Microbiome-by-ethanol interactions impact Drosophila melanogaster fitness, physiology, and behavior.

The gut microbiota can affect how animals respond to ingested toxins, such as ethanol, which is prevalent in the diets of diverse animals and often leads to negative health outcomes in humans. Ethanol is a complex dietary factor because it acts as a toxin, behavioral manipulator, and nutritional source, with both direct effects on the host as well as indirect ones through the microbiome. Here, we developed a model for chronic, non-intoxicating ethanol ingestion in the adult fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, and paired this with the tractability of the fly gut microbiota, which can be experimentally removed. We linked numerous physiological, behavioral, and transcriptional variables to fly fitness, including a combination of intestinal barrier integrity, stored triglyceride levels, feeding behavior, and the immunodeficiency pathway. Our results reveal a complex tradeoff between lifespan and fecundity that is microbiome-dependent and modulated by dietary ethanol and feeding behavior.

Keratin expression in gingival tissue and primary cultured gingival keratinocytes: Are there differences?

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the process of primary gingival keratinocytes culture obtained from normal human gingiva modifies the expression of keratins (K) 10, K14, and K19. DESIGN: Human gingival fragments were collected from healthy individuals in the same oral site. One part of the samples underwent an immunohistochemistry assay for K10, K14, and K19. The labeling in the epithelium was quantified using a semiautomated method. Another part was used for primary gingival keratinocytes isolation and growth in two-dimensional culture. These cells were also stained for K10, K14, and K19 using immunofluorescence and immunocytochemistry. Positive cells were counted, and the nuclei and cytoplasmatic labeling areas were quantified. RESULTS: In the gingival tissue, a higher expression was found for K14 versus K10 (p < 0.001); K19 was negative in all samples. In gingival keratinocytes culture, K14 (89.6 %) had the highest expression with significant differences in relation to K10 (76.9 %, p < 0.01) and K19 (9.9 %, p < 0.01). The cells positive for K14 exhibited larger nuclei in comparison with K10 (p < 0.05) and K19 (p < 0.05), suggesting a more undifferentiated phenotype. K19 cells showed the largest cytoplasmatic labeling in relation to K10- (p < 0.05) and K14-positive (p < 0.05) cells. CONCLUSION: The process of growth in culture of gingival keratinocytes maintained the expression pattern of K10 and K14 observed in gingival tissues. However, this method induces the expression of K19, suggesting a potential transformation of the keratin network presented in the gingival keratinocytes during the formation of a monolayer in vitro. This reflects the dynamics of cell differentiation.

Análise histomorfológica e imuno-histoquímica de fragmento de gengiva inserido em membrana corioalantóica de ovos fecundados de galinha / Histomorphological and imunohistochemistry analysis of gingival fragments inserted in chorioallantoic membrane of chicken eggs

A membrana corioalantóica (MCA) é uma das membranas extraembrionárias do embrião da galinha, cuja característica principal é ser muito vascularizada e permeável a trocas iônicas e gasosas. O ambiente onde está inserida permite o desenvolvimento de vários modelos experimentais, incluindo estudos de angiogênese, toxicologia e biocompatibilidade, bem como análise do processo de reparo e de carcinogênese de inúmeros tecidos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar as alterações histomorfológicas de fragmentos de gengiva enxertados na MCA, com o intuito de verificar a viabilidade da utilização desse modelo em estudos envolvendo a mucosa oral. Fragmentos de gengiva foram coletados de pacientes submetidos a cirurgia de exodontia e enxertados na MCA de ovos fecundados de galinha após 9 dias de desenvolvimento embrionário. A coleta das gengivas foi feita após 1, 3 e 5 dias de inserção na MCA. As alterações morfológicas microscópicas foram anallisadas no decorrer do tempo no epitélio e na lâmina própria da gengiva e na MCA. Análise de TUNEL foi realizada para se comprovar a presença ou não de apoptose nos tecidos da gengivais. Foram realizadas também análises imuno-histoquímicas e quantificação da expressão de queratinas 10 (K10) e 14 (K14), para verificar as alterações de diferenciação epitelial, e CD34, para mensuração da vascularização. Do total de 25 ovos embrionados utilizados, 10 ovos receberam as gengivas para o experimento; o restante não mostrou viabilidade embrionária e foi descartado. Após 1 dia de inoculação, a interface MCA-gengiva exibiu intenso infiltrado inflamatório, o qual invadiu a lâmina própria. Após 5 dias, essa reação inflamatória ficou restrita à interface MCA-gengiva. As principais modificações morfológicas na gengiva foram observadas nos períodos de 3 e 5 dias de inoculação, em que houve perda da arquitetura do epitélio, mantendo-se somente a camada basal viável, e redução da celularidade na lâmina própria. Observou-se aumento da vascularização no período de 5 dias, atestada pela quantificação de vasos CD34 positivos. O epitélio remanescente exibiu ausência de estratificação e de expressão de K10, intensa marcação de K14 e células TUNEL negativas, sugerindo a presença de células epiteliais viáveis e pouco diferenciadas. Concluiu-se que a gengiva foi incorporada à MCA, com redução paulatina da reação inflamatória e revascularização, bem como manteve-se viável nesse ambiente em um período de 5 dias; contudo, sofreu processos de adaptação que incluíram a perda da estratificação epitelial e a redução da celularidade na lâmina própria.

Systemic toxic effects during early phases of topical 4-NQO-induced oral carcinogenesis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Most studies have demonstrated 4-NQO toxicity to oral epithelium during oral carcinogenesis induction, but systemic toxicity has been poorly addressed. The aim of this study was to describe the systemic effect of 4-NQO topical application during early phases of oral cancer induction. METHODS: A 4-NQO propylene glycol ointment was topically applied on the rat tongue three times a week for 16 weeks. Local and systemic 4-NQO toxicity was evaluated by body weight gain, hematology, and serum chemistry analyses, histopathology, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Significant reduction in body weight gain and in white blood cell count as well as significant increase in serum ALT and AST was observed after 16 weeks of 4-NQO topical application. Focal hepatic lobular necrosis, renal tubular degeneration, and decreased cellularity in the splenic white pulp were also detected. CONCLUSIONS: 4-NQO topical application on the tongue of rats for 16 weeks seems to have caused hepatic, renal, and splenic toxicity. Potential systemic toxicity should be considered to monitor for variables that could interfere in topical oral carcinogenesis experiments.

Effect of topical 5-ALA mediated photodynamic therapy on proliferation index of keratinocytes in 4-NQO-induced potentially malignant oral lesions.

Fractionation can improve photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy for potentially malignant oral lesion treatment. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the apoptosis/proliferation index of oral keratinocytes after two sessions of topical 5-ALA-mediated PDT in 4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide-induced potentially malignant oral lesion, and to suggest the ideal interval between PDT sessions. Immuno-histochemical tests for proliferating cell nuclear antigen and caspase-3, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay were performed at 6h, 24h, 48h, and 72h time intervals after PDT. The number of positive cells showing caspase-3 expression was significantly higher, mainly at 6h after PDT. In the first cycle of PDT, the highest frequency of positive cells for TUNEL was found at 24h. At 72h after PDT, proliferating cell nuclear antigen positive cells increased significantly, indicating that there was an epithelial response in direction towards DNA repair and cell proliferation at this time. Because cell proliferation increases and cell death index decreases at 72h after PDT, it is recommended that the interval between the PDT sessions must not be longer than 2days up to total lesion remission.