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Hepatocytic differentiation of cultured rat pancreatic ductal epithelial cells after in vivo implantation.

We have investigated the differentiation potential of propagable cultured rat pancreatic duct epithelial cells after in vivo implantation in isogeneic Fischer-344 rats. Cells genetically labeled with Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (lacZ) reporter gene were embedded in a mixture of collagen and Matrigel (basement membrane matrix) and implanted either subcutaneously or intraperitoneally. Tissues from the two locations were harvested 4 to 8 weeks later. The great majority of the lacZ-labeled epithelial cells colonizing both sites phenotypically resembled hepatocytes, although they demonstrated different degrees of hepatocytic differentiation. Less than 5% of lacZ-labeled cells formed ductular structures. The hepatocyte-like cells from the subcutaneous implantation site expressed mixed phenotypes of both hepatocyte and ductal cell, including the expression of alpha-fetoprotein, tyrosine amino-transferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, carbonic anhydrase II, and cytokeratin 19. In contrast, the hepatocyte-like cells colonizing the mesentery showed the phenotype of mature hepatocytes, including an abundant glycogen storage and a lack of alpha-fetoprotein and carbonic anhydrase II expressions. Neither acinar cell nor endocrine differentiation was seen. These findings demonstrate that pancreatic ductal cells can be the progenitor cell for transdifferentiated hepatocytes.

Animals↗

Osteoblasts develop from isolated fetal mouse chondrocytes when co-cultured in high density with brain tissue.

Chondrocytes from the hypertrophic and proliferative zones of 16-day-old fetal murine metatarsal bones were enzymatically dissociated and cultured in a high-density type of culture, exposed to the gas phase. We ascertained that no cells of the perichondrium were included in the cell suspension. Control cultures formed a solid cartilaginous mass, of which all the chondrocytes were alkaline phosphatase positive and the matrix started to calcify after 4 days. After 6 days, nearly the entire matrix was calcified. When co-cultured with pieces of cerebral tissue, some chondrocytes had transdifferentiated into osteoblasts after 4 days. They had started to form osteoid. After 6 and 11 days part of the cartilage had been replaced by bone, especially in the periphery of the cultures, but also in areas in the center. The bone matrix was partly calcified. Osteoblasts and bone matrix were identified as such electron microscopically. The nature of the bone matrix was also confirmed by immunohistochemical demonstration of collagen type I and osteocalcin. These results show that enzymatically isolated chondrocytes are able to become osteoblasts when properly stimulated. This supports the concept of chondrocytes being responsible for (part of) the endochondral bone formation in the marrow cavity of long bones.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Reciprocal changes in prolactin and growth hormone secretion in vitro after in vivo estrogen treatment.

Female rats were treated in vivo with estrogen for three weeks. The pituitaries were then removed and their responses to somatostatin, dopamine, TRH, hGHRH(1-44)NH2, or their combination were examined in a superfused pituitary cell system. Somatostatin did not decrease basal prolactin secretion in the control cells, but it caused a dose-dependent decrease in prolactin release from the estrogen pretreated cells. Estrogen pretreatment did not alter the sensitivity of pituitary cells to dopamine; dopamine was equally effective in the control and estrogen pretreated pituitaries in decreasing the basal prolactin secretion and TRH induced prolactin release. Prolactin release from the estrogen pretreated cells, stimulated by 25 nM TRH was inhibited by 1 nM somatostatin and nearly totally abolished by 25 nM somatostatin, whereas in the control cells only the higher dose of somatostatin caused some decrease in the prolactin release. Estrogen pretreated cells showed a reduced response to GHRH. Somatostatin did not decrease the basal secretion of GH in either group, but at 1 nM dose it completely abolished the GH release induced by equimolar concentration of GHRH. However, after somatostatin was eliminated from the system, a delayed GH release could be observed that was greater in the control pituitaries than in the estrogen pretreated pituitaries. It is concluded that in vivo treatment with estrogen reduces GH secretion in response to GHRH and increases prolactin secretion after TRH stimulation. After estrogen treatment, the basal and TRH stimulated prolactin release can be effectively reduced by somatostatin. These effects could be observed in vitro using estrogen free tissue culture medium for up to 36 hours after the removal of the pituitaries. The reciprocal changes in GH and prolactin secretion support the concept of the transdifferentiation of GH and prolactin secreting cells.

Animals↗

[Scanning electron microscopic study on pathogenesis of peritoneal endometriosis].

To investigate the pathogenesis of peritoneal endometriosis, the morphology of peritoneal endometriosis was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM). After taking biopsies from peritoneal lesions which were suspected of being endometriosis during laparoscopy, the peritoneal surfaces of specimens were studied by SEM. Subsequently, for histologic examination of SEM findings, some SEM blocks were embedded in Epon, and LM observation of sections of Epon-embedded SEM blocks was done. In SEM observations, no ciliated cells were observed on the surface of peritoneal endometriotic lesions, but domed cells were observed in 17 of 44 specimens and surface configurations were cobblestonelike in appearance. In combined observation with SEM and LM, they were suspected of being epithelioid-changed mesothelial cells. On the cellular surface, folds, hollows and apocrine secretion (one SEM block) were observed. Furthermore, the peritoneal surface structure which covered these epithelioid-changed mesothelial cells was not always flat, but sometimes invaginations and glandular opening-like structures were observed on them. These changes in mesothelial cells and the peritoneal architecture may reflect the process of transdifferentiation to müllerian epithelium and support the metaplastic theory of the pathogenesis of endometriosis.

Adult↗

Mechanisms of the proliferation and differentiation of plant cells in cell culture systems.

Plant cell functions have been investigated in various cell culture systems. In this review, we summarize results obtained from investigations of gene expression during the cell cycle in synchronized cultures of Catharanthus roseus during somatic embryogenesis in suspension cultures of Daucus carota, during organogenesis in tissue cultures of Arabidopsis thaliana and during the transdifferentiation of isolated mesophyll cells to tracheary elements in single-cell cultures of Zinnia elegans.

Cell Cycle↗

Models of pancreatic cancer.

Progress has been made in recent years in defining the spectrum of molecular changes seen in human pancreatic cancer. A range of animal models of this disease exists, and the nitrosamine induced tumours in the hamster show "clinical", morphological, immunophenotypic and, importantly, molecular similarities with human disease. This may prove to be an important model for testing therapeutic stratagems. In vitro systems for assessing pancreatic carcinogenesis and neoplasia are much less well developed. Although many human pancreatic primary carcinoma cell lines exist, it is difficult to culture normal human pancreatic cells effectively. Future studies will probably need to concentrate on the development of rodent systems (especially hamster), which can be more easily maintained. Studies in transgenic mouse systems have given new insights into the genesis of pancreatic neoplasia, and taken with those studies of acinar to ductal transdifferentiation, they cast new light on the possible origin of the tumour. This important issue remains unresolved, and its further understanding will require the generation of new data on the kinetic and spatial organization of the pancreas where key questions remain unanswered--whether there is a stem cell compartment in the organ not least among them. Progress in the cellular and molecular aspects of the disease are essential; so too are some important morphogenetic issues.

Animals↗

Nerve growth factor prevents both neuroretinal programmed cell death and capillary pathology in experimental diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Chronic diabetes causes structural changes in the retinal capillaries of nearly all patients with a disease duration of more than 15 years. Acellular occluded vessels cause hypoxia, which stimulates sight-threatening abnormal angiogenesis in 50% of all type I diabetic patients. The mechanism by which diabetes produces acellular retinal capillaries is unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, evidence of programmed cell death (PCD) was sought in the retinas of early diabetic rats, and the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on PCD and capillary morphology was evaluated. RESULTS: Diabetes induced PCD primarily in retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and Muller cells. This was associated with a transdifferentiation of Muller cells into an injury-associated glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing phenotype, and an up-regulation of the low-affinity NGF receptor p75NGFR on both RGC and Muller cells. NGF treatment of diabetic rats prevented both early PCD in RGC and Muller cells, and the development of pericyte loss and acellular occluded capillaries. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide new insight into the mechanism of diabetic retinal vascular damage, and suggest that NGF or other neurotrophic factors may have potential as therapeutic agents for the prevention of human diabetic retinopathy.

Animals↗

An identical effect mediated by thyroid deficiency or oncogene v-erbA in the chick embryo.

We have shown earlier that the association of v-myc and v-erbA (MAHEVA construct) is responsible for the appearance of a specific phenotype in chick embryos inoculated at E3. This phenotype comprises rapidly growing heart rhabdomyomas (induced by v-myc alone) and within these tumors secondarily appearing cartilage nodules (Bachnou et al., Oncogene 6: 1041-1047, 1991). Here we report that v-erbA can be replaced by thyroid deficiency. When decapitated embryos were inoculated with virus MC29 (v-myc alone) or when v-myc inoculated embryos were treated with thiourea, 100% of the embryos reaching E17 to E19 displayed tumoral hearts bearing cartilage nodules. We thus report in vivo evidence that v-erbA acts by antagonizing the effects of thyroid hormones. Remarkably, thyroid deficiency rendered embryos more sensitive to the effect of v-myc, since 100% developed heart rhabdomyomas and cartilage nodules, versus about 70% affected when either v-myc or MAHEVA were inoculated. Thyroid deficiency did not alter the species-specific character of transdifferentiation, since only chick but not quail embryos developed cartilage nodules after thyroidectomy or MAHEVA infection.

Animals↗

[The urodelean retina as a model for studying the retinal regeneration potentials of other vertebrates].

The regeneration potencies of the retina of various vertebrate animals were analyzed on the basis of previously published data and the author's own data. It was shown that the known regeneration responses of retina to damage are universal for all animals studied. They are expressed in the growth of the cells in the eye periphery (growth zone of the eye) and their subsequent differentiation, the proliferation and transdifferentiation of the retinal pigment epithelium cells, the proliferation and differentiation of precursor cells of photoreceptors, the hypertrophy and proliferation of the Mullerian glial cells, and the reaction of the vascular cells and microglia. However, expression and, therefore, discovery of certain regeneration responses depends on the age of the animal (in most cases potencies for retina regeneration are expressed only during development), the species of the animal, and the nature of the trauma. As a result, only some of the potencies mentioned above are expressed in a species studied at a certain stage of development, or these potencies are not expressed at all. Urodelean amphibians are an exception, since they display all the regeneration responses of the retina that have been established so far on the other models.

Animals↗

Can insights into urodele limb regeneration be achieved with cell cultures and retroviruses?

Recent advances in the field of amphibian limb regeneration have provided insights into its cellular and molecular events. This review summarizes the development of cell lines from limb tissues and their application to the study of transdifferentiation and limb regeneration. In addition, the availability of suitable retroviral vectors for salamanders is discussed for it has opened new avenues for experimentation at the molecular level.

Animals↗

Induction of various blood-brain barrier properties in non-neural endothelial cells by close apposition to co-cultured astrocytes.

Vascular endothelial cells (EC) exhibit organ-to-organ heterogeneity in their functions and morphologies. In particular, brain capillary EC have unique characteristics exemplified by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). The formation and the maintenance of BBB have been ascribed to EC responses to inductive signal(s) or factor(s) from astrocytes that encircle microvessels in the central nervous system. These EC responses were demonstrated in numerous in vivo studies, exemplified by those of Janzer and Raff (Nature 325:253, 1987) and Tout et al. (Neuroscience 55:291, 1993) showing that transplanted astrocytes induced BBB properties in non-neural vascular EC. In this study, we constructed a heterologous co-culture system, in which rat fetal brain astrocytes were cultivated on one surface of a porous membrane and human umbilical vein EC on the opposite surface. Electron microscopic examination revealed that astrocytes passed their endfeet through the pores, making contact with EC. In this system, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GTP) activity in EC was found to be significantly increased by contacting astrocytes in a density- and time-dependent manner, but not when the astrocyte feeder layer was apart from EC or replaced by COS cells; astrocyte-derived extracellular matrix partially activated gamma-GTP. mRNAs for some of the representative BBB markers, including transferrin receptor, P-glycoprotein, brain-type glucose transporter (GLUT-1), and gamma-GTP were also demonstrated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to be upregulated in EC co-cultured with astrocytes. Astrocyte inductions of close membrane apposition resembling a zonula occludens and of an increase in the content of mitochondria in EC were also noted in electron micrographs. Furthermore, an increased barrier activity against inulin was conferred on EC when they were lined with astrocytes. The results obtained with this heterologous co-culture system thus indicate that through contact with their feet, astrocytes are capable of transdifferentiating non-neural EC into the brain type, endowing them with the BBB properties.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Hair cell recovery in the vestibular sensory epithelia of mature guinea pigs.

The progression of recovery of the vestibular sensory epithelia of guinea pigs after gentamicin-induced hair cell injury was assessed quantitatively and qualitatively. Evaluations were made of the number of cells bearing hair bundles by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and of identifiable hair cells in thin sections. Both assessment procedures showed that an initial loss of hair cells in utricular maculae is followed by significant recovery in the number of hair cells present. SEM also showed recovery in saccules comparable to that in utricles. During the recovery, progressive maturation of hair bundles, which exhibited features similar to those seen during normal ontogenetic development of hair cells, could be identified. The pattern and extent of hair cell loss and subsequent reappearance revealed by SEM corresponded with that derived from analysis of thin sections. This suggests that repair of nonlethally damaged hair cells is unlikely but, rather, that new hair cells are produced. An apparent decrease in supporting cell numbers was observed coincident with the increase in hair cell numbers. This complements previous morphological observations, which have suggested new hair cells arise from direct, nonmitotic transdifferentiation of supporting cells. The quantitative analyses indicate that more than half of the hair cells that are lost are replaced, but the recovery process does not result in complete restoration of the epithelium. Eight months after the end of drug treatment, the number of hair cells present was still significantly less than normal, and several other abnormalities persisted. There was also no evidence of any hair cell recovery in the organ of Corti. Thus, there appear to be limitations on the capacity for spontaneous replacement of lost hair cells in the mammalian inner ear.

Animals↗

Differential subcellular p53 localization and function in N- and S-type neuroblastoma cell lines.

Neuroblastoma (NB) cells in vitro are capable of bidirectional transdifferentiation, resulting in two distinct, yet reversible, phenotypes of neuroblastic (N-type) and nonneuronal (S-type) Schwann-like cells. Our previous studies suggested that the wild-type p53 protein is subject to differential regulation in a subset of neuronal cell types. To further test this hypothesis, we compared p53 function in three matched pairs of N- and S-type cell lines, each pair originating from an individual NB tumor. Our data show that although p53 remains cytoplasmically sequestered in a punctate pattern in N-type cells after DNA damage, the protein is diffusely distributed in the S-type cells and is additionally capable of translocating to the nucleus and mediating a biological response to this damage. Our data, therefore, suggest that the p53 protein may be differentially regulated by a neuronal cellular environment and that the sequestration of p53 in NB may be reversible.

Cell Line↗

[Contact inhibition of desmin expression in rat liver Ito cells in vitro].

The presence of desmin is used to identify the Ito cells in rat liver and to evaluate the purity of separated and cultured cells. The present study was conducted to evaluate the expression of cytoskeletal (with special emphasis on desmin) and intercellular matrix proteins in cultured rat liver Ito cells. The Ito cells were isolated by enzymatic digestion of rat liver and purified by single-step Nycodenz gradient. During the first week of culturing, the Ito cells proliferated and all of them expressed desmin and vimentin. By the end of the first week, part of them were seen to transdifferentiate into myofibroblasts. These cells expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin. The Ito cells and myofibroblasts were stained with anti-laminin, and anti-collagen I and III antibodies. The expression of desmin in myofibroblasts was less than in untransformed (stellate shaped) Ito cells. By the end of the second week the cells developed a dense monolayer and lost desmin. We suggest that repression of desmin in the cablestone-like monolayer of cells may be due to cell-to-cell contact inhibition.

Animals↗

A Transcriptional Signature of Induced Neurons Differentiates Virologically Suppressed People Living With HIV from People Without HIV.

Neurocognitive impairment is a prevalent and important co-morbidity in virologically suppressed people living with HIV (PLWH), yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive and treatments lacking. Here, we explored for the first time, use of participant-derived directly induced neurons (iNs) to model neuronal biology and injury in PLWH. iNs retain age- and disease-related features of the donors, providing unique opportunities to reveal novel aspects of neurological disorders. We obtained primary dermal fibroblasts from six virologically suppressed PLWH (range: 27 - 64 years, median: 53); 83% Male; 50% White) and seven matched people without HIV (PWOH) (range: 27 - 66, median: 55); 71% Male; 57% White). iNs were generated using transcription factors NGN2 and ASCL1, and validated by immunocytochemistry and single-cell-RNAseq. Transcriptomic analysis using bulk-RNAseq identified 29 significantly differentially expressed genes between iNs from PLWH and PWOH. Of these, 16 genes were downregulated and 13 upregulated in PLWH iNs. Protein-protein interaction network mapping indicates that iNs from PLWH exhibit differences in extracellular matrix organization and synaptic transmission. IFI27 was upregulated in iNs from PLWH, which complements independent post-mortem studies demonstrating elevated IFI27 expression in PLWH-derived brain tissue, indicating that iN generation reconstitutes this pathway. Finally, we observed that expression of the FOXL2NB-FOXL2-LINC01391 genome locus is reduced in iNs from PLWH and negatively correlates with neurocognitive impairment. Thus, we have identified an iN gene signature of HIV through direct reprogramming of skin fibroblasts into neurons revealing novel mechanisms of neurocognitive impairment in PLWH.

HAND↗

Gene profile for differentiation of vascular adventitial myofibroblasts.

Our previous study demonstrated that TGF-beta1 could induce the differentiation of vascular adventitial fibroblasts (AFs) to myofibroblasts (MFs). The aim of this study was to identify the genes which might be responsible for the cell phenotypic change using genechips. Cultured rat AFs were treated with TGF-beta1 (10 ng/ml) for 0 min, 5 min, 15 min, 2 h, 12 h and 24 h, respectively. Then the cells were gathered to prepare total RNA. We examined TGF-beta1-induced gene expression profiling using Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays and analyzed data by GCOS1.2 software. Moreover, expressional similarity was measured by hierarchical clustering. Some of genechip results were confirmed by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Microarray analysis identified 2121 genes with a 2-fold change or above after TGF-beta1 stimulation. 1318 genes showed a greater than 2-fold increase and 761 genes were reduced 2 folds or more at mRNA levels, whereas a small portion of the total regulated genes (42 genes) displayed dynamically up- and down-regulated pattern. Genes were further segregated for early (peak at 5 min, 15 min and/or 2 h), late (peak at 12 h and/or 24 h), and sustained (2-fold change or above at five time points) temporal response groups according to the time of their peak expression level. Among 1318 up-regulated genes, 333 genes (25.3%) responded rapidly to TGF-beta1 and 159 genes (12.1%) responded in a sustained manner. Most genes (826, 62.6%) were regulated at 12 h or later. For the 761 down-regulated genes, numbers of early and late responsive genes were 335 (44%) and 267 (36.1%), respectively. There were also 159 genes, 19.9% of total down-regulated genes, decreased at five time points treated by TGF-beta1. The results suggested that the gene expressions of secreted phosphoprotein 1 (APP1) and Rho-associated coiled-coil forming kinase 2 (ROCK2) had the same trends as alpha-smooth muscle-actin, a marker of MF differentiation. In addition, the gene expression of potassium voltage-gated channel, Shal-related family and member 2 (KCND2) was up-regulated. Furthermore, it was found that endothelin 1 (EDN1), some complement components, NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) and NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1 (NQO1) might be involved in MF differentiation. Using microarrary technique, we confirmed some genes that have been identified by other techniques were implicated in MF differentiation and observed new genes involved in this process. Our results suggest that gene expression profiling study is helpful in identifying genes and pathways potentially involved in cell differentiation.

Adventitia↗

[Study on trans-differentiation of adult human myoblasts into neural precursor cells and its implantation in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of inducing adult human myoblasts into neural precursor cells. METHODS: The myoblasts were isolated with mixed digestive enzyme from minced human temporal muscle samples, cultured and purified clonally. The 3rd passage cells were incubated with serum free medium including basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Morphological change was investigated during incubation period. Immunofluorescence cytochemistry and RT-PCR analysis were used to assess cell differentiation and trans differentiation. RESULTS: After the induction, cells became non-adherent aggregates as neurospheres. The myoblast-derived neurospheres was immuno-positive for nestin. In differentiation condition, they looked like neurons and glial cells and expressed neuronal (microtubule associated protein 2, MAP-2), astrocytic (Glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP) and oligodendrocytic (Galactocerebroside, Galc) markers by immunocytochemistry. The result by RT-PCR was coincident with immunocytochemistry. The myoblast-derived neurospheres expressed MAP-2 and GFAP after they were transplanted into the brain of rats with cerebral ischemia. CONCLUSION: Adult human myoblasts can be inducted to trans-differentiate into neural precursor cells.

Adult↗