Reduced Insulin Resistance and Oxidative Stress in a Mouse Model of Metabolic Syndrome following Twelve Weeks of Citrus Bioflavonoid Hesperidin Supplementation: A Dose-Response Study.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities affecting ~25% of adults and is linked to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation are key drivers of MetS. Hesperidin, a citrus bioflavonoid, has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its effects on MetS are not fully established.

Invasion of spontaneous germinal centers by naive B cells is rapid and persistent.

In autoreactive germinal centers (GC) initiated by a single rogue B cell clone, wild-type B cells expand and give rise to clones that target other autoantigens, known as epitope spreading. The chronic, progressive nature of epitope spreading calls for early interventions to limit autoimmune pathologies, but the kinetics and molecular requirements for wild-type B cell invasion and participation in GC remain largely unknown. With parabiosis and adoptive transfer approaches in a murine model of systemic lupus erythematosus, we demonstrate that wild-type B cells join existing GCs rapidly, clonally expand, persist, and contribute to autoantibody production and diversification.

The RyR1 P3528S Substitution Alters Mouse Skeletal Muscle Contractile Properties and RyR1 Ion Channel Gating.

The recessive Ryanodine Receptor Type 1 (RyR1) P3527S mutation causes mild muscle weakness in patients and increased resting cytoplasmic [Ca] in transformed lymphoblastoid cells. In the present study, we explored the cellular/molecular effects of this mutation in a mouse model of the mutation (RyR1 P3528S). The results were obtained from 73 wild type (WT/WT), 82 heterozygous (WT/MUT) and 66 homozygous (MUT/MUT) mice with different numbers of observations in individual data sets depending on the experimental protocol.

Measurement of Murine Neuromuscular Function Using the In Situ Preparation.

The presence and progression of a neuromuscular pathology can impact on the contractile force production of a muscle. Hence, measurements of force production can be an important tool for the evaluation of disease progression. In this chapter, we describe how to perform in situ function testing on the tibialis anterior muscle using a murine model.

Antigen presentation by B cells enables epitope spreading across an MHC barrier.

Circumstantial evidence suggests that B cells may instruct T cells to break tolerance. Here, to test this hypothesis, we used a murine model in which a single B cell clone precipitates an autoreactive response resembling systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The initiating clone did not need to enter germinal centers to precipitate epitope spreading.