Proteomes and Signalling Pathways of Antler Stem Cells

As the only known example of complete organ regeneration in mammals, deer antler in the growing or velvet phase is of major interest in developmental biology. This regeneration event initiates from self-renewing antler stem cells that exhibit pluripotency. At present, it remains unclear how the activation and quiescence of antler stem cells are regulated. Therefore, in the present study proteins that were differentially expressed between the antler stem cells and somatic cells (facial periosteum) were identified by a gel-based proteomic technique, and analysed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. Several molecular pathways (PI3K/Akt, ERK/MAPK, p38 MAPK, etc.) were found to be activated during proliferation. Also expressed were the transcription factors POU5F1, SOX2, NANOG and MYC, which are key markers of embryonic stem cells. Expression of these proteins was confirmed in both cultured cells and fresh tissues by Western blot analysis. Therefore, the molecular pathways and transcription factors identified in the current study are common to embryonic and adult stem cells. However, expression of embryonic stem cell transcription factors would suggest that antler stem cells are, potentially, an intermediary stem cell type between embryonic and the more specialized tissue-specific stem cells like those residing in muscle, fat or from a hematopoietic origin. The retention of this embryonic, pluripotent lineage may be of fundamental importance for the subsequent regenerative capacity of antlers

The effect of surgically induced ischaemia on gene expression in a colorectal cancer xenograft model

Delays in tissue fixation following tumour vascular clamping and extirpation may adversely affect subsequent protein and mRNA analysis. This study investigated the effect of surgically induced ischaemia in a xenograft model of a colorectal cancer on the expression of a range of prognostic, predictive, and hypoxic markers, with a particular emphasis on thymidylate synthase. Vascular occlusion of human tumour xenografts by D-shaped metal clamps permitted defined periods of tumour ischaemia. Alterations in protein expression were measured by immunohistochemistry and spectral imaging, and changes in mRNA were measured by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. Thymidylate synthase expression decreased following vascular occlusion, and this correlated with cyclin A expression. A similar reduction in dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase was also seen. There were significant changes in the expression of several hypoxic markers, with carbonic anhydrase-9 showing the greatest response. Gene transcriptional levels were also noted to change following tumour clamping. In this xenograft model, surgically induced tumour ischaemia considerably altered the gene expression profiles of several prognostic and hypoxic markers, suggesting that the degree of tumour ischaemia should be minimised prior to tissue fixation

Evaluation of surgery procedures for tagging eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) with biotelemetry transmitters

Externally attached telemetry transmitters are unsuitable to tag yellow eels Anguilla anguilla (L.), in streams where they exhibit cryptic life habits and hide in narrow cavities between rocks. We evaluated the adequacy of surgical implantation and closing procedures for tagging eels with biotelemetry transmitters. Epoxy dummy transmitters (18_8 mm, 1.6–1.7 g) were implanted in eels anaesthetised with 2-phenoxy-ethanol (0.9 ml l−1), through a 20mm mid ventral incision made in the posterior quarter of their body cavity. The incision was either left open, or closed in different ways: stitches (absorbable or non absorbable suture material) or commercial-grade cyanoacrilate adhesive (LoctiteTM). Fish were stocked in a 4 m2 flow through tank (15–17 _C), controlled daily for mortality and weekly for evaluating the healing process. No transmitter was expelled over a 12-week period, even in eels with unclosed incisions, of which 50% healed within 28 days (t50). Regardless of the nature of the filament, suturing induced skin and muscle necrosis, caused significantly higher mortality rates (60% after 10 weeks) and paradoxically slowed down the healing rate (40 and 45 d, respectively). Cyanoacrilate suppressed the inflammatory response and granted higher survival rate (90%), but did not permit to speed up the closing process (t50 = 52 d), as eels actively bit and removed the adhesive within hours. This behaviour was suppressed when we applied a freshly cut fragment of the eel dorsal fin as a biological bandage over the drying cyanoacrilate. The adhesive remained in place for one to two days and permitted to substantially increase the healing rate (t50 = 15 d). These results substantiate the efficiency of surgery techniques for tagging eels with radio transmitters, at least for units of small weight and bulk

Case for diagnosis Caso para diagnóstico

Porokeratosis is a primary keratinizing disorder of unknown etiology. This disorder is characterized by the presence of centrifugally enlarging hyperkeratotic plaques, associated with the histopathological hallmark of cornoid lamellae. Genital porokeratosis is extremely rare. No more than thirty cases have been reported in the literature, including only one case of linear porokeratosis confined to the genital area. This case report describes a patient with genital linear porokeratosis, who was successfully treated with cryotherapy. Over two years of follow-up, the lesion improved and there was no evidence of recurrence or signs of malignant transformation. Nevertheless, there is a need for long-term follow-up data on recurrence and malignant transformation.<br>A poroceratose é uma desordem primária de queratinização, de etiologia desconhecida. Apresenta-se com lesões eritemato-acastanhadas com crista periférica e centro normal ou atrófico, e está associada ao achado anatomopatológico de lamela cornoide. O envolvimento genital nessa doença é extremamente raro. Não mais que trinta casos têm sido descritos na literatura, sendo um desses casos de poroceratose linear localizado na área genital. Descrevemos um caso de poroceratose linear genital tratado com crioterapia. Durante dois anos de seguimento, houve melhora do aspecto das lesões, sem recorrência ou sinais de transformação maligna. Entretanto, um acompanhamento a longo prazo se faz necessário