Preparation and characterization of a supramolecular hydrogel made of phospholipids and oleic acid with a high water content

A hydrogel formed with phospholipids and fatty acids would be of great interest in the medical field due to the biological relevance that these molecules have in living organisms. However, the tendency of phospholipid mixtures to form vesicular or micellar aggregates at high water content hinders the formation of this type of hydrogel. In this study, a highly hydrated hydrogel (95% water) was formed with hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine and oleic acid. The preparation method involved a freeze-heating cycle of the aqueous lipid mixture, favouring the supramolecular aggregation of these molecules into a microscopic spongy morphology. Confocal fluorescence imaging showed that the microstructure of the hydrogel is made from the aggregation of giant multilamellar vesicles (5-20 μm diameter) while transmission electron microscopy revealed the existence of nanosized unilamellar vesicles (150 nm diameter) coexisting with lipid lamellae. Despite this type of aggregation, X-ray scattering experiments performed on the hydrogel show almost no correlation between lipid membranes. In terms of rheological properties, the material shows a prevalent elastic behaviour and low structural strength, a consequence of non-covalent interactions. With such properties and composition, this structured but easily deformable material might become a useful tool for biomedical applications

Mitochondria-Targeted COUPY Photocages: Synthesis and Visible-Light Photoactivation in Living Cells

Releasing bioactive molecules in specific subcellular locations from the corresponding caged precursors offers great potential in photopharmacology, especially when using biologically compatible visible light. By taking advantage of the intrinsic preference of COUPY coumarins for mitochondria and their long wavelength absorption in the visible region, we have synthesized and fully characterized a series of COUPY-caged model compounds to investigate how the structure of the coumarin caging group affects the rate and efficiency of the photolysis process. Uncaging studies using yellow (560 nm) and red light (620 nm) in phosphate-buffered saline medium have demonstrated that the incorporation of a methyl group in a position adjacent to the photocleavable bond is particularly important to fine-tune the photochemical properties of the caging group. Additionally, the use of a COUPY-caged version of the protonophore 2,4-dinitrophenol allowed us to confirm by confocal microscopy that photoactivation can occur within mitochondria of living HeLa cells upon irradiation with low doses of yellow light. The new photolabile protecting groups presented here complement the photochemical toolbox in therapeutic applications since they will facilitate the delivery of photocages of biologically active compounds into mitochondria

Outer membrane vesicles and soluble factors released by probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 and commensal ECOR63 enhance barrier function by regulating expression of tight junction proteins in intestinal epithelial cells

The gastrointestinal epithelial layer forms a physical and biochemical barrier that maintains the segregation between host and intestinal microbiota. The integrity of this barrier is critical in maintaining homeostasis in the body and its dysfunction is linked to a variety of illnesses, especially inflammatory bowel disease. Gut microbes, and particularly probiotic bacteria, modulate the barrier integrity by reducing gut permeability and reinforcing tight junctions. Probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is a good colonizer of the human gut with proven therapeutic efficacy in the remission of ulcerative colitis in humans. EcN positively modulates the intestinal epithelial barrier through upregulation and redistribution of the tight junction proteins ZO-1, ZO-2 and claudin-14. Upregulation of claudin-14 has been attributed to the secreted protein TcpC. Whether regulation of ZO-1 and ZO-2 is mediated by EcN secreted factors remains unknown. The aim of this study was to explore whether outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released by EcN strengthen the epithelial barrier. This study includes other E. coli strains of human intestinal origin that contain the tcpC gene, such as ECOR63. Cell-free supernatants collected from the wild-type strains and from the derived tcpC mutants were fractionated into isolated OMVs and soluble secreted factors. The impact of these extracellular fractions on the epithelial barrier was evaluated by measuring transepithelial resistance and expression of several tight junction proteins in T-84 and Caco-2 polarized monolayers. Our results show that the strengthening activity of EcN and ECOR63 does not exclusively depend on TcpC. Both OMVs and soluble factors secreted by these strains promote upregulation of ZO-1 and claudin-14, and down-regulation of claudin-2. The OMVs-mediated effects are TcpC-independent. Soluble secreted TcpC contributes to the upregulation of ZO-1 and claudin-14, but this protein has no effect on the transcriptional regulation of claudin-2. Thus, in addition to OMVs and TcpC, other active factors released by these microbiota strains contribute to the reinforcement of the epithelial barrier. Keywords: probiotics, gut microbes, Escherichia coli, phylogenetic group B2, membrane vesicles, tight junctions, intestinal barrier, Tcp

COUPY Coumarins as Novel Mitochondria-Targeted Photodynamic Therapy Anticancer Agents

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) for cancer treatment has drawn increased attention over the last decades. Herein, we introduce a novel family of low-molecular-weight coumarins as potential PDT anticancer tools. Through a systematic study with a library of 15 compounds, we have established a detailed structure−activity relationship rationale, which allowed the selection of three lead compounds exhibiting effective in vitro anticancer activities upon visible-light irradiation in both normoxia and hipoxia (phototherapeutic indexes up to 71) and minimal toxicity toward normal cells. Acting as excellent theranostic agents targeting mitochondria, the mechanism of action of the photosensitizers has been investigated in detail in HeLa cells. The generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species, which has been found to be a major contributor of the coumarins' phototoxicity, and the induction of apoptosis and/or autophagy have been identified as the cell death modes triggered after irradiation with low doses of visible light

Improving Photodynamic Therapy Anticancer Activity of a Mitochondria-Targeted Coumarin Photosensitizer Using a Polyurethane−Polyurea Hybrid Nanocarrier

Integration of photosensitizers (PSs) within nanoscale delivery systems offers great potential for overcoming some of the 'Achiles' heels' of photodynamic therapy (PDT). Herein, we have encapsulated a mitochondria-targeted coumarin PS into amphoteric polyurethane-polyurea hybrid nanocapsules (NCs) with the aim of developing novel nanoPDT agents. The synthesis of coumarin-loaded NCs involved the nanoemulsification of a suitable prepolymer in the presence of a PS without needing external surfactants, and the resulting small nanoparticles showed improved photostability compared with the free compound. Nanoencapsulation reduced dark cytotoxicity of the coumarin PS and significantly improved in vitro photoactivity with red light toward cancer cells, which resulted in higher phototherapeutic indexes compared to free PS. Importantly, this nanoformulation impaired tumoral growth of clinically relevant three-dimensional multicellular tumor spheroids. Mitochondrial photodamage along with reactive oxygen species (ROS) photogeneration was found to trigger autophagy and apoptotic cell death of cancer cells

Serial block-face scanning electron microscopy applied to study the trafficking of 8D3-coated gold nanoparticles at the blood-brain barrier

Due to the physical and physiological properties of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the transport of neurotherapeutics from blood to brain is still a pharmaceutical challenge. We previously conducted a series of experiments to explore the potential of the anti-transferrin receptor 8D3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to transport neurotherapeutics across the BBB. In that study, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were coated with the 8D3 antibody and administered intravenously to mice. Transmission electron microscopy was used and a two-dimensional (2D) image analysis was performed to detect the AuNPs in the brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) and brain parenchyma. In the present work, we determined that serial block-face scanning electron microscopy (SBF-SEM) is a useful tool to study the transcytosis of these AuNPs across the BBB in three dimensions and we, therefore, applied it to gain more knowledge of their transcellular trafficking. The resulting 3D reconstructions provided additional information on the endocytic vesicles containing AuNPs and the endosomal processing that occurs inside BCECs. The passage from 2D to 3D analysis reinforced the trafficking model proposed in the 2D study, and revealed that the vesicles containing AuNPs are significantly larger and more complex than described in our 2D study. We also discuss tradeoffs of using this technique for our application, and conclude that together with other volume electron microscopy imaging techniques, SBF-SEM is a powerful approach that is worth of considering for studies of drug transport across the BBB

On the uptake of cationic liposomes by cells: from changes in elasticity to internalization

In this study, we assessed the capacity of a previously reported engineered liposomal formulation, which had been tested against model membranes mimicking the lipid composition of the HeLa plasma membrane, to fuse and function as a nanocarrier in cells. We used atomic force microscopy to observe physicochemical changes on the cell surface and confocal microscopy to determine how the liposomes interact with cell membranes and released their load. In addition, we performed viability assays using methotrexate as an active drug to obtain proof of concept of the formulation´s capacity to function as a drug delivery-system. The interaction of engineered liposomes with living cells corroborates the information obtained using model membranes and supports the capacity of the engineered liposomal formulation to serve as a potential nanocarrier

Regeneració en els discs imaginals de "Drosophila melanogaster". Anàlisi de la cicatrització, proliferació i formació del patró.

En primer lloc, s'ha examinat el procés de cicatrització durant la regeneració de fragments de discs d'ala de Drosophila. S'ha observat que després de tallar, les cèl·lules de la vora de la ferida comencen a tancar-la a través de la contracció d'un cable d'actina. A més, filopodis emesos per cèl·lules de la vora també cosiran la ferida formant una cremallera des del centre cap als seus extrems. L'activació de la via JNK està involucrada en aquest procés. L'expressió de puckered (puc), s'indueix en vàries fileres de cèl·lules a la vora de la ferida, mentre que la manca d'activitat de la via, aconseguida utilitzant mutants per hep, bsk, o Dfos, impedeix la cicatrització. Aquests defectes van acompanyats a més, per una disminució de l'expressió de puc. Donant suport al paper de puc en la cicatrització, s'han rescatat mutants per hep reduint la funció de puc, i s'ha inhibit la cicatrització sobreexpressant-lo. Aquests resultats demostren un paper de la JNK en la cicatrització dels discs imaginals semblant a l'observada en processos com els tancaments dorsal i toràcic i, semblant també a la cicatrització de l'epidermis embrionària, l'epidermis larval o de la cutícula adulta de Drosophila. En segon lloc, s'ha estudiat el procés de proliferació i creixement durant la regeneració. S'ha examinat per una banda, la distribució de cèl·lules en fase S i en mitosis i, de cèl·lules mortes. Per altra banda, s'han utilitzat tècniques de llinatge cel·lular per marcar l'origen i les fronteres del blastema i, per testar si hi ha canvis en les identitats dels compartiments. Per últim, s'ha realitzat un anàlisi clonal per determinar la topologia de la proliferació cel·lular i la seva relació amb la formació del patró. S'ha demostrat que tant la proliferació s'activa abans no es completa la cicatrització, sobre una distància de 10-15 fileres de cèl·lules des de la ferida. En experiments de llinatge cel·lular amb puc, s'ha vist que la majoria de cèl·lules del blastema s'origina de cèl·lules amb la via JNK activa. L'activitat de puc ha resultat ser un molt bon marcador de les fronteres del blastema. De manera interessant, la mort cel·lular no sembla jugar un paper important en la regeneració dels discs d'ala. L'anàlisi clonal mostra una estreta relació entre el nombre, la freqüència i la forma (orientació de la divisió cel·lular) dels clons, amb la disparitat de valors posicionals confrontats per la cicatrització. Finalment, els experiments de llinatge suggereixen que els compartiments no es reespecifiquen durant la regeneració. Aquests resultats són consistents amb la idea de que la regeneració dels discs imaginals de Drosophila no és un procés epimòrfic estricte i que la proliferació és estimulada, de manera independent de la cicatrització, en una àmplia àrea de la ferida per l'activitat de la via JNK. Després de la cicatrització, la regeneració és conduïda per les disparitats posicionals entre les superfícies contraposades, a través d'una proliferació diferencial i una divisió cel·lular orientada. Per últim, s'ha examinat la formació del patró durant la regeneració. En el desenvolupament, la formació del patró en l'eix Pr/Ds té lloc seguint una seqüència precisa i està mitjançada per la distalització i intercalació és a dir, els nous destins s'afegeixen a la punta i alguns són intercalats entre dos destins preexistents. Durant la regeneració es reprodueix el patró normal que s'aconsegueix durant el desenvolupament però, des d'un punt de partida diferent. La seqüència de formació del patró observada, difereix del desenvolupament. Durant la regeneració, els marcadors posicionals reapareixen de manera semi-simultània i amb solapaments i després, quan el teixit creix, són refinats en dominis discrets reproduint el patró normal.My thesis has been focused on the study, at different levels, of the regenerating process in imaginal discs of "Drosophila melanogaster". On one hand we described the process of wound healing by studying epithelial and cytoskeletal dynamics, and the involvement of the Djun kinase signaling pathway (JNK). A second part of my thesis involved the study of the mechanism of regeneration and the dynamics and origin of the blastema. This was addressed by analyzing cell proliferation (S and M phases of the cell cycle), cell death, cell lineage and by clonal analysis. Finally, the question of how pattern formation occurs during regeneration was addressed using the leg disc and its pattern of gene expression along the proximal-distal axis. Main conclusions are: 1) wound healing in imaginal discs implies the formation of purse-string forces, filopodia protrusion and cell shape changes and is regulated by the JNK signaling pathway. 2) Proliferation is specifically localized to the regenerating area and shows higher number of dividing cells where more tissue needs to be regenerated. 3) Regenerated cells derive from the desdetermination of intact cells at the edge of the wound. 4) Regeneration reproduces the normal pattern achieved during development but following a different sequence of gene expression

Advanced light microscopy techniques

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/32166This article summarizes the basic principles of light microscopy, with examples of applications in biomedicine that illustrate the capabilities of the technique

Cyanobacterial diversity and a new Acaryochloris-like symbiont from Bahamian sea-squirts

Symbiotic interactions between ascidians (sea-squirts) and microbes are poorly understood. Here we characterized the cyanobacteria in the tissues of 8 distinct didemnid taxa from shallow-water marine habitats in the Bahamas Islands by sequencing a fragment of the cyanobacterial 16S rRNA gene and the entire 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and by examining symbiont morphology with transmission electron (TEM) and confocal microscopy (CM). As described previously for other species, Trididemnum spp. mostly contained symbionts associated with the Prochloron-Synechocystis group. However, sequence analysis of the symbionts in Lissoclinum revealed two unique clades. The first contained a novel cyanobacterial clade, while the second clade was closely associated with Acaryochloris marina. CM revealed the presence of chlorophyll d (chl d) and phycobiliproteins (PBPs) within these symbiont cells, as is characteristic of Acaryochloris species. The presence of symbionts was also observed by TEM inside the tunic of both the adult and larvae of L. fragile, indicating vertical transmission to progeny. Based on molecular phylogenetic and microscopic analyses, Candidatus Acaryochloris bahamiensis nov. sp. is proposed for this symbiotic cyanobacterium. Our results support the hypothesis that photosymbiont communities in ascidians are structured by host phylogeny, but in some cases, also by sampling location