Genomic and transcriptomic characterization of the human glioblastoma cell line AHOL1

Cancer cell lines are widely used as in vitro models of tumorigenesis, facilitating fundamental discoveries in cancer biology and translational medicine. Currently, there are few options for glioblastoma (GBM) treatment and limited in vitro models with accurate genomic and transcriptomic characterization. Here, a detailed characterization of a new GBM cell line, namely AHOL1, was conducted in order to fully characterize its molecular composition based on its karyotype, copy number alteration (CNA), and transcriptome profiling, followed by the validation of key elements associated with GBM tumorigenesis. Large numbers of CNAs and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. CNAs were distributed throughout the genome, including gains at Xq11.1-q28, Xp22.33-p11.1, Xq21.1-q21.33, 4p15.1-p14, 8q23.2-q23.3 and losses at Yq11.21-q12, Yp11.31-p11.2, and 15q11.1-q11.2 positions. Nine druggable genes were identified, including HCRTR2, ETV1, PTPRD, PRKX, STS, RPS6KA6, ZFY, USP9Y, and KDM5D. By integrating DEGs and CNAs, we identified 57 overlapping genes enriched in fourteen pathways. Altered expression of several cancer-related candidates found in the DEGs-CNA dataset was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Taken together, this first comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic landscape of AHOL1 provides unique resources for further studies and identifies several druggable targets that may be useful for therapeutics and biologic and molecular investigation of GBM.

Gentle handling temporarily increases c-Fos in the substantia nigra pars compacta

Dopaminergic neurotransmission is involved in the regulation of sleep. In particular, the nigrostriatal pathway is an important center of sleep regulation. We hypothesized that dopaminergic neurons located in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) could be activated by gentle handling, a method to obtain sleep deprivation (SD). Adult male C57/BL6J mice (N = 5/group) were distributed into non-SD (NSD) or SD groups. SD animals were subjected to SD once for 1 or 3 h by gentle handling. Two experiments were performed. The first determined the activation of SNpc neurons after SD, and the second examined the same parameters after pharmacologically induced dopaminergic depletion using intraperitoneal reserpine (2 mg/kg). After 1 or 3 h, SD and NSD mice were subjected to motor evaluation using the open field test. Immediately after the behavioral test, the mice were perfused intracardially to fix the brain and for immunohistochemical analysis of c-Fos protein expression within the SNpc. The open field test indicated that SD for 1 or 3 h did not modify motor behavior. However, c-Fos protein expression was increased after 1 h of SD compared with the NSD and 3-h SD groups. These immunohistochemistry data indicate that these periods of SD are not able to produce dopaminergic supersensitivity. Nevertheless, the increased expression of c-Fos within the SNpc suggests that dopaminergic nigral activation was triggered by SD earlier than motor responsiveness. Dopamine-depleted mice (experiment 2) exhibited a similar increase of c-Fos expression compared to control animals indicating that dopamine neurons are still activated in the 1-h SD group despite the exhaustion of dopamine. This finding suggests that this range (2-5-fold) of neuronal activation may serve as a marker of SD.

Avaliação da infecção por helmintos gastrintestinais em caprinos criados na região metropolitana do Recife - PE através de exame coproparasitológico e larva cultura / Avaluation of the infection for gastrointestinal helminths in goats from the metropolitan area of Recife - Pernambuo state - Brasil through the faecal egg count and larval culture

A caprinocultura é uma atividade de relevância social e econômica para o país, alcançando expansâo significativa em várias regiões brasileiras, principalmente na região Nordeste. Além dos problemas com manejo zootécnico e sanitário enfrentados pela caprinocultura brasileira, somam-se condições climáticas que favorecem o desenvolvimento de diferentes parasitoses,principalmente as helmintoses, sendo consideradas um entrave à expansão da caprinocultura no Brasil. Este trabalho tevecomo objetivo estudar as infecções por helmintos gastrintestinais em caprinos criados na região metropolitana do Recife através da contagem de ovos por grama de fezes (OPG) e identificação de larvas de terceiro estágio obtidas em coproculturas. Foram utilizados em média 20 caprinos de uma propriedade localizada no municfpio de Paulista dos quais, mensalmente, em datas preestabelecidas, coletaram-se amostras de fezes individuais no período de agosto de 1998 a julho de 1999. Observou-se um percentual de positividade de 82

Glutamine and glutamate as vital metabolites

Glucose is widely accepted as the primary nutrient for the maintenance and promotion of cell function. This metabolite leads to production of ATP, NADPH and precursors for the synthesis of macromolecules such as nucleic acids and phospholipids. We propose that, in addition to glucose, the 5-carbon amino acids glutamine and glutamate should be considered to be equally important for maintenance and promotion of cell function. The functions of glutamine/glutamate are many, i.e., they are substrates for protein synthesis, anabolic precursors for muscle growth, they regulate acid-base balance in the kidney, they are substrates for ureagenesis in the liver and for hepatic and renal gluconeogenesis, they act as an oxidative fuel for the intestine and cells of the immune system, provide inter-organ nitrogen transport, and act as precursors of neurotransmitter synthesis, of nucleotide and nucleic acid synthesis and of glutathione production. Many of these functions are interrelated with glucose metabolism. The specialized aspects of glutamine/glutamate metabolism of different glutamine-utilizing cells are discussed in the context of glucose requirements and cell function

Antinociceptive activity of sulfated carbohydrates from the red algae Bryothamnion seaforthii (Turner) Kütz. and B. triquetrum (S.G. Gmel.) M. Howe

We report the antinociceptive activity, determined by the writhing, formalin and hot-plate tests in mice, of crude (F0/60), lectin and carbohydrate fractions isolated by ammonium sulfate precipitation (0 to 60 percent) from Bryothamnion seaforthii and B. triquetrum, species of red algae. Not only fraction F0/60 but also lectins from both species significantly inhibited acetic acid-induced abdominal contractions after intraperitoneal or oral administrations. In the formalin test, lectins (1 and 5 mg/kg, ip, and 5 to 20 mg/kg, po) inhibited the 1st and 2nd phases (5 and 20 min, respectively), but the effect occurred predominantly on the 2nd phase. The effects of the lectins were totally or partially reversed by naloxone (2 mg/kg, sc) in the 1st and 2nd phases, respectively. Experiments performed with lectins in the absence and presence of avidin (1 mg/kg, ip) and D-mannose (1 mg/kg, ip) showed that avidin did not interfere with the effect of B. seaforthii lectin but partially reversed the effect of B. triquetrum lectin. D-Mannose completely reversed the effects of both species. F0/60 fractions from both algae significantly increased the latency time in response to thermal stimuli, and naloxone reversed antinociception, indicating the involvement of the opioid system in both the peripheral and central effects of the fractions. In the writhing test, the carbohydrate fractions were the most active, inhibiting the contractions by 71 and 79 percent (B. triquetrum) and by 46 and 69 percent (B. seaforthii) at doses of 1 and 5 mg/kg, ip, respectively. Sulfated carbohydrate fractions of B. seaforthii and B. triquetrum, containing only about 5 percent protein as contaminants, are probably responsible for the antinociceptive effects of these red algae

Ocorrência de poliúria-polidpsia em eqüinos estabulados - descriçäo de dois casos de polidipsia psicogênica / Incidence of two cases of polyuria-polydipsia in confined horses

Dois eqüinos da raça Brasileira e Hipismo, machos, quatro anos de idade, apresentando sinais de poliúria-polidipsia, foram submetidos a completa avaliaçäo clínica e a exames de sangue e urina. Näo foram observadas alteraçöes clínicas, hematológicas ou bioquímicas, a näo ser um decréscimo na gravidade específica da urina de ambos os animais (1,009 e 1,008). Realizou-se um teste de privaçäo de égua de 24 horas e durante esse período a gravidade específica da urina subiu gradualmente até atingir a normalidade (1,028 e 1,026, respectivamente). O comportamento anormal ocorreu por confinamento excessivo. Os resultados clínicos e de laboratório e o testes de privaçäo de água indicam o diagnóstico de polidipsia psicogênica

Esquistossomose murina esperimental: estudo imunohistoquímicos das células ganglionares mioentéricas / Experimental murine Schistosomiasis: an immunohistochemical study of the ganglionic myoenteric cells

Para estudar a influência do processo granulomatoso esquistossomóticosobre as células ganglionares mioentéricas, foram utilizados 30 camundongos albinos Swiss infectadoscom 50 cercárias da cepa SLM do S. mansoni.O grupo controle foi constituído por dez animais näo infectados. Após sessenta dias de infecçäo, cortes histológicos do intestino delgadocorados por hematoxilina-eosina e P.A.S. demonstraram granulomas periovulares em todas as camadas da parede intestinal. Através do método imunohistoquímico indireto, usando-se a enolase neurônio-específica como marcador, observou-se desorganizaçäo do plexo mioentêrico em áreas contendo granulomas. Além disso, ocorreu rarefaçäo das estaçöes ganglionares, com aparente destruiçäo de células neuronais. A possível contribuiçäo dessas alteraçöes para a sintomatologia da esquistossomose humana é avaliada

Feeding behavior of different species of Chagas'disease vectors stimulated with blood sources at different temperatures

The feeding behavior of six triatomid species toward latex condoms filled with blood at 26 ñ 1 and 36 ñ 1 grade C was observed for 4 h. The speciesd studied were Triatoma infestans, Triatoma brasiliensis, Triatoma vitticeps, Triatoma pseudomaculata, Rhodnius prolixus and Panstrongylus megistrus, and 34 to 348 insects were studied in each group(average, 190). All the life stages of each species were used. Although most insects (80%, average for 6 species) preferred the warmer blood, 54% of the individuals of all species fed on blood kept at 26 greade C. For Triatoma pseudomaculata, a higher proportion of insects fed on blood at 26 grade C (2%) than on blood at 36 grade C (65%). These results suggest that bait containing insecticides which are effective through the digestive tract may be useful in the control of these vectors even at room temperature

Estudo das manifestaçöes neurológicas em 93 doentes com intoxicaçäo exógena por substâncias químicas näo medicamentosas / Neurologic manifestations in 93 patients with exogenous poisoning due to non-medicamentous chemical substances

Foram analisadas as manifestaçöes neurológicas em 93 doentes com suspeita de intoxicaçäo exógena. A detecçäo das substâncias tóxicas foi realizada no sangue, urina e líquido cefalorraqueano. Verificou-se nítido predomínio do comprometimento do sistema nervoso central em relaçäo ao periférico e aparente tropismo de herbicidas e organofosforados para o sistema nervoso central, comparando-se o comportamento dos metais pesados e organoclorados. Säo analisadas os prováveis mecanismos de açäo dessas substâncias no sistema nervoso e säo apresentados o sinais e/ou sintomas que foram observados

The vertical dispersión of Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzi in a forest in southern Brazil suggests that human cases of malaria of simian origin might be expected

Pintando fêmeas de Anopheles cruzi com pós fluorescentes coloridos, numa floresta de Santa Catarina, mostramos que elas movimentam-se da copa ao solo e vice-versa para se alimentar de sangue. Isso sugere que em áreas onde esse mosquito for tansmissor das malárias humana e simiana pode-se esperar que ocorram infecçöes humanas esporádicas por plasmódios de macacos

Marcacao individual de triatomineos para estudos comportamentais e ecologicos. / Individual marking of tiratominea for behavioral and ecological studies

Idealizou-se uma tecnica de marcacao de insetos adultos, visando principalmente a identificacao individual de triatomineos, que consiste na elaboracao de codigos correspondentes a numeros, atraves de cinco cores basicas (vermelho, branco, azul, verde e amarelo) representadas por pintas coloridas feitas com tinta esmalte e depositadas do pronoto ao escutelo do inseto manualmente, com um fino pincel de seda.As pintas nao devem se estender as asas sobrepostas, porque estas mudam constantemente de posicao, encobrindo assim a marcacao. A tinta e indelevel e, por nao apresentar toxicidade, nao afeta a longevidade e o comportamento dos insetos. A tecnica pode ser utilizada tanto para insetos no laboratorio quanto no campo principalmente em trabalhos relacionados a ecologia e ao comportamento