Human Embryonic Stem Cells and Embryonal Carcinoma Cells Have Overlapping and Distinct Metabolic Signatures

While human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and human embryonal carcinoma cells (hECCs) have been studied extensively at the levels of the genome, transcriptome, proteome and epigenome our knowledge of their corresponding metabolomes is limited. Here, we present the metabolic signatures of hESCs and hESCs obtained by untargeted gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Whilst some metabolites are common to both cell types, representing the self-renewal and house-keeping signatures, others were either higher (e.g., octadecenoic acid, glycerol-3-phosphate, 4-hydroxyproline) or lower (e.g., glutamic acid, mannitol, malic acid, GABA) in hESCs (H9) compared to hECCs (NTERA2), these represent cell type specific signatures. Further, our combined results of GC-MS and microarray based gene expression profiling of undifferentiated and OCT4-depleted hESCs are consistent with the Warburg effect which is increased glycolysis in embryonic cells and tumor cells in the presence of O2 while oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) is impaired or even shut down. RNAi-based OCT4 knock down mediated differentiation resulted in the activation of the poised OXPHOS machinery by expressing missing key proteins such as NDUFC1, UQCRB and COX, increase in TCA cycle activity and decreased lactate metabolism. These results shed light on the metabolite layer of pluripotent stem cells and could potentially establish novel metabolic markers of self renewal and pluripotency

First record of Tuxophorus caligodes (Siphonostomatoida, Tuxophoridae) in sea-farmed cobia, Rachycentron canadum, in Brazil

O cobia é o único representante da família Rachycentridae e, devido às suas qualidades zootécnicas, a produção desse peixe tem sido implementada em vários países, tais como os Estados Unidos, México e Brasil. Tuxophorus caligodes é um parasito de peixes marinhos amplamente distribuído no mundo. Para o presente relato, 15 juvenis de cobias foram coletados de tanques-rede, em uma fazenda marinha em Ilhabela, Estado de São Paulo, Brasil, no inverno de 2011. Os peixes foram sujeitos à eutanásia por meio de concussão cerebral, pesados (280 ± 70,5 g) e medidos (27 ± 1,97 cm). Após exame externo sob um estereomicroscópio, os ectoparasitos presentes na superfície do corpo foram coletados, fixados e processados para identificação. Dos 15 peixes examinados, dois apresentavam-se parasitados indicando a prevalência de 13,3%. Esse é o primeiro relato de Tuxophorus caligodes em cobias no Brasil.The cobia is the only representative of the Rachycentridae family and, because of its zootechnical qualities, production of this fish has been implemented in several countries, such as the United States, Mexico and Brazil. Tuxophorus caligodes is a widespread parasite of marine fish worldwide. For the present report, 15 juvenile cobias were collected from net cages on a fish farm in Ilhabela, state of São Paulo, Brazil, in the winter of 2011. The fish were sacrificed by means of cerebral concussion, and then weighed (280 ± 70.5 g) and measured (27 ± 1.97 cm). After external examination under a stereomicroscope, ectoparasites present on the body surface were collected, fixed and processed for identification. Out of the 15 fish examined, two were parasitized with Tuxophorus caligodes, thus indicating a prevalence of 13.3%. This is the first report of Tuxophorus caligodes in cobias in Brazil.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Patologia VeterináriaUniversidade Estadual de Maringá (UEM) Laboratório de Ictioparasitologia Núcleo de Pesquisas em Limnologia Ictiologia e AquiculturaUniversidade Estadual Paulista Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias Departamento de Patologia Veterinári

Aberrant epigenetic changes and gene expression in cloned cattle dying around birth

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Aberrant reprogramming of donor somatic cell nuclei may result in many severe problems in animal cloning. To assess the extent of abnormal epigenetic modifications and gene expression in clones, we simultaneously examined DNA methylation, histone H4 acetylation and expression of six genes (<it>β-actin</it>, <it>VEGF</it>, <it>oct4</it>, <it>TERT</it>, <it>H19 </it>and <it>Igf2</it>) and a repetitive sequence (<it>art2</it>) in five organs (heart, liver, spleen, lung and kidney) from two cloned cattle groups that had died at different stages. In the ED group (early death, n = 3), the cloned cattle died in the perinatal period. The cattle in the LD group (late death, n = 3) died after the perinatal period. Normally reproduced cattle served as a control group (n = 3).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Aberrant DNA methylation, histone H4 acetylation and gene expression were observed in both cloned groups. The ED group showed relatively fewer severe DNA methylation abnormalities (p < 0.05) but more abnormal histone H4 acetylations (p < 0.05) and more abnormal expression (p < 0.05) of the selected genes compared to the LD group. However, our data also suggest no widespread gene expression abnormalities in the organs of the dead clones.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Deaths of clones may be ascribed to abnormal expression of a very limited number of genes.</p

Human embryonic stem cell-derived neurons as a tool for studying neuroprotection and neurodegeneration.

The capacity to generate myriad differentiated cell types, including neurons, from human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines offers great potential for developing cell-based therapies and also for increasing our understanding of human developmental mechanisms. In addition, the emerging development of this technology as an experimental tool represents a potential opportunity for neuroscientists interested in mechanisms of neuroprotection and neurodegeneration. Potentially unlimited generation of well-defined functional neurons from hES and patient specific induced pluripotent (iPS) cells offers new systems to study disease mechanisms, signalling pathways and receptor pharmacology within a human cellular environment. Such systems may help in overcoming interspecies differences. Far from replacing rodent in vivo and primary culture systems, hES and iPS cell-derived neurons offer a complementary resource to overcome issues of interspecies differences, accelerate drug discovery, study of disease mechanism as well as provide basic insight into human neuronal physiology