Synthesis and crystal structure of a trihydrate of dinuclear benzimidazole-2-pyridinecarboxylate- cadmium(II)

A new compound, [Cd2(C7H6N2)3(C6H4O2N)4]·3H2O (1), has been prepared under mild hydrothermal conditions and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The two cadmium(II) ions are bridged by a carboxyl group from one 2-pyridinecarboxylate ligand. The thermal gravimetry (TG) data indicate three steps of decomposition, and the final thermal decomposition product is CdO

Identification and Expression Profiling of MicroRNAs in the Brain, Liver and Gonads of Marine Medaka (Oryzias melastigma) and in Response to Hypoxia

The marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma) has been increasingly used as a fish model for detecting environmental stresses and chemical contaminants in the marine environment. Recent mammalian studies have shown that environmental stresses can alter the expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs), leading to transgenerational effects. Here, we use high-throughput Illumina RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) for miRNA transcriptome analysis of brain, liver, and gonads from sexually mature male and female marine medaka. A total of 128,883,806 filtered sequence reads were generated from six small RNA libraries, identifying a total of 2,125,663 non-redundant sequences. These sequences were aligned and annotated to known animal miRNAs (miRBase) using the BLAST method. A total of 223 distinct miRNA types were identified, with the greatest number expressed in brain tissue. Our data suggested that 55 miRNA types from 34 families are common to all tested tissues, while some of the miRNAs are tissue-enriched or sex-enriched. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis further demonstrated that let-7a, miR-122, and miR-9-3p were downregulated in hypoxic female medaka, while miR-2184 was specifically upregulated in the testis of hypoxic male fish. This is the first study to identify miRNAs in O. melastigma using small RNA deep sequencing technology. Because miRNA expression is highly conserved between marine medaka and other vertebrates, marine medaka may serve as a good model for studies on the functional roles of miRNAs in hypoxia stress response and signaling in marine fish.published_or_final_versio

Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in the Chondrogenic and Ossifying Sites of Calcific Tendinopathy and Traumatic Tendon Injury Rat Models

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ectopic chondrogenesis and ossification were observed in a degenerative collagenase-induced calcific tendinopathy model and to a lesser extent, in a patellar tendon traumatic injury model. We hypothesized that expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) contributed to ectopic chondrogenesis and ossification. This study aimed to study the spatial and temporal expression of BMP-2 in our animal models.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Seventy-two rats were used, with 36 rats each subjected to central one-third patellar tendon window injury (C1/3 group) and collagenase-induced tendon injury (CI group), respectively. The contralateral limb served as controls. At week 2, 4 and 12, 12 rats in each group were sacrificed for immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR of BMP-2.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For CI group, weak signal was observed at the tendon matrix at week 2. At week 4, matrix around chondrocyte-like cells was also stained in some samples. In one sample, calcification was observed and the BMP-2 signal was observed both in the calcific matrix and the embedded chondrocyte-like cells. At week 12, the staining was observed mainly in the calcific matrix. Similar result was observed in C1/3 group though the immunopositive staining of BMP-2 was generally weaker. There was significant increase in BMP-2 mRNA compared to that in the contralateral side at week 2 and the level became insignificantly different at week 12 in CI group. No significant increase in BMP-2 mRNA was observed in C1/3 group at all time points.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Ectopic expression of BMP-2 might induce tissue transformation into ectopic bone/cartilage and promoted structural degeneration in calcific tendinopathy.</p

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Capture and Cross-Present Viral Antigens from Influenza-Virus Exposed Cells

Among the different subsets of dendritic cells (DC), plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC) play a unique role in secreting large amounts of type I interferons upon viral stimulation, but their efficiency as antigen-presenting cells has not been completely characterized. We show here, by flow cytometry, with human primary blood PDC and with a PDC cell line, that PDC display poor endocytic capacity for soluble or cellular antigens when compared to monocyte-derived myeloid DC. However, immature PDC efficiently take up cellular material from live influenza-exposed cells, subsequently mature and cross-present viral antigens very efficiently to specific CD8+ T cells. Therefore, during viral infection PDC not only secrete immunomodulatory cytokines, but also recognize infected cells and function as antigen cross-presenting cells to trigger the anti-viral immune response

Transcriptome Profiling of Testis during Sexual Maturation Stages in Eriocheir sinensis Using Illumina Sequencing

The testis is a highly specialized tissue that plays dual roles in ensuring fertility by producing spermatozoa and hormones. Spermatogenesis is a complex process, resulting in the production of mature sperm from primordial germ cells. Significant structural and biochemical changes take place in the seminiferous epithelium of the adult testis during spermatogenesis. The gene expression pattern of testis in Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) has not been extensively studied, and limited genetic research has been performed on this species. The advent of high-throughput sequencing technologies enables the generation of genomic resources within a short period of time and at minimal cost. In the present study, we performed de novo transcriptome sequencing to produce a comprehensive transcript dataset for testis of E. sinensis. In two runs, we produced 25,698,778 sequencing reads corresponding with 2.31 Gb total nucleotides. These reads were assembled into 342,753 contigs or 141,861 scaffold sequences, which identified 96,311 unigenes. Based on similarity searches with known proteins, 39,995 unigenes were annotated based on having a Blast hit in the non-redundant database or ESTscan results with a cut-off E-value above 10−5. This is the first report of a mitten crab transcriptome using high-throughput sequencing technology, and all these testes transcripts can help us understand the molecular mechanisms involved in spermatogenesis and testis maturation

Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells Capture and Cross-Present Viral Antigens from Influenza-Virus Exposed Cells

Among the different subsets of dendritic cells (DC), plasmacytoid dendritic cells (PDC) play a unique role in secreting large amounts of type I interferons upon viral stimulation, but their efficiency as antigen-presenting cells has not been completely characterized. We show here, by flow cytometry, with human primary blood PDC and with a PDC cell line, that PDC display poor endocytic capacity for soluble or cellular antigens when compared to monocyte-derived myeloid DC. However, immature PDC efficiently take up cellular material from live influenza-exposed cells, subsequently mature and cross-present viral antigens very efficiently to specific CD8+ T cells. Therefore, during viral infection PDC not only secrete immunomodulatory cytokines, but also recognize infected cells and function as antigen cross-presenting cells to trigger the anti-viral immune response

Deciphering the pathogenesis of tendinopathy: a three-stages process

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of "tendinopathy" is based on fragmented evidences like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We propose a "failed healing theory" to knit these fragments together, which can explain previous observations. We also propose that albeit "overuse injury" and other insidious "micro trauma" may well be primary triggers of the process, "tendinopathy" is not an "overuse injury" per se. The typical clinical, histological and biochemical presentation relates to a localized chronic pain condition which may lead to tendon rupture, the latter attributed to mechanical weakness. Characterization of pathological "tendinotic" tissues revealed coexistence of collagenolytic injuries and an active healing process, focal hypervascularity and tissue metaplasia. These observations suggest a failed healing process as response to a triggering injury. The pathogenesis of tendinopathy can be described as a three stage process: injury, failed healing and clinical presentation. It is likely that some of these "initial injuries" heal well and we speculate that predisposing intrinsic or extrinsic factors may be involved. The injury stage involves a progressive collagenolytic tendon injury. The failed healing stage mainly refers to prolonged activation and failed resolution of the normal healing process. Finally, the matrix disturbances, increased focal vascularity and abnormal cytokine profiles contribute to the clinical presentations of chronic tendon pain or rupture. With this integrative pathogenesis theory, we can relate the known manifestations of tendinopathy and point to the "missing links". This model may guide future research on tendinopathy, until we could ultimately decipher the complete pathogenesis process and provide better treatments

Membrane vesicles, current state-of-the-art: emerging role of extracellular vesicles

Release of membrane vesicles, a process conserved in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, represents an evolutionary link, and suggests essential functions of a dynamic extracellular vesicular compartment (including exosomes, microparticles or microvesicles and apoptotic bodies). Compelling evidence supports the significance of this compartment in a broad range of physiological and pathological processes. However, classification of membrane vesicles, protocols of their isolation and detection, molecular details of vesicular release, clearance and biological functions are still under intense investigation. Here, we give a comprehensive overview of extracellular vesicles. After discussing the technical pitfalls and potential artifacts of the rapidly emerging field, we compare results from meta-analyses of published proteomic studies on membrane vesicles. We also summarize clinical implications of membrane vesicles. Lessons from this compartment challenge current paradigms concerning the mechanisms of intercellular communication and immune regulation. Furthermore, its clinical implementation may open new perspectives in translational medicine both in diagnostics and therapy