Erythropoietin Improves the Survival of Fat Tissue after Its Transplantation in Nude Mice

Background: Autologous transplanted fat has a high resorption rate, providing a clinical challenge for the means to reduce it. Erythropoietin (EPO) has non-hematopoietic targets, and we hypothesized that EPO may improve long-term fat graft survival because it has both pro-angiogenic and anti-apoptotic properties. We aimed to determine the effect of EPO on the survival of human fat tissue after its transplantation in nude mice. Methodology/Principal Findings: Human fat tissue was injected subcutaneously into immunologically-compromised nude mice, and the grafts were then treated with either 20 IU or 100 IU EPO. At the end of the 15-week study period, the extent of angiogenesis, apoptosis, and histology were assessed in the fat grafts. The results were compared to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-treated and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)-treated fat grafts. The weight and volume of the EPOtreated grafts were higher than those of the PBS-treated grafts, whose weights and volumes were not different from those of the VEGF-treated grafts. EPO treatment also increased the expression of angiogenic factors and microvascular density, and reduced inflammation and apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in the fat grafts. Conclusions/Significance: Our data suggest that stimulation of angiogenesis by a cluster of angiogenic factors and decreased fat cell apoptosis account for potential mechanisms that underlie the improved long-term survival of fa

Offensive behavior, striatal glutamate metabolites, and limbic–hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal responses to stress in chronic anxiety

Variations in anxiety-related behavior are associated with individual allostatic set-points in chronically stressed rats. Actively offensive rats with the externalizing indicators of sniffling and climbing the stimulus and material tearing during 10 days of predator scent stress had reduced plasma corticosterone, increased striatal glutamate metabolites, and increased adrenal 11-dehydrocorticosterone content compared to passively defensive rats with the internalizing indicators of freezing and grooming, as well as to controls without any behavioral changes. These findings suggest that rats that display active offensive activity in response to stress develop anxiety associated with decreased allostatic set-points and increased resistance to stress. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.The Russian Science Foundation (grant № 17-15-013418) supported this study. This was supported in part by the contracts of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation with South Ural State University (17.7255.2017/8.9) and Institute of Immunology and Physiology (AAAA-A18-118020690020-1). The work was furthermore supported by institutional funds from the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University. This work is part of the TransCampus project between TU Dresden and King’s College London and was partially supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (5101CX001219) and the U.S. Department of Defense (W81XWH-16-1-0773)

Molecular psychiatry of zebrafish

Due to their well-characterized neural development and high genetic homology to mammals, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have emerged as a powerful model organism in the field of biological psychiatry. Here, we discuss the molecular psychiatry of zebrafish, and its implications for translational neuroscience research and modeling central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In particular, we outline recent genetic and technological developments allowing for in vivo examinations, high-throughput screening and whole-brain analyses in larval and adult zebrafish. We also summarize the application of these molecular techniques to the understanding of neuropsychiatric disease, outlining the potential of zebrafish for modeling complex brain disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), aggression, post-traumatic stress and substance abuse. Critically evaluating the advantages and limitations of larval and adult fish tests, we suggest that zebrafish models become a rapidly emerging new field in modern molecular psychiatry research

The PDE4 inhibitor, apremilast, suppresses experimentally induced alopecia areata in human skin in vivo

•Alopecia areata (AA) is an autoimmune disease.•The disease is mediated by cooperation between CD8+/NKG2D+ CD4+ cells.•Genes coding for NKG2D ligands such as MICA and ULBP3 are associated with AA.•Transfer of activated PBMCs into human scalp skin/SCID mice induces AA-feature.•Apremilast targets PDE4, suppresses AA in the humanized scalp skin/SCID mouse model