Feeding and food availability modulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor, an orexigen with metabolic roles in zebrafish

Emerging fndings point to a role for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on feeding in mammals. However, its role on energy balance is unclear. Moreover, whether BDNF regulates energy homeostasis in non-mammals remain unknown. This research aimed to determine whether BDNF is a metabolic peptide in zebrafsh. Our results demonstrate that BDNF mRNAs and protein, as well as mRNAs encoding its receptors trkb2, p75ntra and p75ntrb, are detectable in the zebrafsh brain, foregut and liver. Intraperitoneal injection of BDNF increased food intake at 1, 2 and 6 h post-administration, and caused an upregulation of brain npy, agrp and orexin, foregut ghrelin, and hepatic leptin mRNAs, and a reduction in brain nucb2. Fasting for 7 days increased bdnf and p75ntrb mRNAs in the foregut, while decreased bdnf, trkb2, p75ntra and p75ntrb mRNAs in the brain and liver. Additionally, the expression of bdnf and its receptors increased preprandially, and decreased after a meal in the foregut and liver. Finally, we observed BDNF-induced changes in the expression and/ or activity of enzymes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism in the liver. Overall, present results indicate that BDNF is a novel regulator of appetite and metabolism in fsh, which is modulated by energy intake and food availabilityNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada | Ref. RGPIN-2017-04956Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481B 2017/11

Vliv endokrinních disruptorů na funkčnost spermií a změny ve steroidogenezi transkriptomik u ryb

In the present study, both in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to investigate modes of action of selected EDCs including mercury chloride (HgCl2), bisphenol A (BPA), vinclozolin (VZ) and Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) on male reproductive physiology in fish. Results obtained from in vitro studies showed that EDCs decrease sperm motility via disruption in energetics and damage to spermatozoa; however the effective doses are higher than reported in the environmentally relevant concentrations. In contrast, in vivo studies showed adverse effects of BPA, VZ, and DEHP on sperm quality at environmentally relevant concentrations. Decrease in sperm quality is associated with disruption in testicular steroidogenesis, particularly inhibition of androgens. Only BPA induced vitellogenin production, associated with increase in transcripts of estrogen receptor, androgen receptor and cytochrome P450 mRNA at the high dose approaching environmental level. Inhibition of androgen production is due to disruption in transfer of cholesterol into the steroidogenesis pathway, because transcript of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein mRNA was decreased. In addition, BPA acts through sex steroid-mediated mechanism while DEHP mode of action is sex-steroid independent mechanism

The power features of Masseter muscle activity in tension-type and migraine without aura headache during open-close clench cycles

Introduction Different types of headaches and TMJ click influence the masseter muscle activity. The aim of this study was to assess the trend of energy level of the electromyography (EMG) activity of the masseter muscle during open-close clench cycles in migraine without aura (MOA) and tension-type headache (TTH) with or without TMJ click. Methods Twenty-five women with MOA and twenty four women with TTH participated in the study. They matched with 25 healthy subjects, in terms of class of occlusion and prevalence of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with click. The EMG of both masseter muscles were recorded during open-close clench cycles at a rate of 80 cycles per minute for 15 seconds. The mouth opening was restricted to two centimeters by mandibular motion frame. Signal processing steps have been done on the EMG as: noise removing, smoothing, feature extraction, and statistical analyzing. The six statistical parameters of energy computed were mean, Variance, Skewness, Kurtosis, and first and second half energy over all signal energy. Results A three-way ANOVA indicated that during all the cycles, the mean of energy was more and there was a delay in showing the peak of energy in the masseter of the left side with clicked TMJ in MOA group compared to the two other groups, while this pattern occurred inversely in the side with no-clicked TMJ (P < 0.009). The variation of energy was significantly less in MOA group compared to the two other groups in the no-clicked TMJ (P < 0.003). However, the proportion of the first or second part of signal energy to all energy showed that TTH group had less energy in the first part and more energy in the second part in comparison to the two other groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion The study showed different changes in the energy distribution of masseter muscle activity during cycles in MOA and TTH. MOA, in contrast to TTH, had lateralization effect on EMG and interacted with TMJ click

Bilayer graphene nanoribbon carrier statistic in degenerate and non degenerate limit

Bilayer Graphene Nanoribbon (BGN) Carrier statistic in the non-degenerate and the degenerate limit is presented. Two dimensional BGN through AB configuration with width less than De-Broglie wave length can be understood as a one dimensional (1D) device. Based on the 1D behavior offered model illustrates exponential function of normalized Fermi energy which explains carrier concentration on low carrier regime. However on zero to 3kBT distance from and within conduction or valence bands high concentration of carriers sensitively depends on normalized Fermi energy which is independent of temperature as well. Since a BGN field effect transistor (BGNFET) can be shaped by using graphene bilayers with an external controllable voltage which is perpendicular to the layers in gates

Anti-androgen vinclozolin impairs sperm quality and steroidogenesis in goldfish.

International audienceIn mammals, vinclozolin (VZ) is known as anti-androgen, which causes male infertility via androgen receptor (AR) antagonism. In aquatic animals, the VZ effects on reproductive functions are largely unknown and results are somewhat contradictory. To understand VZ adverse effects on male reproduction, mature goldfish (Carassius auratus) were exposed to three nominal VZ concentrations (100, 400, and 800 μg/L) and alternations in gonadosomatic (GSI) and hepatosomatic indices (HSI), 17β-estradiol (E(2)), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and sperm quality were investigated compared to the solvent control. One group was exposed to E(2) (nominal concentration of 5 μg/L), an estrogenic compound, as a negative control. Following one month exposure, GSI and HSI were unchanged in all VZ treated groups compared to solvent control. Sperm volume, motility and velocity were reduced in fish exposed to 800 μg/L VZ. This was associated with the decrease in 11-KT level, suggesting direct VZ effects on testicular androgenesis and sperm functions. In goldfish exposed to 100 μg/L VZ, 11-KT was increased but E(2) remained unchanged. This is, probably, the main reason for unchanged sperm quality at 100 μg/L VZ. In goldfish exposed to E(2), GSI and 11-KT were decreased, E(2) was increased and no sperm was produced. The present study shows different dose-dependent VZ effects, which lead to impairment in sperm quality via disruption in steroidogenesis. In addition to VZ effects through competitive binding to AR, our data suggests potential effects of VZ by direct inhibition of 11-KT biosynthesis in fish as well as abnormalities in sperm morphology

A comparative study of aggrecan synthesis between natural articular chondrocytes and differentiated chondrocytes from adipose derived stem cells in 3D culture

Introduction: The main obstacle for tissue engineering is to find the most appropriate cell which is able to produce extracellular matrix (ECM) similar or better than natural chondrocytes in vitro. This study compared aggrecan synthesis′s potential between differentiated chondrocytes (DCs) from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) and natural articular chondrocytes (NCs) in 3D culture in vitro. Materials and Methods: Human ADSCs were isolated from sub-cutaneous adipose tissue and then the surface markers including CD 14, 45 CD105, CD90, CD44 were analyzed by flow cytometry. Also human articular chondrocytes were yielded of non-weight bearing area of Knee cartilage. Both types of the cells were encapsulated in alginate scaffolds and cultured in chondrogenic medium with and without TGFβ3 for 3 weeks. Then the extent of aggercan (AGC) production was evaluated by ELISA on days 14 and 21. Results: Our findings indicated that differentiated chondrocytes (DCs) with and without TGFβ3 synthesized more AGC than natural chondrocytes (NCs) on day 14. But DCs without TGFβ3 had higher production than other groups on day 21. Application of TGFβ3 resulted in an increase of amount of AGC in DCs on day 14 but a decrease on day 21 than same group. Conclusion: Since, aggrecan is an important chondrogenic marker, it was concluded that ADSCs can be possible reliable alternative cell source for cartilage tissue engineering in future

A Review on Environmental Contaminants-Related Fertility Threat in Male Fishes: Effects and Possible Mechanisms of Action Learned from Wildlife and Laboratory Studies

Increasing global rates of diminished fertility in males has been suggested to be associated with exposure to environmental contaminants (ECs). The aquatic environments are the final repository of ECs. As the reproductive system is conserved in vertebrates, studies on the effects of ECs on fertility endpoints in fishes provide us with valuable information to establish biomarkers in risk assessment of ECs, and to understand the ECs-related fertility threat. The aim of the present review was to evaluate associations between ECs and fertility determinants to better understand ECs-related male fertility threat in male fishes. Wildlife studies show that the reproductive system has been affected in fishes sampled from the polluted aquatic environment. The laboratory studies show the potency of ECs including natural and synthetic hormones, alkylphenols, bisphenols, plasticizers, pesticides, pharmaceutical, alkylating, and organotin agents to affect fertility determinants, resulting in diminished fertility at environmentally relevant concentrations. Both wildlife and laboratory studies reveal that ECs adverse effects on male fertility are associated with a decrease in sperm production, damage to sperm morphology, alternations in sperm genome, and decrease in sperm motility kinetics. The efficiency of ECs to affect sperm quality and male fertility highly depends on the concentration of the contaminants and the duration of exposure. Our review highlights that the number of contaminants examined over fertility tests are much lower than the number of contaminants detected in our environment. The ECs effects on fertility are largely unknown when fishes are exposed to the contaminants at early developmental stages. The review suggests the urgent need to examine ECs effects on male fertility when a fish is exposed at different developmental stages in a single or combination protocol. The ECs effects on the sperm genome are largely unknown to understand ECs-related inheritance of reproductive disorders transmitted to the progeny. To elucidate modes of action of ECs on sperm motility, it is needed to study functional morphology of the motility apparatus and to investigate ECs-disrupted motility signaling

Clinically Approved Iron Chelators Influence Zebrafish Mortality, Hatching Morphology and Cardiac Function

<div><p>Iron chelation therapy using iron (III) specific chelators such as desferrioxamine (DFO, Desferal), deferasirox (Exjade or ICL-670), and deferiprone (Ferriprox or L1) are the current standard of care for the treatment of iron overload. Although each chelator is capable of promoting some degree of iron excretion, these chelators are also associated with a wide range of well documented toxicities. However, there is currently very limited data available on their effects in developing embryos. In this study, we took advantage of the rapid development and transparency of the zebrafish embryo, <i>Danio rerio</i> to assess and compare the toxicity of iron chelators. All three iron chelators described above were delivered to zebrafish embryos by direct soaking and their effects on mortality, hatching and developmental morphology were monitored for 96 hpf. To determine whether toxicity was specific to embryos, we examined the effects of chelator exposure via intra peritoneal injection on the cardiac function and gene expression in adult zebrafish. Chelators varied significantly in their effects on embryo mortality, hatching and morphology. While none of the embryos or adults exposed to DFO were negatively affected, ICL -treated embryos and adults differed significantly from controls, and L1 exerted toxic effects in embryos alone. ICL-670 significantly increased the mortality of embryos treated with doses of 0.25 mM or higher and also affected embryo morphology, causing curvature of larvae treated with concentrations above 0.5 mM. ICL-670 exposure (10 µL of 0.1 mM injection) also significantly increased the heart rate and cardiac output of adult zebrafish. While L1 exposure did not cause toxicity in adults, it did cause morphological defects in embryos at 0.5 mM. This study provides first evidence on iron chelator toxicity in early development and will help to guide our approach on better understanding the mechanism of iron chelator toxicity.</p></div