Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) participates in the cytotoxic response to nucleoside-derived drugs

Background: Nucleoside analogs used in the chemotherapy of solid tumors, such as the capecitabine catabolite 50-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (50-DFUR) trigger a transcriptomic response that involves the aquaglyceroporin aquaporin 3 along with other p53-dependent genes. Here, we examined whether up-regulation of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) mRNA in cancer cells treated with 50-DFUR represents a collateral transcriptomic effect of the drug, or conversely, AQP3 participates in the activity of genotoxic agents. Methods: The role of AQP3 in cell volume increase, cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest was analyzed using loss-of-function approaches. Results: 50-DFUR and gemcitabine, but not cisplatin, stimulated AQP3 expression and cell volume, which was partially and significantly blocked by knockdown of AQP3. Moreover, AQP3 siRNA significantly blocked other effects of nucleoside analogs, including G1/S cell cycle arrest, p21 and FAS up-regulation, and cell growth inhibition. Short incubations with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) also induced AQP3 expression and increased cell volume, and the inhibition of AQP3 expression significantly blocked growth inhibition triggered by this drug. To further establish whether AQP3 induction is related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, cells were exposed to long incubations with escalating doses of 5-FU. AQP3 was highly up-regulated at doses associated with cell cycle arrest, whereas at doses promoting apoptosis induction of AQP3 mRNA expression was reduced. Conclusions: Based on the results, we propose that the aquaglyceroporin AQP3 is required for cytotoxic activity of 5’-DFUR and gemcitabine in the breast cancer cell line MCF7 and the colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT29, and is implicated in cell volume increase and cell cycle arrest

Embryological-origin-dependent differences in homeobox expression in adult aorta: role in regional phenotypic variability and regulation of NF-κB activity

OBJECTIVE: Different vascular beds show differing susceptibility to the development of atherosclerosis, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these differences are incompletely understood. This study aims to identify factors that contribute to the phenotypic heterogeneity of distinct regions of the adult vasculature. APPROACH AND RESULTS: High-throughput mRNA profiling in adult mice reveals higher expression of the homeobox paralogous genes 6 to 10 (Hox6-10) in the athero-resistant thoracic aorta (TA) than in the athero-susceptible aortic arch (AA). Higher homeobox gene expression also occurs in rat and porcine TA, and is maintained in primary smooth muscle cells isolated from TA (TA-SMCs) compared with cells from AA (AA-SMCs). This region-specific homeobox gene expression pattern is also observed in human embryonic stem cells differentiated into neuroectoderm-SMCs and paraxial mesoderm-SMCs, which give rise to AA-SMCs and TA-SMCs, respectively. We also find that, compared with AA and AA-SMCs, TA and TA-SMCs have lower activity of the proinflammatory and proatherogenic nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and lower expression of NF-κB target genes, at least in part attributable to HOXA9-dependent inhibition. Conversely, NF-κB inhibits HOXA9 promoter activity and mRNA expression in SMCs. CONCLUSION: Our findings support a model of Hox6-10-specified positional identity in the adult vasculature that is established by embryonic cues independently of environmental factors and is conserved in different mammalian species. Differential homeobox gene expression contributes to maintaining phenotypic differences between SMCs from athero-resistant and athero-susceptible regions, at least in part through feedback regulatory mechanisms involving inflammatory mediators, for example, reciprocal inhibition between HOXA9 and NF-κB.The authors’ laboratories Sources of Funding supported are by grants from the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO; SAF201016044), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; RD/06/0014/0021, RD12/0042/0028), the Belgian Society of Cardiology (Dr. Léon Dumont Prize 2010), the European Commission (Liphos-317916), the Wellcome Trust (WT078390MA), and the Cambridge Biomedical Research Center. C. Cheung was sponsored by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (Singapore). J.M. GonzálezGranado and P. Fernández received salary support from the ISCIII (CP11/00145 and CD07/00021, respectively). The CNIC is supported by MINECO and Pro-CNIC Foundation.S

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome, cardiovascular disease and oxidative stress

10 páginas.Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome (HGPS), a rare human disease characterized by premature aging, is mainly caused by the abnormal accumulation of progerin, a mutant form of the mammalian nuclear envelope component lamin A. HGPS patients exhibit vascular alterations and die at an average age of 13 years, predominantly from myocardial infarction or stroke. Animal models of HGPS have been a valuable tool in the study of the pathological processes implicated in the origin of this disease and its associated cardiovascular alterations. Some of the molecular mechanisms of HGPS might be relevant to the process of normal aging, since progerin is detected in cells from normal elderly humans. Conversely, processes linked to normal aging, such as the increase in oxidative stress, might be relevant to the pathogenic mechanisms of HGPS. In this review, we discuss recent advances in the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the cardiovascular alterations associated with HGPS, the potential role of oxidative stress, and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of this devastating disease.Peer reviewe

Aquaporin 3 (AQP3) participates in the cytotoxic response to nucleoside-derived drugs

Abstract Background Nucleoside analogs used in the chemotherapy of solid tumors, such as the capecitabine catabolite 5′-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5′-DFUR) trigger a transcriptomic response that involves the aquaglyceroporin aquaporin 3 along with other p53-dependent genes. Here, we examined whether up-regulation of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) mRNA in cancer cells treated with 5′-DFUR represents a collateral transcriptomic effect of the drug, or conversely, AQP3 participates in the activity of genotoxic agents. Methods The role of AQP3 in cell volume increase, cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest was analyzed using loss-of-function approaches. Results 5′-DFUR and gemcitabine, but not cisplatin, stimulated AQP3 expression and cell volume, which was partially and significantly blocked by knockdown of AQP3. Moreover, AQP3 siRNA significantly blocked other effects of nucleoside analogs, including G1/S cell cycle arrest, p21 and FAS up-regulation, and cell growth inhibition. Short incubations with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) also induced AQP3 expression and increased cell volume, and the inhibition of AQP3 expression significantly blocked growth inhibition triggered by this drug. To further establish whether AQP3 induction is related to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, cells were exposed to long incubations with escalating doses of 5-FU. AQP3 was highly up-regulated at doses associated with cell cycle arrest, whereas at doses promoting apoptosis induction of AQP3 mRNA expression was reduced. Conclusions Based on the results, we propose that the aquaglyceroporin AQP3 is required for cytotoxic activity of 5’-DFUR and gemcitabine in the breast cancer cell line MCF7 and the colon adenocarcinoma cell line HT29, and is implicated in cell volume increase and cell cycle arrest.</p

Relatos de Bibliotecas. Cuarto Certamen Literario de la Biblioteca Universitaria de Granada

Primer premio: Joaquín Carmona RodríguezAccésits en orden alfabético: Salvador Funes Garrido; Isabel Motos Fernández; Juana Olmedo Cardenete; José María Pérez-Muelas AlcázarEl Jurado de este premio ha estado compuesto por los siguientes miembros: Antonio Sánchez Trigueros, Catedrático de Teoría de la Literatura y Literatura Comparada de la UGR; María Isabel Cabrera García, Directora de la Editorial de la UGR; Amelina Correa Ramón, Catedrática de Literatura Española de la UGR; Julia Olivares Barrero, Miembro de la Academia de las Buenas Letras de Granada y Bibliotecaria de la Diputación de Granada; Rocío Raya Prida, Bibliotecaria de la UGR.Contiene:Chao, Chato Chiquín / Joaquín Carmona RodríguezEres utopía / Salvador Funes GarridoLos olvidos compartidos / Isabel Motos FernándezSegunda parte / Juana Olmedo CardenetePoemas con humo / José María Pérez-Muelas AlcázarUniversidad de Granada. Springe