Multifunctional scaffolds for biomedical applications: Crafting versatile solutions with polycaprolactone enriched by graphene oxide

The pressing need for multifunctional materials in medical settings encompasses a wide array of scenarios, necessitating specific tissue functionalities. A critical challenge is the occurrence of biofouling, particularly by contamination in surgical environments, a common cause of scaffolds impairment. Beyond the imperative to avoid infections, it is also essential to integrate scaffolds with living cells to allow for tissue regeneration, mediated by cell attachment. Here, we focus on the development of a versatile material for medical applications, driven by the diverse time-definite events after scaffold implantation. We investigate the potential of incorporating graphene oxide (GO) into polycaprolactone (PCL) and create a composite for 3D printing a scaffold with time-controlled antibacterial and anti-adhesive growth properties. Indeed, the as-produced PCL-GO scaffold displays a local hydrophobic effect, which is translated into a limitation of biological entities-attachment, including a diminished adhesion of bacteriophages and a reduction of E. coli and S. aureus adhesion of ∼81% and ∼69%, respectively. Moreover, the ability to 3D print PCL-GO scaffolds with different heights enables control over cell distribution and attachment, a feature that can be also exploited for cellular confinement, i.e., for microfluidics or wound healing applications. With time, the surface wettability increases, and the scaffold can be populated by cells. Finally, the presence of GO allows for the use of infrared light for the sterilization of scaffolds and the disruption of any bacteria cell that might adhere to the more hydrophilic surface. Overall, our results showcase the potential of PCL-GO as a versatile material for medical applications.

Vaginal temperature of lactating cows during heat waves or normal summer day and effect of additional daily cooling treatments as heat load mitigation strategy

The vaginal temperature (VT) of lactating Holstein cows was monitored in not heat wave (NHW) and in heat wave (HW) summer days. Temperature humidity index (THI) was monitored and assigned to four classes of heat load (HL): THI < 68 null; 68 < THI < 74 low; 74 < THI < 80 moderate; and THI > 80 high.Five daily treatments consisting of continuous forced ventilation and sprayed water (1' on follow by 5' off) were assumed as control cooling protocol (CC) and compared with two experimental cooling protocols (EC) applied in the feed bunk and based on the CC plus two additional cooling treatments which lasted a total of 90' (EC90) or 150' (EC150) in the day.Sixty lactating cows were enrolled in two summer trials carried out in NHW or HW. In each trial, 10 cows were cooled by CC, 10 by EC90 and 10 by EC150. Twenty additional cows were monitored in a fall trail to have reference value of THI and VT under thermoneutral conditions (TN). Each trial lasted 72 h, and measurements of VT were carried out by intra-vaginal data loggers.The 33% of observed THI was within the high class of HL during HW, whereas THI never exceeded the upper threshold of moderate or low class of HL in NHW and TN, respectively.Multiparous and high yielding cows were more sensitive to HL, and the increased daily cooling treatments reduced heat load during hot conditions. However, during heat waves a certain degree of hyperthermia occurred even with intensive cooling management based on seven daily treatments.

Liposome Encapsulation of the Palmitoyl-KTTKS Peptide: Structural and Functional Characterization

In this study, the amphiphilic N-palmitoyl-KTTKS peptide was integrated in the bilayer of egg-derived phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles using two different preparation methods, namely thin-film evaporation (TLE) and reverse-phase evaporation (REV). Both the REV and TLE methods allowed for the formation of homogeneous liposome dispersions (PdI < 0.20) with mean hydrodynamic diameters of <100 nm and <200 nm, respectively, a net negative surface charge and a percentage of structured phospholipids higher than 90%. The inclusion of the amphiphilic N-palmitoyl-KTTKS peptide within phospholipid-based vesicles could improve peptide stability and skin delivery. Therefore, the obtained liposomes were evaluated via experiments assessing the synthesis of collagen and the ECM in 3T3-NIH fibroblasts. The obtained results showed that, when delivered with PC liposomes, pal-KTTKS stimulated collagen production more than free pentapeptide and 1 mM ascorbic acid, used as a positive control.

Microwave ablation for large benign thyroid nodules: a proposal for a new approach: "the fluid-motion technique"

INTRODUCTION

Most thyroid nodules are benign, and treatment is primarily indicated for patients with symptoms or cosmetic concerns related to nodular volume. Recently, there has been growing interest in nonsurgical and minimally invasive techniques for the treatment of symptomatic benign thyroid nodules, including microwave ablation (MWA).

AIMS

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness, efficacy, and safety of ultrasound-guided uncooled MWA in the treatment of benign symptomatic thyroid nodules, using a new ablation technique called the "fluid-motion technique."

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From April 2021 to February 2023, a total of 150 patients with benign thyroid nodules were treated using MWA at the Endocrine Surgery Unit of Pederzoli Hospital, Peschiera del Garda (Italy), with 102 of them being followed-up for at least 6 months.

RESULTS

Before treatment, the mean major diameter was 38.4 ± 10.0 mm, and the mean volume was 13.6 ± 10.5 mL. At 1 month, the mean volume was 6.8 ± 6.2 mL, and at 3 months, it was 4.6 ± 4.1 mL. The mean Volume Reduction Rate (VRR) at 3 months was 61.1 ± 22.0%. Of the nodules, 17 (17%), 65 (66%), and 20 (19%) had volumes ≤ 10, 10.1-20, and ≥ 20.1 mL, respectively. For these nodules, the mean VRR at 3 and 6 months was 55.3 ± 16%, 63.4 ± 24.8%, 72 ± 26.9% and 68.0 ± 11.2%, 73.5 ± 18.3%, and 81.6 ± 15.8%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study shows that ultrasound-guided MWA is an effective and safe minimally invasive treatment for benign thyroid nodules. The goal is to achieve a VRR that can reduce symptoms and improve cosmetic appearance.

Disclosing the molecular profile of the human amniotic mesenchymal stromal cell secretome by filter-aided sample preparation proteomic characterization

BACKGROUND

The secretome of mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from the amniotic membrane (hAMSCs) has been extensively studied for its in vitro immunomodulatory activity as well as for the treatment of several preclinical models of immune-related disorders. The bioactive molecules within the hAMSCs secretome are capable of modulating the immune response and thus contribute to stimulating regenerative processes. At present, only a few studies have attempted to define the composition of the secretome, and several approaches, including multi-omics, are underway in an attempt to precisely define its composition and possibly identify key factors responsible for the therapeutic effect.

METHODS

In this study, we characterized the protein composition of the hAMSCs secretome by a filter-aided sample preparation (FASP) digestion and liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approach. Data were processed for gene ontology classification and functional protein interaction analysis by bioinformatics tools.

RESULTS

Proteomic analysis of the hAMSCs secretome resulted in the identification of 1521 total proteins, including 662 unique elements. A number of 157 elements, corresponding to 23.7%, were found as repeatedly characterizing the hAMSCs secretome, and those that resulted as significantly over-represented were involved in immunomodulation, hemostasis, development and remodeling of the extracellular matrix molecular pathways.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our characterization enriches the landscape of hAMSCs with new information that could enable a better understanding of the mechanisms of action underlying the therapeutic efficacy of the hAMSCs secretome while also providing a basis for its therapeutic translation.

Cell Penetrating Peptides: Classification, Mechanisms, Methods of Study, and Applications

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) encompass a class of peptides that possess the remarkable ability to cross cell membranes and deliver various types of cargoes, including drugs, nucleic acids, and proteins, into cells. For this reason, CPPs are largely investigated in drug delivery applications in the context of many diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and genetic disorders. While sharing this functionality and some common structural features, such as a high content of positively charged amino acids, CPPs represent an extremely diverse group of elements, which can differentiate under many aspects. In this review, we summarize the most common characteristics of CPPs, introduce their main distinctive features, mechanistic aspects that drive their function, and outline the most widely used techniques for their structural and functional studies. We highlight current gaps and future perspectives in this field, which have the potential to significantly impact the future field of drug delivery and therapeutics.

Exploiting bioactive natural products of marine origin: Evaluation of the meroterpenoid metachromin V as a novel potential therapeutic drug for colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cause of cancer death, leading to almost 1 million deaths per year. Despite constant progress in surgical and therapeutic protocols, the 5-year survival rate of advanced CRC patients remains extremely poor. Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells (CRC-CSCs) are endowed with unique stemness-related properties responsible for resistance, relapse and metastasis. The development of novel therapeutics able to tackle CSCs while avoiding undesired toxicity is a major need for cancer treatment. Natural products are a large reservoir of unexplored compounds with possible anticancer bioactivity, sustainability, and safety. The family of meroterpenoids derived from sponges share interesting bioactive properties. Bioassay-guided fractionation of a meroterpenoids extract led to the isolation of three compounds, all cytotoxic against several cancer cell lines: Metachromins U, V and W. In this study, we evaluated the anticancer potential of the most active one, Metachromins V (MV), on patient-derived CRC-CSCs. MV strongly impairs CSCs-viability regardless their mutational background and the cytotoxic effect is maintained on therapy-resistant metastatic CSCs. MV affects cell cycle progression, inducing a block in G2 phase in all the cell lines tested and more pronouncedly in CRC-CSCs. Moreover, MV triggers an important reorganization of the cytoskeleton and a strong reduction of Rho GTPases expression, impairing CRC-CSCs motility and invasion ability. By Proteomic analysis identified a potential molecular target of MV: CCAR1, that regulates apoptosis under chemotherapy treatments and affect β-catenin pathway. Further studies will be needed to confirm and validate these data in in vivo experimental models.

Extracellular Vesicle Molecular Profiling for Diagnostic Purposes: An Application of Phage Display Technology

Phage display is a molecular biology cloning technique that allows the expression of genes of interest along with the phage surface protein. The technique described for the following method used a genomic library for the expression of peptides composed of 12 amino acids, with the objective of selecting peptides which presented specific affinity to the molecules of interest. As a target, purified extracellular vesicles from cell cultures of cells 5637 and RT4 were chosen, which in turn have enormous application and can help to understand the functioning of bladder cancer, allowing the development of new vaccines, drugs, therapies, and diagnoses.

Estimation of maximum thermo-hygrometric index thresholds affecting milk production in Italian Brown Swiss cattle

It is known that heat stress affects dairy cow performance in multiple ways: physiological, behavioral, reproductive, and productive. The aim of the present study was to determine if a threshold of temperature-humidity index (THI) exists for multiple milk production traits (milk yield, fat-corrected milk, protein and fat yield and percentage, energy-corrected milk, cheese production, and cheese yield) in Italian Brown Swiss dairy cows from the period 15 d before the day of the Italian Breeders Association test-day sampling. A 10-yr data set (2009-2018) containing 202,776 test-day records of 23,296 Brown Swiss cows was matched with the maximum THI. In all parities considered, no THI thresholds were observed for milk yield in Brown Swiss. In contrast, a THI threshold of 75 was identified for fat-corrected milk. No THI threshold was found for fat percentage, but fat yield showed the highest THI thresholds in cows of first and second parity. Protein yield and cheese production were affected by heat stress with average THI threshold of 74. The THI thresholds identified indicate that the Brown Swiss breed has higher thermal tolerance versus literature values reported for Holstein cows. As THI rises, Brown Swiss cows tend to produce the same volume of milk, but with a decreasing quality with regard to components. Further study is necessary to estimate the genetic component of heat tolerance, in Brown Swiss cattle, considering that the correct estimation of THI thresholds represents the first step to identify components that could be included in selection procedures.

Heat load increases the risk of clinical mastitis in dairy cattle

The study was aimed at assessing heat load-related risk of clinical mastitis (CM) in dairy cows. Records of CM for the years 2014 and 2015 were obtained from a large conventional dairy farm milking about 1,200 Holstein cows in central Italy. A case of CM was defined by the presence of clinical signs and veterinary confirmation. Quarter milk samples were collected and bacteriological investigated for each CM. Etiological agents were identified and classified as environmental or contagious pathogens. Hourly weather data from the nearest weather station were used to calculate heat load index (HLI). Upper and lower thresholds of HLI, at which the animal accumulates or dissipates heat, were settled and used to measure heat load balance through the accumulated heat load (AHL) model. Zero and positive values of AHL indicate periods of thermo-neutral and heat accumulation, respectively. Each case of CM was associated with HLI-AHL values recorded 5 d before the event. The risk of CM was evaluated using a case-crossover design. A conditional logistic regression model was used to calculate the odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals of CM recorded in thermo-neutral (AHL = 0) or heat load (AHL > 0) days, pooled or stratified for pathogen type (environmental or contagious). Classes of AHL as low (<6.5), medium (6.6-34.9), and high (>35) were included in the model. Other variables included in the model were milk yield as liters (<20, 20-30, and >30), days in milk (<60, 60-150, and >150), and parity (1, 2-3, and >3). A total of 1,086 CM cases were identified from 677 cows. Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp., and Streptococcus uberis were the environmental pathogens isolated with the highest frequency; Staphylococcus aureus prevailed within contagious species. The analysis of pooled data indicated a significant effect of heat load on the occurrence of CM in the contagious pathogen stratum. Higher milk yield, middle and late stage of lactation, and older parity increased the risk of CM under heat load conditions. However, the association between pathogen type and these factors was not clear because the model provided significant odds ratios within all pathogen categories. The present study provided the first evidence of an association between HLI and CM in dairy cattle and suggested the ability of the AHL model to assess the risk of mastitis associated with heat load.

Altered mitochondrial function in cells carrying a premutation or unmethylated full mutation of the FMR1 gene

Fragile X-related disorders are due to a dynamic mutation of the CGG repeat at the 5' UTR of the FMR1 gene, coding for the RNA-binding protein FMRP. As the CGG sequence expands from premutation (PM, 56-200 CGGs) to full mutation (> 200 CGGs), FMRP synthesis decreases until it is practically abolished in fragile X syndrome (FXS) patients, mainly due to FMR1 methylation. Cells from rare individuals with no intellectual disability and carriers of an unmethylated full mutation (UFM) produce slightly elevated levels of FMR1-mRNA and relatively low levels of FMRP, like in PM carriers. With the aim of clarifying how UFM cells differ from CTRL and FXS cells, a comparative proteomic approach was undertaken, from which emerged an overexpression of SOD2 in UFM cells, also confirmed in PM but not in FXS. The SOD2-mRNA bound to FMRP in UFM more than in the other cell types. The high SOD2 levels in UFM and PM cells correlated with lower levels of superoxide and reactive oxygen species (ROS), and with morphological anomalies and depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane detected through confocal microscopy. The same effect was observed in CTRL and FXS after treatment with MC2791, causing SOD2 overexpression. These mitochondrial phenotypes reverted after knock-down with siRNA against SOD2-mRNA and FMR1-mRNA in UFM and PM. Overall, these data suggest that in PM and UFM carriers, which have high levels of FMR1 transcription and may develop FXTAS, SOD2 overexpression helps to maintain low levels of both superoxide and ROS with signs of mitochondrial degradation.

Nanomedicine Approaches for the Pulmonary Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disease affecting today nearly 70,000 patients worldwide and characterized by a hypersecretion of thick mucus difficult to clear arising from the defective CFTR protein. The over-production of the mucus secreted in the lungs, along with its altered composition and consistency, results in airway obstruction that makes the lungs susceptible to recurrent and persistent bacterial infections and endobronchial chronic inflammation, which are considered the primary cause of bronchiectasis, respiratory failure, and consequent death of patients. Despite the difficulty of treating the continuous infections caused by pathogens in CF patients, various strategies focused on the symptomatic therapy have been developed during the last few decades, showing significant positive impact on prognosis. Moreover, nowadays, the discovery of CFTR modulators as well as the development of gene therapy have provided new opportunity to treat CF. However, the lack of effective methods for delivery and especially targeted delivery of therapeutics specifically to lung tissues and cells limits the efficiency of the treatments. Nanomedicine represents an extraordinary opportunity for the improvement of current therapies and for the development of innovative treatment options for CF previously considered hard or impossible to treat. Due to the peculiar environment in which the therapies have to operate characterized by several biological barriers (pulmonary tract, mucus, epithelia, bacterial biofilm) the use of nanotechnologies to improve and enhance drug delivery or gene therapies is an extremely promising way to be pursued. The aim of this review is to revise the currently used treatments and to outline the most recent progresses about the use of nanotechnology for the management of CF.

A protein chimera self-assembling unit for drug delivery

In the modern view of selective drug delivery of bioactive molecules, the attention is moving onto the setup of the perfect carrier more than in the optimization of the active compound. In this respect, virus-like particles constitute bioinspired nanodevices with the intrinsic ability to transport a large class of molecules, ranging from smart drugs to small interfering RNAs. In this work, we demonstrate the efficacy of a novel construct obtained by fusing a self-assembling protein from the human Rotavirus A, VP6, with the Small Ubiquitin Modifier domain, which maintains the ability to form nanoparticles and nanotubes and is able to be used as a drug carrier, even without specific targeting epitopes. The high expression and purification yield, combined with low toxicity of the empty particles, clearly indicate a good candidate for future studies of selective drug delivery. © 2018 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 35: e2769, 2019.

The activity of a mammalian proline-rich peptide against Gram-negative bacteria, including drug-resistant strains, relies on a nonmembranolytic mode of action

Background

A peptide of 2,733 Da named SP-E, previously isolated from pig saliva and already described for its antifungal activity and absence of toxicity against mammalian cells, is characterized by a high content of proline residues (70% of entire sequence), that confer structural features probably related to peptide activity.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of SP-E against Gram-negative bacteria, including drug-resistant clinical isolates.

Methods

SP-E and shorter fragments of the same peptide were tested in vitro against the selected bacteria by colony forming unit assays. Scanning electron microscopy and confocal microscopy were also applied. SP-E potential therapeutic activity was evaluated in vivo in a Galleria mellonella model of bacterial infection.

Results

SP-E proved to be active against the tested bacteria with EC₅₀ values in the micro-molar range. Though maintaining antibacterial properties, the shorter peptides showed lower activity in respect to the parental molecule. Kinetics of killing action and nonmembranolytic internalization within Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells strongly suggested a cytosolic mechanism of action involving one or more intracellular molecular targets. A single injection of SP-E exerted a therapeutic effect in G. mellonella larvae infected with P. aeruginosa.

Conclusion

The biological properties of SP-E strongly back this peptide as a new promising multitasking antimicrobial molecule.

Curcumin-loaded graphene oxide flakes as an effective antibacterial system against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is responsible for serious hospital infections worldwide and represents a global public health problem. Curcumin, the major constituent of turmeric, is effective against MRSA but only at cytotoxic concentrations or in combination with antibiotics. The major issue in curcumin-based therapies is the poor solubility of this hydrophobic compound and the cytotoxicity at high doses. In this paper, we describe the efficacy of a composite nanoparticle made of curcumin (CU) and graphene oxide (GO), hereafter GOCU, in MRSA infection treatment. GO is a nanomaterial with a large surface area and high drug-loading capacity. GO has also antibacterial properties due mainly to a mechanical cutting of the bacterial membranes. For this physical mechanism of action, microorganisms are unlikely to develop resistance against this nanomaterial. In this work, we report the capacity of GO to support and stabilize curcumin molecules in a water environment and we demonstrate the efficacy of GOCU against MRSA at a concentration below 2 µg ml-1. Further, GOCU displays low toxicity on fibroblasts cells and avoids haemolysis of red blood cells. Our results indicate that GOCU is a promising nanomaterial against antibiotic-resistant MRSA.

Cryptides: latent peptides everywhere

Proteomic surveys with top-down platforms are today revealing thousands of naturally occurring fragments of bigger proteins. Some of them have not functional meaning because they derive from pathways responsible for protein degradation, but many have specific functions, often completely different from that one of the parent proteins. These peptides encrypted in the protein sequence are nowadays called cryptides. They are frequent in the animal and plant kingdoms and represent a new interesting -omic field of investigation. To point out how much widespread is their presence, we describe here the most studied cryptides from very common sources such as serum albumin, immunoglobulins, hemoglobin, and from saliva and milk proteins. Given its vastness, it is unfeasible to cover the topic exhaustively, therefore only several selected examples of cryptides from other sources are thereafter reported. Demanding is the development of new -omic platforms for the functional screening of new cryptides, which could provide suggestion for peptides and peptido-mimetics with variegate fields of application.

Effect of hot season on blood parameters, fecal fermentative parameters, and occurrence of Clostridium tyrobutyricum spores in feces of lactating dairy cows

High temperature influences rumen and gut health, passage rate, and diet digestibility, with effects on fermentative processes. The main aim of the study was to investigate the effect of hot season on hindgut fermentation, the occurrence of Clostridium tyrobutyricum spores in bovine feces, and on their relationship with metabolic conditions in dairy cows producing milk used for Grana Padano cheese. The study was carried out on 7 dairy farms located in the Po Valley (Italy), involving 1,950 Italian Friesian dairy cows. The study was carried out from November 2013 till the end of July 2014. Temperature and relative humidity were recorded daily by weather stations. Constant management conditions were maintained during the experimental period. Feed and diet characteristics, metabolic conditions, and fecal characteristics were recorded in winter (from late November 2013 to the end of January 2014), spring (from April to May 2014), and summer (July 2014) season. In each season, blood samples were collected from 14 multiparous lactating dairy cows per herd to measure biochemical indices related to energy, protein, and mineral metabolism, as well as markers of inflammation and some enzyme activities. Fecal samples were also collected and measurements of moisture, pH and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were performed. The DNA extracted and purified from fecal samples was used to detect Clostridium tyrobutyricum spores in a quantitative real-time PCR assay. The daily mean temperature-humidity index was 40.7 ± 4.6 (range 25 to 55), 61.2 ± 3.7 (range 39 to 77), and 70.8 ± 3.2 (range 54 to 83) in winter, spring, and summer, respectively. Total VFA concentration in feces progressively decreased from winter to summer. The seasonal changes of acetate and propionate followed the same trend of total VFA; conversely, butyrate did not show any difference between seasons, and its molar proportion was greater in summer compared with winter. A greater occurrence of Cl. tyrobutyricum spores in summer compared with the other seasons was observed. The plasma concentrations of glucose, urea, albumin, Ca, Mg, Cl, Zn, and alkaline phosphatase activity were lower in summer compared with winter, whereas the opposite occurred for bilirubin and Na. Our results show that summer season, through direct and indirect effect of heat stress, affected fecal fermentative parameters and hindgut buffering capacity, and was responsible for the increasing occurrence of Cl. tyrobutyricum spores in feces.

Dietary supplementation with dried olive pomace in dairy cows modifies the composition of fatty acids and the aromatic profile in milk and related cheese

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary integration of dried olive pomace (DOP), a by-product of olive oil separation, on nutritional and aromatic properties of milk and cheese. Twenty dairy cows were divided into 2 groups that were balanced for milk yield, parity, and days in milk. The control group was fed a conventional diet (20 kg of dry matter/head per day), whereas the experimental group (EG) received the conventional diet supplemented with DOP as 10% of dry matter. During the trial, milk yield was recorded and the samples of milk, cheese, total mixed rations, and DOP were collected and analyzed to determine the chemical-nutritional composition and aromatic profile. Atherogenic and thrombogenic indices were calculated on the basis of the fatty acid (FA) profile of milk and cheese. Data were analyzed according to the mixed model for milk yield and chemical composition, including cows nested within treatment as a random effect, whereas the general linear model was used for the analysis of cheese parameters. Differences were assessed by Tukey's test. The EG diet had a lower content of palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acids and a higher level of oleic acid compared with the control. Dietary DOP integration did not affect milk yield and composition with the exception of protein content, which was greater in EG and significantly affected by diet and period. Instead, period was found to be significant for fat and casein in both groups. Dietary supplementation with DOP modified the FA profile of milk and cheese. There was a decrease in short- and medium-chain FA, but significance was achieved only for palmitic acid. The stearic, isomer trans of oleic (in particular vaccenic acid), oleic, and isomer trans of linoleic acids significantly increased. Monounsaturated FA increased in EG milk and cheese and saturated FA were significantly lower, whereas no difference was marked between the groups regarding level of polyunsaturated FA. Supplementation with DOP reduced atherogenic and thrombogenic indices and increased conjugated linoleic acid in both milk and cheese. The free fatty acids, ketones, lactones, esters, and phenylalanine catabolites were increased in raw milk, whereas only leucine metabolism was affected by diet in pasteurized milk cheese at both 1 and 30 d of ripening. The present results pointed out that DOP supplementation may improve the nutritional and nutraceutical properties and modify the aroma of milk and derived cheese.

Derivation and genome-wide association study of a principal component-based measure of heat tolerance in dairy cattle

Heat stress represents a key factor that negatively affects the productive and reproductive performance of farm animals. In the present work, a new measure of tolerance to heat stress for dairy cattle was developed using principal component analysis. Data were from 590,174 test-day records for milk yield, fat and protein percentages, and somatic cell score of 39,261 Italian Holstein cows. Test-day records adjusted for main systematic factors were grouped into 11 temperature-humidity index (THI) classes. Daughter trait deviations (DTD) were calculated for 1,540 bulls as means of the adjusted test-day records for each THI class. Principal component analysis was performed on the DTD for each bull. The first 2 principal components (PC) explained 42 to 51% of the total variance of the system across the 4 traits. The first PC, a measure of the level at which the curve is located, was interpreted as a measure of the level at which the DTD curve was located. The second PC, which shows the slope of increasing or decreases DTD curves, synthesized the behavior of the DTD pattern. Heritability of the 2 component scores was moderate to high for level across all traits (range = 0.23-0.82) and low to moderate for slope (range = 0.16-0.28). For each trait, phenotypic and genetic correlations between level and slope were equal to zero. A genome-wide association analysis was carried out on a subsample of 423 bulls genotyped with the Illumina 50K bovine bead chip (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Two single nucleotide polymorphisms were significantly associated with slope for milk yield, 4 with level for fat percentage, and 2 with level and slope of protein percentage, respectively. The gene discovery was carried out considering windows of 0.5 Mb surrounding the significant markers and highlighted some interesting candidate genes. Some of them have been already associated with the mechanism of heat tolerance as the heat shock transcription factor (HSF1) and the malonyl-CoA-acyl carrier protein transacylase (MCAT). The 2 PC were able to describe the overall level and the slope of response of milk production traits across increasing levels of THI index. Moreover, they exhibited genetic variability and were genetically uncorrelated. These features suggest their use as measures of thermotolerance in dairy cattle breeding schemes.

The response of Escherichia coli biofilm to salicylic acid

In this research, salicylic acid is proposed as an alternative biocide-free agent suitable for a preventive or integrative anti-biofilm approach. Salicylic acid has been proved to: (1) reduce bacterial adhesion up to 68.1 ± 5.6%; (2) affect biofilm structural development, reducing viable biomass by 97.0 ± 0.7% and extracellular proteins and polysaccharides by 83.9 ± 2.5% and 49.5 ± 5.5% respectively; and (3) promote biofilm detachment 3.4 ± 0.6-fold. Moreover, salicylic acid treated biofilm showed an increased amount of intracellular (2.3 ± 0.2-fold) and extracellular (2.1 ± 0.3-fold) reactive oxygen species, and resulted in increased production of the quorum sensing signal indole (7.6 ± 1.4-fold). For the first time, experiments revealed that salicylic acid interacts with proteins that play a role in quorum sensing, reactive oxygen species accumulation, motility, extracellular polymeric matrix components, transport and metabolism.

Cell wall composition and biofilm formation of azoles-susceptible and -resistant Candida glabrata strains

In the present study, three strains of Candida glabrata have been investigated to shed light on the mechanisms involved in azole resistance during adherence and biofilm formation. In particular, a clinical isolate, susceptible to azole-based drugs, DSY562 and two different resistant mutagenic strains deriving from DSY562, SFY114 and SFY115, have been analysed with different approaches for their cell wall composition and properties. A proteomic analysis revealed that the expression of six cell wall-related proteins and biofilm formation varied between the strains. The SFY114 and SFY115 strains resulted to be less hydrophobic than the susceptible parental counterpart DSY562, on the other hand they showed a higher amount in total cell wall polysaccharides fraction in the total cell wall. Accordingly to the results obtained from the hydrophobicity and adherence assays, in the resistant strain SFY115 the biofilm formation decreased compared to the parental strain DSY562. Finally, the total glucose amount in resistant SFY115 was about halved in comparison to other strains. Taken together all these data suggest that azole drugs may affect the cell wall composition of C. glabrata, in relation to the different pathogenic behaviours.

Short communication: Effect of heat stress on nonreturn rate of Italian Holstein cows

The data set consisted of 1,016,856 inseminations of 191,012 first, second, and third parity Holstein cows from 484 farms. Data were collected from year 2001 through 2007 and included meteorological data from 35 weather stations. Nonreturn rate at 56 d after first insemination (NR56) was considered. A logit model was used to estimate the effect of temperature-humidity index (THI) on reproduction across parities. Then, least squares means were used to detect the THI breakpoints using a 2-phase linear regression procedure. Finally, a multiple-trait threshold model was used to estimate variance components for NR56 in first and second parity cows. A dummy regression variable (t) was used to estimate NR56 decline due to heat stress. The NR56, both for first and second parity cows, was significantly (unfavorable) affected by THI from 4 d before 5 d after the insemination date. Additive genetic variances for NR56 increased from first to second parity both for general and heat stress effect. Genetic correlations between general and heat stress effects were -0.31 for first parity and -0.45 for second parity cows.

Antagonistic Effect of a Salivary Proline-Rich Peptide on the Cytosolic Ca2+ Mobilization Induced by Progesterone in Oral Squamous Cancer Cells

A salivary proline-rich peptide of 1932 Da showed a dose-dependent antagonistic effect on the cytosolic Ca²⁺ mobilization induced by progesterone in a tongue squamous carcinoma cell line. Structure-activity studies showed that the activity of the peptide resides in the C-terminal region characterized by a proline stretch flanked by basic residues. Furthermore, lack of activity of the retro-inverso peptide analogue suggested the involvement of stereospecific recognition. Mass spectrometry-based shotgun analysis, combined with Western blotting tests and biochemical data obtained with the Progesterone Receptor Membrane Component 1 (PGRMC1) inhibitor AG205, showed strong evidence that p1932 performs its modulatory action through an interaction with the progesterone receptor PGRMC1, which is predominantly expressed in this cell line and, clearly, plays a role in progesterone induced Ca²⁺ response. Thus, our results point to p1932 as a modulator of the transduction signal pathway mediated by this protein and, given a well-established involvement of PGRMC1 in tumorigenesis, highlight a possible therapeutic potential of p1932 for the treatment of oral cancer.

Analysis of factors associated with mortality of heavy slaughter pigs during transport and lairage

The study was based on data collected during 5 yr (2003-2007) and was aimed at assessing the effects of the month, slaughter house of destination (differing for stocking density, openings, brightness, and cooling device types), length of the journey, and temperature-humidity index (THI) on mortality of heavy slaughter pigs (approximately 160 kg live weight) during transport and lairage. Data were obtained from 24,098 journeys and 3,676,153 pigs transported from 1,618 farms to 3 slaughter houses. Individual shipments were the unit of observation. The terms dead on arrival (DOA) and dead in pen (DIP) refer to pigs that died during transport and in lairage at the abattoir before slaughtering, respectively. These 2 variables were assessed as the dependent counts in separate univariate Poisson regressions. The independent variables assessed univariately in each set of regressions were month of shipment, slaughter house of destination, time traveled, and each combination of the month with the time traveled. Two separate piecewise regressions were done. One used DOA counts within THI levels over pigs transported as a dependent ratio and the second used DIP counts within THI levels over pigs from a transport kept in lairage as a dependent ratio. The THI was the sole independent variable in each case. The month with the greatest frequency of deaths was July with a risk ratio of 1.22 (confidence interval: 1.06-1.36; P < 0.05) and 1.27 (confidence interval: 1.06-1.51; P < 0.05) for DOA and DIP, respectively. The lower mortality risk ratios for DOA and DIP were recorded for January and March (P < 0.05). The aggregated data of the summer (June, July, and August) versus non-summer (January, March, September, and November) months showed a greater risk of pigs dying during the hot season when considering both transport and lairage (P < 0.05). The mortality risk ratio of DIP was lower at the slaughter house with the lowest stocking density (0.64 m(2)/100 kg live weight), large open windows on the roof and sidewalls, low brightness (40 lx) lights, and high-pressure sprinklers as cooling devices. The mortality risk ratio of DOA increased significantly for journeys longer than 2 h, whereas no relationship was found between length of transport and DIP. The piecewise analysis pointed out that 78.5 and 73.6 THI were the thresholds above which the mortality rate increased significantly for DOA and DIP, respectively. These results may help the pig industry to improve the welfare of heavy slaughter pigs during transport and lairage.

Characterization of the cell penetrating properties of a human salivary proline-rich peptide

Saliva contains hundreds of small proline-rich peptides most of which derive from the post-translational and post-secretory processing of the acidic and basic salivary proline-rich proteins. Among these peptides we found that a 20 residue proline-rich peptide (p1932), commonly present in human saliva and patented for its antiviral activity, was internalized within cells of the oral mucosa. The cell-penetrating properties of p1932 have been studied in a primary gingival fibroblast cell line and in a squamous cancer cell line, and compared to its retro-inverso form. We observed by mass-spectrometry, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy that both peptides were internalized in the two cell lines on a time scale of minutes, being the natural form more efficient than the retro-inverso one. The cytosolic localization was dependent on the cell type: both peptide forms were able to localize within nuclei of tumoral cells, but not in the nuclei of gingival fibroblasts. The uptake was shown to be dependent on the culture conditions used: peptide internalization was indeed effective in a complete medium than in a serum-free one allowing the hypothesis that the internalization could be dependent on the cell cycle. Both peptides were internalized likely by a lipid raft-mediated endocytosis mechanism as suggested by the reduced uptake in the presence of methyl-ß-cyclodextrin. These results suggest that the natural peptide may play a role within the cells of the oral mucosa after its secretion and subsequent internalization. Furthermore, lack of cytotoxicity of both peptide forms highlights their possible application as novel drug delivery agents.

Unravelling the Structural and Molecular Basis Responsible for the Anti-Biofilm Activity of Zosteric Acid

The natural compound zosteric acid, or p-(sulfoxy)cinnamic acid (ZA), is proposed as an alternative biocide-free agent suitable for preventive or integrative anti-biofilm approaches. Despite its potential, the lack of information concerning the structural and molecular mechanism of action involved in its anti-biofilm activity has limited efforts to generate more potent anti-biofilm strategies. In this study a 43-member library of small molecules based on ZA scaffold diversity was designed and screened against Escherichia coli to understand the structural requirements necessary for biofilm inhibition at sub-lethal concentrations. Considerations concerning the relationship between structure and anti-biofilm activity revealed that i) the para-sulfoxy ester group is not needed to exploit the anti-biofilm activity of the molecule, it is the cinnamic acid scaffold that is responsible for anti-biofilm performance; ii) the anti-biofilm activity of ZA derivatives depends on the presence of a carboxylate anion and, consequently, on its hydrogen-donating ability; iii) the conjugated aromatic system is instrumental to the anti-biofilm activities of ZA and its analogues. Using a protein pull-down approach, combined with mass spectrometry, the herein-defined active structure of ZA was matrix-immobilized, and was proved to interact with the E. coli NADH:quinone reductase, WrbA, suggesting a possible role of this protein in the biofilm formation process.

Chrono-proteomics of human saliva: variations of the salivary proteome during human development

An important contribution to the variability of any proteome is given by the time dimension that should be carefully considered to define physiological modifications. To this purpose, whole saliva proteome was investigated in a wide age range. Whole saliva was collected from 17 preterm newborns with a postconceptional age at birth of 178-217 days. In these subjects sample collection was performed serially starting immediately after birth and within about 1 year follow-up, gathering a total of 111 specimens. Furthermore, whole saliva was collected from 182 subjects aged between 0 and 17 years and from 23 adults aged between 27 and 57 years. The naturally occurring intact salivary proteome of the 316 samples was analyzed by low- and high-resolution HPLC-ESI-MS platforms. Proteins peculiar of the adults appeared in saliva with different time courses during human development. Acidic proline-rich proteins encoded by PRH2 locus and glycosylated basic proline-rich proteins encoded by PRB3 locus appeared following 180 days of postconceptional age, followed at 7 months (±2 weeks) by histatin 1, statherin, and P-B peptide. The other histatins and acidic proline-rich proteins encoded by PRH1 locus appeared in whole saliva of babies from 1 to 3 weeks after the normal term of delivery, S-type cystatins appeared at 1 year (±3 months), and basic proline-rich proteins appeared at 4 years (±1 year) of age. All of the proteinases involved in the maturation of salivary proteins were more active in preterm than in at-term newborns, on the basis of the truncated forms detected. The activity of the Fam20C kinase, involved in the phosphorylation of various proteins, started around 180 days of postconceptional age, slowly increased reaching values comparable to adults at about 2 years (±6 months) of age. Instead, MAPK14 involved in the phosphorylation of S100A9 was fully active since birth also in preterm newborns.

Proline-Rich Peptides: Multifunctional Bioactive Molecules As New Potential Therapeutic Drugs

Proline-rich peptides (PRPs) include a large and heterogeneous group of small-medium sized peptides characterized by the presence of proline residues often constituting peculiar sequences. This feature confers them a typical structure that determines the various biological functions endowed by these molecules. In particular the left-handed-polyproline-II helix is essential for the expression of the antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant properties and to finely modulate protein-protein interactions, thus playing crucial roles in many cell signal transduction pathways. These peptides are widely diffuse in the animal kingdom and in humans, where they are present in many tissues and biological fluids. This review highlights the most relevant biological properties of these peptides, focusing on the potential therapeutic role that the PRPs may play as a promising source of new peptide-based novel drugs.

Proline-rich peptides: multifunctional bioactive molecules as new potential therapeutic drugs

Proline-rich peptides (PRPs) include a large and heterogeneous group of small-medium sized peptides characterized by the presence of proline residues often constituting peculiar sequences. This feature confers them a typical structure that determines the various biological functions endowed by these molecules. In particular the left-handed-polyproline-II helix is essential for the expression of the antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant properties and to finely modulate protein-protein interactions, thus playing crucial roles in many cell signal transduction pathways. These peptides are widely diffuse in the animal kingdom and in humans, where they are present in many tissues and biological fluids. This review highlights the most relevant biological properties of these peptides, focusing on the potential therapeutic role that the PRPs may play as a promising source of new peptidebased novel drugs.

Effect of summer season on milk protein fractions in Holstein cows

Milk characteristics are affected by heat stress, but very little information is available on changes of milk protein fractions and their relationship with cheesemaking properties of milk. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of hot season on milk protein fractions and cheesemaking properties of milk for Grana Padano cheese production. The study was carried out in a dairy farm with a cheese factory for transforming the milk to Grana Padano cheese. The study was carried out from June 2012 to May 2013. Temperature and relative humidity of the inside barn were recorded daily during the study period using 8 electronic data loggers programmed to record every 30 min. Constant managerial conditions were maintained during the experimental periods. During the experimental period, feed and diet characteristics, milk yield, and milk characteristics were recorded in summer (from June 29 to July 27, 2012), winter (from January 25 to March 8, 2013), and spring (from May 17 to May 31, 2013). Milk yield was recorded and individual milk samples were taken from 25 cows selected in each season during the p.m. milking. Content of fat, proteins, caseins (CN), lactose and somatic cell count (SCC), titratable acidity, and milk rennet coagulation properties were determined on fresh samples. Milk protein fraction concentrations were determined by the sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE. Data were tested for nonnormality by the Shapiro-Wilk test. In case of nonnormality, parameters were normalized by log or exponential transformation. The data were analyzed with repeated measures ANOVA using a mixed model procedure. For all the main milk components (fat, protein, total solids, and solids-not-fat), the lowest values were observed in the summer and the greatest values were observed in the winter. Casein fractions, with the exception of γ-CN, showed the lowest values in the summer and the greatest values in the winter. The content of IgG and serum albumin was greater in summer than in the winter and spring. A mild effect of season was observed for milk SCC, with greater values in summer than in the winter and spring. A worsening of milk coagulation properties was observed in summer season. The alteration of cheesemaking properties during hot season seems strictly linked with changes of milk protein fractions mainly with the decrease of αS-CN and β-CN and the increase of undefined proteins.

The effects of heat stress in Italian Holstein dairy cattle

The data set for this study comprised 1,488,474 test-day records for milk, fat, and protein yields and fat and protein percentages from 191,012 first-, second-, and third-parity Holstein cows from 484 farms. Data were collected from 2001 through 2007 and merged with meteorological data from 35 weather stations. A linear model (M1) was used to estimate the effects of the temperature-humidity index (THI) on production traits. Least squares means from M1 were used to detect the THI thresholds for milk production in all parities by using a 2-phase linear regression procedure (M2). A multiple-trait repeatability test-model (M3) was used to estimate variance components for all traits and a dummy regression variable (t) was defined to estimate the production decline caused by heat stress. Additionally, the estimated variance components and M3 were used to estimate traditional and heat-tolerance breeding values (estimated breeding values, EBV) for milk yield and protein percentages at parity 1. An analysis of data (M2) indicated that the daily THI at which milk production started to decline for the 3 parities and traits ranged from 65 to 76. These THI values can be achieved with different temperature/humidity combinations with a range of temperatures from 21 to 36°C and relative humidity values from 5 to 95%. The highest negative effect of THI was observed 4 d before test day over the 3 parities for all traits. The negative effect of THI on production traits indicates that first-parity cows are less sensitive to heat stress than multiparous cows. Over the parities, the general additive genetic variance decreased for protein content and increased for milk yield and fat and protein yield. Additive genetic variance for heat tolerance showed an increase from the first to third parity for milk, protein, and fat yield, and for protein percentage. Genetic correlations between general and heat stress effects were all unfavorable (from -0.24 to -0.56). Three EBV per trait were calculated for each cow and bull (traditional EBV, traditional EBV estimated with the inclusion of THI covariate effect, and heat tolerance EBV) and the rankings of EBV for 283 bulls born after 1985 with at least 50 daughters were compared. When THI was included in the model, the ranking for 17 and 32 bulls changed for milk yield and protein percentage, respectively. The heat tolerance genetic component is not negligible, suggesting that heat tolerance selection should be included in the selection objectives.

pH-dependent disruption of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and model membranes by the human antimicrobial peptides hepcidin 20 and 25

The human hepcidin 25 (hep-25) and its isoform hepcidin 20 (hep-20) are histidine-containing, cystein rich, β-sheet structured peptides endowed with antimicrobial activity. We previously reported that, similar to other histidine-containing peptides, the microbicidal effects of hep-25 and hep-20 are highly enhanced at acidic pH. In the present study, we investigated whether pH influences the mode of action of hep-25 and hep-20 on Escherichia coli American Type Culture Collection 25922 and model membranes. A striking release of β-galactosidase by hepcidin-treated E. coli was observed at pH 5.0, whereas no inner membrane permeabilization capacity was seen at pH 7.4, even at bactericidal concentrations. Similar results were obtained by flow cytometry when assessing the internalization of propidium iodide by hepcidin-treated E. coli. Scanning electron microscope imaging revealed that both peptides induced the formation of numerous blebs on the surface of bacterial cells at acidic pH but not at neutral pH. Moreover, a phospholipid/polydiacetylene colourimetric vesicle assay revealed a more evident membrane damaging effect at pH 5.0 than at pH 7.4. The leakage of entrapped dextrans of increasing molecular size from liposomes was also assessed at pH 7.4. Consistent with the lack of β-galactosidase release from whole E. coli observed at such a pH value, evident leakage of only the smallest 4-kDa dextran (and not of dextrans of 20 or 70 kDa) was observed, indicating a poor ability of hepcidin peptides to permeabilize liposome vesicles at pH 7.4. Altogether, the data obtained in the present study using different approaches strongly suggest that the ability of hepcidins to perturb bacterial membranes is markedly pH-dependent.

Top-down HPLC-ESI-MS characterization of rat gliadoralin A, a new member of the family of rat submandibular gland glutamine-rich proteins and potential substrate of transglutaminase

During HPLC-ESI-MS/MS analysis of rat submandibular saliva secreted under isoprenaline stimulation, a protein with an experimental [M+H](1+) = 10,544.24 m/z was detected (17.5 ± 0.7 min). The MS/MS fragmentation pattern, manually investigated, allowed establishing an internal sequence in agreement with a DNA-derived sequence of an unknown rat protein coded D3Z9M3 (Swiss-Prot). To match the experimental MS/MS fragmentation pattern and protein mass with theoretical data, the removal from the N terminus of the signal peptide and from the C terminus of three amino acid (a.a.) residues (Arg-Ala-Val) and the cyclization of the N-terminal glutamine in pyroglutamic had to be supposed, resulting in a mature protein of 90 a.a. HPLC-ESI-MS/MS of the trypsin digest ensured 100% sequence coverage. For the high glutamine content (34/90 = 37.8%) we propose to name this protein rat gliadoralin A 1-90. Low amounts of five different isoforms were sporadically detected, which did not significantly change their relative amounts after stimulation. Gliadoralin A is substrate for transglutaminase-2, having Lys 60 and different Gln residues as major determinants for enzyme recognition. In silico investigation of superior structures evidenced that a small part of the protein adopts an α-helical fold, whereas large segments are unfolded, suggesting an unordered conformation.

Temperature humidity index scenarios in the Mediterranean basin

The study was undertaken to describe the temperature humidity index (THI) dynamics over the Mediterranean basin for the period 1971-2050. The THI combines temperature and humidity into a single value, and has been widely used to predict the effects of environmental warmth in farm animals. The analysis was based on daily outputs of the temperature and relative humidity from the Max Planck Institute data using the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report Emission Scenario A1B. Data revealed a gradual increase of both annual and seasonal THI during the period under investigation and a strong heterogeneity of the Mediterranean area. In particular, the analysis indicated that Spain, southern France and Italy should be expected to undergo the highest THI increase, which in the last decade under study (2041-2050) will range between 3 and 4 units. However, only during summer months the area presents characteristics indicating risk of thermal (heat) stress for farm animals. In this regard, scenario maps relative to the summer season suggested an enlargement of the areas in the basin where summer THI values will likely cause thermal discomfort in farm animals. In conclusion, the study indicated that the Mediterranean basin is likely to undergo THI changes, which may aggravate the consequences of hot weather on animal welfare, performances, health and survival and may help farmers, nutritionists, veterinarians, and policy-makers to develop appropriate adaptation strategies to limit consequences of climate change for the livestock sector in the Mediterranean countries.

Top-down platform for deciphering the human salivary proteome

Proteomic platforms can be classified in bottom-up strategies, which analyze the sample after proteolytic digestion, and top-down strategies, which analyze the intact naturally occurring proteome. Bottom-up platforms are high-throughput because they can investigate a large number of proteins, regardless of their dimension. Nonetheless, information on post-translational modifications (PTMs) can be lost, especially those regarding naturally occurring cleavages and alternative splicing. Top-down platforms cannot cover vast proteomes, however, they can disclose subtle structural variations occurring during protein maturation and allow label-free relative quantifications in an unlimited number of samples. A repertoire of 256 masses belonging to naturally occurring proteins and peptides consistently detected by RP-HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of the acidic soluble fraction of human whole saliva is presented in this study. Of them, 233 have been identified, while 23 are still pending for the definitive characterization. The present review reports average and mono-isotopic masses of the peptides and proteins detected, RP-HPLC elution times, PTMs, origin and quali-quantitative variations observed in several physiological and pathological conditions. The information reported can be a reference for users of top-down RP-HPLC-ESI-MS proteomic platforms applied to the study of the human salivary proteome as well as of other human bodily fluids.

The adipose organ of obesity-prone C57BL/6J mice is composed of mixed white and brown adipocytes

White and brown adipocytes are believed to occupy different sites in the body. We studied the anatomical features and quantitative histology of the fat depots in obesity and type 2 diabetes-prone C57BL/6J mice acclimated to warm or cold temperatures. Most of the fat tissue was contained in depots with discrete anatomical features, and most depots contained both white and brown adipocytes. Quantitative analysis showed that cold acclimation induced an increase in brown adipocytes and an almost equal reduction in white adipocytes; however, there were no significant differences in total adipocyte count or any signs of apoptosis or mitosis, in line with the hypothesis of the direct transformation of white into brown adipocytes. The brown adipocyte increase was accompanied by enhanced density of noradrenergic parenchymal nerve fibers, with a significant correlation between the density of these fibers and the number of brown adipocytes. Comparison with data from obesity-resistant Sv129 mice disclosed a significantly different brown adipocyte content in C57BL/6J mice, suggesting that this feature could underpin the propensity of the latter strain to develop obesity. However, the greater C57BL/6J browning capacity can hopefully be harnessed to curb obesity and type 2 diabetes in patients with constitutively low amounts of brown adipose tissue.

Altered expression level of Escherichia coli proteins in response to treatment with the antifouling agent zosteric acid sodium salt

Zosteric acid sodium salt is a powerful antifouling agent. However, the mode of its antifouling action has not yet been fully elucidated. Whole cell proteome of Escherichia coli was analysed to study the different protein patterns expressed by the surface-exposed planktonic cells without and with sublethal concentrations of the zosteric acid sodium salt. Proteomic analysis revealed that at least 27 proteins showed a significant (19 upregulated and 8 downregulated, P < 0.001) altered expression level in response to the antifoulant. The proteomic signatures of zosteric acid sodium salt-treated cells are characterized by stress-associated (e.g. AhpC, OsmC, SodB, GroES, IscU, DnaK), motility-related (FliC), quorum-sensing-associated (LuxS) and metabolism/biosynthesis-related (e.g. PptA, AroA, FabD, FabB, GapA) proteins. Consistent with the overexpression of LuxS enzyme, the antifouling agent increased autoinducer-2 (AI-2) concentration by twofold. Moreover, treated cells experienced a statistically significant but modest increase of reactive oxygen species (+ 23%), tryptophanase (1.2-fold) and indole (1.2-fold) synthesis. Overall, our data suggest that zosteric acid sodium salt acts as environmental cue leading to global stress on E. coli cells, which favours the expression of various protective proteins, the AI-2 production and the synthesis of flagella, to escape from adverse conditions.

Clinical heterogeneity and diagnostic delay of autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy syndrome

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) is a rare autosomal recessive organ-specific autoimmune disorder that is characterized by a variable combination of (i) chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, (ii) polyendocrinopathy and/or hepatitis and (iii) dystrophy of the dental enamel and nails. We analyzed the AIRE (autoimmune regulator) gene in subjects who presented any symptom that has been associated with APECED, including candidiasis and autoimmune endocrinopathy. We observed that 83.3% of patients presented at least two of the three typical manifestations of APECED, while the remaining 16.7% of patients showed other signs of the disease. Analysis of the genetic diagnosis of these subjects revealed that a considerable delay occurs in the majority of patients between the appearance of symptoms and the diagnosis. Overall, the mean diagnostic delay in our patients was 10.2 years. These results suggest that molecular analysis of AIRE should be performed in patients with relapsing mucocutaneous candidiasis for early identification of APECED.