Differences in the pattern and regulation of mineral deposition in human cell lines of osteogenic and non-osteogenic origin

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used as a cellular model of bone formation, and can mineralize in vitro in response to osteogenic medium (OM). It is unclear, however, whether this property is specific to cells of mesenchymal origin. We analysed the OM response in 3 non-osteogenic lines, HEK293, HeLa and NTera, compared to MSCs. Whereas HEK293 cells failed to respond to OM conditions, the 2 carcinoma-derived lines NTera and HeLa deposited a calcium phosphate mineral comparable to that present in MSC cultures. However, unlike MSCs, HeLa and NTera cultures did so in the absence of dexamethasone. This discrepancy was confirmed, as bone morphogenetic protein inhibition obliterated the OM response in MSCs but not in HeLa or NTera, indicating that these 2 models can deposit mineral through a mechanism independent of established dexamethasone or bone morphogenetic protein signalling

A survey of Taenia multiceps coenurosis in Sardinian sheep

A survey was carried out to assess the occurrence of Coenurus cerebralis infection in Sardinian sheep. A prevalence of 0.35% was observed when 566 regularly slaughtered sheep were examined. However, in 120 sheep with suspected symptoms of coenurosis examined from November 2001 to October 2002, a total of 299 cerebral coenurosis lesions were observed with an incidence of 1% per year. Lesions were classified as migratory, cystic and secondary. Most migratory lesions were found in sheep aged 3-6 months. Cavitary lesions containing cysts in different developing stages were found with high incidence per year in sheep aged 7-12 months. Secondary lesions due to the development of Coenurus were most frequent in sheep aged 19-36 months. Most sheep were found infected in spring and in early summer, between March and June. Most lesions were located in the cortex. The mean number of protoscolices per cyst was 149 (range 10-370)

The female epilepsy protein PCDH19 is a new GABAAR binding partner that regulates GABAergic transmission as well as migration and morphological maturation of hippocampal neurons

The PCDH19 gene (Xp22.1) encodes the cell-adhesion protein protocadherin-19 (PCDH19) and is responsible for a neurodevelopmental pathology characterized by female-limited epilepsy, cognitive impairment and autistic features, the pathogenic mechanisms of which remain to be elucidated.Here, we identified a new interaction between PCDH19 and GABAA receptor (GABAAR) alpha subunits in the rat brain. PCDH19 shRNA-mediated downregulation reduces GABAAR surface expression and affects the frequency and kinetics of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) in cultured hippocampal neurons.In vivo, PCDH19 downregulation impairs migration, orientation and dendritic arborization of CA1 hippocampal neurons and increases rat seizure susceptibility.In sum, these data indicate a role for PCDH19 in GABAergic transmission as well as migration and morphological maturation of neurons

Quali-quantitative evaluation of ileal peyer\u2019s patches innervation in scrapie-free or scrapie-affected sarda breed ovines.

http://www.neuroprion.org/resources/pdf_docs/conferences/prion2008/abstract-book-prion2008.pd

VALUTAZIONE QUALI-QUANTITATIVA DELL’INNERVAZIONE DELLE PLACCHE DEL PEYER ILEALI IN OVINI DI RAZZA SARDA INDENNI O AFFETTI DA SCRAPIE

Although Peyer’s patches (PPs) and the enteric nervous system (ENS) play a key role in early sheep scrapie pathogenesis, little is known on the kinetics of ENS plexuses colonization. This study was aimed at quali-quantitatively evaluating ileal PP innervation in 29 Sarda breed ovines (12 scrapie-free, 2 months-old lambs, 4 ARQ/ARQ, 4 ARR/ARQ and 4 ARR/ARR, respectively; 12 scrapie-free, 2-4 years-old sheep, 3 ARQ/ARQ, 7 ARR/ARQ and 2 ARR/ARR, respectively; 5 ARQ/ARQ scrapie-affected sheep). Terminal ileum was collected and processed for routine histology from all animals under study. Ileal PP innervation was immunohistochemically evaluated by means of an anti-PgP9.5 (pan-neuronal marker) polyclonal antibody (Ab) and of an anti-TH (sympathetic innervation marker) monoclonal Ab. Moreover, PrPSc immunohistochemistry was carried out by means of the F99/97.6.1 monoclonal Ab. Quite a developed network of fibres was detected within PPs, almost exclusively located in the interfollicular lymphoid tissue and stromal component. Intrafollicular fibres could be very rarely observed, with no apparent differences in the innervation rate being found between scrapie-free and scrapie-affected sheep. In adult animals, both scrapie-free and scrapie-affected, nerve fibres could be detected close to the follicle-associated epithelium. Furthermore, the TH+ component was very limited. In conclusion, no significant differences in ileal PP innervation seem to exist in relation to PrP genotype, age and PrPSc deposition within PP follicles. Key words: scrapie, sheep, Peyer’s patches, enteric nervous system, pathogenesi

Immunohistochemistry, Immunofluorescence and Confocal Laser Microscopy: an Insight into the Enteric Nervous System During Sheep Infection.

P03.133 Immunohistochemistry, Immunofluorescence and Confocal Laser Microscopy: An Insight into the Enteric Nervous System During Sheep Scrapie Infection Di Guardo, G1; Marruchella, G1; Ligios, C2; Baffoni, M1; Cancedda, GM2; Macciocu, S2; Gioia, L1; Lalatta Costerbosa, G3; Chiocchetti, R3; Clavenzani, P3; De Grossi, L4; Agrimi, U5; Aguzzi, A6 1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Dept Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Italy; 2Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, Italy; 3Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bologna, Dept Vet Morphophysiology and Animal Productions, Italy; 4Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Regioni Lazio e Toscana, Italy; 5Istituto Superiore di Sanit\ue0, Dept Food Safety and Veterinary Public Health, Italy; 6University Hospital of Zurich, Institute of Neuropathology, Switzerland The enteric nervous system (ENS) is likely to play a role in the early pathogenesis of sheep scrapie, but little is known about the ENS cell types involved. We investigated the ileal myenteric plexi (MPs) and submucosal plexi (SMPs) of 4 natural and 4 oral experimental scrapie-affected ARQ/ARQ Sarda breed sheep, as well as of 12 healthy sheep carrying different PRNP genotypes. In all control animals, as well as in all scrapie-affected sheep, which were euthanized at the end stage of clinical disease, detailed laboratory investigations were carried out by means of immunohistochemistry (IHC), as well as by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) and confocal laser microscopy (CLM) techniques. All the above 8 scrapie-affected animals showed IHC evidence of PrPSc deposition within both MPs and SMPs, with IIF and CLM studies allowing us to identify enteroglial cells (EGCs) and, for the first time, also calbindin (CALB)-immunoreactive (IR) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-IR neurons as the ENS cytotypes involved in PrPSc accumulation and plausibly, thereby, in the subsequent process of \u201cneuroinvasion\u201d. In conclusion, IHC, IIF and CLM proved to be in our hands three highly valuable and complementary laboratory techniques for investigating the