The Co-Culture of Staphylococcal Biofilm and Fibroblast Cell Line: The Correlation of Biological Phenomena with Metabolic NMR1 Footprint

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most prevalent pathogens associated with several types of biofilm-based infections, including infections of chronic wounds. Mature staphylococcal biofilm is extremely hard to eradicate from a wound and displays a high tendency to induce recurring infections. Therefore, in the present study, we aimed to investigate in vitro the interaction between S. aureus biofilm and fibroblast cells searching for metabolites that could be considered as potential biomarkers of critical colonization and infection. Utilizing advanced microscopy and microbiological methods to examine biofilm formation and the staphylococcal infection process, we were able to distinguish 4 phases of biofilm development. The analysis of staphylococcal biofilm influence on the viability of fibroblasts allowed us to pinpoint the moment of critical colonization—12 h post contamination. Based on the obtained model we performed a metabolomics analysis by ¹H NMR spectroscopy to provide new insights into the pathophysiology of infection. We identified a set of metabolites related to the switch to anaerobic metabolism that was characteristic for staphylococcal biofilm co-cultured with fibroblast cells. The data presented in this study may be thus considered a noteworthy but preliminary step in the direction of developing a new, NMR-based tool for rapid diagnosing of infection in a chronic wound.     

In vitro evaluation of S-(+)-ibuprofen as drug candidate for intra-articular drug delivery system

Intra-articular drug delivery systems (DDSs) are envisaged as interesting alternative to locally release non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen to reduce pain in patients with osteoarthritis. The present study examines the efficacy of S-(+)-ibuprofen on cartilage degradation as drug candidate for DDS loading. Humeral cartilage and joint capsule explants were collected from healthy sheep shoulder joints and they were cultured in mono- or in co-culture for 13?days with LPS in combination with S-(+)-ibuprofen at 50?µM and 1?mM. S-(+)-ibuprofen (50?µM) blocked prostaglandins production in LPS-activated explants but did not reduce cartilage degradation. By contrast, 1?mM S-(+)-ibuprofen treatment of cartilage explants reduced nitric oxide synthesis by 51% (p?=?0.0072), proteoglycans degradation by 35% (p?=?0.0114) and expression of serum amyloid protein – the main protein induced upon LPS challenge – by 44% (p?co-culture. This study performed on sheep explants shows that 1?mM S-(+)-ibuprofen inhibited cartilage degradation via a mechanism independent of cyclooxygenase inhibition. Reduction of prostaglandins synthesis at 50?µM in all treatment groups and reduction of cartilage degradation observed at 1?mM suggest that S-(+)-ibuprofen could be considered as a promising drug candidate for the loading of intra-articular DDS.     

In Vitro Angiogenesis Inhibition and Endothelial Cell Growth and Morphology

A co-culture assay with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) was used to study whether selected angiogenesis inhibitors were able to inhibit differentiation and network formation of HUVECs in vitro. The effect of the inhibitors was determined by the morphology and the calculated percentage area covered by HUVECs. Neutralizing VEGF with avastin and polyclonal goat anti-VEGF antibody and inhibiting VEGFR2 with sorafenib and vatalanib resulted in the formation of HUVEC clusters of variable sizes as a result of inhibited EC differentiation. Furthermore, numerous inhibitors of the VEGF signaling pathways were tested for their effect on the growth and differentiation of HUVECs. The effects of these inhibitors did not reveal a cluster morphology, either individually or when combined to block VEGFR2 downstream pathways. Only the addition of N-methyl-p-bromolevamisole revealed a similar morphology as when targeting VEGF and VEGFR2, meaning it may have an inhibitory influence directly on VEGFR signaling. Additionally, several nuclear receptor ligands and miscellaneous compounds that might affect EC growth and differentiation were tested, but only dexamethasone gave rise to cluster formation similarly to VEGF-neutralizing compounds. These results point to a link between angiogenesis, HUVEC differentiation and glucocorticoid receptor activation.     

Microgravity Modifies the Phenotype of Fibroblast and Promotes Remodeling of the Fibroblast–Keratinocyte Interaction in a 3D Co-Culture Model

Microgravity impairs tissue organization and critical pathways involved in the cell–microenvironment interplay, where fibroblasts have a critical role. We exposed dermal fibroblasts to simulated microgravity by means of a Random Positioning Machine (RPM), a device that reproduces conditions of weightlessness. Molecular and structural changes were analyzed and compared to control samples growing in a normal gravity field. Simulated microgravity impairs fibroblast conversion into myofibroblast and inhibits their migratory properties. Consequently, the normal interplay between fibroblasts and keratinocytes were remarkably altered in 3D co-culture experiments, giving rise to several ultra-structural abnormalities. Such phenotypic changes are associated with down-regulation of α-SMA that translocate in the nucleoplasm, altogether with the concomitant modification of the actin-vinculin apparatus. Noticeably, the stress associated with weightlessness induced oxidative damage, which seemed to concur with such modifications. These findings disclose new opportunities to establish antioxidant strategies that counteract the microgravity-induced disruptive effects on fibroblasts and tissue organization.     

稻渔综合种养及其发展建议

稻田养鱼是一种传统的综合养鱼方式。近几年来,一批以特种经济品种为主导的稻渔综合种养新模式不断涌现,在经济、社会、生态等方面取得显著的成效。为了推广稻渔综合种养的经验,本文实地调研了湖北省两种典型的稻渔综合种养模式,其中"虾–稻共作"模式亩均纯收入超过3 000元,亩纯收入则是单纯种粮的3~4倍;"鳖–虾–鱼–稻共作"模式亩均纯收入近万元,是单一种植水稻亩均效益的12.8倍。本文还提出了加快产业发展的建议,包括进一步拓展种养殖空间、促进产业融合发展及加大政策扶持力度等。     

共培养时酿酒酵母对速生梭菌己酸代谢的影响及其机理

以1 株可以产己酸的速生梭菌（Clostridium celerecrescens）JSJ-1与1 株酿酒酵母（Saccharomyces cerevisiae）C-1为研究对象,在不同营养条件下,比较2 种微生物纯培养、共培养过程中生长代谢（菌落数、葡萄糖、乙醇、丁酸、己酸）的差异,分析S. cerevisiae对己酸菌己酸代谢的影响及其机理。结果发现：在厌氧条件下,34 ℃静置培养,S. cerevisiae C-1比C. celerecrescens JSJ-1更具有生长优势,会优先利用培养基中的葡萄糖。当培养基中唯一碳源为葡萄糖时,S. cerevisiae C-1会利用葡萄糖代谢生成乙醇,为C. celerecrescens JSJ-1合成己酸提供底物。当培养基中含0.5%葡萄糖和2%乙醇时,共培养相比C. celerecrescens JSJ-1单独培养,己酸的生成时间提前了4 d。葡萄糖对C. celerecrescens JSJ-1生成己酸有较强的抑制作用,共培养时S. cerevisiae C-1利用葡萄糖可缓解葡萄糖对己酸生成的抑制。在浓香型白酒发酵过程中,S. cerevisiae不仅可以为己酸菌合成己酸提供底物,而且可以缓解葡萄糖对己酸生成的抑制作用。     

卵黄高磷蛋白磷酸肽及其钙螯合物在双细胞共培养体系中对成骨细胞分化的促进作用

研究了卵黄高磷蛋白磷酸肽（Phosvitin Phosphopeptide,PPP）及其钙螯合物（PPP-Ca）在成骨细胞（MC3T3-E1）和破骨前体细胞（RAW264.7）共培养体系中对成骨细胞分化的调节作用。对细胞毒性、碱性磷酸酶（AKP）、抗酒石酸酸性磷酸酶（TRAP）的活性和TRAP染色进行分析;用RT-PCR技术进一步探究成骨细胞RANKL/OPG通路相关蛋白的mRNA表达情况。结果发现,PPP和PPP-Ca可以使MC3T3-E1体系中的AKP活性分别增加9.5%和12.7%;PPP和PPP-Ca的加入可以使MC3T3-E1体系中OPG基因mRNA的表达量从0.92分别提升至1.25和1.39、使RANKL基因mRNA的表达量从1.00分别提升至1.23和1.45。该研究结果表明,PPP和PPP-Ca可有效促进成骨细胞的分化。实验结果为进一步探索磷酸肽在多细胞模型体系中的作用提供了研究基础,同时为磷酸肽的功能活性开发提供理论依据。     

外源微生物对共培养生物膜微生态系统的影响研究

通过外源微生物与土著微生物共培养形成生物膜,考察了外源微生物对生物膜形成过程的影响;比较了共培养生物膜与常规生物膜在生物量、生物活性、微生态系统组成与结构等方面的差异.结果表明：共培养系统微生物生物量及生物活性较大;微生物群落结构与组成和常规系统有一定的差异;PLFA谱图总峰面积较大,与脂磷法所测的生物量数据可以相互佐证.     

Damage of Neuroblastoma Cell SH-SY5Y Mediated by MPP+ Inhibits Proliferation of T-Cell Leukemia Jurkat by Co-Culture System

The adaptive immune system has implications in pathology of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Research data demonstrated that the peripheral CD4⁺ T-cell population decreased in pathogenesis of PD. The effect of damaged dopaminergic neurons on peripheral T cells of PD is still unknown. In this study, we constructed a neuronal and glial cells co-culture model by using human neuroblastoma cells SH-SY5Y and gliomas cells U87. After the co-culture cells were treated with neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺) for 24 h, the conditioned media was harvested and used to cultivate T-cell leukemia Jurkat cells for another 24 h. We then analyzed the cell proliferation, cell cycle and necrosis effect of Jurkat cells. The results showed that co-culture medium of SH-SY5Y and U87 cells with MPP⁺ treatment inhibited the proliferation of Jurkat cells compared to control medium without MPP⁺, even though the same concentration of MPP⁺ had very little toxicity to the Jurkat cell. Furthermore, co-culture medium with low concentration of MPP⁺ (100 µM) arrested Jurkat cells cycle in G2/M phase through increasing cell cycle division 2 (CDC2) and CyclinB1 expression level, whereas co-culture medium with high concentration of MPP⁺ (500 µM) induced Jurkat cell necrosis through cellular swelling and membrane breakage. Our data implies that damaged dopamine neurons with glial cells can lead to the reduced number or inhibited proliferation activity of peripheral T cells.     

Triple Culture of Primary Human Osteoblasts,Osteoclasts and Osteocytes as an In Vitro Bone Model

In vitro evaluation of bone graft materials is generally performed by analyzing the interaction with osteoblasts or osteoblast precursors. In vitro bone models comprising different cell species can give specific first information on the performance of those materials. In the present study, a 3D co-culture model was established comprising primary human osteoblasts, osteoclasts and osteocytes. Osteocytes were differentiated from osteoblasts embedded in collagen gels and were cultivated with osteoblast and osteoclasts seeded in patterns on a porous membrane. This experimental setup allowed paracrine signaling as well as separation of the different cell types for final analysis. After 7 days of co-culture, the three cell species showed their typical morphology and gene expression of typical markers like ALPL, BSPII, BLGAP, E11, PHEX, MEPE, RANKL, ACP5, CAII and CTSK. Furthermore, relevant enzyme activities for osteoblasts (ALP) and osteoclasts (TRAP, CTSK, CAII) were detected. Osteoclasts in triple culture showed downregulated TRAP (ACP5) and CAII expression and decreased TRAP activity. ALP and BSPII expression of osteoblasts in triple culture were upregulated. The expression of the osteocyte marker E11 (PDPN) was unchanged; however, osteocalcin (BGLAP) expression was considerably downregulated both in osteoblasts and osteocytes in triple cultures compared to the respective single cultures.