Possible Role of Crystal-Bearing Cells in Tomato Fertility and Formation of Seedless Fruits

Crystal-bearing cells or idioblasts, which deposit calcium oxalate, are located in various tissues and organs of many plant species. The functional significance of their formation is currently unclear. Idioblasts in the leaf parenchyma and the development of crystal-bearing cells in the anther tissues of transgenic tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicon L.), expressing the heterologous FeSOD gene and which showed a decrease in fertility, were studied by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. The amount of calcium oxalate crystals was found to increase significantly in the transgenic plants compared to the wild type (WT) ones in idioblasts and crystal-bearing cells of the upper part of the anther. At the same time, changes in the size and shape of the crystals and their location in anther organs were noted. It seems that the interruption in the break of the anther stomium in transgenic plants was associated with the formation and cell death regulation of a specialized group of crystal-bearing cells. This disturbance caused an increase in the pool of these cells and their localization in the upper part of the anther, where rupture is initiated. Perturbations were also noted in the lower part of the anther in transgenic plants, where the amount of calcium oxalate crystals in crystal-bearing cells was reduced that was accompanied by disturbances in the morphology of pollen grains. Thus, the induction of the formation of crystal-bearing cells and calcium oxalate crystals can have multidirectional effects, contributing to the regulation of oxalate metabolism in the generative and vegetative organs and preventing fertility when the ROS balance changes, in particular, during oxidative stresses accompanying most abiotic and biotic environmental factors.     

Early Life Events and Maturation of the Dentate Gyrus: Implications for Neurons and Glial Cells

The dentate gyrus (DG), an important part of the hippocampus, plays a significant role in learning, memory, and emotional behavior. Factors potentially influencing normal development of neurons and glial cells in the DG during its maturation can exert long-lasting effects on brain functions. Early life stress may modify maturation of the DG and induce lifelong alterations in its structure and functioning, underlying brain pathologies in adults. In this paper, maturation of neurons and glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) and the effects of early life events on maturation processes in the DG have been comprehensively reviewed. Early postnatal interventions affecting the DG eventually result in an altered number of granule neurons in the DG, ectopic location of neurons and changes in adult neurogenesis. Adverse events in early life provoke proinflammatory changes in hippocampal glia at cellular and molecular levels immediately after stress exposure. Later, the cellular changes may disappear, though alterations in gene expression pattern persist. Additional stressful events later in life contribute to manifestation of glial changes and behavioral deficits. Alterations in the maturation of neuronal and glial cells induced by early life stress are interdependent and influence the development of neural nets, thus predisposing the brain to the development of cognitive and psychiatric disorders.     

污泥生物炭中氮硫行为及环境效应研究进展

污泥生物炭中氮硫元素含量高,其氮硫行为和环境效应对全球气候变化的影响不容忽视。以往的研究中,研究者往往以富碳生物炭作为主要研究对象,关注碳对全球气候变化的行为和功效,而对氮硫元素的作用关注不够。本文从原始污泥基本性质到其热解过程,再到生物炭的老化,逐步对污泥生物炭整个生命周期内氮硫的行为及其环境效应研究进行综述,并对未来应注重开展的研究方向进行展望,为生物炭中氮硫元素固定、释放及与之关联的环境效应和温室气体排放控制研究提供理论基础。分析表明,污泥中氮元素含量普遍高于硫元素,且热解过程中氮比硫更容易转移至气相产物。氮硫元素随热解温度的增加,在三相产物中的分配都是炭中持续减少,油中先增后减,气中一直增加。高温（＞800℃）条件下,气相中的氮含量高于固相,而硫元素则仍然主要存在于固相中。污泥生物炭老化及其环境效应研究表明,污泥生物炭氮硫元素与土壤的相互作用及其温室效应问题在今后的研究中应引起重视。     

Sp7 Transgenic Mice with a Markedly Impaired Lacunocanalicular Network Induced Sost and Reduced Bone Mass by Unloading

The relationship of lacunocanalicular network structure and mechanoresponse has not been well studied. The lacunocanalicular structures differed in the compression and tension sides, in the regions, and in genders in wild-type femoral cortical bone. The overexpression of Sp7 in osteoblasts resulted in thin and porous cortical bone with increased osteoclasts and apoptotic osteocytes, and the number of canaliculi was half of that in the wild-type mice, leading to a markedly impaired lacunocanalicular network. To investigate the response to unloading, we performed tail suspension. Unloading reduced trabecular and cortical bone in the Sp7 transgenic mice due to reduced bone formation. Sost-positive osteocytes increased by unloading on the compression side, but not on the tension side of cortical bone in the wild-type femurs. However, these differential responses were lost in the Sp7 transgenic femurs. Serum Sost increased in the Sp7 transgenic mice, but not in the wild-type mice. Unloading reduced the Col1a1 and Bglap/Bglap2 expression in the Sp7 transgenic mice but not the wild-type mice. Thus, Sp7 transgenic mice with the impaired lacunocanalicular network induced Sost expression by unloading but lost the differential regulation in the compression and tension sides, and the mice failed to restore bone formation during unloading, implicating the relationship of lacunocanalicular network structure and the regulation of bone formation in mechanoresponse.     

Uptake and Metabolization of Serotonin by Granulosa Cells Form a Functional Barrier in the Mouse Ovary

Serotonin (5-HT) plays an essential role in regulating female reproductive function in many animals. 5-HT accumulates in the mammalian ovary with the involvement of membrane serotonin transporter SERT and is functionally active in the oocytes of growing follicles, but shows almost no activity in follicular cells. In this study, we clarified the interplay between 5-HT membrane transport and its degradation by monoamine oxidase (MAO) in the mammalian ovary. Using pharmacologic agents and immunohistochemical staining of the cryosections of ovaries after serotonin administration in vitro, we demonstrated the activity of transport and degradation systems in ovarian follicles. The MAO inhibitor pargyline increased serotonin accumulation in the granulosa cells of growing follicles, indicating the activity of both serotonin uptake and degradation by MAO in these cells. The activity of MAO and the specificity of the membrane transport of serotonin was confirmed in primary granulosa cell culture treated with pargyline and fluoxetine. Moreover, the accumulation of serotonin is more effective in the denuded oocytes and occurs at lower concentrations than in the oocytes within the follicles. This confirms that the activity of SERT and MAO in the granulosa cells surrounding the oocytes impedes the accumulation of serotonin in the oocytes and forms a functional barrier to serotonin.     

Immunohistochemical Characteristics of the Human Carotid Body in the Antenatal and Postnatal Periods of Development

The evolutionary and ontogenetic development of the carotid body is still understudied. Research aimed at studying the comparative morphology of the organ at different periods in the individual development of various animal species should play a crucial role in understanding the physiology of the carotid body. However, despite more than two centuries of study, the human carotid body remains poorly understood. There are many knowledge gaps in particular related to the antenatal development of this structure. The aim of our work is to study the morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of the human carotid body in the antenatal and postnatal periods of development. We investigated the human carotid bodies from 1 embryo, 20 fetuses and 13 adults of different ages using samples obtained at autopsy. Immunohistochemistry revealed expression of βIII-tubulin and tyrosine hydroxylase in the type I cells and nerve fibers at all periods of ontogenesis; synaptophysin and PGP9.5 in the type I cells in some of the antenatal cases and all of the postnatal cases; 200 kDa neurofilaments in nerve fibers in some of the antenatal cases and all of the postnatal cases; and GFAP and S100 in the type II cells and Schwann cells in some of the antenatal cases and all of the postnatal cases. A high level of tyrosine hydroxylase in the type I cells was a distinctive feature of the antenatal carotid bodies. On the contrary, in the type I cells of adults, the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase was significantly lower. Our data suggest that the human carotid body may perform an endocrine function in the antenatal period, while in the postnatal period of development, it loses this function and becomes a chemosensory organ.     

Quantification and Topographical Distribution of Terminal and Linked Fucose Residues in Human Spermatozoa by Using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM)

The modification of sperm glycocalyx is an essential process during sperm capacitation. The presence and redistribution of terminal and linked fucose have been described during in vitro capacitation in humans. However, the influence of the capacitation time on the quantification and localization of terminal and linked fucose is still unknown. In this study, the quantitative and qualitative changes in fucosyl residues during different in vitro capacitation times (1 and 4 h), are simultaneously characterized by using Aleuria aurantia (AAA) lectin–gold labelling and high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) in human sperm. A significant decrease was found in the number of terminal fucose registered in the whole sperm head during the in vitro capacitation. Nevertheless, the quantification of fucose residues after 1 h of in vitro capacitation was very similar to those found after 4 h. Therefore, the changes observed in terminal and linked fucose during capacitation were not time-dependent. Furthermore, the comprehensive analysis of the topographic distribution showed the preferential fucosyl location in the acrosomal region and the presence of distinct clusters distributed over the head in all the studied conditions. Overall, these findings corroborate the validity of FE-SEM combined with gold labelling to register changes in surface molecules during in vitro sperm capacitation.     

Metal availability in contaminated soils: I. Effects of floodingand organic matter on changes in Eh, pH and solubility of Cd, Ni andZn

Soil pH and Eh play an important role in reducing heavy metal solubility in paddy soils. To assess the effects of flooding and organic matter application on changes in Eh, pH and solubility of Cd, Ni and Zn in contaminated soils, a growth chamber experiment with rice plants(Oryza sativa L.) was conducted. Eh values decreased with flooding time in all three soils. The changes of Eh values were more negative in the tannery and alum shale contaminated soils and stabilized after 30 days of submergence. The Eh changes were not so large in the city sewage contaminated soil as in the other two soils. Soil pH increased with flooding time. During the 65 days of submergence, pH increase was about 2, 1 and 0.6units in the tannery, city sewage and alum shale soils, respectively. In all three soils, organic matter treated soil showed lower Eh and higher pH values compared to untreated soil. Concentration of Cd, Ni and Zn in soil solution decreased with flooding time. The solution concentration of Cd and Zn in the city sewage soil and of Ni in the tannery soil was higher than in the alum shale soil. The soluble metal concentration in all three soils was lower inorganic matter treated soils. Reduced solubility of metals in the organic matter treated soils was related to larger changes of Eh and pH values in these soils. Correlation coefficient calculations also showed that metal solubility decreased with decreased Eh and increased pH in the soil solution. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Radiation-induced cationic polymerization of vinyl ethers in solution: 3. The influence of monomer and solvent concentrations on the rate of polymerization of ethyl vinyl ether in ether solvent

The influence of the monomer concentration on the rate of propagation of the radiation-induced polymerization of super-dry ethyl vinyl ether has been examined in detail in two ether solvents, diethyl ether and diglyme, chosen for their different dielectric constants and their different abilities to solvate ions. Estimations of the rate of initiation and of the rate of termination have made possible the evaluation of the rate constants of polymerization. Very similar values were obtained in both ethers. Experiments were also performed in benzene-diglyme and diglyme-methylene chloride mixtures. The results are in good agreement with the previous studies, made in benzene and methylene dichloride, and confirm the important role of the solvation of the free propagating species concerning the reactivities observed in the radiation-induced polymerization of EVE in solution.     

The Effects of Immunosuppressive Treatment during Pregnancy on the Levels of Potassium,Iron, Chromium,Zinc, Aluminum,Sodium and Molybdenum in Hard Tissues of Female Rats and Their Offspring

The ideal immunosuppressive regimen should provide for excellent immunosuppression with no side effects. Yet, current immunosuppressive therapy regimens commonly used in clinical applications fail to meet this criterion. One of the complications caused by immunosuppressive drugs is mineralization disorders in hard tissues. In this study, we evaluated the effects of three immunosuppressive therapies used after transplantation on the levels of potassium, iron, chromium, zinc, aluminum, sodium and molybdenum in the bones and teeth of female rats and their offspring. The study was conducted on 32 female Wistar rats, subjected to immunosuppressive regimens (cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone; tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone; and cyclosporine A, everolimus and prednisone). The hard tissues of rats were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES, ICAP 7400 Duo, Thermo Scientific) equipped with a concentric nebulizer and a cyclonic spray chamber. All the immunosuppressive regimens included in the study affected the concentrations of the studied minerals in hard tissues of female rats and their offspring. The therapy based on cyclosporine A, everolimus and prednisone led to a decline in the levels of iron in bone, zinc in teeth, and molybdenum in the bone and teeth of mothers, while in the offspring, it caused a decline of bone potassium, with a decrease in iron and increase of molybdenum in teeth. Moreover, the regimen caused an increase in aluminum and chromium in the teeth and aluminum in the bones of the offspring, and consequently, it seems to be the therapy with the most negative impact on the mineral metabolism in hard tissues.     

莠去津在玉米和土壤中的残留及安全使用评价

为了评价莠去津在玉米上使用的安全性,于2009―2010年在济南、焦作两地通过田间试验和气相色谱分析方法研究了莠去津在玉米和土壤中的消解动态和最终残留。莠去津在玉米植株和土壤中的降解行为均符合一级降解动力学方程,降解半衰期分别为3.6～4.2 d和6.5～12.9 d。土壤中莠去津消解速率焦作慢于济南,这可能与土壤中微生物菌群有关。莠去津在玉米植株、籽粒和土壤中的最终残留量均低于莠去津在玉米上的最大残留限量(MRL)0.05 mg/kg。本研究为制定该农药在玉米上的合理使用准则以及风险评估提供了科学依据。     

Extracellular Disposal of Tumor-Suppressor miRs-145 and -34a via Microvesicles and 5-FU Resistance of Human Colon Cancer Cells

The dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) expression causes various kinds of diseases. Especially, alterations in miRNA expression levels are frequently observed in human tumor cells and are associated with cancer pathogenesis. Earlier we established Fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant human colon cancer DLD-1 cells (DLD-1/5FU) from parental 5-FU- sensitive DLD-1 cells. In the present study, we examined the expression of miRNA in each cell line and in its extracellular microvesicles (MVs) before and after treatment with 5-FU. The nascent RNAs of anti-oncogenic miR-34a and -145 labeled with EU in both cells were proved to be transferred into MVs in both cell lines. The levels of miR-34a and -145 in the cells and in their MVs were not largely different in the two cell lines, and a substantial amount of both miRNAs was secreted by both cell lines even in the steady-state condition. The exposure of both cell lines to 5-FU significantly increased the intracellular levels of miR-145 and miR-34a in the 5-FU-sensitive DLD-1 cells, whereas the level of neither miR was elevated in the DLD-1/5FU cells. Interestingly, the amount of miR-145 detected in the small MVs shed into the medium of the parental cells was reduced after the treatment with 5-FU. On the other hand, the intracellular expression of miR-34a in the DLD-1/5FU cells was down-regulated compared with that in the parental DLD-1 cells even in the steady-state condition. As to the miR-34a secreted into MVs, the increase in the level in DLD-1/5FU cells was greater than that in the parental DLD-1 cells after the treatment with 5-FU. Thus, the intra- and extracellular miR-145 and -34a were closely associated with 5-FU resistance, and the resistance was in part due to the enhanced secretion of miR-145 and -34a via MVs, resulting in low intracellular levels of both miRNAs.     

Ion-doped hydroxyapatite: An impasse or the road to follow?

Doping hydroxyapatite (HAp) with foreign ions has been increasing in popularity as a chemical approach to augment the existing and impart new properties to it. However, it is uncertain whether this approach can elicit properties strong enough to make HAp competitive for commercial applications in biomedicine and elsewhere. In particular, material properties, such as grain size, morphology, surface charge, porosity, topology and others may prove to be more effective in controlling properties of HAp than the dopant choice and concentration. This study tackles this question through a meta-analysis of the dependence of selected materials properties on dopant concentrations reported across the literature, showing that doping is a convenient way of controlling some, but not all properties in HAp and should be implemented ideally in combination with other structural and compositional factors of influence. This meta-analysis is coupled to a bibliographic analysis of the evolution of trends in terms of the type, frequency and concurrency of dopants in HAp, covering the entire Periodic Table, all 72 elements incorporated into HAp so far and the 1990 – 2019 period split into successive lustra. The study demonstrates a continuously ascending trend in popularity of certain elements, such as Sr, Ce and Se, and a continuously declining trend of others in the past two decades, including F, Y, I, Ti and most lanthanides. For the fourth period transition metals a trend of constancy was observed and for yet other elements, including Ag and Mg, a period of ascent was succeeded by a steady decline, the onset of which coincided in the case of Ag with the peak in the airing of the concerns over its cytotoxicity by the scientific community. Reasons for these trends with respect to most elements are explained and connected with trends governing broader realms of materials science. It is shown that the choice of ions as dopants in HAp is largely driven by broader trends in materials science, rendering the doped HAp a mirror to view these existing and past trends in. Theoretically, by following the historic progression of these trends, a gaze in this mirror could assist in extrapolation of future trends, which normally come at the cost extinguishing some of the existing ones. This immersion in more general developments in materials science opened the path toward drawing connections between the bibliographically assessed geopolitical trends in doped HAp and in broader aspects of the scientific community, including the growing gap between the rich and the poor pervading it. The analysis reported here is conceptually novel and could be applied to numerous other materials.     

How green is green? Long-term relationships between green seeds and chlorophyll in canola grading

Chlorophyll is undesirable in canola seeds because it is extracted into the oil resulting in problems during processing and utilization. In the Canadian grain grading system, and in similar systems in use in the United States and Australia, chlorophyll is estimated in canola seeds subjectively by crushing and counting the number of distinctly green seeds in a sample while simultaneously assessing the overall natural color of the crushed seeds. Chlorophyll contents of canola may be determined by extraction with solvent followed by spectrophotometric analysis or by using NIR instrumentation, capable of operating in the visible region and calibrated against samples with known amounts of chlorophyll. The relationship between the green seeds and chlorophyll content in canola export shipments from 1988 to 2001 was found to be linear. The intercept, referred to as the background chlorophyll, ranged from 6 to 16 mg/kg, and the slope ranged from 300 to 1000 mg/kg per green seed. In recent years, both the background chlorophyll and the slope have been increasing, resulting in an increase in the chlorophyll levels in top-grade canola exported from Canada. The increase may be partly a result of the change in proportion of species of canola grown in Canada, and also may result from changes in perception of what constitutes a green seed. The use of an objective measurement of chlorophyll is recommended to improve the consistency of the grading system.     

Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Causes Changes in Serotonin-Positive Neurons in the Small Intestine in Pig Model

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine or 5-HT) is an important neurotransmitter of the central and peripheral nervous systems, predominantly secreted in the gastrointestinal tract, especially in the gut. 5-HT is a crucial enteric signaling molecule and is well known for playing a key role in sensory-motor and secretory functions in the gut. Gastroenteropathy is one of the most clinical problems in diabetic patients with frequent episodes of hyperglycemia. Changes in 5-HT expression may mediate gastrointestinal tract disturbances seen in diabetes, such as nausea and diarrhea. Based on the double immunohistochemical staining, this study determined the variability in the population of 5-HT-positive neurons in the porcine small intestinal enteric neurons in the course of streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The results show changes in the number of 5-HT-positive neurons in the examined intestinal sections. The greatest changes were observed in the jejunum, particularly within the myenteric plexus. In the ileum, both de novo 5-HT synthesis in the inner submucosal plexus neurons and an increase in the number of neurons in the outer submucosal plexus were noted. The changes observed in the duodenum were also increasing in nature. The results of the current study confirm the previous observations concerning the involvement of 5-HT in inflammatory processes, and an increase in the number of 5-HT -positive neurons may also be a result of increased concentration of the 5-HT in the gastrointestinal tract wall and affects the motor and secretory processes, which are particularly intense in the small intestines.     

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of degradability and biocompatibility of poly(p-dioxanone) hemostatic clips for laparoscopic surgery

For the clinical application of biodegradable hemostatic surgical clips in laparoscopic surgery, it is necessary to determine their degradability and biocompatibility. Herein, in vitro and in vivo studies were undertaken to evaluate the degradability and biocompatibility of bioabsorbable clips made of poly(p-dioxanone). Changes in weight loss, pull-off force, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the poly(p-dioxanone) clips were determined after they were degraded in deionized water and phosphate buffer saline for the in vitro experiment and in laparoscopic models of bile duct ligation(BDL) and right gastroepiploic artery ligation(GEAL) using New Zealand white rabbits for the in vivo experiment. Changes in weight loss and pull-off force were greater in the in vivo experiment than the in vitro experiment. DSC showed the greatest variation in the degree of crystallinity of the clips degraded in deionized water. Stark differences in SEM were observed after 4 weeks of degradation both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the cytocompatibility of the clips was considered satisfactory because the L929 cells could adhere to the clips and proliferate adequately in the presence of the clip extract. Biocompatibility was inferred based on the histological analysis of BDL and GEAL, no significant inflammatory responses were observed after 4 weeks of ligation.     

Molecular Markers of Adult Neurogenesis in the Telencephalon and Tectum of Rainbow Trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss

In the brain of teleost fish, radial glial cells are the major type of astroglial cells. To answer the question as to how radial glia structures adapt to the continuous growth of the brain, which is characteristic of salmonids, it is necessary to study various types of cells (neuronal precursors, astroglial cells, and cells in a state of neuronal differentiation) in the major integrative centers of the salmon brain (telencephalon and tectum opticum), using rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, as a model. A study of the distribution of several molecular markers in the telencephalon and tectum with the identification of neural stem/progenitor cells, neuroblasts, and radial glia was carried out on juvenile (three-year-old) O. mykiss. The presence of all of these cell types provides specific conditions for the adult neurogenesis processes in the trout telencephalon and tectum. The distribution of glutamine synthetase, a molecular marker of neural stem cells, in the trout telencephalon revealed a large population of radial glia (RG) corresponding to adult-type neural stem cells (NSCs). RG dominated the pallial region of the telencephalon, while, in the subpallial region, RG was found in the lateral and ventral zones. In the optic tectum, RG fibers were widespread and localized both in the marginal layer and in the periventricular gray layer. Doublecortin (DC) immunolabeling revealed a large population of neuroblasts formed in the postembryonic period, which is indicative of intense adult neurogenesis in the trout brain. The pallial and subpallial regions of the telencephalon contained numerous DC+ cells and their clusters. In the tectum, DC+ cells were found not only in the stratum griseum periventriculare (SGP) and longitudinal torus (TL) containing proliferating cells, but also in the layers containing differentiated neurons: the central gray layer, the periventricular gray and white layers, and the superficial white layer. A study of the localization patterns of vimentin and nestin in the trout telencephalon and tectum showed the presence of neuroepithelial neural stem cells (eNSCs) and ependymoglial cells in the periventricular matrix zones of the brain. The presence of vimentin and nestin in the functionally heterogeneous cell types of adult trout indicates new functional properties of these proteins and their heterogeneous involvement in intracellular motility and adult neurogenesis. Investigation into the later stages of neuronal development in various regions of the fish brain can substantially elucidate the major mechanisms of adult neurogenesis, but it can also contribute to understanding the patterns of formation of certain brain regions and the involvement of RG in the construction of the definite brain structure.     

Sexually Dimorphic Immune and Neuroimmune Changes Following Peripheral Nerve Injury in Mice: Novel Insights for Gender Medicine

Neuropathic pain (NeP) in humans is often a life-long condition with no effective therapy available. The higher incidence of female gender in NeP onset is worldwide reported, and although the cause is generally attributed to sex hormones, the actual mechanisms and the players involved are still unclear. Glial and immune cells take part in NeP development, and orchestrate the neuroimmune and inflammatory response, releasing pro-inflammatory factors with chemoattractant properties that activate resident immune cells and recruit immune cells from circulation. The neuro-immune crosstalk is a key contributor to pain hypersensitivity following peripheral nervous system injury. Our previous works showed that in spite of the fact that female mice had an earlier analgesic response than males following nerve lesion, the recovery from NeP was never complete, suggesting that this difference could occur in the very early stages after injury. To further investigate gender differences in immune and neuroimmune responses to NeP, we studied the main immune cells and mediators elicited both in plasma and sciatic nerves by peripheral nerve lesion. After injury, we found a different pattern of distribution of immune cell populations showing either a higher infiltration of T cells in nerves from females or a higher infiltration of macrophages in nerves from males. Moreover, in comparison to male mice, the levels of cytokines and chemokines were differently up- and down-regulated in blood and nerve lysates from female mice. Our study provides some novel insights for the understanding of gender-associated differences in the generation and perseveration of NeP as well as for the isolation of specific neurodegenerative mechanisms underlying NeP. The identification of gender-associated inflammatory profiles in neuropathy is of key importance for the development of differential biomarkers and gender-specific personalized medicine.     

Molecular mechanisms of aging and immune system regulation in Drosophila

Aging is a complex process that involves the accumulation of deleterious changes resulting in overall decline in several vital functions, leading to the progressive deterioration in physiological condition of the organism and eventually causing disease and death. The immune system is the most important host-defense mechanism in humans and is also highly conserved in insects. Extensive research in vertebrates has concluded that aging of the immune function results in increased susceptibility to infectious disease and chronic inflammation. Over the years, interest has grown in studying the molecular interaction between aging and the immune response to pathogenic infections. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is an excellent model system for dissecting the genetic and genomic basis of important biological processes, such as aging and the innate immune system, and deciphering parallel mechanisms in vertebrate animals. Here, we review the recent advances in the identification of key players modulating the relationship between molecular aging networks and immune signal transduction pathways in the fly. Understanding the details of the molecular events involved in aging and immune system regulation will potentially lead to the development of strategies for decreasing the impact of age-related diseases, thus improving human health and life span.