WorldWideScience

Sample records for keratin

  1. Molecular evolution and expression of archosaurian β-keratins: diversification and expansion of archosaurian β-keratins and the origin of feather β-keratins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwold, Matthew J; Sawyer, Roger H

    2013-09-01

    The archosauria consist of two living groups, crocodilians, and birds. Here we compare the structure, expression, and phylogeny of the beta (β)-keratins in two crocodilian genomes and two avian genomes to gain a better understanding of the evolutionary origin of the feather β-keratins. Unlike squamates such as the green anole with 40 β-keratins in its genome, the chicken and zebra finch genomes have over 100 β-keratin genes in their genomes, while the American alligator has 20 β-keratin genes, and the saltwater crocodile has 21 β-keratin genes. The crocodilian β-keratins are similar to those of birds and these structural proteins have a central filament domain and N- and C-termini, which contribute to the matrix material between the twisted β-sheets, which form the 2-3 nm filament. Overall the expression of alligator β-keratin genes in the integument increases during development. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that a crocodilian β-keratin clade forms a monophyletic group with the avian scale and feather β-keratins, suggesting that avian scale and feather β-keratins along with a subset of crocodilian β-keratins evolved from a common ancestral gene/s. Overall, our analyses support the view that the epidermal appendages of basal archosaurs used a diverse array of β-keratins, which evolved into crocodilian and avian specific clades. In birds, the scale and feather subfamilies appear to have evolved independently in the avian lineage from a subset of archosaurian claw β-keratins. The expansion of the avian specific feather β-keratin genes accompanied the diversification of birds and the evolution of feathers. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Keratinizing dentigerous cyst

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sivasankar, Vaishnavi; Ranganathan, Kannan; Praveen, B

    2014-01-01

    Keratinizing dentigerous cyst is a rare entity. This article reports a case of keratinizing dentigerous cyst associated with an impacted mandibular canine. Clinical and radiological features, cone-beam computed tomography findings and histological features of the case are reported along with a discussion on keratinizing odontogenic cysts and the need for follow-up. PMID:24808713

  3. Keratinizing dentigerous cyst

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vaishnavi Sivasankar

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Keratinizing dentigerous cyst is a rare entity. This article reports a case of keratinizing dentigerous cyst associated with an impacted mandibular canine. Clinical and radiological features, cone-beam computed tomography findings and histological features of the case are reported along with a discussion on keratinizing odontogenic cysts and the need for follow-up.

  4. Hydrogels from feather keratin show higher viscoelastic properties and cell proliferation than those from hair and wool keratins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Esparza, Yussef; Bandara, Nandika; Ullah, Aman; Wu, Jianping

    2018-09-01

    Hydrogel prepared from keratin shows potential applications in tissue engineering. However, the importance of the keratin sources has not been considered. The objectives of this study were to characterize and compare the rheological (storage modulus), physical (porosity, pore size, swelling capacity, and water contact angle) and in vitro cell compatibility of hydrogel scaffolds prepared from various keratin sources. Keratins were characterized by means of their molecular weight, amino acid composition, thermal and conformational properties. Hydrogels from chicken feather keratins demonstrated substantially higher storage modulus (G') than hair and wool keratin hydrogels. However, higher swelling capacity (>3000%) was determined in hair and wool over feather keratin (1500%) hydrogels. Our results suggest that small molecular weight and β-sheet conformation of feather keratin (~10 kDa) facilitated the self-assembly of rigid hydrogels through disulfide bond re-oxidation. Whereas, high molecular weight (10-75 kDa) stretchable α-helix conformation in hair and wool keratins resulted in weaker hydrogels. The cell cultures using fibroblasts showed the highest proliferation rate on chicken feather keratin hydrogel scaffolds. After 15 days of culture, partial breakdown of keratin fibers was observed. Results indicate that stiffer avian keratins can be used to fabricate more mechanically robust biomaterials than mammalian keratins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Binding Interactions of Keratin-Based Hair Fiber Extract to Gold, Keratin, and BMP-2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roche C de Guzman

    Full Text Available Hair-derived keratin biomaterials composed mostly of reduced keratin proteins (kerateines have demonstrated their utility as carriers of biologics and drugs for tissue engineering. Electrostatic forces between negatively-charged keratins and biologic macromolecules allow for effective drug retention; attraction to positively-charged growth factors like bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2 has been used as a strategy for osteoinduction. In this study, the intermolecular surface and bulk interaction properties of kerateines were investigated. Thiol-rich kerateines were chemisorbed onto gold substrates to form an irreversible 2-nm rigid layer for surface plasmon resonance analysis. Kerateine-to-kerateine cohesion was observed in pH-neutral water with an equilibrium dissociation constant (KD of 1.8 × 10(-4 M, indicating that non-coulombic attractive forces (i.e. hydrophobic and van der Waals were at work. The association of BMP-2 to kerateine was found to be greater (KD = 1.1 × 10(-7 M, within the range of specific binding. Addition of salts (phosphate-buffered saline; PBS shortened the Debye length or the electrostatic field influence which weakened the kerateine-BMP-2 binding (KD = 3.2 × 10(-5 M. BMP-2 in bulk kerateine gels provided a limited release in PBS (~ 10% dissociation in 4 weeks, suggesting that electrostatic intermolecular attraction was significant to retain BMP-2 within the keratin matrix. Complete dissociation between kerateine and BMP-2 occurred when the PBS pH was lowered (to 4.5, below the keratin isoelectric point of 5.3. This phenomenon can be attributed to the protonation of keratin at a lower pH, leading to positive-positive repulsion. Therefore, the dynamics of kerateine-BMP-2 binding is highly dependent on pH and salt concentration, as well as on BMP-2 solubility at different pH and molarity. The study findings may contribute to our understanding of the release kinetics of drugs from keratin biomaterials and allow for the

  6. Structural and regulatory functions of keratins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magin, Thomas M.; Vijayaraj, Preethi; Leube, Rudolf E.

    2007-01-01

    The diversity of epithelial functions is reflected by the expression of distinct keratin pairs that are responsible to protect epithelial cells against mechanical stress and to act as signaling platforms. The keratin cytoskeleton integrates these functions by forming a supracellular scaffold that connects at desmosomal cell-cell adhesions. Multiple human diseases and murine knockouts in which the integrity of this system is destroyed testify to its importance as a mechanical stabilizer in certain epithelia. Yet, surprisingly little is known about the precise mechanisms responsible for assembly and disease pathology. In addition to these structural aspects of keratin function, experimental evidence accumulating in recent years has led to a much more complex view of the keratin cytoskeleton. Distinct keratins emerge as highly dynamic scaffolds in different settings and contribute to cell size determination, translation control, proliferation, cell type-specific organelle transport, malignant transformation and various stress responses. All of these properties are controlled by highly complex patterns of phosphorylation and molecular associations

  7. DNA from keratinous tissue

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bengtsson, Camilla F.; Olsen, Maja E.; Brandt, Luise Ørsted

    2011-01-01

    Keratinous tissues such as nail, hair, horn, scales and feather have been used as a source of DNA for over 20 years. Particular benefits of such tissues include the ease with which they can be sampled, the relative stability of DNA in such tissues once sampled, and, in the context of ancient...... genetic analyses, the fact that sampling generally causes minimal visual damage to valuable specimens. Even when freshly sampled, however, the DNA quantity and quality in the fully keratinized parts of such tissues is extremely poor in comparison to other tissues such as blood and muscle – although little...... systematic research has been undertaken to characterize how such degradation may relate to sample source. In this review paper we present the current understanding of the quality and limitations of DNA in two key keratinous tissues, nail and hair. The findings indicate that although some fragments of nuclear...

  8. Biodegradable materials based on silk fibroin and keratin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasconcelos, Andreia; Freddi, Giuliano; Cavaco-Paulo, Artur

    2008-04-01

    Wool and silk were dissolved and used for the preparation of blended films. Two systems are proposed: (1) blend films of silk fibroin and keratin aqueous solutions and (2) silk fibroin and keratin dissolved in formic acid. The FTIR spectra of pure films cast from aqueous solutions indicated that the keratin secondary structure mainly consists of alpha-helix and random coil conformations. The IR spectrum of pure SF is characteristic of films with prevalently amorphous structure (random coil conformation). Pure keratin film cast from formic acid shows an increase in the amount of beta-sheet and disordered keratin structures. The FTIR pattern of SF dissolved in formic acid is characteristic of films with prevalently beta-sheet conformations with beta-sheet crystallites embedded in an amorphous matrix. The thermal behavior of the blends confirmed the FTIR results. DSC curve of pure SF is typical of amorphous SF and the curve of pure keratin show the characteristic melting peak of alpha-helices for the aqueous system. These patterns are no longer observed in the films cast from formic acid due to the ability of formic acid to induce crystallization of SF and to increase the amount of beta-sheet structures on keratin. The nonlinear trend of the different parameters obtained from FTIR analysis and DSC curves of both SF/keratin systems indicate that when proteins are mixed they do not follow additives rules but are able to establish intermolecular interactions. Degradable polymeric biomaterials are preferred candidates for medical applications. It was investigated the degradation behavior of both SF/keratin systems by in vitro enzymatic incubation with trypsin. The SF/keratin films cast from water underwent a slower biological degradation than the films cast from formic acid. The weight loss obtained is a function of the amount of keratin in the blend. This study encourages the further investigation of the type of matrices presented here to be applied whether in scaffolds

  9. Fabrication of keratin-silica hydrogel for biomedical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kakkar, Prachi; Madhan, Balaraman, E-mail: bmadhan76@yahoo.co.in

    2016-09-01

    In the recent past, keratin has been fabricated into different forms of biomaterials like scaffold, gel, sponge, film etc. In lieu of the myriad advantages of the hydrogels for biomedical applications, a keratin-silica hydrogel was fabricated using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS). Textural analysis shed light on the physical properties of the fabricated hydrogel, inturn enabling the optimization of the hydrogel. The optimized keratin-silica hydrogel was found to exhibit instant springiness, optimum hardness, with ease of spreadability. Moreover, the hydrogel showed excellent swelling with highly porous microarchitecture. MTT assay and DAPI staining revealed that keratin-silica hydrogel was biocompatible with fibroblast cells. Collectively, these properties make the fabricated keratin-silica hydrogel, a suitable dressing material for biomedical applications. - Highlights: • Keratin-silica hydrogel has been fabricated using sol–gel technique. • The hydrogel shows appropriate textural properties. • The hydrogel promotes fibroblast cells proliferation. • The hydrogel has potential soft tissue engineering applications like wound healing.

  10. PLA/chitosan/keratin composites for biomedical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tanase, Constantin Edi, E-mail: etanase@live.com [Faculty of Medical Bioengineering, ‘Grigore T. Popa’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 9-13 Kogalniceanu Street, 700454 Iasi (Romania); Spiridon, Iuliana [“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 41A Grigore Ghica Voda Alley, 700487 Iasi (Romania)

    2014-07-01

    Novel composites based on PLA, chitosan and keratin was obtained via blend preparation. The goal of this contribution was to evaluate mechanical and in vitro behavior of the composites. The results point out composites with improved Young modulus and decreased tensile strength, significant increase in hardness (compared to PLA) and a good uptake of the surface properties. Biological assessments using human osteosarcoma cell line on these composites indicate a good viability/proliferation outcome. Hence preliminary results regarding mechanical behavior and in vitro osteoblast response suggest that these composites might have prospective application in medical field. - Highlights: • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites are prepared by blend preparation. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present improved mechanical properties and water uptake compare to PLA. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present good in vitro behavior.

  11. PLA/chitosan/keratin composites for biomedical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tanase, Constantin Edi; Spiridon, Iuliana

    2014-01-01

    Novel composites based on PLA, chitosan and keratin was obtained via blend preparation. The goal of this contribution was to evaluate mechanical and in vitro behavior of the composites. The results point out composites with improved Young modulus and decreased tensile strength, significant increase in hardness (compared to PLA) and a good uptake of the surface properties. Biological assessments using human osteosarcoma cell line on these composites indicate a good viability/proliferation outcome. Hence preliminary results regarding mechanical behavior and in vitro osteoblast response suggest that these composites might have prospective application in medical field. - Highlights: • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites are prepared by blend preparation. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present improved mechanical properties and water uptake compare to PLA. • PLA, chitosan and keratin composites present good in vitro behavior

  12. Synthesis of Keratin-based Nanofiber for Biomedical Engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thompson, Zanshe S; Rijal, Nava P; Jarvis, David; Edwards, Angela; Bhattarai, Narayan

    2016-02-07

    Electrospinning, due to its versatility and potential for applications in various fields, is being frequently used to fabricate nanofibers. Production of these porous nanofibers is of great interest due to their unique physiochemical properties. Here we elaborate on the fabrication of keratin containing poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL) nanofibers (i.e., PCL/keratin composite fiber). Water soluble keratin was first extracted from human hair and mixed with PCL in different ratios. The blended solution of PCL/keratin was transformed into nanofibrous membranes using a laboratory designed electrospinning set up. Fiber morphology and mechanical properties of the obtained nanofiber were observed and measured using scanning electron microscopy and tensile tester. Furthermore, degradability and chemical properties of the nanofiber were studied by FTIR. SEM images showed uniform surface morphology for PCL/keratin fibers of different compositions. These PCL/keratin fibers also showed excellent mechanical properties such as Young's modulus and failure point. Fibroblast cells were able to attach and proliferate thus proving good cell viability. Based on the characteristics discussed above, we can strongly argue that the blended nanofibers of natural and synthetic polymers can represent an excellent development of composite materials that can be used for different biomedical applications.

  13. Utilization of keratin-containing biowaste to produce biohydrogen

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balint, B.; Rakhely, G.; Kovacs, K.L. [Szeged Univ. (Hungary). Dept. of Biotechnology; Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged (Hungary). Inst. of Biophysics; Bagi, Z.; Perei, K. [Szeged Univ. (Hungary). Dept. of Biotechnology; Toth, A. [Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Szeged (Hungary). Inst. of Biophysics

    2005-12-01

    A two-stage fermentation system was constructed to test and demonstrate the feasibility of biohydrogen generation from keratin-rich biowaste. We isolated a novel aerobic Bacillus strain (Bacillus licheniformis KK1) that displays outstanding keratinolytic activity. The isolated strain was employed to convert keratin-containing biowaste into a fermentation product that is rich in amino acids and peptides. The process was optimized for the second fermentation step, in which the product of keratin fermentation-supplemented with essential minerals-was metabolized by Thermococcus litoralis, an anaerobic hyperthermophilic archaeon. T. litoralis grew on the keratin hydrolysate and produced hydrogen gas as a physiological fermentation byproduct. Hyperthermophilic cells utilized the keratin hydrolysate in a similar way as their standard nutrient, i.e., bacto-peptone. The generalization of the findings to protein-rich waste treatment and production of biohydrogen is discussed and possible means of further improvements are listed. (orig.)

  14. Biodegradation of hard keratins by two bacillus strains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laba, Wojciech; Rodziewicz, Anna

    2014-02-01

    Extensive quantities of keratinic by-products are disposed annually by animal-processing industry, causing a mounting ecological problem due to extreme resilience of these materials to enzymatic breakdown. There is a growing trend to apply cheap and environment-friendly methods to recycle keratinic wastes. Soil bacteria of profound keratinolytic potential, especially spore-forming rods from the genus Bacillus, play a significant role in keratinase-mediated biodegradation of keratins, therefore could be effective in hastening their biodegradation. Keratin hydrolysis in microbial cultures is one of the most promising techniques not only to utilize this protein but also to obtain valuable by products. The study was undertaken to investigate the biodegradation process of various keratinic materials by two Bacillus strains. Two keratinolytic strains, Bacillus cereus and B. polymyxa, were subject to cultures in the presence of several keratinic appendages, like chicken feathers, barbs and rachea of ostrich feathers, pig bristle, lamb wool, human hair and stratum corneum of epidermis, as main nutrient sources. Bacterial ability to decompose these waste materials was evaluated, at the background of keratinase and protease biosynthesis, in brief four-day cultures. Keratinolytic activity was measured on soluble keratin preparation and proteases were assayed on casein. Additionally, amounts of liberated proteins, amino acids and thiols were evaluated. Residual keratin weight was tested afterwards. Both tested strains proved to be more adapted for fast biodegradation of feather β-keratins than hair-type α-keratins. B. cereus revealed its significant proteolytic potential, especially on whole chicken feathers (230 PU) and stratum corneum (180 PU), but also on separated barbs and rachea, which appeared to be moderate protease inducers. Keratinolytic activity of B. cereus was comparable on most substrates and maximum level obtained was 11 KU. B. polymyxa was found to be a

  15. Differences in cytocompatibility between collagen, gelatin and keratin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Yanfang; Zhang, Weiwei; Yuan, Jiang, E-mail: jyuan@njnu.edu.cn; Shen, Jian, E-mail: jshen@njnu.edu.cn

    2016-02-01

    Keratins are cysteine-rich intermediate filament proteins found in the cytoskeleton of the epithelial cells and in the matrix of hair, feathers, wool, nails and horns. The natural abundance of cell adhesion sequences, RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) and LDV (Leu-Asp-Val), makes them suitable for tissue engineering applications. The purpose of our study is to evaluate their cytocompatibility as compared to well-known collagen and gelatin proteins. Herein, collagen, gelatin and keratin were blended with poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and electrospun to afford nanofibrous mats, respectively. These PHBV/protein composite mats were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The cytocompatibility was evaluated with cell adhesion, cell viability and cell proliferation. The data from MTT and BrDU revealed that collagen had significantly superior cytocompatibility as compared to gelatin and keratin. Gelatin showed a better cytocompatibility than keratin without statistical significance difference. Finally, we gave the reasons to account for the above conclusions. - Highlights: • Collagen, gelatin and keratin were coelectrospun with PHBV to afford nanofibrous mats. • Cytocompatibility was evaluated with cell adhesion, cell viability and cell proliferation. • Collagen had significantly superior cytocompatibility as compared to gelatin and keratin.

  16. Isolation and Analysis of Keratins and Keratin-Associated Proteins from Hair and Wool.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deb-Choudhury, Santanu; Plowman, Jeffrey E; Harland, Duane P

    2016-01-01

    The presence of highly cross-linked protein networks in hair and wool makes them very difficult substrates for protein extraction, a prerequisite for further protein analysis and characterization. It is therefore imperative that these cross-links formed by disulfide bridges are first disrupted for the efficient extraction of proteins. Chaotropes such as urea are commonly used as efficient extractants. However, a combination of urea and thiourea not only improves recovery of proteins but also results in improved resolution of the keratins in 2DE gels. Reductants also play an important role in protein dissolution. Dithiothreitol effectively removes keratinous material from the cortex, whereas phosphines, like Tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine, remove material from the exocuticle. The relative extractability of the keratins and keratin-associated proteins is also dependent on the concentration of chaotropes, reductants, and pH, thus providing a means to preferentially extract these proteins. Ionic liquids such as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (BMIM(+)[Cl](-)) are known to solubilize wool by disrupting noncovalent interactions, specifically intermolecular hydrogen bonds. BMIM(+)[Cl](-) proved to be an effective extractant of wool proteins and complementary in nature to chaotropes such as urea and thiourea for identifying unique peptides of wool proteins using mass spectrometry (MS). Successful identification of proteins resolved by one- or two-dimensional electrophoresis and MS is highly dependent on the optimal recovery of its protease-digested peptides with an efficient removal of interfering substances. The detergent sodium deoxycholate used in conjunction with Empore™ disks improved identification of proteins by mass spectrometry leading to higher percentage sequence coverage, identification of unique peptides and higher score. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Sustainable Management of Keratin Waste Biomass: Applications and Future Perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Swati Sharma

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Keratin is a durable, fibrous protein which is mainly present in higher vertebrates (mammals, birds and reptiles and humans epithelial cells. Food industry especially the meat market, slaughter house and wool industry produces million of tons of keratin containing biomass. These industries are constantly growing and the major producers include USA, Brazil and China, account for more than 40 million tons per year. These proteins constitute keratin by-products have from 15 to 18% nitrogen, 2-5% sulphur, 3.20% mineral elements and 1.27% fat and 90% of proteins. The organic waste rich in keratin can be utilized as a natural source using chemical and mechanical methods. The natural keratin obtained by biomass does not contain any harmful chemical and can be used directly to produce variety of cosmetics, creams, shampoos, hair conditioners and biomedical products. The natural protein is more compatible to use or apply on human skin and hairs. The monomeric units of natural keratin can penetrate in the skin and hair cuticle and able to nourish the skin without any side effects. In the present review various strategies for the purification and separation of keratin from the organic waste have been described and use of natural keratin in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry has also been explored.

  18. Effects of Plectin Depletion on Keratin Network Dynamics and Organization.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcin Moch

    Full Text Available The keratin intermediate filament cytoskeleton protects epithelial cells against various types of stress and is involved in fundamental cellular processes such as signaling, differentiation and organelle trafficking. These functions rely on the cell type-specific arrangement and plasticity of the keratin system. It has been suggested that these properties are regulated by a complex cycle of assembly and disassembly. The exact mechanisms responsible for the underlying molecular processes, however, have not been clarified. Accumulating evidence implicates the cytolinker plectin in various aspects of the keratin cycle, i.e., by acting as a stabilizing anchor at hemidesmosomal adhesion sites and the nucleus, by affecting keratin bundling and branching and by linkage of keratins to actin filament and microtubule dynamics. In the present study we tested these hypotheses. To this end, plectin was downregulated by shRNA in vulvar carcinoma-derived A431 cells. As expected, integrin β4- and BPAG-1-positive hemidesmosomal structures were strongly reduced and cytosolic actin stress fibers were increased. In addition, integrins α3 and β1 were reduced. The experiments furthermore showed that loss of plectin led to a reduction in keratin filament branch length but did not alter overall mechanical properties as assessed by indentation analyses using atomic force microscopy and by displacement analyses of cytoplasmic superparamagnetic beads using magnetic tweezers. An increase in keratin movement was observed in plectin-depleted cells as was the case in control cells lacking hemidesmosome-like structures. Yet, keratin turnover was not significantly affected. We conclude that plectin alone is not needed for keratin assembly and disassembly and that other mechanisms exist to guarantee proper keratin cycling under steady state conditions in cultured single cells.

  19. Histochemical studies on keratin of developing scales of the garden lizard Calotes versicolor (Daud) and effect of gamma irradiation on keratin synthesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katdare, Meena; Joshi, P.V.; Mulherkar, Leela

    1980-01-01

    Keratin was detected by oxidation and subsequent staining of the -SH groups of cysteine by the modified method of Barrnett and Seligman (1954) in embryos of developmental stages 36-42. The results reveal a higher SH protein concentration in the stratum germinativum during early stages of scale morphogenesis. The presence of keratin in the outermost layer of the scale is detectable for the first time at stage 41. It is postulated that the basal cytoplasmic areas may be initial sites of keratin fibril synthesis whereas the outer keratinized zone may be concerned with production of substances involved in transition from the fibrous to keratinized state. Earlier stages of scale-development (stages 36 and 37), when exposed to 4,284 R from 60 Co source, showed complete inhibition of scale formation whereas slight scale formation is observed when embryos are exposed at stage 38. Qualitative analysis of skin proteins reveals the presence of approximately 14 components detected at stained bands on 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two of these components are not detectable in the skin proteins of embryo exposed to 2,570 R at stage 37. The molecular weights of the missing proteins correspond to those of α and β keratins. (author)

  20. Keratins as components of the enamel organic matrix

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duverger, Olivier; Beniash, Elia; Morasso, Maria I.

    2016-01-01

    Dental enamel is a hardest tissue in the human body, and although it starts as a tissue rich in proteins, by the time of eruption of the tooth in the oral cavity only a small fraction of the protein remains. While this organic matrix of enamel represents less than 1% by weight it plays essential roles in improving both toughness and resilience to chemical attacks. Despite the fact that the first studies of the enamel matrix began in the 19th century its exact composition and mechanisms of its function remain poorly understood. It was proposed that keratin or a keratin-like primitive epithelial component exists in mature enamel, however due to the extreme insolubility of its organic matrix the presence of keratins there was never clearly established. We have recently identified expression of a number of hair keratins in ameloblasts, the enamel secreting cells, and demonstrated their incorporation into mature enamel. Mutation in epithelial hair keratin KRT75 leads to a skin condition called pseudofollicularis barbae. Carriers of this mutation have an altered enamel structure and mechanical properties. Importantly, these individuals have a much higher prevalence of caries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing a direct link between a mutation in a protein-coding region of a gene and increased caries rates. In this paper we present an overview of the evidence of keratin-like material in enamel that has accumulated over the last 150 years. Furthermore, we propose potential mechanisms of action of KTR75 in enamel and highlight the clinical implications of the link between mutations in KRT75 and caries. Finally, we discuss the potential use of keratins for enamel repair. PMID:26709044

  1. Microbial decomposition of keratin in nature-a new hypothesis of industrial relevance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lange, Lene; Huang, Yuhong; Busk, Peter Kamp

    2016-03-01

    Discovery of keratin-degrading enzymes from fungi and bacteria has primarily focused on finding one protease with efficient keratinase activity. Recently, an investigation was conducted of all keratinases secreted from a fungus known to grow on keratinaceous materials, such as feather, horn, and hooves. The study demonstrated that a minimum of three keratinases is needed to break down keratin, an endo-acting, an exo-acting, and an oligopeptide-acting keratinase. Further, several studies have documented that disruption of sulfur bridges of the keratin structure acts synergistically with the keratinases to loosen the molecular structure, thus giving the enzymes access to their substrate, the protein structure. With such complexity, it is relevant to compare microbial keratin decomposition with the microbial decomposition of well-studied polymers such as cellulose and chitin. Interestingly, it was recently shown that the specialized enzymes, lytic polysaccharide monoxygenases (LPMOs), shown to be important for breaking the recalcitrance of cellulose and chitin, are also found in keratin-degrading fungi. A holistic view of the complex molecular self-assembling structure of keratin and knowledge about enzymatic and boosting factors needed for keratin breakdown have been used to formulate a hypothesis for mode of action of the LPMOs in keratin decomposition and for a model for degradation of keratin in nature. Testing such hypotheses and models still needs to be done. Even now, the hypothesis can serve as an inspiration for designing industrial processes for keratin decomposition for conversion of unexploited waste streams, chicken feather, and pig bristles into bioaccessible animal feed.

  2. Self-consistent field theory for the interactions between keratin intermediate filaments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Akinshina, Anna; Jambon-Puillet, Etienne; Warren, Patrick B; Noro, Massimo G

    2013-01-01

    Keratins are important structural proteins found in skin, hair and nails. Keratin Intermediate Filaments are major components of corneocytes, nonviable horny cells of the Stratum Corneum, the outermost layer of skin. It is considered that interactions between unstructured domains of Keratin Intermediate Filaments are the key factor in maintaining the elasticity of the skin. We have developed a model for the interactions between keratin intermediate filaments based on self-consistent field theory. The intermediate filaments are represented by charged surfaces, and the disordered terminal domains of the keratins are represented by charged heteropolymers grafted to these surfaces. We estimate the system is close to a charge compensation point where the heteropolymer grafting density is matched to the surface charge density. Using a protein model with amino acid resolution for the terminal domains, we find that the terminal chains can mediate a weak attraction between the keratin surfaces. The origin of the attraction is a combination of bridging and electrostatics. The attraction disappears when the system moves away from the charge compensation point, or when excess small ions and/or NMF-representing free amino acids are added. These results are in concordance with experimental observations, and support the idea that the interaction between keratin filaments, and ultimately in part the elastic properties of the keratin-containing tissue, is controlled by a combination of the physico-chemical properties of the disordered terminal domains and the composition of the medium in the inter-filament region

  3. The structure of the "amorphous" matrix of keratins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kadir, Murat; Wang, Xinwei; Zhu, Bowen; Liu, Jing; Harland, Duane; Popescu, Crisan

    2017-05-01

    Various keratin fibers, particularly human hairs, were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, TEM, solid-state 1 H NMR and Transient Electro-Thermal Technique, TET. The results converge to suggest that the matrix of keratin fiber cortex, far from being amorphous, has a well-defined nano-scale grainy structure, the size of these grains being around 2-4nm. The size of the grains appears to strongly depend on the chemical treatment of the fiber, on the temperature and on the relative humidity of the environment, as well as on the physiological factors at the level of fiber production in follicle. By suggesting an organization at the nano-scale of the protein chains in these grains, likely to be Keratin Associated Proteins, the results challenge the view of matrix as a homogeneous glassy material. Moreover, they indicate the potential of further investigating the purpose of this structure that appears to reflect not only chemical treatments of keratins but also biological processes at the level of the follicle. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Keratin subsidies promote feather decomposition via an increase in keratin-consuming arthropods and microorganisms in bird breeding colonies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Shinji; Masuya, Hayato

    2015-06-01

    Resource subsidies are well known to increase population densities of consumers. The decomposition process of these subsidised resources can be influenced by increasing consumer abundance. However, few studies have assessed whether resource subsidies can promote resource decomposition via a population increase in consumers. Here, we examined the effects of keratin subsidies on feather decomposition in egret and heron breeding colonies. Egrets and herons (Ardeidae) frequently breed in inland forests and provide large amounts of keratin materials to the forest floor in the form of feathers of chicks (that die). We compared the decrease in the weights of egret and heron feathers (experimentally placed on the forest floor) over a 12-month period among egret/heron breeding colonies (five sites) and areas outside of colonies (five sites) in central Japan. Of the feathers placed experimentally on forest floors, 92-97 % and 99-100 % in colonies and 47-50 % and 71-90 % in non-colony areas were decomposed after 4 and 12 months, respectively. Then, decomposition rates of feathers were faster in colonies than in areas outside of colonies, suggesting that keratin subsidies can promote feather decomposition in colonies. Field observations and laboratory experiments indicated that keratin-feeding arthropods and keratinophilic fungi played important roles in feather decomposition. Therefore, scavenging arthropods and keratinophilic fungi, which dramatically increased in egret and heron breeding colonies, could accelerate the decomposition of feathers supplied to the forest floor of colonies.

  5. Microbial decomposition of keratin in nature—a new hypothesis of industrial relevance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lange, Lene; Huang, Yuhong; Kamp Busk, Peter

    2016-01-01

    with the keratinases to loosen the molecular structure, thus giving the enzymes access to their substrate, the protein structure. With such complexity, it is relevant to compare microbial keratin decomposition with the microbial decomposition of well-studied polymers such as cellulose and chitin. Interestingly...... enzymatic and boosting factors needed for keratin breakdown have been used to formulate a hypothesis for mode of action of the LPMOs in keratin decomposition and for a model for degradation of keratin in nature. Testing such hypotheses and models still needs to be done. Even now, the hypothesis can serve...

  6. Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Wool Keratin/Poly(vinyl alcohol Blend Nanofibers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuai Li

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Wool keratin/poly(vinyl alcohol (PVA blend nanofibers were fabricated using the electrospinning method in formic acid solutions with different weight ratios of keratin to PVA. The resultant blend nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR, X-ray diffraction (XRD, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA, and tensile test. SEM images showed that the diameter of the blend nanofibers was affected by the content of keratin in blend solution. FTIR and XRD analyses data demonstrated that there were good interactions between keratin and PVA in the blended nanofibers caused by possibly hydrogen bonds. The TGA study revealed that the thermal stability of the blend nanofibers was between those of keratin and PVA. Tensile test indicated that the addition of PVA was able to improve the mechanical properties of the electrospun nanofibers.

  7. Linking the molecular evolution of avian beta (β) keratins to the evolution of feathers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwold, Matthew J; Sawyer, Roger H

    2011-12-15

    Feathers of today's birds are constructed of beta (β)-keratins, structural proteins of the epidermis that are found solely in reptiles and birds. Discoveries of "feathered dinosaurs" continue to stimulate interest in the evolutionary origin of feathers, but few studies have attempted to link the molecular evolution of their major structural proteins (β-keratins) to the appearance of feathers in the fossil record. Using molecular dating methods, we show that before the appearance of Anchiornis (∼155 Million years ago (Ma)) the basal β-keratins of birds began diverging from their archosaurian ancestor ∼216 Ma. However, the subfamily of feather β-keratins, as found in living birds, did not begin diverging until ∼143 Ma. Thus, the pennaceous feathers on Anchiornis, while being constructed of avian β-keratins, most likely did not contain the feather β-keratins found in the feathers of modern birds. Our results demonstrate that the evolutionary origin of feathers does not coincide with the molecular evolution of the feather β-keratins found in modern birds. More likely, during the Late Jurassic, the epidermal structures that appeared on organisms in the lineage leading to birds, including early forms of feathers, were constructed of avian β-keratins other than those found in the feathers of modern birds. Recent biophysical studies of the β-keratins in feathers support the view that the appearance of the subfamily of feather β-keratins altered the biophysical nature of the feather establishing its role in powered flight. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

  8. Biological evaluation of human hair keratin scaffolds for skin wound repair and regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Songmei; Sang, Lin; Zhang, Yaping; Wang, Xiaoliang; Li, Xudong

    2013-01-01

    The cytocompatibility, in vivo biodegradation and wound healing of keratin biomaterials were investigated. For the purposes, three groups of keratin scaffolds were fabricated by freeze-drying reduced solutions at 2 wt.%, 4 wt.% and 8 wt.% keratins extracted from human hairs. These scaffolds exhibited evenly distributed high porous structures with pore size of 120–220 μm and the porosity > 90%. NIH3T3 cells proliferated well on these scaffolds in culture lasting up to 22 days. Confocal micrographs stained with AO visually revealed cell attachment and infiltration as well as scaffold architectural stability. In vivo animal experiments were conducted with 4 wt.% keratin scaffolds. Early degradation of subcutaneously implanted scaffolds occurred at 3 weeks in the outermost surface, in concomitant with inflammatory response. At 5 weeks, the overall porous structure of scaffolds severely deteriorated while the early inflammatory response in the outermost surface obviously subsided. A faster keratin biodegradation was observed in repairing full-thickness skin defects. Compared with the blank control, keratin scaffolds gave rise to more blood vessels at 2 weeks and better complete wound repair at 3 weeks with a thicker epidermis, less contraction and newly formed hair follicles. These preliminary results suggest that human hair keratin scaffolds are promising dermal substitutes for skin regeneration. - Highlights: ► Preparation of highly-interconnected human hair keratin scaffolds. ► Long-term cell culturing and in vivo animal experiments with keratin scaffolds. ► Biodegradation is dependent on implantation site and function ► Early vascularization and better repair in treating full-thickness skin wounds. ► A thicker epidermis, less contraction and newly formed hair follicles are observed.

  9. Comparison of special stains for keratin with routine hematoxylin and eosin stain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rao, Roopa S; Patil, Shankargouda; Majumdar, Barnali; Oswal, Rakesh G

    2015-03-01

    Keratins are the most abundant proteins and are characteristic findings in many epithelial pathologies, making it a diagnostically important marker, both histopathologically and immunohistochemically. Since, immunohistochemistry is an expensive diagnostic tool, special stains to detect the degree of keratinization could serve as a faster and economic option. The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy of special stains for keratin with standard hematoxylin and eosin stain (H and E). Objectives include: (i) To subject the diagnosed cases of keratin disorders to the selected special stains: Ayoub-shklar method, Dane-Herman method, Alcian blue -periodic acid Schiff 's (PAS), rapid papanicolaou (PAP) and Gram's stain. (ii) To compare the staining specificity and staining intensity of special stains with respect to routine hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stain. (iii) To compare the efficacy of special stains to routine H and E stain in identification of the type of keratin present in the selected cases. A total of 80 cases of known pathology for keratin were retrieved from the department archive, which included 10 each of normal gingiva, hyperkeratosis, squamous papilloma, verrucous hyperplasia, verrucous carcinoma, well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, orthokeratinized odontogenic cyst and keratocystic odontogenic tumors. Six sections of 4 µ each from the paraffin blocks were made, stained with H and E and the special stains and these were evaluated by 2 pathologists based on the modified scoring criteria from Rahma Al-Maaini and Philip Bryant 2008. The results were tabulated using Chi square and kappa statistics. The statistical values for identification of the type of keratinization was insignificant showing that ortho and parakeratinized epithelia could be correctly identified by both H and E as well as all the special stains. Furthermore, all the special stains showed a positive result and statistical significance (P < 0.001) with respect to

  10. Keratin: Structure, mechanical properties, occurrence in biological organisms, and efforts at bioinspiration

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, B; Yang, W; McKittrick, J; Meyers, MA

    2016-01-01

    © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. A ubiquitous biological material, keratin represents a group of insoluble, usually high-sulfur content and filament-forming proteins, constituting the bulk of epidermal appendages such as hair, nails, claws, turtle scutes, horns, whale baleen, beaks, and feathers. These keratinous materials are formed by cells filled with keratin and are considered 'dead tissues'. Nevertheless, they are among the toughest biological materials, serving as a wide variety of interesting func...

  11. Fabrication and Characterization of Electrospun Wool Keratin/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Blend Nanofibers

    OpenAIRE

    Shuai Li; Xu-Hong Yang

    2014-01-01

    Wool keratin/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend nanofibers were fabricated using the electrospinning method in formic acid solutions with different weight ratios of keratin to PVA. The resultant blend nanofibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile test. SEM images showed that the diameter of the blend nanofibers was affected by the content of keratin in blend solution...

  12. Cultivation of human dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes on keratin-coated silica bead substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Bee Yi; Nguyen, Luong T H; Kim, Hyo-Sop; Kim, Jae-Ho; Ng, Kee Woei

    2017-10-01

    Human hair keratin is promising as a bioactive material platform for various biomedical applications. To explore its versatility further, human hair keratin was coated onto monolayers of silica beads to produce film-like substrates. This combination was hypothesized to provide a synergistic effect in improving the biochemical properties of the resultant composite. Atomic force microscopy analysis showed uniform coatings of keratin on the silica beads with a slight increase in the resulting surface roughness. Keratin-coated silica beads had higher surface energy and relatively lower negative charge than those of bare silica beads. To investigate cell response, human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs), and human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) were cultured on the substrates over 4 days. Results showed that keratin coatings significantly enhanced the metabolic activity of HDFs and encouraged cell spreading but did not exert any significant effects on HEKs. HDF expression of collagen I was significantly more intense on the keratin-coated compared to the bare silica substrates. Furthermore, HDF secretion of various cytokines suggested that keratin coatings triggered active cell responses related to wound healing. Collectively, our study demonstrated that human hair keratin-coated silica bead monolayers have the potential to modulate HDF behavior in culture and may be exploited further. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 2789-2798, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  13. Complete Structure of an Epithelial Keratin Dimer: Implications for Intermediate Filament Assembly.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David J Bray

    Full Text Available Keratins are cytoskeletal proteins that hierarchically arrange into filaments, starting with the dimer sub-unit. They are integral to the structural support of cells, in skin, hair and nails. In skin, keratin is thought to play a critical role in conferring the barrier properties and elasticity of skin. In general, the keratin dimer is broadly described by a tri-domain structure: a head, a central rod and a tail. As yet, no atomistic-scale picture of the entire dimer structure exists; this information is pivotal for establishing molecular-level connections between structure and function in intermediate filament proteins. The roles of the head and tail domains in facilitating keratin filament assembly and function remain as open questions. To address these, we report results of molecular dynamics simulations of the entire epithelial human K1/K10 keratin dimer. Our findings comprise: (1 the first three-dimensional structural models of the complete dimer unit, comprising of the head, rod and tail domains; (2 new insights into the chirality of the rod-domain twist gained from analysis of the full domain structure; (3 evidence for tri-subdomain partitioning in the head and tail domains; and, (4 identification of the residue characteristics that mediate non-covalent contact between the chains in the dimer. Our findings are immediately applicable to other epithelial keratins, such as K8/K18 and K5/K14, and to intermediate filament proteins in general.

  14. Interaction of Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus with keratin: an important role in parasite infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo Chaves Vilela

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus are human and bovine parasites, respectively, that provoke the sexually transmitted disease trichomoniasis. These extracellular parasites adhere to the host epithelial cell surface. Although mucinases and proteases have been described as important proteins for parasite adhesion to epithelial cells, no studies have examined the role of the keratin molecules that cornify the vaginal epithelium. Here, we investigated the interaction of T. vaginalis and T. foetus with human keratin in vitro; additionally, adherence assays were performed in cattle with T. foetus to elucidate whether trichomonads were able to interact with keratin in vivo. We demonstrated that both T. vaginalisand T. foetusinteracted directly with keratin. Additionally, the trichomonads ingested and digested keratin, shedding new light on the Trichomonas infection process.

  15. Development of colour-producing β-keratin nanostructures in avian feather barbs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prum, Richard O.; Dufresne, Eric R.; Quinn, Tim; Waters, Karla

    2009-01-01

    The non-iridescent structural colours of avian feather barbs are produced by coherent light scattering from amorphous (i.e. quasi-ordered) nanostructures of β-keratin and air in the medullary cells of feather barb rami. Known barb nanostructures belong to two distinct morphological classes. ‘Channel’ nanostructures consist of β-keratin bars and air channels of elongate, tortuous and twisting forms. ‘Spherical’ nanostructures consist of highly spherical air cavities that are surrounded by thin β-keratin bars and sometimes interconnected by tiny passages. Using transmission electron microscopy, we observe that the colour-producing channel-type nanostructures of medullary β-keratin in feathers of the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna, Psittacidae) develop by intracellular self-assembly; the process proceeds in the absence of any biological prepattern created by the cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum or cellular intermediate filaments. We examine the hypothesis that the shape and size of these self-assembled, intracellular nanostructures are determined by phase separation of β-keratin protein from the cytoplasm of the cell. The shapes of a broad sample of colour-producing channel-type nanostructures from nine avian species are very similar to those self-assembled during the phase separation of an unstable mixture, a process called spinodal decomposition (SD). In contrast, the shapes of a sample of spherical-type nanostructures from feather barbs of six species show a poor match to SD. However, spherical nanostructures show a strong morphological similarity to morphologies produced by phase separation of a metastable mixture, called nucleation and growth. We propose that colour-producing, intracellular, spongy medullary β-keratin nanostructures develop their characteristic sizes and shapes by phase separation during protein polymerization. We discuss the possible role of capillary flow through drying of medullary cells in the development of the hollow

  16. Development of colour-producing beta-keratin nanostructures in avian feather barbs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prum, Richard O; Dufresne, Eric R; Quinn, Tim; Waters, Karla

    2009-04-06

    The non-iridescent structural colours of avian feather barbs are produced by coherent light scattering from amorphous (i.e. quasi-ordered) nanostructures of beta-keratin and air in the medullary cells of feather barb rami. Known barb nanostructures belong to two distinct morphological classes. 'Channel' nanostructures consist of beta-keratin bars and air channels of elongate, tortuous and twisting forms. 'Spherical' nanostructures consist of highly spherical air cavities that are surrounded by thin beta-keratin bars and sometimes interconnected by tiny passages. Using transmission electron microscopy, we observe that the colour-producing channel-type nanostructures of medullary beta-keratin in feathers of the blue-and-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna, Psittacidae) develop by intracellular self-assembly; the process proceeds in the absence of any biological prepattern created by the cell membrane, endoplasmic reticulum or cellular intermediate filaments. We examine the hypothesis that the shape and size of these self-assembled, intracellular nanostructures are determined by phase separation of beta-keratin protein from the cytoplasm of the cell. The shapes of a broad sample of colour-producing channel-type nanostructures from nine avian species are very similar to those self-assembled during the phase separation of an unstable mixture, a process called spinodal decomposition (SD). In contrast, the shapes of a sample of spherical-type nanostructures from feather barbs of six species show a poor match to SD. However, spherical nanostructures show a strong morphological similarity to morphologies produced by phase separation of a metastable mixture, called nucleation and growth. We propose that colour-producing, intracellular, spongy medullary beta-keratin nanostructures develop their characteristic sizes and shapes by phase separation during protein polymerization. We discuss the possible role of capillary flow through drying of medullary cells in the development of the

  17. Raman spectroscopic study of keratin 8 knockdown oral squamous cell carcinoma derived cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, S. P.; Alam, Hunain; Dmello, Crismita; Vaidya, Milind M.; Krishna, C. Murali

    2012-03-01

    Keratins are one of most widely used markers for oral cancers. Keratin 8 and 18 are expressed in simple epithelia and perform both mechanical and regulatory functions. Their expression are not seen in normal oral tissues but are often expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Aberrant expression of keratins 8 and 18 is most common change in human oral cancer. Optical-spectroscopic methods are sensitive to biochemical changes and being projected as novel diagnostic tools for cancer diagnosis. Aim of this study was to evaluate potentials of Raman spectroscopy in detecting minor changes associated with differential level of keratin expression in tongue-cancer-derived AW13516 cells. Knockdown clones for K8 were generated and synchronized by growing under serum-free conditions. Cell pellets of three independent experiments in duplicate were used for recording Raman spectra with fiberoptic-probe coupled HE-785 Raman-instrument. A total of 123 and 96 spectra from knockdown clones and vector controls respectively in 1200-1800 cm-1 region were successfully utilized for classification using LDA. Two separate clusters with classification-efficiency of ~95% were obtained. Leave-one-out cross-validation yielded ~63% efficiency. Findings of the study demonstrate the potentials of Raman spectroscopy in detecting even subtle changes such as variations in keratin expression levels. Future studies towards identifying Raman signals from keratin in oral cells can help in precise cancer diagnosis.

  18. Mass spectrometric identification of isocyanate-induced modifications of keratins in human skin

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hulst, A.G.; Verstappen, D.R.W.; Riet-van Oeveren, D. van der; Vermeulen, N.P.E.; Noort, D.

    2015-01-01

    In the current paper we show that exposure of human callus to isocyanates leads to covalent modifications within keratin proteins. Mass spectrometric analyses of pronase digests of keratin isolated from exposed callus show that both mono- and di-adducts (for di-isocyanates) are predominantly formed

  19. Novel immobilization of a quaternary ammonium moiety on keratin fibers for medical applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Dan; Cai, Jackie Y; Liu, Xin; Church, Jeffrey S; Wang, Lijing

    2014-09-01

    This paper introduces a new approach for immobilizing a quaternary ammonium moiety on a keratinous substrate for enhanced medical applications. The method involves the generation of thiols by controlled reduction of cystine disulfide bonds in the keratin, followed by reaction with [2-(acryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride through thiol-ene click chemistry. The modified substrate was characterized with Raman and infrared spectroscopy, and assessed for its antibacterial efficacy and other performance changes. The results have demonstrated that the quaternary ammonium moiety has been effectively attached onto the keratin structure, and the resultant keratin substrate exhibits a multifunctional effect including antibacterial and antistatic properties, improved liquid moisture management property, improved dyeability and a non-leaching characteristic of the treated substrate. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Keratinophilic Fungi: Nature's Keratin Degrading Machines!

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    working on his PhD on taxonomic studies on ..... detected in the culture filtrates, then the fungus does not possess the ability to degrade keratin. .... UK, 1995. [5] Y Graser and others, Medical Mycology, Vol. 31, pp lOS-114, 1999. [6] J Kunert ...

  1. Fabrication of nanofibrous scaffold using a PLA and hagfish thread keratin composite; its effect on cell adherence, growth, and osteoblast differentiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Beom-Su; Lee, Jun; Park, Ko Eun; Park, Won Ho

    2013-01-01

    Electrospinning is a useful method for the production of nanofibrous scaffolds in the field of tissue engineering. Keratin has been used as a biomaterial for electrospinning and can be used in a variety of biomedical applications because it is a natural protein, giving it the ability to improve cell affinity of scaffolds. In this study, keratin was extracted from hagfish slime thread (H-keratin) and blended with polylactic acid (PLA) polymer solution to construct a nanofibrous scaffold. Wool keratin (W-keratin) was used as a control for the comparison of morphological, physical, and biological properties. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of both W-keratin and H-keratin in the electrospun PLA/keratin. Observations with a scanning electron microscope revealed that PLA, PLA/W-keratin, and PLA/H-keratin had similar average diameters (∼800 nm). Cell attachment experiments showed that MG-63 cells adhered more rapidly and spread better onto PLA/H-keratin than onto the pure PLA or PLA/W-keratin. Cell proliferation assay, DNA content, live/dead, and alkaline phosphatase activity assays showed that PLA/H-keratin scaffolds could accelerate the viability, proliferation, and osteogenesis of MG-63 cells relative to pure PLA or PLA/W-keratin nanofibrous scaffolds. These findings suggest that H-keratin can improve cellular attraction and has great potential to be used as a biomaterial in bone tissue engineering. (paper)

  2. NOVEL USE OF WASTE KERATIN AND COTTON LINTER FIBERS FOR PROTOTYPE TISSUE PAPERS AND THEIR EVALUATION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bo Shi

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Corporate environmental sustainability calls for sustainable product manufacturing with less creation of waste material or increased reuse of waste materials. One example is the use of keratin fiber from the poultry industry and cotton linter from the textile industry for paper and tissue manufacturing. In this paper, the feasibility of using these waste fibers to make paper was demonstrated in handsheets. The properties of these handsheets were compared to the properties of handsheets made with standard bleached eucalyptus tropical hardwood fibers. A blend of cotton linter and keratin fibers at 80/20 and 60/40 ratios showed a 59% and 73% improvement in sheet bulk, respectively, compared to eucalyptus handsheets. Similarly, air permeability of the cotton / keratin fiber handsheets improved 414% and 336%, respectively, versus the eucalyptus. However, the tensile index of the cotton and keratin fiber blends was lower than the eucalyptus sheets. There was no remarkable difference in water absorbency up to 20% keratin fiber. Above 20% of keratin fibers the water absorbency started to decrease, which is likely attributable to the hydrophobic nature of the protein-based keratin fiber.

  3. Simulating the formation of keratin filament networks by a piecewise-deterministic Markov process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beil, Michael; Lück, Sebastian; Fleischer, Frank; Portet, Stéphanie; Arendt, Wolfgang; Schmidt, Volker

    2009-02-21

    Keratin intermediate filament networks are part of the cytoskeleton in epithelial cells. They were found to regulate viscoelastic properties and motility of cancer cells. Due to unique biochemical properties of keratin polymers, the knowledge of the mechanisms controlling keratin network formation is incomplete. A combination of deterministic and stochastic modeling techniques can be a valuable source of information since they can describe known mechanisms of network evolution while reflecting the uncertainty with respect to a variety of molecular events. We applied the concept of piecewise-deterministic Markov processes to the modeling of keratin network formation with high spatiotemporal resolution. The deterministic component describes the diffusion-driven evolution of a pool of soluble keratin filament precursors fueling various network formation processes. Instants of network formation events are determined by a stochastic point process on the time axis. A probability distribution controlled by model parameters exercises control over the frequency of different mechanisms of network formation to be triggered. Locations of the network formation events are assigned dependent on the spatial distribution of the soluble pool of filament precursors. Based on this modeling approach, simulation studies revealed that the architecture of keratin networks mostly depends on the balance between filament elongation and branching processes. The spatial distribution of network mesh size, which strongly influences the mechanical characteristics of filament networks, is modulated by lateral annealing processes. This mechanism which is a specific feature of intermediate filament networks appears to be a major and fast regulator of cell mechanics.

  4. Various Techniques to Increase Keratinized Tissue for Implant Supported Overdentures: Retrospective Case Series

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed Elkhaweldi

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose. The purpose of this retrospective case series is to describe and compare different surgical techniques that can be utilized to augment the keratinized soft tissue around implant-supported overdentures. Materials and Methods. The data set was extracted as deidentified information from the routine treatment of patients at the Ashman Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry. Eight edentulous patients were selected to be included in this study. Patients were treated for lack of keratinized tissue prior to implant placement, during the second stage surgery, and after delivery of the final prosthesis. Results. All 8 patients in this study were wearing a complete maxillary and/or mandibular denture for at least a year before the time of the surgery. One of the following surgical techniques was utilized to increase the amount of keratinized tissue: apically positioned flap (APF, pedicle graft (PG, connective tissue graft (CTG, or free gingival graft (FGG. Conclusions. The amount of keratinized tissue should be taken into consideration when planning for implant-supported overdentures. The apical repositioning flap is an effective approach to increase the width of keratinized tissue prior to the implant placement.

  5. Preparation and study on the structure of keratin/PVA membrane containing wool fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Min; Shen, Shuming; Yang, Xuhong; Tang, Rencheng

    2017-10-01

    The urea / sodium sulfide / sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) method was used to dissolve the wool in this study. Then the Wool fiber/keratin/PVA composites with different proportions were prepared, and the surface morphology, molecular structure, mechanical property of the composite films and the influence of the proportions on their structure and properties were studied. The results showed that, there are α-helix structure, β-sheet and random coil conformations in the pure keratin film, as well as in the wool fiber. Compared with wool fiber, the crystallinity of keratin decreased. PVA can obviously improve the mechanical property of the blended film. When the blended ratio of keratin/PVA is 20/80, the mechanical property of the blended film is greatly improved. The composite films with 8%-16% of wool fibers have better flexibility than those without wool fibers.

  6. Calcium phosphate coated Keratin-PCL scaffolds for potential bone tissue regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Xinxin; Lui, Yuan Siang; Choo, Caleb Kai Chuen; Sow, Wan Ting; Huang, Charlotte Liwen; Ng, Kee Woei; Tan, Lay Poh; Loo, Joachim Say Chye

    2015-04-01

    The incorporation of hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles within or on the surface of electrospun polymeric scaffolds is a popular approach for bone tissue engineering. However, the fabrication of osteoconductive composite scaffolds via benign processing conditions still remains a major challenge to date. In this work, a new method was developed to achieve a uniform coating of calcium phosphate (CaP) onto electrospun keratin-polycaprolactone composites (Keratin-PCL). Keratin within PCL was crosslinked to decrease its solubility, before coating of CaP. A homogeneous coating was achieved within a short time frame (~10min) by immersing the scaffolds into Ca(2+) and (PO4)(3-) solutions separately. Results showed that the incorporation of keratin into PCL scaffolds not only provided nucleation sites for Ca(2+) adsorption and subsequent homogeneous CaP surface deposition, but also facilitated cell-matrix interactions. An improvement in the mechanical strength of the resultant composite scaffold, as compared to other conventional coating methods, was also observed. This approach of developing a biocompatible bone tissue engineering scaffold would be adopted for further in vitro osteogenic differentiation studies in the future. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Preparation and characterization of keratin-K 2 Ti 6 O 13 whisker ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Wool is the most popular natural material. In the textile industries, a lot of waste wool fibres and their products induce actions which lead to the regeneration of wool keratin materials. However, the most significant limitations may be the poor fracture resistance of neat keratin materials. Traditionally, biopolymer was used to ...

  8. Rejoining of cut wounds by engineered gelatin-keratin glue.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thirupathi Kumara Raja, S; Thiruselvi, T; Sailakshmi, G; Ganesh, S; Gnanamani, A

    2013-08-01

    Rejoining of cut tissue ends of a critical site challenges clinicians. The toxicity, antigenicity, low adhesive strength, flexibility, swelling and cost of the currently employed glue demands an alternative. Engineered gelatin-keratin glue (EGK-glue) described in the present study was found to be suitable for wet tissue approximation. EGK-glue was prepared by engineering gelatin with caffeic acid using EDC and conjugating with keratin by periodate oxidation. UV-visible, (1)H NMR and circular dichroism analyses followed by experiments on gelation time, rheology, gel adhesive strength (in vitro), wet tissue approximation (in vivo), H&E staining of tissue sections at scheduled time intervals and tensile strength of the healed skin were carried out to assess the effectiveness of the EGK-glue in comparison with fibrin glue and cyanoacrylate. Results of UV-visible, NMR and CD analyses confirmed the functionalization and secondary structural changes. Increasing concentration of keratin reduces the gelation time (glue for clinical applications. Tissue approximation property assessed using the incision wound model (Wistar strain) in comparison with cyanoacrylate and fibrin glue suggested, that EGK-glue explicitly accelerates the rejoining of tissue with a 1.86 fold increase in skin tensile strength after healing. Imparting quinone moiety to gelatin-keratin conjugates through caffeic acid and a weaker oxidizing agent provides an adhesive glue with appreciable strength, and hemocompatible, cytocompatible and biodegradable properties, which, rejoin the cut tissue ends effectively. EGK-glue obtained in the present study finds wide biomedical/clinical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Two-dimensional Fourier analysis of the spongy medullary keratin of structurally coloured feather barbs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prum, R. O.; Torres, R.; Williamson, S.; Dyck, J.

    1999-01-01

    We conducted two-dimensional (2D) discrete Fourier analyses of the spatial variation in refractive index of the spongy medullary keratin from four different colours of structurally coloured feather barbs from three species of bird: the rose-faced lovebird, Agapornis roseicollis (Psittacidae), the budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus (Psittacidae), and the Gouldian finch, Poephila guttata (Estrildidae). These results indicate that the spongy medullary keratin is a nanostructured tissue that functions as an array of coherent scatterers. The nanostructure of the medullary keratin is nearly uniform in all directions. The largest Fourier components of spatial variation in refractive index in the tissue are of the appropriate size to produce the observed colours by constructive interference alone. The peaks of the predicted reflectance spectra calculated from the 2D Fourier power spectra are congruent with the reflectance spectra measured by using microspectrophotometry. The alternative physical models for the production of these colours, the Rayleigh and Mie theories, hypothesize that medullary keratin is an incoherent array and that scattered waves are independent in phase. This assumption is falsified by the ring-like Fourier power spectra of these feathers, and the spacing of the scattering air vacuoles in the medullary keratin. Structural colours of avian feather barbs are produced by constructive interference of coherently scattered light waves from the optically heterogeneous matrix of keratin and air in the spongy medullary layer.

  10. Fabrication of highly porous keratin sponges by freeze-drying in the presence of calcium alginate beads

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamasaki, Shinichi; Tachibana, Akira; Tada, Daisuke; Yamauchi, Kiyoshi; Tanabe, Toshizumi

    2008-01-01

    Novel fabrication method of highly porous and flexible keratin sponges was developed by combining a particulate-leaching method and a freeze-drying method. Reduced keratin aqueous solution was mixed with dried calcium alginate beads and was lyophilized to give keratin/calcium alginate complex, which was subsequently treated with EDTA solution to leach out calcium alginate beads. The resultant keratin sponge was flexible enough to handle even in dried state because of its quite high porosity (98.9 ± 0.1%), which was brought about by the large and small pores formed by the elimination of calcium alginate beads and water. The sponge supported the attachment and the proliferation of mouse fibroblast cells. Thus, the keratin sponge given by the present fabrication method afforded one alternative as a cell scaffold for tissue engineering

  11. Keratin film ablation for the fabrication of brick and mortar skin structure using femtosecond laser pulses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haq, Bibi Safia; Khan, Hidayat Ullah; Dou, Yuehua; Alam, Khan; Attaullah, Shehnaz; Zari, Islam

    2015-09-01

    The patterning of thin keratin films has been explored to manufacture model skin surfaces based on the "bricks and mortar" view of the relationship between keratin and lipids. It has been demonstrated that laser light is capable of preparing keratin-based "bricks and mortar" wall structure as in epidermis, the outermost layer of the human skin. "Bricks and mortar" pattern in keratin films has been fabricated using an ArF excimer laser (193 nm wavelength) and femtosecond laser (800 and 400 nm wavelength). Due to the very low ablation threshold of keratin, femtosecond laser systems are practical for laser processing of proteins. These model skin structures are fabricated for the first time that will help to produce potentially effective moisturizing products for the protection of skin from dryness, diseases and wrinkles.

  12. Investigating the microstructure of keratin extracted from wool: peptide sequence (MALDI-TOF/TOF) and protein conformation (FTIR)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keratin was extracted from wool by reduction with 2-mercaptoethanol. It was isolated as intact keratin and characterized by its similar molecular weight, protein composition, and secondary structure to native keratin. Gel electrophoresis patterns and MALDI-TOF/TOF peptide sequences provided the ide...

  13. Keratins K2 and K10 are essential for the epidermal integrity of plantar skin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Heinz; Langbein, Lutz; Reichelt, Julia; Buchberger, Maria; Tschachler, Erwin; Eckhart, Leopold

    2016-01-01

    K1 and K2 are the main type II keratins in the suprabasal epidermis where each of them heterodimerizes with the type I keratin K10 to form intermediate filaments. In regions of the ears, tail, and soles of the mouse, only K2 is co-expressed with K10, suggesting that these keratins suffice to form a mechanically resilient cytoskeleton. To determine the effects of the suppression of both main keratins, K2 and K10, in the suprabasal plantar epidermis of the mouse. Krt2(-/-) Krt10(-/-) mice were generated by crossing Krt2(-/-) and Krt10(-/-) mice. Epidermal morphology of soles of hind-paws was examined macroscopically and histologically. Immunofluorescence analysis and quantitative PCR analysis were performed to analyze the expression of keratins in sole skin of wildtype and Krt2(-/-) Krt10(-/-) mice. Highly abundant proteins of the sole stratum corneum were determined by electrophoretic and chromatographic separation and subsequent mass spectrometry. K2 and K10 are the most prominent suprabasal keratins in normal mouse soles with the exception of the footpads where K1, K9 and K10 predominate. Mice lacking both K2 and K10 were viable and developed epidermal acanthosis and hyperkeratosis in inter-footpad epidermis of the soles. The expression of keratins K1, K9 and K16 was massively increased at the RNA and protein levels in the soles of Krt2(-/-) Krt10(-/-) mice. This study demonstrates that the loss of the main cytoskeletal components of plantar epidermis, i.e. K2 and K10, can be only partly compensated by the upregulation of other keratins. The thickening of the epidermis in the soles of Krt2(-/-) Krt10(-/-) mice may serve as a model for pathomechanistic aspects of palmoplantar keratoderma. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  14. Keratinophilic Fungi: Nature's Keratin Degrading Machines!

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    differen t functions: the claws and armour of reptiles, the feather and beaks of birds, and the hooves, horns, skin, hair and nails of mammals. Keratin is a scleroprotein and is mechanically hard and chemically unreactive, owing its strength to the numerous cross-links of disulfide bonds, which hold together the molecu-.

  15. Localization of Alpha-Keratin and Beta-Keratin (Corneous Beta Protein) in the Epithelium on the Ventral Surface of the Lingual Apex and Its Lingual Nail in the Domestic Goose (Anser Anser f. domestica) by Using Immunohistochemistry and Raman Microspectroscopy Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skieresz-Szewczyk, Kinga; Jackowiak, Hanna; Buchwald, Tomasz; Szybowicz, Mirosław

    2017-08-01

    The epithelium of the ventral surface of the apex of the tongue in most birds is specified by the presence of the special superficial layer called lingual nail. The aim of the present study is to determine the localization of the alpha-keratin and beta-keratin (corneous beta protein) in this special epithelium in the domestic goose by using immunohistochemistry staining and the Raman spectroscopy analysis. Due to lack of commercially available antibodies to detect beta-keratin (corneous beta protein), the Raman spectroscopy was used as a specific tool to detect and describe the secondary structure of proteins. The immunohistochemical (IHC) detections reveal the presence of alpha-keratin in all layers of the epithelium, but significant differences in the distribution of the alpha-keratin in the epithelial layers appear. The staining reaction is stronger from the basal layer to the upper zone of the intermediate layer. The unique result is weak staining for the alpha-keratin in the lingual nail. Applications of the Raman spectroscopy as a complementary method not only confirmed results of IHC staining for alpha-keratin, but showed that this technique could be used to demonstrate the presence of beta-keratin (corneous beta protein). Functionally, the localization of alpha-keratin in the epithelium of the ventral surface of the lingual apex provides a proper scaffold for epithelial cells and promotes structural integrity, whereas the presence of beta-keratin (corneous beta protein) in the lingual nail, described also as exoskeleton of the ventral surface of the apex, endures mechanical stress. Anat Rec, 300:1361-1368, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. Analysis of gene expression in gecko digital adhesive pads indicates significant production of cysteine- and glycine-rich beta-keratins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallahan, David L; Keiper-Hrynko, Natalie M; Shang, Tanya Q; Ganzke, Thaya S; Toni, Mattia; Dalla Valle, Luisa; Alibardi, Lorenzo

    2009-01-15

    Microscopic bristles (setae) present on digital pads permit the adhesion and climbing of geckos. Keratins of setae of the lizard Gekko gecko (Tokay gecko) were analyzed by the isolation of expressed mRNAs and by the generation of an EST library. Of the 510 sequences determined, 268 (52.9%) were unique. Of these, 14 appeared to encode alpha- and 111 beta-keratins. Within the beta-keratins, we identified five groups based on nucleotide sequence comparisons. Of these, one contained the bulk of beta-keratins, with 103 EST members. The mRNAs within this major group, together with two singlets, encoded cysteine-proline-serine-rich proteins of 10-14 kDa (Ge-cprp). One of the smaller groups of transcripts encoded slightly larger glycine-proline-serine-rich proteins, of 14-19 kDa (Ge-gprp). The remaining group consisted of smaller (9 kDa) serine-tyrosine-rich beta-keratins (Ge-strp). Thus three classes could be distinguished by amino acid sequence alignment. Exact matches for some of the peptide sequences obtained from setal proteins by ms/ms sequencing occur within several of these clones. Most of the beta-keratins were basic and contained a core-box region of two beta-strand sequences, with high homology to core-boxes present in avian scale and feather beta-keratins. Core-boxes are beta-folded regions that are likely responsible for polymerization into the beta-keratin filaments. The two deduced alpha-keratins of 52.7 kDa are both acidic, and contain the typical central rod region with some homology to mammalian and avian alpha-keratins, with variable N- and C-terminal regions. Basic beta-keratins and acidic alpha-keratins may interact electrostatically to form the resistant corneous material of setae. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Keratin 8 phosphorylation in vitro by cAMP-dependent protein kinase occurs within the amino- and carboxyl-terminal end domains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ando, S; Tokui, T; Yano, T; Inagaki, M

    1996-04-05

    We reported earlier that phosphorylation in vitro of keratin filaments reconstituted from rat type I keratin 18 and type II keratin 8 by cAPM-dependent protein kinase induces disassembly of the keratin filament structure. Keratin 8 rather than keratin 18 was the major target of the kinase. We have now identified the sites on rat keratin 8 for cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Sequential analysis of the purified phosphoropeptides, together with the known primary sequence, revealed that four major sites, Ser-12, Ser-23, Ser-36, and Ser-50, and three minor sites, Ser-8, Ser-33, Ser-42, are located in the amino-terminal head domain, while three minor sites, Ser-416, Ser-423 and Ser-425 locate in the carboxyl-terminal tail domain.

  18. Innovative Application of Biopolymer Keratin as a Filler of Synthetic Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber NBR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirosława Prochoń

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The current investigations show the influence of keratin, recovered from the tanning industry, on the thermal and mechanical properties of vulcanizates with synthetic rubber acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber NBR. The addition of waste protein to NBR vulcanizates influences the improvement of resistance at high temperatures and mechanical properties like tensile strength and hardness. The introduction of keratin to the mixes of rubber previously blended with zinc oxide (ZnO before vulcanization process leads to an increase in the cross-linking density of vulcanizates. The polymer materials received including addition of proteins will undergo biodecomposition in natural conditions. After soil test, vulcanizates with keratin especially keratin with ZnO showed much more changes on the surface area than vulcanizates without protein. In that aerobic environment, microorganisms, bacteria, and fungus digested better polymer materials containing natural additives.

  19. Biological armors under impact—effect of keratin coating, and synthetic bio-inspired analogues

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Achrai, B; Wagner, H D; Bar-On, B

    2015-01-01

    A number of biological armors, such as turtle shells, consist of a strong exoskeleton covered with a thin keratin coating. The mechanical role upon impact of this keratin coating has surprisingly not been investigated thus far. Low-velocity impact tests on the turtle shell reveal a unique toughening phenomenon attributed to the thin covering keratin layer, the presence of which noticeably improves the fracture energy and shell integrity. Synthetic substrate/coating analogues were subsequently prepared and exhibit an impact behavior similar to the biological ones. The results of the present study may improve our understanding, and even future designs, of impact-tolerant structures. (paper)

  20. The peacock's train (Pavo cristatus and Pavo cristatus mut. alba) II. The molecular parameters of feather keratin plasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, Ingrid M; Schmitt, Karl P; Kirchner, Helmut O K

    2011-06-01

    Thermal activation analysis of plastic deformation of peacock tail feathers, by temperature changes and stress relaxation, gave for the keratin cortex an activation enthalpy of 1.78 ± 0.89 eV and an activation volume of 0.83 ± 0.13 nm³, for both the blue and the white subspecies. These values suggest that breaking of electrostatic bonds is responsible for plasticity in feather keratin. These might be bonds between keratin and nonkeratinous matrix or keratin-keratin cross-links. The mechanical properties of the rachis cortex are surprisingly uniform along the length of the feathers. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company.

  1. Keratin sponge/hydrogel II, active agent delivery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keratin sponge/hydrogels from oxidation and reduction hydrolysis of fine and coarse wool fibers were formed to behave as cationic hydrogels to swell and release active agents in the specific region of the gastro-intestinal (GI) tract. Their porous, interpenetrating networks (IPN) were effective for...

  2. Genetic variants in pachyonychia congenita-associated keratins increase susceptibility to tooth decay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duverger, Olivier; Carlson, Jenna C; Karacz, Chelsea M; Schwartz, Mary E; Cross, Michael A; Marazita, Mary L; Shaffer, John R; Morasso, Maria I

    2018-01-01

    Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a cutaneous disorder primarily characterized by nail dystrophy and painful palmoplantar keratoderma. PC is caused by mutations in KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT6C, KRT16, and KRT17, a set of keratin genes expressed in the nail bed, palmoplantar epidermis, oral mucosal epithelium, hair follicle and sweat gland. RNA-seq analysis revealed that all PC-associated keratins (except for Krt6c that does exist in the mouse genome) are expressed in the mouse enamel organ. We further demonstrated that these keratins are produced by ameloblasts and are incorporated into mature human enamel. Using genetic and intraoral examination data from 573 adults and 449 children, we identified several missense polymorphisms in KRT6A, KRT6B and KRT6C that lead to a higher risk for dental caries. Structural analysis of teeth from a PC patient carrying a p.Asn171Lys substitution in keratin-6a (K6a) revealed disruption of enamel rod sheaths resulting in altered rod shape and distribution. Finally, this PC-associated substitution as well as more frequent caries-associated SNPs, found in two of the KRT6 genes, that result in p.Ser143Asn substitution (rs28538343 in KRT6B and rs151117600 in KRT6C), alter the assembly of K6 filaments in ameloblast-like cells. These results identify a new set of keratins involved in tooth enamel formation, distinguish novel susceptibility loci for tooth decay and reveal additional clinical features of pachyonychia congenita.

  3. Novel keratin modified bacterial cellulose nanocomposite production and characterization for skin tissue engineering.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keskin, Zalike; Sendemir Urkmez, Aylin; Hames, E Esin

    2017-06-01

    As it is known that bacterial cellulose (BC) is a biocompatible and natural biopolymer due to which it has a large set of biomedical applications. But still it lacks some desired properties, which limits its uses in many other applications. Therefore, the properties of BC need to be boosted up to an acceptable level. Here in this study for the first time, a new natural nanocomposite was produced by the incorporating keratin (isolated from human hair) to the BC (produced by Acetobacter xylinum) to enhance dermal fibroblast cells' attachment. Two different approaches were used in BC based nanocomposite production: in situ and post modifications. BC/keratin nanocomposites were characterized using SEM, FTIR, EDX, XRD, DSC and XPS analyses. Both production methods have yielded successful results for production of BC based nanocomposite-containing keratin. In vitro cell culture experiments performed with human skin keratinocytes and human skin fibroblast cells indicate the potential of the novel BC/keratin nanocomposites for use in skin tissue engineering. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  4. All Green Composites from Fully Renewable Biopolymers: Chitosan-Starch Reinforced with Keratin from Feathers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cynthia G. Flores-Hernández

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available The performance as reinforcement of a fibrillar protein such as feather keratin fiber over a biopolymeric matrix composed of polysaccharides was evaluated in this paper. Three different kinds of keratin reinforcement were used: short and long biofibers and rachis particles. These were added separately at 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt% to the chitosan-starch matrix and the composites were processed by a casting/solvent evaporation method. The morphological characteristics, mechanical and thermal properties of the matrix and composites were studied by scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical analysis. The thermal results indicated that the addition of keratin enhanced the thermal stability of the composites compared to pure matrix. This was corroborated with dynamic mechanical analysis as the results revealed that the storage modulus of the composites increased with respect to the pure matrix. The morphology, evaluated by scanning electron microscopy, indicated a uniform dispersion of keratin in the chitosan-starch matrix as a result of good compatibility between these biopolymers, also corroborated by FTIR. These results demonstrate that chicken feathers can be useful to obtain novel keratin reinforcements and develop new green composites providing better properties, than the original biopolymer matrix.

  5. Molecular evidence of keratin and melanosomes in feathers of the Early Cretaceous bird Eoconfuciusornis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pan, Yanhong; Zheng, Wenxia; Moyer, Alison E; O'Connor, Jingmai K; Wang, Min; Zheng, Xiaoting; Wang, Xiaoli; Schroeter, Elena R; Zhou, Zhonghe; Schweitzer, Mary H

    2016-12-06

    Microbodies associated with feathers of both nonavian dinosaurs and early birds were first identified as bacteria but have been reinterpreted as melanosomes. Whereas melanosomes in modern feathers are always surrounded by and embedded in keratin, melanosomes embedded in keratin in fossils has not been demonstrated. Here we provide multiple independent molecular analyses of both microbodies and the associated matrix recovered from feathers of a new specimen of the basal bird Eoconfuciusornis from the Early Cretaceous Jehol Biota of China. Our work represents the oldest ultrastructural and immunological recognition of avian beta-keratin from an Early Cretaceous (∼130-Ma) bird. We apply immunogold to identify protein epitopes at high resolution, by localizing antibody-antigen complexes to specific fossil ultrastructures. Retention of original keratinous proteins in the matrix surrounding electron-opaque microbodies supports their assignment as melanosomes and adds to the criteria employable to distinguish melanosomes from microbial bodies. Our work sheds new light on molecular preservation within normally labile tissues preserved in fossils.

  6. Shape Memory Investigation of α-Keratin Fibers as Multi-Coupled Stimuli of Responsive Smart Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xueliang Xiao

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Like the water responsive shape memory (SM effect of β-keratin bird feathers, α-keratin hairs either existing broadly in nature are found responsive to many types of coupled stimuli in SM behaviors. In this article, α-keratin hairs were investigated for the combined stimuli of thermo-solvent, solvent-solvent, and UV (radiation-reductant sensitive SM abilities. The related netpoints and switches from the hair molecular networks were identified. The experimental results showed that α-keratin hairs manifested a higher ability of shape fixation under thermal stimulus followed with the stimuli of solvent and UV-radiation. Shape recovery from the hair with a temporarily fixed shape showed a higher recovery ability using solvent than the stimuli of heat and UV-radiation. The effects of coupled stimuli on hair’s shape fixation and recovery and on variations of the crystal, disulfide, and hydrogen bonds were studied systematically. A structural network model was thereafter proposed to interpret the multi-coupled stimuli sensitive SM of α-keratin hair. This original study is expected to provide inspiration for exploring other natural fibers to reveal related smart functions and for making more types of remarkable adapted synthetic materials.

  7. Porous hydrogel of wool keratin prepared by a novel method: An extraction with guanidine/2-mercaptoethanol solution followed by a dialysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozaki, Yuki; Takagi, Yusuke; Mori, Hideki; Hara, Masayuki, E-mail: hara@b.s.osakafu-u.ac.jp

    2014-09-01

    In this study, we show a novel simple method to prepare a sponge-like porous keratin hydrogel through the extraction of wool keratin in a solution containing guanidine hydrochloride and 2-mercaptoethanol followed by dialysis for both aggregation of keratin and recrosslink. The gel had a highly porous structure and a fast-swelling property in rehydration after freeze-drying. It had also high mechanical strength both in the tensile test and the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity. Three types of animal cells, PC12 cells, HOS cells and murine embryonic fibroblasts, well attached and grew on the surface of the porous hydrogel. - Graphical abstract: We show a novel simple method to prepare a sponge-like porous keratin hydrogel (A, B) through the extraction of wool keratin in a solution containing guanidine hydrochloride and 2-mercaptoethanol followed by dialysis for both aggregation of keratin and recrosslink. The gel had a highly porous structure (B) and a fast-swelling property in rehydration after freeze-drying. It had also high mechanical strength both in the tensile test (C) and the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity (D). Three types of animal cells, PC12 cells (E), HOS cells (F) and murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) (G), well attached and grew on the surface of the porous hydrogel. - Highlights: • We prepared a sponge-like porous keratin hydrogel by a novel method. • We used guanidine with 2-mercaptoethanol to extract keratin from wool fiber. • Extracted keratin was recrosslinked to form a porous keratin hydrogel in dialysis. • The keratin hydrogel had a high mechanical strength. • Three types of cells attached on the keratin hydrogel proliferated well.

  8. Porous hydrogel of wool keratin prepared by a novel method: An extraction with guanidine/2-mercaptoethanol solution followed by a dialysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozaki, Yuki; Takagi, Yusuke; Mori, Hideki; Hara, Masayuki

    2014-01-01

    In this study, we show a novel simple method to prepare a sponge-like porous keratin hydrogel through the extraction of wool keratin in a solution containing guanidine hydrochloride and 2-mercaptoethanol followed by dialysis for both aggregation of keratin and recrosslink. The gel had a highly porous structure and a fast-swelling property in rehydration after freeze-drying. It had also high mechanical strength both in the tensile test and the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity. Three types of animal cells, PC12 cells, HOS cells and murine embryonic fibroblasts, well attached and grew on the surface of the porous hydrogel. - Graphical abstract: We show a novel simple method to prepare a sponge-like porous keratin hydrogel (A, B) through the extraction of wool keratin in a solution containing guanidine hydrochloride and 2-mercaptoethanol followed by dialysis for both aggregation of keratin and recrosslink. The gel had a highly porous structure (B) and a fast-swelling property in rehydration after freeze-drying. It had also high mechanical strength both in the tensile test (C) and the measurement of dynamic viscoelasticity (D). Three types of animal cells, PC12 cells (E), HOS cells (F) and murine embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) (G), well attached and grew on the surface of the porous hydrogel. - Highlights: • We prepared a sponge-like porous keratin hydrogel by a novel method. • We used guanidine with 2-mercaptoethanol to extract keratin from wool fiber. • Extracted keratin was recrosslinked to form a porous keratin hydrogel in dialysis. • The keratin hydrogel had a high mechanical strength. • Three types of cells attached on the keratin hydrogel proliferated well

  9. Keratin decomposition by trogid beetles: evidence from a feeding experiment and stable isotope analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugiura, Shinji; Ikeda, Hiroshi

    2014-03-01

    The decomposition of vertebrate carcasses is an important ecosystem function. Soft tissues of dead vertebrates are rapidly decomposed by diverse animals. However, decomposition of hard tissues such as hairs and feathers is much slower because only a few animals can digest keratin, a protein that is concentrated in hairs and feathers. Although beetles of the family Trogidae are considered keratin feeders, their ecological function has rarely been explored. Here, we investigated the keratin-decomposition function of trogid beetles in heron-breeding colonies where keratin was frequently supplied as feathers. Three trogid species were collected from the colonies and observed feeding on heron feathers under laboratory conditions. We also measured the nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) stable isotope ratios of two trogid species that were maintained on a constant diet (feathers from one heron individual) during 70 days under laboratory conditions. We compared the isotopic signatures of the trogids with the feathers to investigate isotopic shifts from the feathers to the consumers for δ15N and δ13C. We used mixing models (MixSIR and SIAR) to estimate the main diets of individual field-collected trogid beetles. The analysis indicated that heron feathers were more important as food for trogid beetles than were soft tissues under field conditions. Together, the feeding experiment and stable isotope analysis provided strong evidence of keratin decomposition by trogid beetles.

  10. Dynamic evolution of the alpha (α) and beta (β) keratins has accompanied integument diversification and the adaptation of birds into novel lifestyles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Greenwold, Matthew J.; Bao, Weier; Jarvis, Erich D.

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Vertebrate skin appendages are constructed of keratins produced by multigene families. Alpha (α) keratins are found in all vertebrates, while beta (β) keratins are found exclusively in reptiles and birds. We have studied the molecular evolution of these gene families in the genomes...... of 48 phylogenetically diverse birds and their expression in the scales and feathers of the chicken. RESULTS: We found that the total number of α-keratins is lower in birds than mammals and non-avian reptiles, yet two α-keratin genes (KRT42 and KRT75) have expanded in birds. The β-keratins, however...

  11. Modifying surface resistivity and liquid moisture management property of keratin fibers through thiol-ene click reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Dan; Cai, Jackie Y; Church, Jeffrey S; Wang, Lijing

    2014-01-22

    This paper reports on a new method for improving the antistatic and liquid moisture management properties of keratinous materials. The method involves the generation of thiols by controlled reduction of cystine disulfide bonds in keratin with tris(2-carboxyethyl) phosphine hydrochloride and subsequent grafting of hydrophilic groups onto the reduced keratin by reaction with an acrylate sulfonate or acrylamide sulfonate through thiol-ene click chemistry. The modified substrates were characterized with Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy and evaluated for their performance changes in liquid moisture management, surface resistivity, and wet burst strength. The results have revealed that the thiol-acrylate reaction is more efficient than the thiol-acrylamide reaction, and the keratinous substrate modified with an acrylate sulfonate salt exhibits significantly improved antistatic and liquid moisture management properties.

  12. Surgical exposure of an impacted maxillary canine and increasing a band of keratinized gingiva

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vijayalakshmi R

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available An adequate amount of keratinized gingival tissue that is under proper plaque control, is a fundamental requirement for periodontal health. When the teeth erupt uneventfully in the center of the alveolar ridge, an adequate amount of keratinized tissue will surround the erupted permanent tooth. Labially or buccally erupting teeth show reduced dimensions of the gingiva as abnormal eruption of permanent teeth restricts or eliminates the keratinized tissue between the erupting cusp and the deciduous tooth. A lack of attached gingiva poses a potential risk for gingival recession in labially or buccally erupted teeth due to the possibility of accumulation of plaque and/or traumatic tooth-brushing during subsequent orthodontic treatment. A good understanding between the orthodontist and periodontist along with proper management of periodontal tissues, can prevent these problems. Various surgical techniques can be employed to uncover impacted teeth. This paper discusses the validity of utilizing periodontal surgery to increase a band of keratinized tissue in a case of an impacted canine erupting from the alveolar mucosa.

  13. Interplay between Solo and keratin filaments is crucial for mechanical force–induced stress fiber reinforcement

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Sachiko; Ohashi, Kazumasa; Mashiko, Toshiya; Kondo, Hiroshi; Mizuno, Kensaku

    2016-01-01

    Mechanical force–induced cytoskeletal reorganization is essential for cell and tissue remodeling and homeostasis; however, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain elusive. Solo (ARHGEF40) is a RhoA-targeting guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) involved in cyclical stretch–induced human endothelial cell reorientation and convergent extension cell movement in zebrafish gastrula. In this study, we show that Solo binds to keratin-8/keratin-18 (K8/K18) intermediate filaments through multiple sites. Solo overexpression promotes the formation of thick actin stress fibers and keratin bundles, whereas knockdown of Solo, expression of a GEF-inactive mutant of Solo, or inhibition of ROCK suppresses stress fiber formation and leads to disorganized keratin networks, indicating that the Solo-RhoA-ROCK pathway serves to precisely organize keratin networks, as well as to promote stress fibers. Of importance, knockdown of Solo or K18 or overexpression of GEF-inactive or deletion mutants of Solo suppresses tensile force–induced stress fiber reinforcement. Furthermore, knockdown of Solo or K18 suppresses tensile force-induced RhoA activation. These results strongly suggest that the interplay between Solo and K8/K18 filaments plays a crucial role in tensile force–induced RhoA activation and consequent actin cytoskeletal reinforcement. PMID:26823019

  14. FAM83H and casein kinase I regulate the organization of the keratin cytoskeleton and formation of desmosomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuga, Takahisa; Sasaki, Mitsuho; Mikami, Toshinari; Miake, Yasuo; Adachi, Jun; Shimizu, Maiko; Saito, Youhei; Koura, Minako; Takeda, Yasunori; Matsuda, Junichiro; Tomonaga, Takeshi; Nakayama, Yuji

    2016-05-25

    FAM83H is essential for the formation of dental enamel because a mutation in the FAM83H gene causes amelogenesis imperfecta (AI). We previously reported that the overexpression of FAM83H often occurs and disorganizes the keratin cytoskeleton in colorectal cancer cells. We herein show that FAM83H regulates the organization of the keratin cytoskeleton and maintains the formation of desmosomes in ameloblastoma cells. FAM83H is expressed and localized on keratin filaments in human ameloblastoma cell lines and in mouse ameloblasts and epidermal germinative cells in vivo. FAM83H shows preferential localization to keratin filaments around the nucleus that often extend to cell-cell junctions. Alterations in the function of FAM83H by its overexpression, knockdown, or an AI-causing truncated mutant prevent the proper organization of the keratin cytoskeleton in ameloblastoma cells. Furthermore, the AI-causing mutant prevents desmosomal proteins from being localized to cell-cell junctions. The effects of the AI-causing mutant depend on its binding to and possible inhibition of casein kinase I (CK-1). The suppression of CK-1 by its inhibitor, D4476, disorganizes the keratin cytoskeleton. Our results suggest that AI caused by the FAM83H mutation is mediated by the disorganization of the keratin cytoskeleton and subsequent disruption of desmosomes in ameloblasts.

  15. Rapid evolution of Beta-keratin genes contribute to phenotypic differences that distinguish turtles and birds from other reptiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yang I; Kong, Lesheng; Ponting, Chris P; Haerty, Wilfried

    2013-01-01

    Sequencing of vertebrate genomes permits changes in distinct protein families, including gene gains and losses, to be ascribed to lineage-specific phenotypes. A prominent example of this is the large-scale duplication of beta-keratin genes in the ancestors of birds, which was crucial to the subsequent evolution of their beaks, claws, and feathers. Evidence suggests that the shell of Pseudomys nelsoni contains at least 16 beta-keratins proteins, but it is unknown whether this is a complete set and whether their corresponding genes are orthologous to avian beak, claw, or feather beta-keratin genes. To address these issues and to better understand the evolution of the turtle shell at a molecular level, we surveyed the diversity of beta-keratin genes from the genome assemblies of three turtles, Chrysemys picta, Pelodiscus sinensis, and Chelonia mydas, which together represent over 160 Myr of chelonian evolution. For these three turtles, we found 200 beta-keratins, which indicate that, as for birds, a large expansion of beta-keratin genes in turtles occurred concomitantly with the evolution of a unique phenotype, namely, their plastron and carapace. Phylogenetic reconstruction of beta-keratin gene evolution suggests that separate waves of gene duplication within a single genomic location gave rise to scales, claws, and feathers in birds, and independently the scutes of the shell in turtles.

  16. PEG-Immobilized Keratin for Protein Drug Sequestration and pH-Mediated Delivery

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roche C. de Guzman

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Protein drugs like growth factors are promising therapeutics for damaged-tissue repair. Their local delivery often requires biomaterial carriers for achieving the therapeutic dose range while extending efficacy. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG and keratin were crosslinked and used as sponge-like scaffolds (KTN-PEG to absorb test proteins with different isoelectric points (pI: albumin (~5, hemoglobin (~7, and lysozyme (~11. The protein release kinetics was influenced by charge at physiological pH 7.4. The keratin network, with pI 5.3, electrostatically attracted lysozyme and repulsed albumin generating the release rate profile: albumin > hemoglobin > lysozyme. However, under acidic conditions (pH 4, all proteins including keratins were positively charged and consequently intermolecular repulsion altered the release hierarchy, now determined by size (MW diffusion: lysozyme (14 kDa > hemoglobin (64 kDa > albumin (66 kDa. Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C, with properties comparable to lysozyme, was absorbed into the KTN-PEG scaffold. Endothelial cells cultured on this substrate had significantly larger numbers than on scaffolds without VEGF-C suggesting that the ionically bound and retained growth factor at neutral pH indirectly increased acute cell attachment and viability. PEG and keratin based sequestrations of proteins with basic pIs are therefore a feasible strategy with potential applications for selective biologics delivery.

  17. Alkylation of human hair keratin for tunable hydrogel erosion and drug delivery in tissue engineering applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Sangheon; Ham, Trevor R; Haque, Salma; Sparks, Jessica L; Saul, Justin M

    2015-09-01

    Polymeric biomaterials that provide a matrix for cell attachment and proliferation while achieving delivery of therapeutic agents are an important component of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine strategies. Keratins are a class of proteins that have received attention for numerous tissue engineering applications because, like other natural polymers, they promote favorable cell interactions and have non-toxic degradation products. Keratins can be extracted from various sources including human hair, and they are characterized by a high percentage of cysteine residues. Thiol groups on reductively extracted keratin (kerateine) form disulfide bonds, providing a more stable cross-linked hydrogel network than oxidatively extracted keratin (keratose) that cannot form disulfide crosslinks. We hypothesized that an iodoacetamide alkylation (or "capping") of cysteine thiol groups on the kerateine form of keratin could be used as a simple method to modulate the levels of disulfide crosslinking in keratin hydrogels, providing tunable rates of gel erosion and therapeutic agent release. After alkylation, the alkylated kerateines still formed hydrogels and the alkylation led to changes in the mechanical and visco-elastic properties of the materials consistent with loss of disulfide crosslinking. The alkylated kerateines did not lead to toxicity in MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblasts. These cells adhered to keratin at levels comparable to fibronectin and greater than collagen. Alkylated kerateine gels eroded more rapidly than non-alkylated kerateine and this control over erosion led to tunable rates of delivery of rhBMP-2, rhIGF-1, and ciprofloxacin. These results demonstrate that alkylation of kerateine cysteine residues provides a cell-compatible approach to tune rates of hydrogel erosion and therapeutic agent release within the context of a naturally-derived polymeric system. Copyright © 2015 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The amelioration of cardiac dysfunction after myocardial infarction by the injection of keratin biomaterials derived from human hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Deliang; Wang, Xiaofang; Zhang, Li; Zhao, Xiaoyan; Li, Jingyi; Cheng, Ke; Zhang, Jinying

    2011-12-01

    Cardiac dysfunction following acute myocardial infarction is a major cause of advanced cardiomyopathy. Conventional pharmacological therapies rely on prompt reperfusion and prevention of repetitive maladaptive pathways. Keratin biomaterials can be manufactured in an autologous fashion and are effective in various models of tissue regeneration. However, its potential application in cardiac regeneration has not been tested. Keratin biomaterials were derived from human hair and its structure morphology, carryover of beneficial factors, biocompatibility with cardiomyocytes, and in vivo degradation profile were characterized. After delivery into infarcted rat hearts, the keratin scaffolds were efficiently infiltrated by cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. Injection of keratin biomaterials promotes angiogenesis but does not exacerbate inflammation in the post-MI hearts. Compared to control-injected animals, keratin biomaterials-injected animals exhibited preservation of cardiac function and attenuation of adverse ventricular remodeling over the 8 week following time course. Tissue western blot analysis revealed up-regulation of beneficial factors (BMP4, NGF, TGF-beta) in the keratin-injected hearts. The salient functional benefits, the simplicity of manufacturing and the potentially autologous nature of this biomaterial provide impetus for further translation to the clinic. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Keratins are the widely distributed fibrous proteins of our ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    SAJID DANWAR

    2013-01-17

    Jan 17, 2013 ... Keratins, due to the presence of the disulfide linkages, coiled-coil in the structure, hydrophobic interactions, and hydrogen bonds, are highly resistant to acids and some protease enzymes ..... (2010) where slight reduction in.

  20. Effect of clay content on morphology and processability of electrospun keratin/poly(lactic acid) nanofiber.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isarankura Na Ayutthaya, Siriorn; Tanpichai, Supachok; Sangkhun, Weradesh; Wootthikanokkhan, Jatuphorn

    2016-04-01

    This research work has concerned the development of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) removal filters from biomaterials, based on keratin extracted from chicken feather waste and poly(lactic acid) (PLA) (50/50%w/w) blend. Clay (Na-montmorillonite) was also added to the blend solution prior to carrying out an electro-spinning process. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of clay content on viscosity, conductivity, and morphology of the electrospun fibers. Scanning electron micrographs showed that smooth and bead-free fibers were obtained when clay content used was below 2 pph. XRD patterns of the electrospun fibers indicated that the clay was intercalated and exfoliated within the polymers matrix. Percentage crystallinity of keratin in the blend increased after adding the clay, as evidenced from FTIR spectra and DSC thermograms. Transmission electron micrographs revealed a kind of core-shell structure with clay being predominately resided within the keratin rich shell and at the interfacial region. Filtration performance of the electrospun keratin/PLA fibers, described in terms of pressure drop and its capability of removing methylene blue, were also explored. Overall, our results demonstrated that it was possible to improve process-ability, morphology and filtration efficiency of the electrospun keratin fibers by adding a suitable amount of clay. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  1. A Mouse Model of Hyperproliferative Human Epithelium Validated by Keratin Profiling Shows an Aberrant Cytoskeletal Response to Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samal Zhussupbekova

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available A validated animal model would assist with research on the immunological consequences of the chronic expression of stress keratins KRT6, KRT16, and KRT17, as observed in human pre-malignant hyperproliferative epithelium. Here we examine keratin gene expression profile in skin from mice expressing the E7 oncoprotein of HPV16 (K14E7 demonstrating persistently hyperproliferative epithelium, in nontransgenic mouse skin, and in hyperproliferative actinic keratosis lesions from human skin. We demonstrate that K14E7 mouse skin overexpresses stress keratins in a similar manner to human actinic keratoses, that overexpression is a consequence of epithelial hyperproliferation induced by E7, and that overexpression further increases in response to injury. As stress keratins modify local immunity and epithelial cell function and differentiation, the K14E7 mouse model should permit study of how continued overexpression of stress keratins impacts on epithelial tumor development and on local innate and adaptive immunity.

  2. Identification of a feather β-keratin gene exclusively expressed in pennaceous barbule cells of contour feathers in chicken.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kowata, Kinue; Nakaoka, Minori; Nishio, Kaori; Fukao, Ayaka; Satoh, Akira; Ogoshi, Maho; Takahashi, Sumio; Tsudzuki, Masaoki; Takeuchi, Sakae

    2014-05-25

    Feathers are elaborate skin appendages shared by birds and theropod dinosaurs that have hierarchical branching of the rachis, barbs, and barbules. Feather filaments consist of β-keratins encoded by multiple genes, most of which are located in tandem arrays on chromosomes 2, 25, and 27 in chicken. The expansion of the genes is thought to have contributed to feather evolution; however, it is unclear how the individual genes are involved in feather formation. The aim of the present study was to identify feather keratin genes involved in the formation of barbules. Using a combination of microarray analysis, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, and in situ hybridization, we found an uncharacterized keratin gene on chromosome 7 that was expressed specifically in barbule cells in regenerating chicken feathers. We have named the gene barbule specific keratin 1 (BlSK1). The BlSK1 gene structure was similar to the gene structure of previously characterized feather keratin genes, and consisted of a non-coding leader exon, an intron, and an exon with an open reading frame (ORF). The ORF was predicted to encode a 98 aa long protein, which shared 59% identity with feather keratin B. Orthologs of BlSK1 were found in the genomes of other avian species, including turkey, duck, zebra finch, and flycatcher, in regions that shared synteny with chromosome 7 of chicken. Interestingly, BlSK1 was expressed in feather follicles that generated pennaceous barbules but not in follicles that generated plumulaceous barbules. These results suggested that the composition of feather keratins probably varies depending on the structure of the feather filaments and, that individual feather keratin genes may be involved in building different portions and/or types of feathers in chicken. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. NAIL KERATIN AS MONITOR-TISSUE FOR SELENIUM EXPOSURE

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    VANNOORD, PAH; MAAS, MJ; DEBRUIN, M

    1992-01-01

    Nail clippings might provide a way to monitor exposure to selenium in the recent past of an individual, since a clipping collected from a toe would reflect exposures months before actual clipping date. The relation between levels of exogenous selenium exposure and selenium levels in nail keratin was

  4. Keratin sponge/hydrogel part 1. fabrication and characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keratin sponge/hydrogel products formed by either the oxidation or reduction of U.S. domestic fine- or coarse-grade wool exhibited distinctively different topologies and molecular weights of 6- 8 kDa and 40-60 kDa, each with unique macro-porous structure and microstructural behaviors. The sponge/ ...

  5. Development of chitosan/gelatin/keratin composite containing hydrocortisone sodium succinate as a buccal mucoadhesive patch to treat desquamative gingivitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davoudi, Zahra; Rabiee, Mohammad; Houshmand, Behzad; Eslahi, Niloofar; Khoshroo, Kimia; Rasoulianboroujeni, Morteza; Tahriri, Mohammadreza; Tayebi, Lobat

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this research was to develop chitosan/gelatin/keratin composite containing hydrocortisone sodium succinate as a buccal mucoadhesive patch to treat desquamative gingivitis, which was fabricated through an environmental friendly process. Mucoadhesive films increase the advantage of higher efficiency and drug localization in the affected region. In this research, mucoadhesive films, for the release of hydrocortisone sodium succinate, were prepared using different ratios of chitosan, gelatin and keratin. In the first step, chitosan and gelatin proportions were optimized after evaluating the mechanical properties, swelling capacity, water uptake, stability, and biodegradation of the films. Then, keratin was added at different percentages to the optimum composite of chitosan and gelatin together with the drug. The results of surface pH showed that none of the samples were harmful to the buccal cavity. FTIR analysis confirmed the influence of keratin on the structure of the composite. The presence of a higher amount of keratin in the composite films resulted in high mechanical, mucoadhesive properties and stability, low water uptake and biodegradation in phosphate buffer saline (pH = 7.4) containing 10 4  U/ml lysozyme. The release profile of the films ascertained that keratin is a rate controller in the release of the hydrocortisone sodium succinate. Finally, chitosan/gelatin/keratin composite containing hydrocortisone sodium succinate can be employed in dental applications.

  6. Efficacy Coefficients Determined Using Nail Permeability and Antifungal Activity in Keratin-Containing Media Are Useful for Predicting Clinical Efficacies of Topical Drugs for Onychomycosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshiki Matsuda

    Full Text Available Onychomycosis is difficult to treat topically due to the deep location of the infection under the densely keratinized nail plate. In order to obtain an in vitro index that is relevant to the clinical efficacy of topical anti-onychomycosis drugs, we profiled five topical drugs: amorolfine, ciclopirox, efinaconazole, luliconazole, and terbinafine, for their nail permeabilities, keratin affinities, and anti-dermatophytic activities in the presence of keratin. Efinaconazole and ciclopirox permeated full-thickness human nails more deeply than luliconazole. Amorolfine and terbinafine did not show any detectable permeation. The free-drug concentration of efinaconazole in a 5% human nail keratin suspension was 24.9%, which was significantly higher than those of the other drugs (1.1-3.9%. Additionally, efinaconazole was released from human nail keratin at a greater proportion than the other drugs. The MICs of the five drugs for Trichophyton rubrum were determined at various concentrations of keratin (0-20% in RPMI 1640 medium. The MICs of ciclopirox were not affected by keratin, whereas those of efinaconazole were slightly increased and those of luliconazole and terbinafine were markedly increased in the presence of 20% keratin. Efficacy coefficients were calculated using the nail permeation flux and MIC in media without or with keratin. Efinaconazole showed the highest efficacy coefficient, which was determined using MIC in media with keratin. The order of efficacy coefficients determined using MIC in keratin-containing media rather than keratin-free media was consistent with that of complete cure rates in previously reported clinical trials. The present study revealed that efficacy coefficients determined using MIC in keratin-containing media are useful for predicting the clinical efficacies of topical drugs. In order to be more effective, topical drugs have to possess higher efficacy coefficients.

  7. Innovative Application of Biopolymer Keratin as a Filler of Synthetic Acrylonitrile-Butadiene Rubber NBR

    OpenAIRE

    Prochoń, Mirosława; Przepiórkowska, Anita

    2013-01-01

    The current investigations show the influence of keratin, recovered from the tanning industry, on the thermal and mechanical properties of vulcanizates with synthetic rubber acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber NBR. The addition of waste protein to NBR vulcanizates influences the improvement of resistance at high temperatures and mechanical properties like tensile strength and hardness. The introduction of keratin to the mixes of rubber previously blended with zinc oxide (ZnO) before vulcanization ...

  8. Keratin based bioplastic film from chicken feathers and its characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramakrishnan, Navina; Sharma, Swati; Gupta, Arun; Alashwal, Basma Yahya

    2018-05-01

    Plastics have been one of the highly valued materials and it plays an significant role in human's life such as in food packaging and biomedical applications. Bioplastic materials can gradually work as a substitute for various materials based on fossil oil. The issue like sustainability and environmental challenges which occur due to manufacturing and disposal of synthetic plastics can be conquering by bio-based plastics. Feathers are among the most inexpensive abundant, and renewable protein sources. Feathers disposal to the landfills leads to environmental pollutions and it results into wastage of 90% of protein raw material. Keratin is non-burning hydrophilic, and biodegradable due to which it can be applicable in various ways via chemical processing. Main objective of this research is to synthesis bioplastic using keratin from chicken feathers. Extracted keratin solution mixed with different concentration of glycerol (2 to 10%) to produce plastic films. The mixture was stirred under constant magnetic stirring at 60 °C for 5 h. The mixtures are then poured into aluminum weighing boat and dried in an oven at 60 °C for 24 h. The mechanical properties of the samples were tested and the physic-chemical properties of the bioplastic were studied. According to the results, Scanning Electron Microscopy test showed good compatible morphologies without holes, cavity and edge. The difference in chemical composition was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The samples were also characterized by thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-Ray diffraction (XRD) to check the thermal and crystallinity properties. Other than that, bioplastic made up from keratin with 2% of glycerol has the best mechanical and thermal properties. According to biodegradability test, all bioplastic produced are proven biodegradable. Therefore, the results showed possible application of the film as an alternative to fossil oil

  9. Preparation and Characterization of Keratin/Alginate Blend Microparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaowalak Srisuwan

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The water-in-oil (W/O emulsification-diffusion method was used for construction of keratin (Ker, alginate (Alg, and Ker/Alg blend microparticles. The Ker, Alg, and Ker/Alg blend solutions were used as the water phase, while ethyl acetate was used as the oil phase. Firstly, different concentrations of Ker solution was used to find suitable content. 1.6% w/v Ker solution was blended with the same concentration of the Alg solution for further microparticle construction. Results from scanning electron microscope analysis show that the microparticles have different shapes: spherical, bowl-like, porous, and hollow, with several sizes depending on the blend ratio. FTIR and TG analyses indicated that the secondary structure and thermal stability of the microparticles were influenced by the Ker/Alg blend ratio. The interaction between functional groups of keratin and alginate was the main factor for both β-sheet structure and Td,max values of the microparticles. The results suggested that Ker/Alg blend microparticles might be applied in many fields by varying the Ker/Alg ratio.

  10. Preservation of keratinized mucosa around implants using a prefabricated implant-retained stent: a case-control study

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Purpose The aim of this study was to clinically assess the impact of a prefabricated implant-retained stent clipped over healing abutments on the preservation of keratinized mucosa around implants after implant surgery, and to compare it with horizontal external mattress sutures. Methods A total of 50 patients were enrolled in this study. In the test group, a prefabricated implant-retained stent was clipped on the healing abutment after implant surgery to replace the keratinized tissue bucco-apically. In the control group, horizontal external mattress sutures were applied instead of using a stent. After the surgical procedure, the width of the buccal keratinized mucosa was measured at the mesial, middle, and distal aspects of the healing abutment. The change in the width of the buccal keratinized mucosa was assessed at 1 and 3 months. Results Healing was uneventful in both groups. The difference of width between baseline and 1 month was −0.26±0.85 mm in the test group, without any statistical significance (P=0.137). Meanwhile, the corresponding difference in the control group was −0.74±0.73 mm and it showed statistical significance (Pprefabricated implant-retained stent was shown to be effective in the preservation of the keratinized mucosa around implants and it was simple and straightforward in comparison to the horizontal external mattress suture technique. PMID:27800215

  11. Loss of keratin K2 expression causes aberrant aggregation of K10, hyperkeratosis, and inflammation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Heinz; Langbein, Lutz; Reichelt, Julia; Praetzel-Wunder, Silke; Buchberger, Maria; Ghannadan, Minoo; Tschachler, Erwin; Eckhart, Leopold

    2014-10-01

    Keratin K2 is one of the most abundant structural proteins of the epidermis; however, its biological significance has remained elusive. Here we show that suprabasal type II keratins, K1 and K2, are expressed in a mutually exclusive manner at different body sites of the mouse, with K2 being confined to the ear, sole, and tail skin. Deletion of K2 caused acanthosis and hyperkeratosis of the ear and the tail epidermis, corneocyte fragility, increased transepidermal water loss, and local inflammation in the ear skin. The loss of K2 was partially compensated by upregulation of K1 expression. However, a significant portion of K2-deficient suprabasal keratinocytes lacked a regular cytoskeleton and developed massive aggregates of the type I keratin, K10. Aggregate formation, but not hyperkeratosis, was suppressed by the deletion of both K2 and K10, whereas deletion of K10 alone caused clumping of K2 in ear skin. Taken together, this study demonstrates that K2 is a necessary and sufficient binding partner of K10 at distinct body sites of the mouse and that unbalanced expression of these keratins results in aggregate formation.

  12. Cytomorphometric analysis of keratinized round cells in human oral carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhimanyu Mohanta

    2015-01-01

    Conclusion: Cellular keratinization, hyperchromasia and increased N/C ratios in both LKRCs and SKRCs indicates the state of malignancy and thus the present finding has a practical value in early detection and diagnosis of OSCC patients.

  13. Interplay between Solo and keratin filaments is crucial for mechanical force-induced stress fiber reinforcement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Sachiko; Ohashi, Kazumasa; Mashiko, Toshiya; Kondo, Hiroshi; Mizuno, Kensaku

    2016-03-15

    Mechanical force-induced cytoskeletal reorganization is essential for cell and tissue remodeling and homeostasis; however, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain elusive. Solo (ARHGEF40) is a RhoA-targeting guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) involved in cyclical stretch-induced human endothelial cell reorientation and convergent extension cell movement in zebrafish gastrula. In this study, we show that Solo binds to keratin-8/keratin-18 (K8/K18) intermediate filaments through multiple sites. Solo overexpression promotes the formation of thick actin stress fibers and keratin bundles, whereas knockdown of Solo, expression of a GEF-inactive mutant of Solo, or inhibition of ROCK suppresses stress fiber formation and leads to disorganized keratin networks, indicating that the Solo-RhoA-ROCK pathway serves to precisely organize keratin networks, as well as to promote stress fibers. Of importance, knockdown of Solo or K18 or overexpression of GEF-inactive or deletion mutants of Solo suppresses tensile force-induced stress fiber reinforcement. Furthermore, knockdown of Solo or K18 suppresses tensile force-induced RhoA activation. These results strongly suggest that the interplay between Solo and K8/K18 filaments plays a crucial role in tensile force-induced RhoA activation and consequent actin cytoskeletal reinforcement. © 2016 Fujiwara et al. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  14. Preparation and characterization of DOX loaded keratin nanoparticles for pH/GSH dual responsive release

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, Yanmei; Zhi, Xuelian [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofunctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Lin, Jiantao [Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan 523808 (China); You, Xin [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofunctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China); Yuan, Jiang, E-mail: jyuan@njnu.edu.cn [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Biofunctional Materials, College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023 (China)

    2017-04-01

    Smart drug carriers are the current need of the hour in controlled drug delivery applications. In this work, pH and redox dual responsive keratin based drug-loaded nanoparticles (KDNPs) were fabricated through two-step strategies. Keratin nanoparticles were first prepared by desolvation method and chemical crosslinking, followed by electrostatic adsorbing doxorubicin (DOX) to afford drug loaded keratin nanoparticles (KDNPs). The size, size distribution, and morphology of the KDNPs were characterized with dynamic light scattering (DLS) and Scan electronic microscope (SEM). Drug delivery profiles showed that KDNPs exhibited pH and glutathione (GSH) dual-responsive characters. Under tumor tissue/cell microenvironments (more acidic and high GSH level), KDNPs tended to accumulate at the tumor region through a potential enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and perform surface negative-to-positive charge conversion. Hemolysis assay indicated that KDNPs had good blood compatibility. Cellular uptake assay demonstrated that KDNPs could be internalized by A 549 cells through endocytosis. Intriguingly, KDNPs were capable of promoting nitric oxide (NO) release from endogenous donor of S-nitrosoglutathione in the presence of GSH. All of these results demonstrated that keratin based drug carriers had potential for drug/NO delivery and cancer therapy in clinical medicine. - Graphical abstract: pH and redox dual responsive keratin based drug-loaded nanoparticles (KDNPs) were fabricated by desolvation with chemical crosslinking, followed by electrostatic adsorbing DOX to afford DOX loaded keratin nanoparticles (KDNPs). Drug delivery profiles showed that KDNPs exhibited pH and GSH dual-responsive characters. Under tumor tissue/cell microenvironments (more acidic and high GSH level), KDNPs tended to accumulate at the tumor region through a potential enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect and perform surface negative-to-positive charge conversion. Hemolysis assay

  15. Keratin 34betaE12/keratin7 expression is a prognostic factor of cancer-specific and overall survival in patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pøhl, Mette; Olsen, Karen Ege; Holst, Rene

    2016-01-01

    proliferation, migration, and possibly cancer invasion, factors impacting prognosis in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tumor tissue from a retrospective Danish cohort of 177 patients with completely resected NSCLC, stage I-IIIA tumors, were analyzed for keratin 7 (K7...... that stage II-IIIA (HR 2.3), 34βE12+/K7+ (HR 1.6), and 34βE12-/K7+ (HR 2.0) were prognostic factors of poor CSS (p overall survival (p ...: Keratin 34βE12/K7 expression is a prognostic parameter in resected early stage NSCLC that allows identification of high-risk NSCLC patients with poor cancer-specific and overall survival....

  16. Comparative Study of Ultrasonication-Induced and Naturally Self-Assembled Silk Fibroin-Wool Keratin Hydrogel Biomaterials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vu, Trang; Xue, Ye; Vuong, Trinh; Erbe, Matthew; Bennet, Christopher; Palazzo, Ben; Popielski, Lucas; Rodriguez, Nelson; Hu, Xiao

    2016-09-07

    This study reports the formation of biocompatible hydrogels using protein polymers from natural silk cocoon fibroins and sheep wool keratins. Silk fibroin protein contains β-sheet secondary structures, allowing for the formation of physical cross-linkers in the hydrogels. Comparative studies were performed on two groups of samples. In the first group, ultrasonication was used to induce a quick gelation of a protein aqueous solution, enhancing the ability of Bombyx mori silk fibroin chains to quickly entrap the wool keratin protein molecules homogenously. In the second group, silk/keratin mixtures were left at room temperature for days, resulting in naturally-assembled gelled solutions. It was found that silk/wool blended solutions can form hydrogels at different mixing ratios, with perfectly interconnected gel structure when the wool content was less than 30 weight percent (wt %) for the first group (ultrasonication), and 10 wt % for the second group (natural gel). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC) were used to confirm that the fibroin/keratin hydrogel system was well-blended without phase separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to investigate the secondary structures of blended protein gels. It was found that intermolecular β-sheet contents significantly increase as the system contains more silk for both groups of samples, resulting in stable crystalline cross-linkers in the blended hydrogel structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to analyze the samples' characteristic morphology on both micro- and nanoscales, which showed that ultrasonic waves can significantly enhance the cross-linker formation and avoid phase separation between silk and keratin molecules in the blended systems. With the ability to form cross-linkages non-chemically, these silk/wool hydrogels may be economically useful for various biomedical applications, thanks to the

  17. Comparative Study of Ultrasonication-Induced and Naturally Self-Assembled Silk Fibroin-Wool Keratin Hydrogel Biomaterials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Trang Vu

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available This study reports the formation of biocompatible hydrogels using protein polymers from natural silk cocoon fibroins and sheep wool keratins. Silk fibroin protein contains β-sheet secondary structures, allowing for the formation of physical cross-linkers in the hydrogels. Comparative studies were performed on two groups of samples. In the first group, ultrasonication was used to induce a quick gelation of a protein aqueous solution, enhancing the ability of Bombyx mori silk fibroin chains to quickly entrap the wool keratin protein molecules homogenously. In the second group, silk/keratin mixtures were left at room temperature for days, resulting in naturally-assembled gelled solutions. It was found that silk/wool blended solutions can form hydrogels at different mixing ratios, with perfectly interconnected gel structure when the wool content was less than 30 weight percent (wt % for the first group (ultrasonication, and 10 wt % for the second group (natural gel. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC and temperature modulated DSC (TMDSC were used to confirm that the fibroin/keratin hydrogel system was well-blended without phase separation. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR was used to investigate the secondary structures of blended protein gels. It was found that intermolecular β-sheet contents significantly increase as the system contains more silk for both groups of samples, resulting in stable crystalline cross-linkers in the blended hydrogel structures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM were used to analyze the samples’ characteristic morphology on both micro- and nanoscales, which showed that ultrasonic waves can significantly enhance the cross-linker formation and avoid phase separation between silk and keratin molecules in the blended systems. With the ability to form cross-linkages non-chemically, these silk/wool hydrogels may be economically useful for various biomedical applications

  18. Study on preparation of new antioxidants for radiation vulcanized natural rubber latex product. Antioxidant from keratin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nguyen Quoc Hien; Nguyen Van Toan; Vo Tan Thien; Le Hai

    2000-01-01

    The thermo-oxidative aging resistance of radiation vulcanization of natural rubber latex (RVNRL) products should be adequately by using suitable antioxidants or new kind of effective antioxidant. This work presents the results of preparation of natural antioxidant from hair keratin. Characteristics and effectiveness of resultant antioxidant are also presented. The results obtained indicates that antioxidant made from hair keratin is safe and effective for rubber products from RVNRL. (author)

  19. Differential expression of cyclin D1 in keratin-producing odontogenic cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vera-Sirera, Beatriz; Forner-Navarro, Leopoldo; Vera-Sempere, Francisco

    2015-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to analyze the expression levels of Cyclin D1 (CCD1), a nuclear protein that plays a crucial role in cell cycle progression, in a series of keratin-producing odontogenic cysts. A total of 58 keratin-producing odontogenic cysts, diagnosed over ten years and classified according to the WHO 2005 criteria, were immunohistochemically analyzed in terms of CCD1 expression, which was quantified in the basal, suprabasal and intermediate/superficial epithelial compartments. The extent of immunostaining was measured as a proportion of total epithelial thickness. Quantified immunohistochemical data were correlated with clinicopathological features and clinical recurrence. Keratin-producing odontogenic cysts were classified as 6 syndromic keratocystic odontogenic tumors (S-KCOT), 40 sporadic or non-syndromic KCOT (NS-KCOT) and 12 orthokeratinized odontogenic cysts (OOC). Immunohistochemically, CCD1 staining was evident predominantly in the parabasal region of all cystic lesions, but among-lesion differences were apparent, showing a clear expansion of parabasal compartment especially in the S-KCOT, followed to a lesser extent in the NS-KCOT, and being much more reduced in the OOC, which had the greatest average epithelial thickness. The differential expression of CCD1 noted in the present study suggests that dysregulation of cell cycle progression from G1 to the S phase contributes to the different aggressiveness of these lesions. However, CCD1 expression levels did not predict NS-KCOT recurrence, which is likely influenced by factors unrelated to lesion biology.

  20. Studies of the thermal properties of horn keratin by dielectric spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marzec, E.; Piskunowicz, P.; Jaroszyk, F.

    2002-01-01

    The dielectric and thermal properties of horn keratin have been studied bu dielectric spectroscopy in the frequency range 10 1 -10 5 Hz, thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and different thermal analysis (DTA). Measurement of non-irradiated and g amma - irradiated keratin with doses 5, 50 kGy were performed at temperature from 22 to 260 o C. The results revealed the occurrence of phase transitions related to release of loosely bound water and bound water up to 200 o Cand the denaturation of the crystalline structure above this temperature. The influence of γ-irradiation on the thermal behaviour of keratin is significant only in the temperature range of denaturation. The decrease in the temperature of denaturation would suggest that γ-irradiation initiates main-chain degradation. (authors)

  1. α-keratin/Alginate Biosorbent for Removal of Methylene Blue on Aqueous Solution in a Batch System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fadillah, G.; Putri, E. N. K.; Febrianastuti, S.; Munawaroh, H.; Purnawan, C.; Wahyuningsih, S.

    2018-03-01

    Methylene Blue (MB) is a cationic dyes which is commonly used in textile industries for coloring agent. The precence of MB in water caused some negative effect on the environment and human health. Many common technologies such as membrane filtration, electrophoresis and adsorption have been widely empolyed for removal of MB in water, but the adsorption technique still has advantages than the others. In this study, removal of MB used a biosorbent α-keratin/alginate (KA). The biosorbent KA was prepared by using the encapsulation technique in CaCl2 2 % (w/v) solution. The biosorbent was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The effect of composition of α-keratin and alginate, the pH of solution and contact time on the adsorption were investigated. The optimum adsorption of MB in aqueous solution was found at the composition of α-keratin and alginate of 1:2 (w/w), the pH at 5.0 and contact time at 4 hours. The adsorption of MB on KA biosorbent was comparatively higher than α-keratin and alginate only. Adsorption of MB dyes in aqueous solution followed the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, and the dynamic adsorption model could be described through a pseudo-second order kinetics.

  2. Immunoelectron microscopic localisation of keratin and luminal epithelial antigens in normal and neoplastic urothelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, P D; Nathrath, W B; Trejdosiewicz, L K

    1982-01-01

    Immunoelectron microscope cytochemistry was carried out on 2% paraformaldehyde fixed, 50 mu sections of normal urothelium and bladder carcinoma cells in culture using antisera raised in rabbits to human 40-63 000 MW epidermal "broad spectrum" keratin and calf urothelial "luminal epithelial antigen" (aLEA) Both the unconjugated and indirect immunoperoxidase-DAB techniques were used before routine embedding. The localisation of both keratin and luminal epithelial antigen (LEA) was similar in normal and neoplastic cells and reaction product was associated not only with tonofilaments but also lining membrane vesicles and on fine filaments in the cytoplasmic ground substance.

  3. Effect of keratin on heavy metal chelation and toxicity to aquatic organisms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coello, W.F.; Khan, M.A.Q. [Univ. of Illinois, Chicago, IL (United States). Dept. of Biological Sciences

    1998-12-31

    The presence of fresh scales and human hair in water can reduce the toxicity of lead nitrate at and above 6 ppb to fish. This ability is lost on drying and storage, but can be restored if dried hair or scales are treated with a solution of amino acids. The chelation ability of keratin in amino acid-treated scales or hair is retained for months on dry storage. Addition of these hair and/or scales to solutions of lead nitrate, mercuric chloride and a mixture of both, and cupric sulfate reduced the toxicity of these solutions to Daphnia magna and Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussels). Toxicity of 10 ppm solutions of salts of 27 different metals to daphnids was similarly reduced after filtration through scales or hair. A mixture of a 2 ppb concentration of each of these 27 metals also became nonlethal to daphnids in the presence of, or filtration through, treated scales or hair. 0.25 g of treated hair or scale can be used indefinitely, again and again, to remove the mixture of these 27 metals from their fresh solution in 1 L water if the keratin is frequently rinsed with 0.1% nitric acid to remove the bound metals. The keratin in scales, this, may be the most important ectodermal secretion in absorbing metals from polluted environments and in providing protection against their toxic levels.

  4. UV irradiation-induced methionine oxidation in human skin keratins: Mass spectrometry-based non-invasive proteomic analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Seon Hwa; Matsushima, Keita; Miyamoto, Kohei; Oe, Tomoyuki

    2016-02-05

    Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the major environmental factor that causes oxidative skin damage. Keratins are the main constituents of human skin and have been identified as oxidative target proteins. We have recently developed a mass spectrometry (MS)-based non-invasive proteomic methodology to screen oxidative modifications in human skin keratins. Using this methodology, UV effects on methionine (Met) oxidation in human skin keratins were investigated. The initial screening revealed that Met(259), Met(262), and Met(296) in K1 keratin were the most susceptible oxidation sites upon UVA (or UVB) irradiation of human tape-stripped skin. Subsequent liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-MS and tandem MS analyses confirmed amino acid sequences and oxidation sites of tryptic peptides D(290)VDGAYMTK(298) (P1) and N(258)MQDMVEDYR(267) (P2). The relative oxidation levels of P1 and P2 increased in a time-dependent manner upon UVA irradiation. Butylated hydroxytoluene was the most effective antioxidant for artifactual oxidation of Met residues. The relative oxidation levels of P1 and P2 after UVA irradiation for 48 h corresponded to treatment with 100mM hydrogen peroxide for 15 min. In addition, Met(259) was oxidized by only UVA irradiation. The Met sites identified in conjunction with the current proteomic methodology can be used to evaluate skin damage under various conditions of oxidative stress. We demonstrated that the relative Met oxidation levels in keratins directly reflected UV-induced damages to human tape-stripped skin. Human skin proteins isolated by tape stripping were analyzed by MS-based non-invasive proteomic methodology. Met(259), Met(262), and Met(296) in K1 keratin were the most susceptible oxidation sites upon UV irradiation. Met(259) was oxidized by only UVA irradiation. Quantitative LC/ESI-SRM/MS analyses confirmed a time-dependent increase in the relative oxidation of target peptides (P1 and P2) containing these Met residues, upon UVA irradiation

  5. Preservation of keratinized mucosa around implants using a prefabricated implant-retained stent: a case-control study

    OpenAIRE

    Kim, Chang-Soon; Duong, Hieu Pham; Park, Jung-Chul; Shin, Hyun-Seung

    2016-01-01

    Purpose The aim of this study was to clinically assess the impact of a prefabricated implant-retained stent clipped over healing abutments on the preservation of keratinized mucosa around implants after implant surgery, and to compare it with horizontal external mattress sutures. Methods A total of 50 patients were enrolled in this study. In the test group, a prefabricated implant-retained stent was clipped on the healing abutment after implant surgery to replace the keratinized tissue bucco-...

  6. Changes in keratin expression during the development of benign prostatic hyperplasia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Xue, Y.; Smedts, F.; Umbas, R.; Aalders, T. W.; Debruyne, F. M.; de la Rosette, J. J.; Schalken, J. A.

    1997-01-01

    The relationship between different types of epithelial cells in the prostate and the regulatory mechanism underlying benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are still obscure as is the association between BPH and prostate carcinoma (PCa.) On the basis of keratin immunophenotyping, a subpopulation of

  7. Genomic organization and molecular phylogenies of the beta (β keratin multigene family in the chicken (Gallus gallus and zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata: implications for feather evolution

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sawyer Roger H

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The epidermal appendages of reptiles and birds are constructed of beta (β keratins. The molecular phylogeny of these keratins is important to understanding the evolutionary origin of these appendages, especially feathers. Knowing that the crocodilian β-keratin genes are closely related to those of birds, the published genomes of the chicken and zebra finch provide an opportunity not only to compare the genomic organization of their β-keratins, but to study their molecular evolution in archosaurians. Results The subfamilies (claw, feather, feather-like, and scale of β-keratin genes are clustered in the same 5' to 3' order on microchromosome 25 in chicken and zebra finch, although the number of claw and feather genes differs between the species. Molecular phylogenies show that the monophyletic scale genes are the basal group within birds and that the monophyletic avian claw genes form the basal group to all feather and feather-like genes. Both species have a number of feather clades on microchromosome 27 that form monophyletic groups. An additional monophyletic cluster of feather genes exist on macrochromosome 2 for each species. Expression sequence tag analysis for the chicken demonstrates that all feather β-keratin clades are expressed. Conclusions Similarity in the overall genomic organization of β-keratins in Galliformes and Passeriformes suggests similar organization in all Neognathae birds, and perhaps in the ancestral lineages leading to modern birds, such as the paravian Anchiornis huxleyi. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that evolution of archosaurian epidermal appendages in the lineage leading to birds was accompanied by duplication and divergence of an ancestral β-keratin gene cluster. As morphological diversification of epidermal appendages occurred and the β-keratin multigene family expanded, novel β-keratin genes were selected for novel functions within appendages such as feathers.

  8. Effects of scalp dermatitis on chemical property of hair keratin

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kyung Sook; Shin, Min Kyung; Park, Hun-Kuk

    2013-05-01

    The effects of scalp dermatitis (seborrheic dermatitis (SD), psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis (AD)) on chemical properties of hair keratin were investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Hairs were collected from lesional regions affected by SD, psoriasis, and AD and non-lesional regions separately. The hairs with SD were taken from patients with ages of 16-80 years. The ages of patients with psoriasis ranged from 8 to 67 years, and all patients exhibited moderate disease. Hairs with AD were taken from the patients with ages of 24-45 years and the average SCORing atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) was 48.75. Hairs from 20 normal adults were collected as a control. The FT-IR absorbance bands were analyzed by the Gaussian model to obtain the center frequency, half width, height, and area of each band. The height and area of all bands in the spectra were normalized to the amide I centered at 1652 cm-1 to quantitatively analyze the chemical composition of keratin. The spectra of hair with scalp dermatitis were different with that of control, the amide A components centered at 3278 cm-1 were smaller than those of the control. The psoriasis hair showed a large difference in the IR absorbance band between lesional and non-lesional hairs indicating good agreement with the morphological changes. The hairs with diseases did not show differences in the content of cystine, which was centered at 1054 cm-1, from the control. The chemical properties of keratin were not significantly different between the hairs affected by SD, psoriasis, and AD. However, the changes induced by scalp dermatitis were different with weathering. Therefore, FT-IR analysis could be used to screen differences between the physiological and pathological conditions of scalp hair.

  9. Keratin Production by Decomposing Feather Waste Using Some Local Bacillus spp. Isolated from Poultry Soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mojtaba Salouti

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Background: Feather waste is generated in large amounts as a by-product of commercial poultry processing. The main component of feather is keratin. The main purpose of this study was to identify Bacillus spp. (the keratinolytic bacteria that are able to degrade the feather for producing keratin. Methods: Bacillus spp. Were isolated from the waste of poultries located in Miyaneh city. The bacteria were grown on basal medium containing 1% hen feather as the sole source of carbon ,nitrogen, sulfur and energy at 27ºC for 7 days. Then,the isolates capable of feather degrading were identified. The Bradford method was used to assay the production of keratin in the feather samples. Different pH and temperatures were studied to determine the best conditions for production of keratinase enzyme. Results: Seven Bacillus spp. including: B. pumilis, B. subtilis, B. firmus, B. macerance, B. popilliae, B. lentimorbus and B. larvae were found to be able to degrade the feather with different abilities. Conclusion: B. subtilis was found to be most productive isolate for keratinase enzyme production.

  10. Preparation and Characterization of Keratin/Alginate Blend Microparticles

    OpenAIRE

    Srisuwan, Yaowalak; Srihanam, Prasong

    2018-01-01

    The water-in-oil (W/O) emulsification-diffusion method was used for construction of keratin (Ker), alginate (Alg), and Ker/Alg blend microparticles. The Ker, Alg, and Ker/Alg blend solutions were used as the water phase, while ethyl acetate was used as the oil phase. Firstly, different concentrations of Ker solution was used to find suitable content. 1.6% w/v Ker solution was blended with the same concentration of the Alg solution for further microparticle construction. Results from scanning ...

  11. Immunohistochemical demonstration of keratins in the epidermal layers of the Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica, with remarks on the evolution of the integumental scale armour

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    W. Meyer

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Using immunohistochemistry, the study demonstrates the distribution of keratins (pan-keratin with CK1-8, 10, 14-16, 19; keratins CK1, 5, 6, 9, 10; hair keratins AE13, AE14 in the epidermis of the Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica. A varying reaction spectrum was observed for pan-keratin, with body region-dependent negative to very strong reaction intensities. The dorsolateral epidermis exhibited positive reactions only in its vital layers, whereas the abdominal epidermis showed strong positive reactions in the soft two outer strata. The single acidic and basic-to-neutral (cytokeratins produced clear variations compared to the pan-keratin tinging. E.g., CK1 appeared in all epidermal layers of both body regions, except for the ventral stratum corneum, whereas CK5, 6, 9, 10 were restricted to the soft ventral epidermis. Here, distinctly positive reactions were confined to the stratum granulosum, except for CK6 that appeared in the soft stratum corneum. A different staining pattern was obvious for the hair keratins, i.e., positive reactions of AE13 concentrated only in the granular layer of the dorsal epidermis. In the abdominal epidermis, remarkable tinging for AE14 was visible in the stratum basale, decreasing toward the corneal layer, but was also found in the outer root sheath cells of the hair follicles in the ventral body part. Our findings are discussed related to the evolution of the horny dorsal scales of the pangolin, which may have started from the tail root, projecting forward to the head

  12. Synthesis and Characterization of Methyl Cellulose/Keratin Hydrolysate Composite Membranes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernd M. Liebeck

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available It is known that aqueous keratin hydrolysate solutions can be produced from feathers using superheated water as solvent. This method is optimized in this study by varying the time and temperature of the heat treatment in order to obtain a high solute content in the solution. With the dissolved polypeptides, films are produced using methyl cellulose as supporting material. Thereby, novel composite membranes are produced from bio-waste. It is expected that these materials exhibit both protein and polysaccharide properties. The influence of the embedded keratin hydrolysates on the methyl cellulose structure is investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD. Adsorption peaks of both components are present in the spectra of the membranes, while the X-ray analysis shows that the polypeptides are incorporated into the semi-crystalline methyl cellulose structure. This behavior significantly influences the mechanical properties of the composite films as is shown by tensile tests. Since further processing steps, e.g., crosslinking, may involve a heat treatment, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA is applied to obtain information on the thermal stability of the composite materials.

  13. Keratin 17 Is Induced in Oral Cancer and Facilitates Tumor Growth.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rumana Khanom

    Full Text Available Keratin subtypes are selectively expressed depending on the cell type. They not only provide structural support, but regulate the metabolic processes and signaling pathways that control the growth of the epithelium. KRT17 (keratin 17 is induced in the regenerative epithelium and acts on diverse signaling pathways. Here, we demonstrate that KRT17 is invariably and permanently induced in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC, as revealed by immunohistochemistry and cDNA microarray analysis. Two representative OSCC cell lines; KRT17-weakly expressing Ca9-22 and KRT17-highly expressing HSC3 were used to establish KRT17-overexpressing Ca9-22 and KRT17-knockdown HSC3 cells. Analysis of these cells revealed that KRT17 promoted cell proliferation and migration by stimulating the Akt/mTOR pathway. KRT17 also upregulated the expression of SLC2A1 (solute carrier family 2 member 1/Glut1 and glucose uptake. To further investigate the effect of KRT17 on tumorigenesis, KRT17-knockout HSC3 cells were established and were transplanted to the cephalic skin of nude mice. The tumors that developed from KRT17-knockout HSC3 cells had a lower Ki-67 labeling index and were significantly smaller compared to the controls. These results indicate that KRT17 stimulates the Akt/mTOR pathway and glucose uptake, thereby facilitating tumor growth. We could not confirm the relationship between KRT17 and SFN (stratifin in the cells examined in this study. However, our study reinforces the concept that the cellular properties of cancer are regulated by a series of molecules similar to those found in wound healing. In OSCC, KRT17 acts as a pathogenic keratin that facilitates tumor growth through the stimulation of multiple signaling pathways, highlighting the importance of KRT17 as a multifunctional promoter of tumorigenesis.

  14. Changes in nail keratin observed by Raman spectroscopy after Nd:YAG laser treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Min Kyung; Kim, Tae In; Kim, Wan Sun; Park, Hun-Kuk; Kim, Kyung Sook

    2017-04-01

    Lasers and photodynamic therapy have been considered a convergence treatment for onychomycosis, which is a fungal infection on the nail bed and nail plate. Laser therapies have shown satisfactory results without significant complications for onychomycosis; however, the mechanism of clearing remains unknown. In this work, we investigated changes in the chemical structure of nail keratin induced by Nd:YAG laser using Raman spectroscopy. Toe nails with onychomycosis were treated with 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser. After laser treatment, the disulfide band (490-590 cm -1 ) of nail keratin was rarely observed or was reduced in intensity. The amide I band (1500-1700 cm -1 ) also showed changes induced by the laser. The α-helical (1652 cm -1 ) structures dominated the β-sheet (1673 cm -1 ) in nontreated nail, but the opposite phenomenon was observed after laser treatment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Solo and keratin filaments regulate epithelial tubule morphology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishimura, Ryosuke; Kato, Kagayaki; Fujiwara, Sachiko; Ohashi, Kazumasa; Mizuno, Kensaku

    2018-04-28

    Epithelial tubules, consisting of the epithelial cell sheet with a central lumen, are the basic structure of many organs. Mechanical forces play an important role in epithelial tubulogenesis; however, little is known about the mechanisms controlling the mechanical forces during epithelial tubule morphogenesis. Solo (also known as ARHGEF40) is a RhoA-targeting guanine-nucleotide exchange factor that is involved in mechanical force-induced RhoA activation and stress fiber formation. Solo binds to keratin-8/keratin-18 (K8/K18) filaments, and this interaction plays a crucial role in mechanotransduction. In this study, we examined the roles of Solo and K8/K18 filaments in epithelial tubulogenesis using MDCK cells cultured in 3D collagen gels. Knockdown of either Solo or K18 resulted in rounder tubules with increased lumen size, indicating that Solo and K8/K18 filaments play critical roles in forming the elongated morphology of epithelial tubules. Moreover, knockdown of Solo or K18 decreased the level of diphosphorylated myosin light chain (a marker of contractile force) at the luminal and outer surfaces of tubules, suggesting that Solo and K8/K18 filaments are involved in the generation of the myosin II-mediated contractile force during epithelial tubule morphogenesis. In addition, K18 filaments were normally oriented along the long axis of the tubule, but knockdown of Solo perturbed their orientation. These results suggest that Solo plays crucial roles in forming the elongated morphology of epithelial tubules and in regulating myosin II activity and K18 filament organization during epithelial tubule formation.

  16. Keratin homogeneity in the tail feathers of Pavo cristatus and Pavo cristatus mut. alba.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pabisch, S; Puchegger, S; Kirchner, H O K; Weiss, I M; Peterlik, H

    2010-12-01

    The keratin structure in the cortex of peacocks' feathers is studied by X-ray diffraction along the feather, from the calamus to the tip. It changes considerably over the first 5 cm close to the calamus and remains constant for about 1m along the length of the feather. Close to the tip, the structure loses its high degree of order. We attribute the X-ray patterns to a shrinkage of a cylindrical arrangement of β-sheets, which is not fully formed initially. In the final structure, the crystalline beta-cores are fixed by the rest of the keratin molecule. The hydrophobic residues of the beta-core are locked into a zip-like arrangement. Structurally there is no difference between the blue and the white bird. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Keratin, luminal epithelial antigen and carcinoembryonic antigen in human urinary bladder carcinomas. An immunohistochemical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathrath, W B; Arnholdt, H; Wilson, P D

    1982-01-01

    14 urinary bladder carcinomas of all main types were investigated with antisera to "broad spectrum keratin" (aK), "luminal epithelial antigen" (aLEA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (aCEA), using an indirect immunoperoxidase method on formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections. Keratin and LEA were both present in normal transitional epithelium, papilloma and carcinoma in situ whereas CEA was absent. Transitional cell carcinomas reacted with both aK and aLEA whereas CEA was seen only in a few foci. In squamous metaplasia and squamous carcinoma reaction with aK was particularly strong, while LEA was almost lacking and CEA was present in necrotic centres. In adenocarcinomas aK and aLEA reacted equally while aCEA reacted only on the surface.

  18. Colour-producing [beta]-keratin nanofibres in blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) feathers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    D; Alba, Liliana; Saranathan, Vinodkumar; Clarke, Julia A.; Vinther, Jakob A.; Prum, Richard O.; Shawkey, Matthew D. (Yale); (Akron); (Texas)

    2012-03-26

    The colours of living organisms are produced by the differential absorption of light by pigments (e.g. carotenoids, melanins) and/or by the physical interactions of light with biological nanostructures, referred to as structural colours. Only two fundamental morphologies of non-iridescent nanostructures are known in feathers, and recent work has proposed that they self-assemble by intracellular phase separation processes. Here, we report a new biophotonic nanostructure in the non-iridescent blue feather barbs of blue penguins (Eudyptula minor) composed of parallel {beta}-keratin nanofibres organized into densely packed bundles. Synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering and two-dimensional Fourier analysis of electron micrographs of the barb nanostructure revealed short-range order in the organization of fibres at the appropriate size scale needed to produce the observed colour by coherent scattering. These two-dimensional quasi-ordered penguin nanostructures are convergent with similar arrays of parallel collagen fibres in avian and mammalian skin, but constitute a novel morphology for feathers. The identification of a new class of {beta}-keratin nanostructures adds significantly to the known mechanisms of colour production in birds and suggests additional complexity in their self-assembly.

  19. Colour-producing β-keratin nanofibres in blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) feathers

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alba, Liliana; Saranathan, Vinodkumar; Clarke, Julia A.; Vinther, Jakob A.; Prum, Richard O.; Shawkey, Matthew D.

    2011-01-01

    The colours of living organisms are produced by the differential absorption of light by pigments (e.g. carotenoids, melanins) and/or by the physical interactions of light with biological nanostructures, referred to as structural colours. Only two fundamental morphologies of non-iridescent nanostructures are known in feathers, and recent work has proposed that they self-assemble by intracellular phase separation processes. Here, we report a new biophotonic nanostructure in the non-iridescent blue feather barbs of blue penguins (Eudyptula minor) composed of parallel β-keratin nanofibres organized into densely packed bundles. Synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering and two-dimensional Fourier analysis of electron micrographs of the barb nanostructure revealed short-range order in the organization of fibres at the appropriate size scale needed to produce the observed colour by coherent scattering. These two-dimensional quasi-ordered penguin nanostructures are convergent with similar arrays of parallel collagen fibres in avian and mammalian skin, but constitute a novel morphology for feathers. The identification of a new class of β-keratin nanostructures adds significantly to the known mechanisms of colour production in birds and suggests additional complexity in their self-assembly. PMID:21307042

  20. Expression of beta-keratin mRNAs and proline uptake in epidermal cells of growing scales and pad lamellae of gecko lizards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibardi, Lorenzo; Toni, Mattia; Valle, Luisa Dalla

    2007-01-01

    Beta-keratins form a large part of the proteins contained in the hard beta layer of reptilian scales. The expression of genes encoding glycine–proline-rich beta-keratins in normal and regenerating epidermis of two species of gecko lizards has been studied by in situ hybridization. The probes localize mRNAs in differentiating oberhautchen and beta cells of growing scales and in modified scales, termed pad lamellae, on the digits of gecko lizards. In situ localization at the ultrastructural level shows clusters of gold particles in the cytoplasm among beta-keratin filaments of oberhautchen and beta cells. They are also present in the differentiating elongation or setae of oberhautchen cells present in pad lamellae. Setae allow geckos to adhere and climb vertical surfaces. Oberhautchen and beta cells also incorporate tritiated proline. The fine localization of the beta-keratin mRNAs and the uptake of proline confirms the biomolecular data that identified glycine–proline-rich beta-keratin in differentiating beta cells of gecko epidermis. The present study also shows the presence of differentiating and metabolically active cells in both inner and outer oberhautchen/beta cells at the base of the outer setae localized at the tip of pad lamellae. The addition of new beta and alpha cells to the corneous layer near the tip of the outer setae explains the anterior movement of the setae along the apical free-margin of pad lamellae. The rapid replacement of setae ensures the continuous usage of the gecko's adhesive devices, the pad lamellae, during most of their active life. PMID:17553098

  1. A clinical and histologic evaluation of gingival fibroblasts seeding on a chitosan-based scaffold and its effect on the width of keratinized gingiva in dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lotfi, Ghogha; Shokrgozar, Mohammad Ali; Mofid, Rasoul; Abbas, Fatemeh Mashhadi; Ghanavati, Farzin; Bagheban, Alireza Akbarzadeh; Shariati, Ramin Pajoum

    2011-09-01

    Finding biocompatible matrix materials capable of enhancing the procedures of gingival augmentation is a major concern in periodontal research. This has prompted the investigation of a safe grafting technique by means of synthetic or natural polymers. The objective of this study is to examine the effect of a gingival fibroblast cultured on a naturally derived (i.e., chitosan-based) scaffold on the width of keratinized gingiva in dogs. Gingival fibroblasts were cultured from a small portion of hard palates of five dogs. A bilayered chitosan scaffold was seeded with the gingival fibroblasts and transferred to dogs. Surgery was performed bilaterally, and the regions were randomly divided into two groups: chitosan only (control site) and chitosan + fibroblast (test site). Periodontal parameters, including probing depth and width of keratinized and attached gingiva, were measured at baseline and 3 months after surgery. A histologic evaluation was also performed on the healed grafted sites. Comparison of width of keratinized and attached gingiva in control and test sites showed that the mean width of keratinized and attached gingiva increased in each group after surgery. However, the difference between control and test groups was not statistically significant. Concerning the existence of the keratinized epithelium, exocytosis, and epithelium thickness, no significant difference was observed in test and control sites. The difference was significant in relation to rete ridge formation. The tissue-engineered graft consisting of chitosan + fibroblast was applied to gingival augmentation procedures and generated keratinized tissue without any complications usually associated with donor-site surgery.

  2. Effect of discarded keratin-based biocomposite hydrogels on the wound healing process in vivo

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Mira [Department of Organic Materials & Fiber Engineering, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Hye Kyoung [Department of Chemistry, Inha University, 100 Inharo, Incheon 402–751 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Byoung-Suhk [Department of BIN fusion technology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Myung Jin; Kim, In-Shik [Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research institute, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Byung-Yong, E-mail: parkb@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of Veterinary Anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research institute, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Hak-Yong, E-mail: khy@jbnu.ac.kr [Department of BIN fusion technology, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju 561–756 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-01

    Biocompatible keratin-based hydrogels prepared by electron beam irradiation (EBI) were examined in wound healing. As the EBI dose increased to 60 kGy, the tensile strength of the hydrogels increased, while the percentage of elongation of the hydrogels decreased. After 7 days, the dehydrated wool-based hydrogels show the highest mechanical properties (the % elongation of 1341 and the tensile strength of 6030 g/cm{sup 2} at an EBI dose of 30 kGy). Excision wound models were used to evaluate the effects of human hair-based hydrogels and wool-based hydrogels on various phases of healing. On post-wounding days 7 and 14, wounds treated with either human hair-based or wool-based hydrogels were greatly reduced in size compared to wounds that received other treatments, although the hydrocolloid wound dressing-treated wound also showed a pronounced reduction in size compared to an open wound as measured by a histological assay. On the 14th postoperative day, the cellular appearances were similar in the hydrocolloid wound dressing and wool-based hydrogel-treated wounds, and collagen fibers were substituted with fibroblasts and mixed with fibroblasts in the dermis. Furthermore, the wound treated with a human hair-based hydrogel showed almost complete epithelial regeneration, with the maturation of immature connective tissue and hair follicles and formation of a sebaceous gland. - Highlights: • Biocompatible keratin-based hydrogels were examined for wound healing process. • Human hair-based hydrogel is superior to wool-based hydrogel in wound healing. • Discarded keratin-based hydrogels are expected more eco-friendly therapeutic agents.

  3. Non-coding keratin variants associate with liver fibrosis progression in patients with hemochromatosis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Strnad

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Keratins 8 and 18 (K8/K18 are intermediate filament proteins that protect the liver from various forms of injury. Exonic K8/K18 variants associate with adverse outcome in acute liver failure and with liver fibrosis progression in patients with chronic hepatitis C infection or primary biliary cirrhosis. Given the association of K8/K18 variants with end-stage liver disease and progression in several chronic liver disorders, we studied the importance of keratin variants in patients with hemochromatosis. METHODS: The entire K8/K18 exonic regions were analyzed in 162 hemochromatosis patients carrying homozygous C282Y HFE (hemochromatosis gene mutations. 234 liver-healthy subjects were used as controls. Exonic regions were PCR-amplified and analyzed using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and DNA sequencing. Previously-generated transgenic mice overexpressing K8 G62C were studied for their susceptibility to iron overload. Susceptibility to iron toxicity of primary hepatocytes that express K8 wild-type and G62C was also assessed. RESULTS: We identified amino-acid-altering keratin heterozygous variants in 10 of 162 hemochromatosis patients (6.2% and non-coding heterozygous variants in 6 additional patients (3.7%. Two novel K8 variants (Q169E/R275W were found. K8 R341H was the most common amino-acid altering variant (4 patients, and exclusively associated with an intronic KRT8 IVS7+10delC deletion. Intronic, but not amino-acid-altering variants associated with the development of liver fibrosis. In mice, or ex vivo, the K8 G62C variant did not affect iron-accumulation in response to iron-rich diet or the extent of iron-induced hepatocellular injury. CONCLUSION: In patients with hemochromatosis, intronic but not exonic K8/K18 variants associate with liver fibrosis development.

  4. Microarray analysis identifies keratin loci as sensitive biomarkers for thyroid hormone disruption in the salamander Ambystoma mexicanum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Page, Robert B; Monaghan, James R; Samuels, Amy K; Smith, Jeramiah J; Beachy, Christopher K; Voss, S Randal

    2007-02-01

    Ambystomatid salamanders offer several advantages for endocrine disruption research, including genomic and bioinformatics resources, an accessible laboratory model (Ambystoma mexicanum), and natural lineages that are broadly distributed among North American habitats. We used microarray analysis to measure the relative abundance of transcripts isolated from A. mexicanum epidermis (skin) after exogenous application of thyroid hormone (TH). Only one gene had a >2-fold change in transcript abundance after 2 days of TH treatment. However, hundreds of genes showed significantly different transcript levels at days 12 and 28 in comparison to day 0. A list of 123 TH-responsive genes was identified using statistical, BLAST, and fold level criteria. Cluster analysis identified two groups of genes with similar transcription patterns: up-regulated versus down-regulated. Most notably, several keratins exhibited dramatic (1000 fold) increases or decreases in transcript abundance. Keratin gene expression changes coincided with morphological remodeling of epithelial tissues. This suggests that keratin loci can be developed as sensitive biomarkers to assay temporal disruptions of larval-to-adult gene expression programs. Our study has identified the first collection of loci that are regulated during TH-induced metamorphosis in a salamander, thus setting the stage for future investigations of TH disruption in the Mexican axolotl and other salamanders of the genus Ambystoma.

  5. Clinical evaluation of the effect of gingival thickness on increasing the width of keratinized and attached gingiva with and without preserving periosteum in an animal study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saeedeh Ebrahimi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIM: The present study was performed in order to assess the effect of gingival thickness on amount of gingival augmentation with and without preserving periosteum. METHODS: The study was conducted on 8 ecotype dogs aged 1-5 years. At the beginning, clinical probing depth and keratinized and attached gingiva width were measured. Totally, 64 sites were operated in this study. Periosteal fenestration and denuded beds were randomly created on opposite sides of upper and lower jaws (4 sites each side. The thickness of gingiva was measured in mucogingival junction after preparation of the beds. The clinical parameters were evaluated 2 months after the surgery. The data were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U, Wilcoxon, and Pearson correlation tests. RESULTS: The results showed the average increased width of keratinized and attached gingiva was 1.8 mm and 2 mm in periosteal fenestration sites and 1.9 mm and 2.3 mm in denudation sites, respectively at 2 months post-surgery. The difference between the width of keratinized gingiva and attached gingiva before and 2 months after operation was significant in both groups (P < 0.001. However, no significant difference was shown between the two groups in terms of attached and keratinized gingival width (P = 0.100 and P = 0.720, respectively. There was no correlation between the thickness of gingiva and the amount of increased width of keratinized and attached gingiva. CONCLUSION: A gingival thickness of 0.8 to 2 mm does not affect the increment of the attached and keratinized gingival width with and without preserving periosteum.

  6. Functional testing of keratin 14 mutant proteins associated with the three major subtypes of epidermolysis bullosa simplex

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sørensen, Charlotte B; Andresen, Brage S; Jensen, Uffe B

    2003-01-01

    vectors were transiently transfected into normal human primary keratinocytes (NHK), HaCaT or HeLa cells in order to analyze the ability of the mutant K14 proteins to integrate into the existing endogenous keratin filament network (KFN). No effect on the keratin cytoskeleton was observed upon transfection...... of NHK with the various K14 constructs neither with nor without a subsequently induced heat-stress. In contrast, all constructs, including wild-type K14, caused collapse of the endogenous KFN in a small fraction of the transfected HeLa and HaCaT cells. However, overexpression of the mutation associated...... with the most severe form of the disease, EBS Dowling-Meara, resulted in a higher number of transfected HaCaT cells with KFN collapse (P

  7. TMEM45A Is Dispensable for Epidermal Morphogenesis, Keratinization and Barrier Formation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurélie Hayez

    Full Text Available TMEM45A gene encodes an initially uncharacterized predicted transmembrane protein. We previously showed that this gene is highly expressed in keratinocytes where its expression correlates with keratinization, suggesting a role in normal epidermal physiology. To test this hypothesis, we generated TMEM45A knockout mice and found that these mice develop without any evident phenotype. The morphology of the epidermis assessed by histology and by labelling differentiation markers in immunofluorescence was not altered. Toluidine blue permeability assay showed that the epidermal barrier develops normally during embryonic development. We also showed that depletion of TMEM45A in human keratinocytes does not alter their potential to form in vitro 3D-reconstructed epidermis. Indeed, epidermis with normal morphogenesis were generated from TMEM45A-silenced keratinocytes. Their expression of differentiation markers quantified by RT-qPCR and evidenced by immunofluorescence labelling as well as their barrier function estimated by Lucifer yellow permeability were similar to the control epidermis. In summary, TMEM45A gene expression is dispensable for epidermal morphogenesis, keratinization and barrier formation. If this protein plays a role in the epidermis, its experimental depletion can possibly be compensated by other proteins in the two experimental models analyzed in this study.

  8. Immunolocalization of keratin-associated beta-proteins (beta-keratins) in pad lamellae of geckos suggest that glycine-cysteine-rich proteins contribute to their flexibility and adhesiveness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibardi, Lorenzo

    2013-03-01

    The epidermis of digital pads in geckos comprises superficial microornamentation from the oberhautchen layer that form long setae allowing these lizards to climb vertical surfaces. The beta-layer is reduced in pad lamellae but persists up to the apical free margin. Setae are made of different proteins including keratin-associated beta-proteins, formerly indicated as beta-keratins. In order to identify specific setal proteins the present ultrastructural study on geckos pad lamellae analyzes the immunolocalization of three beta-proteins previously found in the epidermis and adhesive setae of the green anolis. A protein rich in glycine but poor in cysteine (HgG5-like) is absent or masked in gecko pad lamellae. Another protein rich in glycine and cysteine (HgGC3-like) is weakly present in setae, oberhautchen and beta-layer. A glycine and cysteine medium rich beta-protein (HgGC10-like) is present in the lower part of the beta-layer but is absent in the oberhautchen, setae, and mesos layer. The latter two proteins may form intermolecular bonds that contribute to the flexibility of the corneous material sustaining the setae. The pliable alpha-layer present beneath the thin beta-layer and in the hinge region of the pad lamellae also contains HgGC10-like proteins. Based on the possibility that some HgGC3-like or other cys-rich beta-proteins are charged in the setae it is suggested that their charges influence the mechanism of adhesion increasing the induction of dipoles on the substrate and enhancing attractive van der Waals forces. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. A novel mutation in the L12 domain of keratin 1 is associated with mild epidermolytic ichthyosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bolling, M. C.; Bladergroen, R. S.; van Steensel, M. A. M.; Willemsen, M.; Jonkman, M. F.; van Geel, M.

    P>Background Epidermolytic ichthyosis (EI), previously termed bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma or epidermolytic hyperkeratosis, is a clinically heterogeneous genodermatosis caused by mutations in the genes encoding the suprabasal keratins 1 and 10. Classical EI is clinically

  10. On the so-called membrane coating granules in keratinized lichen planus lesions of the buccal mucosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Labban, N G; Wood, R D

    1982-11-01

    Serial sections of the so-called membrane-coating granules have been examined in keratinized oral epithelium of lichen planus lesions. As with 'granules' apparent in non-keratinized epithelium, it is found they do not represent specialized intra-cytoplasmic organelles, but are the result of sectioning at different areas, levels and planes through the plasma membrane of interdigitating cell processes. Such 'granules' appear mostly in the superficial, but not deep, part of the cytoplasm of the upper prickle cells. This is considered to be due to topographic differences between the upper and under surfaces of these cells and the presence of narrower intercellular spaces than those between deeper epithelial cells. Such arrangement often results in cell processes in sections appearing free in the superficial part of the cell below. The appearance of 'granules' arises when the plane of section is not at right angles to the two plasma membranes surrounding these processes.

  11. The chicken frizzle feather is due to an α-keratin (KRT75 mutation that causes a defective rachis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Siang Ng

    Full Text Available Feathers have complex forms and are an excellent model to study the development and evolution of morphologies. Existing chicken feather mutants are especially useful for identifying genetic determinants of feather formation. This study focused on the gene F, underlying the frizzle feather trait that has a characteristic curled feather rachis and barbs in domestic chickens. Our developmental biology studies identified defects in feather medulla formation, and physical studies revealed that the frizzle feather curls in a stepwise manner. The frizzle gene is transmitted in an autosomal incomplete dominant mode. A whole-genome linkage scan of five pedigrees with 2678 SNPs revealed association of the frizzle locus with a keratin gene-enriched region within the linkage group E22C19W28_E50C23. Sequence analyses of the keratin gene cluster identified a 69 bp in-frame deletion in a conserved region of KRT75, an α-keratin gene. Retroviral-mediated expression of the mutated F cDNA in the wild-type rectrix qualitatively changed the bending of the rachis with some features of frizzle feathers including irregular kinks, severe bending near their distal ends, and substantially higher variations among samples in comparison to normal feathers. These results confirmed KRT75 as the F gene. This study demonstrates the potential of our approach for identifying genetic determinants of feather forms.

  12. Optimización de la producción de un extracto enzimático keratinásico a ser utilizado en la industria textil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Pippolo

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available El Sector Textil Uruguayo tiene dificultades para alcanzar los mejores estándares de calidad requeridos por los mercados internacionales que le permitan competir con mayores posibilidades. Para esto, un procedimiento promisorio, y amigable con el medioambiente, es el tratamiento enzimático de la lana con el que se obtienen resultados de similares características al de los sistemas de oxidación, mayores rendimientos tintóreos  con un menor daño de las fibras, además de obtenerse efluentes sensiblemente menos contaminantes.Este trabajo optimizó la producción de enzimas keratinásicas a partir de un Bacillus sp., obtenido de un screening de cepas realizado por el Departamento de Bioingeniería de la Facultad de Ingeniería y estudió el comportamiento tintóreo de tops de lana tratada con los extractos enzimáticos obtenidos, respecto a la lana sin tratar. El estudio se llevó a cabo empleando la Metodología de Superficie de Respuesta. Se determinaron las condiciones de operación óptimas del fermentador de laboratorio de 3L, correspondientes a una agitación de 600 rpm y una aireación de 2,5 L/min, que se correlaciona con un  coeficiente volumétrico de transferencia de oxígeno del sistema de kLa de 140 h-1, que optimizaron la producción de enzimas keratinásicas (773±77 U/mL. Para la medida de la actividad keratinásica se desarrolló una técnica que utiliza keratin-azure como sustrato.El estudio del comportamiento tintóreo de la lana tratada con los extractos enzimáticos keratinásicos, respecto a la lana sin tratar, confirmó que las diferencias de color obtenidas con las lanas tratadas son superiores cuanto mayor es el valor de actividad keratinásica del extracto. Los tops fueron teñidos con el colorante  Rojo LANASOL CE. El valor máximo de la diferencia de color total medida en coordenadas Cielab, fue de 5,88. Se observó, que en todos los casos los colores obtenidos en los tops después de ser tratados enzim

  13. Theoretical Considerations and a Mathematical Model for the Analysis of the Biomechanical Response of Human Keratinized Oral Mucosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aikaterini Tsaira

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Removable complete and partial dentures are supported by the residual alveolar ridges consisting of mucosa, submucosa, periosteum and bone. An understanding of the biomechanical behavior of the oral mucosa is essential in order to improve the denture-bearing foundations for complete and partially edentulous patients. The purpose of this paper was to examine the biomechanical behavior of the soft tissues supporting a removable denture and develop a model for that reason. Keratinized oral mucosa blocks with their underlying bone were harvested from the maxillary palatal area adjacent to the edentulous ridges of a cadaver. The compressive response of the oral mucosa was tested by using atomic force microscopy. The specimens were first scanned in order their topography to be obtained. The mechanical properties of the specimens were tested using a single crystal silicon pyramidal tip, which traversed towards the keratinized oral mucosa specimens. Loading-unloading cycles were registered and four mathematical models were tested using MATLAB to note which one approximates the force-displacement curve as close as possible: a. spherical, b. conical, c. third order polynomial, d. Murphy (fourth order polynomial, non-linear Hertzian based. The third order polynomial model showed the best accuracy in representing the force-displacement data of the tested specimens. A model was developed in order to analyze the biomechanical behavior of the human oral keratinized mucosa and obtain information about its mechanical properties.

  14. Electrolytically generated hydrogen warm water cleanses the keratin-plug-clogged hair-pores and promotes the capillary blood-streams, more markedly than normal warm water does

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshiharu Tanaka

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Biomedical properties of hydrogen water have been extensively investigated, but the effect of hydrogen on good healthy subjects remains unclear. This study was designed to explore the hygiene improvement by electrolytically generated hydrogen warm water (40°C on capillary blood streams, skin moisture, and keratin plugs in skin pores in normal good healthy subjects with their informed consents. Fingertip-capillary blood stream was estimated after hand-immersing in hydrogen warm water by videography using a CCD-based microscope, and the blood flow levels increased to about 120% versus normal warm water, after 60 minutes of the hand-immersing termination. Skin moisture of subjects was assessed using an electro-conductivity-based skin moisture meter. Immediately after taking a bath filled with hydrogen warm water, the skin moisture increased by 5–10% as compared to before bathing, which was kept on for the 7-day test, but indistinct, because of lower solubility of hydrogen in “warm” water than in room-temperature water. Cleansing of keratin plugs in skin-pores was assessed by stereoscopic microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. After hydrogen warm water bathing, the numbers of cleansed keratin plugs also increased on cheek of subjects 2.30- to 4.47-fold as many as the control for normal warm water. And areas of cleansed keratin plugs in the cheeks increased about 1.3-fold as much as the control. More marked improvements were observed on cheeks than on nostrils. Hydrogen warm water may thoroughly cleanse even keratin-plugs of residual amounts that could not be cleansed by normal warm water, through its permeability into wide-ranged portions of hair-pores, and promote the fingertip blood streams more markedly than merely through warmness due to normal warm water.

  15. Automatic and objective oral cancer diagnosis by Raman spectroscopic detection of keratin with multivariate curve resolution analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Po-Hsiung; Shimada, Rintaro; Yabumoto, Sohshi; Okajima, Hajime; Ando, Masahiro; Chang, Chiou-Tzu; Lee, Li-Tzu; Wong, Yong-Kie; Chiou, Arthur; Hamaguchi, Hiro-O.

    2016-01-01

    We have developed an automatic and objective method for detecting human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissues with Raman microspectroscopy. We measure 196 independent Raman spectra from 196 different points of one oral tissue sample and globally analyze these spectra using a Multivariate Curve Resolution (MCR) analysis. Discrimination of OSCC tissues is automatically and objectively made by spectral matching comparison of the MCR decomposed Raman spectra and the standard Raman spectrum of keratin, a well-established molecular marker of OSCC. We use a total of 24 tissue samples, 10 OSCC and 10 normal tissues from the same 10 patients, 3 OSCC and 1 normal tissues from different patients. Following the newly developed protocol presented here, we have been able to detect OSCC tissues with 77 to 92% sensitivity (depending on how to define positivity) and 100% specificity. The present approach lends itself to a reliable clinical diagnosis of OSCC substantiated by the “molecular fingerprint” of keratin.

  16. Composition of the Extracellular Matrix of Lymphatic Novel Threadlike Structures: Is It Keratin?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hyub Huh

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The lumen of novel threadlike structures (NTSs is enclosed by a single layer of endothelial cells surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM. We hypothesized that collagen may be a component of the ECM associated with lymphatic NTSs. Methods. Six female New Zealand white rabbits were anesthetized, and the NTS structures within lymphatic vessels were identified by contrast-enhanced stereomicroscopy or alcian blue staining. Isolated NTS specimens were stained with acridine orange, YOYO-1, and 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI. The structural and molecular composition of the ECM was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM, electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, and proteomic analysis. Results. The lymph vessel wall was stained red by DiI, and rod-shaped nuclei were stained green by YOYO-1. The area surrounding the NTS was also stained red and contained green rod-shaped nuclei. TEM images showed that the NTS consisted of many ECM fibers and the ECM fibers appeared to be ~100 nm in diameter and had narrowly spaced striated bands. Proteomic analysis of the lymphatic NTS-associated ECM identified 4 proteins: keratin 10, cytokeratin 3, cytokeratin 12, and soluble adenylyl cyclase. Conclusion. The TEM study suggested that the lymphatic NTS-associated ECM did not contain collagen. This was confirmed by proteomic analysis, which showed that keratin was the major component of the ECM.

  17. Immunohistochemical expression of glucose transporter 1 in keratin-producing odontogenic cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vera-Sirera, Beatriz; Forner-Navarro, Leopoldo; Vera-Sempere, Francisco

    2016-03-10

    Keratin-producing odontogenic cysts (KPOCs) are a group of cystic lesions that are often aggressive, with high rates of recurrence and multifocality. KPOCs included orthokeratinised odontogenic cyst (OOC) and parakeratotic odontogenic cysts, which are now considered true tumours denominated keratocystic odontogenic tumours (KCOTs). GLUT1 is a protein transporter that is involved in the active uptake of glucose across cell membranes and that is overexpressed in tumours in close correlation with the proliferation rate and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging results. A series of 58 keratin-producing odontogenic cysts was evaluated histologically and immunohistochemically in terms of GLUT1 expression. Different data were correlated using the beta regression model in relation to histological type and immunohistochemical expression of GLUT1, which was quantified using two different morphological methods. KPOC cases comprised 12 OOCs and 46 KCOTs, the latter corresponding to 6 syndromic and 40 sporadic KCOTs. GLUT1 expression was very low in OOC cases compared with KCOT cases, with statistical significant differences when quantification was considered. Different GLUT1 localisation patterns were revealed by immunostaining, with the parabasal cells showing higher reactivity in KCOTs. However, among KCOTs cases, GLUT1 expression was unable to establish differences between syndromic and sporadic cases. GLUT1 expression differentiated between OOC and KCOT cases, with significantly higher expression in KCOTs, but did not differentiate between syndromic and sporadic KCOT cases. However, given the structural characteristics of KCOTs, we hypothesised that PET imaging methodology is probably not a useful diagnostic tool for KCOTs. Further studies of GLUT1 expression and PET examination in KCOT series are needed to confirm this last hypothesis.

  18. Genetic background effects of keratin 8 and 18 in a DDC-induced hepatotoxicity and Mallory-Denk body formation mouse model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haybaeck, Johannes; Stumptner, Cornelia; Thueringer, Andrea; Kolbe, Thomas; Magin, Thomas M; Hesse, Michael; Fickert, Peter; Tsybrovskyy, Oleksiy; Müller, Heimo; Trauner, Michael; Zatloukal, Kurt; Denk, Helmut

    2012-06-01

    Keratin 8 (K8) and keratin 18 (K18) form the major hepatocyte cytoskeleton. We investigated the impact of genetic loss of either K8 or K18 on liver homeostasis under toxic stress with the hypothesis that K8 and K18 exert different functions. krt8⁻/⁻ and krt18⁻/⁻ mice crossed into the same 129-ola genetic background were treated by acute and chronic administration of 3,5-diethoxy-carbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC). In acutely DDC-intoxicated mice, macrovesicular steatosis was more pronounced in krt8⁻/⁻ and krt18⁻/⁻ compared with wild-type (wt) animals. Mallory-Denk bodies (MDBs) appeared in krt18⁻/⁻ mice already at an early stage of intoxication in contrast to krt8⁻/⁻ mice that did not display MDB formation when fed with DDC. Keratin-deficient mice displayed significantly lower numbers of apoptotic hepatocytes than wt animals. krt8⁻/⁻, krt18⁻/⁻ and control mice displayed comparable cell proliferation rates. Chronically DDC-intoxicated krt18⁻/⁻ and wt mice showed a similarly increased degree of steatohepatitis with hepatocyte ballooning and MDB formation. In krt8⁻/⁻ mice, steatosis was less, ballooning, and MDBs were absent. krt18⁻/⁻ mice developed MDBs whereas krt8⁻/⁻ mice on the same genetic background did not, highlighting the significance of different structural properties of keratins. They are independent of the genetic background as an intrinsic factor. By contrast, toxicity effects may depend on the genetic background. krt8⁻/⁻ and krt18⁻/⁻ mice on the same genetic background show similar sensitivity to DDC intoxication and almost resemble wt animals regarding survival, degree of porphyria, liver-to-body weight ratio, serum bilirubin and liver enzyme levels. This stands in contrast to previous work where krt8⁻/⁻ and krt18⁻/⁻ mice on different genetic backgrounds were investigated.

  19. Fabrication of human hair keratin/jellyfish collagen/eggshell-derived hydroxyapatite osteoinductive biocomposite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering: From waste to regenerative medicine products.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arslan, Yavuz Emre; Sezgin Arslan, Tugba; Derkus, Burak; Emregul, Emel; Emregul, Kaan C

    2017-06-01

    In the present study, we aimed at fabricating an osteoinductive biocomposite scaffold using keratin obtained from human hair, jellyfish collagen and eggshell-derived nano-sized spherical hydroxyapatite (nHA) for bone tissue engineering applications. Keratin, collagen and nHA were characterized with the modified Lowry method, free-sulfhydryl groups and hydroxyproline content analysis, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) which confirmed the success of the extraction and/or isolation processes. Human adipose mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs) were isolated and the cell surface markers were characterized via flow cytometry analysis in addition to multilineage differentiation capacity. The undifferentiated hAMSCs were highly positive for CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90 and CD105, but were not seen to express hematopoietic cell surface markers such as CD14, CD34 and CD45. The cells were successfully directed towards osteogenic, chondrogenic and adipogenic lineages in vitro. The microarchitecture of the scaffolds and cell attachment were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cell viability on the scaffolds was assessed by the MTT assay which revealed no evidence of cytotoxicity. The osteogenic differentiation of hAMSCs on the scaffolds was determined histologically using alizarin red S, osteopontin and osteonectin stainings. Early osteogenic differentiation markers of hAMSCs were significantly expressed on the collagen-keratin-nHA scaffolds. In conclusion, it is believed that collagen-keratin-nHA osteoinductive biocomposite scaffolds have the potential of being used in bone tissue engineering. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Peritoneal Keratin Granulomatosis Associated with Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma of the Uterine Corpus in a Woman with Polycystic Ovaries: A Potential Pitfall—A Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helen J. Trihia

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Peritoneal keratin granulomatosis is a rare condition included under granulomatous lesions of the peritoneum. It can be secondary to neoplasms of the female genital tract and can mimic carcinomatosis intraoperatively. A case of a 40-year-old woman with a history of polycystic ovaries and a chief complaint of vaginal bleeding is presented. She was diagnosed with endometrioid adenocarcinoma with squamous differentiation in endometrial curettings. Intraoperatively, many peritoneal nodules were found, interpreted as peritoneal carcinomatosis. The woman underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy, and appendicectomy. Multiple biopsies were taken, as well as peritoneal washings. Microscopic examination revealed multiple keratin granulomas on the serosal surface of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, appendix, and omentum. Lymph node metastasis was not found. Peritoneal keratin granulomas (PKGs have been reported in cases of endometrioid adenocarcinoma with squamous differentiation of the uterine corpus, ovary, and atypical adenomyoma. It should be noted that the prognosis of cases of peritoneal keratin granulomas without viable tumor cells is favourable and that the histologic examination is essential for its diagnosis. We report a case of PKG in a patient with endometrial carcinoma with squamous differentiation, being the first in a woman with polycystic ovaries.

  1. In situ identification of keratin-hydrolyzing organisms in swine manure inoculated anaerobic digesters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xia, Yun; Massé, Daniel I; McAllister, Tim A; Beaulieu, Carole; Talbot, Guylaine; Kong, Yunhong; Seviour, Robert

    2011-12-01

    Feathers, a poultry byproduct, are composed of > 90% keratin which is resistant to degradation during anaerobic digestion. In this study, four 42-L anaerobic digesters inoculated with adapted swine manure were used to investigate feather digestion. Ground feathers were added into two anaerobic digesters for biogas production, whereas another two without feathers were used as negative control. Feather degradation and enhanced methane production were recorded. Keratin-hydrolyzing organisms (KHOs) were visualized in the feather bag fluids after boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorescence casein staining. Their abundances correlated (R(2)  = 0.96) to feather digestion rates. A 16S rRNA clone library was constructed for the bacterial populations attached to the feather particles. Ninety-three clones (> 1300 bp) were retrieved and 57 (61%) belonged to class Clostridia in the phylum Firmicutes, while 34 (37%) belonged to class Bacteroidia in the phylum Bacteroidetes. Four oligonucleotide FISH probes were designed for the major Clostridia clusters and used with other FISH probes to identify the KHOs. Probe FIMs1029 hybridized with most (> 80%) of the KHOs. Its targeted sequence perfectly matches that possessed by 10 Clostridia 16S rRNA gene clones belonging to a previously uncharacterized new genus closely related to Alkaliphilus in the subfamily Clostridiaceae 2 of family Clostridiaceae. © 2011 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  2. Keratin impact on PKCδ- and ASMase-mediated regulation of hepatocyte lipid raft size – implication for FasR-associated apoptosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilbert, Stéphane; Loranger, Anne; Omary, M. Bishr

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT Keratins are epithelial cell intermediate filament (IF) proteins that are expressed as pairs in a cell-differentiation-regulated manner. Hepatocytes express the keratin 8 and 18 pair (denoted K8/K18) of IFs, and a loss of K8 or K18, as in K8-null mice, leads to degradation of the keratin partner. We have previously reported that a K8/K18 loss in hepatocytes leads to altered cell surface lipid raft distribution and more efficient Fas receptor (FasR, also known as TNFRSF6)-mediated apoptosis. We demonstrate here that the absence of K8 or transgenic expression of the K8 G62C mutant in mouse hepatocytes reduces lipid raft size. Mechanistically, we find that the lipid raft size is dependent on acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase, also known as SMPD1) enzyme activity, which is reduced in absence of K8/K18. Notably, the reduction of ASMase activity appears to be caused by a less efficient redistribution of surface membrane PKCδ toward lysosomes. Moreover, we delineate the lipid raft volume range that is required for an optimal FasR-mediated apoptosis. Hence, K8/K18-dependent PKCδ- and ASMase-mediated modulation of lipid raft size can explain the more prominent FasR-mediated signaling resulting from K8/K18 loss. The fine-tuning of ASMase-mediated regulation of lipid rafts might provide a therapeutic target for death-receptor-related liver diseases. PMID:27422101

  3. Keratin 17 is overexpressed and predicts poor survival in estrogen receptor-negative/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative breast cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merkin, Ross D; Vanner, Elizabeth A; Romeiser, Jamie L; Shroyer, A Laurie W; Escobar-Hoyos, Luisa F; Li, Jinyu; Powers, Robert S; Burke, Stephanie; Shroyer, Kenneth R

    2017-04-01

    Clinicopathological features of breast cancer have limited accuracy to predict survival. By immunohistochemistry (IHC), keratin 17 (K17) expression has been correlated with triple-negative status (estrogen receptor [ER]/progesterone receptor/human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 [HER2] negative) and decreased survival, but K17 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression has not been evaluated in breast cancer. K17 is a potential prognostic cancer biomarker, targeting p27, and driving cell cycle progression. This study compared K17 protein and mRNA expression to ER/progesterone receptor/HER2 receptor status and event-free survival. K17 IHC was performed on 164 invasive breast cancers and K17 mRNA was evaluated in 1097 breast cancers. The mRNA status of other keratins (16/14/9) was evaluated in 113 ER - /HER2 - ductal carcinomas. IHC demonstrated intense cytoplasmic and membranous K17 localization in myoepithelial cells of benign ducts and lobules and tumor cells of ductal carcinoma in situ. In ductal carcinomas, K17 protein was detected in most triple-negative tumors (28/34, 82%), some non-triple-negative tumors (52/112, 46%), but never in lobular carcinomas (0/15). In ductal carcinomas, high K17 mRNA was associated with reduced 5-year event-free survival in advanced tumor stage (n = 149, hazard ratio [HR] = 3.68, P = .018), and large (n = 73, HR = 3.95, P = .047), triple-negative (n = 103, HR = 2.73, P = .073), and ER - /HER2 - (n = 113, HR = 2.99, P = .049) tumors. There were significant correlations among keratins 17, 16, 14, and 9 mRNA levels suggesting these keratins (all encoded on chromosome 17) could be coordinately expressed in breast cancer. Thus, K17 is expressed in a subset of triple-negative breast cancers, and is a marker of poor prognosis in patients with advanced stage and ER - /HER2 - breast cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Keratin 23, a novel DPC4/Smad4 target gene which binds 14-3-3ε

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liffers, Sven-T; Schwarte-Waldhoff, Irmgard; Meyer, Helmut E; Stühler, Kai; Hahn, Stephan A; Maghnouj, Abdelouahid; Munding, Johanna B; Jackstadt, René; Herbrand, Ulrike; Schulenborg, Thomas; Marcus, Katrin; Klein-Scory, Susanne; Schmiegel, Wolff

    2011-01-01

    Inactivating mutations of SMAD4 are frequent in metastatic colorectal carcinomas. In previous analyses, we were able to show that restoration of Smad4 expression in Smad4-deficient SW480 human colon carcinoma cells was adequate to suppress tumorigenicity and invasive potential, whereas in vitro cell growth was not affected. Using this cellular model system, we searched for new Smad4 targets comparing nuclear subproteomes derived from Smad4 re-expressing and Smad4 negative SW480 cells. High resolution two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis was applied to identify novel Smad4 targets in the nuclear subproteome of Smad4 re-expressing SW480 cells. The identified candidate protein Keratin 23 was further characterized by tandem affinity purification. Immunoprecipitation, subfractionation and immunolocalization studies in combination with RNAi were used to validate the Keratin 23-14-3-3ε interaction. We identified keratins 8 and 18, heat shock proteins 60 and 70, plectin 1, as well as 14-3-3ε and γ as novel proteins present in the KRT23-interacting complex. Co-immunoprecipitation and subfractionation analyses as well as immunolocalization studies in our Smad4-SW480 model cells provided further evidence that KRT23 associates with 14-3-3ε and that Smad4 dependent KRT23 up-regulation induces a shift of the 14-3-3ε protein from a nuclear to a cytoplasmic localization. Based on our findings we propose a new regulatory circuitry involving Smad4 dependent up-regulation of KRT23 (directly or indirectly) which in turn modulates the interaction between KRT23 and 14-3-3ε leading to a cytoplasmic sequestration of 14-3-3ε. This cytoplasmic KRT23-14-3-3 interaction may alter the functional status of the well described 14-3-3 scaffold protein, known to regulate key cellular processes, such as signal transduction, cell cycle control, and apoptosis and may thus be a previously unappreciated facet of the Smad4 tumor suppressive circuitry

  5. Keratin homogeneity in the tail feathers of Pavo cristatus and Pavo cristatus mut. alba

    OpenAIRE

    Pabisch, S.; Puchegger, S.; Kirchner, H.O.K.; Weiss, I.M.; Peterlik, H.

    2010-01-01

    The keratin structure in the cortex of peacocks? feathers is studied by X-ray diffraction along the feather, from the calamus to the tip. It changes considerably over the first 5?cm close to the calamus and remains constant for about 1?m along the length of the feather. Close to the tip, the structure loses its high degree of order. We attribute the X-ray patterns to a shrinkage of a cylindrical arrangement of ?-sheets, which is not fully formed initially. In the final structure, the crystall...

  6. In-situ modification, regeneration, and application of keratin biopolymer for arsenic removal

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Khosa, Muhammad A.; Ullah, Aman, E-mail: amanullah@ualberta.ca

    2014-08-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • In-situ chemical modification of keratin based material was carried out. • Characterization techniques such as SEM, FTIR, XRD, and DSC were employed. • TGA data was elaborated for its complete thermal and kinetic study. • Sorption of As(III) using modified material was experimentally studied. • Thermodynamics and Isotherm study was made for elucidation of adsorption data. - Abstract: Chemical modification of chicken feathers (CF) and their subsequent role in arsenic removal from water is presented in this paper. The ground CF were chemically treated with four selective dopants such as poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG) diglycidyl ether, poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM), allyl alcohol (AA) and TrisilanolCyclohexyl POSS. After modification, the solubilized keratin was regenerated by precipitation at acidic pH. The structural changes and properties of modified biopolymer were compared with untreated CF and confirmed by different characterization techniques such as SEM, FTIR, XRD, and DSC. The TGA data was used to discuss thermal decomposition and kinetic behavior of modified biopolymer exhaustively. The modified biopolymers were further investigated as biosorbents for their application in As(III) removal from water. The AA and POSS supported biosorbents executed high removal capacity for As(III) up to 11.5 × 10{sup −2}and 11.0 × 10{sup −2} mg/g from 100 ml arsenic polluted water solution respectively. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG{sup 0}, ΔH{sup 0}, ΔS{sup 0} were also evaluated with the finding that overall sorption process was endothermic and spontaneous in nature. Based on linear and non-linear regression analysis, Freundlich Isotherm model showed good fit for obtained sorption data apart from high linear regression values supporting Langmuir isotherm model in sorption of As(III)

  7. Physicochemical properties of cassava starch and starch-keratin prepared biofilm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oluwasina Olugbenga Oladayo

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Synthetic plastics pose one of the biggest threats to the environment and a promising solution is biodegradable polymers. This study investigates the properties of biofilms prepared using starch/keratin blend with and without formaldehyde. Some starch properties in percentage are; moisture content 0.27, hydration capacity 189.66, amylopectin content 65.79 and amylose content 34.21. From the water testing results, thickness swelling, water absorption capacity and linear expansion of biofilm without formaldehyde after 10 s of soaking in water were 28.59%, 8.89% and 4.90% respectively and 65.30%, 91.33% and 46.29% respectively after 40 s. But, higher values are recorded for those biofilms made with addition of formaldehyde. Thus using water effect on the properties of the biofilms as the performance index, the research indicates that biofilms without formaldehyde had better performance than those with formaldehyde

  8. Strong Keratin-like Nanofibers Made of Globular Protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dror, Yael; Makarov, Vadim; Admon, Arie; Zussman, Eyal

    2008-03-01

    Protein fibers as elementary structural and functional elements in nature inspire the engineering of protein-based products for versatile bio-medical applications. We have recently used the electrospinning process to fabricate strong sub-micron fibers made solely of serum albumin (SA). This raises the challenges of turning a globular non-viscous protein solution into a polymer--like spinnable solution and producing keratin-like fibers enriched in inter S-S bridges. A stable spinning process was achieved by using SA solution in a rich trifluoroethanol-water mixture with β-mercaptoethanol. The breakage of the intra disulfide bridges, as identified by mass spectrometry, together with the denaturing alcohol, enabled a pronounced expansion of the protein. This in turn, affects the rheological properties of the solution. X-ray diffraction pattern of the fibers revealed equatorial orientation, indicating the alignment of structures along the fiber axis. The mechanical properties reached remarkable average values (Young's modulus of 1.6GPa, and max stress of 36MPa) as compared to other fibrous protein nanofibers. These significant results are attributed to both the alignment and inter disulfide bonds (cross linking) that were formed by spontaneous post-spinning oxidation.

  9. Production of Proteolytic Enzymes by a Keratin-Degrading Aspergillus niger

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernanda Cortez Lopes

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available A fungal isolate with capability to grow in keratinous substrate as only source of carbon and nitrogen was identified as Aspergillus niger using the sequencing of the ITS region of the rDNA. This strain produced a slightly acid keratinase and an acid protease during cultivation in feather meal. The peak of keratinolytic activity occurred in 48 h and the maximum proteolytic activity in 96 h. These enzymes were partly characterized as serine protease and aspartic protease, respectively. The effects of feather meal concentration and initial pH on enzyme production were evaluated using a central composite design combined with response surface methodology. The optimal conditions were determined as pH 5.0 for protease and 7.8 for keratinase and 20 g/L of feather meal, showing that both models were predictive. Production of keratinases by A. niger is a less-exploited field that might represent a novel and promising biotechnological application for this microorganism.

  10. Hard alpha-keratin degradation inside a tissue under high flux X-ray synchrotron micro-beam: a multi-scale time-resolved study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leccia, Emilie; Gourrier, Aurélien; Doucet, Jean; Briki, Fatma

    2010-04-01

    X-rays interact strongly with biological organisms. Synchrotron radiation sources deliver very intense X-ray photon fluxes within micro- or submicro cross-section beams, resulting in doses larger than the MGy. The relevance of synchrotron radiation analyses of biological materials is therefore questionable since such doses, million times higher than the ones used in radiotherapy, can cause huge damages in tissues, with regard to not only DNA, but also proteic and lipid organizations. Very few data concerning the effect of very high X-ray doses in tissues are available in the literature. We present here an analysis of the structural phenomena which occur when the model tissue of human hair is irradiated by a synchrotron X-ray micro-beam. The choice of hair is supported by its hierarchical and partially ordered keratin structure which can be analysed inside the tissue by X-ray diffraction. To assess the damages caused by hard X-ray micro-beams (1 microm(2) cross-section), short exposure time scattering SAXS/WAXS patterns have been recorded at beamline ID13 (ESRF) after various irradiation times. Various modifications of the scattering patterns are observed, they provide fine insight of the radiation damages at various hierarchical levels and also unexpectedly provide information about the stability of the various hierarchical structural levels. It appears that the molecular level, i.e. the alpha helices which are stabilized by hydrogen bonds and the alpha-helical coiled coils which are stabilized by hydrophobic interactions, is more sensitive to radiation than the supramolecular architecture of the keratin filament and the filament packing within the keratin associated proteins matrix, which is stabilized by disulphide bonds. (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Sorafenib enhances proteasome inhibitor-mediated cytotoxicity via inhibition of unfolded protein response and keratin phosphorylation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honma, Yuichi; Harada, Masaru

    2013-01-01

    Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is highly resistant to conventional systemic therapies and prognosis for advanced HCC patients remains poor. Recent studies of the molecular mechanisms responsible for tumor initiation and progression have identified several potential molecular targets in HCC. Sorafenib is a multi-kinase inhibitor shown to have survival benefits in advanced HCC. It acts by inhibiting the serine/threonine kinases and the receptor type tyrosine kinases. In preclinical experiments sorafenib had anti-proliferative activity in hepatoma cells and it reduced tumor angiogenesis and increased apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that the cytotoxic mechanisms of sorafenib include its inhibitory effects on protein ubiquitination, unfolded protein response (UPR) and keratin phosphorylation in response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Moreover, we show that combined treatment with sorafenib and proteasome inhibitors (PIs) synergistically induced a marked increase in cell death in hepatoma- and hepatocyte-derived cells. These observations may open the way to potentially interesting treatment combinations that may augment the effect of sorafenib, possibly including drugs that promote ER stress. Because sorafenib blocked the cellular defense mechanisms against hepatotoxic injury not only in hepatoma cells but also in hepatocyte-derived cells, we must be careful to avoid severe liver injury. -- Graphical abstract: Display Omitted -- Highlights: •We examined the cytotoxic mechanisms of sorafenib in hepatoma cells. •Sorafenib induces cell death via apoptotic and necrotic fashion. •Sorafenib inhibits protein ubiquitination and unfolded protein response. •Autophagy induced by sorafenib may affect its cytotoxicity. •Sorafenib inhibits keratin phosphorylation and cytoplasmic inclusion formation

  12. Biodegradation of a keratin waste and the concomitant production of detergent stable serine proteases from Paecilomyces lilacinus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cavello, I A; Cavalitto, S F; Hours, R A

    2012-07-01

    Paecilomyces lilacinus (LPS 876) efficiently degraded keratin in chicken feather during submerged cultivation producing extracellular proteases. Characterization of crude protease activity was done including its compatibility in commercial detergents. Optimum pH and temperature were 10.0 and 60 °C, respectively. Protease activity was enhanced by Ca²⁺ but was strongly inhibited by PMSF and by Hg²⁺ suggesting the presence of thiol-dependent serine proteases. The crude protease showed extreme stability toward non-ionic (Tween 20, Tween 85, and Triton X-100) and anionic (SDS) surfactants, and relative stability toward oxidizing agent (H₂O₂ and sodium perborate). In addition, it showed excellent stability and compatibility with various solid and liquid commercial detergents from 30 to 50 °C. The enzyme preparation retained more than 95% of its initial activity with solid detergents (Ariel™ and Drive™) and 97% of its original activity with a liquid detergent (Ace™) after pre-incubation at 40 °C. The protective effect of polyols (propylene glycol, PEG 4000, and glycerol) on the heat inactivation was also examined and the best results were obtained with glycerol from 50 to 60 °C. Considering its promising properties, P. lilacinus enzymatic preparation may be considered as a candidate for use in biotechnological processes (i.e., as detergent additive) and in the processing of keratinous wastes.

  13. The ESR signals in silk fibroin and wool keratin under both the effect of UV-irradiation and without any external effects and the formation of free radicals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mamedov, Sh V; Aktas, B; Cantürk, M; Aksakal, B; Alekperov, V; Bülbül, F; Yilgin, R; Aslanov, R B

    2002-08-01

    ESR studies have been done on natural and UV-irradiated silk fibroins and wool keratins at the temperature range of -196 degrees C to 20 C. The intensities of ESR signals obtained from the irradiated samples at -196 C remarkably increase with respect to those of natural samples. While the signals mainly consist of triplet peaks at -196 C. a doublet arises around the room temperatures. For the first time, at room temperature without any external effect the complicated ESR spectra of fibrous proteins (wool keratin and silk fibroin) whose components are as follows have been observed: (1) (for white wool keratin) a central doublet with deltaHm = 1.1 mT and g = 2.0075; deltaHm = 5mT and g = 2.1911; (2) a wide peak with deltaHm approximately 66 mT and g approximately 2.1575; (3) the 'sulfur' peak given in the literature with deltaHm = 2.2 mT and g = 2.0218; (4) the signal with deltaHm = 0.6 mT and g = 2.0065, and for silk fibroin, (a) a very wide signal with deltaHm approximately 70 mT and g approximately 2.084; (b) a very sharp signal with deltaHm approximately 1.1 mT and g approximately 2.01; and (c) relatively narrower signal with deltaHm approximately 5 mT and g approximately 2.336. It has been shown by recombination kinetic method that 30-50% of the free radicals formed by UV-irradiation do not undergo recombination up to 220 degrees C and 15 degrees C for silk libroin and wool keratin, respectively, even they keep their concentration constant for long period of time (weeks, months, even longer). In this article, considering above-mentioned results, the mechanism of signals observed in natural wool keratin and silk fibroin without any external effects is examined. We can briefly explain the role of the subject of the article, by considering fibrous proteins and some applications of the reactions by free radical occurring in these proteins tinder the effects of different factors in medicine and biology and the important role of oxidation and the other kinds of

  14. Influence of keratinized tissue on spontaneous exposure of submerged implants: classification and clinical observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Mendoza

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Aim: The reasons for spontaneous early exposure (SEE of dental implants during healing have not been established yet. The objective of this study was to assess whether the width of keratinized tissue (KT and other site-related conditions could be associated with implants’ SEE. Materials and methods: Data from 500 implants placed in 138 non-smoking patients, between September 2009 and June 2010, were evaluated. Implants were submerged and allowed to heal for 3 to 6 months. At baseline, the following conditions were documented: the presence of keratinized tissue width > 2 mm; the type of implant site (i.e. fresh extraction socket or edentulous alveolar ridge; concomitant use of guided tissue regeneration. During the healing period, the occurrence of partial or total implants SEE was recorded; thus, a mixed-effects logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between implant site conditions and implant exposure. Results: One hundred and eighty-five implants (37.0% remained submerged after healing and were classified as Class I, whereas 215 (43.0% showed partial spontaneous early exposure (SEE at the first week after implant placement (Class II, and 100 implants (20.0% developed more extensive exposures (Class III. The variables, baseline width of KT (p = 0.18, fresh extraction socket (p = 0.88 and guided tissue regeneration (GTR plus bone substitutes (p = 0.42, were not found to be correlated with implants` SEE, with an odds ratio (OR of 1.29 (95% confidence interval: -0.12–0.63, 1.03 (95% confidence interval: -0.46–0.53 and 1.22 (95% confidence interval: -0.29–0.68, respectively. Conclusion: It was not possible to establish an association between SEE and some implant-related factors; therefore, further investigations focused on the reasons associated to implants’ SEE are needed.

  15. Avian malaria in a boreal resident species: long-term temporal variability, and increased prevalence in birds with avian keratin disorder

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilkinson, Laura C.; Handel, Colleen M.; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Loiseau, Claire; Sehgal, Ravinder N. M.

    2016-01-01

    The prevalence of vector-borne parasitic diseases is widely influenced by biological and ecological factors. Environmental conditions such as temperature and precipitation can have a marked effect on haemosporidian parasites (Plasmodium spp.) that cause malaria and those that cause other malaria-like diseases in birds. However, there have been few long-term studies monitoring haemosporidian infections in birds in northern latitudes, where weather conditions can be highly variable and the effects of climate change are becoming more pronounced. We used molecular methods to screen more than 2,000 blood samples collected from black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), a resident passerine bird. Samples were collected over a 10 year period, mostly during the non-breeding season, at seven sites in Alaska, USA. We tested for associations between Plasmodium prevalence and local environmental conditions including temperature, precipitation, site, year and season. We also evaluated the relationship between parasite prevalence and individual host factors of age, sex and presence or absence of avian keratin disorder. This disease, which causes accelerated keratin growth in the beak, provided a natural study system in which to test the interaction between disease state and malaria prevalence. Prevalence of Plasmodium infection varied by year, site, age and individual disease status but there was no support for an effect of sex or seasonal period. Significantly, birds with avian keratin disorder were 2.6 times more likely to be infected by Plasmodium than birds without the disorder. Interannual variation in the prevalence of Plasmodium infection at different sites was positively correlated with summer temperatures at the local but not statewide scale. Sequence analysis of the parasite cytochrome b gene revealed a single Plasmodiumspp. lineage, P43. Our results demonstrate associations between prevalence of avian malaria and a variety of biological and

  16. Enzymatic synthesis of S-phenyl-L-cysteine from keratin hydrolysis industries wastewater with tryptophan synthase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Lisheng; Wang, Zhiyuan; Mao, Pingting; Liu, Junzhong; Zhang, Hongjuan; Liu, Qian; Jiao, Qing-Cai

    2013-04-01

    An economical method for production of S-phenyl-L-cysteine from keratin acid hydrolysis wastewater (KHW) containing L-serine was developed by recombinant tryptophan synthase. This study provides us with an alternative KHW utilization strategy to synthesize S-phenyl-L-cysteine. Tryptophan synthase could efficiently convert L-serine contained in KHW to S-phenyl-L-cysteine at pH 9.0, 40°C and Trion X-100 of 0.02%. In a scale up study, L-serine conversion rate reach 97.1% with a final S-phenyl-L-cysteine concentration of 38.6 g l(-1). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Cross-linked natural gum resins, when inserted in shampooing product, result infallible to eliminate several metallic ions risky for hair keratin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martini Lorenzo

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Aims of my research is to herald the method of eliminating Calcium and Magnesium ions that remain onto hair and scalp keratin after washing with common hard water and trivial shampooing products, but even of removing other metals as Lead, Silicon and Nickel ions which can be retrieved in manifold building materials like mortar, cement, concrete, pozzolans, limestone and asbest, most of workers throughout the world are directly involved with, because of their continuous contact with those chemical materials. I have selected twelve volunteers (workers who are directly in contact with building materials containing Calcium and Magnesium ions and prayed them to use three types of shampooing products of my invention (containing special gum resins previously cross-linked in order to uptake or sorption the metallic ions after having used, in precedence, trivial shampoos (bought at the same store and used the same tap water, since they live all in the same town. I calculated the difference of quantities of Magnesium and Calcium that remain onto hair and scalp keratin, using a general and trivial shampoo respect to my products, apt to remove the same metallic ions. Results are satisfactory and encouraging.

  18. Co-option of Hair Follicle Keratins into Amelogenesis Is Associated with the Evolution of Prismatic Enamel: A Hypothesis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elia Beniash

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Recent discovery of hair follicle keratin 75 (KRT75 in enamel raises questions about the function of this protein in enamel and the mechanisms of its secretion. It is also not clear how this protein with a very specific and narrow expression pattern, limited to the inner root sheath of the hair follicle, became associated with enamel. We propose a hypothesis that KRT75 was co-opted by ameloblasts during the evolution of Tomes' process and the prismatic enamel in synapsids.

  19. Compost biodegradation of recalcitrant hoof keratin by bacteria and fungi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reuter, T; Gilroyed, B H; Xu, W; McAllister, T A; Stanford, K

    2015-08-01

    Compost activities efficiently break down a wide range of organic substances over time. In this study, bovine hoof was used as recalcitrant protein model to gain so far cryptic information on biodegradation during livestock mortalities composting. Bovine hooves (black and white), containing different amounts of melanin, placed into nylon bags were monitored during composting of cattle mortalities for up to 230 days. Besides physiochemical analysis, bacterial 16S and fungal 18S DNA fragments were amplified by PCR and profiles were separated by DGGE. Sequence analysis of separated fragments revealed various bacterial and fungal identities during composting. The microbial diversity was affected by a time-temperature interaction and by the hoof colour. Our molecular data, supported by electron microscopy, suggest hoof colonization by shifting bacteria and fungi communities. During composting, microbial communities work collaboratively in the degradation of recalcitrant organic matter such as keratin over time. A number of biomolecules including recalcitrant proteins may persist in environmental reservoirs, but breakdown can occur during composting. A combination of bioactivity and physiochemical conditions appear to be decisive for the fate of persistent biomolecules. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  20. Targeted deletion of Atg5 reveals differential roles of autophagy in keratin K5-expressing epithelia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sukseree, Supawadee [Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria); Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok (Thailand); Rossiter, Heidemarie; Mildner, Michael [Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria); Pammer, Johannes [Institute of Clinical Pathology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria); Buchberger, Maria; Gruber, Florian [Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria); Watanapokasin, Ramida [Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Srinakharinwirot University, Bangkok (Thailand); Tschachler, Erwin [Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria); Eckhart, Leopold, E-mail: leopold.eckhart@meduniwien.ac.at [Research Division of Biology and Pathobiology of the Skin, Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria)

    2013-01-11

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We generated mice lacking Atg5 and autophagy in keratin K5-positive epithelia. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Suppression of autophagy in thymic epithelium was not associated with signs of autoimmunity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Autophagy was required for normal terminal differentiation of preputial gland cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Autophagy-deficient cells of the preputial glands degraded nuclear DNA prematurely. -- Abstract: Autophagy contributes to the homeostasis of many tissues, yet its role in epithelia is incompletely understood. A recent report proposed that Atg5-dependent autophagy in thymic epithelial cells is essential for their function in the negative selection of self-reactive T-cells and, thus, for the suppression of tissue inflammation. Here we crossed mice carrying floxed alleles of the Atg5 gene with mice expressing the Cre recombinase under the control of the keratin K5 promoter to suppress autophagy in all K5-positive epithelia. The efficiency of autophagy abrogation was confirmed by immunoanalyses of LC3, which was converted to the autophagy-associated LC3-II form in normal but not Atg5-deficient cells, and of p62, which accumulated in Atg5-deficient cells. Mice carrying the epithelium-specific deletion of Atg5 showed normal weight gain, absence of tissue inflammation, and a normal morphology of the thymic epithelium. By contrast, autophagy-deficient epithelial cells of the preputial gland showed aberrant eosinophilic staining in histology and premature degradation of nuclear DNA during terminal differentiation. Taken together, the results of this study suggest that autophagy is dispensable for the suppression of autoimmunity by thymic epithelial cells but essential for normal differentiation of the preputial gland in mice.

  1. Reactivation of larval keratin gene (krt62.L) in blastema epithelium during Xenopus froglet limb regeneration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Satoh, Akira; Mitogawa, Kazumasa; Saito, Nanami; Suzuki, Miyuki; Suzuki, Ken-Ichi T; Ochi, Haruki; Makanae, Aki

    2017-12-15

    Limb regeneration is considered a form of limb redevelopment because of the molecular and morphological similarities. Forming a regeneration blastema is, in essence, creating a developing limb bud in an adult body. This reactivation of a developmental process in a mature body is worth studying. Xenopus laevis has a biphasic life cycle that involves distinct larval and adult stages. These distinct developmental stages are useful for investigating the reactivation of developmental processes in post-metamorphic frogs (froglets). In this study, we focused on the re-expression of a larval gene (krt62.L) during Xenopus froglet limb regeneration. Recently renamed krt62.L, this gene was known as the larval keratin (xlk) gene, which is specific to larval-tadpole stages. During limb regeneration in a froglet, krt62.L was re-expressed in a basal layer of blastema epithelium, where adult-specific keratin (Krt12.6.S) expression was also observable. Nerves produce important regulatory factors for amphibian limb regeneration, and also play a role in blastema formation and maintenance. The effect of nerve function on krt62.L expression could be seen in the maintenance of krt62.L expression, but not in its induction. When an epidermis-stripped limb bud was grafted in a froglet blastema, the grafted limb bud could reach the digit-forming stage. This suggests that krt62.L-positive froglet blastema epithelium is able to support the limb development process. These findings imply that the developmental process is locally reactivated in an postmetamorphic body during limb regeneration. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Airborne acrolein induces keratin-8 (Ser-73) hyperphosphorylation and intermediate filament ubiquitination in bronchiolar lung cell monolayers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burcham, Philip C; Raso, Albert; Henry, Peter J

    2014-05-07

    The combustion product acrolein is a key mediator of pulmonary edema in victims of smoke inhalation injury. Since studying acrolein toxicity in conventional in vitro systems is complicated by reactivity with nucleophilic culture media constituents, we explored an exposure system which delivers airborne acrolein directly to lung cell monolayers at the air-liquid interface. Calu-3 lung adenocarcinoma cells were maintained on membrane inserts such that the basal surface was bathed in nucleophile-free media while the upper surface remained in contact with acrolein-containing air. Cells were exposed to airborne acrolein for 30 min before they were allowed to recover in fresh media, with cell sampling at defined time points to allow evaluation of toxicity and protein damage. After prior exposure to acrolein, cell ATP levels remained close to controls for 4h but decreased in an exposure-dependent manner by 24h. A loss of transepithelial electrical resistance and increased permeability to fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran preceded ATP loss. Use of antibody arrays to monitor protein expression in exposed monolayers identified strong upregulation of phospho-keratin-8 (Ser(73)) as an early consequence of acrolein exposure. These changes were accompanied by chemical damage to keratin-8 and other intermediate filament family members, while acrolein exposure also resulted in controlled ubiquitination of high mass proteins within the intermediate filament extracts. These findings confirm the usefulness of systems allowing delivery of airborne smoke constituents to lung cell monolayers during studies of the molecular basis for acute smoke intoxication injury. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Analysis of internal structure changes in black human hair keratin fibers resulting from bleaching treatments using Raman spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuzuhara, Akio

    2013-09-01

    In order to investigate in detail the internal structure changes in virgin black human hair keratin fibers resulting from bleaching treatments, the structure of cross-sections at various depths of black human hair, which had been impossible due to high melanin grande content, was directly analyzed using Raman spectroscopy. The gauche-gauche-gauche (GGG) content of the sbnd SSsbnd groups existing from the cuticle region to the center of cortex region of the virgin black human hair remarkably decreased, while the gauche-gauche-trans and trans-gauche-trans contents were not changed by performing the excessive bleaching treatment. In particular, it was found that not only the β-sheet and/or random coil content, but also the α-helix content existing throughout the cortex region of virgin black human hair decreased. In addition, the transmission electron microscope observation shows that the proteins in the cell membrane complex, the cuticle and cortex of the virgin black human hair were remarkably eluted by performing the excessive bleaching treatment. From these experiments, the author concluded that the sbnd SSsbnd groups, which have a GGG conformation were decomposed and finally converted to cysteic acid, and the α-helix structure of some of the proteins existing in the keratin was changed to the random coil structure, or eluted from the cortex region, thereby leading to the reduction in the protein density of the virgin human hair after the excessive bleaching treatment.

  4. Genomic regression of claw keratin, taste receptor and light-associated genes provides insights into biology and evolutionary origins of snakes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Emerling, Christopher A

    2017-10-01

    Regressive evolution of anatomical traits often corresponds with the regression of genomic loci underlying such characters. As such, studying patterns of gene loss can be instrumental in addressing questions of gene function, resolving conflicting results from anatomical studies, and understanding the evolutionary history of clades. The evolutionary origins of snakes involved the regression of a number of anatomical traits, including limbs, taste buds and the visual system, and by analyzing serpent genomes, I was able to test three hypotheses associated with the regression of these features. The first concerns two keratins that are putatively specific to claws. Both genes that encode these keratins are pseudogenized/deleted in snake genomes, providing additional evidence of claw-specificity. The second hypothesis is that snakes lack taste buds, an issue complicated by conflicting results in the literature. I found evidence that different snakes have lost one or more taste receptors, but all snakes examined retained at least one gustatory channel. The final hypothesis addressed is that the earliest snakes were adapted to a dim light niche. I found evidence of deleted and pseudogenized genes with light-associated functions in snakes, demonstrating a pattern of gene loss similar to other dim light-adapted clades. Molecular dating estimates suggest that dim light adaptation preceded the loss of limbs, providing some bearing on interpretations of the ecological origins of snakes. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Preparation of keratin-based microcapsules for encapsulation of hydrophilic molecules.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajabinejad, Hossein; Patrucco, Alessia; Caringella, Rosalinda; Montarsolo, Alessio; Zoccola, Marina; Pozzo, Pier Davide

    2018-01-01

    The interest towards microcapsules based on non-toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, such as proteins, is increasing considerably. In this work, microcapsules were prepared using water soluble keratin, known as keratoses, with the aim of encapsulating hydrophilic molecules. Keratoses were obtained via oxidizing extraction of pristine wool, previously degreased by Soxhlet. In order to better understand the shell part of microcapsules, pristine wool and obtained keratoses were investigated by FT-IR, gel-electrophoresis and HPLC. Production of the microcapsules was carried out by a sonication method. Thermal properties of microcapsules were investigated by DSC. Microencapsulation and dye encapsulation yields were obtained by UV-spectroscopy. Morphological structure of microcapsules was studied by light microscopy, SEM, and AFM. The molecular weights of proteins analyzed using gel-electrophoresis resulted in the range of 38-62kDa. The results confirmed that the hydrophilic dye (Telon Blue) was introduced inside the keratoses shells by sonication and the final microcapsules diameter ranged from 0.5 to 4µm. Light microscope investigation evidenced the presence of the dye inside the keratoses vesicles, confirming their capability of encapsulating hydrophilic molecules. The microcapsule yield and dye encapsulation yield were found to be 28.87±3% and 83.62±5% respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Wound Healing of Morus alba Root Extract by Up-Regulating Keratin Filament and CXCL12/CXCR4 Signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Kang-Hoon; Chung, Won-Seok; Kim, Yoomi; Kim, Ki-Suk; Lee, In-Seung; Park, Ji Young; Jeong, Hyeon-Soo; Na, Yun-Cheol; Lee, Chang-Hun; Jang, Hyeung-Jin

    2015-08-01

    Facilitation of the wound healing process is important because a prolonged wound site increases pain and the risk of infection. In oriental medicine, an extract of Morus alba root (MA) has usually been prescribed as traditional treatment for accelerating wound healing, and it has been proven to be safe for centuries. To study the molecular mechanism of MA-mediated skin wound healing, we performed a primary cell culture and a skin explant culture and observed significant difference between the groups with and without MA extract. In the cellular system, a real-time cell analysis and real-time quantitative PCR were performed. It was found that MA extract enhanced proliferation in a dose-dependent manner on Kera-308 cell line, and up-regulated keratin expression including wound-induced Krt6a. In skin explant culture, the mRNA level derived from cell outgrowth displayed a tendency toward more up-regulated mRNA associated keratin filaments and toward a more up-regulated mRNA level of C-X-C motif chemokine 12 (CXCL12) and a chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) axis signaling pathway downstream. In this process, we concluded that MA extract had a scientific possibility of wound repair by increasing intracellular and extracellular supports and by inducing a CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling pathway. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Skn-1a/Oct-11 and ΔNp63α exert antagonizing effects on human keratin expression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lena, Anna Maria; Cipollone, Rita; Amelio, Ivano; Catani, Maria Valeria; Ramadan, Safaa; Browne, Gareth; Melino, Gerry; Candi, Eleonora

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Skn-1a markedly downregulates ΔNp63-driven K14 expression. → ΔNp63 inhibits Skn-1a-mediated K10 expression. → ΔNp63, mutated in SAM domain, is less effecting in K10 downregulation. → Immunolocalization in human skin of the two transcription factors is partially overlapping. → The antagonistic effects of Skn-1a and p63 is through competition for overlapping responsive elements or through an indirect interaction. -- Abstract: The formation of a stratified epidermis requires a carefully controlled balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. Here, we report the reciprocal effect on keratin expression of ΔNp63, pivotal in normal epidermal morphogenesis and maintenance, and Skn-1a/Oct-11, a POU transcription factor that triggers and regulates the differentiation of keratinocytes. The expression of Skn-1a markedly downregulated ΔNp63-driven K14 expression in luciferase reporter assays. The extent of downregulation was comparable to the inhibition of Skn-1a-mediated K10 expression upon expression of ΔNp63. ΔNp63, mutated in the protein-protein interaction domain (SAM domain; mutated in human ectodermal dysplasia syndrome), was significantly less effecting in downregulating K10, raising the possibility of a direct interaction among Skn-1a and ΔNp63. Immunolocalization in human skin biopsies revealed that the expression of the two transcription factors is partially overlapping. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments did not, however, demonstrate a direct interaction between ΔNp63 and Skn-1a, suggesting that the antagonistic effects of Skn-1a and p63 on keratin promoter transactivation is probably through competition for overlapping binding sites on target gene promoter or through an indirect interaction.

  8. Skn-1a/Oct-11 and {Delta}Np63{alpha} exert antagonizing effects on human keratin expression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lena, Anna Maria; Cipollone, Rita; Amelio, Ivano; Catani, Maria Valeria; Ramadan, Safaa [Biochemistry IDI-IRCCS Laboratory and Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome ' Tor Vergata' , 00133, Rome (Italy); Browne, Gareth [MRC Toxicology Unit, Leicester University, Leicester LE1 9HN (United Kingdom); Melino, Gerry [Biochemistry IDI-IRCCS Laboratory and Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome ' Tor Vergata' , 00133, Rome (Italy); MRC Toxicology Unit, Leicester University, Leicester LE1 9HN (United Kingdom); Candi, Eleonora, E-mail: candi@uniroma2.it [Biochemistry IDI-IRCCS Laboratory and Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, University of Rome ' Tor Vergata' , 00133, Rome (Italy)

    2010-10-29

    Research highlights: {yields} Skn-1a markedly downregulates {Delta}Np63-driven K14 expression. {yields} {Delta}Np63 inhibits Skn-1a-mediated K10 expression. {yields} {Delta}Np63, mutated in SAM domain, is less effecting in K10 downregulation. {yields} Immunolocalization in human skin of the two transcription factors is partially overlapping. {yields} The antagonistic effects of Skn-1a and p63 is through competition for overlapping responsive elements or through an indirect interaction. -- Abstract: The formation of a stratified epidermis requires a carefully controlled balance between keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. Here, we report the reciprocal effect on keratin expression of {Delta}Np63, pivotal in normal epidermal morphogenesis and maintenance, and Skn-1a/Oct-11, a POU transcription factor that triggers and regulates the differentiation of keratinocytes. The expression of Skn-1a markedly downregulated {Delta}Np63-driven K14 expression in luciferase reporter assays. The extent of downregulation was comparable to the inhibition of Skn-1a-mediated K10 expression upon expression of {Delta}Np63. {Delta}Np63, mutated in the protein-protein interaction domain (SAM domain; mutated in human ectodermal dysplasia syndrome), was significantly less effecting in downregulating K10, raising the possibility of a direct interaction among Skn-1a and {Delta}Np63. Immunolocalization in human skin biopsies revealed that the expression of the two transcription factors is partially overlapping. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments did not, however, demonstrate a direct interaction between {Delta}Np63 and Skn-1a, suggesting that the antagonistic effects of Skn-1a and p63 on keratin promoter transactivation is probably through competition for overlapping binding sites on target gene promoter or through an indirect interaction.

  9. Predisposition to apoptosis in keratin 8-null liver is related to inactivation of NF-κB and SAPKs but not decreased c-Flip

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jongeun Lee

    2013-05-01

    Keratin 8 and 18 (K8/K18 are major intermediate filament proteins of liver hepatocytes. They provide mechanical and nonmechanical stability, thereby protecting cells from stress. Hence, K8-null mice are highly sensitive to Fas-mediated liver cell apoptosis. However, the role of c-Flip protein in K8-null related susceptibility to liver injury is controversial. Here we analyzed c-Flip protein expression in various K8 or K18 null/mutant transgenic livers and show that they are similar in all analyzed transgenic livers and that previously reported c-Flip protein changes are due to antibody cross-reaction with mouse K18. Furthermore, analysis of various apoptosis- or cell survival-related proteins demonstrated that inhibition of phosphorylation of NF-κB and various stress activated protein kinases (SAPKs, such as p38 MAPK, p44/42 MAPK and JNK1/2, is related to the higher sensitivity of K8-null hepatocytes whose nuclear NF-κB is rapidly depleted through Fas-mediated apoptosis. Notably, we found that NF-κB and the studied protein kinases are associated with the K8/K18 complex and are released upon phosphorylation. Therefore, interaction of keratins with cell survival-related protein kinases and transcription factors is another important factor for hepatocyte survival.

  10. Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the human keratin 4-binding domain of serine-rich repeat protein 1 from Streptococcus agalactiae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundaresan, Ramya; Samen, Ulrike; Ponnuraj, Karthe

    2011-01-01

    Expression, purification and crystallization of Srr-1-K4BD, a human keratin 4-binding domain of serine-rich repeat protein 1 from S. agalactiae, was carried out. Native crystals of Srr-1-K4BD diffracted to 3.8 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. Serine-rich repeat protein 1 (Srr-1) is a surface protein from Streptococcus agalactiae. A 17 kDa region of this protein has been identified to bind to human keratin 4 (K4) and is termed the Srr-1 K4-binding domain (Srr-1-K4BD). Recombinant Srr-1-K4BD was overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells. Native and selenomethionine-substituted proteins were prepared using Luria–Bertani (LB) and M9 minimal media, respectively. A two-step purification protocol was carried out to obtain a final homogenous sample of Srr-1-K4BD. Crystals of native Srr-1-K4BD were obtained using PEG 3350 as a precipitant. The crystals diffracted to 3.8 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation and belonged to space group P2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = 47.56, b = 59.48, c = 94.71 Å, β = 93.95°

  11. NCAM (CD56) expression in keratin-producing odontogenic cysts: aberrant expression in KCOT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vera-Sirera, Beatriz; Forner-Navarro, Leopoldo; Vera-Sempere, Francisco

    2015-02-12

    To investigate immunohistochemically the expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), which has been identified as a signaling receptor with frequent reactivity in ameloblastomas (AB), in a series of keratin-producing odontogenic cysts (KPOCs). Immunohistochemical expression of NCAM, using a monoclonal antibody, was determined in a series of 58 KPOCs comprising 12 orthokeratinized odontogenic cysts (OOCs) and 46 keratocystic odontogenic tumors (KCOTs), corresponding to 40 non-syndromic KCOT (NS-KCOTs) and 6 syndromic KCOT (S-KCOTs), associated with nevic basocellular syndrome (NBCS). NCAM expression was negative in all OOCs, but 36.45% of KCOTs exhibited focal and heterogeneous expression at the basal cell level, as well as in basal budding areas and the basal cells of daughter cysts. The latter two locations were especially applicable to S-KCOTs, with focal NCAM reactivity occurring in 66.66% of cases. Aberrant NCAM expression, in KCOTs but especially in S-KCOTs, together with its immunomorphological location, suggests that this adhesion molecule and signaling receptor plays a role in the pathogenesis of KCOTs, with a probable impact on lesional recurrence.

  12. Bacterial inoculum enhances keratin degradation and biofilm formation in poultry compost.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ichida, J M; Krizova, L; LeFevre, C A; Keener, H M; Elwell, D L; Burtt, E H

    2001-11-01

    Native microbial populations can degrade poultry waste, but the process can be hastened by using feather-degrading bacteria. Strains of Bacillus licheniformis and a Streptomyces sp. isolated from the plumage of wild birds were grown in a liquid basal medium and used to inoculate feathers in compost bioreaction vessels. Control vessels had only basal medium added to the feathers, litter and straw. Temperature, ammonia, carbon and nitrogen were monitored for 4 weeks. Scanning electron microscopy of the feather samples showed more complete keratin-degradation, more structural damage, and earlier microbial biofilm formation on inoculated feathers than on uninoculated feathers. A diverse community of aerobic bacteria and fungi were cultured early, but declined rapidly. Thermophilic B. licheniformis and Streptomyces spp. were abundant throughout. Enteric gram-negative bacteria, (e.g., Salmonella, E. coli) originally found on waste feathers were not recovered after day 4. Vessel temperatures reached 64-71 degrees C within 36 h and stabilized at 50 degrees C. When tumble-mixed at day 14, renewed activity peaked at 59 degrees C and quickly dropped as available carbon was used. Feathers soaked in an inoculum of B. licheniformis and Streptomyces degraded more quickly and more completely than feathers that were not presoaked. Inoculation of feather waste could improve composting of the large volume of feather waste generated every year by poultry farms and processing plants.

  13. BCL2 and keratin 5 define the uterine-cervix-isthmus junction, a transition between endocervical and tubal-like epithelium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoogduin, Klaas J; Hopman, Anton N H; Ramaekers, Frans C S; McCluggage, W Glenn; Smedts, Frank

    2013-01-01

    A clearcut definition of the transition from the cervix to the lower uterine segment is lacking. We therefore evaluated the location of the anatomic border between the cervix and the uterine corpus. Using both morphometry and immunohistochemisty, we examined the epithelial and stromal cell types in this transition zone. In 26 patients, longitudinal sections from the cervix uteri up to the fundus uteri were paraffin embedded and immunohistochemically stained for BCL2, keratin 5, Ki-67, CD10, and CD34. Examination of the slides resulted in the identification of a junctional zone in the cranial portion of the cervix, which is characterized by a usually abrupt morphologic and immunohistochemical transition from an endocervical-type mucinous epithelium to a ciliated tubal-like epithelium and a slow transition in stromal marker expression patterns. This epithelial transition was characterized by its intense keratin 5 and BCL2 staining with accompanying Ki-67 expression in the tubal-like epithelium, whereas the endocervical epithelium was largely negative for these markers. CD10 expression was usually quite intense directly around endocervical invaginations, but the remaining stroma was negative. Toward the endometrial cavity, expression increased and endometrial stroma displayed full thickness expression for CD10. CD34 showed a reverse pattern to CD10, with moderate expression in the endocervical stroma, which disappeared in the endometrial stoma. The immunohistochemical identification of this transition may allow a more objective determination of the extension of endometrial carcinoma into the cervix in cases that are morphologically problematic. Furthermore, as ciliated tubal-like epithelium is invariably found cranial to the uterine-cervix-isthmus junction, a diagnosis of tubal metaplasia should not be made in this region and tubal-like epithelium is not indicative of a metaplastic process.

  14. A Novel Role for Keratin 17 in Coordinating Oncogenic Transformation and Cellular Adhesion in Ewing Sarcoma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sankar, Savita; Tanner, Jason M.; Bell, Russell; Chaturvedi, Aashi; Randall, R. Lor; Beckerle, Mary C.

    2013-01-01

    Oncogenic transformation in Ewing sarcoma is caused by EWS/FLI, an aberrant transcription factor fusion oncogene. Glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 (GLI1) is a critical target gene activated by EWS/FLI, but the mechanism by which GLI1 contributes to the transformed phenotype of Ewing sarcoma was unknown. In this work, we identify keratin 17 (KRT17) as a direct downstream target gene upregulated by GLI1. We demonstrate that KRT17 regulates cellular adhesion by activating AKT/PKB (protein kinase B) signaling. In addition, KRT17 is necessary for oncogenic transformation in Ewing sarcoma and accounts for much of the GLI1-mediated transformation function but via a mechanism independent of AKT signaling. Taken together, our data reveal previously unknown molecular functions for a cytoplasmic intermediate filament protein, KRT17, in coordinating EWS/FLI- and GLI1-mediated oncogenic transformation and cellular adhesion in Ewing sarcoma. PMID:24043308

  15. Highly differentiated keratinizing squamous cell cancer of the cervix: a rare, locally aggressive tumor not associated with human papillomavirus or squamous intraepithelial lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morrison, C; Catania, F; Wakely, P; Nuovo, G J

    2001-10-01

    The purpose of this study is to report an unusual variant of cervical squamous cell carcinoma, not associated with either human papillomavirus infection or antecedent squamous intraepithelial lesions. Five women had a diagnosis of invasive cervical cancer discovered at hysterectomy performed for prolapse (two cases), leiomyoma (one case), or a vaginal fistula (two cases). The women ranged in age from 47 to 78 years (mean 59 years). Four of the five had a history of normal Papanicolaou (Pap) smears; the other had a Pap smear diagnosis of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS). All had large cervical tumors (two with parametrial involvement and one with vaginal involvement) that showed extensive keratin formation, an inverted pattern of growth, and, except for one case, minimal cytologic atypia. There was extensive hyperkeratosis and parakeratosis adjacent to each tumor; none had evidence of squamous intraepithelial lesion. Human papillomavirus testing by polymerase chain reaction in situ hybridization and reverse-transcribed polymerase chain reaction in situ was negative in each case, compared with a detection rate of 107 of 108 (99%) for squamous intraepithelial lesion-associated cervical squamous cell and adenocarcinomas. Two of the women died of extensive local recurrence; two other women were recently diagnosed. We conclude that highly differentiated keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix is a rare entity not associated with human papillomavirus infection or squamous intraepithelial lesion and thus difficult to detect on routine cervical cancer screening.

  16. Keratin23 (KRT23) knockdown decreases proliferation and affects the DNA damage response of colon cancer cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkenkamp-Demtröder, Karin; Hahn, Stephan; Mansilla, Francisco

    2013-01-01

    correlated with absent expression, while increased KRT23 expression in tumor samples correlated with promoter hypomethylation, as confirmed by bisulfite sequencing. Demethylation induced KRT23 expression in vitro. Expression profiling of shRNA mediated stable KRT23 knockdown in colon cancer cell lines showed...... response, mainly molecules of the double strand break repair homologous recombination pathway. KRT23 knockdown decreased the transcript and protein expression of key molecules as e.g. MRE11A, E2F1, RAD51 and BRCA1. Knockdown of KRT23 rendered colon cancer cells more sensitive to irradiation and reduced......Keratin 23 (KRT23) is strongly expressed in colon adenocarcinomas but absent in normal colon mucosa. Array based methylation profiling of 40 colon samples showed that the promoter of KRT23 was methylated in normal colon mucosa, while hypomethylated in most adenocarcinomas. Promoter methylation...

  17. Keratin 8/18 regulation of glucose metabolism in normal versus cancerous hepatic cells through differential modulation of hexokinase status and insulin signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mathew, Jasmin; Loranger, Anne; Gilbert, Stéphane [Centre de recherche en cancérologie de l' Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHUQ (L' Hôtel-Dieu de Québec), 9 McMahon, Québec, Qc, Canada G1R 2J6 (Canada); Faure, Robert [Département de Pédiatrie, Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHUQ (Centre Mère-Enfant), Québec, Qc, Canada G1V 4G2 (Canada); Marceau, Normand, E-mail: normand.marceau@crhdq.ulaval.ca [Centre de recherche en cancérologie de l' Université Laval and Centre de recherche du CHUQ (L' Hôtel-Dieu de Québec), 9 McMahon, Québec, Qc, Canada G1R 2J6 (Canada)

    2013-02-15

    As differentiated cells, hepatocytes primarily metabolize glucose for ATP production through oxidative phosphorylation of glycolytic pyruvate, whereas proliferative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells undergo a metabolic shift to aerobic glycolysis despite oxygen availability. Keratins, the intermediate filament (IF) proteins of epithelial cells, are expressed as pairs in a lineage/differentiation manner. Hepatocyte and HCC (hepatoma) cell IFs are made solely of keratins 8/18 (K8/K18), thus providing models of choice to address K8/K18 IF functions in normal and cancerous epithelial cells. Here, we demonstrate distinctive increases in glucose uptake, glucose-6-phosphate formation, lactate release, and glycogen formation in K8/K18 IF-lacking hepatocytes and/or hepatoma cells versus their respective IF-containing counterparts. We also show that the K8/K18-dependent glucose uptake/G6P formation is linked to alterations in hexokinase I/II/IV content and localization at mitochondria, with little effect on GLUT1 status. In addition, we find that the insulin-stimulated glycogen formation in normal hepatocytes involves the main PI-3 kinase-dependent signaling pathway and that the K8/K18 IF loss makes them more efficient glycogen producers. In comparison, the higher insulin-dependent glycogen formation in K8/K18 IF-lacking hepatoma cells is associated with a signaling occurring through a mTOR-dependent pathway, along with an augmentation in cell proliferative activity. Together, the results uncover a key K8/K18 regulation of glucose metabolism in normal and cancerous hepatic cells through differential modulations of mitochondrial HK status and insulin-mediated signaling.

  18. Keratin-6 driven ODC expression to hair follicle keratinocytes enhances stemness and tumorigenesis by negatively regulating Notch

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Chaudhary, Sandeep C.; Afaq, Farrukh [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Elmets, Craig A. [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 (United States); Athar, Mohammad, E-mail: mathar@uab.edu [Department of Dermatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-0019 (United States); Skin Diseases Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294 (United States)

    2014-08-29

    Highlights: • Targeting ODC to hair follicle augments skin carcinogenesis and invasive SCCs. • Hair follicle ODC expands stem cell compartment carrying CD34{sup +}/K15{sup +}/p63{sup +} keratinocytes. • Negatively regulated Notch1 is associated with expansion of stem cell compartment. - Abstract: Over-expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is known to be involved in the epidermal carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism by which it enhances skin carcinogenesis remains undefined. Recently, role of stem cells localized in various epidermal compartments has been shown in the pathogenesis of skin cancer. To direct ODC expression in distinct epidermal compartments, we have developed keratin 6 (K6)-ODC/SKH-1 and keratin 14 (K14)-ODC/SKH-1 mice and employed them to investigate the role of ODC directed to these epidermal compartments on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. K6-driven ODC over-expression directed to outer root sheath (ORS) of hair follicle was more effective in augmenting tumorigenesis as compared to mice where K14-driven ODC expression was directed to inter-follicular epidermal keratinocytes. Chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 developed 15 ± 2.5 tumors/mouse whereas K14-ODC/SKH-1 developed only 6.8 ± 1.5 tumors/mouse. K6-ODC/SKH-1 showed augmented UVB-induced proliferation and much higher pro-inflammatory responses than K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Tumors induced in K6-ODC/SKH-1 were rapidly growing, invasive and ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showing decreased expression of epidermal polarity marker E-cadherin and enhanced mesenchymal marker, fibronectin. Interestingly, the number of CD34/CK15/p63 positive stem-like cells was significantly higher in chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 as compared to K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Reduced Notch1 expression was correlated with the expansion of stem cell compartment in these animals. However, other signaling pathways such as DNA damage response or mTOR signaling pathways were not significantly different in

  19. Keratin-6 driven ODC expression to hair follicle keratinocytes enhances stemness and tumorigenesis by negatively regulating Notch

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arumugam, Aadithya; Weng, Zhiping; Chaudhary, Sandeep C.; Afaq, Farrukh; Elmets, Craig A.; Athar, Mohammad

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Targeting ODC to hair follicle augments skin carcinogenesis and invasive SCCs. • Hair follicle ODC expands stem cell compartment carrying CD34 + /K15 + /p63 + keratinocytes. • Negatively regulated Notch1 is associated with expansion of stem cell compartment. - Abstract: Over-expression of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is known to be involved in the epidermal carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism by which it enhances skin carcinogenesis remains undefined. Recently, role of stem cells localized in various epidermal compartments has been shown in the pathogenesis of skin cancer. To direct ODC expression in distinct epidermal compartments, we have developed keratin 6 (K6)-ODC/SKH-1 and keratin 14 (K14)-ODC/SKH-1 mice and employed them to investigate the role of ODC directed to these epidermal compartments on UVB-induced carcinogenesis. K6-driven ODC over-expression directed to outer root sheath (ORS) of hair follicle was more effective in augmenting tumorigenesis as compared to mice where K14-driven ODC expression was directed to inter-follicular epidermal keratinocytes. Chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 developed 15 ± 2.5 tumors/mouse whereas K14-ODC/SKH-1 developed only 6.8 ± 1.5 tumors/mouse. K6-ODC/SKH-1 showed augmented UVB-induced proliferation and much higher pro-inflammatory responses than K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Tumors induced in K6-ODC/SKH-1 were rapidly growing, invasive and ulcerative squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) showing decreased expression of epidermal polarity marker E-cadherin and enhanced mesenchymal marker, fibronectin. Interestingly, the number of CD34/CK15/p63 positive stem-like cells was significantly higher in chronically UVB-irradiated K6-ODC/SKH-1 as compared to K14-ODC/SKH-1 mice. Reduced Notch1 expression was correlated with the expansion of stem cell compartment in these animals. However, other signaling pathways such as DNA damage response or mTOR signaling pathways were not significantly different in tumors induced

  20. Pleiotropic function of DLX3 in amelogenesis: from regulating pH and keratin expression to controlling enamel rod decussation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duverger, Olivier; Morasso, Maria I

    2018-12-01

    DLX3 is essential for tooth enamel development and is so far the only transcription factor known to be mutated in a syndromic form of amelogenesis imperfecta. Through conditional deletion of Dlx3 in the dental epithelium in mouse, we have previously established the involvement of DLX3 in enamel pH regulation, as well as in controlling the expression of sets of keratins that contribute to enamel rod sheath formation. Here, we show that the decussation pattern of enamel rods was lost in conditional knockout animals, suggesting that DLX3 controls the coordinated migration of ameloblasts during enamel secretion. We further demonstrate that DLX3 regulates the expression of some components of myosin II complexes potentially involved in driving the movement of ameloblasts that leads to enamel rod decussation.

  1. Downregulation of keratin 76 expression during oral carcinogenesis of human, hamster and mouse.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Srikant Ambatipudi

    Full Text Available Keratins are structural marker proteins with tissue specific expression; however, recent reports indicate their involvement in cancer progression. Previous study from our lab revealed deregulation of many genes related to structural molecular integrity including KRT76. Here we evaluate the role of KRT76 downregulation in oral precancer and cancer development.We evaluated KRT76 expression by qRT-PCR in normal and tumor tissues of the oral cavity. We also analyzed K76 expression by immunohistochemistry in normal, oral precancerous lesion (OPL, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC and in hamster model of oral carcinogenesis. Further, functional implication of KRT76 loss was confirmed using KRT76-knockout (KO mice.We observed a strong association of reduced K76 expression with increased risk of OPL and OSCC development. The buccal epithelium of DMBA treated hamsters showed a similar trend. Oral cavity of KRT76-KO mice showed preneoplastic changes in the gingivobuccal epithelium while no pathological changes were observed in KRT76 negative tissues such as tongue.The present study demonstrates loss of KRT76 in oral carcinogenesis. The KRT76-KO mice data underlines the potential of KRT76 being an early event although this loss is not sufficient to drive the development of oral cancers. Thus, future studies to investigate the contributing role of KRT76 in light of other tumor driving events are warranted.

  2. Avian keratin disorder of Alaska black-capped chickadees is associated with Poecivirus infection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zylberberg, Maxine; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Handel, Colleen M.; DeRisi, Joseph L.

    2018-01-01

    BackgroundAvian keratin disorder (AKD) is an epizootic of debilitating beak deformities, first documented in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in Alaska during the late 1990s. Similar deformities have now been recorded in dozens of species of birds across multiple continents. Despite this, the etiology of AKD has remained elusive, making it difficult to assess the impacts of this disease on wild populations. We previously identified an association between infection with a novel picornavirus, Poecivirus, and AKD in a small cohort of black-capped chickadees.MethodsTo test if the association between Poecivirus and AKD holds in a larger study population, we used targeted PCR followed by Sanger sequencing to screen 124 symptomatic and asymptomatic black-capped chickadees for Poecivirus infection. We further compared the efficacy of multiple non-terminal field sampling methods (buccal swabs, cloacal swabs, fecal samples, and blood samples) for Poecivirus screening. Finally, we used both in situ hybridization and a strand-specific expression assay to localize Poecivirus to beak tissue of AKD-positive individuals and to determine if virus is actively replicating in beak tissue.ResultsPoecivirus was detected in 28/28 (100%) individuals with AKD, but only 9/96 (9.4%) asymptomatic individuals with apparently normal beaks (p capped chickadee. Poecivirus continues to warrant further investigation as a candidate agent of AKD.

  3. Testosterone regulates keratin 33B expression in rat penis growth through androgen receptor signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yan-Min; Wu, Kai-Jie; Dang, Qiang; Shi, Qi; Gao, Yang; Guo, Peng; Xu, Shan; Wang, Xin-Yang; He, Da-Lin; Gong, Yong-Guang

    2014-01-01

    Androgen therapy is the mainstay of treatment for the hypogonadotropic hypogonadal micropenis because it obviously enhances penis growth in prepubescent microphallic patients. However, the molecular mechanisms of androgen treatment leading to penis growth are still largely unknown. To clarify this well-known phenomenon, we successfully generated a castrated male Sprague Dawley rat model at puberty followed by testosterone administration. Interestingly, compared with the control group, testosterone treatment stimulated a dose-dependent increase of penis weight, length, and width in castrated rats accompanied with a dramatic recovery of the pathological changes of the penis. Mechanistically, testosterone administration substantially increased the expression of androgen receptor (AR) protein. Increased AR protein in the penis could subsequently initiate transcription of its target genes, including keratin 33B (Krt33b). Importantly, we demonstrated that KRT33B is generally expressed in the rat penis and that most KRT33B expression is cytoplasmic. Furthermore, AR could directly modulate its expression by binding to a putative androgen response element sequence of the Krt33b promoter. Overall, this study reveals a novel mechanism facilitating penis growth after testosterone treatment in precastrated prepubescent animals, in which androgen enhances the expression of AR protein as well as its target genes, such as Krt33b.

  4. Testosterone regulates keratin 33B expression in rat penis growth through androgen receptor signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan-Min Ma

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Androgen therapy is the mainstay of treatment for the hypogonadotropic hypogonadal micropenis because it obviously enhances penis growth in prepubescent microphallic patients. However, the molecular mechanisms of androgen treatment leading to penis growth are still largely unknown. To clarify this well-known phenomenon, we successfully generated a castrated male Sprague Dawley rat model at puberty followed by testosterone administration. Interestingly, compared with the control group, testosterone treatment stimulated a dose-dependent increase of penis weight, length, and width in castrated rats accompanied with a dramatic recovery of the pathological changes of the penis. Mechanistically, testosterone administration substantially increased the expression of androgen receptor (AR protein. Increased AR protein in the penis could subsequently initiate transcription of its target genes, including keratin 33B (Krt33b. Importantly, we demonstrated that KRT33B is generally expressed in the rat penis and that most KRT33B expression is cytoplasmic. Furthermore, AR could directly modulate its expression by binding to a putative androgen response element sequence of the Krt33b promoter. Overall, this study reveals a novel mechanism facilitating penis growth after testosterone treatment in precastrated prepubescent animals, in which androgen enhances the expression of AR protein as well as its target genes, such as Krt33b.

  5. Genome and secretome analyses provide insights into keratin decomposition by novel proteases from the non-pathogenic fungus Onygena corvina

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, Yuhong; Kamp Busk, Peter; Herbst, Florian Alexander

    2015-01-01

    , the proteases secreted by O. corvina are interesting in view of their potential relevance for industrial decomposition of keratinaceous wastes. We sequenced and assembled the genome of O. corvina and used a method called peptide pattern recognition to identify 73 different proteases. Comparative genome analysis...... broth was fractionated by ion exchange chromatography to isolate active fractions with five novel proteases belonging to three protease families (S8, M28, and M3). Enzyme blends composed of three of these five proteases, one from each family, showed high degree of degradation of keratin in vitro....... A blend of novel proteases, such as those we discovered, could possibly find a use for degrading keratinaceous wastes and provide proteins, peptides, and amino acids as valuable ingredients for animal feed....

  6. Keratin 5/14‑mediated cell differentiation and transformation are regulated by TAp63 and Notch‑1 in oral squamous cell carcinoma‑derived cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srivastava, Saumya S; Alam, Hunain; Patil, Sonam J; Shrinivasan, Rashmi; Raikundalia, Sweta; Chaudhari, Pratik Rajeev; Vaidya, Milind M

    2018-05-01

    Keratins 5/14 (K5/14) are intermediate filament proteins expressed in the basal layer of stratified epithelial cells and are known targets of p63. Previous research in our laboratory showed that upon K5/14 downregulation in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)‑derived cells, there was an increase in intracellular Notch‑1 levels and differentiation markers such as involucrin, keratin 1 and a decrease in tumorigenic potential in vivo. However, the molecules involved in the K14 regulated cell differentiation and transformation are not known to date. In order to understand the possible role of TAp63, we downregulated TAp63 in a K14‑knockdown background. We observed that there was a decrease in the expression of Notch‑1. Expression levels of differentiation markers such as involucrin, K1, loricrin and filaggrin were also decreased. Furthermore, TAp63 downregulation led to an increase in invasion, migration and in vivo tumorigenic potential of these cells. We observed a decrease in β‑catenin signaling in K14‑downregulated cells. Notably, when TAp63 was downregulated in K14‑knockdown cells, there was increase in non‑phospho β‑catenin levels. Hence, this study indicates that TAp63 plays an important role in K14‑downregulated cells possibly by regulating the Notch‑1 expression. K14 regulates the expression of TAp63 which in turn regulates expression of Notch‑1. The present study is a step forward in our quest to understand the functional significance of molecules that regulate the process of differentiation and tumorigenesis in stratified epithelial cells.

  7. PCNA and p53 expression in oral leukoplakia with different degrees of keratinization Expressão do PCNA e p53 em leucoplasias de mucosa jugal com diferentes graus de queratinização

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melaine de Almeida Lawall

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Leukoplakias are oral lesions that may have many clinical and histological aspects and they are usually associated with malignancy when dysplastic alterations are shown. However, these transformations may occur in non-dysplastic lesions that show harmless clinical aspect. For this reason, the proposal was to study the p53 and PCNA immunohistochemical expression in non-dysplastic leukoplakias, trying to correlate the results only with the epithelial keratinization degree. For this, 24 leukoplakias degrees I, II and III of Grinspan were used, all of them located in oral mucosa. Most of the leukoplakias showed p53 and PCNA expression in their different keratinization degrees. The p53 marking was confined to the basal and parabasal layers, while the PCNA marking occurred in practically all epithelial layers. The expression pattern of these markers was histologically and statistically similar between the lesions with these keratinization variations. It was evident that non-dysplastic epithelium of leukoplakias showed submicroscopical signs of alterations that lead to malignant transformation, and that the keratinization degree did not correlate to a greater risk of this event.As leucoplasias são lesões orais que podem apresentar vários aspectos clínicos e histológicos e são associadas à malignidade geralmente quando apresentam alterações displásicas. Contudo, essas transformações podem ocorrer em lesões sem displasia que apresentam aspecto clínico inocente. Por esse motivo nossa proposta foi estudar a expressão imuno-histoquímica do p53 e PCNA em leucoplasias sem displasias, buscando correlacionar os resultados apenas com o grau de queratinização epitelial. Para isso foram utilizadas as leucoplasias Grau I, II e III de Grinspan, num total de 24 lesões, todas localizadas em mucosa jugal. A maior parte das leucoplasias, em seus diferentes graus de queratinização, apresentou expressão de p53 e PCNA. A marcação do p53 restringiu

  8. Keratin14 mRNA expression in human pneumocytes during quiescence, repair and disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Confalonieri

    Full Text Available The lung alveoli slowly self-renew pneumocytes, but their facultative regeneration capacity is rapidly efficient after an injury, so fibrosis infrequently occurs. We recently observed Keratin 14 (KRT14 expression during diffuse alveolar damage (DAD, but not in controls. We wonder if KRT14 may be a marker of pneumocyte transition from quiescence to regeneration. Quantitative PCR and Western blot analyses highlighted the presence of KRT14 (mRNA and protein only in human lung samples with DAD or interstitial lung disease (ILD. In the exponentially growing cell lines A549 and H441, the mRNA and protein levels of KRT14 peaked at day one after cell seeding and decreased at day two, opposite to what observed for the proliferation marker E2F1. The inverse relation of KRT14 versus E2F1 expression holds true also for other proliferative markers, such as cyclin E1 and cyclin D1. Of interest, we also found that E2F1 silencing caused cell cycle arrest and increased KRT14 expression, whilst E2F1 stimulation induced cell cycle progression and decreased KRT14. KRT14 also increased in proliferative pneumocytes (HPAEpiC just before transdifferentiation. Overall, our results suggest that KRT14 is a viable biomarker of pneumocyte activation, and repair/regeneration. The involvement of KRT14 in regenerative process may suggest a novel pharmaceutical target to accelerate lung repair.

  9. Unraveling double stranded alpha-helical coiled coils: an x-ray diffraction study on hard alpha-keratin fibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreplak, L; Doucet, J; Briki, F

    2001-04-15

    Transformations of proteins secondary and tertiary structures are generally studied in globular proteins in solution. In fibrous proteins, such as hard alpha-keratin, that contain long and well-defined double stranded alpha-helical coiled coil domains, such study can be directly done on the native fibrous tissue. In order to assess the structural behavior of the coiled coil domains under an axial mechanical stress, wide angle x-ray scattering and small angle x-ray scattering experiments have been carried out on stretched horse hair fibers at relative humidity around 30%. Our observations of the three major axial spacings as a function of the applied macroscopic strain have shown two rates. Up to 4% macroscopic strain the coiled coils were slightly distorted but retained their overall conformation. Above 4% the proportion of coiled coil domains progressively decreased. The main and new result of our study is the observation of the transition from alpha-helical coiled coils to disordered chains instead of the alpha-helical coiled coil to beta-sheet transition that occurs in wet fibers.

  10. Areca nut components affect COX-2, cyclin B1/cdc25C and keratin expression, PGE2 production in keratinocyte is related to reactive oxygen species, CYP1A1, Src, EGFR and Ras signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mei-Chi Chang

    Full Text Available Chewing of betel quid (BQ increases the risk of oral cancer and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF, possibly by BQ-induced toxicity and induction of inflammatory response in oral mucosa.Primary gingival keratinocytes (GK cells were exposed to areca nut (AN components with/without inhibitors. Cytotoxicity was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethyl- thiazol- 2-yl-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT assay. mRNA and protein expression was evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR and western blotting. PGE2/PGF2α production was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.Areca nut extract (ANE stimulated PGE2/PGF2α production, and upregulated the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1 and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1, but inhibited expression of keratin 5/14, cyclinB1 and cdc25C in GK cells. ANE also activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, Src and Ras signaling pathways. ANE-induced COX-2, keratin 5, keratin 14 and cdc25C expression as well as PGE2 production were differentially regulated by α-naphthoflavone (a CYP 1A1/1A2 inhibitor, PD153035 (EGFR inhibitor, pp2 (Src inhibitor, and manumycin A (a Ras inhibitor. ANE-induced PGE2 production was suppressed by piper betle leaf (PBL extract and hydroxychavicol (two major BQ components, dicoumarol (aQuinone Oxidoreductase--NQO1 inhibitor and curcumin. ANE-induced cytotoxicity was inhibited by catalase and enhanced by dicoumarol, suggesting that AN components may contribute to the pathogenesis of OSF and oral cancer via induction of aberrant differentiation, cytotoxicity, COX-2 expression, and PGE2/PGF2α production.CYP4501A1, reactive oxygen species (ROS, EGFR, Src and Ras signaling pathways could all play a role in ANE-induced pathogenesis of oral cancer. Addition of PBL into BQ and curcumin consumption could inhibit the ANE-induced inflammatory response.

  11. Effect of Gloriosa superba and Catharanthus roseus Extracts on IFN-γ-Induced Keratin 17 Expression in HaCaT Human Keratinocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nattaporn Pattarachotanant

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Gloriosa superba and Catharanthus roseus are useful in traditional medicine for treatment of various skin diseases and cancer. However, their molecular effect on psoriasis has not been investigated. In this study, the effect of ethanol extracts derived from G. superba leaves and C. roseus stems on the expression of psoriatic marker, keratin 17 (K17, was investigated in human keratinocytes using biochemical and molecular experimental approaches. Both extracts could reduce the expression of K17 in a dose-dependent manner through JAK/STAT pathway as demonstrated by an observation of reduced phosphorylation of STAT3 (p-STAT3. The inhibitory activity of G. superba extract was more potent than that of C. roseus. The Pearson's correlation between K17 and cell viability was shown positive. Taken together, the extracts of G. superba and C. roseus may be developed as alternative therapies for psoriasis.

  12. Effect of Saraca asoca (Asoka) on estradiol-induced keratinizing metaplasia in rat uterus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shahid, Adangam Purath; Salini, Sasidharan; Sasidharan, Nanu; Padikkala, Jose; Raghavamenon, Achuthan Chathrattil; Babu, Thekkekara Devassy

    2015-09-01

    Estrogen-mediated uterus endometrium instability is considered as one of the etiological factors in dysfunctional uterine bleeding (DUB) and uterine cancer. Saraca asoca (Family: Fabaceae) and its fermented preparation, Asokarishta, are extensively used as uterine tonic to treat gynecological disorders in Ayurveda. The present study evaluated the effect of S. asoca (Asoka) on estrogen-induced endometrial thickening of rat uterus. Endometrial thickening was induced by intraperitoneal injection of estradiol (20 μg/kg b.wt) to 8-day-old immature rats for alternate 5 days. Methanolic extract (200 mg/kg b. wt) from S. asoca bark was given orally along with estradiol. Uterus endometrial thickening was analyzed histopathologically and serum estrogen level by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Cyclooxygenase (COX-2) expression in rat uterus was also estimated by Western blot. Anti-inflammatory activity of the extract was analyzed by formalin- and carrageenan-elicited paw edema models in mouse. Uterus endometrium proliferation and keratinized metaplasia with seven to eight stratified epithelial layers on day 16 was observed in rats administered with estradiol. Treatment with S. asoca reduced the thickening to two to four layers and the serum estrogen level diminished significantly to 82.9±12.87 pg/mL compared to rats administered with estrogen alone (111.2±10.68 pg/mL). A reduction of formalin- and carrageenan-induced paw edema in mouse by S. asoca extract was observed. Lower level of lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced COX-2 enzyme in rat uterus by the extract further confirms its anti-inflammatory activity. Present study reveals the antiproliferative and antikeratinizing effects of S. asoca in uterus endometrium possibly through its anti-estrogenic and anti-inflammatory properties.

  13. Immunohistochemical localisation of keratin and luminal epithelial antigen in myoepithelial and luminal epithelial cells of human mammary and salivary gland tumours.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathrath, W B; Wilson, P D; Trejdosiewicz, L K

    1982-01-01

    Rabbit antisera to human 40-63 000 MW epidermal keratin, one batch with restricted distribution of reactivity from an initial (aK1) and one with "broad spectrum" distribution of reactivity from a late bleeding (aK), and to "luminal epithelial antigen" (aLEA) were applied to formalin fixed paraffin embedded sections of human normal and neoplastic mammary and salivary glands using an indirect immunoperoxidase method. aK1 reacted with myoepithelial cells, aLEA with luminal epithelial cells and aK with both cell types in normal mammary and salivary gland. In breast carcinomas the majority of intraluminal and infiltrating carcinoma cells reacted with aLEA but not with aK1 which reacted only with surrounding myoepithelial cells. aK reacted with both myoepithelial cells and with intraluminal and infiltrating tumour cells. In the salivary gland adenomas the majority of cells reacted with aK, and those cells arranged in a tubular fashion reacted with aLEA.

  14. Keratin23 (KRT23 knockdown decreases proliferation and affects the DNA damage response of colon cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karin Birkenkamp-Demtröder

    Full Text Available Keratin 23 (KRT23 is strongly expressed in colon adenocarcinomas but absent in normal colon mucosa. Array based methylation profiling of 40 colon samples showed that the promoter of KRT23 was methylated in normal colon mucosa, while hypomethylated in most adenocarcinomas. Promoter methylation correlated with absent expression, while increased KRT23 expression in tumor samples correlated with promoter hypomethylation, as confirmed by bisulfite sequencing. Demethylation induced KRT23 expression in vitro. Expression profiling of shRNA mediated stable KRT23 knockdown in colon cancer cell lines showed that KRT23 depletion affected molecules of the cell cycle and DNA replication, recombination and repair. In vitro analyses confirmed that KRT23 depletion significantly decreased the cellular proliferation of SW948 and LS1034 cells and markedly decreased the expression of genes involved in DNA damage response, mainly molecules of the double strand break repair homologous recombination pathway. KRT23 knockdown decreased the transcript and protein expression of key molecules as e.g. MRE11A, E2F1, RAD51 and BRCA1. Knockdown of KRT23 rendered colon cancer cells more sensitive to irradiation and reduced proliferation of the KRT23 depleted cells compared to irradiated control cells.

  15. Autoradiographic study of the penetration of radiolabelled dextrans and inulin through non-keratinized oral mucosa in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alfano, M.C.; Chasens, A.I.; Masi, C.W.

    1977-01-01

    Although a well known barrier effect against the penetration of macromolecules exists at the basement membrane region of epithelial tissues, recent reports suggest that the penetration of smaller molecules may be impeded by this region. Considering the probable importance of the permeability of gingival crevicular tissues in the etiology of inflammatory periodontal disease, the present study was designed to evaluate the barrier function of the basement membrane region of non-keratinized oral mucosal epithelium to a series of radiolabelled penetrating molecules of increasing molecular weight. Tritium labeled inulin (Mw 5,000), dextran 20 (Mw 20,000) and dextran 70 (Mw 70,000) were used as penetrating molecules, and autoradiographic tracer techniques were used to evaluate the barrier function. The study was conducted in vitro to eliminate vascular ''wash-out'' effects and to facilitate study of penetration across the basement membrane region in both directions. The results indicated that although the penetration of inulin and dextran 70 was impeded by the basement membrane region, the penetration of dextran 20 was not affected. Therefore, the barrier function of the basement membrane region is not solely dependent on the molecular weight of the penetration molecule. Mechanisms to account for the findings are described and the significance to periodontal disease is discussed. (author)

  16. Autoradiographic study of the penetration of radiolabelled dextrans and inulin through non-keratinized oral mucosa in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Alfano, M C; Chasens, A I; Masi, C W [Block Periodontal Research Laboratories, Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Fairleigh Dickinson University, School of Dentistry, Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.A.

    1977-01-01

    Although a well known barrier effect against the penetration of macromolecules exists at the basement membrane region of epithelial tissues, recent reports suggest that the penetration of smaller molecules may be impeded by this region. Considering the probable importance of the permeability of gingival crevicular tissues in the etiology of inflammatory periodontal disease, the present study was designed to evaluate the barrier function of the basement membrane region of non-keratinized oral mucosal epithelium to a series of radiolabelled penetrating molecules of increasing molecular weight. Tritium labeled inulin (Mw 5,000), dextran 20 (Mw 20,000) and dextran 70 (Mw 70,000) were used as penetrating molecules, and autoradiographic tracer techniques were used to evaluate the barrier function. The study was conducted in vitro to eliminate vascular ''wash-out'' effects and to facilitate study of penetration across the basement membrane region in both directions. The results indicated that although the penetration of inulin and dextran 70 was impeded by the basement membrane region, the penetration of dextran 20 was not affected. Therefore, the barrier function of the basement membrane region is not solely dependent on the molecular weight of the penetration molecule. Mechanisms to account for the findings are described and the significance to periodontal disease is discussed.

  17. Up-regulation of Hsp72 and keratin16 mediates wound healing in streptozotocin diabetic rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasha R. Ahmed

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Impaired wound healing is a complication of diabetes and a serious problem in clinical practice. We previously found that whey protein (WP was able to regulate wound healing normally in streptozotocin (STZ-dia-betic models. This subsequent study was designed to assess the effect of WP on heat shock protein-72 (Hsp72 and keratin16 (Krt16 expression during wound healing in diabetic rats. METHODS: WP at a dosage of 100 mg/kg of body weight was orally administered daily to wounded normal and STZ-diabetic rats for 8 days. RESULTS: At day 4, the WP-treated diabetic wound was significantly reduced compared to that in the corresponding control. Diabetic wounded rats developed severe inflammatory infiltration and moderate capillary dilatation and regeneration. Treated rats had mild necrotic formation, moderate infiltration, moderate to severe capillary dilatation and regeneration, in addition to moderate epidermal formation. Hsp72 and Krt16 densities showed low and dense activity in diabetic wounded and diabetic wounded treated groups, respectively. At day 8, WP-treatment of diabetic wounded animals revealed great amelioration with complete recovery and closure of the wound. Reactivity of Hsp72 and Krt16 was reversed, showing dense and low, or medium and low, activity in the diabetic wounded and diabetic wounded treated groups, respectively. Hsp72 expression in the pancreas was found to show dense reactivity with WP-treated diabetic wound rats. CONCLUSION: This data provides evidence for the potential impact of WP in the up-regulation of Hsp72 and Krt16 in T1D, resulting in an improved wound healing process in diabetic models.

  18. A new helical crossed-fibre structure of β-keratin in flight feathers and its biomechanical implications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lingham-Soliar, Theagarten; Murugan, Nelisha

    2013-01-01

    The feather aerofoil is unequalled in nature. It is comprised of a central rachis, serial paired branches or barbs, from which arise further branches, the barbules. Barbs and barbules arise from the significantly thinner lateral walls (the epicortex) of the rachis and barbs respectively, as opposed to the thicker dorsal and ventral walls (the cortex). We hypothesized a microstructural design of the epicortex that would resist the vertical or shearing stresses. The microstructures of the cortex and epicortex of the rachis and barbs were investigated in several bird species by microbe-assisted selective disassembly and conventional methods via scanning electron microscopy. We report, preeminent of the finds, a novel system of crossed fibres (ranging from ∼100-800 nm in diameter), oppositely oriented in alternate layers of the epicortex in the rachis and barbs. It represents the first cross-fibre microstructure, not only for the feather but in keratin per se. The cortex of the barbs is comprised of syncitial barbule cells, definitive structural units shown in the rachidial cortex in a related study. The structural connection between the cortex of the rachis and barbs appears uninterrupted. A new model on feather microstructure incorporating the findings here and in the related study is presented. The helical fibre system found in the integument of a diverse range of invertebrates and vertebrates has been implicated in profound functional strategies, perhaps none more so potentially than in the aerofoil microstructure of the feather here, which is central to one of the marvels of nature, bird flight.

  19. A new helical crossed-fibre structure of β-keratin in flight feathers and its biomechanical implications.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Theagarten Lingham-Soliar

    Full Text Available The feather aerofoil is unequalled in nature. It is comprised of a central rachis, serial paired branches or barbs, from which arise further branches, the barbules. Barbs and barbules arise from the significantly thinner lateral walls (the epicortex of the rachis and barbs respectively, as opposed to the thicker dorsal and ventral walls (the cortex. We hypothesized a microstructural design of the epicortex that would resist the vertical or shearing stresses. The microstructures of the cortex and epicortex of the rachis and barbs were investigated in several bird species by microbe-assisted selective disassembly and conventional methods via scanning electron microscopy. We report, preeminent of the finds, a novel system of crossed fibres (ranging from ∼100-800 nm in diameter, oppositely oriented in alternate layers of the epicortex in the rachis and barbs. It represents the first cross-fibre microstructure, not only for the feather but in keratin per se. The cortex of the barbs is comprised of syncitial barbule cells, definitive structural units shown in the rachidial cortex in a related study. The structural connection between the cortex of the rachis and barbs appears uninterrupted. A new model on feather microstructure incorporating the findings here and in the related study is presented. The helical fibre system found in the integument of a diverse range of invertebrates and vertebrates has been implicated in profound functional strategies, perhaps none more so potentially than in the aerofoil microstructure of the feather here, which is central to one of the marvels of nature, bird flight.

  20. Mammalian keratin associated proteins (KRTAPs) subgenomes: disentangling hair diversity and adaptation to terrestrial and aquatic environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Imran; Maldonado, Emanuel; Vasconcelos, Vítor; O'Brien, Stephen J; Johnson, Warren E; Antunes, Agostinho

    2014-09-10

    Adaptation of mammals to terrestrial life was facilitated by the unique vertebrate trait of body hair, which occurs in a range of morphological patterns. Keratin associated proteins (KRTAPs), the major structural hair shaft proteins, are largely responsible for hair variation. We exhaustively characterized the KRTAP gene family in 22 mammalian genomes, confirming the existence of 30 KRTAP subfamilies evolving at different rates with varying degrees of diversification and homogenization. Within the two major classes of KRTAPs, the high cysteine (HS) subfamily experienced strong concerted evolution, high rates of gene conversion/recombination and high GC content. In contrast, high glycine-tyrosine (HGT) KRTAPs showed evidence of positive selection and low rates of gene conversion/recombination. Species with more hair and of higher complexity tended to have more KRATP genes (gene expansion). The sloth, with long and coarse hair, had the most KRTAP genes (175 with 141 being intact). By contrast, the "hairless" dolphin had 35 KRTAPs and the highest pseudogenization rate (74% relative to the 19% mammalian average). Unique hair-related phenotypes, such as scales (armadillo) and spines (hedgehog), were correlated with changes in KRTAPs. Gene expression variation probably also influences hair diversification patterns, for example human have an identical KRTAP repertoire as apes, but much less hair. We hypothesize that differences in KRTAP gene repertoire and gene expression, together with distinct rates of gene conversion/recombination, pseudogenization and positive selection, are likely responsible for micro and macro-phenotypic hair diversification among mammals in response to adaptations to ecological pressures.

  1. Wnt family genes and their modulation in the ovary-independent and persistent vaginal epithelial cell proliferation and keratinization induced by neonatal diethylstilbestrol exposure in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakamura, Takeshi; Miyagawa, Shinichi; Katsu, Yoshinao; Watanabe, Hajime; Mizutani, Takeshi

    2012-01-01

    Proliferation and differentiation of cells in female reproductive organs, the oviduct, uterus and vagina, are regulated by endogenous estrogen. In utero exposure to a synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), induces vaginal clear-cell adenocarcinoma in humans. In mice, perinatal exposure to DES results in abnormalities such as polyovular follicles, uterine circular muscle disorganization and persistent vaginal epithelial cell proliferation. We reported the persistent gene expression change such as interleukin-1 (IL-1) related genes, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its downstream signaling in the mouse vagina exposed neonatally to DES. In this study, we found persistent up-regulation of Wnt4 and persistent down-regulation of Wnt11 in the vagina of mice exposed neonatally to DES and estrogen receptor α specific ligand. Also Wnt4 expression in vagina is correlated to the stratification of epithelial cells with the superficial keratinization of vagina, but not epithelial cell stratification only.

  2. First evidence of the pore-forming properties of a keratin from skin mucus of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerly Salmo gairdneri).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molle, Virginie; Campagna, Sylvie; Bessin, Yannick; Ebran, Nathalie; Saint, Nathalie; Molle, Gérard

    2008-04-01

    The epidermis of fish is covered with a layer of mucus, which contributes to the defence of the species against parasites, bacteria and fungi. We have previously extracted glycoproteins from various mucus samples from fish and have shown that they present pore-forming activities well correlated with strong antibacterial properties [Ebran, Julien, Orange, Saglio, Lemaitre and Molle(2000) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1467, 271-280]. The present study focuses on the 65 kDa glycoprotein, Tr65, from the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerly Salmo gairdneri).Enzymatic digestion of Tr65 yielded a fragment pattern with strong homology with that of trout type II cytokeratin. Sequence analysis of the cDNA clone obtained by PCR confirmed this homology. We thus constructed a plasmid to overproduce the recombinant Tr65. We extracted and purified this recombinant Tr65, using it for multichannel and single-channel experiments in azolectin bilayers. Our results with recombinant Tr65 confirmed the pore-forming properties already shown with native antibacterial Tr65. These findings offer new insights into the function of keratin proteins present in various mucosal surfaces of animals and human beings.

  3. Rumen papillae keratinization, cell glycogen and chemical composition of the meat from young bulls fed different levels of concentrate and babassu mesocarp bran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simone Santos Barros

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to assess the rumen papillae keratinization, cellular levels of liver and muscle glycogen, and the chemical composition of meat from feedlot-finished Nellore young bulls fed with levels of concentrate and babassu mesocarp bran. Twenty-eight animals with initial age of 21 months and initial body weight of 356.7 ± 19 kg were randomized to the following treatments: two levels of concentrate in the diet (65% and 71%, with or without inclusion of 35% of babassu mesocarp bran. Fragments of liver, muscle and rumen were obtained after slaughter of the animals. Levels of concentrate and babassu mesocarp bran in the diet did not affect the quantities of liver and muscle glycogen, and did not induce hyperkeratinization of rumen papillae. The chemical composition of the meat was not affected by the studied factors. The inclusion of 35% babassu mesocarp bran in high concentrate diets does not induce hyperkeratinization of rumen papillae, and does not change the amount of muscle and liver glycogen or the chemical characteristics of meat of Nellore young bulls.

  4. Vitamin K3 (menadione)-induced oncosis associated with keratin 8 phosphorylation and histone H3 arylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Gary K; Atsriku, Christian; Kaminker, Patrick; Held, Jason; Gibson, Brad; Baldwin, Michael A; Benz, Christopher C

    2005-09-01

    The vitamin K analog menadione (K3), capable of both redox cycling and arylating nucleophilic substrates by Michael addition, has been extensively studied as a model stress-inducing quinone in both cell culture and animal model systems. Exposure of keratin 8 (k-8) expressing human breast cancer cells (MCF7, T47D, SKBr3) to K3 (50-100 microM) induced rapid, sustained, and site-specific k-8 serine phosphorylation (pSer73) dependent on signaling by a single mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, MEK1/2. Normal nuclear morphology and k-8 immunofluorescence coupled with the lack of DNA laddering or other features of apoptosis indicated that K3-induced cytotoxicity, evident within 4 h of treatment and delayed but not prevented by MEK1/2 inhibition, was due to a form of stress-activated cell death known as oncosis. Independent of MAPK signaling was the progressive appearance of K3-induced cellular fluorescence, principally nuclear in origin and suggested by in vitro fluorimetry to have been caused by K3 thiol arylation. Imaging by UV transillumination of protein gels containing nuclear extracts from K3-treated cells revealed a prominent 17-kDa band shown to be histone H3 by immunoblotting and mass spectrometry (MS). K3 arylation of histones in vitro followed by electrospray ionization-tandem MS analyses identified the unique Cys110 residue within H3, exposed only in the open chromatin of transcriptionally active genes, as a K3 arylation target. These findings delineate new pathways associated with K3-induced stress and suggest a potentially novel role for H3 Cys110 as a nuclear stress sensor.

  5. Correlation of the mechanical and structural properties of cortical rachis keratin of rectrices of the Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bodde, S G; Meyers, M A; McKittrick, J

    2011-07-01

    Mechanical characterization of the cortex of rectrices (tail feathers) of the Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) has been carried out by tensile testing of the rachis cortex in order to systematically determine Young's modulus and maximum tensile strength gradients on the surfaces and along the length of the feather. Of over seventy-five samples tested, the average Young's modulus was found to be 2.56±0.09 GPa, and maximum tensile strength was found to be 78±6 MPa. The Weibull modulus for all sets is greater than one and less than four, indicating that measured strength is highly variable. The highest Weibull moduli were reported for dorsal samplings. Dorsal and ventral surfaces of the cortex are both significantly stiffer and stronger than lateral rachis cortex. On the dorsal surface, cortex sampled from the distal end of the feather was found to be least stiff and weakest compared to that sampled from proximal and middle regions along the length of the feather. Distinctive fracture patterns correspond to failure in the superficial cuticle layer and the bulk of the rachis cortex. In the cuticle, where supramolecular keratinous fibers are oriented tangentially, evidence of ductile tearing was observed. In the bulk cortex, where the fibers are bundled and oriented longitudinally, patterns suggestive of near-periodic aggregation and brittle failure were observed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular evolution of the keratin associated protein gene family in mammals, role in the evolution of mammalian hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Dong-Dong; Irwin, David M; Zhang, Ya-Ping

    2008-08-23

    Hair is unique to mammals. Keratin associated proteins (KRTAPs), which contain two major groups: high/ultrahigh cysteine and high glycine-tyrosine, are one of the major components of hair and play essential roles in the formation of rigid and resistant hair shafts. The KRTAP family was identified as being unique to mammals, and near-complete KRTAP gene repertoires for eight mammalian genomes were characterized in this study. An expanded KRTAP gene repertoire was found in rodents. Surprisingly, humans have a similar number of genes as other primates despite the relative hairlessness of humans. We identified several new subfamilies not previously reported in the high/ultrahigh cysteine KRTAP genes. Genes in many subfamilies of the high/ultrahigh cysteine KRTAP genes have evolved by concerted evolution with frequent gene conversion events, yielding a higher GC base content for these gene sequences. In contrast, the high glycine-tyrosine KRTAP genes have evolved more dynamically, with fewer gene conversion events and thus have a lower GC base content, possibly due to positive selection. Most of the subfamilies emerged early in the evolution of mammals, thus we propose that the mammalian ancestor should have a diverse KRTAP gene repertoire. We propose that hair content characteristics have evolved and diverged rapidly among mammals because of rapid divergent evolution of KRTAPs between species. In contrast, subfamilies of KRTAP genes have been homogenized within each species due to concerted evolution.

  7. Preparation of bio-based keratin-derived magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles for the facile and selective separation of bisphenol A from water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hassanzadeh, Marjan; Ghaemy, Mousa

    2018-02-21

    In this study, new bio-based magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (∼23 nm) were synthesized from keratin extracted from chicken feathers and methacrylate-functionalized Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles for its potential application in separation and removal of bisphenol A from water. The prepared magnetic molecularly imprinted polymer was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, alternative gradient field magnetometry, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The sorption of bisphenol A was investigated by changing the influencing factors such as pH, immersion time, Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles dosage, and the initial concentration of bisphenol A. Results illustrated that sorption was very fast and efficient (Q m  = 600 mg/g) having a removal efficiency of ∼98% in 40 min of immersion. The adsorption process showed better conformity with the Weber-Morris kinetics and the Freundlich isotherm model. The selectivity of bisphenol A by adsorbent was checked in the presence of hydroquinone, phenol, tetrabromobisphenol, and 4,4'-biphenol as interferences. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. LM and TEM study of the orthokeratinized and parakeratinized epithelium of the tongue in the domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos f. domestica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skieresz-Szewczyk, Kinga; Jackowiak, Hanna; Ratajczak, Marlena

    2014-12-01

    The previous histological studies of the lingual mucosa in birds characterized two types of keratinized epithelium, i.e. orthokeratinized and parakeratinized. These epithelia are composed of three layers: basal, intermediate and keratinized. The present study showed detailed ultrastructural features of cells in particular layers of two types of keratinized epithelia on the tongue in the domestic duck and defined structural differences. TEM observations showed a gradual reduction in cell organelles in the following layers, at increasing amounts of keratin fibers. The characteristic feature of the ortho- and parakeratinized epithelium is the presence of sub-layers in the intermediate layer, i.e. the upper and lower part, which results from the different shape of cell nuclei and dye affinity of the cytoplasm. The keratinized layer of ortho- and parakeratinized epithelium is built of two types of cells such as electron dark and light cells, which undergo exfoliation. The basic difference between the keratinized epithelia is the presence of flattened cell nuclei in the keratinized layer of the parakeratinized epithelium. The differentiating feature is also an arrangement of keratin fibers in the cell cytoplasm of the keratinized layer. The analysis of the thickness of the epithelium and the keratinized layer, indicated differences between keratinized epithelia, which result from two variants of performing protective functions, either through a thick keratinized layer or by a higher epithelium. Differences in the ultrastructure of the ortho- and parakeratinized epithelium are associated with mechanical functions of the epithelium resulting from different forces acting on the tongue during feeding activities. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Keratin-18 and microRNA-122 complement alanine aminotransferase as novel safety biomarkers for drug-induced liver injury in two human cohorts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thulin, Petra; Nordahl, Gunnar; Gry, Marcus; Yimer, Getnet; Aklillu, Eleni; Makonnen, Eyasu; Aderaye, Getachew; Lindquist, Lars; Mattsson, C Mikael; Ekblom, Björn; Antoine, Daniel J; Park, B Kevin; Linder, Stig; Harrill, Alison H; Watkins, Paul B; Glinghammar, Björn; Schuppe-Koistinen, Ina

    2014-03-01

    There is a demand for more sensitive, specific and predictive biomarkers for drug-induced liver injury (DILI) than the gold standard used today, alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The aim of this study was to qualify novel DILI biomarkers (keratin-18 markers M65/M30, microRNA-122, glutamate dehydrogenase and alpha-foetoprotein) in human DILI. Levels of the novel biomarkers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or real-time quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) in two human DILI cohorts: a human volunteer study with acetaminophen and a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/tuberculosis (TB) study. In the acetaminophen study, serum M65 and microRNA-122 levels were significantly increased at an earlier time point than ALT. Furthermore, the maximal elevation of M65 and microRNA-122 exceeded the increase in ALT. In the HIV/TB study, all the analysed novel biomarkers increased after 1 week of treatment. In contrast to ALT, the novel biomarkers remained stable in a human cohort with exercise-induced muscular injury. M65 and microRNA-122 are potential biomarkers of DILI superior to ALT with respect to sensitivity and specificity. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. Mechanosensory and ATP Release Deficits following Keratin14-Cre-Mediated TRPA1 Deletion Despite Absence of TRPA1 in Murine Keratinocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katherine J Zappia

    Full Text Available Keratinocytes are the first cells that come into direct contact with external tactile stimuli; however, their role in touch transduction in vivo is not clear. The ion channel Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1 is essential for some mechanically-gated currents in sensory neurons, amplifies mechanical responses after inflammation, and has been reported to be expressed in human and mouse skin. Other reports have not detected Trpa1 mRNA transcripts in human or mouse epidermis. Therefore, we set out to determine whether selective deletion of Trpa1 from keratinocytes would impact mechanosensation. We generated K14Cre-Trpa1fl/fl mice lacking TRPA1 in K14-expressing cells, including keratinocytes. Surprisingly, Trpa1 transcripts were very poorly detected in epidermis of these mice or in controls, and detection was minimal enough to preclude observation of Trpa1 mRNA knockdown in the K14Cre-Trpa1fl/fl mice. Unexpectedly, these K14Cre-Trpa1fl/fl mice nonetheless exhibited a pronounced deficit in mechanosensitivity at the behavioral and primary afferent levels, and decreased mechanically-evoked ATP release from skin. Overall, while these data suggest that the intended targeted deletion of Trpa1 from keratin 14-expressing cells of the epidermis induces functional deficits in mechanotransduction and ATP release, these deficits are in fact likely due to factors other than reduction of Trpa1 expression in adult mouse keratinocytes because they express very little, if any, Trpa1.

  11. Development of keratin–chitosan–gelatin composite scaffold for soft tissue engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kakkar, Prachi [Central Leather Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Adyar, Chennai 600020 (India); Verma, Sudhanshu; Manjubala, I. [Biomedical Engineering Division, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, VIT University, Vellore 632014 (India); Madhan, B., E-mail: bmadhan76@yahoo.co.in [Central Leather Research Institute (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research), Adyar, Chennai 600020 (India)

    2014-12-01

    Keratin has gained much attention in the recent past as a biomaterial for wound healing owing to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, intrinsic biological activity and presence of cellular binding motifs. In this paper, a novel biomimetic scaffold containing keratin, chitosan and gelatin was prepared by freeze drying method. The prepared keratin composite scaffold had good structural integrity. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy showed the retention of the native structure of individual biopolymers (keratin, chitosan, and gelatin) used in the scaffold. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) results revealed a high thermal denaturation temperature of the scaffold (200–250 °C). The keratin composite scaffold exhibited tensile strength (96 kPa), compression strength (8.5 kPa) and water uptake capacity (> 1700%) comparable to that of a collagen scaffold, which was used as control. The morphology of the keratin composite scaffold observed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) exhibited good porosity and interconnectivity of pores. MTT assay using NIH 3T3 fibroblast cells demonstrated that the cell viability of the keratin composite scaffold was good. These observations suggest that the keratin–chitosan–gelatin composite scaffold is a promising alternative biomaterial for tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Fabrication of novel Keratin-Chitosan-Gelatin composite scaffold • Keratin composite scaffold shows excellent water uptake capacity and porosity • Keratin composite scaffold shows good thermal and physical stability • Biocompatibility of the developed scaffold is comparable to collagen scaffolds • Developed scaffold is a promising material for soft tissue engineering applications.

  12. Membrane-Active Epithelial Keratin 6A Fragments (KAMPs) Are Unique Human Antimicrobial Peptides with a Non-αβ Structure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Judy T. Y.; Wang, Guangshun; Tam, Yu Tong; Tam, Connie

    2016-01-01

    Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global health problem that threatens millions of lives each year. Natural antimicrobial peptides and their synthetic derivatives, including peptoids and peptidomimetics, are promising candidates as novel antibiotics. Recently, the C-terminal glycine-rich fragments of human epithelial keratin 6A were found to have bactericidal and cytoprotective activities. Here, we used an improved 2-dimensional NMR method coupled with a new protocol for structural refinement by low temperature simulated annealing to characterize the solution structure of these kerain-derived antimicrobial peptides (KAMPs). Two specific KAMPs in complex with membrane mimicking sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles displayed amphipathic conformations with only local bends and turns, and a central 10-residue glycine-rich hydrophobic strip that is central to bactericidal activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of non-αβ structure for human antimicrobial peptides. Direct observation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that KAMPs deformed bacterial cell envelopes and induced pore formation. Notably, in competitive binding experiments, KAMPs demonstrated binding affinities to LPS and LTA that did not correlate with their bactericidal activities, suggesting peptide-LPS and peptide-LTA interactions are less important in their mechanisms of action. Moreover, immunoprecipitation of KAMPs-bacterial factor complexes indicated that membrane surface lipoprotein SlyB and intracellular machineries NQR sodium pump and ribosomes are potential molecular targets for the peptides. Results of this study improve our understanding of the bactericidal function of epithelial cytokeratin fragments, and highlight an unexplored class of human antimicrobial peptides, which may serve as non-αβ peptide scaffolds for the design of novel peptide-based antibiotics. PMID:27891122

  13. Membrane-Active Epithelial Keratin 6A Fragments (KAMPs Are Unique Human Antimicrobial Peptides with a Non-αβ Structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Judy Tsz Ying Lee

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global health problem that threatens millions of lives each year. Natural antimicrobial peptides and their synthetic derivatives, including peptoids and peptidomimetics, are promising candidates as novel antibiotics. Recently, the C-terminal glycine-rich fragments of human epithelial keratin 6A were found to have bactericidal and cytoprotective activities. Here, we used an improved 2-dimensional NMR method coupled with a new protocol for structural refinement by low temperature simulated annealing to characterize the solution structure of these kerain-derived antimicrobial peptides (KAMPs. Two specific KAMPs in complex with membrane mimicking sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS micelles displayed amphipathic conformations with only local bends and turns, and a central 10-residue glycine-rich hydrophobic strip that is central to bactericidal activity. To our knowledge, this is the first report of non-αβ structure for human antimicrobial peptides. Direct observation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed that KAMPs deformed bacterial cell envelopes and induced pore formation. Notably, in competitive binding experiments, KAMPs demonstrated binding affinities to LPS and LTA that did not correlate with their bactericidal activities, suggesting peptide-LPS and peptide-LTA interactions are less important in their mechanisms of action. Moreover, immunoprecipitation of KAMPs-bacterial factor complexes indicated that membrane surface lipoprotein SlyB and intracellular machineries NQR sodium pump and ribosomes are potential molecular targets for the peptides. Results of this study improve our understanding of the bactericidal function of epithelial cytokeratin fragments, and highlight an unexplored class of human antimicrobial peptides, which may serve as non-αβ peptide scaffolds for the design of novel peptide-based antibiotics.

  14. Investigating the Keratinolytic Activities of the Bacteria Isolated from Different Sources

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, S. X.

    2017-12-01

    Background InformationThe development of microbial keratinase has gained increasing attention over the million tons of keratinous wastes generated by the worldwide livestock population. Keratinous wastes not only serve as the niche for pathogenic microorganisms, but also they collapse environmental balance for being the source of air, soil, and water pollutions. Conversely, microbial keratinases can convert the unexploited keratinous wastes into bioaccessible animal feed. However, because of the recalcitrant structure of keratin, the complete keratin degradation is difficult to achieve with one keratinase as opposed to recombinant keratinases. Therefore, this study is designed to isolate the bacteria from different sources and to evaluate their keratinolytic activities using azokeratin substrates. Materials and Methods Soil, horse hooves, penguin stool, and chicken stool are collected from different sites. These samples are serially diluted and then streaked on feather-meal agar plates. Single colonies are screened for the ability to hydrolyze keratin. The isolate of single colonies is cultivated in a whole-feather medium. The sample is then centrifuged, and the supernatant is used for crude enzyme preparation. Azokeratin is synthesized by coupling bristle keratin with diazotized laurent's acid, and it is used as a substrate for assaying keratinase activity by using a spectrophotometer. ConclusionThis study will compare the keratinase activities on bristle azokeratin substrates from three different samples and thus evaluate the bacterium with the best ability to hydrolyze keratin amongst the three. Further steps will be taken to produce a blend of enzymes generated and select the optimum combination that can most efficiently degrade keratin.

  15. Morphological evaluation of tongue mucosa in burning mouth syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sardella, Andrea; Gualerzi, Alice; Lodi, Giovanni; Sforza, Chiarella; Carrassi, Antonio; Donetti, Elena

    2012-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to perform a morphological evaluation by immunofluorescence of biomarkers of keratinocyte intercellular adhesion, and of differentiation in the tongue mucosa of burning mouth syndrome patients (BMS), compared with a control group. A prospective blinded evaluation of tongue mucosal specimens processed for light microscopy was performed. Intercellular adhesion was evaluated by investigating the expression of desmoglein 1, desmoglein 3, and of occludin. Keratin 10 and keratin 14 (markers of epithelial differentiation) were also evaluated, as keratin 16 (marker for activated keratinocytes after epithelial injury). Apoptotic cascade was investigated by p53 and activated caspase-3 expression. The basal membrane integrity was analysed through laminin immunoreactivity. In both groups, a preserved three-dimensional architecture of the tongue was observed. Desmoglein 1 and desmoglein 3 epithelial distributions were similar in the desmosomes of patients and control subjects. Again, keratin 10 immunoreactivity and distribution pattern of keratin 14 in the epithelial compartment was similar in both groups. In control samples, keratin 16 immunoreactivity was scant throughout the epithelium with a punctuate and scattered cytoplasmic labelling. In contrast, in all BMS patients keratinocyte cytoplasm was homogeneously labelled for keratin 16, with a more intense staining than controls. Furthermore, keratin 16 staining progressively decreased proceeding towards the most superficial epithelial layers. The results of this study are consistent with and support the clinically normal features of oral mucosa in BMS, and suggest that keratin 16 may be involved in the cell mechanisms underlying the syndrome occurrence. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Inclusion bodies as potential vehicles for recombinant protein delivery into epithelial cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-01-01

    Background We present the potential of inclusion bodies (IBs) as a protein delivery method for polymeric filamentous proteins. We used as cell factory a strain of E. coli, a conventional host organism, and keratin 14 (K14) as an example of a complex protein. Keratins build the intermediate filament cytoskeleton of all epithelial cells. In order to build filaments, monomeric K14 needs first to dimerize with its binding partner (keratin 5, K5), which is then followed by heterodimer assembly into filaments. Results K14 IBs were electroporated into SW13 cells grown in culture together with a “reporter” plasmid containing EYFP labeled keratin 5 (K5) cDNA. As SW13 cells do not normally express keratins, and keratin filaments are built exclusively of keratin heterodimers (i.e. K5/K14), the short filamentous structures we obtained in this study can only be the result of: a) if both IBs and plasmid DNA are transfected simultaneously into the cell(s); b) once inside the cells, K14 protein is being released from IBs; c) released K14 is functional, able to form heterodimers with EYFP-K5. Conclusions Soluble IBs may be also developed for complex cytoskeletal proteins and used as nanoparticles for their delivery into epithelial cells. PMID:22624805

  17. Immunolocation of mitochondria-rich cells in epidermis of the common toad, Bufo bufo L

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Spies, Ingrid B.M.

    1997-01-01

    Adult toads, skin, flask-shaped cells, cytoskeleton, keratin expression, immunohistochemistry, differentiation.......Adult toads, skin, flask-shaped cells, cytoskeleton, keratin expression, immunohistochemistry, differentiation....

  18. 2041-IJBCS-Article-Aliyu Ibrahim Dabai

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    hp

    Keywords: Bacillus sp., biofertilizer, fermentation, keratin, poultry waste. INTRODUCTION ... collected from Sokoto meat and vegetable market in Sokoto metropolis and ..... Potentials for biotechnological applications of keratin- degrading ...

  19. HIV positivity but not HPV/p16 status is associated with higher recurrence rate in anal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Joshua E; Panico, Vinicius J A; Marconato, Heloisa M F; Sherr, David L; Christos, Paul; Pirog, Edyta C

    2013-12-01

    Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a pathogenic factor of squamous cell carcinoma in various mucosal locations, including anal carcinoma (ACA). It is also known that patients positive for HIV are at high risk of ACA. The goal of this study was to examine clinical outcome in ACA in relation to HPV/p16 positivity, histologic tumor differentiation, and HIV status. Patients with oropharyngeal cancers that are positive for HPV and show overexpression of p16 as well as having non-keratinizing/basaloid histology have been reported to have better outcomes following chemoradiation (CRT). However, such relationships in ACA remain unknown. Forty-two patients with SCC of the anus treated with CRT between 1997 and 2009 were identified. The tumors were subclassified as either non-keratinizing (including basaloid) or keratinizing categories. HPV testing was performed using SPF10-PCR, and all cases were immunostained for p16. There were 23 men and 19 women; 43% of men and 11% of women were HIV-positive (p = 0.04). Fifty-five percent of patients had local disease (stages I and II) and 41% were stages III and IV, with 4% stage unknown. All tumors were positive for high-oncogenic risk HPVs, and all were positive with p16 immunostain. Sixty-four percent of tumors were non-keratinizing/basaloid and 36 % were keratinizing. The keratinizing tumors were more common in HIV-positive patients (67%), whereas non-keratinizing/basaloid tumors were more common in HIV-negative patients (77%) (p = 0.008). Thirty-one percent of patients had recurrence of disease, including 50% HIV-positive patients and 23% HIV-negative patients (p = 0.09). There was no difference in the recurrence rate between non-keratinizing and keratinizing tumor subtypes (p = 0.80). The 24-month recurrence-free survival for the cohort was 66% (95% CI = 46%, 81%), with HIV-positive patients having worse recurrence-free survival compared to HIV-negative patients (HR = 2.85, 95% CI = 0.95, 8.53; p = 0

  20. Keratinolytic abilities of Micrococcus luteus from poultry waste.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laba, Wojciech; Choinska, Anna; Rodziewicz, Anna; Piegza, Michal

    2015-01-01

    Keratinolytic microorganisms have become the subject of scientific interest due to their ability to biosynthesize specific keratinases and their prospective application in keratinic waste management. Among several bacterial classes, actinobacteria remain one of the most important sources of keratin-degrading strains, however members of the Micrococcaceae family are rarely scrutinized in regard to their applicatory keratinolytic potential. The tested Micrococcus sp. B1pz isolate from poultry feather waste was identified as M. luteus. The strain, grown in the medium with 1-2% chicken feathers and a yeast extract supplement, produced keratinases of 32 KU and lower level of proteases, 6 PU. It was capable to effectively decompose feathers or "soft" keratin of stratum corneum, in contrast to other "hard" hair-type keratins. The produced keratinolytic enzymes were mainly a combination of alkaline serine or thiol proteases, active at the optimum pH 9.4, 55 °C. Four main protease fractions of 62, 185, 139 and 229 kDa were identified in the crude culture fluid. The research on the auxiliary role of reducing factors revealed that reducing sulfur compounds could be applied in keratinolysis enhancement during enzymatic digestion of keratin, rather than in culture conditions. The presented M. luteus isolate exhibits a significant keratinolytic potential, which determines its feasible applicatory capacity towards biodegradation of poultry by-products or formulation of keratin-based feed components.

  1. Production, biochemical characterization and detergents application of keratinase from the marine actinobacterium Actinoalloteichus sp. ma-32.

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Manivasagan, P.; Sivakumar, K.; Gnanam, S.; Venkatesan, J.; Kim, S.-K.

    and feathers. Keratins are proteins that form hard fibers and are components of the epidermal and skeletal tissues. Disulfide and hydrogen bonds makes keratin a sta- ble protein resistant to proteolytic hydrolysis [4, 5]. Keratinases (E.C. 3.4.99.11) have... content on amino acid composition and nitrogen characteristics of feather meal. Animal Feed Sci Technol 14:279–290 4. Arai K, Naito S, Dang VB, Nagasawa N, Hirano M (1998) Crosslinking structure of keratin. VI. Number, type, and location of disulfide...

  2. An evaluation of the gingival biotype and the width of keratinized gingiva in the mandibular anterior region of individuals with different dental malocclusion groups and levels of crowding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaya, Yeşim; Alkan, Özer; Keskin, Sıddık

    2017-05-01

    To evaluate the relationship of gingival thickness (GT) and the width of keratinized gingiva (WKG) with different malocclusion groups and the level of crowding. A total of 187 periodontally healthy subjects (121 females and 66 males) who presented at the Faculty of Dentistry in Yüzüncü Yıl University for orthodontic treatment were enrolled in the study. The individuals involved in the study were divided into three groups; Angle Class I malocclusion, Angle Class II malocclusion, and Angle Class III malocclusion. Each group was classified as mild, moderate, or severe according to the level of crowding. WKG was determined as the distance between the mucogingival junction and the free gingival margin. GT was determined by the transgingival probing technique. Factorial variance analysis and the Duncan multiple comparison test were employed to identify the extent to which a difference was apparent between the groups according to these parameters. It was determined that teeth in the mandibular anterior region display the thin gingival biotype. WKG and GT were observed as being higher at the mandibular incisor teeth in the severe crowding group and at the mandibular canine teeth in the mild crowding group. The GT of the mandibular right central and lateral incisors was found to be thinner in the Angle Class III group. Within the limits of this study, the results demonstrate that, there is no significant relationship of WKG and the mean GT in the mandibular anterior region according to the Angle classification.

  3. Environmental exposures of trace elements assessed using keratinized matrices from patients with chronic kidney diseases of uncertain etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diyabalanage, Saranga; Fonseka, Sanjeewani; Dasanayake, D M S N B; Chandrajith, Rohana

    2017-01-01

    An alarming increase in chronic kidney disease with unknown etiology (CKDu) has recently been reported in several provinces in Sri Lanka and chronic exposures to toxic trace elements were blamed for the etiology of this disease. Keratinized matrices such as hair and nails were investigated to determine the possible link between CKDu and toxic element exposures. Elements Li, B, Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Mo, Cd, Ba, Hg and Pb of hair and nails of patients and age that matched healthy controls were determined with Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results showed that trace element contents in the hair of patients varies in the order of Zn>Fe>Al>Mn>Cu>Ba>Sr>Ni>Pb>Cr>B>Hg>Se>Mo>Co>As>Li>Cd while Fe>Al>Zn>Ni>Cu>Mn>Cr>Ba>Sr>B>Pb>Se>Mo>Co>Hg>Li>As>Cd in nail samples. The hair As levels of 0.007-0.165μgg -1 were found in CKDu subjects. However, no significant difference was observed between cases and controls. The total Se content in hair of CKDu subjects ranged from 0.043 to 0.513μgg -1 while it was varied from 0.031 to 1.15μgg -1 in controls. Selenium in nail samples varied from 0.037μgg -1 to 4.10μgg -1 in CKDu subjects and from 0.042μgg -1 to 2.19μgg -1 in controls. This study implies that substantial proportions of Sri Lankan population are Se deficient irrespective of gender, age and occupational exposure. Although some cutaneous manifestations were observed in patient subjects, chemical analyses of hair and nails indicated that patients were not exposed to toxic levels of arsenic or the other studied toxic elements. Therefore the early suggested causative factors such as exposure to environmental As and Cd, can be ruled out. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. Cell structure of developing barbs and barbules in downfeathers of the chick: Central role of barb ridge morphogenesis for the evolution of feathers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibardi, L

    2005-04-01

    The present ultrastructural study shows how cells organize to form the complex structure of downfeathers in chick embryos. The embryonic epidermis of the apical part of feather filaments folds inward forming barb ridges which extend toward the base of the feather. The stratification of epidermal cells in barb ridges is maintained but the basal layer loses most of the germinal activity. New cells for the growth of feather filaments are mainly produced in its basal part. In barb ridges only the original four epidermal layers of the embryonic epidermis remain to form feathers: 1) the external periderm, 2) three-five layers of the feather sheath and barb vane ridge cells, 3) subperiderm cells, and 4) basal or cylindrical cells. Periderm, sheath, barb vane ridge and cylindrical cells synthesize only alpha-keratin. Instead, cells of the subperiderm layer synthesize a small type of beta-keratin: feather beta-keratin. At hatching, the subperiderm layer is lost in most areas of the skin of the chick (apteric and scaled), and is replaced by cells containing alpha-keratin (interfollicular-apteric epidermis), scale beta-keratin (scales), beak beta-keratin (beak), and claw beta-keratin (claws). Only in feathers, cells of the original subperiderm layer remain and give origin to barb and barbule cells. The formation of separated chains of barb and barbule cells is allowed by the presence of barb vane ridge cells that function as spacers between merging cells of barb and barbule cells. Subperiderm cells elongate and merge into a syncitium to form barbules and barbs. While barbule and barb cells accumulate feather-keratin, barb vane and cylindrical cells accumulate lipids, vesicles and little alpha-keratin. These cells eventually degenerate by necrosis leaving empty spaces and lipids between barbules and barbs. No apoptosis is necessary to explain the process of carving out of barb and barbules in feathers after dissolution of the external sheath. In fact, the retraction of blood

  5. to view fulltext PDF

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    PRAKASH KUMAR

    2007-04-04

    Apr 4, 2007 ... appearance of keratinopathies, which have been shown to be the direct result of single-point mutations in keratin genes (Coulombe and Omary 2002). Some of the severe skin disorders which result from point mutations include epidermolysis bullosa simplex (mutations in keratin 5/14 genes), epidermolytic.

  6. United States Air Force Summer Faculty Research Program, 1988. Program Technical Report. Volume 4

    Science.gov (United States)

    1988-12-01

    keratin rich regions of the stratum corneum. Evidently the proteins of the RBC are y= unlike keratin! Of more interest to hyoerbaric oxygen. HBO. theraoy ...San Francisco State University. Prooo ed Patient Protocol vs. Conventional HBO Theraoy : Consider a patient requiring HBO for a problem wound on a

  7. Differential diagnosis of well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma from non-neoplastic oral mucosal lesions: New cytopathologic evaluation method dependent on keratinization-related parameters but not nuclear atypism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hara, Hitoshi; Misawa, Tsuneo; Ishii, Eri; Nakagawa, Miki; Koshiishi, Saki; Amemiya, Kenji; Oyama, Toshio; Tominaga, Kazuya; Cheng, Jun; Tanaka, Akio; Saku, Takashi

    2017-05-01

    The cytology of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is challenging because oral SCC cells tend to be well differentiated and lack nuclear atypia, often resulting in a false negative diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to establish practical cytological parameters specific to oral SCCs. We reviewed 123 cases of malignancy and 53 of non-neoplastic lesions of the oral mucosa, which had been diagnosed using both cytology and histopathology specimens. From those, we selected 12 SCC and 4 CIS cases that had initially been categorized as NILM to ASC-H with the Bethesda system, as well as 4 non-neoplastic samples categorized as LSIL or ASC-H as controls, and compared their characteristic findings. After careful examinations, we highlighted five cytological parameters, as described in Results. Those 20 cytology samples were then reevaluated by 4 independent examiners using the Bethesda system as well as the 5 parameters. Five cytological features, (i) concentric arrangement of orangeophilic cells (indicating keratin pearls), (ii) large number of orangeophilic cells, (iii) bizarre-shaped orangeophilic cells without nuclear atypia, (iv) keratoglobules, and (v) uneven filamentous cytoplasm, were found to be significant parameters. All malignant cases contained at least one of those parameters, while none were observed in the four non-neoplastic cases with nuclear atypia. In reevaluations, the Bethesda system did not help the screeners distinguish oral SCCs from non-neoplastic lesions, while use of the five parameters enabled them to make a diagnosis of SCC. Recognition of the present five parameters is useful for oral SCC cytology. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:406-417. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Spatiotemporal analysis of putative notochordal cell markers reveals CD24 and keratins 8, 18, and 19 as notochord-specific markers during early human intervertebral disc development.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues-Pinto, Ricardo; Berry, Andrew; Piper-Hanley, Karen; Hanley, Neil; Richardson, Stephen M; Hoyland, Judith A

    2016-08-01

    In humans, the nucleus pulposus (NP) is composed of large vacuolated notochordal cells in the fetus but, soon after birth, becomes populated by smaller, chondrocyte-like cells. Although animal studies indicate that notochord-derived cells persist in the adult NP, the ontogeny of the adult human NP cell population is still unclear. As such, identification of unique notochordal markers is required. This study was conducted to determine the spatiotemporal expression of putative human notochordal markers to aid in the elucidation of the ontogeny of adult human NP cells. Human embryos and fetuses (3.5-18 weeks post-conception (WPC)) were microdissected to isolate the spine anlagens (notochord and somites/sclerotome). Morphology of the developing IVD was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin. Expression of keratin (KRT) 8, KRT18, KRT19, CD24, GAL3, CD55, BASP1, CTGF, T, CD90, Tie2, and E-cadherin was assessed using immunohistochemistry. KRT8, KRT18, KRT19 were uniquely expressed by notochordal cells at all spine levels at all stages studied; CD24 was expressed at all stages except 3.5 WPC. While GAL3, CD55, BASP1, CTGF, and T were expressed by notochordal cells at specific stages, they were also co-expressed by sclerotomal cells. CD90, Tie2, and E-cadherin expression was not detectable in developing human spine cells at any stage. This study has identified, for the first time, the consistent expression of KRT8, KRT18, KRT19, and CD24 as human notochord-specific markers during early IVD development. Thus, we propose that these markers can be used to help ascertain the ontogeny of adult human NP cells. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1327-1340, 2016. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Spatiotemporal analysis of putative notochordal cell markers reveals CD24 and keratins 8, 18, and 19 as notochord‐specific markers during early human intervertebral disc development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rodrigues‐Pinto, Ricardo; Berry, Andrew; Piper‐Hanley, Karen; Hanley, Neil; Richardson, Stephen M.

    2016-01-01

    ABSTRACT In humans, the nucleus pulposus (NP) is composed of large vacuolated notochordal cells in the fetus but, soon after birth, becomes populated by smaller, chondrocyte‐like cells. Although animal studies indicate that notochord‐derived cells persist in the adult NP, the ontogeny of the adult human NP cell population is still unclear. As such, identification of unique notochordal markers is required. This study was conducted to determine the spatiotemporal expression of putative human notochordal markers to aid in the elucidation of the ontogeny of adult human NP cells. Human embryos and fetuses (3.5–18 weeks post‐conception (WPC)) were microdissected to isolate the spine anlagens (notochord and somites/sclerotome). Morphology of the developing IVD was assessed using hematoxylin and eosin. Expression of keratin (KRT) 8, KRT18, KRT19, CD24, GAL3, CD55, BASP1, CTGF, T, CD90, Tie2, and E‐cadherin was assessed using immunohistochemistry. KRT8, KRT18, KRT19 were uniquely expressed by notochordal cells at all spine levels at all stages studied; CD24 was expressed at all stages except 3.5 WPC. While GAL3, CD55, BASP1, CTGF, and T were expressed by notochordal cells at specific stages, they were also co‐expressed by sclerotomal cells. CD90, Tie2, and E‐cadherin expression was not detectable in developing human spine cells at any stage. This study has identified, for the first time, the consistent expression of KRT8, KRT18, KRT19, and CD24 as human notochord‐specific markers during early IVD development. Thus, we propose that these markers can be used to help ascertain the ontogeny of adult human NP cells. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 34:1327–1340, 2016. PMID:26910849

  10. Microscopic and immunohistochemical analyses of the claw of the nesting dinosaur, Citipati osmolskae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moyer, Alison E; Zheng, Wenxia; Schweitzer, Mary H

    2016-11-16

    One of the most well-recognized Cretaceous fossils is Citipati osmolskae (MPC-D 100/979), an oviraptorid dinosaur discovered in brooding position on a nest of unhatched eggs. The original description refers to a thin lens of white material extending from a manus ungual, which was proposed to represent original keratinous claw sheath that, in life, would have covered it. Here, we test the hypothesis that this exceptional morphological preservation extends to the molecular level. The fossil sheath was compared with that of extant birds, revealing similar morphology and microstructural organization. In living birds, the claw sheath consists primarily of two structural proteins; alpha-keratin, expressed in all vertebrates, and beta-keratin, found only in reptiles and birds (sauropsids). We employed antibodies raised against avian feathers, which comprise almost entirely of beta-keratin, to demonstrate that fossil tissues respond with the same specificity, though less intensity, as those from living birds. Furthermore, we show that calcium chelation greatly increased antibody reactivity, suggesting a role for calcium in the preservation of this fossil material. © 2016 The Author(s).

  11. Influence of Peri-Implant Soft Tissue Condition and Plaque Accumulation on Peri-Implantitis: a Systematic Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mindaugas Pranskunas

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: To systematically examine influence of soft tissue condition and plaque accumulation around dental implants on peri-implantitis development. Material and Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted of two databases - MEDLINE (Ovid and EMBASE from 2011 to 2016. Sequential screenings at the title, abstract, and full-text levels were performed. Clinical human studies in the English language that had reported soft tissue condition or plaque accumulation influence on peri-implantitis development were included. The resulting articles were independently subjected to clear inclusion and exclusion criteria by two reviewers as follows. Results: The search resulted in 8 articles meeting the inclusion criteria. These studies reported gingival index, plaque index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing/modified bleeding index for sites with “adequate” (≥ 2 mm and “inadequate” (< 2 mm width of keratinized mucosa. Results demonstrated that the amount of keratinized mucosa has little influence on soft-tissue inflammation in the presence of good oral hygiene. However, suboptimal oral hygiene due to difficulty in access for plaque control in the areas of minimal keratinized mucosa may lead to greater tissue damage. Conclusions: In cases with insufficient keratinized gingiva in the vicinity of implants, the insufficiency does not necessarily mediate adverse effects on the hygiene management and soft tissue health condition. Nonetheless, the risk of the increase of gingival index, plaque index, pocket depth, bleeding on probing/modified bleeding index is present. Therefore, the presence of an appropriate amount of keratinized gingiva is required.

  12. Effect of shampoo, conditioner and permanent waving on the molecular structure of human hair.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuchen; Alsop, Richard J; Soomro, Asfia; Yang, Fei-Chi; Rheinstädter, Maikel C

    2015-01-01

    The hair is a filamentous biomaterial consisting of the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla, all held together by the cell membrane complex. The cortex mostly consists of helical keratin proteins that spiral together to form coiled-coil dimers, intermediate filaments, micro-fibrils and macro-fibrils. We used X-ray diffraction to study hair structure on the molecular level, at length scales between ∼3-90 Å, in hopes of developing a diagnostic method for diseases affecting hair structure allowing for fast and noninvasive screening. However, such an approach can only be successful if common hair treatments do not affect molecular hair structure. We found that a single use of shampoo and conditioner has no effect on packing of keratin molecules, structure of the intermediate filaments or internal lipid composition of the membrane complex. Permanent waving treatments are known to break and reform disulfide linkages in the hair. Single application of a perming product was found to deeply penetrate the hair and reduce the number of keratin coiled-coils and change the structure of the intermediate filaments. Signals related to the coiled-coil structure of the α-keratin molecules at 5 and 9.5 Å were found to be decreased while a signal associated with the organization of the intermediate filaments at 47 Å was significantly elevated in permed hair. Both these observations are related to breaking of the bonds between two coiled-coil keratin dimers.

  13. Effect of shampoo, conditioner and permanent waving on the molecular structure of human hair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuchen Zhang

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The hair is a filamentous biomaterial consisting of the cuticle, the cortex and the medulla, all held together by the cell membrane complex. The cortex mostly consists of helical keratin proteins that spiral together to form coiled-coil dimers, intermediate filaments, micro-fibrils and macro-fibrils. We used X-ray diffraction to study hair structure on the molecular level, at length scales between ∼3–90 Å, in hopes of developing a diagnostic method for diseases affecting hair structure allowing for fast and noninvasive screening. However, such an approach can only be successful if common hair treatments do not affect molecular hair structure. We found that a single use of shampoo and conditioner has no effect on packing of keratin molecules, structure of the intermediate filaments or internal lipid composition of the membrane complex. Permanent waving treatments are known to break and reform disulfide linkages in the hair. Single application of a perming product was found to deeply penetrate the hair and reduce the number of keratin coiled-coils and change the structure of the intermediate filaments. Signals related to the coiled-coil structure of the α-keratin molecules at 5 and 9.5 Å were found to be decreased while a signal associated with the organization of the intermediate filaments at 47 Å was significantly elevated in permed hair. Both these observations are related to breaking of the bonds between two coiled-coil keratin dimers.

  14. Natural teeth-retained splint based on a patient-specific 3D-printed mandible used for implant surgery and vestibuloplasty: A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xing, Helin; Wu, Jinshuang; Zhou, Lei; Yang, Sefei

    2017-12-01

    With respect to improving the quality of oral rehabilitation, the management of keratinized mucosa is as important as bone condition for implant success. To enhance this management, a natural teeth-retained splint based on a patient-specific 3-dimensional (3D) printed mandible was used in vestibuloplasty to provide sufficient keratinized mucosa around dental implants to support long-term implant maintenance. A 28-year-old male patient had a fracture of the anterior andible 1 year ago, and the fracture was treated with titanium. The patient had lost mandibular incisors on both the sides and had a shallow vestibule and little keratinized mucosa. In the first-stage implant surgery, 2 implants were inserted and the titanium fracture fixation plates and screws were removed at the same time. During second-stage implant surgery, vestibuloplasty was performed, and the natural teeth-retained splint was applied. The splint was made based upon a patient-specific 3D-printed mandible. At 30-day follow-up, the splint was modified and reset. The modified splint was removed after an additional 60 days, and the patient received prosthetic treatment. After prosthetic treatment, successful oral rehabilitation was achieved. Within 1 year and 3 years after implant prosthesis finished, the patient exhibited a good quantity of keratinized gingiva. The proposed splint is a simple and time-effective technique for correcting soft tissue defects in implant dentistry that ensures a good quantity of keratinized mucosa.

  15. The Prevalence and pattern of HPV-16 immunostaining in uterine cervical carcinomas in Ethiopian women: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mona M Rashed

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Cancer of the cervix uteri is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. The association of human papillomavirus (HPV infection with cervical carcinogenesis is well documented. This is a pilot study aiming to studying the prevalence and the pattern of Human Papilloma Virus Type 16 (HPV16 by immunostaining in the tissues of cervical carcinomas of Ethiopian women. METHODS: 20 specimens of uterine cervical carcinomas were studied histopathologically and immunohistochemically for HPV16. RESULTS: Histologically the specimens were classified as: Ten cases were Non Keratinized Squamous cell carcinoma (NKSCC, six cases were Keratinized Squamous Cell Carcinoma (KSCC and four cases were Adenocarcinoma (ADC. Immunohistochemistry study showed positivity in eleven cases (55%; seven cases (35% were non-keratinized squamous cell carcinoma; three cases (15% were keratinized squamous cell carcinoma and one case (5% belonged to the adenocarcinomas. CONCLUSION: This study reveals a significant detection of HPV in Ethiopian women by the use of advanced techniques such as Immunohistochemistry (IHC. The data of this study suggested that the marked expression of the HPV 16 was in the less differentiated uterine cervix carcinomas

  16. Awareness, prevalence of hair smoothing products that contain formaldehyde and determinants of their harmful effects among women in Saudi Arabia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yara Nasser Hameed

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Individuals who use hair smoothing products at home or in a salon work environment are at risk of exposure to various chemical compounds. Formaldehyde mixed with keratin as a hair straightening product is in common use by women in Saudi Arabia. The high temperatures used during blow-drying can release gas fumes that have several implications to include irritation of the skin, eyes and respiratory complications. Furthermore, formaldehyde is classified as a known human carcinogen. The aim of this study is to assess the source of keratin hair treatment among women, demonstrate the symptoms related to formaldehyde exposure during keratin hair treatment process and determine the practices that can increase the exposure to formaldehyde and to evaluate the level of formaldehyde in the keratin hair treatment products. A national cross-sectional survey was first conducted during March-April 2017 on Saudi Arabian children and women aged between the age of 12 and 50 years old. A standardized, fully confidential questionnaire was provided to participating members. A total of 330 filled questionnaires were obtained within the study location. Moreover, 30 hair salons that used keratin-based products were visited in 3 different cities in Al Qassim province to check the location of keratin hair treatment, ventilation procedures and take samples of hair products that were later analyzed. Most commonly reported symptom was irritation of the eyes reported by 135 people. Other symptoms described include irritation of throat, burning sensation of the nose, headache and nausea. Argan e Ojon was one of the most famous product tested in this study with formaldehyde levels above 0.2% threshold (0.35%. It is worrying thatArgan e Ojon does not comply with GSO 1943 and SASO 1953 standards. A majority of salons demonstrated poor ventilation measures and failed to isolate their clients from the general public and salon workers. With the evident complications, more should be

  17. Keratoameloblastoma: Report of a rare variant with review of literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vineet Raj

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Ameloblastoma has intrigued clinicians as well as pathologists due to its diverse clinical behavior and histomorphologic presentations. Keratoameloblastoma is a rare histologic sub type, characterized by extensive keratin formation within ameloblastic epithelium, with only a handful number of cases described in the literature. Here, we report a case of this uncommon sub type of ameloblastoma in a young female patient presenting as an extensive lesion in mandibular ramus area. The radiological and fine needle aspiration findings suggested of a keratinizing cystic lesion and incisional biopsy showed features of ameloblastoma. Patient underwent segmental mandibulectomy and histological examination of excisional specimen revealed features of ameloblastoma with abundant keratinization leading to a diagnosis of keratoameloblastoma. The diagnostic pitfalls related with the lesion have been discussed along with a short review of the literature.

  18. Increase of forage dryness induces differentiated anatomical response in the sheep rumen compartments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scocco, Paola; Mercati, Francesca; Tardella, Federico Maria; Catorci, Andrea

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate how the Surface Enlargement Factor (SEF) and the epithelial keratinization degree of sheep rumen change in response to phytomass production, and to forage fiber and water content during the pasture vegetative cycle. The study used eighteen sheep nourished with dry hay and cereals during the winter season and with fresh hay during the pasture vegetative cycle. We collected samples from rumen indicative regions for two consecutive years characterized by different rainfall and pasture productivity values. We evaluated the densities (D) of rumen papillae to estimate the rumen SEF, and the keratinization percentage of the epithelial lining; these parameters showed differentiated modifications in the four ruminal analyzed compartments in response to pasture seasonal conditions. In addition, we performed Canonical Redundancy Analysis (RDA) on the "keratinization and SEF" matrix constrained by phytomass, water, and crude fiber contents of pasture at different time in the two considered years to highlight how rumen features answer to pasture conditions. Atrium (A) and ventral sac (VS) keratinization showed a strict positive correlation to crude fiber, while SEF of VS was positively related to phytomass and forage water content. The degree of keratinization of the rumen VS epithelium proved to be a useful parameter for evaluating anatomical variations in the short term period related to pasture features; in addition, its monitoring could be carried out through biopsy, thus avoiding the killing of animals. The study also leads to the application of the 3Rs (Replacement; Reduction; and Refinement). Microsc. Res. Tech. 79:738-743, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  19. Hertwig’s Epithelial Root Sheath Fate during Initial Cellular Cementogenesis in Rat Molars

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Tsuneyuki; Yamada, Tamaki; Yamamoto, Tomomaya; Hasegawa, Tomoka; Hongo, Hiromi; Oda, Kimimitsu; Amizuka, Norio

    2015-01-01

    To elucidate the fate of the epithelial root sheath during initial cellular cementogenesis, we examined developing maxillary first molars of rats by immunohistochemistry for keratin, vimentin, and tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNALP) and by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). The advancing root end was divided into three sections, which follow three distinct stages of initial cellular cementogenesis: section 1, where the epithelial sheath is intact; section 2, where the epithelial sheath becomes fragmented; and section 3, where initial cellular cementogenesis begins. After fragmentation of the epithelial sheath, many keratin-positive epithelial sheath cells were embedded in the rapidly growing cellular cementum. A few unembedded epithelial cells located on the cementum surface. Dental follicle cells, precementoblasts, and cementoblasts showed immunoreactivity for vimentin and TNALP. In all three sections, there were virtually no cells possessing double immunoreactivity for vimentin-keratin or TNALP-keratin and only embedded epithelial cells showed TUNEL reactivity. Taken together, these findings suggest that: (1) epithelial sheath cells divide into two groups; one group is embedded in the cementum and thereafter dies by apoptosis, and the other survives on the cementum surface as epithelial cell rests of Malassez; and (2) epithelial sheath cells do not undergo epithelial-mesenchymal transition during initial cellular cementogenesis

  20. Platelet-Released Growth Factors Induce Differentiation of Primary Keratinocytes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tohidnezhad, Mersedeh; Lammel, Justus; Lippross, Sebastian; Behrendt, Peter; Klüter, Tim; Pufe, Thomas; Jahr, Holger; Cremer, Jochen; Rademacher, Franziska; Gläser, Regine; Harder, Jürgen

    2017-01-01

    Autologous thrombocyte concentrate lysates, for example, platelet-released growth factors, (PRGFs) or their clinically related formulations (e.g., Vivostat PRF®) came recently into the physicians' focus as they revealed promising effects in regenerative and reparative medicine such as the support of healing of chronic wounds. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we analyzed the influence of PRGF and Vivostat PRF on human keratinocyte differentiation in vitro and on epidermal differentiation status of skin wounds in vivo. Therefore, we investigated the expression of early (keratin 1 and keratin 10) and late (transglutaminase-1 and involucrin) differentiation markers. PRGF treatment of primary human keratinocytes decreased keratin 1 and keratin 10 gene expression but induced involucrin and transglutaminase-1 gene expression in an epidermal growth factor receptor- (EGFR-) dependent manner. In concordance with these results, microscopic analyses revealed that PRGF-treated human keratinocytes displayed morphological features typical of keratinocytes undergoing terminal differentiation. In vivo treatment of artificial human wounds with Vivostat PRF revealed a significant induction of involucrin and transglutaminase-1 gene expression. Together, our results indicate that PRGF and Vivostat PRF induce terminal differentiation of primary human keratinocytes. This potential mechanism may contribute to the observed beneficial effects in the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds with autologous thrombocyte concentrate lysates in vivo. PMID:28808357

  1. Keratosis Pilaris Revisited: Is It More Than Just a Follicular Keratosis?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Mary; Khopkar, Uday Sharadchandra

    2012-01-01

    Background: Keratosis pilaris (KP) is characterized by keratinous plugs in the follicular orifices and varying degrees of perifollicular erythema. The most accepted theory of its pathogenesis proposes defective keratinization of the follicular epithelium resulting in a keratotic infundibular plug. We decided to test this hypothesis by doing dermoscopy of patients diagnosed clinically as keratosis pilaris. Materials and Methods: Patients with a clinical diagnosis of KP seen between September 2011 and December 2011 were included in the study. A clinical history was obtained and examination and dermoscopic evaluation were performed on the lesions of KP. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 6-38 years. Sixteen patients had history of atopy. Nine had concomitant ichthyosis vulgaris. All the 25 patients were found to have coiled hair shafts within the affected follicular infundibula. The hair shafts were extracted with the help of a sterile needle and were found to retain their coiled nature. Perifollicular erythema was seen in 11 patients; perifollicular scaling in 9. Conclusion: Based on our observations and previously documented histological data of KP, we infer that KP may not be a disorder of keratinization, but caused by the circular hair shaft which ruptures the follicular epithelium leading to inflammation and abnormal follicular keratinization. PMID:23766609

  2. Platelet-Released Growth Factors Induce Differentiation of Primary Keratinocytes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreas Bayer

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Autologous thrombocyte concentrate lysates, for example, platelet-released growth factors, (PRGFs or their clinically related formulations (e.g., Vivostat PRF® came recently into the physicians’ focus as they revealed promising effects in regenerative and reparative medicine such as the support of healing of chronic wounds. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we analyzed the influence of PRGF and Vivostat PRF on human keratinocyte differentiation in vitro and on epidermal differentiation status of skin wounds in vivo. Therefore, we investigated the expression of early (keratin 1 and keratin 10 and late (transglutaminase-1 and involucrin differentiation markers. PRGF treatment of primary human keratinocytes decreased keratin 1 and keratin 10 gene expression but induced involucrin and transglutaminase-1 gene expression in an epidermal growth factor receptor- (EGFR- dependent manner. In concordance with these results, microscopic analyses revealed that PRGF-treated human keratinocytes displayed morphological features typical of keratinocytes undergoing terminal differentiation. In vivo treatment of artificial human wounds with Vivostat PRF revealed a significant induction of involucrin and transglutaminase-1 gene expression. Together, our results indicate that PRGF and Vivostat PRF induce terminal differentiation of primary human keratinocytes. This potential mechanism may contribute to the observed beneficial effects in the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds with autologous thrombocyte concentrate lysates in vivo.

  3. What makes a feather shine? A nanostructural basis for glossy black colours in feathers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maia, Rafael; D'Alba, Liliana; Shawkey, Matthew D

    2011-07-07

    Colours in feathers are produced by pigments or by nanostructurally organized tissues that interact with light. One of the simplest nanostructures is a single layer of keratin overlying a linearly organized layer of melanosomes that create iridescent colours of feather barbules through thin-film interference. Recently, it has been hypothesized that glossy (i.e. high specular reflectance) black feathers may be evolutionarily intermediate between matte black and iridescent feathers, and thus have a smooth keratin layer that produces gloss, but not the layered organization of melanosomes needed for iridescence. However, the morphological bases of glossiness remain unknown. Here, we use a theoretical approach to generate predictions about morphological differences between matte and glossy feathers that we then empirically test. Thin-film models predicted that glossy spectra would result from a keratin layer 110-180 nm thick and a melanin layer greater than 115 nm thick. Transmission electron microscopy data show that nanostructure of glossy barbules falls well within that range, but that of matte barbules does not. Further, glossy barbules had a thinner and more regular keratin cortex, as well as a more continuous underlying melanin layer, than matte barbules. Thus, their quasi-ordered nanostructures are morphologically intermediate between matte black and iridescent feathers, and perceived gloss may be a form of weakly chromatic iridescence.

  4. Microbial keratinases: industrial enzymes with waste management potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Verma, Amit; Singh, Hukum; Anwar, Shahbaz; Chattopadhyay, Anirudha; Tiwari, Kapil K; Kaur, Surinder; Dhilon, Gurpreet Singh

    2017-06-01

    Proteases are ubiquitous enzymes that occur in various biological systems ranging from microorganisms to higher organisms. Microbial proteases are largely utilized in various established industrial processes. Despite their numerous industrial applications, they are not efficient in hydrolysis of recalcitrant, protein-rich keratinous wastes which result in environmental pollution and health hazards. This paved the way for the search of keratinolytic microorganisms having the ability to hydrolyze "hard to degrade" keratinous wastes. This new class of proteases is known as "keratinases". Due to their specificity, keratinases have an advantage over normal proteases and have replaced them in many industrial applications, such as nematicidal agents, nitrogenous fertilizer production from keratinous waste, animal feed and biofuel production. Keratinases have also replaced the normal proteases in the leather industry and detergent additive application due to their better performance. They have also been proved efficient in prion protein degradation. Above all, one of the major hurdles of enzyme industrial applications (cost effective production) can be achieved by using keratinous waste biomass, such as chicken feathers and hairs as fermentation substrate. Use of these low cost waste materials serves dual purposes: to reduce the fermentation cost for enzyme production as well as reducing the environmental waste load. The advent of keratinases has given new direction for waste management with industrial applications giving rise to green technology for sustainable development.

  5. Therapeutic efficacy of connective tissue autotransplants with periosteum and platelet rich plasma in the management of gingival recession

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jovičić Bojan

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aim. Gingival recession progression in clinical practaice has influenced the development of various surgical procedures and techniques for solving esthetic imperfections and subjective difficulties coused by gingival recession. The aim of this study was to verify efficacy of surgical procedures and to compare both of surgical procedures through the keratinized tissue width. Methods. The study included 20 teeth with gingival recesion, Müller class I and II. Ten teeth with gingival recession were treated with connective tissue autotransplants with periosteum in combination with coronary guided surgical flap (CTG group. On the contralateral side 10 teeth with gingival recession were treated with the same surgical procedures but in combination with platelet-rich plasma (CTGPRP group. We measured the keratinized tissue width. For statistical significance we used the Student's t-test. Results. The study reveled a statistical significance in reducing vertical deepress of recession by both used treatments. Root deepness in CTG and CTG-PRP group was 90% and 93.5%, respectively. With both surgical techniques we achieved larger zone of keratinized gingiva but with a wide zone of keratinized tissue in CTG - the PRP group. Conclusion. The concept regeneration technique with PRP and with the stimulating influence of platele activated growth factors results in the regeneration of deep periodontal tissue as an important prerequisite for the successful treatment of gingival recession.

  6. Osteoclastic giant cell tumor of the pancreas: an immunohistochemical study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dizon, M A; Multhaupt, H A; Paskin, D L

    1996-01-01

    A case of an osteoclastic giant cell tumor of the pancreas is presented. Immunohistochemical studies were performed, which showed keratin (CAM, AE1) and epithelial membrane antigen positivity in the tumor cells. The findings support an epithelial origin for this tumor.......A case of an osteoclastic giant cell tumor of the pancreas is presented. Immunohistochemical studies were performed, which showed keratin (CAM, AE1) and epithelial membrane antigen positivity in the tumor cells. The findings support an epithelial origin for this tumor....

  7. Decomposition of insoluble and hard-to-degrade animal proteins by enzyme E77 and its potential applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Hui; Mitsuiki, Shinji; Takasugi, Mikako; Sakai, Masashi; Goto, Masatoshi; Kanouchi, Hiroaki; Oka, Tatsuzo

    2012-04-01

    Insoluble and hard-to-degrade animal proteins are group of troublesome proteins, such as collagen, elastin, keratin, and prion proteins that are largely generated by the meat industry and ultimately converted to industrial wastes. We analyzed the ability of the abnormal prion protein-degrading enzyme E77 to degrade insoluble and hard-to-degrade animal proteins including keratin, collagen, and elastin. The results indicate that E77 has a much higher keratinolytic activity than proteinase K and subtilisin. Maximal E77 keratinolytic activity was observed at pH 12.0 and 65 °C. E77 was also adsorbed by keratin in a pH-independent manner. E77 showed lower collagenolytic and elastinolytic specificities than proteinase K and subtilisin. Moreover, E77 treatment did not damage collagens in ovine small intestines but did almost completely remove the muscles. We consider that E77 has the potential ability for application in the processing of animal feedstuffs and sausages.

  8. Wnt-10b promotes differentiation of skin epithelial cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouji, Yukiteru; Yoshikawa, Masahide; Shiroi, Akira; Ishizaka, Shigeaki

    2006-01-01

    To evaluate the role of Wnt-10b in epithelial differentiation, we investigated the effects of Wnt-10b on adult mouse-derived primary skin epithelial cells (MPSEC). Recombinant Wnt-10b protein (rWnt-10b) was prepared using a gene engineering technique and MPSEC were cultured in its presence, which resulted in morphological changes from cuboidal to spindle-shaped and inhibited their proliferation. Further, involvement of the canonical Wnt signal pathway was also observed. MPSEC treated with rWnt-10b showed characteristics of the hair shaft and inner root sheath of the hair follicle, in results of Ayoub Shklar staining and immunocytochemistry. Further, the cells expressed mRNA for differentiated epithelial cells, including keratin 1, keratin 2, loricrin, mHa5, and mHb5, in association with a decreased expression of the basal cell marker keratin 5. These results suggest that Wnt-10b promotes the differentiation of MPSEC

  9. FY 1998 report on the results of R and D projects by local consortiums for immediate effects. Effective industrial utilization of livestock and fish waste containing keratin and collagen using bio-recycling technology; 1998 nendo Bio recycling gijutsu ni yoru shigen junkangata sangyo no sozo seika hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-03-01

    The R and D project has been implemented for the bio-recycling technology, in order to produce the extracts and enzymatically hydrolyzed products from unutilized protein-containing resources, e.g., pig skin and fish scale. This paper summarizes the FY 1998 results. This project uses fish scale and pig skin containing collagen protein, and feather meal containing keratin protein, as the major feedstocks. High-molecular-weight collagen is extracted from the pig skin, and applied to production of cosmetics. It is concluded that the extract is safe to the human skin, and can be commercialized as a stock for cosmetics. A low-molecular-weight oligopeptide is produced from fish scale by enzymatic hydrolysis. It is concluded that the oligopeptide can be commercialized as a stock for health foods, because of its anti-radical activity and function of decreasing blood pressure. The R and D efforts are also directed to development of calcium apatite, recovered from the de-ashed liquid, as the Ca source for health foods, and development of peptide, recovered from feather meal by enzymatic hydrolysis, as a stock for foaming agent. (NEDO)

  10. Value-added products from chicken feather fiber and protein

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Xiuling

    Worldwide poultry consumption has generated a huge amount of feather "waste" annually. Currently, the feather has a low value-being used for animal feed in the world. The quality of fibrous air filters depend on their main component, fibers. The main physical structure of chicken feathers is barbs which can be used directly as fibers. They have small diameter, which makes them a good choice for air filtration. The main chemical structure of chicken feathers is structural fibrous protein, keratin. Therefore, chicken feathers could potentially be used for protein fiber production. To obtain chicken feather fibers, barbs were stripped from the quills by a stripping device and separated with a blender. Some feather fibers were entangled with polyester staple fibers, and needlepunched to form a nonwoven fabric. Some feather fibers were blended with CelBond(TM) bi-component polyester as binder fibers, and pressed between two hot plates to produce thermobonded nonwovens. Whole chicken feathers were ground into powder and their keratin was reduced in water. The reduced keratin was salt precipitated, dried and dissolved in ionic liquid with/without bleach cotton. The reduced chicken feather keratin ionic liquid solutions were spun into regenerated fibers through dry-jet wet spinning. The needlepunched and thermobonded nonwovens were tested for filtration and other properties. With an increase of areal density and feather fiber composition, the air permeability of the needlepunched nonwovens decreased, and their filtration efficiency and pressure drop both increased. The case can be made that feather fibers gave fabrics better filtration at the same fabric weight, but at the expense of air permeability and pressure drop. The scrim and needlepunching process improved the filtration efficiency. Their strength depended on scrim. The hot-press process was very simple. The thermobonded nonwovens had very high air permeability. In them, there was also an inverse relation between

  11. Edentulism, beaks, and biomechanical innovations in the evolution of theropod dinosaurs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lautenschlager, Stephan; Witmer, Lawrence M; Altangerel, Perle; Rayfield, Emily J

    2013-12-17

    Maniraptoriformes, the speciose group of derived theropod dinosaurs that ultimately gave rise to modern birds, display a diverse and remarkable suite of skeletal adaptations. Apart from the evolution of flight, a large-scale change in dietary behavior appears to have been one of the main triggers for specializations in the bauplan of these derived theropods. Among the different skeletal specializations, partial or even complete edentulism and the development of keratinous beaks form a recurring and persistent trend in from the evolution of derived nonavian dinosaurs. Therizinosauria is an enigmatic maniraptoriform clade, whose members display these and other osteological characters thought to be correlated with the shift from carnivory to herbivory. This makes therizinosaurians prime candidates to assess the functional significance of these morphological characters. Based on a highly detailed biomechanical model of Erlikosaurus andrewsi, a therizinosaurid from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia, different morphological configurations incorporating soft-tissue structures, such as a keratinous rhamphotheca, are evaluated for their biomechanical performance. Our results indicate that the development of beaks and the presence of a keratinous rhamphotheca would have helped to dissipate stress and strain, making the rostral part of the skull less susceptible to bending and displacement, and this benefit may extend to other vertebrate clades that possess rhamphothecae. Keratinous beaks, paralleled by edentulism, thus represent an evolutionary innovation developed early in derived theropods to enhance cranial stability, distinct to postulated mass-saving benefits associated with the origin of flight.

  12. Computed tomography (CT) of cervical lymph nodes in patients with oral cancer. Comparison of low-attenuation areas in lymph nodes on CT images with pathological findings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fukunari, Fumiko; Okamura, Kazuhiko; Yuasa, Kenji; Kagawa, Toyohiro; Zeze, Ryousuke

    2008-01-01

    The objective of this study was to clarify the histopathological features of low-attenuation areas in computed tomography (CT) images of cervical metastatic and benign lymph nodes in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). CT images of 230 lymph nodes from 37 patients with oral SCC were classified into four categories and compared with histopathological findings. Metastatic lymph nodes were evaluated in terms of focal necrosis, keratinization, fibrous tissue, and the proportion of the lymph node showing focal necrosis. Benign lymph nodes were evaluated in terms of adipose tissue, follicular hyperplasia, sinus histiocytosis, hyperemia, focal hemorrhaging, and the amount of adipose tissue. Histopathologically, all 13 metastatic lymph nodes with rim enhancement on CT images included focal necrosis. However, most of the lymph nodes showed no focal necrosis. In addition, tumor cells, keratinization, and fibrous tissue were observed in the lymph nodes. Of the 26 metastatic lymph nodes with a heterogeneous appearance on CT images, four did not show focal necrosis. These lymph nodes showed keratinization or accumulation of lymph fluid. Histopathologically, 20 of 24 benign lymph nodes with a heterogeneous appearance on CT images (83.3%) had accompanying adipose tissue. Focal necrosis was the most important factor contributing to low attenuation in metastatic lymph nodes. However, other factors, such as tumor cells, keratinization, fibrous tissue, and accumulation of lymph fluid, also contributed. In benign lymph nodes, the presence of adipose tissue was a contributing factor in low-attenuation areas, as was focal hemorrhaging. (author)

  13. Studies on topical antiperspirant control of axillary hyperhidrosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shelley, W B; Hurley, H J

    1975-01-01

    Axillary hyperhidrotics is reviewed from the standpoint of anatomical factors, physiological mechanisms and the history of methods of control. Anhydrous aluminum chloride and anhydrous zirconium tetrachloride are shown to be superior topical agents for partial control of axillary sweating when applied as a powder or in anhydrous nonreactive vehicles. Complete anhidrosis as demonstrated by sustained garment armpit dryness could be achieved in hyperhidrotics within 48 hours by the following trinary antiperspirant system: (1) a saturated solution of aluminum chloride hexahydrate or zirconyl chloride in absolute ethanol or isopropyl alcohol, (2) application to the dry axilla at times of sleep or other prolonged non-sweating period, (3) water vapor occlusion of area for 6 to 8 hours by means of Saran wrap. The hypothesis is presented that metallic antiperspirants act by reflux entrance into the terminal intraepidermal eccrine duct, slowly combining with the intraductal keratin, to produce a fibrillar contraction (super contraction) of keratin and hence functional closure, not histologically evident. This altered keratin is shed weeks later, with the consequent return of ductal patency and sweating.

  14. Hide unhairing and characterization of commercial enzymes used in leather manufacture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Dettmer

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available The enzymatic treatment of hides in tannery processes is a promising technology. However, the reaction kinetics of commercial enzymes available to the leather industry are not fully understood and their activities have been mainly determined with model proteins such as casein as substrate, which are not of direct relevance for cattle hides. Therefore, it is important to determine their activities on collagen and keratin, the main proteins of skin, in order to use these enzymes in leather processing. This work describes the study of five proteases, used commercially in tanneries, to assess their ability to act upon collagen and keratin and to determine their unhairing. Results showed that all commercial enzymes tested had more activity on collagen than on keratin. Unhairing was also tested and four out of the five enzymes tested showed some unhairing activity. Optima of the temperature and pH of the enzymes were very similar for all five enzymes, with maximal activities around 55ºC and pH 9 to 12, respectively.

  15. Soluble scute proteins of healthy and ill desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Homer, B.L.; Li, C.; Berry, K.H.; Denslow, N.D.; Jacobson, E.R.; Sawyer, R.H.; Williams, J.E.

    2001-01-01

    Objectives - To characterize protein composition of shell scute of desert tortoises and to determine whether detectable differences could be used to identify healthy tortoises from tortoises with certain illnesses. Animals - 20 desert tortoises. Procedures - Complete postmortem examinations were performed on all tortoises. Plastron scute proteins were solubilized, scute proteins were separated by use of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and proteins were analyzed, using densitometry. Two-dimensional immobilized pH gradient-PAGE (2D IPG-PAGE) and immunoblot analysis, using polyclonal antisera to chicken-feather ?? keratin and to alligator-scale ?? keratin, were conducted on representative samples. The 14-kd proteins were analyzed for amino acid composition. Results - The SDS-PAGE and densitometry revealed 7 distinct bands, each with a mean relative protein concentration of > 1 %, ranging from 8 to 47 kd, and a major protein component of approximately 14 kd that constituted up to 75% of the scute protein. The 2D IPG-PAGE revealed additional distinct 62-and 68-kd protein bands. On immunoblot analysis, the 14-, 32-, and 45-kd proteins reacted with both antisera. The 14-kd proteins had an amino acid composition similar to that of chicken ?? keratins. There was a substantial difference in the percentage of the major 14-kd proteins from scute of ill tortoises with normal appearing shells, compared with 14-kd proteins of healthy tortoises. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance - The major protein components of shell scute of desert tortoises have amino acid composition and antigenic features of ?? keratins. Scute protein composition may be altered in tortoises with certain systemic illnesses.

  16. p62/Sequestosome-1 Is Indispensable for Maturation and Stabilization of Mallory-Denk Bodies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pooja Lahiri

    Full Text Available Mallory-Denk bodies (MDBs are hepatocytic protein aggregates found in steatohepatitis and several other chronic liver diseases as well as hepatocellular carcinoma. MDBs are mainly composed of phosphorylated keratins and stress protein p62/Sequestosome-1 (p62, which is a common component of cytoplasmic aggregates in a variety of protein aggregation diseases. In contrast to the well-established role of keratins, the role of p62 in MDB pathogenesis is still elusive. We have generated total and hepatocyte-specific p62 knockout mice, fed them with 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC to induce MDBs and allowed the mice to recover from DDC intoxication on a standard diet to investigate the role of p62 in MDB formation and elimination. In the absence of p62, smaller, granular and less distinct MDBs appeared, which failed to mature to larger and compact inclusions. Moreover, p62 deficiency impaired the binding of other proteins such as NBR1 and Hsp25 to MDBs and altered the cellular defense mechanism by downregulation of Nrf2 target genes. Upon recovery from DDC intoxication on a standard diet, there was an enhanced reduction of p62-deficient MDBs, which was accompanied by a pronounced decrease in ubiquitinated proteins. Our data provide strong evidence that keratin aggregation is the initial step in MDB formation in steatohepatitis-related mouse models. Interaction of p62 with keratin aggregates then leads to maturation i.e., enlargement and stabilization of the MDBs as well as recruitment of other MDB-associated proteins.

  17. Evaluation of several immunohistochemical markers in malignant mesothelioma and pulmonary adenocarcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Xiaoguang

    1992-01-01

    The role of CEA, keratin, vimentin and secretary component (SC) in the diagnosis of malignant mesothelioma (MM) and pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PA) was evaluated by immunohistochemical method. 30 and 22 PA exhibited positive reactions for CEA and SC respectively. In contrast, all MM (8 cases) failed to stain for CEA and SC. We conclude that use of anti-keratin serum can not provide a help for the differential diagnosis of MM and PA. Positive reaction for CEA and SC favours a diagnosis of PA, while positive staining for vimentin but negative for CEA and SC favours the diagnosis of MM

  18. Production of lung cancer in mice by inhalation exposure to influenza virus and aerosols of hydrocarbons

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kotin, P; Wiseley, D V

    1963-01-01

    1800 C57 (tumor-resistant) mice were exposed in chambers to washed air, repeated influenza virus, artificial smog with 1 to 2 ppM oxidant (ozonized gasoline), or a combination of smog and influenza. Squamous lesions were produced in flu (11) and flu plus smog (33) groups but not in control or smog only groups. The flu only lesions did not show keratinization, pleomorphism and atypical mitoses, or vascular or lymphatic invasion as did lesions in flu + smog. Use of proliferative stimulus plus carcinogenic hydrocarbon resulted in keratinizing metaplasia and squamous cell carcinoma not previously produced by other inhalation techniques.

  19. X-linked ichthyosis along with epidermolysis bullosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shambulingappa Pallagatti

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Ichthyoses are a heterogenous group of hereditary keratinization disorders that share in common the accumulation & shedding of large amounts of hyperkeratotic epidermis.Early reports of ichthyosis in the Indian and Chinese literature date back to several hundred years. X-linked recessive ichthyosis (XLI is a common disorder of keratinization and affects males who inherit an X-chromosome having a steroid sulphatase genetic mutation.In the present communication we report a case of XLI and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa in the same patient. To the best of our knowledge it has been reported only once before.

  20. Down-regulation of Pax6 is associated with abnormal differentiation of corneal epithelial cells in severe ocular surface diseases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, W; Chen, Y-T; Hayashida, Y; Blanco, G; Kheirkah, A; He, H; Chen, S-Y; Liu, C-Y; Tseng, SCG

    2010-01-01

    Pax6 is the universal master control gene for eye morphogenesis. Other than retina and lens, Pax6 also expressed in the ocular surface epithelium from early gestation until the postnatal stage, in which little is known about the function of Pax6. In this study, corneal pannus tissues from patients with ocular surface diseases such as Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS), chemical burn, aniridia and recurrent pterygium were investigated. Our results showed that normal ocular surface epithelial cells expressed Pax6. However, corneal pannus epithelial cells from the above patients showed a decline or absence of Pax6 expression, accompanied by a decline or absence of K12 keratin but an increase of K10 keratin and filaggrin expression. Pannus basal epithelial cells maintained nuclear p63 expression and showed activated proliferation, evidenced by positive Ki67 and K16 keratin staining. On 3T3 fibroblast feeder layers, Pax6 immunostaining was negative in clones generated from epithelial cells harvested from corneal pannus from SJS or aniridia, but positive in those from the normal limbal epithelium; whereas western blots showed that some epithelial clones expanded from pannus retained Pax6 expression. Transient transfection of an adenoviral vector carrying EGFP–Pax6 transgenes into these Pax6− clones increased both Pax6 and K12 keratin expression. These results indicate that Pax6 helps to maintain the normal corneal epithelial phenotype postnatally, and that down-regulation of Pax6 is associated with abnormal epidermal differentiation in severe ocular surface diseases. Reintroduction of activation of the Pax6 gene might be useful in treating squamous metaplasia of the ocular surface epithelium. PMID:18027901

  1. Rare human papillomavirus 16 E6 variants reveal significant oncogenic potential

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tommasino Massimo

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to determine whether low prevalence human papillomavirus (HPV 16 E6 variants differ from high prevalence types in their functional abilities. We evaluated functions relevant to carcinogenesis for the rarely-detected European variants R8Q, R10G and R48W as compared to the commonly detected L83V. Human immortalized keratinocytes (NIKS stably transduced with the E6 variants were used in most functional assays. Low and high prevalence E6 variants displayed similar abilities in abrogation of growth arrest and inhibition of p53 elevation induced by actinomycin D. Differences were detected in the abilities to dysregulate stratification and differentiation of NIKS in organotypic raft cultures, modulate detachment induced apoptosis (anoikis and hyperactivate Wnt signaling. No distinctive phenotype could be assigned to include all rare variants. Like L83V, raft cultures derived from variants R10G and R48W similarly induced hyperplasia and aberrantly expressed keratin 5 in the suprabasal compartment with significantly lower expression of keratin 10. Unlike L83V, both variants, and particularly R48W, induced increased levels of anoikis upon suspension in semisolid medium. R8Q induced a unique phenotype characterized by thin organotypic raft cultures, low expression of keratin 10, and high expression of keratins 5 and 14 throughout all raft layers. Interestingly, in a reporter based assay R8Q exhibited a higher ability to augment TCF/β-catenin transcription. The data suggests that differences in E6 variant prevalence in cervical carcinoma may not be related to the carcinogenic potential of the E6 protein.

  2. Human gingival fibroblasts culture in an autologous scaffold and assessing its effect on augmentation of attached gingiva in a pilot clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moien Aramoon

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND AIM: An important goal of periodontal plastic surgery is the creation of attached gingiva around the teeth. In this study, the aims were to culture gingival fibroblasts in a biodegradable scaffold and measure the width of attached gingiva after the clinical procedure. METHODS: This study was carried out on 4 patients (8 sites, with inadequate attached gingiva next to at least two teeth in contralateral quadrants of the same jaw. A biopsy of attached gingiva (epithelial + connective tissue was taken using a surgical blade. Following culture of gingival fibroblasts, 250 × 103 cells in 250 µl nutritional medium were mixed with platelet-rich in growth factor (PRGF. Periosteal fenestration technique was done on one side (control and tissue-engineered mucosal graft (test was carried out on the contralateral side in each patient. The width of keratinized tissue, probing depth (PD and width of attached gingiva were recorded at baseline and 3 months after the operation. RESULTS: An increased width of keratinized and attached tissue on all operated sites after 3 months was observed. These results showed the increased mean of the width of keratinized and attached gingiva to be 4.17 mm and 4.14 mm in test and 1.10 mm and 1.10 mm in control sites, respectively. The difference of keratinized and attached gingiva width between test and control sites was significant (P = 0.030, and P = 0.010 respectively. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, PRGF can be used as a scaffold to transfer gingival fibroblasts to recipient sites with significant clinical results.

  3. Structure and mechanical behavior of a toucan beak

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seki, Yasuaki; Schneider, Matthew S.; Meyers, Marc A.

    2005-01-01

    The toucan beak, which comprises one third of the length of the bird and yet only about 1/20th of its mass, has outstanding stiffness. The structure of a Toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) beak was found to be a sandwich composite with an exterior of keratin and a fibrous network of closed cells made of calcium-rich proteins. The keratin layer is comprised of superposed hexagonal scales (50 μm diameter and 1 μm thickness) glued together. Its tensile strength is about 50 MPa and Young's modulus is 1.4 GPa. Micro and nanoindentation hardness measurements corroborate these values. The keratin shell exhibits a strain-rate sensitivity with a transition from slippage of the scales due to release of the organic glue, at a low strain rate (5 x 10 -5 /s) to fracture of the scales at a higher strain rate (1.5 x 10 -3 /s). The closed-cell foam is comprised of fibers having a Young's modulus twice as high as the keratin shells due to their higher calcium content. The compressive response of the foam was modeled by the Gibson-Ashby constitutive equations for open and closed-cell foam. There is a synergistic effect between foam and shell evidenced by experiments and analysis establishing the separate responses of shell, foam, and foam + shell. The stability analysis developed by Karam and Gibson, assuming an idealized circular cross section, was applied to the beak. It shows that the foam stabilizes the deformation of the beak by providing an elastic foundation which increases its Brazier and buckling load under flexure loading

  4. Improved online δ18O measurements of nitrogen- and sulfur-bearing organic materials and a proposed analytical protocol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, H.; Coplen, T.B.; Wassenaar, L.I.

    2011-01-01

    It is well known that N2 in the ion source of a mass spectrometer interferes with the CO background during the δ18O measurement of carbon monoxide. A similar problem arises with the high-temperature conversion (HTC) analysis of nitrogenous O-bearing samples (e.g. nitrates and keratins) to CO for δ18O measurement, where the sample introduces a significant N2 peak before the CO peak, making determination of accurate oxygen isotope ratios difficult. Although using a gas chromatography (GC) column longer than that commonly provided by manufacturers (0.6 m) can improve the efficiency of separation of CO and N2 and using a valve to divert nitrogen and prevent it from entering the ion source of a mass spectrometer improved measurement results, biased δ18O values could still be obtained. A careful evaluation of the performance of the GC separation column was carried out. With optimal GC columns, the δ18O reproducibility of human hair keratins and other keratin materials was better than ±0.15 ‰ (n = 5; for the internal analytical reproducibility), and better than ±0.10 ‰ (n = 4; for the external analytical reproducibility).

  5. Evaluation of alteration in mucogingival line location following use of subepithelial connective tissue graft

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saber Fariba

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim and Objective : The aim of this study is to evaluate the positional changes that occur in mucogingival line following the use of subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG. Materials and Methods : In 19 Miller class I or II gingival recession defects, distance between mucogingival line (MGL and cemento-enamel junction, also width of keratinized and attached gingiva, and clinical attachment level were measured. SCTG were used for covering the exposed roots. A fore mentioned parameters were repeated at 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and alterations were measured. Paired t test was used to analyze the results. Results : MGL had been moved in coronal direction (4.39 ± 0.77 mm on average during surgical approach. After 1 year, MGL shifted 2.11 ± 0.7 mm apically. In accordance with this apical shift, a significant increase in the width of keratinized and attached gingival width (2.89 ± 0.63 mm and 2.82 ± 0.5 mm, respectively was seen (P < 0.05. Conclusion : MGL tended to revert back to its original position following the use of SCTG, and this reversion is accompanied with an increase in the keratinized and attached gingival width.

  6. An autopsy case of right ventricular cardiac metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the left hand

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    T. Kondo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available We here report a 60-year-old woman in whom autopsy revealed a metastasis in the right cardiac ventricle from a well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC of the left hand. The tumors in the myocardium and left hand were both well-differentiated SCCs with keratinization and sporadic keratin pearls. High concentrations of heart failure markers together with a pericardial effusion suggested antemortem chronic heart failure. Our case is particularly unusual because there were no regional lymph node metastases and the cardiac metastasis was not one of multiple metastases; thus, hematogenous metastasis to the right side of the heart alone had occurred.

  7. Preparation of highly and generally enriched mammalian tissues for solid state NMR

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wong, Veronica Wai Ching; Reid, David G.; Chow, Wing Ying; Rajan, Rakesh [University of Cambridge, Department of Chemistry (United Kingdom); Green, Maggie [University of Cambridge, Central Biomedical Resources, School of Clinical Medicine (United Kingdom); Brooks, Roger A. [University of Cambridge, Department of Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, Addenbrooke’s Hospital (United Kingdom); Duer, Melinda J., E-mail: mjd13@cam.ac.uk [University of Cambridge, Department of Chemistry (United Kingdom)

    2015-10-15

    An appreciable level of isotope labelling is essential for future NMR structure elucidation of mammalian biomaterials, which are either poorly expressed, or unexpressable, using micro-organisms. We present a detailed protocol for high level {sup 13}C enrichment even in slow turnover murine biomaterials (fur keratin), using a customized diet supplemented with commercial labelled algal hydrolysate and formulated as a gel to minimize wastage, which female mice consumed during pregnancy and lactation. This procedure produced approximately eightfold higher fur keratin labelling in pups, exposed in utero and throughout life to label, than in adults exposed for the same period, showing both the effectiveness, and necessity, of this approach.

  8. Biochemical and Cytological Comparison of Keratocystic Odontogenic Tumours to Nonkeratinising Odontogenic Cysts Fluid.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patidar, Madhvika; Shetty, Pushparaj; Patidar, Nitesh; Mittal, Sugandh; Singh, Hanspal; Chethna

    2015-07-01

    To evaluate the levels of albumin, prealbumin, total protein, inorganic phosphate and presence of keratinocytes in the cystic fluid for the diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning of keratocystic odontogenic tumours and other non keratinizing odontogenic cysts. Fifteen keratocystic odontogenic tumour and 15 controls were studied. The cystic fluid was aspirated and analysed to determine the levels of albumin, prealbumin, total protein, inorganic phosphate and the presence of keratinocytes. The data collected was statistically evaluated using Mann Whitney U-Test and Student's t-test. A highly significant difference (pkeratocystic odontogenic tumour and non keratinizing odontogenic cysts. The presence of albumin also showed a significant difference (pkeratocystic odontogenic tumour in a minimally invasive and highly accurate fashion.

  9. Serial cultivation of human scalp hair follicle keratinocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weterings, P J; Roelofs, H M; Vermorken, A J; Bloemendal, H

    1983-01-01

    A method is described for the serial cultivation of adult human hair follicle keratinocytes. Plucked scalp hair follicles, placed on bovine eye lens capsules as a growth substrate, give rise to quickly expanding colonies within a few days. After trypsinization, the cells are replated with irradiated 3T3 cells as 'feeders'. Using this combination of techniques the keratinocytes can be subcultured up to four times. In this way about 10(7) keratinocytes can be generated from one single hair follicle. Moreover, the technique enables cryogenic storage of the cells, allowing for instance, convenient transportation. Subcultured hair follicle keratinocytes can be plated on glass coverslips. This allows immunofluorescence studies. The keratin cytoskeletons visualized using an antiserum against human keratin.

  10. Proteomics of a new esophageal cancer cell line established from Persian patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moghanibashi, Mehdi; Jazii, Ferdous Rastgar; Soheili, Zahra-Soheila; Zare, Maryam; Karkhane, Aliasghar; Parivar, Kazem; Mohamadynejad, Parisa

    2012-05-25

    Although the highest incidence of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) has repeatedly been reported from Persia (Iran), nevertheless the so far proteomic published reports were limited to one study on tissue specimens. Here we report the proteome of a newly established cell line from Persian ESCC patients and compare it with the normal primary cell proteome. Among polypeptides, whose expression was different in cell line sixteen polypeptides were identified by MALDI/TOF/TOF spectrometry. S100-A8 protein, annexin A1, annexin A2, regulatory subunit of calpain, subunit alpha type-3 of proteasome and glutamate dehydrogenase 1 were proteins down-regulated in cell line while peroxiredoxin-5, non-muscle myosin light polypeptide 6, keratin 1, annexin A4, keratin 8, tropomyosin 3, stress-induced-phosphoprotein 1 and albumin were found to be subject of up-regulation in cell line compared to the primary normal cells. The proteomic results were further verified by western blotting and RT-PCR on annexin A1 and keratin 8. In addition, among the aforementioned proteins, glutamate dehydrogenase 1, regulatory subunit of calpain, subunit alpha of type-3 proteasome and annexin A4 are proteins whose deregulation in ESCC is reported for the first time by this study. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Toucan and hornbill beaks: a comparative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seki, Yasuaki; Bodde, Sara G; Meyers, Marc A

    2010-02-01

    The structure and mechanical behavior of Toco Toucan (Ramphastos toco) and Wreathed Hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus) beaks were compared. The beak of both species is a sandwich-structured composite, having an exterior, or rhamphotheca, consisting of multiple layers of keratin scales and a core composed of a fibrous network of bony closed-cell foam. The rhamphotheca is an arrangement of approximately 50microm diameter, overlapping, keratin tiles. The hornbill rhamphotheca exhibits a surface morphology on the ridged casque that is distinguishable from that observed on the bill proper. Intermediate filaments in the keratin matrix were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The Young's modulus measurements of toucan rhamphotheca indicate isotropy in longitudinal and transverse directions, whereas those of hornbill rhamphotheca may suggest anisotropy. The compressive response of beak foam is governed by brittle crushing behavior. The crushing strength of hornbill foam is six times higher than that of toucan foam. Micro- and nanoindentation hardness values were measured for rhamphotheca and foam trabeculae of toucan and hornbill specimens. The sandwich design of beaks was analyzed using the Karam-Gibson and Dawson-Gibson models. The presence of a cellular core increases the bending resistance (Brazier moment) by a factor of 3-6 while decreasing the compressive strength by only 50%.

  12. Structure and mechanical behavior of bird beaks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seki, Yasuaki

    The structure and mechanical behavior of Toco toucan (Ramphastos toco) and Wreathed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus) beaks were examined. The structure of Toco toucan and Wreathed hornbill beak was found to be a sandwich composite with an exterior of keratin and a fibrous bony network of closed cells made of trabeculae. A distinctive feature of the hornbill beak is its casque formed from cornified keratin layers. The casque is believed to have an acoustic function due to the complex internal structure. The toucan and hornbill beaks have a hollow region that extends from proximal to mid-section. The rhamphotheca is comprised of super-posed polygonal scales (45 mum diameter and 1 mum thickness) fixed by some organic adhesive. The branched intermediate filaments embedded in keratin matrix were discovered by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The diameter of intermediate laments was ~10 nm. The orientation of intermediate filaments was examined with TEM tomography and the branched filaments were homogeneously distributed. The closed-cell foam is comprised of the fibrous structure of bony struts with an edge connectivity of three or four and the cells are sealed off by the thin membranes. The volumetric structure of bird beak foam was reproduced by computed tomography for finite element modeling.

  13. Effects of humidity on the mechanical properties of gecko setae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prowse, Michael S; Wilkinson, Matt; Puthoff, Jonathan B; Mayer, George; Autumn, Kellar

    2011-02-01

    We tested the hypothesis that an increase in relative humidity (RH) causes changes in the mechanical properties of the keratin of adhesive gecko foot hairs (setae). We measured the effect of RH on the tensile deformation properties, fracture, and dynamic mechanical response of single isolated tokay gecko setae and strips of the smooth lamellar epidermal layer. The mechanical properties of gecko setae were strongly affected by RH. The complex elastic modulus (measured at 5 Hz) of a single seta at 80% RH was 1.2 GPa, only 39% of the value when dry. An increase in RH reduced the stiffness and increased the strain to failure. The loss tangent increased significantly with humidity, suggesting that water absorption produces a transition to a more viscous type of deformation. The influence of RH on the properties of the smooth epidermal layer was comparable with that of isolated seta, with the exception of stress at rupture. These values were two to four times greater for the setae than for the smooth layer. The changes in mechanical properties of setal keratin were consistent with previously reported increases in contact forces, supporting the hypothesis that an increase in RH softens setal keratin, which increases adhesion and friction. Copyright © 2010 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Bioplastics from feather quill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ullah, Aman; Vasanthan, Thavaratnam; Bressler, David; Elias, Anastasia L; Wu, Jianping

    2011-10-10

    Poultry feather quills have been extruded in a twin screw extruder with sodium sulfite treatment as a reducing agent. The effect of four different plasticizers (ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, glycerol, and diethyl tartrate) on the thermoplastic properties was then investigated. Conformational changes and plasticizer-protein interactions in the extruded resins were assessed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while viscoelastic behavior of the quill keratin plasticized with different plasticizers was investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to determine the effect of different plasticizers on protein denaturation. Thermal degradation patterns of the extrudates were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of plasticizers on the mechanical properties of resins was also assessed by tensile strength measurements. Results indicated that ethylene glycol was able to interact more effectively with quill keratin at the molecular level, exhibiting only one sharp glass transition, better mechanical properties, and higher transparency compared to other plasticized resins. The two phases found in glycerol plasticized material were attributed to glycerol-rich and protein-rich zones. Propylene glycol and diethyl tartrate exhibited lower H-bonding interactions and showed wide transition regions in DMA profiles during heating, suggesting weak and heterogeneous interactions between quill keratin and these plasticizers.

  15. Imaging-guided two-photon excitation-emission-matrix measurements of human skin tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yingqiu; Lee, Anthony M. D.; Wang, Hequn; Tang, Shuo; Zhao, Jianhua; Lui, Harvey; Zeng, Haishan

    2012-07-01

    There are increased interests on using multiphoton imaging and spectroscopy for skin tissue characterization and diagnosis. However, most studies have been done with just a few excitation wavelengths. Our objective is to perform a systematic study of the two-photon fluorescence (TPF) properties of skin fluorophores, normal skin, and diseased skin tissues. A nonlinear excitation-emission-matrix (EEM) spectroscopy system with multiphoton imaging guidance was constructed. A tunable femtosecond laser was used to vary excitation wavelengths from 730 to 920 nm for EEM data acquisition. EEM measurements were performed on excised fresh normal skin tissues, seborrheic keratosis tissue samples, and skin fluorophores including: NADH, FAD, keratin, melanin, collagen, and elastin. We found that in the stratum corneum and upper epidermis of normal skin, the cells have large sizes and the TPF originates from keratin. In the lower epidermis, cells are smaller and TPF is dominated by NADH contributions. In the dermis, TPF is dominated by elastin components. The depth resolved EEM measurements also demonstrated that keratin structure has intruded into the middle sublayers of the epidermal part of the seborrheic keratosis lesion. These results suggest that the imaging guided TPF EEM spectroscopy provides useful information for the development of multiphoton clinical devices for skin disease diagnosis.

  16. Skin hydration: interplay between molecular dynamics, structure and water uptake in the stratum corneum.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mojumdar, Enamul Haque; Pham, Quoc Dat; Topgaard, Daniel; Sparr, Emma

    2017-11-16

    Hydration is a key aspect of the skin that influences its physical and mechanical properties. Here, we investigate the interplay between molecular and macroscopic properties of the outer skin layer - the stratum corneum (SC) and how this varies with hydration. It is shown that hydration leads to changes in the molecular arrangement of the peptides in the keratin filaments as well as dynamics of C-H bond reorientation of amino acids in the protruding terminals of keratin protein within the SC. The changes in molecular structure and dynamics occur at a threshold hydration corresponding to ca. 85% relative humidity (RH). The abrupt changes in SC molecular properties coincide with changes in SC macroscopic swelling properties as well as mechanical properties in the SC. The flexible terminals at the solid keratin filaments can be compared to flexible polymer brushes in colloidal systems, creating long-range repulsion and extensive swelling in water. We further show that the addition of urea to the SC at reduced RH leads to similar molecular and macroscopic responses as the increase in RH for SC without urea. The findings provide new molecular insights to deepen the understanding of how intermediate filament organization responds to changes in the surrounding environment.

  17. Oral Lesions Induced by Chronic Khat Use Consist Essentially of Thickened Hyperkeratinized Epithelium

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ochiba Mohammed Lukandu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Objectives. The habit of khat chewing is prevalent in many Middle Eastern and African cultures and has been associated with various adverse conditions in humans. This study aimed to describe histological changes induced by chronic khat chewing on the buccal mucosa. Methods. Biopsies of the buccal mucosa from 14 chronic khat chewers, 20 chronic khat chewers who also smoked tobacco, and 8 nonchewers were compared for epithelial thickness, degree and type of keratinization, and connective tissue changes. Results. Tissues from khat chewers depicted abnormal keratinization of the superficial cell layer and showed increased epithelial thickness affecting all layers. Epithelial thickness in control samples was 205 ± 26 μm whereas thickness in khat chewers and khat chewers who smoked tobacco was significantly higher measuring 330 ± 35 μm and 335 ± 19 μm, respectively. Tissues from khat chewers also showed increased intracellular edema, increased melanin pigment deposits, and increased number of rete pegs most of which were thin and deep. Conclusions. These results show that oral lesions induced by chronic chewing of khat in the buccal mucosa present with white and brown discoloration due to increased epithelial thickness, increased keratinization, and melanin deposition.

  18. Hierarchical structure and mechanical properties of snake (Naja atra) and turtle (Ocadia sinensis) eggshells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yin; Chen, Po-Yu

    2016-02-01

    After hundreds of million years of evolution, natural armors have evolved in various organisms, and has manifested in diverse forms such as eggshells, abalone shells, alligator osteoderms, turtle shells, and fish scales. Eggshells serve as multifunctional shields for successful embryogenesis, such as protection, moisture control and thermal regulation. Unlike calcareous avian eggshells which are brittle and hard, reptilians have leathery eggshells that are tough and flexible. Reptilian eggshells can withstand collision damages when laid in holes and dropped onto each other, and reduce abrasion caused by buried sand. In this study, we investigate structure and mechanical properties of eggshells of Taiwan cobra snake (Naja atra) and Chinese striped-neck turtle (Ocadia sinensis). From Acid Fuchsin Orange G (AFOG) staining and ATR-FTIR examination, we found that both eggshells are mainly composed of keratin. The mechanical properties of demineralized snake and turtle eggshells were evaluated by tensile and fracture tests and show distinctly difference. Turtle eggshells are relatively stiff and rigid, while snake eggshells behave as elastomers, which are highly extensible and reversible. The exceptional deformability (110-230% tensile strain) and toughness of snake eggshells are contributed by the wavy and random arrangement of keratin fibers as well as collagen layers. Multi-scale toughening mechanisms of snake eggshells were observed and elucidated, including crack deflection and twisting, fibers reorientation, sliding and bridging, inter-laminar shear effect, as well as the α-β phase transition of keratin. Inspirations from the structural and mechanical designs of reptilian eggshells may lead to the synthesis of tough, extensible, lightweight composites which could be further applied in the flexible devices, packaging and bio-medical fields. Amniotic eggshells serve as multifunctional shields for successful embryogenesis. The avian eggshells have been extensively

  19. Transgenic rats overexpressing the human MrgX3 gene show cataracts and an abnormal skin phenotype

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaisho, Yoshihiko; Watanabe, Takuya; Nakata, Mitsugu; Yano, Takashi; Yasuhara, Yoshitaka; Shimakawa, Kozo; Mori, Ikuo; Sakura, Yasufumi; Terao, Yasuko; Matsui, Hideki; Taketomi, Shigehisa

    2005-01-01

    The human MrgX3 gene, belonging to the mrgs/SNSRs (mass related genes/sensory neuron specific receptors) family, was overexpressed in transgenic rats using the actin promoter. Two animal lines showed cataracts with liquification/degeneration and swelling of the lens fiber cells. The transient epidermal desquamation was observed in line with higher gene expression. Histopathology of the transgenic rats showed acanthosis and focal parakeratosis. In the epidermis, there was an increase in cellular keratin 14, keratin 10, and loricrin, as well as PGP 9.5 in innervating nerve fibers. These phenotypes accompanied an increase in the number of proliferating cells. These results suggest that overexpression of the human MrgX3 gene causes a disturbance of the normal cell-differentiation process

  20. Alteraciones de la mucosa bucal causadas por la asociación entre el tabaco y los colutorios bucales con una concentración de alcohol del 26,9 % Alterations of the oral mucous membrane caused by the association between tobacco and the mouthwashes with an alcohol concentration of 26.9 %

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anna Christina Medeiros Fossati

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available Se analizaron el epitelio y la capa de queratina de la mucosa oral de 15 ratas que durante 45 días fueron sometidas a una aplicación tópica de picadura de tabaco y de colutorio bucal con una concentración de alcohol del 26,9 %. Tras ese período, se extrajeron las mucosas y se les realizó un análisis histológico. Se observó una significativa disminución del espesor del epitelio y de la capa de queratina, lo que indica que la picadura asociada con colutorios bucales con alta concentración de alcohol, provoca la reducción del espesor de la capa de queratina y del epitelio de la boca.The epithelium and the keratin layer of the oral mucous membrane of 15 rats that were subjected to a topical application of cut tobacco and mouthwashes with an alcohol concentration of 26.9 % during 45 days were analyzed. After that period, the oral mucous membranes were removed and a histological analysis was made. It was observed a significant decrease of the thickness of the epithelium and of the keratin layer, which shows that cut tobbaco associated with collutories with a high concentration of alcohol causes the reduction of the thickness of the keratin layer and of the mouth epithelium.

  1. The layered-resolved microstructure and spectroscopy of mouse oral mucosa using multiphoton microscopy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhuo Shuangmu [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine, Fujian Normal University, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Chen Jianxin [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine, Fujian Normal University, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Jiang Xingshan [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine, Fujian Normal University, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Xie Shusen [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine, Fujian Normal University, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Chen Rong [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Science and Technology for Medicine, Fujian Normal University, Ministry of Education, Fuzhou 350007 (China); Cao Ning [Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004 (China); Zou Qilian [Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004 (China); Xiong Shuyuan [Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350004 (China)

    2007-08-21

    The layered-resolved microstructure and spectroscopy of mouse oral mucosa are obtained using a combination of multiphoton imaging and spectral analysis with different excitation wavelengths. In the keratinizing layer, the keratinocytes microstructure can be characterized and the keratinizing thickness can be measured. The keratin fluorescence signal can be further characterized by emission maxima at 510 nm. In the epithelium, the cellular microstructure can be quantitatively visualized with depth and the epithelium thickness can be determined by multiphoton imaging excited at 730 nm. The study also shows that the epithelial spectra excited at 810 nm, showing a combination of NADH and FAD fluorescence, can be used for the estimation of the metabolic state in epithelium. Interestingly, a second-harmonic generation (SHG) signal from DNA was observed for the first time within the epithelial layer in backscattering geometry and provides the possibility of analyzing the chromatin structure. In the stroma, the combination of multiphoton imaging and spectral analysis excited at 850 nm in tandem can obtain quantitative information regarding the biomorphology and biochemistry of stroma. Specifically, the microstructure of collagen, minor salivary glands and elastic fibers, and the optical property of the stroma can be quantitatively displayed. Overall, these results suggest that the combination of multiphoton imaging and spectral analysis with different excitation wavelengths has the potential to provide important and comprehensive information for early diagnosis of oral cancer.

  2. Distinctive diet-tissue isotopic discrimination factors derived from the exclusive bamboo-eating giant panda.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Han; Wei, Wei; Nie, Yonggang; Zhou, Wenliang; Hu, Yibo; Wu, Qi; Wei, Fuwen

    2016-11-01

    Stable isotope analysis is very useful in animal ecology, especially in diet reconstruction and trophic studies. Differences in isotope ratios between consumers and their diet, termed discrimination factors, are essential for studies of stable isotope ecology and are species-specific and tissue-specific. Given the specialized bamboo diet and clear foraging behavior, here, we calculated discrimination factors for carbon and nitrogen isotopes from diet to tissues (tooth enamel, hair keratin and bone collagen) for the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), a species derived from meat-eating ancestors. Our results showed that carbon discrimination factor obtained from giant panda tooth enamel (ε 13 C diet-enamel = 10.0‰) and nitrogen discrimination factors from hair keratin (Δ 15 N diet-hair = 2.2‰) and bone collagen (Δ 15 N diet-collagen = 2.3‰) were lower, and carbon discrimination factors from hair keratin (Δ 13 C diet-hair = 5.0‰) and bone collagen (Δ 13 C diet-collagen = 6.1‰) were higher than those of other mammalian carnivores, omnivores and herbivores. Such distinctive values are likely the result of a low-nutrient and specialized bamboo diet, carnivore-like digestive system and exceptionally low metabolism in giant pandas. © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  3. A natural experiment on the condition-dependence of achromatic plumage reflectance in black-capped chickadees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alba, Liliana; Van Hemert, Caroline; Handel, Colleen M; Shawkey, Matthew D

    2011-01-01

    Honest advertisement models posit that only individuals in good health can produce and/or maintain ornamental traits. Even though disease has profound effects on condition, few studies have experimentally tested its effects on trait expression and even fewer have identified a mechanistic basis for these effects. Recent evidence suggests that black and white, but not grey, plumage colors of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) are sexually selected. We therefore hypothesized that birds afflicted with avian keratin disorder, a condition that affects the beak and other keratinized tissues, would show reduced expression of black and white, but not grey, color. UV-vis spectrometry of black-capped chickadees affected and unaffected by avian keratin disorder revealed spectral differences between them consistent with this hypothesis. To elucidate the mechanistic bases of these differences, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and a feather cleaning experiment. SEM showed extreme feather soiling in affected birds, and EDX revealed that this was most likely from external sources. Experimentally cleaning the feathers increased color expression of ornamental feathers of affected, but not unaffected, birds. These data provide strong evidence that black and white color is an honest indicator in chickadees, and that variation in feather dirtiness, likely due to differences in preening behavior is a mechanism for this association.

  4. A natural experiment on the condition-dependence of achromatic plumage reflectance in black-capped chickadees.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liliana D'Alba

    Full Text Available Honest advertisement models posit that only individuals in good health can produce and/or maintain ornamental traits. Even though disease has profound effects on condition, few studies have experimentally tested its effects on trait expression and even fewer have identified a mechanistic basis for these effects. Recent evidence suggests that black and white, but not grey, plumage colors of black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus are sexually selected. We therefore hypothesized that birds afflicted with avian keratin disorder, a condition that affects the beak and other keratinized tissues, would show reduced expression of black and white, but not grey, color. UV-vis spectrometry of black-capped chickadees affected and unaffected by avian keratin disorder revealed spectral differences between them consistent with this hypothesis. To elucidate the mechanistic bases of these differences, we used scanning electron microscopy (SEM, electron-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX and a feather cleaning experiment. SEM showed extreme feather soiling in affected birds, and EDX revealed that this was most likely from external sources. Experimentally cleaning the feathers increased color expression of ornamental feathers of affected, but not unaffected, birds. These data provide strong evidence that black and white color is an honest indicator in chickadees, and that variation in feather dirtiness, likely due to differences in preening behavior is a mechanism for this association.

  5. Evaluation of the Prevalence of Different Treatment Failure Modes after Crown Lengthening Surgical Procedures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amirreza Babaloo

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Preservation of the health of periodontium is very important for the long-term success of restored teeth and a balance should always be created between the patients’ esthetic requirements and the periodontal health. Failures of crown lengthening procedures are classified into early and late failures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of early failures of crown leathering surgical procedures. Materials and methods: In this descriptive/cross-sectional study, 96 patients were selected from those referring to the Department of Periodontitis, Tabriz Faculty of Dentistry, who required crown lengthening procedures. The particulars of these patients were recorded in special forms and the reasons for the failure of surgical procedures were separately determined at 2- and 6-week intervals. In addition, the frequencies of the reasons for failures were determined in percentages and absolute frequencies. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages using SPSS 21. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. Results: Evaluation of patients 6 weeks after surgery showed a failure rate of 14.5% for crown lengthening procedures in patients referring to the Department of Periodontics, Tabriz Faculty of Dentistry. The most common reasons for such early failures in the 6th week, in descending order, were a lack of sufficient keratinized gingiva around in tooth in question, fracture of the tooth structure after surgery, inadequate surgery (not creating a proper distance between the healthy margin and the crest and the coronal returning of the gingival tissue on the tooth. A lack of sufficient keratinized gingiva around the tooth was the most frequent reason for the early failure of crown lengthening procedure at both study intervals. Conclusion: It can be concluded from the results of the present study that during the 6th postoperative week the crown lengthening procedures exhibited a 14.5% failure rate

  6. The movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in sub-Saharan Africa assessed by stable isotope ratios.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gonzalo Ossa

    Full Text Available Flying foxes (Pteropodidae are key seed dispersers on the African continent, yet their migratory behavior is largely unknown. Here, we studied the movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, and other fruit bats by analyzing stable isotope ratios in fur collected from museum specimens. In a triple-isotope approach based on samples of two ecologically similar non-migratory pteropodids, we first confirmed that a stable isotope approach is capable of delineating between geographically distinct locations in Sub-Saharan Africa. A discriminant function analysis assigned 84% of individuals correctly to their capture site. Further, we assessed how well hydrogen stable isotope ratios (δ(2H of fur keratin collected from non-migratory species (n = 191 individuals records variation in δ(2H of precipitation water in sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, we found positive, negative and no correlations within the six studied species. We then developed a reduced major axis regression equation based on individual data of non-migratory species to predict where potentially migratory E. helvum (n = 88 would come from based on their keratin δ(2H. Across non-migratory species, δ(2H of keratin and local water correlated positively. Based on the isoscape origin model, 22% of E. helvum were migratory, i.e. individuals had migrated over at least 250 km prior to their capture. Migratory individuals came from locations at a median distance of about 860 km from the collection site, four even from distances of at least 2,000 km. Ground-truthing of our isoscape origin model based on keratin δ(2H of extant E. helvum (n = 76 supported a high predictive power of assigning the provenance of African flying foxes. Our study highlights that stable isotope ratios can be used to explain the migratory behavior of flying foxes, even on the isotopically relatively homogenous African continent, and with material collected by museums many decades or more than a century ago.

  7. Investigating the origins of nanostructural variations in differential ethnic hair types using X-ray scattering techniques.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wade, M; Tucker, I; Cunningham, P; Skinner, R; Bell, F; Lyons, T; Patten, K; Gonzalez, L; Wess, T

    2013-10-01

    Human hair is a major determinant of visual ethnic differentiation. Although hair types are celebrated as part of our ethnic diversity, the approach to hair care has made the assumption that hair types are structurally and chemically similar. Although this is clearly not the case at the macroscopic level, the intervention of many hair treatments is at the nanoscopic and molecular levels. The purpose of the work presented here is to identify the main nanoscopic and molecular hierarchical differences across five different ethnic hair types from hair fibres taken exclusively from the scalp. These are Afro (subdivided into elastic 'rubber' and softer non-elastic 'soft'), Chinese, European and Mullato (mixed race). Small angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS) is a technique capable of resolving nanostructural variations in complex materials. Individual hair fibres from different ethnic hair types were used to investigate structural features found in common and also specific to each type. Simultaneous wide angle X-Ray scattering (WAXS) was used to analyse the submolecular level structure of the fibrous keratin present. The data sets from both techniques were analysed with principal component analysis (PCA) to identify underlying variables. Principal component analysis of both SAXS and WAXS data was shown to discriminate the scattering signal between different hair types. The X-ray scattering results show a common underlying keratin intermediate filament (KIF) structure. However, distinct differences were observed in the preferential orientation and intensity signal from the lipid component of the hair. In addition, differences were observed in the intensity distribution of the very low-angle sample-dependent diffuse scatter surrounding the 'beamstop.' The results indicate that the fibrous keratin scaffold remains consistent between ethnic hair types. The hierarchies made by these may be modulated by variation in the content of keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) and lipids that

  8. Morphometric Changes of the Socket after Site Preservation Using Nanobone and Collagen Membrane or Stypro Versus Extraction Alone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salahi S

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Statement of Problem: The long-term success of a dental implant relies on implant osseointegration into native and viable bone, implant placement in an ideal position, and optimal hard and soft tissue contour. This requires the presence of sufficient alveolar bone volume, good alveolar ridge (Practically with no sign of atrophy and good surgical technique. Objectives: The aim of this randomized controlled clinical study was to evaluate morphometric changes after different alveolar ridge preservation procedures. Materials and Methods: In this study, 33 patients who had single-rooted premolar, which needed to be extracted, were recruited. Patients were randomly divided into 3 groups and after tooth extraction the following treatments were administered: in group A: NanoBone and a collagen membrane; in group B: NanoBone and Stypro; and in group C: natural healing. The following clinical parameters were evaluated at baseline and 6 months after the extraction: buccolingual width, midbuccal height (with the use of a custom made stent and width of keratinized gingiva. For data analysis, Paired t-test,one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s tests were used. Results: The average reduction in the buccolingual width, midbuccal height and keratinized gingiva was as follows: group A: 1.18±0.6, 0.64±0.92 and 3.45±1.75 mm; group B: 2.18±0.75, 0.73±0.78 and 4.73±0.9 mm; and group C: 1±0.89, 2.36±1.21 and 5±0.63 mm, respectively. Moreover, a significantly reduced resorption was found in both the buccolingual width and the width of keratinized gingiva in group A as compared to groups B and C (p<0.05. Conclusions: This study showed that the use of collagen membrane+Nano bone (group A can significantly reduce the horizontal resorption of the alveolar ridge and keratinized tissue more effectively than stypro+Nano bone (group B and blood clot alone and natural healing (group C.

  9. Lymphoscintigraphy and radioguided surgery in cervical and vulvar malignant tumours

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morales Guzman-Barron, Rosanna E.

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To validate a combined technique in the detection of sentinel nodes in early cervix and vulvar cancer patients. Material and Methods: Seventy patients, 24 to 63 years old (average 40 years), with cervical cancer stages IA2, IB1 and IIA, and fourteen patients, 28 to 80 years old (median 68 years) with vulval neoplasm, stage I and II, had sentinel node (SN) detection using lymphoscintigraphy and a gamma probe in the surgical room, after injection of Tc 99m dextran and patent blue dye. Sentinel nodes were seen between 20 and 135 minutes after injection, in cervical cancer, and between one and sixty minutes in vulvar neoplasms. In patients with cervical tumors, 99 sentinel nodes were localized in the obturator region, 28 were interiliac, nine were located in the external iliac region, three in the common iliac region and one was found in perineum. In patients with a vulvar neoplasm, all sentinel nodes were located in the superficial inguinal region. The detection rate was 98,8% for cervical cancer and 100% for vulvar neoplasms, with bilateral drainage in 46% and 29% respectively. Metastases were found in 10,4% (7/65) of IB1 stage cervical cancer patients (6 squamous cell carcinomas - non keratinizing: 5, keratinizing: 1 and one adenocarcionoma) and none in four patients with IA2 stage (with non keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma). The patients with IIA stage cervical cancer (keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma) had metastases in the SN. Three out of 14 patients with vulvar cancer showed metastases in the sentinel node. Two of them had epidermoid carcinoma and one, malignant melanoma. There were no metastases in non-sentinel nodes when sentinel nodes were negative for metastases, both in cervical or vulvar cancer. Conclusion: It is feasible to localize sentinel nodes in cervical and vulvar cancer, using a combined technique with Tc 99m Dextran and 'patent blue'. (author)

  10. The movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, in sub-Saharan Africa assessed by stable isotope ratios.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ossa, Gonzalo; Kramer-Schadt, Stephanie; Peel, Alison J; Scharf, Anne K; Voigt, Christian C

    2012-01-01

    Flying foxes (Pteropodidae) are key seed dispersers on the African continent, yet their migratory behavior is largely unknown. Here, we studied the movement ecology of the straw-colored fruit bat, Eidolon helvum, and other fruit bats by analyzing stable isotope ratios in fur collected from museum specimens. In a triple-isotope approach based on samples of two ecologically similar non-migratory pteropodids, we first confirmed that a stable isotope approach is capable of delineating between geographically distinct locations in Sub-Saharan Africa. A discriminant function analysis assigned 84% of individuals correctly to their capture site. Further, we assessed how well hydrogen stable isotope ratios (δ(2)H) of fur keratin collected from non-migratory species (n = 191 individuals) records variation in δ(2)H of precipitation water in sub-Saharan Africa. Overall, we found positive, negative and no correlations within the six studied species. We then developed a reduced major axis regression equation based on individual data of non-migratory species to predict where potentially migratory E. helvum (n = 88) would come from based on their keratin δ(2)H. Across non-migratory species, δ(2)H of keratin and local water correlated positively. Based on the isoscape origin model, 22% of E. helvum were migratory, i.e. individuals had migrated over at least 250 km prior to their capture. Migratory individuals came from locations at a median distance of about 860 km from the collection site, four even from distances of at least 2,000 km. Ground-truthing of our isoscape origin model based on keratin δ(2)H of extant E. helvum (n = 76) supported a high predictive power of assigning the provenance of African flying foxes. Our study highlights that stable isotope ratios can be used to explain the migratory behavior of flying foxes, even on the isotopically relatively homogenous African continent, and with material collected by museums many decades or more than a century ago.

  11. Antibodies to cytoskeletal proteins as evidenced by immunofluorescence microscopy and radioimmunoassay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zugehoer, M.; Struy, H.; Morenz, J.

    1987-01-01

    In patients suffering from chronic hepatitis, collagenosis and infectious mononucleosis, resp., as well as in blood donors antibodies against cytoskeletal antigens such as actin, myosin, actinin, desmin, keratin, and tubulin were determined by radioimmunoassay

  12. Antibodies to cytoskeletal proteins as evidenced by immunofluorescence microscopy and radioimmunoassay

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zugehoer, M; Struy, H; Morenz, J

    1987-01-01

    In patients suffering from chronic hepatitis, collagenosis and infectious mononucleosis, resp., as well as in blood donors antibodies against cytoskeletal antigens such as actin, myosin, actinin, desmin, keratin, and tubulin were determined by radioimmunoassay.

  13. Higher incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in some regions in the world confers for interplay between genetic factors and external stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roy Chattopadhyay, Nabanita; Das, Piyanki; Chatterjee, Koustav; Choudhuri, Tathagata

    2017-01-01

    Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a rare variety of head and neck cancers. The risk factors include three major causes: genetic factors, viral infection, and environmental and dietary factors. The types of NPC show strong ethnic and geographic variations. The keratinizing and non-keratinizing types are prevalent in the lower incidence regions like North America and Europe; whereas the undifferentiated type is mostly found in the regions with higher incidences like China, North Africa, Arctic, and Nagaland of North-East India. These suggest a possible major role of the internal genetic factors for generation and promotion of this disease. Viral infections might accelerate the process of carcinogenesis by helping in cellular proliferation and loss of apoptosis. Diet and other environmental factors promote these neoplastic processes and further progression of the disease occurs.

  14. Regional variations of cell surface carbohydrates in human oral stratified epithelium

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vedtofte, P; Dabelsteen, Erik; Hakomori, S

    1984-01-01

    The distribution of blood group carbohydrate chains with antigen A, B, H type 2 chain (A and B precursor), and N-acetyllactosamine (H type 2 precursor) specificity was studied in human oral epithelium from different anatomical regions. These represented various epithelial differentiation patterns...... epithelium from nine blood group A, two blood group B, and nine blood group O individuals. The blood group carbohydrate chains were examined in tissue sections by immunofluorescence microscopy. The A and B blood group antigens were detected by human blood group sera, and antigen H type 2 chains and N...... antigen H type 2 chains in metaplastically keratinized buccal epithelium was found to differ significantly from that seen in normal non-keratinized buccal epithelium. The regional variations demonstrated in cell surface carbohydrates are suggested to reflect differences in tissue differentiation....

  15. Epidermal inclusion cyst in male breast: mammographic and ultrasonographic findings in three cases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cubells, M.; Gil de Ramales, V.; Bulto, J. A.; Morcillo, E.; Celma, J.

    2000-01-01

    Three cases of histologically diagnosed epidermal inclusion cysts in male breast are presented. This is a very uncommon condition that results from the inclusion of epidermal remnants beneath the skin, which form a keratin-filled cystic cavity. The clinical presentation is that of palpable breast masses showing medium-to-high density in mammography. They are well defined and do not present calcifications. Ultrasound discloses their cystic form, with moderate posterior reinforcement, although they do not appear as anechoic cysts. Characteristically, echoes are detected in the interior that correspond to the degeneration keratin. The differential diagnosis should include cysts complicated by infection or hemorrhage, fibroadenomas with low echogenicity and even tumors of neoplastic origin. Color Doppler ultrasound disclosed the absence of internal vascularisation, a circumstance that indicated the benignity of the lesion. (Author) 9 refs

  16. Purification and characterization of a keratinase from the feather ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Yomi

    2012-01-31

    Jan 31, 2012 ... Keratinase was purified and characterized from the solid cultures of ... Feather from the poultry processing plant is the common source ... keratinous wastes by proteolytic enzymes is a potent ... After treatment with keratinase,.

  17. Changes in keratin 8/18 expression in human granulosa cell lineage are associated to cell death/survival events: potential implications for the maintenance of the ovarian reserve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaytan, F; Morales, C; Roa, J; Tena-Sempere, M

    2018-04-01

    Is keratin 8/18 (K8/K18) expression linked to cell death/survival events in the human granulosa cell lineage? A close association exists between changes in K8/K18 expression and cell death/survival events along the human granulosa cell lineage lifespan. In addition to their structural and mechanical functions, K8/K18 play essential roles regulating cell death, survival and differentiation in several non-gonadal epithelial tissues. Transfection of the granulosa-like tumor KGN cells with siRNA to interfere KRT8 and KRT18 expression increases FAS-mediated apoptosis, while an inverse association between K8/K18 expression and cell death has been found in the bovine antral follicles and corpus luteum. Yet, only fragmentary and inconclusive information exists regarding K8/K18 expression in the human ovary. Expression of K8/K18 was assessed by immunohistochemistry at different stages of the granulosa cell lineage, from flattened granulosa cells in primordial follicles to fully luteinized granulosa-lutein cells in the corpus luteum (including corpus luteum of pregnancy). Immunohistochemical detection of K8/K18 was conducted in 40 archival ovarian samples from women aged 17-39 years. K8/K18 expression was analyzed at the different stages of follicle development and corpus luteum lifespan. The proportions of primordial follicles showing all K8/K18-positive, all K8/K18 negative, or a mixture of K8/K18 negative and positive granulosa cells were quantified in 18 ovaries, divided into three age groups: ≤ 25 years (N = 6), 26-30 (N = 6) and 31-36 (N = 6) years. A total number of 1793 primordial, 750 transitional and 140 primary follicles were scored. A close association was found between changes in K8/K18 expression and cell death/cell survival events in the human granulosa cell lineage. Large secondary and early antral follicles (most of them undergoing atresia) and regressing corpora lutea displayed low/absent K8/K18 expression. Conversely, early growing and some large antral

  18. Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... skin layers from the outside environment and contains cells that make keratin, a substance that waterproofs and strengthens the skin. The epidermis also has cells that contain melanin, the dark pigment that gives ...

  19. Stable isotope analysis of migratory connectivity in a threatened intra-African migrant, the Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea)

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Wakelin, J

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available The Blue Swallow (Hirundo atrocaerulea) is a threatened intra-African migrant with breeding populations in three geographically disjunct regions. We analysed stable hydrogen, nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios in feather keratin to determine whether...

  20. HYDROGELS BASED ON POLYMERS OF DEXTRAN TYRAMINE AND TYRAMINE CONJUGATES OF NATURAL POLYMERS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Feijen, Jan; Karperien, Marcel; Jin, R.; Moreira Teixeira, Liliana; Dijkstra, Pieter J.

    2012-01-01

    The invention relates to composition comprising a dextran-tyramine conjugate and a conjugate selected from the group consisting of chondroitin sulphate-tyramine, collagen-tyramine, chitosan-tyramine, chitosan-phloretic acid, gelatine-tyramine, heparan sulphate-tyramine, keratin sulphate-tyramine,

  1. HYDROGELS BASED ON POLYMERS OF DEXTRAN TYRAMINE AND TYRAMINE CONJUGATES OF NATURAL POLYMERS

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Karperien, H.B.J.; Jin, R.; Moreira Teixeira, Liliana; Feijen, Jan; Dijkstra, Pieter J.

    2011-01-01

    The invention relates to composition comprising a dextran-tyramine conjugate and a conjugate selected from the group consisting of chondroitin sulphate-tyramine, collagen-tyramine, chitosan-tyramine, chitosan-phloretic acid, gelatine-tyramine, heparan sulphate-tyramine, keratin sulphate tyramine,

  2. Medline Plus

    Full Text Available ... protects the underlying skin layers from the outside environment and contains cells that make keratin, a substance ... the body to receive stimulation from the outside environment and experience pressure, pain, and temperature. Small blood ...

  3. Epithelial proliferation in small ducts of salivary cystadenoma resembling atypical ductal hyperplasia of breast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahim, Lisa; Weinreb, Ilan; Alexander, Cherupushpam; Perez Ordoñez, Bayardo

    2008-09-01

    Salivary gland cystadenomas are cystic neoplasms with diverse architecture and cytology. Cystadenomas may have a considerable intracystic epithelial component, but an epithelial proliferation in small ducts and cysts resembling atypical ductal hyperplasia of breast has not been documented. The patient was a 68-year-old man with a slow growing right submandibular mass. He has no recurrence 13 months after resection. The tumor was polycystic and measured 3.0 x 2.5 x 2.5 cm. The epithelium of the larger cysts was composed of flat, cuboidal, columnar, and apocrine-like cells. Many of the larger cysts showed "Roman bridges", epithelial tufting, and papillae. The smaller cysts and ducts had apocrine-like cells forming secondary glandular lumens. The ductal cells were surrounded by clear myoepithelial cells. Nuclear pleomorphism and hyperchromasia was seen in the apocrine-like cells. Adjacent to the larger cysts, there was an adenomatoid proliferation of small ducts surrounded by myoepithelial cells. No mitotic activity, necrosis, or stromal invasion was identified. The ductal cells were diffusely positive for keratin 7 and androgen receptors with focal expression of keratin 19 and high-molecular weight keratin. S-100, estrogen and progesterone receptors, and BRST-2 were negative in the ductal cells. Recognition of a prominent intraductal epithelial component in cystadenomas is important to avoid a misdiagnosis of cystadenocarcinoma or low-grade salivary duct carcinoma. Cystadenomas join the list of salivary gland lesions with microscopic similarities to primary lesions of the breast.

  4. Wnt-10b secreted from lymphocytes promotes differentiation of skin epithelial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ouji, Yukiteru; Yoshikawa, Masahide; Shiroi, Akira; Ishizaka, Shigeaki

    2006-01-01

    Wnt-10b was originally isolated from lymphoid tissue and is known to be involved in a wide range of biological actions, while recently it was found to be expressed early in the development of hair follicles. However, few studies have been conducted concerning the role of Wnt-10b with the differentiation of skin epithelial cells. To evaluate its role in epithelial differentiation, we purified Wnt-10b from the supernatant of a concanavalin A-stimulated lymphocyte culture using an affinity column and investigated its effects on the differentiation of adult mouse-derived primary skin epithelial cells (MPSEC). MPSEC cultured with Wnt-10b showed morphological changes from cuboidal to spindle-shaped with inhibited proliferation, and also obtained characteristics of the hair shaft and inner root sheath of the hair follicle, represented by red-colored Ayoub Shklar staining, and reactions to AE-13 and AE-15 as seen with immunocytology. Further, RT-PCR analysis demonstrated the expression of mRNA for keratin 1, keratin 2, loricrin, mHa5, and mHb5, in association with a decreased expression of the basal cell marker keratin 5, in Wnt-10b-treated MPSEC. In addition, involvement of the canonical Wnt signal pathway was demonstrated by a TCF reporter (pTOPFLASH) assay. These results suggest that Wnt-10b promotes the differentiation of MPSEC and may play an important role in hair follicle development by promoting differentiation of epithelial cells

  5. Self-assembly of amorphous biophotonic nanostructures by phase separation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dufresne, Eric R.; Noh, Heeso; Saranathan, Vinodkumar; Mochrie, Simon G.J.; Cao, Hui; Prum, Richard O.; (Yale)

    2009-04-23

    Some of the most vivid colors in the animal kingdom are created not by pigments, but by wavelength-selective scattering of light from nanostructures. Here we investigate quasi-ordered nanostructures of avian feather barbs which produce vivid non-iridescent colors. These {beta}-keratin and air nanostructures are found in two basic morphologies: tortuous channels and amorphous packings of spheres. Each class of nanostructure is isotropic and has a pronounced characteristic length scale of variation in composition. These local structural correlations lead to strong backscattering over a narrow range of optical frequencies and little variation with angle of incidence. Such optical properties play important roles in social and sexual communication. To be effective, birds need to precisely control the development of these nanoscale structures, yet little is known about how they grow. We hypothesize that multiple lineages of birds have convergently evolved to exploit phase separation and kinetic arrest to self-assemble spongy color-producing nanostructures in feather barbs. Observed avian nanostructures are strikingly similar to those self-assembled during the phase separation of fluid mixtures; the channel and sphere morphologies are characteristic of phase separation by spinodal decomposition and nucleation and growth, respectively. These unstable structures are locked-in by the kinetic arrest of the {beta}-keratin matrix, likely through the entanglement or cross-linking of supermolecular {beta}-keratin fibers. Using the power of self-assembly, birds can robustly realize a diverse range of nanoscopic morphologies with relatively small physical and chemical changes during feather development.

  6. Assessment of the etiologic factors of gingival recession in a group of patients in northwest iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lafzi, Ardeshir; Abolfazli, Nader; Eskandari, Amir

    2009-01-01

    Gingival recession (GR), a common problem in periodontium, is associated with various etiologic factors. There is controversy over the role and importance of these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the etiologic factors of GR in a group of subjects in Northwest Iran. In this case-control study, patients referring to a university clinic (123 patients with GR and 123 patients without GR) were evaluated. Patients were examined by an experienced periodontist. A checklist assessing the history of systemic disease, smoking, radiotherapy, orthodontic treatment, chemical and mechanical trauma, tooth-brushing method, type of occlusion, axial inclination of tooth, width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, presence of calculus, prosthesis, faulty restorations and food impaction, and frenum pull was completed for each patient. Chi-square test was used for data analysis. Presence of calculus was significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P = 0.000). Low width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, smoking and traumatic tooth brushing were other significant factors (P teeth, existence of prosthesis, high frenal attachment, radiotherapy, systemic diseases and chemical trauma were not significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P > 0.05). Supra- and sub-gingival calculus, inadequate width and thickness of keratinized tissue, and incorrect tooth brushing techniques are most important etiologic factors of GR. Oral hygiene instructions including correct tooth brushing techniques as well as scaling and root planing with periodic recalls can play a significant role in prevention of GR.

  7. Factors affecting the clinical success of orthodontic anchorage: Experience with 266 temporary anchorage devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tai-Ting Lai

    2014-03-01

    Conclusion: In order to improve the success rates, local inflammation should be monitored and controlled, force application should be 4 weeks after insertion, and the location for placement of TADs should be good quality bone with keratinized mucosa.

  8. The Hair Follicle: An Underutilized Source of Cells and Materials for Regenerative Medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kiani, Mehrdad T; Higgins, Claire A; Almquist, Benjamin D

    2018-04-09

    The hair follicle is one of only two structures within the adult body that selectively degenerates and regenerates, making it an intriguing organ to study and use for regenerative medicine. Hair follicles have been shown to influence wound healing, angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and harbor distinct populations of stem cells; this has led to cells from the follicle being used in clinical trials for tendinosis and chronic ulcers. In addition, keratin produced by the follicle in the form of a hair fiber provides an abundant source of biomaterials for regenerative medicine. In this review, we provide an overview of the structure of a hair follicle, explain the role of the follicle in regulating the microenvironment of skin and the impact on wound healing, explore individual cell types of interest for regenerative medicine, and cover several applications of keratin-based biomaterials.

  9. Induction of Human Squamous Cell-Type Carcinomas by Arsenic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martinez, V. D.; Becker-Santos, D. D.; Vucic, E. A.; Lam, S.; Lam, W. L.

    2011-01-01

    Arsenic is a potent human carcinogen. Around one hundred million people worldwide have potentially been exposed to this metalloid at concentrations considered unsafe. Exposure occurs generally through drinking water from natural geological sources, making it difficult to control this contamination. Arsenic biotransformation is suspected to have a role in arsenic-related health effects ranging from acute toxicities to development of malignancies associated with chronic exposure. It has been demonstrated that arsenic exhibits preference for induction of squamous cell carcinomas in the human, especially skin and lung cancer. Interestingly, keratins emerge as a relevant factor in this arsenic-related squamous cell-type preference. Additionally, both genomic and epi genomic alterations have been associated with arsenic-driven neoplastic process. Some of these aberrations, as well as changes in other factors such as keratins, could explain the association between arsenic and squamous cell carcinomas in humans.

  10. Imaging rat esophagus using combination of reflectance confocal and multiphoton microscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhuo, S M; Chen, J X; Jiang, X S; Lu, K C; Xie, S S

    2008-01-01

    We combine reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) with multiphoton microscopy (MPM) to image rat esophagus. The two imaging modalities allow detection of layered–resolved complementary information from esophagus. In the keratinizing layer, the keratinocytes boundaries can be characterized by RCM, while the keratinocytes cytoplasm (keratin) can be further imaged by multiphoton autofluorescence signal. In the epithelium, the epithelial cellular boundaries and nucleus can be detected by RCM, and MPM can be used for imaging epithelial cell cytoplasm and monitoring metabolic state of epithelium. In the stroma, multiphoton autofluorescence signal is used to image elastin and second harmonic generation signal is utilized to detect collagen, while RCM is used to determine the optical property of stroma. Overall, these results suggest that the combination of RCM and MPM has potential to provide more important and comprehensive information for early diagnosis of esophageal cancer

  11. Expression of GLUT1 in stratified squamous epithelia and oral carcinoma from humans and rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Voldstedlund, M; Dabelsteen, Erik

    1997-01-01

    mucosa from rat and man, and a human oral carcinoma by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy. The results showed that GLUT1 was expressed in the basal and parabasal layers of the different stratified squamous epithelia, with some variations between keratinized and non-keratinized subtypes. GLUT1...... was also expressed in ductal- and myoepithelial cells of minor salivary glands and perineural sheath located in the lamina propra, and furthermore in the cells of an oral carcinoma. GLUT4 was not expressed in any of the tissues examined. This distribution of GLUT1 does not fit with the idea of GLUT1......Most cells express facilitative glucose transporters. Four isoforms (GLUT1-4) transporting D-glucose across the plasma membrane show a specific tissue distribution, which is the basis for tissue-specific patterns in glucose metabolism. GLUT1 is expressed at high levels in tissue barriers...

  12. Disease: H00696 [KEGG MEDICUS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available H00696 Haim-Munk syndrome; Prepubertal periodontitis (PPP) Haim-Munk syndrome is a... rare autosomal recessive disorder of keratinization characterized by palmoplantar hyperkeratosis and marked periodontitis... acroosteolysis. Prepubertal periodontitis (PPP) is a rare and rapidly progressiv

  13. South African Medical Journal Suid~Afrikaanse Tydskrif VIr ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Department of Dermatology, University of Cape Town and Groote Schuur Hospital. An African male ... chiefly of superficial layers of epidermis, showing a very thick layer of keratin .... There was no disturbance of the architecture of the liver cell ...

  14. Ekstraktion af æteriske olier fra oregano

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ellitsgaard Jakobsen, Jens; Ankerfeldt, Dorte; Jensen, Morten Busch

    2010-01-01

    med keratin - Ammoniakforurening reduceres med ny teknologi - Genvinding og genanvendelse af ammoniak fra spildevand og husdyrgødning - Ginseng - en virkningsfuld medicinplante - Ekstraktion af æteriske olier fra oregano "Biotek" er udviklet med udgangspunkt i originalartikler udarbejdet af forskere...

  15. GRANULAR PARAKERATOSIS: REPORT OF 2 ECUADORIAN CASES AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verónica Uraga

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Granular Parakeratosis is a rare disorder of keratinization usually presented in adults. There are only fews reports in children. We present two cases, one in an adult and the other in a 7-month-old infant.

  16. Disease: H00691 [KEGG MEDICUS

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available H00691 Bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (BCIE); Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis...LE ... Histopathologic characterization of epidermolytic hyperkeratosis: a systematic review of histology fr...AUTHORS ... Lacz NL, Schwartz RA, Kihiczak G ... TITLE ... Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis: a keratin 1 or 10 mutat

  17. Parasitic mites of Surinam : XXVII. Demodex marsupiali sp. nov. from Didelphis marsupialis: adaptation to glandular habitat 1)

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nutting, W.B.; Lukoschus, F.S.; Desch, C. E.

    1980-01-01

    Demodex marsupiali sp. nov. is described from the pilocerumen-gland complex within the external auditory meatus of Didelphis marsupialis Linné, 1758. Pathogenesis is limited to epithelial cell destruction, minor orifice occlusion, and some keratinization. Mites occasionally penetrate into the

  18. Studies of thermally assisted interactions of polysulphide polymer ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2018-04-06

    Apr 6, 2018 ... are engaged in the maintenance of protein shape and func- tion, as in keratin. ... a fixed conformation. In the modern world of .... The surface analysis of the .... Furthermore, there is a possibility of an electrostatic interaction ...

  19. Isolation and characterization of a new keratinolytic bacterium that ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    STORAGESEVER

    2009-09-15

    Sep 15, 2009 ... Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB. ISSN 1684–5315 ... used currently to increase the digestibility of feather keratin. .... method. The effect of pH on keratinolytic activity was determined between pH 4 and ...

  20. Aberrant intermediate filament and synaptophysin expression is a frequent event in malignant melanoma: an immunohistochemical study of 73 cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romano, Ryan C; Carter, Jodi M; Folpe, Andrew L

    2015-08-01

    Malignant melanomas are known to express vimentin, among other intermediate filaments. Though anomalous keratin expression by malignant melanoma has been reported, its frequency is not well-established and this phenomenon is not well-known. We have seen in consultation a number of malignant melanomas with anomalous expression of keratin, other intermediate filaments, or synaptophysin, and therefore studied a large group of primary and metastatic melanomas to determine the frequency of these events. About 73 cases of malignant melanoma (22 primaries and 51 metastases) from 71 patients (51 male, 20 female; mean 59 years, range 17-87 years) were retrieved from our archives. Prior diagnoses were confirmed by re-review of hematoxylin and eosin sections and relevant (e.g., S100 protein, HMB45, Melan-A, and tyrosinase) immunohistochemical studies. Available sections were immunostained for keratin (OSCAR and AE1/AE3 antibodies), desmin, neurofilament protein, glial fibrillary acidic protein, synaptophysin, and chromogranin A. Not all cases could be tested for all markers. Cases were predominantly epithelioid (48/73, 66%) or spindle cell/desmoplastic (25/73, 34%). S100 protein, Melan-A, HMB45, and tyrosinase were positive in 60/65 (92%), 34/64 (53%), 30/60 (50%), 25/48 (52%) of cases, respectively. All five S100-protein-negative cases expressed at least one of the other melanocytic markers: Melan-A (two of four, 50%), HMB45 (two of three, 67%), and tyrosinase (one of two, 50%). All cases expressed at least one melanocytic marker. Cases were positive for keratin (OSCAR, 17/61, 28%; AE1/AE3, 16/40, 40%), desmin (11/47, 24%), neurofilament protein (5/31, 16%), glial fibrillary acidic protein (3/32, 9%), and synaptophysin (10/34, 29%), typically only in a minority of cells. Chromogranin was negative (0/32, 0%). Altogether 9/73 cases (12%) showed expression of >1 intermediate filament. All S100-protein-negative melanomas showed anomalous intermediate filament expression (keratin

  1. The influence of selenium and zinc addition in food on concentration of these elements in blood and milk, on somatic cells number and histological characteristics of cows udders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Davidov Ivana

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The experiment included 30 cows of Holstein-Friesian breed, out of which 15 were receiving selenium and zinc in optimal doses before calving, while the others had never been supplemented with these micronutrients. There was analysed the concentration of selenium and zinc in blood and milk serum as well as the average number of somatic cells in corresponding lactation. After the cows exclusion from production, histological characteristics of cows udders were examined. The results of the investigation have shown that addition of selenium and zinc before calving has a positive effect on the values of these microelements in the blood and milk during the period of early lactation, that is, the concentration of these elements was significantly higher in the blood and milk of the cows that obtained selenium and zinc supplements. Also, in these cows there was significantly lower number of somatic cells during the following lacation period. In the parenchyma of the udder there was found less pronounced infiltration of leukocytes, notably thicker keratin layer of ductus papillaris and less expressed repairing processes that indicate a chronic inflammation of the udder in the samples after exclusion of the cows from production. There was a significant positive correlation between selenium in blood and milk, while there was not observed such a correlation for zinc. On the other hand, there was a significant negative correlation between the concentration of selenium in the blood and milk with the average number of somatic cells and the degree of infiltration of leukocytes, while its influence on the keratin layer of ductus papillarus was not shown. Zinc from blood and udder had a negative correlation with the number of somatic cells, had a positive correlation with the thickness of ductus papillaris keratin layer and had no influence on the level of leukocyte infiltration of udder parenchyma. Zinc demonstrates a positive influence on the formation of ductus

  2. Acrodystrophic neuropathy of Bureau and Barriere in Sudanese ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Our case here has been documented to be a mutilating palmoplantar Keratoderma. The case is histopathologically confirmed to show Keratinized tissue. The condition as mentioned is extremely rare, where misdiagnosed as Epidermolysis Bullosa Dystrophica. Keywords: Acrodystrophic neuropathy of Bureau and Barriere, ...

  3. Cervical lymph node metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinomas. CT enhancement and histopathological evaluations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Etoh, Yohei; Kimura, Takuji; Sasaki, Akira; Kishimoto, Koji; Matsumura, Tomohiro; Kishi, Kanji [Okayama Univ. (Japan). Dental School

    2000-06-01

    A comparison of the results of histopathological and enhanced CT examinations were carried out for 88 patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas who underwent neck dissection. CT scanning (5-mm thick section) images obtained during bolus/drip injection of Iopamidol were routinely taken through the neck. Ninety-two of 1634 nodes were histologically diagnosed as metastatic. Low density areas surrounding enhancement rims were metastatic nodal central necrosis or keratinization. Enhanced areas in many metastatic nodes were considered to be lymphatic architecture, not metastatic masses especially in the avascular keratinization. Enhanced CT produced accurate information of lymph node size, location, shape, grouping and spread from nodes to adjacent structures. However, it was considered that not every metastatic lymph node should show enlargement and/or enhancement. Improved assessment of solid metastatic features of lymph nodes (shape, size, and involvement) may be achieved with the aid of thin-thickness CT. (author)

  4. Cervical lymph node metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinomas. CT enhancement and histopathological evaluations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Etoh, Yohei; Kimura, Takuji; Sasaki, Akira; Kishimoto, Koji; Matsumura, Tomohiro; Kishi, Kanji

    2000-01-01

    A comparison of the results of histopathological and enhanced CT examinations were carried out for 88 patients with oral squamous cell carcinomas who underwent neck dissection. CT scanning (5-mm thick section) images obtained during bolus/drip injection of Iopamidol were routinely taken through the neck. Ninety-two of 1634 nodes were histologically diagnosed as metastatic. Low density areas surrounding enhancement rims were metastatic nodal central necrosis or keratinization. Enhanced areas in many metastatic nodes were considered to be lymphatic architecture, not metastatic masses especially in the avascular keratinization. Enhanced CT produced accurate information of lymph node size, location, shape, grouping and spread from nodes to adjacent structures. However, it was considered that not every metastatic lymph node should show enlargement and/or enhancement. Improved assessment of solid metastatic features of lymph nodes (shape, size, and involvement) may be achieved with the aid of thin-thickness CT. (author)

  5. Soft tissue wound healing around teeth and dental implants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sculean, Anton; Gruber, Reinhard; Bosshardt, Dieter D

    2014-04-01

    To provide an overview on the biology and soft tissue wound healing around teeth and dental implants. This narrative review focuses on cell biology and histology of soft tissue wounds around natural teeth and dental implants. The available data indicate that: (a) Oral wounds follow a similar pattern. (b) The tissue specificities of the gingival, alveolar and palatal mucosa appear to be innately and not necessarily functionally determined. (c) The granulation tissue originating from the periodontal ligament or from connective tissue originally covered by keratinized epithelium has the potential to induce keratinization. However, it also appears that deep palatal connective tissue may not have the same potential to induce keratinization as the palatal connective tissue originating from an immediately subepithelial area. (d) Epithelial healing following non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy appears to be completed after a period of 7–14 days. Structural integrity of a maturing wound between a denuded root surface and a soft tissue flap is achieved at approximately 14-days post-surgery. (e) The formation of the biological width and maturation of the barrier function around transmucosal implants requires 6–8 weeks of healing. (f) The established peri-implant soft connective tissue resembles a scar tissue in composition, fibre orientation, and vasculature. (g) The peri-implant junctional epithelium may reach a greater final length under certain conditions such as implants placed into fresh extraction sockets versus conventional implant procedures in healed sites. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Soft tissue engineering with micronized-gingival connective tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noda, Sawako; Sumita, Yoshinori; Ohba, Seigo; Yamamoto, Hideyuki; Asahina, Izumi

    2018-01-01

    The free gingival graft (FGG) and connective tissue graft (CTG) are currently considered to be the gold standards for keratinized gingival tissue reconstruction and augmentation. However, these procedures have some disadvantages in harvesting large grafts, such as donor-site morbidity as well as insufficient gingival width and thickness at the recipient site post-treatment. To solve these problems, we focused on an alternative strategy using micronized tissue transplantation (micro-graft). In this study, we first investigated whether transplantation of micronized gingival connective tissues (MGCTs) promotes skin wound healing. MGCTs (≤100 µm) were obtained by mincing a small piece (8 mm 3 ) of porcine keratinized gingiva using the RIGENERA system. The MGCTs were then transplanted to a full skin defect (5 mm in diameter) on the dorsal surface of immunodeficient mice after seeding to an atelocollagen matrix. Transplantations of atelocollagen matrixes with and without micronized dermis were employed as experimental controls. The results indicated that MGCTs markedly promote the vascularization and epithelialization of the defect area 14 days after transplantation compared to the experimental controls. After 21 days, complete wound closure with low contraction was obtained only in the MGCT grafts. Tracking analysis of transplanted MGCTs revealed that some mesenchymal cells derived from MGCTs can survive during healing and may function to assist in wound healing. We propose here that micro-grafting with MGCTs represents an alternative strategy for keratinized tissue reconstruction that is characterized by low morbidity and ready availability. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  7. Adenoid basal hyperplasia of the uterine cervix: a lesion of reserve cell type, distinct from adenoid basal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kerdraon, Olivier; Cornélius, Aurélie; Farine, Marie-Odile; Boulanger, Loïc; Wacrenier, Agnès

    2012-12-01

    Adenoid basal hyperplasia is an underrecognized cervical lesion, resembling adenoid basal carcinoma, except the absence of deep invasion into the stroma. We report a series of 10 cases, all extending less than 1 mm from the basement membrane. Our results support the hypothesis that adenoid basal hyperplasia arises from reserve cells of the cervix. Lesions were found close to the squamocolumnar junction, in continuity with the nearby subcolumnar reserve cells. They shared the same morphology and immunoprofile using a panel of 4 antibodies (keratin 5/6, keratin 14, keratin 7 and p63) designed to differentiate reserve cells from mature squamous cells and endocervical columnar cells. We detected no human papillomavirus infection by in situ hybridization targeting high-risk human papillomavirus, which was concordant with the absence of immunohistochemical p16 expression. We demonstrated human papillomavirus infection in 4 (80%) of 5 adenoid basal carcinoma, which is in the same range as previous studies (88%). Thus, adenoid basal hyperplasia should be distinguished from adenoid basal carcinoma because they imply different risk of human papillomavirus infection and of subsequent association with high-grade invasive carcinoma. In our series, the most reliable morphological parameters to differentiate adenoid basal hyperplasia from adenoid basal carcinoma were the depth of the lesion and the size of the lesion nests. Furthermore, squamous differentiation was rare in adenoid basal hyperplasia and constant in adenoid basal carcinoma. Finally, any mitotic activity and/or an increase of Ki67 labeling index should raise the hypothesis of adenoid basal carcinoma. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Comparative evaluation of peri-implant tissues in patients wearing mandibular overdenture with different implant platforms

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Laércio Almeida de Melo

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: The poor hygiene of peri-implant tissues causes inflammation at tissue-implant interface, which may impair the rehabilitation success. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of external hexagon and Morse taper implants on peri-implant health in patients wearing mandibular overdentures for 1 year. Materials and Methods: A total of 46 implants were evaluated, 28 external hexagon and 18 Morse taper. Plaque index in the mini-abutment, bleeding index, peri-implant inflammation, keratinized mucosa zone, probing depth, and marginal mucosa level were evaluated after 3 months and 1 year of prostheses insertion. Results: Deeper probing was found in the external hexagon group compared with Morse taper (P = 0.024 after 1 year of rehabilitation. Although the Morse taper group exhibited worse scenario of peri-implant inflammation than the external hexagon group (P = 0.001, both groups showed reduced inflammation after 1 year. A larger keratinized mucosa zone was observed with external hexagon implants (P = 0.020. No significant difference was found between the groups for plaque index in the mini-abutment, bleeding index, and marginal mucosa level. Conclusion: In a follow-up period of 1 year, it was concluded that the external hexagon group had a larger probing depth than the Morse taper group. However, better periodontal conditions about inflammation and keratinized mucosa zone were found in external hexagon implants. It was found no influence of implant platform on plaque index in the mini-abutment, bleeding index, and marginal mucosa level.

  9. Assessment of the etiologic factors of gingival recession in a group of patients in Northwest Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ardeshir Lafzi

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Background and aims. Gingival recession (GR, a common problem in periodontium, is associated with various etiologic factors. There is controversy over the role and importance of these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the etiologic factors of GR in a group of subjects in Northwest Iran. Materials and methods. In this case-control study, patients referring to a university clinic (123 patients with GR and 123 patients without GR were evaluated. Patients were examined by an experienced periodontist. A checklist assessing the history of systemic disease, smoking, radiotherapy, orthodontic treatment, chemical and mechanical trauma, tooth-brushing method, type of occlusion, axial inclination of tooth, width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, presence of calculus, prosthesis, faulty restorations and food impaction, and frenum pull was completed for each patient. Chi-square test was used for data analysis. Results. Presence of calculus was significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P = 0.000. Low width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, smoking and traumatic tooth brushing were other significant factors (P < 0.05. The type of occlusion, axial inclination of teeth, existence of prosthesis, frenal attachment, and chemical trauma were not significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P > 0.05. Conclusions. Supra- and sub-gingival calculus, inadequate width and thickness of keratinized tissue, and incorrect tooth brushing techniques are most important etiologic factors of GR. Oral hygiene instructions including correct tooth brushing techniques as well as scaling and root planing with periodic recalls can play a significant role in prevention of GR.

  10. Epizootic of beak deformities among wild birds in Alaska: An emerging disease in North America?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Handel, Colleen M.; Pajot, Lisa; Matsuoka, Steven M.; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Terenzi, John; Talbot, Sandra L.; Mulcahy, Daniel M.; Meteyer, Carol U.; Trust, Kimberly A.

    2010-01-01

    The sudden appearance of a large cluster of animals with gross abnormalities may signal a significant change in an ecosystem. We describe an unusual concentration of beak deformities that appear to have arisen rapidly within Alaska and now extend southward along the Pacific Coast. In Alaska we have documented 2,160 Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and 435 individuals of 29 other species of birds, primarily during the past decade, with grossly overgrown and often crossed beaks. The annual prevalence of beak abnormalities among adult Black-capped Chickadees in south-central Alaska varied from 3.6% to 9.7% and averaged 6.5 ± 0.5% between 1999 and 2008. Only 0.05 ± 0.05% of nestlings and 0.3 ± 0.2% of juveniles abnormal beaks, which suggests that this is either a latent developmental or an acquired condition. We documented 80 cases in which a Black-capped Chickadee captured with an apparently normal beak was subsequently recaptured with a beak abnormality and 8 cases in which a beak deformity was no longer detectable upon recapture. Necropsy and histopathology of a sample of affected individuals provided no conclusive evidence of the etiology of this condition. Deformities appear to affect primarily the keratin layer of the beak and may result from abnormally rapid growth of the rhamphotheca. Some affected birds also exhibited lesions in other keratinized tissues of the skin, legs, feet, claws, and feathers, which may represent a systemic disorder or secondary conditions. Additional studies are currently underway to determine diagnostic signs and the underlying cause of this avian keratin disorder.

  11. Papillary neoplasia of the breast: immunohistochemically defined myoepithelial cells in the diagnosis of benign and malignant papillary breast neoplasms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raju, U B; Lee, M W; Zarbo, R J; Crissman, J D

    1989-11-01

    The presence or absence of myoepithelial cells (ME) has been considered as an important feature in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant papillary lesions of the breast. We evaluated the distribution of myoepithelial cells in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections of 25 papillomas and 18 papillary carcinomas by ABC immunoperoxidase technique with antibodies to muscle actin (HHF-35) and high molecular weight (HMW) keratin (clone 34BE12, cytokeratins 1, 5, 10, and 14; reacting preferentially with ME cells) and an antiserum to S-100 protein. Also included in the study were eight cases of micropapillary ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) having a few fibrovascular cores and five peripheral papillomas with accompanying ductal carcinoma in situ or atypical hyperplasia. The antibodies to muscle actin were sensitive and relatively specific for ME cells of the breast and uniformly labeled ME cells in all 25 papillomas. ME cells were absent or extremely sparse in papillary carcinomas. They were present focally in some of the fibrovascular cores of the micropapillary DCIS, and a mixed pattern was observed in peripheral papillomas with areas of carcinoma. HMW keratin was variably expressed in ME cells in most cases with positive internal controls and was present in several normal ductal and papilloma epithelial cells but not in epithelial cells of papillary carcinomas. HMW keratin, although less specific for ME cells, was a useful adjunct because of its reactivity with ME cells as well as hyperplastic epithelial cells in papillomas, which resulted in a combined positive reaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

  12. Comparative evaluation of a bioabsorbable collagen membrane and connective tissue graft in the treatment of localized gingival recession: A clinical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Harsha Mysore Babu

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Gingival recession (GR can result in root sensitivity, esthetic concern to the patient, and predilection to root caries. The purpose of this randomized clinical study was to evaluate (1 the effect of guided tissue regeneration (GTR procedure using a bioabsorbable collagen membrane, in comparison to autogenous subepithelial connective tissue graft (SCTG for root coverage in localized gingival recession defects; and (2 the change in width of keratinized gingiva following these two procedures. Materials and Methods: A total of 10 cases, showing at least two localized Miller′s Class I or Class II gingival recession, participated in this study. In a split mouth design, the pairs of defects were randomly assigned for treatment with either SCTG (SCTG Group or GTR-based collagen membrane (GTRC Group. Both the grafts were covered with coronally advanced flap. Recession depth (RD, recession width (RW, width of keratinized gingiva (KG, probing depth (PD, relative attachment level (RAL, plaque index (PI, and gingival index (GI were recorded at baseline, 3 and 6 months postoperatively. Results: Six months following root coverage procedures, the mean root coverage was found to be 84.84% ± 16.81% and 84.0% ± 15.19% in SCTG Group and GTRC Group, respectively. The mean keratinized gingival width increase was 1.50 ± 0.70 mm and 2.30 ± 0.67 mm in the SCTG and GTRC group, respectively, which was not statistically significant. Conclusion: It may be concluded that resorbable collagen membrane can be a reliable alternative to autogenous connective tissue graft in the treatment of gingival recession.

  13. Current and future treatment options for acne.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kerkhof, P.C.M. van de; Kleinpenning, M.M.; Jong, E.M.G.J. de; Gerritsen, M.J.P.; Dooren-Greebe, R.J. van; Alkemade, J.A.C.

    2006-01-01

    Acne is a frequent skin disease with abnormalities in the process of keratinization, sebaceous gland functioning and inflammation. In this review, our understanding of the pathogenesis of acne has been updated. An overview of efficacy and side effects of available anti-acne treatments is presented.

  14. Distribution of cytoskeletal proteins, integrins, leukocyte adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix proteins in plastic-embedded human and rat kidneys

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Goor, H; Coers, W; van der Horst, MLC; Suurmeijer, AJH

    2001-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution of cytoskeletal proteins (actin, alpha -actinin, vinculin, beta -tubulin, keratin, vimentin, desmin), adhesion molecules for cell-matrix interations (very later antigens [VLA1-6], beta1, beta2 [CD18], vitronectin receptor [alphav beta3], CD 11b), leukocyte

  15. Comparative study of various grading systems in oral squamous cell carcinoma and their value in predicting lymph node metastasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Saleha Jamadar

    2014-01-01

    Conclusion: The histopathological parameters that could help in predicting lymph node metastases (LNM are keratinization, nuclear pleomorphism (NP, and the pattern of invasion (POI when assessed at the invasive front. When the whole tumor was considered, histopathological parameters like NP and POI were significant in predicting LNM.

  16. Differential gene expression in colon cancer of the caecum versus the sigmoid and rectosigmoid

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Birkenkamp-Demtroder, K; Olesen, S H; Sørensen, Flemming Brandt

    2005-01-01

    or left sided tumours of the colon, showing more pronounced differences in Dukes' C than B tumours. Thirty genes differentially expressed in tumour tissue were common to adenocarcinomas of both sides, including known tumour markers such as the matrix metalloproteinases. Keratins 8, 19, and 20 as well...

  17. Ultrastructural analysis of oral exfoliated epithelial cells of tobacco smokers and betel nut chewers: A scanning electron microscopy study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sameera Shamim Khan

    2016-01-01

    Conclusion: In normal oral mucosa, cell surface morphology depends on the state of keratinization of the tissue. Thus, it could prove helpful in detecting any carcinomatous change at its incipient stage and also give an insight into the ultra-structural details of cellular differentiations in epithelial tissues.

  18. In vitro gas production tests on irradiated-chicken feathers to estimate its nutritive value as feed for ruminants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deocaris, Custer C.; De Vera, Azucena C.; Asaad, Celia O.; Ellana, Marivic M.

    2003-01-01

    Chicken feathers are a highly abundant agro-waste product containing high amount of protein from keratin. However, these are not practically utilized as animal feeds since they provide little, if any nutritional value due to low digestibility in its natural state. Using an in vitro fermentation approach, the ruminant feed potential of chicken feathers treated with gamma-radiation was estimated. Gas production within an incubation period of 96 hours was monitored and values were fitted in the rumen degradability model by McDonald and Orskov (1981). Radiation treatment which could induce depolymerization of chicken feather keratin allowed for the improvement in the nutritive value for ruminants by liberating an additional 7.2% in metabolizable energy (ME) (P<0.005) for ruminant livestock. However, increasing the absorbed dose to 50 kGy resulted in significantly lower energy value for the feather substrate possibility accrued from the induced protein-protein cross-linking phenomenon. (Authors)

  19. Queratina a partir de la hidrólisis enzimática de harina de plumas de pollo, utilizando queratinasas producidas por Bacillus subtilis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Machuca-Loja, Geanina

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this research was hydrolyzed feather meal of chicken for the production of keratin. The methodological research design was experimental; four fermentations, corresponding to a completely randomized experimental design, resulting from considering factors [substrate concentration (18 g / L and 23 g / L and concentration of inoculum (2 and 3 g / L, two levels was performed for each factor]. Determining the total nitrogen concentration was performed by UV-Visible spectrophotometry, the method used is the persulfate potassium digestion (K2S2O8, the maximum concentration of nitrogen is reached in the treatment 2 (1.5% which multiplied by the factor protein 6.25 gives a percentage of 9.4% protein in the hydrolyzed keratin, showing significant difference (p<0.05 from other treatments at 24 hours hydraulic retention. In conclusion the enzymatic hydrolysis of chicken feather meal is possible using the Bacillus subtilis as a producer of proteases.

  20. Biochemical Characterization of a Thiol-Activated, Oxidation Stable Keratinase from Bacillus pumilus KS12

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rinky Rajput

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available An extracellular keratinase from Bacillus pumilus KS12 was purified by DEAE ion exchange chromatography. It was a 45 kDa monomer as determined by SDS PAGE analysis. It was found to be an alkaline, serine protease with pH and temperature optima of 10 and 60C, respectively. It was thiol activated with two- and eight-fold enhancement in presence of 10 mM DTT and β-mercaptoethanol, respectively. In addition, its activity was stimulated in the presence of various surfactants, detergents, and oxidizing agents where a nearly 2- to 3-fold enhancement was observed in presence of H2O2 and NaHClO3. It hydrolyzed broad range of complex substrates including feather keratin, haemoglobin, fibrin, casein,and α-keratin. Analysis of amidolytic activity revealed that it efficiently cleaved phenylalanine → leucine → alanine- p-nitroanilides. It also cleaved insulin B chain between Val2- Asn3, Leu6-Cys7 and His10-Leu11 residues.

  1. Human epithelial hair follicle stem cells and their progeny: current state of knowledge, the widening gap in translational research and future challenges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Purba, Talveen S; Haslam, Iain S; Poblet, Enrique; Jiménez, Francisco; Gandarillas, Alberto; Izeta, Ander; Paus, Ralf

    2014-05-01

    Epithelial hair follicle stem cells (eHFSCs) are required to generate, maintain and renew the continuously cycling hair follicle (HF), supply cells that produce the keratinized hair shaft and aid in the reepithelialization of injured skin. Therefore, their study is biologically and clinically important, from alopecia to carcinogenesis and regenerative medicine. However, human eHFSCs remain ill defined compared to their murine counterparts, and it is unclear which murine eHFSC markers really apply to the human HF. We address this by reviewing current concepts on human eHFSC biology, their immediate progeny and their molecular markers, focusing on Keratin 15 and 19, CD200, CD34, PHLDA1, and EpCAM/Ber-EP4. After delineating how human eHFSCs may be selectively targeted experimentally, we close by defining as yet unmet key challenges in human eHFSC research. The ultimate goal is to transfer emerging concepts from murine epithelial stem cell biology to human HF physiology and pathology. © 2014 WILEY Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Fractal analysis in oral leukoplakia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prashant Bhai Pandey

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Fractal analysis (FA quantifies complex geometric structures by generating a fractal dimension (FD, which can measure the complexity of mucosa. FA is a quantitative tool used to measure the complexity of self-similar or semi-self-similar structures. Aim and Objective: The study was done to perform the FA of oral mucosa with keratotic changes, as it is also made up of self-similar tissues, and thus, its FD can be calculated. Results: In oral leukoplakia, keratinization increases the complexity of mucosa, which denotes fractal geometry. We evaluated and compared pretreated and post-treated oral leukoplakia in 50 patients with clinically proven oral leukoplakia and analyzed the normal oral mucosa and lesional or keratinized mucosa in oral leukoplakia patients through FA using box counting method. Conclusion: FA using the fractal geometry is an efficient, noninvasive prediction tool for early detection of oral leukoplakia and other premalignant conditions in patients.

  3. Diogenes Syndrome: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Projna Biswas

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cessation of normal skin cleansing seen in geriatric or self-neglected patients can cause accumulation of keratinous crusts on the skin. In the extreme end of this spectrum is a condition known as Diogenes syndrome (DS. These patients may have psychiatric disorders like paranoid disorders, mood affection, or temporofrontal dementia. Subjects are mainly the elderly but few cases in younger age group of patients have also been reported. Lesions of DS are usually found over upper central chest, back, and groin. In the young, lesions are mainly found over scalp, face, or arms. Absence of normal skin cleaning causes keratin and dirty debris to accumulate and with time form a thick shell. These debris can be secondarily infected by bacteria, fungus, and so forth. These skin lesions are not usually seen in individual with proper hygiene. We report a case of Diogenes syndrome in a 34-year-old young male patient who had associated schizophrenia.

  4. Unilateral segmental Darier disease following Blaschko lines: A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    César Bimbi

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Darier disease is an autosomal-dominant disorder of keratin production which leads to a loss in epithelial adhesion and abnormal keratinization. The clinical correspondence is keratotic papules grouped in sebaceous areas of trunk, scalp, forehead and flexures. It is a rare disease and the variant focused on here of unilateral segmental distribution following the lines of Blaschko is rarer still, considering the fact that this presentation counts for only 10% of this already uncommom disease and with only 40 cases being reported in English medical literature. Mutation in this gene is expressed in the skin and brain. The treatment of Darier disease can be challenging and is often difficult and sometimes unsatisfactory. Systemic retinoids are considered the drug of choice for treating Darier disease. However, their use is limited by potential side effects. We described the case a metalworker male with unilateral segmental Darier disease following Blaschko lines and we review the literature on this subject.

  5. Role of Autophagy in Keratin Homeostasis in Breast Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-03-01

    weaning of pups, involution commences where the mammary gland reverts to its pre- pregnant state (Brisken and O’Malley, 2010). Pubertal mouse mammary...estrogen, progesterone and prolactin and local growth factors such as Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1), Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and Fibroblast growth...lentiviral  infection.    Following  infection,   resistant  colonies   were  allowed  to  emerge  and  independent  colonies

  6. Large and small cells non-keratinizing epidermoid vaginal carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maso Anaya, Ofelia; Morales Larramendi, Maria Elena; Diaz Perez, Dolores

    2012-01-01

    Five case reports of patients who were assisted at the cervix Pathology Department from 'Mariana Grajales Coello' Provincial Gynecological Obstetrical Hospital in Santiago de Cuba due to vaginal bleeding, low abdominal pain, leukorrhea and vaginal injuries are presented. The pathological study confirmed the diagnosis of squamous or epidermoid cells carcinoma

  7. isolation and characterization of keratinase producing marine ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Dr.NGPASC

    Department of Biotechnology, Dr. N.G.P. Arts and Science College, Coimbatore – 48, Tamilnadu, India. Accepted 2 October, 2012. A unique standard starch casein medium has been implemented for the isolation of actinobacteria from the south Indian ... INTRODUCTION. Keratin is an insoluble protein which is resistant to.

  8. Squamous cell carcinoma of the mastoid – a report of two cases ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... left facial palsy, neck stiffness and left post-auricular swelling on a background of left chronic suppurative otitis media since childhood. An initial diagnosis of meningitis and mastoid abscess secondary to chronic suppurative otitis media was made but histology of the mastoid specimen revealed keratinizing squamous cell ...

  9. Candidiasis in Simians

    Science.gov (United States)

    Candidiasis was diagnosed in six monkeys over a 10-month period. Most cases had been on antibiotic therapy for enterocolitis. Fungal invasion was...seen in epithelium of the tongue, oral cavity, esophagus, and colon, and in hard keratin of the nails. Gross lesions of the anterior alimentary tract

  10. AcEST: DK949756 [AcEST

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available kinase D... 31 6.8 sp|P26372|KRUC_SHEEP Keratin, ultra high-sulfur matrix protein O... 31 6.8 sp|P40798|STC_DROME Protein shuttle cra...ft OS=Drosophila melanoga... 30 8.8 sp|Q0V8T4|CTP5C_RAT

  11. Clouston syndrome can mimic pachyonychia congenita

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Steensel, MAM; Jonkman, MF; van Geel, M; Steijlen, PM; McLean, WHI; Smith, FJD

    2003-01-01

    We studied three families suffering from nail abnormalities who had previously been diagnosed as pachyonychia congenita. No keratin gene mutations were detected. Sequencing of connexin 30 (GJB6 gene) in these patients identified heterozygous missense mutations G11R and A88V that are known to be

  12. A novel mechanism of filaggrin induction and sunburn prevention by β-damascenone in Skh-1 mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Uddin, Ahmed N; Labuda, Ivica; Burns, Fredric J

    2012-12-15

    Understanding how oral administration of aroma terpenes can prevent sunburn or skin cancer in mice could lead to more effective and safer ways of blocking sun damage to human skin. To establish sunburn preventive activity, female Skh-1 mice were given oral β-damascenone followed by irradiation with UVR from fluorescent 'sunlamps'. The following endpoints were evaluated versus controls at various times between 1 and 12 days after the terpene: whole genome gene expression and in situ immunohistochemistry of PCNA, keratin 10, filaggrin and caspase 14, and sunburn was evaluated at 5 days. UVR-induced sunburn was prevented by a single oral β-damascenone dose as low as 20 μL (0.95 mg/g body weight). Microarray analysis showed sunburn prevention doses of β-damascenone up-regulated several types of cornification genes, including keratins 1 and 10, filaggrin, caspase 14, loricrin, hornerin and 6 late cornified envelope genes. Immunohistochemical studies of PCNA labeling showed that β-damascenone increased the proliferation rates of the following cell types: epidermal basal cells, follicular outer root sheath cells and sebaceous gland cells. Keratin 10 was not affected by β-damascenone in epidermis, and filaggrin and caspase 14 were increased in enlarged sebaceous glands. The thickness of the cornified envelope plus sebum layer nearly doubled within 1 day after administration of the β-damascenone and remained at or above double thickness for at least 12 days. β-Damascenone protected against sunburn by activating a sebaceous gland-based pathway that fortified and thickened the cornified envelope plus sebum layer in a way that previously has been observed to occur only in keratinocytes. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. [Effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption of ferulic acid in Chuanxiong].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Yong-Mei; Tao, Ling; Zhu, Xiao-Fang; Zang, Zhen-Zhong; Jin, Chen; Chen, Li-Hua

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this paper was to explore the effects of Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil on transdermal absorption, and investigate the mechanism of permeation on the microstructure and molecular structure of stratum corneum. Through the determination of stratum corneum/medium partition coefficient of ferulicacid in Chuanxiong influenced by Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil, the effects of volatile oil of frankincense and Myrrh on the the microscopic and molecular structure of stratum corneum were explored by observation of skin stratum corneum structure under scanning electron microscopy, and investigation of frankincense and myrrh essential oil effects on the molecular structure of keratin and lipids in stratum corneum under Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results showed that the oil could enhance the distribution of ferulic acid in the stratum corneum and medium, and to a certain extent damaged the imbricate structure of stratum corneum which was originally regularly, neatly, and closely arranged; some epidermal scales turned upward, with local peeling phenomenon. In addition, frankincense and myrrh essential oil caused the relative displacement of CH2 stretching vibration peak of stratum corneum lipids and amide stretching vibration peak of stratum corneum keratin, indicating that frankincense and myrrh essential oil may change the conformation of lipid and keratin in the stratum corneum, increase the bilayer liquidity of the stratum corneum lipid, and change the orderly and compact structure to increase the skin permeability and reduce the effect of barrier function. It can be concluded that Frankincense and Myrrh essential oil can promote the permeation effect by increasing the distribution of drugs in the stratum corneum and changing the structure of the stratum corneum. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

  14. Non-invasive label-free investigation and typing of head and neck cancers by multimodal nonlinear microscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meyer, Tobias; Vogler, Nadine; Dietzek, Benjamin; Akimov, Denis; Inhestern, Johanna; Guntinas-Lichius, Orlando; Popp, Jürgen

    2012-06-01

    Early detection and typing of tumors is pressing matter in clinical research with important impacts for prognosis and successful treatment. Currently, staining is the golden standard in histopathology but requires surgical removal of tissue. In order to avoid resection of non-diseased tissue a non-invasive real-time imaging method is required which can be applied ideally intrasurgically. In this proceeding a combination of second harmonic generation (SHG), two photon excited fluorescence (TPEF) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman (CARS) imaging has been employed to investigate tissue sections of head and neck carcinomas focussing on laryngeal carcinoma. Primary laryngeal and other head and neck carcinomas consist to 99% of squamous cell carcinoma. By fusing the various imaging methods it is possible to measure the thickness of the epithelial cell layer as a marker for dysplastic or cancerous tissue degradation and to differentiate keratinizing and nonkeratininzing squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). As nonkeratinizing SCCs of the oropharynx correlate with a human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as a subentity of head and neck cancer, and HPV related tumors are associated with a better clinical prognosis, the differentiation between keratinizing and non-keratinizing forms of SCCs is of high diagnostic value. TPEF is capable of displaying cell nuclei, therefore, morphologic information as cell density, cell to cytoplasm ratio, size and shape of cell nuclei can be obtained. SHG - on the other hand - selectively reveals the collagen matrix of the connective tissue, which is useful for determination of tumor-islets boundaries within epithelial tissue - a prerequisite for precise resection. Finally CARS in the CH-stretching region visualizes the lipid content of the tissue, which can be correlated with the dysplastic grade of the tissue.

  15. Nucleostemin expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Čada, Z.; Bouček, Jan; Dvoranova, B.; Chovanec, M.; Plzák, J.; Kodet, R.; Betka, J.; Pinot, G. L.; Gabius, H. J.; Smetana Jr, K.

    2007-01-01

    Roč. 27, - (2007), s. 3273-3284 ISSN 0250-7005 Grant - others:GA MZd(CZ) NR9049 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50200510 Source of funding: V - iné verejné zdroje Keywords : basal cell carcinoma * epidermis * keratin Subject RIV: EC - Immunology Impact factor: 1.414, year: 2007

  16. Improving the quality of wool through the use of gene markers ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Results also indicated that the keratin genes on chromosome 11 are recombining relatively frequently at recombination "hotspots". It appears as though genes coding for the KRTs and KAPs have the potential to impact on wool quality and could potentially be exploited in gene marker-assisted selection programmes in the ...

  17. 'Unicorn' among rats exposed to mycotoxins from Fusarium.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schoental, R

    1983-05-01

    A horn-like nodule developed in the middle of the forehead of a white rat, exposed perinatally to T-2 toxin and to zearalenone, the secondary metabolites of Fusarium. The hard nodule consisted mainly of keratine, derived from a squamous carcinoma spreading through the nasal turbinals and invading the brain.

  18. Turn-over of Stratijm Corneum in Leprosy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R P Okhandiar

    1987-01-01

    Full Text Available Stratum corneum showed increased proliferative activity on the patches of leprosy as evidenced by a significantly fast stratum corneum turnover time (p 0.001 measured by fluorescent staining technic with dansyl chloride. These findings suggest imperfect keratinization on the patches of leprosy leading to formation of structurally weak stratum corneum.

  19. Determination of carnivores prey base by scat analysis in Samburu ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Administrator

    This study determined the prey base for four main carnivores found in Samburu community group ranches and ... a result of the hydrolysis of protein that acts as cement for the keratin ... prey component between predator species that may be attributed to ... causing ever-closer interaction between humans and wildlife. This is ...

  20. Solo, a RhoA-targeting guanine nucleotide exchange factor, is critical for hemidesmosome formation and acinar development in epithelial cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujiwara, Sachiko; Matsui, Tsubasa S; Ohashi, Kazumasa; Deguchi, Shinji; Mizuno, Kensaku

    2018-01-01

    Cell-substrate adhesions are essential for various physiological processes, including embryonic development and maintenance of organ functions. Hemidesmosomes (HDs) are multiprotein complexes that attach epithelial cells to the basement membrane. Formation and remodeling of HDs are dependent on the surrounding mechanical environment; however, the upstream signaling mechanisms are not well understood. We recently reported that Solo (also known as ARHGEF40), a guanine nucleotide exchange factor targeting RhoA, binds to keratin8/18 (K8/K18) intermediate filaments, and that their interaction is important for force-induced actin and keratin cytoskeletal reorganization. In this study, we show that Solo co-precipitates with an HD protein, β4-integrin. Co-precipitation assays revealed that the central region (amino acids 330-1057) of Solo binds to the C-terminal region (1451-1752) of β4-integrin. Knockdown of Solo significantly suppressed HD formation in MCF10A mammary epithelial cells. Similarly, knockdown of K18 or treatment with Y-27632, a specific inhibitor of Rho-associated kinase (ROCK), suppressed HD formation. As Solo knockdown or Y-27632 treatment is known to disorganize K8/K18 filaments, these results suggest that Solo is involved in HD formation by regulating K8/K18 filament organization via the RhoA-ROCK signaling pathway. We also showed that knockdown of Solo impairs acinar formation in MCF10A cells cultured in 3D Matrigel. In addition, Solo accumulated at the site of traction force generation in 2D-cultured MCF10A cells. Taken together, these results suggest that Solo plays a crucial role in HD formation and acinar development in epithelial cells by regulating mechanical force-induced RhoA activation and keratin filament organization.

  1. Multicolor immunofluorescence reveals that p63- and/or K5-positive progenitor cells contribute to normal breast epithelium and usual ductal hyperplasia but not to low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia of the breast.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boecker, Werner; Stenman, Göran; Schroeder, Tina; Schumacher, Udo; Loening, Thomas; Stahnke, Lisa; Löhnert, Catharina; Siering, Robert Michael; Kuper, Arthur; Samoilova, Vera; Tiemann, Markus; Korsching, Eberhard; Buchwalow, Igor

    2017-05-01

    We contend that knowledge about the cellular composition of normal breast epithelium is a prerequisite for understanding proliferative breast disease. Against this background, we used multicolor immunofluorescence to study normal breast epithelium and two types of intraepithelial proliferative breast lesion for expression of the p63, basal keratin K5, glandular keratin K8/18, SMA, ER-alpha, and Ki67. We studied eight normal breast epithelium samples, 12 cases of usual ductal hyperplasia, and 33 cases of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (9 flat epithelial atypia, 14 low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ and 10 cases of lobular neoplasia). Usual ductal hyperplasia showed striking similarity to normal luminal breast epithelium including p63+ and/or K5+ luminal progenitor cells and the full spectrum of luminal progeny cells. In normal breast epithelium and usual ductal hyperplasia, expression of ER-alpha was associated with lack of expression of the proliferation antigen Ki67. In contrast, we found in both types of low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia robust expression of keratin K8/18 and a positive association between ER-alpha and Ki67 expression. However, these lesions were consistently negative for p63 and/or K5. Our observational study supports the view that usual ductal hyperplasia and low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia are different entities rather than part of a spectrum of the same disease. We propose a new operational model of cell differentiation that may serve to better understand correlations between normal breast epithelium and proliferative breast diseases. From our data we conclude that p63+ and/or K5+ progenitor cells contribute to maintenance of normal epithelium and usual ductal hyperplasia, but not to low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia of the breast.

  2. Identification and quantification of amino acids from psoriatic and normal epidermis by high performance liquid chromatography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahesar, S.M.; Khuhawar, M.Y.

    2010-01-01

    In this study, a modified fluorescence technique high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was adapted to separate the amino acids from the hydrolyzed keratin samples. These samples obtained from the epidermal layer of the normal and psoriatic human subjects. The keratin extracts are quantified in gram percentage of the dried skin and the amino acids concentrations are measured in mu g/g, mean retention time (tR), slope value and the coefficient of determination (r2) of each eluted amino acid is calculated. The coefficients of variation for amino acid standards ranged from 0.12% to 0.28%, mean, standard deviation of peak area and coefficients of variation of peak area were calculated. From the normal hydrolysated keratin protein fraction, 12 amino acids were determined and identified as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagines, serine, glutamine, glycine, histidine, citrulline, arganine, fi-alanine, tyrosine, and valine. These amino acids were also determined in psoriatic samples while standard deviations (SD), standard error mean (SEM) and coefficient variation (CV%) of normal and psoriatic samples were also calculated. The higher concentration of amino acids in normal samples against psoriatic samples determined as glutamic acid 92.76+- 16. 83/50. 87+-9.88, glutamine 198.05+-18.74/19.74+-3.74 while higher concentrations of amino acids determined in psoriatic samples against normal samples as asparagines 81. 06+-10+-10.62/29. 98+-3.641; arganine 164.42+-35. 11/46. 14+-46, tyrosine 214.38+-29. 61/59. 64+-8. 82, and valine 169.7+-19.35/128.06+-15.14.1 is concluded that the absolute concentration of amino acids in psoriatic skin indicated a number of variations as compared to normal skin samples. (author)

  3. Unique gene expression profile of the proliferating Xenopus tadpole tail blastema cells deciphered by RNA-sequencing analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroshi Tsujioka

    Full Text Available Organ regenerative ability depends on the animal species and the developmental stage. The molecular bases for variable organ regenerative ability, however, remain unknown. Previous studies have identified genes preferentially expressed in the blastema tissues in various animals, but transcriptome analysis of the isolated proliferating blastema cells has not yet been reported. In the present study, we used RNA-sequencing analysis to analyze the gene expression profile of isolated proliferating blastema cells of regenerating Xenopus laevis tadpole tails. We used flow cytometry to isolate proliferating cells, and non-proliferating blastema cells, from regenerating tadpole tails as well as proliferating tail bud cells from tail bud embryos, the latter two of which were used as control cells, based on their DNA content. Among the 28 candidate genes identified by RNA-sequencing analysis, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction identified 10 genes whose expression was enriched in regenerating tadpole tails compared with non-regenerating tadpole tails or tails from the tail bud embryos. Among them, whole mount in situ hybridization revealed that chromosome segregation 1-like and interleukin 11 were expressed in the broad area of the tail blastema, while brevican, lysyl oxidase, and keratin 18 were mainly expressed in the notochord bud in regenerating tails. We further combined whole mount in situ hybridization with immunohistochemistry for the incorporated 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine to confirm that keratin 18 and interleukin 11 were expressed in the proliferating tail blastema cells. Based on the proposed functions of their homologs in other animal species, these genes might have roles in the extracellular matrix formation in the notochord bud (brevican and lysyl oxidase, cell proliferation (chromosome segregation 1-like and keratin 18, and in the maintenance of the differentiation ability of proliferating blastema cells (interleukin 11

  4. Unusual Clinicoradiographic Presentation of a Lateral Periodontal Cyst

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H. T. Kumuda Arvind Rao

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The lateral periodontal cyst is an uncommon, but well-recognized type of developmental odontogenic cyst. Lateral periodontal cysts are defined as non-keratinized and non-inflammatory developmental cysts located adjacent or lateral to the root of a vital tooth. It is a relatively uncommon lesion found mostly in adults (5th to 7th decades and it is rare in young people under 30 years of age. A common site of occurrence is the mandibular premolar region. It does not have a predilection for any race or sex. Histopathologically, the lateral periodontal cyst lining is characterized by a thin cuboidal to stratified squamous non-keratinizing epithelium, ranging from one to five cell layers and presence of one or more epithelial thickenings or plaques.The purpose of this article is to report a case of interradicular radiolucent cystic lesion in a thirteen-year-old girl, located in a rare site of the maxillary premolar area, mimicking clinical and radiographical features of a residual cyst, but histopathologically proven to be a lateral periodontal cyst.

  5. Characterization and evolution of dermal filaments from patients with Morgellons disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Middelveen MJ

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Marianne J Middelveen,1 Peter J Mayne,1 Douglas G Kahn,2 Raphael B Stricker11International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD, USA; 2Department of Pathology, Olive View–UCLA Medical Center, Sylmar, CA, USAAbstract: Morgellons disease is an emerging skin disease characterized by formation of dermal filaments associated with multisystemic symptoms and tick-borne illness. Some clinicians hypothesize that these often colorful dermal filaments are textile fibers, either self-implanted by patients or accidentally adhering to lesions, and conclude that patients with this disease have delusions of infestation. We present histological observations and electron microscopic imaging from representative Morgellons disease samples revealing that dermal filaments in these cases are keratin and collagen in composition and result from proliferation and activation of keratinocytes and fibroblasts in the epidermis. Spirochetes were detected in the dermatological specimens from our study patients, providing evidence that Morgellons disease is associated with an infectious process.Keywords: Morgellons disease, digital dermatitis, Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, spirochetes, keratin, keratinocytes, collagen, fibroblasts

  6. Peripheral odontogenic keratocyst associated with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakamoto, Kei; Morita, Kei-Ichi; Shimada, Yasuyuki; Omura, Ken; Izumo, Toshiyuki; Yamaguchi, Akira

    2014-07-01

    Peripheral odontogenic keratocyst (POKC) is a rare gingival cyst showing histologic features identical to those of keratocystic odontogenic tumor. A rare case of POKC associated with nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is presented. A 24-year-old woman with NBCCS presented with a pigmented papule, 3 mm in size, involving the lingual gingiva of the right canine area of the mandible. Based on a clinical diagnosis of benign pigmentation, an excisional biopsy was performed, and a histopathologic diagnosis of POKC was rendered. The lining cells were positive for the proteins GLI2, BCL2, keratin 8, keratin 17, and mTOR. TP53 and Ber-EP4 were also weakly positive. Gene mutational analysis on a buccal swab sample revealed 2 missense mutations in the PTCH1 gene. This case is a distinctive example of a genuine soft tissue counterpart of keratocystic odontogenic tumor, in which an aberrant PTCH1-GLI pathway played a considerable role in the pathogenesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Periodontal health and lateral lower lip piercings: a split-mouth cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilchez-Perez, Miguel Angel; Fuster-Torres, Ma Angeles; Figueiredo, Rui; Valmaseda-Castellón, Eduard; Gay-Escoda, Cosme

    2009-07-01

    To assess periodontal health of individuals with a lateral lower lip piercing and describe associated periodontal, dental and mucosal complications. A split-mouth study was performed in a sample of 50 patients with a lateral lower lip piercing who attended the Periodontal Pathology and Surgery Unit of the Dental School of the University of Barcelona. The patients underwent periodontal, dental and mucosal examination on both the piercing and the control sides. Piercing users were predominantly women (78%), with a mean age of 21.3 years (SD=4.4). The amounts of keratinized and attached gingiva were significantly lower on the piercing side, and the prevalence of gingival recession was higher (p=0.012). The canine and first bicuspid teeth were the most affected. Tooth fractures and cracks were more frequent on the piercing side (20%) when compared with the control (4%). Mucosal alterations were found in seven patients. The use of lateral lower lip piercings enhances gingival recession and reduces the amounts of keratinized and attached gingiva. These ornaments are also associated with tooth fractures and cracks.

  8. Hidradenocarcinoma: a histological and immunohistochemical study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Christine J; Cochran, Alistair J; Eng, William; Binder, Scott W

    2006-11-01

    The diagnosis of hidradenocarcinoma is difficult due to a combination of factors including inconsistent nomenclature/ classification, rarity of the neoplasm, and variable morphology of cells composing the neoplasm. Immunohistochemistry has not been previously performed on a series of hidradenocarcinomas. We evaluated six cases of hidradenocarcinoma histologically and immunohistochemically using antibodies to gross cystic disease fluid protein-15 (GCDFP-15), carcino-embryonic antigen (CEA), epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), S-100 protein, keratin AE1/3, cytokeratin 5/6, p53, bcl-1, bcl-2, and Ki67. Histology suggested concurrent eccrine and apocrine differentiation of the cases. Ki67 and p53 staining was strongly positive in five of six tumors. The neoplasms stained with antibodies to CEA, S-100 protein, GCDFP-15, EMA, bcl-1, and bcl-2 in no consistent pattern. All tumors studied stained positively for keratin AE1/3 and cytokeratin 5/6. In making the diagnosis of hidradenocarcinoma, it may be unnecessary to separate hidradenocarcinoma into eccrine and apocrine categories, and although Ki67 and p53 may be helpful, histological parameters remain paramount.

  9. Modern concepts of pathogenesis of ichthyosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Світлана Володимирівна Дмитренко

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The modern concepts of ichthyosis are rather ambiguous and need more precise definition. The modern conception of pathogenesis of ichthysosis is offered and considered in this article.Aim. An aim is to analyze received data of our researches about molecular disturbances of keratin on the background of ichthyosis and the current data on the pathogenesis of disease.Materials and methods. An analysis of the results of research in 70 patients with ichthyosis by the methods of the flow cytometry, immunohistochemistry and by immunologic methods is presented in an article.Results. Authors revealed molecular, immunologic and immunohistochemical changes that realizes the disturbance of keratinization on the background of this disease. The model of pathogenesis of the various manifestations of gene mutations that causes ichthyosis is proposed and it can be taken into account when elaborating the new directions of therapy.Conclusions. Gene mutations that cause ichthyosis realizes on the background of disturbance of the cell cycle causing cornification and disturb the local and general immune reactions that summarily lead to the clinical presentations of disease. 

  10. Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequence of the Keratinolytic Bacterium Lysobacter sp. A03, Isolated from the Antarctic Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Pereira, Jamile Queiroz; Ambrosini, Adriana; Sant?Anna, Fernando Hayashi; Tadra-Sfeir, Michele; Faoro, Helisson; Pedrosa, F?bio Oliveira; Souza, Emanuel Maltempi; Brandelli, Adriano; Passaglia, Luciane M. P.

    2015-01-01

    Lysobacter sp. strain A03 is a protease-producing bacterium isolated from decomposing-penguin feathers collected in the Antarctic environment. This strain has the ability to degrade keratin at low temperatures. The A03 genome sequence provides the possibility of finding new genes with biotechnological potential to better understand its cold-adaptation mechanism and survival in cold environments.

  11. Identification of Mutations in SDR9C7 in 6 Families with Autosomal Recessive Congenital Ichthyosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hotz, A; Fagerberg, C; Vahlquist, A

    2018-01-01

    Autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis (ARCI) is a heterogeneous group of disorders of keratinization. To date, ARCI has been associated with following genes: ABCA12, ALOX12B, ALOXE3, CERS3, CYP4F22, NIPAL4, TGM1, PNPLA1 and recently SDR9C7 and SULT2B1.(1-6) Furthermore, seven patients from...

  12. Studies on mycoflora colonizing raw keratin wastes in arable soil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teresa Korniłłowicz

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The present studies showed that feathers placed in soil demonstrated the succesion of physiologically differentiated communities of micromycetes. The first colonizers were sugar fungi. The second phase of feather colonization showed the prevalence of nutritively undeveloped polyphages and "root" celulolytic fungi. The final phase of colonization was dominated by keratinophilic fungi together with microflora that involved the forms known mainly for their strong proteolytic abilities. It was found that both the Chemical structure of substrate and soil properties with its pH determined the qualitative composition of fungal flora.

  13. Multicenter Clinical Trial of Keratin Biomaterial for Peripheral Nerve Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-12-01

    ship rat carcasses to inviCRO for autoradiography analysis. The last animal was euthanized today at time point Day 30.  April 6, 2015: Sectioning...of rat carcasses by inviCRO to start later in the week. The animals had no abnormalities detected by clinical observation throughout the duration of...Approximately 0.08 ml of the labeled hydrogel was implanted intramuscularly in the quadriceps muscle. The animal care and use protocol developed at

  14. Clinical and Radiographic Assessment of Peri-Implant Tissue in Posterior Areas with and Without the Need for Guided Bone Regeneration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seyed Reza Arabi

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Background Dental implants are increasingly used in resorbed alveolar ridges, and the success of implants inserted concomitantly with guided bone regeneration (GBR needs to be evaluated. Objectives This study aimed to clinically and radiographically assess the peri-implant tissues in the posterior maxilla and mandible in cases in which dehiscence or fenestration occurred at the time of implant surgery and treated with GBR (simultaneously with implant placement in one session. A comparison was also made between the above-mentioned patients and controls in which implants were placed in intact bone (entire length of implant in bone. Patients and Methods This study was conducted on 12 patients as cases who received 17 standard implants (dehiscence or fenestration occurred after placement of 4 mm diameter standard implants and GBR was performed and 10 patients as the control group (those who received 17 standard implants, 4 mm in diameter and 10 mm in length, in adequate bone. Periapical (PA radiographs were obtained in the first 24 hours post-surgery. Radiographs were repeated at one month, at the time of loading (two months post-surgery, and at three and six months after loading to assess marginal bone loss. To assess the peri-implant soft tissue, thickness and width of the keratinized gingiva were evaluated. Data were analyzed using t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance. The level of significance was set to P = 0.05. Results The difference in distance from the bone crest to the implant shoulder between the two groups of cases and controls was significant at the following time points: baseline and 2 months post-surgery (P = 0.000, baseline and 6 months after loading (P = 0.01, 2 months post-surgery and 3 months after loading (P = 0.00, and 2 months post-surgery and 6 months after loading (P = 0.00. Changes in the width of the keratinized gingiva were not significant in the two groups of cases and controls at 2 months post-surgery (P = 0

  15. A possible connective tissue primary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC)

    OpenAIRE

    Aurilio, G; Ricci, V; De Vita, F; Fasano, M; Fazio, N; Orditura, M; Funicelli, L; De Luca, G; Iasevoli, D; Iovino, F; Ciardiello, F; Conzo, G; Nol?, F; Lamendola, MG

    2010-01-01

    Lymphoepithelial carcinoma is an undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma with lymphoid stroma and non-keratinizing squamous cells with distinctive clinical, epidemiological and etiological features. Conversely, lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas (LELCs) are carcinomas that arise outside the nasopharynx but resemble a lymphoepithelioma histologically. In this case study, LELC presentation in connective tissue (left sternocleidomastoid muscle) is peculiar and unusual, but its diagnosis is supp...

  16. Nail Properties and Bone Health: A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pouya Saeedi

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Physicochemical properties of nail may offer valuable insight into the health of bone. Currently, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA is the gold standard technique for evaluating bone health through bone mineral density (BMD. However, only 70% of fractures are explained by low BMD according to DXA. Therefore, the World Health Organisation recommended the need for the development of alternative methods of assessing bone health. Keratin and collagen type I are major proteins in nail and bone, respectively. Both of these proteins undergo post-translational modifications, with a possible correlation between the degree of post-translational modifications in keratin and collagen. Raman spectroscopy is a technique used to detect changes in protein composition and structure. As changes in protein function and structure may be associated with the development of osteoporosis, Raman spectroscopy may be a valuable adjunct to assess bone health and fracture risk. This review critically evaluates various methods and techniques to identify the link between nail properties and bone health. The strengths and limitations of various studies and the potential use of nail protein and minerals to evaluate bone health have been also presented.

  17. DA 5505: a novel topical formulation of terbinafine that enhances skin penetration and retention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thapa, Raj Kumar; Han, Sang-Duk; Park, Hyoung Geun; Son, Miwon; Jun, Joon Ho; Kim, Jong Oh

    2015-01-01

    Topical fungal infections can become severe if left untreated. Efficient treatment modalities for topical fungal infections aid the penetration of antifungal agents deep into viable skin layers. Terbinafine is a fungicidal agent that inhibits ergosterol, an essential fungal component. The main objective of this study was to evaluate skin permeation and retention of a terbinafine-loaded solution containing chitosan as a film former. Comparative assessment of skin permeation and retention was performed using a prepared formulation (DA 5505) and marketed formulations of terbinafine in murine and porcine skin. To mimic fungal infection of skin, keratinized skin was induced in NC/Nga mice. In comparison with the marketed formulations, DA 5505 exhibited significantly better skin permeation. The flux, permeation coefficient, and enhancement ratio of terbinafine were remarkably increased by DA 5505 in comparison with the marketed formulations, and lag time was dramatically reduced. DA 5505 significantly increased cumulative terbinafine retention in viable skin layers in comparison with the marketed solution, suggesting enhanced efficacy. Furthermore, DA 5505 exhibited superior skin permeation in normal skin and keratinized skin. Thus, the DA 5505 formulation has the potential to effectively deliver terbinafine to superficial and deep cutaneous fungal infections.

  18. Expression of the Pokemon proto-oncogene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines and tissues.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiao, Wei; Liu, Fei; Tang, Feng-Zhu; Lan, Jiao; Xiao, Rui-Ping; Chen, Xing-Zhou; Ye, Hui-Lan; Cai, Yong-Lin

    2013-01-01

    To study the differentiated expression of the proto-oncogene Pokemon in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cell lines and tissues, mRNA and protein expression levels of CNE1, CNE2, CNE3 and C666-1 were detected separately by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time PCR and Western-blotting. The immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cell line NP69 was used as a control. The Pokemon protein expression level in biopsy specimens from chronic rhinitis patients and undifferentiated non keratinizing NPC patients was determined by Western-blotting and arranged from high to low: C666-1>CNE1>CNE2> CNE3>NP69. The Pokemon mRNA expression level was also arranged from high to low: CNE1>CNE2>NP69>C666-1>CNE3. Pokemon expression of NP69 and C666-1 obviously varied from mRNA to protein. The Pokemon protein level of NPC biopsy specimens was obviously higher than in chronic rhinitis. The data suggest that high Pokemon protein expression is closely associated with undifferentiated non-keratinizing NPC and may provide useful information for NPC molecular target therapy.

  19. Functional morphology of femoral glands in the Tegu lizard, Tupinambis merianae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chamut, Silvia; Valdez, Valeria García; Manes, Mario E

    2009-04-01

    Several lizards have femoral glands, which have an influence in various reproductive behaviors. In this paper we describe the morphological organization of the femoral glands in the Tegu, Tupinambis merianae, by means of light and electron microscopy. Even though these glands are present in both genders, secretions during the reproductive period can only be found in males. The glandular parenchyma, which is organized in numerous secretory units, consists of keratinocyte-like cells and granular cells. The holocrine secretion is constituted from both cells, which lose their integrity and become a semi-amorphous material, reinforced by keratin sheets. The discharges of each unit merge together into a solid cylinder of secretion, surrounded by epithelial cells, that is extruded to the exterior. The keratin sheets and epithelial layers that surround both the complete and partial secretions form a sort of structural support suitable for the type of territorial demarcation characteristic of the species. The granular cells, supposedly the producers of pheromones, are characterized by the presence of electron-dense granules and multilaminar membranous bodies that show ultrastructural changes of unknown function. The free granules in the secretion cylinder may act as pheromone deposits.

  20. Seborrheic inclusion cyst of the skin positive for cytoplasmic inclusion bodies and HPV antigen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Terada, Tadashi

    2012-01-01

    Seborrheic inclusion cyst (SIC) is a very rare variant of epidermal cyst of the skin. SIC shows seborrheic keratosis (SK)-like lesion in epidermal cyst. SIC is extremely rare; only 6 case reports have been published in the English literature. However, no immunohistochemical study of SIC has been reported. A 41-year-old Japanese man noticed a subcutaneous tumor in the neck. Physical examination showed slightly mobile tumor in the subcutaneous tissue, and total excision was performed. Grossly, the tumor (1 x 1 x 0.8 cm) was cyst containing atheromatous keratin. Microscopically, the lesion is a cyst containing keratins. About one half of the cyst showed features of epidermal cyst consisting of mature squamous epithelium with granular layers. The other one half showed SK-like epidermal proliferation. The SK-like area showed basaloid cell proliferation with pseudohorn cysts. No significant atypia was noted. Many eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusion bodies were noted in the SK-like area. Immunohistochemically, the SK-like area was positive for pancytokeratin AE1/3, pancytokeratin CAM5.2, p63, and Ki-67 (labeling=8%) and HPV, but negative for p53. The pathological diagnosis was SIC.

  1. Long-term organ culture of rabbit skin: Effect of EGF on epidermal structure in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kondo, S.; Hozumi, Y.; Aso, K.

    1990-01-01

    A method is described for maintaining the epidermal structure of normal rabbit ear skin explants in organ culture for up to 12 weeks. Split-thickness skin specimens were put in diffusion chambers made of either millipore filters or bovine collagen membranes, and then submitted to a roller tube culture at 15 rpm and 36 degrees C. The culture medium was Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with 20% fetal calf serum (FCS) + 0.4 micrograms/ml hydrocortisone. The gas used in the culture tube was air + 5% CO2. Autoradiography revealed the incorporation of [3H]-glycine into the 68-kD keratin band of explants for up to 12 weeks, indicating that normal keratinization was maintained throughout the entire culture period. The turnover time of the epidermis from basal layer to granular layer was around 7 d in both the early and late stages of culture. The addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the culture caused the epidermis to become acanthotic with orthokeratosis, but with high concentrations of EGF (greater than or equal to 10 ng/ml) parakeratosis and increased proliferation of the epidermis occurred. Dexamethasone (DMS) strongly inhibited the EGF effect

  2. TGM5 mutations impact epidermal differentiation in acral peeling skin syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pigors, Manuela; Kiritsi, Dimitra; Cobzaru, Cristina; Schwieger-Briel, Agnes; Suárez, Jose; Faletra, Flavio; Aho, Heikki; Mäkelä, Leeni; Kern, Johannes S; Bruckner-Tuderman, Leena; Has, Cristina

    2012-10-01

    Acral peeling skin syndrome (APSS) is an autosomal recessive skin disorder characterized by acral blistering and peeling of the outermost layers of the epidermis. It is caused by mutations in the gene for transglutaminase 5, TGM5. Here, we report on clinical and molecular findings in 11 patients and extend the TGM5 mutation database by four, to our knowledge, previously unreported mutations: p.M1T, p.L41P, p.L214CfsX15, and p.S604IfsX9. The recurrent mutation p.G113C was found in 9 patients, but also in 3 of 100 control individuals in a heterozygous state, indicating that APSS might be more widespread than hitherto expected. Using quantitative real-time PCR, immunoblotting, and immunofluorescence analysis, we demonstrate that expression and distribution of several epidermal differentiation markers and corneodesmosin (CDSN) is altered in APSS keratinocytes and skin. Although the expression of transglutaminases 1 and 3 was not changed, we found an upregulation of keratin 1, keratin 10, involucrin, loricrin, and CDSN, probably as compensatory mechanisms for stabilization of the epidermal barrier. Our results give insights into the consequences of TGM5 mutations on terminal epidermal differentiation.

  3. A Classic Case of Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dattaprasad Dadhe

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The basal cell nevus syndrome is an autosomal dominant inherited condition characterized mainly by basal cell carcinomas, multiple keratinizing odontogenic tumors, and other systemic anomalies. As these manifestations do not alter the patient′s lifestyle, most of the cases are diagnosed through oral abnormalities. A classic case of basal cell nevus syndrome fulfilling almost all the major and minor criteria has been reported here.

  4. Raman Microscopy and Imaging: Applications to Skin Pharmacology and Wound Healing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flach, Carol R.; Zhang, Guojin; Mendelsohn, Richard

    The utility of confocal Raman microscopy to study biological events in skin is demonstrated with three examples. (i) monitoring the spatial and structural differences between native and cultured skin, (ii) tracking the permeation and biochemical transformation in skin of a Vitamin E derivative and (iii) tracking the spatial distribution of three major skin proteins (keratin, collagen, and elastin) during wound healing in an explant skin model.

  5. Phase II Clinical Trial of Intraoral Grafting of Human Tissue Engineered Oral Mucosa

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-10-01

    treatment, EVPOME (Group 1), or standard of care, the palatal oral mucosa (POM) graft (Group 2). The study population will include non- smoking adults...nor prevents microbial infection, fluid loss, and foreign material contamination and relapse secondary to wound contracture. Oral mucosa is in... smoking subjects (ages 18 and older) in need of additional keratinized oral mucosa and provided recruitment materials to local dentists. This resulted

  6. Filament formation associated with spirochetal infection: a comparative approach to Morgellons disease

    OpenAIRE

    Middelveen, Marianne J; Stricker, Raphael B

    2011-01-01

    Marianne J Middelveen, Raphael B StrickerInternational Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD, USAAbstract: Bovine digital dermatitis is an emerging infectious disease that causes lameness, decreased milk production, and weight loss in livestock. Proliferative stages of bovine digital dermatitis demonstrate keratin filament formation in skin above the hooves in affected animals. The multifactorial etiology of digital dermatitis is not well understood, but spirochetes and other coi...

  7. Whole-Genome Shotgun Sequence of the Keratinolytic Bacterium Lysobacter sp. A03, Isolated from the Antarctic Environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Jamile Queiroz; Ambrosini, Adriana; Sant'Anna, Fernando Hayashi; Tadra-Sfeir, Michele; Faoro, Helisson; Pedrosa, Fábio Oliveira; Souza, Emanuel Maltempi; Brandelli, Adriano; Passaglia, Luciane M P

    2015-04-02

    Lysobacter sp. strain A03 is a protease-producing bacterium isolated from decomposing-penguin feathers collected in the Antarctic environment. This strain has the ability to degrade keratin at low temperatures. The A03 genome sequence provides the possibility of finding new genes with biotechnological potential to better understand its cold-adaptation mechanism and survival in cold environments. Copyright © 2015 Pereira et al.

  8. Exuberant clinical picture of Buschke-Fischer-Brauer palmoplantar keratoderma in bedridden patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Antonio, João Roberto; Oliveira, Guilherme Bueno de; Rossi, Natalia Cristina Pires; Pires, Laiza Gabriela Garcia

    2014-01-01

    Buschke-Fisher-Brauer keratoderma is a rare hereditary autosomal dominant disease of incomplete penetrance. Important differential diagnoses include other palmoplantar keratinization disorders, acquired or hereditary, which is done based on the histopathological findings. This diagnosis alerts especially about the possibility of associated neoplasms. Treatment involves topical keratolytic agents, usually with little efficacy, or with long-term systemic retinoids with follow-up of exuberant collateral effects.

  9. Frequency of mixed onychomycosis with total nail dystrophy in patients attended in a Guatemalan Dermatology Center

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez-Herrera, Erick; Schlager-Ospino, Herbert; Torres-Guerrero, Edoardo; Porras-López, Carlos; Betancourt, Laura Ramos; Camarena, Stefanie Arroyo; Arenas, Roberto

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Introduction: Onychomycosis are fungal nail infections that can be caused by dermatophytes, non-dermatophytic molds and yeasts, which are capable of breaking down keratin. Mixed onychomycosis are a controversial subject and they are the outcome of the combination of two dermatophytes, dermatophytes/nondermatophytic molds or dermatophytes/yeast. Objetives: To determine the frequency of total dystrophic onychomycosis caused by more than one etiological agent (mixed onychomycosis) in ...

  10. MULTIPLE MALIGNANT TUMORS IN 8-YEARS OLD BOY WITH XERODERMA PIGMENTOSUM: A CASE REPORT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. I. Al’banova

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This case report describes xeroderma pigmentosum in an 8-year old boy. At the age of 4 he was diagnosed with aggressive keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. Surgical treatment, close-focus radiotherapy, isotretinoin and cyclosporine were ineffective. At the age of 8 he had multiple tumors on the face and concha of the ear, with destruction of adjacent bone and cartilage and regional nodal metastasing.

  11. Buccal bone deficiency in fresh extraction sockets: a prospective single cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barone, Antonio; Ricci, Massimiliano; Romanos, Georgios E; Tonelli, Paolo; Alfonsi, Fortunato; Covani, Ugo

    2015-07-01

    The purpose of this prospective single cohort study was to evaluate the use of xenograft and collagen membranes in treating full or partial buccal bone defects of fresh extraction sockets in the esthetic zone. Thirty-three patients requiring tooth extraction in the anterior maxillary area and showing a complete or partial buccal bone plate deficiency (more than 2 mm) were consecutively enrolled and treated. Corticocancellous porcine bone and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF) with a collagen membrane were used to graft the extraction sockets, and the membranes were left exposed to the oral cavity with a secondary soft tissue healing. The outcome variables were as follows: width of keratinized mucosa, facial soft tissue levels, clinical bone changes (measured with a clinical splint), implant and prosthesis failures, and peri-implant marginal bone changes. All treated sites allowed the placement of implants; the width of keratinized mucosa at the mid-facial aspect showed an increase of 2.3 mm 5 months after the grafting procedure, and its value was 3.2 ± 0.6 mm at 1-year follow-up. The mean values of the facial soft tissue level indicated an increase over time. The bone level showed an improvement of 0.8 ± 0.1 mm and 0.7 ± 0.1 mm at mesial and distal sites, respectively, when compared to the baseline measurements. Finally, in the palatal area, no bone changes were observed. No implant failed during the entire observation period. Findings from this study showed that xenograft and PRF, used for ridge preservation of the extraction sockets with buccal bone plate dehiscence in the esthetic zone, can be considered effective in repairing bone defects before implant placement. The secondary soft tissue healing over the grafted sockets did not compromise bone formation; moreover, the soft tissue level and the width of keratinized gingiva showed a significant improvement over time. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  12. Skin pattern structure and function of juvenile ages of Chameleo chameleon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yosra A. Fouda

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Little is known about the skin structure of juvenile chameleon especially its sensory function of their integumentary structure. Fifteen juvenile Chameleo chameleon are collected from Abu Rawash, Northern area of Giza, Egypt during Summer of 2015. It is belong to the order Squamata, family, Chamaeleonidae. Three ages are used in the present study and categorized according to the morphological criteria of head, abdomen and limb lengths. Dorsal abdominal surfaces are covered with abdominal scales of varying sizes either conical or elliptical-structures, regularly arranged in rows and imbricated with each other. Each scale possessed one cylindrical lenticular epidermal sense organ containing heavy sensillia. Histologically, the scales are characterized by wider conical surfaces and intermingled with another one by hinge region. The epidermal layer of outer scale surface is composed of five-layered stratified squamous epithelium including the stratum germinativum, intermediate zone of stratum spinosum and granulosum, α-keratin layer, β-keratin layer and outer superficial Oberhaütchen. Melanosomes are abundant in the intermediate zone as well as in the peripheral dermal layer underneath stratum germinativum layer. The melanosomes possessed long cellular processes with their content of melanin granules underneath the epidermis. The dermis is composed of upper collagenous and inner compact layer. Semithin sections revealed the presence of fibroblast cells, collagenous fibrils, nerve axons, melanosomes and mast cells in the connective tissue core. Increased immunoreaction of cytokeratin is observed in the epidermal layers of G3; meanwhile, an increased proliferation of epidermal and dermal cells was detected in G1. Transmission electron microscopy exhibited striking formation of dermal sense organs containing neuronal cells of both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells with myelinated and unmyelinated nerve axons ensheathed externally by thin

  13. The Effect of Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft Placement on Esthetic Outcomes After Immediate Implant Placement: Systematic Review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Chun-Teh; Tao, Chih-Yun; Stoupel, Janet

    2016-02-01

    Immediate implantation, despite many advantages, carries a risk of gingival recession, papilla loss, collapse of ridge contour, and other esthetic complications. Soft tissue graft placement combined with immediate implantation may be used to reduce these concerns. This review aims to systematically analyze clinical esthetic outcomes of the immediate implant combined with soft tissue graft (IMITG). The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for systematic reviews were used. The electronic search was conducted using MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from January 1980 to October 2014. Quality assessments of selected articles were performed. Mid-buccal gingival level, interproximal gingival level, facial gingival thickness, gingival ridge dimension, and width of keratinized gingiva were the esthetic outcomes reviewed. Weighted mean difference of mid-buccal gingival level (WDBGL), papilla index score (WDPIS), and width of keratinized gingiva (WDKG) between initial and last measurements were calculated. Other esthetic outcomes were assessed by the descriptive analysis. Ten studies with a minimum of 6-month follow-up were included, and reported esthetic outcomes were analyzed. Mid-buccal gingival level (WDBGL, 0.07 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.44 to 0.59; P = 0.12) and interproximal gingival level did not significantly change after IMITG (WDPIS in the mesial site, 0.31; 95% CI = -0.01 to 0.64; P = 0.06; and WDPIS in the distal site, 0.29; 95% CI = -0.06 to 0.65; P = 0.11). Width of keratinized gingiva significantly increased after IMITG (WDKG, 1.27 mm; 95% CI = -0.08 to 2.46; P = 0.04). Facial gingival thickness and gingival ridge dimension could be increased after IMITG. Because of the heterogeneity and limited number of selected studies, no conclusive statement could be made regarding the benefit of IMITG on esthetic outcomes. More randomized controlled trials

  14. A novel mechanism of filaggrin induction and sunburn prevention by β-damascenone in Skh-1 mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Uddin, Ahmed N.; Labuda, Ivica; Burns, Fredric J., E-mail: fredric.burns@nyumc.org

    2012-12-15

    Understanding how oral administration of aroma terpenes can prevent sunburn or skin cancer in mice could lead to more effective and safer ways of blocking sun damage to human skin. To establish sunburn preventive activity, female Skh-1 mice were given oral β-damascenone followed by irradiation with UVR from fluorescent ‘sunlamps’. The following endpoints were evaluated versus controls at various times between 1 and 12 days after the terpene: whole genome gene expression and in situ immunohistochemistry of PCNA, keratin10, filaggrin and caspase 14, and sunburn was evaluated at 5 days. UVR-induced sunburn was prevented by a single oral β-damascenone dose as low as 20 μL (0.95 mg/g body weight). Microarray analysis showed sunburn prevention doses of β-damascenone up-regulated several types of cornification genes, including keratins 1 and 10, filaggrin, caspase 14, loricrin, hornerin and 6 late cornified envelope genes. Immunohistochemical studies of PCNA labeling showed that β-damascenone increased the proliferation rates of the following cell types: epidermal basal cells, follicular outer root sheath cells and sebaceous gland cells. Keratin 10 was not affected by β-damascenone in epidermis, and filaggrin and caspase 14 were increased in enlarged sebaceous glands. The thickness of the cornified envelope plus sebum layer nearly doubled within 1 day after administration of the β-damascenone and remained at or above double thickness for at least 12 days. β-Damascenone protected against sunburn by activating a sebaceous gland-based pathway that fortified and thickened the cornified envelope plus sebum layer in a way that previously has been observed to occur only in keratinocytes. -- Highlights: ► Orally administered β-damascenone prevented UVB-induced sunburn in Skh-1 mice. ► Filaggrin and caspase 14 genes were induced in sebaceous gland cells. ► Numerous cornification genes were up-regulated by β-damascenone. ► β-Damascenone stimulated cell

  15. A novel mechanism of filaggrin induction and sunburn prevention by β-damascenone in Skh-1 mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uddin, Ahmed N.; Labuda, Ivica; Burns, Fredric J.

    2012-01-01

    Understanding how oral administration of aroma terpenes can prevent sunburn or skin cancer in mice could lead to more effective and safer ways of blocking sun damage to human skin. To establish sunburn preventive activity, female Skh-1 mice were given oral β-damascenone followed by irradiation with UVR from fluorescent ‘sunlamps’. The following endpoints were evaluated versus controls at various times between 1 and 12 days after the terpene: whole genome gene expression and in situ immunohistochemistry of PCNA, keratin10, filaggrin and caspase 14, and sunburn was evaluated at 5 days. UVR-induced sunburn was prevented by a single oral β-damascenone dose as low as 20 μL (0.95 mg/g body weight). Microarray analysis showed sunburn prevention doses of β-damascenone up-regulated several types of cornification genes, including keratins 1 and 10, filaggrin, caspase 14, loricrin, hornerin and 6 late cornified envelope genes. Immunohistochemical studies of PCNA labeling showed that β-damascenone increased the proliferation rates of the following cell types: epidermal basal cells, follicular outer root sheath cells and sebaceous gland cells. Keratin 10 was not affected by β-damascenone in epidermis, and filaggrin and caspase 14 were increased in enlarged sebaceous glands. The thickness of the cornified envelope plus sebum layer nearly doubled within 1 day after administration of the β-damascenone and remained at or above double thickness for at least 12 days. β-Damascenone protected against sunburn by activating a sebaceous gland-based pathway that fortified and thickened the cornified envelope plus sebum layer in a way that previously has been observed to occur only in keratinocytes. -- Highlights: ► Orally administered β-damascenone prevented UVB-induced sunburn in Skh-1 mice. ► Filaggrin and caspase 14 genes were induced in sebaceous gland cells. ► Numerous cornification genes were up-regulated by β-damascenone. ► β-Damascenone stimulated cell

  16. Effective elastic modulus of isolated gecko setal arrays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Autumn, K; Majidi, C; Groff, R E; Dittmore, A; Fearing, R

    2006-09-01

    Conventional pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) are fabricated from soft viscoelastic materials that satisfy Dahlquist's criterion for tack with a Young's modulus (E) of 100 kPa or less at room temperature and 1 Hz. In contrast, the adhesive on the toes of geckos is made of beta-keratin, a stiff material with E at least four orders of magnitude greater than the upper limit of Dahlquist's criterion. Therefore, one would not expect a beta-keratin structure to function as a PSA by deforming readily to make intimate molecular contact with a variety of surface profiles. However, since the gecko adhesive is a microstructure in the form of an array of millions of high aspect ratio shafts (setae), the effective elastic modulus (E(eff)) is much lower than E of bulk beta-keratin. In the first test of the E(eff) of a gecko setal adhesive, we measured the forces resulting from deformation of isolated arrays of tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) setae during vertical compression, and during tangential compression at angles of +45 degrees and -45 degrees . We tested the hypothesis that E(eff) of gecko setae falls within Dahlquist's criterion for tack, and evaluated the validity of a model of setae as cantilever beams. Highly linear forces of deformation under all compression conditions support the cantilever model. E(eff) of setal arrays during vertical and +45 degrees compression (along the natural path of drag of the setae) were 83+/-4.0 kPa and 86+/-4.4 kPa (means +/- s.e.m.), respectively. Consistent with the predictions of the cantilever model, setae became significantly stiffer when compressed against the natural path of drag: E(eff) during -45 degrees compression was 110+/-4.7 kPa. Unlike synthetic PSAs, setal arrays act as Hookean elastic solids; setal arrays function as a bed of springs with a directional stiffness, assisting alignment of the adhesive spatular tips with the contact surface during shear loading.

  17. Glycation in human fingernail clippings using ATR-FTIR spectrometry, a new marker for the diagnosis and monitoring of diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coopman, Renaat; Van de Vyver, Thijs; Kishabongo, Antoine Sadiki; Katchunga, Philippe; Van Aken, Elisabeth H; Cikomola, Justin; Monteyne, Tinne; Speeckaert, Marijn M; Delanghe, Joris R

    2017-01-01

    Although HbA1c is a good diagnostic tool for diabetes, the precarity of the health system and the costs limit the use of this biomarker in developing countries. Fingernail clippings contain ±85% of keratins, which are prone to glycation. Nail keratin glycation may reflect the average glycemia over the last months. We explored if attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) can be used as a non-invasive tool for assessing glycation in diabetes. Using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, glycation and deglycation experiments with fructosamine 3-kinase allowed to identify the spectrum that corresponds with keratin glycation in fingernail clippings. Clippings of 105 healthy subjects and 127 diabetics were subjected to the standardized ATR-FTIR spectroscopy method. In vitro glycation resulted in an increased absorption at 1047cm -1 . Following enzymatic deglycation, this peak diminished significantly, proving that the AUC between 970 and 1140cm -1 corresponded with glycated proteins. Within-run CV of the assay was 3%. Storage of nail clippings at 37°C for 2weeks did not significantly change results. In diabetics, glycated nail protein concentrations (median: 1.51μmol/g protein, IQR: 1.37-1.85μmol/g protein) were significantly higher than in the controls (median: 1.19μmol/g protein, IQR: 1.09-1.26μmol/g protein) (p<0.0001). ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.92 at a cut-off point of 1.28μmol/g nail (specificity: 82%; sensitivity: 90%). No correlation was observed between the glycated nail protein concentrations and HbA1c. Protein glycation analysis in fingernails with ATR-FTIR spectroscopy could be an alternative affordable technique for diagnosing and monitoring diabetes. As the test does not consume reagents, and the preanalytical phase is extremely robust, the test could be particularly useful in developing countries. Copyright © 2016 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. Downregulation of glutathione S-transferase M1 protein in N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine-induced mouse bladder carcinogenesis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chuang, Jing-Jing [Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, College of Life Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan (China); Dai, Yuan-Chang [Department of Pathology, Chiayi Christian Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan (China); Lin, Yung-Lun; Chen, Yang-Yi; Lin, Wei-Han [Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, College of Life Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan (China); Chan, Hong-Lin [Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology and Department of Medical Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan (China); Liu, Yi-Wen, E-mail: ywlss@mail.ncyu.edu.tw [Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biopharmaceuticals, College of Life Sciences, National Chiayi University, Chiayi, Taiwan (China)

    2014-09-15

    Bladder cancer is highly recurrent following specific transurethral resection and intravesical chemotherapy, which has prompted continuing efforts to develop novel therapeutic agents and early-stage diagnostic tools. Specific changes in protein expression can provide a diagnostic marker. In our present study, we investigated changes in protein expression during urothelial carcinogenesis. The carcinogen BBN was used to induce mouse bladder tumor formation. Mouse bladder mucosa proteins were collected and analyzed by 2D electrophoresis from 6 to 20 weeks after commencing continuous BBN treatment. By histological examination, the connective layer of the submucosa showed gradual thickening and the number of submucosal capillaries gradually increased after BBN treatment. At 12-weeks after the start of BBN treatment, the urothelia became moderately dysplastic and tumors arose after 20-weeks of treatment. These induced bladder lesions included carcinoma in situ and connective tissue invasive cancer. In protein 2D analysis, the sequentially downregulated proteins from 6 to 20 weeks included GSTM1, L-lactate dehydrogenase B chain, keratin 8, keratin 18 and major urinary proteins 2 and 11/8. In contrast, the sequentially upregulated proteins identified were GSTO1, keratin 15 and myosin light polypeptide 6. Western blotting confirmed that GSTM1 and NQO-1 were decreased, while GSTO1 and Sp1 were increased, after BBN treatment. In human bladder cancer cells, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine increased the GSTM1 mRNA and protein expression. These data suggest that the downregulation of GSTM1 in the urothelia is a biomarker of bladder carcinogenesis and that this may be mediated by DNA CpG methylation. - Highlights: • GSTM1 and NQO-1 proteins decreased in the mouse bladder mucosa after BBN treatment. • BBN induced GSTO1 and Sp1 protein expression in the mouse bladder mucosa. • 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine increased GSTM1 mRNA and protein in human bladder cancer cell. • GSTM1

  19. Demonstration of intermediate cells during human prostate epithelial differentiation in situ and in vitro using triple-staining confocal scanning microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Leenders, G; Dijkman, H; Hulsbergen-van de Kaa, C; Ruiter, D; Schalken, J

    2000-08-01

    In human prostate epithelium, morphologically basal and luminal cells can be discriminated. The basal cell layer that putatively contains progenitor cells of the secretory epithelium is characterized by the expression of keratins (K) 5 and 14. Luminal cells represent the secretory compartment of the epithelium and express K8 and 18. We developed a technique for the simultaneous analysis of K5, 14, and 18 to identify intermediate cell stages in the prostate epithelium and to study the dynamic aspects of its differentiation in vitro. Nonmalignant prostate tissue and primary epithelial cultures were immunohistochemically characterized using triple staining with antibodies for K5, K14, and K18. Antibodies for K18 and K5 were conjugated directly with fluorochromes Alexa 488 and 546. K14 was visualized indirectly with streptavidin-Cy5. Keratin expression was analyzed by confocal scanning microscopy. The occurrence of exocrine and neuroendocrine differentiation in culture was determined via antibodies to prostate-specific antigen (PSA), chromogranin A, and serotonin. We found that basal cells expressed either K5(++)/14(++)/18+ or K5(++)/18+. The majority of luminal cells expressed K18(++), but colocalization of K5+/18(++) were recognized. Epithelial monolayer cultures predominantly revealed the basal cell phenotype K5(++)/14(++)/18+, whereas intermediate subpopulations expressing K5+/14+/18(++) and K5+/18(++) were also identified. On confluence, differentiation was induced as multicellular gland-like buds, and extensions became evident on top of the monolayer. These structures were composed of K18(++)- and K5+/18(+)-positive cell clusters surrounded by phenotypically basal cells. Few multicellular structures and cells in the monolayer showed exocrine differentiation (PSA+), but expression of chromogranin A and serotonin was absent. We conclude that simultaneous evaluation of keratin expression is useful for analyzing epithelial differentiation in the prostate. During this

  20. Keratinolytic bacteria isolated from feather waste Bactérias queratinolíticas isoladas de resíduos de penas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandro Riffel

    2006-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to characterize keratinolytic bacteria isolated from feather waste. Four isolates were selected after growth on solid medium with feather meal as sole carbon and nitrogen source and screened for proteolytic activity on milk agar plates. Three isolates were Gram-negative (belonged to the genera Burkholderia, Chryseobacterium and Pseudomonas and one was Gram-positive (Microbacterium sp.. These bacteria grew on diverse keratin wastes such as feather meal, raw feathers, chicken nails, hair and wool. Keratinase activity was detected during growth, but the complete degradation of these substrates was not always achieved. The proteolytic character of crude enzymes was assessed using azokeratin and azocasein as substrates. The keratinases were active on both substrates and were similar in keratin hydrolysis when compared with commercially available microbial peptidases. These novel keratinolytic isolates have potential biotechnological use in processes involving keratin hydrolysis.O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar bactérias queratinolíticas isoladas resíduos de penas. Quatro isolados foram selecionados após crescimento em meio sólido contendo farinha de pena como única fonte de carbono e nitrogênio e avaliados quanto a atividade proteolítica em placas de ágar leite. Foram identificadas três linhagens Gram-negativas (pertencentes aos gêneros Burkholderia, Chryseobacterium e Pseudomonas e uma Gram-positiva (Microbacterium sp.. Estas bactérias cresceram em vários resíduos queratinosos como farinha de pena, penas de frango, unhas de frango, pelos e lã. A atividade queratinolítica foi observada durante crescimento, mas a degradação completa dos substratos não foi observada em todos os casos. O caráter proteolítico das enzimas foi determinado usando azoqueratina e azocaseína como substratos. As queratinases foram ativas em ambos substratos e apresentaram hidrólise de queratina comparável a peptidases

  1. [Reparative regeneration of rat skin under influence of hollow cathode lamp (HCL) with manganese and copper line spectrum emission].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mel'nikova, V I; Izvol'skaia, M S; Voronova, S N; Sharipova, M M; Rukin, E M; Zakharova, L A

    2010-01-01

    Influence of local light exposure by hollow cathode lamp with typical manganese and copper (HCL-Mn, Cu) line emission spectrum on posttraumatic regeneration rate of rat skin has been investigated. We performed the comparative analysis of the morphology and the differentiation ability of rat skin on the 15th and 24th days after full-thickness skin wound had been inflicted on rat dorsums. On the 15th day after injury, the experimental group (daily 30 s exposure for two weeks) showed scab loss, re-epithelialization, and hair regrowth, in contrast to the control rats, where scabs were still observed on the 24th day. Histological analysis revealed that in contrast to the control group the treatment with HCL-Mn, Cu resulted in the increased number of hair follicles and sebaceous glands, the decreased number of blood vessels and horizontal orientation of collagen fibers. The immunohistochemistry for OX-62 revealed that the number of dermal dendritic cells in the experimental groups was maximal on the 15th day, and then decreased to the 24th day after injury. The number of dermal dendritic cells was significantly lower in the control group. The immunohistochemistry for pan-keratins in the control animals revealed a high number of cells expressing different types of keratins, distributed in the main part of the epidermis on the 15th day after surgery, whereas in the experimental group the number of such cells was significantly lower and the cells were concentrated more close to the external part of the epidermis. The number of cells stained for keratin 19 was higher in the experimental group on the 15th day after surgery, whereas this number decreased in this group on the 24th day after surgery as compared to the control group. Thus, typical manganese and copper line spectrum emission emitted by hollow cathode lamp stimulates innate immunity, accelerates restoration of derma, skin epithelium and other skin derivates, and stimulates wound healing in general.

  2. Tensile deformation and failure of North American porcupine quills

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chou, S.F.; Overfelt, R.A., E-mail: overfra@auburn.edu

    2011-12-01

    Although the mechanical properties of some keratin-based biological materials have been extensively studied (i.e., wool) and others are beginning to be studied (e.g., horn, hooves and avian quills), data on the properties of porcupine quill are less common. Porcupine quill is a keratin-based biological material composed of a cylindrical outer shell with an inner foam core. The present paper reports on the physical characteristics, tensile properties and fracture behavior of North American porcupine quills conditioned at relative humidities of 65% and 100%. Increasing the water content decreased the tensile stiffness and strength and increased the strain at fracture of the porcupine quills. The tensile fracture strength of porcupine quill was found to be 146 MPa at 65% RH and 60 MPa at 100% RH. Although these values compare favorably with reported values for African porcupine quill, reported values of the tensile strengths of wool with similar moisture contents are considerably higher. The initial moduli of porcupine quill (2700 MPa at 65% RH and 1000 MPa at 100% RH) compare favorably to those reported for wool but are considerably less than previous reports for African porcupine quill. The engineering strains at fracture were measured as 25% at 65% RH and 49% at 100% RH and these values are also comparable to other keratin-based mammalian materials. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surfaces of porcupine quills revealed that the cylindrical outer shells of quills are composed of 2-3 layers with distinctly different fracture characteristics, especially when the samples contain 100% RH. The outer layer of the porcupine quill shell appears to resist the plasticizing effects of moisture and appears to exhibit considerably less ductility than the inner layers, perhaps due to the presence of hydrophobic lipids in the outer layer. Highlights: {yields} We characterize the tensile properties of north American porcupine quill. {yields} Elastic modulus, tensile

  3. Quantitative Proteomics of an Amphibian Pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, following Exposure to Thyroid Hormone

    OpenAIRE

    Thekkiniath, Jose; Zabet-Moghaddam, Masoud; Kottapalli, Kameswara Rao; Pasham, Mithun R.; San Francisco, Susan; San Francisco, Michael

    2015-01-01

    Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), a chytrid fungus, has increasingly been implicated as a major factor in the worldwide decline of amphibian populations. The fungus causes chytridiomycosis in susceptible species leading to massive die-offs of adult amphibians. Although Bd infects the keratinized mouthparts of tadpoles and negatively affects foraging behavior, these infections are non-lethal. An important morphogen controlling amphibian metamorphosis is thyroid hormone (T3). Tadpoles may be...

  4. A Rare Clinical Presentation of Darier’s Disease

    OpenAIRE

    Ferizi, Mybera; Begolli-Gerqari, Antigona; Luzar, Bostjan; Kurshumliu, Fisnik; Ferizi, Mergita

    2013-01-01

    Darier’s disease, also known as keratosis follicularis or dyskeratosis follicularis, is a rare disorder of keratinization. It is an autosomal dominant genodermatosis with high penetrance and variable expressivity. Its manifestation appears as hyperkeratotic papules, primarily affecting seborrheic areas on the head, neck, and thorax and less frequently on the oral mucosa. When oral manifestations are present, the palatal and alveolar mucosae are primarily affected. They are usually asymptomat...

  5. Ceruminous Adenoma of the External Auditory Canal: A Case Report with Imaging and Pathologic Findings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    George Psillas

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Ceruminous adenomas are benign tumors that are rare in humans and present with a nonspecific symptomatology. The treatment of choice is surgical excision. We present an 87-year-old woman who presented with a reddish, tender, round, soft mass of the outer third of the inferior wall of the left external auditory canal, discharging a yellowish fluid upon pressure. Coincidentally, due to her poor general condition, this patient also showed symptoms consistent with chronic otitis media, parotitis, and cervical lymphadenopathy, such as otorrhea, through a ruptured tympanic membrane and swelling of the parotid gland and cervical lymph nodes. The external auditory canal lesion was surgically excised under general anesthesia, utilizing a transmeatal approach. The pathological diagnosis was ceruminous gland adenoma. The tumor was made of tubular and cystic structures and embedded in a fibrous, focally hyalinized stroma. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the presence of two distinct cell populations. The luminal cells expressed keratin 7, while peripheral (basal cells expressed keratins 5/6, S100 protein, and p63. The apocrine gland-related antigen GCDFP-15 was focally expressed by tumor cells. The postoperative course was uneventful and at the 2-year follow-up no recurrence of the ceruminous adenoma was noted.

  6. Correlation of gingival thickness with gingival width, probing depth, and papillary fill in maxillary anterior teeth in students of a dental college in Navi Mumbai.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Jyotsna; Rathod, Varsha J; Rao, Prajakta R; Patil, Aardra A; Langade, Deepak G; Singh, Roshan K

    2016-01-01

    The gingival biotype is of utmost importance for esthetics and biologic function. Anatomical characteristic of periodontium such as gingival thickness (GT), width of keratinized gingiva, and alveolar bone morphology will determine the behavior of periodontium when subjected to physical, chemical, or bacterial insult or during therapeutic procedure. The aim of this study was to correlate the GT with gingival width (GW), probing depth (PD), and papillary fill (PF) in relation to maxillary anterior region. Undergraduate dental students and interns from a dental college in Navi Mumbai were enrolled in the study according to the inclusion criteria. Six teeth per subject were assessed; a total of 2178 maxillary anterior teeth were examined. Subjects were examined clinically for GT, width of keratinized gingiva, pocket depth, and interdental PF. The data obtained was tabulated and subjected to statistical analysis. Spearman's correlation analysis test was performed to find the correlation of GT with GW, PD, and PF. Positive correlation was found between GT and GW ( r = 0.241). No significant correlation could be found between GT and PD; and between GT and PF. The present study confirmed a positive correlation between GT and GW. A weak negative correlation was found between GT and PD.

  7. Detection of precancerous lesions in the oral cavity using oblique polarized reflectance spectroscopy: a clinical feasibility study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Maria J.; Verma, Nishant; Fradkin, Leonid; Lam, Sylvia; MacAulay, Calum; Poh, Catherine; Markey, Mia K.; Sokolov, Konstantin

    2017-06-01

    We developed a multifiber optical probe for oblique polarized reflectance spectroscopy (OPRS) in vivo and evaluated its performance in detection of dysplasia in the oral cavity. The probe design allows the implementation of a number of methods to enable depth resolved spectroscopic measurements including polarization gating, source-detector separation, and differential spectroscopy; this combination was evaluated in carrying out binary classification tasks between four major diagnostic categories: normal, benign, mild dysplasia (MD), and severe dysplasia (SD). Multifiber OPRS showed excellent performance in the discrimination of normal from benign, MD, SD, and MD plus SD yielding sensitivity/specificity values of 100%/93%, 96%/95%, 100%/98%, and 100%/100%, respectively. The classification of benign versus dysplastic lesions was more challenging with sensitivity and specificity values of 80%/93%, 71%/93%, and 74%/80% in discriminating benign from SD, MD, and SD plus MD categories, respectively; this challenge is most likely associated with a strong and highly variable scattering from a keratin layer that was found in these sites. Classification based on multiple fibers was significantly better than that based on any single detection pair for tasks dealing with benign versus dysplastic sites. This result indicates that the multifiber probe can perform better in the detection of dysplasia in keratinized tissues.

  8. Melanin-based color of plumage: role of condition and of feathers' microstructure

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Alba, Liliana; Van Hemert, Caroline R.; Spencer, Karen A.; Heidinger, Britt J.; Gill, Lisa; Evans, Neil P.; Monaghan, Pat; Handel, Colleen M.; Shawkey, Matthew D.

    2014-01-01

    Whether melanin-based colors honestly signal a bird's condition during the growth of feathers is controversial, and it is unclear if or how the physiological processes underlying melanogenesis or color-imparting structural feather microstructure may be adversely affected by condition. Here we report results from two experiments designed to measure the effect of condition on expression of eumelanic and pheomelanic coloration in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) and zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), respectively. In chickadees, we compared feathers of birds affected and unaffected by avian keratin disorder, while in zebra finches we compared feathers of controls with feathers of those subjected to an unpredictable food supply during development. In both cases we found that control birds had brighter feathers (higher total reflectance) and more barbules, but similar densities of melanosomes. In addition, the microstructure of the feathers explained variation in color more strongly than did melanosome density. Together, these results suggest that melanin-based coloration may in part be condition-dependent, but that this may be driven by changes in keratin and feather development, rather than melanogenesis itself. Researchers should be cautious when assigning variation in melanin-based color to melanin alone and microstructure of the feather should be taken into account.

  9. Separating spectral mixtures in hyperspectral image data using independent component analysis: validation with oral cancer tissue sections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Duann, Jeng-Ren; Jan, Chia-Ing; Ou-Yang, Mang; Lin, Chia-Yi; Mo, Jen-Feng; Lin, Yung-Jiun; Tsai, Ming-Hsui; Chiou, Jin-Chern

    2013-12-01

    Recently, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) systems, which can provide 100 or more wavelengths of emission autofluorescence measures, have been used to delineate more complete spectral patterns associated with certain molecules relevant to cancerization. Such a spectral fingerprint may reliably correspond to a certain type of molecule and thus can be treated as a biomarker for the presence of that molecule. However, the outcomes of HSI systems can be a complex mixture of characteristic spectra of a variety of molecules as well as optical interferences due to reflection, scattering, and refraction. As a result, the mixed nature of raw HSI data might obscure the extraction of consistent spectral fingerprints. Here we present the extraction of the characteristic spectra associated with keratinized tissues from the HSI data of tissue sections from 30 oral cancer patients (31 tissue samples in total), excited at two different wavelength ranges (330 to 385 and 470 to 490 nm), using independent and principal component analysis (ICA and PCA) methods. The results showed that for both excitation wavelength ranges, ICA was able to resolve much more reliable spectral fingerprints associated with the keratinized tissues for all the oral cancer tissue sections with significantly higher mean correlation coefficients as compared to PCA (p<0.001).

  10. Permeability of skin and oral mucosa to water and horseradish peroxidase as related to the thickness of the permeability barrier

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Squier, C.A.; Hall, B.K.

    1985-01-01

    The permeability of porcine skin and keratinized and nonkeratinized oral mucosa to tritium-labeled water and horseradish peroxidase (HRPO) was determined using perfusion chambers. Small blocks from each tissue were also incubated with HRPO and the extent of penetration visualized microscopically; this enabled measurements to be made of the thickness of the permeability barrier to this water-soluble tracer. Results obtained after inverting the oral mucosa in the chambers or adding metabolic inhibitors indicated that both compounds diffuse across the tissue. The permeability constants derived directly in the study showed that skin was less permeable than oral mucosa and that the floor of the mouth was significantly more permeable than all other regions. When these constants were normalized in terms of a standard permeability barrier thickness and the different tissues compared, the values obtained for skin were again less than those of the oral regions but, of these, the buccal mucosa was significantly higher. The difference in permeability between epidermis and keratinized oral epithelium may be due to differences in the volume density of membrane-coating granules known to exist between the tissues; differences between the oral mucosal regions may reflect differences in the nature of the intercellular barrier material

  11. Genetic basis of calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akane Yukimori

    Full Text Available Calcifying cystic odontogenic tumors (CCOTs are benign cystic tumors that form abnormally keratinized ghost cells. Mutations in CTNNB1, which encodes beta-catenin, have been implicated in the development of these tumors, but a causal relationship has not been definitively established. Thus, mutational hot spots in 50 cancer genes were examined by targeted next-generation sequencing in 11 samples of CCOT. Mutations in CTNNB1, but not in other genes, were observed in 10 of 11 cases. These mutations constitutively activate beta-catenin signaling by abolishing the phosphorylation sites Asp32, Ser33, or Ser37, and are similar to those reported in pilomatrixoma and adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma. In contrast, BRAF or NRAS mutations were observed in 12 and two control samples of ameloblastoma, respectively. In HEK293 cells, overexpression of mutated CTNNB1 also upregulated hair keratin, a marker of ghost cells. Furthermore, ghost cells were present in two cases of ameloblastoma with BRAF and CTNNB1 mutations, indicating that ghost cells form due to mutations in CTNNB1. The data suggest that mutations in CTNNB1 are the major driver mutations of CCOT, and that CCOT is the genetic analog of pilomatrixoma and adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma in odontogenic tissue.

  12. Cytokeratin-positive folliculo-stellate cells in chicken adenohypophysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishimura, Shotaro; Yamashita, Miyu; Kaneko, Takane; Kawabata, Fuminori; Tabata, Shoji

    2017-11-01

    Folliculo-stellate (FS) cells are non-endocrine cells found in the adenohypophysis and are identified in many animals by the S100 protein marker. Although keratin is another FS marker in several animals, there is no information on localization of keratin in the avian adenohypophysis. In this study, localization of cytokeratin in chicken adenohypophyseal cells was investigated immunohistochemically. Basic cytokeratin (bCK)-positive cells were arranged radially in the cell cords with their cytoplasmic processes reaching the basal lamina. The cell bodies encircled a follicle in the center of the cell cord. Furthermore, the bCK-positive cells were also S100B-positive. Growth hormone, prolactin, adrenocorticotrophic hormone, and luteinizing hormone β-subunit did not co-localize with the bCK-positive cells. In addition, the bCK-positive cells had a laminin-positive area in their cytoplasm. Transmission electron microscopy observed agranular cells equipped with several microvilli that encircled a follicle. These results indicate that bCK-positive cells in the chicken adenohypophysis may be a predominant FS cell population and produce laminin. It is suggested that they function as sustentacular cells to sustain the adjacent endocrine cells and the structure of the cell cords in the chicken adenohypophysis. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

  13. Connective tissue graft vs. emdogain: A new approach to compare the outcomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sayar, Ferena; Akhundi, Nasrin; Gholami, Sanaz

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this clinical trial study was to clinically evaluate the use of enamel matrix protein derivative combined with the coronally positioned flap to treat gingival recession compared to the subepithelial connective tissue graft by a new method to obtain denuded root surface area. Thirteen patients, each with two or more similar bilateral Miller class I or II gingival recession (40 recessions) were randomly assigned to the test (enamel matrix protein derivative + coronally positioned flap) or control group (subepithelial connective tissue graft). Recession depth, width, probing depth, keratinized gingival, and plaque index were recorded at baseline and at one, three, and six months after treatment. A stent was used to measure the denuded root surface area at each examination session. Results were analyzed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Wilcoxon, Friedman, paired-sample t test. The average percentages of root coverage for control and test groups were 63.3% and 55%, respectively. Both groups showed significant keratinized gingival increase (P 0.05). The results of Friedman test were significant for clinical indices (P < 0.05), except for probing depth in control group (P = 0.166). Enamel matrix protein derivative showed the same results as subepithelial connective tissue graft with relatively easy procedure to perform and low patient morbidity.

  14. Homozygous ALOXE3 Nonsense Variant Identified in a Patient with Non-Bullous Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma Complicated by Superimposed Bullous Majocchi’s Granuloma: The Consequences of Skin Barrier Dysfunction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tao Wang

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Non-bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma (NBCIE is a hereditary disorder of keratinization caused by pathogenic variants in genes encoding enzymes important to lipid processing and terminal keratinocyte differentiation. Impaired function of these enzymes can cause pathologic epidermal scaling, significantly reduced skin barrier function. In this study, we have performed a focused, genetic analysis of a probrand affected by NBCIE and extended this to his consanguineous parents. Targeted capture and next-generation sequencing was performed on NBCIE associated genes in the proband and his unaffected consanguineous parents. We identified a homozygous nonsense variant c.814C>T (p.Arg272* in ALOXE3 (NM_001165960.1 in the proband and discovered that his parents are both heterozygous carriers of the variant. The clinical manifestations of the proband’s skin were consistent with NBCIE, and detailed histopathological assessment revealed epidermal bulla formation and Majocchi’s granuloma. Infection with Trichophyton rubrum was confirmed by culture. The patient responded to oral terbinafine antifungal treatment. Decreased skin barrier function, such as that caused by hereditary disorders of keratinization, can increase the risk of severe cutaneous fungal infections and the formation of Majocchi’s granuloma and associated alopecia. Patients with NBCIE should be alerted to the possible predisposition for developing dermatophytoses and warrant close clinical follow-up.

  15. Construction of a Three-Dimensional in vitro skin model on polycaprolactone fibers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Qi; Zhang, Ru-Zhi; Xu, Bin

    2017-05-16

    To observe the morphological characteristics and the biological properties of human epidermal cells when cultured at an air-liquid interface in polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers as a three-dimensional scaffold for tissue engineering. In this study, the melanocytes and keratinocytes were obtained from human scalp skin, seeded onto a PCL film, and cocultured for 2 weeks to construct a three-dimensional (3D) skin model. The cells were then characterized by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, by immunohistochemical staining with antibodies to cytokeratin 15 (CK15), Ki-67, CD34, CD200 and HMB45 and by transmission electron microscopy. Keratinocytes and melanocytes grew well in the co-culture system. Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed that the cells adhered to the PCLfiber scaffold well, the keratinocyte layer became a multilayered concentric structure and the surface became distinctly keratinized at the air-liquid interface. Immunohistochemical analyses exhibited a scattered distribution of cells expressing CK15, CD34, CD200, Ki-67 and/or HMB45. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the keratinocytes contained a number of keratin fibrils and membrane-coated granules. The PCL scaffold has excellent adhesiveness and biocompatibility with human epidermal cells, and is suitable for constructing 3D skin models for tissue engineering in the future.

  16. Exfoliative cytology of oral mucosa among smokers, opium addicts and non-smokers: a cytomorphometric study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hashemipour, Maryam Alsadat; Aghababaie, Mahbobeh; Mirshekari, Toraj Reza; Asadi-Shekaari, Majid; Tahmasbi-Arashlow, Mehrnaz; Tahmasbi-Arashlow, Farzad; Gandjalikhan Nassab, Sayed Amir Hossein

    2013-12-01

    The present study was conducted to evaluate keratinization as well as nuclear and cytoplasmic changes of oral epithelial cells among smokers, opium addicts and non-smokers through exfoliative cytology technique. Smears of buccal mucosa and mouth floor were collected from 300 males (100 smokers, 100 opium addicts and 100 non-smokers). The nucleus and cytoplasm sizes were determined using image analysis software. Data was analyzed with Mann-Whitney test and Student's t-test on SPSS version 13 statistical software. Statistical significance was defined as P opium addicts and non-smokers in different age groups. The mean size of the nucleus compared to that of cytoplasm was significantly higher in smokers and opium addicts compared to non-smokers after correction for age. The results of this study indicate different rates of epithelial cell keratinization in oral cavity among smokers, opium addicts and non-smokers. Also, our results suggest a possible relationship between the number of cigarettes per day, daily opium consumption and an increase in the rate of cellular proliferation of oral mucosal cells. The present study indicated a decrease in cellular diameter as well as an increase in nuclear diameter and nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio in smears taken from both smokers and opium addicts compared to non-smokers.

  17. Preparation and comparative characterization of keratin–chitosan and keratin–gelatin composite scaffolds for tissue engineering applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balaji, S.; Kumar, Ramadhar; Sripriya, R.; Kakkar, Prachi; Ramesh, D. Vijaya; Reddy, P. Neela Kanta; Sehgal, P.K.

    2012-01-01

    We report fabrication of three dimensional scaffolds with well interconnected matrix of high porosity using keratin, chitosan and gelatin for tissue engineering and other biomedical applications. Scaffolds were fabricated using porous Keratin–Gelatin (KG), Keratin–Chitosan (KC) composites. The morphology of both KG and KC was investigated using SEM. The scaffolds showed high porosity with interconnected pores in the range of 20–100 μm. They were further tested by FTIR, DSC, CD, tensile strength measurement, water uptake and swelling behavior. In vitro cell adhesion and cell proliferation tests were carried out to study the biocompatibility behavior and their application as an artificial skin substitute. Both KG and KC composite scaffolds showed similar properties and patterns for cell proliferation. Due to rapid degradation of gelatin in KG, we found that it has limited application as compared to KC scaffold. We conclude that KC scaffold owing to its slow degradation and antibacterial properties would be a better substrate for tissue engineering and other biomedical application. Highlights: ► Extraction of reduced keratin from horn meal. ► Preparation of keratin–gelatin and keratin–chitosan composite scaffolds. ► Characterizations of the composite scaffolds. ► Comparative cytotoxicity analysis on NIH3T3 fibroblasts.

  18. Why pens have rubbery grips

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dzidek, Brygida; Bochereau, Séréna; Johnson, Simon A.; Hayward, Vincent; Adams, Michael J.

    2017-10-01

    The process by which human fingers gives rise to stable contacts with smooth, hard objects is surprisingly slow. Using high-resolution imaging, we found that, when pressed against glass, the actual contact made by finger pad ridges evolved over time following a first-order kinetics relationship. This evolution was the result of a two-stage coalescence process of microscopic junctions made between the keratin of the stratum corneum of the skin and the glass surface. This process was driven by the secretion of moisture from the sweat glands, since increased hydration in stratum corneum causes it to become softer. Saturation was typically reached within 20 s of loading the contact, regardless of the initial moisture state of the finger and of the normal force applied. Hence, the gross contact area, frequently used as a benchmark quantity in grip and perceptual studies, is a poor reflection of the actual contact mechanics that take place between human fingers and smooth, impermeable surfaces. In contrast, the formation of a steady-state contact area is almost instantaneous if the counter surface is soft relative to keratin in a dry state. It is for this reason that elastomers are commonly used to coat grip surfaces.

  19. Gene Expression Differences Predict Treatment Outcome of Merkel Cell Carcinoma Patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loren Masterson

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to the rarity of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC, prospective clinical trials have not been practical. This study aimed to identify biomarkers with prognostic significance. While sixty-two patients were identified who were treated for MCC at our institution, only seventeen patients had adequate formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded archival tissue and followup to be included in the study. Patients were stratified into good, moderate, or poor prognosis. Laser capture microdissection was used to isolate tumor cells for subsequent RNA isolation and gene expression analysis with Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST arrays. Among the 191 genes demonstrating significant differential expression between prognostic groups, keratin 20 and neurofilament protein have previously been identified in studies of MCC and were significantly upregulated in tumors from patients with a poor prognosis. Immunohistochemistry further established that keratin 20 was overexpressed in the poor prognosis tumors. In addition, novel genes of interest such as phospholipase A2 group X, kinesin family member 3A, tumor protein D52, mucin 1, and KIT were upregulated in specimens from patients with poor prognosis. Our pilot study identified several gene expression differences which could be used in the future as prognostic biomarkers in MCC patients.

  20. Morgellons disease: a filamentous borrelial dermatitis

    OpenAIRE

    Middelveen, Marianne J; Stricker, Raphael B

    2016-01-01

    Marianne J Middelveen, Raphael B Stricker International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, Bethesda, MD, USA Abstract: Morgellons disease (MD) is a dermopathy characterized by multicolored filaments that lie under, are embedded in, or project from skin. Although MD was initially considered to be a delusional disorder, recent studies have demonstrated that the dermopathy is associated with tickborne infection, that the filaments are composed of keratin and collagen, and that they resu...

  1. A curious case of the necklace hair

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mukherjee Samipa Samir

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Monilethrix is a rare autosomal dominant inheritable hair shaft defect with variable penetrance. The diagnosis is confirmed by the characteristic beaded appearance of the hair under light microscopy which occurs due to defective keratinization. We hereby describe a case of monilethrix syndrome with keratotic follicular papules, moniliform hair, and koilonychias in an 8-year-old Indian female child. A rare association of trichorrhexis nodosa was also noted in our case.

  2. Decoupling Tooth Loss from the Evolution of Baleen in Whales

    OpenAIRE

    Peredo, Carlos Mauricio; Pyenson, Nicholas D.; Boersma, Alexandra T.

    2017-01-01

    Baleen whales, or mysticetes, include the largest vertebrates to have ever evolved. Their gigantism, evolutionary success, and ecological diversity have been linked to filter feeding. Mysticetes filter feed using elaborate keratinous baleen plates, which grow from the palate and allow them to strain large quantities of prey out of the water. While the earliest mysticetes retained the adult, mineralized teeth present in ancestral whales, all species of living baleen whales lack teeth and inste...

  3. The integumental appendages of the turtle shell: An evo-devo perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Moustakas-Verho, Jacqueline; Cherepanov, Gennadii

    2015-01-01

    The turtle shell is composed of dorsal armor (carapace) and ventral armor (plastron) covered by a keratinized epithelium. There are two epithelial appendages of the turtle shell: scutes (large epidermal shields separated by furrows and forming a unique mosaic) and tubercles (numerous small epidermal bumps located on the carapaces of some species). In our perspective, we take a synthetic, comparative approach to consider the homology and evolution of these integumental appendages. Scutes have ...

  4. Protein matrices for wound dressings =

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasconcelos, Andreia Joana Costa

    Fibrous proteins such as silk fibroin (SF), keratin (K) and elastin (EL) are able to mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM) that allows their recognition under physiological conditions. The impressive mechanical properties, the environmental stability, in combination with their biocompatibility and control of morphology, provide an important basis to use these proteins in biomedical applications like protein-based wound dressings. Along time the concept of wound dressings has changed from the traditional dressings such as honey or natural fibres, used just to protect the wound from external factors, to the interactive dressings of the present. Wounds can be classified in acute that heal in the expected time frame, and chronic, which fail to heal because the orderly sequence of events is disrupted at one or more stages of the healing process. Moreover, chronic wound exudates contain high levels of tissue destructive proteolytic enzymes such as human neutrophil elastase (HNE) that need to be controlled for a proper healing. The aim of this work is to exploit the self-assemble properties of silk fibroin, keratin and elastin for the development of new protein materials to be used as wound dressings: i) evaluation of the blending effect on the physical and chemical properties of the materials; ii) development of materials with different morphologies; iii) assessment of the cytocompatibility of the protein matrices; iv) ultimately, study the ability of the developed protein matrices as wound dressings through the use of human chronic wound exudate; v) use of innovative short peptide sequences that allow to target the control of high levels of HNE found on chronic wounds. Chapter III reports the preparation of silk fibroin/keratin (SF/K) blend films by solvent casting evaporation. Two solvent systems, aqueous and acidic, were used for the preparation of films from fibroin and keratin extracted from the respective silk and wool fibres. The effect of solvent system used was

  5. Necrotizing Infundibular Crystalline Folliculitis: A Case Report of an Exceptional Lesion of Unknown Etiology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nikolina Saxer-Sekulic

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Necrotizing infundibular crystalline folliculitis is a rare follicular lesion of which the etiology is not well understood. Here we describe the case of a 71-year-old male patient presenting with multiple hyperkeratotic lesions localized on the forehead. Histopathological analysis of one of the lesions revealed a follicular invagination containing cellular debris and keratin lamellae containing filamentous mucinous material and numerous crystals birefringent in polarized light microscopy. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel

  6. Multiphoton spectroscopy of human skin in vivo

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breunig, Hans G.; Weinigel, Martin; König, Karsten

    2012-03-01

    In vivo multiphoton-intensity images and emission spectra of human skin are reported. Optical sections from different depths of the epidermis and dermis have been measured with near-infrared laser-pulse excitation. While the intensity images reveal information on the morphology, the spectra show emission characteristics of main endogenous skin fluorophores like keratin, NAD(P)H, melanin, elastin and collagen as well as of second harmonic generation induced by the excitation-light interaction with the dermal collagen network.

  7. Functional differences between neonatal and adult fibroblasts and keratinocytes: Donor age affects epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk in vitro

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Mateu, R.; Živicová, V.; Krejci, E.D.; Grim, M.; Strnad, Hynek; Vlček, Čestmír; Kolář, Michal; Lacina, L.; Gál, P.; Borský, J.; Smetana, K.; Dvořánková, B.

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 38, č. 4 (2016), s. 1063-1074 ISSN 1107-3756 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-20293S; GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1604; GA MŠk(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MŠk(CZ) ED2.1.00/19.0400 EU Projects: European Commission 317297 Institutional support: RVO:68378050 Keywords : newborn * nestin * keratin * repair * regeneration * scar * fibrosis * extracellular matrix Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 2.341, year: 2016

  8. Avian Nanostructured Tissues as Models for New Defensive Coatings and Photonic Crystal Fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-31

    melanin and keratin from 90:10 to 10:90 in separate experiments and identify the points of strongest and weakest coffee ring formation. One of the...amorphous biophotonic nanostructures by phase separation . Soft Matter 5, 1792-1795. 19. Yunker, P.J. et al. 2011. Suppression of the coffe ring effect by shape-dependent capillary interactions. Nature 476:308-310. ...Relative contributions of pigments and biophotonic nanostructures to natural color production: a case study in Budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus

  9. Assessment of Periodontal Status of Surgically Exposed and Orthodontically Aligned Impacted Maxillary Canines

    OpenAIRE

    Adina Coșarcă; Mariana Păcurar; Cecilia Petrovan; Alina Ormenișan

    2014-01-01

    Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the periodontal status of impacted canines after 5 years following completion of the combined surgical and orthodontic treatment. Materials and methods: We examined 20 labially impacted canines and 20 palatally impacted canines at 5 years after the end of treatment. We assessed the periodontal status of these teeth. Results: Different outcomes were found regarding the probing depth and the amount of keratinized gingiva in the two mentioned groups of t...

  10. Comparison of connective tissue graft and guided tissue regeneration in covering root surfaces

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LotfazarM.

    2002-08-01

    Full Text Available There are many researches evaluation different methods for covering the root surface. In the most of these studies, type I and II of Miller treatment had been searched. The purpose of this study was a comparison between connective tissue graft (CTG and guided tissue regeneration (GTR with a collagen membrane in the treatment of gingival recession defects (Miller class III. Six patients, each contributing a pair of Miller class III buccal gingival recessions, were treated. The clinical measurements were obtained at baseline and 1,2,4,6,12,18 months after surgery. Statistical analysis were performed using paired t-test between periods (baseline versus 6 months and baseline versus 18 months within each treatment group and also between treatment groups before treatment and 6, 12 and 18 months after the treatment. The treatments were compared by a triple analysis of variance along the time (treatment, patient, time. Both CTG and GTR with a bioabsorbable membrane demonstrated significant clinical and esthetic improvement for gingival recession coverage. The CTG and GTR procedures had mean root coverage of 55% and 47.5% respectively, in the end of study. The CTG group was statistically better than GTR for recession depth, recession width and keratinized tissue width. Also, passing the time (18 months as a distinct factor of treatment procedures was effective in increasing of clinical attachment level and keratinized tissue width.

  11. Epidermoid cyst of the posterior fossa: a case report Cisto epidermoide da fossa posterior: relato de caso

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Cambruzzi

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Epidermoid cysts of the central nervous system are uncommon conditions, which are frequently located in the cerebellopontine angle and around the pons. They are covered with keratinized squamous epithelium and keratin lamella, which give its contents a soft, white-pearly appearance. Epidermoid cysts are mostly originated from malformations, presumably associated with surface elements of the nervous system ectoderm during the closure of the neural groove or formation of secondary cerebral vesicles. The authors describe a case of epidermoid cyst in the posterior fossa causing hydrocephalus and review morphologic and diagnostic criteria of this lesion.Os cistos epidermoides do sistema nervoso central (SNC são condições incomuns, estando localizados mais frequentemente no ângulo pontocerebelar e ao redor da ponte. Eles são revestidos por epitélio escamoso queratinizado e lamelas de queratina, tornando seu conteúdo branco-perolado e pastoso. Os cistos epidermoides são, na maioria das vezes, originados de malformações, possivelmente associados ao entremeio de elementos superficiais do ectoderma do SNC durante o fechamento da placa neural, ou formação das vesículas cerebrais secundárias. Os autores descrevem um caso de cisto epidermoide da fossa posterior determinando hidrocefalia e revisam critérios morfológicos e diagnósticos dessa lesão.

  12. Coronally positioned flap with or without acellular dermal matrix graft in the treatment of class II gingival recession defects: A randomized controlled clinical study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunitha Jagannathachary

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the randomized controlled single blind study is to evaluate the treatment of Miller′s class II gingival recessions by coronally positioned flap (CPF with or without acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADMA. Ten patients with 20 sites with maxillary bilateral Miller′s class II facial recession defects were selected randomly into two groups of test (ADMA+CPF and control (CPF alone group with each group having 10 recession defects to be treated. The clinical parameters included plaque index (PI, gingival index (GI, probing pocket depth (PPD, clinical attachment level (CAL, recession height (RH, recession width (RW, height of the keratinized tissue (HKT, and thickness of the keratinized tissue (TKT. These measurements were recorded at baseline and after 6 months post-surgery. Statistical analysis was made by the paired "t" test for intragroup and intergroup comparison was done by the unpaired "t" test. The percentage of root coverage for both the experimental and control groups were 82.2% and 50%, respectively. The changes from baseline to 6 months were significant in both the groups for PD, CAL, and RH; however, for parameters such as RW, HKT, and TKT significance was seen only in the experimental group. On comparison between two groups, only TKT showed statistically significance. It can be concluded that the amount of root coverage obtained with ADMA + CPF was superior compared to CPF alone.

  13. Heterochronic truncation of odontogenesis in theropod dinosaurs provides insight into the macroevolution of avian beaks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shuo; Stiegler, Josef; Wu, Ping; Chuong, Cheng-Ming; Hu, Dongyu; Balanoff, Amy; Zhou, Yachun; Xu, Xing

    2017-10-10

    Beaks are innovative structures characterizing numerous tetrapod lineages, including birds, but little is known about how developmental processes influenced the macroevolution of these important structures. Here we provide evidence of ontogenetic vestigialization of alveoli in two lineages of theropod dinosaurs and show that these are transitional phenotypes in the evolution of beaks. One of the smallest known caenagnathid oviraptorosaurs and a small specimen of the Early Cretaceous bird Sapeornis both possess shallow, empty vestiges of dentary alveoli. In both individuals, the system of vestiges connects via foramina with a dorsally closed canal homologous to alveoli. Similar morphologies are present in Limusaurus , a beaked theropod that becomes edentulous during ontogeny; and an analysis of neontological and paleontological evidence shows that ontogenetic reduction of the dentition is a relatively common phenomenon in vertebrate evolution. Based on these lines of evidence, we propose that progressively earlier postnatal and embryonic truncation of odontogenesis corresponds with expansion of rostral keratin associated with the caruncle, and these progenesis and peramorphosis heterochronies combine to drive the evolution of edentulous beaks in nonavian theropods and birds. Following initial apomorphic expansion of rostral keratinized epithelia in perinatal toothed theropods, beaks appear to inhibit odontogenesis as they grow postnatally, resulting in a sequence of common morphologies. This sequence is shifted earlier in development through phylogeny until dentition is absent at hatching, and odontogenesis is inhibited by beak formation in ovo .

  14. Impact of tumor cell cytoskeleton organization on invasiveness and migration: a microchannel-based approach.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudio G Rolli

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Cell migration is a fundamental feature of the interaction of cells with their surrounding. The cell's stiffness and ability to deform itself are two major characteristics that rule migration behavior especially in three-dimensional tissue. We simulate this situation making use of a micro-fabricated migration chip to test the active invasive behavior of pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1 into narrow channels. At a channel width of 7 microm cell migration through the channels was significantly impeded due to size exclusion. A striking increase in cell invasiveness was observed once the cells were treated with the bioactive lipid sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC that leads to a reorganization of the cell's keratin network, an enhancement of the cell's deformability, and also an increase in the cell's migration speed on flat surfaces. The migration speed of the highly deformed cells inside the channels was three times higher than of cells on flat substrates but was not affected upon SPC treatment. Cells inside the channels migrated predominantly by smooth sliding while maintaining constant cell length. In contrast, cells on adhesion mediating narrow lines moved in a stepwise way, characterized by fluctuations in cell length. Taken together, with our migration chip we demonstrate that the dimensionality of the environment strongly affects the migration phenotype and we suggest that the spatial cytoskeletal keratin organization correlates with the tumor cell's invasive potential.

  15. Lytic process studies on anaerobic digestion of organic wastes. Etude des activites lytiques intervenant au cours de la digestion anaerobie des dechets organiques; Rapport final

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Durecu, S.; Thauront, J. (PEC Engineering, 95 - Cergy Pontoise (France). Service de Recherche et Developpement); Festino, C.; Aubart, C.; Reisinger, O. (Nancy-1 Univ., 54 - Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France). Lab. d' Ecologie Microbienne)

    1990-01-01

    To improve anaerobic digestion of pig manure, solubilization of the solid fraction was studied as the rate limiting step in the biomethanation process in an experimental completely mixed digester. The performance of conventional digesters should anaerobic microflora were inefficient in degrading complex biopolymers such as plant fibers. For pectin or cellulose, the use of digestible co-substrates accelerated methanation by increasing the yield of methane and a doubling of the apparent first order solubilization rate constant (Kp = 0.090/d). Lignin should methanation by decreasing methane yield and reducing the rate constant (Kp = 0.035/d). This inhibition was unrelated to volatile fatty acid accumulation. Nine strains of pectinolytic and/or cellulolytic bacteria were isolated. Chitin, a structural constituent of many final species, was effectively solubilized dining anaerobic digestion of pig manure. Seven strains of chitinolytic bacteria were isolated by high chitnese activity. The mycolytic power of fermenting manure processes acting through lytic microflora has been shown to be an effective antagonist of soil borne phytopathogenic fungi, as well as a fertilizer. In greenhouse trails, this compiled fraction demonstrated its ability to control flux unit. Keratin enhanced methane production, and increased H{sub 2}S nearly six-fold. Bacterial strains able to solubilize keratin were also used in autoclawed feather meal to extract the amino acids. (KJD)

  16. Dermoscopy of inverted follicular keratosis: study of 12 cases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llambrich, A; Zaballos, P; Taberner, R; Terrasa, F; Bañuls, J; Pizarro, A; Malvehy, J; Puig, S

    2016-07-01

    Inverted follicular keratosis (IFK) is an uncommon benign tumour of the follicular infundibulum, which is often misdiagnosed clinically as other keratinizing tumours, and commonly diagnosed correctly by histopathology. There are few reports about the dermoscopic findings of this lesion. To evaluate the dermoscopic features of IFK. The dermoscopic structures and patterns in digital dermoscopic images of 12 histopathologically confirmed cases of IFK collected from 5 hospitals in Spain were evaluated. A keratoacanthoma (KA)-like pattern composed of central keratin surrounded by hairpin vessels in a radial arrangement was the most common pattern in IFK (58.3%). The second most common pattern was composed of a yellowish-white amorphous central area surrounded by vascular structures in a radial arrangement (33.3%). The remaining case showed a pattern composed of a yellowish-white amorphous central area with milky red globules. Vascular structures were present in all cases, with a monomorphic pattern in seven cases and a polymorphic pattern in five, mainly with radial arrangement. Arborizing vessels, linear irregular vessels, corkscrew vessels and milky red globules were present in some cases. We describe the two main patterns of IFK. Lesions with a KA-like pattern are clinically and dermoscopically undistinguishable from KA and squamous cell carcinoma. Cases with a polymorphic vascular pattern could be confused with malignant tumours, including basal cell carcinoma and amelanotic melanoma. © 2016 British Association of Dermatologists.

  17. Morphology and morphometry of the reproductive system of female Saguinus midas (Linnaeus, 1758).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteiro, Nathaly Cristine Da Silva; De Lima, Ana Rita; De Carvalho, Ana Flávia; De Carvalho Garcia, Rafael; Therrier, Joanne; Souza, Ana Carla Barros; Pereira, Luiza Correia; Branco, Erika

    2012-06-01

    In this article, the reproductive system's morphology of three young animals of the species Saguinus midas, from the bauxite mine in Paragominas, is described. The specimens were fixed and preserved in a solution of 10% aqueous formaldehyde, followed by dissection, measurement of the genital organs (uterus, vagina, ovaries, and uterine tubes), and histological processing. The vulva is delimited by the labia, with a clitoris. It is lined by keratinized stratified squamous epithelium with sebaceous glands of holocrine secretion. The vagina is an elongated tube with an average length of 26 mm and diameter of 1 mm, presenting a non-keratinized squamous epithelium, disposed between the vestibule of the vagina and cervix, the latter being relatively short. The uterus is simple, has globular shape and is located in the caudal portion of the abdominal cavity, with an average length of 14 mm and average width of 7 mm. It is formed by vascular and serous layers of muscles, and undergoes a bifurcation to form two structures on the bottom of blind sac. The uterine tubes are long and convoluted with an average length of 35 mm (right) and 36 mm (left), consisting of loose connective tissue and muscle layer lined by simple ciliated columnar epithelium. The ovaries are large and ellipsoid with smooth surface. Histologically, one animal showed ovulation fosse. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Morphologic correlation between liver epithelium and mesenchyme allows insight into histogenesis of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, H P; Lankes, G

    1991-01-01

    The microanatomic organization of focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver was analyzed to obtain information about the histogenesis of this tumor-like lesion. All of the 11 examples of FNH studied showed subdivision into multiple pseudolobules, which were characterized by fibrovascular and ductular areas radiating from perilobular septa, and an expanding periphery of normal appearing hepatocytes. Immunohistochemical analysis showed continuous transitions from normal hepatocytes in the periphery of the pseudolobules, which expressed only the keratins 8 and 18, to small hepatocytes and ductular aggregates in the center of the pseudolobules, both of which also expressed the keratins 7 and 19. Ductular metaplasia of hepatocytes was always accompanied by sinusoidal endothelial cells stained by the endothelial markers BMA 120, M 616, and by an increase in collagenous fibers especially of type III. Further development of this fibrovascular and ductular transformation lead to subdivision of the involved pseudolobules. The pseudolobules had similar mean sizes, irrespective of their site in the periphery or the center of the FNHs, showing that proliferation, fibrovascular and ductular transformation and subdivision of these micronodules are a basic histogenetic phenomenon in FNH. The findings indicate that local changes in the interrelations between liver epithelial and mesenchymal cells influence substantially the abnormal but nevertheless regulated growth of liver parenchyma which gives rise to FNH.

  19. Cytoskeleton and pericellular matrix organization of pure adult human keratinocytes cultured from suction-blister roof epidermis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kariniemi, A L; Lehto, V P; Vartio, T; Virtanen, I

    1982-12-01

    Pure adult human keratinocyte cultures were raised from suction-blister roof epidermis and cultured in MCDB-151 medium. In primary culture the epidermal cells rapidly adhered, spread and began to proliferate on collagen-coated growth substrata but not on uncoated plastic or glass substrata. A fibrillar keratin-specific fluorescence, showing a typical cell-cell arrangement, was seen in all cells in indirect immunofluorescence microscopy, whereas only some cells also showed vimentin-specific staining. A fine fibrillar fibronectin-specific surface staining was seen at the margin of attaching cells and in marginal cells of spreading cell islands, whereas no fluorescence could be seen in epidermal cells, with antibodies against type IV collagen or laminin. Interestingly, the marginal cells also showed intracellular fibronectin. The synthesis of fibronectin in epidermal cell cultures could also be revealed by metabolic labelling experiments with [35S]methionine. In contrast to primary cultures, subcultivated keratinocytes also adhered to uncoated plastic and glass substrata. After subcultivation, keratin and surface fibronectin distribution remained unaltered but after some subcultivations, most of the cells also showed fibrillar vimentin and expressed fibronectin intracellularly. The results show that the suction-blister method provides an easy way to obtain pure epidermal cell cultures without contaminating mesenchymal cells. Our results also suggest a direct role for fibronectin but not for collagen type IV or laminin in adhesion and spreading of epidermal cells in vitro.

  20. Oestrogen receptor evaluation in Pomeranian dogs with hair cycle arrest (alopecia X) on melatonin supplementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, Linda A; Donnell, Robert L; Kania, Stephen A

    2006-08-01

    The role of oestrogen receptors in dogs with hair cycle arrest (alopecia X) was investigated by immunohistochemistry. The purpose of this study was to determine if hair regrowth in dogs with hair cycle arrest treated with melatonin was associated with a decrease in follicular oestrogen receptors. Fifteen Pomeranians (excluding intact females) with hair cycle arrest were enrolled. Two biopsies were obtained from alopecic areas of the trunk before and after 3 months on melatonin. Haematoxylin and eosin-stained tissues were examined and oestrogen receptor-alpha was demonstrated immunohistochemically. Common histopathological findings included hyperkeratosis, follicular keratosis, excessive tricholemmal keratinization (flame follicles), thin epidermis, few small anagen bulbs, epidermal pigmentation and melanin aggregates within follicular keratin. Melanin aggregates within basal cells and hair were an occasional finding. After 3 months, 40% (six) dogs had mild to moderate hair regrowth. Biopsies from six dogs showed histological evidence of an increase in anagen hairs and eight dogs had a decrease in epidermal pigmentation. Moderate to marked staining intensity of oestrogen receptor-alpha was noted in all sebaceous gland basal cells, all small hair bulbs and follicular epithelium of telogen hairs. There was no oestrogen receptor-alpha staining of nuclei within the epidermis, apocrine glands or dermal fibroblasts. Large anagen hair bulbs had minimal to no oestrogen receptor staining. Hair regrowth was not associated with a change in oestrogen receptor-alpha staining.

  1. Interleukin 22 early affects keratinocyte differentiation, but not proliferation, in a three-dimensional model of normal human skin

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donetti, Elena, E-mail: elena.donetti@unimi.it [Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan (Italy); Cornaghi, Laura; Arnaboldi, Francesca; Landoni, Federica [Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan (Italy); Romagnoli, Paolo [Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50125 Florence (Italy); Mastroianni, Nicolino [Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan (Italy); Pescitelli, Leonardo [Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50125 Florence (Italy); Baruffaldi Preis, Franz W. [I.R.C.C.S. Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, 20161 Milan (Italy); Prignano, Francesca [Department of Surgery and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Firenze, 50125 Florence (Italy)

    2016-07-15

    Interleukin (IL)-22 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine driving the progression of the psoriatic lesion with other cytokines, as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-17. Our study was aimed at evaluating the early effect of IL-22 alone or in combination with TNF-alpha and IL-17 by immunofluorescence on i) keratinocyte (KC) proliferation, ii) terminal differentiation biomarkers as keratin (K) 10 and 17 expression, iii) intercellular junctions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed. A model of human skin culture reproducing a psoriatic microenvironment was used. Plastic surgery explants were obtained from healthy young women (n=7) after informed consent. Fragments were divided before adding IL-22 or a combination of the three cytokines, and harvested 24 (T24), 48 (T48), and 72 (T72) h later. From T24, in IL-22 samples we detected a progressive decrease in K10 immunostaining in the spinous layer paralleled by K17 induction. By TEM, after IL-22 incubation, keratin aggregates were evident in the perinuclear area. Occludin immunostaining was not homogeneously distributed. Conversely, KC proliferation was not inhibited by IL-22 alone, but only by the combination of cytokines. Our results suggest that IL-22 affects keratinocyte terminal differentiation, whereas, in order to induce a proliferation impairment, a more complex psoriatic-like microenvironment is needed.

  2. Interleukin 22 early affects keratinocyte differentiation, but not proliferation, in a three-dimensional model of normal human skin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Donetti, Elena; Cornaghi, Laura; Arnaboldi, Francesca; Landoni, Federica; Romagnoli, Paolo; Mastroianni, Nicolino; Pescitelli, Leonardo; Baruffaldi Preis, Franz W.; Prignano, Francesca

    2016-01-01

    Interleukin (IL)-22 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine driving the progression of the psoriatic lesion with other cytokines, as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-alpha and IL-17. Our study was aimed at evaluating the early effect of IL-22 alone or in combination with TNF-alpha and IL-17 by immunofluorescence on i) keratinocyte (KC) proliferation, ii) terminal differentiation biomarkers as keratin (K) 10 and 17 expression, iii) intercellular junctions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis was performed. A model of human skin culture reproducing a psoriatic microenvironment was used. Plastic surgery explants were obtained from healthy young women (n=7) after informed consent. Fragments were divided before adding IL-22 or a combination of the three cytokines, and harvested 24 (T24), 48 (T48), and 72 (T72) h later. From T24, in IL-22 samples we detected a progressive decrease in K10 immunostaining in the spinous layer paralleled by K17 induction. By TEM, after IL-22 incubation, keratin aggregates were evident in the perinuclear area. Occludin immunostaining was not homogeneously distributed. Conversely, KC proliferation was not inhibited by IL-22 alone, but only by the combination of cytokines. Our results suggest that IL-22 affects keratinocyte terminal differentiation, whereas, in order to induce a proliferation impairment, a more complex psoriatic-like microenvironment is needed.

  3. Time in tortoiseshell: a bomb radiocarbon-validated chronology in sea turtle scutes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Houtan, Kyle S; Andrews, Allen H; Jones, T Todd; Murakawa, Shawn K K; Hagemann, Molly E

    2016-01-13

    Some of the most basic questions of sea turtle life history are also the most elusive. Many uncertainties surround lifespan, growth rates, maturity and spatial structure, yet these are critical factors in assessing population status. Here we examine the keratinized hard tissues of the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) carapace and use bomb radiocarbon dating to estimate growth and maturity. Scutes have an established dietary record, yet the large keratin deposits of hawksbills evoke a reliable chronology. We sectioned, polished and imaged posterior marginal scutes from 36 individual hawksbills representing all life stages, several Pacific populations and spanning eight decades. We counted the apparent growth lines, microsampled along growth contours and calibrated Δ(14)C values to reference coral series. We fit von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) models to the results, producing a range of age estimates for each turtle. We find Hawaii hawksbills deposit eight growth lines annually (range 5-14), with model ensembles producing a somatic growth parameter (k) of 0.13 (range 0.1-0.2) and first breeding at 29 years (range 23-36). Recent bomb radiocarbon values also suggest declining trophic status. Together, our results may reflect long-term changes in the benthic community structure of Hawaii reefs, and possibly shed light on the critical population status for Hawaii hawksbills. © 2016 The Author(s).

  4. Latex peptidases of Calotropis procera for dehairing of leather as an alternative to environmentally toxic sodium sulfide treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopéz, Laura M I; Viana, Carolina A; Errasti, María E; Garro, María L; Martegani, José E; Mazzilli, Germán A; Freitas, Cléverson D T; Araújo, Ídila M S; da Silva, Rafaela O; Ramos, Márcio V

    2017-09-01

    Dehairing of crude leather is a critical stage performed at the beginning of its processing to obtain industrially useful pieces. Tanneries traditionally apply a chemical process based on sodium sulfide. Since this chemical reactive is environmentally toxic and inefficiently recycled, innovative protocols for reducing or eliminating its use in leather depilation are welcomed. Therefore, latex peptidases from Calotropis procera (CpLP) and Cryptostegia grandiflora (CgLP) were assayed for this purpose. Enzyme activity on substrates representative of skin such as hide powder azure (U HPA ), elastin (U E ), azocollagen (U AZOCOL ), keratin (U K ), and epidermis (U EP ) was determined, while depilation activity was assayed on cow hide. Only CpLP was active against keratin (13.4 U K ) and only CgLP was active against elastin (0.12 U E ). CpLP (93.0 U HPA , 403.6 U AZOCOL , 36.3 U EP ) showed higher activity against the other substrates than CgLP (47.6 U HPA , 261.5 U AZOCOL , 8.5 U EP ). In pilot assays, CpLP (0.05% w/v with sodium sulfite 0.6% w/v as activator) released hairs from cow hide pieces. Macroscopic and microscopic analyses of the hide revealed that the dehairing process was complete and the leather structure was preserved. The proteolytic system of C. procera is a suitable bioresources to be exploited by tanneries.

  5. Preparation and characterization of sponge film made from feathers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhuang, Yuan; Wu, Xiaoqian; Cao, Zhangjun; Zhao, Xiaoxiang; Zhou, Meihua; Gao, Pin

    2013-12-01

    Feather wastes generated from poultry farms will pose a problem for disposal, but they are sustainable resources of keratin. Reduction is one of the commonly used methods to obtain soluble keratin from feather. However, the residues generated during feather reduction reaction were rarely investigated. In this study, the residues were transformed into a porous and flexible sponge film by freeze-drying without pretreatment or addition of cross-linking agents. Glycerol was used to alter the physical and chemical characteristics of the sponge film. The film was characterized with a fiber strong stretch instrument, a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer, scanning electron microscopy, an elemental analyzer, a differential scanning calorimeter and an automatic air permeability apparatus. Tensile strength and melting point of the sponge film with the optimum glycerol content were 6.2 MPa and 170°C respectively. Due to air permeability of 368 mm/s, the film can potentially be used in medicine, biology, textile, environmental technology, and so on. It is ecologically friendly and will produce additional benefits from the renewable materials. The film was utilized as adsorbents to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solutions and as a filtering material for air pollution. Its maximum Cr(VI) uptake capacity was about 148.8 mg/g and the removal rate of PM10 was 98.3%. © 2013.

  6. Biodiversity of Thermophilic Prokaryotes with Hydrolytic Activities in Hot Springs of Uzon Caldera, Kamchatka (Russia)▿ †

    OpenAIRE

    Kublanov, Ilya V.; Perevalova, Anna A.; Slobodkina, Galina B.; Lebedinsky, Aleksander V.; Bidzhieva, Salima K.; Kolganova, Tatyana V.; Kaliberda, Elena N.; Rumsh, Lev D.; Haertlé, Thomas; Bonch-Osmolovskaya, Elizaveta A.

    2008-01-01

    Samples of water from the hot springs of Uzon Caldera with temperatures from 68 to 87°C and pHs of 4.1 to 7.0, supplemented with proteinaceous (albumin, casein, or α- or β-keratin) or carbohydrate (cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, chitin, or agarose) biological polymers, were filled with thermal water and incubated at the same sites, with the contents of the tubes freely accessible to the hydrothermal fluid. As a result, several enrichment cultures growing in situ on different polymeric su...

  7. The effect of local hyperglycemia on skin cells in vitro and on wound healing in euglycemic rats

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kruse, Carla R; Singh, Mansher; Sørensen, Jens A

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Multiple previous studies have established that high systemic blood glucose concentration impairs skin wound healing. However, the effects of local hyperglycemia on wound healing are not well defined. Comprehensive animal studies and in vitro studies using both fibroblasts and keratin......BACKGROUND: Multiple previous studies have established that high systemic blood glucose concentration impairs skin wound healing. However, the effects of local hyperglycemia on wound healing are not well defined. Comprehensive animal studies and in vitro studies using both fibroblasts...

  8. Comparative histopathology of Pityriasis versicolor and Pityrosporum folliculitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mittal R

    1992-01-01

    Full Text Available Twenty five cases each of pityriasis versicolor (PV and pityrosporum folliculitis (PF were selected for this study. Histopathologically in PV, spores and hyphae in spaghetti and meatball appearance in stratum corneum, and perivascular mononuclear infiltrate were seen. In PF, spores were inside the dilated hair follicles filled with keratin, perifollicular and perivascular mononuclear infiltration were seen. Basket weave hyperkeratosis, edema and disruption of collagen were seen in 88% cases of PF and have not been reported earlier.

  9. Species identification of archaeological skin objects from Danish bogs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brandt, Luise Ørsted; Schmidt, Anne Lisbeth; Mannering, Ulla

    2014-01-01

    environment of peat bogs leading to morphological and molecular degradation within the samples. We compared species assignment results of twelve archaeological skin samples from Danish bogs using Mass Spectrometry (MS)-based peptide sequencing, against results obtained using light and scanning electron...... microscopy. While it was difficult to obtain reliable results using microscopy, MS enabled the identification of several species-diagnostic peptides, mostly from collagen and keratins, allowing confident species discrimination even among taxonomically close organisms, such as sheep and goat. Unlike previous...

  10. Hard and Soft Tissue Management of a Localized Alveolar Ridge Atrophy with Autogenous Sources and Biomaterials: A Challenging Clinical Case

    OpenAIRE

    C. Maiorana; D. Andreoni; P. P. Poli

    2016-01-01

    Particularly in the premaxillary area, the stability of hard and soft tissues plays a pivotal role in the success of the rehabilitation from both a functional and aesthetic aspect. The present case report describes the clinical management of a localized alveolar ridge atrophy in the area of the upper right canine associated with a thin gingival biotype with a lack of keratinized tissue. An autogenous bone block harvested from the chin associated with heterologous bone particles was used to re...

  11. The possibility of using x-ray diffraction with hair to screen for pathologic conditions such as breast cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    James, Veronica; Cookson, David

    2000-01-01

    Mammalian hair exhibits a complex structure on length scales ranging from a few to hundreds of Angstroms. High-quality synchrotron x-ray images have yielded new insight about the structure and packing of the intermediate keratinous filaments that represent the bulk of a hair's volume. When comparing human hair diffraction patterns from healthy individuals and breast cancer patients significant differences have been seen, raising the possibility that fiber diffraction may be useful as a screening technique for certain pathologic conditions

  12. Scanning electron microscopy of the collodion membrane from a self-healing collodion baby*

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Almeida Jr., Hiram Larangeira; Isaacsson, Henrique; Guarenti, Isabelle Maffei; Silva, Ricardo Marques e; de Castro, Luis Antônio Suita

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Self-healing collodion baby is a well-established subtype of this condition. We examined a male newborn, who was covered by a collodion membrane. The shed membrane was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The outer surface showed a very compact keratin without the normal elimination of corneocytes. The lateral view of the specimen revealed a very thick, horny layer. The inner surface showed the structure of lower corneocytes with polygonal contour. With higher magnifications villous projections were seen in the cell membrane. PMID:26375232

  13. The cultural divide: exponential growth in classical 2D and metabolic equilibrium in 3D environments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carvalho, Vasco Botelho

    Cellular metabolism can be considered to have two extremes: one is characterized by exponential growth (in 2D cultures) and the other by a dynamic equilibrium (in 3D cultures). We have analysed the proteome and cellular architecture at these two extremes and found that they are dramatically...... different. Ultrastructurally, actin organization is changed, microtubules are increased and keratins 8 and 18 decreased. Metabolically, glycolysis, fatty acid metabolism and the pentose phosphate cycle are increased while Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation is unchanged. Enzymes involved...

  14. CSIR contributions to maximising the value of industry waste

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Sithole, Bruce

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available -72 % meat 20-22% Other wastes (blood, head, feet, viscerae, bones) 45 g to 2.5-3.0 kg after 42 to 45 days - They are slaughtered (Appleby, 1992). 21 Waste chicken feathers • Worldwide: >20 billion pounds of feathers per year • South... • Regulations banning landfilling 22 • Composition of feathers – 91 % Keratin – high value material – 1 % Lipids – 8 % water Valorisation of chicken feathers 23 Valorisation of chicken feathers 24 Valorisation of chicken feathers 25 Valorisation...

  15. Četverogodišnje retrospektivno istraživanje pojave folikularnih tumora pasa u Hrvatskoj.

    OpenAIRE

    Beck, Ana; Huber, Doroteja; Šćuric, Valentina; Benić, Miroslav; Hohšteter, Marko; Kužir, Snježana

    2016-01-01

    Folikularni tumori pasa (FTP) pripadaju skupini rijetkih tumora kože koji stvaraju keratin, a razvijaju se iz različitih dijelova dlačnog folikula. Skupina psećih folikularnih tumora sastoji se od infundibularnog keratinizirajućeg akantoma (IKA), triholemoma, trihoepitelioma, pilomatrikoma i trihoblastoma. Sustavna istraživanja FTP-a su rijetka, a većina publiciranih opisa ovih tumora odnosi se na prikaze kliničke i histološke slike pojedinačnih slučajeva. S ciljem da odredimo prevalenciju i ...

  16. Primary histiocytic sarcoma of the uterine cervix: an extremely rare entity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binesh Fariba

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective. Histiocytic sarcoma (HS is an extraordinary rare tumor and it has an offensive clinical course. HS of the uterine cervix is a far uncommon tumor with just a few cases described so far. Here we presented a case of primary HS of the uterine cervix in a 62-year-old female initially misdiagnosed as large cell non-keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of HS of the uterine cervix from Iran.

  17. Lingual structural pattern of juvenile Chameleon, Chameleo chameleon

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmed A. El Mansi

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available It is belong to the order Squamata, family, Chamaeleonidae. They have characteristic features of tongue protrusion during capturing prey attracts many research works and assay its velocity during protrusion. Yet little studies touched the anatomical and histological feature of the juvenile tongue and especially the middle tongue region involved in the tongue elongation, the present study aimed to focus on the histological structure of the mid-tongue and clarify its role in projection of the tongue as well as the glandular structure, keratinization of lingual epithelium and proliferation capacity of the fore-tongue region in relation with their feeding habits during the juvenile age. Juvenile Chameleo chameleon are collected from Abu Rawash, north of Giza Governorate, Egypt during summer 2015. Three juvenile developmental stages are used in the present study and categorized according to the gross morphological criteria of head, abdomen and limb lengths. The tongue and hyoid apparatus were removed and photographed. Histological, immunohistochemistry of cytokeratin and stem cell factor and scanning electronic microscopic investigations were carried out on the fore-tongue region, meanwhile only histological studies were done for the median tongue region. Morphometric assessments of number and length of lingual papillae and grades of cytokeratin and stem cell expression were done. Histologically, the dorsal lingual mucosa of the fore-tongue possessed different pattern of lingual papillae including finger-like, club, cubical, biforked and multi-branched papillae. The finger-like papillae are more abundant compared to the other types. The lamina propria of anterior median tongue pad are more glandular and exhibited abundant distribution of PAS-positive tubular glands and moderate alcian blue staining affinity of both alveolar and branched alveolar glands. There is no detected keratinization of the lingual epithelium. Stem cell factor appeared denser on

  18. Von Hippel-Lindau status influences phenotype of liver cancers arising from PTEN loss

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sendor AB

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Adam B Sendor,1 Kathryn E Hacker,1 Shufen Chen,1 Armando L Corona,1 Oishee Sen,1 Derek Y Chiang,1 Anna Snavely,1 Arlin B Rogers,2 Stephanie A Montgomery,1 W Kimryn Rathmell,1 Autumn J McRee11Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; 2Section of Pathology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University, Boston, MA, USABackground: PTEN loss contributes to the development of liver diseases including hepatic steatosis and both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC and cholangiocarcinoma (CC. The factors that influence the penetrance of these conditions are unclear. We explored the influence of sustained hypoxia signaling through co-deletion of Pten and Vhl in a murine model.Methods: We used a CreER-linked Keratin 18 mouse model to conditionally delete Pten, Vhl or both in somatic cells of adult mice, evaluating the resultant tumors by histology and gene expression microarray. Existing sets of gene expression data for human HCC and CC were examined for pathways related to those observed in the murine tumors, and a cohort of human CC samples was evaluated for relationships between HIF-1α expression and clinical outcomes.Results: Both Pten deletion genotypes developed liver tumors, but with differing phenotypes. Pten deletion alone led to large hepatic tumors with widespread hepatosteatosis. Co-deletion of Pten and Vhl with the Keratin 18 promoter resulted in reduced steatosis and a reduced tumor burden that was characterized by a trabecular architecture similar to CC. Genes associated with hepatic steatosis were coordinately expressed in the human HCC dataset, while genes involved in hypoxia response were upregulated in tumors from the human CC dataset. HIF-1α expression and overall survival were examined in an independent cohort of human CC tumors with no statistical differences uncovered.Conclusion: Pten deletion in Keratin 18 expressing cells leads to

  19. Heterochronic truncation of odontogenesis in theropod dinosaurs provides insight into the macroevolution of avian beaks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stiegler, Josef; Wu, Ping; Chuong, Cheng-Ming; Hu, Dongyu; Balanoff, Amy; Zhou, Yachun; Xu, Xing

    2017-01-01

    Beaks are innovative structures characterizing numerous tetrapod lineages, including birds, but little is known about how developmental processes influenced the macroevolution of these important structures. Here we provide evidence of ontogenetic vestigialization of alveoli in two lineages of theropod dinosaurs and show that these are transitional phenotypes in the evolution of beaks. One of the smallest known caenagnathid oviraptorosaurs and a small specimen of the Early Cretaceous bird Sapeornis both possess shallow, empty vestiges of dentary alveoli. In both individuals, the system of vestiges connects via foramina with a dorsally closed canal homologous to alveoli. Similar morphologies are present in Limusaurus, a beaked theropod that becomes edentulous during ontogeny; and an analysis of neontological and paleontological evidence shows that ontogenetic reduction of the dentition is a relatively common phenomenon in vertebrate evolution. Based on these lines of evidence, we propose that progressively earlier postnatal and embryonic truncation of odontogenesis corresponds with expansion of rostral keratin associated with the caruncle, and these progenesis and peramorphosis heterochronies combine to drive the evolution of edentulous beaks in nonavian theropods and birds. Following initial apomorphic expansion of rostral keratinized epithelia in perinatal toothed theropods, beaks appear to inhibit odontogenesis as they grow postnatally, resulting in a sequence of common morphologies. This sequence is shifted earlier in development through phylogeny until dentition is absent at hatching, and odontogenesis is inhibited by beak formation in ovo. PMID:28973883

  20. Wool fibril sponges with perspective biomedical applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patrucco, A., E-mail: a.patrucco@bi.ismac.cnr.it [CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (Italy); Cristofaro, F., E-mail: francesco.cristofaro01@universitadipavia.it [Department of Molecular Medicine, INSTM UdR of Pavia, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 3/B, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Simionati, M., E-mail: m.simionati@bi.ismac.cnr.it [CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (Italy); Zoccola, M., E-mail: m.zoccola@bi.ismac.cnr.it [CNR-ISMAC, Italian National Research Council, Institute for Macromolecular Studies, Corso G. Pella 16, 13900, Biella (Italy); Bruni, G., E-mail: giovanna.bruni@unipv.it [Department of Chemistry, — Physical-Chemistry Section, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 16, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Fassina, L., E-mail: lorenzo.fassina@unipv.it [Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Visai, L., E-mail: livia.visai@unipv.it [Department of Molecular Medicine, INSTM UdR of Pavia, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 3/B, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Department of Occupational Medicine, Toxicology and Environmental Risks, S. Maugeri Foundation, IRCCS, Via S. Boezio, 28, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Magenes, G., E-mail: giovanni.magenes@unipv.it [Centre for Health Technologies (CHT), University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (Italy); Department of Electrical, Computer and Biomedical Engineering, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 1, 27100, Pavia (Italy); and others

    2016-04-01

    Sheep's wool was used as a natural source to prepare keratin microfibril sponges for scaffolding, by disruption of the histological structure of the fibres through mild alkali treatment, followed by ultrasonication, casting and salt-leaching. The wool sponges showed highly interconnected porosity (93%) and contain intrinsic sites of cellular recognition that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). They displayed good thermal and water stability due to the conversion of disulphide cystine bonds into shorter monosulphide lanthionine intermolecular bonds, but significantly swelled in water, because of the high hydrophilicity and porosity, with a volume increasing up to 38%. Nevertheless, sponges were stable in water without structural changes, with a neutral pH in aqueous media, and showed excellent resilience to repeated compression stresses. According to in vitro biocompatibility assays, wool fibril sponges showed a good cell adhesion and proliferation as proved by MTT, FDA assays and SEM observations. The unique structure of the cortical cell network made by wool keratin proteins with controlled-size macro-porosity suitable for cell guesting, and nutrient feeding, provides an excellent scaffold for future tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Scaffolds were prepared from wool exploiting the fibres' histology structure. • The scaffold showed high interconnected micro- and macro-porosity. • The microscopic structure is very similar to the extracellular bone matrix. • Scaffolds reversibly swell in water with high resilience to repeated compression. • Composites were cytocompatible and supported the growth of SAOS-2 cell line.

  1. Sensitivity and specificity of in situ proximity ligation for protein interaction analysis in a model of steatohepatitis with Mallory-Denk bodies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bernhard Zatloukal

    Full Text Available The in situ proximity ligation assay (isPLA is an increasingly used technology for in situ detection of protein interactions, post-translational modifications, and spatial relationships of antigens in cells and tissues, in general. In order to test its performance we compared isPLA with immunofluorescence microscopy by analyzing protein interactions in cytoplasmic protein aggregates, so-called Mallory Denk bodies (MDBs. These structures represent protein inclusions in hepatocytes typically found in human steatohepatitis and they can be generated in mice by feeding of 3,5-diethoxy-carbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC. We investigated the colocalization of all three key MDB components, namely keratin 8 (K8, keratin 18 (K18, and p62 (sequestosome 1 by isPLA and immunofluorescence microscopy. Sensitivity and specificity of isPLA was assessed by using Krt8-/- and Krt18-/- mice as biological controls, along with a series of technical controls. isPLA signal visualization is a robust technology with excellent sensitivity and specificity. The biological relevance of signals generated critically depends on the performance of antibodies used, which requires careful testing of antibodies like in immunofluorescence microscopy. There is a clear advantage of isPLA in visualizing protein co-localization, particularly when antigens are present at markedly different concentrations. Furthermore, isPLA is superior to confocal microscopy with respect to spatial resolution of colocalizing antigens. Disadvantages compared to immunofluorescence are increased costs and longer duration of the laboratory protocol.

  2. Wool fibril sponges with perspective biomedical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patrucco, A.; Cristofaro, F.; Simionati, M.; Zoccola, M.; Bruni, G.; Fassina, L.; Visai, L.; Magenes, G.

    2016-01-01

    Sheep's wool was used as a natural source to prepare keratin microfibril sponges for scaffolding, by disruption of the histological structure of the fibres through mild alkali treatment, followed by ultrasonication, casting and salt-leaching. The wool sponges showed highly interconnected porosity (93%) and contain intrinsic sites of cellular recognition that mimic the extracellular matrix (ECM). They displayed good thermal and water stability due to the conversion of disulphide cystine bonds into shorter monosulphide lanthionine intermolecular bonds, but significantly swelled in water, because of the high hydrophilicity and porosity, with a volume increasing up to 38%. Nevertheless, sponges were stable in water without structural changes, with a neutral pH in aqueous media, and showed excellent resilience to repeated compression stresses. According to in vitro biocompatibility assays, wool fibril sponges showed a good cell adhesion and proliferation as proved by MTT, FDA assays and SEM observations. The unique structure of the cortical cell network made by wool keratin proteins with controlled-size macro-porosity suitable for cell guesting, and nutrient feeding, provides an excellent scaffold for future tissue engineering applications. - Highlights: • Scaffolds were prepared from wool exploiting the fibres' histology structure. • The scaffold showed high interconnected micro- and macro-porosity. • The microscopic structure is very similar to the extracellular bone matrix. • Scaffolds reversibly swell in water with high resilience to repeated compression. • Composites were cytocompatible and supported the growth of SAOS-2 cell line.

  3. Ultrastructure of the feather follicle in relation to the formation of the rachis in pennaceous feathers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alibardi, Lorenzo

    2010-06-01

    The present ultrastructural study on follicle of regenerating feathers of four different avian species focuses on the formation and cytology of the rachis. Epithelial cells within the bottom part of the follicle (the collar) are contacted from mesenchymal cells of the dermal papilla. The most basal part of the collar is formed by a circular epithelium containing germinal cells, while in the upper ramogenic part of the collar barb ridges are generated. Epithelial cells rest upon a basement membrane that is stretched in actively forming barb ridges among which anchored mesenchymal cells send thin elongation. This observation suggests that an intense exchange of molecules with the epithelium occurs. The process of formation of the rachis occurs by fusion of barb ridges with the nonsegmented, dorsal or anterior part of the collar. The latter becomes the rachidial ridge, the upper part of the collar where barbs form the branches of the pennaceous feather. The rachis grows and matures into an external cortical part, containing compact corneous material (feather keratin, as confirmed by immunocytochemistry), and a vacuolated medulla with a process similar to that occurring in rami of single barbs. The extension of the medulla and cortex varies along the rachis in different species. In general a thin cortex is formed in those sections of the rachis where barbs are absent, and the feather keratin positive layer increases in the basal part of the feather, the calamus.

  4. Microbial communities and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the biodegradation of specified risk material in compost

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Shanwei; Reuter, Tim; Gilroyed, Brandon H.; Tymensen, Lisa; Hao, Yongxin; Hao, Xiying; Belosevic, Miodrag; Leonard, Jerry J.; McAllister, Tim A.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► Addition of feathers altered bacterial and fungal communities in compost. ► Microbial communities degrading SRM and compost matrix were distinct. ► Addition of feathers may enrich for microbial communities that degrade SRM. ► Inclusion of feather in compost increased both CH 4 and N 2 O emissions from compost. ► Density of methanogens and methanotrophs were weakly associated with CH 4 emissions. - Abstract: Provided that infectious prions (PrP Sc ) are inactivated, composting of specified risk material (SRM) may be a viable alternative to rendering and landfilling. In this study, bacterial and fungal communities as well as greenhouse gas emissions associated with the degradation of SRM were examined in laboratory composters over two 14 day composting cycles. Chicken feathers were mixed into compost to enrich for microbial communities involved in the degradation of keratin and other recalcitrant proteins such as prions. Feathers altered the composition of bacterial and fungal communities primarily during the first cycle. The bacterial genera Saccharomonospora, Thermobifida, Thermoactinomycetaceae, Thiohalospira, Pseudomonas, Actinomadura, and Enterobacter, and the fungal genera Dothideomycetes, Cladosporium, Chaetomium, and Trichaptum were identified as candidates involved in SRM degradation. Feathers increased (P 4 primarily during the early stages of the first cycle and N 2 O during the second. Although inclusion of feathers in compost increases greenhouse gas emissions, it may promote the establishment of microbial communities that are more adept at degrading SRM and recalcitrant proteins such as keratin and PrP Sc

  5. Serum Proteome Changes in Healthy Subjects with Different Genotypes of NOS1AP in the Chinese Population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feng Jiang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes and its chronic complications have become a worldwide epidemic nowadays. However, its molecular mechanism is still unknown. We have previously identified a novel variant rs12742393 of NOS1AP for type 2 diabetes susceptibility in the Chinese population. In this study, we analyzed the total serum profiling among three genotypes of rs12742393 to discover potential crosstalk under the variant and the disease through proteomic analyses for the first time. We used OFFGEL peptide fractionation, LC-MS/MS analysis, and label-free quantification to profile the fasting human serum samples of the genotypes in rs12742393 (n=4, for CC, AC, and AA, resp.. Four proteins were identified, including apoA4, alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10, with blood levels changed significantly between CC and AA homozygotes of rs12742393. Compared with AA group, the levels of apoA4 increased (P=0.000265, whereas the concentration of alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10 decreased in CC group (P=0.011116, 0.021175, and 0.015661, resp.. Then we selected additional fasting serum samples for ELISA and western blot validation. However, no significant differences were identified by neither ELISA nor western blot (P>0.05. The protein profiling changes between the genotypes of rs12742393 indicated that this SNP might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

  6. Acitretin in pediatric dermatoses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manjyot Gautam

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Acitretin, a synthetic retinoid and the active metabolite of etretinate has been increasingly used over the past two decades. It has proved effective in the treatment of many conditions associated with hyperkeratosis and dyskeratosis. A Google scholar search for the use of acitretin in pediatric dermatoses was done using the words “pediatric dermatoses,” “acitretin,” “etretinate,” “systemic retinoids,” “psoriasis,” “pityriasis rubra pilaris,” “ichthyoses,” “disorders of keratinization,” “Darier's disease,” “palmoplantar keratoderma,” “verrucae,” “lichen planus,” “lupus erythematosus,” and “lichen sclerosus.” All the articles were retrieved and classified into review articles, studies, double-blinded trials, and case reports. The final data were then analyzed and presented in a narrative fashion. It has been found that acitretin is useful in a number of pediatric dermatoses. It is preferred over other drugs in pustular psoriasis. Good results can be obtained in various disorders of keratinization, and it may even prove life-saving in conditions like harlequin ichthyosis. However, long-term maintenance therapy is required and exacerbations are known on discontinuing the drug. It can also be used as alternative therapy for many other pediatric dermatoses where the primary treatment has failed. Acitretin should be used even in children for the proper indications. However, proper clinical and laboratory surveillance has to be maintained in patients on long-term acitretin.

  7. Human papillomavirus 16E6 and NFX1-123 potentiate notch signaling and differentiation without activating cellular arrest

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vliet-Gregg, Portia A.; Hamilton, Jennifer R. [Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children' s Research Institute, 1900 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101 (United States); Katzenellenbogen, Rachel A., E-mail: rkatzen@uw.edu [Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children' s Research Institute, 1900 Ninth Ave., Seattle, WA 98101 (United States); Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle WA (United States)

    2015-04-15

    High-risk human papillomavirus (HR HPV) oncoproteins bind host cell proteins to dysregulate and uncouple apoptosis, senescence, differentiation, and growth. These pathways are important for both the viral life cycle and cancer development. HR HPV16 E6 (16E6) interacts with the cellular protein NFX1-123, and they collaboratively increase the growth and differentiation master regulator, Notch1. In 16E6 expressing keratinocytes (16E6 HFKs), the Notch canonical pathway genes Hes1 and Hes5 were increased with overexpression of NFX1-123, and their expression was directly linked to the activation or blockade of the Notch1 receptor. Keratinocyte differentiation genes Keratin 1 and Keratin 10 were also increased, but in contrast their upregulation was only indirectly associated with Notch1 receptor stimulation and was fully unlinked to growth arrest, increased p21{sup Waf1/CIP1}, or decreased proliferative factor Ki67. This leads to a model of 16E6, NFX1-123, and Notch1 differently regulating canonical and differentiation pathways and entirely uncoupling cellular arrest from increased differentiation. - Highlights: • 16E6 and NFX1-123 increased the Notch canonical pathway through Notch1. • 16E6 and NFX1-123 increased the differentiation pathway indirectly through Notch1. • 16E6 and NFX1-123 increased differentiation gene expression without growth arrest. • Increased NFX1-123 with 16E6 may create an ideal cellular phenotype for HPV.

  8. Immediate loading implants with mandibular overdenture: a 48-month prospective follow-up study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla ZANCOPE

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate patient rehabilitation with two immediately loaded implants and bar-retained mandibular overdentures after 48 months of follow-up. Twenty patients were treated with two implants each; of these, 17 patients were re-evaluated for comparison. Gender, age, plaque index, gingival inflammation, keratinized mucosa, probing depth, bleeding, and implant loss data were recorded, and periapical radiographs were obtained for measurement of marginal bone loss. The results were statistically analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA followed by Student’s t-test and Pearson’s correlation test. To compare the data at baseline and after 48 months, a Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test was performed (α = 0.05. One implant failed (2.9% during the first year and was replaced. A total of 35 implants were evaluated. Bone loss values were 0.52–2.89 mm (mean, 1.46 mm. Probing depth was 1.75–3.75 mm (mean, 2.22 mm. Correlations were found between bone loss and plaque index and between bone loss and gender, but bone loss did not correlate with gingival inflammation, keratinized mucosa, probing depth, or age. The overall survival rate of the implants was 97.1%. Based on these results, the use of two immediately loaded splinted interforaminal implants to retain an overdenture with a bar attachment is a clinically viable option with a high survival rate.

  9. Soluble proteins from fowl feather keratin. II. Isolation of some proteins from barbs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murayama, K; Akahane, K; Murozono, S

    1977-01-01

    Four fractions, GF-1, 2, 3, and 4, which had been separated from S-carboxymethylated (SCM-) proteins of fowl feathers by gel filtration, were each chromatographed on a DEAE-cellulose column in 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer (pH 8.5) containing 8 M urea. The major fraction, GF-3, was further separated into seven peaks; the first four were shown to be single components by polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. Chromatograms of GF-1 and 2 showed broad peaks which appeared at nearly the same volume as in GF-3. The components from GF-3 had very similar amino acid compositions except that the SCM-cysteine content showed a tendency to increase in the order of elution from the column. SCM-extract prepared from barbs of the wing feathers of a fowl was more heterogeneous than that taken from the body feathers. A combination of gel filtration on Sephadex G-75 and chromatography on DEAE-cellulose was found to be more effective for the isolation of soluble SCM-proteins.

  10. Modification of wheat gluten for improvement of binding capacity with keratin in hair

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Shukun; Meng, Danyang; Wang, Sisi; Zhang, Zhong; Yang, Ruijin; Zhao, Wei

    2018-02-01

    In this study, enzymatic hydrolysis and cationization with epoxypropyldodecyldimethylammonium chloride of wheat protein, an economic protein complex containing great amount of disulfide bonds, were conducted to improve properties such as solubility and disassociation behaviour for recovery of damaged hair when used in shampoo. The optimal conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis were pH 8.2, 55°C with Alcalase for 60 min. After the selected hydrolysis, the degree of hydrolysis, nitrogen solubility index, foaming capacity index, foam stability index, emulsifying activity index and emulsion stability index of hydrolysate with 58.71% of short-chain peptides (less than 1000 Da) were 8.81%, 39.07%, 225%, 56.67%, 9.62 m2 g-1 and 49.08, respectively. The cationization was followed to raise the isoelectric point of wheat protein hydrolysate from 7.0 to 10.0, which could facilitate the quaternized protein hydrolysate to adhere to the surface of hair at the range of pH 5-6 of hair care products to form more disulfide bonds. The results show that a shampoo with quaternized wheat proteins hydrolysate possesses excellent properties in recovering damaged hair, making the surface of hair smooth and compact.

  11. Congenital milia En plaque on scalp

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangita Ghosh

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Milia en plaque is a rare disease entity characterized by confluence of multiple keratin-filled cysts resulting from the obstruction of hair follicle without any preceding primary dermatosis. Fewer than 40 cases have been reported so far in dermatological literature, and most cases are described to occur in adults and in the peri-auricular area. We describe a case of congenital MEP on scalp of a five-year-old boy with a blaschkoid extension into posterior nuchal area. This case report claims its uniqueness because of the unusual site and congenital presentation.

  12. The unexpected discovery of blind snakes (Serpentes: Typhlopidae) in Micronesia: two new species of Ramphotyphlops from the Caroline Islands

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wynn, Addison H.; Reynolds, Robert P.; Buden, Donald W.; Falanruw, Marjorie; Lynch, Brian

    2012-01-01

    Two new blind snakes in the genus Ramphotyphlops are described from Ulithi (R. hatmaliyeb sp. nov.) and Ant Atoll (R. adocetus sp. nov.) in the Caroline Islands, the first blind snake species known from Micronesia east of Palau (excluding Ramphotyphlops braminus). Both species are unusual in being known only from small, low-lying atolls. They can be distinguished from other Ramphotyphlops by the combination of 22 scale rows over the length of the body; a wedge-shaped snout, without a keratinized keel; and a broad, pyriform (R. adocetus) or ovate (R. hatmaliyeb) rostral scale.

  13. Pigmented epidermal cyst with dense collection of melanin: A rare entity - Report of a case with review of the literature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jayalakshmy, P S; Subitha, K; Priya, P V; Johnson, Gerald

    2012-05-01

    Epidermal cyst is a very common benign cystic lesion of the skin. It is usual to find ulceration of the lining epithelium, rupture of the cyst wall with chronic inflammation and foreign body giant cell reaction. But, it is very rare to see an epidermal cyst with marked accumulation of melanin pigment. Only a few cases of pigmented epidermal cyst with dense collection of melanin pigment have been published in the literature. Here, we are reporting a case of ruptured epidermal cyst with keratin granuloma formation and showing dense collection of melanin pigment.

  14. Evidence for a stem cell hierarchy in the adult human breast

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Villadsen, René; Fridriksdottir, Agla J; Rønnov-Jessen, Lone

    2007-01-01

    Cellular pathways that contribute to adult human mammary gland architecture and lineages have not been previously described. In this study, we identify a candidate stem cell niche in ducts and zones containing progenitor cells in lobules. Putative stem cells residing in ducts were essentially...... in laminin-rich extracellular matrix gels. Staining for the lineage markers keratins K14 and K19 further revealed multipotent cells in the stem cell zone and three lineage-restricted cell types outside this zone. Multiparameter cell sorting and functional characterization with reference to anatomical sites...

  15. Cholesteatoma

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Svane-Knudsen, Viggo; Halkierø-Sørensen, L.; Rasmussen, G.

    2001-01-01

    in the basal layer of the stratum granulosum, while the superior layer contained substantially fewer organelles than are found in normal skin. At the stratum granulosum/stratum corneum interface lipids secreted from Odland bodies were found in sac-like invaginations along the cell membrane but premature...... exocytosis was also frequently observed. In the intercellular spaces of the stratum corneum, multiple long sheets of lamellar structures interrupted by slits or pores enclosed the keratinized corneocytes. The intercellular spaces seemed narrow and an extracellular barrier was not found until well above...

  16. Hair cosmetics and camouflage technics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahide Eriş Eken

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Hair is composed of a mixture of trace elements in small quantities, proteins, lipids and water. Proteins consist of helical polypeptide amino acid molecules. In the hair cells; polypeptide chains of keratin protein would be organized in filaments. In recent years, hair cosmetics showed a significant change and development. The content of shampoos which is used to cleanse the hair has enhanced significantly. Hair conditioner, hair styling products, pomades, brilliantine, and gloss sprays, hair protective products, camouflage products are most commonly used hair cosmetics. Hair shaping procedures are frequently applied.

  17. Terra Firma-forme Dermatosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anagha Ramesh Babu

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Terra firma-forme dermatosis is a cutaneous discoloration. ‘Dirty’ brown grey cutaneous patches and plaques that can be rid off by forceful swabbing with alcohol pads characterize it. The pathogenesis has been attributed to abnormal and delayed keratinization. It poses no medical threat. A 40-year-old male patient presented to the Department of Dermatology with a 2-3 month history of persistent pigmented patches on both upper arms. The lesions were not associated with itching or burning sensation. He gives no history of exacerbation on exposure to the sun.

  18. Pink-color sign in esophageal squamous neoplasia, and speculation regarding the underlying mechanism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishihara, Ryu; Kanzaki, Hiromitsu; Iishi, Hiroyasu; Nagai, Kengo; Matsui, Fumi; Yamashina, Takeshi; Matsuura, Noriko; Ito, Takashi; Fujii, Mototsugu; Yamamoto, Sachiko; Hanaoka, Noboru; Takeuchi, Yoji; Higashino, Koji; Uedo, Noriya; Tatsuta, Masaharu; Tomita, Yasuhiko; Ishiguro, Shingo

    2013-01-01

    AIM: To investigate the reasons for the occurrence of the pink-color sign of iodine-unstained lesions. METHODS: In chromoendoscopy, the pink-color sign of iodine-unstained lesions is recognized as useful for the diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Patients with superficial esophageal neoplasms treated by endoscopic resection were included in the study. Areas of mucosa with and without the pink-color sign were evaluated histologically. The following histologic features that were possibly associated with the pink-color sign were evaluated. The keratinous layer and basal cell layer were classified as present or absent. Cellular atypia was classified as high grade, moderate grade or low grade, based on nuclear irregularity, mitotic figures, loss of polarity, chromatin pattern and nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio. Vascular change was assessed based on dilatation, tortuosity, caliber change and variability in shape. Vessels with these four findings were classified as positive for vascular change. Endoscopic images of the lesions were captured immediately after iodine staining, 2-3 min after iodine staining and after complete fading of iodine staining. Quantitative analysis of color changes after iodine staining was also performed. RESULTS: A total of 61 superficial esophageal neoplasms in 54 patients were included in the study. The lesions were located in the cervical esophagus in one case, the upper thoracic esophagus in 10 cases, the mid-thoracic esophagus in 33 cases, and the lower thoracic esophagus in 17 cases. The median diameter of the lesions was 20 mm (range: 2-74 mm). Of the 61 lesions, 28 were classified as pink-color sign positive and 33 as pink-color sign negative. The histologic diagnosis was high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) or cancer invading into the lamina propria in 26 of the 28 pink-color sign positive lesions. There was a significant association between pink-color sign positive epithelium and HGIN or invasive cancer (P = 0

  19. Patient-reported outcomes and aesthetic evaluation of root coverage procedures: a 12-month follow-up of a randomized controlled clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stefanini, Martina; Jepsen, Karin; de Sanctis, Massimo; Baldini, Nicola; Greven, Björn; Heinz, Bernd; Wennström, Jan; Cassel, Björn; Vignoletti, Fabio; Sanz, Mariano; Jepsen, Søren; Zucchelli, Giovanni

    2016-12-01

    To assess patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), aesthetics and stability of root coverage procedures from a previous 6-month RCT after 1 year. Forty-five patients (90 recessions) had received a coronally advanced flap (CAF = control) only or a xenogeneic collagen matrix in addition (CAF + CMX = test). Visual analogue scales (VAS) and questionnaires were used for PROMs and the root coverage aesthetic score (RES) for professional aesthetic evaluations. VAS scores (patient satisfaction) amounted to 8.58 ± 1.86 (test) versus 8.38 ± 2.46 (control). Six patients preferred CAF + CMX concerning surgical procedure and aesthetics, six preferred CAF and 29 were equally satisfied. RES was 7.85 ± 2.42 for the test group versus 7.34 ± 2.90 for the controls. Root coverage (RC) was 76.28% for test and 75.05% for control defects. The mean increase in keratinized tissue width was higher in test (from 1.97 to 3.02 mm) than in controls (from 2.00 to 2.64 mm) (p = 0.0413). Likewise, test sites showed more gain in gingival thickness (0.52 mm) than control sites (0.27 mm) (p = 0.0023). Compared to 6 months, clinical outcomes were stable. Results for PROMs, RES and RC did not significantly differ between treatment groups. Thickness and width of keratinized tissue were enhanced following CAF + CMX compared to CAF alone. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Elucidation of penetration enhancement mechanism of Emu oil using FTIR microspectroscopy at EMIRA laboratory of SESAME synchrotron

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mansour, Randa S. H.; Sallam, Alsayed A.; Hamdan, Imad I.; Khalil, Enam A.; Yousef, Ibraheem

    2017-10-01

    It has been proposed that Emu oil possesses skin permeation-enhancing effect. This study aimed to address its possible penetration enhancement mechanism(s) using IR microscopy, in accordance with LPP theory. The penetration of Emu oil through the layers of human skin was accomplished by monitoring oil-IR characteristic feature at 3006 cm- 1. The unsaturated components of Emu oil accumulated at about 270 μm depth of skin surface. The interaction of Emu oil with lipid and protein constituents of SC was investigated in comparison with a commonly used enhancer, IPM. Inter-sample spectral differences were identified using PCA and linked with possible enhancement mechanisms. Emu oil treatment caused a change in the slope of the right contour of amide I band of the protein spectral range. This was also clear in the second derivative spectra where the emergence of a new shoulder at higher frequency was evident, suggesting disorganization of keratin α-helix structure. This effect could be a result of disruption of some hydrogen bonds in which amide Cdbnd O and Nsbnd H groups of keratin are involved. The low intensity of the emerged shoulder is also in agreement with formation of weaker hydrogen bonds. IPM did not affect the protein component. No conclusions regarding the effect of penetration enhancers on the SC lipids were obtained. This was due to the overlap of the endogenous (skin) and exogenous (oil) CH stretching and scissoring frequencies. The SC carbonyl stretching peak disappeared as a result of IPM treatment which may reflect some degree of lipid extraction.

  1. Histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of cutaneous cysts in Goltz-Gorlin syndrome: clues for differentiation of nonsyndromic cysts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tirado, Mariantonieta; Ständer, Sonja; Metze, Dieter

    2014-11-01

    Goltz-Gorlin syndrome presents with multiple basal cell carcinomas, odontogenic keratocysts, and cutaneous cysts, among other manifestations. The cutaneous cysts have been described as both epidermoid cysts and keratocysts but were not further characterized. Light microscopic examinations were made on 23 cutaneous cysts in 4 patients associated with Goltz-Gorlin syndrome located on extremities, face, trunk, palms, and soles and compared with nonsyndromic vellus hair cysts, steatocystomas, and hybrid cysts. Twenty-one of the syndromic cysts revealed alternating infundibular-like and steatocystoma-like squamous epitheliums in varying proportions. The cysts were lined by both smooth and corrugated squamous epithelium. The horny layer was composed by alternating areas of thin, lamellate, and compact eosinophilic keratin. Only 2 cases showed an exclusive steatocystoma-like type of epithelium very similar to odontogenic keratocysts. Sebaceous glands and follicular structures were absent. There were no differences between palmar and plantar cysts and other anatomic locations. The ultrastructural findings in syndromatic cysts confirmed variable expression of keratohyalin granules. Only 3 of 6 cases of nonsyndromic hybrid cysts showed overlapping features with syndromic cysts. Immunohistochemical profiling of keratin, involucrin, filaggrin, loricrin, and BCL-2 expression in syndromatic cysts showed exclusive positivity of K19 and continuous staining for BCL-2. In summary, 2 types of cutaneous cysts are characteristic of Goltz-Gorlin, irrelevant of their anatomic location, namely steatocystoma-like and more frequently hybrid-like. The diagnosis of syndromic hybrid-like cysts should be considered whenever infundibular and steatocystoma differentiation alternate and overlap. Altogether, these findings in epithelial cysts may raise the suspicion of Goltz-Gorlin as an underlying cause.

  2. Toxic elements and associations with hematology, plasma biochemistry, and protein electrophoresis in nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from Casey Key, Florida.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perrault, Justin R; Stacy, Nicole I; Lehner, Andreas F; Poor, Savannah K; Buchweitz, John P; Walsh, Catherine J

    2017-12-01

    Toxic elements (arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, thallium) are a group of contaminants that are known to elicit developmental, reproductive, general health, and immune system effects in reptiles, even at low concentrations. Reptiles, including marine turtles, are susceptible to accumulation of toxic elements due to their long life span, low metabolic rate, and highly efficient conversion of prey into biomass. The objectives of this study were to (1) document concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, selenium, and thallium in whole blood and keratin from nesting loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from Casey Key, Florida and document correlations thereof and (2) correlate whole blood toxic element concentrations to various hematological and plasma biochemistry analytes. Baselines for various hematological and plasma analytes and toxic elements in whole blood and keratin (i.e., scute) in nesting loggerheads are documented. Various correlations between the toxic elements and hematological and plasma biochemistry analytes were identified; however, the most intriguing were negative correlations between arsenic, cadmium, lead, and selenium with and α- and γ-globulins. Although various extrinsic and intrinsic variables such as dietary and feeding changes in nesting loggerheads need to be considered, this finding may suggest a link to altered humoral immunity. This study documents a suite of health variables of nesting loggerheads in correlation to contaminants and identifies the potential of toxic elements to impact the overall health of nesting turtles, thus presenting important implications for the conservation and management of this species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Stable isotope composition of human fingernails from Slovakia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grolmusová, Zuzana; Rapčanová, Anna; Michalko, Juraj; Čech, Peter; Veis, Pavel

    2014-01-01

    Stable isotope composition of human fingernails has proven to be useful for documenting human dietary information and geographical patterns in archeological, forensic, anthropological and biological studies. Therefore, it is of interest to detect all factors influencing the stable isotopic composition in the certain regions in the world. Carbon and nitrogen isotope data of human fingernail keratin from 52 individuals from Slovakia were reported in this study. The online combustion and continuous flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometer Delta V Advantage was used for δ 13 C and δ 15 N analysis of fingernail keratin samples from 24 vegetarian and 28 omnivorous individuals. A group of people with frequent meat consumption showed enrichment in 13 C and 15 N isotopes in fingernails. A similar trend was observed with increasing seafood in an individual's diet. Moreover a significant difference was revealed between smokers and nonsmokers for both δ 13 C and δ 15 N values. These data were compared to previously published δ 13 C and δ 15 N fingernail values from across the globe. This study brings new information on the stable isotope signature of individuals from Slovakia and characterizes the Central European region for the first time. The stable isotope composition of fingernails is influenced by the frequency of meat and seafood consumption as well as smoking. - Highlights: • This study deals with stable isotope analyses of fingernails from Slovak volunteers. • δ 13 C and δ 15 N values of vegetarian and omnivore fingernails were compared. • Influence of sex, diet and smoking was studied

  4. Microbial communities and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the biodegradation of specified risk material in compost

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Shanwei [Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2P5 (Canada); Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1 (Canada); Reuter, Tim [Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4V6 (Canada); Gilroyed, Brandon H. [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1 (Canada); Tymensen, Lisa [Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4V6 (Canada); Hao, Yongxin; Hao, Xiying [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1 (Canada); Belosevic, Miodrag [Department of Biological Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9 (Canada); Leonard, Jerry J. [Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2P5 (Canada); McAllister, Tim A., E-mail: tim.mcallister@agr.gc.ca [Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge Research Centre, P.O. Box 3000, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1J 4B1 (Canada)

    2013-06-15

    Highlights: ► Addition of feathers altered bacterial and fungal communities in compost. ► Microbial communities degrading SRM and compost matrix were distinct. ► Addition of feathers may enrich for microbial communities that degrade SRM. ► Inclusion of feather in compost increased both CH{sub 4} and N{sub 2}O emissions from compost. ► Density of methanogens and methanotrophs were weakly associated with CH{sub 4} emissions. - Abstract: Provided that infectious prions (PrP{sup Sc}) are inactivated, composting of specified risk material (SRM) may be a viable alternative to rendering and landfilling. In this study, bacterial and fungal communities as well as greenhouse gas emissions associated with the degradation of SRM were examined in laboratory composters over two 14 day composting cycles. Chicken feathers were mixed into compost to enrich for microbial communities involved in the degradation of keratin and other recalcitrant proteins such as prions. Feathers altered the composition of bacterial and fungal communities primarily during the first cycle. The bacterial genera Saccharomonospora, Thermobifida, Thermoactinomycetaceae, Thiohalospira, Pseudomonas, Actinomadura, and Enterobacter, and the fungal genera Dothideomycetes, Cladosporium, Chaetomium, and Trichaptum were identified as candidates involved in SRM degradation. Feathers increased (P < 0.05) headspace concentrations of CH{sub 4} primarily during the early stages of the first cycle and N{sub 2}O during the second. Although inclusion of feathers in compost increases greenhouse gas emissions, it may promote the establishment of microbial communities that are more adept at degrading SRM and recalcitrant proteins such as keratin and PrP{sup Sc}.

  5. Pitfalls in comparing modern hair and fossil bone collagen C and N isotopic data to reconstruct ancient diets: a case study with cave bears (Ursus spelaeus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bocherens, Hervé; Grandal-d'Anglade, Aurora; Hobson, Keith A

    2014-01-01

    Stable isotope analyses provide one of the few means to evaluate diet of extinct taxa. However, interpreting isotope data from bone collagen of extinct animals based on isotopic patterns in different tissues of modern animal proxies is precarious. For example, three corrections are needed before making comparisons of recent hair and ancient bone collagen: calibration of carbon-13 variations in atmospheric CO2, different isotopic discrimination between diet-hair keratin and diet-bone collagen, and time averaging of bone collagen versus short-term record in hair keratin. Recently, Robu et al. [Isotopic evidence for dietary flexibility among European Late Pleistocene cave bears (Ursus spelaeus). Can J Zool. 2013;91:227-234] published an article comparing extant carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) stable isotopic data of European cave bear bone collagen with those of Yellowstone Park grizzly bear hair in order to test the prevailing assumption of a largely vegetarian diet among cave bears. The authors concluded that cave bears were carnivores. This work is unfortunately unfounded as the authors failed to consider the necessary corrections listed above. When these corrections are applied to the Romanian cave bears, these individuals can be then interpreted without involving consumption of high trophic-level food, and environmental changes are probably the reason for the unusual isotopic composition of these cave bears in comparison with other European cave bears, rather than a change of diet. We caution researchers to pay careful attention to these factors when interpreting feeding ecology of extinct fauna using stable isotope techniques.

  6. Structure and optical function of amorphous photonic nanostructures from avian feather barbs: a comparative small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of 230 bird species.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saranathan, Vinodkumar; Forster, Jason D; Noh, Heeso; Liew, Seng-Fatt; Mochrie, Simon G J; Cao, Hui; Dufresne, Eric R; Prum, Richard O

    2012-10-07

    Non-iridescent structural colours of feathers are a diverse and an important part of the phenotype of many birds. These colours are generally produced by three-dimensional, amorphous (or quasi-ordered) spongy β-keratin and air nanostructures found in the medullary cells of feather barbs. Two main classes of three-dimensional barb nanostructures are known, characterized by a tortuous network of air channels or a close packing of spheroidal air cavities. Using synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and optical spectrophotometry, we characterized the nanostructure and optical function of 297 distinctly coloured feathers from 230 species belonging to 163 genera in 51 avian families. The SAXS data provided quantitative diagnoses of the channel- and sphere-type nanostructures, and confirmed the presence of a predominant, isotropic length scale of variation in refractive index that produces strong reinforcement of a narrow band of scattered wavelengths. The SAXS structural data identified a new class of rudimentary or weakly nanostructured feathers responsible for slate-grey, and blue-grey structural colours. SAXS structural data provided good predictions of the single-scattering peak of the optical reflectance of the feathers. The SAXS structural measurements of channel- and sphere-type nanostructures are also similar to experimental scattering data from synthetic soft matter systems that self-assemble by phase separation. These results further support the hypothesis that colour-producing protein and air nanostructures in feather barbs are probably self-assembled by arrested phase separation of polymerizing β-keratin from the cytoplasm of medullary cells. Such avian amorphous photonic nanostructures with isotropic optical properties may provide biomimetic inspiration for photonic technology.

  7. Morphometrics and structure of complete baleen racks in gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) from the Eastern North Pacific Ocean.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Young, Samantha; DeméRé, Thomas A; Ekdale, Eric G; Berta, Annalisa; Zellmer, Nicholas

    2015-04-01

    Mysticetes have evolved a novel filter feeding apparatus-baleen-an epidermal keratinous tissue composed of keratin that grows as a serial arrangement of transverse cornified laminae from the right and left sides of the palate. The structure and function of baleen varies among extant mysticete clades and this variation likely can be viewed as adaptations related to different filter feeding strategies. In one of the first morphometric studies of the full baleen apparatus, we describe the morphology of complete baleen racks in neonate, yearling and adult gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), and note morphometric variations between age groups as well as within individual racks. Morphometric data and detailed descriptions were collected from the full baleen apparatus of three frozen specimens of E. robustus using previously derived ecologically significant and broad scale measurements of baleen. Additionally, characters of the baleen apparatus were described based on visible patterns of baleen laminae and plates on the dorsal root of the rack. Results indicate that the longest, widest, and thickest plates and laminae are found toward the posterior half of the rack, resulting in the greatest surface area for filtration of prey occurring in this region. Ontogenetic changes were also documented that reveal a progressive increase in the filter surface area of the developing baleen apparatus as baleen laminae and main plates grow in length and width. Also noted was a progressive posterior shift in the position of greatest filtration area. Histological examination of the epithelial base (Zwischensubstanz) and laminae showed basic epidermal layers, as well as gapping between layers and vacuoles. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Comparative evaluation of platelet-rich fibrin with connective tissue grafts in the treatment of miller's Class I gingival recessions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sonam Mufti

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: One of the most common aesthetic problem encountered in the field of periodontology is gingival recession, which is, perceived by the patients as increase in length of teeth. The treatment of buccal gingival recession is a common requirement due to aesthetic concern or root sensitivity. This study was planned to evaluate the efficacy of PRF membrane compared to that of CTG in Miller's class I gingival recessions. Materials and Methods: 32 sites with Miller's Class I gingival recessions, out of which 16 sites received PRF (test and 16 sites received CTG (control. Each patient had undergone an initial periodontal treatment, including oral hygiene instructions, plaque control, and scaling and root planing, followed by re-evaluation. All clinical recordings; recession height, recession width, clinical attachment level, height of keratinized tissue, thickness of keratinized tissue, healing index and pain perception, were performed immediately before surgery (baseline and after 6 months interval following periodontal surgery. Results: In the test group, significant improvement was seen in terms CAL, REC-HT, REC-WD, HKT and TKT from baseline to 6 months. In the control group, only significant improvement seen was in REC-HT and TKT from baseline to 6 months. Comparison of both Healing Index and VAS score was done and it showed no significant difference between test and the control group except VAS at 1 week. Conclusion: Though CTG is a gold standard procedure, PRF can be used as an alternative procedure by keeping patient's comfort and recognition in mind.

  9. Anogenital squamous cell carcinoma in neglected patient.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Svecova, D; Havrankova, M; Weismanova, E; Babal, P

    2012-01-01

    Skin squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) are arguably the second most common carcinoma of the skin and are responsible for the majority of non-melanoma skin cancer deaths. Gynecologist treated a Caucasian 56-years old female patient for genital wart with podophyllotoxin cream. She did not achieve complete response and therefore she has interrupted the therapy and the collaboration with the gynecologist. At the time of evaluation the lesion had a size of man's palm in anogenital region and showed characteristic features of neoplasm. The regional lymph nodes have produced infiltrated painful bubo. PCR analysis for HPV proved negative. Histopathology revealed well-differentiated squamous cell keratinizing carcinoma from the tumor as well as from the regional lymph node packet. Staging computed tomography scans proved negative and pelvis scans disclosed regional lymphadenopathy underlying the tumor. Palliative radiation therapy (by linear accelerator) was administered for the oversized tumor to the total TD 50.0Gy. The patient died 6 months after diagnostic assessment from cardio-respiratory failure. Staging computed tomography before her death did not disclose distinct metastases in her inner organs. Well-differentiated squamous cell keratinizing carcinoma could be growing endophytically affecting the underlying adipose tissue and musculature, with spreading into the regional lymph nodes. The rate of metastases into inner organs seems to vary according to the aggressiveness and metastatic behavior of each SCC. The case report calls for attention to the importance of collaboration among various specialists assisting in the diagnosis and management of skin neoplasm (Fig. 5, Ref. 12). Full Text in PDF www.elis.sk.

  10. Reconstruction of pink esthetics: The periodontal way

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K Balasubramanian

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Cosmetic procedures involving gingival reconstruction have become an integral part of current periodontal practice. The ability to cover unsightly exposed, sensitive roots and recontour soft tissue recessions have added an esthetic angle to the traditional concept of biological and functional periodontal health. The recession of the gingiva, either localized or generalized, may be associated with one or more surfaces, resulting in attachment loss and root exposure, which can lead to clinical problems such as diminished cosmetic appeal and aesthetic concern. Marginal gingival recession, therefore, can cause major functional and aesthetic problems and should not be viewed as merely a soft tissue defect, but rather as the destruction of both the soft and hard tissue. Treatment proposals for this type of defect have evolved based on the knowledge for healing the gingiva and the attachment system. This case report describes a clinical case of severe Miller Class II gingival recession treated by two stages of surgery that combined a free gingival graft and connective tissue grafting. First, a free gingival graft (FGG was performed to obtain an adequate keratinized tissue level. Three months later, a connective tissue graft (CTGwas performed to obtain root coverage. The results indicated that the FGG allows for a gain in the keratinized tissue level and the CTG allows for root coverage with decreased recession level after 6 months. Therefore, for this type of specific gingival recession, the combined use of FGG and CTG still serves as a Gold Standard in predictable root coverage.

  11. Expression of cytokeratins in odontogenic jaw cysts: monoclonal antibodies reveal distinct variation between different cyst types.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hormia, M; Ylipaavalniemi, P; Nagle, R B; Virtanen, I

    1987-08-01

    Immunostaining with monoclonal antibodies was used to study and compare the cytokeratin content of odontogenic cysts and normal gingival epithelium. Two monoclonal antibodies, PKK2 and KA1, stained the whole epithelium in all cyst samples. In gingiva, PKK2 gave a suprabasal staining and KA1 reacted with all epithelial cell layers. Antibodies PKK1, KM 4.62 and KS 8.12 gave a heterogeneous staining in follicular and radicular cysts. In keratocysts and in gingiva PKK1 and KM 4.62 reacted mainly with basal cells and KS 8.12 gave a suprabasal staining. Antibodies reacting with the simple epithelial cytokeratin polypeptide No. 18 (PKK3, KS 18.18) recognized in gingiva only solitary cells compatible with Merkel cells. In a case of follicular ameloblastoma a distinct staining of tumor epithelium was revealed with these antibodies. In 2 follicular cysts, but not in other cyst types, a layer of cytokeratin 18-positive cells was revealed. KA5 and KK 8.60 antibodies, reacting exclusively with keratinizing epithelia, including normal gingiva, gave no reaction in radicular cysts, keratocysts and ameloblastoma. Two of the follicular cysts, were negative for PKK3 and KS 18.18, but reacted strongly with KA5 and KK 8.60. The present results show that odontogenic jaw cysts have distinct differences in their cytokeratin content. With the exception of some follicular cysts, they lack signs of keratinizing epithelial differentiation. Only follicular cysts appear to share with some types of ameloblastoma the expression of cytokeratin polypeptide No. 18.

  12. Histopathologic findings of radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy on head and neck cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakaino, Koji; Matsumoto, Mitsuomi; Satake, Bunsuke; Takahashi, Keiichi; Makino, Sotaro

    1979-01-01

    We studied in this series about histopathologic changes in radiotherapy of squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck. Then we recognized that radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy is useful for radioresistant squamous cell carcinoma. In this series, we studied about cancer of the tongue as one of the keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma and used Bleomycin as a chemotherapeutic drug. We commented as follows: 1. Radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy had benefit decreasing of a period for radium therapy. 2. Severs complication was not occurred in this series, then this combined therapy was useful for aged or handicapped patient. (author)

  13. Comparison of two anoxia models in rainbow trout cells by a 2-DE and MS/MS-based proteome approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wulff, Tune; Hoffmann, E.K.; Roepstorff, P.

    2008-01-01

    In the literature, a variety of ways have been used to obtain anoxia, and most often results are compared between studies without taking into consideration how anoxia has been obtained. Here, we provide a comprehensive study of two types of anoxia, using a proteomics approach to compare changes...... and protein synthesis. It was also revealed that the level of a number of keratins was down-regulated. This study therefore provides a valuable comparison of two different anoxia models and shows that great care should be taken when comparing the effects of anoxia in studies that have used different types...

  14. Ultrasonographic findings of pilar sheath acanthoma: A case report

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Dong Joo; Lee, Sun Joo; Kim, Seong Jin [Inje University College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2017-08-15

    Pilar sheath acanthoma is a rare benign follicular hamartoma that presents with a central sinus containing keratinous material and is lined by epithelium. It typically occurs on the face, especially on the upper lip and forehead. In our case, the ultrasound (US) feature of pilar sheath acanthoma revealed a well-defined, oval hypoechoic nodule with hypoechoic capping within the dermis over the medial aspect of the calf. To the best of our knowledge, despite many reports on the clinicopathological aspects of pilar sheath acanthoma, this entity has not been well described in the radiologic literature, and US findings have not been documented.

  15. Extensive Darier Disease Successfully Treated with Doxycycline Monotherapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alicia Sfecci

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available Darier disease (DD is a rare dominantly inherited genodermatosis characterized by loss of intercellular adhesion (acantholysis and abnormal keratinization. DD is often difficult to manage. Numerous treatments have reportedly been used for the treatment of DD, with limited success. Systemic retinoids are considered the drug of choice for treating DD. However, their use is limited by potential deleterious side effects. Considering the recently reported efficacy of doxycycline for Hailey-Hailey disease, an inherited acantholytic skin disorder pathogenetically similar to DD, we report the case of a patient with extensive DD who showed a dramatic response to oral doxycycline monotherapy.

  16. Gingival recession: a cross-sectional clinical investigation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goutoudi, P; Koidis, P T; Konstantinidis, A

    1997-06-01

    In this cross-sectional study, risk and potentially causative factors of gingival recession were examined and their relationship to apical migration of the gingival margin evaluated. Thirty eight patients (18-60 years), displaying one or more sites with gingival recession but without any significant periodontal disease participated. A total of 28 parameters were evaluated in both 'test' teeth (50 teeth with gingival recession) and 'control' teeth (50 contralateral teeth). The results revealed that gingival margin recession was associated with both high inflammatory and plaque scores, with decreased widths of keratinized and attached gingiva and with the subjects' toothbrush bristle hardness.

  17. Periodontal Plastic Microsurgery in the Treatment of Deep Gingival Recession after Orthodontic Movement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sérgio Kahn

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Gingival recession is a condition that affects a large portion of the young and adult population and negatively affects the aesthetic aspects of the smile. Many factors are related to its development, including orthodontic movement beyond the osseous limits. Many treatment options have been proposed to cover the exposed root surface. The aim of this article was to describe three cases where a subepithelial connective tissue graft was performed, using a microsurgical technique, in the treatment of deep gingival recession after orthodontic treatment. This technique resulted in successful root coverage and keratinized tissue gain, improving the gingival esthetic pattern.

  18. Radiosensitivity of normal human epidermal cells in culture

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dover, R.; Potten, C.S.

    1983-01-01

    Using an in vitro culture system the authors have derived #betta#-radiation survival curves over a dose range 0-8 Gy for the clonogenic cells of normal human epidermis. The culture system used allows the epidermal cells to stratify and form a multi-layered sheet of keratinizing cells. The cultures appear to be a very good model for epidermis in vivo. The survival curves show a population which is apparently more sensitive than murine epidermis in vivo. It remains unclear whether this is an intrinsic difference between the species or is a consequence of the in vitro cultivation of the human cells. (author)

  19. [Study on FTIR spectra of finger nails of normal people and patients of esophagus cancer].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Hong-Yan; Lü, Yin; Wang, Fan; Ma, Xiao-Dong; Jiang, Shi-Ping; Wang, Wei; Li, Cheng-Xiang

    2008-02-01

    pathological changes in viscera can induce the changing of framework structure of phosphate in nucleic acid molecule of finger nails, and destroy the hydrogen bond of C-O(H) group in amino acid remnant group in finger nails. Furthermore, it also can decrease the C-O bond in keratin which participates in the action of hydrogen bond, and prompt the changing of content of keratin in finger nails, nevertheless the content of keratin in finger nails of cancerous ones can be resumed to level of normal people by operation.

  20. Testosterone regulates keratin 33B expression in rat penis growth through androgen receptor signaling

    OpenAIRE

    Yan-Min Ma; Kai-Jie Wu; Qiang Dang; Qi Shi; Yang Gao; Peng Guo; Shan Xu; Xin-Yang Wang; Da-Lin He; Yong-Guang Gong

    2014-01-01

    Androgen therapy is the mainstay of treatment for the hypogonadotropic hypogonadal micropenis because it obviously enhances penis growth in prepubescent microphallic patients. However, the molecular mechanisms of androgen treatment leading to penis growth are still largely unknown. To clarify this well-known phenomenon, we successfully generated a castrated male Sprague Dawley rat model at puberty followed by testosterone administration. Interestingly, compared with the control group, testost...