9 research outputs found
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate-Diaphorase (NADPH-d) Histochemistry Detecting NOS in Healthy and Chronically Inflamed Pulp
The aim of this study was to examine the expression of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) activity in human dental pulps and determine
whether there are changes of the activity in chronically inflamed pulp tissue. Nineteen
pulps with clinical diagnosis of chronic pulpitis were collected during endodontic
treatment. The healthy controls were obtained from teeth extracted for orthodontic
therapy. The clinical diagnosis was confirmed by histological analysis. Healthy pulps
showed stratified odontoblasts in peripheral parts, while in central area there was normal
connective tissue. Chronically inflamed pulps showed less expressed stratification
of odontoblasts and infiltration of lymphocytes, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, plasma
cells and mastocytes. NADPH-d granular reactivity was assessed semi quantitatively
under the light microscope by a single observer and scored on an intensity scale from
negative reaction to very strong reaction. In healthy human pulps, NADPH-d activity
was strong to very strong in odontoblastic layer. Endothelial cells and Schwann cells
showed strong NADPH-d reactivity, while the other parts of central area were weakly
positive. Similar distribution of reactivity was expressed also in chronically inflamed
pulp; moderate to strong reaction was observed in stromal area as result of positive reaction
in inflammatory cells and endothelial cells of abundant newly formed capillaries
Methylation of serotonin regulating genes in cord blood cells: association with maternal metabolic parameters and correlation with methylation in peripheral blood cells during childhood and adolescence
Abstract Background Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) signaling is involved in neurodevelopment, mood regulation, energy metabolism, and other physiological processes. DNA methylation plays a significant role in modulating the expression of genes responsible for maintaining 5-HT balance, such as 5-HT transporter (SLC6A4), monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), and 5-HT receptor type 2A (HTR2A). Maternal metabolic health can influence long-term outcomes in offspring, with DNA methylation mediating these effects. We investigated associations between maternal metabolic parametersāpre-pregnancy body mass index (pBMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and glucose tolerance status (GTS), i.e., gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) versus normal glucose tolerance (NGT)āand cord blood methylation of SLC6A4, MAOA, and HTR2A in participants from our PlaNS birth cohort. CpG sites (15, 9, and 2 in each gene, respectively) were selected based on literature and in silico data. Methylation levels were quantified by bisulfite pyrosequencing. We also examined the stability of methylation patterns in these genes in circulating blood cells from birth to adolescence using longitudinal DNA methylation data from the ARIES database. Results None of the 203 PlaNS mothers included in this study had preexisting diabetes, 99 were diagnosed with GDM, and 104 had NGT; all neonates were born at full term by planned Cesarean section. Methylation at most CpG sites differed between male and female newborns. SLC6A4 methylation correlated inversely with maternal pBMI and GWG, while methylation at HTR2A site -1665 correlated positively with GWG. None of the maternal metabolic parameters statistically associated with MAOA methylation. DNA methylation data in cord blood and peripheral blood at ages 7 and 15Ā years were available for 808 participants from the ARIES database; 4 CpG sites (2 in SLC6A4 and 2 in HTR2A) overlapped between the PlaNS and ARIES cohorts. A positive correlation between methylation levels in cord blood and peripheral blood at 7 and 15Ā years of age was observed for both SLC6A4 and HTR2A CpG sites. Conclusions Methylation of 5-HT regulating genes in cord blood cells is influenced by neonatal sex, with maternal metabolism playing an additional role. Inter-individual variations present in circulating blood cells at birth are still pronounced in childhood and adolescence