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Sample records for modulates cell motility

  1. Progranulin modulates cholangiocarcinoma cell proliferation, apoptosis, and motility via the PI3K/pAkt pathway

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daya M

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Minerva Daya,1–3 Watcharin Loilome,1,3 Anchalee Techasen,3,4 Malinee Thanee,3 Prakasit Sa-Ngiamwibool,4,5 Attapol Titapun,5,6 Puangrat Yongvanit,3 Nisana Namwat1,31Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand; 2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Santo Tomas, Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines; 3Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, 4Faculty of Associated Medical Science, 5Department of Pathology, 6Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand Abstract: Progranulin (PGRN is a growth factor normally expressed in rapidly cycling epithelial cells for growth, differentiation, and motility. Several studies have shown the association of PGRN overexpression with the progression of numerous malignancies, including cholangiocarcinoma (CCA. However, the underlying mechanisms on how PGRN modulates CCA cell proliferation and motility is not clear. In this study, we investigated the prognostic significance of PGRN expression in human CCA tissue and the mechanisms of PGRN modulation of CCA cell proliferation and motility. We found that CCA tissues with high PGRN expression were correlated with poor prognosis and likelihood of metastasis. PGRN knockdown KKU-100 and KKU-213 cells demonstrated a reduced rate of proliferation and colony formation and decreased levels of phosphatidyl inositol-3-kinase (PI3K and phosphorylated Akt (pAkt proteins. Accumulation of cells at the G1 phase was observed and was accompanied by a reduction of cyclin D1 and CDK4 protein levels. Knockdown cells also induced apoptosis by increasing the Bax-to-Bcl-2 ratio. Increased cell apoptosis was confirmed by annexin V-FITC/PI staining. Moreover, suppression of PGRN reduced CCA cell migration and invasion in vitro. Investigating the biomarkers in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT revealed a decrease in the expression of vimentin, snail, and metalloproteinase-9. In

  2. T cell motility as modulator of interactions with dendritic cells

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    Jens Volker Stein

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available It is well established that the balance of costimulatory and inhibitory signals during interactions with dendritic cells (DCs determines T cell transition from a naïve to an activated or tolerant/anergic status. While many of these molecular interactions are well reproduced in reductionist in vitro assays, the highly dynamic motility of naïve T cells in lymphoid tissue acts as an additional lever to fine-tune their activation threshold. T cell detachment from DCs providing suboptimal stimulation allows them to search for DCs with higher levels of stimulatory signals, while storing a transient memory of short encounters. In turn, adhesion of weakly reactive T cells to DCs presenting pMHC with low affinity is prevented by lipid mediators. Finally, controlled recruitment of CD8+ T cells to cognate DC – CD4+ T cell clusters shapes memory T cell formation and the quality of the immune response. Dynamic physiological lymphocyte motility therefore constitutes a mechanism to mitigate low avidity T cell activation and to improve the search for optimal DCs, while contributing to peripheral tolerance induction in the absence of inflammation.

  3. Swimming motility plays a key role in the stochastic dynamics of cell clumping

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    Qi, Xianghong; Nellas, Ricky B.; Byrn, Matthew W.; Russell, Matthew H.; Bible, Amber N.; Alexandre, Gladys; Shen, Tongye

    2013-04-01

    Dynamic cell-to-cell interactions are a prerequisite to many biological processes, including development and biofilm formation. Flagellum induced motility has been shown to modulate the initial cell-cell or cell-surface interaction and to contribute to the emergence of macroscopic patterns. While the role of swimming motility in surface colonization has been analyzed in some detail, a quantitative physical analysis of transient interactions between motile cells is lacking. We examined the Brownian dynamics of swimming cells in a crowded environment using a model of motorized adhesive tandem particles. Focusing on the motility and geometry of an exemplary motile bacterium Azospirillum brasilense, which is capable of transient cell-cell association (clumping), we constructed a physical model with proper parameters for the computer simulation of the clumping dynamics. By modulating mechanical interaction (‘stickiness’) between cells and swimming speed, we investigated how equilibrium and active features affect the clumping dynamics. We found that the modulation of active motion is required for the initial aggregation of cells to occur at a realistic time scale. Slowing down the rotation of flagellar motors (and thus swimming speeds) is correlated to the degree of clumping, which is consistent with the experimental results obtained for A. brasilense.

  4. Swimming motility plays a key role in the stochastic dynamics of cell clumping

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qi, Xianghong; Nellas, Ricky B; Byrn, Matthew W; Russell, Matthew H; Bible, Amber N; Alexandre, Gladys; Shen, Tongye

    2013-01-01

    Dynamic cell-to-cell interactions are a prerequisite to many biological processes, including development and biofilm formation. Flagellum induced motility has been shown to modulate the initial cell–cell or cell–surface interaction and to contribute to the emergence of macroscopic patterns. While the role of swimming motility in surface colonization has been analyzed in some detail, a quantitative physical analysis of transient interactions between motile cells is lacking. We examined the Brownian dynamics of swimming cells in a crowded environment using a model of motorized adhesive tandem particles. Focusing on the motility and geometry of an exemplary motile bacterium Azospirillum brasilense, which is capable of transient cell–cell association (clumping), we constructed a physical model with proper parameters for the computer simulation of the clumping dynamics. By modulating mechanical interaction (‘stickiness’) between cells and swimming speed, we investigated how equilibrium and active features affect the clumping dynamics. We found that the modulation of active motion is required for the initial aggregation of cells to occur at a realistic time scale. Slowing down the rotation of flagellar motors (and thus swimming speeds) is correlated to the degree of clumping, which is consistent with the experimental results obtained for A. brasilense. (paper)

  5. Cell Motility

    CERN Document Server

    Lenz, Peter

    2008-01-01

    Cell motility is a fascinating example of cell behavior which is fundamentally important to a number of biological and pathological processes. It is based on a complex self-organized mechano-chemical machine consisting of cytoskeletal filaments and molecular motors. In general, the cytoskeleton is responsible for the movement of the entire cell and for movements within the cell. The main challenge in the field of cell motility is to develop a complete physical description on how and why cells move. For this purpose new ways of modeling the properties of biological cells have to be found. This long term goal can only be achieved if new experimental techniques are developed to extract physical information from these living systems and if theoretical models are found which bridge the gap between molecular and mesoscopic length scales. Cell Motility gives an authoritative overview of the fundamental biological facts, theoretical models, and current experimental developments in this fascinating area.

  6. Fibulin-1 suppression of fibronectin-regulated cell adhesion and motility.

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    Twal, W O; Czirok, A; Hegedus, B; Knaak, C; Chintalapudi, M R; Okagawa, H; Sugi, Y; Argraves, W S

    2001-12-01

    Fibulin-1 is an extracellular matrix protein often associated with fibronectin (FN) in vivo. In this study, the ability of fibulin-1 to modulate adhesion, spreading and motility-promoting activities of FN was investigated. Fibulin-1 was found to have pronounced inhibitory effects on the cell attachment and spreading promoted by FN. Fibulin-1 was also found to inhibit the motility of a variety of cell types on FN substrata. For example, the FN-dependent haptotactic motility of breast carcinoma (MDA MB231) cells, epidermal carcinoma (A431), melanoma (A375 SM), rat pulmonary aortic smooth muscle cells (PAC1) and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells was inhibited by the presence of fibulin-1 bound to FN-coated Boyden chamber membranes. Cells transfected to overproduce fibulin-1 displayed reduced velocity, distance of movement and persistence time on FN substrata. Similarly, the incorporation of fibulin-1 into FN-containing type I collagen gels inhibited the invasion of endocardial cushion mesenchymal cells migrating from cultured embryonic heart explants. By contrast, incorporation of fibulin-1 into collagen gels lacking FN had no effect on the migration of endocardial cushion cells. These results suggest that the motility-suppressive effects of fibulin-1 might be FN specific. Furthermore, such effects are cell-type specific, in that the migration of gingival fibroblasts and endothelial cells on FN substrata is not responsive to fibulin-1. Additional studies found that the mechanism for the motility-suppressive effects of fibulin-1 does not involve perturbations of interactions between alpha5beta1 or alpha4 integrins, or heparan sulfate proteoglycans with FN. However, fibulin-1 was found to inhibit extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) activation and to suppress phosphorylation of myosin heavy chain. This ability to influence signal transduction cascades that modulate the actin-myosin motor complex might be the basis for the effects of fibulin-1 on adhesion and

  7. Interstitial flows promote an amoeboid cell phenotype and motility of breast cancer cells

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    Tung, Chih-Kuan; Huang, Yu Ling; Zheng, Angela; Wu, Mingming

    2015-03-01

    Lymph nodes, the drainage systems for interstitial flows, are clinically known to be the first metastatic sites of many cancer types including breast and prostate cancers. Here, we demonstrate that breast cancer cell morphology and motility is modulated by interstitial flows in a cell-ECM adhesion dependent manner. The average aspect ratios of the cells are significantly lower (or are more amoeboid like) in the presence of the flow in comparison to the case when the flow is absent. The addition of exogenous adhesion molecules within the extracellular matrix (type I collagen) enhances the overall aspect ratio (or are more mesenchymal like) of the cell population. Using measured cell trajectories, we find that the persistence of the amoeboid cells (aspect ratio less than 2.0) is shorter than that of mesenchymal cells. However, the maximum speed of the amoeboid cells is larger than that of mesenchymal cells. Together these findings provide the novel insight that interstitial flows promote amoeboid cell morphology and motility and highlight the plasticity of tumor cell motility in response to its biophysical environment. Supported by NIH Grant R21CA138366.

  8. NCAM regulates cell motility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prag, Søren; Lepekhin, Eugene A; Kolkova, Kateryna

    2002-01-01

    Cell migration is required during development of the nervous system. The regulatory mechanisms for this process, however, are poorly elucidated. We show here that expression of or exposure to the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) strongly affected the motile behaviour of glioma cells...... independently of homophilic NCAM interactions. Expression of the transmembrane 140 kDa isoform of NCAM (NCAM-140) caused a significant reduction in cellular motility, probably through interference with factors regulating cellular attachment, as NCAM-140-expressing cells exhibited a decreased attachment...... to a fibronectin substratum compared with NCAM-negative cells. Ectopic expression of the cytoplasmic part of NCAM-140 also inhibited cell motility, presumably via the non-receptor tyrosine kinase p59(fyn) with which NCAM-140 interacts. Furthermore, we showed that the extracellular part of NCAM acted as a paracrine...

  9. Identification and regulation of a molecular module for bleb-based cell motility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Goudarzi, M.; Banisch, T.U.; Mobin, M.B.; Maghelli, N.; Tarbashevich, K.; Strate, I.; ter Berg, J.; Blaser, H.; Bandemer, S.; Paluch, E.; Bakkers, J.; Tolic-Norrelykke, I.M.; Raz, E.

    2012-01-01

    Single-cell migration is a key process in development, homeostasis, and disease. Nevertheless, the control over basic cellular mechanisms directing cells into motile behavior in vivo is largely unknown. Here, we report on the identification of a minimal set of parameters the regulation of which

  10. Association of Lis1 with outer arm dynein is modulated in response to alterations in flagellar motility

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    Rompolas, Panteleimon; Patel-King, Ramila S.; King, Stephen M.

    2012-01-01

    The cytoplasmic dynein regulatory factor Lis1, which induces a persistent tight binding to microtubules and allows for transport of cargoes under high-load conditions, is also present in motile cilia/flagella. We observed that Lis1 levels in flagella of Chlamydomonas strains that exhibit defective motility due to mutation of various axonemal substructures were greatly enhanced compared with wild type; this increase was absolutely dependent on the presence within the flagellum of the outer arm dynein α heavy chain/light chain 5 thioredoxin unit. To assess whether cells might interpret defective motility as a “high-load environment,” we reduced the flagellar beat frequency of wild-type cells through enhanced viscous load and by reductive stress; both treatments resulted in increased levels of flagellar Lis1, which altered the intrinsic beat frequency of the trans flagellum. Differential extraction of Lis1 from wild-type and mutant axonemes suggests that the affinity of outer arm dynein for Lis1 is directly modulated. In cytoplasm, Lis1 localized to two punctate structures, one of which was located near the base of the flagella. These data reveal that the cell actively monitors motility and dynamically modulates flagellar levels of the dynein regulatory factor Lis1 in response to imposed alterations in beat parameters. PMID:22855525

  11. Stochastic models of cell motility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gradinaru, Cristian

    2012-01-01

    Cell motility and migration are central to the development and maintenance of multicellular organisms, and errors during this process can lead to major diseases. Consequently, the mechanisms and phenomenology of cell motility are currently under intense study. In recent years, a new...... interdisciplinary field focusing on the study of biological processes at the nanoscale level, with a range of technological applications in medicine and biological research, has emerged. The work presented in this thesis is at the interface of cell biology, image processing, and stochastic modeling. The stochastic...... models introduced here are based on persistent random motion, which I apply to real-life studies of cell motility on flat and nanostructured surfaces. These models aim to predict the time-dependent position of cell centroids in a stochastic manner, and conversely determine directly from experimental...

  12. CCN5 modulates the antiproliferative effect of heparin and regulates cell motility in vascular smooth muscle cells

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    Castellot John J

    2003-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC hyperplasia plays an important role in both chronic and acute vascular pathologies including atherosclerosis and restenosis. Considerable work has focused on the mechanisms regulating VSMC proliferation and motility. Earlier work in our lab revealed a novel growth arrest-specific (gas gene induced in VSMC exposed to the antiproliferative agent heparin. This gene is a member of the CCN family and has been given the name CCN5. The objective of the present study is to elucidate the function of CCN5 protein and to explore its mechanism of action in VSMC. Results Using RNA interference (RNAi, we first demonstrate that CCN5 is required for the antiproliferative effect of heparin in VSMC. We also use this gene knockdown approach to show that CCN5 is an important negative regulator of motility. To explore the mechanism of action of CCN5 on VSMC motility, we use RNAi to demonstrate that knock down of CCN5 up regulates expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2, an important stimulator of motility in VSMC. In addition, forced expression of CCN5 via adenovirus results in reduced MMP-2 activity, this also corroborates the gene knock down results. Finally, we show that loss of CCN5 expression in VSMC causes changes in VSMC morphology and cytoskeletal organization, including a reduction in the amount and macromolecular assembly of smooth muscle cell α-actin. Conclusions This work provides important new insights into the regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation and motility by CCN5 and may aid the development of therapies for vascular diseases.

  13. miR-145-dependent targeting of junctional adhesion molecule A and modulation of fascin expression are associated with reduced breast cancer cell motility and invasiveness.

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    Götte, M; Mohr, C; Koo, C-Y; Stock, C; Vaske, A-K; Viola, M; Ibrahim, S A; Peddibhotla, S; Teng, Y H-F; Low, J-Y; Ebnet, K; Kiesel, L; Yip, G W

    2010-12-16

    Micro RNAs are small non-coding RNAs, which regulate fundamental cellular and developmental processes at the transcriptional and translational level. In breast cancer, miR-145 expression is downregulated compared with healthy control tissue. As several predicted targets of miR-145 potentially regulate cell motility, we aimed at investigating a potential role for miR-145 in breast cancer cell motility and invasiveness. Assisted by Affymetrix array technology, we demonstrate that overexpression of miR-145 in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, MDA-MB-468 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells and in Ishikawa endometrial carcinoma cells leads to a downregulation of the cell-cell adhesion protein JAM-A and of the actin bundling protein fascin. Moreover, podocalyxin and Serpin E1 mRNA levels were downregulated, and gamma-actin, transgelin and MYL9 were upregulated upon miR-145 overexpression. These miR-145-dependent expression changes drastically decreased cancer cell motility, as revealed by time-lapse video microscopy, scratch wound closure assays and matrigel invasion assays. Immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated restructuring of the actin cytoskeleton and a change in cell morphology by miR-145 overexpression, resulting in a more cortical actin distribution, and reduced actin stress fiber and filopodia formation. Nuclear rotation was observed in 10% of the pre-miR-145 transfected MDA-MB-231 cells, accompanied by a reduction of perinuclear actin. Luciferase activation assays confirmed direct miR-145-dependent regulation of the 3'UTR of JAM-A, whereas siRNA-mediated knockdown of JAM-A expression resulted in decreased motility and invasiveness of MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Our data identify JAM-A and fascin as novel targets of miR-145, firmly establishing a role for miR-145 in modulating breast cancer cell motility. Our data provide a rationale for future miR-145-targeted approaches of antimetastatic cancer therapy.

  14. Colony Expansion of Socially Motile Myxococcus xanthus Cells Is Driven by Growth, Motility, and Exopolysaccharide Production.

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    Pintu Patra

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Myxococcus xanthus, a model organism for studies of multicellular behavior in bacteria, moves exclusively on solid surfaces using two distinct but coordinated motility mechanisms. One of these, social (S motility is powered by the extension and retraction of type IV pili and requires the presence of exopolysaccharides (EPS produced by neighboring cells. As a result, S motility requires close cell-to-cell proximity and isolated cells do not translocate. Previous studies measuring S motility by observing the colony expansion of cells deposited on agar have shown that the expansion rate increases with initial cell density, but the biophysical mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. To understand the dynamics of S motility-driven colony expansion, we developed a reaction-diffusion model describing the effects of cell density, EPS deposition and nutrient exposure on the expansion rate. Our results show that at steady state the population expands as a traveling wave with a speed determined by the interplay of cell motility and growth, a well-known characteristic of Fisher's equation. The model explains the density-dependence of the colony expansion by demonstrating the presence of a lag phase-a transient period of very slow expansion with a duration dependent on the initial cell density. We propose that at a low initial density, more time is required for the cells to accumulate enough EPS to activate S-motility resulting in a longer lag period. Furthermore, our model makes the novel prediction that following the lag phase the population expands at a constant rate independent of the cell density. These predictions were confirmed by S motility experiments capturing long-term expansion dynamics.

  15. Colony Expansion of Socially Motile Myxococcus xanthus Cells Is Driven by Growth, Motility, and Exopolysaccharide Production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patra, Pintu; Kissoon, Kimberley; Cornejo, Isabel; Kaplan, Heidi B; Igoshin, Oleg A

    2016-06-01

    Myxococcus xanthus, a model organism for studies of multicellular behavior in bacteria, moves exclusively on solid surfaces using two distinct but coordinated motility mechanisms. One of these, social (S) motility is powered by the extension and retraction of type IV pili and requires the presence of exopolysaccharides (EPS) produced by neighboring cells. As a result, S motility requires close cell-to-cell proximity and isolated cells do not translocate. Previous studies measuring S motility by observing the colony expansion of cells deposited on agar have shown that the expansion rate increases with initial cell density, but the biophysical mechanisms involved remain largely unknown. To understand the dynamics of S motility-driven colony expansion, we developed a reaction-diffusion model describing the effects of cell density, EPS deposition and nutrient exposure on the expansion rate. Our results show that at steady state the population expands as a traveling wave with a speed determined by the interplay of cell motility and growth, a well-known characteristic of Fisher's equation. The model explains the density-dependence of the colony expansion by demonstrating the presence of a lag phase-a transient period of very slow expansion with a duration dependent on the initial cell density. We propose that at a low initial density, more time is required for the cells to accumulate enough EPS to activate S-motility resulting in a longer lag period. Furthermore, our model makes the novel prediction that following the lag phase the population expands at a constant rate independent of the cell density. These predictions were confirmed by S motility experiments capturing long-term expansion dynamics.

  16. RON kinase isoforms demonstrate variable cell motility in normal cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenbaum, Alissa; Rajput, Ashwani; Wan, Guanghua

    2016-09-01

    Aberrant RON (Recepteur d'Origine Nantais) tyrosine kinase activation causes the epithelial cell to evade normal growth pathways, resulting in unregulated cell proliferation, increased cell motility and decreased apoptosis. Wildtype (wt) RON has been shown to play a role in metastasis of epithelial malignancies. It presents an important potential therapeutic target for colorectal, breast, gastric and pancreatic cancer. Little is known about functional differences amongst RON isoforms RON155, RON160 and RON165. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of various RON kinase isoforms on cell motility. Cell lines with stable expression of wtRON were generated by inserting the coding region of RON in pTagRFP (tagged red fluorescence protein plasmid). The expression constructs of RON variants (RON155, RON160 and RON165) were generated by creating a mutagenesis-based wtRON-pTag RFP plasmid and stably transfected into HEK 293 cells. The wound closure scratch assay was used to investigate the effect on cell migratory capacity of wild type RON and its variants. RON transfected cells demonstrated increased cell motility compared to HEK293 control cells. RON165 cell motility was significantly increased compared to RON160 (mean percentage of wound covered 37.37% vs. 32.40%; p = 0.03). RON tyrosine kinase isoforms have variable cell motility. This may reflect a difference in the behavior of malignant epithelial cells and their capacity for metastasis.

  17. Bacterial spread from cell to cell: beyond actin-based motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuehl, Carole J; Dragoi, Ana-Maria; Talman, Arthur; Agaisse, Hervé

    2015-09-01

    Several intracellular pathogens display the ability to propagate within host tissues by displaying actin-based motility in the cytosol of infected cells. As motile bacteria reach cell-cell contacts they form plasma membrane protrusions that project into adjacent cells and resolve into vacuoles from which the pathogen escapes, thereby achieving spread from cell to cell. Seminal studies have defined the bacterial and cellular factors that support actin-based motility. By contrast, the mechanisms supporting the formation of protrusions and their resolution into vacuoles have remained elusive. Here, we review recent advances in the field showing that Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella flexneri have evolved pathogen-specific mechanisms of bacterial spread from cell to cell. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Modulation of vagal tone enhances gastroduodenal motility and reduces somatic pain sensitivity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frøkjaer, J B; Bergmann, S; Brock, C

    2016-01-01

    algometry, conditioned pain modulation using a cold pressor test and a liquid meal ultrasonographic gastroduodenal motility test were performed. KEY RESULTS: Cardiac vagal tone increased during active treatment with t-VNS and DSB compared to sham (p = 0.009). In comparison to sham, thresholds to bone pain...... increased (p = 0.001), frequency of antral contractions increased (p = 0.004) and gastroduodenal motility index increased (p = 0.016) with active treatment. However, no effect on muscle pain thresholds and conditioned pain modulation was seen. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: This experimental study suggests...

  19. CD28-CD80 interactions control regulatory T cell motility and immunological synapse formation1,2

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    Thauland, Timothy J.; Koguchi, Yoshinobu; Dustin, Michael L.; Parker, David C.

    2014-01-01

    Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are essential for tolerance to self and environmental antigens, acting in part by downmodulating costimulatory molecules on the surface of dendritic cells (DCs) and altering naïve CD4 T cell-DC interactions. Here, we show that Tregs form stable conjugates with DCs before, but not after, they decrease surface expression of the costimulatory molecule CD80 on the DCs. We use supported planar bilayers to show that Tregs dramatically slow down, but maintain a highly polarized and motile phenotype after recognizing antigen in the absence of costimulation. These motile cells are characterized by distinct accumulations of LFA-1-ICAM-1 in the lamella and TCR-MHC in the uropod, consistent with a motile immunological synapse or ‘kinapse’. However, in the presence of high, but not low, concentrations of CD80, Tregs form stationary, symmetrical synapses. Using blocking antibodies, we show that, while CTLA-4 is required for CD80 downmodulation, CD28-CD80 interactions are critical for modulating Treg motility in the presence of antigen. Together, these results support the hypothesis that Tregs are tuned to alter their motility depending on costimulatory signals. PMID:25355918

  20. Automated measurement of cell motility and proliferation

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    Goff Julie

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Time-lapse microscopic imaging provides a powerful approach for following changes in cell phenotype over time. Visible responses of whole cells can yield insight into functional changes that underlie physiological processes in health and disease. For example, features of cell motility accompany molecular changes that are central to the immune response, to carcinogenesis and metastasis, to wound healing and tissue regeneration, and to the myriad developmental processes that generate an organism. Previously reported image processing methods for motility analysis required custom viewing devices and manual interactions that may introduce bias, that slow throughput, and that constrain the scope of experiments in terms of the number of treatment variables, time period of observation, replication and statistical options. Here we describe a fully automated system in which images are acquired 24/7 from 384 well plates and are automatically processed to yield high-content motility and morphological data. Results We have applied this technology to study the effects of different extracellular matrix compounds on human osteoblast-like cell lines to explore functional changes that may underlie processes involved in bone formation and maintenance. We show dose-response and kinetic data for induction of increased motility by laminin and collagen type I without significant effects on growth rate. Differential motility response was evident within 4 hours of plating cells; long-term responses differed depending upon cell type and surface coating. Average velocities were increased approximately 0.1 um/min by ten-fold increases in laminin coating concentration in some cases. Comparison with manual tracking demonstrated the accuracy of the automated method and highlighted the comparative imprecision of human tracking for analysis of cell motility data. Quality statistics are reported that associate with stage noise, interference by non-cell

  1. Cell motility assays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hague, Angela; Jones, Gareth E

    2008-10-01

    This report summarises practical aspects to measuring cell motility in culture. The methods described here were discussed at a 1-day European Tissue Culture Society (ETCS-UK) workshop organised by John Masters and Gareth E Jones that was held at University College London on 19th April 2007.

  2. Microfabricated ratchet structures for concentrating and patterning motile bacterial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sang Yub; Lee, Eun Se; Lee, Ho Jae; Lee, Se Yeon; Lee, Sung Kuk; Kim, Taesung

    2010-01-01

    We present a novel microfabricated concentrator for Escherichia coli that can be a stand-alone and self-contained microfluidic device because it utilizes the motility of cells. First of all, we characterize the motility of E. coli cells and various ratcheting structures that can guide cells to move in a desired direction in straight and circular channels. Then, we combine these ratcheting microstructures with the intrinsic tendency of cells to swim on the right side in microchannels to enhance the concentration rates up to 180 fold until the concentrators are fully filled with cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that cells can be positioned and concentrated with a constant spacing distance on a surface, allowing spatial patterning of motile cells. These results can be applied to biosorption or biosensor devices that are powered by motile cells because they can be highly concentrated without any external mechanical and electrical energy sources. Hence, we believe that the concentrator design holds considerable potential to be applied for concentrating and patterning other motile microbes and providing a versatile structure for motility study of bacterial cells.

  3. Physical models of cell motility

    CERN Document Server

    2016-01-01

    This book surveys the most recent advances in physics-inspired cell movement models. This synergetic, cross-disciplinary effort to increase the fidelity of computational algorithms will lead to a better understanding of the complex biomechanics of cell movement, and stimulate progress in research on related active matter systems, from suspensions of bacteria and synthetic swimmers to cell tissues and cytoskeleton.Cell motility and collective motion are among the most important themes in biology and statistical physics of out-of-equilibrium systems, and crucial for morphogenesis, wound healing, and immune response in eukaryotic organisms. It is also relevant for the development of effective treatment strategies for diseases such as cancer, and for the design of bioactive surfaces for cell sorting and manipulation. Substrate-based cell motility is, however, a very complex process as regulatory pathways and physical force generation mechanisms are intertwined. To understand the interplay between adhesion, force ...

  4. Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2 regulates IGF-I-induced cell motility and invasion of urothelial carcinoma cells.

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    Marco Genua

    Full Text Available The insulin-like growth factor receptor I (IGF-IR plays an essential role in transformation by promoting cell growth and protecting cancer cells from apoptosis. We have recently demonstrated that the IGF-IR is overexpressed in invasive bladder cancer tissues and promotes motility and invasion of urothelial carcinoma cells. These effects require IGF-I-induced Akt- and MAPK-dependent activation of paxillin. The latter co-localizes with focal adhesion kinases (FAK at dynamic focal adhesions and is critical for promoting motility of urothelial cancer cells. FAK and its homolog Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2 modulate paxillin activation; however, their role in regulating IGF-IR-dependent signaling and motility in bladder cancer has not been established. In this study we demonstrate that FAK was not required for IGF-IR-dependent signaling and motility of invasive urothelial carcinoma cells. On the contrary, Pyk2, which was strongly activated by IGF-I, was critical for IGF-IR-dependent motility and invasion and regulated IGF-I-dependent activation of the Akt and MAPK pathways. Using immunofluorescence and AQUA analysis we further discovered that Pyk2 was overexpressed in bladder cancer tissues as compared to normal tissue controls. Significantly, in urothelial carcinoma tissues there was increased Pyk2 localization in the nuclei as compared to normal tissue controls. These results provide the first evidence of a specific Pyk2 activity in regulating IGF-IR-dependent motility and invasion of bladder cancer cells suggesting that Pyk2 and the IGF-IR may play a critical role in the invasive phenotype in urothelial neoplasia. In addition, Pyk2 and the IGF-IR may serve as novel biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic significance in bladder cancer.

  5. Mechanical stress as a regulator of cell motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putelat, T.; Recho, P.; Truskinovsky, L.

    2018-01-01

    The motility of a cell can be triggered or inhibited not only by an applied force but also by a mechanically neutral force couple. This type of loading, represented by an applied stress and commonly interpreted as either squeezing or stretching, can originate from extrinsic interaction of a cell with its neighbors. To quantify the effect of applied stresses on cell motility we use an analytically transparent one-dimensional model accounting for active myosin contraction and induced actin turnover. We show that stretching can polarize static cells and initiate cell motility while squeezing can symmetrize and arrest moving cells. We show further that sufficiently strong squeezing can lead to the loss of cell integrity. The overall behavior of the system depends on the two dimensionless parameters characterizing internal driving (chemical activity) and external loading (applied stress). We construct a phase diagram in this parameter space distinguishing between static, motile, and collapsed states. The obtained results are relevant for the mechanical understanding of contact inhibition and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

  6. GAR22β regulates cell migration, sperm motility, and axoneme structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gamper, Ivonne; Fleck, David; Barlin, Meltem; Spehr, Marc; El Sayad, Sara; Kleine, Henning; Maxeiner, Sebastian; Schalla, Carmen; Aydin, Gülcan; Hoss, Mareike; Litchfield, David W; Lüscher, Bernhard; Zenke, Martin; Sechi, Antonio

    2016-01-15

    Spatiotemporal cytoskeleton remodeling is pivotal for cell adhesion and migration. Here we investigated the function of Gas2-related protein on chromosome 22 (GAR22β), a poorly characterized protein that interacts with actin and microtubules. Primary and immortalized GAR22β(-/-) Sertoli cells moved faster than wild-type cells. In addition, GAR22β(-/-) cells showed a more prominent focal adhesion turnover. GAR22β overexpression or its reexpression in GAR22β(-/-) cells reduced cell motility and focal adhesion turnover. GAR22β-actin interaction was stronger than GAR22β-microtubule interaction, resulting in GAR22β localization and dynamics that mirrored those of the actin cytoskeleton. Mechanistically, GAR22β interacted with the regulator of microtubule dynamics end-binding protein 1 (EB1) via a novel noncanonical amino acid sequence, and this GAR22β-EB1 interaction was required for the ability of GAR22β to modulate cell motility. We found that GAR22β is highly expressed in mouse testes, and its absence resulted in reduced spermatozoa generation, lower actin levels in testes, and impaired motility and ultrastructural disorganization of spermatozoa. Collectively our findings identify GAR22β as a novel regulator of cell adhesion and migration and provide a foundation for understanding the molecular basis of diverse cytoskeleton-dependent processes. © 2016 Gamper 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).

  7. Cell motility as persistent random motion: Theories from experiments

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Selmeczi, D.; Mosler, S.; Hagedorn, P.H.

    2005-01-01

    Experimental time series for trajectories of motile cells may contain so much information that a systematic analysis will yield cell-type- specific motility models. Here we demonstrate how, using human keratinocytes and fibroblasts as examples. The two resulting models reflect the cells' differen...

  8. Rac and Rho GTPases in cancer cell motility control

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Parri Matteo

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Rho GTPases represent a family of small GTP-binding proteins involved in cell cytoskeleton organization, migration, transcription, and proliferation. A common theme of these processes is a dynamic reorganization of actin cytoskeleton which has now emerged as a major switch control mainly carried out by Rho and Rac GTPase subfamilies, playing an acknowledged role in adaptation of cell motility to the microenvironment. Cells exhibit three distinct modes of migration when invading the 3 D environment. Collective motility leads to movement of cohorts of cells which maintain the adherens junctions and move by photolytic degradation of matrix barriers. Single cell mesenchymal-type movement is characterized by an elongated cellular shape and again requires extracellular proteolysis and integrin engagement. In addition it depends on Rac1-mediated cell polarization and lamellipodia formation. Conversely, in amoeboid movement cells have a rounded morphology, the movement is independent from proteases but requires high Rho GTPase to drive elevated levels of actomyosin contractility. These two modes of cell movement are interconvertible and several moving cells, including tumor cells, show an high degree of plasticity in motility styles shifting ad hoc between mesenchymal or amoeboid movements. This review will focus on the role of Rac and Rho small GTPases in cell motility and in the complex relationship driving the reciprocal control between Rac and Rho granting for the opportunistic motile behaviour of aggressive cancer cells. In addition we analyse the role of these GTPases in cancer progression and metastatic dissemination.

  9. A cyclic GMP signalling module that regulates gliding motility in a malaria parasite.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robert W Moon

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available The ookinete is a motile stage in the malaria life cycle which forms in the mosquito blood meal from the zygote. Ookinetes use an acto-myosin motor to glide towards and penetrate the midgut wall to establish infection in the vector. The regulation of gliding motility is poorly understood. Through genetic interaction studies we here describe a signalling module that identifies guanosine 3', 5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP as an important second messenger regulating ookinete differentiation and motility. In ookinetes lacking the cyclic nucleotide degrading phosphodiesterase delta (PDEdelta, unregulated signalling through cGMP results in rounding up of the normally banana-shaped cells. This phenotype is suppressed in a double mutant additionally lacking guanylyl cyclase beta (GCbeta, showing that in ookinetes GCbeta is an important source for cGMP, and that PDEdelta is the relevant cGMP degrading enzyme. Inhibition of the cGMP-dependent protein kinase, PKG, blocks gliding, whereas enhanced signalling through cGMP restores normal gliding speed in a mutant lacking calcium dependent protein kinase 3, suggesting at least a partial overlap between calcium and cGMP dependent pathways. These data demonstrate an important function for signalling through cGMP, and most likely PKG, in dynamically regulating ookinete gliding during the transmission of malaria to the mosquito.

  10. Radiation-induced motility alterations in medulloblastoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rieken, Stefan; Rieber, Juliane; Brons, Stephan

    2015-01-01

    Photon irradiation has been repeatedly suspected of increasing tumor cell motility and promoting locoregional recurrence of disease. This study was set up to analyse possible mechanisms underlying the potentially radiation-altered motility in medulloblastoma cells. Medulloblastoma cell lines D425 and Med8A were analyzed in migration and adhesion experiments with and without photon and carbon ion irradiation. Expression of integrins was determined by quantitative FACS analysis. Matrix metalloproteinase concentrations within cell culture supernatants were investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Statistical analysis was performed using Student's t-test. Both photon and carbon ion irradiation significantly reduced chemotactic medulloblastoma cell transmigration through 8-μm pore size membranes, while simultaneously increasing adherence to fibronectin- and collagen I- and IV-coated surfaces. Correspondingly, both photon and carbon ion irradiation downregulate soluble MMP9 concentrations, while upregulating cell surface expression of proadhesive extracellular matrix protein-binding integrin α 5 . The observed phenotype of radiation-altered motility is more pronounced following carbon ion than photon irradiation. Both photon and (even more so) carbon ion irradiation are effective in inhibiting medulloblastoma cell migration through downregulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9 and upregulation of proadhesive cell surface integrin α 5 , which lead to increased cell adherence to extracellular matrix proteins. (author)

  11. Hydrogen peroxide stimulates cell motile activity through LPA receptor-3 in liver epithelial WB-F344 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shibata, Ayano; Tanabe, Eriko; Inoue, Serina; Kitayoshi, Misaho; Okimoto, Souta; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Fukushima, Nobuyuki [Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi, E-mail: ttujiuch@life.kindai.ac.jp [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

    2013-04-12

    Highlights: •Hydrogen peroxide stimulates cell motility of WB-F344 cells. •LPA{sub 3} is induced by hydrogen peroxide in WB-F344 cells. •Cell motility by hydrogen peroxide is inhibited in LPA{sub 3} knockdown cells. •LPA signaling is involved in cell migration by hydrogen peroxide. -- Abstract: Hydrogen peroxide which is one of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediates a variety of biological responses, including cell proliferation and migration. In the present study, we investigated whether lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling is involved in cell motile activity stimulated by hydrogen peroxide. The rat liver epithelial WB-F344 cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide at 0.1 or 1 μM for 48 h. In cell motility assays, hydrogen peroxide treated cells showed significantly high cell motile activity, compared with untreated cells. To measure the expression levels of LPA receptor genes, quantitative real time RT-PCR analysis was performed. The expressions of LPA receptor-3 (Lpar3) in hydrogen peroxide treated cells were significantly higher than those in control cells, but not Lpar1 and Lpar2 genes. Next, to assess the effect of LPA{sub 3} on cell motile activity, the Lpar3 knockdown cells from WB-F344 cells were also treated with hydrogen peroxide. The cell motile activity of the knockdown cells was not stimulated by hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, in liver cancer cells, hydrogen peroxide significantly activated cell motility of Lpar3-expressing cells, but not Lpar3-unexpressing cells. These results suggest that LPA signaling via LPA{sub 3} may be mainly involved in cell motile activity of WB-F344 cells stimulated by hydrogen peroxide.

  12. Cell motility and antibiotic tolerance of bacterial swarms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zuo, Wenlong

    Many bacteria species can move across moist surfaces in a coordinated manner known as swarming. It is reported that swarm cells show higher tolerance to a wide variety of antibiotics than planktonic cells. We used the model bacterium E. coli to study how motility affects the antibiotic tolerance of swarm cells. Our results provide new insights for the control of pathogenic invasion via regulating cell motility. Mailing address: Room 306 Science Centre North Block, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. Hong Kong SAR. Phone: +852-3943-6354. Fax: +852-2603-5204. E-mail: zwlong@live.com.

  13. The contribution of cell-cell signaling and motility to bacterial biofilm formation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shrout, Joshua D; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim; Givskov, Michael

    2011-01-01

    Many bacteria grow attached to a surface as biofilms. Several factors dictate biofilm formation, including responses by the colonizing bacteria to their environment. Here we review how bacteria use cell-cell signaling (also called quorum sensing) and motility during biofilm formation. Specifically...... gene expression important to the production of polysaccharides, rhamnolipid, and other virulence factors. Surface motility affects the assembly and architecture of biofilms, and some aspects of motility are also influenced by quorum sensing. While some genes and their function are specific to P....... aeruginosa, many aspects of biofilm development can be used as a model system to understand how bacteria differentially colonize surfaces....

  14. HES6 enhances the motility of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wickramasinghe, Caroline M [MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research centre, Addenbrooke' s Hospital Cambridge, CB2 0XZ (United Kingdom); MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Addenbrooke' s Hospital Cambridge, CB2 0QH (United Kingdom); Domaschenz, Renae [MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research centre, Addenbrooke' s Hospital Cambridge, CB2 0XZ (United Kingdom); Gene Regulation and Chromatin Group, MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London W12 ONN (United Kingdom); Amagase, Yoko [MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research centre, Addenbrooke' s Hospital Cambridge, CB2 0XZ (United Kingdom); Department of Pathophysiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Doshisha Women' s College of Liberal Arts, Kodo, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0395 (Japan); Williamson, Daniel [Molecular Cytogenetics, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton SM2 5NG (United Kingdom); Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Paul O' Gorman Building, Medical School, Newcastle University, Framlington Place, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH (United Kingdom); Missiaglia, Edoardo; Shipley, Janet [Molecular Cytogenetics, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton SM2 5NG (United Kingdom); Murai, Kasumi [MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research centre, Addenbrooke' s Hospital Cambridge, CB2 0XZ (United Kingdom); Jones, Philip H, E-mail: phj20@cam.ac.uk [MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research centre, Addenbrooke' s Hospital Cambridge, CB2 0XZ (United Kingdom)

    2013-01-01

    Absract: HES6, a member of the hairy-enhancer-of-split family of transcription factors, plays multiple roles in myogenesis. It is a direct target of the myogenic transcription factor MyoD and has been shown to regulate the formation of the myotome in development, myoblast cell cycle exit and the organization of the actin cytoskeleton during terminal differentiation. Here we investigate the expression and function of HES6 in rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue tumor which expresses myogenic genes but fails to differentiate into muscle. We show that HES6 is expressed at high levels in the subset of alveolar rhabdomyosarcomas expressing PAX/FOXO1 fusion genes (ARMSp). Knockdown of HES6 mRNA in the ARMSp cell line RH30 reduces proliferation and cell motility. This phenotype is rescued by expression of mouse Hes6 which is insensitive to HES6 siRNA. Furthermore, expression microarray analysis indicates that the HES6 knockdown is associated with a decrease in the levels of Transgelin, (TAGLN), a regulator of the actin cytoskeleton. Knockdown of TAGLN decreases cell motility, whilst TAGLN overexpression rescues the motility defect resulting from HES6 knockdown. These findings indicate HES6 contributes to the pathogenesis of ARMSp by enhancing both proliferation and cell motility.

  15. T Cell Interstitial Migration: Motility Cues from the Inflamed Tissue for Micro- and Macro-Positioning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gaylo, Alison; Schrock, Dillon C; Fernandes, Ninoshka R J; Fowell, Deborah J

    2016-01-01

    Effector T cells exit the inflamed vasculature into an environment shaped by tissue-specific structural configurations and inflammation-imposed extrinsic modifications. Once within interstitial spaces of non-lymphoid tissues, T cells migrate in an apparent random, non-directional, fashion. Efficient T cell scanning of the tissue environment is essential for successful location of infected target cells or encounter with antigen-presenting cells that activate the T cell's antimicrobial effector functions. The mechanisms of interstitial T cell motility and the environmental cues that may promote or hinder efficient tissue scanning are poorly understood. The extracellular matrix (ECM) appears to play an important scaffolding role in guidance of T cell migration and likely provides a platform for the display of chemotactic factors that may help to direct the positioning of T cells. Here, we discuss how intravital imaging has provided insight into the motility patterns and cellular machinery that facilitates T cell interstitial migration and the critical environmental factors that may optimize the efficiency of effector T cell scanning of the inflamed tissue. Specifically, we highlight the local micro-positioning cues T cells encounter as they migrate within inflamed tissues, from surrounding ECM and signaling molecules, as well as a requirement for appropriate long-range macro-positioning within distinct tissue compartments or at discrete foci of infection or tissue damage. The central nervous system (CNS) responds to injury and infection by extensively remodeling the ECM and with the de novo generation of a fibroblastic reticular network that likely influences T cell motility. We examine how inflammation-induced changes to the CNS landscape may regulate T cell tissue exploration and modulate function.

  16. One isoform of Arg/Abl2 tyrosine kinase is nuclear and the other seven cytosolic isoforms differently modulate cell morphology, motility and the cytoskeleton

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bianchi, Cristina; Torsello, Barbara; Di Stefano, Vitalba; Zipeto, Maria A.; Facchetti, Rita; Bombelli, Silvia; Perego, Roberto A.

    2013-01-01

    The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Abelson related gene (Arg/Abl2) regulates cell migration and morphogenesis by modulating the cytoskeleton. Arg promotes actin-based cell protrusions and spreading, and inhibits cell migration by attenuating stress fiber formation and contractility via activation of the RhoA inhibitor, p190RhoGAP, and by regulating focal adhesion dynamics also via CrkII phosphorylation. Eight full-length Arg isoforms with different N- and C-termini are endogenously expressed in human cells. In this paper, the eight Arg isoforms, subcloned in the pFLAG-CMV2 vector, were transfected in COS-7 cells in order to study their subcellular distribution and role in cell morphology, migration and cytoskeletal modulation. The transfected 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution and phosphorylates CrkII in the nucleus, whilst the other isoforms are detected in the cytoplasm. The 1BLCTL, 1BSCTL, 1ASCTS isoforms were able to significantly decrease stress fibers, induce cell shrinkage and filopodia-like protrusions with a significant increase in p190RhoGAP phosphorylation. In contrast, 1ALCTL, 1ALCTS, 1ASCTL and 1BLCTS isoforms do not significantly decrease stress fibers and induce the formation of retraction tail-like protrusions. The 1BLCTL and 1ALCTL isoforms have different effects on cell migration and focal adhesions. All these data may open new perspectives to study the mechanisms of cell invasiveness. -Highlights: • Each of the eight Arg isoforms was transfected in COS-7 cells. • Only the 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution in transfected cells. • The cytoplasmic isoforms and F-actin colocalize cortically and in cell protrusions. • Arg isoforms differently phosphorylate p190RhoGAP and CrkII. • Arg isoforms differently modulate stress fibers, cell protrusions and motility

  17. One isoform of Arg/Abl2 tyrosine kinase is nuclear and the other seven cytosolic isoforms differently modulate cell morphology, motility and the cytoskeleton

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bianchi, Cristina; Torsello, Barbara; Di Stefano, Vitalba; Zipeto, Maria A.; Facchetti, Rita; Bombelli, Silvia; Perego, Roberto A., E-mail: roberto.perego@unimib.it

    2013-08-01

    The non-receptor tyrosine kinase Abelson related gene (Arg/Abl2) regulates cell migration and morphogenesis by modulating the cytoskeleton. Arg promotes actin-based cell protrusions and spreading, and inhibits cell migration by attenuating stress fiber formation and contractility via activation of the RhoA inhibitor, p190RhoGAP, and by regulating focal adhesion dynamics also via CrkII phosphorylation. Eight full-length Arg isoforms with different N- and C-termini are endogenously expressed in human cells. In this paper, the eight Arg isoforms, subcloned in the pFLAG-CMV2 vector, were transfected in COS-7 cells in order to study their subcellular distribution and role in cell morphology, migration and cytoskeletal modulation. The transfected 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution and phosphorylates CrkII in the nucleus, whilst the other isoforms are detected in the cytoplasm. The 1BLCTL, 1BSCTL, 1ASCTS isoforms were able to significantly decrease stress fibers, induce cell shrinkage and filopodia-like protrusions with a significant increase in p190RhoGAP phosphorylation. In contrast, 1ALCTL, 1ALCTS, 1ASCTL and 1BLCTS isoforms do not significantly decrease stress fibers and induce the formation of retraction tail-like protrusions. The 1BLCTL and 1ALCTL isoforms have different effects on cell migration and focal adhesions. All these data may open new perspectives to study the mechanisms of cell invasiveness. -Highlights: • Each of the eight Arg isoforms was transfected in COS-7 cells. • Only the 1BSCTS Arg isoform has a nuclear distribution in transfected cells. • The cytoplasmic isoforms and F-actin colocalize cortically and in cell protrusions. • Arg isoforms differently phosphorylate p190RhoGAP and CrkII. • Arg isoforms differently modulate stress fibers, cell protrusions and motility.

  18. Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Small T Antigen Drives Cell Motility via Rho-GTPase-Induced Filopodium Formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stakaitytė, Gabrielė; Nwogu, Nnenna; Dobson, Samuel J; Knight, Laura M; Wasson, Christopher W; Salguero, Francisco J; Blackbourn, David J; Blair, G Eric; Mankouri, Jamel; Macdonald, Andrew; Whitehouse, Adrian

    2018-01-15

    Cell motility and migration is a complex, multistep, and multicomponent process intrinsic to progression and metastasis. Motility is dependent on the activities of integrin receptors and Rho family GTPases, resulting in the remodeling of the actin cytoskeleton and formation of various motile actin-based protrusions. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive skin cancer with a high likelihood of recurrence and metastasis. Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is associated with the majority of MCC cases, and MCPyV-induced tumorigenesis largely depends on the expression of the small tumor antigen (ST). Since the discovery of MCPyV, a number of mechanisms have been suggested to account for replication and tumorigenesis, but to date, little is known about potential links between MCPyV T antigen expression and the metastatic nature of MCC. Previously, we described the action of MCPyV ST on the microtubule network and how it impacts cell motility and migration. Here, we demonstrate that MCPyV ST affects the actin cytoskeleton to promote the formation of filopodia through a mechanism involving the catalytic subunit of protein phosphatase 4 (PP4C). We also show that MCPyV ST-induced cell motility is dependent upon the activities of the Rho family GTPases Cdc42 and RhoA. In addition, our results indicate that the MCPyV ST-PP4C interaction results in the dephosphorylation of β 1 integrin, likely driving the cell motility pathway. These findings describe a novel mechanism by which a tumor virus induces cell motility, which may ultimately lead to cancer metastasis, and provides opportunities and strategies for targeted interventions for disseminated MCC. IMPORTANCE Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) is the most recently discovered human tumor virus. It causes the majority of cases of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), an aggressive skin cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms implicating MCPyV-encoded proteins in cancer development are yet to be fully elucidated. This study builds

  19. Cyclooxygenase and cAMP-dependent protein kinase reorganize the actin cytoskeleton for motility in HeLa cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glenn, Honor L; Jacobson, Bruce S

    2003-08-01

    The adhesion of a cell to its surrounding matrix is a key determinant in many aspects of cell behavior. Adhesion consists of distinct stages : attachment, cell spreading, motility, and/or immobilization. Interrelated signaling pathways regulate these stages, and many adhesion-related signals control the architecture of the cytoskeleton. The various cytoskeletal organizations then give rise to the specific stages of adhesion. It has been shown that arachidonic acid acts at a signaling branch point during cell attachment. Arachidonic acid is metabolized via lipoxygenase to activate actin polymerization and cell spreading. It is also metabolized by cyclooxygenase to generate small actin bundles. We have used confocal microscopy and indirect immunofluorescence to investigate the structure of these cyclooxygenase dependent actin bundles in HeLa cells. We have also employed cell migration assays and pharmacological modulation of cyclooxygenase and downstream signals. The results indicate that cyclooxygenase and PKA stimulate the formation of actin bundles that contain myosin II and associate with small focal adhesions. In addition, we demonstrate that this cytoskeletal organization correlates with increased cell motility. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Motility of vestibular hair cells in the chick.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogata, Y; Sekitani, T

    1993-01-01

    Recent studies of the outer hair cells in cochlea have demonstrated active motilities. However, very little study has been done on the vestibular hair cells (VHCs). The present study shows the motile response of the VHCs induced by application of Ca2+/ATP promoting contraction. Reversible cell shape changes could be shown in 10 of 16 isolated type I hair cells and 9 of 15 isolated type II hair cells by applying the contraction solution. Furthermore, the sensory hair bundles in the utricular epithelium pivoted around the base and stood perpendicularly to the apical borderline of the epithelium in response to the application of the same solution. It is suggested that the contraction of the isolated VHCs may be transferred to tension which causes the sensory hair bundles to restrict their motion in normal tissue, instead of changing the cell shape.

  1. Endothelial cell motility, coordination and pattern formation during vasculogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czirok, Andras

    2013-01-01

    How vascular networks assemble is a fundamental problem of developmental biology that also has medical importance. To explain the organizational principles behind vascular patterning, we must understand how can tissue level structures be controlled through cell behavior patterns like motility and adhesion that, in turn, are determined by biochemical signal transduction processes? We discuss the various ideas that have been proposed as mechanisms for vascular network assembly: cell motility guided by extracellular matrix alignment (contact guidance), chemotaxis guided by paracrine and autocrine morphogens, and multicellular sprouting guided by cell-cell contacts. All of these processes yield emergent patterns, thus endothelial cells can form an interconnected structure autonomously, without guidance from an external pre-pattern. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Cellular Scale Anisotropic Topography Guides Schwann Cell Motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mitchel, Jennifer A.; Hoffman-Kim, Diane

    2011-01-01

    Directed migration of Schwann cells (SC) is critical for development and repair of the peripheral nervous system. Understanding aspects of motility specific to SC, along with SC response to engineered biomaterials, may inform strategies to enhance nerve regeneration. Rat SC were cultured on laminin-coated microgrooved poly(dimethyl siloxane) platforms that were flat or presented repeating cellular scale anisotropic topographical cues, 30 or 60 µm in width, and observed with timelapse microscopy. SC motion was directed parallel to the long axis of the topography on both the groove floor and the plateau, with accompanying differences in velocity and directional persistence in comparison to SC motion on flat substrates. In addition, feature dimension affected SC morphology, alignment, and directional persistence. Plateaus and groove floors presented distinct cues which promoted differential motility and variable interaction with the topographical features. SC on the plateau surfaces tended to have persistent interactions with the edge topography, while SC on the groove floors tended to have infrequent contact with the corners and walls. Our observations suggest the capacity of SC to be guided without continuous contact with a topographical cue. SC exhibited a range of distinct motile morphologies, characterized by their symmetry and number of extensions. Across all conditions, SC with a single extension traveled significantly faster than cells with more or no extensions. We conclude that SC motility is complex, where persistent motion requires cellular asymmetry, and that anisotropic topography with cellular scale features can direct SC motility. PMID:21949703

  3. Parasites in motion: flagellum-driven cell motility in African trypanosomes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hill, Kent L.

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Motility of the sleeping sickness parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, impacts disease transmission and pathogenesis. Trypanosome motility is driven by a flagellum that harbors a canonical 9 + 2 axoneme, together with trypanosome-specific elaborations. Trypanosome flagellum biology and motility have been the object of intense research over the last two years. These studies have led to the discovery of a novel form of motility, termed social motility, and provided revision of long-standing models for cell propulsion. Recent work has also uncovered novel structural features and motor proteins associated with the flagellar apparatus and has identified candidate signaling molecules that are predicted to regulate flagellar motility. Together with earlier inventories of flagellar proteins from proteomic and genomic studies, the stage is now set to move forward with functional studies to elucidate molecular mechanisms and investigate parasite motility in the context of host-parasite interactions. PMID:20591724

  4. Kaempferol modulates the metastasis of human non-small cell lung cancer cells by inhibiting epithelial-mesenchymal transition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meng Hang

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available The present study was done to determine whether kaempferol, a natural polyphenol of the flavonoid family, affects Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT in non-small cell lung cancer cells. Kaempferol not only inhibited cancer cell proliferation and migration in a dose-dependent manner but also modulated the expression of EMT-related proteins E-cadherin and vimentin which are indispensible to cellular motility, invasiveness and metastasis. These results indicate that kaempferol suppresses non-small cell lung cancer migration by modulating the expression of EMT proteins. Therefore, kaempferol may be useful as a potential anticancer agent for non-small cell lung cancer.

  5. Flagellum density regulates Proteus mirabilis swarmer cell motility in viscous environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tuson, Hannah H; Copeland, Matthew F; Carey, Sonia; Sacotte, Ryan; Weibel, Douglas B

    2013-01-01

    Proteus mirabilis is an opportunistic pathogen that is frequently associated with urinary tract infections. In the lab, P. mirabilis cells become long and multinucleate and increase their number of flagella as they colonize agar surfaces during swarming. Swarming has been implicated in pathogenesis; however, it is unclear how energetically costly changes in P. mirabilis cell morphology translate into an advantage for adapting to environmental changes. We investigated two morphological changes that occur during swarming--increases in cell length and flagellum density--and discovered that an increase in the surface density of flagella enabled cells to translate rapidly through fluids of increasing viscosity; in contrast, cell length had a small effect on motility. We found that swarm cells had a surface density of flagella that was ∼5 times larger than that of vegetative cells and were motile in fluids with a viscosity that inhibits vegetative cell motility. To test the relationship between flagellum density and velocity, we overexpressed FlhD(4)C(2), the master regulator of the flagellar operon, in vegetative cells of P. mirabilis and found that increased flagellum density produced an increase in cell velocity. Our results establish a relationship between P. mirabilis flagellum density and cell motility in viscous environments that may be relevant to its adaptation during the infection of mammalian urinary tracts and movement in contact with indwelling catheters.

  6. Motile hepatocellular carcinoma cells preferentially secret sugar metabolism regulatory proteins via exosomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jing; Lu, Shaohua; Zhou, Ye; Meng, Kun; Chen, Zhipeng; Cui, Yizhi; Shi, Yunfeng; Wang, Tong; He, Qing-Yu

    2017-07-01

    Exosomes are deliverers of critically functional proteins, capable of transforming target cells in numerous cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We hypothesize that the motility of HCC cells can be featured by comparative proteome of exosomes. Hence, we performed the super-SILAC-based MS analysis on the exosomes secreted by three human HCC cell lines, including the non-motile Hep3B cell, and the motile 97H and LM3 cells. More than 1400 exosomal proteins were confidently quantified in each MS analysis with highly biological reproducibility. We justified that 469 and 443 exosomal proteins represented differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in the 97H/Hep3B and LM3/Hep3B comparisons, respectively. These DEPs focused on sugar metabolism-centric canonical pathways per ingenuity pathway analysis, which was consistent with the gene ontology analysis on biological process enrichment. These pathways included glycolysis I, gluconeogenesis I and pentose phosphate pathways; and the DEPs enriched in these pathways could form a tightly connected network. By analyzing the relative abundance of proteins and translating mRNAs, we found significantly positive correlation between exosomes and cells. The involved exosomal proteins were again focusing on sugar metabolism. In conclusion, motile HCC cells tend to preferentially export more sugar metabolism-associated proteins via exosomes that differentiate them from non-motile HCC cells. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  7. Asynchrony in the growth and motility responses to environmental changes by individual bacterial cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Umehara, Senkei; Hattori, Akihiro; Inoue, Ippei; Yasuda, Kenji

    2007-01-01

    Knowing how individual cells respond to environmental changes helps one understand phenotypic diversity in a bacterial cell population, so we simultaneously monitored the growth and motility of isolated motile Escherichia coli cells over several generations by using a method called on-chip single-cell cultivation. Starved cells quickly stopped growing but remained motile for several hours before gradually becoming immotile. When nutrients were restored the cells soon resumed their growth and proliferation but remained immotile for up to six generations. A flagella visualization assay suggested that deflagellation underlies the observed loss of motility. This set of results demonstrates that single-cell transgenerational study under well-characterized environmental conditions can provide information that will help us understand distinct functions within individual cells

  8. Extending the molecular clutch beyond actin-based cell motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Havrylenko, Svitlana; Mezanges, Xavier; Batchelder, Ellen; Plastino, Julie

    2014-01-01

    Many cell movements occur via polymerization of the actin cytoskeleton beneath the plasma membrane at the front of the cell, forming a protrusion called a lamellipodium, while myosin contraction squeezes forward the back of the cell. In what is known as the ‘molecular clutch’ description of cell motility, forward movement results from the engagement of the acto-myosin motor with cell-matrix adhesions, thus transmitting force to the substrate and producing movement. However during cell translocation, clutch engagement is not perfect, and as a result, the cytoskeleton slips with respect to the substrate, undergoing backward (retrograde) flow in the direction of the cell body. Retrograde flow is therefore inversely proportional to cell speed and depends on adhesion and acto-myosin dynamics. Here we asked whether the molecular clutch was a general mechanism by measuring motility and retrograde flow for the Caenorhabditis elegans sperm cell in different adhesive conditions. These cells move by adhering to the substrate and emitting a dynamic lamellipodium, but the sperm cell does not contain an acto-myosin cytoskeleton. Instead the lamellipodium is formed by the assembly of major sperm protein, which has no biochemical or structural similarity to actin. We find that these cells display the same molecular clutch characteristics as acto-myosin containing cells. We further show that retrograde flow is produced both by cytoskeletal assembly and contractility in these cells. Overall this study shows that the molecular clutch hypothesis of how polymerization is transduced into motility via adhesions is a general description of cell movement regardless of the composition of the cytoskeleton. (paper)

  9. Membrane tension and cytoskeleton organization in cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sens, Pierre; Plastino, Julie

    2015-07-15

    Cell membrane shape changes are important for many aspects of normal biological function, such as tissue development, wound healing and cell division and motility. Various disease states are associated with deregulation of how cells move and change shape, including notably tumor initiation and cancer cell metastasis. Cell motility is powered, in large part, by the controlled assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Much of this dynamic happens in close proximity to the plasma membrane due to the fact that actin assembly factors are membrane-bound, and thus actin filaments are generally oriented such that their growth occurs against or near the membrane. For a long time, the membrane was viewed as a relatively passive scaffold for signaling. However, results from the last five years show that this is not the whole picture, and that the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton are intimately linked to the mechanics of the cell membrane. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of plasma membrane mechanics in cell cytoskeleton dynamics and architecture, showing that the cell membrane is not just an envelope or a barrier for actin assembly, but is a master regulator controlling cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity.

  10. Induction of autocrine factor inhibiting cell motility from murine B16-BL6 melanoma cells by alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murata, J; Ayukawa, K; Ogasawara, M; Watanabe, H; Saiki, I

    1999-03-15

    We have previously reported that neuropeptide alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) successfully inhibited Matrigel invasion and haptotactic migration of B16-BL6 melanoma cells towards both fibronectin and laminin without affecting their growth. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory mechanism of tumor cell motility by alpha-MSH. Alpha-MSH significantly blocked the autocrine motility factor (AMF)-enhanced cell motility. However, alpha-MSH did neither prevent the secretion of AMF from B16-BL6 cells nor alter the expression level of AMF receptor (gp78). On the other hand, alpha-MSH induced the secretion of the motility inhibitory factor(s) from B16-BL6 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. The induction of the motility inhibitor(s) was proportional to increasing levels of intracellular cAMP induced by alpha-MSH as well as forskolin, and the activity was abolished by an adenylate cyclase inhibitor, 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine (DDA). The motility-inhibiting activity in conditioned medium (CM) from alpha-MSH-treated B16-BL6 cells was found to have a m.w. below 3 kDa after fractionation. This activity was abolished by boiling but insensitive to trypsin. The treatment of tumor cells with cycloheximide reduced the activity in alpha-MSH-stimulated CM. Our results suggest that alpha-MSH inhibited the motility of B16-BL6 cells through induction of autocrine factor(s).

  11. New advances in gastrointestinal motility research

    CERN Document Server

    Pullan, A; Farrugia, G

    2013-01-01

    Research into gastrointestinal motility has received renewed interest in part due to recent advances in the techniques for measuring the structure and function of gastrointestinal cells, tissue and organs. The integration of this wealth of data into biophysically based computation models can aid in interpretation of experimental and clinical measurements and the refinement of measurement techniques. The contents of this book span multiple scales - from cell, tissue, organ, to whole body and is divided into four broad sections covering: i) gastrointestinal cellular activity and tissue structure; (ii) techniques for measuring, analyzing and visualizing high-resolution extra-cellular recordings; (iii) methods for sensing gastroelectrical activity using non-invasive bio-electro-magnetic fields and for modulating the underlying gastric electrical activity, and finally; (iv) methods for assessing manometric and videographic motility patterns and the application of these data for predicting the flow and mixing behav...

  12. Multifaceted role of galectin-3 on human glioblastoma cell motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Debray, Charles; Vereecken, Pierre; Belot, Nathalie; Teillard, Peggy; Brion, Jean-Pierre; Pandolfo, Massimo; Pochet, Roland

    2004-01-01

    Astrocytic tumors' aggressiveness results from an imbalance between cell proliferation and cell death favoring growth, but also from the propensity of tumor cells to detach from the primary tumor site, migrate, and invade the surrounding parenchyma. Astrocytic tumor progression is known to be associated with an increased expression of galectin-3. We investigated in cell culture how galectin-3 expression affects astrocytoma cell motility. Galectin-3 deficient cells were obtained by stable transfection of the U373 glioblastoma cell line with a specific expression antisense plasmid. Cultured galectin-3 deficient glioblastoma cells showed increased motility potential on laminin and modifications in the cytoskeleton reorganization. In addition, c-DNA microarrays and quantitative immunofluorescence analysis showed that galectin-3 deficient U373 cells have an increased expression of integrins-α6 and -β1, proteins known to be implicated in the regulation of cell adhesion

  13. Control of exoenzyme production, motility and cell differentiation in Serratia liquefaciens

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Givskov, Michael Christian; Eberl, Leo; Molin, Søren

    1997-01-01

    Serratia liquefaciens secretes a broad spectrum of hydrolytic enzymes to the surrounding medium and possesses the ability to differentiate into specialized swarmer cells capable of rapid surface motility. Control of exoenzyme production and swarming motility is governed by similar regulatory...

  14. Silibinin inhibits fibronectin induced motility, invasiveness and survival in human prostate carcinoma PC3 cells via targeting integrin signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deep, Gagan; Kumar, Rahul; Jain, Anil K.; Agarwal, Chapla; Agarwal, Rajesh

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Silibinin inhibits fibronectin-induce motile morphology in PC3 cells. • Silibinin inhibits fibronectin-induced migration and invasion in PC3 cells. • Silibinin targets fibronectin-induced integrins and downstream signaling molecule. - Abstract: Prostate cancer (PCA) is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. Preventing or inhibiting metastasis-related events through non-toxic agents could be a useful approach for lowering high mortality among PCA patients. We have earlier reported that natural flavonoid silibinin possesses strong anti-metastatic efficacy against PCA however, mechanism/s of its action still remains largely unknown. One of the major events during metastasis is the replacement of cell–cell interaction with integrins-based cell–matrix interaction that controls motility, invasiveness and survival of cancer cells. Accordingly, here we examined silibinin effect on advanced human PCA PC3 cells’ interaction with extracellular matrix component fibronectin. Silibinin (50–200 μM) treatment significantly decreased the fibronectin (5 μg/ml)-induced motile morphology via targeting actin cytoskeleton organization in PC3 cells. Silibinin also decreased the fibronectin-induced cell proliferation and motility but significantly increased cell death in PC3 cells. Silibinin also inhibited the PC3 cells invasiveness in Transwell invasion assays with fibronectin or cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) serving as chemoattractant. Importantly, PC3-luc cells cultured on fibronectin showed rapid dissemination and localized in lungs following tail vein injection in athymic male nude mice; however, in silibinin-treated PC3-luc cells, dissemination and lung localization was largely compromised. Molecular analyses revealed that silibinin treatment modulated the fibronectin-induced expression of integrins (α5, αV, β1 and β3), actin-remodeling (FAK, Src, GTPases, ARP2 and cortactin), apoptosis (cPARP and

  15. Silibinin inhibits fibronectin induced motility, invasiveness and survival in human prostate carcinoma PC3 cells via targeting integrin signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deep, Gagan [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States); University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States); Kumar, Rahul; Jain, Anil K. [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States); Agarwal, Chapla [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States); University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States); Agarwal, Rajesh, E-mail: Rajesh.agarwal@ucdenver.edu [Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States); University of Colorado Cancer Center, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO (United States)

    2014-10-15

    Highlights: • Silibinin inhibits fibronectin-induce motile morphology in PC3 cells. • Silibinin inhibits fibronectin-induced migration and invasion in PC3 cells. • Silibinin targets fibronectin-induced integrins and downstream signaling molecule. - Abstract: Prostate cancer (PCA) is the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related deaths among men in the United States. Preventing or inhibiting metastasis-related events through non-toxic agents could be a useful approach for lowering high mortality among PCA patients. We have earlier reported that natural flavonoid silibinin possesses strong anti-metastatic efficacy against PCA however, mechanism/s of its action still remains largely unknown. One of the major events during metastasis is the replacement of cell–cell interaction with integrins-based cell–matrix interaction that controls motility, invasiveness and survival of cancer cells. Accordingly, here we examined silibinin effect on advanced human PCA PC3 cells’ interaction with extracellular matrix component fibronectin. Silibinin (50–200 μM) treatment significantly decreased the fibronectin (5 μg/ml)-induced motile morphology via targeting actin cytoskeleton organization in PC3 cells. Silibinin also decreased the fibronectin-induced cell proliferation and motility but significantly increased cell death in PC3 cells. Silibinin also inhibited the PC3 cells invasiveness in Transwell invasion assays with fibronectin or cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) serving as chemoattractant. Importantly, PC3-luc cells cultured on fibronectin showed rapid dissemination and localized in lungs following tail vein injection in athymic male nude mice; however, in silibinin-treated PC3-luc cells, dissemination and lung localization was largely compromised. Molecular analyses revealed that silibinin treatment modulated the fibronectin-induced expression of integrins (α5, αV, β1 and β3), actin-remodeling (FAK, Src, GTPases, ARP2 and cortactin), apoptosis (cPARP and

  16. Where to Go: Breaking the Symmetry in Cell Motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    2016-01-01

    Cell migration in the “correct” direction is pivotal for many biological processes. Although most work is devoted to its molecular mechanisms, the cell’s preference for one direction over others, thus overcoming intrinsic random motility, epitomizes a profound principle that underlies all complex systems: the choice of one axis, in structure or motion, from a uniform or symmetric set of options. Explaining directional motility by an external chemo-attractant gradient does not solve but only shifts the problem of causation: whence the gradient? A new study in PLOS Biology shows cell migration in a self-generated gradient, offering an opportunity to take a broader look at the old dualism of extrinsic instruction versus intrinsic symmetry-breaking in cell biology. PMID:27196433

  17. Membrane tension and cytoskeleton organization in cell motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sens, Pierre; Plastino, Julie

    2015-01-01

    Cell membrane shape changes are important for many aspects of normal biological function, such as tissue development, wound healing and cell division and motility. Various disease states are associated with deregulation of how cells move and change shape, including notably tumor initiation and cancer cell metastasis. Cell motility is powered, in large part, by the controlled assembly and disassembly of the actin cytoskeleton. Much of this dynamic happens in close proximity to the plasma membrane due to the fact that actin assembly factors are membrane-bound, and thus actin filaments are generally oriented such that their growth occurs against or near the membrane. For a long time, the membrane was viewed as a relatively passive scaffold for signaling. However, results from the last five years show that this is not the whole picture, and that the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton are intimately linked to the mechanics of the cell membrane. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning the role of plasma membrane mechanics in cell cytoskeleton dynamics and architecture, showing that the cell membrane is not just an envelope or a barrier for actin assembly, but is a master regulator controlling cytoskeleton dynamics and cell polarity. (topical review)

  18. In vitro motility evaluation of aggregated cancer cells by means of automatic image processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Hauwer, C; Darro, F; Camby, I; Kiss, R; Van Ham, P; Decaesteker, C

    1999-05-01

    Set up of an automatic image processing based method that enables the motility of in vitro aggregated cells to be evaluated for a number of hours. Our biological model included the PC-3 human prostate cancer cell line growing as a monolayer on the bottom of Falcon plastic dishes containing conventional culture media. Our equipment consisted of an incubator, an inverted phase contrast microscope, a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) video camera, and a computer equipped with an image processing software developed in our laboratory. This computer-assisted microscope analysis of aggregated cells enables global cluster motility to be evaluated. This analysis also enables the trajectory of each cell to be isolated and parametrized within a given cluster or, indeed, the trajectories of individual cells outside a cluster. The results show that motility inside a PC-3 cluster is not restricted to slight motion due to cluster expansion, but rather consists of a marked cell movement within the cluster. The proposed equipment enables in vitro aggregated cell motility to be studied. This method can, therefore, be used in pharmacological studies in order to select anti-motility related compounds. The compounds selected by the equipment described could then be tested in vivo as potential anti-metastatic.

  19. The study of photoresponses of unicellular motile microalgae by Doppler spectrometry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlasenko, V.V.

    2004-01-01

    Quasielastic light scattering is used to investigate the mechanism of photosensory transduction in the unicellular motile algae. It is shown that cells of these species have the different reactions on the effect of a laser beam. The intensity modulations of the scattering beam from the cell motion and flagellar beating are directly detected

  20. Intestinal mast cells in gut inflammation and motility disturbances

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Winter, Benedicte Y.; van den Wijngaard, Rene M.; de Jonge, Wouter J.

    2012-01-01

    Mast cells may be regarded as prototypes of innate immune cells that can be controlled by neuronal mediators. Their activation has been implicated in many types of neuro-inflammatory responses, and related disturbances of gut motility, via direct or indirect mechanisms that involve several

  1. A Mathematical Model Quantifies Proliferation and Motility Effects of TGF-β on Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shizhen Emily Wang

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Transforming growth factor (TGF-β is known to have properties of both a tumour suppressor and a tumour promoter. While it inhibits cell proliferation, it also increases cell motility and decreases cell–cell adhesion. Coupling mathematical modelling and experiments, we investigate the growth and motility of oncogene-expressing human mammary epithelial cells under exposure to TGF-β. We use a version of the well-known Fisher–Kolmogorov equation, and prescribe a procedure for its parametrisation. We quantify the simultaneous effects of TGF-β to increase the tendency of individual cells and cell clusters to move randomly and to decrease overall population growth. We demonstrate that in experiments with TGF-β treated cells in vitro, TGF-β increases cell motility by a factor of 2 and decreases cell proliferation by a factor of 1/2 in comparison with untreated cells.

  2. Genistein inhibits cell invasion and motility by inducing cell differentiation in murine osteosarcoma cell line LM8.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakamura, Atsushi; Aizawa, Junichi; Sakayama, Kenshi; Kidani, Teruki; Takata, Tomoyo; Norimatsu, Yoshiaki; Miura, Hiromasa; Masuno, Hiroshi

    2012-09-26

    One of the problems associated with osteosarcoma is the frequent formation of micrometastases in the lung prior to diagnosis because the development of metastatic lesions often causes a fatal outcome. Therefore, the prevention of pulmonary metastases during the early stage of tumor development is critical for the improvement of the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. In Japan, soy is consumed in a wide variety of forms, such as miso soup and soy sauce. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of genistein, an isoflavone found in soy, on the invasive and motile potential of osteosarcoma cells. LM8 cells were treated for 3 days with various concentrations of genistein. The effect of genistein on cell proliferation was determined by DNA measurement in the cultures and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation study. The assays of cell invasion and motility were performed using the cell culture inserts with either matrigel-coated membranes or uncoated membranes in the invasion chambers. The expression and secretion of MMP-2 were determined by immunohistochemistry and gelatin zymography. The subcellular localization and cellular level of β-catenin were determined by immunofluorescence and Western blot. For examining cell morphology, the ethanol-fixed cells were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E). The expression of osteocalcin mRNA was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Genistein dose-dependently inhibits cell proliferation. Genistein-treated cells were less invasive and less motile than untreated cells. The expression and secretion of MMP-2 were lower in the genistein-treated cultures than in the untreated cultures. β-Catenin in untreated cells was located in the cytoplasm and/or nucleus, while in genistein-treated cells it was translocated near to the plasma membrane. The level of β-catenin was higher in genistein-treated cells than in untreated cells. Treatment of LM8 cells with genistein induced morphological

  3. Genistein inhibits cell invasion and motility by inducing cell differentiation in murine osteosarcoma cell line LM8

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nakamura Atsushi

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background One of the problems associated with osteosarcoma is the frequent formation of micrometastases in the lung prior to diagnosis because the development of metastatic lesions often causes a fatal outcome. Therefore, the prevention of pulmonary metastases during the early stage of tumor development is critical for the improvement of the prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. In Japan, soy is consumed in a wide variety of forms, such as miso soup and soy sauce. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of genistein, an isoflavone found in soy, on the invasive and motile potential of osteosarcoma cells. Methods LM8 cells were treated for 3 days with various concentrations of genistein. The effect of genistein on cell proliferation was determined by DNA measurement in the cultures and 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine (BrdU incorporation study. The assays of cell invasion and motility were performed using the cell culture inserts with either matrigel-coated membranes or uncoated membranes in the invasion chambers. The expression and secretion of MMP-2 were determined by immunohistochemistry and gelatin zymography. The subcellular localization and cellular level of β-catenin were determined by immunofluorescence and Western blot. For examining cell morphology, the ethanol-fixed cells were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (H&E. The expression of osteocalcin mRNA was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR. Results Genistein dose-dependently inhibits cell proliferation. Genistein-treated cells were less invasive and less motile than untreated cells. The expression and secretion of MMP-2 were lower in the genistein-treated cultures than in the untreated cultures. β-Catenin in untreated cells was located in the cytoplasm and/or nucleus, while in genistein-treated cells it was translocated near to the plasma membrane. The level of β-catenin was higher in genistein-treated cells than in untreated cells

  4. Morphed and moving: TNFα-driven motility promotes cell dissemination through MAP4K4-induced cytoskeleton remodeling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min Ma

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Cell dissemination from an initial site of growth is a highly coordinated and controlled process that depends on cell motility. The mechanistic principles that orchestrate cell motility, namely cell shape control, traction and force generation, are highly conserved between cells of different origins. Correspondingly, the molecular mechanisms that regulate these critical aspects of migrating cells are likely functionally conserved too. Thus, cell motility deregulation of unrelated pathogenesis could be caused and maintained by similar mechanistic principles. One such motility deregulation disorder is the leukoproliferative cattle disease Tropical Theileriosis, which is caused by the intracellular, protozoan parasite Theileria annulata. T. annulata transforms its host cell and promotes the dissemination of parasite-infected cells throughout the body of the host. An analogous condition with a fundamentally different pathogenesis is metastatic cancer, where oncogenically transformed cells disseminate from the primary tumor to form distant metastases. Common to both diseases is the dissemination of motile cells from the original site. However, unlike metastatic cancer, host cell transformation by Theileria parasites can be reverted by drug treatment and cell signaling be analyzed under transformed and non-transformed conditions. We have used this reversible transformation model and investigated parasite control of host cell motile properties in the context of inflammatory signaling in Ma M. et al. [PLoS Pathog (2014 10: e1004003]. We found that parasite infection promotes the production of the inflammatory cytokine TNFα in the host macrophage. We demonstrated that increased TNFα triggers motile and invasive properties by enhancing actin cytoskeleton remodeling and cell motility through the ser/thr kinase MAP4K4. We concluded that inflammatory conditions resulting in increased TNFα could facilitate cell dissemination by activating the actin

  5. Bacterial cell motility of Burkholderia gut symbiont is required to colonize the insect gut.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Jun Beom; Byeon, Jin Hee; Jang, Ho Am; Kim, Jiyeun Kate; Yoo, Jin Wook; Kikuchi, Yoshitomo; Lee, Bok Luel

    2015-09-14

    We generated a Burkholderia mutant, which is deficient of an N-acetylmuramyl-l-alanine amidase, AmiC, involved in peptidoglycan degradation. When non-motile ΔamiC mutant Burkholderia cells harboring chain form were orally administered to Riptortus insects, ΔamiC mutant cells were unable to establish symbiotic association. But, ΔamiC mutant complemented with amiC gene restored in vivo symbiotic association. ΔamiC mutant cultured in minimal medium restored their motility with single-celled morphology. When ΔamiC mutant cells harboring single-celled morphology were administered to the host insect, this mutant established normal symbiotic association, suggesting that bacterial motility is essential for the successful symbiosis between host insect and Burkholderia symbiont. Copyright © 2015 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. The physics of the unconventional motility strategy of euglenids

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arroyo, Marino; Noselli, Giovanni; Desimone, Antonio

    Euglenids are a family of unicellular protists, which use flagella to move in a fluid. However, they are also capable of performing elegantly concerted large amplitude deformations of the cell shape, in what is known as metaboly. To perform metaboly, euglenids use an elaborate cortical complex capable of actively imposing spatially modulated shear deformations on the cell surface. This mode of cell deformation has been linked to motility, but biophysical studies have demonstrated that it leads to very small swimming velocities as compared to flagellar locomotion. Furthermore, why would these cells possess two elaborate apparatus for the same function remains unclear. In this work, we combine experimental observations of euglena gracilis cells with theoretical models to shed light into the function of metaboly. The theoretical models account for the force generation and shape evolution at the cell envelop, together with the mechanical interaction of the cell with its environment. We characterize the efficiency of the two modes of locomotion of this cells in terms of the physical nature of their environment. ERC AdG 340685 MicroMotility.

  7. Delta opioid receptor on equine sperm cells: subcellular localization and involvement in sperm motility analyzed by computer assisted sperm analyzer (CASA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lacalandra Giovanni M

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Opioid receptors and endogenous opioid peptides act not only in the control of nociceptive pathways, indeed several reports demonstrate the effects of opiates on sperm cell motility and morphology suggesting the importance of these receptors in the modulation of reproduction in mammals. In this study we investigated the expression of delta opioid receptors on equine spermatozoa by western blot/indirect immunofluorescence and its relationship with sperm cell physiology. Methods We analyzed viability, motility, capacitation, acrosome reaction and mitochondrial activity in the presence of naltrindole and DPDPE by means of a computer assisted sperm analyzer and a fluorescent confocal microscope. The evaluation of viability, capacitation and acrosome reaction was carried out by the double CTC/Hoechst staining, whereas mitochondrial activity was assessed by means of MitoTracker Orange dye. Results We showed that in equine sperm cells, delta opioid receptor is expressed as a doublet of 65 and 50 kDa molecular mass and is localized in the mid piece of tail; we also demonstrated that naltrindole, a delta opioid receptor antagonist, could be utilized in modulating several physiological parameters of the equine spermatozoon in a dose-dependent way. We also found that low concentrations of the antagonist increase sperm motility whereas high concentrations show the opposite effect. Moreover low concentrations hamper capacitation, acrosome reaction and viability even if the percentage of cells with active mitochondria seems to be increased; the opposite effect is exerted at high concentrations. We have also observed that the delta opioid receptor agonist DPDPE is scarcely involved in affecting the same parameters at the employed concentrations. Conclusions The results described in this paper add new important details in the comprehension of the mammalian sperm physiology and suggest new insights for improving reproduction and for

  8. Cell-cycle-dependent regulation of cell motility and determination of the role of Rac1

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walmod, Peter S.; Hartmann-Petersen, Rasmus; Prag, S.

    2004-01-01

    comparable to those of control cells in G1. In contrast, transfection with dominant-negative Rac1 reduced cell speed and resulted in cellular displacements, which were identical in G1 and G2. These observations indicate that migration of cultured cells is regulated in a cell-cycle-dependent manner...... for calculation of three key parameters describing cell motility: speed, persistence time and rate of diffusion. All investigated cell lines demonstrated a lower cell displacement in the G2 phase than in the G1/S phases. This was caused by a decrease in speed and/or persistence time. The decrease in motility...... was accompanied by changes in morphology reflecting the larger volume of cells in G2 than in G1. Furthermore, L-cells and HeLa-cells appeared to be less adherent in the G2 phase. Transfection of L-cells with constitutively active Rac1 led to a general increase in the speed and rate of diffusion in G2 to levels...

  9. Dynamic localization of HmpF regulates type IV pilus activity and directional motility in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Ye Won; Gonzales, Alfonso; Harwood, Thomas V; Huynh, Jessica; Hwang, Yeji; Park, Jun Sang; Trieu, Anthony Q; Italia, Parth; Pallipuram, Vivek K; Risser, Douglas D

    2017-10-01

    Many cyanobacteria exhibit surface motility powered by type 4 pili (T4P). In the model filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, the T4P systems are arrayed in static, bipolar rings in each cell. The chemotaxis-like Hmp system is essential for motility and the coordinated polar accumulation of PilA on cells in motile filaments, while the Ptx system controls positive phototaxis. Using transposon mutagenesis, a gene, designated hmpF, was identified as involved in motility. Synteny among filamentous cyanobacteria and the similar expression patterns for hmpF and hmpD imply that HmpF is part of the Hmp system. Deletion of hmpF produced a phenotype distinct from other hmp genes, but indistinguishable from pilB or pilQ. Both an HmpF-GFPuv fusion protein, and PilA, as assessed by in situ immunofluorescence, displayed coordinated, unipolar localization at the leading pole of each cell. Reversals were modulated by changes in light intensity and preceded by the migration of HmpF-GFPuv to the lagging cell poles. These results are consistent with a model where direct interaction between HmpF and the T4P system activates pilus extension, the Hmp system facilitates coordinated polarity of HmpF to establish motility, and the Ptx system modulates HmpF localization to initiate reversals in response to changes in light intensity. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. A model of the effects of cancer cell motility and cellular adhesion properties on tumour-immune dynamics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frascoli, Federico; Flood, Emelie; Kim, Peter S

    2017-06-01

    We present a three-dimensional model simulating the dynamics of an anti-cancer T-cell response against a small, avascular, early-stage tumour. Interactions at the tumour site are accounted for using an agent-based model (ABM), while immune cell dynamics in the lymph node are modelled as a system of delay differential equations (DDEs). We combine these separate approaches into a two-compartment hybrid ABM-DDE system to capture the T-cell response against the tumour. In the ABM at the tumour site, movement of tumour cells is modelled using effective physical forces with a specific focus on cell-to-cell adhesion properties and varying levels of tumour cell motility, thus taking into account the ability of cancer cells to spread and form clusters. We consider the effectiveness of the immune response over a range of parameters pertaining to tumour cell motility, cell-to-cell adhesion strength and growth rate. We also investigate the dependence of outcomes on the distribution of tumour cells. Low tumour cell motility is generally a good indicator for successful tumour eradication before relapse, while high motility leads, almost invariably, to relapse and tumour escape. In general, the effect of cell-to-cell adhesion on prognosis is dependent on the level of tumour cell motility, with an often unpredictable cross influence between adhesion and motility, which can lead to counterintuitive effects. In terms of overall tumour shape and structure, the spatial distribution of cancer cells in clusters of various sizes has shown to be strongly related to the likelihood of extinction. © The authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. All rights reserved.

  11. Cell motility is inhibited by the antiepileptic compound, valproic acid and its teratogenic analogues

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walmod, P S; Foley, A; Berezin, A

    1998-01-01

    -term recordings and measurements of mean-cell speed, the reduction in the motile behaviour was shown to correlate with the teratogenic potency of the tested compounds. The observed effects of VPA on cell motility was independent of the employed L-cell clone, and could be reproduced in cells containing...... the neuronal marker NCAM and in the neuronal cell line N2a. Furthermore, the observed effect was independent of culture substratum, being observed for L-cells grown on fibronectin as well as on plastic. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that VPA-treatment of mouse L-cells caused a redistribution of F...

  12. Direct Correlation between Motile Behavior and Protein Abundance in Single Cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yann S Dufour

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Understanding how stochastic molecular fluctuations affect cell behavior requires the quantification of both behavior and protein numbers in the same cells. Here, we combine automated microscopy with in situ hydrogel polymerization to measure single-cell protein expression after tracking swimming behavior. We characterized the distribution of non-genetic phenotypic diversity in Escherichia coli motility, which affects single-cell exploration. By expressing fluorescently tagged chemotaxis proteins (CheR and CheB at different levels, we quantitatively mapped motile phenotype (tumble bias to protein numbers using thousands of single-cell measurements. Our results disagreed with established models until we incorporated the role of CheB in receptor deamidation and the slow fluctuations in receptor methylation. Beyond refining models, our central finding is that changes in numbers of CheR and CheB affect the population mean tumble bias and its variance independently. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the degree of phenotypic diversity of a population by adjusting the global level of expression of CheR and CheB while keeping their ratio constant, which, as shown in previous studies, confers functional robustness to the system. Since genetic control of protein expression is heritable, our results suggest that non-genetic diversity in motile behavior is selectable, supporting earlier hypotheses that such diversity confers a selective advantage.

  13. Coordination of glioblastoma cell motility by PKCι

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baldwin R Mitchell

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, in part because of its highly invasive nature. The tumor suppressor PTEN is frequently mutated in glioblastoma and is known to contribute to the invasive phenotype. However the downstream events that promote invasion are not fully understood. PTEN loss leads to activation of the atypical protein kinase C, PKCι. We have previously shown that PKCι is required for glioblastoma cell invasion, primarily by enhancing cell motility. Here we have used time-lapse videomicroscopy to more precisely define the role of PKCι in glioblastoma. Results Glioblastoma cells in which PKCι was either depleted by shRNA or inhibited pharmacologically were unable to coordinate the formation of a single leading edge lamellipod. Instead, some cells generated multiple small, short-lived protrusions while others generated a diffuse leading edge that formed around the entire circumference of the cell. Confocal microscopy showed that this behavior was associated with altered behavior of the cytoskeletal protein Lgl, which is known to be inactivated by PKCι phosphorylation. Lgl in control cells localized to the lamellipod leading edge and did not associate with its binding partner non-muscle myosin II, consistent with it being in an inactive state. In PKCι-depleted cells, Lgl was concentrated at multiple sites at the periphery of the cell and remained in association with non-muscle myosin II. Videomicroscopy also identified a novel role for PKCι in the cell cycle. Cells in which PKCι was either depleted by shRNA or inhibited pharmacologically entered mitosis normally, but showed marked delays in completing mitosis. Conclusions PKCι promotes glioblastoma motility by coordinating the formation of a single leading edge lamellipod and has a role in remodeling the cytoskeleton at the lamellipod leading edge, promoting the dissociation of Lgl from non-muscle myosin II. In addition PKCι is required

  14. Different Motile Behaviors of Human Hematopoietic Stem versus Progenitor Cells at the Osteoblastic Niche

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katie Foster

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Despite advances in our understanding of interactions between mouse hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs and their niche, little is known about communication between human HSCs and the microenvironment. Using a xenotransplantation model and intravital imaging, we demonstrate that human HSCs display distinct motile behaviors to their hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC counterparts, and the same pattern can be found between mouse HSCs and HPCs. HSCs become significantly less motile after transplantation, while progenitor cells remain motile. We show that human HSCs take longer to find their niche than previously expected and suggest that the niche be defined as the position where HSCs stop moving. Intravital imaging is the only technique to determine where in the bone marrow stem cells stop moving, and future analyses should focus on the environment surrounding the HSC at this point.

  15. Suppressive effects of 3-bromopyruvate on the proliferation and the motility of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tomizawa, Minoru; Shinozaki, Fuminobu; Motoyoshi, Yasufumi; Sugiyama, Takao; Yamamoto, Shigenori; Ishige, Naoki

    2016-01-01

    The compound 3-bromopyruvate (3BP) is an analogue of pyruvate, which is the final product of glycolysis that enters the citric acid cycle. The present study aimed to investigate the suppressive effects of 3BP on the proliferation and motility of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. HLF and PLC/PRF/5 cells were cultured with 3BP and subjected to an MTS assay. Apoptosis was analyzed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Cell motility was analyzed using a scratch assay. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to determine the expression levels of cyclin D1 and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)9. Proliferation of both cell lines was significantly suppressed by 3BP at 100 µM (P<0.05). The expression level of cyclin D1 was decreased after 3BP treatment at 100 µM in both cell lines (P<0.05). Pyknotic nuclei were observed in the cells cultured with 3BP at 100 µM. These results revealed that 3BP suppressed cell proliferation, decreased the expression of cyclin D1, and induced apoptosis in HCC cells. 3BP significantly suppressed motility in both cell lines (P<0.05). The expression level of MMP9 was significantly decreased (P<0.05). 3BP suppressed the proliferation and motility of HCC cells by decreasing the expression of cyclin D1 and MMP9.

  16. Immature germ cells in semen - correlation with total sperm count and sperm motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Priya S; Humbarwadi, Rajendra S; Patil, Ashalata D; Gune, Anita R

    2013-07-01

    Current data regarding infertility suggests that male factor contributes up to 30% of the total cases of infertility. Semen analysis reveals the presence of spermatozoa as well as a number of non-sperm cells, presently being mentioned in routine semen report as "round cells" without further differentiating them into leucocytes or immature germ cells. The aim of this work was to study a simple, cost-effective, and convenient method for differentiating the round cells in semen into immature germ cells and leucocytes and correlating them with total sperm counts and motility. Semen samples from 120 males, who had come for investigation for infertility, were collected, semen parameters recorded, and stained smears studied for different round cells. Statistical analysis of the data was done to correlate total sperm counts and sperm motility with the occurrence of immature germ cells and leucocytes. The average shedding of immature germ cells in different groups with normal and low sperm counts was compared. The clinical significance of "round cells" in semen and their differentiation into leucocytes and immature germ cells are discussed. Round cells in semen can be differentiated into immature germ cells and leucocytes using simple staining methods. The differential counts mentioned in a semen report give valuable and clinically relevant information. In this study, we observed a negative correlation between total count and immature germ cells, as well as sperm motility and shedding of immature germ cells. The latter was statistically significant with a P value 0.000.

  17. The beneficial effect of genetically engineered Schwann cells with enhanced motility in peripheral nerve regeneration: review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gravvanis, A I; Lavdas, A A; Papalois, A; Tsoutsos, D A; Matsas, R

    2007-01-01

    The importance of Schwann cells in promoting nerve regeneration across a conduit has been extensively reported in the literature, and Schwann cell motility has been acknowledged as a prerequisite for myelination of the peripheral nervous system during regeneration after injury. Review of recent literature and retrospective analysis of our studies with genetically modified Schwann Cells with increased motility in order to identify the underlying mechanism of action and outline the future trends in peripheral nerve repair. Schwann cell transduction with the pREV-retrovirus, for expression of Sialyl-Transferase-X, resulting in conferring Polysialyl-residues (PSA) on NCAM, increases their motility in-vitro and ensures nerve regeneration through silicone tubes after end-to-side neurorraphy in the rat sciatic nerve model, thus significantly promoting fiber maturation and functional outcome. An artificial nerve graft consisting of a type I collagen tube lined with the genetically modified Schwann cells with increased motility, used to bridge a defect in end-to-end fashion in the rat sciatic nerve model, was shown to promote nerve regeneration to a level equal to that of a nerve autograft. The use of genetically engineered Schwann cells with enhanced motility for grafting endoneural tubes promotes axonal regeneration, by virtue of the interaction of the transplanted cells with regenerating axonal growth cones as well as via the recruitment of endogenous Schwann cells. It is envisaged that mixed populations of Schwann cells, expressing PSA and one or more trophic factors, might further enhance the regenerating and remyelinating potential of the lesioned nerves.

  18. Hemidesmosomal linker proteins regulate cell motility, invasion and tumorigenicity in oral squamous cell carcinoma derived cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaudhari, Pratik Rajeev; Charles, Silvania Emlit; D'Souza, Zinia Charlotte; Vaidya, Milind Murlidhar

    2017-11-15

    BPAG1e and Plectin are hemidesmosomal linker proteins which anchor intermediate filament proteins to the cell surface through β4 integrin. Recent reports indicate that these proteins play a role in various cellular processes apart from their known anchoring function. However, the available literature is inconsistent. Further, the previous study from our laboratory suggested that Keratin8/18 pair promotes cell motility and tumor progression by deregulating β4 integrin signaling in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) derived cells. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that linker proteins may have a role in neoplastic progression of OSCC. Downregulation of hemidesmosomal linker proteins in OSCC derived cells resulted in reduced cell migration accompanied by alterations in actin organization. Further, decreased MMP9 activity led to reduced cell invasion in linker proteins knockdown cells. Moreover, loss of these proteins resulted in reduced tumorigenic potential. SWATH analysis demonstrated upregulation of N-Myc downstream regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) in linker proteins downregulated cells as compared to vector control cells. Further, the defects in phenotype upon linker proteins ablation were rescued upon loss of NDRG1 in linker proteins knockdown background. These data together indicate that hemidesmosomal linker proteins regulate cell motility, invasion and tumorigenicity possibly through NDRG1 in OSCC derived cells. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Live Imaging of Influenza Infection of the Trachea Reveals Dynamic Regulation of CD8+ T Cell Motility by Antigen.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert Emo, Kris; Hyun, Young-Min; Reilly, Emma; Barilla, Christopher; Gerber, Scott; Fowell, Deborah; Kim, Minsoo; Topham, David J

    2016-09-01

    During a primary influenza infection, cytotoxic CD8+ T cells need to infiltrate the infected airways and engage virus-infected epithelial cells. The factors that regulate T cell motility in the infected airway tissue are not well known. To more precisely study T cell infiltration of the airways, we developed an experimental model system using the trachea as a site where live imaging can be performed. CD8+ T cell motility was dynamic with marked changes in motility on different days of the infection. In particular, significant changes in average cell velocity and confinement were evident on days 8-10 during which the T cells abruptly but transiently increase velocity on day 9. Experiments to distinguish whether infection itself or antigen affect motility revealed that it is antigen, not active infection per se that likely affects these changes as blockade of peptide/MHC resulted in increased velocity. These observations demonstrate that influenza tracheitis provides a robust experimental foundation to study molecular regulation of T cell motility during acute virus infection.

  20. Live Imaging of Influenza Infection of the Trachea Reveals Dynamic Regulation of CD8+ T Cell Motility by Antigen.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kris Lambert Emo

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available During a primary influenza infection, cytotoxic CD8+ T cells need to infiltrate the infected airways and engage virus-infected epithelial cells. The factors that regulate T cell motility in the infected airway tissue are not well known. To more precisely study T cell infiltration of the airways, we developed an experimental model system using the trachea as a site where live imaging can be performed. CD8+ T cell motility was dynamic with marked changes in motility on different days of the infection. In particular, significant changes in average cell velocity and confinement were evident on days 8-10 during which the T cells abruptly but transiently increase velocity on day 9. Experiments to distinguish whether infection itself or antigen affect motility revealed that it is antigen, not active infection per se that likely affects these changes as blockade of peptide/MHC resulted in increased velocity. These observations demonstrate that influenza tracheitis provides a robust experimental foundation to study molecular regulation of T cell motility during acute virus infection.

  1. Alternative Splicing in Adhesion- and Motility-Related Genes in Breast Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosanna Aversa

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Breast cancer is the most common tumor and the second leading cause of cancer death among woman, mainly caused by the metastatic spread. Tumor invasiveness is due to an altered expression of adhesion molecules. Among them, semaphorins are of peculiar interest. Cancer cells can manipulate alternative splicing patterns to modulate the expression of adhesion- and motility-related molecules, also at the isoform level. In this study, combining RNA-Sequencing on MCF-7 to targeted experimental validations—in human breast cell lines and breast tumor biopsies—we identified 12 new alternative splicing transcripts in genes encoding adhesion- and motility-related molecules, including semaphorins, their receptors and co-receptors. Among them, a new SEMA3F transcript is expressed in all breast cell lines and breast cancer biopsies, and is translated into a new semaphorin 3F isoform. In silico analysis predicted that most of the new putative proteins lack functional domains, potentially missing some functions and acquiring new ones. Our findings better describe the extent of alternative splicing in breast cancer and highlight the need to further investigate adhesion- and motility-related molecules to gain insights into breast cancer progression.

  2. Endogenous Ion Dynamics in Cell Motility and Tissue Regeneration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Özkucur, N; Perike, S; Epperlein, H H; Funk, R H W

    2011-01-01

    Directional cell migration is an essential process, including regeneration of tissues, wound healing, and embryonic development. Cells achieve persistent directional migration by polarizing the spatiotemporal components involved in the morphological polarity. Ion transporter proteins situated at the cell membrane generates small electric fields that can induce directional cell motility. Besides them, externally applied direct current electric fields induce similar kind of responses as cell orientation and directional migration. However, the bioelectric mechanisms that lead to cellular directedness are poorly understood. Therefore, understanding the bioelectric signaling cues can serve as a powerful modality in controlling the cell behaviour, which can contribute additional insights for development and regeneration.

  3. Mannose-binding lectin impairs Leptospira activity through the inhibitory effect on the motility of cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Jun; Guo, Yijie; Nakamura, Shuichi; Islam, Md Shafiqul; Tomioka, Rintaro; Yoneyama, Hiroshi; Isogai, Emiko

    2015-02-01

    Mannose-binding lectin (MBL) plays key role in lectin pathway of innate immunity, and shows the ability of triggering opsonization intermediately. Substantial increase in the serum level of MBL has been confirmed during leptospirosis, which caused by a pathogenic spirochete, Leptospira. Leptospira has a fascinating locomotion pattern, which simultaneously gyrating and swimming forward, such motility enables that Leptospira is difficult to be captured by immune cells if without any assistance. In this study, the effect of mannose-binding lectin to Leptospira was quantitatively investigated by measuring some kinematic parameters, to discover the mechanism behind MBL-mediated immune responses during leptospiral infection. The results showed that mannose-binding lectin is capable of inhibiting the motility of Leptospira by transforming free swimming cells to tumbled rotating cells, resulted in the increase number of rotating cells. Otherwise, decrease in rotation rate of rotating cell has been observed. However, the swimming speed of swimming Leptospira cells showed no observable change under the effect of MBL. The inhibitory effect were only valid in a relatively short period, Leptospira cells regained their original motility after 2 h. This raises an interesting topic that Leptospira is somehow able to escape from the inhibitory effect of MBL by dragging such unfavorable molecules toward to the cell end and eventually throwing it out. The inhibitory effect of MBL on the motility of Leptospira is expected to provide a new insight into lectin pathway. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  4. O-GlcNAcylation affects β-catenin and E-cadherin expression, cell motility and tumorigenicity of colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harosh-Davidovich, Shani Ben; Khalaila, Isam

    2018-03-01

    O-GlcNAcylation, the addition of β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) moiety to Ser/Thr residues, is a sensor of the cell metabolic state. Cancer diseases such as colon, lung and breast cancer, possess deregulated O-GlcNAcylation. Studies during the last decade revealed that O-GlcNAcylation is implicated in cancer tumorigenesis and proliferation. The Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and cadherin-mediated adhesion are also implicated in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a key cellular process in invasion and cancer metastasis. Often, deregulation of the Wnt pathway is caused by altered phosphorylation of its components. Specifically, phosphorylation of Ser or Thr residues of β-catenin affects its location and interaction with E-cadherin, thus facilitating cell-cell adhesion. Consistent with previous studies, the current study indicates that β-catenin is O-GlcNAcylated. To test the effect of O-GlcNAcylation on cell motility and how O-GlcNAcylation might affect β-catenin and E-cadherin functions, the enzyme machinery of O-GlcNAcylation was modulated either with chemical inhibitors or by gene silencing. When O-GlcNAcase (OGA) was inhibited, a global elevation of protein O-GlcNAcylation and increase in the expression of E-cadherin and β-catenin were noted. Concomitantly with enhanced O-GlcNAcylation, β-catenin transcriptional activity were elevated. Additionally, fibroblast cell motility was enhanced. Stable silenced cell lines with adenoviral OGA or adenoviral O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) were established. Consistent with the results obtained by OGA chemical inhibition by TMG, OGT-silencing led to a significant reduction in β-catenin level. In vivo, murine orthotropic colorectal cancer model indicates that elevated O-GlcNAcylation leads to increased mortality rate, tumor and metastasis development. However, reduction in O-GlcNAcylation promoted survival that could be attributed to attenuated tumor and metastasis development. The results described herein provide

  5. Increased count, motility, and total motile sperm cells collected across three consecutive ejaculations within 24 h of oocyte retrieval: implications for management of men presenting with low numbers of motile sperm for assisted reproduction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Said, Al-Hasen; Reed, Michael L

    2015-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to quantitate changes in seminal volume, sperm count, motility, qualitative forward progression, and total motile sperm cells per ejaculate, across three consecutive ejaculates collected from individuals within 24 h preceding an IVF cycle. Men presenting with oligoasthenozoospermia or asthenozoospemia attempted three ejaculates within 24 h preceding IVF. Ejaculate 1 was produced the afternoon prior to oocyte retrieval, and ejaculates 2 and 3 were produced the morning of oocyte retrieval with 2-3 h between collections. Ejaculates 1 and 2 were extended 1:1 v/v with room temperature rTYBS. Test tubes were placed into a beaker of room temperature water, then placed at 4 °C for gradual cooling. Ejaculate 3 was not extended, but pooled with ejaculates 1 and 2 and processed for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Out of 109 oocyte retrievals, 28 men were asked to attempt multiple consecutive ejaculations. Among this population, 25/28 (89.3 %) were successful, and 3/28 men (10.7 %) could only produce two ejaculates. Mean volumes for ejaculates 1, 2, and 3 were significantly different from each other (p sperm counts, motility, qualitative forward progression, and total motile cells per ejaculate for the ejaculates1, 2, and 3 demonstrated the following: ejaculates 2 and 3 were not significantly different, but counts, motility, and total motile sperm were improved over ejaculate 1 (p sperm in this population by 8-fold compared to the first ejaculate alone, facilitating avoidance of sperm cryopreservation and additional centrifugation steps that could affect sperm viability and/or function.

  6. Single-cell-based evaluation of sperm progressive motility via fluorescent assessment of mitochondria membrane potential.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moscatelli, Natalina; Spagnolo, Barbara; Pisanello, Marco; Lemma, Enrico Domenico; De Vittorio, Massimo; Zara, Vincenzo; Pisanello, Ferruccio; Ferramosca, Alessandra

    2017-12-20

    Sperm cells progressive motility is the most important parameter involved in the fertilization process. Sperm middle piece contains mitochondria, which play a critical role in energy production and whose proper operation ensures the reproductive success. Notably, sperm progressive motility is strictly related to mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and consequently to mitochondrial functionality. Although previous studies presented an evaluation of mitochondrial function through MMP assessment in entire sperm cells samples, a quantitative approach at single-cell level could provide more insights in the analysis of semen quality. Here we combine laser scanning confocal microscopy and functional fluorescent staining of mitochondrial membrane to assess MMP distribution among isolated spermatozoa. We found that the sperm fluorescence value increases as a function of growing progressive motility and that such fluorescence is influenced by MMP disruptors, potentially allowing for the discrimination of different quality classes of sperm cells in heterogeneous populations.

  7. Individual cell motility studied by time-lapse video recording: influence of experimental conditions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hartmann-Petersen, R; Walmod, P S; Berezin, A

    2000-01-01

    : Of the parameters evaluated, cell motility was most strongly affected by changes in pH and temperature. In general, changes in cell speed were accompanied by alterations in cell morphology and organization of filamentous actin, although no consistent phenotypic characteristics could be demonstrated for cells...

  8. The Role of TSC Proteins in Regulating Cell Adhesion and Motility

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Krymskaya, Vera P

    2006-01-01

    The goal of this project was to define the molecular signaling mechanisms by which TSCI and TSC2 proteins regulate cell adhesion and motility as it relates to the genetic disorder tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC...

  9. Cell cycle-dependent Rho GTPase activity dynamically regulates cancer cell motility and invasion in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kagawa, Yoshinori; Matsumoto, Shinji; Kamioka, Yuji; Mimori, Koshi; Naito, Yoko; Ishii, Taeko; Okuzaki, Daisuke; Nishida, Naohiro; Maeda, Sakae; Naito, Atsushi; Kikuta, Junichi; Nishikawa, Keizo; Nishimura, Junichi; Haraguchi, Naotsugu; Takemasa, Ichiro; Mizushima, Tsunekazu; Ikeda, Masataka; Yamamoto, Hirofumi; Sekimoto, Mitsugu; Ishii, Hideshi; Doki, Yuichiro; Matsuda, Michiyuki; Kikuchi, Akira; Mori, Masaki; Ishii, Masaru

    2013-01-01

    The mechanism behind the spatiotemporal control of cancer cell dynamics and its possible association with cell proliferation has not been well established. By exploiting the intravital imaging technique, we found that cancer cell motility and invasive properties were closely associated with the cell cycle. In vivo inoculation of human colon cancer cells bearing fluorescence ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci) demonstrated an unexpected phenomenon: S/G2/M cells were more motile and invasive than G1 cells. Microarray analyses showed that Arhgap11a, an uncharacterized Rho GTPase-activating protein (RhoGAP), was expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent fashion. Expression of ARHGAP11A in cancer cells suppressed RhoA-dependent mechanisms, such as stress fiber formation and focal adhesion, which made the cells more prone to migrate. We also demonstrated that RhoA suppression by ARHGAP11A induced augmentation of relative Rac1 activity, leading to an increase in the invasive properties. RNAi-based inhibition of Arhgap11a reduced the invasion and in vivo expansion of cancers. Additionally, analysis of human specimens showed the significant up-regulation of Arhgap11a in colon cancers, which was correlated with clinical invasion status. The present study suggests that ARHGAP11A, a cell cycle-dependent RhoGAP, is a critical regulator of cancer cell mobility and is thus a promising therapeutic target in invasive cancers.

  10. Cell cycle-dependent Rho GTPase activity dynamically regulates cancer cell motility and invasion in vivo.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yoshinori Kagawa

    Full Text Available The mechanism behind the spatiotemporal control of cancer cell dynamics and its possible association with cell proliferation has not been well established. By exploiting the intravital imaging technique, we found that cancer cell motility and invasive properties were closely associated with the cell cycle. In vivo inoculation of human colon cancer cells bearing fluorescence ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci demonstrated an unexpected phenomenon: S/G2/M cells were more motile and invasive than G1 cells. Microarray analyses showed that Arhgap11a, an uncharacterized Rho GTPase-activating protein (RhoGAP, was expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent fashion. Expression of ARHGAP11A in cancer cells suppressed RhoA-dependent mechanisms, such as stress fiber formation and focal adhesion, which made the cells more prone to migrate. We also demonstrated that RhoA suppression by ARHGAP11A induced augmentation of relative Rac1 activity, leading to an increase in the invasive properties. RNAi-based inhibition of Arhgap11a reduced the invasion and in vivo expansion of cancers. Additionally, analysis of human specimens showed the significant up-regulation of Arhgap11a in colon cancers, which was correlated with clinical invasion status. The present study suggests that ARHGAP11A, a cell cycle-dependent RhoGAP, is a critical regulator of cancer cell mobility and is thus a promising therapeutic target in invasive cancers.

  11. Hybrid cellular automaton modeling of nutrient modulated cell growth in tissue engineering constructs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, C A; Lin, Tze-Hung; Chen, Shih-Di; Huang, Hsing-I

    2010-01-21

    Mathematic models help interpret experimental results and accelerate tissue engineering developments. We develop in this paper a hybrid cellular automata model that combines the differential nutrient transport equation to investigate the nutrient limited cell construct development for cartilage tissue engineering. Individual cell behaviors of migration, contact inhibition and cell collision, coupled with the cell proliferation regulated by oxygen concentration were carefully studied. Simplified two-dimensional simulations were performed. Using this model, we investigated the influence of cell migration speed on the overall cell growth within in vitro cell scaffolds. It was found that intense cell motility can enhance initial cell growth rates. However, since cell growth is also significantly modulated by the nutrient contents, intense cell motility with conventional uniform cell seeding method may lead to declined cell growth in the final time because concentrated cell population has been growing around the scaffold periphery to block the nutrient transport from outside culture media. Therefore, homogeneous cell seeding may not be a good way of gaining large and uniform cell densities for the final results. We then compared cell growth in scaffolds with various seeding modes, and proposed a seeding mode with cells initially residing in the middle area of the scaffold that may efficiently reduce the nutrient blockage and result in a better cell amount and uniform cell distribution for tissue engineering construct developments.

  12. Lichen Secondary Metabolite, Physciosporin, Inhibits Lung Cancer Cell Motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yi; Park, So-Yeon; Nguyen, Thanh Thi; Yu, Young Hyun; Nguyen, Tru Van; Sun, Eun Gene; Udeni, Jayalal; Jeong, Min-Hye; Pereira, Iris; Moon, Cheol; Ha, Hyung-Ho; Kim, Kyung Keun; Hur, Jae-Seoun; Kim, Hangun

    2015-01-01

    Lichens produce various unique chemicals that can be used for pharmaceutical purposes. To screen for novel lichen secondary metabolites showing inhibitory activity against lung cancer cell motility, we tested acetone extracts of 13 lichen samples collected in Chile. Physciosporin, isolated from Pseudocyphellaria coriacea (Hook f. & Taylor) D.J. Galloway & P. James, was identified as an effective compound and showed significant inhibitory activity in migration and invasion assays against human lung cancer cells. Physciosporin treatment reduced both protein and mRNA levels of N-cadherin with concomitant decreases in the levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers such as snail and twist. Physciosporin also suppressed KITENIN (KAI1 C-terminal interacting tetraspanin)-mediated AP-1 activity in both the absence and presence of epidermal growth factor stimulation. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression of the metastasis suppressor gene, KAI1, was increased while that of the metastasis enhancer gene, KITENIN, was dramatically decreased by physciosporin. Particularly, the activity of 3’-untranslated region of KITENIN was decreased by physciosporin. Moreover, Cdc42 and Rac1 activities were decreased by physciosporin. These results demonstrated that the lichen secondary metabolite, physciosporin, inhibits lung cancer cell motility through novel mechanisms of action. PMID:26371759

  13. All-trans-retinoic Acid Modulates the Plasticity and Inhibits the Motility of Breast Cancer Cells: ROLE OF NOTCH1 AND TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR (TGFβ).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zanetti, Adriana; Affatato, Roberta; Centritto, Floriana; Fratelli, Maddalena; Kurosaki, Mami; Barzago, Maria Monica; Bolis, Marco; Terao, Mineko; Garattini, Enrico; Paroni, Gabriela

    2015-07-17

    All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) is a natural compound proposed for the treatment/chemoprevention of breast cancer. Increasing evidence indicates that aberrant regulation of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a determinant of the cancer cell invasive and metastatic behavior. The effects of ATRA on EMT are largely unknown. In HER2-positive SKBR3 and UACC812 cells, showing co-amplification of the ERBB2 and RARA genes, ATRA activates a RARα-dependent epithelial differentiation program. In SKBR3 cells, this causes the formation/reorganization of adherens and tight junctions. Epithelial differentiation and augmented cell-cell contacts underlie the anti-migratory action exerted by the retinoid in cells exposed to the EMT-inducing factors EGF and heregulin-β1. Down-regulation of NOTCH1, an emerging EMT modulator, is involved in the inhibition of motility by ATRA. Indeed, the retinoid blocks NOTCH1 up-regulation by EGF and/or heregulin-β1. Pharmacological inhibition of γ-secretase and NOTCH1 processing also abrogates SKBR3 cell migration. Stimulation of TGFβ contributes to the anti-migratory effect of ATRA. The retinoid switches TGFβ from an EMT-inducing and pro-migratory determinant to an anti-migratory mediator. Inhibition of the NOTCH1 pathway not only plays a role in the anti-migratory action of ATRA; it is relevant also for the anti-proliferative activity of the retinoid in HCC1599 breast cancer cells, which are addicted to NOTCH1 for growth/viability. This effect is enhanced by the combination of ATRA and the γ-secretase inhibitor N-(N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl)-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester, supporting the concept that the two compounds act at the transcriptional and post-translational levels along the NOTCH1 pathway. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  14. Measurement of cell motility on proton beam micromachined 3D scaffolds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, F.; Sun, F.; Kan, J.A. van; Shao, P.G.; Zheng, Z.; Ge, R.W.; Watt, F.

    2005-01-01

    Tissue engineering is a rapidly developing and highly interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of cell biology, engineering and material science. In natural tissues, the cells are arranged in a three-dimensional (3D) matrix which provides the appropriate functional, nutritional and spatial conditions. In scaffold guided tissue engineering 3D scaffolds provide the critical function of acting as extracellular matrices onto which cells can attach, grow, and form new tissue. The main focus of this paper is to understand cell behavior on micro-grooved and ridged substrates and to study the effects of geometrical constraints on cell motility and cell function. In this study, we found that BAE (Bovine Aortic Endothelial) cells naturally align with and are guided along 3D ridges and grooves machined into polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) substrates. Average cell speed on micro-grooves and ridges ranged from 0.015 μm/s (for 12 μm wide and 10 μm deep ridges) to 0.025 μm/s (for 20 μm wide and 10 μm deep ridges). This compares with the cell motility rate on a flat PMMA surface where the average cell speed is around 0.012 μm/s. In this work we used scaffolds which were directly written with a focused proton beam, typically 1 MeV protons with a beam spot size of 1 x 1 μm 2

  15. Inhibitory Activity of (+-Usnic Acid against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Motility.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi Yang

    Full Text Available Lichens are symbiotic organisms that produce various unique chemicals that can be used for pharmaceutical purposes. With the aim of screening new anti-cancer agents that inhibit cancer cell motility, we tested the inhibitory activity of seven lichen species collected from the Romanian Carpathian Mountains against migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells and further investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying their anti-metastatic activity. Among them, Alectoria samentosa, Flavocetraria nivalis, Alectoria ochroleuca, and Usnea florida showed significant inhibitory activity against motility of human lung cancer cells. HPLC results showed that usnic acid is the main compound in these lichens, and (+-usnic acid showed similar inhibitory activity that crude extract have. Mechanistically, β-catenin-mediated TOPFLASH activity and KITENIN-mediated AP-1 activity were decreased by (+-usnic acid treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The quantitative real-time PCR data showed that (+-usnic acid decreased the mRNA level of CD44, Cyclin D1 and c-myc, which are the downstream target genes of both β-catenin/LEF and c-jun/AP-1. Also, Rac1 and RhoA activities were decreased by treatment with (+-usnic acid. Interestingly, higher inhibitory activity for cell invasion was observed when cells were treated with (+-usnic acid and cetuximab. These results implied that (+-usnic acid might have potential activity in inhibition of cancer cell metastasis, and (+-usnic acid could be used for anti-cancer therapy with a distinct mechanisms of action.

  16. Inhibitory Activity of (+)-Usnic Acid against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Yi; Nguyen, Thanh Thi; Jeong, Min-Hye; Crişan, Florin; Yu, Young Hyun; Ha, Hyung-Ho; Choi, Kyung Hee; Jeong, Hye Gwang; Jeong, Tae Cheon; Lee, Kwang Youl; Kim, Kyung Keun; Hur, Jae-Seoun; Kim, Hangun

    2016-01-01

    Lichens are symbiotic organisms that produce various unique chemicals that can be used for pharmaceutical purposes. With the aim of screening new anti-cancer agents that inhibit cancer cell motility, we tested the inhibitory activity of seven lichen species collected from the Romanian Carpathian Mountains against migration and invasion of human lung cancer cells and further investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying their anti-metastatic activity. Among them, Alectoria samentosa, Flavocetraria nivalis, Alectoria ochroleuca, and Usnea florida showed significant inhibitory activity against motility of human lung cancer cells. HPLC results showed that usnic acid is the main compound in these lichens, and (+)-usnic acid showed similar inhibitory activity that crude extract have. Mechanistically, β-catenin-mediated TOPFLASH activity and KITENIN-mediated AP-1 activity were decreased by (+)-usnic acid treatment in a dose-dependent manner. The quantitative real-time PCR data showed that (+)-usnic acid decreased the mRNA level of CD44, Cyclin D1 and c-myc, which are the downstream target genes of both β-catenin/LEF and c-jun/AP-1. Also, Rac1 and RhoA activities were decreased by treatment with (+)-usnic acid. Interestingly, higher inhibitory activity for cell invasion was observed when cells were treated with (+)-usnic acid and cetuximab. These results implied that (+)-usnic acid might have potential activity in inhibition of cancer cell metastasis, and (+)-usnic acid could be used for anti-cancer therapy with a distinct mechanisms of action. PMID:26751081

  17. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans mediate interstitial flow mechanotransduction regulating MMP-13 expression and cell motility via FAK-ERK in 3D collagen.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhong-Dong Shi

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Interstitial flow directly affects cells that reside in tissues and regulates tissue physiology and pathology by modulating important cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, and migration. However, the structures that cells utilize to sense interstitial flow in a 3-dimensional (3D environment have not yet been elucidated. Previously, we have shown that interstitial flow upregulates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs and fibroblasts/myofibroblasts via activation of an ERK1/2-c-Jun pathway, which in turn promotes cell migration in collagen. Herein, we focused on uncovering the flow-induced mechanotransduction mechanism in 3D.Cleavage of rat vascular SMC surface glycocalyx heparan sulfate (HS chains from proteoglycan (PG core proteins by heparinase or disruption of HS biosynthesis by silencing N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase 1 (NDST1 suppressed interstitial flow-induced ERK1/2 activation, interstitial collagenase (MMP-13 expression, and SMC motility in 3D collagen. Inhibition or knockdown of focal adhesion kinase (FAK also attenuated or blocked flow-induced ERK1/2 activation, MMP-13 expression, and cell motility. Interstitial flow induced FAK phosphorylation at Tyr925, and this activation was blocked when heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs were disrupted. These data suggest that HSPGs mediate interstitial flow-induced mechanotransduction through FAK-ERK. In addition, we show that integrins are crucial for mechanotransduction through HSPGs as they mediate cell spreading and maintain cytoskeletal rigidity.We propose a conceptual mechanotransduction model wherein cell surface glycocalyx HSPGs, in the presence of integrin-mediated cell-matrix adhesions and cytoskeleton organization, sense interstitial flow and activate the FAK-ERK signaling axis, leading to upregulation of MMP expression and cell motility in 3D. This is the first study to describe a flow-induced mechanotransduction

  18. Pancreatic cancer circulating tumour cells express a cell motility gene signature that predicts survival after surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sergeant, Gregory; Eijsden, Rudy van; Roskams, Tania; Van Duppen, Victor; Topal, Baki

    2012-01-01

    Most cancer deaths are caused by metastases, resulting from circulating tumor cells (CTC) that detach from the primary cancer and survive in distant organs. The aim of the present study was to develop a CTC gene signature and to assess its prognostic relevance after surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Negative depletion fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) was developed and validated with spiking experiments using cancer cell lines in whole human blood samples. This FACS-based method was used to enrich for CTC from the blood of 10 patients who underwent surgery for PDAC. Total RNA was isolated from 4 subgroup samples, i.e. CTC, haematological cells (G), original tumour (T), and non-tumoural pancreatic control tissue (P). After RNA quality control, samples of 6 patients were eligible for further analysis. Whole genome microarray analysis was performed after double linear amplification of RNA. ‘Ingenuity Pathway Analysis’ software and AmiGO were used for functional data analyses. A CTC gene signature was developed and validated with the nCounter system on expression data of 78 primary PDAC using Cox regression analysis for disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Using stringent statistical analysis, we retained 8,152 genes to compare expression profiles of CTC vs. other subgroups, and found 1,059 genes to be differentially expressed. The pathway with the highest expression ratio in CTC was p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) signaling, known to be involved in cancer cell migration. In the p38 MAPK pathway, TGF-β1, cPLA2, and MAX were significantly upregulated. In addition, 9 other genes associated with both p38 MAPK signaling and cell motility were overexpressed in CTC. High co-expression of TGF-β1 and our cell motility panel (≥ 4 out of 9 genes for DFS and ≥ 6 out of 9 genes for OS) in primary PDAC was identified as an independent predictor of DFS (p=0.041, HR (95% CI) = 1.885 (1.025 – 3.559)) and OS (p=0.047, HR

  19. In vitro motility of cells from human epidermoid carcinomas. A study by phase-contrast and reflection-contrast cinematography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haemmerli, G; Sträuli, P

    1981-05-15

    The motile behavior of six cell lines derived from human squamous carcinomas (two from the larynx, four from the tongue) was studied by cinematography under phase- and reflection-contrast illumination. The recorded cell activities consist in spreading, stationary and translocation motility, and aggregate formation. Within this common pattern, quantitative modifications ("sub-pattern") are stable properties of the individual cells lines. Such modifications are particularly evident with regard to the dynamic texture of the aggregates which ranges from loose, netlike structures to compact islands with smooth borders. Accordingly, the intensity of cell traffic within and around the aggregates varies considerably. It is discussed to what extent the in vitro motility of the carcinoma cell populations reflects their behavior in the organism and thus the significance of cell movements for invasion.

  20. Measuring Borrelia burgdorferi Motility and Chemotaxis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Kai; Li, Chunhao

    2018-01-01

    Swimming plate, cell motion tracking, and capillary tube assays are very useful tools to quantitatively measure bacterial motility and chemotaxis. These methods were modified and applied to study Borrelia burgdorferi motility and chemotaxis. By using these methods, numerous motility and chemotaxis mutants have been characterized and several chemoattractants were identified. With the assistance of these tools, the role of motility and chemotaxis in the pathogenicity of B. burgdorferi has been established. In addition, these tools also facilitate the study of motility and chemotaxis in other spirochetes.

  1. Interplay of differential cell mechanical properties, motility, and proliferation in emergent collective behavior of cell co-cultures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sutter, Leo; Kolbman, Dan; Wu, Mingming; Ma, Minglin; Das, Moumita

    The biophysics of cell co-cultures, i.e. binary systems of cell populations, is of great interest in many biological processes including formation of embryos, and tumor progression. During these processes, different types of cells with different physical properties are mixed with each other, with important consequences for cell-cell interaction, aggregation, and migration. The role of the differences in their physical properties in their collective behavior remains poorly understood. Furthermore, until recently most theoretical studies of collective cell migration have focused on two dimensional systems. Under physiological conditions, however, cells often have to navigate three dimensional and confined micro-environments. We study a confined, three-dimensional binary system of interacting, active, and deformable particles with different physical properties such as deformability, motility, adhesion, and division rates using Langevin Dynamics simulations. Our findings may provide insights into how the differences in and interplay between cell mechanical properties, division, and motility influence emergent collective behavior such as cell aggregation and segregation experimentally observed in co-cultures of breast cancer cells and healthy breast epithelial cells. This work was partially supported by a Cottrell College Science Award.

  2. The role of hair cells, cilia and ciliary motility in otolith formation in the zebrafish otic vesicle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stooke-Vaughan, Georgina A; Huang, Peng; Hammond, Katherine L; Schier, Alexander F; Whitfield, Tanya T

    2012-05-01

    Otoliths are biomineralised structures required for the sensation of gravity, linear acceleration and sound in the zebrafish ear. Otolith precursor particles, initially distributed throughout the otic vesicle lumen, become tethered to the tips of hair cell kinocilia (tether cilia) at the otic vesicle poles, forming two otoliths. We have used high-speed video microscopy to investigate the role of cilia and ciliary motility in otolith formation. In wild-type ears, groups of motile cilia are present at the otic vesicle poles, surrounding the immotile tether cilia. A few motile cilia are also found on the medial wall, but most cilia (92-98%) in the otic vesicle are immotile. In mutants with defective cilia (iguana) or ciliary motility (lrrc50), otoliths are frequently ectopic, untethered or fused. Nevertheless, neither cilia nor ciliary motility are absolutely required for otolith tethering: a mutant that lacks cilia completely (MZovl) is still capable of tethering otoliths at the otic vesicle poles. In embryos with attenuated Notch signalling [mindbomb mutant or Su(H) morphant], supernumerary hair cells develop and otolith precursor particles bind to the tips of all kinocilia, or bind directly to the hair cells' apical surface if cilia are absent [MZovl injected with a Su(H)1+2 morpholino]. However, if the first hair cells are missing (atoh1b morphant), otolith formation is severely disrupted and delayed. Our data support a model in which hair cells produce an otolith precursor-binding factor, normally localised to tether cell kinocilia. We also show that embryonic movement plays a minor role in the formation of normal otoliths.

  3. No Correlates for Somatic Motility in Freeze-Fractured Hair-Cell Membranes of Lizards and Birds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köppl, C.; Forge, A.; Manley, G. A.

    2003-02-01

    It is not known whether active processes in mammals and non-mammals are due to the same underlying mechanism. To address this, we studied the size and density of particles in hair-cell membranes in mammals, in a lizard, the Tokay gecko, and in a bird, the barn owl. We surmised that if the prominent particles described in mammalian outer-hair-cell membranes are responsible for cochlear motility, a similar occurrence in non-mammalian hair cells would argue for similar mechanisms. Particle densities differed, however, substantially from those of mammals, suggesting that non-mammals have no membrane-based motility.

  4. Differential effects on cell motility, embryonic stem cell self-renewal and senescence by diverse Src kinase family inhibitors

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tamm, Christoffer, E-mail: christoffer.tamm@imbim.uu.se; Galito, Sara Pijuan, E-mail: sara.pijuan@imbim.uu.se; Anneren, Cecilia, E-mail: cecilia.anneren@imbim.uu.se

    2012-02-15

    The Src family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases (SFKs) has been shown to play an intricate role in embryonic stem (ES) cell maintenance. In the present study we have focused on the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the vastly different effects induced by various commonly used SFK inhibitors. We show that several diverse cell types, including fibroblasts completely lacking SFKs, cannot undergo mitosis in response to SU6656 and that this is caused by an unselective inhibition of Aurora kinases. In contrast, PP2 and PD173952 block motility immediately upon exposure and forces cells to grow in dense colonies. The subsequent halt in proliferation of fibroblast and epithelial cells in the center of the colonies approximately 24 h post-treatment appears to be caused by cell-to-cell contact inhibition rather than a direct effect of SFK kinase inhibition. Interestingly, in addition to generating more homogenous and dense ES cell cultures, without any diverse effect on proliferation, PP2 and PD173652 also promote ES cell self-renewal by reducing the small amount of spontaneous differentiation typically observed under standard ES cell culture conditions. These effects could not be mirrored by the use of Gleevec, a potent inhibitor of c-Abl and PDGFR kinases that are also inhibited by PP2. -- Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SFK inhibitor SU6656 induces senescence in mouse ES cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SU6656 inhibits mitosis in a SFK-independent manner via cross-selectivity for Aurora kinases. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SFK inhibitor PP2 impairs cell motility in various cell lines, including mouse ES cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ensuing impeded motility, PP2 inhibits proliferation of various cells lines except for mouse ES cells. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer SFK inhibitors PP2 and PD173952 impede spontaneous differentiation in standard mouse ES culture maintenance.

  5. Differential effects on cell motility, embryonic stem cell self-renewal and senescence by diverse Src kinase family inhibitors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tamm, Christoffer; Galitó, Sara Pijuan; Annerén, Cecilia

    2012-01-01

    The Src family of non-receptor tyrosine kinases (SFKs) has been shown to play an intricate role in embryonic stem (ES) cell maintenance. In the present study we have focused on the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the vastly different effects induced by various commonly used SFK inhibitors. We show that several diverse cell types, including fibroblasts completely lacking SFKs, cannot undergo mitosis in response to SU6656 and that this is caused by an unselective inhibition of Aurora kinases. In contrast, PP2 and PD173952 block motility immediately upon exposure and forces cells to grow in dense colonies. The subsequent halt in proliferation of fibroblast and epithelial cells in the center of the colonies approximately 24 h post-treatment appears to be caused by cell-to-cell contact inhibition rather than a direct effect of SFK kinase inhibition. Interestingly, in addition to generating more homogenous and dense ES cell cultures, without any diverse effect on proliferation, PP2 and PD173652 also promote ES cell self-renewal by reducing the small amount of spontaneous differentiation typically observed under standard ES cell culture conditions. These effects could not be mirrored by the use of Gleevec, a potent inhibitor of c-Abl and PDGFR kinases that are also inhibited by PP2. -- Highlights: ► SFK inhibitor SU6656 induces senescence in mouse ES cells. ► SU6656 inhibits mitosis in a SFK-independent manner via cross-selectivity for Aurora kinases. ► SFK inhibitor PP2 impairs cell motility in various cell lines, including mouse ES cells. ► Ensuing impeded motility, PP2 inhibits proliferation of various cells lines except for mouse ES cells. ► SFK inhibitors PP2 and PD173952 impede spontaneous differentiation in standard mouse ES culture maintenance.

  6. The effect of membrane-regulated actin polymerization on a two-phase flow model for cell motility

    KAUST Repository

    Kimpton, L. S.

    2014-07-23

    Two-phase flow models have been widely used to model cell motility and we have previously demonstrated that even the simplest, stripped-down, 1D model displays many observed features of cell motility [Kimpton, L.S., Whiteley, J.P., Waters, S.L., King, J.R. & Oliver, J.M. (2013) Multiple travelling-wave solutions in a minimal model for cell motility. Math. Med. Biol. 30, 241 - 272]. In this paper, we address a limitation of the previous model.We show that the two-phase flow framework can exhibit travelling-wave solutions with biologically plausible actin network profiles in two simple models that enforce polymerization or depolymerization of the actin network at the ends of the travelling, 1D strip of cytoplasm. © 2014 The authors 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. All rights reserved.

  7. Hypoxic stellate cells of pancreatic cancer stroma regulate extracellular matrix fiber organization and cancer cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sada, Masafumi; Ohuchida, Kenoki; Horioka, Kohei; Okumura, Takashi; Moriyama, Taiki; Miyasaka, Yoshihiro; Ohtsuka, Takao; Mizumoto, Kazuhiro; Oda, Yoshinao; Nakamura, Masafumi

    2016-03-28

    Desmoplasia and hypoxia in pancreatic cancer mutually affect each other and create a tumor-supportive microenvironment. Here, we show that microenvironment remodeling by hypoxic pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promotes cancer cell motility through alteration of extracellular matrix (ECM) fiber architecture. Three-dimensional (3-D) matrices derived from PSCs under hypoxia exhibited highly organized parallel-patterned matrix fibers compared with 3-D matrices derived from PSCs under normoxia, and promoted cancer cell motility by inducing directional migration of cancer cells due to the parallel fiber architecture. Microarray analysis revealed that procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) in PSCs was the gene that potentially regulates ECM fiber architecture under hypoxia. Stromal PLOD2 expression in surgical specimens of pancreatic cancer was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of PLOD2 in PSCs blocked parallel fiber architecture of 3-D matrices, leading to decreased directional migration of cancer cells within the matrices. In conclusion, these findings indicate that hypoxia-induced PLOD2 expression in PSCs creates a permissive microenvironment for migration of cancer cells through architectural regulation of stromal ECM in pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Up-regulation of METCAM/MUC18 promotes motility, invasion, and tumorigenesis of human breast cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng, Guo-fang; Cai, Shao-xi; Wu, Guang-Jer

    2011-01-01

    Conflicting research has identified METCAM/MUC18, an integral membrane cell adhesion molecule (CAM) in the Ig-like gene super-family, as both a tumor promoter and a tumor suppressor in the development of breast cancer. To resolve this, we have re-investigated the role of this CAM in the progression of human breast cancer cells. Three breast cancer cell lines were used for the tests: one luminal-like breast cancer cell line, MCF7, which did not express any METCAM/MUC18, and two basal-like breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468, which expressed moderate levels of the protein. MCF7 cells were transfected with the human METCAM/MUC18 cDNA to obtain G418-resistant clones which expressed the protein and were used for testing effects of human METCAM/MUC18 expression on in vitro motility and invasiveness, and in vitro and in vivo tumorigenesis. Both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells already expressed METCAM/MUC18. They were directly used for in vitro tests in the presence and absence of an anti-METCAM/MUC18 antibody. In MCF7 cells, enforced METCAM/MUC18 expression increased in vitro motility, invasiveness, anchorage-independent colony formation (in vitro tumorigenesis), and in vivo tumorigenesis. In both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells, the anti-METCAM/MUC18 antibody inhibited both motility and invasiveness. Though both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells established a disorganized growth in 3D basement membrane culture assay, the introduction of the anti-METCAM/MUC18 antibody completely destroyed their growth in the 3D culture. These findings support the notion that human METCAM/MUC18 expression promotes the progression of human breast cancer cells by increasing their motility, invasiveness and tumorigenesis

  9. Up-regulation of METCAM/MUC18 promotes motility, invasion, and tumorigenesis of human breast cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cai Shao-xi

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Conflicting research has identified METCAM/MUC18, an integral membrane cell adhesion molecule (CAM in the Ig-like gene super-family, as both a tumor promoter and a tumor suppressor in the development of breast cancer. To resolve this, we have re-investigated the role of this CAM in the progression of human breast cancer cells. Methods Three breast cancer cell lines were used for the tests: one luminal-like breast cancer cell line, MCF7, which did not express any METCAM/MUC18, and two basal-like breast cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468, which expressed moderate levels of the protein. MCF7 cells were transfected with the human METCAM/MUC18 cDNA to obtain G418-resistant clones which expressed the protein and were used for testing effects of human METCAM/MUC18 expression on in vitro motility and invasiveness, and in vitro and in vivo tumorigenesis. Both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells already expressed METCAM/MUC18. They were directly used for in vitro tests in the presence and absence of an anti-METCAM/MUC18 antibody. Results In MCF7 cells, enforced METCAM/MUC18 expression increased in vitro motility, invasiveness, anchorage-independent colony formation (in vitro tumorigenesis, and in vivo tumorigenesis. In both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells, the anti-METCAM/MUC18 antibody inhibited both motility and invasiveness. Though both MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells established a disorganized growth in 3D basement membrane culture assay, the introduction of the anti-METCAM/MUC18 antibody completely destroyed their growth in the 3D culture. Conclusion These findings support the notion that human METCAM/MUC18 expression promotes the progression of human breast cancer cells by increasing their motility, invasiveness and tumorigenesis.

  10. High motility reduces grazing mortality of planktonic bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Matz, Carsten; Jurgens, K.

    2005-01-01

    We tested the impact of bacterial swimming speed on the survival of planktonic bacteria in the presence of protozoan grazers. Grazing experiments with three common bacterivorous nanoflagellates revealed low clearance rates for highly motile bacteria. High-resolution video microscopy demonstrated...... size revealed highest grazing losses for moderately motile bacteria with a cell size between 0.2 and 0.4 mum(3). Grazing mortality was lowest for cells of >0.5 mum(3) and small, highly motile bacteria. Survival efficiencies of >95% for the ultramicrobacterial isolate CP-1 (less than or equal to0.1 mum......(3), >50 mum s(-1)) illustrated the combined protective action of small cell size and high motility. Our findings suggest that motility has an important adaptive function in the survival of planktonic bacteria during protozoan grazing....

  11. ROS accumulation and IGF-IR inhibition contribute to fenofibrate/PPARα -mediated inhibition of Glioma cell motility in vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Del Valle Luis

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Glioblastomas are characterized by rapid cell growth, aggressive CNS infiltration, and are resistant to all known anticancer regimens. Recent studies indicate that fibrates and statins possess anticancer potential. Fenofibrate is a potent agonist of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα that can switch energy metabolism from glycolysis to fatty acid β-oxidation, and has low systemic toxicity. Fenofibrate also attenuates IGF-I-mediated cellular responses, which could be relevant in the process of glioblastoma cell dispersal. Methods The effects of fenofibrate on Glioma cell motility, IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR signaling, PPARα activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS metabolism, mitochondrial potential, and ATP production were analyzed in human glioma cell lines. Results Fenofibrate treatment attenuated IGF-I signaling responses and repressed cell motility of LN-229 and T98G Glioma cell lines. In the absence of fenofibrate, specific inhibition of the IGF-IR had only modest effects on Glioma cell motility. Further experiments revealed that PPARα-dependent accumulation of ROS is a strong contributing factor in Glioma cell lines responses to fenofibrate. The ROS scavenger, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC, restored cell motility, improved mitochondrial potential, and increased ATP levels in fenofibrate treated Glioma cell lines. Conclusions Our results indicate that although fenofibrate-mediated inhibition of the IGF-IR may not be sufficient in counteracting Glioma cell dispersal, PPARα-dependent metabolic switch and the resulting ROS accumulation strongly contribute to the inhibition of these devastating brain tumor cells.

  12. Individual motile CD4+ T cells can participate in efficient multi-killing through conjugation to multiple tumor cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liadi, Ivan; Singh, Harjeet; Romain, Gabrielle; Rey-Villamizar, Nicolas; Merouane, Amine; Adolacion, Jay R T.; Kebriaei, Partow; Huls, Helen; Qiu, Peng; Roysam, Badrinath; Cooper, Laurence J.N.; Varadarajan, Navin

    2015-01-01

    T cells genetically modified to express a CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) for the investigational treatment of B-cell malignancies comprise a heterogeneous population, and their ability to persist and participate in serial killing of tumor cells is a predictor of therapeutic success. We implemented Timelapse Imaging Microscopy In Nanowell Grids (TIMING) to provide direct evidence that CD4+CAR+ T cells (CAR4 cells) can engage in multi-killing via simultaneous conjugation to multiple tumor cells. Comparisons of the CAR4 cells and CD8+CAR+ T cells (CAR8 cells) demonstrate that while CAR4 cells can participate in killing and multi-killing, they do so at slower rates, likely due to the lower Granzyme B content. Significantly, in both sets of T cells, a minor sub-population of individual T cells identified by their high motility, demonstrated efficient killing of single tumor cells. By comparing both the multi-killer and single killer CAR+ T cells it appears that the propensity and kinetics of T-cell apoptosis was modulated by the number of functional conjugations. T cells underwent rapid apoptosis, and at higher frequencies, when conjugated to single tumor cells in isolation and this effect was more pronounced on CAR8 cells. Our results suggest that the ability of CAR+ T cells to participate in multi-killing should be evaluated in the context of their ability to resist activation induced cell death (AICD). We anticipate that TIMING may be utilized to rapidly determine the potency of T-cell populations and may facilitate the design and manufacture of next-generation CAR+ T cells with improved efficacy. PMID:25711538

  13. Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase 1 Is Involved in Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF)-Enhanced Cell Motility and Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 Expression in Human Chondrosarcoma Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Chih-Yang; Chang, Sunny Li-Yun; Fong, Yi-Chin; Hsu, Chin-Jung; Tang, Chih-Hsin

    2013-01-01

    Chondrosarcoma is the primary malignancy of bone that is characterized by a potent capacity to invade locally and cause distant metastasis, and is therefore associated with poor prognoses. Chondrosarcoma further shows a predilection for metastasis to the lungs. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a small molecule in the neurotrophin family of growth factors that is associated with the disease status and outcome of cancers. However, the effect of BDNF on cell motility in human chondrosarcoma cells is mostly unknown. Here, we found that human chondrosarcoma cell lines had significantly higher cell motility and BDNF expression compared to normal chondrocytes. We also found that BDNF increased cell motility and expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) in human chondrosarcoma cells. BDNF-mediated cell motility and MMP-1 up-regulation were attenuated by Trk inhibitor (K252a), ASK1 inhibitor (thioredoxin), JNK inhibitor (SP600125), and p38 inhibitor (SB203580). Furthermore, BDNF also promoted Sp1 activation. Our results indicate that BDNF enhances the migration and invasion activity of chondrosarcoma cells by increasing MMP-1 expression through a signal transduction pathway that involves the TrkB receptor, ASK1, JNK/p38, and Sp1. BDNF thus represents a promising new target for treating chondrosarcoma metastasis. PMID:23892595

  14. Electrical stimulation of gut motility guided by an in silico model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barth, Bradley B.; Henriquez, Craig S.; Grill, Warren M.; Shen, Xiling

    2017-12-01

    Objective. Neuromodulation of the central and peripheral nervous systems is becoming increasingly important for treating a diverse set of diseases—ranging from Parkinson’s Disease and epilepsy to chronic pain. However, neuromodulation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has achieved relatively limited success in treating functional GI disorders, which affect a significant population, because the effects of stimulation on the enteric nervous system (ENS) and gut motility are not well understood. Here we develop an integrated neuromechanical model of the ENS and assess neurostimulation strategies for enhancing gut motility, validated by in vivo experiments. Approach. The computational model included a network of enteric neurons, smooth muscle fibers, and interstitial cells of Cajal, which regulated propulsion of a virtual pellet in a model of gut motility. Main results. Simulated extracellular stimulation of ENS-mediated motility revealed that sinusoidal current at 0.5 Hz was more effective at increasing intrinsic peristalsis and reducing colon transit time than conventional higher frequency rectangular current pulses, as commonly used for neuromodulation therapy. Further analysis of the model revealed that the 0.5 Hz sinusoidal currents were more effective at modulating the pacemaker frequency of interstitial cells of Cajal. To test the predictions of the model, we conducted in vivo electrical stimulation of the distal colon while measuring bead propulsion in awake rats. Experimental results confirmed that 0.5 Hz sinusoidal currents were more effective than higher frequency pulses at enhancing gut motility. Significance. This work demonstrates an in silico GI neuromuscular model to enable GI neuromodulation parameter optimization and suggests that low frequency sinusoidal currents may improve the efficacy of GI pacing.

  15. ANDROGENS REGULATE T47D CELLS MOTILITY AND INVASION THROUGH ACTIN CYTOSKELETON REMODELLING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Magdalena Montt-Guevara

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The relationship between androgens and breast cancer is controversial. Androgens have complex effects on breast cancer progression and metastasis. Moreover, androgens receptor (AR is expressed in approximately 70% to 90% of invasive breast carcinomas, which has prognostic relevance in basal-like cancers and in triple negative breast cancers. Recent studies have associated the actin-binding proteins of the Ezrin-Radixin-Moesin (ERM family with metastasis in endocrine-sensitive cancers. We studied on T47D breast cancer cells whether androgens with different characteristics, such as testosterone (T, dihydrotestosterone (DHT and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA may regulate breast cancer cell motility and invasion through the control of actin remodelling. We demonstrate that androgens promote migration and invasion in T47D via Moesin activation. We show that T and DHEA exert their actions via the AR and estrogen receptor (ER, while the non aromatizable androgen – DHT only recruits AR. We further report that androgen induced significant changes in actin organization with pseudopodia along with membrane ruffles formation, and this process is mediated by Moesin. Our work identifies novel mechanisms of action of androgens on breast cancer cells. Through the modulation of Moesin, androgens alter the architecture of cytoskeleton in T47D breast cancer cell and promote cell migration and invasion. These results could help to understand the biological actions of androgens on breast cancer, and eventually to develop new strategies for treatment of breast cancer.

  16. MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell viability, motility and matrix adhesion are regulated by a complex interplay of heparan sulfate, chondroitin-/dermatan sulfate and hyaluronan biosynthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viola, Manuela; Brüggemann, Kathrin; Karousou, Evgenia; Caon, Ilaria; Caravà, Elena; Vigetti, Davide; Greve, Burkhard; Stock, Christian; De Luca, Giancarlo; Passi, Alberto; Götte, Martin

    2017-06-01

    Proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans modulate numerous cellular processes relevant to tumour progression, including cell proliferation, cell-matrix interactions, cell motility and invasive growth. Among the glycosaminoglycans with a well-documented role in tumour progression are heparan sulphate, chondroitin/dermatan sulphate and hyaluronic acid/hyaluronan. While the mode of biosynthesis differs for sulphated glycosaminoglycans, which are synthesised in the ER and Golgi compartments, and hyaluronan, which is synthesized at the plasma membrane, these polysaccharides partially compete for common substrates. In this study, we employed a siRNA knockdown approach for heparan sulphate (EXT1) and heparan/chondroitin/dermatan sulphate-biosynthetic enzymes (β4GalT7) in the aggressive human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 to study the impact on cell behaviour and hyaluronan biosynthesis. Knockdown of β4GalT7 expression resulted in a decrease in cell viability, motility and adhesion to fibronectin, while these parameters were unchanged in EXT1-silenced cells. Importantly, these changes were associated with a decreased expression of syndecan-1, decreased signalling response to HGF and an increase in the synthesis of hyaluronan, due to an upregulation of the hyaluronan synthases HAS2 and HAS3. Interestingly, EXT1-depleted cells showed a downregulation of the UDP-sugar transporter SLC35D1, whereas SLC35D2 was downregulated in β4GalT7-depleted cells, indicating an intricate regulatory network that connects all glycosaminoglycans synthesis. The results of our in vitro study suggest that a modulation of breast cancer cell behaviour via interference with heparan sulphate biosynthesis may result in a compensatory upregulation of hyaluronan biosynthesis. These findings have important implications for the development of glycosaminoglycan-targeted therapeutic approaches for malignant diseases.

  17. Automated studies of radiation-induced changes in 3T3 cell motility and morphology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thurston, G.; Palcic, B.

    1985-01-01

    The most common endpoint in radiobiological studies is cell survival, as measured by colony forming ability. There is substantial experimental evidence that cell survival is related to the amount of radiation damage to the DNA. Radiation induces other changes in cell behaviour and morphology that may not be due to DNA damage alone. For example, low doses of radiation (<100 rads) were found to alter the ''phagokinetic tracks'' of moving 3T3 cells. They reported abnormal cell motility as demonstrated by a more random pattern of motion. 3T3 cells were also noted to show changes in morphology after exposure to x-rays. The fibroblast adhesion routine is disrupted by low doses of radiation (cell settling, microspike extension, lamellipodia flow, then cell spreading). An automated microscope system, DMIPS, is being used to automatically track 3T3 cells as they move and to correlate their movement with their morphology. An effort is being made to quantitate, for a large number of cells, the changes in 3T3 cell motility induced by radiation. The DMIPS procedure is compared to the gold dust technique

  18. Immature germ cells in semen - correlation with total sperm count and sperm motility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Priya S Patil

    2013-01-01

    Conclusions: Round cells in semen can be differentiated into immature germ cells and leucocytes using simple staining methods. The differential counts mentioned in a semen report give valuable and clinically relevant information. In this study, we observed a negative correlation between total count and immature germ cells, as well as sperm motility and shedding of immature germ cells. The latter was statistically significant with a P value 0.000.

  19. Low density of membrane particles in auditory hair cells of lizards and birds suggests an absence of somatic motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köppl, Christine; Forge, Andrew; Manley, Geoffrey A

    2004-11-08

    Hair cells are the mechanoreceptive cells of the vertebrate lateral line and inner ear. In addition to their sensory function, hair cells display motility and thus themselves generate mechanical energy, which is thought to enhance sensitivity. Two principal cellular mechanism are known that can mediate hair-cell motility in vitro. One of these is based on voltage-dependent changes of an intramembrane protein and has so far been demonstrated only in outer hair cells of the mammalian cochlea. Correlated with this, the cell membranes of outer hair cells carry an extreme density of embedded particles, as revealed by freeze fracturing. The present study explored the possibility of membrane-based motility in hair cells of nonmammals, by determining their density of intramembrane particles. Replicas of freeze-fractured membrane were prepared from auditory hair cells of a lizard, the Tokay gecko, and a bird, the barn owl. These species were chosen because of independent evidence for active cochlear mechanics, in the form of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions. For quantitative comparison, mammalian inner and outer hair cells, as well as vestibular hair, cells were reevaluated. Lizard and bird hair cells displayed median densities of 2,360 and 1,880 intramembrane particles/microm2, respectively. This was not significantly different from the densities in vestibular and mammalian inner hair cells; however, it was about half the density in of mammalian outer hair cells. This suggests that nonmammalian hair cells do not possess high densities of motor protein in their membranes and are thus unlikely to be capable of somatic motility. 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  20. Autocrine motility factor (neuroleukin, phosphohexose isomerase) induces cell movement through 12-lipoxygenase-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation and serine dephosphorylation events.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timár, J; Tóth, S; Tóvári, J; Paku, S; Raz, A

    1999-01-01

    Autocrine motility factor (AMF) is one of the motility cytokines regulating tumor cell migration, therefore identification of the signaling pathway coupled with it has critical importance. Previous studies revealed several elements of this pathway predominated by lipoxygenase-PKC activations but the role for tyrosine kinases remained questionable. Motility cytokines frequently have mitogenic effect as well, producing activation of overlapping signaling pathways therefore we have used B16a melanoma cells as models where AMF has exclusive motility effect. Our studies revealed that in B16a cells AMF initiated rapid (1-5 min) activation of the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) cascade inducing phosphorylation of 179, 125, 95 and 40/37 kD proteins which was mediated by upstream cyclo- and lipoxygenases. The phosphorylated proteins were localized to the cortical actin-stress fiber attachment zones in situ by confocal microscopy. On the other hand, AMF receptor activation induced significant decrease in overall serine-phosphorylation level of cellular proteins accompanied by serine phosphorylation of 200, 90, 78 and 65 kd proteins. The decrease in serine phosphorylation was independent of PTKs, PKC as well as cyclo- and lipoxygenases. However, AMF induced robust translocation of PKCalpha to the stress fibers and cortical actin suggesting a critical role for this kinase in the generation of the motility signal. Based on the significant decrease in serine phosphorylation after AMF stimulus in B16a cells we postulated the involvement of putative serine/threonine phosphatase(s) upstream lipoxygenase and activation of the protein tyrosine kinase cascade downstream cyclo- and lipoxygenase(s) in the previously identified autocrine motility signal.

  1. Low-cost motility tracking system (LOCOMOTIS for time-lapse microscopy applications and cell visualisation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adam E Lynch

    Full Text Available Direct visualisation of cells for the purpose of studying their motility has typically required expensive microscopy equipment. However, recent advances in digital sensors mean that it is now possible to image cells for a fraction of the price of a standard microscope. Along with low-cost imaging there has also been a large increase in the availability of high quality, open-source analysis programs. In this study we describe the development and performance of an expandable cell motility system employing inexpensive, commercially available digital USB microscopes to image various cell types using time-lapse and perform tracking assays in proof-of-concept experiments. With this system we were able to measure and record three separate assays simultaneously on one personal computer using identical microscopes, and obtained tracking results comparable in quality to those from other studies that used standard, more expensive, equipment. The microscopes used in our system were capable of a maximum magnification of 413.6×. Although resolution was lower than that of a standard inverted microscope we found this difference to be indistinguishable at the magnification chosen for cell tracking experiments (206.8×. In preliminary cell culture experiments using our system, velocities (mean µm/min ± SE of 0.81 ± 0.01 (Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes on uncoated plates, 1.17 ± 0.004 (MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, 1.24 ± 0.006 (SC5 mouse Sertoli cells and 2.21 ± 0.01 (B. glabrata hemocytes on Poly-L-Lysine coated plates, were measured and are consistent with previous reports. We believe that this system, coupled with open-source analysis software, demonstrates that higher throughput time-lapse imaging of cells for the purpose of studying motility can be an affordable option for all researchers.

  2. Low-cost motility tracking system (LOCOMOTIS) for time-lapse microscopy applications and cell visualisation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Adam E; Triajianto, Junian; Routledge, Edwin

    2014-01-01

    Direct visualisation of cells for the purpose of studying their motility has typically required expensive microscopy equipment. However, recent advances in digital sensors mean that it is now possible to image cells for a fraction of the price of a standard microscope. Along with low-cost imaging there has also been a large increase in the availability of high quality, open-source analysis programs. In this study we describe the development and performance of an expandable cell motility system employing inexpensive, commercially available digital USB microscopes to image various cell types using time-lapse and perform tracking assays in proof-of-concept experiments. With this system we were able to measure and record three separate assays simultaneously on one personal computer using identical microscopes, and obtained tracking results comparable in quality to those from other studies that used standard, more expensive, equipment. The microscopes used in our system were capable of a maximum magnification of 413.6×. Although resolution was lower than that of a standard inverted microscope we found this difference to be indistinguishable at the magnification chosen for cell tracking experiments (206.8×). In preliminary cell culture experiments using our system, velocities (mean µm/min ± SE) of 0.81 ± 0.01 (Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes on uncoated plates), 1.17 ± 0.004 (MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells), 1.24 ± 0.006 (SC5 mouse Sertoli cells) and 2.21 ± 0.01 (B. glabrata hemocytes on Poly-L-Lysine coated plates), were measured and are consistent with previous reports. We believe that this system, coupled with open-source analysis software, demonstrates that higher throughput time-lapse imaging of cells for the purpose of studying motility can be an affordable option for all researchers.

  3. Low-Cost Motility Tracking System (LOCOMOTIS) for Time-Lapse Microscopy Applications and Cell Visualisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Adam E.; Triajianto, Junian; Routledge, Edwin

    2014-01-01

    Direct visualisation of cells for the purpose of studying their motility has typically required expensive microscopy equipment. However, recent advances in digital sensors mean that it is now possible to image cells for a fraction of the price of a standard microscope. Along with low-cost imaging there has also been a large increase in the availability of high quality, open-source analysis programs. In this study we describe the development and performance of an expandable cell motility system employing inexpensive, commercially available digital USB microscopes to image various cell types using time-lapse and perform tracking assays in proof-of-concept experiments. With this system we were able to measure and record three separate assays simultaneously on one personal computer using identical microscopes, and obtained tracking results comparable in quality to those from other studies that used standard, more expensive, equipment. The microscopes used in our system were capable of a maximum magnification of 413.6×. Although resolution was lower than that of a standard inverted microscope we found this difference to be indistinguishable at the magnification chosen for cell tracking experiments (206.8×). In preliminary cell culture experiments using our system, velocities (mean µm/min ± SE) of 0.81±0.01 (Biomphalaria glabrata hemocytes on uncoated plates), 1.17±0.004 (MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells), 1.24±0.006 (SC5 mouse Sertoli cells) and 2.21±0.01 (B. glabrata hemocytes on Poly-L-Lysine coated plates), were measured and are consistent with previous reports. We believe that this system, coupled with open-source analysis software, demonstrates that higher throughput time-lapse imaging of cells for the purpose of studying motility can be an affordable option for all researchers. PMID:25121722

  4. Oncofetal Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans are Key Players in Integrin Signaling and Tumor Cell Motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clausen, Thomas Mandel; Pereira, Marina Ayres; Al Nakouzi, Nader; Oo, Htoo Zarni; Agerbæk, Mette Ø; Lee, Sherry; Ørum-Madsen, Maj Sofie; Christensen, Anders Riis; El-Naggar, Amal; Grandgenett, Paul M.; Grem, Jean L.; Hollingsworth, Michael A.; Holst, Peter J.; Theander, Thor; Sorensen, Poul H.; Daugaard, Mads; Salanti, Ali

    2016-01-01

    Many tumors express proteoglycans modified with oncofetal chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains (ofCS), which are normally restricted to the placenta. However, the role of ofCS in cancer is largely unknown. The function of ofCS in cancer was analyzed using the recombinant ofCS-binding VAR2CSA protein (rVAR2) derived from the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. We demonstrate that ofCS plays a key role in tumor cell motility by affecting canonical integrin signaling pathways. Binding of rVAR2 to tumor cells inhibited the interaction of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which correlated with decreased phosphorylation of Src kinase. Moreover, rVAR2 binding decreased migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells in vitro. Mass spectrometry of ofCS-modified proteoglycan complexes affinity purified from tumor cell lines on rVAR2 columns, revealed an overrepresentation of proteins involved in cell motility and integrin signaling, such as integrin β1 (ITGB1) and integrin α4 (ITGA4). Saturating concentrations of rVAR2 inhibited downstream integrin signaling, which was mimicked by knockdown of the core CS synthesis enzymes Beta-1,3-Glucuronyltransferase 1 (B3GAT1) and Chondroitin Sulfate N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (CSGALNACT1). The ofCS modification was highly expressed in both human and murine metastatic lesions in situ and pre-incubation or early intravenous treatment of tumor cells with rVAR2 inhibited seeding and spreading of tumor cells in mice. This was associated with a significant increase in survival of the animals. These data functionally link ofCS modifications with cancer cell motility and further highlights ofCS as a novel therapeutic cancer target. Implications The cancer specific expression of oncofetal chondroitin sulfate aids in metastatic phenotypes and is a candidate target for therapy. PMID:27655130

  5. Microscopic Analysis of Bacterial Motility at High Pressure

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishiyama, Masayoshi; Sowa, Yoshiyuki

    2012-01-01

    The bacterial flagellar motor is a molecular machine that converts an ion flux to the rotation of a helical flagellar filament. Counterclockwise rotation of the filaments allows them to join in a bundle and propel the cell forward. Loss of motility can be caused by environmental factors such as temperature, pH, and solvation. Hydrostatic pressure is also a physical inhibitor of bacterial motility, but the detailed mechanism of this inhibition is still unknown. Here, we developed a high-pressure microscope that enables us to acquire high-resolution microscopic images, regardless of applied pressures. We also characterized the pressure dependence of the motility of swimming Escherichia coli cells and the rotation of single flagellar motors. The fraction and speed of swimming cells decreased with increased pressure. At 80 MPa, all cells stopped swimming and simply diffused in solution. After the release of pressure, most cells immediately recovered their initial motility. Direct observation of the motility of single flagellar motors revealed that at 80 MPa, the motors generate torque that should be sufficient to join rotating filaments in a bundle. The discrepancy in the behavior of free swimming cells and individual motors could be due to the applied pressure inhibiting the formation of rotating filament bundles that can propel the cell body in an aqueous environment. PMID:22768943

  6. Effects of transforming growth factor-beta1 on cell motility, collagen gel contraction, myofibroblastic differentiation, and extracellular matrix expression of human adipose-derived stem cell.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kakudo, Natsuko; Kushida, Satoshi; Suzuki, Kenji; Ogura, Tsunetaka; Notodihardjo, Priscilla Valentin; Hara, Tomoya; Kusumoto, Kenji

    2012-12-01

    Human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are adult pluripotent stem cells, and their usefulness in plastic surgery has garnered attention in recent years. Although, there have been expectations that ASCs might function in wound repair and regeneration, no studies to date have examined the role of ASCs in the mechanism that promotes wound-healing. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) is a strong candidate cytokine for the triggering of mesenchymal stem cell migration, construction of extracellular matrices, and differentiation of ASCs into myofibroblasts. Cell proliferation, motility, and differentiation, as well as extracellular matrix production, play an important role in wound-healing. We have evaluated the capacity of ASCs to proliferate and their potential to differentiate into phenotypic myofibroblasts, as well as their cell motility and collagen gel contraction ability, when cultured with TGF-β1. Cell motility was analyzed using a wound-healing assay. ASCs that differentiated into myofibroblasts expressed the gene for alpha-smooth muscle actin, and its protein expression was detected immunohistochemically. The extracellular matrix expression in ASCs was evaluated using real-time RT-PCR. Based on the results, we conclude that human ASCs have the potential for cell motility, extracellular matrix gene expression, gel contraction, and differentiation into myofibroblasts and, therefore, may play an important role in the wound-healing process.

  7. Actin dynamics, architecture, and mechanics in cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanchoin, Laurent; Boujemaa-Paterski, Rajaa; Sykes, Cécile; Plastino, Julie

    2014-01-01

    Tight coupling between biochemical and mechanical properties of the actin cytoskeleton drives a large range of cellular processes including polarity establishment, morphogenesis, and motility. This is possible because actin filaments are semi-flexible polymers that, in conjunction with the molecular motor myosin, can act as biological active springs or "dashpots" (in laymen's terms, shock absorbers or fluidizers) able to exert or resist against force in a cellular environment. To modulate their mechanical properties, actin filaments can organize into a variety of architectures generating a diversity of cellular organizations including branched or crosslinked networks in the lamellipodium, parallel bundles in filopodia, and antiparallel structures in contractile fibers. In this review we describe the feedback loop between biochemical and mechanical properties of actin organization at the molecular level in vitro, then we integrate this knowledge into our current understanding of cellular actin organization and its physiological roles.

  8. Cellular mechanics and motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hénon, Sylvie; Sykes, Cécile

    2015-10-01

    The term motility defines the movement of a living organism. One widely known example is the motility of sperm cells, or the one of flagellar bacteria. The propulsive element of such organisms is a cilium(or flagellum) that beats. Although cells in our tissues do not have a flagellum in general, they are still able to move, as we will discover in this chapter. In fact, in both cases of movement, with or without a flagellum, cell motility is due to a dynamic re-arrangement of polymers inside the cell. Let us first have a closer look at the propulsion mechanism in the case of a flagellum or a cilium, which is the best known, but also the simplest, and which will help us to define the hydrodynamic general conditions of cell movement. A flagellum is sustained by cellular polymers arranged in semi-flexible bundles and flagellar beating generates cell displacement. These polymers or filaments are part of the cellular skeleton, or "cytoskeleton", which is, in this case, external to the cellular main body of the organism. In fact, bacteria move in a hydrodynamic regime in which viscosity dominates over inertia. The system is thus in a hydrodynamic regime of low Reynolds number (Box 5.1), which is nearly exclusively the case in all cell movements. Bacteria and their propulsion mode by flagella beating are our unicellular ancestors 3.5 billion years ago. Since then, we have evolved to form pluricellular organisms. However, to keep the ability of displacement, to heal our wounds for example, our cells lost their flagellum, since it was not optimal in a dense cell environment: cells are too close to each other to leave enough space for the flagella to accomplish propulsion. The cytoskeleton thus developed inside the cell body to ensure cell shape changes and movement, and also mechanical strength within a tissue. The cytoskeleton of our cells, like the polymers or filaments that sustain the flagellum, is also composed of semi-flexible filaments arranged in bundles, and also in

  9. A Genome-wide RNAi Screen for Microtubule Bundle Formation and Lysosome Motility Regulation in Drosophila S2 Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amber L. Jolly

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Long-distance intracellular transport of organelles, mRNA, and proteins (“cargo” occurs along the microtubule cytoskeleton by the action of kinesin and dynein motor proteins, but the vast network of factors involved in regulating intracellular cargo transport are still unknown. We capitalize on the Drosophila melanogaster S2 model cell system to monitor lysosome transport along microtubule bundles, which require enzymatically active kinesin-1 motor protein for their formation. We use an automated tracking program and a naive Bayesian classifier for the multivariate motility data to analyze 15,683 gene phenotypes and find 98 proteins involved in regulating lysosome motility along microtubules and 48 involved in the formation of microtubule filled processes in S2 cells. We identify innate immunity genes, ion channels, and signaling proteins having a role in lysosome motility regulation and find an unexpected relationship between the dynein motor, Rab7a, and lysosome motility regulation.

  10. Parathyroid Hormone Induces Bone Cell Motility and Loss of Mature Osteocyte Phenotype through L-Calcium Channel Dependent and Independent Mechanisms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Prideaux

    Full Text Available Parathyroid Hormone (PTH can exert both anabolic and catabolic effects on the skeleton, potentially through expression of the PTH type1 receptor (PTH1R, which is highly expressed in osteocytes. To determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible, we examined the effects of PTH on osteoblast to osteocyte differentiation using primary osteocytes and the IDG-SW3 murine cell line, which differentiate from osteoblast to osteocyte-like cells in vitro and express GFP under control of the dentin matrix 1 (Dmp1 promoter. PTH treatment resulted in an increase in some osteoblast and early osteocyte markers and a decrease in mature osteocyte marker expression. The gene expression profile of PTH-treated Day 28 IDG-SW3 cells was similar to PTH treated primary osteocytes. PTH treatment induced striking changes in the morphology of the Dmp1-GFP positive cells in IDG-SW3 cultures and primary cells from Dmp1-GFP transgenic mice. The cells changed from a more dendritic to an elongated morphology and showed increased cell motility. E11/gp38 has been shown to be important for cell migration, however, deletion of the E11/gp38/podoplanin gene had no effect on PTH-induced motility. The effects of PTH on motility were reproduced using cAMP, but not with protein kinase A (PKA, exchange proteins activated by cAMP (Epac, protein kinase C (PKC or phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphonate 3-kinase (Pi3K agonists nor were they blocked by their antagonists. However, the effects of PTH were mediated through calcium signaling, specifically through L-type channels normally expressed in osteoblasts but decreased in osteocytes. PTH was shown to increase expression of this channel, but decrease the T-type channel that is normally more highly expressed in osteocytes. Inhibition of L-type calcium channel activity attenuated the effects of PTH on cell morphology and motility but did not prevent the downregulation of mature osteocyte marker expression. Taken together, these

  11. Model for self-polarization and motility of keratocyte fragments

    KAUST Repository

    Ziebert, F.; Swaminathan, S.; Aranson, I. S.

    2011-01-01

    Computational modelling of cell motility on substrates is a formidable challenge; regulatory pathways are intertwined and forces that influence cell motion are not fully quantified. Additional challenges arise from the need to describe a moving deformable cell boundary. Here, we present a simple mathematical model coupling cell shape dynamics, treated by the phase-field approach, to a vector field describing the mean orientation (polarization) of the actin filament network. The model successfully reproduces the primary phenomenology of cell motility: discontinuous onset of motion, diversity of cell shapes and shape oscillations. The results are in qualitative agreement with recent experiments on motility of keratocyte cells and cell fragments. The asymmetry of the shapes is captured to a large extent in this simple model, which may prove useful for the interpretation of experiments.

  12. Model for self-polarization and motility of keratocyte fragments

    KAUST Repository

    Ziebert, F.

    2011-10-19

    Computational modelling of cell motility on substrates is a formidable challenge; regulatory pathways are intertwined and forces that influence cell motion are not fully quantified. Additional challenges arise from the need to describe a moving deformable cell boundary. Here, we present a simple mathematical model coupling cell shape dynamics, treated by the phase-field approach, to a vector field describing the mean orientation (polarization) of the actin filament network. The model successfully reproduces the primary phenomenology of cell motility: discontinuous onset of motion, diversity of cell shapes and shape oscillations. The results are in qualitative agreement with recent experiments on motility of keratocyte cells and cell fragments. The asymmetry of the shapes is captured to a large extent in this simple model, which may prove useful for the interpretation of experiments.

  13. Persistent enhancement of bacterial motility increases tumor penetration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornlow, Dana N; Brackett, Emily L; Gigas, Jonathan M; Van Dessel, Nele; Forbes, Neil S

    2015-11-01

    Motile bacteria can overcome the transport limitations that hinder many cancer therapies. Active bacteria can penetrate through tissue to deliver treatment to resistant tumor regions. Bacterial therapy has had limited success, however, because this motility is heterogeneous, and within a population many individuals are non-motile. In human trials, heterogeneity led to poor dispersion and incomplete tumor colonization. To address these problems, a swarm-plate selection method was developed to increase swimming velocity. Video microscopy was used to measure the velocity distribution of selected bacteria and a microfluidic tumor-on-a-chip device was used to measure penetration through tumor cell masses. Selection on swarm plates increased average velocity fourfold, from 4.9 to 18.7 μm/s (P < 0.05) and decreased the number of non-motile individuals from 51% to 3% (P < 0.05). The selected phenotype was both robust and stable. Repeating the selection process consistently increased velocity and eliminated non-motile individuals. When selected strains were cryopreserved and subcultured for 30.1 doublings, the high-motility phenotype was preserved. In the microfluidic device, selected Salmonella penetrated deeper into cell masses than unselected controls. By 10 h after inoculation, control bacteria accumulated in the front 30% of cell masses, closest to the flow channel. In contrast, selected Salmonella accumulated in the back 30% of cell masses, farthest from the channel. Selection increased the average penetration distance from 150 to 400 μm (P < 0.05). This technique provides a simple and rapid method to generate high-motility Salmonella that has increased penetration and potential for greater tumor dispersion and clinical efficacy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Oncofetal Chondroitin Sulfate Glycosaminoglycans Are Key Players in Integrin Signaling and Tumor Cell Motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clausen, Thomas Mandel; Pereira, Marina Ayres; Al Nakouzi, Nader; Oo, Htoo Zarni; Agerbæk, Mette Ø; Lee, Sherry; Ørum-Madsen, Maj Sofie; Kristensen, Anders Riis; El-Naggar, Amal; Grandgenett, Paul M; Grem, Jean L; Hollingsworth, Michael A; Holst, Peter J; Theander, Thor; Sorensen, Poul H; Daugaard, Mads; Salanti, Ali

    2016-12-01

    Many tumors express proteoglycans modified with oncofetal chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains (ofCS), which are normally restricted to the placenta. However, the role of ofCS in cancer is largely unknown. The function of ofCS in cancer was analyzed using the recombinant ofCS-binding VAR2CSA protein (rVAR2) derived from the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum We demonstrate that ofCS plays a key role in tumor cell motility by affecting canonical integrin signaling pathways. Binding of rVAR2 to tumor cells inhibited the interaction of cells with extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which correlated with decreased phosphorylation of Src kinase. Moreover, rVAR2 binding decreased migration, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth of tumor cells in vitro Mass spectrometry of ofCS-modified proteoglycan complexes affinity purified from tumor cell lines on rVAR2 columns revealed an overrepresentation of proteins involved in cell motility and integrin signaling, such as integrin-β1 (ITGB1) and integrin-α4 (ITGA4). Saturating concentrations of rVAR2 inhibited downstream integrin signaling, which was mimicked by knockdown of the core chondroitin sulfate synthesis enzymes β-1,3-glucuronyltransferase 1 (B3GAT1) and chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (CSGALNACT1). The ofCS modification was highly expressed in both human and murine metastatic lesions in situ and preincubation or early intravenous treatment of tumor cells with rVAR2 inhibited seeding and spreading of tumor cells in mice. This was associated with a significant increase in survival of the animals. These data functionally link ofCS modifications with cancer cell motility and further highlights ofCS as a novel therapeutic cancer target. The cancer-specific expression of ofCS aids in metastatic phenotypes and is a candidate target for therapy. Mol Cancer Res; 14(12); 1288-99. ©2016 AACR. ©2016 American Association for Cancer Research.

  15. Colchicine affects cell motility, pattern formation and stalk cell differentiation in Dictyostelium by altering calcium signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poloz, Yekaterina; O'Day, Danton H

    2012-04-01

    Previous work, verified here, showed that colchicine affects Dictyostelium pattern formation, disrupts morphogenesis, inhibits spore differentiation and induces terminal stalk cell differentiation. Here we show that colchicine specifically induces ecmB expression and enhances accumulation of ecmB-expressing cells at the posterior end of multicellular structures. Colchicine did not induce a nuclear translocation of DimB, a DIF-1 responsive transcription factor in vitro. It also induced terminal stalk cell differentiation in a mutant strain that does not produce DIF-1 (dmtA-) and after the treatment of cells with DIF-1 synthesis inhibitor cerulenin (100 μM). This suggests that colchicine induces the differentiation of ecmB-expressing cells independent of DIF-1 production and likely through a signaling pathway that is distinct from the one that is utilized by DIF-1. Depending on concentration, colchicine enhanced random cell motility, but not chemotaxis, by 3-5 fold (10-50 mM colchicine, respectively) through a Ca(2+)-mediated signaling pathway involving phospholipase C, calmodulin and heterotrimeric G proteins. Colchicine's effects were not due to microtubule depolymerization as other microtubule-depolymerizing agents did not have these effects. Finally normal morphogenesis and stalk and spore cell differentiation of cells treated with 10 mM colchicine were rescued through chelation of Ca2+ by BAPTA-AM and EDTA and calmodulin antagonism by W-7 but not PLC inhibition by U-73122. Morphogenesis or spore cell differentiation of cells treated with 50 mM colchicine could not be rescued by the above treatments but terminal stalk cell differentiation was inhibited by BAPTA-AM, EDTA and W-7, but not U-73122. Thus colchicine disrupts morphogenesis and induces stalk cell differentiation through a Ca(2+)-mediated signaling pathway involving specific changes in gene expression and cell motility. Copyright © 2011 International Society of Differentiation. Published by Elsevier B

  16. Irradiation effects of ultraviolet rays on Leptospira cells. Loss of motility, survive ability, and damages of cell structures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maeda, Hidezo (Yamaguchi Univ., Ube (Japan). School of Medicine)

    1982-12-01

    The irradiation effects of ultraviolets rays (UV) on leptospira cells were investigated. Four serovar strains of Genus Leptospira ; L. copenhageni, L. canicola, L. biflexa and L. illini were used. A sterilization lamp (Toshiba-GL-15) was lighted at intervals of 90mm on the sample fluid for several minutes. Loss of motility, survival growth and morphological damages were recognized under several conditions. The medium conditions were important, that is, the Korthof's medium was less effective than phosphate buffered saline (PBS). The irradiation time was also important, that is, L. canicola cells in PBS lost their motility and survive ability within 300sec. of irradiation, however, much more time, such as 1.200sec. was necessary in Korthof's medium. This phenomenon may be depended upon defensibility of albumin in the latter. Among the strains, L. biflexa cells showed the highest resistance in loss of motility and survive ability, and other three strains were inferior. The remarkable efects of cellular structures were also seen in the materials with 30 min. of irradiation, in both immediate time or after 24h incubation. The damages observed after 24th of irradiation were much more drastic than those of immediate time. No effect could be seen on the cells suspended in the Korthof's medium irradiated for 24h. Regarding morphological effect, there appeared relaxation of helical body, spherical body and semighost as the immediate changes. Structural damages were recognized as the collapse of cell body, such as scattering of capsule, release of axial flagella, loss or change of cytoplasmic density and break down of wall membrane complex. These phenomena were regarded as the indirect effects of UV-irradiation and autolysis in a post-mortem change.

  17. Universal entrainment mechanism controls contact times with motile cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mathijssen, Arnold J. T. M.; Jeanneret, Raphaël; Polin, Marco

    2018-03-01

    Contact between particles and motile cells underpins a wide variety of biological processes, from nutrient capture and ligand binding to grazing, viral infection, and cell-cell communication. The window of opportunity for these interactions depends on the basic mechanism determining contact time, which is currently unknown. By combining experiments on three different species—Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Tetraselmis subcordiforms, and Oxyrrhis marina—with simulations and analytical modeling, we show that the fundamental physical process regulating proximity to a swimming microorganism is hydrodynamic particle entrainment. The resulting distribution of contact times is derived within the framework of Taylor dispersion as a competition between advection by the cell surface and microparticle diffusion, and predicts the existence of an optimal tracer size that is also observed experimentally. Spatial organization of flagella, swimming speed, and swimmer and tracer size influence entrainment features and provide tradeoffs that may be tuned to optimize the estimated probabilities for microbial interactions like predation and infection.

  18. Flagellar motility confers epiphytic fitness advantages upon Pseudomonas syringae

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haefele, D.M.; Lindow, S.E.

    1987-01-01

    The role of flagellar motility in determining the epiphytic fitness of an ice-nucleation-active strain of Pseudomonas syringae was examined. The loss of flagellar motility reduced the epiphytic fitness of a normally motile P. syringae strain as measured by its growth, survival, and competitive ability on bean leaf surfaces. Equal population sizes of motile parental or nonmotile mutant P. syringae strains were maintained on bean plants for at least 5 days following the inoculation of fully expanded primary leaves. However, when bean seedlings were inoculated before the primary leaves had expanded and bacterial populations on these leaves were quantified at full expansion, the population size of the nonmotile derivative strain reached only 0.9% that of either the motile parental or revertant strain. When fully expanded bean primary leaves were coinoculated with equal numbers of motile and nonmotile cells, the population size of a nonmotile derivative strain was one-third of that of the motile parental or revertant strain after 8 days. Motile and nonmotile cells were exposed in vitro and on plants to UV radiation and desiccating conditions. The motile and nonmotile strains exhibited equal resistance to both stresses in vitro. However, the population size of a nonmotile strain on leaves was less than 20% that of a motile revertant strain when sampled immediately after UV irradiation. Epiphytic populations of both motile and nonmotile P. syringae declined under desiccating conditions on plants, and after 8 days, the population size of a nonmotile strain was less than one-third that of the motile parental or revertant strain

  19. Inactivation of ferric uptake regulator (Fur) attenuates Helicobacter pylori J99 motility by disturbing the flagellar motor switch and autoinducer-2 production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Ai-Yun; Kao, Cheng-Yen; Wang, Yao-Kuan; Lin, Ssu-Yuan; Lai, Tze-Ying; Sheu, Bor-Shyang; Lo, Chien-Jung; Wu, Jiunn-Jong

    2017-08-01

    Flagellar motility of Helicobacter pylori has been shown to be important for the bacteria to establish initial colonization. The ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is a global regulator that has been identified in H. pylori which is involved in the processes of iron uptake and establishing colonization. However, the role of Fur in H. pylori motility is still unclear. Motility of the wild-type, fur mutant, and fur revertant J99 were determined by a soft-agar motility assay and direct video observation. The bacterial shape and flagellar structure were evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. Single bacterial motility and flagellar switching were observed by phase-contrast microscopy. Autoinducer-2 (AI-2) production in bacterial culture supernatant was analyzed by a bioluminescence assay. The fur mutant showed impaired motility in the soft-agar assay compared with the wild-type J99 and fur revertant. The numbers and lengths of flagellar filaments on the fur mutant cells were similar to those of the wild-type and revertant cells. Phenotypic characterization showed similar swimming speed but reduction in switching rate in the fur mutant. The AI-2 production of the fur mutant was dramatically reduced compared with wild-type J99 in log-phase culture medium. These results indicate that Fur positively modulates H. pylori J99 motility through interfering with bacterial flagellar switching. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. By activating matrix metalloproteinase-7, shear stress promotes chondrosarcoma cell motility, invasion and lung colonization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Pei-Pei; Yu, Xin; Guo, Jian-Jun; Wang, Yue; Wang, Tao; Li, Jia-Yi; Konstantopoulos, Konstantinos; Wang, Zhan-You; Wang, Pu

    2015-04-20

    Interstitial fluid flow and associated shear stress are relevant mechanical signals in cartilage and bone (patho)physiology. However, their effects on chondrosarcoma cell motility, invasion and metastasis have yet to be delineated. Using human SW1353, HS.819.T and CH2879 chondrosarcoma cell lines as model systems, we found that fluid shear stress induces the accumulation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), which in turn markedly enhance chondrosarcoma cell motility and invasion via the induction of matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7). Specifically, shear-induced cAMP and IL-1β activate PI3-K, ERK1/2 and p38 signaling pathways, which lead to the synthesis of MMP-7 via transactivating NF-κB and c-Jun in human chondrosarcoma cells. Importantly, MMP-7 upregulation in response to shear stress exposure has the ability to promote lung colonization of chondrosarcomas in vivo. These findings offer a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying MMP-7 activation in shear-stimulated chondrosarcoma cells, and provide insights on designing new therapeutic strategies to interfere with chondrosarcoma invasion and metastasis.

  1. Cell_motility: a cross-platform, open source application for the study of cell motion paths

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gevaert Kris

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Migration is an important aspect of cellular behaviour and is therefore widely studied in cell biology. Numerous components are known to participate in this process in a highly dynamic manner. In order to obtain a better insight in cell migration, mutants or drugs are used and their motive phenotype is then linked with the disturbing factors. One of the typical approaches to study motion paths of individual cells relies on fitting mean square displacements to a persistent random walk function. Since the numerous calculations involved often rely on diverse commercial software packages, the analysis can be expensive, labour-intensive and error-prone work. Additionally, due to the nature of algorithms employed the calculations involved are not readily reproducible without access to the exact software package(s used. Results We here present the cell_motility software, an open source Java application under the GNU-GPL license that provides a clear and concise analysis workbench for large amounts of cell motion data. Apart from performing the necessary calculations, the software also visualizes the original motion paths as well as the results of the calculations to help the user interpret the data. The application features an intuitive graphical user interface as well as full user and developer documentation and both source and binary files can be freely downloaded from the project website at http://genesis.UGent.be/cell_motility . Conclusion In providing a free, open source software solution for the automated processing of cell motion data, we aim to achieve two important goals: labs can greatly simplify their data analysis pipeline as switching between different computational software packages becomes obsolete (thus reducing the chances for human error during data manipulation and transfer and secondly, to provide scientists in the field with a freely available common platform to perform their analyses, enabling more efficient

  2. Ophiobolin A from Bipolaris oryzae Perturbs Motility and Membrane Integrities of Porcine Sperm and Induces Cell Death on Mammalian Somatic Cell Lines

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    Ottó Bencsik

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Bipolaris oryzae is a phytopathogenic fungus causing a brown spot disease in rice, and produces substance that strongly perturbs motility and membrane integrities of boar spermatozoa. The substance was isolated from the liquid culture of the fungal strain using extraction and a multi-step semi-preparative HPLC procedures. Based on the results of mass spectrometric and 2D NMR techniques, the bioactive molecule was identified as ophiobolin A, a previously described sesterterpene-type compound. The purified ophiobolin A exhibited strong motility inhibition and viability reduction on boar spermatozoa. Furthermore, it damaged the sperm mitochondria significantly at sublethal concentration by the dissipation of transmembrane potential in the mitochondrial inner membrane, while the plasma membrane permeability barrier remained intact. The study demonstrated that the cytotoxicity of ophiobolin A toward somatic cell lines is higher by 1–2 orders of magnitude compared to other mitochondriotoxic mycotoxins, and towards sperm cells unique by replacing the progressive motility by shivering tail beating at low exposure concentration.

  3. Engineering bacterial motility towards hydrogen-peroxide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Virgile, Chelsea; Hauk, Pricila; Wu, Hsuan-Chen; Shang, Wu; Tsao, Chen-Yu; Payne, Gregory F; Bentley, William E

    2018-01-01

    Synthetic biologists construct innovative genetic/biological systems to treat environmental, energy, and health problems. Many systems employ rewired cells for non-native product synthesis, while a few have employed the rewired cells as 'smart' devices with programmable function. Building on the latter, we developed a genetic construct to control and direct bacterial motility towards hydrogen peroxide, one of the body's immune response signaling molecules. A motivation for this work is the creation of cells that can target and autonomously treat disease, the latter signaled by hydrogen peroxide release. Bacteria naturally move towards a variety of molecular cues (e.g., nutrients) in the process of chemotaxis. In this work, we engineered bacteria to recognize and move towards hydrogen peroxide, a non-native chemoattractant and potential toxin. Our system exploits oxyRS, the native oxidative stress regulon of E. coli. We first demonstrated H2O2-mediated upregulation motility regulator, CheZ. Using transwell assays, we showed a two-fold increase in net motility towards H2O2. Then, using a 2D cell tracking system, we quantified bacterial motility descriptors including velocity, % running (of tumble/run motions), and a dynamic net directionality towards the molecular cue. In CheZ mutants, we found that increased H2O2 concentration (0-200 μM) and induction time resulted in increased running speeds, ultimately reaching the native E. coli wild-type speed of ~22 μm/s with a ~45-65% ratio of running to tumbling. Finally, using a microfluidic device with stable H2O2 gradients, we characterized responses and the potential for "programmed" directionality towards H2O2 in quiescent fluids. Overall, the synthetic biology framework and tracking analysis in this work will provide a framework for investigating controlled motility of E. coli and other 'smart' probiotics for signal-directed treatment.

  4. Tumor suppressor KAI1 affects integrin αvβ3-mediated ovarian cancer cell adhesion, motility, and proliferation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruseva, Zlatna; Geiger, Pamina Xenia Charlotte; Hutzler, Peter; Kotzsch, Matthias; Luber, Birgit; Schmitt, Manfred; Gross, Eva; Reuning, Ute

    2009-01-01

    The tetraspanin KAI1 had been described as a metastasis suppressor in many different cancer types, a function for which associations of KAI1 with adhesion and signaling receptors of the integrin superfamily likely play a role. In ovarian cancer, integrin αvβ3 correlates with tumor progression and its elevation in vitro provoked enhanced cell adhesion accompanied by significant increases in cell motility and proliferation in the presence of its major ligand vitronectin. In the present study, we characterized integrin αvβ3-mediated tumor biological effects as a function of cellular KAI1 restoration and proved for the first time that KAI1, besides its already known physical crosstalk with β1-integrins, also colocalizes with integrin αvβ3. Functionally, elevated KAI1 levels drastically increased integrin αvβ3/vitronectin-dependent ovarian cancer cell adhesion. Since an intermediate level of cell adhesive strength is required for optimal cell migration, we next studied ovarian cancer cell motility as a function of KAI1 restoration. By time lapse video microscopy, we found impaired integrin αvβ3/vitronectin-mediated cell migration most probably due to strongly enhanced cellular immobilization onto the adhesion-supporting matrix. Moreover, KAI1 reexpression significantly diminished cell proliferation. These data strongly indicate that KAI1 may suppress ovarian cancer progression by inhibiting integrin αvβ3/vitronectin-provoked tumor cell motility and proliferation as important hallmarks of the oncogenic process.

  5. PTP-PEST targets a novel tyrosine site in p120 catenin to control epithelial cell motility and Rho GTPase activity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Espejo, Rosario; Jeng, Yowjiun; Paulucci-Holthauzen, Adriana; Rengifo-Cam, William; Honkus, Krysta; Anastasiadis, Panos Z.; Sastry, Sarita K.

    2014-01-01

    ABSTRACT Tyrosine phosphorylation is implicated in regulating the adherens junction protein, p120 catenin (p120), however, the mechanisms are not well defined. Here, we show, using substrate trapping, that p120 is a direct target of the protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP-PEST, in epithelial cells. Stable shRNA knockdown of PTP-PEST in colon carcinoma cells results in an increased cytosolic pool of p120 concomitant with its enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation and decreased association with E-cadherin. Consistent with this, PTP-PEST knockdown cells exhibit increased motility, enhanced Rac1 and decreased RhoA activity on a collagen substrate. Furthermore, p120 localization is enhanced at actin-rich protrusions and lamellipodia and has an increased association with the guanine nucleotide exchange factor, VAV2, and cortactin. Exchange factor activity of VAV2 is enhanced by PTP-PEST knockdown whereas overexpression of a VAV2 C-terminal domain or DH domain mutant blocks cell motility. Analysis of point mutations identified tyrosine 335 in the N-terminal domain of p120 as the site of PTP-PEST dephosphorylation. A Y335F mutant of p120 failed to induce the ‘p120 phenotype’, interact with VAV2, stimulate cell motility or activate Rac1. Together, these data suggest that PTP-PEST affects epithelial cell motility by controlling the distribution and phosphorylation of p120 and its availability to control Rho GTPase activity. PMID:24284071

  6. In vitro and in vivo motility studies of radiolabelled sperm cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Balogh, L.; Szasz, F.; Janoki, Gy.A.; Toth, L.; Zoldag, L.; Huszenicza, Gy.

    1994-01-01

    A new method for radiolabelling of sperm cells with 99m Tc HM-PAO (hexamethyl-propylene-amine-oxide) - LEUCO-SCINT kit, is investigated. The labelling technique for fresh rabbit, bull, sheep and horse as well as frozen-thawed bull sperm was optimized. The optimum conditions for sperm cell labelling (incubation volume, incubation time, initial activity of 99m Tc HM-PAO, cell number) yielded a high labelling efficiency (70-80%) and survival rate (50-60%). The labelled sperm cells were used to study their motility in vitro. The migrating at 37 o C cells incubated capillary tubes containing bovine cervical mucus. The tubes were cut and the activity of the parts measured and valued. We compared the results of living and killed sperm cells and the label alone by the change of species and running time. Ten minutes after the labelling procedures the total activity of microtubes was 2-3 times higher and the activity distribution was different from the results obtained 3 hours after the labelling. The sperm migration in vivo in the living female animals using a non invasive technique was also visualized. The sperm flow was clearly demonstrated in 3 different animal model (rabbit, ewe, hen) under gamma camera. The comparison of the in vivo migration of rabbit and bull sperm cells showed that the homologous sperm migrated faster and farther. On study of bull sperm migration in the ewe genital tract the cornu uteri was clearly visualized. In the hen model the whole genital tract was demonstrated with considerable free activity in the cavum abdominal 24 hours after the artificial insemination. The new method is developed and manufactured by NRIRR, Budapest, originally designed for radiolabelling leucocytes. The 99m Tc HM-PAO Labelled sperm cells with their retained migration properties are suitable for in vitro motility assays and in vitro migration studies in both human and veterinary medicine. (author)

  7. Integrin-linked kinase interactions with ELMO2 modulate cell polarity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Ernest; Irvine, Tames; Vilk, Gregory J A; Lajoie, Gilles; Ravichandran, Kodi S; D'Souza, Sudhir J A; Dagnino, Lina

    2009-07-01

    Cell polarization is a key prerequisite for directed migration during development, tissue regeneration, and metastasis. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) is a scaffold protein essential for cell polarization, but very little is known about the precise mechanisms whereby ILK modulates polarization in normal epithelia. Elucidating these mechanisms is essential to understand tissue morphogenesis, transformation, and repair. Here we identify a novel ILK protein complex that includes Engulfment and Cell Motility 2 (ELMO2). We also demonstrate the presence of RhoG in ILK-ELMO2 complexes, and the localization of this multiprotein species specifically to the leading lamellipodia of polarized cells. Significantly, the ability of RhoG to bind ELMO is crucial for ILK induction of cell polarization, and the joint expression of ILK and ELMO2 synergistically promotes the induction of front-rear polarity and haptotactic migration. This places RhoG-ELMO2-ILK complexes in a key position for the development of cell polarity and forward movement. Although ILK is a component of many diverse multiprotein species that may contribute to cell polarization, expression of dominant-negative ELMO2 mutants is sufficient to abolish the ability of ILK to promote cell polarization. Thus, its interaction with ELMO2 and RhoG is essential for the ability of ILK to induce front-rear cell polarity.

  8. Social motility in african trypanosomes.

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    Michael Oberholzer

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available African trypanosomes are devastating human and animal pathogens that cause significant human mortality and limit economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. Studies of trypanosome biology generally consider these protozoan parasites as individual cells in suspension cultures or in animal models of infection. Here we report that the procyclic form of the African trypanosome Trypanosoma brucei engages in social behavior when cultivated on semisolid agarose surfaces. This behavior is characterized by trypanosomes assembling into multicellular communities that engage in polarized migrations across the agarose surface and cooperate to divert their movements in response to external signals. These cooperative movements are flagellum-mediated, since they do not occur in trypanin knockdown parasites that lack normal flagellum motility. We term this behavior social motility based on features shared with social motility and other types of surface-induced social behavior in bacteria. Social motility represents a novel and unexpected aspect of trypanosome biology and offers new paradigms for considering host-parasite interactions.

  9. Istaroxime Inhibits Motility and Down-Regulates Orai1 Expression, SOCE and FAK Phosphorylation in Prostate Cancer Cells

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    Matias Julian Stagno

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Istaroxime is a validated inotropic Na+/K+ ATPase inhibitor currently in development for the treatment of various cardiac conditions. Recent findings established that this steroidal drug exhibits potent apoptotic responses in prostate tumors in vitro and in vivo, by affecting key signaling orchestrating proliferation and apoptosis, such as c-Myc and caspase 3, Rho GTPases and actin cytoskeleton dynamics. In the present study we examined whether istaroxime is affecting cell motility and analyzed the underlying mechanism in prostate tumor cells. Methods: Migration was assessed by transwell and wound healing assays, Orai1 and Stim1 abundance by RT-PCR and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, Fura-2 fluorescence was utilized to determine intracellular Ca2+ and Western blotting for FAK/pFAK measurements. Results: We observed strong inhibition of cell migration in istaroxime treated DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Istaroxime further decreased Orai1 and Stim1 transcript levels and downregulated Orai1 protein expression. Moreover, SOCE was significantly decreased upon istaroxime treatment. Furthermore, istaroxime strikingly diminished phosphorylated FAK levels. Interestingly, the efficacy of istaroxime on the inhibition of DU-145 cell migration was further enhanced by blocking Orai1 with 2-APB and FAK with the specific inhibitor PF-00562271. These results provide strong evidence that istaroxime prevents cell migration and motility of DU-145 prostate tumor cells, an effect at least partially attributed to Orai1 downregulation and FAK de-activation. Conclusion: Collectively our results indicate that this enzyme inhibitor, besides its pro-apoptotic action, affects motility of cancer cells, supporting its potential role as a strong candidate for further clinical cancer drug development.

  10. Down-regulation of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase affects glycosaminoglycans synthesis and motility in HCT-8 colorectal carcinoma cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Tsung-Pao; Pan, Yun-Ru; Fu, Chien-Yu; Chang, Hwan-You, E-mail: hychang@life.nthu.edu.tw

    2010-10-15

    UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGDH) catalyzes oxidation of UDP-glucose to yield UDP-glucuronic acid, a precursor of hyaluronic acid (HA) and other glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in extracellular matrix. Although association of extracellular matrix with cell proliferation and migration has been well documented, the importance of UGDH in these behaviors is not clear. Using UGDH-specific small interference RNA to treat HCT-8 colorectal carcinoma cells, a decrease in both mRNA and protein levels of UGDH, as well as the cellular UDP-glucuronic acid and GAG production was observed. Treatment of HCT-8 cells with either UGDH-specific siRNA or HA synthesis inhibitor 4-methylumbelliferone effectively delayed cell aggregation into multicellular spheroids and impaired cell motility in both three-dimensional collagen gel and transwell migration assays. The reduction in cell aggregation and migration rates could be restored by addition of exogenous HA. These results indicate that UGDH can regulate cell motility through the production of GAG. The enzyme may be a potential target for therapeutic intervention of colorectal cancers.

  11. Presence and function of dopamine transporter (DAT in stallion sperm: dopamine modulates sperm motility and acrosomal integrity.

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    Javier A Urra

    Full Text Available Dopamine is a catecholamine with multiple physiological functions, playing a key role in nervous system; however its participation in reproductive processes and sperm physiology is controversial. High dopamine concentrations have been reported in different portions of the feminine and masculine reproductive tract, although the role fulfilled by this catecholamine in reproductive physiology is as yet unknown. We have previously shown that dopamine type 2 receptor is functional in boar sperm, suggesting that dopamine acts as a physiological modulator of sperm viability, capacitation and motility. In the present study, using immunodetection methods, we revealed the presence of several proteins important for the dopamine uptake and signalling in mammalian sperm, specifically monoamine transporters as dopamine (DAT, serotonin (SERT and norepinephrine (NET transporters in equine sperm. We also demonstrated for the first time in equine sperm a functional dopamine transporter using 4-[4-(Dimethylaminostyryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (ASP(+, as substrate. In addition, we also showed that dopamine (1 mM treatment in vitro, does not affect sperm viability but decreases total and progressive sperm motility. This effect is reversed by blocking the dopamine transporter with the selective inhibitor vanoxerine (GBR12909 and non-selective inhibitors of dopamine reuptake such as nomifensine and bupropion. The effect of dopamine in sperm physiology was evaluated and we demonstrated that acrosome integrity and thyrosine phosphorylation in equine sperm is significantly reduced at high concentrations of this catecholamine. In summary, our results revealed the presence of monoamine transporter DAT, NET and SERT in equine sperm, and that the dopamine uptake by DAT can regulate sperm function, specifically acrosomal integrity and sperm motility.

  12. Bringing statistics up to speed with data in analysis of lymphocyte motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Letendre, Kenneth; Donnadieu, Emmanuel; Moses, Melanie E; Cannon, Judy L

    2015-01-01

    Two-photon (2P) microscopy provides immunologists with 3D video of the movement of lymphocytes in vivo. Motility parameters extracted from these videos allow detailed analysis of lymphocyte motility in lymph nodes and peripheral tissues. However, standard parametric statistical analyses such as the Student's t-test are often used incorrectly, and fail to take into account confounds introduced by the experimental methods, potentially leading to erroneous conclusions about T cell motility. Here, we compare the motility of WT T cell versus PKCθ-/-, CARMA1-/-, CCR7-/-, and PTX-treated T cells. We show that the fluorescent dyes used to label T cells have significant effects on T cell motility, and we demonstrate the use of factorial ANOVA as a statistical tool that can control for these effects. In addition, researchers often choose between the use of "cell-based" parameters by averaging multiple steps of a single cell over time (e.g. cell mean speed), or "step-based" parameters, in which all steps of a cell population (e.g. instantaneous speed) are grouped without regard for the cell track. Using mixed model ANOVA, we show that we can maintain cell-based analyses without losing the statistical power of step-based data. We find that as we use additional levels of statistical control, we can more accurately estimate the speed of T cells as they move in lymph nodes as well as measure the impact of individual signaling molecules on T cell motility. As there is increasing interest in using computational modeling to understand T cell behavior in in vivo, these quantitative measures not only give us a better determination of actual T cell movement, they may prove crucial for models to generate accurate predictions about T cell behavior.

  13. Leukocyte Motility Models Assessed through Simulation and Multi-objective Optimization-Based Model Selection.

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    Mark N Read

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The advent of two-photon microscopy now reveals unprecedented, detailed spatio-temporal data on cellular motility and interactions in vivo. Understanding cellular motility patterns is key to gaining insight into the development and possible manipulation of the immune response. Computational simulation has become an established technique for understanding immune processes and evaluating hypotheses in the context of experimental data, and there is clear scope to integrate microscopy-informed motility dynamics. However, determining which motility model best reflects in vivo motility is non-trivial: 3D motility is an intricate process requiring several metrics to characterize. This complicates model selection and parameterization, which must be performed against several metrics simultaneously. Here we evaluate Brownian motion, Lévy walk and several correlated random walks (CRWs against the motility dynamics of neutrophils and lymph node T cells under inflammatory conditions by simultaneously considering cellular translational and turn speeds, and meandering indices. Heterogeneous cells exhibiting a continuum of inherent translational speeds and directionalities comprise both datasets, a feature significantly improving capture of in vivo motility when simulated as a CRW. Furthermore, translational and turn speeds are inversely correlated, and the corresponding CRW simulation again improves capture of our in vivo data, albeit to a lesser extent. In contrast, Brownian motion poorly reflects our data. Lévy walk is competitive in capturing some aspects of neutrophil motility, but T cell directional persistence only, therein highlighting the importance of evaluating models against several motility metrics simultaneously. This we achieve through novel application of multi-objective optimization, wherein each model is independently implemented and then parameterized to identify optimal trade-offs in performance against each metric. The resultant Pareto

  14. Opiate Modulation of Gastrointestinal Motility and the Actions of Trimebutine

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    Stephen M Collins

    1991-01-01

    novel therapeutic approaches to the treatment of motility disorders, including postoperative ileus and pseudo-obstruction. Finally, the effect of the drug on the colon supports the use of trimcbutine in irritable bowel syndrome patients who have constipation due to colonic inertia.

  15. Deciphering resting microglial morphology and process motility from a synaptic prospect

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    Ines eHristovska

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS, were traditionally believed to be set into action only in case of injury or disease. Accordingly, microglia were assumed to be inactive or resting in the healthy brain. However, recent studies revealed that microglia carry out active tissue sampling in the intact brain by extending and retracting their ramified processes while periodically contacting synapses. Microglial morphology and motility as well as the frequency and duration of physical contacts with synaptic elements were found to be modulated by neuronal activity, sensory experience and neurotransmission; however findings have not been straightforward. Microglial cells are the most morphologically plastic element of the CNS. This unique feature confers them the possibility to locally sense activity, and to respond adequately by establishing synaptic contacts to regulate synaptic inputs by the secretion of signaling molecules. Indeed, microglial cells can hold new roles as critical players in maintaining brain homeostasis and regulating synaptic number, maturation and plasticity. For this reason, a better characterization of microglial cells and cues mediating neuron-to-microglia communication under physiological conditions may help advance our understanding of the microglial behavior and its regulation in the healthy brain. This review highlights recent findings on the instructive role of neuronal activity on microglial motility and microglia-synapse interactions, focusing on the main transmitters involved in this communication and including newly described communication at the tripartite synapse.

  16. In silico reconstitution of actin-based symmetry breaking and motility.

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    Mark J Dayel

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic cells assemble viscoelastic networks of crosslinked actin filaments to control their shape, mechanical properties, and motility. One important class of actin network is nucleated by the Arp2/3 complex and drives both membrane protrusion at the leading edge of motile cells and intracellular motility of pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes. These networks can be reconstituted in vitro from purified components to drive the motility of spherical micron-sized beads. An Elastic Gel model has been successful in explaining how these networks break symmetry, but how they produce directed motile force has been less clear. We have combined numerical simulations with in vitro experiments to reconstitute the behavior of these motile actin networks in silico using an Accumulative Particle-Spring (APS model that builds on the Elastic Gel model, and demonstrates simple intuitive mechanisms for both symmetry breaking and sustained motility. The APS model explains observed transitions between smooth and pulsatile motion as well as subtle variations in network architecture caused by differences in geometry and conditions. Our findings also explain sideways symmetry breaking and motility of elongated beads, and show that elastic recoil, though important for symmetry breaking and pulsatile motion, is not necessary for smooth directional motility. The APS model demonstrates how a small number of viscoelastic network parameters and construction rules suffice to recapture the complex behavior of motile actin networks. The fact that the model not only mirrors our in vitro observations, but also makes novel predictions that we confirm by experiment, suggests that the model captures much of the essence of actin-based motility in this system.

  17. Functional proteomic analysis reveals the involvement of KIAA1199 in breast cancer growth, motility and invasiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jami, Mohammad-Saeid; Huang, Xin; Peng, Hong; Fu, Kai; Li, Yan; Singh, Rakesh K; Ding, Shi-Jian; Hou, Jinxuan; Liu, Miao; Varney, Michelle L; Hassan, Hesham; Dong, Jixin; Geng, Liying; Wang, Jing; Yu, Fang

    2014-01-01

    KIAA1199 is a recently identified novel gene that is up-regulated in human cancer with poor survival. Our proteomic study on signaling polarity in chemotactic cells revealed KIAA1199 as a novel protein target that may be involved in cellular chemotaxis and motility. In the present study, we examined the functional significance of KIAA1199 expression in breast cancer growth, motility and invasiveness. We validated the previous microarray observation by tissue microarray immunohistochemistry using a TMA slide containing 12 breast tumor tissue cores and 12 corresponding normal tissues. We performed the shRNA-mediated knockdown of KIAA1199 in MDA-MB-231 and HS578T cells to study the role of this protein in cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis in vitro. We studied the effects of KIAA1199 knockdown in vivo in two groups of mice (n = 5). We carried out the SILAC LC-MS/MS based proteomic studies on the involvement of KIAA1199 in breast cancer. KIAA1199 mRNA and protein was significantly overexpressed in breast tumor specimens and cell lines as compared with non-neoplastic breast tissues from large-scale microarray and studies of breast cancer cell lines and tumors. To gain deeper insights into the novel role of KIAA1199 in breast cancer, we modulated KIAA1199 expression using shRNA-mediated knockdown in two breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and HS578T), expressing higher levels of KIAA1199. The KIAA1199 knockdown cells showed reduced motility and cell proliferation in vitro. Moreover, when the knockdown cells were injected into the mammary fat pads of female athymic nude mice, there was a significant decrease in tumor incidence and growth. In addition, quantitative proteomic analysis revealed that knockdown of KIAA1199 in breast cancer (MDA-MB-231) cells affected a broad range of cellular functions including apoptosis, metabolism and cell motility. Our findings indicate that KIAA1199 may play an important role in breast tumor growth and invasiveness, and that it

  18. Pancreatic Fibroblasts Stimulate the Motility of Pancreatic Cancer Cells through IGF1/IGF1R Signaling under Hypoxia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshiki Hirakawa

    Full Text Available Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC is characterized by its hypovascularity, with an extremely poor prognosis because of its highly invasive nature. PDAC proliferates with abundant stromal cells, suggesting that its invasive activity might be controlled by intercellular interactions between cancer cells and fibroblasts. Using four PDAC cell lines and two pancreas cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs, the expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1 and IGF1 receptor (IGF1R was evaluated by RT-PCR, FACScan, western blot, or ELISA. Correlation between IGF1R and the hypoxia marker carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9 was examined by immunohistochemical staining of 120 pancreatic specimens. The effects of CAFs, IGF1, and IGF1R inhibitors on the motility of cancer cells were examined by wound-healing assay or invasion assay under normoxia (20% O2 and hypoxia (1% O2. IGF1R expression was significantly higher in RWP-1, MiaPaCa-2, and OCUP-AT cells than in Panc-1 cells. Hypoxia increased the expression level of IGF1R in RWP-1, MiaPaCa-2, and OCUP-AT cells. CA9 expression was correlated with IGF1R expression in pancreatic specimens. CAFs produced IGF1 under hypoxia, but PDAC cells did not. A conditioned medium from CAFs, which expressed αSMA, stimulated the migration and invasion ability of MiaPaCa-2, RWP-1, and OCUP-AT cells. The motility of all PDAC cells was greater under hypoxia than under normoxia. The motility-stimulating ability of CAFs was decreased by IGF1R inhibitors. These findings might suggest that pancreas CAFs stimulate the invasion activity of PDAC cells through paracrine IGF1/IGF1R signaling, especially under hypoxia. Therefore the targeting of IGF1R signaling might represent a promising therapeutic approach in IGF1R-dependent PDAC.

  19. Activation of the complement cascade enhances motility of leukemic cells by downregulating expression of HO-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelbaset-Ismail, A; Borkowska-Rzeszotek, S; Kubis, E; Bujko, K; Brzeźniakiewicz-Janus, K; Bolkun, L; Kloczko, J; Moniuszko, M; Basak, G W; Wiktor-Jedrzejczak, W; Ratajczak, M Z

    2017-02-01

    As a crucial arm of innate immunity, the complement cascade (ComC) is involved both in mobilization of normal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) from bone marrow (BM) into peripheral blood and in their homing to BM. Despite the fact that ComC cleavage fragments alone do not chemoattract normal HSPCs, we found that leukemia cell lines as well as clonogenic blasts from chronic myeloid leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia patients respond robustly to C3 and C5 cleavage fragments by chemotaxis and increased adhesion. This finding was supported by the detection of C3a and C5a receptors in cells from human malignant hematopoietic cell lines and patient blasts at the mRNA (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) and protein level (fluorescence-activated cell sorting), and by the demonstration that these receptors respond to stimulation by C3a and C5a by phosphorylation of p42/44 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and protein kinase B (PKB/AKT). We also found that inducible heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is a negative regulator of ComC-mediated trafficking of leukemic cells, and that stimulation of leukemic cells by C3 or C5 cleavage fragments activates p38 MAPK, which downregulates HO-1 expression, rendering cells more mobile. We conclude that activation of the ComC in leukemia/lymphoma patients (for example, as a result of accompanying infections) enhances the motility of malignant cells and contributes to their spread in a p38 MAPK-HO-1-dependent manner. Therefore, inhibition of p38 MAPK or upregulation of HO-1 by small-molecule modulators would have a beneficial effect on ameliorating cell migration-mediated expansion of leukemia/lymphoma cells when the ComC becomes activated.

  20. Activation of the complement cascade enhances motility of leukemic cells by downregulating expression of HO-1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdelbaset-Ismail, A; Borkowska-Rzeszotek, S; Kubis, E; Bujko, K; Brzeźniakiewicz-Janus, K; Bolkun, L; Kloczko, J; Moniuszko, M; Basak, G W; Wiktor-Jedrzejczak, W; Ratajczak, M Z

    2017-01-01

    As a crucial arm of innate immunity, the complement cascade (ComC) is involved both in mobilization of normal hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) from bone marrow (BM) into peripheral blood and in their homing to BM. Despite the fact that ComC cleavage fragments alone do not chemoattract normal HSPCs, we found that leukemia cell lines as well as clonogenic blasts from chronic myeloid leukemia and acute myeloid leukemia patients respond robustly to C3 and C5 cleavage fragments by chemotaxis and increased adhesion. This finding was supported by the detection of C3a and C5a receptors in cells from human malignant hematopoietic cell lines and patient blasts at the mRNA (reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction) and protein level (fluorescence-activated cell sorting), and by the demonstration that these receptors respond to stimulation by C3a and C5a by phosphorylation of p42/44 and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), and protein kinase B (PKB/AKT). We also found that inducible heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) is a negative regulator of ComC-mediated trafficking of leukemic cells, and that stimulation of leukemic cells by C3 or C5 cleavage fragments activates p38 MAPK, which downregulates HO-1 expression, rendering cells more mobile. We conclude that activation of the ComC in leukemia/lymphoma patients (for example, as a result of accompanying infections) enhances the motility of malignant cells and contributes to their spread in a p38 MAPK–HO-1-dependent manner. Therefore, inhibition of p38 MAPK or upregulation of HO-1 by small-molecule modulators would have a beneficial effect on ameliorating cell migration-mediated expansion of leukemia/lymphoma cells when the ComC becomes activated. PMID:27451975

  1. Tumor suppressors TSC1 and TSC2 differentially modulate actin cytoskeleton and motility of mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena A Goncharova

    Full Text Available TSC1 and TSC2 mutations cause neoplasms in rare disease pulmonary LAM and neuronal pathfinding in hamartoma syndrome TSC. The specific roles of TSC1 and TSC2 in actin remodeling and the modulation of cell motility, however, are not well understood. Previously, we demonstrated that TSC1 and TSC2 regulate the activity of small GTPases RhoA and Rac1, stress fiber formation and cell adhesion in a reciprocal manner. Here, we show that Tsc1(-/- MEFs have decreased migration compared to littermate-derived Tsc1(+/+ MEFs. Migration of Tsc1(-/- MEFs with re-expressed TSC1 was comparable to Tsc1(+/+ MEF migration. In contrast, Tsc2(-/- MEFs showed an increased migration compared to Tsc2(+/+ MEFs that were abrogated by TSC2 re-expression. Depletion of TSC1 and TSC2 using specific siRNAs in wild type MEFs and NIH 3T3 fibroblasts also showed that TSC1 loss attenuates cell migration while TSC2 loss promotes cell migration. Morphological and immunochemical analysis demonstrated that Tsc1(-/- MEFs have a thin protracted shape with a few stress fibers; in contrast, Tsc2(-/- MEFs showed a rounded morphology and abundant stress fibers. Expression of TSC1 in either Tsc1(-/- or Tsc2(-/- MEFs promoted stress fiber formation, while TSC2 re-expression induced stress fiber disassembly and the formation of cortical actin. To assess the mechanism(s by which TSC2 loss promotes actin re-arrangement and cell migration, we explored the role of known downstream effectors of TSC2, mTORC1 and mTORC2. Increased migration of Tsc2(-/- MEFs is inhibited by siRNA mTOR and siRNA Rictor, but not siRNA Raptor. siRNA mTOR or siRNA Rictor promoted stress fiber disassembly in TSC2-null cells, while siRNA Raptor had little effect. Overexpression of kinase-dead mTOR induced actin stress fiber disassembly and suppressed TSC2-deficient cell migration. Our data demonstrate that TSC1 and TSC2 differentially regulate actin stress fiber formation and cell migration, and that only TSC2 loss promotes

  2. Flagellar Motility of Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigotes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    G. Ballesteros-Rodea

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The hemoflagellate Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of American trypanosomiasis. Despite the importance of motility in the parasite life cycle, little is known about T. cruzi motility, and there is no quantitative description of its flagellar beating. Using video microscopy and quantitative vectorial analysis of epimastigote trajectories, we find a forward parasite motility defined by tip-to-base symmetrical flagellar beats. This motion is occasionally interrupted by base-to-tip highly asymmetric beats, which represent the ciliary beat of trypanosomatid flagella. The switch between flagellar and ciliary beating facilitates the parasite's reorientation, which produces a large variability of movement and trajectories that results in different distance ranges traveled by the cells. An analysis of the distance, speed, and rotational angle indicates that epimastigote movement is not completely random, and the phenomenon is highly dependent on the parasite behavior and is characterized by directed and tumbling parasite motion as well as their combination, resulting in the alternation of rectilinear and intricate motility paths.

  3. Mammalian Sperm Motility: Observation and Theory

    KAUST Repository

    Gaffney, E.A.

    2011-01-21

    Mammalian spermatozoa motility is a subject of growing importance because of rising human infertility and the possibility of improving animal breeding. We highlight opportunities for fluid and continuum dynamics to provide novel insights concerning the mechanics of these specialized cells, especially during their remarkable journey to the egg. The biological structure of the motile sperm appendage, the flagellum, is described and placed in the context of the mechanics underlying the migration of mammalian sperm through the numerous environments of the female reproductive tract. This process demands certain specific changes to flagellar movement and motility for which further mechanical insight would be valuable, although this requires improved modeling capabilities, particularly to increase our understanding of sperm progression in vivo. We summarize current theoretical studies, highlighting the synergistic combination of imaging and theory in exploring sperm motility, and discuss the challenges for future observational and theoretical studies in understanding the underlying mechanics. © 2011 by Annual Reviews. All rights reserved.

  4. The influence of non polar and polar molecules in mouse motile cells membranes and pure lipid bilayers.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco J Sierra-Valdez

    Full Text Available We report an experimental study of mouse sperm motility that shows chief aspects characteristic of neurons: the anesthetic (produced by tetracaine and excitatory (produced by either caffeine or calcium effects and their antagonic action. While tetracaine inhibits sperm motility and caffeine has an excitatory action, the combination of these two substances balance the effects, producing a motility quite similar to that of control cells. We also study the effects of these agents (anesthetic and excitatory on the melting points of pure lipid liposomes constituted by 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC and dipalmitoyl phosphatidic acid (DPPA. Tetracaine induces a large fluidization of the membrane, shifting the liposomes melting transition temperature to much lower values. The effect of caffeine is null, but its addition to tetracaine-doped liposomes greatly screen the fluidization effect. A high calcium concentration stiffens pure lipid membranes and strongly reduces the effect of tetracaine. Molecular Dynamics Simulations are performed to further understand our experimental findings at the molecular level. We find a strong correlation between the effect of antagonic molecules that could explain how the mechanical properties suitable for normal cell functioning are affected and recovered.

  5. Quantitative assessment of cancer cell morphology and motility using telecentric digital holographic microscopy and machine learning.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Van K; Nguyen, Thanh C; Chung, Byung M; Nehmetallah, George; Raub, Christopher B

    2018-03-01

    The noninvasive, fast acquisition of quantitative phase maps using digital holographic microscopy (DHM) allows tracking of rapid cellular motility on transparent substrates. On two-dimensional surfaces in vitro, MDA-MB-231 cancer cells assume several morphologies related to the mode of migration and substrate stiffness, relevant to mechanisms of cancer invasiveness in vivo. The quantitative phase information from DHM may accurately classify adhesive cancer cell subpopulations with clinical relevance. To test this, cells from the invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line were cultured on glass, tissue-culture treated polystyrene, and collagen hydrogels, and imaged with DHM followed by epifluorescence microscopy after staining F-actin and nuclei. Trends in cell phase parameters were tracked on the different substrates, during cell division, and during matrix adhesion, relating them to F-actin features. Support vector machine learning algorithms were trained and tested using parameters from holographic phase reconstructions and cell geometric features from conventional phase images, and used to distinguish between elongated and rounded cell morphologies. DHM was able to distinguish between elongated and rounded morphologies of MDA-MB-231 cells with 94% accuracy, compared to 83% accuracy using cell geometric features from conventional brightfield microscopy. This finding indicates the potential of DHM to detect and monitor cancer cell morphologies relevant to cell cycle phase status, substrate adhesion, and motility. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry. © 2017 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.

  6. Influence of engineered surface on cell directionality and motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tang, Qing Yuan; Pang, Stella W; Tong, Wing Yin; Shi, Peng; Lam, Yun Wah; Shi, Jue

    2014-01-01

    Control of cell migration is important in numerous key biological processes, and is implicated in pathological conditions such as cancer metastasis and inflammatory diseases. Many previous studies indicated that cell migration could be guided by micropatterns fabricated on cell culture surfaces. In this study, we designed a polydimethylsiloxane cell culture substrate with gratings punctuated by corners and ends, and studied its effects on the behavior of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells. MC3T3-E1 cells elongated and aligned with the gratings, and the migration paths of the cells appeared to be guided by the grating pattern. Interestingly, more than 88% of the cells cultured on these patterns were observed to reverse their migration directions at least once during the 16 h examination period. Most of the reversal events occurred at the corners and the ends of the pattern, suggesting these localized topographical features induce an abrupt loss in directional persistence. Moreover, the cell speed was observed to increase temporarily right after each directional reversal. Focal adhesion complexes were more well-established in cells on the angular gratings than on flat surfaces, but the formation of filipodia appeared to be imbalanced at the corners and the ends, possibly leading to the loss of directional persistence. This study describes the first engineered cell culture surface that consistently induces changes in the directional persistence of adherent cells. This will provide an experimental model for the study of this phenomenon and a valuable platform to control the cell motility and directionality, which can be used for cell screening and selection. (paper)

  7. Surface Topography Hinders Bacterial Surface Motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Yow-Ren; Weeks, Eric R; Ducker, William A

    2018-03-21

    We demonstrate that the surface motility of the bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, is hindered by a crystalline hemispherical topography with wavelength in the range of 2-8 μm. The motility was determined by the analysis of time-lapse microscopy images of cells in a flowing growth medium maintained at 37 °C. The net displacement of bacteria over 5 min is much lower on surfaces containing 2-8 μm hemispheres than on flat topography, but displacement on the 1 μm hemispheres is not lower. That is, there is a threshold between 1 and 2 μm for response to the topography. Cells on the 4 μm hemispheres were more likely to travel parallel to the local crystal axis than in other directions. Cells on the 8 μm topography were less likely to travel across the crowns of the hemispheres and were also more likely to make 30°-50° turns than on flat surfaces. These results show that surface topography can act as a significant barrier to surface motility and may therefore hinder surface exploration by bacteria. Because surface exploration can be a part of the process whereby bacteria form colonies and seek nutrients, these results help to elucidate the mechanism by which surface topography hinders biofilm formation.

  8. Multiple travelling-wave solutions in a minimal model for cell motility

    KAUST Repository

    Kimpton, L. S.

    2012-07-11

    Two-phase flow models have been used previously to model cell motility. In order to reduce the complexity inherent with describing the many physical processes, we formulate a minimal model. Here we demonstrate that even the simplest 1D, two-phase, poroviscous, reactive flow model displays various types of behaviour relevant to cell crawling. We present stability analyses that show that an asymmetric perturbation is required to cause a spatially uniform, stationary strip of cytoplasm to move, which is relevant to cell polarization. Our numerical simulations identify qualitatively distinct families of travellingwave solutions that coexist at certain parameter values. Within each family, the crawling speed of the strip has a bell-shaped dependence on the adhesion strength. The model captures the experimentally observed behaviour that cells crawl quickest at intermediate adhesion strengths, when the substrate is neither too sticky nor too slippy. © The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications. All rights reserved.

  9. Effects of adhesion dynamics and substrate compliance on the shape and motility of crawling cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Falko Ziebert

    Full Text Available Computational modeling of eukaryotic cells moving on substrates is an extraordinarily complex task: many physical processes, such as actin polymerization, action of motors, formation of adhesive contacts concomitant with both substrate deformation and recruitment of actin etc., as well as regulatory pathways are intertwined. Moreover, highly nontrivial cell responses emerge when the substrate becomes deformable and/or heterogeneous. Here we extended a computational model for motile cell fragments, based on an earlier developed phase field approach, to account for explicit dynamics of adhesion site formation, as well as for substrate compliance via an effective elastic spring. Our model displays steady motion vs. stick-slip transitions with concomitant shape oscillations as a function of the actin protrusion rate, the substrate stiffness, and the rates of adhesion. Implementing a step in the substrate's elastic modulus, as well as periodic patterned surfaces exemplified by alternating stripes of high and low adhesiveness, we were able to reproduce the correct motility modes and shape phenomenology found experimentally. We also predict the following nontrivial behavior: the direction of motion of cells can switch from parallel to perpendicular to the stripes as a function of both the adhesion strength and the width ratio of adhesive to non-adhesive stripes.

  10. Active motility in bimodular bacterial aggregates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zeng, Yu; Liu, Bin

    2017-11-01

    Dispersal capability is essential for microorganisms to achieve long-distance translocation, thus crucial for their abundance in various environments. In general, active dispersals are attributed to the movements of self-powered planktonic cells, while sessile cells that live a colonial life often disperse passively through flow entrainments. Here, we report another means of active dispersal employed by aggregates of sessile cells. The spherical rosette colonies of the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus are aggregates of sessile stalked cells, of which a small proportion undergo cell division, grow active flagella and effect whole-rosette motility. We show that these rosettes actively disperse both in bulk water and near the solid-liquid interface. In particular, the proximity of a self-powered rosette to the solid surface promotes a rolling movement, leading to its persistent transportation along the solid boundary. The active dispersal of these rosettes demonstrated a novel mode of colonial transportation that is based on the division of labor between sessile and motile cells. The authors thank the support of National Science Foundation CREST: Center for Cellular and Biomolecular Machines at UC Merced (NSF-HRD-1547848).

  11. Peroxisomes, lipid droplets, and endoplasmic reticulum "hitchhike" on motile early endosomes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guimaraes, Sofia C; Schuster, Martin; Bielska, Ewa; Dagdas, Gulay; Kilaru, Sreedhar; Meadows, Ben R A; Schrader, Michael; Steinberg, Gero

    2015-12-07

    Intracellular transport is mediated by molecular motors that bind cargo to be transported along the cytoskeleton. Here, we report, for the first time, that peroxisomes (POs), lipid droplets (LDs), and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) rely on early endosomes (EEs) for intracellular movement in a fungal model system. We show that POs undergo kinesin-3- and dynein-dependent transport along microtubules. Surprisingly, kinesin-3 does not colocalize with POs. Instead, the motor moves EEs that drag the POs through the cell. PO motility is abolished when EE motility is blocked in various mutants. Most LD and ER motility also depends on EE motility, whereas mitochondria move independently of EEs. Covisualization studies show that EE-mediated ER motility is not required for PO or LD movement, suggesting that the organelles interact with EEs independently. In the absence of EE motility, POs and LDs cluster at the growing tip, whereas ER is partially retracted to subapical regions. Collectively, our results show that moving EEs interact transiently with other organelles, thereby mediating their directed transport and distribution in the cell. © 2015 Guimaraes et al.

  12. MTSS1 is epigenetically regulated in glioma cells and inhibits glioma cell motility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Luxen

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Epigenetic silencing by DNA methylation in brain tumors has been reported for many genes, however, their function on pathogenesis needs to be evaluated. We investigated the MTSS1 gene, identified as hypermethylated by differential methylation hybridization (DMH. Fifty-nine glioma tissue samples and seven glioma cell lines were examined for hypermethylation of the MTSS1 promotor, MTSS1 expression levels and gene dosage. GBM cell lines were treated with demethylating agents and interrogated for functional consequences of MTSS1 expression after transient transfection. Hypermethylation was significantly associated with IDH1/2 mutation. Comparative SNP analysis indicates higher incidence of loss of heterozygosity of MTSS1 in anaplastic astrocytomas and secondary glioblastomas as well as hypermethylation of the remaining allele. Reversal of promoter hypermethylation results in an increased MTSS1 expression. Cell motility was significantly inhibited by MTSS1 overexpression without influencing cell growth or apoptosis. Immunofluorescence analysis of MTSS1 in human astrocytes indicates co-localization with actin filaments. MTSS1 is down-regulated by DNA methylation in glioblastoma cell lines and is part of the G-CIMP phenotype in primary glioma tissues. Our data on normal astrocytes suggest a function of MTSS1 at focal contact structures with an impact on migratory capacity but no influence on apoptosis or cellular proliferation.

  13. Ketotifen, a mast cell blocker improves sperm motility in asthenospermic infertile men

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasrin Saharkhiz

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ketotifen on sperm motility of asthenospermic infertile men. Setting and Design: It is a prospective study designed in vivo. Materials and Methods: In this interventional experimental study, a total of 40 infertile couples with asthenospermic infertility factor undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART cycles were enrolled. The couples were randomly assigned to one of two groups at the starting of the cycle. In control group (n = 20, the men did not receive Ketotifen, while in experiment group (n = 20, the men received oraly ketotifen (1 mg Bid for 2 months. Semen analysis, under optimal circumferences, was obtained prior to initiation of treatment. The second semen analysis was done 2-3 weeks after stopped ketotifen treatment and sperm motility was defined. Clinical pregnancy was identified as the presence of a fetal sac by vaginal ultrasound examination. Statistical Analysis Used: All data are expressed as the mean ± standard error of mean (SEM. t test was used for comparing the data of the control and treated groups. Results: The mean sperm motility increased significantly (from 16.7% to 21.4% after ketotifen treatment (P < 0.001. This sperm motility improvement was more pronounced in the primary infertility cases (P < 0.003. The rate of pregnancy was 12.5% in infertile couples that their men receiving 1 mg/twice a day ketotifen. In 52% of infertile men′s semen, the percentage of sperm motility was increased from 5% to 35% and this sperm motility improvement was also observed in 33% of necrospermia (0% motility cases. Conclusion: These results suggest that ketotifen may represent as a novel therapeutic approach to improve sperm motility in the infertile men with cause of asthenospermia or necrospermia.

  14. Influence of Bovine Whey Protein Concentrate and Hydrolysate Preparation Methods on Motility in the Isolated Rat Distal Colon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dalziel, Julie E.; Anderson, Rachel C.; Bassett, Shalome A.; Lloyd-West, Catherine M.; Haggarty, Neill W.; Roy, Nicole C.

    2016-01-01

    Whey protein concentrate (WPC) and hydrolysate (WPH) are protein ingredients used in sports, medical and pediatric formulations. Concentration and hydrolysis methods vary for whey sourced from cheese and casein co-products. The purpose of this research was to investigate the influence of whey processing methods on in vitro gastrointestinal (GI) health indicators for colonic motility, epithelial barrier integrity and immune modulation. WPCs from casein or cheese processing and WPH (11% or 19% degree of hydrolysis, DH) were compared for their effects on motility in a 1 cm section of isolated rat distal colon in an oxygenated tissue bath. Results showed that WPC decreased motility irrespective of whether it was a by-product of lactic acid or mineral acid casein production, or from cheese production. This indicated that regardless of the preparation methodology, the whey protein contained components that modulate aspects of motility within the distal colon. WPH (11% DH) increased contractile frequency by 27% in a delayed manner and WPH (19% DH) had an immediate effect on contractile properties, increasing tension by 65% and frequency by 131%. Increased motility was associated with increased hydrolysis that may be attributed to the abundance of bioactive peptides. Increased frequency of contractions by WPH (19% DH) was inhibited (by 44%) by naloxone, implicating a potential involvement of opioid receptors in modulation of motility. Trans-epithelial electrical resistance and cytokine expression assays revealed that the WPC proteins studied did not alter intestinal barrier integrity or elicit any discernible immune response. PMID:27983629

  15. [Effects of L-carnitine on the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and epididymal sperm count and motility in rats with diabetes mellitus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Ning; Ma, Jie-hua; Zhou, Xin; Fan, Xiao-bo; Shang, Xue-jun; Huang, Yu-feng

    2011-05-01

    To explore the effects of L-carnitine (LC) on the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells and on the count and motility of epididymal sperm in rats with diabetes mellitus (DM). Twenty-four SD rats (200-230 g) were randomly divided into a control group, a DM model group and an LC group. After the establishment of DM models in the latter two groups by injection of streptozotocin (STZ) at 65 mg/kg, the controls and DM models were treated intragastrically with physiological saline, while the rats in the LC group with LC at 300 mg/kg, all for 6 consecutive weeks. Twenty-four hours after the last administration, all the rats were killed for the detection of the count and motility of epididymal sperm and the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells. The motilities of caput and cauda epididymal sperm were (53.7 +/- 1.8)% and (60.3 +/- 1.6)% in the LC group, significantly higher than in the DM model group ([32.2 +/- 2.0]% and [40.5 +/- 1.4]%, P count of cauda epididymal sperm was (25.5 +/- 1.1) x 10(6)/100 mg in the DM models, and was increased to (32.0 +/- 1.5) x 10(6)/100 mg after LC treatment (P sperm count, improved sperm motility, and reduced the apoptosis of spermatogenic cells in rats with DM.

  16. Esophageal motility disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hannig, C.; Rummeny, E.; Wuttge-Hannig, A.

    2007-01-01

    For the better understanding of esophageal motility, the muscle texture and the distribution of skeletal and smooth muscle fibers in the esophagus are of crucial importance. Esophageal physiology will be shortly mentioned as far as necessary for a comprehensive understanding of peristaltic disturbances. Besides the pure depiction of morphologic criteria, a complete esophageal study has to include an analysis of the motility. New diagnostic tools with reduced radiation for dynamic imaging (digital fluoroscopy, videofluoroscopy) at 4-30 frames/s are available. Radiomanometry is a combination of a functional pressure measurement and a simultaneous dynamic morphologic analysis. Esophageal motility disorders are subdivided by radiologic and manometric criteria into primary, secondary, and nonclassifiable forms. Primary motility disorders of the esophagus are achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, nutcracker esophagus, and the hypertonic lower esophageal sphincter. The secondary motility disorders include pseudoachalasia, reflux-associated motility disorders, functionally caused impactions, Boerhaave's syndrome, Chagas' disease, scleroderma, and presbyesophagus. The nonclassificable motility disorders (NEMD) are a very heterogeneous collective. (orig.) [de

  17. Azospirillum brasilense Chemotaxis Depends on Two Signaling Pathways Regulating Distinct Motility Parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mukherjee, Tanmoy; Kumar, Dhivya; Burriss, Nathan; Xie, Zhihong; Alexandre, Gladys

    2016-06-15

    The genomes of most motile bacteria encode two or more chemotaxis (Che) systems, but their functions have been characterized in only a few model systems. Azospirillum brasilense is a motile soil alphaproteobacterium able to colonize the rhizosphere of cereals. In response to an attractant, motile A. brasilense cells transiently increase swimming speed and suppress reversals. The Che1 chemotaxis pathway was previously shown to regulate changes in the swimming speed, but it has a minor role in chemotaxis and root surface colonization. Here, we show that a second chemotaxis system, named Che4, regulates the probability of swimming reversals and is the major signaling pathway for chemotaxis and wheat root surface colonization. Experimental evidence indicates that Che1 and Che4 are functionally linked to coordinate changes in the swimming motility pattern in response to attractants. The effect of Che1 on swimming speed is shown to enhance the aerotactic response of A. brasilense in gradients, likely providing the cells with a competitive advantage in the rhizosphere. Together, the results illustrate a novel mechanism by which motile bacteria utilize two chemotaxis pathways regulating distinct motility parameters to alter movement in gradients and enhance the chemotactic advantage. Chemotaxis provides motile bacteria with a competitive advantage in the colonization of diverse niches and is a function enriched in rhizosphere bacterial communities, with most species possessing at least two chemotaxis systems. Here, we identify the mechanism by which cells may derive a significant chemotactic advantage using two chemotaxis pathways that ultimately regulate distinct motility parameters. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  18. MYBPH inhibits NM IIA assembly via direct interaction with NMHC IIA and reduces cell motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hosono, Yasuyuki; Usukura, Jiro; Yamaguchi, Tomoya; Yanagisawa, Kiyoshi; Suzuki, Motoshi; Takahashi, Takashi

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► MYBPH inhibits NMHC IIA assembly and cell motility. ► MYBPH interacts to assembly-competent NM IIA. ► MYBPH inhibits RLC and NMHC IIA, independent components of NM IIA. -- Abstract: Actomyosin filament assembly is a critical step in tumor cell migration. We previously found that myosin binding protein H (MYBPH) is directly transactivated by the TTF-1 lineage-survival oncogene in lung adenocarcinomas and inhibits phosphorylation of the myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) of non-muscle myosin IIA (NM IIA) via direct interaction with Rho kinase 1 (ROCK1). Here, we report that MYBPH also directly interacts with an additional molecule, non-muscle myosin heavy chain IIA (NMHC IIA), which was found to occur between MYBPH and the rod portion of NMHC IIA. MYBPH inhibited NMHC IIA assembly and reduced cell motility. Conversely, siMYBPH-induced increased motility was partially, yet significantly, suppressed by blebbistatin, a non-muscle myosin II inhibitor, while more profound effects were attained by combined treatment with siROCK1 and blebbistatin. Electron microscopy observations showed well-ordered paracrystals of NMHC IIA reflecting an assembled state, which were significantly less frequently observed in the presence of MYBPH. Furthermore, an in vitro sedimentation assay showed that a greater amount of NMHC IIA was in an unassembled state in the presence of MYBPH. Interestingly, treatment with a ROCK inhibitor that impairs transition of NM IIA from an assembly-incompetent to assembly-competent state reduced the interaction between MYBPH and NMHC IIA, suggesting that MYBPH has higher affinity to assembly-competent NM IIA. These results suggest that MYBPH inhibits RLC and NMHC IIA, independent components of NM IIA, and negatively regulates actomyosin organization at 2 distinct steps, resulting in firm inhibition of NM IIA assembly.

  19. Laser irradiation of centrosomes in newt eosinophils: evidence of centriole role in motility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koonce, M.P.; Cloney, R.A.; Berns, M.W.

    1984-06-01

    Newt eosinophils are motile granulated leukocytes that uniquely display a highly visible centrosomal area. Electron microscope and tubulin antibody fluorescence confirms the presence of centrioles, pericentriolar material, and radiating microtubules within this visible area. Actin antibodies intensely stain the advancing cell edges and tail but only weakly stain pseudopods being withdrawn into the cell. Randomly activated eosinophils follow a roughly consistent direction with an average rate of 22.5 ..mu..m/min. The position of the centrosome is always located between the trailing cell nucleus and advancing cell edge. If the cell extends more than one pseudopod, the one closest to or containing the centrosome is always the one in which motility continues. Laser irradiation of the visible centrosomal area resulted in rapid cell rounding. After several minutes following irradiation, most cells flattened and movement continued. However, postirradiation motility was uncoordinated and directionless, and the rate decreased to an average of 14.5 ..mu..m/min. Electron microscopy and tubulin immunofluorescence indicated that an initial disorganization of microtubules resulted from the laser microirradiations. After several minutes, organized microtubules reappeared, but the centrioles appeared increasingly damaged. The irregularities in motility due to irradiation are probably related to the damaged centrioles. The results presented in this paper suggest that the centrosome is an important structure in controlling the rate and direction of newt eosinophil motility.

  20. Fibroblasts Cultured on Nanowires Exhibit Low Motility, Impaired Cell Division, and DNA Damage

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Persson, H.; Købler, Carsten; Mølhave, Kristian

    2013-01-01

    beam milling and scanning electron microscopy, highly curved but intact nuclear membranes are observed, showing no direct contact between the nanowires and the DNA. The nanowires possibly induce cellular stress and high respiration rates, which trigger the formation of ROS, which in turn results in DNA......Nanowires are commonly used as tools for interfacing living cells, acting as biomolecule-delivery vectors or electrodes. It is generally assumed that the small size of the nanowires ensures a minimal cellular perturbation, yet the effects of nanowires on cell migration and proliferation remain...... largely unknown. Fibroblast behaviour on vertical nanowire arrays is investigated, and it is shown that cell motility and proliferation rate are reduced on nanowires. Fibroblasts cultured on long nanowires exhibit failed cell division, DNA damage, increased ROS content and respiration. Using focused ion...

  1. Quantitative analysis of Plasmodium ookinete motion in three dimensions suggests a critical role for cell shape in the biomechanics of malaria parasite gliding motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kan, Andrey; Tan, Yan-Hong; Angrisano, Fiona; Hanssen, Eric; Rogers, Kelly L; Whitehead, Lachlan; Mollard, Vanessa P; Cozijnsen, Anton; Delves, Michael J; Crawford, Simon; Sinden, Robert E; McFadden, Geoffrey I; Leckie, Christopher; Bailey, James; Baum, Jake

    2014-05-01

    Motility is a fundamental part of cellular life and survival, including for Plasmodium parasites--single-celled protozoan pathogens responsible for human malaria. The motile life cycle forms achieve motility, called gliding, via the activity of an internal actomyosin motor. Although gliding is based on the well-studied system of actin and myosin, its core biomechanics are not completely understood. Currently accepted models suggest it results from a specifically organized cellular motor that produces a rearward directional force. When linked to surface-bound adhesins, this force is passaged to the cell posterior, propelling the parasite forwards. Gliding motility is observed in all three life cycle stages of Plasmodium: sporozoites, merozoites and ookinetes. However, it is only the ookinetes--formed inside the midgut of infected mosquitoes--that display continuous gliding without the necessity of host cell entry. This makes them ideal candidates for invasion-free biomechanical analysis. Here we apply a plate-based imaging approach to study ookinete motion in three-dimensional (3D) space to understand Plasmodium cell motility and how movement facilitates midgut colonization. Using single-cell tracking and numerical analysis of parasite motion in 3D, our analysis demonstrates that ookinetes move with a conserved left-handed helical trajectory. Investigation of cell morphology suggests this trajectory may be based on the ookinete subpellicular cytoskeleton, with complementary whole and subcellular electron microscopy showing that, like their motion paths, ookinetes share a conserved left-handed corkscrew shape and underlying twisted microtubular architecture. Through comparisons of 3D movement between wild-type ookinetes and a cytoskeleton-knockout mutant we demonstrate that perturbation of cell shape changes motion from helical to broadly linear. Therefore, while the precise linkages between cellular architecture and actomyosin motor organization remain unknown, our

  2. X-ray irradiation and Rho-kinase inhibitor additively induce invasiveness of the cells of the pancreatic cancer line, MIAPaCa-2, which exhibits mesenchymal and amoeboid motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, Mayumi; Otsuka, Yoshimi; Yamada, Shigeru; Iwakawa, Mayumi; Imai, Takashi

    2011-01-01

    Tumor cells can migrate and invade tissue by two modes of motility: mesenchymal and amoeboid. X-ray or γ-ray irradiation increases the invasiveness of tumor cells with mesenchymal motility through the induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), and this increase is suppressed by MMP inhibitors (MMPI). However, the effects of X-ray or γ-ray irradiation on the invasiveness of tumor cells with amoeboid motility remain unclear. We investigated the effect of irradiation on amoeboid motility by using cells of the human pancreatic cancer line, MIAPaCa-2, which exhibits both modes of motility. The X-ray-induced invasiveness of MIAPaCa-2 cells was associated with the upregulation of MMP2 at both the RNA and protein levels and was inhibited by MMPI treatment. Amoeboid-mesenchymal transition was slightly induced after irradiation. The MMPI treatment caused mesenchymal-amoeboid transition without significant increase in invasiveness, while the ROCK inhibitor (ROCKI) stimulated amoeboid-mesenchymal transition and enhanced invasiveness under both non-irradiated and irradiated conditions. This ROCKI-induced transition was accompanied by the upregulation of MMP2 mRNA and protein. Exposure to both irradiation and ROCKI further enhanced MMP2 expression and had an additive effect on the invasiveness of MIAPaCa-2 cells. Additionally, exposure to MMPI led to significant suppression of both radiation-induced and the basal invasiveness of MIAPaCa-2 cells. This suggests that ROCKI treatment, especially with concomitant X-ray irradiation, can induce invasion of cancer cells and should be used only for certain types of cancer cells. Simultaneous use of inhibitors, ROCKI and MMPI may be effective in suppressing invasiveness under both X-ray-irradiated and non-irradiated conditions. (author)

  3. Photovoltaic cell module and method of forming

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howell, Malinda; Juen, Donnie; Ketola, Barry; Tomalia, Mary Kay

    2017-12-12

    A photovoltaic cell module, a photovoltaic array including at least two modules, and a method of forming the module are provided. The module includes a first outermost layer and a photovoltaic cell disposed on the first outermost layer. The module also includes a second outermost layer disposed on the photovoltaic cell and sandwiching the photovoltaic cell between the second outermost layer and the first outermost layer. The method of forming the module includes the steps of disposing the photovoltaic cell on the first outermost layer, disposing a silicone composition on the photovoltaic cell, and compressing the first outermost layer, the photovoltaic cell, and the second layer to form the photovoltaic cell module.

  4. GPR39 is coupled to TMEM16A in intestinal fibroblast-like cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fanning Zeng

    Full Text Available GPR39 is a GPCR implicated as a regulator of gastrointestinal motility, although the mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report that GPR39 is expressed by a specific cell population cultured from mouse small intestine muscle layers, which was subsequently identified as fibroblast-like cells (FLCs that have recently been shown to modulate gut motility. Application of the GPR39 agonist, Zn(2+, induced large currents and membrane depolarization in FLCs cultured from wild-type mice, but not Gpr39(-/- mice. This Zn(2+-induced current could be suppressed by application of a TMEM16A antagonist, CaCC(inh-A01, or by silencing Tmem16a expression. These data suggest that GPR39 might modulate gut motility via regulating TMEM16A function in FLCs.

  5. A simple and accurate rule-based modeling framework for simulation of autocrine/paracrine stimulation of glioblastoma cell motility and proliferation by L1CAM in 2-D culture.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caccavale, Justin; Fiumara, David; Stapf, Michael; Sweitzer, Liedeke; Anderson, Hannah J; Gorky, Jonathan; Dhurjati, Prasad; Galileo, Deni S

    2017-12-11

    Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a devastating brain cancer for which there is no known cure. Its malignancy is due to rapid cell division along with high motility and invasiveness of cells into the brain tissue. Simple 2-dimensional laboratory assays (e.g., a scratch assay) commonly are used to measure the effects of various experimental perturbations, such as treatment with chemical inhibitors. Several mathematical models have been developed to aid the understanding of the motile behavior and proliferation of GBM cells. However, many are mathematically complicated, look at multiple interdependent phenomena, and/or use modeling software not freely available to the research community. These attributes make the adoption of models and simulations of even simple 2-dimensional cell behavior an uncommon practice by cancer cell biologists. Herein, we developed an accurate, yet simple, rule-based modeling framework to describe the in vitro behavior of GBM cells that are stimulated by the L1CAM protein using freely available NetLogo software. In our model L1CAM is released by cells to act through two cell surface receptors and a point of signaling convergence to increase cell motility and proliferation. A simple graphical interface is provided so that changes can be made easily to several parameters controlling cell behavior, and behavior of the cells is viewed both pictorially and with dedicated graphs. We fully describe the hierarchical rule-based modeling framework, show simulation results under several settings, describe the accuracy compared to experimental data, and discuss the potential usefulness for predicting future experimental outcomes and for use as a teaching tool for cell biology students. It is concluded that this simple modeling framework and its simulations accurately reflect much of the GBM cell motility behavior observed experimentally in vitro in the laboratory. Our framework can be modified easily to suit the needs of investigators interested in other

  6. Intracellular S1P Generation Is Essential for S1P-Induced Motility of Human Lung Endothelial Cells: Role of Sphingosine Kinase 1 and S1P Lyase

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berdyshev, Evgeny V.; Gorshkova, Irina; Usatyuk, Peter; Kalari, Satish; Zhao, Yutong; Pyne, Nigel J.; Pyne, Susan; Sabbadini, Roger A.; Garcia, Joe G. N.; Natarajan, Viswanathan

    2011-01-01

    Background Earlier we have shown that extracellular sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) induces migration of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) through the activation of S1P1 receptor, PKCε, and PLD2-PKCζ-Rac1 signaling cascade. As endothelial cells generate intracellular S1P, here we have investigated the role of sphingosine kinases (SphKs) and S1P lyase (S1PL), that regulate intracellular S1P accumulation, in HPAEC motility. Methodology/Principal Findings Inhibition of SphK activity with a SphK inhibitor 2-(p-Hydroxyanilino)-4-(p-Chlorophenyl) Thiazole or down-regulation of Sphk1, but not SphK2, with siRNA decreased S1Pint, and attenuated S1Pext or serum-induced motility of HPAECs. On the contrary, inhibition of S1PL with 4-deoxypyridoxine or knockdown of S1PL with siRNA increased S1Pint and potentiated motility of HPAECs to S1Pext or serum. S1Pext mediates cell motility through activation of Rac1 and IQGAP1 signal transduction in HPAECs. Silencing of SphK1 by siRNA attenuated Rac1 and IQGAP1 translocation to the cell periphery; however, knockdown of S1PL with siRNA or 4-deoxypyridoxine augmented activated Rac1 and stimulated Rac1 and IQGAP1 translocation to cell periphery. The increased cell motility mediated by down-regulation was S1PL was pertussis toxin sensitive suggesting “inside-out” signaling of intracellularly generated S1P. Although S1P did not accumulate significantly in media under basal or S1PL knockdown conditions, addition of sodium vanadate increased S1P levels in the medium and inside the cells most likely by blocking phosphatases including lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs). Furthermore, addition of anti-S1P mAb to the incubation medium blocked S1Pext or 4-deoxypyridoxine-dependent endothelial cell motility. Conclusions/Significance These results suggest S1Pext mediated endothelial cell motility is dependent on intracellular S1P production, which is regulated, in part, by SphK1 and S1PL. PMID:21304987

  7. Intracellular S1P generation is essential for S1P-induced motility of human lung endothelial cells: role of sphingosine kinase 1 and S1P lyase.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evgeny V Berdyshev

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Earlier we have shown that extracellular sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P induces migration of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs through the activation of S1P(1 receptor, PKCε, and PLD2-PKCζ-Rac1 signaling cascade. As endothelial cells generate intracellular S1P, here we have investigated the role of sphingosine kinases (SphKs and S1P lyase (S1PL, that regulate intracellular S1P accumulation, in HPAEC motility. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Inhibition of SphK activity with a SphK inhibitor 2-(p-Hydroxyanilino-4-(p-Chlorophenyl Thiazole or down-regulation of Sphk1, but not SphK2, with siRNA decreased S1P(int, and attenuated S1P(ext or serum-induced motility of HPAECs. On the contrary, inhibition of S1PL with 4-deoxypyridoxine or knockdown of S1PL with siRNA increased S1P(int and potentiated motility of HPAECs to S1P(ext or serum. S1P(ext mediates cell motility through activation of Rac1 and IQGAP1 signal transduction in HPAECs. Silencing of SphK1 by siRNA attenuated Rac1 and IQGAP1 translocation to the cell periphery; however, knockdown of S1PL with siRNA or 4-deoxypyridoxine augmented activated Rac1 and stimulated Rac1 and IQGAP1 translocation to cell periphery. The increased cell motility mediated by down-regulation was S1PL was pertussis toxin sensitive suggesting "inside-out" signaling of intracellularly generated S1P. Although S1P did not accumulate significantly in media under basal or S1PL knockdown conditions, addition of sodium vanadate increased S1P levels in the medium and inside the cells most likely by blocking phosphatases including lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs. Furthermore, addition of anti-S1P mAb to the incubation medium blocked S1P(ext or 4-deoxypyridoxine-dependent endothelial cell motility. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest S1P(ext mediated endothelial cell motility is dependent on intracellular S1P production, which is regulated, in part, by SphK1 and S1PL.

  8. Two problems in multiphase biological flows: Blood flow and particulate transport in microvascular network, and pseudopod-driven motility of amoeboid cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagchi, Prosenjit

    2016-11-01

    In this talk, two problems in multiphase biological flows will be discussed. The first is the direct numerical simulation of whole blood and drug particulates in microvascular networks. Blood in microcirculation behaves as a dense suspension of heterogeneous cells. The erythrocytes are extremely deformable, while inactivated platelets and leukocytes are nearly rigid. A significant progress has been made in recent years in modeling blood as a dense cellular suspension. However, many of these studies considered the blood flow in simple geometry, e.g., straight tubes of uniform cross-section. In contrast, the architecture of a microvascular network is very complex with bifurcating, merging and winding vessels, posing a further challenge to numerical modeling. We have developed an immersed-boundary-based method that can consider blood cell flow in physiologically realistic and complex microvascular network. In addition to addressing many physiological issues related to network hemodynamics, this tool can be used to optimize the transport properties of drug particulates for effective organ-specific delivery. Our second problem is pseudopod-driven motility as often observed in metastatic cancer cells and other amoeboid cells. We have developed a multiscale hydrodynamic model to simulate such motility. We study the effect of cell stiffness on motility as the former has been considered as a biomarker for metastatic potential. Funded by the National Science Foundation.

  9. Sperm motility of externally fertilizing fish and amphibians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Browne, R K; Kaurova, S A; Uteshev, V K; Shishova, N V; McGinnity, D; Figiel, C R; Mansour, N; Agney, D; Wu, M; Gakhova, E N; Dzyuba, B; Cosson, J

    2015-01-01

    We review the phylogeny, sperm competition, morphology, physiology, and fertilization environments of the sperm of externally fertilizing fish and amphibians. Increased sperm competition in both fish and anurans generally increases sperm numbers, sperm length, and energy reserves. The difference between the internal osmolarity and iconicity of sperm cells and those of the aquatic medium control the activation, longevity, and velocity of sperm motility. Hypo-osmolarity of the aquatic medium activates the motility of freshwater fish and amphibian sperm and hyperosmolarity activates the motility of marine fish sperm. The average longevity of the motility of marine fish sperm (~550 seconds) was significantly (P amphibian sperm in general and anurans reversion from internal to external fertilization. Our findings provide a greater understanding of the reproductive biology of externally fertilizing fish and amphibians, and a biological foundation for the further development of reproduction technologies for their sustainable management.

  10. Regulation of Motility, Invasion and Metastatic Potential of Squamous Cell Carcinoma by 1,25D3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Yingyu; Yu, Wei-Dong; Su, Bing; Seshadri, Mukund; Luo, Wei; Trump, Donald L.; Johnson, Candace S.

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND 1,25D3, the active metabolite of vitamin D, has been shown to exhibit broad spectrum anti-tumor activity in xenograft animal models. However, its activity against metastatic disease has not been extensively investigated. METHODS Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or 1,25D3-resistant variant SCC-DR cells were treated with 1,25D3. Actin organization was examined by immunofluorescence assay. Cell migration was assessed by “wound” healing and chemotactic migration assay. Cell invasion was assessed by Matrigel-based invasion assay and in situ zymography. MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and secretion was examined by immunoblot analysis and ELISA, respectively. E-cadherin expression was assessed by flow cytometry, immunoblot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Knockdown of E-cadherin was achieved by siRNA. Experimental metastasis mouse model was done by intravenous injection of tumor cells. Lung tumor development was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging, gross observation and histology. RESULTS SCC cellular morphology and actin organization were altered by 10 nM of 1,25D3. 1,25D3 inhibited SCC cell motility and invasion, which was associated with reduced expression and secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9. 1,25D3 promoted the expression of E-cadherin. These findings were not observed in SCC-DR cells. Knock down of E-cadherin rescued 1,25D3-inhibited cell migration. Intravenous injection of SCC or SCC-DR cells resulted in the establishment of extensive pulmonary lesions in saline-treated C3H mice. Treatment with 1,25D3 resulted in a marked reduction in the formation of lung tumor colonies in animals injected with SCC but not SCC-DR cells. CONCLUSIONS 1,25D3 suppresses SCC cell motility, invasion and metastasis, partially through the promotion of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. PMID:22833444

  11. Novel Role for Na,K-ATPase in Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Signaling and Suppression of Cell Motility

    OpenAIRE

    Barwe, Sonali P.; Anilkumar, Gopalakrishnapillai; Moon, Sun Y.; Zheng, Yi; Whitelegge, Julian P.; Rajasekaran, Sigrid A.; Rajasekaran, Ayyappan K.

    2005-01-01

    The Na,K-ATPase, consisting of α- and β-subunits, regulates intracellular ion homeostasis. Recent studies have demonstrated that Na,K-ATPase also regulates epithelial cell tight junction structure and functions. Consistent with an important role in the regulation of epithelial cell structure, both Na,K-ATPase enzyme activity and subunit levels are altered in carcinoma. Previously, we have shown that repletion of Na,K-ATPase β1-subunit (Na,K-β) in highly motile Moloney sarcoma virus-transforme...

  12. Gliding motility of Babesia bovis merozoites visualized by time-lapse video microscopy.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Masahito Asada

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Babesia bovis is an apicomplexan intraerythrocytic protozoan parasite that induces babesiosis in cattle after transmission by ticks. During specific stages of the apicomplexan parasite lifecycle, such as the sporozoites of Plasmodium falciparum and tachyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii, host cells are targeted for invasion using a unique, active process termed "gliding motility". However, it is not thoroughly understood how the merozoites of B. bovis target and invade host red blood cells (RBCs, and gliding motility has so far not been observed in the parasite. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Gliding motility of B. bovis merozoites was revealed by time-lapse video microscopy. The recorded images revealed that the process included egress of the merozoites from the infected RBC, gliding motility, and subsequent invasion into new RBCs. The gliding motility of B. bovis merozoites was similar to the helical gliding of Toxoplasma tachyzoites. The trails left by the merozoites were detected by indirect immunofluorescence assay using antiserum against B. bovis merozoite surface antigen 1. Inhibition of gliding motility by actin filament polymerization or depolymerization indicated that the gliding motility was driven by actomyosin dependent process. In addition, we revealed the timing of breakdown of the parasitophorous vacuole. Time-lapse image analysis of membrane-stained bovine RBCs showed formation and breakdown of the parasitophorous vacuole within ten minutes of invasion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first report of the gliding motility of B. bovis. Since merozoites of Plasmodium parasites do not glide on a substrate, the gliding motility of B. bovis merozoites is a notable finding.

  13. Mammalian Sperm Motility: Observation and Theory

    KAUST Repository

    Gaffney, E.A.; Gadê lha, H.; Smith, D.J.; Blake, J.R.; Kirkman-Brown, J.C.

    2011-01-01

    the mechanics of these specialized cells, especially during their remarkable journey to the egg. The biological structure of the motile sperm appendage, the flagellum, is described and placed in the context of the mechanics underlying the migration of mammalian

  14. Cell Adhesions: Actin-Based Modules that Mediate Cell-Extracellular Matrix and Cell-Cell Interactions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bachir, Alexia; Horwitz, Alan Rick; Nelson, W. James; Bianchini, Julie M.

    2018-01-01

    Cell adhesions link cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) and to each other, and depend on interactions with the actin cytoskeleton. Both cell-ECM and cell-cell adhesion sites contain discrete, yet overlapping functional modules. These modules establish physical association with the actin cytoskeleton, locally modulate actin organization and dynamics, and trigger intracellular signaling pathways. Interplay between these modules generates distinct actin architectures that underlie different stages, types, and functions of cell-ECM and cell-cell adhesions. Actomyosin contractility is required to generate mature, stable adhesions, as well as sense and translate the mechanical properties of the cellular environment to changes in cell organization and behavior. In this chapter we discuss the organization and function of different adhesion modules and how they interact with the actin cytoskeleton. We highlight the molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in adhesions, and how adhesion molecules mediate crosstalk between cell-ECM and cell-cell adhesion sites. PMID:28679638

  15. Mitochondrial respiratory efficiency is positively correlated with human sperm motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferramosca, Alessandra; Provenzano, Sara Pinto; Coppola, Lamberto; Zara, Vincenzo

    2012-04-01

    To correlate sperm mitochondrial respiratory efficiency with variations in sperm motility and with sperm morphologic anomalies. Sperm mitochondrial respiratory activity was evaluated with a polarographic assay of oxygen consumption carried out in hypotonically-treated sperm cells. A possible relationship among sperm mitochondrial respiratory efficiency, sperm motility, and morphologic anomalies was investigated. Mitochondrial respiratory efficiency was positively correlated with sperm motility and negatively correlated with the percentage of immotile spermatozoa. Moreover, midpiece defects impaired mitochondrial functionality. Our data indicate that an increase in sperm motility requires a parallel increase in mitochondrial respiratory capacity, thereby supporting the fundamental role played by mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in sperm motility of normozoospermic subjects. These results are of physiopathological relevance because they suggest that disturbances of sperm mitochondrial function and of energy production could be responsible for asthenozoospermia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Investigation of motility and biofilm formation by intestinal Campylobacter concisus strains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lavrencic Peter

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Motility helps many pathogens swim through the highly viscous intestinal mucus. Given the differing outcomes of Campylobacter concisus infection, the motility of eight C. concisus strains isolated from patients with Crohn’s disease (n=3, acute (n=3 and chronic (n=1 gastroenteritis and a healthy control (n=1 were compared. Following growth on solid or liquid media the eight strains formed two groups; however, the type of growth medium did not affect motility. In contrast, following growth in viscous liquid medium seven of the eight strains demonstrated significantly decreased motility. In media of increasing viscosities the motility of C. concisus UNSWCD had two marked increases at viscosities of 20.0 and 74.7 centipoises. Determination of the ability of UNSWCD to swim through a viscous medium, adhere to and invade intestinal epithelial cells showed that while adherence levels significantly decreased with increasing viscosity, invasion levels did not significantly change. In contrast, adherence to and invasion of UNSWCD to mucus-producing intestinal cells increased upon accumulation of mucus, as did bacterial aggregation. Given this aggregation, we determined the ability of the eight C. concisus strains to form biofilms, and showed that all strains formed biofilms. In conclusion, the finding that C. concisus strains could be differentiated into two groups based on their motility may suggest that strains with high motility have an increased ability to swim through the intestinal mucus and reach the epithelial layer.

  17. Sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation of rectal motility in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridolfi, Timothy J; Tong, Wei-Dong; Takahashi, Toku; Kosinski, Lauren; Ludwig, Kirk A

    2009-11-01

    The colon and rectum are regulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Abnormalities of the ANS are associated with diseases of the colon and rectum while its modulation is a putative mechanism for sacral nerve stimulation. The purpose of this study is to establish a rat model elucidating the role of the efferent ANS on rectal motility. Rectal motility following transection or stimulation of parasympathetic pelvic nerves (PN) or sympathetic hypogastric nerves (HGN) was measured with rectal strain gauge transducers and quantified as a motility index (MI). Colonic transit was measured 24 hours after transection by calculating the geometric center (GC) of distribution of (51)Cr Transection of PN and HGN decreased MI to 518 +/- 185 g*s (p < 0.05) and increased MI to 5,029 +/- 1,954 g*s (p < 0.05), respectively, compared to sham (975 +/- 243 g*s). Sectioning of PN and HGN decreased transit with GC = 4.9 +/- 0.2 (p < 0.05) and increased transit with GC = 8.1 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.02), respectively, compared to sham (GC = 5.8 +/- 0.3). Stimulation of PN and HGN increased MI to 831 +/- 157% (p < 0.01) and decreased MI to 251 +/- 24% (p < 0.05), respectively. Rectal motility is significantly altered by sectioning or stimulating either HGN or PN. This model may be useful in studying how sacral nerve stimulation exerts its effects and provide insight into the maladies of colonic motility.

  18. Matriptase is required for the active form of hepatocyte growth factor induced Met, focal adhesion kinase and protein kinase B activation on neural stem/progenitor cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Jung-Da; Lee, Sheau-Ling

    2014-07-01

    Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a chemoattractant and inducer for neural stem/progenitor (NS/P) cell migration. Although the type II transmembrane serine protease, matriptase (MTP) is an activator of the latent HGF, MTP is indispensable on NS/P cell motility induced by the active form of HGF. This suggests that MTP's action on NS/P cell motility involves mechanisms other than proteolytic activation of HGF. In the present study, we investigate the role of MTP in HGF-stimulated signaling events. Using specific inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt) or focal adhesion kinase (FAK), we demonstrated that in NS/P cells HGF-activated c-Met induces PI3k-Akt signaling which then leads to FAK activation. This signaling pathway ultimately induces MMP2 expression and NS/P cell motility. Knocking down of MTP in NS/P cells with specific siRNA impaired HGF-stimulation of c-Met, Akt and FAK activation, blocked HGF-induced production of MMP2 and inhibited HGF-stimulated NS/P cell motility. MTP-knockdown NS/P cells cultured in the presence of recombinant protein of MTP protease domain or transfected with the full-length wild-type but not the protease-defected MTP restored HGF-responsive events in NS/P cells. In addition to functioning as HGF activator, our data revealed novel function of MTP on HGF-stimulated c-Met signaling activation. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Disruption of myoblast alignment by highly motile rhabdomyosarcoma cell in tissue structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Menglu; Nagamori, Eiji; Kino-Oka, Masahiro

    2017-02-01

    Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a highly malignant tumor type of skeletal muscle origin, hallmarked by local invasion. Interaction between invasive tumor cells and normal cells plays a major role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Culturing tumor cells in a three-dimensional (3D) model can translate tumor malignancy relevant cell-cell interaction. To mimic tumor heterogeneity in vitro, a co-culture system consisting of a malignant embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) cell line RD and a normal human skeletal muscle myoblast (HSMM) cell line was established by cell sheet technology. Various ratios of RDs to HSMMs were employed to understand the quantitative effect on intercellular interactions. Disruption of sheet structure was observed in heterogeneous cell sheets having a low ratio of RDs to HSMMs, whereas homogeneous HSMM or RD sheets maintained intact structure. Deeper exploration of dynamic tumor cell behavior inside HSMM sheets revealed that HSMM cell alignment was disrupted by highly motile RDs. This study demonstrated that RMS cells are capable of compromising their surrounding environment through induced decay of HSMMs alignment in a cell-based 3D system. This suggests that muscle disruption might be a major consequence of RMS cell invasion into muscles, which could be a promising target to preventing tumor invasion. Copyright © 2016 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Characterization of pro-inflammatory flagellin proteins produced by Lactobacillus ruminis and related motile Lactobacilli.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B Anne Neville

    Full Text Available Lactobacillus ruminis is one of at least twelve motile but poorly characterized species found in the genus Lactobacillus. Of these, only L. ruminis has been isolated from mammals, and this species may be considered as an autochthonous member of the gastrointestinal microbiota of humans, pigs and cows. Nine L. ruminis strains were investigated here to elucidate the biochemistry and genetics of Lactobacillus motility. Six strains isolated from humans were non-motile while three bovine isolates were motile. A complete set of flagellum biogenesis genes was annotated in the sequenced genomes of two strains, ATCC25644 (human isolate and ATCC27782 (bovine isolate, but only the latter strain produced flagella. Comparison of the L. ruminis and L. mali DSM20444(T motility loci showed that their genetic content and gene-order were broadly similar, although the L. mali motility locus was interrupted by an 11.8 Kb region encoding rhamnose utilization genes that is absent from the L. ruminis motility locus. Phylogenetic analysis of 39 motile bacteria indicated that Lactobacillus motility genes were most closely related to those of motile carnobacteria and enterococci. Transcriptome analysis revealed that motility genes were transcribed at a significantly higher level in motile L. ruminis ATCC27782 than in non-motile ATCC25644. Flagellin proteins were isolated from L. ruminis ATCC27782 and from three other Lactobacillus species, while recombinant flagellin of aflagellate L. ruminis ATCC25644 was expressed and purified from E. coli. These native and recombinant Lactobacillus flagellins, and also flagellate L. ruminis cells, triggered interleukin-8 production in cultured human intestinal epithelial cells in a manner suppressed by short interfering RNA directed against Toll-Like Receptor 5. This study provides genetic, transcriptomic, phylogenetic and immunological insights into the trait of flagellum-mediated motility in the lactobacilli.

  1. Self-organization of engineered epithelial tubules by differential cellular motility

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mori, Hidetoshi; Gjorevski, Nikolce; Inman, Jamie L; Bissell, Mina J; Nelson, Celeste M

    2009-02-04

    Patterning of developing tissues arises from a number of mechanisms, including cell shape change, cell proliferation, and cell sorting from differential cohesion or tension. Here, we reveal that differences in cell motility can also lead to cell sorting within tissues. Using mosaic engineered mammary epithelial tubules, we found that cells sorted depending on their expression level of the membrane-anchored collagenase matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-14. These rearrangements were independent of the catalytic activity of MMP14 but absolutely required the hemopexin domain. We describe a signaling cascade downstream of MMP14 through Rho kinase that allows cells to sort within the model tissues. Cell speed and persistence time were enhanced by MMP14 expression, but only the latter motility parameter was required for sorting. These results indicate that differential directional persistence can give rise to patterns within model developing tissues.

  2. Symbiosis and the origin of eukaryotic motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Margulis, L.; Hinkle, G.

    1991-01-01

    Ongoing work to test the hypothesis of the origin of eukaryotic cell organelles by microbial symbioses is discussed. Because of the widespread acceptance of the serial endosymbiotic theory (SET) of the origin of plastids and mitochondria, the idea of the symbiotic origin of the centrioles and axonemes for spirochete bacteria motility symbiosis was tested. Intracellular microtubular systems are purported to derive from symbiotic associations between ancestral eukaryotic cells and motile bacteria. Four lines of approach to this problem are being pursued: (1) cloning the gene of a tubulin-like protein discovered in Spirocheata bajacaliforniesis; (2) seeking axoneme proteins in spirochets by antibody cross-reaction; (3) attempting to cultivate larger, free-living spirochetes; and (4) studying in detail spirochetes (e.g., Cristispira) symbiotic with marine animals. Other aspects of the investigation are presented.

  3. PAI-1 modulates cell migration in a LRP1-dependent manner via β-catenin and ERK1/2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kozlova, Nina; Jensen, Jan Kristian; Chi, Tabughang Franklin

    2015-01-01

    was proposed to modulate the β-catenin pathway. Therefore, we used wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs), and MEFs deficient of LRP1 to study PAI-1 as modulator of the β-catenin pathway. We found that PAI-1 influences MEF proliferation and motility in a LRP1-dependent manner and that β...

  4. The role of the tissue microenvironment in the regulation of cancer cell motility and invasion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brábek Jan

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract During malignant neoplastic progression the cells undergo genetic and epigenetic cancer-specific alterations that finally lead to a loss of tissue homeostasis and restructuring of the microenvironment. The invasion of cancer cells through connective tissue is a crucial prerequisite for metastasis formation. Although cell invasion is foremost a mechanical process, cancer research has focused largely on gene regulation and signaling that underlie uncontrolled cell growth. More recently, the genes and signals involved in the invasion and transendothelial migration of cancer cells, such as the role of adhesion molecules and matrix degrading enzymes, have become the focus of research. In this review we discuss how the structural and biomechanical properties of extracellular matrix and surrounding cells such as endothelial cells influence cancer cell motility and invasion. We conclude that the microenvironment is a critical determinant of the migration strategy and the efficiency of cancer cell invasion.

  5. BMP-2 Overexpression Augments Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Motility by Upregulating Myosin Va via Erk Signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ming Zhang

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. The disruption of physiologic vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC migration initiates atherosclerosis development. The biochemical mechanisms leading to dysfunctional VSMC motility remain unknown. Recently, cytokine BMP-2 has been implicated in various vascular physiologic and pathologic processes. However, whether BMP-2 has any effect upon VSMC motility, or by what manner, has never been investigated. Methods. VSMCs were adenovirally transfected to genetically overexpress BMP-2. VSMC motility was detected by modified Boyden chamber assay, confocal time-lapse video assay, and a colony wounding assay. Gene chip array and RT-PCR were employed to identify genes potentially regulated by BMP-2. Western blot and real-time PCR detected the expression of myosin Va and the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (Erk1/2. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed myosin Va expression locale. Intracellular Ca2+ oscillations were recorded. Results. VSMC migration was augmented in VSMCs overexpressing BMP-2 in a dose-dependent manner. siRNA-mediated knockdown of myosin Va inhibited VSMC motility. Both myosin Va mRNA and protein expression significantly increased after BMP-2 administration and were inhibited by Erk1/2 inhibitor U0126. BMP-2 induced Ca2+ oscillations, generated largely by a “cytosolic oscillator”. Conclusion. BMP-2 significantly increased VSMCs migration and myosin Va expression, via the Erk signaling pathway and intracellular Ca2+ oscillations. We provide additional insight into the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis, and inhibition of BMP-2-induced myosin Va expression may represent a potential therapeutic strategy.

  6. The crystal structure of a multifunctional protein: Phosphoglucose isomerase/autocrine motility factor/neuroleukin

    OpenAIRE

    Sun, Yuh-Ju; Chou, Chia-Cheng; Chen, Wei-Shone; Wu, Rong-Tsun; Meng, Menghsiao; Hsiao, Chwan-Deng

    1999-01-01

    Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) plays a central role in both the glycolysis and the gluconeogenesis pathways. We present here the complete crystal structure of PGI from Bacillus stearothermophilus at 2.3-Å resolution. We show that PGI has cell-motility-stimulating activity on mouse colon cancer cells similar to that of endogenous autocrine motility factor (AMF). PGI can also enhance neurite outgrowth on neuronal progenitor cells similar to that observed for neuroleukin. The results confirm tha...

  7. SMAD4 regulates cell motility through transcription of N-cadherin in human pancreatic ductal epithelium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ya'an Kang

    Full Text Available Expression of the cellular adhesion protein N-cadherin is a critical event during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT. The SMAD4 protein has been identified as a mediator of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β superfamily signaling, which regulates EMT, but the mechanisms linking TGF-β signaling to N-cadherin expression remain unclear. When the TGF-β pathway is activated, SMAD proteins, including the common mediator SMAD4, are subsequently translocated into the nucleus, where they influence gene transcription via SMAD binding elements (SBEs. Here we describe a mechanism for control of CDH2, the gene encoding N-cadherin, through the canonical TGFβ-SMAD4 pathway. We first identified four previously undescribed SBEs within the CDH2 promoter. Using telomerase immortalized human pancreatic ductal epithelium, we found that TGF-β stimulation prompted specific SMAD4 binding to all four SBEs. Luciferase reporter and SMAD4-knockdown experiments demonstrated that specific SMAD4 binding to the SBE located at -3790 bp to -3795 bp within the promoter region of CDH2 was necessary for TGF-β-stimulated transcription. Expression of N-cadherin on the surface of epithelial cells facilitates motility and invasion, and we demonstrated that knockdown of SMAD4 causes decreased N-cadherin expression, which results in diminished migration and invasion of human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells. Similar reduction of cell motility was produced after CDH2 knockdown. Together, these findings suggest that SMAD4 is critical for the TGF-β-driven upregulation of N-cadherin and the resultant invasive phenotype of human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells during EMT.

  8. The effect of loss of O-antigen ligase on phagocytic susceptibility of motile and non-motile Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demirdjian, Sally; Schutz, Kristin; Wargo, Matthew J; Lam, Joseph S; Berwin, Brent

    2017-12-01

    The bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa undergoes adaptation and selection over the course of chronic respiratory tract infections which results in repeatedly-observed phenotypic changes that are proposed to enable its persistence. Two of the clinically significant P. aeruginosa phenotypic changes are loss of flagellar motility and modifications to LPS structure, including loss of O-antigen expression. The effect of loss of O-antigen, frequently described as conversion from smooth to rough LPS, and the combined effect of loss of motility and O-antigen on phagocytic susceptibility by immune cells remain unknown. To address this, we generated genetic deletion mutants of waaL, which encodes the O-antigen ligase responsible for linking O-antigen to lipid A-core oligosaccharide, in both motile and non-motile P. aeruginosa strains. With the use of these bacterial strains we provide the first demonstration that, despite a progressive selection for P. aeruginosa with rough LPS during chronic pulmonary infections, loss of the LPS O-antigen does not confer phagocytic resistance in vitro. However, use of the waaLmotABmotCD mutant revealed that loss of motility confers resistance to phagocytosis regardless of the smooth or rough LPS phenotype. These findings reveal how the O-antigen of P. aeruginosa can influence bacterial clearance during infection and expand our current knowledge about the impact of bacterial phenotypic changes during chronic infection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Cellular adhesome screen identifies critical modulators of focal adhesion dynamics, cellular traction forces and cell migration behaviour

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fokkelman, Michiel; Balcıoğlu, Hayri E.; Klip, Janna E.; Yan, Kuan; Verbeek, Fons J.; Danen, Erik H. J.; van de Water, Bob

    2016-01-01

    Cancer cells migrate from the primary tumour into surrounding tissue in order to form metastasis. Cell migration is a highly complex process, which requires continuous remodelling and re-organization of the cytoskeleton and cell-matrix adhesions. Here, we aimed to identify genes controlling aspects of tumour cell migration, including the dynamic organization of cell-matrix adhesions and cellular traction forces. In a siRNA screen targeting most cell adhesion-related genes we identified 200+ genes that regulate size and/or dynamics of cell-matrix adhesions in MCF7 breast cancer cells. In a subsequent secondary screen, the 64 most effective genes were evaluated for growth factor-induced cell migration and validated by tertiary RNAi pool deconvolution experiments. Four validated hits showed significantly enlarged adhesions accompanied by reduced cell migration upon siRNA-mediated knockdown. Furthermore, loss of PPP1R12B, HIPK3 or RAC2 caused cells to exert higher traction forces, as determined by traction force microscopy with elastomeric micropillar post arrays, and led to considerably reduced force turnover. Altogether, we identified genes that co-regulate cell-matrix adhesion dynamics and traction force turnover, thereby modulating overall motility behaviour. PMID:27531518

  10. Modification of Salmonella Typhimurium motility by the probiotic yeast strain Saccharomyces boulardii.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rodolphe Pontier-Bres

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Motility is an important component of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST pathogenesis allowing the bacteria to move into appropriate niches, across the mucus layer and invade the intestinal epithelium. In vitro, flagellum-associated motility is closely related to the invasive properties of ST. The probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii BIOCODEX (S.b-B is widely prescribed for the prophylaxis and treatment of diarrheal diseases caused by bacteria or antibiotics. In case of Salmonella infection, S.b-B has been shown to decrease ST invasion of T84 colon cell line. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of S.b-B on ST motility. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Experiments were performed on human colonic T84 cells infected by the Salmonella strain 1344 alone or in the presence of S.b-B. The motility of Salmonella was recorded by time-lapse video microscopy. Next, a manual tracking was performed to analyze bacteria dynamics (MTrackJ plugin, NIH image J software. This revealed that the speed of bacterial movement was modified in the presence of S.b-B. The median curvilinear velocity (CLV of Salmonella incubated alone with T84 decreased from 43.3 µm/sec to 31.2 µm/sec in the presence of S.b-B. Measurement of track linearity (TL showed similar trends: S.b-B decreased by 15% the number of bacteria with linear tract (LT and increased by 22% the number of bacteria with rotator tract (RT. Correlation between ST motility and invasion was further established by studying a non-motile flagella-deficient ST strain. Indeed this strain that moved with a CLV of 0.5 µm/sec, presented a majority of RT and a significant decrease in invasion properties. Importantly, we show that S.b-B modified the motility of the pathogenic strain SL1344 and significantly decreased invasion of T84 cells by this strain. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that S.b-B modifies Salmonella's motility and trajectory which may account for the modification

  11. Modification of Salmonella Typhimurium Motility by the Probiotic Yeast Strain Saccharomyces boulardii

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pontier-Bres, Rodolphe; Prodon, François; Munro, Patrick; Rampal, Patrick; Lemichez, Emmanuel; Peyron, Jean François; Czerucka, Dorota

    2012-01-01

    Background Motility is an important component of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) pathogenesis allowing the bacteria to move into appropriate niches, across the mucus layer and invade the intestinal epithelium. In vitro, flagellum-associated motility is closely related to the invasive properties of ST. The probiotic yeast Saccharomyces boulardii BIOCODEX (S.b-B) is widely prescribed for the prophylaxis and treatment of diarrheal diseases caused by bacteria or antibiotics. In case of Salmonella infection, S.b-B has been shown to decrease ST invasion of T84 colon cell line. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of S.b-B on ST motility. Methodology/Principal Findings Experiments were performed on human colonic T84 cells infected by the Salmonella strain 1344 alone or in the presence of S.b-B. The motility of Salmonella was recorded by time-lapse video microscopy. Next, a manual tracking was performed to analyze bacteria dynamics (MTrackJ plugin, NIH image J software). This revealed that the speed of bacterial movement was modified in the presence of S.b-B. The median curvilinear velocity (CLV) of Salmonella incubated alone with T84 decreased from 43.3 µm/sec to 31.2 µm/sec in the presence of S.b-B. Measurement of track linearity (TL) showed similar trends: S.b-B decreased by 15% the number of bacteria with linear tract (LT) and increased by 22% the number of bacteria with rotator tract (RT). Correlation between ST motility and invasion was further established by studying a non-motile flagella-deficient ST strain. Indeed this strain that moved with a CLV of 0.5 µm/sec, presented a majority of RT and a significant decrease in invasion properties. Importantly, we show that S.b-B modified the motility of the pathogenic strain SL1344 and significantly decreased invasion of T84 cells by this strain. Conclusions This study reveals that S.b-B modifies Salmonella's motility and trajectory which may account for the modification of Salmonella

  12. Heparanase promotes myeloma progression by inducing mesenchymal features and motility of myeloma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Juan; Pan, Qianying; Rowan, Patrick D; Trotter, Timothy N; Peker, Deniz; Regal, Kellie M; Javed, Amjad; Suva, Larry J; Yang, Yang

    2016-03-08

    Bone dissemination and bone disease occur in approximately 80% of patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and are a major cause of patient mortality. We previously demonstrated that MM cell-derived heparanase (HPSE) is a major driver of MM dissemination to and progression in new bone sites. However the mechanism(s) by which HPSE promotes MM progression remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of mesenchymal features in HPSE-promoted MM progression in bone. Using a combination of molecular, biochemical, cellular, and in vivo approaches, we demonstrated that (1) HPSE enhanced the expression of mesenchymal markers in both MM and vascular endothelial cells; (2) HPSE expression in patient myeloma cells positively correlated with the expression of the mesenchymal markers vimentin and fibronectin. Additional mechanistic studies revealed that the enhanced mesenchymal-like phenotype induced by HPSE in MM cells is due, at least in part, to the stimulation of the ERK signaling pathway. Finally, knockdown of vimentin in HPSE expressing MM cells resulted in significantly attenuated MM cell dissemination and tumor growth in vivo. Collectively, these data demonstrate that the mesenchymal features induced by HPSE in MM cells contribute to enhanced tumor cell motility and bone-dissemination.

  13. Impact of the alterations in the interstitial cells of Cajal on intestinal motility in post-infection irritable bowel syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Bo; Zhou, Xu-Chun; Lan, Cheng

    2015-04-01

    The interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC) are basic components of gastrointestinal motility. However, changes in ICC and their role in post‑infection irritable bowel syndrome (PI‑IBS) remain to be elucidated. To observe the impact of alterations in the ICC on intestinal motility in a PI‑IBS mouse model, female C57BL\\6 mice were infected by the oral administration of 400 Trichinella spiralis larvae. The abdominal withdrawal reflex, intestine transportation time (ITT), grain numbers, Bristol scores, wet/dry weights and the percentage water content of the mice feces every 2 h were used to assess changes in the intestinal motor function. The intestines were excised and sectioned for pathological and histochemical examination. These intestines were also used to quantify the protein and mRNA expression of c‑kit. The C57BL\\6 mouse can act as a PI‑IBS model at day 56 post‑infection. Compared with the control mice, the ITT was shorter, the grain numbers, Bristol scores, wet weights and water contents of the mice feces were higher and the dry weights were unchanged in the PI‑IBS mice. The protein and mRNA expression levels of c‑kit were upregulated in the entire PI‑IBS mouse intestines. Following immunohistochemical staining, the increased number of c‑kit‑positive cells were detected predominantly in the submucosa and myenteron. These results suggested that the alterations of the ICC resulted in the changes of the intestinal motility patterns in the PI‑IBS mouse models induced by Trichinella spiralis infection, which may be the main mechanism underlying intestinal motility disorders in PI‑IBS.

  14. Motility, Force Generation, and Energy Consumption of Unicellular Parasites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hochstetter, Axel; Pfohl, Thomas

    2016-07-01

    Motility is a key factor for pathogenicity of unicellular parasites, enabling them to infiltrate and evade host cells, and perform several of their life-cycle events. State-of-the-art methods of motility analysis rely on a combination of optical tweezers with high-resolution microscopy and microfluidics. With this technology, propulsion forces, energies, and power generation can be determined so as to shed light on the motion mechanisms, chemotactic behavior, and specific survival strategies of unicellular parasites. With these new tools in hand, we can elucidate the mechanisms of motility and force generation of unicellular parasites, and identify ways to manipulate and eventually inhibit them. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Motility Disorders in Children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nurko, Samuel

    2017-06-01

    Gastrointestinal motility disorders in the pediatric population are common and can range from benign processes to more serious disorders. Performing and interpreting motility evaluations in children present unique challenges. There are primary motility disorders but abnormal motility may be secondary due to other disease processes. Diagnostic studies include radiographic scintigraphic and manometry studies. Although recent advances in the genetics, biology, and technical aspects are having an important impact and have allowed for a better understanding of the pathophysiology and therapy for gastrointestinal motility disorders in children, further research is needed to be done to have better understanding of the pathophysiology and for better therapies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. A versatile class of cell surface directional motors gives rise to gliding motility and sporulation in Myxococcus xanthus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Morgane Wartel

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Eukaryotic cells utilize an arsenal of processive transport systems to deliver macromolecules to specific subcellular sites. In prokaryotes, such transport mechanisms have only been shown to mediate gliding motility, a form of microbial surface translocation. Here, we show that the motility function of the Myxococcus xanthus Agl-Glt machinery results from the recent specialization of a versatile class of bacterial transporters. Specifically, we demonstrate that the Agl motility motor is modular and dissociates from the rest of the gliding machinery (the Glt complex to bind the newly expressed Nfs complex, a close Glt paralogue, during sporulation. Following this association, the Agl system transports Nfs proteins directionally around the spore surface. Since the main spore coat polymer is secreted at discrete sites around the spore surface, its transport by Agl-Nfs ensures its distribution around the spore. Thus, the Agl-Glt/Nfs machineries may constitute a novel class of directional bacterial surface transporters that can be diversified to specific tasks depending on the cognate cargo and machinery-specific accessories.

  17. Cell shunt resistance and photovoltaic module performance

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McMahon, T.J.; Basso, T.S.; Rummel, S.R. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

    1996-05-01

    Shunt resistance of cells in photovoltaic modules can affect module power output and could indicate flawed manufacturing processes and reliability problems. The authors describe a two-terminal diagnostic method to directly measure the shunt resistance of individual cells in a series-connected module non-intrusively, without deencapsulation. Peak power efficiency vs. light intensity was measured on a 12-cell, series-connected, single crystalline module having relatively high cell shunt resistances. The module was remeasured with 0.5-, 1-, and 2-ohm resistors attached across each cell to simulate shunt resistances of several emerging technologies. Peak power efficiencies decreased dramatically at lower light levels. Using the PSpice circuit simulator, the authors verified that cell shunt and series resistances can indeed be responsible for the observed peak power efficiency vs. intensity behavior. The authors discuss the effect of basic cell diode parameters, i.e., shunt resistance, series resistance, and recombination losses, on PV module performance as a function of light intensity.

  18. A response regulator interfaces between the Frz chemosensory system and the MglA/MglB GTPase/GAP module to regulate polarity in Myxococcus xanthus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Keilberg

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available How cells establish and dynamically change polarity are general questions in cell biology. Cells of the rod-shaped bacterium Myxococcus xanthus move on surfaces with defined leading and lagging cell poles. Occasionally, cells undergo reversals, which correspond to an inversion of the leading-lagging pole polarity axis. Reversals are induced by the Frz chemosensory system and depend on relocalization of motility proteins between the poles. The Ras-like GTPase MglA localizes to and defines the leading cell pole in the GTP-bound form. MglB, the cognate MglA GTPase activating protein, localizes to and defines the lagging pole. During reversals, MglA-GTP and MglB switch poles and, therefore, dynamically localized motility proteins switch poles. We identified the RomR response regulator, which localizes in a bipolar asymmetric pattern with a large cluster at the lagging pole, as important for motility and reversals. We show that RomR interacts directly with MglA and MglB in vitro. Furthermore, RomR, MglA, and MglB affect the localization of each other in all pair-wise directions, suggesting that RomR stimulates motility by promoting correct localization of MglA and MglB in MglA/RomR and MglB/RomR complexes at opposite poles. Moreover, localization analyses suggest that the two RomR complexes mutually exclude each other from their respective poles. We further show that RomR interfaces with FrzZ, the output response regulator of the Frz chemosensory system, to regulate reversals. Thus, RomR serves at the functional interface to connect a classic bacterial signalling module (Frz to a classic eukaryotic polarity module (MglA/MglB. This modular design is paralleled by the phylogenetic distribution of the proteins, suggesting an evolutionary scheme in which RomR was incorporated into the MglA/MglB module to regulate cell polarity followed by the addition of the Frz system to dynamically regulate cell polarity.

  19. The Palmitoylation State of PMP22 Modulates Epithelial Cell Morphology and Migration

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    Susie J. Zoltewicz

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available PMP22 (peripheral myelin protein 22, also known as GAS 3 (growth-arrest-specific protein 3, is a disease-linked tetraspan glycoprotein of peripheral nerve myelin and constituent of intercellular junctions in epithelia. To date, our knowledge of the post-translational modification of PMP22 is limited. Using the CSS-Palm 2.0 software we predicted that C85 (cysteine 85, a highly conserved amino acid located between the second and third transmembrane domains, is a potential site for palmitoylation. To test this, we mutated C85S (C85 to serine and established stable cells lines expressing the WT (wild-type or the C85S-PMP22. In Schwann and MDCK (Madin–Darby canine kidney cells mutating C85 blocked the palmitoylation of PMP22, which we monitored using 17-ODYA (17-octadecynoic acid. While palmitoylation was not necessary for processing the newly synthesized PMP22 through the secretory pathway, overexpression of C85S-PMP22 led to pronounced cell spreading and uneven monolayer thinning. To further investigate the functional significance of palmitoylated PMP22, we evaluated MDCK cell migration in a wound-healing assay. While WT-PMP22 expressing cells were resistant to migration, C85S cells displayed lamellipodial protrusions and migrated at a similar rate to vector control. These findings indicate that palmitoylation of PMP22 at C85 is critical for the role of the protein in modulating epithelial cell shape and motility.

  20. The Effect of Curcumin on Intracellular pH (pHi), Membrane Hyperpolarization and Sperm Motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naz, Rajesh K

    2014-04-01

    Curcumin has shown to affect sperm motility and function in vitro and fertility in vivo. The molecular mechanism(s) by which curcumin affects sperm motility has not been delineated. Since modulation of intracellular pH (pHi) and plasma membrane polarization is involved in sperm motility, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of curcumin on these sperm (human and murine) parameters. The effect of curcumin on sperm forward motility was examined by counting percentages of forward moving sperm. The effect of curcumin on intracellular pH (pHi) was measured by the fluorescent pH indicator 2,7-bicarboxyethyl-5,6-carboxyfluorescein-acetoxymethyl ester (BCECF-AM). The effect of curcumin on plasma membrane polarization was examined using the fluorescence sensitive dye bis (1,3-dibarbituric acid)-trimethine oxanol [DiBAC4(3)]. Curcumin caused a concentration-dependent (ppHi) in both human and mouse sperm. Curcumin induced significant (ppHi and membrane polarization that affect sperm forward motility. These exciting findings will have application in deciphering the signal transduction pathway involved in sperm motility and function and in development of a novel non-steroidal contraceptive for infertility.

  1. Influence of Helical Cell Shape on Motility of Helicobacter Pylori

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hardcastle, Joseph; Martinez, Laura; Salama, Nina; Bansil, Rama; Boston University Collaboration; University of Washington Collaboration

    2014-03-01

    Bacteria's body shape plays an important role in motility by effecting chemotaxis, swimming mechanisms, and swimming speed. A prime example of this is the bacteria Helicobacter Pylori;whose helical shape has long been believed to provide an advantage in penetrating the viscous mucus layer protecting the stomach lining, its niche environment. To explore this we have performed bacteria tracking experiments of both wild-type bacteria along with mutants, which have a straight rod shape. A wide distribution of speeds was found. This distribution reflects both a result of temporal variation in speed and different shape morphologies in the bacterial population. Our results show that body shape plays less role in a simple fluid. However, in a more viscous solution the helical shape results in increased swimming speeds. In addition, we use experimentally obtained cell shape measurements to model the hydrodynamic influence of cell shape on swimming speed using resistive force theory. The results agree with the experiment, especially when we fold in the temporal distribution. Interestingly, our results suggest distinct wild-type subpopulations with varying number of half helices can lead to different swimming speeds. NSF PHY

  2. Bi-module sensing device to in situ quantitatively detect hydrogen peroxide released from migrating tumor cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ling Yu

    Full Text Available Cell migration is one of the key cell functions in physiological and pathological processes, especially in tumor metastasis. However, it is not feasible to monitor the important biochemical molecules produced during cell migrations in situ by conventional cell migration assays. Herein, for the first time a device containing both electrochemical sensing and trans-well cell migration modules was fabricated to sensitively quantify biochemical molecules released from the cell migration process in situ. The fully assembled device with a multi-wall carbon nanotube/graphene/MnO2 nanocomposite functionalized electrode was able to successfully characterize hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 production from melanoma A375 cells, larynx carcinoma HEp-2 cells and liver cancer Hep G2 under serum established chemotaxis. The maximum concentration of H2O2 produced from A375, HEp-2 and Hep G2 in chemotaxis was 130 ± 1.3 nM, 70 ± 0.7 nM and 63 ± 0.7 nM, respectively. While the time required reaching the summit of H2O2 production was 3.0, 4.0 and 1.5 h for A375, HEp-2 and Hep G2, respectively. By staining the polycarbonate micropore membrane disassembled from the device, we found that the average migration rate of the A375, HEp-2 and Hep G2 cells were 98 ± 6%, 38 ± 4% and 32 ± 3%, respectively. The novel bi-module cell migration platform enables in situ investigation of cell secretion and cell function simultaneously, highlighting its potential for characterizing cell motility through monitoring H2O2 production on rare samples and for identifying underlying mechanisms of cell migration.

  3. Carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A): a transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR and mediates PAX3-FKHR–dependent motility in alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, Lingling; Wang, Yong-Dong; Wu, Jing; Cui, Jimmy; Chen, Taosheng

    2012-01-01

    Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) has a high propensity to metastasize, leading to its aggressiveness and a poor survival rate among those with the disease. More than 80% of aggressive ARMSs harbor a PAX3-FKHR fusion transcription factor, which regulates cell migration and promotes metastasis, most likely by regulating the fusion protein’s transcriptional targets. Therefore, identifying druggable transcription targets of PAX3-FKHR that are also downstream effectors of PAX3-FKHR–mediated cell migration and metastasis may lead to novel therapeutic approaches for treating ARMS. To identify genes whose expression is directly affected by the level of PAX3-FKHR in an ARMS cellular-context, we first developed an ARMS cell line in which PAX3-FKHR is stably down-regulated, and showed that stably downregulating PAX3-FKHR in ARMS cells significantly decreased the cells’ motility. We used microarray analysis to identify genes whose expression level decreased when PAX3-FKHR was downregulated. We used mutational analysis, promoter reporter assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays to determine whether PAX3-FKHR binds to the promoter region of the target gene. We used siRNA and pharmacologic inhibitor to downregulate the target gene of PAX3-FKHR and investigated the effect of such downregulation on cell motility. We found that when PAX3-FKHR was downregulated, the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A (CPT1A) decreased. We showed that PAX3-FKHR binds to a paired-domain binding-site in the CPT1A promoter region, indicating that CPT1A is a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR. Furthermore, downregulating CPT1A decreased cell motility in ARMS cells, indicating that CPT1A is a downstream effector of PAX3-FKHR–mediated cell migration and metastasis. Taken together, we have identified CPT1A as a novel transcriptional target of PAX3-FKHR and revealed the novel function of CPT1A in promoting cell motility. CPT1A may represent a novel therapeutic target for

  4. Local ATP generation by brain-type creatine kinase (CK-B facilitates cell motility.

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    Jan W P Kuiper

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Creatine Kinases (CK catalyze the reversible transfer of high-energy phosphate groups between ATP and phosphocreatine, thereby playing a storage and distribution role in cellular energetics. Brain-type CK (CK-B deficiency is coupled to loss of function in neural cell circuits, altered bone-remodeling by osteoclasts and complement-mediated phagocytotic activity of macrophages, processes sharing dependency on actomyosin dynamics. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here, we provide evidence for direct coupling between CK-B and actomyosin activities in cortical microdomains of astrocytes and fibroblasts during spreading and migration. CK-B transiently accumulates in membrane ruffles and ablation of CK-B activity affects spreading and migration performance. Complementation experiments in CK-B-deficient fibroblasts, using new strategies to force protein relocalization from cytosol to cortical sites at membranes, confirmed the contribution of compartmentalized CK-B to cell morphogenetic dynamics. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results provide evidence that local cytoskeletal dynamics during cell motility is coupled to on-site availability of ATP generated by CK-B.

  5. Src Family Kinases Mediate Betel Quid-Induced Oral Cancer Cell Motility and Could Be a Biomarker for Early Invasion in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeff Yi-Fu Chen

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Betel quid (BQ-chewing oral cancer is a prevalent disease in many countries of Southeast Asia. Yet, the precise disease mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we show that BQ extract-induced cell motility in three oral cancer cells (Ca9-22, SAS, and SCC9 presumably involves the Src family kinases (SFKs. Besides, BQ extract can markedly induce cell migration of wild type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs but not MEFs lacking three SFK members, namely, Src, Yes, and Fyn, indicating the requirement of SFKs for BQ-induced cell motility. Betel quid extract can also elevate cellular SFK activities because phosphorylation of tyrosine 416 at the catalytic domain is increased, which in turn promotes phosphorylation of an in vitro substrate, enolase. Furthermore, we identified that areca nut, a major component of BQ, is the key factor accounting for BQ-induced cell migration and invasion through SFKs-mediated signaling pathways. Immunohistochemistry revealed that, particularly in BQ-chewing cases, the activity of SFKs was significantly higher in tumor-adjacent mucosa than that in solid tumor areas (P < .01. These results suggest a possible role of SFKs in tumor-host interface and thus in early tumor invasion in vivo. Consistent with this is the observation that activation of SFKs is colocalized with invasive tumor fronts in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Together, we conclude that SFKs may represent a potential biomarker of invasion and therapeutic target in BQ-induced oral cancer.

  6. The HP0256 gene product is involved in motility and cell envelope architecture of Helicobacter pylori

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Douillard, Francois P

    2010-04-08

    Abstract Background Helicobacter pylori is the causative agent for gastritis, and peptic and duodenal ulcers. The bacterium displays 5-6 polar sheathed flagella that are essential for colonisation and persistence in the gastric mucosa. The biochemistry and genetics of flagellar biogenesis in H. pylori has not been fully elucidated. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that the gene HP0256, annotated as hypothetical, was a FliJ homologue. In Salmonella, FliJ is a chaperone escort protein for FlgN and FliT, two proteins that themselves display chaperone activity for components of the hook, the rod and the filament. Results Ablation of the HP0256 gene in H. pylori significantly reduced motility. However, flagellin and hook protein synthesis was not affected in the HP0256 mutant. Transmission electron transmission microscopy revealed that the HP0256 mutant cells displayed a normal flagellum configuration, suggesting that HP0256 was not essential for assembly and polar localisation of the flagella in the cell. Interestingly, whole genome microarrays of an HP0256 mutant revealed transcriptional changes in a number of genes associated with the flagellar regulon and the cell envelope, such as outer membrane proteins and adhesins. Consistent with the array data, lack of the HP0256 gene significantly reduced adhesion and the inflammatory response in host cells. Conclusions We conclude that HP0256 is not a functional counterpart of FliJ in H. pylori. However, it is required for full motility and it is involved, possibly indirectly, in expression of outer membrane proteins and adhesins involved in pathogenesis and adhesion.

  7. CD155/PVR plays a key role in cell motility during tumor cell invasion and migration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sloan, Kevin E; Ilag, Leodevico L; Jay, Daniel G; Eustace, Brenda K; Stewart, Jean K; Zehetmeier, Carol; Torella, Claudia; Simeone, Marina; Roy, Jennifer E; Unger, Christine; Louis, David N

    2004-01-01

    Invasion is an important early step of cancer metastasis that is not well understood. Developing therapeutics to limit metastasis requires the identification and validation of candidate proteins necessary for invasion and migration. We developed a functional proteomic screen to identify mediators of tumor cell invasion. This screen couples Fluorophore Assisted Light Inactivation (FALI) to a scFv antibody library to systematically inactivate surface proteins expressed by human fibrosarcoma cells followed by a high-throughput assessment of transwell invasion. Using this screen, we have identified CD155 (the poliovirus receptor) as a mediator of tumor cell invasion through its role in migration. Knockdown of CD155 by FALI or by RNAi resulted in a significant decrease in transwell migration of HT1080 fibrosarcoma cells towards a serum chemoattractant. CD155 was found to be highly expressed in multiple cancer cell lines and primary tumors including glioblastoma (GBM). Knockdown of CD155 also decreased migration of U87MG GBM cells. CD155 is recruited to the leading edge of migrating cells where it colocalizes with actin and αv-integrin, known mediators of motility and adhesion. Knockdown of CD155 also altered cellular morphology, resulting in cells that were larger and more elongated than controls when plated on a Matrigel substrate. These results implicate a role for CD155 in mediating tumor cell invasion and migration and suggest that CD155 may contribute to tumorigenesis

  8. PTP1B inhibitor promotes endothelial cell motility by activating the DOCK180/Rac1 pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yuan; Yan, Feng; Ye, Qing; Wu, Xiao; Jiang, Fan

    2016-04-07

    Promoting endothelial cell (EC) migration is important not only for therapeutic angiogenesis, but also for accelerating re-endothelialization after vessel injury. Several recent studies have shown that inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) may promote EC migration and angiogenesis by enhancing the vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) signalling. In the present study, we demonstrated that PTP1B inhibitor could promote EC adhesion, spreading and migration, which were abolished by the inhibitor of Rac1 but not RhoA GTPase. PTP1B inhibitor significantly increased phosphorylation of p130Cas, and the interactions among p130Cas, Crk and DOCK180; whereas the phosphorylation levels of focal adhesion kinase, Src, paxillin, or Vav2 were unchanged. Gene silencing of DOCK180, but not Vav2, abrogated the effects of PTP1B inhibitor on EC motility. The effects of PTP1B inhibitor on EC motility and p130Cas/DOCK180 activation persisted in the presence of the VEGFR2 antagonist. In conclusion, we suggest that stimulation of the DOCK180 pathway represents an alternative mechanism of PTP1B inhibitor-stimulated EC motility, which does not require concomitant VEGFR2 activation as a prerequisite. Therefore, PTP1B inhibitor may be a useful therapeutic strategy for promoting EC migration in cardiovascular patients in which the VEGF/VEGFR functions are compromised.

  9. Loss of Dishevelleds disrupts planar polarity in ependymal motile cilia and results in hydrocephalus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohata, Shinya; Nakatani, Jin; Herranz-Pérez, Vicente; Cheng, JrGang; Belinson, Haim; Inubushi, Toshiro; Snider, William D.; García-Verdugo, Jose Manuel; Wynshaw-Boris, Anthony; Álvarez-Buylla, Arturo

    2014-01-01

    SUMMARY Defects in ependymal (E) cells, which line the ventricle and generate cerebrospinal fluid flow through ciliary beating, can cause hydrocephalus. Dishevelled genes (Dvls) are essential for Wnt signaling and Dvl2 has been shown to localize to the rootlet of motile cilia. Using the hGFAP-Cre;Dvl1−/−;2flox/flox;3+/− mouse, we show that compound genetic ablation of Dvls causes hydrocephalus. In hGFAP-Cre;Dvl1−/−;2flox/flox;3+/− mutants, E cells differentiated normally, but the intracellular and intercellular rotational alignments of ependymal motile cilia were disrupted. As a consequence, the fluid flow generated by the hGFAP-Cre;Dvl1−/−;2flox/flox;3+/− E cells was significantly slower than that observed in control mice. Dvls were also required for the proper positioning of motile cilia on the apical surface. Tamoxifen-induced conditional removal of Dvls in adult mice also resulted in defects in intracellular rotational alignment and positioning of ependymal motile cilia. These results suggest that Dvls are continuously required for E cell planar polarity and may prevent hydrocephalus. PMID:25043421

  10. Transparent solar cell window module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chau, Joseph Lik Hang; Chen, Ruei-Tang; Hwang, Gan-Lin; Tsai, Ping-Yuan [Nanopowder and Thin Film Technology Center, ITRI South, Industrial Technology Research Institute, Tainan County 709 (China); Lin, Chien-Chu [I-Lai Acrylic Corporation, Tainan City (China)

    2010-03-15

    A transparent solar cell window module based on the integration of traditional silicon solar cells and organic-inorganic nanocomposite material was designed and fabricated. The transparent solar cell window module was composed of a nanocomposite light-guide plate and traditional silicon solar cells. The preparation of the nanocomposite light-guide plate is easy without modification of the traditional casting process, the nanoparticles sol can be added directly to the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) monomer syrup during the process. The solar energy collected by this window can be used to power up small household electrical appliances. (author)

  11. hemingway is required for sperm flagella assembly and ciliary motility in Drosophila.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soulavie, Fabien; Piepenbrock, David; Thomas, Joëlle; Vieillard, Jennifer; Duteyrat, Jean-Luc; Cortier, Elisabeth; Laurençon, Anne; Göpfert, Martin C; Durand, Bénédicte

    2014-04-01

    Cilia play major functions in physiology and development, and ciliary dysfunctions are responsible for several diseases in humans called ciliopathies. Cilia motility is required for cell and fluid propulsion in organisms. In humans, cilia motility deficiencies lead to primary ciliary dyskinesia, with upper-airways recurrent infections, left-right asymmetry perturbations, and fertility defects. In Drosophila, we identified hemingway (hmw) as a novel component required for motile cilia function. hmw encodes a 604-amino acid protein characterized by a highly conserved coiled-coil domain also found in the human orthologue, KIAA1430. We show that HMW is conserved in species with motile cilia and that, in Drosophila, hmw is expressed in ciliated sensory neurons and spermatozoa. We created hmw-knockout flies and found that they are hearing impaired and male sterile. hmw is implicated in the motility of ciliated auditory sensory neurons and, in the testis, is required for elongation and maintenance of sperm flagella. Because HMW is absent from mature flagella, we propose that HMW is not a structural component of the motile axoneme but is required for proper acquisition of motile properties. This identifies HMW as a novel, evolutionarily conserved component necessary for motile cilium function and flagella assembly.

  12. Podoplanin promotes progression of malignant pleural mesothelioma by regulating motility and focus formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeuchi, Shinji; Fukuda, Koji; Yamada, Tadaaki; Arai, Sachiko; Takagi, Satoshi; Ishii, Genichiro; Ochiai, Atsushi; Iwakiri, Shotaro; Itoi, Kazumi; Uehara, Hisanori; Nishihara, Hiroshi; Fujita, Naoya; Yano, Seiji

    2017-04-01

    Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is characterized by dissemination and aggressive growth in the thoracic cavity. Podoplanin (PDPN) is an established diagnostic marker for MPM, but the function of PDPN in MPM is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the pathogenetic function of PDPN in MPM. Forty-seven of 52 tumors (90%) from Japanese patients with MPM and 3/6 (50%) MPM cell lines tested positive for PDPN. Knocking down PDPN in PDPN-high expressing MPM cells resulted in decreased cell motility. In contrast, overexpression of PDPN in PDPN-low expressing MPM cells enhanced cell motility. PDPN stimulated motility was mediated by activation of the RhoA/ROCK pathway. Moreover, knocking down PDPN with short hairpin (sh) RNA in PDPN-high expressing MPM cells resulted in decreased development of a thoracic tumor in mice with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). In sharp contrast, transfection of PDPN in PDPN-low expressing MPM cells resulted in an increase in the number of Ki-67-positive proliferating tumor cells and it promoted progression of a thoracic tumor in SCID mice. Interestingly, PDPN promoted focus formation in vitro, and a low level of E-cadherin expression and YAP1 activation was observed in PDPN-high MPM tumors. These findings indicate that PDPN is a diagnostic marker as well as a pathogenetic regulator that promotes MPM progression by increasing cell motility and inducing focus formation. Therefore, PDPN might be a pathogenetic determinant of MPM dissemination and aggressive growth and may thus be an ideal therapeutic target. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

  13. Emergence and modular evolution of a novel motility machinery in bacteria.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jennifer Luciano

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria glide across solid surfaces by mechanisms that have remained largely mysterious despite decades of research. In the deltaproteobacterium Myxococcus xanthus, this locomotion allows the formation stress-resistant fruiting bodies where sporulation takes place. However, despite the large number of genes identified as important for gliding, no specific machinery has been identified so far, hampering in-depth investigations. Based on the premise that components of the gliding machinery must have co-evolved and encode both envelope-spanning proteins and a molecular motor, we re-annotated known gliding motility genes and examined their taxonomic distribution, genomic localization, and phylogeny. We successfully delineated three functionally related genetic clusters, which we proved experimentally carry genes encoding the basal gliding machinery in M. xanthus, using genetic and localization techniques. For the first time, this study identifies structural gliding motility genes in the Myxobacteria and opens new perspectives to study the motility mechanism. Furthermore, phylogenomics provide insight into how this machinery emerged from an ancestral conserved core of genes of unknown function that evolved to gliding by the recruitment of functional modules in Myxococcales. Surprisingly, this motility machinery appears to be highly related to a sporulation system, underscoring unsuspected common mechanisms in these apparently distinct morphogenic phenomena.

  14. Loss of myoferlin redirects breast cancer cell motility towards collective migration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonithas I Volakis

    Full Text Available Cell migration plays a central role in the invasion and metastasis of tumors. As cells leave the primary tumor, they undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT and migrate as single cells. Epithelial tumor cells may also migrate in a highly directional manner as a collective group in some settings. We previously discovered that myoferlin (MYOF is overexpressed in breast cancer cells and depletion of MYOF results in a mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET and reduced invasion through extracellular matrix (ECM. However, the biomechanical mechanisms governing cell motility during MYOF depletion are poorly understood. We first demonstrated that lentivirus-driven shRNA-induced MYOF loss in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells (MDA-231(MYOF-KD leads to an epithelial morphology compared to the mesenchymal morphology observed in control (MDA-231(LTVC and wild-type cells. Knockdown of MYOF led to significant reductions in cell migration velocity and MDA-231(MYOF-KD cells migrated directionally and collectively, while MDA-231(LTVC cells exhibited single cell migration. Decreased migration velocity and collective migration were accompanied by significant changes in cell mechanics. MDA-231(MYOF-KD cells exhibited a 2-fold decrease in cell stiffness, a 2-fold increase in cell-substrate adhesion and a 1.5-fold decrease in traction force generation. In vivo studies demonstrated that when immunocompromised mice were implanted with MDA-231(MYOF-KD cells, tumors were smaller and demonstrated lower tumor burden. Moreover, MDA-231(MYOF-KD tumors were highly circularized and did not invade locally into the adventia in contrast to MDA-231(LTVC-injected animals. Thus MYOF loss is associated with a change in tumor formation in xenografts and leads to smaller, less invasive tumors. These data indicate that MYOF, a previously unrecognized protein in cancer, is involved in MDA-MB-231 cell migration and contributes to biomechanical alterations. Our results indicate

  15. Endothelial cell-driven regulation of CD9 or motility-related protein-1 expression in multiple myeloma cells within the murine 5T33MM model and myeloma patients

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    De Bruyne, E; Levin Andersen, Thomas; De Raeve, H

    2006-01-01

    The cell surface expression of CD9, a glycoprotein of the tetraspanin family influencing several processes including cell motility and metastasis, inversely correlates with progression in several solid tumors. In the present work, we studied the expression and role of CD9 in multiple myeloma (MM...... interaction of the cells with BMEC and that CD9 is involved in transendothelial invasion, thus possibly mediating homing and/or spreading of the MM cells....

  16. Model-Based Generation of Synthetic 3D Time-Lapse Sequences of Motile Cells with Growing Filopodia

    OpenAIRE

    Sorokin , Dmitry ,; Peterlik , Igor; Ulman , Vladimír ,; Svoboda , David; Maška , Martin

    2017-01-01

    International audience; The existence of benchmark datasets is essential to objectively evaluate various image analysis methods. Nevertheless, manual annotations of fluorescence microscopy image data are very laborious and not often practicable, especially in the case of 3D+t experiments. In this work, we propose a simulation system capable of generating 3D time-lapse sequences of single motile cells with filopodial protrusions, accompanied by inherently generated ground truth. The system con...

  17. Distinct patterns of primary and motile cilia in Rathke's cleft cysts and craniopharyngioma subtypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coy, Shannon; Du, Ziming; Sheu, Shu-Hsien; Woo, Terri; Rodriguez, Fausto J; Kieran, Mark W; Santagata, Sandro

    2016-12-01

    Cilia are highly conserved organelles, which serve critical roles in development and physiology. Motile cilia are expressed in a limited range of tissues, where they principally regulate local extracellular fluid dynamics. In contrast, primary cilia are expressed by many vertebrate cell types during interphase, and are intimately involved in the cell cycle and signal transduction. Notably, primary cilia are essential for vertebrate hedgehog pathway activity. Improved detection of motile cilia may assist in the diagnosis of some pathologic entities such as Rathke's cleft cysts, whereas characterizing primary cilia in neoplastic tissues may implicate cilia-dependent signaling pathways as critical for tumorigenesis. We show that immunohistochemistry for the nuclear transcription factor FOXJ1, a master regulator of motile ciliogenesis, robustly labels the motile ciliated epithelium of Rathke's cleft cysts. FOXJ1 expression discriminates Rathke's cleft cysts from entities in the sellar/suprasellar region with overlapping histologic features such as craniopharyngiomas. Co-immunohistochemistry for FOXJ1 and markers that highlight motile cilia such as acetylated tubulin (TUBA4A) and the small GTPase ARL13B further enhance the ability to identify diagnostic epithelial cells. In addition to highlighting motile cilia, ARL13B immunohistochemistry also robustly highlights primary cilia in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Primary cilia are present throughout the neoplastic epithelium of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, but are limited to basally oriented cells near the fibrovascular stroma in papillary craniopharyngioma. Consistent with this differing pattern of primary ciliation, adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas express significantly higher levels of SHH, and downstream targets such as PTCH1 and GLI2, compared with papillary craniopharyngiomas. In conclusion, motile ciliated epithelium can be readily identified using immunohistochemistry for FOXJ1, TUBA4A, and

  18. Sperm motility in fishes. (II) Effects of ions and osmolality: a review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alavi, Sayyed Mohammad Hadi; Cosson, Jacky

    2006-01-01

    The spermatozoa of most fish species are immotile in the testis and seminal plasma. Therefore, motility is induced after the spermatozoa are released into the aqueous environment during natural reproduction or into the diluent during artificial reproduction. There are clear relationships between seminal plasma composition and osmolality and the duration of fish sperm motility. Various parameters such as ion concentrations (K+, Na+, and Ca2+), osmotic pressure, pH, temperature and dilution rate affect motility. In the present paper, we review the roles of these ions on sperm motility in Salmonidae, Cyprinidae, Acipenseridae and marine fishes, and their relationship with seminal plasma composition. Results in the literature show that: 1. K+ is a key ion controlling sperm motility in Salmonidae and Acipenseridae in combination with osmotic pressure; this control is more simple in other fish species: sperm motility is prevented when the osmotic pressure is high (Cyprinidae) or low (marine fishes) compared to that of the seminal fluid. 2. Cations (mostly divalent, such as Ca2+) are antagonistic with the inhibitory effect of K+ on sperm motility. 3. In many species, Ca2+ influx and K+ or Na+ efflux through specific ionic channels change the membrane potential and eventually lead to an increase in cAMP concentration in the cell, which constitutes the initiation signal for sperm motility in Salmonidae. 4. Media that are hyper- and hypo-osmotic relative to seminal fluid trigger sperm motility in marine and freshwater fishes, respectively. 5. The motility of fish spermatozoa is controlled through their sensitivity to osmolality and ion concentrations. This phenomenon is related to ionic channel activities in the membrane and governs the motility mechanisms of axonemes.

  19. Microtubule-severing ATPase spastin in glioblastoma: increased expression in human glioblastoma cell lines and inverse roles in cell motility and proliferation

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Dráberová, Eduarda; Vinopal, Stanislav; Morfini, G.; Liu, P. S.; Sládková, Vladimíra; Sulimenko, Tetyana; Burns, M.R.; Solowska, J.; Kulandaivel, K.; De Chadarévian, J.P.; Legido, A.; Mork, S.J.; Janáček, Jiří; Baas, P.; Dráber, Pavel; Katsetos, C.D.

    2011-01-01

    Roč. 70, č. 9 (2011), s. 811-826 ISSN 0022-3069 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP302/10/1701; GA ČR GA204/09/1777; GA ČR(CZ) GD204/09/H084; GA AV ČR KAN200520701; GA MŠk LC545 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514; CEZ:AV0Z50110509 Keywords : spastin * glioblastoma * cell motility Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 4.258, year: 2011

  20. RickA expression is not sufficient to promote actin-based motility of Rickettsia raoultii.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Premanand Balraj

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Rickettsia raoultii is a novel Rickettsia species recently isolated from Dermacentor ticks and classified within the spotted fever group (SFG. The inability of R. raoultii to spread within L929 cells suggests that this bacterium is unable to polymerize host cell actin, a property exhibited by all SFG rickettsiae except R. peacocki. This result led us to investigate if RickA, the protein thought to generate actin nucleation, was expressed within this rickettsia species. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Amplification and sequencing of R. raoultii rickA showed that this gene encoded a putative 565 amino acid protein highly homologous to those found in other rickettsiae. Using immunofluorescence assays, we determined that the motility pattern (i.e. microcolonies or cell-to-cell spreading of R. raoultii was different depending on the host cell line in which the bacteria replicated. In contrast, under the same experimental conditions, R. conorii shares the same phenotype both in L929 and in Vero cells. Transmission electron microscopy analysis of infected cells showed that non-motile bacteria were free in the cytosol instead of enclosed in a vacuole. Moreover, western-blot analysis demonstrated that the defect of R. raoultii actin-based motility within L929 cells was not related to lower expression of RickA. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: These results, together with previously published data about R. typhi, strongly suggest that another factor, apart from RickA, may be involved with be responsible for actin-based motility in bacteria from the Rickettsia genus.

  1. A Quantitative Analysis of Photovoltaic Modules Using Halved Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Guo

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In a silicon wafer-based photovoltaic (PV module, significant power is lost due to current transport through the ribbons interconnecting neighbour cells. Using halved cells in PV modules is an effective method to reduce the resistive power loss which has already been applied by some major PV manufacturers (Mitsubishi, BP Solar in their commercial available PV modules. As a consequence, quantitative analysis of PV modules using halved cells is needed. In this paper we investigate theoretically and experimentally the difference between modules made with halved and full-size solar cells. Theoretically, we find an improvement in fill factor of 1.8% absolute and output power of 90 mW for the halved cell minimodule. Experimentally, we find an improvement in fill factor of 1.3% absolute and output power of 60 mW for the halved cell module. Also, we investigate theoretically how this effect confers to the case of large-size modules. It is found that the performance increment of halved cell PV modules is even higher for high-efficiency solar cells. After that, the resistive loss of large-size modules with different interconnection schemes is analysed. Finally, factors influencing the performance and cost of industrial halved cell PV modules are discussed.

  2. IL-6 stabilizes Twist and enhances tumor cell motility in head and neck cancer cells through activation of casein kinase 2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ying-Wen Su

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN is the seventh most common cancer worldwide. Unfortunately, the survival of patients with SCCHN has not improved in the last 40 years, and thus new targets for therapy are needed. Recently, elevations in serum level of interleukin 6 (IL-6 and expression of Twist in tumor samples were found to be associated with poor clinical outcomes in multiple types of cancer, including SCCHN. Although Twist has been proposed as a master regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis in cancers, the mechanisms by which Twist levels are regulated post-translationally are not completely understood. Tumor progression is characterized by the involvement of cytokines and growth factors and Twist induction has been connected with a number of these signaling pathways including IL-6. Since many of the effects of IL-6 are mediated through activation of protein phosphorylation cascades, this implies that Twist expression must be under a tight control at the post-translational level in order to respond in a timely manner to external stimuli. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our data show that IL-6 increases Twist expression via a transcription-independent mechanism in many SCCHN cell lines. Further investigation revealed that IL-6 stabilizes Twist in SCCHN cell lines through casein kinase 2 (CK2 phosphorylation of Twist residues S18 and S20, and that this phosphorylation inhibits degradation of Twist. Twist phosphorylation not only increases its stability but also enhances cell motility. Thus, post-translational modulation of Twist contributes to its tumor-promoting properties. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study shows Twist expression can be regulated at the post-translational level through phosphorylation by CK2, which increases Twist stability in response to IL-6 stimulation. Our findings not only provide novel mechanistic insights into post-translational regulation of Twist but also suggest

  3. Multiscale Characterization of Bacterial Swarming Illuminates Principles Governing Directed Surface Motility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strickland, Ben; Hoeger, Kentaro; Ursell, Tristan

    In many systems, individual characteristics interact, leading to the spontaneous emergence of order and complexity. In biological settings like microbes, such collective behaviors can imbue a variety of benefits to constituent individuals, including increased spatial range, improved access to nutrients, and enhanced resistance to antibiotic threats. To untangle the biophysical underpinnings of collective motility, we use passive tracers and a curated genetic library of Bacillus subtilis, including motile, non-motile, biofilm-deficient, and non-chemotactic mutants. We characterize and connect individual behavior on the microscopic scale to macroscopic colony morphology and motility of dendritic swarming. We analyze the persistence and dynamics of coordinated movement on length scales up to 4 orders of magnitude larger than that of individual cells, revealing rapid and directed responses of microbial groups to external stimuli, such as avoidance dynamics across chemical gradients. Our observations uncover the biophysical interplay between individual motility, surface wetness, phenotypic diversity, and external physical forces that robustly precipitate coordinated group behavior in microbes, and suggest general principles that govern the transition from individual to group behavior.

  4. Modeling and predictions of biphasic mechanosensitive cell migration altered by cell-intrinsic properties and matrix confinement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pathak, Amit

    2018-04-12

    Motile cells sense the stiffness of their extracellular matrix (ECM) through adhesions and respond by modulating the generated forces, which in turn lead to varying mechanosensitive migration phenotypes. Through modeling and experiments, cell migration speed is known to vary with matrix stiffness in a biphasic manner, with optimal motility at an intermediate stiffness. Here, we present a two-dimensional cell model defined by nodes and elements, integrated with subcellular modeling components corresponding to mechanotransductive adhesion formation, force generation, protrusions and node displacement. On 2D matrices, our calculations reproduce the classic biphasic dependence of migration speed on matrix stiffness and predict that cell types with higher force-generating ability do not slow down on very stiff matrices, thus disabling the biphasic response. We also predict that cell types defined by lower number of total receptors require stiffer matrices for optimal motility, which also limits the biphasic response. For a cell type with robust biphasic migration on 2D surface, simulations in channel-like confined environments of varying width and height predict faster migration in more confined matrices. Simulations performed in shallower channels predict that the biphasic mechanosensitive cell migration response is more robust on 2D micro-patterns as compared to the channel-like 3D confinement. Thus, variations in the dimensionality of matrix confinement alters the way migratory cells sense and respond to the matrix stiffness. Our calculations reveal new phenotypes of stiffness- and topography-sensitive cell migration that critically depend on both cell-intrinsic and matrix properties. These predictions may inform our understanding of various mechanosensitive modes of cell motility that could enable tumor invasion through topographically heterogeneous microenvironments. © 2018 IOP Publishing Ltd.

  5. PRL-3 promotes the motility, invasion, and metastasis of LoVo colon cancer cells through PRL-3-integrin β1-ERK1/2 and-MMP2 signaling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wu Jian

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3 plays a causative role in tumor metastasis, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In our previous study, we observed that PRL-3 could decrease tyrosine phosphorylation of integrin β1 and enhance activation of ERK1/2 in HEK293 cells. Herein we aim to explore the association of PRL-3 with integrin β1 signaling and its functional implications in motility, invasion, and metastasis of colon cancer cell LoVo. Methods Transwell chamber assay and nude mouse model were used to study motility and invasion, and metastsis of LoVo colon cancer cells, respectively. Knockdown of integrin β1 by siRNA or lentivirus were detected with Western blot and RT-PCR. The effect of PRL-3 on integrin β1, ERK1/2, and MMPs that mediate motility, invasion, and metastasis were measured by Western blot, immunofluorencence, co-immunoprecipitation and zymographic assays. Results We demonstrated that PRL-3 associated with integrin β1 and its expression was positively correlated with ERK1/2 phosphorylation in colon cancer tissues. Depletion of integrin β1 with siRNA, not only abrogated the activation of ERK1/2 stimulated by PRL-3, but also abolished PRL-3-induced motility and invasion of LoVo cells in vitro. Similarly, inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation with U0126 or MMP activity with GM6001 also impaired PRL-3-induced invasion. In addition, PRL-3 promoted gelatinolytic activity of MMP2, and this stimulation correlated with decreased TIMP2 expression. Moreover, PRL-3-stimulated lung metastasis of LoVo cells in a nude mouse model was inhibited when integrin β1 expression was interfered with shRNA. Conclusion Our results suggest that PRL-3's roles in motility, invasion, and metastasis in colon cancer are critically controlled by the integrin β1-ERK1/2-MMP2 signaling.

  6. The Na+–H+ exchanger-1 induces cytoskeletal changes involving reciprocal RhoA and Rac1 signaling, resulting in motility and invasion in MDA-MB-435 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Paradiso, Angelo; Cardone, Rosa Angela; Bellizzi, Antonia; Bagorda, Anna; Guerra, Lorenzo; Tommasino, Massimo; Casavola, Valeria; Reshkin, Stephan J

    2004-01-01

    An increasing body of evidence shows that the tumour microenvironment is essential in driving neoplastic progression. The low serum component of this microenvironment stimulates motility/invasion in human breast cancer cells via activation of the Na + –H + exchanger (NHE) isoform 1, but the signal transduction systems that underlie this process are still poorly understood. We undertook the present study to elucidate the role and pattern of regulation by the Rho GTPases of this serum deprivation-dependent activation of both NHE1 and subsequent invasive characteristics, such as pseudopodia and invadiopodia protrusion, directed cell motility and penetration of normal tissues. The present study was performed in a well characterized human mammary epithelial cell line representing late stage metastatic progression, MDA-MB-435. The activity of RhoA and Rac1 was modified using their dominant negative and constitutively active mutants and the activity of NHE1, cell motility/invasion, F-actin content and cell shape were measured. We show for the first time that serum deprivation induces NHE1-dependent morphological and cytoskeletal changes in metastatic cells via a reciprocal interaction of RhoA and Rac1, resulting in increased chemotaxis and invasion. Deprivation changed cell shape by reducing the amount of F-actin and inducing the formation of leading edge pseudopodia. Serum deprivation inhibited RhoA activity and stimulated Rac1 activity. Rac1 and RhoA were antagonistic regulators of both basal and stimulated tumour cell NHE1 activity. The regulation of NHE1 activity by RhoA and Rac1 in both conditions was mediated by an alteration in intracellular proton affinity of the exchanger. Interestingly, the role of each of these G-proteins was reversed during serum deprivation; basal NHE1 activity was regulated positively by RhoA and negatively by Rac1, whereas RhoA negatively and Rac1 positively directed the stimulation of NHE1 during serum deprivation. Importantly, the same

  7. Three-dimensional matrix fiber alignment modulates cell migration and MT1-MMP utility by spatially and temporally directing protrusions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fraley, Stephanie I.; Wu, Pei-Hsun; He, Lijuan; Feng, Yunfeng; Krisnamurthy, Ranjini; Longmore, Gregory D.; Wirtz, Denis

    2015-10-01

    Multiple attributes of the three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) have been independently implicated as regulators of cell motility, including pore size, crosslink density, structural organization, and stiffness. However, these parameters cannot be independently varied within a complex 3D ECM protein network. We present an integrated, quantitative study of these parameters across a broad range of complex matrix configurations using self-assembling 3D collagen and show how each parameter relates to the others and to cell motility. Increasing collagen density resulted in a decrease and then an increase in both pore size and fiber alignment, which both correlated significantly with cell motility but not bulk matrix stiffness within the range tested. However, using the crosslinking enzyme Transglutaminase II to alter microstructure independently of density revealed that motility is most significantly predicted by fiber alignment. Cellular protrusion rate, protrusion orientation, speed of migration, and invasion distance showed coupled biphasic responses to increasing collagen density not predicted by 2D models or by stiffness, but instead by fiber alignment. The requirement of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity was also observed to depend on microstructure, and a threshold of MMP utility was identified. Our results suggest that fiber topography guides protrusions and thereby MMP activity and motility.

  8. Substrate Curvature Regulates Cell Migration -A Computational Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    He, Xiuxiu; Jiang, Yi

    Cell migration in host microenvironment is essential to cancer etiology, progression and metastasis. Cellular processes of adhesion, cytoskeletal polymerization, contraction, and matrix remodeling act in concert to regulate cell migration, while local extracellular matrix architecture modulate these processes. In this work we study how stromal microenvironment with native and cell-derived curvature at micron-meter scale regulate cell motility pattern. We developed a 3D model of single cell migration on a curved substrate. Mathematical analysis of cell morphological adaption to the cell-substrate interface shows that cell migration on convex surfaces deforms more than on concave surfaces. Both analytical and simulation results show that curved surfaces regulate the cell motile force for cell's protruding front through force balance with focal adhesion and cell contraction. We also found that cell migration on concave substrates is more persistent. These results offer a novel biomechanical explanation to substrate curvature regulation of cell migration. NIH 1U01CA143069.

  9. Enhancement of mouse sperm motility by trophinin-binding peptide

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Park Seong

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Trophinin is an intrinsic membrane protein that forms a complex in the cytoplasm with bystin and tastin, linking it microtubule-associated motor dynein (ATPase in some cell types. Previously, we found that human sperm tails contain trophinin, bystin and tastin proteins, and that trophinin-binding GWRQ (glycine, tryptophan, arginine, glutamine peptide enhanced motility of human sperm. Methods Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine trophinin protein in mouse spermatozoa from wild type mouse, by using spermatozoa from trophinin null mutant mice as a negative control. Multivalent 8-branched GWRQ (glycine, tryptophan, arginine, glutamine peptide or GWRQ-MAPS, was chemically synthesized, purified by HPLC and its structure was confirmed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Effect of GWRQ-MAPS on mouse spermatozoa from wild type and trophinin null mutant was assessed by a computer-assisted semen analyzer (CASA. Results Anti-trophinin antibody stained the principal (central piece of the tail of wild type mouse sperm, whereas the antibody showed no staining on trophinin null sperm. Phage particles displaying GWRQ bound to the principal piece of sperm tail from wild type but not trophinin null mice. GWRQ-MAPS enhanced motility of spermatozoa from wild type but not trophinin null mice. CASA showed that GWRQ-MAPS enhanced both progressive motility and rapid motility in wild type mouse sperm. Conclusions Present study established the expression of trophinin in the mouse sperm tail and trophinin-dependent effect of GWRQ-MAPS on sperm motility. GWRQ causes a significant increase in sperm motility.

  10. Approaches to systems biology. Four methods to study single-cell gene expression, cell motility, antibody reactivity, and respiratory metabolism

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hagedorn, Peter

    To understand how complex systems, such as cells, function, comprehensive Measurements of their constituent parts must be made. This can be achieved by combining methods that are each optimized to measure specific parts of the system. Four such methods,each covering a different area, are presented...... from such measurements allows models of the system to be developed and tested. For each of the methods, such analysis and modelling approaches have beenapplied and are presented: Differentially regulated genes are identified and classified according to function; cell-specfic motility models...... are developed that can distinguish between different surfaces; a method for selecting repertoires of antigens thatseparate mice based on their response to treatment is developed; and the observed concentrations of free and bound NADH is used to build and test a basic model of respiratory metabolism...

  11. Primary Esophageal Motility Disorders: Beyond Achalasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schlottmann, Francisco; Patti, Marco G

    2017-06-30

    The best-defined primary esophageal motor disorder is achalasia. However, symptoms such as dysphagia, regurgitation and chest pain can be caused by other esophageal motility disorders. The Chicago classification introduced new manometric parameters and better defined esophageal motility disorders. Motility disorders beyond achalasia with the current classification are: esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction, major disorders of peristalsis (distal esophageal spasm, hypercontractile esophagus, absent contractility) and minor disorders of peristalsis (ineffective esophageal motility, fragmented peristalsis). The aim of this study was to review the current diagnosis and management of esophageal motility disorders other than achalasia.

  12. Distinct Patterns of Primary and Motile Cilia in Rathke’s Cleft Cysts and Craniopharyngioma Subtypes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coy, Shannon; Du, Ziming; Sheu, Shu-Hsien; Woo, Terri; Rodriguez, Fausto J.; Kieran, Mark W.; Santagata, Sandro

    2017-01-01

    Cilia are highly conserved organelles which serve critical roles in development and physiology. Motile cilia are expressed in a limited range of tissues, where they principally regulate local extracellular fluid dynamics. In contrast, primary cilia are expressed by many vertebrate cell types during interphase, and are intimately involved in the cell cycle and signal transduction. Notably, primary cilia are essential for vertebrate hedgehog pathway activity. Improved detection of motile cilia may assist in the diagnosis of some pathologic entities such as Rathke’s cleft cysts while characterizing primary cilia in neoplastic tissues may implicate cilia-dependent signaling pathways as critical for tumorigenesis. We show that immunohistochemistry for the nuclear transcription factor FOXJ1, a master regulator of motile ciliogenesis, robustly labels the motile ciliated epithelium of Rathke’s cleft cysts. FOXJ1 expression discriminates Rathke’s cleft cysts from entities in the sellar/suprasellar region with overlapping histologic features such as craniopharyngiomas. Co-immunohistochemistry for FOXJ1 and markers that highlight motile cilia such as acetylated tubulin (TUBA4A) and the small GTPase ARL13B further enhance the ability to identify diagnostic epithelial cells. In addition to highlighting motile cilia, ARL13B immunohistochemistry also robustly highlights primary cilia in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections. Primary cilia are present throughout the neoplastic epithelium of adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, but are limited to basally oriented cells near the fibrovascular stroma in papillary craniopharyngioma. Consistent with this differing pattern of primary ciliation, adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas express significantly higher levels of SHH, and downstream targets such as PTCH1 and GLI2, compared to papillary craniopharyngiomas. In conclusion, motile ciliated epithelium can be readily identified using immunohistochemistry for FOXJ1, TUBA4A and

  13. Changes in p53 expression in mouse fibroblasts can modify motility and extracellular matrix organization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alexandrova, A; Ivanov, A; Chumakov, P; Kopnin, B; Vasiliev, J

    2000-11-23

    Effects of p53 expression on cell morphology and motility were studied using the derivatives of p53-null 10(1) mouse fibroblasts with tetracycline-regulated expression of exogenous human p53. Induction of p53 expression was accompanied by significant decrease in extracellular matrix (fibronectin) and reduction of matrix fibrils, diminution of the number and size of focal contacts, decrease of cell areas, establishment of more elongated cell shape and alterations of actin cytoskeleton (actin bundles became thinner, their number and size decreased). Expression of His175 and Gln22/ Ser23 p53 mutants caused no such effects. To study the influence of p53 expression on cell motility we used wound technique and videomicroscopy observation of single living cells. It was found that induction of p53 expression led to increase of lamellar activity of cell edge. However, in spite of enhanced lamellar activity p53-expressing cells migrated to shorter distance and filled the narrow wound in longer time as compared with their p53-null counterparts. Possible mechanisms of the influence of p53 expression on cell morphology and motility are discussed.

  14. Keratinocyte Motility Is Affected by UVA Radiation—A Comparison between Normal and Dysplastic Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina M. Niculiţe

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available UVA radiation induces multiple and complex changes in the skin, affecting epidermal cell behavior. This study reports the effects of UVA exposure on normal (HaCaT and dysplastic (DOK keratinocytes. The adherence, spreading and proliferation were investigated by time-lapse measurement of cell layer impedance on different matrix proteins. Prior to UVA exposure, the time required for adherence and spreading did not differ significantly for HaCaT and DOK cells, while spreading areas were larger for HaCaT cells. Under UVA exposure, HaCaT and DOK cells behavior differed in terms of movement and proliferation. The cells’ ability to cover the denuded surface and individual cell trajectories were recorded by time-lapse videomicroscopy, during wound healing experiments. Dysplastic keratinocytes showed more sensitivity to UVA, exhibiting transient deficiencies in directionality of movement and a delay in re-coating the denuded area. The actin cytoskeleton displayed a cortical organization immediately after irradiation, in both cell lines, similar to mock-irradiated cells. Post-irradiation, DOK cells displayed a better organization of stress fibers, persistent filopodia, and new, stronger focal contacts. In conclusion, after UVA exposure HaCaT and DOK cells showed a different behavior in terms of adherence, spreading, motility, proliferation, and actin cytoskeleton dynamics, with the dyplastic keratinocytes being more sensitive.

  15. Motility-driven glass and jamming transitions in biological tissues

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Dapeng; Yang, Xingbo; Marchetti, M. Cristina; Manning, M. Lisa

    2017-01-01

    Cell motion inside dense tissues governs many biological processes, including embryonic development and cancer metastasis, and recent experiments suggest that these tissues exhibit collective glassy behavior. To make quantitative predictions about glass transitions in tissues, we study a self-propelled Voronoi (SPV) model that simultaneously captures polarized cell motility and multi-body cell-cell interactions in a confluent tissue, where there are no gaps between cells. We demonstrate that the model exhibits a jamming transition from a solid-like state to a fluid-like state that is controlled by three parameters: the single-cell motile speed, the persistence time of single-cell tracks, and a target shape index that characterizes the competition between cell-cell adhesion and cortical tension. In contrast to traditional particulate glasses, we are able to identify an experimentally accessible structural order parameter that specifies the entire jamming surface as a function of model parameters. We demonstrate that a continuum Soft Glassy Rheology model precisely captures this transition in the limit of small persistence times, and explain how it fails in the limit of large persistence times. These results provide a framework for understanding the collective solid-to-liquid transitions that have been observed in embryonic development and cancer progression, which may be associated with Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition in these tissues. PMID:28966874

  16. Laminated photovoltaic modules using back-contact solar cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gee, James M.; Garrett, Stephen E.; Morgan, William P.; Worobey, Walter

    1999-09-14

    Photovoltaic modules which comprise back-contact solar cells, such as back-contact crystalline silicon solar cells, positioned atop electrically conductive circuit elements affixed to a planar support so that a circuit capable of generating electric power is created. The modules are encapsulated using encapsulant materials such as EVA which are commonly used in photovoltaic module manufacture. The module designs allow multiple cells to be electrically connected in a single encapsulation step rather than by sequential soldering which characterizes the currently used commercial practices.

  17. Contact- and Protein Transfer-Dependent Stimulation of Assembly of the Gliding Motility Machinery in Myxococcus xanthus.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Beata Jakobczak

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Bacteria engage in contact-dependent activities to coordinate cellular activities that aid their survival. Cells of Myxococcus xanthus move over surfaces by means of type IV pili and gliding motility. Upon direct contact, cells physically exchange outer membrane (OM lipoproteins, and this transfer can rescue motility in mutants lacking lipoproteins required for motility. The mechanism of gliding motility and its stimulation by transferred OM lipoproteins remain poorly characterized. We investigated the function of CglC, GltB, GltA and GltC, all of which are required for gliding. We demonstrate that CglC is an OM lipoprotein, GltB and GltA are integral OM β-barrel proteins, and GltC is a soluble periplasmic protein. GltB and GltA are mutually stabilizing, and both are required to stabilize GltC, whereas CglC accumulate independently of GltB, GltA and GltC. Consistently, purified GltB, GltA and GltC proteins interact in all pair-wise combinations. Using active fluorescently-tagged fusion proteins, we demonstrate that GltB, GltA and GltC are integral components of the gliding motility complex. Incorporation of GltB and GltA into this complex depends on CglC and GltC as well as on the cytoplasmic AglZ protein and the inner membrane protein AglQ, both of which are components of the gliding motility complex. Conversely, incorporation of AglZ and AglQ into the gliding motility complex depends on CglC, GltB, GltA and GltC. Remarkably, physical transfer of the OM lipoprotein CglC to a ΔcglC recipient stimulates assembly of the gliding motility complex in the recipient likely by facilitating the OM integration of GltB and GltA. These data provide evidence that the gliding motility complex in M. xanthus includes OM proteins and suggest that this complex extends from the cytoplasm across the cell envelope to the OM. These data add assembly of gliding motility complexes in M. xanthus to the growing list of contact-dependent activities in bacteria.

  18. Motility versus fluctuations in mixtures of self-motile and passive agents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hinz, Denis F; Panchenko, Alexander; Kim, Tae-Yeon; Fried, Eliot

    2014-12-07

    Many biological systems consist of self-motile and passive agents both of which contribute to overall functionality. However, little is known about the properties of such mixtures. Here we formulate a model for mixtures of self-motile and passive agents and show that the model gives rise to three different dynamical phases: a disordered mesoturbulent phase, a polar flocking phase, and a vortical phase characterized by large-scale counter rotating vortices. We use numerical simulations to construct a phase diagram and compare the statistical properties of the different phases with observed features of self-motile bacterial suspensions. Our findings afford specific insights regarding the interaction of microorganisms and passive particles and provide novel strategic guidance for efficient technological realizations of artificial active matter.

  19. Differential Modulation of Transcription Factors and Cytoskeletal Proteins in Prostate Carcinoma Cells by a Bacterial Lactone

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Senthil R. Kumar

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The present study tested the effect of a bacterial lactone N-(3-oxododecanoyl-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL on the cytoskeletal and transcriptional genes and proteins in prostate adenocarcinoma (PA cells (DU145 and LNCaP and prostate small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNC PC3 cells including their cellular viability and apoptosis. Our data indicate that cell migration and colony formation were affected in the presence of C12-HSL. C12-HSL induced apoptosis and altered viability of both PA and SCNC cells in a concentration dependent manner as measured by fluorescence and chemiluminescence assays. Compared to PCa cells, noncancerous prostate epithelial cells (RWPE1 were resistant to modification by C12-HSL. Further, the viability of PC3 cells in 3D matrix was suppressed by C12-HSL treatment as detected using calcein AM fluorescence in situ. C12-HSL treatment induced cytoskeletal associated protein expression of vinculin and RhoC, which may have implications in cancer cell motility, adhesion, and metastasis. IQGAP protein expression was reduced in DU145 and RWPE1 cells in the presence of C12-HSL. C12-HSL decreased STAT3 phosphorylation in DU145 cells but increased STAT1 protein phosphorylation in PC3 and LNCaP cells. Overall, these studies indicate that C12-HSL can trigger changes in transcription factors and cytoskeletal proteins and thereby modulate growth and migration properties of PCa cells.

  20. Differentiation-Dependent Motility-Responses of Developing Neural Progenitors to Optogenetic Stimulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tímea Köhidi

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available During neural tissue genesis, neural stem/progenitor cells are exposed to bioelectric stimuli well before synaptogenesis and neural circuit formation. Fluctuations in the electrochemical potential in the vicinity of developing cells influence the genesis, migration and maturation of neuronal precursors. The complexity of the in vivo environment and the coexistence of various progenitor populations hinder the understanding of the significance of ionic/bioelectric stimuli in the early phases of neuronal differentiation. Using optogenetic stimulation, we investigated the in vitro motility responses of radial glia-like neural stem/progenitor populations to ionic stimuli. Radial glia-like neural stem cells were isolated from CAGloxpStoploxpChR2(H134-eYFP transgenic mouse embryos. After transfection with Cre-recombinase, ChR2(channelrhodopsin-2-expressing and non-expressing cells were separated by eYFP fluorescence. Expression of light-gated ion channels were checked by patch clamp and fluorescence intensity assays. Neurogenesis by ChR2-expressing and non-expressing cells was induced by withdrawal of EGF from the medium. Cells in different (stem cell, migrating progenitor and maturing precursor stages of development were illuminated with laser light (λ = 488 nm; 1.3 mW/mm2; 300 ms in every 5 min for 12 h. The displacement of the cells was analyzed on images taken at the end of each light pulse. Results demonstrated that the migratory activity decreased with the advancement of neuronal differentiation regardless of stimulation. Light-sensitive cells, however, responded on a differentiation-dependent way. In non-differentiated ChR2-expressing stem cell populations, the motility did not change significantly in response to light-stimulation. The displacement activity of migrating progenitors was enhanced, while the motility of differentiating neuronal precursors was markedly reduced by illumination.

  1. Immune modules shared by innate lymphoid cells and T cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinette, Michelle L; Colonna, Marco

    2016-11-01

    In recent years, innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) have emerged as innate correlates to T cells. The similarities between ILCs and T cells indicate that lymphocytes of fundamentally distinct lineages can share core "immune modules" that encompass transcriptional circuitry and effector functions while using nonredundant complementary mechanisms of pattern recognition to enact these functions. We review modules currently recognized to be shared between ILCs and T cells. Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Inverse regulatory coordination of motility and curli-mediated adhesion in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pesavento, Christina; Becker, Gisela; Sommerfeldt, Nicole; Possling, Alexandra; Tschowri, Natalia; Mehlis, Anika; Hengge, Regine

    2008-09-01

    During the transition from post-exponential to stationary phase, Escherichia coli changes from the motile-planktonic to the adhesive-sedentary "lifestyle." We demonstrate this transition to be controlled by mutual inhibition of the FlhDC/motility and sigma(S)/adhesion control cascades at two distinct hierarchical levels. At the top level, motility gene expression and the general stress response are inversely coordinated by sigma(70)/sigma(FliA)/sigma(S) competition for core RNA polymerase and the FlhDC-controlled FliZ protein acting as a sigma(S) inhibitor. At a lower level, the signaling molecule bis-(3'-5')-cyclic-diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) reduces flagellar activity and stimulates transcription of csgD, which encodes an essential activator of adhesive curli fimbriae expression. This c-di-GMP is antagonistically controlled by sigma(S)-regulated GGDEF proteins (mainly YegE) and YhjH, an EAL protein and c-di-GMP phosphodiesterase under FlhDC/FliA control. The switch from motility-based foraging to the general stress response and curli expression requires sigma(S)-modulated down-regulation of expression of the flagellar regulatory cascade as well as proteolysis of the flagellar master regulator FlhDC. Control of YhjH by FlhDC and of YegE by sigma(S) produces a fine-tuned checkpoint system that "unlocks" curli expression only after down-regulation of flagellar gene expression. In summary, these data reveal the logic and sequence of molecular events underlying the motile-to-adhesive "lifestyle" switch in E. coli.

  3. Alterations in integrin expression modulates invasion of pancreatic cancer cells.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Walsh, Naomi

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Factors mediating the invasion of pancreatic cancer cells through the extracellular matrix (ECM) are not fully understood. METHODS: In this study, sub-populations of the human pancreatic cancer cell line, MiaPaCa-2 were established which displayed differences in invasion, adhesion, anoikis, anchorage-independent growth and integrin expression. RESULTS: Clone #3 displayed higher invasion with less adhesion, while Clone #8 was less invasive with increased adhesion to ECM proteins compared to MiaPaCa-2. Clone #8 was more sensitive to anoikis than Clone #3 and MiaPaCa-2, and displayed low colony-forming efficiency in an anchorage-independent growth assay. Integrins beta 1, alpha 5 and alpha 6 were over-expressed in Clone #8. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA), integrin beta1 knockdown in Clone #8 cells increased invasion through matrigel and fibronectin, increased motility, decreased adhesion and anoikis. Integrin alpha 5 and alpha 6 knockdown also resulted in increased motility, invasion through matrigel and decreased adhesion. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that altered expression of integrins interacting with different extracellular matrixes may play a significant role in suppressing the aggressive invasive phenotype. Analysis of these clonal populations of MiaPaCa-2 provides a model for investigations into the invasive properties of pancreatic carcinoma.

  4. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor activation affects the C13NJ microglia cell line proteome leading to alterations in glycolysis, motility, and cytoskeletal architecture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bernhart, Eva; Kollroser, Manfred; Rechberger, Gerald; Reicher, Helga; Heinemann, Akos; Schratl, Petra; Hallström, Seth; Wintersperger, Andrea; Nusshold, Christoph; DeVaney, Trevor; Zorn-Pauly, Klaus; Malli, Roland; Graier, Wolfgang; Malle, Ernst; Sattler, Wolfgang

    2014-01-01

    Microglia, the immunocompetent cells of the CNS, are rapidly activated in response to injury and microglia migration towards and homing at damaged tissue plays a key role in CNS regeneration. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is involved in signaling events evoking microglia responses through cognate G protein-coupled receptors. Here we show that human immortalized C13NJ microglia express LPA receptor subtypes LPA1, LPA2, and LPA3 on mRNA and protein level. LPA activation of C13NJ cells induced Rho and extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation and enhanced cellular ATP production. In addition, LPA induced process retraction, cell spreading, led to pronounced changes of the actin cytoskeleton and reduced cell motility, which could be reversed by inhibition of Rho activity. To get an indication about LPA-induced global alterations in protein expression patterns a 2-D DIGE/LC-ESI-MS proteomic approach was applied. On the proteome level the most prominent changes in response to LPA were observed for glycolytic enzymes and proteins regulating cell motility and/or cytoskeletal dynamics. The present findings suggest that naturally occurring LPA is a potent regulator of microglia biology. This might be of particular relevance in the pathophysiological context of neurodegenerative disorders where LPA concentrations can be significantly elevated in the CNS. PMID:19899077

  5. Scintigraphic evaluation of gastrointestinal motility disorders

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choe, Jae Gol [College of Medicine, Korea Univ., Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2001-02-01

    Current scintigraphic tests of gastrointestinal motor function provides relevant pathophysiologic information, but their clinical utility is controversial. Many scintigraphic methods are developed to investigate gastrointestinal motility from oral cavity to colon. These are esophageal transit scintigraphy, oropharyngeal transit study, gastric emptying test, small bowel transit time measurement, colon transit study and gastroesopahgeal reflux scintigraphy. Scintigraphy of gastrointestinal tract is the most physiologic and noninvasive method to evaluate gastrointestinal motility disorders. Stomach emptying test is regarded as a gold standard in motility study. Gastrointestinal transit scintigraphy also has a certain role in assessment of drug effect to GI motility and changes after theraphy of motility disorders. Scintigraphy provides noninvasive and quantitative assessment of physiological transit throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and it is extremely useful for diagnosing gastrointestinal motor dysfunction. This article reviews the current procedures, indications, significance and guidelines for gastrointestinal motility measurements by scintigraphy.

  6. Scintigraphic evaluation of gastrointestinal motility disorders

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choe, Jae Gol

    2001-01-01

    Current scintigraphic tests of gastrointestinal motor function provides relevant pathophysiologic information, but their clinical utility is controversial. Many scintigraphic methods are developed to investigate gastrointestinal motility from oral cavity to colon. These are esophageal transit scintigraphy, oropharyngeal transit study, gastric emptying test, small bowel transit time measurement, colon transit study and gastroesopahgeal reflux scintigraphy. Scintigraphy of gastrointestinal tract is the most physiologic and noninvasive method to evaluate gastrointestinal motility disorders. Stomach emptying test is regarded as a gold standard in motility study. Gastrointestinal transit scintigraphy also has a certain role in assessment of drug effect to GI motility and changes after theraphy of motility disorders. Scintigraphy provides noninvasive and quantitative assessment of physiological transit throughout the gastrointestinal tract, and it is extremely useful for diagnosing gastrointestinal motor dysfunction. This article reviews the current procedures, indications, significance and guidelines for gastrointestinal motility measurements by scintigraphy

  7. Oncofetal chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycans are key players in integrin signaling and tumor cell motility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Clausen, Thomas Mandel; Bento Ayres Pereira, Marina Maria; Al Nakouzi, Nader

    2016-01-01

    Many tumors express proteoglycans modified with oncofetal chondroitin sulfate glycosaminoglycan chains (ofCS), which are normally restricted to the placenta. However, the role of ofCS in cancer is largely unknown. The function of ofCS in cancer was analyzed using the recombinant ofCS-binding VAR2...... revealed an overrepresentation of proteins involved in cell motility and integrin signaling, such as integrin-β1 (ITGB1) and integrin-α4 (ITGA4). Saturating concentrations of rVAR2 inhibited downstream integrin signaling, which was mimicked by knockdown of the core chondroitin sulfate synthesis enzymes β-1......,3-glucuronyltransferase 1 (B3GAT1) and chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (CSGALNACT1). The ofCS modification was highly expressed in both human and murine metastatic lesions in situ and preincubation or early intravenous treatment of tumor cells with rVAR2 inhibited seeding and spreading of tumor...

  8. HDAC 1 and 6 modulate cell invasion and migration in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramakrishnan, Swathi; Ku, ShengYu; Ciamporcero, Eric; Miles, Kiersten Marie; Attwood, Kris; Chintala, Sreenivasulu; Shen, Li; Ellis, Leigh; Sotomayor, Paula; Swetzig, Wendy; Huang, Ray; Conroy, Dylan; Orillion, Ashley; Das, Gokul; Pili, Roberto

    2016-01-01

    Class I histone deacetylases (HDACs) have been reported to be overexpressed in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), whereas the expression of class II HDACs is unknown. Four isogenic cell lines C2/C2VHL and 786-O/786-OVHL with differential VHL expression are used in our studies. Cobalt chloride is used to mimic hypoxia in vitro. HIF-2α knockdowns in C2 and 786-O cells is used to evaluate the effect on HDAC 1 expression and activity. Invasion and migration assays are used to investigate the role of HDAC 1 and HDAC 6 expression in ccRCC cells. Comparisons are made between experimental groups using the paired T-test, the two-sample Student’s T-test or one-way ANOVA, as appropriate. ccRCC and the TCGA dataset are used to observe the clinical correlation between HDAC 1 and HDAC 6 overexpression and overall and progression free survival. Our analysis of tumor and matched non-tumor tissues from radical nephrectomies showed overexpression of class I and II HDACs (HDAC6 only in a subset of patients). In vitro, both HDAC1 and HDAC6 over-expression increased cell invasion and motility, respectively, in ccRCC cells. HDAC1 regulated invasiveness by increasing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. Furthermore, hypoxia stimulation in VHL-reconstituted cell lines increased HIF isoforms and HDAC1 expression. Presence of hypoxia response elements in the HDAC1 promoter along with chromatin immunoprecipitation data suggests that HIF-2α is a transcriptional regulator of HDAC1 gene. Conversely, HDAC6 and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) were co-localized in cytoplasm of ccRCC cells and HDAC6 enhanced cell motility by decreasing acetylated α-tubulin expression, and this biological effect was attenuated by either biochemical or pharmacological inhibition. Finally, analysis of human ccRCC specimens revealed positive correlation between HIF isoforms and HDAC. HDAC1 mRNA upregulation was associated with worse overall survival in the TCGA dataset. Taking together, these results

  9. Relationship of Total Motile Sperm Count and Percentage Motile Sperm to Successful Pregnancy Rates Following Intrauterine Insemination

    OpenAIRE

    Pasqualotto, Eleonora B.; Daitch, James A.; Hendin, Benjamin N.; Falcone, Tommaso; Thomas, Anthony J.; Nelson, David R.; Agarwal, Ashok

    1999-01-01

    Purpose:This study sought (i) to investigate the relationship between postwash total motile sperm count and postwash percentage motile sperm in predicting successful intrauterine insemination and (ii) to determine the minimal postwash total motile sperm count required to achieve pregnancy with intrauterine insemination.

  10. CalpB modulates border cell migration in Drosophila egg chambers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kókai Endre

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Calpains are calcium regulated intracellular cysteine proteases implicated in a variety of physiological functions and pathological conditions. The Drosophila melanogaster genome contains only two genes, CalpA and CalpB coding for canonical, active calpain enzymes. The movement of the border cells in Drosophila egg chambers is a well characterized model of the eukaryotic cell migration. Using this genetically pliable model we can investigate the physiological role of calpains in cell motility. Results We demonstrate at the whole organism level that CalpB is implicated in cell migration, while the structurally related CalpA paralog can not fulfill the same function. The downregulation of the CalpB gene by mutations or RNA interference results in a delayed migration of the border cells in Drosophila egg chambers. This phenotype is significantly enhanced when the focal adhesion complex genes encoding for α-PS2 integrin ( if, β-PS integrin ( mys and talin ( rhea are silenced. The reduction of CalpB activity diminishes the release of integrins from the rear end of the border cells. The delayed migration and the reduced integrin release phenotypes can be suppressed by expressing wild-type talin-head in the border cells but not talin-headR367A, a mutant form which is not able to bind β-PS integrin. CalpB can cleave talin in vitro, and the two proteins coimmunoprecipitate from Drosophila extracts. Conclusions The physiological function of CalpB in border cell motility has been demonstrated in vivo. The genetic interaction between the CalpB and the if, mys, as well as rhea genes, the involvement of active talin head-domains in the process, and the fact that CalpB and talin interact with each other collectively suggest that the limited proteolytic cleavage of talin is one of the possible mechanisms through which CalpB regulates cell migration.

  11. Dynamics of motile phytoplankton in turbulence: Laboratory investigation of microscale patchiness

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crimaldi, J. P.; True, A.; Stocker, R.

    2016-02-01

    Phytoplankton represent the basis of oceanic life and play a critical role in biogeochemical cycles. While phytoplankton are traditionally studied in bulk, their collective impact stems from cell-level processes and interactions at the microscale. A fundamental element that determines these interactions is the small-scale spatial distribution of individual cells: this directly determines the local cell concentration and the probability that two cells contact or interact with each other. The traditional, bulk perspective on phytoplankton distributions is that turbulence acts to smear out patchiness and locally homogenizes the distributions. However, recent numerical simulations suggest that the action of turbulence on motile phytoplankton may be precisely the opposite: by biasing the swimming direction of cells through the action of viscous torques, turbulence is predicted to generate strong patchiness at small scales. Flow-mediated patch formation has been demonstrated experimentally in simple laminar flows, but has never been tested experimentally in turbulence. In this talk we report on preliminary laboratory experiments performed in a purpose-built flow facility that uses a pair of computer-controlled oscillating grids to generate approximately homogenous isotropic 3D turbulence. Turbulent flow characteristics and dissipation rates are first quantified using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Then, 2D distributions of the motile dinoflagellate Heterosigma akashiwo are imaged using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF). Analysis of imaged phytoplankton distributions for patchiness is performed using a Voronoi tessellation approach. Results suggest that motile phytoplankton distributions differ from those of passive particles. Furthermore, computed values for the patch enhancement factor are shown to be roughly consistent with those of previous DNS predictions.

  12. A protein secretion system linked to bacteroidete gliding motility and pathogenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sato, Keiko; Naito, Mariko; Yukitake, Hideharu; Hirakawa, Hideki; Shoji, Mikio; McBride, Mark J.; Rhodes, Ryan G.; Nakayama, Koji

    2009-01-01

    Porphyromonas gingivalis secretes strong proteases called gingipains that are implicated in periodontal pathogenesis. Protein secretion systems common to other Gram-negative bacteria are lacking in P. gingivalis, but several proteins, including PorT, have been linked to gingipain secretion. Comparative genome analysis and genetic experiments revealed 11 additional proteins involved in gingipain secretion. Six of these (PorK, PorL, PorM, PorN, PorW, and Sov) were similar in sequence to Flavobacterium johnsoniae gliding motility proteins, and two others (PorX and PorY) were putative two-component system regulatory proteins. Real-time RT-PCR analysis revealed that porK, porL, porM, porN, porP, porT, and sov were down-regulated in P. gingivalis porX and porY mutants. Disruption of the F. johnsoniae porT ortholog resulted in defects in motility, chitinase secretion, and translocation of a gliding motility protein, SprB adhesin, to the cell surface, providing a link between a unique protein translocation system and a motility apparatus in members of the Bacteroidetes phylum. PMID:19966289

  13. Moscatilin Inhibits Lung Cancer Cell Motility and Invasion via Suppression of Endogenous Reactive Oxygen Species

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akkarawut Kowitdamrong

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Lung cancer is the leading cause of death among cancer patients worldwide, and most of them have died from metastasis. Migration and invasion are prerequisite processes associated with high metastasis potential in cancers. Moscatilin, a bibenzyl derivative isolated from the Thai orchid Dendrobium pulchellum, has been shown to have anticancer effect against numerous cancer cell lines. However, little is known regarding the effect of moscatilin on cancer cell migration and invasion. The present study demonstrates that nontoxic concentrations of moscatilin were able to inhibit human nonsmall cell lung cancer H23 cell migration and invasion. The inhibitory effect of moscatilin was associated with an attenuation of endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS, in which hydroxyl radical (OH∙ was identified as a dominant species in the suppression of filopodia formation. Western blot analysis also revealed that moscatilin downregulated activated focal adhesion kinase (phosphorylated FAK, Tyr 397 and activated ATP-dependent tyrosine kinase (phosphorylated Akt, Ser 473, whereas their parental counterparts were not detectable changed. In conclusion, our results indicate the novel molecular basis of moscalitin-inhibiting lung cancer cell motility and invasion and demonstrate a promising antimetastatic potential of such an agent for lung cancer therapy.

  14. [The relationships among raphe magnus nucleus, locus coeruleus and dorsal motor nucleus of vagus in the descending regulation of gastric motility].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiao, Hui; An, Shu-Cheng; Xu, Chang

    2011-02-01

    To explore the interrelationship among dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV), locus coeruleus (LC) and raphe magnus nucleus (NRM) in the mechanism of the descending regulation on gastric motility, which may constitute a parasympathetic local circuit, work as a neural center of gastric modulation in brainstem. Using nucleus location, electric stimulation and lesion, together with microinjection, and recording the inter-gastric pressure. (1) LC stimulation could inhibit the gastric motility significantly (P effect, while blocking the a receptor on DMV could reverse the effect. (2) NRM stimulation reduced the amplitude of gastric constriction (P effect, but blocking the 5-HT2A receptor on DMV depressed the gastric motility heavily (P effect of NRM stimulation, and microinjection of ritanserin into LC could likewise abolish it. (1) LC inhibit the gastric motility via a receptor in DMV, and meanwhile may excite it through 5-HT2A receptor in DMV, these two ways work together to keeping the gastric motility amplitude normally. (2) NRM inhibit the gastric motility via 5-HT2A receptor in LC.

  15. Cell cycles and proliferation patterns in Haematococcus pluvialis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Chunhui; Liu, Jianguo; Zhang, Litao

    2017-09-01

    Most studies on Haematococcus pluvialis have been focused on cell growth and astaxanthin accumulation; far less attention has been paid to cell cycles and proliferation patterns. The purpose of this study was to clarify cell cycles and proliferation patterns in H. pluvialis microscopically using a camera and video recorder system. The complicated life history of H. pluvialis can be divided into two stages: the motile stage and the non-motile stage. All the cells can be classified into forms as follows: motile cell, nonmotile cell, zoospore and aplanospore. The main cell proliferation, both in the motile phase and non-motile phase in H. pluvialis, is by asexual reproduction. Under normal growth conditions, a motile cell usually produces two, sometimes four, and exceptionally eight zoospores. Under unfavorable conditions, the motile cell loses its flagella and transforms into a non-motile cell, and the non-motile cell usually produces 2, 4 or 8 aplanospores, and occasionally 20-32 aplanospores, which further develop into non-motile cells. Under suitable conditions, the non-motile cell is also able to release zoospores. The larger non-motile cells produce more than 16 zoospores, and the smaller ones produce 4 or 8 zoospores. Vegetative reproduction is by direct cell division in the motile phase and by occasional cell budding in the non-motile phase. There is, as yet, no convincing direct evidence for sexual reproduction.

  16. Inhibitory effects of secondary metabolites from the red alga Delisea pulchra on swarming motility of Proteus mirabilis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gram, Lone; de Nys, R.; Maximilien, R.

    1996-01-01

    Abnormal, uncoordinated swarming motility of the opportunistic human pathogen Proteus mirabilis was seen when a crude extract of the Australian red alga Delisea pulchra was added to the medium, This occurred at concentrations at which growth rate, swimming motility, cell elongation, polynucleation...

  17. Light-controlled motility in prokaryotes and the problem of directional light perception.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilde, Annegret; Mullineaux, Conrad W

    2017-11-01

    The natural light environment is important to many prokaryotes. Most obviously, phototrophic prokaryotes need to acclimate their photosynthetic apparatus to the prevailing light conditions, and such acclimation is frequently complemented by motility to enable cells to relocate in search of more favorable illumination conditions. Non-phototrophic prokaryotes may also seek to avoid light at damaging intensities and wavelengths, and many prokaryotes with diverse lifestyles could potentially exploit light signals as a rich source of information about their surroundings and a cue for acclimation and behavior. Here we discuss our current understanding of the ways in which bacteria can perceive the intensity, wavelength and direction of illumination, and the signal transduction networks that link light perception to the control of motile behavior. We discuss the problems of light perception at the prokaryotic scale, and the challenge of directional light perception in small bacterial cells. We explain the peculiarities and the common features of light-controlled motility systems in prokaryotes as diverse as cyanobacteria, purple photosynthetic bacteria, chemoheterotrophic bacteria and haloarchaea. © FEMS 2017.

  18. Concentration characteristics and cell arrangement in luminescent concentrator PV modules; Keiko shukogata taiyo denchi module no cell haichi to shuko tokusei

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Inamura, A [Science University of Tokyo, Tokyo (Japan); Sakuta, K [Electrotechnical Laboratory, Tsukuba (Japan)

    1997-11-25

    A luminescent concentrator PV module requires no tracking equipment and can use scattered light. A mini PV module was prepared from a luminescent plate of 100times100times3mm, and a single-crystalline PV cell of 100times20mm. Characteristics of various prototype modules with different PV cell areas and cell arrangements were also measured. Four kinds of edge reflecting materials with different reflectances by various white coating were applied to Al sashes for module frames, and each sash was fixed on one edge of the luminescent plate. In experiment, 3 other edges were covered with black tapes to reduce each reflectance to 0%. Although PV module output was affected by reflectance of edges, the output was satisfactory at 90% or more in reflectance showing no difference in output. A concentrating efficiency decreased with an increase in luminescent plate (concentrator) area, while it was improved by cell arrangement with short optical pass length, and cell arrangement hardly affected by edge reflection. 4 refs., 7 figs.

  19. Muscle layer histopathology and manometry pattern of primary esophageal motility disorders including achalasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakajima, N; Sato, H; Takahashi, K; Hasegawa, G; Mizuno, K; Hashimoto, S; Sato, Y; Terai, S

    2017-03-01

    Histopathology of muscularis externa in primary esophageal motility disorders has been characterized previously. We aimed to correlate the results of high-resolution manometry with those of histopathology. During peroral endoscopic myotomy, peroral esophageal muscle biopsy was performed in patients with primary esophageal motility disorders. Immunohistochemical staining for c-kit was performed to assess the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs). Hematoxylin Eosin and Azan-Mallory staining were used to detect muscle atrophy, inflammation, and fibrosis, respectively. Slides from 30 patients with the following motility disorders were analyzed: achalasia (type I: 14, type II: 5, type III: 3), one diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), two outflow obstruction (OO), four jackhammer esophagus (JE), and one nutcracker esophagus (NE). ICCs were preserved in high numbers in type III achalasia (n=9.4±1.2 cells/high power field [HPF]), compared to types I (n=3.7±0.3 cells/HPF) and II (n=3.5±1.0 cells/HPF). Moreover, severe fibrosis was only observed in type I achalasia and not in other types of achalasia, OO, or DES. Four of five patients with JE and NE had severe inflammation with eosinophilic infiltration of the esophageal muscle layer (73.8±50.3 eosinophils/HPF) with no epithelial eosinophils. One patient with JE showed a visceral myopathy pattern. Compared to types I and II, type III achalasia showed preserved ICCs, with variable data regarding DES and OO. In disorders considered as primary esophageal motility disorders, a disease category exists, which shows eosinophilic infiltration in the esophageal muscle layer with no eosinophils in the epithelium. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa swarming motility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Déziel Eric

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is capable of three types of motilities: swimming, twitching and swarming. The latter is characterized by a fast and coordinated group movement over a semi-solid surface resulting from intercellular interactions and morphological differentiation. A striking feature of swarming motility is the complex fractal-like patterns displayed by migrating bacteria while they move away from their inoculation point. This type of group behaviour is still poorly understood and its characterization provides important information on bacterial structured communities such as biofilms. Using GeneChip® Affymetrix microarrays, we obtained the transcriptomic profiles of both bacterial populations located at the tip of migrating tendrils and swarm center of swarming colonies and compared these profiles to that of a bacterial control population grown on the same media but solidified to not allow swarming motility. Results Microarray raw data were corrected for background noise with the RMA algorithm and quantile normalized. Differentially expressed genes between the three conditions were selected using a threshold of 1.5 log2-fold, which gave a total of 378 selected genes (6.3% of the predicted open reading frames of strain PA14. Major shifts in gene expression patterns are observed in each growth conditions, highlighting the presence of distinct bacterial subpopulations within a swarming colony (tendril tips vs. swarm center. Unexpectedly, microarrays expression data reveal that a minority of genes are up-regulated in tendril tip populations. Among them, we found energy metabolism, ribosomal protein and transport of small molecules related genes. On the other hand, many well-known virulence factors genes were globally repressed in tendril tip cells. Swarm center cells are distinct and appear to be under oxidative and copper stress responses. Conclusions Results reported in this study show that, as opposed to

  1. Primary Esophageal Motility Disorders: Beyond Achalasia

    OpenAIRE

    Schlottmann, Francisco; Patti, Marco G.

    2017-01-01

    The best-defined primary esophageal motor disorder is achalasia. However, symptoms such as dysphagia, regurgitation and chest pain can be caused by other esophageal motility disorders. The Chicago classification introduced new manometric parameters and better defined esophageal motility disorders. Motility disorders beyond achalasia with the current classification are: esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction, major disorders of peristalsis (distal esophageal spasm, hypercontractile esoph...

  2. Detection and genomic characterization of motility in Lactobacillus curvatus: confirmation of motility in a species outside the Lactobacillus salivarius clade.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cousin, Fabien J; Lynch, Shónagh M; Harris, Hugh M B; McCann, Angela; Lynch, Denise B; Neville, B Anne; Irisawa, Tomohiro; Okada, Sanae; Endo, Akihito; O'Toole, Paul W

    2015-02-01

    Lactobacillus is the largest genus within the lactic acid bacteria (LAB), with almost 180 species currently identified. Motility has been reported for at least 13 Lactobacillus species, all belonging to the Lactobacillus salivarius clade. Motility in lactobacilli is poorly characterized. It probably confers competitive advantages, such as superior nutrient acquisition and niche colonization, but it could also play an important role in innate immune system activation through flagellin–Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) interaction. We now report strong evidence of motility in a species outside the L. salivarius clade, Lactobacillus curvatus (strain NRIC0822). The motility of L. curvatus NRIC 0822 was revealed by phase-contrast microscopy and soft-agar motility assays. Strain NRIC 0822 was motile at temperatures between 15 °C and 37 °C, with a range of different carbohydrates, and under varying atmospheric conditions. We sequenced the L. curvatus NRIC 0822 genome, which revealed that the motility genes are organized in a single operon and that the products are very similar (>98.5% amino acid similarity over >11,000 amino acids) to those encoded by the motility operon of Lactobacillus acidipiscis KCTC 13900 (shown for the first time to be motile also). Moreover, the presence of a large number of mobile genetic elements within and flanking the motility operon of L. curvatus suggests recent horizontal transfer between members of two distinct Lactobacillus clades: L. acidipiscis in the L. salivarius clade and L. curvatus inthe L. sakei clade. This study provides novel phenotypic, genetic, and phylogenetic insights into flagellum-mediated motility in lactobacilli.

  3. How the motility pattern of bacteria affects their dispersal and chemotaxis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johannes Taktikos

    Full Text Available Most bacteria at certain stages of their life cycle are able to move actively; they can swim in a liquid or crawl on various surfaces. A typical path of the moving cell often resembles the trajectory of a random walk. However, bacteria are capable of modifying their apparently random motion in response to changing environmental conditions. As a result, bacteria can migrate towards the source of nutrients or away from harmful chemicals. Surprisingly, many bacterial species that were studied have several distinct motility patterns, which can be theoretically modeled by a unifying random walk approach. We use this approach to quantify the process of cell dispersal in a homogeneous environment and show how the bacterial drift velocity towards the source of attracting chemicals is affected by the motility pattern of the bacteria. Our results open up the possibility of accessing additional information about the intrinsic response of the cells using macroscopic observations of bacteria moving in inhomogeneous environments.

  4. In-vitro effect of estrogen-antagonist on motility and penetration ability of human spermatozoa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allag, I S; Rangari, K

    1997-08-01

    Antiestrogens affect spermatozoa through their action on Leydig and Sertoli cells. Direct effect of antiestrogens namely tamoxifen and centchroman in concentration of 1, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 micrograms/ml in incubation medium was determined on motility and penetration ability of human spermatozoa. Motility (%) was invariably reduced after 15, 30 and 60 min. of incubation. Addition of 17 beta-estradiol to medium with antagonist caused inhibition of motility in dose related manner. The distance travelled by spermatozoa treated with tamoxifen or centchroman in media was reduced by 30% and addition of estradiol along with antiestrogen reduced it to 50% compared to that of untreated spermatozoa.

  5. Single cell swimming dynamics of Listeria monocytogenes using a nanoporous microfluidic platform

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wright, Evan [University of Guelph, Canada; Neethirajan, Suresh [University of Guelph; Warriner, Keith [University of Guelph; Retterer, Scott T [ORNL; Srijanto, Bernadeta R [ORNL

    2014-01-01

    Listeria monocytogenes remains a significant foodborne pathogen due to its virulence and ability to become established in food processing facilities. The pathogen is characterized by its ability to grow over a wide temperature range and withstand a broad range of stresses. The following reports on the chemotaxis and motility of the L. monocytogenes when exposed to relatively small concentrations of acetic acid. Using the developed nanoporous microfluidic device to precisely modulate the cellular environment, we exposed the individual Listeria cells to acetic acid and, in real time and with high resolution, observed how the cells reacted to the change in their surroundings. Our results showed that concentrations of acetic acid below 10 mM had very little, if any, effect on the motility. However, when exposed to 100 mM acetic acid, the cells exhibited a sharp drop in velocity and displayed a more random pattern of motion. These results indicate that at appropriate concentrations, acetic acid has the ability to disable the flagellum of the cells, thus impairing their motility. This drop in motility has numerous effects on the cell; its main effects being the obstruction of the cell's ability to properly form biofilms and a reduction in the overall infectivity of the cells. Since these characteristics are especially useful in controlling the proliferation of L. monocytogenes, acetic acid shows potential for application in the food industry as an active compound in designing a food packaging environment and as an antimicrobial agent.

  6. Achalasia and Esophageal Motility Disorders

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Tumors Mediastinal Tumors Achalasia and Esophageal Motility Disorders Pleural Diseases Mesothelioma Achalasia and Esophageal Motility Disorders Overview The esophagus (ĕ-sof´ah-gus) is the hollow, muscular tube that moves food and liquid from your mouth to your stomach. If the ...

  7. Modulation of ingestive behavior and gastrointestinal motility by ghrelin in diabetic animals and humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chih-Yen; Fujimiya, Mineko; Laviano, Alessandro; Chang, Full-Young; Lin, Han-Chieh; Lee, Shou-Dong

    2010-05-01

    Acyl ghrelin, a 28-amino acid peptide hormone, is the endogenous cognate ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. Ghrelin is involved in stimulating growth hormone release, eliciting feeding behavior, inducing adiposity and stimulating gastrointestinal motility. Ghrelin is unique for its post-translational modification of O-n-octanoylation at serine 3 through ghrelin O-acyltransferase, and is the only peripheral signal to enhance food intake. Plasma ghrelin levels manifest "biphasic changes" in diabetes mellitus (DM). In the early stage of DM, the stomach significantly increases the secretion of ghrelin into the plasma, and elevated plasma ghrelin levels are correlated with diabetic hyperphagic feeding and accelerated gastrointestinal motility. In the late stage of DM, plasma ghrelin levels may be lower, which might be linked with anorexia/muscle wasting, delayed gastrointestinal transit, and even gastroparesis. Therefore, the unique ghrelin system may be the most important player compared to the other hindgut hormones participating in the "entero-insular axis". Further studies using either knockdown or knockout of ghrelin gene products and ghrelin O-acyltransferase may unravel the pathogenesis of DM, and show benefits in combating this disease and metabolic syndrome. Copyright 2010 Elsevier. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Modulation of Ingestive Behavior and Gastrointestinal Motility by Ghrelin in Diabetic Animals and Humans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chih-Yen Chen

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Acyl ghrelin, a 28-amino acid peptide hormone, is the endogenous cognate ligand for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor. Ghrelin is involved in stimulating growth hormone release, eliciting feeding behavior, inducing adiposity and stimulating gastrointestinal motility. Ghrelin is unique for its post-translational modification of O-n-octanoylation at serine 3 through ghrelin O-acyltransferase, and is the only peripheral signal to enhance food intake. Plasma ghrelin levels manifest “biphasic changes” in diabetes mellitus (DM. In the early stage of DM, the stomach significantly increases the secretion of ghrelin into the plasma, and elevated plasma ghrelin levels are correlated with diabetic hyperphagic feeding and accelerated gastrointestinal motility. In the late stage of DM, plasma ghrelin levels may be lower, which might be linked with anorexia/muscle wasting, delayed gastrointestinal transit, and even gastroparesis. Therefore, the unique ghrelin system may be the most important player compared to the other hindgut hormones participating in the “entero-insular axis”. Further studies using either knockdown or knockout of ghrelin gene products and ghrelin O-acyltransferase may unravel the pathogenesis of DM, and show benefits in combating this disease and metabolic syndrome.

  9. Regulation of T cell motility in vitro and in vivo by LPA and LPA2.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara A Knowlden

    Full Text Available Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA and the LPA-generating enzyme autotaxin (ATX have been implicated in lymphocyte trafficking and the regulation of lymphocyte entry into lymph nodes. High local concentrations of LPA are thought to be present in lymph node high endothelial venules, suggesting a direct influence of LPA on cell migration. However, little is known about the mechanism of action of LPA, and more work is needed to define the expression and function of the six known G protein-coupled receptors (LPA 1-6 in T cells. We studied the effects of 18∶1 and 16∶0 LPA on naïve CD4+ T cell migration and show that LPA induces CD4+ T cell chemorepulsion in a Transwell system, and also improves the quality of non-directed migration on ICAM-1 and CCL21 coated plates. Using intravital two-photon microscopy, lpa2-/- CD4+ T cells display a striking defect in early migratory behavior at HEVs and in lymph nodes. However, later homeostatic recirculation and LPA-directed migration in vitro were unaffected by loss of lpa2. Taken together, these data highlight a previously unsuspected and non-redundant role for LPA2 in intranodal T cell motility, and suggest that specific functions of LPA may be manipulated by targeting T cell LPA receptors.

  10. Asian motility studies in irritable bowel syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Oh Young

    2010-04-01

    Altered motility remains one of the important pathophysiologic factors in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) who commonly complain of abdominal pain and stool changes such as diarrhea and constipation. The prevalence of IBS has increased among Asian populations these days. Gastrointestinal (GI) physiology may vary between Asian and Western populations because of differences in diets, socio-cultural backgrounds, and genetic factors. The characteristics and differences of GI dysmotility in Asian IBS patients were reviewed. MEDLINE search work was performed including following terms, 'IBS,' 'motility,' 'transit time,' 'esophageal motility,' 'gastric motility,' 'small intestinal motility,' 'colonic motility,' 'anorectal function,' and 'gallbladder motility' and over 100 articles were categorized under 'esophagus,' 'stomach,' 'small intestine,' 'colon,' 'anorectum,' 'gallbladder,' 'transit,' 'motor pattern,' and 'effect of stressors.' Delayed gastric emptying, slow tansit in constipation predominant IBS patients, rapid transit in diarrhea predominant IBS patients, accelerated motility responses to various stressors such as meals, mental stress, or corticotrophin releasing hormones, and altered rectal compliance and altered rectal accomodation were reported in many Asian studies regarding IBS. Many conflicting results were found among these studies and there are still controversies to conclude these as unique features of Asian IBS patients. Multinational and multicenter studies are needed to be performed vigorously in order to elaborate characteristics as well as differences of altered motililty in Asian patients with IBS.

  11. Increased cell motility and invasion upon knockdown of lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR in SW780 bladder cancer cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ørntoft Torben F

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mechanisms underlying the malignant development in bladder cancer are still not well understood. Lipolysis stimulated lipoprotein receptor (LSR has previously been found to be upregulated by P53. Furthermore, we have previously found LSR to be differentially expressed in bladder cancer. Here we investigated the role of LSR in bladder cancer. Methods A time course siRNA knock down experiment was performed to investigate the functional role of LSR in SW780 bladder cancer cells. Since LSR was previously shown to be regulated by P53, siRNA against TP53 was included in the experimental setup. We used Affymetrix GeneChips for measuring gene expression changes and we used Ingenuity Pathway Analysis to investigate the relationship among differentially expressed genes upon siRNA knockdown. Results By Ingenuity Pathway analysis of the microarray data from the different timepoints we identified six gene networks containing genes mainly related to the functional categories "cancer", "cell death", and "cellular movement". We determined that genes annotated to the functional category "cellular movement" including "invasion" and "cell motility" were highly significantly overrepresented. A matrigel assay showed that 24 h after transfection the invasion capacity was significantly increased 3-fold (p Conclusion We conclude that LSR may impair bladder cancer cells from gaining invasive properties.

  12. PLAG1 deficiency impairs spermatogenesis and sperm motility in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Juma, Almas R; Grommen, Sylvia V H; O'Bryan, Moira K; O'Connor, Anne E; Merriner, D Jo; Hall, Nathan E; Doyle, Stephen R; Damdimopoulou, Pauliina E; Barriga, Daniel; Hart, Adam H; Van de Ven, Wim J M; De Groef, Bert

    2017-07-13

    Deficiency in pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) leads to reduced fertility in male mice, but the mechanism by which PLAG1 contributes to reproduction is unknown. To investigate the involvement of PLAG1 in testicular function, we determined (i) the spatial distribution of PLAG1 in the testis using X-gal staining; (ii) transcriptomic consequences of PLAG1 deficiency in knock-out and heterozygous mice compared to wild-type mice using RNA-seq; and (iii) morphological and functional consequences of PLAG1 deficiency by determining testicular histology, daily sperm production and sperm motility in knock-out and wild-type mice. PLAG1 was sparsely expressed in germ cells and in Sertoli cells. Genes known to be involved in spermatogenesis were downregulated in the testes of knock-out mice, as well as Hsd17b3, which encodes a key enzyme in androgen biosynthesis. In the absence of Plag1, a number of genes involved in immune processes and epididymis-specific genes were upregulated in the testes. Finally, loss of PLAG1 resulted in significantly lowered daily sperm production, in reduced sperm motility, and in several animals, in sloughing of the germinal epithelium. Our results demonstrate that the subfertility seen in male PLAG1-deficient mice is, at least in part, the result of significantly reduced sperm output and sperm motility.

  13. Temperature dependence of photovoltaic cells, modules, and systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Emery, K.; Burdick, J.; Caiyem, Y. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)] [and others

    1996-05-01

    Photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules are often rated in terms of a set of standard reporting conditions defined by a temperature, spectral irradiance, and total irradiance. Because PV devices operates over a wide range of temperatures and irradiances, the temperature and irradiance related behavior must be known. This paper surveys the temperature dependence of crystalline and thin-film, state-of-the-art, research-size cells, modules, and systems measured by a variety of methods. The various error sources and measurement methods that contribute to cause differences in the temperature coefficient for a given cell or module measured with various methods are discussed.

  14. A Submersible, Off-Axis Holographic Microscope for Detection of Microbial Motility and Morphology in Aqueous and Icy Environments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindensmith, Christian A; Rider, Stephanie; Bedrossian, Manuel; Wallace, J Kent; Serabyn, Eugene; Showalter, G Max; Deming, Jody W; Nadeau, Jay L

    2016-01-01

    Sea ice is an analog environment for several of astrobiology's near-term targets: Mars, Europa, Enceladus, and perhaps other Jovian or Saturnian moons. Microorganisms, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic, remain active within brine channels inside the ice, making it unnecessary to penetrate through to liquid water below in order to detect life. We have developed a submersible digital holographic microscope (DHM) that is capable of resolving individual bacterial cells, and demonstrated its utility for immediately imaging samples taken directly from sea ice at several locations near Nuuk, Greenland. In all samples, the appearance and motility of eukaryotes were conclusive signs of life. The appearance of prokaryotic cells alone was not sufficient to confirm life, but when prokaryotic motility occurred, it was rapid and conclusive. Warming the samples to above-freezing temperatures or supplementing with serine increased the number of motile cells and the speed of motility; supplementing with serine also stimulated chemotaxis. These results show that DHM is a useful technique for detection of active organisms in extreme environments, and that motility may be used as a biosignature in the liquid brines that persist in ice. These findings have important implications for the design of missions to icy environments and suggest ways in which DHM imaging may be integrated with chemical life-detection suites in order to create more conclusive life detection packages.

  15. A Submersible, Off-Axis Holographic Microscope for Detection of Microbial Motility and Morphology in Aqueous and Icy Environments.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian A Lindensmith

    Full Text Available Sea ice is an analog environment for several of astrobiology's near-term targets: Mars, Europa, Enceladus, and perhaps other Jovian or Saturnian moons. Microorganisms, both eukaryotic and prokaryotic, remain active within brine channels inside the ice, making it unnecessary to penetrate through to liquid water below in order to detect life. We have developed a submersible digital holographic microscope (DHM that is capable of resolving individual bacterial cells, and demonstrated its utility for immediately imaging samples taken directly from sea ice at several locations near Nuuk, Greenland. In all samples, the appearance and motility of eukaryotes were conclusive signs of life. The appearance of prokaryotic cells alone was not sufficient to confirm life, but when prokaryotic motility occurred, it was rapid and conclusive. Warming the samples to above-freezing temperatures or supplementing with serine increased the number of motile cells and the speed of motility; supplementing with serine also stimulated chemotaxis. These results show that DHM is a useful technique for detection of active organisms in extreme environments, and that motility may be used as a biosignature in the liquid brines that persist in ice. These findings have important implications for the design of missions to icy environments and suggest ways in which DHM imaging may be integrated with chemical life-detection suites in order to create more conclusive life detection packages.

  16. Antitumoral Effect of Hibiscus sabdariffa on Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Multiple Myeloma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malacrida, Alessio; Maggioni, Daniele; Cassetti, Arianna; Nicolini, Gabriella; Cavaletti, Guido; Miloso, Mariarosaria

    2016-10-01

    Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite therapeutic improvements, some cancers are still untreatable. Recently there has been an increasing interest in the use of natural substances for cancer prevention and treatment. Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) is a plant, belonging to Malvaceae family, widespread in South Asia and Central Africa. HS extract (HSE) used in folk medicine, gained researchers' interest thanks to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and chemopreventive properties. In the present study, we initially assessed HSE effect on a panel of human tumor cell lines. Then we focused our study on the following that are most sensitive to HSE action cell lines: Multiple Myeloma (MM) cells (RPMI 8226) and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) cells (SCC-25). In both RPMI 8226 and SCC-25 cells, HSE impaired cell growth, exerted a reversible cytostatic effect, and reduced cell motility and invasiveness. We evaluated the involvement of MAPKs ERK1/2 and p38 in HSE effects by using specific inhibitors, U0126 and SB203580, respectively. For both SCC-25 and RPMI 8226, HSE cytostatic effect depends on p38 activation, whereas ERK1/2 modulation is crucial for cell motility and invasiveness. Our results suggest that HSE may be a potential therapeutic agent against MM and OSCC.

  17. A novel small-molecule compound targeting CD147 inhibits the motility and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fu, Zhi-guang; Wang, Li; Cui, Hong-yong; Peng, Jian-long; Wang, Shi-jie; Geng, Jie-jie; Liu, Ji-de; Feng, Fei; Song, Fei; Li, Ling; Zhu, Ping; Jiang, Jian-li; Chen, Zhi-nan

    2016-02-23

    CD147, a type I transmembrane glycoprotein, is highly expressed in various cancer types and plays important roles in tumor progression, especially by promoting the motility and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. These crucial roles make CD147 an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in HCC, but no small-molecule inhibitors of CD147 have been developed to date. To identify a candidate inhibitor, we used a pharmacophore model derived from the structure of CD147 to virtually screen over 300,000 compounds. The 100 highest-ranked compounds were subjected to biological assays, and the most potent one, dubbed AC-73 (ID number: AN-465/42834501), was studied further. We confirmed that AC-73 targeted CD147 and further demonstrated it can specifically disrupt CD147 dimerization. Moreover, molecular docking and mutagenesis experiments showed that the possible binding sites of AC-73 on CD147 included Glu64 and Glu73 in the N-terminal IgC2 domain, which two residues are located in the dimer interface of CD147. Functional assays revealed that AC-73 inhibited the motility and invasion of typical HCC cells, but not HCC cells that lacked the CD147 gene, demonstrating on-target action. Further, AC-73 reduced HCC metastasis by suppressing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 via down-regulation of the CD147/ERK1/2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway. Finally, AC-73 attenuated progression in an orthotopic nude mouse model of liver metastasis, suggesting that AC-73 or its derivatives have potential for use in HCC intervention. We conclude that the novel small-molecule inhibitor AC-73 inhibits HCC mobility and invasion, probably by disrupting CD147 dimerization and thereby mainly suppressing the CD147/ERK1/2/STAT3/MMP-2 pathways, which are crucial for cancer progression.

  18. The Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1, but not the Na+, HCO3- cotransporter NBCn1, regulates motility of MCF7 breast cancer cells expressing constitutively active ErbB2

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauritzen, Gitte; Stock, Christian-Martin; Lemaire, Justine

    2012-01-01

    We and others have shown central roles of the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger NHE1 in cell motility. The aim of this study was to determine the roles of NHE1 and of the Na(+), HCO(3)(-) cotransporter NBCn1 in motility of serum-starved MCF-7 breast cancer cells expressing constitutively active ErbB2 (¿NErbB2...

  19. Modulation of Pacemaker Potentials by Pyungwi-San in Interstitial Cells of Cajal from Murine Small Intestine - Pyungwi-San and Interstitial Cells of Cajal -

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kim Jung Nam

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Pyungwi-san (PWS plays a role in a number of physiologic and pharmacologic functions in many organs. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs are pacemaker cells that generate slow waves in the gastrointestinal (GI tract. We aimed to investigate the beneficial effects of PWS in mouse small-intestinal ICCs. Methods: Enzymatic digestion was used to dissociate ICCs from the small intestine of a mouse. The wholecell patch-clamp configuration was used to record membrane potentials from the cultured ICCs. Results: ICCs generated pacemaker potentials in the GI tract. PWS produced membrane depolarization in the current clamp mode. Pretreatment with a Ca2+-free solution and a thapsigargin, a Ca2+-ATPase, inhibitor in the endoplasmic reticulum, eliminated the generation of pacemaker potentials. However, only when the thapsigargin was applied in a bath solution, the membrane depolarization was not produced by PWS. Furthermore, the membrane depolarizations due to PWS were inhibited not by U-73122, an active phospholipase C inhibitor, but by chelerythrine and calphostin C, protein kinase C inhibitors. Conclusions: These results suggest that PWS might affect GI motility by modulating the pacemaker activity in the ICCs.

  20. Differentiation Affects the Release of Exosomes from Colon Cancer Cells and Their Ability to Modulate the Behavior of Recipient Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucchetti, Donatella; Calapà, Federica; Palmieri, Valentina; Fanali, Caterina; Carbone, Federica; Papa, Alfredo; De Maria, Ruggero; De Spirito, Marco; Sgambato, Alessandro

    2017-07-01

    Exosomes are involved in intercellular communication. We previously reported that sodium butyrate-induced differentiation of HT29 colon cancer cells is associated with a reduced CD133 expression. Herein, we analyzed the role of exosomes in the differentiation of HT29 cells. Exosomes were prepared using ultracentrifugation. Gene expression levels were evaluated by real-time PCR. The cell proliferation rate was assessed by MTT assay and with the electric cell-substrate impedance sensing system, whereas cell motility was assessed using the scratch test and confocal microscopy. Sodium butyrate-induced differentiation of HT29 and Caco-2 cells increased the levels of released exosomes and their expression of CD133. Cell differentiation and the decrease of cellular CD133 expression levels were prevented by blocking multivesicular body maturation. Exosomes released by HT29 differentiating cells carried increased levels of miRNAs, induced an increased proliferation and motility of both colon cancer cells and normal fibroblasts, increased the colony-forming efficiency of cancer cells, and reduced the sodium butyrate-induced differentiation of HT29 cells. Such effects were associated with an increased phosphorylation level of both Src and extracellular signal regulated kinase proteins and with an increased expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-related genes. Release of exosomes is affected by differentiation of colon cancer cells; exosomes might be used by differentiating cells to get rid of components that are no longer necessary but might continue to exert their effects on recipient cells. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Compatibility of copper-electroplated cells with Metal Wrap Through module materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bennett, I.J.; Geerligs, L.J.; Olson, C.L.; Goris, M.J.A.A. [ECN Solar Energy, Petten (Netherlands)

    2013-10-16

    As part of the European FP7 RandD project 'Cu-PV', the compatibility of copper-electroplated metal wrapthrough (MWT) cells with conductive adhesives has been investigated. The objectives of this project include to reduce, by the use of copper plating, the amount of silver utilized in cell manufacturing, and to demonstrate the compatibility of high-power n-type back-contact module technology with copper-plated cells. The overall goal is to reduce the impact on the environment of cell and module manufacture. MWT module technology as developed by ECN uses conductive adhesive to make the interconnection between cells and a conductive backsheet foil. These adhesives have been proved to result in very reliable modules in the case of cells with fired silver metallization. To determine the compatibility of conductive adhesive with copper-plated cells, component tests were performed, followed by the manufacture of modules with copperplated cells and conductive adhesive interconnections. Climate chamber testing of these modules showed that the adhesive is compatible with the copper-plated cells. The next steps include further optimization of the plating process and additional testing at the module level.

  2. Effect of intravenous amino acids on interdigestive antroduodenal motility and small bowel transit time.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gielkens, H A; van den Biggelaar, A; Vecht, J; Onkenhout, W; Lamers, C B; Masclee, A A

    1999-02-01

    Patients on total parenteral nutrition have an increased risk of developing gallstones because of gall bladder hypomotility. High dose amino acids may prevent biliary stasis by stimulating gall bladder emptying. To investigate whether intravenous amino acids also influence antroduodenal motility. Eight healthy volunteers received, on three separate occasions, intravenous saline (control), low dose amino acids (LDA), or high dose amino acids (HDA). Antroduodenal motility was recorded by perfusion manometry and duodenocaecal transit time (DCTT) using the lactulose breath hydrogen test. DCTT was significantly prolonged during LDA and HDA treatment compared with control. The interdigestive motor pattern was maintained and migrating motor complex (MMC) cycle length was significantly reduced during HDA compared with control and LDA due to a significant reduction in phase II duration. Significantly fewer phase IIIs originated in the gastric antrum during LDA and HDA compared with control. Duodenal phase II motility index was significantly reduced during HDA, but not during LDA, compared with control. Separate intravenous infusion of high doses of amino acids in healthy volunteers: (1) modulates interdigestive antroduodenal motility; (2) shortens MMC cycle length due to a reduced duration of phase II with a lower contractile incidence both in the antrum and duodenum (phase I remains unchanged whereas the effect on phase III is diverse: in the antrum phase III is suppressed and in the duodenum the frequency is increased); and (3) prolongs interdigestive DCTT.

  3. p-Type MWT. Integrated cell and module technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tool, C.J.J.; Kossen, E.J.; Bennett, I.J.

    2013-10-15

    A major issue of concern in MWT solar cells is the increased leakage current at reversed bias voltage through the vias compared. At ECN we have been working on reducing this leakage current to levels comparable to H-pattern cells. In this study we present the results of this work. We further show the benefit of a combined cell and module design for MWT solar cells. At the cell level, MWT production costs per wafer are comparable with H-pattern while the cell output increases. At the module level this design results in a further increase of the power output.

  4. p-type MWT. Integrated Cell and Module Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tool, C.J.J.; Kossen, E.J.; Bennett, I.J. [ECN Solar Energy, Petten (Netherlands)

    2013-03-15

    A major issue of concern in MWT (metal wrap-through) solar cells is the increased leakage current at reversed bias voltage through the vias compared. At ECN we have been working on reducing this leakage current to levels comparable to H-pattern cells. In this study we present the results of this work. We further show the benefit of a combined cell and module design for MWT solar cells. At the cell level, MWT production costs per wafer are comparable with H-pattern while the cell output increases. At the module level this design results in a further increase of the power output.

  5. Motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa contributes to SOS-inducible biofilm formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chellappa, Shakinah T; Maredia, Reshma; Phipps, Kara; Haskins, William E; Weitao, Tao

    2013-12-01

    DNA-damaging antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin induce biofilm formation and the SOS response through autocleavage of SOS-repressor LexA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. However, the biofilm-SOS connection remains poorly understood. It was investigated with 96-well and lipid biofilm assays. The effects of ciprofloxacin were examined on biofilm stimulation of the SOS mutant and wild-type strains. The stimulation observed in the wild-type in which SOS was induced was reduced in the mutant in which LexA was made non-cleavable (LexAN) and thus SOS non-inducible. Therefore, the stimulation appeared to involve SOS. The possible mechanisms of inducible biofilm formation were explored by subproteomic analysis of outer membrane fractions extracted from biofilms. The data predicted an inhibitory role of LexA in flagellum function. This premise was tested first by functional and morphological analyses of flagellum-based motility. The flagellum swimming motility decreased in the LexAN strain treated with ciprofloxacin. Second, the motility-biofilm assay was performed, which tested cell migration and biofilm formation. The results showed that wild-type biofilm increased significantly over the LexAN. These results suggest that LexA repression of motility, which is the initial event in biofilm development, contributes to repression of SOS-inducible biofilm formation. Copyright © 2013 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  6. Effects of solar and artificial UV irradiation on motility and phototaxis in the flagellate, Euglena gracilis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haeder, D.-P.

    1986-01-01

    The effect of solar irradiation on the percentage of motile cells, their average speed and their phototactic orientation to white actinic light was studied in the flagellate, Euglena gracilis. Unfiltered solar radiation in midsummer during mid-day at a location near Lisboa, Portugal, was found to impair motility within 2 h. This effect is exclusively due to the UV-B component of the radiation and not due to UV-A, visible light or a temperature increase. Likewise, phototactic orientation was drastically impaired. Reduction of the solar UV-B irradiation by insertion of an ozone-flooded plexiglass cuvette partially reduced the inhibition and covering the cuvettes with glass prevented any decrease in motility and photoorientation. Similar results were found with artificial irradiation (Xe lamps). After inoculation, the motility of the population follows an optimum curve (optimum at 8 days). Also, the UV-B effect on motility was smallest after about one week and increased for younger and older cultures. (author)

  7. Cell-Intrinsic Roles for Autophagy in Modulating CD4 T Cell Functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elise Jacquin

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available The catabolic process of autophagy plays important functions in inflammatory and immune responses by modulating innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Over the last decade, a cell-intrinsic role for autophagy in modulating CD4 T cell functions and differentiation was revealed. After the initial observation of autophagosomes in effector CD4 T cells, further work has shown that not only autophagy levels are modulated in CD4 T cells in response to environmental signals but also that autophagy critically affects the biology of these cells. Mouse models of autophagy deletion in CD4 T cells have indeed shown that autophagy is essential for CD4 T cell survival and homeostasis in peripheral lymphoid organs. Furthermore, autophagy is required for CD4 T cell proliferation and cytokine production in response to T cell receptor activation. Recent developments have uncovered that autophagy controls CD4 T cell differentiation and functions. While autophagy is required for the maintenance of immunosuppressive functions of regulatory T cells, it restrains the differentiation of TH9 effector cells, thus limiting their antitumor and pro-inflammatory properties. We will here discuss these findings that collectively suggest that therapeutic strategies targeting autophagy could be exploited for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases.

  8. KIF20A-Mediated RNA Granule Transport System Promotes the Invasiveness of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keisuke Taniuchi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancers are aggressive because they are highly invasive and highly metastatic; moreover, effective treatments for aggressive pancreatic cancers are lacking. Here, we report that the motor kinesin protein KIF20A promoted the motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through transporting the RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3 and IGF2BP3-bound transcripts toward cell protrusions along microtubules. We previously reported that IGF2BP3 and its target transcripts are assembled into cytoplasmic stress granules of pancreatic cancer cells, and that IGF2BP3 promotes the motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through regulation of localized translation of IGF2BP3-bound transcripts in cell protrusions. We show that knockdown of KIF20A inhibited accumulation of IGF2BP3-containing stress granules in cell protrusions and suppressed local protein expression from specific IGF2BP3-bound transcripts, ARF6 and ARHGEF4, in the protrusions. Our results provide insight into the link between regulation of KIF20A-mediated trafficking of IGF2BP3-containing stress granules and modulation of the motility and invasiveness in pancreatic cancers.

  9. Circuit analysis method for thin-film solar cell modules

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burger, D. R.

    1985-01-01

    The design of a thin-film solar cell module is dependent on the probability of occurrence of pinhole shunt defects. Using known or assumed defect density data, dichotomous population statistics can be used to calculate the number of defects expected in a module. Probability theory is then used to assign the defective cells to individual strings in a selected series-parallel circuit design. Iterative numerical calculation is used to calcuate I-V curves using cell test values or assumed defective cell values as inputs. Good and shunted cell I-V curves are added to determine the module output power and I-V curve. Different levels of shunt resistance can be selected to model different defect levels.

  10. Effects of minimal exposures to atmospheric pressure plasma on the activity of Salmonella Typhimurium: Deactivation of bacterial motility and suppression of host-cell invasion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Jin-Sung; Kim, Kijung; Han, Je-Hyun; Gweon, Bomi; Ko, Ung Hyun; Yoo, Suk Jae; Choe, Wonho; Shin, Jennifer H

    2016-09-01

    Atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) has been shown effective in sterilization by reducing the number of viable microbes during surface cleaning, food processing, or human tissue treatment. For safe conduct, the majority of previous research focused on complete abolition of microbes, which may require severe treatments. Our aim is to investigate the minimal treatment conditions necessary for effective inactivation of bacteria in such a manner that the APP treated bacteria would not be able to harm the host cells. For this, we ought to identify the objective criteria to make the bacteria dysfunctional. We choose the motile properties and the host-cell invasion capability as two measures to quantify the pathogenic state of bacteria. In this paper, we investigated how the APP treatment in a minimal dosage affects the activity of Salmonella Typhimurium. At 100 W and 15 kHz for 20 s, the APP treatment effectively suppressed active "run and tumble" type motility and induced formation of abnormally long structures. With 20 s exposure, the bacterial cells failed to cause pyroptosis in the host cells with >90% survival after 12 h of co-incubation. Our results suggest novel measures to evaluate the functional pathogenic state for identifying safe APP treatment conditions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Solar cell junction temperature measurement of PV module

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, B.J.; Yang, P.E.; Lin, Y.P.; Lin, B.Y.; Chen, H.J.; Lai, R.C.; Cheng, J.S.

    2011-01-01

    The present study develops a simple non-destructive method to measure the solar cell junction temperature of PV module. The PV module was put in the environmental chamber with precise temperature control to keep the solar PV module as well

  12. Motile cilia of human airway epithelia contain hedgehog signaling components that mediate noncanonical hedgehog signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mao, Suifang; Shah, Alok S; Moninger, Thomas O; Ostedgaard, Lynda S; Lu, Lin; Tang, Xiao Xiao; Thornell, Ian M; Reznikov, Leah R; Ernst, Sarah E; Karp, Philip H; Tan, Ping; Keshavjee, Shaf; Abou Alaiwa, Mahmoud H; Welsh, Michael J

    2018-02-06

    Differentiated airway epithelia produce sonic hedgehog (SHH), which is found in the thin layer of liquid covering the airway surface. Although previous studies showed that vertebrate HH signaling requires primary cilia, as airway epithelia mature, the cells lose primary cilia and produce hundreds of motile cilia. Thus, whether airway epithelia have apical receptors for SHH has remained unknown. We discovered that motile cilia on airway epithelial cells have HH signaling proteins, including patched and smoothened. These cilia also have proteins affecting cAMP-dependent signaling, including Gα i and adenylyl cyclase 5/6. Apical SHH decreases intracellular levels of cAMP, which reduces ciliary beat frequency and pH in airway surface liquid. These results suggest that apical SHH may mediate noncanonical HH signaling through motile cilia to dampen respiratory defenses at the contact point between the environment and the lung, perhaps counterbalancing processes that stimulate airway defenses. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

  13. Cdc42 controls primary mesenchyme cell morphogenesis in the sea urchin embryo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sepúlveda-Ramírez, Silvia P; Toledo-Jacobo, Leslie; Henson, John H; Shuster, Charles B

    2018-05-15

    In the sea urchin embryo, gastrulation is characterized by the ingression and directed cell migration of primary mesenchyme cells (PMCs), as well as the primary invagination and convergent extension of the endomesoderm. Like all cell shape changes, individual and collective cell motility is orchestrated by Rho family GTPases and their modulation of the actomyosin cytoskeleton. And while endomesoderm specification has been intensively studied in echinoids, much less is known about the proximate regulators driving cell motility. Toward these ends, we employed anti-sense morpholinos, mutant alleles and pharmacological inhibitors to assess the role of Cdc42 during sea urchin gastrulation. While inhibition of Cdc42 expression or activity had only mild effects on PMC ingression, PMC migration, alignment and skeletogenesis were disrupted in the absence of Cdc42, as well as elongation of the archenteron. PMC migration and patterning of the larval skeleton relies on the extension of filopodia, and Cdc42 was required for filopodia in vivo as well as in cultured PMCs. Lastly, filopodial extension required both Arp2/3 and formin actin-nucleating factors, supporting models of filopodial nucleation observed in other systems. Together, these results suggest that Cdc42 plays essential roles during PMC cell motility and organogenesis. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Acute physiological and electrical accentuation of vagal tone has no effect on pain or gastrointestinal motility in chronic pancreatitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juel, Jacob; Brock, Christina; Olesen, Soren S.

    2017-01-01

    derived parameters of autonomic tone, quantitative sensory testing of bone and muscle pain pressure, conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and assessments of gastroduodenal motility with ultrasound were performed. Results: In comparison to sham, t-VNS and DSB increased cardiac vagal tone (CVT) (P

  15. Curriculum for neurogastroenterology and motility training

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gyawali, C P; Savarino, E; Lazarescu, A

    2018-01-01

    Although neurogastroenterology and motility (NGM) disorders are some of the most frequent disorders encountered by practicing gastroenterologists, a structured competency-based training curriculum developed by NGM experts is lacking. The American Neurogastroenterology and Motility Society (ANMS) ...

  16. Plankton motility patterns and encounter rates

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Visser, Andre; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2006-01-01

    measure of run length to reaction distance determines whether the underlying encounter is ballistic or diffusive. Since ballistic interactions are intrinsically more efficient than diffusive, we predict that organisms will display motility with long correlation run lengths compared to their reaction...... distances to their prey, but short compared to the reaction distances of their predators. We show motility data for planktonic organisms ranging from bacteria to copepods that support this prediction. We also present simple ballistic and diffusive motility models for estimating encounter rates, which lead...

  17. 76 FR 78313 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-16

    ...)] Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China Determinations On the basis of the record \\1... injured by reason of imports from China of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules, provided... imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from China. Accordingly, effective October...

  18. A mechanical microcompressor for high resolution imaging of motile specimens

    OpenAIRE

    Zinskie, Jessica A.; Shribak, Michael; Bruist, Michael F.; Aufderheide, Karl J.; Janetopoulos, Chris

    2015-01-01

    In order to obtain fine details in 3 dimensions (3D) over time, it is critical for motile biological specimens to be appropriately immobilized. Of the many immobilization options available, the mechanical microcompressor offers many benefits. Our device, previously described, achieves gentle flattening of a cell, allowing us to image finely detailed structures of numerous organelles and physiological processes in living cells. We have imaged protozoa and other small metazoans using differenti...

  19. Oxamate, but Not Selective Targeting of LDH-A, Inhibits Medulloblastoma Cell Glycolysis, Growth and Motility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cara J. Valvona

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant paediatric brain tumour and current therapies often leave patients with severe neurological disabilities. Four major molecular groups of medulloblastoma have been identified (Wnt, Shh, Group 3 and Group 4, which include additional, recently defined subgroups with different prognosis and genetic characteristics. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA is a key enzyme in the aerobic glycolysis pathway, an abnormal metabolic pathway commonly observed in cancers, associated with tumour progression and metastasis. Studies indicate MBs have a glycolytic phenotype; however, LDHA has not yet been explored as a therapeutic target for medulloblastoma. LDHA expression was examined in medulloblastoma subgroups and cell lines. The effects of LDHA inhibition by oxamate or LDHA siRNA on medulloblastoma cell line metabolism, migration and proliferation were examined. LDHA was significantly overexpressed in Group 3 and Wnt MBs compared to non-neoplastic cerebellum. Furthermore, we found that oxamate significantly attenuated glycolysis, proliferation and motility in medulloblastoma cell lines, but LDHA siRNA did not. We established that aerobic glycolysis is a potential therapeutic target for medulloblastoma, but broader LDH inhibition (LDHA, B, and C may be more appropriate than LDHA inhibition alone.

  20. Media Screening for Obtaining Haematococcus pluvialis Red Motile Macrozooids Rich in Astaxanthin and Fatty Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Thomas O; McDougall, Gordon J; Campbell, Raymond; Stanley, Michele S; Day, John G

    2017-12-26

    Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis is commercially produced in a two-stage process, involving green vegetative (macrozooid) and red aplanospore stages. This approach has been scaled up to an industrial process but constraints limit its commercial success and profitability, including: contamination issues, high pigment extraction costs, requirements for high light levels and photo-bleaching in the red stage. However, in addition to the aplanospore stage, this alga can produce astaxanthin in vegetative palmelloid and motile macrozooid cells. In this study, a two-stage process utilising different media in the green stage, with subsequent re-suspension in medium without nitrate was employed to optimise the formation of red motile macrozooids. Optimal growth in the green phase was obtained on cultivation under mixotrophic conditions in EG:JM media followed by re-suspension in medium without nitrate resulting in red motile macrozooids with an astaxanthin content of 2.74% (78.4% of total carotenoids) and a lipid content of 35.3% (rich in unsaturated fatty acids. It is envisaged that the red motile macrozooids could be harvested and fed as a whole-cell product directly in the animal feed and aquaculture sectors, or used as a blend of carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in nutraceutical products.

  1. Media Screening for Obtaining Haematococcus pluvialis Red Motile Macrozooids Rich in Astaxanthin and Fatty Acids

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas O. Butler

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis is commercially produced in a two-stage process, involving green vegetative (macrozooid and red aplanospore stages. This approach has been scaled up to an industrial process but constraints limit its commercial success and profitability, including: contamination issues, high pigment extraction costs, requirements for high light levels and photo-bleaching in the red stage. However, in addition to the aplanospore stage, this alga can produce astaxanthin in vegetative palmelloid and motile macrozooid cells. In this study, a two-stage process utilising different media in the green stage, with subsequent re-suspension in medium without nitrate was employed to optimise the formation of red motile macrozooids. Optimal growth in the green phase was obtained on cultivation under mixotrophic conditions in EG:JM media followed by re-suspension in medium without nitrate resulting in red motile macrozooids with an astaxanthin content of 2.74% (78.4% of total carotenoids and a lipid content of 35.3% (rich in unsaturated fatty acids. It is envisaged that the red motile macrozooids could be harvested and fed as a whole-cell product directly in the animal feed and aquaculture sectors, or used as a blend of carotenoids and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs in nutraceutical products.

  2. 77 FR 72884 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-06

    ... Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China Determinations On the basis of the record \\1\\ developed... imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from China, provided for in subheadings 8501... silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from China. Chairman Irving A. Williamson and Commissioner Dean A...

  3. Transcriptomic analysis displays the effect of (-)-roemerine on the motility and nutrient uptake in Escherichia coli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayyildiz, Dilara; Arga, Kazim Yalcin; Avci, Fatma Gizem; Altinisik, Fatma Ece; Gurer, Caglayan; Gulsoy Toplan, Gizem; Kazan, Dilek; Wozny, Katharina; Brügger, Britta; Mertoglu, Bulent; Sariyar Akbulut, Berna

    2017-08-01

    Among the different families of plant alkaloids, (-)-roemerine, an aporphine type, was recently shown to possess significant antibacterial activity in Escherichia coli. Based on the increasing demand for antibacterials with novel mechanisms of action, the present work investigates the potential of the plant-derived alkaloid (-)-roemerine as an antibacterial in E. coli cells using microarray technology. Analysis of the genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming in cells after 60 min treatment with 100 μg/mL (-)-roemerine showed significant changes in the expression of 241 genes (p value 2). Expression of selected genes was confirmed by qPCR. Differentially expressed genes were classified into functional categories to map biological processes and molecular pathways involved. Cellular activities with roles in carbohydrate transport and metabolism, energy production and conversion, lipid transport and metabolism, amino acid transport and metabolism, two-component signaling systems, and cell motility (in particular, the flagellar organization and motility) were among metabolic processes altered in the presence of (-)-roemerine. The down-regulation of the outer membrane proteins probably led to a decrease in carbohydrate uptake rate, which in turn results in nutrient limitation. Consequently, energy metabolism is slowed down. Interestingly, the majority of the expressional alterations were found in the flagellar system. This suggested reduction in motility and loss in the ability to form biofilms, thus affecting protection of E. coli against host cell defense mechanisms. In summary, our findings suggest that the antimicrobial action of (-)-roemerine in E. coli is linked to disturbances in motility and nutrient uptake.

  4. Characterization of cell mismatch in a multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Crozier, J.L.; Dyk, E.E. van; Vorster, F.J.

    2012-01-01

    In this study the causes and effects of cell mismatch were identified in a multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic module. Different techniques were used to identify the causes of the mismatch, including Electroluminescence (EL) imaging, Infrared (IR) imaging, current–voltage (I–V) characteristics, worst-case cell determination and Large Area Laser Beam Induced Current (LA-LBIC) scans. In EL images the cracked cells, broken fingers and material defects are visible. The presence of poorly contacted cells results in the formation of hot-spots. LA-LBIC line scans give the relative photoresponse of the cells in the module. However, this technique is limited due to the penetration depth of the laser beam. The worst case cell determination compares the I–V curves of the whole module with the I–V curve of the module with one cell covered, allowing the evaluation of the performance of each cell in a series-connected string. These methods allowed detection of the poorly performing cells in the module. Using all these techniques an overall view of the photoresponse in the cells and their performance is obtained.

  5. Characterization of cell mismatch in a multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic module

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Crozier, J.L., E-mail: s207094248@live.nmmu.ac.za [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa); Dyk, E.E. van; Vorster, F.J. [Department of Physics, P.O. Box 77000, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth 6031 (South Africa)

    2012-05-15

    In this study the causes and effects of cell mismatch were identified in a multi-crystalline silicon photovoltaic module. Different techniques were used to identify the causes of the mismatch, including Electroluminescence (EL) imaging, Infrared (IR) imaging, current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, worst-case cell determination and Large Area Laser Beam Induced Current (LA-LBIC) scans. In EL images the cracked cells, broken fingers and material defects are visible. The presence of poorly contacted cells results in the formation of hot-spots. LA-LBIC line scans give the relative photoresponse of the cells in the module. However, this technique is limited due to the penetration depth of the laser beam. The worst case cell determination compares the I-V curves of the whole module with the I-V curve of the module with one cell covered, allowing the evaluation of the performance of each cell in a series-connected string. These methods allowed detection of the poorly performing cells in the module. Using all these techniques an overall view of the photoresponse in the cells and their performance is obtained.

  6. Visualization of Twitching Motility and Characterization of the Role of the PilG in Xylella fastidiosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Xiangyang; Lin, Hong

    2016-04-08

    Xylella fastidiosa is a Gram-negative non-flagellated bacterium that causes a number of economically important diseases of plants. The twitching motility provides X. fastidiosa a means for long-distance intra-plant movement and colonization, contributing toward pathogenicity in X. fastidiosa. The twitching motility of X. fastidiosa is operated by type IV pili. Type IV pili of Xylella fastidiosa are regulated by pilG, a chemotaxis regulator in Pil-Chp operon encoding proteins that are involved with signal transduction pathways. To elucidate the roles of pilG in the twitching motility of X. fastidiosa, a pilG-deficient mutant XfΔpilG and its complementary strain XfΔpilG-C containing native pilG were developed. A microfluidic chambers integrated with a time-lapse image recording system was used to observe twitching motility in XfΔpilG, XfΔpilG-C and its wild type strain. Using this recording system, it permits long-term spatial and temporal observations of aggregation, migration of individual cells and populations of bacteria via twitching motility. X. fastidiosa wild type and complementary XfΔpilG-C strain showed typical twitching motility characteristics directly observed in the microfluidic flow chambers, whereas mutant XfΔpliG exhibited the twitching deficient phenotype. This study demonstrates that pilG contributes to the twitching motility of X. fastidiosa. The microfluidic flow chamber is used as a means for observing twitching motility.

  7. Cell-to-module optical loss/gain analysis for various photovoltaic module materials through systematic characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsian Saw, Min; Khoo, Yong Sheng; Singh, Jai Prakash; Wang, Yan

    2017-08-01

    Reducing levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) is important for solar photovoltaics to compete against other energy sources. Thus, the focus should not only be on improving the solar cell efficiency, but also on continuously reducing the losses (or achieving gain) in the cell-to-module process. This can be achieved by choosing the appropriate module material and design. This paper presents a detailed and systematic characterization of various photovoltaic (PV) module materials (encapsulants, tabbing ribbons, and backsheets) and an evaluation of their impact on the output power of silicon wafer-based PV modules. Various characterization tools/techniques, such as UV-vis (reflectance) measurement, external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement and EQE line-scan are used. Based on the characterization results, we use module materials with the best-evaluated optical performance to build “optimized modules”. Compared to the standard mini-module, an optical gain of more than 5% is achievable for the “optimized module” with selected module materials.

  8. Correlation of Adiponectin mRNA Abundance and Its Receptors with Quantitative Parameters of Sperm Motility in Rams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Kadivar

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Adiponectin and its receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, known as adiponectin system, have some proven roles in the fat and glucose metabolisms. Several studies have shown that adiponectin can be considered as a candidate in linking metabolism to testicular function. In this regard, we evaluated the correlation between sperm mRNA abundance of adiponectin and its receptors, with sperm motility indices in the present study. Materials and Methods: In this completely randomized design study, semen samples from 6 adult rams were fractionated on a two layer discontinuous percoll gradient into high and low motile sperm cells, then quantitative parameters of sperm motility were determined by computer-assisted sperm analyzer (CASA. The mRNA abundance levels of Adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were measured quantitatively using real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR in the high and low motile groups. Results: Firstly, we showed that adiponectin and its receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 were transcriptionally expressed in the ram sperm cells. Using Pfaff based method qRTPCR, these levels of transcription were significantly higher in the high motile rather than low motile samples. This increase was 3.5, 3.6 and 2.5 fold change rate for Adiponectin, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2, respectively. Some of sperm motility indices [curvilinear velocity (VCL, straight-line velocity (VSL, average path velocity (VAP, linearity (LIN, wobble (WOB and straightness (STR] were also significantly correlated with Adiponectin and AdipoR1 relative expression. The correlation of AdipoR2 was also significant with the mentioned parameters, although this correlation was not comparable with adiponectin and AdipoR1. Conclusion: This study revealed the novel association of adiponectin system with sperm motility. The results of our study suggested that adiponectin is one of the possible factors which can be evaluated and studied in male infertility disorders.

  9. Profilin-1 overexpression in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells is associated with alterations in proteomics biomarkers of cell proliferation, survival, and motility as revealed by global proteomics analyses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coumans, Joëlle V F; Gau, David; Poljak, Anne; Wasinger, Valerie; Roy, Partha; Moens, Pierre D J

    2014-12-01

    Despite early screening programs and new therapeutic strategies, metastatic breast cancer is still the leading cause of cancer death in women in industrialized countries and regions. There is a need for novel biomarkers of susceptibility, progression, and therapeutic response. Global analyses or systems science approaches with omics technologies offer concrete ways forward in biomarker discovery for breast cancer. Previous studies have shown that expression of profilin-1 (PFN1), a ubiquitously expressed actin-binding protein, is downregulated in invasive and metastatic breast cancer. It has also been reported that PFN1 overexpression can suppress tumorigenic ability and motility/invasiveness of breast cancer cells. To obtain insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms of how elevating PFN1 level induces these phenotypic changes in breast cancer cells, we investigated the alteration in global protein expression profiles of breast cancer cells upon stable overexpression of PFN1 by a combination of three different proteome analysis methods (2-DE, iTRAQ, label-free). Using MDA-MB-231 as a model breast cancer cell line, we provide evidence that PFN1 overexpression is associated with alterations in the expression of proteins that have been functionally linked to cell proliferation (FKPB1A, HDGF, MIF, PRDX1, TXNRD1, LGALS1, STMN1, LASP1, S100A11, S100A6), survival (HSPE1, HSPB1, HSPD1, HSPA5 and PPIA, YWHAZ, CFL1, NME1) and motility (CFL1, CORO1B, PFN2, PLS3, FLNA, FLNB, NME2, ARHGDIB). In view of the pleotropic effects of PFN1 overexpression in breast cancer cells as suggested by these new findings, we propose that PFN1-induced phenotypic changes in cancer cells involve multiple mechanisms. Our data reported here might also offer innovative strategies for identification and validation of novel therapeutic targets and companion diagnostics for persons with, or susceptibility to, breast cancer.

  10. Identification of an operon, Pil-Chp, that controls twitching motility and virulence in Xylella fastidiosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cursino, Luciana; Galvani, Cheryl D; Athinuwat, Dusit; Zaini, Paulo A; Li, Yaxin; De La Fuente, Leonardo; Hoch, Harvey C; Burr, Thomas J; Mowery, Patricia

    2011-10-01

    Xylella fastidiosa is an important phytopathogenic bacterium that causes many serious plant diseases, including Pierce's disease of grapevines. Disease manifestation by X. fastidiosa is associated with the expression of several factors, including the type IV pili that are required for twitching motility. We provide evidence that an operon, named Pil-Chp, with genes homologous to those found in chemotaxis systems, regulates twitching motility. Transposon insertion into the pilL gene of the operon resulted in loss of twitching motility (pilL is homologous to cheA genes encoding kinases). The X. fastidiosa mutant maintained the type IV pili, indicating that the disrupted pilL or downstream operon genes are involved in pili function, and not biogenesis. The mutated X. fastidiosa produced less biofilm than wild-type cells, indicating that the operon contributes to biofilm formation. Finally, in planta the mutant produced delayed and less severe disease, indicating that the Pil-Chp operon contributes to the virulence of X. fastidiosa, presumably through its role in twitching motility.

  11. The crystal structure of a multifunctional protein: phosphoglucose isomerase/autocrine motility factor/neuroleukin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Y J; Chou, C C; Chen, W S; Wu, R T; Meng, M; Hsiao, C D

    1999-05-11

    Phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI) plays a central role in both the glycolysis and the gluconeogenesis pathways. We present here the complete crystal structure of PGI from Bacillus stearothermophilus at 2.3-A resolution. We show that PGI has cell-motility-stimulating activity on mouse colon cancer cells similar to that of endogenous autocrine motility factor (AMF). PGI can also enhance neurite outgrowth on neuronal progenitor cells similar to that observed for neuroleukin. The results confirm that PGI is neuroleukin and AMF. PGI has an open twisted alpha/beta structural motif consisting of two globular domains and two protruding parts. Based on this substrate-free structure, together with the previously published biological, biochemical, and modeling results, we postulate a possible substrate-binding site that is located within the domains' interface for PGI and AMF. In addition, the structure provides evidence suggesting that the top part of the large domain together with one of the protruding loops might participate in inducing the neurotrophic activity.

  12. Impact of cell shape on cell migration behavior on elastic substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhong Yuan; Ji Baohua

    2013-01-01

    Cell shape is known to have profound effects on a number of cell behaviors. In this paper we have studied its role in cell migration through modeling the effect of cell shape on the cell traction force distribution, the traction force dependent stability of cell adhesion and the matrix rigidity dependent traction force formation. To quantify the driving force of cell migration, a new parameter called the motility factor, that takes account of the effect of cell shape, matrix rigidity and dynamic stability of cell adhesion, is proposed. We showed that the motility factor depends on the matrix rigidity in a biphasic manner, which is consistent with the experimental observations of the biphasic dependence of cell migration speed on the matrix rigidity. We showed that the cell shape plays a pivotal role in the cell migration behavior by regulating the traction force at the cell front and rear. The larger the cell polarity, the larger the motility factor is. The keratocyte-like shape has a larger motility factor than the fibroblast-like shape, which explains why keratocyte has a much higher migration speed. The motility factor might be an appropriate parameter for a quantitative description of the driving force of cell migration. (paper)

  13. Motility of electric cable bacteria

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerg, Jesper Tataru; Damgaard, Lars Riis; Holm, Simon Agner

    2016-01-01

    Cable bacteria are filamentous bacteria that electrically couple sulfide oxidation and oxygen reduction at centimeter distances, and observations in sediment environments have suggested that they are motile. By time-lapse microscopy, we found that cable bacteria used gliding motility on surfaces...... with a highly variable speed of 0.50.3 ms1 (meanstandard deviation) and time between reversals of 155108 s. They frequently moved forward in loops, and formation of twisted loops revealed helical rotation of the filaments. Cable bacteria responded to chemical gradients in their environment, and around the oxic......-anoxic interface, they curled and piled up, with straight parts connecting back to the source of sulfide. Thus, it appears that motility serves the cable bacteria in establishing and keeping optimal connections between their distant electron donor and acceptors in a dynamic sediment environment....

  14. Esophageal motility disorders; Motilitaetsstoerungen des Oesophagus

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hannig, C.; Rummeny, E. [Klinikum rechts der Isar der Technischen Universitaet Muenchen, Institut fuer Roentgendiagnostik, Muenchen (Germany); Wuttge-Hannig, A. [Gemeinschaftspraxis fuer Radiologie, Nuklearmedizin und Strahlentherapie, Muenchen (Germany)

    2007-02-15

    For the better understanding of esophageal motility, the muscle texture and the distribution of skeletal and smooth muscle fibers in the esophagus are of crucial importance. Esophageal physiology will be shortly mentioned as far as necessary for a comprehensive understanding of peristaltic disturbances. Besides the pure depiction of morphologic criteria, a complete esophageal study has to include an analysis of the motility. New diagnostic tools with reduced radiation for dynamic imaging (digital fluoroscopy, videofluoroscopy) at 4-30 frames/s are available. Radiomanometry is a combination of a functional pressure measurement and a simultaneous dynamic morphologic analysis. Esophageal motility disorders are subdivided by radiologic and manometric criteria into primary, secondary, and nonclassifiable forms. Primary motility disorders of the esophagus are achalasia, diffuse esophageal spasm, nutcracker esophagus, and the hypertonic lower esophageal sphincter. The secondary motility disorders include pseudoachalasia, reflux-associated motility disorders, functionally caused impactions, Boerhaave's syndrome, Chagas' disease, scleroderma, and presbyesophagus. The nonclassificable motility disorders (NEMD) are a very heterogeneous collective. (orig.) [German] Zum Verstaendnis der Motilitaet des Oesophagus sind muskulaere Architektur und Verteilung der quergestreiften und glatten Muskelfasern von Bedeutung. Die Physiologie des Oesophagus wird in soweit kurz dargestellt, als sie fuer das Verstaendnis von peristaltischen Stoerungen notwendig ist. Neben der Erfassung rein morphologischer Kriterien ist bei der Untersuchung der Speiseroehre eine diagnostische Bewertung der Motilitaet erforderlich. Es stehen uns heute strahlungsarme dynamische Aufzeichnungsverfahren (digitale dynamische Aufzeichnung, Videofluoroskopie) mit Bildsequenzen von 4-30 Bildern/s zur Verfuegung. Die Kombination einer funktionellen Methode zur Darstellung der Morphologie und der

  15. Persistence-Driven Durotaxis: Generic, Directed Motility in Rigidity Gradients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Novikova, Elizaveta A.; Raab, Matthew; Discher, Dennis E.; Storm, Cornelis

    2017-02-01

    Cells move differently on substrates with different rigidities: the persistence time of their motion is higher on stiffer substrates. We show that this behavior—in and of itself—results in a net flux of cells directed up a soft-to-stiff gradient. Using simple random walk models with varying persistence and stochastic simulations, we characterize the propensity to move in terms of the durotactic index also measured in experiments. A one-dimensional model captures the essential features and highlights the competition between diffusive spreading and linear, wavelike propagation. Persistence-driven durokinesis is generic and may be of use in the design of instructive environments for cells and other motile, mechanosensitive objects.

  16. Putrescine importer PlaP contributes to swarming motility and urothelial cell invasion in Proteus mirabilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurihara, Shin; Sakai, Yumi; Suzuki, Hideyuki; Muth, Aaron; Phanstiel, Otto; Rather, Philip N

    2013-05-31

    Previously, we reported that the speA gene, encoding arginine decarboxylase, is required for swarming in the urinary tract pathogen Proteus mirabilis. In addition, this previous study suggested that putrescine may act as a cell-to-cell signaling molecule (Sturgill, G., and Rather, P. N. (2004) Mol. Microbiol. 51, 437-446). In this new study, PlaP, a putative putrescine importer, was characterized in P. mirabilis. In a wild-type background, a plaP null mutation resulted in a modest swarming defect and slightly decreased levels of intracellular putrescine. In a P. mirabilis speA mutant with greatly reduced levels of intracellular putrescine, plaP was required for the putrescine-dependent rescue of swarming motility. When a speA/plaP double mutant was grown in the presence of extracellular putrescine, the intracellular levels of putrescine were greatly reduced compared with the speA mutant alone, indicating that PlaP functioned as the primary putrescine importer. In urothelial cell invasion assays, a speA mutant exhibited a 50% reduction in invasion when compared with wild type, and this defect could be restored by putrescine in a PlaP-dependent manner. The putrescine analog Triamide-44 partially inhibited the uptake of putrescine by PlaP and decreased both putrescine stimulated swarming and urothelial cell invasion in a speA mutant.

  17. Colonic motility and enema spreading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hardy, J.G.; Wood, E.; Clark, A.G.; Reynolds, J.R.; Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham

    1986-01-01

    Radiolabelled enema solution was administered to eight healthy subjects, both in fasted and fed states. Enema spreading was monitored over a 4-h period using gamma scintigraphy and colonic motility was recorded simultaneously using a pressure sensitive radiotelemetry capsule. The rate and extent of enema dispersion were unaffected by eating. Spreading could be correlated with colonic motility and was inhibited by aboral propulsion of the colonic contents. (orig.)

  18. Comparison of orbital prosthesis motility following enucleation or evisceration with sclerotomy with or without a motility coupling post in dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Na Young; Park, Shin Ae; Jeong, Man Bok; Kim, Won Tae; Kim, Se Eun; Kim, Ji Youn; Chae, Je Min; Jang, Kyoung Jin; Seong, Je Kyung; Seo, Kang Moon

    2009-01-01

    To evaluate motility of silicone orbital implants and corneoscleral prostheses, with and without use of a motility coupling post (MCP) in dogs. Eighteen mixed-breed dogs. The motility of an orbital silicone implant and corneoscleral prosthesis after enucleation (n = 6), evisceration (n = 6), or use of a MCP with evisceration (n = 6) in dogs were compared. One eye from each dog had surgery whereas the opposite eye was used as a control. Clinical evaluations were performed three times a week. Histopathology of the orbital tissues was performed 8 and 12 weeks after surgery. Implant motility in dogs with evisceration (vertical movement [VM] 8.04 +/- 2.13; horizontal movement [HM] 11 +/- 3.05) and evisceration with MCP (VM 9.61 +/- 1.59); HM was significantly greater than the enucleation group (VM 0.51 +/- 0.5; HM 1.22 +/- 0.68) (P dogs with evisceration with MCP was significantly greater than in dogs with evisceration; dogs with evisceration had significantly greater motility than dogs with enucleation (P dogs. This study supports the use of MCP in silicone orbital implants to enhance corneoscleral prosthesis motility and cosmetics in dogs.

  19. High power n-type metal-wrap-through cells and modules using industrial processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guillevin, N.; Heurtault, B.J.B.; Geerligs, L.J.; Van Aken, B.B.; Bennett, I.J.; Jansen, M.J.; Weeber, A.W.; Bultman, J.H. [ECN Solar Energy, P.O. Box 1, NL-1755 ZG Petten (Netherlands); Jianming, Wang; Ziqian, Wang; Jinye, Zhai; Zhiliang, Wan; Shuquan, Tian; Wenchao, Zhao; Zhiyan, Hu; Gaofei, Li; Bo, Yu; Jingfeng, Xiong [Yingli Green Energy Holding Co.,Ltd. 3399 North Chaoyang Avenue, Baoding (China)

    2013-10-15

    This paper reviews our recent progress in the development of metal wrap through (MWT) cells and modules, produced from n-type Czochralski silicon wafers. The use of n-type silicon as base material allows for high efficiencies: for front emitter-contacted industrial cells, efficiencies above 20% have been reported. N-type MWT (nMWT) cells produced by industrial process technologies allow even higher efficiency due to reduced front metal coverage. Based on the same industrial technology, the efficiency of the bifacial n-MWT cells exceeds the efficiency of the n-type front-and-rear contact and bifacial 'Pasha' technology (n-Pasha) by 0.1-0.2% absolute, with a maximum nMWT efficiency of 20.1% so far. Additionally, full back-contacting of the MWT cells in a module results in reduced cell to module (CTM) fill factor losses. In a direct 60-cell module performance comparison, the n-MWT module, based on integrated backfoil, produced 3% higher power output than the comparable tabbed front emitter-contacted n-Pasha module. Thanks to reduced resistive losses in copper circuitry on the backfoil compared to traditional tabs, the CTM FF loss of the MWT module was reduced by about 2.2%abs. compared to the tabbed front emitter contact module. A full-size module made using MWT cells of 19.6% average efficiency resulted in a power output close to 280W. Latest results of the development of the n-MWT technology at cell and module level are discussed in this paper, including a recent direct comparison run between n-MWT and n-Pasha cells and results of n-MWT cells from 140{mu}m thin mono-crystalline wafers, with only very slight loss (1% of Isc) for the thin cells. Also reverse characteristics and effects of reverse bias for extended time at cell and module level are reported, where we find a higher tolerance of MWT modules than tabbed front contact modules for hotspots.

  20. Antiepileptic teratogen valproic acid (VPA) modulates organisation and dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Walmod, P S; Skladchikova, G; Kawa, A

    1999-01-01

    for the VPA mediated inhibition of motility. In addition it is shown that the actomyosin cytoskeleton of VPA-treated cells was capable of contraction upon exposure to ATP, indicating that the reduced motility of VPA-treated cells was not caused by an inhibition of actomyosin contraction. On the other hand...... state. These findings indicate that VPA affects cell morphology and motility through interference with the dynamics of the actin cytoskeleton....

  1. Characteristics of sperm motility in boar semen diluted in different extenders and stored for seven days at 18 degrees C.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estienne, Mark J; Harper, Allen F; Day, Jennifer L

    2007-11-01

    Although numerous extenders exist for diluting boar semen, little research has been conducted comparing commercial extenders with regard to maintaining sperm motility during storage. The objective was to use a computer- assisted sperm analysis system to assess motility of boar spermatozoa diluted in Beltsville Thawing Solution, Merck-III, Androhep-lite, Sperm Aid, MR-A, Modena, X-Cell, VSP, and Vital. Ejaculates from boars (n=10) were collected and sub-samples were diluted (35x10(6) spermatozoa/ml) in the different extenders and stored for seven days at 18 degrees. Extender by day interactions were detected (pextenders. For example, on day 7, the percentages of motile and progressively motile spermatozoa were highest (pextender utilized, but with the exception of Sperm Aid, all extenders maintained a high degree of sperm motility through 7 days of storage.

  2. Solar cell junction temperature measurement of PV module

    KAUST Repository

    Huang, B.J.

    2011-02-01

    The present study develops a simple non-destructive method to measure the solar cell junction temperature of PV module. The PV module was put in the environmental chamber with precise temperature control to keep the solar PV module as well as the cell junction in thermal equilibrium with the chamber. The open-circuit voltage of PV module Voc is then measured using a short pulse of solar irradiation provided by a solar simulator. Repeating the measurements at different environment temperature (40-80°C) and solar irradiation S (200-1000W/m2), the correlation between the open-circuit voltage Voc, the junction temperature Tj, and solar irradiation S is derived.The fundamental correlation of the PV module is utilized for on-site monitoring of solar cell junction temperature using the measured Voc and S at a short time instant with open circuit. The junction temperature Tj is then determined using the measured S and Voc through the fundamental correlation. The outdoor test results show that the junction temperature measured using the present method, Tjo, is more accurate. The maximum error using the average surface temperature Tave as the junction temperature is 4.8 °C underestimation; while the maximum error using the present method is 1.3 °C underestimation. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

  3. Cancer Cell Migration within 3D Layer-By-Layer Microfabricated Photocrosslinked PEG Scaffolds with Tunable Stiffness

    OpenAIRE

    Soman, Pranav; Kelber, Jonathan A.; Lee, Jin Woo; Wright, Tracy; Vecchio, Kenneth S.; Klemke, Richard L.; Chen, Shaochen

    2012-01-01

    Our current understanding of 3-dimensional (3D) cell migration is primarily based on results from fibrous scaffolds with randomly organized internal architecture. Manipulations that change the stiffness of these 3D scaffolds often alter other matrix parameters that can modulate cell motility independently or synergistically, making observations less predictive of how cells behave when migrating in 3D. In order to decouple microstructural influences and stiffness effects, we have designed and ...

  4. Assessment of citalopram and escitalopram on neuroblastoma cell lines: Cell toxicity and gene modulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakka, Laurent; Delétage, Nathalie; Chalus, Maryse; Aissouni, Youssef; Sylvain-Vidal, Valérie; Gobron, Stéphane; Coll, Guillaume

    2017-01-01

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are common antidepressants which cytotoxicity has been assessed in cancers notably colorectal carcinomas and glioma cell lines. We assessed and compared the cytotoxicity of 2 SSRI, citalopram and escitalopram, on neuroblastoma cell lines. The study was performed on 2 non-MYCN amplified cell lines (rat B104 and human SH-SY5Y) and 2 human MYCN amplified cell lines (IMR32 and Kelly). Citalopram and escitalopram showed concentration-dependent cytotoxicity on all cell lines. Citalopram was more cytotoxic than escitalopram. IMR32 was the most sensitive cell line. The absence of toxicity on human primary Schwann cells demonstrated the safety of both molecules for myelin. The mechanisms of cytotoxicity were explored using gene-expression profiles and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Citalopram modulated 1 502 genes and escitalopram 1 164 genes with a fold change ≥ 2. 1 021 genes were modulated by both citalopram and escitalopram; 481 genes were regulated only by citalopram while 143 genes were regulated only by escitalopram. Citalopram modulated 69 pathways (KEGG) and escitalopram 42. Ten pathways were differently modulated by citalopram and escitalopram. Citalopram drastically decreased the expression of MYBL2, BIRC5 and BARD1 poor prognosis factors of neuroblastoma with fold-changes of -107 (pescitalopram. PMID:28467792

  5. Assessment of citalopram and escitalopram on neuroblastoma cell lines. Cell toxicity and gene modulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakka, Laurent; Delétage, Nathalie; Chalus, Maryse; Aissouni, Youssef; Sylvain-Vidal, Valérie; Gobron, Stéphane; Coll, Guillaume

    2017-06-27

    Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) are common antidepressants which cytotoxicity has been assessed in cancers notably colorectal carcinomas and glioma cell lines. We assessed and compared the cytotoxicity of 2 SSRI, citalopram and escitalopram, on neuroblastoma cell lines. The study was performed on 2 non-MYCN amplified cell lines (rat B104 and human SH-SY5Y) and 2 human MYCN amplified cell lines (IMR32 and Kelly). Citalopram and escitalopram showed concentration-dependent cytotoxicity on all cell lines. Citalopram was more cytotoxic than escitalopram. IMR32 was the most sensitive cell line. The absence of toxicity on human primary Schwann cells demonstrated the safety of both molecules for myelin. The mechanisms of cytotoxicity were explored using gene-expression profiles and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Citalopram modulated 1 502 genes and escitalopram 1 164 genes with a fold change ≥ 2. 1 021 genes were modulated by both citalopram and escitalopram; 481 genes were regulated only by citalopram while 143 genes were regulated only by escitalopram. Citalopram modulated 69 pathways (KEGG) and escitalopram 42. Ten pathways were differently modulated by citalopram and escitalopram. Citalopram drastically decreased the expression of MYBL2, BIRC5 and BARD1 poor prognosis factors of neuroblastoma with fold-changes of -107 (pescitalopram.

  6. Comparison of GSM Modulated and CW Radiofrequency Radiation on Cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pavicic, I.; Marjanovic, A.M.; Trosic, I.

    2011-01-01

    The aim of our study was to evaluate and compare effect of global system of mobile (GSM) modulation and continuous wave (CW) radiofrequency radiation (RF) on proliferation ability and viability of V79 Chinese hamster lung cells. Previously prepared samples of cells in culture were exposed for 1, 2 and 3 hours both to 915 MHz GSM modulated and to 935 MHz CW RF field in gigahertz transversal electromagnetic mode cell (GTEM-cell). Electric field strength for cells exposed to GSM modulation was set at 10 V/m and for CW exposed cells was 8.2 V/m. Average specific absorption rate (SAR) was calculated to be for GSM 0.23 W/kg and for CW 0.12 W/kg. V79 samples were plated in concentration of 1x10 4 cells/mL. Cell proliferation was determined by cell counts for each hour of exposure during five post-exposure days. Trypan blue exclusion test was used to determine cell viability. In comparison to control cell samples, proliferation of GSM irradiated cells showed significant decrease after 3 hours of exposure on the second and third post-exposure day. CW exposed cell samples showed significant decrease after 3 hours of exposure on the third post-exposure day. Viability of GSM and CW exposed cells did not significantly differ from matched control cell samples. Both applied RF fields have shown similar effect on cell culture growth, and cell viability of V79 cell line. In addition, applied GSM modulated RF radiation demonstrate bigger influence on proliferation of cells. (author)

  7. Cell oxidation-reduction imbalance after modulated radiofrequency radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marjanovic, Ana Marija; Pavicic, Ivan; Trosic, Ivancica

    2015-01-01

    Aim of this study was to evaluate an influence of modulated radiofrequency field (RF) of 1800 MHz, strength of 30 V/m on oxidation-reduction processes within the cell. The assigned RF field was generated within Gigahertz Transversal Electromagnetic Mode cell equipped by signal generator, modulator, and amplifier. Cell line V79, was irradiated for 10, 30, and 60 min, specific absorption rate was calculated to be 1.6 W/kg. Cell metabolic activity and viability was determined by MTT assay. In order to define total protein content, colorimetric method was used. Concentration of oxidised proteins was evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) marked with fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate were measured by means of plate reader device. In comparison with control cell samples, metabolic activity and total protein content in exposed cells did not differ significantly. Concentrations of carbonyl derivates, a product of protein oxidation, insignificantly but continuously increase with duration of exposure. In exposed samples, ROS level significantly (p < 0.05) increased after 10 min of exposure. Decrease in ROS level was observed after 30-min treatment indicating antioxidant defence mechanism activation. In conclusion, under the given laboratory conditions, modulated RF radiation might cause impairment in cell oxidation-reduction equilibrium within the growing cells.

  8. Dose-response effects of estrogenic mycotoxins (zearalenone, alpha- and beta-zearalenol on motility, hyperactivation and the acrosome reaction of stallion sperm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Colenbrander Ben

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of the Fusarium fungus-derived mycotoxin, zearalenone and its derivatives alpha-zearalenol and beta-zearalenol on motility parameters and the acrosome reaction of stallion sperm. Since the toxic effects of zearalenone and its derivatives are thought to result from their structural similarity to 17beta-estradiol, 17beta-estradiol was used as a positive control for 'estrogen-like' effects. Methods Stallion spermatozoa were exposed in vitro to zearalenone, alpha-zearalenol, beta-zearalenol or 17beta-estradiol at concentrations ranging from 1 pM - 0.1 mM. After 2 hours exposure, motility parameters were evaluated by computer-assisted analysis, and acrosome integrity was examined by flow cytometry after staining with fluoroscein-conjugated peanut agglutinin. Results Mycotoxins affected sperm parameters only at the highest concentration tested (0.1 mM after 2 hours exposure. In this respect, all of the compounds reduced the average path velocity, but only alpha-zearalenol reduced percentages of motile and progressively motile sperm. Induction of motility patterns consistent with hyperactivation was stimulated according to the following rank of potency: alpha-zearalenol >17beta-estradiol > zearalenone = beta-zearalenol. The hyperactivity-associated changes observed included reductions in straight-line velocity and linearity of movement, and an increase in the amplitude of lateral head displacement, while curvilinear velocity was unchanged. In addition, whereas alpha- and beta- zearalenol increased the percentages of live acrosome-reacted sperm, zearalenone and 17beta-estradiol had no apparent effect on acrosome status. In short, alpha-zearalenol inhibited normal sperm motility, but stimulated hyperactive motility in the remaining motile cells and simultaneously induced the acrosome reaction. Beta-zearalenol induced the acrosome reaction without altering motility

  9. From invasion to latency: intracellular noise and cell motility as key controls of the competition between resource-limited cellular populations

    KAUST Repository

    Guerrero, Pilar; Byrne, Helen M.; Maini, Philip K.; Alarcó n, Tomá s

    2015-01-01

    © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. In this paper we analyse stochastic models of the competition between two resource-limited cell populations which differ in their response to nutrient availability: the resident population exhibits a switch-like response behaviour while the invading population exhibits a bistable response. We investigate how noise in the intracellular regulatory pathways and cell motility influence the fate of the incumbent and invading populations. We focus initially on a spatially homogeneous system and study in detail the role of intracellular noise. We show that in such well-mixed systems, two distinct regimes exist: In the low (intracellular) noise limit, the invader has the ability to invade the resident population, whereas in the high noise regime competition between the two populations is found to be neutral and, in accordance with neutral evolution theory, invasion is a random event. Careful examination of the system dynamics leads us to conclude that (i) even if the invader is unable to invade, the distribution of survival times, PS(t), has a fat-tail behaviour (PS(t)∼t-1) which implies that small colonies of mutants can coexist with the resident population for arbitrarily long times, and (ii) the bistable structure of the invading population increases the stability of the latent population, thus increasing their long-term likelihood of survival, by decreasing the intensity of the noise at the population level. We also examine the effects of spatial inhomogeneity. In the low noise limit we find that cell motility is positively correlated with the aggressiveness of the invader as defined by the time the invader takes to invade the resident population: the faster the invasion, the more aggressive the invader.

  10. From invasion to latency: intracellular noise and cell motility as key controls of the competition between resource-limited cellular populations

    KAUST Repository

    Guerrero, Pilar

    2015-04-02

    © 2015, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. In this paper we analyse stochastic models of the competition between two resource-limited cell populations which differ in their response to nutrient availability: the resident population exhibits a switch-like response behaviour while the invading population exhibits a bistable response. We investigate how noise in the intracellular regulatory pathways and cell motility influence the fate of the incumbent and invading populations. We focus initially on a spatially homogeneous system and study in detail the role of intracellular noise. We show that in such well-mixed systems, two distinct regimes exist: In the low (intracellular) noise limit, the invader has the ability to invade the resident population, whereas in the high noise regime competition between the two populations is found to be neutral and, in accordance with neutral evolution theory, invasion is a random event. Careful examination of the system dynamics leads us to conclude that (i) even if the invader is unable to invade, the distribution of survival times, PS(t), has a fat-tail behaviour (PS(t)∼t-1) which implies that small colonies of mutants can coexist with the resident population for arbitrarily long times, and (ii) the bistable structure of the invading population increases the stability of the latent population, thus increasing their long-term likelihood of survival, by decreasing the intensity of the noise at the population level. We also examine the effects of spatial inhomogeneity. In the low noise limit we find that cell motility is positively correlated with the aggressiveness of the invader as defined by the time the invader takes to invade the resident population: the faster the invasion, the more aggressive the invader.

  11. Transverse loop colostomy and colonic motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pucciani, F; Ringressi, M N; Maltinti, G; Bechi, P

    2014-11-01

    The motility of the defunctionalized colon, distal to transverse loop colostomy, has never been studied "in vivo." The aim of our study was to evaluate the influence of transverse loop colostomy on colonic motility. Thirteen patients were examined before stoma closure by means of clinical evaluation and colonic manometry; we studied both the right and distal colon in both fasting and fed patients in order to detect motor activity. Quantitative and qualitative manometric analyses showed that the diverted colon had motor activity even if no regular colonic motor pattern was observed. The spreading of aboral propagated contractions (PCs) was sometimes recorded from the right colon to the distal colon. The response of the proximal and distal colon to a standard meal, when compared to fasting values, increased more than 40 and 35 %, respectively. Stool and gas ejections from the colostomy were never related to a particular type of colonic motility: Motor quiescence such as PCs was chaotically related to stool escape. In conclusion, motility of the defunctionalized colon is preserved in patients with transverse loop colostomy.

  12. Peptide YY, neuropeptide Y and corticotrophin-releasing factor modulate gastrointestinal motility and food intake during acute stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Forbes, Sarah C; Cox, Helen M

    2014-11-01

    Peripheral neuropeptide Y (NPY) provides protection against the endocrine, feeding and gastrointestinal (GI) responses to stress; however, it is not yet established how it interacts with corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) to mediate these effects. Peptide YY (PYY) also has significant roles in GI motility and food intake but little is known about its role in stress responses. Upper GI transit, fecal pellet output (FPO) and feeding responses, and the role of CRF1 receptors, during restraint or a novel environment stress, were ascertained in PYY-/-, NPY-/- and wild type (WT) mice, with CRF and the CRF1 antagonist, antalarmin, injected intraperitoneally. Upper GI transit and FPO were significantly increased in PYY-/- mice during restraint stress. Exogenous CRF increased defecation during placement in a novel environment in WT mice through CRF1 , while CRF1 blockade reduced defecation in WT and NPY-/- mice but had no effect in PYY-/- mice. In addition, CRF1 blockade had no effect on upper GI transit in WT mice, or on food intake in PYY-/- or NPY-/- mice, but it significantly increased food intake in WT mice. Endogenous NPY appears to inhibit the colonic motor response induced by CRF1 activation, unlike PYY, while both peptides are required for CRF1 modulation of feeding behavior during stress. Overall, these results provide new insights into the mechanism by which PYY and NPY affect stress responses. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Functional microarray analysis suggests repressed cell-cell signaling and cell survival-related modules inhibit progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soares Fernando A

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer shows a great diversity in its clinical behavior which cannot be easily predicted using the currently available clinical or pathological markers. The identification of pathways associated with lymph node metastasis (N+ and recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC may increase our understanding of the complex biology of this disease. Methods Tumor samples were obtained from untreated HNSCC patients undergoing surgery. Patients were classified according to pathologic lymph node status (positive or negative or tumor recurrence (recurrent or non-recurrent tumor after treatment (surgery with neck dissection followed by radiotherapy. Using microarray gene expression, we screened tumor samples according to modules comprised by genes in the same pathway or functional category. Results The most frequent alterations were the repression of modules in negative lymph node (N0 and in non-recurrent tumors rather than induction of modules in N+ or in recurrent tumors. N0 tumors showed repression of modules that contain cell survival genes and in non-recurrent tumors cell-cell signaling and extracellular region modules were repressed. Conclusions The repression of modules that contain cell survival genes in N0 tumors reinforces the important role that apoptosis plays in the regulation of metastasis. In addition, because tumor samples used here were not microdissected, tumor gene expression data are represented together with the stroma, which may reveal signaling between the microenvironment and tumor cells. For instance, in non-recurrent tumors, extracellular region module was repressed, indicating that the stroma and tumor cells may have fewer interactions, which disable metastasis development. Finally, the genes highlighted in our analysis can be implicated in more than one pathway or characteristic, suggesting that therapeutic approaches to prevent tumor progression should target more than one gene or pathway

  14. Esophageal motility in eosinophilic esophagitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weiss, A H; Iorio, N; Schey, R

    2015-01-01

    Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is characterized by eosinophilic infiltration of the esophagus and is a potential cause of dysphagia and food impaction, most commonly affecting young men. Esophageal manometry findings vary from normal motility to aperistalsis, simultaneous contractions, diffuse esophageal spasm, nutcracker esophagus or hypotonic lower esophageal sphincter (LES). It remains unclear whether esophageal dysmotility plays a significant role in the clinical symptoms of EoE. Our aim is to review the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and effect of treatment on esophageal dysmotility in EoE. A literature search utilizing the PubMed database was performed using keywords: eosinophilic esophagitis, esophageal dysmotility, motility, manometry, impedance planimetry, barium esophagogram, endoscopic ultrasound, and dysphagia. Fifteen studies, totaling 387 patients with eosinophilic esophagitis were identified as keeping in accordance with the aim of this study and included in this review. The occurrence of abnormal esophageal manometry was reported to be between 4 and 87% among patients with EoE. Esophageal motility studies have shown reduced distensibility, abnormal peristalsis, and hypotonicity of the LES in patients with EoE, which may also mimic other esophageal motility disorders such as achalasia or nutcracker esophagus. Studies have shown conflicting results regarding the presence of esophageal dysmotility and symptoms with some reports suggesting a higher rate of food impaction, while others report no correlation between motor function and dysphagia. Motility dysfunction of the esophagus in EoE has not been well reported in the literature and studies have reported conflicting evidence regarding the clinical significance of dysmotility seen in EoE. The correlation between esophageal dysmotility and symptoms of EoE remains unclear. Larger studies are needed to investigate the incidence of esophageal dysmotility, clinical implications, and effect of treatment on

  15. C-Si solar cell modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomita, Takashi

    2005-01-01

    In order to meet the rapidly growing demand for solar power photovoltaic systems which is based on public consciousness of global environmental issues, SHARP has increased the production of solar cells and modules over 10-fold in the last 5 years. Silicon-based technologies are expected to be dominant in the coming decade. In the course of an increase of the annual production scale to 1000 MW, the efficiency of modules will be improved and the thickness of wafers will be decreased and all this will lead to a drastic price reduction of PV systems. (Author)

  16. Formation of photovoltaic modules based on polycrystalline solar cells

    OpenAIRE

    L. A. Dobrzański; A. Drygała; A. Januszka

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: The main aim of the paper is formation of photovoltaic modules and analysis of their main electric parameters.Design/methodology/approach: Photovoltaic modules were produced from four polycrystalline silicon solar cells, that were cut and next joined in series. Soft soldering technique and copper-tin strip were used for joining cells.Findings: In order to provide useful power for any application, the individual solar cells must be connected together to give the appropriate current an...

  17. Barriers to bacterial motility on unsaturated surfaces

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dechesne, Arnaud; Smets, Barth F.

    2013-01-01

    Our knowledge of the spatial organization and spatial dynamics of microbial populations in soil at a scale close to that of the microorganisms is scarce. While passive dispersal via water ow or soil biota is probably a major dispersal route, it is reasonable to consider that active dispersal also...... and their isogenic mutants unable to express various type of motility we aimed to quantify the physical limits of bacterial motility. Our results demonstrate how hydration controls bacterial motility under unsaturated conditions. They can form the base of improved biodegradation models that include microbial...

  18. Hyaluronic acid enhances cell migration and invasion via the YAP1/TAZ-RHAMM axis in malignant pleural mesothelioma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shigeeda, Wataru; Shibazaki, Masahiko; Yasuhira, Shinji; Masuda, Tomoyuki; Tanita, Tatsuo; Kaneko, Yuka; Sato, Tatsuhiro; Sekido, Yoshitaka; Maesawa, Chihaya

    2017-11-07

    Most malignant mesotheliomas (MPMs) frequently show activated forms of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1) and transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), which transcriptionally regulates the receptor for hyaluronic acid-mediated motility (RHAMM). As RHAMM is involved in cell migration and invasion in various tumors, we speculated that hyaluronic acid (HA) in pleural fluid might affect the progression of mesothelioma by stimulating cell migration and invasion through RHAMM. The level of RHAMM expression was decreased by YAP1/TAZ knockdown, and conversely increased by forced expression of the active form of YAP1, suggesting that RHAMM was regulated by YAP1/TAZ in MPM cells. Cell migration and invasion were also decreased by YAP1/TAZ or RHAMM knockdown. Notably, HA treatment increased cell motility and invasion, and this was abolished by RHAMM knockdown, suggesting that HA may augment local progression of MPM cells via RHAMM. Furthermore, treatment with fluvastatin, which regulates RHAMM transcription by modulating YAP1/TAZ activity, decreased the motility and invasion of MPM cells. Collectively, these data suggest that HA is an "unfavorable" factor because it promotes malignancy in mesothelioma and that the YAP1/TAZ-RHAMM axis may have potential value as a therapeutic target for inhibition of disease progression in MPM.

  19. The dynein regulatory complex is required for ciliary motility and otolith biogenesis in the inner ear.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colantonio, Jessica R; Vermot, Julien; Wu, David; Langenbacher, Adam D; Fraser, Scott; Chen, Jau-Nian; Hill, Kent L

    2009-01-08

    In teleosts, proper balance and hearing depend on mechanical sensors in the inner ear. These sensors include actin-based microvilli and microtubule-based cilia that extend from the surface of sensory hair cells and attach to biomineralized 'ear stones' (or otoliths). Otolith number, size and placement are under strict developmental control, but the mechanisms that ensure otolith assembly atop specific cells of the sensory epithelium are unclear. Here we demonstrate that cilia motility is required for normal otolith assembly and localization. Using in vivo video microscopy, we show that motile tether cilia at opposite poles of the otic vesicle create fluid vortices that attract otolith precursor particles, thereby biasing an otherwise random distribution to direct localized otolith seeding on tether cilia. Independent knockdown of subunits for the dynein regulatory complex and outer-arm dynein disrupt cilia motility, leading to defective otolith biogenesis. These results demonstrate a requirement for the dynein regulatory complex in vertebrates and show that cilia-driven flow is a key epigenetic factor in controlling otolith biomineralization.

  20. Analysis of motility in multicellular Chlamydomonas reinhardtii evolved under predation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margrethe Boyd

    Full Text Available The advent of multicellularity was a watershed event in the history of life, yet the transition from unicellularity to multicellularity is not well understood. Multicellularity opens up opportunities for innovations in intercellular communication, cooperation, and specialization, which can provide selective advantages under certain ecological conditions. The unicellular alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has never had a multicellular ancestor yet it is closely related to the volvocine algae, a clade containing taxa that range from simple unicells to large, specialized multicellular colonies. Simple multicellular structures have been observed to evolve in C. reinhardtii in response to predation or to settling rate-based selection. Structures formed in response to predation consist of individual cells confined within a shared transparent extracellular matrix. Evolved isolates form such structures obligately under culture conditions in which their wild type ancestors do not, indicating that newly-evolved multicellularity is heritable. C. reinhardtii is capable of photosynthesis, and possesses an eyespot and two flagella with which it moves towards or away from light in order to optimize input of radiant energy. Motility contributes to C. reinhardtii fitness because it allows cells or colonies to achieve this optimum. Utilizing phototaxis to assay motility, we determined that newly evolved multicellular strains do not exhibit significant directional movement, even though the flagellae of their constituent unicells are present and active. In C. reinhardtii the first steps towards multicellularity in response to predation appear to result in a trade-off between motility and differential survivorship, a trade-off that must be overcome by further genetic change to ensure long-term success of the new multicellular organism.

  1. Collective cell motion in endothelial monolayers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szabó, A; Ünnep, R; Méhes, E; Czirók, A; Twal, W O; Argraves, W S; Cao, Y

    2010-01-01

    Collective cell motility is an important aspect of several developmental and pathophysiological processes. Despite its importance, the mechanisms that allow cells to be both motile and adhere to one another are poorly understood. In this study we establish statistical properties of the random streaming behavior of endothelial monolayer cultures. To understand the reported empirical findings, we expand the widely used cellular Potts model to include active cell motility. For spontaneous directed motility we assume a positive feedback between cell displacements and cell polarity. The resulting model is studied with computer simulations and is shown to exhibit behavior compatible with experimental findings. In particular, in monolayer cultures both the speed and persistence of cell motion decreases, transient cell chains move together as groups and velocity correlations extend over several cell diameters. As active cell motility is ubiquitous both in vitro and in vivo, our model is expected to be a generally applicable representation of cellular behavior

  2. Comparison of photovoltaic cell temperatures in modules operating with exposed and enclosed back surfaces

    Science.gov (United States)

    Namkoong, D.; Simon, F. F.

    1981-01-01

    Four different photovoltaic module designs were tested to determine the cell temperature of each design. The cell temperatures were compared to those obtained on identical design, using the same nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) concept. The results showed that the NOCT procedure does not apply to the enclosed configurations due to continuous transient conditions. The enclosed modules had higher cell temperatures than the open modules, and insulated modules higher than the uninsulated. The severest performance loss - when translated from cell temperatures - 17.5 % for one enclosed, insulated module as a compared to that module mounted openly.

  3. The MogR Transcriptional Repressor Regulates Nonhierarchal Expression of Flagellar Motility Genes and Virulence in Listeria monocytogenes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available Flagella are surface structures critical for motility and virulence of many bacterial species. In Listeria monocytogenes, MogR tightly represses expression of flagellin (FlaA during extracellular growth at 37 degrees C and during intracellular infection. MogR is also required for full virulence in a murine model of infection. Using in vitro and in vivo infection models, we determined that the severe virulence defect of MogR-negative bacteria is due to overexpression of FlaA. Specifically, overproduction of FlaA in MogR-negative bacteria caused pleiotropic defects in bacterial division (chaining phenotype, intracellular spread, and virulence in mice. DNA binding and microarray analyses revealed that MogR represses transcription of all known flagellar motility genes by binding directly to a minimum of two TTTT-N(5-AAAA recognition sites positioned within promoter regions such that RNA polymerase binding is occluded. Analysis of MogR protein levels demonstrated that modulation of MogR repression activity confers the temperature-specificity to flagellar motility gene expression. Epistasis analysis revealed that MogR repression of transcription is antagonized in a temperature-dependent manner by the DegU response regulator and that DegU further regulates FlaA levels through a posttranscriptional mechanism. These studies provide the first known example to our knowledge of a transcriptional repressor functioning as a master regulator controlling nonhierarchal expression of flagellar motility genes.

  4. Cell type-specific anti-cancer properties of valproic acid: independent effects on HDAC activity and Erk1/2 phosphorylation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gotfryd, Kamil; Skladchikova, Galina; Lepekhin, Eugene E

    2010-01-01

    lines (BT4C, BT4Cn, U87MG, N2a, PC12-E2, CSML0, CSML100, HeLa, L929, Swiss 3T3). Results: VPA induced significant histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition in most of the cell lines, but the degree of inhibition was highly cell type-specific. Moreover, cell growth, motility and the degree of Erk1......ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The anti-epileptic drug valproic acid (VPA) has attracted attention as an anti-cancer agent. Methods: The present study investigated effects of VPA exposure on histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition, cell growth, cell speed, and the degree of Erk1/2 phosphorylation in 10 cell....../2 phosphorylation were inhibited, activated, or unaffected by VPA in a cell type-specific manner. Importantly, no relationship was found between the effects of VPA on HDAC inhibition and changes in the degree of Erk1/2 phosphorylation, cell growth, or motility. In contrast, VPA-induced modulation of the MAPK...

  5. Exploratory Research on Latent Esophageal Motility Disorders in Dysphagia Patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawaguchi, Shinpei; Takeuchi, Toshihisa; Inoue, Yousuke; Takahashi, Yoshiaki; Ozaki, Haruhiko; Ota, Kazuhiro; Harada, Satoshi; Edogawa, Shoko; Kojima, Yuichi; Yamashita, Hiroshi; Fukuchi, Takumi; Ashida, Kiyoshi; Higuchi, Kazuhide

    2017-01-01

    High-resolution manometry (HRM) has been applied to assess esophageal motility disorders. However, the frequency and types of motility disorders in patients with dysphagia, which are frequently seen in clinical practice, are not clear. We evaluated latent esophageal motility disorders associated with dysphagia. The study included patients without erosive esophageal mucosal damage and with dysphagia symptoms refractory to at least 8 weeks of standard-dose proton pump inhibitors. After enrolment, HRM was used to evaluate for esophageal motility disorder based on the Chicago classification. Esophageal motility disorder was found in 58 of 100 patients and was classified based on the causes: achalasia (13%), esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (16%), distal esophageal spasms (3%), weak peristalsis (14%), frequently failed peristalsis (5%), and hypertensive peristalsis (7%). Primary esophageal motility disorder was found in approximately 50% of cases in dysphagia patients. Therefore, esophageal motility disorder is not an uncommon condition and should be sought for in order to elucidate precisely the cause of dysphagia. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Pharyngeal swallowing and oesophageal motility during a solid meal test: a prospective study in healthy volunteers and patients with major motility disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hollenstein, Michael; Thwaites, Philip; Bütikofer, Simon; Heinrich, Henriette; Sauter, Matthias; Ulmer, Irina; Pohl, Daniel; Ang, Daphne; Eberli, Daniel; Schwizer, Werner; Fried, Michael; Distler, Oliver; Fox, Mark; Misselwitz, Benjamin

    2017-09-01

    The factors that determine how people eat when they are healthy or have disease have not been defined. We used high resolution manometry (HRM) to assess pharyngeal swallowing and oesophageal motility during ingestion of a solid test meal (STM) in healthy volunteers and patients with motility disorders. This study was based at University Hospital Zurich (Zürich, Switzerland). Healthy volunteers who responded to an advertisement completed HRM with ten single water swallows (SWS) in recumbent and upright positions followed by a 200 g rice STM in the upright position. Healthy volunteers were stratified for age and sex to ensure a representative population. For comparison, consecutive patients with major motility disorders on SWS and patients with dysphagia but no major motility disorders on SWS (disease controls) were selected from a database that was assembled prospectively; the rice meal data were analysed retrospectively. During STM, pharyngeal swallows were timed and oesophageal contractions were classified as representing normal motility or different types of abnormal motility in accordance with established metrics. Factors that could potentially be associated with eating speed were investigated, including age, sex, body-mass index, and presence of motility disorder. We compared diagnoses based on SWS findings, assessed with the Chicago Classification v3.0, with those based on STM findings, assessed with the Chicago Classification adapted for solids. These studies are registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, numbers NCT02407938 and NCT02397616. Between April 2, 2014, and May 13, 2015, 72 healthy volunteers were recruited and underwent HRM. Additionally, we analysed data from 54 consecutive patients with major motility disorders and 53 with dysphagia but no major motility disorders recruited between April 2, 2013, and Dec 18, 2014. We found important variations in oesophageal motility and eating speed during meal ingestion in healthy volunteers and patients. Increased

  7. The Sensor Kinase GacS Negatively Regulates Flagellar Formation and Motility in a Biocontrol Bacterium, Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Soo Kim

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available The GacS/GacA two component system regulates various traits related to the biocontrol potential of plant-associated pseudomonads. The role of the sensor kinase, GacS, differs between strains in regulation of motility. In this study, we determined how a gacS mutation changed cell morphology and motility in Pseudomonas chlororaphis O6. The gacS mutant cells were elongated in stationary-phase compared to the wild type and the complemented gacS mutant, but cells did not differ in length in logarithmic phase. The gacS mutant had a two-fold increase in the number of flagella compared with the wild type strain; flagella number was restored to that of the wild type in the complemented gacS mutant. The more highly flagellated gacS mutant cells had greater swimming motilities than that of the wild type strain. Enhanced flagella formation in the gacS mutant correlated with increased expression of three genes, fleQ, fliQ and flhF, involved in flagellar formation. Expression of these genes in the complemented gacS mutant was similar to that of the wild type. These findings show that this root-colonizing pseudomonad adjusts flagella formation and cell morphology in stationary-phase using GacS as a major regulator.

  8. The Design of a Five-Cell Superconducting RF Module with a PBG Coupler Cell

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arsenyev, Sergey A.; Simakov, Evgenya I.

    2012-01-01

    We discuss the problem of incorporating a Photonic Band Gap (PBG) cell into a superconducting accelerating module of 5 cells designed for the operational frequency of 2.1 GHz. The reason for using a PBG cell is to provide a good accelerating mode confinement and good Higher Order Mode (HOM) suppression. PBG cell can potentially be used for placing HOM and fundamental mode couplers. However, because of the naturally higher ratio of the peak magnetic field to the accelerating field in the PBG cell, it should be designed to operate at a lower accelerating gradient than the other cells of the module. This ensures that the probability of quench in the PBG cell would be no higher than in other elliptical cells of the structure.

  9. Motility of copepod nauplii and implications for food encounter

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Titelman, Josefin; Kiørboe, Thomas

    2003-01-01

    (Centropages typicus, Calanus helgolandicus, Temora longicornis, Acartia tonsa, Eurytemora affinis and Euterpina acutifrons). Behaviors of individual nauphi were divided into sequences of sinking, swimming and jumping events. Motility behavior is both stage- and species-specific in terms of appearance......Velocity differences drive all encounter processes. Therefore, knowledge of both prey and predator motility are essential in order to understand feeding behavior and predict food acquisition rates. Here, we describe and quantify the motility behavior of young and old naupliar stages of 6 copepods...... of tracks, speeds, durations and frequencies of events as well as time budgets. Motility mode often changes drastically during naupliar ontogeny. Crudely, nauplii can be divided into those moving with a jump-sink type of motility of various frequencies (1 min(-1) to 3 s(-1)) and those swimming...

  10. Cell motility dynamics: a novel segmentation algorithm to quantify multi-cellular bright field microscopy images.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Assaf Zaritsky

    Full Text Available Confocal microscopy analysis of fluorescence and morphology is becoming the standard tool in cell biology and molecular imaging. Accurate quantification algorithms are required to enhance the understanding of different biological phenomena. We present a novel approach based on image-segmentation of multi-cellular regions in bright field images demonstrating enhanced quantitative analyses and better understanding of cell motility. We present MultiCellSeg, a segmentation algorithm to separate between multi-cellular and background regions for bright field images, which is based on classification of local patches within an image: a cascade of Support Vector Machines (SVMs is applied using basic image features. Post processing includes additional classification and graph-cut segmentation to reclassify erroneous regions and refine the segmentation. This approach leads to a parameter-free and robust algorithm. Comparison to an alternative algorithm on wound healing assay images demonstrates its superiority. The proposed approach was used to evaluate common cell migration models such as wound healing and scatter assay. It was applied to quantify the acceleration effect of Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF on healing rate in a time lapse confocal microscopy wound healing assay and demonstrated that the healing rate is linear in both treated and untreated cells, and that HGF/SF accelerates the healing rate by approximately two-fold. A novel fully automated, accurate, zero-parameters method to classify and score scatter-assay images was developed and demonstrated that multi-cellular texture is an excellent descriptor to measure HGF/SF-induced cell scattering. We show that exploitation of textural information from differential interference contrast (DIC images on the multi-cellular level can prove beneficial for the analyses of wound healing and scatter assays. The proposed approach is generic and can be used alone or alongside traditional

  11. Cell motility dynamics: a novel segmentation algorithm to quantify multi-cellular bright field microscopy images.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaritsky, Assaf; Natan, Sari; Horev, Judith; Hecht, Inbal; Wolf, Lior; Ben-Jacob, Eshel; Tsarfaty, Ilan

    2011-01-01

    Confocal microscopy analysis of fluorescence and morphology is becoming the standard tool in cell biology and molecular imaging. Accurate quantification algorithms are required to enhance the understanding of different biological phenomena. We present a novel approach based on image-segmentation of multi-cellular regions in bright field images demonstrating enhanced quantitative analyses and better understanding of cell motility. We present MultiCellSeg, a segmentation algorithm to separate between multi-cellular and background regions for bright field images, which is based on classification of local patches within an image: a cascade of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) is applied using basic image features. Post processing includes additional classification and graph-cut segmentation to reclassify erroneous regions and refine the segmentation. This approach leads to a parameter-free and robust algorithm. Comparison to an alternative algorithm on wound healing assay images demonstrates its superiority. The proposed approach was used to evaluate common cell migration models such as wound healing and scatter assay. It was applied to quantify the acceleration effect of Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) on healing rate in a time lapse confocal microscopy wound healing assay and demonstrated that the healing rate is linear in both treated and untreated cells, and that HGF/SF accelerates the healing rate by approximately two-fold. A novel fully automated, accurate, zero-parameters method to classify and score scatter-assay images was developed and demonstrated that multi-cellular texture is an excellent descriptor to measure HGF/SF-induced cell scattering. We show that exploitation of textural information from differential interference contrast (DIC) images on the multi-cellular level can prove beneficial for the analyses of wound healing and scatter assays. The proposed approach is generic and can be used alone or alongside traditional fluorescence single-cell

  12. Plexin-B2 negatively regulates macrophage motility, Rac, and Cdc42 activation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly E Roney

    Full Text Available Plexins are cell surface receptors widely studied in the nervous system, where they mediate migration and morphogenesis though the Rho family of small GTPases. More recently, plexins have been implicated in immune processes including cell-cell interaction, immune activation, migration, and cytokine production. Plexin-B2 facilitates ligand induced cell guidance and migration in the nervous system, and induces cytoskeletal changes in overexpression assays through RhoGTPase. The function of Plexin-B2 in the immune system is unknown. This report shows that Plexin-B2 is highly expressed on cells of the innate immune system in the mouse, including macrophages, conventional dendritic cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. However, Plexin-B2 does not appear to regulate the production of proinflammatory cytokines, phagocytosis of a variety of targets, or directional migration towards chemoattractants or extracellular matrix in mouse macrophages. Instead, Plxnb2(-/- macrophages have greater cellular motility than wild type in the unstimulated state that is accompanied by more active, GTP-bound Rac and Cdc42. Additionally, Plxnb2(-/- macrophages demonstrate faster in vitro wound closure activity. Studies have shown that a closely related family member, Plexin-B1, binds to active Rac and sequesters it from downstream signaling. The interaction of Plexin-B2 with Rac has only been previously confirmed in yeast and bacterial overexpression assays. The data presented here show that Plexin-B2 functions in mouse macrophages as a negative regulator of the GTPases Rac and Cdc42 and as a negative regulator of basal cell motility and wound healing.

  13. The Small RNA ErsA of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Contributes to Biofilm Development and Motility through Post-transcriptional Modulation of AmrZ

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Falcone, Marilena; Ferrara, Silvia; Rossi, Elio

    2018-01-01

    . In this study, we show that a knock-out ersA mutant strain forms a flat and uniform biofilm, not characterized by mushroom-multicellular structures typical of a mature biofilm. Conversely, the knock-out mutant strain showed enhanced swarming and twitching motilities. To assess the influence of ErsA on the P....... aeruginosa transcriptome, we performed RNA-seq experiments comparing the knock-out mutant with the wild-type. More than 160 genes were found differentially expressed in the knock-out mutant. Parts of these genes, important for biofilm formation and motility regulation, are known to belong also to the Amr...

  14. Aspartyl-(asparaginyl β-Hydroxylase, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α and Notch Cross-Talk in Regulating Neuronal Motility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Margot Lawton

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Aspartyl-(Asparaginyl-β-Hydroxylase (AAH promotes cell motility by hydroxylating Notch. Insulin and insulin-like growth factor, type 1 (IGF-I stimulate AAH through Erk MAP K and phosphoinositol-3-kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt. However, hypoxia/oxidative stress may also regulate AAH . Hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α regulates cell migration, signals through Notch, and is regulated by hypoxia/oxidative stress, insulin/IGF signaling and factor inhibiting HIF-1α (FIH hydroxylation. To examine cross-talk between HIF-1α and AAH , we measured AAH , Notch-1, Jagged-1, FIH, HIF-1α, HIF-1β and the hairy and enhancer of split 1 (HE S-1 transcription factor expression and directional motility in primitive neuroectodermal tumor 2 (PNET2 human neuronal cells that were exposed to H2O2 or transfected with short interfering RNA duplexes (siRNA targeting AAH , Notch-1 or HIF-1α. We found that: (1 AAH , HIF-1α and neuronal migration were stimulated by H2O2; (2 si-HIF-1α reduced AAH expression and cell motility; (3 si-AAH inhibited Notch and cell migration, but not HIF-1α and (4 si-Notch-1 increased FIH and inhibited HIF-1α. These findings suggest that AAH and HIF-1α crosstalk within a hydroxylation-regulated signaling pathway that may be transiently driven by oxidative stress and chronically regulated by insulin/IGF signaling.

  15. A novel flagellar sheath protein, FcpA, determines filament coiling, translational motility and virulence for the Leptospira spirochete.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wunder, Elsio A; Figueira, Cláudio P; Benaroudj, Nadia; Hu, Bo; Tong, Brian A; Trajtenberg, Felipe; Liu, Jun; Reis, Mitermayer G; Charon, Nyles W; Buschiazzo, Alejandro; Picardeau, Mathieu; Ko, Albert I

    2016-08-01

    Leptospira are unique among bacteria based on their helical cell morphology with hook-shaped ends and the presence of periplasmic flagella (PF) with pronounced spontaneous supercoiling. The factors that provoke such supercoiling, as well as the role that PF coiling plays in generating the characteristic hook-end cell morphology and motility, have not been elucidated. We have now identified an abundant protein from the pathogen L. interrogans, exposed on the PF surface, and named it Flagellar-coiling protein A (FcpA). The gene encoding FcpA is highly conserved among Leptospira and was not found in other bacteria. fcpA(-) mutants, obtained from clinical isolates or by allelic exchange, had relatively straight, smaller-diameter PF, and were not able to produce translational motility. These mutants lost their ability to cause disease in the standard hamster model of leptospirosis. Complementation of fcpA restored the wild-type morphology, motility and virulence phenotypes. In summary, we identified a novel Leptospira 36-kDa protein, the main component of the spirochete's PF sheath, and a key determinant of the flagella's coiled structure. FcpA is essential for bacterial translational motility and to enable the spirochete to penetrate the host, traverse tissue barriers, disseminate to cause systemic infection and reach target organs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Isolation, Culture, and Motility Measurements of Epidermal Melanocytes from GFP-Expressing Reporter Mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dagnino, Lina; Crawford, Melissa

    2018-03-27

    In this article, we provide a method to isolate primary epidermal melanocytes from reporter mice, which also allow targeted gene inactivation. The mice from which these cells are isolated are bred into a Rosa26 mT/mG reporter background, which results in GFP expression in the targeted melanocytic cell population. These cells are isolated and cultured to >95% purity. The cells can be used for gene expression studies, clonogenic experiments, and biological assays, such as capacity for migration. Melanocytes are slow moving cells, and we also provide a method to measure motility using individual cell tracking and data analysis.

  17. Sudden motility reversal indicates sensing of magnetic field gradients in Magnetospirillum magneticum AMB-1 strain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González, Lina M; Ruder, Warren C; Mitchell, Aaron P; Messner, William C; LeDuc, Philip R

    2015-06-01

    Many motile unicellular organisms have evolved specialized behaviors for detecting and responding to environmental cues such as chemical gradients (chemotaxis) and oxygen gradients (aerotaxis). Magnetotaxis is found in magnetotactic bacteria and it is defined as the passive alignment of these cells to the geomagnetic field along with active swimming. Herein we show that Magnetospirillum magneticum (AMB-1) show a unique set of responses that indicates they sense and respond not only to the direction of magnetic fields by aligning and swimming, but also to changes in the magnetic field or magnetic field gradients. We present data showing that AMB-1 cells exhibit sudden motility reversals when we impose them to local magnetic field gradients. Our system employs permalloy (Ni(80)Fe(20)) islands to curve and diverge the magnetic field lines emanating from our custom-designed Helmholtz coils in the vicinity of the islands (creating a drop in the field across the islands). The three distinct movements we have observed as they approach the permalloy islands are: unidirectional, single reverse and double reverse. Our findings indicate that these reverse movements occur in response to magnetic field gradients. In addition, using a permanent magnet we found further evidence that supports this claim. Motile AMB-1 cells swim away from the north and south poles of a permanent magnet when the magnet is positioned less than ∼30 mm from the droplet of cells. All together, these results indicate previously unknown response capabilities arising from the magnetic sensing systems of AMB-1 cells. These responses could enable them to cope with magnetic disturbances that could in turn potentially inhibit their efficient search for nutrients.

  18. Modification of circuit module of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) for solar windows applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hastuti, S. D.; Nurosyid, F.; Supriyanto, A.; Suryana, R.

    2016-11-01

    This research has been conducted to obtain a modification of circuit producing the best efficiency of solar window modules as an alternative energy for daily usage. Solar window module was constructed by DSSC cells. In the previous research, solar window was created by a single cell of DSSC. Because it had small size, it could not be applied in the manufacture of solar window. Fabrication of solar window required a larger size of DSSC cell. Therefore, in the next research, a module of solar window was fabricated by connecting few cells of DSSC. It was done by using external electrical circuit method which was modified in the formation of series circuit and parallel circuit. Its fabrication used six cells of DSSC with the size of each cell was 1 cm × 9 cm. DSSC cells were sandwich structures constructed by an active layer of TiO2 as the working electrode, electrolyte solution, dye, and carbon layer. Characterization of module was started one by one, from one cell, two cells, three cells, until six cells of a module. It was conducted to recognize the increasing efficiency value as the larger surface area given. The efficiency of solar window module with series circuit was 0.06%, while using parallel circuit was 0.006%. Module with series circuit generated the higher voltage as the larger surface area. Meanwhile, module through parallel circuit tended to produce the constant voltage as the larger surface area. It was caused by the influence of resistance within the cable in each module. Module with circuit parallel used a longer cable than module with series circuit, so that its resistance increased. Therefore, module with parallel circuit generated voltage that tended to be constant and resulted small efficiency compared to the module with series circuit. It could be concluded that series external circuit was the best modification which could produce the higher efficiency.

  19. Aging and intestinal motility: a review of factors that affect intestinal motility in the aged.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    O'Mahony, Denis

    2012-02-03

    Normal aging is associated with significant changes in the function of most organs and tissues. In this regard, the gastrointestinal tract is no exception. The purpose of this review is to detail the important age-related changes in motor function of the various parts of the gastrointestinal tract and to highlight some of the important motility changes that may occur, either in relation to common age-related disorders, or as a result of certain drugs commonly prescribed in the aged. A major confounding factor in the interpretation of motor phenomena throughout the gastrointestinal tract in this age group is the frequent coexistence of neurological, endocrinological and other disease states, which may be independently associated with dysmotility. Overall, current data are insufficient to implicate normal aging as a cause of dysmotility in the elderly. Normal aging is associated with various changes in gastrointestinal motility, but the clinical significance of such changes remains unclear. More important is the impact of various age-related diseases on gastrointestinal motility in the elderly: for example, long-standing diabetes mellitus may reduce gastric emptying in up to 50% of patients; depression significantly prolongs whole-gut transit time; hypothyroidism may prolong oro-caecal transit time; and chronic renal failure is associated with impaired gastric emptying. In addition, various, frequently used drugs in the elderly cause disordered gastrointestinal motility. These drugs include anticholinergics, especially antidepressants with an anticholinergic effect, opioid analgesics and calcium antagonists.

  20. Motility of Marichromatium gracile in Response to Light, Oxygen, and Sulfide

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thar, Roland Matthias; Kühl, Michael

    2001-01-01

    The motility of the purple sulfur bacterium Marichromatium gracile was investigated under different light regimes in a gradient capillary setup with opposing oxygen and sulfide gradients. The gradients were quantified with microsensors, while the behavior of swimming cells was studied by video...... microscopy in combination with a computerized cell tracking system. M. gracile exhibited photokinesis, photophobic responses, and phobic responses toward oxygen and sulfide. The observed migration patterns could be explained solely by the various phobic responses. In the dark, M. gracile formed an ~500-µm...

  1. The effect of partial shading on dye-sensitized solar cell module characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan, Bin; Weng, Jian; Chen, Shuanghong; Huang, Yang; Dai, Songyuan

    2014-01-01

    The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) is a kind of novel solar cell with prospects for building integrated photovoltaic applications. In some situations, a DSC module may work under partial shading conditions, and subsequently the module temperature and I–V characteristics change. In this work, the effect of partial shading on DSC module characteristics is experimentally studied and the temperature and electric output of the partially shaded DSC module are measured. The variations of module temperature and output performance are analyzed under short circuit conditions and a normal operating mode of charging battery. Furthermore, the stability of the partially shaded DSC module is also evaluated. It is found that the temperature rise of the DSC module caused by partial shading is slower and much smaller than the silicon solar cell, and the characteristics of the single DSC that suffered from short-term shading remain stable. For a DSC module operating in charging mode, the maximum power point and working point change when a shadow appears. (paper)

  2. Small intestinal motility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Smout, André J. P. M.

    2004-01-01

    PURPOSE OF REVIEW: In the past year, many studies were published in which new and relevant information on small intestinal motility in humans and laboratory animals was obtained. RECENT FINDINGS: Although the reported findings are heterogeneous, some themes appear to be particularly interesting and

  3. PVSIM{copyright}: A simulation program for photovoltaic cells, modules, and arrays

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    King, D.L.; Dudley, J.K.; Boyson, W.E.

    1996-06-01

    An electrical simulation model for photovoltaic cells, modules, and arrays has been developed that will be useful to a wide range of analysts in the photovoltaic industry. The Microsoft{reg_sign} Windows{trademark} based program can be used to analyze individual cells, to analyze the effects of cell mismatch or reverse bias(`hot spot`) heating in modules and to analyze the performance of large arrays of modules including bypass and blocking diodes. User defined statistical variance can be applied to the fundamental parameters used to simulate the cells and diodes. The model is most appropriate for cells that can be accurately modeled using a two-diode equivalent circuit. This paper describes the simulation program and illustrates its versatility with examples.

  4. Transmembrane neural cell-adhesion molecule (NCAM), but not glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored NCAM, down-regulates secretion of matrix metalloproteinases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Edvardsen, K; Chen, W; Rucklidge, G

    1993-01-01

    proteinases, and proteinase inhibitors all participate in the construction, maintenance, and remodeling of extracellular matrix by cells. The neural cell-adhesion molecule (NCAM)-negative rat glioma cell line BT4Cn secretes substantial amounts of metalloproteinases, as compared with its NCAM-positive mother......During embryogenesis interactions between cells and extracellular matrix play a central role in the modulation of cell motility, growth, and differentiation. Modulation of matrix structure is therefore crucial during development; extracellular matrix ligands, their receptors, extracellular...... cell line BT4C. We have transfected the BT4Cn cell line with cDNAs encoding the human NCAM-B and -C isoforms. We report here that the expression of transmembrane NCAM-B, but not of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-linked NCAM-C, induces a down-regulation of 92-kDa gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase 9...

  5. Photobiomodulation with light-emitting diodes improves sperm motility in men with asthenozoospermia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ban Frangez, Helena; Frangez, Igor; Verdenik, Ivan; Jansa, Vid; Virant Klun, Irma

    2015-01-01

    Sperm motility is an important parameter of male fertility and depends on energy consumption. Photobiomodulation with light-emitting diode (LED) is known to stimulate respiratory chain in mitochondria of different mammalian cells. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of photobiomodulation with LED on sperm motility in infertile men with impaired sperm motility-asthenozoospermia. Thirty consecutive men with asthenozoospermia and normal sperm count who visited the infertility clinic of University Medial Centre Ljubljana between September 2011 and February 2012 were included in the study. Semen sample of each man was divided into five parts: one served as a non-treated (native) control and four parts were irradiated with LED of different wavelengths: (1) 850 nm, (2) 625, 660 and 850 nm, (3) 470 nm and (4) 625, 660 and 470 nm. The percentage of motile sperm and kinematic parameters were measured using a Sperm Class Analyser system following the WHO recommendations. In the non-treated semen samples, the average ratio of rapidly progressive sperms was 12% and of immotile sperm 73%. Treating with LED significantly increased the proportion of rapidly progressive sperm (mean differences were as follows: 2.83 (1.39-4.28), 3.33 (1.61-5.05), 4.50 (3.00-5.99) and 3.83 (2.31-5.36) for groups 1-4, respectively) and significantly decreased the ratio of immotile sperm (the mean differences and 95% CI were as follows: 3.50 (1.30-5.70), 4.33 (2.15-6.51), 5.83 (3.81-7.86) and 5.50 (2.98-8.02) for groups 1-4, respectively). All differences were highly statistically significant. This finding confirmed that photobiomodulation using LED improved the sperm motility in asthenozoospermia regardless of the wavelength.

  6. Novel roles of the Na+/H+ exchanger NHE1 and the Na+,HCO3 - cotransporter NBCn1 in cell survival, proliferation and motility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Thorup, Gitte Ehrenreich

    and cell motility. The molecular mechanisms contributing to altered pHi regulation in cancer cells are incomplete understood. Overexpression of ErbB2 is common in breast cancer and the expression of an N-terminally truncated, constitutively active ErbB2 receptor (ΔNErbB2) is associated with increased....... Pharmacological inhibition of NHE1 enhances cisdiamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin) induced cell death, especially in ΔNErbB2 expressing cells. In Paper III we show that upon cisplatin treatment, expression of ΔNErbB2 results in increased caspase-9 and -7 cleavage, which is further augmented by specific...... inhibition of NHE1. Moreover, NBCN1, yet not NHE1, is lost from the plasma membrane upon cisplatin treatment, and this may explain why inhibition of NHE1 sensitizes the cells to cisplatin-induced cell death. In Paper II we show that in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, the expression levels of NBCn1 and NHE1...

  7. Carcinoma associated fibroblasts (CAFs) promote breast cancer motility by suppressing mammalian Diaphanous-related formin-2 (mDia2).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dvorak, Kaitlyn M; Pettee, Krista M; Rubinic-Minotti, Kaitlin; Su, Robin; Nestor-Kalinoski, Andrea; Eisenmann, Kathryn M

    2018-01-01

    The tumor microenvironment (TME) promotes tumor cell invasion and metastasis. An important step in the shift to a pro-cancerous microenvironment is the transformation of normal stromal fibroblasts to carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). CAFs are present in a majority of solid tumors and can directly promote tumor cell motility via cytokine, chemokine and growth factor secretion into the TME. The exact effects that the TME has upon cytoskeletal regulation in motile tumor cells remain enigmatic. The conserved formin family of cytoskeleton regulating proteins plays an essential role in the assembly and/or bundling of unbranched actin filaments. Mammalian Diaphanous-related formin 2 (mDia2/DIAPH3/Drf3/Dia) assembles a dynamic F-actin cytoskeleton that underlies tumor cell migration and invasion. We therefore sought to understand whether CAF-derived chemokines impact breast tumor cell motility through modification of the formin-assembled F-actin cytoskeleton. In MDA-MB-231 cells, conditioned media (CM) from WS19T CAFs, a human breast tumor-adjacent CAF line, significantly and robustly increased wound closure and invasion relative to normal human mammary fibroblast (HMF)-CM. WS19T-CM also promoted proteasome-mediated mDia2 degradation in MDA-MB-231 cells relative to control HMF-CM and WS21T CAF-CM, a breast CAF cell line that failed to promote robust MDA-MB-231 migration. Cytokine array analysis of CM identified up-regulated secreted factors in WS19T relative to control WS21T CM. We identified CXCL12 as a CM factor influencing loss of mDia2 protein while increasing MDA-MB-231 cell migration. Our data suggest a mechanism whereby CAFs promote tumor cell migration and invasion through CXCL12 secretion to regulate the mDia2-directed cytoskeleton in breast tumor cells.

  8. Kinesin-1 and mitochondrial motility control by discrimination of structurally equivalent but distinct subdomains in Ran-GTP-binding domains of Ran-binding protein 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patil, Hemangi; Cho, Kyoung-in; Lee, James; Yang, Yi; Orry, Andrew; Ferreira, Paulo A

    2013-03-27

    The pleckstrin homology (PH) domain is a versatile fold that mediates a variety of protein-protein and protein-phosphatidylinositol lipid interactions. The Ran-binding protein 2 (RanBP2) contains four interspersed Ran GTPase-binding domains (RBD(n = 1-4)) with close structural homology to the PH domain of Bruton's tyrosine kinase. The RBD2, kinesin-binding domain (KBD) and RBD3 comprise a tripartite domain (R2KR3) of RanBP2 that causes the unfolding, microtubule binding and biphasic activation of kinesin-1, a crucial anterograde motor of mitochondrial motility. However, the interplay between Ran GTPase and R2KR3 of RanBP2 in kinesin-1 activation and mitochondrial motility is elusive. We use structure-function, biochemical, kinetic and cell-based assays with time-lapse live-cell microscopy of over 260,000 mitochondrial-motility-related events to find mutually exclusive subdomains in RBD2 and RBD3 towards Ran GTPase binding, kinesin-1 activation and mitochondrial motility regulation. The RBD2 and RBD3 exhibit Ran-GTP-independent, subdomain and stereochemical-dependent discrimination on the biphasic kinetics of kinesin-1 activation or regulation of mitochondrial motility. Further, KBD alone and R2KR3 stimulate and suppress, respectively, multiple biophysical parameters of mitochondrial motility. The regulation of the bidirectional transport of mitochondria by either KBD or R2KR3 is highly coordinated, because their kinetic effects are accompanied always by changes in mitochondrial motile events of either transport polarity. These studies uncover novel roles in Ran GTPase-independent subdomains of RBD2 and RBD3, and KBD of RanBP2, that confer antagonizing and multi-modal mechanisms of kinesin-1 activation and regulation of mitochondrial motility. These findings open new venues towards the pharmacological harnessing of cooperative and competitive mechanisms regulating kinesins, RanBP2 or mitochondrial motility in disparate human disorders.

  9. Sperm motility and morphology as changing parameters linked to sperm count variations.

    OpenAIRE

    Dua A; Vaidya S

    1996-01-01

    Variations in semen analyses of 177 males over a 1 year period were assessed. The average means of total counts, motility, morphology, total motile count and non-motile % were determined for 5 classes of patients ranging from azoospermic to normospermic. Positive relationships between a falling sperm count, a decrease in motility and total motile counts were seen. Also, increasingly, abnormal forms were found with lower sperm counts.

  10. Bacteria can form interconnected microcolonies when a self-excreted product reduces their surface motility: evidence from individual-based model simulations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mabrouk, Nabil; Deffuant, Guillaume; Tolker-Nielsen, Tim

    2010-01-01

    Recent experimental observations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a model bacterium in biofilm research, reveal that, under specific growth conditions, bacterial cells form patterns of interconnected microcolonies. In the present work, we use an individual-based model to assess the involvement of bacte......Recent experimental observations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a model bacterium in biofilm research, reveal that, under specific growth conditions, bacterial cells form patterns of interconnected microcolonies. In the present work, we use an individual-based model to assess the involvement...... of bacteria motility and self-produced extracellular substance in the formation of these patterns. In our simulations, the pattern of interconnected microcolonies appears only when bacteria motility is reduced by excreted extracellular macromolecules. Immotile bacteria form isolated microcolonies...... and constantly motile bacteria form flat biofilms. Based on experimental data and computer simulations, we suggest a mechanism that could be responsible for these interconnected microcolonies....

  11. Chicago Classification of Esophageal Motility Disorders: Lessons Learned

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rohof, W. O. A.; Bredenoord, A. J.

    2017-01-01

    High-resolution manometry (HRM) is increasingly performed worldwide, to study esophageal motility. The Chicago classification is subsequently applied to interpret the manometric findings and facilitate a diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders. This review will discuss new insights regarding the

  12. Solar cell modules with improved backskin and methods for forming same

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanoka, Jack I.

    1998-04-21

    A laminated solar cell module with a backskin layer that reduces the materials and labor required during the manufacturing process. The solar cell module includes a rigid front support layer formed of light transmitting material having first and second surfaces. A transparent encapsulant layer has a first surface disposed adjacent the second surface of the front support layer. A plurality of interconnected solar cells have a first surface disposed adjacent a second surface of the transparent encapsulant layer. The backskin layer is formed of a thermoplastic olefin, which includes first ionomer, a second ionomer, glass fiber, and carbon black. A first surface of the backskin layer is disposed adjacent a second surface of the interconnected solar cells. The transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer, in combination, encapsulate the interconnected solar cells. An end portion of the backskin layer can be wrapped around the edge of the module for contacting the first surface of the front support layer to form an edge seal. A laminated solar cell module with a backskin layer that reduces the materials and labor required during the manufacturing process. The solar cell module includes a rigid front support layer formed of light transmitting material having first and second surfaces. A transparent encapsulant layer has a first surface disposed adjacent the second surface of the front support layer. A plurality of interconnected solar cells have a first surface disposed adjacent a second surface of the transparent encapsulant layer. The backskin layer is formed of a thermoplastic olefin, which includes first ionomer, a second ionomer, glass fiber, and carbon black. A first surface of the backskin layer is disposed adjacent a second surface of the interconnected solar cells. The transparent encapsulant layer and the backskin layer, in combination, encapsulate the interconnected solar cells. An end portion of the backskin layer can be wrapped around the edge of the

  13. Human lung mast cells modulate the functions of airway smooth muscle cells in asthma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alkhouri, H; Hollins, F; Moir, L M; Brightling, C E; Armour, C L; Hughes, J M

    2011-09-01

    Activated mast cell densities are increased on the airway smooth muscle in asthma where they may modulate muscle functions and thus contribute to airway inflammation, remodelling and airflow obstruction. To determine the effects of human lung mast cells on the secretory and proliferative functions of airway smooth muscle cells from donors with and without asthma. Freshly isolated human lung mast cells were stimulated with IgE/anti-IgE. Culture supernatants were collected after 2 and 24 h and the mast cells lysed. The supernatants/lysates were added to serum-deprived, subconfluent airway smooth muscle cells for up to 48 h. Released chemokines and extracellular matrix were measured by ELISA, proliferation was quantified by [(3) H]-thymidine incorporation and cell counting, and intracellular signalling by phospho-arrays. Mast cell 2-h supernatants reduced CCL11 and increased CXCL8 and fibronectin production from both asthmatic and nonasthmatic muscle cells. Leupeptin reversed these effects. Mast cell 24-h supernatants and lysates reduced CCL11 release from both muscle cell types but increased CXCL8 release by nonasthmatic cells. The 24-h supernatants also reduced asthmatic, but not nonasthmatic, muscle cell DNA synthesis and asthmatic cell numbers over 5 days through inhibiting extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphatidylinositol (PI3)-kinase pathways. However, prostaglandins, thromboxanes, IL-4 and IL-13 were not involved in reducing the proliferation. Mast cell proteases and newly synthesized products differentially modulated the secretory and proliferative functions of airway smooth muscle cells from donors with and without asthma. Thus, mast cells may modulate their own recruitment and airway smooth muscle functions locally in asthma. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  14. Sperm motility and morphology as changing parameters linked to sperm count variations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dua A

    1996-10-01

    Full Text Available Variations in semen analyses of 177 males over a 1 year period were assessed. The average means of total counts, motility, morphology, total motile count and non-motile % were determined for 5 classes of patients ranging from azoospermic to normospermic. Positive relationships between a falling sperm count, a decrease in motility and total motile counts were seen. Also, increasingly, abnormal forms were found with lower sperm counts.

  15. Experimental and theoretical analysis of cell module output performance for a thermophotovoltaic system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xu, Xiaojie; Ye, Hong; Xu, Yexin; Shen, Mingrong; Zhang, Xiaojing; Wu, Xi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • An accurate theoretical model for thermophotovoltaic system is constructed. • Parallel connected module is superior if radiator temperature is uneven. • Series connected module is superior if cell temperature is uneven. • Short circuit current of series module rises when the shunt resistance decreases. • Fill factor is not always accurate to evaluate the module performance. - Abstract: An experimental thermophotovoltaic (TPV) system with a cylindrical-geometry radiator was established to test the output performances of modules under different conditions. The results demonstrate that the output performance of a cell module decreases when the combustion power increases because of the uneven temperature of the radiator or cells. On this basis, a theoretical model for a TPV system was constructed to compare the performance under different conditions of the series-connected (SC) module and the parallel-connected (PC) module, and was verified by the experimental results. The influences of the temperature gradient of the radiator or the cell module, and the series and shunt resistance of the TPV cell on the module performance were analyzed in detail. The results demonstrate that the PC module can effectively reduce the mismatch loss of output power caused by the uneven radiator temperature. The PC module, for instance, has a maximum output power of 2.54 times higher than that of the SC module when the radiator temperature difference is 500 K. However, the output performance of the module connected in series is superior to the PC module while the cell temperature is non-uniform. The output power of the SC module is 9.93% higher than that of the PC module at the cell temperature difference of 125 K. The short circuit current of the SC module is sensitive to the series and shunt resistance if the radiator temperature distribution is non-uniform. As the shunt resistance falls from ∞ to 0.5 Ω, the current varies from 1.757 A to 4.488 A when the

  16. Operating Cell Temperature Determination in Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chenlo, F.

    2002-01-01

    Two procedures (simplified and complete) to determine me operating cell temperature in photovoltaic modules operating in real conditions assuming isothermal stationary modules are presented in this work. Some examples are included that show me dependence of this temperature on several environmental (sky, ground and ambient temperatures, solar irradiance, wind speed, etc.) and structural (module geometry and size, encapsulating materials, anti reflexive optical coatings, etc.) factors and also on electrical module performance. In a further step temperature profiles for non-isothermal modules are analysed besides transitory effects due to variable irradiance and wind gusts. (Author) 27 refs

  17. Automatic Bowel Motility Evaluation Technique for Noncontact Sound Recordings

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ryunosuke Sato

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Information on bowel motility can be obtained via magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs and X-ray imaging. However, these approaches require expensive medical instruments and are unsuitable for frequent monitoring. Bowel sounds (BS can be conveniently obtained using electronic stethoscopes and have recently been employed for the evaluation of bowel motility. More recently, our group proposed a novel method to evaluate bowel motility on the basis of BS acquired using a noncontact microphone. However, the method required manually detecting BS in the sound recordings, and manual segmentation is inconvenient and time consuming. To address this issue, herein, we propose a new method to automatically evaluate bowel motility for noncontact sound recordings. Using simulations for the sound recordings obtained from 20 human participants, we showed that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of approximately 90% in automatic bowel sound detection when acoustic feature power-normalized cepstral coefficients are used as inputs to artificial neural networks. Furthermore, we showed that bowel motility can be evaluated based on the three acoustic features in the time domain extracted by our method: BS per minute, signal-to-noise ratio, and sound-to-sound interval. The proposed method has the potential to contribute towards the development of noncontact evaluation methods for bowel motility.

  18. The helicase, DDX3X, interacts with poly(A)-binding protein 1 (PABP1) and caprin-1 at the leading edge of migrating fibroblasts and is required for efficient cell spreading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Copsey, Alice C; Cooper, Simon; Parker, Robert; Lineham, Ella; Lapworth, Cuzack; Jallad, Deema; Sweet, Steve; Morley, Simon J

    2017-08-30

    DDX3X, a helicase, can interact directly with mRNA and translation initiation factors, regulating the selective translation of mRNAs that contain a structured 5' untranslated region. This activity modulates the expression of mRNAs controlling cell cycle progression and mRNAs regulating actin dynamics, contributing to cell adhesion and motility. Previously, we have shown that ribosomes and translation initiation factors localise to the leading edge of migrating fibroblasts in loci enriched with actively translating ribosomes, thereby promoting steady-state levels of ArpC2 and Rac1 proteins at the leading edge of cells during spreading. As DDX3X can regulate Rac1 levels, cell motility and metastasis, we have examined DDX3X protein interactions and localisation using many complementary approaches. We now show that DDX3X can physically interact and co-localise with poly(A)-binding protein 1 and caprin-1 at the leading edge of spreading cells. Furthermore, as depletion of DDX3X leads to decreased cell motility, this provides a functional link between DDX3X, caprin-1 and initiation factors at the leading edge of migrating cells to promote cell migration and spreading. © 2017 The Author(s).

  19. The Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxic Function Is Modulated by HIV-1 Accessory Proteins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edward Barker

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Natural killer (NK cells’ major role in the control of viruses is to eliminate established infected cells. The capacity of NK cells to kill virus-infected cells is dependent on the interactions between ligands on the infected cell and receptors on the NK cell surface. Because of the importance of ligand-receptor interactions in modulating the NK cell cytotoxic response, HIV has developed strategies to regulate various NK cell ligands making the infected cell surprisingly refractory to NK cell lysis. This is perplexing because the HIV-1 accessory protein Vpr induces expression of ligands for the NK cell activating receptor, NKG2D. In addition, the accessory protein Nef removes the inhibitory ligands HLA-A and -B. The reason for the ineffective killing by NK cells despite the strong potential to eliminate infected cells is due to HIV-1 Vpu’s ability to down modulate the co-activation ligand, NTB-A, from the cell surface. Down modulation of NTB-A prevents efficient NK cell degranulation. This review will focus on the mechanisms through which the HIV-1 accessory proteins modulate their respective ligands, and its implication for NK cell killing of HIV-infected cells.

  20. Sortilin regulates progranulin action in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanimoto, Ryuta; Morcavallo, Alaide; Terracciano, Mario; Xu, Shi-Qiong; Stefanello, Manuela; Buraschi, Simone; Lu, Kuojung G; Bagley, Demetrius H; Gomella, Leonard G; Scotlandi, Katia; Belfiore, Antonino; Iozzo, Renato V; Morrione, Andrea

    2015-01-01

    The growth factor progranulin is as an important regulator of transformation in several cellular systems. We have previously demonstrated that progranulin acts as an autocrine growth factor and stimulates motility, proliferation, and anchorage-independent growth of castration-resistant prostate cancer cells, supporting the hypothesis that progranulin may play a critical role in prostate cancer progression. However, the mechanisms regulating progranulin action in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells have not been characterized. Sortilin, a single-pass type I transmembrane protein of the vacuolar protein sorting 10 family, binds progranulin in neurons and negatively regulates progranulin signaling by mediating progranulin targeting for lysosomal degradation. However, whether sortilin is expressed in prostate cancer cells and plays any role in regulating progranulin action has not been established. Here, we show that sortilin is expressed at very low levels in castration-resistant PC3 and DU145 cells. Significantly, enhancing sortilin expression in PC3 and DU145 cells severely diminishes progranulin levels and inhibits motility, invasion, proliferation, and anchorage-independent growth. In addition, sortilin overexpression negatively modulates Akt (protein kinase B, PKB) stability. These results are recapitulated by depleting endogenous progranulin in PC3 and DU145 cells. On the contrary, targeting sortilin by short hairpin RNA approaches enhances progranulin levels and promotes motility, invasion, and anchorage-independent growth. We dissected the mechanisms of sortilin action and demonstrated that sortilin promotes progranulin endocytosis through a clathrin-dependent pathway, sorting into early endosomes and subsequent lysosomal degradation. Collectively, these results point out a critical role for sortilin in regulating progranulin action in castration-resistant prostate cancer cells, suggesting that sortilin loss may contribute to prostate cancer progression.

  1. Differences in motility pattern between human buccal fibroblasts and periodontal and skin fibroblasts

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lepekhin, Eugene; Grøn, Birgitte; Berezin, Vladimir

    2002-01-01

    at these sites can be explained by differences in the motile behavior of their respective fibroblast populations. The migratory characteristics were studied in a two-dimensional culture system. The migration of single cells was time-lapse video recorded at intervals of 15 min for a period of 6 h using a computer...

  2. Increased Expression of the Na,K-ATPase alpha4 Isoform Enhances Sperm Motility in Transgenic Mice1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jimenez, Tamara; Sanchez, Gladis; McDermott, Jeffrey P.; Nguyen, Anh-Nguyet; Kumar, T. Rajendra; Blanco, Gustavo

    2010-01-01

    The Na,K-ATPase alpha4 (ATP1A4) isoform is specifically expressed in male germ cells and is highly prevalent in spermatozoa. Although selective inhibition of alpha4 activity with ouabain has been shown to affect sperm motility, a more direct analysis of the role of this isoform in sperm movement has not yet been demonstrated. To establish this, we engineered transgenic mice that express the rat alpha4 isoform fused to green fluorescent protein in male germ cells, under the control of the mouse protamine 1 promoter. We showed that the rat Atp1a4 transgene is expressed in mouse spermatozoa and that it is localized to the sperm flagellum. In agreement with increased expression of the alpha4 isoform, sperm from transgenic mice displayed higher alpha4-specific Na,K-ATPase activity and binding of fluorescently labeled ouabain than wild-type mice. In contrast, expression and activity of ATP1A1 (alpha1), the other Na,K-ATPase alpha isoform present in sperm, remained unchanged. Similar to wild-type mice, mice expressing the alpha4 transgene exhibited normal testis and sperm morphology and no differences in fertility. However, compared to wild-type mice, sperm from transgenic mice displayed plasma membrane hyperpolarization and higher total and progressive motility. Other parameters of motility also increased, including straight-line, curvilinear, and average path velocities and amplitude of lateral head displacement. In addition, sperm from the transgenic mice showed enhanced sperm hyperactive motility, but no changes in progesterone-induced acrosome reaction. Altogether, these results provide new genetic evidence for the role of the ATP1A4 isoform in sperm motility, under both noncapacitating and capacitating conditions. PMID:20826726

  3. Analysis of the impact of cryopreservation and theophylline on motility of sperm

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elaheh Gorji

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: Sperm parameters, particularly motility, decrease during cryopreservation. Theophylline generally enhances sperm motility. We analyzed effects of theophylline and freezing on sperm motility.Design: Experimental study.Setting: Private IVF lab.Setting: IVF lab of Mehrgan Hospital. Method: 22–55 year-old men participated in this study (30 fresh ejaculation and 8 TESE samples. After sperm analysis, we added theophylline (40 mM to half of our samples as case group to compare motility with the remaining samples as control group. Cryopreservation was performed in two groups. After thawing, motility of both groups was recorded. Furthermore, theophylline (40 mM was applied to both groups after thawing again. Result: After adding theophylline, sperm motility improved significantly in all samples. Sperm motility reduced in control group more than the study group after freeze-thaw procedure (P < 0.002, normal morphology <5%. Sperm motility was not enhanced significantly by re-adding of theophylline to the two groups. Interactions between stages and groups were statistically significant in semen and biopsy samples (p < 0.001. Conclusion: Adding theophylline before freezing can preserve motility of sperms in samples with different parameters and even sperms extracted in testicular biopsy. Theophylline may have protective impact on sperms in freezing procedure. Keywords: Sperm motility, Theophylline, Freezing, Morphology, Biopsy

  4. Localization of transient receptor potential ion channels in primary and motile cilia of the female murine reproductive organs

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Teilmann, Stefan C.; Byskov, Anne Grete; Pedersen, Per Amstrup

    2005-01-01

    We have examined the subcellular localization of transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels and the potential sensory role of cilia in murine female reproductive organs using confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis on ovary and oviduct tissue sections as well as on primary cultures...... of follicular granulosa cells. We show that the Ca2+ permeable cation channel, polycystin-2, as well as polycystin-1, a receptor that forms a functional protein complex with polycystin 2, distinctively localize to primary cilia emerging from granulosa cells of antral follicles in vivo and in vitro. Both...... polycystins are localized to motile oviduct cilia and this localization is greatly increased upon ovulatory gonadotropic stimulation. Further, the Ca2+ permeable cation channel, TRP vaniloid 4 (TRPV4), localizes to a sub-population of motile cilia on the epithelial cells of the ampulla and isthmus with high...

  5. Intestinal Epithelial Cells Modulate Antigen-Presenting Cell Responses to Bacterial DNA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Campeau, J. L.; Salim, S. Y.; Albert, E. J.; Hotte, N.

    2012-01-01

    Intestinal epithelial cells and antigen-presenting cells orchestrate mucosal innate immunity. This study investigated the role of bacterial DNA in modulating epithelial and bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (BM-APCs) and subsequent T-lymphocyte responses. Murine MODE-K epithelial cells and BM-APCs were treated with DNA from either Bifidobacterium breve or Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin directly and under coculture conditions with CD4+ T cells. Apical stimulation of MODE-K cells with S. Dublin DNA enhanced secretion of cytokines from underlying BM-APCs and induced interleukin-17 (IL-17) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) secretion from CD4+ T cells. Bacterial DNA isolated from either strain induced maturation and increased cytokine secretion from BM-APCs. Conditioned medium from S. Dublin-treated MODE-K cells elicited an increase in cytokine secretion similar to that seen for S. Dublin DNA. Treatment of conditioned medium from MODE-K cells with RNase and protease prevented the S. Dublin-induced increased cytokine secretion. Oral feeding of mice with B. breve DNA resulted in enhanced levels of colonic IL-10 and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) compared with what was seen for mice treated with S. Dublin DNA. In contrast, feeding mice with S. Dublin DNA increased levels of colonic IL-17 and IL-12p70. T cells from S. Dublin DNA-treated mice secreted high levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ compared to controls and B. breve DNA-treated mice. These results demonstrate that intestinal epithelial cells are able to modulate subsequent antigen-presenting and T-cell responses to bacterial DNA with pathogenic but not commensal bacterial DNA inducing effector CD4+ T lymphocytes. PMID:22615241

  6. Probiotic Lactobacilli Modulate Staphylococcus aureus-Induced Activation of Conventional and Unconventional T cells and NK cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria A Johansson

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Lactobacilli are probiotic commensal bacteria and potent modulators of immunity. When present in the gut or supplemented as probiotics, they beneficially modulate ex vivo immune responsiveness. Further, factors derived from several lactobacilli strains act immune regulato-ry in vitro. In contrast, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus is known to induce excessive T cell activation. In this study we aimed to investigate S. aureus-induced activation of human muco-sal associated invariant T cells (MAIT cells, γδ T cells, NK cells, as well as of conventional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in vitro. Further, we investigated if lactobacilli-derived factors could modulate their activation.PBMC were cultured with S. aureus 161:2 cell free supernatant (CFS, staphylococcal en-terotoxin A or CD3/CD28-beads alone or in combination with Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus GG-CFS or Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri DSM 17938-CFS, and activation of T and NK cells was evaluated. S. aureus-CFS induced IFN-γ and CD107a expression as well as proliferation. Co-stimulation with lactobacilli-CFS dampened lymphocyte activation in all cell types analysed. Pre-incubation with lactobacilli-CFS was enough to reduce subsequent activation and the ab-sence of APC or APC-derived IL-10 did not prevent lactobacilli-mediated dampening. Final-ly, lactate selectively dampened activation of unconventional T cells and NK cells. In summary, we show that molecules present in the lactobacilli-CFS are able to directly dampen in vitro activation of conventional and unconventional T cells and of NK cells. This study provides novel insights on the immune modulatory nature of probiotic lactobacilli and suggests a role for lactobacilli in modulation of induced T and NK cell activation.

  7. The Chicago classification of motility disorders: an update.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roman, Sabine; Gyawali, C Prakash; Xiao, Yinglian; Pandolfino, John E; Kahrilas, Peter J

    2014-10-01

    The Chicago Classification defines esophageal motility disorders in high resolution manometry. This is based on individual scoring of 10 swallows performed in supine position. Disorders of esophago-gastric junction (EGJ) outflow obstruction are defined by a median integrated relaxation pressure above the limit of normal and divided into 3 achalasia subtypes and EGJ outflow obstruction. Major motility disorders (aperistalsis, distal esophageal spasm, and hypercontractile esophagus) are patterns not encountered in controls in the context of normal EGJ relaxation. Finally with the latest version of the Chicago Classification, only two minor motor disorders are considered: ineffective esophageal motility and fragmented peristalsis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Electromagnetic Cell Level Calibration for ATLAS Tile Calorimeter Modules

    CERN Document Server

    Kulchitskii, Yu A; Budagov, Yu A; Khubua, J I; Rusakovitch, N A; Vinogradov, V B; Henriques, A; Davidek, T; Tokar, S; Solodkov, A; Vichou, I

    2006-01-01

    We have determined the electromagnetic calibration constants of 11% TileCal modules exposed to electron beams with incident angles of 20 and 90 degrees. The gain of all the calorimeter cells have been pre-equalized using the radioactive Cs-source that will be also used in situ. The average values for these modules are equal to: for the flat filter method 1.154+/-0.002 pC/GeV and 1.192+/-0.002 pC/GeV for 20 and 90 degrees, for the fit method 1.040+/-0.002 pC/GeV and 1.068+/-0.003 pC/GeV, respectively. These average values for all cells of calibrated modules agree with the weighted average calibration constants for separate modules within the errors. Using the individual calibration constants for every module the RMS spread value of constants will be 1.9+/-0.1 %. In the case of the global constant this value will be 2.6+/-0.1 %. Finally, we present the global constants which should be used for the electromagnetic calibration of the ATLAS Tile hadronic calorimeter data in the ATHENA framework. These constants ar...

  9. Evaluation of Esophageal Motility Utilizing the Functional Lumen Imaging Probe.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Dustin A; Kahrilas, Peter J; Lin, Zhiyue; Hirano, Ikuo; Gonsalves, Nirmala; Listernick, Zoe; Ritter, Katherine; Tye, Michael; Ponds, Fraukje A; Wong, Ian; Pandolfino, John E

    2016-12-01

    Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) distensibility and distension-mediated peristalsis can be assessed with the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) during a sedated upper endoscopy. We aimed to describe esophageal motility assessment using FLIP topography in patients presenting with dysphagia. In all, 145 patients (aged 18-85 years, 54% female) with dysphagia that completed upper endoscopy with a 16-cm FLIP assembly and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were included. HRM was analyzed according to the Chicago Classification of esophageal motility disorders; major esophageal motility disorders were considered "abnormal". FLIP studies were analyzed using a customized program to calculate the EGJ-distensibility index (DI) and generate FLIP topography plots to identify esophageal contractility patterns. FLIP topography was considered "abnormal" if EGJ-DI was esophageal motility and 29 normal motility. In all, 17 (50%) had abnormal FLIP topography including 13 (37%) with abnormal EGJ-DI. FLIP topography provides a well-tolerated method for esophageal motility assessment (especially to identify achalasia) at the time of upper endoscopy. FLIP topography findings that are discordant with HRM may indicate otherwise undetected abnormalities of esophageal function, thus FLIP provides an alternative and complementary method to HRM for evaluation of non-obstructive dysphagia.

  10. Receptors involved in the modulation of guinea pig urinary bladder motility by prostaglandin D2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guan, Na N; Svennersten, Karl; de Verdier, Petra J; Wiklund, N Peter; Gustafsson, Lars E

    2015-01-01

    Background and Purpose We have described a urothelium-dependent release of PGD2-like activity which had inhibitory effects on the motility of guinea pig urinary bladder. Here, we have pharmacologically characterized the receptors involved and localized the sites of PGD2 formation and of its receptors. Experimental Approach In the presence of selective DP and TP receptor antagonists alone or combined, PGD2 was applied to urothelium-denuded diclofenac-treated urinary bladder strips mounted in organ baths. Antibodies against PGD2 synthase and DP1 receptors were used with Western blots and for histochemistry. Key Results PGD2 inhibited nerve stimulation -induced contractions in strips of guinea pig urinary bladder with estimated pIC50 of 7.55 ± 0.15 (n = 13), an effect blocked by the DP1 receptor antagonist BW-A868C. After blockade of DP1 receptors, PGD2 enhanced the contractions, an effect abolished by the TP receptor antagonist SQ-29548. Histochemistry revealed strong immunoreactivity for PGD synthase in the urothelium/suburothelium with strongest reaction in the suburothelium. Immunoreactive DP1 receptors were found in the smooth muscle of the bladder wall with a dominant localization to smooth muscle membranes. Conclusions and Implications In guinea pig urinary bladder, the main effect of PGD2 is an inhibitory action via DP1 receptors localized to the smooth muscle, but an excitatory effect via TP receptors can also be evoked. The urothelium with its suburothelium might signal to the smooth muscle which is rich in PGD2 receptors of the DP1 type. The results are important for our understanding of regulation of bladder motility. PMID:25917171

  11. Role of Bone Morphogenetic Protein 7 (BMP7 in the Modulation of Corneal Stromal and Epithelial Cell Functions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhavani S. Kowtharapu

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In the cornea, healing of the wounded avascular surface is an intricate process comprising the involvement of epithelial, stromal and neuronal cell interactions. These interactions result to the release of various growth factors that play prominent roles during corneal wound healing response. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs are unique multi-functional potent growth factors of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β superfamily. Treatment of corneal epithelial cells with substance P and nerve growth factor resulted to an increase in the expression of BMP7 mRNA. Since BMP7 is known to modulate the process of corneal wound healing, in this present study, we investigated the influence of exogenous rhBMP7 on human corneal epithelial cell and stromal cell (SFs function. To obtain a high-fidelity expression profiling of activated biomarkers and pathways, transcriptome-wide gene-level expression profiling of epithelial cells in the presence of BMP7 was performed. Gene ontology analysis shows BMP7 stimulation activated TGF-β signaling and cell cycle pathways, whereas biological processes related to cell cycle, microtubule and intermediate filament cytoskeleton organization were significantly impacted in corneal epithelial cells. Scratch wound healing assay showed increased motility and migration of BMP7 treated epithelial cells. BMP7 stimulation studies show activation of MAPK cascade proteins in epithelial cells and SFs. Similarly, a difference in the expression of claudin, Zink finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 was observed along with phosphorylation levels of cofilin in epithelial cells. Stimulation of SFs with BMP7 activated them with increased expression of α-smooth muscle actin. In addition, an elevated phosphorylation of epidermal growth factor receptor following BMP7 stimulation was also observed both in corneal epithelial cells and SFs. Based on our transcriptome analysis data on epithelial cells and the results obtained in SFs, we

  12. Enforcing host cell polarity: an apicomplexan parasite strategy towards dissemination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baumgartner, Martin

    2011-08-01

    The propagation of apicomplexan parasites through transmitting vectors is dependent on effective dissemination of parasites inside the mammalian host. Intracellular Toxoplasma and Theileria parasites face the challenge that their spread inside the host depends in part on the motile capacities of their host cells. In response, these parasites influence the efficiency of dissemination by altering adhesive and/or motile properties of their host cells. Theileria parasites do so by targeting signalling pathways that control host cell actin dynamics. The resulting enforced polar host cell morphology facilitates motility and invasiveness, by establishing focal adhesion and invasion structures at the leading edge of the infected cell. This parasite strategy highlights mechanisms of motility regulation that are also likely relevant for immune or cancer cell motility. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Exosome secretion affects social motility in Trypanosoma brucei.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dror Eliaz

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Extracellular vesicles (EV secreted by pathogens function in a variety of biological processes. Here, we demonstrate that in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, exosome secretion is induced by stress that affects trans-splicing. Following perturbations in biogenesis of spliced leader RNA, which donates its spliced leader (SL exon to all mRNAs, or after heat-shock, the SL RNA is exported to the cytoplasm and forms distinct granules, which are then secreted by exosomes. The exosomes are formed in multivesicular bodies (MVB utilizing the endosomal sorting complexes required for transport (ESCRT, through a mechanism similar to microRNA secretion in mammalian cells. Silencing of the ESCRT factor, Vps36, compromised exosome secretion but not the secretion of vesicles derived from nanotubes. The exosomes enter recipient trypanosome cells. Time-lapse microscopy demonstrated that cells secreting exosomes or purified intact exosomes affect social motility (SoMo. This study demonstrates that exosomes are delivered to trypanosome cells and can change their migration. Exosomes are used to transmit stress signals for communication between parasites.

  14. Five-cell superconducting RF module with a PBG coupler cell: design and cold testing of the copper prototype

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arsenyev, Sergey Andreyevich [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Simakov, Evgenya Ivanovna [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Shchegolkov, Dmitry [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Boulware, Chase [Niowave, Lansing, MI (United States); Grimm, Terry [Niowave, Lansing, MI (United States); Rogacki, Adam [Niowave, Lansing, MI (United States)

    2015-04-29

    We report the design and experimental data for a copper prototype of a superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator module. The five-cell module has an incorporated photonic band gap (PBG) cell with couplers. The purpose of the PBG cell is to achieve better higher order mode (HOM) damping, which is vital for preserving the quality of high-current electron beams. Better HOM damping raises the current threshold for beam instabilities in novel SRF accelerators. The PBG design also increases the real-estate gradient of the linac because both HOM damping and the fundamental power coupling can be done through the PBG cell instead of on the beam pipe via complicated end assemblies. First, we will discuss the design and accelerating properties of the structure. The five-cell module was optimized to provide good HOM damping while maintaining the same accelerating properties as conventional elliptical-cell modules. We will then discuss the process of tuning the structure to obtain the desired accelerating gradient profile. Finally, we will list measured quality factors for the accelerating mode and the most dangerous HOMs.

  15. Regional gastrointestinal contractility parameters using the wireless motility capsule

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farmer, A D; Wegeberg, A-M L; Brock, B

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The wireless motility capsule concurrently measures temperature, pH and pressure as it traverses the gastrointestinal tract. AIMS: To describe normative values for motility/contractility parameters across age, gender and testing centres. METHODS: Healthy participants underwent...

  16. The Azospirillum brasilense Che1 chemotaxis pathway controls swimming velocity, which affects transient cell-to-cell clumping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bible, Amber; Russell, Matthew H; Alexandre, Gladys

    2012-07-01

    The Che1 chemotaxis-like pathway of Azospirillum brasilense contributes to chemotaxis and aerotaxis, and it has also been found to contribute to regulating changes in cell surface adhesive properties that affect the propensity of cells to clump and to flocculate. The exact contribution of Che1 to the control of chemotaxis and flocculation in A. brasilense remains poorly understood. Here, we show that Che1 affects reversible cell-to-cell clumping, a cellular behavior in which motile cells transiently interact by adhering to one another at their nonflagellated poles before swimming apart. Clumping precedes and is required for flocculation, and both processes appear to be independently regulated. The phenotypes of a ΔaerC receptor mutant and of mutant strains lacking cheA1, cheY1, cheB1, or cheR1 (alone or in combination) or with che1 deleted show that Che1 directly mediates changes in the flagellar swimming velocity and that this behavior directly modulates the transient nature of clumping. Our results also suggest that an additional receptor(s) and signaling pathway(s) are implicated in mediating other Che1-independent changes in clumping identified in the present study. Transient clumping precedes the transition to stable clump formation, which involves the production of specific extracellular polysaccharides (EPS); however, production of these clumping-specific EPS is not directly controlled by Che1 activity. Che1-dependent clumping may antagonize motility and prevent chemotaxis, thereby maintaining cells in a metabolically favorable niche.

  17. High-speed stimulated Raman scattering microscopy for studying the metabolic diversity of motile Euglena gracilis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Y.; Wakisaka, Y.; Iwata, O.; Nakashima, A.; Ito, T.; Hirose, M.; Domon, R.; Sugawara, M.; Tsumura, N.; Watarai, H.; Shimobaba, T.; Suzuki, K.; Goda, K.; Ozeki, Y.

    2017-02-01

    Microalgae have been receiving great attention for their ability to produce biomaterials that are applicable for food supplements, drugs, biodegradable plastics, and biofuels. Among such microalgae, Euglena gracilis has become a popular species by virtue of its capability of accumulating useful metabolites including paramylon and lipids. In order to maximize the production of desired metabolites, it is essential to find ideal culturing conditions and to develop efficient methods for genetic transformation. To achieve this, understanding and controlling cell-to-cell variations in response to external stress is essential, with chemically specific analysis of microalgal cells including E. gracilis. However, conventional analytical tools such as fluorescence microscopy and spontaneous Raman scattering are not suitable for evaluation of diverse populations of motile microalgae, being restricted either by the requirement for fluorescent labels or a limited imaging speed, respectively. Here we demonstrate video-rate label-free metabolite imaging of live E. gracilis using stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) - an optical spectroscopic method for probing the vibrational signatures of molecules with orders of magnitude higher sensitivity than spontaneous Raman scattering. Our SRS's highspeed image acquisition (27 metabolite images per second) allows for population analysis of live E. gracilis cells cultured under nitrogen-deficiency - a technique for promoting the accumulation of paramylon and lipids within the cell body. Thus, our SRS system's fast imaging capability enables quantification and analysis of previously unresolvable cell-to-cell variations in the metabolite accumulation of large motile E. gracilis cell populations.

  18. Cycling G1 CD34+/CD38+ cells potentiate the motility and engraftment of quiescent G0 CD34+/CD38-/low severe combined immunodeficiency repopulating cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byk, Tamara; Kahn, Joy; Kollet, Orit; Petit, Isabelle; Samira, Sarit; Shivtiel, Shoham; Ben-Hur, Herzl; Peled, Amnon; Piacibello, Wanda; Lapidot, Tsvee

    2005-04-01

    The mechanism of human stem cell expansion ex vivo is not fully understood. Furthermore, little is known about the mechanisms of human stem cell homing/repopulation and the role that differentiating progenitor cells may play in these processes. We report that 2- to 3-day in vitro cytokine stimulation of human cord blood CD34(+)-enriched cells induces the production of short-term repopulating, cycling G1 CD34(+)/CD38(+) cells with increased matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 secretion as well as increased migration capacity to the chemokine stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and homing to the bone marrow of irradiated nonobese diabetic severe/combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice. These cycling G1 cells enhance SDF-1-mediated in vitro migration and in vivo homing of quiescent G0 CD34(+) cells, which is partially abrogated after inhibition of MMP-2/-9 activity. Moreover, the engraftment potential of quiescent G0 SCID repopulating cells (SRCs) is also increased by the cycling G1 CD34(+)/CD38(+) cells. This effect is significantly abrogated after incubation of cycling G1 cells with a neutralizing anti-CXCR4 antibody. Our data suggest synergistic interactions between accessory cycling G1 CD34(+)/CD38(+) committed progenitor cells and quiescent, primitive G0 CD34(+)/CD38(-/low) SRC/stem cells, the former increasing the motility and engraftment potential of the latter, partly via secretion of MMP-9.

  19. Different computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) systems highly influence sperm motility parameters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boryshpolets, S; Kowalski, R K; Dietrich, G J; Dzyuba, B; Ciereszko, A

    2013-10-15

    In this study, we examined different computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA) systems (CRISMAS, Hobson Sperm Tracker, and Image J CASA) on the exact same video recordings to evaluate the differences in sperm motility parameters related to the specific CASA used. To cover a wide range of sperm motility parameters, we chose 12-second video recordings at 25 and 50 Hz frame rates after sperm motility activation using three taxonomically distinct fish species (sterlet: Acipenser ruthenus L.; common carp: Cyprinus carpio L.; and rainbow trout: Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) that are characterized by essential differences in sperm behavior during motility. Systematically higher values of velocity and beat cross frequency (BCF) were observed in video recordings obtained at 50 Hz frame frequency compared with 25 Hz for all three systems. Motility parameters were affected by the CASA and species used for analyses. Image J and CRISMAS calculated higher curvilinear velocity (VCL) values for rainbow trout and common carp at 25 Hz frequency compared with the Hobson Sperm Tracker, whereas at 50 Hz, a significant difference was observed only for rainbow trout sperm recordings. No significant difference was observed between the CASA systems for sterlet sperm motility at 25 and 50 Hz. Additional analysis of 1-second segments taken at three time points (1, 6, and 12 seconds of the recording) revealed a dramatic decrease in common carp and rainbow trout sperm speed. The motility parameters of sterlet spermatozoa did not change significantly during the 12-second motility period and should be considered as a suitable model for longer motility analyses. Our results indicated that the CASA used can affect motility results even when the same motility recordings are used. These results could be critically altered by the recording quality, time of analysis, and frame rate of camera, and could result in erroneous conclusions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Bacterial motility in the sea and its ecological implications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grossart, Hans-Peter; Riemann, Lasse; Azam, F.

    2001-01-01

    the coast of La Jolla, California, as well as a mesocosm study to examine bacterial motility and its relationship to environmental variables. Dark-field microscopy revealed periods of sustained low (fall and winter, ...). Bacteria in natural seawater did not swim constantly nor at constant speeds; over 40% swam algae, bacteria...... swimming. Our results show that a variable fraction of marine bacteria is able to respond to loci of organic matter, e.g. organic particles and algae, and that motility underlies dynamic patterns of ecological relationships (symbiosis, competition, parasitism) between bacteria and algae. Since motility may...

  1. Vanillin Suppresses Cell Motility by Inhibiting STAT3-Mediated HIF-1α mRNA Expression in Malignant Melanoma Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Eun-Ji; Lee, Yoon-Mi; Oh, Taek-In; Kim, Byeong Mo; Lim, Beong-Ou; Lim, Ji-Hong

    2017-03-01

    Recent studies have shown that vanillin has anti-cancer, anti-mutagenic, and anti-metastatic activity; however, the precise molecular mechanism whereby vanillin inhibits metastasis and cancer progression is not fully elucidated. In this study, we examined whether vanillin has anti-cancer and anti-metastatic activities via inhibition of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) in A2058 and A375 human malignant melanoma cells. Immunoblotting and quantitative real time (RT)-PCR analysis revealed that vanillin down-regulates HIF-1α protein accumulation and the transcripts of HIF-1α target genes related to cancer metastasis including fibronectin 1 ( FN1 ), lysyl oxidase-like 2 ( LOXL2 ), and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor ( uPAR ). It was also found that vanillin significantly suppresses HIF-1α mRNA expression and de novo HIF-1α protein synthesis. To understand the suppressive mechanism of vanillin on HIF-1α expression, chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed. Consequently, it was found that vanillin causes inhibition of promoter occupancy by signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), but not nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), on HIF1A . Furthermore, an in vitro migration assay revealed that the motility of melanoma cells stimulated by hypoxia was attenuated by vanillin treatment. In conclusion, we demonstrate that vanillin might be a potential anti-metastatic agent that suppresses metastatic gene expression and migration activity under hypoxia via the STAT3-HIF-1α signaling pathway.

  2. The glycoconjugate sugar residues of the sessile and motile cells in the thymus of normal and cyclosporin-A-treated rats: lectin histochemistry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gheri, G; Gheri Bryk, S; Riccardi, R; Sgambati, E; Cirri Borghi, M B

    2002-01-01

    It is well known that cell surface glycoconjugates play a determinant role in cellular recognition, cell-to-cell adhesion and serve as receptor molecules. T-lymphocytes are in strict contact with the thymic epithelial cells, which control their process of maturation and proliferation. On the other hand the normal maturation of the epithelial cells is believed to be induced by T-lymphocytes. For these reasons we have studied the glycoconjugates saccharidic moieties of the sessile and motile cells in the thymus of normal male albino Wistar rats and their changes following cyclosporin-A treatment, using a battery of seven HRP-lectins. Cytochemical controls were performed for specificity of lectin-sugar reaction. Some sections were pre-treated with neuraminidase prior to staining with HRP-lectins. Our results have demonstrated, in the control rats, a large amount and a variety of terminal and subterminal oligosaccharides within and/or on the epithelial thymic cells and in macrophages. After cyclosporin-A treatment, among the thymic epithelial cells, the subcapsular, paraseptal and perivascular cells showed the loss of some sugar residues, which characterized the same cells in the intact thymus. Some hypotheses are reported on the role played by the glycoconjugate sugar residues in control and cyclosporin-A treated rats.

  3. Trigonellae Semen Enhances Sperm Motility and the Expression of the Cation Sperm Channel Proteins in Mouse Testes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Do Rim Kim

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Genetic defects during spermatogenesis can lead to a reduction in sperm motility and cause male infertility. The cation channels of sperm (CatSper play a role in the regulation of hyperactivated sperm motility in mouse testes. The effect of Trigonellae Semen (TS on the male reproductive system and CatSper protein in mouse testes during spermatogenesis was examined. C57BL/c mice were divided into the following five groups: normal, cyclophosphamide- (CP- only treated (control group, and three groups treated with varying concentrations of TS with CP (100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg TS and 100 mg/kg CP. Real-time PCR, western blot analysis, and a testosterone immunoassay were performed to assess CatSper protein levels in the five groups. Additionally, sperm cell counts and motility were examined. Results indicate that sperm motility and sperm counts increased in the TS treated groups in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.01. CatSper levels were also significantly higher in the TS treated groups compared to that of the control group (p<0.001. Therefore, TS treatment could enhance sperm function by promoting spermatogenesis and the expression of CatSper proteins in mouse testes.

  4. Mutation of Growth Arrest Specific 8 Reveals a Role in Motile Cilia Function and Human Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Wesley R; Malarkey, Erik B; Tritschler, Douglas; Bower, Raqual; Pasek, Raymond C; Porath, Jonathan D; Birket, Susan E; Saunier, Sophie; Antignac, Corinne; Knowles, Michael R; Leigh, Margaret W; Zariwala, Maimoona A; Challa, Anil K; Kesterson, Robert A; Rowe, Steven M; Drummond, Iain A; Parant, John M; Hildebrandt, Friedhelm; Porter, Mary E; Yoder, Bradley K; Berbari, Nicolas F

    2016-07-01

    Ciliopathies are genetic disorders arising from dysfunction of microtubule-based cellular appendages called cilia. Different cilia types possess distinct stereotypic microtubule doublet arrangements with non-motile or 'primary' cilia having a 9+0 and motile cilia have a 9+2 array of microtubule doublets. Primary cilia are critical sensory and signaling centers needed for normal mammalian development. Defects in their structure/function result in a spectrum of clinical and developmental pathologies including abnormal neural tube and limb patterning. Altered patterning phenotypes in the limb and neural tube are due to perturbations in the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway. Motile cilia are important in fluid movement and defects in motility result in chronic respiratory infections, altered left-right asymmetry, and infertility. These features are the hallmarks of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD, OMIM 244400). While mutations in several genes are associated with PCD in patients and animal models, the genetic lesion in many cases is unknown. We assessed the in vivo functions of Growth Arrest Specific 8 (GAS8). GAS8 shares strong sequence similarity with the Chlamydomonas Nexin-Dynein Regulatory Complex (NDRC) protein 4 (DRC4) where it is needed for proper flagella motility. In mammalian cells, the GAS8 protein localizes not only to the microtubule axoneme of motile cilia, but also to the base of non-motile cilia. Gas8 was recently implicated in the Hh signaling pathway as a regulator of Smoothened trafficking into the cilium. Here, we generate the first mouse with a Gas8 mutation and show that it causes severe PCD phenotypes; however, there were no overt Hh pathway phenotypes. In addition, we identified two human patients with missense variants in Gas8. Rescue experiments in Chlamydomonas revealed a subtle defect in swim velocity compared to controls. Further experiments using CRISPR/Cas9 homology driven repair (HDR) to generate one of these human missense variants in

  5. Mutation of Growth Arrest Specific 8 Reveals a Role in Motile Cilia Function and Human Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wesley R Lewis

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Ciliopathies are genetic disorders arising from dysfunction of microtubule-based cellular appendages called cilia. Different cilia types possess distinct stereotypic microtubule doublet arrangements with non-motile or 'primary' cilia having a 9+0 and motile cilia have a 9+2 array of microtubule doublets. Primary cilia are critical sensory and signaling centers needed for normal mammalian development. Defects in their structure/function result in a spectrum of clinical and developmental pathologies including abnormal neural tube and limb patterning. Altered patterning phenotypes in the limb and neural tube are due to perturbations in the hedgehog (Hh signaling pathway. Motile cilia are important in fluid movement and defects in motility result in chronic respiratory infections, altered left-right asymmetry, and infertility. These features are the hallmarks of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD, OMIM 244400. While mutations in several genes are associated with PCD in patients and animal models, the genetic lesion in many cases is unknown. We assessed the in vivo functions of Growth Arrest Specific 8 (GAS8. GAS8 shares strong sequence similarity with the Chlamydomonas Nexin-Dynein Regulatory Complex (NDRC protein 4 (DRC4 where it is needed for proper flagella motility. In mammalian cells, the GAS8 protein localizes not only to the microtubule axoneme of motile cilia, but also to the base of non-motile cilia. Gas8 was recently implicated in the Hh signaling pathway as a regulator of Smoothened trafficking into the cilium. Here, we generate the first mouse with a Gas8 mutation and show that it causes severe PCD phenotypes; however, there were no overt Hh pathway phenotypes. In addition, we identified two human patients with missense variants in Gas8. Rescue experiments in Chlamydomonas revealed a subtle defect in swim velocity compared to controls. Further experiments using CRISPR/Cas9 homology driven repair (HDR to generate one of these human missense

  6. High-resolution esophageal pressure topography for esophageal motility disorders

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hashem Fakhre Yaseri

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: High-resolution manometer (HRM of the esophagus has become the main diagnostic test in the evaluation of esophageal motility disorders. The development of high-resolution manometry catheters and software displays of manometry recordings in color-coded pressure plots have changed the diagnostic assessment of esophageal disease. The first step of the Chicago classification described abnormal esophagogastric junction deglutitive relaxation. The latest classification system, proposed by Pandolfino et al, includes contraction patterns and peristalsis integrity based on integrated relaxation pressure 4 (IRP4. It can be discriminating the achalasia from non-achalasia esophageal motility disorders. The aim of this study was to assessment of clinical findings in non-achalasia esophageal motility disorders based on the most recent Chicago classification. Methods: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study of 963 patients that had been referred to manometry department of Gastrointestinal and Liver Research Center, Firozgar Hospital, Tehran, Iran, from April, 2012 to April, 2015. They had upper GI disorder (Dysphasia, non-cardiac chest pain, regurgitation, heartburn, vomiting and asthma and weight loss. Data were collected from clinical examinations as well as patient questionnaires. Manometry, water-perfused, was done for all patients. Manometry criteria of the patients who had integrated relaxation pressure 4 (IRP4 ≤ 15 mmHg were studied. Results: Our finding showed that the non-achalasia esophageal motility disorders (58% was more common than the achalasia (18.2%. Heartburn (68.5%, regurgitation (65.4% and non-cardiac chest pain (60.6% were the most common clinical symptoms. Although, vomiting (91.7% and weight loss (63% were the most common symptoms in referring patients but did not discriminate this disorders from each other’s. Borderline motor function (67.2% was the most common, absent peristalsis (97% and the hyper

  7. 77 FR 25400 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-04-30

    ... Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Alignment of... crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells) from the People's... Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Initiation of...

  8. Curcumin mediates anticancer effects by modulating multiple cell signaling pathways.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kunnumakkara, Ajaikumar B; Bordoloi, Devivasha; Harsha, Choudhary; Banik, Kishore; Gupta, Subash C; Aggarwal, Bharat B

    2017-08-01

    Curcumin, a component of a spice native to India, was first isolated in 1815 by Vogel and Pelletier from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa (turmeric) and, subsequently, the chemical structure of curcumin as diferuloylmethane was reported by Milobedzka et al. [(1910) 43., 2163-2170]. Since then, this polyphenol has been shown to exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. The current review primarily focuses on the anticancer potential of curcumin through the modulation of multiple cell signaling pathways. Curcumin modulates diverse transcription factors, inflammatory cytokines, enzymes, kinases, growth factors, receptors, and various other proteins with an affinity ranging from the pM to the mM range. Furthermore, curcumin effectively regulates tumor cell growth via modulation of numerous cell signaling pathways and potentiates the effect of chemotherapeutic agents and radiation against cancer. Curcumin can interact with most of the targets that are modulated by FDA-approved drugs for cancer therapy. The focus of this review is to discuss the molecular basis for the anticancer activities of curcumin based on preclinical and clinical findings. © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

  9. Solar concentrator modules with silicone-onglass Fresnel lens panels and multijunction cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumyantsev, Valery D

    2010-04-26

    High-efficiency multijunction (MJ) solar cells, being very expensive to manufacture, should only be used in combination with solar concentrators in terrestrial applications. An essential cost reduction of electric power produced by photovoltaic (PV) installations with MJ cells, may be expected by the creation of highly-effective, but inexpensive, elements for optical concentration and sun tracking. This article is an overview of the corresponding approach under development at the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute. The approach to R&D of the solar PV modules is based on the concepts of sunlight concentration by small-aperture area Fresnel lenses and "all-glass" module design. The small-aperture area lenses are arranged as a panel with silicone-on-glass structure where the glass plate serves as the front surface of a module. In turn, high-efficiency InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge cells are arranged on a rear module panel mounted on a glass plate which functions as a heat sink and integrated protective cover for the cells. The developed PV modules and sun trackers are characterized by simple design, and are regarded as the prototypes for further commercialization.

  10. Seeking sunlight: rapid phototactic motility of filamentous mat-forming cyanobacteria optimize photosynthesis and enhance carbon burial in Lake Huron's submerged sinkholes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Biddanda, Bopaiah A; McMillan, Adam C; Long, Stephen A; Snider, Michael J; Weinke, Anthony D

    2015-01-01

    We studied the motility of filamentous mat-forming cyanobacteria consisting primarily of Oscillatoria-like cells growing under low-light, low-oxygen, and high-sulfur conditions in Lake Huron's submerged sinkholes using in situ observations, in vitro measurements and time-lapse microscopy. Gliding movement of the cyanobacterial trichomes (100-10,000 μm long filaments, composed of cells ∼10 μm wide and ∼3 μm tall) revealed individual as well as group-coordinated motility. When placed in a petri dish and dispersed in ground water from the sinkhole, filaments re-aggregated into defined colonies within minutes, then dispersed again. Speed of individual filaments increased with temperature from ∼50 μm min(-1) or ∼15 body lengths min(-1) at 10°C to ∼215 μm min(-1) or ∼70 body lengths min(-1) at 35°C - rates that are rapid relative to non-flagellated/ciliated microbes. Filaments exhibited precise and coordinated positive phototaxis toward pinpoints of light and congregated under the light of foil cutouts. Such light-responsive clusters showed an increase in photosynthetic yield - suggesting phototactic motility aids in light acquisition as well as photosynthesis. Once light source was removed, filaments slowly spread out evenly and re-aggregated, demonstrating coordinated movement through inter-filament communication regardless of light. Pebbles and pieces of broken shells placed upon intact mat were quickly covered by vertically motile filaments within hours and became fully buried in the anoxic sediments over 3-4 diurnal cycles - likely facilitating the preservation of falling debris. Coordinated horizontal and vertical filament motility optimize mat cohesion and dynamics, photosynthetic efficiency and sedimentary carbon burial in modern-day sinkhole habitats that resemble the shallow seas in Earth's early history. Analogous cyanobacterial motility may have played a key role in the oxygenation of the planet by optimizing photosynthesis while favoring

  11. Electroacupuncture at LI11 promotes jejunal motility via the parasympathetic pathway.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xuanming; Yuan, Mengqian; Yin, Yin; Wang, Yidan; Li, Yuqin; Zhang, Na; Sun, Xueyi; Yu, Zhi; Xu, Bin

    2017-06-21

    Gastrointestinal motility disorder has been demonstrated to be regulated by acupuncture treatment. The mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture stimulation of abdominal and lower limb acupoints on gastrointestinal motility have been thoroughly studied; however, the physiology underlying the effects of acupuncture on the forelimbs to mediate gastrointestinal motility requires further exploration. The aim of this study was to determine whether electroacupuncture (EA) at LI11 promotes jejunal motility, whether the parasympathetic pathway participates in this effect, and if so, which somatic afferent nerve fibres are involved. A manometric balloon was used to observe jejunal motility. The effects and mechanisms of EA at LI11 were explored in male Sprague-Dawley rats with or without drug administration (propranolol, clenbuterol, acetylcholine, and atropine) and with or without vagotomy. Three types of male mice (β 1 β 2 receptor-knockout [β 1 β 2 -/- ] mice, M 2 M 3 receptor-knockout [M 2 M 3 -/- ] mice and wild-type [WT] mice) were also studied by using different EA intensities (1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 mA). A total of 72 rats and 56 mice were included in the study. EA at LI11 increased the contractile amplitude of jejunal motility in the majority of both rats and mice. However, EA at LI11 did not enhance jejunal motility in rats administered atropine, rats that underwent vagotomy, and M 2 M 3 -‍‍/- mice (at all intensities). In WT mice, EA at LI11 significantly increased jejunal motility at all intensities except 1 mA, and a plateau was reached at intensities greater than 4 mA. Our results suggest that EA at LI11 promotes jejunal motility primarily by exciting the parasympathetic pathway, and that Aδ-fibres and C-fibres may play important roles in the process.

  12. The relationship between gastrointestinal motility and gastric dilatation-volvulus in dogs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gazzola, Krista M; Nelson, Laura L

    2014-09-01

    Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a devastating disease that most commonly affects large and giant-breed dogs. Though a number of risk factors have been associated with the development of GDV, the etiology of GDV remains unclear. Abnormal gastric motility patterns and delayed gastric emptying have been previously described in dogs following GDV. Work evaluating the effects of gastropexy procedures and changes to gastric motility after experimental GDV has not found the same changes as those found in dogs with naturally occurring GDV. Although the role of abnormal gastric motility in dogs with GDV will need to be clarified with additional research, such study is likely to be facilitated by improved access to and development of noninvasive measurement techniques for the evaluation of gastric emptying and other motility parameters. In particular, the availability of Food and Drug Administration-approved wireless motility devices for the evaluation of gastrointestinal motility is particularly promising in the study of GDV and other functional gastrointestinal diseases of large and giant-breed dogs. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  13. Atkinesin-13A Modulates Cell-Wall Synthesis and Cell Expansion in Arabidopsis thaliana via the THESEUS1 Pathway

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujikura, Ushio; Elsaesser, Lore; Breuninger, Holger; Sánchez-Rodríguez, Clara; Ivakov, Alexander; Laux, Thomas; Findlay, Kim; Persson, Staffan; Lenhard, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Growth of plant organs relies on cell proliferation and expansion. While an increasingly detailed picture about the control of cell proliferation is emerging, our knowledge about the control of cell expansion remains more limited. We demonstrate here that the internal-motor kinesin AtKINESIN-13A (AtKIN13A) limits cell expansion and cell size in Arabidopsis thaliana, with loss-of-function atkin13a mutants forming larger petals with larger cells. The homolog, AtKINESIN-13B, also affects cell expansion and double mutants display growth, gametophytic and early embryonic defects, indicating a redundant role of the two genes. AtKIN13A is known to depolymerize microtubules and influence Golgi motility and distribution. Consistent with this function, AtKIN13A interacts genetically with ANGUSTIFOLIA, encoding a regulator of Golgi dynamics. Reduced AtKIN13A activity alters cell wall structure as assessed by Fourier-transformed infrared-spectroscopy and triggers signalling via the THESEUS1-dependent cell-wall integrity pathway, which in turn promotes the excess cell expansion in the atkin13a mutant. Thus, our results indicate that the intracellular activity of AtKIN13A regulates cell expansion and wall architecture via THESEUS1, providing a compelling case of interplay between cell wall integrity sensing and expansion. PMID:25232944

  14. Performance of Photovoltaic Modules of Different Solar Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankita Gaur

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this paper, an attempt of performance evaluation of semitransparent and opaque photovoltaic (PV modules of different generation solar cells, having the maximum efficiencies reported in the literature at standard test conditions (STC, has been carried out particularly for the months of January and June. The outdoor performance is also evaluated for the commercially available semitransparent and opaque PV modules. Annual electrical energy, capitalized cost, annualized uniform cost (unacost, and cost per unit electrical energy for both types of solar modules, namely, semitransparent and opaque have also been computed along with their characteristics curves. Semitransparent PV modules have shown higher efficiencies compared to the opaque ones. Calculations show that for the PV modules made in laboratory, CdTe exhibits the maximum annual electrical energy generation resulting into minimum cost per unit electrical energy, whereas a-Si/nc-Si possesses the maximum annual electrical energy generation giving minimum cost per unit electrical energy when commercially available solar modules are concerned. CIGS has shown the lowest capitalized cost over all other PV technologies.

  15. Sphincter of Oddi motility

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Funch-Jensen, P; Ebbehøj, N

    1996-01-01

    Gastroenterology. RESULTS: The SO is a zone with an elevated basal pressure with superimposed phasic contractions. It acts mainly as a resistor in the regulation of bile flow. Neurohormonal regulation influences the motility pattern. The contractions are under the control of slow waves. Clinical subgroups show...

  16. Diacylglycerol kinase α mediates 17-β-estradiol-induced proliferation, motility, and anchorage-independent growth of Hec-1A endometrial cancer cell line through the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor GPR30.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filigheddu, Nicoletta; Sampietro, Sara; Chianale, Federica; Porporato, Paolo E; Gaggianesi, Miriam; Gregnanin, Ilaria; Rainero, Elena; Ferrara, Michele; Perego, Beatrice; Riboni, Francesca; Baldanzi, Gianluca; Graziani, Andrea; Surico, Nicola

    2011-12-01

    Increased levels of endogenous and/or exogenous estrogens are one of the well known risk factors of endometrial cancer. Diacylglycerol kinases (DGKs) are a family of enzymes which phosphorylate diacylglycerol (DAG) to produce phosphatidic acid (PA), thus turning off and on DAG-mediated and PA-mediated signaling pathways, respectively. DGK α activity is stimulated by growth factors and oncogenes and is required for chemotactic, proliferative, and angiogenic signaling in vitro. Herein, using either specific siRNAs or the pharmacological inhibitor R59949, we demonstrate that DGK α activity is required for 17-β-estradiol (E2)-induced proliferation, motility, and anchorage-independent growth of Hec-1A endometrial cancer cell line. Impairment of DGK α activity also influences basal cell proliferation and growth in soft agar of Hec-1A, while it has no effects on basal cell motility. Moreover, we show that DGK α activity induced by E2, as well as its observed effects, are mediated by the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor GPR30 (GPER). These findings suggest that DGK α may be a potential target in endometrial cancer therapy. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Radiological evaluation of esophageal motility and gastroesophageal reflux disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schima, W.; Pokieser, P.; Schober, E.

    1995-01-01

    Radiological evaluation of esophageal motility and the lower esophageal sphincter has gained increased attention in recent years. Videofluoroscopic investigation of esophageal motor function is superior to static film radiography, as repeated analysis of the videotaped recordings is possible. With emphasis on radiological techniques, normal esophagel physiology and motility and a variety of esophageal motor disorders are discussed in this review paper. Radiological evaluation of gastroesophageal reflux and reflux esophagitis is described. Clinical and radiological findings in esophageal motility disorders and gastroesophageal reflux disease and the radiological efficacy compared to that of manometry and pH-metry are discussed. (orig.) [de

  18. Relationship between Porcine Sperm Motility and Sperm Enzymatic Activity using Paper-based Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsuura, Koji; Huang, Han-Wei; Chen, Ming-Cheng; Chen, Yu; Cheng, Chao-Min

    2017-04-01

    Mammalian sperm motility has traditionally been analyzed to determine fertility using computer-assisted semen analysis (CASA) systems. To develop low-cost and robust male fertility diagnostics, we created a paper-based MTT assay and used it to estimate motile sperm concentration. When porcine sperm motility was inhibited using sperm enzyme inhibitors for sperm enzymes related to mitochondrial activity and glycolysis, we simultaneously recorded sperm motility and enzymatic reactivity using a portable motility analysis system (iSperm) and a paper-based MTT assay, respectively. When using our paper-based MTT-assay, we calculated the area mean value signal intensity (AMV) to evaluate enzymatic reactivity. Both sperm motility and AMV decreased following treatment with iodoacetamide (IODO) and 3-bromopyruvic acid (3BP), both of which are inhibitors of glycolytic enzymes including glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). We found a correlation between recorded motility using iSperm and AMV from our paper-based assay (P Based on this inhibitor study, sperm motility can be estimated using our paper-based MTT-assay.

  19. Modulation of hepatic stellate cells and reversibility of hepatic fibrosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Yu, E-mail: 1293363632@QQ.com [Faculty of Graduate Studies of Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530001, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China); Deng, Xin, E-mail: Hendly@163.com [Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, 10 East China Road, Nanning 530011, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China); Liang, Jian, E-mail: lj99669@163.com [Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530001, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China)

    2017-03-15

    Hepatic fibrosis (HF) is the pathological component of a variety of chronic liver diseases. Hepatic stellate cells (HSC) are the main collagen-producing cells in the liver and their activation promotes HF. If HSC activation and proliferation can be inhibited, HF occurrence and development can theoretically be reduced and even reversed. Over the past ten years, a number of studies have addressed this process, and here we present a review of HSC modulation and HF reversal. - Highlights: • We present a review of the modulation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) and reversibility of hepatic fibrosis (HF). • HSC are the foci of HF occurrence and development, HF could be prevented and treated by modulating HSC. • If HSC activation and proliferation can be inhibited, HF could theoretically be inhibited and even reversed. • Prevention or reversal of HSC activation, or promotion of HSC apoptosis, immune elimination, and senescence may prevent, inhibit or reverse HF.

  20. Bidirectional motility of the fission yeast kinesin-5, Cut7

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Edamatsu, Masaki, E-mail: cedam@mail.ecc.u-tokyo.ac.jp

    2014-03-28

    Highlights: • Motile properties of Cut7 (fission yeast kinesin-5) were studied for the first time. • Half-length Cut7 moved toward plus-end direction of microtubule. • Full-length Cut7 moved toward minus-end direction of microtubule. • N- and C-terminal microtubule binding sites did not switch the motile direction. - Abstract: Kinesin-5 is a homotetrameric motor with its motor domain at the N-terminus. Kinesin-5 crosslinks microtubules and functions in separating spindle poles during mitosis. In this study, the motile properties of Cut7, fission yeast kinesin-5, were examined for the first time. In in vitro motility assays, full-length Cut7 moved toward minus-end of microtubules, but the N-terminal half of Cut7 moved toward the opposite direction. Furthermore, additional truncated constructs lacking the N-terminal or C-terminal regions, but still contained the motor domain, did not switch the motile direction. These indicated that Cut7 was a bidirectional motor, and microtubule binding regions at the N-terminus and C-terminus were not involved in its directionality.

  1. The management of motility disorders in critical illness | Retief ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Gastric motility disorders in the intensive care unit (ICU) are a reality leading to many complications including inadequate EN delivery. Care should be taken to understand what type of gastric motility disorder is present and therapy should be prescribed early to prevent worsening of clinical outcomes.

  2. Wavelength-modulated spectroscopy of the sub-bandgap response of solar cell devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mandanirina, N.H., E-mail: s213514095@nmmu.ac.za; Botha, J.R.; Wagener, M.C.

    2016-01-01

    A wavelength-modulation setup for measuring the differential photo-response of a GaSb/GaAs quantum ring solar cell structure is reported. The pseudo-monochromatic wavelength is modulated at the output of a conventional monochromator by means of a vibrating slit mechanism. The vibrating slit was able to modulate the excitation wavelength up to 33 nm. The intensity of the light beam was kept constant through a unique flux correction module, designed and built in-house. The setup enabled measurements in the near-infrared range (from 1000 to 1300 nm), which is specifically used to probe the sub-band gap differential photo-response of GaAs solar cells.

  3. Snail modulates cell metabolism in MDCK cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haraguchi, Misako, E-mail: haraguci@m3.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Indo, Hiroko P. [Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Iwasaki, Yasumasa [Health Care Center, Kochi University, Kochi 780-8520 (Japan); Iwashita, Yoichiro [Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Fukushige, Tomoko [Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Majima, Hideyuki J. [Department of Maxillofacial Radiology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Izumo, Kimiko; Horiuchi, Masahisa [Department of Environmental Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Kanekura, Takuro [Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Furukawa, Tatsuhiko [Department of Molecular Oncology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan); Ozawa, Masayuki [Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-8544 (Japan)

    2013-03-22

    Highlights: ► MDCK/snail cells were more sensitive to glucose deprivation than MDCK/neo cells. ► MDCK/snail cells had decreased oxidative phosphorylation, O{sub 2} consumption and ATP content. ► TCA cycle enzyme activity, but not expression, was lower in MDCK/snail cells. ► MDCK/snail cells showed reduced PDH activity and increased PDK1 expression. ► MDCK/snail cells showed reduced expression of GLS2 and ACLY. -- Abstract: Snail, a repressor of E-cadherin gene transcription, induces epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and is involved in tumor progression. Snail also mediates resistance to cell death induced by serum depletion. By contrast, we observed that snail-expressing MDCK (MDCK/snail) cells undergo cell death at a higher rate than control (MDCK/neo) cells in low-glucose medium. Therefore, we investigated whether snail expression influences cell metabolism in MDCK cells. Although gylcolysis was not affected in MDCK/snail cells, they did exhibit reduced pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity, which controls pyruvate entry into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Indeed, the activity of multiple enzymes involved in the TCA cycle was decreased in MDCK/snail cells, including that of mitochondrial NADP{sup +}-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH2), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and electron transport Complex II and Complex IV. Consequently, lower ATP content, lower oxygen consumption and increased survival under hypoxic conditions was also observed in MDCK/snail cells compared to MDCK/neo cells. In addition, the expression and promoter activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1), which phosphorylates and inhibits the activity of PDH, was increased in MDCK/snail cells, while expression levels of glutaminase 2 (GLS2) and ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), which are involved in glutaminolysis and fatty acid synthesis, were decreased in MDCK/snail cells. These results suggest that snail modulates cell metabolism by altering the expression and activity of

  4. Magnet Tracking: a new tool for in vivo studies of the rat gastrointestinal motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guignet, R; Bergonzelli, G; Schlageter, V; Turini, M; Kucera, P

    2006-06-01

    Digestive motility was studied in the rat using a miniaturized version of the Magnet Tracking system which monitored the progression of a small magnetic pill through the entire digestive tract. The dynamics of movement was followed and three-dimensional (3-D) images of digestive tract were generated. After a retention period in the stomach and rapid passage through duodenum, the magnet progressed along the small intestine with gradually decreasing speed and longer stationary periods. It remained in the caecum for variable intervals. In the colon, periods of progress alternated with long quiescent periods. Gastric activity oscillated at 5-6 min(-1). In the small intestine, two frequency domains coexisted, showing independent modulations and proximo-distal gradients (40 to >32 and 28 to >20 min(-1)). Caecal oscillations were of 1.5 min(-1). The data allowed the magnet location and calculation of gastric and small intestinal transit times (58 +/- 36 and 83 +/- 14 min respectively), both significantly prolonged by oleate administration (243 +/- 130 and 170 +/- 45 min respectively). Magnet Tracking is a non-invasive tool to study the in vivo spatial and temporal organization of gastrointestinal motility in the rat.

  5. The histone deacetylase inhibitor Trichostatin A modulates CD4+ T cell responses

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Moreira, José Manuel Alfonso; Scheipers, Peter; Sørensen, Poul

    2003-01-01

    though several genes modulated by HDAC inhibition have been identified, those genes clearly responsible for the biological effects of these drugs have remained elusive. We investigated the pharmacological effect of the HDACI and potential anti-cancer agent Trichostatin A (TSA) on primary T cells.......Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACIs) induce hyperacetylation of core histones modulating chromatin structure and affecting gene expression. These compounds are also able to induce growth arrest, cell differentiation, and apoptotic cell death of tumor cells in vitro as well as in vivo. Even...

  6. Glucocorticoid regulation of a novel HPV-E6-p53-miR-145 pathway modulates invasion and therapy resistance of cervical cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shi, Ming; Du, Libin; Liu, Dan; Qian, Lu; Hu, Meiru; Yu, Ming; Yang, Zhengyan; Zhao, Mingzhen; Chen, Changguo; Guo, Liang; Wang, Lina; Song, Lun; Ma, Yuanfang; Guo, Ning

    2012-10-01

    Glucocorticoids are stress-responsive neuroendocrine mediators and play an important role in malignant progression, especially in solid tumours. We demonstrate a novel mechanism by which glucocorticoids modulate p53-dependent miR-145 expression in HPV-positive cervical cancer cells through induction of E6 proteins. We found that expression of miR-145 was reduced in cervical cancer tissues. Cortisol induced HPV-E6 expression and suppressed p53 and miR-145 in cervical cancer cells. MiR-145 expression in cervical cancer cells was wild-type p53-dependent, and cortisol-induced down-regulation of miR-145 expression prevented chemotherapy-induced apoptosis, whereas over-expression of miR-145 enhanced sensitivity to mitomycin and reversed the chemoresistance induced by glucocorticoids. We also show that miR-145 augments the effects of p53 by suppressing the inhibitors of p53 in cervical cancer cells, suggesting that miR-145 plays a role in p53 tumour suppression. Finally, we demonstrate that miR-145 inhibits both the motility and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Our findings identify a novel pathway through which the neuroendocrine macroenvironment affects cervical tumour growth, invasion and therapy resistance and show that miR-145 may serve as a target for cervical cancer therapy. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  7. Influence of modulation frequency in rubidium cell frequency standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Audoin, C.; Viennet, J.; Cyr, N.; Vanier, J.

    1983-01-01

    The error signal which is used to control the frequency of the quartz crystal oscillator of a passive rubidium cell frequency standard is considered. The value of the slope of this signal, for an interrogation frequency close to the atomic transition frequency is calculated and measured for various phase (or frequency) modulation waveforms, and for several values of the modulation frequency. A theoretical analysis is made using a model which applies to a system in which the optical pumping rate, the relaxation rates and the RF field are homogeneous. Results are given for sine-wave phase modulation, square-wave frequency modulation and square-wave phase modulation. The influence of the modulation frequency on the slope of the error signal is specified. It is shown that the modulation frequency can be chosen as large as twice the non-saturated full-width at half-maximum without a drastic loss of the sensitivity to an offset of the interrogation frequency from center line, provided that the power saturation factor and the amplitude of modulation are properly adjusted.

  8. Characterizing the adhesion of motile and nonmotile Escherichia coli to a glass surface using a parallel-plate flow chamber.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McClaine, Jennifer W; Ford, Roseanne M

    2002-04-20

    A parallel-plate flow chamber was used to measure the attachment and detachment rates of Escherichia coli to a glass surface at various fluid velocities. The effect of flagella on adhesion was investigated by performing experiments with several E. coli strains: AW405 (motile); HCB136 (nonmotile mutant with paralyzed flagella); and HCB137 (nonmotile mutant without flagella). We compared the total attachment rates and the fraction of bacteria retained on the surface to determine how the presence and movement of the flagella influence transport to the surface and adhesion strength in this dynamic system. At the lower fluid velocities, there was no significant difference in the total attachment rates for the three bacterial strains; nonmotile strains settled at a rate that was of the same order of magnitude as the diffusion rate of the motile strain. At the highest fluid velocity, the effect of settling was minimized to better illustrate the importance of motility, and the attachment rates of both nonmotile strains were approximately five times slower than that of the motile bacteria. Thus, different processes controlled the attachment rate depending on the parameter regime in which the experiment was performed. The fractions of motile bacteria retained on the glass surface increased with increasing velocity, whereas the opposite trend was found for the nonmotile strains. This suggests that the rotation of the flagella enables cells to detach from the surface (at the lower fluid velocities) and strengthens adhesion (at higher fluid velocities), whereas nonmotile cells detach as a result of shear. There was no significant difference in the initial attachment rates of the two nonmotile species, which suggests that merely the presence of flagella was not important in this stage of biofilm development. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. The Rcs regulon in Proteus mirabilis: implications for motility, biofilm formation, and virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Howery, Kristen E; Clemmer, Katy M; Rather, Philip N

    2016-11-01

    The overall role of the Rcs phosphorelay in Proteus mirabilis is largely unknown. Previous work had demonstrated that the Rcs phosphorelay represses the flhDC operon and activates the minCDE cell division inhibition system. To identify additional cellular functions regulated by the Rcs phosphorelay, an analysis of RNA-seq data was undertaken. In this report, the results of the RNA-sequencing are discussed with an emphasis on the predicted roles of the Rcs phosphorelay in swarmer cell differentiation, motility, biofilm formation, and virulence. RcsB is shown to activate genes important for differentiation and fimbriae formation, while repressing the expression of genes important for motility and virulence. Additionally, to follow up on the RNA-Seq data, we demonstrate that an rcsB mutant is deficient in its ability to form biofilm and exhibits enhanced virulence in a Galleria mellonella waxworm model. Overall, these results indicate the Rcs regulon in P. mirabilis extends beyond flagellar genes to include those involved in biofilm formation and virulence. Furthermore, the information presented in this study may provide clues to additional roles of the Rcs phosphorelay in other members of the Enterobacteriaceae.

  10. Transparent electrode requirements for thin film solar cell modules

    KAUST Repository

    Rowell, Michael W.; McGehee, Michael D.

    2011-01-01

    The transparent conductor (TC) layer in thin film solar cell modules has a significant impact on the power conversion efficiency. Reflection, absorption, resistive losses and lost active area either from the scribed interconnect region in monolithically integrated modules or from the shadow losses of a metal grid in standard modules typically reduce the efficiency by 10-25%. Here, we perform calculations to show that a competitive TC must have a transparency of at least 90% at a sheet resistance of less than 10 Ω/sq (conductivity/absorptivity ≥ 1 Ω -1) for monolithically integrated modules. For standard modules, losses are much lower and the performance of alternative lower cost TC materials may already be sufficient to replace conducting oxides in this geometry. © 2011 The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  11. [Motility disorders of the esophagus].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bruder, E; Rougemont, A-L; Furlano, R I; Schneider, J F; Mayr, J; Haecker, F-M; Beier, K; Schneider, J; Weber, P; Berberich, T; Cathomas, G; Meier-Ruge, W A

    2013-03-01

    Motility disorders of the esophagus comprise a heterogeneous spectrum of diseases. Primary malformations of the esophagus are now amenable to improved surgical and gastroenterological therapies; however, they often lead to persistent long-term esophageal dysmotility. Achalasia originates from impaired relaxation of the gastroesophageal sphincter apparatus. Systemic diseases may give rise to secondary disorders of esophageal motility. A number of visceral neuromuscular disorders show an esophageal manifestation but aganglionosis rarely extends into the esophagus. The growing group of myopathies includes metabolic and mitochondrial disorders with increasing levels of genetic characterization and incipient emergence of therapeutic strategies. Esophagitis with an infectious etiology causes severe dysmotility particularly in immunocompromised patients. Immunologically mediated inflammatory processes involving the esophagus are increasingly better understood. Finally, rare tumors and tumor-like lesions may impair esophageal motor function.

  12. Nonlinear instability in flagellar dynamics: a novel modulation mechanism in sperm migration?

    KAUST Repository

    Gadelha, H.

    2010-05-12

    Throughout biology, cells and organisms use flagella and cilia to propel fluid and achieve motility. The beating of these organelles, and the corresponding ability to sense, respond to and modulate this beat is central to many processes in health and disease. While the mechanics of flagellum-fluid interaction has been the subject of extensive mathematical studies, these models have been restricted to being geometrically linear or weakly nonlinear, despite the high curvatures observed physiologically. We study the effect of geometrical nonlinearity, focusing on the spermatozoon flagellum. For a wide range of physiologically relevant parameters, the nonlinear model predicts that flagellar compression by the internal forces initiates an effective buckling behaviour, leading to a symmetry-breaking bifurcation that causes profound and complicated changes in the waveform and swimming trajectory, as well as the breakdown of the linear theory. The emergent waveform also induces curved swimming in an otherwise symmetric system, with the swimming trajectory being sensitive to head shape-no signalling or asymmetric forces are required. We conclude that nonlinear models are essential in understanding the flagellar waveform in migratory human sperm; these models will also be invaluable in understanding motile flagella and cilia in other systems.

  13. Regulation of adipose-tissue-derived stromal cell orientation and motility in 2D- and 3D-cultures by direct-current electrical field.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Gang; Long, Haiyan; Ren, Xiaomei; Ma, Kunlong; Xiao, Zhenghua; Wang, Ying; Guo, Yingqiang

    2017-02-01

    Cell alignment and motility play a critical role in a variety of cell behaviors, including cytoskeleton reorganization, membrane-protein relocation, nuclear gene expression, and extracellular matrix remodeling. Direct current electric field (EF) in vitro can direct many types of cells to align vertically to EF vector. In this work, we investigated the effects of EF stimulation on rat adipose-tissue-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) in 2D-culture on plastic culture dishes and in 3D-culture on various scaffold materials, including collagen hydrogels, chitosan hydrogels and poly(L-lactic acid)/gelatin electrospinning fibers. Rat ADSCs were exposed to various physiological-strength EFs in a homemade EF-bioreactor. Changes of morphology and movements of cells affected by applied EFs were evaluated by time-lapse microphotography, and cell survival rates and intracellular calcium oscillations were also detected. Results showed that EF facilitated ADSC morphological changes, under 6 V/cm EF strength, and that ADSCs in 2D-culture aligned vertically to EF vector and kept a good cell survival rate. In 3D-culture, cell galvanotaxis responses were subject to the synergistic effect of applied EF and scaffold materials. Fast cell movement and intracellular calcium activities were observed in the cells of 3D-culture. We believe our research will provide some experimental references for the future study in cell galvanotaxis behaviors. © 2017 Japanese Society of Developmental Biologists.

  14. Evaluation of esophageal motility utilizing the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carlson, Dustin A.; Kahrilas, Peter J.; Lin, Zhiyue; Hirano, Ikuo; Gonsalves, Nirmala; Listernick, Zoe; Ritter, Katherine; Tye, Michael; Ponds, Fraukje A.; Wong, Ian; Pandolfino, John E.

    2016-01-01

    Background Esophagogastric junction (EGJ) distensibility and distension-mediated peristalsis can be assessed with the functional lumen imaging probe (FLIP) during a sedated upper endoscopy. We aimed to describe esophageal motility assessment using FLIP topography in patients presenting with dysphagia. Methods 145 patients (ages 18 – 85, 54% female) with dysphagia that completed upper endoscopy with a 16-cm FLIP assembly and high-resolution manometry (HRM) were included. HRM was analyzed according to the Chicago Classification of esophageal motility disorders; major esophageal motility disorders were considered ‘abnormal’. FLIP studies were analyzed using a customized program to calculate the EGJ-distensibility index (DI) and generate FLIP topography plots to identify esophageal contractility patterns. FLIP topography was considered ‘abnormal’ if EGJ-DI was esophageal motility and 29 normal motility. 17 (50%) had abnormal FLIP topography including 13 (37%) with abnormal EGJ-DI. Conclusions FLIP topography provides a well-tolerated method for esophageal motility assessment (especially to identify achalasia) at the time of upper endoscopy. FLIP topography findings that are discordant with HRM may indicate otherwise undetected abnormalities of esophageal function, thus FLIP provides an alternative and complementary method to HRM for evaluation of non-obstructive dysphagia. PMID:27725650

  15. Kinesin-3 and dynein cooperate in long-range retrograde endosome motility along a nonuniform microtubule array

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schuster, M.; Kilaru, S.; Fink, G.; Collemare, J.A.R.; Roger, Y.; Steinberg, G.

    2011-01-01

    The polarity of microtubules (MTs) determines the motors for intracellular motility, with kinesins moving to plus ends and dynein to minus ends. In elongated cells of Ustilago maydis, dynein is thought to move early endosomes (EEs) toward the septum (retrograde), whereas kinesin-3 transports them to

  16. Cell module and fuel conditioner development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoover, D. Q., Jr.

    1980-01-01

    Components for the first 5 cell stack (no cooling plates) of the MK-2 design were fabricated. Preliminary specfications and designs for the components of a 23 cell MK-1 stack with four DIGAS cooling plates were developed. The MK-2 was selected as a bench mark design and a preliminary design of the facilities required for high rate manufacture of fuel cell modules was developed. Two stands for testing 5 cell stacks were built and design work for modifying existing stands and building new stands for 23 and 80 cell stacks was initiated. Design and procurement of components and materials for the catalyst test stand were completed and construction initiated. Work on the specifications of pipeline gas, tap water and recovered water and definition of equipment required for treatment was initiated. An innovative geometry for the reformer was conceived and modifications of the computer program to be used in its design were stated.

  17. Seeking sunlight: rapid phototactic motility of filamentous mat-forming cyanobacteria optimize photosynthesis and enhance carbon burial in Lake Huron’s submerged sinkholes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bopaiah A Biddanda

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available We studied the motility of filamentous mat-forming cyanobacteria consisting primarily of Oscillatoria-like cells growing under low-light, low-oxygen and high-sulfur conditions in Lake Huron’s submerged sinkholes using in situ observations, in vitro measurements and time-lapse microscopy. Gliding movement of the cyanobacterial trichomes (100-10,000 µm long filaments, composed of cells ~10 µm wide and ~3 µm tall revealed individual as well as group-coordinated motility. When placed in a petri dish and dispersed in ground water from the sinkhole, filaments re-aggregated into defined colonies within minutes, then dispersed again. Speed of individual filaments increased with temperature from ~50 µm minute-1 or ~15 body lengths minute-1 at 10°C to ~215 µm minute-1 or ~70 body lengths minute-1 at 35°C – rates that are rapid relative to non-flagellated/ciliated microbes. Filaments exhibited precise and coordinated positive phototaxis towards pinpoints of light and congregated under the light of foil cutouts. Such light-responsive clusters showed an increase in photosynthetic yield – suggesting phototactic motility aids in light acquisition as well as photosynthesis. Once light source was removed, filaments slowly spread out evenly and re-aggregated, demonstrating coordinated movement through inter-filament communication regardless of light. Pebbles and pieces of broken shells placed upon intact mat were quickly covered by vertically motile filaments within hours and became fully buried in the anoxic sediments over 3-4 diurnal cycles – likely facilitating the preservation of falling debris. Coordinated horizontal and vertical filament motility optimize mat cohesion and dynamics, photosynthetic efficiency and sedimentary carbon burial in modern-day sinkhole habitats that resemble the shallow seas in Earth’s early history. Analogous cyanobacterial motility may have played a key role in the oxygenation of the planet by optimizing

  18. Probiotic Modulation of Innate Cell Pathogen Sensing and Signaling Events

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy Llewellyn

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available There is a growing body of evidence documenting probiotic bacteria to have a beneficial effect to the host through their ability to modulate the mucosal immune system. Many probiotic bacteria can be considered to act as either immune activators or immune suppressors, which have appreciable influence on homeostasis, inflammatory- and suppressive-immunopathology. What is becoming apparent is the ability of these probiotics to modulate innate immune responses via direct or indirect effects on the signaling pathways that drive these activatory or suppressive/tolerogenic mechanisms. This review will focus on the immunomodulatory role of probiotics on signaling pathways in innate immune cells: from positive to negative regulation associated with innate immune cells driving gut mucosal functionality. Research investigations have shown probiotics to modulate innate functionality in many ways including, receptor antagonism, receptor expression, binding to and expression of adaptor proteins, expression of negative regulatory signal molecules, induction of micro-RNAs, endotoxin tolerisation and finally, the secretion of immunomodulatory proteins, lipids and metabolites. The detailed understanding of the immunomodulatory signaling effects of probiotic strains will facilitate strain-specific selective manipulation of innate cell signal mechanisms in the modulation of mucosal adjuvanticity, immune deviation and tolerisation in both healthy subjects and patients with inflammatory and suppressive pathology.

  19. Probiotic Modulation of Innate Cell Pathogen Sensing and Signaling Events

    Science.gov (United States)

    Llewellyn, Amy; Foey, Andrew

    2017-01-01

    There is a growing body of evidence documenting probiotic bacteria to have a beneficial effect to the host through their ability to modulate the mucosal immune system. Many probiotic bacteria can be considered to act as either immune activators or immune suppressors, which have appreciable influence on homeostasis, inflammatory- and suppressive-immunopathology. What is becoming apparent is the ability of these probiotics to modulate innate immune responses via direct or indirect effects on the signaling pathways that drive these activatory or suppressive/tolerogenic mechanisms. This review will focus on the immunomodulatory role of probiotics on signaling pathways in innate immune cells: from positive to negative regulation associated with innate immune cells driving gut mucosal functionality. Research investigations have shown probiotics to modulate innate functionality in many ways including, receptor antagonism, receptor expression, binding to and expression of adaptor proteins, expression of negative regulatory signal molecules, induction of micro-RNAs, endotoxin tolerisation and finally, the secretion of immunomodulatory proteins, lipids and metabolites. The detailed understanding of the immunomodulatory signaling effects of probiotic strains will facilitate strain-specific selective manipulation of innate cell signal mechanisms in the modulation of mucosal adjuvanticity, immune deviation and tolerisation in both healthy subjects and patients with inflammatory and suppressive pathology. PMID:29065562

  20. THP-1 cell line: an in vitro cell model for immune modulation approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanput, Wasaporn; Mes, Jurriaan J; Wichers, Harry J

    2014-11-01

    THP-1 is a human leukemia monocytic cell line, which has been extensively used to study monocyte/macrophage functions, mechanisms, signaling pathways, and nutrient and drug transport. This cell line has become a common model to estimate modulation of monocyte and macrophage activities. This review attempts to summarize and discuss recent publications related to the THP-1 cell model. An overview on the biological similarities and dissimilarities between the THP-1 cell line and human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) derived-monocytes and macrophages, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the use of THP-1 cell line, is included. The review summarizes different published co-cultivation studies of THP-1 cells with other cell types, for instance, intestinal cells, adipocytes, T-lymphocytes, platelets, and vascular smooth muscle cells, which can be an option to study cell-cell interaction in vitro and can be an approach to better mimic in vivo conditions. Macrophage polarization is a relatively new topic which gains interest for which the THP-1 cell line also may be relevant. Besides that an overview of newly released commercial THP-1 engineered-reporter cells and THP-1 inflammasome test-cells is also given. Evaluation of recent papers leads to the conclusion that the THP-1 cell line has unique characteristics as a model to investigate/estimate immune-modulating effects of compounds in both activated and resting conditions of the cells. Although the THP-1 response can hint to potential responses that might occur ex vivo or in vivo, these should be, however, validated by in vivo studies to draw more definite conclusions. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  1. 76 FR 81914 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-29

    ... Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's Republic of China: Postponement of... investigation of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from the People..., 2012. \\1\\ See Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the...

  2. Curcumin Attenuates β-catenin Signaling in Prostate Cancer Cells through Activation of Protein Kinase D1

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sundram, Vasudha; Chauhan, Subhash C.; Ebeling, Mara; Jaggi, Meena

    2012-01-01

    Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer affecting 1 in 6 males in the US. Understanding the molecular basis of prostate cancer progression can serve as a tool for early diagnosis and development of novel treatment strategies for this disease. Protein Kinase D1 (PKD1) is a multifunctional kinase that is highly expressed in normal prostate. The decreased expression of PKD1 has been associated with the progression of prostate cancer. Therefore, synthetic or natural products that regulate this signaling pathway can serve as novel therapeutic modalities for prostate cancer prevention and treatment. Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric, has shown anti-cancer properties via modulation of a number of different molecular pathways. Herein, we have demonstrated that curcumin activates PKD1, resulting in changes in β-catenin signaling by inhibiting nuclear β-catenin transcription activity and enhancing the levels of membrane β-catenin in prostate cancer cells. Modulation of these cellular events by curcumin correlated with decreased cell proliferation, colony formation and cell motility and enhanced cell-cell aggregation in prostate cancer cells. In addition, we have also revealed that inhibition of cell motility by curcumin is mediated by decreasing the levels of active cofilin, a downstream target of PKD1. The potent anti-cancer effects of curcumin in vitro were also reflected in a prostate cancer xenograft mouse model. The in vivo inhibition of tumor growth also correlated with enhanced membrane localization of β-catenin. Overall, our findings herein have revealed a novel molecular mechanism of curcumin action via the activation of PKD1 in prostate cancer cells. PMID:22523587

  3. Calcium-Enhanced Twitching Motility in Xylella fastidiosa Is Linked to a Single PilY1 Homolog.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Luisa F; Parker, Jennifer K; Cobine, Paul A; De La Fuente, Leonardo

    2014-12-01

    The plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa is restricted to the xylem vessel environment, where mineral nutrients are transported through the plant host; therefore, changes in the concentrations of these elements likely impact the growth and virulence of this bacterium. Twitching motility, dependent on type IV pili (TFP), is required for movement against the transpiration stream that results in basipetal colonization. We previously demonstrated that calcium (Ca) increases the motility of X. fastidiosa, although the mechanism was unknown. PilY1 is a TFP structural protein recently shown to bind Ca and to regulate twitching and adhesion in bacterial pathogens of humans. Sequence analysis identified three pilY1 homologs in X. fastidiosa (PD0023, PD0502, and PD1611), one of which (PD1611) contains a Ca-binding motif. Separate deletions of PD0023 and PD1611 resulted in mutants that still showed twitching motility and were not impaired in attachment or biofilm formation. However, the response of increased twitching at higher Ca concentrations was lost in the pilY1-1611 mutant. Ca does not modulate the expression of any of the X. fastidiosa PilY1 homologs, although it increases the expression of the retraction ATPase pilT during active movement. The evidence presented here suggests functional differences between the PilY1 homologs, which may provide X. fastidiosa with an adaptive advantage in environments with high Ca concentrations, such as xylem sap. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  4. Numerical model analysis of thermal performance for a dye-sensitized solar cell module

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Shuanghong; Huang, Yang; Weng, Jian; Fan, Xiaqin; Mo, Lie; Pan, Bin; Dai, Songyuan

    2013-01-01

    Temperature is one of the major factors that influence a dye-sensitized solar cell's (DSC's) photovoltaic efficiency. Temperature control is very important when solar cell modules are designed. In the present paper, a numerical model of a DSC module is built for the simulation of the solar cell's temperature. In this model, energy balance and three methods of heat transfer (conduction, convection, and radiation) are taken into account, and the simulation results are consistent with the experimental results. The influence of wind speeds and interfacial thermal resistance on the temperature inside the DSC modules is discussed in detail based on theoretical analysis. (paper)

  5. 77 FR 35425 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China; Scheduling of the Final Phase of...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-06-13

    ... Silicon Photovoltaic Cells and Modules From China; Scheduling of the Final Phase of Countervailing Duty... silicon photovoltaic cells and modules, provided for in subheadings 8501.31.80, 8501.61.00, 8507.20.80... photovoltaic cells, and modules, laminates, and panels, consisting of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells...

  6. Organic solar cell modules for specific applications-From energy autonomous systems to large area photovoltaics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niggemann, M.; Zimmermann, B.; Haschke, J.; Glatthaar, M.; Gombert, A.

    2008-01-01

    We report on the development of two types of organic solar cell modules one for energy autonomous systems and one for large area energy harvesting. The first requires a specific tailoring of the solar cell geometry and cell interconnection in order to power an energy autonomous system under its specific operating conditions. We present an organic solar cell module with 22 interconnected solar cells. A power conversion efficiency of 2% under solar illumination has been reached on the active area of 46.2 cm 2 . A voltage of 4 V at the maximum power point has been obtained under indoor illumination conditions. Micro contact printing of a self assembling monolayer was employed for the patterning of the polymer anode. Large area photovoltaic modules have to meet the requirements on efficiency, lifetime and costs simultaneously. To minimize the production costs, a suitable concept for efficient reel-to-reel production of large area modules is needed. A major contribution to reduce the costs is the substitution of the commonly used indium tin oxide electrode by a cheap material. We present the state of the art of the anode wrap through concept as a reel-to-reel suited module concept and show comparative calculations of the module interconnection of the wrap through concept and the standard ITO-based cell architecture. As a result, the calculated overall module efficiency of the anode wrap through module exceeds the overall efficiency of modules based on ITO on glass (sheet resistance 15 Ω/square) and on foils (sheet resistance 60 Ω/square)

  7. Berberine Suppresses Cell Motility Through Downregulation of TGF-β1 in Triple Negative Breast Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sangmin Kim

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Transforming growth factor-beta proteins (TGF-βs are multifunctional growth factors and powerful modulators of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT in a variety of cancer types including breast and lung cancer cells. Here, we demonstrated the inhibitory effect of berberine (BBR on tumor growth and metastasis of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC cells via suppression of TGF-β1 expression. Methods: The levels of mRNA expression were analyzed by real-time PCR. The levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TGF-β1 protein expression were analyzed by zymography and confocal microscopy, respectively. Cell migration was analyzed by wound healing assay. Tumorigenicity of TNBC cells such as tumor growth and metastasis was analyzed using xenograft models. Results: In a clinical data set, aberrant TGF-β1 expression was associated with poor prognosis of breast cancer patients. Our in vitro results using TNBC cells showed that the expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP-2 and MMP-9 and the capacity for cell migration were increased by TGF-β1 treatment. In contrast, basal levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 were suppressed by a specific TGF-β receptor I inhibitor, SB431542. In addition, TGF-β1–induced MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and cell migration were decreased by SB431542. Interestingly, we showed for the first time that BBR decreased the level of TGF-β1, but not TGF-β2, in TNBC cells. Furthermore, BBR significantly decreased the level of MMP-2 expression as well as the capacity for cell migration in TNBC cells. Finally, we examined the effect of BBR on in vivo tumor growth and lung metastasis in MDA-MB231 and 4T1 breast cancer xenograft models and showed that both were significantly decreased following BBR treatment. Conclusion: BBR suppresses tumorigenicity of TNBC cells through inhibition of TGF-β1 expression. Therefore, we demonstrate that BBR could be a promising drug for treatment of TNBC.

  8. Generator module architecture for a large solid oxide fuel cell power plant

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillett, James E.; Zafred, Paolo R.; Riggle, Matthew W.; Litzinger, Kevin P.

    2013-06-11

    A solid oxide fuel cell module contains a plurality of integral bundle assemblies, the module containing a top portion with an inlet fuel plenum and a bottom portion receiving air inlet feed and containing a base support, the base supports dense, ceramic exhaust manifolds which are below and connect to air feed tubes located in a recuperator zone, the air feed tubes passing into the center of inverted, tubular, elongated, hollow electrically connected solid oxide fuel cells having an open end above a combustion zone into which the air feed tubes pass and a closed end near the inlet fuel plenum, where the fuel cells comprise a fuel cell stack bundle all surrounded within an outer module enclosure having top power leads to provide electrical output from the stack bundle, where the fuel cells operate in the fuel cell mode and where the base support and bottom ceramic air exhaust manifolds carry from 85% to all 100% of the weight of the stack, and each bundle assembly has its own control for vertical and horizontal thermal expansion control.

  9. Mitochondrial PKA mediates sperm motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mizrahi, Rashel; Breitbart, Haim

    2014-12-01

    Mitochondria are the major source of ATP to power sperm motility. Phosphorylation of mitochondrial proteins has been proposed as a major regulatory mechanism for mitochondrial bioenergetics. Sperm motility was measured by a computer-assisted analyzer, protein detection by western blotting, membrane potential by tetramethylrhodamine, cellular ATP by luciferase assay and localization of PKA by immuno-electron microscopy. Bicarbonate is essential for the creation of mitochondrial electro-chemical gradient, ATP synthesis and sperm motility. Bicarbonate stimulates PKA-dependent phosphorylation of two 60kDa proteins identified as Tektin and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase. This phosphorylation was inhibited by respiration inhibition and phosphorylation could be restored by glucose in the presence of bicarbonate. However, this effect of glucose cannot be seen when the mitochondrial ATP/ADP exchanger was inhibited indicating that glycolytic-produced ATP is transported into the mitochondria and allows PKA-dependent protein phosphorylation inside the mitochondria. Bicarbonate activates mitochondrial soluble adenylyl cyclase (sAC) which catalyzes cAMP production leading to the activation of mitochondrial PKA. Glucose can overcome the lack of ATP in the absence of bicarbonate but it cannot affect the mitochondrial sAC/PKA system, therefore the PKA-dependent phosphorylation of the 60kDa proteins does not occur in the absence of bicarbonate. Production of CO2 in Krebs cycle, which is converted to bicarbonate is essential for sAC/PKA activation leading to mitochondrial membrane potential creation and ATP synthesis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Modulation of hepatocarcinoma cell morphology and activity by parylene-C coating on PDMS.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nazaré Pereira-Rodrigues

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The ability to understand and locally control the morphogenesis of mammalian cells is a fundamental objective of cell and developmental biology as well as tissue engineering research. We present parylene-C (ParC deposited on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS as a new substratum for in vitro advanced cell culture in the case of Human Hepatocarcinoma (HepG2 cells. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Our findings establish that the intrinsic properties of ParC-coated PDMS (ParC/PDMS influence and modulate initial extracellular matrix (ECM; here, type-I collagen surface architecture, as compared to non-coated PDMS substratum. Morphological changes induced by the presence of ParC on PDMS were shown to directly affect liver cell metabolic activity and the expression of transmembrane receptors implicated in cell adhesion and cell-cell interaction. These changes were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM, which elucidated differences in HepG2 cell adhesion, spreading, and reorganization into two- or three-dimensional structures by neosynthesis of ECM components. Local modulation of cell aggregation was successfully performed using ParC/PDMS micropatterns constructed by simple microfabrication. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: We demonstrated for the first time the modulation of HepG2 cells' behavior in relation to the intrinsic physical properties of PDMS and ParC, enabling the local modulation of cell spreading in a 2D or 3D manner by simple microfabrication techniques. This work will provide promising insights into the development of cell-based platforms that have many applications in the field of in vitro liver tissue engineering, pharmacology and therapeutics.

  11. Effect of NCAM-transfection on growth and invasion of a human cancer cell line

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Edvardsen, K; Bock, E; Jirus, S

    1997-01-01

    of modulating NCAM expression in vivo. In nude mice, NCAM-transfected cells developed tumors with longer latency periods and slower growth rates than tumors induced by NCAM-negative control cells, implying that NCAM may be involved not only in adhesive and motile behavior of tumor cells but also in their growth......-transfected cells. The fact that NCAM expression influences growth regulation attributes a pivotal role to this cell adhesion molecule during ontogenesis and tumor development.......A cDNA encoding the human transmembrane 140 kDa isoform of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was transfected into the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cell line. Transfectants with a homogeneous expression of NCAM showed a restricted capacity for penetration of an artificial...

  12. Oestrogen inhibits human colonic motility by a non-genomic cell membrane receptor-dependent mechanism.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Hogan, A M

    2012-02-01

    BACKGROUND: Classical effects of oestrogen involve activation of target genes after binding nuclear receptors. Oestrogenic effects too rapid for DNA transcription (non-genomic) are known to occur. The effect of oestrogen on colonic motility is unknown despite the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms in pregnant and premenopausal women. METHODS: Histologically normal colon was obtained from proximal resection margins of colorectal carcinoma specimens. Circular smooth muscle strips were microdissected and suspended in organ baths under 1 g of tension. After equilibration, they were exposed to 17beta-oestradiol (n = 8) or bovine serum albumin (BSA)-conjugated 17beta-oestradiol (n = 8). Fulvestrant, an oestrogen receptor antagonist, was added to some baths (n = 8). Other strips were exposed to calphostin C or cycloheximide. Carbachol was added in increasing concentrations and contractile activity was recorded isometrically. RESULTS: Oestrogen inhibited colonic contractility (mean difference 19.7 per cent; n = 8, P < 0.001). In keeping with non-genomic, rapid-onset steroid action, the effect was apparent within minutes and reversible. It was observed with both 17beta-oestradiol and BSA-conjugated oestrogen, and was not altered by cycloheximide. Effects were inhibited by fulvestrant, suggesting receptor mediation. CONCLUSION: Oestrogen decreases contractility in human colonic smooth muscle by a non-genomic mechanism involving cell membrane coupling.

  13. Pou5f1-dependent EGF expression controls E-cad endocytosis, cell adhesion, and zebrafish epiboly movements

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Sungmin; Eckerle, Stephanie; Onichtchouk, Daria; Marrs, James A.; Nitschke, Roland; Driever, Wolfgang

    2013-01-01

    Summary Initiation of motile cell behavior in embryonic development occurs during late blastula stages when gastrulation begins. At this stage, the strong adhesion of blastomeres has to be modulated to enable dynamic behavior, similar to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transitions. We show that in zebrafish MZspg embryos mutant for the stem cell transcription factor Pou5f1/Oct4, which are severely delayed in the epiboly gastrulation movement, all blastomeres are defective in E-cad endosomal trafficking and E-cad accumulates at the plasma membrane. We find that Pou5f1-dependent control of EGF expression regulates endosomal E-cad trafficking. EGFR may act via modulation of p120 activity. Loss of E-cad dynamics reduces cohesion of cells in reaggregation assays. Quantitative analysis of cell behavior indicates that dynamic E-cad endosomal trafficking is required for epiboly cell movements. We hypothesize that dynamic control of E-cad trafficking is essential to effectively generate new adhesion sites when cells move relative to each other. PMID:23484854

  14. Esophageal motility after peroral endoscopic myotomy for achalasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Yue; Li, Meng; Lu, Bin; Meng, Lina; Fan, Yihong; Bao, Haibiao

    2016-05-01

    Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been introduced as a novel endoscopic treatment for achalasia. The aim of this work is to assess the changes in esophageal motility caused by POEM in patients with achalasia. Forty-one patients with achalasia underwent POEM from September 2012 to November 2014. Esophageal motility of all patients was evaluated preoperatively and 1 month after POEM utilizing high-resolution manometry, which was performed with ten water swallows, ten steamed bread swallows, and multiple rapid swallows (MRS). In single swallows, including liquid swallows and bread swallows, all the parameters of lower esophagus sphincter resting pressure (LESP), 4-s integrated relaxation pressure (4sIRP), and intra-bolus pressure (IBP) were decreased between pre- and post-POEM patients (all p 0.05), but increased in subtype I (subtype I: p > 0.05). In liquid swallows, the Eckardt score of subtype II patients decreased with DCI, and distal esophageal peristaltic amplitude after POEM was significantly lower compared with those showing increased values of those two parameters (p achalasia patients. POEM reduces LES pressure in achalasia, and partly restores esophageal motility. POEM displayed varying effect on esophageal motility in patients with different patterns of swallowing. In addition, the changes in parameters associated with esophageal peristalsis correlated with decreases in Eckardt score.

  15. The effect of gastric inhibitory polypeptide on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility in mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ogawa, Eiichi [Department of Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Japan); Hosokawa, Masaya [Department of Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Japan); Faculty of Human Sciences, Tezukayama Gakuin University, Osaka (Japan); Harada, Norio; Yamane, Shunsuke; Hamasaki, Akihiro; Toyoda, Kentaro; Fujimoto, Shimpei; Fujita, Yoshihito; Fukuda, Kazuhito [Department of Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Japan); Tsukiyama, Katsushi; Yamada, Yuichiro [Department of Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Japan); Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Geriatric Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Akita (Japan); Seino, Yutaka [Department of Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Japan); Kansai Electric Power Hospital, Osaka (Japan); Inagaki, Nobuya, E-mail: inagaki@metab.kuhp.kyoto-u.ac.jp [Department of Diabetes and Clinical Nutrition, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University (Japan); CREST of Japan Science and Technology Cooperation (JST), Kyoto (Japan)

    2011-01-07

    Research highlights: {yields} Exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal motility through a somatostatin-mediated pathway. {yields} Exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal glucose absorption by reducing intestinal motility. {yields} The GIP-receptor-mediated action in intestine does not involve in GLP-1-mediated pathway. -- Abstract: Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is released from the small intestine upon meal ingestion and increases insulin secretion from pancreatic {beta} cells. Although the GIP receptor is known to be expressed in small intestine, the effects of GIP in small intestine are not fully understood. This study was designed to clarify the effect of GIP on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility. Intestinal glucose absorption in vivo was measured by single-pass perfusion method. Incorporation of [{sup 14}C]-glucose into everted jejunal rings in vitro was used to evaluate the effect of GIP on sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT). Motility of small intestine was measured by intestinal transit after oral administration of a non-absorbed marker. Intraperitoneal administration of GIP inhibited glucose absorption in wild-type mice in a concentration-dependent manner, showing maximum decrease at the dosage of 50 nmol/kg body weight. In glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor-deficient mice, GIP inhibited glucose absorption as in wild-type mice. In vitro examination of [{sup 14}C]-glucose uptake revealed that 100 nM GIP did not change SGLT-dependent glucose uptake in wild-type mice. After intraperitoneal administration of GIP (50 nmol/kg body weight), small intestinal transit was inhibited to 40% in both wild-type and GLP-1 receptor-deficient mice. Furthermore, a somatostatin receptor antagonist, cyclosomatostatin, reduced the inhibitory effect of GIP on both intestinal transit and glucose absorption in wild-type mice. These results demonstrate that exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal glucose absorption by reducing intestinal motility through a somatostatin

  16. The effect of gastric inhibitory polypeptide on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogawa, Eiichi; Hosokawa, Masaya; Harada, Norio; Yamane, Shunsuke; Hamasaki, Akihiro; Toyoda, Kentaro; Fujimoto, Shimpei; Fujita, Yoshihito; Fukuda, Kazuhito; Tsukiyama, Katsushi; Yamada, Yuichiro; Seino, Yutaka; Inagaki, Nobuya

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: → Exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal motility through a somatostatin-mediated pathway. → Exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal glucose absorption by reducing intestinal motility. → The GIP-receptor-mediated action in intestine does not involve in GLP-1-mediated pathway. -- Abstract: Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is released from the small intestine upon meal ingestion and increases insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells. Although the GIP receptor is known to be expressed in small intestine, the effects of GIP in small intestine are not fully understood. This study was designed to clarify the effect of GIP on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility. Intestinal glucose absorption in vivo was measured by single-pass perfusion method. Incorporation of [ 14 C]-glucose into everted jejunal rings in vitro was used to evaluate the effect of GIP on sodium-glucose co-transporter (SGLT). Motility of small intestine was measured by intestinal transit after oral administration of a non-absorbed marker. Intraperitoneal administration of GIP inhibited glucose absorption in wild-type mice in a concentration-dependent manner, showing maximum decrease at the dosage of 50 nmol/kg body weight. In glucagon-like-peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor-deficient mice, GIP inhibited glucose absorption as in wild-type mice. In vitro examination of [ 14 C]-glucose uptake revealed that 100 nM GIP did not change SGLT-dependent glucose uptake in wild-type mice. After intraperitoneal administration of GIP (50 nmol/kg body weight), small intestinal transit was inhibited to 40% in both wild-type and GLP-1 receptor-deficient mice. Furthermore, a somatostatin receptor antagonist, cyclosomatostatin, reduced the inhibitory effect of GIP on both intestinal transit and glucose absorption in wild-type mice. These results demonstrate that exogenous GIP inhibits intestinal glucose absorption by reducing intestinal motility through a somatostatin-mediated pathway rather

  17. TMEM16A inhibition impedes capacitation and acquisition of hyperactivated motility in guinea pig sperm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cordero-Martínez, Joaquín; Reyes-Miguel, Tania; Rodríguez-Páez, Lorena; Garduño-Siciliano, Leticia; Maldonado-García, Deneb; Roa-Espitia, Ana L; Hernández-González, Enrique O

    2018-07-01

    Ca 2+ -activated Cl - channels (CaCCs) are anionic channels that regulate many important physiological functions associated with chloride and calcium flux in some somatic cells. The molecular identity of CaCCs was revealed to be TMEM16A and TMEM16B (also known as Anoctamin or ANO1 and ANO2, respectively) in all eukaryotes. A recent study suggests the presence of TMEM16A in human sperm and a relationship with the rhZP-induced acrosome reaction. However, to the best of our knowledge, little is known about the role of TMEM16A in other spermatic processes such as capacitation or motility. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two TMEM16A antagonists on capacitation, acrosome reaction, and motility in guinea pig sperm; these antagonists were T16Ainh-A01, belonging to a second generation of potent antagonists of TMEM16A, and niflumic acid (NFA), a well-known antagonist of TMEM16A (CaCCs). First of all, we confirmed that the absence of Cl - in the capacitation medium changes motility parameters, capacitation, and the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction. Using a specific antibody, TMEM16A was found as a protein band of ∼120 kDa, which localization was in the apical crest of the acrosome and the middle piece of the flagellum. Inhibition of TMEM16A by T16Ainh-A01 affected sperm physiology by reducing capacitation, blocking the progesterone-induced acrosome reaction under optimal capacitation conditions, inhibiting progressive motility, and the acquisition of hyperactivated motility, diminishing [Ca 2+ ]i, and increasing [Cl - ]i. These changes in sperm kinematic parameters provide new evidence of the important role played by TMEM16A in the production of sperm capable of fertilizing oocytes. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Oesophageal motility disorders - diagnosis with a barium-rice study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwickert, H.C.; Schadmand-Fischer, S.; Klose, P.; Staritz, M.; Ueberschaer, B.; Thelen, M.

    1993-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of a 'barium-rice' study for diagnosis of dysphagia and oesophageal motility disorders. Material and methods: 203 patients with oesophageal motility disorders of various aetiologies were examined by both conventional barium study and a 'barium-rice' study. During the latter, oesophageal clearance of a defined mixture of barium sulfate and boiled rice was measured. Results: The conventional barium study revealed prolonged transit time in only 15.8% (32 of 203 cases), whereas barium-rice study was pathological in 50.8% (103 of 203 cases). In 71 of 171 patients (41.5%) with a normal barium study, barium-rice passage was prolonged. In 23 patients, radiological results were confirmed by manometric measurements. Conclusion: Oesophageal motility disorders are detected by a barim-rice study with high sensitivity independent of the underlying disease. The barium-rice study offers a simple diagnostic tool revealing quantitative and reliable results. The barium-rice study is a suitable method for screening and follow-up of patients with dysphagia and oesophageal motility disorders. (orig.) [de

  19. Solar concentrator modules with silicone-on-glass Fresnel lens panels and multijunction cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumyantsev, Valery D

    2010-04-26

    High-efficiency multijunction (MJ) solar cells, being very expensive to manufacture, should only be used in combination with solar concentrators in terrestrial applications. An essential cost reduction of electric power produced by photovoltaic (PV) installations with MJ cells, may be expected by the creation of highly-effective, but inexpensive, elements for optical concentration and sun tracking. This article is an overview of the corresponding approach under development at the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute. The approach to R&D of the solar PV modules is based on the concepts of sunlight concentration by small-aperture area Fresnel lenses and "all-glass" module design. The small-aperture area lenses are arranged as a panel with silicone-on-glass structure where the glass plate serves as the front surface of a module. In turn, high-efficiency InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge cells are arranged on a rear module panel mounted on a glass plate which functions as a heat sink and integrated protective cover for the cells. The developed PV modules and sun trackers are characterized by simple design, and are regarded as the prototypes for further commercialization.

  20. Enthesis fibrocartilage cells originate from a population of Hedgehog-responsive cells modulated by the loading environment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schwartz, Andrea G; Long, Fanxin; Thomopoulos, Stavros

    2015-01-01

    Tendon attaches to bone across a specialized tissue called the enthesis. This tissue modulates the transfer of muscle forces between two materials, i.e. tendon and bone, with vastly different mechanical properties. The enthesis for many tendons consists of a mineralized graded fibrocartilage that develops postnatally, concurrent with epiphyseal mineralization. Although it is well described that the mineralization and development of functional maturity requires muscle loading, the biological factors that modulate enthesis development are poorly understood. By genetically demarcating cells expressing Gli1 in response to Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, we discovered a unique population of Hh-responsive cells in the developing murine enthesis that were distinct from tendon fibroblasts and epiphyseal chondrocytes. Lineage-tracing experiments revealed that the Gli1 lineage cells that originate in utero eventually populate the entire mature enthesis. Muscle paralysis increased the number of Hh-responsive cells in the enthesis, demonstrating that responsiveness to Hh is modulated in part by muscle loading. Ablation of the Hh-responsive cells during the first week of postnatal development resulted in a loss of mineralized fibrocartilage, with very little tissue remodeling 5 weeks after cell ablation. Conditional deletion of smoothened, a molecule necessary for responsiveness to Ihh, from the developing tendon and enthesis altered the differentiation of enthesis progenitor cells, resulting in significantly reduced fibrocartilage mineralization and decreased biomechanical function. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Hh signaling within developing enthesis fibrocartilage cells is required for enthesis formation. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  1. The effect of different doses of hyaluronan on sperm morphology, motility, vitality and fertilization capability in mouse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. Sayadi

    2006-07-01

    Full Text Available Background: Hyaluronan has an important role on the permeability and motility of sperm and the interaction of gametes and these can play a considerable role on the fertility rate. Therefore, in this study, we assessed the effect of different doses of hyaluronan on the morphology, motility, vitality and fertility rate of mice. Methods: We used 40 mice (6-8 week in this study which twenty of them were male and the rest were female. The sperm of each male mouse were divided into four groups. The group 1 (control: They were maintained in RPMI media without any hyaluronan supplementation for 2 hour. Hyaluronan with the doses of 750, 1000 and 1250 µg/ml were added into RPMI media in groups 2, 3 and 4, respectively. After 2 hour. incubation, the numbers of sperms were assessed, using haemocytometer. Also, their morphology with papanicolaeu staining and their vitality with Eosin B dye were assessed. As well as sperms motility measured under inverted microscope by observation and fertility rate evaluated after routine IVF by counting two-cell stage embryos. Results: Our results demonstrated that, the dose of 750 µ g/ml has the greatest effect on the motility, vitality and fertility rate of sperms. The effect of dose of 1000 µ g/ml also was positive on them. On the other hand, none of these doses had any effect on sperm morphology. Conclusion: Hyaluronan may have an influence on motility, vitality and fertility rate of sperms and the dose of 750µ g/ml had a significant effect on these factors.

  2. Vimentin is involved in regulation of mitochondrial motility and membrane potential by Rac1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena A. Matveeva

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available In this study we show that binding of mitochondria to vimentin intermediate filaments (VIF is regulated by GTPase Rac1. The activation of Rac1 leads to a redoubling of mitochondrial motility in murine fibroblasts. Using double-mutants Rac1(G12V, F37L and Rac1(G12V, Y40H that are capable to activate different effectors of Rac1, we show that mitochondrial movements are regulated through PAK1 kinase. The involvement of PAK1 kinase is also confirmed by the fact that expression of its auto inhibitory domain (PID blocks the effect of activated Rac1 on mitochondrial motility. The observed effect of Rac1 and PAK1 kinase on mitochondria depends on phosphorylation of the Ser-55 of vimentin. Besides the effect on motility Rac1 activation also decreases the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP which is detected by ∼20% drop of the fluorescence intensity of mitochondria stained with the potential sensitive dye TMRM. One of important consequences of the discovered regulation of MMP by Rac1 and PAK1 is a spatial differentiation of mitochondria in polarized fibroblasts: at the front of the cell they are less energized (by ∼25% than at the rear part.

  3. Short-lived, transitory cell-cell interactions foster migration-dependent aggregation.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa D Pope

    Full Text Available During embryonic development, motile cells aggregate into cohesive groups, which give rise to tissues and organs. The role of cell migration in regulating aggregation is unclear. The current paradigm for aggregation is based on an equilibrium model of differential cell adhesivity to neighboring cells versus the underlying substratum. In many biological contexts, however, dynamics is critical. Here, we provide evidence that multicellular aggregation dynamics involves both local adhesive interactions and transport by cell migration. Using time-lapse video microscopy, we quantified the duration of cell-cell contacts among migrating cells that collided and adhered to another cell. This lifetime of cell-cell interactions exhibited a monotonic decreasing dependence on substratum adhesivity. Parallel quantitative measurements of cell migration speed revealed that across the tested range of adhesive substrata, the mean time needed for cells to migrate and encounter another cell was greater than the mean adhesion lifetime, suggesting that aggregation dynamics may depend on cell motility instead of the local differential adhesivity of cells. Consistent with this hypothesis, aggregate size exhibited a biphasic dependence on substratum adhesivity, matching the trend we observed for cell migration speed. Our findings suggest a new role for cell motility, alongside differential adhesion, in regulating developmental aggregation events and motivate new design principles for tuning aggregation dynamics in tissue engineering applications.

  4. Effects of advanced glycation end products on ezrin-dependent functions in LLC-PK1 proximal tubule cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bach, Leon A; Gallicchio, Marisa A; McRobert, E Anne; Tikoo, Anjali; Cooper, Mark E

    2005-06-01

    We have recently shown that advanced glycation products (AGEs) bind to the ERM (ezrin, radixin, moesin) family of proteins. ERM proteins act as cross-linkers between cell membrane proteins and the actin cytoskeleton. They are also involved in signal transduction pathways. They therefore have a critical role in normal cell processes, including modulation of cell shape, adhesion, and motility. We postulate that AGEs may contribute to diabetic complications by disrupting ERM function. In support of this hypothesis, AGEs inhibit ezrin-dependent tubulogenesis of proximal tubule cells. Phosphorylation is an important activating mechanism for ERM proteins, and AGEs inhibit ezrin phosphorylation mediated by the epidermal growth factor receptor.

  5. Esophageal motility abnormalities in gastroesophageal reflux disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinucci, Irene; de Bortoli, Nicola; Giacchino, Maria; Bodini, Giorgia; Marabotto, Elisa; Marchi, Santino; Savarino, Vincenzo; Savarino, Edoardo

    2014-01-01

    Esophageal motility abnormalities are among the main factors implicated in the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The recent introduction in clinical and research practice of novel esophageal testing has markedly improved our understanding of the mechanisms contributing to the development of gastroesophageal reflux disease, allowing a better management of patients with this disorder. In this context, the present article intends to provide an overview of the current literature about esophageal motility dysfunctions in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Esophageal manometry, by recording intraluminal pressure, represents the gold standard to diagnose esophageal motility abnormalities. In particular, using novel techniques, such as high resolution manometry with or without concurrent intraluminal impedance monitoring, transient lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxations, hypotensive LES, ineffective esophageal peristalsis and bolus transit abnormalities have been better defined and strongly implicated in gastroesophageal reflux disease development. Overall, recent findings suggest that esophageal motility abnormalities are increasingly prevalent with increasing severity of reflux disease, from non-erosive reflux disease to erosive reflux disease and Barrett’s esophagus. Characterizing esophageal dysmotility among different subgroups of patients with reflux disease may represent a fundamental approach to properly diagnose these patients and, thus, to set up the best therapeutic management. Currently, surgery represents the only reliable way to restore the esophagogastric junction integrity and to reduce transient LES relaxations that are considered to be the predominant mechanism by which gastric contents can enter the esophagus. On that ground, more in depth future studies assessing the pathogenetic role of dysmotility in patients with reflux disease are warranted. PMID:24868489

  6. Behavior of the potential-induced degradation of photovoltaic modules fabricated using flat mono-crystalline silicon cells with different surface orientations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Seira; Masuda, Atsushi; Ohdaira, Keisuke

    2016-04-01

    This paper deals with the dependence of the potential-induced degradation (PID) of flat, p-type mono-crystalline silicon solar cell modules on the surface orientation of solar cells. The investigated modules were fabricated from p-type mono-crystalline silicon cells with a (100) or (111) surface orientation using a module laminator. PID tests were performed by applying a voltage of -1000 V to shorted module interconnector ribbons with respect to an Al plate placed on the cover glass of the modules at 85 °C. A decrease in the parallel resistance of the (100)-oriented cell modules is more significant than that of the (111)-oriented cell modules. Hence, the performance of the (100)-oriented-cell modules drastically deteriorates, compared with that of the (111)-oriented-cell modules. This implies that (111)-oriented cells offer a higher PID resistance.

  7. CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells control CD8+ T-cell effector differentiation by modulating IL-2 homeostasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNally, Alice; Hill, Geoffrey R.; Sparwasser, Tim; Thomas, Ranjeny; Steptoe, Raymond J.

    2011-01-01

    CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Treg) play a crucial role in the regulation of immune responses. Although many mechanisms of Treg suppression in vitro have been described, the mechanisms by which Treg modulate CD8+ T cell differentiation and effector function in vivo are more poorly defined. It has been proposed, in many instances, that modulation of cytokine homeostasis could be an important mechanism by which Treg regulate adaptive immunity; however, direct experimental evidence is sparse. Here we demonstrate that CD4+CD25+ Treg, by critically regulating IL-2 homeostasis, modulate CD8+ T-cell effector differentiation. Expansion and effector differentiation of CD8+ T cells is promoted by autocrine IL-2 but, by competing for IL-2, Treg limit CD8+ effector differentiation. Furthermore, a regulatory loop exists between Treg and CD8+ effector T cells, where IL-2 produced during CD8+ T-cell effector differentiation promotes Treg expansion. PMID:21502514

  8. Fiscal 1999 leading research report. Research on 3-D cell tissue module technology; 1999 nendo sanjigen saibo soshiki module kogaku chosa kenkyu hokokusho

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2000-03-01

    For forming cell tissues alternative to bio-tissues, this research targets the technology for forming bio-tissue modules by cultivating 3-D cell tissues from various kinds of cells. In fiscal 1999, research was made on various issues of element technologies necessary for forming module structure of bio-tissues, and study was also made on the application of 3-D cell tissue module engineering to industrial fields. Survey was made on element technologies and solutions supporting such engineering, and in addition, on progressive conditions of cell cultivation techniques, and concrete techniques for expressing cell functions. Research was made on a cell behavior under physicochemical stimulus environment to study the optimum environment for cell multiplication and function expression. Further research was made on state analysis of cells, in particular, fast precise measurement techniques of activation or malignant of cells and secretion of toxic substances by physical/optical analytical evaluation techniques such as photo-CT and spectroscopic analysis, and biochemical analysis techniques using bio-sensors. Study was also made on successful development and application cases of practical bio-artificial organs in western countries. (NEDO)

  9. Neural network for automatic analysis of motility data

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jakobsen, Erik; Kruse-Andersen, S; Kolberg, Jens Godsk

    1994-01-01

    comparable. However, the neural network recognized pressure peaks clearly generated by muscular activity that had escaped detection by the conventional program. In conclusion, we believe that neurocomputing has potential advantages for automatic analysis of gastrointestinal motility data.......Continuous recording of intraluminal pressures for extended periods of time is currently regarded as a valuable method for detection of esophageal motor abnormalities. A subsequent automatic analysis of the resulting motility data relies on strict mathematical criteria for recognition of pressure...

  10. Bacterial motility complexes require the actin-like protein, MreB and the Ras homologue, MglA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mauriello, Emilia M F; Mouhamar, Fabrice; Nan, Beiyan; Ducret, Adrien; Dai, David; Zusman, David R; Mignot, Tâm

    2010-01-20

    Gliding motility in the bacterium Myxococcus xanthus uses two motility engines: S-motility powered by type-IV pili and A-motility powered by uncharacterized motor proteins and focal adhesion complexes. In this paper, we identified MreB, an actin-like protein, and MglA, a small GTPase of the Ras superfamily, as essential for both motility systems. A22, an inhibitor of MreB cytoskeleton assembly, reversibly inhibited S- and A-motility, causing rapid dispersal of S- and A-motility protein clusters, FrzS and AglZ. This suggests that the MreB cytoskeleton is involved in directing the positioning of these proteins. We also found that a DeltamglA motility mutant showed defective localization of AglZ and FrzS clusters. Interestingly, MglA-YFP localization mimicked both FrzS and AglZ patterns and was perturbed by A22 treatment, consistent with results indicating that both MglA and MreB bind to motility complexes. We propose that MglA and the MreB cytoskeleton act together in a pathway to localize motility proteins such as AglZ and FrzS to assemble the A-motility machineries. Interestingly, M. xanthus motility systems, like eukaryotic systems, use an actin-like protein and a small GTPase spatial regulator.

  11. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor-5 negatively regulates cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dong, Yan; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Fukushima, Nobuyuki [Division of Molecular Neurobiology, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan); Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi, E-mail: ttujiuch@life.kindai.ac.jp [Division of Cancer Biology and Bioinformatics, Department of Life Science, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Kinki University, 3-4-1, Kowakae, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502 (Japan)

    2014-04-04

    Highlights: • LPA{sub 5} inhibits the cell growth and motile activities of 3T3 cells. • LPA{sub 5} suppresses the cell motile activities stimulated by hydrogen peroxide in 3T3 cells. • Enhancement of LPA{sub 5} on the cell motile activities inhibited by LPA{sub 1} in 3T3 cells. • The expression and activation of Mmp-9 were inhibited by LPA{sub 5} in 3T3 cells. • LPA signaling via LPA{sub 5} acts as a negative regulator of cellular responses in 3T3 cells. - Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA{sub 1}–LPA{sub 6}) mediates a variety of biological functions, including cell migration. Recently, we have reported that LPA{sub 1} inhibited the cell motile activities of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. In the present study, to evaluate a role of LPA{sub 5} in cellular responses, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3-L5) cells were generated from 3T3 cells. In cell proliferation assays, LPA markedly stimulated the cell proliferation activities of 3T3-L5 cells, compared with control cells. In cell motility assays with Cell Culture Inserts, the cell motile activities of 3T3-L5 cells were significantly higher than those of control cells. The activity levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured by gelatin zymography. 3T3-L5 cells stimulated the activation of Mmp-2, correlating with the expression levels of Mmp-2 gene. Moreover, to assess the co-effects of LPA{sub 1} and LPA{sub 5} on cell motile activities, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3a1-L5) cells were also established from Lpar1 over-expressing (3T3a1) cells. 3T3a1-L5 cells increased the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells, while the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells were significantly lower than those of control cells. These results suggest that LPA{sub 5} may act as a negative regulator of cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells, similar to the case for LPA{sub 1}.

  12. Lysophosphatidic acid receptor-5 negatively regulates cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dong, Yan; Hirane, Miku; Araki, Mutsumi; Fukushima, Nobuyuki; Tsujiuchi, Toshifumi

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • LPA 5 inhibits the cell growth and motile activities of 3T3 cells. • LPA 5 suppresses the cell motile activities stimulated by hydrogen peroxide in 3T3 cells. • Enhancement of LPA 5 on the cell motile activities inhibited by LPA 1 in 3T3 cells. • The expression and activation of Mmp-9 were inhibited by LPA 5 in 3T3 cells. • LPA signaling via LPA 5 acts as a negative regulator of cellular responses in 3T3 cells. - Abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signaling via G protein-coupled LPA receptors (LPA 1 –LPA 6 ) mediates a variety of biological functions, including cell migration. Recently, we have reported that LPA 1 inhibited the cell motile activities of mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells. In the present study, to evaluate a role of LPA 5 in cellular responses, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3-L5) cells were generated from 3T3 cells. In cell proliferation assays, LPA markedly stimulated the cell proliferation activities of 3T3-L5 cells, compared with control cells. In cell motility assays with Cell Culture Inserts, the cell motile activities of 3T3-L5 cells were significantly higher than those of control cells. The activity levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were measured by gelatin zymography. 3T3-L5 cells stimulated the activation of Mmp-2, correlating with the expression levels of Mmp-2 gene. Moreover, to assess the co-effects of LPA 1 and LPA 5 on cell motile activities, Lpar5 knockdown (3T3a1-L5) cells were also established from Lpar1 over-expressing (3T3a1) cells. 3T3a1-L5 cells increased the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells, while the cell motile activities of 3T3a1 cells were significantly lower than those of control cells. These results suggest that LPA 5 may act as a negative regulator of cellular responses in mouse fibroblast 3T3 cells, similar to the case for LPA 1

  13. Interactions among motility, fertilizing ability, and testosterone binding on spermatozoa of bonnet monkey (Macaca radiata).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warikoo, P K; Majumdar, S S; Allag, I S; Das, R P; Roy, S

    1986-01-01

    Fresh ejaculates of bonnet monkeys were separated into fractions rich with highly motile and sluggishly motile spermatozoa. The motility, ability to fertilize zona-free hamster eggs, and distribution of testosterone-binding sites on spermatozoa were assessed to determine the relation between these sperm functions. Two parameters of objective assessment of motility--velocity and degree of flagellar bending--were significantly correlated with the ability to form pronuclei in zona-free hamster eggs. Only spermatozoa with good motility could form pronuclei, which might be important for assessment of the fertilizing ability. The motility was directly related to the distribution of testosterone-binding sites; the fraction having mostly motile spermatozoa was distributed over the sperm surface. The technique is simple and may be used to evaluate semen of nonhuman primates.

  14. Chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-oxon, and diisopropylfluorophosphate inhibit kinesin-dependent microtubule motility

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gearhart, Debra A.; Sickles, Dale W.; Buccafusco, Jerry J.; Prendergast, Mark A.; Terry, Alvin V.

    2007-01-01

    Diisopropylfluorophosphate, originally developed as a chemical warfare agent, is structurally similar to nerve agents, and chlorpyrifos has extensive worldwide use as an agricultural pesticide. While inhibition of cholinesterases underlies the acute toxicity of these organophosphates, we previously reported impaired axonal transport in the sciatic nerves from rats treated chronically with subthreshold doses of chlorpyrifos. Those data indicate that chlorpyrifos (and/or its active metabolite, chlorpyrifos-oxon) might directly affect the function of kinesin and/or microtubules-the principal proteins that mediate anterograde axonal transport. The current report describes in vitro assays to assess the concentration-dependent effects of chlorpyrifos (0-10 μM), chlorpyrifos-oxon (0-10 μM), and diisopropylfluorophosphate (0-0.59 nM) on kinesin-dependent microtubule motility. Preincubating bovine brain microtubules with the organophosphates did not alter kinesin-mediated microtubule motility. In contrast, preincubation of bovine brain kinesin with diisopropylfluorophosphate, chlorpyrifos, or chlorpyrifos-oxon produced a concentration-dependent increase in the number of locomoting microtubules that detached from the kinesin-coated glass cover slip. Our data suggest that the organophosphates-chlorpyrifos-oxon, chlorpyrifos, and diisopropylfluorophosphate-directly affect kinesin, thereby disrupting kinesin-dependent transport on microtubules. Kinesin-dependent movement of vesicles, organelles, and other cellular components along microtubules is fundamental to the organization of all eukaryotic cells, especially in neurons where organelles and proteins synthesized in the cell body must move down long axons to pre-synaptic sites in nerve terminals. We postulate that disruption of kinesin-dependent intracellular transport could account for some of the long-term effects of organophosphates on the peripheral and central nervous system

  15. Performance of 7-cells Dye Sensitized Solar Module in Z-type Series Interconnection

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nur Anggraini, Putri; Muliani, Lia; Maulani Nursam, Natalita; Hidayat, Jojo

    2018-01-01

    Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC) is becoming attractive research topic as third generation solar cells technology since it provides clean energy and low cost fabrication. In this study, DSSC was fabricated into module scale, which is important for practical applications. The module was prepared in sandwich structure consisting of TiO2 working electrode and Pt counter electrode on conductive substrate with an area of 100 mm x 100 mm, which was distributed into seven active cells. TiO2 paste was deposited on FTO glass as working electrode with a size of 10 mm x 98 mm per unit cell by screen printing method. Each cell was connected in Z-type series that able to produce high voltage. I - V measurement was applied in two methods consisting of laboratory testing using sun simulator under 500 W/m2 of illumination and outdoor testing using a digital multimeter under direct sunlight. The result shows that DSSC module has photoconversion efficiency of 1.08% and 1.17% for laboratory and outdoor testing, respectively. The module was also tested in three different times to monitor its stability performance.

  16. Cell Size and Growth Rate Are Modulated by TORC2-Dependent Signals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucena, Rafael; Alcaide-Gavilán, Maria; Schubert, Katherine; He, Maybo; Domnauer, Matthew G; Marquer, Catherine; Klose, Christian; Surma, Michal A; Kellogg, Douglas R

    2018-01-22

    The size of all cells, from bacteria to vertebrates, is proportional to the growth rate set by nutrient availability, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here, we show that nutrients modulate cell size and growth rate via the TORC2 signaling network in budding yeast. An important function of the TORC2 network is to modulate synthesis of ceramide lipids, which play roles in signaling. TORC2-dependent control of ceramide signaling strongly influences both cell size and growth rate. Thus, cells that cannot make ceramides fail to modulate their growth rate or size in response to changes in nutrients. PP2A associated with the Rts1 regulatory subunit (PP2A Rts1 ) is embedded in a feedback loop that controls TORC2 signaling and helps set the level of TORC2 signaling to match nutrient availability. Together, the data suggest a model in which growth rate and cell size are mechanistically linked by ceramide-dependent signals arising from the TORC2 network. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Understanding patterns of invasion: a novel approach to assessment of podoplanin expression in the prediction of lymph node metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharma, Ankita; Boaz, Karen; Natarajan, Srikant

    2018-03-01

    Cellular motility is considered to be central to the process of metastasis, and podoplanin expression can be explored as a prospective link, owing to its ability to modulate the actin cytoskeleton. We aimed to evaluate the tumoral expression of D2-40 (monoclonal antibody against podoplanin) in pathologically neck-node-negative/positive cases (pN0/N+) to characterise the pattern of invasion, potentially explaining the role of various patterns of invasion in causing tumour metastasis. Paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of 60 oral squamous cell carcinoma cases of known nodal status were selected for immunohistochemical staining of tumour (invasive front) by D2-40 along with routine staining by haematoxylin and eosin. Various staining patterns were assessed and evaluated for D2-40 expression, and correlated with nodal status. Tumoral D2-40 expression correspondingly increased with nodal metastasis (P = 0.261). Furthermore, D2-40 staining was more efficient in detecting individual tumour cells, and also characterised the motility factor irrespective of the pattern of invasion (P = 0.001). The pattern of D2-40 staining did not show a significant association with tumour grade, indicating that motility is an overlooked, albeit important, component of the pattern of invasion in routine histological grading. D2-40 expression successfully identifies the motility profile of tumour, irrespective of the pattern of invasion. The presence of larger motile islands in the tumour cohort supports the concept of 'collective cell migration'. Podoplanin also aids evasion of immune responses by inducing platelet aggregation over tumour cells, thereby favouring distant metastasis. A multivariate model using immunohistochemical staining with D2-40 provides greater sensitivity for the prediction of lymph node metastasis. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Vagal activation by sham feeding improves gastric motility in functional dyspepsia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lunding, J A; Nordström, L M; Haukelid, A-O; Gilja, O H; Berstad, A; Hausken, T

    2008-06-01

    Antral hypomotility and impaired gastric accommodation in patients with functional dyspepsia have been ascribed to vagal dysfunction. We investigated whether vagal stimulation by sham feeding would improve meal-induced gastric motor function in these patients. Fourteen healthy volunteers and 14 functional dyspepsia patients underwent a drink test twice, once with and once without simultaneous sham feeding. After ingesting 500 mL clear meat soup (20 kcal, 37 degrees C) in 4 min, sham feeding was performed for 10 min by chewing a sugar-containing chewing gum while spitting out saliva. Using two- and three-dimensional ultrasound, antral motility index (contraction amplitude x frequency) and intragastric volumes were estimated. Without sham feeding, functional dyspepsia patients had lower motility index than healthy volunteers (area under curve 8.0 +/- 1.2 vs 4.4 +/- 1.0 min(-1), P = 0.04). In functional dyspepsia patients, but not in healthy volunteers, motility index increased and intragastric volume tended to increase by sham feeding (P = 0.04 and P = 0.06 respectively). The change in motility index was negatively correlated to the change in pain score (r = -0.59, P = 0.007). In functional dyspepsia patients, vagal stimulation by sham feeding improves antral motility in response to a soup meal. The result supports the view that impaired vagal stimulation is implicated in the pathogenesis of gastric motility disturbances in functional dyspepsia.

  19. 77 FR 17439 - Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Cells, Whether or Not Assembled Into Modules, From the People's...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-03-26

    ... cells or solar cells assembled into modules or panels, and thus quantity is not recorded consistently in... silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules (solar cells) from the People's Republic... History The Department initiated a countervailing duty (CVD) investigation of solar cells from the PRC on...

  20. Modulation of collective cell behaviour by geometrical constraints

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Lunova, M.; Zablotskyy, Vitaliy A.; Dempsey, N.M.; Devillers, T.; Jirsa, M.; Syková, E.; Kubinová, Šárka; Lunov, Oleg; Dejneka, Alexandr

    2016-01-01

    Roč. 8, č. 11 (2016), s. 1099-1110 ISSN 1757-9694 Grant - others:AV ČR(CZ) Fellowship J. E. Purkyně Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : modulation * collective cell * geometrical constraints Subject RIV: BO - Biophysics Impact factor: 3.252, year: 2016