The action of obestatin in skeletal muscle repair: stem cell expansion, muscle growth, and microenvironment remodeling

The development of therapeutic strategies for skeletal muscle diseases, such as physical injuries and myopathies, depends on the knowledge of regulatory signals that control the myogenic process. The obestatin/GPR39 system operates as an autocrine signal in the regulation of skeletal myogenesis. Using a mouse model of skeletal muscle regeneration after injury and several cellular strategies, we explored the potential use of obestatin as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of trauma-induced muscle injuries. Our results evidenced that the overexpression of the preproghrelin, and thus obestatin, and GPR39 in skeletal muscle increased regeneration after muscle injury. More importantly, the intramuscular injection of obestatin significantly enhanced muscle regeneration by simulating satellite stem cell expansion as well as myofiber hypertrophy through a kinase hierarchy. Added to the myogenic action, the obestatin administration resulted in an increased expression of VEGF/VEGFR2 and the consequent microvascularization, with no effect on collagen deposition in skeletal muscle. Furthermore, the potential inhibition of myostatin during obestatin treatment might contribute to its myogenic action improving muscle growth and regeneration. Taken together, our data demonstrate successful improvement of muscle regeneration, indicating obestatin is a potential therapeutic agent for skeletal muscle injury and would benefit other myopathies related to muscle regeneration

Coastal upwelling in the Rías Bajas, NW Spain: Contrasting the benthic regimes of Rías de Arosa and de Muros

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A longitudinal study of gene expression in first-episode schizophrenia; exploring relapse mechanisms by co-expression analysis in peripheral blood

Little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms of relapse in first-episode schizophrenia, which limits the study of potential biomarkers. To explore relapse mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers for relapse prediction, we analyzed gene expression in peripheral blood in a cohort of first-episode schizophrenia patients with less than 5 years of evolution who had been evaluated over a 3-year follow-up period. A total of 91 participants of the 2EPs project formed the sample for baseline gene expression analysis. Of these, 67 provided biological samples at follow-up (36 after 3 years and 31 at relapse). Gene expression was assessed using the Clariom S Human Array. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was applied to identify modules of co-expressed genes and to analyze their preservation after 3 years of follow-up or at relapse. Among the 25 modules identified, one module was semi-conserved at relapse (DarkTurquoise) and was enriched with risk genes for schizophrenia, showing a dysregulation of the TCF4 gene network in the module. Two modules were semi-conserved both at relapse and after 3 years of follow-up (DarkRed and DarkGrey) and were found to be biologically associated with protein modification and protein location processes. Higher expression of DarkRed genes was associated with higher risk of suffering a relapse and early appearance of relapse (p = 0.045). Our findings suggest that a dysregulation of the TCF4 network could be an important step in the biological process that leads to relapse and suggest that genes related to the ubiquitin proteosome system could be potential biomarkers of relapse. © 2021, The Author(s)

Primeros datos sobre la meagafauna bentónica de la Ría de Pontevedra: Peces demersales y crustáceos decápodos (Brachyura)

El presente trabajo se centra en el estudio inicial del megabentos de la Ría de Ponrevedra , con vistas a establecer los parámetros básicos determinantes de la abundancia y distribución de los peces demersales y crustáceos. Los datos obtenidos se comparan con los correspondientes a otras rías, incidiendo asimismo en el posible efecto de los efluentes industriales. Los patrones de distribución observados en otras rías (influencia de las bateas, profundidad, características del sustrato e influencia de las aguas dulces), se mantienen en la Ría de Pontevedra. Se detectan sin embargo ciertas diferencias más manifiestas en el caso de los crustáceos, presumiblemente en relación con una menor movilidad que la que presentan los peces, y verse así más afectados por cualquier alteración del medio. La zona interna de la ría se caracteriza por la abundancia de especies propias de zonas fluctuantes, y que soportan considerables variaciones de salinidad y bajos niveles de oxígeno disuelto, como son los crustáceos Carcinus maenas y MacroPipus arcuatus y los peces Pomatoschistus minutus y Gobius niger. La clara dominancia en toda la ría del decápodo Inacbus dorsettensis , especie característica de zonas fangosas en otras rías, puede estar en relación con los altos valores de materia orgánica en el sedimento citados para la Ría de Pontevedra. Por ello creemos que los efluentes industriales constituyen un factor más que incide sobre la abundancia y distribución de la comunidad.Versión del edito