Highlights • An MRI voxel-based morphometry for marmoset monkeys was established. • Parkinson’s disease model marmosets were evaluated with voxel-based morphometry and in histology. • Voxel-based ...morphometry revealed volume loss mainly in the substantia nigra of Parkinson’s disease model marmosets. • The volume loss was confirmed as dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra.
Highlights ► A multidimensional brain atlas of developing marmoset is created by MR histology. ► An in utero MRI is developed for time-course volumetric evaluation in development. ► An image database ...for high-resolution MRI of developing marmosets is available.
Advanced magnetic resonance (MR) neuroimaging analysis techniques based on voxel-wise statistics, such as voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and functional MRI, are widely applied to cognitive brain ...research in both human subjects and in non-human primates. Recent developments in imaging have enabled the evaluation of smaller animal models with sufficient spatial resolution. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World primate species, has been widely used in neuroscience research, to which voxel-wise statistics could be extended with a species-specific brain template. Here, we report, for the first time, a tissue-segmented, population-averaged standard template of the common marmoset brain. This template was created by using anatomical T1-weighted images from 22 adult marmosets with a high-resolution isotropic voxel size of (0.2mm)3 at 7-Tesla and DARTEL algorithm in SPM8. Whole brain templates are available at International Neuroinformatics Japan Node website, http://brainatlas.brain.riken.jp/marmoset/.
►A population-averaged brain template for the common marmoset was created. ►Tissue segmented templates would contribute to precise voxel-wise statistics. ►Templates for male, female and those mixed are available at website.
Animal fetuses and embryos may have applications in the generation of human organs. Progenitor cells may be an appropriate cell source for regenerative organs because of their safety and ...availability. However, regenerative organs derived from exogenous lineage progenitors in developing animal fetuses have not yet been obtained. Here, we established a combination system through which donor cells could be precisely injected into the nephrogenic zone and native nephron progenitor cells (NPCs) could be eliminated in a time- and tissue-specific manner. We successfully achieved removal of Six2+ NPCs within the nephrogenic niche and complete replacement of transplanted NPCs with donor cells. These NPCs developed into mature glomeruli and renal tubules, and blood flow was observed following transplantation in vivo. Furthermore, this artificial nephron could be obtained using NPCs from different species. Thus, this technique enables in vivo differentiation from progenitor cells into nephrons, providing insights into nephrogenesis and organ regeneration.
Highlights • The present study characterized fetal sulcation patterns and gyrification in common marmosets. • Fetal sulcation began to indent the lateral fissure and hippocampal sulcus in gestational ...week 12. • Fetal sulcation pattern in the marmoset cerebrum was comparable with other higher-order primates. • The degree of gyrificaiton was closely correlated with the cortical volume during fetal periods. • Differential expansion of the oSVZ may be involved in gyral convolution and sulcal infolding.
Although matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are implicated in tumourigenesis and cancer progression, the role of MMP-13 in melanoma cell metastases is poorly understood.
Lung metastases of mouse ...melanoma B16BL6 cells were analysed in MMP-13 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice after intravenous injection. The mRNA and protein expression of MMP-13 in lung tissues was analysed by RT-PCR, real-time PCR, immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. The expression of SDF-1α, CXCR4 and endostatin, and effects of endostatin to cultured melanoma cells and lung metastases were also studied.
Lung metastases of B16BL6 cells were significantly higher by 2.5-5.7-fold in MMP-13 KO mice than in WT mice. The expression of MMP-13 in WT mouse lung tissue was stimulated on day 1 after intravenous injection of the melanoma cells and MMP-13 was immunolocalised to vascular endothelial cells in the lungs. Endostatin formation, but not degradation of SDF-1α, in the lung tissue was associated with reduced lung metastasis in WT mice. Endostatin significantly inhibited migration of B16BL6 cells in monolayer wounding assay and remarkably suppressed Matrigel invasion and transendothelial invasion of the cells. In addition, lung metastases of melanoma cells in MMP-13 KO mice were reduced by intraperitoneal administration of endostatin.
Our results suggest that MMP-13 is overproduced by endothelial cells in the lungs with melanoma cells and has a protective role in lung metastasis by local generation of endostatin.
Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been used to improve exercise performance, though the protocols used, and results found are mixed.
We aimed to analyze the effect of tDCS on ...improving exercise performance.
A systematic search was performed on the following databases, until December 2017: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and SportDiscus. Full-text articles that used tDCS for exercise performance improvement in adults were included. We compared the effect of anodal (anode near nominal target) and cathodal (cathode near nominal target) tDCS to a sham/control condition on the outcome measure (performance in isometric, isokinetic or dynamic strength exercise and whole-body exercise).
22 studies (393 participants) were included in the qualitative synthesis and 11 studies (236 participants) in the meta-analysis. The primary motor cortex (M1) was the main nominal tDCS target (n = 16; 72.5%). A significant effect favoring anodal tDCS (a-tDCS) applied before exercise over M1 was found on cycling time to exhaustion (mean difference = 93.41 s; 95%CI = 27.39 s–159.43 s) but this result was strongly influenced by one study (weight = 84%), no effect was found for cathodal tDCS (c-tDCS). No significant effect was found for a-tDCS applied on M1 before or during exercise on isometric muscle strength of the upper or lower limbs. Studies regarding a-tDCS over M1 on isokinetic muscle strength presented mixed results. Individual results of studies using a-tDCS applied over the prefrontal and motor cortices either before or during dynamic muscle strength testing showed positive results, but performing meta-analysis was not possible.
For the protocols tested, a-tDCS but not c-tDCS vs. sham over M1 improved exercise performance in cycling only. However, this result was driven by a single study, which when removed was no longer significant. Further well-controlled studies with larger sample sizes and broader exploration of the tDCS montages and doses are warranted.
•This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effect of tDCS on exercise performance enhancement in healthy adults.•Weak evidence for an exercise performance enhancement effect favoring anodal tDCS during whole-body dynamic cyclic exercise.•The result of a-tDCS on improving whole-body dynamic cyclic exercise performance was strongly influenced by a single study.•However, there is no evidence that tDCS improves measures of isometric, isokinetic and dynamic strength.
It is becoming increasingly recognised that opioids are responsible for tumour growth. However, the effects of opioids on tumour growth have been controversial.
The effects of κ-opioid receptor (KOR) ...agonist on the growth of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells were assessed by a cell proliferation assay. Western blotting was performed to ascertain the mechanism by which treatment with KOR agonist suppresses tumour growth.
Addition of the selective KOR agonist U50,488H to gefitinib-sensitive (HCC827) and gefitinib-resistant (H1975) NSCLC cells produced a concentration-dependent decrease in their growth. These effects were abolished by co-treatment with the selective KOR antagonist nor-BNI. Furthermore, the growth-inhibitory effect of gefitinib in HCC827 cells was further enhanced by co-treatment with U50,488H. With regard to the inhibition of tumour growth, the addition of U50, 488H to H1975 cells produced a concentration-dependent decrease in phosphorylated-glycogen synthase kinase 3β (p-GSK3β).
The present results showed that stimulation of KOR reduces the growth of gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells through the activation of GSK3β.
Human dental pulp stem/progenitor cells (hDPSCs) are attractive candidates for regenerative therapy because they can be easily expanded to generate colony-forming unit–fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) on plastic ...and the large cell numbers required for transplantation. However, isolation based on adherence to plastic inevitably changes the surface marker expression and biological properties of the cells. Consequently, little is currently known about the original phenotypes of tissue precursor cells that give rise to plastic-adherent CFU-Fs. To better understand the in vivo functions and translational therapeutic potential of hDPSCs and other stem cells, selective cell markers must be identified in the progenitor cells. Here, we identified a dental pulp tissue–specific cell population based on the expression profiles of 2 cell-surface markers LNGFR (CD271) and THY-1 (CD90). Prospectively isolated, dental pulp–derived LNGFRLow+THY-1High+ cells represent a highly enriched population of clonogenic cells—notably, the isolated cells exhibited long-term proliferation and multilineage differentiation potential in vitro. The cells also expressed known mesenchymal cell markers and promoted new bone formation to heal critical-size calvarial defects in vivo. These findings suggest that LNGFRLow+THY-1High+ dental pulp–derived cells provide an excellent source of material for bone regenerative strategies.
PDF
