A New Approach for Adipose Tissue Treatment and Body Contouring Using Radiofrequency-Assisted Liposuction

A new liposuction technology for adipocyte lipolysis and uniform three-dimensional tissue heating and contraction is presented. The technology is based on bipolar radiofrequency energy applied to the subcutaneous adipose tissue and subdermal skin surface. Preliminary clinical results, thermal monitoring, and histologic biopsies of the treated tissue demonstrate rapid preaspiration liquefaction of adipose tissue, coagulation of subcutaneous blood vessels, and uniform sustained heating of tissue

Mutation of Ser172 in Yeast β Tubulin Induces Defects in Microtubule Dynamics and Cell Division

Ser172 of β tubulin is an important residue that is mutated in a human brain disease and phosphorylated by the cyclin-dependent kinase Cdk1 in mammalian cells. To examine the role of this residue, we used the yeast S. cerevisiae as a model and produced two different mutations (S172A and S172E) of the conserved Ser172 in the yeast β tubulin Tub2p. The two mutants showed impaired cell growth on benomyl-containing medium and at cold temperatures, altered microtubule (MT) dynamics, and altered nucleus positioning and segregation. When cytoplasmic MT effectors Dyn1p or Kar9p were deleted in S172A and S172E mutants, cells were viable but presented increased ploidy. Furthermore, the two β tubulin mutations exhibited synthetic lethal interactions with Bik1p, Bim1p or Kar3p, which are effectors of cytoplasmic and spindle MTs. In the absence of Mad2p-dependent spindle checkpoint, both mutations are deleterious. These findings show the importance of Ser172 for the correct function of both cytoplasmic and spindle MTs and for normal cell division

Porcine Embryonic Xenografts Transgenic for CTLA4-Ig Enable Longterm Recovery in Parkinsonian Macaques

Neural transplantation has been attempted as a therapeutic approach in Parkinson’s disease (PD) with variable outcomes. Here we evaluated a novel strategy for long term survival, maturation and functional recovery of intrastriatal implantation of mesencephalic dopaminergic-enriched porcine grafts in PD primates. Methods PD was induced in 11 macaques using MPTP. PD monkeys were injected into the left putamen with cells from the ventral mesencephalon of CTLA4-Ig+ pig embryos (E27) and were immunosuppressed with a clinical immunosuppressive regimen (cyclosporin A, mycophenolate and steroids). Xenograft survival and function was determined by neurological assessments, analysis of locomotor function (Ethovision software), brain imaging (PET scan with 18F-L-DOPA), and histology. Results Xenografted animals were monitored for up to 320 days (2 longterm recipients still alive). A significant recovery of locomotion was observed in all animals for up to 11 months post transplantation, most probably due to partial restoration of dopaminergic activity detected by PET scans. Histology of the brain revealed large porcine grafts composed of dopaminergic, serotoninergic and GABAergic differentiated neurons and glial components. Conclusion These studies demonstrate that transplantation of CTLA4-Ig porcine embryonic grafts in immunosuppressed PD primates enable longterm xenograft survival and differentiation, associated with significant improvement of locomotor activity

LONG TERM CLINICAL RECOVERY OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE FOLLOWING TRANSPLANTATION OF CTLA4-IG(+) PORCINE EMBRYONIC NEURONAL CELLS IN NON HUMAN PRIMATE

none27noneBadin RA; Padoan A; Vadori M; Boldrin M; L. CAVICCHIOLI; DeBenedictis GM; Fante F; Seveso M; Sgarabotto D; Jan C; Daguin V; Naveilhan P; Neveu I; Soulillou JP; Giannello P; Vanhove B; Plat M; Botte F; Venturi E; Denaro L; Manara R; Zampieri P; D'Avella D; Rubello D; Ancona E; Hantraye P; Cozzi EBadin, Ra; Padoan, A; Vadori, M; Boldrin, M; Cavicchioli, Laura; DE BENEDICTIS, GIULIA MARIA; Fante, F; Seveso, M; Sgarabotto, D; Jan, C; Daguin, V; Naveilhan, P; Neveu, I; Soulillou, Jp; Giannello, P; Vanhove, B; Plat, M; Botte, F; Venturi, E; Denaro, Luca; Manara, R; Zampieri, P; D'Avella, Domenico; Rubello, D; Ancona, Ermanno; Hantraye, P; Cozzi, E