G. V. Pavlova

Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Stimulate Regeneration of Peripheral Nerves: BDNF Secreted by These Cells Promotes Nerve Healing and Axon Growth De Novo

Transplantation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) induces tissue regeneration by accelerating the growth of blood vessels and nerve. However, mechanisms by which they accelerate the growth of nerve fibers are only partially understood. We used transplantation of ASCs with subcutaneous matrigel implants (well-known in vivo model of angiogenesis) and model of mice limb reinnervation to check the influence of ASC on nerve growth. Here we show that ASCs stimulate the regeneration of nerves in innervated mices limbs and induce axon growth in subcutaneous matrigel implants. To investigate the mechanism of this action we analyzed different properties of these cells and showed that they express numerous genes of neurotrophins and extracellular matrix proteins required for the nerve growth and myelination. Induction of neural differentiation of ASCs enhances production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as well as ability of these cells to induce nerve fiber growth. BDNF neutralizing antibodies abrogated the stimulatory effects of ASCs on the growth of nerve sprouts. These data suggest that ASCs induce nerve repair and growth via BDNF production. This stimulatory effect can be further enhanced by culturing the cells in neural differentiation medium prior to transplantation.

Sialylation in protostomes: a perspective from Drosophila genetics and biochemistry

Numerous studies have revealed important functions for sialylation in both prokaryotes and higher animals. However, the genetic and biochemical potential for sialylation in Drosophila has only been confirmed recently. Recent studies suggest significant similarities between the sialylation pathways of vertebrates and insects and provide evidence for their common evolutionary origin. These new data support the hypothesis that sialylation in insects is a specialized and developmentally regulated process which likely plays a prominent role in the nervous system. Yet several key issues remain to be addressed in Drosophila, including the initiation of sialic acid de novo biosynthesis and understanding the structure and function of sialylated glycoconjugates. This review discusses our current knowledge of the Drosophila sialylation pathway, as compared to the pathway in bacteria and vertebrates. We arrive at the conclusion that Drosophila is emerging as a useful model organism that is poised to shed new light on the function of sialylation not only in protostomes, but also in a larger evolutionary context.

In Vitro Neuronal Induction of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and their Fate after Transplantation into Injured Mouse Brain

The effect of substances known as inducers of neuronal differentiation on cultured human and mouse adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) and their fate after transplantation into the injured and ischemic mouse brains were studied. ASCs were isolated from the human and mouse adipose tissue. Inducers of neuronal differentiation included β-mercaptoethanol, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GNDF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), retinoic acid (RA), 5-azacytidine, as well as their combinations. Three days after the induction, the phenotype of the induced cells was analyzed using immunocytochemistry and real-time PCR assay for differential expression of specific genes. The induction efficiency was evaluated by the increased transcription of neuronal differentiation markers: nestin, β-III-tubulin (Tub-B), microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), and neuron-specific enolase (ENO2). The expression of marker genes was tested by immunocytochemical analysis. ASC cultivation in the medium with RA or BDNF in combination with 5- azacytidine for a week increased the mRNA and protein levels of nestin, Tub-B, and ENO2. The transplantation of induced mouse ASCs into the mouse brain increased the lifespan of the cells relative to control uninduced cells and promoted their migration from the transplantation site to the recipient cerebral parenchyma. The transplantation of the induced cells into the mouse brain pre-exposed to endothelin- 1 promoted a more active cell migration into the surrounding ischemic brain tissue. Thus, ASC exposure to RA or BDNF in combination with 5-azacytidine elevated the transcription of the neuronal differentiation markers and improved the viability and integration of ASCs grafted into the mouse brain.

Novel modular DNA aptamer for human thrombin with high anticoagulant activity.

Aptamers based on nucleic acids are a promising alternative to antibodies in therapy and diagnostics. Several DNA aptamers against human thrombin have been developed by selection from random libraries: a 15-mer and its derivatives, a 29-mer, and a 31-mer. Some of them are patented and already under clinical trial. The 15-mer structure was determined by X-ray and NMR and turned out to be a monomolecular antiparallel G-quadruplex. The other aptamers mentioned above have higher inhibitory activity than the initial 15-mer, but there are not yet structural data explaining this phenomenon. Here, the initial 15-mer, 31-mer, and novel RA-36 aptamers are compared to establish the structure-function correlation, providing a solid ground for further rational aptameric drug design. For the molecular dynamic simulation of aptamers, the force field parmbsc0 was ported onto GROMACS, and the main stabilizing parameters were revealed, leading to the novel DNA aptamer RA-36. The functional properties of the DNA aptamers were studied by conventional coagulation tests, which do not directly elucidate the mechanism of thrombin inhibition by aptamers. Improved turbidimetric measurements provided data to develop detailed kinetics showing that the 31-mer and RA-36, in contrast to the 15-mer, are competitive inhibitors. These data revealed RA-36 to be an efficient thrombin inhibitor with a dose-dependent effect. Animal tests of the studied DNA aptamers suggested an unexpected species-specificity of the novel RA-36.

The expression of esterase S gene of Drosophila virilis in Drosophila melanogaster

Drosophila melanogaster was transformed with the esterase S gene from Drosophila virilis. This gene is strongly activated in ejaculatory bulbs of mature males of Drosophila virilis. The closely related gene from Drosophila melanogaster is activated in ejaculatory ducts. The tissue‐ and stage‐specific expression of incomplete genomic copy of the esterase S gene integrated into the Drosophila melanogaster genome is the same as in Drosophila virilis. These data show that tissue and stage specificity is determined by relatively small 5′ regulatory region of the esterase S gene. The comparison between deduced amino‐acid sequences of the esterase S of Drosophila virilis and esterase 6 of Drosophila melanogaster was performed. These sequences revealed 50% homology.

DNA Aptamers for Human Thrombin with High Anticoagulant Activity Demonstrate Target- and Species-Specificity

G-quadruplex-based DNA aptamers for human thrombin represent promising pharmaceuticals having high anticoagulant activity, rapid clearance from the bloodstream, and availability of DNA antidote. High specificity of aptamers minimizes side-effects but at the same time leads to difficulties when choosing animal model for preclinical trials. Well described minimal G-quadruplex 15-TBA, elongated with hinge and duplex regions 31-TBA, and developed recently modular aptamer RA-36 were investigated thoroughly and compared in this paper. To estimate the species-specificity of aptamers the inhibition constants and types were determined for human fibrinogen hydrolysis with human, bovine, porcine, rabbit, rat, and mouse thrombins using turbidimetric assay. Coagulation tests on human fibrinogen, factor II deficient human plasma and animal plasmas were conducted to verify turbidimetric data and reveal either the concentration effects or the influence of other plasma components. And finally, a set of tests on blood clotting cascade was performed to investigate target-specificity of RA-36 aptamer.

A New Population of Calretinin-Positive Cells, Presumptively Neurons, with Polymorphous Spines in the Mouse Forebrain

An immunohistochemical reaction was used to study the locations of calretinin-positive cells on frontal sections of the anterior part of the mouse cerebral cortex. A previously undescribed population of cells with a characteristic structure was found at the anterior horns of the lateral ventricles. These cells had small (8–10 μm) round bodies giving rise to one and occasionally two nodose processes bearing rare polymorphous spines (PS) and thickenings of irregular shape. The relatively thick primary processes branched into finer processes, which also formed thickenings and spines of different calibers and structures. Calretinin-positive cells with polymorphous spines (CR+PS) were located in the white subcortical matter, in layer VI, and, significantly more rarely, in layer V of the frontal area of the dorsomedial cortex close to the cingulum. In addition, CR+PS cells were present in the rostrodorsal part of the caudate nucleus-putamen complex, in the anterior olfactory nucleus, in the subependymal layer of the dorsolateral angle of the lateral ventricle and, more rarely, in its dorsal wall. In contrast to the situation in mice, CR+PS cells were not present in the brains of other animals (rats, rabbits, cats). CR+PS cells showed no colocalization of calretinin with GABA or other neuronal or glial markers. It is suggested that these cells represent a previously unknown, probably neuronal, type of cell in the mouse forebrain.

Module-Activity Relationship of G-quadruplex Based DNA Aptamers for Human Thrombin

G-quadruplex based DNA aptamers for human thrombin are promising pharmaceuticals as anticoagulants. Initially discovered 15-mer DNA aptamer (15-TBA) has a minimal G-quadruplex structure which is able to inhibit thrombin. 15-TBA was modified and extended to improve aptamer activity and in vivo stability providing 31-TBA, NU172, RA-36, and some others as successful examples. In this paper an interplay between G-quadruplex (pharmacophore module) and additional modules has been studied. An original turbidimetric assay and conventional coagulation tests were applied to evaluate both inhibitory activity and type of inhibiting for aptamers constructed by exchanging the modules between 31- TBA and NU172. Additional modules strongly affect pharmacophore module inhibitory activity either enhancing or reducing it. RA-36 aptamer has two putative pharmacophore entities which also interplay being functionally non-equal. 5- truncated RA-36 has half of the activity of RA-36, and the same as for 15-TBA. On the contrary 3-truncated RA-36 has intermediate activity in between 15-TBA and RA-36. These results indicate fine regulation of G-quadruplex inhibitory activity by additional modules, as well as non-trivial behavior of joined pharmacophore modules.

The influence of donor age, nerve growth factor, and cografting with drosophila cells on survival of peripherally grafted embryonic or fetal rat dorsal root ganglia.

Previous studies have shown that embryonic rat and human dorsal root ganglion (DRG) cells survive grafting to the cavity of extirpated adult rat DRG. Furthermore, grafted human embryonic neurons were shown to send axons peripherally and into the spinal cord, where they establish functional synaptic connections. This study analyzed the survival of orthotopically allografted rat DRG cells from embryonic stages 15 (E15) and 20 (E20), and the influence on their survival of nerve growth factor (NGF). NGF was delivered to the DRG transplants either by pump infusion or by cotransplantation of cells from Drosophila melanogaster, transgenic for human NGF. Lumbar DRGs of adult rats were removed and a collection of E15 or E20 DRGs placed in the cavity. One month after grafting the total number of DRG cells in the grafts was counted. Differentiation of subpopulations of DRG cells was estimated by counting cells immunostained for calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin isolectin B4 (GSA), or heavy neurofilament protein (antibody RT97). The results show: i) similar survival of E15 and E20 grafts, with great variability in the survival of different subpopulations in E15 transplants, but a more consistent distribution of different phenotypes in E20 transplants; ii) infusion of NGF for 2 weeks increases the survival of E15 transplants, but has a negative effect on E20 transplants; iii) Drosophila cells transfected with human NGF gene survive peripheral xenografting and have a positive effect on the survival of the GSA- and CGRP-positive populations in E15 and E20 transplants; iv) Drosophila cells without the human NGF gene increase cell survival in E20 transplants. These data suggest that i) the effect of NGF is dependent on the embryonic stage of the transplants, ii) age-dependent sensitivity to NGF influences graft survival, and iii) transgenic Drosophila cells can be cotransplanted with embryonic neural tissue to the mammalian peripheral nervous system with a positive effect on the survival of neural grafts.

Evaluation of Antithrombotic Activity of Thrombin DNA Aptamers by a Murine Thrombosis Model

Aptamers are nucleic acid based molecular recognition elements with a high potential for the theranostics. Some of the aptamers are under development for therapeutic applications as promising antithrombotic agents; and G-quadruplex DNA aptamers, which directly inhibit the thrombin activity, are among them. RA-36, the 31-meric DNA aptamer, consists of two thrombin binding pharmacophores joined with the thymine linker. It has been shown earlier that RA-36 directly inhibits thrombin in the reaction of fibrinogen hydrolysis, and also it inhibits plasma and blood coagulation. Studies of both inhibitory and anticoagulation effects had indicated rather high species specificity of the aptamer. Further R&D of RA-36 requires exploring its efficiency in vivo. Therefore the development of a robust and adequate animal model for effective physiological studies of aptamers is in high current demand. This work is devoted to in vivo study of the antithrombotic effect of RA-36 aptamer. A murine model of thrombosis has been applied to reveal a lag and even prevention of thrombus formation when RA-36 was intravenous bolus injected in high doses of 1.4–7.1 µmol/kg (14–70 mg/kg). A comparative study of RA-36 aptamer and bivalirudin reveals that both direct thrombin inhibitors have similar antithrombotic effects for the murine model of thrombosis; though in vitro bivalirudin has anticoagulation activity several times higher compared to RA-36. The results indicate that both RA-36 aptamer and bivalirudin are direct thrombin inhibitors of different potency, but possible interactions of the thrombin-inhibitor complex with other components of blood coagulation cascade level the physiological effects for both inhibitors.