In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Animal最新文献

This study aimed to explore the potential of using mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) pre-treated with Astragaloside IV (ASIV) to alleviate inflammation in high glucose (HG)-damaged endothelial cells. MSC-Exos were isolated from untreated MSCs and ASIV-pre-treated MSCs, and their characteristics were assessed. The expression of miR-146a-5p in MSC-Exos was determined, and it was found that ASIV treatment enhanced its expression. In order to assess the impact of highly miR-146a-5p-expressing MSC-Exos on HG-injured endothelial cells, we established a model of HG-induced inflammation using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The study measured cell viability, apoptosis, tube formation, and levels of inflammatory cytokines among the different treatment groups. It was found that transferring MSC-Exos with high miR-146a-5p expression to HG-damaged HUVECs increased cell viability and tube formation ability while reducing the number of apoptotic cells. Additionally, changes in inflammatory factors indicated a reduction in the inflammatory response. Further investigation demonstrated that miR-146a-5p inhibited the expression of TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and phosphorylated NF-κB, which are involved in the inflammatory response. This resulted in the alleviation of inflammation in HG-damaged endothelial cells. In summary, our findings indicate that ASIV treatment stimulated the secretion of MSC-Exos that exhibited increased levels of miR-146a-5p. These exosomes, in turn, regulated the TRAF6/NF-κB pathway. As a result of this modulation, the inflammatory response in HG-damaged endothelial cells was alleviated. These findings offer a fresh approach to addressing vascular complications associated with diabetes, which could lead to novel treatment strategies in the field.

Sablefish Anoplopoma fimbria is a groundfish of the North Pacific Ocean typically found in sea floor habitat at depths to 2700 m. Prized as a food fish with exceptionally high market value, sablefish aquaculture has been sought to provide a sustainable source of this fish to meet market demands. While commercial culture has successfully produced market-sized fish in Pacific coastal environments, production has been hampered by disease and the overall lack of information on sablefish health and immunology. To begin to address these knowledge gaps, herein we describe the isolation and characterization of spontaneously immortalized sablefish larval cell lines (AFL). Six sublines were established from pools of early yolk-sac larvae, while attempts to develop tissue-specific-derived cell lines were unsuccessful. The six yolk-sac larval cell lines each display two morphologies in culture, an elongated fibroblast-like cell type, and a rounded squamous or epithelial-like cell type. Cytogenetic characterization suggests that both cell types are diploid (2n = 48) with 24 pairs of chromosomes, 23 pairs of autosomes, and 1 pair of sex chromosomes. A small proportion (11%) of AFL cells display tetraploidy. Incubation temperature and medium composition experiments revealed HEPES buffered L-15 media containing 10-20% FBS at temperatures between 15 and 18° C yielded optimal cell growth. These growth characteristics suggest that sablefish larval cells display a robustness for varying growth conditions. The establishment of AFL cell lines provides a foundational tool to study the physiology, health, immunology, and cell and molecular biology of sablefish.

Infantile hemangiomas (IH) are a common entity encountered by dermatologists, otolaryngologists, and other surgeons. Oral propranolol is a mainstay of treatment for IH and is well-tolerated, though propranolol-refractory IH and other drug-related adverse events are documented and can limit its usage. There are few in vitro testing systems for putative treatment agents. To address this, we modified a tissue culture system for human hemangioma treatment testing to evaluate the treatment impact of the immune modifier, imiquimod. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and hemangioma cultures were treated with several concentrations of imiquimod followed by MTT assays, reporter gene assays, PCR, ELISA, and Western blotting for IL-8, VEGF, Cyclin D1, and IFNα and immunohistochemistry for Cyclin D1 and Ki-67. HUVEC showed acute decreases in IL-8, VEGF, and Cyclin D1 promoter activity and increases in IFNα mRNA after imiquimod treatment. Hemangioma samples showed no change in Ki-67 or Cyclin D1 staining after treatment with imiquimod after 27 d, with significantly increased IL-8 and VEGF. From this preliminary analysis, we discerned that hemangioma tissues can be grown in tissue culture and used for drug treatment studies. We also conclude acute and chronic modulation of cell cycle, angiogenesis factors, and immunostimulatory conditions may be associated with imiquimod mechanisms of action in hemangioma involution.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been verified to be essential factors regulating osteogenic functions, which is mainly attributed to their secretion of extracellular vesicles. Exosomes derived from BMSCs (BMSCs-Exo) contribute to osteoblast functions that are critical for improving bone defect. Our current study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism dominated by BMSCs-Exo that affects osteoblast differentiation and osteogenesis. The first step this study validated that BMSCs co-culture enhanced the differentiation ability of osteoblast and promoted bone mineralization, while these tendencies were abolished after GW4869 treatment. Next, the BMSCs-Exo was isolated and identified by TEM observation, insight detection, and western blot analysis. Furthermore, BMSCs-Exo treatment could efficiently promote the differentiation ability and the bone mineralization of osteoblasts, decrease the mRNA levels of Collagen I and Collagen III, and increase the levels of osteogenic proteins, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Turning Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2), Bone sialoprofein (BSP), osteocalcin (OCN), and osterix (OSX). However, the abovementioned effects of BMSCs-Exo could be abolished by miR-590-3p silencing. Mechanistic analysis unmasked the negative regulation of miR-590-3p on its downstream target TGFBR1. Finally, the effects of miR-590-3p/TGFBR1 axis on the differentiation and osteogenesis of osteoblasts were validated by rescue assays. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that exosomal miR-590-3p secreted by BMSCs can induce osteoblast differentiation and osteogenesis.

Vascularization is vital in bone tissue engineering, supporting development, remodeling, and regeneration. Lack of vascularity leads to cell death, necessitating vascularization strategies. Angiogenesis, forming new blood vessels, provides crucial nutrients and oxygen. Pre-vascularized gelatin-coated β-tricalcium phosphate (G/β-TCP) scaffolds show promise in bone regeneration and vascularization. Our study evaluates G/β-TCP scaffolds' osteogenic and angiogenic potential in vitro and a canine model with vascular anastomosis. Channel-shaped G/β-TCP scaffolds were fabricated using foam casting and sintering of a calcium phosphate/silica slurry-coated polyurethane foam, then coated with cross-linked gelatin. Buccal fat pad-derived stem cells (BFPdSCs) were seeded onto scaffolds and assessed over time for adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic capacity using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, Alamar blue, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) assays. Scaffolds were implanted in a canine model to evaluate osteogenesis and angiogenesis by histology and CT scans at 12 wk. Our studies showed preliminary results for G/β-TCP scaffolds supporting angiogenesis and bone regeneration. In vitro analyses demonstrated excellent proliferation/viability, with BFPdSCs adhering and increasing on the scaffolds. ALP activity and protein levels increased, indicating osteogenic differentiation. Examination of tissue samples revealed granulation tissue with a well-developed vascular network, indicating successful angiogenesis and osteogenesis was further confirmed by a CT scan. In vivo, histology revealed scaffold resorption. However, scaffold placement beneath muscle tissue-restricted bone regeneration. Further optimization is needed for bone regeneration applications.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a condition in which the smooth muscle cells (SMCs) in the pulmonary arteries multiply excessively, causing the arteries to narrow. This can ultimately result in right heart failure and premature death. Notch3 is an important factor involved in pulmonary vascular remodeling in PH. RO4929097, as a γ-secretase inhibitor that inhibits Notch3 signaling pathway, may be a potential drug for the treatment of PH, but its feasibility and related mechanism of action need to be further investigated. In vitro modeling by hypoxic incubation of human pulmonary artery SMCs (HPASMCs). RO4929097 and plasmids including overexpression-NICD3 (oe-NICD3) and NICD3 small interfering RNA (siRNA) were used to alter the expression of NICD3, and HIF-2α inhibitor PT-2385 was used to alter the expression of HIF-2α. Western blot, EdU incorporation assay was used to investigate the alteration of NICD3, HIF-2α, FoxM1 protein expression, and cell proliferation. The severity of PH in rats was assessed by measuring the weight ratio of right ventricle (RV) to left ventricle (LV) and septum (S) (RV/[LV + S]) and hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining of lung tissues in a hypoxia-induced PH rat model. We first determined that hypoxia induction for 48 h had the strongest induction of NICD3 and Notch3 in HPASMCs, and the strongest inhibition by 10 μM RO4929097. Treatment of HPASMCs under hypoxic conditions with RO4929097 inhibited hypoxia-induced expression of NICD3, HIF-2α, FoxM1, and proliferation of HPASMCs. The inhibitory effect of RO4929097 was reversed after overexpression of NICD3 in HPASMCs. Further, we found that PT-2385 reversed the promotional effect of overexpression of NICD3 on the proliferation of HPASMCs. In vivo experiments, hypoxia-induced PH rats treated with RO4929097 showed a reduction in right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) and a return to normal pulmonary artery morphology, indicating a reduction in the severity of PH. Our data suggest that RO4929097 regulates the Notch3/HIF-2α/FoxM1 signaling pathway by inhibiting the expression of NICD3, thereby inhibiting hypoxia-induced proliferation of HPASMCs. In vivo experiments also confirmed that RO4929097 could alleviate PH as a potential therapeutic strategy.

Channel catfish virus (CCV) poses a significant threat to catfish culture. Lack of effective vaccines and antiviral treatments necessitates effective disinfection strategies to mitigate its spread. In vitro trials indicated the virus to be inactivated at high temperatures, but was infectious at 40°C. This study evaluated the efficacy of a commercial disinfectant against CCV using both in vitro and in vivo approaches. In vitro experiments assessed the virucidal activity of the disinfectant against CCV in channel catfish ovary (CCO) cells, while in vivo trials evaluated its effectiveness in reducing viral transmission and mortality among channel and hybrid catfish fingerlings. Results indicated that the disinfectant was effective in inactivating the virus at the tested concentrations and improved the survival of fish exposed to the virus. This study provides critical insights into selecting appropriate disinfection protocols to enhance biosecurity in catfish hatchery settings and to mitigate CCV transmission.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of articular cartilage. The role of cigarette smoke (CS) in OA is debated, with some studies suggesting a protective effect while others indicate it may pose a risk. Our preliminary findings suggest a link between smoking in young adults and severe knee OA, though the extent of this contribution is unclear. This study investigates the impact of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on human chondrocytes. Human chondrocyte cultures were exposed to varying concentrations (0-10%) of CSE for 7 d. We evaluated cell viability, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, metalloproteinase expression and cytokines levels, and antioxidant enzymes (SOD1 and CAT) using calcein staining, immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Oxidative stress (OS) was assessed by measuring hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and nitric oxide (NO) levels. Results were analyzed using ANOVA with Tukey post hoc tests, and Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated. Cell viability decreased at 10% CSE, and ECM components were diminished. MMP9 and MMP13 expression significantly increased at 5% and 10% CSE. H₂O₂ levels peaked at 1%, while IL-1β peaked at 2.5%. Antioxidant expression (SOD1 and CAT) decreased at higher concentrations, and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) was notably expressed. MMPs expression was negatively correlated with both viability and ECM components. CSE induces cellular damage, alters ECM composition, and upregulates MMP expression via OS and IL-1β, while diminishing antioxidant defenses. These findings suggest that smoking may disrupt articular cartilage homeostasis, highlighting the need for further investigation into oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators.