Demonstration of the Early Cardiac Bioavailability of a Non-Specific Cell-Targeted Peptide Using Radionuclide-Based Imaging In Vivo.

The cardiac bioavailability of peptide drugs that inhibit harmful intracellular protein-protein interactions in cardiovascular diseases remains a challenging task in drug development. This study investigates whether a non-specific cell-targeted peptide drug is available in a timely manner at its intended biological destination, the heart, using a combined stepwise nuclear molecular imaging approach. An octapeptide (heart8P) was covalently coupled with the trans-activator of transcription (TAT) protein transduction domain residues 48-59 of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (TAT-heart8P) for efficient internalization into mammalian cells.

Superiority of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope tomography of cardiomyocytes over standard 2D analyses highlighted by unmasking mitochondrial heterogeneity.

Background: Cardioprotection by preventing or repairing mitochondrial damage is an unmet therapeutic need. To understand the role of cardiomyocyte mitochondria in physiopathology, the reliable characterization of the mitochondrial morphology and compartment is pivotal. Previous studies mostly relied on two-dimensional (2D) routine transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thereby neglecting the real three-dimensional (3D) mitochondrial organization.

Frontline Science: Proliferation of Ly6C monocytes during urinary tract infections is regulated by IL-6 trans-signaling.

Ly6C monocytes are important components of the innate immune defense against infections. These cells have been shown to proliferate in the bone marrow of mice with systemic infections. However, the proliferative capacity of Ly6C monocytes in infected peripheral tissues as well as the associated regulatory mechanisms remain unclear.