Alcohol binge disrupts the rat intestinal barrier: the partial protective role of oleoylethanolamide

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Chronic alcohol consumption alters the gut-brain axis, but little is known about alcohol binge episodes on the functioning of the intestinal barrier. We investigated the influence of ethanol binges on bacterial translocation, gut inflammation and immunity, and tight junction (TJ) structure and the ability of the biolipid oleoylethanolamide (OEA) to prevent ethanol binge-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

OEA was injected i.p. before repeated ethanol administration by oral gavage. Plasma, spleen, liver and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) were collected in sterile conditions for determination of bacterial load. Immune/inflammatory parameters, TJ proteins and apoptotic markers were determined in colonic tissue by RT-PCR and Western blotting. TJ ultrastructure was examined by transmission electron microscopy.

KEY RESULTS

Ethanol binges induced bacterial translocation to the MLN (mainly) and spleen. Colonic tissues showed signs of inflammation, and activation of innate (Toll-like receptor-4) and adaptive (IgA) immune systems and TJ proteins (occludin and claudin-3) were decreased after ethanol binges. Pretreatment with OEA reduced intestinal inflammation and immune activation and partially preserved the TJ structure affected by alcohol binges but had no effect on alcohol-induced apoptosis. Ultrastructural analyses of colonic TJs revealed dilated TJs in all ethanol groups, with less electron-dense material in non-pretreated rats. The protective effects of i.p. OEA did not reduce bacterial translocation to the MLN. However, intragastric OEA administration significantly reduced plasma LPS levels and bacterial translocation to the MLN.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

OEA-based pharmacotherapies could potentially be useful to treat disorders characterized by intestinal barrier dysfunction, including alcohol abuse.

Next generation sequencing in the diagnosis of Stargardt's disease

INTRODUCTION

Stargardt's disease is the most frequent form of inherited macular dystrophy in children and adults. It is a genetic eye disorder caused by mutations in ABCA4 gene with an autosomal recessive inheritance. ABCA4 is a very polymorphic and large gene containing 50 exons. The development of next generation sequencing (NGS) can be used for the genetic diagnosis of this disease.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A report is presented on two patients with a clinical diagnosis of Stargardt's disease whose genetic confirmation was performed by a NGS panel of 298 genes.

RESULTS

Clinically, the patients showed bull's eye maculopathy and absence of flecks, and genetically they shared the Gly1961Glu mutation that could explain their common phenotype, together with c.C3056T:p.T1019M for case 1, and c.287del:p.Asn96Thrfs*19 for case 2.

CONCLUSIONS

NGS is particularly useful in the diagnosis of Stargardt's disease as ABCA4 is a large gene with a high allelic heterogeneity that causes a wide range of clinical manifestations.

Broadening the phenotypic spectrum of POP1-skeletal dysplasias: identification of POP1 mutations in a mild and severe skeletal dysplasia

Processing of Precursor 1 (POP1) is a large protein common to the ribonuclease-mitochondrial RNA processing (RNase-MRP) and RNase-P (RMRP) endoribonucleoprotein complexes. Although its precise function is unknown, it appears to participate in the assembly or stability of both complexes. Numerous RMRP mutations have been reported in individuals with cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH) but, to date, only three POP1 mutations have been described in two families with features similar to anauxetic dysplasia (AD). We present two further individuals, one with severe short stature and a relatively mild skeletal dysplasia and another in whom AD was suspected. Biallelic POP1 mutations were identified in both. A missense mutation and a novel single base deletion were detected in proband 1, p.[Pro582Ser]:[Glu870fs*5]. Markedly reduced abundance of RMRP and elevated levels of pre5.8s rRNA was observed. In proband 2, a homozygous novel POP1 mutation was identified, p.[(Asp511Tyr)];[(Asp511Tyr)]. These two individuals show the phenotypic extremes in the clinical presentation of POP1-dysplasias. Although CHH and other skeletal dysplasias caused by mutations in RMRP or POP1 are commonly cited as ribosomal biogenesis disorders, recent studies question this assumption. We discuss the past and present knowledge about the function of the RMRP complex in skeletal development.

Image analysis of scaly skin using Dsquame(R) samplers: technical and physiological validation

An image analysis-based technique for evaluating skin scaliness using Dsquame(R) instant testers is presented, with four surface texture parameters characterizing this condition. Studies on the variability of the technique were carried out to determine the influence of instrumental and physiological factors. Parameters of texture, optical density, number and surface area of squames are calculated from images of obliquely lit Dsquame(R) samples. Repeated measurements were done on artificial and real samples to determine instrumental and sample variability, respectively. In addition, the technique was used in a volunteer study to assess anatomical differences and seasonal variation. For five consecutive measurement days, the artificial samples remained stable, with coefficients of variation for repeatability and reproducibility of less than 8% for all parameters. During the same period, the real samples showed decreases mainly in those parameters of texture and optical density. In the volunteer study, the calf showed significantly higher values (more scaly) in December than July, with no seasonal change in forearm or crow's foot area sites. Assessments of Dsquame(R) instant tester samples using image analysis-derived parameters provides information on the quantity and quality of skin scaliness or flakiness. As such, it is a useful tool for studying desquamation. The technique presented is repeatable and reproducible; however, samples need to be analysed the same day to avoid deterioration problems. Anatomical differences have been demonstrated, with, in addition, the calf showing marked winter/summer changes in comparison to the face and forearm.

Seasonal variability in the biophysical properties of stratum corneum from different anatomical sites

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: A 10-month-long study on a panel of 24 young female subjects was carried out to determine whether various biophysical aspects of the stratum corneum (SC) varied with season. METHODS: Three different anatomical sites (calf, inner forearm and crow's foot wrinkle area of the face) were assessed in February, April, July and December of the same year. The assessments made were skin surface hydration using an electrical capacitance technique, transepidermal water loss by evaporimetry, number of corneocytes released using a turbine stimulation method, and skin surface topography using optical profilometry. RESULTS: The results showed significant anatomical differences: with the crow's foot site > forearm > calf, for skin surface hydration and corneocyte numbers; and the crow's foot site > forearm and calf, with no difference between the latter two sites, for TEWL measurements. With these techniques, seasonal differences were observed mainly in the calf, to a lesser extent in the forearm, but not in the crow's foot area. These mainly involved increases in these three parameters in July, as opposed to the other time-points. Parameters of skin surface topography however, showed no consistent seasonal pattern, but markedly higher values were observed for the forearm in comparison to the calf and crow's foot sites, which were similar. From meteorological data obtained, the average daily maximum temperature and hours of sunshine increased to peak values in July, as did the absolute humidity derived from relative humidity data. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the results are most likely to represent changes in the SC due to climatic factors, with the calf and forearm sites being most affected in comparison to the face (crow's foot wrinkle area), which seems unaffected. The reasons for this latter site remaining unchanged may be due to its greater UV exposure, sebum content, and that the use of facial cosmetics was allowed.

Analysis of the distribution of light, leaf nitrogen, and photosynthesis within the canopy of Vicia faba L. at two contrasting plant densities

We analysed the spatial variation of irradiance, leaf nitrogen (N) concentration, specific leaf weight, and photosynthetic capacity of leaves within canopies of faba bean (Vicia faba var. minor) grown in the field at 2 contrasting densities (20 and 70 plants/m2), in order to assess whether plant density can affect the amount of irradiance transmitted, the distribution of N, and the rate of photosynthesis of leaves within the canopy. Nitrogen concentration per unit of leaf weight or per unit of leaf area (Na), and the rate of photosynthesis at saturating irradiance (Amax), declined from the upper leaves to the lower, at both plant densities. Plant density had a strong effect on the extinction coefficients for total irradiance and for photon flux density (PFD), but little effect on the distribution of Na. From the relationship between Na and the cumulative leaf area index, and the fraction of PFD transmitted through the canopy, it was determined that the coefficient of leaf N allocation was slightly lower in the high density crop. A similar curvilinear relationship between Amax and Na was found at the 2 plant densities. Our results indicated that in faba bean a low plant density did not lead to a more uniform distribution of leaf N through the canopy compared with a high plant density, as was previously found in other species.

[Bone marrow transplantation for severe aplastic anemia]

Severe aplastic anemia is a hematological disease with a high mortality rate, for which bone marrow transplantation is the treatment of choice, specially in children and young adults. The number of transfusions undergone before the transplant is the most important factor to predict the possibility of graft failure. Twenty patients with severe aplastic anemia, most of them already multiple transfused, were transplanted utilizing cyclophosphamide combined with antilymphocyte globulin as a conditioning regiment. All the evaluable patients engrafted and there were no episodes of graft failure. Three patients died, and 17 (85%) are alive with hematopoietic recovery at a median of 27.7 months post-transplant. Bone marrow transplantation was an excellent therapeutic option in this series of patients with severe aplastic anemia and the conditioning regiment appeared to be sufficiently myeloablative and immunosuppressive to avoid early or late graft failure.