Functional enhancement of neuronal cell behaviors and differentiation by elastin-mimetic recombinant protein presenting Arg-Gly-Asp peptides

Background: Integrin-mediated interaction of neuronal cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) is important for the control of cell adhesion, morphology, motility, and differentiation in both in vitro and in vivo systems. Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence is one of the most potent integrin-binding ligand found in many native ECM proteins. An elastin-mimetic recombinant protein, TGPG[VGRGD(VGVPG)6]20WPC, referred to as [RGD-V6]20, contains multiple RGD motifs to bind cell-surface integrins. This study aimed to investigate how surface-adsorbed recombinant protein can be used to modulate the behaviors and differentiation of neuronal cells in vitro. For this purpose, biomimetic ECM surfaces were prepared by isothermal adsorption of [RGD-V6]20 onto the tissue culture polystyrene (TCPS), and the effects of protein-coated surfaces on neuronal cell adhesion, spreading, migration, and differentiation were quantitatively measured using N2a neuroblastoma cells.Results: The [RGD-V6]20 was expressed in E. coli and purified by thermally-induced phase transition. N2a cell attachment to either [RGD-V6]20 or fibronectin followed hyperbolic binding kinetics saturating around 2 μM protein concentration. The apparent maximum cell binding to [RGD-V6]20 was approximately 96% of fibronectin, with half-maximal adhesion on [RGD-V6]20 and fibronectin occurring at a coating concentration of 2.4 × 10-7 and 1.4 × 10-7 M, respectively. The percentage of spreading cells was in the following order of proteins: fibronectin (84.3% ± 6.9%) > [RGD-V6]20 (42.9% ± 6.5%) > [V7]20 (15.5% ± 3.2%) > TCPS (less than 10%). The migration speed of N2a cells on [RGD-V6]20 was similar to that of cells on fibronectin. The expression of neuronal marker proteins Tuj1, MAP2, and GFAP was approximately 1.5-fold up-regulated by [RGD-V6]20 relative to TCPS. Moreover, by the presence of both [RGD-V6]20 and RA, the expression levels of NSE, TuJ1, NF68, MAP2, and GFAP were significantly elevated.Conclusion: We have shown that an elastin-mimetic protein consisting of alternating tropoelastin structural domains and cell-binding RGD motifs is able to stimulate neuronal cell behaviors and differentiation. In particular, adhesion-induced neural differentiation is highly desirable for neural development and nerve repair. In this context, our data emphasize that the combination of biomimetically engineered recombinant protein and isothermal adsorption approach allows for the facile preparation of bioactive matrix or coating for neural tissue regeneration. © 2012 Jeon et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.1

COMPARISON OF ANGULAR KINEMATIC PATTERNS BETWEEN CARVING TURN AND SKIDDING TURN DURING ALPINE SKIING

The purpose of this study was to investigate the movement patterns between segments (lower spine, pelvis, thigh, shank) and ski using the relative angular displacement on anteroposterior and vertical axis. Fourteen alpine ski instructors were participated in this study. Eight inertial measurement units were used to measure kinematic variables. Each skier was asked to perform ten carving turns and ten skidding turns on the groomed 15°slope, respectively. On the vertical axis, relative angular displacement of lower spine-ski was significantly increased during carving turn, whereas relative angular displacement of shank-ski was significantly increased during skidding turn. On the anteroposterior axis, relative angular displacement of lower spine-ski, pelvis-ski and thigh-ski were significantly increased during carving turn

Detection of Infectious Hypodermal and Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHHNV, Decapod Penstylhamaparvovirus 1) in Commodity Red Claw Crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) Imported into South Korea

Freshwater crayfish, which are cultivated in aquaculture, are economically important for food and ornamental purposes. However, relatively few studies have focused on potentially pathogenic viruses in crayfish compared to in penaeid shrimp. Commodity red claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus; 400 crayfish in 10 batches) and red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii; 40 crayfish in 2 batches) imported into South Korea from Indonesia and China were screened by PCR to detect infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV or Decapod penstylhamaparvovirus 1). IHHNV was detected in tissue samples pooled from nine out of ten batches of red claw crayfish imported from Indonesia. Phylogenetic analysis of PCR amplicons from representative pools clustered the IHHNV strain with infectious-type II sequences commonly detected in Southeast Asian countries rather than with type III strains detected previously in whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) cultured in South Korea. IHHNV DNA was detected most frequently in the muscle (eight batches, 66.7% samples), followed by in the hepatopancreas (five batches, 41.7% samples) and gills tissue (three batches, 25.0% samples). These data suggest that red claw crayfish could be a potential carrier of the virus and that quarantine procedures must be strengthened in South Korea to avoid importing infectious types of IHHNV in commodity crustaceans such as red claw crayfish. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.1

DNA methylation loss promotes immune evasion of tumours with high mutation and copy number load

Mitotic cell division increases tumour mutation burden and copy number load, predictive markers of the clinical benefit of immunotherapy. Cell division correlates also with genomic demethylation involving methylation loss in late-replicating partial methylation domains. Here we find that immunomodulatory pathway genes are concentrated in these domains and transcriptionally repressed in demethylated tumours with CpG island promoter hypermethylation. Global methylation loss correlated with immune evasion signatures independently of mutation burden and aneuploidy. Methylome data of our cohort (n = 60) and a published cohort (n = 81) in lung cancer and a melanoma cohort (n = 40) consistently demonstrated that genomic methylation alterations counteract the contribution of high mutation burden and increase immunotherapeutic resistance. Higher predictive power was observed for methylation loss than mutation burden. We also found that genomic hypomethylation correlates with the immune escape signatures of aneuploid tumours. Hence, DNA methylation alterations implicate epigenetic modulation in precision immunotherapy

Quantitative Evaluation of Post-stroke Spasticity Using Neurophysiological and Radiological Tools: A Pilot Study

Objective To determine the possibility of a new measurement tool using electromyography and ultrasonography for quantitative spasticity assessment in post-stroke patients. Methods Eight hemiplegic stroke patients with ankle plantarflexor spasticity confirmed by a Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) were enrolled. Spasticity was evaluated using the MAS and Modified Tardieu Scale (MTS). Each subject underwent surface electromyography (sEMG) using the Brain Motor Control Assessment (BMCA) protocol and was compared with a healthy control group. Using ultrasonography, muscle architecture and elasticity index were measured from the medial gastrocnemius muscle (GCM) on the affected and unaffected sides. Results MAS and MTS revealed significant correlation with sEMG activity. The fascicle length and pennation angle were significantly decreased in the medial GCM on the hemiplegic side compared with the unaffected side. The elasticity index of the spastic medial GCM was significantly increased compared with the unaffected side. The MTS X and R2–R1 values were significantly correlated with the elasticity index in the hemiplegic GCM. The relationship between clinical evaluation tools and both BMCA and sonoelastography was linear, but not statistically significant in the multiple regression analysis. Conclusion The BMCA protocol and ultrasonographic evaluation provide objective assessment of post-stroke spasticity. Further studies are necessary to conduct accurate assessment and treatment of spasticity

Extranodal Marginal Zone Lymphoma Occurring along the Trachea and Central Airway

Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma is a low-grade B cell lymphoma that presents with an indolent clinicopathologic nature. Although this tumor can occur in various sites, including the gastrointestinal tract and lungs, it develops and spreads extremely rarely along the trachea and central airway. We report a case of extranodal lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue with tracheobronchial involvement. An 83-year-old woman presented with a cough and dyspnea. Bronchoscopic evaluation confirmed diffuse, multiple nodular lesions in both the trachea and large bronchi, and she was diagnosed with an extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of the tracheobronchial tree. After systemic chemotherapy, she survived for more than 18 months