ABSTRACT
Mitochondrial respiration is an essential component of cellular metabolism. It is a process of energy conversion through enzymatically mediated reactions, the energy of taken-up substrates transformed to the ATP production. Seahorse equipment allows to measure oxygen consumption in living cells and estimate key parameters of mitochondrial respiration in real-time mode. Four key mitochondrial respiration parameters could be measured: basal respiration, ATP-production coupled respiration, maximal respiration, and proton leak. This approach demands the application of mitochondrial inhibitors-oligomycin to inhibit ATP synthase, FCCP-to uncouple the inner mitochondrial membrane and allow maximum electron flux through the electron transport chain, rotenone, and antimycin A to inhibit complexes I and III, respectively. This chapter describes two protocols of seahorse measurements performed on iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and TAZ knock-out C2C12 cell line.
Subject(s)
Cell Respiration , Mitochondria , Mitochondria/metabolism , Oxygen Consumption , Respiration , Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Energy MetabolismABSTRACT
Mitochondrial dysfunction is considered the major contributor to skeletal muscle wasting in different conditions. Genetically determined neuromuscular disorders occur as a result of mutations in the structural proteins of striated muscle cells and therefore are often combined with cardiac phenotype, which most often manifests as a cardiomyopathy. The specific roles played by mitochondria and mitochondrial energetic metabolism in skeletal muscle under muscle-wasting conditions in cardiomyopathies have not yet been investigated in detail, and this aspect of genetic muscle diseases remains poorly characterized. This review will highlight dysregulation of mitochondrial representation and bioenergetics in specific skeletal muscle disorders caused by mutations that disrupt the structural and functional integrity of muscle cells.
Subject(s)
Cardiomyopathies/genetics , Heart/physiopathology , Mitochondria, Muscle/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Neuromuscular Diseases/genetics , Animals , Cardiomyopathies/metabolism , Cardiomyopathies/pathology , Disease Models, Animal , Energy Metabolism , Humans , Mice , Mitochondria, Heart/metabolism , Muscle Proteins/deficiency , Muscle Proteins/genetics , Muscle Proteins/physiology , Muscle, Skeletal/ultrastructure , Muscular Atrophy/metabolism , Muscular Dystrophies/genetics , Muscular Dystrophies/metabolism , Muscular Dystrophies/pathology , Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/genetics , Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/metabolism , Muscular Dystrophy, Animal/pathology , Neuromuscular Diseases/metabolism , Neuromuscular Diseases/pathology , PhenotypeABSTRACT
Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) is inherited muscle dystrophy often accompanied by cardiac abnormalities in the form of supraventricular arrhythmias, conduction defects and sinus node dysfunction. Cardiac phenotype typically arises years after skeletal muscle presentation, though, could be severe and life-threatening. The defined clinical manifestation with joint contractures, progressive muscle weakness and atrophy, as well as cardiac symptoms are observed by the third decade of life. Still, clinical course and sequence of muscle and cardiac signs may be variable and depends on the genotype. Cardiac abnormalities in patients with EDMD in pediatric age are not commonly seen. Here we describe five patients with different forms of EDMD (X-linked and autosomal-dominant) caused by the mutations in EMD and LMNA genes, presented with early onset of cardiac abnormalities and no prominent skeletal muscle phenotype. The predominant forms of cardiac pathology were atrial arrhythmias and conduction disturbances that progress over time. The presented cases discussed in the light of therapeutic strategy, including radiofrequency ablation and antiarrhythmic devices implantation, and the importance of thorough neurological and genetic screening in pediatric patients presenting with complex heart rhythm disorders.
ABSTRACT
High-throughput screening identified isoxazoles as potent but metabolically unstable inhibitors of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP). Here we have studied the effects of a metabolically stable triazole analog, TR001, which maintains the PTP inhibitory properties with an in vitro potency in the nanomolar range. We show that TR001 leads to recovery of muscle structure and function of sapje zebrafish, a severe model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). PTP inhibition fully restores the otherwise defective respiration in vivo, allowing normal development of sapje individuals in spite of lack of dystrophin. About 80 % sapje zebrafish treated with TR001 are alive and normal at 18 days post fertilization (dpf), a point in time when not a single untreated sapje individual survives. Time to 50 % death of treated zebrafish increases from 5 to 28 dpf, a sizeable number of individuals becoming young adults in spite of the persistent lack of dystrophin expression. TR001 improves respiration of myoblasts and myotubes from DMD patients, suggesting that PTP-dependent dysfunction also occurs in the human disease and that mitochondrial therapy of DMD with PTP-inhibiting triazoles is a viable treatment option.
Subject(s)
Membrane Proteins/deficiency , Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore/antagonists & inhibitors , Mitochondrial Permeability Transition Pore/metabolism , Muscle Proteins/deficiency , Triazoles/pharmacology , Zebrafish Proteins/deficiency , Animals , Animals, Genetically Modified , Cell Line, Transformed , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Humans , Locomotion/drug effects , Locomotion/physiology , Membrane Proteins/genetics , Muscle Proteins/genetics , Rhodamines/pharmacology , Triazoles/chemistry , Zebrafish , Zebrafish Proteins/geneticsABSTRACT
RBM20 (RNA-binding motif protein 20) is a splicing factor targeting multiple cardiac genes, and its mutations cause cardiomyopathies. Originally, RBM20 mutations were discovered to cause the development of dilated cardiomyopathy by erroneous splicing of the gene TTN (titin). Titin is a giant protein found in a structure of the sarcomere that functions as a molecular spring and provides a passive stiffness to the cardiomyocyte. Later, RBM20 mutations were also described in association with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy and left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy. Here, we present a clinical case of a rare arrhythmogenic phenotype and no structural cardiac abnormalities associated with a RBM20 genetic variant of uncertain significance.
Subject(s)
Arrhythmias, Cardiac/genetics , RNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , Adult , Cardiomyopathy, Dilated/genetics , Connectin/genetics , Humans , Male , RNA SplicingABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Mutations in desmosomal genes linked to arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy are commonly associated with Wnt/ß-catenin signaling abnormalities and reduction of the sodium current density. Inhibitors of GSK3B were reported to restore sodium current and improve heart function in various arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy models, but mechanisms underlying this effect remain unclear. We hypothesized that there is a crosstalk between desmosomal proteins, signaling pathways, and cardiac sodium channels. METHODS AND RESULTS: To reveal molecular mechanisms of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, we established human iPSC-based model of this pathology. iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes from patient carrying two genetic variants in PKP2 gene demonstrated that PKP2 haploinsufficiency due to frameshift variant, in combination with the missense variant expressed from the second allele, was associated with decreased Wnt/ß-catenin activity and reduced sodium current. Different approaches were tested to restore impaired cardiomyocytes functions, including wild type PKP2 transduction, GSK3B inhibition and Wnt/ß-catenin signaling modulation. Inhibition of GSK3B led to the restoration of both Wnt/ß-catenin signaling activity and sodium current density in patient-specific cardiomyocytes while GSK3B activation led to the reduction of sodium current density. Moreover, we found that upon inhibition GSK3B sodium current was restored through Wnt/ß-catenin-independent mechanism. CONCLUSION: We propose that alterations in GSK3B-Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathways lead to regulation of sodium current implying its role in molecular pathogenesis of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.
Subject(s)
Cardiomyopathies/genetics , Cardiomyopathies/metabolism , Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells/metabolism , Plakophilins/metabolism , Sodium/metabolism , Electrophysiology , Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta/genetics , Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta/metabolism , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Mutation/genetics , Patch-Clamp Techniques , Plakophilins/genetics , Wnt Signaling Pathway/genetics , Wnt Signaling Pathway/physiologyABSTRACT
TNNI3 encoding cTnI, the inhibitory subunit of the troponin complex, is the main target for mutations leading to restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM). Here we investigate two cTnI-R170G/W amino acid replacements, identified in infantile RCM patients, which are located in the regulatory C-terminus of cTnI. The C-terminus is thought to modulate the function of the inhibitory region of cTnI. Both cTnI-R170G/W strongly enhanced the Ca2+-sensitivity of skinned fibres, as is typical for RCM-mutations. Both mutants strongly enhanced the affinity of troponin (cTn) to tropomyosin compared to wildtype cTn, whereas binding to actin was either strengthened (R170G) or weakened (R170W). Furthermore, the stability of reconstituted thin filaments was reduced as revealed by electron microscopy. Filaments containing R170G/W appeared wavy and showed breaks. Decoration of filaments with myosin subfragment S1 was normal in the presence of R170W, but was irregular with R170G. Surprisingly, both mutants did not affect the Ca2+-dependent activation of reconstituted cardiac thin filaments. In the presence of the N-terminal fragment of cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMyBPC-C0C2) cooperativity of thin filament activation was increased only when the filaments contained wildtype cTn. No effect was observed in the presence of cTn containing R170G/W. cMyBPC-C0C2 significantly reduced binding of wildtype troponin to actin/tropomyosin, but not of both mutant cTn. Moreover, we found a direct troponin/cMyBPC-C0C2 interaction using microscale thermophoresis and identified cTnI and cTnT, but not cTnC as binding partners for cMyBPC-C0C2. Only cTn containing cTnI-R170G showed a reduced affinity towards cMyBPC-C0C2. Our results suggest that the RCM cTnI variants R170G/W impair the communication between thin and thick filament proteins and destabilize thin filaments.
Subject(s)
Amino Acid Substitution , Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive/genetics , Myocardium/metabolism , Sarcomeres/metabolism , Troponin I/genetics , Actins/metabolism , Animals , Calcium/metabolism , Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive/metabolism , Carrier Proteins/chemistry , Carrier Proteins/metabolism , Child, Preschool , Guinea Pigs , Humans , Microscopy, Electron , Models, Biological , Protein Binding , Tropomyosin/metabolismABSTRACT
Desmin, being a major intermediate filament of muscle cells, contributes to stabilization and positioning of mitochondria. Desmin mutations have been reported in conjunction with skeletal myopathies accompanied by mitochondrial dysfunction. Depending on the ability to promote intracellular aggregates formation, mutations can be considered aggregate-prone or non-aggregate-prone. The aim of the present study was to describe how expression of different desmin mutant isoforms effects mitochondria and contributes to the development of myocyte dysfunction. To achieve this goal, two non-aggregate-prone (Des S12F and Des A213V) and four aggregate-prone (Des L345P, Des A357P, Des L370P, Des D399Y) desmin mutations were expressed in skeletal muscle cells. We showed that all evaluated mutations affected the morphology of mitochondrial network, suppressed parameters of mitochondrial respiration, diminished mitochondrial membrane potential, increased ADP/ATP ratio, and enhanced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release. mtDNA was partially secreted through exosomes as demonstrated by GW4869 treatment. Dysfunction of mitochondria was observed regardless the type of mutation: aggregate-prone or non-aggregate-prone. However, expression of aggregate-prone mutations resulted in more prominent phenotype. Thus, in this comparative study of six pathogenic desmin mutations that cause skeletal myopathy development, we confirmed a role of mitochondrial dysfunction and mtDNA release in the pathogenesis of desmin myopathies, regardless of the aggregation capacity of the mutated desmin.
Subject(s)
Desmin/genetics , Mitochondria/genetics , Muscular Diseases/genetics , Protein Aggregates/genetics , DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics , Desmin/classification , Gene Expression Regulation/genetics , Humans , Intermediate Filaments/metabolism , Intermediate Filaments/pathology , Mitochondria/metabolism , Mitochondria/pathology , Muscle Cells/metabolism , Muscle Cells/pathology , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/metabolism , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/pathology , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/pathology , Muscular Diseases/metabolism , Muscular Diseases/pathology , Mutation/genetics , PhenotypeABSTRACT
Successful colonization of the intestine requires that bacteria interact with the innate immune system and, in particular, neutrophils. Progression of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is associated with alterations in gut microbiota, and dysbiosis in Crohn's disease (CD) patients is often associated with an expansion of Escherichia coli. Here, we investigated the ability of such E. coli isolates to avoid neutrophil activation and to utilize reactive oxygen species. Neutrophil activation was detected in vitro in normal human blood via luminol chemiluminescence (CL) induced by reactive oxygen and halogen species generated by neutrophils. No significant difference in neutrophil activation in vitro was detected between isolates from inflamed (23 isolates) vs healthy intestines (5 isolates), with 10-fold variation within both groups (2.9-61.2 mV). CL activity of isolates from the same patient differed by 1.5-5 times. Twenty-four isolates from ileal aspirate, biopsy, and feces of seven patients with CD and one patient with no intestine inflammation were tested for extracellular peroxidase and catalase activity and cell surface hydrophobicity. Average values between patients varied from 26 ± 3 to 73 ± 18 µmol·g-1 of air dry weight for peroxidase activity, from 15 ± 2 to 189 ± 56 mmol·g-1 of air dry weight for catalase activity, and from 5 ± 3 to 105 ± 9 a.u. for the hydrophobic probe fluorescence. Extracellular peroxidase activity and hydrophobicity of bacterial cell surface correlated negatively with stimulated neutrophil CL. The ability of some isolates to avoid neutrophil activation and to utilize reactive oxygen species may provide a strategy to survive assault by the innate immune system.
Subject(s)
Catalase/metabolism , Escherichia coli Proteins/metabolism , Escherichia coli/immunology , Neutrophil Activation/immunology , Adult , Catalase/physiology , Crohn Disease/metabolism , Crohn Disease/pathology , Dysbiosis/metabolism , Dysbiosis/pathology , Escherichia coli/pathogenicity , Escherichia coli Proteins/physiology , Feces/microbiology , Female , Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology , Humans , Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions , Inflammation/metabolism , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/metabolism , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/pathology , Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism , Intestinal Mucosa/microbiology , Intestinal Mucosa/pathology , Intestines/microbiology , Intestines/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Neutrophils/drug effects , Neutrophils/metabolism , Neutrophils/pathology , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolismABSTRACT
Even though genetic studies of individuals with neuromuscular diseases have uncovered the molecular background of many cardiac disorders such as cardiomyopathies and inherited arrhythmic syndromes, the genetic cause of a proportion of cardiomyopathies associated with neuromuscular phenotype still remains unknown. Here, we present an individual with a combination of cardiomyopathy and limb-girdle type muscular dystrophy where whole exome sequencing identified myoferlin (MYOF)-a member of the Ferlin protein family and close homolog of DYSF-as the most likely candidate gene. The disease-causative role of the identified variant c.[2576delG; 2575G>C], p.G859QfsTer8 is supported by functional studies in vitro using the primary patient's skeletal muscle mesenchymal progenitor cells, including both RNA sequencing and morphological studies, as well as recapitulating the muscle phenotype in vivo in zebrafish. We provide the first evidence supporting a role of MYOF in human muscle disease.
ABSTRACT
Mutations in FLNC for a long time are known in connection to neuromuscular disorders and only recently were described in association with various cardiomyopathies. Here, we report a new clinical phenotype of filaminopathy in four unrelated patients with early-onset restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) in combination with congenital myopathy due to FLNC mutations (NM_001458.4:c.3557C>T, p.A1186V, rs1114167361 in three probands and c.[3547G>C; 3548C>T], p.A1183L, rs1131692185 in one proband). In all cases, concurrent myopathy was confirmed by neurological examination, electromyography, and morphological studies. Three of the patients also presented with arthrogryposis. The pathogenicity of the described missense variants was verified by cellular and morphological studies and by in vivo modeling in zebrafish. Combination of in silico and experimental approaches revealed that FLNC missense variants localized in Ig-loop segments often lead to development of RCM. The described FLNC mutations associated with early-onset RCMP extend cardiac spectrum of filaminopathies and facilitate the differential diagnosis of restrictive cardiac phenotype associated with neuromuscular involvement in children.
Subject(s)
Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive/genetics , Congenital Abnormalities/genetics , Filamins/genetics , Muscular Diseases/genetics , Adolescent , Cardiomyopathy, Restrictive/physiopathology , Child, Preschool , Congenital Abnormalities/physiopathology , DNA Mutational Analysis , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Muscular Diseases/physiopathology , Mutation , Pedigree , PhenotypeABSTRACT
Mechanotransduction is an essential mechanism of transforming external mechanical stimulus to biochemical response. In cardiomyocytes mechanotransduction plays an important role in contraction, stretch sensing and homeostasis regulation. One of the major mechanosensitive area in cardiomyocytes, the Z-disk, consists of numbers of structural and signaling proteins, that may undergo conformational or gene expression changes under pathological stress conditions. In present study we examined a rat model of pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy validated by echocardiographic and histopathological examinations. We revealed, that during hypertrophy progression expression of several genes encoding Z-disk proteins (Actn2, Ldb3, Cmya5, Nebl) is different at early and late points of cardiac remodeling. Moreover, expression patterns of several genes are opposite in myocardium of overloaded left ventricle and hemodynamically unaffected right ventricle, and expression profiles in interventricular septum are more similar to right ventricle. Additionally, we revealed inconsistencies between mRNA and protein level changes of Actn2, one of the major structural Z-disk element. All these findings point out, that investigated Z-disk proteins participate in pathological stress adaptation through undergoing the gene expression changes, and suggest the novel important role of hypertrophic response modulation during different stages of cardiac remodeling.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Risperidone is an antipsychotic drug. In blood, this drug binds mainly to human serum albumin (HSA) and is also transported by HSA. METHOD: To study certain details of the interaction between risperidone and HSA, a fluorescent dye CAPIDAN was used as a reporter. This dye specifically fluoresces from HSA in serum and is highly sensitive to structural changes in HSA including pathology-induced changes. Interaction of CAPIDAN with HSA has been studied using time-resolved fluorescence techniques. RESULT: The addition of phenylbutazone, a marker for the HSA drug-binding site I, leads to displacement of CAPIDAN from this site due to direct competition between phenylbutazone and the dye. The addition of risperidone induces a response of CAPIDAN fluorescence that is highly similar to its response to phenylbutazone. This response depends strongly on ionic strength and is very similar in both cases, phenylbutazone and risperidone. This similarity suggests that risperidone binds to HSA in the region of site I. In this site, the risperidone molecule probably covers the positive charge of Arginine 218 or Arginine 222 preventing their interaction with the CAPIDAN negatively charged carboxyl group. This effect was observed both in isolated HSA and in serum, suggesting similarity of the interaction. CONCLUSION: Thus, risperidone is able to prevent binding of organic anions (i.e. CAPIDAN as a drug-like molecule) to HSA.
Subject(s)
Antipsychotic Agents/pharmacology , Risperidone/pharmacology , Serum Albumin, Human/metabolism , Fluorescent Dyes/metabolism , Humans , Imides/metabolism , Naphthalenes/metabolism , Phenylbutazone/metabolism , Protein BindingABSTRACT
Mitochondrial respiration is the most important generator of cellular energy under most circumstances. It is a process of energy conversion of substrates into ATP. The Seahorse equipment allows measuring oxygen consumption rate (OCR) in living cells and estimates key parameters of mitochondrial respiration in real-time mode. Through use of mitochondrial inhibitors, four key mitochondrial respiration parameters can be measured: basal, ATP production-linked, maximal, and proton leak-linked OCR. This approach requires application of mitochondrial inhibitors-oligomycin to block ATP synthase, FCCP-to make the inner mitochondrial membrane permeable for protons and allow maximum electron flux through the electron transport chain, and rotenone and antimycin A-to inhibit complexes I and III, respectively. This chapter describes the protocol of OCR assessment in the culture of primary myotubes obtained upon satellite cell fusion.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Biological Assay/instrumentation , Mitochondria/metabolism , Oxidative Phosphorylation , Oxygen Consumption , Animals , Antimycin A/pharmacology , Carbonyl Cyanide p-Trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone/pharmacology , Cell Respiration , Cell Survival , Electron Transport Complex I/antagonists & inhibitors , Electron Transport Complex III/antagonists & inhibitors , Mice , Mitochondria/drug effects , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/drug effects , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/metabolism , Oligomycins/pharmacology , Primary Cell Culture , Proton Ionophores/pharmacology , Rotenone/pharmacology , Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle/drug effects , Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle/metabolism , Uncoupling Agents/pharmacologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Cardiomyopathies represent a rare group of disorders often of genetic origin. While approximately 50% of genetic causes are known for other types of cardiomyopathies, the genetic spectrum of restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to identify the genetic background of idiopathic RCM and to compile the obtained genetic variants to the novel signalling pathways using in silico protein network analysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used Illumina MiSeq setup to screen for 108 cardiomyopathy and arrhythmia-associated genes in 24 patients with idiopathic RCM. Pathogenicity of genetic variants was classified according to American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics classification. RESULTS: Pathogenic and likely-pathogenic variants were detected in 13 of 24 patients resulting in an overall genotype-positive rate of 54%. Half of the genotype-positive patients carried a combination of pathogenic, likely-pathogenic variants and variants of unknown significance. The most frequent combination included mutations in sarcomeric and cytoskeletal genes (38%). A bioinformatics approach underlined the mechanotransducing protein networks important for RCM pathogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple gene mutations were detected in half of the RCM cases, with a combination of sarcomeric and cytoskeletal gene mutations being the most common. Mutations of genes encoding sarcomeric, cytoskeletal, and Z-line-associated proteins appear to have a predominant role in the development of RCM.
ABSTRACT
Human serum albumin (HSA) transports many ligands including small aromatic molecules: metabolites, drugs etc. Phenylbutazone is an anti-inflammatory drug, which binds to the drug-binding site I of HSA. Its interaction with this site has been studied using a fluorescent dye, CAPIDAN, whose fluorescence in serum originates from HSA and is sensitive to the changes in HSA site I in some diseases. Its fluorescence in HSA solutions is strongly suppressed by phenylbutazone. This phenomenon seems to be a basic sign of a simple drug-dye competition. However, a more detailed study of the time-resolved fluorescence decay of CAPIDAN has shown that phenylbutazone lowers fluorescence without changing the total amount of bound dye. In brief, the HSA-bound dye forms three populations due to three types of environment at the binding sites. The first two populations probably have a rather strong Coulomb interaction with the positive charge of residues Arginine 218 or Arginine 222 in site I and are responsible for approximately 90% of the total fluorescence. Phenylbutazone blocks this interaction and therefore lowers this fluorescence. At the same time the binding of the third population increases considerably in the presence of phenylbutazone, and, as a result, the actual number of bound dye molecules remains almost unchanged despite the ligand competition. So, time resolved fluorescence of the reporter allows to observe details of interactions and interference of aromatic ligands in drug binding site I of HSA both in isolated HSA and in serum.
Subject(s)
Fluorescent Dyes/chemistry , Imides/chemistry , Naphthalenes/chemistry , Protein Interaction Mapping/methods , Serum Albumin/chemistry , Spectrometry, Fluorescence/methods , Binding Sites , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Humans , Hydrocarbons, Aromatic/chemistry , Ligands , Protein Binding , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and Specificity , Serum Albumin/metabolismABSTRACT
Proteins adsorbed on a surface may affect the interaction of this surface with cells. Here, we studied the binding of human serum albumin (HSA), fibrinogen (FBG) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) to PEGylated single-walled carbon nanotubes (PEG-SWCNTs) and evaluated the impact of PEG-SWCNT treated by these proteins on neutrophils in whole blood samples. Measurements of adsorption parameters revealed tight binding of proteins to PEG-SWCNTs. AFM was employed to directly observe protein binding to sidewalls of PEG-SWCNTs. Fluorescein-labeled IgG was used to ascertain the stability of PEG-SWCNT-IgG complexes in plasma. In blood samples, all plasma proteins mitigated damage of neutrophils observed just after blood exposure to PEG-SWCNTs, while only treatment of PEG-SWCNTs with IgG resulted in dose- and time-dependent enhancement of CNT-induced neutrophil activation and in potentiation of oxidative stress. Our study demonstrates the ability of adsorbed plasma proteins to influence neutrophil response caused by PEG-SWCNTs in whole blood.
Subject(s)
Blood Proteins/physiology , Nanotubes, Carbon , Neutrophils/drug effects , Adsorption , Humans , Protein BindingABSTRACT
Muscular dystrophies caused by defects in various genes are often associated with impairment of calcium homeostasis. Studies of calcium currents are hampered because of the lack of a robust cellular model. Primary murine myotubes, formed upon satellite cell fusion, were examined for their utilization as a model of adult skeletal muscle. We enzymatically isolated satellite cells and induced them to differentiation to myotubes. Myotubes displayed morphological and physiological properties resembling adult muscle fibers. Desmin and myosin heavy chain immunoreactivity in the differentiated myotubes were similar to the mature muscle cross-striated pattern. The myotubes responded to electrical and chemical stimulations with sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release. Presence of L-type calcium channels in the myotubes sarcolemma was confirmed via whole-cell patch-clamp technique. To assess the use of myotubes for studying functional mutation effects lentiviral transduction was applied. Satellite cells easily underwent transduction and were able to retain a positive expression of lentivirally encoded GFP up to and after the formation of myotubes, without changes in their physiological and morphological properties. Thus, we conclude that murine myotubes may serve as a fruitful cell model for investigating calcium homeostasis in muscular dystrophy and the effects of gene modifications can be assessed due to lentiviral transduction.
Subject(s)
Cell Differentiation/genetics , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/cytology , Muscular Dystrophies/metabolism , Primary Cell Culture , Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle/cytology , Animals , Calcium Signaling/genetics , Humans , Mice , Muscle Fibers, Skeletal/metabolism , Muscle, Skeletal/cytology , Muscle, Skeletal/metabolism , Muscular Dystrophies/pathology , Myosin Heavy Chains/metabolism , Sarcoplasmic Reticulum/metabolism , Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle/metabolismABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To assess the cardiovascular health, markers of cardiovascular aging and telomere length in survivors of the siege of Leningrad, who were either born during the siege or lived in the besieged city in their early childhood. METHODS: Survivors of the Leningrad siege (nâ=â305, 64-81 years) and a control group of age and sex-matched individuals (nâ=â51, 67-82 years) were examined in terms of a observational retrospective cohort study. All participants were interviewed regarding risk factors, cardiovascular diseases, and therapy. Blood pressure measurement, anthropometry, echocardiography, and electrocardiography were performed according to standard guidelines. Fasting lipids and glucose were measured. Relative telomere length was measured by quantitative PCR, and the ratio of telomere repeat copy number to single gene copy number (T/S) was calculated for each DNA sample. RESULTS: Survivors had lower anthropometric parameters (height, weight, and BMI) and higher high-density lipoprotein level. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and target organ damage between groups. However, survivors had shorter telomere length: T/S ratio 0.44 (0.25; 0.64) vs. controls 0.91 (0.47; 1.13) (Pâ<â0.0001), both in men and women, with clear association with the period of famine in early life. Exposure to famine in childhood and intrauterine period of life was associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension and shorter telomere length. CONCLUSION: Early-life famine, especially started in the intrauterine period and late childhood, may contribute to accelerated aging with telomere shortening in both sexes, but has no direct effect on the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and risk factors after seven decades since exposure.
Subject(s)
Aging/physiology , Hypertension/epidemiology , Starvation/complications , Telomere Shortening , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Body Height , Body Mass Index , Body Weight , Case-Control Studies , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Gene Dosage , Humans , Hypertension/etiology , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/epidemiology , Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects/physiopathology , Prevalence , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Russia/epidemiology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Various mutations in LMNA gene, encoding for nuclear lamin A/C protein, lead to laminopathies and contribute to over ten human disorders, mostly affecting tissues of mesenchymal origin such as fat tissue, muscle tissue, and bones. Recently it was demonstrated that lamins not only play a structural role providing communication between extra-nuclear structures and components of cell nucleus but also control cell fate and differentiation. In our study we assessed the effect of various LMNA mutations on the expression profile of mesenchymal multipotent stem cells (MMSC) during adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation. We used lentiviral approach to modify human MMSC with LMNA-constructs bearing mutations associated with different laminopathies--G465D, R482L, G232E, R527C, and R471C. The impact of various mutations on MMSC differentiation properties and expression profile was assessed by colony-forming unit analysis, histological staining, expression of the key differentiation markers promoting adipogenesis and osteogenesis followed by the analysis of the whole set of genes involved in lineage-specific differentiation using PCR expression arrays. We demonstrate that various LMNA mutations influence the differentiation efficacy of MMSC in mutation-specific manner. Each LMNA mutation promotes a unique expression pattern of genes involved in a lineage-specific differentiation and this pattern is shared by the phenotype-specific mutations.