An autosomal recessive leucoencephalopathy with ischemic stroke, dysmorphic syndrome and retinitis pigmentosa maps to chromosome 17q24.2-25.3

Background Single-gene disorders related to ischemic stroke seem to be an important cause of stroke in young patients without known risk factors. To identify new genes responsible of such diseases, we studied a consanguineous Moroccan family with three affected individuals displaying hereditary leucoencephalopathy with ischemic stroke, dysmorphic syndrome and retinitis pigmentosa that appears to segregate in autosomal recessive pattern. Methods All family members underwent neurological and radiological examinations. A genome wide search was conducted in this family using the ABI PRISM linkage mapping set version 2.5 from Applied Biosystems. Six candidate genes within the region linked to the disease were screened for mutations by direct sequencing. Results Evidence of linkage was obtained on chromosome 17q24.2-25.3. Analysis of recombination events and LOD score calculation suggests linkage of the responsible gene in a genetic interval of 11 Mb located between D17S789 and D17S1806 with a maximal multipoint LOD score of 2.90. Sequencing of seven candidate genes in this locus, ATP5H, FDXR, SLC25A19, MCT8, CYGB, KCNJ16 and GRIN2C, identified three missense mutations in the FDXR gene which were also found in a homozygous state in three healthy controls, suggesting that these variants are not disease-causing mutations in the family. Conclusion A novel locus for leucoencephalopathy with ischemic stroke, dysmorphic syndrome and retinitis pigmentosa has been mapped to chromosome 17q24.2-25.3 in a consanguineous Moroccan family

Globular Adiponectin Activates Motility and Regenerative Traits of Muscle Satellite Cells

Regeneration of adult injured skeletal muscle is due to activation of satellite cells, a population of stem cells resident beneath the basal lamina. Thus, information on soluble factors affecting satellite cell activation, as well as migration towards injury and fusion into new myofibers are essential. Here, we show that globular adiponectin (gAd), positively affects several features of muscle satellite cells. gAd activates satellite cells to exit quiescence and increases their recruitment towards myotubes. gAd elicits in satellite cells a specific motility program, involving activation of the small GTPase Rac1, as well as expression of Snail and Twist transcription factors driving a proteolytic motility, useful to reach the site of injury. We show that satellite cells produce autocrine full length adiponectin (fAd), which is converted to gAd by activated macrophages. In turns, gAd concurs to attract to the site of injury both satellite cells and macrophages and induces myogenesis in muscle satellite cells. Thus, these findings add a further role for gAd in skeletal muscle, including the hormone among factors participating in muscle regeneration

A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa

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A year of genomic surveillance reveals how the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic unfolded in Africa.

The progression of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic in Africa has so far been heterogeneous, and the full impact is not yet well understood. In this study, we describe the genomic epidemiology using a dataset of 8746 genomes from 33 African countries and two overseas territories. We show that the epidemics in most countries were initiated by importations predominantly from Europe, which diminished after the early introduction of international travel restrictions. As the pandemic progressed, ongoing transmission in many countries and increasing mobility led to the emergence and spread within the continent of many variants of concern and interest, such as B.1.351, B.1.525, A.23.1, and C.1.1. Although distorted by low sampling numbers and blind spots, the findings highlight that Africa must not be left behind in the global pandemic response, otherwise it could become a source for new variants

The evolving SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Africa: Insights from rapidly expanding genomic surveillance

INTRODUCTION Investment in Africa over the past year with regard to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequencing has led to a massive increase in the number of sequences, which, to date, exceeds 100,000 sequences generated to track the pandemic on the continent. These sequences have profoundly affected how public health officials in Africa have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. RATIONALE We demonstrate how the first 100,000 SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Africa have helped monitor the epidemic on the continent, how genomic surveillance expanded over the course of the pandemic, and how we adapted our sequencing methods to deal with an evolving virus. Finally, we also examine how viral lineages have spread across the continent in a phylogeographic framework to gain insights into the underlying temporal and spatial transmission dynamics for several variants of concern (VOCs). RESULTS Our results indicate that the number of countries in Africa that can sequence the virus within their own borders is growing and that this is coupled with a shorter turnaround time from the time of sampling to sequence submission. Ongoing evolution necessitated the continual updating of primer sets, and, as a result, eight primer sets were designed in tandem with viral evolution and used to ensure effective sequencing of the virus. The pandemic unfolded through multiple waves of infection that were each driven by distinct genetic lineages, with B.1-like ancestral strains associated with the first pandemic wave of infections in 2020. Successive waves on the continent were fueled by different VOCs, with Alpha and Beta cocirculating in distinct spatial patterns during the second wave and Delta and Omicron affecting the whole continent during the third and fourth waves, respectively. Phylogeographic reconstruction points toward distinct differences in viral importation and exportation patterns associated with the Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron variants and subvariants, when considering both Africa versus the rest of the world and viral dissemination within the continent. Our epidemiological and phylogenetic inferences therefore underscore the heterogeneous nature of the pandemic on the continent and highlight key insights and challenges, for instance, recognizing the limitations of low testing proportions. We also highlight the early warning capacity that genomic surveillance in Africa has had for the rest of the world with the detection of new lineages and variants, the most recent being the characterization of various Omicron subvariants. CONCLUSION Sustained investment for diagnostics and genomic surveillance in Africa is needed as the virus continues to evolve. This is important not only to help combat SARS-CoV-2 on the continent but also because it can be used as a platform to help address the many emerging and reemerging infectious disease threats in Africa. In particular, capacity building for local sequencing within countries or within the continent should be prioritized because this is generally associated with shorter turnaround times, providing the most benefit to local public health authorities tasked with pandemic response and mitigation and allowing for the fastest reaction to localized outbreaks. These investments are crucial for pandemic preparedness and response and will serve the health of the continent well into the 21st century

In Vivo Migration of Transplanted Myoblasts Requires Matrix Metalloproteinase Activity

Muscle cell migration and extracellular matrix remodeling are essential aspects of muscle development and regeneration, In this study, using a new technique to assess in vivo myoblast migration, we have confirmed previous results showing that the C2C12 myoblast cell line exhibits a higher migratory capacity than primary myoblasts, To test the hypothesis that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are required for the migration of C2C12 myoblasts, we determined whether a synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitor, BB94 (Batimastat), inhibited this process in vivo. Pretreatment with BB94 for 3 days decreased the C2C12 migration at 2 days after cell injection. Since MMP expression is thus necessary for myoblast migration, we have undertaken the identification and characterization of the MMPs expressed by the C2C12 cell line, An RT-PCR assay was used to determine the pattern of MMP mRNA expression by the C2C12 cell line. The proteolytic activities of the MMPs secreted in the culture medium were also assessed by gelatin zymography. The results showed that MMP2 (gelatinase A, 72-kDa type IV collagenase) and MT1-MMP transcripts were expressed by this cell line; however, only MMP2 was secreted and was able to be activated in the extracellular environment. This cell line failed to express MMP9 (gelatinase B, 92-kDa type IV collagenase), stromelysine 2, or stromelysine 3. Our observation that the membrane type MMP (MT1-MMP) transcript is also expressed by the C2C12 suggests that the MMP2 preform (pro-MMP2), may be activated by the MT1-MMP. This possibility is supported by our observation that the pretreatment of C2C12 with concanavalin A (which is known to induce the expression of MT1-MMP) resulted in the processing of pro-MMP2 to its mature form, in a dose-dependent manner, Overexpression and activation of MMP2 in normal myoblasts showed significant increased migration of mouse myoblasts in vivo. Our finding that MMP2 and MT1-MMP gene are coexpressed by C2C12 myoblasts could account for the high migratory capacity of C2C12. Together these results supported the importance of MMP2 and its activation by MT1-MMP for myoblast migration

The Urokinase Plasminogen Activator: an Interesting Way to Improve Myoblast Migration Following their Transplantation

Muscle cell migration plays an important role in the incorporation of transplanted myoblasts in muscle fibers. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the high migration capacity of the C2C12 myoblast cell line may help to develop approaches to improve the migration of normal myoblasts and consequently to increase their participation to the host myofiber regeneration. We have previously shown that matrix metalloproteinases are implicated in the in vivo migration of C2C12. Here, we studied the role of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in this process. The expression of uPA mRNA and the enzymatic activity of uPA were studied in both normal myoblasts and the C2C12 myoblast cell line. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that uPA mRNA was more strongly expressed in C2C12 cells than in normal myoblasts. The enzymatic activity of secreted uPA analyzed by casein zymography is higher in medium conditioned by C2C12 cells than in medium conditioned by normal myoblasts. Using our previously described microtube technique to assess in vivo cell migration, we showed that uPA is implicated in the in vivo migration of C2C12 cells since this migration was abrogated in the presence of aprotinin (a general serine protease inhibitor) or amiloride (a uPA-specific inhibitor). We, therefore, hypothesized that increasing endogenous uPA expression by normal myoblasts may improve their migration capacity. Since an accumulating body of evidence has shown that growth factors regulate expression of uPA in a wide range of cells, we treated normal myoblasts with several growth factors alone or in combination with components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). All stimulants tested showed a minimal to strong effect on uPA enzymatic activity as assayed by zymography analysis. The positive effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on uPA enzymatic activity was slightly potentiated in the presence of fibronectin. Moreover, the pretreatment and coinjection of mouse myoblasts with bFGF alone or in combination with fibronectin improved significantly their in vivo migration throughout the tibialis anterior muscle of mdx mice. These results suggest that increasing uPA expression by an appropriate combination of growth factors and ECM components constitutes a possible approach to improving the migration of myogenic cells after transplantation

Intramuscular Migration of Myoblasts Transplanted after Muscle Pretreatment with Metalloproteinases

The effect of pretreatments of host muscles with metalloproteinases (MMPs) or with notexin on the migration of transplanted myoblasts was investigated. Transgenic TnILacZ mice in which the beta-galactosidase gene is under the control of a quail fast skeletal troponin I gene promoter were used as donors. A polyethylene microtube with four perforations was inserted in the tibialis anterior (TA) of CD1 mice. Both pretreatment substances and cells were slowly injected through that microtube. Muscles were pretreated 2 days before myoblast injection either with a mixture of collagenase, matrilysin, and notexin or with only collagenase and matrilysin or only notexin. As control for our experiments, TnILacZ and C2C12 myoblasts were also injected in TA muscles not pretreated. Comparison of short and long-term myoblast radial migration was performed using a dye (PKH26) and X-gal staining, respectively. The recipient mice were immunosuppressed with FK506. Two days after myoblast transplantation, the cell movement in muscles pretreated with collagenase, matrilysin, and notexin was slightly greater than in muscles pretreated only with collagenase and matrilysin but was about twice that observed in muscles treated with notexin alone. Almost no radial migration of TnILacZ myoblasts was observed in untreated muscles. The C2C12 myoblasts showed a four to fivefold higher migration capacity than TnILacZ myoblasts, At 15 days after TnILacZ myoblast transplantation, the farthest positive beta-gal muscle fibers show a two- to threefold extension of the initial migration observed at 2 days, demonstrating the ability of myoblasts to continue the migration following all pretreatments and even in the untreated muscles. In addition, more muscle fibers expressed the beta-gal reporter gene in muscles pretreated only with MMPs. Our results clearly demonstrate that muscle pretreatments with MMPs increase myoblast migration and fusion with host muscle fibers after transplantation and that the C2C12 cell line producing MMPs has a higher migratory capacity