Proteomic analysis of the bovine and human ciliary zonule

PURPOSE: The zonule of Zinn (ciliary zonule) is a system of fibers that centers the crystalline lens on the optical axis of the eye. Mutations in zonule components underlie syndromic conditions associated with a broad range of ocular pathologies, including microspherophakia and ectopia lentis. Here, we used HPLC–mass spectrometry to determine the molecular composition of the zonule. METHODS: Tryptic digests of human and bovine zonular samples were analyzed by HPLC–mass spectrometry. The distribution of selected components was confirmed by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. In bovine samples, the composition of the equatorial zonule was compared to that of the hyaloid zonule and vitreous humor. RESULTS: The 52 proteins common to the zonules of both species accounted for >95% of the zonular protein. Glycoproteins constituted the main structural components, with two proteins, FBN1 and LTBP2, constituting 70%–80% of the protein. Other abundant components were MFAP2, EMILIN-1, and ADAMTSL-6. Lysyl oxidase-like 1, a crosslinking enzyme implicated in collagen and elastin biogenesis, was detected at significant levels. The equatorial and hyaloid zonular samples were compositionally similar to each other, although the hyaloid sample was relatively enriched in the proteoglycan opticin and the fibrillar collagens COL2A1, COL11A1, COL5A2, and COL5A3. CONCLUSIONS: The zonular proteome was surprisingly complex. In addition to structural components, it contained signaling proteins, protease inhibitors, and crosslinking enzymes. The equatorial and hyaloid zonules were similar in composition, but the latter may form part of a composite structure, the hyaloid membrane, that stabilizes the vitreous face

Premalignant Oral Lesion Immunobiology: Immune Modulation and Vaccination

While studies have indicated that squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) is associated with immune suppression, these studies did not analyze the immune response at the dysplastic stage. This study utilized a mouse model of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO)-induced oral carcinogenesis to examine the alterations in immune phenotype at the premalignant and malignant stages of HNSCC. Cervical lymph nodes of HNSCC-bearing mice were found to contain a greater number of cells, including a greater number of conventional (Tconv) and regulatory (Treg) T cells, compared to lymph nodes of control and premalignant lesion-bearing mice. Premalignant lesion-bearing mouse lymph nodes consist of a greater percentage of Tconv cells expressing markers for activation, memory, and exhaustion compared to both control and HNSCC-bearing mice. Lymph nodes from both premalignant lesion-bearing and HNSCC-bearing mice include increased numbers of Th1, Tc1 and Th17 cells compared to control mice. The data show that while there is the expected increase in Tregs in lymph nodes when HNSCC is present, there is also an unexpected increase in immune populations usually associated with a beneficial anti-tumor response. In addition, the results demonstrate that the premalignant stage of HNSCC development is associated with a robust immune response involving an increase in inflammatory cells. The use of dendritic cell (DC) vaccines as treatment for malignancy is complicated by the immune evasion tactics often employed by carcinomas such as HNSCC. This study aims to determine if an immune response can be elicited by administering a DC vaccine during the premalignant stages of HNSCC, prior to development of immune escape. Bone marrow-derived DCs were pulsed with premalignant lesion lysate (DCpm) and administered to 4NQO-treated mice exhibiting premalignant lesions. Endoscopic examination revealed that DCpm vaccination and control vaccination with dendritic cells pulsed with normal tongue epithelium lysate (DCnt) significantly decreased lesion burden. Analysis of lymph node cells revealed that while DCnt vaccination resulted in a rapid increase in total lymphocyte count, levels of activated Tconv cells, and Th1, Tel, Th17, Te17, and Th2 cells, DCpm vaccination results in a delayed, yet substantial, increase in these immune effector mechanisms. This suggests that dendritic cell vaccination may have a beneficial effect on clinical outcome regardless of type of antigenic stimulation, and DCs pulsed with premalignant lysate rather than normal tongue epithelium lysate result in a delayed immune effector response upon vaccination of premalignant lesion-bearing mice

Age Structure and Feeding of the Neotropical Grasshopper Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) (Orthoptera: Acrididae) on Water Hyacinth.

We aimed to evaluate the variation in the age structure of Cornops aquaticum (Bruner) population and its relation to the host plant biomass and the feeding of the different age classes of this grasshopper on the Water Hyacinth Eichhornia crassipes along two years, in a Paraná River floodplain lake (Chaco, Argentina). Individuals of C. aquaticum were captured with a 70-cm diameter sweep and separated in nymphs A (instars I and II), nymphs B (instars III to VI), adult females and adult males; host plant biomass was sampled using a ring with a 0.30 m2 diameter. Relative daily feeding of C. aquaticum population was calculated by multiplying the number of individuals captured per minute by the daily consumption by individual obtained in each age classes. We found that the age structure and the relative daily feeding of C. aquaticum varied between seasons and years. The highest values of grasshopper abundance, leaf biomass and relative daily feeding of C. aquaticum population were observed in summer 2006. Plant biomass was directly correlated with nymph abundance and not correlated with adult abundance. Plant biomass available as refuge (leaves), food (laminas) and oviposition site (petioles) to C. aquaticum represented up to 62 % of the total plant biomass. The results obtained in C. aquaticum show the importance of considering total plant biomass and plant biomass available for herbivores separately. Our study highlights the need to find an adequate method to estimate density of C. aquaticum and other semi-aquatic grasshoppers in the Paraná River floodplain involving different seasons, years and water phases (rising and falling).Fil: Franceschini, Maria Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecologia Aplicada del Litoral (i); Argentina;Fil: de Wysiecki, Maria Laura. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - la Plata. Centro de Est.parasitol.y de Vectores (i); Argentina;Fil: Poi, Alicia Susana G.. Consejo Nacional de Invest.cientif.y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnol.conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecologia Aplicada del Litoral (i); Argentina

A mechanistic investigation into candidate markers of telomere-induced senescence in normal human epidermal keratinocytes

PhDTelomere dysfunction is one mechanism of cellular and tissue ageing. Dysfunctional telomeres in fibroblasts are recognised as DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) and trigger the DNA damage pathway of senescence. However, telomere uncapping in normal human epidermal keratinocytes, via expression of the dominant negative mutant of the telomere repeat-binding factor 2 (TRF2!B!M), resulted in a senescent-like arrest without a significant DNA damage response (DDR). This suggests that either keratinocytes are unusually sensitive to telomere uncapping and the low DDR is sufficient to induce senescence or that dysfunctional telomeres may also be signalled through an alternative pathway. Subsequent analysis revealed genes HIST2H2BE, ICEBERG, S100A7 and HOPX as potential markers for telomere dysfunction-induced senescence (TDIS) since they were induced by telomere uncapping and seemed to be regulated by telomerase. The aim of this project was to assess the specificity of these candidate markers for TDIS and to select the most promising for use as a biomarker. To this end, keratinocytes were exposed to doses of ionising radiation, capable of generating transient or permanent damage to the DNA, or transduced with retroviral constructs expressing p14ARF, p16INK4a, p53 or TRF2!B!M and the gene expression levels of the candidates assessed after a recovery period or at the early stages of senescence. Whilst S100A7, HOPX or ICEBERG were not induced by a transient or persistent DDR or by p16INK4a, ICEBERG and HOPX were induced by p53 and p14ARF when these were ectopically expressed at higher levels. Thus, S100A7 seems to be the most specific early marker for telomere dysfunction in keratinocytes since it was selectively induced by telomere uncapping via expression of TRF2!B!M and not by DSBs or by over expression of p14ARF, p53 or p16INK4a. S100A7 may have the potential to identify cells with telomere dysfunction in human epithelia and body fluids. iiiAge U

Briófitos de Arbayún (Navarra)

Se ha estudiado la flora briofítica de la Foz de Arbayún (Navarra). Se citan 66 especies (19 hepáticas y 47 musgos), 3 de las cuales son novedad para Navarra. Summary: The bryological flora of Foz de Arbayun (Navarra) is studied. We have cited 66 species (19 liverworts and 47 mosses), 3 of them are new records for Navarra

Aportaciones a la brioflora española. Algunas especies interesantes de Navarra (España)

Se da a conocer el hallazgo de 11 táxones (una hepática y 10 musgos) determinados a partir de muestras recolectadas en diversos robledales de Navarra. Todos son novedad para Navarra. Summary: Eleven taxa of Bryophytes (one liverword and 10 mosses) collected in several oak woods of Navarra are given. All of them are new records for Navarra

Ensayo briosociológico y ecológico de la Foz de Arbayún (Navarra)

Como complemento al estudio de la Flora Briológica de la Foz de Arbayún, que dimos a conocer en el IV Simposio de Botánica Criptogámica (Barcelona 1981), se presenta un catálogo ampliado de los briofitos de la zona (123 especies: 30 hepáticas y 93 musgos), comentando su ecología. Se analizan algunas de las comunidades más representativas de briofitos: terrícolas, saxícolas, cortícolas y acuáticas. Summary: Bryological and ecological essay of Foz de Arbayún (Navarra, Spain). As a complement of the study of the bryological flora of Foz de Arbayún (Navarra), explained in the IV "Simposium" of Criptogamous Botany, an amplified catalogue of Bryophytes (123 species: 30 liverworts and 93 mosses), reporting their ecology is given. The most representative moss comunities: terrestial, saxicolous, corticolous and aquatic, are analysed

Distribución en España de algunos briofritos interesantes de los robledales navarros.

Se dan a conocer datos acerca de la distribución en España de 13 briofitos recolectados en robledales de Navarra

Aportación al conocimiento de la brioflora navarra. El Robledal de Elzaburu (Navarra)

Presentamos un catálogo que consta de 78 especies de briofitos (25 hepáticas y 53 musgos). Se realiza un estudio comparativo entre la brioflora de este robledal y los hayedos atlánticos ácidos, ya estudiados en años anteriores. Summary: Contribution to the study of the bryophytic flora of Navarra. The Quercus robur wood of Elzaburu, Navarra. Spain. The bryological flora of Quercus robur wood of Elzaburu (Navarra) is studied. A catalogue of 78 species (25 liverworts and 53 mosses) is given. A comparative study between this Quercus robur wood and acidophile atlantic Fagus sylvatica woods, studied in precedent years, is made

Follow-up study of the preparatory study for Ecodesign and Energy Label for household washing machines and household washer dryers

Starting in 2014, the Commission has undertaken a review study of the two household washing machines regulations and the Energy Label Directive for household washer-dryers. The conclusions of this study are updated in this report and will be presented to stakeholders at the meeting of the Consultation Forum established under Article 18 of the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC, to be held 23rd November 2017. In addition, this report includes the explanations and rationale that underpin the changes proposed in the both regulations as well as of most of the alternatives proposed during the review study.JRC.B.5-Circular Economy and Industrial Leadershi