Sperm characters of the digenean Prosorhynchus aculeatus Odhner, 1905 (Bucephalidae), a parasite of the marine fish Conger conger (Linnaeus, 1758) (Congridae)

Within the Digenea, the family Bucephalidae includes numerous species parasitizing mainly marine and freshwater fishes. This family includes five recognized subfamilies, and ultrastructural data on their sperm cells are very scarce. The existing data are restricted to the subfamily Bucephalinae. Thus, the present study is the first complete analysis of the sperm cell of a bucephalid belonging to the subfamily Prosorhynchinae. Herein, we describe the ultrastructure of the mature spermatozoon of Prosorhynchus aculeatus, a parasite of the conger eel Conger conger, assessed by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The spermatozoon of P. aculeatus is a filiform cell that presents two axonemes of the 9?'1' pattern of trepaxonematan Platyhelminthes, parallel cortical microtubules, mitochondrion, nucleus, external ornamentation of the plasma membrane, spine-like bodies and a large amount of glycogen granules. According to the anterior location of the external ornamentation of the plasma membrane, P. aculeatus presents a Quilichini et al.'s type 1 spermatozoon. With respect to the posterior extremity, the sperm cell of P. aculeatus corresponds to the Quilichini et al.'s cryptogonimidean type. Our results are compared with those of the two previously studied bucephalids (Bucephalinae), Prosorhynchoides gracilescens and Pseudorhipidocotyle elopichthys

Fungal bioremediation of agricultural wastewater in a long-term treatment : biomass stabilization by immobilization strategy

Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICFungal bioremediation emerges as an effective technology for pesticide treatment, but its successful implementation depends on overcoming the problem of microbial contamination. In this regard, fungal immobilization on wood seems to be a promising strategy, but there are two main drawbacks: the predominant removal of pesticides by sorption and fungal detachment. In this study, agricultural wastewater with pesticides was treated by Trametes versicolor immobilized on wood chips in a rotary drum bioreactor (RDB) for 225 days, achieving fungal consolidation and high pesticide biodegradation through two main improvements: the use of a more favorable substrate and the modification of operating conditions. Fungal community dynamic was assessed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis and subsequent prominent band sequencing, showing a quite stable community in the RDB, mainly attributed to the presence of T. versicolor. Pesticide removals were up to 54 % diuron and 48 % bentazon throughout the treatment. Afterwards, pesticide-contaminated wood chips were treated by T. versicolor in a solid biopile-like system. Hence, these results demonstrate that the microbial contamination constraint has definitely been overcome, and fungal bioremediation technology is ready to be implemented on a larger scale

Characterization of Dental Pulp Pluripotent-like Stem Cells (DPPSC) and their mesodermal differentiation potential.

Dental pulp represents an easily accessible autologous source of adult stem cell populations. Among them, a population named dental pulp pluripotent-like stem cells (DPPSC) has been isolated from the dental pulp of human third molars and express pluripotency markers such as OCT3/4 and SOX2. DPPSC show pluripotent-like behaviour differentiating in vitro into tissues of the three embryonic layers and being able to form teratoma-like structures. This population also represents a source of adult stem cells without the ethical controversy or safety issues that are associated with the use of embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. In this project, we studied the growth rate and genetic stability of several populations of DPPSC from different donors, comparing them to other stem cell populations obtained from the dental pulp (DPSC). We observed that DPPSC divide faster than DPSC and present no chromosomal abnormalities, in contrast to DPSC. We also confirmed the pluripotency markers expression of these DPPSC populations at mRNA and protein level. We then analyzed how the expression of these pluripotency markers varies when the cells are cultured in vitro for several passages (at least until passage 15), when they are seeded at higher densities or split at higher confluence, and when they are cultured using a GMP-approved maintaining medium. Our results showed that DPPSC expression of pluripotency markers is higher at passage 10, and that the cells up-regulate some pluripotency markers and down-regulate some others when they are cultured at higher densities or using GMP-approved medium. In this project, we also evaluated the in vitro and in vivo DPPSC differentiation potential to different mesodermal-derived lineages. We demonstrated that DPPSC can differentiate in vitro into the endothelial lineage, as well as into the smooth and skeletal muscle lineage, using DPPSC from different donors and passages. Regarding their in vivo differentiation, we performed a wound healing assay in nude mice. We found that DPPSC are able to accelerate wound closure, revascularization and matrix organization in the regenerating wound area, as well as being able to differentiate in vivo to the smooth muscle lineage. In another experiment, we injected DPPSC in the skeletal muscle of two immunodeficient dystrophic mouse models, Scid/mdx and Sgcb-null Rag2-null γc-null. DPPSC engrafted in the skeletal muscle of both mouse models and differentiated into the endothelial, smooth muscle and skeletal muscle lineage, since the cells showed integration in muscular fibres and vessels. Taken together, our results showed that DPPSC are a genetically stable population that can be expanded in vitro in GMP conditions and that own mesodermal differentiation potential in vitro and in vivo. They represent a potential source of stem cells for translational therapies to enhance the wound healing process and slow down dystrophic muscle degeneration

Interactions between microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in cardiac development and repair

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging players in muscle regulation. Based on their length and differences in molecular structure, ncRNAs are subdivided into several categories including small interfering RNAs, stable non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs. miRs and lncRNAs are able to post-transcriptionally regulate many genes and bring into play several traits simultaneously due to a myriad of different targets. Recent studies have emphasized their importance in cardiac regeneration and repair. As their altered expression affects cardiac function, miRs and lncRNAs could be potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this context, miR- and lncRNA-based gene therapies are an interesting field for harnessing the complexity of ncRNA-based therapeutic approaches in cardiac diseases. In this review we will focus on lncRNA- and miR-driven regulations of cardiac development and repair. Finally, we will summarize miRs and lncRNAs as promising candidates for the treatment of heart diseases.status: publishe

Interactions between microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in cardiac development and repair

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are emerging players in muscle regulation. Based on their length and differences in molecular structure, ncRNAs are subdivided into several categories including small interfering RNAs, stable non-coding RNAs, microRNAs (miRs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs. miRs and lncRNAs are able to post-transcriptionally regulate many genes and bring into play several traits simultaneously due to a myriad of different targets. Recent studies have emphasized their importance in cardiac regeneration and repair. As their altered expression affects cardiac function, miRs and lncRNAs could be potential targets for therapeutic intervention. In this context, miR- and lncRNA-based gene therapies are an interesting field for harnessing the complexity of ncRNA-based therapeutic approaches in cardiac diseases. In this review we will focus on lncRNA- and miR-driven regulations of cardiac development and repair. Finally, we will summarize miRs and lncRNAs as promising candidates for the treatment of heart diseases

Fungal treatment of agricultural washing wastewater : Comparison between two operational strategies

Altres ajuts: Martí Pla Ferriol acknowledges the predoctoral grant from UABAgricultural washing wastewater (AWW) is an important source of pesticides that, given its intrinsic characteristics, has a high potential to be treated by fungal bioremediation using white rot fungi. In the present study, two AWW treatment strategies were compared: a fluidized-bed reactor (FBR) with T. versicolor pellets and a rotating drum bioreactor (RDB) with T. versicolor immobilized on wood. The RDB effluent showed better results in all studied parameters compared to those of the FBR, including pesticide removal (87%), toxicity, laccase activity, COD, absorbance and microbial communities. Additionally, the fungal assemblage showed that T. versicolor was successfully immobilized in the RDB, which triggered a major shift in the initial community. Afterwards, solid by-products were treated in a fungal biopile-like system reaching high biodegradation rates. Therefore, this study validates the fungal RDB as a viable alternative for AWW treatment, opening up the possibility of a further in-situ and full-scale application

Direct contribution of skeletal muscle mesenchymal progenitors to bone repair

International audienceAbstract Bone regenerates by activation of tissue resident stem/progenitor cells, formation of a fibrous callus followed by deposition of cartilage and bone matrices. Here, we show that mesenchymal progenitors residing in skeletal muscle adjacent to bone mediate the initial fibrotic response to bone injury and also participate in cartilage and bone formation. Combined lineage and single-cell RNA sequencing analyses reveal that skeletal muscle mesenchymal progenitors adopt a fibrogenic fate before they engage in chondrogenesis after fracture. In polytrauma, where bone and skeletal muscle are injured, skeletal muscle mesenchymal progenitors exhibit altered fibrogenesis and chondrogenesis. This leads to impaired bone healing, which is due to accumulation of fibrotic tissue originating from skeletal muscle and can be corrected by the anti-fibrotic agent Imatinib. These results elucidate the central role of skeletal muscle in bone regeneration and provide evidence that skeletal muscle can be targeted to prevent persistent callus fibrosis and improve bone healing after musculoskeletal trauma

Long-term continuous treatment of non-sterile real hospital wastewater by Trametes versicolor

Hospital wastewater is commonly polluted with high loads of pharmaceutically active compounds, which pass through wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and end up in water bodies, posing ecological and health risks. White-rot fungal treatments can cope with the elimination of a wide variety of micropollutants while remaining ecologically and economically attractive. Unfortunately, bacterial contamination has impeded so far a successful implementation of fungal treatment for real applications.This work has been funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project CTM 2013–48545-C2) and partly supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Consolidated Research Groups 2017-SGR-14, 2017SGR-1404, 2017-SGR-1124 and 2017-SGR-1762) and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Department of Chemical Engineering of UAB is member of the Xarxa de Referència en Biotecnologia de la Generalitat de Catalunya. S. Rodriguez-Mozaz acknowledges the Ramon y Cajal program (RYC-2014-16707). J. A. Mir-Tutusaus and E. Parladé acknowledge the predoctoral grants from UAB.Peer reviewe

Fungal biodegradation of the N-nitrosodimethylamine precursors venlafaxine and O-desmethylvenlafaxine in water

Antidepressant drugs such as Venlafaxine (VFX) and O-desmethylvenlafaxine (ODMVFX) are emerging contaminants that are commonly detected in aquatic environments, since conventional wastewater treatment plants are unable to completely remove them. They can be precursors of hazardous by-products, such as the carcinogenic N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), generated upon water chlorination, as they contain the dimethylamino moiety, necessary for the formation of NDMA. In this study, the capability of three white rot fungi (Trametes versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum and Pleurotus ostreatus) to remove both antidepressants from water and to decrease NDMA formation potential was investigated. Furthermore, transformation by-products (TPs) generated along the treatment process were elucidated and also correlated with their NDMA formation potential. Very promising results were obtained for T. versicolor and G. lucidum, both being able to remove up to 100% of ODMVFX. In the case of VFX, which is very recalcitrant to conventional wastewater treatment, a 70% of removal was achieved by T. versicolor, along with a reduction in NDMA formation potential, thus decreasing the associated problems for human health and the environment. However, the NDMA formation potential remained practically constant during treatment with G. lucidum despite of the equally high VFX removal (70%). This difference was attributed to the generation of different TPs during both fungal treatments. For example, G. lucidum generated more ODMVFX, which actually has a higher NDMA formation potential than the parent compound itself. © 2018 Elsevier LtdThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (project CTQ2010-21776-C02 and CTM2013-48545-C2), co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and supported by the Generalitat de Catalunya (Consolidated Research Groups: Catalan Institute for water Research 2014 SGR 291 and 2014 SGR 476). The Department of Chemical, Biological and Environmental Engineering of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) is member of the Xarxa de Referència en Biotecnologia de la Generalitat de Catalunya. Castellet-Rovira, F. acknowledges a predoctoral grant from UAB. Dr. SRM acknowledges her Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RyC-2014-16707) and Dr. MJF acknowledges her Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RyC-2015-17108) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. Dr. MJF acknowledges the European Commission for funding project 623711 under the FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF - Marie Curie Action: “International Incoming Fellowships”. Adrián Jaén-Gil acknowledge their PhD scholarship from AGAUR (2017FI_B 00778). Pleurotus ostreatus (NCBI KJ020935) cultures were kindly provided by Laura Palli.Peer reviewe

Aging affects the in vivo regenerative potential of human mesoangioblasts

Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of muscle mass, strength, and function. Although the role of human satellite cells (SCs) as adult skeletal muscle stem cells has been deeply investigated, little is known about the impact of aging on muscle interstitial stem cells. Here, we isolated the non-SC CD56- fraction from human muscle biopsies of young and elderly subjects. The elderly interstitial cell population contained a higher number of CD15+ and PDGFRα+ cells when compared to young samples. In addition, we found that the CD56- /ALP+ cells were well represented as a multipotent stem cell population inside the CD56- fraction. CD56- /ALP+ /CD15- cells were clonogenic, and since they were myogenic and expressed NG2, α-SMA and PDGFRβ can be considered mesoangioblasts (MABs). Interestingly, elderly MABs displayed a dramatic impairment in the myogenic differentiation ability in vitro and when transplanted in dystrophic immunodeficient Sgcb-null Rag2-null γc-null mice. In addition, elderly MABs proliferated less, but yet retained other multilineage capabilities. Overall, our results indicate that aging negatively impacted on the regenerative potential of MABs and this should be carefully considered for potential therapeutic applications of MABs