Retarded Growth and Deficits in the Enteric and Parasympathetic Nervous System in Mice Lacking GFRα2, a Functional Neurturin Receptor

AbstractGlial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and a related protein, neurturin (NTN), require a GPI-linked coreceptor, either GFRα1 or GFRα2, for signaling via the transmembrane Ret tyrosine kinase. We show that mice lacking functional GFRα2 coreceptor (Gfra2−/−) are viable and fertile but have dry eyes and grow poorly after weaning, presumably due to malnutrition. While the sympathetic innervation appeared normal, the parasympathetic cholinergic innervation was almost absent in the lacrimal and salivary glands and severely reduced in the small bowel. Neurite outgrowth and trophic effects of NTN at low concentrations were lacking in Gfra2−/− trigeminal neurons in vitro, whereas responses to GDNF were similar between the genotypes. Thus, GFRα2 is a physiological NTN receptor, essential for the development of specific postganglionic parasympathetic neurons

Oral health-related quality of life in 4-16-year-olds with and without juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Background: Few studies have investigated oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in young individuals with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Aims were to investigate whether OHRQoL differs between children and adolescents with JIA compared to controls without JIA, while adjusting for socio-demographic-, behavioral- and oral health-related covariates. Furthermore, to explore whether socio-behavioral and oral health-related covariates of OHRQoL vary according to group affiliation and finally, specifically for individuals with JIA, to investigate whether disease-specific features associate with OHRQoL. We hypothesized that participants with JIA have poorer OHRQoL compared to participants without JIA. Methods: In this comparative cross-sectional study participants with JIA (n = 224) were matched to controls without JIA (n = 224). OHRQoL was assessed according to Early Childhood Oral Health Impact Scale (ECOHIS) (4–11-years-olds) and the child version of Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP) (12–16-years-olds). JIA-specific characteristics were assessed by pediatric rheumatologists and socio-demographic, behavioral and self-reported oral health information collected by questionnaires. Index teeth were examined for caries by calibrated dentists. Multiple variable analyses were performed using logistic regression, reporting odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Two-way interactions were tested between group affiliation and the socio-behavioral- and oral health-related variables on the respective outcome variables. Results: In total, 96 participants with JIA and 98 controls were evaluated according to ECOHIS, corresponding numbers for Child-OIDP was 125 and 124. Group affiliation was not associated with impaired ECOHIS or Child-OIDP in adjusted analyses (OR = 1.95, 95% CI 0.94–4.04 and OR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.46–2.17, respectively). Female adolescents with JIA were more likely than males to report oral impacts according to Child-OIDP. Continued activity or flare was found to adversely affect Child-OIDP, also self-reported outcome measures in JIA associated with Child-OIDP. Conclusions: This study did not provide consistent evidence to confirm the hypothesis that children and adolescents with JIA are more likely to have impaired OHRQoL compared to their peers without JIA. However, female adolescents with JIA were more likely than males to report impacts on OHRQoL. Furthermore, within the JIA group, adolescents with continued disease activity, flare or reporting pain, physical disability, had higher risk than their counterparts of impaired OHRQoL.publishedVersio

Vitamin D, oral health, and disease characteristics in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a multicenter cross-sectional study

Background: Vitamin D defciency has been associated with autoimmune diseases and oral health. Knowledge about the association between vitamin D status and oral conditions in JIA is limited. We aimed to investigate vitamin D status in a cohort of Norwegian children and adolescents with JIA and possible associations between serum vitamin D levels, clinical indicators of oral health, and JIA disease characteristics. Methods: This multi-center, cross-sectional study, included individuals with JIA aged 4–16 years from three geographically spread regions in Norway. Demographic data, age at disease onset, disease duration, JIA category, disease status, medication, and vitamin D intake were registered. One blood sample per individual was analyzed for 25(OH) vitamin D, and the level of insufciency was defned asResults: Among the 223 participants with JIA, 97.3% were Caucasians, 59.2% were girls, and median age was 12.6 years. Median disease duration was 4.6 years, and 44.4% had oligoarticular JIA. Mean serum vitamin D level was 61.4 nmol/L and 29.6% had insufcient levels. Vitamin D levels did not difer between sexes, but between regions, isoBMI categories, age groups, and seasons for blood sampling. Insufcient vitamin D levels were associated with dentin caries (adjusted OR 2.89, 95% CI 1.43–5.86) and gingival bleeding (adjusted OR 2.36, 95% CI 1.10–5.01). No associations were found with active JIA disease or more severe disease characteristics. Conclusion: In our study, nearly 30% had vitamin D insufciency, with a particularly high prevalence among adolescents. Vitamin D insufciency was associated with dentin caries and gingival bleeding, but not with JIA disease activity. These results point to the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the follow-up of children with JIA, including an increased focus on vitamin D status and oral health

Utvikling av undervisning i embryologi (fosterlære) for odontologistudentene ved Seksjon for Anatomi og Cellebiologi

Seksjon for anatomi og cellebiologi, institutt for biomedisin, tilbyr undervisning i human embryologi (fosterlære) til ulike studentgrupper som odontologi-, medisiner- og tannpleierstudenter. Undervisning er basert på forelesninger, og evaluering av studentenes kunnskaper/læring er basert på tradisjonell skriftlig eksamen og summativ vurdering. I denne artikkelen presenterer vi et opplegg for mer studentaktiv undervisnings- og eksamensform i embryologi, som er basert på mappeundervisning og der studentenes læring blir evaluert ved mappevurdering. Vi ønsker å fremme studentenes embryologilæring med denne studentaktiverende læringsform og innføring av mappevurdering. Dette opplegget kan i tillegg fleksibelt benyttes i embryologiundervisningen til økende antall studenter og studentgrupper av ulik størrelse og med forskjellig bakgrunn i det medisiniske fakultet. Samtidig får studentene bedre oppfølging og lærerne bedre tilbakemelding om studentenes læring

The Histidine Triad Protein Hint Is Not Required for Murine Development or Cdk7 Function

The histidine triad (HIT) protein Hint has been found to associate with mammalian Cdk7, as well as to interact both physically and genetically with the budding yeast Cdk7 homologue Kin28. To study the function of Hint and to explore its possible role in modulating Cdk7 activity in vivo, we have characterized the expression pattern of murine Hint and generated Hint-deficient (Hint(−/−)) mice. Hint was widely expressed during mouse development, with pronounced expression in several neuronal ganglia, epithelia, hearts, and testes from embryonic day 15 onward. Despite this widespread expression, disruption of Hint did not impair murine development. Moreover, Hint-deficient mice had a normal life span and were apparently healthy. Histological examination of tissues with high Hint expression in wild-type animals did not show signs of abnormal pathology in Hint(−/−) mice. Functional redundancy within the HIT family was addressed by crossing Hint(−/−) mice with mice lacking the related HIT protein, Fhit, and by assaying the expression levels of the HIT protein gene family members Hint2 and Hint3 in Hint(+/+) and Hint(−/−) tissues. Finally, Cdk7 kinase activity and cell cycle kinetics were found to be comparable in wild-type and Hint(−/−) mouse embryonic fibroblasts, suggesting that Hint may not be a key regulator of Cdk7 activity

Oral health in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis - a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Observational studies examining the association between oral health and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) among children and adolescents have reported inconsistent findings. The aims of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to ascertain a potential difference in oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among children and adolescents with JIA and healthy peers, and to assess the association of prevalence of oral diseases/conditions, temporomandibular disorders (TMD), including temporomandibular joint (TMJ) diseases, in relation to activity and severity of JIA. Method Medline Ovid, Embase, CINAHL, SweMed+ and Cochrane Library were searched up to 25 November 2018. All articles published in English, German and Scandinavian languages focusing on children and adolescents with JIA and without JIA in relation to oral health measures, were considered. Two authors independently evaluated observational studies for inclusion. The study quality was assessed using modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was performed for studies focusing on dental caries as an outcome. Results Nineteen articles met the inclusion criteria, covering a range of oral diseases/conditions and OHRQoL. Eighteen studies had cross-sectional design. No mean difference of dmft/DMFT indices (decayed/missed/filled teeth) was observed between the JIA - and healthy group. None of the oral health measures including dental erosive wear, enamel defects, dental maturation and OHRQoL, indicated better oral health among children and adolescents with JIA compared to healthy group. However, periodontal conditions and TMD were more predominant among children and adolescents with JIA compared to healthy peers. Conclusions Based on the cross-sectional studies, periodontal diseases and TMD were found to be more frequent in children and adolescents with JIA compared to healthy peers. Furthermore, more high-quality studies with large sample size are needed before we infer any concrete conclusion regarding the association between the prevalence of oral and TMJ diseases or oral conditions in relation to activity and severity of JIA