Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in Georgia, the Caucasus region : the first report of species diversity and root colonization

Although the Caucasus region belongs to the world biodiversity hotspots, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have not been investigated in this area. A total of 11 mixtures of soils and roots from 11 localities in southern Georgia in an altitudinal gradient from 1 to 1560 m a. s. l. were sampled in 2015. AMF spores and arbuscular mycorrhiza were observed in all samples. Eight AMF species were found in the field-collected soils: Acaulospora bireticulata, Acaulospora cavernata, Funneliformis coronatum, Gigaspora gigantea, Glomus rubiforme, Scutellospora dipurpurescens, Septoglomus constrictum, and Septoglomus jasnowskae. The most frequently occurring species proved to be S. constrictum. Laboratory cultures with soil-root mixtures revealed 4 species of AMF that were not found in the field-collected soils: Glomus macrocarpum, Entrophospora infrequens, Claroideoglomus claroideum, and Funneliformis mosseae. The overall spore abundance of AMF in 50 g of dry soil/substrate averaged 130 and 1.3 in the field and in the laboratory cultures, respectively. This is the first report concerning AMF species diversity and AMF root colonization in Georgia. To our knowledge, mycorrhizal status of Linum nervosum , Ranunculus illyricus, Stipa arabica, Veronica minuta and Vinca herbacea was given for the first time. Further studies are necessary in this region of Asia

Syndromes with chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis in the spine

Chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) has been known for over of 40 years. It is an underrecognized entity due to the low number of described cases and poor propagation awareness of the problem. Chronic non-bacterial osteomyelitis is usually confused with infectious spondylodiscitis or malignant lesions, both primary and metastatic. Failing to consider CNO as one of possible lesions of the spine among an array of differential diagnoses may lead to a prolonged ineffective treatment increasing treatment-related morbidity. In this paper the authors describe these two syndromes, with a possible autoimmune background – chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) and SAPHO syndrome – that include CNO being among the manifestations. The authors present the spinal symptomatology of CNO for both syndromes published so far to help spine clinicians organize the information for better usage in everyday clinical practice

Alpha-Synuclein mRNA Level Found Dependent on L444P Variant in Carriers and Gaucher Disease Patients on Enzyme Replacement Therapy

Gaucher disease (GD) is the most frequent sphingolipidosis, caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the GBA1 gene encoding for β-glucocerebrosidase (GCase, E.C. 3.2.1.45). The condition is characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, hematological abnormalities, and bone disease in both non-neuronopathic type 1 (GD1) and neuronopathic type 3 (GD3). Interestingly, GBA1 variants were found to be one of the most important risk factors for the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in GD1 patients. We performed a comprehensive study regarding the two most disease-specific biomarkers, glucosylsphingosine (Lyso-Gb1) and α-synuclein for GD and PD, respectively. A total of 65 patients with GD treated with ERT (47 GD1 patients and 18 GD3 patients), 19 GBA1 pathogenic variant carriers (including 10 L444P carriers), and 16 healthy subjects were involved in the study. Lyso-Gb1 was assessed by dried blood spot testing. The level of α-synuclein as an mRNA transcript, total, and oligomer protein concentration were measured with real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively. α-synuclein mRNA level was found significantly elevated in GD3 patients and L444P carriers. GD1 patients, along with GBA1 carriers of an unknown or unconfirmed variant, as well as healthy controls, have the same low level of α-synuclein mRNA. There was no correlation found between the level of α-synuclein mRNA and age in GD patients treated with ERT, whereas there was a positive correlation in L444P carriers