Benthic diversity and assemblage structure of a north Patagonian rocky shore: a monitoring legacy of the NaGISA project

The rocky shore of Punta Este, Golfo Nuevo (Patagonia, Argentina), was sampled using the standardized NaGISA (CoML) protocol aimed to generate biodiversity baseline data in 6 levels, from high intertidal to 10m depth. Based on the generated data, we studied the benthic assemblage structure, species richness, mean abundance and the distribution pattern of invertebrate functional groups, typifying species in each intertidal and subtidal level. The rocky shore studied, as other in north Patagonia is understudied, factors driven its assemblage structure are not clear yet. The intertidal sampled is exposed to extreme physical conditions higher than any other studied rocky shore systems, with air temperature variation of 40°C during the year, maximum winds of 90 km/h and semidiurnal tides of 5m amplitude; on the other hand subtidal presents less thermal variation (DeltaT 10°C along the year) and more homogeneous physical conditions. We identified 65 taxa represented by six animal phyla: Mollusca, Arthropoda, Annelida (Polychaeta), Echinodermata, Cnidaria and Nemertea; and three algal phyla: Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta and Heterokontophyta (class: Phaeophyceae). Ordination nMDS plots showed three different assemblages in terms of species composition (intertidal, subtidal 1m level and subtidal 5-10m samples). The intertidal was represented by suspension feeders mainly Mollusca. The tiny mussels Brachidontes rodriguezii and Brachidontes purpuratus, and the algae Corallina officinalis dominated the intertidal and acts as a buffer that prevent other species for physical stress. The subtidal was mainly represented by grazers. Our results showed a tendency of suspension feeders decreasing and increasing of grazers and predators from high intertidal to subtidal, probably driven by decreasing in physical stress. The gastropod Tegula patagonica, the sea urchins Arbacia dufresnii and Pseudechinus magellanicus and the non native algae Undaria pinnatifida were the most abundant in 1m-10m level. Based on previous works performed in the region, we hypothesize that the differences registered between intertidal and subtidal samples could be explained in part by an increase in physical stress in the intertidal with low predation pressure that promotes positive interactions, while in the subtidal the increasing in consumers and decreasing of physical stress could lead to associational defenses. Competition for primary substrate at the intertidal and subtidal must be explored in future experiments. Our results could be useful to compare data and to develop a sustainable network for long-term monitoring benthic community changes due to anthropogenic activities.Fil: Rechimont, Maria Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Galvan, David Edgardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Sueiro, Maria Cruz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Casas, Graciela Noemi. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Piriz, Maria Luz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Diez, María Emilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Primost, Monica Angelina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Zabala, Maria Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Marquez, Federico. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Brogger, Martin Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez Alfaya, Jose Elias. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Bigatti, Gregorio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentin

Neuroprotective effects of the cannabinoid agonist HU210 on retinal degeneration

Cannabinoids have been demonstrated to exert neuroprotective effects on different types of neuronal insults. Here we have addressed the therapeutic potential of the synthetic cannabinoid HU210 on photoreceptor degeneration, synaptic connectivity and functional activity of the retina in the transgenic P23H rat, an animal model for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (RP). In P23H rats administered with HU210 (100 μg/kg, i.p.) from P24 to P90, ERG recordings showed an amelioration of vision loss, as compared to vehicle-administered animals. Under scotopic conditions, the maximum a-wave amplitudes recorded at P60 and P90 were higher in HU210-treated animals, as compared to the values obtained in untreated animals. The scotopic b-waves were significantly higher in treated animals than in untreated rats at P30, P60 and P90. This attenuation of visual deterioration correlated with a delay in photoreceptor degeneration and the preservation of retinal cytoarchitecture. HU210-treated animals had 40% more photoreceptors than untreated animals. Presynaptic and postsynaptic elements, as well as the synaptic contacts between photoreceptors and bipolar or horizontal cells, were also preserved in HU210-treated P23H rats. These results indicate that HU210 preserves cone and rod structure and function, together with their contacts with postsynaptic neurons, in P23H rats. These data suggest that cannabinoids are potentially useful to delay retinal degeneration in RP patients.This research was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BFU2012-36845-FEDER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RETICS RD12/0034/0010), Universidad de Alicante (UA2010-48536273), and the Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (ONCE)

Transplantation of allogeneic pericytes improves myocardial vascularization and reduces interstitial fibrosis in a swine model of reperfused acute myocardial infarction

Background-Transplantation of adventitial pericytes (APCs) promotes cardiac repair in murine models of myocardial infarction. The aim of present study was to confirm the benefit of APC therapy in a large animal model. Methods and Results-We performed a blind, randomized, placebo-controlled APC therapy trial in a swine model of reperfused myocardial infarction. A first study used human APCs (hAPCs) from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. A second study used allogeneic swine APCs (sAPCs). Primary end points were (1) ejection fraction as assessed by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and (2) myocardial vascularization and fibrosis as determined by immunohistochemistry. Transplantation of hAPCs reduced fibrosis but failed to improve the other efficacy end points. Incompatibility of the xenogeneic model was suggested by the occurrence of a cytotoxic response following invitro challenge of hAPCs with swine spleen lymphocytes and the failure to retrieve hAPCs in transplanted hearts. We next considered sAPCs as an alternative. Flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and functional/cytotoxic assays indicate that sAPCs are a surrogate of hAPCs. Transplantation of allogeneic sAPCs benefited capillary density and fibrosis but did not improve cardiac magnetic resonance imaging indices of contractility. Transplanted cells were detected in the border zone. Conclusions-Immunologic barriers limit the applicability of a xenogeneic swine model to assess hAPC efficacy. On the other hand, we newly show that transplantation of allogeneic sAPCs is feasible, safe, and immunologically acceptable. The approach induces proangiogenic and antifibrotic benefits, though these effects were not enough to result in functional improvements.Madeddu is the recipient of grants from the British Heart Foundation and the Medical Research Council in support of research on human and swine APCs. Angelini is the recipient of a grant from the NIHR Biomedical Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, which partially supported the present study. Fernandez-Jimenez was the recipient of nonoverlapping grants from the Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness through the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Rio Hortega fellowship); and the Fundacion Jesus Serra, the Fundacion Interhospitalaria de Investigacion Cardiovascular (FIC), and the CNIC (FICNIC fellowship). The use of QMass software was partly supported by a scientific collaboration between the CNIC and Medis Medical Imaging Systems BV. This study forms part of a Master Research Agreement (MRA) between the CNIC and Philips Healthcare. The CNIC is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO) and the Pro-CNIC Foundation, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (MINECO award SEV-2015-0505).S

Therapeutic effect of early thymic irradiation in (NZB x NZW)F1 mice, associated with a selective decrease in the levels of IgG3 and gp70-anti-gp70 immune complexes

The lupus-prone (NZB x NZW)F1 female mice (NZB/W) develop an autoimmune disease characterized by production of autoAb and fatal glomerulonephritis. Since it has been previously shown that total lymphoid irradiation has a beneficial effect in this model, we have analyzed whether early thymic irradiation (ETI) could improve the course of the lupus-like syndrome in these mice. NZB/W mice received thymic irradiation (4500 rads) beginning at 10 weeks of age, prior to the onset of autoimmune manifestations. Then, they were evaluated for survival, renal histology, and serological markers of autoimmunity, in comparison to nonirradiated NZB/W females. The treatment with ETI improved nephritis and survival in NZB/W mice: 50% mortality was observed at 12 months in irradiated mice and at 9 months in untreated mice. This improved survival could not be attributed to a reduction in the titers of anti-dsDNA Ab nor in the levels of total immune complexes which were essentially identical in both groups. By contrast, this improvement was related to a selective normalization in the serum levels of IgG3 and gp70-anti-gp70 immune complexes (gp70IC) in ETI NZB/W female mice as compared to that seen in nonirradiated NZB/W females. These data show the therapeutical effect of ETI and support the pathogenic role of IgG3 and gp70IC in the development of glomerulonephritis in NZB/W mice