High glucose-mediated oxidative stress impairs cell migration

Deficient wound healing in diabetic patients is very frequent, but the cellular and molecular causes are poorly defined. In this study, we evaluate the hypothesis that high glucose concentrations inhibit cell migration. Using CHO.K1 cells, NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, mouse embryonic fibroblasts and primary skin fibroblasts from control and diabetic rats cultured in 5 mM Dglucose (low glucose, LG), 25 mM D-glucose (high glucose, HG) or 25 mM L-glucose medium (osmotic control - OC), we analyzed the migration speed, protrusion stability, cell polarity, adhesion maturation and the activity of the small Rho GTPase Rac1. We also analyzed the effects of reactive oxygen species by incubating cells with the antioxidant N-AcetylCysteine (NAC). We observed that HG conditions inhibited cell migration when compared to LG or OC. This inhibition resulted from impaired cell polarity, protrusion destabilization and inhibition of adhesion maturation. Conversely, Rac1 activity, which promotes protrusion and blocks adhesion maturation, was increased in HG conditions, thus providing a mechanistic basis for the HG phenotype. Most of the HG effects were partially or completely rescued by treatment with NAC. These findings demonstrate that HG impairs cell migration due to an increase in oxidative stress that causes polarity loss, deficient adhesion and protrusion. These alterations arise, in large part, from increased Rac1 activity and may contribute to the poor wound healing observed in diabetic patients

Late hyaluronidase injection in local anesthesia : morphofunctional evaluation in rat sciatic nerve block

Introduction: Despite the enhancing effects of hyaluronidase (HYAL) over duration of anesthesia, this enzyme could cause adverse effects when injected concomitantly with local anesthetics in dental blocks. Objective: This study aimed to assess the tissue alterations caused by a local anesthetic protocol consisting of a late HYAL injection and confirm its functional effectiveness. Materials and Methods: The protocol efficacy was proved by evaluating sensory and motor functions in rats. The sciatic nerve was blocked with 2% lidocaine (LID) with epinephrine (n = 25). Thirty minutes later, 75 TRU/ml HYAL was injected into the same site (experimental group, LID/HYAL). One week later, this protocol was repeated in the contralateral hindlimb, injecting only HYAL’s vehicle (control group, LID/vehicle [LID/V]). To observe the integrity of the local tissues, histological specimens were obtained 1, 24, 48, and 72 h after treatment with LID/HYAL or LID/V (n = 16 each) and stained with hematoxylin/eosin and picrosirius red. Results: Local inflammation was similar in both groups. The integrity of the nerve fibers was preserved, in spite of some inflammation‑associated injuries in the surrounding tissues. The reversible tissue disorganization caused by HYAL, probably facilitated the diffusion of the residual anesthetic to the nerve, resulting in a prolonged anesthetic effect (P < 0.05). Conclusions: No irreversible morphological alterations are caused by the administration of HYAL prior the end of the LID‑induced block. Moreover, this protocol prolongs LID’s anesthetic effect

Chemical Chaperones Curcumin and 4-Phenylbutyric Acid Improve Secretion of Mutant Factor H R127H by Fibroblasts from a Factor H-Deficient Patient

Factor H (FH) is one of the most important regulatory proteins of the alternative pathway of the complement system. Patients with FH deficiency have a higher risk for development of infections and kidney diseases because of the uncontrolled activation and subsequent depletion of the central regulatory component C3 of the complement system. In this study, we investigated the consequences of the Arg(127)His mutation in FH (FHR127H) previously described in an FH-deficient patient, on the secretion of this protein by skin fibroblasts in vitro. We observed that, although the patient cells stimulated with IFN-gamma were able to synthesize FHR127H, the mutant protein was largely retained within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), whereas normal human fibroblasts stimulated with IFN-gamma secrete FH without retention in the ER. Moreover, the retention of FHR127H provoked enlargement of ER cisterns after treatment with IFN-gamma. A similar ER retention was observed in Cos-7 cells expressing the mutant FHR127H protein. Despite this deficiency in secretion, we show that the FHR127H mutant is capable of functioning as a cofactor in the Factor I-mediated cleavage of C3. We then evaluated whether a treatment could increase the secretion of FH, and observed that the patient's fibroblasts treated with the chemical chaperones 4-phenylbutiric acid or curcumin increased the secretion rate of FH. We propose that these chemical chaperones could be used as alternative therapeutic agents to increase FH plasma levels in FH-deficient patients caused by secretion delay of this regulatory protein. The Journal of Immunology, 2012, 189: 3242-3248.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloFundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao PauloConselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Cientifico, BrazilConselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Cientifico, Brazi

Chondroitin Sulfate Impairs Neural Stem Cell Migration Through ROCK Activation

Brain injuries such as trauma and stroke lead to glial scar formation by reactive astrocytes which produce and secret axonal outgrowth inhibitors. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPG) constitute a well-known class of extracellular matrix molecules produced at the glial scar and cause growth cone collapse. The CSPG glycosaminoglycan side chains composed of chondroitin sulfate (CS) are responsible for its inhibitory activity on neurite outgrowth and are dependent on RhoA activation. Here, we hypothesize that CSPG also impairs neural stem cell migration inhibiting their penetration into an injury site. We show that DCX+ neuroblasts do not penetrate a CSPG-rich injured area probably due to Nogo receptor activation and RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway as we demonstrate in vitro with neural stem cells cultured as neurospheres and pull-down for RhoA. Furthermore, CS-impaired cell migration in vitro induced the formation of large mature adhesions and altered cell protrusion dynamics. ROCK inhibition restored migration in vitro as well as decreased adhesion size

Topical Insulin Accelerates Wound Healing in Diabetes by Enhancing the AKT and ERK Pathways: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: Wound healing is impaired in diabetes mellitus, but the mechanisms involved in this process are virtually unknown. Proteins belonging to the insulin signaling pathway respond to insulin in the skin of rats. Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the regulation of the insulin signaling pathway in wound healing and skin repair of normal and diabetic rats, and, in parallel, the effect of a topical insulin cream on wound healing and on the activation of this pathway. Research Design and Methods: We investigated insulin signaling by immunoblotting during wound healing of control and diabetic animals with or without topical insulin. Diabetic patients with ulcers were randomized to receive topical insulin or placebo in a prospective, double-blind and placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial (NCT 01295177) of wound healing. Results and Conclusions: Expression of IR, IRS-1, IRS-2, SHC, ERK, and AKT are increased in the tissue of healing wounds compared to intact skin, suggesting that the insulin signaling pathway may have an important role in this process. These pathways were attenuated in the wounded skin of diabetic rats, in parallel with an increase in the time of complete wound healing. Upon topical application of insulin cream, the wound healing time of diabetic animals was normalized, followed by a reversal of defective insulin signal transduction. In addition, the treatment also increased expression of other proteins, such as eNOS (also in bone marrow), VEGF, and SDF-1 alpha in wounded skin. In diabetic patients, topical insulin cream markedly improved wound healing, representing an attractive and cost-free method for treating this devastating complication of diabetes.Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT)National Institute of Science and Technology (INCT)National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq

Avaliação radiofarmacológica do reparo ósseo após trauma cirúrgico padronizado

BACKGROUND: Scientific approach of the bone reaction after surgical procedures provides valuable information on methods and techniques. The purpose of this study was to follow this process using a radioisotope marker of bone remodelling. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two bone cavities were created (one for every tibia) in adult Wistar male rats using a 0.5 mm spherical burr; left tibial cavities were filled with bovine freeze-dried bone; the right ones were left unfilled for control. Scintigrams were done with sodium methylene diphosphonate (MDP) labelled with radioactive pertechnetate (99mTcO4-) to evaluate the inflammatory response and the local osteoblastic activity. The evolution of bone repair was additionally evaluated by light microscopy. RESULTS: Our results have shown that the highest bone activity was recorded between the 7th and the 14th day after surgery. The morphological analysis confirmed the results obtained with radioisotope analysis and did not reveal significant differences regarding the evolution of bone repair between the filled and the unfilled defects. CONCLUSION: We confirmed that 99mTc -MDP is a valuable tool to study bone repair, as it was able to show subtle alterations of bone activity even in lesions as small as those created herein (0.5 mm wide, 0.5 mm deep).Este trabalho objetivou estudar a evolução temporal do processo de reparo ósseo em tíbia de rato, após trauma cirúrgico padronizado. A incorporação do radiofármaco 99mTc-MDP na região afetada foi tomada como medida indireta da intensidade de reação tecidual; foi feito também acompanhamento histológico do processo de reparo. Foram realizadas cirurgias nas duas tíbias de 72 animais divididos em 2 grupos, sendo sacrificados em diferentes dias pós-operatórios (1, 3, 7, 14, 21 e 28 dias p.o.). As cavidades criadas nas tíbias esquerdas foram preenchidas com osso liofilizado bovino, e as direitas serviram como controle (não preenchidas). Grupos paralelos de animais foram injetados com 99mTc para avaliar a influência do fluxo sangüíneo regional nos resultados. Duas horas após a injeção dos radiofármacos os animais foram sacrificados, a radiatividade foi contada tanto nos fragmentos das tíbias contendo os defeitos cirúrgicos como em fragmentos intactos de fêmur e de tíbias, como controle. Os resultados indicam que a maior atividade do tecido ósseo ocorreu entre 7 e 14 dias p.o. O emprego do radiofármaco mostrou ser de valor na avaliação do reparo dada sua sensibilidade. Não houve efeito significativo da presença de osso liofilizado sobre a evolução do reparo ósseo

Inferring shape evolution.

Dynamic shapes represent an important issue in several scientific and technological contexts. The current article presents a model-based mathematic-computational approach for inferring the processes of neural evolution, including analytical mappings, convolution models and normal wavefront propagation, illustrated with respect to stationary and non-stationary evolutions along time and space

GTPases RhoA and Rac1 are important for amelogenin and DSPP expression during differentiation of ameloblasts and odontoblasts

Morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation are distinct processes in tooth development. Cell proliferation predominates in morphogenesis; differentiation involves changes in form and gene expression. The cytoskeleton is essential for both processes, being regulated by Rho GTPases. The aim of this study was to verify the expression, distribution, and role of Rho GTPases in ameloblasts and odontoblasts during tooth development in correlation with actin and tubulin arrangements and amelogenin and dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) expression. RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42 were strongly expressed during morphogenesis; during cytodifferentiation, RhoA was present in ameloblasts and odontoblasts, Rac1 and its effector Pak3 were observed in ameloblasts; and Cdc42 was present in all cells of the tooth germ and mesenchyme. The expression of RhoA mRNA and its effectors RockI and RockII, Rac1 and Pak3, as analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, increased after ameloblast and odontoblast differentiation, according to the mRNA expression of amelogenin and DSPP. The inhibition of all Rho GTPases by Clostridium difficile toxin A completely abolished amelogenin and DSPP expression in tooth germs cultured in anterior eye chamber, whereas the specific inhibition of the Rocks showed only a partial effect. Thus, both GTPases are important during tooth morphogenesis. During cytodifferentiation, Rho proteins are essential for the complete differentiation of ameloblasts and odontoblasts by regulating the expression of amelogenin and DSPP. RhoA and its effector RockI contribute to this role. A specific function for Rac1 in ameloblasts remains to be elucidated; its punctate distribution indicates its possible role in exocytosis/endocytosis

Rho Signaling Pathway and Apical Constriction in the Early Lens Placode

Epithelial invagination in many model systems is driven by apical cell constriction, mediated by actin and myosin II contraction regulated by GTPase activity. Here we investigate apical constriction during chick lens placode invagination. Inhibition of actin polymerization and myosin II activity by cytochalasin D or blebbistatin prevents lens invagination. To further verify if lens placode invaginate through apical constriction, we analyzed the role of Rho-ROCK pathway. Rho GTPases expression at the apical portion of the lens placode occurs with the same dynamics as that of the cytoskeleton. Overexpression of the pan-Rho inhibitor C3 exotoxin abolished invagination and had a strong effect on apical myosin II enrichment and a mild effect on apical actin localization. In contrast, pharmacological inhibition of ROCK activity interfered significantly with apical enrichment of both actin and myosin. These results suggest that apical constriction in lens invagination involves ROCK but apical concentration of actin and myosin are regulated through different pathways upstream of ROCK. genesis 49: 368-379, 2011. (C) 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.FAPESP[2007/57450-7]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq[47.5752/06-6]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq