Polycystin-2 (TRPP2) regulates primary cilium length in LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cells

Polycystin-2 (PC2, TRPP2) is a Ca2+ permeable nonselective cation channel whose dysfunction generates autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). PC2 is present in different cell locations, including the primary cilium of renal epithelial cells. However, little is known as to whether PC2 contributes to the primary cilium structure. Here, we explored the effect(s) of external Ca2+, PC2 channel blockers, and PKD2 gene silencing on the length of primary cilia in wild-type LLC-PK1 renal epithelial cells. Confluent cell monolayers were fixed and immuno-labeled with an anti-acetylated α-tubulin antibody to identify primary cilia and measure their length. Although primary cilia length measurements did not follow a Normal distribution, the data were normalized by Box-Cox transformation rendering statistical differences under all experimental conditions. Cells exposed to high external Ca2+ (6.2 mM) decreased a 13.5% (p < 0.001) primary cilia length as compared to controls (1.2 mM Ca2+). In contrast, the PC2 inhibitors amiloride (200 μM) and LiCl (10 mM), both increased primary ciliary length by 33.2% (p < 0.001), and 17.4% (p < 0.001), respectively. PKD2 gene silencing by siRNA elicited a statistically significant, 10.3% (p < 0.001) increase in primary cilia length compared to their respective scrambled RNA transfected cells. The data indicate that conditions that regulate PC2 function or gene expression modify the length of primary cilia in renal epithelial cells. Blocking of PC2 mitigates the effects of elevated external Ca2+ concentration on primary cilia length. Proper regulation of PC2 function in the primary cilium may be essential in the onset of mechanisms that trigger cyst formation in ADPKD.Fil: Scarinci, María Noelia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo. - Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Paula Luciana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo. - Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Cantiello, Horacio Fabio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo. - Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo; ArgentinaFil: Cantero, Maria del Rocio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet Noa Sur. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo. - Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Salud, Tecnología y Desarrollo; Argentin

Electrical Oscillations in Two-Dimensional Microtubular Structures

Microtubules (MTs) are unique components of the cytoskeleton formed by hollow cylindrical structures of αβ tubulin dimeric units. The structural wall of the MT is interspersed by nanopores formed by the lateral arrangement of its subunits. MTs are also highly charged polar polyelectrolytes, capable of amplifying electrical signals. The actual nature of these electrodynamic capabilities remains largely unknown. Herein we applied the patch clamp technique to two-dimensional MT sheets, to characterize their electrical properties. Voltage-clamped MT sheets generated cation-selective oscillatory electrical currents whose magnitude depended on both the holding potential, and ionic strength and composition. The oscillations progressed through various modes including single and double periodic regimes and more complex behaviours, being prominent a fundamental frequency at 29 Hz. In physiological K+ (140 mM), oscillations represented in average a 640% change in conductance that was also affected by the prevalent anion. Current injection induced voltage oscillations, thus showing excitability akin with action potentials. The electrical oscillations were entirely blocked by taxol, with pseudo Michaelis-Menten kinetics and a KD of ~1.29 μM. The findings suggest a functional role of the nanopores in the MT wall on the genesis of electrical oscillations that offer new insights into the nonlinear behaviour of the cytoskeleton.Fil: Cantero, Maria del Rocio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Paula Luciana. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Smoler, Mariano. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Villa Etchegoyen, Cecilia. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; ArgentinaFil: Cantiello, Horacio Fabio. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Odontología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Sembrando esperanza : 1º feria nacional de semillas nativas y criollas , 4º feria provincial

Fil: Pochettino, María Lelia. Laboratorio de Etnobotánica y Botánica Aplicada (LEBA). Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Fernández, Valentina. Cátedra de Agroecología. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Gargoloff, Agustina. Cátedra de Agroecología. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Muscio, Luciana. Institutos de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Pequeña Agricultura Familiar (IPAF) Región Pampeana. INTA; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, María Laura. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: González Espinoza, Lucía. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Bonicatto, María Margarita. Cátedra de Agroecología. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Maximiliano. Institutos de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Pequeña Agricultura Familiar (IPAF) Región Pampeana. INTA; ArgentinaFil: Cremaschi, Almendra. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Barreto, Eliana. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: May, María Paula. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Cababié, Javier. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Marasas, Mariana Edith. Cátedra de Agroecología. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; Argentin

Arte, escola e museu: análise de uma experiência em arte/educação no Museu Universitário de Arte - MUnA

Resumo A partir de uma perspectiva teórica e empírica, o artigo analisa uma experiência em arte/educação desenvolvida com estudantes da rede pública de ensino na cidade de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, no Museu Universitário de Arte - MUnA. De abordagem qualitativa e de caráter descritivo e interpretativo, a pesquisa constatou que o contato com museu de arte possibilita ao estudante não apenas ampliar o seu conhecimento de mundo, mas enriquecer sua formação cultural e melhorar a sua capacidade de expressão, além de possibilitar aos estudantes uma melhor interação com o meio social em que vivem. O conhecimento em arte é um aprendizado que começa na observação de uma obra de arte, da sua leitura e da prática artística. As leituras e comportamentos que cada estudante tem ao apreciar uma obra de arte estão relacionados à sua experiência com diferentes manifestações artísticas. É indispensável que escolas, professores de arte e ações educativas em museus sejam importantes mediadores para a produção do conhecimento em arte aos estudantes. Construir esse conhecimento a partir do acesso constante a esses espaços artísticos e educacionais, além do desenvolvimento de atividades artísticas nesses espaços, possibilita ao estudante elevar a sua compreensão da cultura nacional. Verificamos, ainda, que os estudantes produziram trabalhos artísticos significativos durante a ação educativa no museu, o que contribuiu para que ampliassem sua experiência com a arte

La depresión es un determinante mayor de la capacidad funcional en pacientes con artritis reumatoidea, independientemente de la actividad de la enfermedad

La depresión es una de las comorbilidades más frecuentemente reportadas en pacientes con Artritis Reumatoidea (AR). Su presencia se asocia a mayores costos de salud, mayor mortalidad y reduce las probabilidades de alcanzar una buena respuesta al tratamiento. Objetivo: evaluar la prevalencia de depresión en pacientes argentinos con AR y establecer su relación con diferentes factores sociodemográficos y clínicos. Material y métodos: se incluyeron pacientes ≥18 años de edad, con diagnóstico de AR según criterios ACR-EULAR 2010. Se consignaron datos sociodemográficos, comorbilidades, características clínicas, actividad de la enfermedad y tratamiento actual. Se administraron los cuestionarios EQ-5D-3L, QOL-RA, HAQ-A y PHQ-9. Los valores de PHQ-9 de 5-9, 10-14, 15-19 y ≥20 determinan la presencia de depresión leve, moderada, moderada/severa y severa, respectivamente y un valor de corte ≥10, depresión mayor. Análisis estadístico: Test T de Student, ANOVA y Chi2. Regresión lineal múltiple

Validación del índice QOL-RA (Quality of Life-Rheumatoid Arthritis) en una cohorte argentina de pacientes con artritis reumatoidea

El autocuestionario QOL-RA es una herramienta diseñada para valorar la calidad de vida de los pacientes con Artritis Reumatoidea (AR). No requiere licencia para su uso. Objetivo: validar el cuestionario QOL-RA en una cohorte de pacientes con AR en Argentina

Characterization of individuals at high risk of developing melanoma in Latin America: bases for genetic counseling in melanoma

PURPOSE: CDKN2A is the main high-risk melanoma-susceptibility gene, but it has been poorly assessed in Latin America. We sought to analyze CDKN2A and MC1R in patients from Latin America with familial and sporadic multiple primary melanoma (SMP) and compare the data with those for patients from Spain to establish bases for melanoma genetic counseling in Latin America. METHODS: CDKN2A and MC1R were sequenced in 186 Latin American patients from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay, and in 904 Spanish patients. Clinical and phenotypic data were obtained. RESULTS: Overall, 24 and 14% of melanoma-prone families in Latin America and Spain, respectively, had mutations in CDKN2A. Latin American families had CDKN2A mutations more frequently (P = 0.014) than Spanish ones. Of patients with SMP, 10% of those from Latin America and 8.5% of those from Spain had mutations in CDKN2A (P = 0.623). The most recurrent CDKN2A mutations were c.-34G>T and p.G101W. Latin American patients had fairer hair (P = 0.016) and skin (P < 0.001) and a higher prevalence of MC1R variants (P = 0.003) compared with Spanish patients. CONCLUSION: The inclusion criteria for genetic counseling of melanoma in Latin America may be the same criteria used in Spain, as suggested in areas with low to medium incidence, SMP with at least two melanomas, or families with at least two cases among first- or second-degree relatives.Genet Med 18 7, 727-736

Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains

Ruiz JC, D'Afonseca V, Silva A, et al. Evidence for Reductive Genome Evolution and Lateral Acquisition of Virulence Functions in Two Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis Strains. PLoS ONE. 2011;6(4): e18551.Background: Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, a Gram-positive, facultative intracellular pathogen, is the etiologic agent of the disease known as caseous lymphadenitis (CL). CL mainly affects small ruminants, such as goats and sheep; it also causes infections in humans, though rarely. This species is distributed worldwide, but it has the most serious economic impact in Oceania, Africa and South America. Although C. pseudotuberculosis causes major health and productivity problems for livestock, little is known about the molecular basis of its pathogenicity. Methodology and Findings: We characterized two C. pseudotuberculosis genomes (Cp1002, isolated from goats; and CpC231, isolated from sheep). Analysis of the predicted genomes showed high similarity in genomic architecture, gene content and genetic order. When C. pseudotuberculosis was compared with other Corynebacterium species, it became evident that this pathogenic species has lost numerous genes, resulting in one of the smallest genomes in the genus. Other differences that could be part of the adaptation to pathogenicity include a lower GC content, of about 52%, and a reduced gene repertoire. The C. pseudotuberculosis genome also includes seven putative pathogenicity islands, which contain several classical virulence factors, including genes for fimbrial subunits, adhesion factors, iron uptake and secreted toxins. Additionally, all of the virulence factors in the islands have characteristics that indicate horizontal transfer. Conclusions: These particular genome characteristics of C. pseudotuberculosis, as well as its acquired virulence factors in pathogenicity islands, provide evidence of its lifestyle and of the pathogenicity pathways used by this pathogen in the infection process. All genomes cited in this study are available in the NCBI Genbank database (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) under accession numbers CP001809 and CP001829

A divisão sexual do trabalho comunitário: Migrantes peruanos, informalidade e reprodução da vida em Córdoba, Argentina

Este artículo se propone indagar acerca de los modos de organización del trabajo comunitario que involucra a hombres y mujeres migrantes que habitan barrios de relegación urbana de la ciudad de Córdoba (Argentina). En particular, y a partir de los aportes teóricos de la economía feminista y los resultados de un trabajo de campo cualitativo con población migrante peruana en Córdoba, reflexiona sobre la división y jerarquización de género presente en el trabajo comunitario. El argumento principal afirma que, en escenarios de creciente informalización de la vida cotidiana migrante, lo comunitario resulta ser un factor tanto de sostenimiento y consolidación de los espacios donde reside un amplio conjunto de migrantes regionales como de subsistencia barrial y familiar.This article inquires about the ways of organizing community work involving male and female migrants who inhabit urban relegation neighborhoods in the city of Córdoba (Argentina). In particular, and based on the theoretical contributions of feminist economics and the results of qualitative field work with the Peruvian migrant population in Córdoba, it reflects upon the division and hierarchical organization of gender roles in community work. The main argument is that, in contexts of increasing informalization of migrant daily life, the community turns out to be a factor for sustaining and consolidating the spaces where a large group of regional migrants resides as well as a factor of neighborhood and family subsistence.Este artigo se propõe a indagar sobre os modos de organização do trabalho comunitário que envolve homens e mulheres migrantes que habitam bairros de relegação urbana da cidade de Córdoba (Argentina). Em particular, e a partir das colaborações teóricas da economia feminista e dos resultados de um trabalho de campo qualitativo com população migrante peruana em Córdoba, reflete sobre a divisão e hierarquização de gênero presente no trabalho comunitário. O argumento principal afirma que, em cenários de crescente infodos espaços onde reside um amplo conjunto de migrantes regionais quanto de subsistência de bairro e familiar.Fil: Magliano, Maria Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios sobre Cultura y Sociedad; Argentin

Brazilian Consensus on Photoprotection

Brazil is a country of continental dimensions with a large heterogeneity of climates and massive mixing of the population. Almost the entire national territory is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Earth axial tilt to the south certainly makes Brazil one of the countries of the world with greater extent of land in proximity to the sun. The Brazilian coastline, where most of its population lives, is more than 8,500 km long. Due to geographic characteristics and cultural trends, Brazilians are among the peoples with the highest annual exposure to the sun. Epidemiological data show a continuing increase in the incidence of nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancers. Photoprotection can be understood as a set of measures aimed at reducing sun exposure and at preventing the development of acute and chronic actinic damage. Due to the peculiarities of Brazilian territory and culture, it would not be advisable to replicate the concepts of photoprotection from other developed countries, places with completely different climates and populations. Thus the Brazilian Society of Dermatology has developed the Brazilian Consensus on Photoprotection, the first official document on photoprotection developed in Brazil for Brazilians, with recommendations on matters involving photoprotection