote sensing. Results Rats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) had considerably higher plasmatic levels of IS (p &amp;lt; .001) than sham rats. Rats with CKD on an HP diet, however, did not differ in plasma IS from rats fed an LP diet (p = .63). On the other hand, CKD rats fed an HP diet showed a substantial rise in 24-hour urinary IS (p &amp;lt; .001). The FE of IS was significantly higher (p = .005) in CKD rats on a HP diet and correlated with 24 h-urinary IS (Spearman r = .51, p value=.03) and with protein intake (Spearman r = .52, p value=.03) in CKD rats. OAT1 mRNA and protein expression was significantly higher in CKD rats given a HP diet (p = .025 and p = .009, respectively). By dividing the CKD patients into two groups by the median of protein intake, the FE of IS was significantly higher (p = .018) in the patients consuming a larger portion of proteins. Conclusion A diet higher in protein content in 5/6 nephrectomized CKD rats as well as in CKD patients likely leads to an increased production of indole in the colon. This results in increased IS fractional excretion but unchanged IS plasma retention. These findings offer more evidence for the mechanisms behind the remote sensing and signaling of uremic toxins derived from indole. In summary, a low-protein diet is still advised for people with chronic kidney disease.

Pharmacological inhibition of receptor-interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) elicits neuroprotective effects following experimental ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke induces a debilitating neurological insult, where inflammatory processes contribute greatly to the expansion and growth of the injury. Receptor-interacting protein kinase 2 (RIPK2) is most well-known for its role as the obligate kinase for NOD1/2 pattern recognition receptor signaling and is implicated in the pathology of various inflammatory conditions. Compared to a sham-operated control, ischemic stroke resulted in a dramatic increase in the active, phosphorylated form of RIPK2, indicating that RIPK2 may be implicated in the response to stroke injury. Here, we assessed the effects of pharmacological inhibition of RIPK2 to improve post-stroke outcomes in mice subjected to experimental ischemic stroke. We found that treatment at the onset of reperfusion with a RIPK2 inhibitor, which inhibits the phosphorylation and activation of RIPK2, resulted in marked improvements in post-stroke behavioral outcomes compared to the vehicle-administered group assessed 24 h after stroke. RIPK2 inhibitor-treated mice exhibited dramatic reductions in infarct volume, concurrent with reduced damage to the blood-brain barrier, as evidenced by reduced levels of active matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and leakage of blood-borne albumin in the ipsilateral cortex. To explore the protective mechanism of RIPK2 inhibition, we next pretreated mice with RIPK2 inhibitor or vehicle and examined transcriptomic alterations occurring in the ischemic brain 6 h after stroke. We observed a dramatic reduction in neuroinflammatory markers in the ipsilateral cortex of the inhibitor-treated group while also attaining a comprehensive view of the vast transcriptomic alterations occurring in the brain with inhibitor treatment through bulk RNA-sequencing of the injured cortex. Overall, we provide significant novel evidence that RIPK2 may represent a viable target for post-stroke pharmacotherapy and potentially other neuroinflammatory conditions.

The Use of Milk Bovine Extracellular Vesicles to Mitigate Gut-Liver Axis Dysfunction Under Pediatric Parenteral Nutrition

Parenteral Nutrition (PN) is a lifesaving strategy that provides intravenous nutrition in patients when enteral feeding is contraindicated, or access is insuffcient to prevent malnutrition. PN is used in low-birth-weight neonates whereprolonged use is associated with severe metabolic complications, including parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease (PNALD). PNALD is characterized by hepatitis, cholestasis, fibrosis, steatosis, and eventual organ failure. Elevated rates of PNALD in pediatric patients may be driven by liver immaturity, aberrant metabolic adaptation, and leaky gut barrier.To characterize the etiology of PNALD, we recently established a pediatric mouse model of PN. Using this model, we explored the intravenous use of bioactive milk components to augment hepatic immune response in pediatric mice without enteral milk intake. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are involved in cell-to-cell communication, contain immune-augmenting microRNA, and are enriched in bovine milk. After isolating EVs from bovine milk and characterizing them, we explored EV use in vitro via M1 macrophage responses, showing TNF-alpha inhibition in the presence of LPS. Wethen hypothesized that EVs would protect the pediatric liver from hepatitis under PN feeding in vivo. Mouse pups were randomized to intravenous PN, PN + EV (1.39x109 particles/uL), or sham surgery control for 6 days. Flow cytometry showed PN elevated hepatic macrophages (CD11b+F4/80+), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (CD11b+GR1+) andreduced relative T cell populations compared with sham controls. PN+EV treatment restored hepatic immune profiles to patterns observed in sham controls. Spleen and liver cytokines also mirrored changes in hepatic flow results, where elevated proinflammatory IL-1 beta was induced with PN alone, but similar levels were found in sham and PN+EVanimals. MicroRNA sequencing showed the EV isolates contain 48% Let-7, a described myeloid suppressor microRNA. This data demonstrates that intravenous EV administration - or future synthetic microRNA - may provide a noveltherapeutic approach for patients requiring PN nutrition support, especially those with elevated risk of PNALD induced inflammation and organ dysfunction. Dairy Innovation Hub, UW-Madison. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Cardiorenal Effects of Chronic High Phosphate Diet in Female Rats

Cardiorenal Syndrome Type 4 (CRS4) refers to the development of cardiovascular dysfunction as a result of chronic kidney disease. The accumulation of circulating phosphate in the later stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been positively associated with cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction. In our previous work, we found that male Sprague Dawley rats that underwent 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6Nx) to induce CKD phenotypes also developed cardiac pathology when serum phosphorus levels became elevated. Small RNA sequencing of left ventricle tissue revealed upregulated microRNA-21-5p and -3p expression in 5/6Nx rats, when compared to sham-operated controls, and suppression of miR-21-5p attenuated left ventricle pathology in male 5/6Nx rats. We hypothesize that hyperphosphatemia, independent of CKD, can impair cardiac function and that miR-21 may mediate these effects. It has been recently reported that females exhibit higher urinary phosphate excretion in response to high dietary phosphate intake than males. In this study, hyperphosphatemia was induced by placing 9-week old female wild-type (WT) Sprague Dawley and global miR-21 knockout (miR-21−/−; lacking both miR-21-5p and -3p rats) (n=4-9/group) on either high phosphate (2% Pi) or control diet (0.6% Pi) for 8 weeks. Echocardiography and renal ultrasound were performed under anesthesia to assess cardiac function and renal cross-sectional area, respectively, prior to tissue collection at endpoint. Rats of either genotype fed 2% Pi diet exhibited increased left kidney weight, left kidney/body weight, and left kidney cross-sectional area (2-way ANOVA, main effect of diet; p&lt;0.05). In animals fed 2% Pi, miR-21−/− rats had significantly higher left ventricle fractional shortening than WT rats (57.06 ± 3.32 vs. 43.96 ± 1.34; 2-way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparisons; p&lt;0.05). This study allowed the cardiovascular effects of chronically elevated phosphate to be isolated from other uremic toxins elevated in CKD. We find that loss of miR-21 augments cardiac function, supporting a role for miR-21 in mediating phosphate-related pathology. Ongoing studies are focused on identifying specific molecular mechanisms driving these changes. This study was supported by T32HL007852 and R01HL128332. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Acute Cholestasis-Induced Liver Injury.

Previous studies have shown cardiac abnormalities in acute liver injury, suggesting a potential role in the associated high mortality. We designed an experimental study exploring the short-term effects of acute cholestasis-induced liver injury on cardiac function and structure in a rodent bile duct ligation (BDL) model to elucidate the potential interplay. Thirty-seven male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to BDL surgery (n = 28) or served as sham-operated (n = 9) controls. Transthoracic echocardiography, Doppler evaluation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, and myocardial contrast echocardiography were performed at rest and during adenosine and dobutamine stress 5 days after BDL. Immunohistochemical staining of myocardial tissue samples for hypoxia and inflammation as well as serum analysis were performed. BDL animals exhibited acute liver injury with elevated transaminases, bilirubin, and total circulating bile acids (TBA) 5 days after BDL (TBA control: 0.81 ± 2.54 µmol/L vs. BDL: 127.52 ± 57.03 µmol/L; p < 0.001). Concurrently, cardiac function was significantly impaired, characterized by reduced cardiac output (CO) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) in the echocardiography at rest and under pharmacological stress (CO rest control: 120.6 ± 24.3 mL/min vs. BDL 102.5 ± 16.6 mL/min, p = 0.041; GLS rest control: -24.05 ± 3.8% vs. BDL: -18.5 ± 5.1%, p = 0.01). Myocardial perfusion analysis revealed a reduced myocardial blood flow at rest and a decreased coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) under dobutamine stress in the BDL animals (CFVR control: 2.1 ± 0.6 vs. BDL: 1.7 ± 0.5 p = 0.047). Immunofluorescence staining indicated myocardial hypoxia and increased neutrophil infiltration. In summary, acute cholestasis-induced liver injury can lead to impaired cardiac function mediated by coronary microvascular dysfunction, suggesting that major adverse cardiac events may contribute to the mortality of acute liver failure. This may be due to endothelial dysfunction and direct bile acid signaling.

Infrared Spectroscopy of Synovial Fluid Shows Accuracy as an Early Biomarker in an Equine Model of Traumatic Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of lameness and joint disease in horses. A simple, economical, and accurate diagnostic test is required for routine screening for OA. This study aimed to evaluate infrared (IR)-based synovial fluid biomarker profiling to detect early changes associated with a traumatically induced model of equine carpal osteoarthritis (OA). Unilateral carpal OA was induced arthroscopically in 9 of 17 healthy thoroughbred fillies; the remainder served as Sham-operated controls. The median age of both groups was 2 years. Synovial fluid (SF) was obtained before surgical induction of OA (Day 0) and weekly until Day 63. IR absorbance spectra were acquired from dried SF films. Following spectral pre-processing, predictive models using random forests were used to differentiate OA, Sham, and Control samples. The accuracy for distinguishing between OA and any other joint group was 80%. The classification accuracy by sampling day was 87%. For paired classification tasks, the accuracies by joint were 75% for OA vs. OA Control and 70% for OA vs. Sham. The accuracy for separating horses by group (OA vs. Sham) was 68%. In conclusion, SF IR spectroscopy accurately discriminates traumatically induced OA joints from controls.

Differential impact of unilateral stroke on the bihemispheric motor cortex representation of the jaw and tongue muscles in young and aged rats.

Dysphagia commonly occurs after stroke, yet the mechanisms of post-stroke corticobulbar plasticity are not well understood. While cortical activity associated with swallowing actions is bihemispheric, prior research has suggested that plasticity of the intact cortex may drive recovery of swallowing after unilateral stroke. Age may be an important factor as it is an independent predictor of dysphagia after stroke and neuroplasticity may be reduced with age. Based on previous clinical studies, we hypothesized that cranial muscle activating volumes may be expanded in the intact hemisphere and would contribute to swallowing function. We also hypothesized that older age would be associated with limited map expansion and reduced function. As such, our goal was to determine the impact of stroke and age on corticobulbar plasticity by examining the jaw and tongue muscle activating volumes within the bilateral sensorimotor cortices. Using the middle cerebral artery occlusion rat stroke model, intracortical microstimulation (ICMS) was used to map regions of sensorimotor cortex that activate tongue and jaw muscles in both hemispheres. Young adult (7 months) and aged (30 months) male F344 × BN rats underwent a stroke or sham-control surgery, followed by ICMS mapping 8 weeks later. Videofluoroscopy was used to assess oral-motor functions. Increased activating volume of the sensorimotor cortex within the intact hemisphere was found only for jaw muscles, whereas significant stroke-related differences in tongue activating cortical volume were limited to the infarcted hemisphere. These stroke-related differences were correlated with infarct size, such that larger infarcts were associated with increased jaw representation in the intact hemisphere and decreased tongue representation in the infarcted hemisphere. We found that both age and stroke were independently associated with swallowing differences, weight loss, and increased corticomotor thresholds. Laterality of tongue and jaw representations in the sham-control group revealed variability between individuals and between muscles within individuals. Our findings suggest the role of the intact and infarcted hemispheres in the recovery of oral motor function may differ between the tongue and jaw muscles, which may have important implications for rehabilitation, especially hemisphere-specific neuromodulatory approaches. This study addressed the natural course of recovery after stroke; future work should expand to focus on rehabilitation.

Modelling the Effects of Growth and Remodelling on the Density and Structure of Cancellous Bone

A two-stage model is proposed for investigating remodelling characteristics in bone over time and distance to the growth plate. The first stage comprises a partial differential equation (PDE) for bone density as a function of time and distance from the growth plate. This stage clarifies the contributions to changes in bone density due to remodelling and growth processes and tracks the rate at which new bone emanates from the growth plate. The second stage consists of simulating the remodelling process to determine remodelling characteristics. Implementing the second stage requires the rate at which bone moves away from the growth plate computed during the first stage. The second stage is also needed to confirm that remodelling characteristics predicted by the first stage may be explained by a realistic model for remodelling and to compute activation frequency. The model is demonstrated on microCT scans of tibia of juvenile female rats in three experimental groups: sham-operated control, oestrogen deprived, and oestrogen deprived followed by treatment. Model predictions for changes in bone density and remodelling characteristics agree with the literature. In addition, the model provides new insight into the role of treatment on the density of new bone emanating from the growth plate and provides quantitative descriptions of changes in remodelling characteristics beyond what has been possible to ascertain by experimentation alone.

Performance in Behavioral Testing in an Animal Model of Post-Surgical Hypoparathyroidism.

Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is characterized by hypocalcemia and undetectable/inappropriately low PTH. Post-surgical HypoPT (PS-HypoPT) is the most common cause. Patients with PS-HypoPT present neuropsychological symptoms, probably due to the PTH deprivation in the central nervous system (CNS). However, these mechanisms are still not elucidated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of PTH deprivation on CNS in an animal model of PS-HypoPT via a cognitive/behavioral assessment approach. A surgical rat model of PS-HypoPT was obtained and treated with calcium to maintain normocalcemia. Twenty PS-HypoPT rats and twenty sham-operated controls (Crl) underwent behavioral testing in a Morris Water Maze (MWM), Open Field (OF), and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM). In the MWM, PTx rats showed a higher Escape Latency Time compared to Crl rats (p < 0.05); we observed a statistically significant improvement in the performance (day 1 to 8 p < 0.001), which was less pronounced in PTx group. In the OF test, the time and distance spent in the zone of interest were significantly lower in the PTx group compared with the Crl (p < 0.01 and p < 0.01). In the EPM experiment, the time spent in the close arm was significantly higher in the PTx group compared with the Crl (p < 0.01). This animal model of PS-HypoPT shows an impairment in spatial memory, which improved after training, and a marked anxiety-like behavior, resembling the condition of patients with PS-HypoPT. Further studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms.

Development of PainFace software to simplify, standardize, and scale up mouse grimace analyses.

Facial grimacing is used to quantify spontaneous pain in mice and other mammals, but scoring relies on humans with different levels of proficiency. Here, we developed a cloud-based software platform called PainFace ( http://painface.net ) that uses machine learning to detect 4 facial action units of the mouse grimace scale (orbitals, nose, ears, whiskers) and score facial grimaces of black-coated C57BL/6 male and female mice on a 0 to 8 scale. Platform accuracy was validated in 2 different laboratories, with 3 conditions that evoke grimacing-laparotomy surgery, bilateral hindpaw injection of carrageenan, and intraplantar injection of formalin. PainFace can generate up to 1 grimace score per second from a standard 30 frames/s video, making it possible to quantify facial grimacing over time, and operates at a speed that scales with computing power. By analyzing the frequency distribution of grimace scores, we found that mice spent 7x more time in a "high grimace" state following laparotomy surgery relative to sham surgery controls. Our study shows that PainFace reproducibly quantifies facial grimaces indicative of nonevoked spontaneous pain and enables laboratories to standardize and scale-up facial grimace analyses.

Protective effects and mechanisms of dapagliflozin on renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

BackgroundRenal diseases have a significant negative impact on human health and the quality of life. Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is considered as one of the leading causes of renal dysfunction and tissue damage. Oxidative stress and inflammation are responsible for cellular apoptosis playing critical roles in renal I/R injury. Recent studies suggested that dapagliflozin—a medication used to treat Type 2 Diabetes—may exert protective effects on I/R injury in kidneys by alleviating oxidative stress and inflammation. Our study evaluated the protective effects of dapagliflozinon in renal I/R injury. MethodsA group of 32 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: 1) control group without any manipulation; 2) sham-operated control group with surgery but without I/R injury; 3) experimental group with 30-min I/R injury; and 4) therapeutic group with 30-min IR injury and dapagliflozin therapy. The fourth therapeutic group received 1 mg/kg dapagliflozin delivered once daily by oral gavage. All rats were evaluated by measurements of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), creatinine kinase (CR), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), myoglobin (MYO), creatinine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) LD, GSH, superoxide dismutase (SOD), MDA, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels. TUNEL and flow cytometry assays evaluated apoptosis. ResultsOverall, the 30-min exposure to I/R injury significantly elevated levels of NGAL, CR, BUN, CK, LDH, KIM-1, and MYO (all p < 0.05). Inflammatory cytokine levels (IL-6 and TNF-a) were also increased after I/R injury (p > 0.05). At the same time, I/R injury decreased levels of SOD and GSH-Px (p > 0.05). In contrast, administration of dapagliflozin following I/R injury reduced renal damage, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and suppressed inflammatory responses (all p > 0.05), thus improving renal function, while reducing oxidative stress status and inflammatory responses. Further investigations revealed that dapagliflozin exerted its protective effects on renal tissues by activating the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-AKT) signaling pathway, inhibiting cellular apoptosis, and promoting proliferation and autophagy through bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). ConclusionThese findings documented that dapagliflozin protected kidneys from I/R injury suggesting its therapeutic potential.

ITRI Biofilm Prevented Thoracic Adhesion in Pigs That Received Myocardial Ischemic Induction Treated by Myocardial Implantation of EPCs and ECSW Treatment.

This study tested the hypothesis that ITRI Biofilm prevents adhesion of the chest cavity. Combined extracorporeal shock wave (ECSW) + bone marrow-derived autologous endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) therapy was superior to monotherapy for improving heart function (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]) in minipigs with ischemic cardiomyopathy (IC) induced by an ameroid constrictor applied to the mid-left anterior descending artery. The minipigs (n = 30) were equally designed into group 1 (sham-operated control), group 2 (IC), group 3 (IC + EPCs/by directly implanted into the left ventricular [LV] myocardium; 3 [+]/3[-] ITRI Biofilm), group 4 (IC + ECSW; 3 [+]/[3] - ITRI Biofilm), and group 5 (IC + EPCs-ECSW; 3 [+]/[3] - ITRI Biofilm). EPC/ECSW therapy was administered by day 90, and the animals were euthanized, followed by heart harvesting by day 180. In vitro studies demonstrated that cell viability/angiogenesis/cell migratory abilities/mitochondrial concentrations were upregulated in EPCs treated with ECSW compared with those in EPCs only (all Ps < 0.001). The LVEF was highest in group 1/lowest in group 2/significantly higher in group 5 than in groups 3/4 (all Ps < 0.0001) by day 180, but there was no difference in groups 3/4. The adhesion score was remarkably lower in patients who received ITRI Biofilm treatment than in those who did not (all Ps <0.01). The protein expressions of oxidative stress (NOX-1/NOX-2/oxidized protein)/apoptotic (mitochondrial-Bax/caspase3/PARP)/fibrotic (TGF-β/Smad3)/DNA/mitochondria-damaged (γ-H2AX/cytosolic-cytochrome-C/p-DRP1), and heart failure/pressure-overload (BNP [brain natriuretic peptide]/β-MHC [beta myosin heavy chain]) biomarkers displayed a contradictory manner of LVEF among the groups (all Ps < 0.0001). The protein expression of endothelial biomarkers (CD31/vWF)/small-vessel density revealed a similar LVEF within the groups (all Ps < 0.0001). ITRI Biofilm treatment prevented chest cavity adhesion and was superior in restoring IC-related LV dysfunction when combined with EPC/ECSW therapy compared with EPC/ECSW therapy alone.

Passive exercise is an effective alternative to HRT for restoring OVX induced mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle.

Postmenopausal women are more prone to develop muscle weakness, which is strongly associated with impairment of mitochondrial function in skeletal muscle. This study aimed to examine the impact of a passive exercise modality, whole-body vibration training (WBVT), on muscle mitochondrial function in ovariectomized (OVX) mice, in comparison with 17β-estradiol (E2) replacement. Female C57BL/6J mice were assigned to four groups: sham operation control group (Sham), ovariectomized group (OVX), OVX with E2 supplement group (OVX+E), and OVX with WBVT group (OVX+W). The estrous cycle, body weight, body composition, and muscle strength of the mice were monitored after the operation. Serum E2 level was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The ATP levels were determined using a luciferase-catalyzed bioluminescence assay. The activity of mitochondrial respiration chain complexes was evaluated using high-resolution respirometry (O2K). Expression levels of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α), and mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) were detected using western blotting. We observed decreased muscle strength and impaired mitochondrial function in the skeletal muscle of OVX mice. The vibration training alleviated these impairments as much as the E2 supplement. In addition, the vibration training was superior to the ovariectomy and the estradiol replacement regarding the protein expression of PGC-1α and TFAM. WBVT improves the OVX-induced decline in muscle strength and impairment of mitochondrial function in the skeletal muscle. This passive exercise strategy may be useful as an alternative to E2 replacement for preventing menopausal muscular weakness. Further studies are needed to understand the effects of WBVT on various physiological systems, and precautions should be taken when implementing it in patient treatment.

Long-term effects of myo-inositol on traumatic brain injury: Epigenomic and transcriptomic studies

Background and purposeTraumatic brain injury (TBI) and its consequences remain great challenges for neurology. Consequences of TBI are associated with various alterations in the brain but little is known about long-term changes of epigenetic DNA methylation patterns. Moreover, nothing is known about potential treatments that can alter these epigenetic changes in beneficial ways. Therefore, we have examined myo-inositol (MI), which has positive effects on several pathological conditions. MethodsTBI was induced in mice by controlled cortical impact (CCI). One group of CCI animals received saline injections for two months (TBI+SAL), another CCI group received MI treatment (TBI+MI) for the same period and one group served as a sham-operated control. Mice were sacrificed 4 months after CCI and changes in DNA methylome and transcriptomes were examined. ResultsFor the first time we: (i) provide comprehensive map of long-term DNA methylation changes after CCI in the hippocampus; (ii) identify differences by methylation sites between the groups; (iii) characterize transcriptome changes; (iv) provide association between DNA methylation sites and gene expression. MI treatment is linked with upregulation of genes covering 33 biological processes, involved in immune response and inflammation. In support of these findings, we have shown that expression of BATF2, a transcription factor involved in immune-regulatory networks, is upregulated in the hippocampus of the TBI+MI group where the BATF2 gene is demethylated. ConclusionTBI is followed by long-term epigenetic and transcriptomic changes in hippocampus. MI treatment has a significant effect on these processes by modulation of immune response and biological pathways of inflammation.

Subcellular distribution of prohibitin 1 in rat liver during liver regeneration and its cellular implication.

The function of prohibitin 1 (Phb1) during liver regeneration (LR) remains relatively unexplored. Our previous research identified downregulation of Phb1 in rat liver mitochondria 24 h after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx), as determined by subcellular proteomic analysis. To investigate the potential role of Phb1 during LR. We examined changes in Phb1 mRNA and protein levels, subcellular distribution, and abundance in rat liver during LR following 70% PHx. We also evaluated mitochondrial changes and apoptosis using electron microscopy and flow cytometry. RNA-interference-mediated knockdown of Phb1 (PHBi) was performed in BRL-3A cells. Compared with sham-operation control groups, Phb1 mRNA and protein levels in 70% PHx test groups were downregulated at 24 h, then upregulated at 72 and 168 h. Phb1 was mainly located in mitochondria, showed a reduced abundance at 24 h, significantly increased at 72 h, and almost recovered to normal at 168 h. Phb1 was also present in nuclei, with continuous increase in abundance observed 72 and 168 h after 70% PHx. The altered ultrastructure and reduced mass of mitochondria during LR had almost completely recovered to normal at 168 h. PHBi in BRL-3A cells resulted in increased S-phase entry, a higher number of apoptotic cells, and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. Phb1 may contribute to maintaining mitochondrial stability and could play a role in regulating cell proliferation and apoptosis of rat liver cells during LR.

Contribution of the medial entorhinal cortex to performance on the Traveling Salesperson Problem in rats

In order to successfully navigate through space, animals must rely on multiple cognitive processes, including orientation in space, memory of object locations, and navigational decisions based on that information. Although highly-controlled behavioral tasks are valuable for isolating and targeting specific processes, they risk producing a narrow understanding of complex behavior in natural contexts. The Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP) is an optimization problem that can be used to study naturalistic foraging behaviors, in which subjects select routes between multiple baited targets. Foraging is a spontaneous, yet complex, behavior, involving decision-making, attention, course planning, and memory. Previous research found that hippocampal lesions in rats impaired TSP task performance, particularly on measures of spatial memory. Although traditional laboratory tests have shown the medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) to play an important role in spatial memory, if and how the MEC is involved in finding efficient solutions to the TSP remains unknown. In the current study, rats were trained on the TSP, learning to retrieve bait from targets in a variety of spatial configurations. After recovering from either an MEC lesion or control sham surgery, the rats were tested on eight new configurations. Our results showed that, similar to rats with hippocampal lesions, MEC-lesioned rats were impaired on measures of spatial memory, but not spatial decision-making, with greatest impairments on configurations requiring a global navigational strategy for selecting the optimal route. These findings suggest that the MEC is important for effective spatial navigation, especially when global cue processing is required.