Polycystin-1 mitigates damage and regulates CTGF expression through AKT activation during cardiac ischemia/reperfusion

During ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), cardiomyocytes activate pathways that regulate cell survival and death and release factors that modulate fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation. The mechanisms underlying these effects are not fully understood. Polycystin-1 (PC1) is a mechanosensor crucial for cardiac function. This work aims to assess the role of PC1 in cardiomyocyte survival, its role in profibrotic factor expression in cardiomyocytes, and its paracrine effects on I/R-induced cardiac fibroblast function. In vivo and ex vivo I/R and simulated in vitro I/R (sI/R) were induced in wild-type and PC1-knockout (PC1 KO) mice and PC1-knockdown (siPC1) neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVM), respectively. Neonatal rat cardiac fibroblasts (NRCF) were stimulated with conditioned medium (CM) derived from NRVM or siPC1-NRVM supernatant after reperfusion and fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation evaluated. Infarcts were larger in PC1-KO mice subjected to in vivo and ex vivo I/R, and necrosis rates were higher in siPC1-NRVM than control after sI/R. PC1 activated the pro-survival AKT protein during sI/R and induced PC1-AKT-pathway-dependent CTGF expression. Furthermore, conditioned media from sI/R-NRVM induced PC1-dependent fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation in NRCF. This novel evidence shows that PC1 mitigates cardiac damage during I/R, likely through AKT activation, and regulates CTGF expression in cardiomyocytes via AKT. Moreover, PC1-NRVM regulates fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation during sI/R. PC1, therefore, may emerge as a new key regulator of I/R injury-induced cardiac remodeling.

[Methods of body composition and four compartiments model in obese school children]

INTRODUCTION

In Chile, the prevalence of obesity in schoolchildren is 21.3%. The study and individual intervention of this malnutrition, it is necessary to have not only global indicators of nutritional status, but also indicators that give information on body composition.

OBJECTIVE

To compare estimates of body fat isotopic dilution, plethysmography and radiographic absorptiometry 4C model in overweight schoolchildren.

METHODS

We worked with 61 obese (BMI ≥ p 95) of both sexes, between 8 and 13 years, enrolled in a school in a district of the city of Santiago. The multicompartmental body composition determination, considered isotopic dilution, plethysmography and radiographic absorptiometry. Using as a reference standard four compartment model of Fuller.

RESULTS

In both sexes, the method showed better agreement with the reference of 4 compartments was isotope dilution (r = 0.98, p < 0.01). In children, the isotopic dilution underestimates body fat in -0.40 kg. By contrast, DEXA and plethysmography overestimate body fat by 0.81 kg and 1.89 kg respectively. In women, all methods overestimate body fat, with less emphasis isotopic dilution value 0.46 kg, 0.52 kg after DEXA and plethysmography 1.31 kg.

CONCLUSIONS

The deuterium isotopic dilution would be the most sensitive method for estimating body fat in research studies because it shows the best agreement with the gold standard multicompartmental model.

Extracellular matrix protein expression in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with tropical spastic paraparesis associated with HTLV‐I and Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease

The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is in direct contact with the extracellular space of the CNS, thus biochemical processes in the CNS could potentially be reflected in the CSF. Changes in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins can be studied through their analysis in the CSF. ECM plays an essential role in CNS homeostasis and several proteins such as laminin (LN), fibronectin (FN), thrombospondin (TS) and heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HS, perlecan) form part of its structure. Possible changes in the levels of these proteins were investigated in two different pathologies--tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM) (n=25) and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) (n=19)--and compared with those in a control group with or without neurological disease (n=25). CSF analyses were carried out using monoclonal or monospecific polyclonal antibodies. In comparison with the control group, it was found that TSP/HAM patients presented significantly higher levels of LN, TS and HS, while in CJD patients the levels of FN, TS and HS were increased. In CJD patients the HS level was almost double that of the TSP/HAM patients. These results suggest a distinct pattern of ECM proteins in CSF in relation to the type of neurological disease. TSP/HAM is a chronic motor disease that affects the white matter of the spinal cord, while CJD is a subacute dementia that affects cerebral neurons and their synapsis.

[Life-saving total gastrectomy in abdominal sepsis after bariatric surgery of gastric sleeve]

Three obese patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy. They developed gastric dehiscence with generalized peritonitis, sepsis and shock, being operated as total gastrectomy of the remanent stomach with Roux in Y esophago-jejunostomy reconstruction as a last chance of life saving procedure.

[Gastric volvulus]

Gastric volvulus is a rare condition in pediatric population in which there is an abnormal rotation of one part of the stomach around itself. It's a surgical emergency. We report a six year old female admitted in the emergency due to upper abdominal distention, nausea without vomiting, physical exam revealed upper abdominal distention and abdominal tenderness, no bowel sounds. Laparotomy was performed and a gastric volvulus with occlusive vascular involvement was found. In the post operative period she required a second laparotomy due to adhesions in small bowel.

Energy balance and physical activity in obese children attending day-care centres

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate energy balance and physical activity in obese preschool children attending day-care centres.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SUBJECTS

Twenty-four 3-5 years old obese children selected at random from four different day-care centres in Santiago City, Chile. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was measured by doubly labelled water and physical activity as recorded by TRITRAC R3D motion sensor. Energy intake was assessed by measuring food intake while at the centre, along with the recording of additional food intake in the home.

RESULTS

Obese children had a 5.4% higher weighed energy intake than their energy requirements 2001. Energy intake during the week was 7716+/-1092 kJ/day and 7401+/-1023 kJ/day in boys and girls, respectively. Minimal activity was higher in the day-care centres (62%) compared to 52% during the weekend at home. Light activity was higher during the weekend at home than during the week (25 versus 20%), but moderate-intense activity was similar (3-5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Reduction in dietary energy provided at the day-care centres helps to balance energy requirements during the week. Obese children had marked sedentary characteristics with regards to physical activity, although children are more active at home in weekends. This situation suggests that educators and parents need to improve children's physical activity levels and nutrition habits.

Update on the impact of Chlamydia trachomatis infection on male fertility

With approximately 90 million cases annually, infection with Chlamydia trachomatis is the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial disease in the world. Considering that these infections are often asymptomatic and cause major complications like acute pelvic inflammatory disease, ectopic pregnancy, infertility or infant pneumonia, the estimated costs for diagnosis and treatment in the USA amounts to 2.2 million US dollars for each 500 cases. Therefore, there is a high need for correct, quick and cost-effective diagnosis and treatment of this urogenital tract infection. New innovative therapies provide good results with regard to efficacy and patients' compliance. The success rates of treatments are at least 95%. However, the occurrence of antibiotic resistance should not be ignored and new treatment schemes must be developed. The state-of-the-art of diagnosis and treatment of chlamydial infections as well as the pathophysiology is discussed in this review. In conclusion, infections with C. trachomatis is an important public health problem, especially in third world and developing countries, and more socio-economic studies linking secondary prevention of chlamydial infections, infertility and adverse pregnancy outcome are needed to understand more of its aetiology. In addition, diagnosis and treatment should be improved. Data in men revealed that past infections but not present infections are more related to male infertility. There is still controversial results. In future studies, function of the seminal vesicles and evaluation of the antioxidant capacity should be taken into account when role of C. trachomatis infection on male fertility is assessed.

Immunocytochemical light- and electron-microscopic studies of growth hormone, prolactin and somatomammotroph cells in female goat

We have studied the structural and ultrastructural changes that occur in growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL) and somatomammotroph (SMT) cells of female goats of the Murciano-Granadina breed during different physiological stages: prepuberty, anestrus, pregnancy and lactation. Serial sections were stained with double immunolabeling, alkaline phosphatase and avidin-biotin complex for light microscopy, and immunogold labeling was used for electron microscopy. These techniques allowed the identification of GH, PRL and SMT cells, which were evenly distributed throughout the whole pars distalis. PRL cells were the most frequent. Both PRL and GH cells showed morphological changes that may be related to a given physiological stage. These changes include the number of cells and the number and size of the secretory granules. SMT cells were clearly identified by having two types of monohormonal secretory granule showing single labeling, in spite of their similar ultrastructural characteristics to the other adenohypophysary cells. They are found in low percentages (0.6%). We postulate that cell aggregates which look like SMT syncytia may be artifacts caused by interdigitation of PRL and GH cells, and that cells which are normally taken to be SMT cells are not an interconversion stage between monohormonal cells.

Light and ultrastructural immunocytochemical study of somatotropic cells (GH cells) in ovine adenohypophysis: lactation and weaning influences

The influence of lactation period and weaning on the distribution, number, and structure of somatotropic cells (GH cells) in ewes was studied using immunocytochemical procedures for light and electron microscopy, as well as morphometric and stereological techniques. The adenohypophyseal gland of 12 ewes of the Segureña breed in different stages of milk production and weaning was studied, while three ewes in anoestrus served as controls. The size of secretory granules was heterogeneous in all stages, suggesting that this characteristic is not related to functional activity. During lactation and weaning the size of GH cells decreased, while the number of 'synthesis cells' increased. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex appeared more developed and small secretory granules showed lower gold particle labelling. These data suggest that GH cells are more active during lactation, particularly during late lactation.

Ultrastructural identification of small granule prolactin (PRL) cells in goat adenohypophysis by the colloidal-gold method

We describe ultrastructural characteristics of PRL cells with small secretory granules, immunostained with ovine antiserum, in adult Murciano-Granadina milking goats during anoestrus, the last third of gestation and lactation. This cell subtype is considered to comprise a stable population that decreases numerically during gestation and lactation, and that may change during these stages to show large granules.

Structural and ultrastructural study of GH, PRL and SMT cells in male goat by immunocytochemical methods

The structural and ultrastructural characteristics of adenohypophyseal growth hormone (GH)-, prolactin (PRL)- and GH-PRL (SMT)-secreting cells were studied using immunocytochemical techniques in two normal and one lactating male goat. SMT cells were found in both types of males, which showed the same characteristics as those reported for the female. PRL and SMT cells were more frequent in the lactating male, which reflects their greater galactopoietic activity. GH cells did not seem to influence this process significantly.

[Hematologic changes in rats treated with high doses of vitamin K3 (menadione)]

The present study describes the effect of high doses of vitamin K3 (8-30 mg/kg) administered daily by intramuscular injection during seven days; on blood smear, red blood cells (RBC) and concentration of hemoglobin (Hb) counts, value of hematocrit (Ht), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), reticulocyte and erythroblast counts, total and differential counting of leukocytes (WBC) and total and fractionated serum bilirubin concentration of albino male rats. Results were then compared with findings in normal rats treated with the same doses of sodium bisulfite. In animals treated with vitamin K3 a statistically significant decrease in the number of erythrocytes and in the concentration of Hb, Ht and MCHC was found together with a concomitant increase of erythroblast and reticulocyte counting. In regard to the blood smear, it was observed that erythrocytes vary in their hemoglobin content, size, shape and in their staining properties (polychromatophilia) where as the leukocytes were found to be morphologically normal, but in an increased number. Lymphocytes occasionally showed azurophil granules. Platelets assumed irregular shape and in normal amounts. The leukocytes count showed leukocytosis with marked neutrophilia, eosinophilia, lymphocytosis and monocytosis. Also, the presence of clinical jaundice with an increase of the serum "indirectly-reacting" bilirubin was also observed. These findings indicate that hypervitaminosis K3 induces a marked hemolytic microcytic hypochromic anemia and changes in the white blood cells count. Further studies will be pursued in order to obtain a better understanding of the causes and/or the mechanisms that induce these alterations in the blood cells.