Identification of a fibronectin-like molecule from a marine bivalve Pecten maximus (L., 1758) and its hyperaccumulation in the female compartment of the gonad

The present paper is the first report on the existence in marine scallops of a protein with properties similar to those of mammalian fibronectin (FN), henceforth called a scallop fibronectinlike polypeptide (sFN-LP). We describe the results of the biochemical and immunochemical identification of sFN-LP in mature gonad tissue of the simultaneous hermaphroditic species Pecten maximus (L., 1758). sFN-LP is similar to mammalian FN in the following respects: (1) it is a dimeric polypeptide with subunits of approx. 200 kDa; (2) it is recognised by antibodies against human FN on Western-blots; and (3) it is located in the basement membranes of follicles, the connective-tissue matrix, and the integument of the gonad. In the P. maximus female gonad compartment, sFN-LP is highly accumulated in the connective-tissue fibrilar network but is not detected in oocytes. In the male gonad tissue, only trace amounts of sFN-LP were detected.ésta es la primera demostración de la existencia en los pectínidos marinos de una proteína con propiedades similares a la fibronectina humana, a la que se ha denominado scallop fibronectin-like polypeptide (sFN-LP). Se describen los resultados obtenidos de la identificación bioquímica e inmunoquímica de sFN-LP en el tejido gonadal maduro de la especie hermafrodita simultánea Pecten maximus (L., 1758). sFN-LP es similar a la FN humana en los siguientes aspectos: (1) es un polipéptido dimérico con subunidades y peso molecular de alrededor de 200 kDa; (2) en Western-blot es reconocido por anticuerpos contra la FN humana; (3) se localiza en la membrana basal de los folículos, en la matriz del tejido conectivo y en el tegumento de la gónada. En el compartimento gonadal femenino de P. maximus, sFN-LP se acumula en gran cantidad en la red fibrilar de tejido conectivo, pero no se detecta en los oocitos. En el tejido gonadal masculino se detectaron cantidades traza de sFN-LP.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

Production and characterization of β-glucosidase from Gongronella butleri by solid-state fermentation

Among the enzymes of the cellulolytic complex, β-glucosidases are noteworthy due to the possibility of their application in different industrial processes, such as production of biofuels, winemaking, and development of functional foods. This study aimed to evaluate the production and characterization of β-glucosidase from the filamentous fungus Gongronella butleri, recently isolated from Cerrado soil and cultivated in agro-industrial residue substrates. The highest production of β-glucosidase, about 215.4 U/g of dry substrate (or 21.5 U/mL), was obtained by cultivation of the microorganism on wheat bran with 55% of the initial moisture, for 96 h at 30°C. This β-glucosidase showed higher catalytic activity at pH 4.5, and a temperature of 65°C. The original enzymatic activity was recovered in a pH range of 3.0-7.5 after 24 h of incubation. The enzyme retained 80% of its catalytic activity when incubated for 1 h at 50°C. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by glucose, an effect that was completely reversed by increasing substrate concentration in the reaction mixture, which is typical for competitive inhibition. High catalytic activity was observed in solutions containing up to 20% ethanol, allowing the application of this enzyme in processes with high alcohol concentrations (for example beverages and biofuels). The significant production of β-glucosidase by the selected strain, along with these enzyme characteristics, highlights the biotechnological potential of the fungus G. butleri.Key words: Microbial enzyme, biofuels, agro-industrial residues, cellulases, hemicellulases

Effect of solvent type on porous structure of emulsion templated poly(glycerol sebacate)-methacrylate

Polymerised emulsion templating is a common method for the fabrication of biomaterials with interconnected porous structures. Here, we present the fabrication of poly(glycerol sebacate)-methacrylate (PGSM) porous structures via emulsion templating. The mixing speed and photoinitiator concentration for emulsions were optimised (350 rpm, 16 wt%, respectively). The resulting emulsion separation before/after mixing and pore morphology of PGSM emulsions was then assessed by altering the emulsion formulation using four different types of diluting solvent (chloroform, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, toluene) for the first time. By altering the type and volume of solvents, the overall pore morphology of polymerised emulsions was tuned

Vegetación espontánea como reservorio de sírfidos en agroecosistemas de frutilla, Tucumán, Argentina

PosterEl cultivo de frutilla es afectado principalmente por arañuelas, trips y pulgones (Dughetti et al., 2017; Cingolani & Greco, 2018), siendo su control principalmente dependiente de agroquímicos.EEA FamailláFil: Maza, N. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Renganeschi, M.F. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Funes, Claudia Fernanda. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Avila, Ana Lucía. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Avila, Ana Lucía. MAPEA; ArgentinaFil: Paz, R.M. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Cabrera, C. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; ArgentinaFil: Kirschbaum, Daniel Santiago. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá; ArgentinaFil: Kirschbaum, Daniel Santiago. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; Argentin

Surfactant-free gelatin-stabilised biodegradable polymerised high internal phase emulsions with macroporous structures

High internal phase emulsion (HIPE) templating is a well-established method for the generation of polymeric materials with high porosity (>74%) and degree of interconnectivity. The porosity and pore size can be altered by adjusting parameters during emulsification, which affects the properties of the resulting porous structure. However, there remain challenges for the fabrication of polyHIPEs, including typically small pore sizes (∼20–50 μm) and the use of surfactants, which can limit their use in biological applications. Here, we present the use of gelatin, a natural polymer, during the formation of polyHIPE structures, through the use of two biodegradable polymers, polycaprolactone-methacrylate (PCL-M) and polyglycerol sebacate-methacrylate (PGS-M). When gelatin is used as the internal phase, it is capable of stabilising emulsions without the need for an additional surfactant. Furthermore, by changing the concentration of gelatin within the internal phase, the pore size of the resulting polyHIPE can be tuned. 5% gelatin solution resulted in the largest mean pore size, increasing from 53 μm to 80 μm and 28 μm to 94 µm for PCL-M and PGS-M respectively. In addition, the inclusion of gelatin further increased the mechanical properties of the polyHIPEs and increased the period an emulsion could be stored before polymerisation. Our results demonstrate the potential to use gelatin for the fabrication of surfactant-free polyHIPEs with macroporous structures, with potential applications in tissue engineering, environmental and agricultural industries

Role of the IRS-1 and/or -2 in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance in Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rats

Insulin resistance is a common finding in hypertensive humans and animal models. The Dahl salt-sensitive (S) rat is an ideal model of genetically predetermined insulin resistance and salt-sensitive hypertension. Along the insulin signaling pathway, the insulin receptor substrates 1 and 2 (IRS-1 and -2) are important mediators of insulin signaling. IRS-1 and/or IRS-2 genetic variant(s) and/or enhanced serine phosphorylation correlate with insulin resistance. The present commentary was designed to highlight the significance of IRS-1 and/or -2 in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. An emphasis will be given to the putative role of IRS-1 and/or -2 genetic variant(s) and serine phosphorylation in precipitating insulin resistance

High prognostic value of measurable residual disease detection by flow cytometry in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients treated with front-line fludarabine, cyclophosphamide, and rituximab, followed by three years of rituximab maintenance

It has been postulated that monitoring measurable residual disease (MRD) could be used as a surrogate marker of progression-free survival (PFS) in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients after treatment with immunochemotherapy regimens. In this study, we analyzed the outcome of 84 patients at 3 years of follow-up after first-line treatment with fludarabine, cyclophosphamide and rituximab (FCR) induction followed by 36 months of rituximab maintenance thearpy. MRD was assessed by a quantitative four-color flow cytometry panel with a sensitivity level of 10-4. Eighty out of 84 evaluable patients (95.2%) achieved at least a partial response or better at the end of induction. After clinical evaluation, 74 patients went into rituximab maintenance and the primary endpoint was assessed in the final analysis at 3 years of follow-up. Bone marrow (BM) MRD analysis was performed after the last planned induction course and every 6 months in cases with detectable residual disease during the 36 months of maintenance therapy. Thirty-seven patients (44%) did not have detectable residual disease in the BM prior to maintenance therapy. Interestingly, 29 patients with detectable residual disease in the BM after induction no longer had detectable disease in the BM following maintenance therapy. After a median followup of 6.30 years, the median overall survival (OS) and PFS had not been reached in patients with either undetectable or detectable residual disease in the BM, who had achieved a complete response at the time of starting maintenance therapy. Interestingly, univariate analysis showed that after rituximab maintenance OS was not affected by IGHV status (mutated vs. unmutated OS: 85.7% alive at 7.2 years vs. 79.6% alive at 7.3 years, respectively). As per protocol, 15 patients (17.8%), who achieved a complete response and undetectable peripheral blood and BM residual disease after four courses of induction, were allowed to stop fludarabine and cyclophosphamide and complete two additional courses of rituximab and continue with maintenance therapy for 18 cycles. Surprisingly, the outcome in this population was similar to that observed in patients who received the full six cycles of the induction regimen. These data show that, compared to historic controls, patients treated with FCR followed by rituximab maintenance have high-quality responses with fewer relapses and improved OS. The tolerability of this regime is favorable. Furthermore, attaining an early undetectable residual disease status could shorten the duration of chemoimmunotherapy, reducing toxicities and preventing long-term side effects. The analysis of BM MRD after fludarabine-based induction could be a powerful predictor of post-maintenance outcomes in patients with CLL undergoing rituximab maintenance and could be a valuable tool to identify patients at high risk of relapse, influencing further treatment strategies

Strategies to design clinical studies to identify predictive biomarkers in cancer research

The discovery of reliable biomarkers to predict efficacy and toxicity of anticancer drugs remains one of the key challenges in cancer research. Despite its relevance, no efficient study designs to identify promising candidate biomarkers have been established. This has led to the proliferation of a myriad of exploratory studies using dissimilar strategies, most of which fail to identify any promising targets and are seldom validated. The lack of a proper methodology also determines that many anti-cancer drugs are developed below their potential, due to failure to identify predictive biomarkers. While some drugs will be systematically administered to many patients who will not benefit from them, leading to unnecessary toxicities and costs, others will never reach registration due to our inability to identify the specific patient population in which they are active. Despite these drawbacks, a limited number of outstanding predictive biomarkers have been successfully identified and validated, and have changed the standard practice of oncology. In this manuscript, a multidisciplinary panel reviews how those key biomarkers were identified and, based on those experiences, proposes a methodological framework—the DESIGN guidelines—to standardize the clinical design of biomarker identification studies and to develop future research in this pivotal field