Is osteoarthritis a mitochondrial disease?: what is the evidence

Final peer-reviewed manuscript[Abstract] Propose of review: To summarize the evidence that suggests that osteoarthritis (OA) is a mitochondrial disease. Recent findings: Mitochondrial dysfunction together with mtDNA damage could contribute to cartilage degradation via several processes such as: (1) increased apoptosis; (2) decreased autophagy; (3) enhanced inflammatory response; (4) telomere shortening and increased senescence chondrocytes; (5) decreased mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy; (6) increased cartilage catabolism; (7) increased mitochondrial fusion leading to further reactive oxygen species production; and (8) impaired metabolic flexibility. Summary: Mitochondria play an important role in some events involved in the pathogenesis of OA, such as energy production, the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, apoptosis, authophagy, senescence and inflammation. The regulation of these processes in the cartilage is at least partially controlled by retrograde regulation from mitochondria and mitochondrial genetic variation. Retrograde regulation through mitochondrial haplogroups exerts a signaling control over the nuclear epigenome, which leads to the modulation of nuclear genes, cellular functions and development of OA. All these data suggest that OA could be considered a mitochondrial disease as well as other complex chronic disease as cancer, cardiovascular and neurologic diseases.Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI17/00210Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI20/00614Instituto de Salud Carlos III; PI19/01206Instituto de Salud Carlos III; RETIC-RIER-RD16/0012/000

Gene Polymorphisms and Pharmacogenetics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, chronic and inflammatory disease of unknown etiology with genetic predisposition. The advent of new biological agents, as well as the more traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, has resulted in highly efficient therapies for reducing the symptoms and signs of RA; however, not all patients show the same level of response in disease progression to these therapies. These variations suggest that RA patients may have different genetic regulatory mechanisms. The extensive polymorphisms revealed in non-coding gene-regulatory regions in the immune system, as well as genetic variations in drug-metabolizing enzymes, suggest that this type of variation is of functional and evolutionary importance and may provide clues for developing new therapeutic strategies. Pharmacogenetics is a rapidly advancing area of research that holds the promise that therapies will soon be tailored to an individual patient’s genetic profile

El impacto de la crisis sobre la inmigración ecuatoriana en España

El objetivo del artículo es medir el impacto de la crisis económica sobre el colectivo de origen ecuatoriano residente en España; el estudio se basa en una encuesta realizada a dicha población, utilizando técnicas estadísticas de análisis multivariable, se elabora un índice sintético, que segmenta a la población ecuatoriana en función de cómo ha sido afectada por la recesión. El grupo más perjudicado se caracteriza por un empeoramiento en los indicadores asociados a la vivienda y a la situación económica. En el lado opuesto ¾menor impacto de la crisis¾, se sitúan aquellas personas que han llegado más recientemente, son más jóvenes y con un mayor nivel de estudios

Mitochondrial biogenesis: a potential therapeutic target for osteoarthritis

Editorial[Abstract] Mitochondrial dysfunction of human articular chondrocytes is considered a hallmark of cartilage degradation and OA pathogenesis. Due to the huge number of cellular processes in which mitochondria is implicated, even in the closed context of cellular respiration, the term mitochondrial function can refer to a variety of features which include fusion and fission, turnover (biogenesis and mitophagy), and plasticity. Mitochondrial biogenesis and mainly mitochondrial fusion and reduced mitophagy, contribute to the metabolic disorder and inflammation that occurs during OA. Reduced MFN2 and increased PARKIN expression represent potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of joint cartilage degradation during the OA process

Genetics in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative articular disease with complex pathogeny because diverse factors interact causing a process of deterioration of the cartilage. Despite the multifactorial nature of this pathology, from the 50’s it´s known that certain forms of osteoarthritis are related to a strong genetic component. The genetic bases of this disease do not follow the typical patterns of mendelian inheritance and probably they are related to alterations in multiple genes. The identification of a high number of candidate genes to confer susceptibility to the development of the osteoarthritis shows the complex nature of this disease. At the moment, the genetic mechanisms of this disease are not known, however, which seems clear is that expression levels of several genes are altered, and that the inheritance will become a substantial factor in future considerations of diagnosis and treatment of the osteoarthritis

From Transient to Sedentary? Changes in the Home Range Size and Environmental Patterns of Movements of European Eels (Anguilla anguilla) in a Mediterranean River

The habitat use of eels during the development of sedentary behavior, which depends on the animals’ body size, is unknown. Our objective was to analyze, for two years, the changes in the home range of a population of European eel (Anguilla anguilla, Linnaeus, 1758) in Southern Europe in relation to the animals’ body length (TL), and the influence of environmental factors (water temperature and flow) on the local movements of this population through observation of their sedentary behavior. We used a previously-validated mark–recapture methodology, obtaining a low deviation in the estimation of the extension of the eels’ movements. Our results revealed relatively short movements in relation to other populations, and we hypothesize that this could be related to the high habitat diversity and low eel population density in the study area. The home range size showed a high variability and dispersion among the smallest eels, however, as TL increased, the variability of home range size decreased, and home ranges were larger. These changes could be associated with the acquisition of a sedentary lifestyle. Once eels had become sedentary, an environmental pattern was observed between their movements and the water temperature and flow, with larger movements observed as the flow increased and water temperature decreased. This suggests that the temporal and spatial scales of observation are of crucial importance for monitoring eel populations and for the study of population size structure, population dynamics, and biology, which can be used to improve conservation strategies

Prospective of Intercultural Teaching Competencies in Relation to Technology and Neuroeducation

The objective of this research is to analyze the prospective of intercultural teaching competence in relation to technology and neuroeducation. The research design is nonexperimental, descriptive, explanatory and regression. The sample, by convenience, is formed by students from Spanish and foreign universities, in 605 participants. A Likert scale questionnaire, constructed ad hoc, was applied. The quantitative methodology was developed through automatic linear regression modeling and a decision tree. The most relevant results show that this prospective is possible, determining that it is necessary to promote inclusion and to know the different cultures in the classroom, since they are the reason why intercultural teaching competence will undoubtedly develop, on the other hand, if we want to promote intercultural teaching competence, we must adopt neuroeducation as a basis, being of great help to use technological teaching competences, which in turn must have a neuroeducational character

Genetic diversity in fishery-exploited populations of the banded murex ("Hexaplex trunculus") from the southern Iberian Peninsula

[Abstract] This study presents an analysis of the genetic diversity in Hexaplex trunculus from three localities of the southern Iberian Peninsula (Ria Formosa and Ria de Alvor in Portugal, and Río Piedras in Spain) using three mitochondrial (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) and one nuclear (5S rRNA and its non-transcribed spacer, NTS) genes. Restriction digestions of 12S and 16S rRNA genes using four endonucleases were also performed. Low genetic diversity was observed for the four genes studied. Genetic distances ranged from 0 to 0.004 for the mitochondrial genes and these values were slightly higher for the 5S and the NTS. The level of polymorphism within populations, π, was from 0 to 0.0039 (for mitochondrial genes), 0.0111–0.0333 (for 5S rRNA), and from 0.2220 to 0.5079 (for NTS). Furthermore, RFLPs analyses from 12S and 16S rRNA genes showed these localities to be monomorphic. The low genetic variability within populations suggests small population size, and a possible bottleneck due to multiple causes, such as overexploitation, the type of larval development (intracapsular embryos) and/or the peripheral location of the sampled localities considering the geographical distribution of the species. Because these populations show such high genetic similarity, Ria de Alvor and Río Piedras could be potentially used for stock enhancement of the Ria Formosa.Portugal. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia; FCT: SFRH/BD/5139/200

Anti-inflammatory activity of APPA (Apocynin and Paeonol) in human articular chondrocytes

[Abstract] Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease leading to cartilage loss and reduction in the joint space which results in pain. The current pharmacological treatment of OA is inadequate and pharmacological interventions focus on symptom management. APPA, a combination of apocynin (AP) and paeonol (PA), is a potential drug for treating OA. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of APPA on the modulation of the inflammatory response in chondrocytes. Samples were incubated with IL-1β and APPA, and their responses to proinflammatory cytokines, catabolic mediators and redox responses were then measured. The effect of APPA on mitogenesis was also evaluated. Results show that APPA attenuated the expression of IL-8, TNF-α, MMP-3, MMP-13, SOD-2 and iNOS, resulting in the protection of human articular cartilage. APPA decreased PGC-1α gene expression induced by IL-1β. APPA did not modulate the gene expression of Mfn2, Sirt-1 or Sirt-3. The overall findings indicate that APPA may be an effective treatment for OA by targeting several of the pathways involved in OA pathogenesis

Procedimiento para fijar dióxido de carbono mediante la utilización de un cultivo de cianobacterias

Número de publicación: ES2262432 A1 (16.11.2006) También publicado como: ES2262432 B1 (16.11.2007) Número de Solicitud: Consulta de Expedientes OEPM (C.E.O.)P200501126 (11.05.2005)El objeto de la presente invención es un proceso para fijar dióxido de carbono (CO2), mediante el cultivo de cualquier cianobacteria fijadora de nitrógeno, halotolerante, y capaz de producir un exopolisacárido que se excreta al medio. La utilización de dicho procedimiento permite reducir o eliminar emisiones de CO2 que proceden de procesos industriales, por ejemplo de las centrales de generación eléctrica. Otro objeto de la presente invención lo constituye la utilización como biocombustible de un exopolisacárido producido mediante el cultivo de la cianobacteria Anabaena, que posee un alto poder calorífico. La utilización de dicho exopolisacárido como biocombustible permitiría reducir el consumo de combustibles fósiles en aquellos procesos industriales que los emplean.Universidad de Almería. Universidad de Sevill