THC-Reduced Cannabis sativa L.-How Does the Solvent Determine the Bioavailability of Cannabinoids Given Orally?

The bioavailability levels of cannabidiol (CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) determine their pharmacological effects. Therefore, for medical purposes, it is essential to obtain extracts containing the lowest possible content of the psychogenic component THC. In our extract, the CBD/THC ratio was 16:1, which is a high level compared to available medical preparations, where it is, on average, 1:1. This study assessed the bioavailability and stability of CBD and THC derived from Cannabis sativa L. with reduced THC content. The extract was orally administered (30 mg/kg) in two solvents, Rapae oleum and Cremophor, to forty-eight Wistar rats. The whole-blood and brain concentrations of CBD and THC were measured using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry detection. Much higher concentrations of CBD than THC were observed for both solvents in the whole-blood and brain after oral administration of the Cannabis sativa extract with a decreased THC content. The total bioavailability of both CBD and THC was higher for Rapae oleum compared to Cremophor. Some of the CBD was converted into THC in the body, which should be considered when using Cannabis sativa for medical purposes. The THC-reduced hemp extract in this study is a promising candidate for medical applications.

Scaffolds for drug delivery and tissue engineering: The role of genetics

Scaffolds are implants commonly used to deliver cells, drugs, and genes into the body. Their regular porous structure ensures the proper support for cell attachment, proliferation, differentiated function, and migration. Techniques to fabricate a scaffold include leaching, freeze-drying, supercritical fluid technology, thermally induced phase separation, rapid prototyping, powder compaction, sol-gel, and melt molding. Gene delivery from the scaffold represents a versatile approach to influence the environment for managing cell function. Scaffolds can be used for various tissue engineering purposes, e.g. bone formation, periodontal regeneration, cartilage development, artificial corneas, heart valves, tendon repair, or ligament replacement. Moreover, they are also instrumental in cancer therapy, inflammation, diabetes, heart disease, and wound dressings. Scaffolds provide a platform to extend the delivery of drugs and genetic materials at a controlled timeframe, besides potentially being used to prevent infection upon surgery and other chronic diseases, provided that they can be formulated with specific medicines. This review discusses the need to design advanced functional scaffolds with the potential for modified drug delivery and tissue engineering in a synergistic approach. Special attention is given to works published in 2023 to generate the bibliometric map.

Tocilizumab-coated solid lipid nanoparticles loaded with cannabidiol as a novel drug delivery strategy for treating COVID-19: A review

Commonly used clinical strategies against coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), including the potential role of monoclonal antibodies for site-specific targeted drug delivery, are discussed here. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) tailored with tocilizumab (TCZ) and loading cannabidiol (CBD) are proposed for the treatment of COVID-19 by oral route. TCZ, as a humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody and an interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor agonist, can attenuate cytokine storm in patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. CBD (an anti-inflammatory cannabinoid and TCZ agonist) alleviates anxiety, schizophrenia, and depression. CBD, obtained from Cannabis sativa L., is known to modulate gene expression and inflammation and also shows anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been recognized to modulate angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2) expression in SARS-CoV-2 target tissues. It has already been proven that immunosuppressive drugs targeting the IL-6 receptor may ameliorate lethal inflammatory responses in COVID-19 patients. TCZ, as an immunosuppressive drug, is mainly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, although several attempts have been made to use it in the active hyperinflammatory phase of COVID-19, with promising outcomes. TCZ is currently administered intravenously. It this review, we discuss the potential advances on the use of SLN for oral administration of TCZ-tailored CBD-loaded SLN, as an innovative platform for managing SARS-CoV-2 and related infections.

Two- and Three-Dimensional Spectrofluorimetric Qualitative Analysis of Selected Vegetable Oils for Biomedical Applications

Vegetable oils obtained from different plants are known for their beneficial effects on prophylaxis and supportive treatment of a great deal of inflammatory-mediated conditions. Their wide range of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, and the presence of other ingredients (e.g., tocopherols, chlorophylls), provide them with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anticancer properties, which are worth being exploited. In this study, we have carried out the spectrofluorometric analysis of selected vegetable oils, namely apricot (Prunus armeniaca) kernel oil; blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) seed oil; argan (Argania spinosa) nut oil; kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) seed oil; grape (Vitis vinifera) seed oil; evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) oil and meadowfoam (Limnanthes alba) seed oil, with the purpose to detect their fluorescent ingredients for further identification and bioactivity comparison. The obtained two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) emission spectra offered a complete description of the fluorescent components of the mixture and revealed different features for studied oils.

Is Polymorphism in the Apoptosis and Inflammatory Pathway Genes Associated With a Primary Response to Anti-TNF Therapy in Crohn's Disease Patients?

Anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy is used for the induction and maintenance of remission in Crohn’s disease (CD) patients. However, primary nonresponders to initial treatment constitute 20%–40% of cases. The causes of this phenomenon are still unknown. In this study, we aimed to determine the genetic predictors of the variable reactions of CD patients to anti-TNF therapy. Using long-range PCR libraries and the next-generation sequencing (NGS) method, we performed broad pharmacogenetic studies including a panel of 23 genes (TNFRSF1A, TNFRSF1B, CASP9, FCGR3A, LTA, TNF, FAS, ADAM17, IL17A, IL6, MMP1, MMP3, S100A8, S100A9, S100A12, TLR2, TLR4, TLR9, CD14, IL23R, IL23, IL1R, and IL1B) in a group of 107 diagnosed and clinically characterized CD patients following anti-TNF therapy. In the studied group, we indicated, in total, 598 single nucleotide variants for all analyzed genomic targets. Twelve patients (11.2%) did not respond to the induction therapy, which was associated with alleles in 11 loci located in FCGR3A (rs7539036, rs6672453, rs373184583, and rs12128686), IL1R (rs2041747), TNFRSF1B (rs5746053), IL1B (rs1071676, rs1143639, rs1143637, and rs1143634), and FAS (rs7896789) genes. After multiple comparison corrections, the results were not statistically significant, however for nonresponders the alleles distribution for those loci presented large differences and specified scheme compared to responders and populations. These findings require further investigation in an independent larger cohort before introducing them for a clinical setting, however, we identified an interesting direction. Polymorphism of the FCGR3A, IL1R, TNFRSF1B, IL1B, and FAS genes could be a predictor of the primary response to anti-TNF therapy in CD patients.

Transgenic Plant Detection Using an AuNPs Based SPR Biosensor

The intensive development and commercialization of genetically modified plants observed over the last decade has led to the development of transgenic detection methods that are rapid and sensitive. Among the strategies used for the detection/monitoring of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), surface plasmon resonance (SPR) meets the necessary criteria. This optical technique measures the changes in the refractive index in the vicinity of thin metal layers (i.e., gold) in response to biomolecular interactions occurring at a flat metal‒solution interface. Additionally, it allows the application of functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in SPR research to enhance the signal intensity. In the present study, an SPR method, enhanced by the application of AuNPs, was developed to detect transgenic tobacco plants carrying a Streptococcus mutans antigen. The basis for the detection of the target DNA was the hybridization between the genomic DNA isolated from the leaves, stems, and roots of the transgenic tobacco and the biotinylated oligonucleotide probes immobilized onto a streptavidin (SA) sensor chip. SA-functionalized AuNPs coated with a second type of biotinylated probe were applied to increase the sensitivity of the detection method. Analysis of the results indicated that the constructed SPR-based sensor chip can potentially recognize complementary standard fragments (nonamplified genomic DNA) at concentrations as low as 1 pM. Thus, nonamplified transgenic DNA was detected using a label-free and real-time AuNPs-enhanced SPR biosensing method. This unique approach could be used to detect GMOs with high efficiency, even at a low detection limit, high repeatability, and with less time and a lower cost needed for each analysis.

ESR1 Gene Variants Are Predictive of Osteoporosis in Female Patients with Crohn's Disease

Decreased bone mass in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is a clinical problem with extremely severe consequences of osteoporotic fractures. Despite its increasing prevalence and the need for mandatory intervention and monitoring, it is often ignored in IBD patients’ care. Determining the biomarkers of susceptibility to bone mineral density disorder in IBD patients appears to be indispensable. We aim to investigate the impact of estrogen receptor gene (ESR1) gene polymorphisms on bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), as they may contribute both, to osteoporosis and inflammatory processes. We characterised 197 patients with IBD (97 with UC, 100 with CD), and 41 controls carrying out vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus serum levels, and bone mineral density assessment at the lumbar spine and the femoral neck by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), ESR1 genotyping and haplotype analysis. We observed that women with CD showed the lowest bone density parameters, which corresponded to the ESR1 c.454-397T and c.454-351A allele dose. The ESR1 gene PvuII and XbaI TA (px) haplotype correlated with decreased femoral neck T-score (OR = 2.75, CI = [1.21–6.27], P-value = 0.016) and may be predictive of osteoporosis in female patients with CD.

Vitamin D receptor (VDR) TaqI polymorphism, vitamin D and bone mineral density in patients with inflammatory bowel diseases

BACKGROUND

A common feature in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and osteoporosis is a complex genetic background. Moreover, it has been shown that some of the susceptibility loci overlap for both diseases. One of the genes that may be involved in the pathogenesis of IBD as well as decreased bone mass is the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the TaqI polymorphism (rs731236, c.1056T >C) in the VDR gene with serum vitamin D concentration and bone mineral density (BMD) in patients with IBD.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 172 IBD patients (85 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 87 with ulcerative colitis (UC)) and 39 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Polymorphism was determined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). Bone mineral density was measured at the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and the femoral neck (FN) using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D were determined using electrochemiluminescence binding assay (ECLIA).

RESULTS

Our studies revealed that serum vitamin D concentration in IBD patients was not lowered in comparison with healthy controls. Patients with CD presented more advanced osteopenia and osteoporosis. Individuals with UC carrying the TaqI tt genotype of VDR gene showed significantly higher FN BMD than carriers of TT and Tt genotypes (p = 0.02). Moreover, tt genotype was present with higher frequency in UC patients than in controls and CD patients (23% vs 7.7% and 16.5%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The tt genotype may have a protective effect on BMD in UC patients.

Modifying impact of RET gene haplotypes on medullary thyroid carcinoma clinical course

The clinical course of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) associated with the MEN2A syndrome as well as of sporadic MTC shows considerable heterogeneity. The disease picture varies not only between the same RET proto-oncogene mutation carriers but also among sporadic MTC patients with no RET germinal mutations, which suggests the involvement of additional modulators of the disease. However, genetic factors responsible for this heterogeneity of the MTC clinical course still remain unknown. The aim of this study was to determine if polymorphic variants or specific haplotypes of the RET gene may modify the MTC clinical course. We genotyped the following loci: c.73+9277T>C, c.135G>A, c.1296A>G, c.2071G>A, c.2307T>C, c.2508C>T and c.2712C>G in 142 MTC patients and controls. We demonstrated considerable differences in the genotypes distribution within c.73+9277T>C, c.135G>A and c.2307T>C loci Our results show that the c.73+9277T variant associated with a decreased activity of the MCS+9.7 RET enhancer is rare in hereditary MTC patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, and thus, may influence the MTC clinical picture. The decreased activity of the RET promoter enhancer reduces RET expression level and may counterbalance the activating mutation in this gene. Frequent co-occurrence of the c.73+9277T allele with p.E768D, p.Y791F, p.V804M or p.R844Q RET mutations may be associated with their attenuation and milder clinical picture of the disease. Haplotypes analysis showed that C-G-A-G-T-(C)-C (c.73+9277T>C - c.135G>A - c.1296A>G - c.2071G>A - c.2307T>G - (c.2508C>T) - c.2712C>G) alleles combination predisposes to pheochromocytomas and primary hyperparathyroidism. We consider that RET haplotypes defining may become an auxiliary diagnostic tool in MTC patients.

Bone mineral density and the 570A>T polymorphism of the bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) gene in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: a cross-sectional study

Finding genetic predictors of osteoporosis and fractures in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may provide incentives for non-pharmacological actions and so improve the long-term prognosis of the patients. We analysed the incidence of BMP2 570A>T polymorphic variants and their association with bone mineral density (BMD) and the incidence of fractures in patients with IBD. The study comprised 198 IBD patients (100 with Crohn's disease (CD), and 98 with ulcerative colitis, (UC)) and 41 healthy controls. Bone densitometric analysis was carried out using the DXA method. The 570A>T polymorphisms in the BMP2 gene were genotyped using RFLP. We found significant differences in the BMD and T-scores of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and femoral neck between the three groups. In controls and CD patients, the highest L2-L4 BMD was found in carriers of the AA variant of the BMP2 gene, while among UC patients it was the case of TT carriers. In both femoral neck and lumbar spine among UC patients, the highest BMD was observed in carriers of the TT variant of the BMP2 gene. Among patients with CD and in the control group, the highest L2-L4 BMD was found in carriers of the AA variant, whereas in UC patients, it was the case of TT homozygotes. Within the femoral neck, there were no significant differences in BMD for the carriers of individual variants of BMP2 gene polymorphism. We conclude that the 570A>T polymorphism of the BMP2 gene, no statistically significant relationship was observed between the polymorphic variant and bone mineral density or the incidence of fractures in IBD patients.

Effects of enamel matrix proteins on adherence, proliferation and migration of epithelial cells: A real-time in vitro study

Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) can mimic odontogenic effects by inducing the proliferation and differentiation of connective tissue progenitor cells, stimulating bone growth and arresting epithelial cells migration. To the best of our knowledge, there is no data indicating that any active component of EMD reduces epithelial cell viability. The present study examines the impact of commercial lyophilized EMD, porcine recombinant amelogenin (prAMEL; 21.3 kDa) and tyrosine-rich amelogenin peptide (TRAP) on the adherence, proliferation and migration of human epithelial cells in real-time. The tongue carcinoma cell line SCC-25 was stimulated with EMD, porcine recombinant AMEL and TRAP, at concentrations of 12.5, 25 and 50 µg/ml. Cell adherence, migration and proliferation were monitored in real-time using the xCELLigence system. No significant effects of EMD on the morphology, adhesion, proliferation and migration of SCC-25 cells were observed. However, porcine recombinant AMEL had a dose-dependent inhibitory effect on SCC-25 cell proliferation and migration. Predominantly, no notable differences were found between control and TRAP-treated cells in terms of cell adhesion and migration, a decrease in proliferation was observed, but this was not statistically significant. EMD and its active components do not increase the tongue cancer cell viability.

Ecosensitivity and genetic polymorphism of somatic traits in the perinatal development of twins

In view of criticism regarding the usefulness of heritability coefficients, the aim of this study was to analyze separately the information on genetic and environmental variability. Such an approach, based on the normalization of trait's variability for its value, is determined by the coefficients of genetic polymorphism (Pg) and ecosensitivity (De). The studied material included 1263 twin pairs of both sexes (among them 424 pairs of monozygotic twins and 839 pairs of dizygotic twins) born between the 22nd and 41st week of gestation. Variability of six somatic traits was analyzed. The zygosity of same-sex twins was determined based on the polymorphism of DNA from lymphocytes of the umbilical cord blood, obtained at birth. The coefficients of genetic polymorphism and ecosensitivity for analyzed traits of male and female twins born at various months of gestation were calculated. Our study revealed that a contribution of the genetic component predominated over that of the environmental component in determining the phenotypic variability of somatic traits of newborns from twin pregnancies. The genetically determined phenotypic variability in male twins was greater than in the females. The genetic polymorphism and ecosensitivity of somatic traits were relatively stable during the period of fetal ontogeny analyzed in this study. Only in the case of body weight, a slight increase in the genetic contribution of polygenes to the phenotypic variance could be observed with gestational age, along with a slight decrease in the influence of environmental factors.

1,3-Propanediol production by Escherichia coli using genes from Citrobacter freundii atcc 8090

Compared with chemical synthesis, fermentation has the advantage of mass production at low cost, and has been used in the production of various industrial chemicals. As a valuable organic compound, 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) has numerous applications in the production of polymers, lubricants, cosmetics and medicines. Here, conversion of glycerol (a renewable substrate and waste from biodiesel production) to 1,3-PDO by E. coli bacterial strain carrying altered glycerol metabolic pathway was investigated. Two gene constructs containing the 1,3-PDO operon from Citrobacter freundii (pCF1 and pCF2) were used to transform the bacteria. The pCF1 gene expression construct contained dhaBCE genes encoding the three subunits of glycerol dehydratase, dhaF encoding the large subunit of the glycerol dehydratase reactivation factor and dhaG encoding the small subunit of the glycerol dehydratase reactivating factor. The pCF2 gene expression construct contained the dhaT gene encoding the 1,3-propanediol dehydrogenase. Expression of the genes cloned in the above constructs was under regulation of the T7lac promoter. RT-PCR, SDS-PAGE analyses and functional tests confirmed that 1,3-PDO synthesis pathway genes were expressed at the RNA and protein levels, and worked flawlessly in the heterologous host. In a batch flask culture, in a short time applied just to identify the 1,3-PDO in a preliminary study, the recombinant E. coli bacteria produced 1.53 g/L of 1,3-PDO, using 21.2 g/L of glycerol in 72 h. In the Sartorius Biostat B Plus reactor, they produced 11.7 g/L of 1,3-PDO using 24.2 g/L of glycerol, attaining an efficiency of 0.58 [mol1,3-PDO/molglycerol].

Screening pigs for xenotransplantation: expression of porcine endogenous retroviruses in transgenic pig skin

Pigs seem to be the answer to worldwide organ donor shortage. Porcine skin may also be applied as a dressing for severe burns. Genetic modifications of donor animals enable reduction of immune response, which prolongs xenograft survival as temporary biological dressing and allows achieving resistance against xenograft rejection. The risk posed by porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) cannot be eliminated by breeding animals under specific-pathogen-free conditions and so all recipients of porcine graft will be exposed to PERVs. Therefore our study has been focused on the assessment of PERV DNA and mRNA level in skin samples of transgenic pigs generated for xenotransplantation. Porcine skin fragments were obtained from 3- to 6-month-old non-transgenic and transgenic Polish Landrace pigs. Transgenic pigs were produced by pronuclear DNA microinjection and were developed to express the human α-galactosidase and the human α-1,2-fucosyltransferase gene. The copy numbers of PERV DNA and RNA were evaluated using real-time Q-PCR and QRT-PCR. Comparative analysis of all PERV subtypes revealed that PERV-A is the main subtype of PERVs in analyzed skin samples. There was no significantly different copy number of PERV-A, PERV-B and PERV-C between non-transgenic pigs, pigs with the human α-galactosidase and pigs expressing the human α-1,2-fucosyltransferase gene, except of PERV-C DNA. It brings the conclusion, that transgenesis process exerts no influence on PERVs transinfection. That is another step forward in the development of pig skin xenografts as burn wounds dressing.

Heritability estimates for somatic traits determined perinatally with the twin method

The aim of this study was to establish estimates for heritability of somatic traits determined perinatally with the twin method. The studied material, including 1263 twin pairs live-born at various stages of prenatal life, i.e. between the 22nd and 41st week of gestation, was collected at the Department of Perinatology and Gynecology, Poznań University of Medical Sciences, between 2002 and 2009. The zygosity of 821 pairs of same-sex twins was determined at the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics in Poznań using analysis of single and multiple nucleotide polymorphisms. The proportion of phenotypic variance explained by genetic variability was determined using heritability indices based on intrapair variances and correlations. Analysis of these indices revealed that genetic variability predominated over environmental variability in determining the phenotypic variance of all studied traits. Heritability was the highest for body weight and shoulder width. The high values of heritability coefficients documented in our study were to a certain extent associated with an inconsistency of the assumption on the additive effect of genetic and environmental effects. While analyzing the phenotypic variance of a trait, the role of genotype-environment interactions and covariance cannot be ignored, as these are their effects which increase the genetic variance and related coefficients of heritability. Therefore, it can be concluded that the genotypic component of the phenotypic variance of the trait is enhanced by the effects of various environmental factors.

Polymorphisms and allele frequencies of glutathione S-transferases A1 and P1 genes in the Polish population

Glutathione S-transferases (GST) A1 and P1 are crucial enzymes involved in the biotransformation of drugs, carcinogens, and toxins, and their activity may influence drug response, susceptibility to diseases, and carcinogenesis. The genes encoding these enzymes, GSTA1 and GSTP1, have been examined in many studies because of their genetic variability, which may affect enzymatic activity. The goal of this study was to determine the distribution of the alleles GSTA1*A/*B and GSTP1*A, *B, and *C in the Polish population. A total of 160 subjects from the Polish population were genotyped for 2 polymorphisms (I105V and A114V) in the GSTP1 gene using pyrosequencing. The promoter region of the GSTA1 gene was screened using sequencing. The detected variants were subjected to haplotype analysis. We found that the distribution of the alleles GSTA1*A/*B and GSTP1*A, *B, and *C in the Polish population correspond to the results of studies in Caucasians. Furthermore, we identified additional single nucleotide polymorphisms, excluding 3 well-known changes (G-52A, C-69T, T-567G), which are linked to alleles GSTA1*A/*B, that affect enzyme activity. A total of 4 haplotypes were identified in 160 Polish individuals.

DNA methylation analysis of benign and atypical meningiomas: correlation between RUNX3 methylation and WHO grade

PURPOSE

Although meningiomas are common central nervous system tumors, the biomarkers allowing early diagnosis and progression are still needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the methylation status of 12 cancer-related genes, namely ERCC1, hMLH1, ATM, CDKN2B (p15INK4B), p14ARF, CDKN2A (p16INK4A), RASSF1A, RUNX3, GATA6, NDRG2, PTEN, and RARβ, in 44 meningioma samples of WHO grade I and II.

METHODS

All genes were analyzed using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, while pyrosequencing (PSQ) was used to study NDRG2 promoter methylation.

RESULTS

The most frequently methylated genes in both types of meningiomas were p14ARF, RASSF1A, and p15INK4B. RUNX3, GATA6, and p16INK4A were methylated to a lesser extent, whereas ATM and RARβ were found to be methylated in a marginal number of patients. The ERCC1, hMLH1, NDRG2, and PTEN genes were unmethylated in all cases. Although tumors of the same grade according to WHO criteria had different genes methylated, the number of methylated genes for each individual patient was low. RUNX3 methylation significantly correlated with meningioma WHO grade, therefore, can be considered as a potential indicator of tumor aggressiveness. The sequence of NDRG2 chosen for PSQ analysis was found methylated in the majority of meningiomas; however, the methylation level was only slightly elevated as compared to non-cancerous brain.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, the results of this study confirm that DNA methylation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of meningiomas. Further investigations, particularly concerning RUNX3 methylation, are necessary in order to assess the clinical usefulness of the methylation analysis of the studied genes.

The methylation of a panel of genes differentiates low-grade from high-grade gliomas

Epigenetic changes play an important role in the pathogenesis of gliomas and have the potential to become clinically useful biomarkers. The aim of this study was the evaluation of the profile of promoter methylation of 13 genes selected based on their anticipated diagnostic and/or prognostic value. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was used to assess the methylation status of MGMT, ERCC1, hMLH1, ATM, CDKN2B (p15INK4B), p14ARF, CDKN2A (p16INK4A), RASSF1A, RUNX3, GATA6, NDRG2, PTEN, and RARβ in a subset of 95 gliomas of different grades. Additionally, the methylation status of MGMT and NDRG2 was analyzed using pyrosequencing (PSQ). The results revealed that the methylation index of individual glioma patients correlates with World Health Organization (WHO) tumor grade and patient's age. RASSF1A, RUNX3, GATA6, and MGMT were most frequently methylated, whereas the INK4B-ARF-INK4A locus, PTEN, RARβ, and ATM were methylated to a lesser extent. ERCC1, hMLH1, and NDRG2 were unmethylated. RUNX3 methylation correlated with WHO tumor grade and patient's age. PSQ confirmed significantly higher methylation levels of MGMT and NDRG2 as compared with normal, non-cancerous brain tissue. To conclude, DNA methylation of a whole panel of selected genes can serve as a tool for glioma aggressiveness prediction.

Glutathione S-transferase as a toxicity indicator in general anesthesia: genetics and biochemical function

General anesthesia may lead in patients to unexpected and adverse reactions including toxicity. Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are enzymes responsible for the detoxification process of anesthetic agents. Plasma and urine GST measurements are used in multiple studies as a hepatocellular integrity or renal injury indicator. The importance of GST enzyme measurements in monitoring the hepatotoxic and nephrotoxic effect in anesthetized patients is presented. The biochemical function and specific properties of GST render it a prognostic biomarker. This review demonstrates that GST can be valuable and promising toxicity indicator in patients undergoing general anesthesia.

Double transgenic pigs with combined expression of human α1,2-fucosyltransferase and α-galactosidase designed to avoid hyperacute xenograft rejection

Hyperacute rejection (HAR) depends on the response of xenoreactive antibodies principally against porcine α-Gal epitope. Methods eliminating HAR include GGTA1 inactivation, regulation of the complement system and modification of the oligosaccharide structure of surface proteins in donor's cells. Transgenic animals designed for the purpose of xenotransplantation with single modification do not display full reduction of the α-Gal epitope level, which means that a accumulation of several modifications in one transgenic individual is needed. The aim of the study was to create a molecular and cytogenetic profile of a double transgenic animal with α1,2-fucosyltransferase and α-galactosidase expression. As a result of interbreeding of an individual with α1,2-fucosyltransferase expression with an individual with α-galactosidase expression 12 living piglets were obtained. PCR revealed the pCMVFUT gene construct was present in four individuals and pGAL-GFPBsd in three, including one with a confirmed integration of both the gene constructs. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed the site of transgene integration, which corresponded to the mapping site of the transgenes which occurred in the parental generations. Karyotype analysis did not show any changes in the structure or the number of chromosomes (2n = 38, XX). As for the results pertaining to the single transgenic individuals, expression analysis demonstrated a high extent of α-Gal epitope level reduction on the surface of cells, whereas human serum cytotoxicity tests revealed the smallest decrease in longevity of cells in the obtained double transgenic individual (4.35 %). The tests suggest that the co-expression of both the transgenes leads to a considerable reduction of the α-Gal antigen level on the surface of cells and a decrease of xenotransplant immunogenicity.

Microchimerism in twins

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this paper was to report the occurrence of peripheral blood chimerism in newborns from bigeminal pregnancies.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cord blood collected from 50 pairs of twins constituted the biological material studied. Analyses included: DNA isolation, quantitative and qualitative assessment of DNA preparations, hybridization analysis of SLS type as well as of MLS type, and analysis of microsatellite sequences with regard to polymorphisms using polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

The presence of additional fragments of DNA in peripheral blood lymphocytes was found in four out of fifty pairs of monozygotic twins (8%) at locus D7S21 (7p22, n = 3) and locus D12S11 (12q24.3, n = 1). In these cases, the presence of additional DNA fragments was also proved by analysis of microsatellite sequence polymorphisms at loci HUMPLA2A1 (pancreatic phospholipase A-2, 12q23), HUMCYARO (cytochrome P450, 15q21.1) and HUMvWF (von Willebrand factor, 12p13).

CONCLUSIONS

The results of our study confirm the occurrence of chimerism in twins and constitutes the starting point for further studies aimed at determining the clinical significance of chimerism in twins both for women and fetuses.

Transgenic pigs designed to express human α-galactosidase to avoid humoral xenograft rejection

The use of animals as a source of organs and tissues for xenotransplantation can overcome the growing shortage of human organ donors. However, the presence of xenoreactive antibodies in humans directed against swine Gal antigen present on the surface of xenograft donor cells leads to the complement activation and immediate xenograft rejection as a consequence of hyperacute reaction. To prevent hyperacute rejection, it is possible to change the swine genome by a human gene modifying the set of donor’s cell surface proteins. The gene construct pGal-GFPBsd containing the human gene encoding α-galactosidase enzyme under the promoter of EF-1α elongation factor ensuring systemic expression was introduced by microinjection into a male pronucleus of the fertilised porcine oocyte. As a result, the founder male pig was obtained with the transgene mapping to chromosome 11p12. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis revealed and the Southern analysis confirmed transgene integration estimating the approximate number of transgene copies as 16. Flow cytometry analysis revealed a reduction in the level of epitope Gal on the cell surface of cells isolated from F0 and F1 transgenic animals. The complement-mediated cytotoxicity assay showed increased viability of the transgenic cells in comparison with the wild-type, which confirmed the protective influence of α-galactosidase expression.

High-resolution melting analysis of the TPMT gene: a study in the Polish population

The thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) gene encoding thiopurine methyltransferase is a crucial enzyme in metabolism of thiopurine drugs: azathioprine and 6-mercoptopurine, which are used in the treatment of leukemia or inflammatory bowel diseases. Genetic polymorphism of the TPMT gene correlates with activity of this enzyme, individual reaction, and dosing of thiopurines. Thirty-one variants of the TPMT gene with low enzymatic activity have been described with three major alleles: TPMT*2 (c.238G>C), *3A (c.460 G>A, c.719A>G), and *3C (c.719A>G), accounting for 80% to 95% of inherited TPMT deficiency in different populations in the world. The aim of the study was to establish a rapid and highly sensitive method of analysis for the complete coding sequence of the TPMT gene and to determine the spectrum and prevalence of the TPMT gene sequence variations in the Polish population. Recently, high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) has become a highly sensitive, automated, and economical technique for mutation screening or genotyping. We applied HRMA for the first time to TPMT gene scanning. In total, we analyzed 548 alleles of the Polish population. We found 11 different sequence variations, where two are novel changes: c.200T>C (p.P67S, TPMT*30) and c.595G>A (p.V199I, TPMT*31). Detection of these new rare alleles TPMT*30 and *31 in the Polish population suggests the need to analyze the whole TPMT gene and maybe also the extension of routinely used tests containing three major alleles, TPMT*2, *3A, and *3C. Identification of sequence variants using HRMA is highly sensitive and less time consuming compared to standard sequencing. We conclude that HRMA can be easy integrated into genetic testing of the TPMT gene in patients treated with thiopurines.

Expression of human growth hormone in the milk of transgenic rabbits with transgene mapped to the telomere region of chromosome 7q

The advent of transgenic technology has provided methods for the production of pharmaceuticals by the isolation of these proteins from transgenic animals. The mammary gland has been focused on as a bioreactor, since milk is easily collected from lactating animals and protein production can be expressed at very high levels, including hormones and enzymes. We demonstrate here the expression pattern of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) in transgenic rabbits carrying hGH genomic sequences driven by the rat whey acidic protein (WAP) promoter. The transgene was mapped to the q26-27 telomere region of chromosome 7q by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Nearly 30 % of the F1 generation demonstrated the presence of transgene. The recombinant growth hormone was detected in the milk of the transgenic rabbit females, but not in serum, up to the level of 10 μg/ml. Ectopic expression of the transgene in the brain, heart, kidney, liver, and salivary gland was not observed, indicating that a short sequence of rat WAP promoter (969 bp) contained essential sequences directing expression exclusively to the mammary gland. The biological activity of recombinant growth hormone was measured by immunoreactivity and the capability to stimulate growth of the hormone-dependent Nb211 cell line.

Tracking of wisent-bison-yak mitochondrial evolution

One of the most informative sources which allow the drawing of far-reaching conclusions about the origins and phylogenetics of many species, including domestic animals and humans, is mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). One of the important research targets should include the identification of similarities between wild and domestic species. The analysis involved the nucleotide sequences of mtDNA of wisent, auroch, bison, yak, bovine reference sequence (BRS) T3, T3a, T3b, T1, T1a, T1’2’3, T2, T3, T4, T5, Q, Q1, P, R, I1, and I2 bovine haplotypes. The non-coding D-loop regions were excluded from the evolutionary analysis and 15,419-bp coding sequences were used in the final dataset. Trees constructed on the basis of whole mitochondrial genomes or on total mtDNA coding sequences alignment were generally in agreement with previous studies on the Bovini tribe. American bison shows stronger maternal relationships to yak than to wisent. It seems that the isolation and divergence of wisent took place early, almost 2 to 1.6 million years ago. This appears to be compatible with the paleontological date, indicating Late Pleistocene speciation of Bison bonasus. The yak/bison mitochondrial transfer model is in agreement with our mutation analysis and phylogenetic tree. The bison/yak mutations were collected in the bison mitochondrial genome before the transfer. After the transfer, the parallel accumulation of unique mutations took place. According to our assessment, the transfer took place at about 700 ky. The characteristic feature of the wisent and bison evolution is the maintenance of mtDNA variability, despite the fact that both species underwent population bottlenecks. Our studies did not reveal any impact of these phenomena populations in the analyzed mitochondrial genomes.

Generation of transgenic rabbits by the novel technique of chimeric somatic cell cloning

A novel technique of chimeric somatic cell cloning was applied to produce a transgenic rabbit (NT20). Karyoplasts of transgenic adult skin fibroblasts with Tg(Wap-GH1) gene construct as a marker were microsurgically transferred into one, previously enucleated, blastomere of 2-cell non-transgenic embryos, while the second one remained intact. The reconstructed embryos either were cultured in vitro up to the blastocyst stage (Experiment I) or were transferred into recipient-females immediately after the cloning procedure (Experiment II). In Experiment I, 25/102 (24.5%) embryos formed blastocysts from whole embryos and 46/102 (44.12%) embryos developed to the blastocyst stage from single non-operated blastomeres, while the reconstructed blastomeres were damaged and degenerated. Thirteen (12.7%) embryos did not exceed 3- to 4-cell stages and 18 (17.7%) embryos were inhibited at the initial 2-cell stage. Out of 14 blastocysts which were subjected to molecular analysis, the transgene was detected in the cells of 4 blastocysts. In Experiment II, 163/217 (75.0%) embryos were transferred into 9 pseudopregnant recipient-rabbits (an average of 18 embryos per recipient). Four recipient-females (44.4%) became pregnant and delivered a total of 24 (14.7%) pups. Molecular analysis confirmed that two pups (1.2%), one live and one stillborn, showed a positive transgene signal. Live transgenic rabbit NT20 appeared healthy and anatomically as well as physiologically normal. The results of our experiments showed that transgenic adult skin fibroblast cell nuclei, which have been introduced into the cytoplasmic microenvironment of single enucleated blastomeres from 2-cell stage rabbit embryos, are able to direct the development of chimeric embryos not only to the blastocyst stage but also up to term.

The application of FPLC chromatography (Mono Q) for the purification of wheat RNA polymerases II and III

Transcription is the main step in the regulation of gene expression. To study this process in vitro, it is necessary to obtain highly purified RNA polymerases. Here, we describe a method of RNA polymerase purification using a Mono Q FPLC column. Using Mono Q column chromatography accelerates the purification process and separates RNA polymerase II from RNA polymerase III with good yield.

Transgenic rabbit producing human growth hormone in milk

The gene construct WAP(6xHisThr):hGH containing the entire human growth hormone gene (hGH) under the rat whey acidic protein (WAP) promoter regulating the expression in mammary glands of mammals was prepared. The 5' end of the gene was modified by the addition of a sequence encoding six histidine residues and a sequence recognized by thrombin. The gene construct was introduced by microinjection into the male pronucleus of a fertilized oocyte. The founder male rabbit was obtained with the transgene mapping to chromosome 7. The presence of the growth hormone was confirmed in samples of milk collected during the lactation of F1 generation females. The growth hormone can be easily purified by affinity chromatography and cleavage by thrombin to an active form.

On the specificity of lipid hydroperoxide fragmentation by fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase from Arabidopsis thaliana

Fatty acid hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) is a membrane associated P450 enzyme that cleaves fatty acid hydroperoxides into aldehydes and omega-oxo fatty acids. One of the major products of this reaction is (3Z)-hexenal. It is a constituent of many fresh smelling fruit aromas. For its biotechnological production and because of the lack of structural data on the HPL enzyme family, we investigated the mechanistic reasons for the substrate specificity of HPL by using various structural analogues of HPL substrates. To approach this 13-HPL from Arabidopsis thaliana was cloned and expressed in E. coli utilising a His-Tag expression vector. The fusion protein was purified by affinity chromatography from the E. coli membrane fractions and its pH optimum was detected to be pH 7.2. Then, HPL activity against the respective (9S)- and (13S)-hydroperoxides derived either from linoleic, alpha-linolenic or gamma-linolenic acid, respectively, as well as that against the corresponding methyl esters was analysed. Highest enzyme activity was observed with the (13S)-hydroperoxide of alpha-linolenic acid (13alpha-HPOT) followed by that with its methyl ester. Most interestingly, when the hydroperoxy isomers of gamma-linolenic acid were tested as substrates, 9gamma-HPOT and not 13gamma-HPOT was found to be a better substrate of the enzyme. Taken together from these studies on the substrate specificity it is concluded that At13HPL may not recognise the absolute position of the hydroperoxy group within the substrate, but shows highest activities against substrates with a (1Z4S,5E,7Z)-4-hydroperoxy-1,5,7-triene motif. Thus, At13HPL may not only be used for the production of C6-derived volatiles, but depending on the substrate may be further used for the production of Cg-derived volatiles as well.